First is the OP. The bodice seems well fitted, although the overall bodice shape is a bit simple. I do really like the sleeves though. They are a good length with a decent amount of gathering. They are finished off neatly with lace and some ribbon bows. I am not a fan of the ribbon bows to be honest. I feel they look a little bit messy and perhaps the tails could have been trimmed. The bodice features a really interesting design which I don't think I have seen on a dress before. There is a ribbon corset in the middle, which has a layer of fabric on top which meets in the middle. This fabric is then joined together with a ribbon bow. There is also lace going along the edge, which shows off the unusual shape and design. I was initially unsure about the bodice details, but they have grown on me. I think that if I saw it in person I would probably like it even more. The bodice also features several lines of lace. The lace is of a pretty design and it really helps to keep the bodice details looking neat. There is also 2 ribbon bows at the waist and at the neckline. The waist one is small in comparison to normal waist bows and I think that works in its favour. I also think the choice of ribbon for the bows is very pretty. The neckline is finished off with a line of lace. This lace sits well on the dress and I liked the way it has been gathered at the sides. It makes the lace drape in an interesting way. The back is fully shirred, which means a lot of size flexibility, but also that the shirring has nothing covering it. However, with the style of the print, the shirring does sort of blend in a bit, depending on what colour the dress is. The stock photos show that the skirt is plump with volume and nicely rounded. There is a lot of potential to create a fantastic sweet shape. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed wonderfully. The bottom hem is then finished off with some adorable bow themed lace. I was a bit surprised that AP didn't go for something a bit floral for the lace choice, but I suppose there are bows in the print.
Here we have the JSK. The bodice looks well fitted and although the bodice shape is simple again, I do quite like it. I do wish the straight neckline had a slightly softer shape though. The straps are on okay width and should offer a fair amount of support. What really makes the straps though, is the attached chiffon 'sleeves'. They are so soft and floaty looking! The use of lace on the edges give it a real frothy appearance as well. They have such a lovely texture and shape. Because they look a bit like sleeves, it would almost be tempting to risk going blouse-less as well. The waistline features 2 lacy bows. I think this is a really lovely idea, but when it is paired with the lace on the bodice, it all looks a bit messy. Some thinner, more subtle lines of lace for the bodice would have maybe fixed this. It is a shame, because I think the waist bows are actually a decent size and shape, with a lovely appearance. The only thing I would change is to move them slightly further apart. As already mentioned, the bodice features a couple of lines of lace. This lace looks really cute, but as I said earlier I think a more subtle lace would make the overall bodice look a whole lot better. The line of lace in the middle has a line of pearl buttons running up it. These buttons are well spaced out. It is also nice to see a subtle bit of gold on the buttons, which goes well with the gold accents in the print. There is a line of lace along the neckline and another lacy bow, which uses the same lace as the waist bows. I think the bow is very cute, but I would have liked this one to be a bit smaller. Perhaps the tails could have been cut shorter. The back offers a panel of shirring, which is topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt has lots of volume and flares outwards loads. It should hold plenty of petticoat. The skirt is again kept simple, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem then features the bow lace layered over a tulle ruffle and some ribbon bows. I personally don't think the ribbon bows work here. These ribbon bows were more of a feature on the OP and they look a bit out of place on this JSK, where all other bows are lacy. The lace and chiffon is pretty though.
Finally, we have the print. This series comes in ivory, pink, lavender and black. These colours are very pretty and work well with the print. As for the print itself, it is gorgeous but I am getting a serious case of deja vu here. Despite some parts of the print looking fresh, such as the ribbon veils between the bottles, the rest of the print looks pretty much like every other perfume bottle print that AP have put out. I can see a likeness to Rose Toilette, Glass Bottle of Tears and that Imai Kira collaboration print. The background offers something a little different, but I don't think it is unique looking enough for a lot of people to want to go out and buy this new series. If you look past the lack of originality, the bottles are beautiful with lots of lovely little details to them. I am not a fan of the ribbon veils myself. I think they look a bit strange in appearance and are too big. If you look at the veils and bottles, there are no gaps between them at all. This gives a crowded appearance.
Initially I was very surprised about how slow this series was selling, but the more I look at it, the more I find to be critical about. I love perfume bottle prints, but I already own a few that look similar to this print. So I feel absolutely no need to get this series as well. The only thing that would maybe persuade me to get it would be the chance to own a perfume print in a slightly different colour way. There are some interesting ideas on both dress designs, but I think there are things I would like to change about both dresses. If I had to pick a dress, I would go for the OP in ivory. Overall though, I am disappointed. Also, I would have liked to see some jewellery released for this series (although maybe that will be coming later). Some jewellery for this series may be pretty enough for me to consider parting with at least some money!
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