Regency Romance

“A lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.” ~ Jane Austen

It was years ago I was in Janice Radway’s class at Duke, reveling in my luck at being the student of the queen of cultural studies whose book about reading romances was the bible for new reader-response criticism. She wrote the definitive literary critique of romance novels. Of course, the class I took turned into a sort of solipsistic exercise in futility—navel-gazing wasn’t working for me—but she was still an awesome scholar.

That being said, I rather enjoy a good romance myself. Jane Austin, Georgette Heyer, Courtney Milan. Nothing wrong with indulging oneself in dreams of a visit to Almack’s and waltzing with a rake of a duke. Natzuka Miliandrovic’s dress for this month’s Shiny Shabby might fit the bill for an in-world romance—a pretty frock with a lovely brocade. Paired with EmpyreanForge’s lovely necklace, it’s a romance-worthy look.

Sawsan Secretspy’s sublime skin for the Fluffy and Fierce event applies perfectly to the Destiny Catwa head, making me smile, especially with Llianachristina’s pretty eyes for Shiny Shabby. An up-do with tendrils framing the face from Mariru Catnap at Hairology completes my romantic look.

Hair: :CHEVEUX:M089Hair Browns by Mariru Catnap for .:CHEVEUX:., available at Hairology *

Skin applier: .::WoW Skins::. Soraya Darktan Catwa applier by sawsan Secretspy for .::WoW skins, available at Fluffy and Fierce *

Mesh head: CATWA HEAD Destiny V4.9 by Catwa Clip for CATWA *

Eyes: LOTUS. Genetics Eyes – Turquoise by lilanachristina for LOTUS, available at Shiny Shabby *

Mesh body: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.5 by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

Dress: !:Lybra:! Giulia Babyblue ~ Maitreya by Natzuka Miliandrovic for Lybra, available at Shiny Shabby *

Necklace: EF: Breccia Necklace by EmpyreanForge for Empyrean Forge, available at Shiny Shabby *

Poses by Di Hoorenbeek for Di’s Opera

Optimist

Waiting, but I don’t mind
I’m all bus stops and heat
I’m neon in your daylight
I’m the optimist of 30th Street
How it is is how it oughta be

~ “Optimist” by David Byrne and St. Vincent

When you see the buds on the trees, Radiohead drops a new song, sunshine arrives, you can’t help but be an optimist. I put together a casual, about-town outfit and strolled the streets of St. Pete’s City. My top and jacket are Ariadne Garrigus’ newest separate with a texture change HUD for the top and sweatshirt. She gives you a ton of cute patterns and solids for the top. I matched them up with the funky harem-style pants from AscendSL that comes with a color-change HUD and bejeweled sandals from Lilo Denimore, both featured at Shiny Shabby. Aikea Reiko has a selection of darling embossed handbags and Empyreanforge has a terrific bracelet set with texture change HUD at Shiny Shabby.

Queue Marlowe is bringing this great ponytail back from the Fantasy Faire and putting it in her store soon. My skin is Inka Mexicola’s generous group gift for the Essences fans, a system skin with all the beauty we are accustomed to from Inka. And I am totally in love with these gorgeous eyes from Audrey Lamede for Cosmopolitan Room.

Hair: AD – omega – LIGHT BROWNS by Queue Marlowe for Analog Dog *

Skin: Essences – Hope *medium01* brown by Inka Mexicola for Essences *

Eyes: .ID. Cosmic Eyes / Dark Brown by Audrey Lamede for Insufferable Dastard, available at the Cosmopolitan Room

Lashes: .LeLutka.Kyra lashes.02 by Thora Charron for LeLutka *

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.5 by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

Top with jacket: ***ArisAris~Gara36~Imagine~jacket and shirt~ MAITREYA by Ariadna Garrigus for ArisAris *

Pants: //Ascend// Inga Harem Pants – Maitreya Lara by ascendsl for Ascend, available at Shiny Shabby *

Necklace: (Yummy) Small Crystal Necklace  – Silver by Polyester Partridge for Yummy

Bracelet: EF: Ankara Bracelet Left – Gold by EmpyreanForge for Empyrean Forge, available at Shiny Shabby *

Hip chains:  Hip Chain – Babette – FULL SET – Curvy – BLACK – V1 by Maxi Gossamer for Maxi Gossamer

Handbag: :[P]:- Amy Rose Bag [Down Hold]:// Love by Aikea Rieko for The Plastik, available at Shiny Shabby *

Sandals: :::ChicChica::: Nancy Mokko by Lilo Denimore for ChicChica, available at Shiny Shabby *

Poses by Valencia Southard for Marukin

Taken at St. Pete’s City

Where to Be Happiest

“When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest. The only thing that could spoil a day was people and if you could keep from making engagements, each day had no limits. People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself.”
― Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

Spring has sprung at Frisland, where they have cleared the snow and teased the flowers into early blooming. Spring has come early in RL too and we are enjoying balmy temperatures and quite possibly the last of snow’s possibility (though one never knows). What better for spring than a pretty dress from Flutter Memel for Collabor88, one that is fit to the Maitreya body and includes a lovely pattern of mottled blues and pinks on white. I matched Glamistry’s newest shoes to the look with a gorgeous necklace from EmpyreanForge.

Kavar Cleanslate’s mystery HUD for his Arcade hairs includes some “special FX,” including one texture with crimped waves (pretty awesome). Skin Fair is going to be amazing with a zillion new skins and some skin makers you don’t see often, including Brendon Papp, who came up with this gorgeous look for the LeLutka heads, which includes appliers for Maitreya and other bodies and body parts. There has always been something so sublime about Brendon’s work and this is your chance to get a very unique look for LeLutka.

Hair: Exile::Blink with Exile::  (HUD) MYSTERY RARE HUD by Kavar Cleanslate for ::Exile::, available at The Arcade *

Skin applier: !Imabee: Stigma – Charlotte – LELUTKA Head Applier by Brendon Papp for Imabee, available at Skin Fair 2016 (opens March 11) *

Makeup: !Imabee: Charlotte – LELUTKA Head Applier – MAKEUPS by Brendon Papp for Imabee, available at Skin Fair 2016 (opens March 11) *

Mesh head: .LeLutka.Mesh Head-STELLA v1.3 by JadenArt for LeLutka *

Eyes: {S0NG} :: Venus~ Sky Eye by Funeral Plutonian for {S0NG}

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.5 by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

Dress: Stories&Co. by Flowey / Audrey Dress – Fatpack Maitreya by Flutter Memel for Flowey, available at Collabor88 *

Necklace: EF: Talia’s Heart Necklace – PURITY by EmpyreanForge for Empyrean Forge, available at Shiny Shabby *

Shoes: Glamistry : MAGNOLIA Heels – maitreya by Glamistry for Glamistry *

Poses by Valencia Southard for Marukin

Taken at Frisland

‘Twas…–KittyCatS &Friends Advent Calendar, Day 24

‘Twas the night before Christmas….

It’s actually the day before Christmas and the final day of the KittyCats & Friends Advent Calendar, and you who are fans knows what that means: a beautiful exclusive KittyCat will be given as a gift to all clickers. The lovely Snow Cap is a pretty kitty, and you can birth it like any KittyCat and breed as well.

My wonderful partner designed the coat on the KittyCat and this is what she wrote:

“We love using snowflakes as a way to decorate our winter gift cats. They remind us of the uniqueness of each individual who is in our Second Life Community. Every person we meet, like every snowflake nature makes, is completely unique!

Each snowflake on your special Kitty represents each person you will meet in your life. Every one is different, special, and one of a kind.

You will notice that there is one snowflake on the cat’s body which has a diamond on it. This is the reminder that in a world of snowstorms where you can feel like you are one of many, YOU are unique. The little snowflake in the cat’s ear also has a diamond on it, as a reminder to listen through the noise of life for those special messages that are all around is. And finally, the cat’s eyes shine like diamonds too, a reminder to see the good in each person, and offer them our best, remembering that they too are special.”

I brought her to the Winter Sim at Kalamata for a few photos in my own snow-white outfit. I started with this beautiful knit dress from Ilaya Allen for FROST that comes in several colors and *feels* soft and luxe. Then I added the fur bolero from Kit Ragu for Shiny Shabby, which also comes in several colors as just as a shell as you see here or with a sweater beneath that includes a texture-change HUD. Darling little mittens from PetiteAnaiis Eleonara for FROST include a special body alpha that you wear to allow your arms to show so you can remove your hands (when you are wearing a mesh body). Senzati0n Domenitzo’s thigh high boots are a sexy winter delight for this outfit and also available at Shiny Shabby.

Otyebis has made a lovely skin for Shiny Shabby that can be used on several mesh heads. I tried it on the Logo Alex and was not pleased with the outcome but on the Catwa Annie head, it’s very pretty. I spent a lot of time trying different makeups with it but opted to go with the lipstick in Catwa Clip’s HUD, dialing down the blend a bit. Empyreanforge has made a lovely seasonal necklace for FROST in both gold and silver, a festive look full of charms. Mina Nakamura has this sexy tumble of waves available at Shiny Shabby this round, available in two lengths in the box and with her great textures.

Hair: MINA Hair – Cecilia 01 (no materials) by Mina Nakamura for MINA, available at Shiny Shabby *

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

Skin applier: .:[PUMEC] :. – .:ALSOU:. –  /  March \ by Otyebis for PumeC, available at Shiny Shabby *

Eyes: #adored – nova eyes – thunderstorm by Constance Daehlie for #adored, available at Winter Trend*

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

Dress: [ILAYA] Tash Knitting Dress {fatpack} by Ilaya Allen for ILAYA, available at FROST *

Bolero: ::K:: Fur Bolero Femme(No Inner) White by Kitt Ragu for  ::K::, available at Shiny Shabby *

Mittens: :: Wretch :: Mitten by PetiteAnaiis Eleonara for :: Wretch ::, available at FROST *

Necklace: EF: Wassail Charm Necklace – Silver NS by empyreanforge for Empyrean Forge, available at FROST *

Boots: Essenz – Pennsylvania (All colors) Maitreya by Senzati0n Domenitzo for Essenz, available at Shiny Shabby *

Bed: NOMAD // Romantic Daybed by Piraiyah Novikov for NOMAD, available at Flux Sur Mer *

KittyCat: KittyCatS! – SnowCap – Advent 2105 by KittyCats for KittyCats, available December 24 for the KittyCatS and Friends Advent Calendar at the KittyCats Wonderland Sim *

Poses assisted by Avimote PoseMaker PE 1.02 by Avimote Dreamscape for Avimote *

Taken using the LUMIPro 2016 HUD by Stefan Buscaylet *

Taken at the Winter Sim at Kalamata