Time of the Roses by Alice and the Pirates

Yay! Print review time! Today I am looking at Time of the Roses by Alice and the Pirates. This series includes a lot of different items. There are 3 dresses, a skirt, a barrette, a hair scrunchie (amusingly called a chou chou), socks and 3 bits of jewellery (2 necklaces and a ring). So this is quite a large series with various different items. Are Alice and the Pirates expecting this to be a big seller?

I am starting with JSK version 1. The first thing I spotted was the waist detail. This dress appears to have a ribbon belt on it. It is a little see-through so you can still see the print underneath it. I was not too keen on the lace used along the ribbon. It is fairly wide and because of the angle it sits on the dress, it may stick out at a strange angle. Using an iron on it may help but I think it will always stick out a little. However, I do like the bow with the rose on it. The bow is done in the same style as the waist so it blends in well but only has a tiny bit of the same lace running along the top part. This dress is quite mature and the rose helps to add interest. The skirt has a lovely shape to it which I think will appeal to classic fans but still has plenty of room if you like your skirts puffed out more. At the bottom we have a line of the lace which matches the waist but in the photos it does not look as bad as the waist did. Then there is a ruffle which is not gathered too much so it retains a more classical shape. The bottom hem is finished off with some wide lace. Usually I dislike wide lace but I think it suits this dress. I thought the lace used was a little dull.

The bodice has a very different detail. Instead of an actual bow, the bodice has been gathered and there are lines of lace to create the illusion of a bow being there.

I have a word of warning- I once owned a dress with a very similar detail to this and it sat on my chest very awkwardly. This dress is more subtle than mine was so hopefully it will look better. But it will probably suit small busted girls better.

The straps have been kept simple. They are a little thin but it fits the shape of the dress. The back of the bodice has a corset which looks fairly tidy and hides the shirring well. There is a wide line of lace running above the corset which I would probably remove.

This is JSK version 2. This print is very classical and whilst the simple waist ribbon fits it well, I felt the 2 bows on the bodice were too sweet looking. Also, I felt the overall shape of the bodice was less appealing than the first dress. It has got a square shape to it and the neckline is not that flattering. It is very hard to view the bodice lace in this colourway but it is very frilly. Again, I don't think this fits the print that well. The straps are thin so not good if you need a bit of support. They are finished off simply with some thin lace. On the back of the bodice, the corset looks very tidy but the lace running along the top looked very messy in the photos.

The skirt part looks like it flares out quite a lot. I have not shown the back of this dress but it has a bustle. The bustle part looks very pretty. I found it a little strange that despite the bustle back, the dress looks very flat when viewed sideways. The skirt is very wide so I think I was expecting some more volume. I think a good quality petticoat will be needed to show off this dress as best as possible. The bottom of the skirt has been kept very simple. There is just one line of material that breaks up the pattern a couple of inches from the bottom. It was probably designed this way because of the details on the bodice and the bustle back.

The OP is probably the boldest dress in the series. The deep blue parts really pop out. It is not as bright as the Moitie blue but it grabs your attention. I imagine the blue parts are going to divide opinions. Personally, I don't like it that much. It makes me wonder what colour combinations will be used with the other colour options. This dress is trying to grab your attention and it succeeds. The bodice has a pretty shape and the sleeves are puffy but not OTT. The print part is finished off with a small ruffle and a bow. I don't think the bow is needed because the blue part has a big enough bow. The blue part has a nice shape. The neck part is slightly ruffled but not too much. I would probably find the lace too ticklish on my neck and chin. The back part has a similar strong line and the print ends with a small ruffle again. The skirt on this dress is narrower and has a strong A-line shape. The bottom of the skirt has a line of lace and some more bows. It is finished off with 2 ruffles of the blue material. This dress is not for the shy or faint-hearted.

The skirt has the same lace details at the waist as the first dress. This might also stick out strangely but in my opinion, I think it is better than the dress. The back has a small corset which is laced with some nice complimenting ribbon. I was a little disappointed because it looks like the length is a little short.

And here is the print close-up (shown in mint). It looks similar to previous Alice and the Pirates prints so it will probably be popular. The roses are very classical. I adore the little clocks and the circles with the crowns inside them. This print is available in ivory, mint, navy and black.

This is one of the necklaces from the series. I think I would have preferred the square part to be oval shaped. I think this necklace would have looked lovely with the OP if the bow was not in the way. It suits that sort of blouse shape.

Despite the fake bow, I think my favourite is JSK version 1. I don't think I am brave enough to wear the OP! It is a beautiful print and I wouldn't mind owning the skirt. Personally, I think I would rather get AatP's Queen Coach. This is a very bold series, especially in the darker colours. I prefer the more sedate ivory and mint but the dark colours stand out and make a big impression. I will be interested to see what the OP looks like in the different colours. I would probably buy from this series because there is a lot of options. So you can go as bold as you like!