Short Sanrio.com Review!

Hi all! I've ordered from Sanrio.com multiple times in the past and figured I'd do a short review of my general experiences ordering directly from Sanrio. Oftentimes, Sanrio.com features products which I don't typically see anywhere else except for the Japanese Sanrio site . Sadly, while the Japanese Sanrio site features many more products and items marketed to adult fans, I haven't found anything to indicate that they ship internationally.

As usual, Sanrio.com shipped my order out in a prompt fashion, about two days after I originally placed my order. I was kind of overly enthusiastic the day I got the package, so I forgot to take photos of the packaging itself. The items were well packaged in a brown box bound with thick tape reading Sanrio again and again. My only complaint for the shipping would the be price which for my roughly $40 package wound up being $10. That's a little steep, and I don't tend to see the site running free shipping events save for big holiday weekends.

Official stock photo

For my latest purchase, I grabbed a laptop bag. I've been looking for a laptop sleeve for my 13" Macbook Air for a while now but haven't been able to find an option that really suits me until now. The sleeve is a soft shade of pastel pink and lilac with a creme colored strap. I've been carrying it for a couple of weeks now and have found it to be really sturdy with no damage which is impressive as I tend to be clumsy/rough with anything I carry regularly. The main disadvantage is that the pouch isn't big enough to also hold the power cord well. I keep my power cord in a separate makeup bag in my messenger bag already, though, so that's not much of an issue for me.

I'd been alerted that the bag was available through one of Sanrio.com's regular newsletters which profile what items are new or currently on sale. Their newsletters regularly feature deals where you get free items by entering promo codes at checkout. This time around, I entered the code TISSUEROLL to get a free Gudetama toilet paper roll. My husband is pretty obsessed with Gudetama, so I tend to grab any cute merchandise I see of the lazy little egg. The paper is really cute, and I of course don't see myself using it any time soon. xD

Gudetama little plush I got my husband for Christmas plus the toilet paper roll freebie

Cute print on the paper

Overall, Sanrio.com is definitely a place I would recommend to order from. While the shipping is a bit steep, you can find really interesting items and promotional freebies to increase your cute character collection.

Automatic Honey Unboxing

Glorious stock photo. 

I had the thrill recently of pursuing an item from the indie jewelry brand Automatic Honey. My first experience with the brand was seeing the Orion's Spell necklace at Frill 2013. Only a few of the necklaces were left by the time I entered the dealer's room, but I sadly couldn't afford the item then. Not knowing the rarity of the brand's items, I figured I would happen upon the necklace again one day for sale. Oh, the bliss of that ignorance. Tinged now with regret at not getting that adorable piece, I was determined to get the recent release of Moonlight Pegasus necklace. I had seen plenty of photos on instagram and the Automatic Honey Facebook page of girls at Fairytale Boutique getting the exquisite necklaces in person. I sat determinedly in front of my computer on the night of the release monitoring and refreshing for the necklaces. At the exact moment of release, I struck, going straight for the Moonlight Pegasus in navy. After a rush, my Paypal order successfully completed and I sat back in wonder that I had actually succeeded. To give an idea of the rush, within 10 minutes of release on the site, all of the pieces were gone for now, with the brand hinting at a potential re-release in the fall.

I spent random moments in the next week twitching around. I was nervous that I hadn't really won the item at all and that my order would turn out to be null and void due to some programming eccentricity. I was very relieved when a week after the order, the item arrived. I opened the bubble wrap envelope to find a small white box wrapped in a black ribbon. 

Within the box in bubble wrap, I started to see a faint glimpse of hooves and a shining brand label. 

On the back of the Automatic Honey tag, the details about the piece were listed out. I appreciated listing out some basic care instructions for the item so that I can safely keep the pegasus gleaming in the years to come. 

I was somewhat surprised to see that the brand's named even got molded onto the back of the pendant. I can appreciate the level of attention to the little details and even help with identification of the item many years down the line if my memory were to grow fuzzy.

And finally, a good picture of the necklace itself. I posed the item on top of my Day Dream Carnival tote which seemed appropriate continuing the horse theme. I like the hints of lavender throughout the horse's powder blue mane which flows onto silver glittering wings. The metal is very sturdy, and I'm not nearly as worried about the item breaking in the future as I am with acrylic pieces in a similar price range including many of the Angelic Pretty pieces that I see glued back together on lolita sales groups. I would love to be able to match the necklace with Crystal Dream Carnival, but I unfortunately didn't pick up that release and I don't see myself grabbing it any time in the near future. I do anticipate wearing the item to work often as a lovely accent piece to the abundance of dark colors in that part of my wardrobe and as a nice lolita token that can be incorporated in with normal clothes. <3

BtSSB San Francisco Online Mini Review

I won't deny the truth: up until now, I've had very limited interest in Baby, the Stars Shine Bright. While I've admired some of their releases in the past, no one in my local community regularly wears the brand for in person inspiration, and while I have the Kuma Kumya fleece blanket, I've just never been trapped in the mystique of the brand. With the announcement of Masumi Kano attending Anime Weekend Atlanta 2014 and the hosting of a Baby, the Stars Shine Bright tea party, however, I've been taking a much more in depth look at the brand and seeking to expands its presence in my wardrobe while also devouring any interview or video I can find to get a better idea about the brand.

The anticipation was real. 

Anyway, back to the main point of the post, I decided to order an Usakumya Mini-Mini Rucksack in pink to help with sweet look I'm putting together in anticipation of AWA. However, I've been intimidated by the layout of the Japanese website for a while now, so I was glad to discover that BtSSB has a great American based store front. I found the site really easy to navigate and figure out what I wanted to order, so I placed an order on the 4th of July in a fit of patriotism which oddly made me buy Japanese goods. The shipping was amazingly fast. By the 7th of July, I already had my item even with the initial order day being a Friday.

I may have a new favorite plush. Ssssh, don't tell my other plushies, though. 

DreamV Dress Review + OOTD

I've talked about the DreamV Plumprimo released, but I only recently took the plunge and actually placed an order with DreamV in a group order with friends to save on shipping costs. I wanted to do a quick review and recap of the dress I received. <3

Shipping: Since I was ordering with a group of friends, I had to wait a bit longer for the item to ship out since they had items which were on pre-order. As a note, DreamV will sometimes delay the release of pre-order items past the announced date, so don't be shocked if the ship time pushes forward. Once the items actually shipped, they arrived within a few days via EMS shipping. 

Accuracy of description: I ordered the Alice in Wonderland themed jumper skirt with the words 'Dear My Love Princess in Wonderland...' written in lovely script across the bodice. The item is from DreamV's Dear My Love collection which features items that lean closer to a sweeter, princess feeling than some of their more gyaru centered lines.

The dress I received was nearly exactly as seen from the photos on the model. The lettering was just as crisp as shown on the modeled dress and slightly raised. My main qualm was with the way the bow at the center of the dress has a tendency to hang when worn. I wouldn't have as much of a problem with that as I'm very used to detaching the middle bow from lolita dresses when I can't get them to sit correctly, but the bow on the Alice dress is not detachable. The waist ties are also not detachable which is a feature I would have preferred but having them be attached isn't a deal breaker for me.

Quality: I don't have any real issues with the quality of the dress. While having little special touches like lace detailing around the shoulder straps would have been nice, I find the quality to be great for the price of around 40 USD. 

Fit of the item: While ordering, I was concerned that I would not appropriately fit the dress as the listed measurements are below mine for even the 3L which is the size I ordered. Knowing how Japanese vendors tend to list the minimums, I decided to take the plunge and order anyway, encouraged by pictures of full back shirring. 

The fear was real.

My worried were quickly allied when I actually tried the dress on. I was really pleased with the overall fit on me and had no struggle getting in or out of the dress. The fabric is somewhat thin, however, so having raised buttons on my blouse caused a bit of odd wrinkling on the front bodice, so I would recommend wearing the dress with something smoother like a cutsew. The length was also very appropriate, leaving me without the worry of my skirt barely covering my hind side. 

My actual ootd for the piece.
Dress: DreamV
Wig: l-email
Tights: The Snow Field
Blouse: offbrand unknown
Shoes: Shoe Carnival

Would I recommend the item? Definitely. The piece is great for days when I want to feel a little fancier but without the full effort that goes into a lolita coordinate.

Ista Mori Captain Mia Jsk Review

I recently had the pleasure of acquiring the Captain Mia JSK from the Taobao brand Ista Mori. Who could resist a nautical cat themed print with little anchors in the lace? Jump below the cut for my full thoughts on the item that I received.

Review: Mossbadger Rosette

Mossbadger is a small indie brand which makes beautiful rosettes that I've tended to rave about wanting for a while now. Many times, the rosettes that she posts instantly sell out with only a few lingering to sell out a couple of weeks later. I recently happened to be on Facebook to see her announcement of a new batch of rosettes going live, so I jumped on the opportunity. Today, I'd like to do a short review of a rosette that I received.

Shipping: I paid for my item on March 12th. I received notification that the item was shipped out on March 14th, then I received the piece on March 20th. The item was well packed, and I liked the inclusion of a cute business card along with the botany themed tape that lined the edge of the packaging. 

Accuracy of description: The picture from the shop was very clean and crisp, and the product that I received looked exactly like the photo in terms of materials and colors depicted on the rosette. 

Stock photo of the rosette

Quality: The item was very soft and lovely and appears to be of sturdy construction. The two way clip seems to be very sturdy and like it will be able to endure long term usage. The only small issue was a small amount of glue that I found on the back of the product peeking out from an edge, but since that aspect of the outfit will never be seen, I don't mind at all. 

Slight bit of glue peeking out of the edges

Fit of the item: As I mentioned above, the clip on the rosette is very sturdy. I was able to fit the item in as part of an otome kei style outfit soon after receiving it. <3 

Fur collar: ebay
Shoes: Rack Room Shoes
Dress, tights: Target

Would I recommend the item? 

I would definitely recommend the item. Even though the rosettes initially felt a bit pricey at $22 or $25 apiece, the unique lovely piece that I received was worth the money. 

Review: Ribbon Faux Fur Collar From ebay User cypressin

I've been looking into getting a faux collar for a long while now to add a more forest feel to my lolita outfits or add a little bit of every girly to regular outfits. When I found a listing for less than $5 USD shipped per collar, I knew I had to buy several. Read more about my shopping experience after the jump.

Got My Gothic Lolita Wig!

I've been having a field day of getting items in the mail lately. The most exciting of my orders has been my purchase from Gothic Lolita Wigs. Below is the way the wig is pictured on their website:

Spiral Lolita Collection - Pinkie

While I don't think I nearly approached that level of awesome in the wig, I was very pleased with the results.

Wig: Gothic Lolita Wigs
Shirt: Tasty Peach Studios
Skirt: Justice
Tights: Sweetie Cakes
Shoes: Bodyline
Bag: Bodyline

I'm not really sure what to call the above outfit... I was inspired by fairy kei, but I also wanted to add in a number of the black bittersweet lolita elements in. The result is... dark fairy kei? Bittersweet fairy kei? I'm not sure. While I like pastels, I oftentimes yearn to add some black in with fairy kei to add contrast.

PinkyParadise Review

I've been eyeing getting a pair of circle lens for a while. After seeing positive reviews for PinkyParadise and getting recommendations from friends, I finally decided to take the dive and try a pair.

Shipping:
I chose the cheapest shipping option of international registered air mail. Though the shipping was only promised to get to me within 14 to 25 days, I received the item after only 9 days.

The item itself was well packaged. The envelope was full of bubble wrap, and the lens themselves were bound in a very thick layer of pink packing material. I noted no damages to the items at all.

Lenses:
I decided for my first pair to order the 30Days Comfy Black lenses. The lenses were the cheapest option on the site which I found perfect for someone just getting started and not sure about whether or not they'll like circle lenses yet.

Lens packaging along with the free animal eye case and hair velcro gift

I really enjoyed that an animal contact case is included with every order. While my hippos are cute, I'm really hoping for the frogs or the piggy case with my next order.

Upon trying on the lenses, I found that they were somewhat difficult to get in compared to my regular prescription contacts, probably due to the 14.5 mm width. However, once they were in, they were amazing comfortable as their name would suggest. I was able to wear them all day with only a little discomfort coming towards the end of the day when I started feeling tired.

I also felt that the contacts made a significant difference on the appearance of my eyes without being overwhelming.

Comparison: Left eye without lens and right eye with lens

Both eyes with lenses

I was overall very happy with my order and plan on ordering from PinkyParadise again. I also decided to sign up for their affiliate program after receiving my order, so if you've enjoyed the review, please click on banner for them to the right.

Short Bodyline Wig Review

A while back I made a post about wanting to try a Bodyline wig. Well, I finally got around to ordering WIG035 and wearing it out for a day at a garden party, so I have a few comments to make about it.

I decided that the pink (lpik) colorway would suit my sweet leaning wardrobe best. Below is a picture I took of the wig on a stand:

For comparison purposes, here is the stock photo: 

I feel that the stock photo was pretty accurately represented in the actual product which I received. 

After wearing the wig some, I've noticed a couple of flaws with it. 

1. The inner wig cap has had some slight shedding. While not enough to seriously mess up the wig yet, I'm sort of worried about the long term lifespan of the item.
2. A few of the pink hairs of the wig have also decided to shed. 

However, the wig itself only cost $13 plus shipping. So, for the price I paid for the item especially compared to similar looking products, I feel that I got a pretty decent deal even it it doesn't last forever.

Additionally, I have somewhat of a larger head to the point where most hats don't fully fit my head. While the wig isn't the best of fits, I was able to wear it without too terribly much of my wig cap showing. 

Finally, below is a quick worn pick:

My apologies for being somewhat disheveled here. I do feel that the wig captures how the item will sit on the head during use. 

Holley Tea Time Review

I have been admiring the sugary sweet pastel designs of Holley Tea Time for a while now. When she released her tights recently, I couldn't help but grab a pair of these beauties:

They combine many of her cutest designs such as the smiling shooting stars, the clouds with rainbows trailing from them and the serene looking unicorns into one place. The only wish I had for the print was for more detailing to be placed near the bottom rather than the top where my skirt will be covering it up.

Shipping was fairly prompt. I placed my ordered, and two days later I got noticed she had shipped the item. The tights arrived several days later, perfectly packaged in a padded envelope.

The tights are stated to fit ranges from anywhere to 100 to 220 pounds and to also fit heights from 5' to 5'9". Upon getting them, I decided to put them to the test at the upper end of the extremes. I had a friend who is 5'9" try them on to get a good height perspective. They fit wonderfully, going up comfortably and fitting well.

Yay for stretch!

I also tried them on later to good effect. I'm around 215 pounds, another push of the upper bounds of the tights and I was very happy with how well they fit. The pattern in both cases did not experience too much stretch to the point where it was unrecognizable but instead continued to look good. 

Holley also very graciously included a free gift with the order! 

I had been looking at that particular ring with sprinkles on it in her store and debating whether or not I should get it, but I opted to not buy it. This made the occasion of receiving the little extra item with my order an especially happy one. 

Overall, I was very satisfied with my purchase, and I'm looking forward to ordering from her again. ^_^

Sock Dreams Review

I love many of the cute socks which I've found on the website of Sock Dreams, a Portland, Oregon based company which specializes in selling a wide variety of socks. My latest order from them were their Pink Knees over the knee socks. What in particular attracted me to the socks was the mention that the socks were plus size friendly and would problem fit better on larger calves. With that factor and the overall cuteness of the socks, I decided to place my order.

All socks on their website include shipping in the price, so I was able to snag my particular pair for only $6 with shipping included. I received an email saying that the item had been shipped the day after I ordered them along with a tracking number, and the actual item itself got to my house in only 4 days including a weekend which was part of the shipping period.

The item itself was well packaged and sealed in a plastic envelope for shipping. An invoice including a summary of my order was also included with a big "Thank You!" written in marker on it, adding a personable touch.

The socks themselves were tied together when I first got them out of the bag along with information about them.

Putting the socks on, I was very happy with how comfortable they were worn, not fitting too tight for me like some other over the knee socks I've tried and actually came up to slightly over the knee. 

Since I delayed a bit in doing the review for the socks, I can saw with confidence that they have lasted pretty well so far. No noticeable tears or flaws exist after a couple of washings.

Overall, I'm very pleased with my order, and I say that I plan on ordering from them for over the knee socks again sometime in the future due to their fast shipping and good products. 

Parasol Review From Ebay User Rhombusk

Stock photo of the Item

About a week ago, I mentioned that I had purchased a parasol from the ebay. The seller's username is rhombusk with the actual store being called World Import Co. I got the parasol today, so I'd like to go ahead and do my review.

Price: The item wasn't expensive at all, only costing $13.50 with free shipping.

Shipping: The item was sent the day after I ordered it as priority mail which result in a fast arrival to my doorstep, so I have to say that I am very happy with that aspect.

Packaging: The box was long, the exact right shape to hold the item. Additionally, the parasol was well wrapped in a thick layer of bubble wrap.

Bubble wrap galore

Item Quality: The item itself seemed to be of nice quality and able to wishstand rain or shine. The pink handle grip was very smooth and easy on the hand to hold. The ruffles also looked very cute. Finally, the parasol itself deployed very smoothly with me not having to struggle to make it go up.

Picture of the parasol closed

Underside of the item

Top side of the item

Item Fit: Since the item was labeled as a children's item, I was worried the it would look ridiculously small while being held by an adult. However, I was pleased to see how the item looked decently proportioned next to me while I was trying it out outside. Though I would have liked a bit more length and breadth to the item, I think can manage with the size its at. The main problem I do have with the item is the way the strap which velcros the thing together when closed just sort of lays around, not looking as cute as the rest of the parasol. 

Able to rest comfortably on my shoulder

Item held above my head for size comparison

Update On My Fanplusfriend Blouse

As I previously mentioned on this blog, I ordered a black blouse from Fanplusfriend. I was initially mostly please with the item, enjoying the fit and overall quality of the item. My main problem was somewhat scratchy lace on the sleeves and collar which I figured I may one day remove.

However, I'm less pleased after only 3 uses of the item. The lace on one sleeve has decided to be so kind as to start removing itself for me:

I noticed the slight separation of the lace from the sleeve after my first use wherein I had done nothing particularly taxing with the blouse but wear it out to see a movie with friends.

Today, my third use of the item, resulted in a more upsetting issue. I was sitting in the car on the way to class when I suddenly noticed that one of my buttons was missing near the bottom of the blouse:

Before I left home, I had noted that one of that the particular button (and some of the ones surrounding it) seemed kind of loose but since I was in a rush, I ignored it for the moment.Unfortunately, I couldn't find the missing button for the shirt, and I'm not enthused with the idea of putting a random button in its place. 

Bodyline Squirrels Dress Review

UPDATE (5/12/2013):

I'm glad to see that this has become one of my most often viewed articles on my blog. I wanted to just say that this item is still one of the favorite in my lolita wardrobe. I've been able to throw it in the washer machine with little degradation to the quality of the dress other than a slight bit more fuzziness to the lace which isn't noticeable unless you're looking very carefully.

Still wearing the dress; woah, my lolita style has matured, hah

Original Thoughts Below (2/29/12)

I never got around to posting about my Bodyline squirrels dress when it arrived in the mail, so I'll do so now.

I had originally hoped to get the dress in time for Kamicon. Guess when the dress came in? Literally one day after the con. Oh well. I don't think I would have had time to really properly try on the dress and coordinate then anyway.

Below are a couple of pictures of me trying on the dress with a mostly assembled outfit sans the petticoat (which I got slightly later than the new dress).

As you can see, the lacing in the back of the dress provides plenty of extra room for raising or lowering your size though I am pressing the size limit in the dress with about a 36 inch waist and a 40 inch bust. 

I particularly adore the way that the Bodyline squirrels print looks in black. The darkness of the color really makes the pastel imagery stand out. I've commonly seen wearing black sweet lolita being labeled as bittersweet lolita. I'm not exactly sure how fond of that terming I am. I tend to err on the side of fewer categories and I don't see much besides the black coloring that makes it bittersweet lolita. Perhaps if the coordinates were required to have something more than a different colorway going for them, I'd see the need to term the styling differently. 

As an overall sentiment, I really love this particular dress. It's the first piece in my closet that really and truly exudes sweet lolita, and I'm looking forward to wearing it more in the future.