Rose Funeral by Alice and the Pirates

Today I will be taking a look at Rose Funeral by Alice and the Pirates. This series includes 3 dresses, a skirt, 2 blouses, a vest, 2 pairs of pants, socks, 4 hair accessories, 2 corsets, a pair of gloves and a choker.

Here we have JSK I. The bodice looks well fitted, although the dropped waist design doesn't look too appealing to me. It makes everything look out of proportion. I think they should have done it more like their Midsummer Night's Dream JSK I design. The straps are a good width for the dress and look very supportive, although they are plain in design. The waist area has a ribbon belt design, which helps to emphasise the waist area. But with the dropped waist design, it does look weirdly positioned. The ribbon used is very pretty, which a slightly sheer design. It is not shiny and looks of a decent quality. The ribbon bow at the front is a good size and shape for the dress. Above the ribbon belt there is a gathered lacy panel. Something about this panel just doesn't appeal to me. I think it looks a bit too narrow or is possibly the wrong sort of shape. The lace used is pretty though. The back has a very wide looking panel of shirring, which is topped by a ribbon corset. Because of the dropped waist, I feel the overall skirt shape looks odd too. It looks too lumpy and doesn't create a smooth silhouette. But whilst the top doesn't look too full, the bottom of the skirt has plenty of volume and the print is displayed reasonably well considering the skirt construction. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with pretty lace.

This is JSK II. The short bodice is well fitted and the bodice shape is interesting. At first I thought that maybe the neckline shape was a bit too cutesy for the print, but it has grown on me. The actual straps are quite thin, although they do suit the style of dress. Also, thicker straps wouldn't have worked with the material draped on top of the straps. The draped design on the straps falls down nicely. It gives the straps extra movement and depth too. The bodice material is nicely gathered. I like the use of wide lace that runs underneath the bust. It sits well on the dress and is an interesting shape. The lace used is pretty too. The middle part of the bodice has 2 lines of thin pearls, which just adds a tiny bit of extra detail and stops the dress looking too simple. The neckline lace is pretty and nicely shaped, although I feel it could do with being slightly narrower. The back is fully shirred, and therefore there is nothing there to conceal it. But because of how short the bodice is, a ribbon corset wouldn't have worked too well anyway. The lace from the underbust line carries on neatly along the back. For a skirt that starts at the bust line, I think the overall skirt shape is pretty good. I feel it could have flared outwards a bit more though, but hopefully it is just a bad stock photo and it has more volume than it appears to. The skirt design is quite simple and the print is displayed reasonably well. The bottom hem is then finished off with really pretty, good quality lace.

And this is the OP. The main part of the bodice seems a good shape. I'm really not fond of the sleeves though. I think the balance of printed material to white material is off. The white material looks like it needs to be a lot shorter, with more printed fabric instead. I also dislike the way the printed material and white material connects. It looks like the printed fabric needs to be slightly puffier and a bit more gathered. The buttons and lace covering the solid white parts is cute, but it does need to be a lot smaller. The main bodice is all about the collar, but I feel the waist line needs just a bit more definition. You can't really see where the waist line is and I wonder how this will look when worn. The bold collar is an interesting shape. It is not to my personal taste, but I can see others liking it and I appreciate the sharp, crisp lines. The lace overlay is pretty and gives a bit of extra texture to the collar. However, I do dislike the spiky looking trim used to decorate the collar and also the ribbon for the bow. Something about it just doesn't appeal to me. The ribbon used is also a bit shiny. The back doesn't have any back shirring. The collar is a bit of a weird looking shape at the back, with a very curved line. I am just not sure it is the most appealing shape AatP could have done. The stock photos show the skirt has a decent length to it. It appears to have a reasonable amount of volume to it but I think the shape could have been done a bit prettier. The skirt design is kept simple, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with good quality lace. I think the spiky, triangular shaped lace matches up well with the collar design.

Finally, here we have part of the print close up. This series is available in lavender, bordeaux, navy blue and black. Whilst I like the colour choices, I do feel that on the darker colour ways the print blends in to the background quite a lot. It makes it very difficult to spot all the detail in the print. So my favourite colour, by far, is the lightest colour option- the lavender. As for the print itself, I think it is a very interesting idea for a very gothic themed print. I think it is strange that funerals are not a bigger theme in gothic lolita. Perhaps it is seen as being too creepy for some? The funeral carriage and church are drawn beautifully. The church especially pops out and has lot of wonderful detail to it. Although the gate design is pretty and I like the little pops of colour from the roses, I feel this part of the print is a bit weaker. It looks a bit flat in comparison to the carriage and church. The trees in the background help to fill in the empty space and give the print a further creepy atmosphere. I like the background of swirls and roses. The roses add an interesting hint of colour. However, I do not like the way the background starts above the print, creating a stripy look. I feel there is a very obvious line where the background suddenly cuts out when it reaches the print.

So I feel this could potentially be a good offering from Alice and the Pirates. There are a few little tweaks I would make to the dress designs here and there. Using gates in a gothic print is maybe a theme that has been overdone, but I like that it has been teamed with a fresher idea. Would I buy this series? Possibly, I am still a bit undecided about it. If I did, I would choose JSK II in lavender.

Come Join the Tea Party Club 7th Anniversary Event in London!

Today I am blogging about an event which is sure to be a lot of fun. In September, on the weekend of the 20th-21st of September, the Tea party Club will be holding a special event to celebrate their 7th Anniversary. However, to continue to create amazing events for the UK lolitas and lolitas from around the world, they need your support!

Kyra and Michaela work so hard every year to make sure that they can bring over amazing guests, including Japanese designers from well-known brands. But this takes a lot of effort and money. I cannot stress how hard the Tea Party Club team work! So to make sure these amazing events can continue, please support the Tea Party Club in any way possible.

There are many different ways to support this year's event. Surely the best way is to buy a ticket and attend! Anybody who has attended in previous years will tell you that you get to meet lots of interesting lolitas from around the world. This is a brilliant chance to mingle and get to make some new friends. I was very lucky and even got the chance to model for Haenuli at last year's event Frock On. This year there is going to be a Lolita Collective and other vendors. I know some of the people who will be selling stuff and I can assure you that there will be plenty there to tempt you to part with your cash.

And... the head designer of Metamorphose will be in attendance! How many lolitas reading this post got their first brand piece from Meta? The brand has played such a big part in the history of lolita fashion. My very first dream dress was the Feathercross Embroidery OP from Metamorphose and I have loved the brand ever since. I bet that a lot of you have at least one Metamorphose piece in your wardrobe. So how about showing Metamorphose some love? With the editor of the Gothic Lolita Bible and Japanese model Ai also in attendance, there are plenty of exciting opportunities out there. Who knows, your picture might even be in the GLB!

But there are plenty of other ways you can support the Tea Party Club. Spread the news about this event, so we can reach an even wider audience. You can donate items to the raffle or art work to be made in to cute postcards. If you run a Japanese fashion related shop, perhaps you could donate some fliers to go in the goody bags or maybe even some discount vouchers?

If you are free and are able to attend, do consider attending this event. As a previous happy attendee I know that the September event will be a lot of fun. There have even been more VIP tickets put up.

Tickets can be purchased here- http://www.tickettailor.com/checkout/view-event/id/15238/chk/b6f0

Please also look up the Tea Party Club 7th Anniversary on Facebook too, as even if you don't think there is anything you can do, you may still be able to help in some way.

Secret Library by Metamorphose

Today I shall be taking a look at Secret Library by Metamorphose. This series includes 3 dresses, 3 skirts, pants, a cape, a vest, 5 hair accessories, detachable lace sleeves (Meta suggest pairing them with the OP), tights and socks.

This is the OP. The bodice looks well fitted and the bodice shape looks lovely. I'm not really liking the sleeves though. I feel the point where they start to flare needs to be a bit lower down, as the shape looks a bit awkward as it is. The sleeves are also a bit of an awkward length. The bell part of the sleeves features criss-crossed ribbon and gold braid and lace details. The gold braid is a nice touch, as it brings out the golden tones in the print and matches quite well. I am not liking the ribbon on the sleeves though. I think the ribbon is a bit too shiny and I'm not really liking the criss-cross design on the sleeves like that. Also, I feel the sleeves could really do with some lace along the ends, as the ends look a bit too plain as they are. I appreciate that Meta did release separate lace sleeves, but I feel it is a bit of a rip-off to have to fork out extra for these. The OP comes with a large sailor collar. I think the design of the actual collar is quite cute, although I don't really like it teamed with this particular dress. The collar is also very wide and makes the shoulder area look a lot wider. So it is maybe not the most flattering of collars. As cute as it is, if I had this dress I wouldn't wear the collar with it. Underneath the collar, the dress has a simple neckline shape, but it is lined with gold lace on the inside which helps to stop it looking so plain. The waist area has a bow which is a good size and has a simple, but cute shape. It sits well on the dress too. But because it uses the same printed  fabric, it does blend in to the background a bit. The bodice features a ribbon corset style detail. The ribbon is spaced out well and never looks too clumped together. The ribbon is still quite shiny though. The gold lace from the neckline continues downwards to line the sides of the ribbon corset. It keeps the bodice looking neat. The back has a panel of shirring. Despite not being concealed by anything, the shirring sort of blends in with the print a bit anyway, so it doesn't look too bad. The stock photos show the skirt has a pretty full bell shape to it. It will hold plenty of petticoat, but I feel the skirt could have done with being longer in length. The skirt has a line of gold braid which runs horizontally a little bit below the waist. I'm not really sure I like this line of lace being here, as I don't like the execution and I feel it doesn't add much to the dress. Aside from this though, the skirt is kept very simple in design and the print is displayed well. The bottom hem is then finished neatly with a line of gold lace and a ruffle of the printed fabric. I think the bottom hem design is a good match for the rest of the dress.

Here we have the Bustle Pinafore JSK. The bodice shape is simple but looks well fitted. The straps are double layered and the solid coloured straps can be removed to reveal a printed pair of straps underneath. I personally feel the top pair of solid coloured straps look too bulky and I think the dress looks a lot better with them detached. If you do detach them, you are left with random buttons on the straps though. I feel the printed straps underneath are a more suitable width. The waistline is topped with a solid coloured ruffle. At first I was a little unsure about the ruffle, but I do think it sits quite well on the dress. I suppose it is better than having a plain looking waist area. The bodice features a military themed design with buttons and chains and lines of gold lace on the outside to keep things looking neat. I love the emblem design on the buttons, but Meta have used antique gold coloured buttons, which look a bit dull next to the more vibrant gold of the lace. The buttons are spaced out neatly though. The chains used between the buttons is simple in design, but I think this does work on this particular dress. The neckline has a detachable yoke. I personally feel the yoke is a bit messy looking compared to the rest of the dress, so I would detach it. But the scoop neckline underneath may not suit every wearer and might cut strangely across some wearer's busts. The back has a panel of shirring which is concealed by a ribbon corset. I wish they had used less shiny ribbon here though, as I feel it sticks out and looks cheap. The stock photos show the skirt has lots of volume and flares outwards a lot. I think too much petticoat has been used in the stock photos, but it is good to know you can create a dramatic shape if desired. The skirt has the same line of gold braid near the top of the skirt, just like the OP does. However, I feel it looks a bit better executed on this dress. The back of the skirt has a bustle. The bustle is a good shape and width. The layers tiers are spaced out well and layered neatly. They sit very nicely on top of each other. I'm not a huge fan of the material used for the bustle though, as it is a bit basic looking. On the front of the skirt the print is displayed well. I really hate the gold fringe used on the bottom hem. I don't feel it fits in with the rest of the dress and in my opinion it really sticks out.

This is the Pinafore JSK. The bodice shape is simple, but very smart looking. The bodice also seems to be quite well fitted. I think the straps are a suitable width, although they point outwards slightly, which I am not too keen on. It is good that the straps are solid coloured. I think it adds a nice pop of deep colour. The bases of the straps are topped with bows. I think these bows could do with being slightly smaller, but the bow shape and the way they sit on the dress is great. There is a waist bow, which is a suitable size for the dress. The bow shape is simple but well executed. It is nice to have another bit of the deep solid colour. The bodice has 2 lines of gold lace, which I think looks pretty and helps to make the gold a bit of a feature. The middle of the bodice features the same buttons that are on the JSK. The buttons are well spaced out well. The colour bothers me a little less with this JSK, perhaps because there is less buttons. I suppose the bodice on this dress is a bit simple, but I feel it gives off a lovely maturer vibe and is quite smart looking. The back is fully shirred, so the shirring isn't concealed. Again, I do feel the shirring doesn't look so bad with this particular print. The skirt has a really pretty bell shape to it. It flares out well and has plenty of volume to it. The skirt has a good length to it too. The skirt design is kept simple and the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with a solid coloured ruffle, which matches up nicely with the straps and waist bow. It may be the simplest design, but I also feel this dress is the most balanced design-wise.

And here we have the print close up. This series is available in black, green and violet. The colours are interesting choices and I do feel they work quite well with the print. I especially like the green colour way. However, the colours may be a little difficult to co-ordinate for beginner or less confident lolitas, as they are a bit unusual. As for the print itself, I really like the book case. Library themed dresses are not exactly new lolita territory, but I am a fan of Meta's take on the library print. I love the elaborate frames around the book case. The cat adds a cute touch too! The items scattered over the floor help to fill in the empty spaces. The diamond themed background is very bold and striking. I think it is a very brave combination, but it does work. 

Overall, I think this is an interesting series. There are some bits I would change about the OP and the Bustle Pinafore JSK, but it is still a very good effort. For me personally, the Pinafore JSK may be simpler, but I can barely find a single fault with the design. Would I buy this series? Possibly. I know for sure I would choose the Pinafore JSK. As for the colour, I am a little undecided, but the green is appealing. The print is lovely and I like how it has a sweet, classic feel to it rather than being an outright classic print. I am really interested to see what this series looks like in person, so fingers crossed Meta will bring it with them to the Tea Party Club event in September.

My Lolita Dress and Classical Puppets Review- Positive

Thursday's post is being published a day early because I wont be able to post tomorrow!

Today I will be reviewing an order I placed with My Lolita Dress who are a Taobao re-seller shop. Whilst I usually order Taobao items using a shopping service, this time I went with a re-seller because I wanted the item quickly. Whilst ordering through My Lolita Dress did cost me a lot more, they did already have the item I wanted in stock, so the process was a lot quicker and I didn't have to fuss around with shopping service ordering forms and fees. If you are not in a hurry, it is definitely worth learning how to use Taobao and saving yourself a bit of money, but My Lolita Dress is a good alternative if time is an issue.

Ordering process

In my opinion, the web page does look a bit cluttered. However, it was very easy to locate what I was after using the menus at the top. If My Lolita Dress already have an item in stock it should say so somewhere on the product page. This way I knew I was going to get my order quickly. It is worth noting though, that if you are plus-sized you will have to get custom sizing and it is probably better to use a Taobao shopping service instead, as I imagine it will take a similar amount of time. My Lolita Dress are very easy to order from. Their cart system was simple to use.

Communication

My Lolita Dress sent me an auto-mated email as soon as I placed my order. I also received a text message on the day my item was being delivered, so I knew when it was coming. I was quite impressed and reassured by their communication.

Shipping

Because I was in a hurry, I chose the faster shipping service. It was a bit on the expensive side, but it shipped in the time stated on the website. I placed my order on a Tuesday and it arrived the following Monday. So that is 6 days from China to the UK and that includes a weekend. I think that is pretty fast. My Lolita Dress also marked down the value without me asking them, so I shouldn't get hit by customs. If you are not keen on items being marked down though, it might be worth getting in contact with My lolita Dress first. DHL usually send out custom charge letters afterwards. It has been about 1 and a half weeks now and I haven't received a custom charge yet.

I ordered a Classical Puppets petticoat, which arrived in this plastic DHL bag. The plastic was very strong and durable. It was also sealed very well. There was absolutely no spare room in the package. I was very confident that my petticoat was safe inside.

Inside the DHL bag, my petticoat was wrapped in another layer of plastic. However, because Classical Puppets petticoats have a reputation for being super puffy, the petticoat had actually partially broken out of the plastic! It is a good job the DHL packaging was so strong.

And here is the petticoat. I got the Classical Puppets petticoat in the bell shape. It certainly lives up to its reputation of delivering super puff! If anything, it might be a bit too puffy in certain circumstances, but I love the fact that I can wear just this one petticoat instead of layering several less puffy petticoats. The shape was exactly what I was expecting. 

The waist band is fully elasticated. I was expecting the elastic to pinch a lot, but actually it was super comfortable to wear. The elastic didn't dig in to me much at all and I could barely feel it. There is plenty of stretch too.

A quick shot of the lace at the bottom. Obviously I don't intend for my petticoat to be on display at all, but having lace at the bottom is a nice touch anyway.

And the inside has a cotton layer as well, which feels nice against the skin. The petticoat has plenty of layers to it and I can tell it is going to last me a very long time. I am so pleased that I finally own a Classical Puppets petticoat. It has been on my to-do list to get one for ages!

Hopefully by the time I publish this post I will have a worn picture to share (EDIT- See below for worn picture), but if I don't then do Google "classical puppets bell shape petticoat" as I found plenty of photographs people have taken. It was searching those photographs which helped me pick the final petticoat I wanted. For reference, this is the one I ordered- http://www.my-lolita-dress.com/bell-shape-lolita-petticoat

Edit: Here is a worn photo of the petticoat. I felt this photo best showed off the level of puff it created. In fact, I found that the petticoat was almost too big for this Bodyline skirt. The petticoat was almost peeking out from underneath! I love the shape it created though. I now want to go and buy every other Classical Puppets petticoat in their Taobao store!

So I feel the service I got definitely deserves a positive review. Obviously if I had a bit more time I would have gotten Taobao Spree to order one direct from Classical Puppets, but as I didn't have the time, My Lolita Dress was the perfect alternative. Their service is fast and reliable. Yes, the petticoat did cost me a lot more by ordering this way, but that is the price of convenience I guess. As for Classical Puppets, I am very happy with my petticoat. I would strongly recommend their petticoats to a friend. I can't believe I waited so long to get one!

Cameo Window by Angelic Pretty

Today I shall be taking a look at Cameo Window by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 3 dresses, a skirt, tights and 2 hair accessories.

Here we have the OP. The bodice seems to fit well but the shape is a bit frumpy looking. I can't quite put my finger on what exactly it is I dislike about the bodice shape though! I seem to dislike the way the sleeves attach to the dress, but I do like the bell shape at the bottom. I think the length of the sleeves is pretty, although I know some people out there will disagree with me. The bell part of the sleeves have a good amount of flare to them. They are very OTT in style, but the size of the bells suits the dress. The lace that makes up the bell sleeves is pretty and layered well. The sleeves also have a line of gold braid to finish them off, which really neatens things and also adds a nice added touch of luxury. The bell sleeves are topped with bows. The bow size suits the sleeves and I think the bow shape is good, but the ribbon used is very shiny. The waist line is in a V shape, which is very pretty, although the waist area is quite plain and boring. The bodice has many different lines of lace running up it. The lace is pretty and adds a bit of added texture. However, the lace maybe blends in a bit too much with the print and it doesn't really stand out. The neckline is a pretty shape. It is lined with gold braid and lace, which looks very pretty and matches up well with the sleeves. The lace here sits nicely too. The neckline is then topped with a large bow, with lace layered underneath it. The bow is very big, but it doesn't seem too out of place on the dress. However, the shape is very strange. It seems to be wonky and an unbalanced shape! At first I thought maybe it was just one of the stock photos, but it is wonky in every single picture. The material used still seems to have a slight sheen to it, but not as bad as the shiny bows. The bow is finished with a simple, but pretty pearl cameo in the middle. However, the weird shape really puts me off. The dress has a matching choker, which has a large shiny bow on the front. I personally am not a fan, as I think this style of choker looks stiff and uncomfortable.

The back doesn't have any shirring, so the size is very limited. The back does have these weird ribbon corsets on either side though. I don't feel these ribbon parts would really do anything to help adjust the size and they look a bit strange. In this photo we can also see that the back of the skirt has a bustle. I think the bustle panel could do with being a bit wider so it fills up a bit more of the back. The tiers of the bustles are layered well though, and the material looks very soft, so hopefully wont add too much bulk to the wearer's backside.

The stock photos show the skirt is very full and has more than enough volume. I guess with an OTT style dress like this, you probably want that extra volume and this dress should hold plenty of petticoat. It is a shame the skirt is not a bit longer in length though. The skirt has a line of gold braid which sits above the print. Because of where it is located, the gold braid fits in very well, without really obscuring the print. The gold braid is topped with more of those shiny bows. I personally would have liked them to be smaller and with less shiny fabric used. The skirt material is gathered a lot, so the print is maybe not displayed as well as it could have been. The bottom hem is then finished off with cute bow themed lace.

This is the Tiered JSK. The bodice shape is simple but nice looking. However, the bodice material did look a bit baggy and loose in some of the stock photos. The straps are a decent width and suit the dress. They are lined with lace, which helps make them a bit less plain, although I'm not too keen on the lace used to line them. The waist area has a large solid coloured bow. The bow is a bit on the big side and again, the bow shape is a bit lop-sided. I really don't understand why the bow has been done like this. I also feel the bow is very basic looking and looks poorly made. The bodice has a small solid coloured yoke at the top, which matches up with the waist bow. I think the yoke is quite a nice shape, although maybe the scoop shape could have ended slightly lower. The yoke is topped with a shiny bow. The bow again looks quite basic and sloppy, although the cameo placed on top does help to conceal it a bit. The cameo is simple in design, but pretty. The cameo is detachable and for some reason, AP have stuck a random tassel underneath, which I don't think really contribute much to the dress. The neckline is lined with good quality lace, which looks fairly pretty. Underneath the yoke, there is a further 3 bows and 2 lines of lace filling up the rest of the bodice space. Again, the bow shape doesn't appeal to me. But the bows are at least spaced out well and the lace sits nicely on the dress. But when you put all of the bodice details together, I do feel the bodice looks a bit fussy and over-crowded.With a few small tweaks I think it could have looked a lot better. The back is fully shirred so there is nothing to conceal it. However, the shirring does blend in with the print a bit anyway. The stock photos show the skirt is very full and will hold a decent amount of petticoat. It flares out very well. As the name suggests, the skirt part is tiered. The tiers have been joined very neatly and the end result looks very smooth. The join has also been topped with a line of pretty lace and some small bows, which helps to conceal things nicely. The print is displayed very well too. The bottom hem is finished off with the cute bow lace again.

Here we have the Standard JSK. The bodice seems well fitted. The bodice shape is pretty, apart from the neckline, which I think could have been a bit more heart shaped to make it look softer. The straps are a bit thin, but suit the style of dress. AP could have maybe gotten away with making the straps a little thicker. The straps are lined well with pretty lace. I love the way the lace has been shaped on the straps too. It makes them appear very fluffy and cute. However, I do feel the bodice design is a bit disappointing. The bodice features a corset design which uses thick cord. I just don't think the cord looks very attractive and even looks a bit like shoe laces. Either side of the cord corset, there is a line of wide lace. The lace design is pretty and I like the slight gathering. It adds a bit of extra texture to the dress and I think it sits nicely on the dress. There are also some thin lines of lace on the far sides of the bodice. They do blend in to the design a bit but it does add a bit of extra texture and makes the dress look less flat. The neckline is lined with lace, but the more detailed side of the lace is facing downwards. It makes the edge of the neckline look too dull and plain. The neckline is topped with a cameo, although it looks a bit out of place with the bodice details. I don't think the cameo compliments the cord corset well and I wouldn't put the 2 together. I feel the bodice would be a great deal better if the cord was replaced with ribbon. The back has a panel of shirring which is concealed neatly by a ribbon corset. The stock photos show the skirt has a pretty, full shape to it. It flares outwards beautifully and has plenty of volume to it. The skirt design is kept simple, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with the cute bow lace.

And finally, here we can see the print close up. As we can see the print comes in ivory, pink, wine and brown. I think all 4 colours work very well with the print, but for me the stand-out colour is the wine. It looks so rich and vibrant and really compliments the gold in the print. I feel the ivory and brown colours are very mature looking too. As for the print itself, I do like the bottom border part. The cameo frames are decorated fancily with golden swirls and the tassels help to fill in the empty spaces between the frames. The pictures inside the frames show typical romantic scenes, with a French feel to them. I especially adore the castle picture. As for the non-border part of the print, I do think the lines of lace have been drawn well with a lot of detail to them. The smaller cameos amongst the lace is a cute idea. However, overall I find the non-border part of the print to be too overpowering. It is too busy. Perhaps if the lace lines were thinner and AP had chosen a less busy background, it may have been a bit better.

So I think this is a series which will definitely receive mixed reactions. Judging by the website sales, it looks as though the wine colour was the only fast seller. I myself am not overly amazed by this series. If I were to go for this series I would choose the standard JSK in wine, but the first thing I would do is take that awful cord off the bodice. I am put off the other 2 dresses because of their strange bows. But I will be giving this series a miss.

Stocking Shock Tricorn Review- Positive

Today I am going to review the tricorn I recently purchased from Stocking Shock (A.K.A Peacockalorum). You can order from their etsy store, but I placed my order through here- http://www.stockingshock.co.uk/
The Etsy store can be found here- https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Peacockalorum?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Ordering Process

The website is quite easy to navigate and the layout is simple. The payment buttons are big and easy to spot. However, it is not immediately obvious how long your items will take to make and I ended up having to go on the Etsy store to get a rough time estimate. The other issue is I am unsure how good the seller is at communication. During my order, I got the Paypal email and then didn't hear anything at all until the item was shipped. I was hoping to at least get some acknowledgement from the seller that they had seen my order and were in the process of making it. So communication could have been a bit better. My hat took approximately 2 weeks to make, which is what I expected from reading her Etsy information. I get the impression that the owner prefers orders to be placed through Etsy, as that is where you get the best information.

Shipping

As Stocking Shock is a UK seller, it took just one day for my hat to arrive. I had been given a tracking number as well but in the end I didn't really need it. It will probably prove more useful to those in different countries! I suppose it is nice to have that extra peace of mind though.

The hat was packaged in a sturdy cardboard box and was taped up very well. It was very secure. I did give the box a gentle shake to see if the contents moved about inside, and they didn't. That may be because the box size was a bit of a tight squeeze to fit my hat in. But thankfully, the hat arrived safely and wasn't squished.

Inside the box, the hat was wrapped in a layer of bubble wrap and then a further layer of tissue paper. I love the colour of the tissue paper!

And here is the hat! I ordered the Dauphine hat in ivory with cream lace and ribbon. It costs £30 plus shipping and I think for the price you get a decent quality hat. I ordered this hat after seeing Sammi model it at Frock On last year, so I had a rough idea about what to expect. I noticed the colour seemed a bit darker on the website pictures,  but I was happy to see my hat was the colour I wanted. Stocking Shock offer a wide variety of colours, so there are many different combinations you could make.

The ribbon rose is such a beautiful shape. The ribbon used is of a good quality, as is the lace. I love the feather too.

I did notice a slight crease in the ribbon here, but with the style of hat I guess this is to be expected. It is not really noticeable.

The hat is secured in place with this plastic comb at the back. At first I was worried that the plastic comb wouldn't be enough to hold it in place but the comb is very firm, and it felt quite secure on my head. I do wonder if the comb may feel a little uncomfortable after a while, as it is very stiff. I found I was able to place the hat on my head very easily and it didn't move about. The sizing of the hat is good as well.

The stitching is very neat and I couldn't see any flaws with it at all. The lace sits nicely along the hat rim. It does sit a little strangely on the corners, but not enough to really stand out or look bad. Overall, I would say the hat construction is of a good standard.

Although I already have stuff from Stocking Shock, this was the first time that I had placed an order online through their store (previously I have either been given their stuff as presents or brought from conventions). Aside from the quietness of the seller, this was a very positive experience. The item was made in the time frame I expected and was packaged very well. As for the hat itself, I am very happy with it and I feel it has been made very well. Tricorn hats can be expensive too, so I think the £30 and shipping price tag was worth it. I would definitely recommend Stocking Shock, but it might be worth placing orders through the Etsy store instead, as I found out afterwards that the Etsy store was more informative.

Love Drug ~Sonnet~ Romantic Irony Entering For Juliet by Baby the Stars Shine Bright

Today I am having a look at the latest print from Baby the Stars Shine Bright. As you can see from the post title, this series has a very long-winded name, so from now on I will just be calling it Love Drug for short. This series includes- 6 dresses (2 non-printed, one with gobelin print), a skirt, 7 hair accessories, socks, tights, 2 blouses, a corset, a shawl and a gillet.

This is the Long JSK. The short bodice seems reasonably well fitted, but the overall shape is a bit simple. I'm not really a fan of the neckline. Gold ribbon has been used for the straps. The straps do look pretty, although I would have tied the ribbons facing outwards, not frontwards. My main concern though, is despite the good ribbon quality, the straps look very flimsy. The waist area has a soft lacy bow. I think the floppy style of bow is a good choice for this dress, as it seems to work well with the rest of the dress. The lace used for the bow is very pretty. The bow size is a bit big, but suits the dress. The bow is also detachable if you dislike it or would like to move it about, although I personally feel the bow attached to one side is the best look. I think the bow helps to 'soften' the rest of the dress. The chest area has a line of wide lace running across it. The lace does match up with the waist bow, but for some reason I seem to dislike it. Perhaps it is where it is placed. Above the line of lace, there are 3 gold bows. The bows use the same pretty gold lace as the straps and the shape is nice too. However, 3 bows of that size is just too much for that small area. They are so crowded and look like they are fighting for space. One bow would have been enough. The little panel that the gold bows sit on is decorated with tulle and gold braid. This is a very pretty idea, but I don't feel it has been executed that well. The back has a panel of shirring, which is concealed by a ribbon corset, keeping things looking neat. Once again, Baby have gone for their long dress style that they really seem to favour at the moment. The skirt has a good length to it and it flares outwards very well. It definitely has a good shape to it and avoids looking sack-like. It appears as if it will hold a decent amount of petticoat too. The main skirt is kept very simple in design and the print is displayed very well. The bottom hem is then finished off with a thin line of gold braid and multiple layers of lace. The lace is layered well, but I don't feel Baby have used the nicest lace. The lace comes across as quite cheap looking, although maybe it will look nicer in person. I just feel that Baby have used much nicer lace in the past and I was a bit disappointed when I saw this lace.

And here we have the Corset JSK. The bodice shape is very pretty and the bodice is very well fitted. The straps are a suitable width but are very plain in design.

Boring straps aside, I really love the bodice on this dress. I loved the pointed waist line and the gold braid helps to make the line look neat. The bodice features a ribbon corset on either side. This has been done using beautiful soft tulle ribbon. The ribbon is so light and romantic looking. The ribbon is well spaced out and never looks too bunched together. My only real concern is that the ribbon is held in place by flimsy looking lace loops which could break or fray quite easily. The middle panel of the corset is topped with 3 metal clasps. The clasps are well spread out and they work very well with the print beneath them. The clasp design is very pretty too. The neckline is lined with good quality lace with a very detailed design. The lace helps to soften the neckline a bit too. The neckline is then topped off with a gold tulle ribbon bow. The bow is a nice shape and size, and sits well on the dress. I personally could take or leave the bow. I think I would prefer the bodice without the bow, but I don't mind it being there either.

The back has a panel of shirring which is concealed neatly by a ribbon corset. The skirt appears to be a good length. Although in the stock photos the skirt seems to have a good, strong shape and avoids looking too shapeless, I think I prefer the shape of the skirt on the other JSK. This skirt isn't too bad though and it will still flare outwards a lot. It appears as if it will accommodate a reasonable amount of petticoat too. The print is displayed fairly okay, but the bottom is a little obscured because of the gathering. Underneath the print, the bottom has been slightly gathered. The shape created is very pretty, although as mentioned, it does obscure the bottom of the print a bit. The top layer if lace at the bottom is very pretty. However, the bottom of this dress still has 3 layers of that lace I dislike. I really do feel a softer, more solid looking lace would have been a better choice. If the very bottom layer of lace had been removed from this dress, I don't think it would have looked as bad though.

This is the OP. The bodice shape looks good and seems to fit well. The short printed part of the sleeves are pretty and have a cute amount of puff to them, but without looking too sweet. I like the soft, tulle bows on them too. As for the longer lace part, it doesn't appeal to me personally, but I think it has been executed well. The cuffs made of layered lace are very pretty and have a nice shape to them. The lace used matches up well with the bottom hem. I think it is a shame that Baby didn't make the lace parts detachable, because at least then you would have the choice to wear them either way. It is a bit hard to give a verdict on the bodice details, as most of them are concealed by those massive gold bows. The 3 gold bows are too big with long ribbon tails and the end result is cluttered and messy looking. The gold lace is pretty, but I think the way it has been used cheapens the design. On either side of the bows there appears to be 2 lines of lace running up both sides of the bodice. The lace is pretty, but it doesn't sit very well on the dress, as the bows get in the way. It just further adds to the clutter. On a more positive note, I do like the neckline detail though. There is a sheer lace panel topped with criss-crossed gold braid. It is such an interesting detail and it gives the dress a bit of a historical feel. The lace from the bodice continues along the neckline and the inside of the sleeves. It is nice lace, although it looks as though it might tickle the wearer a little! On the back, the bottom half of the bodice is solid and then there is a lace panel on the top half. I would highly recommend choosing your underwear carefully if you get this dress. The back is topped with a ribbon corset, despite there being no shirring. I suppose the ribbon will help give a bit of size flexibility, if you wanted to make the dress smaller, but otherwise it doesn't really offer a wide size range. I just feel the back looks a complete mess. The stock photos show the skirt has a good length and a strong A-line shape. If nothing else, I am glad these longer Baby dresses are looking a lot less shapeless now. The dress flares outwards quite well and has plenty of volume to it. The skirt design is kept quite simple and the print is displayed well. The bottom hem is then finished off with a line of gold braid and layers of the same lace used before.

And here we have part of the print close up. This series comes in ivory, pink, mint, bordeaux and black. All 4 colours seem to work with the print. It is a bit difficult to pick a favourite, but I quite like the colour I used for the OP photo in this post. As for the print itself, it is grand enough to match the OTT dress designs. The use of gold is bold and the frames are large. This print is not for the faint-hearted. I really like the cherubs dancing and the flowers around the main frame. I also like the Romeo and Juliet scenes inside the frames, but I am not sure I like that the pictures are on black and white. It looks a bit dull in comparison to the bold use of colours elsewhere in the print. I think at the very least, the frame pictures could have been done in muted colours instead of monochrome. I'm also a bit undecided about the very top of the print with the draping curtains. The design works very well with the Corset JSK, but maybe not so much with the other 2 dresses. 

I don't really understand the gillet from this series. In all the photos I have seen of it, it looks too fussy worn over the dresses. It adds too much bulk and I don't think it is the nicest shape either. I am not against over-garments such as over-skirts or even peignoirs, but I don't think this gillet works as well as those. It is also quite expensive for what you get. And when worn with this specific series, which is already rich with detail, it just looks too OTT. Even with a more simpler design I still don't feel it would work. Maybe somebody will find a creative use for it, but I personally don't get the point of it.

So this is yet another OTT longer dress offering from Baby. Whilst I think the dress shapes have improved, I don't think the print lives up to expectation. I am also very unsure about the lace used throughout this series. I also feel like Baby has been a bit too repetitive as of late and I am looking forward to discussing something a bit different. Would I buy this series? No, I wouldn't. If I did, I would choose the Corset JSK but I am undecided on what colour. Overall, this is not my sort of thing at all. I expect that this series will sell quite well, but I don't understand the appeal.