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.) 

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. 

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.

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.

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?