A New Look to Japonica

Today's post is just going to be a quick one, as I wanted to just share how much I am liking the new Japonica auction order form. It is now even easier to use this shopping service.

Whereas before you had to copy and paste the order form in to an email and then provide a lot more information, the new order form is a lot more straight-forward. You no longer have to copy the seller name and the auction name. All you have to do is copy the url in to the form, put in your price and then click the options you want. It is really nicely laid out and I found Japonica a lot more pleasant to use because of it. I thoroughly approve and I will be recommending Japonica more from now on!

And for those of you who are curious about what I was bidding on... I was feeding my thirst for all things Angelic Pretty and pink. I got a Glass Doll cutsew, which was listed for super cheap because it had the most tiny make up stain on it (which I managed to wash out). I also got a pair of Dream Sky tights and a Misty Sky ring, which was also cheap because the seller had to reattach the silver frame around the edge of the cloud. Seeing as I was ordering anyway, I also got Japonica to order from Angelic Pretty for me, as I wanted the Shadow Dream Carnival tights. I was a bit surprised that AP re-released that series, but it did mean I got the chance to delete another photo from my Facebook wishlist album! I don't often share my auction purchases on here any more as I never know whether people are interested in seeing my hauls or not. Do let me know if this is something that interests you!

Finally! Meta update their website!

I was talking with my husband recently about Metamorphose's international website and how annoying it can be (he works in I.T so we have these conversations a lot). The navigation is dreadful and we were laughing at how the website had not been changed for many years- apparently since 2004. I wasn't in to lolita then so I don't know how true that is. But if ever there was a brand website that needed changing, Meta would definitely take the prize.

So this morning I go on Meta's international website and I am greeted by this-

Yes, it would appear Meta have FINALLY changed their website! But is it any better? Yes, it is. It has all the categories the old international website had such as Go! Go! Lolita-chan running along the top, so they are very easy to get to. Upcoming reservations also have their own button, so they are quicker to find than they were before.

In addition to this, you can also access the shop quicker. The picture above is part of the left side menu. It makes it easier to find a specific series, but you can also choose a lolita style and a price range. Also included in this menu are the shop categories (such as dresses, accessories, etc) and their Japanese shop locations which open up a map if you click on a specific shop.

Meta also appear to be copying AP by having these buttons to find a series easier.

So I decided to try and see how easy the shop is to use by clicking a link to the dresses on the left menu.

Immediately, the dresses section opened up in a new tab. Because I clicked on the specific dress tag, only the dresses showed up. On the left I saw options for dress colour and price. But what if I now wanted to browse a different category?

I didn't initially see it, but at the top, there is a bit that says about 'selected tags'. It was set out like this-

Keyword：  -   (Reset)

Selected tags : English（Reset） > Dresses（Reset）

So if I wanted to browse something different, I would have to click the reset button after where it says dresses. By doing that, it took me to the shop home and I was able to see every item again, not just the dresses. Whenever you click on an item, it will open in a new tab.

Keeping track of all these tabs opening up might be a pain but the new Meta website is definitely easier to use when compared to the old website. The website content is displayed a lot better and you can find what you are looking for quicker. It is also better for when you are looking for a specific item relating to a series. As you can see, although I browsed the shop I didn't attempt to use the shopping cart this time but I imagine it will be similar to how it used to be. After going on the Japanese website, it would appear that both are now in the same style as each other, which makes it more consistent.

So, I think this is a huge improvement. Well done Meta! Next time, please don't wait another 8 years before doing any more improvements!

So, I joined Lookbook...

I am not really sure why, but I signed up to Lookbook at the weekend. You can already see my Lookbook badge on the right hand side of this blog, or you can find me here- http://lookbook.nu/luna_rain

You have to be very careful because there are no capitals in my username. Apparently, somebody has already taken Luna_Rain. It wouldn't surprise me if it was me creating an account ages ago, which I simply forgot about!

Basically, it is somewhere else for me to post my lolita outfits but at the same time I will be posting my non-lolita stuff too. So there will be stuff on there which wont be appearing on this blog. It will also be useful if anybody wants to give me concrit, because sometimes I forget to post on Daily Lolita and here! My lookbook is quite empty at the moment but hopefully it will fill up some more in the next few months.

If you want me to become your fan or if you know somebody who you think I will like, then do let me know. I have already fanned a few people but there are still loads more people out there to look through!

Victorian Trading Co.

I was browsing the EGL Sale community when I came across a company I had never heard of. Feeling a little curious, I did a little google searching and found the Victorian Trading Company!

The website is here- http://www.victoriantradingco.com/index.html

The Victorian Trading Co. is stuffed full of Victorian inspired items and if you are a fan of classic lolita or just like Victorian imagery, this website is definitely worth a visit. As well as clothing and accessories, there are lots of home wares, gifts and some crafts too.

The prices may be a little steep for some but I was not that surprised by the price range. However, having a browse could give you some inspiration and I have a few ideas simply by looking. They also have a free catalogue which would be good for cutting up and making some DIY art work. Plus, you can send free E-Cards to friends!

Here are a couple of the items I have been lusting over-

This is the Pastel Tea Party hat. I liked the shape of the hat and the way the lace has been draped. The dusky colours remind me of Innocent World and Victorian Maiden.

This is a Fairy Door necklace. A lot of the jewellery on the site looks very similar to a lot of other shops but I thought this necklace was a bit different. I can already think of several dresses and prints this would work with!

These boots may not be to everybody's tastes but I like the use of lace. The boots look like they are a nice shape too. It would be interesting to see some reviews of these.

I remember playing with paper dolls when I was younger but they never looked as pretty as this! I am curious to see what outfits are inside this book.

Mirrors with roses seem to appear quite a lot! I have seen this idea in lots of places before but the one in the picture is still lovely.

There is no way I am EVER going to be able to afford this bed but it is so beautiful! Anybody who has ever slept in a bed this gorgeous is very lucky. This is called their Rococo Bed. It will set you back $4995. Ouch!

The Victorian Trading Co. is a very interesting and beautiful shop. The website has definitely been a lovely distraction from all the current chaos in my life. I would recommend having a quick look. I wanted to make an Item of Desire post, but I was unable to pick out a single item!

Good news for H Naoto fans in the US

I had to update my last post because H Naoto have now released an American website!

http://www.hnaotousa.com/

The information was not that clear. It looks as though they only ship to the US. If they do ship elsewhere I would love to know so I can update this post.

They are holding an opening contest where you can win a T-Shirt and a signed postcard but you need to spend $50 to be entered.

I can't say I am a massive fan of H Naoto but I did like some of the items, especially the Hangry and Angry stuff. My favourite of the two is Angry. I was expecting the prices to be fairly high but it must work out cheaper than ordering from the Japanese site. Plus some of the items feature in a monthly specials bit with reduced prices. I felt that some of the prices were more reasonable than others.

So, if you are a punk fan go take a look!

HELLo Kitty?

Neo Magazine recently alerted me to this really odd website. It is basically a hate site for all the strange Hello Kitty items you can find. I quite enjoy Hello Kitty but I found this site amusing. It is worth having a look at just to see all the weird items that have been released and made by fans.

WARNING!!! This site does contain some adult content and is not suitable for work!

http://www.kittyhell.com/

I don't quite understand the sheer level of Hello Kitty hatred going on here. The people here must have a lot of spare time on their hands. This site is meant to be funny so I wouldn't take it too seriously!

I should be posting a new hair post tomorrow. It took me a while because I needed to find a suitable style. I have run out of hair spray and have just had my hair cut so I needed to factor this in. Plus I am also going to start work on my next Bodyline design contest entry. I wont say what design I am planning but it is a theme close to my heart :) Sorry, I promise there will be a proper post at some point tomorrow!

I am MAF girl of the week :)

I got a lovely surprise this morning when I discovered I was girl of the week on My Asian Fashion! I filled in the form I was given a few weeks ago but then I totally forgot about it so it was a great way to start the day!

My Asian Fashion is a very friendly online community which has forums, live chat, games, photos, blogs and more. Most members are happy to give you advice if you need it and the site is very fun. I have met some great people on here and now I always find myself recommending this site.

Anybody who would like to see my mini interview can see it here-

http://www.myasianfashion.com/dignews/display_article/id_809/MAF-Girl-of-the-week-10-25---10-31/

I just noticed this means I am girl of the week for Halloween. Thankfully I am not that scary (I hope!). I am so happy to be picked. This has really boosted my mood today.