Polyvore Whore

Hello Deerlings,

I have recently jumped on the Polyvore bandwagon. I don't know why I haven't earlier! It is so much fun, I'm pretty addicted right now. It's so great for styling and creating coordinates. At the moment I've been sharing the outfits to Tumblr as coordinates of some of the products I post. I'm trying to stick to products that are relatively affordable (affordability is subjective mind you). At least on the individual item level they should be affordable. I try to keep this in mind particularly for the outfits I share on Tumblr, so people can recreate these outfits if they wish.

There are...some things there that are super duper expensive that I couldn't resist though.

I think it will also be great for creating outfits for characters if you are an artist. I'd love to be able to completely plan and have total freedom to dress my characters in whatever I want, no matter the expense haha. However I haven't done much drawing in a long time so that idea will have to be saved for future projects.

Overall though I just want to have fun with it.
Follow my Polyvore HERE if you are interested.

I'm just going to post my first 5, I've only done 9, and I will maybe do another post once I have reached 10. So here we go~

Black Kitty - This was my very first set on Polyvore. I didn't know what I was doing. It isn't terrible but it is definitely my least favourite. I kept it simple, a nu grunge style as that is generally the look I go for personally.

Uh Excuse Me? - Another nu grunge style. This was only my second outfit and I quite genuinely love this one. Possibly my favourite out of them all. Those UNIF boots are also on my wish list when I have some cash to spare. It's a shame that shirt was sold out otherwise I probably would have bought it. Who doesn't love Daria?

Sweet Space Candy - This was my first experiment with colour. Going for a pastel/kawaii grunge with a space and sweets theme. I think this look would be super adorable. Pastel pink and white, you can't go wrong.

Moon Bathing - A minimal nu goth swimming set. I adore this bikini from Disturbia and the towel matches so well. I added a cat skeleton candle so all the moon children can swim under the by candle light.

Halloweenie - In the spirit of October/Halloween I decided to make a creepy cute/pastel goth outfit. I love Hello Cavities. I feel like their sweaters are a must have for anyone into pastel goth or creepy cute styles. So much fun to style!

I'm also trying to avoid using items that are knock offs from small businesses, posting from stores that I know are unethical in their business practices, products that use stolen art or things like real fur because of fur farms. That sort of stuff. I also try to link pictures straight from the website or only use pictures that are sourced correctly. If you follow me on Tumblr and now Polyvore and you notice I am posting from a dodgy online store, or you think I shouldn't be advertising a product, please let me know and let me know the reasons so I can fix it. I try to keep up to date on these things but I don't always catch it.

That's all for now.
Thanks for reading ♥

Obey the Butt

Long time no see babydolls. I have been quite busy, finishing up with my animal studies course, being social and job hunting. Not to worry, my shopping didn't stop during my absence so I have a few reviews to give you. 

Odd tidbit: Its also been super cold lately, I bought these towards the end of winter for the warmer weather in spring. Even now in October (middle of spring) that weather hasn't really come except for the odd day. It was snowing just yesterday. Our house doesn't have heating so it has been really hard to get a chance to wear these and take photos without freezing my bum off. So thats another reason there was a big delay in this review. 

Hehe.

Let's start with stay-cute.com

Stay Cute, also known as Tokyo Hardcore, is a young, girl power, street brand. Selling cute tops, pants and accessories with sassy graphic prints. I've been hanging out for a pair of their shorts ever since I laid eyes on them and I splurged a little to buy myself something extra.

My order:

† High Waist Logo Hot Short - $10 (Normally $15)

† Cropped Mint Logo Hoodie - $48

I was also sent a bunch of stickers for free~

Shipping: $12

The order took about 5 days to be processed and shipped, a little longer than what I am used to but that's ok. The price of the shipping is pretty reasonable for Australia/America. (It often can cost an arm and a leg over here). It arrived to me in just under a fortnight. Wrapped up in a black envelope and the clothes were also protected in plastic. It came to me undamaged by transit. Over all I am pleased with the shipping service that was provided.

Item Quality:

The shorts - They are simple, black, high waisted, hot shorts. Made from a blend of cotton and spandex. There is the brands logo printed high across the bum. They are super comfortable, the small a perfect fit for me. I love the way they look on me and I can't wait for warmer weather to wear them more. Getting them for $10 was such a steal! Even at full price ($15) they are definitely worth it if you are looking.

The Hoodie - A lovely mint coloured crop hoodie. It sits above my belly button. The hood sits comfortably on my head (so long as I am not wearing my hair up). The material is a mix of cotton fleece and polyester. The zip is sturdy and seems like good quality. There us a logo printed on the right side at the front. The hood had a drawstring but it fell out after the first wash and I have not put it back in. I wouldn't have used the string much anyway. I love this hoodie, I wear it to the gym often, despite being half polyester I don't get sweaty when wearing it. At $48 its quality seems worth it. My only gripe is I wish the hood was bigger, I get annoyed with hoods that are small and always fall down. Love big hoods. This one isn't too bad though.

Over All:

I love my order. Stay-Cute came through with the goods, great quality, good shipping, reliable, adorable but badass style. I highly recommend taking a look at this store. There is a great range to choose from and they are often coming up with new designs.

That's all for now and remember to stay cute~

Quoth the Raven

Recently I received a wonderful package from my new sponsor Jane Nevermore.

Jane Nevermore is an alternative label based in the UK. With original prints and bright colours their products are versatile and eye catching!

† Shop HERE

Shipping:

Jane was pretty quick to ship my order out. It arrived to me in about 12 days from the UK to Australia. It arrived in the pink package above, sealed and safe. With no transit damage to the envelope or what was inside I'd say her shipping service was fantastic!

Items:

In my pack age there were three little treats just for me!

† Cone Studded Black Bracelet

† White Everyday Demons Crop

† Feelin' Blue Tie Dye Tee

First of all the black cone studded leather wrist band. The band is fastened by a notched buckle and its size is adjustable. The cone studs are black and screwed in to the leather. The leather is clean, thick and has neat edges. The buckle and studs are well fastened, every now and then though I check the screws just to be safe, I'd hate to lose a stud. That is just me being cautious though, this little baby is really well made. At first the band is stiff, but never fear, being leather with wear it will soften. I have worn mine almost non stop since I got it and it has already adjusted and sits comfortably on me.

I wish I could take full body shots because this everyday demon crop looks stellar with high waisted skirts and leggings. I love this print design so much, it was so hard to choose between the black and the white. Made from soft lycra, my only worry was that because it was white you might be able to see my bra through it. In this picture I was wearing a black bra and you can hardly see it, if at all! It sits comfortably under my bust, when I lift my arms it doesn't rise too high so I'm not flashing the world. Its fit is great, I went for a small size but Jane Nevermore offers to make custom fits as well as their standard sizing options. This one even has a little extra to fit for more boob :D

The feelin' blue tie dye tee is a super comfy, 100% cotton shirt. The explosion of purples and blues make you feel anything but down. It is a unisex tee and each design is hand dyed so no design is the same. A really great, versatile shirt, tie dye is never going to go out of fashion!

Overall:

I love each of these pieces and there are so many more unique designs from Jane Nevermore I would love to get my hands on! Everything is well priced for original designs and quality products. Jane is easy to talk to, very understanding and friendly. Her store is an amazing service and I would recommend it again and again!

Thanks so much to Jane Nevermore for the chance to write this review!

Fallen Princess Review

Buy it HERE

Fallen Princess Store is run by two young ladies in Sydney Australia that started up their business this year. Steph & Jasmine contacted me and generously offered me one of their products for a little review of their store.

Shipping:

After making my request Fallen Princess was pretty fast to making and posting it off. The item arrived over night for me once it was posted too as I also live in Sydney. It arrived to me in a paper letter envelope, the envelope was unopened. The parcel was small and discreet.

Item/Quality/Size:

My favourite item in their store is the lavender fallen cherub garter and this is the item I chose to review. Fallen Princess will also customise your item a little by letting you choose the colour of the satin flowers. I chose the lavender flowers. Inside the envelope the garter was packaged very sweetly in a little pouch with a thank you note. 

The garter is made of black elastic with a satin-like surface. The back of the garter is plain while the front is decorated with 5 flowers and a little cherub charm. It is stitched together well, I can't see it falling apart easily as the stitching is pretty secure and cleanly done and does not affect the stretch of the elastic.

This garter comes in sizes XS to XL with measurements but they also offer custom sizes. I measured my thigh and chose a small for myself. It sits securely around my mid thigh. So far it has not fallen down while wearing it, though I feel like it could be a little tighter.

Overall:

The garter is a nice simple accessory. They are well made and affordable. Steph and Jasmine are super easy to talk to and flexible when it comes to their designs. I really like this little piece, I am so happy with it. I can't wait to wear it more and I think it will add a sweet but cheeky touch to plenty of my outfits.

A big thank you to Fallen Princess for their generosity and thank you for reading lovelies!

Guide to Confidence in Online Shopping ~

I know shopping online can be a bit scary to some people. There are a lot more risks than buying something from a physical store because you only have a profile and pictures to go from. However, if you can get it right, online shopping can be pretty easy and convenient, it opens up a a much bigger variety to what you can buy and if you know what to look out for you can feel a lot more confident in what you purchase.

Here are 11 simple tips that are good to practice when deciding if something is safe to buy:

1. Research. This is probably the most important thing you can do and is linked to all the other points. If you find a product you are unsure about research its name and brand. ALWAYS research the name of the store, the brand, the product itself. Use google, tumblr, blogger, facebook etc to find the store and search for information.

2. Reviews. In your research you should look for reviews. These are a good indicator of how trustworthy a shop is and the quality of their products. Multiple reviews would be best as one bad review should not reflect the entire reliability of the shop or the product. It may have just been a one off mistake or honest miss in quality control.

3. Price. The price of the product is an indicator of the quality. If you buy, for example, a belted dress for $10. It sure looks cute, but don't be disappointed if when you get it it has lose threads, poor stitching or has the probability it will fall apart quickly. It annoys me to no end when I see people reviewing a product negatively for these reasons and they don't acknowledge the price of the item. You can't expect top quality for virtually nothing.

4. Feedback. Some marketplace sites have a feedback system be it written reviews or ratings. Etsy, ebay, amazon, even taobao have feedback systems. High ratings for a high amount of sales is good. Low rating for any number of sales is bad. If it is based on written feedback read the customers comments and get a generalised idea of how reliable the store and product is.

5. Sales. Again number of sales is important. Especially for places like storenvy which do not have a rating system. The higher the number of sales you can assume the more reliable they are and the likely you will be able to find a review or information from past customers.

6. Sizing. Always check your size. Don't go off generalised/standardised sizes, go off measurements and compare them to your own measurements. If there are no measurements offered you can always ask for them.

7. Communication. Don't ever hesitate to ask the seller questions. They should get back to you fairly quickly, if they are not quick they will usually excuse themselves. If you have already bought the item you can ask for updates on the purchase, most will do that themselves, but if you are ever worried just let them know your problem or request help from them, you are within your right to do so.

8. Payment. Paypal is probably the most secure and safe method of payment. I personally prefer to use it, if the site does not accept paypal I find that a deterrent to shopping there. Paypal makes it really easy to keep in contact with the seller and you are much more likely to get your money back if anything goes wrong, so long as you open your dispute within 45 days of paying.

9. Materials. Materials can tell you a lot of things about the product. How sturdy it is, how comfortable it would be to use/wear, if it is toxic, if you are paying too much for it. Cheap fabrics can make you sweat, they can damage easily, it is a good thing to keep in mind if you are paying a lot of money for something made out of polyester. Or if you are buying something that actually has harmful ingredients.

10. Photos. Photo quality is a good indicator of if you might be about to get ripped off. If the photo is of low resolution it is most likely a picture that had been copied from the internet many times. If it is a crisp clean photo then it is more likely to be an exclusive picture to that store. If it has a watermark or signature, that does not belong to the store selling it, it may be a replica or the seller may have permission to use the images. It is more reassuring if there is a photo credit in the description. This is not always the case, taobao resellers will often use the same image because they are being supplied from the same place and taobao images often have a watermark or logo with the shop number. If it looks like an image of a well know brand at a much lower price then the item is most likely a replica.

11. Policies. Sellers and buyers should be aware of their shop policies. When someone buys from a seller it is like entering an agreement for both parties. Be aware as a seller that you must be true to whatever policies you have given and as customers read them so you know what you are agreeing to when you buy the item and what to do if you need to make a return or exchange.

There are exclusions to these points but these are things you should always look for if you are unsure about something. Alway go with your gut, if you have done your best research and you are still unsure don't buy it. If you are happy to risk it then give it a shot and you can always fall back on paypal disputes and claims. 

I hope this will help you!

Black Cat Boutique - Buyer Beware (DO NOT BUY)

So this is the rant/warning I was talking about. I might do a full explanation on a video or this post would be a mile longer than it already is.

Let it be known, I am not pointing fingers, this is just my experience with this situation and is not the same with everyone else involved. I do not have all the information from the person in question as to why this happened, I am just relaying what I know.

The parcel I got today is a cat dress. I bought this dress on the 27th of August 2012 from Black Cat Boutique (BCB) on storenvy, Sufinkusu on Tumblr, Kirsten Amanda, or Kirsten Amanda Brown on other social networking sites, paid for it and all. It is now the 15th of March 2013 and I finally got it. It was initially promised to take 3-4 weeks to arrive, instead it has taken 7 months.

After a month I had not heard anything so I contacted her, I was assured they were on the way from the supplier to her. Another month passed I expressed concern again and was reassured again with the same thing and that there was not anything she could do at this point, despite being suggested to contact her supplier. Unfortunately I left it too late and could not file a paypal claim so I could not resort to paypal to get the money back.

A few weeks passed and on the facebook page for BCB more complaints and questions about peoples orders started to come up. People, including me became suspicious of a scam.

So I looked for the dress elsewhere. I went to Brave on storenvy and explained to her my situation. She was extremely helpful, gave me advice on filing claims on paypal and when I asked for the dress she said she could get me one in a few days, so I bought it. It arrived in just 4 days.

BCB posted that she would give refunds as she realised people were being made to wait too long. However no one got a refund because people had filed too many claims and she had been reported too much so paypal locked her account. She could not access the money. We suggested finding other funds she told us it wasn't possible. Our items finally arrived to her but again she could not post them to us because of the financial difficulty. However she did post pictures of the items to prove she at least had them.

She disappeared for a while too, closing down the store and she did not reply to emails or comments on the facebook page. Everyone was very worried that it had all been a scam at that point. She returned sparingly now and then, finally giving the excuse that she did not have a working computer, again when she went on holiday. Let's just say there were lots of excuses for delays.

Someone finally suggested doing pay on delivery to domestic customers. So we would have to pay extra postage to get our items at the post office once they were sent. This was suggested a while before the seller actually went with this option. She always seemed very reluctant to actually tell us what she was doing to resolve the situation. When asked her usual answer was a vague "I'm doing the best I can".

All in all the communication was the worst. People getting angry didn't help because the seller got frustrated and replied with an equally irritated response. I never sent any aggressive comments however, as frustrating as it was, I actually defended her on occasion. When she was being accused of being a scammer I did point out if it was a scam she would have packed up and left by now with no communication at all.

Her disappearances made it hard, and from her excuses and the time it took it felt like getting this issue resolved was barely a priority to her.

However, I did receive my dress. What I paid for. She has promised to refund the postage money when her paypal is working again, but who knows how long that will be. She was never snappy at me, but I guess that's because I was not snappy to her, so I was usually received with politeness. I also now have two of the same dress, I will probably sell one.

If she was to open her store again I might consider buying from her but only if I knew there were other satisfied customers for that product. Just keep an eye out and be wary of this seller, I think people have a right to know this is the history of this seller but as always it is your judgement whether to buy from her...

UPDATE: She has removed all past comments on her facebook page making this post even more important for people to read so they are aware of the issue.

UPDATE#2: I did end up getting my postage back but it took 3 months more so this. So the whole ordeal took 10 months to sort out completely. Since then she has opened her store again and closed it. Her facebook page is still there for you to see the comments and complaints, it is the same thing all over again. It seems she has not learned her lesson like she assured us. I'm doubtful the people who made orders on the second opening of the store will get what they paid for or a refund this time. It's 2014 now and these issues have still not been resolved since 2012.

:c

♡ Black Milk Adventure Time Swimsuit Review ♡

  BlackMilk Adventure Time Wolfpack Swimsuit Review

• $100 - Buy here~

Shipping: Free, express post (in Australia)

It arrived in its usual shiny black envelope. This order took a bit longer to process than normal, it took about 5 days after I paid for it to be sent but arrived with in 2 working days of being posted.

Item/Quality/Price:

I got rid of my old bikinis for this series from BlackMilk. Picking a favourite design was so hard but I went for this one because I figured it would look great as a body suit too. It is a light, stretchy material. When stretched it doesn't go see through. I have been swimming in a pool and a lake so far wearing it and it is a great swimming suit. It looks awesome, has a lovely cut so I don't have to worry about popping out or getting a wedgie when I dive into the water haha.

It was expensive, the most I have ever paid on swimmers. But I knew it was going to be and I really wanted it so I was willing to pay for it.

Overall:

A great, flattering swimsuit. It is pricey, shipping was slower than normal but still arrived in about 7 working days after being paid for. I have never been disappointed with the service or quality from BlackMilk.

♡

❤ Sandysshop Sponsored Review ❤

† Sandysshop Sponsored Review †

• Silver Stud Knee Socks - $9.90
• Pink Stripe Mock Thigh High Tights - $8
• Gothic Rose Side Corset Fishnet Tights - $8.99
• Pastel Goth Kawaii Unicorn Icecream Tights - $8.90

Use the code CULTFAWN for 10% off your order ❤

Shipping:

They arrived 10 days after they were posted which was great! Packed nice and neatly in a thick yellow envelope. They were in their own individual plastic and undamaged when I opened them.

Price/Item Quality:

The studded socks, I was a little worried about the studs and the elastic. I thought the studs may be glued on and they would peel off in the wash. Nope, they are stitched on with elastic. Awesome! If they were to somehow come off I can just stitch them on again. So that was good. The elastic, I was worried would stretch after one wear or fall down easily. I have worn the a couple of times and not had to pull them up once! They are really comfy and look great. I have paid more for just plain thigh highs so I think they are really good for their price!

The first thing I noticed about the pink stripe mock sock tights is they are quite long. So these are great for taller people. Super comfy, good sturdy material, I don't feel like I have to worry about ladders or holes forming. They look fantastic, worth every penny and I can't wait to wear them more as the weather gets cooler.

The gothic rose corset tights you do have to be a little careful with when you are putting them on. Because of the corseted sides and the netted fabric means it can be a bit fiddly to get on and you need to be careful to not tear or catch on the fabric. Other than they are gorgeous! Well made and look great under a pair of shorts.

I fell in love with the unicorn ice cream tights as soon as I saw them! Super cute design. They fit really well and are made of a thick, strong nylon. They seem like they will last a long time and the print doesn't crack or split when stretched. They are great quality and an awesome design, the price is very decent for what you get!

Communication:

Sandy, the owner of the store, is so nice. Very polite and easy to talk to, even with english not being her first language. She really is a delight to work with and she has a wonderful store :3

Overall:

Sandysshop is a great little store. The owner is a honey, a pleasure to work with. All her tights are well priced and great quality and she is always getting new and unique styles in, a lot of them I have never seen in other stores! I'd highly recommend checking out her store if you are looking for a neato pair of tights~

❤ Use the code CULTFAWN for 10% off your order ❤

† Dolls Kill - Lip Service & Toki Doki Review †

† Dolls Kill - Lip Service & Toki Doki Review †

Lip Service Desperately Seeking Daggers leggings - $40 Sale 50% off: $20

Toki Doki Blind Box - $12 Sale 50% off: $6

Shipping: $20

It was shipped just a few hours after I paid for it and I received it a bit over a week later. The website says 4 days for delivery, it took 7 working days to get to me. That is still good but when the site says 4 days and I don't get it in 4 days I do get anxious. Luckily it was all trackable by DHL and I could see where it was and what time it left each location, all the way to Australia. So even though it was late, by only a few days, I would say their shipping is very reasonable. It was in good sturdy packaging, and surprisingly my blind box wasn't squashed in transit.

Price:

The total, including shipping, was $46. For the quality of the leggings and the figurine I think it was fairly decent. I bought these when there was a 50% off sale at Dolls Kill. I was super excited about the leggings because they were something that had been on my wish list. The figurine, I love Toki Doki, but I mostly decided to throw that in so I would be actually still be saving a little on the leggings haha. Turns out I was actually saving big time on the Toki Doki figurine too.

Item/Quality:

For the blind box I actually think I got a good deal. For me to by from the Toki Doki website the figurine would be $8 but the shipping for just the 2 inch figure would have been $50 (what the actual fuck...how can it be that expensive?!). Sadly it wasn't the design I wanted from the Unicornos, but that's the whole idea of a blind box haha. It is a well made very cute vinyl figurine is a great addition to my collection of figurines.

The leggings are super comfy. I love their design and they fit really well. They are well made, cotton and elastic material, made in the USA. They have a sturdy zip at the back and you cant see my undies through them when I bend over (big bonus when it comes to leggings!) My ass looks nice in them too ;D

Overall:

Would buy from Dolls Kill again, they were super fast at processing and I could not find a problem at all with my order. I am even more sold on the brand Lip Service, beautiful clothes that are well made and affordable! 

†††