Kitty Kitty Rhapsody by BABY

Today I will be taking a look at a new series by Baby (hopefully I will catch up with the print discussions soon). This series is called Kitty Kitty Rhapsody. The series includes 2 dresses, an apron style skirt, a blouse, a head bow, cat ears, a hair scrunchie and socks.

This is the Paris JSK. The bodice is a nice shape. There appears to be some loose baggy material, but I do like how the waist appears very nipped in. I dislike the raised panel on the bodice because I think the shape doesn't look that nice. However, the lace around the edge of the panel is cute and I think the bow is really needed here to stop the panel looking too dull. The bow here is a nice size. It is also a cute shape. There is also the waist bow and belt, both in leopard print. I know the print is cat themed, but I was surprised to see Baby using leopard print. This is normally Metamorphose territory! The waist bow is a good size, not too big or too small. I like the shape of the waist bow too. However, I do dislike the use of leopard print on the straps. The straps are a bit wide and whilst I think it is important to keep the leopard print balanced, for some reason the straps stand out more than the other areas that use this print. I think it could be because the other leopard print parts of the dress are either gathered or ruffled and the straps are flat, and so they stick out. Perhaps Baby could have used the main print material for the straps and then added a leopard print ruffle on the top? I also think the dress would look better if the 2 bows were switched, so the waist bow had the normal print on it and the smaller bow on the panel was leopard print. That is just my personal preference  though! The back has a panel of shirring, which is concealed very neatly by a ribbon corset. The skirt has a very beautiful bell shape to it, and the cinched in waist definitely helps to emphasise the skirt shape. The skirt also appears to have a decent amount of volume to it and will hold a lot of petticoat underneath. The skirt is kept simple, so the print is displayed well. The bottom hem is finished off with a leopard print ruffle. I don't think I am convinced by the use of leopard print on this particular dress...

For those of you who are unsure on the leopard print, here is the Dyna JSK. It has that more recognisable Baby style to it. The bodice is a pretty shape. It is a shame the waist here doesn't looked as fitted as the other JSK, but I don't think it looks bad. I dislike the waist bow because it is a bit big and is so rounded it starts to look a bit bulky. The neckline detail on the other hand, I really like. The bow which trails the whole way across the dress is really pretty. The folds give it extra movement, making it look floaty and giving extra depth. There is a simple line of pearls hanging from the central part of the bow, which is a cute elegant touch. The lace along this bow is good quality, and is also kept thin so it doesn't look too bulky. However, I do feel that the use of the neck detail and the waist bow is too much when used together. I would chose to lose the waist bow. The straps are a nice width and decorated with soft looking lace, making the edges look more interesting. The back has a panel of shirring concealed very well by a ribbon corset. The skirt has a pretty bell shape, although I think the skirt shape on the other JSK looks better. But despite this, I think you could put a decent amount of petticoat underneath and it will create a lovely shape. The skirt on this dress is again kept plain, so the print is displayed well. Whilst the lace on the bottom hem looks very neat and tidy, I feel it is a little too wide.

And here is part of the print close-up! This print comes in ivory, pink, mint, brown and black. I don't know which colour is my favourite, as they do look a bit similar. I am a bit unsure about the brown colourway though. I think that the ivory, pink and mint colours look the prettiest. As for the print itself, it is adorable. At first I thought the square part was meant to be like film reel! The cats in the print are very cute, although at times they look a bit strange and unlike any cat I have ever seen! The cats are all playing affectionately and it will make cat lovers everywhere go "Aww!". The print is very playful and fun. However, my favourite cat has got to be the one playing with the ball of yarn (you can see it in the picture provided, near the top). It is so cute! It was also a nice idea to use yarn to spell out the brand name as it fits the cat theme nicely.

I was a little surprised by the blouse. It is the sort of blouse that would probably only match items from the same series, which is a little disappointing. I normally really like Baby's blouses, but with this one, I know it would sit in the back of my wardrobe and I would never wear it. Although it is interesting to see Baby using leopard print, I think the blouse would be really cute without the use of leopard print.

And here are the cat ears. I am sure most of you are already aware of the reputation cat ears have in lolita. They are generally considered a bit 'ita' and I know there are lolitas out there who recoil in horror when they see them used in an outfit. So when Baby released the photos for this item, a few eyebrows were raised but at the same time, some people admitted they really wanted them. Whilst I am not a cat ear wearer, I don't think these ears are that offensive. They have been done in a very cute way and I am pleased to see they have not fallen in to the trap of adding bells and other stereotypical cat things. However, I still wouldn't wear these!

I am actually a bit underwhelmed by this series. I do like the print, but I am not in love with it. It doesn't strike me as something I would be desperate to own. I also think that there have been other Baby and Alice and the Pirates prints which have been a bit more desirable. In my opinion, the dress designs are not that exciting. The Dyna JSK gets my vote though. I have nothing against leopard print, but I am unsure with the way is has been used. I don't think this is going to be a huge hit, but I do know some cat fans out there, so maybe they will buy it!