My first tea parties-a Bodyline review

So you know that feeling when you get something new in the mail and you can't wait to just tear into it, take a million pictures and share it with the world? It's an awesome feeling. And it's an equally not so awesome feeling the second you open that package and realize all your hopes have been shattered. Sadly, the latter has been my experience.

On August 3rd I ordered my very first pairs of tea party shoes from Bodyline. I ordered style 256 in black and style 251 in silver. They arrived August 18th, so just about two weeks from China to America with Airmail shipping. It's about what I was expecting and I wasn't in any rush for them to arrive, so I'm glad they showed up when they did. I was super excited when I saw them in my room, they were not only my first pair of tea parties, but my first pair of REAL Lolita shoes! They weren't in any boxes, but rather the standard tons of bubble wrap and securely sealed inside a plastic envelope. 

Unfortunately, I had a sinking feeling the second I began to unwrap them. They looked small. Now, I had done my homework, read all over EGL and other reviews of these exact shoes and thought I had a pretty good idea in mind what size to order. I know when it comes to ordering online (especially a place like Bodyline that doesn't accept returns) that it's no time to be vain and pretend you're smaller than you really are. So I measured my foot about 40 times (even traced it on paper and measured the outline) and every time I came up with 24.5 cm (I wear a US size 8.5 for reference). Perfect. I could order size 245, just like everyone told me to (and just my luck, that was the largest size they had in silver). So that's what I did.

 

                    Nope. I suppose technically these shoes are size 245. Exactly 245. I can fit my feet into them, but they are literally the exact size of my feet, so my toes scrape the front of the shoe and there is absolutely no wiggle room to speak of.                               

                                                                                                                                                              

That being said, I still took a quick photo, just to see if I like the look of tea parties on me. I admit, I feel really super cute in them, and the black ones don't feel as OTT as I feared they would.The straps aren't tight and the shoe isn't too narrow, so it's not so much a problem of the entire shoe being too small. If I've ever felt like an ugly step sister wishing she could chop her toes off, this was definitely it.

Still, despite these issues, I do have plans to order more tea parties from Bodyline. I really would like some pink and white ones and now I know to order at least half a size up. I am glad that the shoes themselves seem well made with no loose threads, wonky stitching or straps coming apart. I'm also really glad that aside from the squishy toes, the rest of the shoes actually feel quite comfortable. I don't tend to wear a lot of flat shoes anymore because after an hour or so they really begin to hurt my feet. Though I haven't walked in these long term yet, the inside already feels like they give a bit more support than regular ballet flats, so I'm hoping that comfort will last for more than a  few hours at a time.

And as a quick aside, I also ordered these boots (style 298). Even huger disappointment. SO tiny (much tinier than the tea parties despite having ordered the same size) and I probably should have ordered at least two sizes bigger for them to fit comfortably. The boots themselves are actually of nice quality though, the faux fur very soft and the construction sturdy. However, the heels did come with some white stuff that are kind of difficult to brush off and they did have a very strong chemical smell right out of the bag. I still really do love the look of these boots and they seem like they'd be very comfortable in the right size, but as I doubt I can sell these (since they're heavy and the cost of shipping would be ridiculous) I don't know if I can get another pair for awhile. Huge, huge disappointment.

Overall, I'm sorry this post had to be such a downer. But I figure it's good for me to get that information out there anyway for other Lolitas, let others learn from my mistakes. Thankfully my darling boyfriend has offered to take the tea parties to the cobblers while I'm at work to see if they can be stretch about half an inch, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed it'll work. Here's to hoping my next order of tea parties will end on a happier note.

The great shoe debate

So, I've never really been huge into shoes. I'm not sure why, they've just never been my top priority. Don't get me wrong, I definitely like them in pictures, I think they can be super cute and I made sure to invest in some nice, versatile heeled Mary-Janes to wear with a bulk of my Lolita outfits. But otherwise I've never felt a strong pull that encouraged to go ahead and try out lots of different style of shoes, it was always just another detail that I would get to 'someday'.

But suddenly, out of nowhere, all of that has changed.

Maybe it's because I'm branching out now with my color pallet and I want shoes to match. Maybe it's because my budget is a little more limited nowadays and I can get a pair of shoes (or two) for way cheaper than a dress. Or maybe it's because I'm finally sick of wearing the same look alike three pairs of shoes over and over again. Whatever the reason is, the bug has at last bitten me. Hard.

I admit, I'm looking into Bodyline. Although I feel as though I've personally "graduated" from ordering too much more of their clothing, shoes seem like a different matter entirely. I know they're definitely a popular place to buy shoes from, even from very seasoned Lolitas, and the fact that they currently have their lovely $10 shipping deal going on doesn't hurt either. I've given myself a two shoe limit at the moment, so let's see, what have I got my eye on.

SHOES256

Wow. Tea parties. Me? I've avoided these types of shoes for so long since I feel they're just a bit too childish for me, plus I have big feet and I always feel like flat shoes make them look even bigger (even outside of Lolita I rarely wear flat shoes). But through the winds of change I find myself constantly coming back to them, pulled in by their adorable charm and comfort possibilities. I realize it's probably a good idea for me to own at least one pair of flat Lolita shoes, so why not stick with the classics? I'm sure with the right coord I can still avoid coming off too childish, and since this particular style is a little more cutesy, I would stick with plain black to blend in with most of my current wardrobe.

SHOES251

Another pair of tea parties! Gosh, they're just too lovely, aren't they? Although I also really like these in black, I'm considering purchasing these in silver instead (to wear for a certain day in the not to distant future when my boyfriend might just possibly pop a certain question!). I also feel like this style is just a tad more mature than the other tea parties, so I like them in brown as well since I think they would compliment my new love for classic, brown dresses.

SHOES274

These shoes actually look very similar to what I ordinarily wear already, just a little more jazzed up. I fell in love with these in brown and I think they give off a lovely classic vibe. Of course, I love them in black and navy too! Although these aren't flats, I'm certainly not ready to give up my heels forever and these really mesh so well with my favorite look, so I expect I'll probably own more than one pair of these sooner or later.

SHOES298

Okay, I'm honestly not sure if these even count as Lolita, and I don't really care. I've loved these boots since they first came out last year and I still love them now. They're at a real bargain price right now (probably because it's the middle of summer), and even though I really don't need any more heels OR anything with fur lining the inside, it's getting more and more difficult to resist...

Omgosh, so many choices!!! And that's not even counting all of the other beautiful shoes I have my eye on from other websites. One pair at a time...one pair at a time.

Mini Bodyline Haul Review

Yay, my first review! And what better way to start than with a classic Bodyline review?

Last month Bodyline was having their free Air shipping sale, and since I'm a cheapskate I decided it would be as good a time as any to place an order I've been holding off on for weeks. My wardrobe is severely lacking in blouses and boleros (which I adore wearing over JSKs), so I figured using Bodyline to help me with some nice, wallet friendly fillers was a pretty good idea. So around the 16th of March I placed an order for 2 boleroes and 2 blouses, and here they are, so let's get started!

So much black! I think I need to start expanding my wardrobe color palette...maybe.

Cardigan L167

I knew I was testing fate when I bought this cardigan because its listed measurements are a fair bit smaller than my bust , but it was just so cute and cheap I couldn't resist. Turns out it's just as cute in person as it is online! It's extremely soft (and not as thin looking as it appears on the website), but what I was most surprised to find is that it has bits of gold mixed in the black that I hadn't noticed in the stock photo. The gold isn't scratchy and you can see it a bit in my photo.

 The lace is also very cute, delicate little flowers that I thought were a nice touch and not used in excess amounts. The front bow is also attached by a pin, so the bolero can easily be worn with or without it, though it is a little bit floppier looking than in the stock photos.

However, when Bodyline states it has a bust measurement of 84cm, they MEAN it. It actually fits quite comfortably on my arms and shoulders, but there is absolutely no way I'm getting this thing over my bust without looking utterly ridiculous. Oh well, off to Lace Market it goes!

Cardigan L409

Good grief, this cardigan is HEAVY! After the lightness of the other cardigan, I was really surprised to pull this one out of the package because it really has so much weight to it. I was also surprised to find it's covered in sequins! I realize now looking over the stock photo that it does have some sparkle to it, but I wasn't expecting so many sequins.

It really does have some cute details to it. The lace isn't the most fantastic quality, but it's used in small elements and I imagine won't be too difficult to remove if I find it grows bothersome. I love the ruffles and the ribbon detail is a cute touch as well. 

Weirdly enough, even though this cardigan is listed as only 4 cms larger than the previous one, it fits me just fine (did I mention I have a 94cm bust?). I guess those 4 cms really make a difference, though I wouldn't recommend it for much a bust much larger than mine. My major complaints are that the sleeves are a bit on the short side, and the fabric has a slightly rough quality (likely from the sequins) that can get a little irritating on the skin.

Blouse L505

So, I don't actually own a single blouse with a peter pan collar. I've always felt they just look so awkward on me, but again, since I was on a mission I decided to just bite the bullet and get at least one, simple blouse I could hopefully use in many different ways. I liked this one because it has detachable sleeves and a jabot (which is also removable).

I decided to order a size 2L and I was a little nervous it wasn't going to fit my bust, but turns out this blouse actually fits beautifully. The waist has some nice wiggle room since I'm a little smaller than the listed measurements, and I think I'm going to go ahead and remove the waist ties as I don't like the way they look and don't really need them as I primarily wearing JSKs anyway. 

Here's a close-up of the collar, and as you can see the lace isn't really the best quality. This doesn't really bother me too except for around the arms where I find a combination of the lace and elastic gets irritating really quickly. Still, the elastic is nice for allowing a range of arm sizes, however the attached long sleeves do not have elastic, so I'd be wary if your arms are on the thicker side. The sleeves are attached by 4 buttons and easily removed though if you just feel like doing away with them entirely (as I probably will since I don't much like the way they look).

The blouse is made of the usual, polyester blend Bodyline material. It doesn't seem like it would breathe very well, but it's actually rather soft and not crackly or stiff. In any case, I'm glad to have a simple, peter pan collared blouse in my wardrobe now.

Blouse L373

So, when I laid this one out I was really surprised at how big the armholes looked. I thought perhaps my eyes were just playing tricks on me, but when I tried it on...nope. The arm holes are just really super big for some reason. Again, I ordered a size 2L, and though it's slightly on the larger side, it still fits me pretty nicely-except for the arms! It's really quite odd, but thankfully since they're elastic they should be a fairly easy fix.

All in all though, I love this blouse! The design is a lot more like what I'm used to and I love it's simplicity. The fabric feels a little bit stiffer than the previous blouse, but it's nothing unbearable and will likely soften out a bit after a few washes.

This blouse has some super cute rose buttons that sadly all came out blurry in my photos. It's a nice little elegant touch that I really appreciate, and the lace is used minimally as well. I don't know if I'll be purchasing much more from Bodyline, however I would definitely consider getting another one of these to have as back up, and possibly even one in pink. I don't think I'll ever use the added ties that are intended to be used around the neck, but perhaps someday I'll work on another craft project with them. 

Phew! That was fun! I hope this review was informative and can maybe help someone out on a future purchase. I know that's why I love reading them, so let's share the wealth of knowledge.