Remember when I posted about a Gothic & Lolita Bible contest that had $1 stickers and $3 postcards as grand prizes? To paraphrase Linda Evangelista: “I don’t enter any contest for less than 10,000 yen in Lolita dresses!” MaruiOne’s latest giveaway more than meets my criteria: the winner receives two round-trip tickets to Japan or 100,000 yen in travel vouchers, in addition to a 30,000 yen splurge on their website.

The runners-up also get yen; in fact, everyone’s a winner. Just apply and you’ll be emailed a 1,000 yen voucher to spend on MaruiOne.jp. The Japanese brands sold on the site include Atelier Boz, HeartE, Super Lovers, Victorian Maiden, Angelic Pretty…

The contest is open until Sept 15 to anyone who isn’t a Japanese national. Email Marui up to three photos of yourself in an outfit inspired by Japanese fashion (Lolita, J-rock, cosplay, kimono). Don’t forget to include a 200-word statement about your style in English, Français, or 日本語. Check out the fine print here.

I say it’s worth a shot – and you can always submit your photos to my Gothloli of the Week feature! In fact, I have a clothing giveaway in the works… keep checking the blog for an announcement soon.

Let’s take a quick break from the rocking horse shoes… to talk about sneakers! I haven’t been able to unstick my eyes from the blog Merry Daily, run by the Harajuku shoe store Tokyo Bopper. It’s a daily roundup of the store’s staff outfits – and boy, are they a visual feast. I especially love the Photoshopped backgrounds that make the colors and motifs pop out.

The shop carries its own footwear brands, Belly Button and Unbilical. The giant laces and neon colors have gotten raves from the electro crowd. Definitely check out more outfits on the Tokyo Bopper blog; the staff welcomes you to stop by if you’re in Harajuku!