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.

Crontradicting Oneself

Nudity on Stardoll no longer constitutes a taboo.

Many popular magazines and blogs have used it  in the past, as a form of expression and art, above all, while other projects have thrived thanks to the controversy nudity is bound to bring. Many would say that a graphic that doesn't involve the virtual nipples of a pixelated beauty would be more controversial than one that does.

And while most claim that all is done for the sake of art, that we are all born naked et cetera, maybe it's high time to stop trying to find the message behind a virtual ass and see it for what it is; a virtual ass.

Yesterday, yet another Stardoll related project was launched; Risque Magazine, a new, daring magazine, bound to agitate the still waters of the conservative Stardoll community. Its creator, the talented Aislin Victory -who, by the way, penned all of the articles- started things with a pompous Editor's Letter, stating that nudity can be considered a form of art. Which is true, on certain occasions. The magazine itself is filled with half-naked beauties, Lady GaGa quotes, empowering articles and a rather irrelevant, ostensibly, to the magazine's theme piece about cyber sex on Stardoll.

To be quite frank, I found it a bit contradicting, if not hypocritical. Being a fan of Aislin's and, in general, all for self-expression, I simply find it strange that she would write a grandiose article about how cyber sex is terrible and on the next page show a butt naked model. As easily as one can claim that nudity is a form of self-expression, a bratty, hormonal pre-teen can claim the same for wanting to "fuk hawt boyz".

Just as I've mentioned in a previous post, I am no prude. However, I do feel that sexualizing a website aimed towards children and labeling it as art is plain wrong. As far as the feeling good about yourself people seem to so easily use, I cannot understand how empowered and confident a teenager can feel upon viewing photoshopped images of perfect -and unreal- figures that bare all, pompously exclaiming it's self-expression.

So, to conclude, I believe that if the original intent of the magazine was to make young -and easily influenced, I might add- girl to feel good in their own skin, it failed miserably. Which is sad.

When Life Imitates Life

Virtual life, that is.

I am well aware that this is old news already, but I just had to post yet another essay about something, well, completely pointless. Oh well, at least my writing skills will improve. You mad?

Anyway, back to our subject. A couple of weeks ago, I came across this. I have to admit it, that spoiler is quite intriguing. The idea, not so much. Playboy is a degrading concept towards women to begin with, and, before you call me prude, nudity isn't always considered an art. Using art as an excuse for presenting women as a piece of meat is beyond deplorable.

And, as if one Stardoll Playboy magazine wasn't enough, this happened.

The graphic itself is quite impressive, especially taking into consideration the fact that anyone who has such an idea is most likely a moron with too much time on their hands. What deranges me the most, though, is the fact that - according to this masterpiece's creator - a project like that is acceptable because it has good graphics.

Nudity is not an uncommon concept, here in Dollywood. From Style_Magazine's controversial banner for It's Stardoll Gossip B!tch, to UndaMyUmbrellla's infamous nipple dress, it is quite common. I personally found both above mentioned ventures quite tasteful. 

There is nothing tasteful about Playboy. Neither the real one nor its poor virtual imitation.