Stardoll

APA Citation: Stardoll. (2014). Stardoll. Retrieved from http://www.stardoll.com/en/

Plot summary: Stardoll is a fashion and beauty-themed website aimed at young girls. Users create avatars and – in the vein of paper dolls – design outfits for their avatars to wear. There are a host of games, including “daily quests” and activities that encourage the player to earn “Starcoins.” With this currency, users can purchase new items and unlock new games and content. There is a also a social network element, and users are able to comment and favourite their fellow members’ avatars and outfits.

Relation to other works: I-Dressup (http://www.i-dressup.com/) and Paper Doll Heaven (http://www.paperdollheaven.com/en/)  both provide similar experiences.

Appeal: Stardoll offers its users an incredible amount of customization. Users are able to fashion their avatar completely from scratch, selecting from a huge variety of body types, ethnicity, hair colour, and so on. The clothing design options are almost limitless, and users are encouraged to be as creative as they can.

Audience or readership: Ages 7-17.

Limitations or weaknesses: The majority of the games required to earn more Starcoins are, to be blunt, a nuisance. Even for a novice user they offered no challenge, and I found myself trying to avoid them at all cost.

Overall assessment: Stardoll is a surprisingly fun website, and those users with a flair for the creative will enjoy playing with the many textile and colour options in the clothing design stage. Also, the avatars could be created in a wide variety of colours, shapes, and sizes, and I felt that this was a truthful representation for young girls. While I can imagine that many users will select slim, conventionally pretty avatars regardless of the options available, it does highlight the diversity found within our society. With that said, the games are boring, and after creating a few outfits, my attention strayed. I’m not sure how long users would spend on the website. Grade: B