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!

Anna House Haul and Review

Anna House (http://www.annahousefashion.com/) is having a sale right now for 40% off of orders over $200, so I decided to take advantage of this for some items I had been wanting for quite some time. Overall, I am very happy with my order and would rate my experience 4.5/5.

Some overall issues:  The sale originally stated 60% off orders over $200.  I'll admit, it does kind of sound too good to be true, but with Anna House's extremely expensive shipping to the US, I thought that was a good enough deal to actually make an order.  There was also a second deal, as follows:

If you order over $300 Gift: 1 Headdress

over $350 Gift: 2 Headdresses

over $400 Gift: 1 Bloomers + 1 Headdress

over $500 Gift: 1 Blouse + 1 Headdress

(*We will send the gift randomly.)

With that being said, I ordered $300 worth of stuff, and entered the coupon code.  What I found was that the code was only good for 40% off.  What I also found was that the discount also applied to the shipping cost, which was unexpected!  The reason I decided to still make my order was because I was also getting the discount on the shipping.  The total cost ended up being only $17 more than I was expecting due to the shipping being discounted, and I decided that was still a good enough deal to make my order.  However, I did not receive a free headdress.  Perhaps they meant that the total had to be over $300 after the discount code, but that did kind of irritate me, since the only reason I ordered the headbow was to get my order over the $300 amount.  At some point after I made my order, their webpage was revised to say that the sale was for 40% off instead of 60% (which, to be honest, is alot more reasonable and believable).

Now, onto the haul and review:

Total I paid, after shipping:  $244.54

Date ordered: May 5

Date received: May 10

Yes, you read that read: this order, from Hong Kong, arrived in only 5 days!  I guess the super expensive shipping isn't just for show.

As you can see, I got quite a bang for my buck on this order.  I got 2 capes, 7 blouses, 1 skirt, 1 pair of socks, and 1 headbow.

The items I was most disappointed on were the socks and headbow, but of course these were only a small part of my order.  Overall, I am super pleased with the quality of these items.  6 of the blouses are cotton, and the quality blows the plastic-like quality of many of Bodyline's cotton blouses out of the water.  I would say the quality across all 6 of the cotton blouses I ordered is consistent.

This was actually my second Anna House order; my first was fall of last year and I got all long-sleeved blouses for fall/winter.  I ordered according to the size chart, and since I am on the upper end of their small size, that is what I ordered.  Though I am able to wear the blouses I got last year, they are difficult to button and leave gaps.  They work with JSKs, but I need to minimize my chest size somewhat for them to work with skirts.

For this order, I decided to size up to a medium on the blouses that have no shirring.  For the ones with shirring, I stuck with the small.  My decision was correct:  every one of the blouses fits perfectly.  Since I tend to wear skirts more often with short sleevs, I'm very relieved!

Now, onto the individual items:

Skirt 013-1435

This is a skirt I had been wanting since it is my favorite color, purple.  It is very reminiscent of an older Meta design.  I found the shade of this skirt to be a little different than I was expecting from the stock photo (it has more pink in the hue), but still very nice.  This skirt is extremely comfortable...they can give Meta a run for their money in that regard!  I found the elastic at the waistband to be quite stretchy, and I felt that it fit my 26' waist perfectly, though I kind of feel that someone on the smaller end of the listed measurement (23') might find this skirt somewhat loose.  I do not feel like I am stretching it at all when I wear it.

I like the eyelet lace used on this skirt because it has a country/oldschool/casual feel, though it's probably not for everyone.

Closeup of the lace:

Next, I will show the capes I ordered:

Cape 016-1386 in red

This cape is made of cotton and I was not expecting it to be that warm.  I got this mostly as a novelty and to wear with a Little Red Riding hood dress, if I ever find the one I've been wanting.  I might also be able to use this in early spring strawberry coords.  This is exactly as pictured and as I was expecting.

Cape 016-1333 in cream

This cape is made of corduroy, and I was hoping it would be warm.  I am amazed by the quality of this item for the price.  Though it certainly wouldn't replace a winter coat, it is warm and also includes a detachable bow, and a detachable heart detail on the hood.  The cape is exactly as shown in the stock photo, and warmer and higher quality than I expected.

Detail of hood:

And now, on to the blouses (my main purpose of this order):

Blouse 016-1436 in blue

This one is made of chiffon, and the quality is comparable to chiffon blouses that can be gotten from many taobao sellers.  I would say this item is the thing on their site most similar to what Chinese brands are selling.  The sleeves are huge and impractical for daily wear, so I don't see myself getting a whole lot of use out of this, but it is just so pretty and unique (in that it's blue, rather than just black or white), that I had to have it.  It is available in some other interesting colors such as lavender and red, and I kind of wish I had those as well.  This blouse would be perfect for a fancy occasion.

Blouse 016-1349 in pink and blue

I wanted a basic short-sleeved blouse in both pink and blue, so I ordered this one in 2 colors.  I also have Bodyline's l364 blouse in both pink and blue.  The Bodyline one looks a little fancier, but there is no comparison in terms of the quality of cotton used; the Anna House ones are so much nicer.  The shade of pink is also very different from Bodyline's pink, and I would say the Anna House pink fits more of my wardrobe, though I do have some pieces that are closer to the Bodyline pink.  The blue blouse, however, is more similar to Bodyline's blue than I was hoping.  I think I will have to get a brand blouse (Angelic Pretty, maybe?) in order to get closer to the baby blue that I am seeking.

The lace used on the sleeves is slightly different (I like both), so here is a closeup:

I ordered this next blouse in 2 colors, and these ones are actually slightly different:

Blouse 016-1350 in blue

Blouse 016-1350 in black

I increased the exposure for the photo of the black blouse so that the details can be seen; it is actually a very true black.  For the blue one, the stock photo showed an extra of the blue bow buttons sewn on the ruffle.  My blouse did not have this button, though they did include a spare so I could sew one on if I wanted.  I do think that area is a little empty, but it doesn't bother me too much.  In real life, this blouse is a little darker than I was hoping (it looks lighter to me in the stock photo).  It is the same blue cotton used on the other blue blouse I got above.

On the black blouse, there is a removable bow on the top ruffle, and the ruffle itself is shorter.  This was not shown in any stock photos, so that surprised me, though I do like that version better.  The neckties on both blouses are not removable.  This blouse is also shirred, as shown below: 

Blouse 016-1123

This blouse uses the same pink cotton fabric as the collared one I showed above.  The grosgrain ribbons are not removable, and I don't really like that they are a darker pink than the blouse itself.  Also, the ribbon buttons, while really cute, are difficult to use (I guess there's a reason most buttons are round). I still like this blouse overall and think it was worth the price.

Detail of the ribbon:

Back shirring:

Blouse 016-1180 in "cream"

This blouse was listed as cream, but it really is white (maybe off-white).  It is very different from the cream in the cape I showed above, but this blouse is true to the stock photo, so I was glad it was this shade.  The two bows are detachable, and for some reason, one of them came attached, and one came detached.  I'm pretty sure there is very limited stock of this blouse left, so get it while you can!  I have already worn this one in a coord, and it was very comfortable and was a steal for the price.

 Back shirring:

Last, I will show the small items I got:

Socks 018-1165 in pink

I already had these socks in red from the order I made last year, and I love them so much that I wanted to get them in pink too.  I was really disappointed to find out that the lace was not the eyelet lace that is shown in the stock photo, and that my socks from last year have.  The coords I wanted to use these socks for are country or oldschool coords where the eyelet lace would have matched (they also would have matched the lace on the skirt I got).  The actual sock itself is made of a high quality white cotton and the pink cherries are still super cute, but the lace used instead is not very high quality.  Below, I showed a comparison with the socks I got last year:

I also ordered a headbow, mainly to get my order over the $300 to get a free gift (which I ended up not getting):

Headbow 017-1314

I have mixed feelings on this one.  It is definitely a giant head-eating bow, but that was apparent from the stock photo.  The quality on the bow is really, really nice.  The lace is almost exactly the same as on oldschool Baby piece I have, and fits right in with that aesthetic.  The bow sits upright on the head, not flat like the stock photo shows, though it may be possible to adjust it to fit that way.  My biggest problem with this bow, besides the fact that it is too big for my head of straight, thin hair, is that the headband is not really sturdy enough for the weight of this bow.  If I lower my head, this bow either fall off, or feels like it's going to!  This is a problem I have had with other bows I've gotten from Infanta, a taobao brand.  Maybe I will look into attaching it to a sturdier headband (btw, even though it does not suit my hair, I have still already worn this bow!  Turns out I love giant head-eating bows).

Overall, I am very pleased with my order.  Yes, there are some negatives, but considering the quality of the cotton used on the blouses, the amount of stuff I got for the price, and the incredible speed of the shipment, I would definitely recommend Anna House, especially their blouses.  They are such a great change of pace from the chiffon blouses seen all over taobao, and while they may not quite be brand quality, they are extremely significantly cheaper new!

A. Gato Designs Butterflies on Cream JSK Review

Today I am going to review a JSK I just got from A. Gato designs that I purchased during their spring sale!

You can check out their site and store here: http://www.gotg-designs.com/

I actually saw this JSK for sale at Tekko.  It was $70, and I was tempted by it, but the waist measurement was a few inches too big for me, so I didn't bite.  Shortly after Tekko, they had a sale and the JSK went down to $40, and at that price, I knew I couldn't resist.  I think the butterfly design is beautiful, but one of the main reasons I wanted this dress was because I thought I might be able to wear it out normally, possibly even to church, without causing a fuss.  And I was right!

First, when I opened my package, I found out that they had included some free gifts!

I got hair clips and a ring, which was way beyond expectations, considering the dress was already so inexpensive!  I don't do rings, or items with sweets, so I will have to pass the ring along to someone who will appreciate it, but I still think it's really cute!

Here is the dress!  One thing I noticed is that the dress, while it didn't have any flaws whatsoever, didn't really have a "brand new" feeling either.  I suspect this was probably the same exact JSK that was at Tekko, and has possibly been to other cons as well.  I don't think that really decreases its value, just something to note.

 Here is the back of dress, you can see how the back is fully shirred!  I do wish this dress had waist ties, since it is about 2 inches too large for me.  the straps are attached with a button, so they adjustable by moving the button, which is always a big plus for me!  The dress sits above my natural waist, but the length of the dress is so nice already that I don't feel the need to adjust the straps.

And here's what it looks like tried on!  The dress is not lined, so I chose to wear a short (50cm) underskirt to add lining and just a bit of volume.  I am going to try to source a belt that would go with this dress, but it works really well as-is with the tie cardigan.  I wore this out shopping around town today and I felt perfectly comfortable.  I paired it with a pair of cute white sandals, and while I was super dressed up compared to everyone else I saw, I felt really casual and comfy in this outfit!

Overall, I would really recommend A. Gato designs.  The price was unbeatable and amazing, but I think this dress would have been worth the full $70 it was selling for at Tekko.  Watch out for their sales though...they offer lucky packs sometimes that look like a really amazing deal!

Figlia Flowery Strawberry JSK Review

Tonight I am going to review my latest dress acquisition, FigliaxHANAKO's Flowery Strawberry JSK in green.

Shop:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/FigliaXHANAKO/ 

The cost of this JSK was $150 after shipping.  Figlia has a taobao shop, though their items cannot be purchased from overseas (at least not from the US, though they could be with a shopping service), therefore I will be comparing this dress mostly to other Taobao brands.

Included in the package was a shopping bag for Figlia, a nice touch that made me wonder...are Figlia's products sold in a physical store, possibly in Taiwan or China?

 The dress itself is made of a very light polyester material.  I would compare the material to that used on Diamond Honey's dresses, specifically their Sweet Cherry and Strawberry dress, which I also own.  The price of that dress varies depending on how/where you buy it, but it is currently $79.99 on my-lolita-dress.com, though that price does not include shipping.  So, aside from the material, how does this more expensive dress stack up to my other Taobao strawberry dress?

What attracted me to this dress in the first place was the art, and the color.  I love the combination of green with red strawberrys, and I love that the strawberry flowers are included as well.  The print is very crisp and nice, and I must say I do like it more than other Taobao strawberry prints I've seen, so the relative expensiveness of this dress was worth it to me in that regard.

Here you can see the lining on the skirt, and the lace used on the bottom.  The bottom lace is nice and decent quality, not too overdone, which I think is appropriate for country style.  The lining is a very thin material similar to the dress.  This dress will not make me too hot!

Here is the detachable bow and the lace that used on the bodice and straps.  The pin is attached from this bow differently than most detachable bows.  It's attached to the top in such a way that the bow is not droopy at all, and I like how it looks even compared to some brand bows, like those on Metamorphose dresses, though the grosgrain ribbon material is not as high quality as brand ones.  The ribbon is higher quality than my Diamond Honey dress though...that one had the pin hot glued to the ribbon instead of sewn!

Here is another closeup of the lace used on the strap.  This lace is not all that high quality, and has many imperfections.  However, it is really small, still fits the theme and looks perfects fine worn.  At least it isn't scratchy!

Here we see the back of the dress, which shows my favorite thing about this dress besides the print/color:  it has adjustable straps, and the adjustability is significant!  There are a whole three buttonholes, which saves me the work of modifying the straps to be longer.  I am 5'6" and have adjusted the straps of every dress that I can to try to get the waistline down to my natural waist.  Other dresses I have from Infanta and Diamond Honey have the straps sewn to the back...not adjustable at all!  This feature makes the dress worth extra money, in my opinion.  Also, the waist ties are removable, and the back is fully shirred.  These details on the back justify the price point of this dress...good job, Figlia!

A coord this is not (look at those bare feet!), but here you can see the dress worn.  In this photo, I have the straps set on their longest setting.  The waistline is sitting on my natural waist.  It's not possible to tell with the angle of the photo, but the length of the skirt is about 1 - 2 inches above my knees.

Overall, I would rate this purchase 4.5/5.  The dress is not perfect, and costs more than more Taobao dresses, which are the closest comparison to this brand.  For the price, you could get second-hand brand, but I would have to wait awhile to find the perfect green strawberry dress in new condition on the second-hand market, while this dress was readily available for purchase on an English-language site that requires no shopping service.  I would order from FigliaxHANAKO again!