Style Savvy: Fashion Forward Review

So last week I picked up this game after downloading and playing the demo, and have been on it non-stop. Normally I wouldn't go for games like this, as I tend to think games that are localized in the United States for the female demographic lack depth and are more targeted for younger girls. I couldn't have been more wrong!

This game, known as Girls Mode 3 キラキラ コーデ in Japan, is a very cute and relaxing game with tons of different things to keep you occupied. The basic premise is you enter this town that has lost its edge for fashion. Because you're fabulous you're placed as the manager of this boutique where you will sell people anything from a simple pair of socks to an entire outfit for their date.

Styles

My character's cute "Baby Doll" look for the fashion show

The character customization options are endless, although it takes a bit after you start the game in order to change your hairstyle. Makeup (including colored contacts) can be accessed from your apartment from the start. There are a number of different styles to dress your character and the townspeople in. The ones most relevant to J-Fashion are:

• Lively - similar to Fairy Kei and related fashions
• Eastern - yukata and similar items
• Girly - gyaru like looks
• Gothic - Gothic Lolita, including Ouji looks!
• Baby Doll - sweet, classic, and traditional lolita, but also some non lolita items
• Preppy - cute schoolgirl style
• Rock - if you're into the punk/visual-kei side of J-fashion

A very Moi Meme Moitie look from the Gothic brand

Non J-Fashion related styles include: Basic, Psychedelic, Boho-chic, Sporty, Bold, Chic, and Feminine. There's some style overlap with some of the brands (like some Gothic items can be used for Baby Doll style), and you don't have all of them unlocked at the start.

Gameplay

Lolita themed shop and outfit

Customers will come into your boutique with a desired look and budget. Sometimes they will tell you outright what they're looking for (there's a handy search function for all items matching that style), or you might have to make a judgment call based off of what they're wearing that day. You want to make sure to stick to their budget, but I've noticed that if they are with a friend there's a bigger chance you might be able to convince them to spend a bit more.

You might want to see a doctor about that...

You also can talk to people on the street and recruit them into coming into your store. This is really handy because you can make sure to stock your inventory with items they'll want to buy. Later in the game when you unlock the hair salon and beautician shops the NPCs will also ask you to meet them there to have their hair and make-up done from the street.

Ready to style some hair!

Even if you're not into the hair styling aspect of the game, it's a good idea to do a bit of it in order to unlock new styles and to stock your wig box which will give you looks for fashion shows and modeling gigs. If you don't have a particular style in your wig box when going into a fashion show/modeling job you'll be unable to have your hair that way.

A lively look for an amusement park ad

The game really has a ton of things for you to do, even after you finish the main story line. And since they all earn you money it's worth it to try your hand at each one. The one thing I have't spent a lot of time on though is the dollhouse and miniatures portions of the game, where you get to decorate rooms that you can share with others or use in photoshoots. Like with the hairstyle and makeup portions of the game though its worth dipping your toes in for a bit, since you can buy things to decorate your shop with. It's not very cute having a doughnut shaped bag next to your elegant yukata outfit in the shop display.

This bitch did not like my yukata outfit.

Final Thoughts

This game is a very cute and relaxing way to spend some of your time. The re-play factor is very high as shop stock changes each day/season and there are a ton of different things to unlock and collect, such as seasonal specific colors, different brands, design commissions, and more. With so much to do (more than I've mentioned) this game is definitely worth the $30 price tag.

Bottom line is this game is absolutely worth a buy if you're into J-Fashion. More than that though, it's important to support the industry that brings games that are appealing to our demographic. After having spent time in Japan and seeing the very strong market for girl's games (and other interests) over there, it's incredibly important to let Nintendo and other companies know that there is a demand for this sort of thing. While I like playing cute games with mass appeal such as Pokemon, Animal Crossing, and platformers like Yoshi's Island, it's nice to be able to kick back and spend a few hours indulging my feminine side with a game targeted for me.

Reading a fashion magazine in the apartment.

Anyone else own this game or have considered getting it? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments!