Dark Eden - Cephalopod Silken Bondage

Silks don't play much of a role in my wardrobe, but they are a recognizable part of SL. When I was hunting up boots at Dark Eden, I saw the Cephalopod Silken Bondage set and figured if I was going to have a silk, this would be it. So I bought it. I suppose if you looked at percentages, this might be a metal/silk - but the detailing on both is spectacular. The silks are available in Obsidian and Silver, the Cephalopod boots are a separate purchase, available in 8 colors - Bloodrage, Mistweave, Abyss, Midnight, Absynthe, Nocturne, Desire, Candykill for $150 per color or a fat pack of all 8 for $600.

The outfit is entirely prim and includes the loincloth in 2 sizes to minimize adjusting - in fact, it was the only thing that required adjusting at all for me, which was a pleasant surprise. One tip - before you start adjusting up and down trying to find the side portion of the hips, look closer because there isn't one. The front and back loincloth base is anchored with four spikes around the hips. The cuffs and boots as well as the full ensemble (wrist and ankle cuffs) are all Lockmeister Enabled.

As you can see, I tried a variety of combinations and poses and just about every piece of footwear in my inventory - truly the silks go better with either the boots or barefoot with just the cuffs, the boots can be worn with a variety of outfits. As always, Dark Eden colors are consistent across the store, so you can also mix in other styles. The full ensemble including the wrist and ankle cuffs is L$250, just the silks are L$200 - the collar (L$25) and cuffs (L$100) are available separately as well as part of the full outfit.

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Slide some silk and metal at the Dark Eden Main Store.

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All pictures:

Silks - Cephalopod Silken Bondage (Obsidian) by Dark Eden

Boots - Cephalopod Boots Remix (Midnight) by Dark Eden

Adam 'n' Eve - Snakeskin Dress

Adam 'n' Eve's Catwalk collection has some absolutely fabulous designs in gorgeous colors and textures. The one I fell in love with immediately was the Snakeskin Dress and I was thrilled to discover two different skirts included for my mix and match needs. All the colors are deep and rich and the snakeskin texture is clear and detailed - as a result it is easy to pair it with a variety of separates and shoes.

The outfit consists of a top, shorts (underskirt) and both a slim prim mini and a flexi mini. I had a bit of trouble adjusting the prim mini, but I always do - probably why I prefer flexis with my shape. That said, most folks won't have the problems that I did. The dress comes in 6 colors to satisfy any preference - red, green, silver, white, blue and gold - and a fatpack for those who just can't decide. Each color is L$300 purchased separately or in the "Brat Pack" containing all colors for L$1200.

See the entire Catwalk Collection at Adam 'n' Eve's Genesis Drive Boutique.

On the left:
Sweater - Woolpulli (Black) by LeeZu Baxter Designs
Skirt - Snakeskin (Red) by Adam 'n' Eve
Boots - Dune (Red) by Maitreya
Stockings - Pink Tartan Sheer Stockings by LaPointe Designs

On the right:

Outfit - Snakeskin (Red) by Adam 'n' Eve
Shoes - O Wedge (Black) by Stiletto Moody
Hair - Pompadour (Black) by Zero Style (both shots)
Tattoo - Gecko by Mu Mei Do (Muisim) (both shots)

Baiastice - Pink Fantasy Dress

Spring is supposed to be springing and clothing all over SL belies the evidence of RL, so I went shopping for suitably spring-like outfits to brighten up the winter darks. Not being a pastel person, this presented a bit of a problem. I actually went to Baiastice while wandering through my "folder of links I need to visit" and when I saw this dress, I knew I had a spring post outfit. It also gave me the chance to try out several different hairstyles from Zero Style that I had bought and neglected.

Since the goal is to be able to take one outfit and go several places without a change of wardrobe, I started out with the straight party dress look, pairing the bright spring colors with a pair of black stilettos to match the retro black detailing. A quick change of hair, a short jacket and soft boots and it's an entirely different look. The dress itself is only L$250, required virtually no adjustment and simply looks terrific - especially for gals like me with a ton of black accessories.

For a taste of spring, retro style, head over to the Baiastice Main Store.

On the left:
Outfit - Pink Fantasy by Baiastice
Shoes - Tie Me Up (Black/Black) by Stiletto Moody
Hair - Pompadour (Black) by Zero Style

On the right:

Outfit - Pink Fantasy by Baiastice

Jacket - Short Leather Jacket (Black) by Cubic Effect

Boots - Bloom (Black) by Maitreya

Hair - Mike (Black) by Zero Style

Tattoo - Liseron (Upper and Lower) by addiXion

Casa del Shai - Dakota Blouse

This is one of those posts where I'm tempted to throw up the pictures, step back and say "Just look!". Talk about fantastic texturing - the shirt on the Dakota Pantsuit just makes me want to reach out and touch it. You can feel the time and thought that goes into each piece and every color combination. The overall effect is feminine without being fluffy, sexy without being obvious - just a perfect combination. I also adore the high waisted pants (you can leave off the jacket layer and go with a regular waist height if you prefer) which are just as versatile as the blouse. A few changes of shoe or accessories and you can go just about anywhere in SL.

The pantsuit comes in 5 colors including Gold, Sea, Rose, Lilac and Sky, with the different names referring to the shirt colors. Rather than a single pant included with all the different shirts, the colors of the associated pants are coordinated to the shirt color, so while Sea comes with blue, the Lilac shirt is paired with a rich chocolate pant. Very nice detail there which will probably have me back in the future for a few more colors. At L$400, I expect to get a lot of wear and combinations out of both the outfit and the separate pieces to make it a great addition to my closet.

Wrap yourself in fabulous textures at Casa Del Shai - and watch for more great clothes from Shai Delacroix when I visit Africa later this week.

On the left:
Outfit - Dakota Pantsuit (Sea) by Casa del Shai
Boots - Dune (Teal) by Maitreya

On the right:

Blouse - Dakota Pantsuit (Sea) by Casa del Shai

Pants - Sarrouel Pants (Black) by Cubic Effect

Shoes - Bitch Booties (Black/black) by Stiletto Moody

iNFLiCT - My Gift My Purpose Tattoo

It's interesting - if asked about my favorite tattoos, I don't know that my iNFLiCT inks would be in the top spot, but they get worn far more than any others I have on a day to day basis. One of the things I really appreciate in a tattoo is the option of multiple layers in multiple shades (dark, medium, light and tintable) which rarely leaves me without a tattoo option for almost any outfit. iNFLiCT definitely accommodates and will fill your inventory with shade and layer options. I used the medium shade for the photos this time so that the patterns would be clear and clean but I normally wear the light versions as they look better against paler skins.

What drew me to this particular tattoo was the shawl pattern on the front which adds to a multitude of necklines and the "absolutely perfect in a backless dress" design of the full back. Normally I prefer full body tattoo sets, but this one is so outstanding on it's own, I couldn't really imagine a lower body that would enhance rather than detract. Expect to pay L$199 for My Gift My Purpose and expect to wear it often - especially with the skin baring spring and summer fashions on the way.

For some great art for everyone's body - iNFLiCT Republic.

Tattoo (both) - My Gift My Purpose by iNFLiCT

Outfit (right) - Booty Call (Red) by Solange

Event - Easter Egg Madness

No blog posts while I run around like a loon - between the St. Patrick's Day hunts and freebies, the Clothing Fair (Relay for Life) and the Easter Egg hunts, I barely have time to sort my inventory. OK, I don't have time to sort my inventory. My inventory is a total mess. But, once I finish up, I promise to unpack, try on, sort and blog.

For those wondering which, what, when and where - so far I have done the Philotic Energy hunt (6 eggs with some cool stuff), parts of the massive Sim to Sim hunt (105 eggs across 20 sims), the Earthstones hunt (7 eggs including one for the guys) and I'm planning to start the Tuli multi-sim hunt this evening. So far the results have been as expected - some good, some not so good, some exactly my style, some decidedly not. What I've enjoyed the most is picking some examples work by designers I've not tried yet while still getting some goodies from my favorites.

Happy holiday weekend to all!

Clothing Fair - Relay for Life

Yes, no posts lately because I've been shopping (slowly, very slowly) and forking over my Lindens for Relay for Life at the Clothing Fair. I've made my first round of the seasonally themed sims and picked up a couple of things that I just couldn't leave behind. Mostly I window shopped and admired the huge amount of work that obviously went into putting the event together. When you go, be sure to carry lots of cash and spend it liberally to support the American Cancer Society.

With one stunning exception (like everyone else who blogged it, I just couldn't resist Nicky Ree's Mara in Ruby Red), I focused on designers who were new to me, collecting landmarks to stores I wanted to visit, soaking up the atmosphere and taking notes. I expect to spend most of my time for the next few days there, taking a closer look and picking up as many clothes as my budget allows. When you head over to the fair, be sure and minimize your prims and remove any HUDs to make the fair smoother for everyone.

The RFL 2008 Clothing Fair sims are Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring - start in any of them and just work your way through.

Outfit - Mara Collection (Ruby Red) by Nicky Ree