Bodyline Review: Shoes 251 in Red and Gold!

Hey everyone! Today I thought I would do a review on my new Bodyline shoes. For photos from more angles, you can find an old Shoes 251 review of the shoes in white here.

On July 18th I ordered the shoes in red, and also in gold as they'd just been added to the website and appeared to be selling out fast. I only just managed to nab a pair in my size! (I get size 245-- my feet are 24cm long and this seems to be the most comfortable size for them). They arrived on August 5th, which I thought wasn't so bad given I used AIR shipping as usual (so that's 2 weeks and 4 days in total).

The shoes arrived each in their own box, with plenty of wrapping to stop them getting damaged, and then put together in a large mailing bag. They arrived in perfect condition! Thanks, Bodyline!

I'll get the red ones out of the way first. They're a super vibrant colour, like a lipstick red, which I really love.

I have nothing else to report. They fit just as well as my white pair of these, and they are comfortable, easy to walk around in, and have good traction on the sole. Full marks from me!

Now...the gold pair!

They are a really nice colour-- not an intense yellowy gold but a more delicate shade which is very pleasant.

The texture is a little strange and difficult to describe. They are nothing like my other Bodyline shoes. 

They look as if they have a kind of rough texture, and yet they seem to be sealed in a shiny plasticy finish which is smooth to the touch...

...apart from here at the front, where the toe of the shoe meets the sole. It could have been glued a bit more neatly, but this doesn't bother me too much and I don't believe it really spoils the overall look of the shoe. Still, something to think about if you like every detail to be perfect!

Overall, I'm really happy with this order! I paid in yen and used AIR shipping, which means the shoes came to about £20 each. Result!

I think it's really great that Bodyline has spent a lot of time listening to what their customers want. They also brought out a silver pair of these shoes at the same time, which I think is pretty cool. They have become my go-to place for lolita shoes as they are affordable and surprisingly long lasting. Plus, they are much more comfortable than the An*Tai*Na shoes I've purchased in the past. I recommend Bodyline shoes 100%!

I hope you enjoyed this review! See you next time, and don't forget to leave a comment! ❤

Book Review: Kawaii! Japan's Culture of Cute

I recently got the book Kawaii!: Japan's Culture of Cute off Amazon. I've been meaning to get it for a while after seeing a couple of reviews about it. I like to get books relating to Japanese street fashion so this seemed like a sensible choice.

What a cute cover!

Whilst my last Japanese street fashion book was content heavy but lacking in the photo department, I would say that Kawaii! has a great balance of the two. There is a particularly strong focus on artwork and artists, and after looking at this book I would like to know more about them and their work.

I spent several minutes on certain pages taking in all the details of certain drawings and paintings.

It is packed full of interviews with various kawaii artists, designers, models, etc. There are explanatory title pages explaining a certain aspect of kawaii culture, before divulging into different brands or products which fit into that category.

For me, the one part where the book is lacking is talking about kawaii fashion. This was a little disappointing given that the kawaii aspects of sweets, foods and even mayonnaise was covered, but the section on lolita fashion, for example, was given a mere four pages consisting of a brief interview with two models. It did not make for an informative read, but simply presented personal opinions and experiences. However, I realise this approach might appeal to some people.

Still, there's a section on the street fashion walks which happen in Harajuku which I found interesting. I can't imagine that idea working very well where I live!

This book is visually stunning, packed with high quality photos and artwork that are a pleasure to just sit and flick through on a cloudy day. The pages are large and the book feels sturdy. I would recommend this book to those with an interest in learning about the origins of kawaii as it goes pretty in depth about this. It would make a great gift, for yourself, or someone else!

Overall (with a slight drop in score due to how it breezes through kawaii fashion), I would give this 4/5, and I would definitely recommend it!

Do you own this book? What do you think of it? ❤

New Youtube Videos: Baby Bag Review and Metamorphose Lucky Pack Opening!

Hey everyone! I haven't had much time or energy for proper blog posts recently (plus it's currently my very short summer holiday and I want to make the most of it!) so I've taken a little time to make a couple of Youtube videos.

They're very basic "unboxing" videos, where I talk about packages I got in the post recently, and go through the contents. Most recently I got a bag from Baby, The Stars Shine Bright, and a dress set/lucky pack from Metamorphose.

Here are the two videos I've done in the last week or so. I hope you enjoy them!

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Bodyline Review: Shoes 224

Last Thursday I received a pair of black Bodyline boots in the post. They took a few weeks to arrive as I used AIR shipping, but I didn't mind-- there was a free shipping deal going on and I had to take advantage of it! I didn't get hit with customs which was another bonus.

Bodyline shipped them in a bag, but this was fine because they were very securely wrapped in layers of bubble wrap. The boots were stuffed with long, stiff foamy stuff to help them retain their shape, and the toes of the boots had balled up tissue paper as well. The boots came with zero damage whatsoever. Thanks, Bodyline!

Well, here's the outer side of the left boot. You can see where the ankle creases due to movement. I don't mind this too much, and it's inevitable with sturdy, non-leather materials. The boots make your feet look really tiny!

Here's the inner side. The zip isn't the smoothest to do up but it's manageable. The creasing only seems to affect the outside of the boot, but this will probably vary depending on what your walk is like.

The traction is pretty good. The soles feel hard yet slightly rubbery, and they are rough to the touch. It seems unlikely you would slip over in these, unless you were on ice or something! I plan to wear the boots on wet or cold days rather than snowy conditions anyway (not that where I live has seen snow any time recently).

And here's a front view of the boots worn! I really like the bows as they are well constructed and cute, though none of them are detachable which might bother some people. These boots do not have a very forgiving calf size. My calves are about 37cm around, and I really think that is the maximum size for these boots. Otherwise, the laces won't be long enough and the sides of the boots won't really meet the tongue. It's a shame they didn't make these boots larger to fit more people.

Overall, I really like these boots. However, they lose points for their general solidness, which I can imagine could get uncomfortable if worn for an extended period of time. Also, these boots run a touch small. I would recommend getting 0.5cm size up from your regular measurement if you plan on wearing socks with these. I will only be wearing regular tights with them so hopefully they will remain comfortable. To explain, my feet are something like ~24-24.2 cm (I find them so hard to measure) so I always get size 245 in Bodyline shoes. For these boots, I think 250 would have been right for me. 

Finally, I have a pair of lolita boots! I will update you on their comfort level once I've worn them for a day.

EDIT 30/1/15: These boots are incredibly uncomfortable for tasks such as simply walking down stairs!  The material is so tough that it isn't flexible enough to accommodate the bending involved in that basic process, Where the tongue meets the top of the toe is quite bulky and you have to carefully readjust this to avoid it digging into your foot. I cannot in good faith recommend these boots for anything more than a photoshoot, They are simply not soft enough for extended wear.

I hope this review was helpful. Let me know what you think in the comments ❤

A fun picnic meetup!

Hey everyone! Apologies for not posting in a little while, but I've simply not had the time!

I thought I would do another meetup report, this time on an Oxford lolita meetup that happened on Sunday.

We decided to go for a picnic. Luna and Sammi organised a series of games for us to play such as lolita print bingo, and a pinata, and overall, it was a really funny meetup!

We set up camp under the shade of some big trees by a duck pond.

We had croissants, cocktail sausages, sausage rolls, grapes, strawberries and cream, fairy cakes (which were amazing), Doritos, couscous and sandwiches!

This lil ducky chilled out with us for a bit. She was rewarded with Doritos after we decided she was a "cool original" sort of duck.

James ended up in a tree in an attempt to set up the pinata so I gave him my camera so he could get some cool birds-eye view photos of us! Luna's dress makes me nostalgic as it's what she was wearing the first time we properly met! I decided to wear an Anna House blouse, Bodyline macaron print (because food theme!) and a handmade strawberry clip and handmade teapot earrings!

All of us waiting around for this bloody pinata to get it together! Despite Sammi having dried out the paper mache for days, it still had a weird gooey texture and didn't quite work out properly.

We each took turns to whack at this thing for so ages before finally deciding to just tear it open already!

My shoes weren't loli at all but I didn't have my black tea parties at my parents' house where I was staying. Oh well XD

After we were done with clearing up all the pinata mess, we went for a bit of a wander around the park, getting stopped for photos, and then going on a hunt for the toilets. We then headed for another shaded area to take group photos.

And here's all of us! We had a couple of newcomers and they were so lovely. Hopefully they'll come to more meets in future!

After this, we settled ourselves down once more so we could sample Nicola's chocolate cake.

It was delicious, of course! So far, Nicola's chocolate cake is the nicest I've tasted so far. I love that she doesn't overdo it with the chocolate so it's not overly rich or bitter. It's just perfect! I regret not asking to take some home with me!

After that we headed to the ice cream cafe to cool down. And then, the meet was over!

I had such a great day! Meetups are so much fun in hot weather because the days are longer, and there's so much more freedom when you can stay outside and be comfortable.

I hope you enjoyed this meetup report! Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment! ❤

Bag review: Angelic Pretty's Melty Moon Bag

Hi everyone!

When Angelic Pretty released their Melty Moon bag last year I thought it was pretty awesome. A bit of a strange concept, but definitely awesome. What I didn't find awesome, however, was the mad chaos that ensued as everyone tried to get their hands on it. It was stress I couldn't be bothered to deal with. I decided to bide my time instead. 

Recently I noticed someone selling the Melty Moon bag on the UK version of lolita sales on facebook. I watched as the price went down and down as the months passed, before deciding to get it before someone else did! I ended up getting it for a great price. Result! Anyway, I wanted to add to the list of reviews of this bag as there are surprisingly few of them. Let's go!

The size of the bag surprised me. It actually fits a fair amount of things in it! A phone, a camera, a small wallet, lip balm, a mirror and door keys. Perfect! One thing I would change is the writing on the star, making it white instead of silver. As it is, you can't really tell that easily that the text says "Angelic Pretty". Other than that, this bag is beautiful.

The opening is a good size and curves around with the bag.

The material of the bag caught me by surprise. I wasn't expecting it to feel so soft and well, like it was really made of leather. The texture is really gorgeous and I couldn't help but spend a little while stroking it.

There are many stars to be found on this bag, from the ones printed on the front of it, to the star shaped buckle, zip chain, studs, and little star shaped dangly thing (a mini coin purse? I don't even know but it's adorable).

The inside of the bag is quite roomy given the shape, and has an AP tag and a little zipped pocket for small items.

The bag is comfortable to wear, with a strap you can adjust. The theme of it is a bit unique though, so I'll have to try to find a plainer dress/skirt to wear it with so there's no print theme clashes.

Overall, I'm really glad I got this bag! It's such a cool concept, and I'm excited to wear it. Lolita fashion definitely got me into the idea of unusual shaped bags and I look forward to adding more to my collection! I hope you enjoyed this review! Let me know what you think of the bag (and lolita bags in general!) in the comments ❤

A life update: Things I learned from selling at a vintage fair

Hey everyone! I didn't mean to go on a mini hiatus but ended up having a little Easter break with my partner in which I was barely online (my internet connection has been practically non existent as of late and I can't wait to get a new broadband provider) and generally did nothing too taxing or stressful! I ended up eating a lot of pub food, going on random adventures, and watching bizarre cosmetic surgery programmes (what all regular couples do I'm sure...). I'm back now, though, and realised that I never wrote about my first experience of selling items from my brand at an event.

I decided that for a first timer like myself I should probably start off small, as it would be a learning experience more than anything else, and I didn't want to end up spending lots of money just so I could make big mistakes! I ended up choosing a tiny local vintage fair. There are no set table/stall prices, and you are simply charged a set percentage of whatever you sell. The idea is that you don't end up paying a big fee even if you sell barely anything. I wish more events worked in this way, but I guess it would be too hard to monitor anything bigger than this as people would probably just lie about the day's takings, plus there probably aren't an abundance of cheap or free venues to rent out.

Anyway, I spent the week leading up to the event making last minute bits and pieces, and practising my table layout. I expected to get a small table as previous fairs I'd been to had been extremely short on space, given the fact the fair is held at a bar. However, this time the venue had been renovated and dramatically changed, so when I arrived, I ended up having a massive area to myself. There was a leaflet display awkwardly placed behind it that I wasn't too sure what to do with, but I figured it didn't matter too much as this was a very casual affair.

The fair was held from 12pm until 5pm, but boy did it feel like a long day! I only knew one person already, and I am not great in new social situations, so I felt too shy to go up and talk to the other vendors, who all seemed to be friends already. I fidgeted a lot and wandered around a few times, before deciding that slowly eating my packed lunch would be the best way to waste time and look occupied. Oh dear.

During the entire day, I only sold two items, and the organiser took pity on me and decided not to charge me a fee for being there, which I thought was very kind.

Things I learnt from this experience (and other things which will hopefully help me and any other vendor newbies in the future):

• If you're going to be selling at an event, you definitely need to have someone to be there with you for moral support, to watch your table if you need a toilet break, and to make the time go faster. I knew this already but simply didn't have time to sort it out. Make sure you plan this out well in advance.
• Try to make your table look as full as possible (though not cluttered). My table looked sparse, and I didn't have enough items at the time to improve it. Next time I'll be better prepared.
• Make your space look unique. Use a nice table cover (and make sure it's massive! Mine was way too small) and use different levels to add depth and interest. 
• Make your space look touchable! I need to improve on this. People want to feel as if they can pick things up and have a proper look, so don't try to create an art exhibit people will be too scared to come close to in fear of disrupting it.
• Talk to people who walk past, even if just to greet them. I know that nobody likes being harassed, but at the same time, I think my complete silence was off-putting! Be personable and approachable.
• Think about your target market when choosing an event to sell at. Mine is the Japanese street fashion scene, but I was at a vintage fair. There's a slight crossover there, but it's a thing of chance. I would like to try a small convention or an event specifically related to kawaii fashion in the future, as it seems more likely people will be interested in the things I make.
• Get a banner of some sort. I was just using a piece of card on top of my jewellery display, but it was small and unnoticeable. Business cards are also important, and they should be displayed on your table, and placed in with customer purchases so they know how to find your stuff again!

I wore a very casual lolita coordinate for this day, as I wanted to be comfortable.

Although some of the problems I had really were down to the nature of the vintage fair (as you can see it wasn't just a regular convention/craft fair table, but clearly some part of the venue's bar/some sort of bench... not even sure what my table was at this point) I do think I learnt some valuable things about selling to people in real life. Online, you just leave the customers to browse your shop and read descriptions and examine photos. In person, it can be more down to you and what you bring to your table. I'm going to work harder on dealing with my anxiety and being more confident in myself. Hopefully I can do better in future!

I hope you enjoyed reading this post, even if it's a bit more of a personal/life update sort of thing. Perhaps someone out there can get some use from my experience. Feel free to comment and I hope you all had a wonderful Easter ❤