T-Pose's: Outfit Of The Month - July 2021

After a sweltering start to the season, it’s only right that we would want to cool off in style. And nothing comes as close to being as cool as our pick of virtual threads from this month’s releases of videogames.

Our contenders for our hottest looks of July have been nominated and ranked by the T-Pose Team, of which our aggregate score will determine and covet the title of “Outfit of the Month”!

As ever, we’d love to hear any suggestions for OOTM and other T-Pose articles for the future! And so, without further ado; may the best-dressed win!

Gina Lestrade (Resolve) - The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles

27th of July on Windows, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4

Moving past her days of being a pickpocket, Gina Lestrade returns in the second half of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles. This time, she is a detective-in-training, with a new outfit to boot, though she’s kept her green cap, complete with its plaid cloth rim and buttons. Beyond that, while a few aspects of her old outfit have remained, Gina Lestrade’s look has been updated to give her more of a refined, detective-esque air.

Trading out her old dirty, unbuttoned undershirt for a new, crisp and ruffled button-up shirt, Detective(-in-training) Lestrade has paired her new choice by re-tying her plaid reverse neck-tie into a more traditional configuration alongside a folded-down collar. This goes beautifully with her hat’s rim and the rolled-up sleeves of her new green jacket, which serve to remind us that Detective (-in-training) Lestrade still means business.

In conjunction with the new overcoat, Lestrade has also replaced her green vest with a similarly designed blue one, offering a nice and subtle contrast with the solid greens and plaid reds in the rest of her piece. Of course, that would clash with her old bulky, blue shoulder-strapped bag so, taking the opportunity to get a new, sleek bag, Lestrade went with a lighter haul. Her new reddish-brown bag doesn’t look like it can carry nearly as much as Gina’s old monstrosity, but it suffices for detective (-in-training) work and helps to keep Lestrade quick on her feet.

Speaking of those feet, Lestrade has also traded in her plaid knee socks and laced-up brown shoes for a nice pair of leathery knee-high boots. I’m a little sad to see those comfy-looking socks go, but at least the boots are on point. Lastly, rather than completely changing things up for the pants, it seems as though Detective (-in-training) Lestrade instead bought a cleaner, but otherwise identical, pair of khaki dress pants and suspenders. I mean, if they work, there’s no point in changing them, right? - Erin

Kanon Tachibana - NEO: The World Ends with You

27th of July 2021 on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows

The fortunate folks & fans of The World Ends with You franchise have had a flurry of content as of late: an anime adaptation in 2020, a sprinkling of references and cameos in other Square Enix titles, ports of the original game on various consoles, and now with a new game arriving this month!

For those unfamiliar with the series, it could be best described as - what if the gangs from The Warriors had Pokémon Go? And just like the 1979 film, the game of death on the streets doesn’t stop you from looking fresh. Enter, the most stylish of them all: the fabulous fashionista and leader of The Variabeauties crew, Kanon Tachibana.

Starting from the bottom upwards, Kanon sports a pair of purple kitten heels with the black fur around the vamp of her pumps - truly digging deep into that Y2K revival aesthetic.

Kanon continues to serve some serious art-school casual chic with her wide-leg, waist-cinched blue denim jeans, decorated with graphic prints of various symbols around the thighs. The little crying broken heart on her jeans is centerfold on her high-neck, long-sleeved purple crop top, of which has some exposed sides for that cold shoulder look.

And if you think she couldn’t get any more art-academic chique, Kanon dons a black beret that sits on top of her bright ginger bob. The beret has her staple purple palette wrapped around the band and is further accented with a pink diamond clip, another of which can be found on her jeans, hanging from her belt loop.

The diamond motif doesn’t stop there, continuing in her accessories having a set of tiered gold diamond earrings and matching necklace, which neatly pair with two chunky gold bracelets situated on her left wrist.

Kanon effortlessly oozes that functional yet fashionable style, remaining visually clean and uncluttered which requires a master vision to execute - let’s just hope she doesn’t decide to execute anything else with such precision! - Danielle

NEO: The World Ends with You - Review

Katrielle Layton - Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and The Millionaires' Conspiracy DX+

28th of July 2021 on Nintendo Switch

Katrielle’s outfit may not be one that particularly exudes glamour or decadence, but that doesn’t discount it from being a well-thought-out and downright cute look.

The base of the outfit consists of a simple, long-sleeved red dress that cuts off just above knee level in an A-line style. Her waistline is highlighted by a bow accent which avoids being too harsh by adopting more of a deep mink shade rather than going for a straight black. The color of her bow is matched perfectly with her leggings which are slightly cropped at the ends affording a nice break in the colour and allowing her grey-blue shoes to stand out.

The coat and hat are what really take this look to the next level though, with her glorious camel-toned trench coat sat perfectly over the dress. The subtle cuffs on the sleeves and the interesting detail of buttons on both sides of the coat show that it is clearly a well-made design, an investment piece if you will!

The meticulously styled 1940s curls that frame her face are adorned with the most adorable hat (hairband? hatband?) ever discovered with the colours reflecting her coat and dress. It is clearly firmly secured in place by the band nestled into her hair and the angle it sits contrasts just so with the slight side parting she sports.

It’s clearly a functional outfit, allowing her to move from outside to inside with removable and waterproof layers, whilst keeping her looking professional, which is very important in her line of work. But functionality doesn’t have to mean boring and this is clearly somewhat of a signature look. - Emsey

Lucia (Rain Walking) - Punishing: Gray Raven

16th of July 2021 on iOS and Android

While Punishing: Gray Raven might catch your attention for its over-the-top action and impressive visual design, one element you shouldn’t overlook are the main outfits the game features. While there are plenty of impressive cyberpunk and techwear inspired looks to pick, all of them could easily be incorporated into an everyday look, it’s the Rain Walker outfit for Lucia that is our focus today. This practical yet stylish outfit feels right at home in any cyberpunk media which is good given its wearer, Lucia, is a master swordswomen capable of taking down any foe.

The base of the outfit is a short, loose-fitting red dress that has long black sleeves and a low collar. It’s held in place by several crimson panels which sit over the shoulders and a bright red one just below the collar bone. These are also fitted to the transparent raincoat which Lucia wears over the dress and makes this outfit feel right at home in any cyberpunk setting.

While the raincoat is only a bit bigger than the dress it has plenty of detailing that makes it a standout piece of fashion. For starters, the raincoat features two large pockets on the front which are black with large straps hanging free. There are similar details on the end of each sleeve which look to feature additional pockets or Velcro straps. Across both the dress and the raincoat are several small triangles which glow bright green making it ideal for those late-night walks during a thunderstorm.

To add a bit of accessory to the outfit, Lucia has a headpiece which sits on the back of her head and clips to the side of her bangs. It features two long, glowing green cables which hang down each side of her head in a similar manner to the other glowing elements of the outfit. Lucia also wears high-heeled boots that feature right and black detailing, matching the rest of her outfit and her hair which is black with red layers.

Finally, if all of this wasn’t enough to really sell that cyberpunk look, Lucia opts to not cover her robotic body in any way for this outfit, opting instead to have her joints on full display. This includes her hands, fingers, and knees, which almost make her seem like a doll wandering the city on a rainy night. Of course, as mentioned Lucia is a capable fighter and while this outfit might seem more casual than any others that won’t stop her from jumping into action at a moment's notice. Perhaps then, you wouldn’t want to bump into her on a rainy night in the city. - Judgemental Waifu

Shikanosuke Yamanaka - Samurai Warriors 5

27 of July 2021 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam

Samurai Warriors is a hack and slash series set during the Japanese Sengoku period that features characters with semi-realistic period-inspired outfits. Samurai Warriors 5 continues this tradition while also introducing brand new characters, including the cheerful yet frank Amago family retainer Shikanosuke Yamanaka.

Fair warning, this man does have pretty privilege and it is impairing my judgement.

Shikanosuke’s outfit is an odd mix between traditional samurai armour and modern western fashion, topped with an arrangement of various pinks, blues, golds, and whites. Starting with his headpiece, Shikanosuke wears a visor with devil horns in place of a traditional kabuto. (A man with such a devilish smile would wear horns.) The visor further cements the western style, while also adding extremely stylish flair, almost entirely due to the horns. Further down, in place of a traditional yodarekake throat guard, Shikanosuke wears a light blue bandana scarf. What the bandana loses in practicality (which is a lot), it makes up for in fashion. I love it. The colour perfectly ties into the various pieces of ropes that act as accents for the outfit, as well as Shikanosuke’s own shoelaces.

Following the visor and bandana is Shikanosuke’s most interesting piece: his jacket. It’s the perfect mix of tradition and modern style. Imagine a nice, mid-cut leather jacket, but it’s samurai armour. A mix of leather and presumably iron, the jacket is practical in battle and extremely fashionable. The mix of pinks is absolutely gorgeous and the gold and blue accents in the form of lining and armour plates connect everything together really well. I honestly would buy this jacket if I saw it in real life.

Under the jacket is a full traditional samurai chest armour piece connected to a less traditional armour skirt. The front of the skirt mimics the traditional Sengoku kusazuri armour skirt, but the back is similar to that of a tailcoat. It’s definitely not practical in battle situations, but it is kind of hot. To finish off the outfit, Shikanosuke wears a mix of modern grey denim jeans and traditional Japanese footwear.

Shikanosuke’s mix of modern western and traditional Sengoku fashion is an impressive and truly iconic display. - Char

Samurai Warriors 5 - Review

OUTFIT OF THE MONTH

So many great games, and with that; so many great looks! It’s always a close call when we rank our favourites, but we almost saw our first tie this month! However, we have our winner of Outfit of the Month - of which goes to Kanon Tachibana from NEO: The World Ends with You - available to pick up on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows!

Thought there were any great looks we missed, or perhaps have any ideas of who to cover in next month's issue? Leave any and all hot takes in the comments section below!