Shopping in Tokyo, love plus hate

Shopping in Tokyo for me is a balance of love and hate. Love because there's so many gorgeous things around and hate because said gorgeous things usually won't fit me. I was at Liz Lisa, a gyaru clothing store, at Harajuku, looking at dresses on sale and a lot of their clothes were labelled a Size 0 even with some back or waist shirring available.... unless I eat a cereal bar every day only for the next 6 months, I doubt I'll ever see a Size 0 looming on the horizon anytime soon. And neither do I really want to be a Size 0 either. I merely want to be large, healthy and happy!

Happily though, some lolita brands like Innocent World have started making larger sizes and I find I usually can fit in Metamorphose back-shirring dresses and I'm more or less a UK size 12-14. Although when you're in Tokyo and surrounded by tons of lovely lolita dresses, one does kinda wish one was a smaller size so as to fit in them, lol.

I managed to cram in visiting Marui One, LaForet, Closet Child Shinjuku and Harajuku for some loli shopping this time. But really, if you can visit these few places, you would have already covered most of the essential lolita shopping in Tokyo.

As mentioned, I was with my mother this time round so I didn't get to stay very long at each store and really pore through all the things each had to offer. I did manage to spy at least a few things I wanted on first sight.

Metamorphose's Revival Bouquet Bustle OP & AP's Moon Night Theatre OP

Moon Night Theatre isn't something on my wishlist but I was pleased to find the cream version at Closet Child as I did like the print, especially in the red colourway. But the cream version is quite lovely too so I get! Especially when the dress fits well. It can easily stretch up to 100cm at least for the chest area. And I was surprised to see that the bodice is actually has plastic boning so that was an added bonus!

Victorian Maiden Frill Collar dress & Excentrique's Thorn Princess dress

VM's Frill Collar dress is on my wishlist so very, very chuffed to find it at Closet Child on my second visit! But I love the Excentrique dress even more. I bought it new at the Excentrique store at Marui One. Over-priced? Definitely. But I loved it instantly. Maybe it's the simple lines and that it has the look of a vintage 1920s summer dress that attracted me so much. I don't regret buying it even though it did cost a pretty penny. I've always been intimidated by Excentrique because their clothes look so structured and veering on the heavily gothic side but I realise they have a lot of vintage inspired looks that isn't solely just Victorian. Browsing through their shop and subsequent online catalogue, I find Excentrique has a lot of Edwardian and 1920s inspired designs too. I suspect I'm more than halfway to being an Excentrique convert after this trip!

For other non-lolita purchases, I got a Liz Lisa lucky pack for the fun of having a lucky pack and opening it, lol. I do like Liz Lisa though, just that, as said, their clothes are really geared for Size 0 - 2 girls mostly. But their fun and flirty, feminine dresses plus hyper shopgirls always make visiting Liz Lisa enjoyable.

Back from Tokyo! With loot!

Well, not as much loot as I might have gotten if I didn't go with my mum! It's very hard to buy lolita when your mum's standing next to you with a critical eye and words, hur ^^ I managed though and got some dresses from Closet Child and one from Excentrique.

Here's a few pictures of the displays at OIOI, Shinjuku and LaForet, Harajuku, that I snuck with my cam. OIOI, LaForet and practically all the major departmental stores in Tokyo doesn't allow photos inside their premises. I've been stopped (nicely) by a sales staff at OIOI when I attempted to take the Moi Meme Moitie shop. I know folks have taken photos of the brands' shopfronts and gotten away with it but I decided to be law-abiding and not do it anymore, lol. But the mannequin displays outside the shops and on the different escalator levels of OIOI are more or less safe to take.

 LaForet 

Metamorphose on top, Angelic Pretty below

Emily Temple Cute window display at OIOI. Rather liking the electric blue dress! 

Not a lolita brand per se, La Parfait. More gyaru style. 

 Also, not lolita or even a lolita kimono! But they're still gorgeous.

Metamorphose's new print, Card Playing Kitty, on display. It's a lot nicer in person! The blue colorway is the best, imho.

Angelic Pretty's Sugar Fairy Cake print. A bit too waitressy for my liking.

Lastly, Putumayo. Randomly, Putumayo shopgirls are always quite nice. Even if it's a pretense, they really look genuinely happy to see you! For hyper cuteness, that would be Liz Lisa shopgirls.