Metamorphose Pretty Egg Set and First Aatp/Baby SF order!

Today I'll be showing some stuff I got lately!

First up is this year's summer set from Metamorphose, Pretty Egg.  I chose the JSK set in powder blue:

The set came with the JSK, the OTK socks, and the headbow!  I started laying out this coord pretty much as soon as I ripped the package open; I was just so excited and had been planning out this coord in my head ever since Meta announced the set!  For the rest of this coord, I used a cutsew from Bodyline, shoes from Secret Shop, offbrand earrings and some handmade bracelets.

Compared to last year's Egg Art set (which I also own in the black medium-length JSK cut), this set is less of a value since it does not include a blouse.  However, it is worth noting that the Egg Art set used a print that was a re-release, whereas this is a new print.  Being a quarter Russian myself, I love Pretty Egg and Egg Art since they have such a traditional Eastery feel with their Russian-style eggs.  They always release them after Easter is over, though...oh well.  The cute critters on this dress really do make it seem more like a springtime release, but I am going to wear this coord this summer at least, rather than waiting until next Easter!

The OTKs in this set will be super useful in my wardrobe, since I have alot of pieces with sax elements and the gold mixed in makes them more unique than most sax/offwhite socks I own.  The headbow won't be that useful with other coords...but it is really nice, with wires that allow me to make just the right shape.

A little while after I got my set from Meta, I received my very first order ever from the Baby the Stars Shine Bright store in San Francisco!  I have order from Baby NYC once before (after all, I am much closer to NYC than SF), but this dress was only available from the SF store.

Alice and the Pirates Labyrinth of the Clockwork World JSK I in navy:

This was an instant dream dress from the moment I saw it...I'm so glad I was able to get it in the colorway I wanted most, though I love every colorway of this release!  I could gush about this dress for a long time...I think my favorite thing about this dress is the ladder lace which is kind of an old-school thing.  The print is not old-school at all, but I get that vibe from the lace at the hem and on the straps.  And the lavender details are my very favorite shade of my very favorite color (purple)!  I hadn't really noticed that there were music notes on the dress until I received it, but I was really excited by that since I love music themes (though I don't have many accessories for that theme...or for the clock theme).  

As shown in the picture, I also got 2 pairs of OTK socks from Baby, which I added to my order so that I could get free shipping.  The first pair, Arabesque Trump, I thought would go with the dress because of the gold accents and because card suits are often associated with Alice (even though this particular dress does not feature them).  The second pair I got because I love the colors and star themes, and also because Kumya-chan's glitter Milky Way is another dream dress of mine (only in navy, though...which is sold out everywhere).  Even if I never get that dress, I will still use these OTKs...in fact, I have already planned out a coord with them for the upcoming 4th of July weekend!

My service from Baby's SF was absolutely phenomenal.  I got my order in 2 days, and I live on the other side of the country!  They also included a beautiful Alice and the Pirates shopping bag, and included a really cute illustration on the package!

Shoes from Honeycherry Store on Aliexpress review

After getting a pair of Secret Shop tea party shoes from Milanoo (of all places) that I really love, I decided to get more.  I looked around for the best price for these shoes, and landed at Honeycherry store on Aliexpress.  The cost for all 4 of the pairs of shoes I got was less than $100, which is pretty much a steal.  This was my very first Aliexpress order, so I will share my thoughts!

The shoes:

I got the black, pink, dark red, and blue shoes (basically a light navy blue).  I won't review the shoes themselves because they are identical to the ones in my Milanoo order, which I already reviewed.  However, there are differences when ordering from Honeycherry store compared to Milanoo, besides the price.

The most glaring issue with this order was the stench.  As soon as I cut open the package, a terrible smell emanated from it.  I know that made in China shoes can stink, most Bodyline and Amazon shoes do as well.  However, these were like nothing I have ever experienced.  I had to take the package outside to finish opening it, and I aired out the shoes both outside and in the basement for several days before properly bringing them in.  I also tried using vinegar to reduce the odor.  Two weeks later, and the smell is still not completely gone, but they are usable now.

Also, these shoes came wrapped as individual pairs in bubble wrap.  Because of the way they were packages, there is some bending on the trim, and some "dents" in the shoes as well.  I can tell they are new, but the condition is almost like they are slightly worn.  The condition kind of reminds of the items I got from an Innocent World Happy Pack that were likely B-grade or samples.  For the price of these shoes, I think that is fair or acceptable.

The shoes I got from Milanoo were packaged more nicely, in a (albeit, very beaten up) shoebox, and did not smell.  I would, and probably will, order more of these shoes from Honeycherry Store due to the amazing price, but if I were intending to give these as a gift, I could probably look elsewhere (possibly even Milanoo again, though it pains me to say it).  There are many other reasonably prices shoes on Honeycherry Store's page that may be worth a try as well, but I just really love this particular shoe and would still love to get it in more colors. 

One other thing I want to note is that I made a mistake when entering my shipping address on Aliexpress's site. I got my house number wrong by one digit.  When it came time to deliver my package, I got 2 calls from the shipping company that Honeycherry used (SF Express), and a message from the seller asking for my address since UPS (the final deliverer) realized it was wrong.  Actually, UPS decided to deliver my package anyway despite the mistake (I do like in a small, rural, "everyone knows everyone" area).  SF Express still called later, to confirm that I had actually gotten the package.  I must say, the shipping company and seller went above and beyond to make sure I got my package, which is a breath of fresh air compared to some other sellers I have dealt with (cough, cough, Bodyline).  I would definitely give Honeycherry Store a perfect score on shipping.  I feel like I can really rely on them to make sure my item is delivered safely!

Taobao Haul and Review - Haruhi Clover, Cutie Creator, Loris, Little Dipper

I got a major accessories haul today from two of my favorite go-to taobao brands, Cutie Creator and Loris, and 2 brands I have never ordered from before, Haruhi Clover and Little Dipper.  I use taobaotrends exclusively as my taobao agent, and I have never had any issues with them.  Perhaps I should try out some different agents, but I have such a good thing going with taobaotrends that I don't really feel like switching or experimenting.  However, I will note that I have only ever ordered full-price items on taobao, never any items that require deposits with a full payment due later, so I do not know how they handle that.

First, I will show the thing I got from Cutie Creator (Sweet Dreamer).  Every time I make a taobao order, I get some hair accessories from them.  They are such high quality for the price, and I am especially in love with their headbands!  I got 5 new headbands today, and all of them are beautiful:

 What else can I say, I never gone wrong with the brand.

Next, I will show my items from Haruhi Clover.  My mean reason for making this taobao order is that I wanted more hats, especially after enjoying the Metamorphose one I got recently in my Spring Set.  I wanted some hats that would go with more of my Spring coords, and even though Spring is mostly over now, I still should be able to wear them some this Summer yet.  I discovered Haruhi Clover when looking for hats on taobao, and when I saw that they have all kinds of other accessories as well, I decided to take a chance on a large order because the prices are so good!

Overall, the quality is not on the level of Cutie Creator, but still good for the price.  I am happy with the items I got, though they aren't all perfect.  First, the hats:

 The hats came with slightly bent brims, which I'm not sure yet how I will straighten.  I don't know whether they were sent this way from the brand, or if this is a result of how taobaotrends packed them.  The ribbons are not removable and I was kind of disappointed that the bows are not sewn onto the ribbons, or detachable; they are hot glued.  They also are not that comfortable.  I guess I just got used to my Meta hat, but the fact is that my Meta hat at full price would cost many times more than what these hats did.  They are serviceable for the price and do have the appearance I was looking for.

Next, I stocked up on bow headbands:

 I ordered one green velvet headbow, which I plan to wear at Christmastime and which looks very nice.  Then, I stocked up on these side bow headbands because they were only a couple dollars and come in a very wide variety of colors with different charms on them.  I'm pretty sure someone could find a bow for any coord with all the options they had!  I think I made a mistake ordering 2 of the light blue ones....they are definitely what was on my order, but I think I intended to order a purple one instead of 2 in blue.  The blue ones do have different charms, though...one has a star and the other has a cross.  Not shown is a mint-colored one with a deer charm.  It came with its pearl chain broken.  It will be fixable with jewelry pliers, but I need to get a pair.  I'm not terribly upset that it came broken since it was part of a large order, is fixable, and was very cheap.

 Next, I have a set of purple hairclips, a pair of black star shoe clips, navy wristcuffs, and wristcuffs with purple and blue bows.  I also got a star hairclip that I did not order, so it must have been a free gift:

These items are of fair quality.  The purple and blue bows on the wristcuffs are actually pinned on instead of sewn on, so they are detachable, but I feel like it kind of detracts from the quality.  The wrist cuffs fit and are comfortable.  I think each of these items were only a couple dollars each, and the quality reflects that but is still decent.

I also ordered a collection of berets to wear this fall and winter:

 I have a small collection of berets from Cutie Creator and also one from Lady Sloth and one from Innocent World.  These berets cannot compare to the IW or Lady Sloth ones, and they aren't quite as high quality as my Cutie Creator ones either, but they are close enough.  The best thing about these berets is that they come in so many colors and styles!  It took me quite a while to decide on these particular ones.  The wine-colored one is the highest quality and has a matching ribbon of the same style on the brim as well.  The bows on the purple and pink ones are detachable, and the white ribbon on the black beret is hot glued on.  I am happy with these berets, and one thing I noticed is that the actual berets themselves seem to be the same ones Cutie Creator uses...they even have the same unpleasant smell, which I hope will fade.

I did not want my taobao order to get outrageously expensive, so I tried to hold off on bigger items, but I wanted to get a couple blouses from Little Dipper in colors I don't have to fill out my wardrobe:

 I cannot recommend these blouses enough!  They are my first purchase from Little Dipper, and I will be looking at their products more often for sure.  The quality is amazing, and there is bird embroidery on the colors.  The color, size, and construction exceeded my expectations.  These were ready stock that was almost out.  The next time they release a blouse in many colors, I might have to get in on the preorders!

Last, I got 2 bags from Loris to complement my purse collection:

I have ordered bags from Loris before, so I knew what to expect.  Most of their bags seem to be replicas, but the price makes them irresistible, especially since bags can get beaten up so easily.  I did not have any gothic bags or blue bags in my wardrobe, which is why I decided to get these.  The blue heart bag's design is generic enough, but I'm pretty sure the bat bag is a replica.  Luckily, the bat bag does not actually have a brand name on it (I will not buy bags that have a brand name on them when they are not actually that brand).  Both of these were worth the price, and since I don't go out in lolita much, I don't like to spend much on bags though I do sometimes like to use them in coord photos even when I'm not really "using" them.

This was quite a haul and it makes me feel like my wardrobe is so much bigger now!    I will likely order from Haruhi Clover again, but not for items that I want for big events since the quality isn't excellent.  My Little Dipper blouses are amazing, and Loris and Cutie Creator will continue to be mainstays for me!

melikestea haul and review

Today I got in the mail a haul from melikestea!  Melikestea is most well-known for petticoats, but I actually did not get any pettis; I got an underskirt, bloomers, and hair accessories!  Since there aren't as many reviews out there for their non-petti items, I decided to share my thoughts.

Date ordered: 4/14/17

Date shipped: 6/1/17

Date received: 6/17/17

All of the items I ordered were custom made, and melikestea has a policy that if the total number of business days estimated for the making of your items is supposed to be over 30 days, it will be capped at 30 days anyway.  I love that policy, and my order was shipped pretty well in line with that (it took 31-32 business days).  I also received my order in about the 2 week estimated timeframe as well.  

Everything I ordered is very high quality and I am 100% satisfied with my order!  The price for the items was incredibly reasonable, although the shipping was high.  It was worth the wait and the cost, though!

Alice Underskirt: 55 cm length in white

 This is a wardrobe basic that I had been lacking, and was the primary reason I made this order.  It is simple and functional, fits well, is light, and has the right shape.  The construction quality is awesome, and price was under $20 (not including shipping).  I should have gotten one in many other colors!

Amanda Bloomers, Pintuck Long Bloomers, and Daily Bloomers

 These are another wardrobe staple.  I had only 2 pairs of bloomers before, which is too few for how much I wear lolita.  One of them in particular was getting really beaten up and had multiple holes in it, so I wish I would have ordered these sooner!  I got them all in white, but maybe I will order some colored ones in the future.  The white on these is actually so white that it almost seems to have a blue tint to it.  That really doesn't matter at all, but I'm just glad that my white underskirt doesn't appear that way.  All of these fit perfectly and are very comfortable, and constructed really well.  The Amanda bloomers are nice and poofy...just how I wanted them to be!

Yukina Headbow, Aquillah Headbow, Cotton Lace Hair Ties, Carola's Tea Ties, Colorful Hair Ties

Since I was making an order anyway, I decided to fill in some gaps in my headwear collection.  All of the hair ties I got have an alligator clip, though elastic bands are also available.  The colors on all of these are just right and I couldn't be more pleased with the quality and price.  I'm a little disappointed that my Carola's Tea Ties do not have the little extra ribbons as shown in the stock photo.  They actually look more like the Sweetheart Hair Ties (which are the same price).  This is only a minor gripe, however, and really the only negative I can say about this whole order.

In conclusion, this haul and experience were awesome and I can't wait to use my new items!  Melikestea is an amazing place to fill in a lolita wardrobe with the essentials needed to actually wear lolita!