some of the backdrops that i have tried to use make my avatar disappear? any reason why this is happening??

Newer backgrounds don't have the HA cutout. If you go to the beta wardrobe, you can drag them behind your base layer to make it show up.

Older backdrops have a "cutout" of the HA, so even if you layer it over the HA, you can still see at least part of your HA. Newer backgrounds no longer include this "cutout", they are "full" backgrounds.

In the regular wardrobe, you can NOT layer these "full" backgrounds behind your base HA. However if you use the "beta" wardrobe (there is a link at the top of the wardrobe), you can then layer your background behind your base.

Many people don't like using the Beta Wardrobe, so they will create their HA in the regular wardrobe, adding the background last. Save it, then go to the beta wardrobe and drag the background layer under the HA to finish it off.

hmm ok. i guess i will have to try that. I do not like the new wardrobe either. so...

All you have to do is save your HA, go into the beta wardrobe, move your base (or move the background, whichever) and save. That's all I do because I can't stand it either tbh

thank you all so much!! finally figured it out!! woohoo!!