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I found these really great buttons at a fabric store recently. They are from the company 'dress it up', a wholesaler specialising in buttons and embellishments.

I’m replacing the buttons on this cardi from plain white to grave stones to go with my coord. (dress: BtssB Halloween Alice)

You won't be able to buy from their website but there are heaps of online stores that sell their products for a very reasonable price. Each pack I purchased (the seasonal Halloween 'grave yard set' and an Easter set) was only about $5 AUD! I’m using my gave yard buttons to bedazzle a normie cardigan to wear with my Halloween Alice coord. I had been meaning to decorate it and switch out the plain + boring buttons for a while but couldn't find the perfect ones until now!

The rest of the buttons in the pack, (there was also a gate embellishment but It wasn’t a button. I’m thinking of making that into a brooch)

I really want to get the tiny sheep buttons next, as well as more bunnies!

Happy DIY-ing ^_^

Link to dress it up web page: http://www.dressitup.com/

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  A few country lolita detail photos. Mostly berry themed!

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Cute Farm: Finger Lime

Add extra interest and flavour to your iced tea creations at summer tea parties!

Fingerlime – Citrus Australasia

A cute idea for adding zest to your iced tea creations, with excellent flavour and a lovely almost fruit-caviar-like garnish at the same time. Finger limes can easily be added to summer iced teas where you might use lemon, orange slices or juices to add extra depth of flavour to the drinks.

There are many different varieties of Finger Limes mostly related to colour, but uniquely each colour of lime offers a distinct flavour; making the 'limes' strangely collectable with the additional bonus of varied fruiting times in season. The fruit of the finger lime is also highly decorative, enhancing the appearance of any brew as they mingle with crushed ice like small brightly coloured beads. The texture of the fruit is almost like a natural, smaller and more powerfully flavoured tapioca bubbles you find in bubble tea complete with the bursting sensation in the mouth!

No food dye here, finger limes naturally occur with different coloured fruiting bodies.

The finger lime fruit can also come in a variety of colours such as pink, purple, white, bright green and red, which can give a very impact-full look to the brewed beverage on your table at tea parties, matching or complementing any floral arrangement or colour theme for sweets or displays.

Finger limes could also be used as a replacement for the lemongrass herb in tea infusions more suitable for Autumn and winter by replacing the warming, earthy, slightly peppery and sweet flavour with a bright sweet citrus tang, reinventing your favourite drinks for warmer weather.

Growing

The plant itself unfortunately, like the more traditional lime and lemon trees, have thorns and can grow quite large, however it can be kept manageable if planted in a pot. Once planted it is a slow grower taking up to a year to establish itself. It is advised to remove any fruiting bodies that occur up till the 3rd year to insure the health and swift growth of the tree, but after that time fruit can be enjoyed as it comes. Fruit is ripe when it drops from it's stem at a light touch. It can take up to 5-6 years to yield a significant crop but after this time the tree is very long lived. Growing condition requirements are similar to other citrus trees. Ensure well drained soil, shelter from winds and frost. To avoid collar rot (Finger limes are particularly susceptible) do not water, fertilise or mulch on/or close to the main stem. Finally opt. For Nitrogen rich fertilisers instead of Phosphorous to ensure healthy growth.

Growing your own trees is very rewarding, and after the teething stages it is fairly easy to care for. However if growing the plant isn't up your alley or you just can't wait the 3 fruiting cycles to get them in your belly, then you will be happy to know that finger limes are grown commercially; however they are moderately hard to come by. It would be good luck to find finger limes at your local fruit-mart, but you might have more results if you buy small orders direct from farms. Articles of interest: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/320272/growing-australian-native-finger-limes.pdf

managing citrus diseases: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/138205/Managing-melanose-in-citrus.pdf

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My Handmade bunny skirt coord! I actually made this skirt when I first started lolita, and I wore it in a fairly awful way back then so it has been gathering dust in my closet. Recently I have been going back to try and relook at older pieces and was really happy with the resulting coord! BtSSB, Ribbon and Pearl Fur Beret. AP, Pearl Collar Heroine Blouse. IW, scallop bow bag. AP, Fantastic Ribbon bracelet AP, Dream Ribbon Ring. Offbrand, socks. Bodyline, shoes.

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Bodyline L297. “butterfly skirt”

Bodyline L297. “butterfly skirt”

Black skirt with red and white printed butterflies.

Stock image

Overview

Fabric listed as “cotton others” on website, this is accurate

Fabric strangely collects dust like a hoarder, and just wont release it

Fabric is not course but not supremely soft either

Ruffle fabric is a different fabric to the main fabric (the butterfly printed fabric)

Unlined

A few loose threads none compromise the structure

6 gore skirt design with godets. No godets in the side seams

Center front and center back gores are wider at the waist then the other gores

Godets inserted very well

Gathers and ruffles are neatly executed with an even spread

Hemline gathers are babylocked

All raw edges are over locked

Full elastic waist, “no-roll” elastic appears to be used. No other fastenings used

Eyelets inserted neatly and evenly

Ribbon details on skirt godet section are satin and long enough to be tied in a bow at maximum spread. Removable. Often come untied easily. Finished neatly

Pearl rope is detachable

Pearl rope bow is very neatly executed

Ribbons for hanging are inserted into the waistband on the wrong side of the garment

Bodyline tag present

Size tag present

Washing instruction tag present

Weight: Light Washing: “professionally dry clean separately. Do not bleach. Do not tumble dry. Warm iron using press cloth.”

Personally I have washed this in my washing machine with no problems with colour or fabric. Washed with detachable parts removed (including ribbons) on gentle cold water wash setting in a delicates bag.

Additional comments There is not much to say about this skirt. Its a skirt. Although I was impressed by how the godets were inserted.

Godet from the back

The seam with the inserted red fabric is under stitched and then the eyelets are passed through the two layers to hold the fold together.

Godet - gore seam. Here you can see the under stitching and eyelets from underneath

I liked the appearance of this method as it avoided any stitching being visible on the outer layer.

Detail of lacing area.

As for sizing I'm not entirely sure as to why the gores are wider at center front and center back, it must be an aesthetic thing as I can't for the life of me figure out how this could effect fit in any significant way.  Additionally in the sizing regard you may be happy to know that as the skirt section isn't gathered in any way, just attached to the elastic waistband, (which gives the gathered effect) so the larger size does have more fabric in it,  producing a wider skirt spread on larger sizes.

Elastic waistband

This is often a problem when going up sizes as the design may skimp on fabric here leaving the shape over a petti looking more than a bit silly. This is actually why I bought the 2L as there is quite a large cross over in sizing between the M and the 2L,  so I hoped there would be a bit more fabric for a more impressive bell shape. This worked out in my favour so unless you have a waist size under 64cm or want to avoid the extra 2cm length I would suggest going for the 2L because you get more bang for your buck (well an extra 8cm of fabric, you decide if you want that or not).

Other notable mentions other than sizing and my success with machine washing are:

This fabric has an odd tendency to collect dust and not let go. I gave it many vigorous rolls with my dust/ hair roller but you can see in many of the the close up images (particularly the waistband) the white fluff/ dust/ other on the fabric that just wouldn't pick up. I actually had a similar problem to this on my Bodyline Cinderella Bunny skirt.

The ribbon lacings on the skirt would constantly undo themselves whilst wearing. Regular checks of weather they were still tied was required which was very annoying. Better “staying power” may be achieved by replacing the ribbons with a higher quality satin ribbon, or with gross grain (or petersham, whatever you have access too) ribbons.

Further details

Butterfly print

Pearl chain attachment to skirt waist

Bow on pearl chain

Overall thoughts:

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Infanta Power and Throne JSK II

Infanta Power and Throne JSK II

Lovely velveteen JSK with a gold lame print.

Stock image

Overview

Nice quality velveteen fabric. Solid weave, no give.

Lame print is of excellent quality, the print details are clear in most places, not so clear in other.

Bows are uniform and executed neatly. One is missing from the back.

Bow style doesn’t match the stock image.

Laces are of good quality. The gold lace is a bit scratchy but this is to be expected from a metallic lace.

Braid trim is of poor construction. Not noticeable when worn.

Fully lined. Polyester.

Lacing for size adjustment on back.

Eyelets are of good quality, secured sturdily.

Corseting ribbon is single sided velvet with gold detail. Nice quality, good choice.

Garment runs small.

Invisible zip, inserted neatly, doesn't catch, matching colour.

No hook and eye closure.

No pockets.

Skirt section gathered neatly and evenly to bodice. Even spread over petticoat.

Detachable bow is very neatly executed. Symmetrical. Matching fabrics. Back uses lining fabric.

Bow pins are attached well.

Brand tag and sizing tag present.

No washing instruction tag.

Additional comments

Lining an hem lace

Hem laces. Gold lace used throughout.

Lacing for size adjustment (sorry for the blurry image).

Front of bodice

Detachable bow front

Detachable bow back

Infanta neck tag with size label

Print detail one (print is actually gold lame print, it just refused to photograph well. Sorry about that).

Print detail one, close up. The details on this panel were the hardest to make out.

Print detail two.

Print detail two in black & white. Just in case it makes it easier to make out the details.

The inspiration for today’s post was the dismay I felt when, as I'm on uni holidays and have a bit of time on my hands, I went on the rounds to finally do some much needed repairs on a few of my lolita items.

My Power and Throne JSK has been a real thorn in my side for quite some time now, as it required a heroic effort and much annoyance from a couple of parties. Here is the story.

I received this lovely dress from my lovely sister for Christmas in 2013, who purchased it through ClobbaOnline. It came a little late but not so late that I we would query the lateness. It didn't arrive until after Christmas but fortunately my sister posted it to my address for this possibility.

As soon as I removed the dress from the packaging I knew it wouldn't fit. It just looked too small and there was no give in the fabric. I got the XL size assuming it would fit easily with the listed bust measurements being 100cm. Measured flat the outside of the garment (I also gently stretched it out as much as possible) at the widest part of the bust is 93 cm, (I will take it up to 95cm for error). This dress runs small. So I hung it up in my wardrobe as I was planning to lose some extra weight anyway so it was no big deal.

~

The time came to try the dress on again, but as I pulled it out of the closet I noticed, to my horror, that a bow on the back was missing.

Missing bow location. Here you can also see the poor quality of the braid trim. I looked around my closet thinking it perhaps fell off in there. Nothing. There was no stitch line where it would have been sewn on if it had been sewn on, no pieces of thread left in the garment to indicate it had fallen off and no tear or distortion of the fabric that would indicate it being torn off. It came with a missing bow. This was definitely an annoyance. I e-mailed Clobbaonline not expecting to get any help since so much time had elapsed since the purchase, but to their credit they did their best to help me out.

Then began, what felt like, the never ending battle to get Infanta to make me some new bows! I opened negotiations to get the replacement bows on March the 13th 2014 and it was just painful. Clobba notified me that they had received the bows from Infanta on the 28th of August after much nagging and grunting... 5 months...

I'm so grateful that Clobba put so much effort for me. Thank you so much. ♥

~

Moving on to today!

It's been a long while since I have had some free time and so I decided to FINALLY get around to stitching the new bow onto my JSK.

But to my horror.

The bows don't match.

I think I will just be removing them all and finding a nice gold ribbon that I like to replace them with.

End.

overall thoughts

Further notes: I.e disclaimers etc. Disclaimer: Although this dress is incomplete, the overall score reflects the quality of the garment. This is a review on the dress after all so it will lose points in construction and not from my personal painful customer service experience.

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Bodyline L506. “Bunny Band”

Green printed JSK from Bodyline with music notes and bunnies.

Overview

Fabric selection is ok. It's not soft, but not irritating. Described as “cotton others” on the site.

Green is sort of a dark pea green, I was expecting more of a forest green.

Bodice is unlined, has facings.

Few loose threads none compromise structure.

Scallops on the front of the bodice are very nicely executed.

Front tucks all in one direction.

All edges are over locked. Ruffle edges are baby locked.

All ruffles are executed neatly and uniformly.

Skirt section is gathered to the bodice neatly and uniformly.

Regular zip used, enclosed in a flap of fabric.

Zip inserted neatly, matching colour.

No hook and eye closure.

Shirring is neatly executed, and stretches, I think, a bit more than the listed measurements.

Back lacing is threaded through lace, not through loops.

Cotton lace average quality.

Chemical lace trim also average quality.

Grosgrain ribbon used throughout.

Pearl rope is detachable.

Small bows on the front of the bodice near the strap areas are not detachable.

Skirt shape is indeed a bit strange as it appears in the stock image.

Main part of skirt is one piece.

Adjustable length shoulder straps.

Button holes neat.

Bodyline tag present.

Size tag present.

Washing instruction tag present.

Weight: Medium to light Washing: Dry clean only, warm iron with press cloth.

Additional comments

Like I said in the overview I purchased this JSK in the hope that it wasn't that weird circus tent shape and with the impression that it would be forest green. Alas, it is indeed circus tent shaped and pea green. The green colour isn't really bad but just not to my taste, so I don't think I will be keeping it.

Not much else to say on this one, it is a nicely constructed JSK.

Shirring panel with grosgrain ribbon

Lace used for lacing the back of the JSK

Lower ruffle with trim

Non-detachable bow on near strap on front

Pearl chain attachment mechanism

Adjustable strap button

Zipper and scallop edge lace.

Front of bodice pin-tucks.

Detachable bow (for lace close up, view zipper image).

Waist tie ends.

The main body of the JSK is made up of a music note print which is a very clear and crisp print. I'm also happy to report that care was taken with pattern placement on the fabric as the staves were lined up fairly well over all the seams. Stripe alignment as a rule isn't normally noticed unless it is misaligned, in which case the overall look of the garment is messy, unfinished and cluttered; this is an important detail and it is excellent not overlooked.

Print overview

The art work on the border print appears to be, what can only be described as 'fuzzy'. Because of the clarity of the main fabric I'm feeling like this was a design, or art style choice but I'm not sure if it working in the pieces favour.

The border print artwork is also fairly random in theme, with many different seemingly unrelated elements put together. Along with the musically talented rabbits you will also find:

Wreathes of four leaf clovers (and some three leafed).

A rocking horse.

stars and hearts.

A wind up duck toy

Print detail one. 

Print detail two.

Print detail three.

I like the idea of including clover in a print, It could be very lovely, but perhaps in another place and time.

Overall thoughts:

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L500

L500, Bodylines black and white (or red) striped JSK.

Fabric selection is ok, its not soft but isn't irritating. Is as described on listing, “polyester others”.

Bodice is unlined, it has facings around all edges and openings.

Two layered skirt section. Under layer is made completely from the ruffle material, not half polyester lining fabric with a ruffle attached.

Few loose threads. Not structurally compromising.

All raw edges are overlocked.

Edges on ruffles and chiffon ruffles are babylocked.

All ruffles are executed neatly and uniformly.

Front bows are uniform and neat (note: these are not detachable).

Ribbons (satin average quality) for bustling the top layer of skirt are all finished neatly, and are all of a uniform length.

Consideration was taken in pattern placement on the fabric, and stripe direction.

Non detachable waist ties. Securely stitched into side seams.

No pockets

Regular zip in use, concealed in fabric flap. Neatly inserted. No hook and eye closure.

Shirring is nicely executed.

Satin ribbon (average quality) is employed for the lacing on the back. Ample length to accommodate sizes.

Brand tag, sizing tag, and washing instruction tag included.

Overall JSK weight- medium to heavy.

Washing instructions- Dry clean only.

Additional comments

I bought this JSK when I was first starting out in lolita and remembering back to that time there where a few surprising first impressions when I retrieved it from its packaging. Firstly the chiffon ruffles. The chiffon material is not of the highest quality but it's not bad, this ruffled detail was a nice accent to break up the verticle lines on the JSK.

Detail of the chiffon along the lower edge of the JSK. You can also observe the babylock used on the edges of ruffles throughout the garment.

Secondly was the overall neatness of the garment. Having read reviews of Bodyline products I was expecting to receive an item that would have some minor-major flaws that I would have to fix up before wear, but once again I was surprised to find that everything on this garment was expertly executed to a high standard.

Front non-detachable bows. (sorry about the flash, black is hard to photograph)

Image highlighting the neatness and uniformity of ruffles.

Ends of waist ties. You can see a small stitching error at the point of the waist tie.

Thirdly was that they didn't skimp on fabric in the under layer. A few of my other skirts or JSKs will use a mostly polyester lining under layer with a the ruffles stitched to it where the lining would normally be visible.

Image of the under layer of another budget brand item, where polyester lining is used to save on other fabrics.

This really impressed me, it gives the garment an extra element of quality that I really didn't expect from a budget brand. I find the only major things this garment suffers from on the quality scale would be fabric selection and originality of design, otherwise it is a nice JSK.

Sizing- true to size.

overall thoughts:

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Angelic pretty Royal Chocolate OTKs

Re-releasedin 2013, Royal Chocolate OTKS by angelic pretty. Ivory colourway.

Disclaimer: I purchased these socks second hand and as so images may include signs of wear that do not represent the item when new. In these cases I will identify damages to the reader and omit them when scoring the item in the review. Lolibrary reference-  http://lolibrary.org/node/9072

Soft feel throughout the sock

Scalloped sock top

Flow through from brown to ivory is clean and nicely executed

Chocolate pattern is clear

All patterns and writing are woven into the sock

Quite a lot of stretch

Motif on the leg portion of the sock, distorts quite heavily when stretched

Pink lame branding on the right sock foot

Detail images Beautiful chocolate motif woven into the sock

Here you can see the scalloped top of the sock.

Right sock foot - lame print footbranding, Its obviously damaged from use but this is the colour and positioning of the brand.

Additional comments First impressions of these socks when I removed them from the post bag was that they where very small and that they would never fit my king sized calves. Despite this, the socks themselves have quite a lot of stretch and easily fit my legs, BUT the script became distorted so I wont be wearing them. It's a perfect example of just because it fits doesn't mean it looks good. It's because of this I think I would say that these socks are not plus-sized-friendly. Other notable comments on these socks are that the ivory has a slight transparency because of the fabric the socks are made of. The fabric isn't thin or poor quality, it's just more of an opaque stocking x sock material. I mention this for those who have tattoos but don't want to show them in Lolita or people who have large dark birth marks they feel self-conscious about so wish to cover them up. I can't comment on the other colourways in this regard because even though they will be made out of the same materials, having it coloured my defuse any dark marks coming through the sock. Finally, Just as a side note, I'm not sure if these socks are the 2011 version or the 2013 re-release as the branding on the foot, however damaged, appears to be different from any of the socks that I've bought recently so they might be the older or the two releases. If this is so, the information I may have provided may not be relevant for the 2013 re-release or vice-versa. I will update when I find out which version they are.

overall thoughts: 

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L510

Floral A-line JSK from Bodyline. Many layers of lovely ruffles. "beige" colourway.

stock image

Cream colour, inaccurate stock image colour.

Crisp and vibrant print.

Textured fabric, slightly course but easy wearing.

Ribbons throughout (bow decorations, back lacing, bustle ties) average quality grosgrain ribbon, complementing colour.

Ribbons mostly finished neatly (one bow tail was not).

Ample lacing ribbon to accommodate sizes.

Some loose threads, not structurally compromising.

All raw edges overlocked.

All ruffle edges babylocked.

Gathered fabric feature on bust line neat and uniform.

Lace on bust line, average quality.

Two tiers of ruffles on outer fabric bottom edge.

Three tiers of ruffles on chiffon under skirt (this skirt layer goes all the way up to the waist).

Bodice is unlined. All openings and edges are faced.

Shirring is neatly executed.

No pocket.

Detachable waist ties are double sided. Fastened with a faux pearl button.

Waist tie button is firmly attached.

Upper skirt can be bustled all the way up to waist point.

Zip is a non-invisible zip, hidden by a flap of fabric. No hook and eye closure.

Adjustable length straps. Fastened with pain button, in complementing colour.

Includes brand tag, sizing label, and washing instructions.

Washing instructions- dry clean, warm iron with press cloth.

Additional comments

Often the excellence in budget brands is limited by, amongst many things, fabric selection. In this case I find this JSK to be one of the stronger designs that Bodyline has produced in regard to this element.  The use of this textured fabric really lends itself well to the print choice and the classic style.

In addition to the simple elegance of this floral print suiting the classic styling well, the choice of colour palate opens up a swath of co-ordinating directions in classic staple colours or in more obscure, challenging colour selections.

The Co-ord options just seem endless, where picking out a colour from the print can offer completely different looks. In this way I believe that this JSK can be easily incorporated into a beginner or experienced lolitas wardrobe as it is incredibly versatile.

Other Details (Sorry these pics are a bit dark)

Above, adjustable strap button, on the inside of the JSK. Below, waist tie button.

Three tiers of chiffon ruffle on the underskirt section of the JSK.

Ribbon bows on the bottom of the JSK, a further two rows of ruffles.

Bust line details.

Other notable mentions: The fabric used for this JSK doesn't appear to hold wrinkles. The main body seems to 'de-wrinkle' while hanging, though the ruffles will probably need an iron (remember to use a press cloth). JSK weight- medium weight

Overall thoughts:

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Infanta Dark Magic Party Beret

Infanta Dark Magic Party Beret

Matching beret from the Infanta Dark Magic Party series. Black colourway

Stock image

Loose threads, Loose threads everywhere

Lined in navy polyester lining, nice quality

Print is crisp, clear and vibrant

Fabric choice, cotton average quality

Head band section is interfaced

Made in panels or gores

No brand label

Detail images

inside of beret, is a navy colour that was particularly hard to photograph accurately so I've included an approximate colour match from online. Please remember that how colours appear on your monitor may vary from mine. The navy looks good with the print anyways. Also note the omission of brand label here.

The colour on the inside of the beret is more like this

Just some of the loose threads

Additional comments Loose threads everywhere. Normally I don't mind a few loose threads it's not biggie, I just snip them off myself. But when there are so many that it actually warrants a proper mention, yeah way too many. Many of the loose threads on the garment are actually from laziness on the seamstress or seamsters part as most of them are at the end or a row of stitching, not just poking out randomly that you might miss on a cursory glance. As this is also a similar problem on the matching JSK I purchased it might suggest that the people constructing the garments might have been too pressed for time or experiencing unrealistic deadlines, which isn't a great working environment :( (But please don't cite me on this!! Its just speculation!!). I would have liked to see more attention paid to pattern placement on the print, but It doesn't really effect the overall appearance of the item. Sizing is another issue with this beret, as it is a little on the smaller side.

Although this is a bit of an exaggeration I am not the only Lolita to experience troubles with sizing with this beret. With a wig on this hat simply does not fit on the head, and even when pinned to the head it does not fall in an elegant manner, or similar to the stock photo. For reference my head circumference is 57cm, and I have long hair.

“Head circumference or OFC [occipital frontal circumference] is measured over the most prominent part on the back of the head (occiput) and just above the eyebrows (supraorbital ridges). This can be translated to mean the largest circumference of the head.” If I wear my hair naturally it fits fine. overall thoughts:

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Bookish Beauty Classical Lolita Long Sleeves Cutsew&Jabot*2colors Instant Shipping

Bookish Beauty Classical Lolita Long Sleeves Cutsew&Jabot*2colors Instant Shipping

Black cutsew with detachable jabot and lace trimmed sleeve cuffs from Fan Plus Friend.

Correct sizing

Correct colourway

Buttons stitched securely

Button holes neatly executed

Construction in general is sound

All edges are over locked

Jabot ruffles are over locked

Untrimmed over locking threads

Jabot ruffle section is not centered on the neck tie by a small margin

Cotton crocheted lace used throughout. Nice quality

The colour matching between the body fabrics and the cotton lace isn't as bad as it appears in the stock image. There is a very slight difference though. Hardly noticeable.

Cotton fabric is used for the jabot and cutsew collar, whilst the stretch fabric is used throughout the rest of the garment

Ruffle along the bottom edge is gathered neatly with even spread.

Darts are symmetrical

Buttoned area at the front uses a light interfacing. The interfacing is not enclosed in any seams or between fabric, so it sits weirdly against the body. Its existence is a bit of an anomaly, I believe it should have been trimmed away during making, but I think they forgot.

The fabric of the body part of the cutsew is a spandex blend, sort of like old school bike shorts material, or swimwear material.

Details

collar and buttons

cuffs

Lace

You can see here the slight neck tie length discrepancy

Again illustrated here, when folded in half you can see the tie length difference a bit better.

Additional comments Firstly both me and my friend (we did a group order) where shocked when we pulled this out of the postage bag. We looked at it, looked at each other then looked back at the cutsew... Looked back at each other and both said aloud “I didn't order that” and grimaced. Later on I realised that I had indeed ordered this, it was the bookish beauty cutsew I had been so looking forward too for some casual wear. Honestly the spandex threw me off, I didn't even recognise it as the cutsew I ordered because I was just sitting there going, why spandex?? SPANDEX?? why is there a spandex shirt in my order? Once I realised that this was the Bookish Beauty cutsew I raced immediately to the website to re-read the description thinking I had been ripped off some how. But no, there it was plain as day “made by spandex and cotton laces, high stretchy, comfortable wearing; cotton laces in the collar and cuffs”

Now, I always read product descriptions so what I was expecting was a spandex AND cotton blend, you know basically a Jersey knit kind of fabric with a bit more stretch (or in non-fabric savvy terms, stretchy comfy T-shirt fabric). Not an actual spandex top.

So keep this in mind if you decide to purchase it. Also, since it is a spandex garment, if your measurements are larger than what you think the model looks like, then its going to look like a sausage tube on you. As for the jabot not being centered on the neck tie, its really not an issue when wearing, so don't let that of all things discourage you, but it was something that I had to mention. So I have no idea what to do with this cutsew, I was thinking about actually using it as a swim top, but lace doesn't really hold up well to pool environments. I don't think I could sell it, because like me most lolitas wouldn't buy a spandex top once they knew it was actual spandex, so meh I guess it will just have to become a super sun protective fancy rashi overall thoughts: 

N.B I purchased the black on black version of this cutsew, so I cannot comment on the lace, fastenings or fabric used in the black and white colourway. Although the website doesn't make any notes on the difference between the two, so I assume they are the same.

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L501, Bodyline Sweet party time!

L501

JSK with with printed sweets and things, 'sweet party time'. from Bodyline.

stock image

soft cotton fabric throughout, both fabrics.

unlined

prints are crisp and vibrant. block colours are also vibrant.

print includes: heart shaped cakes, cup cakes, jelly, tea cups, tea pots, cherries, raspberries, cream. And is also printed with "Sweet Party time!" over the dress, broken up with little bows.

5 different types of lace and trim, they match well.

lace and trim are not of excellent quality, but they are still quite acceptable and do not detract from the overall appearance of the garment.

two different ribbons used, both satin. white for small bows on the 'bib' area, and also threaded through one of the trims (also on the 'bib' area). Matching ribbon (burgundy for the wine colourway, black for the black colourway, I haven't seen the other colorways so I can't comment on those.) for lacing the back, over the shirring.

There is ample length of ribbon for the lacing up of the dress.

quite forgiving shirring at the back of the dress.

pin tucks on the bib area are perfectly executed.

sizing and length are accurate to the description on the site.

includes Bodyline tag, sizing tag, and washing instruction tag.

bows are executed neatly, both the 'bib' bow and the detachable waist bow.

all edges are over locked neatly in matching thread colours.

ruffles along the bottom edge are perfectly executed with an even appearance and spread.

gathering of the skirt to the bodice is perfectly executed with and even appearance and spread. spreads perfectly over a petticoat with an even and beautiful shape.

a couple of loose threads.

one stitching error on the back of the dress in the shirring. Not structurally compromising, not visible to someone not looking really really hard.

regular zip, inserted neatly although there where 2 stitching errors (shown later). Zip is encased in a flap of fabric. zip is matching colour.

pin on the hair bow is a bit loose.

colour from the main body of printed fabric runs/ rubs off.

washing- DO NOT PUT THIS IN YOUR WASHING MACHINE! take it to the dry cleaner! Colours will run! directly from the tag:

Dry clean, petroleum solvent only

dry in shade

do not bleach

iron, high

please excuse the poor image quality, they will get better further down the  page!

packaged

front after unpacking

back after unpacking

details

bib area

bottom ruffle and lace

detachable bow

spread over a petticoat

sewing errors in zip area

sewing error, shirring

Print details

Additional comments firstly, the construction of the garment is quite excellent aside from the 3 stitching errors, so it is a little disappointing that they are there. It could have easily scored 5 out of 5 for construction otherwise :/ Secondly and very importantly the colour. I know many lolitas are quite used to the non colour-fast prints with brand dresses, but this is sort of new for me in the budget lolita category. Yes, this dress in not colourfast. If you don't know what this means, basically if you wet it the colour will run and (as I experienced) colour will rub off on your blouse or outerwear you co-ordinate with this JSK. You can see on the picture that highlights the sewing errors on the zip, that a bit of colour has rubbed off from under the armpits. Fortunately I was able to get the colour that was transferred onto my white blouse just with a wash, just make sure you take this JSK to a dry cleaners. They may even have some suggestions for products to fix the colour a bit more. Otherwise this is actually a quite high quality garment, if it had a lining and slightly better lace, it would probably pass as a high to medium quality indie brand item. I have to mark it down for those stitching errors though. But I highly recommend it as a budget lolita item.

overall thoughts: Quality: 3.5/5 price: 5/5

[christmascottontail-blog]

Magic Tea Party Christmas Twilight Embroidery JSK

Velvet JSK with Christmas themed applique and embroidery.

exquisite velvet fabric

detatchable bows, ribbon for back lacing and bows is made out of a ribbon that is velvet of one side. not quite a match to the dress velvet but I don't believe this was the intention

use of cotton lace, good quality, attached neatly

invisible zip inserted neatly

buttons for waist tie are small silver bows.

buttons are attached poorly

waist ties are very well made, the points at the end are very crisp

bottom ruffle is made of the same velvet fabric as the dress

shoulder straps are not adjustable

applique are made of various materials.

applique attached neatly

embroidery is exquisite

skirt part is made up of two panels.

shape of the skirt under the petticoat is a bit strange

lined with a patterned fabric

hair bow is very neatly made, and the band is comfortable to wear. points of the bow where very crisp

Stock image

 lace on bottom of dress

lace on shoulder strap and around the top of the bodice

button

details of applique and embroidery

Lining fabric

Additional comments

My first impression of this dress was that it was absolutley amazing, I didn't expect to get such a high quality piece for the price that I paid. And by that I mean the velvet fabric and embroidery. Normally I would steer away from velvets as I usually don't like the feel, but as I am really really into Christmas (as the name might suggest)I just had to have it for the applicable year's festivities. The velvet is so high quality I just fell in love with it, so went to my local fabric store with the intention of buying some to make a few simple dresses and found it was $70(AUD) per metre. There is probably minimum 2 metres of fabric in this dress, so for the price of $103AUD on Qutieland, or $68.61AUD on Taobao (exclusive of shipping costs etc.) you can immediately see that this dress is definitely winning on the value for money front.

When I purchased it on the site, I noticed that the applique and embroidery along the bottom of the skirt where different colours, this made me nervous. I really wasn't sure what the product was going to look like with all of these different colours, but to my surprise it worked really well. All of the embroidery is exceptional, my only wish is that the pink Christmas tree wasn't made of felt. It doesn't look bad, its just that all of the other elements of the dress are incredibly luxurious, felt just isn't, so I think it would have rounded everything off more completely if it was of a different fabric. No points lost there though, that's just personal preference. The choice of lining fabric struck me as a bit odd, but then when I thought about it lining isn't seen and its not a bad fabric choice, just the print is a bit different. The lace is a soft cotton, the zip is perfect and matches, the ruffles are neat and over locked and the metallic thread was great quality. It appears that almost every element of the dress was well thought through, so no points lost here. But this is where the points where lost, which makes me so sad as I love this dress :(. although the construction of this dress was amazing (there wheren't even any random threads on it o.O) this is a massive sticking point, the shape of the skirt over a petti.

When the skirt was gathered to the bodice this strange effect occurred, and I thought that it was just that they didn't arrange the skirt over the model well when they took the photos, but this is what you receive. Its a small oversight in the drafting and pattern execution stage, that when sent away to be made makes a big difference. Consequently the dress fits over the petticoat awkwardly and can give an uneven silhouette.

Now if you really love this dress, and feel like spending a little bit of money on it since you got it at such a bargain price, a skilled dress maker will be able to remove the skirt and re-attach it with an even spread. I personally can deal with the shape by wearing a less poofy petti (I might alter it myself later on down the track), it just depends on what a deal breaker is for you. The only other gripe I had with this garment was that a button fell off almost immediately. I hadn't even worn it, all I had done was put it on the dress form to check out the shape after I looked over it, and then when I got it out again ssssllllllliiiiiippppppp off came a button -.-. Normally I reinforce buttons almost instantly, because well, when buttons are unique if you lose one that's that (and of course button attachment is something that is notoriously neglected across many many many brands). But I hadn't gotten around to it yet. So to many people this is a non-issue, for me its nothing but an inconvenience as I can just go to my local haunt (fabric store ^_^) and get some matching thread and pop it back on. But I digress.

I included button attachment it in the 'cons' section, because:

some people may look at a needle and thread and go “eeeerrrr”

people may not be able to find a matching thread in their local crafty spot

you might experience a wardrobe malfunction mid-day

and it's something you kind of expect to be done when you buy something

So although this dress is in many respects just so amazing, I sadly have to score it as average because of the skirt shape issue :'(

Overall thoughts

Quality: 3/5 Price: 5/5

[christmascottontail-blog]

L367, Bodyline's Stripe Balloon Bears OP

L367

black and white striped OP with teddy bears and balloons along the dress bottom.

polyester blend throughout

variety of different laces used

heart shaped pearl buttons attached firmly

three pink bow-knots attached well to front of dress (non detachable), gross grain ribbon

print is crisp and vibrant.

Skirt attached well to the bodice

shirring is very forgiving

fabric has stretch

pink ribbon lacing up back is threaded through lace, not keepers

large bow-knot, made very well, secured to pin sturdily

pearl rope on large bow-knot attached well

large bow-knot holds shape

1 waist tie tore from stitching slightly when being tied.

Not an invisible zip, but the zip is encased behind a flap of fabric, and it is inserted well, does not snag.

Extra detachable pink bow-knot, made out of gross-grain ribbon

few loose threads, (not structurally compromising)

Great detail was paid when cutting the fabric for the waist ties. The fabric was cut on the same place so that the pattern or image is exactly the same on both ties, front and back. This is a very nice touch.

Two small satin pink ribbon bows on bottom of waist ties. Very well secured.

All edges are over locked and then rolled to the inside to leave a nice clean edge (apart from the skirt top edge, which is just over-locked and the gathered to the waist).

stock image

packaged

Front

pink bows and heart shaped pearl buttons, laces and ruffles on the front panel (buttons are purely decorative)

Lace on front panel

Back lacing up back

End of waist tie, hemline on the skirt of the dress

Matching bows, right is the detachable gross-grain ribbon

other notable images

Additional comments

A bit disappointed that the waist tie tore from the bodice a little, but it may have been because I was a little rough with it. Never the less it wasn't like I yanked it really hard, so this is an issue when reviewing this dress. If you have any sewing knowledge this may be a place to reinforce the dress if you are particularly worried. Another thing to address would be how the ribbon is laced through the lace at the back. I would re-lace this to go through the thicker section of lace, as it is put through holes that look as though they could break if pulled too tightly. This isn't an issue to be worried about if you are buying it, just something to consider before you use it. I also noticed (on my particular piece) that the sewing was a bit wonky in this area, specifically the stitching of the lace to the bodice (this really isn't noticeable without going over it with a fine tooth comb, which is what I’m doing of course). The shirring is fantastic, it stretches to allow quite a large waist measurement, but it also shrinks to fit a rather small one. I purchased a 2L which is listed as fitting a bust 94-104 and a waist of 76-86cm waist, now the shirring is so great that I popped this dress on my dress form that has a waist of 66cm and a bust of 88cm and it still fitted (a little bit roomy, but the waist ties can bring it in). So if you missed out on a smaller size in the colour you wanted the 2L will suffice, but once again, tie up those waist ties. In contrast if your a bit bigger, I believe this dress will probably go up to about 108cm comfortably

The lace throughout is varied but it all matched well (soft, not scratchy),the print is vivid and not blurry. It has a few structural issues and I would like to see some of the elements stitched separately and then put together to give it more strength. Overall this is a lovely dress for its price. overall thoughts: Quality: 4/5 price: 5/5

[christmascottontail-blog]

SOCKS437, Bodyline socks with teddies and balloons!

SOCKS437

knee high or just below knee hight with teddy bears and balloons

very good stretch

image doesn't distort much when stretched

the sock isn't screen printed so when you stretch it there is no 'whiteness'

top edge is scalloped

design is only on one side

soft feel

washing- after a cold water wash, no colours have run or leaked (black colourway) and the sock remains fully intact

stock image

packaged

front

Additional comments

The sock is appropriate for up to a calf size of 43cm at the largest point, with a foot size of up to an AU9 before the image is too distorted, and for it to still reach up to just bellow knee length. I bought these socks to go with the OP L367 (not sure if they are a match though), and they go together quite well

overall thoughts: Quality: 5/5 price: 5/5

[christmascottontail-blog]

PAN028, Bodyline bloomers/drawers

PAN028

short ruffled bloomers or drawers. Available in a selection of colours.

100% polyester

use of normal elastic, not 'no roll' elastic. This makes it quite comfortable on the hips

lace is meh quality, not superb but it is soft, pretty and doesn't itch.

Stitching is very neat.

Ruffles are even and all edges are over-locked

elastic around leg quite a lot of give.

Bow is detachable, it is fastened with a pin. The pin could be stitched on better

detachable bow is packaged with bloomers, not attached to bloomers. (this is a Bodyline norm)

tag says size "M"

washing- the tag says "Professionally dry clean separately", I don't intend to get a $20 pair of bloomers dry cleaned, so I will up date when they have been trough the wash.

stock image

packaged

front and with detachable bow (back looks exactly the same)

Additional comments

On the Bodyline website these bloomers are listed as waist 64-100cm, well I have a waist of 80cm and these didn't fit my touchie (well I could squeeze it in, but that's not comfy). Now this is a classic example of how as peoples sizes change so should the make or 'fit' of a garment. When garments are made for a 64cm waist, it is assumed that the wearer is very small with little or no body fat (I know there are exceptions), and when the same item is scaled up it is still cut in a way that assumes little or no body fat. What I'm trying to say is that I don't know of many body types that have a 100cm waist and no body fat I.e big round bottoms.So straight off the bat I can say that if you are a bigger person, an ickle chubby or just not very small in build, steer away from clothing that encompass a huge size difference (if you are out there, with a 100cm waist, and a flat tummy, your body is incredible). Try and buy clothes that have around a 4 inch leeway, because they are normally more likely to be made for your particular shape (fully shirred or dresses with shirring on the back excluded). I purchased these because I was curious, and if they did turn out well I would have been happy, but I know my body shape, and I was more than sure they wouldn't. Also, the length of the leg bellow the crotch is very short 6cm, so these are VERY SHORT. I mention this because in the stock image the crotch height is obscured by all the ruffles and it is an important thing to know. Overall thoughts:

(On the site it is listed as "cotton others", the garment is 100% polyester)