My Harajuku Corner

Hi lovelies! I'm sorry for my prolonged absence - I recently have been working full-time and I haven't had very many chances to update my blog or take outfit pictures sadly.

Today I'm going to be showing you a very special corner of my apartment, the one where I keep all my cute Harajuku and J-fashion related accessories and other items. It's a very colourful little area in home, and I'm very proud of how I've built it up so far!

(I apologize for the shadowy lighting in some of the pictures; I took these in the late afternoon while the sun was slowly escaping!

The corner consists of a bookcase and shelf unit (both from good old IKEA!!), plus the mermaid vanity I thrifted earlier this year and my Charmy Kitty rug which I was suprised to find in a local shop in my town. Even living in the UK, so far away from Japan, I am still often surprised to discover things with Japanese characters in the strangest places! I also keep my TsumTsum collection along the bottom of the shelves, as well as the mini Kotori birds I fought to win from a UFO catcher on my recent trip to Japan! Can you tell that I like birds...

I have a lot of coats hanging up in my apartment, so I decided to save room by hanging some of my cute bags off the side of the shelves; the balloon print bag I sewed by myself using JustforyouMiranda's Youtube tutorial, which was super easy and fun! I also have bags from H&M and WEGO hanging here.

In the white shelving unit I keep the majority of my accessories, which are organised mainly by theme; I have a section for Decora style, one for Spank! style and so on, although most of my accessories are Fairy Kei-related! I also have some of the vintage toys which wouldn't fit into the bookshelves displayed along the top so that they can guard my accessories for me ◾(n˘v˘•)¬

I found Moosel the Wuzzle in a charity shop down the road from me this year, and didn't know what kind of toy he was when I saw him, but the colours reminded me a lot of Pop Kei and of Bundiess' outfits, so I knew I had to pick him up! It was only when I got home that I realised he was an 80s toy; the Wuzzles are hybrids of two different animals, so Moosel is a Moose/Seal! The wuzzles were made by Hasbro, the same company that made My Little Pony and so many other toys ~

I have tried to make the top shelf of the bookshelves as pink-themed as possible, although other colours have crept in to! I have a number of toys from my childhood, including Polly Pocket, Barbie and My Little Pony, as well as some older toys from the 1980s like Keypers, Care Bears, Mattel's Little Pretties, Fairy Tails and so on! Most of the vintage toys in my collection are either from my childhood, the occasional lucky charity shop find, or bought second hand from eBay or group sales on Facebook.

The second shelf down is made up almost entirely of toys from the 80s and 90s which I have bought over the last few years. There is a definite purple-theme going on here, since I love the colours lavender and lilac and they feature a lot in my wardrobe as well! There are also a couple of pieces of stationery, like my Penguin note book from Swimmer and vintage Tuxedosam sticker-book I picked up in California (I have a very soft spot for Tuxedosam, and all penguins for that matter ◾(｡♥‿♥｡)).I was super excited to be able to get hold of two Cupcake dolls by Kenner/Tonka, one large cake playset and one milkshake/sundae doll. They remind me of the 80s soda float trend so much!! Ever since I saw Mannequin (Dreamy Mel Mel)'s room online, I have always wanted to build up a collection of different pastel-coloured vintage toys of my own ◾(◡‿◡✿)

At the moment I am trying to build up a little collection of Mattel's Little Pretty Kitty dolls from the '80s - I love their sassy little poses and the cutie marks they have which remind me so much of My Little Pony. I found this white Kitty in the vintage toyshop Spiral in Tokyo in a rather worn state, with her hair all chopped off-I think it makes her look tough with a little Mohawk though XD Behind her is Daddy Bright Bouquet, who I found along with two other G1 MLP dolls in a local charity shop for only 50 pence◾(☞ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞

On the bottom shelf I keep all of my fashion magazines and some of my anime movies, hidden away behind my Popteen and WEGO lookbook, as well as a lot of accessories which didn't fit into any of the other areas!

My mermaid dressing-table is also loaded with my accessories (are you noticing a recurring theme going on here?). On it I have a couple of shell jewellery-boxes which I picked up in the W*C shop in Harajuku (one of the cutest shops you will ever see in your whole life) which house my earrings and the colourful heart clips I got in WEGO. I also keep my little collection of Angelic Pretty rings here, as they are so detailed and adorable, I like to be able to look at them easily ◾（　´∀｀）☆ I also keep my frequently-won bracelets in a Barbie bowl I have had since I was about 3 years old!

I keep large badges, rosettes and hairbows in a little pink tray I bought during my trip to Japan this year; I bought about 5 different sized storage boxes from Daiso, all in this cute light pink colour with French writing/designs on them. They're turning out to be so useful for storing accessories and cosmetics, as well as being super girly! This tray is currently perched on top of the vanity stool, though I'm hoping to find a more permanent location in the future (where I'm less likely to knock it off!!!)

That pretty much sums up my little Harajuku-esque corner of my apartment! I hope I can expand it in the future when I work out a good storage/display solution. I will also be getting my Pokemon collection cabinet moved into my apartment from my family home really soon, so I can't wait to share that with you all too ~

I hope that you all enjoyed this little insight into my new photo backdrop and where I keep most of my vintage toys; I have a lot of other plushies which live in a different place, but I will show you all those when I make my next apartment tour!

I hope everyone has a wonderful evening ◾(n˘v˘•)¬

Love, MyPastelUniverse x

Ps. Halloween is coming...

Japan Haul Part 3 - Character Goods

Hello super-cuties! Today I'll be showing you the last part of my Japan haul, character goods and things which don't fit into the other categories! I'm not a huge or hardcore anime fan by any means, but I love shows like Pokemon and Polar Bear's Cafe and other light-hearted anime. I also love Sanrio character goods, as you will see!
Please note that in the item descriptions they read from left to right, and from the top row down in the pictures!
I hope you enjoy seeing the rest of the things I picked up on my trip! ^^

Pokemon;

Pokemikke beaker, Large Lugia figure, Dedenne figure, Pikachu and Friends hand towel, Cosplay Pikachu keychain
During my stay in Japan, 7-eleven were holding a 600yen prize raffle for Pikachu and Friends merchandise in their stores so I decided to enter! I was so happy to win the hand towel as the design was so cute. They were also advertising large Dedenne and Pikachu face pillows, but those seemed super rare!
Lugia has been one of my favourite Pokemon ever since I played Pokemon Crystal when I was little, so I was really excited to find the large figures in the Pokemon centre. I also grew very fond of Dedenne from playing Pokemon X, as it is so cute but also super powerful sometimes, so I decided to add the little figure to my collection ~

I wanted to buy this keychain through the whole of my trip, but I wasn't able to find it in Pokemon centres. I luckily found it in the Pokemon merchandise shop at Narita airport on my way back to the UK!

This collection had the most adorable designs; there were pass holders and notebooks featuring this pattern to! I love the little faces peeping out from behind the ice creams, especially Dedenne!

Sanrio;

My Melody 40th Anniversary mug, My Melody pouch, Little Twin Stars hiragana book, Cinnamoroll tsum.
When I visited Sanrio Puroland, there was a big celebration for the joint anniversaries of My Melody and the Little Twin Stars (which I will talk about more in my trip report!) and so there was lots of special merchandise and new designs.

The cake reminds me of an Angelic Pretty dress!

For the last few years, I have slowly collected Gotochi Kitty merchandise; they are regional variations featuring Hello Kitty in different costume, traditional dress and different landmarks around Japan. I love the detail on the Kitty charms and all the different outfits she wears. There are 1000s of varieties to collect all over Japan!
Lotus Kitty, Miyajima Kitty, Kyoto Kitty, Nara Kitty, Harajuku Kitty

I love her little sleepy eyes ~

Harajuku Kitty, featuring a crepe like the ones which are sold all along Takeshita Dori. Just looking at it is making me want a strawberry crepe, they are so yummy ^^

Tokyo Disney Sea

Duffy the Disney Bear and Gelatoni Pochettes. For those who don't know, Duffy and friends were created exclusively for Tokyo Disney Sea and live in an area called Cape Cod, styled like a New England fishing village. Duffy bear was Mickey's toy when he was younger, and has a girlfriend called Shellie May. Gelatoni is his friend, as well as a seagull called Tippy Blue who delivers the mail.

Duffy and Shellie May sticky notes, hand towel and Duffy keychain (a gift for my father! I haven't included the other gifts I bought in these hauls, as they were bought for other people and are no longer mine to talk about!

Duffy popcorn holder and mini holder! There are popcorn stands around the resort where you can buy popcorn in different commemorative holders which vary by character and season. When I visited, the flavour was chocolate popcorn which was super tasty!
As well as these things, I picked up some cute accessories which are in Part 1 of my haul! ^^

Polar Bears Cafe;

Penguin-san hand towel and iphone case, Polar Bears cafe Mug, Penguin straps, Gachopon gets, Penguin-san coaster
I picked up all of this merchandise on my trip to Polar Bear's Cafe in Takadanobaba, which I will talk about in my trip report! Shirokuma Cafe, or Polar Bear's Cafe, is one of my absolute all-time favourite animes, it is so sweet and funny and the characters are so loveable and zany. As you can probably tell, my favourite is Mr Penguin who has a dry humour and terrible luck with the ladies. If you haven't watched it before, I really recommend it!

Mixed Goods;

Cardcaptor Sakura plate and badges, Sailor Moon gachopon bell, Shoebill note from Ueno Zoo, Minnie & Daisy souvenir accessory box, Kiki's Delivery Service Jiji Towel, Donald Duck tsumtsum hairtie and fork.
I was searching for CCS merchandise throughout my trip and was super excited to find the plate in Harajuku's Kiddyland store, and the badges in a vintage store in Nakano Broadway.
The shoebill note might seem a little random, but I adore how serious and sinister his face looks! There is also a very funny shoebill character in Polar Bear's Cafe, and it reminded me a lot of that!

Makeup;

Diamond Lash set, DollyWink felt tip liner, Canmake blush and eyeshadow, Etude House BB Cream, Maybelline tinted lip balm, Canmake loose powder ~

SPIRAL Vintage Toy Shop;

Mattel Little Pretty. I found this cutie in a bit of a battered state in the sale section of the little toy store in Harajuku, with her hair cut and lots of dust on her. I had really wanted a Little Pretty, so I bought her for cheap and gave her a good wash. Luckily all the scuffs came off, and she now looks lovely and clean. I like how her hair cut makes her look a bit tough!

Other things which are not pictured as they are at my other house;

Liz Lisa Carry Case in Pink x Cream

Swimmer Decorative Plate

Pink storage boxes from Daiso

Amuse XL Fenneki Fox plush, small Pote Usa Loppy plush and small Kotori Budgie and Seagull plushes

A load of candy I bought and shared with my family!

So that concludes my Japan Haul! It has taken me a long time to organise everything I bought and display it exactly as I wanted it, but I have finally almost finished! Next I will be posting about the places I visited on the trip, with my friends and on my own, as well as the food I tried, alongside my regular reviews and blog posts!

I hope you all enjoyed this haul post, and are having a good start to your week!
Lots of love, MyPastelUniverse x

Japan Haul Part 2 - Clothing

Hello cuties! Today I'll be continuing on from my last blog post about the things I bought in Japan last month, this time I'll be talking about the clothes and shoes I picked up during my trip. I did a lot of shopping while we were there, particularly in Tokyo during the LaForet Grand Bazaar, which meant I was able to pick up lots of incredible bargains! All the stores had big summer sales on as well, so lots of things were reduced by at least half.

I've divided everything up into sections based on the brand and style ^^ I hope you all enjoy this post! Most of the items are from current or recent collections and so should be available on the brands' websites or on Yahoo! Japan ~

Ank Rouge

I love the details on these blouses, I'm a sucker for embroidery! While I was in Japan, Ank Rouge was doing a promotion of two items for 6,900 yen, including dresses, skirts and tops, so I bought a few pairs of clothes to mix and match ^^

The material on these cutsews is so comfy and soft! They fit really nicely and are really versatile, so I can wear them with lots of different dresses and skirts! I really love the moon cut-out, it reminds me of Sailor Moon ~

The writing on this skirt makes me chuckle a little - it seems like adorable has turned into two seperate words XD

I love this melon soda and fancy cocktail print so much, as well as the pocket detail! I had to get it in both colourways, since the colours pop out in such different ways.

Cute apron dress! I saw this in Harajuku, but when I went back to buy it they had sold out! :'( Luckily I found it in the store in Shibuya 109 at the end of my holiday, and it was still in the sale!

Milklim

This dress is so comfy and super loose, so it could even be worn as a nightgown. I love wearing it to laze around the house in!

I love the new Milklim Magical line so much, especially this design with the cute soda glass and characters! The colours are so dreamy ~

I had wanted to get something with the cotton candy design on for ages, so I was very happy to pick this top up. I'm a big fan of polka dots to, so it's perfect for me.

Nile Perch & Spank!

When I went into Nile Perch, I kept rambling to the shop girl about how much I loved moon prints and designs, so she helped me choose this top! It's so cute ~

These cardigans are so comfy and nice and baggy; I found the heart one in Closet Child, and the moon and stars one in the Laforet sale!

This dress was also from Closet Child! The lace has little bears on bicycles, so cute!

I couldn't resist the allure of this sweater; I love bunnies and I love moons, what can I say? XD

The moon tights are Nile Perch, the others are from Spank!

I was super tempted by this skirt the first time I visited Spank!, but I wasn't sure if it would be a little short on me. The second time I went there, I tried it on and it turned out to be a perfect fit since I'm not very tall!

Swimmer

I picked up both of these in the Laforet sale for super cheap - I hadn't ever bought from Swimmer before my trip, but when I saw how adorable the shop was, I fell in love right away!

Others

Honey Cinnamon top with embroidery - I love the cute lipstick detail! Everything in Honey Cinnamon was adorable but a little pricey, so I decided to just pick up this one item.

Adorable night shirt by Spinns

Heart cut-out skirt from WEGO and envelope skirt from Spinns. The envelope skirt was only 500 yen in the sale, so ridiculously cheap??

Top from WEGO

Top from Lodispotto; I had never seen Lodispotto clothing before I came across their shop in HEP 5, Osaka. Everything was so girly and very simple, which I really liked. This top caught my eye because the stripes made me think of candy. It also flares out at the waist when worn, which is a super cute touch!

Miauler Mew set! I had seen this set on line before I went over to Japan but had been hesitant about whether the colour would be too dark purple in real life. When I saw it in Shibuya 109 though, it was perfectly coloured and I knew I had to get it right away! The embroidery is really crisp and lovely to ~

Off-the-shoulder top from Swankiss, one of my favourite items from the whole holiday! I love how the print has little glittery stars and hearts all over it. It was so exciting to visit the Swankiss store in real life to, everything was so fluffy, just as I imagined it would be!

Blue top from Liz Lisa, with the cutest floral embroidery on the hem!

Angelic Pretty

Salon du The Rose Skirt in Lavender. I bought this in the Angelic Pretty sale in the store in Hiroshima! The shop lady and I spoke for about an hour about lolita fashion over the world and she showed me lots of fabric samples, it was really nice!

Jewellery Jelly OP in Mint. I found this in Closet Child for only 4,500 yen with the wristcuffs and headbow, as the dress was damaged by the previous owner - a small part of the back fabric has been bleached either in the sun or by a chemical, but luckily its barely noticeable! Jewellery Jelly was a dream dress for me, so I was ecstatic to finally buy it! The print is so glittery and pastelly.

Accessories;

Cream soda bag from WEGO, ballet bag from Swimmer

Horoscope clutch bag from Swimmer - I fell in love with the design straight away! I just wish they had made the bag a little larger so you could fit more inside it.

Socks from Swimmer, WEGO and Gelato Pique. The Gelat Pique socks are for bed or lounging around in, and they are the absolute softest socks I have ever owned!! I bought so many socks on my trip, but the rest are currently in the laundry hehe XD

Purple wedges from WEGO, strappy wedges from Liz Lisa.

Platform sneakers from Miauler Mew. These suit so many of my clothes really well, and they're suprisingly super comfortable (they took up lots of room in my bag, so I wore them a lot to travel on the bullet train and around the stations!!). They remind me of Swankiss' platform sneakers, but a lot less expensive!

Thank you all for reading, and I hope it was interesting to see what I picked up! There is definitely a lot of purple in what I bought, and now my wardrobe is almost half purple/pink, but that's just the way I like it :D I'm glad I managed to pick up some long-sleeved items to since it's already getting cold here in the UK!

On a different note, it was also my birthday recently, and my friends from my local Lolita community went for a picnic in a nearby city. It was a really fun day and luckily we didn't get rained on at all! We messed around a whole lot with my new iPad on photobooth, pulling lots of silly faces and eating lots of tasty food ^^ It was a really lovely day!

The outfit I wore! I was happy to have an opportunity to wear my new AP skirt, I'd never tried a classical-style print before!

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend, and I'll be posting again very soon! ^^

Love, Mypasteluniverse x