Wonder Fortune by Angelic Pretty

Today I am looking at Wonder Fortune by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 2 dresses, a head bow, a blouse and socks.

First up is the OP. The bodice seems reasonably well fitted and the shape is lovely. I think the neckline shape is lovely and the bell part of the sleeves flares out well. The way the fabric has been folded on the bell shaped sleeves is beautiful. I like the use of tulle to fill out the bell sleeves as well. The sleeves are then finished off with a bow, which is a cute shape, but I wish it was a lot smaller and more subtle. There is a waist bow, which is a bit on the big side, especially when paired with the large chest bow. The waist bow probably would have looked a fair size if the chest ribbon was a lot smaller. It is well formed though, with a cute shape. It sits well on the dress. The chest bow is a bit floppier, although it is made of tulle so that is understandable. I like how this chest bow and the tulle ruffle on the neckline have been lined neatly with a thin line of gold lace. It works well with the gold accents in the print. If I were to choose between the chest and waist bow, I think I would keep the chest bow. It is a shame that neither bow is detachable. I think a lot depends on whether you decide to wear the matching choker or not. The choker features a large ribbon bow, which in my opinion makes the overall look a bit too bow-heavy. So I would definitely give the choker a miss if I wore this dress. There appears to be a lacy yoke and some small ribbon bows underneath the chest bow. Given that the chest bow doesn't appear to be removable, these details are very obscured. I don't really feel the need for them to be there. It feels like a lot of effort has gone in to something which is not going to be seen. The back of the dress offers no shirring, so size flexibility is severely limited. The stock photos show that the skirt is plump with volume and flares outwards loads. It will hold plenty of petticoat and I can imagine you could create a large OTT shape if desired. The print is displayed really well on the front of the skirt, despite the random ribbon bows dotted down the front of the skirt. I don't feel these shiny ribbon bows are needed, or at least the ones midway down the skirt shouldn't be there. I don't think the bows at the bottom are as bad, but they are still a bit distracting. There is a tulle bustle on the back of the skirt. The tiers have been well spaced out and layered brilliantly. It creates a really frilly appearance which compliments the bottom hem. The bottom hem features crown themed lace layered on top of a tulle ruffle. I think this looks really pretty and is a good match for the bell sleeves.

This is the JSK. The bodice looks well fitted but the overall bodice shape is a bit underwhelming in my opinion. I don't like the neckline shape at all. The straps are an okay width and look fairly supportive. They are topped with tulle and some really pretty lace, which then goes down the bodice in to a triangle design. Both the tulle and the lace sit really well on the dress. The gathering has been done excellently. There is a waist bow, which perfectly hides the area where the lines of tulle and lace meet. I think the overall size and shape of the waist bow looks good, but maybe the tails could have been a bit shorter. The inside of the triangle is neatly pleated and features a good use of gold lace around the edges to help define the bodice details. There is also a line of card suit shaped buttons, which matches the Alice in Wonderland theme. The neckline features 3 ribbon bows, which are again a bit shiny. I am not sure I like how these bows look on the dress, but I don't know what I would suggest as an alternative. The back features a panel of shirring which is topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt has a good amount of volume and flares outwards generously. It is not as full in volume as the OP, but it will still hold its fair share of petticoat. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed excellently. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with a line of gold braid and a line of the crown themed lace. This looks really pretty, although I think a tulle ruffle layered underneath could have looked good considering the use of tulle on the bodice. 

Finally, here are some close ups of the print. This series comes in sax blue, red, dark blue and black. Aside from sax blue, all the colours are quite dark. If I am being honest, I think the colours are a bit uninspiring. Sax blue and red are typical for Alice in Wonderland prints and having another darker blue shade feels a bit unimaginative. As for the print, it feels as though AP have rehashed a load of parts of older prints. Alice in Wonderland is a very overdone theme in lolita anyway, but this print just feels a bit lazy. The castle in the print is almost identical to the one on their Wonder Queen print. There is nothing really new or exciting about the thrones or playing cards either. I do like the rose themed gold gates though.

I think it is fair to say I am not impressed with this series. It lacks originality and I don't feel it has the same charm as the prints it is trying so hard to emulate. It is a shame because I actually think the dress designs look quite good. My top choice would be the JSK in dark blue. I am not surprised to see that this series is still readily available at the time of writing this (the best part of a week after it got released). I am also a bit miffed that AP didn't re-release some of their Wonder Queen accessories with this series!

February 2017 Haul

Despite telling myself I was going to spend less in 2017, I am today presenting my latest buys from Japan (and there will be a Taobao review soon too...). I ordered from Swimmer and Angelic Pretty, and also got a pair of AP socks on auction.

First up is my Swimmer order. I wasn't actually intending to place this entire order but I accidentally discovered a replica of the bags on Taobao and saw that the original was from Swimmer. I decided to take a chance and look on Swimmer's site to see if they were still available. To my surprise, they were still available. So as I was having a hard time deciding between 2 colours, I ended up getting 2 colours and a pair of socks that I thought looked cute. I added the AP stuff afterwards.

You probably wont be surprised to see that it is a moon design! Considering the price, I thought the bags were worth it. You can tell by the feel of the material that it is not top quality, and I will be super careful to take care of these bags to make them last longer, but Swimmer's prices are pretty cheap. In fact, they were only a tiny bit more than the Taobao replica. So it was definitely worth double checking Swimmer still had them! I don't think they will hold up that well in heavy rain, but they should be able to withstand a reasonable amount of bad weather. Some of the metal rings holding the beads looked slightly open, meaning the pearls were at risk of falling off. I was able to take a pair of pliers to them though to close the gaps. The scallops were well shaped.

I was very pleased to see that my bags had at least some cardboard to help protect the bag in transit. I forgot to photograph it, but the metal parts underneath the card were further covered in a bit of protective plastic, just to keep them a bit more safe. The bag was stuffed as well to hold its shape.

There is a small pocket on the back of the bag, but I don't think I will use it because it feels a bit tight and there isn't much room to put anything other than a couple of tissues or hair pins in there. As you can hopefully see in this picture, the stitching on the bag is really neatly done.

After lifting the flap, I found there was another popper in place to help the bag keep its shape. I thought this was a nice touch.

The bag was actually a lot bigger than I was expected. It seems really roomy inside and there is an additional pocket on the inside as well. The bag is lined well. I am also happy to report that this bag did not have that distinct smell that a lot of cheaply made bags seem to have!

I got the bag in black as well as off-white. I didn't want to risk either colour selling out before I made a decision, so in the end I got both! Both colours are really lovely, although I think I like the black one slightly more. The straps were easy to clip on and are adjustable, so you can change the length.

As I was ordering from Swimmer anyway, I added this pair of constellation ankle socks to my order. The label had some washing instructions on them. Even though I can't read Japanese, the symbols were pretty straight-forward and easy to understand. 

The socks were a bit darker in colour than they appeared on the site. They almost look black, although in person you can tell that they are dark blue. The constellation pattern was crisp and very clear to make out.

The socks felt very soft and were a decent thickness. They fitted my wide feet comfortably. I think some lace around the ankles could have looked cute, but as they are, they are a lovely pair of casual socks.

I also ordered these British Crown socks in wine from Angelic Pretty. Japonica very kindly included the shopping bag that AP give with each of their purchases. I really wanted to get these socks in ivory and possibly black as well, but I left it too late to get those colours. But I am still really impressed with the wine colour, which is quite vibrant and bold. 

The pattern is very crisp. I absolutely love these socks, even though I complained a bit about the upside down crowns when I discussed this series on this blog.

The one part of the design I am not so keen on is the bows on the ankles. It is a cute idea, but the bows have not been well formed. The shape of the bow looks a bit rushed. Also, unless you are wearing low backed shoes this bow is not going to be on view anyway. 

I have noticed with more recent AP socks that they seem to be a bit thinner and shorter than they used to be a few years ago. They are still reasonably thick, but when I tried on the other pair of AP socks I got (see below) I couldn't help but notice that these newer release socks are very obviously thinner in comparison. As you can see, these socks do reach over my knees, but only just. There is no way I could stretch them further. I am still impressed with the quality, but they don't quite match up to the quality of my older AP socks.

I thought I would include a photo of the ankle bow. I don't think they look much better when worn. I am actually tempted to take the bows off.

Finally, I got this pair of AP Holy Night Story socks on auction. The socks were like new and I could tell they had barely been worn. I really love the bold colours. In case it is not obvious- I love royal and emblem themed legwear!

The design is super clear. Even from a distance it is easy to make out the sock design right away.

These socks are a couple of years old, which is why it is interesting to try these on after trying on my British Crown socks, which only came out about a month ago. As you can see, these socks are a bit longer and ended a couple of inches above my knees. I can also confirm that the material is thicker, and therefore warmer than the newer release socks. Despite both pairs of AP socks being of a good standard, I do think it is a shame that their quality has appeared to take a bit of a dip in more recent times. I have noticed it with my other newer AP socks as well. I suppose because I tried these 2 pairs of socks in such a short space of time, the difference in quality was a bit more noticeable. But despite this, I still think the newer AP socks are worth it. Angelic Pretty do some really lovely sock designs and come up with interesting patterns, so it would be a shame if the quality were to deteriorate any further.

So that concludes my impromptu spending spree. I am really glad that I discovered those bags and then made sure to check if Swimmer still had them. Overall I am really pleased with all of my new purchases. Despite a bit of negativity in this post towards the more recent AP socks, it has not put me off buying from Angelic Pretty at all. I also feel the Swimmer items were good value for the price paid. I have made a mental note to check their site more frequently from now on. I am looking forward to pairing my new items with my royal and cosmic themed outfits in the future!

Tales of Kingdom by Metamorphose

Today I am looking at Tales of Kingdom by Metamorphose. This series includes 2 dresses, 3 skirts and a head bow.

First up is the Bustle Dress. The bodice seems quite well fitted and the shape is lovely. I think the straps are a decent width and look quite supportive. However, I don't feel the second set of off-the-shoulder straps really work here. They look messy in appearance and look accidental, rather than being a deliberate style choice. I also think no care has gone in to how the fabric for these straps has been gathered and the final effect. In addition to the second pair of straps, there is also a pearl chain. This doesn't look as bad as the off-the-shoulder straps, so I am not sure if I would keep it attached or not. The off-the-shoulder straps are also detachable, and I would definitely remove them in an instant. The regular set of straps and the neckline has been topped with a line of lace, which sadly does not sit very well on the dress. I think a lot of this is to do with the pair of bows at the bases of the straps, which disrupts the lace, causing it to sit awkwardly. I wouldn't have bothered with the strap bows anyway, because they look too fussy on a bodice which already has a lot of details. The ribbon used for these bows, and some of the small bows on the bodice, is really shiny and cheap looking too. There is a waist bow, which has a simple, but well defined shape. It is a bit too big though, especially when teamed with the large bow on the chest. When you factor in the over-skirt and other bodice details as well, it looks overcrowded. I personally wouldn't have bothered with a waist bow, or at least not a big one like this. The bodice features 2 sets of criss-crossed ribbon and a row of shiny ribbon bows between them. This part of the bodice also looks cluttered, although these details do get concealed a little bit by the chest bow. The chest bow actually has a lot of potential in my opinion. It has an interesting layered effect with the different materials used, and I really like the charm in the middle and the chain with the dangling crown charm. Annoyingly, it is the chest bow which is detachable, but the strap bows and waist bow are not detachable. It is really frustrating when you can't get rid of the bows you dislike, but you can remove the only bow you do like! The back is fully shirred, which means plenty of stretch, but also that the shirring is quite exposed. However, the style of print and the dark colour choices makes the shirring look a tiny bit less obvious. The stock photos show that the skirt has a lot of volume and flares outwards generously. It should hold plenty of petticoat. I really dislike the shape of the over-skirt. Something about the way it has been gathered doesn't look right to me. It makes the material sit funny, which causes some odd lumps and bumps. I also feel unsure about the choice of material used here. There is a bustle on the back of the skirt which is made of the same material, so at least that part is consistent. The bustle actually looks okay, with it being a nice shape and having well spaced out tiers. However, having both an over-skirt and a bustle is absolute overkill in my opinion. It is far too much detail and it makes the back look really bulky. I would get rid of the over-skirt and just have the bustle, which I think could have potentially looked pretty if the over-skirt wasn't there. Despite all this detail going on, the print is still displayed excellently on the front. The skirt is tiered, with the join being topped with a chiffon ruffle, but fortunately this sits above the border print and isn't too distracting. The bottom hem is then finished off with a line of gold lace layered well on top of a chiffon ruffle. I personally am not a fan of how the gold lace looks, but the chiffon ruffle has been well gathered.

Here we have the Collared Dress. The bodice looks well fitted. Although the bodice shape is quite simple, I think it looks really smart and suits the overall 'feel' of the dress. I don't even mind the straight neckline, which is something I seem to end up complaining about a lot on this blog usually! The straps look a decent, supportive width. There are some small military style epaulettes on the shoulder part of the straps, but unless you were looking from above, you would not really see this detail. The waist is topped with a belt, which I absolutely adore. Some may say the belt is a bit basic looking, but I like it like this. It really helps to define the waist area too. The bodice features a fake jacket 'lapel' design with a row of buttons running up the middle, and several lines of gold lace. I think these details have been set out really neatly and the 'lapels' are a good shape and size. My only slight complaint is the placement of some of the buttons. I am not a fan of the buttons that appear on the lapels, or the very bottom button in the row of buttons, which is so low down it is almost sitting on the lapels. I really like how the lapels and neckline have been lined with gold braid. It keeps the lines looking sharp and not too 'frilly'. The back has a small panel of shirring, which is topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt is very full and flares outwards plenty. I think there is the potential to create  a great shape. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem features some small flaps with buttons, which are a suitable match for the bodice details. This is then finished off with a gathered ruffle. I think pleats could have looked quite smart here, but the ruffle looks pretty too.

Finally, this is a rough idea of what the print looks like. I will update with a clearer picture if I can. This series comes in black, wine and deep blue. The dark colours are very mature looking and I think all 3 colours fit the overall 'feel' of the series. As for the print itself, it is not particularly original, but it is well set out. I really like the thrones and I feel the way the curtains drape around them frames them perfectly. There are some lovely extra little details in this print as well, such as the roses trailing around the pillars and the subtle golden 'M' hiding behind some of the thrones. The brand name is placed on a banner underneath the throne, which is broken up with pretty roses. Overall it is a nice, regal looking print.

So overall I have some mixed feelings about this series. The print is lovely, but not something that I would go out of my way to get hold of. Despite being pretty, there is nothing particularly original or groundbreaking about it. As for the dress designs, I think I have made it very clear that I favour one design over the other. So I guess it is safe to say I would not buy this series, or at least not at full retail price. My top choice would be the Collared dress in black, as I really like the deep purple on that colour way. 

Making a Comeback

It is very easy to just dole out advice when you know a situation doesn't really affect you. However, today is a bit different, as I am actually going through this myself right now. It came as a surprise, and if you had asked me even just a year ago, I wouldn't have thought that I would ever be in this situation. But now I am in it, I feel as though I have a better understanding of the mentality surrounding it and I can appreciate that it isn't always as straight-forward as it may seem. I am of course, talking about returning to wearing lolita after taking a break. When I stopped wearing lolita, I always knew that I was going to come back to it. I still love the fashion, I just needed some time away from it. As I have mentioned in recent posts, I feel like this was quite an eye-opening experience and I learnt a lot about myself. So I wanted to detail the ways in which I am re-introducing lolita in to my life.

As my situation has settled down somewhat and I am in a better place mentally, my mind has returned to my lolita wardrobe once again. As I am writing this, I have actually worn lolita recently. I wore Rose Toilette last weekend, but it was quite a laid-back casual affair. I didn't bother to curl my hair or go overboard with the accessories. I guess this was because I didn't want to overwhelm myself as I gradually ease myself back in to lolita fashion. When you have taken a break, it is very easy to make up excuses to not wear lolita. Things such as the weather not being right, not having a specific reason to dress up, or if you are feeling unwell are just some of the many excuses you may come up with. So to go from not wearing lolita to suddenly planning elaborate outfits with fancy hair styles and complimentary make up can be intimidating. I had forgotten just how much effort goes in to wearing lolita! So to combat this, I went more casual and simply didn't share it on places such as Tumblr, so only my friends saw it.

Another way I have been getting back in to lolita is to focus on why I fell in love with the fashion in the first place. This involved me re-reading a lot of the magazines and blogs that I used to read years ago. Sadly, a lot of the blogs from that time are no longer active, but I could still go back and check all the old advice and meet reports. As I looked at the pictures, I remembered how I felt when I first saw them. The lolitas in the pictures were happy and going on fun adventures. But I also fell in love again with the aesthetic and the styling. A big part of me wearing lolita used to be that I liked to express my personality through the way I was dressing. Outfits were a bit like mini works of art and I loved seeing how they turned out. It was also fun reading the English Gothic Lolita Bibles again. It was actually a picture in the first English GLB (A model wearing the AP Fruit's Parlor apron skirt. I never did get a hold of that print, but years ago it was a dream of mine to own that skirt) that turned me from being a simple admirer, to an actual wearer of lolita fashion. Seeing that picture again stirred up a lot of old memories, and it made me miss dressing up. I saw this as a big indicator that I was missing wearing lolita.

I also ended up looking through my old lolita scrapbook again. For a recent blog post I did on collections lolitas seem to accumulate, I dug out all of the old notes I had received from lolitas over the years, as I store them in my scrapbook. For years I have been meaning to go back and completely re-organise my scrapbook so that I have a timeline of my time spent as a lolita. Going through all of the magazine cuttings and pages I had printed off reminded me of what inspires me. I even had notes written down for outfits I had been planning which I had completely forgotten about. I don't even own some of these dresses anymore, but I could read the notes and visualise the end result. It made me think about how I never really seem to make these notes anymore and how I want to go back to doing that. Writing down how I feel and my dreams for the future has been a bit of a healing process. I think a big part of returning to lolita is reminding yourself why you loved it in the first place.

Taking a break also reminded me of the aspects of lolita fashion I didn't like as much. As my break from lolita was not just about stopping wearing lolita, but also about not buying any clothing or going on lolita-related sites, it meant I was completely free from the bits I didn't like about lolita as well as the bits I love. It gave me a good idea about what I didn't miss, and as I return to lolita I am making a conscious effort to rid myself of the more negative aspects of the lolita lifestyle. I came to the realisation that I loathe trawling auction sites for stuff I want when I only have a few accessories left that I really want to get, so I am not stalking second hand sites or auction sites as much as I used to. I am not on Tumblr as much, because recently I have been getting followed by a lot of kink and fetish blogs and that is really not my scene. There are also certain situations I don't really want to return to, so I am simply avoiding them for the moment until a time where I feel a desire to be a part of them again. I can still wear lolita for myself, in the way that I want, without any negativity. It may mean that it changes the way that I share my outfits, or how and when I wear them, but the important thing is that I will be doing this for myself and nobody else.

Trying to care less about what others think has been a big part of my return. If I want to try a new sub-style, then I will, even if I have no experience of wearing that style. If I don't want feedback, then I just wont share things in places where I may get it. I almost ended up with a completely new hair cut recently. I chickened out at the last minute, but the idea that I could have a new look and start afresh was reassuring. So I think trying a new style is something I would consider suggesting to somebody taking a break from lolita. Sometimes it is refreshing to get a new spin on something you love. When you have been in to lolita fashion for a long time, you start to see the same themes and styles repeat themselves over and over again. It is about finding a way to reignite that initial 'spark' you felt. Alternatively, if you have a style that you have always worn and absolutely love, you shouldn't feel bad for wanting to stick to it. Every outfit doesn't have to be super original and unique. Another thing I have been considering is whether I want to stick solely to lolita, or branch out in to other J-fashions. I have really been getting in to otome and larme-kei recently, so I think I may want to give them a try. I will still wear lolita, but sometimes I get the desire to try something a little bit different. And trying a different fashion means a different aesthetic and way of styling outfits.

So I guess my advice, at least from my own personal experience, is to try and remember what you love about lolita fashion and focus on that. Wear lolita fashion for yourself and nobody else. Cut out the negativity where you can (and for different people this may mean taking completely different actions, depending on what bothers you the most). Most importantly, don't rush back in to it. If you do, you may find yourself associating lolita with more negative emotions. Take your time, decide if coming back is what you really want. And try not to forget how you felt when you took a break from the fashion, as that could give you a good indicator as to why you decided to take a break in the first place. I am not sure how helpful this post is, as I am still in the midst of making my comeback. When I wore lolita the other day I felt positive about it. The sun was shining, I was dancing around the garden and I felt cute in my dress. However, I do know that this is only the beginning of my comeback. There may be times when I don't enjoy wearing lolita as much as I did at the weekend. But as long as I still love the fashion, I will keep wearing it, no matter how frequently that may be.

Heart Marguerite by Baby the Stars Shine Bright

Today I am looking at Heart Marguerite by Baby the Stars Shine Bright. This series includes 3 dresses (one non-print), a skirt, a blouse, a bag, socks, 5 hair accessories and a bracelet.

First up is JSK I. The bodice seems quite well fitted and the shape is lovely. I am a bit unsure about the straps though. Although they look very supportive, I think they are maybe a bit too wide, which makes them look a bit bulky. These straps are neatly lined with thin lace, which thankfully does not add much to their width and also keeps them from looking too bare. There is a waist bow, which I think looks a pretty decent size. I am not that fond of the waist bow shape, but it sits well on the dress. I do like that this bow has also been lined with thin lines of lace. The waist bow is detachable and I think the dress looks a lot better with it removed. There is a lot of detail on the bodice, so detaching the waist bow makes that area look a lot less crowded. The bottom half of the bodice features a ribbon corset, which makes a sheer yoke on the chest area. I think the ribbon for the ribbon corset has been well spaced out and I am pleased that a non-shiny ribbon has been chosen. The sides of the ribbon corset are lined with lace, which sits well on the dress and keeps the area looking tidy. I think the yoke is a cute size and shape. Maybe a slightly more interesting lace choice could have been used to line the yoke, but the lace used is at least of a good quality. The bases of the straps features some ribbon bows. I think these bows are cutely shaped, but are maybe lightly too big. This may have something to do with them being teamed with wide straps, and if the straps had been narrower, perhaps these bows would have looked more in proportion. The back offers a panel of shirring, which is topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt has plenty of volume and it flares outwards a lot. I really love the skirt shape created in the stock photos. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with a ruffle of polka dot tulle, which looks pretty, although I wish it had been under-stitched instead of over-stitched. I also feel a line of daisy shaped lace could have looked amazing going along the bottom.

Here we have JSK II. The bodice looks well fitted, but I feel the bodice shape is far too basic looking for lolita. It looks more like a casual sun dress than a lolita dress. I also wonder how bust-friendly that scoop neckline will be and the straps are quite flimsy looking. The straps and neckline are both lined with lace. I think the neckline lace is really pretty and a lovely choice, but overall the lace doesn't do much to liven up the look of the bodice. It still feels as though something is missing. The waist area is topped with a ribbon belt, which helps to define the waist area brilliantly. I especially like that non-shiny ribbon has been used but also, the belt is topped with a really sweet line of daisy shaped lace! Although the daisies appear on the neckline, I think it is a shame that this daisy themed lace is not used more as a feature in this series. The belt is then finished off with a bow. I think the bow is a good size and shape, plus the choice of material means the bow is quite firm, with no signs of drooping. The back is fully shirred, so there is plenty of size flexibility but it also means the unattractive shirring has nothing covering it. The stock photos show that the skirt is generous in volume and flares outwards well. I am really impressed with the skirts on both dresses. The skirt is again kept simple, so the print is displayed perfectly. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with a line of good quality, but slightly boring looking lace. Once again I feel that the daisy themed lace could have been used here.

Finally, here is one part of the print...

... and another. This series comes in ivory, pink. lavender and red. I think the colour choices are really cute and suit the print. I am maybe not as keen on the red as the other 3 colours, but that is just my personal preference. As for the print itself, it is very reminiscent of Baby prints from around the 2010 era, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It is sweet and dreamy looking. I also think it is a perfect print for Spring. The daisy wreaths are well shaped. I especially like how the middles of the daisies are heart shaped. That is a nice finishing touch. The pansies mixed in with the daisies offer a bit of variety and extra colour. The gingham and polka dots fit in well with the print and look really cute. I am not usually a fan of gingham, but I feel it works well here. The trails of ribbon help to break up the non-border part of the print too.

So overall I am quite impressed with the print and I feel it has that typical 'Baby' look to it. I think this style of sweet is what they do best. There are maybe a few missed opportunities with the dress designs, but overall they are quite solid looking pieces. Would I buy this series? Possibly, but at the same time I can't say I have really fallen in love with it. I think it is pretty, but not wishlist material. Despite slating the simple bodice style, I think I would go for JSK II and just spruce it up with some fancy details. My top colour choice is the lavender.

Tokyo Treat Review- Positive

So today I am doing a post which is not really lolita related and I do apologise if this post is not something that my followers are particularly interested in seeing. I am still sat in that metaphorical fig tree, trying to figure out what to do. I promise I have some more Japanese fashion related content coming soon. I have a Taobao order and a Japan haul coming in the post, plus I have a few ideas for other posts as well. But if you are a fan of Japanese food and snacks, then today you are in luck!

I have been wanting to order one of these monthly snack subscription boxes for a while now. I have a bit of a passion for food, especially sweets and food that looks cute. There are so many options out there, especially for Japanese candy, but in the end I decided to go for Tokyo Treat. I based this decision on a few things. Firstly, in comparison to some other similar boxes, it feels as though you get more content in the Tokyo Treat box. Tokyo Treat also offer free shipping worldwide. If you go for the larger sized boxes you are also guaranteed to get a soda, a DIY candy kit and a gachapon. Also, if you go on their Facebook page you can see what the monthly theme is going to be and some of the contents. That helped me to make a more informed decision about whether I wanted to get that particular month's box. The good thing about Tokyo Treat is that you can unsubscribe at any time and it is really easy to do so. So if you wanted, you can just sign up for one box and then cancel right away if you only wanted to get that one box. Just be aware that you will need to cancel before the payments for next month's box comes out, which should be some time near the end of the month. If you search their Facebook page, you will find that Tokyo Treat also do a lot of discount vouchers, so it is worth having a look and figuring out which deal works out the best for you. Subscribers also get entered in to a competition to win a free 'Lucky Treat' each month and there are also competitions to win further prizes.

There are a couple of points I feel I should mention. Obviously with a lot of these boxes the contents are not worth the price you pay for them. You have to weigh up how much you are getting and how much of it is cheap stuff that doesn't cost many yen. The other thing to consider is how much it would cost you if you didn't live in Japan, but wanted to buy these sweets from a specialist sweet store. There are stores out there that offer snacks from various countries, but a lot of the time you get hit with high prices because the store has to pay to import them. I know that if I were to buy my box contents from one of these stores it would have cost me a lot more money. Yes, you don't get to choose what is in the box, but that is part of the risk. But out of everything I received in my box, I was very pleased to discover there was only one thing I didn't like. I also tried things that I would have otherwise avoided like the plague. I would have never thought about trying clam soup flavoured crisps, but it turns out I actually quite like them! So that was a bit of an eye-opening experience. I can't wait to see what surprises await me in the March box. At the moment Tokyo Treat do not guarantee that their boxes will be vegetarian friendly. I see a lot of people commenting about this. I would suggest keeping up the comments and then maybe they will consider doing one. Also, if you have a food allergy, that would be another reason to avoid getting these boxes.

So, on to my box! I got an email as soon as the box was dispatched. Tokyo Treat are very responsive on their Facebook page and I feel it would be really easy to get in contact with them if there was a problem. They do say that if your box does not arrive by the end of the month to contact them on Facebook. Thankfully, my box turned up okay, but I do have some faith that Tokyo Treat would be able to send out a replacement box if necessary. 

I was told to expect my box any time between the 20th and 28th of February. Obviously my box arrived well before those dates. It took just over a week from getting my dispatch email for my box to arrive. There were a few dents in the box, but it was generally well packaged.

The box was absolutely stuffed with products, so there wasn't much room for extra packaging. I was a bit worried that the soda bottle would crush stuff like the crisps but actually, the box was so full that there was no way that stuff was going to be rolling around inside the box. The more fragile items, such as the crisps, were sensibly packed right at the top.

You get given a handy magazine which goes in to depth about everything you get in the box. It is always nice to know what you are eating beforehand! The magazine also had information about Japanese culture surrounding the snacks. So because this was a Valentines themed box, there was a small piece written about 'obligation chocolate' and some of the traditional customs around this time of year. As this was a Valentines box, a lot of the items were pink! There were also some instructions in English on how to use the DIY candy kit. This time around, the DIY kit was a strawberry mousse with stencil, which you have to microwave. I haven't gotten around to making it yet, but I did notice I am going to need to do a bit of converting with the microwave cooking times. It only tells you how long to cook it for 500W microwaves. Apart from needing to alter the cooking time, the instructions are super easy to follow to the point where it is almost patronising. You would struggle to get it wrong because Tokyo Treat are super careful about making their points crystal clear.

This month's gachapon was an Amuse lucky charm. I was hoping to get one of the bird designs, but out of the cat designs I think I got the cutest one!

I wont go in to details about every single snack, because we will be here all day. If this is something that people are interested in, I may consider doing videos of James and I trying the snacks, but I have no plans to do this at the moment and it wont be on this blog if I do decide to give this a go. I decided to share my favourite snack from this box though. These are the Mini Peach Ramune candy, which taste of peach soda. They were so refreshing and left me wanting more. The can style packaging with the ring-pull was cute too. I would definitely buy these again! 

So after this first box, I have decided that I am going to remain subscribed for a while. March's box is going to be sakura and matcha themed, and I am really excited to see what they do with this theme. The good thing is, there is plenty of time to cancel my subscription if I didn't like a theme, because Tokyo Treat usually announce their theme long before the payment comes out. To tell the truth, I have always been a bit wary of these monthly surprise boxes, but this has turned out to be a very positive experience. I also really love surprises, so this is definitely my sort of thing! 

A Print Double

Today I am looking at 2 different prints. So scroll down further to see Alice with the Lost Pieces by Metamorphose.

First up today though, is Memorial Library by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 2 dresses, a beret, socks and a blouse. There is also a British Bear themed book bag.

First up is the OP. The bodice seems quite well fitted and the overall shape is cute. It has a sweet, yet mature look about it. The arms look as though they have a fair amount of length to them and I like the way the cuffs have been set out. The cuffs have 3 emblem themed buttons, a line of gold braid and are finished neatly with a line of lace. These details have been set out well and I feel the cuffs go well with the collar. There is a belt, which helps to define the waist area nicely. The belt matches the rest of the dress and I love how bold the gold buckle is. The bodice is broken up with some thin lines of gold lace and some emblem themed buttons. I was going to say that the buttons are quite well positioned, but with the collar ribbon bow attached you can barely see any of them. However, the collar bow offers an interesting pop of colour. I also think the bow is a cute shape and size, although the ribbon used is a bit shiny. So I am very undecided about whether I would want to leave this bow attached or not. I guess it is down to personal preference. The collar is a very striking shape and lined really neatly with gold braid and lace. This matches up with the details on the cuffs. I was initially unsure about the collar shape, but it has grown on me. The back offers no shirring, so size flexibility is very limited. The back is very neatly set out. What I love is how the edges of the waist ties have been shaped so it follows the tassel part of the print. I thought this was a nice touch. The stock photos show that the skirt is very full and flares outwards generously. I really like the full, rounded shape created in the stock photos. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed wonderfully. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with a wide pleated ruffle. I think the pleated ruffled is very smart and goes well with the overall 'feel' of the dress. Lace here would have maybe looked a bit too cutesy.

Here we have the JSK. The bodice seems quite well fitted and the shape is simple, but lovely. I am not keen on the straps though. I don't like the way they appear to be slanting outwards slightly (maybe this is just how it looks in the stock photos) and I feel they could have been just a little bit wider. Despite being lined with gold lace, the straps also look a bit plain. This dress features the same belt design, which again I feel works really well. The main part of the bodice is also set out in a similar style with the gold lace and buttons. I personally feel the buttons look a bit too close together, but maybe it is because the bodice looks quite crowded anyway that it gives off this impression. The neckline features 2 folded down flaps and a 'tie'. I personally think the tie looks awful and I am not fond of the shape of the flaps on the neckline either. I was very relieved to discover the tie part was detachable, although I still don't like the look of the bodice even with it detached. The back offers a panel of shirring, which is topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt has a lot of volume and flares out well. There is a lot of potential to create a great shape. The skirt is once again kept simple in design, which means the print is displayed excellently. The bottom hem is finished off with the same pleated ruffle as the OP. Again, I feel the decision to use pleats here is wise.

And this is what the print looks like. This series is available in pink, wine, navy blue and black. I personally don't like the combination of black with brown, so I dislike the black version. There is something about the pink version that doesn't look quite right to me too. So for me, the best colour is a choice between the wine and navy blue. As for the print itself, I like that it offers a slightly sweeter alternative to the library prints we see classic brands offer a lot. The books are well stacked and Shy Bear fits in well with the print. The chess pieces are well drawn, but feel a bit random in my opinion. I feel that if AP wanted to include chess elements with the print they should have included a chess board somewhere to make it a bit more balanced. But I personally wouldn't have bothered including chess pieces at all. Considering this is AP, the background for the print is surprisingly subtle. I really like it. My main concern with this print though, is the sizing. If you look at the size of the print on the actual dresses, something about it looks a bit 'off'. It's almost as if the print is too big.

So overall I can't imagine this series being a bit hit. I do feel the balance of cute and more mature features has generally been handled well, with the exception of that awful tie on the JSK. I am not overly impressed with the print though, especially the way it has been sized. So this is not a series that I would personally want. My top choice would be the OP in wine. I suppose this series does offer a slight alternative to the more classic styled library prints though, which tend to look quite similar to one another.

Today I am also looking at Alice with the Lost Pieces by Metamorphose. This series includes 3 dresses, a corset, tights and 2 hair accessories.

First up is the Ribbon Dress. The bodice material looks just slightly baggy and loose. I also feel some of the bodice lines could have been softer, giving the bodice a nicer overall shape. The straps are a reasonable width. Despite being lined with lace though, the strap and neckline area looks rather bare. I feel this area is lacking something. There is a ribbon belt, which nips in the waist area nicely. However, the ribbon used looks really cheap and shiny. It looks like cheap ribbon you can find in any craft store and I am really unimpressed. The bodice features several ruffles. These ruffles are well gathered and are layered neatly. It creates a cute frothy appearance. There are then a few small ribbon bows running up the middle. These bows are a cute shape and size, although once again the super shiny ribbon has been used for them. The back is fully shirred, which means lots of size flexibility but also that the unattractive looking shirring has nothing to cover it. The stock photos show that the skirt is very full and has plenty of flare. I think the rounded shape in the stock photos looks very cute. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with a thin line of lace and a neat ruffle of the main dress fabric.

Here we have the Bustle Dress. The bodice looks quite well fitted but the overall bodice shape is a bit plain and uninspiring. I especially don't like that really boxy looking neckline. The straps look a good width though, and very supportive. The straps and neckline are lined with a thin line of lace. Again, it feels like this area is lacking something. Perhaps a small bow could have adorned the neckline at least? There is a waist bow, which is made out of ribbon. Unfortunately the super shiny ribbon has been used again for this bow. I also think the shape of the bow is very basic. There is a small clock charm dangling from this bow, but it doesn't really add much to the bow and is barely noticeable. The bodice features several lines of lace and a row of card suit shaped buttons running up the middle. This is all really neatly set out, but also looks a bit boring. I do like the use of the shaped buttons though. The back offers a panel of shirring, which is topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt is very full and flares outwards well. There is the potential to create a great shape. The skirt is again kept simple in design at the front, so the print is displayed perfectly. As the name suggests, there is a bustle on the back of the skirt. Sadly, it is not the most attractive of shapes and I personally think the bustle looks really awkward. It is such a shame. The dress would have looked a lot better if there was no bustle at all, albeit a bit simple. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with a line of thin lace.

This is the A-Line Dress. The bodice is quite short, and I do worry how that waistline is going to sit on anybody who is even slightly busty. I also feel the sleeve length is a bit odd and looks a bit frumpy. I think shorter sleeves would have looked much cuter. The sleeves are finished off with just a thin line of lace, which I think is appropriate. Any more detail here would have probably looked too OTT. There is a waist bow which is made of the main dress fabric and then topped with a line of ribbon. I don't think the ribbon looks particularly attractive or really adds anything to this bow. The bow is a good shape and size though. I think the collar has a really interesting shape to it. It is a good size and is neatly lined with lace too. Underneath the collar there is a tiny yoke. I don't think the yoke adds anything to the design and it is mostly obscured by the collar anyway. I wouldn't have bothered putting a yoke there, just so that all the attention was on the collar. The yoke just makes it look a bit fussy. The back offers no shirring, so size flexibility is very limited. I think the back is set out quite neatly. The stock photos show that the skirt has a good amount of volume to it. I don't think this is the most flattering of skirt shapes, but at least it looks as though there is enough room to experiment with petticoats until you get a shape you are happy with. The skirt is again kept simple in design, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with a line of lace.

Finally, here we have the print. If I manage to find a better picture of the print I will edit the post. This series comes in black, off-white and Alice blue. I feel that a lot of the details are lost on the off-white (both the print details and some of the details in the dress designs). The Alice blue (basically sax blue) is very typical for an Alice series and I like how the print details show up well on the black version. As for the print itself, I think it is an interesting take on what is a very overdone theme. I really like the idea of having puzzle pieces in the background. It helps to fill in the empty spaces in the background without looking too OTT. The heart shaped rose bush is beautiful too. All the elements of the print have been well drawn. It is generally a nice looking print.

So I guess your feelings towards this series will depend on how much you like the Alice in Wonderland theme in lolita. I personally think the dress designs let the print down a bit. There is so much more that could have been done with the dresses and I think Meta could have chosen better materials, especially for the ribbon. I also feel that off-white was a really bad idea for a colour way and that the print details wont show up that well. Who knows, maybe it looks better in person. Would I buy this series? No, I would not. My top choice would be the Ribbon JSK in Alice Blue, but that is only because I dislike that dress design the least, rather than me actually liking the dress. I would have quite liked to see a skirt released for this series, especially when I feel so uninspired by the dress designs.