I posted photos of Closet Child Harajuku a while back but never got around to the Shinjuku ones until now. Unlike its Harajuku sister (which is currently being renovated), the Shinjuku location is difficult to find. Take the West exit from Shinjuku station, walk straight down the main road and turn right at the grey/green building with the clock… take a few more steps and look hard for the Closet Child sign. You’ll have to squeeze into a sliver in the wall and take the cramped elevator to Floors 5 and 6.

Ah, but you’ll be richly rewarded with racks upon racks of secondhand Lolita dresses! Some of the items are yellowing, and not all are the finest specimens of gosurori… but where else can you get a Metamorphose temps de fille dress for $90? And a matching ruffled cardigan for $60? (That’s how much I paid for my outfits in these photos and this video!)

The fifth floor is Sweet Lolita Land. Everything is sorted by color and product type: bonnets, big hair bows, skirts, blouses, dresses, shoes. All of the clothes are used, but most of the small accessories – cupcake rings, bon-bon bracelets – are new and inexpensive.

The left-most area of the sixth floor is the domain of Vivienne Westwood. You’ll find 1970s punk plaid, a large glass case of orb and crown jewelry, chunky handbags, and even original rocking horse shoes.

The Shinjuku location has a greater selection of Alice Auaa, along with your usual Gothic suspects (h.NAOTO, Black Peace Now, Moi-meme-Moitie, Putumayo). I’ve found quite a few J-rockin’ tops for under $15.

Closet Child is one of my favorite places on the planet to shop. How about you? Do any items catch your eye?

Since we’re exploring other Tokyo style tribes this week, I thought you might enjoy photos from last March’s Shibuya Girls Collection. W. David Marx wrote an excellent essay about the runway show, with insights on consumer dynamics and tensions in gyaru (gal fashion). My thoughts: ooh, big hair bows! YES to neon pumps and mismatched tights!

The photos above are from the Dazzlin’ × Fanta collaboration, designed by ex-Popteen model Tsubasa Masukawa. I like the casual, fruit-burst fun of the collection, but was it really necessary for the models to hold fizzy soda bottles on the catwalk?

Hello Kitty continues to take over the world (her MAC makeup line seems to be doing well). I don’t know about the Kitty-face slouch top, but I like the spotted tights and bow-tie choker (right).

A recurring theme: 1980s aerobics-wear. You can view runway photos from the entire Shibuya Girls Collection here, and compare them to the Goth/Lolita/Punk designs from the Marui Fashion Expo.

Japanese Gal fashion isn’t really my speed, but I liked individual elements from the show – such as the Nintendo mushroom earrings (bottom left: look closely!) and diamond joker tights (bottom right). How about you?