Sunday, September 28, 2008

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

Saturday, September 27, 2008

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

Friday, September 26, 2008

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.

Monday, September 22, 2008

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.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

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

Sunday, September 14, 2008

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

Saturday, September 13, 2008

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

Thursday, September 11, 2008

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!

Saturday, September 6, 2008

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

Friday, September 5, 2008

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.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

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