Angelic Pretty's Chess Chocolate

It is has been a while since I have discussed an Angelic Pretty print so I decided to do one today. Today I will be talking about Chess Chocolate. I have seen a lot of discussions about this print online, calling it a cross between Bodyline's Antique Clock and AP's Melty Chocolate print. I can totally see where this idea has come from (although I prefer this print to Antique Clock!). Also, as a huge fan of Metamorphose's Nostalgic Chess/Chess Party print, I am happy to see another chess print!

This is AP's advert for this series. I apologise for the pictures used. I had to use what is available right now. As we can see, there are 4 different dresses including one which doesn't have the border print. I am no expert in Steampunk, but I think the border print free dress in brown would look lovely with Steampunk Lolita! I absolutely love the gold details on the front which help to give the dress some extra interest. With the chess and chocolate, it is nice to have a slight military theme as well. Instead of looking crowded, I think the gold details work very well.

This is one of the JSKs. The overall bodice shape looks shapely but in this particular photo, it looks slightly baggy. Here is hoping that it is just a bad photo! There is a ruffle on the front with multiple layers of the lace which I think looks pretty. The stripy bow is cute, but looks a little awkwardly placed on top of the ruffle. The waist bow is a bit large but considering how crowded AP's dresses usually are, the waist bow doesn't too much. The straps have been kept simple and are a nice width. The skirt part has been kept simple and I think this dress benefits hugely from this. The skirt has a good round shape to it and looks like it will accommodate a lot of petticoat. The gathering does not affect the print too much so the print is easy to view. The bottom hem is finished with some pretty lace. Lovely and simple! The print grabs the attention, which I happen to think is good.

This is the strapless JSK. Choosing a strapless design was an interesting choice because it is not seen as much in lolita. To be honest, I think this is a dull design. I usually celebrate simpler dresses but I think this dress is a little dull in comparison to the other dresses. The bodice is a nice shape but is a little long. In my opinion, the waist could do with being a tinier bit higher. The heart shape neckline is very pretty and the small ruffle along the edge is not too distracting. It will look very flattering on a feminine frame. The bodice has some corset style ribbon detailing on the front. It looks well spaced out. I think it looks a little odd having a random patch of brown ribbon on the front but maybe a different colour would have looked too plain. I think this dress would look good with a nice belt to cinch in the waist and add some interest. If you like basic dresses you can add on to, this dress could be useful. The skirt on this dress is slightly less rounded than on the dress above, but still has a fairly good shape to it. Again, it looks like the skirt is very spacious. The ruffles once again, don't affect the print too much and the bottom hem is finished with pretty lace again.

This is the OP. The bodice on this dress looks a little baggier and spacious. Hopefully there wont be baggy gaps with the fabric hanging off the body. I couldn't help but notice that the waist looks a little uneven. The waist looks a bit higher up on the left side of the picture. The short sleeves look a little deflated and the longer sleeves look like bland paper. It looks a bit cheap and dull. The square neckline edge of the printed part looks pretty and nicely shaped. The neck ruffle is similar to the first JSK but this time the stripy bow looks a bit better placed. I imagine it might be a little itchy around the neck area though! With the uneven waist, the skirt shape is slightly wonky. It also appears to be shorter in length. The skirt is finished in the same way as the other dresses.

One of my favourite items from this series is the socks. I love how the top part folds over and makes the socks a lot more interesting. The gold colour looks very regal. I love the little crowns on them too.

The print is gorgeous. I like the hints of gold a lot because it makes the print look more special and doesn't cheapen the overall look. I love all the chocolate chess pieces. I don't think it rivals Melty Chocolate but it is still beautiful. My only dislike about this print is the use of the fork and spoon. I like the chocolate but seeing lots of food prints being released gets a little tedious after a while.

So overall, I think the print is pretty but the dress designs let the series down a little bit. Occasionally there are parts of the dresses which let the rest of the design down. I think the briwn and mint colourways look the prettiest. Would I buy from this series? Possibly, but I would prefer to save up for Melty chocolate instead of this series. And since AP have changed their reservation rules this time, it looks like it will be harder to guarantee getting anything now. I have already seen people feeling upset because their shopping services could not get what they wanted. I can see this series being popular but it if you have been unlucky with the new rules, it might take a little more time to get the items you desire. It is up to you to decide if the extra effort is worth it!