Sweetie Chandelier by Angelic Pretty

Today I will be having a look at the latest from Angelic Pretty. This series is called Sweetie Chandelier and it has already been released. This series includes 2 dresses, a skirt, a head bow, a bonnet, a few pieces of jewellery and socks.

This is the OP. The bodice looks well fitted. For the sleeves, AP has gone in to full-on princess mode. The bell shaped sleeves on this dress are very full and flare outwards quite a lot. Whilst I like the tulle on the sleeves and think it is layered beautifully, I think the overall sleeve is just far too wide for me. If they were a bit smaller, I would probably like them a lot more. As they are, I think they are too OTT. I would be worried about my hands getting lost underneath all that material! The dress has a matching choker. Usually I dislike chokers, but I do think this one matches the dress well. It is tied up with tulle at the back, so the good thing is the size is easy to adjust. If I had this dress I probably wouldn't bother with the choker though.

The waist bow is big, but I think a good size for this style of dress. It has an interesting shape to it and looks very firm, with no obvious signs of droopiness. The bow is lined with gold trim, which I think suits the overall theme of the dress. It is also quite narrow, so it adds a nice finishing touch without being too bulky and overpowering. The bodice has 2 lines of vertical lace, which go outwards towards the top of the dress. The lace sticks out quite a bit, but it does match the OTT style of the rest of the dress. There are 4 bows inside the 2 lines of lace, which grow in size as the lace gets further apart. It creates a V shape. It is an interesting idea, but it is a bit too much for my tastes. I would have been happier with just one bow on the neckline or some other kind of detail. I think the dress is quite decadent already. 

The back has a panel of shirring which is concealed by a ribbon corset. The ribbon is spaced out nicely and keeps things neat. The back also has a bustle. The bustle layers look soft and hang nicely. They are spaced out well too. It matches the sleeves too, although I still wish the sleeves were smaller.

The skirt has a very full and flared. It also has a pretty rounded shape to it. I think that the skirt shape matches the rest of the dress well. It will hold a decent amount of petticoat too. The skirt is split in to 2 tiers. The tiers join together nicely and there is no awkward bumpiness. The tier join has more gold trim, which gives a smarter appearance. The tier join is also topped with 2 small bows. The bows are kept very small, so  they are not too distracting and it finishes off the area nicely. The print is maybe not displayed as well as the JSK, but it still looks very pretty. The bottom hem is then finished off with polka dot lace. I was a bit surprised by this, as I thought AP would do something a bit more special with the lace, especially when you consider how heavily detailed the rest of the dress is.

This is the JSK. I thought the bodice material looked a bit baggy in places. The overall bodice shape is also a bit dull. It is quite average and plain. The straps are a bit on the thin side and I would have preferred them to be just a teeny bit thicker. The straps have a line of lace running along the middle of them though, which stops them looking too plain.

The waist bow is made of ribbon. The ribbon is a bit on the shiny side. However, I do like the way the bow has been shaped. The tails of the bow have been folded in a way that gives it a much more interesting shape. You can't see all of it in this picture, but you get the basic idea. The ribbon has a lot of movement and depth to it. I think it is a very pretty idea. The bodice has 2 lines of gold trim running vertically upwards to give a panelled appearance. I would have probably liked this a lot more if the material didn't look so baggy in the photos. There is something about the yoke that doesn't seem right to me. It is nice how there are semi-circular lines of lace with the beads lined up as it mimics the shape of a chandelier and works with the print. But for some reason, I think the yoke looks a bit too plain teamed with the rest of the dress. I can't figure out why I think that. I also think the yoke is a bit too big and shouldn't go the whole way across the bodice. Also, whilst the lace around the edge of the yoke is pretty, I am not sure it is the best choice on this particular dress. Overall, I don't think it looks too bad. I just think it could look better.

The back has a panel of shirring. It is concealed very neatly by a ribbon corset. The edges are all lined with gold trim, which is a nice finishing touch too. The skirt is your typical AP shape. It is a very pretty rounded shape which flares outwards well. It will hold a decent amount of petticoat. The skirt is kept free of further detail and so, the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with the same polka dot lace, which I still think is a surprisingly ordinary looking choice for an AP print like this one .

And here we have the print close up. As you can see, the print comes in ivory, pink, sax blue and black. I think my favourite is the sax blue, as the pink bows in the print stand out nicely against it and I am not too keen on the black. The pink colour way blends a bit too much for my liking. The ivory is a nice, slightly maturer looking colour if the print is too sweet looking for some. As for the print itself, I am very unsure about it. When I initially saw it I hated it but when I saw it on the actual dresses, I didn't think it looked as bad. Although I think it is a nice idea, I don't like all the parts of the print. I especially dislike the gummy animal chandelier as I think that pushes the cuteness a bit too far for my personal tastes. The other chandeliers are a bit better. To be fair, I do think that all the parts of the print have been drawn very well. I just wish the sweetness of the print was a bit more toned down. I think that if you removed the gummy animals and the cupcakes, it could have been a nice sweet print. Also, I like the lace ovals in the print, but I don't think they work when teamed with the cutesy chandeliers.

Here is a close up of the necklace from this series. I thought the detail on it was quite impressive. For such a small necklace, there is a lot of detail there. I love the candles and the gems hanging underneath. The other jewellery is also very pretty, but I found the necklace to be the most interesting.

So overall, I am not that impressed by this series. The OP is too OTT for me and I feel the JSK is fine, but possibly lacking something. Interestingly, I feel the print suffers from the same problem with the sugary chandeliers conflicting with the more subtle parts of the print like the lace ovals. I wouldn't say this was a bad series, but I am very uncertain about it. I probably wouldn't buy this series, but if I did I would get the skirt in sax blue. However, I would get the necklace.

The Animal Ear Alternatives

Animal ears get a bad rep in the world of lolita. Generally, they are considered a bit too "cosplay". Certain animals keep popping up frequently in lolita though. We have seen brands releasing animal ears in the past, especially BABY. But just because brands do something, it doesn't automatically mean that everybody is going to be a fan of them. I find that animal ears tend to divide opinion in the lolita community. Animal ears are not something I have considered wearing much anyway, but I do admire the way that fashion has come up with different ways of using animal ears but without resorting to just sticking a pair of fluffy ears on our heads. Here are just a few alternatives to wearing animal ears.

Something I recently discovered was cat ear bowler hats. I think the bowler hat is usually quite a classy kind of hat, and the cat ears on this one adds a little touch of cute. This is a very subtle take on cat ears. I have seen some classic lolitas who love bowler hats, and I think this interesting new take on the bowler would be very interesting to see in an outfit. The hat in the picture is from www.chemjoy.com

Bear hats like this one from Minty Mix (sold out, I am afraid!) are generally well-liked within the lolita community. They are soft and easy to wear. Also, they are adorable! With all the bear prints out there, it is not too difficult to find photos of lolitas wearing these (especially AP's Little Bears Cafe!).

These pearl cat ear hair bands were quite popular last year. It gives the shape of cat ears, but it is more subtle. I think this is a very pretty idea and very easy to wear. The pearls give it a more grown up look, but is still cute. The great thing is, that because of their popularity, they are easy to find and usually at a decent price. The one in the picture is from www.asos.com

Do people still wear usamimis? You don't seem to see them as much now. This hair accessory was popular in the gyaru communtity a while back, but I always thought they could be worn in a casual lolita outfit. Usamimis are meant to look like rabbit ears. But the great thing is, they are easy to shape so you can get your desired style. It is very casual looking, so easy to wear without drawing much attention. Usamimis are affordable or very easy to make.

Of course, you could always just get a hoody with animal ears attached. These are very common and brands release these on a frequent basis. A quick browse on the Japanese Angelic Pretty site, and I found about 5 hooded tops with animal ears. Animal ear hoodies don't seem to get as much hate as just wearing a pair of animal ears. I guess having ears on a casual top is seen as more acceptable.

I am sure there are many other ideas out there. It is good to see that there are many options. I would just like to say that I am not hating on anybody who does wear actual animal ears with lolita. Although it is not really my style, I have nothing against people who choose to wear ears. In fact, there are times where animal ears can work very well (for example, an Alice in Wonderland style outfit based around the White Rabbit). But I do know that some people out there dislike the use of animal ears. It is just good to know there are options out there for those who like animal ears, but are looking for a more wearable alternative.

My Sweet Mates Kumya Strawberry and Lace Millefeuille by BABY

Today I will be taking a look at BABY's latest offering. This series is called My Sweet Mates Kumya Strawberry and Lace Millefeuille. This series includes 2 dresses, a skirt, a bonnet, a head bow, an Usakumya mini purse and socks.

This is the Sophie JSK. The bodice is a pretty shape and it looks well fitted. There is a waist bow, which looks a bit on the big side. The lace around the edges of the waist bow is pretty and matches the rest of the dress, but it only emphasises the size of the bow. Despite the size, the bow does have a good shape to it and it doesn't appear to droop. I was kind of hoping that the waist bow would be detachable, but it doesn't appear to be. It's a shame, because I think this dress would look lovely with it detached. The neckline has a pretty line of ladder lace with ribbon threaded through it, which is a nice touch. The lace on the edge of the neckline matches the rest of the dress perfectly. The neckline is finished with a cute little ribbon bow. The bow is very sweet and sits well on the dress. I really dislike the shoulder straps on this dress. Although I think it is great that you can adjust the length of straps with the buttons, I don't like the appearance of them. With the rounded edges, lace and cutesy buttons, I think the straps look a bit too 'young' and childlike for my personal tastes. The back has a panel of shirring which runs the whole way across. The shirring does look a bit open and exposed. It is good to see this dress offers a bit of size flexibility but the thin, flimsy waist ties don't look like they will offer much support if you want to make the dress smaller. So this dress may not be the best choice for smaller lolitas. The skirt has a very straight and triangular appearance in the stock photos. I actually think the skirt shape goes well with the bodice shape, but I am not a fan. However, the skirt does have a decent amount of volume to it and will hold a decent amount of petticoat. The skirt is kept free of clutter and so, the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with some good quality lace. The lace is a bit wider here, but I don't think it looks too out of place.

This is the Judy JSK. The bodice looks well fitted. I am not too keen on the overall bodice shape though. I just feel it could have a prettier shape. The straps are a bit thin, but they do suit the dress. The outer strap edges are lined with lace, giving a softer edge. It also stops the straps looking too plain.

There is quite a bit of detail on the bodice. Firstly, we have the ribbon the corset. The ribbon is not shiny and of a good quality. The ribbon is also spaced out nicely. The edges of the ribbon corset are lined with lace. Whilst the lace is pretty here, I think it could do with being a bit thinner. The wide lace looks a bit too fussy and bulky. Then we have a raised, scalloped edge panel, which I despise. The scallops look too harsh when teamed with softer edges, lined with lace. I would have not included the scalloped edge panel on the bodice at all. The panel is topped with a large bow. The bow has a nice shape to it and it doesn't droop too much. The lace around the bow edges is pretty, although it emphasises the size more. Although the bow is a bit big, I don't think it would look so bad if it didn't have the scallop panel behind it. As the bodice is, I think it is too fussy and OTT. The bow is detachable, but I prefer the dress with the bow attached because the scallops look worse without the bow hiding some of it.

The back has a panel of shirring, which is concealed very neatly with a ribbon corset. It looks very tidy and the ribbon used is not shiny. This dress has 'proper' wider waist ties as well. The skirt has a very pretty bell shape to it. It flares outwards very well and will hold a decent amount of petticoat. The skirt is free of cluttering details and the print is displayed very well. The skirt has a scalloped edge. I quite like the scallops here as they have been done very well. It is a shame that BABY felt they had to include matching scallops on the bodice, as I think the skirt scallops would look fine without the bodice ones being there. The bottom hem is then finished off with very wide lace. I think the wide lace goes well when teamed with the scalloped edge.

And this is part of the print close-up. This print is available in off-white, pink, lemon yellow, sax blue and black. I think the print works very well with all the colours. My favourite is probably the pink colour way, although the lemon yellow is a nice change. As for the print itself, it is quite typical for an Usakumya themed print. Usakumya looks as adorable as ever. I think it is cute how Usakumya is poking out of the basket. Kumya's friends are also drawn very well. I love the use of strawberries and cherries in the print. The bows are also drawn well. BABY release prints featuring Usakumya from time to time. Although I like Usakumya, I tend to find that I am not that fussed by the prints. I think this print is very cute, but it is not my sort of style. I do love the Usakumya bags though!

The interesting thing about the newest Usakumya purse is the purse part is different from usual. It has an actual purse clasp instead of the typical zip and pouch. I think I prefer the Usakumya bags with the zips though, as I get the impression they may be a bit more secure than this purse style.

So overall, I think is a very cute series. It is not my sort of thing, but I bet Usakumya's fans are very pleased to see a new print to add to their collection. There are bits of both of the dresses which I am not keen on, so I would probably go for the skirt. But if I did have to pick one of the dresses, I would probably pick the Sophie JSK. Very sweet, but I will be sticking to just the Usakumya bags for now.

Surviving Winter

As I type, there is snow on the ground outside. It is only a few inches deep, but it feels like the entire country goes in to panic as soon as the first snowflake falls. I know a lot of people in the UK have been working from home, transport has been utter chaos and there has been the same old panic buying at the supermarket. At times like this, I find it very hard to wear lolita. All I want to do is stay in bed and firmly wrap myself up in the duvet. In fact, I don't really feel like doing anything at all. I am hoping this is just a seasonal slump, but I have been thinking of ways to make this time of year more bearable.

Invest in some warm and Winter-proof lolita clothes- I know there are a lot of lolitas out there who don't even own a lolita coat. I suppose it is quite a luxury item. It is probably going to be one of the most expensive items you would buy and some lolitas prefer to make do with a regular coat. I brought my first and only lolita coat a few Winters ago from Bodyline and I don't regret it one bit. As far as keeping me warm from the typical UK winter goes, it does its job. It is nice to have a practical coat, which is also very cute. Something I do need to work on though, is some sensible lolita boots that keep my feet dry. A lot of my lolita shoes are not really suited to the wet and cold weather. There are also so many brand and off-brand accessories that you can pick up for cheap such as scarves and gloves that would compliment lolita. My point is, that if you know you are prepared for the weather, then going outside wont feel as daunting. If you think you are going to get cold or wet then you are probably not going to be as enthusiastic.

Treat yourself to a nice, hot drink at a cafe- I always have some hot chocolate in the house but I never have any cream or mini marshmallows about to make it a bit special. So to tempt me out of the house, I like going to cafes and treating myself to the most luxurious hot chocolate ever. Cream, a dusting of cocoa, flavoured syrup... I want it all! It is probably something I can't do at home without buying in all those extras. Also, it is quite nice to sit in a cafe, have some quiet time and get somebody else to do all the work for you. A lot of cafes bring in special drinks during the festive season. My current favourite is Black Forest hot chocolate but the cafe I usually get it from took it away after Christmas! (PLEASE bring it back!!!) So it looks like I may have to find myself a new favourite for the moment. But with options like salted caramel lattes, gingerbread hot chocolate and very boozy eggnog, I think I have a lot more options to explore.

Always make sure you are able to get home safely- I try not to travel too far when it is snowing because as I said, the entire country seems to shut down. Transport is usually one of the first things to go awry. So I think going out a bit closer to home is a much better option. A lot of this does depend on how brilliant your local area is. My town is not that good, but I try to make the most of the available facilities.

Go out and build a snowman- We don't get snow that often here, so just go out and enjoy it while you can. My Facebook feed is currently bombarded with snowmen that my friends have made! It's just a bit of harmless fun. We don't always have the chance to do these things, so make the most of it.

See snow as your perfect photo opportunity- I really love seeing photos of lolitas in the snow! It looks so pretty and I think it makes a really lovely backdrop. It is a bit different. Just like my last point, we should try to make the most of the snow while we have it. Put together a winter themed outfit and really show it off against the stunning, white snow.

Or failing this, just hide yourself away until Spring and then vow to squeeze in as much lolita as possible to make up for your quiet period. Spring is (hopefully) just around the corner!

Empress Loved Death Elisabeth by AatP

Today I will be taking a look at a recent release from Alice and the Pirates. I am calling this series Elisabeth for short. This series includes 2 dresses, an over robe OP, a skirt, a headdress, a bonnet, 2 blouses, pants, socks and a hair pin. 

This is JSK I. The bodice is a nice shape and appears fairly well fitted. The bodice has 3 bows on the front with one sitting on the waist and then 2 on the bodice. The bows are spaced out nicely. I would probably normally find this kind of detail a bit too overcrowded, but I do think the bows work quite well on this particular dress. That being said, I also think the dress would work without them there. The bows are a bit big, but suit the dress. The shape of the bows is good and they don't droop much. My one complaint about the bows is that the ribbon used is very shiny. The bodice has been given a panelled appearance with the edges lined nicely with a pretty looking thin ruffle. However, I am not a fan of the shape of the panel. I am unsure why, but I think the shape is a little awkward. The straps are a good width for this dress. There is more ruffle on the outer edge of the straps, which gives them a softer edge and is also good for continuation, as it matches the ruffles elsewhere on the dress. The back has a panel of shirring, which is concealed neatly by a ribbon corset. The skirt has a beautiful full and plump shape to it. It's maybe a bit plumper than we are used to seeing from Alice and the Pirates, but I like it. I think the shape suits the rest of the dress. It will hold a decent amount of petticoat underneath and it flares out well. 

The front of the skirt has a solid coloured chiffon bustle. I think the bustle could have done with being a bit wider width-wise on the skirt as it does look a bit narrow and squished. That aside, I do like the bustle a lot. I like how the added tiers of lace and chiffon don't start until nearer the bottom of the skirt. If the bustle tiers started higher up, I think it would add too much bulk and would be too OTT. I think it is more flattering this way. The lace is of a good quality and the tiers are spaced out nicely. The material looks soft and drapes well. I also like how the edges of the bustle area have the same ruffle used on the bodice and gives the main dress material a softer edge. The bottom hem is then finished off with some good quality lace which matches quite well.

This is JSK II. The bodice is a beautiful shape and looks well fitted. I like how the waist has a band of the more detailed part of the print as it gives the illusion of wearing a belt. It's a very interesting trick of the eye!

This JSK probably looks a bit less extravagant compared to the other JSK, but there is still some nice detail. I love the use of lace on the bodice. The lace is of a good quality and is layered nicely. The lacy yoke has a nice shape to it too. Underneath the lace is a small ribbon bow. It is a nice shape and size. I don't think it really contributes much to the overall look, but it is a nice little finishing touch. The straps are a good width and suit the dress. I like how the lace continues along the inside of the straps, as it makes them look a bit more interesting. I also think it looks better than plain straps would have.

The back has a panel of shirring, which is concealed well by a ribbon corset. It keeps everything neat and tidy. The skirt shape is very pretty. It is a lovely subtle bell shape and it flares out beautifully. It will hold a decent amount of petticoat. It may not be as full and plump as the first JSK, but I think this skirt style really suits this JSK. The skirt is kept free of cluttering details and so, the print is displayed very well. The bottom hem is finished off with pretty lace.

And here we have part of the print close up. The print is available in in beige, red, navy and black. It is very hard to pick just one favourite colour. I love both the red and the black colour ways. I probably like these two colours more because the I like the gold in the print against these bold colours. As for the print itself, I love all the detail to it. It looks very luxurious. The pictures of the lady are very pretty and drawn beautifully. I love the image of her posing with her parasol. The gold swirls that frame the lady, and are also a huge part of the rest of the print, are beautiful. They have a very regal feel to them. The fans, eagle emblems and keys are all drawn with a lot of detail. I especially like the fan. I think my favourite background item is the crowns though. I like how they have been drawn and the use of bold colour (here shown in red on the black colour way).

The head wear for this series is suitably decorated. I love the use of fake flowers on the bonnet. I especially like the use of gold which delicately lines the edges of the black rose. However, I am unsure I like the use of lace on the bonnet. I think the very wide lace on the inside covers up too much of the main bonnet material. I would probably prefer it if the inner lace wasn't there. 

I know rectangle headdresses are unpopular, but I do like the way the one from this series looks. There is just something about it which seems to match the theme of the series quite well. The fake rose looks very pretty, although I wonder if it maybe looks a bit unbalanced only having the rose on one side. After comparing the two, I would probably choose the bonnet, but I would want to do something about the lace on the bonnet.

Overall, I think this has the potential to be a very strong series. I think it has a very elegant and luxurious feel to it. Out of the 2 JSKs I would probably choose JSK II in black. Would I buy from this series? Yes, I would. I am not adding this print to my wishlist, but I am not ruling it out. I think the print is beautiful and there are loads of options for co-ordinating with it. I reckon this will be a success.

Co-doll Silhouette Ruffle Blouse by Angelic Pretty

About a year ago, I decided that I really wanted a lavender chiffon blouse. I had a very good  idea of what I wanted to use it for and it soon became a top priority on my list of things to buy. For ages I could not find a single blouse that was suitable. I could find chiffon blouses in practically every colour, except the one I really wanted. But luckily, just before Christmas I found the lavender chiffon blouse of my dreams! It was from Angelic Pretty. Thankfully, everybody seemed distracted by the Gloria series, so I was able to order this before it went out of stock! I don't think blouse even made it on to the international website and the lavender colour sold out after I ordered it, so I was very lucky.

I ordered from the Japanese Angelic Pretty website via Japonica. Japonica's fees have been reduced recently, so I was more than happy to take advantage of this opportunity. The box was very sturdy and Japonica had sealed the box with strong tape. It doesn't look like parcel tape and it reminds me of plasters or medical tape. Either way, that tape was very strong and I had a hard time opening the box! So my new blouse was very secure.

They also put a line of the tape across the box like this on the inside just for added strength. The blouse was wrapped in pink tissue paper.

As per usual, AP gave me a shopping bag and a sticker! I am starting to build quite a sticker collection now.

And here is the blouse. It was everything that I hoped it would be. The measurements given on the AP website were very accurate and the fit is good. This blouse is very comfortable. The chiffon material feels so soft and it drapes nicely. I think the sleeves have the right level of fullness. The only one tiny criticism is that I wish the overall bodice length was a bit longer. 

The edges of the sleeves had a suitable level of stretch in them. They were very comfortable. The lace finishes off the sleeves nicely too. The lace feels soft and looks cute too.

I like the ruffles on the front a lot. It adds a bit of interest to the front. At the same time, it doesn't feel too bulky or look too OTT. 

This picture is probably the closest to what the colour looks like in person. I love the neck line ruffle! There is a satin bow on the front which is detachable. The bow is a nice finishing touch. It is a bit shiny and the colour is not an exact match, but I think it goes well with the blouse.

So I am very excited about my latest purchase. My dream of owning a lavender chiffon blouse has finally come true! I am hoping to get even more lavender items this year and that it will become a more dominant colour in my wardrobe. This blouse is definitely a good start.

Jewel Ribbon by Angelic Pretty

Yes, I know this series came out weeks ago. I just never got around to discussing it! So today I will be talking about Jewel Ribbon by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 2 dresses, a skirt, a head bow, a barrette, a few pieces of jewellery and socks.

This is the Ruched Bodice JSK. It is a bit difficult to tell how well this JSK would fit as there is a lot of shirring in the bodice. I can picture it being very stretchy indeed, but it may not be so good for smaller wearers. I am not that fond of the overall shape of the bodice as it looks a bit messy.

I think the main issue I have with the bodice is that it looks too fussy. The print is quite busy already and the bodice details are a bit too overpowering. The ruche detailing is not to my personal taste. I think I would have liked it better if just the top half of the bodice had the ruche detailing. I also think the lace running across the bodice is too fussy. The lace is so gathered and is already sitting on top of gathered material. If that wasn't enough, the lace is topped with shiny bows! When you put all this together, it looks quite OTT. The waist bow is a little on the big side. However, at least it is a nice shape and doesn't droop. The waist bow is also detachable if you don't like it. The bows sat on the lace are also detachable and I think the dress looks a bit better with them detached. It's not perfect, but I think its an improvement.

The straps appear to have a bit of stretch to them, which could be handy for size flexibility. The back has a panel of shirring. The shirring runs the whole way across the back. Usually I think the shirring looks a bit untidy when it is so open and exposed. However, with the ruched detail on the front, the shirring on the back blends in quite well! The skirt is very full with a nice shape. I think the pictures demonstrate just how well it can flare outwards. It will hold a decent amount of petticoat underneath. The skirt is kept free of cluttering details and so, the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with some ribbon themed lace, which suits the print. It's a shame I don't like the bodice, as I do like the bottom half.

This is the Tiered JSK. The bodice looks like it is well fitted. I do think the bodice shape is a bit plain though, as it looks quite square with very straight lines. The waist bow is big, but I think it suits the dress. The bow has a cute shape and looks very perky. The lace gives the bow a softer edge and it doesn't add that much bulk to the bow. The thin lace running up and across the bodice give it a panelled appearance. Compared to the other JSK, the bodice on this dress maybe looks a bit flat and plain. So I think the lace is a nice touch to stop this bodice looking too boring. I like how the direction of the lines in the print changes on the side panels too. I think its a nice touch to have a line of ladder lace with ribbon running through it along the neckline. At the base of one of the straps, we see there are 2 ribbon bows. I think the bows are a nice size, with one being a bit smaller than the other. The ribbon used is only a little shiny and it matches the ribbons in the print very well. These bows are detachable, but I think they finish off the dress nicely. I suppose they would make a nice emergency hair accessory if needed though. The straps are a decent width. The outer strap edges are lined with lace, which softens the edges nicely. The back has a panel of shirring running the whole way across, so it is open and exposed. But again, it does blend in quite well because of the style of print. And it is quite good to have some additional size flexibility. The skirt is again very full. It is slightly rounded, but there is a slight danger of it looking a bit triangular in shape. At least we know it holds a lot of petticoat. The skirt is made of 2 tiers. The area where the tiers join is done neatly and doesn't look at all bumpy. It doesn't make the overall skirt shape look awkward. I wish the lines in the print lined up better, but this is only a slight niggle. Because of the gathering, the print is not displayed as well as the other JSK, but it still looks very pretty. The bottom hem is finished off with the same ribbon lace.

And here is the print close up, showing the 4 colours this series comes in. There are some very interesting colour co-ordinations and I can imagine some are harder to co-ordinate than others. I think my personal favourite would be either the wine/white on the far left or black/lavender on the far right. Considering the simplicity of the print, it is impressive how busy it looks when you see it on the actual dresses. There is actually a fair bit of detail to this print. But despite this, I find it hard to get excited about this print. The bows are drawn nicely and look cute, but it is not my sort of thing. I think it is nice for what it is, but it doesn't really appeal.

I am unsure whether this was intended to be a part of this series, but it did come out at the same time. There were some ribbon themed items released as well. I just wanted to say I really like this accordion ring! It is so quirky and different. I love the little piano keys and the chain. Sadly, I don't think it is the right colour to match anything in my wardrobe, otherwise I would be very tempted!

Overall, I don't think is a series I would probably buy. It's not that I don't like the series, I just wouldn't go out of my way to get hold of it. If I had to pick a dress I would go for the tiered JSK in wine/white, but I actually prefer the skirt over both of the dresses. It is okay for what it is, but I am underwhelmed by it.

Things I Would Like To See In 2013

With 2013 starting, it is time for another of these posts where I set out my hopes and dreams for the year ahead. Some of my dreams are ones you may recognise from last year's post which still haven't come true!

1. Angelic Pretty Releasing A Duck Print- This one is returning from 2012's post! I would love to see Angelic Pretty doing an Easter themed print with ducks. We have had bunnies (LOTS of bunnies) and chicks... I thought maybe ducks would be a bit different. I reckon if AP did a duck print, I would love it a whole lot more than Meta's March of the Duck (a print that I adore!). I would be very interested to see what AP did with ducks and I know some people found the Meta ducks a bit too derpy looking for their liking.

2. Baby releasing less questionable looking bags- Some Baby bags look very pretty. Others? Not so much... Looking back at my posts in 2012, it would appear that I have on a couple of occasions not been very kind about Baby's bag designs. The most recent Baby bag I have slated was this rabbit bag from the Secret Garden series, which is essentially a flat rabbit with a tiny purse stuck on the back.

3. Japonica keeping their commission charges at the new lower rate- For those of you who maybe haven't been on the Japonica website recently, they have lowered their commission rates! Their charges are now a bit more in line with their competitors; making them a more attractive shopping service option. So let's hope their charges stay at this new rate!

4. For Bodyline to extend their bolero colours to include lavender- I love Bodyline boleros but it does sometimes annoy me that there are not that many colour options. I would love to see Bodyline doing a lavender bolero. Also, wine and navy boleros from Bodyline would be good addition as well. As somebody who unfortunately feels the cold a lot, sometimes my only option is to pile on the layers and it would be so handy to have more colour choices.

5. More prints like Metamorphose's Fancy Egg- I absolutely loved Meta's Fancy Egg print. One of my favourite parts of the print is the fact that Faberge style eggs is something we have not really seen before in lolita. It felt very fresh and new. It makes me wonder what other sort of new territory lolita print designers could explore. Also, I kind of wonder how the more classic brands would have done a Feberge egg print. Imagine if Mary Magdalene had done one... I bet it would look amazing!

6. Loads more chiffon!- For me, 2012 was the year that I fell head over heels in love with chiffon. Chiffon blouses dominated my lolita purchases last year. They are so light and easy to wear. Also, I love the way the fabric looks so delicate and dreamy. A special mention goes to Baby's chiffon blouses, which are amazing. My current favourite is the Raphael blouse which came out in late 2011 (seen below).

7. More Juliette et Justine printed tights- I remember when I first saw the JetJ tights at the Tea Party Club 5th Anniversary Event and thinking their designs were amazing and full of detail. I later went on to use my discount coupon on a pair of the cross tights which I had just missed out on at the event. Also, I would like to see more Angelic Pretty tights as well.

So that is what I would like to see in 2013. Let's find out if any of my wishes come true this year!

Back From My Break- Hello 2013!

I'm back from my time off! I hope everybody had a good Christmas. I have had a very good time, albeit with the odd bit of chaos thrown in. Please bear with me, as my brain has not quite caught up with things going back to normal yet...

Here is hoping that 2013 will be full of fun frilly times! I have to be honest, I have not worn lolita much over the Winter so far. A lot of that has to do with the fact that it wont stop raining here in the UK. It is seriously depressing. I think I need to invest in some more Winter friendly lolita items. But hopefully I will still be blogging as usual. I have a lot of posts I need to write up.

So... did I get any lolita stuff for Christmas? Yes! I got a small haul of Bodyline items from my husband James. This time I said I would like some basics and wardrobe building items.

The first item I got was this pair of ankle socks with crown motif. These appeared on the Bodyline website quite some time ago and then all of a sudden, they disappeared before I could buy them! Luckily, they came back (see, Bodyline does restock sometimes) and James was able to get them for me. In 2012 I brought quite a few crown themed items and these are a very welcome addition to my collection. The material is soft. They fit me quite nicely. I would probably recommend these for people who are a UK size 6 or smaller as any bigger than that might stretch them a bit. The lace is your typical Bodyline quality. It is okay for the price and has been used neatly. 

HOWEVER... I was horrified to find that one of the socks had a stain on them. I didn't notice it at first because it is quite small and James had not spotted it either. It looks like make-up or something of a similar consistency. I have never had this problem with Bodyline before and I am very annoyed about it. It has made me a bit nervous about future Bodyline orders and I am somebody who orders from them on a semi-regular basis. This just isn't acceptable. I would complain but I don't see the point as I don't think Bodyline will do much to resolve the matter. I am going to attempt to wash the sock later and here is hoping the stain comes out. It's so disgusting.

Anyway, let's move back on to the positives...

I also got an off-white cutsew. Cutsews are something I am hoping to buy more of in 2013. As much as I love blouses, I sometimes feel that a cutsew would be a better option. They are more casual, so feel a little less stuffy. When I think back to Summer last year, I remember wearing a blouse and feeling very uncomfortable. So I am very grateful I got this cutsew! The colour is very easy to use in many outfits. I like the lace detail on the front because it helps to make it look more special than just a regular tee-shirt. The sizing was generally good, although I wish the arm circumference was a bit more generous. The sleeves are not too tight on me, but I would have felt more comfortable if it was a little bit bigger. 

Finally, I was given a short sleeved lavender blouse. It's the one that has the separate neck tie. I have not quite mastered the perfect bow with it yet, but the blouse looks fine without it! The material is a little on the thin side but the good thing is that it feels very light when wearing. I love the colour. Lavender is a colour I want to buy more of this year. The rose shaped buttons are lovely and the lace matches well. It fits just as I expected it to.

And that was my Bodyline haul for Christmas. I am a bit angry about the stain on the socks but that aside, I am very pleased with my presents. I am currently waiting for my Christmas treat to myself to arrive (it is stuck in post-Christmas customs and it is not moving at all) and when that comes, I will hopefully have a review of that up on here.

And this ends my first post of 2013. Here is hoping we all have a great year ahead of us!