As we enter the holiday break, I wanted to say thank you all for your continued support these last nine years!
This year presented me with a lot of challenges, but I got a dream job a few months ago, so things in life have improved a lot! I know I’ve posted OOTDs almost exclusively this year so I could concentrate on getting settled into that aforementioned dream job, but next year, I’ll be bringing some more variety of content.
Speaking of next year, please join me celebrating the tenth year of this site! 10 years?! I’m super touched and moved by your continued support, and I thank you with all my heart!
I began this blog to encourage and inspire you to enjoy your style, whether it be nerdy, gothy or sparkly; regardless of size, age or budget restrictions.
I will continue to do so with OOTDs with shopping links, articles with tips and tricks, and inspiration to wear the dress, buy the piece you’ve always wanted to try, take that selfie and express your personality through style.
Because style turns you into a walking, talking work of art and self-expression, and you live your life in it.
I’m happy to say I will be participating in these “Ahsoka” aftershow podcasts all season long! They air live every Wednesday at 7:15 PST, but I will post here after the live is done.
Here are all the links to get you on your way to Japan!
Visit Japan Web– This is a must about a week before you leave. You have to get your COVID vax card, immigration and customs paperwork pre-approved. Take screen shots of the qr codes in case the wifi is slow at the airport when you arrive.
Klook– This is a must visit before you leave as well. You cannot buy tickets to Disneyland and most other places when you arrive. Almost all theme park/museum/themed dining experiences require a reservation. They also require tickets purchased when you are in Japan. So this website does the work for you while you are still at home. We got our Disneyland and Sanrio Puroland tickets through them.
Wifi- First call should be to your cell provider and see if they have an international wifi hotspot deal. I have TMobile and they had a great deal. So, I did not have to mess with purchasing a mobile hotspot or sim card. If you do choose to go that route, This is a website that has good rates: Japan Wireless
Hotel- Have a screenshot of your hotel’s name and address in Japanese on your phone. That way people that don’t speak English can help you find your way. FYI, most people do speak English well, and signage is usually in both Japanese and English, but we did have one cabby that didn’t speak a word of English, so we just showed him the screenshot, and he got us right to our hotel, no problem.
Google Maps- You already have this on your phone most likely, but it will tell you exactly how to get places, what door to enter, what escalator to use, everything. Getting around will not be an issue if you don’t speak Japanese.
Google Translate- For the rare menu or signs in Japanese only. Just point your camera at it, and Google will give you a decent translation. BTW, most restaurants have pictures of the food, so if all else fails, just point 🙂
Tipping- No tipping anywhere in Japan! This feels weird because you will want to thank all the nice people there, but it is not only not customary, but considered a little rude to tip. So, save you money. Speaking of money…
Yen- Rough translation from Yen to USD is put a decimal two spaces from the end. So 2000 Yen would be around 20 bucks. It will actually be closer to 18 bucks, but it will give you an idea how much things cost.
Have a few Yen on you for older restaurants that only take cash. Also, to get your Suica or Pasmo card, you will need Yen, which leads me to….
Suica and Pasmo Cards- These are metro cards that can also be used in convenience stores and in vending machines. The train system can be daunting, so I recommend getting one of these cards and just add Yen as you need to when taking trains. Click here to see a good beginner guide to these cards.
Best places to visit in Tokyo- If you want to take in sights, street fashion, shopping, dining and even shrines, then I recommend Harajuku, Shibuya and Shinjuku. All accessible by metro or cabs.
Quick tip for my usual audience- Plus size clothing is going to be hard to find, unfortunately. But, I do have a brand that I love, Punyus, that has stores in Harajuku and Shinjuku. Click here for their website.
I had the opportunity last month to do the “A Lott of Help” podcast with James Lott, Jr. on I Heart Radio. I’ve attached it here to you can give it a watch/listen.
We had a great conversation about being a nerd during this pandemic, cosplay, bounding and everyday cosplay. We also talked more in depth about the book, “In Plain Sight” and how it can help both beginner and experienced cosplayers build great looks.
I hope that you can give it a watch and find it helpful/inspirational.
I recently got to sit down and do a podcast for “Below the Surface” and an interview for my local Fox station (Fox 11 LA for “Good Day LA”). Here are links to both. Please enjoy and hope you all had a great Halloween!
We have made a big change to the site, in case you haven’t noticed already!
We didn’t come to the decision to change the name lightly, but because it was so long, Benji is being raised pretty well so far and we wanted to change our focus a bit, we decided to make the leap. We really wanted to focus on everyday living as a nerd.
How to integrate your fandoms into your everyday life. Not with just everyday cosplay, which is fun to wear for sure, but also more subtle ways, bounding, dapper looks, pin-up style and the like.
We hope you like the update! Please share your thoughts with us. We love to hear from you!
