I should be out raking, really.

Qopi says I talk to much in my posts so brevity is the word for the day. Lot's of gorgeous new releases from designers I love!

Credits:
Drift: Cold Shoulder Dress: new release (so cozy and versatile)
Ison: Lace-Up Gladiator Sandals for Slink Med Feet: new release @ Collabor88 (badass)
Stockings: Izzies: Thigh High Knit Socks (incl. Slink applier)
Necklace: Bliensen + MaiTai: Time Loop Necklace: new release
Hair: Elikatira: Brenna: new release (YAY)
Skin: Izzies: Lucie - Pumpkin Pie: new release @ TDR Fusion
House: Trompe Loeil: Autumn Cottage: new release @ Collabor88 (cutest house ever!)
Garage: POST: Hurley Rural Garage: new release (was for The Neighborhood last week - if Post has something new I will be there!)
Walkway: Barnesworth Anubis: Flagstone Pavers
Mailbox: +sanctuaire+: Siouxie Mailbox
Pumpkin / Cornstalks: Deco
Wheelbarrow: Hayana

Heading into the Holidays

I have a confession to make.  I can be a total slacker when it comes to blogging.  Between this blog and Free*Style there is never a shortage of things that I want to blog.  I also have an aging computer and I cannot do some of the snazzy things that other bloggers can do, like shadows.  And my computer doesn't seem to like mesh viewers, which I'm pretty sad faced about because I'm just dying to wear some of the new trousers I see.  So sometimes I feel inadequate when I start to compare myself to others.  However, I do have a huge love of SL fashion so when I do blog something you can be certain I want to share it and that I recommend the product.  Today I have 3 such items to share.

I cover a lot of events in SL.  I do so because I enjoy seeing new work and I've met a lot of people that I like and respect.  I seldom get a chance to go through review items that are available in my blogging groups.  I don't get the notices because I don't believe I should take items I won't get around to covering but today I decided to take a peak and found some fantastic outfits from Amarelo Manga. Both Miranda (left) and Marcelle (right) are extremely chic yet not overly busy.  They are wonderful outfits that work for just about any occasion, from shopping to clubbing to your next holiday party.  I am not a very large avatar and I really appreciated that the designer, Luana Barzane, put good resizer scripts in the prim pieces of outfits.  I'm pretty good at resizing items but the script allowed me to resize at several increments.  This is a shop that I will certainly include on future visits when I want to look classy and adult.

Wasabi Pills released the new Clementine hair this week and I adore it! It is the perfect short to medium length to wear with ensembles that have a lot of detail on top, like the ones from Amarelo Manga.  The hair includes an alpha layer if you want to hide your ears as well as matching tattoo layer hair bases.  The hair pin is color customizable through a hud.  It's little touches like that as well as having some of the nicest hair textures on the grid that make me love Wasabi's hair.  Thank you to MissAllSunday Lemon for sharing with me.  You work so hard and consistently deliver a tip top product.

I am thrilled to show you Linn, the newest skin release from Glam Affair.  The skin is truly dreamy with a rather amazing level of detail.  The lips are rich and the skin tone is soft and dewey.  I do not retouch shots when I am reviewing skin so you can see from the photo above how rich it is.  The body continues the fine level of detail and has a soft glow, great shading and nice mole placement.  I should have taken a photo of the hands because the nail detail is just lovely.  I just hate skins with yucky hands and I cannot be bothered with prim nails, so this made me ecstatic. Aida Ewing continue to improve her craft with each release and this time also includes 5 different shades of eyebrow with each skin so that you can match it with your hairstyle.

I am showing the skin in the Medium Tan tone.  The skin is available in 5 skin tones (Light, Natural, Medium Tan, Tan and Dark) and is available in 12 different makeups as well as a bare version so you can do your own layering.  Aida continues to provide elegant makeup options from clean and classic to dramatic and avante garde.  Each pack contains both bald and light and dark hairbase version, the new eyebrow shades as well as 4 different brow shapers.   The Glam Affair Update Group has a group gift version in Snow White that is starkly pale with subtle smokey eyes and lightly blushed cheeks.  The group is only 30 Lindens to join and a nice way to get hooked on this beautiful skin.  Thank you, Aida!

Credits:
Pants set: [AMARELO MANGA]: Set Miranda
Jumpsuit: [AMARELO MANGA]: Marcelle
Shoes: GField: Ribbon Slingbacks
Cuff: Chop Zuey: Sedona Sunset Bracelet (previous group gift)
Hair: Wasabi Pills: Clementine: New Release
Skin: Glam Affair: Linn: Medium Tan: New Release
Hair (in contact sheet): [e]: Charmed
Eyes: Glam Affair: Stella Eyes V2 - 14
All Poses: fri.day

Happy Monday Kinda

I usually blog because I have a reason.  I'm not the kind of person that loves to take pictures of myself or spend a lot of time fussing and editing my photos.  It takes too much time and I always think nobody is looking anyways.  But one thing I do love to do and seldom have the time to do anymore is put together ensembles.  And shopping - I love to shop!  Usually I shop solo but the one person who I can shop with pretty well is Jacqui.  The problem is we start "oooo'ing" everything and the next thing you know we've each blown a lot of Lindens.  Some days we practically channel each other and look like the Olsen Twins and other times Jac is full out sexy girl and I look like some primmed out version of Bea Arthur or something.

Lately, I've been covering a lot of events which means I spend a lot of time by myself taking pictures.  I'm pretty introverted but sometimes it can get lonely and every IM or notice feels like an intrusion.  I'm sure other bloggers can relate; I'm organizing things into folders so I don't lose them, trying to stay on top of my inventory size, and taking photos.  What I'm wearing is usually the last thing I blogged.  My whole household has been sick since just after Thanksgiving and I picked up the horrible plague sometime last week and am still narly.  The boy finally returned to school today (yay). So when I logged in yesterday I just said "screw it" and put together an mishmash made up of pieces I already owned.  Those of us that lean towards the fashion scene can get so caught up in new stuff that we overlook the great things we have.  So this is a reminder to myself to enjoy SL, for me it's not a job, I don't have to be so driven and single minded and can take time for fun.  

Credits:
hair: [e]: Quirky: new - ok I didn't already have this until Saturday so technically I had it.
skin: LAQ: Ebba Fair
freckles and "beauty marks": LAQ: purchased separately from skin
lashes: L. Fauna Lashes: underlashes
blush: Mock: Winter Rainbow Collection - Rushing : group gift, I think
shadow: Mock: Back to Basics Eyeshadow - Paarl
skirt: The Secret Store: Chiffon - Silk Kerchief
jacket: TailleursPutain: Eden Brown: part of a free woman type outfit - I don't RP Gor but I think she makes some great stuff! 
necklace: Bliensen & MaiTai: Sapiencia
tank: MichaMi: Washed Out Tank - turquoise - the perfect turquoise tank
stockings: Love Aya - closed :(
boots: Azoury: Les Bottines Doll Marron: I picked these up at the Tropicalia Bazaar but I am sure she has similar in-store.  
Poses: LAP

Big photo taken at (PRISS) - what a cute store! I picked up the cute fur skirt for Project Themeory.

Black Friday @ TheWarehouse

Hi all!  It's a spectacular weekend in SL to pick up great deals all over the grid.  One of the best events is at theWarehouse, where over 4,000 items have been prices at 100 L each.  The sale includes the Armidi collection, The Abyss, Naughty, The Body Co and The Boutique.  There is a huge selection; some of items are significant savings off the original price, others, such as basic layering pieces are good buys but the color selection is enormous.  If you've been looking for just the right accent color there is a good chance you can pick it up here.  In my opinion, one of the best deals were for skins for men from The Abyss as you cannot pick of male skins at bargain prices as frequently as women's skins.  My poor malt, who actually lived in the full-perm Photorealistic Steve for a good year is thanking me.  Supposedly the entire Armidi collection is there but I could not find my most favorite slingbacks, the Barcelona slingbacks, which really bummed me out. I was ready to buy all, even though they still have the old invisiprims.  I did pick up the Lima Trenchcoat in a few colors as well as the Dahlia pumps and Niama necklace.  An end date for the sale is not listed and you must be a group member to gain access.

Another sale not to miss is Skin Addiction's 2nd Annual Back Friday Sale.  Many, many skin makers across SL are offering special discounts on selected brands.  How it works is that you wear your group tag from Skin Addiction (free to join) and pay full price for the skin.  You will be refunded the difference but you MUST have the right tag on for it to work.  The group archives are loaded with notices, lists and demos.  I just had to pick up the new Elly skin from Pink Fuel, which is half off.  It came with 2 makeup options, various brow colors and 2 large makeup kits.  The sale ends November 28 at 12:01 am and I do see male skins on the list.

Credits:
Coatdress: {Gisaci} Lima Trenchcoat - Tarnished Gold @ theWarehouse
Necklace: [Armidi Gisaci] Niama Necklace - Embellished Gold @ theWarehouse
Shoes: Armidi Gisaci: Dalia Pump - Bistre
Skin: Pink Fuel: Elly - Milk Baby Doll
Lips: Pink Fuel: Elly Cosmetics - Doll Gloss Bitten: included with skins
Hair: [e]: Rush
Poses: marukin

Ivalde: Weekend in Paris

I've not been shy to discuss how much I have adored Vintage Fair.  I've been very meh about blogging, spending more time avoiding then actually taking photos but this event has renewed my interest in SL fashion.  There has been much drama around the grid about legitimacy: whose work is original, what has value, etc.  While my ear has certainly been bent I've also felt over it.  Some of this is about trust, but the hating just brings more of the same.  I respect people's learning curve, understand there are some folks in SL that purely want to profit, others for which SL is mostly for fun/want a few L's to blow, and others that rely on SL for a living.  Within that are all kinds of levels and I'm cool with it, am happy to contribute to the SL economy, but I've also been around long enough to have a pretty good understanding of the industry and don't get ripped off too often.  Having that off my chest, Nefaria Abel from Ivalde is a truly talented woman and has had a strong SL presence for years and years.  Nef's deal is Vintage, always has been and hopefully will remain (though I adored L'Abel).  I have an enormous collection of her works and doubt I will ever eliminate them from my inventory. They are like the archives of fashion history and if I want something classic, that folder is one of the ones I hit first.  I adore the new Jamica gown that she has debuted at Vintage Fair.  The dress is what the system skirt was made for in my humble opinion.  A diaphanous prim skirt wraps around a column skirt bringing attention to a narrow waist and hiding the bubble butt that I so dislike in system skirts.   I envisioned myself as a young woman, embarking on an overseas voyage to Europe, possibly a new bride or socialite in a pre-feminist era where a lady's beauty was her most essential asset.  Thank goodness those times are past but I definitely appreciate the clothes!  This dress can stand on its own with just a touch of accessories.  The floral necklace and earrings from WTG and little bowed slingbacks from Baby Monkey complete the look.

I adored the Billie Dress for similar reasons.  Nef has taken a straight system skirt and layered it this time with tulle-like cocktail length skirt for an elegant day to evening look.  I modernized the 1920's style dress with accessories more in line with a 1950's couture look but you can go all kinds of ways with it.  The textures on this dress are almost touchable.  I am probably going back to get it in more colors.   The fantastic Audrey Necklace from Caroline's Jewelry just begged to be worn with the dress.  Caroline was inspired by the necklace worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's and comes in either white or black pearls.  This is a simply stunning piece.  The hair is a gift from Plume for fairgoers.  It's a bit funky and whimsical and the roses change color.

Lots of nice skins with a retro flair have been released for Vintage Fair.  Today I featured a new skin from Boho Beauty.  Redsoledrea Gossipgirl is back with new stuff including the Sloan Skin.  She says it is perfect for redheads but I am wearing it without red hair and was very pleased with it. It comes in 4 tones.  Each pack contains 2 makeups, a cleavage option and 2 mole tattoos.  You can pick up this version at a limited release price at the fair.  Her new store, Boho & Boho Beauty, will be opening on the Chic sim over Thanksgiving weekend.  Until then, her inworld group is free to join and she will be sending out free gifts.  I look forward to more.

Credits: (Most of the items are available at the Vintage Fair.  I will note those that are not. Slurls will be to main stores.  A map and slurls to all shops at Vintage Fair can be found at the Chic Management blog.)
P1:
Gown: Ivalde: Jamica
Jewelry: WTG: Floral-w
Skin (all photos) Boho Beauty: Sloan - Vintage (main store opening next week!)
Hair: [e]: Soft: available exclusively at Collabor88
Shoes: Baby Monkey: Mia Pumps (not at fair)
P2:
Dress: Ivalde: Billie
Necklace: Caroline's Jewelry: Audrey Pearl Necklace: White
Hair: Plume: A Kiss from a Rose: Freebie!
Glasses: Artilleri: Gabriella (not sure if this set is at the fair)
Stockings: Vextra Messing: Sheer Pantyhose - Blue (not at fair)
Shoes: Armidi: Barcelona Slingbacks - Prussian Blue (note: the website is still up but I've not purchased anything from it in about a year so buy at your own risk.) (not at fair)

All poses are from oOo Studio from retro sets available at the Vintage Fair.  They are fantastic!

Then and Now

More Vintage Fair goodness to share.  I have heard from so many friends that they are having an impossible time navigating Vintage Fair.  The lag is thick and folks continue to go there heavily primmed. I empathize because it's fun to get all fussed up but the biggest favor you can do for yourself and others is reduce the amount of scripted objects you wear.  A high arc is only going to hurt you but so many objects we adorn are scripted.  Most people have you derendered anyways.  I am going to try and remember to show details of items, especially accessories, because I know that textures often load fuzzy.  I needed to go there to check the details of an item and the first thing I noticed were people AFK at the landing point.  If I could boot you from the sim I would.

One of my favorite items from Vintage Fair was Connors Georgette Cocktail dress.  It fit me divinely and the textures on it do so much to accentuate the female figure.  It is adorned with lovely florets on the side and back and the lowered skirt prims give it a great flapper feel.  I accented the dress with the Queen Sophie jewelry set from Ripe, which is available in a "traditional" version that has pearls and standard metals as well as "nontraditional" versions that have more color accents in the stones and metallic texture.  I fell in love with Dilly Dolls new shoe releases after Hempy wore some for a previous post and I ended up having to buy the adorable Cura pumps. I picked up the medium color pack because I am so darn practical and they can be worn with so many of the looks at the fair.  They have about a billion color options to select from in an easy to use HUD.

The thing that struck me immediately about the Connors dress was how easily it could be used as a sophisticated contemporary dress with some simple hair and accessory changes.  I used the classic Wish style from Elikatira and my most favorite Saffron Pumps from LeLutka.  The jewelry is a new release from U&R Dogs for the Vintage Fair.  The Caro Mio Ben set continues the meticulous attention to detail that I know I can count on from U&R.  Even large earrings such as shown here have such a sense of elegance.

The skin I am wearing in all the photos in this post is the very glamourous and understated Vintage - Ritz skin from Curio.  I've been just loving some of the new skins that Gala Phoenix of Curio has been creating and this one has an amazing combination of purity and detail.  The skin packs contain 4 tone options that have subtle gradations in shading: Lights and Darks in 2 options.  The packs also contain a Vintage Brow Pencil tattoo layer which I am showing in the larger photo on the contact sheet.  I chose the Petal tone for the Vintage look as it is in keeping with the era. In the modern version I chose the Sundust shade for more color.  These are a lovely set to have around, not only for purely vintage looks but any time you want to have an understated and classy look.

Classy ladies insist on wearing the right undergarments as a foundation for their ensemble but there is no rule that says they must be frumpy.  My friends tease me all the time for wearing too many prims and dressing like Bea Arthur but they have no clue that underneath all that is my penchant for sexy lingerie.  I'm just confident enough to not have to show all my goods for free...rofl!  d.select, rebranded from DeTaleZ, went uber sexy with the yummy Negligee for the Vintage Fair.  This item is made solely from clothing layers so you can wear it underneath an outfit and not have to worry about any prims.  Again, the textures are a dream.  I will be putting these to a lot of use!

The Chic Management website, which organized the Vintage Fair, now has a page that contains a map of the fair (2 sims) as well as direct slurls to the shops.  The Fair runs through December 3.  It is well worth the visit. Rarely have I been so impressed with the quality and selection of items as I have seen here.

Credits:
Photo 1
Dress: Connors: Georgette Lace Cocktail Dress: located on Fred Astaire Lane
Jewelry: Ripe: Queen Sophie Jewelry Traditional (Gold): located on the corner of Tina Turner Drive and Cary Grant Avenue
Shoes: Dilly Dolls: Cura Pumps Medium: located on Audrey Hepburn Blvd
Skin: Curio: Vintage Ritz (shown in all photos in Petal and Sundust tones): located on North Street
Hair: booN: ELG108 chocolate
Photo 2
Dress and Skin: see above
Jewelry: U&R DogsU&R Dogs: Cara mio ben earrings and bracelet: located on Tina Turner Drive
Shoes: LeLutka: Saffron Pumps
Hair: [e]: Wish
Photo 3
Skin: Curio: Vintage - Ritz: located on North Street
Photo 4
Lingerie: d.select: Lingerie Negligee: located on Fred Astaire Lane

Poses: All Poses for this post were done by Mavi Beck of Miamai for her Editorial Set, available at the fair on Rita Hayworth Ave. near North Street

I Quit You

Jacqui was a swinger and only looking for a little afternoon delight with the hot housewife she met at the weekend consciousness-raising seminar. Eden was a passionate woman with a LOT of *love* to give. When it was good, it was very good. And when it was bad, it was time for Jacqui to move on ... and time for Eden to pull out her "special" garter.

Jacqui Vintage Fair Credits:
Clothes: TuttiFrutti
Skin: Damned Skin
Jewelry: RIPE
Shoes: Dilly Dolls (color changing! Lots of options!)
House:  Funky Junk

Jacqui Other Credits:
Hair: [e]

Eden Vintage Fair Credits:
Lingerie: LouLou&Co.
Collar and Garter: Scrub
Skin: Damned Skin
Ring: RIPE

Eden Other Credits:
Hair: LOQ
Shoes: Riddle


Vintage Fair Classic
Vintage Fair Retro

MAP!!!!

Skin & Shape Expo 2011: Idiosyncrasy

Ashia Tomsen, the creator and genius behind Idiosyncrasy, will forever hold a very special place in my heart. Ash was one of the first people with whom I revealed my obsession with all things fashion in SL.  Ashia is the person that started me blogging and she is one of the the most savvy, honest women I've had the honor to meet in SL.  Ashia has been making skins for several years now and she is undoubtedly a stickler.  Any skin you get from Idiosyncrasy has been painstakingly made and checked from top to toe hundreds of times for imperfections.  Her new line, Natasha, named for a treasured friend, receives it's inspiration from the rebellious spirit of Biba cosmetics as well as MAC's Surf Baby collection.  It premiers exclusively at Skin & Shape Expo 2011, which runs through May 22nd.

Natasha is available in 3 skin tones: Pale, Natural and Dark.  Each single pack contains 12 skins with 3 cleavage options, teeth options, light and dark brows, as well as a dark and light tat layer hair base and a full body tattoo layer.  Ashia is nothing if not thorough.

I wanted to show you the full body tattoo layer because Ashia has so carefully placed freckles in proportion to where they would fall in real life.  Ash doesn't do anything half way and the grid is a lovelier place for it.

Skin & Shape Expo 2011 is donating to Direct Relief International and each store has at least 1 items where 100% goes to the charity.

Credits:
All Skins: Idiosyncrasy: Natasha: Makeups 01 through 07 shown in serial order in various brow, teeth and freckle options.  There is also a natural base layer in each shade that also includes all the various options.  They are exclusively available right now at Skin & Shape Expo here. ]
Hair:  Pale 01: Elikatira: Comfort; 02: 69: Keri
          Medium 06: Elikatira: Me; 07: LeLutka: Rykiel
          Dark 03: Elikatira: Mood; 04: Mina: Thulani
          Body Shot: Medium08: LeLutka: Rykiel
Bathing Suit: Mimikri: Starlet Bikini

Culture Shock: Bliensen & MaiTai

Plurabelle Laszlo, the creator behind the Bliensen & MaiTai, is a goddess. Nothing less describes her level of talent in jewelry making.  On a surface level her jewelry is gorgeous but what I particularly love about it is the humorous play on kink and the dark side that is evident in much of her work. Her charity items, of which 50% of the proceeds will be donated to Doctor's Without Borders, best exemplifies that aspect of her work.

Beware of Apples depicts scenes from the Prince's discovery of a dead Snow White.  Snow White, one of Grimm's collected Fairy Tales, is a story of jealousy, wish fulfillment and resurrection, as well as the polarization of women into evil and passive characters.

Beware of Wolves depicts Little Red Riding Hood alongside the wolf (Oh what big teeth you have!).  Most of are familiar with the Perrault  or Grimm version of the story about not talking to strangers, but this tale had been told in various forms as early as the the 14th Century about werewolf trials of the times.  In those versions the wolf leaves dead granny's meat and blood for poor Red to eat as well as disrobing her and throwing her cloak into the fire.  This story has so many levels of interpretation from naivity to sexual awakening to solar myths.

Geiko is a term for Geisha from the Kyoto districts, who is a woman trained to entertain men with conversation, dancing and singing.   Geisha are not prostitutes but often worked alongside the highest classes of courtesans. One primary way to tell the difference between geisha and maiko (courtesan) is that the makeup of a geisha is much more subtle.  Plurabelle offers two versions of Geiko in each set, a light and a bright pink, which I am guessing is a reference to this difference (or she might just say stfu). Anyways, they are simply stunning pieces with sublime texturing.

If you are still reading my text, you probably need a break from my thesis. Tomorrow's Cherries all depict cherry blossoms (viginity - lol).  What I love and you need to get close to the ads to really appreciate is Plurabelle's use of antique textures as the background for the blossoms.

The final piece she if offering at Culture Shock are the Yesterday's Bloom earrings.  I love this particular style of earring that she creates as it works so well with the mod style clothes I love to wear, especially with its starburst segment that could be interpreted as the skeletal remains of a spent blossom (you can take this from here by now, lol).  

Culture Shock remains open through May 22nd and is now very enjoyable to get through.  For a map of the event and a complete list of slurls visit here.  Each designer has provided at least 3 items where at least 50% of all proceeds will be donated to Doctors Without Borders.  

Credits:

All Jewlery: Bliensen & MaiTai: available exclusively at Culture Shock

Skin: Fall Out / Fall In: Deliciouz skin: Devin: available exclusively at Culture Shock

Hair: Photo 1: Elikatira: Comfort

         Photo 2: mikan: Melmo

         Photo 3: le salon: Anna May: has been closed forever

         Photo 4: lamb: Babys On Fire

         Photo 5: lamb: Lost

Culture Shock: Baiastice

One of the nice things about being an active fashion blogger in SL is the opportunity to occasionally preview events before they are officially open.  This results in a lot of work, too, but that isn't what I'm going for here.  My prolific blogging partner, Jacqui, IM'd me and told me I had to see Baiastice's Mattina chiffon dresses at Culture Shock because they were so me.   She knows me so well!

Sissy Pessoa, the hardworking designer of Baiastice, must have worked her fingers to the bone making these beautiful dresses.  The dress is primarily sculpted prims with all the requisite clothing layers.  Sculpted clothing is becoming quite prevalent in SL and those of you who have tried it know how difficult fitting can be.  Sissy has obviously put a lot of thought into that as the top comes in 4 sizes to fit a most avatars.  The sculpts are not resize scripted so if you have decent editing skills you can modify the top to fit your specific height and width requirements.  If you are anything like me and want to immediately start messing with the sizing,  I recommend you copy the pieces before you start messing with them or you could ruin these beautiful pieces.

The skirt on the dress is available in 2 versions; a multilayered option shown in the top photo and a single skirt as shown just above.  Again, these do not have a resize script so you can manually adjust as needed.  Again, copy before you edit, particularly on the layered skirt!  What truly impresses me about the skirts is that Sissy has added an AO with both walking and standing animations that let you avoid having your hands get buried in the sculpted pieces.  

The Mattina chiffon dress is available in 3 colors, mixed cold (blues/greens) mixed hot (pinks/golds) and royal (violets).  It is a a high quality piece that displays the breadth of Sissy Pessoa's talent that makes her a fashion leader.   The purchase of this dress benefits Médecins Sans Frontières, so please, reduce your scripts, brave the lag and pick it up!

Médecins Sans Frontières most recent donation total from Culture Shock is $L1,007,003.  This is more than $4,000 USD earned for the charity and the event runs through May 22.  We are blessed to have so many generous designers and caring individuals in SL!  For a complete map and list of slurls for all participants visit here.  

Credits:
Dresses: Baiastice: Mattina Chiffon Dresses: available exclusively at Culture Shock
Bracelet and Hair Ornament: Bliesen & MaiTai: Geiko: available exclusively at Culture Shock
Skin: Fall In: Deliciouz Skin: Dee (photo1) / Devin (photo2): available exclusively at Culture Shock
Shoes: Baby Monkey: Ultimate Ingrid - Lime
Hair: Elikatira: Away (photo 1)
         69: Jessica 01 (photo 2): currently only 50 L in new shades: Dusty Blond and Silver

Culture Shock: Ingenue

I've been a long-time fan of Betty Doyle, creator and designer for Ingenue.  Over time her pieces have become less "vintage" or strictly period pieces to include classic pieces that work with a wide variety of looks.  If I were to sum up Ingenue into a few key concepts it would be: impeccable quality, an eye for detail and timeless appeal.  Betty's work ranges from basic, well made pieces that are a wardrobe staple to clean, elegant outfits that amaze me with their sophistication.  Anything Betty makes, from clothing to shoes to accessories, has the same level of high quality, so I'm guessing she is a perfectionist and I am glad for it.  Her releases for Culture Shock have a sweet and springy flair and instead of continuing to fan-girl all over Betty I will get on to the photos.

The new Bicyclette tank also doubles as a body suit and has all the requisite layers you need.  It has a racer-back design and 100% of the proceeds of the Cocoa version benefit Doctors Without Borders.  I've paired it with LeeZu's new Yve pants.  I had a really hard time choosing which pair to buy!  The skin I am wearing in this post is another of Arcy Halfpint of Fall Out/Fall In's Deliciouz Skin in the Dee version.  I really love the glow added to the face of these skins.  Working perfectly with the outfit are Bleinsen & MaiTai's Yesterday's Bloom earrings.  The Lilly Bracelet is a new subscriber gift from Kouse's Sanctum.  TY, Kouse <3!

The Harvesting Daisies dress is a sweet little summer dress with perfectly made sculpted skirt.  I recently changed my body dimensions to be more curvaceous and it still fit me perfectly. I love the top that is part of the skirt and will totally wear it with other clothing.  I can see it with some high-waisted pants for a retro look. All proceeds from the emerald version benefit Doctors Without Borders.  I'm also wearing Bliensen & MaiTai's Beware of Apples necklace and earrings but will show them again in a feature post because they are way cool.

The Madeleine tank has a sculpted shirt and adorable bows at the shoulders.  Take a look at how well the sculpt fits!  I did no adjusting at all to the shirt.  It simply fits that well and the continuity of texturing is that good.  I try on, wear, buy, etc. a lot of clothes and trust me, they aren't all this well made.  All proceeds from the Sunshine (yellow) version benefits Doctors Without Borders.

Culture Shock continues to run through May 22nd.  Each designer must include at least 3 items that are exclusive to the event and at least 50% of the proceeds benefit Doctor's Without Borders.  Many designers have at least one item where 100% of sales benefit the charity.  For a complete list of participants and locations at Culture Shock, visit here.

Credits: (Culture Shock slurls should give you a beacon to the correct shop)
Photo1:
Shirt: Ingenue: Bicyclette Tank: Cocoa: available exclusively at Culture Shock
Pants: LeeZu: Yve Pants: Hippie Orange
Earrings: Bleinsen & MaiTai: Yesterday's Bloom: available exclusively at Culture Shock
Bracelet: Kouse's Sanctum: Lilly: subscriber gift: TY Kouse!
Skin: Fall Out / Fall In: Deliciouz Skin: Dee: Sweety: available exclusively at Culture Shock
Hair: LeLutka: Rykiel
Photo2:
Dress: Ingenue: Harvesting Daisies: Emerald: available exclusively at Culture Shock
Jewelry: Bliensen & Mai Tai: Beware of Apples: available exclusively at Culture Shock
Hair: Elikatira: Horizon
Photo3
Shirt: Ingenue: Madeleine Tank: Teal: available exclusively at Culture Shock
Pants: Ingenue: Katherine Trousers: Mink: available at main store
Hair: Love Soul: Hair*088: Cocoa

Culture Shock: Sassy Kitty / Di's Opera / Mango Mango!

Culture Shock is in full swing and runs through May 22nd.  150 of the best designers in SL have gathered to earn funds for Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders).  Today I have a variety of items to show you, including a freebie, from the event.

Sassy Kitty has a slew of items in which they are offering a portion of their profits to Doctors without Borders.  My personal favorite are the black Puffy Shorts, with it's undone belt and bloomer bottoms.  I'm a sucker for bloomers!  I paired it with the free gift from Somnia, an argyle corset and black bra.  The  bra and panties are available as a tattoo layer in addition to clothing layers, which is way cool.  I absolutely adore the Old Luggage set from Di's Opera.  It is one of Di Hoorenbeek's charity donations for the event.  The set includes 3 suitcases and high-style poses that rock because the suitcase doesn't eat into your body.  I am not using one of the poses here because I needed to show the pants but I will on another post.

The skin I'm wearing is from Mango Mango.  My pal, Sileny Noel, the creator of Mango Mango, worked her little tushy off for Culture Shock and has released her new Vintage Sweetie skin in bunches of tones and options.  It's a nice clean makeup so its easy to add eyeshadows as you choose.  She also made a full body freckly tattoo layer, which I am wearing.  Really cute, Sileny! <3

For a map and a complete list of slurls for culture shock visit here!

Credits: (Culture Shock slurls should direct you right to the store)
Shorts: Sassy Kitty Designs: Puffy Shorts Black: available exclusively at Culture Shock
Corset / Bra set: Somnia: Free gift available exclusively at Culture Shock: thank you, Sanura Snowpaw, for such a lovely gift!
Bag: Di's Opera: Old Luggage: available exclusively at Culture Shock
Skin: Mango Mango: Vintage Sweetie: Golden: available exclusively at Culture Shock
Hair: Elikatira: Escape
Tatoo: I<3 Rein: Power Doll (I am unsure if this store is still open)
Piercings: Ellabella: Star Child
Stockings: Pig: Argyle Sock M. Suspender - Ziegfeld S.
Boots: Coco: Lace-Up Work Boots

Culture Shock: R.icielli / Bliensen & MaiTai

Continuing the awesomeness of all things Culture Shock with offerings from R.icielli and Bliensen & MaiTai.  These are 2 more of my favorite stores; R.icielli for modern high-fashion with a European flair and Bliensen & MaiTai for unique, quirky high quality jewelry.

I was honored to be able to review 2 of R.icielli's charity offerings at Culture Shock.  Culture Shock is in full swing now and there are 150 of the top SL designers participating in the fundraiser for Doctors without Borders.  Each designer is offering at least 3 items where 50 - 100% of the proceeds will go to this charity.  One of R.icielli's items is the fantastic IRIS bodysuit.  I didn't want to cover it up with skirt or jacket so that you could see the item in it's entirety as I know that rez might be a challenge there for a few days.  It's a perfect item to pair with a skirt or slacks and R.icielli sells lots of items in complimentary colors which makes it an excellent base piece.

Another of R.icielli's charity items is the fantastic SUELLEN mindress in cherry.  One of the things that draws me to R.icielli is their great ability to create works that rely heavily on sculpted pieces and I think their dresses are some of the cleanest, chicest works on the grid.  The texture has a fantastic shimmer for modern look for evening.  I paired the dress with one of the many sets available by Bliensen & MaiTai for Culture Shock, the Tomorrow's Cherry set.

 

Tomorrow's Cherry's is a gorgeous set with a cherry blossom branch as its primary texture.  The set plays off a gorgeous pairing of gentle spring tones.  It is modifiable but for me it needed no modification beyond positioning, so without scripts it should not tax sims as you travel about.  Plurabelle Laszlo has offered several items for Culture Shock and I will do a full review at a later point as her work cannot be missed!

Credits:
me1:
Bodysuit: R.icielli: IRIS Bodysuit it Autumn: exclusively at Culture Shock
Belt: R.icielli: VANESSA belt in sangria at the main store
Stockings: Zaara: Nishar Leggings in burnt olive (naturals pack)
Skin: Fall Out / Fall In: Deliciouz Skin - Devin (cougar): exclusively at Culture Shock
me 2:
Hair: LeLutka: Rykiel in Toast
Dress: R.icielli: SUELLEN minidress in cherry: exclusively at Culture Shock
Jewelry: Bliesen & MaiTai: Tomorrow's Cherries: exclusively at Culture Shock
Hair: Elikatira: Rythm

Culture Shock: The Sea Hole

Where do I start with my love for all things The Sea Hole? Drinkinstein Sorbet, the genius behind the store, ranks as one of my all time, always go back to designers for originality, humor and mad texturing skills.  I've been wearing her clothes for years, own many of her skins as well as her home and garden products.

Drink has 9 items she is offering at Culture Shock.  Her bold collection has a geometric theme and I love clean mod looks so this is big love for me. Culture Shock runs from May 1 - 22 (it JUST opened) and each of the 150 designers involved must provide at least 3 exclusive items where 50-100% of the proceeds is donated to Medicins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders), an independent humanitarian medical organization.

The Geometric Collection consists of a halter top, a belted mini skirt and an accessory set.  Each part is sold separately and is available in 3 different colors; Guiness (monotone), Peacock (blues) and Candy Canary (yellows).  These are made to mix and match and I particularly love using the Candy Canary accessories with the Guiness halter and skirt.  The skirt is a system skirt so my advice is to make a skirt shape copy of your shape so that you dont end up with a huge bubble butt.  For those new to this, copy your shape and take your butt size and saddlebags down.   I take mine down to zero, which would generally be pretty mannish, but I find necessary to achieve the slim look I love with this outfit.   There really isn't a better way to achieve a slim skirt like this that will work for many body types.

System skirts used to be used frequently but it had been awhile since I had worn a really short one.  I happened to be chairing a meeting the evening I put on the outfit and didn't notice until I cammed myself halfway thru the meeting that my sexy parts were exposed to the world.  So, word to the wise, wear a pair of panties underneath this skirt if you are going to be sitting in an group circle (blush).  We don't generally sit a lot in SL, so it's all good!

Thank you, Drinkinstein, for being so generous with your offerings for a great cause.  Modavia and  Chic Management have a map (Chic Mgt only) and complete list of slurls on their websites, which I have linked.  Go have fun, be groovy and spend lots of Ls for exclusive clothes!

Credits:
All Clothing and Accessories: The Sea Hole: exclusively at Culture Shock.
Skin: Fall Out / Fall In: Deliciouz in Devin: exclusively at Culture Shock
Hair:
   me 1: LOQ Hairs: Cheesecake: available exclusively at The Dressing Room Blue right now
   me 2: Elikatira: Comfort
   me 3: Clawtooth: Easy Breezy

In the Pink

I hit the sale today at Indyra Originals where all things pink are 60 - 90% off through May 1st.  My favorite outfit was Catalan because I really like one-shoulder pieces and liked the care that was taken to detail the outfit.  I also picked up the Suha Beads in Peony, which were a steal! Normally, I would forgo the necklace with a frilly top but I wanted to show you the full set.

I am also big in love with Miel's new Troupe Shoes.  The one-prim shoes have a ton of options, including the ability to recolor various parts of the shoes in matching or contrasting colors.  I know falling back on black is a bit drab but I am a minimalist and there was enough already going on this this outfit!

Credits:
Outfit: Indyra Originals: Catalan - Cotton Candy: on sale!
Jewelry: Indyra Originals: Suha Beads: Peony: on sale, too!
Shoes: Miel: Troupe Shoes Naturals
Skin: LAQ: Tess2
Hair: Elikatira: Later: I bought the store out this weekend.
Lashes: Chocola: Black Extension w/Lower
Eyes: Glam Affair: Stella Eyes V2-14
Poses: all by LAP

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!

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