♥Starry Nights♥

Vlog #2

2010-08-10T18:16:00.003+10:00

Just a little update for you all in the form of a video!

I'll have something special for you all soon, I promise ♥

51 Things In My Room!

2010-08-05T17:50:00.003+10:00

As usual, sorry for the slack updates haha...

I've had a lot going on since I moved back to Australia so I haven't really felt up to blogging lately.

But I made this meme video for you all! You should make one too ♥

♥ Tash

New Layout and New Findings!

2010-07-09T13:12:00.003+10:00

OMG yesterday was the best day EVER! But more on that later!

Starry Nights now has a new layout, YAY!! It's not completely finished but I'll get around to it sometime soon. LOL

So it's been quite some time since I did a proper update, SORRY~~ But I'm going to be going home to Australia soon so I'll have plenty of stuff to catch up on and stuff like that. ♥

Okay so yesterday I went to Shibuya to get my belly pierced, OMG I was soooo scared LOL But it didn't hurt hardly at all! And even now it's not super tender or anything, I guess I just have a lucky belly. I can't wait till it heals so I can put all kinds of cute sparklies in it, I don't have a picture to show you now but I promise to post one later ♥

Yesterday I went out "kogal" style, well minus the tan skin HAHA But still it was super fun! HEAPS of people stared at me for some reason and a few were surprised when I said I wasn't a student LOL Oh Japan!

But apparently it's pretty normal to go out dressed as a student even if you aren't one, so long as you can pull it off, and I so did. C:

So after I got my belly pierced I walked down to Harajuku to exchange a shirt that I bought but got the wrong sleeve length.

Walking down Takeshita Dori I saw these cute girls holding a large sign and handing out tickets, after exchanging my shirt I went back and down into the "Pafe Studio" OMG it was sooo cute!

It's a small cafe run by "CUTE! Girls of town" and I think had only opened that day, so I was really lucky to find it on that day~

They didn't have a lot in the way of food stuffs but the menu was really cute!

You can order sundaes and with the coupon they gave out you could get a free drink, the drinks were pretty large too!

I ordered a strawberry parfait/sundae, it was delicious! There was soft icecream, nama cream, strawberries, strawberry sauce and at the bottom of the waffle cup was chocolate fudge. ♥♥♥

The shop staff were really cute and really friendly! They're all models and they make the sundaes and everything, the atmosphere is really relaxed like you're hanging out with friends which is what I liked most about this place.

When I asked to take pictures for my blog they got really excited and let me take pics of whatever I wanted, one of the girls decided to jump into this register pic that I took, she was so cute LOL

They wanted to take a photo with me, they also took a photo with the other girls that were there, I thin kit's a nice gesture~ I think they're going to put them up on a website that isn't published yet (I tried looking it up and didn't get anything LOL)

I also decided to take a photo with the girls as a souvenir but also to show how cute they were! They were more than happy to take one of course ♥

After the "Pafe Studio" I went down to Kiddy Land, my favorite place for character goods!! They always have some sort of cute store next to the main opening, last time I went there, there was a Disney shop, well now there's a Hello Kitty Taiyaki shop!!

It was sooo cute!! You could get the taiyaki by themselves or you could get them with soft icecream~

Here are all the little taiyaki's in a basket!

Even the bag that you got them in was Hello Kitty and cute! Ahh it was just too awesome and so stereotypically 'Japan'.

Here's a picture of the menu, the graphics are cute too~~ And the pricing wasn't that bad either.

There were all sorts of flavors; plain, caramel, cream cheese, chocolate, custard and red bean ♥

They were small but really delicious! I got caramel, cream cheese and custard. The cream cheese ones weren't very nice but the custard ones were good and the caramel ones were OMG THE BEST. I love caramel so much ♥♥♥

Well that's it for my adventures through Harajuku, I'll be going back to Australia soon so expect a lot more posts and videos!!

♥ Tash

My Boom! (Top 10)

2010-07-03T12:31:00.002+10:00

This is an EXTREMELY belated post, but I only just finished thinking of my top 10! (I'm really indecisive LOL)

There's probably some other things I should put on there but for now, this is "MY BOOM" which in Japan they use as a term for anything that you're in love with at the moment (besides people)

I'll have some new things to share with you as soon as I can find the camera charger so keep your eyes peeled!

♥ Tash

Vlog!

2010-06-21T23:28:00.000+10:00

Fake Lashes + Happy Garden ♥

2010-04-10T21:06:00.003+10:00

Since I've been in Japan, I've really been trying to improve my gyaru look and in the short time I've been here the girls have influenced me so much!

Looking back on my pictures from when I started to become interested in the look I have to laugh a little, cause even though the fashion was OKAY (but not overly GAL) my makeup sucked BALLS.

Recently I've been experimenting with false lashes~

Falsies are really cheap in Japan and often come in sets of two pairs or more (there's sets at donki that have 10 pairs and they're only a little over 1000 yen!) I've always been interested in false lashes but never endeavored to wear them regularly because I had NFI how to put them on. HAHA But after watching some vids on youtube about how to put them on, I decided to try out a pair that I got for free from a puri booth.

Another typically GAL item -almost exclusive to Japan- is the fake bottom eyelash! I've been dying to try a pair of these for myself~

I got them fairly cheap at donki, however the range of bottom lashes is small and because they're still a fairly exclusive item they're a bit pricier than normal lashes.

After much fiddling with tweezers and awkward hand positioning I managed to get the lashes on!

Since this was just a trial (and I was going out later that day) I decided to do a comparison between having natural mascara bottom lashes, and the fake bottom lashes. (Because I think we can all agree that the falsies on the top make a huge improvement~)

How is it?

Personally I like both, however I think when wearing a style such as mori-gyaru or Liz Lisa style then it's best to get rid of the fake bottoms, because it's a more natural look.

These days I don't really wear lolita fashion any more, however it still influences me a lot and I still think it's gorgeously adorable!

When Angelic Pretty showed previews of their new line "Happy Garden" it instantly won my heart over...

Why?

Because I am OBSESSED wish Easter motifs!!! Easter is the best time of the year (besides Christmas) for motifs and such, who can resist rainbow pastels, baby animals that are cute and fluffy all tied together with ribbons and set in a field!

At the end of last month my dress arrived from reservation and I couldn't be more thrilled~~~

I wore it out (unknowingly) on Good Friday and went up to Harajuku where I was BOMBARDED with a flood of people screaming KAWAII and wanting to take my picture. I got stuck at the entrance to Takeshita Dori for about 10 minutes LOLOL

I haven't been very snap happy lately, but I did manage to get a picture with a cute girl dressed in all sorts of happy colors :D

Afterwards I met up with Rica and we went to Shibuya, Rica wanted to test her photography skills and I wanted to be a brave cookie and venture into 109 in lolita. Not the wisest thing to do if you don't want to be greeted with looks of "WTF is she doing in here?"

Cool huh?

Earlier that day I'd received a flier for a hair salon! My hair has been in really bad health recently and the popular style in Japan at the moment is a long bob, so I cut all my hair off! ♥

But you'll have to wait for another day to see my new hair ;D

♥ Tash

BBQ, Soccer and Cherry Blossoms (feat. May J.)

2010-04-08T17:46:00.004+10:00

Sorry for the VERY late update! To make up for it I'll be making two posts tonight and also combining a few posts into one~

♥

First things first, I'd like to introduce you all to my friend May!

She's the newest pop sensation amongst GALs in Japan, go into 109 and almost every store is playing her music. HAHA (It's so weird to go in there now www)

May J. has been around for a while but only recently switched record companies and they really brought her out to her full potential! I'm so proud of her :'D

Anyway, her new song "Be Mine" is REALLY popular, and why shouldn't it be, it's so rockin! Even when I heard it for the first time it surprised me. You all have to listen to it!

ANYWAY moving along~~~

Me, Riics, May and Tadacchi went to a soccer match for the Yokohama S Marinos to watch May's friend play. I've never been a big fan of sports and I've never had the desire to go to a game, but I figured seeing as soccer is so popular in Japan that I would go. (And after all it's not the worst sport in the world to watch)

(L to R: May, Rica, Me)

OMG we got there and the atmosphere was so ALIVE we got sooo pumped before we even entered the arena!

I actually didn't mind that it was freezing and my feet were about to drop off cause watching them play was pretty cool, it's a heap better than watching it on TV. Although the other team played dirty because they knew they were going to lose anyway HAHA

The past week here has been prime cherry blossom season, however my friends jumped in a little early and decided to have a "hanami" before the blossoms were out. LOL

So basically it was just a barbecue with all the boys at sublime.

Oh and it was BLOODY FREEZING~ I spent most of my day standing next to the giant coal pit. (And being teased by the boys barbecuing on there...)

I also met a new girl! She was very shy at first but alcohol fixed that up LOL She was soo funny, me and Rica had to hold her up and take her home. She gets mistaken for a foreigner ALL the time apparently, she's so cute she could be a model in magazines~~

Me and Rica played basketball with Tadacchi and Yano HAHA they were surprised at how high I could throw the ball.

It's hilarious cause us girls hardly ever play sport, although I think because it was so cold we wanted to, it was fun but SO TIRING.

This week has been the peak of the cherry blossom season so I've been taking pictures of all the beautiful trees I see, here are a few that I've taken so far~~

They're EVERYWHERE, however this is only a few spots, tomorrow I am going to hanami in Inokashira park (a prime viewing spot) so I'll have plenty more photos to share then!

(Outside the soccer stadium)

(At Shibuya station near Hachiko)

(On the way from my house to the station)

(At Meiji University)

(At a random street near my house)

♥ Tash

Date in Shibuya + Ameblo

2010-03-21T18:44:00.007+11:00

Long time no update eh? Sorry!

I decided to create an ameba blog so I can update from my mobile phone, if you're interested in just meaningless updates of my life please check there~

http://ameblo.jp/starnights

Yesterday I went on a date with a guy I met 2 years ago! ♥

We went to Shibuya and hung out there allll day, for the first time I got to see Hachiko~ We did the usual stuff you do on dates, go for lunch, talk, etc.

The place where we went for lunch is a famous bread store chain (which I forget the name wwww) but the bread there is really good! I had a cheese puff thing, it was really soft and really delicious ♥ ♥

Because the weather was nice and it was Saturday so there was a HEAP of people out, I saw a big group of Gyaru being filmed, I think they were all models or something, I didn't get a close look but they were so cute~ I waved at them and some of them waved back and we both squealed in typical Japanese fashion LOL

There was also a butttonne of gyaru-o out dressed in all COCOLULU and tan with hair done, the whole lot, they weren't in a group though just dotted all over the place, I was in heaven HAHA But I think COCOLULU style is becoming really popular in Japan right now.

We went to a gaming place to take purikura and there was a giant Rilakkuma outside!!! OMG I love Rilakkuma sooo much ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ I literally jumped up and down and sqealed, it was so cute and exciting! So of course I took a picture with it, but as cute as Rilakkuma is my face turned out bad. D: So I put a star over it.

There was a lot of trial machines in the game place and they all had different enhancement features, we ended up choosing a booth that makes your eyelashes longer, and wow it actually worked really well!

Me and my date ♥ Haha we're both such crazy mofos, we spent most of the day trying to speak broken languages with eachother and when we had nothing much to say we just made jibberish sounds.

We also went to 109 of course, I had a main purpose there, to get a skirt I saw last week LOL

Now there's a story behind that skirt but I'll tell y'all later~

As many times as I've been to Harajuku, I've never really been to Omotesando... so we walked there from Shibuya.

In Harajuku we went to Kiddy Land, that place is seriously all kinds of awesome. They used to be a large toy store, but now-a-days they mostly sell character goods, oh lawd I was in heaven! They have just about every character from every company or show in there. There's a giant corner of one floor, dedicated to Rilakkuma and they also have Carebears and YumYums!! I didn't grow up in the 80's but I love 80's stuff and yumyums are my latest discovery, I love the colors so much and the designs are cute too! I want all the yumyum toys~

Next to Kiddy Land there was this Minnie Store, it was sort of like Build-A-Bear except there was only one type of doll but you could get all sorts of different outfits to dress it in. As with most everything else Disney, the store front was just so damn cute!

After all that we walked around Takeshita Dori and walked up to a cafeteria type area, there was a shop there which was doing a promotion for High School students, you could create a sticker then do a lucky draw to win one of the super deco laptops they had there, you also wrote down your dream and they took a polaroid photo of you holding it.

Thee was also a large wall which you could write a message on with paint markers! There was so many messages in all different colors, of course I wrote a message too.

We also explored the back streets of Harajuku and found a street that was full of hair salons! It was really strange...

There was also a salon that had it's very own fountain outside, it was really pretty and all French style.

By that point it was pretty late so we went back to Shibuya and went to an Italian restaurant where everything was 500yen, insane! Food in Japan is so cheap I can't believe it~~

Well I've probably rambled along enough for now, see you all next time! ♥

I'd also like to take this chance to thank everyone who commented on my last post, as I didn't really get around to commenting back to everyone... Thanks everyone! Your comments are what makes me motivated to post more, I appreciate your support~

♥ Tash

Circle lenses and shopping!

2010-03-04T17:21:00.002+11:00

Hey everyone!

This is my first post since I've gotten to Japan, wahhh it's so fun~

Today is bad weather so I'm staying at home and setting up a few surprises ♥

On my first day here I went to donki and bought a pair of circle lenses (I heard that they're cheaper there) While they weren't as cheap as I was expecting, they were still a reasonable price - about ￥2900

The lenses are called "Lovers Color" and I got them in blue! Obviously cause my eyes are blue wwww They're 14.0mm I was a bit worried that my irises were too big and that they wouldn't make any difference, but they did!

Here is the lenses in bright sunlight (Excuse my derp, my eyes are really sensitive to sun)

And here they are just in room light

They look MECCHA cute in darker room light but of course that's difficult to take a picture of. ;A;

I also found this - Glamatic, it's gum aimed at gyaru!

The packaging is shiny and it looks cute too. Apparently gyaru-o think that if they chew this gum it will attract girls to them HAHA

I went to 109 too and did a bit of damage into my spending money wwww~ But it was so worth it! OMG I went to COCOLULU and got this entire outfit, best money I ever spent, I love it so much :'D

I actually got the jacket for free LOL The girl forgot to charge me for it! But she also forgot to charge me and put in the bag that I wanted to get, so I have no bag now... *cry*

I've noticed that I make peace sign in basically all of my photos HAHA It's so sad, but it's an automatic thing, I really need to stop doing it =w=

Rica said that this picture is like an EGG model. I think it kind of is, but I'm not tan!

Yesterday we went to Kiich (Kichijoji) and set up my mobile phone, I'm getting to tomorrow~~~ Excited!! When we were in Kiich we went to Lapausa for eats, I had this caramel parfait wahhh I missed Japanese parfaits so much.

When we were walking down Sun Road we saw this girl with a cat riding on her shoulder, AND IT HAD A MELON HAT ON. I mean, srsly this is like the most awesome thing I've ever seen in Japan (apart from that guy in Shibs that had fish bowls hanging from his ears)

Had to take a picture with it, and the peace hand appears again...

So that's it for my first Japan update! I'll remember to keep you guys posted for more updates~

♥ Tash

Traveling!

2010-03-01T11:32:00.002+11:00

Hey everyone!

I'm pleased to say that as I write this I am waiting for my flight to Japan at Cairns airport!!

To celebrate my travels I've decided to put together a little starter post for my journey~

When you travel overseas it's very important to take all that you need on the plane to make your journey comfortable and to help feel refreshed after that long trip.

Here is a little run-down of the essential items you need to take in your carry on. I've left out passport and such because of course that's a given. LOL

1. Hand towel - This comes in very handy for long flights, I use it to take off my makeup so that my face can rest during the trip. It's also good if the cabin is a bit stuffy and you need to cool down. (It's also good for soaking up tears as you leave)

2. Make-up - This is very important if you don't want to look like a scrag when you come off the plane! But only pack the essentials; concealer, foundation, powder, blush, lip balm/gloss and light eye makeup.
Do your makeup before the plane is scheduled to land, that way it's still fresh when you get off~

3. Hair brushes - These are mandatory, everyone should have them in their carry on. Especially on long flights, your hair gets tangled and messy, so at least carry a comb with you so you can fix it up a bit. I've brought a bristles brush as well, because I am going to put my hair up so that my long hair doesn't get it the way!

4. Water spritzer - Another important essential! You can fine spritzer bottles in specially designed travel packs, or sometimes at the $2 store. Fill it with water to spritz your face every once in a while, it will keep your face hydrated (as cabin air is very tiring for the skin) and will help you to feel refreshed.

5. Hairspray - If you're going to be putting your hair up in a bun (like I am) you'll need hairspray to finish the hairstyle! You can get these little travel cans at the supermarket or pharmacy but don't take a normal sized can, it will get confiscated!!

6. Entertainment! - I bring my DS with me everywhere along with a selection of games, you never know when boredom could strike, it's like a sneaky ninja! *ahem* But a portable gaming device is essential, especially if your flight does not have in-flight entertainment (of if the movies are really bad LOL)

7. Music - We all know that airplane radios pretty much suck, so make sure you bring your own music! Listen to it while you relax and doze off, it really helps the trip go faster.

8. Money - Some currency from the country you're traveling to it VITAL. Unless you have already organized transport for when you arrive, you will need some foreign currency at the ready to pay for a taxi, bus or train.

9. Perfume - Sitting on a plane for long hours can sometimes make you a bit smelly, also the odors of those around you are bound to find their way onto your clothes somehow. Bring a small (less than 100ml) bottle or spritzer of your favorite scent and spray it upon your arrival, no one wants to smell like a sweaty old man!

REMEMBER For international flights you are only allowed to take 100ml or less of liquids in your carry on, and they must all fit in a 1Litre clear plastic bag. Anything else will get confiscated!!!

I hope you enjoyed my tips, happy traveling!

♥ Tash

Getting Crafty!

2010-02-24T17:31:00.003+11:00

In preparation for my move over to Japan, I've been running around grabbing little bits and pieces I need for my flight!

Nowadays silly international laws require that you can only take 100ml of liquid/cream with you onto the plane, so I got these little boxes to put some make-up in to use before I land (so I don't look all scraggled)

Okay these are a bit plain for my liking, but I don't have any diamantes to decorate them with. So I thought of different things I could do with them and finally decided; I'd turn them into mini hat boxes! ♥

With glue, fabric and ribbon I managed to make these a success~

Now you might notice the pins sticking in there, well I don't have any invisible snaps atm so they're not COMPLETELY finished yet... so I closed them with a needle~ LOL

Detail is everything for me, I can't live without it. Enjoy this tiny bow! (It's smaller than my pinkie fingernail)

I made it so that the lid is attached to the bottom of the box, just in case it decides to come loose and I lose it!!

And of course, what sort of hat boxes would they be if they didn't take hat-boxy photos? Not very good ones.

-----------------

In other news, I've realized that my posts have been getting rather... long with images recently. I'm very sorry if it's inconvenient for anyone! I'll try to cut back I swear, blogger really needs LJ-cuts LOL

Look out for a post in the next few days about travel tips!

♥ Tash

Tea with Violet and Candice! (And others too)

2010-02-16T00:33:00.005+11:00

On Saturday I went out to tea with a group of my friends, including Candice (SuperKawaiiMama) and Violet (VioletLeBeaux)!

I was so excited to go because I'd finally get to meet Violet! (Cause she lives in Brisbane) She's down here atm for house searching, I really hope she moves here ♥

We went to a place in Collingwood called Where A Girl Goes, it's a stationary store (for weddings and scrapbook stuff) but there's also a cafe in there. OMG it's so cute! They even have pink, gold and white coffee cups which i didn't take a picture of sadly, but I did take a picture of the pretty chandelier!

We waited a bit for some more people to arrive and then they brought out the food, that was cute too ♥ It was like a cute explosion!

Not missing a chance, Candice and all the other bloggers quickly whipped out their cameras to take photos before we devoured all the cute food.

OMG all of the food was SO DELICIOUS. There was finger sandwiches, cakes, chocolates, macarons and vegetarian slice! i ate so much that I felt sick, haha no a wise choice but I couldn't help it~

We talked and talked and talked, I was so at peace. Most of my friends can't just chat they usually have to express themselves with actions and don't speak much at all, but this on the other hand it what it felt like to have REAL friends, people who were interested in what you had to say. ♥

We actually ended up staying until closing time! It was so much fun and I really want to do it again sometime (And I'll deffs be going back for more vegetarian slice!!!)

And of course, what sort of nail enthusiast would I be if I didn't document the fabulous nails on display! Me, Candice and Violet are all avid nail deco wearers so the fingers were all decked out that day~

Violets Nails

Candices Nails

And of course My Nails ♫

That's it for now, I hope everyone had a super awesome Valentines day~~

♥ Tash

Japan here I come!

2010-02-04T23:04:00.003+11:00

Hey everyone! Sorry for the lack of updates, but I haven't really had much to update about.

HOWEVER from March this year I will be in Japan!

So you can guarantee there will be many many many more updates about work, life and general finds in Japan.

I've been under a lot of stress lately and lets just say I haven't been in the best of health, I know this sounds lame but Japan is my savior of sorts. I go there when I'm unhealthy and after even two weeks I'm bouncing around happy and healthy as ever!

I will be staying in Tokyo with my brother for possibly about 4-5 months

I'm so excited! I booked the flights today and I feel better already.

109 here I come!! I missed you baby ♥

♥ Tash

Hooray for Love Dreamers!

2010-01-02T21:54:00.003+11:00

So a while ago I sent off an email to the maintainers of LJ community "everyday_gyaru" to ask them if they could put Melbournes "gyaru circle" Love Dreamers on the side bar with the other circles, but it got rejected and we were advised to put up profiles and more information.

We've updated since then and I sent off another email and this time it got approved!

So this is a big woop woop and congratulations for Love Dreamers! We're only small but soon we might have to set up a proper website~

Also good news for gals in other parts of Australia, Love Dreamers will be opening up to accept members from other states soon so stay tuned!

♥ Tash

New Years Resolutions

2010-01-02T01:23:00.003+11:00

My resolutions for the new year, let's see if I can stick to them~

Work harder
Try not to be so lazy
Work harder to get my label up and running
Improve my gal style
Get a new camera that takes decent photos
Sew and craft more

What are your resolutions for the new year?

♥ Tash

Le Mon Hair Port

2009-12-20T20:52:00.001+11:00

I promised an update soon and here it is! :D

I've been dying to get my nails done recently and have been scrutinizing on what design to get for over a month, but yesterday I finally bit the bullet and I couldn't be happier with the results!

My original choice was to get my nails done at a small shop located in the shopping complex I posted about before, but I passed by a salon called Le Mon and they actually had samples, so I thought it couldn't hurt to give them a try.

I headed in straight away and asked about pricing and my design, the nail technician Felicia was so friendly and even gave me a discount!

Here is the design I asked them to recreate, there was a small problem because they didn't have an air brushing machine but we found a way around it~

And here is the final result!

I asked for them to be a bit shorter than the ones pictured and not exactly the same, but same concept.

She even added some diamantes for only $5 extra (when usually they are charged per stone) because she thought they would make the design really stand out.

Overall it cost $140 for a full set of acrylics + nail design.

I couldn't be happier, although they're still taking some getting used to. if you're ever in Melbourne and wanting to get your nails done, this is the place to go!

Le Mon
421 Elizabeth St Melbourne
(03) 9326 9908

They are also a hair salon and can speak Japanese as well as whatever they speak in Singapore. (Besides English xD)

That's all for now!

♥ Tash

Meltiiiiiing

2009-12-16T11:42:00.004+11:00

OMG it's so hot today!

I feel like I'm going to melt.

Hello everyone! It's 40 degrees Celsius today and it's f---in hot! D:

I don't update much but I haven't really had any time to put together new content, so here's a list of posts I plan on making~

Fun in the sun (Hopefully very soon)
Deco phone
Deco random box (LOL)
Christmas decorating!
Nails post/review
Hair tutorial of some kind
Gyaru makeup tutorial for western eyes (That are oddly shaped)

I think that's it for now~

Now I'm off to try and round up some friends for a day at the pool or something!

Ciao ♥

No updates, apologies!

2009-11-29T15:15:00.003+11:00

I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while!

I've been having mass problems with my laptop freezing up so it's a little hard to update right now. I've also been REALLY busy with trying to organize things for the upcoming Christmas period, including my new job! ♥

Seeing as I'll be working at Cotton On, a relatively normal clothing store, I'll try to keep this updated with the latest gyaru friendly findings and coordinates using stock from Cotton On!

While browsing the store recently I saw a pair of leggings with Mickey Mouse on them, so cute! That's my first find I guess. (Y)

Come visit me at Cotton On Bourke St, (Near JB HIFI) and be sure to buy lots of beach towels! They're only $25 with any purchase and if I sell lots of them they'll keep me on after the Christmas period. (: I think it'd be pretty easy to recognize me, I'll be the only person with deco nails, haha.

♥ Tash

Who doesn't love a manicure?

2009-11-16T21:31:00.004+11:00

Now I have to ask, and answer honestly, who doesn't enjoy a good manicure?

I think it's fairly safe to say that most girls (the fashionable ones anyway) enjoy a good manicure or pedicure! And why not? A good pampering is always nice if you've deserved it after a hard weeks work or having to look after your kids or pets.

Being into "gyaru" fashion, like many gal's I have a love for decorated nails, especially over the top ones ♥

I've been looking at a bunch of sites and magazines looking for inspiration to get my first set done! Needless to say I'm super excited. Although I still haven't chosen I want to make sure that my choice will be acceptable with the place I'm going to work at.

I thought I'd share a (very select) few from my collection on "nailspiration" pictures!

These nails are very typically gyaru and would go well with almost any outfit during the winter season!

These are perfect for the "hime gyaru" style! Especially for those only starting out and don't want too much clutter on their nails. The roses are so cute ♥

For those gals who don't mind a bit more gracing their finger tips, these nails are perfect for wearers of "shibuhara" style! (I've been really loving that style lately)

NOW these nails are P.E.R.F.E.C.T for someone who still wants some girly cute nail art, but works in an office environment where extreme styled may not be accepted.

For the ultimate girly girl! So pink and sooo cute ♥ You'll be sure to scare and haters of pink and cute with these nails on LOL

Now because it's nearing Christmas time (YAY!) there has been a load of cute Christmas themed nails~ I love Christmas and Christmas themes, I think it comes form having American heritage. =P

Still, who could pass up these SUPER cute nails?

BUT as cute as those nails are, these are my #1 choice and you can be sure that these will be on my fingers come Christmas time!

And finally, some day, SOME DAY, when I have mastered the art of having ridiculously long nails, I shall be getting something similar to this.

I'm in love with the over the top style of these nails. Sure I'll get a heap of comments about "how can you use those?!?" but I'll just be able to simply say "because I'm awesome" and continue on with my daily duties. ♥

As much as I'd kill to be able to go to Japan every month of so and get my art changed, I just don't have enough money to do that. LOL But fortunately I've found a place in the city (near my work too!) that is reasonably priced and does this style of nails, lets just see if they do a good job with the art!

Store finds in Melbourne

2009-11-13T12:47:00.004+11:00

A while ago I found some amazing stores in the heart of Melbourne, but they're the kind of stores that you wouldn't know were there unless, well, you knew! (Or somebody told you, haha)

The stores are located at 5G/180 Bourke St Melbourne, it's the same building that has Hungry Jacks at the bottom.

Starting on Level 5, there are 5 shops on this level. (LOL 5 shops on level 5)

Level 5:
Novo Fashion (3 rooms)
Miracle Barbie
Mou
A basic shop with lots of random stuff
Barbie Store

There was one other shop, but apparently it's hardly open, but they have Comme des Garçons stuff in there.

Novo Fashion is by far the largest there, occupying 3 rooms. The girls that work there are all really nice, especially this one blonde girl is SUUUPER sweet.
They sell just about everything, from clothes to bags to shoes, contact and circle lenses, hair dye and beauty products, they even do deco nails! (At a pretty reasonable price too, $100something for a full set of deco nails.)
They also have Vivienne Westwood plastic shoes, so if you're into those, that's one spot to get them.

Miracle Barbie is right down the back, although it's not hard to miss. They have cute clothes, a lot of long t-shirts but mostly casual stuff. They also sell beauty products/cosmetics and little tidbits such as compact mirrors and a few shoes. The owner is really nice too, and super cute!

Mou, it's quite small and doesn't have much stock but everything there is either white or pink. They also do nails. Staff are a bit pushy so if you're only there to look and don't like feeling pressured into trying things on or buying them, it's best to avoid this place.

Basic shop, they have some cute clothes, they carry Disney label clothes as well. There is a lot of knick nacks such as phone straps, massagers, hair clips and head bands, as well as jewelery. The girl in there is quite shy and will generally leave you alone.

Barbie Store, they have a small range of guys and girls clothes. The guys are mostly t-shirts, some with funny/offensive things on them, they have some pants too. For girls they have some cute clothes, including a wonderfully tacky dress made of leopard print velour with rabbit fur breast cups. Yum yum. They also carry beauty products and cosmetics. Again the staff is shy and will leave you alone.

Level 6:
Kawaii House (2 rooms)

Kawaii House is a bit eerie, there is no music playing and it generally doesn't look like it's set up properly. A bit awkward to visit. however they carry a heap of beauty products and Anna Sui cosmetics as well as some Jill Stuart cosmetics. In the other room is a very messily set up clothing display. They have some cute things but the atmosphere isn't that great.

Level 7:
Dance Studio
Tokyo Nana

The dance studio reception is right there as soon as you get out of the elevator but if you walk through you'll find the shop.

Tokyo Nana, this shop, literally, has just about everything. They have clothes, shoes, accessories, jewelery, bags, fake nails, deco items, beauty products, cosmetics, hair dye AND JAPANESE MOBILE PHONES that will work in Australia! The phones range from $800 - $1000 so they're a bit on the pricey side, but it's pretty reasonable seeing as they're being bought outright and they're from Japan. The staff are pretty friendly, although they won't talk or bother you much so it's pleasant to visit.

Grace Gift Also along my travels I found a shoe brand called "Grace Gift". Upon doing some internet snooping, I found that they have a taobao store. the shoes aren't super cheap and I haven't had a fast enough connection to look at all of them, but the ones that I saw in-store today were VERY CUTE. However if you're going to be buying them from a retailer here, expet to pay over $100. However purchasing from taobao, the prices are around $40 - $60. Still pricey compared to some other taobao stores, but they seem to be of high quality and are incredibly cute! Definitely worth checking out. ♥

So if you're coming down to Melbourne, Australia any time soon, be sure to check out these stores!

New brand find - Feroux

2009-11-10T19:12:00.006+11:00

http://www.feroux.jp/

Feroux is my newest Japanese brand find that I love love LOOOOOVE!

With just the right amount of girly and normal, Feroux make fashions that are cute and pretty but won't cause people to stare at you when you walk down the street. (Unless they're staring at how gorgeous you look! ♥)

(Click to see bigger)

With beautiful photo shoots AND items, the site alone is enough eye candy to last you a good hour or so.

Even though this is a Japanese company, they use foreign models, which shows that they have an understanding that their clothes will look good on any race and that they possibly have hopes for overseas buyers.

Because of Japan's obsession with all things cute and "kawaii", (A word which Patricia Fields accurately describes as something which is cute but also nice) a lot of the designs feature ruffles, bows and fur, as well as the colors pink and white. These are all considered to be staple elements of feminine items in Japan.

However, being a Japanese "brand" as they call it (meaning not exactly designer, but not cheap) these pieces are a bit on the pricey side for people overseas. However in Japan this is about the normal price for decent quality clothing, and is reasonable compared to some other stores.

Here are a few of my picks:

And finally, this is my favorite piece of the lot! I want this bag almost as much as I want a Jesus Diamante coat or dachshund bag.

I used to HATE leopard print, but the Japanese have found a way to make it cute and not tacky! And I love/hate them for that.

Oh my next shopping trip I will buy something from them and write a review on the quality!

See you all next time ♥

Cute Plush Review

2009-11-10T14:50:00.007+11:00

A short while ago I ordered a "Pink Deer Necklace" from Cute☆Plush.

I wasn't sure when it was meant to be arriving seeing as the email linked with my paypal doesn't work anymore.

BUT I sent off an email asking about it and received a prompt reply saying that it had been shipped!

Welllll it came in the mail today! I was so excited, I love getting mail~

It cost me about $16AUD all up and was well worth it ♥

The necklace came in a cute simple packaging and had a cute business card with it.

The item I got was the same as the one pictured on the site. Although it's made from metal! I thought that these were made out of acrylic/plastic so I was very happy to find out it was metal, this way it will last longer and wont break~

The ring closure for the necklace was VERY difficult to undo, it hurt my fingers. And I've never been fond of ring openings as they slip easily when you try to open them. -1 point.

This is the size of it, it's quite small (about the width of my thumb) and I was expecting it to be a little bigger but it's still cute all the same.

9/10 For Cute☆Plush!

Claire, I'll certainly be ordering from your store again!

Go visit their site now! They have tonnes of cute goodies.

Barbie Bridal

2009-11-09T19:44:00.004+11:00

Barbie Bridal never fails to make me ooh, ahh and *swoon*.

Available only in Japan (as far as I know) Barbie is not a toy but a high market fashion brand. A lot of the designs take inspiration straight from Barbie in the 50's and 60's however, Barbie Bridal takes the brand to a whole new level.

A collaboration with Kuraudia (a bridal company in Japan) Barbie has done a simply amazing job with the designs! Ensuring that anyone wearing their designs will look and FEEL like a princess~

I fell in love with the first collection, but I am even more enamored with the 2009 collection. Here are some of my favorites!

This is by far my favorite of the lot. I've always loved Winter dresses, and a winter wedding is definitely something I would like to do. (I hate hot weather, even though it means going to the beach!)

This is a very cute and girly design! However if you're not too fond of the shoulder straps, you can take them off. ♥

Okay so maybe not suited for a traditional wedding, but it's still a cute formal dress! It comes in black x pink too~

This one is simple but still very cute. It has a large bow on the back as well. The fur stole is a nice touch.

I think this dress is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. ♥ It's sort of a mix between the famous Marylin Monroe pink dress and the My Fair Lady "Ascot Races" dress. So very 50's Hollywood glamor and would be sure to turn anyone's head.

Finally, the VERY typically Barbie princess pink dress. For lovers of anything cute! The color is superb as is the bodice. And the giant bow is to die for~

You can view the entire collection as well as last years here.
http://www.kuraudia.co.jp/barbie/

Don't forget to look at the Jill Stuart collaboration as well, it's simply beautiful!

That's all from me for now, until next time! ♥

Introduction!

2009-11-05T19:30:00.006+11:00

Hello everyone!

My name is Natalie and this is my new blog!

I hope to be able to share all the wonders of my world with you, and I hope that you'll enjoy them~