GOTHLOLI OF THE WEEK #91: JUSTINE. FILM OF WEEK IS MIYAZAKI: HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE. HELLO KITTY NAIL ART & JAPAN CAT GUTS TOY?

† Name: Justine Chantelle Abad aka. “Jaja”
† Age: 20
† Location: Manila, Philippines
† How were you introduced to Gothic Lolita fashion?
I found a book called Fruits in our school library and saw Lolita street snaps there. Noted the word Lolita and researched. It was way back in 2006.
† What do you find appealing about GL style and culture?
I’ve always been a fan of Japanese fashion. Also, I have an odd fascination with world history so seeing a mix of Rococo/Victorian style with Japan’s kawaii style was a hit for me.

† What are your favorite Gothic Lolita clothing brands?
I can’t afford burando. But I love Angelic Pretty and Metamorphose’s products.
† Any other comments (inspiration, tips, favorites)?
Shameless plug! Philippine Gothic and Lolita community: http://lolitaph.lefora.com

Film of the Week #41: Howl’s Moving Castle. Hayao Miyazaki is a superstar. Spirited Away remains my above-and-beyond favorite, but his storytelling shines in Howl’s enchanted, retro-futuristic world. The young heroine is turned into an old hag by a spell, and her “eeeee” reaction in front of the mirror is simply perfect — I laughed so hard! Miyazaki’s quirks are in full form: the little dog with short legs, Howl throwing the most emo of tantrums, Turnip-Head scarecrow hopping about, Markl the little boy putting on a ridiculous bearded costume… a joy to watch. If you’ve seen Howl’s Moving Castle, what are your favorite parts?

Time for another edition of kawaii or ai-yah! I’ll post photos and you tell me what you think. To voice your opinions, just click the comment link on the bottom right of any post; you can post as Guest if you don’t want to create a Disqus account.
Lisa Katayama (who interviewed me for BoingBoing) runs a Japanese pop culture blog, TokyoMango, that is a longtime favorite of mine. (The photos above and below are from her site.) Japanese nail art reaches new heights with Hello Kitty’s face and mini-gumballs. The Sanrio star also graces an iPhone case. Your reaction: kawaii or ai-yah?

Round two: introducing the Japanese Snuggie, a sleeping bag you can walk in. (To facilitate running away from bears? Or Godzilla?) And how about Neko Funjyatta, a plastic toy cat with its guts spilling out? Not surprisingly, I saw it at the David Cronenberg meets Lynch otaku cafe in Koenji. Once again, with more cowbell: kawaii or ai-yah?
If you would like to be the next Gothloli of the Week, please read the submission instructions here. For all your Lolita shopping needs, check out the links to clothing brands on the right column of my blog.
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This entry was posted on Saturday, December 26th, 2009 at 11:13 pm and is filed under Gothloli of the Week. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.






















