“But Sasha was from Russia, where the sunsets are longer, the dawns less sudden and sentences are often left unfinished from doubt as how to best end them.” ~ Virginia Woolf
Shiny Shabby opened yesterday with a Russian theme. There are matryoshka dolls, Soviet propaganda posters, folk art designs and costumes, and a lot of vodka (thanks, Kunst). I made me think about what Russia means to me, and all I could think of were the White Nights and the persistence of the KGB that my grad school friend Alexei told me about when we would stay up eating potato pancakes he made and talking about his life in St. Petersburg. And then I thought about Oleg, the very loud Russian Jew who worked a few cubicles down from me, talking in Hebrew and Russian with the elderly people we were interviewing at our job, nearly yelling as they nearly yelled in return. Or I might think of Loreen Aldrin’s (RL Olga Zee—you must click it!) absolutely gorgeous voice and her songs when she performs in SL (join her group here where she gives away a free song every month).
The creators have outdone themselves with the Shiny and the Shabby. Pieces from Monlmanl’s gacha, a folksy dress with embroidery, kerchief and rose (and an apron with a texture-change HUD. Cari McKeenan made this lovely headpiece that has a menu with several colors for the flowers. SigiFaust made a set of rings that she has fashioned to fit several popular mesh hands with beautiful Russian-inspired textures. And Rucy Byron’s amazing boots with their incredible textures and mesh-work complete my Sasha’s look.
I spent a lot of time trying on different hair colors from VivienMarli’s long locks for Shiny Shabby and finally struck upon this apricot-blond as a perfect color, reminiscent of a dream of a spring in the steppes maybe. And Monicuzza has fashioned a beguiling skin for the event that includes several brow tones, which is what made the look complete. I found the blonde was just perfect with this skin tone and the lips are beautifully rendered with a sprinkling of freckles across the nose.
Hair: [Entwined] Lana by VivienMarli for [Entwined], available at Shiny Shabby *
Skin: *YS & YS* Irina Tone 02 – 04 Vintage with *YS&YS* – Irina Tone02 Eyebrows Light by Monicuzza Babenco for *YS&YS*, available at Shiny Shabby *
Eyes: {D.A} – Marble – Deep by Soleil Reid for Dead Apples
Body: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.2 by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya
Dress: *_M.birdie Story_* Matryoshka look clothing4 by monlmanl for *M.birdie, available at Shiny Shabby *
Headband: LB_LotusHeadband{WithMenu} by Cari McKeenan for Little Branch, available at Shiny Shabby *
Neckerchief: *_M.birdie Story_* Matryoshka look handkerchief 1-6 by monlmanl for *M.birdie, available at Shiny Shabby *
Rings: ieQED irina.ring.set.all.left [MAITREYA 20 – relaxed] by Sigifaust for ieQED, available at Shiny Shabby *
Boots: !APHORISM! Glastonbury Boots – Chestnut by Rucy Byron for !APHORISM!, available at Shiny Shabby *
Poses by Olaenka Chesnokov for oOo Studio *
A Passion for Virtual Fashion 