Brand Accessory Haul

Yes, this should have been a video. However, as you’re reading this, I’m on my way to Belgium, visiting a long unseen friend there and having some Lolita fun. And when this arrived I was too impatient and wouldn’t have had the time to edit so… Back to the good ol’ fashioned text and picture review it is!

This was my second time using From Japan as a proxy and the first time using their still experimental Up to FJ packing and shipping option (which essentially means that you let them pick what packing and shipping method they deem best for the kinds of purchases you’ve made). I must say, I was quite a lot to pay for postage, but it probably would’ve been that even if I had selected my preferred shipping option. They did a good job handling and packing everything safely and were quick to do so, so I can’t fault them for that.

Yes, that was underneath the lid

It all started with this: AP’s Elegant Doll boots that were for sale in Closet Child. I was unsure about them for a while, but kept returning until eventually I decided to risk it on the size. Buying these gave me an opportunity to buy smaller things which I normally wouldn’t bother paying postage for, which is how all of this began.

First things first: the fit is perfect! I was so worried because different places kept giving me different size measurements. In the end I decided to trust Lolibrary more than CC and it paid off – the shoes fit perfectly and for the couple of steps that I took seem pretty comfortable. They are in really good condition, I only noticed one or two miniscule scuffs – honestly, the box is in worse shape than the boots. Since these will go not just with my DMC coord, but with my wardrobe in general, I think they’re a worthy investment, and now that I have some reference for AP shoe sizes, maybe I’ll buy more in the future.

Very safely packaged

In fact, almost all of the items here were bought with DMC in mind. This wig is intended for the same coord as the boots and honestly, the photos don’t give the colour justice. It’s from Brightlele and it’s their Romantic Dolly Wave series in ash grey x caramel. On their website this wig seems almost green, but now I know that it’s just the photo editing. You can see the multitoned strands, some being more grey and some more ashy brown/caramel, but together they create a very lovely subtle if slightly darker grey tone. The wig is very good quality as well, probably best that I own: the hair is soft and the cap very stretchy, sturdy and comfortable. The fringe is a tad longer than what I need, so I’ll have to look into trimming or styling it, but hopefully this will work out one way or another. Also, Brightlele have a deal that if you friend them on LINE, you get Y500 off any purchase over Y3000, so I actually got this wig slightly cheaper. Still, having experienced the quality for myself I definitely would’ve paid the full price and this will probably be my favourite place to get wigs from.

Now we’re moving onto things for the second DMC coord and they’re a lot smaller. I actually bid on two BtSSB rings from this same seller, but only won this one – and I’m so glad I did because it’s simply adorable! I kinda want the matching necklace, but when I saw it floating around Mercari around the time I was compiling this order, it was more than what I’d be willing to pay. It’s a perfect size, not too small or too big, but sadly it is not adjustable, so even on my skinny fingers I have to put it on my ring finger rather than the middle one.

Next are the wrist cuffs which I so badly needed for my coord. Out of all pink AP wrist cuffs that I saw for sale at the time these seemed like they’d be the closest colour match for the blouse I’ll wear and they came with a bonus brooch which I couldn’t resist. The seller disclosed some staining on the cuffs which in real life is so, sooo tiny I had to look at it very close. I may be able to get the stains out as well, but even if I don’t it won’t be a big deal. The brooch should go with the coord as well, possibly meaning that I might not need a necklace after all, but we’ll see about that. I’m not sure what other dresses I could wear this brooch with, so it’s kind of an impulse buy, but for the whopping price of something like Y2000 for the set I really can’t complain.

And finally here’s one thing that isn’t DMC-related. This headbow appeared on Wunderwelt and I immediately fell in love with it. It was a bit more than what I would’ve liked to pay for it, but decided that screw it, I deserve pretty things (faultless self-controlling logic there) and added it. Now that it’s in my hands, I have absolutely zero regrets. The bow actually has wires in, so you can plump it up or flatten it down however you feel like in the moment. But what really won my heart is the fabric. I can’t tell if it’s actual jacquard or something closer to printed satin/polyester, but the roses are absolutely divine! This gives me real princess vibes and as soon as I tried it on I felt like a goddess! When I’m back I’ll have to try this on with Bright Starry Night, I think these will go so well together – and who knows, maybe I’ve found my summer ILD coord that way?

There was one more thing in there, a small AP ring, but that was for a friend (incidentally, also for DMC) so I won’t include it here. Suffice to say that it was securely wrapped and I was happy to support a second hand shop in Nagoya that I have very fond memories from (both Nagoya and that shop).

What can I say overall? If you want a proxy service that give you more control over what you’re buying then From Japan will work for you. The disadvantage is that unless you are very clear about how you want things packed, you may pay more on shipping because they’ll probably prioritise item safety and they’re also not the cheapest proxy going. And  brand is once again proving that they’re an investment in quality as every one of these pieces arrived in fantastic condition and will last for many more years to come.

I’m not sure when will any next haul be, but whenever that will be I shouldn’t skimp on videos anymore. Also I don’t have anything scheduled to publish until I’m back, so this is it for the next week or so. Until next time – take care!