Toy March by Angelic Pretty

Today I will be taking a look at Toy march by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 2 dresses, a skirt, a salopette, a head bow, a mini hat, socks, a blouse, a parka and accessories. 

This is the OP. The bodice looks like it fits well and I do like the overall shape. I think the sleeve shape suits the dress. They are slightly puffy but not too OTT. I really like how the sleeves are striped like this, because it continues the circus theme of the print. It also compliments the matching waist bow as well. I really like the waist bow on this dress as I think the size suits the dress, without looking too big. It also has a really firm, solid shape to it. It sits on the dress perfectly and doesn't droop at all.

I am a fan of military style details in lolita and this is no exception. I love the square of gold braid. I love the buttons with the emblems on them and I think they are spaced out well. However, I am a little undecided about the trim used along the neckline. Whilst it does fit the theme, I think it looks a bit messy, especially with the top button getting in the way of it. Below the braid part, there is also a criss-crossed ribbon. This does look very pretty, but I don't think it really adds anything to the dress. I don't think it really needs to be there.

The back has a panel of shirring, which is concealed by a ribbon corset. The ribbon and the lace along the edge of the shirring panel keeps the area tidy. The skirt has a beautiful flared shape to it. It is very rounded and full. It will hold a decent amount of petticoat underneath. The skirt is free of cluttering details and the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is finished off tidily with some typical, good quality AP lace.

This is the JSK. The bodice is very shapely and well fitted. Initially, I wasn't keen on the heart shaped neckline, as I felt it was too cutesy teamed up with the military detailing on the bodice. But the design has since grown on me a bit. I love the detailing on the bodice. It has been set out so well and the spacing is good too. The waist bow is small and I think it suits the dress as it is not too distracting. If it was any bigger, I think it wouldn't look right. The use of velveteen and braiding works brilliantly. I think it adds a bit of a luxurious feel to things. The buttons are pretty as well. My only dislike with the bodice detailing is the 2 lines of gold rick-rack running up either side of the bodice. Thankfully, they don't grab the attention too much. The straps are a good width for this style of dress. The use of velveteen and buttons at the bottom of the straps helps to ensure they match the bodice well. The back has a panel of shirring, which is concealed well by a ribbon corset. The edges of the panel have more of the gold rick-rack trim, but I suppose it is not that noticeable. The skirt has a full and flared shape to it. It flares out beautifully and will hold a decent amount of petticoat. The skirt is kept free of details and the print is displayed really well. The bottom hem is finished off with the same good quality lace.

And here is the print. As you can see the print comes in ivory, wine, green and blue. I love the range of deep colours available. The green is a nice addition and the deep blue is gorgeous. However, I think my favourite colour is the wine, as I like the combination of the deep red with the pink. The ivory is pretty too, but I don't think it works as well as the bolder colours do. As for the print itself, I love bits of it but dislike other bits. I especially love the use of hot air balloons (now there is something I would like to see more of in lolita!) and I think they are decorated beautifully. The musical instruments look pretty too. I am not as keen on the cute animals. That squirrel has a creepy look in his eyes... I do like the pony though. The animals are drawn well, it just doesn't appeal to my personal tastes. I really like the diamond background. The tassels at the bottom are cute too. I suppose I am glad the tassels are in the print instead of AP using a tassel trim on the bottom hem or something. I do like tassels, but sometimes they just don't look right, or remind me of curtains!

I did say on Facebook that if AP released a military style jacket for this series, I would totally buy it. Well, there is no jacket for this series, but they did release this parka. The trouble is, I am not too keen on it! I think my issue with the parka is that it is simply too casual. Parkas tend to be softer and more slouchy than jackets. This parka just doesn't have that stiff, crisp military look to it. I am also not too keen on how the details on the front are laid out. I am sure it is very comfortable to wear, but it is not for me. 

So overall, it is a good series and it will probably sell quickly. It reminds me of Starry Night Theatre (a print I love and own) but strangely, I don't see this as a series I would go out of my way to own. It wont be going on my wishlist. If I did get this series, I would go for the JSK in wine. Although it was close, because I do feel drawn to the OP. I like the sleeve design. However I will be keeping an eye out for any more accessories that come out, as I think they could have a lot of potential. I am already eyeing up the blouse from this series. So I do like the series, but I don't think it is my kind of thing.

Juliette et Justine Shopping Review- Positive

I recently placed an order through the Juliette and Justine website for the first time and so, it is review time! Please note I placed this order through http://juliette-et-justine.com/ and not through their Rakuten store.

Ordering Process

Ordering from JetJ can be a bit daunting at first. I was able to browse the website quite easily but there is a lot of stuff which could be confusing to newcomers. That is where this post from EGL comes in- http://egl.livejournal.com/13287632.html

That EGL guide is your new best friend! By using it, ordering from JetJ was a lot easier and I knew exactly what I was doing. I even remembered to use my discount voucher from the TPC 5th Anniversary event! I did have to go back because whilst I was filling out the form, the colour I wanted sold out, but after adding my 2nd colour choice to the cart everything went smoothly.

Communication

JetJ responded relatively quickly. They get a lot of orders from overseas so I think they are quite confident when it comes to dealing with foreign customers. I understood exactly what they were saying and what I had to do and when. I got an order confirmation email on the same day I ordered and was invoiced about 4 days afterwards, which is how long I was expecting. After my order was shipped out I even got a follow up email, thanking me for my order. It is nice to see JetJ care about their customers.

Shipping

I got a shipping confirmation email 3 days later with my tracking number. I didn't really get a chance to use the tracking number as my parcel arrived just a few days later. It did look as though the tracking was updated frequently though. I was very impressed with the shipping speed.

My order was shipped in a strong plastic bag with one of JetJ's shopping bags inside. The bag was sealed well, so I was confident my item was safe inside. I only ordered a pair of tights, so I wasn't too worried about the contents moving about. That being said, I couldn't feel the tights moving around at all and they didn't have much space to move anyway.

Such a pretty shopping bag!

And inside were my lovely new tights and some information, including my personal details. As you can see, I managed to get the cross patterned tights that they were selling at the TPC event, when the person in front of me got the very last pair! I chose burgandy but I really wanted the cream ones. But I am very happy with my 2nd choice of colour.

I don't quite understand why the waist band is so decorative when nobody is going to see it, but I suppose it is a nice finishing touch! The quality is exactly the same as the other pair of JetJ tights I have. They are not the strongest pair of tights I own, but they are still pretty good. I don't feel as though I am going to ladder them as I pull them on. The tights also feel very soft.

The only thing I would say is that the colour is quite a bit lighter when worn, especially when you compare this flat photo with the next photo.

And here is a worn photo. I apologise because this probably isn't the greatest photo. Although nearer the bottom the colour is still quite rich, it does start to fade more towards the knees and the top half. It is mainly noticeable around the knee area, which I suppose is where you would expect this colour fading as you bend your knees and the tights will have to stretch more. It probably doesn't help that the sizing is not that generous. I wouldn't consider myself plus-sized, but I am probably nearing the maximum measurement for these tights. I definitely wouldn't recommend these to anybody larger than me. That being said, most of the more faded colour will be hidden when I wear lolita. I would definitely still recommend JetJ tights, but I would say that if you are going for darker colours, then proceed with caution. I have decided I am going to layer another pair of tights underneath to give these tights more depth. Apart from the colour problem, the design is beautiful. I absolutely love the gothic looking crosses and even when the design is stretched you can still see the cross detail. 

So I would say this has been a very positive experience. Juliette et Justine are very kind and helpful towards their overseas customers and I felt very valued as a customer. My tights were shipped with great care. The tights themselves are also good. Yes, the colour fades a bit, but that is quite common with tights like this. I would definitely order from Juliette et Justine again. Maybe next time I will order through their Rakuten store to see if their service is just as good there.

Oct 2012 Ox Loli Meet- Spooky Picnic!

On Saturday we held the October Oxfordshire Lolita meet. This time we met in the evening to have a picnic in the dark. Sadly, this does mean my photos were not brilliant, but I have included some of the better ones. I am very sorry Roxy and Nicola, but it looks like I didn't get any good photos of you two. All the photos will be up on my Facebook soon. 

We held our picnic by a lovely bit of river. I managed to catch a lovely sunset on the river in some of the photos, like with this one of Katy. Katy's outfit was awesome and I was surprised to hear that the skeleton tights were from Bodyline. Sadly, I don't think they are on the website any more!

It was very strange seeing our host Sammi in dark colours! Sammi normally wears sweet. Her make-up and BJD tights were done very well. She was also a very lovely host. I think Sammi was a little worried that this meet wasn't going to go well but I know I had fun!

I do have a couple of photos of my outfit because I got my poor husband to take a load! Please excuse the stereotypical mourning gothic posing...

My general theme for the outfit was "Kuro Bride". Most of my outfit is Bodyline. The veil came from an American Etsy store. If you search "black veil" on Etsy, then chances are, you will find the store I got this from. I wore my Demonia platforms and off-brand jewellery. I managed to stun some teenagers in to total silence, so I think my outfit was a success! It felt very odd being in all black, but I do love the kuro style. I wouldn't mind trying shiro, but I don't think it would suit my colouring. 

This photo needed a LOT of light adjusting.

Niamh was wearing guro and Amber was wearing Vampire Forest. I think this was the best photo I got all night. I really like it. For some reason, Niamh always ends up on the ground at our meets! It has become a bit of a tradition now. 

A few people had to drop out, so we ended up with a lot of sugar at our picnic. Not that anybody was complaining! I enjoyed the food. I managed to find some ghost and bat shaped crisps and biscuits. In fact, I think everybody did very well finding food to suit the meet. Sammi's decorations were really cool. Believe it or not, but most of them came from Poundland. I will be looking in there for cheap decorations in the future!

Nicola made a very cute ghost cake. The bit of orange was a bit of confetti that accidentally fell on the cake, but it made a good nose. Do ghosts have noses? I don't know... but the cake was very yummy though. It was a shame to cut up such a cute ghost, but it was worth it.

So I had a great evening. I learnt that wearing kuro/gothic is actually quite fun. I don't think I will be wearing this style as much as sweet and classic, but I am not ruling out further gothic inspired outfits. I know Amber was very happy to see so much black at a meet! It was a very enjoyable time and it was lovely to see everybody again. I am looking forward to the November meet now!

Queen of Snow by Alice and the Pirates

Last week I took a look at Baby's Queen of Snow and this week it is the turn of Alice and the Pirates. AatP's Queen of Snow series includes 2 dresses, a skirt, a blouse, a head bow, socks and a necklace.

This is JSK I. The bodice is a nice shape and looks very well fitted. However, the bodice carries on a little underneath the waist and I wonder if this will affect the skirt shape when worn. The bodice has a line of ribbon running horizontally across it, about halfway down. The ribbon is a bit shiny, but it looks like it is good quality. It looks very neat. This ribbon line is topped by a bow in the middle. The bow is a nice shape with tidy edges. It may be slightly droopy, but it is not really that noticeable and it still holds its shape well. The thing that concerns me is how well this line of ribbon will sit on the wearer. It looks as though it will sit just below the bust on most wearers, but it has the potential to be a bit awkward. I get the impression that it wont suit somebody with a larger bust. The neckline is decorated well with some good quality lace. I also think it is good to have this lace to help balance out the use of darker colour on the rest of the dress. The neckline also has a ribbon bow. It is pretty, just like the other bow, but I don't think the neckline bow is really needed. The ribbon straps on this dress are very thin. I think slightly thicker straps would have been better, just so that they offer a bit more support. The back has a panel of shirring, which is concealed well by a ribbon corset.

The skirt generally has a lovely rounded bell shape to it. The stock pictures show it has the potential to hold a lot of petticoat. However, the material then goes inwards again near the bottom hem, so I would think carefully about what petticoat shape to use. The skirt has a pearl chain dangling near the waist area. It looks very pretty, but without being too distracting.

This picture shows the details of the pearl chain hanging from the skirt. The pearl chain is beautiful. As we can see, the chain also has snowballs hanging from it. I do think the snowballs look very pretty. However, I do think that it would have been better if they had used tear drop shaped charms instead. The necklace from this series has a lovely tear drop shaped bead and I think this chain would have looked stunning with that same shape.

The bottom hem has a tulle ruffle, which gives the bottom a soft edge. This ruffle is topped with rose lace, which looks beautiful and hides the edge of the tulle well.

This is JSK II. The bodice looks like it fits well. I do think the overall shape of the bodice is a bit odd. I don't know if it is just the stock photos but it sort of looks like a fan shape. The straps on this dress are also a bit too wide, especially with additional lace along the edges. The waist bow is also a bit on the big side and could possibly benefit from being a little smaller. But despite this, the bow does have a good shape to it and it looks very sturdy. Thankfully, the wearer has the option of detaching the waist bow and I think the dress looks fine without the bow attached. The waist also has two lines of thin lace running along it. I think the width between the two lines of lace is good, as it makes it look a bit like a belt. It looks very neat and tidy. The neckline has a line of good lace and is topped with 3 ribbon bows. While this has the potential to look too overcrowded, I actually don't think the 3 bows look too bad, especially when the waist bow is detached.  The 3 bows are a nice size. If they were any bigger then they probably would look too OTT. The middle bow has the AatP logo in the middle, which looks pretty and is a nice subtle way to include it. The back of this dress also has a panel of shirring, which is concealed by a ribbon corset. It looks very tidy and helps the wearer control the fit better. The skirt has a nice bell shape to it. It flares out well and will hold a decent amount of petticoat. The skirt is free from clutter, so the print is displayed well. The bottom hem is finished off simply, but neatly, with a line of good quality lace.

And here we have part of the print close-up. This print comes in green, navy, bordeaux and black. I really love the navy as it really emphasises the icy theme of the print. But I also think the black version looks beautiful with the lavender details in the print. Whilst I appreciate the inclusion of the lesser-seen green, I am not too fussed by the way the green version looks for this series and I don't think it works as well. The print itself is very pretty, but I prefer Baby's version of Snow Queen. The AatP version features boxed parts but I think Baby's continual border print looks a lot better. However, I do still like the AatP version. The frames around the box edges are very detailed. I also like how with one frame, the snow queen comes out of the frame (which can be seen on the left of this picture) as it gives it a more 3D appearance. The pictures inside the frames are drawn well. I love the picture of the castle, although I think the castle on the Baby print is drawn better. I am not too keen on the icy letters at the bottom. I do like how the frames have icy rose vines growing in the background growing in the background though. 

I think the necklace for this series is beautiful. It looks very elegant and grown-up. I think this necklace is better than the jewellery released for the Baby Snow Queen series. It has a more mature feel. I also love the shape of the beads. They also catch the light beautifully and turn the beads all sorts of colours. The snowflake charms are also done beautifully. They are very detailed with a great shape.

Whilst there are a few details that I like in this series, I think Baby's take on the Queen of Snow is a lot better than this AatP version. It's not as if I dislike this series, I just wouldn't get it myself because I would rather get the Baby series. The series are a bit too similar for me to want both. But I do love the necklace from this series. I had a hard time deciding which dress I liked best from this series, but I think I would pick JSK I. I would either go for the navy or black. If you ignore the Baby series, this is still a very strong and pretty AatP series. But I still wont be adding this to my wishlist.

Update Regarding My Posting Schedule On Here

Until now, I have been updating this blog approximately three times a week. Usually, this is roughly on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. However, things are going to have to change slightly. My life has changed a lot since I started this blog. Because of this, I am going to have to reduce my posts to about 2 a week. This wont be every single week, so some weeks there will still be 3 posts.

It is important that I make this change because back around March, I became self-employed. The work is "Supply and Demand" based and the reason I am having to reduce my posts is because some weeks I have been absolutely swamped with work. Some weeks have been a bit slower, which is why I was able to post so frequently up until now. I think in the long-term the reduced posting will benefit this blog as it means I wont be rushing about, trying to get posts up. Hopefully this means the content wont be affected as badly.

As I said above, some weeks there will still be 3 posts. It all depends on how busy I am. If there are only going to be 2 posts a week, then I will most likely be posting on Mondays and Thursdays.

I do hope all of my regular readers will stick around and will understand why I am having to do this. I appreciate your support and thank you for reading.

Meta Rose Letter Mini Skirt Set

Metamorphose have put up a new special set. It says the set is limited, but it doesn't appear to be selling that fast. That being said, if you are thinking of getting it then you should probably still order it ASAP.

The set features their Rose Letter print. I don't think it was massively popular. In fact, I don't think I even discussed this print on here when it came out. This set comes in pink, blue and brown.

Although it doesn't sound that amazing, I am a little tempted to get it. It is only 6300 yen, which is a very good price when you consider it is brand new, not second hand, and it also comes with a few accessories. Of course, Meta are not saying which accessories you get exactly. But judging from the pictures on the product listing, you will get a matching handkerchief and either a pair of socks or a head bow. I am not put off by it being a mini skirt either. I have a 'mini' skirt from Meta which still just about reaches my knees and it is only a few centimetres shorter than their standard skirt length. Meta have not given a length on their website though, so please don't take my word for it!

I also think that the print is nice enough. I know I would wear it. The great thing is that Meta are letting you select which colour you want. If I got the blue then I would finally have something that matches those tea party shoes I have! Although I wouldn't buy it for this reason! I think the blue is the nicest colour anyway.

I haven't made my mind up on this set yet but on the surface, I think it is a good deal. The price makes it tempting and it looks like you will get a matching set. It is very reasonable and would be a cheap addition to any lolita wardrobe. The details can be found on the Meta website now- http://www.metamorphose.gr.jp/category/select/cid/382/pid/9259

AatP Midsummer Night's Dream Review!

I am so happy. After losing out on this dress so many times, I FINALLY have Midsummer Night's Dream by Alice and the Pirates! I managed to get my top colour choice of navy and the more popular style of JSK as well. Yay! I thought I would do a bit of a review for my new dress.

I tried on the dress as soon as I got it. I know a few people have said that the waist on this JSK version is a bit strange, so I was a bit worried it wouldn't sit right. I felt that the dress sat on me well. The purple ribbon does sit a bit above my waist, but it doesn't look like it is in the wrong place when I wear it. I found that the bodice fit very well. The measurements I found online on sites such as Hello Lace appear to be quite accurate. The main problem I had with wearing this dress was working out what petticoats to use and how to layer them. It took a few attempts to layer them in a way which didn't make the dress sit funny or look bumpy. Luckily, I have some deflated Bodyline petticoats and I was able to gradually build them up.

The fabric had a nice texture. It wasn't too rough. I have seen this print in person before but this was my first time giving it a really thorough examination. I am noticing colours in the print which I hadn't before. There is more detail to the print than I first realised. I am looking forward to incorporating these colours and themes in to an outfit. The print is just as gorgeous as I thought it would be. 

The ribbon is really good quality. The edges are very neat. I also really like the lavender colour of the ribbon teamed with this dress. The pearls are a nice finishing touch.

The lace is beautiful. It is quite thick and has a nice feel to it. You can tell it is good quality.

A view of the back. One problem I found was that the zip constantly gets stuck. Although, this seems to be a common problem with a lot of lolita dresses. It did take me a few moments to pull the zip up the back by myself. There is definitely a technique to it!

The material is surprisingly lightweight. When I was wearing the dress it felt very light, especially compared to other lolita dresses I own. It does make it easier to wear in warmer weather. The material is fairly thin, but you can't see through it unless you are really close. The dress also has a slip inside which feels very smooth. It is nice to have something like that on the inside, near to my skin, as it feels softer than the dress material. It also makes it look more professional.

I also managed to get the matching bonnet! I only tried this on briefly. It has a nice shape to it, although I get the impression it would be hard to reshape it. My only real complaint is that it doesn't have any combs to hold it in place and I am worried the bonnet may slip about a bit. But I do think I was very lucky to get the matching dress and bonnet set.

I am really excited about this dress and it has overtaken my Meta Fairy Tale skirt as my favourite lolita wardrobe item. I think the dress is absolutely stunning. I love it! I have been a long-term AatP admirer and I am so glad to finally get some in my wardrobe. I definitely want to get more AatP in my wardrobe in the future.

Queen of Snow by BABY

Today I will be taking a look at Queen of Snow by Baby. Alice and the Pirates are also releasing a similar series, which will be featured on my blog soon. But today I am focusing on the Baby series which includes 3 dresses, a skirt, a blouse, wrist cuffs, a bonnet, a head bow, a furry headdress, socks and a few pieces of jewellery.

This is the Snow Rose JSK. The bodice looks like it fits nicely, although I am not a fan of the way the bodice has been set out. The top of the bodice has a raised panel, which is covered in dot tulle. Whilst I like the detailing on the panel, I am not a fan of the overall shape of this part. I can't quite pinpoint what I dislike about it, but there is something about the shape and size which I personally feel looks a bit off.

Looking at this picture, I think that maybe it needs more gathering or perhaps it is just the overall shape. But I do like the detailing. The dot tulle used blends in well with the print and gives the dress some added texture. I think it is well suited. The rose themed lace used vertically up the bodice and along the edges of the raised panel is very pretty. I would maybe like it a bit better if the rose lace wasn't going along the edge of the neckline, but that is just my personal preference. I also like the line of pearls on the raised panel but as I said, I would have liked a bit more gathering. As it is, the material near the pearls is quite bunched up, but then the rest of the panel is almost completely flat. Maybe a bit more gathering and a narrower panel would have worked better. The dress also has the waist bow. I do think the bow looks a bit too big and the lace around the bow edges just emphasises the size further. Although it wouldn't be an exact match, I would have preferred thinner lace used around the edges of the bow. I wouldn't get rid of the lace on the bow altogether because the bodice has so much lace on it, that the waist bow may look out of place with no lace on it at all. The bow does look shapely and sturdy, it is just the sizing I don't like.

The straps are a bit thin, but decorated well with even more lace. At this stage, it would probably look a bit odd not to use lace here as well. The back has a panel of shirring, which is concealed very well by a ribbon corset. It blends in very nicely and gives the wearer more size control. The skirt has a pretty subtle bell shape to it and I reckon it will flare out well. it looks like it will hold a decent amount of petticoat. The skirt is thankfully kept clutter free and so the print is displayed very well. The bottom hem is finished off with some pretty lace.

This is the OP for this series, called the Fairy Dress. The bodice looks well fitted. I felt that in some of the photos on Baby's website, the printed part of the sleeves looked a little too flat and long. But when the chiffon part of the sleeves were detached, I thought they looked a bit better, with a more puffy appearance.

I am normally a huge chiffon fan. I like the ruffle and bow at the end of the sleeves. However, I feel the sleeves flare outwards way too much for my personal tastes. The sleeves are almost as wide as the dress in this picture! I think I would feel a little swamped under all that sleeve material. I do like the sleeves, I just think they are a bit too big.

The way the bodice has been laid out makes it look as though the wearer is wearing a short sleeved bolero, especially with the line of lace running along the waist and then going upwards. This lace then connects with a giant ruffle. The ruffle gives the dress a bit of added volume and depth. The ruffle is topped with wide lace and 2 ribbon bows. It ties in together well, but it is a bit too OTT for my personal taste. The shape of the ruffle and the wide lace just don't do it for me. Also, I don't think it really needs more than one ribbon bow. There is also a Baby charm dangling underneath the ruffle, but it doesn't really stand out because the ruffle grabs your attention more. I just feel that if the bodice was toned down a little bit, I would probably like it a lot more.

The back doesn't have any shirring. The ruffle continues on the back, which I suppose stops there being a sudden halt of ruffle and makes it look more natural. The skirt has a beautiful bell shape to it. It flares out really well and it will hold lots of petticoat too. The skirt is free of clutter and so the print is displayed really well. The bottom hem is finished off with lace, and then an additional ruffle of dot tulle. I am unsure that the dot tulle looks right when you detach the chiffon sleeves, as it doesn't blend in as much.

This is the Princess JSK. The bodice looks like it fits fairly well and it is an interesting shape. I think the size of the waist bow suits the dress. It is a bit softer in shape compared to the waist bow on the other JSK. However, it still holds its shape well and it doesn't look floppy. The lace around the edge of the bow is pretty and it doesn't make the bow look too OTT. The bodice has a corset with the edges covered with nice lace and the ribbon used is pretty too. The criss-crossed ribbon is spaced out really well. The lace and ribbon has a very soft appearance to it, which gives it a bit of a dreamy feel. I think it really suits the series. The corset is topped with a ribbon bow. The bow is a nice size, although it looks a bit overshadowed because of the lace along the neckline. The neckline and the inside of the straps are lined with wide lace. The bodice has quite sharp lines, and I do like how the lace softens the edges of the neckline and straps. Although the lace looks like it may tickle a bit if you are wearing a blouse with a low neckline! I think I would prefer it if the dress didn't have the semi-circle of lace on the neckline, just to make it a little less crowded. The rest of the lace could easily work without it. The back has a panel of shirring which is concealed by a ribbon corset. It is maybe not as neat as the other JSK, but it still does what it is supposed to. The skirt has a very full and rounded shape that almost rivals your typical Angelic Pretty dress. I think it does work quite well and it flares out beautifully. The front of the skirt has a bustle. The tiers are spaced out well and the edges are kept neat with nice lace. However, I think the bustle could do with being a tiny bit wider. I don't know if it is just the stock photos, but the bustle panel looks a bit thin and doesn't quite work for me. Even with the bustle, the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is finished with some pretty lace. While I don't think this lace works as well as the other lace used on the dress, it looks nice enough.

This is part of the print close-up.

And another part. The print comes in pink, lavender, sax blue and black. I think sax blue is the real front runner colour-wise as it really matches the cold, snowy print. Although the lavender colour looks beautiful too. I would love to see more photos of the black version as well, as the print details against the black work surprisingly well. I am not interested by the pink version at all. I don't think it works as well as the other colours. The print itself is absolutely stunning. I adore the icy castle shown in this second print picture. The snowflakes are drawn beautifully and are very detailed. The bows with frosty looking edges are a nice finishing touch. This print has a very magical feel to it and is perfect for this time of year. I don't think there is anything in this print that I dislike.

The jewellery for this series continues the Winter theme. All of the jewellery comes in silver and gold. I personally prefer the silver jewellery, as I think it matches the print beautifully. Although I like all of the jewellery, my favourite is this snow flake bracelet. I just find the snowflakes really pretty and so detailed. The roses and the crystal drops are beautiful too. It is a lovely piece of Winter themed jewellery.

So overall, I do think this is a very pretty series. Usually, I avoid seasonal themed prints like the plague, as I hate the thought of only wearing them for a small part of the year. However, the print is absolutely stunning and I wouldn't mind owning it. If I had to pick a dress I would go for the Princess JSK. It is hard to pick a colour. Would I go for the icy sax blue or go for the deeper black? Those 2 colours are definitely my two favourites. I also like the jewellery and snowflake print socks. I hope this series will sell well. How does the AatP print match up? Hopefully I will find that out soon.

Rose and Lace Fabric- the Bodyline OP Version

Remember that Bodyline skirt I posted a few weeks back? http://luna-rain.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/bodyline-vs-classical-puppets-rose-and.html 

Well, as I predicted Bodyline have now released an OP version using this fabric. I was kind of hoping they might do a JSK, but you never know, they may release one later. I was pondering which of the designs using this fabric I liked best, what with Classical Puppets releasing a dress using the exact same fabric.

Well this is the Bodyline OP, which is now up on their website. I can't say I am that impressed by it to be honest. I think the V shaped neckline looks odd. Also, there is something about the way the sleeves have been executed that doesn't quite look right. It looks like it will make the shoulder area look a lot wider. Also, the waist area is similar to the Bodyline skirt version. This was something I was a bit unsure of with the skirt design.

After weighing up both of Bodyline's designs and the Classical Puppets dress, I have come to the conclusion that my current favourite is the Bodyline skirt. Whilst I may have been unsure about the waist on the skirt, the OP has the same style anyway. The skirt seems the more attractive option out of the 2.

I am not going to buy the skirt just yet, just in case a JSK comes out (unlikely I know, but a few weeks back we didn't know about the OP and there is still a chance more may come out). When I do eventually commit to buying, I can tell I am going to love this print. I am already thinking up outfit ideas! This design is definitely one of Bodyline's strongest designs out of their recent stuff. I am really looking forward to it.

Alice Mirage in Paradox by BABY

My hand is recovering nicely and the bruising is slowly going down, so I feel able to post again! Today I will be taking a look at a recent BABY print called Alice Mirage in Paradox. This series includes 2 dresses, a skirt, a blouse, 3 different hair accessories (a bow, a hat and a bonnet), socks, a bag and a few bits of jewellery.

This is the White Queen JSK. The bodice is well fitted and a pretty shape. I really like the panel appearance of the bodice with the panel edges lined with thin ruffled. The ruffle colour is dark, so it stands out a bit, but it doesn't push the contrast too far. I also like the use of buttons on the front to give a slight military feel to the dress. Although maybe gold coloured buttons would have stood out a bit more here and would match the gold Baby logo charm on the bow. The straps are a good width and the ruffles on the edge are the right size. The ruffles on the whole of the bodice may be too much for some, but I think it is well balanced because the thinner ruffles stop it looking a total frilly mess.

This close-up shot shows us that the ruffles actually have a hint of gold around the edge. I think this is a nice touch and it helps to tie in the use of gold on the rest of the dress. The bow on the neckline is big. It is maybe a tiny bit too big for my personal tastes, but it has a good shape to it and is very perky. At least it doesn't droop. The gold Baby logo is cute and fits in well with the dress. The ruffle around the edge of the bow matches the rest of the dress very well and surprisingly, it doesn't make the bow look too OTT. However, I am unsure I like the line of ribbon running across the top half of the bow and then along horizontally along the bodice as well. I think the ribbon looks a bit odd and it isn't needed.

The back has a panel of shirring which is concealed by a ribbon corset. The ribbon used here appears to be velvet, which I think is a really strange choice. There is no velvet anywhere else on this dress and it is a bit random. The skirt has a lovely rounded bell shape to it. It looks very full and will hold a lot of petticoat. The skirt is kept free of clutter and so, the print is displayed really well. The bottom hem is finished off with another ruffle like the rest of the dress. It ties in really well.

This is the Red Queen JSK. The bodice is really well fitted with a good shape to it. The waist has a large waist bow. Normally I would find this bow too big but on this occasion I think it suits this dress. Although it does blend in a bit with the rest of the dress. However, the bow is a lovely sturdy shape and is lined with gold trim, which helps it to stand out a bit more. The bow is detachable and underneath it, there is a line of red ribbon running along the waist line. Whilst the ribbon looks neat, the colour looked a bit lighter compared to other parts of ribbon on the dress. I actually prefer this dress with the bow still attached. The gold trim gives the bodice a smart, panelled look. I really like the gold buttons on this dress and the slight military feel. However, the buttons do look a bit droopy and I would be tempted to resew them on. Whilst I like the shape of the collar, I really don't like how the colour is black. There is no areas of black on the rest of the dress and I think it doesn't match anything else. I think it would have looked better if the colour was the same colour and the ribbon used. Thankfully, the collar is detachable and the dress still looks good with it removed. The neckline is finished with a ribbon bow, which looks very cute and I like the way the Baby charm hangs from it. The back has a panel of shirring, which is concealed well by a ribbon corset. With the collar ties at the back and also the waist ties, the back of this dress possibly looks a bit crowded. It is not enough to put me off the dress and if you detach the collar, then you don't have to worry about this anyway. The skirt is a lovely full bell shape and is very rounded. It will hold a decent amount of petticoat too. The print is not obscured by details and is displayed well. The bottom hem has a line of ribbon and is finished with gold trim, which gives it a smart and tidy finish. The ribbon is topped with small bows which are cute, but not too distracting. I think they work quite well.

Here is part of the print close-up.

And another part. The print comes in pink, navy, brown and black. I personally found the brown and black versions to be a bit dull. The pink and navy versions look very bright and vibrant in comparison. I would probably pick the pink colour as my favourite this time. This print reminds me a lot of Alice's Portrait by Alice and the Pirates. Replace the stripes from Alice's Portrait with check, and you get something like this new print. Luckily, the check part of the print is pretty then. The print doesn't focus on the typical characters we usually see in Alice themed prints. Tweedledum and Tweedledee are a big feature of this print. Does this pair really make for a good Alice print? I am not so sure these characters are strong enough to merit their own print, especially when the only other main feature is the chess pieces. That being said, the print is nice enough for what it is. The golden frames are very elaborate and a lot of detail has gone in to this print. It is all drawn very well. However, I do think the knight chess pieces are a bit derpy looking, especially the white one. I like how there is a line of card suit mirrors above the main frame part of the print and the pearl chain detail at the bottom of the print. My favourite part of the print is the frame with the 2 queen chess pieces in it, but I am not overly amazed by the print.

I like the idea behind the jewellery for this series. However, I am a bit unsure I like the end product. I think for me, it is the colour of the gold used (the jewellery also comes in silver). The colour used on the gold versions is very bright and I think it verges on looking a bit cheap. I think a more antique gold colour would have been more fitting for this series, as it may have matched the gold parts of the print better. When I saw this series for the first time, I really liked the jewellery, but as time has gone on I have found it less appealing. But ignoring my dislike of the gold colour, I do like the heart design topped with the crown and I think the mirror is interesting.

Whilst I do like the series, I feel it could have been better than it is. The dress designs themselves are quite good, but I am not too bothered by the print. It all feels very familiar. I wouldn't go out of my way to own this series. If I had to pick, I would go for the Red Queen JSK in pink, but only because I can detach the collar! I can see some people liking this series, but for me it is a bit underwhelming.

I Have Injured Myself...

Sorry for the lack of post today. On Saturday I injured my right hand. I am getting better now, but I don't think I should be writing a post. It hurts if I type for too long and I don't want to make it worse. So I am really sorry. I should be back Wednesday.