Grimoire video – take a peek inside the Grimoire store

I realise a lot of people will never get to Tokyo to see the awesomeness that is Grimoire for themselves…so here is a little video just showing a few things in the store.

I took it while in Grimoire last week, where I also got a photo with the Grimoire girls (and one boy!) This is just slightly different from the one I posted the other day 🙂

Interestingly, we’d just talked about how I come back to Tokyo in late March every year for the Paddy Punk festival “Wild Rover”, where Japanese bands like the Cherry Cokes play music  evocative of the Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly and the Pogues, when the store’s taped music started playing Irish folk tunes! Listen and you’ll hear 🙂

For other posts on Grimoire, check out: http://thefashionatetraveller.com/tag/grimoire

Street fashion Shibuya & Grimoire

I have had an amazing week in Tokyo, even if very brief. I got to vist some very special stores (as well as the big-name ones), and caught up wth some great people.

Yesterday I met up with a local photographer and blogger and we went on a walking tour of Shibuya. I really wanted to visit the store Sister (& ground floor store Candy), as mentioned in my cool tights blog post.

Well, we went! I will do a proper post with pictures next week, but we did indeed buy the grey lace-patterned tights I’d seen on the dolly kei girl.

Saw a groovy girl in Shibuya, crossing the road, so got a photo with her. I like how she has a mainly black/white/grey palette with a touch of red (a bit like me!).

I also love the playing card pattern on her skirt, the pop of bling in the lurex of her crochet shawl, and the little meat cleavers dripping blood around each of her buns. A bit of a spooky gothic touch.

We then dropped into famed Dolly Kei store Grimoire…and the girls whooped and exclaimed to see us!  I hadn’t seen them since Merry Go Land…when I had blonde & purple hair! It took one or 2 a minute to suss it was me, now with red hair.  They were kind enough to admire my tights (mauve floral from Isetan, brand name “Antipast”, ~2200 yen). Anyway onto a photo!

Lucky for us, the lovely Marie dropped in from her work on the 4th floor – she has really good English, which helps with conversation and jokes!  When I held up a beautiful vintage black collar with jet beading all over it, Marie said it was one piece Courtney Love really liked when she was there. Courtney took all the girls back to her hotel room to party on (for those who don’t know that she dropped in on her last Tokyo visit).

Anyway, though it wasn’t cheap, I did love the piece and knew I’d wear it, so onto the credit card it went!!

Nice to see a guy in the shop doing his version of the look – shall we call it Dandy kei, perhaps? I am in love with Heri’s look here – the coin-embellished wide belt, the bubble skirt, the military hat…I think hers is overall my fave dolly kei look. Kaori and Marie also looked lovely of course, and I noticed that Kaori wore black & white, not the rich colours we often associate with Dolly Kei. Awesome! As I often favour this monochrome look myself. Hitomi was absent, hence not in the photo (sorry to Hitomi fans).

News on the Grimoire front – each of the girls will shortly have ther own indvidual blogs, as well as the combined store blog, so stay tuned for that! I also video’d the store while I was there, so as soon I get home and upload it, I’ll post that too, for your viewing pleasure.

We also visited Virgin Mary, but I didn’t take more pictures…the store looked very much the same as when I was there in September. I did look at some of the little antique dolls to buy, but resisted 🙂

This was meant to be a short post! Now I have to pack, send stuff home, sell stuff to Closet Child and make last minute purchases in the next 3 hours, so adios for now 🙂

Dolly Kei style printed tights by Celeste Stein

This post I will focus solely on tights in floral, paisley, cherub and other dolly kei type designs. (See also my post on Dolly Kei ebay finds)

Here are some looks as worn by the Grimoire girls; the last one I took at the Virgin Mary store (she’s wearing Vivienne Westwood thigh highs)

   

I discovered a US company that has an amazing variety of designs, and in a great range of specifications as well. If you can’t find something you want here, there’s no hope for you. Many of them I find will work well into a dolly kei wardrobe, depending on how you co-ordinate, of course.

Celeste Stein

To start, you can choose to have your fave design printed on tights, leggings, thigh highs, trouser socks, or even scarves or car mats! Even just within one category, such as tights, you can choose from sheer tight, lycra tight, nylon tight, lurex tight, fishnet tight, or solid nylon/spandex tight. Phew!

But where they really come into their own is the huuuuuuuuuge range of designs offered. You can choose from categories, such as floral, paisleys, angels, or by colour…or just go exploring. While many of the ones I’ve chosen are quite “busy”, remember in sheerer stockings and fishnets, the impact will be reduced for a more subtle effect.

Angel/Cherub Designs

Angel Tapestry                            Natural Angel                           First Kiss                  Heaven

     

Renaissance or medieval themes:

Spring                                   the Creation of Adam                    Mideval (sic)

   

Tapestry designs

   

Insects

white butterflies                                yellow bugs                                 pink sandy

   

Florals

                      Blue Bonnet                                     Granny Wall                              Sonjia

   

These are lace florals in colours Bashe, Yellow & Lilac (there are other colours too)

   

Lace & Rose design in tan, pink & white (more colours available)

   

Lace design tights in rouge, red and midnight tones

   

One of my favourite designs is the Stained Glass Lace series, which is like battenburg lace

   

Floral medallions in blue, pink and white

   

Paisleys

Rose Paisleys in cream, peach and blue

   

There are also more traditional paisleys and psychedelic ones.

And finally, some miscellaneous ones I liked:

       

There are also animal print designs, orientals, modern abstract, pin-up/Vintage looks, spots, stripes, psychedelic designs….you’re just gonna have to have a peek yourself. Oh, and check out her couture designs too.

Do you like any of the above? Do you know of any good sources for floral, lace and dolly kei patterned tights?

Tokyo fashion posts on The Fashionate Traveller

I finally put up a page with links to my posts on Japanese gothic, lolita, dolly kei, punk, gyaru and street fashion (well, Tokyo mostly), and thought I’d post it as well. It’s a work in progress, and I’ve probably missed a few articles, but here is the list thus far:

Japanese fashion: labels, designers, events & stores

* Alamode Market

* Ales Wigs & Extensions

Algonquins
* Algonquins Shinjuku
* Algonquins skirt (outfit post)
* Algonquins skirt to meet Violet (outfit post)

Alice Auaa
* Alice Auaa – exquisite gothic lolita fashion
* Alice Auaa and other gauzy cobweb fabrics

Ann Vanilla
* Ann Vanilla bolero

Atelier Pierrot
* Atelier Pierrot shopping sites
* Atelier Boz & Black Peace Now collaboration

Banana Fish
* Banana Fish Shimokitazawa store
* Banana Fish tulle skirt (outfit post)

* Bunka Fashion College Shinjuku – graduate accessories exhibition

Electric Alice
* Electric Alice webstore
* Electric Alice at Glebe Markets

Fan Plus Friend
* Gothic Aristocrat Cancan outfit

* Fashion’s Night Out in Tokyo

Hellcat Punks
* Hellcat Punks in La Foret

h. Naoto (Peace Now, Black Peace Now etc)
* Naoto collection for Goth night 28/29th August 2010
* Black Peace Now & Atelier Boz collaboration
* BPN skirt from Electric Alice (outfit post)
* BPN skirt at Lunarmorph (outfit post)
* BPN outfit to have tea with Violet
* BPN skirt with Romance Was Born Jacket

Kikirara Shoten/Dangerous Nude
* Kikirara Shoten store in Shibuya
* Visiting Kiki for interview
* Dangerous Nude corset (outfit post)

Lip Service (Japan)
* Lip Service SS 2010

Marui One
* Marui One Shinjuku 2009
* Marui One sale
* Halloween at Marui One
* Marui One first visit

* Merry Go Land

*Miss Me, Omotesando Hills

Nude n’ Rude
* Nude n’ Rude goth punk store in Koenji
* Nude n’ Rude turns 1

Putumayo
* Putumayo Harajuku

* Reem Alasadi Fashion Week Tokyo Feb 10

Sex Pot Revenge
* Sex Pot Revenge SS Range 2010
* Sex Pot Revenge blue leopard pants outfit post

Shibuya 109 (gal style)
* Shibuya 109 first visit March 10 – TutuHA, Flag J, Lip Service etc
* Shibuya 109 April 10

Takuya Angel
* Takuya Angel store
* Takuya Angel Harajuku Lash style
* Celebrating Hanabi with Takuya Angel

* Tokyo fashion shopping general – BPN, Alice Auaa, Algonquins, Sex Pot Revenge, Banana Fish, Ozz Croce, Qutie Frash

* Tokyo Fashion Week highlights Oct 2009 – FurFur, Monotari Ono, Yukiko Hanai, Aguri Sagamori, GVGV etc

* Tokyo Shoe Haul

Tokyo Rebel
* Tokyo Rebel roundup

* Yamanote Line Fashion – street fashion in diff suburbs on the Yamanote line

Yosuke USA
*Yosuke in Marui One
* Fab platform boots from Yosuke
* Autumn sale at Rakuten

Vintage, Dolly Kei and Cult Party Kei
* Cabaret
* Grimoire online shop
* Grimoire and Tarock at Merry Go Land
* Nude Trump
* Rosy Baroque
* The Virgin Mary, Tarock with Ricco, and Grimoire
* My attempt at Dolly Kei (outfit post)

Japanese Street Fashion websites etc
* Ridsnap and Filmdancer
* Tokyo Kawaii TV

Harajuku general
* Harajuku Street fashion – cool boys & a few girls
* Saturday arvo walk through Harajuku
* Harajuku Sunday afternoon – lolitas, cosplayers, Elvises & me
* Meeting Adam Lambert in Harajuku
* Harajuku first visit ever

Kera Magazine
* Kera magazine Sept 10
* Kera magazine, models & iphone app

Dolly Kei outfit

I decided I wanted to try a Dolly Kei outfit (or 2) based on the skirt I bought in Grimoire recently.

I constantly marvel at how Hitomi, Kaori, Heri etc, seem to effortlessly build their layered outfits to such great effect. At fashion events I’ve attended, you can easily see other Dolly Kei girls too – there really is a recognisable style. But being able to recognise it, is way easier than being able to duplicate it. Here goes….

Here’s how I got the look, step-by-step:

1.  I put on the skirt (in black with pinks & mustard tones), and paired it with a Perri Cutten blouse in a central asian paisley print.
2. Then I added a gold fabric wrap belt, embellished with beads and sequins, as well as a camel coloured fur gilet.

 

3. Next I added a light scarf in paisley (again) in similar tones, as well as gold fringing.
4. Then I placed the all-important tassels around my neck, along with a beetle encased in resin as a necklace.

 

Some more detail shots – such colours, pattern, textures!!

 

5. Not having any floral tights, I merely added flesh coloured fishnets, and orange shoes to pick up on the warm tones.

 

As a finishing touch, I wore the floral brooch/headpiece I also bought at Grimoire. I tried on my dark blood-red coloured velvet cape from Virgin Mary, but think it may be a bit dark – what do you think?

 

I then tried on a grey-flecked fake fur throw around my shoulders:

 

I wanted to try something I could wear in the warmer months, with some layering but still cool, so put on a sleeveless chiffon paisley print tank top in reds & oranges, and took off the fur:

 

 

And of course I had to have gyaru/dolly lashes and make-up (like the orange Lime Crime lipstick, also used as blusher), as well as my fave G&G BT circle lenses in aqua.

 

There are a few typical DK items I missed in my outfit – can you pick what they are? What would you have added to this outfit – or taken away?