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!

Next Tokyo visit, next week!

I take off for Tokyo next Friday…and am getting excited!

It has been 11 months since I was last there, unlike when I used to go 2 to 3 times a year. Last November I spent 9 or 10 days there and here’s a little recap of the highlights.

Shopping!

I bought this now favourite jacket of mine, a teal feather jacket from gal brand Sly – seen here with Issey Miyake Pleats Please lurex top and multi cross necklace from Black Peace Now.  I’ll be wearing another Pleats Please top I bought in an upcoming outfit post, but in bright aqua.

Sly Japan, Issey Miyake, pleats please

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Fukubukuro pictures, Part 2

Now I’m back home and can upload pics from my Sony, here are some more pictures from January 2nd – the day the New Years lucky bags go on sale in Japan.

The excellent site Tokyo Fashion has already done 3 fab articles with loads of photos on Fukubukuro here, here and here.

As for me, I went to Marui One first, as I wanted to get gothic gear. I was there about 10.30 but there was no queue out the door or anything. It was only when I got inside that I saw masses of people looking at the sales and the various bags. Here’s a quick pic I took on my way out:

I was there primarily for the shopping, not to take pictures, so there weren’t that many. After all, I had THREE major centres to hit! I passed Studio Alta around midday also, and there weren’t too many girls out the front, although it was very crowded inside. Many had the rolling pink floral cases by Liz Lisa, I noticed.

Had I but known, I should’ve just stayed there, as between Alta and Lumine Est, most of the major gal brands are covered, and I wouldn’t have been swept along in the seething mass of people that was Shibuya 109. But, to Shibuya I went.

It didn’t look too bad from far away…

 

But you could only see the madness when you got up close!

Everywhere were people jostling, clutching multiple lucky bags…some TV company was even filming it, as you can just see here…

lucky bags Shibuya 109

gyaru lucky bags Shibuya 109

lucky bags Shibuya 109

You can see the familiar brand names Cecil McBee, Vanquish, Ank Rouge, Rose FanFan, JSG, and one that might be Manalove…everywhere girls were opening their packs and swapping with girlfriends nearby (as items are not always the same, even in bags from the same brand).  I took these pics as I was carried along by the crowd. Once inside it was little better; again the crowd just surged along taking you with it like a raging torrent, and you had to try to get out of the crowd to enter a shop you liked. One – Emoda – had quite a queue to even get in the store, such was its popularity. And then there were the queues at the tills.

I decided just to buy particular pieces I liked rather than lucky bags, as I’d already bought 2 naoto bags in the morning, and the ones where I could see the contents, were not that appealing to me.

I then went to Harajuku, visiting La Foret for the the gothic punk underground floors, before proceeding along the street past Forever 21, where you can see girls spruiking the bags outside:

 

Here’s what they sounded like: Girls at Harajuku Forever 21 spruiking lucky bags

And here’s how slow it was walking in the crowd from La Foret to Takeshita Street: Harajuku on fukubukuro day, Jan 2

Takeshita Street was, of course, crowded to the max as well:

SO great were the crowds out that day, that as I was waiting for the Yamanote line train back to Shinjuku, a very strange thing happened: the  trains stopped to let people OFF on the other side, but wouldn’t let people ON.  This just doesn’t happen on a normal day, no matter how busy. Two trains passed in this way, and I despaired of ever getting home, when a third train finally arrived and actually opened its doors to the ravening hordes. PHEW!

Gyaru brand haul from Tokyo New Year sales

So now we move on to the more gyaru purchases I’ve made lately…although this first item I bought, the fox tail, was bought in the gothic top floors of Marui One, as were the tights . The black fluffy faux-fur legwarmers were from Intesucre, a chain which has stores everywhere.

 

My faves are coming up, however.  I bought a funky long jumper wit a big skull on the front in sequins from Durer, which I wore all yesterday.

 

My absolute fave is this gorgeous leopard double-breasted trenchcoat from Cecil McBee. I also got a cute military style vest in a soft grey knit (only 1000 yen) from SwordFish, a brand I’m coming to like more.

 

On the accessories front, though I tried on those Russian style fur hats, they just swamped me, so I got this animal print spotted beret in soft angora….and these glorious boots o’ doom from R & E!

 

Whatcha think, y’all?? Sexy as hell, these…even tho I won’t be wearing them in Sydney until June/July!

Now, in my travels around the various gal stores, I’m becoming quite enamoured of some brands at the rock-chick end of the spectrum – Taboo wth its skulls & crosses and Twisty (acessories) being 2 that remind me of tutuHA. I really liked Emoda, but unfortunately the great abstract print peggings were not in my size.

I originally wanted the Lip Service leopard coat, but the only one I could find, in Lumine Est, was too small. At 109, no leopard ones were left. However, I ducked into Cecil Mcbee in the Shinjuku subnade and nabbed the last leopard coat on the rack – and glory be, it fitted!

I’ve realised that Studio Alta is almost as good as 109, despite lacking a tutuHA shop, and it’s less crowded. It’s here that I’ll return before I leave for any last minute purchases.

Where do you like to shop when you’re in Tokyo, or where would you like to? Which of these items do you heart best?