@Irene: Tokyo Bopper actually has some of the coolest shoes in Tokyo.
@MaliceInWonderland: It is not visible in my photos, but she also wore a beautiful sheer skirt under the apron.

@Zoe: Your comment immediately made me wonder about our values for clothing. Where do our assumptions for what is supposed to be appropriate clothing for children and adults originate from? And why do we accept and internalize these assumptions so thoroughly that deviations strike us so strongly? Until the industrial revolution brought us mass production and thereby gave birth to our consumer society, children’s clothing didn’t really exist. Children wore miniature versions of clothing that adults wore. Now we’re starting to experience the opposite, adults are beginning to wear large versions of clothing that used to be considered only for children. Here is an interesting related article about gender typing in clothing: When Did Girls Start Wearing Pink?

@Alexandra: If you manage to make it to Tokyo in the near future, definitely go and visit Tokyo Bopper. It is one of the original Harajuku shops, dating back to the trendy 1990s when what is now known as Harajuku fashion exploded onto the scene. By the way, you can find lots of pictures on their blog

@karyn: Great article, eh. I love learning something new about everyday things we take for granted. It is so easy—and wrong—to think that the world always was the way it was when you were born, and will remain the way it is today. Your mother has a great sense of humor. ^^