Freedom

“What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist.” ~ Salman Rushdie

I can’t help but think that in this time of the Internet, the most important issue we will face will be the freedom of expression. Being the megaconduit of discourse, the Internet amplifies ideas. It can carry messages of good and bad. We each have a role to making things flow peacefully and openly. Part of that is thinking critically and part of it is simply not reacting without thoughtfulness.

With the attacks on Charlie Hebdo recently, it’s easy to champion free speech as if all free speech is ok and acceptable. But before you yourself say something think, “Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?” Think about your reaction. As a magazine of satire, Charlie Hebdo occupied a certain space of being able to say what others can’t and also of being able to push at the edges of our ideas. Not everyone can do that skillfully and deftly, and it comes with risk. But that risk should not be death. It should be… irrelevance. That’s why when people say stupid things in SL, almost always I just walk away. By not reacting or listening, I make them irrelevant.

That being said, this is a fashion blog, though sometimes I use it as my mouthpiece. I want to mouth off a little about what I am wearing. First I got this cocktail dress from Ariadna Garrigus before the holiday and never got to show it, but lucky me it comes with a HUD that allows three textures so I wasn’t just stuck using the more glitzy patterns. This flowered dress is lovely for any party, daytime or night, and the dress has a lovely silhouette. I was able to match Maxi Gossamer’s lovely necklace for Uber with the colors of the dress and get bowed pumps by Darling Monday, also at Uber.

I am wearing the Maitreya Lara body. I can see the appeal it has with a full apple bottom. I was not able to get the alphas to do much more for me with this dress than other mesh bodies have done—I still had to alter my shape. There are only so many pixels one can provide for cut out. Face it: you have to change your shape. Deal.

I wore the body because Voshie Paine made some terrific appliers for it. I love how the freckles from her skin run down to the body, making a very appealing girl. I added eyeshadow from Constance Daehlie, now at Anybody, to dress up. And I love Shylah Honey’s new hair for Season’s Story. This one is a keeper with tendrils slipping over the shoulder and the long hair flowing down the back.

Hair: *~*Damselfly*~*Kristi Rigged-Mesh by Shylah Honey for *~*Damselfly*~*, available at Season’s Story *

Skin: .la petite morte. ellen t5 by Voshie Paine for La Petite Morte *

Eyeshadow: #adored – cruz shadow – purpley by Constance Daehlie for #adored, available at AnyBody *

Eyes: #adored – cloud eyes – woodsman – b by Constance Daehlie for #adored *

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara by Onyx LeShelle for Maitreya

Skin applier: .la petite morte. maitreya applier hud FRECKLES by Voshie Paine for La Petite Morte *

Dress: ***ArisAris AA69 Beaded Cocktail Dress by Ariadna Garrigus for ArisAris *

Necklace: MG – Necklace – Selene by Maxi Gossamer for Maxi Gossamer, available at Uber *

Nail appliers: Flair – Maitreya – Fingernails – Set 3 by Sasy Scarborough for Flair *

Shoes: fri. – Isabelle.Heels (Coal) – Maitreya by Darling Monday for fri.day, available at Uber

Poses by Dove Swanson for Long Awkward Pose (no longer available)

Clara—KittyCatS Friends Advent Calendar, Day 5

“The nutcracker sits under the holiday tree, a guardian of childhood stories. Feed him walnuts and he will crack open a tale…” ~ Vera Nazarian

When I was growing up, one of the biggest holiday thrills was going to see the Nutcracker at the ballet. The costumes, the music, and of course, the amazing ballet dancers, thrilled me and made me feel like a most cultured and fortunate girl. Years later, I would remember this when I took my niece to see the Nutcracker and we got a backstage tour from the conductor of the orchestra, who was a friend of mine. The dancers, who filled the stage, were small bundles of muscle and sinew and dramatic energy. The costumes hung from the racks, limp, now disembodied. And the magic of the sets was revealed to be truly a trick of the eye as the exposed plywood in back revealed fake walls. Nevertheless, I will never forget the magic of the performance.

When Tobias Convair told me he was making this mesh nutcracker as his gifr for the KittyCatS & Friends Advent Calendar, I was thrilled. He has made it modifiable so you can use it for decorations on your sim if you upsize it, as a mantelpiece if you downsize it, and as a prop for dancing if you put it in your hand. It’s a beautiful piece of holiday work, today’s gift in the calendar.

I struggled to find a girlish ballet outfit for my Clara and ended up wearing a gorgeous little tutu from Charming Meiler, leant to me by Liliandra Baxter when I begged her for help. The dress was not enough alone so I used the miracle of layering and system pieces to dress up the outfit. An undershirt layer from Devyn Grimm from a bazillion years ago (and still gorgeous to this day), bloomers from Ivey Deschanel, and little full-perm bows from BabyCreations, which I placed myself, customized the look.

Chiaki Xue just released this new cute hair a week or so ago, and the ponytails are in keeping with Clara, a little girl who receives a Nutcracker from Drosselmeyer. In some productions, an actual little girl dances the part but oftentimes it’s an adult woman, so wearing this luminous skin from Shyla Diggs is not entirely a mistake.

I want to remind you that once a door is open on the KittyCatS & Friends Advent Calendar, it remains open, so you can get any of the past gifts if you haven’t already gotten them. The calendar does distribute only one per avatar but these gifts are copy so if you grab one, you can use it over and over.

See a version of Clara dancing with the Nutcracker after Drosselmeyer has given it to her here.

Hair: *Dura-Girl*58(Coffee) by Chiaki Xue for Dura *

Skin: -Belleza- Lola Med 2 Br by Shyla Diggs for –Belleza– *

Eyes: Egozy.Eyes (Blue) by Nicole Button for Egozy *

Dress: ::{u.f.o}::Swan Lake, Act1 –white by Charming Meiler for  ur.favorite.one

Undershirt: Chaospire “Lacepetal” Camibloomers Top (White) by Devyn Grimm for Chaospire

Bloomers: :::Sn@tch Late Boomers (White)::: by Ivey Deschanel for Sn@tch

Choker: *BOOM* Precious Bow Choker carnation by Aranel Ah for *BOOM*

Bows: Princess Bow Pink by BabyCreations for BabyCreations

Hands: Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands – Elegant by Siddean Munro for Slink

Nail appliers: Maai Slink * Fingernails * Darling by Snow Wolfhunter for Maai

Tights: .:*Millicent*:. pantyhose salmon by Lia Setzer for Millicent

Shoes: .:*Millicent*:. Ballerina shoe by Lia Setzer for Millicent

Prop: +CONVAIR+ Nutcracker Soldier by Tobias Convair for Convair, GIFT available exclusively in the KittyCatS & Friends Advent Calendar *

Poses: ~La Petite Morte~ The Nutcracker Suite Masha by Voshie Paine for La Petite Morte and *~*HopScotch*~* Scenes de ballet by Chandni Khondji for HopScotch

Thank you, sweet Liliandra Baxter for lending me your dress!!

The Heiress

You don’t have to be an heiress to look like one. If you act like one then everyone will just presume you are one. ~ Paris Hilton

Some girls can show up at a formal event with a streak of purple in their hair and a neck full of gems and pull it off. Usually it’s the heiress, the one who doesn’t need to worry if anyone else thinks she looks good—she knows she does. A sexy formal like the newest one from Poulet Koenkamp sets the tone. With sexy shiny satin stretched across the bodice, a low cut back and slits up the sides, this dress is elegant with quite a bit of oomph. With an optional faux fur stole, it’s clearly haute couture.

Paired with Zuri Lyric’s gems, which were made especially to match this gown, it’s this side of over the top glamour. The jewelry comes with many pieces—rings, bracelets, a necklace, earrings—so you have several pieces for mix and match and additionally a texture-change HUD so you can choose metals, gem colors, stone colors and drop colors to cook up a great look.

I am loving the new skin from Inka Mexicola that is at the Dressing Room Fusion so much I had to show the other version, which includes a lustrous purple eye make-up. Inka gets that bright eye make-up needs a neutral lip and I love the color combo on here.

I am wearing Kavar Cleanslate’s sexy, post-apocalyptic hair for Uber with the outfit. This is where our heiress deviates from the norm, where she can add edge to the otherwise old-school Hollywood look she has going, especially since I chose one of Kavar’s “Wild Fusion” mixes. Our heiress asserts her independence, her edginess wit this gorgeous hair, making the whole look postmodern.

Hair: Exile::Day The World Went Away by Kavar Cleanslate for ::Exile::, available at Uber **

Skin: Essences {Linka01} *medium01* brunette by Inka Mexicola for Essences, available at the Dressing Room Fusion *

Eyes: #adored – dream eyes – stornborn by Constance Daehlie for #adored

Dress: :: PM :: Miss Scarlet Gown by Poulet Koenkamp for PurpleMoon Creations *

Jewelry: Lazuri Marzia by Zuri Lyric for Lazuri *

Hands: Slink Avatar Enhancement Hands – Casual by Siddean Munro for Slink

Nail appliers: Maai * Slink * hands & feet * Darling by Snow Wolfhunter for Maai

Feet: Slink AvEnhance Feet High by Siddean Munro for Slink

Shoes: Essenz – Singapore (Fatpack 1) by Senzati0n Domenitzo for Essenz *

Poses by Valencia Southard for Marukin and Voshie Paine for La Petite Morte

A Pair of Hair

The English language is funny. In French or German (or probably other languages), hair is plural but in English, it’s singular and means all the hair. So here we go, a pair of hair. I didn’t know Kyla Gabe’s work before my pal TOmmy introduced me, and I was delighted to see these great long styles at Hair Fair. Kyla uses a great HUD with her hair and offers styles that are more girl-next-door.

A quick shout out about this skin, which I will blog again. Voshie Paine is offering this delightfully freckled skin at Season’s Story. The truth is girls with freckles have them all over just like this skin, and this is RL girl next door for me.

Hair (top to bottom):

!Saltgrass!+ Raleigh Rigged Mesh Big Pack by Kyla Gabe for !Saltgrass!, available at Hair Fair 2014 *

!Saltgrass!+ Deinze Rigged Mesh Big Pack by Kyla Gabe for !Saltgrass!, available at Hair Fair 2014 *

Skin: .la petite morte. ellen t5 by Voshie Paine for la petite morte, available at Season’s Story *

Eyes: #adored – dream eyes – velik by Constance Daehlie for #adored, available at The Big Show

Dress: ~Sassy!~ Summer of Love  – Sassy pink by Ivy Burner for ~Sassy!~ (group gift) *

Necklace: Mg – Necklace – Daisy Chain – Long 2 by Maxi Gossamer for Maxi Gossamer

Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered

Men are not a new sensation
I’ve done pretty well I think
But this half-pint imitation
Put me on the blink

I’m wild again, beguiled again
A simpering, whimpering child again
Bewitched, bothered, and bewildered am I

~ “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” by Ella Fitzgerald

Genre opens tomorrow with a theme I just love: 40s Swing. The creators have invaded the big band hall that Voshie Paine has built with beautiful creations for your big band reveries. (I personally spent the evening listening to 40s chanteuses singing the old standard love songs, like Ella Fitzgerald.) Voshie has created, under the auspices of TheAnnex, this wonderful dress with jeweled embroidered cap sleeves and an elegant draped back. I styled it with lysa Helendale’s darling spectator pumps to be work with Slink feet and her great duo-tone nails. With Krystal Jenkin’s lovely necklace, I am ready for my solo while we wait for the soldiers to come home.

My go-to skin-makers for elegance and beauty are always Shyla Diggs and Tricky Boucher. Shyla always creates the most tasteful and beautiful make up combinations on Tricky’s sexy skin base. A trip over to Tutys got me this great wavy period ‘do with hairbase.

I’ve sinned a lot; I’m mean a lot
But I’m like sweet seventeen a lot
Bewitched, bothered, and bewildered am I

Hair: TuTy’s – Romantic – 40’s vintage hairstyle – mahogany by Tutys for Tutys

Skin: -Belleza- Ria SK 11 Br by Shyla Diggs and Tricky Boucher for -Belleza- *

Eyes: pearl – columbia – medium bright by Lano Ling for Poetic Eyes *

Dress: The Annex – Satin Evening Gown – Champagne by TheAnnex for The Annex, available at Genre * (opens April 15)

Jewelry: Behira – Necklace and Earrings – Platinum (MultiJewel) by Krystal Jenkins for ::: Krystal :::, available at Genre *  (opens April 15)

Hands: Slink Mesh Hands (av) Casual Right and Slink Mesh Hands (av) Elegant Left by Siddean Munro for Slink

Nail appliers: *S-A F* 40’s Hollywood Mani (Nail Salon) by lysa Helendale for Sense-able Fashions, available at Genre *  (opens April 15)

Feet: Slink Female Feet (AvEnhance)  – Mid by Siddean Munro for Slink

Shoes: *S-A F* Blitz Pumps Patriotic Red by lysa Helendale for Sense-able Fashions, available at Genre *  (opens April 15)

Photos taken at Genre

Emerald Dreams

“Give me songs
to sing
and emerald dreams…
and I’ll give you love
unfolding.”
― Jim Morrison

Green is the color of spring and therefore the color of love as far as I am concerned. Green is the color of life and I can’t wait to see it pop up. That’s’ why I chose to wear Poulet Koenkamp’s newest gown in this lichen green. She combines a sexy mesh template dress with her distinctive textures and flexi prims to give this gorgeous romantic spring dress embroidered with gold on the seams. Add a pair of opera gloves with a dramatic top (and Slink-enabled tattoo if you want to wear them with mesh hands), and I am greeting spring with love!

My skin is Bonnie Forder’s exclusive for Skin Fair 2014. I loved the elegantly drawn brows and this cupid’s bow mouth, very distinctive to this skin. The makeup is gorgeous—a green liner around my beautiful eyes from Cruelle Pennell. The skin comes in 6 tones with 15 lipsticks, and appliers for all you need are available as well as cleavage and hair down there. Skin Fair is STILL ON (through March 30) and if you are like me, you will return again and again to ponder the gorgeous new offerings from the best skin designers on the grid. Kavar Cleanslate came out with this lovely banged cut not long ago and I had to wear it in this gorgeous auburn to match the green of my look.

Hair: Exile::Erase and Rewind by Kavar Cleanslate for ::Exile:: *

Skin: FAKE :: Be Skin  :: Caramel – Makeup op.1 with FAKE :: Be Lips –Opaque by Bonnie Forder for FAKE, available at Skin Fair 2014 (Sim 2) *

Eyes: adoness: havila eyes: asparagus by Cruella Pennell for Adoness

Dress: :: PM :: Dietrich Gown in Lichen Green by Poulet Koenkamp for PurpleMoon Creations *

Jewelry: MG – Necklace and Ring – Royal Khadijah Estate – GOLD by Maxi Gossamer for Maxi Gossamer *

Poses by Voshie Paine for La Petite Morte *

Mesh and Lace

I saw the world crashing all around your face
Never really knowing it was always mesh and lace

I’ll stop the world and melt with you
You’ve seen the difference and it’s getting better all the time
And there’s nothing you and I won’t do
I’ll stop the world and melt with you

~ “Melt with You” by Modern English

Did they know when they wrote these lyrics that they were prescient—”mesh and lace”? Voshie Paine has combined them to make this lovely dress for the Black Fair. With a gorgeous system top in black lace over a beautiful flowing mesh skirt, this dress is extremely elegant, especially in black. (I took it dancing and the mesh skirt performed well. I would not do the tango but other moves worked.) I accessorized with pearl s from Barf Delicioso (yep, folks, examining the creator yielded that), which are being sold at Collabor88.

My mesh hair with color change bow is one of Truth Hawk’s newest. Pearl earrings are from Maxi Gossamer’s set at the Black Fair and my eyes are from Maddox DuPont’s group gift for his seventh rez day (old man!). My luminous skin is Hlin Blackbird’s lovely offering for the Black Fair.

“Lace – the invention of a goddess and the occupation of a queen.” ~ Federico de Vinciolo

Hair: TRUTH HAIR Misty [Roots] – LightBlondes03 by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: al vulo- Cecilia*  smoke blonde brow sunkissed by Hlin Bluebird for al vulo, available at the Black Fair *

Eyes: KMADD Eyes_FROST ~ Frozen Grass by Maddox Dupont for KMadd Enterprises

Dress: .la petite morte. black collection. formal black by Voshie Paine for la petite morte, available at the Black Fair *

Earrings: MG – Earrings – Alexa Black Choker Pearls – GOLD y Maxi Gossamer for Maxi Gossamer

Pearls: DECO – MESH Marilyn Pearls (Smoke) by Barf Delicioso for DECO, available at Collabor88

Hands: Slink Mesh Hands (av) Casual S Right and Slink Mesh Hands (av) Elegant S Left by Siddean Munro for Slink

Nail Appliers: Orc Inc – Pastel Shimmer – Slink Avatar Enhancement HUDs by Nicole Twigvald for Orc Inc. *

Shoes: [Gos] Eva Slingback – Colour Collection by Gospel Voom for Gos Boutique *

Poses by Mavi Beck for MaVie

Looked Over

It is better to be looked over than overlooked. ~ Mae West

I never understood why someone would be upset about be examined or being looked at in SL. I have seen the silly prims that cover everything and been asked why I am looking at someone because they can see my crosshairs. Why wouldn’t you want people to look? You are showing an avatar style—isn’t that your intention?

I have no problem with being looked over, today especially. This sexy open top from Liziaah Levecchia with its black detailed plackets and cuffs is a winner, especially with its insouciant drape and tight fit across the bust. Paired with the best booty in SL—jeans from Paul Lapointe, it insists on being looked over.

And what a bust, courtesy of Voshie Paine. I have worked with/for Voshie in the Skin Addiction group for over a year and it’s been a pleasure. Voshie hand draws her skins, so she is the first person to know the difficulties and art of making great skins. This one, which is her newest, includes character-defining moles, well arched brows and a sexy, seductive smile that says, “Look at me!”

Look your best–who said love is blind? ~ Mae West

Hair: >TRUTH< Marley w/Roots – caramel by Truth Hawks for >TRUTH< *

Skin: .la petite morte. birgit tone 3 M3 DB CL by Voshie Paine for La Petite Morte *

Eyes: IKON Eternal Eyes – Brown (ML) by Ikon Innovia for IKON *

Top: [LIZ] MESH Rock Allure white blouse by Liziaah Lavecchia for LIZ

Jeans: .:L&B:. S’Wear Mesh Womens Jeans Skinny Zip  (black) set by Paul Lapointe for Lapointe and Bastchild *

Shoes: N-core SEDUCTION XtremeHeel “Silver” by Claire Messenger and Nuria Augapfel for N-core

Poses by Rogan Diesel for DieselWorks Animations