Thursday, January 16, 2014

Apfel-Birne Shop is now open!

Hey everyone! I've finally completed my listings in Store Envy and have opened my shop. Shipping is free within the US, but don't hesitate to contact me about shipping if you live elsewhere.



Here is the link to my shop!
Apfel-Birne Store

Monday, January 13, 2014

2014 Liz Lisa Rich Vintage Rose Carry Review

Today I hunkered down and took some photos of all of the items that came with the Rich Vintage Rose Carry. It was the first time that I've ordered something like this, but I am glad that I did. So enough with the intro. Let's dive in to the review! (I apologize in advance for color fluctuations. It was a partly cloudy day and the lighting kept changing on me. The true colors are a bit more saturated than the reveal photo below.)

(EDIT: I tried to make this post as newbie friendly as possible because this is the kind of thing that I wish there had been more of when I was first getting into j-fashion brands. If you find a description or definition a bit patronizing, please forgive me!)

Here is the picture released online of the pack's contents.
There were 8 clothing items, 1 throw blanket, and of course the trunk.

The hooded jacket is very nice. The inverted pleats on the front and back add flare to the bottom of the coat, allowing for any poofy skirts. It is lined and allows for additional layers one might need during colder seasons. The bow detailing on the pocket is adorable and doesn't hinder the function of the garment at all. The faux fur that borders the hood can be removed by unbuttoning it from the lining. 

I am very pleased with this jacket. I think the color is a nice brown. (which is definitely a different color than my hair unlike my old jacket) I will definitely be keeping this piece! Here are the photos.





The next item is much smaller in scale. It's a pink camisole with lace. The back of the cami has a strip of elastic to accommodate different sizes.

The design is very simple. This piece is definitely a basic item. Even though there is elastic in the back, I would not recommend this top for anyone with a bust measurement of over 32~33inches (81~84cm) or a relatively large cup size. Unfortunately, I felt that this top did not fit me in a flattering way, so I will be listing it in my Store Envy.
Photos:



This next piece of clothing is a pink, tiered, ruffled skirt with lace sewn to the hem of the lining.

This is another great basic piece for anyone's Liz Lisa wardrobe. My only disappointment is that this is not a sukapan (スカパン), a skirt with shorts built in. I already have two other pink Liz Lisa skirts which are sukapan, so I will also be listing this skirt.

Photos:


Liz Lisa's go to motif lately has been roses. The dusty pink/beige rose OP has a fuzzy feel and the polka dot mesh yoke keeps the dress from becoming too stuffy or old fashioned. The skirt is lined.

I only have one other long sleeved dress by Liz Lisa, so I'm excited to add this to my closet. The fabric is very cozy and the flare of the skirt creates a cutesy silhouette. 

Photos:






I love off the shoulder tops as much as the next person, so I am digging the design of the peasant top. The front pleats and decorative buttons dress up the design, following the Liz Lisa trend of adding dressy details to things that can be worn everyday.

I do not own any other tops like this, Liz Lisa or not. I need to mess around with coordination, but I think I'll be able to make it work.

Photos:



I have already worn the following item in an outfit and I love it. It's a short length cardigan with small Venice lace trim.

The cardigan is very breathable which wouldn't normally be a desirable characteristic, but I do not live in a climate that requires Winter clothes. I love wearing cute long sleeved tops, but they are usually too warm. This top is just right and I'm keeping it!

Photos:


I was a bit skeptical of the next piece because it is almost exactly like the previous cardigan save for the lace collar detail and the lack of a front opening. I wore it today and even though it's very similar, I think I may keep this as well. The collar detail is winning me over.

I am beginning to like this sweater. It's also somewhat thin like the cardigan, but the details are a bit more flashy. This could be useful for dresssing up certain coordinates.

Photos:


The last clothing item in the suitcase was the tartan/pseudo-hounds-tooth mash-up sukapan. (I've used up all my hyphens for today. lol) As the name suggests, there are shorts built in. The shorts have a lace trim on the hems, softening the design in contrast to the straight lines. 

I love this item and I was excited about it ever since the contents of the trunk were revealed. I wore this item with the simple cardigan and it looked awesome. (Stay tuned for coordinated pictures!) This is a keeper!

Photos:


The last item in the trunk was a light pink throw blanket with a rose pattern. A ruffled ribbon is sewn around the edges.

This blanket is a bit smaller than I expected, but it is very soft. I wish that they had used something other than a stiff ribbon for the border, but it's not a huge deal. I will be keeping this because I don't have nearly enough Liz Lisa room stuff.

Photo:

Finally, I will review the trunk itself.

I fell in love with the rose pattern. It's everywhere and I love it! (My middle name is Rose.) The design is extremely cute and I will be leaving it out in my room as a decoration. However, it's not the sturdiest suitcase. When I stood it up for photos with all of the contents in it, the force on the little white plastic stabilizer pieces was causing the lid's edge to bend a little bit. The straps are also a tad flimsy, but they are actually only there for decoration. There are magnetic snap closures on the body of the trunk which I found out after I watched Emiii-chan's video about her My Melody trunk and contents. Thank you! What would I have done without this? lol




To finish, I would say that I think it was definitely worth it to order this LP. I like most of the items and the trunk is adorable. However, I don't think I will order a trunk set next year. I primarily wanted the trunk and since I have one, there's no need for another. I hope you found this informative! Feel free to ask me any questions about the items and orders. I will be opening my Store Envy as soon as I take good pictures of other, older Liz Lisa items which I will also be listing. See you then!

I'm Moving My Fashion Reviews to Blogger!

Hello everyone! I am Tumblr user apfel-birne. I will be posting pictures as well as detailed reviews of my clothing purchases here.  I have done a few reviews on my Tumblr blog(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7), but I felt that putting the info under a "Read More" or letting it all hang out into a huge post was a bit messy for people's dashboards and blogs. It also didn't help that the Tumblr themes that I use are usually suited to pictures, not text.

I did not anticipate how many Liz Lisa items I would be buying when I made my first order in 2012. I have made 11 orders in total and I plan to make many more!