Outfit Video

Hello dear readers! How are you today?

Maybe you have already seen it, but I have made an outfit video.

I put together six different summer coordinates, as the warm weather has arrived here in Tokyo.

It's the first time I've made a video like this, and I'm really pleased that it has got a good reception so far! Between my poor editing skills and the geriatric condition of my laptop, I'm afraid the process caused me some tears, but it was worth it in the end. 

Here is the finished product!

And here is what I wore:

Outfit 1

Blouse- Anna House  

Jumperskirt- Innocent World  

Socks- Metamorphose

Outfit 2

Jumperskirt- Innocent World

Outfit 3

Onepiece- Innocent World  

Ribbon- Jane Marple

Outfit 4

Onepiece and socks- Metamorphose

Hat- corgi-corgi

Outfit 5

Onepiece and katyusha- Juliette et Justine

Outfit 6

Blouse- Metamorphose

Skirt- Jane Marple

Wrist cuffs- Angelic Pretty

All the other bits are offbrand, second-hand, handmade and vintage.

Hope you enjoyed it! Thank you very much for reading and watching.

Sapphira

Inokashira Park Zoo

Hello dear readers! How are you?

Back in March I went to do another day of cherry blossom viewing, this time at Inokashira Park. I had another special reason to go there, as you'll find out soon!

First, here's my outfit:

Onepiece, Jacket: Vintage

Hat: corgi-corgi

Bag: Metamorphose

Others: Offbrand

I think it looks a bit Ghibli-esque, which was appropriate as the Ghibli museum is not far from here.

The cherry blossoms were still a bit sparse here, but it was romantic to see the branches drooping down to touch the lake. 

So, here is the main reason I visited:

Guinea pig! And what a handsome one~

At the so-called "Molmott House" you can go in and hold a guinea pig for a few minutes. They were all remarkably good natured. I suppose they rotate the ones that are held so that none of them get stressed. There were hundreds of them, it seemed! I really liked my one, he was a dear little chap and I wish I could have kept him....

I also saw a racoon! Very cute and cunning.

Lovely camelia flower (I think that's what it is....)

Perhaps these are wallabies? Oh dear, I should have posted these when I still remembered all the names....

A magnificent fowl in the bird house, just sitting on the stair rail looking fabulous.

Ice cream! It was such a childish day, zoo and then ice cream....

Look at this dear little squirrel! Japanese squirrels are so small, and it's quite uncommon to see them apart from at the zoo. I saw a wild one in Kamakura the other day though!

This funny fellow may or may not be a spiny echidna *edit- he's an African porcupine. Thank you, clever readers! There were a pair of them living together, one lazy one snoozing in a box and one active one who rushed about all over the place, snuffing at everything as if his life depended on it. Finally he decided to go and wake the lazy one up. He gave him such a fright all his spines stood on end!

All in all it was a lovely day, especially the guinea pig who I will never forget. He was ever so much nicer than the orang utan I held at Singapore Zoo who wouldn't stop picking his teeth and made a dreadful photo souvenir.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures! Thank you so much for reading and see you again soon.

Sapphira

A new side of Shimokitazawa

Hello dear readers! How are you? The weather is warming up nicely in Tokyo, I hope it's pleasant where you are too!

Today I'll tell you about a recent visit I made to Shimokitazawa. I first heard about the area because there is a second-hand Lolita shop there, Grand Bazaar. They usually have a nice selection of Jane Marple pieces so I like to go there, however I haven't found so many other nice spots when I visit. 

Here's what I wore:

Knit: Vintage

JSK: Metamorphose temps de fille

Tights, shoes: Offbrand

I wanted to try something new this visit so I searched the internet for a nice place to have tea in Shimokitazawa, and came up with a place called La Palette. It turned out really lovely, and there's a nice pasta place next to it! I had a big bowl of seafood pasta for lunch, and then crossed over to La Palette for tea and cake. Luckily for me I don't put on weight easily, but I don't recommend this kind of lifestyle for everyone!

Apart from discovering delights for the appetite, I also discovered some other nice things. La Palette is on the north side of the station, the opposite site from Grand Bazaar Lolita. Well, all this time I had been going to the south side, but the north side is ever so much better!

It's a bit like Brighton Lanes and a bit like Camden Market, a bit like Ura-Harajuku and a bit like Daikanyama. So all in all very nice! A relaxed atmosphere, not overly crowded, cute vintage and used clothing shops, and sweet little boutiques and things. 

After exploring the north side I went across to the south and to Grand Bazaar. I tried on a few things but couldn't decide on anything particularly so I left empty handed. By this time I was getting hungry again. These 50s/60s film posters caught my eye.

It turned out that on the second floor there was an old-fashioned izakaya. There was a long wait before I could go in but I really wanted to so I was patient.

The inside was decorated with all sorts of old advertisments and magazine cuttings. The fare was not particularly good, but very cheap and besides the setting more than made up for it.

I had to resist the temptation to pull out those little tacks holding up the posters!

I really enjoyed this day in Shimokita though it was very full and tiring. I hope you enjoyed my account of it! Thanks for reading.

See you next time,

Sapphira

Daikanyama

Hello dear readers! How are you?

The other day I went to Daikanyama for the first time. There's no BABY store there anymore sadly, but there are vintage and second hand shops, and it's a nice area.

Here's my outfit, taken near CouCou, a really cute 300yen shop!

JSK: Metamorphose

Ribbon: Jane Marple

Fawn collar: H&M Kids (modified)

I was aiming to achieve a sort of fairytale maiden look with this outfit. I got the fur collar ages ago but it's only recently that I started to wear it regularly. Some items are hard to get the knack of, aren't they? I think it helped to replace the pink satin ribbon with a cotton lace one, it goes fits in much better with my wardrobe now.

The first thing I did was to stop at a cafe for lunch. I couldn't resist having a cake afterwards too! We were provided with coasters that featured a bespectacled gentleman exclaiming "WOOOW! TASTY!!", which was rather strange and amusing. It was all very tasty though, so he was quite right.

Daikanyama's streets are wide and quiet and the shops are widely spaced out. This gives it a very relaxing and peaceful atmosphere. I do sort of wish there were more shops, but it is such a pleasant place to walk around, so light and airy. Tokyo Metro recently had some improvements, so now Daikanyama is very easily accessible. If you fancy a quiet but stylish day of shopping and cafes, I do recommend going. And the 300yen shop is definitely worth a visit for cute cheap things.

I hope you enjoyed the pictures, see you next time!

Sapphira

xxxx

Kawaii International 1 Year Anniversary

 Hello dear readers! Happy Easter :)

Do you know about the program Kawaii International?

It's a really nice show about Japanese fashion. If you haven't watched it, I really recommend it! It's usually on once a month, and you can see more details here: 

Program web page⇒ http://www.nhk.or.jp/kawaii-i/ 

Streaming page ⇒http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/index.html 

They just celebrated their 1st anniversary! They made a special show for it, and showed some of the viewer contributions they have had such as competition entries. They talked about my entry for U Kimura's handmade competition! I took some screen shots.

My photo is next to Cadney's! *starstruck*

I entered my handmade bonnet (tutorial here).

This is actually one of my favourite coordinates that I have ever put together, so I am really happy that they showed it. Thank you, Kawaii International! And thank you for reading, too.

Sapphira

xxxx

Day in Shibuya

 Hello dear readers, how are you?

Did you hear about the dust cloud that turned Tokyo's sky into a horrible yellow-brown haze? I was in that! It was so scary, I'm glad it didn't stay for too long.

Anyway, today I have a few photos to share from a day out in Shibuya. I don't go to Shibuya often, but I think I will start going more since I found a few interesting places on this day.

First, here's my outfit:

Blouse, skirt: Vintage

Bag: Metamorphose

Tights: tutuanna

Others: Offbrand

Not lolita today! I got this red and blue tartan skirt in a vintage shop in Koenji. It was less than 500yen! I really love it, it's become my lazy day skirt. Actually that sweater is my lazy day sweater.... I guess it was a lazy day!

The main reason for going to Shibuya that day was to try a particular restaurant that was recommended to me. At this restaurant, you order a main dish (fish or meat) and then help yourself to all sorts of vegetable dishes as much as you like.

The name of the restaurant is ぷんらく(Punraku) and it is situated on the top floor of Tsutaya, which you will see as you leave Shibuya station by the Hachiko exit. 

I thought it was really good! The main dish was a white fish of some sort with basil sauce, it was so delicious. The flavour of the fish was the main attraction, rather than the basil sauce livening up a boring piece of flavourless fish. 

As for the vegetable dishes, there were lots to choose from and quite varied, between salads, cooked vegetables, different types of beans and so on. All very nice! There's also unlimited drinks, including teas and soft drinks.

After such a healthy lunch I did some healthy shopping (healthy for my wallet because I didn't buy anything) and then... had chocolate cake!

It was at a cafe called Kiefer or perhaps Kiefel,  depending on which menu you happened to receive. Anyway, it was very nice! The cakes are not particularly outstanding perhaps, but it's pretty inside and not expensive. It's to the left of 109 as you approach it from Hachiko.

So that was my day in Shibuya! I hope you enjoyed the pictures.

See you again soon,

Sapphira

xxxx 

Tea Party at Sumire no Tenmado

Hello dear readers! How are you?

Maybe you have heard the sad news about Sumire no Tenmado closing?  Yes, they will close in January :(

Since many of the Tokyo lolitas wanted to make sure to visit before the closure, yesterday we went there for a tea party!

It's rather hard to find, tucked away in a part of Shinjuku that is all narrow streets and tiny bars and live houses.

We did find it in the end though! 

Hooray!

Menu outside with the halloween decorations still up.

Inside. I like the piano shelves!

There about 13 of us, so it was a bit of a squeeze to say the least. We had a choice between various types of cheesecake plus carrot cake. I chose the black cheesecake (on the bottom right). It was sesame flavour, and very delicious! There were edible rose petals sprinkled on the cakes too.

Pretty tea cups!

Me and Alice. I love this nostalgic set from Meta, and she really truly looks like an antique doll in it.

Obligatory photo of Tim Burton's drawing.

These helpful instructions were provided in the loo (as well as a poster of Johnny Depp as the mad hatter, which was a bit unnerving).

This was outside. Not sure what it is, but it surely is cute!

I was really happy to finally meet Shinobu from Mexico! She's reading my blog, and I'm reading hers (with the aid of google translate). I always enjoyed reading her comments so I'm glad we could talk in person. I'm looking forward to seeing her at the next meet up!

After the tea party we met up with another group of lolitas at Marui and did some shopping there and at Closet Child. Since it was raining we ended up having snacks at the British pub next to Closet Child! I always wondered what it was like in there, finally I know. It was pretty accurate apart from the smell, which is considerably more like centuries of stale beer in the real thing. 

Here's my outfit shot, courtesy of Aviva:

Hat: Vintage

Cutsew: franche lippee

JSK: Emily Temple Cute

Bag: Metamorphose

Others: Offbrand

I wanted to go for an elegant and aristocratic look with this outfit, and also to try wearing darker colours to suit the season. 

Although it was rainy, it was a really nice day, and it was great to meet a lot of new people too. Hope to see them all again sometime soon!

****

After saying goodbye to the lolitas, I went to eat sushi. I haven't eaten any for a while, so I really fancied it. This was actually the best sushi I've had so far I think! 

I haven't tried the kind with crab before, it was really good!

The dessert was so pretty! Fruit jelly with an autumn leaf for decoration.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures, there were ever so many. I also hope that everyone who wants to will be able to get to Sumire no Tenmado before it closes.

Thanks for reading, 

Sapphira

Autumn Schoolgirl Outfit

Hello dear readers!

A simple outfit post today.

It has really become autumn these days (even if the temperature is like summer in Brighton), so I decided it was time to break out the velvet!

The sober colours, twin plaits and argyll knee socks are like an English schoolgirl. I always like this theme! Even if I am 24....

Hat: corgi-corgi

Necklace: Innocent World

Blouse: Vintage

Jumperskirt: Emily Temple Cute

I feel like I should be carrying a lacrosse stick with this outfit!

I love this jsk so much! The cut is very good I think, even though it's not close-fitting at all the bodice makes a nice line. 

Guess what, my mother is coming to visit me in Tokyo from this Sunday! I'm so excited, but a little anxious too. I really want her to enjoy her time here so I'm trying to plan every little detail. It's  impossible though, and probably a little pointless. Still, I can't help myself!

I want to blog one more time before she arrives. We're going to do a lot of sightseeing together, so after that I'll have lots of fun photos to show you!

See you next time,

Sapphira

xxxx

Kaho visited Japan!

Hello dear readers!

Do you know the lolita blogger Kaho?

http://kahotearoom.blogspot.jp/

She's a lolita from Japan, now living in Singapore. I met her in Singapore last year, and recently I had the chance to meet her and her friends in Tokyo when she visited Japan.

Me, Kaho and Kaho's friend Grace on Takeshita Dori. This is just after Kaho transformed Grace into a lolita! She arrived wearing casual clothes, but Kaho found an outfit in Closet Child and Grace dressed up in it. I think it was her second or third time to wear lolita? It's great that she's so happy to try dressing up for the occasion, and she definitely looks cute! I don't know if any of my non-lolita friends would be so willing.

We went to Harajuku, Shibuya, Shinjuku and back to Harajuku that day! This is where we had tea in Shibuya. It's in a building to the left of 109, it was really nice so I'll go back there soon and tell you more about it.

I was so glad to meet Kaho again, and I had a lot of fun with her friends. Everyone was so relaxed and cheerful! Also, I admire Kaho for dressing the way she wants to, even though she is working and also a wife and mother. Some people feel pressure to leave lolita as they grow up, and it's shame. Of course there are some situations when you need to wear certain clothes, but if it's your free time, why not wear what makes you happy? I can't imagine my life without lolita fashion, and I don't want to give up.

The best thing is, she stays true to her sweet style, and it really looks good her! And she's lucky to have a cute daughter who loves lolita. Lucky for her daughter too! 

In the evening some of the other Tokyo lolis came and we had dinner together. We took outfit shots, so I'll post mine.

Can you guess my favourite colour??

Finally, we took purikura. Grace had never heard of it before (it was her first trip to Japan) so I hope she liked the results!

Yay! It was a lovely day <3

See you next time,

Sapphira

xxxx

Robot Kitty in Omotesando Hills

Hello everyone! How are you enjoying the weekend? I'm going to see D tomorrow! Can't wait!

Today I'm going to show you some photos I took at the Robot Kitty exhibition at Omotesando Hills in Harajuku.

I didn't know this exhibition was on, but I'm glad I chanced upon it!

In this exhibition, Hello Kitty has been re-designed as a robot, and many celebrities were asked to dream up outfits for her. For example.....

Kishidan Robot Kitty!

Colourful Robot Kitty by Sebastian Masuda (founder of 6%DOKIDOKI)

Baby's contribution was a bit.... unexpected?

I knew this flamboyant robo-cat must be the work of someone special!

Sure enough, the designer is IZAM.

Yuko Yamaguchi, the designer of Hello Kitty since 1980, was present at the exhibition. She was wearing Emily Temple Cute!

She spent a long time signing things for this lady, who was obviously a big Kitty fan! She was wearing a Kitty yukata, with a Kitty obi, Kitty handbag, and had an endless array of Kitty good to be signed.

What do you think of Hello Kitty? I used to like her a lot when I was 12 or so, but these days my favourite characters are Jiji (Ghibli), Duffy (Disney) and Kutusita nyanko (are they more mature perhaps?). Rilakkuma has taken over from Kitty as Japan's most popular character, or so it seems to me. Still, I don't think she'll ever be forgotten!

Here's my casual coordinate for that day:

Cutsew by an another angelus (f.i.n.t) and JSK by Metamorphose

No fringe!

I just pinned it to once side, it's not gone forever. I really love my new cutsew from f.i.n.t! There was a choice of dusky pink or lilac, pink would probably be easier to coordinate but the lilac was too pretty to resist! I like how it picks up the purple roses in the print of this JSK, and in fact it makes it look like a onepiece. 

~I'm making a new tag for f.i.n.t because I know I won't be able to stay away from there XD~

Sapphira

xxxx