Mon Petit Chouchou by Baby the Stars Shine Bright

Today I am taking a look at Mon Petit Chouchou by Baby. This series includes 3 dresses, a skirt, 2 hair accessories, a blouse, a bolero, tights and several pieces of jewellery. Also, there is a further collection called Mon Petit Loulou which includes a dress (not a print), a blouse, 2 hair accessories, a bag, wrist cuffs and 2 pairs of socks. I am only focusing on the Chouchou part of the series today, but the Loulou part is worth checking out too. I am especially fond of the Loulou see-through socks.

This is the OP. The bodice looks reasonably well fitted but I'm not so fond of the overall bodice shape. It feels a bit slouchy and frumpy. I think the sleeves could do with being a bit more puffy and shorter. However, I do like how the sleeves are finished with the wide lace and ribbon bows. They may be heavy with detail, but it matches up with the detail at the bottom of the dress. The ribbon used looks pretty and it would appear to not be that shiny, which is a bonus.The waist area is topped with a lacy belt. It helps to nip the waist area inwards, although I am not sure why the belt randomly cuts off at the front. I think a belt that went the whole way around the dress would have looked a bit better. The neckline is decorated with very wide lace. The lace used is very pretty with plenty of detail to it. It sits well on the dress too, and I think it is a beautiful way to finish off the neckline area. This is then topped off with a very decorative bow. The bow is quite big, but fits in well with the rest of the dress. The ribbon and the lace used for this bow work well together and the end result is very pretty. The ribbon with its gold accents is especially lovely. I also like the use of the charm in the middle of the bow. The back doesn't have any shirring and is quite simple looking. I'm not really a fan of the waist ties, which are a continuation of the belt from the front. I think they look a bit too big. However, seeing as they are the only way to alter the size of this dress, I consider them necessary. The stock photos show the skirt has the potential to flare outwards beautifully. I like the high waisted design and the overall silhouette in the photos. It looks like it has plenty of volume. The printed part of the skirt is kept simple and the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is finished off with gold braid and then 2 layers of lace. The lace is layered neatly, although I am not a fan of the lace they have used. The gold braid is topped with small ribbon bows. I would have maybe spaced the 2 bows a bit further apart from each other, but apart from that I think they finish things off nicely.

Here we have the Doll JSK. The bodice could have been a bit better fitted, although it is hard to tell underneath all that detail. The ribbon straps are a good width and are very decorative, especially with the tulle ruffle. They match up well with the bodice details too. I think the waist area could have been better defined and more fitted. The waist area is topped with a large bow. The shape of the bow looks a bit droopy. Even with the gold braiding on the bow, it also blends in to the dress quite a lot and doesn't stand out much. It is detachable though, which is what I would probably do if I got this dress. The wide lace and ribbons on the neckline are very OTT, but this is quite an OTT series. The lace is of a good quality, as is the ribbon used for the bows. I do however, feel these details are a bit messy looking. It sort of looks as though they have just been shoved on the neckline wherever there is space. The back has a panel of shirring, which is concealed well by a ribbon corset. The skirt is an interesting OTT shape but I think it is a bit lumpy looking. The printed fabric sits reasonably well on top of all the chiffon and I like the way it gathers at either side and is topped with a ribbon bow. I do think the printed fabric to chiffon ratio is a little off. I think there needs to be more of the printed fabric to help balance things out. As it is, there is a lot of chiffon and if you removed a tier it would still be a very heavily detailed dress. I do feel the chiffon layers are very beautiful though, and if the skirt was a bit more balanced I would really like it. The bottom is then further finished off with pretty lace.

And this is the Frill Long JSK. The bodice is well fitted and a pretty shape. The straps are a suitable width. They are decorated neatly by the line of lace that goes along the neckline and then sits on top of the straps. The lace is very pretty and it sits well on the dress. The neckline is finished off with gold braid and a ribbon bow. I am once again impressed with the ribbon used and the bow here is a good size. There is a line of pearl buttons running down the front of the bodice. The buttons are very decorative and are spaced out well. On either side of the bodice, there is a ribbon corset with gold ribbon used. At first, I wasn't sure about the gold ribbon, but I now think it is a good idea. If the ribbon colour stood out too much, then this dress would probably look a bit too overloaded with ribbon. But by using a colour that blends reasonably well with the print, it stops it looking too OTT. The ribbon corsets are reasonably well spaced out and there is thin lace used to conceal the edges of the ribbon corsets too. I think Baby have done well to balance out the bodice details and it looks beautiful. The back has a panel of shirring which is concealed very neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show the skirt has a good amount of volume and flares out well. I feel the skirt is a lot smoother and flows a lot better than the other JSK. There is a decent amount of the printed fabric too, although I still feel they could have gotten away with one less tier of the chiffon. The ribbon bows at the end of the printed fabric are nicely spaced out and there is a good balance of bows on this dress. The chiffon and lace layers are again very beautiful looking. I feel this JSK is much more well put together than the other JSK.

And so, on to the print close up. This is one part of the print...

...and here we have another part! This series is available in ivory, sax blue, light green and brown. All 4 colours seem to be quite promising. I think my favourite has to be the sax blue though, as I love it teamed with the red ribbon. The brown version is also very lovely. As for the print itself, it looks like a sweeter version of Baby's Searching for Baroque series. It still has a classical feel to it though. I like the nostalgic feel of the print. The frames are drawn beautifully with plenty of detail. The furniture in the print helps to break up the frames so it doesn't look too repetitive and dull. As for the pictures, I think the teddy bears and Victorian dolls fit in perfectly. However, the cat picture looks incredibly creepy! If the cat was replaced with something else I would probably like the print a lot more. I also feel like the pictures could have been mixed up a bit more because most of the pictures are next to the same picture. The floral and stripy background helps fill in the remaining space without taking too much attention away from the foreground.

So I feel this is a very interesting series. It is maybe not to my personal taste, but I can see why it has wide appeal. I am glad to see that Baby have gone for OTT long dresses again, although the Doll JSK is a bit of a let-down for me. The OP would be a good option for somebody who wants something slightly less OTT but still fairly elaborate. The print is very pretty, although the cat is a real deal-breaker for me. Would I buy this series? No, I wouldn't, although that is mainly because it is not my usual style. If I did, I would choose the Frill Long JSK in sax blue.

Berkshire Lolitas March 2014 Meet!

Last Saturday I went to my second Berkshire Lolita meet! It makes a nice change to go to Reading and the Berkshire group is so friendly. I will definitely be a regular at their meets. The general public of Reading are generally quite friendly and seem genuinely interested in asking us about the fashion too. There was meant to be loads of rain, but we got very lucky! There was no rain and the sun even came out for most of the meet. It was however, very windy! So if we look a bit windswept in the photos, that is why. I kept having to re-adjust my wig fringe!

I thankfully managed to get a few photos of my outfit before the wind got too bad. I wanted to wear my Bodyline Rose Bouquet skirt because it is one of my favourite Bodyline pieces and I haven't worn it that much. There are loads of interesting colours on the skirt, so I tried to bring them out with the rest of the outfit. There is quite a lot of peach colour on the skirt, so I decided to team it with my peach chiffon blouse (with appropriate under-garments!). I then brought out the other colours of the flowers such as the pinks and reds, and the lavender bows, by using loads of different rose clips. I used my white lacy Bodyline tights. This was my first time wearing these tights to a meet, and as I predicted when I reviewed them on here, I managed to ladder them! Thankfully the ladder was quite small and I managed to salvage them with some clear nail polish, but it is a bit disappointing they didn't last even one meet.

Close-up of my flower hair accessories. The pink flower comb is an old Fox Cherry one and I teamed it with purple rose clips from Claire's. I was a bit concerned I had too many colours in my outfit but hopefully I have managed to wear them well.

We went to the Forbury gardens to take some photos. There were even some ducks enjoying the sun!

A pretty group shot! I am so glad we took advantage of the blossoming tree. At times it was hard to smile at the camera because we had the sun in our eyes! But we all posed patiently whilst we got photos for every camera. Strangely, these random girls claiming to be from Topshop asked us to do a YMCA pose for them! It is not the strangest request I have had, but it is definitely up there!

It was great to see all the flowers in bloom. They were blooming in all sorts of colours, so most of the group matched at least one flower.

Afterwards, we went to Wagamamas (we had previously failed to book here, so it was nice to finally come here). I got Chicken Yakitori and sticky rice. I nicked some of James' curry sauce for my rice (poor James) which tasted very nice. Wagamamas did mess up our reservation but eventually we were all able to sit together. Whilst we were eating, we did a lolita quiz which our host Shalisa had put together...

... and I won! I got 7.5 out of 10 and won a hair clip. The questions were quite obscure, so I was surprised that I had managed to score so well. By the way, I just want to point out that it is a random strand of hair and not my wig cap on show here! As I mentioned, the wind messed up my wig and I kept having to fix it!

We ended the meet with a bit of shopping and a celebratory bubble tea. There is a random fish and chip shop that sells bubble tea. The venue is a bit peculiar, but I am glad I am able to get bubble tea outside of London. The man who runs the shop is very friendly too!

I left the meet feeling very positive and excited for our future meets. I really enjoyed seeing everybody again and the group is very enthusiastic. I can't wait to see you all again next time!

The Wheel of Time by Metamorphose

Today I am looking at The Wheel of Time by Metamorphose. This series includes 4 dresses, 4 skirts (one is an underskirt), 3 hair accessories, socks, a parasol, a blouse and a bolero.

This is the Princess Sleeve OP. The bodice seems to be well fitted, but I am not overly fond of the overall bodice shape. However, I am a fan of the chiffon sleeves. They have a nice shape to them and the ruffles at the end finish them off well. I think the sleeves have just the right level of flare. The sleeves are not full length, but I don't mind the shorter style of sleeves. The waist area is too busy for my liking. I don't mind the 2 tiered chiffon overlay so much, but the chiffon waist bow makes it look too bulky. Thankfully, the chiffon bow is detachable. I also think the 2 lower ribbon bows could have been placed nicer. But to be honest, I am not really a fan of any of the 4 ribbon bows and the ribbon corset detailing on the bodice. They are too fussy on what is already, a very OTT dress and don't contribute much to the design. The ribbon corsets on either side, look bunched together. If the ribbon was spaced out better and the stain bows were much smaller, then it maybe would have looked a bit better. I am also not keen on the studded part of the bodice. I appreciate this series is meant to have a steampunk theme but for me personally, I think it would look a lot better without the studs. The ruffled neckline is pretty, but again looks very OTT and maybe isn't needed when you have details such as the choker. The back has a panel of shirring which is concealed neatly by a ribbon corset. The stock photos show the skirt is very full and there is the potential to create a lot of volume. However, in some of the stock photos the skirt length looks a bit short (are Meta going the same way as AP with the shorter skirts?). The chiffon overlay obscures the top of the print a little bit but apart from that, the bottom half of the print is displayed quite well. The bottom hem is then finished off with a chiffon ruffle, which at least matches up nicely with the rest of the dress.

This is the Zipper Pinafore JSK. The bodice looks well fitted and the bodice shape is interesting. The leather strap across the neckline and the leather straps have been done very neatly. Unlike the OP, I think the steampunk influences work pretty well on this dress. I actually really like the 3 strap and buckle design on the bodice. The straps are spaced out beautifully and work well with the print, without going too overboard. Overall, the bodice design looks very neat with clean lines. The back has a small panel of shirring, which is concealed by a ribbon corset. The stock photos show the skirt has a good amount of volume to it, even with the zips zipped up. It flares out well and will hold more than enough petticoat.

And this photo shows how dress looks with the zippers open and the underskirt underneath. I still do not get the appeal of doing this. By wearing the dress like this, you end up obscuring the print. And the obscured print sticks out like an eyesore in my opinion. I feel that if you are wearing a dress with a print on it, you should do your best to display the print as best you can. Meta obscured the print on one of their Sewing Lesson series dresses as well. Meta, please stop doing this sort of detail with printed dresses!!!

This is the Waistcoat Pinafore JSK. Well, I say JSK, but it is indeed more waistcoat than dress! The bodice looks fairly well fitted, although in a few of the stock photos the front part looked a bit loose. I am not keen on the shape though. Something about the waist line just doesn't look right to me. It would appear that since these photos were released, Meta have decided to go for a waist line that comes down in a triangular shape instead of going straight across, like in this picture. But straight or pointed, I am not a fan. It just looks awkward in my opinion. As for the waistcoat details, something about them looks a bit bulky. Despite the use of piping, something about it almost looks 'unfinished'. I also think the buttons running down the centre are too plain. The button colour works well, but the design is too simple. I do however, like the buttons on the lapel parts. They may just be simple gold buttons, but they look a bit more dressy in comparison to the buttons in the front centre. I think that overall, the bodice is reasonably smart looking, but that it is missing something. It needs something to liven it up. The back has a panel of shirring which is concealed very neatly by a ribbon corset. 

For the "skirt" part I thought I would include a picture of how it looks with an underskirt underneath. This photo also conveniently shows what the pointed waist looks like. The photos show that the skirt has the capability of fitting well over a fairly puffy underskirt. I think it works quite well with the very rounded underskirt and the overall shape is pretty good. The skirt part of the JSK is a bit plain looking though. I also think the way the print cuts off at the edges looks quite harsh. The listing on Meta's website suggests that the underskirt does not come with the dress and you have to pay for that separately. I personally feel that the amount that Meta is charging for this "dress" is too much, especially if you want to buy the underskirt from this series as well (which itself is pretty expensive for what you get). If it was me, I would have just made a waist coat and matching pants instead of bothering with this waistcoat dress design.

This is the Dropped Waist Pinafore JSK. The bodice looks well fitted and the bodice shape is interesting. The straps are a bit plain, but the width is good. The dropped waist area has 2 satin ribbon bows. The ribbon used isn't shiny, which is good. The shape is a bit simple but that is not necessarily a bad thing. The only thing I would change about the bows is that I would move them slightly up and further apart from each other. The placement looks a bit 'off' as it is. The bodice has a ribbon corset on the front. The ribbon is spaced out well and doesn't look bunched up. However, I dislike the look of the ends dangling down as it makes it look messy. But that is easily remedied by tying the bow a bit differently. My main concern is that the hoops holding the ribbon in place don't look very appealing and could have been done neater. The neckline is decorated with a line of braid. I think Meta could have gotten away with doing something a little bit more decorative, but I suppose it doesn't look too bad. The back has a panel of shirring which is concealed very neatly with a ribbon corset. The skirt has plenty of volume and flares out well. The dropped waist may not suit everybody though. I like the very rounded shape of the skirt. The skirt is kept reasonably simple and the print is displayed very well. The bottom hem is then finished off with a simple ruffle.

And here we have the print close up. This series is available in beige, olive and blue. The beige and olive both compliment the style of the print well, but I am a fan of the really bold blue. I love the combination of the antique gold in the print and the blue. As for the print itself, I really like the idea behind it. All the clocks are very detailed with lots of swirly details. The egg timer is also drawn in a very pretty way. I like all the keys in the background too. Nothing in the print looks out of place and it all works well together. I especially like the line of gears at the bottom and the clever way Meta have incorporated their brand name in to the print. I love how all of the letters are made up of gears and it blends in with the print. It is quite subtle in comparison to some of the ways brands put their logos in the print! The only thing I am not fussed by is the rough looking background. I think it fits in well with the print but I am not a fan.

So overall, I have very mixed feelings about this series. I do really like the print. I think some of the dress designs are much stronger than others. Some of the dress designs just let the print down and I don't think it shows off the print to its full potential. Would I buy this series? I am not sure. If I did I would go for the Dropped Waist Pinafore JSK in blue. This JSK may look a bit simple in comparison to the other dresses, but I am not really a steampunk wearer! I do like the Zipper JSK, but only with the zips closed. But I am pleased to see that Meta is moving in the right direction again (let's just forget about Candy Shower!) and it seems like this series should do fairly well.

Lockshop Cascade Coffee Dip Wig- Positive

I thought today I would take a look at the Lockshop wig I received last week. I ordered the Cascade wig in Coffee Dip. I was debating whether to get a new wig for my Enchanted outfit or not and this particular wig seemed to fit the style of my outfit. I am still unsure which wig I will end up wearing but it is always fun to have a new wig to play with! I actually wanted to get the Mermaid Beachy wig, but that was long sold out. So I went for the wig that I saw my friend Sammi buy at Frock On, which she liked so much, she ended up switching wigs and using it when she modelled for Stocking Shock. This did mean I had a rough idea of what to expect from this wig before I brought it.

Ordering

The Lockshop website is very easy to follow. I have ordered previously, so I already had an account set up. But the website layout and cart system is simple, so it is easy for a new customer to use too. Checkout was very quick and I got an automated email back straight away. I placed my order on Monday the 3rd and it was sent out on Friday the 7th. Apparently Lockshop send out their orders every Wednesday, so I was a little surprised they waited until Friday. However, Friday wasn't much longer to wait and the process was still reasonably quick.

Shipping

There were 2 shipping options and I chose the TNT option, which was a few euros more expensive. I have to admit, I did find the website that you enter your tracking number in to was very confusing. I don't know if it was just the way Chrome was translating the page, but it suggested that my parcel was being delivered on a day it wasn't. In the end, I had to do a bit of searching to try and track my package on a different website. I got very confused about which day my wig was actually being delivered, which can be very frustrating if you are waiting at home for your package. In the end, my wig arrived on Wednesday the 12th, which means the package took 5 days to get to me. I think 5 days is perfectly reasonable. In the end, Yodel looked after my parcel once it arrived in the UK but when I looked up my tracking on their page, nothing came up. So I have no issues with the speed and service, I just wish I had known a bit more about where my parcel was.

The wig was packaged in a plastic bag. It was sealed very securely and the contents did not have any room to move inside.

Inside the plastic, the wig bag was wrapped up in tissue paper. I thought the package was wrapped up so cutely and I tried to save the tissue paper, but sadly it ripped as I opened it! Lockshop gave me another free wig cap, which is always useful. I looked up my previous Lockshop wig review and apparently last time I was given a letter with care instructions on it. I didn't get one this time, so maybe they have stopped doing them.

And on the the actual wig!

Here is a view of the back...

... and this is the front. When the wig arrived it was almost wearable straight from the packet. All the photos in this post show the wig as it appeared right after being taken out of the packet. Afterwards I tried it on and I did give it a quick brush through, just with my fingers. There were no tangles. I get the impression that this wig will be easy to look after. The wavy design is very cute. I think I may brush it out just a tiny bit to give it a softer, fluffier look. Overall, I am very impressed with the design. The fibres feel so soft. The wig is a bit shiny, but not too bad. It looks fairly natural when worn.

The wig has a reasonable amount of thickness to it. I could barely see any light come through the wig cap when I held it up.

This is what the fake scalp looks like. When you really look up close, you can obviously tell it is a wig, but when worn I don't think it looks bad at all.

And this picture shows the colour contrast between the top and the coffee dipped bottom. When you see the wig in person, the progression from light brown to dark coffee is very subtle. You may not even spot the darker ends straight away! This is exactly how I was expecting the wig to look. The 2 tone style has been done very well.

So overall, I am once again impressed with the quality of my Lockshop wig. The confusion with the tracking was a bit of a set-back, but apart from that this was a hugely positive experience. The tracking confusion was not enough to put me off ordering from Lockshop again and I still would highly recommend their wigs. I really love this wig design. It is slightly more casual than my previous wig purchases, but I like that. It makes it more wearable in my opinion. I still don't know if I will be wearing it with my Enchanted outfit, but I know I will be getting a lot of wear out of my new wig!

Dreamy Girl by Angelic Pretty

Today I am looking at Dreamy Girl by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 3 dresses, a skirt, a hair bow, socks, a blouse, a necklace, a bow clip and a vanity bag.

This is the OP. This chiffon bodice has a very soft appearance. I think that the bodice shape is quite cute, apart from the waistline, which looks a bit harsh in some of the photos. The sleeves are a good length, although I think AP could have gotten away with them being just slightly puffier. The cuffs are also a bit dull and simple looking. The lace on the neckline is pretty and layered brilliantly. It sits well on the dress. The neckline is topped with a satin ribbon bow. The bow is a nice shape and size, but slightly shiny. I like the idea of having a charm in the middle of this bow, but the charm used is a bit boring. I think the detachable pearl chain neck straps are an interesting idea but I am not sure I like it on this particular style of dress. The pearls look heavy and almost clunky paired with the soft, delicate chiffon. I would have chosen smaller pearls or something a bit more delicate looking. The back has no shirring and is kept quite simple. The neckline lace from the front continues on nicely from the front. However, there is a gold chunky zip running most of the way down the back, which I think really spoils it. Whilst zips can work out quite well (I am thinking Holy story), I think on this dress the zip ends up looking cheap and a more blending zip would look nicer. The skirt has a subtle but reasonable amount of flare for the style of dress. I am not fond of the overall skirt shape though. The skirt part is fairly simple. The print is displayed okay, although with the gathering it will take the right sort of petticoat to really show off the print. The bottom hem is finished off with cute bow themed lace.

This is the Standard JSK. The bodice generally looks well fitted, although the ribbon halfway down the bodice really 'cuts' in and gives a bunchy silhouette. I worry this shiny ribbon line is going to sit awkwardly on most wearers. It doesn't look very flattering. I wouldn't have bothered with the line of ribbon there at all. The straps are a bit thin and look a bit flimsy, but they are decorated prettily with a ruffle and tulle. The tulle along the neckline looks very soft and feminine, which goes well with the print. I like the belted waist design. It nips in the waist area really well and the bow is a good size. The material used is a bit shiny, but the bow sits well on the belt. The cute belt is also detachable and I would be tempted to use it with other dresses. The back has a panel of shirring which is concealed nicely by a ribbon corset. The stock photos show the skirt is very full and flares out well. The rounded shape is very pretty and works well with the small waist. The skirt is kept clutter free and the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is finished off with cute bow themed lace again.

This is the High Waist JSK. The bodice material looks a little loose in some of the photos but I suppose with this sort of material you don't want it being too fitted anyway. I really dislike the neckline though. I think it is too harsh looking and a softer heart shape would have been nicer. The lace helps to soften the neckline a little bit, but it still looks quite harsh and spiky. The thin ribbon straps look very flimsy and not very supportive. Although the solid coloured satin part nips in the waist, I am not really keen on how it looks, especially when the material is so shiny. The waist area is topped with a ribbon bow brooch, which is a good size. The bow is a bit simple looking but seems to sit reasonably well on the dress. The bodice has a row of pearls which is lined by lace on either side. The pearls just look squished together and very messy. In most of the stock photos the pearls are not even in a straight line. The lace used is very pretty though. The back is fully shirred, so isn't concealed by a ribbon corset or anything. The stock photos show the skirt is very full and flares out well. The wearer would have to be careful about their choice of petticoat though, to make sure the layers of the skirt sit well on top of each other. As for the skirt design itself, I just think it looks awkward. I am not a fan of the shiny satin part and the shape of the printed overlay just doesn't appeal. The lines are too harsh and the satin part looks too plain and flat. The bottom hem is then finished off with the same bow lace as the other dresses.

And here we have the print close-up. As we can see, the print comes in pink, sax blue, lavender and black. All 4 colours work well with the print. I think I am drawn to the lavender colour the most. As for the print, I think the cosmetics are drawn very cutely. I love the powder puff with the stripy packaging the most of all! However, I feel the pearl chains could have been drawn better. Also, in the stock photos the pearl chain just seems to blend in and doesn't really stand out. I do like the crown and key charms dangling from the pearl chain though. But despite the cuteness of the print, something about it just seems a bit boring. It looks pretty, but I am not amazed by it.

I absolutely adore the vanity bag that is a part of this series! The design is so feminine and girlie. I love the stripes and the logo design. The only trouble is, I can't work out which colour I like the best!

So overall, I have to say I am not that impressed by this series. The dress designs don't amaze me. The print looks cute, but it is not something I would go out of my way to buy. So I probably wouldn't buy from this series (apart from the bag!). If I did though, I would buy the OP in lavender. The JSK designs don't appeal to me, so the OP seems the best of a bad bunch. I would describe this series as cute, but nothing special.

Guilty Pleasure- Hair

 Have you seen Hair on BBC3? I had reservations about this show, but I have to admit I have been enjoying seeing the competitor's final creations.

As a lolita, hair styling has always been one of my weak points. So I have a lot of admiration for anybody who can create such beautiful hair styles. And some of the creations on Hair have certainly been interesting!

One of my favourites so far has been this Mad Hatter hair style during the hair as hats challenge. I feel that the hair style really captures the character of the Mad Hatter.

Another interesting one was this Thumbelina style which opened up in to a flower. Whilst the model doesn't look particularly impressed in the photos, I think it takes a lot of creativity to come up with such a hair style and then create it.

Whilst I don't think everybody will suddenly be recreating these hair styles, I do wonder if one day a lolita or Japanese fashion follower will create an elaborate hair style on this sort of level. There are times when a outfit calls for a decorative hair style and it can really help to pull and outfit theme together.

So whilst I may never be able to do anything like this myself, I have been watching with envy and amazement. It has certainly made me look at hair in a different way! I have mixed views on the TV show and mainly like seeing the final results, but I think it is worth giving the TV show a go. Do go and look it up!

Milk chan's Fantasy Wonderland by Baby the Stars Shine Bright

Today I am looking at Milk chan's Fantasy Wonderland by Baby the Stars Shine Bright. This series includes 2 dresses, a skirt, 2 blouses, 2 hair accessories, a bag, socks, a bolero, a hoody and a rosette.

This is JSK I. The bodice looks reasonably well fitted. The bodice shape is simple but nice. The straps are a suitable width for the dress and look very supportive. The use of the polka dot fabric helps tie in the polka dots in the print too. The waist area has a band of polka dot fabric too. It helps to draw the waist area in, although I think it could have been executed a bit neater. The bodice is divided up in to panels, some with pretty piping. There is also a neat thin, ruffle going across the bodice. I just wonder if this ruffle will sit in an odd place on some wearers. The ruffle is topped with a large bow. The bow is a cute shape and the edges are lined neatly with piping. I do find the placing a bit odd looking though, so I am glad it is detachable. The neckline is finished with a pretty ruffle and then topped with 3 bows. The bows are all a good size. The ribbon bows on either side are slightly shiny but not that bad. I like the middle bow too, although I think it could have been made with softer fabric to match the bottom of the dress a bit better. The charm on the gold is a nice finishing touch. The back has a panel of shirring which is covered neatly by a ribbon corset. The stock photos show the skirt has plenty of volume and flares out well. The skirt has a pretty rounded shape. The skirt is kept simple (probably for the best, because the print takes up most of the skirt) and the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with a pretty tulle ruffle.

This is JSK II. The bodice looks fairly well fitted, although the bodice shape is a little simple. The straps are a bit on the thin side, but are lined neatly with piping on the inside and cute lace on the outside. The waist area has a stripe of the polka dotted fabric which helps to nip in the waist area and matches up perfectly with the polka dot part of the print. However, I feel the waist bow is too big. It looks too big and awkward. The lace adds to the bows bulk as well. The front has a criss-crossed ribbon corset. The ribbon doesn't look shiny, although the ribbon looks a bit bunched together. The ribbon is held on the dress by lace on either side, which looks a bit flimsy. Hopefully it wont break too easily. The neckline is heavily decorated by 2 lines of lace and topped with a large ribbon bow. The bow is a bit big and simple in design, however I feel it would look a lot better if the waist bow wasn't there. I reckon if the waist bow was detached, the dress would look a lot better. The back is fully shirred, which means the shirring is not concealed by anything. The stock photos show the skirt is very full and has the potential to flare out well. The skirt has a lovely bell shape to it and is a bit more typical of Baby, compared to the other dress. The skirt is kept simple and the print is displayed brilliantly. The bottom hem is finished off with really cute polka dot and bow themed lace.

And here we have part of the print close up...

...and another close up. This series is available in ivory, pink, mint and navy. The mint and navy are my personal favourite colours. Something about the pink and ivory versions just doesn't appeal to me. As for the print itself, I adore the carousel. I love the detailing on it. It is cute to see all the little critters playing on the rides as well. The print is full of detail, with most gaps filled up with something. However, I do find the random castles in the sky a bit weird! I am a bit undecided on the polka dot part at the bottom though. 

So overall, this seems like quite a cute series. The dress designs are good with just the odd little bit I would change here and there. The print is cute too and very interesting. Would I buy this series? Probably not, but I still think it is a nice enough series. If I had to choose, I would go for JSK II in navy. In my opinion, navy is by far the stand out colour. It is a very cute release, although I think some of the other recent Usakumya and Milk themed prints have been cuter!

Happy 3rd Birthday Oxfordshire Lolitas!

Last Sunday the Oxfordshire Lolitas had a party to celebrate our 3rd anniversary! The meet was held slightly later than normal this year, but it was worth the wait. Michelle was our host and she did a fantastic job.

I wore gothic lolita with a touch of old-school because I wanted an excuse to wear my Meta Feathercross OP! It was the first dress I ever fell in love with and after finally obtaining it I wanted to wear it as soon as possible. I kept things relatively simple this time. I am hoping I can come up with a more adventurous outfit with this OP in the future. I always seem to wear more darker outfits in the Winter. I adore this dress but I am looking forward to wearing something more colourful soon! 

Michelle really went for it with the decorations and presents. There were balloons everywhere and lots of party poppers were pulled. At one stage the table was completely covered in silver streamers and sweets. We all got given a present full of sweets, a pen, party stuff and raffle tickets. 

And there was a cake! Michelle made us a chocolate cake and I think she decorated it very appropriately. I didn't have room for cake after a big meal, but I took a slice home (a piece that had an 'L' on it, of course!) and it tasted amazing. Michelle put so much effort in!

We also had our annual raffle. Here are some of the prizes I won. I seem to be collecting those love heart rings! 

One of my raffle tickets was the very first to be pulled out and I could not resist this amazing hat! (thanks Jenni) It is absolutely beautiful. I haven't decided what I will wear it with yet.

And here we have the group photo. A few people pulled out at the last minute, so the group is a bit small this year. We decided it was only fair to eat their share of the cake on their behalf! (Seriously, you were missing out)

And for absolutely no reason, here is a picture of a pigeon with a mohawk. I spotted it and everybody instantly got their cameras out.

So another year has passed! Who knows what strange adventures we will have this year... This anniversary was a lot of fun. I was with good friends, ate fantastic food and won lots of fabulous prizes. I can't wait for the next meet!

Angelic Pretty Print Double!

Today I am taking a look at 2 recent Angelic Pretty prints (I still can't keep up!). Scroll down further to see what I think of AP's Melody Toys series.

First up, I am taking a look at Royal Creamy Chocolate by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 1 dress, a salopette, 2 hair accessories, tights, a cutsew, a hoody and tights.

This is the JSK. The bodice seems well fitted, although the material appears bunched up in some of the stock photos. The shape is interesting though. The halter straps are quite wide set, which creates a neckline which I think is a little strange looking. I also wonder if the neckline will sit on an awkward place on some wearers. However, the neckline does at least give plenty of room to show off a blouse with a detailed front. The waist bow is a bit big, though it suits the dress. The shape is interesting and the braid helps to liven up the edges. The bow also looks perky and sits well on the dress. The front of the bodice is decorated with lots of braid swirls. I like how the braid mimics a piped icing design. It matches up well with the print theme. The bodice is finished off with well positioned. buttons. The buttons are a pretty design and a good choice.

The back of this dress is certainly different... I don't really understand why there is this random line down the middle with buttons on it. It just looks a bit odd to me. I do like the bow though. Thankfully, the random line and the bow are detachable. The back has a panel of shirring. However, it is covered randomly by shoe laces. I am not really a fan and I think ribbon would have been a much better choice. 

The stock photos show the skirt has plenty of volume and flares out well. The skirt has a beautiful rounded shape to it. I would wear a fuller petticoat to properly show off the print. The skirt is left quite simple. The bottom hem is finished off with a thin line of gold lace and then some beautiful crown themed lace.

And because this series only has 1 dress, I decided to take a look at the salopette too. I like the overall shape. The straps are a good width, although I think the placement of the straps could have been better. I don't think the straps look that cute, although they do match the underlying military theme. The dropped waist is topped with a bow. The bow is a good size, but I think they could have gotten away with it being a little bit bigger. The waist bow is again a good shape and is finished off well with swirly braid. I wouldn't have bothered with the 2 horizontal lines of braid going across the waist area, because it makes the area look bigger than it actually is. The front is decorated in a similar style to the JSK. The spacing and placement of the details has been done very well. The neckline is also finished with braid and a small bow. The bow looks cute and is a lovely size. The lower back has 2 buckles, which are good for adjusting the size a bit. The skirt part has a reasonable amount of puff and flare for a salopette. The gathering means that the heavily detailed print is slightly obscured in places though. But I still think it looks cute. The bottom hem is then finished off simply with some thin, gold lace. The gold lace matches us nicely with the buttons.

This is what the print looks like. As you can see, the print comes in ivory, pink, mocha and brown. These are quite standard AP chocolate print colours and as usual, the colours all work well. The dark brown teamed with bright gold might be a bit too much for some people though. I personally am a fan of the ivory because it has a bit of a nostalgic look to it. As for the print, it doesn't surprise me at all that AP have finally teamed together carousels and chocolate (probably their 2 most popular themes). I do like the chocolate part and how the scrunched up part makes it look like a partially unwrapped chocolate bar. I adore the spoons. They are so beautifully detailed. The carousel parts are also cute. I am not as keen on the Sweetie Chocolate part. I can't put my finger on why that is though!

So overall, it is quite a pretty series. The designs are cute and it is another series for AP chocolate print fans to collect. It is a bit of an overdone theme, but the print is nice enough. Would I buy this series? Possibly, although I think I prefer other AP chocolate prints over this particular one. I would choose the JSK in ivory if I did. I am not too overwhelmed by this series, but it is pretty enough.

Next up, I am looking at Melody Toys. This series includes 2 dresses, a skirt, overalls, 2 hair accessories, tights, socks and a few pieces of jewellery.

This is the Collar JSK. The bodice material looked slightly loose in some photos, but the general bodice shape is quite pretty. The straps are a good width. The straps are topped with a detachable collar. The scallops on the collar have been done quite neatly and are spaced out well. I don't usually like scallops, but I think the neckline looks too plain when the collar is detached. The detachable bow in the centre helps to finish off the collar well, although I would have liked the bow to be a bit smaller. The waist bow looks a bit big, but doesn't look too bad on this dress. The shape is simple and I dislike the use of rik rak to line it. However, it looks very perky and sits well on the dress. The bodice features criss-crossed ribbon. The spacing of the ribbon looks okay, but the ribbon looks a bit loose and hangs off the dress. There doesn't appear to be a way to tighten this ribbon either. The ribbon is lined either side with wide lace. The lace is pretty but I think it would be better if the lace was slightly thinner. I wouldn't have bothered at all with the two thin lines of lace on either side of the bodice. The back is fully shirred, so it isn't concealed by anything. I don't think it looks very appealing but at least offers a wider size range. The stock photos show the skirt is very full with plenty of flare. It has a very OTT rounded shape to it, which goes well with the cuter print. The skirt is kept simple and the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with custom teddy bear themed lace.

This is the High Waist JSK. The bodice looks reasonably well fitted, although it is a bit hard to tell underneath all that detail. The straps look very supportive, although I am not a fan of the ruffles. The ruffles look very OTT and give an exaggerated cutesy look. If I am being honest, I think it looks a bit too 'young'. I also think that the ruffled straps mean that you could only wear a certain type of blouse with this dress, as puffy style sleeves wouldn't work with the straps. The waist area is topped with 3 gingham (for some reason, the gingham really bugs me) bow brooches. The bows make the waist area look bulky and too OTT. I also don't think it looks very flattering. Thankfully, these bows are detachable. I would definitely detach them if I was wearing this dress. The bodice has a line of buttons with lace ruffles either side. The buttons are very cute and the lace looks pretty enough, but something about the design doesn't appeal to me. The neckline is finished off with lace and topped with a cute small bow. I just feel like AP has gone a bit too OTT and 'childlike' with the bodice here. The back has a panel of shirring which is concealed neatly by a ribbon corset. The stock photos show the skirt has a reasonable amount of volume to it and flares out well. It has a decent amount of length to it to compliment the higher waist line. I like the slightly more subtle bell shape of this skirt, although you could still create a very OTT look with the right petticoats. The skirt is again kept simple and the print is displayed fairly well. The bottom hem is then finished off with the teddy bear lace again.

And here we have the print close up. As we can see, the print comes in pink, sax blue, mint and black. All 4 colours seem pretty standard choices for this print, but I think sax blue is the best. Now I know my regular readers will remember I was very excited to see AP finally use a duck in their print, but that is literally about the only thing I like about the print. The toys are all drawn well but it is very similar to a lot of other AP toy prints. What really bugs me about this print is the random gingham at the bottom and the line of fake pom poms. I usually can't stand that pom pom trim when it is used on dresses, so I was hardly going to like a printed version! I also feel like the diagonal ribbon background it a bit too OTT teamed with this busy print.

So as much as I wanted to love this AP print which features a duck, I am afraid I can't. I was very excited when I first saw the picture of the duck on Tumblr, but as the dress design pictures came out and I saw the entire print, I found my enthusiasm disappeared. I hope that AP will do another print with a duck (maybe something a bit more like Happy Garden?) but I certainly wont be buying this one. If I had to, I would choose the Collar JSK in blue because it looks a bit more mature than the other dress. I feel this series pushes the OTT and cutesy too far.