Quote of the Day

One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes.
- Antoine de Saint Exupery 

Back to Business

Now that I've taken a much-needed break, what with all the natural disasters and school piling up with alarming frenzy, it's back to business; cracking my knuckles and getting back to blogging while I still have the time...ish.

 

So being on a little hiatus for a while made me realize that I was fresh out of ideas for a new makeup tutorial. Then it also hit me that I hadn't done a tutorial since the Miss Stardoll World competition. I think what I'll do is put a poll up and start gathering some ideas. I've been carrying my sketchbook nearly everywhere lately to get some inspiration, which I have been sorely lacking in for these past few weeks.

 

If you have any suggestions below, or anything new I could introduce to the blog, just comment down below or contact me via the information listed under the tab. 

Back from my hiatus.

With the start of the school year and intense workload that comes with it, I felt like it was time to take a little hiatus for the first month or so. And during then, I also felt as if I'd missed quite a few good blogging opportunities, especially with October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But, alas, life goes on, and fashion waits for no man! (or woman!)

 

So with that, let's look forward to our next upcoming holiday that's just an excuse to dress up in a costume no matter how old you are: Halloween!

 

Since Stardoll really isn't making as big a deal about Halloween as they normally do, I feel compelled to compile a few tips and ideas that will help jazz up your Halloween costumes, and maybe throw in a themed makeup tutorial, as well. 

Klimt takes Tress-Up by storm...

So it appears that Klimt's eccentricly colorful artwork hasn't just graced the floors of Museum Mile, but the mannequins at Tress-Up, as well. A random search of the Starplaza revealed the haute couture wigs that are now available for purchase.

 

At first glance, they have the look of those items that look good on the mannequin, but not so great on your dollie. After trying on a few, I was fully convinced that they should just stay on the mannequin. Some of them look like they could double as clown wigs or something of a more humorous nature, while others were just strange. Although I did find some ways that they would work in more haute couture ensembles. They're more catwalk-esque, rather than everyday wear.

 

Leaving it to that, one of the most famous pieces of Klimt's creation is "Judith", whom many may recognize as a doll that you can dress up on the Dress-Ups page. His use of strange proportions and colorful eccentricities make him the perfect candidate for a new Starplaza collection.

Article on My Favorite Season (Trial Article for TTT)

When you think of winter, you normally associate it with some cheery, seasonal memories; cozy nights by the fire, hot chocolate, and that week-before-Christmas where everyone scrambles to the mall to get their last-minute shopping done.

 

And then there's me, hiding in a closet with my laptop and a blanket, checking the latest updates on vogue.com, because I am a self-proclaimed fashion addict, and holiday cheer always brings with it the annoying commercial ads on television, coupled with some stroke-inducing meals and deliciously fattening desserts. 

 

Winter also brings the comforting promise of the ceremonial "changing of the wardrobe", where my summer clothes end up shoved to the back of my dresser drawers and closet, making room for the long-sleeved V-necks, puffy vests, and knit-berets. I also look forward to Alexander McQueen's models on the catwalk during this season, engulfed in the most creative kind of winter outerwear. Their winter catwalks are always enjoyable for the fashion addicted. 

 

Winter is a pleasant month for standing beside your window and gazing out at the perfectly undisturbed snow settling gently on your front steps. After the snow plow comes through, all bets are off. Seasonal cheer, Christmas tree-shopping, and those obnoxiously cheesy, yet nostalgic holiday songs tend to somehow "magically" lift my spirits and keep me from cursing the beautifully cold, wintry bite of the great outdoors.

 



Having a chat.

A lot of us may remember a time when the Stardoll "Chats" was originally just called Stardoll "parties" or just plain chatrooms. It wasn't that long ago, dollies. Now that this is a decided appendage to the actual Stardoll chat system, and named rightly so, I've felt the need to bring it up with the personal complaints about it.

 

Being on my laptop and getting access to Chats is virtually (no pun intended) quite difficult, as if the program didn't load slow enough. Secondly, there is a much higher limit to how many people can be in a chatroom at once. This not only slows your computer down significantly more than normal, but heaven forbid one party-goer has an animated item on their person, all bets are off, compadre.

 

I know this really isn't something to complain about for one particular feature such as Chats, but the users that frequent these chatrooms tend to frighten me a little. It seems like most of the older, more mature generation of Stardoll tend to stay away from Chats, due to the fact that it is practically overrun by trolls and 9-12 year old girls, half of them pretending to be males on Stardoll. Many of the aforementioned parties are looking for "boyfriends/girlfriends" for their virtual dollies. Charming.

 

In any case, despite the cons of Chats, there are some decent features that accompany it, such as the ability to create your own chatroom without having to name it. I personally thought making rooms was such a hassle, because you had to pick from a list of pre-chosen words, and there was always that one person trying to spell out the word "single" with the only letter choices available. Thankfully that is no more.

 

Aside from that, nothing is particularly awful about the Chats system. It's a good way for younger users to interact with users on Stardoll their own age (and get some first-hand experience with trolling while they're doing that.) 

September 2012 Hotbuys Review

*Cracks knuckles* Let's get to work, shall we? I think we all know the drill by now. Oh, and look at this season's oh-so-original pieces! Just some random accessories and clothing thrown together last minute with halfway-decent graphics and no solidifying theme! Well, color me surprised.

 

 

Forget what I said just now; I think I've finally found out the theme for this month: seizure-inducement!

 

First, just to kick-start everything on an average note, the HotBuys Runners (sneakers) is what we'll be starting with. I really don't understand it, but they kind of resemble the Skecher's Shape-Ups, you know, the ones that old people wear? Except these lovely sneakers were duct-taped into a dizzyingly-colorful...pattern...if you even want to call it that.

 

Moving on to the HotBuys Chevron Pants (grey pants with pink hearts on them); these honestly aren't too bad. I expected worse, to put it simply.

 

Next is the HotBuys Romper, which seriously resembles the aftermath of an artists' smock after a long day of painting. You know, how they just get random smears and splotches of paint all over their clothing? It's not intentional, Stardoll, please don't even try to attempt the splatter-paint look. Like I've said before, their experiences with rompers hasn't been significantly good enough for me to comment nicely on them.

 

Now we are left with another piece; the varicolored skirt with the black bow belt. I honestly could say worse about it, but my creativity is draining out of me just by looking at it. Not awful, but certainly not good enough to be considered a "Hot Buy" either. It looks like a first season DKNY reject.

 

 I really don't understand the geometric elements of that neon-blue gradient dress. The dress would actually look pretty nice, minus the peach and teal lines zig-zagging across the front.

 

The denim bustier "top" if you can even call it that, looks like something I could see a street hooker wearing. Seriously, it has the appearance of a DIY gone horribly wrong. Someone was trying to combine a bra and the ripped pieces of what used to be denim jeans and obviously didn't do such a good job.

 

Don't even get me started on that next "watermelon" dress. Did someone call a circus ringleader?

 

The Bizou purse really was the trainwreck on top of the car-crash. I don't even know where that came from; did someone just put it in there as a joke? I'm very confused about its classification as a "Hotbuy". Try "Notbuy".

 

Well, I can honestly say that was a huge failure of a masquerade mask, Stardoll. My grandmother probably could have thought of something more original while taking a nap in her lounge chair. Word of advice: never try to mix sunglasses lenses with the outside appearance of a masquerade mask.

 

That neon-pink hanging finger-bone necklace is kind of skeeving me out a little. I'm not a savage who chops off people's hands and bleaches their bones in a pink solution, thank you very much. 

 

 

Well, that just about concludes my rant on this month's Notbuys, or Don'tbuys. Whichever you prefer to call them, because let's face it: the only reason they're selling is due to the decent graphics that aren't on regular items of clothing. What ever happened to the really nice Hotbuys from a few years ago? Boy, do I miss those.



Diamonds aren't all they're cracked up to be.

The somewhat-elusive Royalty club, the Dollmails about upcoming Stardoll events/activities weeks to a month before the official release date, the accessibility of certain features on Stardoll, etc. All these are the benefits of being a Royalty member. Sure, the little diamond border on your dollie's icon sure looks all nice and sparkly, but does it mean anything anymore? Did it ever?

 

Such are the questions of the users of Stardoll that think Royalty is overrated, and in my opinion, they're pretty damn right. You can practically buy a Royalty membership now, being that the requirement is to be a member of Stardoll for at least a year. It is possible to purchase a 12-month membership, and there you go: instant Royalty status. Convenient.

 

Lots of Royalty members themselves think it is overrated, due the comments I've seen all over the blogosphere as well as Stardoll forums in general. Personally, I think it's ridiculous--the "so-called benefits" that are received through becoming an elusive Royalty member aren't too shabby, although I've been on Stardoll without them for about four years now. I think I'm OK.

 

More often than not, I've been noticing members of Stardoll that have practically no in-game experience as members in general, and to be quite honest with you, I don't think they deserve the Royalty status (not that it really meant anything anyway, due to this fact.)

 

If Royalty were to work the way many other users see it, it would be based solely on dedication. Members from last year really don't deserve the benefits they're receiving from paying $59.40 for a 12-month Royalty status, which gets stripped from you the second your money runs out and you can no longer afford to pay for a membership. I think it's petty and obnoxious, just because they want your money. But they have every right; Stardoll does need to make money, just the same as we need to eat. So as much as my opinion is my own, so they should be able to bribe us with a not-so-special virtual diamond in order to rake in about a $60 profit from each and every Royalty member, which according to the amount of users in the club as of right now, is estimated at about $3,731,580 for all the current members for one year of payment. (If those statistics are wrong, please feel free to correct me. I'm not very good at mathematics.)

 

So in order to wrap this up, (mainly because I'm hungry and I should probably finish my schoolwork that's been piling up on my table next to me) Stardoll's Royalty membership status is overrated and a waste of money. If you're going to pay that much, then go ahead, and I have no qualms about it, but what I can't stand is the fact that Stardoll practically lords it over all their non-Royalty members that the Royalties are an "elite squad" according to their club presentation. So elite that pretty much anyone with $60 to spare can get in. Joy.

 



Museum Mile: Yay or Nay?

Even though I agree with the majority of Stardoll in saying that the Starplaza needs a serious makeover, one store in particular caught my attention, and that was Museum Mile (thought I'm not exactly sure you could call it a "store", so to speak).

 

For those of you who've never visited, it's basically a museum, with a few limited edition art pieces that can be found in the outside world, as well. Paintings by Van Gogh, sculptures by Greek and Roman artists, and even ancient artifacts are displayed proudly with maxed-out price tags at semi-affordable prices. (Don't even bother counting the zeroes for some of them.)

 

**Another helpful hint, if you didn't already know, by clicking on a spot in some of the paintings, like a Renoir, for example, the red hat worn by the boy in the picture will appear in your dressing room, and such is the same for another painting in the gallery.**

 

While I was making my general parousal through the StarBlog, I came across a video link advertising the new Museum Mile collection, a series of clothing pieces by Gustav Klimt. The collection will be coming out on September 19th, and will feature over 150 years of shapes, patterns, textures, and all manner of eccentricities developed into clothing patterns.

 

If you want my honest opinion, however, I don't think it's going to be all that great. The designs that were displayed on the video looked like someone went on a finger-painting frenzy on several pieces of hacked off fabric sheets, roped them around a mannequin, and voila; clothing and art. Nowadays, we live in a world where you can dump a pile of garbage onto a table, photograph it, and call it "modern art" which apparently has a message to send about the human obesity rate or something. I'm more of a classical old-timey art-appreciator, and I'll actually be making a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the city very soon, so hopefully I'll be able to see some of these collections.

 

But in any case: Museum Mile's upcoming collection...yay or nay?

Disney is not buying Stardoll, calm down, folks.

Time to discuss yet another fake rumor circulating around the MSW club of late.

 

But before I grace you with a winded rant, I'd just like to inform you that, although this was just recently brought to my attention, it is an old rumor from last year. According to the rumors, Disney had allegedly released a statement saying that they were considering (and very likely) buying Stardoll and re-naming it (examples in the alleged statement include "Disdoll" "Princessdoll"), introducing their own take on it, as well as "Disney-fying" it. (What that means, I have no idea, but I know it can't be good.) Stardoll also would be "...transformed overnight!" according to the ecstatic statement.

 

This statement was in fact a huge sham; a rumor spread around by a younger user who wanted to rile up Stardoll into a state of confusion and anxiety.

 

Think about it: Disney wouldn't be so unprofessional as to release a very poorly-written statement about their business deals. Pompous windbags they may be, but they certainly aren't idiots. It even looks like a 10-year old with moderate spelling and halfway decent Photoshop skills could have done it, according to lel1996's blog. Secondly, Stardoll would have also released a statement earlier, since I can acredit them for at least being honest with their release of information.

 

After this story was confirmed a fake, another rumor branched out, stating that there was "proof" that the Disney-buying-Stardoll rumors were true. Here is an exerpt from a paragraph of an article that was released...

 

"And so to the future of the story. Stardoll.com is clearly being grown and groomed into the sort of shape where it will be sold on to the next stage. Possible buyers are rumored and speculated about in the business and trade papers, with the Disney corporation currently heading the ante-post betting. If a sale does take place down the road, Liisa Wrang will get her cut as a shareholder, and she will become a wealthy woman once again..."

This is all a rumor, and neither Stardoll or Disney would be so careless with the way they release their business dealings.



3-D Facial Elements

A recent Stardoll fad has been the introduction of 3-D facial elements. Many users have caught onto these trends, especially our more creative users, who utilize their StarDesign potential to the max.

 

While I was parousing Stardoll, I stumbled upon a user who I believe has an extremely creative doll which represents this new trend to the tee.

 

(Click to enlarge)

As you can see, the facial aspects have been created so that it gives off the appearance of the face turned to the side. In order to achieve this look, lots of the use of transparency in the StarDesign Hair parlor were used, as well as the introduction of some techniques that are currently being experimented with and tested by other users.

 



Autumn Skater Girl Ensemble

(Click to enlarge)

Today's ensemble is a very quick and versatile look that has been quite popular recently. The darker color combination, paired with the neutral beige jacket is perfect for the autumn fashion season.

 

Main Pieces

Cropped Beige Jacket (Archive--9 Stardollars)

Black Leotard (Voile--87 Starcoins)

White Rider Belt (It Girls--34 Starcoins)

Purple Bows Skirt (It Girls--101 Starcoins)

Quilted Purse (It Girls--72 Starcoins)

High Heeled Boots w/ Scrunched Down Socks (Archive--10 Stardollars)

 

Total: 19 Stardollars, 294 Starcoins

 

Although the pricing is rather steep, many of these pieces you might already own, and the options are endless with this very versatile look. For example, a wider belt would also substitute the thin white/gold belt already used, or you could change the boots to another pair (with scrunched socks, of course). The opportunities to play around and experiment with this ensemble are virtually endless.

 



Question of Controversy: StarDesign Freedom

In my recent bout of Stardoll-searching, it seems to me that a lot of older-crowd dollies now have gravitated over to the more designing-aspect of Stardoll, rather than actually playing games, etc. So while I was browsing through a few hot designs at the moment, I was reminded of a familiar post I read a few months ago, posing the question of the great "why?"

 

So today I have a question for you. Do you think Stardoll should allow users to have free jurisdiction over the content material of their StarDesign items? (And I'm not referring to StarDesign Hair or anything specific, just in general.)

There's quite a lot of controversy surrounding this question lately, so if you don't know what I'm talking about, here comes the explanation...

 

I personally have seen quite a few "iffy" designs...for example, I've seen the rare nip-slip, and lots of designs with poorly proportioned cleavage, racy clothing designs, innapropriate wording on clothing, etc. and the like, and the 3-D features (ahem...) in the StarDesign Hair boutique were also of the same nature.

Here's my personal opinion on the subject matter.

 

StarDesign is an open option where Stardoll users can design their own furniture, clothing, jewelry, hairpieces, and much more with their own creative talent. To put bans on users creativity would be like telling Picasso to stop painting, not to mention the amount of time, effort, and money would be needed to put into Stardoll to monitor the StarDesign process; it would be literally an impossible feat. There's no point in banning users that have the occasional reference to these designs; it is obviously just the way one chooses to express oneself. StarDesign is not mentioned ever in the Stardoll One-Stop Rules, so therefore anyone should have free jurisdiction over what they display. If people don't like it, then they don't have to use that feature; simple as that. As for the younger users, the Stardoll administration are doing their best to cater to all their users, but they can't please everyone; simple as that. 

Makeup Tutorial: Coming Soon!

My apologies for not uploading the next makeup tutorial that I have set up already. I'm using my laptop right now, so it's a little difficult to get the alignment and movements right for the Beauty Parlor, which would explain why the makeover I was planning on putting out today didn't turn out too well. Yeah, I decided to scrap it, but I have a few other ones that I did a while ago but never posted, so you'll be seeing a few of those, well...once I find them, of course.

 

So be on the lookout for some more tutorials in the next few days. I also might start putting up some "Picks of the Month" or another addition to the blog; all of this is coming soon!

Cosmic Blue Makeup Tutorial: MSW 2012

In light of the blue theme for this year's Miss Stardoll World competition, I've created an elegant look that will be sure to win you the votes! And what would a competitor be without glitter? This tutorial will show you some elaborate eyeshadow techniques, as well as a few simple instructions that will provide an edgy style for this look.

(Click the picture for a closer look.)

Store(s): Dot, Luxe

Item Listing and Pricing:

Teal Me Eyeshadow--6 Stardollars

Azure Shadow Eyeshadow--6 Stardollars

Azure Sky Shadow--6 Stardollars

Regatta Eye Dust--22 Stardollars

Twilight Blue Eye Dust--22 Stardollars

Dusk's Kiss Eyepencil--7 Stardollars

(Black) Volumizing Mascara--3 Stardollars

**L'Occitane en Provence "Blush Like a Peony"--20 Stardollars**

Burnt Orange Blush--8 Stardollars

Warm Apricot Blush--8 Stardollars
Sunset Gold Lipstick--8 Stardollars

Total: 116 Stardollars

**Cannot be bought in the Starplaza/discontinued item.**

***Optional step.***

Yes, I just now realized how expensive this look was, but it's well-worth it, in my opinion. Many of the blush palettes you should already have, as they are quite common. Due to the fact that the L'Occitane en Provence is no longer available in the Starplaza, you can substitute this blush color for a similar shade in the Dot store.

Steps:

1. Take the Twilight Blue Eye Dust and apply it on the edges of your eyes, fanning it out.

2. Next, take the Teal Me color and gently blend this into the middle of your eyelid in addition to the Twilight Eye Dust shade.

3. Use the Azure Shadow Eyeshadow and blend this next to your two pre-existing eyeshadow colors, making sure you don't cover up the entire shade.

4. The Azure Sky Shadow color will come next, and apply this near the insides of your eyes, still remaining on the top lid. Blend the back of this color with the rest of the shadows you have applied already.

5. Finally, take the Regatta Eye Dust and use this color to blend all of the colors together by applying it as close to the top lash line as possible, working outward but being careful not to blend this darker color into the Azure Sky Shadow.

6. After the eyeshadow is complete, take the Dusk's Kiss Eyepencil and apply this only on the top lash line, fanning it out to meet the Twilight Blue Eye Dust. Start lining the eye where you applied the darker colors, not the lighter colors near the insides of your eyelid.

7. Take your volumizing mascara and apply this, starting from where you applied the darker shades, not where the lighter colors begin to fade into the gradient. Apply this all along the bottom lash line.

***8. Now, (if you have this in your Beauty Parlor, if not, then use a similar shade) take the L'Occitane en Provence blush wand and apply a small dot of blush on your cheekbones, blending it upward very lightly. Keep in mind that this shade is very dark, and you want to work lightly and carefully when applying it.***

9. Take the Burnt Orange blush shade and apply this outwards, blending it slightly with the first blush strokes you applied. This shade is also rather dark, so be careful when applying it.

10. Now, use the Warm Apricot Blush shade to blend everything together, making sure you get some on the tops of your cheekbones, as well. All these blush shades together heighten the skinny-cheekbones look and make your face appear thinner.

11. Next, simply take the Sunset Gold Lipstick, or any nude shade that matches your skin tone, and apply a liberal amount on your lips, making sure to only apply one coat so it blends nicely. If you are looking for a more "costumed" look,

***12. Finally, apply some halved false lashes, heightening the edgy effect of this look.***

Remember, this is a semi-versatile look which can be changed for your convenience, or if you just want to play around with colors, etc.

Good luck, dollies!



MSW 2012 is finally here!

That's right, dollies, so hold onto your designer sunhats and run to the Broadcasting page, because it's time to campaign! Stardoll announced that MSW 2012 would be arriving shortly a few days before the voting started last night.

 

 

Last year's theme was red, and now it's blue this year. I still don't understand the color choice, but I sincerely hope next year won't be green. In any case, you can vote by clicking the large blue button right above the Covergirl/NCG star votes. Keep in mind that you can only vote for the same person once in a day.

And if you know me by now, it would seem obvious that I have no interest in campaigning whatsoever. I'm not putting down anyone who does, but I personally would feel my wallet hurting just by looking at the amount of Broadcasts people are sending out, rapid-fire. It takes a lot of work to run, and even then it's going to be extremely difficult for a dollie to make it to the semi-finals. But good luck to anyone who's campaigning! Feel free to advertise yourself in the comments below.

The prizes, in my opinion, get better and better every year. To see all of the information about MSW, click the link here: http://www.stardoll.com/en/campaigns/miss-stardoll-world/ for the full description.

Good luck, dollies!

P.S. I think I'll be posting a MSW 2012-themed makeup tutorial soon, so keep checking back and I'll keep you posted.

Hotbuys Review: August 2012

Wow, two posts in one day? Am I making progress or what?

 

Anyway, now that we've only four more days left of August, I thought now would be a little late to discuss our monthly Hotbuys. I guess we can close on a sour note, then, because I can honestly say that I was (surprise!) yet again disappointed by them.

Sure, the graphics are always top-notch, but the fashion doesn't necessarily meet those standards.

 

 

 

So now I'm going to rip this apart piece-by-piece. First of all, I really don't understand the animal-print theme. Didn't they already do a western-leopard-print-monstrosity in February? Who knows. In all honesty, I could probably care less.

 

Second: that dress. The one with the zebra stripes and the brown belts. Absolutely hideous. I don't know what Stardoll was thinking when they were drawing it out. First of all, I was never a big fan of the sailor-boat type collar, especially with the quarter-sleeves, and certainly not on a dress, of all things. The large slit in the fabric on the side really screams "failed attempt at a wrap dress".

 

Alright, moving on (and grabbing a barf bag along the way)...to our next selection, the brown fur vest. You know, it's not really that bad. It actually looks quite well when worn properly, maybe with a few vintage items or even just for casual-wear. A nice, decent, versatile piece.

And our next piece is the rainbow-gradient-leopard-spot slouchy tank top. I have no words for this one.

To be quite honest, although I'm not a huge fan of the purple/zebra-striped heels, I do actually think they're somewhat decent. I mean, maybe if the purple was darker, it would have the smoldering appearance, but at least they tried.

The sunglasses really aren't too bad. Not saying I'm in love with the shape, though. It's just a little weird to me, for reasons unknown.

That black wedge boot with the neon purple laces? Definite win. It's versatile, punky, and stylish all at the same time. They haven't had a piece like that in a long time. I would certainly buy it.

I'm still a little confused about the VIP pass...not really sure how that was supposed to fit in with the loosely tied "theme" that Stardoll was going for with this month's collection.

Again, the dress looks average right now because of the angle of the wearer. It's most likely one of those pieces that look good on the model in the advertisement, and when you put it on your dollie, you get the "meh" expression plastered on your face for at least twenty minutes.

Alright, those bracelets? I feel the same way about them as I did the wedge boots. Another win for the Stardoll designers.

And lastly, we come to probably one of the stranger Hot Buys pieces in this collection. I'm not really getting the whole "pastel pink feathers and multi-colored zebra-striped pear-shaped ornaments". I mean, if you look at it from far away, you can kind of see that they were going for an exotic peacock feather...but once you put the zebra stripes in there...done.


Well, dollies, that concludes my rant for this evening. Night, all!

 



Forest Green Eyes Tutorial

Firstly, yes, I was on a temporary hiatus for the most part of August. This month was incredibly busy for me, especially with the start of school in a week. Oh, joy.

 

But in any case, this little post is just a simple makeup tutorial. Today's look combines the nearness of the autumn fashion season with foresty greens in a gradient shading; a lovely look for brunettes and blondes alike. These steps are very simple, and I only used three items! For 15 Stardollars, you can create a fabulous look that will complement just about any skin tone and be appropriate for any occasion.

 

 

 

Store: Dot

Item Listing and Pricing:

More Mocha Eyeshadow--6 Stardollars

Lichen Luxe Eyeshadow--6 Stardollars

More Mocha Volume Mascara--3 Stardollars

Total: 15 Stardollars

 

Steps:

1. Take the More Mocha shade and fan it out across the ends of your eyelids, using a sweeping motion. Repeat this step a few times to darken the shade.

2. Next, take the Lichen Luxe eyeshadow and apply it on the rest of your eyelid, sweeping down in an arc-like motion. Be sure to blend the tips of this shadow into the Mocha shade, as well, to achieve the gradient color-blending effect. Repeat this step once or twice until you reach the desired color darkness.

3. Finally, use the mascara and apply some on all of your lashes, evenly coating them.

 

And you're finished! There are several variations you can use with this look, such as the addition of other shades, or the use of a liquid eyeliner, etc. This eyeshadow look is very simple, inexpensive, and is incredibly versatile.

 

 

 



Just got back from North Carolina!

Since it's Honesty Hour right now, I'm going to come out and say that I've been insanely forgetful, and not really in the mood for blogging for the last month or so. But I did go on vacation to North Carolina for two weeks on July 31st, and I just got back yesterday. 

To make up for my disappointing lack of posting, I'm going to tell you about my trip...and the fact that I've been so non-caught-up on Stardoll matters. Hopefully more posts about that will go up soon. Anyway, I went to a couple universities to check them out, (three more years!) and then we walked around downtown Asheville, and repeated this for a few days, seeing as we were rained upon several times during our little expedition. Seriously though, downtown Asheville was full of unwashed hippies and 1960's re-treads, but all the stores and restaurants were surprisingly trendy and I was impressed with the variety of food choices down there. 

We also saw a local farmer's market, which was really interesting. Mom got her brisket rub, and the bottle remained intact in our suitcase and arrived home safe and sound. Anyway, we went to a bunch of "dead people's houses" as I like to call the grand estates owned by deceased billionaires, ahem, Mr. Vanderbilt. 

We were drawn to a few more attractions before we had to leave, but I made sure to check out a few lovely vintage antique shops and some quaint little craft stores during our trip. I picked up tons of vintage goodies and boheme-looking accessories. 

It was mainly a big shopping trip, to be honest. And I'm not saying I didn't enjoy it, which I did. So now that I'm back in the industrially lovely New York, I can't wait to just chill out and relish the rest of the fleeting summer. 

Stardoll Friendships and Freaky Fridays

Friendships forged on Stardoll are ones that generally last a while. I have lots of friends that I made on Stardoll that I talk to practically on a daily basis.

And then there are those people that you're not really "friends" with, but you're just nice to them because if you told them what you really think of them, you'd be feeling pretty guilty. I like to call these kinds of situations: guilt friendships. And believe me, I've had quite a few of those.

I call these next type of friendships creepy friendships, when said friend likes to imitate everything you do and pretend the two of you are practically inseperable BFFs. For example, if you make a club that is doing well, your creepy/stalker friend has to make a club of the very same nature and pretend it's just as good.

The next type of friendships I like to dub popularity friendships, when the person likes to put you on their Best Friends list because you have a high Stardoll status, ergo they are ultimately ten times cooler than everyone else. Those are the kinds of people that you have talked to maybe twice, and since you were borderline nice to them, they think you're their best friend.

Another thing that I'll probably never understand are the Stardoll friend lists, and the strange groupings they have for each category. You've got Best Friends, Friends, Family, and even Unclassified. But Stardoll was really pushing the limit when they added Boyfriend, Girlfriend, Neighbor, and Colleague. It's like they're condoning Stardoll-dating, and don't even get me started on that. Saving that rant for another day.

So whether you have a guilt friendship, a creepy friendship, or even a popularity friendship, there is always one person that will stick up for you no matter what, pick you back up when you're down, be your shoulder to cry on, and the vent you rant to.

P.S. Happy Friday the 13th. Here's hoping you don't crack a mirror or walk under a ladder. 

Starcoin Gifts

Now that I have the time (and energy) to blog, I can officially start ranting again.

I was a little weirded-out when I logged on to Stardoll about a week ago and I was brought to a page with a picture of several large, purple, wrapped gifts with Starcoins dangling off the bow. I read the blurb at the top and tried clicking on one of the gifts, but alas, Stardoll's seemingly good idea was actually a shoddy piece of crap that didn't work. Apparently you were supposed to get Starcoins from the presents when opened, but those damn things just refused to open.

A few days later, Stardoll fixed this problem, and now every time I log in, I get a lovely surprise of three or five Starcoins. Kind of useless, though, don't you think? I could always use the extra money, but I always think whether Stardoll actually needed this attachment to the Earning Starcoins system.

Another thing that bothers me is that Stardoll has a cap on the amount of Starcoins a single user can have. Now, I find that just plain irritating. I was about to buy a lovely wig from my friend's Starbazaar, and it turns out I couldn't buy it because her Starcoin limit was at the max. That's just bothersome for the buyer and the seller. I don't think it has become a real problem yet, but it's just kind of annoying, for me, personally.

Hit or Miss: Windows on the World and LE Summer 2012

Finally, a new LE collection! I've been waiting forever for this.

I'm sure that was most of our reactions when we all received the advertisement in our mailboxes when we logged on today. So, being the ultimate shopper that I am, I went to go check it out. And there I am, practically salivating as my screen loads the first floor of the new Limited Edition Summer items. Now, mind you, at this point I was expecting diamonds or something, so it was a huge disappointment to find that the outfits were tacky-looking, chintzy, and full of ruffles and weird patterns that I could care less about.

See, with LE items, it's either a hit or a miss. This was a miss.

Honestly, it was incredibly difficult to figure out what the theme was, if there was one at all. Stardoll has certainly been getting lazy and rather un-creative in regards to these rare "Limited Edition" items. I mean, they expect to wow us with a plain, unadorned purple sunhat? the very same one in a different color and more textured than the free Rebecca BonBon red sunhat they gave out in a free promotion a few months ago? They're limited because they must be good, but these were a complete failure. But I'll give them a little credit, at least. Finally they put some mens' clothing in, which sold out in the first thirty minutes. And the LE earrings were nice, as well. But my favorite pieces in this collection would be Circus Tent Pants and the Lace Me Shorts. Both were very versatile and a staple in many virtual closets. That's all I really have to say about this average collection. I've seen worse LE (last month's hideous collection), so it wasn't terrible.

Makeup Tips for Beginners

After nearly wanting to puke at all the poorly-executed make-up attempts on Stardoll, I've decided to compile a few tips of my own.

1. Under no circumstances should you ever use Luxe glittery eyeshadow. Never, never, never. Contrary to popular belief, it is actually incredibly tacky-looking and ridiculous.

2. Never should you ever apply two clashing colors of eyeshadow; for example, blue and yellow. Oh, don't believe me? Just go around and take a look at some of the younger users, unfamiliar with the world of makeup. Sit back and laugh yourself to death.

3. Colored mascara is just plain weird.

4. Hot pink blush is a no-no for pale-skinned dollies. Unless you're going for "circus clown chic". Then by all means, go ahead, my pasty friends.

5. Finally, it is important that you choose a lip liner that is somewhat similar to the color lipstick you have applied to your dollie. I haven't seen much of this on Stardoll of late, but you'd be surprised how many drag-queen-look-a-likes I've witnessed on Stardoll in my day. It's actually rather frightening.

Micromanaging the Summer Lazies

I think I've contracted a case of the "summer lazies", where I've been caught up in way too much stuff for me to write on my blog regularly. I cringe when I say that this poor little blog has been rather neglected of late. So I'm putting lots of stuff on hold for this; between roleplay clubs, general Stardoll drama, and the usual "let's throw in the towel and have a good time". In either case, I've been really neglecting a lot of things besides Aledale and another blog I write for, but I should be writing a few more posts, though not as regularly as I used to.

Hey, being manager of one club is hard enough, and now that I am no longer the manager, it's kind of freeing. So that's what I'm going to talk about today. Managers.

Now, contrary to popular belief, I'm not one to micromanage things. I'm more of a "go-with-the-flow-and-float-where-the-wind-takes-you" kind of gal. Although in rare occasions, I get a little power-crazy and start attacking the little things that are so seemingly insignificant that I am under no obligation to fix. And don't ever believe someone who says managing a club on Stardoll is a piece of cake, unless your club is collecting dust in a corner of an old closet. Let me tell you, it's hard work. You've got to put in the time, not to mention blood, sweat, and tears, to oil the kinks in the machinery and pick the stray crumbs off the dirty iced layer of the cake. And if you've ever done either, you'd know how messy it can get.

Especially in RP clubs, managing things is incredibly difficult. You've got to delete old topics, run things while the owner is away, deal with that one member that's always breathing down your neck, and be active in roleplaying in addition to all that. But being a manager can also be rewarding. You get special manager privileges, and the satisfaction of a job well done. So all in all, it's not too terrible being a manager, but I won't lie, it's a messy job.

My Current Obsession: Dot's Summer Pastels Collection

When I logged on to Stardoll this morning, I had at least seven of those Starplaza Advertisements mails collecting dust in my Inbox. As my finger was poised over the mouse to click "Delete All", the word "pastel" caught my eye.

And it was like spark to flame in about a minute. I was clicking as frantically as I could to get to the Starplaza so I could check out Dot's new Summer Pastels collection. I find it to be a great way to start off the summer. After months and months of endless, mismatched, and sloppy color collections, the extemporaneous Dot is finally starting to enhance their selection with a more neutral palette of colors that will be bought with tempermental judgement.

Click for close-ups on these screenshots that I took of the new products Dot is offering.

Although it seems a little ironic that Dot is behind the fashions right now. Pastels are and to me, always will be in, but not right after the trending fad of bright, neon colors fades away.

What do you think about Dot's new collection? Hit or miss?

Unique Has "U" in it!

Sorry for the cheesy titles of late. I'm working on it, really.

Anyway, I wanted to bring up something that was bothering me for a while. After countless hours of brainless computer-monitor-staring, today's topic finally hit me. And I think almost everyone can relate to this.

Stardoll has become a haven lately for general types of immoral behavior; I don't think anyone can really disagree with me on that one. But it has also developed into a huge, booming sound system. Aaand you probably think I'm crazy. Vivian, what the hell does Stardoll have anything to do with a funky old sound system?

Think about it, when one person places a CD into it, the sound gets amplified throughout the entire area. Same with Stardoll; when one person starts a trend, everybody else needs to have the same thing. If an elite (apologies for using such a cliched example) wears their StarDesign wig a certain way, then all the other users run out to buy the latest and greatest. No one really seems to think twice about whether or not it looks good. If they have the same thing as someone popular, BAM! instant popularity boost.

But what I'm trying to get at is the fact that users in general want to feel noticed, or have people pay them more attention. Like putting a well-known user on their best friends' list is going to make people say, "Woah! This person has so-and-so-user on their BEST FRIEND list, which obviously means a lot, because they're obviously best friends."

In all honesty, if you spend all your time chasing after popularity and fame, you'll never get it. Be a trend-setter, not a follower. I think we can all say that we've had our fair share of the spotlight in this case, and I won't exempt myself from the guilt. Too many of the trend-chasers are a bunch of empty shells. Pretty on the outside, hollow on the inside.

Popularity comes to you when people are naturally drawn to your skills, talents, abilities, and personality, not how much money you have, or how long you've been on Stardoll, or your flashy diamond status. None of that really means anything unless you have the ability to back it up.

So that about sums up today's little rant. Sorry I got so deep here...I just felt kind of strongly about it. By the way, just wanted to let all my followers and readers know that you guys really made my day. Your compliments make me smile from behind the screen.

Get a Speech Ready...

The little title-meme was a sample of some of the advice I received in a Dollmail from Stardoll. After reading further, I discovered why having a "speech" ready would be necessary!

It seems that Stardoll has developed a new addition to their Starpoint system! And this one's the icing on the cake!

So basically, we have to spend more to get more, right? I mean, it's practically what they're endorsing here. An understandable theory, but not something that you'd want to apply to a website like Stardoll. It makes absolutely no sense to me why we would need these, anyway. So for every little accomplishment, you receive one of these tacky trophies, that get shown on a shelf above your presentation. I can already imagine how this might have gone down among the Stardoll staff when bringing this idea up to the table.

"Guys, we need to think of a way to re-vamp our Starpoint system."

"Why? I think it's good enough the way it is."

"There's nothing particularly wrong with the old one--"

"Ahem, excuse me, but we've redone practically all of Stardoll now. We need to redo the Starpoint system or people won't want to visit us because we're so lame. I mean, guys, we're sooo 2011 right now."

"I'm sure that's not true..."

"Um, it is, too! We ditched all of our moral values already back in 2010. Why not f*** up the Starpoint system, as well? That's the only thing we haven't changed."

"She's got a point, you know."

And it's obvious that I was making Stardoll out to be this greedy, power-hungry, moral-value-ditching monster-machine, but in all seriousness, I can see them slowly slipping down the hill. What did they think our reaction would be? Ooh! Shiny! This user has so many trophies, ergo they must be cooler, richer, and more popular than me! As a wise and well-learned user once commented, there's a reason why the "How do I delete my Stardoll account?" is on the list of Most Asked Questions under the Help category.

This has gotten to the point where it's not even a laughable topic anymore. I'm not the only one who's noticed the vast amount of clubs being created to retaliate against Stardoll's newer image. So, what do you think? Has Stardoll ditched it's old image? Are their "new campaigns" trying to draw in the wrong crowd of people?

Those Darn OC-ers!

If you haven't heard what unpleasant drama has been boiling inside Stardoll for the past week or so, then you probably live under a rock.

Have you ever wanted to start a club? Make it big, watch it rise to the top of the popularity list? Well, now is definitely not the time to do it, especially not with the OC members lurking around. Rumor has it they've been sneaking into clubs and making innapropriate topics, breaking the rules, and anything else they can do, resulting in the permanent termination of said club. They're only doing this to popular clubs, it seems, and even Stardoll-staff-run clubs like Tokio Hotel, Michael Jackson, Amy Diamond.

Stardoll administration found out about the uproar a few days ago, and are taking extreme precautionary measures to make sure that the OC members stay out of other clubs, permanently. They re-instituted a huge "Follow the One-Stop Rules" banner on the Clubs page, and temporarily closed down a few clubs for investigation. Popular clubs are now going private, kicking out several suspected OC members, and deleting topics like mad.

When I checked out robin's Stardoll page (the original owner of the first OC club), he writes, "OC will be back, check this page for updates. I'll hang out in test200 in the meanwhile." It startles me how much confidence he has. It's already been deleted what, at least thirteen times? And that's no surprise, seeing as the incidents they were deleted for were highly scandalous, especially the most recent...try eleven year olds stripping on a webcam and getting the police involved.

By doing some of my own research in test200, OC's backup club, I have deduced that all the dedicated OC members seem to blame "lavenderluva", the eleven year old stripper, for the termination of OC, permanently. And that's not to say that everyone else is not to blame.

Face the truth: the OC members are homeless and angry. They want revenge on the Stardoll staff for deleting their club, and a few of the radicals are trying to wreak havok by shutting down other popular clubs in retaliation.

I'd say this has become a full-out war: OC vs. Stardoll Admin. The popular clubs have been caught up in the artillery fire, and no one is safe.
Who would you bet on?

Too Old for Stardoll?

How old is too old? How young is too young? Is it for boys? or just for girls? When do you know that something just isn't for you anymore?

Many Stardoll users have been asking these questions lately, specifically the one about being "too old" for Stardoll. Many of us, myself included, are probably in our teenage years. We are starting to slowly get to that point where sometimes, we can't press the "Login" button every day without fail. Reassurances like "real life comes first", or "aren't you getting tired of Stardoll, anyway?" always seem to be the iceberg-tippers, the thought-provokers. In some cases, they are the ones that finalize the decision.

So, how old is too old? The real question is, when is it time to call it quits from Stardoll...for good? I've seen lots of cases where users say they're leaving "forever", pack up their things, lock up their Suites, and huff and puff and storm out in a dramatic ceremony. And then, a day or two later, they'll realize how hasty their decision was, and make reassurances to all their friends that they are only "checking up" on their account. This obviously escalades into a "few-days-a-week" login, and soon, they are sucked back into the vortex.

I always get fed up with these kinds of people. If you're going to leave, say goodbye already and go! Don't linger around and pretend you hate Stardoll and still go on every now and then! If you're going to make a clean break, make it clean and precise. It irks me to no end when users simply disappear off the face of the earth and come back as if nothing ever happened.

But in answer to the earlier question I posed, I believe there is only a personal limit. If you feel like you are getting too old for Stardoll, then you are. Stardoll has lots of elements that make it a site for girls (and even boys) of all ages to promote online fashion careers, make new friends, etc. And that's where some of the arguments kick in. Is Stardoll really for boys, too? My answer to that would be a definite yes. I think our generation in particular has shown that, as well. Fashion tycoons like Karl Lagerfeld, Calvin Klein, and Christian Louboutin have proved it! There is no gender split for fashion. It's unisex, it's something that can be enjoyed by everyone of all ages, just like art.

What do you think? Do you think there is a general age for being too old for Stardoll? Or how about a gender limit for Stardoll? Are there limits at all? Should there be?

Sardanapalian Stardoll Stores

Sardanapalian: excessively luxurious

I like to apply this term to Stardoll in our modern day. With the introduction of brand name tributes, such as Chanel, Anna Sui, Gucci, and the like, Stardoll has certainly been lavishing up stores and specialty goods offered in the Starplaza. If any of you can remember back that far, Stardoll's meager collection of clothing-based establishments were limited to the original and nostalgic Stardoll store, Fallen Angel, Fudge (now Original Future), Evil Panda, Bonjour Bizou (although it was originally just Bizou at the time), Deacades, Tingeling, Voile, Rio, and Pretty n' Love (Pretty n' Pink at the time).

Let's make like a celebrity talk show host and cut to the "Where Are They Now?" segment, shall we? Perhaps some of the biggest transformations have occured in the Stardoll store itself, now titled simply, "It Girls". This store offers everything from denim shirts to simple skirts and suit jackets, and is the place to go if you're looking for a staple item. Another store that has been Botox-ed is Pretty n' Love, which has undergone a huge facelift for the better. Their new line of light pinks, pastels, and lace is a definite hit with the younger-generation Stardoll crowd. But many veteran users still like to stick to their old ways; Pretty n' Pink when it was chock-full of Ashley-Tisdale-inspired items and accessories fit for a five year old playing dress-up in their mother's closet. Voile has made a surprising comeback in the past few months, as well, coming out with stylish lines of gowns and haute couture-themed items that are attracting Stardoll users of all ages.

But what is sorely disappointing is the fact that stores like Fallen Angel, Rio, Decades, and Evil Panda are being slowly left to fall apart. Tingeling and Decades both made a rather frightening return visit a few months ago, when they got the ball rolling for store-makeovers in general. Decay is hitting these shops faster than the sales that Stardoll has been issuing to keep them alive. Let's face it: they were never too popular to begin with.


My opinion is obvious. But what's yours? Should Stardoll cut to the chase and decapitate the single remnant of their history? or should they start fresh with a new beginning?