A Mixed Brand Double

Today is yet another double print day. So scroll down further to see my views on Baby's Fun Fun School Coronation.

But first today, I am taking a look at Chess Emblem by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 2 dresses, a skirt, a beret, socks and a bag.

First up is the OP. The bodice seems well fitted. I love the smart, sharp lines of the bodice shape. It looks quite mature. The sleeves seem a reasonable length and the cuffs are kept neat and tidy. I think the lace on the cuffs adds just the right amount of cute without overdoing it. The waist features a wide ribbon belt, which defines the waist nicely. The ribbon looks a decent length and I like that AP have chosen a matte ribbon. The ends of the ribbon are properly finished as well. Obviously the belt is detachable but because the print on the bodice and skirt doesn't quite line up, I definitely prefer the dress with the belt left on. The main part of the bodice is broken up with some thin lines of lace. I think this is the right amount of detail here because the print is very busy. The collar has a really interesting shape and it has been laid out neatly. I love the use of gold braid and lace as it goes with the gold in the print. The buttons and chain between the 2 points of the collar is a lovely idea too. It is a bit unusual, but I think it works. The buttons have a suitable design to them too. The collar is finished off with a ribbon bow. The ribbon choice is again kept matte and I like the bow shape and size. This bow is detachable, but I feel the bow really completes the look of the collar. The back of the dress offers no shirring, so sizing is quite limited. The back of the dress is set out really neatly with no obvious zip line and the collar looks neat from the back too. The stock photos show the skirt has lots of volume and it flares outwards well. There is the potential to create a really great shape. The skirt is kept simple in design, which is good because the print is very busy. The print is displayed beautifully as well with nothing cluttering it up. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with some really pretty regal themed lace, which I think is a good match for the print.

Here we have the JSK. The bodice looks well fitted. I do think the shape of the bodice is a bit simple, but with a busy print simplicity is maybe not such a bad thing. The straps look a suitable width and quite supportive. I love the way the insides of the straps and neckline have been lined with gold braid and lace. The lace has a really pretty design. I really like the way it has been set out too, with the square neckline still being neatly defined. It sits nicely on the dress and stops the dress looking too basic. The waist area has the same wide ribbon belt as the OP. It is good to have a bit of solid colour to break up the business of the print. The bodice features 4 pairs of buttons with chains dangling between them. It looks really smart and adds a slight military feel to the dress, which I really like. My only complaint is that I wish there was 1 fewer pairs of buttons. I don't feel the lowest set of buttons and chain is really needed and it gets in the way of the waist belt. The neckline is topped with a matte ribbon bow. The bow has a cute shape but maybe the tails of the ribbon could have been a bit shorter. The bow is detachable, but I think it adds a much needed touch of cuteness. The back has a panel of shirring, which is topped neatly by a ribbon corset. The stock photos show the skirt is very full and it flares outwards beautifully. I really like the full, rounded shape in the stock photos. The skirt is again kept simple, so the print is displayed perfectly. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with the same regal lace.

And this is what the print looks like. This series comes in ivory, mint, wine and black. I feel the mint colour is by far the weakest colour. The other 3 colours are stunning though. I had a really hard time figuring out if I liked the ivory or wine version the best. As for the print itself, I do admit that it is extremely bold and busy. But I feel that what is there is stunning. Then again, I am a bit of sucker for royalty themes, especially when chess pieces are involved. Perhaps I am a little biased! The chess pieces are well drawn with plenty of detail to them. I love the frames around the pieces too and feel that the print is nicely set out. The use of gold in the print adds a lovely luxurious touch to the print as well, which is perfect for the print theme.

So I think it is safe to say that I really like this series! In fact, I fell in love with it the second the pictures were posted online. It is bold and rich. The print is a bit OTT but I feel the maturer dress designs help to balance it out a bit. So I think it goes without saying that this is a series I would buy. It is on my wishlist! I am aiming for the JSK in wine but I would possibly settle for the ivory colour. Both look beautiful. I am already trying to think up lots of fun outfits to wear with it.

Next up today is Fun Fun School Coronation by Baby the Stars Shine Bright. This series includes 2 dresses, a skirt, 5 hair accessories, 2 blouses, 2 pairs of socks and a tote bag.

Here we have JSK I. The bodice looks well fitted, although the bodice shape feels a bit simple. I think the straps look very supportive. They are quite wide and Baby could have perhaps gotten away with making them a bit narrower. The straps are lined very neatly with thin lace, which finishes the edges off nicely without adding too much to the bulkiness of the straps. I dislike the folded down flaps on the chest area. Even though these flaps have been lined neatly with lace and decorated with gold braid, there is just something about the way the finished flaps look that doesn't appeal to me personally. I also feel that the bows at the bases of the straps look strange paired with the chest flaps. The bows themselves are a cute shape, although a bit on the big side. The bows are detachable, and I do feel that would make the flaps look less awkward. However, I would have preferred the flaps to not be there instead. The bodice features a neatly set out ribbon corset. The ribbon is well spaced out and a matte ribbon has been used. The edges of the ribbon have been lined with lines of lace too. The ribbon details have been done in a way that compliments the v-shaped waistline. I think for me, the most confusing part of this dress is the half-sash that has been tucked underneath the chest flaps. The sash itself is really pretty with a gorgeous design. I love how it has been laid out, especially with the use of gold braid. The sash matches up well with the dress. But I really feel like the partial sash looks really odd and I don't think it works. I would have much preferred a proper full length sash which is separate from the dress. That way you would be able to use the sash with other dresses as well. The half-sash is detachable and the dress looks a lot better without it attached. It is a real pity, because the sash itself could have been beautiful. The back of the dress has a panel of shirring, which is topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The sash mostly covers the shirring as well, if you choose to leave the sash attached. The stock photos show that the skirt has a good amount of volume and it flares outwards well. The skirt shape could look really pretty. I like the full, rounded look of the skirt. The skirt design is kept simple, but because the skirt material is quite gathered, I feel the print is a tiny bit obscured in places. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with gold braid and a line of lace. The lace used is of a good quality, but I think the design picked is a bit boring.

This is JSK II. The bodice looks fairly well fitted and the shape is simple, but cute. I do think the straps are too bulky though. They are really wide and to add to that, the lace lining them on both the insides and outsides is also quite wide. There is a waist bow, which is a cute shape but is also a bit on the big side. It seems to sit well on the dress and holds its shape well. This waist bow is detachable and if it was me, I would detach it. The bodice has 2 lines of wide lace running up it and also a lace yoke on the chest area. Individually, these details would have been fine, but it feels like there is a bit too much lace on the bodice. The lace is of a good quality and I love the lace chosen for the yoke. But it does feel overwhelming. I would remove the 2 lines of lace running up the bodice and just had the yoke. I think that would have made the bodice look a bit better balanced. The lace yoke is topped with 2 large ribbon bows. The bows are well shaped and the choice of ribbon is pretty. They would have been fine if they were just a bit smaller. The back has a panel of shirring, which has been topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show the skirt has an excellent amount of volume and it flares out really well. I really love the full bell shape of the skirt and I feel it is perfect for such a cute, sweet print. The skirt design is kept simple, so the print is displayed brilliantly. The bottom hem is then finished off with the same good quality, but average looking lace.

Finally, here is the print. This series comes in cream, pink and sax blue. The 3 colours work well with the print and are good choices for a very sweet print. I do wonder why Baby decided to do only 3 colours though, and I would have liked at least one darker colour option. As for the print, it is set out quite neatly and I like the way it is laid out. Usakumya is looking as cute as ever. The scenes in the border print are very cute. I like the way the bears have been framed by the curtains and the roses. I do think the non-border part of the print is a bit too busy though. Although thankfully, there isn't much of it on the actual dresses. 

So this is a very cute series, but perhaps a bit too cute! There are things I would change about both dress designs too. Baby have tried some interesting ideas with the dress designs but they don't necessarily work, especially the strange sash thing on JSK I. Would I buy this series? Probably not, because it is a bit too sugary sweet for me. My top choice would be JSK I in cream, on the condition that I would detach the sash part. The sash is just too unusual for me!

Sleeping Princess

Whilst I was ill recently and trying to fill up my sudden increasing amount of free time, I didn't just watch lolita videos and read blogs. I also did a lot of window shopping! And as I sat about in my pyjamas all day, I thought about taking a look to see what sort of cute sleepwear there is out there. Lolita sleepwear is not something that you see a lot of. When I think about what a lifestyle lolita would wear, I tend to picture Victorian nightgowns with flowing fabric or maybe a nice vintage peignoir. Even bloomers and a custew can make good make-shift sleepwear if you choose ones with soft fabric and gentle elastic. A few years back, Bodyline offered some very cute sleepwear and although I haven't checked in a while, I hear that DreamV also had some cute options. So I decided to see what Taobao had to offer and this is what I found.

Here are some offerings from Chyllirn. I found lots of soft, floaty layers. There was even one of those nightgowns I mentioned, but in pastel colours. The sleepwear in the centre of the picture is made of super soft fluffy material and would be suitable for Winter.

Unfortunately, I lost the link to this store! According to the names I saved the pictures under, it may be called something like Hua Sang. This store features many soft and thick materials and some cute designs. I know a lot of bear fans who would probably love the bear pyjamas in the bottom left. I am kicking myself for not saving the store link properly! If I find it, I will add it to the post.

These items are from Senlan. Again we see more floaty layers. This store features lots of lace and puffy sleeves. I really love the nightgown in the middle of the picture.

And finally, here are some offerings I found from Weimushi. This store features lots of pastel colours and simple prints, such as polka dots. There are even matching 'couples' pyjamas (not that I will be doing Mr and Mrs matching sets with James!). The designs are simple and easy to wear, but still have cute designs with lots of ruffles.

So that was my little venture in to Taobao sleepwear. I only really scratched the surface, but I was mainly searching for cutesy pastel stuff. Something I discovered whilst browsing Taobao, was that there is a lot of adorable children's sleepwear out there. I really wish some of those came in adult size! But there are lots of adult sized options too for the lolita who wishes to add a bit of cuteness to bed time.

An Angelic Pretty Double

 Today I've got an Angelic Pretty double. So scroll down further to see my verdict on Dreamy Jewel.

First up though, is British Bear. This series includes 2 dresses, a skirt, 2 hair accessories, tights, 2 bear shaped bags and a hoodie.

This is the OP. The bodice looks well fitted and the shape is very cute. The sleeves seem a decent length and have a suitable amount of puff to them. I really love the braid detailing and the military themed buttons on the cuffs. It is a subtle nod at military without being overpowering. There is a waist bow, which I feel is a suitable size for the dress. The shape of the bow is cute and it is well formed. It holds its shape well. It does blend in with the dress a fair bit though. The bodice is broken up by 2 subtle lines of thin lace, which helps break up the empty spaces. There is then a large collar, which has a smart shape to it with clean lines. I only wish it stopped a bit before the shoulders, as I feel it is a bit too wide. The collar is decorated beautifully with braid in a neat pattern and the pretty lace adds a bit of interest to the edges. There is a small bow topping the collar, which has a cute shape and is a good size. I like that the colours of the bow tie in with those on the print too. This bow is detachable, but I think the dress looks much better with it left on. The back offers no shirring, so size flexibility is quite limited. The back is quite neat and the zip blends in well. The stock photos show that the skirt has plenty of volume and it flares outwards plenty. The overall skirt shape is very cute and matches up well with the bodice too. The skirt design is kept simple and so the print is displayed perfectly. The bottom hem is then finished off with some really lovely crown themed lace.

Here we have the JSK. The bodice looks well fitted but I think the bodice shape is a little bit simple. The straps are a decent width and look supportive. They are lined neatly with pretty lace, which makes them look less plain. There is a generous sized waist bow, but I think it suits the dress. The shape of the bow is interesting and it sits well on the dress. But like with the OP, it feels as though the waist bow blends in to the dress a fair bit. Unlike the OP, I am not too fussed about the waist bow and wouldn't have minded if it was detachable, which it isn't. The bodice features 2 ribbon corsets on either side. These ribbon details are a suitable width and are spaced far enough apart from each other. My only complaint is that the ribbon looks a bit cheap and also a bit shiny. The neckline features a folded over 'collar' which has an interesting shape to it. I like the subtle use of braid on this 'collar'. The neckline is then topped off with a stripy ribbon which ties in with the print. This bow is detachable but I feel the neckline details look a bit too harsh without that bow there. The back of the dress has a panel of shirring, which is topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt is very full and will hold plenty of petticoat. I love the really rounded shape of the skirt. The skirt is again kept simple, so the print is displayed really well. The bottom hem is then finished off with the same pretty crown themed lace.

And here we can see the print. This series comes in ivory, red, green and navy blue. These are pretty standard colour options for a tartan print and there are no real surprises here. The tartan works really well with the border print. As for the teddies, they look very cute. I love all the little details to them, such as the clothing they are wearing. It is nice how the bears are all different shades of white and brown as well, to stop it looking too repetitive. I really love the emblems and crowns topping the tartan too.

So overall this is quite a solid series. The dress designs are strong and the print has a lot that will appeal to AP's fan base. Would I buy this series? No, but only because bear prints are really not my style. If the dresses didn't have the teddy border and just had the tartan part with the emblems I would have definitely been after this! My top pick would be the OP in green or navy.

Next up today is Dreamy Jewel. This series includes 3 dresses, 2 hair accessories and tights.

Here we have the OP. The bodice seems a bit slouchy and I am not fond of the shape either. I think the chiffon shoulder part is putting me off this dress and I would possibly like it a lot more if it had the main dress fabric all over instead. There is something about the harsh break between the main dress fabric and the softer chiffon which doesn't look right. It is a shame because I think the lace and ruffles around the neckline have such a cute shape to them. The arms look a decent length but because of the way the chiffon cuts off the main fabric, it makes the sleeves look like 2 tubes of fabric that have just been stuck on the dress. On a more positive note, the lace used for the cuffs is quite cute. The waist area features a large bow. It is big in size, but because the rest of the dress is relatively simple in design I feel the dress gets away with having a bigger waist bow. The bow has a really cute shape to it and it holds its shape well. It sits well on the dress with no obvious signs of drooping. The back of the dress offers no shirring, so size flexibility is limited. The stock photos show that the skirt has lots of volume to it. I feel the overall skirt shape is a bit lacking though. It looks a bit shapeless. I think this OP should have been the same shape as the British Bear OP (see above). The skirt design is kept simple, so the print is displayed really well. The bottom hem is then finished off with some cute bow themed lace.

Next up is the Chest Ribbon JSK. The bodice looks fairly well fitted and the shape is quite interesting. The heart shaped neckline is really cute. The straps on this dress are really thin and look quite flimsy, but thicker straps would not suit the look of the dress. There is some lace lining the outsides of the straps, which has a pretty design to it and stops the straps looking too plain. I am a little unsure about the waist of this dress. The waist line is topped with a line of gold braid and there is also a line of lace too. Thankfully, it doesn't look too bulky, but I feel it cuts the dress in 2 quite awkwardly. There is a large bow on the neckline. The shape is cute and I like how it sticks out quite proudly on the dress. It doesn't droop at all. There is a pearl chain and charm dangling from the bow too, which is a really good choice for the print. The bow and neckline are very neatly lined with thin gold lace. It adds a nice finishing touch, without looking too fussy. The back has a panel of shirring, which has been topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt has lots of volume and it flares outwards nicely. I think there is definitely the potential to create a pretty shape with the skirt. The skirt is kept simple in design and the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with the same bow themed lace.

This is the High Waist JSK. I feel the bodice material looks a little bit baggy and slouchy in places. Also, the bodice shape is a bit simple. The straps are quite thin but again, bulkier straps wouldn't suit the style of the dress. They are lined very neatly with gold lace on the outsides, which is a good finishing touch. The waist bow seems an okay size for the dress. The shape of the bow is cute, but I felt that in some of the stock photos some of the bows layers looked a bit droopy. The bodice has some thin layers of gold lace, giving the bodice a paneled appearance. It helps to break up the areas with less detail. I really like the lace on the neckline. The lace has a pretty design and it has been well shaped along the neckline. I am not too fussed about the really thin ribbon bow on the neckline though. I feel it is a bit pointless. The back is fully shirred, which means plenty of stretch, but also that the shirring is exposed and looks a bit unattractive. However, I think in this instance the print makes the shirring look less bad and the back of the dress is quite short anyway. The stock photos show the skirt has lots of volume and it flares outwards plenty. I don't really like the shape of the skirt in the stock photos but I am sure with the right petticoat it could look really pretty. The skirt is kept simple in design and so, the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with the cute bow lace again.

Finally, here is the print close up. This series comes in pink, lavender, wine and black. The pink looks beautiful and the lavender looks pretty good too. The wine version however, looks absolutely hideous, especially with the brown in the print. I really don't know what AP were thinking with that wine colour. It doesn't work at all. As for the print, what is there is nice enough but as a whole, I don't think it works. The jewels themselves are really pretty and I love the idea of having pictures inside of the jewels. But I don't think the jewels are enough to make a whole print out of. I don't think they are interesting enough to work just on their own and there needs to be something else to the print. I guess what I am saying is the print is lacking something. It is hard to say what though. It is a shame, because when you look up close the print does have some interesting details. But at a quick glance, it doesn't feel that exciting a print.

At the time of writing this post, it looks as though none of this series has sold out. I can't say I am really that surprised as the whole series really lacks the 'wow' factor. I really don't like the dress designs. Although the print is pretty, it could definitely have been better. So this is a series I wont be buying. If I absolutely had to pick something, I guess I would go for the Chest Ribbon JSK in pink. I feel the pink version is by far the strongest colour. I feel that a lot more could have been done with the jewel theme and this series is a real let-down. I think part of the problem is that the dress designs are quite casual and jewels are generally seen as being quite decadent and luxurious. So the casual feel of this series doesn't live up to the sparkling jewels in the print.

Taobao Haul November 2015- Picture Heavy

It's time for another Taobao haul review! I ordered through Taobao Ring again. I am still not 100% convinced I like them as much as Taobao Spree, but this time I was a bit happier with Ring's service. Although perhaps that is because I didn't order anything too fragile this time. I have had to leave a few bits out of this review, because they are Christmas presents. I am hopeful that their recipients are going to like them.

Last time I had a big issue with the packaging by Taobao Ring where things were packed in to a box that was far too small for my order and as a result, 2 hats got a bit squashed. The rim of my strawberry hat is still a bit warped now, even though I have been trying to mold it back in to shape. Anyway, I had a bit of a similar experience with this new order. Everything was safe inside but I could tell Taobao Ring had over-stuffed the box again. I could see where the box was bulging outwards, trying to keep its contents in. Luckily Taobao Ring used a lot of tape. I was also a bit surprised to find a random nappy bag inside my box, which was a bit bizarre! I thought maybe it was scented and Taobao Ring were trying to keep my order nicely scented or something, but it was just a plain bog-standard nappy bag. So that was a little strange. I suppose I should be grateful it hadn't been used!

First up is this necklace which I got from here. The constellation is meant to be my star sign Cancer. I did look up the constellation and I can confirm I did get the correct star sign. The necklace arrived in perfect condition with no scratches. The design is quite clear. The only thing that surprised me was that the necklace does not have a clasp to do it up. I would expect this if the necklace chain was super long, but I wouldn't say this necklace had that long a chain. I am able to put the necklace on, which is the main thing. I guess I will just need to remember to put this on before any wigs or bulky hair accessories.

I thought I would show a side view of the necklace. I think the charm is quite a good size.

Next up is this clip that I got from KiraKira. I have tried to order this clip previously, but they said it was out of stock, even though they hadn't removed it from their store or done the usual thing of upping the price to a really high number. Thankfully, this time they did indeed have the clip. I ordered the dark blue, which for some reason is called purple on the listing. The bow is nicely shaped and the charm is really cute. I like the overall size of the clip as well.

The back has a hair clip, but not a badge clip. I think it is a shame, because I would have quite liked the option to wear this as a brooch as well. Perhaps KiraKira didn't feel there was enough room on the back for a 2-way clip, which I guess I can understand. I absolutely love the ribbon chosen for the clip. They could have used just bog-standard plain ribbon, but they have gone for ribbon which has an interesting pattern to it.

I especially love the golden shimmery effect on some of the ribbon. That was an unexpected surprise! A bit of an effort has been made to seal the ends of the ribbons too.

Here are the wrist cuffs I ordered from Ciciwork/SweetDreamer/CutieCreator/WhateverTheyAreCalledThisWeek. My first impression was "these cuffs are huge!" and I actually had to go get a pair of Bodyline wrist cuffs (which are also known for being massive) and compare sizes. These cuffs completely dwarfed the Bodyline ones, which should give you some idea of just how big they are. I am considering removing the chiffon layer. 

I absolutely love the charms. The ribbon and lace is of a decent quality too. However, I do feel it is a bit odd using rose patterned ribbon with a starry themed pair of cuffs. The materials also felt soft and felt pleasant to wear.

See what I mean about them being massive? The elastic has a good amount of stretch for wrist cuffs. I was a bit disappointed by the overall shape of the cuffs when worn. Wrist cuffs usually tend to flare out more and have a more rounded shape. These cuffs were quite tube-like with hardly any flare to them at all. 

Here is a close up of the lace. I think the lace could have been narrower too, but I do feel the cuffs will look a lot better without the added bulk of the chiffon layer. The stitching on the chiffon was generally quite neat, but it did look a bit untidy in a few spots.

Next up is this ducky t-shirt I got from here. Anybody who knows me well will tell you that I love ducks. I didn't have the easiest of times trying to find the right size. The size chart was an image, so Google Translate didn't work. I looked up how to read the size chart and then prayed I got the right size. Thankfully, I did get the right size. 

The colour is a lovely, vibrant yellow in person. The details of the duck face are crisp too. I think the duck face needs to be a bit smaller though and more towards the centre.

And here it is worn. I usually prefer my t-shirts a bit more figure hugging and fitted but I am just glad I didn't accidentally order a massive tent of a t-shirt. I was quite happy with the thickness of the t-shirt until I realised you can actually see my underwear slightly (sorry for pointing that out!). This photo was taken without a flash, so I am feeling a bit paranoid about how bad it will show up with flash! Photography issues aside, it is a decent enough t-shirt. I will be very careful with my choice of underwear when I wear it though.

I got this turtleneck from a store I have ordered jumpers from before, so I already had a rough idea of what to expect quality-wise. This new turtleneck is actually thicker than the jumpers I ordered previously. So hopefully I will be able to wear it in colder weather compared to the other jumpers.

The chest details were neat and the lace was of a reasonable quality. The cuffs and bottom of the jumper are a bit basic in design, but this jumper is for my everyday wardrobe anyway, so this doesn't bother me. When I tried it on I found the material a bit clingy. Although the material is stretchy, I wouldn't say this was a very plus-sized friendly jumper. The arms were a great length and reached my wrists with ease. It was very comfortable. I will definitely consider ordering some more for my everyday wardrobe in the future.

Next up is this bolero. The colour is a bit darker than I was expecting but I actually quite like it. The materials could have been a little bit softer but to be fair, this is actually meant to be a jacket rather than a bolero. I found the sizing chart reasonably easy to work out because it wasn't a picture. This meant Google Translate could translate the sizes. I was really pleased by the sizing and I found my bolero fitted quite well. The arms were a little bit long for me though.

The ruffles are done so neatly. They are so well gathered and the shape is really pretty. 

The only thing I am not too happy about is the ribbon used to tie the bolero. It is quite cheap ribbon and it is very basic looking. I also found out the edges of the ribbon hadn't been sealed, although I am capable of fixing this myself.

The stitching was so neat and tidy. I turned the whole bolero inside out and I couldn't find any messy bits at all. I was also surprised to see the bolero is lined. The lining is soft and it feels so pleasant when worn.

The arms are very long in length. As a result, I find that when I bend my arms the material wrinkles up quite a lot. 

The ruffles sit really nicely when worn. I think here you can see how cheap the ribbon looks and I am tempted to replace it. I feel the ribbon colour could have matched better if it was a bit darker too. 

And finally, here is my favourite item from this order. I got this blouse from here. Your eyes are not deceiving you- it really is that cheap. When I placed the order it worked out at about £9, but can a cheap £9 blouse from Taobao really be that decent? Yes, it can! I can tell that some of the materials are a bit cheaper. The chiffon is definitely not as soft as some of my brand chiffon blouses. However, it still feels nice to touch. I found the sizing to be really good and my blouse fits me really well.

The lace looks pretty good for a £9 blouse. It is a decent quality and has a nice design. The pearl buttons on the front are pretty too. The button holes could have been a little bit bigger though. I had a little bit of trouble doing some of the buttons up.

The back has a ribbon corset to help tighten it up. The ribbon is very cheap and thin. When I put the blouse on and pulled the ribbon though, it held really well. 

The stitching was really good. I searched the whole blouse and this was the only little messy bit I could find. It didn't take long for the blouse to reach Taobao Ring, so I was wondering how much care had been taken in making it. I was really pleased when I got the blouse.

And here is how it looks worn. The bodice is a little long in length, but I don't see this as an issue. The arms were a decent length and I think they look really good. This blouse has been a real revelation and I cannot recommend this blouse enough if you are on a budget, or even if you are not on a tight budget. I will be keeping an eye on this Taobao store in the future!

This has generally been quite a positive order. I think the only disappointment has been the SweetDreamer wrist cuffs. Everything else was definitely good value for money. I still can't get over how good the blouse is. The blouse is definitely in my top 5 items I have ever ordered from Taobao. Do go and check them out! Now all I need to do is wait and see how well the Christmas presents go down. Fingers crossed!

Another Brand Print Double

Today is another brand print double because it's that time of the year when my favourite brands seem to love releasing a lot of stuff in a short period of time! So scroll down further to see Labyrinth Collection Room by Baby.

First up today though is Alice and the Mechanical Wonder Time Travel by Alice and the Pirates. This series includes 3 dresses (one non-print), a skirt, 2 hair accessories, tights, a tote bag, jacket, pants and a bag.

Here we have JSK I. The bodice seems well fitted, although the bodice shape is a bit basic. I don't like how plain the square neckline looks. The straps are very wide and I feel they need to be a little bit narrower. They also don't have any lace or trims along them so they look too simple. In fact, the only real detail on the entire bodice is a small line of lace with ribbon threaded though it, which runs along the neckline. Even this detail looks as though it has been stuck on the dress with little thought put in to it. There is a waist bow, which helps to liven up the dress a little bit, but it looks too big for the dress. It also feels a bit odd having such a cute looking bow on a very plain dress. The waist bow is detachable and unfortunately, I think I would detach it. The back has a panel of shirring, which has been very neatly topped with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show the skirt has a fair amount of volume to it and it flares outwards okay. I feel the skirt shape could have been a little more rounded though. The skirt design is kept simple, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with a line of the ribbon threaded lace. At least it matches up with the lace on the bodice. Every now and then, there is a small ribbon bow, but they don't make much of an impact.

Next up is JSK II. The bodice is very well fitted but I find the shape a little bizarre. It is certainly different! The round part that makes up the straps and neckline has been done neatly and I feel the width of the straps suits the dress really well. I am still not 100% sold on the look of this though. The outside of the 'circle' is lined very neatly with thin lace. What I really like about the neckline though, is the chains and the gear charm in the centre. The chains are neatly spaced out and dangle perfectly from their metal hoops. It is also good that the gear charm reflects the steampunk nature of the print. It is a lovely subtle nod to steampunk without overdoing it. There is a waist bow, which looks a reasonably good size. The shape seems okay and it sits nicely on the dress with no obvious signs of drooping. Although the charm in the centre of the waist bow is pretty, I don't feel it is needed. This waist bow is also detachable, but I think in this instance I would leave it on. The back has a panel of shirring which has again been topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The straps end on the back really smoothly next to the sides of the shirring panel and it all looks quite neat. The stock photos show the skirt has plenty of volume and it flares outwards well. There is the potential to create a really nice A-line shape. The skirt is kept simple, so the print is displayed really well. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with a line of very thin lace. I think this dress has a better balance of steampunk and sweeter lolita elements compared to the other dress.

And here is what some of the print looks like. Apologies for the poor picture. This series comes in sax blue, khaki, brown and black. The colour choices are certainly suitable for the steampunk theme. The sax blue version worked out a lot better than I was expecting. As for the print itself, it is a very interesting take on the Alice in Wonderland theme we see frequently in lolita. I applaud AatP for coming up with something fairly original. I love how the card suits all have these mechanical gears and swirls to them. The characters such as the white rabbit fit quite well within the print as well. I think it is because there is a limited number of colours in the print. The golden colour is bold on the sax blue and brown colour ways, and I like the way it stands out. The gears in the background are kept nice and subtle too. The non-border part of the print has a really lovely Alice themed print to it and when you look up close you can see just how detailed it is. But at the same time the non-border part is muted enough that it doesn't distract too much from the bold border print.

I am actually quite surprised by how much I like the print, seeing as steampunk is not really my thing. I think it is a really interesting idea and it is well executed. The dress designs however, are a bit lacking. JSK I is just too basic in design. Would I buy this series? Possibly, but I wont be going out of my way to get it. My top choice would be JSK II in either sax blue or khaki. I am having a hard time deciding which is the best colour. I do feel a bit let down by the dress designs though.

Next up today is Labyrinth Collection Room by Baby the Stars Shine Bright. This series includes 5 dresses (one non-print), a skirt, 4 hair accessories, a blouse and tights.

First up is the Arete JSK. The bodice material seems a little bit baggy and it seems to lack any real shape to it. The overall shape is a bit basic. I really dislike the 'straps' on this dress. To be honest, this is an OP, not a JSK. I suppose it could be worn as either though. The sleeves are a strange shape and I feel it will make the wearer's shoulders look super wide. The sleeves are lined with lace, but the lace is a bit too wide and it just sort of hangs limply from the sleeves. The lace lining the inside of the neckline is a bit better and sits quite nicely. I don't think it is the best choice of lace for this area though. The waist area has a band of fabric, which is lined with lace on either side. The lace is quite subtle and sits quite nicely. I don't really feel the waist details do much to emphasise or flatter the waist area, but it doesn't look too bad. There is a waist bow, which is a bit on the large side. I think the size works reasonably well with this dress though. The bow has an interesting shape and it holds its shape well. This bow is detachable and after looking at this dress for a while I am unsure if I would keep it attached or not. Along the neckline, which would usually be where the base of JSK straps would be, there are 2 ribbon bows. If this dress had normal, thin JSK straps then these bows would have looked really pretty, but with the really wide sleeves they just don't work. The ribbon has a really pretty design to it, so it is a real shame. The back of the dress has a panel of shirring, which has been neatly topped with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show the skirt has a reasonable amount of volume, considering this series has quite a classic looking print. I think it could have looked better if it flared outwards a bit more. With the right petticoat, the skirt could have a really nice shape. The main part of the skirt is kept simple and the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with a thin line of gold braid, some ribbon bows (which look a bit droopy and need to be placed a bit further apart) and 2 layers of wide lace. The lace is layered well and I like the lace used for the top layer. The bottom layer underneath looks a bit cheap though. It is a good job this ugly lace is partially hidden by the nicer lace on top of it!

This is the Mireille JSK. The bodice material looks a little bit baggy. The shape of the bodice is simple, but all the lace helps to liven them up a bit. I think the straps are a decent width and look quite supportive. The straps are lined with 2 lines of lace on the outsides. This lace has been layered neatly and it creates a pretty shape. I am not so fond of the choice of lace though, and I feel that having this lace going along the neckline as well is a bit too OTT. I would have kept it just to the straps and had a thinner, more subtle line of lace along the neckline. There is a waist bow, which I think is too big. The shape of the bow is simple but well formed and it doesn't seem to droop much. The waist bow on this dress doesn't seem to be detachable, which is a shame, because I feel the dress would look so much better without it. The bodice has a line of lace running across the chest area, which helps to split up the different parts of the print quite nicely. I do wonder how bust-friendly this design is though. The bodice also features 2 ribbon bows. The ribbon has such a pretty design to it. I love the sheer bits and the golden lines on the ribbon. The bows are a good shape and size. I do feel that these 2 ribbon bows are enough bows and they would have looked fine without the waist bow being there. The back has a panel of shirring, which has been topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt has a good length to it and it has a decent amount of volume. There is plenty of flare to create a nice classic shape. The main skirt shows off the print quite well, although I don't feel the print has been lined up neatly enough along the sides. The sides feature a bit of gathering at the bottom, which I don't feel has been done that neatly. I don't think the shape of the bottom hem looks that great and I think that gathering could have been done better. These gathered bits are topped with ribbon bows, which match up nicely with the chest bows. The bottom hem is then finished off with a wide tassel trim and some lace underneath, which evens out the bottom hem. I really don't like how the tassel trim looks and once again I really dislike the choice of lace. 

Here we have the Ample JSK. The bodice looks well fitted and the shape is simple, but pretty. The straps seem a suitable width for the dress. There is lace running along the outsides of the straps, which has been nicely gathered and creates a cute shape. The bodice and the skirt features some solid coloured material overlaid the rest of the bodice and when you look closely at it, you can see it has a pretty rose pattern to it. The edges of the solid coloured material are lined with lace, but I personally feel it looks a bit messy. I think a thinner lace would have looked neater. The middle bit of the bodice is topped with many ribbon bows. Whilst the bows are pretty, I think there are too many of them and they are not that well spaced out. The additional bow on the neckline is too big and has an awkward shape. I don't feel this is needed at all and luckily it is detachable. The chest area features some layers of lace, which I feel look very messy. Overall, the printed area of the bodice is far too crowded. This dress only uses the busy, floral part of the print and when this is teamed with so much lace and lots of bows it all feels a bit overwhelming. The back features a panel of shirring, which has been topped well with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt has a lot of volume and it flares outwards well. The rounded shape is cute. However, I do think it could have been longer in length. I also feel it is important to get the right petticoat to make sure the solid over-skirt sits okay on top. I am still not convinced I like the shape of the over-skirt. In some of the photos it looks okay, but in others it looks a bit bumpy and creates a strange silhouette. The over-skirt is also topped with even more ribbon bows. The print is only really visible in the middle front of the skirt but considering the dress only uses the floral bit of the print, it doesn't feel as though we are really missing that much. The bottom hem is then finished off with 2 lines of lace. I don't like the way the lace sticks out at a funny angle and once again, I really dislike the choice of lace.

And here is the OP. The bodice is well fitted and the overall bodice shape is quite pretty. However, I am really disliking the mini off-the-shoulder sleeves using the printed fabric layered over the solid coloured sleeves. If those printed sleeves were not there then the OP would look so much better. I just feel it makes the upper arm area look awkward and too bulky, especially with the ribbon bows topping these printed sleeves. It also makes it look as though the sleeves have fallen off the shoulders, which I don't think is a great look. The solid coloured parts however, are really nicely shaped. I like how the bell shaped part of the sleeves flares out and the lace used is really pretty. I don't even mind there being ribbon bows at the elbow area, even though this dress has a ridiculous amount of bows on it. I like the way the solid coloured fabric and the printed fabric are set out on the bodice. The triangle of solid coloured material on the bodice has been done neatly and I like the shape of the solid coloured fabric around the shoulder area too. It has been neatly lined with lace and I love all the thin lines of gold braid too. But there are too many ribbon bows. Maybe it would have looked better if some of the bows were a bit smaller or something, but as it is, the bows are too overpowering. I know some people really love the more OTT Baby dresses, but in my opinion it looks too fussy. The back offers no shirring, so size flexibility is quite limited. The back of the dress looks quite neat and tidy. It amuses me how simple the dress looks from the back in comparison to the front. The stock photos show the skirt has plenty of volume and it flares outwards quite well. There is plenty of room for petticoat underneath and I feel there is the potential to create a really pretty shape. The skirt, like the bodice, is loaded with detail. From the back, you can see the print quite well but the front  is all about that open-front design  and all the detail going on with the solid coloured parts underneath. I personally think this OP should have just stuck with the floral part of the print, like the Ample JSK did. The details on this dress are far too distracting for this sort of print. The solid coloured part features 2 over-stitched ruffles, which I don't think sit that nicely on the dress. The bottom of the solid coloured fabric is then gathered, which I feel could have also been done neater. And of course, this has been topped with even more ribbon bows! The bottom hem is then finished off with 2 layers of wide lace. 

And once again, I apologise for the poor picture of the print (sigh). This series comes in ivory, pink, bright green and brown. The colours look quite good with the print, but I dislike the use of pink lace on the pink version. I am not fond of the colour of the pink lace. As for the print itself, I am really unsure about whether I like it or not. I love all the little ornaments and sewing boxes. These objects have some really cute details to them. I am not sure I like the way the print has been set out in to squares though. Whilst I like the floral background, I don't think I like it paired with the rest of the print. The floral looks a bit too busy and it is quite a contrast with the less busy room part of the print. There are some really lovely parts to this print, but I don't think they have been used and put together in the best possible way.

So overall, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by the dress designs and I am not really a fan of the print either. I absolutely despise the OP. I am grateful that some of the dress designs are a little bit more simple, so there is at least some options for those who don't really go for the whole OTT classic look. So I can confidently say this is not a series I would like to buy. If I did, I would go for the Mireille JSK in ivory. I would probably want to remove that waist bow though. I am sure there are many lolitas who are going to absolutely love this series but I personally am glad that my bank account is safe for now.