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A Blast from My Past: Japanese Gyaru Fashion & Life in Japan

A few weeks ago I went back to my parent’s house for a few days. Whilst I was there I decided to raid the attic, and see if I could find my old textbooks. I found myself knee-deep in university papers and old cuddly toys from my childhood. Amongst these were a few boxes of items from my time living (and studying) in Tokyo, Japan. Suddenly my objective was out the window and all I wanted to do was reminisce.
Japanese fashion has been a part of my life for over 10 years now. One fashion sub-culture in particular took up a decent amount of that time – gyaru. With hair high enough to reach the gods, and enough make-up to make an MUA weep, gyaru was an enigma wrapped in a mini skirt and fuzzy leg warmers. I was automatically drawn in, and spent most of my time reading magazines and blogs dedicated to the style. Gyaru is the reason behind me starting this blog in the first place! So you can imagine that finding these magazines and books was something quite special. Memories flooded back: Buying the Ranzuki Hair & Make-up Book in a small conbini in Kyoto. Adding points to my WC loyalty card as I bought everything and anything from the brand. Getting a ‘hair set’ (that has since created perpetual hair envy) with a friend for our joint birthday party. 
I met some amazing people because of gyaru, people who I can now call good friends.  So naturally it will always be a big part of my life and although I’m sure there were bad times, I can only remember the good. Recently I’ve missed my time living in Tokyo, but I do wonder if going back might tarnish those memories. It’s safe to say that things wouldn’t be the same now, but maybe that’s a good thing? Gyaru has faded from it’s origins and seems to be evolving into something all together different. So for now, I’m happy to keep my memories as just that. 
Interested in reading more about Japanese fashion and how my blog started?
Check out my Style Evolution post or browse my Japanese Fashion tag.
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Inspiration: Japanese Fashion Trends

I think a lot of people see Japanese fashion as being ‘wacky’ or ‘weird’. Well sure, sometimes it might seem that way, but I’m here to debunk that myth. Some of my favourite Japanese magazines are showing similarities with British trends. That means it’s even more accessible (and imitable) for those who enjoy Japanese fashion.
Recently I started reading Japanese fashion magazines CUTiE and Jelly again. I was surprised to see a lot of items that could easily be found on the UK high street. Sure, you’ll never find everything, but that’s part of the fun of styling a look to suit you. I love the way these looks have been styled and how each one has it’s own unique point. In Japanese magazine lingo ‘point’ means a specific part of the look that perfects the outfit. It’s usually an item that is on-trend, for example: a pastel pink coat that frames your look. I like this idea and usually centre an outfit around a specific item of clothing or accessory.
Of course at the end of the day I just love getting inspiration from these magazines. It’s a nice change from British magazines that just don’t seem to be as fun, or as inspiring. There is also a great variety of Japanese fashion magazines for different looks and styles. Right now I really love the looks and styling I’m seeing in ViVi, SCawaii, Jelly and CUTiE.
You can buy Japanese fashion magazines on eBay or from the Japan Centre.
Unfortunately they’re usually overpriced online, but there are resources to view them online.
bloomzy /

Wishlist: Roxie Sweetheart

A selection of items on my wishlist, from Roxie Sweetheart
 
Do you remember Roxie Sweetheart from my Hyper Japan post?
After visiting the stall at the event I couldn’t stop thinking about the brand.
Pastel, sparkles, unicorns, kittens and more…is it any wonder it was love at first sight?
The pieces are actually influenced by Tokyo street style, manga and artists such as Walt Disney & Junko Mizuno.
Even though my personal style has evolved, I still love pieces influenced by Japan & Tokyo street style.
It’s true, every now and then I like to accessorise with small pieces that add to my eclectic style.
I picked a small selection of items that I have been lusting over on the Roxie Sweetheart store.
I’m a sucker for anything pastel, especially things that put pastel and adorably cute animals together, hence the Kitten and Bambi brooches being on my list. I also love oversized statement pieces that will frame a blouse or t-shirt perfectly, so I’ve been checking out the Bird & Heart Locket Necklace, as well as the Lilac Chain Bracelet. I mentioned sparkles too didn’t I? Well that’s where the Crystalized Lip Rings come into play, for an added bit of ‘bling bling’. Last but certainly not least, I fell for the Kyary Hairbows. Why? Well they happen to go with a little suttin’ suttin’ that I purchased at Hyper Japan from Roxie Sweetheart – keep your eyes peeled for a blog post soon!
Why not browse Roxie Sweetheart yourself and make your own wishlist?
Or maybe indulge in a few pieces?
Check out the store here.
Source: 1
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Style Inspiration: Kiko Mizuhara

American-Korean Model Kiko Mizuhara

My current style inspiration comes from the gorgeous Kiko Mizuhara.
I adore her playful, fun take on fashion and how she works that into her own personal style.
Her mix of edgy, masculine and feminine into her looks really calls out to me and my own style.
She works primarily in Japan, therefore her style is influenced by the culture.
However she also wears and works with European brands.
It’s this mixture that I can relate to.
Not only is my style influenced by Kiko though – I also love the simplicity of her day-to-day make-up looks.
She’s a beautiful woman and doesn’t need make-up but when she does wear it, it’s complimentary to her style.
I should also add that my recent change in hairstyle may have ever so slightly been influenced by Kiko.
These photos were taken from Kiko’s Instagram.

bloomzy /

Trend: Shine Bright

S/S 2013 Trend – Shine
 
It’s a trend post – long time no see!
As London Fashion Week started yesterday it only seemed natural.
I feel like doing more trend posts lately, so I thought I’d start with one of my faves.
The catwalk saw models shine as they went down the runway this season.
Thankfully that’s going to translate to the high street too, so we can all stand out!
That means we’re going to see lots of iridescent & holographic fabrics, as well as foils, glitter & precious-metals.
This trend hasn’t made as big a splash on the high street as I had hoped, but it’s there!
It can be worked into most styles and whether you go all out, or add accents, you’ll shine.
My favourite example on the high street has to be H&M’s Iridescent High Tops, which I had been lusting after for a good month or more. They hit stores and went into the New Year Sale – lucky for those who knew that they would be perfect for one of this season’s big trends. I managed to grab mine for only £5 – I’ll be rocking them soon!
Designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Lanvin, Alexander Wang and Versace paved the way.
If you want to recreate the trend on the high street stores such as ASOS, Urban Outfitters, H&M are representing.

 

bloomzy /

Street Style: Tokyo

Street Style Snaps taken in Tokyo from Fashion Latte & Tokyo Fashion

As my blog started as a Japanese fashion blog all those years ago, I wanted to pay homage to that.
The amazing fashion seen on the streets of Tokyo is one of the main things I miss about my second home.
Even though in recent years it has been highly influenced by London and ‘Blogger Style’ it’s still very unique.
Models, Idols, Artists and Bloggers are born on the streets of Tokyo, whether it’s Harajuku, Shibuya or Shinjuku.
Fashion Latte is a website I found out about recently when a friend had her photo taken for them.
They are an international site who feature photos from Tokyo, New York, Paris and London.
However they are primarily a Japanese site, but navigating your way through the site isn’t too difficult.
Click on the black button that reads スナップ and then choose your location to view recent street styles.
As for Tokyo Fashion, well they’re quite a well known and established site already.
Entirely in English you can navigate your way through the various areas of Tokyo.
It’s wonderful for seeing the trends and styles that reign in one ward of the city to the next.
I took a couple of street snaps myself during my time in Tokyo, which you can view here.

Source; 1, 2

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Check Out: Nympha London

Looks from Nympha London’s current Lookbook

Nympha is the work of 3 gorgeous ladies from the East London underground scene.
Their aim was to create statement streetwear pieces for women and men with an edgy glam look.
“Through placing emphasis on design and innovation, their vision is to bring highly coveted and exclusive garments to people looking for creative staple pieces that reflect their individuality. Abiding by conventional tailoring and embroidering rules yet disobeying social conventions, NYMPHA aims to acknowledge contemporary fashion trends and take them to a wholly unexpected plane.”

I love the look of Nympha’s first collection and I can’t wait for their second to go on sale.
Their current looks (which is for promotional use) have been seen on celebrities such as Rita Ora.
You can find out more about the brand, and view more of their lookbook on the official website, here.

Source; 1