Crimson Reflections

Metamorphose is currently hosting their summer sale, let’s take a look at what is on sale. I’ve included my commentary and recommendations, but I’m just one lolita and these are just my opinions.

First up is the Mellifluous Front Open Frill JSK. They have this in straight and plus size. The straight size is in black or white and the plus is in black, white or sax

It’s 10% off making it ¥37,422/¥39,402 depending on the size. I saw this one at Otakon, it’s a really nice slubby (textured) shantung, and the cut is quite flattering. I actually like this best in the black colorway. I think the texture and fabric choices make this visually interesting in the monochrome colorways. The white is giving bridal a bit in my opinion. I think it would be a great reception dress (or wedding dress if someone wanted a an underbust JSK for a bridal dress, the bodice needing an opaque blouse just doesn’t feel wedding dress levels of formal to me). It isn’t the cheapest, and at only 10% off, it’s still not cheap, but it’s a nice dress. The sax isn’t my favorite. It gives me Cinderella vibes, but in a costume sort of way that I think you have to have a certain style to pull off.

Next we have the Strawberry Basket Button Front Ribbon JSK in lavender for straight size, and in lavender, black or beige for plus.

This is cute fabric, but the cut is giving me kid’s art smock vibes. I think this is one of those things where you either love this kind of cut, or you don’t, and I don’t. Now, I have a friend that looks great in this cut, but I think it’s one of those things where you kind of have to know if you like it or not? Like I wouldn’t recommend anyone buy this as their first dress having never worn this cut before. It’s 20% making it ¥27,984/¥28,864 depending on size. They also have the matching headdress in lavender for ¥4,840.

Next item is the Dress Up High Waist Ladder Lace Skirt in straight sizing and plus in sax blue.

This is a nice, solid high waist skirt. It looks like it’s good quality. But at 10% off it’s ¥25,542/¥28,380 depending on size. If you wear plus sized lolita and you really want a high waist skirt in your size, sure. If you have a whole solid pastel old school-ish closet and you adore this, sure. But honestly, I think there are much more interesting options at this price point.

Next up is the Royal Stripe Shirring JSK Set. The Black x Blue and Brown x Rose colorways are in stock and it’s 10% off so it’s ¥24,750.

This is a set with a matching hair accessory, and the shirring makes the size pretty flexible. I also like that it’s shirred in the middle, but not across the middle of the bust, I find this is more flattering than when there is a line of shirring directly in the middle of the bustline. In general, I think this is a solid classic piece and if you really like it, it’s an OK price. It’s not the most exciting of their recent releases, but it’s nice.

The Heel Strap Platform Shoes are on sale in all sizes / colors.

If you are a new lolita, no. These are not the right shoes. If you know what you are doing and are trying to look like mana in 2004, they are 10% off, go for it. There is a 30% listing for the black ones in size small, these are probably older and may degrade faster, keep that in mind.

The Gobelin Teddy Coat Dress is 30% off in the offwhite colorway, making it ¥22,946.

This is arguably the least strong colorway this coat came in, so I’m not surprised that it’s the last colorway left. The accent fabric is listed as being camel beige chambray, but it’s photographing chartreuse on Misako. I think the fabric is cute, but I think this colorway is challenging to match, particularly with the odd accent color. If you want a quirky coat and like the colorway, it’s a good price. But it’s not a super versatile coat.

Let’s look at the rest of the series. The Gobelin Teddy Double-Buttoned Cape is available in Navy in straight size and Black (which looks green) in plus. If you have something else in the series already, like a dress or the skirt, at 20% off, it’s a good deal, and you should go for it. If you don’t, I do not think this is a cape that stands alone easily, I’d skip it.

The various coreset / bustiers on the other hand I think could pair with a solid skirt or OP very nicely. The Gobelin Teddy Frill Bustier is available in Navy or Wine in straight sizing and wine or offwhite in plus size, while the Gobelin Teddy Front Open Corset is available in navy in straight sizing. If you are looking at the plus size and you don’t already have the skirt, go with the wine colorway. The offwhite is going to be difficult to work with. Like you could maybe layer it over a brown OP, but… eh, it’s going to be hard. The wine is more versatile.

Next up is the Priere Medium-length JSK. It’s available in wine, gray and black in straight sizing and wine, navy, gray and black in plus. I bought this in the wine colorway, and I really like it.

I saw this in person at Otakon and it’s a really flattering cut with a nice line and drape. It also has pockets and the collar detaches so it doesn’t have to have the nun-like look to it. The Hem lace looks really white in the stock photos, almost like eyelet, but it’s a very nice torchon lace with a very fine pattern to it that looks very classic. The wine fabric has a very slight variation in the color like you might expect from a suit fabric which makes the fabric look more expensive than a typical solid cotton. At 20% off it’s ¥30,624/¥31,504 depending on the size, and with the current currency conversion being so good, I think it’s a decent price for it.

Next up is a blouse. The Stand Collar Pintuck Frill Blouse is 10% off and selling for ¥17,622 in straight sizing only (plus is sold out). It’s available in Blue-Green, Purple, Black and White

If you have the series that matches this (Rose Palace), or want a green or purple blouse, the discount is nice. Otherwise, I feel like there are other options at this price point and size that wow me a bit more than this particular one does. I’m not sure what it is about it, the buttons maybe? The way the fabric looks very wrinkle prone? The fact that it’s long sleeved and it was 101F here today? But yeah, there are a lot of options for straight size blouses and this one just isn’t the most exciting one in the “normal” colors, IMHO.

Speaking of the Rose Palace series, they have the matching tote bag on sale for 20% off (¥4,400).

If it’s your favorite print, go for it. Otherwise, I feel like there are better tote bag options out there that are cuter for this price or less.

Next is the Dazzling Flowers Headdress with Tassel in Ivory. It’s 20% off at ¥5,280.

If you have this print in this colorway, sure, pick up the matching headdress. Otherwise, skip this unless you have a very specific kimono or wa-lolita piece you already know it will match.

They also have the solid version in black.

If you are new to lolita, this is not the headdress you want, trust me. If you know that you are doing and have a black x white x gold wa-lolita piece that this would actually match, sure, you could do this. If you know what you are doing and really like this as a black x white headdress… well, I suspect that tassel is at most just tacked inside the center loop of that bow if it’s attached at all. I suspect that if just pulling it through the center loop doesn’t work, a sharp pair of scissors and a steady hand would make this a plain black x white headdress. Do with that knowledge what you wish.

They also have the Hooded Kimono Sleeve Bolero from their wa-lolita line available in deep green from ¥22,572 (10% off).

That feels like a lot of money for a collar, hood and sleeves in a strange color combo. I feel like someone said “what if a wizard wore wa-lolita, but make it like really sexy”, and this was born as a crop top. I know it’s supposed to be layered… over? (under?) a wa-lolita JSK, but… I still have questions. Anyways, I don’t know that I would buy this even if I had the dress it’s supposed to go with. It’s just and odd piece of clothing. Does anyone own this? How do you style / coord it? The cropped bodice and the hood is really throwing me for a loop.

Moving on… the Sweet Spooky Night Babydoll JSK is available in both orange and black in straight and plus sizes. At 30% off, this is currently ¥22,946/¥24,486 depending on the size.

I feel like this is 30% off for a reason. If you are really in to Halloween motifs and you love this dress, it’s better to get it on sale than full price for sure. Honestly though, I don’t think this is Meta’s strongest work. The print is very small and very busy and the color pallet is a little weird. They tried to pull the navy from the print into the large focal point bow, but then used black trim on the bottom, instead of caring the navy through. I realize there is black overlaying the bow, but it reads as navy from a distance still. The fact that it is seasonal, but is also a summer cut also makes this a dress that isn’t very versatile.

Speaking of Halloween-themed things that aren’t versatile, the With a Magic Wand Cape is available in purple for ¥8,448 (40% off)

It’s a tiny little shoulder caplet, so it’s 100% for style, not warmth, and the colors make it a bit hard to match to things unless you have a lot of purple x black in your wardrobe. There isn’t anything wrong with it per-say, it’s just a tricky piece to coordinate.

Next up is the Sailor Tiered Skirt in navy in straight sizing and white or navy in plus sizing. at 20% off it’s ¥13,024/¥13,904 depending on size.

If you like sailor or school style, I think this is a great deal. I would go with the navy colorway and find a white sailor collar or school collar lolita blouse to pair with it and I think it would be super cute. It’s a good price, and a great staple piece.

They also have the Sailor Beret with Emblem in black and lavender for ¥9,504 (20% off), but it won’t match the skirt.

They had this hat at Otakon and I think it’s super cute, you just need to have something that it will match with.

They also have the Sailor Tucked Skirt in Plus Plus size in white for ¥17,556 (30% off).

The straps on this detach making it a plain high waist sailor style skirt (see the black colorway image). I think this is a lovely skirt, I like that it has the structured waistband which you could tuck a blouse in to, or wear a blouse untucked over. I saw this at Otakon last year as well and it’s a nice skirt. If this is your size and you have something with a sailor collar you could pair with it, I think it’s a nice skirt. The challenge is really going to be coordinating it since mtaching the blue might be tricky and doing all white might be a little strange.

Next is the Crown Emblem Embroidered Coat. The straight size coat is available in brown, navy or black and the plus size is only available in Navy. It’s ¥44,550/¥47,520 depending on size.

I actually missed that this was part of the sale, if I had seen it earlier before the brown sold out in the larger size, I might have gotten it. It’s a nice coat with an elegant line and really nice embroidery. Especially if your name starts with M and you can pretend it’s your monogram. If you need a coat and want to pay brand pricing, it’s a good classic coat.

All in all, I feel like what is there is a bit picked over / not the best prices ever, but there are some pretty solid pieces if they are your style. Also, please don’t take this badly if you bought any of the pieces I said I don’t recommend, I’m just one lolita on the internet with opinions, you do what makes you happy. My purpose is more to suggest what is / isn’t a good foundational piece and why to newer lolita. If you love something and it makes you happy, go for it. I’m never going to look at someone who bought a piece I don’t personally like and think they are bad at lolita for it.