DUPES: There's MORE?!

It's been a while since my last Stardoll DUPES post, but, well... there's been a few developments and new collections recently, and with that, come new dupes.

Are They Serious?

When you can get a dupe for starcoins, is there really any question of which one you're going to buy? No, I don't think so.

Alternatives:

If you absolutely have to buy a plain white tee, why not add some texture with these first three? Or, if it's the white bodysuit aspect you want, the swimsuit adds an interesting neckline while keeping it classic.

Yet More Turtlenecks

Seriously, I've already had - what, three other posts on long sleeved black turtlenecks? And here comes stardoll with another one, even more ugly, boring, and uninteresting than the last fifty billion versions!

Alternatives:

Do I really need to list them all again?

Hot Buys Shoes

Same exact shoe - the platform colour and order, the toe shape, the lace, it's all identical. The only real difference is the 'angle,' with the Vinyl version being looked at from above and the Hotbuys from the side. 

Alternatives:

Truth be told, I really liked the Vinyl versions when they first came out. But nonetheless, if you want to avoid a duped-out outfit, here's a few other shoes you can try.

There's definitely no lack of metallic shoes, or platforms, and theses are just a few of my personal picks to replace the above:

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Yes, More Dupes

New releases just about guarantee new dupes these days. Because apparently, Stardoll just can't help be continue to re-make items that we already have.

Overpriced, Under Designed

I thought the new 9to5 shorts were cute... until I realized why they looked so familiar. Yep, the Basics shorts are an almost identical colour, with much more detailed graphics, not to mention are in starcoins. The Jet Set shorts are a slightly different colour, but close in shape with - you guessed it - better graphics. And they're cheaper.

The Alternatives

There's no shortage of shorts or beige on Stardoll. These two fit both those conditions, but with either a tassel or print detail for a bit more originality.

The Entire New Original Future

The fact it's not even a whole floor is shameful enough. Then there's the hideous atrocities committed within it. And then...the dupes. I can't be bothered doing every item, so the worst offended in my opinion is... these shoes. They just stuck an ankle bracelet to them? Which makes you look like you just escaped some maximum security prison?  As for the dupes, there's no lack of plain white, lace up sneakers, including "platform" and mens' varieties. Adding Low- and Hi- top versions make sense to me, as do Mens and Womens, but prison-escapee? Not so much.

The Alternatives:

There's plenty of other plain white shoes (and more than a few dupes for them,) so I went for shoes that kept the platform-sneaker shape but added something extra. From black spikes to stripes, and even minty green!

So Obvious, It Hurts:

I'm not sure what stardoll was thinking when they made the It Girls skirt, especially when you consider the fact that it's in stardollars. It's slightly shorter, less high wasted, and also shinier than it's basic counter part... all of which makes me like it less. A quick test in the plaza proved the It Girls  version to be very difficult to colour match as well, while the Basics skirt can easily go with a number of both Basics and Non-Basics items. And of course, there's loads of other colours of the Basics skirt to choose from, if red isn't your thing. So, the winner here is pretty obvious.

The Alternatives:

Add texture, a print, or even a slit! There's lots of creative ways to style a red maxi skirt.

Still Ugly:

Different currency, store, and colour, but each one is as hideous as the last. Neither one can win, because I can't imagine anyone ever making these look stylish. They're what I'd call "pool shoes." Seen in public only for the sake of not slipping on wet changing room tiles, and otherwise confined to the very back of your closet.

The Alternatives:

There's so many cute, flat sandals around - I went with black ones, since they were the most neutral, but there's so many cuter shoes than the ones above.

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Price Discrepancies: Lego Friends

Satrdoll isn't new to recoloured and re-released items - but what about the times they have two of the same item, at the same time, for different prices? This has happened with Callie releases a couple of times - a Callie and another brand item are identical, except for the cost. But don't worry if you missed them - I've found plenty more where those came from! Starting with....

Lego Friends Items

Okay, so it's not particularly wanted or pretty - but the bikinis ARE twice the price!  The shoes also differ by a few starcoins. The difference? One is Lego Friends AUS, and one is Lego Friends UK.

How they didn't catch onto this, I'll never know. It's silly, and random, and just straight up bad on the part of whoever picked the prices. And why dod we need a UK and an AUS version of what's essentially the same store anyway?

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Dupes - LE

It's a bit ridiculous that this is happening so often, but here we go again. Hopefully you can still save some money, rather than make a last-minute splurge.  I actually had meant to post this ages ago but... Christmas happened and I've been too busy to get online recently. Anyway, it's here now!

The Sheer Boots:

Needless to say, I'd much rather pay 25sd than 95. And I actually like the totally-sheer, cheaper version more, because there's the ability to layer other shoes and sock with them, which for me is the reason I wear sheer in the first place.

Alternatives:

If it's white tall boots you're after, stardoll has a pretty decent supply, with loads of different detailings and styles. If it's sheer and white, there's plenty of white leggings in starcoins.

Sheer Black Bodies

Personally, I think this is the worst one yet - the scribble looks entirely random, and tricky to style with literally any other item. Currently, there's a multitude of sheer black, turtleneck tops and bodies in the plaza - but there's just as many in the bazaar too.

Alternatives:

Mix it up a bit with some sheer pieces and different silhouettes. From new tributes to everyday Nelly, there's no lack of long-sleeved, sheer items to choose from.

The Two Dozen Puffer Coats

Most are limited, and frankly, I can't be bothered searching anyone elses' suites to find them. But you know the ones.

Alternatives:

Okay, so maybe it's a cultural thing, but where I live, puffer coats are for weird tourists and overpriced gift shops - not for fashion. So I'm not about to recommend anything even mildly puffed up in this section. But, if it's brown, oversized, and different you're after, these coats should do just fine.

Did you buy these Limited Edition dupes? 

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Antidote Dupes

No review for this collection - the number of dupes says plenty. This time, I went a little off-book and included items NOT available in the plaza any more, but that were tributes you can find in the bazaar. Prices therefore are from bazaar purchases for the most part, not original.

Patchwork Denim Cape

I loved it for a second - that is, until I almost died of laughter, because is a truly pathetic effort on Stardoll's part. Could they not find anything, anything else? Honestly, this is one of the worst examples yet, because it's literally the exact same inspiration item. I'm fuming, but at least I already own the cheaper version.

Alternatives:

Need patchwork denim? Why not try a dress! Or if it's capes you're stuck on, there's this pastel pink one. There's also far too many denim jackets in the plaza.

Bomber Jacket:

I actually saw a much more similar jacket on the Spotlight, but the doll's wardrobe was closed so I couldn't figure out what brand it was or take a picture. But, you get the idea - green, chunky bombers are so overdone. Sure, it's a different green, with fur - but it's not as if you can't add fur using other items, as I showed during my RUNWAY dupes. Or go for the vest. Put simply - it's not worth it.

Alternatives:

There's plenty of textured, fur-lined coats to choose from already, so why not give them a go? I also love this olive green jacket who's puff sleeves are plenty oversized.

Grey Dudes Jeans (YET AGAIN)

This must be the third time I've ended up including a pair of grey, generic male doll pants in a dupes post. This time, they're limited no less! I don't have a male doll, and I'm offended.

For alternatives, just check out some of my previous dupe posts.

Just Ugly

These were hideous in the spoilers, just as hideous in real life, and no less hideous once released. It's like there's a giant, gold-coloured arrow pointing t your crotch - and then there's the ugly baggy-ness, the bizzare shading, and the utter lack of anything redeemable about these pants. Take of the chain, though, and there's so many dupes for these I won't even bother with a picture. After all, I feel like I've already seen these genes in previous Dupes posts!

Alternatives:

If shiny baggy pants are your thing, there's always these sequin jeans, or black pants with gold detailing. If it's loose jeans you're after, try a more structured bell shape with these ones by PALS.

Did you buy any of the Antidote versions? How do you feel about them now?

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DUPES : Tingeling Halloween Couture

I thought it was a Callie's Picks item ... but it wasn't. Oh no, it's one of the most overpriced dupes so far, at literally double the price of the original. Just, for real, stardoll? Was there nothing else you could have made? Or, I don't know, a better price at least?

The Culprit:

I have no alternatives for this. None. Zip. 

The Black Mini:

The first two have an identical length and shadings, with the second of course having the lion detail to make it more unique. The other two have similar necklines and shapes, again, with different details. I'm glad that the THC dress in in Starcoins, though, so I'm not too upset about the similarities.

Alternatives:

All three dresses have a sweetheart neckline, are black, and of miniskirt length. But each dress has completely unique detailing - from leathers to feathers and cut-out spaces. The first two also strike me as being much more "Halloween" styled than the THC one.

Overall, there's no other major dupes in this collection - or at least, none still in the plaza. Which is nice. The suit is yet another print variation on dozens of other suits, but none were quite as neon blue as this one so I think it's unique enough - and ugly enough - not to include here.

What were your thoughts on this release?

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Stardoll Dupes: Shoe Edition

It's my exam season - but despite being busy, I have yet another Dupes post for you.  I focused on shoes because they often get overlooked in our outfits. I'm definitely guilty of wearing the same pairs, or buying several of the same style so I can use them in multiple rooms at a time! But we can do better than that.

Knee High Black Boots

I just adore tall black boots - but, seriously? The first three are all black wedged, with the last three being all velvet. Personally, I think the first one is just a bit of an awkward length even if it is the cheapest, so my pick this time goes to the Bonjour Dizou pair.

Alternatives:

I'm not giving up my black boots any time soon! But you can always try a buckled ankle bootie - there's even a starcoin one from Wild Candy. Or if you must skip the black, try a brown boot.

More Black Heels:

Seriously, these are just some of the pointy-toed, black heels. The rest differed in that they had a coloured strap on them, but that was about it. As it is, these are so similar it's painful. I can give them a little slack when it comes to the PPQ shoes, as they are based on the real life collection after all - but why they had to make both I will never know. If you wear pants, or a long skirt, that strap makes no difference whatsoever.

Alternatives:

Other neutrals need your love, too! Why not go nude, or white, or grey instead?

Platform Sneakers:

There have been several HotBuy and Limited versions which I couldn't include, but if you saw them, you'd be as mad about their existence as me. The third pair here almost got away with it, because it does have a white platform and tall sock, but a pair or long pants renders those differences irrelevant.

Alternatives:

There are so many cute, unique, and wearable platforms around stardoll! Buckled boots, creepers, even lace-up, contrast high tops are getting in on the action. So - go buy them!

Did you notice these dupes in the plaza?

Be sure to suggest your dupes in the comments or PM my facebook page!

Don't forget to check the previous dupes posts HERE.

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Stardoll Dupes: Vinyl

As metntioned in my review, this collection is half original - and half regurgitated.

Ripped Jeans:

The VINYL jeans are less a case of a dupe as a crossover. They combine the shape of the third pair and the distressing of the first two to create something wholly unoriginal. And I have to say, I really hate the belt, it's going to stop me from ever buying them as it's just so hard to work around it. 

Alternatives:

I'm totally into textured jeans if you're looking for that classic blue with a twist. Bonus points for holographics and sequins being extra trendy right now.

White Male Shirt

Seriously, these are just plain shirts. There were many more still with prints on them - and very basic prints, at that.

Honestly, there's not even enough decent male shirts for me to come up with reasonable alternatives.

Denim Peplum Top

Honestly, I don't mind this so much because they've got different structures and texturing, they're not so much dupes as similar, but I think they're worth including anyway. I added in the BASICS one as a kind of comparison, you can tell it's not denim as it's without any texture, but it's still not a bad version if you're on a budget.

Alternatives:

The first is a great option if long sleeved peplums are your thing. The middle is for those after a denim frill item, and the last one is a very unique statement top, again with denim but this time tassled instead of ruffled.

More Cropped Turtlenecks

The first one has the overall shape and texture, while the second has the colour, neckline and sleeves. There were a couple of other similar ones I couldn't include due to being from Apres Ski, as I don't own the Alpine Suite.

Alternatives:

Every second item is a turtleneck, so I decided to look for other items that could work. The first two are off the shoulder, which is definitely different and gives the opportunity for layering underneath. The third is again a grey crop top, but this time, a low neck jacket, again giving the chance at doing layers.

Will you be buying these new items?

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Stardoll Dupes : Runway Alternatives

This is somewhere between an Alternatives and a Dupes post, hence the title. I've picked out some alternative versions / dupes for RUNWAY, both the current and previous collections that are in the plaza.

You can check out my previous dupes & alternatives HERE.

There's not going to be a review on the latest collection as I am a bit busy at the moment with my first two exams this week, and the rest in the month following, so don't have the time for it.

Sheer Faux

In all honest, I love the dupe version so much more. The fur texture looks much nicer, less "dirty", the length is slightly shorter making for better layering, the brown is easier to match with other items to make an outfit of, and importantly, it's removable. I even like the white outlines better than the black. The only thing I am on the fence about is that the RUNWAY version has a collar, which I do think is cute.  Yes, the pockets/shaping is different, but overall that doesn't make all that much of a difference once you start layering with them.

Alternative:

There are so many different textured items on stardoll - transparent, furred, or otherwise - that I had a hard time picking out just a couple of options. In the end, I settled with these three.

The first satisfies any need you might have for all jackets both pink and fluffy. The other two fill in that must-have sheer jacket gap. The middle one is both the easiest to layer, and the cheapest, so is my personal pick overall.

Red Dress:

I was a bit mad at this dress when I first saw it - it's super plain, non-textured, flat-looking, and unoriginal. Which is why I wasn't surprised by how similar the Bonjour Dizou dress was. They're not exact dupes - the Bizou one is pinker with a asymmetric hem, the Runway one has the odd "layered" / wave detail thing going on - but both lack texture, have long sleeves, sit around the same length, have a turtleneck, and are red.

But let's be honest for a second - I don't like either of these. Both look super basic and very cheap, and neither item has me rushing to top up my stardollars.

Alternatives:

If it's high necked, long sleeves and red you're after, try a top instead of a dress. Or if you love a little red dress, have a look at one of these just as short - but much better textured - options.

Black Leather Male Pants

I could have posted more, but you get the idea - there's far too many of these pants! Poor male dolls deserve better than this.

Alternatives:

They might still be black, but these pants all have some feature or other that the above ones lack. It's the little details that are important when picking a piece for an everyday wardrobe.

Gold Slide Sneaker

Like the dress, these aren't perfect dupes, but they're close enough. The choice is between robot faces or Love Life words, and quite frankly, I'd happily go with neither. There were silver slides and running shoes, which, while not included, I personally liked a lot more both in terms of stylability and overall quality. That's not to say either of these are badly designed, just not my aesthetic.

Alternatives:

 Honestly, there's not much reasoning to why I'm featuring these particular shoes beyond the fact that there's just so few decent, plain gold casual shoes. It would be nice if there were, but there aren't, and that's that. I definitely prefer the silver shoes. The pink and gold option is not my taste, but I thought they were worth including.

What do you think of these dupes & alternatives?

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