I'm a super-busy 39-year-old mother of three and I've just moved to Tokyo with my family.
I studied fashion design at East Sydney Tech and have a background in many aspects of the fashion industry including stylist, model, fashion illustrator, and makeup artist. I've also taught makeup and grooming and worked on fashion shows before starting to write about them.
Now that I'm surrounded by the most amazing range of creative and cutting-edge fashion, I'm keen to look for a way to dress well without breaking the bank. My family will thank me for it one day!
I believe being fashionable shouldn't be an option limited only to a handful of women; it should be for all of us to enjoy. I look forward to sharing my shopping adventures from Tokyo (and any other useful information as a fashionista often severely limited by full-time domesticity!)
Layer upon layer is the code by which Tokyo women live!
We are just coming out of the cold, sometimes snowy winter, so outerwear is on show outdoors most of the time. But when coats come off indoors — and on warmer early spring days — layers are the key.
In Tokyo right now it’s cool and clear and gorgeous: so I am out and about seeing fabulous winter fashion ensembles. The key element appears to be boots, boots, boots (and coats, but that’s another story).
Cool Japanese women have been in boots from the moment the temperature dropped, accessorising dresses, skirts, pinafores, asymmetrical skirts and boleros, knits and jeans. It’s a fantastic look and, providing you are in a temperate climate, very successful.
I am almost overwhelmed by the choice available: flat, heeled, buckled, cowboy, rubber equestrian style, fur-trimmed, wedge, black, tan, white (this is impossibly elegant), biker, platform-sole, quilted, not to mention the high-end labels (Burberry’s rubber is very popular), so I’ve done some thinking on the best way to wear boots in winter.
I have recently become obsessed with fur. Feline, fabulous, funky fur.
No doubt readers from the northern hemisphere will be amused to note my excitement but, for Sydney girls, fur is uncalled for in terms of a fashion staple, except for the occasional catwalk moment. (Of course I am talking of fur of the fake variety!)
Here are the looks I’ve been loving on Tokyo’s streets.
I’ve been noticing a trend around Tokyo that has me envious — if only because I’m not sure I could pull it off. As the cooler weather inches in, I’m seeing boots, flat and to the knee with buckle detail (equestrian, very chic) worn with denim knee-length shorts.
Not just any old shorts, but lean, cropped jeans that finish just above the knee. They are a stylish alternative to either the classic capri or full-length jeans, certainly while it’s warmer and you can layer with camis or cotton shirts. It’s also a look which wears well with a tailored cotton jacket or a linen smock-style shirt.
Many jeans labels do a version of this style and, providing you are proportionally neat and lean toward a smaller build, I think this is very cute.
In fact the whole city shorts look is immensely popular; why not try a more tailored pair of linen or woolmix shorts to wear with tights and pumps or platforms? This works for a way more formal look than I would need, but gorgeous with the right boxier jacket and/or tailored shirt.
Here in Tokyo, bags are more like an obsession than an accessory.
Perhaps the handbag obsession stems partly from the style and polish of Japanese packaging. Amazingly, even a humble pastry from the bakery is usually wrapped, sealed and placed in a branded paper bag with ribbon or raffia — so literally everything Tokyo women carry around is chic and beautiful.
If you like bags and enjoy the idea of amassing a huge collection you’d love the selection here in Tokyo.
For more about Tokyo’s purse trends, read on.
Found in my local Tokyo suburb: a Fair Trade Store.
I had heard of this chain of stores but not investigated , so I was pleasantly surprised. The concept is to sell clothing, accessories, toys, ornaments and stationery to the consumer, but also make sure the maker — say, in Sri Lanka — gets a fair price for their work and enjoys decent work conditions.
It’s a great idea, and while the average fashionista isn’t going to get excited on a design level, if you make an effort you’ll find some great treats.
Clothing comes in basic shapes, interesting textures and fabrics; there are also great scarves and knits. I especially like the accessories — gorgeous beaded evening purses for well under a $100, plus earrings, bracelets and bangles.
My local store also had cute baby stuff and hand carved wooden ornaments, which are great gift ideas.
Just a thought to keep in mind if you come across a Fair Trade Store: don’t dismiss it as hippie chic as there are bargains to be had, and benefits that reach far beyond your own purse.
I’m often amazed at how, regardless of trends (which I’m also totally seduced by, if limited by budget and possibly age), there are a few wardrobe items which I find myself being continuously drawn towards.
I think it’s like consistently buying nail polish or lip gloss only to find the colours are always in the same tonal range, if not actually identical — a comfort thing perhaps?
These habitual purchases may be constant but they’re far from boring! They’re the building blocks of a girl’s wardrobe and are definitely worth collecting, alongside temporary fashion trends.
Here are some items I consider to be wardrobe classics.
I’m not really a minimalist in the wardrobe — despite the constant chaos of three young kids I’m okay with a bit of clutter and, fashion-wise, I like texture, color and contrast. Then I discovered Muji!
This Japanese concept store has outlets all over Japan and in France, Germany, Korea, the UK and is opening in New York this fall. They offer wonderfully streamlined basics: everything from furniture to food, makeup, cotton shirts, curtains, belts, stationery, jeans, bikes and china.
Store colors favor black, white, navy and ecru (fancy word for beigey cream) and there is an excellent range of sizing. In-store design is very chic: this is not just cheaper but very stylish with attention to detail even in packaging.
I wouldn’t want to dress entirely in Muji but for basics — trousers, smock tops, storage baskets, lipgloss etc. — Muji is my new favorite find!
And at such reasonable prices, it qualifies as a great bargain find in Tokyo.
That’s all I have to say about Omotesando, the luxe shopping strip found just after the craziness that is Shibuya (you probably know that crossing, supposedly the busiest one in the world!)
Omotesando leans next to Aoyama, another gorgeously posh shopping area and ends up in Harajuku, home of the famed Harajuku girls and their totally over-the-top but perfect fashion style (Gwen Stefani’s label L.A.M.B. is said to find inspiration from these style queens along with countless other designers).
Very high-end labels abound, as do the very chic, or maybe just very cashed-up shopper too. There are plenty of discoveries to be made as well!
I’ve been looking at the many cute dresses being introduced for Spring/Summer in Sydney, and while they ARE very cute, you could get yourself into strife if you don’t wear them right.
So I’ve put together a few rules to consider when wearing those very short 60s-style shifts which might help us all enjoy this trend! Read on to find out how to wear them and still look fabulous…
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