You are a hopeless romantic, sweet and caring, with a love of silk and sparkle. Gold, silver, jewels .. you use them to good effect in a way that practically screams “dance with me!”
You love skirts, dresses, and leap at the opportunity to go dancing. You probably own a tiara and at least one pair of fairy wings, even if you never wear them out.
Style is a simple way of saying complicated things and you know this better than most. What sets you apart from the others is your ability to know where you’re going, what you’ll be doing, and dress accordingly. Costume party? Check. Ballroom dancing? Check. Bumming around the house in pj’s? Double check!
You are the owner of a truly magical inventory and everything you wear reflects this. You love fashion, no doubt, and everything you wear is planned before you leave your equally-gorgeous home. You have more clothes than anyone you know.
~ Simply Sophisticated ~
Fairy Skin -Avie- /*natural *REDGRAVE* IKON Eternal Eyes – Glass Miamai_Catwalk Lashes_Evergreen 01 Femme .Pekka. Classy Eye shadow with eyeliner – Electric Blue ROZENA/ Kiss Kiss ~ dolce
Do you know the thing I love (olive) most about shine?
Sure, I’ve covered the brand before; Cecilia and I are friends; the clothes are fantastic and fun to wear but the more I think about it, I’m realizing that so many of my favourite outfits of this year have at least one piece of shine in them. What I’m noticing now (and yes, I know I’ve been wearing these clothes for months) is how well these pieces work with my existing wardrobe but they do it in such a way that everything feels new.
This outfit, for example, came together when I decided to showcase shine‘s new slim mesh jacket; since it’s so close-fitting I wanted to work with system pants over mesh and since it’s on the dressy side (hello, there’s a brooch attached to it!) it needed to have some sort of flair as well.
This is where I remind myself that I have one of the best hobbies in Second Life.
So we add cropped high-waist pants from my LeLutka folder (circa 2010 and STILL current), a Whippet & Buck boatneck top (ditto for both), the tights that came with my Maitreya Allure shoes (also from 2010, wow), and the Gos ’Posh Booties’ I picked up more than a year ago. To this, I HAD to add Exile‘s new ‘Raspberry Beret’ hair, some of Cae‘s ‘Knotted’ jewelry (another amazing new designer – if you haven’t checked her out yet, definitely get on that) and the very last Sea Hole scarf I needed to collect from The Arcade. That’s right ladies and gents, I have a full set now! WOO!
I think it’s safe to say that just because something’s been in your inventory for a while, it can still be a vital part of your wardrobe. Go ahead and unbox your gear from a couple of years ago; you might be surprised to love what you find!
I’ve been thinking a lot about Second Life lately, evaluating my reasons for being here and trying to pinpoint what it is, exactly, that encourages me to sign in, day after day, month after month, and year after year. It’s easy to call it a ‘social MMO’ or a ‘shopping game’ because it is both of these things but for me, I don’t know, it’s something more than that.
And then an event like ‘Together for Sway’ surfaces and I’m reminded, all over again, about something in Second Life that feels so rare and special I just feel grateful to know that kind, generous, and helpful people do exist in this world. It gives me hope for the future.
Sway Dench has been a fixture in Second Life for years. She creates some of the cutest furniture and decor, and is famous for her Cookie Bears. Recently, she learned that there is a benign tumour in her brain, and in 6 – 8 weeks, she will go into surgery to have it removed. While our dear Sway will make it through this, unfortunately her finances may not. She will be out of commission for nearly 6 months, and her inworld store is her only source of income.
Together for Sway was created to help this sweet woman deal with her time in need.
Various designers have banded together, and will set out their items (new or otherwise) all in the same venue. 100% of profits will go directly to Miss Dench.
This is an incredible event so please, find your least-scripty outfit and hurry down to have a look. Even if you aren’t super-flush now and can’t purchase much, do what you can; tell your friends, spread the word, and help Sway remember that she is far from alone.
Today’s post begins with a lamp. A lovely lamp from {what next} that I have in my living room (the one that never needs tidying or vacuuming and I never stub my toe on the coffee table). I’ve been wearing this coldLogic sweater a lot lately as well, and this hair from Exile that never seems to work with any outfit I want to blog. You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to photograph these two things; it’s been driving me crazy for weeks!
So I’m realxing, considering what I should do next, and I was struck again by how pretty and simple this lamp is. I like simple things. I like clean lines and soft colours. I love textures that look snuggly and warm, especially when I’m feeling a little down (which I am). The lamp reminds me of all these things and since I’m already dressed in clothes I love, I sneak up to my platform for an experiment!
Just a quick post tonight (this morning?) but I wanted to share this cute little outfit with you before I started falling behind again. The first thing you’re going to notice (probably) is my new mesh friend; I’ve named him Charming and he just loves to stand around while I take pictures all day long. Cute, right?
So I’m wearing a couple of items from round 43 of the Designer’s Circle, Beautycode earrings and a pair of jeans from even.flow, along with my favourite Gos boots (yes, I have about six pairs of ‘favourite’ Gos boots but these are one of them) along with these sunglasses I can’t stop wearing either. Leather jacket from shine, newish Truth hair, and a great little tee from mon tissu .. what’s not to love?
Today is a day of firsts for me. In my earlier post, I shared the first tattoo I’ve worn here (that you’ve seen ) and now, well, have a look!
I’m kind of psyched to be sharing these outfits, as well as these new pictures, with you; I’ve been working harder than ever on this blog, challenging myself to try different things, to accessorize more, and generally add more interest to everything I do. Maybe I’ve never worn a corset before (and that’s saying something as a three-year SL resident) but after some careful consideration as I put these outfits together I’ve come to realize .. I really like them!
And even better? Every outfit piece I’m using in this post (aside from the goooorgeous .:NV . corsets, foil eye makeup from League, and a pair of gacha earrings from The Arcade) has been in my inventory for weeks, months, or in a few cases, years! Maybe you won’t be able to duplicate these outfits exactly (who’d want to do that, anyway?), but the concept of reinventing yourself with what you have is especially helpful this time of year.
So today’s outfits began, not with clothing or hair, eyes or shoes or jewelry, but with a pair of mesh bird cages from Diesel Works. The Nightingale’s Sorrow ( 15 poses) and Nightingale’s Glee ( 16 poses) pose props are so flipping neat! The poses are wonderful, adjustable, and so different between the two props that I had to contrast them in one thematic post. This post.
I’m handling this post a little differently today. Rather than going through each outfit, piece by piece, I’d like you to pay special attention to the style cards below where I’ll list the items I’ve selected, the date I acquired them, and the notes I’m putting beside a few of these pieces. You don’t have to buy new things all the time. Use what you’ve got to try something new. Love your inventory. <3
Props: Diesel Works ~ Nightingale’s Glee/Nightingale’s Sorrow (December 3rd, 2012)
* ~ GROUP GIFT
** ~ Sometimes it only takes one thing to bring your avatar to a new level. This is my one thing; find yours and never take it off!
*** ~ About Gloves: It’s no secret that I love gloves and wear them as often as possible but it’s so hard to find great gloves on their own! What I do is rely on my inventory. When I need gloves, I type ‘gloves’ into my search bar and just try likely things on until I see something that works. Many gowns and some full outfits come with gloves; I bet you’ll be surprised by what you find.
It’s been running a while now (through December 13th) and while I apologize for the late coverage, I wanted to do this post justice too. Sometimes it really is better to let an outfit (or two in this case) sit for a day or so while your mind continues to process everything it is that you hope to achieve with a blog entry.
The theme of this post is ‘glam by day .. rockstar at night,’ which has been as challenging as it has been fun. Cecilia Blachere, designer of shine by [ZD], chose the artist Taylor Monsem (The Pretty Reckless) as her inspiration for the fair and she’s providing two exclusive outfits for us! Flipping fabulous ones. OMG.
So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the ‘glam’ outfit came together pretty easily. Since I basically live in my Gos ankle boots anyway, I grabbed them in taupe along with my favourite black tights (part of the Paper Couture ‘Braided Finish’ outfit) and lovely long white gloves.
But it still wasn’t ‘glam‘ enough! Gos‘ butterfly sunglasses came next along with Cae’s amazing ‘entangled’ jewelry set, both set to a platinum sheen to play off the studs in Ceci’s gorgeous mesh dress. Even though I rarely wear purses of any kind, I dashed over to FaMESHed to pick up Maxi Gossamer‘s FuFu bag in silver. I had to. It was important. >.>
The ‘rockstar’ outfit was a little harder for me, hah, since it’s not my habit to go running around in corsets, garters, and stockings (but more on THAT in my next post, raar!).
This outfit began with the LeLutka Blake hair, actually, and I worked my way down. One of the first things you’ll notice in a Pretty Reckless video is Miss Monsem’s long, long blonde hair, followed by massive amounts of eyeliner and her arresting pale eyes. Check and check! Pekka‘s kitty liner and IKON‘s Eternal Eyes in ‘Money’ seemed like the way to go, along with my favourite Miamai eyelashes in ‘Femme.’
But I’m still naked from the waist down! Aack! So the ‘Rockstar at Night’ outfit follows and gosh, do I ever love Shine right now. Stockings, corset, garters, and these cute little bows help me feel slightly more covered but, uhm, it’s still not enough. This doesn’t make me a prude; it means I get to accessorize even MORE because, as nice as skin is, I think it’s way hotter to be covered up. At least a little bit.
So next, it’s tattoos! Something I rarely get to play with but I just love this ‘Outlaw’ full body tattoo from v3 and it’s yet another way to hint at something interesting going on beneath your clothing. Take note. Take heed. Probably also run to v3 and look around. No, no. I’ll wait.
So now that you have your new tattoo (or at least a nice little shopping list), you have to wonder:
“What else can I use to carry a bit of glam into my rockstar-corset-tattooey-wickedness look?”
Tall boots, like these mesh numbers from Maitreya, aren’t really something you want to wear with a short skirt and bare legs (or maybe that’s just me >.>) but maaaan, they’re GREAT with stockings, leggings, and system layer bottoms. Mostly bare arms? Try a see-through glove like these crochet armwarmers from Shine and guys, seriously, couture jewelry is NOT just for evening wear. I brought this Chop Zuey ‘Miracle Business’ set into the picture and you can too!
shine by [ZD] MESH “TAYLOR” CORSET ~ SIF Exclusive!
~ Sexy ripped stockings/garters/bows are included with outfit! Maitreya Mesh Jazz Boots * Black
v3 Tattoo – Outlaw (womens) AGED 2 Chop Zuey ~ The Miracle Business Choker & Cuff shine by [ZD] – MESH ARM WARMERS crocheted black [PM]Sculpted Nails V2 – Size 20 – Long
Pictures taken at:
1) An undisclosed location (okay, it’s the new shine and sharp mainstore but you didn’t hear it from me!)
2) DSL Records Club & Stage (and you can build here so it’s great for pics!)
Working Title: Yesterday’s Tomorrow’s Tomorrow Today
First of all, I’m sure you can see why I went with a simpler title but let me explain:
It was always my intention to cover the Tomorrow Today event in installments; it’s the easiest thing in the world to promote a new event because most everyone has heard about it, been waiting for it, and are excited to see fantastic new offerings especially when proceeds are donated to a worthwhile cause. The thing with Second Life, though, is that time is a little skewed. Many things happen on a daily basis and the more time we spend here, the fuller every day seems to be. It’s easy to say “hey, I really love this __________, but I’ll just come back for it later. I won’t forget.“
Sometimes we forget. We’re human. We err.
I was supposed to write this post yesterday under the borderline-creative-and-cheeky title “Tomorrow’s Tomorrow Today” but .. again, I’m as human as anyone. I didn’t get to it. Ugh.
( I love this picture so much! Click here for the full shot, omg. )
So this is my reminder to all of you (and to myself, aack!) that today is the very last day of the Tomorrow Today event. You can read my previous blog posts covering the event here and here. You can read Match’s blog here. You can SEE how much of a difference one month has made, how much closer Matchbook Monday is to an amazing improvement in her quality of life.
I’m asking you to think back to the beginning of the month; was there anything you really liked that never ended up in your inventory? So many amazing designers have lent their names to the cause, donating their time and resources to support one of their own. Go back today. Have a peek. If you haven’t been yet, check it out. Help make a difference today!
~ Portia ~
Fairy Skin -Avie- /*natural *REDGRAVE* IKON Kaleido Eyes – Shadow ~ Available at Tomorrow Today TODAY! Miamai_Catwalk Lashes_Evergreen 01 Femme ROZENA/ Kiss Kiss ~ dolce cheLLe - (eyeliner) All Niter 1
I’m not writing this post to complain, far from it, but I would like to highlight the amount of work stylists undertake when putting an outfit together. Blogging said outfits is another challenge (but gosh, I love it) because the purpose is to highlight clothing in a specific, and often individual, fashion. The blog posts we love best seem effortless and perfect; it looks like a snapshot right out of someone’s second life. In truth, I’m certain that it’s the result of hours of work from beginning to end and I appreciate this process SO much. Behind every blogger, you’ll likely find a thorough and thoughtful individual who is just in love with SL fashion and wants to share this fascination with the world. Like me.
So this is the first installment of what I’m calling my “Stylin’ Ain’t Easy” tribute to SL blogging. It’s not definitive but it is a peek at how I operate. The first step for me is what I have named my BB-0 (Beauty Base Zero); it’s a term I’ve pillaged from book two of The Hunger Games trilogy because the concept was dead on. It’s where you start, imagining your nails are perfect, your hair is tied back and you’re staring into a mirror, or your closet, wondering what the heck you’re going to wear today.
I use Firestorm so this is my default saved outfit (the first of dozens of others I’ve saved for whatever reason) and if you haven’t upgraded to a viewer that allows you to save your outfits, let me say that it’s worth the discomfort of learning a new UI just to have this functionality.* This outfit includes HUDs I use when taking pictures (listed below) but the important thing to note is that with everything here, I have all I need to start putting together any outfit I desire.
Here are just a few tips for creating your own BB-0:
~ Underwear: Odds are anything you’re putting on afterward will cover these but I have to say that after a few mesh alpha-layer-not-covering-my-bits blunders, I always make sure I’m wearing panties. Just saying.
~ Basic Makeup: I don’t wear much as a rule but when I’m styling I always consider extra tattoo layers at a later time. I’ve occasionally forgotten the basics, though, and had to go back and start pictures again because of this lack. Ugh.
~ Simple Eyelashes: You can always add or change these once you’ve decided on the basics of ‘casual vs. fancy.’ Minimal eyelashes gives you an idea of what you have to work with before you begin layering. I hope it doesn’t need to be said, but please do your best to make sure eyelashes fit your eyes properly. If you need help with this do not hesitate to IM me, day or night. <3
~ Hair: This may seem like a no-brainer but I like beginning with a style that’s pulled back from the neck. You can always change it later but it’s helpful to make sure your jewelry is positioned properly before you go about covering it up with your lovely locks. **
~ Hairbases: First of all, I use an eyebrow shaper as my basic SL-driven hairbase. It gives my face definition and is just another way to squeeze a bit more individuality into my avatar. Hairbase tattoo layers are also something I recommend; even if you can’t see it under your current hairstyle, there’s -nothing- worse than tp’ing into a sim bald. Nothing.
~ Basic Shape: I have three shapes I use regularly in SL. One for mesh (smaller bust), one for system skirts (narrower hips, smaller bum, and less in the thighs), and the basic every day shape. These are NOT fun to confuse pre-clothing.
~ Nails: As much as they disagree with poses, as laggy as they can be in busy places, I really do love the look of them. Remember to take off your glove base if you’re going to put on actual gloves, though. If you always start with these you’ll just work it into your routine.
I hope this is enough to get you started! Stay tuned for the next installment of “Stylin’ Ain’t Easy.”
EDIT: Bloggers, Fashionistas, and fancy people of SL – What’s YOUR Beauty Base Zero?
* We’ll talk a little more about viewer features I use in my SLife in a later post, so keep an eye out!
** A jewelry positioning tutorial will be available in part two of this series. Patience, Padawan.
( A prettier, shinier, BIGGER picture on my flickr. <3 )
) and now, well, have a look!
)
