This is the High Waist Pinafore JSK. The bodice is well fitted and the shape is interesting. The straps are a decent width. I am not so keen on the rik-rak used on the straps, but it is kept reasonably subtle. What I really love about the straps is the use of tulle. It is so frothy and cute looking. The tulle is shaped well too. There is a waist bow, which is a bit big but I think it suits the dress. It looks very perky and sits well on the dress. I love the adorable moon and star charm that dangles from the waist bow too. The bodice features gold lace which gives the bodice a panelled look. Then, going across the bodice, there are 2 lines of rik-rak topped with bows. Again, I really dislike rik-rak but it hasn't been used too badly and doesn't grab much attention. The bows are well spaced out and the size is good. The material used for the gold bows feels a bit cheap (I know this because I modelled this dress at Revelry) but looks-wise they are quite cute. I like that the neckline is not straight, although I feel it could do with some of the thin gold lace running along it to liven it up a bit. The back of the bodice features a generous panel of shirring, which is well concealed by a ribbon corset. The skirt is very full and has more than enough volume. It is possible to create a really pretty shape. The skirt also has a decent amount of length to it too. The skirt features a subtle line of rik-rak near the top but it isn't that noticeable. The print is displayed really well. The bottom hem is then finished off with a cute tulle ruffle, which matches the straps well.
Here we have the Shirring Pinafore JSK. The bodice is fully shirred and it does give the bodice an unfortunate shape. It looks very lumpy. For some reason, this bodice teamed with the straps and the way the shirring has been done, give it a very slouchy appearance. There are actually 2 sets of thin straps on this dress (I thought it was one pair when I first saw the photos) but I think one set of straps would have been better. The double strap doesn't add much to the design and the straps are very plain looking. One thinner set of straps with a bit of decoration would have looked prettier. The waist bow is a bit on the big side, although the shape is cute and it sits well on the dress. The shirring on the front of the bodice is broken up, just for one little line of fabric in the middle. This little line is lined with 2 tulle ruffles and topped with alternating bows and star shaped buttons. The buttons and bows are cute. I like the size of the bows and the placing is good. However, I feel this OTT detail is very in contrast with the shirred bodice. The shirring gives the bodice a casual feel and all this detail in the centre just doesn't match it. The only positive is that these details distract attention away from the shirring a little bit. Just like the front, the back is fully shirred and it looks very exposed and unappealing. The stock photos show the skirt is very full with plenty of volume. It flares out well. The skirt features a tulle ruffle topped with rik-rak, which I don't feel is needed at all. It is kept near the top of the skirt, away from the print though, so it isn't too distracting. The print itself is displayed fairly well. The bottom hem is then finished with a double ruffle, which is cute looking.
This is the Ribbon Pinafore JSK. The bodice shape is pretty and well fitted. The straps are a decent width. The straps also features shoulder ruffles, which are well shaped, although not the best choice if you have wide shoulders, The straps and neckline are topped with a detachable tulle topped collar. This collar is well shaped and matches up with the use of the material elsewhere on the dress. The collar is dotted with pearls, which is a nice added touch. I do dislike the bows that are on the collar though. I think the bows are too big and push the collar's OTT feel too far. Despite not liking how the collar looks from the back, I feel the dress neckline looks far too plain with the collar detached. So I would definitely leave the collar on. The waist bow on this dress is very big, but I think Meta have managed to pull it off. I feel the bow shape compliments the over-skirt and sort of "blends in" with it. The moon/star charm and additional beads add a bit of cute detail to the bow. However, if you dislike the waist bow it is detachable. The bodice features lines of thin gold lace, which help break up the bodice and gives a panelled look. Then in the centre there are 3 bows. I think the bows could do with being a bit smaller in size, but they are a very cute shape and nicely spaced out. The bows have some nice detail to them, with a double layer of gold and the dress colour. The back has a small panel of shirring, which is concealed neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show the skirt has a very cute shape. It is full with the potential to hold a lot of petticoat. The over-skirt is nicely shaped and I like that you can still see the print really clearly. The over-skirt material has a lovely shimmer to it and is also lined neatly with gold lace. I love everything about the over-skirt! As mentioned, the print is still displayed quite well, despite all the detail going on. The bottom hem is finished off with gold rik-rak, topped with small bows, and then a cute ruffle to finish. The rik-rak does blend in quite well with the print, so I am not too bothered by it being there. The bows are a cute shape and a suitable size for where they are placed.
Finally, we have the print close-up. This series is available in pink, lavender and navy. If I am being honest, I only really like the lavender colour from this series. In my opinion, the pink colour looked a bit garish in person and whilst I am usually a navy blue fan, I am really not feeling the navy colour for this series at all. As for the print, I really like the bold use of colour. I lost count of how many colours I spotted in the print. The circus rides are drawn well and I quite like how the carousel horses have taken flight. The print is littered with stars and sparkles, giving it a magical feel. I wasn't a fan of the stripy background at first, but it has since grown on me. I like how the wavy line between the stripes/solid colour mimics a roller coaster and I think this is a clever idea.
So overall I think this is a bold and interesting series. Some dress designs are maybe weaker than others, but there is a lot of variety here. The print is very bold and striking. You can tell this is a Meta series! Would I buy this series? Probably not, but only because it isn't my usual style. If I did I would choose the lavender colour. I would go for either the High Waist JSK or the Ribbon Pinafore JSK. Maybe the High Waist JSK purely for sentimental reasons!
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