Milky Pony Carnival by Angelic Pretty

Today I am looking at Milky Pony Carnival by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 2 dresses, socks and a head bow.

First is the OP. The bodice seems well fitted. I personally feel the bodice shape is a bit dated, but perhaps that will make it more appealing to those who like the 2009 era of sweet. The sleeves are a cute length and suitably puffy. They are finished off neatly with some good quality lace. There is a waist bow, which is a bit big, but I think AP just about gets away with its size. It has a well formed shape and sits nicely on the dress. It looks as though this bow is not detachable though, which would have been a great option to have. The bodice features a dropped scoop neckline with a solid coloured modesty panel going across the chest. This panel is loosely gathered, but otherwise the only real detail to it is the 2 bows (one on the scooped neckline and the other on the chest panel) and the lace lining the neckline. Maybe I have just gotten so used to AP's more modern designs, but something about this bodice design feels a bit plain. I think it is the boring looking panel which is putting me off. At least the lace sits well on the dress. I can take or leave the bows. They at least break up the 'emptiness' of the bodice, but they are very basic in design and the ribbon used is shiny. The back offers a panel of shirring, which is topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt has a fair bit of volume to it and it flares outwards plenty. It should hold plenty of petticoat underneath. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed wonderfully. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with a line of pony themed lace.

Here we have the JSK. The bodice is quite well fitted and the shape is certainly interesting. I know from experience of owning one of these halter neck style dresses from AP that they can get a bit uncomfortable around the neck sometimes, but the straps at least look a decent width and very supportive. There is also a regular set of straps supporting the dress, which are mostly hidden by the halter straps, so if you wanted to tie the halter straps a bit looser then that is a possibility. The halter straps are decorated with neat pleats and a bow in the middle. I am not overly fond of the bow and think it could be a bit smaller. Also, I think this bow could have been shaped better, as it looks a bit flat and lifeless. There is also a waist bow, which is done in the same sort of style as the halter strap bow. I personally feel it looks a bit strange having both bows almost the same size. As mentioned, I think the halter neck bow should be smaller, which could compliment the waist bow more. The bodice features a solid line connecting both bows, which is topped with gold heart shaped buttons. I think the buttons are adorable. They fit in with the card suit theme in the print as well. There are then several lines of lace running up the bodice which are well distributed and sit decently on the dress. The back offers a panel of shirring, which is again topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt can flares outwards wide and has plenty of volume. There is the potential to create a fantastic sweet shape. The skirt is again kept simple, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with the pony lace again.

Finally, this is the print. This series comes in pink, mint, lavender and black. These are essentially the Sugary Carnival colours, but cooler and with sax blue being replaced with mint. I always thought Sugary Carnival would look fantastic in a mint version, so I guess this lookalike print sort of fulfills that dream! As for the print, it is essentially a less sugary, slightly more mature looking Sugary Carnival. There are still some stripy marshmallow-like poles and the layout is pretty similar. The big difference here is the inclusion of the lines of card suits breaking up the stripes. I personally think it would have worked better if the card suits were smaller and a bit less prominent. This print just looks far too busy and crowded. I am also a bit peeved that AP included babyish letter blocks in one of the card suits (why!?). This had the potential to be a mature Sugary Carnival. Instead we got a weird SC and Wonder Queen hybrid with added childish elements.

So I think it is safe to say that I will be sticking with Sugary Carnival! It is a shame, as I feel as though this series could have had a lot of potential. Instead it just looks like a re-hashed print which feels a bit try-hard. I wont be buying this series. If it had been more appealing to me, my top choice would be the JSK in mint. Instead I am just mourning what could have been.

Birthday Shenanigans!

I have just about recovered enough to type up what I did for my birthday. It involved a lot of eating, travelling and most importantly, spending time with loved ones. 

A while ago James booked afternoon tea for us in this place called the Vineyard, just outside of Newbury. He booked the day off work especially, which I thought was so sweet. I decided to wear my bird skirt from Le Miroir, as I had recently received it. It has already become one of my favourite pieces! I thought I would struggle with the more dusky shade of pink, but it turns out these shoes I ordered ages ago (which I was hoping would be a more AP- friendly pastel pink) were quite a good match. Maybe past me knew that one day I would require dusky pink shoes! 

I wasn't really sure what else to team this skirt with, so I threw on a floral veil and attached the matching hair clip to it. I added rose themed cuffs to make the floral veil a bit more balanced, although I personally don't feel that flowers look too out of place with the overall outfit theme anyway. 

After an adventurous drive to Newbury, which involved the sat-nav only telling us to take a turning when it was too late to take it, we eventually made it to the Vineyard. I went for a tea with apricot and passionfruit flavours which was absolutely yummy. I am not a big tea drinker, but this tea was pleasant and not overly sweet. James went for one which was meant to taste like Victoria sponge and it did indeed smell of the cake! This was the sweet half of the afternoon tea. Although Wimbledon had finished by the time of my birthday, the Vineyard was still putting on their Wimbledon themed afternoon tea, which is why there is a slight tennis theme to the sweets. We had a surprisingly strong Pimm's cocktail (it was small, but potent), a tennis ball which was made up of vanilla mousse and coated in white chocolate, a macaron tower featuring pistachio with orange cream and blackcurrant macarons, a random chocolate thing with gooey caramel inside and a berry and lemon mousse cake with brownie base.

I saved the best til last with this chocolate sweet! It tasted absolutely amazing, although I have to admit I was starting to feel a bit sick at this point! We were not sure if the flower on top was edible or not. James ate his flower, but after seeing his reaction I decided to not eat mine. I think we were given just the right amount of food. There were plenty of sandwiches and 2 scones with clotted cream and jam as well as the sweets. What I liked about this afternoon tea was the amount of variety and how the sweets were not just your typical bog-standard mass produced cakes which you can get pretty much anywhere.

It was raining slightly so I was unable to get many photos of the venue, but here is a random picture of a pigeon going for a dip in the water feature. We were sat by the window, so we had a good view of the gardens at least.

I wont share absolutely everything I got, but here are a few choice items from my birthday present haul! I didn't get much in the way of J-fashion, but I did get another old issue of Larme from James. After having a flick through, it seems like a good issue. The Swablu socks were discovered by me a while ago when I was looking for presents for our friend Matt, so James got them for me, as well as a pair with Goomy on them. The budgie necklace was a nice surprise. It looks very similar to one of my two birds. They do commissions, so I am going to get my other bird designed as well. If afternoon tea was not enough sweet stuff, I also got given sweets for my foreign snack review album by pretty much everybody. I think I have enough sweet stuff to last me until Christmas now!

The day afterwards we traveled down to Kent to meet up with friends. I finally got to visit the Chaos Cards store, where my friend Matt works! It is basically a Mecca of all things nerdy. There is all the Pokemon TCG stuff my heart desires. I am also trying to learn Netrunner at the moment, so it was fun looking at all the different packs and expansions. I couldn't get over how big the store was. The staff were also really friendly and I ended up chatting to this young boy in the queue whose favourite legendary Pokemon is Darkrai. He was very impressed with my Umbreon GX box purchase!

When we eventually got to Jo's house, there was a pitcher of Pimm's waiting for us (Pimm's is definitely the current alcohol of choice). There was quite a lot of fruit in the first pitcher! James then made a second one which had a lot more Pimm's in it. I have to admit, I did get a little bit squiffy!

We sat in Jo's conservatory with our Pimm's to open presents. I was given a book called Beautiful Chickens from Jo and Chris. There was this whole sequence of photos on my camera which captured my reaction perfectly! I am hiding in this picture because I was laughing so much. To be fair, the chickens in the book are indeed beautiful!

We also had homemade pizzas. This is definitely my favourite way to have pizza! Jo made a beautiful dough base and as they were all individual pizzas, we all got to pick our own toppings. No arguments about whether pineapple is a good or evil pizza topping were had! For the record, I am on the fence about pineapple on pizzas. I think there are better toppings.

After an epic Mario Kart marathon and brownies, we retired to bed. The following day we headed out in to Canterbury for brunch. It was absolutely amazing. I had a vegetarian all-day breakfast but swapped out the baked beans for extra mushrooms. The veggie fritter was incredible. I would quite like to learn to make my own. Although I kind of spoiled the veggie day by going to Macdonalds on the way home. I was desperate for food and Maccy D's is terrible for veggie options! Thankfully, it wasn't raining, so we got to sit outside. It was good to have a proper catch up and despite being next to a road, it was quiet enough that we could all talk easily. I absolutely adore all of the people around this table!

This was my first trip to Canterbury and I was stunned by how beautiful it is. There were lots of potential photoshoot locations I noted for when I next travel down. I will attempt to bring some lolita with me next time! Canterbury reminds me of Oxford, but if I am being honest I prefer Canterbury. It is less crammed with tourists and there is a more eclectic mix of shops. I found an amazing new age shop which was selling lots of witchy stuff and there was also a shop dedicated to retro gaming, which had a Pokemon card swapping station as well. It is so great knowing I have a friend who lives here and is willing to let me crash at theirs. I really want to go back and explore more!

So that was my birthday adventure for the year! I have just about recovered (although I am feeling tired from the step exercise class I did yesterday) and I have a lot of happy memories to treasure from my extended weekend. I am missing everybody already!

Regimental Carousel by Alice and the Pirates

Today I am looking at Regimental Carousel by Alice and the Pirates. This series includes 4 dresses (one non-print), a jacket, a vest, a skirt, pants, a blouse, socks, a head bow and necklace.

First is JSK I. The bodice seems well fitted, but I am not a fan of the dropped waist. Although the bodice shape is a bit basic, I think it suits the more mature theme of the print. The straps look a decent, supportive width. The neckline and inside of the straps is lined neatly with a line of lace. There are some emblem themed gold buttons on the bodice. These are well spaced out. I like the choice of button as well. What I am not so sure of is the style of bow on the neckline. Not only is the ribbon used super shiny, the shape looks too cutesy for this particular series. The lower half of the back features a shirring panel, which is topped neatly with a ribbon corset. I am a bit confused by the back though, as above the shirring there is a random panel gathered in the middle to create a bow. I don't understand why this 'bow' is here. Surely it kind of negates the shirring? Maybe the design is a bit more straight-forward in person, but it doesn't make much sense to me as a potential international buyer looking online. The skirt appears to have a fair amount of volume. However, the dropped waist and tiered skirt design gives the dress a very awkward silhouette. In the stock photos the skirt looks quite lumpy. The tier joins themselves are topped with a line of lovely lace with ribbon threaded through it. This design had potential, but I don't think it has been well executed. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with a line of thin lace.

Here is JSK II. The bodice seems quite well fitted and the shape is interesting. The neckline shape could have looked quite harsh, but the gathered lace really helps to soften it. I think the straps are a good width. They are lined neatly with a line of thin lace on the outsides. Given how lacy the rest of the bodice is, I think it was wise to use a thinner, more subtle line of lace on the straps. There is a line of lace going along the waistline. I do think the lace chosen is very pretty, but it also makes the waist area look wider. The bodice has a line of lace topped with 2 small bows and a larger bow on the neckline. I think the placing of the bows has been done poorly, especially the one on the waistline. They are not well spaced out at all. Also, the bows use that very shiny ribbon again and the shape of the bows is still too cute. The back of the dress is fully shirred, so there is lots of size flexibility, but also that the shirring is exposed. However, with the style of print and the shorter back I don't feel the shirring stands out too much. It would have been difficult to do a shirring panel and ribbon corset on such a short back. The stock photos show that the skirt has a good amount of volume and it flares outwards well. It should hold plenty of petticoat. The skirt is mostly kept simple, so the print is displayed beautifully. There are some interesting details to the sides of the skirt, where the ruffle at the bottom rises up at the sides. This creates a fun bottom hem shape. I also think these ruffly side details suit the frilly lace details on the bodice. These side details are then topped with some shiny ribbon bows. At least this is consistent with the neckline bow.

This is the OP. The bodice is really well fitted and I think the shape looks very smart. It is a good, mature match for the print. It looks as though the arms have a generous amount of length to them. They would probably be too long for me! But this will be helpful for taller lolitas and the fitted style of cuff will keep them from slipping down beyond the wrist. The cuff parts are quite long, but I think it matches the use of solid colour elsewhere on the dress. There is a waist bow, which is a decent shape and size. I am not entirely convinced this waist bow is needed, but at least it suits the dress. It is just a shame that it doesn't appear to be detachable. The bodice features a large solid coloured yoke which reaches down to the waist. This is a very flattering triangle shape. The good quality lace lining this triangle sits so beautifully on the dress as well. The yoke is broken up by lots of tidy pleats and some thin lines of lace. This gives the area extra texture and depth. There is also a line of emblem themed buttons going up the middle. I think these buttons are quite well spaced out, but maybe there are a few too many. The collar doesn't look too stuffy. I do worry the wide lace may be a bit ticklish though! The back offers no shirring, so size flexibility is very limited. The stock photos show that the skirt has a great amount of volume and it flares out well. I think there is the potential to create a fantastic full shape. There is an opening on the front of the skirt, filled with solid coloured material. This panel, like the one on the bodice, features lots of pleats and it is neatly lined with lace. Despite this opening, the print is still displayed excellently. The bottom hem is then finished off with some pretty lace of a good quality.

Finally, this is the print. This series comes in turquoise, brown, navy and black. As this is a very classical print, I think the colour choices are really suitable. The turquoise offers something a bit brighter and more colourful. All 4 colours work brilliantly though. As for the print, I think it looks beautiful. It is well presented with a neat striped pattern. The carousel fits in neatly with the print and I love the carousel horses which feature in the rows as well. There are lots of lovely little details. I think what I like the most is that this is a more mature take on a carousel print. It makes a change from the sugary pastel carousel prints we see quite a bit.

So overall I am very impressed. I really love the print. The dress designs could have maybe been better, but I like how there are more understated and slightly more frilly, detailed options. Hopefully there is something here to suit a wide range of tastes. Would I buy this series? Yes, although it is not going on my wishlist. I am surprised to find that I like the OP the most. As for the colour, I guess I like the turquoise, but the navy would be my second choice. I like the wide variety of items released for this series and I feel this series has lots of potential.

Choosing a Meet Venue

I am reeling from a bit of sad new today. The Mitre, as the Oxfordshire community knew it, is no more. I don't know if it still operates as a restaurant, but it has left the chain that it has been a part of ever since I first discovered the place. Although there were a very questionable times there, overall it was a good venue to hold a meet at. It was low fuss and you could casually drop in without much need for reservation.

The first meet the Oxfordshire Lolitas had at The Mitre

Activity in the Oxfordshire Lolitas had winded down, but it still makes me feel sad to see The Mitre wont be what it once was. I went there not just with the community, but with friends and sometimes even just with James. Most of the staff knew who we were. So I feel as though there is now a hole which I need to fill. But here I will talk specifically about what I look for in a lolita meet venue. Although I doubt I will be doing much hosting in the near future, I hope I can find a new place to fill the void that the Mitre has left.

Firstly, is it big enough? If you are a member of a community then it is a good idea to get a rough idea of how many 'regulars' actually attend meets. Don't be out off by community groups that have multiple hundreds of members! Meets rarely get that big and when they do, people tend to break off in to little groups to do their own thing anyway. Sometimes it is good to casually pop in to a venue beforehand to get a feel of how busy the place gets. Even though a venue may seem like a suitable size, a more busy venue is less likely to be relaxing. Also, the staff will be more stretched which could potentially lower the quality of your experience. Are you likely to need to make a reservation? Although I say that you could casually go to the Mitre, this was not true around any big holidays or during big promotions. There is nothing worse than turning up somewhere only to find that it wont work out and you are going to have to find somewhere for a bunch of hungry lolitas to go to.

Another issue with business and venue size would be how easy it is to navigate the venue whilst wearing lolita. It is easy to forget just how big our petticoats can be sometimes! If you are having to squeeze past a load of narrowly spaced out tables, it can get a bit uncomfortable. Also, some toilet cubicles I have experienced whilst wearing lolita have been anything but roomy.

Is the venue easy to access? Can you easily get there from the location where your group is intending to meet up? Sometimes you may find that people are put off attending a meet if they know they are going to have to walk a long distance in their shoes (let's face it, some lolita footwear can be really uncomfortable) or if they will have to pay out for additional public transport on top of other meet expenses. If you have a disabled or less able-bodied member in your community please bear in mind how easy it is for them to access. Here in the UK we had a law passed years ago which means that all venues have to have wheelchair access. However, sometimes this 'access' is a bit questionable. You sometimes find yourself having to wait for a ramp, only for no member of staff to come along and help you.

Cleanliness is obviously another important factor. I wont name the venue, but I was once at a really nice place and needed the bathroom, only to find that the bathroom was absolutely disgusting. Sometimes scores on doors (another thing we have here in the UK) don't tell you the full story on how clean a place really is. Use a bit of common sense. Look around you. Are there any areas which look a bit abandoned? Can you see any staff members going around and cleaning tables? Sometimes in the bathroom you can see a cleaning rota which tells you when the bathroom was last cleaned, although if only a signature on a sheet is required, you can't guarantee that it was properly cleaned at the time stated. This is another reason why it is good to check out a venue beforehand if possible. At least in 'normie' clothing there is less hassle with having to hold up your many frilly layers to use the bathroom!

What sort of people go to this place? You can tell a lot about the venue by the other customers who are there. I know you shouldn't judge people by appearances, but in this instance it can give vital clues. This is especially important in venues that serve alcohol. I have lost count of the times I have been propositioned by drunk guys whilst wearing lolita. This is definitely something to avoid if you have a lot of younger members in your community. You may find some places that seem good actually have a bad reputation as well. Also look to see if the people there look like tourists or people who are local to the area. I generally like to try and find places that I know a lot of local people go to. My theory is that they know the area better than me and are more likely to know the best places to go to. As great as some websites like Tripadvisor can be, it can be a relief to get some verification from real life people, and not a computer screen, that a place is good.

You will also need to cater for any attendees who have special diets or allergies. A lot of places have menus online which are easy to access. But as an example, just because a place may seem vegetarian friendly, it doesn't mean it is any good. They may have a very limited selection available. As many of my vegetarian friends tell me, there is nothing worse than being stuck somewhere where your only dinner option is risotto! I once saw a place which labelled fish and chips as vegetarian as well, which raised a few eyebrows in my group.

How do the staff seem? Is there anything worse than getting served by a grumpy person who clearly doesn't want to be there? I know I have meant some interesting characters over the years! Working in these kind of places can be a very stressful experience and sometimes it unfortunately impacts the customer. But do try to be reasonable. We all have bad days from time to time. So unless the server does something absolutely inexcusable, I tend to turn a blind eye if somebody just looks a bit tired or bored.

Finally, is the place exciting and interesting enough? A lolita meet is supposed to be a social occasion. Sometimes this may mean going somewhere which will get the conversation started and help break the ice. Listen to the kind of music being played. Is it slow or upbeat? You may find that some lolitas want something more to a meet than simply going out and having a meal. How can you make a meet more exciting and use a venue to its full potential?

Well hopefully at some point I will be able to find the new equivalent of the Mitre in Oxford. I went to an interesting pub there recently and had a good time, so I have not completely lost hope. It is a shame that a lot of the better places are not located in the city center. Not all lolitas are lucky enough to live near 'lolita friendly' establishments and sometimes you have to get a bit inventive. Although if a community has good, strong and healthy friendships within it hopefully that can overcome a venue which didn't turn out to be all that was expected. I know there have been places I have gone to which I know I will never go back to, but the conversation was fun and we were still able to have a good time. Good company can make a bad situation a lot better.

Cream Cookie Parade by Angelic Pretty

Today I am looking at Cream Cookie Parade by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 2 dresses, a skirt, a head bow, socks, a blouse and a bag.

First is the OP. The bodice seems a bit loose and baggy in some of the close ups. It could just be the material it is made from I suppose. But the overall bodice shape is quite nice and smart looking. I like the arm length, which is very mature. They have a suitable amount of puffiness to them and the cuffs are kept neat and simple. There is a belt, but it doesn't seem to add much to the design. It is a bit concealed by the other bodice details. I am not fond of the material used for this belt. It is so thin that if you look closely you can see the print through it. There is then a solid coloured panel in the middle of the bodice. The square shape is a bit dull and I don't like how it looks paired with that collar shape. To add insult to injury, this panel is lined with ric rac trim, which looks awful. I think it is really cheap looking and it saddens me how many recent AP releases have used it. This panel is also kept quite flat. Maybe some pleats could have livened things up? There is a line of buttons, and I really like the choice of buttons. They are shaped liked chocolates, which look really cute. Sadly, I think the positioning of these buttons is a bit off. They could have been spread out a whole lot better than this. The collar shape is okay, but a bit boring. The lace along the edges of the collar help to make it a bit softer, but overall the collar shape is a bit harsh. This collar also uses the dreaded ric rac. There is then a small ribbon bow, which is detachable. I think this bow is actually really cute and I like the stripy ribbon chosen for it. If it was me, I would leave it attached. The back offers no shirring, so size flexibility is very limited. The stock photos show that the skirt seems to have ample volume and can flare outwards a lot. There is a lot of space to create a full shape. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with a line of ric rac (argh!) and some cutlery themed lace. At least the lace is really pretty.

Next we have the JSK. The bodice seems quite well fitted and the overall bodice shape is... interesting. Whilst I think it looks cute, I also feel it exaggerates the width of the shoulder area, so if you are broad shouldered then this cut may not be the most flattering. It is a shame, because I think the gathered ruffles on the straps are really cute! They are nicely shaped and the layering of lace over the top looks lovely. The straps themselves also look a very supportive width. These straps have a line of lace and ric rac running on the insides, which continues down the bodice to the waistline. I am a fan of the lace and think it would have looked really great if the ric rac hadn't been there. There is a belt, which uses the nice stripy ribbon again. It helps to define the waistline quite well, which could have gotten lost with all those ruffly details going on. The belt seems to be a good length and I like that the ribbon is matte as well. The main bodice is mostly kept plain, although the lines of lace are more than enough detail. There is a further line of lace going along the neckline, which has ribbon threaded through it. There is also a ruffle going along the neckline, which has been gathered neatly. This is all finished off with a stripy ribbon bow. This bow is a decent size and compliments the belt. The back is fully shirred, which means loads of size flexibility but also that the shirring is left exposed. However, due to the style of print I don't think the shirring really stands out that much, especially on the darker colours. The skirt appears to have a good amount of volume and it flares out well. I think there is a lot of potential to create a very sweet looking shape. The skirt is mostly kept simple, so the print is displayed brilliantly. The bottom is then finished off with another line of ric rac and then 2 wide ruffles lined with lace. I think the ruffles look well gathered and have a lot of 'movement' to them. For some reason, this dress is giving me a bit of a 'Metamorphose' vibe. It just has that sort of look to it, I guess.

Finally, we have the print. This series comes in pink, blue and wine. It is a bit disappointing there are only 3 colour options. Maybe AP are planning to release some special sets in the future or something. The colour choices are quite bold and vibrant. I like how, apart from the pink, the colour choices are a bit more unusual for a chocolate print. As for the print itself, it is pretty cute and well set out. It is giving me a slightly 'older' AP vibe. There are lots of interesting chocolate themed desserts in the print. As the print name suggests, there are cookies in the print, but I wouldn't say they are the most dominant part of the print! I like all the little details that have gone in to decorating the cakes. I even spy some familiar looking biscuits in there *cough*Oreos*cough*. The crockery and cutlery in the print at least make the choice of cutlery themed lace on the dresses a bit more appropriate. I think my favourite bit is the cookies spelling out the brand name. It reminds me a lot of their Assorted Cookie print, but a chocolaty version.

So I think this is a print which has a lot of potential, but the dress designs are a bit 'meh'. There are things I would change about both dress designs. The biggest change would have to be the removal of that ric rac. I am not 100% against ric rac, but the majority of the time it looks awful. Sadly that is enough to not make me want this series. My top choice would have been the JSK in red, although I prefer the skirt over both dress cuts. But at least this release has seen some old jewelry get re-released, so that is worth picking up if you want another chance to get the French Biscuit accessories. The series hasn't been an instant sell-out, but it appears to have sold fairly well at least. It is just a shame that one risky trim choice can make or break a series so easily.

A Letter To My Former Self

Ah Facebook... it has this delightful way of reminding you of things long forgotten. Some of it brings up happy memories and others... not so much. The other day on my feed I got a memory which came up from many years ago when I was still a hopeless newbie to lolita. Aside from making me cringe a little, it made me realise that actually, I have been doing this for quite a long time now. I have changed so much since then. As I looked at that old picture of me I wondered what I would tell my old self about what I know. So I decided to write a letter to the me of 2009 and I thought I would share it with you all today.

Dear Luna,

You are about to embark on what is going to be one of the most colourful periods of your life. It is going to take you in directions which you didn't think were possible, but believe me, you are in for a wild ride! At the moment everything is still so new an exciting. Remember how you recently picked up that English Gothic and Lolita Bible? It was like the floodgates had opened. You have a way to express yourself again. I know that for a while you have been feeling a bit 'lost' and jaded. Getting married has seen you settle down a bit, but now you are wondering what to do next. Wearing lolita is going to make you feel as though you have discovered a hidden part of yourself.

You are going to want to scream from the rooftops and show the world 'the true you' but now is not the time to be reckless. You are out of work right now (you wont be for long, but you still need to be sensible) and years of letting your anxiety fester without much in the way of medical help are at times going to make you feel overwhelmed. So now is not the time to go crazy and just let your excitement run away with you. Yes, it is great that you have discovered that GLP shop in London. But take your time to think about the whole picture. There is more to a lolita outfit than the dress, that Ebay tutu is NOT a suitable petticoat replacement and there is more to 'kawaii' accessories than simply raiding Claire's Accessories. Look at the quality of the items. Don't buy accessories just because they are cute without thinking about whether they actually match anything you own. Wear bloomers. Lolita is more than just buying cute dresses- it is a whole aesthetic. It is okay to take the time to learn more about the fashion. Don't worry if you don't own too many pieces at first. Just work on trying to make the best of what you have. Lolita may not just be about the big brand names, but it also isn't about buying all the cheapest Bodyline in the sale just for the sake of having a new dress. So what if you wear the same outfit more than once? Please take the time to think about what you really love. Is there a certain colour or motif perhaps? Don't go rushing in.

Next year you are going to start writing a blog about lolita fashion. It is not going to be easy and it maybe isn't the casual side project that you think it is going to be! There are a lot of other lolitas out there who are just like you and others who are going to completely disagree with you. And I think that is an important thing to bear in mind. You are not going to be friends with everybody, just because you happen to like the same clothing. Some relationships are never going to go beyond the 'Oh, I like your head bow' stage. Also be aware that not everybody you let get close to you has good intentions. As immature and pointless as it may seem, sometimes drama has this nasty habit of creeping up on you, no matter how much you may try to avoid it. Try not to be disheartened. There is drama in practically every hobby. You know those train spotters you see sometimes on the way to the train station? Chances are, they probably get in to bitchy gossip themselves. Sure, it may not be over the same stuff, but I think you get the idea! The important thing is to not let these people drag you down. Don't post bitchy comments on anonymous gossip boards, don't spread rumours and don't let these people drag you down to their level. Look at yourself in the mirror. Tell yourself you are better than that. You know why? Because you are.

Soon you are going to find yourself going from being a convention lolita to a member of a local lolita community. That is going to present a lot of rewards, but also a lot of challenges. But if you start to feel disheartened, I want you to think about how you were before. You were an anti-social self-pitying loner. Now look at you! You may still be socially awkward, but you are going to go so far. You are not only going out and meeting new people, but you are also hosting meets and contributing something to a community. Could you picture yourself doing stuff like this just a few years ago? You are achieving so much. Celebrate those achievements! One day you are even going to find yourself getting up on stage and modelling for both indie brands and one of your favourite Japanese brands. Crazy right? But you are going to do it! Future You is very proud of what you are going to achieve. Your blog is also going to mean that people want to come up to you and talk to you. They may be a reader or perhaps they will have heard about you through the grapevine. This is an opportunity to practice your social skills. You may not always get it right, but don't be too hard on yourself. These things take time and effort to improve. Those who stick around probably believe that you are a good person. So believe in yourself.

Believe it or not, but the things you love are going to change a huge deal! You know all those cutesy sweet prints that you love to pieces? One day you may find yourself shying away from them. This is okay. Tastes change. Right now I am in love with a more mature sweet look and also wear classic lolita a fair bit. But for now I want you to embrace your sweet loving self. If it makes you happy, then wear it. Don't worry about what other people think. You are going to hear a lot of people tell you that you look amazing in classic, but think about what you want. Although you are one day going to embrace classic lolita, for now it doesn't appeal to you. You should enjoy your hobbies. You may get a lot of odd looks when you wear sweet, but eventually you will learn to ignore those odd looks a lot more. It takes a lot of courage to wear lolita. Every time you go out all dolled up I want you to think about how you have been brave enough to be true to yourself. You don't need to hide your lolita away from the world. You are very fortunate to live in an alright neighbourhood. Actually, your neighbours are going to remark about how fun and pretty your outfits are quite a bit! Their reactions could have been a whole lot more negative. You are very lucky and fortunate.

But that doesn't mean that you are not going to come across the odd idiot. Drunks are going to try and chat you up, you will be laughed at and people will invade your personal space to try and sneakily take photos of you. Please try not to focus on these negative moments. In comparison to all the positive experiences you feel, these negative experiences are a lot less frequent. And most of these people are barely worth thinking about. That stranger you passed on the street is somebody who you will probably never see ever again. Why do you care so much about what they think? Also, do not make assumptions. Somebody may appear grumpy or rude, but it may not be anything to do with you. Perhaps they are having a bad day. Don't focus on the small petty things which do not matter.

What else can I tell you about the future... Well, the shopaholic in you is going to be thrilled to know that in the future you are going to have a lot of brand dresses! In fact, you are going to think that you have too many of them (I know, right!? The idea of having too much lolita just seems crazy to you right now!). You are going to learn a lot about society and human interaction. Keep pushing yourself to achieve more. Your social life and mental health will thank you for it one day. Always remember that lolita is not a competition and always wear the clothing for you, not anybody else. You have a long way to go Luna, but I want you to know that I am so proud of what you are going to achieve. Don't let anybody else belittle those achievements.

Take care of yourself,

Luna in 2017

P.S- Sax blue is really not your colour. Stop trying to make it happen.

Pomme Rouge by Baby the Stars Shine Bright

Today I am looking at Pomme Rouge by Baby the Stars Shine Bright. This series includes 2 dresses, 2 skirts, 3 hair accessories, a blouse, socks and a choker.

First is JSK I. The bodice seems well fitted and the shape is pretty. I think the straps look a decent, supportive width. They are lined really neatly with lace on the outsides. This same lace is also used along the neckline, which is a good bit of continuity. The bodice features 2 ribbon corsets. The ribbon is really well spaced out and the lace lining these details keeps it looking really neat as well. I am really pleased to see that a non-shiny ribbon has been used as well! It looks like it is of a fairly good quality. The chest area features some raised panels, which form a bow shape. This is then topped with an apple shaped brooch with bow. I like how the different layers are lined with thin lines of lace. It helps to define the shapes and emphasises the multiple layers. The apple brooch is very cute too, although I am not so keen on the fake leaf. I think the leaf looks a bit cheap and maybe a fabric leaf would have worked better. The back offers a panel of shirring, which is topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt is full with volume and it flares outwards a lot. I really like the worn photos of this dress, which shows a cute skirt shape with lots of volume. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed wonderfully. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with a line of lace. Although the lace used is of a good quality, I do wonder if Baby could have picked a more interesting looking lace choice. But the lace used looks okay.

This is JSK II. The bodice looks well fitted, but I am a little unsure of the overall bodice shape. It is quite a simple shape, which reminds me of a sundress. I was also concerned the neckline scooped too low but after seeing the worn pictures, it looks totally fine. The straps are a nice suitable width. They are lined neatly with lace on both the insides and the outsides. Although the lace sits neatly and looks well executed, I personally would have liked a bit more tapering with this lace. There is a waist bow, which is a reasonable size for the dress. However, the shape of this bow is very basic and it looks a bit too plain. At the very least I think some thin lines of lace could have made it look a bit more interesting. The waist bow does not appear to be detachable, which I think is a shame. The bodice is kept relatively simple, but the neckline details stop it from looking too boring. It features a line of lace with ribbon threaded through it and is then topped with a ribbon bow. I think the lace looks pretty, especially with the bold coloured ribbon peeking through it. As for the bow, it is a good size and shape. It is mostly made from a matte ribbon, although the shiny ribbon layered over it appears to be of a good quality with a pretty design. The back is fully shirred, which means plenty of size flexibility, but also that the shirring is left exposed. However, because of how short the back is, it may not have been viable to put a ribbon corset over the shirring anyway. The stock photos show that the skirt seems to have plenty of volume and it flares outwards loads. It should hold more than enough petticoat. The skirt is again kept simple in design, so the print is displayed fantastically. The bottom hem is then finished off with a line of lace with ribbon threaded through it, with the ribbon tied in to bows at the sides. Not only does this detail look really pretty, it also matches the neckline details perfectly.

Finally, here is one part of the print...

... and another. This series comes in ivory, pink, green and black. I think the colours generally work very well. The one thing I am not so sure of is the use of mint green on the green version. I personally think this clashes a bit. As for the print itself, I think it looks super cute. The apples, flowers and bows help to frame the forest critters perfectly. I also like the use of highlighting and shading on the apples, to make them look a bit more 3-dimensional. All the little bits among the apples fit in well. Everything works so well together and nothing looks out of place. The animals in the print are absolutely adorable as well. I love how they are shown making a floral chain in one scene and also the scene where they are sleeping. The lines of apples for the non-border part of the print have been well executed too, with good spacing.

I am really impressed with this series. The print is really lovely and I think the dress designs are pretty solid as well. The accessories released with this series are fantastic too and match perfectly. Would I buy this series? No, but only for the simple reason that it doesn't fit my usual style. Otherwise I would buy it in an instant! My top choice would be JSK I in pink. Even though this theme is nothing too original, I can appreciate how well executed this series is. I hope it sells well.

Taobao Haul June 2017

It's been a while, but today I am showing my latest Taobao Haul. There were some bags which I had to wait for, so it took a little longer to receive this order. But I kept an eye on the order and everything arrived promptly. The bags finally arrived on schedule near the middle of June.

First is this bracelet which I got from here. This is something I actually brought on a whim, as I was ordering earrings from the same store anyway (see the earrings below). Although it is meant to be a bracelet, the ribbon is so long that it could easily be worn as a necklace.

The macarons are made from very lightweight material and are a little bit soft. I think I would have preferred something a bit firmer, but I guess that would have made the bracelet heavier. Given how large the macarons are, weight is important to factor in. The star beads in between are cute, but they are your bog-standard beads. I really like the colours of the whole bracelet. They would fit in really well with a lot of well-known sweet AP prints.

This is how the bracelet looks when worn. I think the macarons could do with being a bit smaller. They look a bit bulky in comparison to my wrist. A thinner ribbon could have been nice too, although I am pleased that the ribbon chosen is not shiny.

There is no fastening, you simply tie the ribbon. This looks a bit messy, although I suppose it does mean that there is a lot of size flexibility. I tied the bracelet as small as possible and found it fitted me okay, but it also meant that there were long dangling bits of ribbon. I think I am going to have to experiment with different ways to tie the ribbon so it looks a bit tidier. But the bracelet was quite cheap anyway, and it meant I had more stuff coming from the same Taobao store, which meant the shipping cost from that store was more worth it.

This necklace came from the same store. It wasn't until after I placed the order that I realised that this might be an Angelic Pretty replica. It looks a lot like the necklace for Cinema Doll. The main difference is that this necklace doesn't have the metal bow charms and the bows on this necklace are bigger. The quality of the pearl chain is very basic. You can tell it is cheap. The necklace is a good length, but there is no metal chain to make the length adjustable. The clasp is simple, but easy to use.

I personally think the bows look a bit too big. They are made of lovely velveteen material though. With a cheap necklace like this, I expected to find flaws (maybe some strands of glue on the back of the bows) but there was none to be found. Overall, this necklace was cheap, but you get what you pay for.

Also from the same store are these cherry earrings which sadly, don't seem to be available anymore. These were my main reason for using this particular Taobao store! I love the design, which reminds me of designs from popular Larme stores.

The cherries are made from clear red beads and also feature a leaf charm. I could see no flaws with the earrings at all. 

They only have cheap plastic backings, which I suppose is to be expected from the price. But they do their job of holding the earrings firmly in place.

Here is a worn photo. The earrings are a good size. Surprisingly for such cheap jewellery, they did not leave a green tinge after being worn for a while. This is fantastic! As these earrings have turned out so well, I have decided I will keep an eye on the store in future. I wasn't overly impressed with the bracelet or the necklace, but these earrings are fantastic. So I would say this store is a bit hit and miss. Also keep an eye out for potential replicas.

Next are these bags from Whale Fall which I had to wait very patiently for the pre-order to close for. Initially you could order certain colours in different materials (I can't remember exactly, but I think the other material was suede) and I went for the cheaper material option. This cheaper material turned out really well though! It has a canvas-like feel to it, which suggests that it may hold up to a light rain shower. I wouldn't want to use it in a really heavy downpour though! It has been quite dry here lately, so I have not had a chance to try out their water resistance. Living in a rainy country, it would not have made much sense for me to go for the suede option anyway. The colours are spot on. I was especially impressed with the size, although I don't think the handles would be strong enough for a exceptionally heavy load. But for everyday essentials it should be fine.

The bow on the front is a little floppy, but I think it looks pretty cute! If I was being nitpicky, then I would say it would have been nice for the material to be less creased. This could have been fixed by putting more care and attention to how the bow has been formed. The pearl and star charm is adorable.

The embroidered logo has been done very neatly. I like that the logo is not too dominant and is just tucked away neatly to one side.

There is a pocket on the back of the bag, which has a WF logo heart charm. I like that they have not just used the cheapest plain heart charm. It shows some effort has gone in to the design.

As you can see, there is lots of room! Although the depth of the bag is not that wide (you can see this in the next photo) the bag can hold a surprising amount of stuff. There are also additional pockets on the inside as well, with one having a zip. This will help to keep your stuff a bit more organised.

The stitching is generally quite neat. There are a few places where I think the ruffles could have been executed better, but overall they have been done well. I am really pleased with how these bags turn out. I don't have any similar bags from Larme brands to compare them to, but I think these Taobao bags are good value for money. I am confident they will hold up fairly well and I can't wait to try them out.

Next we go to a favourite Taobao store of mine and this hat from Haruhi Clover. Amazingly, there was only a tiny bit of warping to the hat brim during shipping. I did notice a few flakes of straw coming off the hat though. I went for the ivory colour (known as 'generate') and was very pleased with the soft, ivory shade of the ribbon. Although the lace is a bit whiter, the colours don't clash too much.

The ribbon used is matte in texture. I like the simple, yet well formed shape of the bow. 

I really love the floral lace used. It has a pretty pattern and it also feels soft to the touch. This is quite good quality for Taobao. Some of the lace did get a bit folded during shipping though, so I am going to have to see if I can find a way to flatten it.

The bow at the back has a pretty key charm. I think the bow could have been tied a little bit better, as the tails look as though they are fighting for space! This bow is detachable and is removed by undoing a simple pin style clip. I am going to leave the bow on, but it is always good to have the option to take it off.

Here is the hat worn. The hat fitted comfortably on my head. There was a fabric band inside the hat to help it fit better. It also means there is a slight barrier between your head and the potentially itchy straw. I still prefer my Haruhi Clover bowler hats, but this straw hat is a really decent offering. I can't wait to try it out. I need to shake up my headwear a bit and try new things!

Also from Haruhi Clover is this double star brooch and chain. The stars are those same puffy stars that you see used a lot in J-fashion accessories. They are cheap, but they have neatly stitched edges and the end result is pretty cute. The chain is a good length and I think the charms are well spaced out. However, I do think it looks a bit messy having a random bit of chain dangling down on one side.

The star charms are really cute! They break up the pearls nicely.

I was very pleased to see that the back had both a clip and a pin. This makes the clip a whole lot more versatile. The listing suggests wearing it as a hair accessory, but it could easily be worn in other ways, such as attached to a dress or blouse as a brooch. I do worry that maybe the clips are a little bit too big for the stars though and that they might show when worn. There was also a few strands of glue which I needed to pick off the backs. You might be able to see one of these strands in the photo, just below the clip on the left hand side of the photo.

Here is a very quick worn photo, just to try it on. This is not how I intend to wear it. I found the clips a bit fiddly to position at first and it took me a few attempts to get it to look right, which resulted in my hair getting messy in the process. With a bit of practice it will hopefully get easier to simply put them on and get it right first time. I am still really glad that I got this accessory though because as I already mentioned, it is very versatile. I think it has a lot of potential.

Also from Haruhi Clover are these shoe clips, which I have previously purchased in white. I wont do a full review of these, as I have previously reviewed the white ones on here. So I will just comment to say that I really like the navy colour. I wont be buying any more colours though because despite the cheap price, I still feel the bows are a bit big and the clips on the back could have been better hidden.

Finally, I got this skirt from here. This purchase was a bit of a gamble, but I got it because... rainbows. If I am being honest, I don't think the skirt looks as pretty in person as it does on the item listing. You can judge for yourself in the worn photo below.

The skirt is made up of purple, peach and sax blue fabric underneath and a peachy tulle overlay. The materials were quite disappointing. Not only is the fabric thin, it looks really cheap. I have seen t-shirts in budget stores with better quality than this. It also wrinkles very easily.

The stitching was surprisingly well done though. The hems and seams were all very neat on the inside. I couldn't spot any obvious flaws anywhere. The waistband was fully elasticated. I was a bit wary of buying a 'one-size' skirt but this skirt really does have a lot of stretch to it. When I tried the skirt on I was able to stretch the waistband out so far that you would be able to fit more than one person my size in to it! The waistband also felt very comfortable and put very little pressure on my stomach.

With the tulle overlay, the stitching down the sides is obviously going to stand out more, but it has been done quite neatly. The bottom hem was left plain though, which is a bit messy and could easily be damaged.

Here is the skirt worn. I am really not sure if I like it or not... I don't think it looks too bad in this photo, but when you see the skirt in person I don't think it looks as good. Also, the material seems to stick out a lot at the waistline, making me appear bigger than I actually am. The skirt was a good length on me though (I am about 5'3'' and a half). I think the skirt looks a lot better on the listing. If the tulle overlay had been white instead, I reckon that could have possibly looked better maybe? Or possibly pink? The skirt reminds me a little of the skirts you get as part of cheap fairy dressing up costumes. There was a fairy related event coming up which I was interested in, so maybe I will wear it there! It looks as though my gamble didn't pay off though. Thankfully my parcel miraculously escaped getting hit by customs fees, saving me roughly £35, so I am not too bitter about this slight disappointment.

So this order has had a couple of hits and a few misses. My favourite items from this order are the cherry earrings, the bags and the straw hat. I can't wait to try out the bags properly. I really hope they are as good as they seem. Ordering the skirt didn't turn out so great but I think it is still wearable. I am not entirely convinced though! Feel free to leave your thoughts on it, or anything else in the order.