Trend Review: Button Front Skirts

Another super versatile trend that's come into play over the last two years - button up skirts! There's just so many different patterns, lengths, fabrics and shapes that are available, it's hard to get bored with this trend.

One advantage to having a straight line of buttons up the front is that it's actually very flattering, helping to create a straight line and make you look taller! A disadvantage though, is the sheer number of buttons you need - and the reality of gaping in between. A gaping hole between buttons on a shirt is never a good look, and on a skirt, it's even worse. So, if you're going to jump into this trend, you better try before you buy.

In terms of future wear, skirt so rarely go out of style, they just change in lengths and fabric. So a plain black or denim version will be near timeless! It's tricky to change button to zips, or ties, so you'd better like those buttons because they're not coming off once this trend has had it's time.

Rating : 8.75/10

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Trend Review: Pajama Style

If you haven't seen this trend already - it's all about wide pants, matching pieces, lots of loose and flowy pants and blouses, and of course crazy prints.

Personally, I think this is the kind of trend that suits a very select number of people - the tall, thin, Taylor-Swift shaped woman. I could not find a single picture featuring anyone who had any curves, or looked shorter than 5'6." Yes, there are a few guys who've attempted this trend, but again, selected few can actually pull this look off.

This is also a super tricky style to do without looking like you quite literally just rolled out of bed. As much as I'd like to look good and fashionable with minimum effort, this is one trend that, rather ironically, needs a lo of work in order to look decent. If "bed head" is ever in fashion, count me in. But today is just not that day.

Lastly, this is not something I would invest in, unless you happen to really like sleeping in silk pants. Yet again, this is a trend that's almost impossible to convert when it goes out of style, as none of these pieces are true staples.

Trend Rating : 4/10

Rather than make a collage, here's a few pictures to show you the kind of look this trend is all about:

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Trend Review : Ugly Sweaters

It's been a while since I last wrote a trend review, but here it is!

Being the festive season, I went with something my American counterparts seem rather fond of -

Ugly (Christmas) Sweaters

When it comes to ugly sweaters in general, I must admit to being a real life fan. They're warm, snuggly, and everyone owns at least one so no-one can judge you for it.

When it comes to Christmas though, I'm less impressed. 

The reason for this is mostly because they can only be worn on one - or, possibly two if you count Christmas Eve - days of the year. And then it will be shoved to the back of you closet and forgotten about again. They are a fairly easy DIY to make - just add tinsel - but if you buy something printed or knitted into a certain Christmas-y theme, they're almost impossible to wear out of season.

The second has more to do with geography than the actual trend. Living in the Southern hemisphere means that I, and everyone else here, would absolutely boil alive in a sweater on Christmas day. Why? Well because it's summer! 

While some people do try wear them - generally just to arrive to the party in then promptly take off - others have altered the trend to suit the needs of those below the equator. I've spotted some hideous Santa Claus skirts online, along with t-shirts, and plenty of skimpy bikinis that are actually lingerie.

Love it or hate it, this trend at least is bound to get people talking.

Rating : 6.5/10

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Trend Review: Ruffle Tops

With tops like these, style is absolutely key - because it's a really short ride from "Vintage quirk" to "Shabby Grandma".

This is another one of those trends that just has so many different variations, it'd be hard not to find one to suit you, no matter the body type. Which in real life, is great! There's plenty of different placements of the ruffles, plenty of different colours, patterns, styles of tops that you can choose from.

The issue with ruffles is that they tend to make the areas where they are placed look much wider than they are, which is never ideal.

This is one trend that, in terms of a DIY wardrobe update, could really depend on what you're looking at. Adding a ruffled hem or sleeve might be easy, but the v-neck look, off-the-shoulders or turtleneck ruffle pieces would be a lot trickier to add on. Which also means that these are items that, when the trend is old, probably won't keep being worn.

Trend Rating : 7.75/10

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Trend Review : Matching Sets

This is one of those trend I can't help but have mixed feeling about.

Personally, I really love the concept of it, and I think it's a trend that almost anyone can pull off, given that they can find the right print and cut to suit.

But there's the issue - finding the right thing. Way too often, these come off like bad pajamas or like something your mother would dress you up in back when you were a toddler. And neither look is desirable. Then, some colours and prints look terrible when too much of them are on one body.

I do like the functionality of it - they're all very easy to stick together, and you could just as easily split up the set to pair with other items and no-one would be any wiser, making this one trend that is easily updated.

Trend Rating : 7.75/10

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Trend Review : The Brallete

There are so many ways to wear lingerie this season - but with this post, I've focused in on the brallette.

In real life, I'm well past the sizes hat Victoria's Secret caters for, which pretty much renders a brallete unwearable for me - I've tried a few on and, as cute as they might be, I have zero support and come out feeling like I've gone through a boxing match with my own chest. Not fun. Some girls I know wear a support bra beneath the brallette bra, but to me, that seems like a waste of time and money. Not to mention you'd get really hot and sweaty under all those extra layers. So, functionality wise, this trend gets a Simon Cowell -worthy No from me.

I do like that there's such and abundance in styles, shapes, colours and patterns so that you an hide or display as much as you may want to. There's sexy, girly, sporty styles and all sorts in the middle.

Personally, I really love the back-detailed or high-neckline strappy designs, they're a sexy, edgy way to dress up lower necked or backless outfits.

Then comes the issue of where you can wear them - outside of summer, or your own bedroom, there aren't a lot of places that allow for showing off quite the amount of cleavage needed to make buying a brallette worthwhile. Some people have taken to wearing the brallette outside of their clothing, which can look cool, but to be defeats the entire purpose of a bra - not to mention, it's a style that's already been banned from my campus, among other places.

This trend is pretty much a loss on me, but I know there are some people out there who can pull it off really well and who can wear it without discomfort, and good for you if you're in this category.

Trend Rating : 5.5/10

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Trend Review: Khaki Green

Personally, I love green so this trend was always going to be a win for me. I've definitely been loving wearing it both online and off.

One major thing about Khaki is that is comes in so many varying shades. There's very green, more grey, and brown, meaning it can suit almost any person - so long as you can find the right one. Which is also it's downfall when shopping for it IRL, seeing as most stores won't carry a multitude of different shades of greens, and if you're shopping online it's really hard to tell what kind of green the item will actually turn out to be when you've bought it. 

A big bonus for this trend is that it really can go with anything. It can be used as a neutral piece or as a pop of colour, because it's just the right shade to be in-between. Which also means, even when it's not so much of a trending colour anymore, it can quite easily just become a basic staple piece in your wardrobe.

Trend Rating : 8.5/10

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Trend Review: Leather Lovers

Leather is all over right now - it's no longer just a luxury item. There's plenty of fake leathers and half leathers and patched leather pieces so there's no reason why you wouldn't have at least one piece in my wardrobe.

I'm in love with the full-skirt leather look, and also moto jackets, which have been all the rage this past year. Most leather items come in blacks and browns but whites, reds and greens are not uncommon to find, all of which are really great staple colours that won't go out of fashion any time soon.

One thing that's very popular right now IRL is the patched jeans and tights look. A side, knee, cuff or stripe of the garment is made with leather and it's a cool update to basic items, and real leather is still expensive so it's a cheaper way to look a little luxury with a little less of the full-denim cost.

Another in piece is the leather wrap or tie choker. Now, I really love chokers, but these scare me because of the choking hazzard that comes with wrapping anything around your neck. They do look super cool though and there's a number of similar-looking options that have a nice clasp instead.

Unfortunately, I have two major issues with leather as a fabric. Firstly it cracks and, in the case of fake or mixed leathers, they can deteriorate very quickly if not cared for properly. So you really have to be careful where you wear it and how you wash it. Secondly, real leather comes from animals, which in itself is not necessarily a bad thing, but I've seen far too many videos of how badly such animals are treated, which is definitely not right at all.

I've also seen the leather leggings worn by people in ways that are just too awful to talk about.

Trend Rating : 7.5/10

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Trend Review: Printed Plaid

This is, I will admit, a personal favourite of mine both on Stardoll and in the real world.

The first great thing about tart is, as with most trends recently, just how many variations of it there are. There's pink to black, red, green, and everything that comes in between. 

For the most part, this trend has totally taken over skirts and shirts. And they've been an essential scarf print for a while. But, there is definitely no shortage in other items - I found a good number of hats, shoes, headscarves, bags,glasses, and phone cases, among a few other bits and pieces.

What I personally love about plaid and tartan type prints is just how much you can pair them with. They're great with almost any colour, and are a great base for print mixing. I even found a pre-mixed skirt with tartan and floral, shown top right!

Another big plus is that most people already have plaid in their closet. Even though it's become very popular lately, a plaid button down or scarf has long been a great basic piece for all wardrobes, because it really is versatile. Which means this is one trend you can feel safe to invest in for the future! However, you will need to sew on patches or pockets if you want to update old items, which is a little less worth it in the long run.

One cool thing I found while browsing Polyvore was the varying models. There were all kinds of girls - and guys - wearing plaid pieces! Often I've been finding that there's a very limited selection of people when I go looking for items to feature, so it was really cool to see and shows that plaid has been brought back by the popular demands of the masses - it really does have something for everyone.

Rating : 8.75/10

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Trend Review: Sheer

Sheer, it turns out, is really hard to make a collage out of!

When it comes to sheer, there's a lot of variations that come to mind. There's lace and there's mesh, plastics and nylon. You can have everything from classic stockings to sheer shoes, bags, skirts, shirts and dresses. I really love the sheer (get it?  sheer?) amount of variation that can come out of this trend. There's no one way to wear it, which means that just about anyone can!

When it comes to updating your current wardrobe, it's a little bit more difficult to add on sheer panels to existing items, unless you were to make an overlay or a peek-a-boo lining. So you'd probably be better off just buying something new.

As with a lot of the trends we've had lately, this is a really great one to layer with. Sheer pieces can go over the top of items you already know and love for a new texture, or under them, if you're feeling brave.

Overall : 8.5/10

Yes, I've decided to start rating my trends! This one gets 8.5 which I think is a great start.

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But in All Chaos, There is Calculation

I wanted to take a quick look at all the gladiator heels popping up all over the place on Stardoll. I've already posted about the lace-up trend but just couldn't help but look a little closer!




The title, in case you were wondering, is from this song by Lorde - which in case you haven't heard it, talks about, well, Gladiators!

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Trend Review: Embroidery

This is definitely a popular trend IRL! It can apply to just about any piece of clothing you can own, and is super versatile. I actually ended up going way overboard with the collage piece, because I found just so many super cool items I just had to include.

Stop thinking of that sweater your Grandma loves to wear - embroidery so doesn't have to look like that anymore!

I think one reason for it's popularity as a trend is the D.I.Y, personal aspect of it. It's not had at all to iron on a few patches or sew a couple of threads onto something that you already own. It's just such an easy wardrobe update, and it doesn't cost much to do.

Personally, I'm really into the whole denim and leather detailing, but the khaki dresses and jackets are beginning to really win me over. That's another great thing with this trend - you can put as much, or as little, as you like and onto whatever fabric or style of clothing you like, There's just so many options.

The only real downside is that you can't typically take off patches, and it's also pretty diffictult to remove stitching as well without leaving some kind of permanent damage, so if you're keen to try this DIY style, be sure you have you pieces where you want them before you make a mistake you may regret!

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Trend Review: Capes & Shapes

Capes are all the rage in my real life - along with ponchos, serapes, and oversize scarves, they're dominating the winter-spring must-haves. There's so many people wearing them on campus, and I just might own a couple myself.


For me, this trend really reminds me of being a kid. I had a cape my Mother made for me that I wore in the summer, in in the winter, and a relative knitted me a poncho. They're basically big blankets, only these are totally acceptable to wear in public.

Of my current real life wardrobe, I have a two-print reversible oversized scarf/serape. It's too light for winter, but as it warms up again I've begun to wear it more and more. I also have a long black thick mock-cape, which has the look of a cape but is a lot more practical because it has 3/4 length sleeves instead of just armholes, which is really great for cold days.

Ponchos and serapes can be tied so many different ways, they can be turned into a scarf, draped, tied, folded...there's so many options!

I really love oversized scarves as well, and they're pretty much my winter staple. They're also really fun to style and one scarf can be so quickly used to make a whole new look just by tying it up differently. The issue with them though is that they're no good for transitioning into the new season., and the oversized look tends to come and go a lot.

Right now, most are striped, colour blocked, or tartan. I'd really love to see some more colours and styles but it's only a fairly new trend right now, so we'll see what time brings.

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Trend Review: Tassels & Fringes

Like with the ties, this is the kind of trend that, once it's over, is really easy to fix. It's also one that goes in-and-out of fashion a lot, so it's not a bad one to buy into.

Another cool thing is, it's really easy to stick tassels or fringes onto pretty much any wearable item, so it's cheap to upgrade what you already own, and it can be worn by, and flattering for, anyone who shops around.

Bag tassels are the most common item right now, especially in single tassels, but fringe dresses have been all over red carpet dresses as well, so it's a versatile trend in a lot of ways.

Personally, I see tassels as a very summery, casual trend which is what a lot of the items I was able to find seemed to be based around. I wouldn't want to wear a tassel sandal to a fancy dinner, for example, but they're very much festival-worthy. So, as much as our celebrity idols may like to wear them, it definitely depends on the rest of the garment as to where you would wear them. The black dresses pictured are definitely more of a formal dinner date look, and the statement necklaces could be worn just about anywhere if styled the right way.

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Trend Review: Lace It Up

Laced-up shirts, skirts, shoes and other pieces have been popular for the last season or two. Some are super-sexy and low cut, others just use it as a small feature, and so long as you're ok with exposing a little bit of skin this is a pretty flirty, wearable looking trend.

But, in reality, this trend is a disaster on me, at least with shirts which are the most commonly worn item right now. As a reasonably busty girl these either don't tie up properly around me, end up super bunched in the middle, or they stay gaping open. If the later, everyone gets a really bad view of my singlet or bra, which for me as a working girl and student is not really appropriate to wear. So, this is not really a very good style when it comes to the practical side, at least not for me. Plus, if it gets cold and windy? You'd better have a jumper on hand.

But, I do own a few tall lace-up boots, and a skirt with a feature on the side, so this trend isn't a complete loss for me. And anyway, I can always wear it on Stardoll. I think that worn right, these can be really cute. I really liked the back-laced top as pictured, because it's a really different take on the trend that I'd be comfortable wearing out, and the same goes for the white top with lace stitching in it.

As a look, I I like that there's a lot of options, and it reminds me a bit of those bodices of Game Of Thrones and other similar types of series - that's probably where it all started coming back in from. I personally like the contrast laces, especially with the white on denim, and the "shoelace" effect. In terms of when this trend is over, some items would be easier to update than others. Things like the tan top in the middle would not be easy to fix but the playsuits you could un-string, and for the cardigans you could replace it with buttons.

Overall this one is a really mixed bag to me. It really comes down to what kind of look you're going for, and how comfortable you are with showing off a little - or a lot - of skin.

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Trend Review: Up Top Ties

I've already covered tying the hem of shirts, now I'm looking up to the neck. This is something that's been a really common focus over the last 5 years with this year really honing in on the thinner look. You can get all sorts of styles - big bows, thing threads, contrasting, two-toned and more.

Again I really like this one for it's up-cycling. It's really easy to add one diy-style to a shirt, especially if you just tie it on so you can swap them around, there's no real skill required to pull it off.  With all the different styles over the past while it's also really easy to find one that you like, and that suite you. Right now, thin cords are trending, but so are denim shirts and layer-look collaring.

This one is also across all seasons and way easier to layer with than the hem-tie trend. This can poke out from above any other shirt or jacket layered over and still look cool, without that weird bulge going on.

It's also really easy to start subtle with this, you don't have to go straight for the giant bows. This is a really easy trend to pull off and it's not necessary to make it a statement if you don't want to which personally I think is great.

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Trend Review: Bottom Tie Tops

This one has been around for a while and it's something I like to do myself. It's a real simple way to update or change around the shirts that you already have. On stardoll, it just means an interesting shape in a layered piece, or just a nice bit of more realistic movement on an outfit.

The best part about this trend to me is anyone can wear it, just about any shirt style can be tied in some way if you want to so there's no reason not to find at least one that looks great on. It's also so easily changed up when it's no longer in. You can add ties on existing tops, tie it as-is or buy one with ties included and just untie, tuck in, or chop off what you don't want at a later date.

The only real issue I have with tied tops is wearing them under anything. You end up with a realy bulky bit, or have a part of a tie hanging out, and that looks a little weird. Which is probably why I almost only found summer tops while I was making my mood board below.

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Trend Creation: Number Land

This was trickier than I thought to put togetehr in the end, because there's not really a load of stuff in the plaza that fits the kind of look I was going for. There's a lot of cheesy slogans and random letters, but numbers don't seem to have ever caught on. Or if they did they've long left.

A reminder of what this trend is about in the real world:

And my creations:

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Trend Review: Skirts, Dresses, and Jeans

This trend baffles me. I totally get wearing something under a tulle skirt or a mini so not to end up with a Marilyn Monroe moment, or because the fabric is itchy or delicate, and I definitely understand when it's a tunic top that's just no quite long enough to be worn without some sort of pant, but jeans? And as a fashion statement no less?

Some people have been really pulling it off. Others look more like an earl 2000s reject outfit. This is going to be a really hard trend to make look right, it's too easy just to go about pairing any jean with any dress, and as I scrolled through google and pinterest, that was coming across as a really bad idea.

Anyway, there's two really different versions of this trend. You can either get the full-leg look, where you see almost the whole of the jeans, or a subtle pop-of-denim, where there's a small amount between the end of the skirt, and where the shoe starts.

I don't know if it's something I'd ever do myself in real life but, I always like messing and playing around with textures so you never know. I liked that there were loads of nets, tulle, printed and textured skirts over the top of the jeans.

It definitely had potential as a cool trend but overall it's way too easy to look terrible in it. I'm going to take to the internet later this week and see what tips and trick I can get for this one...

What It Looks Like:

Top - subtle look / Bottom - full-leg look

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Trend Review: Number Land

Number printed items used to only ever be worn if you were supporting a team, or a player. Now though there's a lot of fashionable items that have numbers just because it's in fashion, and I think if you wear it right it can look really cool.

But, I don't know how I feel about a 12 year old wearing a shirt that says something along the lines of "tour of  '82". That just seems weird to me, since they weren't exactly born yet, and most couldn't name a band from the era, either. Just in general if the number doesn't mean anything to you, I don't really get the point of ever wearing it. Same with flags, words, city names. If it's your dream place or time, cool! Maybe your parents met there or you're just really patriotic. But otherwise I don't totally get the point of having a really specific, but totally meaningless number on your shirt for everyone to see - and if someone who actually knows where it comes from asks about it, what are you going to do? Sit there and look ridiculous? I've definitely been asked about my band tees, fan shirts and tribal prints quite often, in real life. If I didn't know their backstory, I'd have been so embarrassed.

Anyway, what's your take on this trend? Do you like it? Do you think it will continue? Let me know below!

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