That question just keeps coming up.

For those who don't know what I'm talking about it is the brand vs off-brand one mainly the replica part.

(I know the blouse post, I'm still working on it. pictures required, no camera at the moment)

Now there was a thread posted about this a few hours ago but it has since disappeared to my displeasure since I was enjoying reading people's views on the matter but someone used the f word, not the "f*** this" the other f word, "F**". I'm sure you work that out and a lot of people seem to comment on this to the poster of said comment.

Though any way, I was thinking about my own collection and how I own two said replicas. I don't deny it. Which two do I own? Fruits Parlor and one Poodle skirt, the original designs by Angelic Pretty and Innocent World both reproduced by Bodyline. Now at the time I was more over weight and I was curious. I didn't own any sweet clothing yet and I was wondering what was all this up roar about. So seeing both at £8 and the fact I needed a black blouse at the time. It seemed logical to buy 3 items instead of one and have it shipped from Japan.

I don't mean to create excuses for it, the fact was. I was starting out my wardrobe, I was over weight. My waist measured 90cm, bust 103cm, hips 111cm. I was struggling to find things to fit. I pushed myself to lose weight, I got a 79cm waist and to treat myself was mainly those skirts and blouse.

Now I had only a meta blouse that still didn't fit at the time only paid £20 for. Finally fit it now as of a month ago, thanks for wondering. So I was pretty convinced that I'm not going to fit brand, my chest didn't drop more than 2 cm in size and my rear wasn't even moving plus all the shirring stuff of the brands was far out of my pocket. I didn't know what to expect. I remember waiting and thinking, I can never post this on the boards. Why am I doing this?

They came, I was expecting cheap lace decoration. Very thing fabric and no anything. This was my second purchase from bodyline, so yeah, I made a mistake the first time so I was iffy.

I almost died when I saw the bl's version of the fruit skirt. The lace! It wasn't cheap or scratchy. It was pure cotton crocheted lace. Every bit of lace was that, it was gorgeous. I fell in love, I remember thinking I wonder how wonderful the real one must be. I'll tell you right now, my waist is 70cm the skirt minimum is 74cm. That skirt is staying, I love it to much. The poodle skirt is just so cute with the little ribbon bows sewn on to the skirt to decorate the dogs. Though the maximum waist for that skirt was 74cm, it was as I said to see what was all the talking about.

Now I didn't know about the lace and ribbons on both, so I was shocked when I saw the built in pettis. My only petticoat (from bl) had died with 2 days of use, so this was a little life saver to me. at.

So here I am a while down the line, a year at the least, I have AP set in lights at what it standards must be like or at least better than. So here I am, on my birthday and my first piece of Angelic Pretty. In my house, in my room and on my birthday. Yeah I was excited, this is the first bit of brand since my meta blouse that I got at least two years ago. I was sad, yeah it is pretty. It still sits on on the hanger on the outside of my wardrobe or displayed on my manny but it felt like bodyline to me with the fabric, the lace was netted embroidered lace or rachsel lace.

I remembered reading comments about how you should avoid this lace this lace is bodyline favorite thing and how every cheap company uses it. So I'm shocked that I'm seeing this. It had a nice design on it but only on the arms and bottom of the dress. The clump at the chest looks terrible, it doesn't have this cute little design on it. Don't get me wrong, this dress is lovely the lace isn't terrible or anything except that little bit. I think it ruins it, I honestly want to rip it off but I want to wait until I get the jsk version. So I don't get refused from buying it because of what I want to do to that area. I would keep a bit of lacing there but only one row of it. I think it would make the dress a whole lot nicer looking but that is me.

So any way, I went searching for fruit version by AP. I needed to know, I needed to know what finishing lace they used. The lace sadly wasn't as fancy as Bodyline's, ouch that hurt me. The lace on it is the fabric embroidered stuff, which sadly left me some what disappointed to say the least.

I'm not saying the brand isn't great and I'm going to buy it. Heck no, there is stuff out there that I love I would want deeply. I just won't be expecting this great awesome lace on Angelic Pretty that is all. Seriously I doubt that Bodyline would ever make a dress were the print is actually all embroidered on to the dress, oh Baby the Star Shine Bright I love you.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, there is ups and downs with everything. Yes, some times the copy may be better than the original or maybe the original will shine through no matter what. It happens, the thing is it is up to you. What you want. I do still plan on buying the AP version in the future but I may also hunt down the Bodyline one to because I want the lace as well. Hater's can't complain as much if I own both and as long as I don't try and pass the fake of as the real one. They may see it as I'm trying to protect AP's one from being destroyed from constant wear.