The Etsy store can be found here- https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Peacockalorum?ref=l2-shopheader-name
Ordering Process
The website is quite easy to navigate and the layout is simple. The payment buttons are big and easy to spot. However, it is not immediately obvious how long your items will take to make and I ended up having to go on the Etsy store to get a rough time estimate. The other issue is I am unsure how good the seller is at communication. During my order, I got the Paypal email and then didn't hear anything at all until the item was shipped. I was hoping to at least get some acknowledgement from the seller that they had seen my order and were in the process of making it. So communication could have been a bit better. My hat took approximately 2 weeks to make, which is what I expected from reading her Etsy information. I get the impression that the owner prefers orders to be placed through Etsy, as that is where you get the best information.
Shipping
As Stocking Shock is a UK seller, it took just one day for my hat to arrive. I had been given a tracking number as well but in the end I didn't really need it. It will probably prove more useful to those in different countries! I suppose it is nice to have that extra peace of mind though.
The hat was packaged in a sturdy cardboard box and was taped up very well. It was very secure. I did give the box a gentle shake to see if the contents moved about inside, and they didn't. That may be because the box size was a bit of a tight squeeze to fit my hat in. But thankfully, the hat arrived safely and wasn't squished.
Inside the box, the hat was wrapped in a layer of bubble wrap and then a further layer of tissue paper. I love the colour of the tissue paper!
And here is the hat! I ordered the Dauphine hat in ivory with cream lace and ribbon. It costs £30 plus shipping and I think for the price you get a decent quality hat. I ordered this hat after seeing Sammi model it at Frock On last year, so I had a rough idea about what to expect. I noticed the colour seemed a bit darker on the website pictures, but I was happy to see my hat was the colour I wanted. Stocking Shock offer a wide variety of colours, so there are many different combinations you could make.
The ribbon rose is such a beautiful shape. The ribbon used is of a good quality, as is the lace. I love the feather too.
I did notice a slight crease in the ribbon here, but with the style of hat I guess this is to be expected. It is not really noticeable.
The hat is secured in place with this plastic comb at the back. At first I was worried that the plastic comb wouldn't be enough to hold it in place but the comb is very firm, and it felt quite secure on my head. I do wonder if the comb may feel a little uncomfortable after a while, as it is very stiff. I found I was able to place the hat on my head very easily and it didn't move about. The sizing of the hat is good as well.
The stitching is very neat and I couldn't see any flaws with it at all. The lace sits nicely along the hat rim. It does sit a little strangely on the corners, but not enough to really stand out or look bad. Overall, I would say the hat construction is of a good standard.
Although I already have stuff from Stocking Shock, this was the first time that I had placed an order online through their store (previously I have either been given their stuff as presents or brought from conventions). Aside from the quietness of the seller, this was a very positive experience. The item was made in the time frame I expected and was packaged very well. As for the hat itself, I am very happy with it and I feel it has been made very well. Tricorn hats can be expensive too, so I think the £30 and shipping price tag was worth it. I would definitely recommend Stocking Shock, but it might be worth placing orders through the Etsy store instead, as I found out afterwards that the Etsy store was more informative.
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