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Mori Gal | Style (OOTD)

mori galT-shirt: Delores Daywear | Trousers: New Look | Sneakers: Comme des Garcon x Converse | Sunglasses: Playn*

I’ve always been fascinated with nature. As a child I would beg my parents to let me explore woodlands, or dip my toes in a babbling brook. Whether it’s plants, animals, fractals…well, you get my point. Of course lifestyle choices often transfer over to personal style. That’s why I love the idea of the Mori Gal fashion trend so much.

But you’re not a Mori Gal?!

The first time I fell in love with the style and concept was with the character Shizuru Satonaka in Tada, Kimi wo Aishiteru. Mori Gal literally translates to Forest Girl. This fashion subculture originates in Japan, and often features earthy tones, natural fabrics, and loose fitting clothes. The style itself has never really found a foothold in my own wardrobe. Loosely permed hair (natural waves), and always carrying a camera around is about as close as it gets for me. Still, I find the concept incredibly romantic. Being more ethical in your fashion choices. Slowing down your daily life. Spending more time with nature.

True, I may not embody mori gal, but I can be inspired by it. I can be reminded of it; in my love for nature, quality fabrics, and ethical clothing choices. At the end of the day, mori gal is supposed to be whimsical. And we all deserve to have a little whimsy in our lives.

If you like the idea of MG, you can find out more and how-to with “Mori Gal Rules“.

Check out my previous style posts here.
Thanks to V.A (Chopstickpanorama) for the photos of me.

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Urban Research in Japan | Style (OOTD)

urban researchTie Waist Top: Urban Research | Trousers: Urban Research | Watch: Timex* | Sneakers: Comme des Garcon

When I visited Japan in March, one thing stood out to me. My personal style was miles away from what it was when I was living in Tokyo. It dawned on me that the stores and areas I once frequented during my time there were now alien to me. For this reason alone, I had resigned myself to the fact that I probably wouldn’t buy any clothes during my visit. However one rainy day, we decided to wander around the Sky Tree Mall – Solomachi. Filled with stores such as Punyus, Loft, and earth, music and ecology; I soon realised I was in good hands.

Urban Research

One store that stood out to me in particular was Urban Research. Sure the name might seem odd to English speakers, but the lifestyle element to the store intrigued me. It reminded me of my favourite London stores, but with a difference. However it was only when I went shopping with Renka that I properly investigated. I ended up picking up an ensemble that felt a little out of my comfort zone. Something I would admire on others, but would maybe be a little nervous to wear myself. Luckily Renka is a great shopping buddy. I knew I could trust her, and when she gushed at how much the outfit suited me I decided I had to have it. I had to admit, I felt kinda cool in it. And this is coming from the person who would never have considered wearing a matching two-piece outfit. As you probably guessed, that outfit was the one in this post. I mean, this story would have been entirely pointless otherwise, right?

Check out my previous style posts here.
Thanks to V.A (Chopstickpanorama) for the photos of me.

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OOTD: J’adore Kenzo

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Coat – Sandro | Sweater – Kenzo | Trainers – New Balance | Bag – ASOS | Pom-Pom – Wonderound

J’adore Kenzo! Is it really any surprise? The designer perfectly combines my love of Japanese and Parisian fashion into energetic, colourful creations. If the brand had been established today I would have sworn it was created especially for me. Sometimes designer brands can be a little too serious, but I love playing around with fashion. That’s why I love living in East London so much. People take fashion seriously here, but they have fun with it.

However last weekend I took some time to wander around Chelsea, and I made the most of the change of scenery.  South West London is as far away as possible from my East London home, in more ways than one. Shabby chic hipster cafes are replaced with modern, polished eateries…with no street art in sight. There’s no doubt about it, the architecture and streets of Chelsea are a lot prettier than Shoreditch. But then that’s the great thing about living in London, each borough is different to the next. I hope I can discover even more of London’s hidden gems this year.

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Christmas at Hyper Japan

This year saw the first Hyper Japan Christmas Market come to Kensington, Olympia. Compared to the Summer HJ event, this one was much smaller, but they still managed to fit in a whole lot of stuff to see and do. As for the Christmas aspect, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. It turned out to not really be as festive as I had hoped, with only a few exhibitors bringing Christmas themed items (such as Roxie Sweetheart). Maybe because it was held in November it was a little difficult for people to come round to the idea. Still, the tree in the middle of the hall helped a bit.

Keep an eye on my Hyper Japan tag to see more on fashion & beauty at the HJ Christmas market.

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I Want Jewellery Dripping in…Dinner?!

I love food, that much is obvious. Instead of buying clothes/accessories etc. I will spend my money on going out to eat. I do love fashion though, so when I found out I could combine my love of food and fashion I was in shock…and I think you may be too, because if you’ve made it this far you have inevitably seen the photos above. Say hello to Japanese jewellery brand Fake Food Hatanaka.

Whether you’ve been to Japan or not, it’s likely you have seen or heard of Japan’s plastic food. Used to show customers how the dishes look, the practice has become somewhat of a phenomenon. So much so that you can buy plastic food phone cases, key chains etc. But Fake Food Hatanaka has taken the craze one step further with their range of jewellery featuring some of Japan’s favourite delicacies (as well as European and Chinese dishes), such as curry and omurice. Prices start around 900円 (£4.85) for the smaller accessories and go up to around 13,000円 (£70) for the larger necklaces. In fact the brand is doing so well that they’ve opened a pop-up in Punyus La Foret, Harajuku.

So how about giving the foodie in your life something a little different this Christmas? The brand do ship internationally, however there is currently a waiting list as demand is so high. You can browse and reserve items at Fake Food Hatanaka.

Source: 1

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Japanese Fashion at Hyper Japan Christmas Market 2014

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Intricate headpieces from Le Chateau des Gateaux
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Accessories and Kokokim from Dreamy Bows

Traditional Japanese fabric designs from Kokon
Tie-dye boots from Typical Freaks

It may seem only a few months ago that I was at Hyper Japan. Well that’s because I was. No, another year has not passed that quickly. This November the Japanese culture expo has opened it’s doors for the Hyper Japan Christmas Market for the first time.“HYPER JAPAN brings a Christmas market you won’t find anywhere else. Don’t miss the chance to source truly unique gifts; from food and drink to videogames, anime and fashion.Whether you want to find gifts for loved ones or immerse yourself in Japanese culture, the HYPER JAPAN market has something for everyone. Experience premium sake and traditional treats such as takoyaki at Eat-Japan and give your festive feast an Eastern twist at live cookery demonstrations.

Once you’ve filled up on delicious snacks, discover genuine anime character merchandise and take part in gaming tournaments with the latest releases. If you have a passion for fashion, get an exclusive look at the HYPER J-STYLE collection on the runway with a mixture of the latest trends and classic looks. Plus, you can recreate the hottest hair and beauty styles with demonstrations to help perfect your new look.”

I stopped by to see what they had on offer, so I’ve decided to bring you all the fashion, beauty, food and kawaii in the usual manner. Keep an eye on my Hyper Japan tag to see more.

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A London Life… in Shoreditch

 Yellow Stripe Bag by Hanelca, at Luna and Curious
 
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 Coffee break (Fika) at Fika, on Brick Lane
Tote bag by Wonderound

A London Life is a new photo diary series I have decided to start on the blog. I often get friends from outside of London, be it from Norfolk or as far away as Tokyo, asking me for more of an insight (read: less touristy) into the city. So I’ve decided to upload a series of photo diaries of my adventures/life in London. I won’t be including massively long descriptions in these posts, unless needed. Instead, I’ll be adding short and sweet tag lines and links to the photos e.g. “Coffee Break at Fika, on Brick Lane”.

If you have any questions always feel free to comment or tweet me.
As always, if there’s anything you’d like to see, let me know.

View more of the  ‘A London Life…’ series