First is the Bustle Dress. The bodice material looks a bit baggy and not that well fitted. I think the bodice shape is simple, but cute though. The straps look a supportive width. They are lined neatly with thin lace on the insides and a ruffle on the outsides. I think the ruffle is well shaped and gathered, creating a very sweet appearance. The straps also feature criss-crossed ribbon, which is maybe a bit too OTT. There is a ruffle of polka dot tulle going along the waistline. Not only do I think this detail has an odd appearance (it is almost gathered a bit too much) but I also feel it makes the waist area look bulky. It is not very flattering. The bodice features some thin lines of lace, with 3 bows and a fancier bow on the neckline. The lower bows are quite well spaced out, but the neckline bow has long tails which hang awkwardly. This gives the bodice a slightly crowded, messy appearance. It doesn't help that there are an additional pair of bows at the bases of the straps. The ribbon used for the bow is a bit shiny and the shape of the bows is a bit basic. I also don't like how the bodice bows appear to have buttons decorating their middles. The buttons chosen are very plain shirt buttons, which look very cheap. I do like the more intricate neckline bow, or at least I may have done if all of the bow positions had been better planned. It is part shiny ribbon, but also part stripy ribbon. I like the stripy part and the fake daisy decorating the centre. The neckline is decorated with a wide line of tulle, which matches the waistline. Overall, I think the bodice is too crowded and fussy. It doesn't help as well that the lines of ribbon in the print don't line up that great with the bodice bows. The back is fully shirred, which means plenty of stretch, but also that the shirring is exposed. The stock photos show that the skirt is generous in volume and flares out well. I like how the model worn photos show that the skirt can go really big. The skirt is generally kept simple in design, so the print is displayed excellently from the front. As the dress name suggests, there is a bustle, which is on the back of the skirt. This bustle is a good shape and the tiers are well spaced out. It does appear to have a lot of volume to it though, which makes it stick backwards an awful lot. This maybe isn't the dress to go for if you are self-conscious about the size of your bottom half. The bottom hem is finished off neatly with a ruffle of polka dot tulle. At least these details have been pretty consistent throughout.
Here we have the Ribbon Dress. The bodice shape is a bit simple, but it appears very well fitted. The straps look a supportive width, although I personally think they look a little too wide. They are lined very neatly with some ruffles though, which has an interesting looking texture. There is a waist bow, which I think is a suitable size for the dress. The bow has a pretty, well-defined shape to it. It sits well on the dress with no signs of drooping. There is also a strawberry charm dangling from this bow, which looks really adorable. This waist bow is detachable, but I really like the bow and would leave it attached. The waist features a 'belt' lined with ribbon when the bow is detached. I think this detail looks too plain when the bow is detached. The bodice has some lines of lace, which help to break up the bodice and give it a paneled look. There are some ribbon bows on the bodice, which unfortunately look poorly shaped and cheap. I feel they could have looked better if they were smaller. The size emphasizes how poorly the simple bows have been shaped. This dress also features bows at the bases of the straps. I feel this detail works a lot better on this dress, because the bodice is not overloaded with bows. These bows are decorated with fake daisies, which look pretty. Every single bow on the dress is detachable, but the dress looks far too empty and basic with every bow removed. If it was me, I would consider removing the 2 ribbon bows, but I would keep all the other bows. The back is fully shirred again, which means lots of size flexibility, but also that the unattractive shirring is exposed. I think it would have been nice to have at least one dress which is just quarter shirred, with a ribbon corset to help conceal the shirring. The stock photos show that the skirt volume is pretty decent and it flares outwards plenty. I think the skirt shape looks very cute in the model worn photos. 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 cute looking lace.
This is the A-line Dress. Alas, it is a shapeless sack. Even Misako Aoki struggles to make the dress shape look good (sorry Misako). It is frumpy, and there is almost no bodice at all. I also think the sleeves look quite limp and shapeless. Some lace would have been nice for the sleeves as well. They are fully elasticated and there is nothing decorating the sleeves, which is not the cutest of designs. There is a collar with a bow and a modesty panel. The collar shape is quite nice and it is almost sailor-like in appearance. I like the lace decoration on the collar. The double-layered bow looks cute too. Even though the ribbon used is shiny and a bit cheap looking, I think the overall bow design is quite bold. This bow should sit quite well on the wearer, provided they don't have a large chest. There is a sweet cherry charm dangling from this bow as well, which is a wonderful finishing touch. I wouldn't have bothered with the modesty panel though. It seem to me that the neckline wouldn't be too low without the modesty panel there. If it wasn't there, I think the collar could have created a lovely neckline shape. The back offers no shirring, so size flexibility is very limited. It seems this series swings from one extreme to the other with size flexibility. The stock photos show that the skirt seems to have enough volume, but I feel it would be difficult to create a flattering, cute shape with this skirt. At least it should hold a bit of petticoat, so there is room to experiment with the skirt shape. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed wonderfully. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with a line of pretty lace. I thought the lace looked a bit shiny in the stock photos, but I am hoping that is just the way it was photographed.
Finally, here we have one picture of the print...
... and another. I will edit with better pictures if they become available soon. This series comes in custard (ivory), blueberry (navy) and grape (purple). I really love all 3 colours and I think they all offer something a little bit different to each other. The blueberry colour is gorgeous, and I like how the grape offers something a little more unusual. The custard offers a slightly safer option, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. As for the print itself, I think it looks adorable. Considering how many berry prints (especially strawberry prints) get released every single year, it is unusual how the sweet lolita prints rarely feature straw baskets. I really like the baskets in this print. It also offers somewhere for the cute birds to perch. Some of the other birds in the print are sort of standing still and don't look as natural. I like to see my cute birdies frolicking and playing! Considering the print name, it is a bit surprising that strawberries seem to be the main fruit! Although there are a few cherries hiding in the print. I personally think the strawberries look a bit flat. They need a bit more definition. The result is that the berries look really unrealistic. So I think my overall impression is that some parts of the print really work, but other parts need improvement.
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