Black & White

I won 2nd place again in a costume contest a couple of weeks ago, but RL has kept me much too busy to blog the outfit until now.

The theme was simply "black & white." All I had to buy for this outfit was the Glam Rock Suit, bracelets, and hair. Okay, I didn't have to buy new hair, but I'm not one to let a good excuse for shopping go to waste. Plus, this style is simply too reminiscent of Cher for me to resist adding it to my wig collection.


Hair: Erase and Rewind by Exile ($1250L FatPack)
Skin: Nellie 02 - Fair - Glow Skin by LAQ ($1999L/10pk)
Eyeshadow: Barbarella Set 6 - 5 by La Boheme ($75L/10pk)
Eyeliner: Mile High Eyeliner - Black by Mock ($40L)
Eyelashes: Victorina Lashes - Noir by Mock ($40L)
Lipstick & Teeth: Ink Lipstick - Teeth by Pink Fuel ($75L/4pk)
Monroe Piercing: Metal Mouth MESH Round Dermals - Silent Rage by Haus of Darcy ($75L/16pk)
Tattoos: Shooting Star - Full Version by Para Designs ($175L)
Bra/Corset/Panties/Feathers: Glam Rock Suit by Gizza ($250L on the Marketplace)
Boots: Thigh High Boots - Liquorice Leather by Maitreya ($750L)
Hands: AvEnhance Hands Female - Casual by Slink ($450L)
Ring - Left Hand: Paragon Ring by Sn@tch (included with the Basic Latex Gloves set) ($155L)
Ring - Right Hand: Nebula by Kosh ($99L)
Bracelets: Boudica Armband - Black by Lassitude & Ennui ($120L on the Marketplace)

All poses by !bang.

Post-Holiday Bliss

Ah, post-holiday sales! They're even better in SL, because no one is running into your heels with shopping carts or cutting in front of you in the checkout line.

Tonight, I bring you news of a holiday gift and deeply-discounted items.

The hair I'm wearing is one of 3 holiday gifts from Exile. All 3 styles are available for purchase in the store, but these are a limited-edition Candy Cane color. (They're all red & white; the style I'm wearing has white streaks in the back.) The box (which is on a table directly across from the store's entrance) contains After the Rain (female - 2 sizes), Day The World Went Away (male and female versions), and High and Dry. High and Dry is sold in the shop as a male hair, but I love the way it looks on my avatar, I feel like P!nk. (It's mod, but required very little editing to fit my head.)

Exile: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Covet/131/140/33

The eyeshadow and lipstick I'm wearing are part of La Boheme's Year-End 60% Off Sale, which runs through December 31st. La Boheme's eyeshadows and lipsticks are NOT skin tone specific, so you can wear them with the skin of your choosing. That said, avatar shape DOES matter, so it's a good idea to try the free demos before buying. Due to the No Transfer nature of the products, La Boheme has a No Refunds policy.

La Boheme: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Wash/218/78/23

Hair: High and Dry - Candy Cane by Exile (Limited Edition Holiday Gift)
Hairbase: Babydoll - Tinted by Me (Free In-Store)
Skin: Nellie 02 [Fair] Glow skin by LAQ ($1999L/10pk)
Ears & Earrings: Steking_ears_ver2 by Mandala ($497L)
Monroe Piercing: Metal Mouth MESH Round Dermals - Silent Rage by Haus of Darcy ($75L/16pk)
Eyeshadow: Glamour Eyes - Cosmopolitan - Red by La Boheme (Currently $30L/10pk - 60% Off Sale)
Lipstick: Glossy Puce 3 by La Boheme (Currently $30L/10pk - 60% Off Sale)
Jacket: Paris Jacket by FashionNatic ($350L)
Necklace: "Love My Cat" Unisex Necklace by Lapointe & Bastchild (2014 Advent Calendar Gift)
Tattoos: Joan - Faded Coloured Ink by Cannibelle (No Longer Available)

Clubbin'

Another of my favorite stores for well-made, affordable clothing is Sn@tch. Not only can you often get Fatpacks of clothing for $200L, but they have riot vends, lucky boards, and a fishing area. I recently spent some time fishing for the Club Kid outfit because I was drawn to the feathered jacket - which I just now noticed I'm wearing the XL version of instead of XS, but I kind of like the way the over-sized version plays up the fluffy aspect. I know the coat can be purchased separately in a variety of colors, and I suspect most or all of the other outfit items can as well. The whole outfit is fabulous, but I wanted to show how the pieces can be mixed and matched with other items.

You can see the full Club Kid outfit over on the Sn@tch blog (scroll to the bottom of the post).



As you may have noticed, I sometimes wear items that are from my previous time in SL. To make my lindens stretch as far as possible, I try not to buy all new pieces for every outfit. At first, I wasn't going to do that for my blog posts, but I decided it would be good to show that some older items can still hold their own when worn with newer releases.

CLUB KID ITEMS:

Eye Makeup: 19 - Temptress Eye Makeup (Teal) by Sn@tch
Long Earrings: 13 - Winona Earring (Teal) by Sn@tch
Jacket: 15 - Disco Fur Jacket (Teal) by Sn@tch
Top: 6 - Fusion Latex Top (Black) by Sn@tch

OTHER ITEMS:

Hair: Nina - Raven by Exile ($1000L Fatpack)
Ears & Stud Earrings: Steking_ears_ver2 by Mandala ($497L)
Lipstick: Glossy Pout Lipstick - Deep - Plum by Pink Fuel ($250L Fatpack)
Piercing: Metal Mouth MESH Round Dermals - Silent Rage by Haus of Darcy ($75L/16pk)
Skin: Nellie 07 [Fair] Glow skin by LAQ ($1999L/10pk)
Eyes: Harley Quinn by Topazz (See This Post for Information)
Tattoo: Rasalhague - 50% by Letis Tattoo ($150L - Over 2 Years Old)
Ring: Devilisly in Love by Burroughs (Old Lucky Chair Item)
Hands: AvEnhance Hands Female - Casual by Slink ($450L)
Nails: Glitter Minerals *Slink* Manicure by La Boheme ($50L)
Belt: Gothic Cross Belly Chain by Twisted Rose (Over 2 Years Old)
Pants: Zipp Women's Leather Pants - Tucked by Lapointe & Bastchild ($599L)
Boots: Carissa Ankle Boots by Lapointe & Bastchild ($599L)

Poses: All Poses Are Over 2 Years Old

Lorelei

I finally made it to Cirque de Seraphim the other night and, though I didn't buy a lot, I did go home with a few things that caught my fancy. The first item was this cropped sweater and slit skirt set by Goth1c0. They're another vendor who's been around since my rez day in 2006, and I was pleased to discover they're still in business. The outfit seemed like something my RL friend Lorelei would like so, even though she's not in SL, I decided to put together a look based on her style. I'd already had my eye on Schadenfreude's Alchemy Stacked Necklaces at this month's Collabor88 and, since I felt they'd go well with the outfit and also fit Lorelei's style, I patiently tried over and over to get to Collabor88 until, finally, the sim was no longer full and I could dash over and buy a few necklaces.



Cirque de Seraphim also yielded a lovely Slink compatible thigh and foot tattoo set from Pervette. (And a second outfit that I hope to blog very soon.) The skirt would probably fit better with heels but, to be honest, I liked the look of it so much while barefoot that I never even bothered to try on shoes with it.




The rings are ones I've had for a long time, but they're both still available (at least on the Marketplace). The eyes were a splurge but they come with a HUD that has an insane amount of customization options. At $395L, they actually feel like a bargain because I doubt I'll ever have to buy another pair of eyes again. I highly recommend grabbing the demo off of the Marketplace and then watching the demonstration video over on YouTube.


Hair: Locomotion by Exile ($1000L Fatpack)
Skin: Nellie 06 [Fair] Glow skin by LAQ ($1999L/10pk)
Eyeshadow: Electric Soft by La Boheme ($180L/10pk)
Lipstick & Teeth: Ink Lipstick - Teeth by Pink Fuel ($75L/4pk)
Eyes: FATEeyes v3.0 by Fate ($395L on the Marketplace)
Glasses: Nerd Glasses - Black by Voxxi ($10L on the Marketplace)
Piercing: Metal Mouth MESH Round Dermals - Silent Rage by Haus of Darcy ($75L/16pk)
Top & Skirt: The Moon Outfit by Goth1c0 @ Cirque de Seraphim ($169L)
Small Necklaces: Digital Alchemy Stacked Necklaces by Schadenfreude @ Collabor88 ($88L for each style in 7 lengths)
Large Necklace: Signature necklace 2013 - Gold by Lassitude & Ennui (Free)
Tattoos: The Deer and The Fox by Pervette @ Cirque de Seraphim ($120L)
Ring - Right Hand: Nebula by Kosh ($99L)
Ring - Left Hand: Foy Porter - Sapphire + Silver by Alchemy Immortalis ($99L)
Nails: Karma *Slink* Manicure & Pedicure by La Boheme ($50L)
Hands: AvEnhance Hands Female - Casual by Slink ($450L)
Feet: AvEnhance Feet Female - Flat by Slink ($675L)

Poses: Various poses included with Modeling Photo Studio S70 VH1.7 by Tricolore (Over 2 Years Old)

I Am Sam I Am

And so it begins - the posts about all of the nifty Lapointe & Bastchild clothing Orlando recently gifted me with. Unsurprisingly, there wasn't a single item I tried on that I didn't like. I've put the photos together in triptychs and polyptychs, roughly grouped by style, but I might spotlight a few particular outfits here and there in the future. These photos were actually taken at the end of the night, after I'd tried on all of my gifts and picked up the September group gift that was still out in front of L&B's store as of today. (There's a t-shirt version for the men.)

I also got Sam I Am the cat from Orlando. She's adorable, with a lot of interactive options and random behaviors, including one which tells you that you can't play with her because she's napping - which is what happened when I tried to cuddle her for the photos above. (So, basically, just like almost any RL cat.)



FIRST PHOTO:
Hair:  Nina - Cayenne by Exile ($1000L Fatpack)
Skin: Nellie 04 [Fair] Glow skin by LAQ ($1999L/10pk)
Ears & Earrings: Steking_ears_ver2 by Mandala ($497L)
Eyes: Harley Quinn by Topazz (See Previous Post for Information)
Hands: AvEnhance Hands Female - Casual by Slink ($450L)
Necklace: Signature necklace 2013 - Silver by Lassitude & Ennui (Free)
Phone: Halloween Smartphone - Jessica Rabbit (Rare) by L'Anguisette ($50L Gatcha)
Shirt: S'wear Classic Woman's Tank Top - Short by Lapointe & Bastchild (Group Gift - Free to Join)
Jeans: Flare Jeans by Lapointe & Bastchild ($699L - Fatpack w/ Color HUD)
Shoes: S'wear Bianca Ankle Boots by Lapointe & Bastchild
Manicure & Pedicure: LeopardGlitter *Slink* Manicure & Pedicure by La Boheme ($50L)
Tattoo: Joan ~ Faded Coloured Ink by Cannibelle ($79L SL Marketplace Only)
Poses: Most Wanted AO by Vista Animations ($1900L)

SECOND PHOTO:
Hair: London to L.A by Exile (Pending Release)
Skin: Nellie [Fair] Glow skin by LAQ ($1999L/10pk)
Makeup: I don't remember if I was even wearing any that day.
Eyes: Dramatic - DeepSea by MiaSnow ($300L Fatback on Sale)
Jacket, Shirt, Tie (One Piece) & Skirt (Not Seen): Mason Suit (Blue) by A:S:S
($100L at Genre - Androgynous) (Shirt & Tie have color-changing HUD)
Madonna Piercing: Metal Mouth MESH Round Dermals - Silent Rage by Haus of Darcy ($75L/16pk)
Cat: by KittyCats (Adopted from a friend. Cost Unknown.)

Location: My new and still-undecorated townhouse.

Happiness is...

I have the best friends EVER! Today while I was getting in some sorely-missed SL social time, my friend Orlando was off shopping and dropping bags from Lapointe & Bastchild on my head. I was buried in them by the time he was done! I'm pleased that L&B is still around, as they're one of the best fashion designers in SL, and thrilled to have a bunch of new clothes from them to try on. (I'm sure a photo or several will show up here.) THANK YOU, ORLANDO!

I also want to mention the mobile phone I'm holding in the photo below. While wandering around yesterday looking for interesting and PG-rated gatcha machines for adults, I stumbled across L'Anguisette Skin & Body Shoppe and their smartphone gatchas. One is Halloween themed and the other has a variety of phones with Jessica Rabbit, Marilyn Monroe, Marla Singer (!!!!) and other fun designs. At just $50L a play, I couldn't resist - especially since each phone comes with a typing animation. (A "no animation" version is also included.) I was excited when my first play yielded one of the Jessica Rabbit phones, but disappointed to receive a script error when I wore it. I contacted the store's owner, Phedre Lowtide, said "hello," and politely explained my problem. She responded very quickly, apologized for the problem, and cheerfully fixed it right away. I was so impressed by her stellar customer service, that I commissioned her to make 2 sets of custom smartphones with photos of my friends and their partners on the back. They're gorgeous and I'll likely be ordering more in the future. L'Anguisette Skin & Body Shoppe is a fairly new vendor, but one I think is worth keeping your eye on.




Hair:  Nina - Fern by Exile ($1000L Fatpack)
Skin: Nellie 07 [Fair] Glow skin by LAQ ($1999L/10pk)
Ears & Earrings: Steking_ears_ver2 by Mandala ($497L) (Appliers Sold Separately)
Hands: AvEnhance Hands Female - Casual by Slink ($450L)
Necklace: Signature necklace 2013 - Silver by Lassitude & Ennui (Free)
Dress: Leopard by BN Designs (Group Gift - Free to Join)
Phone: Halloween Smartphone - Jessica Rabbit (Rare) by L'Anguisette ($50L Gatcha)
Feet: AvEnhance Feet Female - High by Slink ($675L)
Shoes: Kristen Slink Heels by FashionNatic ($380L) (Color Changing HUD)
Manicure & Pedicure: LeopardGlitter *Slink* Manicure & Pedicure by La Boheme($50L)
Tattoo: Joan ~ Faded Coloured Ink by Cannibelle ($79L SL Marketplace Only)
Madonna Piercing: Metal Mouth MESH Round Dermals - Silent Rage by Haus of Darcy ($75L/16pk)

Pose: Fantasy Voila by Long Awkward Pose (Over 2 Years Old)
Expression: Expression v1.0 by AnyPose ($0) (Over 2 Years Old)

Location: My new and still-undecorated townhouse.

Haunted Halloween Sim 2014

While poking around for gatcha machines tonight, I stumbled across the Masoma County- Haunted Halloween Sim.  Less than 5 minutes into my journey through the gloomy sim and I knew I had to share it with you guys.  If you have a bit of time today, I recommend paying the sim a visit for a bit a spooky fun time while you do a bit of shopping.

Who knows?  You might make a new friend...


Just don't get too close.



Hair:  Nina - Rust by Exile ($1000L Fatpack)
Cat Ears:Special Pussycat Headband by Sn@tch ($50L) (color-changing HUD)
Skin: Nellie 10 [Fair] Glow skin by LAQ ($1999L/10pk)
Ears & Earrings: Steking_ears_ver2 by Mandala ($497L)
Makeup: Mile High Eyeliner by M.O.C.K. Cosmetics ($40L)
Cat Makeup: Kitty Face Tattoo by It Figures ($5L - Marketplace)
Eyes: Dramatic - DeepSea by MiaSnow ($300L Fatback on Sale)
Jacket & Shirt : Paris Jacket by  FashionNatic (350L) (color-changing HUD)
Madonna Piercing: Metal Mouth MESH Round Dermals - Silent Rage by Haus of Darcy ($75L/16pk)

I'm Back!

Hair: Nina - Mystery by Exile ($1000L Fatpack)
Jacket: Maisie by FashionNatic ($280L for a full outfit w/ a ton of HUD options)

It took a lot longer than I'd anticipated - over 2 years - but I'm finally back in SL. Since I've been gone for so long, my avatar needed nearly a complete overhaul. Well, okay, she didn't need one, but I kept hearing about Slink hands and feet and the progress of mesh items and was feeling a bit shabby. So, like the day I first logged in nearly 8 1/2 years ago, my dear friend Nigel gave me a short list of "must haves" and took me shopping. That's him in the photo above, patiently loitering behind me as I try on skin& shape demos. (Doesn't he look like a cute little shoulder pet?)

I'm sure it will take me awhile to get up-to-speed with the changes of the past few years, but I hope to soon resume semi-regular updates here. For now, I'm going shopping to fill my closets and furnish my cute new home. (Seen behind me in the photo below.)



Hair: London to L.A: 4. Dark Red by Exile (Pending Release)
Skin: Nellie 08 [Fair] Glow skin by LAQ ($1999L/10pk)
Makeup: Corner of Olive & Vine Foiled Eyeshadow by M.O.C.K. Cosmetics (Old Hunt Gift)
Eyes: Dramatic - DeepSea by MiaSnow ($300L Fatback on Sale)
Jacket, Shirt, Tie (One Piece) & Skirt (Not Seen): Mason Suit (Blue) by A:S:S
($100L at Genre - Androgynous) (Shirt & Tie have color-changing HUD)
Madonna Piercing: Metal Mouth MESH Round Dermals - Silent Rage by Haus of Darcy ($75L/16pk)

What if we all wore the Same Damn Thing?

Achariya Rezak once said...

What if we all wore the same damned thing?
I think...
We'd still look very different.

The second entry which was postponed by Real Life was a response to Cajsa Lilliehook's suggestion that we "wave a blogger’s goodbye" to Achariya for her 3 1/2 years of blogging service to the Second Life community by replaying "one of her best Blogger Challenges, the Same Damn Thing Challenge."

For this particular challenge, Achariya chose the Oxford Shirt from Schadenfreude. This shirt comes in 30 different colors with a variety of tucked/untucked options on several layers. Individual colors can be had for $160L each or you can grab the fat pack of all 30 colors for $3500L.

For your accessory needs, Schadenfreude also offers a plethora of neckties for as low as $80L for a 2pk. Each tie comes in both female/male sizes with a variety of attachment points. However, the neatest thing about these ties is that they also offer you an Oxford Collar option with a color-changing HUD which allows you to match the collar to ANY of the Oxford Shirts you may own. How cool is that?! (They also come without the attached collar so you can wear them with anything else you please.)

I wore my Indigo Oxford Shirt untucked with a Fluorite Tree Tie, a silver belt by La Boheme, leopard-print pants by Sn@tch, and cowboy boots by Hoorenbeek. Also, as promised, I've finally ventured into the world of prim nails with a gorgeous red set by La Boheme. Below are all of the details of my outfit, with prices included when possible.

Thank you, Achariya, for giving those of us with quirky fashion sense somewhere to turn to for ideas for so long and for inspiring me to finally start my own damn blog. I wish you the best of luck in all of your future endeavors.



Skin: Love - Pale (Liner, Red Lip) by MiaSnow
Eyes: Xpressive - Blue by MiaSnow
Facial Piercings: -Dimpled Piercing - Silver Lining by Haus of Darcy
Prim Nails: Manicure Red08 by La Boheme
Hair: H058 Black/Blonde_01 by Black Maria ($125L/6pk)
Shirt: Oxford - Indigo by Schadenfreude
Tie: Fluorite Tree Tie by Schadenfreude ($80/pr)
Pants: Reject Cheetah Pants - Green by Sn@tch (Part of the Rodeo Reject Set.)
Belt: Silver Flower Sun Belt (with color-change stones) by La Boheme ($100L)
Boots: Cowgirl Boots - Black by Hoorenbeek
Close Up Pose: *Luth* pose 37 by Reel Expression
Full Body Pose: LB Stand 20 by Reel Expression
Location: Devil's Moon

You can take the goth out of the country...

I always get a bit nostalgic when I shop at Nomine because it's where I bought my very first skin back in June of 2006. (For those who are curious, it was Leanan Sidhe in red.) While the layout and location have changed over the years, Nomine is still one of my go-to places when I'm trying to pull together a particularly gothy look. As you can see from the Dust Storm dress I'm wearing here, Nomine's Munchflower Zaius isn't afraid to deviate from the cliched styles and colors which so many goth designers rely on a bit too heavily for my tastes. I grabbed this dress at a $100L sale Nomine had awhile back, but paying the regular list price of $300L would be a worthy splurge. (Except for brightening it a bit, the first image here is untouched so you can see how well the prim bits of the dress mesh with the textures of the surrounding pieces.) The dress is available in 7 different color schemes, including Voodoo Pink and Bleeding Black. Stop by the store and slap the subscribe-o-matic to be notified of new releases and future sales.

My hair is a recent group gift from Magika ($50L for everyone else) in a limited Valentine's Day color which is sadly no longer available. However, they do currently have a free fatpack of female hair in the store (a bob with several different hud-controlled appearance and color options) as well as a back room with a wide variety of $49L and $99L hairs.

Though the Dust Storm dress comes with matching stockings, I decided to tomboy things up a bit and wear some of Schadenfreude's stripey socks. These come in a fatpack of 10 colors, which each color on 3 different layers for layering with other clothing ($100L). Schadenfreude's Elephant on Lloyd is one of my favorite places to peruse for pieces for my carny outfits (and not just because I get to slide down a fireman's pole), so I'm sure this isn't going to be the last time they appear in this blog.

The boots I'm wearing are one of two free pairs of shoes being offered to N-core group members. The other pair can be seen in my previous entry. Both pairs of shoes come with several hud-controlled options (including on/off and color options for the slouchy socks seen here) and the group is free to join.

Finally, I think the Croire pose I'm using in the photo below was one of the store's offerings in a recent hunt but, for the life of me, I can't remember which one. I try to keep better track of such information, but sometimes I get careless (or lazy) and the Forgetfulness Faeries gobble up the information like sugar junkies in a chocolate factory.




Hair: Nayla - Heart by Magika (Special Valentine's Color)
Skin: Fresh - Pale - Nude Blush by MiaSnow
Eyes: Xpressive - Blue - Lite by MiaSnow (FREE at the Fab Free Headquarters)
Face Piercing: Monroe Stud - Left - Platinum by Oh Tangerine
Necklace: Beaded Key Necklace - Trinity Blue by Magpie
Dress: Dust Storm Dress - HyaBlue by Nomine (matching socks not worn here)
Bracelets & Watch: Troupe Watch - Natural by Miel (scripted color-change)
Tall Socks: Knit Stripey Socks - Blue by Schadenfreude
Boots & Ankle Socks: 3" Ankle Multicolor Boots by N-core (Current Group Gift)
Tattoo: Shooting Star - Faded by Para Designs
Pose in First Photo: Show Off Yer Bling 3 by Croire

The first photo was taken on the island I call home, the second photo was taken outside of Haus of Darcy on Dark Tranquility.