Venezuela

This post is dedicated to my wonderful friend, Jaynine Scarborough. In SL, especially among European residents, she is quite a popular musician. Jaynine recently recorded this song for distribution. In it, you can hear her beautiful voice, her amazing facility with language, and her spirit, which is so strong it comes through digital bits and hits you in the solar plexus.

I had the privilege to meet Jaynine and Lunata Lupino when I visited Berlin two years ago. It is an experience I will never forget, sitting in the back bar of a gallery (very “Beat” aesthetic, built in the 50s and never changed), talking about the day the Wall came down and various other issues. It was an amazing evening for me and I can’t thank Jaynine and Lunata enough. (By the way, Lunata has the most infectious laugh one has ever heard…)

I realize this dress is almost more Argentinian tango than Venezuelan salsa but its elegance matches the sophistication of Jaynine’s singing. This beautiful dress by Squinternet Larnia is elegance defined. From the elegant lace textures (going around to a sexy lace back), tiered skirt going down from a leg slit to the thigh and the strategically placed roses, it is for the woman who wants to make an entrance without being ostentatious. The skirt is especially wonderful, built as it is and so well adapted to the avatar. It creates a beautiful, sexy silhouette.

The chignon is cleverly made with matching roses and is included with the dress (to be worn with a hair base skin). Shoes were also included, but I opted to show a pair of stilettos from BG Planer just to spread the love around. I show jewelry from Squinternet as well. She has a shop that is overwhelming in the amount and quality of content. It is almost too much candy.

And view the lovely skin from Tricky Boucher. The hair base is just gorgeous, the makeup smooth and glowing, the proportions of the face elegantly beautiful.

Let’s get together in Venezuela…

Skin: -Belleza- Elle Dark SK 14 HB by Tricky Boucher for Belleza *

Hair and Dress: * Donna Flora * LATINA black + chignon by Squinternet Larnia for Donna Flora

Necklace and Earrings: Donna Flora LULU’ pink coral set by Squinternet Larnia for Donna Flora

Ring: !SyDS! Pastel Flower Ring by Serenite Stransky for !SyDS!

Shoes: B&G WOMAN SHOE  DONA – NEGRO – T000 by BG Planer for B&G

Mystique

The feminine mystique I am talking about is not what Betty Friedan wrote about, rather the mystery and inner knowledge some women seem to have.

This dress is perfect for a woman like that. Siyu Suen’s new Corvus dress with its “raven” theme comes with a raven’s head and wings, though I opted not to purchase those (as beautiful as they are). I was all about the dress and gloves, their elegant feathers doing something less cute and whispy like many feathers shows in SL and more sharp and rigid like a raven’s wings. The win is in the system bodice with its beautiful feathers slipping up the skin. The outfit comes with two prim skirts: the regular skirt shape is very normal—nothing exciting and rather oversized on my thin avatar. The skirt with the train suits the elegance of the silhouette much more.

I show with a beautiful skin from Tuli Asturias, one I don’t get out frequently. Tuli does “dark” better than many, understanding that it doesn’t need to be dark black against pasty white. I wear a wispy romantic updo from Serenity Stransky to soften the look and add the romance it needs.

Heart of darkness:

Hair: [!SyDS! Hair] Kyrie – Espresso by Serenite Stransky for !SyDS!

Skin: []::Tuli::[] Jade (tone 3/bl) :: 10b by Tuli Asturias for Tuli *

Dress: *~*Corvus Formal Gown by Siyu Suen for *~*Illusions*~*

Gloves: *~*Corvus Wrist Cuff by Siyu Suen for *~*Illusions*~*

Necklace and Earrings: (WW by RC) Mama Harper – Black by Random Calliope for Worthwhile *

Shoes: Black Stiletto Slingback Pumps by Saki Galiazzo (no longer available)

Masked

Who is the woman behind the skin? For some people, the mask is so much a part of existing that it’s integral to one’s self. We hide behind the masks of our avatars, sometimes revealing only what we want others to see.

We use fashion as a sort of mask. Or a cultural representation. What does a top like LeeZu Baxter’s say? Well it might say we are fashionable, cutting edge, or simply girly (considering its beautifully rendered ruffle sculpties). The tied neck in back–is it sweet or sexy? Are you casual? Are you cutting-edge? Wealthy?

But what about the mask? In this case, Alia Baroque, who has generously sponsored the Dark Realms sim at the Fantasy Faire for RFL, presents a new set of skins to benefit RFL based on a spooky clown set—with fangs and without. Alia’s work is artistic, truly fantastical, and genuinely unique. We don’t see here just white on a face—it’s actually painted on. Our girl’s underlying facial structure is a little tough—she has a sort of stiff upper lip and a petulant bottom lip. The eyebrows are exaggerated but underneath the face paint, we can see the real eyebrows. This isn’t blobs of color slapped on a template—it’s true art. There is quite a story here about this masked woman. By wearing her skin, we begin to tell it.

All the world loves a clown. ~ Cole Porter

Hair: [!SyDS! Hair] Opera without Music – Cafe by Serenity Stransky for !SyDS!

Skin: CLOWN xx +Fallen Gods Inc.+SKIN+ HUMAN Bianco Severo by Alia Baroque for Fallen Gods found on the Dark Realms sim

Top: [LeeZu!] Mailiin Blouse /silver by LeeZu Baxter for LeeZu! *

Leggings: *Fishy Strawberry* Topolinia Black Leggins by Fae Eriksen for Fishy Strawberry

Boots: .*Courtisane*. La Vivien Graybrown by Enktan Gully and LeeZu Baxter for Courtisane *

Poses by Rogan Diesel for Diesel Works Animations *

Roses for RFL

The coolest thing about the RFL Clothing Fair is that it is a huge mall, full of tons of designers, established and not, who are giving a piece of their work in benefit of cancer research but are also getting a chance to show off to a group of people they may not customarily hit. I have found some of my favorite designers in SL at the RFL Clothing Fair, previously unknown to me.

Elle74 Zaftig is a designer whose work you should get to know while you are there. I had met Elle74 Zaftig before because she did me the fine favor of making custom kilts for a friend (the McAlister and Wallace kilts now found in her shop). All she asked for were the tartans and she went to town. And boy does she know how to make a kilt. Now, there is nothing like a man in a kilt—the way his hips sway, the strength of his legs, the promise underneath. Elle gets that. She made this one specially for the RFL vendors—all proceeds will go to RFL. I suggest, gentlemen, if you want to catch a discerning lady’s eye, you get this one.

Elle also makes beautiful gowns. She made a McAlister tartan gown for me at one time that was stunning (and is being sold at RFL—woot!), and here she turns to making a more traditional gown to sell alongside the kilt. The most beautiful part of this gown, of course, is the trimming around the chest and arms. Look at the beautiful roses and laces and ribbons. (And Elle priced this at a mere 250L to get many buyers and donations—grab it!) I wear with this a lovely ring and earrings I got from Serenite Stransky’s shop at the Accessory Fair.

Finally let me talk about skin. I am wearing Tuli Asturias’ newest release, Eva. She has finally gotten a chance to get back in world to grace us all with her considerable talents. Eva is a subtle and beautiful. I have worn the preview skin over and over for these blogs; now she has come out with them, I get to wear the full set. You will be seeing more of these skins over the coming weeks.

Another skin maker I have been rockin on is KaoZ Koba (who with his fierce partner, Pompeja Rossini, has been running LaVie). You saw his work on my manly man. Now see him on this manly Scot in his kilts. (By the way, this kilt does have glitch pants. However, her men’s leather kilts are commando—as they should be ;))

How grand the human race would be
If every man would wear a kilt,
A flirt of Tartan finery,
Instead of trousers, custom built!
~ Robert Service, “A Song for Kilts”

Hair: LH_hair13_rabi _black_f_L by Falastear Aeon for Little Heaven

Skin: LaVie Mark Chin Beard Cut Hair Base Normal by KaoZ Koba for LaVie *

Kilt: _Bell_Prince Charlie Kilt – Dress Purple Scott by Elle74 Zaftig for Bellissima * available on the London sim at RFL Clothing Fair

“Lord, ye gave me a rare woman, and God! I loved her well.”
— Jamie speaking in “Dragonfly in Amber” by Diana Gabaldon

Skin: []::Tuli::[] Eva (tone 4/bl) 06a by Tuli Asturias for Tuli *

Dress with hair and shoes: _Bell_Regina – RFL by Elle74 Zaftigfor Bellissima * available on the London sim at RFL Clothing Fair

Jewelry: !SyDS! Pastel Flower Ring and !SyDS! Pastel Flower Earring by Serenite Stransky for !SyDS!

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