Raincoat

This is a very simple look from gaby.reyna, I'll give you guys that, but I love the styling of it - most particularly the use of the pink tinged glittered raincoat! It's a piece I own, but have never managed to style, one of those tricky ones that can go either way really - and it looks great here! The simple white of the clothing, black of the accessories and pastel of the hair, really make it stand out as a feature piece, but not in a way that detracts from the other great, yet basic, pieces in the look =D

Houndstooth crop

Mia1435 has shown us a great look for these High Waist Pleather Pants which came with the latest Original Future drop in the Plaza. I love this styling of them, it suits the whole store vibe very well (unlike the outfits I styled with them in my review post!) They look great with the cropped top and also the retro-style bomber jacket, plus that hair is perfect for the whole look =D

Pose without the pose

I loved this look from WongWing this weekend - posing in a different position without the use of Strike A Pose, just the illusion of it! The jeans are for a guys doll, and the bags and jackets have been strategically placed like they would be in a Strike A Pose piece. I also love the hints of lilac running throughout this look in the shirt and shoes - fab job!!! 

Slicked back locks

Been noticing great slicked back hair looks recently, this particular StarDesign piece is by MissVerciona117 and it's been on a whole host of dolls around the site, here's just a couple =)

DollFrances_2 (can no longer find her doll=/) | ana_star14

This is a great style as it's so versatile, it can be easily dressed up or down and it's styled quite tightly to the head so the choice of wearing a hat is also there - which I always find a great bonus with hair!

Sorry!

Apologies for my absence - I have just finished the 2nd week of my new course and we've been particularly busy getting used to things, and it's been very much non desk work, so I haven't had time to sit and produce posts like I could at times on my course over the last 4 years unfortunately!

I will try and get at least a little regularity - in the meantime it would be good if my several Guest Writers would try and post, I know you'll be busy too, but you guys wanted to be here, so please show it! If any readers would be interested in a Guest Writer role please contact me either on Stardoll or Facebook =) 

In the meantime, lets have a tune:

Beauty Snaps

smoulinecka007

Orange

Loved this very simple yet effective look from Violessa last week! That is one great shift dress and it works well with the heels and hat, however I definitely think it's been amped up by the orange accessories - getting creative with that DKNY clutch is fab, and those orange drop earrings were a perfect choice! I also think the orange looks great with the flowers on the dress =)

O R I G I N A L F U T U R E | Release Review

So earlier last week we got a whole new selection of Original Future - and I have to say I was pretty excited about that since recently doing a Plaza Picks post for the store, so now there are more pieces to choose from!

These new pieces fit in really well with the previous items available in the store I think, but do bring a newer feel and I hope will make more people consider Original Future when looking for pieces to buy. There are quite a lot of wilder pieces in this collection which would need quite some consideration before styling them into a great look - like the Original Future Leggings or the Prada Inspired Dress. There are a good range of pieces, and it's nice to have quite a few designer-inspired pieces there too which I think Original Future as a brand has been lacking for appeal.

Prices ranged from 4 to 30 SD's with a couple of pieces in SC's - for me I do think that overall it was a little expensive so that could be quite off-putting for some members and I do think it would make people overlook things as a number of the items aren't really things which you would grab to make a quick outfit.

In the end I only purchased the High Waist Pleather Pants which cost 15SD's - not too bad I don't think seeing as I believe them to be the most wearable and versatile piece of the release. I've managed to put together some looks with them pretty quickly, although I'd love to try them in a much more girly way next time!

And finally for a look by you! Ajenkam has styled the Gold Foil Sweatshirt in a fab way - I love it with those shorts for a different sort of twist to it, and I think it's just made to be worn with that new Everyday Bag from Nelly =)

N E L L Y | Release Review

So today we had a brand new drop of Nelly! It's been a little while since the last one, so a new collection is always refreshing! I love the advertising for this release, as featured above, it's quite urban and this new "Real Brand" branding is great! We got two floors, so lets take a look at them:

The store has an urban/hip feel to it, which is quite nice, albeit not really my personal style - it does however have a decent range of clothing and accessories which I do think will cover everyone's tastes =) Prices range from 9 to 28 SD's, which I do think is a little overpriced for what the items are - but I think if you just take some time looking over the pieces then you'll be able to stretch your SD's as far as they'll go! The collection still has a more summery feel to it, even though we're now into autumn (and it feels like it in my part of the UK - soooo glad I can still say that after the referendum result, I may live in Scotland, but I'm firmly in the 'No Thanks!' side) There is a good range of tops and bottoms - I love the Kayleigh Collar Top and the Twist It Down Tee, along with the Satin Runner Shorts. Despite the fact that they're summer pieces, I'm determined to get a couple of good autumn looks with all of these pieces!

I was pretty disappointed with the accessories as normally I love a lot of the shoes, but this time I ended up just picking up two pairs which I think will easily slide into my current shoe collection and probably get a decent amount of wear.

I ended up spending over 100SD's and purchasing the items below - I think I made some good choices on which pieces not to buy, and overall I'm pretty happy! If I have time I'll do a Styled Outfits post, however my Masters course has started at it's very full on and I'm tired ALLLLLL the time basically, so we'll have to see^ 

Be Yo'self

Yet another amazing Suite from Marbum - I love this one so much, it looks so simple, yet it'sbeen pretty complex to make with those doors, honestly I've no idea how people come up with great ideas just like that! *Please don't copy as that wouldn't be the kind, supportive thing to do!* But this is a bit of a double whammy post - I love love love her outfit too! The skirt and top were pretty much made for each other, but the top has been taken one step further with a little added creativity, it's great! Plus that lip colour AND hairstyle?!?! Just perfection!!!

Cropped and oversized

I loved this look from CleverSell featuring one of the newest Callie's Picks pieces! I've been pondering just how to wear my oversized sweater and stumbling upon this has definitely pushed me into the right direction! I love it with these cropped black trousers and great neon shoes, with the bright colour continuing with those red lips =D Fab choices with this one!

Beauty Snaps

-----emma-----

Summer is approaching so as a farewell to winter here is my Go To winter look! 

Dark colours are classic for winter and this amazing oversized jacked makes a any outfit!   

Tiered Black Coat • P P Q

Coco Dress • Archive   

Minimalist Alexander Heels • Bonjour Bizou   

Hey Dolls, 

I thought this outfit was the perfect one to show off my dolls new look!

This classic dress has been brought back to life and modernised with a subtle floral print. 

Amazing dress to go with a dark lip BUT REMEMBER! Choose your focus point on the face. You cant have a dark eye and a dark lip :P 

Hope you all LOVE my new look as much as i do! 

xoxo

Floral Printed Off Shoulder Dress • Decades

Black Charm Bracelet • Callie's Pick   

Jennifer Pumps • pals   

B L U S H E D T A P E R E D T R O U S E R S

And finally a traditional Styled Outfits post! I've missed these a lot, but find I end up doing Styled Outfits posts based on new releases and reviews so I do them a little differently - I should make more of an effort! Anyway, today I've gone for these trousers from It Girls. These have been out for agggggggeeeees, however I only purchased them this weekend after a little deep browsing in the Plaza, and they only cost me 50SC's, what a bonus!

I ended up styling them in 3 ways - and I think they're actually pretty similar, which I'm disappointed in myself at, but oh well! For me these are much more summery trousers, however they do look great with the burgundy cardi in the second look, so I feel they could look great in an autumn styled look, which I may have to try a little further into the season!

In the first look I love that I finally got to style the Dior cardi, I was worried that I'd made a wasted purchase there, but I definitely like it with these trousers.

My favourite thing about these trousers is how well they go with the Fendi shoes (third look) - I could have worn each of my pairs of Fendi shoes with them but went for some variety with the nude and black ones too^

What do you guys think of the trousers and my looks? Have you got them and styled them yourself? Let me see in the comments guys!!!

Beauty Snaps

Yasmin_-_

Yellow details

So.Fabulous always looks, well ... fabulous! And this look is no exception =) I had this skirt a long time ago but sold it because I just couldn't style it how I wanted it, and this makes me regret my decision so much - it looks amazing with denim! Who would have known?!?! And these yellow details are great, especially those print heels. I don't think I've seen them before, but this look is making me crave a visit to the Plaza or Bazaar to get myself a pair! Well done =D

And Today I Wore

Bought these trousers from the Bazaar over the weekend, and was then gifted this great cardi too - and I love how they work together! Kept the rest of the look simple with a basic black vest and heels and then added a pretty little bag. I have been using this bag a lot recently actually, it seems to be the first thing I go to when I look at my bag collection (In case you've been wondering, I keep all my clothes and accessories laid out and organised in various rooms of my suite which are all locked - sorry!)

Styled Outfits | S T R I K E A P O S E

I have been loving wearing the new Strike A Pose pieces over the weekend period, and I feel like they make my mind want to come up with super different ways to wear the pieces, I feel like with these, my doll has such a different vibe - I really truly love it!!! 

Let me know what you think of my looks so far =D 

Sleek in Dior

Such a pretty look from Shazaib12! I loved the shirt combination so much that I had to feature it =) The collar under the Beaded Couture Tee is a great idea and really gives it a different vibe. I also love their combination with these grey trousers along with the Dior Couture accessories, a high fashion minimalist look right on target I'd say =D

Bag in hand

So there's been Strike A Pose looks all over the place, and this was one I snapped quickly yesterday which I loved from AdeleSloan! For whatever reason, I didn't think to purchase any of these arm poses, I just bought the overcoats, so I won't have the chance to wear mine super cool-ly like this! The shade of the coat really goes well with the bag colours (an LE piece I probably wish I'd bought!) and also the skirt pattern - which I fell in love with as soon as her suite loaded. It's just great =) Also love the collared shirt and the necklace combination. The fact that the arms are holding the bag there just really 'make' this outfit in my opinion!

S T R I K E A P O S E | Release Review

So finally today we've had our latest does of Strike A Pose, which Stardoll announced yesterday and I think a lot of us have been looking forward too! I myself missed the last collection so I've been dying to get my hands on pieces like this - so lets check out what we got!

I love the presentation of the store, it's very current and urban, giving a great feel for the items and really makes them desirable I think! There was a good mix of tops/jackets along with skirts and bottom halves - and more basic items which don't change your pose, I love the Perfect Ripped Denim jeans (26SD, 700 pieces) for example and really can't wait to wear them! There's also a guys outfit available, making the collection more widely aimed and hopefully with future collections, there could be an expanded male range like has happened with LE in the past. 

Prices are great in my opinion, ranging from 20 to 140 SD's, but most items don't cost much more than the 60SD mark, which is great at making it very attainable. So in comparison to LE, YH and Tributes, the Strike A Pose items are a lot more popular in considering prices. The store was for SS only, as expected, and was also limited, which meant that the items really did sell out with a click of your fingers! I think it was about 15 minutes, which really doesn't give people much leeway at all.

I though I would purchase quite a lot as soon as I'd seen the spoilers, but after taking a little time trying things on, I think I made some wise choices and only ended up getting 6 items costing just under 300 SD's.

So also from the non-posed items I also bought the Tan Streetstyle Overcoat along with its Charcoal counterpart - it does seem a little silly having a posed store and then, of half the items I bought, they weren't posed! But they are great items to have, and with only 800 of each available, people did go kinda crazy over them! I went for the Sequin Trousers W Blazer (70SD, 100 pieces) as my on-the-fence piece, I think if I hadn't bought then I would have regretted it, so I look forward to challenging myself to come up with a variety of different looks for them. And then for top half clothing I couldn't resist the Fashion Shoot Pose (45SD, 1000 pieces) and the Stockholm Jacket W Purse (45SD, 800 pieces) which I think both have quite an elegant/classic feel to them!

Overall, I can't wait to wear each of the pieces and also see how others wear theirs! What did you guys buy? And how have you worn the items so far?

Keeping it stylish

The biggest stardoll event of the year has rolled around again and the dolls are looking FIERCE! 

Im sure a lot of you are like me and dont like to have youre gowns as your topstyles? 

Which is why I created this look, it is a sophisticated elegant look that keeps my doll looking presentable yet casual. 

I hope you all enjoy this look as much as i do and play around with it. P.S Let me know what you think of the new hair I created ;P

xoxo

Sharp White Cape Blazer • RIO

Cropped Tee • Bonjour Bizou   

Marlin Trousers • Miss Sixty   

Elie Black Handbag • Royalty

 Ripley Peep Toes • Bonjour Bizou

Styling Shoes Challenge #3 | Bow Sandals

So #3 of the challenge, and this time I styled the Bow Sandals from It girls which were released in the early spring this year. I bought them pretty quickly because of their velvet style texture and their chunky platform heel, however have been struggling to style them for a while - what better a time than the present to give that a go, eh! I was going to show some variety and include a dress or a skirt with my stylings, however I was just going to use a white one and that would look a little boring, so I will say they go great with white or pale dresses! My looks here are focused on trousers/jeans and I think ankle grazers or a slightly higher hem look great so you can really use that bow.

For my first look I ended up choosing these baby pink HotBuys jeans from Pretty 'n Love, I love the colour with the burgundy of the shoes, I think they play off each other really well and aren't your typical red and pink combination. The rest of the outfit was kept simple with a loose cream blouse (Pet-a-Porter Clothes Horse 2012) and this amazing cream Givenchy bag. 

Next I chose a basic essential of everyones closet - black leggings! These ones are from Nelly but there are plenty out there to choose from. With this one I also finally got around to using this top/wasitcoat/dress/coat thing that was released in Callie's Picks a while ago - I've always been unsure how to style it, do I wear it as a dress with nothing underneath on the bottom half? Can I wear something underneath on the top half? All these questions I had no idea how to address but I've finally settled on bottom half underneath with this! I really like this actually, not sure I went with the right bag choice in choosing Dior Couture, however it's something I could see being worn as an everyday look but could look great in the evening for a more casual event =)

For my final look I went immediately for these HotBuys ripped jeans {At the time of writing these are still available in the Plaza in the It Girls store} - if anyone has been on my suite the past week, you might not have seen me out of these, I love love love them so much!!! Went for a classic combination really with the breton top (Decades, SC's - Bazaar for this one I'm afraid) and Nelly Medley Jacket along with one of my current favourite necklaces (I think I must use it in at least on Styled Outfit every post just about!)

Much longer description with this post of the challenge - oops! And I tried to include more links of the things that you can get in the Plaza still, do you guys like this addition to the blog? I'm the only one which does it, so I like this little unique touch we have here at The Stardoll Lookbook =) What do you guys think of the looks? Which do you like best? And what do you think of the shoes now? Comment below!!!

And Today I Wore

I was overjoyed over the weekend to be given this dress from my Wishlist for such a great price from an admirer of the blog - you know who you are, I couldn't stop praising your kindness all weekend to just about anyone who would listen! So today I'm wearing it - and it really doesn't need much styling at all! It's from the very first DvF collection which unbelievably came out 4 years ago =O I've been looking for it for at least 3 of those years! Anyway, I went for simple white heels, best stick to a classic with this wonderful dress =)

And a Suite on a Monday too!

I have no creativity for post titles! But anyway, have to feature another Suite, this time from Marbum - who I have most definitely featured Suite rooms from before because they are breathtaking! The simplicity is perfect and there is just the right amount of flair in there to show off a great personality and style. There are quite a lot of items, but their arrangement in a non-cluttered manner is what makes the design great =D