Saturday, March 19, 2011

Fashion For Life: Baby Monkey

Sunday finishes up Fashion for Life for this year and I wanted to show one last place.  Baby Monkey was one of the first shoe stores I visited and it continues to be a favorite.  I've known Pixieplumb Flanagan, designer and owner of Baby Monkey and she is one of the kindest, most generous souls I know in both worlds.  She makes her debut this year at FFL and she has some adorable shoes at the event, as well as some great gifts and gachas. The Bardot Spring Pump is her FFL charity offering and it is available in several colors to dress up your warm weather outfits.  I love stacked pumps because they go well with both retro and modern looks and I particularly love the little zipper on the heel.  The zipper and shoe trim can be gold or silver with a touch.  You cannot beat Baby Monkey for quality AND value!  Her shop is located on the Arbus sim, sponsored by Evie's Closet.  Once you have arrived on Arbus you can directly tp to her store here.
Credits:
Shoes: Baby Monkey: Bardot Spring Pumps at FFL
Lingerie: Zaara: Trikaya
Hair: Elikatira: Blind also at FFL on Bourke White
Stockings: Sheer: Knee-highs: Free!

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Fashion For Life: Haven Designs

I love it when Delora Starbrook from Haven Designs makes dresses.  Delora is known for making sexylicious camisks and stuff but she is one heck of a dressmaker.  I love the crisp linen look of the Vintage  Dress that is just one of her charity offerings at Fashion for Life.  Fashion for Life is just 1.5 M Lindens away from their goal and the event runs thru Sunday.  All proceeds from donation vendors will be donated to the American Cancer Society so keep on shopping!

Getting back to the dress.  I love simple, clean looks and this dress is just right.  The lace and cut edging on the skirt are a lovely touch as is the ribbon belt.  I can have all kinds of fun with dresses like this, either wearing it like now with a simple set of pearls and a casual hairstyle like this one from Elikatira, which is also a FFL donation vendor, or play it up and pretend I'm a secretary on Mad Men hoping Don Draper will notice me.  Isn't that what dressing up on SL is all about?
Credits:
Dress: Haven Designs: Vintage Dress - Antique - available at Haven on the Irving Penn sim, sponsored by LaPointe & Bastchilde.
Hair: Elikatira: Lasting - available at Elikatira on the Bourke White sim, also sponsored by Elikatira.
Necklace: Deco: Triple Strand Pearls
Skin: LAQ: Tess2
Makeup: M.O.C.K.: Jungle Tiger Beat Makeover - group gift: OMG join this group.  Mocksoup Graves is a makeup making fiend! 

Fashion For Life: Kouse's Sanctum


Fashion in SL is nearly an obsession to me.  Like my cat sitting in the windowsill soaking up the Spring air and the sounds of busy birds, I have an insatiable craving for the breadth of design in SL.  Though my personal taste tend to run towards midcentury modern and euro-style, Kouse Singh is at the top of my go-to list when I need to feel like a princess.  I've been collecting her gowns since I figured out how to chuck my system hair and get out of Orientation Island and her work just continues to get better and better.  Her releases for Fashion for Life are nothing less than sublime. These are her charity offerings for the event.  It is a fantastic chance for you to celebrate pure femininity while providing assistance to the American Cancer Society.
The Michelle gown is my personal favorite of Kouse's event offerings.  The minute I saw it I had a million questions for Kouse like; How did you decide on those textures?, and What made you decide to add the extra layer on the skirt? and OMG, that trim!  The pure genius that goes into those decisions are what keep me hooked on SL design.  I don't need to necessarily know the answer; rather I appreciate that there are people out there that can make this happen.
And the same brain and hands that make the gowns also makes the jewelry!  Someone needs to marry this woman even if she isn't already or at least move into her brain and see how it ticks.  I don't tend to think about Kouse's Sanctum when it comes to jewelry but I should, and you should too.  The Lilly set is  a masterpiece of tiny prims and wonderful textures.  The entire set includes 3 crowns, necklace, earrings and bracelet.
The Jocelyn Gown comes with a long skirt but I had to put on the shorter version and put on some Heidi hair and get ready to find some kids and take off for a picnic in the Alps.  It comes with two colors of apron.  It could not be sweeter.
The Faith gown reminds me of an Iris at the peak of it's bloom. The sculpted layers on the skirt makes it stand out from what I call "justa gown". The deep textures, lacing at the bust, scarf that flows down the back and arm "garters" (I'm blanking on the word) make this a complete piece.  IMO adding more accessories is unnecessary.

Please remember that all proceeds from these fantastic items benefits the American Cancer Society.  Over 3 Million has been already been donated and FFL continues through March 22. Help fight for the cause!
Details:
All Clothing and Jewelry from Kouse's Sanctum.  Kouse's is located on the Stieglitz sim, sponsored by House of RFyre.  The jewerly in the Jocelyn photo (Camilla Gold - Gem set) can be purchased along with all of Kouse's goods at her main store.
Hair:
Elikatira: Blind 2 @ Bourke White at FFL or at her main store .
Discord Designs: Astrid
trico: New Year's Gift
Skin: LAQ: Tess2
Eyes: Glam Affair: Stella Eyes V2 - 14

Monday, March 14, 2011

Fashion For Life: Mystic Sky

My dear friend, Skyler John, owner of Mystic Sky, is back for her second year at FFL.  This year she has 3 gorgeous items in her charity vendors.  Skyler makes gorgeous gowns, many of them perfect for medieval and fantasy RP.  All of these items are available at her store on the Arbus sim, which is sponsored by Evie's Closet and 100 % of the proceeds from these vendors benefit the American Cancer Society (ACS).

First off is my personal favorite, the Belladonna gown in Teal.  The Belladonna has a wonderful sculpted bustle and high lace collar.  It comes with a black collar but I could not help adding a modern flair with one of the amazing Cassandra neckpieces from the gacha from Purple Moon Designs.  All proceeds from the gachas at FFL also benefit the ACS so go indulge your addiction!
The Cherish Gown in Ruby is the second charity item offered by Mystic Sky.  What I love about her medieval gowns is I feel like I'm in an old Disney animated film, which was big stuff when I was a girl.  This gown has a perfectly textured braided belt and a rich cloak.  I didn't get a shot of the back but it dips in the back for a bit of extra sensuality.  Skyler is very sensitive to details like that in all her work.
The third charity offering for FFL is the adorable Loralee Fae in White.  Organic is the word I associate with this darling outfit.  It is not sparkly or fake but what I associate with what a real fairy might wear.  The leaf wings are animated to gently flutter and the skirt and top are held together by delicate metalwork.
Skyer also has a male outfit available as a FFL vender.  I completely forgot to get out my "Malt" to take photos so I will update soon with pictures.  It's very masculine and black and leathery.  Tomorrow, I promise!

Credits:
All outfits: Mystic Sky at FFL: Arbus sim
Neckpiece: Purple Moon: Cassandra in Teal: Gacha on Ansel Adams sim
Skin: Dutch Touch: SteRRe
Hair: Truth: Jacinta

Fashion For Life: Glam Affair

One of my blogging partners, Jacqui Pobieski, has been whomping me on FFL posts but since she seems to have gone up for air I am going to take my turn at a few.  I look forward every year to this event because I can splurge on fantastic items where all proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society.  I've included the link for the Fashion for Life blog where you can get up to date information about the event.  The most recent post shows you some of the fantastic items available in the hunt where proceeds also go to the American Cancer Society.

Glam Affair has a shop set up on the Stieglitz sim, sponsored by House of  RFyre.  Several new releases are available at this shop and all vendors are set to give 100 % of proceeds to the American Cancer Society.  Here are some photos of some of their amazingly generous offerings.
I am so in love with the new Mary skin and this special Ice version is available only at FFL.  There are also new clothing releases.  I particularly love the new Jolanta pants that are available in six tints.  The seam work along the front and side is impeccable.  I'm also wearing the new Viola t-shirt which is dressed up with a flirty trimmed base.


Before I finish up, I wanted to note that this is the first year I've seen hair and skins included in FFL.  I am a huge fan of Elikatira and grabbed the new Hye Hair as soon as I saw it.  (I think I was the first! lol) It includes a large collection of colors for a very reasonable price and is also a vendor with 100 % of the proceeds benefitting the American Cancer Society.  Also new this year are gachas and they are fantastic. Dark Mouse has some darling jewerly in their gacha.  I am showing just one of the pieces.

This is a very important event covering 9 sims and includes over 180 generous designers.  Check it out, enjoy and help a most worthy cause.

Credits: (most slurls will be to landing points within the housed sim)
Hair: [e] Hye: from the FFL collection
Skin: Glam Affair: Mary - Iced: FFL item
Lashes: Chocola: Black Extension with Lower (not FFL)
Eyes: Glam Affair: Stella Eyes V2: 14 (not FFL) slurl is for store
Shirt: Glam Affair: Viola Purple: FFL item
Pants: Glam Affair: Jolanta pants brown: FFL item
Necklace: Dark Mouse: Sweet Hethr Necklace Bronze: FFL Gacha item
Shoes: Slink: Cassandra Heels Latte: (not FFL) but 80% off today to group members!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

J'aime Chocola

One of the things that keeps me enchanted in SL is finding stores that are new to me.  My dear friend, Quiver Quintessa from Nushru told me about Ajaya Jinx's store, Chocola and I immediately fell in love.  Quiver is a clever designer in her own right so I respect her opinion and she did not fail. Chocola is a charming shop with an impressive range of clothing.  You won't find one dress in a bazillion different colors but what you will find it tasteful and imaginative.  There are also some men's pieces and lashes but I was pretty busy drooling over the clothes.  I'm only showing 2 of my favorite dresses here because I am desperately trying to cling to my Linden's for the Fashion for Life event starting this weekend...but I will be back, many times.

Both dresses I'm wearing pair nicely with the new triple strand pearls from DECO.  I've long been a follower of Orchid Zenovka's shop and my DECO folder is basically my "go to" folder for jewelry.  The pearls come in a variety of colors and are accented by a small bow.
Credits:
Dress: Chocola: Imbroglio
Necklace: DECO: Triple Strand Pearls Pink
Hair: Lelutka: Rain
Skin: Aleida: Vega Pale: Subscriber Gift!!!
Eye Shadow: M.O.C.K.: Robin's Egg Blue Glimmer
Lashes: Chocola: Black Extension with lower
Credits:
Dress: Chocola: Dulcet
Necklace: Deco: Triple Strand Pearls White
Gloves: LouLou & Co.: Nevermore: Twisted Hunt Prize
Hair: [e]: Details