Lolita Charm

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Guide to Ordering from Yumetenbo and Other Rakuten Shops

The Long-Awaited & Much-Asked-After Guide:

Ordering from Yumetenbo and Other Rakuten shops

My go-to place for cute fashion for spring is definitely Rakuten! Rakuten is an online shopping 'mall' that puts all of your favorite Japanese stores in one place, often providing international shipping where otherwise there would be none. Using their umbrella account, you can shop at many cute boutiques and fashion companies. My current favorite is Yumetenbo, which sells a collection of gyaru styles includes hime-kei (princess style), glamour (more mainstream), kirei or elegant style (good for girls who need to look professional), and girly style (for typical femininity), as well as a kids' section. Most lolitas are fond of princess style, but look through the other categories - you may find just the thing to complete your outfit. This shop has everything you need from bags and accessories to coats and full dresses, even some wigs and false nails. Other shops can also have many cute items such as accessories, or items for casual wear.

You can use these tips to any online foreign shopping, but I recommend you have them before getting started with Rakuten - it will make your shopping experience much easier.

Google Chrome Auto-Translate: If you have Google Chrome for a browser, there is an extension that will translate your webpages automatically. When you visit a Japanese page for the first time, click the option to always translate. The whenever you load any Japanese page, it will translate into your chosen language. Click here to get it. However some of these pages do not auto-translate, and they will not translate emails, so have your Google Translate open in a tab as well.

Google Chrome Currency Coverter Add-On: Great for shopping online with Japanese stores, taobao, places in Europe, etc. This download will give you a live, in-window converter that remembers your last currency option. I use this all the time since I got it; much better than making a guesstimate about how much yen you're really dropping. Click here to get it.

Also, please note that you must have a credit card to order from Yumetenbo. They do not take Paypal.

Part I: Registering a Rakuten Account

Go to the Yumetenbo site and start from nearly any page. I chose this one right here. Click on the key icon in the upper right corner that says 'myRakuten'. (Highlighted here in pink, with the big arrow.)

Click the 'register' button.

Fill out the required information (marked in red). This is in English; if not click the tab up top and it will switch to English. (I didn't take a cap of the rest of it for this reason; if you really need a cap, let me know & I will make it.)

If you are not in Japan, choose your prefecture as Other and set your postal code to 000-0000. For 'ward' I put in my USA state as well as town. Here's a sample of your 'finalize this information' showing what I mean by location. Then click the 'agree to terms and conditions' button, which will take you to finalize your info.

On the second page, click the large white button at the bottom to finalize all of your information. (Make sure to uncheck the 'receive email updates' - they will send you a HOARD of emails, most of which are not informative to you.) It will take you to the third page, which means you did it! You will then receive a confirmation email.

Part I Accomplished!

Part II: How to Shop

Start by logging into myRakuten. If you have your auto-translator on, these next steps are fairly easy.

Here is a typical item page, this one is for the adorable BAMBI COAT!

Mine is pre-translated into English; if yours isn't, this what it's saying: color, quantity, add to cart. Click the appropriate color bubble and quantity, and add to cart. If you are buying multiple items in different colors, you will need to add multiple times. If you see an x where you would normally click a bubble, the item is sold out in that colorway.

Here's the screen you'll see after you add your item to the cart. They have a very handing 'image cart' which lets you see what you put in it. To remove an item, click the link in blue text on the same row. From here on out auto-translate fails us and there is no more English; bear with me...

Either keep shopping or click the big red button and go to checkout. This next part is where I originally had trouble; make sure to choose an option for every section, or else they will send you an email later saying ERROR with no explanation of where the error is, and then they will cancel your order. (That's what happened to me on my first try.)

In this part you need to agree to their terms and conditions again. I actually found out today in business law that this stops you being able to sue them for a Japanese product in the courts of your own country/state... basically waives your right to sue if you're injured by a hairbow or something. Anyway, agree and move on to step 2.

Here's your cart (above) and below, this box is for points club. Every time you shop with them you rack up points that can later be used for savings on your purchase. As a new account, you won't have any points. I've highlighted the 0 points section above.

Choose the bubble for 'credit card' and then fill out your info. This does not auto-translate so I've translated it for you above. If you know basic katakana you can get through a lot of this easier.

Scroll down to Part 2 and choose your shipping method - for international/overseas, you must choose EMS. It then explains shipping costs based on how much your total purchase is.

The next section is when you want your package delivered. Choose 'anytime'. You most likely don't have coupons; leave this area blank. Click the button on the bottom to continue.

The next page shows all of your information and total to finalize your payment. Click the large red button at the bottom to finalize. That's it!

Other Rakuten Shops For Cute Fashion

Here are some other Rakuten shops that sell cute style things or items that might go well with lolita fashion. I will update this list as needed.

Edit to add: Not all stores ship internationally despite using Rakuten. I can't verify which as I haven't shopped at all of them, so please be aware of this. Those marked with an asterisk (*) do not ship internationally.

Curvys - cute accessories shop

Candlly - cute casual style

Coquettish Tiara - cute purses for lolita & hime-kei

Wigland - sells Prisila wigs for hime-kei, pop-kei, mori

Zephyr Wigs - cosplay and lolita wigs

Roliane -pink made- - cute accessories, pouches, jewelry & deco'd items

Bijouxj - pre-deco'd items, some jewelry

SBY Happy Store* - popkei accessories

Presea - cute accessories & charms

Bodyline Rakuten - often has items sold out on English site!
Liz Lisa* - hime-kei and country cute
Cawaii - mori girl style
Chocomint - accessories for lolita, pop-kei, mori, and hime-kei
Armoire - mori girl style
Listen Flavor - pop-kei and punk style - great leggings & tights, often in Kera magazine
With Heart - princess homegoods
Lumiembre - parasols
Lady's Off - designer (Coach, Louis Vitton) and Jesus Diamante (hime-kei)
Maxicimam - sweet & punk lolita, with plus-sized line 'Lovely Size'
Juliette et Justine - classic/opulent lolita brand
Organ Fan - classic and mori style jewelry and accessories
Pastel Sweets - sweets deco supplies, books, and pre-deco'd items

Phew! Long article! Okay! I hope you all have a very happy shopping experience, please let me know if you have any questions/need anything clarified and I will do my best to help.

happy shopping,

Labels: guide, shopping, tutorial

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Three Easy Ways to Style A Lolita Wig + My Melody Deco Watch!

Lolita wigs are becoming more and more available, spotted on nearly everyone these days. The typical lolita wig consists of a curly base and is usually supplied with two clip-on falls, like curly ponytails. Mostly you just pop on the wig, clip on the falls, and go! It's instantly cute and a great way to change up the color and tones of your coordinates. But that's not the only way to go! They're so much more versatile than that. The one I'm using here is from Cosplay Wigs USA, in their wavy light brown model. I love mine, it's such a pretty warm cinnamon with beautifully full curls!

You can see me wearing it here.

So here are three really easy ways you can style your lolita wig that will stand out from the crowd!

This one I've dubbed the 'Sailor Moon' because it reminds me of her signature 'odango' style. It looks best if you add on brooches, clips or matching hairbows on elastics. I've decided to use a Chocomint star clip, because it reminds me of the fantasy space theme and continues the Sailor Moon look, but anything you think is cute would be a great accent! [As always, click for larger~]

The Braided Crown is perfect for more classic, toned-down sweet, or even mori girl styles. The braids are a pretty accent of texture, and this look beautifully sets off faux roses or an elegant bow. Make sure you braid to the very ends, and use clear elastics - I used regular fabric ones so that you can see how the braids are wrapped.

The Hime (for those not in the know, hime is the Japanese word for princess ) Fountain gives the appearance of very full, cascading curls, and looks best accented with a large head-eating bow or tiara comb. This is probably the easiest style here - it's still clip-and-go, you just move the extensions up a little! ;) I saw Maki wearing this look at the San Francisco Angelic Pretty opening and thought it looked so adorable! I'm wearing this look with my pink and blonde wig at the Tangled meetup!

And just a little extra - did you know it's Sanrio's 50th birthday this year?! As a final bang, McDonald's is giving out digital Sanrio watches. I swung by (mm, caramel mocha!) and got one... but was a little let down by how plain it looked! Even though I got My Melody

... she looked a little sad, not good for a Sanrio character!

The six watches you could get with Happy Meal... I'm dying for the white Sugarbunny! I'm not sure why this picture doesn't show brown Sugarbunny, I think in some places they have Badtz-Maru instead.

So I sat down with an extra packet of Swarvoski rhinestones and a leftover glitter bow cabochon! I'm so pleased with result:

I think it's kind of kitschy cute! I can't wait to wear a My Melody coordinate now! She's never been my absolute favorite character (a spot reserved for Sugar Minuet & Little Twin Stars) but I can't say no to anything that comes in pure pink with a tiny little smile!

Just goes to show that you can find cuteness anywhere ♥

Labels: cosmetics, deco, tutorial

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

How to Take The Perfect Mirror Shot

hint: not like this! ;)

The 'mirror shot' is a much-debated but evident part of participating in fashion communities and blogs online. For those not in the know, it involves taking a self-portrait with just a camera, a mirror, and your little ol' self. While some say they're silly, sometimes they're the best way to get your shot on the way out the door or with little help. Here's the perfect recipe to get a great mirror shot (that you don't mind posting online!)

First, know your camera. Take some time and sit down with the manual to your camera, or just find a few tutorials for your camera model. If you don't already know what the basic terms and functions are for your camera, familiarize yourself - like how to turn off your flash, handle your ISO, and white balance.

Using your mirror. Before you take your picture, see what the mirror will reflect without you in it! If you're in your bedroom or house, make sure you're not reflecting piles of dirty clothes or junk mail. If you have to, nudge it out of the reflection or feel free to move your mirror if it's a stand-alone. Feel free to seek out or use decorative mirrors, especially when you're out, like I did recently by using a Disney store princess mirror! Usually a full-length is best if you want your entire outfit, but fitting into a smaller mirror is ok too. If you really want to show off some details that don't fit into the mirror, like shoes, you can still take a shot of them from your angle - looking down on your shoes or skirt.

Angles and details. Decide if you want your face in the photo or not. Some girls don't want to reveal their identity on the Internet, or want to hide a bad facial expression, so they'll take their photos with the camera covering the face. It's also the easiest way to line up your mirror shot! But if you want your face in the picture, you'll have to hold your camera elsewhere and take the picture from a different angle, such as pointing up - this mostly takes practice. Try to place it somewhere it won't cover any important details, like your necklace or beautiful brooch. Try different distances from the mirror - if you want the full figure, stand farther away. For details, stand closer. Or you can always take some shots for figure and some for details - don't feel limited to taking only one photo to represent your outfit. And if you have a big black camera lens cover or strap - try to get it out of the way!

Last check! Use the mirror to choose your favorite pose - experiment with several! Make sure your flash is OFF, or else you're only get a big flare and all the smudge prints on your mirror. Light that doesn't face directly onto your mirror will also do to hide smudges (mine is always covered in shimmery lip prints - I think they're cute!) And to really get the perfect photo - take a ton! A friend of mine was worried lately about 'being photogenic' - don't worry if you are or not. Hardly anyone has the instant skill to turn their 3D self into a good 2D form right away - practice and a thousand pictures makes one perfect shot!

Good luck with your new mirror shots! Now go get dolled up, grab the nearest mirror, and snap away!

Labels: guide, tutorial

Monday, November 15, 2010

Blooming Bloomers!

I'm an all-thumbs lolita - while I can make a few simple accessories or deco items, I'm terrible with a sewing machine. I'm really hoping to learn this winter, and if I can get better, maybe even get a new sewing machine! (Psst... I love the Hello Kitty sewing machine! It looks like something from a little dollhouse!)

This weekend I decided to use one of my own November style tips and whip up a pair of flannel bloomers! Supposedly they're a very easy project for an afternoon, so I felt emboldened. I used this very easy tutorial from ABC Lolita, one of my reader's blogs :) It was pretty easy to follow - here's my pair of very simple white bloomers! (She's also got another tutorial where the bloomers have an added ruffled hem!)

I wanted them to have a very winter feel, so I chose heavier, textured materials. I hand-stitched on some white cluny lace I had in my sewing box and made some pink velvet bows out of ribbons I found at a church sale. I probably could have done this on the machine, but I actually find it fun to do the work by hand - it's very peaceful and relaxing for me. I'm really happy with them, I never thought I could make anything cute like that!

Since they're so plain I thought it'd be fun to do embroidery on them. I've decided to make a heart-shaped pocket and applique it on with a blanket stitch. I'm not sure what would be best for a center design - roses (my favorite flower!

) are my first thought, but maybe some whitework (white stitches on white fabric) would be more suitable for wintertime? Snowflakes are a favorite motif for this time of year, and since I'll only be wearing them in winter snowflakes are perfect :) If you're looking to learn embroidery or expand your knowledge of stitches, I recommend the Embroider's Handbook. The pictures are easy to follow and the book covers ribbon embroidery, cross-stitch or counted embroidery, cutwork and eyelet work, and even beading embroidery. I'm really interested in practicing my cast-on or Brazilian rose, which is a 3D rose made from 'casting on' stitches to the needle just like you would on a knitting needle. Here it is combined with a bullion knot or Porto Rico rose stitch. For those who want to try more ribbon embroidery, the hardest part can be finding the necessary silk ribbon. This website has an absolutely gorgeous range of ribbons, from the purely beautiful spectrum of solids to even variegated and hand-dyed lengths of silk.The easiest ribbon rose is the 'spiderweb rose', so named because the petals are fastened with a spiderweb of regular thread.

I also found this pattern from an online magazine scan (I'm not sure if this is Kera or GLB - by the way, click for larger) for a cutesy, double-ruffled bloomer pattern. I love the pink plaid and the candy applique reminds me very much of the Nutcracker, so I think this idea would also be cute for winter or Christmastime. Even better, if you get good at them they'd make very cute presents for your lolita friends this holiday season! Candy canes or present boxes would also be very easy and cute. I've seen cute popkei appliques on Nile Perch where the present-box square is covered with a thin tulle, and star-shaped sequins and rhinestones stitched and scattered inside.

Bloomers look super cute for hanging out around the house and keep your little rufflebutt warm in winter! They're really easy to make and you can do some very creative things with just a little trimming and appliques!

Labels: crafty loli, tutorial, winter

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The Fake Sweets Bible and Cookie Locket!

While at my perennial favorite Japanese bookstore, Kinokuniya, I stumbled across this unusual mook called FAKE SWEETS BIBLE. Mostly I was drawn by the image on the cover - a decadently Rococo-esque classic Lolita with a corsage of lilac macarons on her lapel. I was so used to seeing sweets jewelry dripping with whipped cream and fluffy cupcakes that seeing a more Victorian take on sweets jewelry intrigued me. When I got the mook home I was delighted to discover that inside the pages were a couple great extras - ‘fake sweets’ tags, an icing guide, and even a plastic set of sweets molds for chocolate bars, buttery printed cookies, and chocolate hearts.

Here's a few scans from the book to give you an idea of their style:

What the Fake Sweets Bible has done with the notion of faux sweets and pastries is purely amazing and decadent - crispy crowns glittering with coarse sugar, military-style badges of deep bitter chocolate cookies, and everlasting macaron trees iced with silicone and beautiful foam white roses. For easier projects there are simple rings and necklace ideas sprinkled across the pages. The look is very Q-pot without the hefty price tag.

(above: some of the sweets I made - two cookies and a chocolate nub :)

My small attempt so far at fake sweets is a simple but sentimental project: a chocolate cookie locket, with the cream center being a portrait of my prince. The necklace is a triple-strand of creamy glass pearls, and makes a classy choker along the decolletage. Since I couldn't find any of the necessary findings to make the pearl strands 'stack' correctly, the look of the necklace is a little more modern. However, the effect is still delicate. I’d wanted a pearl choker for a while from the usual brands like Baby the Stars Shine Bright or Angelic Pretty, but this has more meaning for me - the quiet evenings stringing pearls from tiny espresso dishes alongside my boy, who is helpfully prepping the openings of the pearls with a pin.

The cookie is made out of Sculpey clay, and it's hiding a small round metal locket I picked up at the craft store. Then I painted with super-base clear nail polish to have the glossy effect of a piece of chocolate. I glossed my Bitter chocolate square the same way, and a tiny rhinestone for a little twinkle; I'm hoping to make this into a simple ring when I find the right base. However, the details come out a little faint with the Sculpey - I'm going to try paper clay to see if it picks up the subtleties in the mold better. I know paperclay is just the thing for macarons at the very least, but I still need some decent silicone cream before I can move on to those!

I never felt the deep pull to make sweets jewelry, but with this more maiden-like and elegant style, I'm much more inspired! :) If you'd like to see more of the Fake Sweets Bible, you can buy it on Amazon Japan!

Labels: crafty loli, lifestyle, tutorial

Monday, January 18, 2010

Rose Lamp Tutorial

As part of the It's Your Castle series (yes, still ongoing!) I'm slowly beautifying every little corner of my room. On my nightstand is a Rococo frame with photos of my lovely girls, Miss Lumpy and Miss Julia, with purikura from San Francisco tucked in; a Hello Kitty alarm clock; and two of my journals, one for personal things and another for my blogging. But my lamp struck me as a little plain. So I set out to do something about it!

Roses are some of my favorite flowers and because of Valentine's Day coming up, the craft stores are having sales on faux roses. It was just the thing I needed for my project.

Here's what you'll need:

scissors
hot glue gun
smooth lampshade, preferably with a lip on the bottom
two bunches of roses, mine where $1 a bunch from Michael's
ribbon of your choice

First, use some masking tape and take all of the lint and dust off of your lampshade. Then take your bunch of roses and your scissors and start beheading them, with as little stem as possible. Next, use your hot glue gun to glue down roses along the rim of the shade. It's best if you lay them down on an angle instead of sticking straight up. It's a sturdier model and you see more of the elegance of the shape. Here's the first section of my lampshade finished.

Note: in this photo, the roses are not slanted to an angle. I found out the hard way and had to reposition them, softening the glue with a heat gun. Trust me, it wasn't easy! So angle them to begin with. But if you do mess up, use a hair dryer or heat gun to make the hot glue more malleable.

Go entirely around the lamp shade. Be careful not to burn your fingers on the hot glue.

Next, get out your ribbon. If your ribbon was crinkled like mine, here's a quick tip: don't bust out the cumbersome iron. Instead, use a hair straightener to easily smooth out ribbons. Tie the ribbon into a few small bows and hot glue them evenly around the lampshade. I used mine to hilight the spokes of the lampshade.

And that's all! This project took me about twenty minutes to do and cost me about $2 in supplies, as I already had the ribbon, glue gun, and lamp.

For my next project, I'll be making a bow-shaped pillow to decorate your bed, sofa, or loveseat.

Labels: crafty loli, lolita living, tutorial

Friday, December 18, 2009

Pink Please!

I've had a lot of requests to do a basic primer on dying your hair pink and having pink hair, so I've decided to fufill these wishes in favor of the holiday season :)

Making the Commitment

Dying your hair an unnatural color of any kind is big decision. For one, it is not a low maitenence style and needs a lot of upkeep; for another, it may attach to you a social stigma you don't want.

Like any color, your roots will eventually come in, so you'll need to be able to go to the salon for touch-ups or have the expertise and time to do the job at home, probably about once a month (twice for the daring, but I really don't recommend longer than that. Hair with roots can often look greasy or piecey, even when it's clean). If you're not able to bleach your own hair (and I don't blame you, it's not for the faint of heart) you will also have to go to a hair salon for the whole head, which can be expensive. If you are not naturally a white blond, you will need bleach anywhere you want the unnatural color. Unnatural hair dye is semi-permanent, meaning that instead of penetrating the strand, it is more sitting on top. It's also almost sheer - like cellophane, it shows up best on a white background.

You'll also need to get the dye. I buy mine locally, but this is pretty rare. You'll most likely have to order it online. I prefer Special Effects, which is $10 a bottle (two bottles covers my whole head). There are other brands as well, like Manic Panic, Fudgebox, and Directions.

So next let's talk about bleach. I get mine professionally bleached because I don't trust myself with one pair of eyes and a bottle of chemicals, but I know plenty of hair-savvy girls who do it themselves. Make sure to test your skin, as your scalp may be sensitive. There are many different opinions on bleach volume, but it's enough to say that bleach is not good for your hair. It can make it dry, brittle, easily breakable, and 'fried'. I'll talk about working with your hair quality later in this post.

To cap off, it's a big commitment. It requires a lot of extra care, time, and money, and shouldn't be something you really do on a whim.

Social Aspects

Next let's talk about being a 24/7 pinkhead. Lots of girls own pink wigs that they can wear for lolita, even myself - I like that it's pre-curled with perfect bangs. But wearing pink hair constantly isn't quite the same. The public will make assumptions about your personality, no matter what you're wearing - whether they think you are a delinquient, a raver, or a freak. I've had guys says they find my pink hair unattractive, I've been asked by stoner kids if I 'rave', and plenty of otakus assume that I'm their favorite anime character come to life. One woman today even told her daughter that I was wearing a wig!

You may also find it hard to be taken seriously with pink hair. I've often worried about getting a job, being on good terms with professors, or simply under scrutiny from family. You will stand out and get attention (though if you're a lolita, you're probably used to this!), both positive and negative. There is plenty of positive attention, too: little girls are in love, many people like the look, and it's impossible for me to be forgotten by professors or potential employers. If you have unnatural hair, it'll also be easy to meet like-minded people: those will be the people who like your look. But it's not like lolita - at the end of the day, you can't take it off. If you want to be pink only sometimes, invest in a wig.

The Process

First, you'll need to bleach your hair. As said, I prefer a salon, and I'd recommend you do that if you're not experienced with hair. It will cost you somewhere in the area of $70+ to bleach the entire head, however, so be prepared for price. Afterwards, make sure to treat the hair with a deep conditioner - either by yourself or ask your stylist. This will go a long way to repairing the damage you just did.

The dye should be applied to dry hair, from root to tip, and let sit for at least half an hour. Make sure to wear gloves, because otherwise you'll look as if you killed a Hello Kitty. If you do get any on your skin, you can remove it with alcohol. To preserve areas like your ears and hairline, swipe on Vaseline or petroleum jelly as a shield.

Afterwards, rinse with cold water until you don't see any more tint to the water. Cold water seals the hair follicle, whereas warm water opens it. After you first rinse out the dye, you may find that you shed color on your towels or clothes. Some people have reported staining constantly, others very little. I only recently started staining small things, like the backs of collars and the pearls on my necklaces. There isn't really a way to prevent this, but it does come out of clothes and other items.

Aftercare

Unnatural colors fade fairly quickly, typically within the first few washes. There are ways to prevent this, however. First, wash your hair in cool or cold water. Heat is really one of the big agents to pulling out color. The other is to switch from shampoo to baking soda, as I recommend in my previous post about cosmetics. Color-protectant shampoo is for permanent colors, and is designed to strip out colors that aren't natural - not what you want! A blonding shampoo, for example, cuts out all of the colors that aren't blond. Baking soda doesn't have harsh chemicals, is natural, and fairly inexpensive. You can read more about the benefits of baking soda here.

Make sure to condition, especially your ends especially (as they get the most damage and are most vulnerable). A glaze can also repair a lot of damage as well. Try to limit how much heat or product you use on your hair, and be kind to your ends with the curling iron if you can. I curl my hair often, but I'll often skip the spray or mousse so that it doesn't require scrubbing or washing to remove it.

Links

Pinkhair community

Dyed_hair community (great memories!)

Gala Darling's Guide to Unnatural Hair Dye

(photos of pinkheads from We ♥ It!)

Labels: cosmetics, tutorial

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