Category Archive for Fashion
CASTING FOR FOOD NETWORK TV SHOW! SECONDHAND VINTAGE CLOTHING SHOPS IN TOKYO JAPAN, KINJI HARAJUKU SHOPPING.
Casting call! I’m looking for extras in Tokyo, Japan — come join me on my Food Network TV shoots!
If you’re in Tokyo between now and Sept 26, please email gothiccarmina@gmail.com with your full availability and contact info (including phone). We need English-speakers of all types (not just Goths/alternative kids). You’ll likely be interviewed on-camera as a theme restaurant customer.
It’d be great if you could help by telling your Tokyo friends. They’ll get to hang out with me and spooky pals, be part of a fun TV shoot and experience the world of theme restaurants. More info about the Food Network show in this post.
When I’m not working on-set, you’ll typically find me shopping with friends in Harajuku. Here are eight tips to help you have the perfect excursion.
1. Wear shoes made for walking. There’s a lot of side-streets to wander and staircases to climb, and you don’t want to cut your Harajuku trip short because of tired toes.
I’m wearing various lace layers and an h.NAOTO purse from Closet Child (a must-visit store).
2. Be weather-wary. Tokyo can be temperamental – sudden downpours, stupefying humidity, blizzard cold. Yukiro wisely brought along a fashionable fan on a hot summer day.
2. Bring a camera; Harajuku is overflowing with poppy fashion and inspiration. And be ready to be snapped. Kera Magazine and street snap blogs often roam theses streets.
3. Short on money? Visit Kinji, the gargantuan secondhand clothing store. From Harajuku station, go down Takeshita Doori and turn right on Meiji Doori. Look for the orange Kinji sign on the right side, and walk down the stairs.
4. If David Bowie would wear it… you should too. The store’s full of alternative, Gothic and club clothing. Sparkle purple pants and cheetah prints abound.
I got this panda bear skirt for a few hundred yen. Seba wanted this fighting doll.
A Batman mask and a neon relic from the 1980s.
5. When shopping in a group, take turns choosing shops. Yukiro ran into Takenoko, the drag queen store. Cotton Bale stayed outside, with thumbs down.
Feather boas and sequins cover every inch.
Hats off to anyone who can pull off this look.
6. Don’t snub off-brand Gothic Lolita Punk clothes. Even if the quality is not the best, AC/DC has fun designs.
1000 yen items = a great deal.
7. Pick up omiyages (souvenirs) for friends. Fun socks and toys cost only a few hundred yen.
I hope you enjoyed my shopping suggestions. I leave you with this dramatic sign inside Harajuku Station.
Do you prefer to shop alone, or friends? What are your tips for perfect shopping day?
There’s more Gothic Lolita Alternative fashion and store photos in my big Tokyo shopping guide.
Song of the Day: Sophia – Strawberry & Lion
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IRON HORSE HOTEL: MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN COOL LUXURY BOUTIQUE HOTELS. HARLEY-DAVIDSON CUSTOM BIKES, MUSEUM.
One of the perks of travel TV hosting is that you get to stay in some spectacular hotels. During my shoot for my new Huff Post Travel TV show, I was graciously hosted by the Iron Horse Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The boutique hotel got everything right, from the stylish lobby to the rain dome shower heads in the rooms. They even laid out free green apples, like The Orlando in West Hollywood!
Formerly a century-old warehouse by the railroad, the décor’s now fit for a rock star — with zebra-striped carpets and a Harley-Davidson in the lobby.
The spacious parlor has traces of the Iron Horse’s history, such as nails from the railroad track.
(My gorgeous leather tote is gifted from GUNAS. I also wore it in this shoot.)
I want this mirror.
I want this… thing.
Perhaps you recognize the outfit; I also wore it to the opening cocktail party at Luisaviaroma.
Goth bat dress and Horror necklace: gifted from Sourpuss Clothing
Black lace jacket: Moi-meme-Moitie, from Closet Child in Tokyo
Blue wedge sandals: b+ab, from the IT Store in Hong Kong
Travel hosting tip: eat a huge healthy breakfast. Film shoots can go for twelve hours without a break, so fuel up. My Iron Horse breakfast was spot on: egg white and vegetable omelet, fruit, rye bread. And coffee from the Keurig machine (there’s one in every room!)
The Iron Horse hotel is a stone’s throw away from Milwaukee’s Harley-Davidson museum. There are often special events. That day, bikers showed off their rides and hung out at The Yard, the outdoor restaurant and bar.
I was surprised at how much I liked Wisconsin. I felt perfectly calm; it was a much-needed break from the city action of Hong Kong, Macau, Tokyo, Italy and LA.
I wish I had more time to take in the architecture.
Nearby: graffiti of Nintendo ghosts. They match my lurid nail art.
Thank you to the Iron Horse Hotel — I’m not exaggerating when I say you’re one of the top 5 hotels I’ve ever stayed in. How I wish I could order another round of the signature kumquat cocktails!
The hotel’s featured in my Coolhunting Wisconsin travel show for Huffington Post. Have you seen the first video yet? Your likes, shares and comments will let me continue to do this TV show for you… so please take a second to support here!
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LA CARMINA
