Black and Gold

‘Cause if you’re not really here
Then the stars don’t even matter
Now I’m filled to the top with fear
That it’s all just a bunch of matter
~ “Black and Gold” by Sam Sparro

A girl going out for the night doesn’t need to have a short skirt to show she’s sexy. A pair of PVC pants, gold accents, and sexy shoes can make a look as well as any. Take these new mesh pants from Paul Lapointe—with his exacting detail has has made skin-tight PVC that conforms to the body without being painted on. With excellent features like a silver button and side zippers, Paul shows, once again, the devil’s in the details. Accessorized with a belt and earrings from Jackeline Kronfeld, who assembles her handcrafted items from her home in Venezuela, the whole look is black and gold and ready for a night out.

NatalieWells Resident has been creating hand drawn skins with a lot of individuality and personality. A couple days ago I showed one with deep set eyes and this one is a bit different, with a more sublime face, hand painted lips and eyes and moles. A simple braid from Elikapeka Tiramisu (with color change tie), pulls the hair back to show Jackeline’s gorgeous earrings.

‘Cause if you’re not really there
Then I don’t wanna be either
I wanna be next to you
Black and gold, black and gold, black and gold

Hair: [e] Later – Red 09 by Elikapeka Tiramisu for Elikatira

Skin: Kate: Caramel Mocha – natural }{ Deesses  by NatalieWells for Deesses *

Eyes: IKON Horizon Eyes – Deep Green (ML) by Ikon Innovia for IKON *

Tops: {Gisaci} Kongo Chain Shirt – Gold by Nicole David for Gisaci

Pants: .:L&B:. S’Wear Mesh (W) PVC Pants Skinny Zip – Black by Paul Lapointe for Lapointe and Bastchild *

Earrings: JKT ESg4 by Jackeline Kronfeld for *JKtrends*

Ring: LaGyo_Ludovica double ring by Gyorgyna Larnia for LaGyo

Belt: JKTrends 012.1 belt gold by Jackeline Kronfeld for *JKtrends* *

Nails: Leverocci – Round Nails_1FA_BrownYellowGradient by Jin Elfan for Leverocci

Shoes: ! Shoes Linda – 12colors / REDGRAVE (RGP0340006) by TeamRedgrave for REDGRAVE

Poses by Rogan Diesel for Diesel Works Animations *

Ruby in Paradise

“No one has found the worth of the ruby of the heart; its value cannot be estimated.” ~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib

Kouse Singh is celebrating her fifth anniversary with Kouse’s Sanctum by offering four gorgeous dresses at a reduced price. The dress I show here is one of them—beautifully shaped with a gorgeous neckline embellished with scattered opals. Kouse typically offers dresses with her fantasy-based aesthetic—many have corsets or embroidered bodices or puffed sleeves, lacing and medieval elements. In fact, Kouse’s was once a flagship store for the Avilion sim. Kouse has improved her techniques over the years, keeping up-to-date with design improvements, and her pieces can go from RP to the dance floor easily. She has also been incredible generous with her work, donating proceeds from sales of her work to many charities. She is hard-working, skilled, virtuous and lovely. Happy fifth, Kouse!

What makes this look so spectacular, of course, is the skin I wear from Tricky Boucher, his offering for the Fashion Voodoo event. With its darkly made up eyes and luscious lips, this skin emphasizes the beauty of the bodice of this dress and Wenadrenia Soderstrom’s gorgeous jewelry. Truth Hawks offers us this sideswept long mesh hair (it bends when I turn my head—thank you!) that allows you to show off your beautiful jewelry without fussing with an updo.

“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” ~ the Bible

Hair: >TRUTH< Bria – cocoa by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: -Belleza- Betty Voodoo Med 1 by Tricky Boucher for -Belleza- *

Eyes: IKON Horizon Eyes – Deep Green (ML) by Ikon Innovia for IKON *

Dress: [K~*~S] 5th Anniversary – Gown – Selah by Kouse Singh for Kouse’s Sanctum

Jewelry: J&W Jewelers Kimmera Collection Ruby/Diamond by Wenadrenia Soderstrom for J&W Jewelers *

Nails: Leverocci – Round Nails_1FA_BurgundyPlain by Jin Elfan for Leverocci

Shoes: [e] Move Pumps – Onyx by Elikapeka Tiramisu for Elikatira

Pretty Is As Pretty Does

Sometimes it’s about being the sexiest thing walking into the room but sometimes it’s just about doing what you know in your heart is good and true.

Garance Ashland and her RL sister, who is also in SL, are preparing for a long journey around to the other side of the world, moving from Europe to South America. Garance operates a lovely store of jewelry and clothing, aetherial and pretty and almost other-worldly. Proceeds from sales go to the funds to take them to their new home. This lovely dress is a sample of Garance’s romantic vision with flowers and a banded waist. Dedicated to her mother, it is a compelling picture of femininity and hand craft, from the mesh she made her self to the pretty textures she designed to make both the dress and shoes.

I could not help but pair it with this lovely skin from AtomicSparkle Skytower with its sweet blush and pink lips. Atomic has given us lovely light brows for a blonde and I chose a more strawberry blonde shade from Kavar Cleanslate on one of his newest mesh hairs to match. Bleached blue and dreamy eyes from Ikon Innovia make this look pretty, as pretty as Garance does.

“Pretty is as pretty does. But beautiful is just plain beautiful!” ~ Maya Angelou

Hair: ::Exile:: Darling Nikki:Venetian by Kavar Cleanslate for ::Exile:: *

Skin: *VERVE* SKIN-EVIE-Sunblush-LT-Nude-HB by AtomicSparkle Skytower for VERVE *

Eyes: IKON ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Bleached Blue ML by Ikon Innovia for IKON *

Dress and shoes: Lace – Mother’s Dress – Day Time by Garance Ashland for Lace *

Necklace: Eclectica Deco Pearl Strands_choker (more)_white_resizable by Tiffy Vella for Eclectica *

Bracelet: Eclectica Deco Pearl Strands_bracelet_white_resizable by Tiffy Vella for Eclectica *

Don’t Let Me Slide

“You make me wanna wake up in the morning
You make me wanna to be the best I can
Always searching but never finding
Oh, until you took me by my hand.”

~ “Don’t Let Me Slide” by the Tedeschi Trucks Band

Someone helped me put together this outfit and thank goodness. I have been losing my outfit mojo lately and with all the good stuff out there, who knows why. So I start with this great top and skirt from Tatyana Ultsch, who offers all sorts of goodness at her store, from leggings to garters to minis to jackets, color coordinated for your mix and match pleasure. Her textures are tight and clean with no seams, no bleed off her edges and a distinctly sexy styling. Cute boots from Pixieplumb Flanagan, color change and a great shape, lifts this outfit up.

NatalieWells has released two new skins and Cher is wonderful with deep set eyes and beautifully shaped brows. I recently watched a video about drawing portraits, which gave me renewed understanding of what an art it is for skin makers to make the skins they do. Note especially the crease in the eye, which makes this eye more expressive and unique than many. My hair is a great new style from Truth Hawks with a color change streak in the bangs. I love how Truth mixes in different elements—color change streaks and hair ornaments, attachable lengtheners, prim flexies—to enhance hair.

“Don’t let me slide, it’s just a matter of time
Don’t let me slide into my dark side”

Hair: >TRUTH< Izzie – espresso by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: Cher: Milky Coffee – brown eyebrows }{ Deesses by NatalieWells for Deesses *

Eyes: IKON Horizon Eyes – Dark Brown (ML) by Ikon Innovia for IKON *

Top: :::insanya::: KaiK Top – Red by Tatyana Ultsch for Insanya

Skirt: :::insanya::: Mesh Long Skirt – Sport Red by Tatyana Ultsch for Insanya

Belt: [ m ] Hipster Belt special by Magnifico Miggins for Magnifico *

Bracelet: erratic / cuffs / silver by Erratic Rain for erratic

Boots: BM Micha Boots All Colours by Pixieplumb Flanagan for Baby Monkey *

Paperwork Shows

If you like doing photography in SL, if you don’t want to muck around with PS, if you want to explore taking photos and machinima with amazing effects, check out the blog from Paperwork Resident, otherwise known as William Weaver. See SL in a whole new light!

(I REALLY want you to check it out. It’s amazing. And you know I never gush.)

See some of the most beautiful work you have ever seen in SL on his blog (besides the work of Skip Staheli, who is opening a show at Gallery Assis tomorrow—adult only), and learn how to do it too!

And don’t IM him. He never ever answers. Just sayin.

Unencumbered

“One in seven. That’s the odds now.”

He used his hand as a shield as his eyes turned up and down the street in search of life. The sun was starting to dip below the buildings, just slightly. Before long the empty bistro table would be drenched in the purple glow of nightfall.

“She’s halfway to Boston, probably.”

The wind rippled the tablecloth as he tilted the back of his palm down to protect himself from the crossbeams bouncing off of the rustic glass of the town’s weathered buildings. He knew she wasn’t coming. So this is how this would all play out.

A tap on his cell phone buttons he had missed no calls, or the unspent words she might have left over why she wouldn’t or couldn’t come–hollow excuses like getting the dates mixed up or the confusing name of the town. Templemore–what a strange name for a town. He figured himself for a sucker as the wine in his glass finally disappeared.

A pigeon cooed at him as he scraped the seat back on worn cobblestones, and he pitched the cigarette end over end into the brush to smolder out in obscurity.

“One in seven hundred, now that the sun’s down. Fuck it… I’ll do this without her.”

A grumble rattled from his tongue and he leaned over to grab the laiden duffel from the sidewalk, carrying it over the street. His eyes roamed up and down the street, looking for anything sign of a sleepy sheriff in this quiet town.

Brendan Forsythe agreed to guest blog today. He is active in many RP sims and allowed me to photo his great avatar. He styled the avatar and wrote the blog. Thank you, Brendan :)

Hair – [Ego] – HIR – Dark Noir    Ego Shuffle for [Ego]

Skin – Akeruka Damien Stubble Tan  Kaoz Koba for Akeruka

Eyes – MADesigns Intrigue  Maddox Dupont for KMADD

Jacket: :SEY Denim Jacket [Green]   risey Arai for SEY

Shirt: *Blitzed* Tee – Star   eko Merlin for BLITZED

Belt: *Blitzed* Plugged Belt – no bag by eko Merlin for BLITZED

Jeans: =Razorblade Jacket= Jaw Breaker / Standard Boot – Stonewash by Kehl Razor for Razorblade Jacket

Neck – [Mandala] Shamira Dog Tag (Shadow) by  kikunosuke Eel for Mandala

Gloves – Custom by Rez Gray

Boots – TonkTastic Short Combat Boots by Tonk Tomcat for TonkTastic

Photos taken at Templemore of DreamSeeker

Wallflower

Do you see me standing there in the corner
I was alone, I always am at these big parties
Watching you, watching everybody
Wishing I was more outgoing
Wishing I was dressed up pretty

Wallflower, I’m not here, no one sees me
Wallflower, I’m by myself, please excuse me

~ “Wallflower” by Priscilla Ahn

A girl who is shy may not show off in the same way other girls in SL do. She may wait for an IM from a gentleman at the dance place or hope someone will friend her through a group even though she is just lurking. A girl who is shy may not be entirely noticeable, but she’s there, hoping someone will ask her to IM.

This doesn’t mean she doesn’t know how to look cute—this jacket from Darling Monday is a perfect topper to a rather low cut blouse from Liziaah Levecchia. I wear gauchos I got at a closing sale for Fab.Pony (sad to hear its closing but glad to get the bargain) and little boots from Paul Lapointe (color of which was agonized over—I had purchased the fatpack). A little purse from Marie Lauridsen, available at the Dressing Room, finished the outfit.

The skin comes courtesy of Agony Helse. I looked at old photos of her skins I had blogged and I have to say, this is a definite improvement. She is really refining the look with crisper edges, a more glowing skin, and more drawn set of brows. And I appreciate I am not stuck with the more tan/orangey tones. This paler skin is absolutely beautiful, especially with one of Truth Hawks’ newest hairs. The bow has a color changer but I also tinted it to match. Rose colored eyes from Ikon Innovia make the whole look cohere.

Let me digress for a moment to remind all my dear readers, especially the newer ones, that if prims are modifiable, you should copy the item, and then modify at will, especially with the color tinter at our disposal from Linden Lab. If that pink isn’t quite right (as it wasn’t for me), a little futzing can make a huge difference. I also tinted the scarf from Linka Demina.

Help me leave this corner of the room
I’m reaching out to you
Cause I’ve got things
I could talk to you about
And we could be
Wallflower friends ’til the end
Wallflower friends ’til the end
I’m sure of it

Wallflowers, we’re not here, no one sees us
Wallflowers, we’re together, please excuse us

Hair: >TRUTH< Marina – chocolate by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< * (modified)

Skin: Akeruka Meg V2 Nat Mk3 by Agony Helse for Akeruka *

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

Jacket: fri. – Marie.Jacket (Ashes) by Darling Monday for fri.day, available at Collabor88

Top: LIZ* Black butterfly top* by Liziaah Lavecchia for LIZIAAH

Pants: FAB.PONY “Mezzy” Pant (Black) by Yvonne Thor for FAB.PONY

Scarf: [glow] studio  Scarfs GLOW  Silver (chest) by Linka Demina for [glow] (modified)

Bag: (Milk Motion) My glitter tote bag (medium) (hands pose) by Marie Lauridsen for (Milk Motion), available at the Dressing Room Blue

Boots: .:L&B:. “Simone” Ankle Boot /Claret by Paul Lapointe for Lapointe and Bastchild

After the Rain

After the rain we forget
We make sure we gain then we leave it
‘Cause were a nation of forgetters
Oh after the rain we pretend
It’s easier to begin without looking back
‘Cause all at once air so thin
And there’s nothing left to breathe in

~ “After the Rain” by Little Dragon”

The New Toulouse sims have been experiencing a hurricane all weekend. Gabrielle Riel, the owner of the New Toulouse sims, has created an entirely immersive flood experience, hitting the sims with hurricanes and rain, and slowly raising the water levels. For the third year in a row, the residents of New Toulouse and its environs get to experience the hurricane in real time. Gabrielle has made it entirely immersive, with rain storms on the stream from Radio Riel, lightning, ominous clouds, and things getting set to physical so they collapse spontaneously. Buildings are boarded up and many residents are participating with their own events. It’s been an exciting weekend and rather beautiful.

I got there just as the eye of the hurricane was passing over (really), so the sun came back out and the sky brightened. People started walking around, assessing damage and wondering when the eye would pass. Most people were, however, partying on the roof of different buildings. Watching the hurricane with everyone is one of the most fun things I have done in SL.

I was down there shooting photos, of course, in my hodgepodge, thrown together outfit. I had intended to wear a raincoat from Orchid Zenovka, but Marketplace decided that would not be in the cards for me—only the hat showed up. So I hastily threw on an old t-shirt from Johatsmere Allen, a jacket from Nyte Caligari, shorts from IndigoBlue Dagostino and boots from Driftwood Miles.

The haste was in no small part due to hacking away at the hair from Chiaki Xue so it fit under the hat. Scissors and duct tape were readily utilized to make it all go together. (I promise I will show this hair in one piece on another blog. Really!) My lovely skin comes courtesy of Tricky Boucher and provides a defiant look against the storm. (Above photo was taken as the water was rising around me—Gabrielle actually raised the water as I was sitting there!)

People where have you been
Have you been hiding
In you big houses
People after the rain
Will your life
Will it ever be the same
Oh people what will you do
When your luck
When it turns on you
Wow people after the rain
Will your life
Will it ever be the same
After the rain we forget
After the rain we forget
After the rain we forget

Hair: *Dura-Boys&Girls*34(Mocha) by Chiaki Xue for Dura *

Skin: -Belleza- Betty Med 5 by Tricky Boucher for –Belleza-, available at the Vintage Fair  *

Eyes: IKON Horizon Eyes – Dark Brown (ML) by Ikon Innovia for IKON *

Hat: **DECO – MESH Fisherman Hat (mustard)** by Orchid Zenovka for DECO

Jacket: Nyte’N’Day – Moitie Jacket – RFL 2010 Edition by Nyte Caligari for Nyte’N’Day

Top: [VS] Style Top Crown Pink 3 by Jomatshere Allen for VS Style

Shorts: Demin pearl shorts blue (pants layer) by IndigoBlue Dagostino for Seldom Blue

Boots: !!!! Tribe Wear !!!! Wellie Boots – Stars – DD by Driftwood Miles for Tribe Wear

Poses on ::LISP:: Streetlights & Umbrella in a Box xx22 by Pandora Popstar for LISP

Innertube: hobo rubberboat by Tooter Claxton for Hobo Island (Do not ask how this kind of stuff ends up in my overflowing inventory—it just does!)

Get to the New Toulouse sims NOW before the hurricane leaves!

A Conspiracy of Love

“In life, it is never the big battle, the big moment, the big speech, the big election. That does not change things. What changes things is every day, getting up and rendering small acts of service and love beyond that what’s expected of you or required of you.” ~ Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark

Raven Pennyfeather once turned me onto a website called “Daily Good” where you can subscribe to a daily email that sends an inspirational quote or story, and amid all the bad news we seem to get, it’s much welcome. A recent email was about Cory Booker’s speech for the Stanford graduation, where he spoke of the “conspiracy of love” that brought him where he and all the graduates were—the love of his parents, his teachers, his community members, even the janitors at his school, Stanford.

When I hear a friend in SL tell me about his lost career due to a debilitating neurological disease or another tells me he lost a father and brother in a week recently or another says her last chemo round just ended, I realize they are pulled to SL because of this conspiracy of love. We all offer them love they may not get so easily just walking out the door by providing a community with a friend always accessible (even at 3 in the morning). It is that “conspiracy” that builds our world in SL.

Heavy commentary for a fashion blog, I know, but I have been involved some heavy conversations lately and I realize our “play” is more than just play. It’s vital to many. And it’s this conspiracy that creates even the beautiful graphics we see and call fashion. This gorgeous look comes courtesy of NatalieWells and TeamRedgrave, Kavar Cleanslate and Tricky Boucher, Callie Cline and Kayleigh McMillan.

I want to accent the jewelry for two reasons. First, this set comes from a new program in SL called “MySecondBox – Women.” You join their group at the beginning of the month for 300L and six designers send out content by the 15th—full exclusive pieces made by top rate designers. This jewelry set—earrings and ring—come in two tones in the set and were made in collaboration between Callie and Kayleigh just for this program. So if you want the jewelry, you have to join before the 26th because by then, they will be gone.

Second reason I accent the jewelry is because today is Callie’s RL bday. Happy Birthday, Partner! (She is turning 28, for enquiring minds ;))

‘Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.’ ~ Hamilton Wright Mabie

Hair: ::Exile::Into Dust:California by Kavar Cleanslate for ::Exile:: *

Skin: -Belleza- Betty Med 8 with -Belleza- Betty Med Blonde brows by Tricky Boucher for –Belleza-, available at the Vintage Fair  *

Eyes: IKON ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Sand (ML) by Ikon Innovia for IKON *

Dress: Deesses Fashion – Mesh Loose Cowl Dress Boho XS by NatalieWells for Deesses *

Jewelry: caLLie cLine – jewelry set – women’s box by Kayleigh McMillan and Callie Cline for Callie Cline, available only through the group MySecondBox – Women *

Nails: Leverocci – Round Nails_1FA_NudeManicure by Jin Elfan for Leverocci

Shoes: ! AUDREY2 / Fatpack – REDGRAVE (RGP0330003) by TeamRedgrave for Redgrave

Poses by Valencia Southard for Marukin

Raymond’s Girl

It was a blonde. A blonde to make a bishop kick a hole in a stained glass window. ~ Raymond Chandler

Raymond Chandler’s favorite woman was a femme fatale, one who could kill with her pure sexuality and cunning. This is a perfect, more modern look for her, starting with the mesh corset Betty Doyle is offering at Collabor88. One of the best parts of mesh is we can now wear something that cinches the waist and doesn’t cut into the avatar and Betty has made a perfect piece with its baroque brocade and vibrant color. I paired it with black capris from Antonia Marat’s sale and polka dotted pumps from Tya Fallingbridge. Can you get anymore “fatal” than this?

Even more fatal is this absolutely gorgeous new skin from Tricky Boucher, made for the Vintage Fair with more versions at the Fashion Voodoo event. For the longest time, it was nigh near impossible to find a good skin as a blonde—brows were always too dark, complexion was off, makeup was too bold. Now skin designers are getting it and making skins with eyebrow tattoos or separate eyebrows with the appropriate coloring. And Tricky’s is sooooooo gorgeous. I was stunned when I put it on, with its beautiful cat eyes, perfectly colored and arched brows, and his signature luscious lips. Dang, Tricky!

Then Elikapeka Tiramisu comes out with this Jessica Rabbit hair in mesh that is to die for. With locks over the eye and a very studied curl at the clavicle, it’s the picture of smooth that makes this blonde “make a bishop kick a hole in a stained glass window.”

“I like smooth, shiny girls, hardboiled and loaded with sin.” ~ Raymond Chandler

Hair: [e] Thrive – Blonde 05 by Elikapeka Tiramisu for [elikatira], available at Collabor88

Skin: -Belleza- Betty Med 0 with -Belleza- Betty Med Blonde brows by Tricky Boucher for –Belleza-, available at the Vintage Fair *

Eyes: IKON ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Bleached Blue ML by Ikon Innovia for IKON *

Top: Ingenue :: Ninon :: Ruby by Betty Doyle for Ingenue, available at Collabor88

Capris: /artilleri/ Ruby highwaist capris *black* by Antonia Marat for /artilleri/

Choker: *Shai* Mein Herr Choker by Shai Delacroix for Shai

Nails: Leverocci – Round Nails_1FA_ScarlettPlain by Jin Elfan for Leverocci

Shoes: [PM] Pixel Mode : Luna : Dots: Bright Red w/White by Tya Fallingbridge for Pixel Mode *

Poses by Luth Brodie for Reel Expression