Magic Princess by Angelic Pretty and a Quick Valentine Thank you

I just wanted to say a quick thank you to Shalisa for the lovely Valentine she made for Sammi and me this week. I am so lucky to have 2 fantastic friends who are always there for me. I always look forward to talking to you both and meeting up! Post is here.

Today I am having a look at Magic Princess by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 3 dresses, a head bow, socks, a bag, gloves and wrist cuffs.

First up today is the Round JSK. The bodice looks well fitted and I think the shape is really pretty. I don't think the scoop neckline is going to suit everybody though. The straps seem to be a reasonable width and they suit the style of bodice. I really love the use of lace along the straps and the neckline. The lace is of a good quality and has a pretty design. It has been layered well and it gives the neckline a soft, frothy appearance. The line of gold braid on the inside of the neckline helps to balance out the use of gold in the print and elsewhere in the dress design. The bodice features a double ribbon corset design. The ribbon corsets are well positioned and a good size. I like that the ribbon doesn't look too bunched together too. Also, the ribbon doesn't look that shiny and the lace holding the ribbon in place looks secure, so it doesn't look at all flimsy. There are 3 gold star buttons running up the centre of the bodice, which helps to break up the plain area in the centre without being too distracting. The design of the buttons is cute too! There is a bow on the neckline which has a really cute shape. I personally would have liked the bow to have been just slightly smaller, but I think the size of the bow is pretty reasonable. The back has a panel of shirring, which has been topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt has a great amount of volume to it and it flares outwards plenty. There is more than enough room for petticoat and the potential to create a really cute shape. I love how rounded the skirt is. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed excellently. The bottom hem is then finished off with a simple tulle ruffle. Although I don't think the tulle looks bad, I think lace would have worked better here. If AP had done a double layer of lace or something, it could have matched the neckline really well.

Next up we have the Napoleon JSK. The bodice looks well fitted, although there is something about the bodice shape which looks a bit 'off' to me. I think it may be the shape of the neckline with that style of straps and the way the straps have been attached to the dress. Something about that area just doesn't look quite right. The straps also look a bit thin and I don't think they suit the style of the dress. Although the tulle parts on the shoulder are a nice idea, I don't think the way the tulle has been shaped quite works. Maybe it would have worked better if there were more layers of tulle as well. As it is, it just looks a random shape of tulle has been thrown on the shoulders with little thought put in to it. Also, I feel the soft, floaty feel of the shoulder tulle is at odds with the military theme on the main part of the bodice. I can see what AP were aiming for, but they don't quite pull it off in my opinion. There is a large waist bow, which I really love the shape of. It has sharp, defined edges and it sits on the dress really well. The star charms on the waist bow are a nice added touch too. The bodice features 3 pairs of buttons with a chain between them to give the bodice a military look. The buttons are well spaced out and have a nice design to them. I am not sure I like the lines of gold lace though, as the way it has been shaped, it sort of looks a bit coffin-like! It just doesn't appeal to me and I think the gold lace could have been done a lot better. There is a bow on the neckline, which I feel could have been smaller, but the shape is really cute. It looks very perky and sits well on the dress. The back of the dress is fully shirred, which means plenty of size flexibility, but it isn't that attractive to look at. The stock photos show the skirt is very voluminous with and it flares outwards generously. There is lots of potential to create a great shape. The skirt is again kept simple, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with a thin line of gold lace and a simple tulle ruffle. If nothing else, at least the tulle matches up with the shoulder parts.

Here we have the OP. The bodice seems to be well fitted and the shape is quite interesting. I really love the chiffon sleeves and it seems they have a generous amount of length to them. The cuffs have been gathered so well and have a beautiful shape to them. It is interesting how the dress has been given a set of "straps" and if it wasn't for the open part between the "straps" it would really look as though this is a JSK with a blouse underneath, rather than an OP. The choker material is soft and floaty. However, I am not too keen on the pearl chain dangling from it, as it looks a bit too OTT. Also, with that extra weight, it is going to pull the choker downwards so it doesn't sit on the neck properly. The bodice features a ribbon corset in the centre. The ribbon is well spaced out and it only has a slight sheen to it. It's a really good choice of ribbon throughout the whole of the series. I am a bit unsure about the lace used to line the edges of the ribbon corset though. It looks a little bit messy and maybe some thinner lace would have given the bodice a smarter look here. The bodice also features some thin lines of gold lace, although they don't really stand out that much and they don't add a lot to the design. I guess it is more to fill the empty areas without looking too OTT. I am not a fan of the large bow on the chest area. The shape is cute and I like the way it has been lined with thin gold lace, but I think it makes the bodice look a bit overloaded. It also sticks out a fair bit. The back offers no shirring, so size flexibility is very limited. The back does look really neatly set out though and you can barely see the zip because it is so well hidden. Judging by the stock photos, the skirt looks quite full with plenty of room for petticoat. It flares out well and has a nice full bell shape to it. The skirt is once again kept simple, so the print is displayed excellently. The bottom hem is then finished off with a line of beautiful crown themed lace. I am surprised that this crown lace didn't make more of an appearance throughout this series.

Finally, we can see the print close up. This series comes in yellow, pink, sax blue and lavender. These are all quite standard colour choices for a dreamy, sweet AP print. I personally am not a fan of the yellow version though, as I feel the yellow colour doesn't work as well with the gold tones in the print. It seems yellow is the most popular colour though, so everybody else is clearly seeing something I am not! As for the print itself, it is very Disney looking and far too princessy for my own taste. The castles are drawn well, but I don't think there is anything that special about them. My favourite part of the print is the keys. They all have such interesting and intricate designs to them. I could definitely see a magical girl using one of these keys! The background with the dangling chains and stars is also pretty, however I think the chandeliers are a step too far. The chandeliers are really not necessary. I also like the use of stars at the bottom and the way it makes the bottom of the castles look as if they are fading away- like magic! Overall though, I am not overly amazed by this print.

So overall, the dress designs are nice enough and the print is okay, but I can understand why this print hasn't really been a big hit. There is just something about the print which lacks the 'wow' factor that usually sparks off the bloodbath when Angelic Pretty releases stuff. It is a shame, because this series could have been good with just a few small tweaks. I think part of the problem is AP have released this series at the wrong time of year and there are similar prints, such as Castle Mirage, which have recently seen re-releases. I think it is safe to say I wouldn't buy this series. If I did get it, my top choice would be the Round JSK in lavender because I love seeing lavender and gold together. 

Wonder Gallery by Angelic Pretty

I would like to say a quick thank you for valentines 10 and 36! http://loli-valentines.livejournal.com/207575.html

Today I shall be taking a look at Wonder Gallery by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 3 dresses, an apron skirt, 2 hair accessories, a bag and tights.

First up is the Dress OP. The bodice seems well fitted and the shape is pretty. It could have looked a bit frumpy, but I think this dress just about gets away with it. I like the length of the sleeves and the bell part of the sleeve has a good amount of flare to it, without pushing it too far. The lace used for the bell sleeves is pretty and of a good quality. It has been layered really well. I also like that all the colour ways (except the black) use ivory lace instead of stark white. There is a large waist bow. The bow has a great shape to it and it is lined perfectly with gold lace. It is well formed and sits well on the dress. However, with all the other details on the dress I am a little unsure the waist bow is really needed. The bodice features a ribbon corset. The ribbon is well spaced out and only has a slight sheen to it. I like that the edges of the ribbon are lined with lace, as it keeps it looking neat. However, I don't like that the ribbon is held in place by the lace, as this kind of detail can be a bit fragile and get damaged if proper care isn't taken. The bodice also features lines of gold braid and lace, which helps to break up the remaining empty space. I like the gold braid, but I think the lace is a bit too wide and sticks out at an odd angle. The top of the bodice is a lace yoke. The lace looks to be of a reasonable quality and all the lines of lace surrounding the yoke are done neatly. I do wonder if the lace collar is maybe going to feel a bit itchy, but I love how it has been gathered. I am a bit unsure of the band of printed fabric on the collar. I think the bow topping this line of fabric is far too shiny and the shape looks too cutesy. But even though this bow is detachable, I don't really like how this strip of colour looks without the bow attached! The back offers no shirring, so size flexibility is a bit limited. The zip line is very well concealed though, and the print lines up against the zip line easily. The lines of gold braid and lace that appear on the front of the bodice are repeated on the back of the bodice too, which is good continuity. The stock photos show that the skirt has loads of volume. You could put a load of petticoat underneath this dress and create a really OTT shape if you desired. It flares outwards generously as well. The skirt design is kept quite clutter free, so the print is displayed excellently. The only detail here is the line of lace and ribbon bows, but it sits well at the top of the print and is not too distracting. The bottom hem is then finished off with a line of really cute tea cup shaped lace, with a ruffle of chiffon neatly layered underneath. I like how the chiffon underneath really makes the lace stand out.

Next today is the OP. The bodice seems quite well fitted and the shape is lovely. I especially love the neckline, and the layers of lace along the neckline compliment it so well. The sleeves are a cute length and I feel they have just the right amount of volume and puff to them for this length. The sleeves are finished off very neatly with some very pretty lace. I feel the lace really livens the sleeves up. The sleeves are then topped off with some shiny bows, but they don't really stand out that much and I feel this is a very minor complaint. There is a waist bow, which I feel is a bit too large. The shape is beautiful though, and it is well formed. It sits well on the dress. I like the gold lace lining the edges of the bow, but the gold braid decorating the bow is a bit too much. I also think it could have been nice if the waist bow was detachable, so there was at least the option to detach it. The bodice is broken up by some thin lines of gold lace, which gives the bodice a lovely paneled appearance. What I really love about the bodice though, is the swirls of gold braid and the small gold beads. This detail has been so neatly and it gives the bodice a really luxurious look. It adds a touch of class without looking overdone. The lace on the neckline is topped with a thin ribbon bow. I like that the ribbon has been kept thin and doesn't look too bulky. However, the ribbon is once again a bit shiny. The charm dangling from the bow is cute though. The back has no shirring, so again the sizing is a bit limited. The zip line is well concealed  and the thin lines of gold lace makes the back look a bit less plain. The stock photos show that the skirt has lots of volume and it flares outwards well. I love the rounded shape. The skirt is simple in design and so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off in the same neat way as the other OP.

Here we have the JSK. The bodice looks quite well fitted and the shape is very interesting. The neckline is especially pretty with an unusual shape. The straps are a suitable width and look quite supportive. I was a little unsure I liked the way the straps attached to the dress at first, but the design has grown on me. The straps are lined with lace on the outsides which has been gathered really well and creates a very fluffy shape. I feel the choice of lace used here looks a bit dull though. In my opinion the waist bow looks too big and bulky. The shape is lovely, but it stands out too much. I also feel the gold braid on the waist bow is too OTT. Judging by the dress listing, it doesn't seem like this waist bow is detachable, which is a shame. The bodice details are very similar to the details on the OP. The swirls of gold braid are done very neatly and I think it looks quite striking teamed with the shape of the neckline. The neckline is then finished off with a thin ruffle, which softens the neckline but not so much that you lose the shape of the neckline. The back of the dress has a panel of shirring, which has been topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show the skirt seems to have plenty of volume and will hold lots of petticoat. The shape of the skirt compliments the bodice as well. The skirt is once again kept free of clutter and the print is displayed clearly. The bottom hem is then finished off with a very thin line of lace and a chiffon ruffle underneath. The lace keeps things tidy and the ruffle gives it a soft finish.

And finally, here we can see little bits of the print close ups. This series comes in pink, sax blue, wine and black. The pink and sax blue are lovely and are perfect choices for an Alice themed print. I want to like the wine version, but the beige tones on the wine version look a bit too dull and they need to be a bit more vibrant. I feel a bit indifferent towards the black version. It looks okay, but it wouldn't be my top choice. As for the print itself, I like the different bits of the print, but I feel that when they are put together it is a bit overwhelming. The lampshades are drawn well and I like how each shade has a different pattern on it, but I really dislike them paired with the frames. I feel that the lampshades need to be a lot smaller in size. The frames however, are well drawn and I like the detail with all the swirls on the frames. The crowns on top of some of the frames and the decorations floating around the frames are pretty too. I like the pictures inside the frames and I feel they represent the common themes associated with Alice in Wonderland without overdoing it. The background has a very busy pattern to it, but the muted colours stop it being too dominating. I can't quite decide if I like the stripes at the bottom of the print or not.

So overall, I think this series is interesting but I am not amazed by it. I feel there is too much going on in the print. The dress designs are quite interesting though and I like that there are dressier and simpler options. Would I buy this series? Probably not. I think I would pick the JSK in sax blue if I had to pick something. I am more interested by the perfume bottle shaped bag released with this series to be honest!

Brand Print Double

I would just like to say a quick thank you for the birthday valentines I got this weekend. It was weird seeing my face pop up on the Facebook preview! I am in number 1 and 21- Valentines It was also great to see so many other lolitas with birthdays this week get valentines too!

Today I am taking a look at 2 recent brand prints. First up today is Classic Fairy Tales by Angelic Pretty, but scroll further down to see my views on the recent Alice and the Pirates release.

So first up is Classic Fairy Tales by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 2 dresses, a skirt, a head bow, socks and a cape.

This is the OP. The bodice looks well fitted and the shape is quite interesting. I think that the short part of the sleeves are really well shaped for this particular style of sleeve, which has detachable longer parts. I especially appreciate the ruffle at the join where the longer detachable bits attach. The detachable long part of the sleeves is also a lovely shape and I like the subtle flare to the cuffs at the bottom. There are 2 thin ribbon bows topping the cuffs which are a suitable size and I think they look quite cute. I have to say, the style of the bodice and sleeves looks very old-school (not that this is necessarily a bad thing). There is a large waist bow which is well shaped, but I feel it looks too big. In fact, the dress could have easily worked without the waist bow there at all. I like that the bow is lined with thin lace, as it matches up with the lines of lace running up the bodice. These line of lace on the bodice are well spaced out and I like the lace that has been used. In the centre there is a ribbon corset, which has nicely spaced out ribbon, which also isn't too shiny. However, the ribbon does blend in to the background quite a lot. It is a nice finishing touch, but it doesn't really stand out. The bib and collar are a lovely shape and size. I love the way the bib has been set out with the line of rose buttons and the ruffle. The buttons are distributed very evenly and it all looks very tidy. The good quality lace used around the edge of the bib and collar are beautiful too, with a really lovely design. There is a detachable ribbon bow on the collar, which looks very cute and is a suitable size. It is detachable, but I think it really pulls the design together, so I would leave it attached. The back offers no shirring, so size flexibility is limited. The zip on the back is very well concealed and the print lines up very well against the zip line. The stock photos show the skirt has plenty of volume and it flares out beautifully. The shape is beautiful. The skirt design is kept simple, so the print is displayed really well. The bottom hem is then finished off with some lovely lace with an interesting design.

Here we have the JSK. The bodice looks very well fitted, although the shape is a bit boring and quite simple. The width of the straps suits the style of the dress and they look reasonably supportive. The insides of the straps are lined with ribbon threaded ladder lace, which continues down to the waist area. There is also an additional line of lace with a pretty design, which ends at the chest area. Whilst I like this lace, I dislike how the lace ends abruptly at the chest area and to me, this really sticks out. There is a waist bow which I again feel is a very pretty shape, but is too large. It sits really well on the dress though, with no obvious signs of drooping. There is a ribbon corset in the centre of the bodice, which stands out a bit more than it does on the OP. The ribbon is well spaced out and does not look bunched together at all. The edges of the ribbon are concealed very neatly with thin lace, which gives the bodice a very tidy appearance. The neckline is lined neatly with lace, and then topped with a ribbon bow which matches the ribbon used on the bodice. The bow is a cute shape and the size is pretty good. This bow is detachable, but I would leave it attached, seeing as it matches the bodice ribbon so nicely. In fact, I think AP should have made this ribbon more of a feature elsewhere on the dress. Perhaps a line of ribbon at the bottom of the dress, just above the lace, would have tied in nicely. The back of the dress is fully shirred, so the dress should have plenty of stretch, but it does mean the shirring is quite exposed. However, with the style of print and dark colours, the shirring doesn't look as obvious. The stock photos show the skirt flares out loads and there is plenty of room for petticoat. I love the full, bell shape and the amount of volume there is to the skirt. The skirt is again kept simple and the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with good quality lace.

And finally, the print close up. This series is available in green, wine, navy blue and brown. I personally really dislike the navy blue and I also find the wine version a bit overwhelming colour-wise. However, the other 2 colours are quite pretty and I am quite fond of the green colour. As for the print itself, it is cute but I think it is too crowded. It is very busy, and the non-border part reminds me of grandma curtains. The border bit doesn't look as bad, as it isn't so cluttered. The animals are very cute and are well drawn. Unfortunately, the animals do blend in to the background quite a bit because of the colours that have been used. I think that individually, every part of the print is well drawn, but thrown all together it looks messy.

So I feel this series could have been lovely and I like the subtle old-school feel to the series. But the print just doesn't work for me and it is really obvious that AP are out of their comfort zone. This series probably would have been amazing if Baby the Stars Shine Bright had done it. I think this is one of the rare occasions where I prefer the OP to the JSK, and I think part of that is because there are more white parts to balance out the printed fabric. This is definitely not a series I would go for but if I had to I would choose the OP in green. I am writing this post the best part of a week after this series was released, and a lot of the series is still available. In times when we are used to seeing stuff sold out in an instant at AP releases, this really speaks volumes.

Next up today is Sheherazade One Thousand and One Nights by Alice and the Pirates. This series includes 2 dresses, a skirt, a blouse, 2 hair accessories, a hair pin, a necklace and socks. 

First up is JSK I. The bodice looks quite figure hugging, but I feel the overall bodice shape is quite awkward. I feel the neckline shape is quite harsh and needs a softer line. The neckline is lined with thin lace, but it doesn't soften the neckline at all. I also hate the way the straps attach to the neck and feel the straps are far too basic. They are as plain as can be and I feel they need to be a little wider, and also lined with some thin lace. The bottom half of the bodice features 2 lines of lace at a slight diagonal. I don't like the lace used at all and I think the lines of lace being here looks odd. I wouldn't have bothered with this lace at all. The middle of the bodice features a line of ribbon cutting across the bodice. The ribbon used is a bit too shiny for my liking, but I like the bold colour used and the way the edges have been lined neatly with gold lace. I do worry that this line of ribbon will sit weirdly on some wearers though and cut across the chest area in an awkward way. The ribbon is topped with a large ribbon bow. The bow is a cute shape and I like that the ribbon has been double layered. The gold themed ribbon overlaid over the other ribbon has such a pretty design to it and it is a lovely finishing touch. However, in some of the stock photos the waist ribbon looks a bit droopy and I feel maybe some discreet stitches are needed to hold it in place. The neckline has a double gold and pearl chain dangling from it, which I think looks beautiful. The length of the chain and the spacing is lovely. It is just a shame it has been paired with that neckline. The chain is detachable, but I would leave it on. The back of the dress has a panel of shirring, which is topped very neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show the skirt has a decent amount of volume, but I think it needs to be a bit longer in length. The skirt flares outwards fairly well and the overall shape is okay. The skirt design is kept simple, so the print is displayed excellently. The bottom hem is then finished off with this very spiky looking lace. I do feel the lace goes well with the theme of the print, but I am not overly keen about how it looks on the dress.

Here we have JSK II. The bodice is fairly well fitted and the shape is quite cute. The straps look a supportive width and I like how eye-catching they are. The 2 lines of lace topping the straps  and continuing along the neckline has been very well gathered. The lace is so structured and it creates such an interesting shape. I like the gold colour of the lace too, as it brings out the hints of gold in the print. The waist line is topped with a line of lace, which sort of mimics a belt. It helps to emphasise the waist area, and the lace used has an interesting design and look to it. There is also a double chain dangling from the waist area with a pretty charm in the centre. The chain definitely stands out more on some colour ways than others. This chain is detachable but I would definitely leave it on. The main part of the bodice is kept simple, with just a bit of gathering, but the neckline makes quite a big statement anyway. The top of the bodice has a subtle line of gold lace running across it which doesn't detract attention away from the statement lace on the neckline. I think this lace is pretty and it sits on the dress nicely. The neckline is topped with a ribbon bow with a gold brooch in the centre. The bow has such a cute shape and I actually think the large size works better here. The gold brooch on the centre has a pretty design too. The ribbon used is a bit too shiny though. The back has a panel of shirring which is topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show the skirt flares outwards reasonably well. There seems to be plenty of volume, so hopefully there is enough petticoat room. The skirt is simple in design, so the print is displayed perfectly. The bottom hem is then finished off with a line of pretty gold lace, which I feel looks a lot better than the lace on the other JSK.

And finally, here is one part of the print close up...

... and another part. This series is available in red, lavender, blue and black. I really love the blue and lavender versions. The black is pretty too, although I am a bit unsure about the red. As for the print itself, I like that AatP have used quite a fresh and new idea which is not often seen in lolita. The layout of the print looks quite well thought out. I love the shapes of the buildings and the hints of gold are perfect. The books and flying carpets are interesting to look at and are well positioned in the print. I especially like the way the bird is coming out of the book. The background of the print has been kept simple and the print does not look over-crowded.

This series is definitely a bit different from your typical lolita release. There are a few elements of both dress designs which I find quite interesting. The print is not to my taste but I can appreciate that AatP have done something a bit different from the usual over-done themes. So I may not be buying this series myself, but I do think it is fascinating. If I had to go for this series, my choice would be JSK II in lavender. I don't think the design of JSK I has been executed that well. The one item from this series that I may be interested in is the headdress, as I like the use of gold ribbon and the little head chain at the front. I will be keeping an eye out for worn pictures of the headdress!

Wrapping Heart by Angelic Pretty (and another Valentine thank you)

I got another Lolita Valentine this past weekend! This time it was from Shalisa. Thank you so much! I am number 2 this week- http://loli-valentines.livejournal.com/193006.html#cutid1 I am really happy to see that there are new mods trying to revive the Valentines and that more people have been posting (that Valentines 2-parter was epic!).

Today I shall be taking a look at Wrapping Heart by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 2 dresses, a salopette, a skirt, a hair accessory, tights, a blouse, a cutsew and a pair of wrist cuffs.

First up is the OP. The bodice seems fairly well fitted. Overall, the bodice shape is very cute, although perhaps a little too cute for some people. The sleeves have a suitable amount of puff to them, but I think they could have done with being a little shorter. The ends of the sleeves have been finished off very neatly but there is a lot of detail here with multiple layers of lace and bows on top. It is a bit too OTT. The bows on the sleeves could do with being a lot smaller or not being there at all. The white cuffs and lace could do with being narrower as well. The bodice features a wide yoke that takes up almost all of the bodice. I have to admit, it looks like a frilly baby's bib to me. But putting my personal tastes aside, I admit the yoke has been nicely done at least. The lace around the edge of the yoke is pretty and of a good quality. The material of the yoke has been neatly pleated for a bit of added texture and detail. The multi-coloured bows running up the middle are a cute shape but could have been a lot smaller and I don't think I would have bothered with the buttons placed between the bows at all. My main criticism is with the shininess of the yoke material, the collar and also the ribbon used for the bows on the yoke. The collar is a cute shape but I think it could do with being a lot smaller. The back of the OP is generally quite plain and there is no shirring, so size flexibility is limited. The zip is well concealed but I don't think the print lines up along the zip line that well, judging by the stock photos. One slightly random inclusion on the back is a bow made of the printed fabric, which attaches right at the top of the back, where the collar is. I feel this little detail is too fussy and I personally would detach it if it was me wearing this. On most people this bow detail is going to be lost anyway, unless the wearer has short hair or wears their hair up. The stock photos show that the high waisted skirt has a good amount of volume and reasonable amount of puff to it. However, I really dislike the way the skirt flares out from the waist. I can't quite put my finger on what it is about this I dislike though. Maybe it is just too cutesy for me. I also feel the shape of the bottom of the skirt looked a bit strange in some of the stock photos, almost like a balloon. The skirt is kept simple in design and the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is finished off with a simple chiffon ruffle, which I don't think has been attached that well. I do wonder if perhaps lace would have been a better choice here.

Here we have the JSK. In some of the stock photos I felt the bodice material looked a bit baggy and seemed to hang off loosely. It also lacks any real shape and looks a slouchy mess. The straps on the dress are very thin and look quite flimsy, although wide straps would have probably not suited the rest of the dress. The straps are very simple in design but do feature little bows on the shoulder area. However, I don't feel the bows on the straps really add anything to the design and are mostly hidden anyway. The waist area features a big bow. The bow size doesn't seem to bad and the shape is quite cute. The bow is lined neatly with lace that isn't too distracting and in most of the stock photos the bow sits on the dress really well. But teamed with the small bows along the neckline, the waist bow feels a bit too much and I probably would have gone with a simple belt design instead of a bow. The bodice features some subtle lines of lace running up it, which at least helps to break up the plain areas a bit. The neckline features a ruffle of the printed fabric, which is topped with lace and 3 bows. I don't really like the ruffle and would have preferred lace instead. The bows are a cute shape but again, the ribbon used is far too shiny. The shininess makes the bows stand out, and not in a good way. I also don't feel the bows have been well positioned and need to be spaced out much better. The back of the dress is fully shirred, which is a bit messy looking. However, the back is quite short anyway and the solid coloured waist ties help to conceal the shirring a little bit. The stock photos show the skirt has plenty of volume and flare to it. However, in some stock photos the skirt material drapes strangely, creating random gathered areas and lumpy bits. The skirt design is again kept simple and the print is displayed quite well. The bottom hem is then finished off with some subtle thin lace and then a wide ruffle of chiffon. I personally feel the chiffon looks a bit out of place and it is also too wide. 

And finally, here is the print close up. This series is available in yellow, mint, lavender and blue. With the cutesy dress designs, I suppose I can understand the choice of pastels. However, I am a little disappointed that there wasn't a slightly more mature looking colour offered. I am not usually a fan of sweet prints on black, but I think in this case black would tone down the very sugary print colours a bit. An ivory colour way could have also been a nice choice. As for the print itself, it is very colourful with lots of pastels. There have been some quite mature looking prints featuring present boxes before but this one is very cute. This isn't a bad thing for those who love OTT sugary Angelic Pretty series but it isn't so great for everybody else. The presents themselves are well drawn though. I love the use of detail and the ribbons have a lovely shape to them.

So overall I feel the dress designs, colours and the print are all super cute. Unfortunately it is too OTT and there is not a single dress design or colour option which I feel offers a more mature option. I think it is a shame, because I would have maybe liked this sort of print if there was a more toned down option available. But with all these sugary details and colours, I would not buy this series. I don't think I would feel comfortable wearing either of the dress designs. I would have considered the skirt if there was a black colour way. If I absolutely had to pick an option from those available I guess I would pick the lavender JSK. But this is one series I will definitely be avoiding.

Fortune Tarot by Metamorphose (and a Quick Thank You)

I would just like to say a quick thank you to Sammi for making us a Lolita Valentine this week! We are number 34- http://loli-valentines.livejournal.com/192451.html#cutid1

Today I shall be taking a partial look at Fortune Tarot by Metamorphose. This series includes 5 dresses, 4 hair accessories, socks, tights, lace sleeves, wrist cuffs, a scarf and a blouse.

This is the Lace Up Pinafore JSK. The bodice looks well fitted and is an interesting shape. I love the deep heart shaped neckline. The straps are a good width and look quite supportive. Perhaps they could have been a little narrower, but I think they looks fine. The straps feature a ruffled design with an additional ruffle on the outside and are topped with gold braid. I do feel this is a little OTT and I would lose the gold braid and the outer ruffle. The waist line features a line of tulle. The tulle sits quite neatly and is quite well shaped. The soft material means it doesn't add too much bulk to the waist area. The bodice features 2 ribbon corsets, which are both lined with gold braid on either side. There is just something about these bodice details which looks a bit messy. Perhaps it is the way the ribbon corsets start quite wide at the top and then get narrower as they get towards the waist. The gold braid lining these details really sticks out and looks crooked. The positioning of the ribbon corsets also feels a bit off and I think they need to be placed further apart from each other and more to the sides. Overall, the ribbon corsets look poorly done. The middle of the bodice features a line of buttons but they blend in so much with the background that there really isn't much point them being there. The neckline features a small ruffle, which has been done subtly and softens the neckline. The neckline is then topped off with a large solid coloured bow. The bow is quite large but I think it actually quite suits the dress. The shape is cute and the bow sits really nicely on the dress. The koshibo chirimen fabric used for the bow is a bit too shiny though. The back of the dress is fully shirred, which is a little messy looking. However, the shirring does blend in a little bit with the all-over busy print. The stock photos show that the skirt has a good amount of volume to it and flares out well. It could perhaps do with being a bit longer in length though. The skirt features a 'gathered' design which pulls up the printed fabric and gives the bottom an interesting hemline. I have to admit, I am not really a fan of this style of skirt when used with prints as it tends to obscure the print. On this particular dress you can still see the all-over print quite well, although I think the gathered parts of the printed fabric look messy. The bottom hem of the printed fabric has been finished off with a ruffle of tulle, which matches up well with the waist area. Underneath the printed fabric, there are 2 layers of the shiny koshibo chirimen fabric. I think the shiny appearance is a lot more obvious on this larger area and I do dislike it. The fabric has been layered reasonably well though and the layers seem to sit okay on top of each other.

Here we have the Button Down OP. The bodice looks like it has a very cute shape and is fairly well fitted. The sleeves look a suitable length and have a subtle, but reasonable amount of puff to them. I think the simple style of cuffs works quite well and it matches the use of solid colour on the bodice. The high waist is topped with 2 small bows on either side. I like that they are kept quite small and subtle, as you don't really want to add much bulky detail to this area. The bows are a cute shape too. The bodice features thin lines of lace, which match up with the edges of the collar and cuffs, so that is a nice bit of continuity. The front middle of the dress has a line of buttons going the entire way down the dress. I feel this button line spoils the dress a bit. The button line is somewhat obscured by the print on the skirt part, but when it runs down the solid coloured bodice, it really sticks out. I am quite glad that there is the bow on the collar, as it really helps to conceal the button line. The bow itself is quite cute with a pretty shape. It sits nicely on the dress too. It is detachable, but I personally would leave it attached to conceal the button line. The dress has a collar. The collar is a very cute shape and I like how the edges have been lined with very thin lace. The lace also accentuates the shape of the collar and makes it stand out. My only criticism is I think the collar is a bit too big. The back of the dress has a shirring panel, which hasn't been concealed with anything. The solid colour does help the shirring to blend in a little bit though. The stock photos show the skirt has a very pretty A-line shape to it. It is a good shape to pair with the bodice. The skirt has a reasonable amount of volume and flare, but not as much as the other dresses. However, I think I prefer this more subtle option as the print is already quite a statement in itself. The skirt is kept simple and the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with matching thin lace.

 This is the Princess OP. The bodice seems fairly well fitted. I'm not overly fond of the bodice shape though, as I think it looks a bit frumpy. The neckline is a very basic square shape and the sleeves look awkward. The bell part of the sleeves has a nice amount of flare to them but overall the sleeves feel far too fussy. With bows, lace, tulle and a very busy print the sleeves are overdone. Also, I don't feel a princess sleeved dress works with this sort of print. I certainly wouldn't usually put tarot cards and princesses together. The waist area has a solid coloured panel which I think is a good thing, because it at least helps to break up the busy details a little bit. However, I don't like the waist bow on top of the solid coloured part as I feel it looks awkward and out of place. It also looks too OTT and sits strangely on the dress. The waist bow doesn't have the most appealing of shapes either and the pearl chain dangling from it is poorly positioned. The solid coloured part runs all the way up the bodice and down the skirt, and it is lined with a tulle ruffle on either side. The tulle does help make the edges look neater, but I think the tulle is too wide. On the bodice, the solid coloured panel has 3 ruffles of tulle running across it which are additionally topped with lines of ribbon and printed fabric bows. Again, these details look crowded and too OTT. The bows are a cute shape but need to be a lot smaller. Thankfully these bows are detachable and I do feel detaching them does improve the bodice somewhat. The back has a panel of shirring which is topped neatly by a ribbon corset. The stock photos show the skirt has loads of volume and flares outwards well. The overall shape is quite pretty and despite being tiered, the tiers have been layered reasonably well. I do feel this is one of those dresses where you would have to choose your petticoat carefully though. The solid panel part of the skirt is topped with 3 wide ruffles of tulle. The tulle is layered quite nicely and sits well here and I suppose it does help to balance out the tulle on the bodice. The tulle ruffles to the side of the solid coloured part are topped with 6 small bows. Although I have criticised how OTT this dress is earlier, in this instance I think the dress looks better with the 6 bows still attached here. The bows have a cute shape to them and I just wish they were a little bit smaller. The tiered skirt design actually works quite nicely with the print because the print is made up of squares anyway, so the print is easy to break up in to layers. My only issue is the top tier has been over-stitched instead of under-stitched, which I think looks a bit messy. Despite all the detail, the print is still displayed fairly well at the sides and back. The bottom hem is then finished off with a line of tulle, which at least carries on the continuity of tulle elsewhere on the dress.

Here we have the High Waist Pinafore JSK. The bodice looks somewhat well fitted, although the neckline plunges far too low. The neckline shape is too harsh and a softer heart shaped neckline that ends higher up would have been better. The straps are a suitable width but the way they attach to the dress looks a bit strange. The straps are also very plain looking and at the very least I would have liked some thin lace lining them. The bases of the straps are topped with bows, but the shape of the bow is too simple and they look far too basic. The dress does not have a defined waist line and instead there are lines of thin lace lining the lower chest area. I do feel the lines of lace make the bodice look like a bra shape and it isn't the nicest looking of bodices. The neckline is topped with a double layered bow. I don't think the layering of the different coloured materials works for this bow and once again, the bow shape is far too basic. The bow is detachable but I think the dress looks too plain without it. The back of the dress is fully shirred which means the shirring is quite exposed. But the shirring does blend in a little bit with the print. The stock photos show the skirt is quite full and flares outwards a lot. I don't feel the overall silhouette flows that well though. The skirt design features 3 gathered ruffles at the bottom. At the top of the top tier there is a line of gold braid and small bows which blend in very well with the rest of the dress. The tiers are well spaced out and sit fairly well on top of each other. The very bottom tier looks like it could do with a bit more volume, although that may be due to the petticoat Meta have used for the stock photos. My main issue with the tiers is that from the photos, you can see that the cards in the print have not been lined up that well and some of the cards have been cut in half.

Next up is the Low Waist Pinafore JSK. The bodice is very well fitted, although the shape is quite simple. I also feel the neckline shape is quite harsh and needs to be softer. The straps are a good width and look quite supportive, although I'm undecided about the way they have been attached to the dress. The low waist features 2 lines of lace, which create a 'belted' appearance, although this detail does blend in a fair bit. I think a solid coloured belt would have looked better because it would have made the other solid coloured parts of the dress look a bit more balanced out and it would have also broken up the busy print. The waist details are topped with a solid coloured bow made from more of that koshibo chirimen fabric, which again looks quite shiny. The bow is quite a simple shape, but looks quite cute. I think it could have been placed on the dress a bit better though, as it sits a bit awkwardly. The bodice features many lines of thin lace, which gives the bodice a panelled appearance, although this detail is a bit lost in the print. There are also some small bows running up the centre of the bodice which are well spaced out. However, they do look a bit wonky in some of the stock photos and also, the very top bows are obscured by the massive neckline bow. The neckline bow is a pretty shape but it is far too big. I don't feel this big bow is really needed and the little solid coloured bows on the bodice could have been enough. The neckline is lined with gold lace, although it isn't enough to soften the harsh neckline. The back has a panel of shirring which has been topped very neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt has loads of volume and plenty of flare to it. There is the potential to create a very full, rounded shape. I just wish Meta had placed the waist line higher up and done a longer skirt instead of doing this low waist design. The skirt design is kept very simple and the print is displayed brilliantly. The bottom hem is then finished off with a line of thin lace and then a ruffle of the solid coloured material, which looks very neat and matches the rest of the dress.

And here we have the print close up. This series comes in Moonstone and Amethyst. The moonstone colour is a mix of ivory and browns and the amethyst features more purple colours. Both colours are quite pretty and interesting. I think I prefer the colour of the Amethyst more as the purple really adds a bit of extra depth. However, I do wonder if the purple would be difficult to co-ordinate. As for the print itself, I really love the tarot card theme but I think it could have been executed a lot better. The cards themselves have some very pretty designs. I especially find the moons and suns appealing. The only cards I dislike are the ones featuring cats, as I feel they stick out a bit too much. I also feel the borders of the cards could have been more decorative. The layout is also very basic looking and perhaps a bit dull.

I think the blouse from this series is quite possibly one of the weirdest blouses I have ever seen! I am not sure this is the best print to make a blouse from as it is very busy. Printed blouses are an interesting idea, but unless you are wearing a skirt, the blouse is mostly going to be obscured by a dress anyway. Plus if you wore a printed dress the wearer's outfit would be a print overload! So I do feel this sort of blouse has very limited wear. That being said, I am sure some of the more hardcore Meta fans are absolutely loving it!

So overall, I feel the print could have been better and the dress designs are not very appealing. I don't think the koshibo cherimen fabric was the best choice, as it is quite shiny, and the bows look too simple. This is not a series that I would personally buy, which is a shame because the tarot theme could have been very interesting. If I had to pick a dress though, I would go for the Button Down OP as I feel this simpler dress design works the best with the busy print. In my opinion, it is the most balanced of the dress designs. One thing I did like about this series though, was the scarf and I am gutted it sold out so quickly!

Birthday Haul and a Valentines Thank you!

It was my birthday on Monday and I have lots of lovely new lolita-related things to review, but first things first, I need to write a thank you! I got a birthday valentine on Lolita Valentines on Sunday and I just wanted to say it was really appreciated. I have a strong feeling I know who made it, but whoever it was, thank you!

I am number 10- http://loli-valentines.livejournal.com/177693.html

So I had a really great time. I went on multiple adventures in both London and Oxford and got to see lots of lovely friends. I didn't dress up in lolita or anything because the UK is currently in the middle of a heatwave. Layering up in heavy frills is the last thing I feel like doing right now and I have been surviving on ice lollies.

But I thought people might like to see what I got and maybe do a bit of reviewing here and there.

First up, I got Gothic Lolita Punk from my friends Jo and Chris. I have not had a proper chance to read it yet, but after flicking through, it mainly seems to be a picture book which showcases well known lolita artists. There are familiar names such as Kira Imai, but some lesser known ones too. Although I may not follow the art tutorials, it is interesting finding out the process behind the art work. It is also quite fun to quickly flick through and admire the art. I think it is a shame that so few artists are represented in the book, but maybe that is because it is such a niche style that there are so few well-known artists.

I also got some Chocomint accessories and an Angelic Pretty ring from my husband James. I thought the kiss earrings would look cute with my Sugar Hearts skirt. They are the right sort of style and colour. The earrings are very heavy and maybe not for everyday wear. I have also decided to keep them wrapped up safely in bubble wrap because I fear I may break them! The design is very cute though. The felt stars have a 2 way clip on the back, just like their bigger 2 way clips. You can see the clip poking out very slightly, but it is only from certain angles. The felt has been cut well with no fluffy edges and the stitching is very neat. I have been looking to get an AP Sugar Hearts ring for ages, so I am ecstatic that James managed to get me one! The ring is typical of any AP jewellery. The ring is thick plastic and very firm.

I also got given this pink cardigan from James. I already reviewed the same cardigan in red before on this blog. The colour is a bit more salmon pink than pure pink but it will still match a lot of things in my wardrobe. I still think it is very cute.

James also got me these Bodyline chiffon blouses in black and pink. In recent times, my Bodyline items have arrived with small stains and stuff on them. This time around there were no such stains, but my black blouse was missing one of the sleeve bows. So in the end I took the other bow off to make it look even. That aside, the blouses were just fine and there was nothing wrong with the pink blouse at all. The pink blouse is again a bit more salmon pink than sugary pink, but in this case I actually prefer that.

The front ruffle is very generous. I found it made my bust area look a bit bigger! The ruffles really stick out and are full of volume. They have been generously gathered. I quite like the effect, but I think if they had been gathered any more then it would have been too OTT. There were a few loose threads, but otherwise the sewing is neat with no major issues. The buttons are a bit simple in design but are a reasonably good quality.

The sleeves are very stretchy. I found there was plenty of room in the sleeves and they felt very comfortable. The elastic isn't too tight. The pink bows are a slightly different colour but not too noticeable. I think the sleeves are perfect and they are super comfortable.

The back has a ribbon corset on the back, which will help make the blouse a bit smaller if need be. I worry the lace hoops holding the ribbon in place may fray or become damaged, but this seems to be quite a typical design for lots of brands.

Being chiffon, the material is a bit see-through. If I were intending to wear this blouse with a camisole underneath (instead of under a JSK) then I would need to cut these labels out. If you didn't know the labels were there, then maybe you wouldn't notice them, but I am still considering cutting them out.

And here is a very poor worn picture of the blouse with a camisole underneath! I apologise for the bad picture. I took it whilst my husband was at work, so I had to do a mirror shot. I think it looks really pretty when worn. I think the website's size listings were pretty accurate. The materials feel really soft too. It is just as comfortable as some of my other chiffon blouses and feels so light.

I would like to thank all of the people who sent me birthday messages on facebook and elsewhere. They were all very much appreciated. I had a really great long weekend and I feel so grateful to know so many wonderful people. Thank you all. And I hope my blouse review was helpful!

Thank You For the Birthday Valentine

Just a quick post to say thank you to whoever wished me a Happy Birthday on Lolita Valentines this week! It is much appreciated. Thank you!

I am number 15- http://loli-valentines.livejournal.com/151478.html

Belated Valentine Thank You

I got a valentine on Lolita Valentines last week but I only just spotted it! I don't check it as frequently as I used to. I'm guessing the smaller amount of Valentines being posted means that the community is not as active any more, which is a shame.

http://loli-valentines.livejournal.com/149253.html

I am number 1 this time.

Thank you very much to my Valentine maker. It means a lot to me.

Another Valentine Thank You!

Thank you very much to whoever made another Valentine for the Oxford group this week! I really appreciated it.

http://loli-valentines.livejournal.com/142608.html?view=3820048

We are number 21 this week!

It was also great to be featured in a post with some other very awesome lolitas who definitely deserve every Valentine they get. I was definitely nodding my head in agreement when I saw who got Valentines this week.

Thanks again Valentine maker!

Thank You For the Valentine

Thank you so much to whoever made me a Lolita Valentine this week. I have only just seen it and it was a nice surprise. I saw the Oxford group got given a group one as well, so another thank you to whoever made that one!

http://loli-valentines.livejournal.com/142096.html

I have a feeling it may have been a blog follower or reader who made mine because they seemed to pick up on me not being 100% happy with my outfit. Well, thank you for the confidence boost Valentine maker! I hope you see this and realise I appreciated your words.

Oxford Valentine Thank You!

Thank you very much to whoever made the Valentine for the Oxford Lolis this week! I think I know who you are! ;)

We are number 13 this week-

http://loli-valentines.livejournal.com/131532.html?view=3593420#t3593420

Thank you! xxx

Luna's 24th Birthday Adventures!

Yay! I am finally back! I had a great time during my holiday. Now for a bit of a catch-up!

Firstly, thank you very much to whoever made me a Lolita Valentine for my birthday!

I am number 3- http://loli-valentines.livejournal.com/126975.html#cutid1

Sadly, I didn't get the chance to see the Valentine on my actual birthday because I was in London. But I did see it before I went away, so I only got it one day late! So thank you for the lovely gesture.

I am also pleased to announce that during the week I was away I got given another 2 Liebster Awards! I am not sure if I am meant to do the posting thing again because I have done it already? Well anyway, a huge thank you to The Glass Princess and Chri-chan. If I was giving out awards again, then you 2 would have definitely been on my list! It was a very sweet of you both to give me an award and I really appreciate it.

You can view their posts here- http://the-glass-princess.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/liebster-blog-award.html
And here- http://chri-chan.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/19-der-liebster-award.html

Please do and check out these blogs because they are brilliant and they are also run by very lovely people!

So... what did I do for my birthday? Let's start with what lolita related presents I got!

The first thing I got was this Bodyline petticoat in pink/purple/dark pink. I know Bodyline petticoats are not exactly brilliant at giving lolita skirts a nice poof, but I got taken in by all the pretty colours! I tend to layer lots of flatter petticoats anyway. A lot of people seem to like the yellow/pink/blue petticoat, but some reason I was more drawn to this pink colour combination. It would make a nice little addition to a fairy kei wardrobe. Also, I think it is more fun to wear brightly coloured petticoats, even if nobody can see them!

I also got some Secret Shop star shower socks in pink. I am still gathering items to wear with my Dream Sky skirt. The pink colour was maybe a bit more peachy in colour than I was expecting, although I have not actually tried them on properly yet. Perhaps they will look good when worn. Anyway, I was very pleased to receive these!

Please excuse the silly face I am pulling! My last lolita related birthday present was this Bodyline skirt in purple. It may look familiar, because I already own this skirt in black. You would have thought that 2 different colours of the same skirt would be identical. With the black skirt, I slated the waist ties which have this horrible texture and are covered with polka dots. The purple skirt has this detail too, but I think it actually works a bit better with the purple skirt than it does the black skirt. I am still not convinced by the ties though and I probably wont be using them with the skirt! It is nice to have another simple block colour skirt and I am keeping up my promise to add more purple to my wardrobe.

I went to London for the day! I decided to keep my outfit simple because I knew that I wouldn't have a lot of time in the morning and also, it was boiling hot in London! It has only ever rained on my birthday once, and that was the year that England was totally battered by rain and flooding (so that doesn't count in my opinion!). So I went for an easy to quickly throw on outfit, involving Meta's March of the Duck. I teamed it with red and pink items. As you can see, I found London 2012 Olympics mascot Mandeville. I decided to join in with him and do a bit of pretend running. Shame about the unflattering angle!

We went to Camden for a little bit and we bumped in to the Maids of England event being held in the Stables Market. We didn't have time to go inside, but I got a photo with one of the maids outside. We did have a quick peep and the event did look like it was a lot of fun. If this sounds like your kind of thing, then check out Maids of England on Facebook.

It has been an aim of mine to visit the Chin Chin Lab in Camden for quite some time now. And on my birthday, I finally made it! I got the weekly special, which was Truffle Popcorn and I topped it with salted caramel pretzels. Seriously, words can not describe just how amazing this ice cream is. It is also very interesting watching the staff make the ice cream right before your eyes using lots of cool science stuff.

Of course, a trip to London just wouldn't be the same without me popping in to Laduree for macarons! 

Dinner at Pizza Hut was interesting. We had the rudest waiter EVER! Although, after we told him it was my birthday, he suddenly perked up! Sadly, we were not allowed a birthday candle in the restaurant due to health and safety. But then Ruth came to the rescue! She made me a paper birthday candle and I pretended to blow it out.

I brought myself a few treats in London but this has to be my favourite. I found this bag in a stall inside the Stables Market (I don't know the name of it). The colour is a lovely deep, dusky pink. It looks better in person. I got a birthday discount as well, thanks to my friend Jo. I purchased this bag with a certain dress in mind, but I reckon I will get a lot of use out of this.

I wont bore you all to death with my Center Parcs holiday snaps (they are on my Facebook now, so if you are friends with me, you can see them there) but I thought I would share this with you. We kept seeing deers during the week, but I was unable to photograph any of them. So imagine my surprise when on the very last evening of the holiday we got not one, but 2 deers right outside our villa! There was a mother deer and her baby (it is the baby in this picture obviously!). The pictures are a bit dark because it was evening and also, I didn't want to turn my flash on and scare the deers away. We actually managed to go outside and get even closer to them. They were not that bothered by us being there and kept eating. It was an incredible experience and I will never forget this magical evening.

So that was my huge catch-up post! Hopefully from now on this blog should be back to normal. Although, it is my 3rd wedding anniversary on Monday, so there may be a temporary disruption then. Thank you for sticking with me!