It’s not the catwalk that has the hottest styles; it’s virtual worlds. Video game fashion has gone crazy, turning pixelated characters into fashion icons wearing carefully thought-out outfits. This has pushed the limits of self-expression and blurred the lines between the real world and the digital world. From the cyberpunk neon of Night City to the fantastical landscapes of Azeroth, players are creating one-of-a-kind looks that are more than just pretty. These looks are becoming an extension of their in-game identities and a badge of honour in their online communities.
But what does fashion in video games really look like? Why does it break away from reality, and what does that tell us about ourselves? People who love fashion and people who play video games should both buckle up, because we’re about to go on an exciting adventure through the digital closets that are changing the way we think about style.
According to CyberGhost, this huge rise in virtual style isn’t just a passing trend. It shows how games are becoming more and more powerful tools for building communities, forming identities, and exploring the limits of self-expression. For now, get your controller and clean out your digital closet. You’re about to enter a world where pixels become patterns, polygons become personalities, and every click of the mouse gives you a chance to start over.
Fashion brings with it Aesthetics and a Layer of Individuality
Games are usually based on two main ideas: dominance and force. I think that fashion brings life to games by adding its own style and way of expressing yourself. Orchestrating a different type of play, and the implications it has on the players. Keep in mind that fashion can be any kind of clothing. You can be fashionable in sweatpants and a T-shirt. Not always high fashion, mind you; just fashion.
What Makes Video Game Fashion Unique?
Video game fashion is a unique way to look at style because it breaks rules and lets your imagination run wild. Some important things about it that make it stand out are:
🎨 Unrestricted creativity: There are limits in the real world, but designers can break free in video games. In ways that aren’t possible in our world, they can make clothes that defy gravity, use strange materials, and play around with bright colours and textures. This leads to designs that are amazingly unique and creative, like the hovering capes in Final Fantasy, the bioluminescent clothes in Cyberpunk 2077, and the armour in World of Warcraft that is made of crystallised magic.
🎵 Fusion of styles: Video games often mix different types of music and historical styles, which has led to fashion that is a fun mix of styles. Think of cyberpunk clothes mixed with steampunk corsets or futuristic armour with traditional tribal patterns on it. This mix goes against what is usually worn and makes something completely new and exciting.
👥 Character expression: Dressing up in video games isn’t just about looking good; it’s also about telling a story and showing who a character is. The battle-worn armour of a warrior tells you a lot about their experience, while the fancy robes of a magician give you a hint about how theatrical they are. These outfits make the characters look more like real people, which makes us feel more connected to them and immersed in the world of the game.
🔄 Styles change over time: Just like in real life, styles in video games change over time. As an example, the rise of athleisure styles influenced by e-sports and the popularity of virtual reality fashion shows are both new genres and technologies that have led to new fashion trends. The fashion in video games is always changing, which keeps things interesting and makes sure there’s always something new to find.
🌐 Effects on real-life trends: The fashion in video games is having a bigger effect on real life. Cosplayers copy their favourite outfits from popular games, and high fashion runways feature looks inspired by video games thanks to designer collaborations. The sharing of ideas between people helps to create trends and push the limits of what we think is “fashionable.”
For the most part, video game fashion is different because it’s not limited by real life. It’s a place to be creative, a mix of worlds and styles, and a powerful way for characters to show who they are. It’s not just about clothes; it’s also about breaking rules, telling stories, and making worlds that are beautiful to look at and inspire and captivate us.
The Importance of Fashion
First impressions are inevitable when meeting someone new, as our brains quickly categorize people based on visual cues. Clothing plays a crucial role in shaping these impressions, allowing us to intentionally guide how we want to be perceived. It serves as a form of self-expression, correcting misconceptions and acting like a self-portrait. Fashion in games often faces challenges, as poorly executed designs can lead to characters lacking distinction or context.
Clothing in games should convey information about the character’s identity, background, and role. It can recreate eras, define settings, and enhance the overall fantasy world. The choice of clothing impacts player enjoyment, as players may feel awkward or restart a game due to undesirable character looks. Fashion has its own language, offering codified, symbolic expressions that convey meaning and context. It enhances our ability to understand and communicate in the world. As digital spaces become more prominent, fashion must adapt to enable self-expression in these virtual realms.
The Inappropriate Use of Fashion
Video games are mostly played for fun and escape, as they let players become fully immersed in different characters and worlds. Fashion is a big part of making this connection stronger because it lets players feel cool or powerful while they explore creative options that aren’t possible in real life. Unfortunately, the gaming industry doesn’t always pay attention to how clothes make people feel, which can lead to problems like sexualizing characters in inappropriate ways.
When fashion is used in the wrong way, like when characters like Ivy Valentine or Lara Croft were shown early on wearing overly sexualized clothes, it turns complicated female characters into simple symbols of desire. Luckily, things are changing for the better. Game studios are making female characters less sexualized, realising that empowerment comes in many forms. As an example, the simplistic idea that Brazilians only wear soccer uniforms or Carnival clothes is an example of how fashion can reinforce cultural stereotypes.
The people who make video games can help solve these problems by making thoughtful fashion choices that promote cultural understanding and diversity. The Geeky Baju Project, which changes the way Southeast Asian clothes are made, shows how game fashion can help people around the world learn about and appreciate other cultures. In the end, the gaming industry can use fashion as a powerful way to grow, change, and learn about different cultures around the world.
Real-World Influences
Fashion in video games is a kaleidoscope of styles that come from all over the real world and beyond. It’s a mix of different times in history, cultural movements, and imagined futures, often mixed and twisted into strange new things.
Medieval flair: Imagine knights in shiny armour (hopefully without the impracticality!), long dresses, and intricate embroidery that looks like it came from Renaissance paintings. This idealised view of the past is shown in games like The Witcher 3 and Kingdom Come: Deliverance.
Cyberpunk Cool: The cyberpunk style is defined by neon trench coats, metallic accents, and holographic displays stuck on clothes. This dark and tech-heavy style can be seen in games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.
Swag: The cool, laid-back style of streetwear makes its way into video games like NBA 2K and Grand Theft Auto Online, where players wear sneakers, hoodies and graphic t-shirts with logos and pop culture references all over them.
Cosplay Couture: Video games have also helped cosplay grow. Fans carefully copy the clothes their favourite characters wear in the games. This dedication pushes the limits of fashion by combining fantasy elements with materials and methods from the real world.
Fashion in video games isn’t just like fashion in real life, though. People who wear it often push the limits of what’s possible, defying gravity and physics with hairstyles that don’t stick to the head and armour that looks good and protects you. It’s this creative spirit that makes video game fashion so unique and interesting. The next time you start up your favourite game, take a moment to enjoy the fashion show. You might be moved to add some video game style to your own wardrobe after reading this.
Fashion Goes Unnoticed By Game Developers
It’s crazy that there aren’t many fashion games out there these days, and the ones that are around are usually mobile games with in-app purchases. We’ve seen fashion as a way to make money before, whether it was with physical goods or makeup loot boxes. Even though dress-up games are getting more and more popular, there is still no fashion games section on Steam.
However, mobile games like Kim Kardashian: Hollywood and Love Nikki, which are all about clothes, clearly show that fashion can be a part of gameplay. Players can do story quests, collect clothes, fight in style battles, and use skills and abilities to make their clothes better. Most AAA games don’t do this well, but the Hitman series and the Yakuza 0 hostess makeover minigame do a great job of incorporating fashion into gameplay.
Gaming and Fashion
Video game fashion is a kaleidoscope of pixels and options that doesn’t follow the rules of the real world and lets your imagination run wild. Strong cyberpunk neon clashes with long fantasy gowns, streetwear rubs shoulders with samurai armour, and futuristic tech fits right in with silly fairy tale clothes. It’s a mix of styles, eras, and trends, shown through carefully crafted textures, cuts that defy logic, and bright colour palettes.
It’s not just dressing up avatars; it’s about expressing identities, living out fantasies, and going beyond what “real” fashion means. From the very detailed haute couture in RPGs to the constantly changing streetwear in esports, video game fashion is a living example of how games can be used to be creative and expressive. It’s a playground where anything goes, proof of how many options there are outside of screens, and a look into the future of fashion.
