You Cannot Hide

“You cannot hide in a hat; you will be noticed, especially by men. To men, you become a lady when you don a hat–one who they rush to open doors for. To women, you become an inspiration, reminding them that they have a closet full of hats they have not had the courage to wear.” ~ Unknown

A woman in a hat is a glorious thing and highly unusual nowadays. I am showing a bunch of hats today from three designers participating in Art for Hats, opening November 4. Each is throwing a portion of their sales to the American Diabetes Association. I wore Mami Jewell’s newest elegant gown with all its finery to balance the magnificence of the hats I am showing, including a veiled vintage piece from Sonatta Morales in the top photo. Elegant stiletto pumps from Glamistry are the perfect accompaniment to this high style look.

Sascha Frangilli is donating proceeds from three hats for the event, including this high bouquet of white lilies. It may be perfect for a wedding look.

This sculpture of sticks and berries is also from Sascha Frangilli and creates a beautiful organic silhouette.

Sonatta Morales is donating proceeds from this artistic pearl-studded piece (with a pearl teardrop below the eye).

And Wicca Merlin has created this Marie Antoinette ship sailing top hat for both men and women as well as this futuristic sculpture that includes a great texture change HUD for the grid, flaps, helmet and gems.

Finding hair to wear with hats is not easy but Thora Charron has recently come out with a hairbase applier for the LeLutka mesh heads and a set of ponytails which are ideals for most hats and also for a sleek look. Monicuzza Babenco has created a gorgeous high-fashion makeup palette for her LeLutka appliers, available at Shiny Shabby.

Hair: .Lelutka.Pony Dash.FIT by Thora Charron for LeLutka *

Hairbase appliers: .LeLutka.Rosamund hairbase HUD.Set 03 by Thora Charron for LeLutka *

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

Skin applier: *YS&YS* Malika Tone02 Skin Applier – Lelutka Mesh Head by Monicuzza Babenco for*YS&YS*, available at Shiny Shabby *

Eyes: {S0NG} :: Sugar~ Abyss Eye by Funeral Plutonian for {S0NG}

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

Dress: -AZUL- Julie/Onyx by Mami Jewell for –AZUL- *

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

Poses by Olaenka Chesnokov for oOo *

Hats:

• Sonatta Morales *8* Dory hat by Sonatta Morales for Sonatta Morales, available at Art in Hats (opening November 4)
• Sonatta Morales *8* Donna hat by Sonatta Morales for Sonatta Morales, available at Art in Hats (opening November 4)

• Wicca’s Wardrobe – Endeavour Hat [Unisex] by Wicca Merlin for Wicca’s Wardrobe, available at Art in Hats (opening November 4)
• Wicca’s Wardrobe – Phaedra Headpiece [Unisex] by Wicca Merlin for Wicca’s Wardrobe, available at Art in Hats (opening November 4)

• SAS – Perpetual Black Hat (Mesh) by Sascha Frangilli for Sascha’s Designs, available at Art in Hats (opening November 4)
• SAS – LulaBella Black Hat (Mesh) by Sascha Frangilli for Sascha’s Designs, available at Art in Hats (opening November 4)
• SAS – LulaBella White Hat (Mesh) by Sascha Frangilli for Sascha’s Designs, available at Art in Hats (opening November 4)

Domestic Bliss

It takes patience to appreciate domestic bliss; volatile spirits prefer unhappiness. ~ George Santayana

A long discussion in Skin Addiction led to an interesting revelation: premium membership in SL is a good deal. I pay $22.50 a quarter. For that I get 117 prims in a Linden home with privacy, 300L a week. That’s 13 weeks times 300L, which is 3900L. At 250L per USD, I get $15.60 kicked back to me to spend in world. So for $6.90 every quarter (so about $2.30 a month or 575L) I get a cute house with 117 prims. If I paid on a yearly budget, it would be even less ($72 USD a year). With that I get access to live chat (which always works for me, and I generally get satisfaction—Cori, you rock), access to member-only sandboxes, some silly content prizes (like vehicles, etc.) and the ability to buy mainland.

I pay more than $72 a month for cable and spend much more time in SL than watching TV. Damn, skippy. It’s a deal.

I have furnished my Linden home with this gorgeous furniture from Kaerri Rae. Kaerri recently remodeled the Renaissance Galleria for BOSL and she took the design features from her build and translated them to a new furniture collection—the Buchanan collection. Featuring a rich gold and black accented by cool blue accessories, the furniture sets include love seats, club chairs and even a piano. Made in mesh, the furniture has low impact so you can put it in your Linden home and live stylishly.

I also live stylishly with my chic wardrobe. Synny Whelan has recently built a new mesh store to contain all her stylish mesh footwear, including these sexy boots. The boots include a handy HUD that allows you to choose the boot color. You can buy the fatpack as shown below or color trios (see each column). The metals and soles also have color change.

Sascha Frangilli put this dress out for 60L this weekend. With a great silhouette and classic styling, it’s a great look for hanging around the house (when you’re a fashionista). My jewelry set is Maxi Gossamer’s gorgeous set for Collabor88.

I am wearing a casual and sexy new ‘do from Chiaki Xue. I love her short cuts with their loose waves. My gorgeous skin is one of Tricky Boucher’s offerings for Collabor88. Blue eyes suit the blue hyacinths that accent the décor.

“To be happy–one must find one’s bliss.” ~ Gloria Vanderbilt

Hair: *Dura-Boys&Girls*48(Dark Brown) by Chiaki Xue for Dura *

Skin: -Belleza- Leila Sk 1 by Tricky Boucher for -Belleza-, available at Collabor88

Eyes: [Crash Republic] Rebel Eyes – blue 2 by Isabelle Requiem for Crash Republic *

Dress: SAS – Alexis White Dress Mesh by Sascha Frangilli for Sascha’s Designs *

Jewelry: MG – Necklace and Ring – Dew Encrusted Teardrop – SILVER by Maxi Gossamer for Maxi Gossamer, available at Collabor88 *

Boots: 7E Virgo Boot by Syntella Rhapsody for Seven Exits *

Furniture: Buchanan Collection by Kaerri Rae for Kaerri *

Cassandra

Cassandra is the evening hostess at the Cosmopolitan Club. She has a winning personality and easy style that welcomes patrons to the mostly African-American jazz club in her town. She loves jazz—its sound, its history, its resonance deep in her bones—so this job is just perfect for her. The women visiting the club love Cassandra for her sweet but non-committal friendliness (she doesn’t flirt with their men); the men call her “Baby” with affection and tip her well, knowing she is the club’s “little intellectual,” or so her boss says.

Her momma raised her to go to college, and so Cassandra did, choosing a most unmarketable degree–Literature. Cassandra focused specifically on women’s literature, loving the books of Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and even Angela Davis. She would have liked to continue her schooling, filling her head with literature and history, writing herself, but she couldn’t afford it.

The job market, being what it was when she got out of college, led her from being a phone customer service rep for a multinational to filing and secretarial in an insurance office to this job. She works at “the Cosmo,” as they call it, to support her baby girl, Gwendolyn, during the hours when her boyfriend, Diante, is not working as a mechanic at Briggs’ Ford. (“We’ll get married when we can afford to have a reception with a live DJ and a sit-down dinner with everyone,” she tells her mother.) She also works to collect her favorite books. Her prized possession is a first edition of Ntozake Shange’s “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf.”

That being said, Cassandra realizes the importance of dressing for success, but success in her line means treading the fine line between underdressed and outshining her patrons. Therefore she tends to wear something sedate (for club wear), not revealing too much but not looking prudish. This outfit from Sascha Frangilli was perfect for a night of jazz standards and blues. With the velvet top and bolero and imprinted velvet skinny pants, it is dressy but not ostentatious.

Her skin is a gift offered by Agony Helse at her new store, Akeruka. The skin is sensuous and the makeup glittering. I am not sure Agony intended this to look African-American, but it seemed to fit with its full and beautiful lips and blue shadow, which sets so nicely against brown eyes (these from Ikon Innovia). Cassandra’s hair is one of Elikapeka Tiramisu’s offerings at the Hair Fair this year, a lovely long bob with bangs pushed to the side. This is what I like about Elika’s hair: it’s never outrageous, always fashionable and wearable. Her textures are, of course, amazing.

Shoes are from Oct Oakleaf’s new line of PLATFORMAs. With their beautiful sheen and ingenious blending, they are an ideal end point to this glamorous club hostess outfit.

“I found God in myself
and I loved her
I loved her fiercely.”
~ Ntozake Shange

Hair: [e] Pretend – Brown 08 by Elikapeka Tiramisu for [elikatira], available at Hair Fair 2011

Skin: Akeruka Opening Group Gift Meg Skin by Agony Helse for Akeruka

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

Outfit: SAS – Chocolate Blue by Sascha Frangillia for Sascha’s Designs *

Earrings: fulo silver stud earring by Dita Tran for fulo *

Bracelets: fri. – Loop Bangles (Silver) by Viva Monday for fri.day

Shoes: + ADDiCTIA + PLATFORMA Wedge Sandals – Platinum Silver by Oct Oakleaf for + ADDiCTIA + *

Green green I want you green…

Green green I want you green: green the wind, green the branches. ~ from “Sonambulistic Ballad” by Federico Garcia Lorca

Green is my favorite color. It’s the color of the earth’s bounty, the color of the sea, the color of emeralds and even American money. You’ll see me in a lot of green generally—it suits a redhead. This beautiful dress from Sascha Frangilli is a perfect example. Elegant in silhouette and textures, it is ideal for formal occasions or dancing (and I took this one out for a whirl). Sascha offers this as part of a larger package, which includes her always versatile variety of skirt sizes and shapes and top pieces (including a ruffled shoulder piece and a stole). She also offers this gorgeous emerald in a cocktail dress that also includes several skirt and top styles.

Sachi Vixen has come out with a new set of skins that is absolutely lovely. With a fresher look and subtler makeup, sachi is tapping into the desire we all have for a glowing look and a shapely body. She includes with her skins, as always, a variety of nail polishes, and this time, eyebrows and hair bases. Worn in v2.4 and above, you can pile on the layers. I am showing this in Phoenix, where I have once again tackled the shadows. I am getting there….

Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises. ~ Pedro Calderon de la Barca

Hair: [e] Away – Red 09 by Elikapeka Tiramisu for Elikatira

Skin: Adam n Eve Skins – Laurel Tan – Natural with Adam n Eve Skins – Laurel – Dark Brows Tan by sachi Vixen for Adam n Eve *

Dress: SAS – Cruella Moss Formal by Sascha Frangilli for Sascha’s Designs *

Jewelry: Eclectica Emerald by Tiffy Vella for Eclectica *

Shoes: Maitreya Verve Pumps – Olive by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

Future Club

“Turn me on with your electric feel…”

First I start with an outfit from Sascha Frangilli. Her outfit is for a lady who wants to go out to the clubs but isn’t a cute little young thing. In fact, I find her outfits perfect for a fully matured woman (not old.. just not young). They are sexy without being slutty, pretty without being twee. Sascha often uses this bolero-sculpty combo to its best advantage and in this outfit, it matches up with several different bodice choices. I have chosen to style the outfit in a more futuristic look.

I got the look with a great hair from lat Oh. I have blogged her work before but Tatum Perenti convinced me to go back and get yet another hair from her, and I chose this porcupine-looking do to push this elegant club look into another century. Add to it this almost ethereal skin from Lion Jonesford and we no longer have your run-of-the-mill dressed-up-in-a-spangly bolero look.

Finally, these boots from ono Zinner. With this super fantastic needle-thin heel and zippers running all the way up the back, you can’t get much sexier or impossibly futuristic. (Yes, someday technology will let us balance on needles.)

Do what you feel now
Electric feel now
~ “Electric Feel” by MGMT

Hair: MIRROR / CB Class 4 / Black (r) by lat Oh for MIRROR

Skin: NOVA pale 10  -LionSkins by Lion Jonesford for LionSkins

Outfit: SAS – Dark Candy by Sascha Frangilli for Sascha’s Designs *

Earrings: TSS – Looped Multi Earring by SweetThing Baker for Sweetest Sin

Belt: !Rfyre Ank Belt. Black, Womens by SC Tracy for House of RFyre *

Boots: :)(: Ultimate Boots black 2.0.x by ono Zinner for [Neurolab Inc.], also available at PixelFashion

Retraction: I credited the Ultimate Boots to both onoZinner and amandine Arai. In actuality, ono Zinner is the sole creator of these fabulous boots.

Moonlight Serenade

Glenn Miller’s band was playing “Moonlight Serenade” on the bandstand when Veronica Lake walked into the room. She stood at the top of the stairs, surveying the room. Her signature blond hair was styled into a sleek pageboy, her beautiful gown glittered in the lights of the club, her lips curled in a self-satisfied smile. The room was hers.

Ever want to live the movie star dream? Where else but in SL could you? Sascha Frangilli makes it easy with this beatiful gown, complete with feathered cape and glittering textures. Sascha provides, as she always does, a plethora of choices in this gown including several flexi skirt styles (I wear the “sleek flexi skirt”) and three top choices (mine being choice 3). You are given a simple stole and this more dramatic cape as well.

The skin I wear is a new one from Minnu Palen, made especially for blondes. With its light eyebrows (and honestly, I think light eyebrows are harder to draw right in SL than dark ones) and smooth skin, the best part of this set of skins are the eyes and lips. I love how Minnu has shown the makeup with a bright highlight in the inner corner to pop the eye and a pale shimmering pink lip. Minnu made the original model skins in SL and created a whole culture. They are still gorgeous.

Some enchanted evening…

Hair: Clawtooth: You’re a Star – Snow by Bubbles Clawtooth for Clawtooth

Skin: [LeLutka]-Natasha/HUSH-Makeup4 by Minnu Palen for [LeLutka] *

Dress: SAS – Rain Lavender by Sascha Frangilli for Sascha’s Designs *

Earrings: XENIA earring by Squinternet Larnia for Donna Flora

Where the Blue of the Night…

Where the blue of the night
Meets the gold of the day,
Someone waits for me.
~ Where the Blue of the Night sung by Bing Crosby

I miss the good ol’ days. I am not saying I was alive when Bing Crosby was singing tunes like this—don’t get me wrong. I miss my grandparents reminiscing about it! Either way, there is a romance to dressing up in a ballgown and going out dancing. This dress by Sascha Frangilli is the perfect fall dress for such a retro romance. Once again Sascha covers the fabric with her complex shimmering textures, prim skirt assortments and optional stole. I am happy to see Sascha is switching up her bodice choices—this one includes straps that criss-cross in the back or the front as a halter. She also offers this “swooshy” skirt, made in collaboration with Simone Stern.

I wear this lovely new offering from Tuli Asturias for the Dressing Room. Tuli is started on a new line—Helena—and Helena is the beauty her name suggests. Tuli once again stuns, this time with cherry red lips and smokey kohl-lined eyes. The surprise is the light dusting of freckles.

A big dress needs big hair and this one from Ivanka Akina fits the bill. It is scripted with color change for both the hair and the ribbon, which may or may not be welcome (no idea how the scripts are). A lot of creators at Hair Fair are showing long hair with sculpty locks that are made to go over the shoulder but don’t move well when the head moves. This hair is not an exception, but it is blessedly modifiable so I was able to dislodge the curl thrusting through my shoulder for this photo. I urge hair makers to get off their posing stands and take their own hair for a test drive ;)

I want to point out this little choker from Kesseret Steeplechase, which has a scripted locket. I spend a lot of time looking for decent little chokers. Why? Cuz I like them, because they don’t interfere with the decolletage of a complex piece, because they are sexy. I was delighted to find this one (though the photograph didn’t make it clear the ribbon would be blue and yes, I tried on the demo but thought the blue was the “demo” marking–duh). It doesn’t matter in the sum total—I got the dress in blue to match it.

And the gold of her hair
Crowns the blue of her eyes
Like a halo, tenderly

Hair: *IA* Magic hair no.26 by Ivanka Akina for Ivanka Akina Fashion Store, available at the Hair Fair

Skin: []::Tuli::[] The Dressing Room :: Helena 02 by Tuli Asturias for Tuli, exclusive to The Dressing Room

Dress: SAS – Viva la Vida Delfts Blue by Sascha Frangilli for Sascha’s Designs

Choker: =^^= MIAO Casandra Women’s Locket by Kesseret Steeplechase for MIAO

Almost Perfect

Don’t ever change (why oh why oh why oh)
Would you ever change (oh oh oh)
Please don’t ever change
You’re almost perfect
~ Almost Perfect by The Pretenders

I feel almost perfect in this new dress from Sascha Frangilli. With its intense colors, beautiful gem work on the bodice and beautifully textured skirt (which makes it look like satiny feathers). Sascha’s starting to push beyond her set number of system pieces and skirts and experimenting with textures and prims and it’s a lot of fun to see.

Another *almost* perfect thing is my new skin from Tuli Asturias. Tuli once again hits it with her Audrey skins—shimmering shadowy eyes, full luscious lips. A nice new move she has made is putting the lipsticks on tattoo layers to be used in viewers with alpha layers. The reason it’s *almost* perfect is that I am of mixed feeling about employing alpha layers—only the 2.0, 2.1 and Emerald Beta viewers allow alpha textures as far as I know, and not everyone wants to run those clients. And even then, they are all three still quite beta. (I had numerous and various problems getting them going.) I would have preferred seeing Tuli presenting a plain makeup with overlays (as she did with Elysium Eilde’s makeups) and then a traditional set that can be used in regular viewers.

Finally, underneath my skirts where you can’t see them are these sexy shoes from Siddean Munro. Siddean slips those gorgeous little feet she has made into dangerously high heels complete with satin straps and buckles. Again, I nearly dialed in my foot color with her super-easy HUD. (I really dig the sliders for size and brightness.) One concern I have, however, is that Siddean only supplied me with alpha layers, and again, not everyone wants to use clients that employ alpha layers.

Come inside my hive where bees are busy making honey
Oooh love is about

Hair: ((JUNWAVE))SWEET Lady*BLACK* by LGM Jun for Junwave

Skin: []::Tuli::[] Audrey (tone 1/br) :: 02 with []::Tuli::[] Audrey t1 – dark 4 gloss by Tuli Asturias for Tuli *

Dress: SAS – Pixie Sea by Sascha Frangilli for Sascha’s Designs *

Jewelry: *KK* Victoria Jewelry Set by Kesseret Steeplechase for Kesskreations

Shoes: SLink Aveela Stilettos White by Siddean Munro for SLink, being sold at the Shoe Fair *

P.S. Hi to all my friends at SLCC. I am really sad I can’t be there this year. (And no, it’s not because I am going to Yellowstone with Philip :/)

P.P.S. Open your windows and shout.

Just Won’t Burn

Oh but I know I’m gonna be alright
If these blues are hangin’ around
Hangin’ ’round…
Oh… hangin’ ’round
~ “Just Won’t Burn” by Susan Tedeschi

I want to know something. I want to know why women in blues get such short shrift. I go to blues clubs in SL, and I have to have a female DJ playing to hear women doing the blues (unless I request from the male DJs, and even then I get some resistance—“Never heard of her”).

Women can’t feel blues? Have you ever HEARD Susan Tedeschi?! (I also want to know why her Wikipedia entry is so much shorter than her husband’s, even though she is more academically and musically accomplished than he is. And I won’t even comment on how the two wikis frame their marriage differently. Bah!)

With that being said, when I am stepping out to hear a DJ like BluJns Benoir (who plays lots of women blues artists, thank you), I want to look hot but classy. An outfit, like this one from Sascha Frangilli, fits the bill. With the capris (made for boots, but I wear them with high heels), three top choices (including the corset I chose here), the clever jacket belt layer, and a sculpty bolero jacket, this offering from Sascha makes me feel sexy and bluesy.

Monicuzza Babenco’s skin, as shown here, was offered at the Dressing Room but is a clear indication of the quality of Monicuzza’s work. She clearly photosources but blends her details in a manner that is beautiful and believable. And these heavily-lined eyes are perfect for a night out at a blues club.

Finally my shoes from Maris Kanto complete the look. His work gets better with each progressive shoe he releases. The best part, however, is the HUD, which allows you to color the skin in progressive notches of 5% with a PICTURE of the color change before it goes. For the toe-coloring deficient like myself, this is a huge advantage. Maris’ shoes also come with color and metal-changing capabilities as well as the standard toenail color-changing. And if you join the Kalnin’s group (which doesn’t require a slot), you get all sorts of tasty discounts.

Oh… they just won’t burn…

Hair: >TRUTH< Tilly – espresso by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: *YS & YS* Marilu Mask – Hair  – TDR by Monicuzza Babenco for *YS & YS*

Outfit: SAS – Rock Chic by Sascha Frangilli for Sascha’s Designs

Earrings: [ glow ] studio – Glamour Earring Silver by Jocelyn Anatine for [ glow ] studio

Bangles: fri. – Loop Bangles (Silver) by Viva Monday for fri.day

Nails: [ Love Soul ] Posing nail*Oval-Metallic* by BlueStarRUI Villota for [ Love Soul ]

Shoes: Kalnins Shoes – Dante by Maris Kanto for Kalnins

Tragedy

Some days I am convinced we come to SL to create the tragedy and drama we don’t have in our own lives. This doesn’t diminish the pain people truly experience—the pain of the death of a loved one or lost hopes or the pain of physical illness. Rather, we come to SL to make stories that are human-based rather than based on natural causes. That’s why drama has such a good hold here—it’s what propels the narratives in our minds.

Sascha Frangilli’s newest creation—Wicked Swan—is a perfect accessory for your tragic moments. With its huge full skirt, subtly glittering brocade texture, elegant bodice and opera-length gloves, this beauty will fill all your nights with the drama you desire.

Add to the drama Hart Larsson’s newest skin, Candy. These have been several months in development and Hart, who enjoys painting in his other life, has crafted beautiful and evocative skins. This make up in particular, matches the drama ideal. I especially appreciate the subtlety of the pushup option (which I wear here). It’s perfectly appropriate for a bodice such as this to show more lift and this option is not crass or overdone.

“Tragedy is a tool for the living to gain wisdom, not a guide by which to live.” ~ Robert Francis Kennedy

Hair: Tukinowaguma Jelena ebony by KateForster Akina for Tukinowaguma

Skin: [PXL] Candy NAT Drama DEB with [PXL] Candy NAT PushUp by Hart Larsson for PXL Creations *

Dress: SAS – Wicked Swan Formal Version by Sascha Frangilli for Sascha’s Designs *

Jewelry: Donna Flora ASIA black set by Squinternet Larnia for Donna Flora