Update Regarding My Posting Schedule On Here

Until now, I have been updating this blog approximately three times a week. Usually, this is roughly on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. However, things are going to have to change slightly. My life has changed a lot since I started this blog. Because of this, I am going to have to reduce my posts to about 2 a week. This wont be every single week, so some weeks there will still be 3 posts.

It is important that I make this change because back around March, I became self-employed. The work is "Supply and Demand" based and the reason I am having to reduce my posts is because some weeks I have been absolutely swamped with work. Some weeks have been a bit slower, which is why I was able to post so frequently up until now. I think in the long-term the reduced posting will benefit this blog as it means I wont be rushing about, trying to get posts up. Hopefully this means the content wont be affected as badly.

As I said above, some weeks there will still be 3 posts. It all depends on how busy I am. If there are only going to be 2 posts a week, then I will most likely be posting on Mondays and Thursdays.

I do hope all of my regular readers will stick around and will understand why I am having to do this. I appreciate your support and thank you for reading.

Meta Rose Letter Mini Skirt Set

Metamorphose have put up a new special set. It says the set is limited, but it doesn't appear to be selling that fast. That being said, if you are thinking of getting it then you should probably still order it ASAP.

The set features their Rose Letter print. I don't think it was massively popular. In fact, I don't think I even discussed this print on here when it came out. This set comes in pink, blue and brown.

Although it doesn't sound that amazing, I am a little tempted to get it. It is only 6300 yen, which is a very good price when you consider it is brand new, not second hand, and it also comes with a few accessories. Of course, Meta are not saying which accessories you get exactly. But judging from the pictures on the product listing, you will get a matching handkerchief and either a pair of socks or a head bow. I am not put off by it being a mini skirt either. I have a 'mini' skirt from Meta which still just about reaches my knees and it is only a few centimetres shorter than their standard skirt length. Meta have not given a length on their website though, so please don't take my word for it!

I also think that the print is nice enough. I know I would wear it. The great thing is that Meta are letting you select which colour you want. If I got the blue then I would finally have something that matches those tea party shoes I have! Although I wouldn't buy it for this reason! I think the blue is the nicest colour anyway.

I haven't made my mind up on this set yet but on the surface, I think it is a good deal. The price makes it tempting and it looks like you will get a matching set. It is very reasonable and would be a cheap addition to any lolita wardrobe. The details can be found on the Meta website now- http://www.metamorphose.gr.jp/category/select/cid/382/pid/9259

AatP Midsummer Night's Dream Review!

I am so happy. After losing out on this dress so many times, I FINALLY have Midsummer Night's Dream by Alice and the Pirates! I managed to get my top colour choice of navy and the more popular style of JSK as well. Yay! I thought I would do a bit of a review for my new dress.

I tried on the dress as soon as I got it. I know a few people have said that the waist on this JSK version is a bit strange, so I was a bit worried it wouldn't sit right. I felt that the dress sat on me well. The purple ribbon does sit a bit above my waist, but it doesn't look like it is in the wrong place when I wear it. I found that the bodice fit very well. The measurements I found online on sites such as Hello Lace appear to be quite accurate. The main problem I had with wearing this dress was working out what petticoats to use and how to layer them. It took a few attempts to layer them in a way which didn't make the dress sit funny or look bumpy. Luckily, I have some deflated Bodyline petticoats and I was able to gradually build them up.

The fabric had a nice texture. It wasn't too rough. I have seen this print in person before but this was my first time giving it a really thorough examination. I am noticing colours in the print which I hadn't before. There is more detail to the print than I first realised. I am looking forward to incorporating these colours and themes in to an outfit. The print is just as gorgeous as I thought it would be. 

The ribbon is really good quality. The edges are very neat. I also really like the lavender colour of the ribbon teamed with this dress. The pearls are a nice finishing touch.

The lace is beautiful. It is quite thick and has a nice feel to it. You can tell it is good quality.

A view of the back. One problem I found was that the zip constantly gets stuck. Although, this seems to be a common problem with a lot of lolita dresses. It did take me a few moments to pull the zip up the back by myself. There is definitely a technique to it!

The material is surprisingly lightweight. When I was wearing the dress it felt very light, especially compared to other lolita dresses I own. It does make it easier to wear in warmer weather. The material is fairly thin, but you can't see through it unless you are really close. The dress also has a slip inside which feels very smooth. It is nice to have something like that on the inside, near to my skin, as it feels softer than the dress material. It also makes it look more professional.

I also managed to get the matching bonnet! I only tried this on briefly. It has a nice shape to it, although I get the impression it would be hard to reshape it. My only real complaint is that it doesn't have any combs to hold it in place and I am worried the bonnet may slip about a bit. But I do think I was very lucky to get the matching dress and bonnet set.

I am really excited about this dress and it has overtaken my Meta Fairy Tale skirt as my favourite lolita wardrobe item. I think the dress is absolutely stunning. I love it! I have been a long-term AatP admirer and I am so glad to finally get some in my wardrobe. I definitely want to get more AatP in my wardrobe in the future.

Queen of Snow by BABY

Today I will be taking a look at Queen of Snow by Baby. Alice and the Pirates are also releasing a similar series, which will be featured on my blog soon. But today I am focusing on the Baby series which includes 3 dresses, a skirt, a blouse, wrist cuffs, a bonnet, a head bow, a furry headdress, socks and a few pieces of jewellery.

This is the Snow Rose JSK. The bodice looks like it fits nicely, although I am not a fan of the way the bodice has been set out. The top of the bodice has a raised panel, which is covered in dot tulle. Whilst I like the detailing on the panel, I am not a fan of the overall shape of this part. I can't quite pinpoint what I dislike about it, but there is something about the shape and size which I personally feel looks a bit off.

Looking at this picture, I think that maybe it needs more gathering or perhaps it is just the overall shape. But I do like the detailing. The dot tulle used blends in well with the print and gives the dress some added texture. I think it is well suited. The rose themed lace used vertically up the bodice and along the edges of the raised panel is very pretty. I would maybe like it a bit better if the rose lace wasn't going along the edge of the neckline, but that is just my personal preference. I also like the line of pearls on the raised panel but as I said, I would have liked a bit more gathering. As it is, the material near the pearls is quite bunched up, but then the rest of the panel is almost completely flat. Maybe a bit more gathering and a narrower panel would have worked better. The dress also has the waist bow. I do think the bow looks a bit too big and the lace around the bow edges just emphasises the size further. Although it wouldn't be an exact match, I would have preferred thinner lace used around the edges of the bow. I wouldn't get rid of the lace on the bow altogether because the bodice has so much lace on it, that the waist bow may look out of place with no lace on it at all. The bow does look shapely and sturdy, it is just the sizing I don't like.

The straps are a bit thin, but decorated well with even more lace. At this stage, it would probably look a bit odd not to use lace here as well. The back has a panel of shirring, which is concealed very well by a ribbon corset. It blends in very nicely and gives the wearer more size control. The skirt has a pretty subtle bell shape to it and I reckon it will flare out well. it looks like it will hold a decent amount of petticoat. The skirt is thankfully kept clutter free and so the print is displayed very well. The bottom hem is finished off with some pretty lace.

This is the OP for this series, called the Fairy Dress. The bodice looks well fitted. I felt that in some of the photos on Baby's website, the printed part of the sleeves looked a little too flat and long. But when the chiffon part of the sleeves were detached, I thought they looked a bit better, with a more puffy appearance.

I am normally a huge chiffon fan. I like the ruffle and bow at the end of the sleeves. However, I feel the sleeves flare outwards way too much for my personal tastes. The sleeves are almost as wide as the dress in this picture! I think I would feel a little swamped under all that sleeve material. I do like the sleeves, I just think they are a bit too big.

The way the bodice has been laid out makes it look as though the wearer is wearing a short sleeved bolero, especially with the line of lace running along the waist and then going upwards. This lace then connects with a giant ruffle. The ruffle gives the dress a bit of added volume and depth. The ruffle is topped with wide lace and 2 ribbon bows. It ties in together well, but it is a bit too OTT for my personal taste. The shape of the ruffle and the wide lace just don't do it for me. Also, I don't think it really needs more than one ribbon bow. There is also a Baby charm dangling underneath the ruffle, but it doesn't really stand out because the ruffle grabs your attention more. I just feel that if the bodice was toned down a little bit, I would probably like it a lot more.

The back doesn't have any shirring. The ruffle continues on the back, which I suppose stops there being a sudden halt of ruffle and makes it look more natural. The skirt has a beautiful bell shape to it. It flares out really well and it will hold lots of petticoat too. The skirt is free of clutter and so the print is displayed really well. The bottom hem is finished off with lace, and then an additional ruffle of dot tulle. I am unsure that the dot tulle looks right when you detach the chiffon sleeves, as it doesn't blend in as much.

This is the Princess JSK. The bodice looks like it fits fairly well and it is an interesting shape. I think the size of the waist bow suits the dress. It is a bit softer in shape compared to the waist bow on the other JSK. However, it still holds its shape well and it doesn't look floppy. The lace around the edge of the bow is pretty and it doesn't make the bow look too OTT. The bodice has a corset with the edges covered with nice lace and the ribbon used is pretty too. The criss-crossed ribbon is spaced out really well. The lace and ribbon has a very soft appearance to it, which gives it a bit of a dreamy feel. I think it really suits the series. The corset is topped with a ribbon bow. The bow is a nice size, although it looks a bit overshadowed because of the lace along the neckline. The neckline and the inside of the straps are lined with wide lace. The bodice has quite sharp lines, and I do like how the lace softens the edges of the neckline and straps. Although the lace looks like it may tickle a bit if you are wearing a blouse with a low neckline! I think I would prefer it if the dress didn't have the semi-circle of lace on the neckline, just to make it a little less crowded. The rest of the lace could easily work without it. The back has a panel of shirring which is concealed by a ribbon corset. It is maybe not as neat as the other JSK, but it still does what it is supposed to. The skirt has a very full and rounded shape that almost rivals your typical Angelic Pretty dress. I think it does work quite well and it flares out beautifully. The front of the skirt has a bustle. The tiers are spaced out well and the edges are kept neat with nice lace. However, I think the bustle could do with being a tiny bit wider. I don't know if it is just the stock photos, but the bustle panel looks a bit thin and doesn't quite work for me. Even with the bustle, the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is finished with some pretty lace. While I don't think this lace works as well as the other lace used on the dress, it looks nice enough.

This is part of the print close-up.

And another part. The print comes in pink, lavender, sax blue and black. I think sax blue is the real front runner colour-wise as it really matches the cold, snowy print. Although the lavender colour looks beautiful too. I would love to see more photos of the black version as well, as the print details against the black work surprisingly well. I am not interested by the pink version at all. I don't think it works as well as the other colours. The print itself is absolutely stunning. I adore the icy castle shown in this second print picture. The snowflakes are drawn beautifully and are very detailed. The bows with frosty looking edges are a nice finishing touch. This print has a very magical feel to it and is perfect for this time of year. I don't think there is anything in this print that I dislike.

The jewellery for this series continues the Winter theme. All of the jewellery comes in silver and gold. I personally prefer the silver jewellery, as I think it matches the print beautifully. Although I like all of the jewellery, my favourite is this snow flake bracelet. I just find the snowflakes really pretty and so detailed. The roses and the crystal drops are beautiful too. It is a lovely piece of Winter themed jewellery.

So overall, I do think this is a very pretty series. Usually, I avoid seasonal themed prints like the plague, as I hate the thought of only wearing them for a small part of the year. However, the print is absolutely stunning and I wouldn't mind owning it. If I had to pick a dress I would go for the Princess JSK. It is hard to pick a colour. Would I go for the icy sax blue or go for the deeper black? Those 2 colours are definitely my two favourites. I also like the jewellery and snowflake print socks. I hope this series will sell well. How does the AatP print match up? Hopefully I will find that out soon.

Rose and Lace Fabric- the Bodyline OP Version

Remember that Bodyline skirt I posted a few weeks back? http://luna-rain.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/bodyline-vs-classical-puppets-rose-and.html 

Well, as I predicted Bodyline have now released an OP version using this fabric. I was kind of hoping they might do a JSK, but you never know, they may release one later. I was pondering which of the designs using this fabric I liked best, what with Classical Puppets releasing a dress using the exact same fabric.

Well this is the Bodyline OP, which is now up on their website. I can't say I am that impressed by it to be honest. I think the V shaped neckline looks odd. Also, there is something about the way the sleeves have been executed that doesn't quite look right. It looks like it will make the shoulder area look a lot wider. Also, the waist area is similar to the Bodyline skirt version. This was something I was a bit unsure of with the skirt design.

After weighing up both of Bodyline's designs and the Classical Puppets dress, I have come to the conclusion that my current favourite is the Bodyline skirt. Whilst I may have been unsure about the waist on the skirt, the OP has the same style anyway. The skirt seems the more attractive option out of the 2.

I am not going to buy the skirt just yet, just in case a JSK comes out (unlikely I know, but a few weeks back we didn't know about the OP and there is still a chance more may come out). When I do eventually commit to buying, I can tell I am going to love this print. I am already thinking up outfit ideas! This design is definitely one of Bodyline's strongest designs out of their recent stuff. I am really looking forward to it.

Alice Mirage in Paradox by BABY

My hand is recovering nicely and the bruising is slowly going down, so I feel able to post again! Today I will be taking a look at a recent BABY print called Alice Mirage in Paradox. This series includes 2 dresses, a skirt, a blouse, 3 different hair accessories (a bow, a hat and a bonnet), socks, a bag and a few bits of jewellery.

This is the White Queen JSK. The bodice is well fitted and a pretty shape. I really like the panel appearance of the bodice with the panel edges lined with thin ruffled. The ruffle colour is dark, so it stands out a bit, but it doesn't push the contrast too far. I also like the use of buttons on the front to give a slight military feel to the dress. Although maybe gold coloured buttons would have stood out a bit more here and would match the gold Baby logo charm on the bow. The straps are a good width and the ruffles on the edge are the right size. The ruffles on the whole of the bodice may be too much for some, but I think it is well balanced because the thinner ruffles stop it looking a total frilly mess.

This close-up shot shows us that the ruffles actually have a hint of gold around the edge. I think this is a nice touch and it helps to tie in the use of gold on the rest of the dress. The bow on the neckline is big. It is maybe a tiny bit too big for my personal tastes, but it has a good shape to it and is very perky. At least it doesn't droop. The gold Baby logo is cute and fits in well with the dress. The ruffle around the edge of the bow matches the rest of the dress very well and surprisingly, it doesn't make the bow look too OTT. However, I am unsure I like the line of ribbon running across the top half of the bow and then along horizontally along the bodice as well. I think the ribbon looks a bit odd and it isn't needed.

The back has a panel of shirring which is concealed by a ribbon corset. The ribbon used here appears to be velvet, which I think is a really strange choice. There is no velvet anywhere else on this dress and it is a bit random. The skirt has a lovely rounded bell shape to it. It looks very full and will hold a lot of petticoat. The skirt is kept free of clutter and so, the print is displayed really well. The bottom hem is finished off with another ruffle like the rest of the dress. It ties in really well.

This is the Red Queen JSK. The bodice is really well fitted with a good shape to it. The waist has a large waist bow. Normally I would find this bow too big but on this occasion I think it suits this dress. Although it does blend in a bit with the rest of the dress. However, the bow is a lovely sturdy shape and is lined with gold trim, which helps it to stand out a bit more. The bow is detachable and underneath it, there is a line of red ribbon running along the waist line. Whilst the ribbon looks neat, the colour looked a bit lighter compared to other parts of ribbon on the dress. I actually prefer this dress with the bow still attached. The gold trim gives the bodice a smart, panelled look. I really like the gold buttons on this dress and the slight military feel. However, the buttons do look a bit droopy and I would be tempted to resew them on. Whilst I like the shape of the collar, I really don't like how the colour is black. There is no areas of black on the rest of the dress and I think it doesn't match anything else. I think it would have looked better if the colour was the same colour and the ribbon used. Thankfully, the collar is detachable and the dress still looks good with it removed. The neckline is finished with a ribbon bow, which looks very cute and I like the way the Baby charm hangs from it. The back has a panel of shirring, which is concealed well by a ribbon corset. With the collar ties at the back and also the waist ties, the back of this dress possibly looks a bit crowded. It is not enough to put me off the dress and if you detach the collar, then you don't have to worry about this anyway. The skirt is a lovely full bell shape and is very rounded. It will hold a decent amount of petticoat too. The print is not obscured by details and is displayed well. The bottom hem has a line of ribbon and is finished with gold trim, which gives it a smart and tidy finish. The ribbon is topped with small bows which are cute, but not too distracting. I think they work quite well.

Here is part of the print close-up.

And another part. The print comes in pink, navy, brown and black. I personally found the brown and black versions to be a bit dull. The pink and navy versions look very bright and vibrant in comparison. I would probably pick the pink colour as my favourite this time. This print reminds me a lot of Alice's Portrait by Alice and the Pirates. Replace the stripes from Alice's Portrait with check, and you get something like this new print. Luckily, the check part of the print is pretty then. The print doesn't focus on the typical characters we usually see in Alice themed prints. Tweedledum and Tweedledee are a big feature of this print. Does this pair really make for a good Alice print? I am not so sure these characters are strong enough to merit their own print, especially when the only other main feature is the chess pieces. That being said, the print is nice enough for what it is. The golden frames are very elaborate and a lot of detail has gone in to this print. It is all drawn very well. However, I do think the knight chess pieces are a bit derpy looking, especially the white one. I like how there is a line of card suit mirrors above the main frame part of the print and the pearl chain detail at the bottom of the print. My favourite part of the print is the frame with the 2 queen chess pieces in it, but I am not overly amazed by the print.

I like the idea behind the jewellery for this series. However, I am a bit unsure I like the end product. I think for me, it is the colour of the gold used (the jewellery also comes in silver). The colour used on the gold versions is very bright and I think it verges on looking a bit cheap. I think a more antique gold colour would have been more fitting for this series, as it may have matched the gold parts of the print better. When I saw this series for the first time, I really liked the jewellery, but as time has gone on I have found it less appealing. But ignoring my dislike of the gold colour, I do like the heart design topped with the crown and I think the mirror is interesting.

Whilst I do like the series, I feel it could have been better than it is. The dress designs themselves are quite good, but I am not too bothered by the print. It all feels very familiar. I wouldn't go out of my way to own this series. If I had to pick, I would go for the Red Queen JSK in pink, but only because I can detach the collar! I can see some people liking this series, but for me it is a bit underwhelming.

I Have Injured Myself...

Sorry for the lack of post today. On Saturday I injured my right hand. I am getting better now, but I don't think I should be writing a post. It hurts if I type for too long and I don't want to make it worse. So I am really sorry. I should be back Wednesday.