le ciel bleu

I recently started working Le Ciel Bleu, a clothing boutique featuring the brand Le Ciel Bleu along with import brands such as McQ and Elizabeth and James. I love working here because I get to wear their sample clothes, like the blazer and the dress pictured above (sorry for the bad picture quality - they were quick iPhone snaps). Their fall line has a huge variety of stylish and essential wardrobe pieces, including knits, furs, and tweed. Check out their website to take a look!

Love,

Samantha Mariko

maison de reefur x rosalie

(shirt & pants: Uniqlo; sandals: Target; sunglasses: Lowrys Farm)

I've never heard of Maison de Reefur until my cousin told me about it - it's a clothing & interior decoration boutique owned by Japanese model Rinka. Since I've seen her in quite a few magazines and I love her style, I knew I had to check this place out. Excuse the poor quality of the photos (taken with my iPhone 4s), but I think you can tell that this is a very girly boutique with lots of pinks and whites. My cousin and I made our way to Rosalie, the cafe upstairs. The menu included a variety of teas, healthy dishes, and delicious cakes. I chose the seasonal peach tart, which was amazing. I can't wait to come back here again. If you like shops like this, you would like the Daikanyama area in Tokyo. 

Thanks for reading!

Love,

Samantha Mariko

tokyo runway 2012 autumn/winter

Becky! 

Ai Tominaga

Today, I attended Tokyo Runway 2012 Autumn/ Winter at Yoyogi Gynmasium. Let's just say it was worth standing in my heels for the almost 4 hours I was there... I am definitely looking forward to the upcoming fall & winter fashion trends. Noticed fur, playful tights, and berets were used as accessories. I was especially impressed by Emoda and Sly. And the models were amazing as usual, too: Melody Yoko, Ai Tominaga, Audrey Ayaka, Becky, Mary-Jun Takahashi to name a few. Can't wait to go shopping now! 

Love,

Samantha Mariko

new hair x shima

Today, I got my hair colored & cut at Shima, a very hip hair salon in Omotesando. I decided to go for a chocolate brown color to stay in tune with the upcoming fall season. My stylist was fantastic, and her assistants were great too. Some of them told me they dream of visiting California one day - I'm the opposite because I always dreamed of being in Tokyo and now here I am :) Big thank you to Shima for doing an amazing job with my hair! I highly recommend this place if you're in Tokyo.

Love,

Samantha Mariko

ikea time

(shirt: Uniqlo; skirt: H&M; shoes: Converse)

I've been to Ikea many times when I lived in California, but this was my first time going to an Ikea in Japan. My friend is moving into his new apartment soon, so I helped him pick out some furniture. Most of the furniture and the layout of the store are similar, but there were some Japanese-style furnishings that you wouldn't find at an American Ikea. I love furniture shopping - can't wait to go back to do my own :)

Love,

Samantha Mariko

makeup routine

As mentioned in my last post, here is an overview of my makeup routine. I know my cosmetics brands are all over the place, but they all work together to create my look. 

Clockwise from the top left:

 Canmake eyebrow shadow 

Canmake highlighter

Sephora blush in orange punchy sunbaked 

K-Palette 0 teka powder (for oil control) 

Nivea Face Moist Essence Cream SPF 50+ 

Se medicated concealer 

Laura Mercier mineral foundation primer 

Canmake Perfect Stylist Eyes eyeshadow palette 

Powder FX powder foundation 

KATE Super Sharp Liner (liquid) 

Maybelline Mega Plush Volum' Express mascara (waterproof) 

Canmake Colouring Eyebrow (eyebrow mascara) 

I think my advice when doing makeup is 1) always wear SPF moisturizer and 2) simple is better. I only use a thin layer of concealer and foundation, just enough to cover any redness or blemishes. And I never go overboard with the liquid eyeliner because that can be too harsh. The finished product is what you see in the photos from my previous post. I love being able to use both Japanese and American makeup products - it's fun to combine and experiment with the products. :) Hope this helps! 

Love,

Samantha Mariko

fashion's night out 2012 festaria

(top: Forever 21; skirt: g.u.)

I just came back from Fashion's Night Out 2012 Japan in Omotesando, and it was amazing! So many fashionable ladies & gentlemen on the streets -there was so much to take in. I met up with some of the girls from my agency at the Festaria in Omotesando Hills. Melody Yoko (also from the agency) is the image model for Festaria, so it was great that we could support her tonight & look at all the beautiful jewelry. Plus, we all had our palms read (Marie getting hers done 3 photos up) and we each took home a piece of jewelry. Thank you Festaria! ありがとう！

Next up is a makeup post from tonight, so stay tuned! Have a good weekend everyone!

Love,

Samantha Mariko

my week via instagram

[Sayaka Araki - Butcher's Table - Fukutoshin subway - Starbucks - Lowrys Farm - Ikebukuro - some beautiful clouds]

It's been a week since I've arrived in Tokyo, and despite the humidity, I'm enjoying the fast-pace lifestyle here. There isn't too much to update right now; hopefully I'll have more interesting blog posts coming up soon. If you haven't already, follow me on Instagram (@samanthamariko). :)

Love,

Samantha Mariko