Discuss; Can Gaga be Gal?

In the August issue of Ageha, models Sakurina & Megu Fujigamori were transformed into ‘gal versions’ of Twiggy & Lady Gaga (which some of you may have seen on my tumblr). Alongside these were tutorials on how to re-create the look
I love it when Ageha does these, although they usually choose Japanese celebrities or fictional characters, so I thought this was a great topic for a discussion post

So what do you think? Can you gal-ise (new term?! haha) iconic people such as Twiggy and Gaga, and do you think these are the kind of looks you would want to do yourselves

Honestly in my opinion, it all seems like a bit of fun, but whichever way you look at it you gotta admit that both gals are lookin’ mighty fierce

Trend Alert: Mix those Colours!!

Magazines such as Edge Style, Jelly, Blenda and Happie Nuts have been going crazy over mixing colours lately. A trend which has been popular with Western designer brands this year too – check out Tori’s post
So what are the basics and how can you get the look
Obviously this is better suited to a more Otona look and is popular in Mode styles, but I really think that anyone can work this kind of look into their wardrobe
The trick to achieving the look is to mix bold, block colours such as; yellow x pink, blue x red, purple x orange etc. etc. And it’s not just tops and bottoms that count – bold coloured shoes, handbags and accessories also make a statement
Mixing black/white with bold colours is also prominent in a lot of magazines right now. Patterned items (florals, stripes, polka dot) in bold colours is also big, especially when paired with black top or bottom layers This leans it more towards a mode look than high-fashion
JELLY’s ‘white top, coloured bottom’ feature

Happie Nuts & Blenda
The possibilities are endless, just go with the flow and pair whatever you think looks best. My favourite combo right now is turqouise x pink

♥My 7 Links Project♥

The wonderful Caroline ofSpooning with a Schoolboynominated me for the My 7 Links Project – her post is here.

The point of the project is to unite bloggers (from all sectors) in a joint endeavor to share lessons learned and create a bank of long but not forgotten blog posts that deserve to see the light of day again.”
So away we go~ 

My Most Beautiful Post

Kamakura is such a lovely place to visit for the day, so the memories (not only the scenery) of Kamakura are really beautiful to me.

 

My Most Popular Post


My 2nd ever post! I translated a quiz from an issue of Ageha which determines your eye type and what kind of make-up would suit it, along with a tutorial. I never expected this to be so popular, especially as it had so few comments.
My Most Controversial Post
This post was from a CNN-GO article that was based on a rather controversial topic – dressing children like adults. The journalist’s lack of knowledge and poor writing style aside, it raised quite a few questions and discussions.

My Most Helpful Post
This is also one of my most popular posts and I think one of my most helpful too. I wanted to review Japanese hair dyes (specifically ones aimed at gals) as I know lots of Western gals may want to try them at some point but they don’t know how they will turn out.
A Post Whose Success Surprised Me

At the beginning of this year I felt the need to express my opinions on gal and where I stand with it. I was so happy to see that I wasn’t alone in my thoughts and that so many people offered me their kindness and advice. Thank you all!!

A Post I Feel Didn’t Get The Attention It Deserved

This was only a small series with 2 posts on former EGG models (Hiromi and Natsumi) and where they are today. I was hoping for a positive response to these as I wanted to go further with them but they weren’t as popular as I had hoped.

The Post I’m Most Proud Of 


Once again I’m being a bit cheeky and picking a series rather than an individual post, but I have to mention this as I was so proud of the reactions and feedback I got on these. I really wanted to help bring a positive vibe to the Western gal community. I’m actually thinking of carrying this on (when I get some spare time) but with a new look. What do you guys think?

It’s a ‘Life Experience’…

Remember that ‘life experience’ I was talking about the other day
Well that is the name that my tutor likes to give to the activities and field-trips that we have been taking part in during our stay here in Paris. And this one, was er…certainly interesting…
I’m not a fan of anime or manga, although a lot of people on my course are. Therefore, our tutors thought that they would give us a few days off classes to enjoy one of the biggest expos in Europe related to Japanese pop culture. Yep that’s right, they sent me to ‘Japan Expo’
Originally I wasn’t planning on going for the reasons above, however some of my friends managed to talk me into coming along after talks of silly costumes and other things. I also wanted to give it a chance and ‘experience’ something new…I like to give things a chance before I say I dislike them
So for those who have also never experienced this kind of thing and for those who are just curious, this post is for you!

I didn’t dress up especially for the expo, but it did mean that I was able to add a little drama to my make-up, compared to what I have been wearing latelyNatural, simple make-up is favoured here so anything else tends to turn a few heads.

Tshirt: JSG
Shorts: H&M
Thigh high socks: Donki
Boots: Topshop  
I wore my Jeffrey Campbell dupes which went better than I had expected. I also got a lot of compliments on them which was nice.
  
The friend who managed to persuade me into coming decided the night before that she was going to ‘troll’ everyone by turning up as Nyan Cat (the latest internet phenomenon), complete with speakers looping the infamous tune. Everyone loved her costume and she was constantly stopped by people wanting her photo. Not bad for a costume made from a cardboard box.
But that’s enough chit-chat for now, enjoy the rest of my photos from the event…
Click images to enlarge!

I think a lot of the expo was lost on me as I didn’t understand much, but the Japanese culture sections were good and I found an interesting stall that I think I will mention in a later post. I also found someone stocking Candydoll cosmetics, but they weren’t selling that day and I didn’t want to return the following day just for that…shame

 Puri with Nyan Cat
I love the comparison!
I also managed to buy ye ol’ Tsubasa’s blog book – a book full of her blog entries, fashion/make-up tips and lifestyle items. It’s almost 5 years old I think haha
…and the new issue of Popsister, which is really growing on me lately

Life in Paris; ‘Japan Town’ pt.2

This is the 2nd part to the short ‘Japan Town’ in Paris series that I recently posted. As I promised in the previous post, this one will be concerning Japanese magazines, movies and books.
First stop is ‘Komikku(Japanese katakana-ized word for Comic) – this store isn’t actually on Rue Saint Anne like the others, however it does join onto it therefore I thought I would mention it. You can find it by turning down beside Starbucks on the main street.
Anyway, Komikku is a small store that claims to offer ‘Anime, Manga and J-Music’. I thought I would pop in quickly so I could tell you guys about it and, well…I was quite disappointed. I’m not a fan of manga/anime myself and this teeny-tiny store seemed to only offer manga. I saw a few anime dvds but no music (apart from anime soundtracks). That’s not really a big deal but the sign boasts this, and yet they had none. 
They did have a large and very cute selection of bento boxes, recipe books and accessories though! ♥
Next is Marugen. Unfortunately the store was closed when I visited. It looked as though they were moving some stock, but the owner mentioned that it would be open the following day. They are a brand from Osaka that offer casual Tobi wear for men and women. For those who don’t know,  (Tobi) is the name usually given to construction workers and their clothing – example
I did take a peek inside though and I was surprised by the rich textures they had on display. It reminded me of an Asakusa market stall with all the rich, traditional fabric they had used, along with tshirts, various sized 招き猫 and other ornaments, infact I didn’t see much of the ‘Tobi’ influence at all.
But the real reason I went was…
 Purikura~
The lovely Natalie from Juicy Blog was very kind to let me know that there is purikura in Paris, and whereas I wasn’t surprised (they have it London, so why not Paris?!) I was very happy to know the location. Obviously I didn’t get to try it out (as they were closed) but I plan to next time!
She mentioned that it was an old machine, which you can see from the examples on the door. Even so, with the price being from only 5€ it is a lot cheaper than the one in London and you can still decorate your photos as much as you like.

I’ve not yet tried out any of the karaoke booths/salons in Japan Town/the surrounding area. However my friends have mentioned that there are a few and are keen to go, so maybe I will be posting about that soon. I really miss karaoke~ 

Sorry, I couldn’t take photos inside
Now onto one of my favourite stores in ‘Japan Town’ – Book Off!
Some of you may already know of Book Off – it is a successful chain store in Japan, which has also branched outside of the country…obviously. They offer Japanese language books, textbooks and revision guides, anime, manga, Japanese music, memorabilia, Japanese dvds and fashion magazines!

I was really pleased by this Book Off as they have so much stock. Their cd and dvd collection is amazing! I don’t really listen to Japanese music or watch Japanese dramas/movies as avidly as I used to, but if I did I would certainly be wasting some hard-earned cash here! Not only that but they offer foreign films with Japanese dubbing (usually blockbusters and Disney), which is great for those practising Japanese.
Their choice of fashion magazines is good. They don’t have as much as the Japanese Centre in London but they have quite a bit, although the last 3 times I have been in they haven’t had any recent Gal magazines. They also stock recent mooks for those who want special catalogues and gifts. Of course they all come at a price; 15 is the average magazine price, around 20 for mooks (sometimes cheaper, especially for older ones). 
However I was most impressed by their selection of back-issues. They had TONS! I found at least 3 from each popular Gal magazine (and more from others) – most for only 4 or 5..and this was for issues from only 2-3months ago. Of course they’re not completely up-to-date but what was usually in around 2-3months ago is usually still good to go…or you can just add any issues you missed to your library. Bargain!
Hello!Project and AKB48 Merchandise in the window

– I also need to visit and have been recommended Junku, which I’ve been told stocks a lot of Japanese language books and some magazines also.


– Another place to find Manga, Anime and Japanese music CDs is fnac.com in Chatelet’s ‘Forum Des Halles‘ – I’ve only been to that store but they do sell it on their online store too, so it’s more than likely that they also stock similar things in other stores.


Unfortunately I wasn’t able to find any stores that stock Japanese cosmetics, but if you live in Paris (or have visited) and know anywhere, please let me know!

Discuss: Gal influence in ASOS?!

ASOS featured an editorial with nail art by Sophy Robson in this months magazine. The most interesting design which I wanted to start a discussion about were these…

All-out Gaga and influenced by steam punk and Japanese Gyaru…」
It’s definitely interesting to see gal mentioned in mainstream fashion editorials, and of course we all know that nail art is a big part of gal. Maybe she enjoys the 3d aspects of gal nails – check out the cute, diamante bow – or maybe it was the ‘stiletto-point shape’?!
My question though is do YOU see the gal influence? 

Source; 1

JELLY’S HOT PICKS!

This month’s issue of JELLY featured the current items their style team and readers are trying to get their hands on. Fancy a peek?

Click pictures to enlarge!

1, 2, 3
What? 
  1. Chiffon Tunics
  2. Border Tops
  3. Crochet Tops
Where?
  1. Laguna Moon, Duras, LOVE BOAT
  2. Barak, Cecil McBee, Titty&Co
  3. Cecil McBee, BACKS, Lip Service
Which Trends?
  1. French Mix, Casual
  2. Retro Marine, Resort Casual
  3. Ethnic, Blogger

 4, 5, 6
What? 
  1. American Flag Print Tops
  2. Lace Tops
  3. Loose Knits
Where?
  1. Barak, muse muse by Royal Party, Gimlet
  2. Laguna MoonDuras, Dazzlin
  3. LOVE BOATBACKSDazzlin
Which Trends?
  1. American Casual, Rock
  2. Mexican Mix, Mode
  3. Simple Casual, Vintage

Cropped Tops  
Something which is popular every Summer, with all trends. JELLY show how to coordinate it with a simple black maxi, but the options are endless.
Cinched waist tops & dresses

A cute coordinate for most casual Summer looks. JELLY suggest mini-rompers but you’ll find plenty of dresses and tops in most stores sporting the same look.
– Mitsu mentions the crochet trend in one of her latest posts.
– Hana of Hanalovely tells us about Barak and her reasons for loving the brand.