S U B C O U T U R E | Release Review

Fantastic surprise on Friday with new Subcouture - totally unexpected and actually really needed in terms of seeing Stardoll still dedicated to good Plaza Releases! From first glances at the homepage ad, I think it really looks good with a range of pieces shown and a pretty neutral all round feeling, plus it hints at inclusions for the male dolls as well.

Highlights: So we got two floors this time with very much the same vibe of dressed-up street style with very current trends and styles being included - overall I like it! I think it works really nicely and some great pieces have been chosen for the store. And there's a male look too which is nice for the guys. The pieces are available until the end of Monday, so there's still plenty of time to think about the items you might buy.

Accessories: There is a small collection of accessories in this release, but I think the pieces chosen for the store have been done well, and I'd rather that that lots of half-done or badly chosen items! Two pairs of shoes and they're both kinda show-stoppers, mostly the Metallic Block Coloured Boots with a modern design and perfect colours chosen, I just wish they were a little more wearable - so far I haven't seen anyone wear these! And then also the sweet Baby Blue Sock Boots - love the blue tone and the rainbow heel is a really nice addition to them, it works out really nicely and these definitely seem wearable enough for me! Two bags as well, firstly the Circle Handle Suede Handbag which is just so dreamy, it's a style I love in RL, so I'm delighted to have this for my doll, and also that pink is a perfect shade! Then the Silver Trash Can Handbag which I'm a little on the fence about because I can always do with more silver bags, especially a cross body one, I'm just not sure I like the trash-can design to it ... hmm, maybe seeing a few people styling it will sway me! And lastly two pieces of jewellery, which I think have quite a focus in the collection as they are pretty front and centre in the advert, the Loved Earring and the Diamond Eye Earring, fab statement single-earring pieces which are actually very affordable!

Clothing:  Lots of great pieces in this collection, and each piece is pretty stand alone in it's own style so I think it's easy to pick up just one or two pieces, unfortunately I picked up a lot more than just one or two! There are quite a range of dresses and skirts, with three and two pieces in each of the categories respectively which are pretty great for the Spring and Summer seasons! The skirts are both mini pieces, but I quite like the styles - the daytime Gingham Ruffle Skirt with cool printing and a really nice design and then the shiny Silver Laced Up Side Skirt which at first I didn't really notice much, nor have I noticed many people wearing it, but having had a day to think about it, actually I'm quite liking it now. The colour is great and the fit is pretty nice on the doll - I think maybe I'll get this one before the store leaves! So far I've only purchased one of the dresses, the casual yet super stylish Fried Edge Denim Dress, but I plan to get a second, the bright floral Puff Sleeve Dress after seeing the feature below! It has a really nice fit and a perfect style for the summer, I can also see it working well with a good range of accessory styles. While on the floral theme, this print is continued in two further pieces, the Floral Swim Suit and Upside Down Corset Top which I'm not quite as tempted by as the dress, but I do like the use of the print, I just want it in a blouse and a pair of trousers instead. Lets stick on the theme of tops, there are seven of these making them the most abundant category in the store (although I've included bodies in this group too). There's a real mix here so I think there will be something to suit everyone, from glitzy metallics with the Sequins And Frills Galore Top (a great name^) and the One Side Glitter Fringe Sweatshirt with their use of silver which I like and think is a great trend to be in on. I'm very divided by the One Side Glitter Fringe Sweatshirt actually, I like the silver fringing and I like the dusted pink of the sweater but together? Something isn't quite clicking for me, again I haven't seen it worn much and I'm not entirely sure how I'd style it. Another quite glam top is the Butterfly Body with sheer sleeves and sweet butterfly adornments which I think could look great in a super dressy look with a black maxi skirt of tulle and some bright accessories. The rest of the pieces are a little more casual, particularly the Subcouture Attitude Tshirt Dress with it's slogan but rather nice fit, and also the autumnal feeling Striped Turtleneck Body in a great burnt orange red tone, it's definitely one of my top pieces from this release. And then there's a more sweater style with the Layered Subcouture Sweatshirt, which I wasn't sure about as I'd have rathered it without the lace on the bottom, but then I saw someone wearing it a few hours ago and kinda loved it =) And lastly the denims! There are two pairs of jeans and then also a jacket in this category, the Ripped Denim Swing Coat which surprised me as being something I liked. It sits nicely on the doll and has a great summer light colour and a cool modern vibe to the styling, I think it'll be a pretty popular one all round. And then two pairs of jeans the fabulously trendy Pearl Beaded Loose Fit Denims with amazing design and fit on the doll then the casual-cool Pink Mom Jeans, another piece I've not seen styled but really quite fancy adding to my jeans collection.

Prices: This release ranges between 11 and 32SD's, with the interior being priced at 55SD's. This pretty much fits in with the previous releases and although my basket totalled a few hundred SD's that was my own fault for buying so many items!

Styled Outfits: And here are my outfits with some of those items. Everything excites me though, but here are my first impressions on a few things - on the left the Pearl Beaded Loose Fit Denims which I think fit my doll well. I love silver with them to emphasise the pearls, and it totally works. Plus I love the effect of the plastic jacket adding some extra shine. Really liking the chunky effect of the heels with the loose jeans, I like it! In the middle is the Striped Turtleneck Body which I just love with this pale pink jacket! For accessories I was torn between going more red or more orange so I tried a little of both and I think it works out alright, but there were so many accessories that worked with this piece so I'm excited to try out more. And lastly on the left the Ripped Denim Swing Coat plus with the little insert that comes when you purchase it. I was a little unsure what to pair with it at first, I think double-denim could go down well with this, but I settled on something a little less controversial with this little white set with delicate lace details and a stylish LE bag - I like playing with the contrast of dressed up with the casual-ness of this jacket!

Features: And a whole batch of features for you guys next! First here we have Lawliet. wearing the Baby Blue Sock Boots which have been stealthily extended into a fab pointed toe and the Subcouture White Socks. This style is perfect for summer and is fantastically done with these smart white shorts and folded top - I like the use of the mesh layer underneath paired with the cool bag design! 

Next up is hankipankidoni wearing the Sequins And Frills Galore Top in a rather casual manner for it's glamorous feel! I think is suits jeans a lot however the glamour is still continued in the jewellery. The dress ontop is a nice creative touch and it draws in the sock and shoe combination to the style - definitely a surprise from this piece!

And now two looks featuring the Gingham Ruffle Skirt - firstly Isabella8103 going for a matching colour combination with this ruffled one shoulder top, and it was the first piece I thought of when thinking of what to pair with this skirt, clearly great minds think alike. I like the further gingham with the heels and the way the thick black belt nips in the waist and draws your eye to the centre of the look. Also that red lip? Perfection!

And the second look for the Gingham Ruffle Skirt is from laia_fergsson_ also choosing black and white but making a right creative go of the look! I love this gingham shirt with the skirt, it makes the skirt look smart, but the zebra skirt on top across the body is genius - it adds a lot to the look for such a simple piece. The additions at the skirt hem are nice, as is the use of the pink trainers giving a casual touch.

Now another look with the Baby Blue Sock Boots but also with the Ripped Denim Swing Coat and it's from glass3. I love the heavy use of the pale blue tone in this look, which is added to with this glam golden choker necklace. The nude dress is a great base for the colour to stand out and the style is pretty great with all of these new pieces added to it!

And last, but certainly not least Miver styling the Puff Sleeve Dress in this rather elegant manner, it totally works out for this dress and this outfit really sells it to me. Love the green neck scarf and also the brown leather bag, it's cute for this look. Can't wait for more from this piece!

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