J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 H O T B U Y S

I have to say, this month has been incredibly disappointing for Hotbuys - initially Stardoll didn't release anything, but said they were still happening, then 3 pieces were released but only available to those topping up ... eventually the rest were presented in a StarPlaza Window for us, but I really think charging real money for HB's is a major down-turning point for HB's, I'm sure the opposite of what staff were hoping. But let's get on and check out the pieces this month!

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

So the first three pieces were available on the offer, luckily I'm not really loving any of them so I'm not overly mad about this, but would have still liked to try the Bag (name/store unknown) anyway as I really quite like the idea of the pink and green colour combination. I do quite like that the store front offered to us is pretty muted, the black and white tones are all ones which will work in a lot of different styles. 

The Circle Bodysuit (Vinyl, 28SD's) is pretty cool, I like the polo style and the really sharp style of the shoulders, but the pattern design is maybe a little too cool for me, I've not seen this worn at all, and I think I'd need a little inspiration to go for this one especially at the higher price point. I also quite like the cool floaty vibes of the Transparent Skirt (Voile, 28SD's), love the colour and pattern so much, but trying it on in the Plaza is a little disappointing as it doesn't fit the doll right at all, so I'm passing on this one. Thinking about accessories both the M Necklace Gold (Pearls, 16SD's) and the Platform Heel Black (Vinyl, 15SD's) are all over you guys, these are for sure the most popular pieces of the release! They seem to work in a lot of different styles and with a lot of other pieces, so at least something good has come out of this year! My love is for another accessory, the Brooch Heels (Pearls, 16SD's), these are pretty similar to a pair from Subcouture last year so I know it's a style I get on well with. Love the matte design with the chunky strap!

F E A T U R E S

Looking incredibly chic in this first look, Olfaktoria styling up both the M Necklace Gold and the Furry Handbag, but as a cute shoulder fur rather than a bag - that works out pretty nicely! It balances with the gloved well and the stripe works well with the amazing gown. The strapless style really lets the necklace be shown off in the look and I think overall all of the accessories have been perfectly picked!

Next up is Andre1396 also wearing the M Necklace Gold in a little more casual of a styling, it works in a lot of different styles for sure! This dress looks great layered with the sheer top, the necklace is a great topping to that against the casual style of the trainers. Also loving the use of this LV bag, it looks fab here^

And lastly, Jacquemus wearing the Platform Heel Black in a perfect dark Winter styling. The boots really stand out in the look, the slim style of the trousers and the rolled hem really work for that. Then the coat length helps add to this, and I like the balance of the structured shoulders with the chunky platforms. Also loving the strap design on the cross body bag, it adds such a great detailing to the outfit!

S T Y L I N G S

I just picked up one piece this time, which I think might be a first? Anyway, I really love the Brooch Heels a lot! The style of them is super pretty and I like the brooch design on them. I styled them up two ways but I think they're pretty versatile so there are a lot more options for them. First up super fitting with an all black style which lets the brooch pop in the look. I kept the standout details minimal, with small gold earrings and the small amount of gold on the bag - in fact I love the combination of the shoes with this bag, can't wait to repeat! For the second look I went on the other end of the colour scale choosing light tones, I think this beige actually works out great with the black! I added other black accessories and that balances out the dark colour really nicely. Each of the accessories also has other gold details on them, so I think they're great choices to pair with the shoes. I love this look a lot - it took a while for me to change out of it! So whilst I only bought one piece from the January HBs, I'm pretty happy with it =)

H O T B U Y S R E V I S I T E D | January 2019

Before we check out the January 2020 Hotbuys, it's time to look back at the January 2019 Hotbuys! This was a summery mix of pieces with some super cool styles included - I really loved this set last year, and it was something fresh to start the year with. I bought quite a lot of the pieces and haven't sold any in the Bazaar just yet. My most worn piece is the Cache Leather Bag which is the pretty chain white bag, it's such an easy one to slip into so many different styles. The Marni Inspired Pumps are a close second, I just find it so easy to wear white shoes! I definitely haven't worn the rest of the pieces as much as I could have, so today I'm styling up the Leather Coat and the Printed Skirt:

I'm so happy I gave these pieces a fresh chance, I love these looks! They work well together and they're definitely something light and fresh for the Winter season. For the first look I took on the pink-hue of the coat into the rest of the look and kept with something quite feminine, the pleating in this skirting is just so pretty and I think the colour works out perfectly. The boots are also a perfect match here, and the lighter blouse highlights the patterning on the coat. All white for the second styling, pairing this folding design of the skirt with a similar idea in the blouse, I really like that balance in the look and I don't so much mind the overall oversizing in this styling. I kept the accessories white too and I think the plain-ness of the base really lets the subtle pattern design on the skirt stand out. These looks have definitely made me think more about these two pieces!

T H E J E T S E T | Release Review

We got a brand new The JetSet release recently - an SS exclusive store which is one that always has some great stylish pieces. The advertising doesn't give anything away, but I like the Rome-vibes, so lets get on and check out the pieces!

Highlights The release is the usual one-floor and it's pretty stuffed, with 7 looks for females and 1 for guys. It's all pretty elegant, I really like this smart style - and there's a lot of colour too, smart doesn't have to be plain in colour! I think this is a very nice release =)

Accessories There is a small collection of accessories with a range of items. In the shoes I really like the look of the Sunny Pumps, a classic black patent heel with a slight pointed toe - a great basic style that will look awesome on everyone. There are 2 bags in the release, I really like the Scarf Bag. It's a super cute small piece with a croc design and a very nice stylish scarf handle - the black and gold chain print is a popular one in RL and it suits the colour of the bag. I love orange so this one is totally up my street! There's a couple of other pieces, the one that catches my eye are the Chain Earrings, with two golden hoops with a tortoiseshell hope in between, these look really great and very trendy, they're great on the doll too.

Clothing I love all of these midi/ankle lengths in the store, they're so attractive, at least to me anyway! There are two dresses, the Lace Orange Dress and Blue Satin Dress which I really like the look of for smart pieces - they're not dresses I see myself getting a lot of wear out of though. But love the lace sheer sleeving on the Orange piece, super pretty^ The Sequin Skirt in a dramatic red is a similar skirting style to the dresses, I like the design of the sequins here, it looks super fun for dressing up and would be cute in a Valentine's look if that's your thing. And in the same length are a pair of trousers, the Checked Trousers which I love! I have quite a few checked trousers, so it's a style I know I can wear. These are a culotte style, but aren't too wide fitting, I like the slighter slimmer fit, and the length really is very nice, great for layering with boots =) It also has a matching Checked Jacket, I'm not such a fan, it's a cropped length and quite a boxed cut. Lastly there are a couple of shirts to mention, both with bow detailing, the Photo Shirt, which is a black and white cropped piece that I'm not a fan of because the print looks very busy, but then the White Bow Blouse which I do really like. It's got quite an oversizing on the body, the bow really adds volume, but it's cropped to allow for a good tucked look^

Prices The release ranges from 7 to 26SD's, with just a couple of pieces at the higher end of the scale, so pretty reasonable prices. As it's The JetSet, the release is limited to SS (and Royalty) members only.

Styled Outfits I picked up a couple of pieces, and I'm pretty happy with everything I got. First up the Checked Trousers, which I styled exactly as I'd imagined, with slouched boots, these make a great pairing! I kept the rest of the look simple with black, and added a fun bag, this one is a great colour match to the trousers while still being a fun piece. Such an easy item to work with! Second up the Blue Shirt which is a super smart piece. I was a little doubtful about this once I started to find pieces to pair with it, it was a little tricky, but navy works nicely. I kept it very simple again, shoes to match trousers and bag to match the shirt - I really like the clutch in this look, so I'll definitely pair it with the shirt again! And finally pairing the Scarf Bag and Chain Earrings and I really couldn't resist going all out with a colour matched look - this pairing of HB's really is quite perfect for this set of accessories! I added the black belt to tie in a little more with both the bag and earrings, and overall I'm very happy with this orange styling!

Patterned in print

Looking very cool as always, a styling from frankieiz12 today! I love this dress a lot, I've worn it a couple of times, but always end up with it on its own as it's a tricky one to pair up with other pieces, so this look is perfect inspiration on how to wear it in a great way^ The layering of the two polos is fab, love the black cuffs against the pale, glittered patterning of the top piece, both are great fits with the dress. The black boots and bag add a street style vibe to the look, I love the inclusion of one of my favourite belts, and these sunglasses with the brown frame are a perfect finishing touch!

V E L V E T O R C H I D | Styled Outfits

The latest Velvet Orchid release had some super nice pieces included, like the design of the Open Hip Dress in a beautiful silk fabric and the Knot Pants in a fantastic red with a cool waist detail and a long wide leg design - but I just picked up one piece to try out this time, the Flared Long Sleeved Shirt. It's quite unlike anything else we've had in the plaza, I loved the ruffling down the front and the sheeny quality to the fabric.

I found this Shirt such a great piece to style, it goes with a lot of my favourite pairs of trousers, and the fit makes it an easy piece to wear tucked. And actually I love the colour on my doll, green can be a hit or miss and this one is a winner for sure. First up with these beige trousers, I like the balance of the blousoning in both pieces, I think it works well. Love the accessories in this look, these boots are a great colour match for the shirt, and they layer well with these trousers too. I found this cool bag in my wardrobe, having totally forgotten about it and I like the brown tone against the green for something quite different for me - I really like it! Then secondly one of my go-to pairs of trousers, I like the V waistline of these with the ruffles on the shirt, it works well with the dark tones too. I really like this super dark bag with the styling, it's not too clear against the jacket, but I'll repeat this sometime. And keeping things a little lighter I added these mixed colour booties from Off-White, I really love them here!

Shine in sparkle

I wish I could wear sparkles on the daily like in this styling from Mh91 - how cool! This dress has such a beautiful deep purple tone, it looks great with both the black and pale details on it, and those sparkles really pop out especially with the added black sleeves underneath and also the lacy insert underneath at the neckline - so creative and it fits together seamlessly! The black leather boots and bag make for the perfect accessories. Loving the jewellery and the beauty look too, everything is a match =D