きれいめ

• Reading: きれいめ
• Romaji: kireime
• Pronunciation: /ki.ɾeː.me/

Meaning

A clean, elegant, polished fashion style; smart-casual with refined feminine or androgynous elements.

きれいめ describes a fashion style that is polished, put-together, and elegant without being overly formal. It occupies the space between casual and dressy — think tailored trousers with a nice blouse, structured bags, and minimal accessories. The style is popular among working women and is considered universally flattering and appropriate for many situations. It is one of the core Japanese fashion categories, often contrasted with カジュアル.

Examples

1. デート用にきれいめコーデ考えなきゃ。 I need to plan a polished outfit for my date.
2. きれいめカジュアルって一番使えるスタイルだよね。 Polished casual is the most versatile style, right?
3. きれいめな服が似合う人って大人っぽく見える。 People who suit polished outfits always look mature and put-together.

Usage Guide

Context: fashion, shopping, work style, dating

Tone: polished, practical

Do Say

• きれいめコーデが一番好き、清潔感あるし。 (I like polished outfits best — they look so put-together.)
• 顔合わせだからきれいめで行くね。 (It's a formal meeting so I'll go with a polished look.)

Don't Say

• 「きれいめって地味じゃない？」は好みを否定してる (Saying 'isn't that style boring?' dismisses someone's aesthetic preference)

Common Mistakes

• Confusing きれいめ with フォーマル — きれいめ is smart-casual elegance, not full formal wear

Origin & History

From きれい (clean/beautiful) + め (tendency/leaning toward). A longstanding Japanese fashion term that describes the clean, polished aesthetic valued in Japanese style. It has been a core fashion category for decades.

Cultural Context

Era: Long-standing, core Japanese fashion category

Generation: All ages, especially women in their 20s-40s

Social background: Universal, slightly aspirational

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. One of the fundamental fashion style categories in Japanese magazines alongside カジュアル, ストリート, and モード.