I feel like a gothic princess.
I purchased this ensemble with a few needs in mind. First, I wanted a cohesive outfit comprised of versatile pieces which weren’t expensive. I had an event coming up soon and I wanted something that would be easy to fix quickly if the sizing wasn’t quite right. I was also specifically looking for something black and a little princessy for this particular event (and future use), since I tend to lean more gothic in my lolita style.
In short, everything was pretty great.
For reference, my top half is a fairly solid US Medium, around 36” in the bust and 29” in the waist. I’m 5’3”, with a short/high waist that is very defined, and this makes clothing a little tricky at times. I asked for a size recommendation and XL was suggested, which made me a little nervous. Firstly, I’m kind of between sizes here, with body measurements very similar to the L garment measurements, so I worried XL might be too big (but didn’t want to risk L being too small), and also because my experience with larger sizes is that they are sometimes too long in the bodice or long in the shoulder straps. Fortunately, the bodice and straps fit my frame just fine, and the only size issue was some gaping at the armpits. The dress does have a sash to take it in at the waist but nothing to bring in the bust. However, the sleeves of the matching top disguise the gaping pretty well, and so it's barely noticeable in most circumstances. In the future I might have some darts put in, but for now I’m pleased with the sizing.
The dress and shirt both feature a nice amount of frills and ribbons, making the ensemble dark but also sweet and elegant, and there are some detachable bows you can pin on or not. The skirt also has channels which allow you to do a little bustling, which I prefer since it adds more volume and texture to the look. The only real complaint I have is that the JSK zipper is a bit sticky, especially at the waist (as zippers often are), which can require some effort to close. This wouldn’t be an issue except you don’t want to accidentally pull too hard and catch your chiffon top in the zipper! I’ve managed to pull the JSK off without zipping it all the way down, but it’s not easy--I will just have to be mindful to avoid having my zipper eat my shirt.