Welcome Back, Good Ol' Stardoll...

This is exactly what I needed.

I was so looking forward to Young Hollywood 2.0. The first collection was so-so, but had some really great dresses and lovely shoes. Naturally, I was expecting something of that sort.

Initially, my disappointment originated from the fact that I had missed the GaGa bodysuit and the wig (My baby is so popular!). Then, I actually took a look at the clothes.

Man. I've never seen anything so tacky, ugly and horrible since Selena Gomez's latest video. Where are the lovely shoes? Where are the edgy dresses? I am not going to deny that they had potential; it's just that the graphic designers completely fucked up.

Young Hollywood 2.0 is marred by horribly designed, overly expensive accessories and mediocre - at best - garments. Of course, if you are a brand-lover, there is one fugly dress whose price tag reads 25 Stardollars.

Personally, I'd like to have seen any Coachella outfits. Or Rihanna's Bob Marley swimsuit.

It looks like Stardoll didn't learn anything from the disastrous sales of the original Young Hollywood. (Note: disastrous, for a limited edition brand.)

Aaand, it's official. Stardoll finally ditched mediocrity for bullshit, and I've got my mojo back.

A Starplaza Review Because I'm Bored.

 

Returning to Stardoll was probably the dumbest decision I've made. Because, really, the items released post my leaving and prior to my returning were simply gorgeous. Not just the garments, but the furniture as well. All I see now is expensive piece of shit crap (woah) that no one - ever - should own.

God, how I loved PPQ. Note the past tense.

This new collection seems to have a theme; boring, long-sleeved dresses.

The funny thing is that the quality of the graphics is excellent. Many of the dresses look pretty great, but... I can't put my finger on it, but there is something on the clothes, a certain quality. Maybe it's those horrid boots, maybe it's those hilariously horrid hats. Maybe it's the lack of originality. Or maybe - maybe - it's the ridiculous prices. 

My favorite items are the Metal Jumble necklace and the Ebony Gather top. The dresses are nice enough, but nothing special, to be frank.

Pfft, I am sick of my Starplaza reviews; they've lost their sarcastic charm. So, from now on, when you see a new store, imagine a witty and hilarious post by me.

On another note, school started for me today. Oh, lawd, I am bored already.

First of all, in case you've lived under a rock for the past ten years or are plain ignorant, today is 9/11. Ten years ago today a tragic event occurred in New York; an airplane crashed on the twin towers and, as a result, many human lives were lost that day.

Unfortunately, this blog is Stardoll-related and, besides, I shouldn't be the one to analyze the events, as I was in a different country, completely unaffected by the tragedy.

The actual point of this post is the fact that, tomorrow, school begins for those of us living in Greece. I am a junior now, which means that I will really have to focus on studying now, as, next year, I'll be taking my introductory exams to university. Obviously, the time I will spend on the Internet, particularly Stardoll, will be limited and, thus, so will my posts.

Of course, I will be here to report on extremely important news, such as the winner of MSW and the shocking arrival of another tribute store.

Now, let's take a moment to think of the families of those who died ten years ago. No, I'm not being sarcastic anymore.

First: Yeah, I changed the blog's layout again.

Second: The MSW store reopened.

Frankly, it's okay. There are a couple of interesting dresses, a few overpriced belts and some hideous pairs of shoes. Yet another mediocre clothing line, courtesy of Stardoll. As I am writing this very post, my eyelids are heavy from the immense boredom.

Then again, the store reflects MSW itself. I'll just leave it at that.

Help! It's The Wrath Of The Undead Hand!

Is it Halloween already?

I haven't read Mortal Kiss - with the exception of a couple of chapters - so I can't tell if the store accurately depicts the feel and general atmosphere of the story. The Mortal Kiss garments seemed very classy but also a bit futuristic, whereas the homonymous interior reeks of 80s horror movie cheesiness. I would consider purchasing a few items for a Halloween-themed room if it weren't for the prices. I mean, come on. I can find better for less in Fallen Angel, and if I desperately wanted to spend a shitload of Stardollars on furniture, it would be Evening Falls.

Mortal Kiss 2 turns out to be a big, fat disappointment.

Let's have a toast for the douchebags, let's have a toast for the assholes...

Usually you don't see much depth in Stardoll users. Why should you? It's a fashion site that promotes conventional beauty, wealth and the general lack of imperfections or a personality. It is rare to come across an enticing project that isn't based upon such shallowness.

A few days ago, I read a heartbreaking post on MDM, written by Aislin Victory, about her cousin Emily, a girl who committed suicide as a result of relentless bullying. I am truly disgusted that just because one doesn't like someone's appearance, they feel the urge to taunt them to the point they want to hurt themselves.

Bullying isn't that uncommon an occurrence on Stardoll. About a week ago, Austin (alexapie200) was tormented on his own guestbook by fellow Stardoll users because of a photoshopped picture of himself sporting... lipstick and blush. (More on the story, here.) The comments were nasty and, unfortunately, many people called out on the victim of this situation for not blocking his bullies. As if this horrendous act rightfully enraged them and it is only common sense why they had to keep throwing tirades at him. As if it's his fault that some people have nothing better to do with their lives. Frankly, I don't care if this person is a famewhore. Hell, I don't care if he's called you "fat", or a "bitch"; stooping to such a low level just to publicly humiliate a child is exasperating.

Bullying is neither acceptable nor will impress anyone, and, fortunately, there are some people who have realized it. Aislin, for example, decided to launch 'Beauty Week', in order to "remind everyone how beautiful they really are". She even took to the popular blog to reach out to talented Star Designers to help her create T-shirts in her cousin's memory.

She's not alone, though. On the same blog, mere hours ago, I read an interesting post by Dei (To_Royal), who led me to The Stardoll Peace Project, created by audreyxbeth. No, this isn't a flower children gathering. It's more of a "star vehicle" for talented Stardoll users who wish to have their projects showcased in a more accessible platform. As the name indicates, bullying is not tolerated and no form of discrimination is acceptable. (I wonder if Reece will finally find a place where he is wanted.)

Hopefully, more people will follow suit; projects such as those mentioned above are to be applauded by the Stardoll community.

Come on then; applaud!

Oops, They Did It Again!

To be completely honest, I've been waiting for this moment for a long time.

[click to enlarge]

In the heat of the MSW competition, it looks like some may have gone a little overboard with the broadcasting system. We already knew that there are plenty of users in possession of a great amount of Stardollars, who abuse it, but, apparently, now with the month-long Covergirl competition MSW things are ten times worse.

I am on the fence about this. On the one hand, no broadcasts means no more desperate cries for votes - for now.  Plus, this will most likely mean that less than fortunate members, Stardollars-wise, will have equal chances at being noticed. On the other hand, this means that people will see this a chance to fill as many guestbooks as possible with relentless pleas, troll posts and, in general, unwanted bullshit And, of course, rare-lurkers collectors will miss out on a lot of great bargains.

All I can think right now is how grateful I am that this contest is only virtual. Imagine if Stardoll was, say, a big, international high school filled with rabid teenagers who aim to win the big prize; I know this possibility is dreadful.

The only reason why I would participate in such a travesty - I completely disagree with the concept that beauty and, in general, such shallow characteristics should be considered virtues - would be the 1000 Stardollars. Frankly, that's about it. I couldn't care less about fame, especially on a website. Even in my real life, I try to simply blend into the background. (Note, simply blend into the background, not change my views on certain matters just to feel part of a group.) Of course, fame seems to be the primary motive for most people, as usually MSW contenders spend hundreds of dollars in order to look appealing enough to deserve the prize - pathetic, in my opinion. 1000 Stardollars would roughly cover their expenses. So, what could it be that they desire so much? Perhaps a few friends? Doubt it. Probably, just to feel popular, envied, even desirable, in order to make up for the inadequacy of their own social life.

The question is, why does everybody else have to listen to your virtual moan about how a silly competition is your biggest dream and my bitterness is not letting you turn it into reality?

Sorry this ended up being another seemingly endless rant, but I was feeling inspired.

PS. The new Blogger is busting my balls right now.

UPDATE: Aaaand... the broadcasts have returned.

Less Is More & More Causes Cultural Shock

I decided I'm no longer using my stupid banner. It's pointless and you probably already know who I am.

op·u·lence [op-yuh-luhns]

noun

1.

wealth, riches, or affluence.

2.

abundance, as of resources or goods; plenty.

3.

the state of being opulent.

It seems that Stardoll has taken this term too literally, because their latest Starplaza decor store practically reeks of wealth and excess. So much so, that it ends up looking tacky and over the top.

Sure enough, there are some beautifully designed and tasteful (i.e. the Mini Marble Statue) items, but, primarily, Opulence is a big, fat mess. Which is very disappointing, of course, especially after the simple-yet-great additions to the Minimalism store.

I'm not going to lie, minimalism usually seems to me like a rather impersonal movement, seeing as it's more based on simplicity, symmetry and the trio of white, black and grey, and less on personal taste. However, the fact that something is colorful and all-over-the-place-looking, doesn't necessarily render it tasteful.

All in all, Opulence is characterized by mediocrity: the graphics are, for the most part, nearly flawless, but the designs are usually tacky. It's just a classier version of Kitsch, in my opinion.


Whatever you do, don't put more than one items from the Opulence store in the same room. Usually, less is more. 

Eyes On The Prize

For some reason, I feel like shouting "Eternal glory!", Dumbledore-style.

Obviously, that's not of the prizes for Stardoll's biggest competition of the year. But, I am certain that 1000 Stardollars, 2000 Starcoins, instant Royalty status and a bunch of other stuff I can't recall right now will suffice.

When I gave up on Stardoll in late 2009, Miss Stardoll World wasn't "established" yet. Even when I made my virtual "comeback", I had no idea whatsoever what that competition was. I read a post about the 2010 winner on PSG about how she was an insufferable bitch (basically) and that was it. In fact, I thought it was a one time thing. Of course, Stardoll wouldn't miss the chance to cash up on the thousands, if not millions, of hopefuls who will spend - or have spent - their precious moolah in order to kid themselves that they stand a chance.

Yesterday, I got a message from a fellow Greek, who stated that MSW was her biggest dream. She also mentioned, poor grammar and spelling and all, that she had spent a large amount of real money to decorate her suite and style her Medoll.

I admire determination. I really do. But, frankly, I don't go voting people that don't deserve it, just because it's their "biggest dream". Because, really, if I were to vote someone for a virtual competition, it would be a talented girl or boy, with a beautifully decorated suite and a lovely Medoll. Someone like Zenonas (-LimitedEdition), for example. Not someone who suddenly decides they want to be internet celebrities.

But, as I said, I'm not planning on voting anyone. Not because I find the "institution" ridiculous, but because of the fib and corruption that dominates it. I am pretty sure that there are plenty of desperate Stardoll users that have created dozens, perhaps hundreds of accounts just to vote themselves. It's not a new thing. We know many have done it to win Covergirl, a much less coveted spot compared to MSW. And, frankly, why the hell not? It's free, harmless and you don't risk becoming a virtual beggar and, thus, pissing people off.

Stardoll does nothing about it. As they do nothing about those sly brats that think that by giving a fancy prize to a lucky voter, they will emerge victorious.

Of course, the result of this viral contest will be thousands of miserable young girls and boys that bestowed their hopes upon grandiose expectations and will end up wondering why that wasn't enough.

Needless to say, I don't intend to be a part of this.

Mortal Kiss 2 (& Me Hyperventilating)

First, I am totally hyperventilating right now. Not because of Mortal Kiss 2. I just found out that my girl, Lady GaGa, won two VMAs and the Hunger Games teaser was revealed and I am shaking right now.

Anyway.

The skirt. I love it. Personally, I don't find it as great as the previous collection, but it's pretty solid. I am a bit disappointed, though, mainly because of the prices. Oh, well.

Really, there is nothing more to say about it. It's silver. It's shiny. It's cute and futuristic. Nothing really, truly great, but it doesn't suck.

I do find the original Mortal Kiss far more superior, though. I admit that purple seems a bit too emo-ish to me, but mixed with light violet, white and even pink it actually isn't half bad.

Okay. I feel like I have been posting way too much about Starplaza crap, so imma peace out and continue hyperventilating.

PS. Beyonce is pregnant. What a nice, original publicity stunt Queen B.

Another Month Of Fug, Brought To You By...

Take a wild guess.

What's with the dog? Please, please tell me it isn't a Hotbuy. (Actually, I just checked and it is.)

Frankly, these alleged Hotbuys are horrible.

 

Okay, perhaps with the exception of the "Roar Tee" and the emerald skirt. And that big, green, fierce bag. I suppose the are bolder than previous Hotbuys, but I am seriously underwhelmed, especially considering the shitload of moolah we will be expected to pay for them. Assuming we actually do purchase them.

In other odd but irrelevant news:

Wow. Someone is getting creative. Careful, Stardoll. You might choke on your own creativity.

[click to enlarge]

Oh, Stardoll! Now I am so tempted to spend 500 Stardollars. I mean, this is a shitty - but free - outfit we're talking about. Like, bingo! Plus, who doesn't just love zombies? Right, Stardoll?

Seriously, just bring Mortal Kiss 2 (and I mean the clothes, not Twilight's shitty spawn) and get it over with.

Imma peace out now.

Shaking & Crying! (OK, maybe I'm overreacting a little bit.)

First off, I gave the blog a mini-makeover, mainly because it was boring me. Not that it was a drastic change, but I kind of like it. It's different but simple. I also changed my banner into something much more minimalistic. And not so much of a banner, as a matter of fact.

Anyway, back to the point of this post, i.e. the cause of my shaking and crying. Not many Stardoll-related projects have really enticed me, let alone the more recent ones. Taking into consideration the plethora of magazines created by Stardoll users, the excellence of the graphics or the quality of the articles is hardly intriguing. One magazine, however, has managed to stand out, not only because it possesses the above mentioned qualities, but also because it's... fierce. Of course, I am talking about Fierce Magazine, one of the most popular and acclaimed user-created magazines. It's creator, Alice (Hunnigall), is probably one of the most renown graphic designers on Stardoll and, no shame in admitting it, I will forever exalt her fabulousness.

Despite the disappointing lack of recent issues, Alice herself promised that the magazine would return, back in January. And, boy, will it return!

Usually, I am very hard to impress, but the moment I laid eyes on this spoiler, I fell in unconditional and irrevocable love with it. So much so, that I am afraid I have lost my will to be a bitch.

Okay Helen, focus.

Fierce hits the virtual stands in Fall 2011. Here's something to look forward to.

New Banner & Other Stuff

Wow. It feels like a long time since the last time I wrote here. Not much has happened, to be honest. (Seriously. Stardoll is extremely boring as of late.)

Stardoll has also posted the first two chapters of Mortal Kiss 2 on the Starblog. (No interactive version, boo!) I haven't read the original Mortal Kiss - just the prologue - but I still gave its sequel (?) a shot. I regretted it. The prologue of the first one seemed well-written and, as contrived and overdone the concept is, it was quite intriguing. Fool's Silver, though seems generic and poorly written to me. I couldn't make past the first few lines. I should be familiar with less than stellar writing; I've read Twilight. But, frankly, Mortal Kiss resembles a fanfiction written by a 13 year-old. A bad one.

At least the clothes will be fabulous.

Wait. Did you hear that? It's the screams of thousands of tweeners.

Oh, what a glorious moment! Let's all raise our virtual glasses in honor of the Miss Stardoll World competition. I'll be frank, I briefly thought about entering the competition, but it'd be fruitless. I am not one for relentless spamming or relentless moolah-wasting. I'd rather be a simple observer, occasional critic, but mostly filled with witty, sarcastic comments. Perhaps I could launch a campaign boycotting it. That would be fun.

Let the spamming contest begin! It's going to be like the Hunger Games, only more intense, me thinks.

And that's what you missed on Glee Stardoll!

Minimalistically Fabulous!

I am pleasantly surprised right now.

According to Stardoll's official twitter, plenty of cool features are on their way to Dollywood. To name a few, Mortal Kiss 2 (Yay!) and a Minimalism store, with the later already available at the Suite Shop.

I have to say, I am beyond impressed. The items are fantastic. The prices are not exactly low, but, frankly, I am tempted to buy every single thing! The quality of the graphics is exquisite, almost LE-like.

Stardoll deserves major kudos for this one!

UPDATE: Apparently, Stardoll has also decided to bring back from the dead - AKA the Starbazaar hell - a few lovely, Starck inspired items. Aside from the fact that I spent 44 Stardollars on the Starck inspired sofa a few weeks prior to its re-release, I am pleased to find these stylish pieces of furniture at a reasonable price instead of the 500 Stardollars they cost at the Starbazaar.

Sweet Moses' nipple on a cracker!

Alright, this could be either false alarm, Stardoll being an idiot or a fucking miracle.

The Sea of Stars store is known for a lot of things. Such as, being completely weird and being overly expensive. But, I just spotted a few brand new items, namely a couple of pairs of Armadillos à la Godga that are surprisingly inexpensive. One costs... 6 Starcoins? Hmm. I won't buy them just yet; they're not that amazing, and, who knows, with Stardoll's history of fail, the price tag could be misleading.

UPDATE: Turns out, you can actually buy the Armadillos for 6 Starcoins. Perhaps Stardoll will change it, so you might as well hurry up.

UPDATE 2: Turns out, you can't anymore. The price has gone up to 10 Stardollars for the ones that previously cost a mere 6 Starcoins, and to 5 for the others. Same with a few other garments, which were previously available for non-Superstars as well. Oh well. No surprise here.

Surprise!

 (What is that, Stardoll? No notifying message? Oh well.)

Stardoll has become rather predictable as of late. I dread the moment when there will be no fashion houses/designers/fashion brands for it to blatantly plagiarize be inspired by.

Yup, you guessed it. Another tribute has made its way into our Dolly world. (Note to self: create a tribute tag. Or just put every tribute-related post under the fail category. Yeah, that works as well. )

So, what fabulous brand has Stardoll brought to our lovely virtual mall?

After the great, cool, hip and colorful Moschino tribute, this is a slight disappointment. Wait, didn't I say the exact same thing about that one? Well, I take it back, because, as I said wrote, it was a great, cool, hip and colorful tribute. Stardoll's newest moolah drainer seems rather bland and bo-aring in comparison. (Wait, I just spotted a lovely handbag for... 14 Stardollars? Nevermind.) The garments are a bit too vanilla, the colors are the opposite of eye-grabbing and the prices are predictably haute. The graphic designer did do a nice job, however, so I suppose one or two pieces wouldn't be a terrible waste of virtual money.

Stardoll, I am disappoint. This tribute is nothing to rave about; too Plain Jane-ish, if you ask me. Folks over at Stardoll HQ, either do something spectacular, or produce an(other) atrocity, just to relieve me from my complete boredom.

UPDATE: Sweet Moses' nipple on a cracker! I just... Wait... Oh, false alarm. Move along.

To the Starplaza!

What I Hate About Stardoll And Whatnot

When I originally created this blog, I intended to use it as an outlet of my relentless whining against the greed and general douchebaggery of Stardoll's owners and staff. There is a lot to complain about. Stardoll isn't one for discrimination; it equally treats Superstars and non-Superstars alike like shit.

But, honestly, I find this a bit tiring. Stardoll is a business, and while the have to start respecting the people who spend their precious moolah to make them filthy rich, maybe we, the mistreated, ought to understand that they operate like one. Of course, being the ones who provide Stardoll with its fuel (i.e. money), we should demand some respect. 

Stardoll should have realized the universal criticism towards it by now, considering that every popular blog has somewhere in its archive a rant against it. Except maybe US (Underneath Stardoll). The folks over there are probably too busy flaunting their interview with Callie.Stardoll and in general being the most popular user-created, Stardoll-related blog out there. Maybe they should post an extensive rant, since US seems to be Callie's fave virtual hangout. No offense to the uber successful blog, but a little originality never harmed anyone.

Anyways, in my humble opinion, Stardoll is a dick and us, the members, provide a very comfy... Nevermind. 

My Belated Two Cents

Over the past week, I've been doing an experiment. More specifically, my "hiatus" from Stardoll was the experiment. The results were astonishing. It turns out, I'm not a Stardoll addict. Really. Apparently, I can't live a day without my dose of celebrity gossip, but Stardoll, that I can survive without.

Still, a lot happened during my absence. Most importantly, Stardoll released a new tribute store. Shocking, huh? Alright, that happened a week ago, but I only regained access to my precious computer a mere half hour ago.

The store is alright, I suppose. Colorful and cutesy, but a slight disappointment compared to the Lanvin one. Overall, a nice effort.

I am certain a lot more has happened to Dollywood in the past 8 days or so, I'm just too exhausted to even bother to find out. Oh well. I still have a whole month before school starts to make up for the recent lack of posts.

PS. Fear not, I haven't stopped bitching about Stardoll. I'm just really, really tired.

UPDATE: Upon further reflection, I decided I fucking love this tribute. I swear, I haven't purchased so many items at once, like, ever! Bravo, Stardoll, bravo.

To the Starplaza!