Shopping Date in Harajuku

So yesterday, i had a little shopping date with myself since there were no Saturday students scheduled and i had the whole day off.   :D  

Initially i was going to go on Friday but the weather was really crappy (rained from sunup to sundown), so instead i just went to the mall near my station.  It's a really high-end mall (read: everything is way to frickin' expensive!) so i didn't expect to find anything i'd like or could afford.  I really don't like shopping at these types of places either, because i'm a really indecisive shopper- part of the reason i do shopping dates by myself- and the girls who work at these stores are way too in-your-face.  Of course they all chorus the whole "Irasshaimaseeeee!  Douzo goran kudasaiiiii! (Welcooooome!  Please look around!!!)" that you hear walking past any store anywhere in this country.  But then once you're in the store, they're practically breathing down your neck and anytime you so much as look at something they're right beside you giving you a detailed explanation of the product and pointing out it's cute features, etcetera etcetera.

One store in particular, i went inside because i saw some cute jackets on display.  I was looking at them and one of the workers was of course right there next to me, talking about the jackets and showing me the matching shorts that go with the jackets too.  Initially i thought it was a really good deal, because the sign read "￥3420" for the shorts set.  I decided to try them on, only to look at the price tag on the jacket, then on the shorts, and realize that there was a little "+" in front of the "￥3420", meaning that if you bought the jacket you could make it a set with the shorts for 3420yen.. the jacket itself was about 9000yen, and the shorts on their own were 5900yen.  

I opened the door to the dressing room to find the lady waiting there for me, meeting me with an "Ikaga desuka? (Would you like it?)".  I told her i wasn't going to buy it now, that i wanted to look around a little more.  Of course she was cordial. "Yes, I understand!"  And then she proceeded to follow me, stopping with me each time i stopped to look at something and she would pull it off the shelf and we'd talk about how cute it is, before i finally made it out of the store. 

The few other stores i braved weren't as intense, but still, nearly every time i showed the slightest interest in something, i felt like someone would just appear from nowhere next to me and start advertising it.

Anyway, Harajuku, in my opinion, is a much better place to shop!  And i was glad i decided to wait until Saturday, since the weather was wonderful for one, and the place was also quite bustling with life.  I am claustrophobic, but oddly i don't really mind crowds.  It just makes things feel a bit more cozy, and it also makes people watching a lot more fun!

Harajuku can also be a really cheap place to shop too, especially if you stick to the famous Takeshita-dōri.  Lots and lots of shops, with lots of cute and fun clothes for any style.  I wrote about the Thank You Mart before, and there are also some used clothing stores that are fun to check out as well.  

I came away pretty well i think!  Starting some winter-clothes shopping, since i mainly only brought summer clothes with me when i first came here in April.  

Modeling my new cap and sweater!  Yes, i know i can't model/pose to save my life, haha

New sweater, thick socks, sneakers, spiffy leopard-print shoelaces, and knitted cap!

 Came away with all of that for about 4000yen, pretty awesome deal if you ask me. :)

And of course, for me no trip to Harajuku would be complete without some delicious crepes.

I chose #13, the "Blueberry Ice", blueberry sauce and ice cream yumm!

 

 There are quite a few crepe shops around in Harajuku, and there are so many different kinds, even savory kinds like pizza or potato salad, that i feel like i have to go and try a new one each time.  It's okay, they're worth it.   :D