Baked Sweets Parade By Angelic Pretty

Today's print is Baked Sweets Parade by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 2 dresses, a skirt, tights and a hair accessory. There is also already a special set dress that comes in sax blue. This got announced before the series hit the website, so clearly AP knew this series was going to do well.

First up is the OP. The bodice looks shapely and well fitted. The arms seem a decent length. I like the little details on the cuffs, like how the pretty lace looks a bit like icing and the cute doughnut button. The bodice features some lines of lace which are well spaced out and are not too distracting. Personally, I think it is better that the details are not overpowering on the bodice, because it draws more attention to the print. In the centre of the bodice, there is a line of doughnut buttons, which are well spaced out. Everything about the bodice details is neatly set out. The shape of the collar is really pretty and I love the line of ruffles lining the edge of the collar. Everything looks so tidy! I do think the collar could have maybe been a bit smaller though. I also feel the ribbon chosen for the bow on the collar could have been less shiny. The bow is a cute shape and size though, and it finishes off the collar beautifully. The back offers no shirring, so size flexibility is limited. I am also a bit disappointed that the print isn't lined up that well along the zip line in the stock photos. The stock photos show that the skirt has plenty of volume and it flares outwards generously. The overall shape of the skirt is a good match for the bodice. There is the potential to create a really cute shape. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed perfectly. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with a line of doughnut themed lace, which looks adorable.

Here we have the JSK. The bodice seems reasonably well fitted. I think the bodice shape is a bit simple, but maybe that is better for showing off the print. The straps look a decent width and very supportive. I think the outsides of the straps could have been lined with a thin line of lace, but I do appreciate the insides and neckline being lined so neatly with ribbon and lace. The ribbon is a bit too shiny though. The neckline is finished off with a neat chiffon ruffle, which has been well executed, but I am not really sure it is needed. The bodice features a line of cute doughnut buttons with lines of lace on either side. The top button could have been placed a tiny bit lower, but they are otherwise very well spaced out. I like the lace too, and it sits nicely on the dress. Normally, I am not too fussed about a dress having waist bows, but I think a ribbon bow could have looked quite cute here provided it was done in the right way. At least there is a little ribbon bow on the neckline. The back has a panel of shirring, but it is not covered by anything, so it isn't that appealing to look at. The stock photos show that the skirt has lots of volume and it flares out generously. I love the plump, rounded shape of the skirt in the stock photos. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed excellently. The bottom hem is then finished off with the doughnut lace again.

And here is what the print looks like. This series comes in ivory, yellow, mint and pink. These are pretty good choices for a print like this, but I don't feel it is necessary to have both ivory and yellow, even if the yellow is quite a deep shade. As for the print itself, the doughnuts are generally very cute and well drawn. I really dislike the brown doughnut with white icing though. It looks too flat and more like a soft cheese topped bagel than a doughnut. I really love the cruller with the strawberry icing and I think that is my favourite doughnut in the print. This print is pretty, but in my personal opinion it just doesn't compare to Melty Cream Donuts. MCD is a bit more cohesive and set out better.

So overall this is a cute series with some decent dress designs and a nice enough print. But it just isn't Melty Cream Donuts, and I know a lot of people would have preferred a MCD made-to-order instead of this new print! I am not surprised to see this series sold out so quickly though, as it is pretty decent with some strong designs. Would I buy this series? No, I wouldn't because it is not really my kind of thing anyway. Plus I like MCD better anyway! My top choice from this series would be the OP in either ivory or mint. 

How I Would Wear It Now- Bodyline Alice Edition

I decided to have yet another go at taking a piece I used to own which I didn't co-ordinate very well, and try to see how I would wear it now. Today's piece from the past is the Bodyline Alice in Wonderland print skirt. I remember when this skirt first came out and I instantly fell in love with it. Sadly, I sold it after wearing it just a few times. I didn't feel like I could do anything great with this skirt and I think the biggest problem was that in my mind I felt that as it was Alice in Wonderland themed, that meant everything had to be OTT and crazy, because that is what it is like in Wonderland! So my outfits with this skirt featured a lot of crazy ideas but my outfits were never that cohesive and I just threw things together. So for my present day outfit collage, I have decided to go against that old belief and I tried to put together an outfit that wasn't OTT and had a bit more maturity and thought put in to it.

So this is my attempt at doing a slightly more toned-down outfit with the Alice skirt. I maybe played it a bit safe with my choices, but that was one of my aims when putting it together. One thing I forgot about this skirt is that the colours are a bit strange. As it was the blue and pink skirt I used to own, I of course wanted to use that as part of this co-ordinate challenge. Again, back in the day I used to think that anything Alice in Wonderland had to be blue. I think as far as the colours go, the blue version was by far the most difficult colour to go for! Shalisa owns the skirt in red still, and when I look at it I can think of loads more ways that colour could be co-ordinated. The blue on this skirt was a lot deeper than sax blue, more of a periwinkle blue or perhaps a cornflower blue. So those were the colours I tried searching for online. Sadly, I didn't have much success finding a pair of shoes the right colour, so I ended up only adding a small touch of the blue with the nail polish. So I decided to focus on the peachy pink colour instead. After all, the pink is also very prominent in the skirt. When I owned this skirt I used to pair it with a lot of red. I decided to include a bit of red in the outfit, but I didn't want it to be over-whelming. Hopefully the colours in my collage are fairly well balanced. I am still disappointed I couldn't find the right pair of blue shoes. 

Looking back, there are loads of mini themes that could be used in an outfit with this skirt, which I didn't think of before. You could try to use the small hints of gold in the print, which for some reason I never spotted when I owned it! There is also the mushrooms, or you could focus on one individual character in the print. If I had owned the red version, I would definitely consider a red queen outfit.

I actually felt a bit sad writing this post, as I don't feel I really gave my Alice skirt a fair chance before I sold it. This skirt used to be one of my wishlist prints! (I didn't have a job back when it came out, so I couldn't just buy Bodyline whenever I pleased) I feel really content with my current wardrobe though, so this skirt probably wont be making its way back in to my wardrobe either. It also felt good to take a trip down memory lane and I am confident this new oufit collage looks a lot better than anything I came up with back when I was a newer lolita.

Marie Antoinette by Baby the Stars Shine Bright

Today I shall be looking at Marie Antoinette by Baby the Stars Shine Bright. This series includes 5 dresses (2 non-print), a skirt, 7 hair accessories, a necklace, socks, 2 blouses, gloves and shoes.

First up is JSK I. The bodice looks well fitted and the shape is lovely. Sometimes V shaped waistlines can go wrong, but I think it has been fairly well executed here. The straps are a decent width and look very supportive. I just wish they had been lined with some thin lace or something, just to add a nice finishing touch. The waist line is topped with a line of pleats. I like that it doesn't add a lot of bulk to the waist line, so the waist is still quite defined. The pleats do have a bit of a Marie Antoinette feel to them too, so they fit in quite nicely. The bodice features 2 lines of pretty lace, creating a V shape which Baby have placed 3 ribbon bows inside. The ribbon used for the bows has a pretty design, but I would have liked them to be a little bit smaller. I also think the ribbon bows would look a lot better without the massive bow on the neckline. This bow is far too big and I am glad that it is detachable. However, the neckline looks a bit plain with the bow detached. I think maybe a small bow or maybe some other detail would have been a better choice than the large neckline bow Baby went with. The neckline features a really wide line of lace and a further line of pleats. I like that the pleats match up with the waist details but I am a little unsure about the lace. The lace has a pretty design, but I feel it is lacking something. Maybe if there had been more layers of lace here it would have looked a bit less flat? The back has a panel of shirring which has been topped really neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt flares outwards quite generously and it has plenty of volume. There is the potential to create a lovely bell shape. The skirt is kept simple, so the print is displayed perfectly. The bottom hem is then finished off with a line of lace, which has a gorgeous design to it. I really love this lace!

Here we have JSK II. The bodice seems well fitted but I personally think the bodice shape is a bit simple. There is plenty of detail on the bodice to make it more interesting though. The straps look a good width and very supportive. I really like the line of wide lace running along the neckline and on top of the straps. The lace has a pretty design and looks soft. It sits so well on the dress. The gold lace along the neckline keeps it looking neat. There is a waist bow, which is a bit too large for my liking, but is a nice enough shape. It sits quite well on the dress too. This waist bow is detachable, and I think the dress looks a lot better with it detached. The bodice features 2 lines of pretty lace with a ribbon corset in the middle. The ribbon has a pretty design but it looks a bit too bunched together. It needs to either have thinner ribbon or be spaced out more. The ribbon corset is finished at the top with a bow and there is a further bow on the neckline. I am not sure I like the sizing of these bows. Perhaps the neckline bow could have been smaller. The back has a panel of shirring, which is topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt has plenty of volume and it flares out well. I love the shape of the skirt in the worn photos. It shows it is possible to create a great shape. The front of the skirt features a bustle. I like the width and shape of the bustle and I think it compliments the lines of the bodice. The material used for the bustle are soft too, so it isn't too bulky. The tiers are well spaced out and layered excellently. My only criticism is I think the bottom looks a bit messy. Maybe the bustle should have gone all the way to the very bottom. Despite the bustle, the print is still displayed very well at the sides. The bottom hem is then finished off with a simple ruffle.

This is the OP. The bodice seems well fitted and the shape is interesting. I really like the shape of the arms and they seem to have a decent length to them. The chiffon part of the arms is especially pretty and it matches the details on the front of the bodice too. However, I don't like the way some of the ruffles on the arm have been over-stitched instead of under-stitched. The ribbon bows on the arms are a bit much for me as well, although it does match the bodice. The bodice features many ruffles of lace and chiffon with lots of bows. It is very OTT, but I guess it makes sense for at least one dress to be OTT, seeing as the theme is Marie Antoinette. This dress certainly has a very Marie feel to it. The different layers have been layered well and sit well on top of each other. The design of the bodice seems quite well laid out and you can see a lot of thought has gone in to it. The ribbon used for the bows is also of a nice quality. There are a lot of bows, but in this instance I don't think I would want to get rid of any of them. I would have maybe made some of them just a little bit smaller though. The neckline bow is a good size and shape and it holds its shape well. The back offers no shirring, so size flexibility is limited. The back has been kept very neat. In fact, it seems to be the only part of the dress not crowded with detail! The stock photos show that the skirt is very full with a lovely rounded shape. It should hold plenty of petticoat. I do wonder if it could have maybe been slightly longer in length though, if the worn photos on Misako are anything to go by. The main part of the skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with a double chiffon ruffle. Although the chiffon looks pretty, it has been over-stitched, which I personally feel looks messier. 

Finally, this is what the print looks like. This series comes in ivory, sax blue, mint and navy blue. All 4 colours seem to match the print really well. I like that Baby have gone for at least one darker colour, and navy blue definitely works better than other dark colours such as black. As for the print itself, it has a really interesting layout. I am actually quite a big fan of the stripy background broken up by lines of roses, so I am disappointed there isn't more of it on the dresses! I personally feel the border print to background ratio is a bit off. However, all the pieces of the print do look really pretty and are very well drawn. I love the detail that has gone in to the gold frames and the roses fit around the frames perfectly. The pictures inside the frame all suit the Marie theme beautifully. Although I like the bows near the bottom of the print, I personally feel they are a bit too big. Overall though, I think it is a pretty print, I am just not too keen on some of the sizing.

So overall this is quite a pretty series, although it may not be one for people who don't like OTT lolita styles. I guess JSK I is relatively simple, but this is a series that I feel works best with lots of detail. The dress designs would certainly not look out of place on Marie Antoinette and the print is pretty enough. I wouldn't say this is one of my favourite Baby series though. So this is a series I probably wouldn't go for personally, but if I owned it I don't think I would feel disappointed either. It certainly looks quite pretty, I just don't think I would go out of my way to get it. My top choice would be JSK II in the mint colour. I absolutely adore the use of colour on the mint version.

Usagi Youhinten Review- Positive

I recently placed my first ever order with the Japanese second hand store Usagi Youhinten, so today I shall be doing a review of their service. I was really thrilled to see one of my remaining wishlist prints for a good price on there and I just knew I had to try and get it!

Ordering Process

Usagi's website has a reasonably easy website to navigate. There is a link to an overseas order guide on the left hand side. I do feel that the overseas order link could have been made more prominent though, as it sort of blends in with the rest of the site and it took me a few minutes to find the guide. The actual ordering process is simple enough to follow when you use the guide. It is very similar to ordering processes on some of the other second hand Japanese sites. My only complaint here is that there was one point in the guide where the guide information didn't match up 100% exactly with the actual form, but I found I was able to figure out where the information was meant to go by myself. So overall the ordering process could be improved, but it isn't too difficult to follow.

Shipping and Communication

I got my automatic confirmation email right away and then I awaited the second email with the invoice. Usagi has some very weird opening hours and they are not open every day of the week. So because I placed my order on a Thursday, I was expecting my invoice when they next opened on the Friday, the day after. When their Friday opening hours had passed and I had no invoice, I was expecting it to come through on the Monday instead. But actually, I did eventually get my email on the Friday. One of their staff must have been working late that day! They sent me the invoice and I paid it right away. On the Saturday I got an email saying they have received my payment and that my parcel would be posted on Monday. So their communication is generally quite good and considering their opening hours, the process was a bit quicker than I was expecting.

Just over a week later, my parcel arrived. To be fair, it would have been quicker if UK customs weren't so determined to get the ridiculously small fee they wanted from me. The dress wasn't quite cheap enough to get through without a charge! My dress was shipped to me inside a sturdy cardboard box. The box was well sealed up. There was a bit of room in the box but because I only ordered a dress it didn't really need to be padded out with bubble wrap anyway.

On the inside the dress was wrapped up in not one, but 2 plastic bags. It probably only needed one bag but I am not going to complain about a bit of extra packaging. I got a nice advert for their store in Japan and a little note thanking me for my order.

And here is the dress I ordered! This is Innocent World's Rose Basket Angel. The dress was ranked as a B, so I was expecting some signs of wear. I think the B ranking was spot on. I couldn't find any damage on the dress but there was definitely a feel that it wasn't brand new. To be fair, this dress is from 2008. The dress was listed at 7800 yen and I think I got a pretty good deal.

To finish, I thought I would share a close up of the bird cages at the bottom. I love a good bird cage print! The dress is absolutely gorgeous and I am so glad that I got it.

So overall I think Usagi does deserve a positive rating. I found their service to be on a similar level to other second hand sites. When I was ordering I did feel it could have been a bit simpler, but it wasn't overly complicated either. I would definitely recommend Usagi to my friends. There are some good bargains on there from time to time, so it is worth a look.

Magic Princess by Angelic Pretty and a Quick Valentine Thank you

I just wanted to say a quick thank you to Shalisa for the lovely Valentine she made for Sammi and me this week. I am so lucky to have 2 fantastic friends who are always there for me. I always look forward to talking to you both and meeting up! Post is here.

Today I am having a look at Magic Princess by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 3 dresses, a head bow, socks, a bag, gloves and wrist cuffs.

First up today is the Round JSK. The bodice looks well fitted and I think the shape is really pretty. I don't think the scoop neckline is going to suit everybody though. The straps seem to be a reasonable width and they suit the style of bodice. I really love the use of lace along the straps and the neckline. The lace is of a good quality and has a pretty design. It has been layered well and it gives the neckline a soft, frothy appearance. The line of gold braid on the inside of the neckline helps to balance out the use of gold in the print and elsewhere in the dress design. The bodice features a double ribbon corset design. The ribbon corsets are well positioned and a good size. I like that the ribbon doesn't look too bunched together too. Also, the ribbon doesn't look that shiny and the lace holding the ribbon in place looks secure, so it doesn't look at all flimsy. There are 3 gold star buttons running up the centre of the bodice, which helps to break up the plain area in the centre without being too distracting. The design of the buttons is cute too! There is a bow on the neckline which has a really cute shape. I personally would have liked the bow to have been just slightly smaller, but I think the size of the bow is pretty reasonable. 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 great amount of volume to it and it flares outwards plenty. There is more than enough room for petticoat and the potential to create a really cute shape. I love how rounded the skirt is. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed excellently. The bottom hem is then finished off with a simple tulle ruffle. Although I don't think the tulle looks bad, I think lace would have worked better here. If AP had done a double layer of lace or something, it could have matched the neckline really well.

Next up we have the Napoleon JSK. The bodice looks well fitted, although there is something about the bodice shape which looks a bit 'off' to me. I think it may be the shape of the neckline with that style of straps and the way the straps have been attached to the dress. Something about that area just doesn't look quite right. The straps also look a bit thin and I don't think they suit the style of the dress. Although the tulle parts on the shoulder are a nice idea, I don't think the way the tulle has been shaped quite works. Maybe it would have worked better if there were more layers of tulle as well. As it is, it just looks a random shape of tulle has been thrown on the shoulders with little thought put in to it. Also, I feel the soft, floaty feel of the shoulder tulle is at odds with the military theme on the main part of the bodice. I can see what AP were aiming for, but they don't quite pull it off in my opinion. There is a large waist bow, which I really love the shape of. It has sharp, defined edges and it sits on the dress really well. The star charms on the waist bow are a nice added touch too. The bodice features 3 pairs of buttons with a chain between them to give the bodice a military look. The buttons are well spaced out and have a nice design to them. I am not sure I like the lines of gold lace though, as the way it has been shaped, it sort of looks a bit coffin-like! It just doesn't appeal to me and I think the gold lace could have been done a lot better. There is a bow on the neckline, which I feel could have been smaller, but the shape is really cute. It looks very perky and sits well on the dress. The back of the dress is fully shirred, which means plenty of size flexibility, but it isn't that attractive to look at. The stock photos show the skirt is very voluminous with and it flares outwards generously. There is lots of potential to create a great shape. The skirt is again kept simple, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with a thin line of gold lace and a simple tulle ruffle. If nothing else, at least the tulle matches up with the shoulder parts.

Here we have the OP. The bodice seems to be well fitted and the shape is quite interesting. I really love the chiffon sleeves and it seems they have a generous amount of length to them. The cuffs have been gathered so well and have a beautiful shape to them. It is interesting how the dress has been given a set of "straps" and if it wasn't for the open part between the "straps" it would really look as though this is a JSK with a blouse underneath, rather than an OP. The choker material is soft and floaty. However, I am not too keen on the pearl chain dangling from it, as it looks a bit too OTT. Also, with that extra weight, it is going to pull the choker downwards so it doesn't sit on the neck properly. The bodice features a ribbon corset in the centre. The ribbon is well spaced out and it only has a slight sheen to it. It's a really good choice of ribbon throughout the whole of the series. I am a bit unsure about the lace used to line the edges of the ribbon corset though. It looks a little bit messy and maybe some thinner lace would have given the bodice a smarter look here. The bodice also features some thin lines of gold lace, although they don't really stand out that much and they don't add a lot to the design. I guess it is more to fill the empty areas without looking too OTT. I am not a fan of the large bow on the chest area. The shape is cute and I like the way it has been lined with thin gold lace, but I think it makes the bodice look a bit overloaded. It also sticks out a fair bit. The back offers no shirring, so size flexibility is very limited. The back does look really neatly set out though and you can barely see the zip because it is so well hidden. Judging by the stock photos, the skirt looks quite full with plenty of room for petticoat. It flares out well and has a nice full bell shape to it. The skirt is once again kept simple, so the print is displayed excellently. The bottom hem is then finished off with a line of beautiful crown themed lace. I am surprised that this crown lace didn't make more of an appearance throughout this series.

Finally, we can see the print close up. This series comes in yellow, pink, sax blue and lavender. These are all quite standard colour choices for a dreamy, sweet AP print. I personally am not a fan of the yellow version though, as I feel the yellow colour doesn't work as well with the gold tones in the print. It seems yellow is the most popular colour though, so everybody else is clearly seeing something I am not! As for the print itself, it is very Disney looking and far too princessy for my own taste. The castles are drawn well, but I don't think there is anything that special about them. My favourite part of the print is the keys. They all have such interesting and intricate designs to them. I could definitely see a magical girl using one of these keys! The background with the dangling chains and stars is also pretty, however I think the chandeliers are a step too far. The chandeliers are really not necessary. I also like the use of stars at the bottom and the way it makes the bottom of the castles look as if they are fading away- like magic! Overall though, I am not overly amazed by this print.

So overall, the dress designs are nice enough and the print is okay, but I can understand why this print hasn't really been a big hit. There is just something about the print which lacks the 'wow' factor that usually sparks off the bloodbath when Angelic Pretty releases stuff. It is a shame, because this series could have been good with just a few small tweaks. I think part of the problem is AP have released this series at the wrong time of year and there are similar prints, such as Castle Mirage, which have recently seen re-releases. I think it is safe to say I wouldn't buy this series. If I did get it, my top choice would be the Round JSK in lavender because I love seeing lavender and gold together. 

Oxfordshire Lolitas 5th Anniversary Meet

The Oxfordshire Lolitas community is 5 years old! To celebrate, some of us met up for our usual anniversary meet in Oxford.

I apologise for the hall way photo of my outfit. The weather was absolutely atrocious! I wanted to get a photo before my hair curls fell out and I got the general windswept look. Bad weather seems to be a tradition for the anniversary meets. Out of all of the 5 anniversary meets, only 1 of them has had anything even remotely close to resembling okay weather. I wore my Queen's Coach JSK. I got the red JSK shortly after getting the black skirt. It is such a gorgeous print and I have always loved this red JSK. I did initially have a bit of trouble putting an outfit together, as the reds on the dress are a bit different to all the other reds in my wardrobe. It is almost a purple colour. In the end, I added an additional shade of red (although it does appear a tiny bit on the dress) and made sure to use plenty of it to balance it out. Although you can't tell in the photo, the under-skirt is the same colour as my hair accessory! This wasn't my initial outfit idea but the weather sort of spoiled my plans, as I found myself needing to use my Bodyline boots for the wet weather. At least I have another outfit planned for this dress I guess!

We ended up at the Slug and Lettuce after having a vote on where to go on the event page. The venue was surprisingly nice, with fancy chairs, mirrors and chandeliers. Some of the staff were really fun to talk to as well! I ordered a chicken skewer thing and some chips. The salad that came with it was very colourful and had quite a nice combination of fruit and veg in it. My only complaint is I could of done with some more chicken.

I am really pleased to say that I won Best Classic in the vote! I was so happy that people voted for me and liked my outfit. This year I got some pre-made rosettes off Taobao and then customised them by covering the centre part and adding the embroidery. As much as I love making rosettes, I sometimes get a bit fed up of them. And the less said about the year I managed to set my finger on fire, the better! The Taobao rosettes only came in 3 colours and I was really pleased that I won a rosette that matched my outfit so perfectly!

We attempted to get a group shot, but it was a little difficult to do with the way the table was laid out. Oh well, James tried his best! It was lovely to see a mix of regulars and also some newcomers.

After discovering that the cocktails were buy one, get on free a lot of us got stuck right in! This is my Porn Star Martini, which tasted absolutely amazing. I love anything with passion fruit in and if I see it on a menu it is almost certainly what I am going to order. I also had a passion fruit daiquiri, but the alcohol was a little bit strong tasting in that one. I loved how the Porn Star cocktail had a piece of passion fruit floating in it and an extra shot of prosecco too.

After having food we had our usual raffle. Here are the prizes I won. Sammi made the most adorable doughnut brooches and I knew I had to get one. It doesn't match a single thing in my wardrobe, but it is so cute! Sammi is so good at crafting, as is Shalisa, but I wasn't quick enough to get a Sugar Trampoline bow. I am glad I got the doughnut at least.

And this year there was also an additional quiz, which Shalisa ended up winning. I felt that I had to share Sammi's answer sheet though, because I don't think I will ever forget the answers she put! For the last part of the quiz I had a load of Baby print names and people had to fill in the gaps. So for "Memories of my First Soiree" became "Memories of my First Wet Dream" (ahem!) and the answers just got even more silly from there. I also think "Princess Chicken's Tea Salon" deserves a special mention. I don't think any of these print names will be appearing on Baby's site any time soon!

After taking some solo shots on the fancy chairs, we headed off to do our own thing. Hayley went on a venture to H&M to get hold of some Pusheen pants and then some of us headed over to the Mitre for a bit of a relaxed end to the day. I ordered a chocolate brownie (it is still nowhere near as good as the fudge cake at the Outlook, but I wanted something warm) and then braved the dodgy weather on the way home. 

So overall I think the actual meet itself went okay. The activities seemed to go down well and I know a few of us really enjoyed the alcohol! I had a good time, although it felt so good to take off my outfit at the end of the day and just crash on the sofa. Here is hoping for some fun lolita adventures in the upcoming year!

Steam Invitation by Metamorphose

Today I shall be taking a look at Steam Invitation by Metamorphose. This series includes 3 dresses, 3 skirts, a gauze skirt, a blouse, 2 hair accessories, a leather corset, tights, socks, a necklace and a ring.

First up is the Zipper JSK. The bodice looks well fitted, but I am a bit wary of the shape. The scoop neckline goes very low down. My experience of this style of dress is that the straps tend to slip off your shoulders. Low scoop necklines do not suit everybody either, although it is a good excuse to break out a blouse with a decorative chest area. The straps look a decent width. The outsides and insides of the straps and also the neckline are lined neatly with a very thin line of lace. There is also an additional line of gold braid running about a centimetre inside the neckline. This stops the straps from looking too plain, but also doesn't look too fussy and fits the overall theme of the dress. There is a waist bow, which seems a reasonable size for this particular dress. It is a bit simple in design, but I don't feel a really frilly, lacy bow would work as well. There are some suitable steampunk themed charms dangling from it though, which are pretty cool. The bow seems to sit quite well on the dress and it holds its shape well. This bow is detachable and I think I like the look of the dress with it detached, even though the bow looks okay. The bodice features a strap with an ornate looking buckle. The buckle is really pretty and I really think it livens up the bodice. The buckle can be opened, but I am not really sure why the wearer would want to do that. At least the option is there, I guess! The back has a panel of shirring, which has been neatly topped with a ribbon corset. I am not a fan of the way the straps cross at the back though, as I don't feel it really adds anything to the design. The stock photos show that the skirt has a lot of volume and it flares outwards loads. I think the skirt looks a little too triangular in shape in some of the stock photos though, so that is something to watch out for. As the name would suggest, the skirt does indeed feature zips, which can be unzipped to open up the skirt. I am not convinced about this feature. You would then have to pay extra for a decent under-skirt to wear underneath and fill out the panels. Also, the print looks a bit bunched up when the zips are undone, although the print is still displayed quite well at the sides. It has the potential to look good, but it could also go horribly wrong. The bottom hem is then finished off with a thin line of lace, which is a nice continuation of the neckline lace.

Here we have the Ribbon JSK. Judging by the stock photos, the bodice doesn't look too well fitted and the material is a bit baggy in places. The bodice shape also feels a little bit plain. I think a softer neckline shape could have looked good and it wouldn't have affected the overall look of the dress too much. The straps seem a suitable width. Like the other JSK, this dress has a line of braid just inside the neckline, but there is no lace along the straps or neckline. I feel that lace would have helped soften the lines of the bodice and would have made the neckline area a bit more interesting. There is a waist bow, which I think is a bit too big and the design of the bow is also a bit too simple. I also don't understand why there is a random jewel in the middle of the bow because it doesn't really fit in with the overall feel of the series. The waist bow is detachable, and I definitely would detach it. The bodice features an additional 2 bows and a further bow on the neckline too. These bows, especially the neckline bow, look a bit more detailed an interesting in comparison to the waist bow. I love the way the tails of the neckline bow have been folded and it gives this a bow a really good shape. However, I do think the other 2 bows are a bit too cutesy looking and I wouldn't have bothered with them. The back is fully shirred, which means the dress has plenty of size flexibility and stretch, but it also means the shirring is very exposed and makes the back look unattractive. The stock photos show that the skirt has plenty of volume and it flares outwards excellently. It would appear the skirt has a good amount of length to it too. There is more than enough room for petticoat and there is plenty of potential to create a really pretty shape. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with a simple ruffle, which I think is the right amount of detail to finish off this particular dress.

This is the OP. The bodice seems well fitted, but there is something about the overall shape of the bodice which I don't think looks quite right. I think it might be the shoulder area? I think the neckline is too wide. Also the join where the main dress fabric meets the chiffon sleeves needs to be on the actual shoulder, rather than slightly off the shoulder. The chiffon sleeves are beautiful though. I love the slight bell shape and the delicate ruffles. The ribbons on the chiffon sleeves are perhaps a bit too much though. I also would have preferred it if the dress didn't have that little ruffled panel inside the neckline too. The neckline has a beautiful shape to it and is neatly lined with gold braid, and I think the ruffle inside the neckline spoils it a bit. The waist line is topped with a chiffon ruffle, which I feel looks a bit messy and is really not needed. The dress silhouette would look a lot smoother without that waist ruffle being there. There are 3 lines of ribbon going across the bodice, which are then topped with bows. I am not overly fond of the shape of these bows. I also think it is a bit odd having a gear charm dangling from the top bow, but the other 2 bows have those gemstones. Personally, I would have made the bows a bit smaller in size and I wouldn't have had the gemstones on the bottom 2 bows. The back has a generous panel of shirring, but it is not covered up. Seeing as it is not fully shirred, there is room for a ribbon corset, which would have been a bit neater. The stock photos show that the skirt is very full with a lovely rounded shape to it. It flares outwards generously too. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed excellently. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with a chiffon ruffle, which balances out the chiffon elsewhere on the dress.

And finally, here is one part of the print close up...

... and another part. This series comes in beige, bordeaux and blue. The bordeaux and blue versions look very rich and I am glad that Meta didn't just stick to standard steampunk style colours. The beige version offers something a bit more standard. As for the print itself, all of the parts of the print are drawn well, but it feels a bit cluttered. The objects in the border part of the print are floating around with not much sense of purpose. If I were to judge each item in the print individually, I am a big fan of the hot air balloons, owls and the train. It is just a shame that the print lacks organisation. I really wish that the hot air balloons were a bigger feature in the print. I think a steampunk themed hot air balloon print could have looked amazing. But as far as this print is concerned, I like it but I wouldn't say I was amazed by it.

So overall, there are some interesting ideas in this series but in my personal opinion it doesn't quite come together. Some of the ideas, like the buckle on the Zipper JSK are interesting. Other ideas, such as the random gems stuck on some of the bows, don't seem to make much sense or really fit in with the overall theme of the series. There are a couple of things I would tweak about each dress design. The print is nice, but it could have been better. So I don't think this is a series that will be making it in to my wardrobe. My top choice would probably be the Zipper JSK in blue, although I would worry about the straps falling down. Maybe one of the skirts would be a safer option. 

Quick Catch Up in Reading!

Over the weekend I got the chance to catch up with Sammi and Shalisa in Reading again. Technically, the purpose of my trip was to get some elastic to fix those Fuwaboom over-skirts I got from Taobao, but it was the perfect excuse to see my friends at the same time. Alas, I have come to the decision that the over-skirts may be beyond fixable but at least I was able to have a good time! In the future I am just going to pin the over-skirts in place or I may even bin them.

I wore a simple outfit with Bodyline's Love Jewelry skirt. I haven't worn this skirt since Sammi's wedding so it seemed a good time to wear it. Recently, I discovered these Secret Shop tights were actually a good match for the skirt and I have no idea why I didn't think to pair them together before! I added rose clips to my wrist cuffs to add a further touch of pink. Lately I have been having a bit of a rethink about the best way to share my outfits. Some of you may have noticed I have stopped posting on Lookbook and that is because I have gotten fed up with the attitude of some of the Lookbook users. Some people on there are lovely though! I am still posting my outfits on Tumblr but my Tumblr is quite small.

We took a few group shots by the riverside because in the centre of Reading there isn't a great deal of places you can take good photos. And even in these photos I had the sun in my eyes! Don't be fooled by the sunshine though- it was freezing cold! Shalisa and Sammi looked amazing. I have always liked Shalisa in Meta's Vintage Poodle (I don't think I could wear it as well as she does!) and Sammi's AP skirt is such a great solid coloured piece.

These are the evil pigeons that came very close to ruining the picture Shalisa took of me with her new Instax camera! One second later, and the picture would of been of me cowering as these pigeons fly past!

Shalisa's Christmas gifts finally arrived so she was able to give them to us. I am so thrilled to finally have a pair of crochet strawberry wrist cuffs! I have been meaning to get a pair for years because I own quite a few strawberry prints and they are a big theme in my wardrobe. Shalisa also got me a pair of red bows from her shop Sugar Trampoline. I desperately needed some simple red bows and the ones Shalisa makes are so versatile and easy to wear.

We went to the Outlook for food. I purposely ate a salad so I could justify pigging out on a slice of their chocolate fudge cake! I am of the opinion that the Outlook's cake is a lot better than the one that the Mitre in Oxford does. It makes me yearn for more adventures in Reading. I also got myself a virgin mojito, which was quite pleasant. We had a bad experience with their strawberry woo woo, but the non-alcoholic cocktails are a lot better.

Later on we headed to the Purple Turtle for some actual alcohol. I almost didn't get served! Maybe I don't look my actual age, but I find it hard to believe I don't at least look the legal drinking age of 18! I am now scrambling to get a replacement ID card as quickly as possible. Because of how the offers are done we ended up with a spare Love Potion 69 cocktail, so we fishbowled it. I didn't try this cocktail last time and out of all the cocktails I have had here, this is the nicest. It is hard to describe the taste though. It is very tropical, but also a bit peachy and the Malibu adds a touch of coconut too.

And here is a shot of the successful Instax picture! I love how it turned out and I am excited to see all the fun pictures Shalisa is going to take. I really loved the group shot we took as well. 

It would great to have the chance to see my friends before the upcoming Oxfordshire anniversary meet. I am hosting yet again, so I am feeling a bit nervous right now. I just want everything to run without a hitch! At least I got to have some relaxing casual fun beforehand. The Instax photo is a lovely souvenir from a fun day as well. I will be posting about the anniversary meet very soon. Fingers crossed it is a success!

Be My Valentine by Baby the Stars Shine Bright

Today's print discussion is going to be about Be My Valentine by Baby the Stars Shine Bright. Or to give it its full title- Be My Valentine ~ Bless from Juno and the Aria of Birds ~. This series includes 8 dresses (1 has a completely different floral print, 3 are non-print), a skirt, 5 hair accessories, 3 blouses, a bag, a necklace, tights, a lace gilet and lace peplum.

First up is the Princess JSK. The bodice seems well fitted and the shape is interesting. I do worry that the thin straps look a bit flimsy though. The lace lining the outsides of the straps is pretty though, and has been well shaped. There is a large waist bow, which I feel really lets the dress down. It is too big in size and the style of the bow is too basic in comparison to the other dress details. The bow is also very floppy and appears to droop considerably. I am so glad this bow is detachable, because the dress looks a whole lot better with it detached. The centre of the bodice has a line frothy looking lace running up it, which is then topped with 2 large ribbon bows and a load of pearly buttons. The ribbon bows are a bit big, but I think they look a bit better balanced when the waist bow is detached. I am not too keen on the pearl buttons though. The buttons themselves have a pretty design, but they don't seem that well spread out and the buttons seem to be loosely sewn on, with not much care put in to them. The neckline is lined with some wide lace. I think the choice of lace is pretty, but it could have been better shaped where the lace ends. 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 decent amount of volume and it should hold a reasonable amount of petticoat. The shape in the stock photos is pretty, without being too OTT. The skirt features an open front design, but the opening is not that wide and the print is still displayed quite well. I love that the edges of the main dress fabric have been lined with a ruffle, giving a soft, romantic effect. My only wish is that the ribbon bows topping this ruffle were not there, or were perhaps at least spread a bit further apart. I think the bows make this area of the dress look a little too cluttered. The opening at the front reveals some beautiful, delicate layers which sit well on top of each other and are well spaced out. The bottom is then finished off with a further ruffle, which helps even things out nicely. 

Here we have the Ribbon JSK. The bodice seems well fitted and the overall bodice shape is beautiful. I adore the neckline on this dress! The lace lining the inside of the neckline and the straps is pretty too, and it sits nicely. There is a thin line of trim about an inch inside of the neckline, which really helps to define the bold shape as well. The straps are a suitable width and look very supportive. The waist area is topped with 2 ribbon bows. I think the bows themselves look very cute and they are a nice size, although the ribbon used is a bit shiny. I don't like how close together they have been placed in the stock photos, but thankfully they are detachable, so they can be positioned however you like them. Personally, I feel the dress looks a bit too plain without the waist bows. The bodice has a couple of lines of lace running vertically up it. The lace is nicely laid out, but I don't like the choice of lace used for the line running up the centre of the bodice. I think a more delicate looking lace would have been a better choice. The chest area is topped with a bow, which is an okay size. The shape is very clearly defined, although once again the bow design looks a bit too simple. At least this bow holds its shape a bit better and doesn't seem to sag at all. This bow is detachable, and I think I probably would detach it. The back has a panel of shirring, which has been topped neatly with a ribbon corset. If the stock photos are anything to go by, then I find the skirt a bit disappointing. There seems to be a bit of volume, but the skirt looks a bit shapeless and dull. I think it needs to flare out a bit more. Fingers crossed it looks better in person. The skirt is very simple in design, so the print is displayed excellently, although compared to the bodice the skirt looks a bit too plain. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with a simple tulle ruffle.

Next up is the Frill JSK. The bodice looks like a shapeless tube with no real defined shape to it. It's really boring and I can't imagine it being that well fitted either. The straps are a bit thin, although I don't think bulky straps would suit the style of the dress. They are lined really neatly with a tulle ruffle on the outsides. The tulle is well gathered and adds a bit of interest to the straps. There is a tulle waist bow, which I really loathe. The size of the bow looks wrong and the design is too basic. Due to the type of material, it just looks like a saggy mess. The bow hasn't even tied that neatly and it looks cheap. This waist bow is detachable, and if I owned this dress detaching that bow would be the first thing I would do. The bodice has several tulle ruffles running vertically up it. These are quite neatly set out and well spaced out. It gives the bodice and interesting texture and makes it look more exciting too. There is a line of pearl buttons in the centre, which are well spaced out, but seem to have been sewn on without much care or attention. In the stock photos, the buttons are facing all different directions. Although the lace lining the neckline has a pretty design, I don't feel it looks right here. It looks a bit too wild and messy. Perhaps some thinner lace would have made it look a bit tidier. The back of the dress has a panel of shirring which has been topped with a ribbon corset once again. I approve greatly that all the dresses have had this so far! The stock photos show the skirt has a fair amount of volume, but nothing too OTT. In the photos of Misako wearing this dress, the skirt has a pretty and full shape, so it is possible to create a great shape. The skirt is kept quite simple in design, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with a double tulle ruffle. The tulle has been well gathered, giving these 2 ruffles plenty of shape, so they don't just hang lifelessly.

This is the OP. The bodice seems to have a nice shape overall, although the material looks a bit baggy in places. The arms seem to have a decent amount of length to them and I love the shape. I really love the use of chiffon for the sleeves as it gives a soft appearance. I am a little unsure about the cuffs though, as they look quite solid and stiff paired with the floaty, delicate chiffon. The cuffs are nicely set out though, with a neat design and lovely lace too. However, I don't feel the bows are a needed on the cuffs, as they make the cuffs look a bit fussy. The waist area features 2 detachable ribbon bows, exactly like the ones on the Ribbon JSK. I don't think these ribbon bows work quite as well on this OP as they do on the JSK, but at least they are detachable. The bodice features 2 lines of lace, which helps to break up the empty space on the bodice. I am glad the bodice details have been kept subtle, because it means the lacy collar is the main focus of attention. The lace collar is so pretty. It has a lovely shape to it and the lace seems to be of a reasonable quality. I like the rose pattern lace that lines the edge of the lace collar. The lace collar is topped with a detachable little lace jabot, which has a ribbon bow on it. Although I feel the ribbon bow on the jabot is a bit too big, I prefer the dress with the jabot attached. It makes the collar look a bit less flat. The back offers no shirring, so size flexibility is a bit limited. The waist ties on this dress are really thin too, so I don't know how good they will be at helping to pull the dress in a bit, if needed. The stock photos show that the skirt appears to have a good length to it. It doesn't look like the most voluminous of skirts, but I don't think you would want to use too much poof with this style of dress anyway. The skirt flares out nicely enough. The only issue I have with the skirt shape is that it looks like the ruffles at the bottom have been stitched a bit too tightly, causing a slight balloon effect with the skirt material near the bottom. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed really well. The chiffon ruffles at the bottom are beautiful and sit well on top of each other. However, they have been over-stitched and I generally prefer these things to be under-stitched. The ruffles are then topped with 2 ribbon bows, which don't look too distracting. 

And finally, here is the print. This series comes in ivory, pink, lavender and sax blue. All the colours are very light and pastel, but I think it goes with the sweet, romantic and delicate look of the print. As for the print itself, I think the bird cages are absolutely gorgeous. I may be a bit biased though, as I usually love bird cage prints! The birds and valentines inside the cages are cute too. I like the ribbons in the print and the way the lines of ribbon are broken up by the occasional bow to make them a bit more interesting. The lace doilies are pretty too, with some really intricate patterns. I was a bit unsure about the text in the background at first, but when you look at the actual dresses, the text part seems quite subtle. Funnily enough, this print looks almost identical to a Valentines card I gave my husband one year, so Baby are definitely spot on with the Valentines theme!

So overall, I think this is a really pretty series and I really love the print. I've got to be honest though- R Series recently released a series called The Emperor's Nightingale which looks really similar to this print, and I do wonder which print I actually prefer. The dress designs for Baby's series are interesting, but I really wish I could pair together the skirt of the Princess JSK with the bodice of the Ribbon JSK. I think that would have made such a beautiful dress! Would I buy this series? Possibly, but the R Series release is making my decision really difficult. My top choice would be the Princess JSK in pink or lavender. I really wish I could see this series in person before making a decision about whether to buy it or not.