Lulu

In youth, it was a way I had,
To do my best to please.
And change, with every passing lad
To suit his theories.

But now I know the things I know
And do the things I do,
And if you do not like me so,
To hell, my love, with you.

~ Dorothy Parker

 

This dress from Pixivor Allen has been in my inventory for a while now, waiting for the best look and I finally was able to get it together. The dress itself, fully mesh, is an almost vintage satin dress with a deep brown autumn hue so I dressed it up with deco jewelry from AvaGardner Kungler and darling wrapped shoes made for Belleza or Slink feet from Klari55a. (These shoes include a HUD for changing multiple parts of the shoe for easy dress up.)

I also had this skin from Nena Helix in my inventory, always intending to wear it with a more ethereal look and this was the ticket, especially with special make up that Constance Daehlie made for a past Genre round that adds the drama I need to this look. Of course, the other inspiration for this look is Queue Marlowe’s newest hair, a darling look with a pin curl up front and flowing flexi locks.

Hair: AD – qake (FITTED) – dark reds by Queue Marlowe for Analog Dog *

Skin: .Birdy. Dreamer Skin ~Pure~ (Dark) by Nina Helix for Birdy

Makeup: #adored – gibson girl – full face by Constance Daehlie for #adored *

Eyes: #adored – cloud eyes – woodsman – b by Constance Daehlie for #adored, available at the Mystic Realms Faire *

Body: -Belleza- Venus by Tricky Boucher for –Belleza– *

Dress: AlaFolie-FRANCE by pixivor Allen for AlaFolie

Necklace: (Kunglers Extra) Magdalene necklace – Coffee 1 by AvaGardner Kungler for Kunglers Extra *

Shoes: .:KC:. IBIZA Luxury Heels for Belleza High by Klari55a for KC Couture

Poses by Olaenka Chesnokov for oOo *

Shadow Dancing

Do it light, taking me through the night
Shadow dancing, baby, you do it right
Give me more, drag me across the floor
Shadow dancing, all this and nothin’ more
~ “Shadow Dancing” by Andy Gibb

I am still struggling with shadows in SL, which may be my fault because I persist in using a client that seems unstable on my machine (I am guessing due to my inventory size). I am increasingly frustrated with the instability. So it’s a bit of “shadow dancing” for me.

Of course, the song suits this look, which I find has a touch of 70s to it.I start with this incredible dress from pixivor Allen, which was one of her Fashion for Life donation dresses, and is now sold in her store. It moves with a fluidity that is mesmerizing and has a silhouette that is simply fantastic. The system pieces are sexy (especially that lacing up the back) and match perfectly to the prim skirt pieces. While the dress comes with little silver mary jane high heels, I chose to wear some prim toe shoes from Babette Ultsch because they have the best silver texture in SL.

My skin is a new one from Gala Phoenix, who is simply making my heart sing with her newest skins. I love the subtle translucency and pinkiness to this skin, the gentle freckles sprinkled across the nose, the beautiful lips, the shapely eyebrows. Even the collar bone and breasts are beautifully shaped—that is no small feat right there. The best part is this skin is youthful but not “immature.”  My hair is Thora Charron’s free offering from Hair Fair, and it’s fantastic! I will say I recolored the barette to a shiny white but guess what? Native shiny doesn’t show in shadows. Go figure.

Shadow dancing, all this and nothin’ more…

Hair: [LeLutka]-PINNED hair – AuburnHaze by Thora Charron for LeLutka (modified)

Skin: :GP: Sundust [Dark] Stormy-Electrify 1 by Gala Phoenix for Curio *

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

Eyelashes: Eyelashes -20- DiamondDust *REDGRAVE* by Viola Leigh for *REDGRAVE*

Dress (with hair piece): (AlaFolie) Miss Philipines version 1 by Pixivor Allen for AlaFolie

Shoes: *KL* Sandals Nadia Silver by Babette Ultsch for Kitties Lair

10 Reasons to Come to Fashion for Life: Reasons 7 and 8

7. The beauty.

Look at this beautiful dress pixivor Allen is offering in her donation vendor at Fashion for Life. It’s absolutely gorgeous with its sequined textures in silver and great flower accents. Pixivor decided to donate all funds paid for this dress to the American Cancer Society. This beautiful creation is only one of pixivor’s offerings for this worthy cause.

The Fashion for Life sims are stunning and won’t be here forever. The fashions are beautiful as well. Many items are exclusive—they will no longer be available after this fair. The ephemeral nature of these items is like life itself—it doesn’t last forever. The American Cancer Society’s work allows people to enjoy their lives through cancer and after it. It’s a huge thing—having a decent quality of life when your body is fighting cancer. Life is ephemeral—it should be enjoyable.

Feel the joy of life at Fashion for Life, going on NOW through March 22.

• Hair: [e] Details – Red 05 by Elikapeka Tiramisu for Elikatira, Sim Sponsor for the Bourke White sim at Fashion for Life
• Skin: ***FFL Exclusive*** LaVie Autumn Glory Normal #5 by Pompeja Rossini for LaVie, FFL Store Sponsor on the Ansel Adams sim
• Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Light Brown (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM, FFL Store Sponsor on the Bourke White sim
• Dress (with shoes): ***FFL Donation*** (AlaFolie) Miss Philipines version 1 by pixivor Allen for Alafolie, FFL Store Sponsor on the Ansel Adams sim

8. Around the world in nine sims…. (and not eighty days).

Fashion for Life is literally an around-the-world enterprise. Designers from every continent except Antarctica contributed to the content featured at Fashion for Life. That’s why it’s always a thrill to see the many kinds of fashions that designers contribute, all going to the American Cancer Society, to help their friends around the world fight cancer.

These all deserve to be shown, first because of their beauty, but also because of their price. Vlinder is offering these four pieces as her donation items, all at 150L each. If you have ever hesitated to purchase a sari due to cost this is the time to grab them at such an economical price while helping ACS.

Vlinder travels around east Asia frequently, logging in from internet cafes with her laptop to upload textures and work on designs. She managed to get to Fashion for Life the day before we were due to open, seemingly from a red-eye flight ;)

Syngen Sohmers has also priced her items at an economical price. She is the brilliant designer behind the Irving Penn and Bourke White sims and the gracious person who stepped up to become co-lead and to design the parameters for our gorgeous sims. Per FFL rules, Syngen donated the regular amount to have a store at FFL AND she donated the required number of items. These were all made exclusively for FFL AFTER she built her sims. Whew!

I don’t think Syngen will mind my telling you all that she is Egyptian living in the US, and it was during the harrowing days in Egypt that Syngen managed to design both her sims with all their amazing textures and prims. The Bourke White sim is based on the Porto Marina in Alexandria, her home town, and a place of wonderful memories for her. It was as if in defiance that Syngen built, unable to reach her family initially and glued to the TV as well as the computer screen as she funneled her energies into these builds. She willed Alexandria’s survival and independence through the linking of prims. Her selflessness and strength during a very stressful personal time was amazing.

Syngen represents her Egyptian and Muslim heritage with pride in her clothing. Her Nefertiti was her homage to her homeland, offered generously as a donation for Fashion for Life.

Finally this gorgeous kimono from Sequanna Kidd . Despite the troubles in Japan, Sequanna managed to log on and set up her store, offering this absolutely breathtaking kimono as one of her donation items. In fact, every single one of our Japanese designers was able to set up their stores, despite the disasters in their homeland, focused as they were on this charity and the opportunity to show Japanese strength in the face of adversity.

The work of all these creators reminds us that cancer knows no boundaries, no nationalities, no races. It afflicts people around the world. The American Cancer Society does not just serve North America; it serves people around the world through outreach, education, assistance and support.

Honor these international designers by visiting Fashion for Life, going on NOW through March 22.

Photo 1:

• Hair: .:EMO-tions:. * ISABELLE * /deepblack by Mirja Mills for .:EMO-tions:., VIP Sponsor for Fashion for Life and FFL Store Sponsor on the Stieglitz sim
• Skin: LaVie Enya Sinful Passion normal by Pompeja Rossini for LaVie, FFL Store Sponsor on the Ansel Adams sim
• Eyes: FASHISM ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Dark Brown (ML) by Ikon Innovia for FASHISM, FFL Store Sponsor on the Bourke White sim
• Sari: ***FFL Donation*** **Vlintuition Eila Sampler – Marina by Vlinder Reitveld for Vlintuition, FFL Store Sponsor on the Mapplethorpe sim

Photo 2:

• Sari: ***FFL Donation*** **Vlintuition Jahanara Sari – Moonlight by Vlinder Reitveld for Vlintuition, FFL Store Sponsor on the Mapplethorpe sim

Photo 3:

• Sari: ***FFL Donation*** **Vlintuition Naina Grande Maharani Sculpted Sari by Vlinder Reitveld for Vlintuition, FFL Store Sponsor on the Mapplethorpe sim

Photo 4:

• Sari: ***FFL Donation*** **Vlintuition Soma Sari – Merlot by Vlinder Reitveld for Vlintuition, FFL Store Sponsor on the Mapplethorpe sim

Photo 5:

• Outfit: ***FFL Exclusive*** –Sakinah– Balidance RFL by Syngen Sohmers for Sakinah, FFL Store Sponsor on the Bourke White sim

Photo 6:

• Outfit: ***FFL Exclusive*** –Sakinah– Rasha RFL 2011 by Syngen Sohmers for Sakinah, FFL Store Sponsor on the Bourke White sim
• Shoes: Zaara : Ilaida Mojri *mocha* by Zaara Kohime for {Zaara}, FFL Store Sponsor on the Mapplethorpe sim

Photo 7:

• Outfit: ***FFL Exclusive*** –Sakinah—Nefertiti by Syngen Sohmers for Sakinah, FFL Store Sponsor on the Bourke White sim

Photo 8:

• Outfit: ***FFL Exclusive*** –Sakinah– Latika RFL 2011 by Syngen Sohmers for Sakinah, FFL Store Sponsor on the Bourke White sim
• Shoes: Zaara : Ilaida Mojri *mocha* by Zaara Kohime for {Zaara}, FFL Store Sponsor on the Mapplethorpe sim

Photo 9:

• Outfit: ***FFL Exclusive*** *Milky Ohoku-Baikai Soushun-BL* by Sequanna Kidd for Milky House, FFL Store Sponsor on the Mapplethorpe sim

November Rain

“When I look into your eyes
I can see a love restrained
But darlin’ when I hold you
Don’t you know I feel the same
‘Cause nothin’ lasts forever
And we both know hearts can change
And it’s hard to hold a candle
In the cold November rain.”
–  Guns N’ Roses, November Rain

You know, it has to be bad when I quote the lyrics of a Guns N Roses song, but November is doing her work on my mood, strangling the golden rays of the sun and presenting a us with a gray sky and moody mien. ‘

A little color is in line, and this dress from pixivor Allen fits the bill perfectly, reminding us of the rich and beautiful colors autumn just gave us. I especially love the hem of the dress—pixivor has made a graceful and translucent skirt that doesn’t suffer from alpha clash by using the right channels and underlying it with a simple texture. It floats beautifully in the November winds and brightens the grayest day with its bold and feminine beribboned waist and sequined top. Normally a decollatage like this would aggravate me—it’s so simple and “easy.” But pixivor exceeds expectations with a clean and crisp edge and logical decoration. She didn’t default to this because it was easy; it’s SUPPOSED to be this shape.

My skin is a new offering from Syndel Daviau. Syndel has tried to enter a pretty competitive environment among skin makers, and she admittedly uses mostly photosourced pieces for her skins. But her recent Lorena set is certainly up for the challenge with its smoky eyes and optional makeups. Syndel opted to offer blush sets, an aging set, and a freckle set for the tattoo layer, which is a different strategy than most skin makers.

“November always seemed to me the Norway of the year.” ~ Emily Dickinson

Hair: >TRUTH< Miranda – copper by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: Lorena_Make4_Bald_FB with [TS] Lorena Blush 1 by Syndel Daviau for Tribal Soul *

Dress (with Shoes): (AlaFolie) LADY  CHOCOLAT longue by pixivor Allen for AlaFolie

Necklace: Mariposa: Jewels: Amorphis – Aquamarine by Felicity Winslet for Mariposa

What French Women Know

“One is not born a woman; one becomes one.” ~ Simone de Beauvoir

Pixivor Allen’s work is imbued with a sort of French female sensibility. It’s hard to explain but her fashions are feminine, easy, beautiful, light, dignified, and pragmatic all at once. These are not the clothes for Lady Gaga—they are the garments for Catherine Deneuve. Take, for instance, this dress that pixivor debuted at Modavia Fashion Week. Not only does she use the beautiful abstract rose motif throughout the dress (black and gray on cream), she pays attention to the details of the textures. The edges of the translucent skirt are trimmed with a black ribbon and the system piece has lace along the decolletage.

She further makes this dress a wonderful piece by offering a jacket that includes an optional skirt. So in the top photo you see the dress as it is, above you see the dress with the jacket with optional skirt and below you see the outfit without the skirt. The jacket is an amazing piece of work with translucent materials and sculpty sleeves that gracefully balloon to the elbow. I can just feel the lightness of this beautiful fabric. Finally, she offers the shoes with the dress. While they aren’t magnificent, they are definitely wearable and a great look with the outfit.

I show it with the free skin LeLutka is offering at the Modavia Fashion Week. And I have donned hair from momo Foulon, offered at the Hair Fair. I like momo’s hair a lot. She offers styles not often seen—cute short haircuts, updos, and longer. A lot of them seem heavily influenced by East Asian styles. (Yes, I am still watching stuff on crunchyroll.com). This updo was ideal for this look.

French women have a keen sense of the brevity of time and the immediacy of pleasure. ~ Debra Ollivier, What French Women Know

Hair: =TEKUTEKU=marshmallow(firebrick) by momo Foulon for TEKUTEKU, available at the Hair Fair

Skin: [LeLutka]-LOLA_skissed-MFW2010(D Brows) by minnu Palen for LeLutka, offered at the Modavia Fashion Show

Dress (with shoes): -AlaFolie- FARFALLA mi-long by pixivor Allen for AlaFolie

A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi

Summer is almost over and I just want to go out dancing….

A cute short skirt, a choker, some sexy shoes and a stylish hat, and I’m ready to go. The dress is courtesy of pixivor Allen, a lacy outfit with a cropped tank that she offered for the ISSD hunt. Pixivor’s work is getting more refined and this outfit is almost too nice for a hunt gift.

I wear a wild and sexy hair from Mirja Mills. Mirja caters to the RP set in SL, making hair that is wild and messy and often fantastic. These sexy locks with their smart little hat are perfect for a party. The shoes are a new fashionable offering from Sissy Pessoa with clever ankle wraps, very up-to-date with today’s RL fashion and cleverly hiding the ankle/leg joint. My skin is a glowing makeup from Tricky Boucher, who combines sexy with innocence and youth in his beautifully rendered skins.

What time will you pick me up?

Hair (with Hat): .:EMO-tions:. * NATALIE * / brown by Mirja Mills for Emo-tions *

Skin: -Belleza- Elle Dark SK 12 by Tricky Boucher for Belleza *

Dress: ensemble dentelles noires court by pixivor Allen for Ala Folie, available in the ISSD Summer Hunt

Choker: Laced Choker [Black] by Kylarai Hayek for KaWaii Jelly

Shoes: Baiastice_Damasamba-dark tan by Sissy Pessoa for Baiastice

Are You Here

There is a distinct theme running through my blogs lately. Do you get it yet?

To continue the theme, I show this glorious dress by pixivor Allen. This beautiful piece is a combination of a cabbage rose print and black lace—a provocative and elegant mix. The dress comes with a train, a larger skirt and then this thin silhouette, which I prefer as the larger pieces show alpha texture conflict. The dress comes with shoes (which are hidden but there are there are quite cute—trust me). And with that, it’s a good buy.

I write about and show Truth Hawks’ hair a lot. He sends me his new releases—I choose to use them in my blog as they suit. The thing is that they often seem to suit. The textures are really well done (check the wisps off the curls on this hair), the styles are versatile and usable (sometimes coming with color changing bows or ribbons as this one does), and they are fairly priced. I am pretty strict about not putting in my blog anything I wouldn’t consider a good value. Truth’s work suits my criteria.

And he comes to lay me down in a garden of tuberoses/ When he comes around there’s nothing more to imagine /Just tuberoses/ Tuberoses ~ “Are You Here” by Corinne Bailey Rae

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

Skin: []::Tuli::[] Bella (sunkissed/br) F.Y.L.O. red by Tuli Asturias for Tuli *

Dress including Shoes: (AlaFolie) FLORALIE 1 by pixivor Allen for AlaFolie

Necklace: aluinn- Bound pearls- Rose Necklace by Bratty Slade for aluinn

Ring: (Elate!) Pink Rose Ring by Kellie Iwish for Elate

French Connection

When’s the last time you saw me as a blonde? Had to have been a while ago because I don’t do blonde hair well. I don’t have the complexion or the delicacy to carry it off.

However, Lorac passed me these Victoriana skins recently that give me a paleness that almost requires blonde hair. Combined with this beautiful dress from pixivor Allen and new hair from Truth Hawks named “Gogo,” presumably after Gorgeous Yongho, it’s a great feminine look that is only appropriate for a blonde.

The blog is titled as it is because pixivor is French. She has a great little shop of dresses and she experiments with textures and prims. This dress is complex—it has a bodice rendered with lines of sequins over a texture that runs from the system piece to the prims with tulle and sequins combined. This is not an easy task—to make the system piece flow seamlessly to the prims with the textures. Many have tried to do this and failed. And the prims look like tulle and move like it.

pixivor completes the outfit by including accessories—a bold beaded necklace and bracelet and graceful buckled heels. This picture is pretty close up and you can see even then how flawless they are.

Qu’est-ce que c’est ?

Hair: >TRUTH< Gogo – seaspray by Truth Hawks for >Truth<

Skin: Pulse Skin-Valeries T: Victoriana/Petal AUB by Lorac Farella for Pulse Skins

Dress and Accessories, inc. Shoes: ” ALaFolie” Passion ornoir by pixivor Allen for ALaFolie