Blossoms Girl: A New Spring Trend in Japan

Itfs unseasonably warm here in Tokyo, Japan and we have all abrogated our loyalty to our warm, fur-lined coats of winter. The boots are less severe in form, and the colors that you see have gone from sodden with bleakness to brilliant and playful!

Spring is here! Thank goodness, for we certainly need a boost in our moods.

What do you think of when Lady Spring comes around? In Japan we have the plum blossoms (which bloom first in February) and the cherry blossoms (which bloom in March). Now, if youfve never witnessed them, then you have to see them for yourself. Words can do their glory no justice. Popping out in a rich array of purples, fuchsias, magentas (oh, and the fragrance of the plum blossoms! I couldnft even begin to describe them!), one cannot help but feel inspired to take those colors and incorporate them into their daily wardrobe.

Now, in our quest to forget the monotones of winter, where do we go?

Please, have no qualms about drenching yourself with color. It is the perfect season to do so. I beg of you, come out of the stygian gloom of hibernation, and into the orchard of delicate blossoms. Itfll do you some good.

So, in the spirit of the plum and cherry blossoms, we will glorify pink this season. Pinks range from soft to brilliant, and you can choose any according to your mood.

For a lady-like face, wear a delicate pale pink on your lips and nails, with a warm pink glow on your cheeks.

For a romantic look, wear a soft rose on your cheeks and mouth.

For a bold, daring, and exciting look, try magenta on your lips, with a softer pink on your cheeks. Let those nails bear the deepest impact of this color.

Now, to complete the look, wear beige to medium brown shadow on your eyes, with winged liquid eyeliner for that doll-face look. In Japan, nothing is more popular than looking like a doll, and therefore, Japanese women have this one accessory that they cannot live without: Mascara. The best-selling mascaras in Japan contain fibers (as in Dejavu Imju Fiberwig Mascara- I love this one!) that lengthen and add tons of volume to your lashes. They can make the shortest of lashes look like, well, the feathery lashes of porcelain dolls. The women here even use false eyelashes, which, though they do provide impact, can be time-consuming and annoying to apply. Go with these fiber-containing mascaras and get the look of falsies without having to slave over their application in the morning.