Ruffle Review: Q-Pot x Sailor Moon Jewelry

Ruffle Review: Q-Pot x Sailor Moon Jewelry

Q-Pot Arrival

Q-Pot is a company that I’ve known of for a long time, but I did not purchase any of their jewelry until I saw it at their Harajuku flagship store. When they released preview images for their summer 2016 collaboration with Sailor Moon, I was immediately smitten. I absolutely adore Sailor Moon, and now that I had seen and held Q-Pot’s jewelry I felt less hesitant about their prices.

I tracked the preorder dates, dutifully setting an alarm on my phone and registering for the Japanese warehouse website, ready to order. I expected delivery in October or November, per the terms of the preorder. It was a very pleasant surprise to receive an email in July stating that my order would soon be ready for shipping~! ♥

Unfortunately, from that point things became… less pleasant. Read more

Ruffle Review: LittleMacaron Hairbow

Ruffle Review: LittleMacaron Hairbow

When my little sister last visited Japan, she bought a lot of fabric–most of it with the intention to sew various lolita garments. One of the fabrics that she bought was an “Alice in Wonderland” print with ribbons and flowers. She was sweet enough to sew me a jumperskirt of this print. I was surprised to see the same fabric weeks later in a sewing project on EGL. Then there were more photos of the jumperskirt, a photoshoot, and then a post about hairbows~ I decided to buy a hairbow to wear with the jumperskirt my little sister made for me. ♥

The hairbow was made by Little Macaron. (The designer has a blog, Little Macaron Fashion.) I purchased this hairbow as a ready-made piece, not a commission, so I didn’t have to discuss aspects of the order or wait for it to be sewn. It is a part of the “Alice and the White Rabbit” collection.

The shop is located on Etsy, so check-out was simple and secure. I purchased the bow on Sunday, January 30, and received a message from the seller that it had shipped on Monday, January 31, along with the tracking number. It was delivered on Friday, February 4.

Little Macaron Hairbow
The hairbow atop the tissue paper, plastic bag, and padded bubble mailer that it arrived in~

The hairbow arrived in a new padded envelope. Inside, it was wrapped in pink tissue paper and sealed in a plastic bag. Overall, it was very well-packaged and protected. The bow was accompanied by a fabric swatch in its own small plastic bag and a small note.

Little Macaron Hairbow
A close-up of the beaded chain and rose charm.

One of the highlights of this accessory is the small decorated chain that dangles across the bow. The pink pearl beads are smooth and unscratched, the small pink crystals are very sparkly, and the gold findings are neatly wound. There are no sharp or rough edges that might catch on hair or skin. The chain is removable–it hooks on to small loops behind the bow at either end with a lobster-claw clasp. I really appreciate that it can be removed–not only does it provide a slightly different “look,” to the bow, it is also easier to clean.

Little Macaron Hairbow
It took some effort to get my camera to focus well on the edges of the bow.

The bow is well-shaped and firmly sewn. The edges are neatly pressed, with crisp corners. The lace trim is well-secured inside of the seams, with no unraveling bits sneaking out.

Little Macaron Hairbow
The back seam of the center portion was hand-stitched.

The small piece of fabric that wraps around the center of the bow is hand-stitched in the back. This work is also done neatly, although the stitches are slightly larger on one side. It is well-stitched–I’m not worried about it coming undone.

Little Macaron Hairbow
Another detail shot to show the back of the bow.

The bow is nicely-gathered and very even. The back of the bow is pleated well; it doesn’t look lumpy or awkward.

Little Macaron Hairbow
The bow is attached to a fabric-covered headband.

I really like how the headband is covered. The seam is neat, and the stitching is even. The extra fold of fabric at the end of the casing prevents the headband from poking; it provides a bit of extra cushioning.

Little Macaron Hairbow
I love the gold-edged floral pattern on the front of the card!

The hairbow arrived with a cute hand-written note on very pretty stationery. That’s always a lovely touch~ ♥

(On a scale of ♥ to ♥♥♥♥♥…)
Communication: ♥♥♥♥♥
Shipping: ♥♥♥♥♥
Construction: ♥♥♥♥♥
Materials: ♥♥♥♥♥
Overall Quality: ♥♥♥♥♥

I am very, very satisfied with my purchase~ Now I’m curious to see what Little Macaron will come out with next!

Ruffle Review: Classical Puppets Petticoat

Ruffle Review: Classical Puppets Petticoat

I’ve been wearing lolita fashion for over four years now…and during all that time, I’ve been using the same petticoat. It held up loyally for many years, but recently it hasn’t been doing very well. It’s just lost some of that puff and fluff that petticoats are so important for. Being a sweet lolita through-and-through, I require that full skirt silhouette–otherwise, I feel like something is lacking. I’ve been on the fence for a while now about getting a new petticoat, but finally I decided that it was time for a change.

I ordered from Qutieland, although I knew I could order through a TaoBao shopping service and get the same items for less. I chose the method that I did simply because it is convenient. I browsed a well-organized website, placed my order quickly, and made one payment. Soon after the stated time required to make my item, it was on its way to me.

The petticoat I picked was the Classical Puppets A-Shape Fluffy Petticoat. This type of petticoat is not the ideal lolita fashion bell-shape. However, I chose one because there are several petticoats of this shape that are very popular (such as the Malco Modes 580/582 models carried by Candy Violet). What I really, truly want is a Metamorphose white organdie pannier, but the cost is so much higher. I’m sure I’ll buy one eventually–I know they are fantastic petticoats. I just need to stop being a wimp about the price–I know I’ll use it enough to justify the cost!

Communication: 5/5 Billy responded to my emails very, very quickly. I had several questions, even a few that I really ought to have been able to get the answer to for myself had I been paying slightly more attention. He was very polite.

Price: 3/5 Overall, it would have been cheaper to purchase it with a shopping service. There is a definitely markup when dealing with Qutieland.

Promptness: 5/5 My order was completed before the stated 30 days were up, and it was mailed to me immediately.

Convenience: 5/5 Browsing the products was simple, and I really liked that I made one payment instead of several installments of deposit, item cost, fee cost, and shipping. I was able to track my order on their website to see what the status was.

Shipping: 4/5 I prefer boxes, as a general rule. However, this was shipped quickly, via EMS, and did not suffer any damage during shipping.

Squishy Package
The petticoat was smushed into a waterproof envelope. It was well-sealed.
Gaping Maw
The petticoat was packed within another package within the outer layer, so it was fairly well protected.
Packaged Petticoat
This was the pillow of petticoat poof that I removed from the envelope.
Petticoat Unfurled
Woah! It’s huge!
Fluffy Details
The material is very soft and not scratchy.
Bottom View
I love all the layers of ruffles that are formed from the petticoat’s fluffy self!
Inner Lining
The petticoat is made of two layers–the voluminous outer layer and a fabric inner layer for comfort.
Without Petticoat
No petticoat. This dress was a very good candidate because it was no built-in petticoat or extra lining.
With Petticoat
With petticoat. It’s a huge difference!

Overall Satisfaction: 4/5

I’m happy to have a new petticoat. It definitely adds fluff to my silhouette! However, I don’t quite like the shape of the petticoat. I was surprised to find that there was only one layer of material. The actually petticoat-y part of the pannier is made of three tiers, and I think the bottom tier is a bit too large. This causes the shape to be not exactly what I was hoping for.

I wore it for the first time over the weekend, and I will say that it is a definite improvement. There’s a huge difference between my old petticoat and this new one. I’m not completely content, but I prefer the new one. Also, wearing it for the day helped the shape adjust slightly to be a bit less full at the bottom. The ruffles of the petticoat can shift, and I’m not used to it yet.

However, I don’t think this will be my permanent petticoat, and it wasn’t a substitute for the pannier I really wanted. I’m sure that I’ll be buying that one in the future. It’s very likely that this petticoat will be modified somewhat to adjust that last tier’s fullness. The petticoat is worth the price, it just isn’t (in opinion) perfect.

Ruffle Review: Grace Gift & TaoBaoNow

Ruffle Review: Grace Gift & TaoBaoNow

Whether or not I’m wearing lolita fashion, I have a problem shared by many, many girls: it’s difficult to find clothing and shoes that fit me well. Personally, I’m smaller than most measurements, but not terribly short (although certainly not tall). The issue I most commonly face is the smallest size just not being small enough. Buying shoes is particularly difficult. I’m finding that most companies are now starting at 6 US or larger–there are few options for my 5 US or smaller feet! Many of the shoes I have owned for a while are slowly reaching the end of their shoe lifespan, but I’m finding it harder and harder to buy replacements.

This was what led me to order from Grace Gift via their “flagship” shop on TaoBao. TaoBao is a Chinese auction/shopping site that is rather like Japan’s Rakuten or US-based eBay. It’s generally considered to be an internet shopping mall, as opposed to an online store, because there are so many goods available from a variety of retailers. I had been curious about TaoBao because there are more and more up-and-coming lolita fashion brands selling via that network, but I hadn’t actually ordered anything.

Grace Gift is a Taiwanese shoe company that makes “Lovely Shoes for Sweet Girls.” They do not specifically or exclusively sell shoes to be paired with lolita fashion, but they offer several styles that would be cute with a coordinate. (Although they also have many other sandals, flats, pumps, and boots that are “trendy” or gal-style.) You can purchase their shoes through their shop at Rakuten, their shop on Yahoo!Taiwan, their shop at TaoBao, and their “flagship” shop on TaoBao. I ordered from the Grace Gift shop on TaoBao because they had the best selection of the shoes I wanted.

Shopping at TaoBao requires a shopping service, an intermediary who makes the purchases for you and ships them internationally for a fee. I chose to use TaoBaoNow because I had read a few reviews and liked the look of their semi-automated system. They are not the least-expensive shopping service for the website in question, and I have heard they do not respond to emails promptly. I did not email them, however; I posted questions within their system which they responded to within two days. The shopping cart automatically calculated shipping and provided me with an image of the item I was purchasing, which I very much liked. I wish I would have gotten emails from the system when certain steps were complete during the processing, but instead I had to log on and check–although it wasn’t difficult to see which stage my order was at, as there are easy to understand icons and instructions at each step. My transaction was satisfactory, but I think I might try another service if I place another order, just to see how it compares.

These are the official shoe pictures from the webshop. I ordered the pumps in white and the flats in pink~ I love each pairs’ romantic look!

I ordered two pairs of shoes: flats with bows at the toe and kitten-heeled pumps with a bow on the back. (I like bows–that should be already established.) I did not order these with the thought of wearing them with my lolita wardrobe, but now that they’ve arrived I just might! I particularly think the white pumps might add elegance to some of my outfits~

The Box
This was the box that arrived at my house. Less damaged than usual, too! Our sorting center is very brutal.
Inside the Box
TaoBaoNow packed my box very neatly. I would have liked some cushion around the plastic-wrapped shoe boxes, but there wasn’t much room around them. The shipping box was very sturdy.
Shoe Boxes Freed
The shoe boxes looked very professional! They are made of heavy cardboard.

The shoes arrived well-packed in a very thick and sturdy shipping box. However, the local sorting center is very unkind, so the shoe boxes inside of the shipping box were still a bit damaged, but the shoes were packed so well they remained unharmed. The shoe boxes were wrapped together in plastic wrap and tape, protecting them from any moisture. The shoe boxes themselves are very sturdy, beautiful white boxes with a gold foil logo for the shop on the top. Inside, they’re lined with tiny pink hearts~ ♥

Under the Lid
When I opened the box, I didn’t expect to see non-shoes, nor did I expect the shoes to be so nicely packaged.

Two Pair
I love shoe bags–they really keep shoes protected when in storage. And these are particularly adorable with their colours and pattern.

Non-Shoe Stuff
Each box of shoes contained these items. It was very thoughtful!

Pink Bow-Toes
The bows at the toes of these shoes were carefully wrapped in plastic.

Each shoe was stuffed with tissue and a plastic rod to keep its shape, and slipped individually within a printed fabric bag. The toes of the pink shoes were wrapped in plastic to prevent the bows from being bent or pushed out of shape. The bagged shoes were nestled in the box underneath a small pile of “goodies”–a printed eco-tote, ankle cushion inserts, toe cushion inserts, a business card, and a care guide. (Unfortunately, I can’t read the care guide; it is obviously in Chinese.) There were also a few packages of silica in each box.

More White Pumps
These are so elegant and mature! Even with the playful ribbon, the shape of the shoes is lovely!
Pink Flats
I love these! I’m going to wear them constantly with my non-lolita clothing, and maybe even with my lolita clothing.

One of the most exciting moments for me was seeing that the shoes genuinely look like the pictures in the shop. I’ve purchased shoes before, only to be disappointed when I see flaws or design elements that were carefully covered up or distracted from in the company’s official pictures. The pictures in the shop are obviously edited–but not in a way that misrepresents the products.

Those Bows
The seams are sewn very straight, and the ribbons are well-applied and adhered to the back of the shoes. There’s no excess glue or hanging threads.
Back Seams
Straight seams on the pink shoes. Straight seams are always something I look for when I buy shoes.
Bow Edge
My only qualm is the way the end of the bow was cut on this ribbon. I think it could be neater.
Bow Edge
This bow, although not ribbon, has the same unfinished edge that I don’t care for.

The construction of the shoes is very, very good. They’re made from a shiny synthetic material that smelled very strongly when I first opened the box, but the smell faded quickly. The material does not look cheap, and it has a pleasant feel. The seams are sewn very straight, and trims are applied evenly. The only thing I don’t like is the way the ends of the ribbons are finished on the heels of the pumps–I think they could have been done better. Despite this criticism, they aren’t an eyesore nor do I feel compelled to alter them.

Heel Lining
Here you can see the suede-like material lining the heel of the white pumps.
Cushioned Insole
The insole is cushioned and of a smooth, comfortable material.
Adorable Sole
I love this pattern! It ought to be on a totebag or something~

The very best part is that these shoes are extremely comfortable! The backs of the heels are lined in a thin suede-like material to prevent blisters. The insoles are cushioned, and provides support for ones foot even without the additional inserts provided. The sole is stable and attached cleanly to the bottom of the shoe. It’s also ADORABLE, with the company name and cute little emblems all over the bottom. It’s a shame this bit of decoration can’t be seen, but these details provide some traction.

The fit is just slightly larger than I would like it to be, which leads me to believe that the 35 is equivalent to a true-to-size US 5. The shoes are not so large that they slip around on my feet or require insoles, and in fact I’m sure that after a long day of walking I’ll be glad they aren’t vacuum-sealed to my feet!

I paid 541元 (Chinese yuan) for both pairs, domestic shipping, and the 10% service fee, which came out to roughly $88 USD on the day I paid the invoice. Overall, I would say they are definitely worth $44 per pair! They are nicer quality than most shoes I see in American stores, and more professional than any non-brand lolita shoes I’ve purchased. (My Secret Shop ballerina replica shoes, although very nice, do not have this level of attention to detail.)

There are already a few other pairs of shoes that I’m eyeing from Grace Gift, but that will have to be a future purchase. These two pairs were a kindly funded by my mother, although I tried to chip in at least by paying the international shipping fees.