Taken from Japanese consumer culture, the Kawaii aesthetic consists of playful, pretty-to-look-at pieces infused with a childlike sensibility. Kawaii clothes range from strawberry-print sweater ...

Think pastel pinks and purples, Victorian frilly outfits, giant anime eyes — it’s a state of pure cuteness, toeing the line of aesthetic taste. And yet kawaii has persisted, morphed and evolved.

In Western culture, we’ve come to think of kawaii as a synonym for cute. In Japan, where the kawaii aesthetic has been its own pop culture phenomenon for decades, the word is a bit more complex.

Ready for warmer weather? We rounded up 10 cute summer outfits to inspire your next-season wardrobe—including denim skirts, overalls, and slip dresses.

Kawaii culture wasn’t only crystallizing at that time, but also becoming big business. The 1980s were more than happy to follow suit, ushering in a plethora of cutesy idols, both male and female.