Fall Finds Me

I looked outside today, out to the dreary, rainy street with the leaves scattered all over and realized my favorite parts of fall were passing before my eyes, washed away in a rain storm. So I logged on.

The great thing about SL is I can take away the rain, set to sunset, and have a beautiful crisp fall day. And today I wanted to blog fashion about the beauty of fall. So I ran over to forest feast (because you know, I had a fashion blog to do so getting flowers was VERY important). I filled my arms with flowers and trees and ran back to my sim and donned this beautiful gown from Nicky Ree.

With its autumnal motif, it really needed to be put on and displayed among the beautiful creations of miki Morigi. A full fantasy dress, the outfit includes a long flowing translucent cape, beautifully shifting skirt prims, and system pieces typical of Nicky—beautifully and subtly textured.

Long loose hair is only appropriate so I wore this lustrous creation from Truth Hawks. The ideal skin was the subtle Wheat/Blush from the Valeries line by Lorac Farella.

And the leaves fell around me, gently, like a hundred falling suns:

Hair: >TRUTH< Sophia – burgundy by Truth Hawks for Truth

Skin: Pulse Skin-Valeries T: Wheat/Blush AUB by Lorac Farella for Pulse Skins

Dress: *DNR* Autumn Bliss Gown With Cloak in Brown by Nicky Ree for Designing Nicky Ree

Flowers: Flower for air_2 yellow and feast Tree 02(light)_yellow by miki Morigi for forest feast

Pink Leopard

One has to ask.. who came up with pink leopard? It doesn’t really exist in real life and has a very tenuous existence in SL. So why does it look so darn good? What is so appealing about it?

I have a theory. The pink leopard is the rarest of animals, the softest, the most whimsical, and the sexiest. The novelty and brightness of the color will attract mates and it is this that will ultimately assure her survival in the wild. And oh heck, it’s darn cute.

That’s why Cristina Sugita has seized upon it as a motif and the fabric of this drop dead sexy dress. She has made a great outfit here, combining a cleverly done system piece with prims that move just right. And it’s a great price!

This skin from Rosemary Galbraith at Cupcakes, a Halloween gift at her store, seemed to suit the theme perfectly. With its sparkly pink eye shadow and cats eye liner, rowr!

The shoes I had were a perfect match. I mean, how often will you need pink leopard shoes, yet I was able to wear them! (Which proves I have too many shoes.. cuz pink leopard is not exactly a “neutral.”) Cerberus Noel just put these out as part of an animal pack of pumps.

For the leopard who can’t change her spots:

Hair: >TRUTH< Abbey – auburn by Truth Hawks for Truth*

Skin: *CUPCAKES – Daydream – Nutmeg – Fairy 2 Pink by Rosemary Galbraith for Cupcake

Dress: *Pink Leopard Hunt Dress* by Crissy Designs by Cristina Sugita for Crissy Designs

Bangle: Dark Mouse Divine Deco Bangle (Right) by Mouse Mimistrobell for Dark Mouse*

Shoes: *GF* Figure Pumps -leopard pink- by Cerberus Noel for G Field

Written while listening to “In Rainbows” by Radiohead, specifically “Jigsaw Falling into Place.“

Art Deco Elegance

In the past week, I have made a few new friends, which is the whole purpose of SL, isn’t it? I mean, besides dressing up, making my perfect home, shopping like mad, making friends is what it’s all about. Shilow sent me over to one of *her* favorite dressmakers and I came home with bags full.

This beautiful dress by Loreney Klees caught my eye instantly. With the beautiful hand-drawn gold bodice, embroidered with gold buttons and stitches, the dress flows down into a translucent assymetrical skirt with lushly textured prims. It’s simple and elegant—just my style.

I styled the dress with one of my favorite new hair pieces, a full bob from toraji Voom. With its flowy subtle messiness, it goes one step past the straight to-the-head bob that girls wear when they have thin fine hair to a bob for a woman with full lush locks. Imagine running your fingers through this soft hair.

I accompanied the dress with jewelry from Zaara Kohime. She has cornered the SL fashion world with her beautiful exotic Indian textures in her clothing. Don’t forget her jewelry, though. She proves she has the chops to texture AND build with these gorgeous pieces.

And finally these delicious toes from Onyx LeShelle. Maitreya did not jump into the toe shoe market until they had refined their tootsies to perfection, and that was a wise move. You know you are wearing a beautiful shoe when all you want to do is stare at your OWN toes. (OMG, I LOVE my toes! I stumble around because all I am doing is looking at my own feet!) And at a price reasonable relative to others’ toe shoes, I can’t imagine why you would want to get anyone else’s sandals.

Shimmy, shimmy

Hair: *barberyumyum*16/black by toraji Voom for yumyum

Skin: Pulse Skin – Altonia-Do It Again by Lorac Farella for Pulse Skins*

Dress: Lo-D Xerine dress red by Loreney Klees for Lo Designs

Jewelry: Zaara : Suvarna *FAT PACK* (WHITE) by Zaara Kohime for Zaara

Shoes: Maitreya Gold – IXkin Champagne by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

The Menswear Look

One of the best tips I EVER got was early on in my SL when Heather Rau said, “Buy boy hair. Doesn’t matter if you’re a boy.” I was photographed on the pages of the Second Life Herald wearing the Poynter from Armidi (bought when they were still doing business out of a trailer and had only three hairs) and showed I wasn’t afraid of making the boy look work for me.

So it was not a surprise when I helped coordinate a fashion show this weekend for Shenlei Flasheart featuring men’s clothes, and I saw a lot of ladies buying the clothes. (It really didn’t hurt that the 12 men modeling flirted like mad and sold those clothes, almost off their own backs.) I am featuring one of the suits Shen sold—the most discreet of the batch without the plaid pants and vest (which she made to show that you CAN do straight lines with good seams on system pieces in SL—I swear.)

And here are the vest and plaid pants, worn as a separate sort of outfit. Kind of sexy, I think (though I still have the glasses and hat on).

The suit is not the only surprise here. I donned hair from Maddox DuPont, changed up the hat color a bit (darkening it for my needs), and slipped on some glasses from Solar Flare (what a name).

It’s not menswear well worn by a woman without womanly touches. That’s why I wore this delicate skin from Lorac Farella and super sexy heels from Onyx LeShelle. I might work in a man’s world and even wear his trousers (and vest), but I will always be a woman.

Hear me roar:

Hair: .::MADesigns Hair::. ~ CHRIS TARTAN F2 by Maddox DuPont for MADesigns HAIR

Skin: Pulse Skin-Valeries T Cream/Blueberry by Lorac Farella for Pulse Skins*

Suitcoat: *Deb*  ‘Blue’ Single Breasted  Jacket Charcoal by Shenlei Flasheart for Deb*

Trousers: *Deb* “Blue” Belted Trousers Charcoal by Shenlei Flasheart for Deb*

*Deb* “Cobalt” Belted Trousers Ocean by Shenlei Flasheart for Deb*

Vest: *Deb* ‘Cobalt’  Vest Ocean by Shenlei Flasheart for Deb*

Shirt: *Deb* Banker Buttondown Grey Blue Tie by Shenlei Flasheart for Deb*

Glasses: Solar Eyewear ~ Nash by Solar Flare for Solar Designer Eyewear

Shoes: Maitreya Verve Pumps – Black by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

Set: Detectives Office by comPOSEure by Flix Saiman for CLICK

Today’s Laundry

In honor of yesterday’s blog about “tomorrow’s laundry,” I thought I might show you today’s laundry.

I don’t do my laundry at the laundromat. I keep it all at home. In my home studio. In my photosphere. Yeah.

So here I am, setting my hair, doing my laundry in my little feathered mules (cuz every girl has to have those), listening to KCRW and loading this fabulous washer and dryer from Redd Columbia that includes accessories and poses. (I LOVE the stuff at RC Cluster. Go when you need a day of laughter.)

I put on these dainties from Annyka Bekkers because they are so sexy and so versatile all at once. Wear the bra underneath a low cut top for a sexy peekaboo or traipse around the house in the set (as I do, clearly). They are great textures—no ghosting in the pieces and well fit to the avatar mesh. Lorac Farella’s subtler Honesty skin from the Altonia line is sexy and fresh.

These mules from Melanie Zhao are for every girl in SL who has too many shoes but still needs more. I mean, how often are you going to wear feathered shoes but in the privacy of your sim? I just don’t see them going over well at the Velvet or Franks. But they are perfect with a box of chocolates (or a basket of laundry).

“Now they show you how detergents take out bloodstains, a pretty violent image there. I think if you’ve got a T-shirt with a bloodstain all over it, maybe laundry isn’t your biggest problem.Maybe you should get rid of the body before you do the wash.”

~ Jerry Seinfeld

Hair: Angry Housewife rollers in hair by Leetah Moxie for Curl Up N Dye

Skin: Pulse Skin – Altonia-Honesty by Lorac Farella for Pulse Skins

Bra and panties: *blowpop* Yvette set – Nude by Annyka Bekkers for *blowpop*

Shoes: ~*ZHAO*~ “MOSCOU” by Melanie Zhao for Zhao Shoes

Washer and dryer and all accoutrements: -RC- Clustyclean Stackable Washing Machines (black) by Redd Columbia for RC Cluster

Tomorrow’s Laundry

A friend of mine had a mom who said, “That dress is so short I can see tomorrow’s laundry.” My own grandmother said, “If it gets any shorter, she will have two more cheeks to powder!” The fun thing is in SL, you can wear the skirt and still get away with it!

Today I am showing ‘tomorrow’s laundry” with a dress from Shiryu Musashi. Shiryu left SL to finish school but he’s back with his luscious hand-drawn textures and exacting detail. Check out the tiny little frog closures he made for the dress on the collar and chest. This dress is short and sexy—the ideal item for looking sexy and cute.

Mouse Mimistrobell is producing like mad—jewelry and now hair. I wore a brilliant blue this time—not my usual color (not even when i am 80), but it just looked so good with Shiryu’s dress. I ran to Cupcake a month or so ago to snatch up her gift sets—what a great idea—a few skins of the same makeup with a dress. Instant makeover.

And the other piece of this complete and great outfit are JB Gazov’s to-die-for boots, this time to the knee. (I showed them short a couple days ago.) He has improved on his old zipped side boots (yes, I have those too—I was shopping JB before he had toes!) and the shape, the style, the colors are all amazing.

The girl who doesn’t mind a little wind beneath her… wings…

Hair: *Dark Mouse* Cyntra (Blue) by Mouse Mimistrobell for Dark Mouse*

Skin: *CUPCAKES – Enchanted – Sepia – Gift 9 by Rosemary Galbraith for Cupcake

Dress: Tender Blossoms (Sea Emerald) by Shiryu Musashi for Musashi-Do*

Earrings:++Je veux earring  turquoise++ by sucreee Menges for Je veux (apparently no longer available)

Boots: J’s Long Boots Round (11Colors) by JB Gazov for J’s

Girl About the Grid

Yesterday I spent a lot of time running around the grid. Two fashion shows to attend, a release to get out for RFyre, a performance to see at Burning Life, a show to run, etc etc etc. I wanted to look chic and to be able to move among events without having to change. You know how Saturdays are in SL.

Since I was attending a show for Nardya Rousselot, I put on one of her dresses. I loved the color and the clever way in which the sculpty skirt was incorporated. A lot of sculpty skirts don’t move right—this one was short enough that when I was dancing it didn’t look like I had a huge… prim attached to my waist. As usual, Nardya’s textures were rich and real.

I accompanied the dress with hair from fri.day. The designers at fri.day are doing their job well—giving us the kinds of looks we love. The textures are deep and well-colored. The styles are contemporary and useable for day-to-day wear—nothing outrageous  or contrived–lots of ponytails and loose updos, bobby pinned and tied back.

I wore it with a skin from Lorac Farella. I have been showing quite a few different skins in the blog, but I always keep going back to Lorac’s because they are artistic and beautiful and unique. No one quite does it like Lorac, probably because Lorac hand draws all her skins, switching up elements like eyebrows or lips but always keeping it within her signature look. Lorac’s artistry is what makes Harper “Harper.”

Finally I wore a new necklace and bangle made by Julia Tower. What is clever about these pieces is that she includes a hud that colors the elements of the jewelry differently. This allows a multiplicity of variations for wearing. She has designed these in a very up-to-date design—the “collar necklace”—in this case, a fabric piece beaded with gems and feathers. It added the embellishment I needed for this dress.

Go, go, go!

Hair: fri. – Kate – Jealous Red by Parvarti Monday for fri.day*

Skin: Pulse Skin – Altonia-Far Away by Lorac Farella for Pulse Skins*

Dress: Nardya Noir No.5 by Nardya Rousselot for Nardcotix

Necklace: [} Jasha {] Verandi Necklace – S-Tone by Julia Tower for Jasha

Bangle: [} Jasha {] Verandi Bangle – S-Tone by Julia Tower for Jasha

Shoes: ETD Starley Pumps (Teal) by Elikapeka Tiramisu for ETD

Sweater Weather

I was poking around the other day, looking for a bunny head I had seen on someone  (don’t ask) and ended up back at yumyum. I love yumyum. Everything there is so cute without being twee, pretty and sweet without being cloying. I just can’t handle twee, so that’s saying a lot. Even the bunny head appeals to me.

I stumbled in past the many plants in pots and glass containers of which I have too many, past the sculpty antique chairs, past the wreaths (two of which I bought), past the herbs in gardening boxes, and found myself in front of the most fantastic sweaters. So of course, I got one. Between the amazing texture, the perfectly done sculpties, the pure coziness of it, I am just thrilled. And this is again, a perfect example of how toraji Voom makes cute without crossing to twee.

I found a pair of jeans from Dawn Memorial that matched the sweater well and were chic enough to go with the sweater. And then the other to-die-for in this ensemble are the boots from JB Gazov. I have already explained my love of all things J’s, and these boots reinforce those feelings. These are the ankle boots for a knee-high boot—I got the multicolor version. They also come with two heels.. a stiletto and a more square version. OK, yes, I love these boots.

Finally, I dressed up with a brand new loose updo from Truth Hawks, a beautiful skin from Lorac Farella—one of my favorites, and jewelry from Maeve Mortlock and Nuala Shippe. I feel chic and warm and just right.

With the smell of burning leaves in the air and the sound of leaves crunching underfoot:

Hair: >TRUTH< Cameron – auburn by Truth Hawks for Truth

Skin: Pulse Skin – Angie ll/Chosen by Lorac Farella for Pulse Skins*

Sweater: **DP**yumyum:romantic sweater/green by toraji Voom for yumyum

Jeans: Basic Black Jeans (Flared) by Dawn Memorial for DCNY*

Earrings: Ear Candy ~ Copper Bell Earrings by Maeve Mortlock for Ear Candy

Ring: Kunstakammer revised ring stack colorway 5 by Nuala Shippe for Kunstakammer

Boots: J’s Long Boots Round (11Colors) by JB Gazov for J’s

What to Wear to Burning Life, Part 4

You see a running theme here? Gonna keep banging on it til Burning Life is over and y’all have visited! I really enjoy Burning Life because it gives me a chance to mix up my wardrobe and dress up and do some wild things. This is the sweet, unpainted, unparticled side of me.

Here you see me at Damanios Thetan’s Burning Life Temple build, an incredibly gorgeous place that I hope finds a home when BL is over.

I started with a skirt from LeeZu Baxter and a top from Julia Soothsayer. I will admit I got this particular combo from my friend Cali Rahal, who has scoured the grid for coordinating and hot-looking outfits.

I added a cute sash from Khea Karas to complete the sort of updated earth mother look I was after. I don’t show enough dust on the hem of the skirt—pretend it’s there.

With the ensemble, I added the details—a cute ponytaiul from Elikapeka Tiramisu (hair up and out of the face in the wind), big ethnic earrings from Zaara Kohime, and a fine tattoo from Jesseaitui Petion. And may I say, thank you, Jesse, for making a simple realistic tattoo—not all of us want to have them painted all over our bodies. Sometimes a pure heart with wings is all a girl needs. (And yeah, I have boots on under here. Really!)

Dancing, dancing, dancing….

Hair: ETD Ginny – Crimson by Elikapeka Tiramisu for ETD

Skin: Pulse Skin – Altonia-Peace by Lorac Farella for Pulse Skins

Top: Awesome Designs Knit Sensual Tank In Purple by Julia Soothsayer for Awesome Designs

Skirt: * *LeeZu Baxter* Zarah Flexi Skirt /blue by LeeZu Baxter for Leezu

Sash: Wildberry Jeans Scarf – Medium by Khea Karas for Malt

Earrings: ZC : Sarayi painted hoops by Zaara Kohime for Zaara

Tattoo: AITUI TATTOO – Angelic Embrace I by Jesseaitui Petion for Aitui

Written while dancing salsa to horacios Allen and Winters Kanto at Burning Life Tokyo Stage.

Powerful Stuff

What does a girl who likes red and wants to look dressy and interesting wear? This is the ensemble.

I found this top at Kunglers. I am really digging Kunglers lately, from their cute separates to their beautiful evening dresses. This beautiful jacket with its Asian-inspired silk over a gathered sleeve black top suits my need to be dressed up and proper without being boring.

The skirt is from the fabulous Antonia Marat. You have heard me before—I think this woman makes the *best* system skirts in SL. Well here you go. Such a simple piece, so well done, down to the zipper in the back (echoed in the zippers up the back of Bax’s Prestige Boots).

It’s in the red that you find the power:

Hair: #AB# Nanak Fiery Red hair by Aleixandre Biedermann for Biedermanns Q Hair

Skin: Pulse Skin Altonia-Noon by Lorac Farella for Pulse Skins

Top: (Kunglers) Susan – crimson by AvaGardner Kungler for Kunglers

Skirt: /artilleri/ simplicity pencil skirt *black* by Antonia Marat for artilleri

Boots: Bax Prestige Boots in Black by Bax Coen for Bax Boots

(I am running out of titles. This one comes from a song by the Fabulous Thunderbirds that DJ Sporty Tone was playing at Tokyo Stage at Burning Life while particles literally burned my video card.)