So, I joined Lookbook...

I am not really sure why, but I signed up to Lookbook at the weekend. You can already see my Lookbook badge on the right hand side of this blog, or you can find me here- http://lookbook.nu/luna_rain

You have to be very careful because there are no capitals in my username. Apparently, somebody has already taken Luna_Rain. It wouldn't surprise me if it was me creating an account ages ago, which I simply forgot about!

Basically, it is somewhere else for me to post my lolita outfits but at the same time I will be posting my non-lolita stuff too. So there will be stuff on there which wont be appearing on this blog. It will also be useful if anybody wants to give me concrit, because sometimes I forget to post on Daily Lolita and here! My lookbook is quite empty at the moment but hopefully it will fill up some more in the next few months.

If you want me to become your fan or if you know somebody who you think I will like, then do let me know. I have already fanned a few people but there are still loads more people out there to look through!

Twinkle Carnival by AP

Today I shall be looking at Twinkle Carnival by Angelic Pretty. This is a small series with 2 JSKs, a skirt and socks, with some other matching items available on the website. This series is already on the website but I am guessing it will have mainly sold out by the time I have written this.

This is the Halter style JSK. The bodice looks very shapely and well fitted. The material has lots of folds, which gives it extra texture and stops it looking too flat. In the middle there is the criss-crossed ribbon. The ribbon is satin, but thankfully, it doesn't look too shiny. The ribbon looks tidy and is well-spaced. The neckline has a line of chiffon, topped with thin lace. The main focus here is the chiffon, which is just the right width to go along this neckline and looks pretty. I am glad this is a JSK and not a OP, because with a blouse underneath the JSK, I don't need to worry about that chiffon getting itchy! I like the halter-neck straps, which are a decent length and make this dress very versatile.

The back has shirring which is well concealed by a ribbon corset. The chiffon from the neckline ends at either side of the shirring panel, which you would think would draw attention to the shirring. Actually, it doesn't look too bad! As you can see, the back has lots of chiffon, due to the chiffon bustle back. The chiffon layers are well spaced out. The layers are draped softly, so it doesn't stick out too harshly. The skirt part is very rounded and will accommodate loads of petticoat underneath. The length does look a bit short, but the chiffon along the bottom hem gives a bit of extra length. Where the main dress meets the chiffon, the edges are lined smartly with pretty lace. It looks very neat and tidy. Overall, the dress is simple but it shows off the print brilliantly.

This is the Switching JSK. The bodice is a pretty shape and does not appear to have a lot of loose, baggy material.

I was very impressed with the waist bow. It is incredibly detailed for something which usually is not given a lot of attention. I like the way it is folded to give extra movement and the pearls are a nice addition. I am a little unsure about the chiffon right in the middle of the bow because when it is all bunched up like that it doesn't look like the same pretty chiffon like on the rest of the dress.

I am not really a fan of the low scoop neck and chiffon panel on the front. If you have a big chest, that could sit very awkwardly. I also think the sleeves look very odd. The material is crinkly (and reminds me of those crinkle fries) and looks too fussy. I also feel like the chiffon has randomly been stuck on the sleeves.

I also think the back of the dress looks a bit... odd. There is a panel of shirring, which is not covered up, but at the top there is ribbon criss-crossing between the 2 straps. It would be nicer if the ribbon was lower down to cover up the shirring. I just think the ribbon looks a bit odd so high up like that. The skirt part is lovely and round. It also appears longer in length than the other JSK. The skirt is quite plain which shows the print better. The bottom hem is finished off with some very thin lace and 2 layers of chiffon.

There is no real "print close-up" for this series available on the website but pictures like these are very clear and gives you a good idea of how it looks. If I could sum up the golden horse in one word, it would be... beautiful! I simply adore the horses and little stars and twinkles. The print may be simple, but the overall effect is huge. It is like a maturer version of Sugary Carnival. The dresses and skirts are available in white, pink and black.

I am also lusting after the socks quite badly. I like how the poles have subtle card suit details to it. They are very decorative. The interesting thing about the socks is that they have a wider range of colours- ivory, pink, wine, brown and black. I think AP were expecting the socks to be very popular, especially if people can't afford the dresses right now. And all the colours appear to have sold out already (no surprises there!).

So overall, I think this is going to be a brilliant series! I have not been this excited about an AP print for quite some time. I love the halter-neck JSK the most and I think the ivory colour is my favourite (although I would happy with any colour). My only worry is that since typing this discussion up, I have seen unflattering pictures where the material on both dresses looks very shiny and it doesn't look as appealing as the stock photos. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for that when people start posting their outfits online. However, I still feel very strongly about this series and I have made a note about the halter-neck JSK and skirt on my wishlist (just in case!). I definitely approve, for now at least!

I got Melty Moon!

I have wanted it ever since it first appeared on the Angelic Pretty website and it has been top of my accessory wishlist ever since, and I FINALLY got a Melty Moon Ring! I used Japonica Market again and the service was just as good as last time, so I wont repeat my review again. The main difference about this order was that instead of doing a Buy It Now, I had to bid this time. When I got outbid, I sent an email and asked for my maximum bid to be increased. I thought I would have to re-submit the order form and have to send another deposit but my bid was increased without having to do anything else. So I was very impressed! This might have been because my maximum big was not increased by a large amount. My only regret is that I probably spent a bit too much (and I am a little embarrassed to admit how much it cost me in the end!) and because the shipping to me is worked out by cost of the item and not weight, I did end up getting hit quite badly with the shipping price. However, I was prepared to go that extra mile to get something I really wanted and so I was prepared to pay more. Overall cost aside, this has been a very positive experience.

The item was very well packaged.

There were so many layers of bubble wrap! The ring was securely wrapped and I had trouble getting in to it.

Finally, I got to the ring! The ring is absolutely perfect and just what I was expecting. I could not be any happier! I also got given a free Angelic Pretty sticker, which is very cute.

I had to try it on straight away. The yellow and the pink rings were my top colour choices, so I got quite lucky. Although I wont be able to buy it at the moment, in the future I will be looking for the matching necklace in pink or yellow. I have recently missed out on the yellow necklace twice, once because I found it too late and once because I had already spent out on the ring.

If anybody does spot the necklace in pink or yellow, do let me know!

Decoration Dream by Angelic Pretty

Today I will be taking a look at Decoration Dream by AP. This set is already available. The set has 3 dresses, an apron style skirt, a bonnet, a head bow and socks.

This is the OP. I was a bit disappointed with the bodice shape. It is very square in appearance and it also looks as though there is a lot of baggy loose material. So it may not fit well. However, the sleeves are nicely shaped with their slightly puffy appearance. The sleeves are finished with very cute star lace and some very shiny bows. The bows are a bit too shiny for me. I also like the square neckline and neck ties. There is a waist bow, which is large, but it is nicely shaped and looks quite sturdy. If you dislike large bows, then you can detach it, but I think the dress looks plain with it removed. I like the semi-circles of lace, but I dislike the decoration used on the flap of material on top of it. The flap has this cheap looking zig-zag lace on it. This is finished off with a small ribbon bow. I was disappointed with the back of the bodice because it has a massive shirring panel and it is very exposed and obvious. There is nothing there to conceal it. The skirt part is very rounded and has a pretty shape to it. It will hold a decent amount of petticoat underneath. The skirt has been kept plain, but that helps show off the print better. The bottom hem is finished off with more of that ugly zig-zag trim, but right at the bottom there is some cute cake lace.

This is the first JSK. The bodice shape is thankfully better than the OP. However, I think the details on this bodice don't look very well thought-out. The ribbon is a very beautiful shape and I like the folding to give it extra depth, but the bow is very shiny. The ribbon is satin, but it looks cheap on this dress. I dislike the panel of 3 layers of lace. It is very busy and fussy.

Thankfully, the lace panel is detachable! I think the dress looks better with it removed. The back of the bodice has a panel of shirring concealed by a ribbon corset. It looks a lot tidier than the back of the OP. This skirt is very similar to the OP- rounded, spacious and plain, so you can see the print better. Luckily, the bottom hem has none of that horrible zig-zag trim and just has the cake lace at the bottom.

This is the other JSK. I think this dress has the best bodice in this series. The bodice is nicely fitted and has a good shape to it. I love the use of lace, which looks lovely and frilly and also well placed. The lace running down the front is topped with different coloured bows. The ribbon material is still very shiny, but these small bows look cute and the colours go well with the dress. The waist ribbon is huge but considering its size, it is impressive how well it holds its shape. The waist bow is detachable and the good thing is, that when you removed it, the dress does not look too plain without it. The straps are a good width. The straps also very stretchy, so will be good for plus-sized lolitas.

The back of the bodice has a panel of shirring concealed by a ribbon corset. Again, this is a lot nicer than the OP. I am undecided about the bustle back on this dress. Instead of using a contrasting material (such as chiffon) like a lot of other dresses do, this bustle uses the same material as the main dress part, but uses the less crowded bit at the top of the print. Although it is good to try something different, there is a very harsh break in the print. I am unsure whether I like the sudden break in to the lesser crowded print part. The bustle shape is ok and nicely spaced. It doesn't flare backwards too much, so wont make the backside look too huge. The skirt part is identical to that on the OP. Sadly, this means there is more of that zig-zag trim which I really dislike. The main difference is this JSK has more gathering, but luckily this does not obscure the print too much.

And now, for the print close-up. I think this picture is a bit deceptive because the colours look a lot brighter and clearer. The print looks a bit more washed out when you look at it on the actual dresses. Whilst I love the cakes, it does remind me of Memorial Cake and to be honest, I prefer Memorial Cake over this series. The cakes are very cute and they are very decorative. My favourite parts are the smaller cupcakes and the horse cookies. Also, there are macarons, which I adore! As for the colour, I think the black colourway would best display the print, but I would probably choose yellow or sax.

This is the headbow. I like the way that this bow has been shaped. The folds make it interesting. It is quite large, but it does look just like the sort of decorative bow you would use when decorating something. It suits the series well. In my opinion, this bow looks a lot better than the bonnet that is part of this series.

My favourite part of the set is the socks. They remind me of Wonder Cookie (this set's design is not really that original) and if I didn't have the matching WC socks already, I would have considered getting these. The horse cookies look very cute on the socks and I love the pastel colours used.

Overall, I don't think is a series I would go for. Although I like the design on the 2nd JSK, in all honesty, I would prefer to buy another series instead of this one. I just don't love this print that much. The horse cookies are cute but I simply prefer the cake design used on Memorial Cake. I would probably choose the yellow for this series because MC does not come in yellow (and the yellow is pretty cute). I think this is going to be one of those series which grows on me the more I see it, but for now I will be giving it a miss. I do predict that this series will be popular but it may take a bit of time before people start to notice the set's potential.

F Yeah Lolita- back to blogger!

So today I am re-blogging the news that F Yeah Lolita has returned to Blogspot. There is a give-away going on with lots of cute goodies worth $75. Do go and check it out!

http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/

Happy International Lolita Day- Winter 2011!

It completely slipped my mind that it was International Lolita Day tomorrow! I hope you are all going to have a lovely day full of frills. Sadly, I am not doing anything special tomorrow. I will probably put on some nice clothes whilst I am going about my daily business!

Don't screw this up Bodyline!

I have been watching the Bodyline design contest entry winners every month, and I am a fan of the design that won for November.

This would not normally be my usual kind of style, but I think the dress and matching items are adorable! The designs might be heavily influenced by brand in some places, but wont it be interesting to see how Bodyline does this design? Sadly, we will probably have to wait about 6 months to see the final design. A massive well done to the person who made this. I think you have done a good job! I really hope the final product matches your artistic vision for the design.

This has got me debating whether I should enter the design contest again. I figured that if I submit a design now, it might be ready in time for my birthday in July. I was a bit disappointed when I saw there were items on Bodyline's website afterwards which appeared to have bits of my design, when I didn't even win the contest! That is my issue with it- once you submit that design, it is in Bodyline's hands and there is nothing you can do about it. I have actually got a few ideas in mind but this time, I am keeping my favourite designs back.

P.S- Bodyline, I have not seen a single price fall down for your December Christmas "sale". I think you need to look the word up in the dictionary. But thank you for reducing the air shipping fee!