My Lolita Dress and Classical Puppets Review- Positive

Thursday's post is being published a day early because I wont be able to post tomorrow!

Today I will be reviewing an order I placed with My Lolita Dress who are a Taobao re-seller shop. Whilst I usually order Taobao items using a shopping service, this time I went with a re-seller because I wanted the item quickly. Whilst ordering through My Lolita Dress did cost me a lot more, they did already have the item I wanted in stock, so the process was a lot quicker and I didn't have to fuss around with shopping service ordering forms and fees. If you are not in a hurry, it is definitely worth learning how to use Taobao and saving yourself a bit of money, but My Lolita Dress is a good alternative if time is an issue.

Ordering process

In my opinion, the web page does look a bit cluttered. However, it was very easy to locate what I was after using the menus at the top. If My Lolita Dress already have an item in stock it should say so somewhere on the product page. This way I knew I was going to get my order quickly. It is worth noting though, that if you are plus-sized you will have to get custom sizing and it is probably better to use a Taobao shopping service instead, as I imagine it will take a similar amount of time. My Lolita Dress are very easy to order from. Their cart system was simple to use.

Communication

My Lolita Dress sent me an auto-mated email as soon as I placed my order. I also received a text message on the day my item was being delivered, so I knew when it was coming. I was quite impressed and reassured by their communication.

Shipping

Because I was in a hurry, I chose the faster shipping service. It was a bit on the expensive side, but it shipped in the time stated on the website. I placed my order on a Tuesday and it arrived the following Monday. So that is 6 days from China to the UK and that includes a weekend. I think that is pretty fast. My Lolita Dress also marked down the value without me asking them, so I shouldn't get hit by customs. If you are not keen on items being marked down though, it might be worth getting in contact with My lolita Dress first. DHL usually send out custom charge letters afterwards. It has been about 1 and a half weeks now and I haven't received a custom charge yet.

I ordered a Classical Puppets petticoat, which arrived in this plastic DHL bag. The plastic was very strong and durable. It was also sealed very well. There was absolutely no spare room in the package. I was very confident that my petticoat was safe inside.

Inside the DHL bag, my petticoat was wrapped in another layer of plastic. However, because Classical Puppets petticoats have a reputation for being super puffy, the petticoat had actually partially broken out of the plastic! It is a good job the DHL packaging was so strong.

And here is the petticoat. I got the Classical Puppets petticoat in the bell shape. It certainly lives up to its reputation of delivering super puff! If anything, it might be a bit too puffy in certain circumstances, but I love the fact that I can wear just this one petticoat instead of layering several less puffy petticoats. The shape was exactly what I was expecting. 

The waist band is fully elasticated. I was expecting the elastic to pinch a lot, but actually it was super comfortable to wear. The elastic didn't dig in to me much at all and I could barely feel it. There is plenty of stretch too.

A quick shot of the lace at the bottom. Obviously I don't intend for my petticoat to be on display at all, but having lace at the bottom is a nice touch anyway.

And the inside has a cotton layer as well, which feels nice against the skin. The petticoat has plenty of layers to it and I can tell it is going to last me a very long time. I am so pleased that I finally own a Classical Puppets petticoat. It has been on my to-do list to get one for ages!

Hopefully by the time I publish this post I will have a worn picture to share (EDIT- See below for worn picture), but if I don't then do Google "classical puppets bell shape petticoat" as I found plenty of photographs people have taken. It was searching those photographs which helped me pick the final petticoat I wanted. For reference, this is the one I ordered- http://www.my-lolita-dress.com/bell-shape-lolita-petticoat

Edit: Here is a worn photo of the petticoat. I felt this photo best showed off the level of puff it created. In fact, I found that the petticoat was almost too big for this Bodyline skirt. The petticoat was almost peeking out from underneath! I love the shape it created though. I now want to go and buy every other Classical Puppets petticoat in their Taobao store!

So I feel the service I got definitely deserves a positive review. Obviously if I had a bit more time I would have gotten Taobao Spree to order one direct from Classical Puppets, but as I didn't have the time, My Lolita Dress was the perfect alternative. Their service is fast and reliable. Yes, the petticoat did cost me a lot more by ordering this way, but that is the price of convenience I guess. As for Classical Puppets, I am very happy with my petticoat. I would strongly recommend their petticoats to a friend. I can't believe I waited so long to get one!

Taobao Order Review January 2014

Today I am finally getting around to reviewing my Taobao order from last month. I put in a small order. I will show the things I can (some items are going towards the Ox Loli Anniversary meet!).

Ordering

I decided to re-use Taobao Spree to place this order, as I had found them reasonably easy to use last time. I seem to recall that last time they had a video on their front page showing how to order, but there didn't appear to be one this time around. Luckily, I found the instructions on their website fairly easy to follow. The only real mistake I made was filling in the wrong form. Their order form has 2 different pages to fill in, depending on whether you want the order insured or not. Luckily I spotted my error and copy and pasted my details on to the other part of the form. I think Taobao Spree could make this a bit easier to spot, but apart from that I was really at ease placing my order.

I ordered from 2 Taobao stores. One of the stores already had the item in stock. I also ordered from Red Maria- http://redmaria.taobao.com/ which had about a 7 day waiting time for them to make their stuff. I think I counted that Red Maria actually took a few days longer. The order was placed on the 3rd of January and it arrived at Taobao Spree around the 19th.

Communication

This time around I was assigned an agent called Cici. Cici was always very quick to reply to me. Despite not working at weekends, she even responded to me on a Sunday at one point, just to put my mind at ease. Whenever there was a new update, Cici would contact me the following day. I think I lucked out a bit too, because some of Taobao Spree's agents went on holiday on the 15th and Cici stayed on a bit later than that.

Shipping

I received my tracking number on the 22nd and was able to track it via Parcelforce straight away. I decided to use EMS because their service is fast and reliable. My package arrived on the 27th.

My order was packed very securely in a box, which was covered in lots of tape. The box was just a tiny bit bashed in one corner when it got to me, but I was not too concerned.

Inside my order was protected with air bubble style packaging. Every part of my order was wrapped in plastic as well. The box was packed very well and the items did not have much room to move about and get bashed.

And now, on to my new stuff!

First up, I ordered both of these rings from Red Maria. The rings were cheap and I thought the design was pretty. I love the rose design. The pearls have been placed on the rings with no obvious glue marks anywhere. The base of the rings is actually lace. The lace is soft and makes for an interesting base to the rings. The rings are on an adjustable ring base. The metal bases used looks a bit cheap. I am just hoping these rings wont stain my fingers green. We will have to wait and see! Overall though, I think the rings were definitely worth the cheap price.

I also ordered this beret from Red Maria. In fact, this was my main reason for placing an order! I really loved the design when I saw the photo and it did not disappoint in person. The colour is quite accurate to the product listing. The beret size is good, although probably not suitable if being used with a very thick wig or hair style that has a lot of volume. When I tried the beret on I found I was able to position the beret well and the detail was positioned nicely.

And here is a close-up of some of that beret detail. The ribbon roses have been made so neatly. The ribbon for the bows is tidy with no fraying edges. The lace underneath is pretty and helps to tie the whole design together. I like the little swan too!

And a view of the back. It is pretty much a standard beret from this view. The material is very soft and feels warm.

I also ordered a feather hair accessory from a bridal Taobao store, but I don't seem to have the link saved any more, so I can't remember the store name.

I ordered this on a whim because it was cheap and I thought it might make an interesting hair accessory. There are a few things I would have done differently. For example, the feathers are a bit too long and therefore they meet and cross in the middle. I might attempt to trim the feathers a bit to see if I can get a better shape. The gem stones look quite cheap and I will probably cover them with something else. But I do like how the metal band is lined with ribbon on the outside so it matches the colour of the feathers. I don't think it would look so good if it was plain metal. As I said, I was taking a gamble ordering it and I only got it because it was cheap, so I didn't lose out too much money-wise. I will definitely try to fix it before giving up on it altogether.

I also got given a free gift! I believe this was in the Red Maria bag, so I assume it was from them. As far as free gifts go, it is okay. It is not really my colour though, so I guess I will be adding it to the prizes for that upcoming Ox Loli meet.

So it looks like I got very lucky with the Taobao Spree agent I was assigned. I would definitely be happy to deal with Cici again. Taobao Spree's service was brilliant and I would recommend their shopping service. The only negative thing I would say is that they could give more warning on their facebook page about when they go on holiday. They announced their holiday after I had placed my order, and before Cici told me she was leaving later, I was worried my order would have to arrive before the 15th. They were not coming back until Feb the 10th, so I could have potentially been waiting a very long time if I had been given a different agent. The Red Maria items were of a decent quality and worth the low prices I paid. I know I will be getting a lot of wear out of that beret. They have some very pretty items in their Taobao store and I recommend going and having a look. I wasn't amazed by the bridal hair accessory but I am just relieved I didn't spend out too much. Overall, I would say this has been quite a positive experience. Hopefully in the future I will gain further confidence when it comes to ordering from Taobao.

Boddywood and Day Dream Carnival Review

I recently placed an order with AP Paris via boddywood.com and I shall be reviewing it today. For those who don't know, Boddywood is the store that AP Paris is based in and you can now buy AP on their website.

Ordering Process

The website is fairly easy to use and set out quite well. You are able to change the language on the website, although I found in some areas the French did not translate. But despite this, I was able to navigate my way around the website with ease. When it came to going to the checkout I couldn't find the United Kingdom on their drop-down list of countries they ship to, but I then clicked on the Pay With Paypal button and it turned out fine. I was emailed a confirmation quickly and I was confident my order had gone through correctly.

Shipping

I placed the order on a Thursday and it arrived the following Tuesday. It would have come on the Monday, but it was a bank holiday weekend. I think this is very fast and i was impressed. The last time I ordered from AP Paris I had trouble with the La Poste tracking, but this time I was able to track it. It showed up fine on the Parcelforce website anyway, if it hadn't been working.

My order was shipped in a cardboard box. It was sealed well but the cardboard was a bit flimsy. Luckily my order wasn't fragile anyway. Although it is good to see Boddywood recycle.

Inside my order was neatly packed inside AP shopping bags and I had a lovely note to greet me when I opened up the box!

And here is my wonderful new dress. I love it! The size the AP listed the dress at seems fairly accurate. The material feels very light and when I tried the dress on it didn't feel heavy at all. 

My pictures do not do the print justice. It is beautiful in person. The print is crisp with clear lines. The colours are exactly how I expected them to be.

Cute pony lace!

The straps are a bit fiddly at first but you soon get used to them. I admit I did want the other style of JSK, but that had long sold out... I did worry the tulle straps would be a bit flimsy and I would not recommend attempting to stretch this dress beyond the maximum measurements.

The tulle belt is easily adjustable. I love the star buttons too.

Although I preferred the other style of JSK, I admit that I do like the patch on this one. I love the dangling star chain.

And here is a back view. The bow on the back is not linked to the belt at all and it sits very beautifully on the dress when worn.

The dress is lined by both a soft layer and then a stiffer layer, which helps to give the dress shape. In fact, I have discovered that you don't need much petticoat with this dress because it already has a bit of shape to it. The soft layer feels really lovely against my skin.

I also got the matching head bow. It is bigger than I was expecting it to be. The shape is also a bit different, but it is growing on me. I love how it is lined with gold and has the 2 lines of pearls. It compliments the dress perfectly.

So overall, this was a very positive experience. The one thing I would say is that ordering from AP Paris may not always work out the cheapest, but if you live in Europe you wont get hit by customs, which is something to consider. Also, whilst the other AP sites sold out of DDC stupidly quickly, I was able to order DDC from Boddywood without feeling rushed. Boddywood's service lived up to my expectations and I would recommend them highly.

Cambridge Satchel Company Review- Positive!

Today I will be reviewing my first ever order from the Cambridge Satchel Company. I have been fangirling over their satchels a lot lately and when I saw the new Chelsea Collection I knew I had to get one. Their website is here- https://www.cambridgesatchel.com/

Ordering Process

I found their website very easy to browse. They have a very useful help section which helps you pick out what size you need (most of their satchels come in at least 2 sizes) and general advice. I was able to order my satchel with ease and was very confident that I knew what to expect from my satchel. They also offer embossing, but I chose not to do this. I ordered my satchel on the 8th of May and got a confirmation email. Surprisingly, I got an email with a tracking number just 2 days later. They give guidelines on how long you should expect your bag to take and 2 days is significantly less time than I was expecting. My guess is that they had already made up a satchel for their store or something and sent me that. My satchel arrived on the 13th- just 5 days after I ordered it. Not bad considering these satchels are handmade!

Shipping

Their satchels are sent out using FedEX and luckily, Cambridge Satchel were doing a free shipping offer when I ordered. Normally it costs £5.99 in the UK. That may seem a lot, but it is shipped securely in a box and I find FedEX offer an excellent service.

The box was very secure and taped up well. The box size was a good match for the satchel so the insides did not really have any space to move about and get bashed during shipping.

Inside the box, the satchel is placed inside a tote bag for a bit of extra protection. There was also a bit of plastic to help pad the box a bit. My satchel arrived to me in perfect condition with no signs of damage. I also got a voucher for my next order!

And here is my satchel! I got the Chelsea Collection satchel in Lavender. The materials used are of good quality. It is made of real leather. The tags include care instructions, which is useful.

The stitching has been done so neatly. The design is sharp and crisp. I can tell that a lot of love and hard work has gone in to making this bag. This is exactly what I was expecting Cambridge satchels to be like.

I ordered a 13 inch bag. It is not a massive bag but it will hold my essentials. It looks tiny in this photo, but I promise the space is there! I used the website's measurement guide to work out how big the bag would be before ordering and I was satisfied. If I could change one thing about the entire bag though, I would want a slightly bigger depth.

And finally, a picture of the bag with the handle out. I absolutely love the colour. The website warns that the bag colour may be slightly different in person, but this is exactly the colour I was expecting it to be. I am very impressed.

So overall, I think it was well worth me ordering this satchel. The ordering process is easy and informative. The satchel I got was exactly what I was expecting and I really love it. I can't wait to use it! I would highly recommend Cambridge Satchel to anybody who is looking to buy a satchel.

Bodyline Order April 2013 Review

It feels like forever since I last reviewed some Bodyline! I wont take you through the whole ordering process, as I have discussed that all before. The only difference this time is I used the trick of converting the prices to yen, which saved me about £15. There was no way I was paying over £100 when I could get it for 80 something pounds instead!

I placed my order on the 1st of April and it arrived exactly 2 weeks later. I used EMS, as I know people have been having issues with the AIR shipping and I really did not want to risk things. The speed of delivery seemed a bit sluggish compared to usual and it didn't help that customs were being slow as well. 

My items were packaged in a plastic shipping bag. There were a few small tears in the plastic, which meant that water could have gotten in if it was exposed to rain. I also think it could have been taped up a bit better just to make it a bit more secure.

My regular readers will know that I have placed many shoe orders with Bodyline in the past and never got one of their elusive shoe boxes...

Well, I finally got one! They do exist! I was really pleased to see my shoes packaged properly and not just carelessly chucked inside the bag with only tissue paper for protection.

Inside the box, the shoes were wrapped in tissue paper and the toes were stuffed too. There was even a bit of card inserted so the shoes moved around less in the box. I was very happy with this.

First up, I ordered shoes 274 in navy. I was a bit nervous about ordering these because I wasn't sure if Bodyline would get the colour right. But they are indeed navy blue. They do have a bit of a greenish tinge in certain lights though. I ordered my usual size and the fit is good. I wore them around the house for a bit and they were fairly easy to walk in. They didn't feel uncomfortable. The soles are quite firm and hopefully will last for a decent amount of time. The shoe design is quite simple, but the bows are very cute. I think they would suit a more classic outfit.

I then got bolero L062 in off-white. I already own this bolero in pink and black, so I knew exactly what to expect. I am comfortable in it and it fits neatly over my dresses. The way it is done up means that the size is a bit adjustable as well. I love the ruffled edges, giving it a prettier finish. The material is soft and feels nice. I have never been that keen on the lace though, but on the off-white version it blends in a bit anyway, so I am not too worried about removing it.

However, after getting some stained socks for Christmas from Bodyline, I was a bit anxious about whether there were be stains on these items too. I did find a mark on the off-white bolero (circled in the picture). Although this mark was tiny, it was very stubborn to get out. In the end, I ended up making a very tiny hole in the bolero where I tried desperately to get it out and was scrubbing so hard. Nothing would budge it. So I am a bit annoyed about it as although it is advisable to wash items before wearing them anyway, I don't expect to find stains like this on my new items. The other bolero I ordered below also had some faint black stains on one arm but thankfully, those came out straight away.

I also ordered bolero L237 in sax blue. The fit of the bolero is good and I think the measurements given are reasonable. The colour is very vibrant and the stock photos are very accurate. The bolero has neck ties and 4 bows on the arms. The material used here is very shiny, but the neck ties are detachable anyway, so I may not use them. 

The quality is exactly what I was expecting. The material and lace feels soft and there are no loose threads anywhere. The ruffles are neat too. This bolero is quite heavily detailed, but I like the design and think it has been executed well. The only thing I would criticise is the arm is a bit small on the line where the 2 bows are near the top. It may not be a good option if you have larger top arms.

I brought wrist cuffs ACC1031 on a whim in off-white. The quality is good for the price they are and definitely match up to similarly priced cuffs. They are a bit on the big side though and I think one line of the lace would have been enough. They do flare out quite widely. The pearls are a cute finishing touch. I would consider getting more cuffs from Bodyline if they extend their colour range in the future, as they are cheap.

So overall, whilst I think this is a positive experience, I think there are a few little wobbles. The packaging could have been done more securely and I think it is dreadful that my off-white bolero had that nasty stain on it. Also, Bodyline's prices are not as competitive as they used to be and popular Taobao stores may be a better option. But overall, the items I ordered were what I was expecting quality-wise. I will still be ordering from Bodyline but maybe not as frequently as I have previously.

We Love Colors Tights Review

Today I will be reviewing my order from We Love Colors, an American tights company who make tights in a wide variety of colours. The prices seem relatively good considering that sometimes it is hard to find tights in a certain colour.

Ordering Process

The site was very easy to browse and the shopping cart was straight forward. There is a colour guide conveniently placed in the left hand menu. It can be hard to get an accurate colour guide when online shopping, but I found WLC's one to be reasonably accurate. I had no troubles placing my order at all.

Shipping

For international orders WLC offers 3 different shipping options. I opted for the mid priced option which was the cheaper of the 2 FedEx options available. This option did not come with tracking (I am not sure if the most expensive option does or not?) but I have not had problems with FedEx before, so I wasn't too worried. It was a bit annoying not knowing when my order was arriving though! I placed my order on the 1st of April and it was shipped out on the 2nd. The tights arrived on Friday the 5th, so the shipping was super speedy.

My tights were shipped in a sturdy cardboard FedEx envelope. It was well sealed and it was so well done that I actually had trouble opening it. There wasn't much room for the contents to move inside either. The only thing is, the tights inside did not come with any packaging like shrink wrap or plastic covering them.

Something that annoyed me a little was the bits of card around the tights were super sticky and I was scared I was going to damage the tights when I pulled them off. Thankfully, the tights are strong and they were totally fine. From left to right I got lilac, aqua and light pink. Like I said above, the colour guide is quite accurate, although I was hoping the lilac ones would be a tiny bit lighter. The tight quality is really good though. The material is nice and thick and I get the impression they don't ladder easily.

When worn the colour does not fade that much and they remain opaque. The sizing given on the website seems pretty accurate as well.

Just as a little reference, the aqua tights are an okay match for sax blue. I had a hard time choosing between this shade and another blue shade that is very similar. In the end, I went for Aqua as I felt it was a tiny bit lighter. I decided to compare it to my Bodyline strawberry cream skirt and the colour is identical to the tulle bit at the bottom of the skirt and also a fairly good match for the sax blue on the rest of the skirt. So I am very pleased with how these tights turned out!

So overall, I had a very positive experience. I think the tights will last very well and the colours are great. I have not had the chance to wash them yet, so I will have to wait and see how that goes. But I think as long as I follow the care instructions, they will be fine. The shipping and ordering was easy too. So I would recommend We Love Colors.

DreamV Rakuten Review

Today I am reviewing my very first DreamV (a.k.a Yumetenbo) order, which I placed through their global Rakuten page.

Ordering Process

Luckily for me, DreamV ship to the UK so I didn't have to fiddle about with shopping services and could order directly from them. Rakuten is pretty straight forward to order from and I found it easy to use. One thing I should mention though is that DreamV uses pictures for their size chart and so Google Translate wont work on them. 

I actually followed the guide on this link- http://ciramisu.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/yumetenbo-shopping-guide.html This blog's shopping guide was incredibly helpful and also accurate. I was able to use this blog post to translate the sizing chart and worked out what sizes I needed. The blog link is also helpful for keeping track of what emails you should expect to receive from Rakuten and DreamV. The timings written on the blog post are very accurate.

One of the things I would also mention is that sometimes DreamV wont let you order certain items outside of a particular sales time. I had to delay my order a few days because the blouse I got as part of this order was outside its sale period. During the sales period the price went down, which is a bonus. It kind of amused me that they refused to take my money when I was going to pay the full price!

Shipping

The order arrived very quickly. The estimated arrival date in an email I got was just one day out and I got it the day after (although this arrival date would have been spot on if I didn't get hit by customs).

My 3 tops were shipped in a very large box which was sealed very carefully with strong tape. The edges were secure and covered well. I do think the box was ridiculously big for just 3 tops and there was a lot of room inside for the contents to move about. Luckily my items were not fragile but I do think it is a bit of a waste to use such a big box. All my items were individually wrapped in plastic. It was all done very neatly.

And now on to my new items! I wanted some basic pink tops and also this pink blouse which I fell in love with.

This is the first top I got which is a basic pink cutsew with a chiffon ribon detail on the back. The material is a bit on the thin side, but looking at the item listing, it does actually point this out. It does mean that you can only wear pale or nude underwear with it though and sometimes you can see the outline of your bra when you are wearing it. The colour is a soft baby pink which is very nice. I have already worn and washed this top and the colour has not faded at all. The design is very basic, but this top was very cheap.

The back has a chiffon bow detail. It is a bit messy looking and you can tell it has been done quickly. The chiffon is soft and you can't feel it when you wear the top. The bow does look a bit better when worn, but it is still a tiny bit wonky. Again, I do feel I got what I paid for.

The ruffle at the bottom is quite basic too but has been done quite neatly.

The second top is a 2-way top that you can wear on or off your shoulders and has a detachable charm detail on the back. I had to order a size bigger for this top because my size was out of stock, but it still fits me quite well and thankfully it is not too baggy. The only real difference I found was with the length and I found I could almost wear this as a dress! My main criticism of this top is the colour. I ordered this top in baby pink as well and I did receive the correct colour. However, this time the colour is more of a peachy orange colour. It is very different when you put it next to my other cutsew above. The fabric seems a tiny bit thicker on this top, which is a bonus. Again, the design is kept basic and this is reflected in the low price.

The back has this detachable charm which you attach to 2 loops on the top. I think this is quite a cute detail, although I kind of wonder how many people would notice this on the back of my neck! I have not had the chance to wear this top out yet so I don't know how secure the charm is, but the necklace style clips do like quite secure.

The top has elastic in it so you can wear it both on the shoulder and off the shoulder. The elastic is quite generous, but when I tried to wear this top off the shoulders I found the sleeves were very slowly creeping back up again. If I was wearing this top for a long period of time I think I wouldn't want to wear it off the shoulders because I would get fed up having to keep pulling the sleeves back down again.

Finally, I got myself yet another chiffon blouse! My chiffon obsession is getting a little unhealthy now... Out of the 3 tops this one is my absolute favourite. The material is so soft and floaty and the lining feels nice against my skin. You can barely feel the weight of the top when you wear it. The soft pink colour is also perfect.

The neck has neck ties which you can't detach but I do like them. The lace and buttons are good for the cheap price. There are no loose threads or anything else that I would normally expect with such a cheap top. Out of all the tops I think this one was also the best value for money. The blouse is very similar to other chiffon blouses I own and was cheaper.

The edges are kept simple with slight ruffles. It is a basic design but has been executed well.

Overall, I am very impressed with DreamV's service. They were quick and although everything was in Japanese, Google Translate and the blog post I linked above made it very simple to order. The items are basic and not always the very best quality, but at such low prices you do get good value for money. DreamV are good for boosting the basics in your wardrobe. If you get hit by your country's customs then it may not work out as cheap, but I still think DreamV is a good option. I would definitely order from DreamV again.