Where to Shop (Tokyo Edition)

The big ‘it’ thing is raving about shopping in Japan and how it’s supreme over anywhere else in this world - from luxury, electronics, pre-owned luxury, and basic thrifting. Why is this? There’s a few reasons: value of the yen at the moment, the quality Japan puts into their products, and how impeccable people are when taking care of their goods.
Bryce and I went secondhand shopping and the quality and how well the items were; you’d assume the items were brand new (not used). When purchasing new items they’re almost always wrapped or boxed for protection. If you love shopping, you’ll definitely need to devote a suitcase (or two).

Below is a list of retailers/stores we highly recommend in Tokyo (I’ll create one for Osaka too)! From video games, fashion, stationary, pre-loved goods, and more! 

Electronics/Video Games:
- Bic Camera is throughout all of Japan and they had everything from Tv’s, laptops, cameras, home appliances, bikes, electronic accessories and more. When we were here Bryce grabbed up this cool switch video game that isn’t sold in the US. 

- Akihabara is known for electronics. This is also a wonderful place to grab up any used video games or electronics too. Shops like Bic Camera, Super Potato, Book-Off and more are located here. You can find new and used.

- Nagano Broadway Mandarake is also a very well known area for finding used and vintage goods along the lines of video games, books, electronics, vintage toys, and vintage home items. When we were there we seen some vintage clothing but there’s another area I recommend for vintage/thrifting fashion.

Fashion:
*Fashion in Japan is amazing but please keep in mind a lot of Japanese retailers have very limited sizing. Citizens/locals are primarily the same heights and around the same weight. There are some plus size stores that you’ll find in large shopping malls which I’ll include. Stores like Uniqlo, Abercrombie, and American Eagle will still have a larger size range too if you cant find your size in some of the boutique shops.

- Shibuya 109 is an ultra popular shopping mall where you can find many trendy Japanese retail boutiques.

- Tokyo Skytree is a shopping area that I really enjoyed. There’s a Pokemon center and Uniqlo here too. My favorite store here was Earth Music and Ecology. 

- Sunshine City Mall is where you’ll find a huge pop culture area including the Pokemon Sweets cafe and Sanrio Cafe. There’s countless shops here including a Toysrus! 

- Ginza is where I seen many luxury retailers at along with a 7 story Abercrombie & Fitch!There’s also a big shopping mall here with the Pokemon Center DX. 

Secondhand Fashion/Thrifting:
Japan has some of the best thrifting. The quality of the items are so incredible and you can find some amazing deals too. Here’s a list of the secondhand shopping districts in Tokyo. The best way to shop here is to take a few hours and just wonder around.
Luxury
-Vintage Q00, Allu and Amore Tokyo (both in Omotesando)
- Gallery Rare (Ginza)
- Brand Collect (harajuku)

Vintage Fashion (non luxury and luxury goods)
- Shimokitazawa
- Koenji
- Kichijoji
- Harajuku
- Book Off Bazaar (luxury and non-luxury goods) in Saitama 

Stationary:
Japan still heavily relies on pen and paper for a lot of their day to day which means you’ll find the best quality stationary goods here! This is my list of Stationary shops to visit but keep in mind there’s so many lovely boutiques that specialize in unique stationary goods. I highly recommend just opening google maps and search for stationary and let the app guide you!
- Daiso
- Don Quixote
- Muji
-Itoya
-Kyukyodo (in Ginza)
- LOFT at Skytree
- Tag Stationary (in Asakusa)

Random Retail/Specialty Shops:
These are random spots that we enjoyed in Tokyo and places we think you will enjoy too.

- Ghibli store in Skytree area or Tokyo Station
- Pokemon Center (these are in all the major locations and I’ll have a blog post devoted just to the different centers)
- Nintendo Store
- Kirby Store at Skytree (next to Kirby Café)
- One Piece Store at Sunshine City (where you can get your Luffy hat!)
- Sylvanian Families at Sunshine City
- Flower Miffy Cafe/Shop at Asakusa (you can build your own bouquets and they have cafe items to enjoy!)
- Miffy Style at Tokyo Station
- Gelato Pique at Skytree or Sunshine City
- Sanrio Store at Asakusa Orange Street (this store even has a popcorn machine!)
- Uniqlo flagship at Ginza
- Muji at Ginza (its like Ikea but Japanese)
-Mega Don Quixote in Shibuya or Asakusa (best place to grab up beauty goods)

 

Be on the look out for my Osaka Shopping post soon!
Also we’ll be back in Japan during the Months of October and November. I’ll create an updated list of shops and new areas we visit. Don’t for get to follow my social pages to see in the moment content of our Autumn trip!

Chloé Woody Sandals Review

Hello Darlings, today is a fun fashion review. Early Spring of this year, I decided to invest in the super popular Chloé Woody Mules in shade White. I’ve seen these shoes on some of the biggest and most glam fashion influencers IG feeds and to be frank - the FOMO was real. I’ve been looking at these shoes for 2 years but the price tag has ALWAYS scared me. For 2021, I wanted to treat myself and the Chloé Woody Mules (or Sandals, I know some will call these Sandals) just felt right. 

I get asked often by fellow fashion lovers how do the shoes feel/fit, how much were they, and would I explain the break-in process…. So, today I’m giving you my full and honest review of these shoes. 

PLEASE read this review before purchasing since this is a costly pair of sandals. 

Details: The Chloé Woody Mules are $375, in 5 color options, and only come in whole sizes. 

Though, called “The Woody” they’re actually made of canvas, rubber, and calfskin (so yes, there is leather on these shoes). 

The website states if you’re in a half size go up to the next whole size IE: if you wear a 7.5 purchase a size 8.

The Chloé Woody Mules are sold in select retailers (chloe.com, Netaporter, Nordstrom, Saks, Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, and any other luxury fine retailer that sells Chloé). 

• I purchased my Chloé Woody Mules at nordstrom.com

My Review:
My shoes shipped quickly from the Nordstrom website. They arrived in their original box with shoe dust-bags. I can tell these have never been worn - though, the box did have a scuff on it. When I first put the shoes on I said to myself, ‘ehh, these are kinda big - why cant these come in half sizes?!’. But I wore them ONLY on carpet because I was unsure if I wanted to keep them. I typically wore them for 5-15 minutes at a time. The longer I wore them, the more I noticed the lack of comfort. I quickly realized if I plan to keep these shoes there will be a time these shoes will hurt my feet.
I remember watching a JosieLDN video on Youtube and she stated it took a whole year for her to break her Chloé Woody Mules in and for the first summer she regretted the purchase but the second summer they felt more comfortable. I will say, she’s right on that comfort level and the ‘regret’ feeling. After wearing them in public for the first time, I regretted purchasing mine for a few weeks as well (but keep reading... Cause though I state I regretted it the first few weeks my opinion might change...).

 

But, I decided to keep them after 1.5 weeks of wearing them exclusively on carpet indoors. The shoes are very classy, stylish, and easy to dress. I honestly feel like it’s a style that wont fade away anytime soon (In fact, Chloé just launched a matching Woody tote bags this year to compliment the shoes - therefore, I feel this shoe is here to stay!)

Did these hurt? 100% YES. It truly was a pain to break these in. There’s no support at all. The sole of these shoes is literally a flat rubber board with some calfskin in the center with a stamped logo. I got blisters where the canvas straps rubbed the top of my foot and the bottom of my feet felt like I was walking on concrete all day. These shoes you DO NOT wear all day (let me repeat... DON’T wear these all day, you’ll regret it!!!). These are the ‘date night shoe’ or the ‘out to brunch’ statement piece. The longest I’ve worn these is 6 hours with a girlfriend shopping in NC. We sat down for 2 hours to eat so I was able to give my feet a break but WOW - these aren’t a ‘wear all day’ mule. 

*** I do want to mention again the lack of support these shoes have because I feel its important for you the possible customer to be aware of this. If you’re someone who needs shoes with a good arch or the ability to add some support DO NOT buy these. 

Are these easy to keep clean? For the most part, yes. I will say, if you plan to fake tan beware - these will stain. Like most white surfaces + fake tan, it’ll rub off onto the canvas. So either no fake baking the tops of your feet or accept your white Mules will be discolored overtime due to tanning.

Styling tips: I will say this shoe IS the statement piece. I typically wear these with simple outfits. Jeans + tee, neutral color dress, bike shorts and a hoodie, etc. I never mix labels (so I don’t wear these with my LV Neo-Noe bag because the labels become too aggressive) I enjoy that ease of being able to wear a super boring outfit but the shoes will ’trend’ it up a bit. 

Final Thoughts:  My final thoughts are the Chloé Woody Mules are a beautiful, classic, and stylish mule that will have a happy spot in my wardrobe for years to come. I love the design and look of the Woody Mules but my personal preference - I only like them in the white color. These mules really take my simple basic outfits to the next level which helps me feel more “put together” on days I choose comfortable clothing over stylish clothing. 

If you’re on the market for a new pair of sandals - I don’t think these are the shoes to get if you want to wear them more than 2x a week  and in longer than 3 hours increments. They’re not practical at all. They’re not comfortable in extended periods of wear time and there’s ZERO support; plus the price tag doesn’t justify the lack of ‘luxury’ textiles. All the Woody mules is is a canvas, rubber, and a small match of calfskin sandal housed in a cardboard box.
If you’re already a Chloé shopper and you want these to elevate your Chloé Collection - I can see getting them as an add on to your Chloé wardrobe. I love the brand Chloé. I’ve owned multiple pieces from the brand. 

But if you’re simply wanting these to fit the “Chloé Aesthetic” or you feel the “FOMO” from the influencers - it might be worth waiting till these are marked down or substitute for a similar style. 

(I’ve seen BCBG made similar dupes to these. I’ve tried them on and those are 10x more comfortable and have the same aesthetic that the Chloé Woody’s bring to the table). 

Thank you for reading my review on the Chloé Woody Mules. If you have any additional questions about the Woody Mules please drop a comment below or hop over to my Instagram page! I check my Instagram multiple times a day and its where you’ll get the quickest reply. 

If you’re not following my social pages please do! 

Below I will link the Chloé Woody Mules that are in stock PLUS some similar options if you’re on the market for this style of shoe - but more practical pricing and comfort is on your radar.
* The links are affiliate links - when clicking an affiliate link and making a purchase I’ll make a small commission at NO additional charge to you. This is how I upkeep my blog financially. 

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2021 Fashion Trends

Hello Darlings! It’s a new year and that always entails new fashion trends. I know many of us adore the opportunity for new trends and some of us feel a bit uneasy. The biggest complaint I see about fashion trends is that trends are simply unnecessary. For me, fashion trends isn't “going out and buying a new wardrobe” - that’s a cost I cant afford! Fashion trends in my opinion is the opportunity to take something new, fun, and different into my current wardrobe to give it a fresh look for a small window in time. 

My tip is to never invest a lot into ‘trend pieces’ because trends tend to live and fizzle out within 12 months to maybe 3 years. For example the bumbag is all the rage currently but I would NEVER drop 1.6k on the Louis Vuitton one because the trend is set to fizz out within the next year or so. The only time I would invest top dollar into a trend is if I plan to incorporate that trend into my permanent wardrobe or that trend is necessary for my permanent style. 

I decided today to round up the Top Trends I see for 2021 as well as mention a couple 2021 Trends I WILL NOT be taking part in. Of course, this is my insight on what I believe the trends are from watching the runway shows, what designers on social media are showcasing, and casually shopping online - but the fashion world can (quite literally) change in an instant!

PS: Don’t forget at the bottom of the page will be a carousel of all the items pictured and mentioned on todays post! 
 

Trend 1: Elevated Loungewear


This trend started around Spring 2020 and its definitely paved its way into 2021 as well due to the uncertainty of the global situation. Many of us are working from home OR spending a lot more of our free time at home due to social distancing - therefore the trend of comfy loungewear has became a staple in everyones wardrobe. The difference of 2020 loungewear and 2021 is the luxury designers have created more elevated looks where you can still be comfy-cozy but have the ensemble more structured or coordinated. So think ‘Planned’ loungewear. This could be pieces made of higher quality goods like cashmere or with beautiful detailing like ruffle ankle hems or pearl buttons. 

Trend 2: The Bralettes


Bralettes have been a staple in most teen and tween wardrobes but the trend of barrettes is showing up in more mature looks for 2021. These are of course thanks to the loungewear boom of 2020 but for this year you’ll see barrettes styled to be acceptable for both lounging or out n’ about. So think a cashmere bralette with a matching duster cardigan. For me personally, I’m not sure I’ll join this fashion trend and once everything gets back to normal - I feel like this trend will quickly die out.

Trend 3: Sweater Vest


All the cool kids are wearing these sweater vest and I’m personally not brave enough to wear them. In 2020 I noticed the more prep-school ivy league sweater vests but for 2021 the sweater vest has evolved to be more whimsical - you’ll find these with unique knitted details or beadwork. I can imagine these would style beautiful with a highwaist A-line skirt. 

Trend 4: Sustainability

This to me shouldn’t be a trend - we should all be doing this all the time. Big designers in 2020 made huge steps in sustainability like up cycling old fabrics to create new styles, bio degradable packaging, recycled coat hangers and more. For us we need to all step up with these fashion designers and start thinking smart for the planet. Luckily there’s countless ways we can. Shop small and local, shop second hand (there’s second hand thrift sites that are incredible + second hand designer websites), and recycle when able and cut out shopping fast fashion.

Trend 5: Monochrome 

Monochrome has made its comeback and it’s a total 90’s vibe that is fun, edgy, and bringing back that nostalgic feeling we all love. From black and white patterns or just wearing simple black pants with a white top. I’m seeing Monochrome everywhere from accessories, clothing, and even home decor. So think - black and white chekerboard handbags, black and white houndstooth pattern blouses, or black and white plaid skirts.   

Trend 6: All Neutral Tones 

Even better is Neutrals are still around and personally, I feel its becoming a classic look that will probably never go out of style. But for 2021 head-to- toe Neutral tone looks are in. This is where you create an entire look (from clothes to accessories) all in similar Neutral colors. Neutrals can range from shades of nude colors, to whites, and even blush pinks.

Trend 7: Historical Shapes


The past few years puff sleeve sweaters and necklines that are echoing a very historical style have been on the scene but for 2021 the dial was turned even more (and I’m all for it!). The 1940’s silhouettes like the ladylike style A-line skirts, button down tops, and elegant trench coats are everywhere. If you need 1940’s inspired clothing ideas look up old Hollywood films!

Also Corset pieces have influenced the runways thanks to the recent tv series we are all streaming. I’m curious to see how many people and brands adopt this unique look. 

Along with Historical Shapes the Volume from shoulders, skirts, and feminine style looks is in. 

For pants the wide leg Trousers and straight leg Trousers are the new jeans.

Capes are also making a comeback but will probably be more of a focal point in Autumn 2021. These will be very whimsical and countryside style. You’ll most likely see this in outerwear and formalwear. If you want to make a bold fall/winter 2021 statement I highly suggest the Cape trend!

Trend 8: Ladylike Twist 

This is a strange but cool trend where you take the pieces that are ultra ladylike (so think that A-line skirt or a soft floral printed dress) and add a twist to it. This can be a leather jacket, combat boots, Chelsea boots, or even twist it up with some bolder accessories.

For Jewelry in 2021 you’ll see a lot more pearls with natural detailing (think oddly shaped natural pearls instead of manufactured perfectly round bleech white pearls) 

You’ll also see heavy chain and metal pieces in neckwear and bracelets. 

Trends in 2021 I’m not following.  

Trend 1: Netting


Netting is everywhere for 2021- this netting isn’t fishnet tights but literally leather shoes with laser netting cut out design or tops and dresses made of a netting style fabric overtop of a slip dress. Its a style I cant envision myself in. * but today I saw one of my favorite IG "secondhand designer resale" pages show a pair of Hermes boots in this design - it was $3k! 

Trend 2: All Over Prints


All Over Prints started making its way last year when many designer made their all over logo handbag patterns onto fashion pieces like tops and jackets. For 2021 you’ll see all over prints in suit sets and in dresses with matching overcoats. 

Trend 3: Platform Flip Flops

Yes, flipflops with a platform heel. Please don’t get on board with this. Flip flops are for the pool or gym showers only. 

Trend 4: Tie Dye


Tie Dye rolled into the scene in 2019 for Coachella and started becoming bigger and bigger in 2020 due to the stay at home/social distancing. Many people found making tie dye as a fun hobby that brought creativity to a boring day. But for me tie dye has become extremely overplayed and is more popular for teen/tweens on ticktock and less for the age 30 and up audience - we should avoid this trend unless we’re attending a Jimmy Buffet beach concert.

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