Tokyo Kawaii Life order 35 - Liz Lisa Strawberry Jam OP, skirt w/ Gingham top, Constellation OP and Handkerchief skirt

Aaaaand I ended up ordering from TKL so soon after my trip FML lol. But these purchases definitely couldn't wait if I wanted to be sure to have them in my possession!

Although I ended up having to delay shipping them due to a mailing conflict with my Buyee package that I foolishly sent out at a really idiotic time, but it's okay because this order arrived better "late" (by my standards since I was incredibly impatient) than never. I made the order on the release date of the Strawberry Jam items on June 3 but couldn't ship them from Tenso until June 10 because I was trying to space out my packages.

Strawberry Jam OP in red (161-6042-0)
ストロベリージャムワンピース

When I saw the very first promotional images, I was all about the OP and all about the red color. In those first few moments, there were no other options for me lol. That's how I knew I should definitely be purchasing this, if nothing else, from the series. I really like the print on the hem in combination with the gingham and how it matches nicely with the gingham on the sleeves and collar. The dress is truly quite white, especially noticeable in contrast with the red and the lace up detail in the back is a nice added detail. This dress has a side zipper and a little bit of stretch from the bit of elastic in the waist, but not a lot.
with Liz Lisa flower lace-up back wedge sandals + Liz Lisa paper can can hat -

with Liz Lisa heart suede pumps and gingham cherry earrings by Rebby + Liz Lisa x Yui Kanno rose drop cardigan + Forever 21 heart pouch -

I actually didn't think I really needed the other pieces from the series like the hat, cardigan, shoes and bag, but now that I'm looking at the dress on its own, I do think it could benefit from a little extra red detail oomph if that makes sense. I did like the other pieces and considered buying them but couldn't see myself paying for all of it all at once and decided to wait it out or see if I could find a similar dupe (or see if anything would make it to sa good sale). As it is, I'm quite lazy and haven't bothered to try and DIY anything as of yet, but I think I may be slightly more motivated now that I actually have the items in hand. We'll see! Something that's a little bit different from this series than some Liz Lisa items that look similar is that the lace hem of the lining is actually cotton and may require ironing lol. But that's not really a problem - just something I immediately noticed as different especially because the cotton material folds and creases so easily and needs to be pressed.

Strawberry jam set up in red

Liz Lisa (shop staff) did such a good job promoting this series that I was easily suckered into getting the top and skirt set up besides the OP even though I wasn't so impressed with it initially wtf. Because I feel like someone of at least a certain height will pull off this set up's silhouette better than others, I had some reluctance, but once I saw a few more pictures of the gingham top also tucked into the skirt, I decided it was definitely worth a try.
with Liz Lisa flower wedge cage sandals (top sleeves off/on shoulder and tucked in) -

with Liz Lisa 3D flower pumps + Liz Lisa fur collar cardigan (top sleeves on/off shoulder and untucked) -

I really can't decide which combination I like best. Top tucked in or untucked? Sleeves on shoulder or off? Regardless, I'm really glad I also got this set up, and I might even like it more than the OP because the all over red of the top balances out the print in the skirt and creates a flattering silhouette.

Gingham check shirring top in red (161-1034-0)
ギンガムチェックピタトップス

Honestly, when I made the order, I was really unsure about this top and how it would fit on my proportions, but I decided to buy first and think later because it wouldn't be available/in stock forever and I didn't want to regret passing it up. I liked that the top can be worn with the sleeves on and off the shoulder and that it could be tucked into whatever bottoms its paired with or worn untucked as well because of the design of the hem. I didn't anticipate this, but there is actually a side zipper on this top and it's kind of a bit stiffly structured because the front doesn't have any stretch which allows it to hold its shape on its own. I'm surprised it's not more stretchy (as in all over shirring), but it does seem to be of pretty good quality overall.
with Swankiss denim skirt and Ank Rouge heart spindle platform sandals + Liz Lisa x My Melody 9th collab tote -

with Charlotte Russe tulle skirt and Flag J pumps -

I don't own a lot of non-white/neutral tops from Liz Lisa that aren't part of a set up because I feel like a bold top would be harder to pair since I typically have the skirt make the statement. Aside from pairing with the matching Strawberry Jam skirt, I figured that any other bottom would have to be much more neutral and immediately gravitated towards white or denim bottoms. I actually don't readily have a white sukapan/skirt for this kind of situation (I'm gonna work on that soon hopefully lol), but I think that would have been my first choice for another option. It also would have been nice to pair with denim overalls/suspender skirt!

 Strawberry Jam skirt in red (161-4029-0)
ストロベリージャムスカート

This skirt seemed longer than I would prefer (for me) on some shop staff and a really great length on others. But apparently that didn't stop me from just purchasing it to see for myself lol. The print is just like the print on the OP but the skirt also includes two tiny ribbons on the waistline. There is no side zipper but the back waist of the skirt is fully elastic. (And again, the lace hem is cotton.)
with Liz Lisa plain browsing top, Liz Lisa pearl cherry necklace & Flag J sandals + Ank Rouge heart embossed handbag -

with Ank Rouge collared blouse and Liz Lisa (pom pom) pumps + a borrowed GAP cardigan -

Trying to coordinate these strawberry jam items has made me realize that I really need to up my red accessories game and I had to do a little improvising by borrowing the cardigan from my mom (who prefers a loose fit for her cardigans which is why it just looks so messy on me FML, sorry) and incorporating red cherry things even though the fruit doesn't match lol. In actuality, the skirt fits well for both the waist and the length so I was worried for nothing. It has such a happy, summery vibe and I'm glad I decided to just get both the OP and the skirt from this series.

Constellation OP in navy (161-6043-0)
星座柄ワンピース

Why they tortured me and released this at the same time as the Strawberry Jam series, I do not know. It's like two competing movies opening on the same weekend. But I guess they got my money either way, so it doesn't matter lol. I usually don't want to buy so many newly stocked items at once because of the financial burden, but I really like the details on the hem and the overall shape of this OP, so I figured it would be a safe bet for myself.
with Tralala pearl strap wedge sandals / Liz Lisa t-strap wedge sandals and Liz Lisa key motif camisole -

with Liz Lisa ribbon pumps + Liz Lisa batwing knit + Samantha Thavasa purse -

Imo, this is truly a beautiful dress. From the print to the hem details and the material, everything is absolutely gorgeous. I had a long internal debate even after I made the purchase as to whether the white version would have been better, but the navy version of this print clearly makes the most sense for the theming and it's very magical looking because the stars seem more "sparkly" with the contrast. Pink on white is really girly and nice as well (which is why I had a hard time deciding obviously) but I feel like navy shows stains less easily so it's easier to wear lol. I really don't regret my choice for a second. Although, truth be told, if I have a chance, I'm definitely going to try to grab the white version as well because I love the cut of this OP so much.

Handkerchief skirt in navy (161-4007-0)
ハンカチ柄スカート

I didn't want the navy constellation OP to feel out of place so I threw this in my cart with it. Plus, I had actually managed to purchase the recommended top to pair with this skirt, so I was interested to try the pairing myself to see how it would look since this was the coordinate that made me love the top in the first place. And in general, I do love the color navy, especially for skirts/bottoms! The handkerchief print is really nice in person and I like the flowers they used in it. The waistband has elastic in the back but there is no side zipper.
with Liz Lisa tulip sleeve frill top, Liz Lisa flower pearl barrette and Liz Lisa 3D flower pumps + Liz Lisa tulip round bag -

with Liz Lisa sleeveless ribbon tie top, Liz Lisa flower applique beret and Liz Lisa ankle boots + Liz Lisa scoop neck cardigan -

The fit is actually quite good in terms of waist and length which I guess isn't unexpected, but not all Liz Lisa skirts fit the same, so I've never taken that for granted. Although this was kind of just an item I casually threw in the cart, I actually really like it and I'm really glad to have another navy skirt in my wardrobe. I already wore it to work!

Did I have any reservations about making this hefty (price-wise) order so soon after a trip where I did a lot of shopping? Of course. But was it worth it to vow to skimp the rest of the month to try and make this work? Tbh I think yes. (Did I actually skimp for the rest of the month...no lol.) I think if anything, I should have bought more considering how things sold out so quickly lmao. But at the same time, I'm glad I got what I did which is still a decent amount of things, and I'm so excited to wear these new pieces!