Unravel

While you are away
My heart comes undone
Slowly unravels
In a ball of yarn
The devil collects it
With a grin
Our love
In a ball of yarn
He’ll never return it

There is something about Eshi that reminds me of Bjork. I think it’s the use of prims and textures in the same way Bjork seems to use instrumentation and melody. It’s joyful, shimmering, exotic, beautiful, unique and sometimes confrontational or bizarre.

When we see an Eshi dress, it makes sense even though it’s also odd to us, just as a Bjork song makes sense in some strange way. Eshi’s new dress, shown here, has elements of joy in the stamped blossoms, the lace, the bounty of billowing prims, the flowers floating all around. And then you hear more ominous notes: the needles jammed through the ears, the nipples pierced and chained, the almost posture-collar forcing the neck up.

I show the dress with a new skin from milok Hermit, who offers a somewhat different look on the grid. With its fresh coloring, it has a decidedly girlish air and suits Eshi’s alternative fashion perfectly, with the black off setting the pale skin nicely.

So when you come back
We’ll have to make new love
~ “Unravel” by Bjork

Hair: Kin-Cricket-[Black] by Kin Keiko for Kin Keiko

Skin: .::Mother Goose’s::.SiSi(2)_5a by milok Hermit for Mother Goose *

Dress: Flowers WIthin Flowers by Eshi Otawara for Eshi Otawara

Boots: McQueen Rose Boots by Megg Demina for Chapeau Tres Mignon

A Visit to Jingu Bashi

Every Sunday, young people in Tokyo gather in the Harajuku district to shop and show off their fashions. The most popular place to gather is Jingu Bashi, a pedestrian bridge. What I find interesting is that these young people “express” themselves in a culture that is well-known for their conformism and a country that has suffered from a long-standing recession. Harajuku is so like some parts of SL in some ways I am blown away.

First, the culture of Harajuku is so keenly like SL culture, it’s amazing. (Check this nice little ethnography by Chris Perry.) It’s primarily social and consumerist, centered on gathering in small groups to chat, take photos, go shopping, and show off fashion with the secondary aims of enjoying music and other activities. (And the participants use aliases instead of their real names.. hmmm….)  Second, it takes place in a country that has suffered a long recession but is, by all measures, pretty well-off in the greater scheme of things (just as we are in the US and Europe). Young people can still afford such consumerist pleasures as we are afforded in SL.

My brief academic bit over, I want to show my little Harajuku outfit today. Wearing a dress from Emedea Morgenstern, who primarily has a shop for neko and steampunk. It’s mainly photosourced but well done with a flirty plaid skirt layered over lace. The outfit includes the cute little glasses.

The skin is from milok Hermit. I felt I needed a more Harajuku-ey skin (ie, not so sexy as much as doll-like) so a trip to Mother Goose was in hand. The pale skin, bright cartoonish blush, and stained lips is defintely a more East Asian aesthetic for skins, I think.

I topped it with hair from Toast Bard, who has several nice pieces at the Hair Fair. I think Toast is an unsung hero of interesting styles, to be honest. I really like what I am seeing coming from his store, from vintage to almost manga like this hair.

The boots are my twist on the Lolita look (to match the “naughty” stockings in the outfit). What else would push this outfit from cutesy to cutting edge faster than boots made in tribute to Alexander McQueen, as made by Meg Demina?

Harajuku Girls you got the wicked style
I like the way that you are, I am your biggest fan
~ Harajuku Girls by Gwen Stefani

Hair: (fd) Bug Lady – Nothingness by Toast Bard for fashionably dead, available at the Hair Fair

Skin: .::Mother Goose’s::. KittY Skin a3 by milok Hermit for .::Mother Goose’s::.

Outfit: *Rag Dollz* Naughty & Nice – Red by Emedea Morgenstern for *Rag Dollz*

Shoes: McQueen Sequin Boots by Megg Demina for Chapeau tres Mignon

Transatlanticism

the rhythm of my footsteps crossing flood lands to your door
have been silenced forever more.
the distance is quite simply much too far for me to row
it seems farther than ever before

~ from Death Cab for Cutie’s “Transatlanticism”

I start out the blog with nothing whatever to do with the look, though it could be. As may or may not be known, I am the Resident PR for the SL7B party, which will be underway later in June. I heard these lyrics today and thought about some of the applications that have come in—stories of people who are far far apart, working together in SL to create something wonderful. There have to be days when it’s frustrating but something about SL makes the rowing seem not so hard.

That being said, I show a look today from an international contingent. First we have LeeZu Baxter’s great blouse laid over Aimee Weber’s sexy bra (yes THAT Aimee Weber). LeeZu really hit on a great model here with her translucent system pieces and prims. It’s so.. sexy and real. (And LeeZu manages to avoid alpha clash because she has her channels down right AND she does her translucencies in the texture and not in the prim.. hint hint hint!)

Leggings are from monica Outlander, another cutting edge fashion maker in SL. One system piece in this—that’s all it needs. She nails it. Boots are from Megg Demina’s tribute to Alexander McQueen.

These photos are really a testiment to several days of fumbling with 2.0. Despite the rushed release, despite the complete mess it’s made of asset servers and worse, the search functions in SL, there is something to be said for 2.0. I am still fumbling, I am still confused and really sick of the font and the opaque windows, but I am moving along.

Minnu Palen’s newest skin line makes using 2.0 an incentive. She has included with her skins a set of lipsticks on the tattoo layer that can be laid over the main skin so that you have 8 eye makeups with 11 lipsticks. Removing all the eyebrow and cleavage options, that gives you 88 different skins in one fat pack. Minnu still has a hold on people who want to model. Her Model skin marketing was ingenious. I like the skins though I think the collarbone is dangerously dark and the lips were built for a frownier avatar (and they flatten out the lip cleft quite a bit with the lipstick). Nevertheless it’s an arresting skin.. noticeable and photographable.

“I need you so much closer….”

Hair: booN OOJ343 hair black by boo Nakamura for booN

Skin: [LeLutka]-LOLA_stan-makeup2(D Brows) by Minnu Palen for LeLutka

Tattoo: [LeLutka]-LOLA -Lipstic_German Red by Minnu Palen for LeLutka

Top: Valerie Blouse Black by LeeZu Baxter for LeeZu!

Bra: *PREEN* Bra Lace Black by Aimee Weber for *PREEN* (no longer available as far as I can tell)

Leggings: Miamai_Labelle Pants Black by monica Outlander for Miamai

Earrings: Ear Candy ~ Fancy Dancer Earring bigger by Maeve Mortlock of Ear Candy

Boots: McQueen Sequin Boots by Megg Demina for Chapeau tres Mignon

Nano

I am still reading William Gibson. I know I should be finished by now, but I have been reading other things, doing other things, being other things. This look reminded me of the book, especially the discussion about nanotechnology. This whole look could easily be nano-created. Follow along with me as I spin up this future fantasy…

Take the nano-created suit from LeeZu Baxter. With its microfiber fashionability, this suit provides years of biohazard protection and durability against the elements. Covered from head to toe (except fingertips to insure small motor control), this skin-tight suit of environmentally comfortable nano-material includes well sculpted shoulder pads and elbow pads (in case you stumble while being chased through the apocalyptic bridge community and might skin your elbows—and it looks cool).

The hair, also nano-created and a marvel of lightness and biodegradability, is the brainchild of Serenite Stransky. Purely white, a color rarely seen in this polluted and scavenged environment, this hair will make you glow. Implanted through a revolutionary cosmetic surgery, this hair is exchangeable with other hairstyles so you can swap out as needed—all of them biodegradable. Wear it once, throw it out.

Boots are vintage McQueen, made by Megg Demina for this environment. With their kitschy hardware, they are actually worth quite a bit on the black market because of the hardware and the rubber soles, which can be reused in a number of applications having nothing to do with footwear.

Future tense:

Hair: [!SyDS! Hair] Bizzare by Serenite Stransky for !SyDS!

Skin: harper-LionSkins by Lion Jonesford for LionSkins (custom)

Eyelashes: Detour – Klee Dot Lashes by Keri Clip for Detour

Outfit: [LeeZu!] NOiR Bon Voyage by LeeZu Baxter for LeeZu!

Collar:!.M – Heavy Thorn Collar by Liao Manga (no longer available)

Boots: McQueen Goth Boots by Megg Demina for Chapeau tres Mignon

Chevette

I am having some sort of crazy free-form neural connections happening while I make this blog. I have been reading William Gibson’s book, All Tomorrow’s Parties. In it, California is divided into two states—NoCal and SoCal (which I wonder might really happen now the state is in such dire straits), and people are living in shantytowns in Japanese subways and on the Golden Gate bridge. One of the characters in the book is Chevette Washington, a former bicycle messenger and resident of the bridge and now on the run from an abusive boyfriend. I also read a recent article in the New Yorker about economists Paul Krugman and Robin Wells. And I heard a report about Heidi Durrow’s book, The Girl Who Fell From The Sky, on NPR, with a character who is biracial (wherein she made a great point about Obama being biracial).

So with all this in my head, I went to LionSkins again after reviewing them in my blog yesterday and found Lion’s new Nikita skins, which reminded me a lot of buff, ropy muscle Chevette. Nothing is specifically described about Chevette’s skin color, but I imagine her as multiracial (probably influenced by the brilliant and strong Robin Wells, who is African-American). Lion does a great job on these skins making an alternative-style but beautiful woman. This is really important. In a virtual world that is *mostly* Caucasian, representation for people of other races or cultures is difficult to find. Lion gives us a delicious alternative.

This little get up is from Joy Laperriere and made for the tribute to McQueen. As I understand from her partner, this was one of Joy’s first creations and it’s quite good, especially the sexy shape and the finned shoulder pads. I accompany it with bracelets and nails from kikunosuke Eel. (Any adjustment problems you notice are because these are no mod. I move one into place and the rest get displaced. Ugh.) However the building and textures are exquisite—as we have come to expect from Mr. Eel.

Finally we have the issue of the boots. There was quite a kerfluffle over Megg Demina making designs from RL designers and showing them in SL. To be honest, I thought she did a terrific job of making them and showing them and these sequined numbers are brilliant in shape and texture. I believe what Megg has done is no different than Andy Warhol making a Campbell Soup can. She is not taking a trademarked logo or brand and using it as her own—she is replicating a shape and style in a new medium–appropriating. Is she creating art? Well by putting it in Second Life, she may well be. The production of these pieces could be a discussion about the production of virtual commodities, the artifice and insubstantiality of fashion, the easy replication of the “precious” art piece, etc. There is no tradeMARK infringement for a piece of clothing. My gut says nothing wrong was done here.

Brain scramble:

Hair: (fd) Sparks (Earth Pack) by Toast Bard for (fashionably dead)

Skin: NIKITA 5a cute-LionSkins by Lion Jonesford for LionSkins

Outfit: [m] Decadence Outfit by Joy Laperriere for Magnifico Exclusive

Bracelets: *[MANDALA]TAKARA Bangle/Buddha/black nails & Rings by kikunosuke Eel for Mandala

Shoes: McQueen Sequin Boots by Megg Demina for Chapeau tres Mignon

Easy Rider

I received an invitation for a show called “Heros in Fashion.” I wasn’t sure what it was but since it was on Charlotte Bartlett’s sim, I knew it would be something terrific.

I was right. The show, based on four designers, was completely created by Megg Demina. With dramatic spaces highlighting her take on some famous designers’ works, including Thierry Mugler and Alexander McQueen, the show is an homage in SL, a reproduction of pieces that clearly inspire her. (Incidentally, according to her invite, she had been working on this before his death and has thus dedicated the proceeds from the McQueen inspirations to The City and East London Bereavement Service.) I was incredibly impressed with the spaces—they are a must-see.

I show here a dress based on a design by Thierry Mugler. I couldn’t possibly show it as well as Megg does, but I was entirely taken by the outfit. With incredible sculpties and textures, she reproduces the dress with its headlight, racing striped tank and quilted leather seat.

Check out that sweet little leather red heart tail ;) And the incredible fidelity to the pieces of a motorcycle in the textures and shapes.

I show this dramatic dress with a bold skin from Hart Larsson and messywildsexy hair from Mirja Mills.

Finally, let me pay tribute myself to the boots. These were the first and best thing I purchased. With their studded back, wickedly high heels, clever cross charm and lace trim, they are my latest to-die-for boots. I realize they are replicas of McQueen’s work. But gosh, I love ‘em.

Hittin’ the open road:

Hair: CRISS hair ( blackened) by Mirja Mills for EMO-tions

Skin: [PXL] July LT CE Red DEB by Hart Larsson for PXL creations

Dress: Thierry Mugler Motorbike Corset by Megg Demina for Chapeau tres Mignon

Boots: McQueen Gothic Boots by Megg Demina for Chapeau tres Mignon

P.S. And if you are coming here from Mitch’s article in Tor, welcome!

P.P.S. Finally, I want to say, I am NOT Leroy Jenkins, no matter what you say, Kas!