OOTD: Harajuku High Tea

OOTD: 13/03/16

• Shirt: MONOMANIA (Laforet Harajuku)
• T-shirt: ZARA (Sendai)
• Skirt: W.C. (Shibuya)
• Tights: Avantegarde (Harajuku)
• Accessories: Nakamura Coubou (Sakura, Sendai)
• Gloves: Axes Femme Outlet (Sendai)
• Coat: Murua (Sendai)
• Scarf: Street market in Prague
• Messy pile on the floor: WEGO (Sendai)

Staking my claim to the changing room.

April has flown by with narry a blog post in sight. It's one of the busiest times of year here as the new fiscal and school years start, everyone goes on Spring break and, of course, the cherry blossoms bloom. As well as that I travelled from Sendai, to Tokyo. to the southern reaches of Japan, had my dad come to visit and turned the ripe old age of 26.

Even more importantly, I've been working my backside off to sort my plans for life after Sendai. The big move to Tokyo is definitely on but what to do once I'm there is a little bit harder to organize. It's a kind of horrible pressure and sometimes I want to take to Twitter and vent. Despite that however, I still feel a responsibility to my job and position here. So for the next three months I'll continue to be a model citizen and when I finally get back to Europe in summer I'll just go nuts then.

I wish ladies still wore gloves all the time.

This OOTD is from the middle of March, when the Sendai Cafe Club had our monthly meeting. I wanted to go all-out fancy but I'm no Lolita. So I threw together lace gloves, a pannier skirt and cupcake-printed tights for a Harajuku High-Tea kind of look. I think it worked better in person because the movement of the fabric didn't hide my waistline. The photos don't really capture that. And I also didn't realise I look like such a zombie in pictures. I don't like smiling for the camera but I think I need to work on a FIERCE pout or something.

I just look bored now...

Proof of waistline and facial muscles,

I guess I began to believe I was on the red carpet.

From every angle, just in case.

Instagrammed to the point where you can't even see the clothes anymore.

I was in the changing room for so long that it's almost embarrassing. Judging by the timestamps on my photos, it was at least 30 minutes. And there's only one changing room in the whole shop....oops! I bought a ton of clothes though (sneak preview is the pile on the floor beside me) so I guess it's ok. 

Check back for my picks and purchases fom AMOYAMO'S collection for WEGO!

Choco Tea and Choco Cake Love

Chocolate and Hazelnut Tea

You know when they put up the Christmas decorations as soon as Halloween is finished? I have to admit, I love that. I think it’s an extension of the same part of me that loves fashion. I just really enjoy seeing everything twinkling and colourful. And I can’t get enough of Christmas songs♪

Chocolate and Berry Tart

Depending on how you see it, Japan is either as holiday-crazy as I am, or it’s the most cynical place in the world. There’s a holiday celebrated almost every month. Those that don’t have a traditional or imported festival are designated something seasonal – for example, everything is sakura-themed in March.

The February menu was Valentine's Day themed.

And what, I hear you ask, is the point of this long-winded introduction? Well, dear reader, the point is….

I ate Valentine’s Cake.

I fell in love with the cake more than the man!

Cheapo date redux: Mr Donuts

P.S. I also ate doughnuts BUT ONLY BECAUSE they were reduced to 100yen each. It would have been a crime not to eat them!

Check out more cake-y goodness on my Instagram!

OOTD: Monomania Black Flowers

OOTD 13/03/27

• Jacket: MONOMANIA (Laforet Harajuku)
• T-shirt: No idea, off-brand
• Skirt: BUBBLES (Harajuku)
• Tights: Marks and Spencer (Dublin)
• Runners: Nike - newly purchased with a 60% (YES, SIXTY!) discount
• Bag: Vivienne Westwood (Harvey Nichols, Dublin)
• Shawl: Random market in Prague
• Hair Accessory: nakamura coubou (Sakura, Sendai) 

Black = Emo = Sad?

When I realised the coat makes me look like a bird...

You know you're tired when you spend 30 seconds clicking in vain, wondering why letters won't appear. Then you realise that you're clicking the "preview post" window, rather than the "edit post" window. *sigh* And it's only Monday...

The Japanese financial/school year is winding down so I find myself left with a lot of time on my hands. I don't have much to do at work so I spend 8 hours a day trying to look busy. This is something that Japanese people excel at. They can always seem to find some extra task that needs to be done. Whereas I'm sitting at my desk shuffling papers like an idiot. I spent all day today studying kanji, so at least that was productive I suppose.

Following on from Cupcakes in the Snow - a typical bright look - I went for something darker. I got some new Nikes at a time-sale and coordinated the look from there. So...basically all black. The coat was a champagne-fuelled purchase at Tokyo Fashion's Night Out 2011. It's not exactly flattering but it's fun to play around with your silhouette sometimes. And - in a way - I think it's cute because it's made up of hundreds of tiny black flowers!

Christmas present in action

My almost-faded green streaks are visible to the top-left of my ear

It was fun to go to the dark side for a day but my heart of hearts is sparkly and neon!

How about you?