Some Thoughts on the Iron Gate OP Re-Release...

Whoops...left this sitting in my drafts folder for the longest time! I just wanted to share a simple Iron Gate OP coordinate I wore last year as well as my brief thoughts on the re-release.

I placed my order last year during the very first round of Online Salon pre-orders and my dresses were in hand 9 days later! I must have been one of the earlier orders, because I know some people didn't even get their shipping notices until after I received mine. I guess they had a lot of orders to go through! I bought all 3 colourways, although I've since sold the black x white with white lace. I'm likely going to sell the black x blue colourway too since I've already got the JSK.

I don't have a lot to say about quality so I'll keep it brief - we all know that Neo-Moitié is pretty hit-and-miss and this is no exception. The print quality is phenomenal - crisp and bright with no flaws on all three of the OPs I ordered. The blue colourway is especially vibrant. The lace and fabric have changed slightly compared to the original release, too. It's lighter weight and drapes differently, and the sleeves are more opaque. I don't think the fabric feels as nice as the original release fabric, but it's not objectively bad or anything...it is what it is, right? The price was kept relatively low, which means that corners had to be cut somewhere.

So, let's move onto the fit! For reference, I'm 1.55m tall with wide shoulders, small bust and waist, and long arms and legs. Straight up, this dress is not small bust friendly. Or small-anything friendly, really. The front and sides are baggy on me, but the back looks all right. The bagginess is only apparent in certain positions, depending on how I hold my arms and if I'm slouching or not. It's not a big deal to me personally since I usually layer my pieces with a jacket or corset, but it's something to keep in mind as it's not super flattering. I've seen the dress on people with larger busts too and it still doesn't look as flattering as the original - it just doesn't sit in the right place and gather nicely.

This is where the big difference between the original release and the re-release lies - the cut is way different even though both dresses look very similar at a glance. The gathering around the bust and waist (and the sleeves) is totally different and causes the dress to sit differently. The original OP fits me better and is more flattering on my bust even though the measurements aren't drastically different...and my weight hasn't changed drastically since the last time I wore the original OP.

I'm very happy about the increased sleeve length and the fit of the shoulder area, though! Even though I'm pretty short, I have super long arms and broad shoulders, so a lot of long-sleeved blouses, jackets, and OPs are a little too short or too tight on me. The wide neckline works for me, the sleeves fit perfectly, and I'm able to lift my arms freely without straining the dress at all. The elastic cuff hits right at my wrist, and fits comfortable. My only concern is that the cuff is pretty small, so people with larger wrists might find it too tight.

The length and skirt circumference are fine, even though people were freaking out about it on Instagram prior to the release. I found it a bit strange that people were homing in on this "flaw" when the more obvious flaw was that the cut completely changed...(´･_･`)

Overall, I have really mixed feelings about this release. I'm so glad that everyone finally has the opportunity to own such an iconic dress, but I do wish it had been executed better. I really do prefer the JSK and will probably end up wearing that cut far more often...

[Current Music: Franz Ferdinand - Love and Destroy]