A Print Double

Today I am looking at 2 different prints. Scroll down further for AP's Creamy Cherry.

First up today though, is Psyche ~ The Doctor and the Eternal Sun Shine by Alice and the Pirates. This series includes 3 dresses, a skirt, 2 hair accessories, a travel pouch, socks and a few items of jewelry. 

First up is JSK I. The bodice looks well fitted (in hindsight, I chose a bad picture) but the shape is a bit boring. The straps are an okay width and look reasonably well supportive. I think the width if the straps suits the style of the bodice. The straps are lined very neatly with a line of modest lace on the outsides, which stops them from looking too plain. I do feel this dress design is lacking the 'wow' factor though. There is a ribbon waist bow, which looks a suitable size. I really like the way this bow has been shaped. However, the ribbon used is very shiny which makes it look a bit cheap. This waist bow is detachable and even though the dress looks too plain with it removed, I would unfortunately remove the bow if it was me. The bodice features a chest panel, which is lined with the same lace as the straps. I don't think this panel does anything to make the bodice look more interesting. Overall I think the bodice is really boring. The back has a panel of shirring, which is topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt flares out well and has a decent amount of volume. It is a shame the bodice is so dull, a the skirt shape looks like it could be really nice! 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 pretty looking rose lace. This goes really well with the roses in the print.

Here we have JSK II. The bodice looks quite well fitted. Despite the bodice shape still being very simple, I think it is an improvement on the last JSK. This dress features 2 sets of very thin straps, which look quite flimsy. I think the neck straps look quite restrictive and uncomfortable. These neckline straps seem to be detachable, but that just leaves one set of very thin straps. They have been lined with ribbon though, so that at least makes them a bit more interesting. There is a ribbon belt, which helps to define the waistline nicely. However, once again very shiny ribbon has been used. I am also not fond of the way the bow has been tied in the stock photos. The bodice is kept super plain, with just a thin line of lace going along the neckline. It is like AatP have put no effort whatsoever in to these dress designs. The back is fully shirred, which means the shirring is exposed. The back is very short though and the belt helps to cover it a bit. So the shirring doesn't look super obvious in my opinion. The stock photos show that the skirt has a fair amount of volume. It looks like there is the potential to create a very pleasant shape. The stock is once again kept simple, so the print is displayed excellently. The bottom hem is then finished off with the same dull thin lace. I wonder why they didn't use the rose lace on this dress?

This is the OP. The bodice looks a bit baggy, although that could just be the way the material has been gathered. The shape of the bodice is simple still. It seems that 'simple' is the overall feeling I seem to be getting from this series. The sleeves are elasticated, so they should be very comfortable to wear and they have a suitably puffy appearance. However, I still feel the sleeves could have been a better shape. The sleeves and neckline are finished off neatly with lines of thin lace. I think this lace works quite nicely on the sleeves, but maybe something a bit more eye-catching could have been added to the neckline. There is a 'belt' on the waistline, which doesn't seem to contribute much to the design. It doesn't define the waistline that well. The bow on this belt is kept a reasonable size, but the shape of this bow is so basic. The bodice is pleated, which gives the area a bit of added depth and texture. There is then a row of buttons going up the middle which is neatly lined with lace on either side. This lace sits really nicely on the dress. I do think the buttons chosen are very plain in design though. I think more could have been done here. The back does not have a shirring panel, but with the elasticated parts and gathered material there is a small bit of size flexibility. It wont be that much, but it is better than nothing. The stock photos show that the skirt is very full with plenty of volume. It should hold plenty of petticoat. Once again, the skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed wonderfully. The pretty rose lace then makes a reappearance on the bottom hem. 

Finally, here we can see what the print looks like. This series comes in off-white, beige, navy and black. The colours are quite subdued, but I think they are excellent choices for this sort of print. All 4 colours work really well. As for the print itself, I think it is really neatly set out and I like the individual elements, but when I look at it as a whole I find it underwhelming. I can't even find the words to explain why. I just don't think it is anything spectacular. The books are well drawn and I like the way the roses and other objects are positioned around them. One part of the print I really do like though, is the butterfly background. I am a fan of butterflies in prints though, so I may be a bit biased there. 

I think I would describe this series as "pretty, but nothing to write home about" because the designs are nice enough, but they lack any real oomph. If you are a fan of understated dresses though, then this series probably has a lot of appeal. I personally think that more effort could have been put in to the dress designs without them looking too OTT. The dress designs are almost verging on being lazy. So I think it is safe to say I would not buy this series. My top choice would be the OP in navy. I have to say though, that I was so uninspired by each dress design that there wasn't much separating my favourite dress design when I opted for the OP. I feel so underwhelmed by the whole series.

Today I am also looking at Creamy Cherry by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 2 dresses, a blouse, a cutsew, socks, 3 hair accessories and a few items of jewelry.

First we have the OP. The bodice material looks a bit baggy, but that is a given when you use chiffon anyway. I think the shape of the bodice is really cute. I like the arm length and the use of chiffon gives them a soft, floaty appearance. The cuffs have been finished off modestly with a thin line of pretty lace. I think this is just the right amount of detail needed here. There is a ribbon belt, which defines the waist nicely but also helps to break up the all-over print. I am really impressed that AP have gone for a matte ribbon. The bow on the belt is small and simple, but looks really cute. This belt is removable, but I would definitely leave it on. The bodice is broken up by some thin lines of lace, which helps to break up the empty space. There is then a lacy yoke. The polka dot lace used here is really pretty and of a good quality, but I don't think it sits well on the dress. In some of the photos the lace is sitting awkwardly. It may just be the way it has been gathered. This lacy yoke has a line in the middle which is topped with 3 ribbon bows. These bows are a cute size and shape but I was really disappointed that very shiny ribbon was used, especially seeing as a lovely matte ribbon was used for the belt. There is a collar, which is a cute shape, but I think it is too big. It reaches the shoulders, which I think emphasises how wide the area is. I am a fan of the use of sheer material for the collar though. It makes it look a bit less formal. The back offers no shirring, so size flexibility is very limited. The stock photos show that the skirt has loads of volume and it flares outwards plenty. It should hold plenty of petticoat. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with the most adorable cherry themed lace. I like that the cherries are heart shaped! This is such a perfect lace choice for this series.

Here we have the JSK. The bodice looks well fitted. The bodice shape is quite simple, but I think it looks lovely. I think the neckline could do with being a bit less straight though. The straps are a suitable width and I think they really suit the style of the dress. They are lined neatly with a thin line of lace, which stops the straps from looking too plain but also still fits in with the rest of the design. I like how the strap lace sort of lines up with the lines of lace going down the bodice. There is a ribbon belt, which really helps to define the waistline. Again, the material used looks quite matte, which I approve of. Judging by the size of the bow in the pictures, it looks like the belt has a fair amount of length too, so there should be enough to tie a decent bow. The bodice has a row of alternating button and bows. These are well spaced out. Once again though, a shiny ribbon has been used for these bodice bows! The buttons are also very basic in design, although I think in this instance that actually works in the design's favour. The sides of this line of bows and the neckline are both lined with wide polka dot lace. I like how it has been gathered on the neckline, which makes it look frothy and creates a lot of movement. I think a more understated lace would have sat better for the lines going down the bodice though. There is then a slightly larger ribbon bow on the neckline, which despite being shiny, I think it finishes off the design nicely. The back has a panel of shirring which is topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt has loads of volume and it flares outwards widely. I don't like the petticoat AP have used for the stock photos, but it does demonstrate that it is possible to create a very full shape. I think it has lots of potential. The skirt is again kept simple in design, so the print is displayed really well. The bottom hem is then finished off with the cute cherry lace again.

And this is what the print looks like. This series comes in white, pink, navy and black. All 4 colours work amazingly with the print. I am especially fond of the white and the navy. I think the navy really makes the cherries in the print 'pop'. As for the print itself, it is pretty basic but well thought out. It allows the cherries to stand out and grab all of the attention. The cherries themselves are well drawn. I like the use of shine and shading on the cherries to make them look more 3-Dimensional. They certainly look very inviting! The cherries are well spaced out and positioned. The line of whipped cream is a cute finishing touch which helps to fill out the space at the bottom. I think this goes well with the lacy parts of the dress designs too.

So whilst this is nothing particularly new or original, I am not surprised that this print sold out so quickly. AP know what works with cherry prints and pushing the retro vibe was definitely the right way to go. This print doesn't look too dissimilar to Drained Cherry, but the print is bold enough to keep people interested. Would I buy this series? Yes, I would. I would have really liked to have seen this released as a skirt as well though. My top choice would be the JSK in navy.