HOLY SUBSTITUTION, BATMAN!

[Hi-Potion]

So, GCD.
It's been a while. I've been caught in the world on the Tumblr, Homestuck, and Cosplay. (not that I havent been lurking!)
So to the point:
We all love items.
Some of these items are expensive.
So expensive that, even if you have enough gold for these items, it makes you think twice before clicking the purchase button in the MP.
I'm sure there's an expensive item we all covet, whether it's a coat, or hair, or eyes, or a nice body mod, etc.
And, every so often, we're left without a cheaper substitution!

The item's I have been coveting were Kanoko (SD Plus) for her lovely brown eyes (theres a serious lack of non-gold shop brown eyes) and Persephone for her long, flowing locks of onyx.
And there weren't any decent substitutions (in my opinion) for either!
However, that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked when Rosamund's Revenge was released! This lovely item blessed me with lovely brown eyes, erasing any desire for Kanoko! (however, I stiiiiill might buy Persephone!) Hallelujah, Ultra Satan be praised!

So, GCD, spoons for you:
-Are there any expensive items that you covet? What are they?
-Do these items items have suitable substitutes?
-Are these items without substitutes, leaving to quest/ponder buying these expensive treasures?
-Has an update ever saved you millions of gold?

[J 4 C K]

The only items I want are 3 of the original Jack Grab Bags from '03. They are just too expensive to justify buying when they do show up in the marketplace, which is less than once per year, or so.

[Barefoot Necromancer]

There are, primarily Lucky the Cat.

Fortunately, Pepper the Cat was released in a much more obtainable manner, so I was able to purchase one of those. (And then later win another, but that's another story.)

[xkamiko07x]

I have been lusting over sdplus thea doll since i saw it. although there was a recolor for it and the almost thea looking hair from juno's lace, i still find myself wanting that thea doll. Im happy to remove wendy doll for her eyes since the gold shop has identical looking ones in different colors.

and now...i can say im happy to remove gloriana's chantilly lace from my wishlist because of the constricting undergarmens from rosamund's redemption. whee

[Pnyuu]

I just want a Queen Cherubic of Solar, goddamnit. why is that thing priced as high as backwings? emotion_donotwant

[SuccuViv]

I have this weird thing where I don't really replace stuff, but end up wanting the "cheaper" thing too, so at the end I just spend more lol, I've hardly removed something from my wish list because I liked something else more, I can't even think of an example x ox besides I love having "sets" and since I have two of each of the Saint Ciel things (well, just one of the books and I don't own the dolls ux u ...) I sort of really need two of the recolor DX I've honestly been waiting for it since the item first showed up x ox literally...

[chai fae]

I was always hesitant to buy Oisins, because when I came back from hiatus they were ungodly expensive. But after waiting and waiting for some similar but much cheaper eyes, I caved and decided to quest. It really changed my outlook on the "cheaper substitutions" thing. I realized I'm extremely picky and if something isn't *just right* I can't justify buying it, at whatever price.

And then my hair was released in the December rig and I jumped on it right away. If its perfection then why wait for something that *might* be cheaper, but isn't quite the same?

[Rude]

For me, 99% of the time, the original is better—no matter what the price.
The feathered back wings are the only dream items I want; and I doubt any future substitutions would suffice.

Just for the record, the Revenge eyes are magenta, not brown; I don't think they even come close to Kanoko. They're too high on the face, a bit squashed together, and have strange eye lids.

[Green Rectangle]

Updates don't save my gold they drain my gold.

I like the backwings for this avatar but since that won't happen, the Hesperis doll wings were a good alternative. I think I actually like them even more because imps are my favorite Gaia creature.

[Ami Satomora]

For a very long time, I wanted the SD+ Majoko Mariko for the eyes. Because we were really lacking some good light blue eyes back then. And suddenly, Sainte Ciel Storge came out. And its eyes wast just love at first sight. Deleted the doll off my wishlist and bought Storge. Been with me since :'D

Another more drastic one was Nice Style for Work. I only wanted it for it's half-frame glasses. Just before I decided to quest for them, gold shop update with half-frames. Bought the entire set of gold shop half-frames. Dammit I love my glasses heart

[Penn Almasy]

For a while, I owned Sentinel's Headband. I cherished it for a good long while.

Then stuff happened, and I don't own it anymore. I believe those funds went into obtaining Cathulu (totes worth it).

I'd like to own it again, but with how...little money I can use for Cash, if ANY, I suddenly realize...goddamn, a million's a lot for someone who can't crap art/profile codes/grafix.

[Zzyli]

Zzyli - Zzy as in Xylophone, Li as in leaf

The OP mentions Persephone- this is actually an item that I really wanted until Marceline the Vampire Queen was released. It has long, dark hair and is about 1/10th of the price. My cravings for long, dark locks were satisfied.

I've never been one of those people who wants really expensive eyes and hair. 90% of the time, I just wear gold-shop eyes actually, opting for black ones because they match everything and have a nice contrast with my pale face. This strikes out most of the exceptionally expensive items on Gaia, and I now find that I have enough gold that if I really want an item, I just buy it (which sounds absolutely terrible when I say it, but I hardly ever want anything that's over about 1 mil, and the few pricey things that I did really want, I've bought).

I mean, cheaper substitutions aren't the same item, but they can certainly help you get the same overall look. I guess it depends on if you're a forest or a trees person.

Accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative...

[Denham]

The only thing over 10M that I really even want is Lucky, and there's no black cat substitution that's also skinny...
Most of the other expensive items I like are pretty unique, otherwise I would gladly take a substitution instead. I tend to like cheaper items better anyway.

[Shishioh Tai]

For me, it's the SDPlus 777 doll. I want all the robot NPCs I can collect, and on top of that, those eyes. Those eyes have no substitute. I've been ages clicking, selling inventory, what-have-you to muster up the funds. I nearly had it yesterday before somebody went and inflated it over the course of six hours. Believe me, I'd take a cheaper option if available.

But then there's no substitute for the doll itself anyway. <long-suffering sigh>

[Flutter Fox]

Oh god. I adore/need SDPlus #362 Fallen Star.
That hair, good god. THAT HAIR!!

Nothing could replace it for me. I love the styling, the neon blue, and its wonderfully pixelated.
While there is a few wigs of the same colour, they just don't do it for me. The only other long wig is Perky Melody, but I don't like pig tails. Too picky, but Fallen Star is just so nicely done..
I actually kind of hate the eyes it comes with. They're too far apart and small.
gonk
*Sobs silently and stares at it for an hour*