Baby's Unico in Bloomland

Today I shall be discussing the latest Baby print. It is called Unico in Bloomland. This is a fairly small series with 2 JSK dresses, a skirt, socks, a head bow and a matching blouse. As several other lolita bloggers have pointed out, unicorn prints have been surprisingly rare in lolita. Meta's Twinkle Journey with the unicorns was a hit last year and I am happy that unicorns have been used again by another big brand.

This is the first JSK of this series. The bodice looks reasonably well fitted. One of my main concerns with Baby/Alice and the Pirates recently has been the baggy loose fitting bodice areas so it is a relief that both the JSKs in this series have a better shape. The most interesting part of the bodice has got to be the inclusion of the scallop part. I don't think I have ever seen scalloping used this way before. It is sort of a fluffy cloud shape but it is very peculiar. It helps to make the bodice more 3D and layered but the design is so different, I am not sure that everybody will like it. Layered on top of the scallop area, is a line of pretty lace and this is finished with a double layered ribbon bow. I think the ribbon looks like one of the ribbons you find on a box of chocolates, but it has a nice structure to it and it adds a bit of extra interest. The bodice is then finished off with 2 thin vertical lines of lace which helps to break up a large area of the bodice. The straps are a little thin and despite a little lace, they look a bit plain. The waist part is finished with a simple bow which is a bit big.

Once again, the back part looks very low down compared to the front which makes it look a little uneven. The shirring panel looks like it is hanging off the dummy and I doubt tightening the corset ribbon will do very much. It looks messy compared to the front.

The skirt part has an average shape to it but looks as though it has the potential to puff out well. I would use a large petticoat for this dress to help show off the print better because the skirt has a lot of gathering, which obscures the print. I also think a large petticoat would help to display the scalloped part better. The skirt bottom is finished with a scalloped edge. I don't the scallops look too bad but I have seen better. In some of the close-up photos there is also a visible crease along the bottom hem (you can just about see it in the first photo). The bottom hem is then finished off with some lace which looks like it is good quality and helps to soften the scalloping.

This is the 2nd JSK. Again, the bodice looks like it fits well and this dress looks more fitted than the 1st dress. The waist straps also don't appear to alter the overall shape too much. The bodice part is very simple apart from the rose detail. The bodice has 2 lines of beautiful pearls and the rose corsage looks very pretty. If there were 2 rose corsage parts then that would probably be too OTT, but it does leave the end of the pearls a little exposed on the plain side. The neckline looks smart and is finished off with pretty lace. The straps are a decent width too and look more interesting than the straps on the first dress. Thankfully, the back part of the bodice is not as low down on this dress and looks more balanced. The shirring is hidden well by some ribbon corset detail. There is a large waist bow which has some lace running along its edges. It is definitely large enough to use as a head bow and I think the dress would look pretty with or without the bow being there. The skirt part has a good shape and I prefer this one to the first dress. The skirt is a lot simpler and is finished off with a gentle ruffle at the bottom. Overall, this dress looks more mature in an understated, but beautiful way. This is perfect to help balance out the very sweet print.

And here is the print close up. The colours available are ivory, pink, navy and black. This is the very purple looking navy x navy one! As expected, it is incredibly cute and sweet. My favourite in the unico with the butterfly tickling its nose (CUTE!!!!). It reminds me of Bambi but with unicorns instead of deer. The print has lots of pretty little details. The bows next to the flowers are very detailed. I especially like the crown shape used around the Baby the Stars Shine Bright text (top right of picture). The logo blends in so well. The flying dandelions at the top of the print are a nice touch too. My main concern is the colours occasionally look a little washed out and pale. But I like how Baby have used colours which are less bold when compared to Angelic Pretty colours. It is more dreamy.

For comparison, here is the Meta Twinkle Journey print. The Baby unicorns are more doe-eyed and, to use an anime/manga term, are chibi looking. Whilst Meta's print has a more fantasy theme, Baby has focused on the cute. Baby's colours are more dream like. Meta's print is more suited who those who like sweet but who don't like to over-do the cutesy theme whilst the Baby print will appeal to those who like the sweeter style. All we need now is for somebody to make a more gothic looking unicorn print (maybe a black unicorn contrasting against a white background) and a classic looking print. Then there will be a unicorn print for everybody!

These are the socks. I am pleased to say they feature my favourite unico from the print! I like the floral arrangement too. There are little gold coloured details too which is lovely.

So overall, I think this is going to be a strong and popular series! I think the 2nd JSK looks better, especially with the rose corsage and pearl details. As far as the colours go, I think the navy and black colours work best with this print because the bold colours contrast with the delicate print. Would I buy this? I would be a little concerned that the print is too sweet for me, but I probably would! This print has gotten me very excited because I hope it will spur on more brands to consider making unicorn prints! I am still championing the gothic unicorn print idea (hint hint).