Etsy Shop Review: Two Penny Toast
A quick intro: (If you don't want to read this, the review is in the bottom):
Good evening everyone! I'm going to try something a little new in my blog, which
is reviewing online shops. ( My "Shops" section of my blog has been getting no love.~)
I figured people would like to know about online shops as well as physical store fronts,
so why not? Now, one online place I like to shop at is Etsy. Etsy is a handmade goods site
where people can sell anything from clothes, home decor, or artwork, among many other
things. It's also a good place to find antique/ vintage goods, as the site allows you to sell
anything older than 20 years.
Now, I mentioned it before, but for those who would like to know, I'm a big fan
of lolita fashion. Lolita takes inspiration from Victorian, retro, and rococo period clothes,
though other inspirations from various eras can also be found, varying from brand to brand.
As it's an alternate fashion, even in Japan, the clothes are produced in small quantities and
sold in boutiques. If you know where to look, you can buy second hand brand for as low as
$40 or $50 dollars, or indie sellers and off brand companies also produce this style of clothing
with their own rates, ( but the risk here is that not all off-brand places will have good
quality pieces; essentially you buy what you get. It's sad but it does happen.) The reason
many girls like me look at indie/off brand sellers is the fact that if you bought lolita outfits
at full retail price in any of the Japanese boutiques, prices will vary and range, but will
usually be anywhere from about $100 to as far as $ 600 or $700 for different pieces.
Etsy has a good amount of indie/off brand sellers selling their items, but different
people have different levels of skill, and some who don't know any better make odd looking
items or poorly constructed costumes and try to sell it off as actual "lolita" clothes.I guess
what I wanted to point out is, regardless what you're buying in places like Etsy, it's good to
check reviews and inspect the items. If you're suspicious about a store look for reviews
online and dig around before you waste money on something you regret.
TwoPennyToast's blog is here.
The review starts here:
Now without further ado, I'm going to review a skirt I purchased from the shop
TwoPennyToast. I first found this shop from someone who posted a cute photo with one
of her items. Now when I went to her site, I got super giddy, because she has some cute
skirts and dresses for cheap! After my excitement wore off a bit, I got worried that the
price might reflect the quality of the clothing, (which isn't always true), but you never
know these days. However, I decided if worst comes to worst, $20 is not that big of a
loss, so I decided to give it a go.
After some looking around I decided to buy this skirt, mostly due to the shirred
waist, which I felt made it comfier to wear. I purchased and paid on the same day, and
after thanking me for a quick purchase, she shipped the package about two days after the
transaction. I bought the skirt April 22nd, and the package arrived April 26, in less than
a week. I appreciate it when the shipping is quick, (though even if it was delayed I
wouldn't have minded too much. I know sometimes packages get lost in the mail or get
delayed from the post office and it's not always the seller.) I also had some care questions
to ask, which she responded to very swiftly. Overall the shipping, and communication
is excellent with her.
The package was thoroughly taped all around and wasn't bent or damaged in any
way. (Again, if there were dents, I wouldn't blame it on the seller, as that is usually caused
by some rough handling in the post offices or transportation.) It was a little difficult to open,
but I prefer a well bonded package than one with holes or items sticking out. In the package,
I received a cute Hello Kitty thank you card and a small key chain, along with the skirt.~
(Call me childish, but I always like small surprises like this. C:) The skirt itself was carefully
wrapped in a few layers of tissue paper, and was stored nice and neatly folded in the
package.
Now the skirt is adorable, and feels sturdy; I like that since I want to buy a piece
that will last me a long time, not just a few weeks. The fabric is a cotton/polyester mix, so
if you're allergic to polyester, you might want to ask about the fabric of whatever item you're
eyeing before purchasing. I like the fact that the skirt is very stretchable at the waist; it can
hold a variety of waist sizes, and it felt very comfortable when I tried it on. The band has
something of two waist bands at the top, but it's meant to be folded in, and that didn't
affect how it felt around my waist, or is visibly noticeable; it's just something I noticed as
I was touching it. C: The lace trim on the bottom of the skirt is decent quality lace, it looks
as it does on the stock photo, and gives the skirt a nice girlish touch.
Overall, I was very pleased with TwoPennyToast, and would like to purchase from
her shop again in the future. If you're looking for some nice basics to add to your lolita
wardrobe, or just want some cute outfits,go check her shop out.^^
* I would like to note that on her shop, she mentions she is selling pieces she is using to practice her sewing skills, and I took that into consideration when I wrote this review. It's not the same level as high-end indie brands or brand, but for what it's worth, the skirt does its job and hasn't broken apart or anything like that!
