Tuesday, July 31, 2012

STELLA



Time to get in the mood for all things Vintage! Whether you want to look back at the Fashions and Furnishings your grandparents used, or glam up like one of the classic screen stars of a black-and-white era, you will find what you are looking for at Vintage Fair.



Now, you know I like to play dress up. Don't you? You'll get your chance on August 4th through the 29th. I'm glad it will be open so long, because we'll all need plenty of time to browse and enjoy.



(I cheated a little. Diram made two versions of this outfit: one is a short dress, the other is a bolero jacket and short pants. The hat came with the dress version but here I'm wearing it here with the bolero.)

Hat/Bolero Jacket: Diram "Brigitte" (new at Vintage Fair)
Skirt: Mon Tissu "Oxford Pencil Skirt"
Shoes: Ingenue "Gatsby Heels" (available at Vintage Fair)
Hair: booN "KED937"
Hairbase: booN "gathered lower hairbase"
Skin: Curio ":GP: Moonbeam [Light] Sweetheart - Rose"
Radio: by Aris Aris
Poses: by CheerNo (new at Vintage Fair)

Love,
Serene

Thursday, July 26, 2012

QUICKSILVER



One of my favorites from Hair Fair is this new shop called Gotzsche. The "Elizabeth" hair is draped in lovely almost Art Nouveau waves, but the style is very understated. I love a pleasant surprise, and I am looking forward to seeing what else they offer.



And this very simple outfit is made stellar by some rock-star cosmetics sold as a charity benefit item by Kooqla. These eyeshadows are being sold as a pack over at the Hope for Emilia Event that is raising funds to help after the Earthquake in Italy. The pack comes in several shades that you can see here in the vendor photo. If your wallet is very empty you can purchase the green "Nefrit" shadow for just L$1.



... And I think Apple May is giving us a very feminine piece in this mesh skirt. I don't usually think that hard geometrics emphasize my form, but I'm happy to be shown when I'm wrong!

Shirt: Whippet and Buck "I'll be a Ghost" (unavailable)
Skirt: Apple May Designs "Janessa" (mesh)
Shoes: Pixel Mode "Baby T's"
Hair: Gotzsche "Elizabeth" (mesh)
Skin: Kooqla "Secret Garden"
Eyes: Ikon "Horizon"
Lashes: Glow Studio "Innocent. eyelashes - pure"
Shadow: Kooqla "Chameleon Moon" (Hope for Emilia Fundraiser)
Facelight: NLight FREE 2.0 (free on SL Marketplace)
Poses: by Don't Freak Out (and using the Berries "Headfreezer")

Love,
Serene

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

HUNTING BENTHAM



The best thing a hunter can learn is to master the ability to hold perfectly still and listen. If they don't hear you, the other inhabitants of the woods will go quietly about their business. But maybe not quietly enough.



But sometimes something dangerous might be hunting you. Time to go!



Aaaah! ... just a bird. *whew*

(Even though these pants from the Essencial shop are a plain rendition of a full perm kit, I still rather like them for roleplay purposes. The full perm mesh kit for these harem pants are over here on Meli Imako's Marketplace shop if you would like to take a look.)

Headscarf: Lelutka "Faith" (Hair Fair Benefit Bandanna)
Jacket: Gisaci "Primavera"
Pants: Essencial "Baggy Pants" (mesh)
Boots: Coco "Suede Boots" (group gift)
Necklace: Sey "Edokin" (from their freebie room)
Gloves: Celoe "Mery" (mesh)
Bow: Harbinger and Stormie "Hunter's Bow"
Skin: Curio ":GP: Bean Frex [Dark] Fall"
Eyes: Ikon "Horizon"
Facelight: NLight Free 2.0 (free on SL Marketplace)
Poses: by Olive Juice (unavailable) and Miamai
Location: Bentham Woods

Love,
Serene

Sunday, July 22, 2012

BUTTONED DOWN



My dog was a gift at the SL Birthday celebration. I'm kinda digging on it cause it's quiet, low maintenance, and I don't have to follow it around cleaning up after it. Sounds like the perfect man, right?



I saw this Vest on the feeds and went to look at the shop a few days ago. LeSe is fairly new and seems to exclusively provide mesh clothes made from full-perm clothing mesh you can purchase on the Marketplace. Most of the clothes seem to be made from Meli Imako mesh, which is very popular right now because it is very inexpensive. This vest however is based on mesh created by Red Poly. I mention this because you are sure to see several other designers present the same vest with their own fabrics, and it seems to be gone from the LeSe shop. ( I already spotted one in blue over on Seraphim's coverage of the Grunge Soul Project.)



I changed the lighting on this last pic so you could get a clearer look at this coif. LaViere is new to the hair business, but hit this one out of the park. The way the hair lays around my ears is perfection. *mwah*

Vest: Le*Se "Buttoned Vest" (mesh by Red Poly)
Skirt: Aura "Bulletproof" (mesh)
Shoes: Your Skin and Your Shape "Brera"
Hair: LaViere "Ambush"
Skin: Kooqla "Ojen"
Eyes: Ikon "Horizon"
Lashes: by Hebenon Vial (unavailable)
Facelight: NLight FREE 2.0 (free on SL Marketplace)
Doggie: BioBreeds (this is a model; they make breedables)

Love,
Serene

Monday, July 16, 2012

HALF HITCH MARINA



Believe it or not, it was very easy to fit this new hairdo under my Captain's Hat. And no hat-head when I took it off later, either. I love it!



I love the shape of this shirt because it is loose and comfy in this hot hot weather. But it isn't too baggy to see that I am a woman. I still have a waist.



Okay just one more pretty shot of the Marina ... I love water!



Hat: Kari "Aye Aye Cap"
Tanktop: Bilo "Boyfriend Tank" (mesh)
Shorts: TokiDoki "Artisan Shorts" (mesh)
Jewelry: Earthstones "Tumbled Stones" (previous Collabor88 event)
Shoes: Ingenue "Organique Flats"
Hair: Lamb "Wild at Heart" (mesh)(at Hair Fair)
Skin: Illusory "Love_Cocoa - Shindig" (previous TDR)
Eyes: Ikon "Horizon"
Facelight: Nlight FREE 2.0 (free on SL Marketplace)
Poses: by Animazoo, Diesel Works and Frooti
Location: Half Hitch

Love,
Serene

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

WHILE YOU ARE WAITING



Can't get into One Voice?



Stop obsessively clicking "Teleport" for a minute, and pop over to LoLo. The shops over there are having a fabulous sale.



I picked up a couple of outfits at Ingenue. And even if you aren't into "Retro" fashion, there are some tasty shoes and belts. Fifty Percent Off. I was tempted to buy Fatpacks of a couple of things, the only thing that stopped me was, I need to save a little money for Hair Fair :D  ... You have fun now!

Skin: Curio ":GP: Bean [Light] Pout - Whine 1"
Hair: Exile "Break Away" (One Voice Fundraiser)
Sweater: Ingenue "Marguerite" (50% off)
Pants: Ingenue "Katherine Trousers in Tweed" (50% off)
Belt: Ingenue "Bertille Belt" (50% off)
Boots: Ingenue "Jude" (50% off? I'm not sure. I already had these)
Shirt: Ingenue "Adelaide" (50% off)
Skirt: Ingenue "Lana" (50% off)
Waist Cincher: Ingenue "Traveler Belt" (50% off)
Flats: Ingenue "Nina" (50% off)
Eyes: Ikon "Horizon"
Lashes: Glow Studio "Innocent. eyelashes - pure"
Poses: by Long Awkward Pose (unavailable) and Marukin

Love,
Serene

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

THE PHOENIX



The mythological Phoenix always rises from its ashes.



But I bet those flames hurt every time.



Still, I suppose while anyone is suffering, it's good to have friends.

Skin: Curio ":GP: Moonbeam [Light] Lovely-Firehouse 2"
Dress: Schadenfreude "Phoenix Firefield" (mesh)(One Voice Fundraiser)
Dollie: Silentsparrow "Phoenix Owl-ee" (mesh)(One Voice Fundraiser)
Hair: Exile "Break Away" (One Voice Fundraiser)
Leggings: The Secret Store "Red Wool Tights"
Boots: Lassitude and Ennui "Flutter Boots" (mesh)
Headband: Silentsparrow "Jolie Headband" (texture change HUD)
Eyes: Ikon "Horizon"
Lashes: Glow Studio "Innocent. eyelashes - pure"
Facelight: Nlight Free 2.0 (free on SL Marketplace)
Poses: by Long Awkward Pose (unavailable)

Love,
Serene

ONE VOICE SPEAKS



Maybe you've been in a coma away and you haven't heard about the One Voice fundraiser to help pay for Gala Phoenix's legal bills. She is going to court to defend the originality of her skin art. While her shop has been closed, pending the court case, she does not have a Second Life income to rely on to pay legal fees.



This outfit is mostly made of pieces available at the One Voice fundraiser. All the products there are set to donate either 50% or 100%. Personally I was happy to go. I love the creativity and beauty of Second Life, and I would hate for SL's best designers to come to get even more cynical about the DMCA system and walk away. Wouldn't you?



Top: Ingenue "Mignon" (mesh)(One Voice benefit item Collabor88 sorry!)
Slacks: The Sea Hole "Silk Duploni Beachcombers" (mesh)(One Voice benefit item)
Jewels: Addiction "Antique Blossom in Pearl" (One Voice benefit item)
Hair: Exile "Break Away" (One Voice benefit item)
Skin: Curio ":GP: Moonbeam Frex [Dark] Sweetheart Rose"
Shoes: Lassitude and Ennui "Nyrha" (mesh)(texture change)
Eyes: Ikon "Horizon"
Poses: by Frooti

Love,
Serene

Monday, July 9, 2012

ENCOURAGEMENT



I love arty people. The brave and motivated people who create something the best they can. They risk rejection by setting up shop one day, and hoping someone will like their work. I guess that includes builders, designers and bloggers.



Not all of us are equally talented, it's true, but there's nothing I like better than watching someone gradually learn skills. Imagine me sitting on the bleachers, cheering them on and waving a pair of pompoms madly. That is why I don't like the idea of "exclusive" fashion feeds. (That, and I'm not on any yet :D) That is why I don't mind designers who manage to make something original out of clothing templates or full-perm mesh kits. That is why I love to see creative reworks of open-use skin templates like Eloh Eliot's.

Conversely, I can't stand lazy people who rip real creatives off just to get a few bucks. Go buy some full-perm templates and make your own, will you please?



I have more respect for the marginal creators who slowly work their way up to some skills, so I decided to feature a couple of them today. For a while now I have been receiving and dutifully opening review copies from Alli and Ali Hair and from Graffitiwear. Now I'll be honest, most of the products popping out of these boxes are not my style and also not up to the skill level that I would like, but I decided to review these. Please take what I say as constructive, because I don't bother to critique people that I feel have no talent.

Graffitiwear is a shop that mostly makes clothes of a low-rent urban design, let's say from a neighborhood that is rapidly becoming a red-light district. The clothing is template-based (not necessarily a bad thing), brightly colored but mostly lacking in original details or shading. I still open some of their review boxes to keep an eye on any style or skill changes and was surprised to see this southwest-style turqouise necklace pop out of the box. (Not the round beads, those are from Aura.) Not bad right? A nice accessory that goes well with this summer's popular bright colors. Good job.

Alli and Ali is an example of a Hair brand that is trying hard but needs some work. Most of their hair uses very "old-school" construction using a base of sculpted prims covered with a ring of identical repeating flexiprims. The flexis on the long hairs poke into your shoulders. The textures are very high-contrast and uncomfortably shiny-looking. And annoyingly, the hairs all come set to full-bright. (But it is modifiable so feel free to turn that off.) ... On the positive side, I am beginning to see hairs that are less shiny, more creative in construction, and showing signs of growth. I tried on this hair and said, "Hmm." (Imagine the pleasantly surprised tone.) I turned off the full-bright and scowled at the long bits that were cutting into my shoulders. The hair is editable so I shortened the wisps in front and then sat back to look at the results. "This one is actually kind of cute." There are still a few repeating flexiprims, but do-able. Don't you think?

Hair: Alli and Ali "Dakota" (slightly modified)
Necklace: Graffitiwear "Native American Pendant" (earrings available)
Skin: Curio ":GP: Bean Frex [Light] Elf-Snug 1"
Vest: TokiDoki "Sango" (group gift)
Shirt: Whippet and Buck "Cole Boatneck"
Pants: Tableau Vivant "Shindig Pants" (fitted for men)
Necklace: Aura "Beaded Boho" (mesh)
Shoes: Surf Couture "Shoelace Sandals" (unavailable I think)
Eyes: Ikon "Horizon"
Lashes: Hebenon Vial "Dramatique" (unavailable)
Facelight: Nlight Free 2.0 (free on SL Marketplace)
Poses: by Marukin

Love,
Serene

Thursday, July 5, 2012

SPOOKY OLD WOODS


Hey there little Red Riding Hood
You sure are looking good
You're everything a big bad wolf could want.


Little Red Riding Hood
I don't think little big girls should
Go walking in these spooky old woods alone.


What big eyes you have,
The kind of eyes that drive wolves mad.
So just to see that you don't get chased
I think I ought to walk with you for a ways.

What full lips you have.
They're sure to lure someone bad.
So until you get to grandma's place
I think you ought to walk with me and be safe.

I'm gonna keep my sheep suit on
Until I'm sure that you've been shown
That I can be trusted walking with you alone.

Hair/Hood: Exile "Lady in Red" (mesh)(at Fairy Tales Event)
Shirt/Collar/Gloves: PixelDolls "Bella" (unavailable)
Skirt: So Many Styles "Fairy Tales Print Skirt" (mesh)(at Fairy Tales Event)
Skin: Kooqla "Okania" (group gift)
Eyes: Ikon "Horizon"
Lashes: Glow Studio "Innocent. eyelashes - pure"
Poses: by Long Awkward Pose (unavailable)
Location: Rackingham State Hospital
Lyrics: Amanda Seyfried

Love,
Serene