Vampire Prelude by AatP

I am still horribly behind with these discussions! Well, today I will be giving my verdict on Vampire Prelude by Alice and the Pirates. This series includes 2 dresses, a skirt, a blouse, socks, a necklace, a bonnet and a rose hair comb. 

This is the OP. The bodice looks fairly well fitted. I especially like the neckline shape, which is interesting in design. I also like how it is defined by the solid-coloured edge, as it seems to suit the dress. It ties in well with the use of solid colour on other areas of the dress, such as the waist bow edges and sleeves. I like how the sleeves are very rounded and slightly puffy. However, I also think that in some photos it makes the shoulder area look quite wide. The waist bow is a bit on the large side. Despite there not being a lot of other detail on the bodice, I feel the waist bow is a bit too fussy, almost a bit awkward. The rose placed in the middle is a nice idea, but I am unsure it works on this particular bow. I think the bow is too big, and the lace around the edge only emphasises the size. Thankfully, it is detachable. I would have preferred a thin solid coloured belt to match the neckline edge, but without adding too much bulk.

But I do like the charm detail along the neckline. The cross suits the gothic theme of the print really well and the pearls add a bit of interest. It also makes the mainly plain bodice a bit interesting, especially if you choose to detach the waist bow.

The back has a panel of shirring. It is concealed with contrasting ribbon, which does grab the attention, but it does fit in with the edging on other dress areas. I am not a fan of the bustle on this dress. It looks a bit droopy in places. I also think that if you look at the edges of the bustle, it is a very strange shape. It probably could have done with being a bit wider and with the edges being a bit more rounded.

The skirt shape is a very pretty bell. It would suit a more subdued gothic style, but could flare out quite well if you wanted a more puffed out look. The skirt is free from clutter and so the print is displayed quite well. the bottom hem is finished with beautiful rose lace.

This is the JSK. The bodice is really well fitted. It looks very shapely, as if it will cling a fair bit. The straps are very thin and I don't think they are really needed. I think with the shape of the bodice, it would suit a strapless look. The straps just don't add anything to the design. There is braided looking lace running along the neckline and then down either side of a thin ribbon corset. I think it looks really pretty, but I think the waist need something there to hide where the details end. Just something really small to stop the sudden halt where the braid lace ends. The ribbon corset on the front is very narrow. At first, I was unsure about it, but because thin ribbon has been used it doesn't look too bunched together. I have actually grown to like the design now. The neckline is finished off with pretty rose lace, which stops the edge looking too harsh. But I do think the lace used here is a bit different in colour compared to the lace used on the bottom hem (that could just be the lighting). The back has a panel of shirring concealed by a ribbon corset. The ribbon is the same colour as the ribbon on the front, so it does stand out a bit. However, I do think the back on this dress has been done very neatly. I think it looks better than the OP. The skirt is a nice subtle bell shape, but I think it could have been better. It does look as though it would hold a decent amount of petticoat, probably more suited to an A-Line petti. The skirt is again clutter free, so the print is displayed well. The bottom hem is finished off with pretty lace, which looks of good quality.

And here is part of the print close-up. The print comes in ivory, purple, red and black. For me, the stand out colour here is the black because the red roses really 'pop' against the dark background. The ivory colour also works really well with the bright roses, but for me the black colour is my favourite. Although the other 2 colours are also pretty, they don't appeal to me quite as much. As for the print itself, there is nothing about this design that stands out as being new. These are all themes that have appeared in AatP prints before and I can think of a couple of prints that are similar to this one. However, sometimes you just have to go with a style that you know has previously done quite well. To be fair, the design is pretty. As you may have guessed, I adore the roses. They are drawn really well and the colour is so vibrant. The gate design is beautiful. I thought the placement of the windows and tables were a bit strange, as they are floating in the middle of a gate! But they are drawn very well and there is a lot of detail. I especially liked the table and mirror.

As much as I want to like the necklace, a part of me thinks that the charm dangling beneath the main rose looks a bit strange. There is something about it that doesn't look very natural. When I first looked at this series and initially saw the smaller photo, I thought it had a tassle dangling under it! It is pretty, it just doesn't look right to me.

So overall, I do think this series could be a good one, but it is not to my personal tastes. I am a fan of AatP but this doesn't appeal as much. I do think that the black colourway is gorgeous though. I would probably go for the JSK over the OP, but I would try to wear it strapless. I can see fans of AatP's previous vampire prints going mad for this, so I reckon it has the potential to sell well.