What is Vkei?

TW: opinion and potential hot takes

some vkei fans confuse me. you claim that vkei is a fashion based aesthetic, then claim it's not about the fashion, and instead about the music. i'm so confused on what to believe, i read a comment that claimed that vkei is a fashion based scene, then in the next paragraph, claims that vkei isn't about fashion at all? i understand the "you can't be vkei because vkei is a music genre, like saying 'i am rock music' is the same as saying ‘i am vkei'". and rather than saying "i am vkei" you can say “i look like vkei bandmen" because the dressing style (in a way ig) is a cosplay of the bandmen. i am also aware that some people believe you cannot be vkei without being in a band or playing an instrument. though id like to disagree because anyone should be allowed to join any subculture (like vkei) without such strict rules. not to say that vkei doesn't have rules, but forcing people to join a band just to be apart of a subculture is a little silly, the fans of the music are part of what makes the fashion culture. the fans AND the musicians create the dressing style, fans mimicking their favorite bandmen (where the term "i look like vkei bandmen" comes from i think). but what about the bandmen? are they allowed to say, "i am vkei?" imo, no. there are several different subcultures that have different sound and fashion styles. it's not just the bandmen that create the styles, it's how the fans interpret it as well.

for example tanbi kei and osare kei are two completely different styles, yet are both considered part of the vkei genre and culture. they also have very different sound styles. so what defines vkei? who decides what vkei is and isn't? is it the fans? the bandmen? when considering what vkei is and isn't, you have to think of the bands. Malice Mizer is probably the most popular vkei band to date, blowing up in the '80s, and making EGL fashion the "standard" vkei style, (for reference, looking kinda like castlevania characters) (not to say that EGL fashion can't be part of vkei). bands like JILUKA dress like final fantasy characters and have a much more techno and metal sounding music style, while Malice Mizer has a more orchestrated music style.

imo... vkei is a style, a music style, and a dressing style with a wide variety of substyles. from what i've read and seen, vkei is a branch off of punk and goth culture, though i haven't seen much or any discussion of what political views or morals vkei posses. considering that vkei does branch from punk culture, id assume that to be vkei, you'd also have to have alternative political views from the norm. i’d think that vkei is under the "alternative" umbrella due to the fact it came from gothic and punk culture and visuals, and because of that, id think, to be vkei, you'd have to be part of alternative political views that are associated with punk and goth culture, while also listening to the music and dressing the style. similar to how goth culture works, a visual, musical, and political culture.

but, can you consider yourself vkei if you only dress the style, and don't listen to the music? after all, it's called VISUAL kei. imo, no. you cannot be vkei and not listen to the music, as the fashion comes from the musicians (again with “i look like vkei bandmen" rather than "i am vkei"). if you’re a Maice Mizer fan, and dress like Reita from the GazettE, you're vkei. dressing like a bands fashion you enjoy, while liking a different bands sound more. they are both vkei, though very different looks and sounds. (as long as you listen and enjoy the bands, i’d consider you vkei). in this case, id say you can be vkei and not dress exactly like the style. there are so many vkei bands with different looks, with whole substyles simply being about fashion and not about music. Kote kei (in short) is a vkei style that has a "medical" look, however, kote kei doesn't have a distinct sound style. so, if there's no sound style of kote kei, then someone who is kote kei could listen to bands with the same fashion style, and other bands that aren't kote kei, or just not listen to kote kei themed bands at all. you also shouldn't have to be japanese to be vkei, even though the culture originated there. as long as you do research on vkei, understand where it comes from, and the culture and history behind it, you should be allowed to be vkei.

please let me know if this is a bad take, i’d consider myself still somewhat “new” to the vkei scene, even though i’ve been a listener for about 2 years. if i have missed things, or have misused any terms, please let me know. i’m open to learning more, but this is just my take on what vkei is bc no one seems to agree on what it is whenever i talk about it online.