Recent Happenings Vol. 2

I've been fairly Instagram-happy recently. Miraculously, I've managed to abstain from taking too many selfies and have been focusing on uploads brimming with qualitative content #getreal. Walk with me:

Fuchiko (ふちこ) is a cute Japanese office lady who likes to hang out along the rims and edges of numerous objects (she especially likes dangling off drinking glasses). The name 'Fuchiko' is a compund: 'fuchi' meaning edge, rim, and 'ko' meaning child, which is a popular suffix in female Japanese names. She's also infamous for her oh-so-innocently exposed underwear.

There is this killer Mediterranean restaurant at my University and I go there more often than I should. Above is the vegetarian platter complete with hummus, tabouleh salad, falafel, spanakopita, tzaziki, roasted eggplant, baked potato, dolma and brown rice-- I CAN'T!

Being a Japanese Language and Culture major, I love me some good ol' classical Japanese literature. This is an insert from Sei Shonagon's 'The Pillow Book.' It is her own personal diary that she wrote while serving at the imperial court around 1000 AD. Apart from being hilarious, she is also famous for are her lists. Above is one of my favourite excerpts. 

My boyfriend and I went to Cirque du Soleil's Totem and it was life changing. My adrenaline was racing the whole show because I was afraid I was going to witness someones grotesque and tragic death. Thankfully, there were no fatalities! I confess that this isn't the original picture that I posted on Instagram, but this family was so cute I couldn't help it! #actuallythisisjustcreepy

This was in the washroom in one of the buildings on my campus. I still don't know how I feel about this.

Face/Off: A classic. Stumbled upon this beauty at my local thrift store. My most vivid memory of this movie was the surgery when they swapped faces and John Travolta being super pervy. Nicolas Cage's performance in this movie almost rivals National Treasure--almost. 

Feel free to follow me on Instagram: curlsandmindy

xxmindy

Tokyo DisneySea

In Japan there are not one, but TWO Disney theme parks; Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. I prefer Tokyo DisneySea because it is said to be targeted more towards a "mature" crowd. This basically translates to a whole lotta couples, Japanese school girls, and less families with younger children. Needless to say, everything was disgustingly cute and I got so overwhelmed with nostalgia and wanting to be a kid again that I nearly cried on numerous occasions.

Inside the Disney Rail - Tokyo Disney

Marching Band - Tokyo DisneySea

Lost River Delta - Tokyo DisneySea

Arabian Coast - Tokyo DisneySea

Mermaid Lagoon - Tokyo DisneySea

American Waterfront - Tokyo DisneySea

Port Discovery - Tokyo DisneySea

Mediterranean Harbour - Tokyo DisneySea

The Tower of Terror - Tokyo DisneySea

Toy Story Mania - Tokyo DisneySea

1-Day Pass Disney Rail Tickets: Valentine's Day-Themed - Tokyo DisneySea

Duffy: The Disney Bear - Tokyo DisneySea

The closing performance changed my life. Not even an exaggeration. Classic Disney moments were projected on water with the corresponding music while live characters where circulating on boats, dancing and waving. So impressive! so touching! so perfect!!! watch it, here!!!!!

If you ever get the chance to go to Japan, you definitely need to put DisneySea on your 'to-do' list! As for the attractions, I recommend the following: Indiana Jones Adventure, Mermaid Lagoon Theatre, StormRider, Journey to the Center of the Earth. For a full list of attractions, shows, shops, etc. click here!

I cannot stress learning FASTPASS etiquette enough! Getting a FASTPASS ticket for certain attractions can save you up to two hours of standing in line! for more details, here's a link! I also recommend keeping track of time, especially thirty to forty-five minutes before the park closes because you will want NEED a good view of the Mediterranean harbour, where they perform the final show. Trust me! 

xx mindy

Japanese Fashion Magazine JELLY

JELLY March 2013 Issue

'Jelly' is a Japanese fashion magazine geared more towards that of 'gyaru' style, that being a more tan, heavily bleached/dyed hair and dramatic nails and makeup. The models in Jelly however (compared to the traditional 'gyaru') are not as dramatic with their image. Their fashion tends to be less innocent and cute, giving off a more sexy/cool vibe.

JELLY March 2013 Issue

JELLY March 2013 Issue

The models in Jelly are more tan than most models found in Japanese magazines, and most of them (if not all) appear to be wearing circle lenses. A few of them also have their hair dyed in lighter blonde shades.

JELLY March 2013 Issue

JELLY March 2013 Issue

One notable thing about Jelly is that all their models appear to be full Japanese, whereas in the fashion magazine ViVi (Link!) almost all of the models are half-Japanese. Because of this, the styling tends to be less similar to that of British/North American fashion; it still maintains a notable Japanese 'cuteness.'

JELLY March 2013 Issue

JELLY March 2013 Issue

While there were some pieces and styles that I really liked, I couldn't call Jelly one of my preferred fashion magazines. This is only because the 'cute' Japanese style doesn't suit me at all--that and gyaru. Something else that I noticed: almost all of the high-heels the models were wearing were obviously way too big. It's definitely not a deal breaker, but I couldn't help but get annoyed since the models didn't make an effort to conceal this.



xx mindy

Japanese Fashion Magazine ViVi + clutch freebie!

Vivi September 2012, Issue 11

What I like about Japanese fashion magazines is that there is a magazine that corresponds to each unique sense of style. This is my first time picking up ViVi magazine, and that was specifically because it came with a free clutch! Getting a free bag/makeup bag a few times a year is customary in Japanese fashion magazines, similar to free cosmetic samples in the UK.

Lily Brown Freebie Clutch

Back of the clutch

'Sweet or Cool? I love Both!!' Preach.

The bag is actually quite cheap in quality, but I'd be an idiot if I wasn't expecting this. Regardless,  it is quite a cute clutch, indeed. The magazine even noted that the dimensions are large enough to fit an ipad, so if you're looking for a cute cover that provides little to no protection, go for it!

Another reason why I like Japanese fashion magazines is that a lot of focus is on the clothes. Trending items are pulled and paired with other items, essentially making a whole outfit around one item. The magazine is usually divided into sections, i.e. trending shoes, shirts, skirts, dresses, etc. They also have sections dedicated to makeup looks, hair, even nails.

Every magazine usually has a set of fixed models and they appear in almost every issue. These models essentially become celebrities and the magazine will usually have sections dedicated to a the models' beauty secrets, beauty regimes etc.

I personally really like ViVi because it is targeted for young adults. The fashion is similar to what is trending in the west (more specifically in the UK) so I really like this because I could never pull the cutesy Japanese-girl look although this mag is almost pushing it. 

The layout of Japanese fashion magazines are also great for creating inspiration boards. AND! they have sections dedicated to street style; something I really really really enjoy. I think every magazine should have street style inserts that are not strictly limited to New York, etc. fashion week, thanks.

I really hope that you enjoyed this post! it's a bit different, but as we all know fashion is universal :p



xx mindy