Baby Ponytail Boutique - Mermaid's Castle JSK Review
Over Christmas I bought the Mermaid's Castle JSK from Baby Ponytail Boutique. I'm going to the Street Fashion Europe Under The Sea event in May, and it looked like a lovely print choice for the theme! Baby Ponytail are an independent brand who I don't think are very well known yet - I couldn't find any reviews when I looked for them on Google so hopefully this will be useful! I ordered an M size JSK in cream, which came to £59 including shipping (I did not get customs charges on this parcel). Original reservation page here for reference - scroll down for JSK pictures.
Timeline of ordering:4/12/15 (in pre-order period) - I email my order and pay my deposit
26/12/15 - Baby Ponytail email me to state that pre-orders are closed and production has started
15/01/16 - Baby Ponytail email invoices for the rest of the payment - there is a week's period to pay. Baby Ponytail estimate that shipping will happen on or before 31/01/16
21/01/16 - I pay the rest of the deposit
27/01/16 - Baby Ponytail email to say orders will be sent on Monday 1/02/16 and apologise for the slight delay (understandable as the 31st fell on a Sunday).
04/02/16 - Baby Ponytail confirm that they have sent out orders and are waiting for tracking numbers
05/02/16 - Tracking numbers arrive
08/02/16 - My dress arrives!
It came packaged in this box, which was wrapped in a FedEx delivery bag. The JSK was in a clear plastic bag, and came with a Baby Ponytail shopping bag and postcards of the print.
Brand tag and washing instructions! It sounds easy to care for, which is always a bonus.
Detachable waist bow - a good size, sturdy and well made. It attaches with a sturdy brooch back and the lace is nice quality.
Full back shirring! Lots of stretch and the channels are evenly spaced. The lining fabric is also visible in this picture too - the dress is fully lined. I've mostly bought dresses with full back shirring lately - so comfy to wear! My one disappointment with this is that the straps are a fixed length - I prefer adjustable straps so that I can accommodate my long body, but this wouldn't be a problem for the majority of people).
Detachable waist ties - nice buttons, and long thin waist ties - long enough to tie in a good bow. This is my favourite type of waist tie because I find it easier to make an attractive bow than with the triangle type.
Lace and bows around the bodice. The two sorts of lace are really nice and soft - not scratchy at all - and the colours match well despite being two different sorts of lace. The embroidered lace is really high quality - it's not a custom design, but it's detailed and soft and the edges of it have been neatly trimmed with no excess netting. I think it's a rose pattern, which some people might not like as roses aren't particularly sea themed, but it doesn't bother me.
Finishing of the hem, plus the tulle detailing. It's the same lace as earlier, and it matches nicely with the tulle. The dress is fully lined.
Print close up - the texture is from the fabric, not the resolution of the print. It's accurate to the colour shown in pictures on the Baby Ponytail site.
In conclusion, I'm really happy with this purchase! I thought the communication was excellent, as Baby Ponytail were very good at keeping me informed by email after I placed my order, and before I ordered I asked a question on their Facebook page that was answered the same day. I'm really pleased with the quality, and the dress was accurate to the pictures and the finished measurements. I'd definitely order from Baby Ponytail again! I also like the little details that have been included, like the bows and ribbons around the hem and the use of two sorts of lace, and I was impressed at all the details included at a lower price.
Mermaid's Castle JSK - FINT blouse - Hush Puppies shoes - Swimmer bag - Peacockalorum underskirt
I'm going to pair the dress with my FINT blouse - perfect theme matching! This is my first review of a lolita main piece, so please ask questions if there's anything I've missed!