N O V E M B E R 2019 | Hotbuys Review

Ok so at least I am happier with this months Hotbuys than last month - these are a step up, but sure don't meet the great Hotbuys expectations that I have! I really like the bold colour scheme for this month, the blue/purple hues really catch my attention and do well to draw me in, as do the white accessories. For me this is a little of a step up - hopefully 2020 Hotbuys get back up their with the styles and trends^

F I R S T I M P R E S S I O N S

Heart Blouse - I'm so glad this piece is first, I adore it so much! It's sheer all over, but the dark pink colour makes it easier to work around. The purple glitter is definitely a little showy for the heart printed details covering the piece, but I think it works out ok. I love the overall shape of the piece with the puffed sleeves and the ruffled collar design, it's super cute and I'm a little surprised not to have seen anyone wear this yet! Pretty 'N Love 23SD's

Furry Bag - For me, this is such a fun trend piece to add to my bag collection - it's white and it's fluffy, it ticks the winter-style boxes for sure! These pieces are all over the RL high-street right now so I'm quite glad to have one for my doll. I know for sure it won't be for everyone, but I can see this working Winter after Winter, I'm excited^ It Girls 22SD's 

Glitter Pant - Ok, so these ones aren't so much for me - I have nothing against going all out with the glitter for trousers, but the purple isn't quite my thing this time. The style of the trousers is also not quite right for me if I'm going for glitter. I think they look awesome in the styling in the advertising, but otherwise versatility might be an issue. Original Future 23SD's

White Boots - So this month both pairs of shoes are white and boots, which does give a bit of choice, and means it's unlikely people will buy both pairs. For me this first pair are the weaker of the two. The details aren't so defined, and I didn't find them hugely flattering on my doll. I'm giving these a pass over the pair coming up! Velvet Orchid 14SD's

Oversized Jacket - Wow what a jacket, I really quite like it! Which might be a bit of a surprise as it's not what I wear often, but I love the blue colour and I like the shorter jacket length while it still has a chunky vibe to it. The fit on the doll is very nice too, I really think it works out very well =) It Girls 23SD's

Glitter Hat - This is another one that isn't so much for me, mostly because I'm just not a hat person, they're one of the last accessories that I think about. I really like the blue colour and the silver detailing is pretty seasonally appropriate. It's styled to be worn on the side of the head, which is fine. I think it could look pretty cool with the right outfit, and with someone who is good with hats^ Evil Panda 16SD's 

Pink Flared (Dress) - Ok, so I'm really not on board with this dress - I mean I think the SD team have done a good job in making it alike the original, but the style is too confusing for me! I like aspects of it, but alone and not together, like the blue with the silver print in a spaghetti strap is a fab idea, I'd love that without all the pink ruffle detail - which really make it a much less versatile piece. It's also pretty expensive, for that money I need something I will want to wear all the time. Pretty 'N Love 32SD's

Cowboy Boots - Our second pair of white boots, and these are a winner for me! I've been quite attracted to cowboy style boots this year and these really tick all the boxes, I like the pointed toe and the contrasting black sole and heel. The body of the boot has some nice details too, and I like the fit of these around the ankle of the doll - these will be great come next Spring and Summer =D It Girls 17SD's

Leggings - These are also not so great a piece in this collection, black tights I can do, but these are coloured and patterned, I'm not so sure how well they will work in stylings. I'm sure someone will really like them and make them work out well for their style, but these really aren't my thing. Evil Panda 18SD's

Furry Coat - The month does end on a high though with this coat, I love it! I'm a huge fan of white and also faux fur over the winter season, this really fits my style perfectly^ It's an oversized long coat, a popular style of the moment, and I think it looks amazing on the doll. I've seen a lot of people style this up already so I think it will be a popular piece this year =D Bizou 26SD's

F E A T U R E S

The Furry Coat was a super popular piece, and everyone is working it well in their own different styles. First up is --Kayley and I love the pop of purple leopard with the coat, it looks super fun! And the layered white shirt beneath adds a smart vibe. Love the accessories too, these boots are fab in their deep purple and adore this little emerald bag - these dark jewel tones are awesome for sure^

Ajenkam is also wearing the the Furry Coat, and it's still looking super cool with this smart styling. Love the pleat in these grey trousers and the white top balances the look well with the white booties, which I also love^ The pearl belt is a great touch and the pop of orange in the bag gives such a fun twist to the styling =)

S T Y L I N G S

Now for my stylings, I'm saving the Furry Coat for a post of it's own because I really love it, so styling up the other pieces for this post. Firstly the Heart Blouse which I just love so much, I don't think I did the best I could have with this, I found bottomhalves a little tricky as the blouse hem is quite high. I didn't have anything quite perfect, I think these trousers work ok, but they're not the best choice - as much as I hate to say it, but the purple glitter would be super cool^ I did pick out great shoes, these pink ones fit well with the colour, and I picked a fun bag - I'm looking forward to working with this piece more. Next up pairing the Oversized Jacket and Furry Bag together, and I definitely love this look! The white looks so crisp with the bold of the blue, and I think these boots are a fantastic choice to pair with the jacket, they're a perfect balance with all of the white in the look. I'm definitely excited to work with this pairing again =) And finally the Cowboy Boots in not so much a Wintery styling, however I'm sure they'd work with tights in this case too. I think they look super cool with dresses, and I like balancing out equal amounts of black and white in the styling. The frilling along the hem of the dress is a cool detail and I think it helps bring out the details in the boots too.

Folded lengths

I absolutely adored this cool minimal styling from --Kayley recently - these colours are perfect together and perfect for current trends! I love the layering of the maxi grey dress, something I've always struggled to make look good, with this navy top, the colours look great together, and the folded back styling of the top is perfect against the leg split in the dress, totally genius^ The white trousers make it a more seasonally-appropriate look and I love that addition. The bag is minimal but stands out and I love the shoe choice, something a little different with the printing, the kitten heel is great!

R O Y A L T Y | Styled Outfits

The last Royalty store release was a pretty good one, with a floor of new fun designer-styled pieces to enjoy for the Autumn/Winter season! I didn't feel like there was quite enough for me to write a whole review about, so I've styled up my purchases for you today. I really liked the silky and flowing styles in this release, so while I haven't bought them, the Neon Collar Skirt and Green Satin Dress are pretty cool pieces, and the colours also make them really stand out. And the Star Shoes Pink are pretty fabulous, they will really be quite perfect for holiday party stylings =)

First up I've paired the Pink Turtleneck and the White Handbag which are both very versatile pieces, they will work with so many different colours too, but I really love them with these smart white trousers. The bag still manages to pop out even with more white, which I love. Kept accessories minimal, but totally loving these black and pink shoes with the look^ For the second style I've gone with the Wool Coat, not so versatile being a pink and green combination, but I think it works and I adore the design of this piece with the belting and the open neckline, it works really nicely. I've added even more pink which I totally love, and with the blue lining to the coat in the backpiece, I decided to continue that with the polo and the bag - it's pretty cute^ I'd love to work some green with this next time though =D And for the final styling, the Fendi Inspired Bag which I just love so much! It's got a base of black which will work in many looks, but has white and orange highlights which open up so many options for it^ This look was the easiest to put together and I think it works out very nicely balancing all of the colours from the bag. I'm excited to wear this one again!

H O T B U Y S R E V I S I T E D | November 2018

I have to say, I think November 2018 might have been one of the most successful Hotbuys months of all time - well, for me at least, what about you guys? These pieces are classics, I bought almost everything, and they're some of the pieces I reach to the most in my wardrobe - they've really been completely worth the SD's! As I wear the pieces a lot, it's hard to pick out the lesser-worn items to style up again, so I'll pick what I haven't worn in a little while and today will style the Throw On Blazer and the Monile Bag:

These two looks, unintentionally, fit together quite nicely with their pink hues - I'm pretty happy with the outcome of these looks for Autumnal stylings. First with the jacket, I stuck with neutral beige tones, I love keeping with the whole colour for the clothes, it's a trend I'm all over! I layered up further with a polo beneath the sweater and I really like this look, the colour matches well with the accessories. In the second look I was looking for something more gold themed, but then this velvet suit caught my eye, the stripe colours work out very nicely with the bag! I kept with the layering theme, this brown polo works great with the colours in the suit. I added a little gold in the necklace and I think this works nicely with the bag. And kept the shoes in line with the long trousers being in a metallic pink, I really like that a lot^ I'm super pleased with these stylings, I'd wear either of these again =D

B A S I C S | Styled By You / / Styled By Me

This recent-ish Basics release really was a great one with some fantastic clothing pieces themed on neutral tones with blues thrown in, really versatile items to add to our wardrobes! First up an amazing feature from isajapa styling up the Long Coat Beige - the design of which is just stunning! I love the dark colours paired in this look, the black trouser style is great with the coat, and the layering of the red velvet jacket and the white shirt tucked into the trousers with the chunky belt is super cool. The jewelled accessories are also fab, the little brooch detail is a perfect addition for this style =)

I really went a little overboard with this release and bought a lot of stuff! It's great that it's all in SC's because there are so many options for all of the pieces and they've super stylish in their own rights too. First up the lightest of looks, with the Satin Skirt Beige which I really like for both the texture and midi-split leg style. The colours all look great, but I particularly like this beige for my doll. I styled it up super minimally with a cream sweater and matching booties, and I think it's such a cute pairing, great for Autumnal vibes^ Also accessorised with a necklace, I really like that little aspect in here. Tried out a lot of bags but nothing was perfect, so that will be my next style-task! Secondly pairing the Knitted Sweater Black and Long Coat Dark Teal - I love black and navy together, I know it's not for everyone, but I really like how it looks and I love the outcome of this outfit! I think the amounts of each colour balance well, with the black clothing beneath the jacket, then the addition of the black bag and sunglasses playing off the size of the coat and these shiny navy booties - they're really my favourite part to the look =D And for the final look, the Satin Shirt Black, also styled up with blue, just a different tone this time. I like the style of the shirt and the trousers together, I've added more black with the jacket, bag and earrings, which again balance around the trousers nicely. Added a blue bag this time, and I think it also works out well, the colour is a little clashy with the blue, but the size is perfect and I quite like the slight off-ness to it!

S U B C O U T U R E | Release Review

It's Subcouture weekend! I love these releases, as there's the special quality that they're limited, but there's a little time to really think about the pieces which you want or not. I like the effect of the minimal style of the advertising, it draws me in for sure^

Highlights The release has two floors with 9 outfits in total, including one for the guys. There is a more street-style and casual vibe to the pieces which I like for the current season and trends. I also like the more muted colour scheme with the flashes of colour, I think it makes for an effective collection.

Accessories There are just bags and shoes for accessories, I don't mind so much as I like the choice that we have with these. There are 3 bags to pick from, I'm really leaning towards the shoulder bags, the Green Leather Bag which is a structured box bag in an army green colour and the Metallic Shoulder Bag which is black with two bag parts to it with some really nice intricate details - both look good on the doll and are great for the Autumn season, plus aren't really things we've had something like before. In terms of shoes there is a focus on boots, with 4 pairs available, I totally love the Flower Boots, these are right up my street with the neutral base and the bold red/orange flower print, perfect to stand out in outfits! And there are also a pair of trainers, the Yellow Sneakers which are in the popular chunky bold colour style, as a fan of yellow these naturally catch my eye with the bright yellow and red sections to them, they look pretty good^

Clothing The winners of the clothing in this release are really the bottomhalf pieces, great options from the trousers and skirts this time! The Melange Trousers are a great pair of trendy trousers, the fit is current with a loose style, and the colour is great for the upcoming Winter. Midi skirts are still going strong with the Pleated Skirt in a fabulous yellow and the Asymmetrical Pleated Skirt which has a flared style to it with a nice panelled section in blue - I really love both pieces, they'll be great for fun Winter stylings! I like the idea of a navy knitted midi dress, but the large open sections of the Cut Out Bodycon Dress are offputting, which is a little of a shame. I'm a little on the fence about the Yellow Fringe Coat, I do love yellow, and the overcoat style is really great and fits the doll very nicely but I'm just not 100% convinced about something with it, just not sure what - I need convincing! And of course the advertising for the store completely sold me on the Oversized Pullover, really love the colour for something a little different to what we're used to, and love the chunky knitted style to the piece. While it's a sweater and layers nicely, it also works well as a dress, so there's a few options for it too^

Prices This release ranges from 14 to 36SD's which is pretty average for Subcouture. The release is limited in terms of this weekend only, until midnight on Monday 25th. There are some SS-only items in this release, but the majority is available for everyone.

Styled Outfits I bought quite a few pieces from the release and I look forward to wearing everything! First up the Flower Boots styled super minimally with beige so the colour really pops out, I love that - but there are also plenty of other options for them! I matched my bag to them too, love bringing this piece out again for sure, it works really nicely =) Second up pairing the Melange Trousers and the Yellow Sneakers, these trousers are very versatile there are so many dressed up or down options for them. I picked out my colours based on the trainers, with yellow and red there are plenty of options for accessories, I couldn't resist choosing some of my favourites^ And finally the Oversized Pullover and the Metallic Shoulder Bag in what I think is my favourite look of this set. I layered up the sweater with a navy dress, because navy is such a dreamy combination with this sweater. And also navy boots, love getting to wear these too! I like the bag with this sweater for the jewels on it, they're a pretty good colour fit with that of the sweater - I'll definitely repeat this combination =D

Features And a couple of features, first up ajenkam styling the Oversized Pullover - wearing it over trousers was my next outfit choice for this one^ The black makes a big contrast, but I think it works well and the accessories are very nicely chosen with the gold detail on the boots and the design on the bag breaking up the colour a bit - totally love it!

And then we have Lawliet. wearing the Puff Jacket and maybe convincing me I should try this out! I like the mixing of the textures, the velvet-style to the jacket looks great against the leather of the trousers and boots, and the shirt hems add a softer touch overall. Love the sleek accessorising here =)

Print Clashes

Back to my favourite thing, mixing and matching prints! Went all out with adding a lot of glitter too! I absolutely love the little detail in the shirt – faux fur collar! Perfect for autumn time and pre-Christmas parties, right? 

Sparkly Navy

My choice for this grey and cold November Sunday was all navy. The sequined blazer and shoes really make this feel luxurious and chic, doesn't them? The coat is from men's department actually, but it does look nice on a female body too, the shoulders are a bit off though, but let's try to ignore that!