C A L L I E S P I C K S | Release Review

This week brought the next installment of Callie's Picks to the Plaza and it was very aptly themed 'Fashion Week Wonders' which I think is perfect for the time^ And I think it's just what we were needing in the Plaza =D

Two floors filled with fashionable, on-trend, and wanted pieces for us to choose from this time! I think there's a great range in the floors in both styles and number of items from each clothing category, I really think this release caters fairly wide =D I'm very fortunate to have quite a few of the pieces that I would want already from this collection, so I didn't find myself wanting to purchase a huge amount of items this time. I decided to compose this one a little differently this time to see if it was something I liked or not - let me know what you think in the comments!

Accessories The first thing I notice is the huge amount of Tribute pieces in the accessories this time around, that's awesome and gives you a chance to get some of the popular pieces^ So in shoes there are a whopping 10 pairs available, that must be some sort of record! And they come in a range of heel heights, styles and colours too. I kind of immediately go to the boots and booties in this release, with the Black Pleather Tall Boots really standing out in the collection - I bought the Gucci pair a few years back in the Bazaar but I'm glad they're here because I think they deserve a lot more love than they have had, so I look forward to seeing what people do with them =) Then there's also the Silver Cutout Victorian Boots which stand out to me, the shape is quite quirky but in a stylish way that could look great in stylings, so I'm glad to be able to get these! In the heels category my eyes immediately go to the Dior White Couture Heels, again another piece I have, but they are awesome, I think people have been definitely wanting them for a while! The Tribute theme continues well into the bags, with the Silver Baguette (Fendi), Valentino Bow Purse (Valentino), Chanel Box Handbag (Chanel) and the Interlock Fendi Tote (Fendi). These are all great pieces, perfect for Fashion Week stylings I think! There's a couple of extra things in the accessories too, like the White Bunny Shades, Chanel Headphones, Gucci Pendant Necklace and the Hide My Face Hat.

Dresses There are a good amount of dresses in this release, again with an emphasis on the Tribute pieces with 4 of the 5 choices from Tribute stores! The non-Tribute piece, the Faux Feathers Corset Dress looks pretty cool and I don't think I've ever seen anyone style it before. It has a great fit and I think the colours are fab and will work great with a number of other pieces! And then the Tribute items, with both the Hidden Corset Bodice Dress and Clover Applique Gown from Dior and then also the Mini Strapped Flower Dress (this was super recent I think!) and the Starburst Slip Dress (for all those Sonia Rykiel lovers^). There is a reasonable choice of styles and colours between these pieces, and the olden-day SR fan in me really wants me to repurchase the Starburst Slip Dress even though I'm unlikely to wear it!

Tophalves So this covers both the tops and shirts and also the outerwear pieces in the release. There are some amazing inclusions in the tops with this release, and although I'm someone who has them already, it's a great opportunity for them to be bought again, and here I'm all about the White Cape Top, Neoprene Bodysuit and Clean Cut Shirt - what a fab bunch of great items for you^ I for one wear the Neoprene Bodysuit at least once a week so it's one piece that's worth the money! With outerwear there is a good variety of pieces, the Boardwalk Jacket is an older piece that will no doubt be popular with both its style and colours, while there are also newer pieces like the Dark Metallic Coat and Striped Cashmere Shawl. Both are pieces I've owned and since sold as I wasn't a fan of styling them, but maybe some of you guys will get good use of them!

Bottomhalves Not so many pieces in this category, but there are definitely winners in the midi skirt choices available! The Lilac Pleated Skirt has been popular and very wanted for quite a while for a lot of people, so this will no doubt make people happy because it's got great potential for so many looks! Then there's also the Fashion Jog Skirt - I'm very on the fence about this, I quite like the style but not so much how it sits low on the hips of the doll, but then again I've seen some good styles with it ... just not sure it's right for me ... convince me please!

Prices These range from 5 to 60SD's, which is huge, but it's literally only one Tribute bag at that price (definitely not ideal!) and most things are pretty reasonable and on track with previous releases. Nothing is SS or Royalty only and there are a couple of SC pieces on offer - so that's always good^

Features First up, the Boardwalk Jacket, which I've seen on so many dolls, in two different styles. This one is from LediGaga12 who wears it as a focal point to the look. I love the grey trousers and the addition of tassels as they really reinvent the jacket and make it look like a different piece. Classic white accessories stand out really nicely against the colours in the jacket =D

Also wearing the Boardwalk Jacket is ThePerpetua, who also styles the White Bunny Shades and the Detailed Pink Socks. I love the different positioning of the jacket, it shows off the long sleeves and the pretty collar of the piece below, and I think it looks great with the miniskirt too^ The socks really tie together with it sure to the slight pink hue which goes well with the same tone in the jacket =D

And then lastly Isabella8103 styling the Lilac Pleated Skirt. The colours stand out beautifully in this cosy yet stylish look. I love the long sleeved grey sweater with the skirt, they're a super match and they grey compliments the pastel tones nicely. It's been super styled up with a jewelled bag, some big shades and awesome matching heels =)