Garden style

This week I think I'm gonna try and squeeze in a few hours to focus on my suite - a few rooms have had a little neglect the past few months and I want to remedy that! What I wanted to share today are two aspects of a room that I'm super happy with how it's turned out. This is in one of the floors of the Millionaire Mansion suite addition - I bought this way back when it was released and I was really quite stumped as to what to do with those rooms until the past few months!

Both parts have a standard concrete style floor - I tried the wooden DIY ones but they were being glitched every time, so I didn't have too much choice, but I like this one. And I did what I regard as a 'classic me' and stuck with a white base! I've also included some tiling, something I've continued in a few rooms throughout my suite. The windows and doors were great to open up the room a little deeper and make use of the original mansion backdrop so that was a must for me!

Both aspects have shelving with a selection of decor pieces on them, and this is a style I really love with the placing of a range of frames or ornaments. I love testing out various pictures and styles for different rooms as you can often come across some different or unique pairings which look awesome! Other than what's on the shelves, I do have two other focal pictures in each of the above images - both are very bright and really catch your attention.

Furniture wise I try and stay pretty minimal and made use of what I had in storage for both of these scenes. I love the furry chair, and the golden arms and legs tie it together nicely with the gold in the pictures on the shelf as well as the small animal ornaments I've picked out for the corner of the room.

Both these scenes do seem a little empty and I may have a re-arrange or add some more things to help make them look a little more complete, but for the moment I'm happy with my stylings of these!

Let me know what you think in the comments and if you have any room decor suggestions for me =D

VISDIOR - THE STORE THAT SHOOK STARDOLL

In the early hours of the morning, on June 10th, my quivering finger hovered above the mouse as I took a final deep breath before releasing my second collection of my every growing VIS clothing line. It takes a tremendous amount of work to make a full png collection, and VISDIOR was no exception considering the staggering eighty-two item count. Hours were slaved over an old graphics tablet, illuminated by the harsh light of my iMac screen - eyes strained adding the final detail to each and every piece; it was my masterpiece. The emotion was real when I was finally ready to share the final product with my stupendously supportive peers, and the response was roaring.

You've probably seen your friends on Facebook posting their outfits with the hashtag #VISDIOR, but if not, here are just a few of the best...

LISA YOUNG

Yes, this is she! I had such a blast coming up with what seemed like an infinite amount of outfits using all of the pieces from VISDIOR. But, in the end, I settled on this simplistic, classic look. 

DHOF: RED CARPET REVIEW

*DISCLAIMER*: All names listed are those which were given on the original Facebook posts of each outfits and may not be the actual usernames of users. These views are entirely my own, and are not based on likes/public reactions, nor do they reflect those of the TTT brand. 

Last night, the community was all fired up over the DHOF induction event, where new members (including our very own Stevenson, congratulations!) were inducted into the legendary Dollywood Hall of Fame. Of course, with every lavish Stardoll event, comes an inevitable red carpet swept with user created and styled looks - some good, some bad, and some just plain ugly. The theme for the particular event was Asian inspired (or something, I don't know, I wasn't invited). As a connoisseur of all things flawless fashion related, and a judgemental narcissist at heart, it's my absolute pleasure to be reviewing some of the looks we saw last night. 

Before I begin, I want to take a moment to shine some much deserved praise on the graphic designers behind each of these outfits; without them, events like this could not exist. Sadly, I'm not able to credit the designers individually as they were only sparsely mentioned in a few of the posts (surprise, surprise). Lastly, a special shoutout to Lullih, who created approx. 90% of these looks and knocked it out of the park with each and every one - let's give some credit to one of the hardest working girls on the circuit.  

Let's cut to the chase and begin with, in no particular order, the best dressed dollies of the evening... 

BEST DRESSED

ADO

The money making mogul himself, Ado, really brought life to the saying "Go hard or go home". This was one of the outfits that really stood out for me last night; the sheer volume, the gorgeous print, the impeccable styling all works perfectly together to deliver a real showstopper of a look. It was such a necessary change for a male doll to step out in something other than a suit, and I commend ado for thinking outside of the box and taking the risk to dress in an outfit with pure character and good taste. 

AMER

It goes without saying that Amer is one of the most fashion forward dolls to ever grace our paperdoll heaven, and this outfit is no exception to that statement. I've never known anybody to come up with such fucking ugly outfits that somehow seem to bring a tear of joy to my eye. The fact that this is literally a bag of fabric printed with giant daisies, and a bundle of black fur, makes me question how it still stands as one of my favourite looks of the night - but it just does. The pose and the styling add to the signature Amer appeal, that "I could not give less of a shit" attitude. What more could you not ask for?

ARCTICPIXIE3

I'm not even sure where to begin with this, because I am SO in love! The purity and elegance of this look is breathtaking, but at the same time there is an edge to it, and that's what I really adore. I can't take my eyes off the obvious attention to detail and the overall fluidity of the entire look - and can we talk about that headpiece? To DIE for! Everything about this just makes my heart happy, from the hair and makeup right down to the peeping shoe; simply flawless.  

JAI

What is it with these girls and their headpieces? By no means am I complaining though, they just get more and more impressive. Jai floored us all with this dark and eery look. We see people relying on a floral look to give charm to their outfit, but for me, the colours and styling of the flowers set this apart from your run-of-the-mill floral type ensemble. I'm obsessed with the "forbidden fruit" feel, it brings such an element of mystery and class to the look which is what, for me, elevates it above the more "in your face" coloured outfits we saw. 

LULLIH

If anybody knows how to wear the shit out of a printed gown, it's Lullih. This dress on anybody else would be a huge no-no, but the simplicity and elegance in which this was styled makes it an absolute treat for the eyes. I can't even imagine how much work went into drawing the gown, and then the intricately designed jewellery too - which all works together to create this truly one of a kind look that leaves me almost speechless. When you take into consideration that this machine of a woman designed practically every outfit on the carpet, and was still able to create something so beautiful for herself is astonishing. I'm floored by the commitment Lullih put into this look, and it sure as hell paid off. 

MINAJ + BLINNES

You can always count on these infamous BFFS to tear any carpet to shreds. I adore the glittery detailing on both of these outfits, and if you know me, you know I'm a sucker for an exposed nipple (or four). The girls really impressed with something so subtle and tasteful, and I love that they both match, but without it seeming tacky or forced; it's so effortless. Every time there is a red carpet event, I look forward to seeing what these two will turn out, and I was definitely not left disappointed this time around. 

MUNCHKIN_XD

This is what a pay off looks like, everybody. Accurately predicting the shit everyone else will turn up in, and completely switching the blocks to show that you truly have a personal style. I die for this colour combination, it reminds me of heroine and cocaine (together at last!). I don't know, there's just something about the way this is styled, and the fact that it's custom made too - it has a real aura about it, that I can't quite capture, but I love. The Jil Sander/Balmain vibes I get from this do it a great justice, it's bang on trend, but with a splash of personality. 

SMILEYBITHER

I rarely get this excited over someone else's outfit, but I mean... THIS is next level. The huge aggressive crane climbing up her bare leg, the swirls of flowers winding up her (squealing) exposed breasts, ever so delicately covered with fiery locks, the black feather train, the dainty jewellery; I could go on and on, but I'll be here all day. I want to be euthanised immediately so I can be buried in an exact replica of this look. Jab a lethal injection in my forearm but by the grace of God, don't pierce that sheer sleeve.  

THALYTA

This is a prime example of "less is more", while still being more than I could ask for. I'm never usually a fan of lace, but this really works for me. I adore the colour, and those billowing sleeves give the otherwise simplistic dress a flare of fierce. The stance and overall air of this look is just so carefree and defining. The hair works well with this too, as does the atypical choice for makeup. Points all round for Thalyta, who didn't need a whole pile of crap to stand out. 

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

NIMKA

How can you have a best dressed list and not include the most unique and out-of-the-box doll of all time? I have the absolute pleasure of being incredibly close friends with Nimka, and unlike most, I get an insight into what goes on in that beautiful head of hers and it is pure magic. The thing about her, is that she can take a theme or objective and completely evolve it in her own, totally unique way. I adore the shoes, the bag is adorable, the Dior inspired makeup is absolutely everything. I practically made this sub-list just to include Nimka's look; you can't put her on best or worst dressed, because she plays by her own rules every time, and is above and beyond any type of categorisation.

HILMY

Time and time again, Hilmy will always show up in the most decadent, elegant, breathtaking look and this time was no exception. WHO would think of bringing a God damn silver, bracelet wearing lion to a red carpet event? Only this legendary bitch. As for the outfit, I have not a bad word to say about it all. This took the Asian theme to an entirely different place by representing another culture besides oriental or geisha type, and that should be commended in itself. The makeup is flaw-free, and I love the risqué splash of peaking red hair. Yet another colossal look to add to the ever growing collection of Hilmy's impressing outfits. 

STEVENSON

The queen of minimalism themselves, Stevenson stole the show in another of his contemporary chic looks. While everyone else is racking their brains trying to come up with something different or extravagant to steal the spotlight, Stevenson relies on his expertise in all things modern minimalism and has complete faith in his ability to select an outfit that not only fits the theme and looks incredible, but reflects his personal style. I really love the subtle print on this, it's just enough to lift up the plain black top and pants, but doesn't drown out the minimal feel of the whole ensemble. Such a defining choice of outfit, and one that reminds us all why Stevenson deserves the credit he continuously receives.  

That's all for this review, ladies! I hope to be doing more reviews here in the future so please stay tuned! Thank you for reading!

Jailer 

Jumpsuiting

Gonna try keep up this weekly posting again - I hope some of the other writers post a little of their own stuff too, people must be seriously fed up of me and my style! Anyway, this piece has been in my wardrobe since I bought it last September in MSW and I didn't even really style it then, so that's what I'm bringing you today =D

This is the Tailored Jumpsuit and it's a pretty minimal piece with a standard one-colour style and a slightly wider leg and a corset-esque top half. It's a good basic piece really, although it'll be one to look for in the Bazaar if you're interested in purchasing it at the moment - although you never know, it could appear in Callie's Picks sometime!
I browsed through my whole Tops section of my wardrobe and just choose out a whole host of pieces which I thought worked quite nicely with the jumpsuit and everything was really themed on white or blues and greys and so I split my looks up that way, and love the range of styles this provides. I love those blue long sweaters with the tone of the jumpsuit, the colours are very complimentary, but at the same time a classic white is always nice! I like the casual option provided by tees and modern lasercut pieces, but a collared shirt or something silky looks great too. The jumpsuit really has a lot of options for itself, making it a pretty good piece - even though I haven't discovered that until now =D

Let me know what you think of the jumpsuit, my choices, and this post in the comments below!

It's been too long

I've been incredibly swamped at work and it's been draining in so many ways, this weekend I squeezed in a little extra blogging time so I could finally style this StarDesign jacket from lacky_girl..!

This jacket has been sitting in my suite for weeks waiting for me to put together some looks, and finally here they are! For me jeans were the first and ultimate choice but I really wanted to try with other pieces to see the versatility factor of the modern print. The bold colour means it's easy to choose neutrals to style with it and I think I covered all the bases with my looks. My favourite is definitely the jeans, as I pretty much expected, I think the skinny style just works well with the jacket and that's kind of it^ I am pleasantly surprised about the dress though, I think a skirt looks alright, and maybe with some more experimenting, the right one will work out well =D

Let me know what you think in comments below - we love feedback!

Country Cat Blues

Ever since Beyonce's album 'Lemonade' came out I've been listening to her song 'Daddy Lessons' which is this lively but sad country song about Texas and ever since I listened to it I knew I wanted to do a country type outfit, which is so different to my usual style! I was thinking - which designers have used country influences that also have some of my signature sweet style? Then it came to me, duh, Miuccia Prada! For those who don't know she is the head designer at Prada and Miu Miu and a very inspirational woman who is always one step ahead in fashion. My outfit is called country cat blues because of the style and shape, the colour, and obviously cat details.

To make this look I used Prada Minimal Baroque sunglasses, Miu Miu nude woman print long sleeved shirt, and Charlotte Olympia blue velvet cat shoes, all in shades of blue! Here are their real life counterparts: 

And here is the finished look!

Still my style with all of the extra white pearls, flowers and bows, but you can see the pieces by Miuccia Prada and I hope you see the country blues, too! I love it when Stardoll creates pieces inspired by the runway because it's so fun to create them in your own style. Thanks to Beyonce, Miuccia, and Cats for inspiring this post. 😘

Until next time, Nimka, out! 

Hidden gems

I've been having a really good browse in the Plaza catalogue lately and I've been finding some real hidden gems, especially from the Voile section - when you search you find a whole lot more pieces than you can see just by visiting the store and there are some amazing bargains to be had, as well as some awesome pieces. Today I wanted to style one item I bought over the weekend - the Floral Applique Sheer Skirt. This came out way back in the spring of 2012 and I really hadn't noticed it before, and if I did back then I've forgotten (it's been 4 years, I think it can be forgiven =P)

I really like sheer clothing, I don't want it to be too revealing though, so this skirt is great for that as the sheer aspects are balanced by other panels covering what you'd need covered. And it's decorated with jewels and glitter, which is pretty great^

What else can you still get from the collection? *You can click on the image to get these 5 of my favourites directly to your Plaza dressing room*

A strong spirit transcends rules.

Rest in Peace, Prince 1958-2016

Shortly, there's been two weeks since I've last written and now it's time to completely recap what's worth being mentioned. 

THE TREND-SETTER

Graphic and wigs designing giant, Olivia Tee-Tyler known as MUNCHKIN_XD has recently shaken the Dollywood with her latest hair design seen during her appearance at the recent launch party. The famous designer has recreated her hairstyle into a wig which is now seen everywhere around the town. 

First restock sold out in no time which proves the success young Olivia gains with her talent. The wig comes in three parts, with the total cost of affordable two hundred and eighteen stardollars. The sleek, wet style design is a popular trend usually seen on the runway and street style, expressing the beauty of unusual looks. 

SIMONS' RETURN

As the former creative designers of Calvin Klein, Francisco Costa and Italo Zucchelli recently took down from their respective roles, Raf Simons', the long-rumored heir of the title, is finally confirmed. ''A new direction will ultimately follow one creative vision across all categories of business.'' stated the company. Simons' minimalistic vision seen in presented collections of Dior which he just recently forsaken is a safe bet for Calvin Klein. The company recently dropped the famous underwear campaigns featuring today's highest grossing celebrities such as the young model, Kendall Jenner and pop singer Justin Bieber. Calvin Klein underwear campaigns have left the strong impact on the company through out the years and have been the sure base of the brand's great success. What Simons offers to the brand is yet to be discovered, but there is no doubt that he is going to turn it into gold.

DUSK, TAUPE, COM 'N GREY

After months of hiatus, affordable famous decor store is back! Featuring two floors of dusty pink, com blue, taupe and light grey combined garniture, Basics Decor offers a wide range of affordable home decorating pieces. Pricing range varies from forty to two hundred and fifty starcoins. It is considered many users' favourite exactly due to the low pricing and starcoin worth. The brand offers a high-quality produced pairs of carpets, armchairs, pillows and more in effortless style for a bargain price. 

IT SNOWED IN APRIL

April 21st was the day the world mourned an icon. Prince Rogers Nelson also known as Prince, one of the greatest icons has passed away. Not only a musician, Prince was an inspiration to many. A man who defined the word man on a very different standard. The person who erased the gender. He was one of a kind, the person who can leave a strong mark on fashion only with his unique, mystique style. ''Perhaps the most iconic look in his repertoire, the slightly peaked shoulder jacket, ruffle blouse and stacked boots from Purple Rain, though much like his prolific musical talents, his flair for fashion was seemingly boundless.'' writes Steff Yotka for Vogue. Perhaps it is the look the world will remember him as. Perhaps it is individual. But what comes to everyone's mind with the mention of his name is the secretive angel, a kind of an icon that comes once in a generation. And now he's gone. But the world remembers. 

SUBCOUTURE

Collection filled with pastel colored, ripped denim, black and modern rock motives garments released Friday, 15th of April. Featuring over five high end brands with mixed street style and gala gown theme, the store sold successfully during the limited two days of its availability. Prince range was set from five to forty five stardollars with exclusive Royalty and Superstar membership garments. Featured on the image, faux fur shortly became the most wanted of the garments from the release. Featured along, the Fendi handbag is a must have essential to bring a splash of color to your outfits. Despite the high quality, the store lacked a whole lot of content and valuable rich garments to bring the creativity and irregular charm to the store. Made out of actually unwearable garments from runway put together without a base theme, the collection wasn't as successful as it was expected to be, but the thing is that we've spent a mini-fortune. And we loved it!

10 YEARS

Recently, Stardoll AB company has celebrated the long ten years of their existence. Former Paperdoll Heaven, a dress-up game launched early in 2006 known as today's Stardoll, has celebrated the anniversary with a meeting with the players in London, United Kingdom. Featured on the picture, players emmahunt4 on the far left, thestylecutie and AnitooWee have had the pleasure to ask, suggest and present everything we offer to the game. Emmahunt4, founder of Risqué, has given us an insight of the meeting by explaining how it was and by mentioning some of the talented dolls, issues about the site but also the projects such as The Stardoll Awards, Dollywood Hall Of Fame  and many more. The visitors also had a chance to hear about the brand new updates coming soon.

MESSY FASHIONISTA

Tress Up closed the recent week with kind of an infamous release. The collection whose price range varies between thirteen to thirty stardollars delivered the actual top trends in the fashion and social media. As seen on nenaolivo at the featured picture, the braids trend seen everywhere on the social media has come to Stardoll as well. Along the braided hairstyle, the collection includes variety of messy hair, short and long wavy or blowing straight hairs to an afro. Current top trending styles are Messy Fashionista and Surfers hair which can be seen on many different dolls in different ranges of style. It is focused on the messy hairstyle trend, the one we tend to see on social media such as Instagram, but there is something lacking to this collection. It is surely not the quality of graphic - which seems to be great on individual pieces, but more of a style and size of actual hair. There must be something wrong when your hair is blowing in a middle of a closed room.

Natalie_hearts_ ; fishbowlsoul ; jjgangstevenjj ; --Kayley

Golden tones

It took me a while to decide what to post about this week, but I figured most would be writing about their latest SubCouture purchases and so I decided to go for something totally different and give another insight into one of my newer suite rooms^ *Please note, where possible I have linked the items I've mentioned so you can get them straight to your plaza to get a look at!*

So I really loved this interior - it's from the latest Furry Friends store and costs 32SD's, maybe a little pricey for an interior, but I think it's a pretty stylish one at that! I've gone for a pretty minimal furnishing of my room. I started out by knowing I wanted to use these two cushions - the Impressionist Pillow and the Silver Sparkle Cushion. So for me from that, I was really feeling a gold theme throughout which helped me choose smaller details like the Golden Frames. These are great additions which cost just 50SC and have been available on the site for over 5 years, sometimes looking back right through the decor catalogue or your storage can pay off! I included the little side furnishings to help fill the space and made use of the Twisted Leg Armchair, which I relocated when I was doing up another room. I think it definitely helps to fill the space in an un-overbearing way - sometimes you can get carried away adding a lot and it overcrowds, but I like a good space to be able to show off what you're wearing too! I've also gotten into plants a LOT and so had to include multiple of them here^ The Bright Modern Bouquet was perfect for the job with it's yellow tinted flowers, as was the Living Room Cactus with it's golden casing and interesting design.

So what do you guys think of this one? I know the back wall seems a little empty - maybe you have an idea you could share in the comments! I love hearing what you think and getting feedback xx

It didn't cost us a penny

This week has been all about the 10 Year Anniversary for Stardoll (isn't that crazy?!), and over the weekend one of the freebies was this Shoulder Jumpsuit, which is a pretty clasic black piece and we didn't even have to spend a thing to get it, what a bonus^ So in celebration of free clothes, I thought I would throw together some styling ideas for it in my post this week!

I really kept with black and darker colours for this one, but I did find that a lot of stuff I already had in my wardrobe worked pretty well. In keeping it as a jumpsuit, there are plenty of outerwear options, and I liked that I could go with both oversized and fitted pieces like the leather jackets which shows versatility in the piece. In branching out from the jumpsuit, trousers work pretty well with the piece and you can still show off that top-half detailing. I especially liked high-waisted and wide-legged pieces and found different styles of them worked well, glittered, sporty and trendy all worked very nicely and I even got some green tones in there too^

I initially focussed a lot on the clothing, so added this second section of accessories and such which I loved the look of with the jumpsuit, I really was all about the shoes in this one and definitely didn't struggle to find things which worked out!

Let me know what you think in the comments^ xx

Spring Styling

Hello and welcome!

I know it's been forever since I last posted but I'm back now, I had to sort out a few things in real life and needed a little break from Stardoll. Today however, I decided I needed to start posting again, you know how much I love showcasing my daily looks! and writing about fashion is definitely a good escape from reality. 

In Recent months, I've been experimenting a lot with my dolls style, 5 months ago you wouldn't have seen my doll wearing any bright colour in a million years! I always stuck with the usual monochrome colour scheme; the greys, the whites and the countless shades of black. The past 3 months, after buying issue after issue of i-D and VOGUE, it has made me realise there is more to fashion! I've always said to be a minimalist fashion enthusiast at heart but I took it upon myself to challenge that idea and broaden my horizons a bit. I have been introduced to a range of different prints and patterns, and it's been great fun, mixing and matching. With the latest "it girls" collection it gave me the opportunity to play around with some of these spring-summer like pieces. I especially drooled over the 'Palermo Long Vest' it's a must have in my opinion! Olivia is a huge source of inspiration for me and so when I saw it in the spoilers, I knew I had to style it. 

I try to keep my dolls daily looks in sync with the four seasons. As spring is among us and with summer not being too far away, the approach with this look was to go for a warm, bright and comfortable look yet keeping to my minimalistic style. It's amazing what colour can do, it's truly enhancing! I've always wanted to style the yellow YSL stilettos and the yellow LE belt, these two pieces combined with the grey vest have made the look stand out even more. Stripes can also add in a bit of texture to a look, I decided to use the SAP stripped top and it has worked wonders! The pink archive sweater that I used, behind the vest has created somewhat of an illusion that it's a jacket instead which I love! The grey pants also carry out the colour scheme from the vest and with the added Fendi bag it ties in the entire look together. 

I also changed my dolls lip colour, brows and hair to match with my current look. I feel having platinum blonde hair is still a trend at large, all thanks to the Kardashians and of course, Lady Gaga!  I think it's great to change up your dolls hair colour every now and then. The brows I decided to tone down a bit, I love it when they're fierce and bold but I felt they needed a mild shade of brown. Moving on to the lips, I never really like my doll having pink lips or I just don't find the right shade of pink but with the recent DOT make up collection, Stardoll have created some amazing colours! I must admit, applying a lighter lipstick enhances my lips a lot more, considering my doll is of a darker skin tone. I find real joy in using my doll as a canvas when applying make up! It would be so cool if Stardoll created a MAC cosmetics line, right?

In the photo below are the pieces I used to create this look. If you any questions, leave a comment below and I will reply to you asap. Also, don't forget to tick a box!

Thank you for reading dolls and make sure you tune in for the next post

Till next time, S - x

It Girls Palermo Long Vest, Bonjour Bizou White Collared Crop Top, Strike A Pose Perfect Stripped Top, Limited Edition Logo Hot Yellow Thin Belt, VOILE white circular sunglasses, Archive Taupe Slouchy Sweater, FENDI Tribute Peach Monster Tote, Saint Laurent Tribute Hot Yellow Stilettos, Giambattista Valli Couture Trousers.

Call me... Miss Icône

''You either know fashion or you don't.''

To this day, I've never taken on journalism. What is journalism? Am I here to present my daily outfits, creative inspirations or am I here to teach you about the qualities I know? Am I here because of my name or am I here because I know what I'm doing?

 My journey on the Today's Top Trends is starting today, as I am writing my opening letter right this moment. My task on here as a journalist is to bring you the actual Top Trends from outside the borders of our box, to inspire you and give you the motivation you need to break through and move forward. I am here to present to you the style in it's best form and the most creative ways the one can think of. My task is to lead you through fashion. To visually show you, teach you, inform you. Let fashion guide your lifestyle. Let it be your lifestyle.

Yours truly,

 Carmen Bynes 

Style for all

By the title, I'm referring to clothes being able to be styled by everyone^ This came from the latest menswear release in the Plaza (those male dolls really need some more attention in the plaza, I'm sure there are plenty of people out there wanting a lot more clothing for the guys) where there were some great choices available that I've been seeing worn by both the male and female dolls! This is a little of a preparation to a post I will be posting at my own blog next week, but right now I wanted to style one of my favourite pieces from a past Mr release - the Independence Shirt. I've styled this before and also featured it recently on a blog post - but I enjoy putting it into looks so much I've gone for some more:

This is quite different for me because there really is a pop of bright colour as soon as you look! This shirt is very versatile and not just for male dolls because there's many ways I've gotten it to work on myself too^ Shoes and accessories were about being minimal for me, trying to stick with the masculine trend, so it was about the flats and the trainers (even if they are glittered^). Clothing, especially outerwear was where the flair comes from for me, with bright colours and interesting shapes. The shirt also gives the chance to wear yellow, not often you can say that! But it also works incredibly well with white, a colour I'm sure we're all adept to styling with, it's my favourite clothing colour by far at the moment. And as well as more dressed up white pieces, like the trousers and skirt at the top, jeans work well too and it's easy to find a few pairs in your wardrobe that will work out.

Let me know what you think in the comments! xx

JAILERS FASHION DIARY #2

"Take it or leave it" I snarled as I pushed the fastened envelope across the table. Three dire looking men in business suits quickly glanced at each other before one of them turned to me and nodded, "We'll get back to you". Nimka's icy glare pierced the three musketeers, now in possession of my business proposition for VIS, from the corner of the room. "I look forward to your call" I smirked, as I uncrossed my legs, sounding a "clank" from my Tingeling Midnight Black Heels as they hit against the chrome table leg. I got up from my chair, following Nimka out of the minimalist high-end office, spinning on my heel right before I leave; "You have 24 hours to respond".

We rushed out of the skyscraper building, almost tangling my Archive Idoru Skirt in the revolving doors. Luckily, it survived. Clambering into an UberX, Nimka tilts her head to me, "Do you think they will take it?". Stretching out my legs, which were sheerly covered by a pair of Voile Pantyhose, I replied "They will if they want to make any money this quarter". We both erupted into a frightening boom of laughter. Whizzing around the corner, I demand the driver to stop; I needed to call into Saks to grab a new Naked 2 eyeshadow palette. Nim waited in the backseat, generously applying Swarovski crystals to the back of her new iPad as I shopped. Feeling flustered by the reality of not having sunglasses or a similar disguise, I knew this was about to be a stressful experience. I adjusted the neck of my LE Sashed Blouse before hurrying to the Urban Decay counter. The lady behind the counter whirled around to greet me, only to be left gawping at the sight she had confronted. "Look" I said, spying around me to see if anyone else had witnessed my presence, "I'm just here to pick up a Naked 2 palette, I'm in a rush", my Voile Black Silver Buckle Belt clinking on the side of the perspex countertop. "Right away" she scurried. I stood waiting while Sarah the makeup artist fumbled around in several drawers larger than herself. I tapped my nails on the counter impatiently. "Oh my God!" I heard yelled in the distance, squinting to see what all the commotion was about. Two quirky dressed teenagers approached me at unnatural speeds, grinning like cheshire cats. "Can we have your autograph? I'm in love with your work!". I politely rolled my eyes. I was once like them, a subject of my idols. "Of course" I laughed, reaching over the makeup counter to find a pen. I scribbled my name across two glossy issues of X Magazine and smiled widely, handing them back to the fashionable twosome. "Thank you so much!" they squealed. Then almost out of nowhere, Sarah slid an eyeshadow palette towards me and I quickly reached for my purse. I practically ran out of the store, throwing the pen back onto the countertop after paying for my cosmetics, praying I didn't run into anybody else who had read a magazine in the past 3 years. Tumbling back into the Uber, I flinched as a bright object was shone in my face. "Jailer, it's them!" announced Nimka, holding an iPhone in front of her. My fate was sealed.


__________

Below are all of the items I used in todays fashion diary entry;

(L-R; Voile Pantyhose, Archive Idoru Skirt, Voile Black Silver Buckle Belt, DKNY Black Sash (to further shape belt), LE Sash Blouse, Tingeling Midnight Black Heels, It Girls Skirt (to further shape other skirt),  and Fallen Angel Heavyweight Black Platforms (to elevate heels)

*

The Business of Stardoll, An Interview with Jailer

As of this month, I've been on Stardoll for nine years. Regardless of recent sporadic activity, that's still, in my opinion, a huge milestone, and I think is a testament to Stardoll's successes since its inception all those years ago. While we may plague Stardoll with hundreds upon hundreds of complaints each and every day, we still choose to log into both the site itself and the social scene, rather consistently I must add, to keep it up with it all. Over the years I've amassed a colossal collection {hyperbole alert, but you get the picture!} of reviews and discussion posts on this very blog, ranging from collection reviews to Stardoll project discussions, so nothing would feel more fitting than for my first real post in almost two years to be a return to what I know best. And with the ever changing Stardoll scene finally making somewhat of a comeback with new collections and blogs popping up, what better than to discuss of the most intriguing new projects on the social scene, VIS.

VIS creator, Jailer/exodus27

Somewhat of a cliche question to begin with, but first and foremost, what inspired you to create VIS? Clothing lines and magazines have all been created before but never a project quite like yours.

VIS was my breakthrough moment, for sure. You know, a few months ago I started loitering around the .swf database links (which is where people find spoilers) hunting down old links to LE collections - to my surprise, I was able to find the links to all 27 seasons (so far), and I screenshot every item in HQ high definition, saving all the collections in folders. I now call this my LE Archive. I went deeper, and I looked into the sheer essence of what makes LE so palatable to our users. The business side is what intrigued me most, and so I wanted to replicate that in my own way by selling a limited number of passes to gain access to my collection. It's the economics. After ushering in the concept of creating PNG stores 3 years ago with my original X Apparel collection, I knew it was time to change it up and create something new, considering how many others had latched onto my idea.

For those unaware, a pass to VIS costs 333 stardollars, or 111 to renew for the latest collection. How did you come up with said price point for VIS? I'm sure to some the prices would seem steep for clothing not available on the Stardoll website, but to others absurdly cheap considering the quantity of items created.

At the start, I was selling passes for random prices ranging from 200-400SD, but I decided to set the price down as 333SD. For me, it's not about the money I earn. All I know is that I want to earn some profit for my hard work. If people think it's too expensive, then that's fine, nobody is forcing them to cough up the SD. But I, and others, know that my work has a certain worth. Like I said in a previous interview also, nobody is interested in freebies nowadays, there's no appeal to getting a handout. When you pay up for something, you feel included and entitled to what you've bought.

Would you say your vision for VIS is more as an artistic venture of a business model?

It's both, definitely. The artistry behind it is a massive element, which drives the concept and makes VIS what it is. The money, on the other hand, is the fuel. When you look at LE, there can be a dress priced at 200SD with 1000 copies available, do the math and thats 200,000 Stardollars paid back into Stardolls pocket after already taking your money to buy those Stardollars in the first place. Support your communities designers and you're not feeding into that corporate greed that we're all rebelling against. My business strategy is one I pride myself on, considering I'm the first person to ever market a graphics collection like this. I'm not going to say that VIS is just a fun little venture that I'm slaving over simply for the satisfaction of the consumers, because at the end of the day it is a money making scheme, but one I can justify given my talents and commitment to the project.

On the topic of LE, a brand that evidently offers a lot of inspiration in terms of your branding structure, what was your favourite and least favourite collection? Do you have a favourite piece?

This is such a difficult question! My all time favourite collection would have to be Season 4, just because it's the collection that I find holds most of my favourite items. My least favourite collection is definitely Season 12, it was an absolute shambles. And my favourite LE piece by far is the "Wild Rabbit Ears Cap" from Season 8.

A floor from the fourth edition of LE

How do you think shows like 'RuPaul's Drag Race' have influenced both your identity and the work you produce?

This is gonna sound crazy, but back in 2012 when I started making graphics, that period overlapped with the time I started to find myself interested in Rupauls Drag Race, and in turn, becoming a drag performer myself. I studied the makeup process, and it helped me massively with my graphics technique. When you break it down, it's the same; creating layers of shadow and highlight, blending and pulling elements together to create one "big picture". I also take so much style inspiration from my favourite movies such as "Girl, Interrupted", "Thelma and Louise", "Kill Bill", and "Gummo". My identity is a mash up of every piece of media I've ever consumed and found myself to love - I am a product of my self controlled environment.

As someone who's been around since projects of yours like Drug and L'Enfer, I've watched a huge amount of your growth as an artist. You speak of your creative interests and influences in your previous answer, but what started you off in graphics? Have you always been interested in art and fashion culture?

To be honest, when you've been hanging around on Stardoll for as long as I had, you begin to get bored. I saw graphic design as a creative outlet, calling my name. Back when I started, I went through all the motions; dodge and burn, rough layers, the rookie mistake of making everything look plastic or flat, I did it all! I definitely jumped into the deep end with it. I always felt so influenced by the work of two particular designers - Alice (hunnigall) and Eliza (wooldoor), so I began to study their work and try to apply it to my own style. I never really asked for advice, or tried to "copy" anybody elses style. I am proudly self taught in my profession. Going back as well, magazines really dominated the scene, and I wanted a piece of that. X Magazine was the pinnacle of my career, and every failure I put out before that led up to it. Since then, I feel I've gone on to explore my strengths and weaknesses as a designer, and apply that to the type of projects I put out now. The culture and exclusivity of fashion has impacted my life from a very young age, rushing out the supermarket to grab my monthly issues of Vogue and Elle, practically slumming in the crevices of style.com (RIP </3), I was built for a life revolving around fashion.

X Magazine FW '13 cover

Reality television is an integral part of our society today. How do you feel about its representation for our generation?

The whole reality television takeover in media is crazy, it's all about famous for being famous. I think there's an essence of that around lately, too. That kind of concept of knowing so much about someones life plays a massive part in how we put ourselves out there, people want to be seen! The amount of Kardashian/Jenner inspired dolls I see is ridiculous - not that I have anything against that! I'm a huge Kylie Jenner fan myself. But I think fame is easy to gain now, not like it was back 4 or 5 years ago when I was chasing it. Notoriety and fame are two different things, though. Climbing up the ladder has become a task easily conquered by people with very little talents and ingenuity. So, when you finally get there, and you have what you want, the rest comes to you - and I think this ties incredibly well into a favourite quote of mine by Salvador Dali; "There are some days when I think I'm going to die from an overdose of satisfaction." When all you know is glorification and adoration, even your failures are a success in the eyes of your fanatics. Likewise, some will stop at nothing to drag you down and spit poison of your reputation. It works both ways, I suppose. There is no easy way out of the spotlight.

On a final note, what can we expect from the upcoming collection of VIS?

Expect the best, and prepare for the better. The colours are beauuuuuuuutiful! The colours... are gonna wake you up! They're gonna be like, wake up... you guys! I'm feeling so optimistic about it. The amount of excitement thats been built up is already a massive cloud hanging over me, but I'm determined for the sun to shine down on my efforts once I release the collection.

Angelic Introduction

Hello everyone! I'm Nimka, and I'm here to introduce myself as the newest member of the TTT writing team which is just the coolest thing in the world to say, since I haven't blogged properly in years. Some people may remember my posts for other old Dollywood blogs, but for those who don't I hope that you shall enjoy my new ones and I'm excited for you all to get to know me on a creative and personal level! 😘

A little bit about myself: Like I said before, my name is Nimka, and my favorite things to do are watch fashion shows and travel! I consider myself a very friendly, kind, and giving person which is why some call me the Angel of stardoll, which is not a title that I will reject 👼🏼 I've been on Stardoll for almost 10 years, yes, a decade! I'm an OG player who has experienced it all, from the loophole drama, to the building of Dollywood, the golden age, the fall, and whatever we're living now which sometimes feels like a dystopian crazy version of what Stardoll once was, but I love it nonetheless!

I have worked on a lot of magazines and blogs in the past but never have I written for TTT so this is a new prospect, one that makes me happy and also a little nervous! My posts are going to be carefree and very me, I'll be teaching you all how to style new releases, my outfit of the week, featuring inspiring users, competitions, and doing inspired makeup tutorials! If you have any pictures of runway/fashionable makeup you'd like me to re-create in a tut just write a comment here or message me, and of course let me know if there's another segment or issue you'd like to me talk about - it's important that you readers are seeing the information and content that you want to see!

I can't wait to get properly started, but until then, here is a little picture in my suite bedroom depicting me as an angel who hoards lots of crazy clothing and cats... So accurate.

Until I write again! Nimka, out. 💗