Lucille

Lucille has messed my mind up
But I still love her
Oh, I still love her

~ “Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up” by Frank Zappa

Lucille has messed my mind up, so I threw some stuff together for this look because it just all kind of looked funky. I started with Tatyana Ultsch’s look for the Mesh Body Addicts, a fit-to-the body tube dress that does indeed fit and comes with a HUD with a ton of colors. (I admit I wish she had added some textures.) Then I dug out Inex Hax’ fur sleeves from Shiny Shabby that can add a bit of funk to any outfit, transforming it to something completely different, especially with the texture-change HUD for the fur portion of the sleeves. I added Senzati0n Domenitzo’s thigh high, lace-up boots (so sexy from the back) from Seasons Story and Mea Carnell’s hybrid scarf necklace for On9. To add one more element, I pulled out Zaara Kohime’s feathered ear cuffs, adding that last bit of almost over-the-top drama.

Boo Nakamura has made this fabulous bun for Hairology that does NOT need a hairbase so you are not left struggling to find a matching hairbase, and Boo is not tasked with creating a ton of different appliers for mesh heads. That’s why I could wear it with the Catwa Annie Mesh Head and use JourdanMcMillan’s skin applier from Shiny Shabby to create this look. I love the lips on this skin and she includes some terrific shadow choices for separate application.

Hair: booN Lab.004 hair by boo Nakamura for booN, available at Hairology *

Mesh head: CATWA HEAD Annie V4.5 by Catwa Clip for CATWA

Skin applier: Bold & Beauty :: Marie (Catwa Applier) – Canelle. HUD by JourdanMcMillan for Bold & Beauty, available at Shiny Shabby *

Eyes: .ID. Attraction Eyes by Audrey Lamede for Insufferable Dastard, available at The Men’s Dept

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.4 by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

Dress: :::i::: TubeDress – LARA by Tatyana Ultsch for :::insanya:::, available at Mesh Body Addicts *

Sleeves: PEQE – Fur Sleeves by Inex Hax for PEQE, available at Shiny Shabby *

Necklace: Meva Flower Scarf Necklace Black by Mea Carnell for Meva, available at On9 *

Earrings: Zaara : Aletta ear wings *earth* by Zaara Kohime for Zaara, available at Collabor88 *

Boots: Essenz – Montana (Maitreya) by Senzati0n Domenitzo for Essenz, available at the Season’s Story *

Poses by Luth Brodie for Reel Expression (no longer available)

Taken using the LUMIPro 2016 HUD by Stefan Buscaylet *

Taken at Frisland

La Parisienne

The figure of the Minoan woman… was very similar to the female shape that came into fashion during the late 1800s C.E….. In fact, so close were Minoan fashions to popular French fashions of the 1800s that one of the women in an ancient Minoan painting was nicknamed “La Parisienne” (the woman of Paris) by those who discovered her.
~ www.fashionencyclopedia.com

The dress Kiddo Oh made for the Fantasy Collective was inspiration for my blog entry title. Topless, the dress includes some beautiful traditional fashion motifs but with  unexpected baring. Being this a family blog, I don’t show full on toplessness, but you can get the jist of it. I love how Kiddo has fashioned the trail of ruffles along the back, the amazing corset laced in back with a fashionable belt around the middle and a darling bolero, as if this is just another dress.

I accessorized with Kikunosuke Eel’s beautiful jewelry set for Shiny Shabby. With several pendants, this necklace of beads and elegantly fashioned earrings and bracelet, the set is worth having. I especially love the fashioning of the clasps and the settings.

A new set of skins has come out from sugarbrownie, the brand is doing a full-on push to be noticed. I rather like the skins but see in them the hallmarks of a new creator. The body needs a bit more development and perhaps a reworking of the look of the lips (which have a bit much white highlighting and lack the matteness I prefer). The features are well placed and nicely done, especially the nose and blush. And this creator includes appliers for everything. I decided to go a bit avant garde to match this dress with an updo from Boo Nakamura, which gives a beautiful not-quite-real asymmetry to this look. Ah, she is a Parisienne—elegant and sexy.

Hair: booN SGK120 hair chestnut with booN gathered raised hairbase chestnut by Boo Nakamura for booN

Skin: *SUGARUSH _ Isla _Apricot_ 06 _Eyebrow D by sugarbrownie for Sugarush Skins *

Eyes: #adored – dawn eyes – light green by Constance Daehlie for #adored *

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V2.1 by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

Skin applier: *SUGARUSH _ Maitreya Mesh Body Skin Applier – Apricot by sugarbrownie for Sugarush Skins *

Dress: .::Dead Dollz::. Octavia – Antique Gown by Kiddo Oh for .::Dead Dollz::., available at Fantasy Collective *

Hands: Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands – Casual by Siddean Munro for Slink

Jewelry: Necklace [MANDALA]Pearl-Rain-Season3(WHITE) Necklace, Earrings and Bracelet by Kikunosuke Eel for Mandala, available at Shiny Shabby *

Poses by Dahriel for *PosESioN*

Distractions

I love the song “Distractions” by Zero 7. The sound of it makes me think of a big white modern house on a beach, waves crashing outside, light bouncing off the tiles of the uncluttered floor.

This is the woman who would live there—elegant, expensively clothed. Her top, from Nena Janus, is a silk piece that softly drapes over her soft spa-maintained skin, and tied casually at the waist. Her capris from LeeZu Baxter look like an evolution of Lilly Pulitzer with their baroque pattern and ruffled hem. Stylish and practical little pumps from Elie Spot reveal her rich tastes.

She has a subtle tan (but not over the top—this is not Jersey Shore) and well shaped brows courtesy of Inka Mexicola. Her sheer lipstick came from a glossy black tube she purchased from Mocksoup Graves. Her necklace, seemingly simple, is a nice piece she bought from Rob1977 Moonites. It reminds her of a Lalique heart she has  on a silk cord that she got in Paris.

I love you, I love you, I love you, I do
I only make jokes to distract myself
From the truth, from the truth.

Hair: booN HTU132 hair chestnut by boo Nakamura for booN

Skin: :: ESSENCES :: Katy *no make-up by Inka Mexicola for :: ESSENCES ::

Makeup: M.O.C.K Cosmetics Cherry Wine Lipstain  (Lipcolor only) by Mocksoup Graves for M.O.C.K Cosmetics

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

Top: *League* Siara Blouse –Cream by Nena Janus for *League*

Pants: [LeeZu!] Yve Pants/vintage ornament by LeeZu Baxter for LeeZu!

Necklace: *FIR & MNA* The Heart Necklace [F] by Rob1977 Moonites for *FIR & MNA* *

Shoes: {mon tissu} Montsegur Pumps ~ Camel by Elie Spot for {mon tissu}

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 ;))

First Impressions

…it would be interesting to find out what goes on in that moment when someone looks at you and draws all sorts of conclusions. –Malcolm Gladwell

What’s the first impression you want to give? The thing about our avatars is that they are aspirational—the representation of the impression we want others to have. Do we want to be glamorous and flamboyant, down-to-earth and folksy, standoffish and sleek, elegant and friendly? I aim for the latter. Elegance is always my goal. This latest dress from AvaGardner Kungler makes that easy with the simple sleeveless sheath ending in a sleek skirt with kick pleats (which I find so ingeniously done here—two separate prim attachments). A thin red leather belt (the dress comes with three choices) punctuates the look with color as do my sexy shoes from Rosie Lavochkin.

I picked up this skin by Miah McAuley at the Dressing Room Blue. I was surprised at its sophistication, to be honest. Miah has a lot of win in her work from the nicely shaped eyebrows to the luscious lips and subtle shading across the skin. A simple sophisticated bob from boo Nakamura is really all I need to give a good impression.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Hair: booN KRC190 hair red by boo Nakamura for booN

Skin: Olga-tan-evening by Miah McAuley for ~Natural Beauty~, available at The Dressing Room Blue

Dress: (Kunglers) Donatella – Coffee by AvaGardner Kungler for Kunglers *

Shoes: *Deviant Designs* Envy (Red) by Rosie Lavochkin for *Deviant Designs*

Again, done in Phoenix with screen capture. Very frustrating but working it out.

Tanto Tempo

Ando tanto tempo a perguntar
Porque esperar tanto assim de alguem
Sem saber
Sem qualquer medo de ver

~ “Tanto Tempo” by Bebel Gilberto

I love Brazilian women singers—Bebel Gilberto and Marisa Monte in particular. They sing from a lower part of their throat, very sultry and feminine, with those lovely eliding consonants of Portugese and a sort of languid sweetness. Today I am a Brazilian beauty in my mind, ready for dancing or a party in the summer air of December. AvaGardner Kungler makes it easy in this lovely dress she recently released. As always she includes rich textures, great system pieces, and a perfect silhouette. What you don’t see that I found so ingenious are the skirt prims… long rectangles on the outside, they are hollowed out with a circular inside, so they show very intriguing surfaces as the flexis move.

I danced over to boo Nakamura’s for an updo and found a whole set of great hairbases with hair pieces. Boo was probably thrilled about the new tattoo layer as hair sections had always been part of the inventory at booN but one didn’t know quite what to do with them until now. I like this particular style as it’s as if wild hair has been restrained.

I’ve been wondering for so long
Why to expect so much from someone
Without knowing
Without any fear to see

Hair: booN PKJ371 hair chocolate with booN gathered raised hairbase chocolate by boo Nakamura for booN

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

Dress: (Kunglers) Virginia – mocca by AvaGardner Kungler for Kunglers *

Earrings: *CentoPallini* il Bosco[Earring} Rusty by caran Jaran for *CentoPallini*

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

I want a photograph of you…

I want a photograph of you
but not a photograph of you
I wanna be closer than that
I wanna be closer than that…
Closer than that photograph.
~ Chuck Close by Tim Fite

How often have you wanted to reach out and touch another person in their avatar? Maybe an avatar is closer than a photograph…

Certainly with this skin from JOMAN Mai, you are closer than a photograph. The skin is at once an illustration and a photograph. It’s evocative, winsome, and otherworldly. The body is lovely with a beautiful navel (which you would notice with an outfit like this). I would not say all her skins hit the mark—they suffer from the pastel cartoon quality some skins have–but this one certainly said something to me.

I show it with separates from Jojorunoo Runo. She has experimented with shapes and translucencies to create interesting silhouettes for avatar apparel. The top is simply a photosourced knit texture but she makes it interesting with prim straps and a scarf. The skirt is cleverly engineered, attached to both legs and pelvis. Shoes are a vibrant yellow pumps from LeeZu Baxter and Enktan Gully to echo the yellow across the eyes and the little flower earrings from Mika Nieuport.

Closer than that, closer than that photograph…

Hair: booN BON000 hair black by boo Nakamura for booN

Skin: JM:Mai skin_devonz sakuran nomal by JOMAN Mai for JM:Mai

Top: ~*RunoRuno*~ Knit Tank by Jojorunoo Runo for ~*RunoRuno*~

Skirt: ~*RunoRuno*~ After Ballet Class Skirt by Jojorunoo Runo for ~*RunoRuno*~

Earrings: MIEL ELO EARRING by Mika Nieuport for Miel

Bracelet: Djinn & Tonic – Coco Blvd Bangle by Babyhoney Bailey for Djinn & Tonic

Shoes: .*Courtisane*. La Sauvage – Yellow by LeeZu Baxter and Enktan Gully for Courtisane *

P.S. Thank you to my sweet Chatty for enclosing my photo in a polaroid for this blog. As always, she made my life tons easier and made me look great :)

Surely

If he refuses I still go on
‘Til the heaven and earth are gone
Time may rage, but rage in vain
My designs unchanged remain
~ “Surely” by Black Dub

Sometimes what you blog is influenced by the weather or what you had for dinner or what you are listening to. Sometimes you want to share a song (which is today’s desire because Tracey Whitley’s voice is sooooo….) Today’s dress is a cute number I found by Fargo Zeplin that includes a chic little balloon skirt (not always so good in real life but fine on a long legged avatar).

The skin is what’s always easy for me—one from Tuli Asturias. It’s a signature look look for me and always suits my shape. Hair is a short and sassy cut from boo Nakamura, and the sandals are gifts to myself from Onyx LeShelle. (Doc will be completing the fat pack for me when SL7B is over.)

Surely, you were meant to be mine…

Hair: booN OOJ343 hair black by boo Nakamura for booN

Skin: []::Tuli::[] Jade (tone 4/bl) :: 03b by Tuli Asturias for Tuli *

Dress: !DADA!  vinyl dress by Fargo Zeplin for !DADA!

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

I Thought I Saw…

There had to be a time when I finally succumbed to the neko thing and tried it on for myself. The problem is I am too much of a fussbudget in some ways to subject myself to wearing animal parts.

Callie Cline and Obryi Nightfire changed that for me with their joint effort on this fluffy kitty tail. Complete with scripts that allow you to choose how it moves, emotes it can do to those around you and what they can do to you in return, the tail is full and fluffy and includes diamonds from Ms. Cline tying it all together.

No kitty is complete without the ears, however, and the diamond-studded kitten ears that Callie made to go with the tail make the ensemble complete. She ties it all together with several other accessories including a huge diamond ring and diamond bracelet.

I am wearing a skin from Monicuzza Babenco, a sexy tan skin with just the right touches of makeup for making this kitten purrfect.

Finally I show boots from Cerberus Noel, part of a line of sweet rose-engraved cowboy boots with removable rose decorations currently featured at her store. I bought the whole fat pack. For 800, I got all the colors Cerebus features for one low price.

A cat is a puzzle for which there is no solution.  ~Hazel Nicholson

Hair: booN FKO548 hair black by boo Nakamura for booN

Skin: *YS & YS* Barbara 10 Spring by Monicuzza Babenco for YS&YS *

Dress: * (Elate!) Maria (Plum) by Kellie Iwish for Elate!

Ears: DIAMOND CAT EARS – CALLIE CLINE by Callie Cline for caLLie cLine *

Tail: PN CC Tail Extreme by Callie Cline and Obyri Nightfire for caLLie cLine and Psychotic Neko *

Ring: the ROCK – caLLie cLine – white diamond by Callie Cline for caLLie cLine *

Bracelet: the rock bangle in diamond by caLLie cLine for caLLie cLine *

Boots: *GF* Short Western Boots -white- by Cerberus Noel for G Field

Beautiful Red Dress

“I’ve got a beautiful red dress
And you’d look really good standing beside it..
I’ve got some beautiful new red shoes
and they look so fine
I’ve got a hundred and five fever and it’s high tide…”

~Laurie Anderson, “Beautiful Red Dress”

Today is my birthday, and I greeted with great happiness the news of Laurie Anderson’s new album, Homeland, coming out. As some of you know, I have the above quote from Laurie Anderson in my SL profile (a quote I have carried with me since that song came out in the early 90s). I greatly admire her work and the being she projects, one who is full of life and passion and generosity with smiles and dimples and a short woman’s quiet strength.

Of course, it would make utter sense that I would wear a beautiful red dress on my birthday. (And you’d look really good standing beside it.) Today I wear a stunner from Nicky Ree, a long elegant dress that says all of what I hope Harper is: elegant, sexy, sophisticated.

I have red hair, this time a sleek bob from boo Nakamura. Red hair is how I started my life in SL (after I eliminated the brown system hair I had made). Harper, regardless of all the different iterations I put myself through, is a redhead, and an unnaturally red redhead (as opposed to a carrot top).

I wear a skin from Tuli Asturias with red lips and the sort of sophisticated face shape I like seeing. The eyebrows are impeccable, the lips, full and beautiful, and the eye shadows are shimmering and arresting.

Finally I wear jewelry that was given to me by Random Calliope on my RL birthday two years ago before he released it for sale. It was the most thoughtful gift I received that year in SL or RL.

”Well, push my button, baby
Here I come!”

~Laurie Anderson, “Beautiful Red Dress”

Hair: booN KRC190 hair red by boo Nakamura for booN

Skin: []::Tuli::[] Eva (tone 4/bl) 05a by Tuli Asturias for Tuli *

Beautiful Red Dress: *DNR* Fiona Gown Set in Red by Nicky Ree for Designing Nicky Ree

Jewelry: Tesselations – Deep Ruby by Random Calliope for Worthwhile *

Beautiful Red Shoes: Maitreya Verve Pumps – Red by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya