This is the Long JSK. The short bodice seems reasonably well fitted, but the overall shape is a bit simple. I'm not really a fan of the neckline. Gold ribbon has been used for the straps. The straps do look pretty, although I would have tied the ribbons facing outwards, not frontwards. My main concern though, is despite the good ribbon quality, the straps look very flimsy. The waist area has a soft lacy bow. I think the floppy style of bow is a good choice for this dress, as it seems to work well with the rest of the dress. The lace used for the bow is very pretty. The bow size is a bit big, but suits the dress. The bow is also detachable if you dislike it or would like to move it about, although I personally feel the bow attached to one side is the best look. I think the bow helps to 'soften' the rest of the dress. The chest area has a line of wide lace running across it. The lace does match up with the waist bow, but for some reason I seem to dislike it. Perhaps it is where it is placed. Above the line of lace, there are 3 gold bows. The bows use the same pretty gold lace as the straps and the shape is nice too. However, 3 bows of that size is just too much for that small area. They are so crowded and look like they are fighting for space. One bow would have been enough. The little panel that the gold bows sit on is decorated with tulle and gold braid. This is a very pretty idea, but I don't feel it has been executed that well. The back has a panel of shirring, which is concealed by a ribbon corset, keeping things looking neat. Once again, Baby have gone for their long dress style that they really seem to favour at the moment. The skirt has a good length to it and it flares outwards very well. It definitely has a good shape to it and avoids looking sack-like. It appears as if it will hold a decent amount of petticoat too. The main skirt is kept very simple in design and the print is displayed very well. The bottom hem is then finished off with a thin line of gold braid and multiple layers of lace. The lace is layered well, but I don't feel Baby have used the nicest lace. The lace comes across as quite cheap looking, although maybe it will look nicer in person. I just feel that Baby have used much nicer lace in the past and I was a bit disappointed when I saw this lace.
And here we have the Corset JSK. The bodice shape is very pretty and the bodice is very well fitted. The straps are a suitable width but are very plain in design.
Boring straps aside, I really love the bodice on this dress. I loved the pointed waist line and the gold braid helps to make the line look neat. The bodice features a ribbon corset on either side. This has been done using beautiful soft tulle ribbon. The ribbon is so light and romantic looking. The ribbon is well spaced out and never looks too bunched together. My only real concern is that the ribbon is held in place by flimsy looking lace loops which could break or fray quite easily. The middle panel of the corset is topped with 3 metal clasps. The clasps are well spread out and they work very well with the print beneath them. The clasp design is very pretty too. The neckline is lined with good quality lace with a very detailed design. The lace helps to soften the neckline a bit too. The neckline is then topped off with a gold tulle ribbon bow. The bow is a nice shape and size, and sits well on the dress. I personally could take or leave the bow. I think I would prefer the bodice without the bow, but I don't mind it being there either.
The back has a panel of shirring which is concealed neatly by a ribbon corset. The skirt appears to be a good length. Although in the stock photos the skirt seems to have a good, strong shape and avoids looking too shapeless, I think I prefer the shape of the skirt on the other JSK. This skirt isn't too bad though and it will still flare outwards a lot. It appears as if it will accommodate a reasonable amount of petticoat too. The print is displayed fairly okay, but the bottom is a little obscured because of the gathering. Underneath the print, the bottom has been slightly gathered. The shape created is very pretty, although as mentioned, it does obscure the bottom of the print a bit. The top layer if lace at the bottom is very pretty. However, the bottom of this dress still has 3 layers of that lace I dislike. I really do feel a softer, more solid looking lace would have been a better choice. If the very bottom layer of lace had been removed from this dress, I don't think it would have looked as bad though.
This is the OP. The bodice shape looks good and seems to fit well. The short printed part of the sleeves are pretty and have a cute amount of puff to them, but without looking too sweet. I like the soft, tulle bows on them too. As for the longer lace part, it doesn't appeal to me personally, but I think it has been executed well. The cuffs made of layered lace are very pretty and have a nice shape to them. The lace used matches up well with the bottom hem. I think it is a shame that Baby didn't make the lace parts detachable, because at least then you would have the choice to wear them either way. It is a bit hard to give a verdict on the bodice details, as most of them are concealed by those massive gold bows. The 3 gold bows are too big with long ribbon tails and the end result is cluttered and messy looking. The gold lace is pretty, but I think the way it has been used cheapens the design. On either side of the bows there appears to be 2 lines of lace running up both sides of the bodice. The lace is pretty, but it doesn't sit very well on the dress, as the bows get in the way. It just further adds to the clutter. On a more positive note, I do like the neckline detail though. There is a sheer lace panel topped with criss-crossed gold braid. It is such an interesting detail and it gives the dress a bit of a historical feel. The lace from the bodice continues along the neckline and the inside of the sleeves. It is nice lace, although it looks as though it might tickle the wearer a little! On the back, the bottom half of the bodice is solid and then there is a lace panel on the top half. I would highly recommend choosing your underwear carefully if you get this dress. The back is topped with a ribbon corset, despite there being no shirring. I suppose the ribbon will help give a bit of size flexibility, if you wanted to make the dress smaller, but otherwise it doesn't really offer a wide size range. I just feel the back looks a complete mess. The stock photos show the skirt has a good length and a strong A-line shape. If nothing else, I am glad these longer Baby dresses are looking a lot less shapeless now. The dress flares outwards quite well and has plenty of volume to it. The skirt design is kept quite simple and the print is displayed well. The bottom hem is then finished off with a line of gold braid and layers of the same lace used before.
And here we have part of the print close up. This series comes in ivory, pink, mint, bordeaux and black. All 4 colours seem to work with the print. It is a bit difficult to pick a favourite, but I quite like the colour I used for the OP photo in this post. As for the print itself, it is grand enough to match the OTT dress designs. The use of gold is bold and the frames are large. This print is not for the faint-hearted. I really like the cherubs dancing and the flowers around the main frame. I also like the Romeo and Juliet scenes inside the frames, but I am not sure I like that the pictures are on black and white. It looks a bit dull in comparison to the bold use of colours elsewhere in the print. I think at the very least, the frame pictures could have been done in muted colours instead of monochrome. I'm also a bit undecided about the very top of the print with the draping curtains. The design works very well with the Corset JSK, but maybe not so much with the other 2 dresses.
I don't really understand the gillet from this series. In all the photos I have seen of it, it looks too fussy worn over the dresses. It adds too much bulk and I don't think it is the nicest shape either. I am not against over-garments such as over-skirts or even peignoirs, but I don't think this gillet works as well as those. It is also quite expensive for what you get. And when worn with this specific series, which is already rich with detail, it just looks too OTT. Even with a more simpler design I still don't feel it would work. Maybe somebody will find a creative use for it, but I personally don't get the point of it.
So this is yet another OTT longer dress offering from Baby. Whilst I think the dress shapes have improved, I don't think the print lives up to expectation. I am also very unsure about the lace used throughout this series. I also feel like Baby has been a bit too repetitive as of late and I am looking forward to discussing something a bit different. Would I buy this series? No, I wouldn't. If I did, I would choose the Corset JSK but I am undecided on what colour. Overall, this is not my sort of thing at all. I expect that this series will sell quite well, but I don't understand the appeal.
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