Holiday Spirits!

Ahhhh... yesterday was a glorious day for my holiday spirit - Bax released the absolutely incredible ankle boots in red patent, Moxie Polanos released both Candy Cane and Holiday Bliss and I finally got over to EarthStones to pick up my Snowflake collection. Combined with my favorite Air reading glasses, I'm kicking off my Yuletide today with two terrific holiday looks (and a wonderful excuse to buy those red patent leather boots...).
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Starting at the top with the Snowflake pearl jewelry, the asymmetrical earrings (no two alike, you know...) sets off any winter ensemble. The entire Snow Flurry Pearl Snowflake collection consists of earrings (L$249), necklace (L$299) and bracelet (L$299) - breathtakingly detailed in small pearls to contribute to the feeling of each piece being unique. The bracelet is absolutely elegant over a velvet or satin evening glove with that special holiday dress, the necklace has the perfect lines for strapless or scoop necked gowns. The Rosetta glasses in Crystal White by Air set off the delicate primwork in the jewelry to perfection for you studious gals...
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So, off to find the perfect dress? Try Moxie Polano's holiday collection - I bought both Holiday Bliss, a sexy Ms. Claus look, and the Candy Cane Victorian influenced holiday gown. Holiday Bliss (L$250) is a richly textured jacket and booty short combination with fur collar and cuffs for all your sexy holiday moments and is the outfit I was waiting for - though I do wish a fur trimmed skating skirt had been part of the package. The Candy Cane gown (L$400) is the best holiday formal I've seen so far, but I'm on a Victorian Christmas binge. The red and white corset with lace up back and amazing detail on the prim skirt guarantees there is more than enough to keep you the center of attention at any holiday festivities.

Finally, the purchase you know you want to make but are trying to justify - Bax Boots just released the newest entry in the must have ankle boot line - Red Patent Leather Ankle Boots. Droooool - I admit that I elbowed my way in to throw down my L$700 without hesitation. With options for three colors of red, fur or lace tops, color change for all parts, these are *the ultimate* in versatile footwear. I own the black patent, black suede, brown suede and red patent and practically live in these boots - a true investment in a classic.

Start your holiday off right at the MP Haute Style Main Store, EarthStones Main Store, Air Main Store and Bax Boots Main Store.

Credits:

Top Left:

Hair - TossMeAround (Wine) by BishWear
Gown - Candy Cane Gown by MP Haute Style
Jewelry - Snowflake Collection by EarthStones
Glasses - Rosetta Crystal White by Air

Center Right:

Hair - TossMeAround (Wine) by BishWear
Gown - Candy Cane Gown by MP Haute Style
Jewelry - Snowflake Collection by EarthStones
Glasses - Rosetta Crystal White by Air

Bottom Left:

Hair - TossMeAround (Wine) by BishWear
Gown - Holiday Bliss by MP Haute Style
Jewelry - Snowflake Collection by EarthStones
Glasses - Rosetta Crystal White by Air

Boots - Red Patent Ankle Boots by Bax Boots

EarthStones - Halo of the Dark Sun

RL yeesh... but enough about that. Other than the holidays, I've got smooth sailing into the new year, so I've been busy sorting and sifting through huge piles of clothes and shoes and tattoos and, yes, even more lingerie. I'll be blogging a few scraps of leather and bits of lace from Nymphetamine, then headed to the I's with Insolence and Intimizzio...but I'd like to start with a breathtaking design from a staple of my wardrobe - EarthStones.

For my "Yup, I'm back" post, I'm featuring a gorgeous little piece that Abraxxa Anatine over at EarthStones did first as a custom piece and has now released to the lucky public. In both men's and women's styles, Halo of the Dark Sun is a delight in blood red and black stones, dramatic enough to stand alone as the focal point of an outfit, stylized enough to blend with the noir side of your wardrobe. At L$500, this is a spectacular piece of artwork, with symbolic filigree orbited and centered with runed spheres.

Pick up the Halo of the Dark Sun (but don't stop there) at the EarthStones Main Store at EarthBound.

Credits:

Hair - TossMeAround (Black) by Bishwear

Eyes - Transparency Shine Eyes (Forest Green) by Glanz

Glasses - Danielle Black Glasses by Insolence

Earrings - Desmodus (Black Steel/Red Jasper) by EarthStones

Piercing - Bali Lip Ring (Labradorite/Silver) by EarthStones

Necklace - Halo of the Dark Sun by EarthStones

Sweater - Full Sculpted Knit Jacket (Black) by CE Cubic Effect

Goth1c0 for Crimson Shadow

In a moment of weakness, my All Hallow's spirit overcame my slim Linden wallet and I found myself drooling at Crimson Shadow. Ahhhh... to just have unlimited Lindens what fun I would have. Instead, I proceeded to shop. And then stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the absolutely fantastic ensemble by Goth1c0. I didn't even hem and haw, just hit buy and prayed. Minutes later I was cycling through all the possibilities of this multifaceted outfit.

Only available in black and red, the play of textures and fabrics is absolute perfection. The movement of the long skirt is graceful and flowing, the short skirt is flirty and sexy. And without either skirt? Corseted lingerie at it's best with garters and stockings. Black patent leather ankle boots or sky high stilettos - every combination in this set begs for the edgiest footwear in the bottom of your closet. Add a bit of graceful gothic jewelry and you are ready for anything.
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The set consists of top (jacket), glitch pants (pants), gloves, stockings and prim skirts. The sheer lace and blood red satin ballgown will take you to the most formal clubs in SL and have people ask you about your outfit, while the short and flirty skirt is perfect for a night of clubbing - really three full outfits for the L$1000 price tag. I've practically lived in this since I bought it, so I think well worth it and it has gift friendly perms - No Copy, No Mod, Transfer (Prim Skirts - Mod).
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Two landmarks this week, first to Crimson Shadow and second to the Goth1c0 Main Store.
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Credits:
Dress - Goth1c0 for Crimson Shadow
Hair - Toss Me Around (Black) by Bishwear
Jewelry - Lampir Cross (Bright Silver/Carnelian) by EarthStones

Carnal - Lingerie Special, Pt. 2

Continuing through the lingerie alphabet, Carnal stands out not only for their gorgeous in-world intimates but for the fact that they have a First Life presence as well as a Second Life presence. From basic foundation sets to more elaborate ensembles, Carnal provides a broad range of colors, fabrics and styles. I had the pleasure of running into Gabriel LeShelle while gathering the details for this article and took his purchasing recommendation on the first featured set - the gorgeous lace bordered teddy, Moscou.
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Available in 6 colors including Mint, Lilac, Red, White, Black and Pink, the set uses the undershirt and underpant layers as well as adding optional gold prim details in the form of a triple chain crossing the midriff. Each set sells for L$300 and Carnal has joined forces with other designers to create shoes and jewelry designed specifically to accessorize the set.
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One of the things I love about the stores and designers who are entirely focused on lingerie creation is the ability to find beautiful basic sets. Creators who mainly design outerwear tend to release lingerie that is more elaborate for special occasion or integrated tightly with a full ensemble. Carnal has a selection of elegant foundation sets that go easily under ballgowns or sweaters and I bought the Lace Bra Set for just this reason. Let's face it, a gal just doesn't need a 34570979 item folder with 387 adjustable prim pieces for a quick shopping trip or to go profile hopping.
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The Lace Bra Set is available in White, Black, Pink, Green, Grey, Red and a fabulous Sheer for L$250 per color or in the Fat Pack of all seven for L$1400. Again, the pieces are only available as the bra on the undershirt layer and panty on the underpant layer, which is my only real criticism of the Carnal sets in that it limits options with respect to tattoos and some outerwear. That said, you can't beat it for simplicity. Permissions aren't as gift friendly as other lines (though some sets are available in Mod/Trans in the gift area and Gabriel will create and deliver Mod/Trans by request), but the Copy, Mod, No Transfer means if you prefer creating outfits, your underlayers are covered. ;)
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Bring a touch of First Life to your Second Life at the Carnal Main Store at Carnal Plaza.

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Credits:

Lingerie - Moscou (White) and Lace Bra Set (Sheer) by Carnal

Jewelry - Floating Circles Set (Gold/Diamonds) by EarthStones (top)

Belly Ring (Yin Yang) by EarthStones (middle)

Desmodus Set (Black Steel/Red Jasper) by EarthStones (bottom)

Hair - Forest Child (Black) by Songfeather Designs (top)

BON75 by booN (middle & bottom)

Angel Dessous - Lingerie Special, Pt. 1

I noticed my lingerie "to blog" folder was overflowing just as even more new release announcements came in, so I figured it was time to catch up and the best way to do that is to salute the designers of some of my favorite "mostly unseen in public" clothing in Second Life. I love and adore lingerie - stockings, heels, corsets, bras, thongs, strings and every other spectacular foundation in SL. So, starting with Angel Dessous, I'll be looking at a sampling of sexy (both new and classic) from a series of designers who think the underthings are the thing. Word of warning - while the photos are PG, this *is* lingerie, so if you are expecting neck to ankle coverage, skip this series.


The first of three outfits from Angel Dessous is the Amber new release which comes in three colors, the traditional red and black as well as a leopard patterned set called cat. There are three different top layers, all with 3/4 sleeves but varying in length and detail. The undershirt layer is a short bra, the shirt layer is a midriff corset and the jacket layer extends the corset to the hips and adds garters and snaps for the included stockings. Coordinating panties, upper arm bracelets and short prim skirt are included to finish a very flexible outfit with several different looks for L$390 per color.

Suzy is also a multi-faceted lingerie set but does not have quite the layer versatility with both the revealing half bra and the more traditional full bra being on the undershirt layer while the tiny string panty is only on the underpant layer and the garters only on the pant layer. There are two included stockings, one specifically designed for the garters, the other designed to be worn without. Suzy comes in four combinations at L$320 per color in black/creme, red, green and white/black.

The final outfit is a personal favorite - Jennifer comes in both soft patterned and delicate lace versions with a classic bra on the undershirt layer and a corset on the shirt, providing three different looks from the demure to the fully exposed. Stockings are included, but this is not a garter set, so they settle at thigh high below the traditional bikini style panties (underpant layer). The lace version comes in black and white, while the colors of the traditional set are gras (green), heaven (blue), hell (wine) and flower (black and white) at L$290 per color. All lingerie is no copy, no mod, transfer to make for easy gift giving, though the limited layers can cause problems for tattoo fans.
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Find lingerie for any intimate occasion at the Angel Dessous Main Store.

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Credits:

Lingerie - Suzy, Amber & Jennifer sets by Angel Dessous

Jewelry - Floating Circles (Gold) by EarthStones

Hair (top & middle) - Toss Me Around (Auburn & True Red) by Bishwear

Hair (bottom) - BON75 (Black) by booN

Insolence - Lilly Satin Lingerie

I hate it when RL keeps me from blogging something spectacular for way too long, but at least with Insolence lingerie, the look is timeless. One of the many reasons to join the Insolence group is the beautifully written release notecards. When I received camilla Yousuke's card for this set, it perfectly matched my "curl up by the fire with a glass of wine" fall is here mood and, in fact, similar feelings were what inspired her to create this gorgeous satin ensemble. 28 pieces, all layers and prim details combine to create so many different looks you will wonder if you will ever run out of combinations.
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Sumptiously patterned satin is used throughout in full corset, short corset and bra for the upper body, tied with satin ribbons and edged with prim lace. All varieties come in shirt and undershirt with a full corset jacket layer as well. Back seamed stockings add even more possiblities as all bottom layers include options both with and without garters, with and without panties, panty only (both boy cut and tiny string) and prim lace attachments for both corset and panty combinations. Yes, it's dizzying - and I didn't even mention the fabulous prim satin ribbon back tie.
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The Lilly set comes in a palette of fall colors - black, emerald, blue, purple, red and gold - with all combinations included for only L$290 per color. Ah, how I wish there were a fatpack, but don't despair - it is no copy, no mod, transfer and perfect for gift giving (or receiving) - just find a (close) friend to help you finish out your collection. In camilla's own words, "I really hope this ensemble will satisfy the most exigent, and bring you that warm, comfy sexy feeling I get wearing them on the sofa as I write these lines.
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Hoping to meet you soon at the Insolence Main Store, at Venom."

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All photographs:

Hair - Moody (Coal) by Diversity Hair

Lingerie - Lilly Satin Outfit (Black) by Insolence

Jewelry - Crystal Charm Earrings (Creativity) by EarthStones

Piercings - Bali Face Piercings (Labradorite) by EarthStones

Tattoo - Gecko by Muism (Mu Mei Do)

Warning - When I Am An Old Woman...

When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple
with a red hat that doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
and satin candles, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I am tired
and gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
and run my stick along the public railings
and make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
and pick the flowers in other people's gardens
and learn to spit.

- from Warning by Jenny Joseph

Fabulous hat (not purple) is part of Joan Miro's Tattoo Gown by Lady Thera's.

Persona - Dita Knit Blouse

I think that I'm just going to make myself a huge sign for the wall that says, "Buy the Fat Pack!" because I never do and I always regret it. I knew that the Dita Knit Blouse from Persona was going to be fabulous and I knew I was going to have a use for each and every one of the seven colors, but do I listen to my little inner frugal shopper? Of course not! That would make sense! (Naturally, I wound up immediately buying two after trying on the first, LOL!).

Absolutely perfect for fall, this beautifully textured, highly detailed, soft and fuzzy beauty comes in warm, muted shades of white, purple, black, brown, red, green, and blue and works equally well with jeans or skirts. The individual price is L$125 per color and the Fat Pack (yes, buy it) of all 7 colors sells for L$611. The layer options are quite nice with a two piece combination choice of shirt/undershirt top and pant/underpant bottom or a full jacket layer. Add the prim sleeves and collar and you are out the door. (One note: The pants layer is mislabled as "top" in the green - it is indeed the wide knit bottom.)

Pull on an autumn delight at the Persona Main Store.

Top Left:
Top - Dita Knit Blouse (Green) by Persona
Hair - Miranda (Coffee Bean) by House of Heart
Eyes - Transparency Shine (Forest Green) by Glanz
Skin - Sunkissed V1 (Smokey 02 DB) by [KA] Skins
Jewelry - Crystal Charm Set (Money) by Earthstones

Bottom Right:

Top - Dita Knit Blouse (Black) by Persona

Kilt - Ruffian Blue (Women's) by Boom

Boots - Ankle Boots (Black Patent) by Bax Boots

Stockings - #24 (Torn, Lace Top, Black) by Sheer

Hair - Solid Wave (Neo Black) by Find Ash

A Perfect Place - SiniStyle (Goth Horror)

Graveyards, desanctified churches, gas lights, and absolutely magnificent trees make the SiniStyle Design Main Store sim a photographer's dream for All Hallows' Eve. From the Addams Family architecture to the occasional bat (both in the trees and in the air), this is simply a wonderful setting for any dark and stormy shoots. I received a review copy of EarthStones newest set, Desmodus, in gold and opal and decided I wanted to do a few shots as if I was entering the photo contest - All Hallows Eve theme with jewelry as the focus. Wow, so much harder than it looks...
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I bought a few copies of Desmodus myself (the bats are just too wonderful) in black steel and silver, red jasper and moonstone - so that I would have a few combinations to play with. Then I pulled out a variety of outfits and hairstyles and started posing, turning, playing with lighting and desperately trying to get a perfect shot. 104 photos. All over the sim. With and without bats, in church, in the graveyard, near the wrought iron gates. Black. Red. White. Lace and no lace. Updos and down, long and short. Heck, I finished a pot of coffee before I ever got to the first crop.
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Finally, though, after twisting and turning and zooming and moving - some shots I thought were about the jewelry and the goth horror atmosphere and not me or the outfit. I tucked the SiniStyle Design sim landmark in my "Great Settings" folder and you should consider doing the same (and don't forget to check out the store as well - it's haunted!).
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For all the Wednesdays in the world, feel at home at the SiniStyle Design Main Store Sim.

Top left:
Hair - Jasmyn (Black) by Analog Dog
Skin - Sunkissed V1 (Smokey 02) by [KA] Skins
Eyes - Transparency Shine (Clear Grey) by Glanz
Top - Knit Jacket (Black) by CE Cubic Effect
Jewelry - Desmodus (Gold/Opal) by EarthStones

Bottom right:

Hair - Coral (Black) by House of Heart

Jewelry - Desmodus (Silver/Red Jasper) by Earthstones

Dress - Scheherazade (Bloodstone) by DG Innovations

Contests From The Other Side

So, I was chatting with Abraxxa Anatine at EarthStones about how Halloween was the absolute best holiday and how stoked I was that this was going to be my first SL All Hallows Eve. Well, the conversation wandered and roamed as conversations are wont to do (now there's a word you don't see used a lot...) and it seems that I'm trying contests from the other side by being the notecard taker for the EarthStones All Hallows' Eve Photography Contest. Seemed pretty cool until I realized I'm not eligible to win, of course, but I'm enjoying the heck out of seeing how folks work with the theme - and, of course, I'll be posting my "if I were eligible" pictures here on the blog.

Here's the rules for those of you wanting to dress up, find a nice graveyard, castle, haunted wood, punkin patch, whatever and click your 'lil cameras:

How to Enter:

1. If not already a member, join the EarthStones Group (search for EarthStones, no cost to join)
2. Plan the perfect outfit for the contest theme (don't forget the pond shops at EarthBound if you *need* something new).
3. Take a fabulous picture of yourself or a friend wearing your favorite EarthStones jewelry or accessories. (PG, please. Post-production encouraged.)
4. Create a new note and rename it "All Hallows Eve Photo - [Your Name]"
5. Drag your full perm picture to the note and save.
6. Send the note to Retribution Fall before midnight SLT, Friday, October 10th.
7. Rejoice.

Prizes:

• 1st Place: L$2000 EarthStones Store Card, a pre-release piece of EarthStones jewelry and your photo and credit on display at EarthStones through October 31
• 2nd Place: L$1000 EarthStones Store Card and your photo and credit on display at EarthStones through October 31
• 3rd Place: L$500 EarthStones Store Card and your photo and credit on display at EarthStones through October 31

Details & Rules:

1. Please submit no more than two pictures total. Male, female and duo pictures welcome.
2. Please do not IM or ask about the contest in group chat - send a note to Retribution Fall or Abraxxa Anatine if you have any questions.
3. Please follow the submissions instructions carefully, your entry may have to be discarded otherwise.
4. Please only EarthStones jewelry in your picture.
5. Deadline for entries is midnight SLT on October 10th. We will be unable to accept entries after this time.
6. Winners will be selected based on theme, quality of photography and creative presentation of the jewelry/accessories.
7. Winners will be announced via EarthStones group notice on October 15th.
8. You do not have to be online to win, but you must be a member of the EarthStones group.
9. And, finally, all entries become the property of EarthStones and may be used, displayed or distributed at our discretion.

Go get 'em! Pick up a notecard with rules and info at the EarthStones Main Store at EarthBound.

Then & Now... Again.

Every now and then I like to look back and see how things have changed, so the other night when I pulled out one of my staples, the Tedious outfit by Apple May Designs, I remembered that it had been the subject of one of my earliest posts. I decided that it could be fun to pull out the original blog pictures and take another set with my more recent hair, skin, accessories. The whole look is utterly schoolgirl, so perfect for fall with a soft, warm, barely legal sweater top over a short tartan skirt.
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The outfit just screams for body art and, not surprisingly, both sets of photos are "inky" - the earlier with iNFLiCT's [name] and the later with Nambya's Sunburst. It's a very leggy outfit and while it looks great with just Dark Eden's Thetis ankle boots, the white stockings from Insolence's Melanie set paired with AW Design's CourtX Patent Leather Stiletto Mary Janes pull the "back to school" look together. Of course, for the serious, studious finish, Air's Rosetta Glasses in Crystal White are perfect for perching on the end of one's academic nose.
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Obviously the look lends itself to short hair, with Novocaine's Edwina in the more recent shot and Armidi's Poynter in the older. Tuli's S5 skin rounds out the earlier picture, Glanz Transparency Shine eyes are worn in both and today I was wearing KA's Sunkissed skin in Smokey 02. Jewelry in both is by EarthStones, with the Wire Wrapped earrings, Yin Yang earrings and the newly released Yin Yang belly piercings as well as the virtually never removed Bali lip ring.
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Almost all items listed here have had posts of their own, so I'll leave you to the tags for more information, you can pick up Tedious in several colors at Apple May Designs Main Store.

Skinwalkers - Super-Ego

I've had this for quite a while - let's face it, with my name, how could I not own a bodysuit that just oozes righteous anger (or slight mental bend, take your pick)? When I got an invitation to a "Seven Deadly Sins" event, I started enumerating vices - Lust, Sloth, Greed, Envy, Gluttony, Pride and... oh yeah... Wrath. You gotta figure every guy is going to be Sloth surrounded by a flood of Pride and Lust - Wrath just isn't that easy to visualize unless you have Super-Ego in your inventory, waiting to bring the spiked cuffs of vengeance to the party.

Interestingly, while bodysuits are notoriously hard to mix and match, I found this outfit to change substantially in overall feel with accessory and footwear changes, which makes it a great wardrobe addition for clubbing. A red, grey and white on black latex graffiti texture clings to every curve while spiked cuffs (arm and wrist) and "brass knuckles" combine with a "Hate" belt and matching boots to give a complete look. A little spike to the hair, ears and tail and you are the edgiest girl next door kitty in town, long curls and high boots and you are mistress of the mean streets.
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The outfit includes the bodysuit on the underwear layer, which is my only complaint as I would have preferred a layer choice, gloves, stockings, boots, belt and spiked accessories - 16 pieces in all for L$550. While you are there, take a look around at the other bodysuits - the Super-Ego accessories mix beautifully with almost all of them, adding to the value of the ensemble. Skinwalkers carries post-apocalyptic styles for men and women as well as a selection of skirt and top combos for the urban schoolgirl.
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For those nights you feel like taking on the world (or just being the center of attention) slip into a different skin at the Skinwalkers Main Store.
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Top Left:

Outfit - Super-Ego by Skinwalkers
Ears - Neko Ears (Black) by Acid & Mala Creations
Hair - Solid Wave (Neo Black) by Find Ash

Eyes - Transparency Shine (Forest Green) by Glanz
Collar - Lilith Collar (Red) by Dark Eden

Center Right:

Super-Ego by Skinwalkers

Neko Ears and Tail (Black) by Acid & Mala Creations

Solid Wave (Neo Black) by Find Ash

Lilith Collar (Red) by Dark Eden

Bottom Left:
Super-Ego by Skinwalkers
Lilith Collar (Red) by Dark Eden
Thetis Boots (Bloodrage) by Dark Eden
Jasmyn (Black) by Analog Dog

Skulls, Wire, Roses & Bones Week (Pt. 2)

OK, so due to RL sucking last week, I'm continuing the theme posts into this week with another round of body parts, barbed wire and flowers. One of the styles I picked up at the Hair Fair was the Deshu hair from Curious Kitties, which was a perfect fit for the subject matter as well as being the ideal finish for Passionate Neko Dreams' new release, Gothic Punk. I also pulled out a more traditional (well for a skull dress) look from DE Designs to round out the second post in the series.
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Curious Kitties' Deshu Hair comes in two sets of colors, the 2008 Special Colors (Deep Water, Ripe Strawberry, Greyscale Dark and Light, Pink Floss, Greenery, Rainbow and Golden) and the "regular" CK Colors (Whitish, Blackish, Redish, Orangish, Goldish, Mintish, Greenish, Bluish, Purplish and Pinkish) with an attractive spray of bones and skulls across an adorable punky updo. The 2008 colors are L$200 each, L$1400 for the Fat Pack of 8, the CK colors are L$150 each and L$1400 for a Fat Pack of 10. Don't forget to check out the other styles in the New Releases section while you are there - I know I'll be back for more.
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The second I put on the Deshu hair, I knew there was another new release out there waiting for it - the Gothic Punk outfit by Passionate Neko Dreams goes so perfectly with the hair and the theme, you'd think they had been made to go together. A short and sexy "club to bed" (and vice versa) outfit, Gothic Punk comes complete with complementary mismatched stockings and skull 'n' lace choker to go with the loose garters and sweet as sin corset. No Fat Pack here, but three colors to choose from - red, green and purple - each for L$350 and the perfect excuse to bring out those heavy punk boots or lacy goth ankle boots, depending on the occasion.
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Finally, for a more casual look, DE Designs has the short toga-inspired Mekala outfit in three designs - Black, Daiquiri and, yep, Skully. You can get just one for L$325, but the Fat Pack gives you a three for two with all included for L$650, a bargain for such a flattering style. A single shoulder draped outfit with a jacket layer cinch belt, the skull pattern puts a surprising edge to an otherwise totally sweet and innocent look - perfect for a day of shopping or an evening out with a friend.
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Gothic Punk can be found at the Passionate Neko Dreams Main Store and topped with Deshu from the Curious Kitties Main Store, while Mekala can be found at the DE Designs Main Store.

Shown:

Deshu Hair (Ripe Strawberry) by Curious Kitties

Gothic Punk (Red) by Passionate Neko Dreams

Mekala (Skully) by DE Designs

Insolence - Flore Lingerie

I can't believe that I've had this set in my inventory for so long and haven't blogged it, but I missed the original release notice and by the time I'd raced over to Insolence and picked up a set, I had stacks of posts in the works. That said, the best way to handle an oversight is to admit it and fix it, so that's what I'm doing here before I return to skulls, roses, wire and bones tomorrow. The Flore Lingerie Ensembles by Insolence are light, delicate, airy sets with lots of optional details and combinations, the perfect offset to the heavier fall colors and fabrics.

The set has several different looks included with both a balcony bra and a triangle bra as well as traditional and string panties. You can add optional tiny ties and lacy underbra ruffle to tailor the look to any mood or preference. This set is available only in light colors of Cream, Lavender, Peach, Green, Pink and White - sorry red and black fans, but darker colors would overwhelm the delicate textures. As always the ensemble is flexible with tattoos, coming in all layers except jacket. This set does not come with stockings, but any of you Insolence fans like myself know that you can easily grab any other Insolence piece and it will work, though this outfit is very sweet and innocent without and at L$290 per color it has more than enough options to be a smart purchase.

Slip into something where a little less is definitely more at the Insolence Main Store.

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Credits:

Lingerie - Flore Lingerie Ensemble (Cream) by Insolence

Hair - BON75 by booN

Earrings - Wire Wrapped Crystal (Labradorite) by EarthStones

Shoes - Silver Studsides Pumps by Stiletto Moody

Bangles - Silver Bangles by Spork

Photos taken at Fross Maruti's Free Photography Studio

Haven't Disappeared, But...

It's been a heck of a RL week - lost power in thunderstorms, work has been a bear, you name it. I've got a pile of clothes, shoes and other goodies piled up waiting for pictures, so look for this weekend and next week to be a posting marathon. =)

Obligatory picture (because every post should have a picture) is of the Cephalopod Boots (Remix, Midnight) by Dark Eden, Melanie Lingerie panties (Black) by Insolence and De/Konstrukt top (Black) by MekaNoiZe Labs (no longer available, sadly).

See ya Saturday morning after I get a little sleep and have a chance to hit the studio for a while!

Skulls, Wire, Roses & Bones Week (Pt. 1)

Today I was doing some shopping, hunting down a few specific accessories (and buying outfits along the way, of course) when I noticed that I have a startling number of items with either skulls, bones, barbed wire or roses, including several new releases I was dying to blog - easily enough for multiple posts over the course of a week. Hence, we kick off "Skulls, Wire, Roses & Bones Week" with the spectacular Yukio Kimono from FallnAngel Creations and the fun and flirty Bloomer Set by KaoSome. Interestingly, neither of these outfits can be described in terms of color as they are detailed patterns and textures instead.

The Yukio Kimono is, for lack of a better description, a silk influenced kimono (you will find this in the kimono section of the store) with a leather strapped corset obi, silk styled prim sleeves and skirt, gloves, fishnet stockings, garter and Zori shoes. As mentioned, the colors are more a fabric design than a color change with 17 textures including Purple Floral, Tan Sand, Kogane Tsuru, Midnight Reverie, Sakura Black Red, Aqua Dianthus, Soft Sakura, Forest Trees, Flights of Gold, White Rabbit, Beautiful Lilies, Midnight Roses, Crimson Swirls, Mystical Butterflies, Orange Gold Fans, Sweet Peonies and Jade Gold Fans. Each individual set sells for L$450, no Fat Pack available, but well worth investing in more than one once you see the fabulous lines of this outfit. This set is, of course, easily worn with the included shoes, but I found it was also perfect with ankle boots. You also have a myriad of complementary hair options from updos to spikes that subtly alter the feel of the ensemble.

Once I put on the Exodus hairstyle from Deviant Kitties for the FallnAngel kimono, I knew I had to keep it (with a color change) and add the Skulls and Flower accessory to shoot the Bloomer Set by KaoSome. This stylized upsweep is available in a huge range of colors with the prim accessory included with each for L$225 per pack of six related colors (I purchased the Black Natural Tips set). The Bloomer Set, like the kimono, rather than colors, comes in three patterns named Psycho, Skullz and Roses and Flowers. Each outfit is comprised of a bodice with an intricately detailed lace trim, shimmery skirt and gloves in a (surprise) skull and rose pattern as well as (my favorite part) lace trimmed bloomers peeking out from underneath. Each design is a bargain at L$200 and even with no fat pack available you should consider picking up more than one.

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You can find the Yukio Kimono at the FallnAngel Creations Main Store and the Bloomer Set at the KaoSome Hub. To top them off with Exodus, stop by the Deviant Kitties Main Store as well.

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Top left:

Hair - BON75 by booN

Tattoo - My Gift My Purpose (Medium) by iNFLiCT
Earrings - Small Silver Triskelion by BastChild Designs

Outfit - Yukio Kimono (Midnight Roses) by FallnAngel Creations

Middle right:

Hair - Exodus (Black White) by Deviant Kitties

Tattoo - My Gift My Purpose (Medium) by iNFLiCT

Outfit - Yukio Kimono (Midnight Roses) by FallnAngel Creations

Bottom left:

Exodus (Black Red) (Skulls and Flower) by Deviant Kitties

Outfit - Bloomer Set (Skullz & Roses) by KaoSome

Boots - Phobos 2 (Black) by Dark Eden

Update - EarthStones Crystal Elements

Earlier this week I did a post where nearly all my jewelry was credited as [pre-release] - and it was absolutely killing me (though I do love Abraxxa for it). But, since they have been officially released (including the earrings), I'd like to update the full information on this gorgeous set. The Crystal Elements double necklace is actually two necklaces that can be worn either separately or together to travel easily between the casual and the formal. The four crystals suspended from either gold or silver circles float beneath a short necklace with a drop crystal creating an elegant yet grounded classic piece. The earrings are single circles with suspended crystals.

There is one set for each of the elements, set in gold or silver - Air, Earth, Fire and Water with a fifth set named Spirit (Labradorite) priced at L$449 each or L$1499 for a gold or silver Fat Pack. The earrings are L$149 single, Fat Pack in the metal of your choice for L$499. Did I mention that the chain and earring wires are accented with small beads that perfectly match the Bali Face Piercings? You need these. You really need these.

Find your elemental self at the EarthStones Main Store at EarthBound.

Silks of the Siren - Darkness in Torment

I haven't blogged a lot of silks in general, but sometimes I run across one that just begs to be written up - Darkness in Torment by Silks of the Siren is one of those. This is not a huge store with a massive line, but the detail of each piece shows the time that has gone into it, making for a small but stellar selection of silks. A flowing combination of lace cutout panels and beautifully textured prims, Darkness in Torment moves smooth and sinuously, following all but the most extreme AOs flawlessly.

While many of the outfits at Silks of the Siren come in a selection of colors, this particular silk is only available in black - appropriately enough, given the name. I am always concerned about prim adjustment with silks as I'm not SL's best editor - these fit me nearly perfectly straight out of the box with only minimal shifting required. The set is made up of a shirt, glove and pant layer (very tattoo friendly arrangement) with both a PG and X-rated pant included, as well as a prim cape, skirt, chest and arm pieces. The asymmetrical design adds interest to the outfit as does the crosshatching pattern supporting the sheer insets. The set will cost you L$500, but well worth it for the right occasion. Yes, your nipples will be partially exposed in this ensemble, but, really now - you *are* wearing a silk, aren't you? ;)

Drape yourself in sensual fabrics at the Silks of the Siren Main Store.

Both Photographs:
Hair - BON75 by booN
Skin - Sunkissed V1 (Smokey 02, DB) by [KA] Skins
Outfit - Darkness in Torment by Silks of the Siren
Tattoo - My Summer Calls by iNFLiCT
Earrings - Wrapped Crystal Earrings (Labradorite) by EarthStones
Lip Ring - Bali Bead Lip Ring (Labradorite) by EarthStones
Shoes - Gladiator Boot (Black Patent) by Stiletto Moody

Hair Fair '08 - Where Have All The L$ Gone? (Pt. 3)

As promised, this is the third article of four about Hair Fair 2008 and this is where you see some of the (silly number) of hairstyles I purchased. I'm leading off with Solid Wave by Find Ash in Neo Black. Not only is it a terrific short spiky style, but 50% of the sales go to Locks of Love - in fact 50% of all styles at the Find Ash booth goes to the charity, making them a very special vendor. There are three fat packs (L$840) and an all color pack of 12 (L$1680) as well as individual colors in Neo Black, Charcoal Grey, Amber Brown, Sweet Brown (Dark Color Pack), Royal Blond, Platinum Blond, Dark Silver, Strawberry Blond (Light Color Pack), Darkness Blue, Deep Red, Golden Brown and Vintage Wine (Funky Color Pack) for L$280 each.
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Possibly one of the best mid length styles at the Hair Fair, Verena by Damselfly was my first purchase - I'm a sucker for that "just fell out of bed" look and it's near impossible to find in shorter styles. Damselfly styles are available in 25 packs of 4 colors (L$200) in 5 categories of fat packs for L$500 and an all color pack for L$2000. Individual color sets are: (Blonde) Beach Beige, Sand Dollar, Blonde Dusky, Bamboo, Starfish, Sunrise; (Black) Black Pearl, Forest, Mystic, Night Shade, Onyx, Raven; (Brown) Caramel, Cocoa Harbor, Driftwood, Suntan, Dusky, Mocha Splash; (Red) Cinnamon, Tropic, Hibiscus, Russet Glow, Ginger, Ruby Twilight and (Shaded Tips) Belladonna, Atomic, Diva, Manic, Voodoo, Panic.


Finally, from Deviant Kitties, I couldn't leave without Exodus. Even though I'm showing it here without, it is a gorgeous upsweep style with a skull and flower accessory in complementary colors that make it a must for virtually any goth inspired outfit out there. DK sells their hair in packs of six colors for L$200 - Blacks, Whites, Blondes and Browns in just the color or with Rainbow or Natural Tips, Red Tips, Deviant Punks, Taffys and 2 sets of Unnaturals and an All Color Pack for L$2000.
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Since I need a teaser for my final Hair Fair post, here's a preview of one of the many stylish bandanas available - definitely one for every taste and plenty for both men and women. September 7th is Bandana Day - a Gridwide event where you can replace your hair with a bandana for the day to support the Locks of Love charity and the children for whom it supplies wigs. Be sure and stop at the Bandana booth (there is one in every sim, straight out from the landing point) and pick up one (or 30) bandanas. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of bandanas goes to Locks of Love.
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Be sure to visit each of the Hair Fair Color Sims until September 7th - individual sim landmarks are in Hair Fair '08, Pt. 1.

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Top Left:
Hair - Solid Wave (Neo Black) by Find Ash
Necklace - [Pre-Release, you'll have to wait to see the whole thing] by EarthStones
Skin - Sunkissed V1 Smokey 02 DB by [KA] Skins
Ears - Neko Ear (Black) by Acid & Mala
Tattoo - Skull Jacket by SLinked
Top - Effing Work of Art Tank by LessThan3

Middle Right:

Hair - Verena (Onyx) by Damselfly

Earrings - [Pre-Release] by EarthStones

Skin - Sunkissed V1 Smokey 02 DB by [KA] Skins

Tattoo - Eternity Awaits by iNFLiCT

Top - Feel (Jazz Blue) by ARGRACE

Bottom Left:
Hair - Exodus (Black Red) by Deviant Kitties
Earrings - [Pre-Release] by EarthStones
Skin - Sunkissed V1 Smokey 02 DB by [KA] Skins
Tattoo - Eternity Awaits by iNFLiCT
Outfit - Elven Series Drost (Crimson) by House of Rfyre

Bottom Right:

Bandana - Hair Fair Bandana (Retro Reds) by Persona
Skin - Sunkissed V1 Smokey 02 DB by [KA] Skins
Tattoo - My Summer Calls by iNFLiCT
Top - Open Shirt (Red) by E. Watkins

Hair Fair '08 - Dear Stylists... (Pt. 2)

I love you all, I really do. The time and work involved, the effort and the experimentation - not to mention the sheer creativity of creating hair out of prims - amazing. And I know that preparing for a event like Hair Fair is an additional drain on already scarce time, but as I walked (OK, slogged) through the Rezzable sims, I found myself scribbling notes. Once I got home and started sifting and sorting and swapping I have to admit that, on more than one occasion I found myself saying "What were they thinking?" or "Oooooh!" or "Yoiks!". So, the good, the bad and the downright weird, with Fair Goer Tips for navigating them and pictures of more wonderful freebies...

1. Hidden and obscured gifts - Hunts are a lot of fun (sometimes), but a massively overcrowded sim just isn't the right place to give folks a challenge. Trust me, just getting to your booth is a challenge - do you really need a lagging gaggle of bald, near naked avatars crowded in your booth digging under the shrubs only to fall into gridlock when Barbie Lagalicious blings past?

Fair Goer Tip - if you don't see a gift, take your time and keep your eyes open, walk all the way into the booths and read the signs. Not all booths have freebies, but it's worth your while to check and it gives you more time to browse while everything shows up. Make a note on your designers card when you pick up something and check back at the booths where you didn't.

2. Stuff that didn't sell - While the main point is to raise money for Locks of Love, the Hair Fair is a huge opportunity to draw new customers. Trust me, it's better to not put out a freebie than to put out one that isn't representative of your current line. I would far rather have one unusual color of a great style or a full set of style demos than 45098735 "normal" colors of something that didn't quite work out. First impressions and all that, yanno?

Fair Goer Tip - Take some spare change and buy at least one demo from shops you haven't seen before. Oh and delete anything you don't love - my inventory expanded by close to 3K just from freebies and demos. Eeep!

3. Textures, labels and landmarks - One day, Hair Fair will end and you will go back to your home sims and wonder why we aren't coming to see you. If you didn't include a LM in your freebies, named your folder something like "Neat Junk Goodie Box" or require that a megapack of four billion colors be rezzed just to see what the style looks like - that may be the reason.

Fair Goer Tip - Take notes and buy demos. Use that designer list for each sim so that when you start digging through objects named "Putrid Green Snickerdoodle 24DL3" you have some reference point. Rename folders. Also, create 4 new folders named "Orange", "Purple", "Red" and "Pink", put your sim map and designer lists into them and sort as you go.

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Finally, I'd like to thank each and every one of the stylists participating in the fair for their time, effort and generosity. I am incredibly grateful for all your work and for the fun I've had trying on the incredible range of hairstyles at Hair Fair 2008. So much so that Part 3 is going to be all about what I went back and bought and the stores I discovered...

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Individual Sim Landmarks are in Hair Fair '08 (Pt. 1)

Hair is all Hair Fair 2008 Freebies

(Jewelry by EarthStones, Top by Persona)

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Top left - Puety by Eat Rice!

Center right (clockwise from upper left)
Miya by Dernier Cri

Shay by Exile
Mandi by Curl Up and Dye
Flow II by Magika

Lower left - Monique by Sinsation

Hair Fair '08 - A Perfect SLag Guide (Pt. 1)

I knew I was going to have to go to Hair Fair 2008 and I knew I was going to get scooped by every blogger on the planet who was insane enough to brave the early lag. I tried, I really did. But there's just nothing fun to me about standing and waiting for stuff to rez and then still not being sure it's all there before slingshotting through molasses to the next booth. So, I waited. For those of you that did the same, welcome to my guide to the Hair Fair, including sim specific SLURLs, pictures, must have freebies, tips and tricks.

I started at the Pink Sim since that was the only sim-specific LM I had at the outset - when you first teleport in, step aside (to avoid other folks landing on your head) and wait - I swear there is a sim there. Don't head off yet - there are things you *need* here - like the designer list and map of the sim. These will be on the board nearby, which also allows you to TP within that sim to points near each of the stall sections. If you are just coming for specific designers or to buy something you didn't earlier, by all means, use the TP links - otherwise, I found them more trouble than they were worth. Just open your sim map texture and designer list and fly. For the more methodical and curious, pick a starting point and surf the whole sim from the air and please, remove your various attachments and ultra primmy accessories. No one is ever gonna see you as more than a grey blob anyway. ;)

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Many of the booths have freebies and, if you are like me, you will wind up grabbing a ton of demos as well. For purchasing, look closely at the styles marked with the 50% (or higher) signs as those are the ones where a portion of your purchase goes to Locks of Love - the charity benefiting from the event. Please don't try on your demos at the fair - buy 'em, go somewhere quiet and lag free later, try 'em and go back with a purpose. Remember, you have your designer list and sim maps, so easy enough to do - just make your notes on your designer list notecard, which is conveniently listed both alphabetically and by booth number within the sim. I was lucky enough to go at a (relatively) low volume period, so I did all four sims in a row - otherwise, I'd recommend one per day for your sanity. You do have until September 7th, after all.

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Next installments - more pictures, more credits, more tips and more rambling plus an assortment of bandanas. Today's taxis are to the individual color sims, all the photos are of freebies available at Hair Fair 2008.

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Sim Specific Landmarks:

Pink Sim - Rezzable Explore

Purple Sim - Rezzable Design

Red Sim - Rezzable Create

Orange Sim - Rezzable Discover

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Top left - Roflcopter by LaynieWear

Center right (clockwise from upper left)

Eve GenII by by Tekeli-li

Emoh by Bryce Designs

Twin Tail by BP

Sandy by Kiss

Lower left - Tree Hair by Curious Kitties

EarthStones - Bali Face Piercing Collection

It's certainly no secret that I absolutely adore EarthStones jewelry - the Yin Yang set was one of my first purchases when I became a resident. No one does crystals and stones better than Abraxxa Anatine and anyone looking for jewelry that can traverse casual to formal with ease needs to stop by her store pronto. Recently I was whining about the dearth of high quality piercings that didn't bling one blind or bore one senseless and, next thing I knew, I had a gorgeous labradorite and silver nose ring dropped on me. It seems that piercings had been laying around on the workbench for a while, with more customers than just me tapping their size 0 feet and waiting for their release.
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The day has come - the Bali Bead Face Piercing Collection has been released in Baltic Amber, Amethyst, Labradorite, Moonstone, Turquoise, Carnelian, Onyx, Lapis Lazuli, and Malachite. Each set includes a nose, eyebrow and (offset) lip ring with matching stones set in silver. The metal texture perfectly matches the recently released Bali Hoop earrings. Now, there's no Fat Pack (dangit), but at L$149 it's very affordable to buy 'em all. As usual, they mix with all the other EarthStones accessories beautifully or stand alone as distinctive accents, enhancing rather than overwhelming a variety of outfits. They are no modify, no transfer, but come with a sizing script that makes them easy to fit for either men or women (the whole set is unisex) and the newly arrived store cards let you treat your friends to a shopping spree.

Get a few more holes in your head at the EarthStones Main Store at EarthBound.

Top left:
Hair - BON75 (Black) by booN
Skin - Tasha 04 (Cocoa) Portrait Skin by Laqroki
Piercings - Bali Bead Lip and Nose Rings (Amethyst) by EarthStones
Earrings - Yin Yang Earrings (Amethyst/Onyx - RFL Release) by EarthStones
Sweater - Woolpulli (Black) by LeeZu Baxter Designs

Bottom right:
Hair - BON75 by booN
Skin - Tasha 11 (Tan) Portrait Skin by Laqroki
Piercings - Bali Bead Nose and Lip Rings (Labradorite) by EarthStones
Earrings - Crystal Charm Earrings (Creativity) by EarthStones
Sweater - Woolpulli (Blue) by LeeZu Baxter Designs