I'm back! ♪ After another journey to China and then Tibet, and an unexpected wedding ceremony + photoshoot 3 years after our official marriage at the county courthouse, now I'm in the process of doing some paperwork for a new job! Just for my own satisfaction, I think I'll be posting China and/or Tibet photos gradually for a while...
The mister bought the above dress for me in Taiyuan's enormous new mall (gasp! brick and mortar shopping? i know...) at a shop called 指間沙 (Zhǐ jiān shā) where they combine natural materials -- hemp, raw silk etc. -- and bohemian fashion with traditional Chinese clothing styles, which is a combination that works extremely well, and one I haven't seen elsewhere?!
The lady working there had a very lovely sculptural mullet bob as seen above, and was wearing a dress that I ended up buying later! You can browse their stuff on Taobao at http://zjsfs.taobao.com
about a year or two ago, i found myself coveting Free People's packable lace print raincoat (of course, no longer available) which then was selling for a ridiculous $88 USD (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
i kind of forgot about it for a bit, but then...!! imagine my surprise when i was trollin' taobao, as usual, and stumbled upon --
click the image above or click here to take a look
hallelujah! only 90 kuai, less than $14.50 USD! i ordered one, but no word on the quality as of yet. right now, only L size is available, but being an M/L Chinese sizing figured L was best to accommodate whatever crazy layers i'm wearing inside.
dear reader, may the sun gods smile upon thee and keepest thee dry whilst flowers bloom all around (๑´•.̫ • `๑)
Does anyone know who I can credit for this cute illustration?
Hoping to recover from a cold, sipping on some mugi-cha and doing a bit of internets window shopping on break from studying for my exam (´･ω･`) Yes, that's when the magic of these posts happen. When I have something to avoid But here are some cute shops I found that might be worth a look! I've only ordered from Rare Butterfly Tribe before (some stuff from day-night is on the way but I haven't received it yet) so I can't vouch for the quality of the others, but I may try them later so I can add them to the master list!
Mori and natural-kei clothing. Seems to have some stock overlap with Rare Butterfly Tribe below, but has original items as well. I love that tank with the lace choker piece.
Mori and natural-kei clothing. Seems like it might be affiliated with Dearli, with reference to the whole chestnut thing...? Great styling and photos that are fun to look at.
Handmade accessory shop -- jewelry, brooches, pins, hats, purses, and the like, all with a foresty theme. Looks like it'd be great for all your cult party needs also.
inspired by the incredibly aesthetic and inspiring Jenny's blog,
here is a lightning round of mini beauty reviews!
i've tried a bajillion products in the past year and a half or so and was itching to talk about them somehow, but it didn't occur to me to put them in one post. a wave of relief is washing over me!!
(づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ
Etude House Dear My Blooming Eyes #OR201 Coral
I love the girly/sparkly colors and princess motif, but unfortunately this fella showed up to my house somewhat broken -- the inner eye corner 'sparkle panel' broke apart and SPARKLEVISION-dusted all of the other panels. (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ From what I have been able to salvage, the colors are relatively subtle on their own after 1 application, so layering is key if you don't want more than a little bit of shimmer. Cute and great for 'everyday' makeup!
Etude House Eraser Show Line Remover Stick
This 'roll-up' stick contains argan oil and aloe vera leaf extract
and comes in a waxy, chapstick-like form that's good for spot removal if you're like me and screw up your eyeliner constantly (famous black spots on the bridge of the nose, etc.,) For best results sweep it on gently and then finish cleanup with a Q-tip. I've found it's easier to use it on small screw-ups that need a quick fix than overall eye make removal.
Etude House Eraser Show Mascara Cleaner
Yep, #2 in the Eraser Show series! The barrel is full of makeup remover, and the wand is just like a mascara wand that you can jiggle through your lashes to remove those pesky clumps so you don't have to rip out your lashes. I don't have to use this all the time but it's pretty efficient for disintegrating waterproof mascara. I worry a little about the hygiene aspect when returning the wand to the bottle, but I do try to keep it as clean as possible before replacing it.
Etude House Sweet Recipe Baby Choux Base #1 Mint Choux
I was eager to try this version, since they switched the packaging from gross germ pot to tube! I am super pale with pinky undertones and was hoping this base would downplay the inevitable winter redness a bit. Unfortunately, it's a bit too light to have much of an effect other than giving me a slightly ghostly sheen.
Etude House Shini Star Clear Pact - #1 Peach
An OK, peachy pressed powder that's supposed to help with color correction. Doesn't wear for very long, though.
Etude House Tear Drop Liner #1 White Tear
Fine point, shimmery eyeliner for your inner corners for that brightening effect. A bit too shimmery for me, and peels off easily. I think I prefer a white matte pencil to this guy.
Etude House Lash Perm 3 step Volumecara (Brown)
Fun and gimmicky 3-step mascara -- you turn the dial to control the amount of product, coat 1, coat 2, coat 3! I haven't branched out into using brown mascara until recently but I've been enjoying this a lot, it's easy to apply, and definitely gives my eyelashes some oomph.
Holika Holika Aqua Petit jelly BB Cream 40ml #1
IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE ??? No, seriously, the jelly-like consistency is a bit off-putting at first if you're used to pedestrian bb creams, but it's kind of neat at the same time. It's heavier and does have a glossy sheen, and unfortunately is not as matte as I usually prefer. You do have to be careful not to overapply because it will peel off your face in weird rolls if you do, and I've noticed it resists some products like concealers, etc.
Kiss My Face Peaches & Cream Moisturizer
This is too heavy for my face purposes -- I have sensitive/combination skin that doesn't like moisture products -- but it smells AMAZING and just super real best tastiest peachy. Not overpowering, but delicious. I like to grossly slather myself with it when I get out of the shower. Great if you want to smell somewhat edible! Watch out for bees??
Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Mascara (Brown-Black)
Illegal Length... but not a misdemeanor, nor a felony. Advertises '4 mm of measurable extensions ... break every law of lengthening!' the mascara goop itself is kind of fibrous and clumpy looking, but the results are pretty meh in my experience. I have to apply another mascara over one coat and then curl to get the look I usually like. OK for separating lashes because of the fine brush, but other than that, eeeehhhh.
Max Factor 2000 Calorie Dramatic Look Mascara (Black)
Not as dramatic as I hoped, and tends to melt off with just a couple of stray laughter-tears (sad clown!) I guess my lashes need moar calories.
Mommy Makeup Brow Tint (Blonde)
Great, non-clumpy, natural brow tint, and I much prefer this to Etude House's overly orange-y version of similar substance, though I'm clearly not part of the target demographic??
NATURE REPUBLIC By Flower BB cream SPF35PA++ #1 bright BB
A smaller-size bb I got for travel purposes that goes on sheer but gradually mattifies. Very gentle with a soft fragrance, and good for cooler light skin tones.
Olay Wet Cleansing Towelette - Sensitive
The first pre-moistened face clothes that haven't broken me out like a mother, so cause for celebration!! Other supposedly similarly gentle products have all caused weird flare-ups on my face after continued use (Burt's Bees, Say Yes To) Non-scented and very gentle.
Skinfood Platinum Grape Cell Essential Bb Cream Spf45/pa+++ #1
I haven't been able to get ahold of my favorite mushroom bb, so I decided to try this from Skinfood instead. Good coverage, love the extra SPF, but the large cylindrical pump packaging makes it kind of difficult to travel with and the smell is a bit baby-powdery, which I don't like so much.
This goes on under makeup, and you have to pat/smack it on your face. It supposedly helps 'wake up' skin, but I'm starting to wonder if it's the patting that's really facilitating that... the best part is that it's a great base primer for whatever you're going to put on top! Kind of grossly shiny if left to its own devices, so definitely meant to be a base base.
And now for something completely different? Well... not quite?
There are still rabbits involved.
And clothing!
I'm really excited about the release of 牧場物語つながる新天地(Harvest Moon: Connect to a New Land) for 3DS!
It JUST came out on February 27th in Japan, so looks like I'm just
going to have to wait. Harvest Moon: A New Beginning came out in Japan in February
2012 and was released in mid-October of the same year in the U.S., so...
that is a wee bit heartening, at least (ó㉨ò)ﾉ♡
I'm a latecomer to the series, but I love the attention paid to the clothing design of the villagers in recent iterations of HM. Of course, the rustic countryside is the backdrop and farming is always the main theme, but I like how the protagonists and villagers alike are often wearing something more sartorially challenging than the tried-and-true Old MacDonald flannel and denim overalls combination, hahaha -- not that there's anything wrong with that, but I love that there are mori, steampunk, ethnically inspired, and lolita elements present!
I want to be a fashionable farmer too... ((begin escapist fantasy))
Harvest Moon: Connect to a New Land (2014), 3DS Connect to a New Land is the second game in the series where you can customize your main character's look -- eye color, hair color, skin color, etc -- and outfits, but I really love the default design for the female protagonist, "a kindhearted girl who loves animals... and always wears a smile no matter how tough things get."
Harvest Moon: A New Beginning (2012)
ANB is the first game that allowed you to customize your main character's physical characteristics, and you can also make a variety of outfits by collecting materials and taking them to the town tailor, some cuter than others, which is nice, since I don't favor the look of the female protagonist so much, nor her cow-print hat. Her design is definitely reminiscent of the HM DS "For Girl" MC.
Harvest Moon: A Tale of Two Towns (2010)
In ToTT you can choose which village you're going to live in -- the idyllic European themed, animal focused ranching town of Bluebell, or the pan-Asian agriculture focused Konohana. Your outfit changes depending on which you choose, and you can go back and forth between towns if you wish. Depending on the materials you collect, you can even gather a collection of alternative ensembles over the course of the game.
Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar (2008)
A very cute game with a European folky wooden shoes n' windmills "Sound of Music" aesthetic. It's interesting how even the bachelors and bachelorettes -- supposedly all of marriageable age -- look like elementary school kids. Then again, so to the male and female protagonists, both. This was actually my first HM game, where I was awakened to the harsh reality of having my first child within a month of marriage and then heading back to the fields the same day to work D:
But here are some cute shops I found that might be worth a look! I've only ordered from Rare Butterfly Tribe before (some stuff from day-night is on the way but I haven't received it yet) so I can't vouch for the quality of the others, but I may try them later so I can add them to the 
