The girl with the dragon tattoo tights…..and the spine heeled boots

AKA “These spine-heeled boots were made for walkin’ round Shinjuku”.

I thought I’d post this Vlog from when I was in Tokyo – filmed in my little room at the Hotel Vintage Shinjuku. In it I show off some fashion finds, like these amazing tattoo tights (below) from the infamous and fabulous gyaru mall Shibuya 109:

punk tattoo tights  punk goth japanese tattoo tights

japanese goth punk tattoo tights

The store is called Poco a Poco, and it has an extensive range of tights, including Celeste Stein.  See the Poco a Poco official website for the full range. Mine are the Dragon Tattoo tights. I felt so hip and trendy wearing these, I tell you; I just wish they came in a non-footless version.

I also bought some tights in turquoise leopard (so me).

punk tights

I also show off the Dsquared2 spine heel knock-off boots from Glad News (still my fave gal store)

spine heeled boots from Glad News

spine heels on Glad News boots

The boots are here in the Glad News webstore, (but they’re sold out except for a few left in small).

I also show a strange accessory that looks like a black PVC octopus, to be worn as a shoulder accessory or even a bustle! I saw it in Sexpot Revenge Harajuku (where I purchased it), and also in Nude n’ Rude. I have updated posts on these stores coming up soon; for past blog posts see my previous Nude n’ Rude post, and Sex Pot Revenge store in Harajuku.

I also chat about some of the walks I’ve been filming round Shinjuku, and what I’ve been up to. But heck, enough about what’s in it, why not have a look for yourself?

I also bought a pair of spiked ankle boots from Dog in Harajuku, that were Lita knock-offs. What do you think of the spine heeled knock-off boots? Given that they cost a third of the price of the original shoes, would you buy them? Have you ever bought knock-off iconic footwear? What are your faves? If you know of any other cool tattoo tights, do share as well!

Japanese trend alert – spooky gothic earrings

Since it’s Halloween season, I’m very pleased to confirm that gothic motifs are everywhere in Tokyo – even the jewellery! Yup, a mini-trend I’ve spotted is spooky gothic earrings – not just in gothic lolita stores (see Marui One below), but in gyaru and general accessories places!

Halloween in Tokyo, Marui One Shinjuku

There are a lot of spider earrings, some with skull faces (see below). There are also a lot of bats and skeleton hands adorning the jewellery, as well as punk motifs like zippers and tattoo-derived serpents. The trend I especially love is that of the ear cuff attached by chains. So put it all together and you have an earring that has a bat, a cross and a spider with a skull body, attached to an ear cuff. Fierce!

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I got new hair extensions in Singapore!

Yes, I got long wavy hair extensions installed when I was in Singapore. Getting exte’s is a common thing for gyaru’s, but I’m  not really “gal”. The one time I had it done previously was in Australia, and for a LOT more. So, extes in Singapore.  I think it’s a rite of passage or something, like getting your hair braided in Bali (but hopefully more tasteful looking).

I researched and found that the main names coming up were Angel Xin, Vain, Milly’s, and H & C Carnival. In the end, I just trotted off to the Far East Plaza near Orchard Road, and took my chances.  On the 3rd floor there are various beauty salons, and I kept wandering past a few of them, eventually heading in to Vain Hair & Beauty. The main shop is seen below:

 …and the one I went into was just opposite, at shop 140

Vain Hair extensions Singapore

200 extensions would be $100, or 400 for $200. I ended up getting 400 (or so they told me). Although I still have a lot of blue hair, my roots and a good 6-8 inches are my natural dark brown, and so they matched the extes more or less to that. (I think they could’ve gone a little darker actually, but it’s ok). Here are the halfway and completed shots.

 

And from the front? I tried a few self-camera shots back in the hotel room:

 

I ended up trimming one of the sides that was hanging down longer at the front, but overall I’m pretty pleased with them. I think they look quite natural, being wavy, and now “I can haz mermaid hair”!  I feel very girly swishing the wavy wisps over my shoulder. So waddya reckon, eh?

Yeah…not bad!

I can see this will work very well when I wear gothic fashion or gyaru fashion…and definitely saves me time by not having to straighten my own hair. It looks better the wavier it is, blending in more with the wavy extensions. Even in humid weather as in KL, it looks good. I’m sold! If you’re ever in Singapore, go ye to the 3rd floor of the Far East Plaza and check it out:

Vain Beauty
Far East Plaza
No. 14 Scotts Rd
#03-113 or #03-140
Singapore  228213
+6597115290

What about you? Have you ever had long hair extensions installed, either at home, or overseas? Were you pleased with the results?

New Rock Gyaru store FERNOPAA

On this most recent Tokyo trip, I discovered a new gyaru store in Studio Alta on the 5th floor, called Fernopaa.  How exciting!

It stood out to me immediately, amidst other retro/bland stores, on account of its rock/glam look – very much like tutuHa. There were lots of spikes and skulls, crosses, metallics, leopard print, stripes, black, splashes of red and fuschia, cool hats..all the things I love 🙂 I really like that there are totally wearable items in there, alongside over-the-top, costumey, for clubs and parties type wear.  For my money, there is more here for the average girl to wear than in tutuHa. But enough babbling, see the store:

This one is not my pic…it shows the store’s layout quite nicely.

The glamorous girls in the store looked familiar…and it turns out they’re ex-tutuHa themselves! Unlike some stores, the girls not only welcome photos, but they take pics of you for their microblog Fernopaasnaap!  I went there in the first few days of my trip, and returned on my very last day to get some more goodies 🙂 The day I last shopped, unfortunately I had no make-up, lenses or lashes on and looked disgusting, but  agreed to pics (oh, I could DIE!).   But it was so cool that they recognised me when I returned and made a big fuss. Anyway, here’s the link to when I was in the Fernopaa store on November 21st.  And here are my photos:

Ami, Morimayu and Yanitan (??) The 2 on the left are so doll-like! The third is very streetwear rock. Ami always wears the pirate hat and Morimayu the tall marching band hat.

I bought some fab wristlets  in the shape of spines, and a new eyeball ring (also just seen on the khaki-clad mannequin)…but I’ll show you these in an upcoming outfit post!

I noticed that gorgeous gal blogger Woxje has done a post introducing Fernopaa too!  She also gives links to the shop girls blogs, so take a look.

All in all, Fernopaa is a real addition to the gyaru fashion scene. If non-gyaru girls like me love it, I can only imagine that gals will flip! Hopefully a webstore will be coming soon…and maybe a shop in 109 one day? Who knows?

Keepin’ it Teal

Yesterday’s outfit was all about the teal, with some metallic thrown in. I started off with a beautiful Issey Miyake top I bought at Takashimaya, from the Pleats Please range. It is a black fabric woven through with iridescent sapphire blue and emerald green metallic threads, so the total effect is a shimmery 2-tone effect. (The Pleats Please webstore is here, if you’d like to see more)

Beneath (for it is transparent), I wore a turquoise Topshop tank top. The leather skirt is from Australia..Sportsgirl I think (?) But something is definitely missing from the look…  The look is completed with the addition of lipstick, a chain necklace with crosses, and the star of the show – TA-DAA!! The beautiful feather jacket from Sly.

 teal feather chubby

teal feather chubby

Much better! (Though I do appear to have tickets on myself here, teehee).

Sly teal feather jacket

The jacket was definitely a splurge..but it is so gorgeous, so in tune with my hair colour, that I had to have it.  I’m sure I’ll get lots of wears from it in the cooler months.

Yesterday was Shibuya (where I only got as far as La Foret!).  So pumped was I to go shopping that I didn’t even stop when one of the papparazzi on Omotesando wanted to stop me for pics! (Ok, I regretted it later, but I figured I’d ever see the photos anyway). Today is a fashion exhibition on Cat St at the Cannabis store, called “Void Of Course“, which has an alternative/fetish bent…and then general wandering in the area, as well as Omotesando. I’ll let you know how it goes!