Outfit blast from the past – blonde cybergoth in 2004

By way of reminiscing over my misspent “youth”, here’s a snapshot of October 2004, or thereabouts. Having gone blue and worn blue and purple synth dreads in the early part of the year, I decided to go blonde. Very light blonde. And start braiding other things in my hair. First there was colinette wool, then blonde synthetic dreads:

 

My wardrobe at the time was very cybergoth, consisting of PVC mini-skirts, PVC buckled patform boots, buckled PVC corsets (do you see a theme here?), and sometimes bright neon green raver accents.

There was also a fair bit of silver and metal thrown in there…like this metal bodice and spiked wristbands from Allycat metalware. (Yes, I still have them)

I also tried cyberlox for the first time – not just falls plonked on my head, but braided in to look more natural. I put a silver rinse through my hair first to try to match it. And here I am with the reigning queen of Sydney cybergoth at the time, Amelia aka DestroyX.

  

A close-up shows the silver on my face and arms..I just got some silver hairspray, closed my eyes, and sprayed like crazy. Shoulda got silver contact lenses. Oh well.

Amelia had fantastic falls she had begun making and selling, in foam, plastic and tubing.

 Would I wear these today? Not really. You can still see girls wearing exactly this type of clothing, boots and hair – but they’re in their 20’s, and that’s probably as it should be. How old was I back then?

40 years old.

Yep. Yikes. Even though I undoubtedly looked good for my age, age-appropriate went right out the window. Still, you gotta give things a go. And if you’re under 40, I say to you…take a chance and wear something daring! Cos at least you know there was someone there before you, wearing something sillier. And it was probably me, #growing old disgracefully.

Ales Wigs and Extensions, Harajuku

While wandering around the backstreets of Harajuku with Valerie last week, I came across the fabulous store Ales.

I used to be hugely into dreadlocks and falls, and am still into wigs in a big way, so seeing this showroom made my heart go giddy-up!
 There were more dreadlocks than you could poke a stick at, more fringes, extension hair in every colour, even the fashionable new twotone…

        

oh, and a vast array of false eyelashes as well…

But really, it was all about the wigs, baby! There were styles for lolitas, gyaru, disco babes, sensible girls…everyone!

Honestly, if you are into fake hair at all and you come to Tokyo, you MUST visit this place!! You will be soooo tempted…as I was….

Kawaii!! Yep, I was so taken with the wig that I bought it. (Waddya reckon, by the way?) And I have my eyes on some others for next time….

Ales Wig & Extension Showroom
Hours: 9am – 8pm every day
Address: 2F Tominaga BLD. 6-9-1 Jingumae Shibuya-ku Tokyo JAPAN 150-0001
Email: alesplannnig@ales-web.co.jp
WEBSITE: http://www.ales-web.co.jp
Nearest station: JR Harajuku Station. Subway Meiji Jingu Mae Station

My first dreads – 6 years ago

I was looking through old photos when I discovered that on this day 6 years ago, in January 2004, I first went blue.
Dyed my hair bright blue, that is.

I’d had screamingly bright red hair for 6 years, then a dark indigo purple for a bit, and it was time for a change. First I had to strip the current dye out, and it went an awful mint green on top. With black on the bottom and a pale rust in between. Oh dear. Oh well, hopefully the blue dye would cover that.

I’d bought a heap of Nubian (blunt ended) dreads on ebay in blue and purple. And who else would I get to install them but reigning fake-hair queen of that time, Amelia, aka DestroyX.

Amelia did the plaits extra tight so the dreads would last as long as possible..but man, I had a headache for days!!

Karl kept us supplied with coffee and tim tams…it took over 5 hours so sustenance was needed. They also introduced me to some music I’d not heard before, like Skinny Puppy. The final result:

They lasted until April! I’ve gone on to have many different dreads and forms of fake hair in the intervening years – the usual pointy ended handmade dreads, wool roving ones I made myself, colinette braided in, plastic braided in, cyberlox, curly dreads, temporary falls…but this started off my love affair with fake hair.
I became an avid member of the EZ fake hair board and forum (now closed), and Quinnster taught me everything I know. Then came Heavenly Hair, and these days it’s the Hair Extensions forum.  I recommend a browse through all these if you want inspiration.
I don’t wear it as much these days (I wear a lot of wigs now), but every now and then if I think I’m getting too staid, I’ll braid something fake in.
For those who love bright colours, alternative haircuts and extensions, I can recommend these hairdressers if you’re in Australia. Melbourne and Perth – Wildilocks; Sydney – Doppelganger Hair (my hairdresser) and Furr (the girl on the front page was styled by me for a Fiend magazine shoot).
Have you dabbled in the dark art of fake hair?