short the Gazette live in Dortmund report, outfit & HD pics of nails

Here I am again and I have a short live report before I go on with my last Tokyo spam!
I was stupidly worried about the live itself because I had an awful experience at my first live of them here in Cologne in 2007. And I am pretty sure the Gazette were feeling the same because not only that 90% of the fandom is crazy and rude but a lot of technical things with the sound and all went wrong. I hardly remember anything of it but let us not talk about it.

I had VIP ticket number 1 omg. Never in my life have I had ticket number 1.

pays off to not sleep for 18 hours after my all-night birthday party to order the tickets hah

The happier I was when I - two days before the concert! - found someone who would give me a ride from a major station pretty close to my parents place (which is closer to Dortmund than my place in Bonn) if I pay her a bit for the gas. Of course I was totally okay with that and I am really happy that it worked out and when I met her I felt like she is a really nice person and we had a great ride! I also drank vodka on the way there and as we were standing at the hall. Unfortunately I had to pee when we arrived and I thought damn. Cause there was nothing around to go to so I just well, went to pee in the bushes. I am not sure if it was the alcohol or not (just drank one of those tiny bottles) but I actually enjoyed that kind of 'natural' experience. I am also glad I was able to ignore all annoying people in front and inside of the hall, for the most part haha.

I left my things in the car and did not bother buying goods (it is mostly just the same old and then some uncool EU goods in my opinion) so that I ended up somewhere in the 3rd row which was quite okay for VIP tickets. The hall was WIDE and not like that stupid Cologne hall at all. The sound and the lights were great! The doors for VIPs opened at 17:30 and it was supposed to begin at 20:00, and it surprisingly did.

Once they came out, everyone went crazy. And once they started playing the first song, I thought I would die from the heat and I could not even just stand there, everyone moved so randomly and violently and in the end I got pushed back somewhere by the second song. Which was okay. I was always somewhere between the 3rd and 6th row I suppose but with everyone moving so much and so randomly, I had troubles just holding my dress up (it slipped down once) and keeping my sweat from running into my eyes.

My friend was getting a lot of hits and did not feel well so she went back but I really did not want to loose my position there and when I sometimes got closer to the 3rd~4th row, I was really happy because I felt like I could make eye contact with the members (mostly Uruha and Ruki) a few times.  And I swear, this was my first time to make eye-contact with them, after like 6 years of trying.

What was most stunning for me is that Ruki's make-up was becoming a bit imperfect as he sang, it was forming a little crease around the corner of his mouth which I personally found adorable!

There were all looking really great and perfect in their own way though. After all we were standing as close as many hardcore fans never get, in the beginning the band was just 3 meters away from us (!!) so we could see their eyes and make-up and strands of hair moving gently (apart from Ruki's hair, that was just SOLID) and not just figures and shadows of them.

Most of the songs were upbeat, apart from Untitled. I suppose the reason why they play less quiet songs is because of the damn crazy crowd and it not knowing how to move during the quiet songs. Just don't move at all, damnit. The songs played were Vortex, Filth in the Beauty, Shiver and some other songs from the TOXIC album. 

This time I don't remember everything very well because I was so focused on staring at them! And I was trying to look decent because I had the impression they were sort of looking back but hell, that was hard with the sweat running over my face. I am glad I did not go in the first row, though I wanted to first, but they would have thought: Wow, what is with her? Did she cry? And no, my sweat was just getting so close to my eye make-up and that made it look like I had shed a tear haha.

There was one encore and Ruki got his make-up fixed during the break but he did not have time to put the tour shirt on obviously haha. The last song was Linda and the encore entry song was some sort of upbeat song... don't remember but I think it was the same 'pattern' as on the 10th anniversary live. After those 3 encore songs they already said good-bye and it was really short and emotionless but I felt like they felt a lot of things when they left. Or maybe it was because I was suddenly feeling a lot of things.

I was worried that the lives takes 2 hours or longer but with that one break inbetween it was only 1 hour and 40 minutes. I went out and my clothes were covered in sweat completely, I did not even feel how cold it was outside first. As I found my friend outside and we went to the parking lot, we saw the huge background (?) they used before the live outside lying/hanging. I should have taken it with me but I am too nice (◡‿◡✿)

Then my friend got so annoyed by people standing in the way that she almost knocked over people but I was somehow pleased by that thought haha. Also by then I pulled out my ticket that I had pushed inside of the cleavage of my dress and noticed it was totally soaked in sweat and partly had tears but that was okay. After all that all proves to be a great experience.

And now, finally, outfit and hair before I headed out. Nothing too special but hey, that was all I could do. Somehow I am a bit bothered by how my bangs turned out but if you look at me as a whole package, it still looks good haha.

And a HD close shot of my nails that I put on while in the train to meet my friend. I bought these in Japan two years ago but the thumb nails never stick to my nails properly so I rarely wear them. Some little part already feel off from one nail but look at how sparking they still are!

That is all! Now I will brush out the last bits of hair spray and my sore body will get more rest~

style change 2008~2013

Hello and happy Pentecost (=Pfingsten, right?) everyone!

Are you enjoying your time off if you have some of that?

As for me, I think I am getting sick again (sudden throatache), try to not overeat while at my parents place and am about to write my term paper which I first of all have to start. Argh. Starting is the hardest part, right?! I have a rather good topic but I have to get myself to read and analyze now.

So during that kind of lazy phase, of course I think of blogging again! haha

Lately I have been overthinking my craze for tutuHA & fernopaa. Even though I do like these brands a lot, I don't really wear them that much on a daily base in Germany. And even in Japan, I think it will be hard for me to wear that on a daily base if I have lessons with my students because they might be a bit freaked out and it won't really look like I am a 'serious' teacher (though there is casual ways to coordinate of course).

And then lately I have been thinking how I've always changed between a more goregous & d.i.a.-ish style to a more rock-ish style with tutuHA, Ghost of Harlem etc. So I thought I could list my whole style change and at the same time ask myself when I felt most comfortable with my fashion and what I would feel comfortable now with. Let's start~

2008 - 2010

Shock! Yes, I used to wear Lolita fashion! There was not many things/prints I liked though... I liked the simple sweet and the romantic kind (Angelic Pretty~) but I quite hated Baby the Stars shine Bright and pretty much any other brand apart from Angelic Pretty and Metamorphose. I was never wearing Lolita as a daily fashion but had some Lolita inspired items (mostly black and white). I sold most of my dresses and items during the end of 2009 before going to Japan.

My hair changed from brown to caramel blonde in 2008! I also got into vk-ish inspired fashion (technically already since 2006) for the most part and cosplay but cosplay was not for too long. For my graduation in 2009 (last pic) I did a proper gyaru attempt with make-up (+lashes) & hair.

Old picture from 2009! It's weird but during that time I put a lot of effort and most of all time and money in my make-up and hair and looks in general. Nowadays people (especially my family) always complain that I take too much time to get ready (50 minutes ~ 1 hour for a good result).
I am very annoyed of that kind of constant nagging and the comments I get in Germany so these days I decide to tone down to very casual style (not what I would wear in Tokyo). It's not much different from the picture but I do think it's more rushed and the coordinates are rarely something I feel 100% good with.

2010 - 2011
 

 

The first two pictures were taken during the time I really liked Lip Service and all pictures in that first row feature Lip Service items. You can tell that Lip Service had a different brand concept than that I was really fond of. From September on though, I started to slowly to from a more basic, classy (?) style towards a more rock-ish style again.

So from September until the end of the year (second row), I mostly wore rocki-ish and vk inspired clothing and tried to adapt my style to that though sometimes I still wore something more feminine on occasion or even tried to combine both. It was also then when I dyed my hair grey. It would fade to a brown-ish grey sometimes and depending on the light (1st pic, second row) but generally I was really fond of that colour. My friend once said I looked like a vk chick with that hair and style. Made my year ❤

2011 - 2012

The beginning of 2011 was probably my highlight of rock & vk-inspired style! Now I don't have my tongue piercing anymore by the way haha. I did enjoy that style a lot and recently I really want to go back to that kind of style! But it also takes a lot of effort and the right fashion. Sometimes simple is better than too much though, if it's about clothes.

In the second half of 2011 I have already toned everything down and I really enjoyed reading the Betty magazine during that time. so I liked to curl my hair. It was one phase where I bought a lot of different brands and got fond of Ghost of Harlem, REAL MA*RS, tutuHA. I also wore Gilfy and some other different brands I usually don't wear. Guess I was trying myself out and combining a lot of clothes differently. During that time I felt less rokku/vk but more girly with a hint of rokku only.

2012 - 2013

 

In 2012 I was first of all mostly sticking to d.i.a. and bought quite a lot of things from them. I was also very open for the brand Garula though but I realized that their pants run really small haha. Generally I got away from MA*RS from here and Ghost of Harlem was not pleasing me as much as before either, even though I still like my old things from them, the things those brands lately produce just aren't my cup of tea. I bought something from fernopaa the first time.

In the second half of 2012 I was still wearing d.i.a. a lot but got slowly more into fernopaa and then again into tutuHA. I didn't like many things from the tutuHA collection anymore though, and with fernopaa I was always unsure with how to combine it. I am not even sure towards which style I was heading there. Since the tutuHA shop staff said the white tutuHA skirt is more of a 'kawaii' like style, I'd almost say I was heading towards kawaii rokku fashion oh my god that sounds terrible D: ?

I also realize that I slowly start to open up towards skirts again. But a plain skirt really doesn't do me.

Right now I am not really into any strict style on a daily basis because as I mentioned earlier, I don't really want to have people staring at me in public and talking to me (believe it or not, it happens even with a toned down style). In Tokyo I feel like I am accepted when I am dressed up like that, maybe even appreciated by some people or maybe even a few others look up to me and that is what I really like. Yet no one makes rude comments or thinks I am promiscuous because of the way I dress... at least they don't show it like that! haha

Yeah, it does always take some time for me to get adapted back to the Tokyo life style, to put effort in my make-up and clothes everyday but it is also fun when there is people who can appreciate it and have a taste in that kind of fashion.

When I come back to Germany, to be honest, I still have that reverse culture shock everytime. I basically live with it! haha That's why I'd rather be plain and ignored in daily life (unless there's a nice event or I really just feel like dressing up or anything).

So for now I am wondering what I will go next for. I slowly feel too old for this kind of fashion but I don't really like the adult brands with their floral designs and their straight plain skirts and pastel colours and ugh. And I don't want to be kawaii, not with 23 anyway D:

 

What style looks does or would look best on me, what do you think? 

And what about you, what fashion do you currently feel most comfortable with?

more tutuHA love & about their webshops

Well now, how did April pass so fast? 

Feels like the semester is going to end soon again and exams are creeping up...

(I can't believe I already had this blog for 2 years by the way!)

Anyway, I wanted to post about tutuHA again since some time, I also saw ageha model Makoto Minami's blog update about modelling for them (for 'Gravil' she says) and I have received a shirt from tutuHA that I wanted for quite a while so I thought now is the time haha.

 This is the shirt I received, and I've looked for it a long time in this colour!

It's used but still rather in a good condition. Hope I will get the chance to wear it soon (need a suitng bra haha) ☆

When googling around randomly for pictures, I also found out they have a webstore now?!!! My god, things are changing! I just bought my cross necklace at popteen shop, thinking this one is the only one that sells some limited tutuHA clothing but now? And so, the brand seems to be called just Gravil now.
(It might be that the designers for Gravil, tutuHA & fernopaa all fall under the same category?)

'tutuHA' is still written on some tags it seems, but tags are changing, changing and changing all the time! It becomes harder to tell what is real brand clothing and what is not.

My beloved Makotosan (who I frequently exchange peta with on ameba ♥)

I love this style, I want all of the clothing Makoto models for here (and not just because it's her haha)!

The bold style - monotone and not too crazy, it's totally, 100% what I am into right now! But am somewhat unsure of wearing on a daily basis because I'm still in the middle of my style change and still feel so well with d.i.a. clothing TT

I'm sad that they don't have the silver top now because my silver tutuHA top is ruined (!) since I washed it with warm water (about earlier decay process here).
I really wish they'd upgrade their quality for the price they are asking!

More of a casual shop staff coordinate - more grown-up, yet so strong! ♥

Ex-Betty and now Ageha model Kana is also modelling for this brand it seems, while she is spotted every now and then at fernopaa, buying there~ But since I don't like her, I won't post about her.

What do you all think of how the brand is changing? Is there still people who like Gravil/tutuHA?

As much as I have gotten the impression that more shops opened and it was getting more popular, at the same time I got the impression there is a lot of people who have fallen out of love with it and most people are rather into brands like d.i.a. or Ma*rs.

Girls, who was and is still into the brand, who just got into them recently?

What kind of clothing from their brand do you like best and how do you combine it? 

Once more, I would love to hear everyone's opinions ☆

about gets, anime fashion & loveil silky beige

Another update this month~

Hello everyone! I'm glad my number of followers is increasing and always happy to follow some of you guys back, I especially enjoy it if we can talk through comments and get to know each other. So as always, thank you very much and please never hesitate to contace me ❤
The past weeks I have been both, lucky and unlucky so my mood was always between 'kind of down' and 'randomly happy for no reason that I recall'. I have been lucky with some of my gets, although I got the Skin79 Diamond absolute total BB cream that is just way too dark for me. I also always thought that because I am not asian I have a skin with pink undertones but even Missha #13 is kind of too red for me, so I assume I should go for make-up suited for skin with yellow undertones. That looks way more normal on me, I think. (Ah, if anyone wants that BB cream, feel free to write me about it. I'll let it go for a few Euro)

Other than that, I received my tutuHA cross necklace I ordered some time ago
(now I am craving for the fernopaa one though because it's longer, bigger and more badass!)

I deceided to go for black even though I am wearing a lot of black, I also wear a lot of white and want to create a nice contrast~ But then why, all of a sudden did I buy this? I often had the chance when I was traveling to Japan but somehow it just became interesting to me now... and that is because...

Yes. No. Yes, pretty much, I am just a fangirl after all (TT) 

I really just bought it cause I liked the chain so much. I always liked Yu-Gi-Oh when I was younger and recently watched some old episodes in Japanese (that kind of weren't as cool as I remember them from my childhood days though). But after that I gave the 2nd movie a try and then I watched Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's which (after the initial few episodes) became extremely addicting. And then I wondered... isn't gyaru fashion extremely connected to anime fashion? I started thinking that I probably always wanted to wear this kind of clothes because they look anime-like and somewhere deep within I wanted to be like the people I admired during my childhood.

Look at the pictures above. They style is kind of similar, isn't it?

Is that maybe where gyaru fashion got a lot of inspiration from? If I look at brands like tutuHA, fernopaa & d.i.a. I can easily see that those designs show fashion like the one in Yu-Gi-Oh, other animes might be connected to different brands.

Mai Valentine (Yu-Gi-Oh): blonde curls, drives a car first. rides a bike later (connection to bosozoku culture?)

More than that, looking at Mai Valentine I realize why I am craving long blonde hair, hot pants, OTK boots and chokers! I was never fond of her but lately I realized that the person I became is pretty much like her, not only on the outside. She is taller than most guys in the show and strives to become smarter and stronger than anyone else and most important than all the guys (strong feministic aura, unlike in many other anime) while she often feels lost and overwhelmed. Indeed I think in Yu-Gi-Oh and Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's there are women, especially blonde ones, who are typically strong women - even their Japanese voices are rather deep and they show a lot of self-confidence.

Sherry LeBlanc (Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's): blonde biker, never showing as much skin, also taller than most guys in 5D's

Thinking about that, I really start to realize that especially blonde hair gives off a very feministic feeling, at least in anime & manga culture. 

Let me tell you though, in real life in Japan feminism is more twisted and blonde hair isn't always a sign for someone with a strong sense of feminism, actually almost never. It's more of a promiscuous behaviour thing only (remember a certain section in the egg magazine? yeah) and most Japanese women seem to be misunderstanding feminism. I wish there was more blonde girls like in these animes.

Enough of that though! I have already written about feminism in Japan in one of my term papers and will most likely write a bit about it in a future paper too, so I will save my breath. Here I actually wanted to talk about how close anime fashion is to gyaru fashion and only give my readers a bit of an intellectual approach to feminism in anime compared to feminism in real life.

So, I am sure a lot of us girls who like gyaru fashion also like(d) some or one certain anime in their childhood or still do - and if you think about the fashion in that anime, isn't that probably why we crave all the clothing? Maybe that is our generation, the anime generation, the gyaru generation, the one that created a new fashion that slowly graduated from cosplay and other subcultures to a casual gyaru wear.

This entry is getting long! I wanted to post about way more things but this will do for now. At last I want to present a few pictures of myself because I for once dolled up & wore lenses again. Compared to my iPod, my Sony Ericsson phone still takes the prettiest pictures and makes my features look so soft & nice ❤ (My beloved flip phone that I prefer to any smartphone! I even found out I can use it as a remote for my notebook!! Never getting up to press 'play' or 'pause' again while watching 5D's~)

And again, blurred photos alwasy turn out to be the best... or is it that I like them because they are blurred?

I was wearing my loveil silky beige (by Koda Kumi produced) lenses for the first time here! Unfortunately they weren't as comfortable as I expected them to be. I wanted to wash one of them with my Opti free pure moist contact lens solution that helped me a lot with other daily disposable lenses but putting a few drops of that solution on a silky beige lens made it unwearable ヽ(`Д´)ノ 

What the hell though! My eye kept watering when I tried to put the lens in that I had cleaned with the Opti free solution ... which I don't understand because I know they sell the same brand of contact lens solution in Japan too! I cleaned it several times, with breaks inbetween for my eye to rest, but it kept giving me the feeling as if there was something stuck between my eye and the lens. So I took a new lens and didn't clean it with that solution and it was okay.
Surprisingly I also read a new review about these in Japanese were someone described the same feeling I had with the lens that I tried to clean. I suppose they are not the best lenses.

However... even the two not damaged lenses were not exteremely comfortable. Somehow, while I am in Japan contact lenses are always way easier to wear for me. Here my eyes dry out rather quickly.

Comfort ★★★☆

Colour ★★★★

Overall ★★★☆

They are pretty nice but I wish they were a bit more comfortable. I still can't get over how they reacted with the cleaning solution. I will try these more in the future and see how good they really are.