L I M I T E D E D I T I O N 5 0 | Release Review

May brought us a brand new Limited Edition release - and it's LE50, I can't believe we're 50 collections in, so crazy! We got a little warning of an upcoming release the day before which is really perfect for preparing for the chaos that LE releases usually are. I was really stoked for this one so lets get into the collection:

This collection definitely has an impact - it's a glamorous release and I think the interior setting of the store is an eye-catching base for the collection to sit against. I would have loved Stardoll to have made a bit more of a deal that this was the 50th release of LE, but I do think the collection is a pretty good one for it. Starting off with accessories and there's a pretty wide choice. There are 6 pairs of shoes, all quite glamorous heels and I really like 3 of these pairs - the Metallic Ombre Heels which are in a fabulous metallic pink, the Golden High Heels with a very fancy feathered design on the back half, and the Gold Stripe Heels which look like classic Louboutins. Generally none of the shoes are particularly unique to the Plaza, but I think they're solid designs that will naturally be quite easy to wear. For bags there are 7 to choose from, which makes me happy as I really do love a good bag selection! I ended up buying 3, but honestly could have bought them all, I think this is a great set of bags in this release. The pieces are all quite different so hopefully enough choice for everyone. I loved the Pearl Purse at first sight, I really like pearl accessories and this round bag is such a well-styled piece. I also really loved the Fan Bag when I first saw it, while it's quite a trend piece, the style is simple and I think it will look great with many different outfits, plus the neutral colour plays well to that too. I also think the size of this one is very nice. The Pink Hand Bag is the boldest of the pieces in a bright pink, I love the simple style to this one but I do think it's quite oversized - I'd love it a bit more if it was smaller. And the last one to mention is the Gold Detailed Bag, which is another round piece this time in a fabulous espresso brown and gold design, I think this is super stylish and really quite a unique piece so I'm excited to style this. The release also has quite a number of jewellery and other accessory pieces, which is really great to see. There is a cute set of pearl items with the Pearl Beret, Pearl Bracelet, Pearl Shades, and Pearl Oversized Earrings which I think is super sweet. There are also some fantastic metal pieces, like the Gold Collar Necklace and paired Twisted Necklace and Bracelet set. My favourite is perhaps a little simple, but I think the Black Hoop Earrings will be a versatile addition to my earring collection =)

The clothes of this release weren't so much my thing, I found pieces a little bit less wearable than many of the accessories - but that's just my preference and I've seen many of the pieces styled by you guys in cool ways^ There are not so many dresses in this release, which is a good thing as other pieces can be worn in more ways, but the ones there are quite nice. The Crystal Fan Dress sure stands out on the first floor, it's all about those sparkles and the dramatics. I do really like the simplicity of the Black Dress, particularly when paired with the Silver Chest Plate, the style is beautifully elegant and I think it looks fab on the doll, I just don't think I could do it justice with my style preferences. There are quite a few co-ord sets in the collection, like the White Chain Top and Skirt which really jumps out in the store, I love the floating light fabric, and the Leather Body and Pants set, but I think the Pearl Top and Silk Skirt With Ankle Cuffs really is the winning set, it just looks awesome and is completely different to anything we've had before. I do have to say though I was a little tempted with the Pink Net Top and Pants, I think it could be something quite fun, but I decided too late and they were sold out! I think they will definitely also style well as separates. The Draped Leather Jacket is quite a stand out piece from the release, all those folds and layers really draw you in to look into the details, it's such a power piece. Also in leather I thought the Flower Leather Skirt was a cute piece and would make for some very nice Autumn/Winter styling so this is one of the pieces I did get. While on the topic of skirts, the Silver Dragon Skirt is also quite fabulous, it's got so much detail in it and really makes me think of some of the classic LE collections - it's the definition of an LE piece, at least to me. And one final piece to mention, which is something I also bought and I *think* might be my favourite piece of the release, the Shiny Jacket! It's pink and shimmery and has a leopard-style print, plus the fit of the piece is great, I loved this piece at first sight and it's the one I rushed to buy when the collection was released. And as a plus, it came in both male and female versions. I'm a little surprised that I've not seen anyone else style this yet, but I'm excited to share my outfit for it =D

F E A T U R E S

First up in the features is Bianca.Vos combining the White Braided Top Men, Gold Stripe Heels and the Crystal Mini Purse - what a combination and all the pieces hold their own^ This look is effortless elegance, the mesh piece layers wonderfully with the sheer maxi pieces adding great detail into this dress, those sheer sleeves really transform the piece, I love it! The shoes are just on show beneath the sheer layers and the colour is perfect for the clothing. The bag in a darker colour pops nicely but balances with the black nail polish and the fantastic hairstyle chosen. So much love for this look =D

Next up, a bold styling from harpie who wears both the Pink Net Top and Pink Net Pants which is just super fun. I was so tempted by these trousers and this styling really almost sold me on them, it makes the pieces look very wearable and even almost a little versatile. The dress layered on top is a fantastic idea, it adds an extra layer of detail and I love the draping fabric across the piece, really it's great! The sparkling accessories are also fab, adore the chunky necklace and earrings a lot^

Thirdly is Yelich, styling up both the Pearl Top and Cocktail Glass Bag in this very glamorous outfit, while it's not something I would wear, it's amazing! The jewelled skirting is a great fit with the top, I think it's a great fit for the pearls and I think the tiny dotted tights beneath just add another layer, I really love the combination^ The accessories are simple and I think the bag works well with everything, especially the simple shoes. What a styling!

Now we have Achrome wearing the Pearl Purse, Gold Rings Left and Right, and the Pearl Bracelet in a very golden styling, exactly how to catch my attention! The clothing pieces are beautiful but make a great base to show off the new LE pieces. The rings and the bag look beautiful, but I love the creativity in the use of the bracelet at the open neckline of the shirt, it looks great there. And it goes well with the other pearl jewellery items included. Simple and stylish =)

Something a little darker now, AngelinaVer styles up the Silver Dragon Skirt with some fabulous dressy pieces. Even though the skirt has a lot of detail itself, I think it works well with this detailed top, the designs on which do look like they could be dragon-esque too so I think it works well together. The simple accessories work well and the silver pieces really help the dragon scales to pop from the outfit, I love it^

Our final feature brings us fabulous Winter glamour - LeGodja has styled up the Snow White Fur and is looking amazing as always! The fur is layered ontop of a fabulous pearl/jewelled dress and I think the two are perfect for each other. While the accessories are simple, this is just right so that the fur and the sparkle of the skirt take centre stage. The heels have a little gem on them which makes them a simple but fitting choice and the bag and sunglasses fit well with the black of the shoes. So cool!

L I M I T E D E D I T I O N | Release Review

I was pretty excited at the prospect of a new LIMITED EDITION release a few weeks ago, it's been a while and we're ready for a fresh collection! We were told about the release the day before, and on the day itself a few spoilers were released of a couple of the looks - from those I wasn't too hopeful that this collection would suit me, but I kept an open mind and I'm glad I did. Let's get on and take a look at the 48th LE collection:

I am really quite impressed with this collection - to start with, no, the overall vibe of the collection is not hugely my style, but this collection covers 4 floors and they're all pretty packed with looks. It's great to see a large collection back again after a long time. Whilst the looks presented on the mannequins in the store aren't my style, it's all about looking at pieces individually, because when I do that I see a number of great items in this collection - I'm pretty excited about it^ There are 19 looks for female dolls and 2 for males, these are just re-makes of some of the female pieces, so really there could have been a few additional mannequins with more pieces included. Getting to the accessories first! There are 9 pairs of shoes on offer, which is a lot for one collection and I love it. All are heeled pairs and there are a mix of shoes/sandals and boots. The boots definitely seem more Autumn/Winter, particularly as most of them are black. I'm quite a fan of both the Cut Out Boots with their legs covered in gold eyelets, and the Fanged Boots with their very cool golden fang heel and little golden fangs all over the leg. Both pairs seem pretty wearable and will stand out well in a more neutral styling showing off those details. The Gold Long Boots are definitely a stand out shoe! I like the shade of gold and their texture, plus the over the knee style, however that platform is huuuuge, which is something that really makes me not want to buy them, but I'm sure the style suits some of you well. The platform on the Leather Belted Boots is much kinder, these are quite a pretty boot, but my reservation about these is that there's a lot of detail up the leg which you wouldn't want to hide with clothing, but it means clothing is restricted to something quite short or perhaps a skintight trousers which feels a little limiting for me. The last pair of boots to mention is the Long Ripped Jeans Boots which I think are pretty cute, I like the idea of the denim and I think the style is a nice versatile one that will work well for a lot of people. Onto the heels/sandals, the matching Black Heels and Gold Heels (although these are definitely yellow to me) stand out - they're sleek shoes and a perfect versatile style for Summer. And lastly are the Neon Transparent Heels which really pop in the store. I love their mule style and the gem strap across the foot, the neon colour definitely adds an extra fun touch to them. Despite being neon I think these will be easy to style and a popular choice. There are only 2 bags in the collection, however they're both pretty nice ones. The Two Tigers Bag stood out to me first, I'm completely sold on the black with gold details. I also love that the long strap is gathered and held in the hand, that's a nice design element to the piece along with the croc leather to the body of the bag, it feels like it's been a long time since we've had something with this texture. Then is the Gold Chain Purse which is another quite neutral piece, the body of the bag is a checkerboard with black, white and grey squares and the chunky gold handle really pops. I think this looks nice as a piece held more like a clutch, but I would love an option to have it over the shoulder too. The final piece to mention in the accessories is the Pearl Necklace, the only jewellery item the store has, I'm just a little disappointed that it's a beauty parlor piece as it may get forgotten about, but it's still a lovely piece, I like the close fit to the neck and I think the chunky pearls really stand out nicely.

Now for the clothing. The first floor of the store stands out with the clear black and gold theme - I really like that as I love a theme and I think these outfits and pieces all look great together. The styles aren't so much my thing as everything is a little skimpy. The Black Bodysuit looks pretty great and is definitely a more classic style than the other pieces, I like the combination of the smart blazer style with the bodysuit design. The Tulle Net Dress also really stands out on this floor, the design is so intricate, and even though it's not something I would wear, I can really appreciate that it's a beautiful piece and I look forward to seeing others wear it! The Gold Strings Mini Dress and the Strapped Mini Dress remind me of older styles of LE pieces, so again although I wouldn't wear them, I like seeing designs like that included. The Chain Link Puffer is a fun piece, and actually I don't mind the puffer-jacket style with the black sheen against the chains around the edges, but it's quite an oversized piece and find it swamps my doll a little. I've not seen anyone wear this yet so would love to see someone try it out^ The other three floors are a little less dark and bring some splashes of colour to the collection, there's plenty of places for your eyes to look here. Greens and blues seem to be a little of a running theme across the floors, and I really like these pieces. First up are the Feather Green Pants (still available if you want to buy them!) which I think are fabulous! They won't be to everyones taste, but I really like them, they're a unique design and they fit the doll well, plus the colour is stand out. The Lace Jumpsuit also brings bold in green, I think the idea of green lace is fun and the piece has a retro vibe to it - for me I'd love this more as a separate blouse and trouser set as I'd wear each piece separately rather than together. The Sequined Tie Shirt is definitely a more wearable green piece, the colour is a little more muted but still bold and the fit of this piece is lovely on the doll, I really like the open neckline and the waist tie along with the more fitted style. And then there are some dresses on offer too which I think are pretty special pieces. The Organic Fishnet Dress is beautiful, the colour is more muted than the other green pieces and the net detailing is fantastic. And then there is the Feather Mini Dress which just looks amazing, I love this a lot and it's still available to buy so I'm very tempted. The blue and green feathers are mixed with silver sequins in the top half of the piece, it just looks stunning! There are a number of other stand-out dresses in the store and I like the range of themes and colours to them, there really is something for everyone. The Cut Out Zebra Dress is a little more of a risque piece but I like the glitter on it and I can see it will be popular with some dolls. Much more my taste is the Starry Dress in such pretty pink tones. Style-wise this is much more modest with a high neck and long sleeves - but look at that shoulder puff, it's fabulous and I love the draping stars all around the hem. Onto some top-half pieces, the PVC Transparent Top looks pretty cool and I've seen a couple of looks really selling this to me. The Fishnet Gem Tunica really surprised me, it's not my usual style being a less-is-more on the fabric front, but I love the red gems as they stand out so much. Then there is also the Zebra Coat which does seem a little out of place in the collection but I think it's a pretty nice piece and it definitely stands out for being different. 

T S L T O P T H R E E

Feather Green Pants | Fishnet Gem Tunica | Starry Dress

This was a tough choice because I could have easily picked a few more than three, in the end it was clothing that won out! These are the pieces that I'm most excited about wearing over and over again even if I'm repeating looks^

F E A T U R E S

First up is GeraKowall styling up the Zebra Coat - this piece looks so much better outside of the store and it really shines! The bold pink of the skirt works beautifully with the print, in fact I think many bold colours would do well with it. And I love the jewelled kitten heels, they're such a cute yet glamorous touch to the look. The floral belt is very sweet, not an obvious choice but I think one that works very nicely =)

Next up is a much darker look, here yelich styles both the Tulle Net Dress and Leather Belted Boots in a fabulous way^ The shoes still pop out amongst the tulle and netting of the skirted pieces, it's a great way to wear them and despite all of the black clothing they really do stand out. The netting manages to stand out nicely against the knit of the sweater, it's a fun contrast to try and really makes the piece seem more wearable. I also love the accessories, the little silver hoops look great with the sheen of the bag!

The next features are somewhat lighter, here is Mery.- wearing the Organic Fishnet Dress in a beautiful layered look. The green stands out beautifully against the neutral top and trousers as base pieces, and the details in the netting really pop and catch the eye. I love the added layering of the jacket on top, both the style and colour of it suit the look well. The delicate accessories are beautiful touches, I love the jewellery and this bag in particular^

Next up is Millaxx who also styles the Organic Fishnet Dress but quite differently, really highlighting what versatility a net dress can have! The colour of the sweater is a perfect fit for the dress, it looks like the two were made for each other especially with the ripped hem styling the sweater has, it's perfect with the netting. The accessories in pink are a beautiful touch, they look so good with the green, really love the bag, earrings and sunglasses combination, plus the perspex heels make a good final addition =D

And last but not least another dark look to end on, this time from Miloshki who wears the PVC Transparent Top in a very cool rock-chick way, not sure I could pull off this style so well but I still love it! The design on the top really stands out against the pale skin tone and I think the other black clothing pieces in the look do well at fitting in but making sure the piece stands out on its own. The leather jacket particularly is such a great piece for the top^ I love the minimal take on accessories, these chunky boots and the structured bag really hold their own on that front, so great =)

Layers in beige

I think we all know I'm a fan of beige, so this look from yelich is totally something I would also wear, but would never think of^ I love a lot of these pieces individually, yet have never worn them together. I think these trousers are a great staple and a pair that I think I'll wear for Autumn, and I also have a lot of love for this more yellow-toned blazer, I wear it a lot and I think it's fun to see these two pieces together. The layering of the perspex PVC and brown leather jacket on top is super cool, it totally adds an edge to the styling and I think it works well to still show off the blazer. The accessories are great, love the LV logo bag and the perspex heels tie in well to the outfit - I love it =D

L I M I T E D E D I T I O N | Release Review

This weekend we got a little something special in a release of Limited Edition! It's been quite a few months since our last release (February - and quite a few pieces are still available in the Plaza if you want them!) so this has been long awaited. There was a top up offer of 50% more SD's, and luckily the spoilers came out on Thursday, so you could plan accordingly =)

Highlights This release is a mix of recolours and new pieces - I really won't mention the recolours much, the pieces really aren't so much my style, and while some of the colour combinations work nicely, I think others are a little questionable. I'd have also rathered more pieces recoloured, with just a couple of colour  options rather than a few pieces with lots of colours. The new pieces however are better, and there's a mix of clothing, accessories and styles.

Accessories The new accessories really drew me in to the release! There are a few pairs of new shoes in a mix of styles, I do quite like the style of the Max Flats, the colour is a perfect neutral for summer and the square toe is great, but I'm not such a wearer of flat shoes so I'm passing on these for the moment. Also quite loving the LE Round Heels, which are the blue ankle booties with the cool sphere on the heel - these have such a great metallic vibe! I'm also very much a fan of the bags, both the LE Small Shoulder Bag and the Max White Handbag are really my thing being super minimal on the design front. I did think they were quite expensive for what they are, which was really off-putting, for a style like this I'm expecting around the 40SD mark, while these were 60-70SD. The one benefit to being minimal is that they'll work well with a lot of different styles though, so definitely won't sit unused!

Clothing So the recolours are so not my thing, but the new pieces are closer to my preferred style - they just don't look like LE clothing, does anyone else think the same? The design is all fairly minimal, which I really like, but the execution isn't up to scratch for me. The Blacknwhite Flower Jumpsuit is pretty cute, I like the loose fit on the doll but the fabric is half-sheer which I don't like the look of on my doll - I'd take the floral print on another item for sure though! The Tulip Denim Jacket and Pants are a cute pairing, I like the bright denim colour and the ripped applique additions are unique, which do make them stand out. I don't like the fit of the pieces for my doll, but they've both sold old, so I look forward to seeing stylings on you guys^ And lastly to talk about the all-beige styling, which by nature I should love as I love beige clothing, but these pieces, the Max Dress and Jacket are just a step too far into simple. It's really the design and details that let them down for me. The Dress is a little too shapeless on the doll, and if you're paying almost 100SD's then it really needs to be a good dress. The Jacket is a little better, however it's a style I know I shy away from as I've had similar styles before and not gotten wear from them.

Prices This release ranged from 25 to 135SD's, and as always, this was SS/Royalty-limited. However starting on Friday when the collection was released, everyone was given a free week of SS, so technically, this is available to everyone! I think the recolours were fairly well priced, however the new pieces were priced as a typical LE collection but design-wise did not match up to typical collections.

Styled Outfits I just picked up one piece, the LE Small Shoulder Bag and I'm super happy with it! I really had to pair it with other blue tones, and I love how it's worked out - I'm sure I'll try and work it with some other colours next time, but blue and white are classic^ For the first look I picked out a blue pair of trousers, I tried quite a few pairs under the criteria of being darker than the bag and this royal blue pair worked out best. I kept a smart shirt as the trouser waistline really works well with that, but did play with light blue shoes - these aren't a perfect fit to the bag colour, I didn't have anything that was a perfect match, but I think the darker tone between the pieces balances them and it's not too noticeable. I love this for a smart look that doesn't involve black! For the second look something lighter with white trousers - this bag looks pretty good with any white clothing, so it's easy to find things that work^ I decided to go with a blue top, this one has such a great light shade, I love it with the bag so much, and the details on it really add to the look - the black around the neckline was a perfect opportunity to choose a black belt and I also went with black sandals and sunglasses, which I just think is a great pairing against the paler tones. I'm super pleased with this outfit, it's really one of my favourites of the moment =D 

Features And for the features - these are mixed with new pieces and recolours, but the recolours have sold out much quicker than the new pieces. First up FunOpler styling the Blacknwhite Hat which is quite a fun and trendy piece, while it's not my style, I can imagine a lot of cool looks with this, like this one! The layering of the white skirt with awesome sleeves and the black furry top really works well to highlight the design of the hat, such a great pairing idea. The smart shorts keep a summer stylish vibe and I love the use of the fishnet socks, a fab balancing piece to work with the hat design^

MeLolitka styles up the Tulip Denim Pants in this cool blue and white based styling I really love the use of accessories in this styling, I think they're all great pairings with the jeans. The white piped details really pops out with the other pieces added, the belt, shoes and furry stole are perfect pieces here^ And I'm also loving this bag in the styling, the blue colour is perfect with the tone of the denim =D

Next up is the_chuba wearing the LE Balenciaga Inspired Sherling Jacket Black which is one of the recoloured pieces - this is definitely the most classic colour pairing for the piece, and it's perfect in this look^ The chunky black polo looks great under the jacket, the big collar is perfect to fill the wider neckline that the jacket brings. The boots are a perfect vibe with the pieces, while the light wash denim brightens the styling =)

And finally is yelich styling the Brown Handbag (which really looks black to me!) in this brown-focused look. I really love the pairing of these to brown/beige pieces, I love the combination of the chunky knit with the miniskirt, it's super cute and I think it's a style that works very nicely with the bag^ The lighter accessories in the look really help to make the dark colour of the bag really stand out in the styling!