Antique Beast review + try on

Dear all,

Yes, still here, still trying to make thing a thing again. 

The Portuguese Lolita community has always been tiny but lately there seems to have a tiny boost in energy. I won't like, I am not really a big part of that boost unfortunately because I just cannot cope with...much of anything really but it is nice to see new people join and the overall enthusiasm.

Part of that brought something we used to have and stopped for a while: group orders. Now I try not to go too wild because our customs is... abusive to be honest but when I can join, I do.

The last group order I joined was an Antique Beast order. 

For those who do not know the brand, it is quite old... 2000s dare I say? And the particularity is that they do not always accept orders, they open the opportunity to order until the slots are full and then they just do not accept orders until the next round. That makes it a bit inconvenient but also sort of makes you feel special when you do make an order.

I cannot fit into their clothes but I love the hair accessories so I jumped at the opportunity to add something else to my collection. 

I ordered two pieces:

白猫ヘッドドレス (bat headdress in white)

Treizeヘッドドレス

As this was a made to order and group order, I kind of "forget" I order things and when they arrive it is just a wonderful surprise again!

There were two fabric options for the bat headpiece, the regular fabric and fancier option but I already owned it in black and I like how it sits so I wanted to order the white in the exact same material. I guess i was scared it would be floppier or something.

Here's the black. I was surprised because the tag is red on the black but purple on the white. 

The items come in plastic bags and there are no paper tags on the items, just a small glued on home printed "sticker" which makes it feel as indie as it comes. I think most people just imagine all japanese lolita brands to be these huge businesses but this really shows the reality of things. As I have been to Japan I know that's not the case. If you are reading this: if you have the means, do support your favorite brands as much as you can. I wish I could do that more often these days.

I particularly love the fact that the ribbon has this flower print detail. It is lovely. 

I am also very happy I ordered something else. This piece is equally beautiful if not more, I am in love with it. I just hope I can do it justice. The ties are wide chiffon which adds some drama to it (who does not love some drama in their coords) and the ribbons have the same floral detail as the bat headdress even though they are a wider ribbon. There are little cute details everywhere. I really recommend that you get something from them if you love elegant gothic styles. 

I really could not wait to try something on so I decided to dress in lolita again this weekend to celebrate this order. I went with my Moitie white op which is literally the only white main piece i have. I do love shiro coords but because I am plus sized it makes me super self conscious and I rarely wear it or invest in new white pieces. This means that headdress matches very little in my wardrobe but oh well.

OUTFIT INFO

Cutsew: Maxicimam

Dress: Moi-Meme-Moitié

[fun fact: someone uploaded my photos to lolibrary so those photos are of this actual dress XD ]

Headdress: Antique Beast

Socks & Necklace: Metamorphose temps de fille

Tights, Shoes, Cross ring, bracelets, wristcuffs: Offbrand

Bag, rings: Vivienne Westwood

Coffin ring: Suppurate System

After this I sat in my small couch and just browsed an old Gothic & Lolita Bible (boy do I miss them!). I don't have them all but I wish I did. I may hunt them down some day... 

I love how inspirational they are. Did you know my favorite sections are always the "street snap" photos. I wish I was lucky enough to have been in one of these pages. It would have been such an honor. I am forever sad I missed the chance. 

Looking at these photos does also make me regret many things I sold over the years, I wish i had all my old Metamorphose blouses and my fully shirred dresses. I wonder where they are now. Some I still know. I hope one day they return to my closet. Who knows. It would make me happy to at least wear them again, just one more time. 

Do you have any sales regrets too? Do you think about it?

Hope you liked another rambling post, see you next time :)

Gobelin appreciation

2026

Time flies. In between my last post in 2017 and today a lot has changed.

I have been into lolita on and off but the love will always be here even if one day I do decide to stop. 

Age does make a difference so if you are young and you are reading this, wear all the clothes, live all the life, do it before you are trapped (in whatever way, let's not get into that now).

Anyway as you know if you follow me since the start... (how long as it been? An eternity now, right?) I am a huge fan of the classic lolita brands, and some pieces will forever have my heart but also cause me pain. One of which is my dream coat (which has never and will never fit me), the 

Victorian Maiden "Gobelin Coat With Fur". 

So, when Kurumi announced her collaboration with Shimamura and the Noel de Memoire Series and I saw that coat, I knew I had to get it... even though I shouldn't spend a penny on anything. 

At first it seemed super cheap but then adding shipping, taxes etc, it was still sort of expensive, like a second hand coat and there are some things I'd like to improve, we will talk about that later.

As always, I asked the best shopping service in the world for purchases in Japan for help. She was the best as always and helped me. I did not know what I wanted, if only the coat, if I needed the accessories too... it is not fun to shop on a tight budget. 

It took some months for the actual items to be made and launched (I made the order in August and they were ready in December?). I paid the remaining amount and she shipped it really quick. It arrived in less than two weeks and after dealing with customs, it quickly came to my door. I wanted to film an opening video but it had been a while since i got something and was too excited.

I knew what it was, first I was not expecting anything and the Calbee on the box and all the lettering gave it away, it got me really excited!

There was also something else inside. One day a relative who stayed over broke one of my novelty items which i loved and seeing me so sad this person said "find a replacement and I will pay for it". I did not know if i could but i posted about it on facebook and who contacted me? My shopping service saying there was one for sale on mercari. I bought it!

 

Broken box. (never found that missing piece)

New box! Yay!

And now for the main bit, the coat!

When I opened the box I was really nervous. When you are plus sized you always wonder if things will fit, what if it didn't? I did not want to go through the hassle of trying to sell this especially since I was not sure if anyone else would be so much into granny couch stuff that they'd pay over retail price (shipping and all the fees).

Looking at both here they look perfect, right? But then I tried them on and I have a couple of issues:

1. The length:

One could tell that it was long but I always assume that long on a Japanese person does not mean it will be as long on me, but this one is... I am unsure if it is far too long. Still debating on this.

2. The size:

That is my fault, I orderd a 3XL which means it is perfect on the bodice (bust/waist) but then the sleeves are super wide for me. I mean i can work with it but would prefer them to be a bit tighter. I just have one of those odd bodies... I usually say that being plus sized is worse than being petite because the issue is to have the garment actually fit you. If it is too big you can always get it tailored, but if it does not close... its not the same. So I am ok with this.

3. The cape:

Did I really need it or did I just love the coat on the model and wanted to look like her? I find it a bit useless now that I have it. Also it is way too long for my taste. This one I should probably have gotten in a smaller size. I really need to get it altered to wear it, I do not like how long it is at all. 

4. The quality and thickness:

Its not warm at all, it looks like a winter coat but it is more of a spring/ autumn coat which might not make much sense visually speaking. But at least that might give me some time to get it altered so I can wear it still this year? Hope so...

The quality of the lining and fabric isn't the most amazing thing I have seen but I was expecting that due to the price range. 

I have another cape from Victorian Maiden for reference but that one is actually too small for my large shoulders and its not from a coat but a piece to be worn over a top. Something in the middle length would work better for me. 

As you can see the print is more dainty on the VM cape and the one on the right is a bit larger. The lace is also extremely beautiful on the VM cape and very tiny on the larger cape. I am not sure if I should find new lace and add it to the trim as I will be making it shorter. 

Lining of my Victorian Maiden cape

                                                                  Lining of the Kurumi x Shimamura cape

And this is the length on me. As I said, I do not hate nor love it, I think I may be too attached to my dream impossible to fit Victorian Maiden coat which makes my brain think this shouldn't be this long. I am not sure. I did not wear the cape because I really dislike it as it is. I was just trying the coat on anyway.

Overall, I am happy I got the coat. I would probably not have gotten the cape maybe or would have bought two sizes down hoping it would be shorter. The good news is that with the extra fabric I'll probably be able to make a rectangular headdress out of the excess material. The bad thing is, I don't own a sewing machine and am too scared to do it myself so I have to find a seamstress (and I know 0) around me to help. 

If you are interested in looking at the entire line, here's a link to the complete collection. I also liked the beret, the scarf, the boots with the fur and the skirt. 

FEBRUARY

I have trying to get back in touch with wearing the fashion again. 

For various reasons I have not been wearing it as much or did not wear it as much last year. This year I plan to change that. 

The most important steps (and the ones I don't mind sharing) include:

- losing the excess weight (I went from a size 40 to a 46)

- improving myself stress wise

- putting myself first

- saving so that I can go back to buying nice things

- reconnecting with hobbies as a whole

Until I achieve that, instead of waiting like I keep doing, I have decided to at least wear the fashion for myself and post more in my accounts as a boost to want to continue. I need that stimulus otherwise i lose interest and just go back to being a couch potato. 

This saturday I decided I wanted to try a dress that fit me but I did not wear yet and just hang out with myself having tea and working on understanding a bit more about bullet journaling (hobbies). I started off with the dress, tried going without a wig but could not deal with lolita without bangs so I had to get some... and then to hide the gap I needed to add a hat but it looked silly on its own and i wanted to hide the braid elastics so I added some bows... and then more bows and then more cherries to fit the theme.... and suddently this ended up not being that casual at all.

I realised I cannot do casual lolita at all. Totally failed haha but I think it looks cute. 

This dress is VERY short however. I wish it was at lest a palm longer skirt wise. But I do love the dotts on the straps and Emily Temple Cute Jsks with full back shirring are the best dresses for people my size. I kid you not, totally recommend them. 

Outfit Information:

Hat: Innocent World

Shirt: offbrand (Primark)

JSK: Emily Temple Cute

Necklace: offbrand 

Cherry hair clips: offbrand 

Bunny / Ribbon rings: offbrand (Chocomint)

Cookie brooch: honestly do not remember...

Ivory hairties: BABY, the Stars Shine Bright

Wrist cufs: Alice and the Pirates

Bag: Angelic Pretty

Socks: offbrand 

Shoes: Emily Temple Cute

There's a lot I want to unpack in this photo but I won't, not yet. I will leave you with the lovely Bordallo Pinheiro tea set which I love and matching the ETC vibes perfectly. 

What about you, what have you been doing?

Also please leave your blog/instagram/etc links so I can support and follow you. 

Love always,

Jo

[Review] My very first Taobao dress

Hello everyone,

Today I have decided to post about my recent shopping experience. It was the very first time I have ever gotten a dress made by a chinese company via taobao.

There's only one reason why I did not do it earlier which is Portuguese customs. I tried (a very long time ago) to order a very small package, i think it was like 5 pairs of tights which came to the total of 30ish euros. Because of such a small amount and the issues customs posed it ended up with me sending papers twice and the items still not arriving to my home. I just gave up and never saw the things I paid for ever. That made me completely ignore everything taobao related and just admire the pieces from afar.

But, lately, I've been in a facebook group for a spanish community in which people just talk about new taobao based releases and one of my greatest friends, miss Christina, is a very active member of it. I then decided to ask her if she could add a dress to one of her orders and she said yes. So unfortunately I have nothing to say about the purchase process.

When the dress arrived it was folded and inside a transparent plastic bag, the sort that makes a lot of noise when touched. 

The first thing i noticed was the fabric. It was decent but since I'm used to the light chiffonesque fabric used by japanese brands, usually Moitié I must admit I was a bit disappointed... and then I remembered the price tag and it went away.

The other thing I notices was the store tag, it was simple and thin like the sort you'd get when you buy clothes in a regular chinese store here. Then I remembered it'll be detached from the item and it was ok.

After that seeing it layed down on the bed it looks fabulous. The dress is well made, the cut is perfect and the whole thing has two layers and therefore lining. 

Dress out of the package,

The actual print is very good, perfect and no issues with it at all. Might be a bit harsh for those who are not into macabre stuff though.

As you can see it is double layered because the part where the print is places is a bit see through.

Seams. The outside ones look perfect the inside do look like they need some work, loose threads etc. But it looks sturdy enough.

Back shirring, the shirring stretches a lot and looks sturdy, i am not a big fan of the ribbon type chosen but that can be replaced if one wants to.

lining on the bodice, it looks very well made. no issues there.

The store tags, the placement is good, the tag is easy to detach and keep. Of course the tag design isn't the most good looking and the paper tag is thin but that's ok, its all about the dress right?

Overall I am happy with my purchase. There are only 2 things that I am not as happy with which are:
- the thickness of the fabric -
Because it is very light and since i'm bulky and well plus sized when worn if i tie the back as I want to, the bodice does not stay straight like a thicker or corseted top would, it just lets you see every single bump and imperfection of one's body so I do not recommend it for plus sized girls who might have an issue with that.

- the durability -
I had an incident with this dress. I wore it for some shots which i'll share next and took it off fine. When i was pulling up the zipper to hang it, it got slightly stuck in the fabric which is rare but happens. I pulled it up more while holding the fabric which is the only thing one can do... it left not only a hole but also the color went from black to white meaning that the fabric quality is not the best, as we expected of course. So now my dress is ruined and needs mending. Not what I was wanting from a new piece regardless of who made it and the price tag.

Outfit info:

Half bonnet: triple fortune

Headbow: Moi-même-Moitié

Shirt: Mille Fleurs

Jsk: Taobao (Dark Box)

Socks: Primark

Shoes: C&A

Accessories: Claire's, taobao, Moi-même-Moitié

That's it for today, I hope you liked reading about my experience and that it was somehow helpful. I am not very good at writing reviews I suppose.

Love,

Jo

Grimoire Verum tights

Hello everyone,

I am loving this print tight trend more and more but I kind of was late to it for fear that they wouldn't fit people my size. I have been told more than once by other lolitas who came into contact with their tights that Grimoire Verum just wouldn't fit me.
Still I loved their designs so much and they were just so much my style that I finally got the courage to order some and see for myself.

These are the tights I'm reviewing and comparing:

#1 Innocent World angel tights
#2 Juliette et Justine cross tights
#3 Grimoire Verum vitrail tights
#4 Grimoire Verum musee...  tights

At first glance they looked the same, the length is the same and the material is also the same. It's very soft when new but when stretched becomes a bit rough to the touch.
When the tights are new the print is very clear and clean but after wearing it once the lines between the print are white which is what makes the print look less clear while worn.

As you can see all the pairs look exactly the same on the inside, the seams are the same
and the little tag on the inside is also the same.

The width of the tights is also exactly the same when stretched once.
Here you can see the "lines" I was talking about more clearly.

The length and the edges and finish of the tights is also, as you can see,
exactly the same in all of them.

In terms of durability. They are obviously durable considering they are tights, they are thick and they can be stretched without fraying but don't forget that they are still tights and tights will never last too long especially if you are on the tall or wide side. The stretching does ocassionally produce "white areas" in the tights that will no longer look like they did originally with use. I've worn my jj green tights about 5 times (out, not just for photos) and they already have a spot that is white in the right foot (check the photos carefully and you'll see it).

Here's what you were waiting for. I'm going to try to help out the best I can by providing my measurements (please note that these might not be 100% accurate) so you can compare your size to mine and check how they look when worn.

Hips: 112cm

Leg length (from foot to hips): 47cm

Full height: 170cm

Calf circunference: 37.5cm

Thigh circunference: 51cm

So let's see how they look on someone my size:

#3 Grimoire Verum vitrail tights 

#2 Juliette et Justine cross tights

#1 Innocent World angel tights

#4 Grimoire Verum musee...  tights

Obviously the print is a lot clearer in the foot and ankle area than on the thighs area. I think its pretty clear on these shots so if your calves are as wide as my thighs then these might not look so nice when worn but they will still fit. If all you care is that they'll fit then you'll be fne. (they still look nice as a color mixture, just not so nice if you're into crisp prints).

As you can see the print is very clear in the feet and ankle area and then starts to lose definition. 

This is still not my max width thigh area but as you can see the print on the top is pretty much gone.
You can also clearly see the white lines in between.

Where to buy:
Grimoire Verum tights - Link
Innocent World tights - Link
Juliette et Justine tights - Link

And that's it, I really hope this was helpful since more than one person asked for it. If there's anything I didn't cover please just ask here and I'll do my best to help out.
With love,
Jo