CALLIE'S PICKS, Store Review

**Warning: Like many of my posts, the following is subject to a hefty amount of swearing and finger-pointing. If you are uncomfortable with foul language, this is not a post for you . . . 

Today marked the opening of yet another store in the Starplaza. While I'm all for new collections, Callie's Picks was definitely not anything I was expecting.

And when I say, "Not what I was expecting," I mean it in the humblest what-a-piece-of-shit type of way. Now, it might just be me, but I'm not too keen on seeing doubles. Might I mention the use of mildly-rare items in this modern day collection?

Take the Tartan Cap Sleeve Dress, for example. Remember seeing that in Stardoll's Versus S/S 2011 collection? Ah, let the nostalgia sink in. And while we're at it, how about the Tartan Dress inspired by McQueen? If memory serves correct, at one point, that too, was considered valuable.

Though while I'm all for a re-release of something that suits my fancy, I'm not all that fond of rares releasing for round two. The very reason is in its name.

Lets start with why a rare is labeled a rare. Because it pertains to a certain value, therefore making it desirable. Kicking up the dosage of nostalgia: I can clearly remember asking my parents why the government doesn't make more money? To me, it made so much sense - hell, no one would suffer poverty; everyone'd earn a healthy dose of food each evening; and be able to afford all the 'wants' in life.

That's the thing, though. If money was spewing from trees, it wouldn't be seen as desirable. Same thing relates to Stardoll's rares. If everyone had lets just say, the DKNY Scuba Dress (Ah, yes, that'd be nice, wouldn't it?), it wouldn't be seen as a got-to-have item. And yeah, I'm well aware of the eye rolling; you don't need a lesson on value.

Aside from the point, though . . . lets not forget the other items featured in Callie's Picks.

To be completely honest, the entire collection makes my head spin at the sight of two completely different sides of Stardoll. I'm sure you're all highly aware of my - quite - obvious distaste towards newer collections of Stardoll's - hence the super shiny objects that appear as if they'd just gotten a hitchhike from Barbie. Often times I'll find myself wishing for elder feats of Stardoll - a little something I like to call quality. And yes, you can get that too, all here at Callie's most coveted closet. From the Gold Foil Plaid Dress (Which features the best of Photoshop's dodge and burn tools . . . ), to the Ruffle Hem Blouse (And ironically, doesn't even cater a speck of plaid), you can get all pieces of tartan known to man. Or dolls, in this case.

I'd also like to touch up on the fact that Stardoll seared the face of a fictional character into the seams of their "new" clothing. Cause' lets face it, Callie.Stardoll is just a myth in their game. If there was some solid proof that in fact Callie existed, then maybe I'd change my mind. Though, it's going to take a lot of convincing seen as it's been confirmed many times over that she's just a made-up name. That said, if it really is an invisi-woman making all the decisions, then how the hell is Stardoll translating her words of silence into a solid fourty plus items?

Also couldn't help but point out the cliche'd title of Stardoll's latest and greatest? I swear even "Original Future" is more original than that . . .

On a high note, however, I was actually thrilled by the little quick-fact article written up - all if you click on the "About the Trend" icon as featured in the store. It'll make up for some educated dollies as to this season's hottest trends, even if it's just the tip of the iceberg, at best. I'm just happy Stardoll brought in some facts strait off the runway - albeit the items featured come from previous seasons, and are so-called out of style.

Despite some - in my opinion - major flaws in Callie's Picks, I was alright with this release. I'd just wished it'd taken more than ten minutes top to create a collection of fourty-six misfits. And of course, add a dose of quality, and then I'll hand Stardoll over my seal of approval.

NEW RELEASE - CALLIE'S PICKS

Today marks the release of another new store on Stardoll, simply entitled Callie's Picks. The store is, unsurprisingly, full of Callie's picks for the week, or so, and for the first collection a whole load of recycled tartan was delivered to our very own shopping plaza. This is definitely one of the best store ideas we've had in years on Stardoll and it could even be labelled as a cool new Hot Buys alternative, but I find myself disappointed that Stardoll have yet again recycled old items for the release of a new store. Of course there are a fair few items that are worth the price, and it's worth mentioning that it is not expensive either, with pieces from the 2011 Lanvin Tribute selling for many stardollars cheaper than their original prices. I really want to love it, and I thoroughly enjoy the idea, but I find myself disappointed that Stardoll find the need to recycle every item existing in their own back catalog. But hey, cute bags. 

Stay tuned for a review!

Verdict: ★★★★★★★ 1 / 2 

OUR NEW PARTNERSHIP

Styled By Ambition is a new upcoming fashion blog owned by the Stardoll maestro and creator of this very site, Tylerisbold - So when an offer came around to partner with this bound-for-success website there's no surprise that we accepted within the second. To check out the blog which features many exciting new announcements, reviews and Stardoll Suite Style posts click here.

FASHION WEEKEND LOOKS

Want your opinion featured? Comment below on what you think of all the outfits from TTT Fashion Weekend night one. More outfits are featured after the break.

MISS STARDOLL WORLD 2013

Congratulations to the winner of Miss Stardoll World 2013, Sweetskyangel from the Netherlands. To check out the winning suite and congratulate her click here. In second place is nikol_n from Greece and in third is izebelach from Poland. Sadly, the forty finalists chosen and voted for by Stardoll members mostly looked like generic MSW participants and some diversity between them all would be great, however I really do congratulate everyone who made it to the final of this year's MSW, and of course the winner Sweetskyangel.

A HAUTE REVIEW

On October 12th the fourth issue of Haute Magazine, owned by Lindsey (lovegossip4life), was released for the entirety of the Stardoll world to see. With Kirsten Well, the owner of The Stardoll Lookbook gracing the cover it was bound to be an interesting issue, but how does Haute Fall 2013 really rank?



On first glance, the issue is evidently stunning, but as you go into more depth the pages seem to become more and more repetitive. The same background of the New York skyline is continually used throughout the issue, and though cohesion is a must, it's also very important to have a variation of shoot locations and colours to keep a good balance between both so the issue is interesting to read, or just glance, through.

The cover is exceedingly well made and Kirsten looks like a true 'blogging beauty' in all of the cover girl shots chosen and created by Lindsey. In fact, all of the graphics in this issue of Haute were up to an a pretty solid standard. Flawless? Not quite, however there is no denying that they are a pretty strong bunch of shots. My one problem though is the lack of themes; everything is inspired by the city theme which makes it hard for anything to stand out.

The articles, although admittedly wonderfully written, are just too long. Although interesting articles are a must in a magazine it must be appreciated that the majority of people prefer shorter, easier to read, articles to sift through. Personally, I would try to keep a few longer articles mixed in with some snappier articles of smaller length.

All in all, an evidently beautiful and well thought out issue of Haute which still manages season after season to deliver. There are a few small points preventing Haute from reaching it's true peak however, and I believe that once these are tackled, Haute could be well on it's way to a near flawless issue.

★★★★★★★★

Street Chic: Stardoll Style, curly675

Who: curly675
What: There is no holding back with this daring look in all black everything.
Wear: Chanel push sleeve blazer, Chanel black collar shirt, Fallen Angel slim fit pants and doubled up Fallen Angel pointed creepers alongside daring black eyebrow makeup.

JUST ANOTHER CHEAP MONDAY

Which ironically, happened to be released on a Friday. Though, I can't complain, seen as the Nelly.com store is one of my few staples these days.

Earlier today, Stardoll announced the opening of two new floors for Nelly, entitled 'Cheap Monday.' While I was rather skeptical, considering the title, I was pleasantly surprised when two full pages of anti-shine (for the most part, that is . . . ) garments graced the Starplaza.

Observe:

Everyone (especially on the blogger side of Stardoll) is all too aware of Stardoll's shine enthuse. Nelly seems to be one of those very few shops that cater to those who actually care about quality over quantity - or in this case, those whom no longer invest in all-too-sparkly barbie dolls. I'm especially keen of how the line manages to incorporate street style with a dash of elegance and high fashion.

Another aspect of Cheap Monday I'd like to commend is the fact Stardoll realized the ever-growing population of males. Though there was only one complete male outfit, I thought it was still a nice addition to the collection, none the less.

I can't help but also point out those gorgeous shoes Stardoll whipped out. In particular, the Carly Ellwood Shoes are absolutely, without a doubt, my favorite piece in the Cheap Monday debut.

Despite Cheap Monday being one of Stardoll's few successes in these past few months, I found myself missing a better flow from one garment to the next. I, personally, was not all to fond with a party dress and cocktail gown joining the mix of casual street wear. Maybe it's just me, but I'd like to see a better flow.

That said, I've chose two completely different looks that feature at least one Cheap Monday item in their assemble.

From left to right: Jelinna, Pau.Cam.Arena

What are your thoughts? Which style do you prefer of Nelly? Street wear or elegance? Vote in the comments and share your opinions on Cheap Monday.


And on a totally unrelated note, I've pitifully abandoned TTT - yet again. Fear not, my friends, for I'm making a comeback! That's right, the bitch with the sarcastic attitude is back for more. Stay tuned.

WE ARE HIRING

It's out with the old and in with the new, and here at Today's Top Trends we are looking for three new writers to take a position at the blog! I want to give flexibility to the writers, therefore to apply comment below with your name, stardoll username and a) a link to a blog post of yours or b) a piece of writing that would qualify you as a good candidate for the job at TTT.

I wish for a writer to cover the release of each Hot Buy as they come out with a small review and a rating out of ten, alongside a writer for current affairs involving other projects on Stardoll. The third writer would be freelance and give posts about varying subjects and features in and around the Stardoll world. The two other writers could also write a number of freelance posts during each month alongside their allotted posts on their given subjects. Think you have what it takes? Apply below. 

MY STYLE, LIMITED EDITION

As every season passes I find myself getting more and more bored of Limited Edition on Stardoll. Although the most recent collection had a promising concept the graphics lacked completely, leading to, in my opinion, the collection falling flat and becoming what could be the worst ever collection of LE.

I want Limited Edition to do well, and I really want some real life fashion to be injected back into the Stardoll world. Below I have compiled multiple looks, all made by myself, consisting of looks from different Spring/Summer 14 shows that could slot perfectly into the Limited Edition brand. What are your thoughts? What would you like to see Stardoll create?

Credit to Jack (QueenDetox) for the flawless mannequin!

 

DELVING INTO FW #1

The fashion weeks have officially passed and we are all left in awe (...and in some cases confusion) at the designs that swept the runways during the month of full fledged fashion. Did you miss out on some of the top shows at any of the Milan, Paris, New York or London weeks? Not to fear, TTT will be covering some of the many runways from the season in a series of posts during the month of October.

Beginning with Alexander Wang, a collection full of Wang's trademark sporty and geometric silhouettes and shapes crossed with minimal pastel and a twist of prints of his own name. To view the full collection click here.

Genius? Possibly. However, many complain that they are somewhat bored of the similarities between the collections that Wang presents from season to season. Who knows whether an uninspired designer running out of ideas is to blame, or if this is just Wang sticking true to his original aesthetic. I, however, am a fan of what Alexander presents - and below I have compiled just a few of my favourite looks from his most recent collection.

FRIGHTFULLY FABULOUS

P.S: This is our 700th post! 
"Under a full moon this Halloween do the doors of the dark side open to Dollies everywhere... but oh what to wear? Muahaha, never fear, fashionistas--- Tingeling Halloween Couture is back from the undead! Fashion is immortal!

Cast style spells in these ghoulishly gorgeous dresses, rumoured to be made with just a little black magic... Get them now--- they will disappear into thin air after the holiday!"

That's how Stardoll describe the newest release of Tingeling Halloween Couture on Stardoll, but is this all just a ploy to make us believe that Stardoll weren't just too lazy to make a new collection? Although the prices of Tingeling Halloween Couture in the starbazaar were extortionate, I still do not understand the reasoning behind Stardoll rereleasing old rare clothing. The graphic designers obviously realise that the older collections were better and therefore bring them back, but I would really love to see a new good collection, rather than an old reused one.

Other than this, the prices this time are understandably higher than what they were previously. With the Dark Floral Dress going for 65 stardollars... A lot for Starplaza standards, but a meagre price tag in comparison to the offerings available in the starbazaar.

What are your thoughts on this rerelease? 

PMR: FIERCE MAGAZINE

I continually find myself wondering whether the old and original magazines of Stardoll, such as Style, Eternity and Fierce, really were better than the few magazines that stand in the current day Stardoll. Today, magazines from the hey day of Stardoll will be put to the test to see if they really are that much better than the issues of today.

Fierce Magazine owned by Hunnigall, was a magazine that started in early 2009 under the name of Sprinkle. Over time the issues improved hugely and by the end of Fierce's reign Alice was arguably the top graphic designer on the entirety of Stardoll. Sadly, the final issue that was promised by Alice was never given, but at least we can still bask in the glory of the magazine issues released before it's slow demise. Today, their final S/S 2010 issue will be trialled and tested to see just how it fairs against the issues of current times.

Cover: ★★★★★★★★  8

There is no denying that that this cover is both very intriguing and well made. I truly love the huge inject of colour and I find the cover model highly  interesting. The graphic is well constructed, though I could imagine it leaving something to be desired in present day graphics. Less is more? For this cover the mass amount of texts works very well, but I can imagine it looking messy on others. 

Graphic Design: ★★★★★★★★  8

Graphic designing is evidently Fierce's strong point and every graphic in this issue combines the perfect amount of Stardoll and realism. Each one of this issues 11 graphics are very strong and show off Alice's then graphic skill impeccably, with the amount of work gone into them evident.

Fashion Editorial: ★★★★★★  6

Sadly, there is no full fashion editorial included in this issue of the magazine. There are numerous articles alongside some graphics and a set of trend graphics (which could be included as a fashion editorial) but no full fashion editorial in entirety.

Trends Shown: ★★★★★★★★★  9

For the time of release, this issue showed a massive set of trends including future fashion, military madness and cool as a cucumber graphics, complete with six makeup pages. As well as this, there is page on the involvement of maths and shapes in fashion, an article on the legendary Spanish architect Gaudi, Emilio Pucci and Camilla Skovgaard. 

Writing Style: ★★★★★ ★  6

The writing in this issue is somewhat rocky and could do with some work. Although the articles are all relatively short and therefore interesting, there are numerous errors that proof reading could have fixed included in the issue. 

How did this magazine score?

37 out of 50,  at 74% or B-

Numero Un - Chapter 1

Hello everyone. This is a fictional story I am writing. It deals with the test of friendship and how far one is willing to go in order to reach a desire. Please comment below your reviews, comments, etc!!! :-) Enjoy.

--

Where I live, Saumur is as French as you can get. It is a tiny little spec of a town buried in the west of France, often overlooked much like its people. I understand why though; the monotonous buildings incline towards the grey sky in a dreary sort of way. Saumur is no match against the swank and elegant movements of Paris. Despite gloomy townspeople peddling around milk cartons, history thrives through our very stone walls. At one point, this cheerless town acted as a backdrop for the French Revolution with a grand military background. If we are known for something it is our patriotism.

My name is Agate Accault, daughter of the town drunk - Augustin. My father has been drinking ever since my mother died days after birthing me; a burden that haunts me every day. She used to work as a laundrywomen in the charity hospital near us. When I turned 11 last month, I took her place. My father reminds me every day of the life I have bestowed upon him and the rest of our family; the timid and scruffy beings moving through our stone house. Never have I ever heard papa yell at me for his loss, but drinking out the depression alone is a subtle yet loud hint. My older siblings are the people I admire very much. 
If you are wondering, I have 2 brothers Elliot and Perou, 4 years older than me, along with Margette and Suze; twins and both 17. "All of us were born to protect each other" Suze told me frequently when I couldn't fall asleep. I would lay in her arms during windswept nights and be reminded of how blessed I am. How blessed I am for having such strong-willed, passionate, and loving siblings. Despite the hardships that block our lives from normality, these children maintain a statue like composure, showing no fear towards others.

Albeit being raised by a single father I have always felt close to Madame Devolle. Madame Devolle, or as she prefers-Mama Jeanne is always a second, if not, actual mother to me. She fills the maternal gap that a brusque and headstrong father cannot reach. Jeanne worked alongside my own mother, Elise, as a laundrywoman herself. I continuously hear stories of how my mother expected great things for me. These are the things people long to hear for: hope and faith. That hope isn't given directly from my mother’s chapped lips but instead passed on through Jeanne Devolle’s warm hazel eyes. She too has a daughter, the same age as I. They call her Gabrielle. Gabby is a free spirited beam of light, that is for sure. I love her as much as I love Suze, or Margette. We are two roughed up girls from the wrong side of town looking for a way out. Well, at least, that is what she always tells me. 

She prefers coco, says it makes her feel glamorous. Simple, and elegant, coco.

A LOOK INTO MSW #1

The biggest competition on Stardoll MSW is back for another year, and today I am going to be taking a look at some of the semi finalists of this years competition. Many were surprised this year when numerous non superstars and people who were not running made it into the competition, so let's take a look at some of the competitors and their questionable outfit choices.

*A note before anyone comments about how these users have not chosen to be featured in TTT: As a MSW competitor they are going to  be subject to not only some positive comments, but also some criticism as they are after all, all going for the title of Miss Stardoll World. These reviews are purely based on doll and suite and nothing more.*

COMPETITOR #1 - PUPPYMONEY

The first competitor is Puppymoney, a member from the United Kingdom who has been on Stardoll since September 2010. I'm immediately impressed with the outfit, it's somewhat simple and minimal yet I am immediately drawn to it. At first glance, the suite is reasonably well made, but after browsing through some more rooms, and checking out some more of her room styles it becomes obvious the user is no Stardoll architect, consistently favouring the simpler look (which is no bad thing!). All in all, the doll is undeniably pretty, but can I see them as Miss Stardoll World? Not so sure.

THE MSW O' METER

DOLL

★★★★★★★

SUITE

★★★½

OVERALL

★★★★½

COMPETITOR 2 - TOXIT

This second competitor, Toxit, is a girl from Turkey who clearly isn't afraid to show off her achievements! She's racked up 13 hottest hair designs and 6 hottest jewellery designs, as well as 5 times national covergirl. Although the page this user has chosen to load their suite onto is a room entirely of awards and 'VOTE ME' posters, the rest of their suite is actually very good, with many very interesting room designs. Not to mention their Stardesign hair doll, which is rather extraordinary considering the ordinary persons skills at SD hair design.

THE MSW O' METER

DOLL

★★★★★★★★

SUITE

★★★★★★★

OVERALL

★★★★★★★★

NELLY PICKS

*I will be away from the 4th until the 11th so there will most probably not be daily posts up until then. When I come back I will resume to post two posts daily to make up for the posts lost in the time that I am away. Here is hoping that our writers will post for you during this time*

As one of the only stores going for Stardoll, Nelly.com is always an exciting release. Full of current trends and designs hand picked straight from the Nelly website. This collection, consisting of two floors full of on trend logo sweaters, print and sequin dresses and chic shoes, most probably beats every collection that Stardoll has released in the past two years or so.  Below are my top five picks from the new release, what are your favourite items?

DESIGNS
★★★★★★★★★
QUALITY
★★★★★★★★
OVERALL
★★★★★★★★★

ITEMS: Tower Sweater (20sd), Bally Dress (25sd), Irish Shoes (9sd), Sports Deluxe Dress (24sd), Woburn Jacket (24sd), Marengo Jacket (24sd), Cuffed Shoes (12sd) and Snowled Dress (22sd)

KLAUS PAPER OUT NOW

Just here to inform you that Klaus Paper issue is out!

To read the issue click here

Street Chic: Stardoll Style, xXEwelina1996Xx

Who: xXEwelina1996Xx
What: Fashion forward outfits straight from the Chanel FW 13/14 runway
Wear: Houndstooth Suit, It Girls Pepita Jackets, Ninja skirt, Chanel Black Over Knee Chain Boots

*Want to get featured on Street Chic: Stardoll Style? Comment below.

IN DEPTH: OCTOBER HOT BUYS

The October Hot Buys have just been released on Stardoll and some are left disappointed, but what are this month's hot buys really like? If you're interested in hearing my opinion on these items, and finding out which real life designer they are inspired by then read on.

*P.S- Know any more real life versions? Let me know in the comments below!*

The first item of this month's collection is the Love Necklace, which is due for release on the 3rd of October at Epiphany. I'm a big fan of cute necklaces such as the one from Lanvin shown below, so I was really excited to see one on Stardoll. The red heart is a nice addition to the piece, but I question whether it will make it less wearable.

 The second item of this months collection is the Lace trim dress, which can be found at Bonjour Bizou on the 5th of October. I think this dress is very nice in both the black in real life and the white on Stardoll, and I'm glad Stardoll opted to stay minimal for this specific item. The dress is itself is very well made comparing to recent items released and I'm excited to try it on!

Next we have the box clutch, inspired by Jason Wu, which you can find at It Girls, available on the 29th of October. My first impressions of this clutch were good, but I feel as though we have already seen similar clutches to this in previous Hot Buys Weekly collections.  In saying this, the clutch is of very good quality and bares a very obvious and striking resemblance to the real life version by Jason Wu, which I'm sure makes the Stardoll fashion lovers more inclined to buy the piece.

The Hot Buys embossed jacket is due for release on 24th October by the store It Girls. I definitely prefer the real life version purely because the Stardoll version looks a lot more casual and I don't think it suits the severity of the look a like crocodile skin used for the piece. Whether I purchase this jacket or not will be based entirely on if it suits my doll well.

The final items of this post are the Snake Heels, available from Rio on the 10th of October. These are my preferred pair of shoes from this month's collections because of their trendy look. I think they would go well with many looks and I'm a big fan of the zippers that Stardoll decided to use for the 'snake' part of the heel. Do you like these shoes?

What are your thoughts on these items from this months collections? If you know any other of the real life items that these Hot Buys are inspired by then leave a comment below and I'll be sure to create another post on the second half of the items. 

A LIMITED EDITION REVIEW

Another season, another Limited Edition collection. Stardoll's October release of LE brought us heart print, plaid and awfully made graphics, but what was this fall collection really like?

Concept wise, this is easily one of the stronger collections of the latter LEs. It's become quite evident over the last few years that the Limited Edition that is released now is in no way the same brand as it once was. New era... Better LE? Sadly this is not the case as the graphics have continued to deteriorate further - with some items even looking like Fallen Angel rejects.

Sadly Stardoll's inability to shade a simple graphic have turned what was once the enjoyment of getting your hands onto the most glorious pieces of LE, into having to spend time deciding whether the piece in your shopping cart is good enough for all them stardollars you are parting with or not.

If Stardoll were to put more effort into their graphics then I am certain that LE could become as good as the brand that it once was. The concept is all there and many of the pieces could have looked amazing if they weren't so badly constructed.

My top (... and only) picks from this collection are the purple and burgundy tartan bags, cage dresses, black clunky sandals, cross body heart bag, lace kilt, Donatella black pants, chain necklace and pink jersey logo and tulle dresses. What were your favourite items from this collection?

CONCEPT
★★★★★★★
GRAPHICS
★★
OVERALL
★★★★

What are your thoughts on the 18th(!) collection of Limited Edition?
Would you like to see a LE showdown between all of the collections?

OCTOBER HOTBUYS

Monthly hot buys have officially made their return! After around eight months with proper hot buys absent from the website, Stardoll have made the decision to finally bring back the monthly collections. This month Stardoll opted for a mix and match of casual and dressier items with the collection featuring the likes of pretty pink peplum tops and sequin zipper skirts (which slightly resembles the Philip Lim zipper skirt from the first ever LE collection back in December 2008).

Sadly the graphic is very pixelated and the coloured background is somewhat distracting, but I am sure that for now we can be thankful that the monthly hot buys are returning again to Stardoll! What are your thoughts on this month's Hot Buys?