Trick Hat Pricked Heart by AatP

I would just like to remind people that in the run-up to the Feb Ox Loli meet and Hyper Japan, my posting might be a bit erratic. I am going through a bit of a rough patch with my health as well. Please bear with me during this time!

So today I am looking at Trick Hat Pricked Hat (seriously!?) by Alice and the Pirates. Talk about a weird name! Anyway, this series has 2 dresses, a skirt, a head bow and socks. This is quite a small series, but hopefully it will still make an impact.

This is the corset JSK. The bodice is a good shape and is very well fitted. The corset style looks like it will cling to curves perfectly. There is a very generous use of lace, but it has been done in a way that doesn't look OTT. However, I am not sure I like the type of lace which has been used. I think some softer looking lace would have been pretty. There are 2 ribbon bows, which are shaped well and the ribbon looks good quality. Despite the shape of the bows being sweet, the deeper rich colours used help give it a classic feel. The straps on this JSK are a bit too thin for my liking because they look like they could slip around a lot. The straps are removable, which I think looks better.

This is a side view of the JSK, which shows the side ribbons. Although the idea is interesting, I don't think it has been carried out very well. The back bit, where the ribbon attaches to the JSK, looks messy.

The back part has a shirring panel. It is concealed by a ribbon corset, but the contrasting ribbon colour means it is highly viewable . The lace also runs down either side of the corset. However, it does make the area look tidier, even if it does draw attention. The skirt shape is a pretty bell shape. I get the impression that the shape is a bit rounder than your standard Alice and the Pirates dress. It is still a pretty shape for classic lolita and it will hold a lot of petticoat too. The skirt is suitably plain, so the print is displayed well. And then we get to the bottom hem... and it has a tassle trim! It is a very different idea, but maybe it reminds me a little too much of curtains! Whilst I think it works with the dress, I don't think I am convinced by it!

This is the baby doll JSK. The short bodice has a good shape to it. The heart neckline is very sweet, but I think it works well with the overall baby doll shape. The waist bow is huge, but it helps tie the waist in. However it probably wouldn't be a good idea if you are insecure about that area because it might draw attention to it. The bow does not have much shape to it, but it gives a relaxed feel to the dress. The bow is very dreamy and floaty. The lace used is very wide and wont appeal to everybody. The lace gathering and shape give it a very frilly and girly appearance. I can't see this appealing to some AatP fans. Whilst I do think the lace is a bit too wide, I actually like it! I think it gives the chest area extra volume and stops the area looking too flat. It also gives more texture. It is also interesting how the line of lace continues down the front of the bodice and meets the waist. It is a little bit different. The straps are thin, but there are 2 sets of straps which hold the dress in place well. I also think thinner straps work better with a baby doll shape. The back of the bodice is very narrow and could have been a bit wider. There is shirring on the back, which has been kept open, so it is exposed. It is not too noticeable on the darker colour ways. As the name suggests, this dress has a typical baby doll shape. I think this gives it a very relaxed style. It might be too casual for some, but I personally like the baby doll cut. The skirt has been kept simple, which stops the baby doll style from looking too clustered. The bottom hem is finished off with 2 layers of pretty looking lace.

And here is the print close-up. This print is available in ivory, purple, red and black. I think the red and black  colours work the best because they are very deep and rich. The print is very detailed. You can see a lot of thought has gone in to the print by how detailed every single hat is. I love all the hats. Wouldn't it be brilliant if AatP actually made a couple of the hats featured in the print? The print also has interesting ribbons threading through it, which is interesting. There are also needles and pins dotted around the print too. It is very pretty. I am not sure it is my sort of print, but i do appreciate how beautiful it is.

These are the socks from the series. I think they are very pretty! I like the idea of the ribbon trailing down the socks and the pins link to the print theme. At the same time, I think that certain colours of the socks could fit in with classic prints from other series.

So overall, I think this is a very pretty series. I love the baby doll JSK. It is my favourite out of the 2 dresses. I think the tassle trim on the corset dress was just too much for me! I think the black and red colour ways work the best. When thinking of all the prints AatP have released, this series would probably not be that high on my list of priorities. But I still appreciate the well thought-out designs. I definitely wouldn't say no to owning it.