Antique Chocolaterie by Angelic Pretty

Today I am looking at Antique Chocolaterie by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 3 dresses, a skirt, a head bow and tights. Lots of other chocolate themed accessories have also been released in the past few weeks.

First up is the OP. The bodice looks a cute shape, although I noticed there was a bit of loose material hanging underneath the arms, so that is something to watch out for with the fit. The arms seem a good length. I really like the solid coloured shirt-like cuffs, which have been made to look really cute with the extra added details. The gold braid and lace has been used well, and I also think the small bows on the cuffs are the right sort of size. There is a waist bow, which I was very fond of at first, until I saw the way the bow tails were sticking out. The main part of the bow is a cute shape and a decent size, but I think having the tails sticking outwards with their pointy ends like this makes it look a bit awkward. The bow does sit well on the dress though, and it holds its shape quite well. There is a yoke on the bodice, with a large ruff-like collar. After looking at the close-ups, I personally think the gold braid lining the yoke looks a bit messy. When the gold braid meets the corners, AP have tried to do a loop of braid, but I don't think it has been well executed. The yoke itself features some very tidy looking pleats and a line of buttons, with lace on either side. The lace is of a good quality and it lays nice and flatly on the dress. However, I don't really get the point of the buttons being there. We can only see one button properly, before the next one gets obscured by the collar. I am not a fan of the pleated collar either. I think it looks quite bulky and I also wonder if it would possibly be a bit uncomfortable to wear. Perhaps having the yoke and collar like this is a bit overwhelming. I feel that something needs toning down a bit here. I do like the bow on the collar though, as I think it helps to break up the solid colour and it matches the bows on the cuffs too. The back offers so shirring, so size flexibility is very limited. I don't think the collar looks much better from the back either. It reminds me of a lampshade. There is a bustle on the back of the skirt. I think the sides of the bustle are too straight and could have done with being a bit more rounded and softer. I am also not keen on the way the bustle layers have been pleated, giving it a very odd texture and appearance. There are too many tiers to the bustle as well. I wouldn't have bothered putting a bustle here at all. The stock photos show that the skirt is very full with plenty of volume. It flares out well and looks very cute in the stock photos. The front of the skirt is kept simple, so the print is displayed brilliantly. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with a line of very swirly icing themed lace.

Here we have the Pearl JSK. The bodice looks fairly well fitted, but maybe could have been better. The overall bodice shape is simple, but it looks okay. I think the straps are a good width, but I hate the way they point outwards. From personal experience, straps that point outwards have a tendency to fall off the shoulders more, especially when they are topped with heavy details like these straps are. The straps are topped with a line of pearls, which looks pretty, but I feel that it is a bit redundant just having pearls on the straps. They could have quite easily done a line of pearls dangling from the neckline bow, which maybe would have made the pearls look a bit better balanced out in the design. The straps are finished off with thin ribbon bows, which are cute but could have been a bit smaller. There is a belt, which really helps to define the waist. I really love the choice of ribbon used for the belt too. It has golden 'Angelic Pretty's written along it, and the ribbon reminds me of the ribbons you see on chocolate boxes. The bodice has some lines of gold lace and a ribbon corset in the middle. The ribbon has been spaced out quite well and I like that the ribbon has gold eyelets to hold it in place. I wish they had used a slightly less shiny ribbon though. The neckline features a line of gold braid and a line of wide lace. I think it would have been nicer if the lace tapered off gently before it reached the armpits. There is also a bow on the neckline, which has a cute well-defined shape to it. I like that it is lined so neatly with gold lace too, although I do wish it was just a tiny bit smaller in size. The back has a panel of shirring, which is neatly topped with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt is generous in volume and it flares outwards plenty. I think there is a lot of potential to create a really cute sweet shape. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with a line of gold braid and the same pretty lace used on the bottom of the OP.

This is the Switching JSK. The bodice seems well fitted and the shape is simple, but lovely. I would have maybe preferred the neckline to be a bit less straight, but I guess I can understand why it has been done this way, with the ribbon detailing being there. The straps seem to be a suitable width. They have been topped very neatly with a line of lace, which runs down to the waistline. I really like how the lace gives the bodice a very frilly look. The waistline again features a ribbon belt, which nips in the waistline perfectly. Inside the lines of lace, the bodice has a panel of solid coloured material. This has been very neatly pleated, giving the plain material some much needed texture and detail, and the lace and line of buttons has been well set out. The buttons are quite well spaced out, although perhaps the bottom one could have been just slightly higher so it wasn't hiding behind the belt. There is then a line of ribbon along the neckline, finished with a bow, which looks very cute. The back is fully shirred, so there is plenty of size flexibility, but it also means the shirring is exposed. The stock photos show that the skirt is very full and nicely rounded. In fact, it is pretty much identical to the pretty skirt shape on the other JSK. The skirt is once again kept nice and simple, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off nicely with the same pretty lace.

Finally, this is what the print looks like. This series comes in ivory, green, wine and blue. I am not really feeling the ivory colour. Maybe it is because the border print features a lot of white? Something about it just doesn't appeal to me. The green and wine look beautiful. I especially love how the deep red reminds me of cherries and chocolate! The blue looks interesting, but I feel it would be a difficult colour combination to pull off if you were not that experienced with co-ordinating. As for the print itself, something about it just feels a bit lacking. I feel that the space on the plates has not been used to its full potential. The sweets on the plates look a bit flat and lifeless. They also don't look too realistic and mouth-watering. I know Angelic Pretty can be very good at drawing food items, but I don't feel this is up to their usual standard. I like the simple check patterned background, which I think adds just the right amount of detail. I am a bit unsure about the lines of melting chocolate. I feel something is needed to break up the simple check pattern, but perhaps instead of the lines of melting chocolate, AP could have drawn lines of ribbon, like they have done at the very bottom of the print. As you can probably tell, I am very fond of the look of the ribbon, both actual and in the print! I think it might be the way the dripping chocolate looks on the sleeves of the OP that are putting me off. It could have looked nice with just the check.

So overall, the dress designs are generally quite cute but I find the print a bit underwhelming. I am really not liking the collar on the OP, but both of the JSKs are quite sweet. I don't really know how you could improve the print, but I feel it is lacking something. It is missing that special AP touch that usually makes their chocolate series fly off the shelves. So I think it is safe to say I wouldn't be buying this series. If I did, I would choose the Switching JSK in wine. I wasn't even that impressed with some of the chocolate accessories AP have recently put out, although I do have a soft spot for the chocolate pass case. I was tempted to get that pass case, even though I don't own anything chocolatey!