British Crown by Angelic Pretty

Today I am looking at British Crown by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 2 dresses, a head bow and socks.

First up is the OP. The bodice seems quite well fitted and the shape is adorable, but elegant. I think the sleeves have a great amount of puff to them, which looks cute with the fitted cuffs. The cuffs are kept small and finished off neatly with an emblem themed button and some gold lace. I think this more understated cuff style is a good match for this particular dress. There is a ribbon belt, which helps to define the waist area nicely. It helps to break up the print a bit as well. The ribbon used for the belt looks quite matte as well, which is a bonus. The bodice is generally kept simple, which is good with a busy all-over print like this. There is a collar, which is lined neatly with gold braid and lace. I personally would have preferred a more rounded collar shape, but I think the shape chosen is still pretty decent. The collar is a good size as well. There is a detachable bow on the collar, which looks really cute. I would leave the bow attached, as I think it is a lovely finishing touch. The back offers no shirring, so size flexibility is very limited. If the stock photos are anything to go by, the print lines up neatly along the zipline and the zip itself looks well hidden. The stock photos show that the skirt is generous in volume and flares outwards plenty. It will hold more than enough petticoat. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with a line of crown themed lace- which obviously matches the print theme perfectly!

Here we have the JSK. The bodice looks well fitted, but I am a bit unsure about the bodice shape. I think it may be the folded 'lapels' on the straps which are putting me off? These 'lapels' give off the illusion that the bodice shape is more square and boxy. In the close up the lapel material looked saggy and wrinkled as well, which is not exactly attractive. The buttons and braid on the lapels makes them look too 'over-loaded' as well. It is quite a lot of detail for such a small area. Lapels aside, the straps look a very supportive width. There is a waist bow, which looks an alright size for the dress. The way the bow tails have been folded makes the bow look more interesting and gives it extra depth. I personally think the waist bow looks too fussy though, and that the buttons on top really ruin it. The inclusion of buttons on the bodice feels really forced and OTT. It is a shame the waist bow deson't seem to be detachable. Apart from the lapels, the bodice is generally quite simplistic. There are some lines of lace continuing on down from the lapels to the waistline, which help to break up the empty space. The neckline is finished off with a small bow. I kind of feel this bow looks a bit too cute, if that makes sense. It looks a bit out of place with the more mature looking details. There is a line of gold braid lining the neckline, which keeps things looking neat. The back has a panel of shirring, which is topped neatly with a ribbon corset. I like how the waist ties are lined with gold braid, which is a lovely finishing touch. The stock photos show that the skirt is really full with lots of volume. I love the rounded shape created in the stock photos and think there is a lot of potential there. The skirt is again kept simple in design, so the print is displayed wonderfully. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with the same crown lace.

Finally, this is the print. This series comes in ivory, wine, navy blue and black. These colours are quite typical 'regal print' options. The ivory offers a lighter alternative, which makes a nice change. I was surprised AP didn't offer a green colour as well though. That could have looked amazing. As for the print itself, it looks very 'Innocent World' (or maybe almost Jane Marple like) but this being Angelic Pretty, it is a lot busier. With that in mind, I have to admit that I prefer IW's similar looking Grazia Crown print to this one. But despite that, I still think this is a pretty print. The crowns are beautiful, with lots of pretty and interesting details. My only complaint is that some of the crowns are upside down. In my opinion, this just looks a bit odd. 

So overall, I am quite impressed with the print. Both dress designs look good, although I think it is safe to say that I prefer the OP. The use of buttons on the JSK are not to my personal taste. Would I buy this series? Absolutely, although as I already have Grazia Crown, it is unlikely I will actually be going ahead and trying to get a hold of this series. My top choice would be the OP in either ivory or navy blue. I can't decide which colour I like better! If nothing else, I am hoping to get hold of the socks from this series.