#TRENDwatch - Autumn1

#TSLBirthdayBash - Guest Writers

This final segment of this celebration (how is it over so quickly?!) is to bring to light those who've contibuted to the blog since November 2012 - I really couldn't believe it's been that long since I've been inviting guests to the blog! And it's something I love having as part of the blog and can't wait to continue it in the years to come. Without the guests, we also wouldn't be able to have the We Wear Hotbuys blog posts, which I know a lot of people enjoy, so it's all very much down to them^

\\ "I don't want to sound too gushy, but it was an honour to be approached to become a guest writer at The Stardoll Lookbook. I was a bit nervous about contributing because I've lurked for ages and the standard of style is very high. I've found that it's really just a lovely, creative environment where you can make your own statement about fashion - that's why I particularly like the We Wear Hotbuys segment so much, we all look at the same pieces differently. It's taken a long time (11 years nearly!) for me to get to a place where my doll looks on the outside how I feel on the inside and if it wasn't for blogs like this, I'd still be searching. I hope that this blog continues to inspire others like it has done me :)" //

Miloshki - November 2015 to Present

The guest writer posts allow the blog readers to get a much wider range of styles to view on the blog, and often, they are the popular posts getting a huge number of the "Love it!" boxes ticked on their posts! They also often (most usually!) are the most popular looks when we style the monthly Hotbuys - the great thing about doing these posts is we give the readers different ways they could work with the Hotbuy and hopefully show them different ideas and ways to style it so they can make an informed purchase if they so wish =)

\\ "Being a guest writer on The Stardoll Lookbook is like being a writer for Vogue. The Stardoll Lookbook, in my eyes is one if the most successful blogs to come from the Stardoll community and to be a part of it's history is just a blessing I can never forget. Also, I got to say, Kirsten (Sparklewand12) is one of the most hard working people I've ever met and I don't think we will ever have someone like her in the Stardoll community. I wish for The Stardoll Lookbook to continue flourishing and to continue to grow even bigger in the future!" //

Emmahunt4 - May 2013 to June 2013 and January 2014 to June 2014

What the guest writers would love from you guys is feedback and support! Sometimes there's a lack of motivation to post and I believe that can be fixed by a little love and care - so take some time to comment on their posts, say what you like about an outfit, enquire about their inspiration, yes ticking an opinion box is awesome, but a comment can go a long way! Trust me on this one, comments are very much appreciated on The Stardoll Lookbook and over the last 5 years are sometimes what have kept it going!

\\ "The Stardoll Lookbook, for me, is fabulous and one of the best blogs about fashion - because models should look good too, not only on the catwalk =) Everytime I'm thinking about a new outfit to make in Stardoll and my mind is blocked, I always visit The Stardoll Lookbook for inspiration and to wake up my creativity. I have always loved, and I always will love, The Stardoll Lookbook and Kirsten (Sparklewand12) will always remain one of my best friends! xoxo" //

Kaszmir13 - November 2012 to April 2013

So thank you guest writers - I definitely think I've got, and have had, some of the best *kisses kisses*!

#TSLBirthdayBash - Designer Lookbook

Penultimately is a designer lookbook! Lookbooks have always been my thing, heck my blog is called The Stardoll Lookbook and so I knew I wanted to include one in this celebration. I always wanted to promote somewhat of a less seen brand/designer/runway collection and I immediately knew it had to be D E L P O Z O!

Delpozo has been around since the 70's (yep, that long!) and was all started up in Spain. They made a lot of brand changes in 2011/2012 and introduced a brand new Creative Director - Josep Font. This really kicked Delpozo up a lot and it introduced runway fashion week inclusions in the Spring 2014 season.

The collections have often been deemed pret-a-couture, a name I could go for everyday! I very much see what they mean having looked at the collections and it's really been instilled in the designs since day one under Josep Font. And you can see a design theme easily running through all the collections linking them together but each with their own individual touch. One thing I love about all of the designs are the shape and style, everything seems very complete and structured and I enjoy seeing a place for some of the slightly geometric-inspired additions. Volume is something also featured commonly throughout the clothing, in this instance I feel opulence when I see it and the materials heighten the pret-a-couture feel wanting to be achieved. Colours are also never forgotten - you will need to check out the collections to see what I mean here!

#TSLBirthdayBash - Celebrity Influence

In the recent years celebrity culture and an interest in following celebrities has sky-rocketed and on Stardoll that is no exception. We have releases based on all the latest red carpet events, and we have the ability to look exactly like any celebrity that we want should we choose that path. So for me it seemed fitting to include this 'Celeb Influence' section in the celebration!

Even ten year ago, carpet events were a lot smaller, less names were invited and it was a pretty limited bunch of people, mostly actors and actresses sometimes singers but blogging and reality shows have become hugely popular and it wouldn't be a carpet event without a blogger or internet sensation being present.

And runways aren't the only places for the models these days - social media has given them a huge extra platform to be themselves. On the runway they're there to sell the designers clothes and pieces, while on media and on red carpets they can work on themselves and their own image. These days the models are as much an influence to us as the designers of their clothes.

Carpet events certainly haven't been missed on Stardoll and the past few years these have risen in popularity, even just in 2016 there's been at least one a month so far! With those, the fact that celebrities influence us really comes to light in what we choose to wear to the events and how we style ourselves. And even within Stardoll itself celebrities have a huge influence with the great choices available with the regular Young Hollywood releases.

#TSLBirthdayBash - Swimwear

The first segment of the night is something where I started out many years ago now - swimwear! My first graphics were a swimwear line I named TIDAL Swimwear back in 2011/2012 and my interest with this summer piece continued when entered into Stardoll's NTGD and my first task included it. Plus I couldn't do the first summer issue of TREND without include any! This small first piece features a small swimwear editorial pieced with some of my past works - enjoy =D

I'm still never sure what influenced me to go with swimwear when I wanted to start a line - it was all for the original Stardoll Fashion Week, but the event never happened. I'm glad I went ahead and made the line anyway though, they really started me with graphics and cemented the wish to continue with them and to improve my skills - and boy did they need improving!

It wasn't too long after this that I really put a lot of time into graphics, and that along with practice was what was needed for me to really step up. I still love working on swimwear, and although I look at those and have a giggle at my early works (first works), I wouldn't be where I am today without them. All that work really built up, and I'm quite glad in that as it's meant that I am able to produce my own headers and pieces for blogging - something I'm incredibly thankful for.

Swimwear has also been involved in key steps for me, like graphics competitions and magazine releases and sure, they've not always been great works, but I love the meaning behind them - even if it's just for myself. So I very much found it fitting that I would release this small swimwear segment as the first of this event.