Vanity fair

fashion and colors, pretty subjects to get by

According to SWA's secret files, Rangiku is a regular customer at the draper's shop in Seireitei. As a result, she's accumulated a large collection of kimono with special designs overtime, making her the unofficial fashion advisor of Gotei 13 girls. It's a shame that we don't get to see much of her private closet at this point (Mr. Kubo, c'mon~), but thanks to the anime staff of Bleach, we get to see Rangiku in gorgeous human outfits occasionally - like those shown above.

True colors

In a 2005 issue of Colorful Bleach, we found out for the first time that Rangiku is a big fan of color gold and purple. She even wanted her Seireitei phone to be designed in those colors! Pink is also fine, but apparently a little childish for Rangiku's taste. A little hard to play, aren't we.

Let's define each of these colors first. Combining the stability of blue and the energy of red, the color purple is commonly associated with royalty and symbolizes power, nobility, luxury and ambition. Dignity is also a key trait here, well-defining Rangiku's generic image in the eyes of others. To quote my findings at Color Wheel Pro:

Gold is an "artificial" color just like purple. It represents prestige, illumination, wisdom and wealth. High quality is another keyword behind gold, which reminds us of Rangiku's position as a Vice Captain.

To what extent shall we agree with these descriptions? First of all, royalty and nobility are perfect fits for Rangiku's looks: blond hair and blue eyes, gorgeous proportions and a height that's slightly above the Asian average - making it easy for Rangiku to stand out from the crowd. On the other hand, power, prestige, wisdom and ambition hint at Rangiku's position as a leader, as well as her pleasant personality that frequently attracts and influences others. Luxury and wealth are probably of secondary importance, though it's a fact that Captain classes are usually paid much better than a regular Soul Reaper.

The nostalgic and sad feelings generated from the two shades of purple could be closely linked to Rangiku's interaction with Gin and the series of events that happened in Soul Society. Whether there is romance or not is up to each interpreter, though I personally encourage it because no attractive woman is complete without experiencing love first, says Grandmother ;)

I don't know where would illumination fit. Maybe it's a reference to the surreal nature of Soul Society?