Traces of Harajuku fashion could be found throughout the country before 2004, but this unique aspect of Japanese culture was popularized here in the U.S. when Gwen Stefani released her first solo album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. Though I’m a fan of Gwen, I gotta say I was disappointed in the way she portrayed the eclectic style of dress and subculture that is Harajuku. Her Harajuku Girls tended to prance around behind her on stage wearing similar if not exactly the same outfits when the whole point of Harajuku fashion is to stand out.

Luckily, we have the Google Images to show us what Harajuku fashion is really like. Even better, I also happen to have a photographer friend living and teaching in Japan, who took some gorgeous photos during Japan’s Golden Week {a span of 7 days, 4 of which are major national holidays}. See more of Ben Woodard’s photography and follow his adventures on his blog, Ben in Japan. Thanks, Ben!

Harajuku has been a vibrant oasis of individuality within Japan since the end of World War II, when U.S. soldiers settled down into the area. Though these soliders adopted Japan’s rich heritage, they also mixed these customs with Western traditions, creating a unique culture. A few years later, apartments began to spring up and fashion designers, photographers, and models began to move in. The wild fashion and vibrant lifestyles in Harajuku today really took off in the 1980s as street performers and fashion-forward teens would visit the area on Sundays when Omotesando, a major street in Harajuku, would close to traffic, allowing pedestrians to take over the street and shop the variety of trendsetting boutiques it had to offer.

The four major styles of Harajuku fashion are Kawaii, Visual Kei, Lolita, and Cosplay. Kawaii means “cute” in Japanese, so this style is a mish-mash of things that would be considered cute and innocent— cupcakes, Hello Kitty, bright colors, frills, bows, etc. The above images are from harajukustyle.net, which has a lot of really great info about Harajuku culture.

The Visual Kei style is embraced by some Japanese musicians, especially rock and punk artists. These artists will wear eccentric costumes and makeup with hair teased to its fullest. Think David Bowie, KISS, or Poison in their early years. There’s a great article on Visual Kei here, where I nabbed the images above.

Lolita {sometimes called Gothic Lolita} is a mixture of dark “gothic” clothing/makeup and Victorian fashion. Cosplay is also very popular and it involves imitating a character from a manga, anime, or popular Asian video game. For instance, the two people in the image on the right above are dressed as Vanille and Sazh, characters from Final Fantasy XIII.

Learn more about Harajuku fashion and check out some cool DIY Harajuku tips on Mooky Chick.

Etsy is full of creative, inspiring people. Poor & Pretty’s new Etsy Spotlight category will feature an interview with a seller once a month. This month, I interviewed Rachael Caballero of Bela Koi Designs.

Poor & Pretty: Your profile says that you started making jewelry at 12 years old. What inspired you?

Rachael Caballero: I always tried to stand out and as a youngster and I really enjoyed expressing myself artistically. I wrote poetry mostly, but I started making my own earrings out of random things I would find around the house. It just made me happy to create exactly what I wanted to wear — there is something so fullfilling about creating, especially things you can wear or share with others.

P&P: What is your favorite thing to make and why?

RC: I wouldn’t say I have a favorite thing to make as much as I just love designing. The funnest part for me is putting different elements together to make a unique piece. That applies to all types of jewelry. Sometimes the more time consuming stuff is not my fav but it’s all fun. If I had to pick, though, it would be earrings.

P&P: Do you end up wearing a lot of the things you make?

RC: That’s the funny part, I don’t wear jewelry much anymore. I used to be fanatic about it, but once I started having kids I started simplifying my life and that was one of the ways I did it. However, I do sometimes make things I immediately decide to keep. I will usually list it and just make more if someone orders it.

P&P: When did you decide to start selling on Etsy? And was that before or after you started selling to local businesses?

RC: The Etsy thing was actually a fluke. I hadn’t done anything creative for years and during my last pregnancy I read a friend’s post that she had written about Etsy. At that point, I had never been on the site. I checked it out specifically for the homemade baby blankets, and I thought…hmmm, I could make those! So I went out and bought a sewing machine. When I was at the fabric store, I saw the jewelry aisle and decided to buy a few things to mess around with. The rest was history. I decided quickly after to start my own store and slowly began adding to my supplies. I was really shocked when I made my first sale only a day or two after opening my store! That was last September. I started selling to local stores a few months later.

P&P: You’ve created jewelry for wedding parties too, correct? Tell me about that.

RC: Yes, quite a few times. In fact, I am working on one right now. It’s a great money maker and lots of fun. I love working with my clients to make something unique and personal for their special day.

P&P: How did you come up with your slogan, “where Sense and Sensibility meets Cruella de Vil” ?

RC: Ahhh, I guess that’s the poet in me :) One of my strong points is writing, and that particular line was thought up after I created my second piece. I love the Victorian era, hence the “sense and sensibility”. I also used to be quite an eccentric with my dress and compared myself a bit to Cruella’s style sense. I like creating both classic and funky pieces. A little something for everyone ;)

P&P: What are your favorite sellers on Etsy?

RC: Plastique, JolieBerry, Sweet Grass Mill, MiaBeads, Candy’s Art Designs, and Tamar.

Rachael was such a sweetheart and I loved chatting with her. Please check out the Bela Koi Designs Etsy shop {free US shipping for the month of June!} and be sure to fan Bela Koi Designs on Facebook and follow her for special deals on Twitter. <3

1. Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Cream Cleanser. I have always loved Neutrogena’s original cream cleanser. I’ve tried more expensive cleansers and I’ve tried less expensive cleansers, but Neutrogena’s has always performed the best — getting rid of acne before it happens and without drying out my skin. I like the new pink grapefruit products because besides clearing away dirt and blackheads, it gives your skin a nice wakeup call.

2. Fresh Soy Face Cream. I am constantly trying new moisturizers because I have skin that gets oily in some places and very dry in others. Most moisturizers I’ve used are either too oily or not thick enough or they don’t absorb quickly. Fresh’s Soy Face Cream is the diamond in the rough. Not only does it perform beautifully — smoothing even the most stubborn of dry spots — it contains no parabens, is naturally fragranced, and contains lots of natural ingredients to improve the health of your skin rather than just moisturizing it. Soy protein, cucumber extract, rosewater, green, white, and red teas, jojoba seed oil, and more all combine to hydrate and rejuvenate your skin for scientifically proven lasting results. I think I’ve found my missing piece!

3. MAC Studio Moisture Tint {Light}. In her infinite cosmetic wisdom, Mish recommended this to me to also tackle my dry skin while providing a solution to even out my skin tone. MAC’s Studio Moisture Tint is lightweight and can be worn underneath makeup or by itself for a more natural look. It’s available in 5 different shades — from light to deep dark — and it’s paraben-free.

4. Lollibomb Vegan Lip Balm {Strawberry Margarita}. Even though I’ve been very happy with my own homemade lip balm, I picked this up at the BUST Spring Craftacular and its made itself at home in my handbag. This lip balm is vegan, paraben-free, long-lasting, and smells/tastes delicious, as Lollibomb’s products always do. Luca Cusolito never ceases to amaze me.

With Peonies Couture celebrating their one-year anniversary, I was reminded of an amazing line of jewelry I came into contact with during my first visit to the boutique. Knowing that I’m into companies with a conscience, Peonies co-owner Pamela Williams introduced me to the work of Teresa Wing Hines, founder of One Pearl. Hines started One Pearl in 2004 as an outlet for her creativity and as a way of generating money for non-profit organizations of her choosing. 100% of the profits from One Pearl jewelry sales go to Cambodian Living Arts, Saving Teens in Crisis, and the Watkinson School Global Studies Program.

“The idea for One Pearl came to me one day during a very painful time in my personal life,” says Hines on the One Pearl website. “I realized that the way a pearl is formed can also symbolize human transformation; a pearl begins as a small particle in a foreign environment, but emerges as a beautiful gem, coated with layers and layers of nacre. This process parallels the changes made possible by effective educational, health, and therapeutic programs.”

You can buy One Pearl necklaces and bracelets online or look for them at Peonies Couture in Centerbrook, CT.

My friend Brittany, who knows how much I love cupcakes, let me borrow The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross. Though the story line is cute {a wealthy socialite from Dallas moves in to her grandmother’s home in the Big Apple after a crushing breakup and opens up her own cupcake shop}, I wasn’t a big fan of the characters. The saving grace of the book, however, would be the cupcake recipes at the end of each chapter — 24 in total.

Jennifer Ross must be the Goddess of the Cupcake. Her recipe names were quirky and went along with the happenings in the previous chapter. There was Wake Up and Smell the Scandal Carrot Cupcakes, Moving Blues Banana Caramel Cupcakes, Blue Blood Special Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Custard, First Blush of Crush Cupcakes, and my personal favorite, Margarita, Hold the Salt with Tequila Lime Frosting. I tried out this last recipe myself and I was honestly surprised with the result. Sure, I can cook and bake, but my creations almost never come out the way I’d like them to. These cupcakes were almost perfect. I decided next time I would use less raspberries, but other than that I wouldn’t change a thing. They were almost orgasmic; it was unbelievable! Stan, who is not a sugar fan, ate two!

Though I am anxiously waiting for Mrs. Ross to author a cookbook, for now I’m content with re-creating her cupcake recipes and trolling her blog for others not found in the book.