It was a bit difficult for me to start this post because I don't want to disappoint my readers, but the truth needs to come out at some point.
My shopping tally in Japan = 2 t-shirts + 3 lipsticks + 1 eyeliner.
I didn't expect to buy much in terms of clothing and shoes, as my size 12 figure and size 39 feet ruled me out of many stores. And the fashion over there is either too girly or too minimalist for my liking.
The two t-shirts I bought were from the Peanuts collection at Uniqlo. At ¥990 (around $A12.50) they are great bargains.
They also have a Hello Kitty/Kitson collection. I offered to buy a t-shirt for Jen/Mallhaciel but she said she has too many already ;-)
Uniqlo is Japan's answer to GAP with great quality basics that are reasonably priced. I bought a fleece jacket on my first visit 10 years ago and I'm still wearing it. They have stores around Asia as well as the US, UK and France; maybe one day it'll arrive on our shores.
It was raining when I bought the t-shirts so the SA put a transparent cover over the shopping bag to protect it from the rain. A nice touch, but part of me think it's a waste of plastic...
A case in point on the uniqueness in Japanese fashion. There is a chain store called East Boy specialising in "school girl" fashion. That's all they sell at the store!
I was a bit more hopeful on my visit to Burberry Blue, a Japan-only Burberry diffusion line. I bought a few handbags from them in the past, but I wasn't feeling the S/S 12 collection.
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| Burberry Blue bag, ¥37,800 (~$A475) |
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| Longchamp Le Pilage Cuir ($US255) |
Muji is one of my favourite chain stores in Japan. They sell a mix of fashion, homeware, stationery and food in classic, minimalist style.
There was a massive Forever 21 in Shinjuku, I had a quick look inside, felt too old and quickly left...
Two of the lipsticks and the eyeliner I bought were from Kate, a pharmacy line by Japanese cosmetics company Kanebo. The Rogue HG lipsticks (¥1,024, ~$A13) are lovely and very moisturising.
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| Photo: Beauty Gang Shop |
TLP bought me a Shiseido lipstick at the airport as a Mother's Day gift. The Perfect Rogue lipstick was a bit of a splurge at ¥3500 (~$A44) but I thought I couldn't go wrong with buying Japanese brand in Japan. It was a shock to discover that Shiseido puts a big markup on its prices in Japan! The lipstick is only $US25 in the US and $A29 on StrawberryNet! It was a lesson learnt.
Talking about make-up, what a neat idea to sell them at convenient stores (a Shiseido diffusion line no less!). You never know when you need an emergency eyeliner or lipstick.
I think online shopping plays a small part to my small shopping haul. I no longer rely on overseas trip to access international brands, and the vast range of products available online has made me more finicky. The Duke was probably secretly relieved!
Here's a wrap on my posts on the trip. Thanks for reading and commenting. Now I need to book another holiday so I have something to look forward to...