What sort of unique travel experiences do you seek when you travel? I love taking photos and I love kimono fashion, so I chose to do an Oiran makeover photo shoot in Kyoto, Japan. It was so much fun and definitely goes down as one of my most unique travel experiences to date.

OIRAN MAKEOVER
Unique Travel Experiences in Kyoto, Japan

Do Japanese culture, kimonos and geishas fascinate you?

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Never in my life would I ever have thought I’d have a dress on display in a museum exhibition in Europe. This is exactly what happened and I decided to visit the Cool Japan exhibition in person at Museum Volkenkunde in Leiden, Netherlands.

MUSEUM VOLKENKUNDE – COOL JAPAN EXHIBITION
Seeing My Dress On Display in Leiden, Netherlands

HOW IT HAPPENED

Just 2-3 months into starting my blog late last year, I received an e-mail from Museum Volkenkunde.

Continue reading Tina Travels: Seeing My Dress on Display at Museum Volkenkunde – Cool Japan Exhibition in Leiden, Netherlands at OF LEATHER AND LACE.

The Red Dress Effect is a “phenomenon in which people wearing red clothing, such as a red dress, are perceived to be more sexually appealing.” – Wikipedia.

We all love a good red dress for special occasions whether it’s a party or a date. And with good reason! Biologically speaking there are reasons which explain why men are more drawn to women dressed in red.

– THE RED DRESS EFFECT –
BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS

“In the wild, when many species of non-human primate females become fertile, their estrogen level rises, which causes their blood vessels to open up, leading to redness on the skin… This increase in redness has been shown to attract male counterparts, expressed by their increased activity in sex, self-stimulation, and attention towards the females.

Continue reading The Red Dress Effect – Why I Wear Red All the Time at OF LEATHER AND LACE.

Have you ever wondered why Chinese people wear red during Chinese New Year? Every year Asians all around the world gather with their families to celebrate the Lunar New Year. There are many traditions that Chinese people uphold during this time like lighting firecrackers, writing spring couplets, eating dumplings and wearing red.

According to ancient stories, there was a monster called “Nian” (年 = year) who would come out on New Years Eve and devour villagers, crops and livestock.

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In the last post Reimagining Erotic Fantasies: The Handmaiden, Part 1 I talked a little about the recent Park Chan-Wook movie, The Handmaiden. If you haven’t seen it, get off your butt (after finising this post) and go see it! It is deceptive, dark, humorous and erotically charged. In today’s post I will delve further into Lady Hideko’s disturbing childhood and examine a few symbols that recur throughout the movie.

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The moment I stumbled upon the trailer of The Handmaiden (Still in cinemas!!), the new erotic thriller/drama by famed director Park Chan-wook I knew I would love the movie. Luscious costumes, leather gloves, a historic setting, eerie music, hints of S&M and bondage – in short, all the things I found fascinating.

THE HANDMAIDEN

Being a fashion designer, modern history enthusiast, Chinese and Japanese speaker, this movie was everything that intrigued me all packed into 144 minutes, presented with the most beautiful imagery. 

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Asakusa is one of the top must-visit spots when visiting Tokyo, Japan.But before we delve into the top 5 things to do in Asakusa, I’d like to talk a little about my outfit.

May 2017 Update: This dress is currently on display at the Cool Japan Exhibition in Leiden, Netherlands, as the current exhibition of Museum Volkenkunde. I was contacted by a museum curating representative in late 2016 and asked if I would be willing to lend the dress for their exhibition.

Continue reading Tina Travels: 5 Things to do in Asakusa, Tokyo at OF LEATHER AND LACE.