Fun Accessories by Lalala that Will Make You Do a Double-Take

Kou (@livelovelikes), who also goes by Lalala, is an artist from Hiroshima who makes accessories with the concept of “makes you do a double-take and question their necessity, but grows on you the longer you look at them”. Check out the humor in everyday items being turned into wearable accessories!

These accessories are called 謎需要アクセサリー - essentially accessories where you wonder why they were made and who needs them - and therein lies the humor and charm! Lalala makes things that make people go “Why did you make this?” and therefore people will also inevitably ask “Why did you buy this?” and it might lead to fun interactions with people who take notice!

While most of these accessories are earrings, Lalala also makes other products like pin badges and clips so people can use them in a variety of ways. Let’s take a look at some of their work!

Funny Messages

For these, you do have to be able to read the kanji to get the humor - but we’ll explain it! 

The first one that caught our attention was this one that says “Don’t worry I AM 花粉症”. 花粉症 (kafunshou) means seasonal allergies. So if you’re taking the train or bus or in public and you have to sneeze or cough, wearing this will let people know that you’re not sick / contagious - you’ve just got pollen allergies. The mix of English and Japanese here gives it additional humor.

Sometimes you just have days you would rather be left alone, but you have to be around people because of work, school, etc. It’s not fun when people can’t tell how you’re doing, so these are perfect! 

The one on the left says 本日精神脆弱 (honjitsu seishin zeijaku) which means “Today I’m feeling fragile” and the one on the right reads 本日噛付注意 (honjitsu kamitsuki chuui) which mean “Beware of biting (snapping) today” - due to a bad mood. It’s a great way to advertise your mental state without saying a word!

This one says まぜるな危険 (mazeruna kiken) which means “Danger. Don’t mix.” This usually is a warning label about chemicals, so it would certainly make people do a double-take if someone was wearing this sign on their ears, and perhaps even start a conversation. But another possible meaning is “Danger. Don’t engage.” which is also a funny interpretation, or like the one above, best used for antisocial days. And this is the charm of Lalala’s accessories! 

This one gets straight to the point in a hilarious way. 犯人 (hannin) means culprit, and the little suspicious looking silhouette dangling off the characters are a nice touch. It reminds us of a certain anime where we only know a vague silhouette before the actual culprit is revealed… By wearing these, are you admitting to something?? We hope not haha. 

And these fun bento straps! The left one says 危 which means danger. Are you warning any potential bento thieves?? Also how hilarious is it to label your own bento as dangerous. The one on the left says “定礎 (teiso) 2019年9月” or “Cornerstone lain September 2019”. If anyone sees this on your bento, it is sure to lead to questions. 

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Life in Japan

Everyday Words

While the ones above are funny messages, the following are simply things you would see in everyday life in Japan. They are, however, things that perhaps would make you say “But why?” if you see someone wearing them - but why not? 

Convenience store sign

Each convenience store has different features, which are advertised on the outside via signs like this. 

本日は終了しました

This sign, 本日は終了しました (honjitsu wa shuuryou shimashita), means that they’ve sold out or are done with business for the day. 

Reiwa and Heisei Signs

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If you didn’t know, Japan has names for eras based on how long each emperor was on the throne. The last era was 平成 (Heisei) and the current one is 令和 (Reiwa). These names are announced on white boards like these by the Chief Cabinet Secretary and is always a memorable moment in Japan’s history. Read more about this system here. 

Push and Pull

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You can see this on doors everywhere in Japan, but if you can’t keep them straight, here’s your chance to remember! 押す (osu) means “Push” and 引く (hiku) means “Pull”. (Don’t do it to the wearer’s ears though!)

Now Showing

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And as a movie lover, this is a personal favorite. 上映中 means a film is currently showing in theaters. 

Fun Items

And last but not least, here’s some mostly everyday items that make for some fun and creative accessories. 

QR Code

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10 Yen Ring

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Soy Sauce Packet

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Older Style Locker Keys

Fish Scales. Yes, fish.

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To Close

Lalala has a great sense of humor, and it comes across in the things they choose to make! While they have some more “normal” accessories as well - check out these cute cats and legos - the eye-catching ones are definitely what we listed above. 

Lalala sells their products at various handmade fairs and events, as well as online, such as on Minne. And not only does Lalala make the accessories, but also the cute and creative boxes they come in too!

The more you look at Lalala’s work, the more fascinating each one is, no matter how straightforward it seems at first. We hope we were able to capture the charm of their work! 

Make sure to follow Lalala on Twitter and Instagram to see their latest works and to check where they’ll be selling in person next! And of course, pick up some favorites at their shop! 

Photos provided courtesy of Lalala (Official Website, Minne, Twitter, Instagram)