Category Archive for Fashion
Sweet & Gothic Lolita dresses, Punk fashion at Yokohama Vivre. Angelic Pretty, Putumayo & eyeball tattoos!
I’ve photographed all of Tokyo’s major alternative shopping centers (Laforet, Shibuya 109, Marui One etc) — but haven’t explored Yokohama Vivre until now. This department store is smaller and more relaxed (no frenetic music or clingy shop-clerks), but carries a number of Goth, Lolita and Punk brands.
Read on for a peek inside Baby the Stars Shine Bright, Putumayo, Angelic Pretty and more… plus a look at eyeball tattooing in my latest Huff Post article.
I laughed when I saw BTSSB’s “Baby Biscuit” purses. But I lusted over the Tim Burton Frankenweenie collaboration, which you can see in the first photo of this post.
Baby’s dresses are fabulously detailed, but for some reason, their shop spaces always look like a mess.
Mix and match: fluffy stuffed rabbits, bow-print pastel dresses, clock purses, pearl necklaces.
Next door is Kera Shop Angel. Unless you’re a character in Narcissus and Goldmund, I’m not sure where you’d wear this bizarre dress…
Ozz On and Ozz Croce maintain their striking signature look: dark cyber meets traditional Japan.
I like their distinctive designs, but they’re a bit hard to mix with other items.
Kera Rock Shop has punk messenger bags with silver chains, short military skirts…
… and clothes printed with Goth crosses.
Angelic Pretty twins. Note the retro kids toys at the bottom.
AP’s heart-shaped purses, with a big bow and pearl chain, are timeless.
I appreciate the casual direction of this new collection. The ribbons, lace and corset detail are classic Angelic Pretty, but the light fabrics are easier to wear in daily life.
As opposed to this JSK, which is better suited to special occasions. It’s not something I’d wear, but I do like the print and relatively sleek shape.
Putumayo, famous for their Gothic Lolita Punk fashion, gets kitty-crazy this season.
Putumayo did an Alice in Wonderland collaboration, featuring the grinning Cheshire Cat.
Nice how they incorporate Alice storybook symbols, like the stopwatch and teacups, in the pink print.
This cat doesn’t seem to fit the “playful” label… and why are clumsy bears captioned with “innocence is bold”?
Would you wear a schoolgirl uniform-inspired coordinate with a “Dark Bible” purse?
A wall of cute meets dark accessories.
Studded crown wallets, spiky bracelets, eyeball hair clips.
And a shimmery, flying unicorn lavender jacket!
See more photos of these brands and more in my Tokyo Gothloli shop guide.
Have you been to Yokohama’s Vivre? What do you think of Lolita and Goth clothing in this post? Which items would you wear?
PS: I have a new Huffington Post article about eyeball tattoos! I interviewed body modification artist Russ Foxx (based in Vancouver) about tattooing the whites of the eyes. What are the risks and effects? Read my article to find out, and don’t miss the slideshow of extreme body mods like split tongues and pointed ears.
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Cover of Adone Magazine: Japanese street style issue! Girly gyaru Liz Lisa dress, Peace Now shoes.
I’m honored to show you my latest photo editorial, which made the cover of Adone Magazine, released today!
Huge hugs for my Tokyo-based team: photos by Said Karlsson and Hair by Kukukachoo.
“ADONE presents our newest issue: Street. We explore this theme with content that is original and not mass-produced, with a feature on the Punk style in this year’s Met Gala and an interview with subculture queen, La Carmina.” The issue is available digitally; you can read it via Adone’s website.
We shot these images in the streets of Nakano, an anime-culture neighborhood that’s a five minute subway ride from Shinjuku. Said’s photography comes to life as the sun is setting, and lanterns are glowing.
White lace dress: Liz Lisa, Japanese gyaru-romantic brand
Black heels: Michael Kors
White long coat: from ages ago, in Camden Market London
I loved working with Lulu Kukukachoo, a freelance professional hair stylist specializing in avantgarde, extensions and cuts. She made these hair flowers herself, out of colorful acrylic strands! Lulu’s skilled at everything from basic cuts to editorial works of art. If you need a Tokyo hairstylist, I hope you’ll reach out to Hair by Kukukachoo.
(Capturing a natural moment: I’m talking to Seby in these shots above.)
In front of Nakano subway station, north exit, with my ultra-cute Luxy Loli phone case.
Such fun to shoot in Nakano; there’s anime, manga and video game culture everywhere. I peered into a crane game machine.
We darted into a Broadway retro video game center for this shot. My baby-blue lace dress is Liz Lisa x My Melody, bought in Shinjuku Studio Alta.
Lulu took a few behind-the-scenes shots. Said also runs Tokyo Faces, a Japanese street style photo-blog updated daily.
The rainbow mural, dotted with animals, made a nice backdrop for this outfit (notice my bunny-eared hoodie, by Peace Now).
Lacing up my Peace Now pirate creeper shoes. I’m still sad that this Japanese brand closed down.
I leave you with a casual snap with an inflatable maneki neko, outside a Nakano pachinko parlor. Enjoy my full Adone Magazine photos and interview — kudos to my hair and photo team for the beautiful work!
PS: arigato to
– Heather On Her Travels, for interviewing me in a travel podcast. I shared my favorite food, activities and tips for visiting Tokyo.
– My Destination for the Big Blogger Interview. We talk about cats, costumes and keeping things cool on the road.
– Style In View, an addictive fashion search engine, for inviting me to curate a vintage alternative collection.
What do you think of my colorful-girly-pop look these days? Did you enjoy these street style images? I’ll post more from this series soon, and unveil yet another magazine cover!