translate

Showing posts with label 80s fairy kei. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 80s fairy kei. Show all posts

Friday, August 8, 2014

fairy goes to lady gaga concert

Dear fairies,

I'm still catching up on things that have happened! I had college courses over the summer so that really took it out of me.

The second week of July I went to go see Lady Gaga! She is definitely a bit of an idol for me as far as her want to carve out her own unique niche in the fashion world. This was my first Gaga concert. Interestingly enough, the person who took me to go see the show was my stepfather XD He is actually a huge Gaga fan and he was the one who wanted to go see her in the first place.

This particular concert was ArtRave: The ArtPop Ball for her newest album. The overall theme of it was generally a rave as there were "raver" types of things on sale for the show like light up dreads, bows, seashell bras, and glowsticks. At the end of the concert, Gaga even donned an adorable raver costume.


When I knew I was going to this concert I just knew I needed to wear something awesome. Unfortunately, as school got nearer and nearer to finals weeks, I didn't have time to even begin thinking about what to wear. By the time finals were over, however, I went to Australia for a month. I then rested for a couple of weeks as I was seriously exhausted, and before I knew it, the concert was only a day away!

So, in the end, I woke up super late the next day and only had about 5 hours to bleach and touch up the color on my hair, eat lunch, take a shower, get dressed, and put on makeup >.< Crazy enough, I find the outfits I put the least amount of real thought into turn out to be some of the nicest ones. While I was rushing to get going, I quickly chose all of the things to wear, put on only the basics, and bagged all of my accessories so I could put them on when I was on the train. I even didn't have time to think of my makeup. In one hour on the train ride to the concert, I just improvised something and tried to make it look fabulous. After my makeup was done I put on all my remaining accessories. Also, because this was a "ball" I decided to wear long white opera gloves haha


Once we arrived at the center where the concert was being held, there was an amazing bit of diversity amongst ages and walks of life. There were people there like my stepfather who were relatively "normal" folk in their 50s, to those who were dressed in hardly anything but short shorts and some platform heels, to very young girls who were about 7 years old.

The outfits and costumes of those who went all out were also varying from extremely fabulous to extremely questionable. Either way, it was nice to see all of these wonderful people together in one place, completely comfortable towards the fashions that everyone was wearing. Almost all of the people who were dressed to kill had photos taken of them by others in pedestrian fashions. I even had quite a few pictures taken of myself even though my outfit was far from some of the crazy Venus goddess inspired costumes a lot of other people were wearing.







 The atmosphere was great and friendly as it seemed everyone was comfortable with talking with one another. I talked to quite a few people and took some pics with them ^_^ A really awesome addition to this concert was this free photo booth that Lady Gaga's foundation provided at the concert. There, we received a free button and elastic band while we waited in line to have six pictures taken of ourselves that were printed out for us to take home. It was wonderful to have three free small souvenirs to take with me instead of a $40 concert T-shirt.







This particular concert opened up with a K-pop band, Crayon Pop. I had never heard of them since I'm not big on K-pop myself, but they are a cute and cool little girl band. They were wearing pink Polo shirts with white pleated skirts, white leggings, and these white helmets with pink stripes on them. I'm not quite sure what the deal was with the helmets, but who am I to judge what the performers are wearing at a Lady Gaga concert?? I suggest checking these girls out, especially if you're a big K-pop or even J-pop fan.

After Crayon Pop was Lady Starlight. I have never ever heard of her as long as I've been a Gaga fan, but apparently for those who are really into her know who Lady Starlight is. If my conjecture is correct, Lady Starlight is a sort of improv DJ who creates music onstage with a sort of sound/music board thing. I was told by some of the people I was talking to at the concert that she was weirder than Gaga and that one time she just drank a bottle of whiskey while onstage! She has been great friends with Lady Gaga for a long time and the two are both from New York. Her beats were cool and interesting and though I will admit to a bit of boredom after a while and just wanted to get on with Lady Gaga.

Finally Gaga arrived onstage in all of her Gaga glory. All I can say about Lady Gaga is that she has a great stage presence. She is able to create an atmosphere and command an audience very well. Gaga is great at bringing the audience together as she said that everyone in the room were people who were non-judgemental and that we were all advocates of love. The concert, as intended, definitely felt like a huge party. I had no shame in dancing and singing and cheering. I loved the general production design and effects such as confetti cannons. I also thought it was great that the other performers onstage besides Gaga were somehow able to be noticed as well. Everyone on the stage was superbly talented and great to watch and listen to.



One of the things Gaga is most famous for is her personable approach to her fans and audiences and her generosity towards the people she works with onstage. She made a recognition to some of the members in the band playing the music and her dancers were often showcased in front of her in costumes just as wild. At a few points, she talked about her personal life and her views and gave a bit of her own knowledge of what she's learned. One thing I remember her saying is pointing out a man in the audience who had on a hat that said "I love haters" and she said that haters are weak people who try to bring down those who are strong.That rang very true to me and it made me feel better to think about it that way. People who bring you down are trying to bring you down because you are stronger than they are.



Then, near the end, a whole bunch of fans started throwing stuffed animals at her onstage and she then proceeded to pretend to fall to the floor and said something like "death by stuffed animals!" She then found a Hello Kitty plush with a wedding veil on it and she took the veil and put it on her head. Next, she took a note which was attached to the plush and read it out loud to the audience. It was two girls who lived in a small town and said that they have always been different and fans of the "avant-garde" and that they found courage to express themselves in such a place because of Lady Gaga. It was a pretty nice and touching moment and Gaga invited the girls to come meet her backstage after the show. Furthermore, she picked two people out of the crowd to come dance onstage with her that she thought dressed awesome. The particular song they danced with her was a bit odd ("Swine"), but it was cool nonetheless. One of the fans had on a light up silver leotard style suit that lit up and the other was wearing something similar to a Harajuku style with a large bow on her head, overalls, bright colors, lots of accessories, and huge deco platform sneakers. Ironically enough, Gaga asked the girl with the platforms if she could walk in them ok and the girl said yes, but when she took her first steps she actually fell! It was weird though because Gaga either didn't know the girl fell or was ignoring her, which wasn't a good thing, but at least one of the onstage performers helped her up.



All of her costumes on this tour were wonderful and had great variety. My favorites were the one in all white and the raver outfit. She was so elegant looking in the white one with a train and flowing white wig, but very cute in the rave get-up with fuzzy legwarmers and twin ponytail dreads. One very interesting thing she did when she put on the raver costume was that she actually changed onstage! She was stripped by a wardrobe team in nothing but a thong and two tape X's on her nipples and then was put into a clear plastic top, a plastic green and white skirt with a fuzzy blue trim, colorful fuzzy arm and legwarmers, and a multi-colored dreadlock wig. I thought this little stunt was not only revealing, but also provided more intimacy with the audience and sort of showed us that Gaga isn't this magical being who can just turn into whatever crazy costume she wants.










Overall, this concert was great and a wonderful experience. I would definitely tell everyone that they should go to one of her concerts at least once if they like her music. She seems like a really cool person and knows how to entertain and is definitely worth all the money you pay. I will say that it was almost two hours before she even came onstage, but it was great to go talk to people before the show and go to the photo booth. Another nitpick is probably her skimming over her past hits when she performed them. I understand promoting Art Pop, but I would have liked that she picked fewer of her hits to perform fully rather than taking all of her past hits and then performing them as one long medley. Otherwise, I had a great time ^_^




 What I Wore



Fluffy Star Barrette: handmade by me

Pink Tulle Clip: handmade by me

Blue Bead Necklace: Thrift

Retro My Little Pony Dress: Iron Fist

Cream Pengoir: 80s Vintage Thrift

Tutu: Hot Topic

Ruffle Cuff Socks: American Apparel

Custom Shoes: Reebok

Long White Gloves: Offbrand


Purse: 6% DokiDoki


If you've read all of this, congratulations! I hope you enjoyed~



~Sparkling Ga Eul


Friday, April 11, 2014

definitely never too old to express yourself, even more so in fairy kei!

Dear Fairies,

I wanted to share with you all something that the owner of fairy indie brand, Candy Geisha, said to me after I wrote my 7th confession. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to buy one of her kawaii creations before she closed down :-/

She's rockin' the kawaii-ness at her age and is proud of it

Photo Belongs to CandyGeisha

CandyGeishaSAYS:


Hello (*^_^*)
I came across a repost of your confession titled “confession #7: you’re not too old for fairy kei!”

After I finished reading it, I just felt like shouting on top of my lungs “Alleluia!!!!!!!”. You’re a star!!!!

Some cynical and over analytic souls might say that I may be trying to recapture the essence of my childhood, so might even go as far as saying that I may have issues :D And others with less intellectual steam power might simply say that I am plain restarted. Well to all of them I will say: “How long have you been in this mental prison of yours???”.

And why do I say this? Because I am an 80s child. Yes Sir! I was 10 years old in 1983 so I shall leave you to your calculations. Popples, Rainbow Brite, MLP, Care Bears, Punky Brewster, Strawberry Shortcake, Atari video games, Flashy bright colours, high top kicks, cassettes played on my bulky Walkman, Game & Watch portable electronic games, The Never Ending Story, SANRIO’s universe, Hello Kitty, My Melody, Little Twin Stars, animes, Japanese cute culture and so many more iconic elements that never left me!!! 

I went through the 90’s and the millennium  evolving at my pace, experimenting with fashion and visuals, being generaly alternative, playing with mainstream fashion, being my own boss and not caring about others’ judgements. But now that I am closely looking at my fast approaching 40th year on this planet, I feel the need to tell them: “Live!”. I am a fully grown adult with a fully grown up everyday life. Ok, the fact that I always have been in a creative environment may help me to think outside the box when it comes to visuals but still, why putting so many conventions around your appearance when it could be such a fun outlet in this already very stressful world. I love the imagery of the 80s and even if it sends me back closer to my childhood, I am not a child anymore. 

Fairy Kei emulates a lot of what has been part of my early life on this planet, but what the hell!!! It emulates it so well and yet with its own twist that it would be mad not to fall in love with it all over again! Besides, it leaves room for extra creativeness. I do not wish to look or act like 10 years old me. I am just having fun with so many elements that I was and still am fond of. I mix and match and add my woman touch to it. My life experience, abilities to function and maturity have nothing to do with it. So if you are in your 20s and already feeling too old for Fairy Kei, well don’t be! Be your own canvas, your own artist, create, have fun! The way you see the world and grow as an adult should not be affected by the way you look. Who decided that you look silly? You or them? Who decided what is age appropriate or not? Are you really what you wear? Don’t let anybody dictate your fashion sense. As long as you are a functioning adult with good common sense and compassion.

Be you!

And when I die, I want my friends to pimp up my coffin as creepy cute and Kawaii as they can!

Life goes on… 

Friday, March 14, 2014

confession #4: i love fairy kei for its 80s/90s aspect!


Dear fairies,

I <3 the 80s part of fairy kei, and if there wasn’t any 80s inspiration, I’d probably never do fairy kei XD Honestly, what is fairy kei without the 80s aspect??

Ever feel like you were born in the wrong decade? Well I should’ve been born in the 70s so I could live in the 80s! I love the fashion, music, movies, TV shows, cute toy franchises, and pretty much everything 80s pop culture. When it was pick a decade day at school, of course the teachers were telling me I looked like Tony Basil or Cyndi Lauper!

For the longest time throughout my life I’ve been wanting to wear 80s clothing! Finally I found fairy kei which gives me the “excuse” to wear 80s style all I want despite many people having a distaste for 80s fashion >3<

Tights, buttons, legwarmers, large bows, side ponytails, scarves, cute socks, cardigans, suspenders, high tops, fake glasses, cute skirts. 

These are all the things I love to wear which makes fairy kei the perfect style for me!

It wasn’t the girly colors or even the cuteness of fairy kei, but the 80s style which now has me hook line and sinker!


~Sparkling Ga Eul

Saturday, March 1, 2014

confession #2: i don’t follow western fairy kei trends


Dear fairies,



So, for my second confession, I have realized, over the years, that learning about anything is best to go to the place of origin!


Therefore, I think it’s safe to say that the Japanese are the ones with the best inspiration in fairy kei considering that it is a Japanese style. So, my research and inspirations come from all Japanese women and girls, such as Spank! girls and other fairies who are just lovers of the fashion.


One Japanese woman, in particular, is a huge pioneer when it comes to fairy kei ! Her name is Tabuchi Sayuri. If you dont know her, then you should! She is the founder of Spank!. To me, she is the mother fairy, and I look to her whenever I am in a fairy kei outfit predicament (colors, accessories, pieces, hair, etc).

This is a picture of Tabuchi Sayuri surrounded by 80s cuteness ^_^


~Sparkling Ga Eul


Friday, February 7, 2014

confession #1: yes, i'm new to fairy kei


I found fairy kei fashion a few months ago and I was taken in completely by the fashion for its cute 80s/DIY style elements. I may be new to the fairy kei fashion, but I have been a Japanese fashion enthusiast for nearly 7 years now. 

This is my blog on my own thoughts and adventures in fairy kei and Japanese fashion. I’m hoping that anyone reading this will not only enjoy and benefit from my own posts, but will share any thoughts, ideas, experiences, and pictures with me! I think it may be helpful to those who are stuck or unsure in how to go about fairy kei as well!


I am also an aspiring theatre costume designer and Japanese fashion has always been one of my guilty pleasures.


Please feel free to submit a fairy kei related questions, pictures, thoughts, ideas, DIY pages or experiences to me!

Also, I will call all fairy kei girls “fairies” because it’s fitting, so darn cute and I absolutely adore fairies!

Now for my first confession of many to come! 

Yes, I had only been aware of fairy kei for only about four months or so when I began this blog on Tumblr. With that said, I don't claim to have an amazing wardrobe or that I am fairy kei expert. But I have definitely done much research and tried my best to understand fairy kei. So, hopefully this blog will show my own progression and be a help to those new (or even not so new) to fairy kei.

I hope to give my own and ideas on fairy kei through this blog, and while I think I have good points to make, again, I dont claim to be an expert at all! There is still much for me to learn and I want so much for other Japanese fashionistas to see what I have to say and maybe learn from me too!

~Sparkling Ga Eul

Thursday, January 30, 2014

confession #5: i think fairy kei shouldn't have to be expensive

Dear Fairies,

Yes, fairy kei can be and is much more cost effective, practical, and efficient than many other alternative fashions. This is one of the main reasons I love the fashion~ The 80s/90s kitschy aspect of fairy kei makes it easy to get clothing from thrift stores, vintage stores mainstream stores, and DIY.

Although many have tried to make excuses as to why they could never afford a fairy kei wardrobe, I beg to differ. While there are brands and stores that sell fairy-esque clothing and accessories that can get a bit pricey, they are by no means necessary in creating a super kawaii fairy look. This is similar to the “lolita on a budget” argument, except likely less expensive, with a wider scope, with more possibilities, and maybe with less leg work.

Think about a veteran street fashion like punk. Vivenne Westwood may be the most awesome punk clothing, but punk thrives on being a fashion that is solely DIY. My friend, who’s a glamorous punk doesn’t know how to sew but DIYs and thrifts like a beast and she looks amazing all the time. Only when it’s on sale and a must-have item does she splurge on Westwood.

I love shopping for vintage and thrift finds that are inexpensive online and in-store. Also, when I hit up the mall or any other mainstream stores, I always head to the sale racks for any fairy kei-able pieces. I love getting crafty and creative in designing and making my own accessories with inexpensive fabrics and odds and ends. To me, finding more ways to save money actually lends itself to the very kitschy little girl look. I love the fact that fairy kei is quite easy to shop for and doesn’t have to cost over $100 for a single outfit. I have learned to trust in my abilities to create my own look creatively on a budget. Not to mention, fairy kei is also easy to sew things for. A simple skirt or tutu with an elastic waistband or a simple empire or shift style dress could do the trick in many cases with the right fabrics.

Basically, I just love that getting “cheap” makes me think outside the box by look for fairy kei pieces in places like antique shops, flea markets, dollar sections, young girls’ sections, and even my mom’s old clothing! But remember that inexpensive doesn't have to mean lower quality. I always try to find good deals on good quality items. I don't buy inexpensive items that look like they will fall apart anytime soon. It's generally better to find good quality items with a good price than something that is both "cheap" in price and quality.

Because of all the possibilities and wide scope of fairy kei, it makes it easier to find pieces on a budget. Check out this post I put up last for a little list I compiled for “cheap” fairy kei links.

This is a typical fairy kei outfit I might wear on a given day which is comprised of items I bought from several different places. Not including the price of shoes (which are usually the most pricey items I own), this outfit cost a little less than $40 altogether (Including shoes, it comes to about $100). A Japanese brand shirt alone could cost $40 or more!




What I’m Wearing:

White Ribbon Bow w/ Pink Trim: Antique Mall <$1

Ponytail Holder: <$1

Rhinestone Studded Glasses: Claire’s ~$3

80s Pink and White Sparkly Sweater: Thrift Store ~$4

Tutu: Hot Topic ~$14

Tights: Target ~$6

Cuff Socks: Target 4 pairs~ $5

Old Shoes: Asics ~$60 (on sale)

Bow Shoe Toppers: Made by me ~$2

Necklace: Made by me <$1

Scrunchie: Made by me w/ old fabric ~$1

Princess Ribbon: Dollar Store $1

~Sparkling Ga Eul