Vintage Record by Metamorphose

Two print discussions in a row! Today I will be taking a look at Vintage Record by Metamorphose. I have been waiting patiently for the photos. Considering this series is already available for reserve, you would think Meta would have released pictures sooner! This series has 3 dresses, a skirt, a hair scrunchie, ankle socks and a rounded head bow which would not look out of place on Minnie Mouse.

So this is the OP dress from the series. Once again I will be using the draft picture as well because the details don't show up well in the photographs when Meta shows the dark colours.

This is the draft picture for the OP. The bodice fabric looks a little generous but I don't think this dress has any shirring in it. Thankfully the waist ties help bring the waist inwards which really helps with the shape of this dress. I think the little charms on the ends of the waist ties are a cute touch. It is a shame you can't really see them! The waist ribbon is removable so if you wanted, you could give the dress a more flared appearance. This dress is very plain. The bodice has a few small ruffles. If the print was not so busy I would probably find this dress a bit dull. The bodice part looks very stretchy and the simple sleeves are pretty. I thought the skirt part could do with being a little bit wider to get that desired lolita puff. The skirt is finished with a ruffle and some thin lace. This dress is very casual and does not instantly make me think of lolita. It reminds me of the sort of dresses you would find in a rockabilly store. It is good to move away from OTT lolita but I feel this dress is lacking something.

This is the first JSK. This time the bodice is a lot more fitted but sadly, it is also the smallest dress in the series as far as the measurements go (but there is some shirring). The belt is really cute. It helps to liven this dress up and the heart shaped buckle is a nice touch. The bodice has buttons running up it but they are more ornamental than practical. I love the black folds of material. It really fits the theme of the dress. The straps are thin and a little dull. If I could, I would try tucking the straps in and wearing this as a strapless dress. I think that because of how fitted it is, this dress could support itself and stay up when worn strapless. The back part has some shirring. It is hidden by some ribbon corset detail. On this red colourway, Meta have opted to use black ribbon for this corset but I would have used red ribbon so it blends in better. The skirt on this dress has a wider shape and I think it has the best shape of this series. That skirt should hold a lot of petticoat. The gathering works well to make sure the skirt does not look too flat but at the same time it does not obscure the print details. The bottom hem is finished with a small ruffle. I think this dress looks good not having any lace on it. This dress also looks like something you would find on a rockabilly website but this dress looks more fun and lively.

This is the final JSK and it is also heavily detailed. I will be using the draft picture to show the details more clearly-

The style on this dress is probably the most obviously 'lolita' looking but to be honest, I really don't know if it works well with this particular print. The bodice part has so many details that it looks a little lumpy and crowded. It would help to add volume to a petite girl but I think this is going to look very bumpy on larger girls. Also, the back part of the bodice is a lot lower than the front which looks a bit uneven. This dress has waist ties but they don't appear that effective. The back has some shirring hidden behind a ribbon corset but the back looks very bunched up. The waist bow looks like it is a good size but it is sitting on the dress at a weird angle. I would have also preferred one set of wider straps instead of 2 thin sets of straps. However, I do love the skirt part. The waist could probably be a bit lower but the skirt looks a decent size. It will probably hold a lot of petticoat. I think the gathered front looks beautiful. Whilst it doesn't show up well in black, I think the folded bow will look stunning on the red colourway. The bow helps to lift the skirt and the folds add interest and a more 3D feel. I would like to see this style of skirt used more often, especially if it was a princess style or floral dress.

And here is the print close-up. The entire print screams 50's retro. Retro is definitely being used more in lolita now. I like the records with their different records. Polka dots are bold anyway so it was a good idea to keep the rest of the print simple and small. This print is very busy but it could have looked a whole lot more cluttered so I think Meta has got this print just right. The print comes in black, red and navy.

I think it is pretty obvious my favourite dress is the 2nd one. The main challenge with this series will be making it look lolita and not rockabilly. Accessories will play a huge part in the overall look of an outfit using this series. As for the colour- red all the way! The red colour really pops out. This series is not to my personal tastes but I know at least a few people who will fall in love with Vintage Record's retro charm. I would not buy anything from this series but it will hopefully sell well.