Notes || Closet Update

Hey there pudding friends,

So as well as wanting to record the memories of each passing month, I'd also like to start keeping track of the clothes I collect. This is not only so I can bask in the fruits of my beautiful shopping addiction, but because I think it may benefit me at some point, especially when I do my yearly closet clean out. Also I like sharing my life with you guys. So yeah, here's the first post in what will be an ongoing series where you puddings can go through the latest additions to my closet and judge me however you like~

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Milk Shirt ♡

This was one of the first pieces of clothing I bought this month. I was in the city with my partner and decided to drag him into Cheep. The second I saw this shirt, I was in love. As you puddings should know by now, I love milk and to find such a cute, yet simple shirt made me super happy. A nifty feature is that it's also a crop top, which in the current Australian heat, is a blessing. 

Mesh Shirt ♡

I saw this mesh shirt when I was shopping with my friend Mairead in Harbour Town. At first, I didn't plan on buying it because I was on a tight budget that week, but then the dress that Mairead wanted to get didn't cost enough ($7) for her to meet the eftpos minimum ($10), and an opportunity arose. The store was having a two for $10 sale and my mind immediately went back to the shirt. I paid her the difference and ended up getting a pretty sweet deal; another cute crop top and for only $3.

Keep Calm Shirt ♡

This sassy shirt has already been mentioned on another post as I got this on my trip to the city with Cassidy. On an ordinary day, I probably wouldn't have bought this shirt, as the material seems a bit dodgy. But on this particular day, I hadn't bought anything and my blood was boiling with lust for new clothes. Although this shirt isn't A-grade quality, I am pretty excited to create an outfit with it, because the half mesh / half shirt design is pretty interesting. 

Pink Varsity Style Jacket ♡

I bought this jacket online from popular lolita blogger, Milky Fawn. Around the beginning of the month, she posted another sales album on facebook. I don't usually wear a lot of pink, or a lot of anything other than black for that matter, but lately I've been trying to expand the theme of my wardrobe, as right now about 3/4 of it is black; so I went for it. I'm pretty proud of myself, because I actually left the house in this on the date night I mentioned in this post, even though it was a little out of my comfort zone. 

Pink Milk Grid Shirt ♡

This was yet another shirt that I bought while holding my partner against his will in Cheep. As some of you puddings may remember, my friend actually bought me this shirt in black last month. Upon seeing this, I hesitated a little; is it a dick move to buy a different version of the one that was already given to me? Then I made the case to myself that it was pink, and that this detail would make my actions forgivable because you know, the whole expanding wardrobe thing. Also, yet another crop top.

Plain Skirts ♡
These were $5 each at Harbour Town. I couldn't decide what colour to get, so what did I do? I pulled a classic Kitty and just got both. At first, I regretted my decision and told myself I should have just gone for the black one because black matches everything. But as the month progressed, I started experimenting with all the pieces I collected and remember that pink jacket? I did this, which I'm pretty happy about. Yay for personal growth~

Weed Shirt and Skirt ♡
I'm not really sure how to explain these. The skirt was the final item I bought on the day I took my partner to Cheep. I'd like to say I bought it ironically, but despite the (what some might call) offensive pattern, I actually think it's kind of pretty. Plus, upon wearing it for the first time, I discovered that it has inbuilt shorts. How rad is that?
I bought the shirt when I was in the city with Cassidy, mainly because it matched the skirt. Plus, yet again, it's a crop top. You puddings have no idea how hot it is in Australia right now. #noregrets

Poncho ♡
This poncho is one of the latest additions to my wardrobe, as well as the lace robe. I bought this just the other day when my partner and I drove up to spend some time in the city. It was actually my partner who spotted this, because he loves ponchos and he wanted me to try it on. I'm not really a fan of ponchos myself, but after him bribing me with the promise of having pasta cup for dinner, I tried it on. Turns out, it's not a poncho. I actually have no idea what it is. It's like a jacket, but with a lot more flair and loose material. Either way, I found myself actually liking it and taking it home.

Robe ♡
This robe is beautiful. I spotted this at the same store as the poncho and fell in love with it instantly. It's probably my favourite item out of everything I bought this month. It has long sleeves, is entirely made of lace and comes down to my ankles. The second I put it on, I felt like a princess and I can not wait to show this one off. Seriously, if you love yourself, get one of these.

Lace Shirt ♡
This shirt has made me hate my camera, I just couldn't manage to get a picture of it that serves it justice. I know the photo is horrible, but this shirt is so lovely. It's mainly made of a silk-like material and has lace detailing over the shoulders and upper arm. It's such a dainty design, I can't believe I found it in a discount rack in Harbour Town (yet another piece I bought in Maireads company).

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So yeah, that was a peak into my closet. I thought I had bought more than that, but to be honest with you puddings, it's a bit of a relief that I hadn't. I have a few big expenses coming up soon, so I really should start saving my money. Having said that, there'll probably be another update next month, as the Uni semester starts again soon and I'm going to need some new clothes.

Also some cute stationary. And maybe a bag.

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Bonus Round: Check out all this cute stuff I got that I really don't need but also really don't care because I've come to accept the fact that I'm a massive hoarder. It's no longer a problem as much as it is a part of my personality.  


Makeup ♡
So at the beginning of the month, I ordered a bunch of makeup from Etude House because, short story, I procrastinated buying makeup for so long that I ran out of literally everything at the same time. I got the Oh My Eyeliner in black, Surprise Concealer Kit, Dear Girls Be Clear pact and a small tube of Perfect Fit BB Cream in light beige. It was all reasonably cheap and I know I wont have to order any of these again for a while because they always last me. I recommend Etude House cosmetics to everybody because it's such amazing quality for really good prices; perfect for this little makeup hoarder.

Ouija Bag ♡
I got this bag when I was shopping around in the city for something completely different. But I'm a sucker for Cheep and when I saw this oh so convenient tote bag with such a unique (well at least, I've never seen an ouija print on a bag before) print, I just had to get it. And I'm so glad I did, because I often find myself using the same bag and more often than not, it doesn't go with my outfit. Thanks, Cheep!

Korilakkuma Bag ♡
This bag was an impulse buy, but I gotta say, I'm not regretting it one bit. I got this adorable Korilakkuma bag from lolita blogger Milky Fawn. About a week into the beginning of this month, she posted another 'for sale' album on facebook.  Looking through the album, I saw the bag and the thought of turning down another beautiful piece from her, a piece that happened to be my favourite brand at that was just impossible. It's so roomy and soft and just perfect.

Diary || The Time I Didn't Eat Ramen

Hello there, dear pudding cups,

So just last week, my best friend Cassidy and I somehow got onto the topic of things we wanted to try. She suggested ramen because it looks so good on anime. But where on Earth could we get some? Fly over to Japan? Well, a quick conversation with Google-Sensei told us that there was a ramen restaurant about an hour away in the City of Perth. We both had other things to tend to, but we agreed that the week after, we would journey up to the city together and finally enjoy delicious, authentic ramen.

After a lot of excitement and planning, today finally arrived. It was 35 degrees and stinking hot, but equipped with our water bottles, travel sized suncream and cute summer outfits, we were rearing to go.

We chatted happily on the bus, train and the walk to the restaurant. However, as Google-Sensei notified us that we were on the right street, we turned our concentration to reading the names of each restaurant we passed until finally: New Arigataya ~
The only problem with the sign was that it also said: Closed.

Noooooooooo

I was so disappointed, I had checked their website earlier that week to make sure something like that wouldn't happen. It said they were closed on Tuesdays, not Wednesdays! As Cassidy and I stood outside the door in horror, a woman from inside opened the door and told us what we already knew. I asked her what the deal was, the website said yes but the store said no? She explained that they had recently changed their opening days, but beckoned us in anyway. I couldn't be mad, she was so sweet and although we were already deciding on a different place to go and asking if there was any other ramen place in the city, she insisted that we take some loyalty cards that she stamped for us so even though we didn't buy anything, we were already one step closer to some free stuff. A few more apologies later, we were back on the street, hungry and disappointed.

Desperate to save the day, I lead the way to Arirang, which you guys know is my favourite restaurant. I got my chilli beef, Cassidy lost her Korean barbecue virginity with a plate of honey chicken and we chatted about life and its funny way of working out. She seemed to really like the food there and even got some to take home for dinner. I'm glad she enjoyed it because even though the website had the wrong information, I still felt really bad about New Arigataya being closed and having disappointed us both. So it's a relief that she liked my back up plan.

After lunch, we were so full but decided to keep walking around anyway; there was shopping to be done. How much money have I spent on clothes this month already? I don't even want to think about it..
But nevertheless, we went shopping. I decided to skip most of the alternative stores I usually frequent, as they aren't really Cassidy's scene, but I did visit Cheep again and scored two new shirts.

I found myself following Cass into the more mainstream stores like Valley Girl and Ally and I was reminded as to why I don't go in those kinds of places. Everything is the same. It's the same hipster shit in every store, just with different patterns. I am by no means an elitist or have internalised misogyny that encourages me to hate on other girls just because they don't fit my personal standards but damn. It just baffles me how a majority of the girls in my city have no problem with dressing the exact same as each other. It's like there's a hipster uniform and on my less tolerant days, it gets on my nerves. But I am trying to be more tolerant and less hateful this year, so I'll cut my rant short and end here.

After shopping, we happened to walk past a 7/11. Now I don't know where you are reading from, but if you're in Australia, then you'll know that we have never had 7/11 here, until about a month ago. From all the American television shows Australian networks seem to be obsessed with showing, both myself and Cassidy have always wanted to taste a slurpee. It seemed like today was as good of day as any to see what all the fuss was about.
Holy crap we were not disappointed. They had watermelon! For a year, ever since Hungry Jacks stopped selling their sour watermelon drink, me and Cassidy have been waiting for a watermelon slushie. And as if it couldn't get any better, it came in a sick as fuck jar that I fully intend on keeping. What a way to pick up the days mood~

As the warm colours of summer began to leak into the sky, we decided it was time to start thinking about going home - but not before we visited a cupcake store that we had passed earlier and promised to come back to because we were too full from lunch at the time. The place was called Bella's Cupcake World and I have wanted to visit it for so long but have never had the time. Because it's such a small business and primarily sells cupcakes, it reminds me of my favourite show Two Broke Girls and therefore, I had a soft spot for it before even buying anything.

We sat down and chilled out for a bit and I bought us a Tiramisu and Mocha cupcake that came in a cute little take away box. It was nice to be able to put my bags down and enjoy my watermelon slurpee and a cupcake with the cool summer breeze flowing throughout the cafe.

And then, all too soon it was time to go home; I had a family dinner to go to and Cassidy had her honey chicken to eat. I'll admit, I'm still a little disappointed about the lack of ramen because we had been looking forward to it all week, but it was still a pretty chill day and I think we managed to salvage it quite well.

Next time we're in the city together, we'll try again.
And it will be awesome.

Review || Kawaii Box

Hello pudding cups,

I'm sure a lot of you have heard of KawaiiBox by now, as almost every blogger with a kawaii theme seems to have subscribed to it. For those of you who don't know, KawaiiBox is a subscription service that sends you a box of 10-12 Japanese or Korean products every month. As a terrible hoarder of kawaii things, I felt like I just had to get in on this; so for Christmas, I decided that while I was spending money on other people, I would also get a little treat for myself. Now here I am in January, kicking off the new year with a whole bunch of new, kawaii treasures.

(the box and also a cute rose to prevent stalkers)

Before I get into the items, I just want to clear up one major concern that I had after ordering the box, and that is how long the wait would be. On their website, KawaiiBox states that the boxes are sent at the beginning of every month. This made me feel a bit uneasy because I was really excited to get my first ever KawaiiBox and I kind of wanted it to me around the beginning of the month so I could have the whole month to bask in the kawaii glory. However, there was nothing to fear, as it's only been a week into the new month and year and already, my box of goodies has made it to my doorstep.

So, onto the cute stuff; there were twelve items in this months box. Overall, the quality is pretty good, but sadly, there were a few flaws. I'm not letting these flaws discourage me from continuing my subscription though, as they were pretty minor and appear to be the fault of the manufacturer, not a result of the KawaiiBoxs handling of the items.

(contents of the box - wow look at all the kawaii)

Item #1: Stamp
I'm not really into stamps because I don't see a real use for them if I'm not a primary school teacher grading a kids work, but holy wow this thing is so freaking cute I'm going to stamp it on everything. This stamp is beautifully detailed, with a bird standing on a branch and the words 'sing a song'. It also comes with a green ink pad. I think it'd make a nice addition to anybody's pencil case.

Item #2 and #3: Pink Plushy and Mirror Charm
Now plushies are something I am into. I love plushies, I love pink, I love cute things, this little guy is right up my ally. He's got an adorable strawberry on his head and a Japanese symbol on his back, the meaning of which, I am unsure.

This is one of my favorite items in the box. I've always wanted something decora themed to put on my phone, and now one of my most reasonable dreams have come true. With chocolate and candy details, I don't even know how any other item could top this. My only complaint is that even before removing it from the plastic it came in, I could see the mirror was pretty scratched up. It's a bit disappointing, but I'm not too worried about it, seeing as it's going to be used as a decoration rather than a proper mirror anyway.

Item #4: Mermaid Bracelet
This bracelet is so cute. It's a really nice shade of pastel purple with three little golden seashells attached. Seeing as all the accessories I own at the moment are either black or silver, I think this bracelet could be the start of an accessory revolution. The only thing that I'm unsure about with this one is that in the bag the bracelet came in, there was a stray golden shell. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be a back up one in case one falls off, or if it had already fallen off in the bag. Either way, the bracelet is still cute so I'm going to give this one the benefit of the doubt and say it's a spare shell, because I like that there's only three.

Items #5 and #6: Coin Purse and Nail Polish
These two are probably my least favorites of the pack, not because there's anything wrong with them, in fact, they both seem to be good quality. It's just that I don't really see what's so novelty about them, they don't really match the theme. Having said that, they're both pretty nice and I'm eager to try out the nail polish.

Item #7: Mochi Charm
When I saw this charm, I was so excited. It's a mochi with a little face on it! But then came a bit of disappointment. When I took the charm out of the plastic, I saw that all along the side had been really badly damaged. It looks like it's peeled. This upset me a lot because I was really excited to show this one off, it's a shame the damage is so obvious.

Items #8 and #9: Monster Stickers and Pen
At first glance, I didn't really like these stickers, mainly because of the unfamiliar characters and non-pastel colours. But now that I've had a chance to really look at everything, I actually really like them. They're cute in their own quirky way. This is what I like about KawaiiBox, it kind of pushes you to try things you wouldn't normally try. I would never buy these if I saw them in a store, but now that I have them, I feel like I'm going to stick them everywhere.
The pen is really cute too. I've actually been meaning to get a pen I can distinguish from my uniform ones that I can use specifically for my lectures (I like to keep different pens for different things). So ~yay~. 

Item #10: Hello Kitty Glasses
I was so freaking happy to find these in the box. For years, I've been putting off buying a pair of hello kitty glasses because:
1) If it's not clothes or food, I'm pretty stingy with my money
2) They are associated with two things I hate: my 12 year old scene phase and widely disliked bloggers, Eat Your Kimchi
But now that I've finally come to own a pair, I am very happy and will definitely use them.

Items #11 and #12: Rilakkuma Snacks
These two are my favorite items in the box. Rilakkuma snacks!
For anyone who doesn't know, I am obsessed with Rilakkuma and was so stoked to see my favorite bear gracing this months box. I can't tell you what the snacks are or how they taste because I'm pretty reluctant to open the packets. I'm such a big hoarder of cute things that I have a pretty bad tendency to hoard empty food or drink packages (as you may have guessed from the Sunny10 cans in the background of the photos used in this review). I'm not really sure what will become of these snacks, but I am certain that this last item has ended my KawaiiBox experience on a very positive note.

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So that concludes my review of all the items in this months KawaiiBox. I bought myself a three month subscription to start off with and figured that if I was happy enough after those three months, I would continue my subscription. I'm pretty satisfied with this months package and would give it a 6/10 rating. I'm taking points off for the damages and the disappointment of items #5 and #6 (I could find red nail polish and a coin purse anywhere). But even then, the positive has outweighed the negative and I'm really looking forward to the next box. Hopefully February's box will have less damages and more Rillakkumaaaaaaaa~