http://www.carmenyuen.com/blog/index.php Gothic Lolita photos, Japanese designer information, Gothic & Lolita Bible news and articles. en http://backend.userland.com/rss092

Remember when Momoko (of Kamikaze Girls) realizes that the man examining her embroidered bonnet is none other than the... Creator... HIMSELF? She collapses in a swoon - albeit a calculatingly cute one - which incites her loyal pal Ichigo to head-WHACK the effete designer.


Momoko could recognize her beloved brand in a police line-up. And I'm sure many of you can match a clothing item to its Goth/Lolita/Punk brand in your sleep. But how well do you know the faces behind the labels?


Test your skills with La Carmina's matching game! Can you pair each designer's face to his/her name (in the pink dress above) and brand name (in the background above)? The answers are after the jump.

I wouldn't have recognized most of these designers if they head-butted me in the street! How did you score? ]]> http://www.carmenyuen.com/blog/post/index/229/MATCHING-GAME-JAPANS-GOTH-LOLI-PUNK-DESIGNERS-AND-THEIR-CLOTHING-BRANDS

Kawaii - that distinctly Japanese take on cuteness - burst into my life early on. Every time I made a family trip to Asia, I'd return with a few Kitty-chans in tow. (This photo was taken in 2003, when I had purple hair! ) I went through the Sanrio roster: Keroppi, Pochacco, Chococat... By the time I entered grade school, my motto was "kawaii or bust." I turned my nose at school-issue agendas and pencil cases from Sears (these were the days before Staples). My stationery, my toys, my clothes - everything had to have a Sanrio character on it.


Alas, decora is only kosher in Japan. By 1996, I'd moved on to Goth/alternative wear - but the vestiges remained and eventually harmonized into Gothic Lolita. It's a fashion, it's refined, and yet still carries a heavy dose of kawaii (think Hangry & Angry or Metamorphose's bunny and bear mascots).

A perfect example is this "Nya" black cat cell charm and fuzzy pouch by Ne-Net, a whimsical Japanese designer that presented at the last Tokyo Fashion Week. Look at the design and quality; nobody would mistake this for kid's stuff.


Now check out Body Line's rabbit rucksacks, which are sold by

All of us could use some Sex Pot Revenge... especially when it's modelled by Japanese punk boys! (Ok, some of them are girls... some of them are in between...)


SEX POT ReVeNGE... is a wild punk clothing brand based out of Harajuku. Stripes, plaid, rips, tears and the like are all recurring themes.


SEX POT ReVeNGE... frequently appears in KERA magazine and collaborates with Visual Kei/J-rock bands - including Antic Cafe, Phantasmagoria, Vidoll, and 12012.


SEX POT ReVeNGE... is available worldwide from online retailer CD Japan! You can purchase some of the cutsew tops, tanks, and bottoms pictured.


Or you can be crafty and slash up your own shirts. Try cutting holes, dripping paint, adding safety pins, and sewing on zippers and chai ..]]> http://www.carmenyuen.com/blog/post/index/227/SEX-POT-REVENGE-HARAJUKU-JAPAN-MALE-PUNK-FASHION-PHOTOS
† Name/URL: Laia (aka. Kanna)
† Age: 19
† Location: Barcelona, Spain.
† How were you introduced to Gothic Lolita fashion?
Looking for pic of MOON-kana- I found some Lolita pics and I fell in love with it. One year later I bought my first Lolita dress.
† What do you find appealing about GL style and culture?
I like to have my own style, not to be as everybody. And with Lolita fashion I can express my feelings better. Also, I've always loved 18th century fashion.
† What are your favorite GL clothing brands?
Baby the Stars Shine Bright, Angelic Pretty, Mary Magdalene, Metamorphose temps de fille.
† Any other comments?
Be yourself. Don't care about if other people criticize your style. They cannot understand it.

If you would like to be the next Gothloli of the Week, please read the submission instructions here. ]]> http://www.carmenyuen.com/blog/post/index/226/GOTHLOLI-OF-THE-WEEK-30-LAIA
File this under awwwww. Three little girls - or are they living Gothic Lolita dolls? - hanging out with elder Goth Aristocrats on Jingubashi (Meiji Jingu Shrine) Bridge in Harajuku! Heart the oversized hair bows and black rose eyepatch.

Wednesday Addams and Emily the Strange may be loners, but our Tokyo Goth Loli children are surrounded by equally stylish playmates. The little girl (in the middle) could win anyone over with her smile. Her Wa Lolita dress reminds me of the Lacrima ones I wrote about.

Well aren't you a cute widdle snotface? I'm amazed by the level of detail in the little punk's outfit; note the locket choker and Union Jack on his scuffed boots. (Coming up: I'll do a feature on Japanese punk boys.)

A Japanese Gothic Lolita version of the Addams Family. What do you think - would you dress up your kids to match your aesthetic? You know I've already put Basil in a bonnet...
..]]> http://www.carmenyuen.com/blog/post/index/225/CUTE-GOTHIC-LOLITA-AND-PUNK-CHILDREN-ON-JINGUBASHI-BRIDGE-IN-HARAJUKU
Holy moly. This men's sweater from Black Peace Now is an deconstructed Goth eye-catcher - but it costs 12390 yen ($120) and isn't available from MaruiOne.jp (the only site that ships BPN overseas).

If that is so... then how am I modelling this very item? Easy: I made one of my own from a school-marmy black turtleneck!

I cut off the turtleneck and split the shirt asymmetrically down the front (pinning the collar with a World Wildlife Fund panda pin). I pinched the fabric together and cut out semi-circles for holes of varying sizes. The grey striped shirt and skewed skirt with a silver chain have been sitting in my closet for years.

This is what my old clothes looked like before I pounced on them with scissors! The pants and white Nordica ski shirt were featured in the Punk/Visual Kei DIY project. The black sweaters (on the bottom row) became
I've been corresponding with Patrick Macias, who has an awesome J-pop culture blog and is co-author of Japanese Schoolgirl Inferno. (I reviewed the book last year; it's a colorful breakdown of the various Harajuku fashion tribes, including Lolita.) Patrick also oversees and contributes to MaruiOne's LiveJ site, home to Kera's street snaps of stylish Tokyo youths.

If you're lucky enough to be in Los Angeles next week, you could soon spot yourself amidst these style mavens! Patrick gave me the head's up: MaruiOne.jp and Kera Magazine are hosting a "Street Snap" event at the 2008 Anime Expo (AX). In addition to selling Gothic/Lolita/Punk clothing, photographers will be shooting stylish attendees. The best photos will appear on MaruiOne's LiveJ and in an upcoming issue of Kera.

The "Marui bunch" (as Patrick puts it) will be manning a booth throughout the entire Anime Expo, but the Kera Snap sessions will only be held on:

† July 3: 3-5 PM
† July 4: 2-3PM, 4-5PM
† July 5: 2-3PM, 4-5PM

So put on your best bonnet, and don't miss your chance to be on the ..]]> http://www.carmenyuen.com/blog/post/index/223/MARUIONEJP--KERA-MAGAZINE-TO-HOST-STREET-SNAP-SESSIONS-AT-LA-ANIME-EXPO
I've got a bone to pick. This Anarchy torn skull shirt (above) is punk-cute beyond words, but it has two major shortcomings. h.NAOTO's online English store lists the tee at $123 and stamps it with the scarlet letters: SOLD OUT.

Remember that ditty: "the head bone's connected to the... shoulder bone"? Surely I remember enough from AP Biology to make a DIY version!

You'll recall that I've embarked on a major spring cleaning. I found a ratty long-sleeve black sweater that was a cast-off from my older cousin. As with my Punk Loli project, I cut off the sleeves and made two rows of giant holes down the front. Appropriately, I slipped my "ribcage" over a Roca t-shirt that announces "I Will Not Lose." (I picked up the shirt for free at the Magic tradeshow in Vegas.)

I bloodied the outfit with unmatched red and white striped socks, and Lolita-fied it with a Betsey Johnson vintage skirt ($10) puffed out by a petticoat. The miniature hat with lace and ribbon tendrils is by
I did a massive spring cleaning and fought the urge to bury my head in the sand when I came across some of my old clothes. Three words: Club Monaco sweatshirt. Or how about six: pastel blue Old Navy tank top. These 90s fiascos are on the way to the Salvation Army - but before yelling sayonara, I had to heed the call of two irresistable words: "Fashion Challenge." With only a pair of scissors, could I turn my lame clothes into something worthy of Kera Magazine?

I immediately recalled a ripped-up Mar Jour t-shirt (above) that I saw on Refuse to be Usual (the eBay store that sells Gothic Lolita/Punk/Visual Kei wear). The cutsew looks like it's falling to pieces - and it's listed at a whopping $100. The Punk Lolita response? DIY!

I started with a white, longsleeve Nordic turtleneck that I wore to ski lessons years ago. I chopped off the neck and the sleeves at the elbow, and giant horizontal chunks out of the sleeves and front. I slipped the Swiss cheese remnents over a black/red/white Sex Pistols t-shirt, securing it with safety pins over Johnny Rotten's eyes.

La Carmina - both the blog and the Goth chick - have come a long way since stuttering onto the web last September. Posting has increased to near daily, page views and media mentions have risen... and we're not about to take two Valium and curl up for a nap. No siree-bob. The syringe is loaded with amphetamines, and the site is getting a shot in the arm.

First: the photos are about to triple in quality. I am now the lucky owner of a Sony DSLR-a700 professional digital camera with Minolta auto-focus lenses. Expect more original photography and how-to style shoots... starting tomorrow!

Second: I'll introduce more website features and interaction. Thanks for the fantastic response to my goofy Cooking Cute video. If you have suggestions for the blog, do let me know.

Finally: I have several exciting projects in fruition... stay tuned and I'll announce them shortly. Hint: 'tis to do with fashion and writing, and possibly travel.

Until then, please add me on my social networking sites:
YouTube (lacarmina) † Twitter (lacarmina) † Facebook group † MySpace (la_carmina)
and subscribe to my mailing list and