Pullip Classical Alice: Review

I've always been a huge fan of anything and everything Alice in Wonderland related, so it was no wonder that I was so drawn to Classical Alice! To be totally and completely honest, I really love all of the Alice Pullip releases to date, but Classical Alice bears the closest resemblance to the Alice that most of us are familiar with. (Though, if we include Dals, the Dal version is hands down the most Alice-y of all the Alices, but the Pullip version is beautiful all the same.) Because of that, I feel the name she was given is really spot on and fits her perfectly!

Pullip Classical Alice Comes With:

-  Headband with blue and white bow with cameo charm

- Blue dress with lace trimming on the sleeves and the hemline. Has a high neckline and a ruffled collar.

- White apron  with lace and brown bow detailing

- Black and white striped stockings

- A pair of black Mary Jane flats

- Pullip Classical Alice's trading card

-Doll stand

Pros:

-  Her blonde curls are tight and springy and much neater than expected! Not very much frizz at all! (May vary from doll to doll.)

- No wig netting showing through! ( May vary from doll to doll.)

-  Very elegant looking faceup! Her eyebrows have sort of a peculiar shape, being quite thick at the start of the brow and thinning out dramatically at the ends. They're also really straight for the most part with  just the slightest arch to them. She also has some smoky eye makeup, and it looks as if she has a combination of blue, brown, and possibly some pink eye shadow, and the creases on her eyelids are streaked with white and grayish blue paint. Her eyes are bordered with lots of long, wispy lashes! Her cheeks have a hint of coral blush on them and her lips are very natural looking shade of pink and if you look closely, you can see that there is a heart shape painted in a darker pink color in the center of her lips! It's similar to the way Dal Heiwa's lips are painted, but much more subtle.

 -  Her eyechips are really nice! They have a very thick black limbal ring painted around her iris, which consists of a pretty blue color streaked with black lines, and two white dots painted near the bottom of the pupils and a white line tracing the area where the lower part of the pupil and the iris meet!

- Her stock outfit is very simple, but by no means boring. Her outfit is very similar to the dress that Alice wears in movie portrayals and illustrations, just with a touch more frills and lace and some embellishments added here and there. Overall, it is still recognizable as Alice's dress and I really like that about it! I also love how she was given striped stockings as opposed to plain white or plain black ones!

- Type 4 Body!

Cons:

- Her shoes are extremely large for her feet. Most Pullip dolls tend to be given shoes that are too big for them, but her's seem to be the most ill fitting shoes I've come across so far. I ended up sticking some wadded up tissue paper at the toes just so they would help fit better.

- It would be a good idea to be as careful with her curls as possible and not to play with her hair too much. The curls can possibly become undone and  it most likely won't be very easy to fix it back to the way  it was.

Neutral:

- She doesn't come with much aside from the things that you see on her.

-  Her outfit is fairly well made and nothing on it should become ruined, but I would be careful with the lace used at the hem of her dress. It's possible that it can unravel if any thread is hanging from it.

- She's quite reasonably priced for a Pullip doll. I highly recommend buying her from either pullipstyle.com or jpgroove.com, as she is way overpriced on ebay and amazon. PullipStyle seems to have her at the best price of $112.95, but it's possible you can get her for less if they have her listed under a Dent Box Sale.

The Verdict:

I am very happy with this doll! She's a very beautiful doll and it's easy to see why she's such a popular choice among Pullip collectors! Whether you're a fan of Alice in Wonderland or not, Classical Alice is a winning choice and would be a wonderful addition to any collection, as well as make a good first doll for new collectors! She also would look lovely in different wigs, eyechips, and clothes, if you're looking for  a doll to make slight customizations to!

Pictures of Mary Weather, my Pullip Classical Alice:

Dal Cinnamoroll 10th Anniversary Edition: Review

I really love almost anything and everything having to do with Sanrio. If you slap a Sanrio character on something, you can bet that I'll be drooling over it. The 10th Anniversary edition of Dal Cinnamoroll is no exception. I was so excited when I saw this doll because I had really wanted the original Dal Cinnamoroll, but it was out of my price range. By chance I had found the 10th anniversary version which was similar to the original, only much cheaper! (She's $69.99 on amazon!) Of course, there are some differences, such the colors used on their face up and eye chips (the original has green and yellow eye shadow, orange blush and lips, and lighter blue chips) and the extra outfit and accessories that they each come with,  but the resemblance of the doll itself is close enough to the original that I can't really complain about her in terms of appearance. She is undoubtedly a very cute doll!

Dal Cinnamoroll 10th Anniversary Edition Comes With:

- Plush Cinnamoroll suit with polkadot lining on the inside

- Top hat with hooks underneath the brim that attach to the top of the Cinnamoroll suit

- A felt mustache with  a hook and a clear elastic string with a lobster claw clasp

-  A pair of white gloves

- A pair of white plush slippers

- A bag shaped like a teacup

- a cane with a dangling star charm hanging from it

- A mini toy rabbit

- A set of black and blue satin pajamas consisting of a long babydoll tank top and bloomers

- Trading card

-Doll stand

Pros:

- Her wig is a pretty blue color and the short hairstyle is very cute!

- Her faceup is very pretty!  Her eyebrows are light brown/medium blonde in color and straight (the same as the original Dal Cinnamoroll) and she has pink lids and yellow eye shadow, short brown lashes painted on the bottom half of her eyes, pink blush, and light pink lips. I didn't think I'd be very fond of it from looking at her stock photos, but it looks so much nicer in person!

- Her eye chips are a pretty deep blue!

- She comes with a lot of  cute accessories that you can mix and match with her two outfits!

- Her suit is very soft and well-made for the most part and is very easy to put on. The star-shaped button on it is a very cute detail, too!

- Eye mech works perfectly! (May vary from doll to doll.)

- Very affordable!

- Would look cute in lots of other outfits!

Cons:

- Her gloves and slippers are too big for her hands and feet and can fall off easily.

-  The button on the front of her suit can come off easily if you aren't careful.

-  You absolutely cannot place her on her stand while she's wearing her Cinnamoroll suit, so if you plan on using the stand she comes with, you have to either put her in the pajamas she comes with, or another outfit.

- It can be difficult to put her in some poses while she's in her suit because it's kind of bulky.

- Her wig is stiff and has an oddly rough texture to the back of it. (May vary from doll to doll.)

- Her left leg can come off easily. My dolls leg came off before I even had the chance to remove her from her box. (May vary from doll to doll.)

- Her pajamas are made of satin material, which can snag easily onto velcro and nails.

- She can't hold onto her cane very well. It doesn't fit in her hands and the star charm is too heavy and makes it a bit tricky to balance on her hands.

Neutral:

- Her felt mustache could possibly stain her face if you put it on her and leave it there for a long time. I haven't had that happen with my doll, as she is relatively new to my collection, but I would advise that you don't leave it on her for long periods of time just to be safe.

- Her set of pajamas are adorable, but in my personal opinion, I think the original's pajamas are much cuter in comparison.

- I don't normally care too much about the trading cards that the Pullip Family dolls come with, but I do like to keep them. I like how they're made of sturdy cardboard, and it makes me sad that this doll's card is just is printed on a folded sheet of paper. 

The Verdict:

While I do think this doll is super adorable, she really isn't a favorite among all the dolls I have. Not to say that she doesn't have a lot of good qualities to her and that I dislike her, it's just that I'm slightly disappointed with her overall quality. Sure she's really cheap, but I feel that there are better dolls to choose from that are roughly around the same price as her. If you really love Sanrio and are still set on getting this doll, just keep in mind some of the issues that you may possibly have with her. 

Pictures of Etoile, My Dal Cinnamoroll:

Dal Sentimental Noon: Review

Dressed as a cute little clown with a red and white theme, Dal Sentimental Noon is a very eye-catching doll! At first, I thought she was based on a pierrot doll, but it turns out she is actually part of the Snow White series from back in 2012 and is supposed to be one of the seven dwarfs! (I wonder which one she's supposed to be? Happy? Possibly Dopey? Or maybe she represents one of the dwarfs from the Japanese version of Snow White.) Either way, there is no denying how cute she is! Even my own husband couldn't resist wanting her, and so we landed up buying her as his first doll! Thankfully, my husband was okay with me taking pictures and writing a review on her here!

Dal Sentimental Noon Comes With:

- Jester Hat

- Clown mask

- Ruffled pinstripe blouse with corset

- Red and white skirt with sequin detailing

- Tulle petticoat with lace trimming

- Red and white striped stockings

- Red and white ankle-strapped platform shoes

- Marionette

- Dal Sentimental Noon's trading card

- Doll stand

Pros:

-  Lovely red wig!

- Eye chips are a pretty deep purple!

- Nice faceup! She has silver eye shadow in her crease and black painted on lashes, scarlet blush, and salmon pink lips!

- Stock outfit is nicely made! It's pretty unlikely that it will tear or come undone.

- Her clown mask is really fun! You can place it around her hat, have her wear it over her face, or around her neck! It give you various posing options!

- Her marionette is an adorable and fun accessory!

- Great price! 

Cons:

- Very frizzy and messy wig. It was in pretty bad condition upon removing her from the box and took a lot of anti-frizz serum and combing to make it look nice. (May vary from doll to doll.)

- Her legs seem to be weak at the knees. She can't stand with her legs straight and bend under her weight. (May vary from doll to doll.)

- Her hat can mess up her hair a bit when putting it on or taking it off. It also doesn't have anything to keep it in place so it can fall off easily when moving or posing her.

Neutral:

- Her shoes are too big for her and her feet can slide out of them a bit, but they generally seem to stay on well enough and don't fall right off her feet.

- the chains on her marionette seem a little flimsy, but shouldn't break off unless you tug at them too hard.

The Verdict:

Dal Sentimental Noon is highly worth having! If you are a Dal lover, you surely need to add her to your collection if you haven't already! She's so precious and endearing, that it's hard not to smile when looking at her! There are also so many fun ways to pose her with the accessories that she comes with! Also, as far as Dals and Pullips go, she's a very good price! You can find her on pullipstyle.com listed for $98, or on amazon for even less! (Listings range from $55 to $75.) 

Pictures of Peppermint, my husband's Dal Sentimental Noon:

Pullip Kirsche: Review

Pullip Kirsche was a doll I wasn't quite sure about getting when I first saw her. I thought she was pretty and I really loved her wig color, but I was a little uncertain about just how much I wanted her, with her being an older doll (from 2008, to be precise) and also I just wasn't sure how I felt about her stock outfit. After a bit of looking at her pictures, I grow fonder and fonder of her,and I convinced myself that even if I did land up not loving her stock outfit, I could always redress her. Eventually, I caved in and decided that I must have her! I managed to find a very good deal on her through ebay, and I figured it would be best to get her before someone else could buy her. (She cost me $168  which, in my opinion, is an incredible deal for a doll that has been sold out for at least a few years.)  I was pleasantly surprised when Kirsche came in the mail just yesterday, and after unboxing her, I couldn't believe just how beautiful she really was!

Pullip Kirsche Comes With:

- Fascinator with lace trimming and a bow that ties under her chin

- Tiered dress with ribbon and lace detailing

- Knee-high black fishnet stockings 

- Black platform heels

- Black basket made of plastic with matching lace detailing

- Pullip Kirsche's trading card

- Doll stand

Pros:

-  Her pretty and simple faceup gives a kind and friendly demeanor! Beautiful pearl pink eye shadow with thin black liner bordering her eyes and thinly painted light brown lashes and red lips complete her look!

- Eye lids painted the same pearl pink color used on her crease with brown liner near her lash line! (This is somewhat unique, as most dolls usually are given the standard black eyeliner.)

- Wig is a  gorgeous vibrant red! It also is easy to manage and her braids prevent her hair from becoming too messy! I managed to tame any frizz with just a bit of anti-frizz serum!

- Bangs have a part to them! I personally think that it's a nice change from the usual blunt/straight across bangs that most dolls seem to have.

- Fascinator and stock is very easy to put on and take off!

- Basket is sturdy and functional! You can easily put small items in it! 

Cons:

- Type 3 Body. This body type is prone to issues like wrist cracking. My Kirsche actually came out of the box with her hand and part of her wrist completely broken off and I had to glue it back on for a temporary fix. I plan to obitsu her sometime in the near future. 

- The satin material and ribbons on her stock may fray or become damaged if you aren't careful with it.

- Her shoes have an odd, sticky feeling to them. I'm not sure if it's just something on my doll's shoes, or if it was the type of paint used on them.

- Shoes are a bit too large for her feet, causing her feet to slip out of them easily.

- I don't really love the reddish-orange lace used on her stock. To me, it makes the lace look old and faded. (It seems to be more noticeable in person than in photos.)

Neutral:

- Her eye mechs don't close all the way, but like Bonita, I think that's just the way it was made.

- Oddly, Kirsche doesn't come with her socks already on her, unlike most dolls that I have gotten. They are very easy to put on her though, so it's by no means an issue, just an observation I had.

The Verdict:

I am so happy I did not choose to overlook Kirsche! She really is quite a beauty with such a sweet expression that will make you melt! Despite the issues I had with my own Kirsche, I feel that she was worth it. For being a doll who is sold out, you can actually find her at some pretty reasonable prices that are not much higher than dolls that are available on pullipstyle.com through ebay. If you take the time to shop around, you most likely can find some very good deals on her. If you are just starting a collection though and are looking to buy your first Pullip, it may be best to go for a more recent doll release with a Type 4 body, which doesn't have the issues that a type 3 body has. If you really like her though, then just keep in mind that you may have to rebody her.

Pictures of my Pullip Kirsche:

Pullip Bonita: Review

Bonita certainly lives up to her name, because she is absolutely beautiful!  Everything about her is just gorgeous from head to toe! She was one of my grails, and having her in my collection is like a dream come true for me, since I thought I'd never be able to get her! Bonita is a limited edition doll that was released back in 2010 (I believe, correct me if I'm wrong) and while she isn't listed in the sold out archives on PS, she has yet to show up for sale there and of course every other listing of her online has her outrageously priced! I was fortunate enough to find her on ebay for $210 (though without the style book) and even now I can't believe how lucky I was to get her! 

Pullip Bonita Comes With:

- Satin fascinator embellished with lace, netting, beading, and feathers. (Ties around her head with a satin ribbon.)

- multi-strand pearl necklace with lobster claw clasp

- Two purple satin gloves

- Purple and black satin and lace top 

- Purple and black satin and lace skirt

- Purple and black satin purse

- Black dotted tights

- Purple heels

- Mini book with a picture of Bonita on the cover (matches the actual style book)

- Pullip Bonita's trading card

- Doll stand

Pros:

- Gorgeous glittery violet eye chips!

- Glamorous faceup! Purple and brown eye shadow are placed along her crease, outer corners, and lower lash lines, berry colored cheeks, and dusty rose lips!

- Lids are painted a shimmery purple with black liner!

- Her wig is a lovely deep brunette! In certain lighting, it can look almost black with a bit of a wine colored tint to it!

- No wig netting showing through! (May vary from doll to doll.)

- Wig is fairly manageable and easy to take care of.

- Her accessories are so cute!

- Stock outfit is beautiful and adorned with lots of lace, bows, and roses!

- Type 4 body!

- Shoes stay on fairly well. (I kept on the plastic around her legs since it's hidden fairly well by her stockings to prevent them from staining her legs, so it's possible that it's helping her shoes stay on better.)

Cons:

- Satin material frays easily.

- Stock outfit can potentially stain her body. (Bonita comes wrapped in plastic to protect her body from staining.)

- The bow on her skirt is not sewn on well. Mine was coming undone and I had to stitch it back on. (May vary from doll to doll.)

-  Her purse opens and closes with velcro. This is a problem since her purse is made of satin, and the velcro can ruin the material if it snags onto it.

- Her necklace and hat can be a hassle to put on.

- Very costly doll. She's no longer being sold on the Groove website and is not currently listed on pullipstyle.com. She runs from $300-$600 on other sites.

Neutral:

- Bonita's eyes don't close all the way, but it seems that that's just the way she's made, based off of what I've seen in other owner photos.

- Her stock outfit is not one piece, her top and skirt are separate. It's not a huge issue, but in a way, I wish they did make it one piece because her skirt sometimes slips down a bit.

The Verdict:

If you really want her and have the means to buy her or have found her for a reasonable price, I would definitely urge you to get her. She's limited edition, so I would advise you to jump at any good deal that you can find if you're really looking in to buying her! I assure you that you will not be sorry if you happen to purchase her! I cannot stress how beautiful Bonita is and she is easily among my favorites out of all the dolls I have so far! She's an absolute treasure that would be a great addition to any doll collection! While she would look very pretty in other outfits, I would recommend not redressing her if you plan on putting her back in her stock again, since she has some pieces that may require a lot of patience to put back on as well as some very delicate pieces. I know I personally don't want to redress her myself and put up with the tedious work of putting her original stock outfit back on her, but it's really up to you on what you would like to do if you choose to get her. 

Pictures of Helena, my Pullip Bonita:

Pullip Tokidoki x Hello Kitty Violetta: Review

Earlier this month, a new Tokidoki doll had been released! Violetta is a double collaboration doll with Tokidoki and Hello Kitty, and as a fan of both brands, I jumped at this doll! Unfortunately, the version I had bought was not the special edition one, but there really doesn't seem to be a big difference between the dolls other than the fact that the special edition one comes with an Adios doll, a Hello Kitty cactus bag, and a parasol that matches the print on her dress, and that the extra accessories will set you back an extra $50  to $60. (The special addition totals up to an average of $200, versus the price of $144 or so for the non-special edition doll.) So, while the extra accessories are pretty cool, I just didn't think it was worth spending the extra money for them when I could get a more rare doll for around that price, so I went for the one that costed the least amount of money. Either way though, I'm so happy to have her!



Pullip Violetta (non-SE) Comes With:


- Hat with Hello Kitty and Adios star pinned onto it
- Leather jacket with Hello Kitty design on the back
- 2 hot pink arm warmers
- 2 Tattoo stickers
- Dress with a Tokidoki x Hello Kitty pattern
- Belt with a Hello Kitty bow-shaped buckle
- A pair of black shorts
-A pair of orange polka dot knee high socks
- A pair of black, glittery mary janes
- Pullip Violetta's trading card
- Doll stand


Pros:

- Lovely violet wig in styled in a medium-length bob!
- Beautiful and bold faceup consisting of brown eye shadow, painted on lashes that give her eyes a sort of cat eye shape, pink blush, and hot pink lips!
-  Painted teeth give her a nice, pleasant expression!
- Her lids are painted a rich, deep brown color with a strip of black liner!
- The zipper on her jacket is functional!
- The belt on her jacket is easy to both fasten and unfasten
- Stock material is fairly sturdy and durable!
- No wig netting showing through! (May vary from doll to doll.)
- Type 4 body!


Cons:

- There is nothing to help secure her hat to her head to prevent it from falling off. No clip, no comb, no tie, nothing.
- Buttons near the cuffs of her jacket are similar to the studs on the previous Tokidoki dolls and may easily fall off.
- She doesn't come with as much stuff as the previous Tokidoki releases, even though she is offered at the same price.
- You have to pay even more for the Special Edition if you DO want her other accessories, as I had wrote in the beginning paragraph of this post.
- It can be a struggle putting on and taking off her jacket.
- Her arm warmers can be a little hard to put on and can potentially get caught by her thumbs and rip.


Neutral:

- She doesn't come with as many tattoos as Pullip Luna and Pullip Lunarosa. It would have been nice to have included more to place on her.
- The glitter on her shoes is a bit patchy and unevenly applied.


The Verdict:

I really love this doll! I love her style, though some may feel that her outfit may have too much going on or that some parts of her outfits clash together. I personally think that she looks cool and unique, and honestly am quite a fan of the way she was designed! I really feel that fans of both Tokidoki and Hello Kitty will love her just as much as I do!


Pictures of Lulu. My Pullip Violetta:

To see more pictures of Lulu, click here!

Pullip Tokidoki Lunarosa: Review

As a big fan of Tokidoki and the color pink, I was absolutely thrilled about Lunarosa! She was released roughly around the time I started getting into Pullip dolls, and before I had seen her I saw Pullip Tokidoki Luna, and while I really liked Luna's green hair (which is a very uncommon hair color among the Pullip family dolls), I didn't quite love her overall color scheme; I just thought there was too much going on what with the green and blue in her hair, bold pink lip color, and the bright fuschia and black skirt. Don't get me wrong, I still think Luna is pretty, but I just thought (and still do think) that Lunarosa's colors mesh much better together. So with that, I snapped her up as fast as I could, before she even had the chance to become sold out like Luna did!

Lunarosa Comes With:

- A Ciaociao beanie

- Donutella plushie

- A Tokidoki print bag

- A SANDy T-shirt

- Black and white Tokidoki skull and crossbones skirt

- Light purple shorts

- Tokidoki print shirt (matches the bag she comes with)

- Fushia and black striped socks

- Studded white ankle boots

- White studded choker and wrist cuffs

- Sticker tattoos

- Tokidoki Lunarosa's Trading Card

- Doll Stand

Pros:

- Her stock is nicely made! The material is light, but durable enough to not tear easily.

- Painted teeth give her a nice and happy expression!

- Her faceup is lighter and softer looking than Luna's. (This is a plus in my personal opinion.)

- Her hair is a pretty combination of white and hot pink and is fairly thick

- No wig netting showing through. (May vary from doll to doll.)

- No frizzy hair! It also doesn't seem very likely that her hair will get messed up, and seems to be very manageable.

- She comes with a lot!

- Her shorts and extra shirt allow you to mix and match to create different looks!

- The sticker tattoos are fun and can be placed anywhere you'd like!

- Her bag is very well made and can be worn slung across her chest and shoulder, or you can remove the long strap and have her hold it like a regular handbag. (The strap is held by lobster claw clasp that makes it easy to put on or take off).

- She doesn't seem to have much of an issue with her clothing staining her body like Luna's stock reportedly does. (I haven't had any staining problems on my Lunarosa so far, but it's possible that her socks or skirt can stain, though.)

Cons:

- The studs on her choker and bracelets are prone to peeling off easily. They're almost like small stickers.

- The studs on her boots may fall off and the paint on them may easily scratch off. On my Lunarosa, there was a scratch in the paint on them before I even took her out of her box. (May vary from doll to doll.)

- Wig may be cut unevenly. (May vary from doll to doll.)

Neutral:

- The rubber band that holds her hair back in her packaging may cause a kink in her hair, but it is possible that it will smooth out over time.

- Her eyelids are just painted a flesh tone that matches her skin color. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it would have been nice to have had them painted a fun color to match the eye shadow on her crease.

-She's a bit pricey, but she comes with quite a bit, so it evens out a little. (She's $144 USD on pullipstyle.com)

The Verdict:

Lunarosa is a doll with an edgy yet sweet appearance! She has a somewhat punk rocker look to her and would look great in various punk and possibly emo and pastel goth fashions. She may be a bit too pink for some, and her faceup, though not so bold like Luna's, doesn't make her very versatile when it comes to dressing her up in other styles deviating away from the punk/emo/pastel goth genre. If that doesn't bother you, I think she'd be a great doll to get. Also, if you love Tokidoki, she is a doll that I would highly recommend buying!

Pictures of Dahlia, My Lunarosa Doll:

* Refer to this post for more pictures of Dahlia!*

Dal Sakura: Review

                                                                       

I can't help but be drawn to springy curls and flowing waves, so it's no surprise that, along with being covered from head-to-toe in hime-gyaru fashion, is what caught my attention when I saw Sakura. Being a sucker for anything with ribbons, frills, and lace tacked onto it, it was nearly impossible for me not to get my hands on her as soon as I possibly could! When I finally did, I couldn't have been more happy! Everything about her exuded the air of a spoiled princess, from her prim and perfectly coordinated clothing and accessories to her pouty expression that Dal is so very famous for! I was loving her more and more by the second!

What Sakura Comes With:

- A headband decorated with a bow and two flowers made from satin ribbon attached to the knot of it
- A white laced bolero with a ribbon placed on the front of the collar and two strands of beads and roses on the shoulders
- One-piece dress with a rose print pattern on the bodice and a multi-layered gauze and satin skirt
- A tulle petticoat
- Two sheer pink gloves, one with a pearl beaded bracelet sewn onto it
- A purse
- White fishnet stockings
-Pink platform heels with white bows above the toes and pearls and rhinestones glued to the sides
- Sakura's trading card
- Pink glittery doll stand



Pros:
- No netting showing through on wig, her bouffant prevents it from doing so
-Ringlets are springy and not especially frizzy. (May vary from doll to doll.)
- Face up is very pretty! Her eye shadow and eyeliner are all black to draw attention to her lovely gray eyes, and her lips are painted a frosted light pink! It's very true to the way hime-gyaru girls do their makeup.
- Her headband fits nicely on her head! It stays very well in place!
- Her purse has a nice floral design printed onto it and is soft and pillowy! It also has a beaded handle and a cute pink butterfly bead sewn on it for decoration.
- Her dress is very light and poofy, very feminine!
-No loose threads hanging from her stock. (May vary from doll to doll)
- Bow detailing are very well sewn on and aren't likely to fall off! (May vary from doll to doll.)
- Her shoes do not fall off of her feet!


Cons:

- The beads and rhinestones on her shoes fall off very easily. Straight out of the box before I even touched her shoes, they were coming off and I had to glue them back into place.
- She has a very floppy body that makes her difficult to pose and more prone to falling over even when placed on her stand. (May vary from doll to doll.)
- The top layer of her skirt is made of very thin, light material that could be easily torn if you are not careful.
- Her gloves, mainly the one with the bracelet on it, are really difficult to put on, and are also made of fragile material.
- Her curls must be treated delicately with care, otherwise they could possibly become undone or messy, like most dolls with curly hair.


Neutral:

- There are some fly-aways and loose hairs on her bouffant, but were able to be smoothed down back into place with some anti-frizz serum.
- Her wig is elaborately styled and is gorgeous, but it doesn't allow you to style it in a different way due to the top part being so stiff and all of her curls.
- The shades of pink on her dress are darker than shown on the stock photos.



The Verdict:

I don't think that Sakura is for everyone. While I love her, I can see how she wouldn't suit everyone's tastes, as her appearance can make her seem like she belongs in one of those glitzy child beauty pageants and that can be pretty off-putting to some. However, if you are a fan of the hime-gyaru style or Japanese fashion in general like I am, I feel she'd be an excellent doll to get! She has so much attitude and is very fashionable, which would make her perfect to put out on display!


Pictures of Himeko, My Dal Sakura:

Pullip Varele: Review

My Pullip Varele, Estelle

Pullip Varele was another doll that wasn't quite at the top of my wishlist, but I've always thought she was kind of cute. One thing was certain though, and that was that I much preferred her color scheme over her counterpart, Canele (not to say that Canele isn't cute, too. The two of them are nearly identical aside from their coloring, the patterns on their socks and bows, and some very minor differences in faceup). I think part of the reason I prefer her to Canele is  that, to me, she somewhat looks like a magic user (yes, yes, I know she and Canele are supposed to have a carnival theme being released for Doll Carnival 2013 and all, but that's not the vibe I get from Varele) and with her silver hair and yellow eyechips and being dressed in purple in black, she reminded me very much of my Thaumaturge on FFXIV, Estelle Celestine (hint, hint, that's where her name comes from!). 

What really sold me on buying Varele was actually seeing her in person at Kiddyland in Harajuku. She, along with a couple of other Pullip dolls and I *think*  a Dal and an Isul (my memory is a little fuzzy), was on display in a glass case. Though there were many other dolls right there in front of me that were all so cute, Varele stuck out the most among all of them. Upon examining her up close and in person, I grew to like her even more than I had originally. Unfortunately, I was unable to buy her right there and then, as I had just finished having my hair done and was running low on yen (she was being sold there for a pretty high price, anyway, so it was a good thing I landed up purchasing her through pullipstyle. Seriously, they have the best deals and I've bought nearly all my dolls from them aside from Bonita, as they don't carry her anymore from what I can tell). It was almost maddening having to wait before I was able to purchase her, but it would be an understatement to say that I was excited when I finally did!

Things Varele Comes With:

- A dress

-A matching hat with a tassel hanging from the top

- Two clip on pigtails

- Two wrist cuffs

- Purple polkadot stockings

-Purple and white platform shoes

- A cane with a pony decoration adorned with a bow, and a beaded tassel

- Pullip Varele trading card

- Doll stand

Pros:

-Beautiful eyes with stars painted on them!

- Pretty faceup, not overdone in the slightest!

-The purple, cream, gold, and black all look nice together!

- The clip on pigtails! They allow you to change up her hairstyle with ease, whether you choose to clip both of them in, use just one of them, or forgo them completely.

-She has a hand similar to Sfoglia's which allows her to be able to hold her cane.

- Her wig is very soft and manageable and has a unique silver color!

-Type 4 body

Cons:

- The netting to her pigtails are visible at certain angles (may vary from doll to doll)

- Has a very noticeable patch on the top her head where you can see the wig netting, thankfully her hat conceals it. (May vary from doll to doll)

- Some of the bows on her outfit are not securely sewn on. I had one of them fall off and had to reattach it back into place with super glue (may vary from doll to doll)

- Her price tag. She's a bit on the expensive end as far as Pullips go.

Neutral:

- Her hat is a bit difficult to put on, since it ties under her hair at the back of her head, but stays in place fairly well once you manage to get it on her.

- Her eye mech tends to get stuck a bit, but pushing the pegs up while gently pushing upward on her lid seems to do the trick (may vary from doll to doll)
- Looks very similar to her stock photos; she is one of the few dolls that have stock photos that most accurately portray what she looks like in person.

The Verdict:

Varele is a fantastical and whimsical looking doll that is worth getting, whether alone or as a set with Canele! She has very elaborate detailing on her stock and her silver hair is very unique, as most Pullip dolls do not have that. Her outfit may be a little busy for some, but I think she could easily be dressed up in different outfits and look just as pretty, especially since her faceup is fairly simple and consists of mostly neutral colors. If you have your eye on her and you really want her, I would encourage you to go and buy her!

More Pictures of Estelle: