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LA CARMINA. Trendy Japanese Fashion † Harajuku street style † Women's Clothing
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Popular blog on wild Japanese street fashion, with a focus on Gothic Lolita Rococo Punk. Daily posts and photos, trend commentary, outfits and style profiles of Tokyo's craziest alternative designers and Visual Kei J-rock bands. By La Carmina, author
Recent Posts Tagged With tokyo gothic lolita
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FEB 13: HOSTING A PURIKURA STICKER PICTURES BOOTH & LUNAR NEW YEAR PARTY IN LA! SISEN & SELIA US CONCERT TOUR.
Save the date: I’m hosting a J-pop party on February 13, 2010 in Los Angeles! The infamous Yukiro and other familiar faces from this blog will be there… we hope to see you! Celebrate the Lunar New Year on Saturday, February 13th at Kira...
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MAIKO GEIKO ACTIVITY IN KYOTO: DRESS UP AS GEISHA. GALLERMIC’S ART EXHIBITION & WILLA FASHION THEMATIC PARTY. ALICE IN WONDERLAND T-SHIRT PRINTS.
Count de Sang and Lady Raisu recently went to Kyoto… and partook in a most intriguing activity! What on Earth is going on here — and how can we get in on the action? Lady Raisu has the scoop: The activity we tried is called Maiko (the...
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JAPANESE GOTH CLUB PARTIES: TOKYO DARK CASTLE, MIDNIGHT MESS. BEST NIGHTLIFE IN JAPAN, GUIDE TO INDUSTRIAL CLUB NIGHTS.
Kampai, Tokyo spooks! Yukiro Dravarious (the purple X-eyed vampire) continues his report on last last weekend’s Gothic revelry. Take it away… It was time for the first big alternative club events of the New Year to open their hellish ga...
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JAPANESE FETISH DRAG QUEEN CLUB PARTY, DEPARTMENT H. CLASSIC HORROR MOVIE MONSTERS COSPLAY COSTUMES.
Last last weekend, while you were cleaning your room, Yukiro Dravarious and friends were conquering Tokyo’s wildest fetish cosplay party, Department H. Here is Yukiro’s report. (You can see my previous coverage of the party here and her...
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ITALO DISCO SHOWA BOOGIE BAR IN SHINJUKU, TOKYO. RETRO 1970S & 80S JAPAN MUSIC CLUB, COOL UNIQUE DRINKING HOLES.
I am thrilled that you like my new fashion collaboration with Akumu Ink! Thanks to everyone who already ordered a cute/spooky shirt or hoodie (featuring me and Basil Farrow). Send me photos of yourself wearing the clothes, and I’ll put them o...
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HARAJUKU FASHION SHOW AT WASHINGTON DC TEXTILE MUSEUM: GOTHIC & SWEET LOLITA FASHION SHOW, COSPLAY, JAPAN STREET CHIC SEMINAR.
I’m jealous of those of you who live near Washington, DC — because there is currently an enticing exhibit of avantgarde Japanese fashion at the Textile Museum. Seminal pieces by Issey Miyake, Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto are on displ...
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READER QUESTION: TIPS ON PLANNING TRIPS TO JAPAN? CHEAP TOKYO HOTELS, TRAVEL ADVICE & BARGAINS. CUTE JAPANESE CROSSDRESSER GIRL.
Hey, Sorry if you get questions like this all the time and it’s not exactly linked to Lolita, but I was just wondering how you organise your trips to Japan and the attitude there. I really want to go, but I’m not quite how to get organi...
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TOKYO FASHION STORE PHOTOS: GOTH SWEET LOLITA PUNK & FAIRY KEI BOUTIQUES IN LAFORET, HARAJUKU. NILE PERCH, SEXY DYNAMITE LONDON, H.NAOTO.
It’s a good thing that all of you love Fairy Kei fashion — because girly 1980s pastels are taking over the streets! A new accessories store, B Be Bee, recently opened in Laforet Harajuku; it’s filled with airy fairy headbands, hea...
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KYOTO THEMED RESTAURANT IN SHIBUYA, KYOUMACHI-KOI-SHIGURE. GOTH GROUP DINNER AT TRADITIONAL JAPANESE STYLE RESTAURANT, TOKYO.
The minute you think you’ve visited every Tokyo theme restaurant, a new one pops up. I had dinner with a group of Goths at 京町恋しぐれ / Kyoumachi-koi-shigure in Shibuya. It’s a traditional Kyoto-themed restaurant and belongs to ...
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GOTHIC LOLITA PUNK SHOPS AT MARUI ONE, SHINJUKU SHOPPING COMPLEX 0101. BEST YOUNG WOMEN’S DESIGNER CLOTHING SHOPS IN TOKYO. B-MOVIE BLOOPERS!
Shut your eyes and tap your Goth boots together… and wooosh, we’re back in Tokyo! And right outside 0101 (Marui Young Shinjuku), home to almost every Gothic Lolita Punk brand. The first floor is a mix of kawaii gift shops. From the gla...
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VISUAL KEI J-ROCK MEMORABILIA STORES IN HARAJUKU, TOKYO JAPAN. WHERE TO BUY JPOP STARS PHOTOS & SOUVENIRS.
Harajuku is just like my favorite movie, The Ten Commandments: each time you revisit it, you discover something new and amazing! The legendary Tokyo district may not the Fruits fashion heaven that people imagine it to be, but if you ask me, it̵...
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CLOSET CHILD VIVIENNE WESTWOOD & VISUAL KEI J-ROCK MUSIC STORE IN HARAJUKU, TOKYO JAPAN. VINTAGE SECONDHAND GOTHIC LOLITA PUNK CLOTHING.
In the past few months, Closet Child (my much-loved Goth Loli Punk secondhand store) has undergone a significant Harajuku expansion. In addition to the renovated three-floor store on Takeshita Doori, there’s now a branch for vintage Vivienne ...
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COSPLAYING AT EDELSTEIN SCHOOLBOY CAFE IN HARAJUKU: ANDREW ZIMMERN’S BIZARRE WORLD TRAVEL TV SHOW. SEXY JAPANESE SCHOOLGIRL!
We’ve reached the final location of the Bizarre World episode I co-hosted for Travel & Discovery Channel. The Tokyo spooks met us at Edelstein in Harajuku — a cafe where the waiters cosplay as awkward teenage schoolboys! (I wrote a...
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AKIHABARA SHINTO BUNNY MAID CAFE: ANDREW ZIMMERN’S BIZARRE WORLD TV SHOW FILMING & PRODUCTION. MARU MUSIC COSPLAY CONTEST & AN CAFE.
Everyone has been asking me when my Tokyo appearance on Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre World will air. I wish I knew! At the moment, I’m working with the show writer on my segment. Rest assured I’ll give you plenty of notice before it h...
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VERSAILLES AT V-ROCK FEST 2009 IN CHIBA, JAPAN: LARGEST VISUAL KEI J-ROCK MUSIC FESTIVAL. D’ESPAIRS RAY, PENICILLIN, PLASTIC TREE.
Yesterday, you heard one account of V-Rock Fest. Today, Yukiro Dravarious shares his thoughts on the world’s most glorious Visual Kei extravaganza — which took place near Tokyo, Japan last weekend. (All photos courtesy of V-Rock. Above:...
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JAPANESE ABSINTHE: GOTH SKULLS DIVE BAR IN TOKYO, BAR BREADLINE. BUYING & CARRYING LEGAL ABSINTHE IN JAPAN.
Is absinthe legal in Japan? It surely is! There’s even a bar in the outskirts of Tokyo dedicated to every permutation of the dreamy green fairy. Between the Alcatraz ER theme restaurant shoot with Andrew Zimmern and the Department H party, a...
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CUTE 1980S HARAJUKU GIRLS FASHION. FAIRY KEI RAINBOW TUTUS IN MANIA Q, PASTEL CAT T-SHIRTS, BANANA FISH SHOP TOKYO.
Back to the cuteness! In June, I posted photos of Mania Q, an adorable little fairy kei hub on Takeshita Doori (Harajuku). This month, I awwed at the 1980s retro cat tees and pink skirts on display. Gosh, I love fairy kei. The next time you’...
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ANIMEGAO DOLLERS IN COSPLAY MASKS & BODYSUITS, ALIEN S&M SUSPENSION SHOW, HENTAI & FETISH OUTFITS IN TOKYO JAPAN.
My head was spinning at Department H. So many fun fetishes and costumes in a tiny Uguisidani venue! “Dollers” sat in one corner, in full bodysuits and anime girl masks, pawing demurely and wordlessly at each other. This entwined coup...
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AKINA CONTEST WINNER! WHAT ARE YOUR HALLOWEEN PLANS? JAPAN FETISH GOTH COSTUMES, MINNIE MOUSE, LEOPARD MAKEUP.
First off, thank you for sharing your heartbreak stories in this post; my heart goes out to you! The lucky contest winner, chosen by a random number generator, is Fiona Rawrhhs. Congrats, you won a Goose Gown dress from Akina! I have so much excit...
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FAIRY KEI HARAJUKU STORE: SBY HAPPY ROOM. CUTE BUNNY PURSES, 1980S SCRUNCHIES, BIG SEQUIN HAIR BOWS.
Let’s take a quick break from the Andrew Zimmern coverage for some Fairy Kei shopping in Harajuku. SBY Happy Room is on one of the Takeshita Doori side streets (see my Gothic Lolita Punk store guide for more.) With a name like that, how could a...
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ANDREW ZIMMERN’S BIZARRE WORLD AT ALCATRAZ ER THEME RESTAURANT: SYRINGE & CHEMICAL BEAKER & PENIS COCKTAILS!
Possibly the best. Photo. Ever. A bloody vampire, Cheshire Cat and fetish flower girl with Travel Channel TV host Andrew Zimmern, sucking on the brains of a decapitated mannequin. Andrew joked that this is one photo that doesn’t require red eye...
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HARAJUKU JAPAN GOTH CLUB FASHION! TRAVEL CHANNEL AT ALCATRAZ ER MONSTER PRISON THEME RESTAURANT IN SHIBUYA.
How bizarre is Andrew Zimmern’s world? He travels around the globe, scarfing strange foods and diving bald-head-first into subcultures. And he gets to share his experiences with Travel and Discovery Channel’s many viewers. Posing with a t...
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TRAVEL CHANNEL TV SHOOT: ANDREW ZIMMERN’S BIZARRE WORLD! SHIBUYA CENTER GAI FAMOUS TOKYO STREET CROSSING, JAPAN CITY LIGHTS.
Ready? Set? Let’s begin the mad tale of my Travel Channel co-hosting gig! As you’ll recall, I was whisked to Tokyo in early October to be a guide on Andrew Zimmern’s popular new show, Bizarre World (airing in 75 countries!). The ...
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OSAKA & HARAJUKU LOLITA SHOPPING MAPS. WHERE TO BUY GOTHIC LOLITA HARAJUKU FRUITS CLOTHES IN TOKYO JAPAN, SHOP LIST & ADDRESSES FOR COOL JAPANESE CLOTHING STORES.
Looking for the best places to shop for Gothic Lolita clothes in Tokyo, Japan? Volume 7 of Kera Maniax has a stellar map of Harajuku’s stores. I’ve translated and added in some items. But as I advised in this post, I like going down Takes...
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UPCOMING GOTH PARTIES & EVENTS IN TOKYO, GREECE! DAS ICH & GOTHIKA AT MIDNIGHT MESS, JAPAN & ANIME, DJ SISEN CYBER GOTHIC NIGHTCLUB.
Does anyone know what time it is? I surely do… it’s party time, my children of the night! If you are planning to visit Tokyo, you should come in the last week of the month in order to attend Midnight Mess. It’s the longest-running G...
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THE BIG NEWS: LA CARMINA TO CO-HOST TOKYO EPISODE OF ANDREW ZIMMERN’S BIZARRE WORLD TV SHOW ON TRAVEL CHANNEL!
So… I’ve been hinting at an out-of-this-world announcement, and I wasn’t pulling your leg. It’s such a doozy that I can’t believe it’s happening… but it is. In October, I’m being flown to Tokyo… t...
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JOSOU: JAPANESE DRAG, GROUPS FOR MEN DRESSING AS CUTE GIRLS 女装. CROSS-DRESSING, FANTASY COSPLAY, TOKYO SUBCULTURES.
Now here’s something that gets my two thumbs up. Many Japan universities now have josoo-circles (女装) or clubs where men dress up like girls! YUKIRO: Its “oshare-status” to look good in woman clothing now in Japan. Its the new B...
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OTANJOUBI OMEDETOU LA CARMINA BLOG! MERCURY RETROGRADE ASTROLOGY BS RANT, TOKYO WEIRD THEME RESTAURANTS BOOKS ARRIVE.
I won the Sleep Olympics today — 12 hours of continuous snoozing! My justification: it’s my blog’s birthday and I can ZZZ if I want to. You would ZZZ too if you spent the past two years blogging near-daily… I spent a good chun...
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LA CARMINA BLOG ANNIVERSARY COMING UP! DAY 1 OF MEMORIES, BEST OF GOTHIC LOLITA COOL JAPAN BLOG POSTS.
We’re getting old, darklings. On September 12, the La Carmina blog reaches the age of two. It’s unbelievable how I went from being a morose, direction-less, Basil-less law student to… a life of Harajuku madness! I’m currently ...
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MARUI ONE SHINJUKU SUMMER SALE: HELLO KITTY QUOLOMO T-SHIRTS, HEART HEEL SHOES IN SHIBUYA 109, JAPANESE VAMPIRE DRAMA TV SHOW.
Marui Young Shinjuku had a “sparkling summer sale,” which is where I got my Marble short jacket with dangling vampire sleeves. Despite the stifling heat, many girls dressed in full Lolita for the event. And despite the sales racks, most o...
