Spring Forward

We have already had the time change where I live and it’s been a great boon to my spirits. It’s great to have daylight last into the dinner hour again.

SarahTheRed Aurbierre is selling this fresh and lovely dress as a Fashion for Life exclusive in her store. Click on the vendor, buy it, and all proceeds go directly to the American Cancer Society. I can’t help but gush over this dress, which is light in its texture and movement and provides a simple canvas for dressing up in many different ways.

That’s why accessorizing is so important. AvaGardner Kungler’s beautiful jewelry set with its exquisite beads and textures pops on a simple background. Lara Hurley’s beautiful skin provides a richness to this look with its deep tone, smooth texture and nuanced highlights. Lara doesn’t overdo it, which makes this skin elegant and understated. Elikapeka Tiramisu’s ponytail with the face-framing short bangs, is a pretty top to this look.

The ultimate accessory are the shoes, of course, which can make or break you. Nardya Rousselot’s lovely new sandals (in gold!), complete this look stylishly. With a delicate little ankle buckle and some of the prettiest toes on the grid, these can go from a more casual look like this to something really dressy in a snap.

Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!”  ~Robin Williams

Hair: [e] Glory – Black 07 by Elikapeka Tiramisu for Elikatira

Skin: Lara Hurley-Ava green hairbase/Dark by Lara Hurley for Lara Hurley Skin

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Clover Green (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Dress: ***FFL Exclusive*** Vanitas Vesture – Languid Party Dress – Spring by SarahTheRed Aurbierre for Vanitas Vesture *

Jewelry: (Kunglers Extra) Marajoara – nature by AvaGardner Kungler for Kunglers Extra *

Shoes: NX-Nardcotix MANA Edith Gold by Nardya Rousselot for Nardcotix *

Queen of Pastry

I am watching the movie, “Kings of Pastry,” while I write this blog. Following chef Jacquy Pfeiffer (and others), it documents what these pastry chefs have to do to earn the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France, which is the highest achievement a pastry chef can achieve. You find out it takes an incredible amount of artistry, engineering, skill, knowledge, trial and error, and hard work to get to that level.

I rarely show someone’s work twice in one week, but Tammany Goodliffe sent over this perfect piece of pastry and I had to take photos today. With the exquisite bodice and beautifully-made skirt, it’s a display of beauty married with smart work. She deepens the color of the print on the sides so the seams match nicely and the body is given a subtle contour while she places froofs seemingly randomly but in a beautiful silhouette. The color is nuanced and lovely. She offers this same dress in tangerine.

I show with a skin from Minnu Palen that came with several hair pieces that can simply be put on top and match the hairbase on the skin perfectly. The skins also come with tattoo lipsticks—Minnu was the first I found to employ this smart trick. The skins are elegant and minimal and suit this dress in tone perfectly.

“The fine arts are five in number, namely: painting, sculpture, poetry, music, and architecture, the principal branch of the latter being pastry.”  ~ Antonin Careme

Hair: [LeLutka]-LOLA Bun_BLOND_SunTan by Thora Charron for LeLutka

Skin: [LeLutka]-LOLA_stan-makeup4(L Brows)hairbase with [LeLutka]-LOLA -Lipstic_Nature Matte by Minnu Palen for LeLutka

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Deep Brown (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Dress: salt. koi- strawberry brocade cocktail dress, two skirt types by Tammany Goodliffe for salt.

Bracelet: >< Xaida >< Frida bangles L by Xaida Fang for Xaida

Sandals: Maitreya Gold – Hana Seashell Leather by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya Gold

Happy Birthday, Finned!

Spoiled

Now, you probably think I get a lot of swag. I do get a good share, but not always. Fashion for Life nearly broke me. I don’t think I have ever seen my linden balance this low. I was spoiled by choice not by gifts. (If you ever wonder what I have received as a gift and what I have purchased myself, everything with “*” behind it was given to me, as stated in my “About”.)

There were so many freakin’ fantastic things at Fashion for Life—many of them exclusives—I couldn’t help myself as I was.. you know.. inspecting the sims and stuff. Turns out some of these designers have generously placed their donation vendors at their own stores, so I can still show you these items and you can still grab them at the stores (and do some other shopping because, frankly, some of these these designers are undiscovered gems). All funds will still go to Relay for Life’s general fund; all are directly given to the American Cancer Society.

Take this darling outfit from Zaira Pelazzi. It’s simply system pieces—a jacket, top, and pants—but it’s so nicely done it doesn’t need anything else. Zaira is a new designer on the scene, offering items 199L or below—simple system pieces without a lot of elaborate adornment. For the avatar on a budget (uh, like me right now), her stuff is a great choice. (She offers men’s too.)

The boots are another budget winner from Renee Harvy. I love Renee’s work and her spirit. She offers great shoes and boots at a very winning price—usually about 25L a pair. How can you beat that?! Her items are not elaborate—no menus or color changers or fancy toes. But sometimes all you need are a pair of cute pink boots without all the bells and whistles.

Pick up both these items at their stores and give the American Cancer Society a little love.

My skin is a beauty from Tuli Asturias with lipstick. I know I have not shown Tuli a lot lately, and it’s not been fun because I love Tuli’s work. This includes the great lipstick layer that makes this pink outfit pop. My sexy streaked hair is from Truth Hawks.

My jewelry is a punch of couture candy from Dita Tran. It seems like too much when you put it on, but once you’ve outfitted yourself, you find out that it is the over-the-top that completes this outfit. This jewelry actually makes sense from a woman like Dita, who is, like this jewelry, bold and fun.

If you need reminding about why it’s important to give to the American Cancer Society, listen to this week’s podcast from The Moth—the comedian Anthony Griffith speaking about the death of his daughter from cancer.

Hair: >TRUTH< Priscilla Streaked – chestnut by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: [:T:] Zoe / sunkissed :: 03 Discotheque with [:T:] Zoe / sunkissed / lips :: Magenta by Tuli Asturias for Tuli *

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Brown (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Outfit: ***FFL Exclusive*** Oblivious – Trilogy- 3pc set by Zaira Pelazzi for Oblivious

Jewelry: FuLo Versace Jewelry by Dita Tran for Fulo *

Boots: ***FFL Exclusive*** ::Duh!:: Silk Floral Booties – Rose by Renee Harvy for ::Duh!:: *

<3 Brina

Night Out

After a couple of weeks of hard work, it’s time for a night out.

Monica Outlander makes that easy with her latest dress, Jeanie. With its romantic ruffles skillfully placed in asymmetrical fashion around a full skirt bustled with a gemmed bow, this dress is a mix of old-fashioned and modern. The simple bodice with its artfully placed shoulder piece and delicate embellishment weighs the heaviness of the skirt perfectly.

I wear it with this delicate Asian skin from Gala Phoenix, which is almost a retro look. I have seen a look like this on reproductions of postcards, images of which I can’t find right now (though this is close). This skin was a huge boost for me when I first go it—I really like finding skins of other ethnicities in SL. I wear with Ikon’s lovely eyes (as always) and a set of earrings from Mouse Mimistrobell whose intricate construction echo the swirls on the dress. (I love when I can do this!)

“I cannot walk through the suburbs in the solitude of the night without thinking that the night pleases us because it suppresses idle details, just as our memory does.”  ~Jorge Luis Borges

Hair: :Liriope: ELN black by Ilze Erin  for :Liriope:

Skin: :GP: Honey [Dark] Jasmine-Tangerine 1 by Gala Phoenix for Curio

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Brown (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Dress: Miamai_Jeanie Rust by Monica Outlander for Miamai *

Earrings: Dark Mouse Vintage Drop Dead Diamond Earring – Copper by Mouse Mimistrobell for Dark Mouse *

O sweet spontaneous earth…

thou answerest
them only with

Spring

~ e.e. cummings

I won’t whine. I won’t complain. I will wait patiently, dear Spring, for you to show your face. I will not sue the damn groundhog who promised an early coming. I will NOT bang on the weatherman’s door and plead for him to do something, dammit! However, I will dress up in a pretty dress, put on my spring hat, and perhaps that will coax Spring out.

Well I lucked out because I had the prettiest spring dress to wear from Tammany Goodliffe. With a garden of poppies beautifully covering this dress, Spring has to be enticed by what she could show if she could just get here! I love this dress for it’s silhouette and many details. Take, for example, the little cuffed jacket with the cap sleeves. She uses the sculpties in a perfect way to make those cap sleeves and puts a pretty little prim tie to keep it tied up. Her skirt—it’s sculpty but not stiff. And her system pieces are perfect—great seams (that edging is all lined up), perfect integration with the prims, and a great use of RL clothing ideas to make a perfect virtual dress. It truly is a triumph of design in a simple little spring dress.

I show this beautiful spring look with a fresh skin from Mallory Cowen. Spring needs something new, and this new skin from Mallory cures the ills of winter with its beautiful colors and pleasant mien. My hair is a new one from Elikapeka Tiramisu, who proves that being a long time content producer in SL never means you can’t come back and kick butt (which she has been doing with her new store).

Another content producer who consistently kicks butt is Fallingwater Cellardoor. She set the standard by which all others are and should be judged. This new offering from her shows the same attention to detail, the same expert texture work and eye for fashion and styling. Fallingwater has survived the many changes in SL and still sets the bar.

If you doubt
That I’ll be there
Don’t despair
Don’t you dare
~ In the Dirt by S. Carey

Hair: [e] Follow – Brown 08 by Elikapeka Tiramisu for Elikatira *

Skin: LAQ ~ Linnea – [Peach] Dark brows – 08 by Mallory Cowen for Laqroki

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Light Green (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Dress: salt. silk poppies dress by Tammany Goodliffe for salt.

Hat: salt. birdwatcher’s hat by Tammany Goodliffe for salt.

Shoes: (Shiny Things) Charlottes – tan by Fallingwater Cellardoor for Shiny Things *

Future Perfect

He quickly pulled me off the busy sidewalk and into a doorway. A velocicopter whizzed past, leaving a plume of cool air behind it that curled around the corner of the doorway.

“Come with me,” he beckoned, and I followed him into the dark doorway.

We pushed through a small dark hallway past the security cilia. They whispered over our bodies as we passed, sensing our pulse, picking up data from the dust on our clothing, sniffing for prohibited weapons. Frac pushed through and emerged into the club ahead of me, bellowing, “Mellita, domi adsum!”

A towering woman emerged from behind a dark podium. “Fractile Montosa,” she snarled. “Welcome back to the Esoterium.” Her skin was pale and glimmered with a subtle sheen in the black lights of the club. She wore spots of glowing light blue hardware—earrings, belt, gems on her chest armor. Lines of blue light slid up her calves.

She gazed down at Frac, peering through her dark glasses with disdainful light blue eyes. I could see lines of data sliding across the inside as she engaged his attention. “We won’t have any more trouble like we did last time, will we?” The lights on the bottoms of her heelless boots pulsed with the beat of the loud music in the club as her long fingers curved around a small glowing voltaic terminus.

Frac grinned abashedly. “No, Ma’am. Just here to grab a drink, swap a few stories, and discreetly enjoy the beneficence of your gracious hospitality.”

Her blue lips curled in a smile. “I am glad we understand each other.”

Our hostess from Esoterium is wearing the lastest in future club wear. First a great outfit from Syane Cisse—a combo of futuristic breast plate over Victorian bustle, laced and cut high in back and completed with fingerless gloves and thigh high stockings. The outfit comes with a hud for changing the accent colors. Her dark data glasses (also with hud) are also from Systi with glowing blue accents and her skin is from Systi’s sister, Syane. With its blue lipstick and shadow, it’s perfect for an evening at the Esoterium.

Finally her amazing boots from Ono Zinner. With their heelless shape and molded platform, these boots were made for futuristic ass kicking. Ono has made these as his others, with glow adjust and animation adjustment available in a handy hud. Our hostess at the Esoterium can choose a rainbow of colors and adjustments to these boots and look newly made every night.

Drinks arrived at our table, smoothly served by a pale dark-eyed server. “On the house,” he smiled, nodding towards the hostess across the club, who still had her blue eyes focused on Frac.

Frac lifted his glass in salute to her and drained it down in one draft. “Cheers to Mistress Eso!” he said merrily, slamming it down on the table.

Hair: [CheerNo] Hair YALLI [Dark 3.0N] by CheerNo Destiny for [CheerNo]

Hairbase: booN gathered raised hairbase black by boo Nakamura for booN

Skin: [sYs] YSIS – skin dual (pale) – cleavage + HB Black by Syane Cisse for [sYs] *

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Pale Blue (XL) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Dress: [sYs] LYDO avant garde outfit (color HUD) by Systi Cisse for [sYs] *

Sunglasses: [sYs] PULSAR Evolution – sounglasses by Systi Cisse for [sYs] *

Earrings: Ring Earring by Sweetlemon Jewell for ::: Omega Point :::

Boots: [NeurolaB Inc.] Activa Boots Black Electro (BOXED) by OnO Zinner for [NeurolaB Inc.] *

(Writing is original by Harper. No book quoted ;))

Bloom

Let me gush about the new Radiohead album, which has nothing whatsoever to do with fashion but has everything entirely to do with my happy mien. (Came out while I was busy with other things….)

I am listening to it while I show this entirely elegant gown from Su Scarmon. Su uses some photosourced textures but she uses them skillfully to created gowns that are lean and elegant. She has excelled with this one showing an asymmetrical neckline and back tied with a bow and a thin little belt. The contrast of the top to the bottom adds to its elegance and sets it apart from more standard monochromatic gowns.

I show it with a glowing skin from Nena Janus. The skin suits my shape and has beautiful makeup and details. My eyes, it is now finally revealed, are another masterpiece by Ikon Innovia. And my earrings are a lovely color texture changing set from Squinternet Larnia, who provides gorgeously crafted costume jewelry to women around the grid.

“I dive into those eyes.” ~ Radiohead, Bloom

Hair: “LoQ Hairs” Pure Beauty – Black by Gia Pawpad for LoQ

Skin: *League* Amber Br Sunkiss -Aqua- Hair by Nena Janus for *League* *

Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Deep Blue (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM *

Dress: *Lalei*Katrine dress-light sky by Su Scarmon for *Lalei*

Earrings: Donna Flora MARTINA earrings + HUD by Squinternet Larnia for Donna Flora

Rusty

I am a little rusty with the old blog format, but you’ll all forgive me, wontcha? Because I will be bringing you some quality shopping and content each day again :)

Like this ensemble I put together for a little Mad Max. With a couture jacket from LeeZu Baxter over a top from Calyn Canning and a little skirt I had from Saeya Nyanda, and I have something cooking here. This girl is tough and sexy. Actually, right now I am reading Anathem by Neal Stephenson and this girl reminds me a lot of Core.

I really worked on this look, decking myself out in jewelry from ROZOREGALIA Braveheart—especially a great multiple piercing that is modifiable. My edgy hair is from Emelie Carter (I love these with the tattoos) and my sleek and sexy skin is from esra Noyes, who offers skins that are more glamorous and strongly made up for women who want a bolder look.

My pal Rand pointed out these boots to me and they were the basis of the whole look. From the safety pinned socks over the laced up cuffs, to the nod to Victorianism, these boots from Tera Gearz are win-win all over. They could go from steampunk to retro apocalypse in a snap and might even look good with jeans.

“Nothing is more important than that you see and love the beauty that is right in front of you, or else you will have no defense against the ugliness that will hem you in and come at you in so many ways.”  ~ Neal Stephenson, Anathem

Hair: 99Hair -IEKELENE -b1 with 99Hair -Shaved Tattoo LAYER -black T0 by Emilie Carter for 99 Elephants

Skin: DREAM INK-SF-MORGANA-T-16 by esra Noyes for Dream Ink *

Eyes: Prerelease eyes from Ikon Innovia for Fashism *

Jacket: [LeeZu!] Maria Jacket /olive by LeeZu Baxter for LeeZu! *

Top: .dystopia. punisher torn shirt *shirt* by Calyn Canning for dystopia

Skirt: Kyoot Army – Dead Naga Mini (Black) by Saeya Nyanda for Kyoot

Tights: Doppelganger Inc. – Knocked Up Knee Socks Brown by Syler Morgwain for Doppelganger

Boots: *DL* Kimiko – Urban High heels – boxed by Tera Gearz for Dirty Lynx

Earrings:+ROZOREGALIA+ *Gemma* EARRING4/A L and +ROZOREGALIA+ *Gemma* EARRING4/C R by ROZOREGALIA Braveheart for ROZOREGALIA

Belly Piercing: +ROZOREGALIA+*NORNIR*BELLY PIERCE1[Type3]Sl by ROZOREGALIA Braveheart for ROZOREGALIA

Tattoo: AITUI TATTOO – Zodiac – ASF Taurus I by Jesseaitui Petion for Aitui

It’s Over–Thanks to EVERYONE!

Dear Readers:

I really truly hope this is my last post about Fashion for Life until next year. It has been posted on the Fashion for Life website but is being mirrored here. I would also like to add these photos, which were part of the public promise I made to streak through the sims naked if we reached our goals…

(No one said I had to be a naked woman!!)

Syngen was naked so I converted into “normal” form and joined her. Gosh it was a LONG path (and a great test of how lag free the sims were because they rezzed brilliantly while we ran through them–ha!)

However I am exhausted…..

Harper

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While we enjoyed Fashion for Life, according to statistics, over 382,000 people were diagnosed with cancer (not including those with very simple treatable skin melanomas). In those ten days, over 216,000 people died from cancer. Ten days from now, those same numbers will repeat themselves. And again ten days later.. and again….

This is why we do Fashion for Life. For the millions of people who are diagnosed every year with cancer and for their loved ones.

That being said, we are proud to announce we will be presenting SL Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society with 4,752,511. I promised that I would blog as a chicken if we reached 4.75 million and damn if we didn’t make it.

More importantly, though, our metric for success needs to go beyond the money we made–it should be how much we gave people hope or comfort by simply putting our hearts into doing something we love and doing it with good intent.

Cancer can seem like a diagnosis without hope; we want to give even the smallest bit of hope we can.

That being said, we have thanks to give to many many people. (And since this is not the Academy Awards, we can go on ad nauseum while you enjoy the stills from Harper the Chicken’s visit to the sims.)

First, thank you to the SL Relay for Life folks who provided our support, kiosks, logo and pep talks while they were gearing up for their own season. Stingray9798, MamaP, Dwen, Belle, JD—thank you so much for giving us the infrastructure to insure we have clean transactions and could do this professionally. Their experience and thought in making systems that will insure every last linden goes to the American Cancer Society freed us up to do the things we can do well. They did not know us when we took on Fashion for Life. They took a risk. We hope it paid off for them. GO RELAY!

Second, thank you to Nevar Lobo, Pips Fetid, and Amethyst Starostin who started and ran RFL Clothing Fair for four years, got it to be Fashion Fair, bore the considerable pains of getting it here, and graciously passed it on to someone else rather than abandoning it. Their monumental influence on this event was felt.

Thank you to Delora Starbrook for the awesomesauce vendors, logo, design savvy, and vision, and for snatching FFL from death. Thank you also for stepping back when you knew it was right.

Thank you to our great Liaisons, ChatBrat Pippita and Valeries Muircastle, who provided assistance to designers patiently and informatively with encouragement and kindness. They spent many hours online answering questions, coordinating notecards and logos for Harper, and helping desperate designers with vendors, builds, instructions, and wardrobe malfunctions. They also kept Syngen and Harper from freaking out (much). Their dedication is much appreciated.

Thank you to JustOneMore Loon and Trouble Streeter who spent many hours on the main sim, scheduling and hosting DJs and performers. Loon provided our sims with his custom built HUD for switching over streams all at once, which was amazing. And thank you to brad Ohtobide and Chastity Saintlouis of nEo Stream Services who provided the free streams. A special thanks to Quant Kapuskas.

Thank you to our amazing builders—Frederick Lancaster, Cierra Anatine, Grace Loudon, Nigel Riel, Raven Haalan, Dream Resistance, Eshi Otawara, and Syngen Sohmers. Your building brought hope to life, pushing us beyond black and white with your amazing visions and skills. Thank you for the cost you bore in uploads and time and for making your gachas quickly when we asked. Each and every sim brought tears to my eyes when I first saw it. Each was absolutely magnificent in its own way. These were some of the most beautiful sims I have seen in SL.

Thank you to the Sim Sponsors—Bliss Couture, Designing Nicky Ree, Elikatira, Evie’s Closet, FallnAngel Creations, House of RFyre, KMadd Enterprises, Lapointe and Bastchild, and :.WoE.:–who each donated 50,000L and who each set up magnificent stores in their respective sims as well as providing the vision to our builders for their themed sims. Nicky and BastChild and Paul—thanks for coming back and for your great encouragement. Dick, thanks for taking a chance. Amutey, thanks for saving our bacon. Azriel, thanks for your humor and good will. Maddox, thanks for giving us push. Elika, thanks for jumping at the chance. Evie, thanks for your beautiful work and enthusiasm. And Raven.. just.. thanks.

Thank you to our generous VIP Sponsors—Aleida, Alienbear’s, arcspace.com, Azul, Beau Body Shop, BOSL, Blacklace, Emo-tions, Fabfree, G Field, Gutterpup, Kunglers, LeeZu!, LOGO, Morea Style, PurpleMoon, Sophistishapes, Surreal Estates and Tres Beau. Each donated 10,000L to ACS beyond their store donation to put their support behind our event and to make their commitment to this cause. Their donations meant more than just money—they were stamps of approval and verification that we were doing the right thing.

Thank you to our 195 Store Sponsors, who each donated 3,000L but beyond that, content, promotion, support, encouragement, and oh gosh… absolutely amazing beauty for so many avatars in SL. You rocked Fashion for Life!

Special thanks to our Japanese designers who, without exception, showed up to set up their stores, donated their items, and participated enthusiastically without flinching in the face of the uncertainty in their own country.

Thank you to the many bloggers who covered Fashion for Life. You provided much-needed word-of-mouth and perspective on Fashion for Life (and took AWESOME photos). Thanks to Fashion Emergency, Hey Girlfriends, BOSL, and Menstuff who let us spew announcements. Thanks to Linden Lab who put us in the Sandbox and pushed us up in the Destination Guide.

Thank you to Aki Shichiroji from Organica, who donated all our foliage in gray scale and gave us our final beautiful touches.

Thank you to Makeover Magic and the many cancer survivors who graced our sims with your made-over beauty, your strength and inspiration, and the hope you give us with your living. Your fashion show was top notch, professional, and much needed for this fashion event.

Thank you to those of you who put money into the RFL kiosks without expectation of thanks or content—donations of 50L, 15,000L, 20,000L, 25,000L and even 100,000L. We saw it. Thank you.

Finally, thank you to Syngen Sohmers, who provided much needed enthusiasm, design intelligence, pragmatism, counter-balance, guidance, patience, artistry and the occasional aggravation (to show she’s human too). While her country was rebirthing itself, she was building; while her family was unable to call, she was making textures; while she was watching her home experience uncertainty on TV, she was guiding builders; while she was worrying about Alexandria and all her beloved places, she was also making donation content for Fashion for Life. If I got nothing from Fashion for Life, I got an amazing new friend who is strong and inspirational beyond words. I could not have done this without her.

(Get that bottle of wine out, Syngen, and let’s pop the cork, chick ;))

With much hope that a cure will be found in my lifetime,

Harper Beresford

House of RFyre at Fashion for Life

Dear Readers:

As most of you may or may not know, I have worked for Raven Pennyfeather for over three years in SL. She is a personal friend as well as an employer. I rarely blog her work in my own blog because I am so familiar with it I feel I can’t speak about it coherently or “objectively.” I have seen the inside of this sausage factory, and I have to tell you, each piece is made with pure love and goodness and joy by Raven. There is no other way to say it. She puts her heart into her creations; they are her vision and her art and she wants so greatly to share this beauty and fun with others in SL.

She has been preoccupied with new vistas in RL so she has not been in SL as much. However we speak on the phone frequently, and she has been supportive and enthusiastic about Fashion for Life. She also didn’t want to see Nevar’s and Ame’s hard work be lost so she was glad when I took it on but she has not been thrilled with not having me available to her. She will be glad when I am back at RFyre (as will I).

I am very emotional about Raven; she has been as dear a friend to me, in RL as in SL, as anyone for the past 3+ years. I couldn’t possibly fit into the blog here or on the Fashion for Life website (where I really should not get mushy and personal), how I feel. So this blog is entirely poorly written, clumsy, and not nearly good enough for what she and her work deserve.

~ Harper

As Fashion for Life closes, we have to give thanks to one of our sim sponsors, for many things. Raven Pennyfeather has always supported the RFL Clothing Fair and Fashion for Life. She made friends with Nevar and Amethyst and has had them to dinner in her RL home several times, supporting their work because she knew it was important and they were her friends. However, two years ago, Raven’s father was diagnosed with breast cancer, rare but not unknown in men. While she ran her business, House of RFyre, she ran from her house to his weekly to assist him (100 miles away), logging on from his home after she had taken him to his chemo treatments, to check her business and design. Raven had always supported RFL, but once his diagnosis came, it became even more important to her. Her donation for being a sim sponsor was entirely selfless—she wanted to put RFyre’s name on this important cause as a personal endorsement, especially as she has seen her father go into remission.

Raven’s support of Fashion for Life has been long-standing, first with Nevar and Ame and now with the new coleads, Harper and Syngen. In fact, Raven sacrificed her assistant, Harper, to FFL and has suffered (supposedly) with Harper so preoccupied. Thank you, Raven, for giving me the time and room to do this.

It is a great honor to have Raven Pennyfeather be one of the sim sponsors at Fashion for Life. Her generous heart imbues all her work and her dark romantic nature translates to the vision for her work. Consider this couture offering from Raven with its leather jacket on top over a swirling translucent ethereal black skirt and topped with a smart top hat with lace veil. Raven never makes a minimal outfit—she truly wants to give her customers her best and all she can with each ensemble.

One of Raven’s newer offerings is the Hearts on Fyre series, including this evening gown. Inspired by the designs of Ed Harvy, Raven made her own clothing “tattoo” motifs and carried them to this gown and to more casual sets for men and women. Her colors are rich and luxe.

Raven has always aimed to fulfill her male customer’s needs as well. In this she has a very romantic vision as well. Her men are dressed in the finest materials—leather, satin, wool, lace. The handsome tux above from her Wintertide series can take a man from ballroom to personal Interview with the Vampire. The more formal Eduoard below with its shorter cut and tails and chained closure and romantic bow tie, can take a man to the most formal affair.

One last day for Fashion for Life. Today. Get here NOW to get some of these beautiful items and many many more before they disappear and this whole beautiful please is gone!

Photo 1:

• Hair: [e] Early – Black 04 by Elikapeka Tiramisu for Elikatira, Sim Sponsor for the Bourke White sim at Fashion for Life
• Skin: -Glam Affair- Mary Light – E/D/A 05 by aida Ewing by aida Ewing for Glam Affair, FFL Store Sponsor on the Stieglitz sim
• Eyes: ***FFL Exclusive*** FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Silver&Blue  (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM, FFL Store Sponsor on the Bourke White sim
• Dress: ***FFL Donation*** ! RFyre For the Love Of… Tribute Ensemble by Raven Pennyfeather for House of RFyre, Sim Sponsor for the Stieglitz sim at Fashion for Life
• Boots: ***FFL Exclusive*** .:L&B:. “Orleans” B&W Lace Boot set by Paul Lapointe for Lapointe & Bastchild, Sim Sponsors for the Irving Penn sim at Fashion for Life

Photo 2:

• Hair: .:EMO-tions:. * WINDBLOWN* /deepblack by Mirja Mills for .:EMO-tions:., VIP Sponsor for Fashion for Life and FFL Store Sponsor on the Stieglitz sim
• Skin: LaVie Enya Fancy Thrill normal (H) by Pompeja Rossini for LaVie, FFL Store Sponsor on the Ansel Adams sim
• Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Deep Steel Blue (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM, FFL Store Sponsor on the Bourke White sim
• Dress: ! RFyre Hearts On Fyre Couture Gown for Women by Raven Pennyfeather for House of RFyre, Sim Sponsor for the Stieglitz sim at Fashion for Life
• Shoes: ***FFL Exclusive*** Osakki // FFL Osaka Red Heels  by Kaysha Piers for Osakki, FFL Store Sponsor on the Helmut Newton sim

Photo 3:

• Hair: .:EMO-tions:. * MARC * /black with shaved head base MARC 1 by Mirja Mills for .:EMO-tions:., VIP Sponsor for Fashion for Life and FFL Store Sponsor on the Stieglitz sim
• Skin: Antoine Medium Normal Goatee3 – Bald by Ramses Meredith for Egoisme, FFL Store Sponsor on the Stieglitz sim
• Shape: Distinctive Shapes By Gil – Lance Shape by Gil Warwillow, TBA
• Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Deep Brown (L) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM, FFL Store Sponsor on the Bourke White sim
• Outfit: !RFyre Mens Wintertide Tux Mens Black (P) by Raven Pennyfeather for House of RFyre, Sim Sponsor for the Stieglitz sim at Fashion for Life
• Shoes: .:L&B:. “Couture ” Croc Ankle Boot Set :Black by Paul Lapointe for Lapointe & Bastchild, Sim Sponsors for the Irving Penn sim at Fashion for Life

Photo 4:

• Hair: .::MADesigns Hair::. ~ AKAMI ~ SB I by Maddox Dupont for KMadd Enterprises, Sim Sponsor for the Helmut Newton sim at Fashion for Life
• Skin: LaVie Savon Shaved Tan by Pompeja Rossini for LaVie, FFL Store Sponsor on the Ansel Adams sim
• Shape: Distinctive Shapes By Gil – Terry Shape by Gil Warwillow, TBA
• Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Dark Clover Green (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM, FFL Store Sponsor on the Bourke White sim
• Outfit: RFyre Edouard Mens Tux Brocade Black by Raven Pennyfeather for House of RFyre, Sim Sponsor for the Stieglitz sim at Fashion for Life
• Shoes: .:L&B:. “Couture ” Croc Ankle Boot Set :Black by Paul Lapointe for Lapointe & Bastchild, Sim Sponsors for the Irving Penn sim at Fashion for Life

P.S. In a totally unrelated-to-the-dignity-of-Raven-Pennyfeather addendum, I have publicly stated that I will run through the sims of FFL naked AND blog as a chicken on this very blog IF FFL reaches 4.75 million. Thousands of people wishing for laughter at my expense will thank you if you help us get there!