AP's Petite Patisserie

I thought I would discuss the latest AP print today. It is called Petite Patisserie and includes 3 dresses, a short skirt, socks, a headbow and a top.

This is the tiered JSK. From the front the bodice looks like it will fit nicely but I did notice that from the side, there was a bulge of material on the front. So it didn't look too flattering. Hopefully this dress wont create "boob loaf". The bodice part is relatively plain. The main detail is the ruffle around the neck. I thought the ruffle looked very pretty. It is a lovely shape. The neckline is lined with satin and there is a small satin bow along the neckline. Considering what the print looks like, simplicity is probably a good idea. The straps are slightly thin but look strong enough. The back part of the bodice does not look as nice. The satin from the neckline carries on and runs vertically on each side of a very exposed shirring panel. It looks a little untidy. The skirt part has a good shape to it. It appears that it can flare outwards a lot, so it will probably hold a lot of petticoat underneath. The skirt part is very gathered but because of the style of print, the print is not too obscured. The skirt is quite plain. As the name suggests, this skirt does have a tier. I felt that the tier looked a little flat and it breaks up the print so the print doesn't line up that well. The bottom hem is finished with some pretty lace.

This is the High Waist JSK. the bodice on this dress looks like it will fit well. There is a large waist bow which has good shape to it and looks firm. The good thing is that the waist bow blends in nicely with the print. The waist also has a thin line of satin with cotton lines over it to give it a stripy appearance. It looks interesting and continues the stripe theme in the print. The same technique is used on the neckline, which is then finished off with a thin satin bow. The neckline also has cute polka dot lace, which also appears along the sleeves. The straps are too thin for my personal taste but continue the stripe pattern well. The back of the bodice is taken up by a large panel of shirring. The shirring on this dress is also exposed and maybe could have been concealed better. The skirt part flares out well. The skirt shape looks good. My main problem is the way the print looks on this skirt. The lines on the other JSK flare outwards but on this JSK they appear to start going outwards and then the lines on the print go inwards again. It creates the illusion that the wearer is a little bulky and has a stomach bulge. The print doesn't flow as nicely. The bottom hem is finished off with pretty lace. Overall, the skirt part is not as flattering. Usually, vertical stripes are meant to be slimming!

And here is the OP. I have got to be honest... I think it looks like a sack. Here is a worn photo just to demonstrate how it looks worn.

I can see this OP being very difficult to wear. I am undecided about whether a belt would help or not. It is hard to say what sort of body type would look best in this dress. It probably wont suit larger girls but petite girls may look swamped under all that material. I will be very interested to see how lolitas choose to wear this.

Aside from the shape, the collar is very cute and I like the way the lace has been used. I also like the cuffs. At the moment, it is very hard to judge this OP. I think I need to see some more worn pictures!

Here is the print. I absolutely adore it. I love the pink strawberry cake. Some people say AP do too many food prints but you have to admit, they are good at making food prints! The vertical lines and ribbons do remind me of a French patisserie. I like all 4 colours too. I think the brown or mint will look the nicest.

My favourite item from the series is the top. The top is simple, but it does include my favourite cake from the print! I think this would be a good item to have in a sweet lolita wardrobe and it is also casual enough to wear outside of lolita. It would suit a variety of different prints.

I am also a fan of the socks. They are so cute!

I would say this series is bold and interesting. AP are experimenting with different dress shapes. The dresses are also not as OTT as they used to be. If I were to choose a dress to buy from this series, I would pick the tiered JSK. I would definitely buy the top and socks! Overall, I would say the series was a bit 'hit and miss'. I wouldn't dismiss this series' potential but it appears weaker than other recent AP releases.