manna yoshikawa | A Passion for Virtual Fashion

An artist is somebody who produces things that people don’t need to have. ~ Andy Warhol

I hope the title got your attention! Art in Hats starts November 1, benefitting the American Diabetes Association via Team Diabetes of SL. I am sure you think, “Why a hat? Where will I wear a hat?” I don’t go to Easter Sunday here in SL and the last really interesting hats I saw in RL were perched on Princess Eugenie’s and Princess Beatrice’s heads. However, if you get past the utility and consider that the designers in SL are creating hats that are a wearable piece of art AND that part of the proceeds goes to Team Diabetes, you might want to purchase a few.

For example, Nebraska Oddfish (palomasnow)/Dita Actor made this set of three hats that evoke famous artists (as she literally took “art in hats” to mean she needed to show art.. in hats). One hat, a surrealist’s dream, evokes Salvador Dali with its unexpected eggs and bacon theme. (And you can eat it for breakfast later!) The second reminds us of Andy Warhol’s tomato soup cans. The third is a tempest of stars like Van Gogh’s Starry Night. Made of mesh and the designer’s own textures, each hat is your own piece of wearable art.

I decided to don an “artist” look, a Victorian-inspired dress from ValentinaEvangelista for Shiny Shabby which has been fit nicely to the Maitreya body. With Victorian boots from Jackal Ennui, it resembles an outfit a girl in my village persists on wearing (even to Fourth of July—really). I anticipate she will be attending a school of art and design in her future. My hair is a darling, blunt bang look from Kuranosuke Kamachi for Uber, and I exploited the dipped colors to their advantage. My skin is Inka Mexicola’s applier for the Cosmopolitan Room, which I find absolutely love on this mesh head.

Are you having a few issues with some alpha interference around the eyes with this head? Catwa Clip explained to me in Flickr that the eyes have to be modified to be completely sunken for eye depth so the system lashes don’t come through and mess with your makeup. Try this!

Hats by palomasnow for Oddfish Studio, available at Art in Hats (opening November 1)

Like Breakfast/Dali Hat by Oddfish Studios 2015
Like Van Gogh Hat by Oddfish Studios 2015
Like Warhol Hat by Oddfish Studios 2015

Hair: =DeLa*= Mesh Hair “Hayley” (Dipped Party Colors) by Kuranosuke Kamachi for =DeLa*=, available at Uber *

Skin applier: Essences Catwa Appliers [Digby] by Inka Mexicola for Essences, available at the Cosmopolitan Room *

Mesh head: CATWA HEAD Jessica V4.2 by Catwa Clip for CATWA *

Eyes: AMITOMO.Eye Collection 2 – 21 by Woomi Latte for AMITOMO, available at Kustom9

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

Dress: :V.e. Wednesday Gown FITMESH Noir by ValentinaEvangelista for Valentina E. Couture, available at Shiny Shabby*

Paintbrush: .:MANNA:. Pinceau Blue by Manna Yoshikawa for MANNA

Palette: BoatHouse Painting Pallette by IzzieBellah Hinterland for BoatHouse (no longer available)

Boots: lassitude & ennui Selene mesh boots black by Jackal Ennui for lassitude & ennui

Poses by Olaenka Chesnokov for oOo *

I have always tried to be a proponent of the artistry of the people who work in SL, be they builders, graphic artists, virtual goods makers. Putting a cost on content is not a disclaimer for someone’s art—it’s the necessity of feeding the artist. So all the creations I show with my avatar are beautiful pieces of art that I collect and savor.

The first artist on tap is Anyusha Lilienthal, whose pretty dress is the basis of this entire ensemble. With its lovely paisley on green textures, almost Indian print, and its lovely skirt (with shifting alpha textures that are used in a very effective way to make the skirt seem light and floaty), this dress is a must have for the pretty and casual girl.

Then add on the wings that Feather Boa, the one self-proclaimed artist of the group, has offered as a gift at her gallery. With their steampunk aesthetic (a cool little engine on the back), whirring gears and pretty glowy animated sculpty wings, they are a lovely piece of wearable art that she is offering as a gift to friends and fans.

I show an absolutely beautiful necklace from Manna Yoshikawa. The textures have amazing depth and patina for both the metal and precious stone part of the necklace. And she cleverly includes a tie at the back with flexi tails, adding grace to an already lovely piece.

The beautiful boots from LeeZu Baxter and Enktan Gully that I have been so fond of showing lately make an appearance here. The textures and bohemian shape match the dress in their artistry and beauty.

Finally, I show a newer skin from Tuli Asturias. The freshness of the copper lip compliments the dress beautifully. I could not have had a better color combo.