Posts with tag hel-looks

I recently stumbled across another website about Japanese street fashion and, out of my outrageously long list of bookmarks with the same topic, I must say this is my favorite so far. It's well organized, frequently updated, and there is a refreshingly low number of Gothic lolita outfits.

Although a lot of these ensembles require an absurd amount of boldness and confidence to carry, anyone can take a note or two and learn about experimental layering. Check out the guy in the upper-right photo. He's wearing a smart black jacket over a thin cardigan over an apron -- that's right, an industrial apron -- over a thin t-shirt. It shouldn't work, but somehow, it does. A lot of the pictures also come with some close-ups of accessories, which range from bizarre wristwatches to home-made bags to creative ear piercings. Seeing sites like this always inspire me to ransack my own wardrobe, mixing and matching in new, exciting ways. It makes me feel like I've spent a load of money buying new clothes when, really, all I've done is take what I already own and put it to a different use.

The whole website is in Japanese, but it's fairly easy to navigate. There are updates every week, so this site will never lose its cool.

If you're more interested in the streets of Helsinki than Tokyo, check out Hel-looks.

One of my favorite style sites to browse is Hel-Looks, which follows the street fashion of Finland's capital, Helsinki. The age range is huge (although mainly between 15 and 25) and the styles are daring and bold. The best way I can explain the style of Helsinki's trendy citizens is that it's a cross between gothic Lolita, Japanese street punk, and college art students. And although some are disturbingly stuck in the 80s, others demonstrate a great ability to fashionably layer and accessorize. Plus, this site has driven me to an obsession with scarves (which is really saying something 'cause I live in Florida).