Guide to Finding Kawaii Clothing

Kawaii is the word for cute in Japanese. It’s a big thing over there and has seeped it’s way into their whole culture, just as how being seen as sexy has seeped it’s way into western culture. It has a relatively small following in the west of people who want to look cute rather than sexy, I personally love the kawaii style. It’s really girly and looks just lovely. The only issue is that since it isn’t so popular over here, finding clothes of that style can be a bit of a challenge if you don’t know where to look.

Firstly, probably the way most of you are most familiar with shopping, the High Street. If you go with an open mind you can actually find some pretty good stuff. In general anything Pastel can probably work in a cute outfit, but dolly-like dresses will also look great.

If you go to a high street shop looking for something specific (Like a bear-eared powder blue fuzzy hoodie) you will almost definitely be disappointed. However, if you are just looking for clothes that can work in a kawaii style outfit then you have a reasonable chance of finding something. The same criteria also goes for Charity Shops too of course. (Which have the added bonus of being super cheap and for a good cause.)

Storenvy or Etsy are good options for online shopping. You can find a lot of stuff on Storenvy that’s straight from Japan or Korea, a lot of the time the store owner will basically act as the middle person for you and help you get the items from there. I personally think this is a lot less hassle then trying to figure out a shopping service that isn’t fluent in your first language, but you might have to pay more money for this convenience. Etsy is great for finding original handmade items that only you will have, (there a several shops like that on Storenvy too) and lots of store owners will make custom orders for you if you need a specific size or item.

eBay is probably my favourite option. You will have a hard time finding any brands on there but they do have cheap cute clothing that usually has reasonable shipping as well. If you can spend the extra time sifting through a bunch of random items you can find some really good stuff. It might take a while to arrive and be extra careful that you are sure what you are ordering before you get it, but all my experiences have been very good. When I have had a fault with items the seller has always been so kind and either sent me another or given me a full refund with no disputes. Obviously other people might have different experiences, but if you pay using PayPal you can file a claim to get your money back if the seller is not genuine.

TaoBao and Rakuten are basically the Chinese and Japanese versions of eBay. This means there is a lot more choice of clothing on there that would fit into Kawaii fashion and it’s mostly quite cheap. They even have some brands like DreamV (on Rakuten.) Sounds Ideal,  right? There are a few drawbacks.

Personally, I have never got the hang of TaoBao. It’s in Chinese and while you could use Google Chrome to translate the page, I would always be worried that the translation was inaccurate or there would be other problems because of that. I find Rakuten far easier to use, though it does tend to be the slightly more costly of the two. You will need to use a shopping service to buy from TaoBao, (and possbily Rakuten, I’m not sure) which might be hard to organise.

The biggest issue though is the huge cost of shipping internationally. You have to pay for the shopping service, shipping and customs which sometimes means people pay more for the delivery than the cost of the actual item. Be aware of these costs and be sure you would be willing to pay that much for the items.

There are lots of sites that sell Asian fashion or Kawaii clothing specifically that you can use. Such as Yesstyle. However I would be careful with any of these websites. Sometimes a website that looks promising may be a scam, so always check reviews. Sometimes the quality may not be good or there may be other issues with your order. You can find genuine sites that offer good quality and prices on their clothes, I have heard some good reviews about Yesstyle (but also some negative) but I haven’t heard enough about these sites to recommend any to you.

If you are into a specific type of kawaii style (like lolita or Gyaru) then there will be a bunch of sites that are great for you. (Such as Bodyline for Lolita.) (For my quick quide to hime gyaru brands click here) I just don’t have the space to write a guide for specific styles in this entry! If you google ‘where to buy gyaru/lolita/etc’ I am sure there will be lots of blog entries for you to read that will help! Hopefully I can make my own guide soon too!

Click images for sources

*~*Hope my guide has been helpful to you! Good Luck*~*

Hime Kaji style

Hime Kaji is a style that many Hime Gyaru (See here for my post on how to dress Hime Gyaru) will wear on days they feel more lazy and casual. The look is about still being princess-like but in a more casual way, because of this it is much easier to make a Hime Kaji outfit from clothes you find in western high streets than it is to make a Hime Gyaru co-ordinate.

The look is more anything-goes as it is casual, but soft colours and floral prints, along with other girly details, are an easy way to make sure your outfit looks on-point.

Here are some great examples of Hime Kaji style

I found this picture on Tumblr. This outfit is still girly and fun but isn’t as extravagant as Hime Gyaru, meaning it will get less odd looks in public ;P

This image is from here. I believe it is a La Pafait dress. The fleece looks really soft and comfy, but easier to wear than a huge princess dress.

This is from the wonderful Sui Princess. Here. The soft pink cardigan and skirt and are things that you could probably find in normal shops, but the delicate lace detail adds a princess edge to the outfit.

These three are also fantastic examples of the style. They haven’t lost the princess look while dressing down for a more everyday style. Image from here.

The great thing about this style is that it takes a lot less time to get ready for than full on Hime Gyaru.

*+*I hope you all enjoyed my post on this wonderful style*+*

My Most Used Make-Up Products

Today I’m going to show you my favourite make up products that I use to create my make up look. These are products that I use quite often. I usually do a dolly style make up, so I guess they’re suited for creating that look, but many of these products are versatile enough to be used in lots of different looks.

Face –  For a lighter every-day look, I use the Lily Lolo mineral powders in Porcelain and Flawless Matte. For a more heavy make-up looks I use the Collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer in 1 (Fair) as a foundation (this stuff is amazing), along with Talcum powder as the mattifying powder. I then use the Etude House Highlighter, along with my natural collection blush in Pink cloud. If I’m feeling fancy I will use the Urban Decay Baked Bronzer for contouring.

Eyes – My eyes probably take the most effort in my make-up, I use my white kohl liner (from Barry M) to rim my waterlines and in the corners, I might use the Etude House Tear Eyeliner in the corners sometimes if I want a more glistening look.

I use L’Oreal Liquid Liner to draw on my eyeliner, (I really like this stuff too!) If anything goes wrong I will use the Simple pen to wipe off any mistakes.

The next stage I do is the eyeshadow. I use the Front Cover palette with eyeshadows in Cloud, Gold, Copper and Black. I also love my Bourjois Eyeshadow in White, it’s very shiny and highly pigmented.

I will then stick on my falsies. I have some thinner more everyday ones and thick dramatic looking ones which are great for nights out. I cut up a cheap under-lash strip to smaller pieces so I can stick them on individually, which makes them look better. I got all these lashes from eBay, they were all really cheap too which is nice. 😛

The final stage is mascara. I use maybelline great lash mascara, it’s one of the best ones I’ve used, thought it isn’t waterproof it doesn’t smudge easily once it’s dried. I concentrate on the ends of my lower lashes.

Lips – For my lips I don’t really have specific favourites just yet. I swap between different lip products all the time. My most favourite for colour is probably my Clinique chubby stick, it’s very light and natural.

For a more dramatic colour I just love the Tony Moly red lip tint, it doesn’t smudge at all once it has dried which is more than I can say for the 3 lipsticks and the Apocalips gloss.

I sometimes use a Too Faced lip plumper, the tingle feels nice and it makes my lips look marginally bigger, but I doubt my boyfriend would appreciate me wearing it around him. ;P

The Vaseline Cocoa Butter is really great for moisturising, especially in the evening.

Other – These are products that don’t really fit anywhere else. A Too Faced sparkle for special occasions, A collection 2000 make up fixant spray to hold everything in place. I use the 17 clear mascara to fix my eyebrows in place, it’s not so clear anymore from months of foundation, powder and eyebrow pencil contamination. If my eyebrows are looking their best I will use the Rimmel eyebrow pencil to shade them in so they look a bit neater.

*~*Hope you have enjoyed hearing about my favourite make-up products*~*

Sunday Style Inspiration!: Koakuma Jojo

Jojo is a gyaru blogger from the Netherlands. I really like her take on the Gyaru style and her make up, particularly her eye make up. She has a Tumblr account you can follow here, twitter here and of course her blog here. I read her blog regularly and find it really interesting, she reviews lots of products I want to get and has a really great wardrobe. (So Jealous -.- )

All pictures used have been taken from her blog.

I really love this dress and those amazing shoes! I have some tights just like this.

I also really like how she does her hair. It’s very dolly-like.

I just love how all her outfits look different instead of being similar. It’s much more interesting than just sticking to one look.

I want to learn to do my eye make up as flawlessly as she does! So neat!

I need these tights. I love the stocking effect look.

*~*Hope you have enjoyed this weeks style inspiration!*~*

Hair Growth Challenge!

I love the look of long hair, It looks so surreal and pretty, quite dolly like. I like the length that my clip in extensions give me, but they’re a pain to wear and they don’t feel as natural. Plus it takes time to put them in and care for them. So I have resolved to grow my own hair longer. Hopefully to waist length if I can.

I love Rapunzel’s hair from Disney’s Tangled. (Click picture for the source.) I think hair that long would be a pain though!

I have been looking up tips on how to grow my hair faster (mine grows very slowly by itself) and have decided to start doing several new things to try and grow my hair.

First, take my multivitamins and omega supplements everyday. I reckon one of the reasons my hair grows so slowly is because it’s so thick, so nutrients have to be shared between more strands so they each have less to use on growth. If I remember my multivitamins hopefully it will mean that my hair is less deprived of nutrients.

Second, head massage. Massaging you scalp is supposed to encourage blood flow to the area and also move oil around, meaning it’s easier for hair to grow. I’m going to try doing this for a few minutes every night to see if it works.

Third, caring for my already grown hair better. I’m going to run Moroccan oil through it every night and start using hair masks more often (every week). This should hopefully reduce breakage. I have a hair growth mask that I’m going to try, but I’m not a big believer in applying growth products to the hair itself because it’s dead. I would be less skeptical of a product that goes on the scalp but I don’t know of any. Even if it doesn’t help hair growth, it will still moisturise my hair and improve it’s condition and reduce breakage.

I can’t wait for my hair to grow longer. I hope it speeds up its growth a bit! Hopefully I will see a change over summer, (when hair apparently grows faster.)

*~*Have you got any hair growth secrets you swear by?*~*

Finding Gyaru Style Clothes on the High Street

Gyaru brands are expensive. If you have to pay for a shopping service to get them from Japan, it makes them even more expensive. However, it is possible to find clothes that fit into a Gyaru outfit from high street shops and other places. One place that is worth a look is charity shops and other quirky boutique type shops, they may have girly, lace or floral dresses that would fit really well into a Hime Gyaru co-ordinate.

To show you how you can create a Gyaru, Hime Gyaru (Or Hime Kaji) outfit by using high street shops, I have browsed the websites of popular high street brands to find some items of clothing that I think would fit a Hime/Gyaru outfit. They’re much cheaper than most Gyaru brands and more easy to get your hands on.

(Click the picture for it’s source)

With some tall white socks and cute peachy high heels or wedges, I think this would look just lovely. It can see it fitting into certain Gyaru styles or a Hime Kaji style.

This skirt would look lovely in a Hime Kaji outfit. It could go with a cute pink sweater and lots of accessories.

This dress is very princess-like. I think with a short cardigan or some gloves it would look really great in a Hime Gyaru co-ordinate.

Another dress that could go in a Hime Gyaru or a Hime Kaji outfit. It’s not as pink, but with the right accessories it could definitely work.

This headband is so kawaii! I think it would look perfect in a Hime Kaji outfit.

I think this jumper would look great in a Hime Kaji outfit. It looks slightly Liz Lisa-ish to me. It would go well with a lace skirt and some good shoes.

These tights would go great in an Agejo or Hime Kaji type outfit. They’re very cute and the cream/white socks go well in Hime style. The way they hint at being stockings it what would make them fit in an Agejo style.

*~*Hope this has shown you that Gyaru clothes don’t have to be from an expensive brand!*~*

Liz Lisa & My Melody Collaboration!

Liz Lisa had recently opened pre-orders on items for their collaboration with My Melody, and as expected there are some massively adorable items available! I think this release kind of overshadows their Summer 2013 collection which looks quite limited and some of the items are not shaped as well as I would like for an item that costs as much.

(Click on pictures for their source)

These are definitely my favourite of the range. I’m not quite sure why, maybe it’s because they are so unique looking and I can’t imagine finding similar ones elsewhere. The print is so cute :3 and they look extremely comfy.

A pink, comfy looking cardigan that’s also part of the range. I like how slouchy and relaxed it looks.

This make up bag is so adorable and looks like it has plenty of space to hold make up. I like bags that have enough space for everything, tiny little bags annoy me so much >.< The lace frills and my melody emblem is just so sweet.

*~*Are any of you planning to order anything?*~*

Ex Cute dolls!

I quite like the idea of those adorable dolls that you dress up and can match your outfit to. I’ve looked at Blythe and Pullip dolls in the past but something about their features has just put me off spending that much money on one. I find them a little creepy at times to be honest. Then I stumbled across what appears to be the Japanese Equivalent, Ex Cute dolls!

I have found them on amiami.com, All the pictures are from there. Click on them to link to the product.

They’re quite pricey But no more so than a Blythe or Pullip Doll and I think they are much cuter.

I love this Mori Girl look! The bunny ears outfit is adorable!

This is one of my favourites that I found. The little teddy is so endearing and those booties are adorable.

The Red dress here looks really nice. Looks good quality too, the texture seems like real velvet.

I love the range of little Witches they have. I think they are so cute and I like their little witchy accessories. The outfit and wand here are just amazing.

Another favourite. Doesn’t she look a bit like Alice in Wonderland? Such cute little shoes and I love her hair.

She is so awesome! I love the pink hair, and the cat-ear hood and stockings is something that I would wear myself. She has a cute little cat too.

I can’t decide which is my favourite! There are plenty more out there too. These are just the ones I found that I thought looked really adorable. I want one to dress up and get lots of outfits for!

*~*Which is your favourite?*~*

Gyaru and Weight

This is one of the big issues in the Gyaru Subculture. Any of you who read Gyaru magazines will have seen adverts like this for weight loss in them. Sometimes this will make girls feel they need to look like the models in the “after” pictures to truly fit into the style. Another factor is that in general, Japanese girls have smaller frames than western girls. This may be due to genetics or the different cultures impact on their lifestyle. So wanting to fit into the Japanese brand clothes we love so much can present it’s own motivation for weight loss.

If you take a closer look at these ads, you can see that the girls in the before pictures are rarely overweight or obese. Some of them may be a couple pounds over the healthy BMI range, but many are healthy normal weights. The pictures they use for the “before” are always deliberately unflattering. The lighting is worse, the outfits and pose would not flatter 90% of people and the lack of facial expression or make-up and hair styling is bound to make you look worse. If they were posing next to the “after” photos in the same way I’m sure they would look just as nice.

I think it’s important to be critical of images we see of Gyaru. A lot of them will be Photo-shopped, or like above the “after” pictures will be biased. You can still be a healthy weight and fit into Japanese brand clothes, you do not need to look like the models they use. Many of them will be Photo-shopped too! Most of us, including me, have wanted to lose weight. There isn’t anything wrong with that, but try to set a realistic target for yourself. If you like looking at people with a body shape you want to obtain to inspire you, try to find people that have a similar frame to you or you will never feel satisfied.

Sunday Style Inspiration!: Dakota Rose

Todays Sunday style inspiration is Dakota Rose aka Dakotakoti. She is quite well-known on the internet for her doll-like looks. I think her make-up always looks really pretty and that her outfits are really cute. You can follow her on twitter here. Her blog is here, and her youtube channel is here. She does some really cool video tutorials on here, such as hairstyles and make-up.

Here are some pictures of her: (All pictures used are taken from her blog)

I really like the schoolgirl type outfit here, its really adorable.

Here is a photo of her modelling with Tsubasa! They both look really cute :3 the dresses are very doll-like.

This is an older photo of her. You can see her hair and make-up well in this one. I love how she does her eyes!

Hope you have enjoyed this and it helps you to develop your own personal style!

*~*See you next week for another Sunday Style Inspiration!*~*