Clothes make the man. Youll likely either embrace or disregard that ageold idiom. Clothes are sort of a strange thing excluding the presence of Kill la Kill. For many myself included theyre an armor of public confidence and Id feel practically naked outside without a selfcoordinated outfit. Nevertheless I believe theres this universal feeling present in everyone one of selfsatisfaction from being in a nicelooking and fitting set of clothes. 520https://i.ur.com/q2mM1h4.png Oh you got that DRIP drip 128527 Dont let the fashion aspect of this series gatekeep you. If Youre Gonna Dress Up Do It Like This is an ample sliceoflife depicting the comedic relationship between an unfashionable older brother and a haughty fashionable younger sister and how fashion becomes a device to colorize something as frustratingly endearing as a sibling relationship. Yuusuke an ordinary office worker and gamer otaku takes unsteady baby steps into the fashion world handheld by Tamaki after realizing how unfashionably outofplace he is during a class reunion party. Yuusuke being unfashionable is a key point of the story. Had this been about an alreadyfashionable protagonist talking through and offering tips the series wouldve been considerably more gatekeeping. Reflecting back to middleschool the days when I frolicked about with my baggy Gap sweatpants Like a Boss graphic tshirt muddied Nike Roshes and a standard overgrown buzzcut not many things could be more annoying than someone preaching to you about taking care of your appearance and whatnot. However with a relatable casuallynerdy guy whose fashion curiosity is piqued the story takes on a much more welcoming approach to introducing the audience to something they may consider esoteric ie. fashion. Expanding more on the preceding statement its comforting how beginnerfriendly this series is. It somehow manages to address every skepticism question and misunderstanding that I and many beginners had and have regarding the foreign and new concept of fashion. The first chapter captures the indifferent attitude many have towards fashionable appearances the disarray one may feel when surrounded by the exquisitelydressed and a meek shameful desire to learn about fashion. The sibling duo dynamic works great to answer and dispel common misconceptions about fashion such as Yuusuke believing more expensive is better and Tamaki correcting him through easytounderstand explanations. In conjunction with quelling common misconceptions and addressing common beliefs regarding fashion the series of course teaches the audience about the technicalities of fashion. That said the series doesnt confuse its audience right off the bat with esoteric fashion terminology and industry jargon. It starts off depicting Yuusuke awkwardly stumbling and discovering what looks good and bad with very basic terms and tips. As the story progresses and Yuusuke interacts with more fashionistas and finds himself in different situations it drops more yet still easily comprehendible technical explanations. Ive repeatedly mentioned that this is an excellent entrypoint for beginners but just about any degree of fashionista will find an enjoyable takeaway as well. Admittedly I came in believing there wouldnt be much to digest and learn and to my pleasant surprise Ive learned some neat tips slightly redefined my style and even changed my outlook on fashion. Truly if youre willing to take away something from this series youre sure to find something. Side note: This series is essentially a massive Uniqlo advertisement and focuses on Japanese street/minimalist fashion and considering that Im a shill for all of those this review is wholeheartedly biased. 520https://i.ur.com/mFtpPzn.jpg Conclusion Fashion is likely one of the most esoteric genres across manga. However If Youre Gonna Dress Up Do It Like This takes kindly to any skepticism and indifference towards it. Its neither condescending or gatekeeping in advocating the word of fashion. Rather than being reminded of your mothers scolds of maintaining a clean appearance the series gently guides you and addresses common doubts through the lens of an ordinary office worker and gamer who becomes interested in casual fashion one day. Hell the author herself mentions that she isnt even interested in fashion and that she has an advisor to fill in the fashion aspect of her story. Though If Youre Gonna Dress Up Do It Like This is told from a beginners perspective anyone with any degree of interest in fashion will surely find something useful to take away and apply to their own wardrobe. Being about fashion one would expect exceptional art. Detailed doesnt describe this series art but it certainly depicts fashion much more conscientiously than the vast majority of other manga out there. After seeing characters in hundreds of different series wearing the exact same outfits for the entirety of the story its very much a refreshing sight to see the varying outfits and styles present in each chapter. HonesttoGod art otaku wont find anything exceptional here but its a pleasant sight for anyone with an interest in fashion. The volume covers are certainly an aesthetic pleaser as well. Fashion aside the story is a pleasant sliceoflife regarding a sibling duo youd find just about anywhere. As someone with an older sister and a former disinterest in fashion I found their bickering supportive dynamic an amusingly relatable one. Though not quite on par with much more sliceoflife oriented series its still a great supplement to the fashion aspect of this series. Though likely not sufficient enough for those completely disinterested in fashion. To close off my key point here isnt about fashion. Rather youll often encounter stories with an esoteric focus such as shogi bouldering cooking etc. The plot themselves may be appealing enough for readers enjoyment even with that obscure focus present. However I believe that if youre willing to open up to it you can find some sort of takeaway. Not exactly a fullblown interest but an idea applicable to your life.