New Bodyline Coats

This time last year, I was madly searching for a nice coat to keep me warm whilst I was wearing lolita. In the end, I picked a Bodyline coat which thankfully, was warm enough for a typical English Winter. I am very happy with my coat selection and I am not looking to buy another this Winter, but I thought I would have a look at this year's coats anyway. I think quite a lot of lolitas struggle with purchasing a coat because they can be quite expensive, so I was relieved that my Bodyline coat was better than I was expecting.

To be honest... this year's coats are not as well designed as last year's designs. Last year there was a very pretty sailor coat, which was surprisingly versatile (and still available on the website in black only). However, I am not going to write off the new coats just yet, because they are still very cute.

Cat ears have not exactly got a good reputation in the lolita community, but I know they have their fans too. If you are in to cats, then this coat could be for you! With its ears, fake fur and bells, there is no doubt that this coat is aimed at the sweet loving crowd. I am impressed with the shape of this coat, which reminds me of the shape brands use sometimes. I also like the bow on the back, which just furthers the sweet theme. I would have preferred heart shape pockets on the front because the cat ears on the pockets are a bit OTT. I would have also left the bells off. Also, with the black coat, maybe black fake fur would have been nicer. My overall impression of this coat is cute, but I probably wouldn't wear it myself. Despite the haters, many lolitas still wear animal ears.

Bodyline are also bringing in some capes. I felt design-wise, this cape was the nicest because some of the colours on the other capes were a bit... 'interesting'. I think this cape may also have limited appeal. The picture does not show how easy it is to move your arms underneath. There is no point spending out on a coat if it is not that practical! Whilst I do like the use of check (especially the gathering on the bottom bit) and also the bows, I think the lace on this coat looks bad. It looks a bit cheap. The collar is a good shape and the pom pom ties fit well with the design. I wish there had been more colour options with the check parts, which is black on every colourway.

As far as longer coats go, this is the lastest design. The coat reminds me of similar styles from FanplusFriend. Hopefully, the fake fur parts will be detachable, because that would give the wearer more options about what to team this coat with. It would have been good if there were more options with the fake fur colour, but if the red coat had white fur there would be a real risk of it looking like a Father Christmas outfit! I dislike the shape of this coat. I think it could be a bit longer in length and the scalloped edge is average. However, the cape sits nicely over the coat and I think it would look cute worn alone on warmer days. This coat has rose buttons and some lace too, which blends in with the design. It will be interesting to see what sort of lolitas decide to go for this coat. Will non-sweet lolitas be put off by the fake fur, or will they see the potential of the coat minus the fur?

Given the choice between this year's coat designs and last year's coats, I think I would try to get a coat from last year's selection. Some of the coat prices have fluctuated throughout the year, but I feel those designs are more wearable. However, don't underestimate the new coats. I know people who will love these newer coats and if people have a few minor issues with the design, then maybe customisation could be an option. Even though I dislike the bells, I would not let that put me off the cat coat because they should be easy to remove. My only advice would be that if you live in a country that has VERY bad Winters, you may need a good cardigan underneath. My Bodyline coat is perfect for England, but it may be a different story in a colder country!

Finally, I would just like to quickly apologise if my blog posts are a little erratic over the next few weeks. I have not been feeling very well lately, but I am going to try my best to keep things going as normal as possible. I am also going to try and work on improving the content of my posts so do keep reading!

Misty Night Royal Game by AatP

Today I will be taking a look at the new series from Alice and the Pirates. This series is called Misty Night Royal Game. It looks like we have another chess print to add to the trend! this series has 3 dresses, a skirt, a vest, pants, socks, a headbow and jewellery.

This is the first JSK. The bodice looks very well fitted and it has a very interesting neckline and shape. The bodice is in the style of a vest.

I thought the bodice deserved a closer picture. I absolutely love the detail! The style suits the overall theme of the series and it also looks quite grown-up. The 6 buttons are very plain in design but if they had been more detailed, it may have looked too much with the very detailed dress. The buttons are also a good colour match with the chess pieces in the print. The lace looks neat and thankfully, it is not too wide. I don't think wider lace would have looked good on this dress. The bottom of the bodice has a frill where it meets the waist and cleverly makes it look like a 2-piece set rather than a dress. The straps are a good width.

The back of the bodice is a tiny bit disappointing. There is a generous panel of shirring but it has been left very exposed. I also think I would have preferred halter neck straps that tie around the neck instead of the cross-straps used on this dress. The skirt is a good A-line shape and flares out quite well, which is suitable for classic lolita. The skirt part has wisely been kept simple. There is a line of very regal looking lace, suitable for a chess/royal theme. The bottom hem is then finished off with some wider lace, which looks very pretty.

This is the other JSK. the bodice part is very shapely and will emphasise the waist. I am very undecided by the design on this bodice. The 3 bows running down the front are a pretty shape, but they appear very cute compared to the very classic print. The way the lace is layered over the dress gives the dress a more 3-dimensional look, but I don't think the design works as well as the vest bodice on the other JSK. The neckline has a pretty ruffle. The straps are a bit thin and very plain. The back has a panel of shirring and this time, it has been hidden by a ribbon corset. It looks a bit tidier than the other JSK. The skirt part has a pretty bell shape to it. It looks like it wont flare out as much as the the JSK, but you should still be able to achieve a pretty classic shape. Like the other JSK, this dress has a line of lace breaking the skirt in to two. However, I don't think the higher placing of this lace works that well and maybe it would have been better to leave the skirt plain. The bottom hem is finished off with a line of pretty lace and it appears to be the same lace used on the other JSK.

This is the OP. The bodice looks very nicely shaped but for some reason, I think the overall shape is a bit stiff and rigid. It looks like it could be a bit uncomfortable to wear! It doesn't help that this dress also has no shirring and where the zip is in the back, the print is broken. However the white yoke part is shaped nicely, as is the white part on the skirt, which if done wrong could have ended looking a bit like an apron. The waist bow also helps to break up the white parts, although it is fairly large. The long sleeves are ended nicely with more solid white and a row of pearly buttons. The skirt part has a pretty A-line shape to it which again, would suit classic lolita. Where the print meets the solid colour part, there is lace which softens the edges. The lace does not look too OTT because it blends in well, as does the lace used on the bottom hem. I know some will disagree with me, but I prefer the solid print rather than having it broken up by solid colour parts.

This is the print close-up. The colours available are royal green (shown), burgandy, chocolat and Noir. I am having a hard time deciding which colour I like best because I think the colours all look very similar. At a push, I would say my favourite was a choice between royal green and chocolat. I LOVE this print! I love how detailed all the chess pieces are and they are displayed quite well. The flowers help to soften the print a little too. It works so well and this is the sort of standard I expect from an Alice and the Pirates print!

I am also a huge fan of the socks. I am going through a bit of a diamond phase at the moment and I can't get enough of them! I like the use of the chess pieces on the socks too. However, I am unsure if I would want to wear these socks with one of the dresses because I think that may be pushing the diamond motif a bit too far. Whether worn with the dresses from this series or not, these socks will make an impact.

I also quite liked this ring. If I am being honest, I do prefer the chess piece jewellery that Angelic Pretty released with Chess Chocolate a lot more than the jewellery available with this series. But I still think this jewellery is beautiful and at least if you buy from the same series, you know the colours will match.

So overall, I am very impressed by this series and I would buy from it! I think the vest style JSK is my favourite but I am still undecided on the colour. I think some people will think this print is too busy and bold, but I think it is bold in a good way. The design is not exactly that original, but I think it is a strong contender. I really want this series to succeed and I hope other lolitas like it as much as I do.

Meta cake!

After randomly browsing Meta's Japanese site, I found this cute cake collaboration with Patisserie Swallowtail.

It looks so yummy and I really want one! Although it is only available in Japan, I still enjoy looking at yummy cakes like these. I have often wanted to re-create brand logos to go on cakes for a lolita meet and I still remember when somebody recreated a Moitie print for a birthday cake (it was epic). The Meta cake can be viewed here- http://www.patisserie-swallowtail.jp/modules/pico/index.php?content_id=70

I don't know when I will next be hosting a meet, but when I do, I am tempted to do logo cakes. Let's see how they turn out!

Ebay selling- November 2011

I am selling a few items on Ebay here- http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/cashdoggrocks/m.html?hash=item4cfb6645a2&item=330635298210&pt=UK_Women_s_Skirts&_trksid=p4340.l2562

One of the items on offer is my Bodyline candy print skirt.

I just figured that I should sell a few items before Christmas so I can buy everybody lots of lovely presents! Do contact me if you have any questions.

Devil nails for Halloween!

Happy Halloween everybody! I hope everybody is having a fun time today. I decided to have a little fun and painted a devil design on my nails in celebration.

I painted this design fairly quickly and it is very simple. The mouth was a zigzag with a semi-circle painted underneath, and then I filled the space in. The eyes were 2 diagonal lines which I fleshed out to look more eye shaped. It is pretty hard to mess these up because if it goes wonky, it just makes the face look more creepy!

I used red and black for a devil design. I think an orange and black pumpkin design could look cute too. Originally, I intended to do the red and black colours the other way around but it was only when I was half way through doing my first hand that I noticed my mistake! But it still worked out fairly well! My only concern was making sure I used the red nail polish first, just in case it didn't show up that well if I painted it on top of black.

So this was very easy. It probably would have looked a lot nicer if I had spent more time on it, but I just wanted something quick and fun to do.

Toffee Apples!

I really enjoy Halloween so I thought it would be fun to share a toffee apple recipe. Around this time of year, I really crave toffee apples because they remind me of my childhood. When I went to fairs around this time of year, I had a hard time choosing between toffee apples and cotton candy!

This recipe was originally published in Good Food Magazine (2009)

Ingredients

8 Granny Smith apples

400g golden caster sugar

1 tsp vinegar

4 tbsp Golden Syrup

Method

1. Place the apples in a large bowl, then cover with boiling water (you may have to do this in 2 batches). This will remove the waxy coating and help the caramel to stick. Dry thoroughly and twist off any stalks. Push a wooden skewer or lolly stick into the stalk end of each apple.
2. Lay out a sheet of baking parchment and place the apples on this, close to your stovetop. Tip the sugar into a pan along with 100ml water and set over a medium heat. Cook for 5 mins until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the vinegar and syrup. Set a sugar thermometer in the pan and boil to 140C or 'hard crack' stage. If you don't have a thermometer you can test the toffee by pouring a little into a bowl of cold water. It should harden instantly and, when removed, be brittle and easy to break. If you can still squish the toffee, continue to boil it.
3. Working quickly and carefully, dip and twist each apple in the hot toffee until covered, let any excess drip away, then place on the baking parchment to harden. You may have to heat the toffee a little if the temperature drops and it starts to feel thick and viscous. Leave the toffee to cool before eating. Can be made up to 2 days in advance, stored in a dry place.

If you give this recipe a go, do let me know how you get on. Be careful not to burn yourself on all that boiling toffee!

My Sweet mate Kumya's Honey Hunt by Baby

Today I am discussing the new Baby print. To save time, I am going to call it Honey Hunt from now on. The full print name is in this post's title! This series has 2 dresses, a skirt, a blouse, socks, 4 different hair accessories and some jewellery featuring Usakumya's friends. After looking at all the print close-ups, I am not sure that Usakumya features in this print at all (unless Kumya features without the bunny hood). The print focuses on Usakumya's friends instead.

This is the Judy JSK. The shape of the bodice looks good, but I couldn't help noticing that the material looks a little loose and baggy around the front. It might cause unflattering gaps when worn. Smaller lolitas should have a look at the other JSK. The waist bow is generous in size and looks a pretty shape. I wouldn't have put lace on the waist bow, because it is big enough already. I think the waist bow would make a good emergency headbow, so thankfully it is detachable. The bodice has a raised panel, which gives the dress a bit more depth and will add volume to smaller busted ladies. The raised part has a printed bow theme, which is finished with a real bow in the middle. The little bow fits in well with the dress and I prefer it to the waist bow. The lace used on the bodice is very pretty and the rose lace matches the flowers in the print. The straps are a little thin, but the lace helps to add some width. There is a panel of shirring on the back, which is hidden well by a ribbon corset. The shirring panel is finished off neatly with 2 lines of lace. The waist ties could have had rose shaped buttons to mix the floral part of the print, but the heart buttons used are cute. The skirt part has a pretty rounded shape. It will probably flare outwards well and will accommodate lots of petticoat. The skirt has a lot of gathering but it doesn't obscure the print too much. I like how plain the skirt is, because it means you are more focused on the print when you look at the dress. The bottom hem is finished off with a tidy line of pretty looking lace.

This is the Sophie JSK. In a few of the stock photos, the outline of the bodice looked a bit lumpy but in others it doesn't look so bad. This dress takes advantage of the stripy ribbon part of the print. I really like the waist on this dress because the print makes it look as though the dress has a belt and it gives the impression of a small waist. The front has 3 bows made of stripy ribbon. It matches well with the dress and they are well spaced out. There are also vertical lines of lace running up the bodice. While the lace looks cute and doesn't look out of place, I think I would like the dress more without the lace. the lace may be pretty, but I prefer the lace used on the other dress. The straps continue the stripy ribbon theme. The straps on this dress are a little thicker and the lace is nicely shaped. The back has a decent sized shirring panel and it is covered by a ribbon corset. The ribbon is well spaced. The skirt has a good, generous shape to it. The overall shape is affected a tiny bit by the horizontal line of lace, but the lace is heart shaped and it looks very cute. Cute items are a good idea for an Usakumya series! The print is displayed very well. The bottom hem is finished off with some nice quality lace.

This is one of the print close-ups, here shown in Chocolate/Strawberry. Other colours avaiable are ivory/caramel, brown/brown and black/black. The chocolate/strawberry and brown/brown colourways are beautiful. I think my least favourite is the ivory. The colours used in this print are pale, and look washed out on ivory. I think having a darker background means you can see the bears a lot better. The print is very cute! The bears are doing different things, so there are lots of different things to see. I like the detailing on the glass jars. The bits at the bottom features names of different types of honey, so it features words like 'manuka'. My only complaint is the lack of Usakumya. I don't think Usakumya's friends are as popular as Usakumya. However, the print is still very pretty and hopefully Usakumya fans wont be put off buying this.

The socks for this series are adorable. They feature one of Usakumya's friends (I forget all their names!). I like the chocolate hearts and the 'Baby' part made of swirly honey.

Normally I dislike animal style hats and headpieces but surprisingly, I do like this furry bear headbow! It looks so warm and inviting. The ears are shaped well and I like the positioning of the bows. I don't think I suit pieces like this but I can think of several people who would look adorable wearing this.

I think this is a very cute series! I hope Usakumya fans will like it. The dress designs are good but I prefer the first JSK (the Judy one). I think the brown/brown colour looks the best. Would I buy from this series? Possibly. I think this series may be a little too cute for some people. It wont be going on my dream print list, but I wouldn't mind owning it.