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Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s Tokyo Kawaii Guidebook App

I don’t often deviate from European fashion and beauty, but you will see me post the occasional Japanese fashion/beauty article on here. So when I heard that Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (a Japanese street style model come pop idol) was releasing an iPhone app for her English and French fans I knew I had to write something about it. Not only because it combines four of my favourite things; Tokyo, shopping, travel and food.

Moshi Moshi Tokyo is Kyary’s guide to her favourite spots in Tokyo. The app allows you to explore Tokyo through her eyes, visiting clothing boutiques, cafes and more. Kyary has become a worldwide hit – her London tour was a sell-out with devoted fans turning up in hoards. It’s because of this success that the release of this app makes so much sense. It’s also a great way for the Japanese government to garner interest and promote tourism. Tokyo is an amazing city but it can be slightly overwhelming at times, especially if you’ve never visited before. This app will be a great way for fashionable young things to check out some of Tokyo’s hot spots.

I downloaded the French version to get a taste of the app before the English release. My French is terrible but surprisingly I still managed to understand everything. I loved the interactive features and thought the photography and design was incredibly cute and fun. The small magazine-style section highlights 9 clothing stores, featuring some of my personal favourites, including Nadia, Avantgarde and Tokyo Bopper. Ultimately though the interactive map is the most helpful as it highlights a large number of restaurants, stores etc. making it much easier to find your desired location. Unfortunately the promise of “Kyary’s favourite spots in Tokyo” actually translates to chosen spots in Harajuku. However this is the area that made her famous, making it slightly more understandable. It may seem limited but there are still tons of places to visit and it’s nice to see Harajuku is still getting some love, after a decline in popularity in recent years.

The app is currently available to download on iTunes, however the app only offers a download for the French version right now (to coincide with Japan Expo 2014). The English version will be released on July 18th, in time for Hyper Japan in London (and J-Pop Summit Festival 2014 in San Francisco). The first 500 people to download the guide (via the app) will also receive a voucher for a free badge that they can collect at Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s booth at Hyper Japan/J-Pop Summit.

Download Moshi Moshi Tokyo.

Source: 1

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Photo Diary: Taste of London, Matcha and more

Last week was a pretty busy one for me and my camera. I headed out to several press days, did brunch and visited Taste of London.
 If you have a penchant for beef burgers, or novelty items Maiden is going to be the place for you this Christmas. Whereas Sticks & Stones offer more of a relaxed, one-off vibe with their items (for both men and women). In between press days I received a matcha care package from my good friend Jess, all the way from Japan. It was the ultimate pick-me-up, which I really needed. Speaking of food, I shared brunch with friends in Village East (my favourite haunt south of the river) – I highly recommend the turkey hash and beetroot bloody mary. I headed off to the Taste of London straight after, which in hindsight wasn’t the best of ideas, although it did keep my purse firmly in my pocket. There were plenty of tasters so I did sample a few items; Korea Foods and Go Coco being my favourite exhibitors. 
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Style: We’re All Going on a Summer Holiday

(Top: New Look*, Sneakers: New Look*, Watch: New Look*)
When New Look sent me an email about with a link to their summer personality quiz it came at the perfect time. I was working from home, which meant I was dreaming of holidays and procrastination. I took the quiz straight away, and was told that Barbados was the answer to my troubles. Sun, sea, sand and reggae is all right by me. Still, my holiday plans don’t stretch much further than France this Summer, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make the most of it. So when New Look asked me to choose a few items that would be holiday perfect, I knew exactly what I wanted. 
This has been the year of stripes in my wardrobe. I can’t get enough of the classic breton stripe top, so this long sleeve beauty is perfect for pairing with distressed denim shorts and these white sneakers, for a casual daytime look. Once night time hits it’s on with the jeans, and off with the sneakers, embracing ballet flats and accessorising with an almost patriotic watch. The French definitely know how to do chic, and it’s something I always admire when I’m walking the streets of Chamonix or Provence. Hopefully these will help me get a little closer to that perfect look when I’m away this summer. 
Bon voyage!

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This post is in collaboration with New Look but all views, photos and words are my own.
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Review: Collection Mardi Grass Nail Polish

Collection Mardi Grass Nail Polish in White Out, and Canary Yellow*
It seems like forever ago that I reviewed a nail polish, which makes me a little sad. I am a self confessed nail polish addict with a massive collection. I love themed collections and this Mardi Gras range from Collection cosmetics arrived at the perfect time to coincide with the gorgeous weather we’re having here. The limited edition range was released alongside the World Cup in Brazil, hence “Mardi Gras” – a carnival celebrated across the country. The collection only consists of three colours (white out, canary yellow and green with envy), but that’s more than enough to get you into the party spirit.
Pros:
+ Bright and bold colours
+ Cute packaging
+ Good price point

Cons:
– 2-3 coats needed 

Notes:
Collection nail polishes are nothing new to me but I hadn’t tried such bold colours from them before. I’ve always been on the fence when it comes to white and yellow polishes, so I was eager to try something out of my comfort zone. Both polishes are vibrant, and that colour translates well onto nails. The application isn’t too bad, but unfortunately it does take 2-3 coats to get a good opaque look. As for chipping, I tested the polish with a top coat and without. The polish without a top coat did wear off slightly but I didn’t notice much chipping in the first few days. The nails with a top coat lasted longer, as you’d expect. Overall I’m quite impressed with this polish, and the price makes me very happy too. £1.99 is perfectly on point for those who want to pick up a new shade of polish to add to their collection. 
You can purchase Collection’s Mardi Gras nail polish range at Boots and Superdrug.
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A Masterclass in Burlesque at Cafe de Paris

Last Friday I headed into the depths of the Cafe de Paris. When I arrived the impeccably dressed staff were hurriedly preparing everything for the night’s show. Obulent chandeliers hung from the ceiling, whilst glasses lined the tables, sparkling like crystal. A well dressed man led me to a dark room beneath the dance floor, as I stared at my surroundings in wonder. It almost felt as if I’d walked into London’s own Moulin Rouge.

This was all thanks to Sarah (of The Prosecco Diaries) who had arranged a burlesque evening for a select group of bloggers. I was greeted by Sarah herself with a delicious vodka drink from Pinky, and a lovely smile. It was obvious that everyone was eager to take part in the festivities of the evening as I’m usually one of the first to arrive, but this time round everyone was there before me! Cupcakes and macarons littered the room – a bloggers best friend. We all got to know each other as we nibbled on snacks and sipped our drinks (through adorable straws might I add). As the atmosphere built we were asked to move to the dance floor. Yes, our private room had it’s own dance floor, and boudoir…but that’s a tale for another time. You might be curious at this point as to why we needed a dance floor. Well that’s because we were in for a mini masterclass in burlesque from Zoe from The Cheek Of It School of Burlesque & Cabaret – a very sophisticated and classy lady. I am a very big fan of burlesque and have attended more than my fair share of cabarets. I’ve often left after a show and professed my desire to be a burlesque dancer to anyone who will listen. I find it such a beautiful, sexy and empowering form of art. So you can imagine just how excited I was to have this opportunity. It’s safe to say I shimmied and I shook, like there was no tomorrow! Luckily for me, my eagerness and effort paid off because Zoe chose me as one of the students of the night, alongside the lovely George. Our prize? A sparkly bottle of Prosecco (pimped out by Sparkle Up Your Life), fit for any queen of burlesque. After the class we headed back to the main area of the club to watch the cabaret show, where we sat high above the floor overdosing on fabulous drinks and sweet treats.

The show at Cafe de Paris was wonderful, which was made by the lovely ladies I got to share it with. Although our compère for the night was equal parts fabulous and fierce, I have to say that the burlesque class was my favourite part of the evening. I am hoping I can save up for Zoe’s Showtime Beginners Course because I’ve caught the burlesque bug, and everyone knows that once you’ve started shimmying that booty, you can’t stop (when you have an arse like mine anyway).

Thank you so much to Sarah for hosting another fabulous event, and for all of the goodie bag sponsors. I’ll be uploading the contents of my goodie bag and linking to the brands on my Instagram and Twitter.

Photos: Thanks to Sarah