Uniqlo is primarily known as a Japanese fashion chain that provides cheap clothing in the face of many Japanese department stores, where shirts will regularly go for 3,000 or 4,000 yen -- and that's just for a screen-printed shirt. Prices jump up from there. But Uniqlo's prices run on par with most American stores: $20 a shirt (or $30 for 2, quite often), pants, button-down shirts, and all other items run about $30 or $40. You can go more fancy with their dress shirts and whatnot, but that's not what we're talking about here.

But what does that have to do with you? First off, their otaku merchandise. Recently, they've been offering shirts as part of a Japan x Game line, featuring titles like Phoenix Wright, Xevious, Pac-Man, Resident Evil, and many others. Previously, they've had designs for Mobile Suit Gundam, Ravex, and Tatsunoko Productions. There's more and more coming out every season.

While you're there in the store, you'll see how they've utilized some of the items of clothing in the store to inspire you. Sure, you can't necessarily copy the mannequin, but you can use that to start envisioning yourself in different outfits and actually start to develop your own fashion sense. It's not an inborn trait -- it's something anyone can pick up.

Sadly, the only Uniqlo store in the United States is in SoHo in New York City -- great for me, not so great for many others of you. So, it makes it hard to get some of these items, and especially hard to see how to utilize the clothes you can get from them, or the ones you end up picking up elsewhere. The beauty of Uniqlo, and one of the major reasons I tout its greatness, is that it provides so many basic items in so many different styles that it has become the indespensible base of my entire closet. Their clothes aren't flashy, but they're smart and sleek, in a way I don't really see anywhere else.

I suppose they're akin to American Apparel in that sense, although I've never gotten the chance to walk through their store and look to see the variety they offer. I'll have to look and see, but I'll just say this now: if you're ever in Japan, be sure to stop by a Uniqlo: you'll easily walk out with a bunch of nice casual clothing that will make you look better. It just requires you spending some time in the changing room, trying on a variety of items. You can do it -- hell, I did, and I've started dressing a hell of a lot better than I did a year ago.

While I can't give you a sure-fire shortcut to dressing fashionably and attracting the ladies (or fellas, as I seem to), I can suggest some basic things. First, pick up magazines on fashion. While you won't be able to afford 90% of the clothes in there, you'll start to get ideas on what item combinations look good, and get you thinking about your own closet. "Hey, I could probably use that Xevious shirt of mine with this sort of shirt to look like this picture..." From there, it just depends on you getting out and trying things on. Remember: it's a free activity. And it means you won't have to hold your girlfriend's purse while she tries things on.

The takeaway message I'm aiming for here is that it's entirely possible to mix in bits of your otaku fashion with your wardrobe to create something that's fashionable and fairly simple to do. It's just that you need to watch what sort of items you buy. Oftentimes, shirts with a full-profile shot of Ichigo from Bleach isn't the most ideal to pick up. But something like this? It's cool and eye-popping enough to be kosher to wear in public and keep your head high.

I want to emphasize that while many of us are normal citizens who go around dressing perfectly competently, the image of otaku, geeks, and the like is that of a recluse slob who has no idea how to interact with normal society. And so, I'm just trying to change the tide of that image, and using some cool, yet geeky Japanese fashion to do so.

If you've got any photos of yourself mixing in otaku clothes with your wardrobe, share with us. I'll show you mine if you show yours.