Twinkle Carnival by AP

Today I shall be looking at Twinkle Carnival by Angelic Pretty. This is a small series with 2 JSKs, a skirt and socks, with some other matching items available on the website. This series is already on the website but I am guessing it will have mainly sold out by the time I have written this.

This is the Halter style JSK. The bodice looks very shapely and well fitted. The material has lots of folds, which gives it extra texture and stops it looking too flat. In the middle there is the criss-crossed ribbon. The ribbon is satin, but thankfully, it doesn't look too shiny. The ribbon looks tidy and is well-spaced. The neckline has a line of chiffon, topped with thin lace. The main focus here is the chiffon, which is just the right width to go along this neckline and looks pretty. I am glad this is a JSK and not a OP, because with a blouse underneath the JSK, I don't need to worry about that chiffon getting itchy! I like the halter-neck straps, which are a decent length and make this dress very versatile.

The back has shirring which is well concealed by a ribbon corset. The chiffon from the neckline ends at either side of the shirring panel, which you would think would draw attention to the shirring. Actually, it doesn't look too bad! As you can see, the back has lots of chiffon, due to the chiffon bustle back. The chiffon layers are well spaced out. The layers are draped softly, so it doesn't stick out too harshly. The skirt part is very rounded and will accommodate loads of petticoat underneath. The length does look a bit short, but the chiffon along the bottom hem gives a bit of extra length. Where the main dress meets the chiffon, the edges are lined smartly with pretty lace. It looks very neat and tidy. Overall, the dress is simple but it shows off the print brilliantly.

This is the Switching JSK. The bodice is a pretty shape and does not appear to have a lot of loose, baggy material.

I was very impressed with the waist bow. It is incredibly detailed for something which usually is not given a lot of attention. I like the way it is folded to give extra movement and the pearls are a nice addition. I am a little unsure about the chiffon right in the middle of the bow because when it is all bunched up like that it doesn't look like the same pretty chiffon like on the rest of the dress.

I am not really a fan of the low scoop neck and chiffon panel on the front. If you have a big chest, that could sit very awkwardly. I also think the sleeves look very odd. The material is crinkly (and reminds me of those crinkle fries) and looks too fussy. I also feel like the chiffon has randomly been stuck on the sleeves.

I also think the back of the dress looks a bit... odd. There is a panel of shirring, which is not covered up, but at the top there is ribbon criss-crossing between the 2 straps. It would be nicer if the ribbon was lower down to cover up the shirring. I just think the ribbon looks a bit odd so high up like that. The skirt part is lovely and round. It also appears longer in length than the other JSK. The skirt is quite plain which shows the print better. The bottom hem is finished off with some very thin lace and 2 layers of chiffon.

There is no real "print close-up" for this series available on the website but pictures like these are very clear and gives you a good idea of how it looks. If I could sum up the golden horse in one word, it would be... beautiful! I simply adore the horses and little stars and twinkles. The print may be simple, but the overall effect is huge. It is like a maturer version of Sugary Carnival. The dresses and skirts are available in white, pink and black.

I am also lusting after the socks quite badly. I like how the poles have subtle card suit details to it. They are very decorative. The interesting thing about the socks is that they have a wider range of colours- ivory, pink, wine, brown and black. I think AP were expecting the socks to be very popular, especially if people can't afford the dresses right now. And all the colours appear to have sold out already (no surprises there!).

So overall, I think this is going to be a brilliant series! I have not been this excited about an AP print for quite some time. I love the halter-neck JSK the most and I think the ivory colour is my favourite (although I would happy with any colour). My only worry is that since typing this discussion up, I have seen unflattering pictures where the material on both dresses looks very shiny and it doesn't look as appealing as the stock photos. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for that when people start posting their outfits online. However, I still feel very strongly about this series and I have made a note about the halter-neck JSK and skirt on my wishlist (just in case!). I definitely approve, for now at least!