[Gauze] Stained

I just realized it's been almost an entire week since the season premiere of America's Next Top Model (Cycle 12) and I haven't used it once in a post! Not that it's an addiction I'm proud of. I mean, admitting to watching reality TV at all is enough of a stigma I'm sure I've lost all kinds of credibility already. Seriously. Look away, I'm ashamed... okay?

Of course, it IS an excuse to mix some margaritas every Wednesday night and pop some popcorn... maybe have a few friends over and spend an hour watching Tyra's celebration of herself over 12 or 13 model hopefuls in their caricaturish drama blowups. It's an homage to vanity, seriously. Sooo, why do I watch it?

Oh, I know, because every 'cycle' there's at least one or two girls that really stand out. It's all editing, I'm sure, but there's always your 'queen bitch's' presented for your booing and hissing pleasure (don't spill your margarita!) and then there's the cool girls. There's always at least one. It can change too (editing again!); you can start out just hating one girl and by the end of the season you finally get her. It goes both ways of course, someone you love week one can show her 'true' colors eventually and you end up screaming at the screen throwing pillows while lime sour, triple sec and tequila squirt out your nose. Oh, it's happened (I'm looking at YOU cycle 11 season finale).

ANYWAY, I've got an early favorite this season, which is rare. I usually wait a week or two to decide, but week 1 winner Allison is ohhh so interesting. It's been the thing the last few ANTM cycles to have at least one or two gimmick contestants. We've got our 'plus-size' models (which seriously, is totally ridiculous. Have you SEEN these girls? 'Plus-size' to ANTM is like an 8, gawd) and there's been an Asperger's model (Heather Kuzmich, my FAVE from cycle 9). We've seen homeless model's and legally blind models... whatever. ALLISON is different. ALLISON likes blood. Totally awesome. I mean, I like blood. We're not talking liking blood in a cutter way or anything, but wow... Allison's a girl with a dark side. And, she's totally gorgeous with her pixie shape and huge Christina Ricci-ish eyes... I'm probably going to take a stab (HA!) at making a shape of her...

Anyway, she's a girl after my own heart. It's an edge, and I LIKE edges. Yukio Ida understands; he's on the edge. Oh wait, I guess I should mention... Yuki's been putting his Illuminati store through a little bit of a rebranding lately. Soo, apparently while his unique and artful skins will still be Illuminati, his clothes are now going under the name Gauze. Still a work in progress, and the climax I guess will be the grand opening of his new mainstore once the Sn@tch City sim is complete; updates to follow, I'm sure.

So, new from Gauze is Stained: a very simple, sexy halter with matching gloves. Yuki's always done some of my favorite texture work in SL, and it's really amazing to see how much he's done with so little; the more than appropriate gauzey material looks so real, and the cut is daring and sexy. The colors are deep and beautiful, and there's a whole range to choose from; ivory, black, red (shown), purple and more.

It's gorgeous, it's dark, fun, sexy... it's all sorts of things. Love it.

Worn:

Top:
Illuminati [Gauze] Stained Halter and Gloves
Hair:
Sadistic Hacker Corvus (Deep Red)
Skin:
[Curio] Lumine (Rosette)

Blackstar~Lost

Blogging, fashion or otherwise, is a real process. A lot goes into it. Obviously, especially for blogging fashion, you need a subject, something to photograph and ultimately review. That's just basic. That's a given. That's why we're here. Of course, the clothing is someone elses, the photography is working sliders in SL and maybe doing some post-prod editing like borders and stuff. Boom and boom. Done.

Well, not exactly... because we still have to look at all the other stuff that goes into a post. Words have to come from somewhere, right? There's caffeine, of course. I mean, caffeine is pretty much the battery from which all literature flows I think... it's the opium of the 21st century (no offense to Mary Shelley). We can't forget MUSIC either. Thank god for sites like Blip.fm for a totally random mix of faves from around the world (I happen to be listening to Pussy by the Brazilian Girls at the moment...oop, just ended... what's next? Wow, it's Waterloo by Abba. Totally nuts.)

Okay, so we've got our pics, we've got our little caffeine buzz (brought to us today by Full Throttle energy coffee drink), there's some random song coming up again, and I've decided to sit down in front of the computer.

So maybe my recipe for a blog isn't exactly like everyone elses, but I'll bet it's pretty close. I'll bet it's not too far off from just about anyone who enjoys creating something (or doesn't enjoy it, all you tortured artists out there :p). The basics might all be the same, but the end product is yours alone. Izzy Dench from Blackstar I'm sure has her own process... sure, it might not be too far off from half a dozen designers in SL, but where we land is with outfits like 'Lost'.

Cute, sexy, and most importantly, really well made, Lost comes with a grungy ripped tank and a prim skirt with some really really amazing detailing. You've got little skulls hanging from a well-crafted chain and a belt I wish I owned in RL.
Lost also comes with stockings and socks on the pants level in multiple options, although the look worked better on my AV without. Lost is punk meets Mad Max; grungy, schmexxy, fun and almost scandalously short. The itty bitty skirt certainly isn't something new in SL, but you'd have trouble finding one better made than this. Of course the skirt is mod but also comes in multiple sizes, which is awesome because I usually find it hard sometimes to shrink a skirt down to my dimensions... no prob with Lost.

So yah, a WIN. Whatever Izzy's doing, I'd love to see more from it. Blackstar is the place to watch for grungy punky styles, so pay attention... there's lots more like this, but plenty variety to choose from.

Blackstar Main Store

Goth1c0~L'Oscurita Della Luce

I believe in magic.

You kind of have to, don't you? Isn't Second Life pretty much exactly like the stories we heard when we were little? That fantasy world, that place where all sorts of mystical and magical people and creatures ran around doing their mystical and magical things. It's that magic place. The Labyrinth is real, you really CAN go over the rainbow, and of course Fantasia really wasn't a dream. Let the unbelievers stay Muggles, we've finally got our dream world.

I think everyone believes in it just a little, even the most techie scripter or serious business owner. Something happened, some story you read or movie you grew up with put a little seed in your head and here we are. Fashion is a really limiting word sometimes, because it seems to just define cut and color and style. Which it totally IS, of course... I mean, goth is goth and glam is glam. It's not like Second Life is just one fantasy world after all.

That song your listening to, the book your reading now, and how you choose to make your avatar are all a part of that same thing. I believe in magic because of books from Ursula K. Leguin and movies like The Neverending Story... and that's probably why I like Keishii Roo's L'Oscurita Della Luce from Goth1c0. I think it's the classic gothic style mixed with a very contemporary punk sensibility that brings this sexy, interesting and just so witchy look to life. Keishii Roo really nailed it, and why not? She's been a fixture in the goth/punk fashion scene in Second Life long enough to know how.

The dress comes with sexy stripey stickings and the prim cuffs and skirt have some lovely detailing that holds up pretty well under close scrutiny. Overall, it's a sexy look without being trampy, and perfect for your next coven get-together. Of course, it's probably not strictly just for witches... there's plenty of room for you vampires or emos in Second Life too.

Dress:
Goth1c0 L'Oscurita Della Luce

Boots:
+*susie*+ Goth/Punk [ODEKO] boots

Skin:
Nightshade Designs Obsession (Ruby)

Hair:
Tukinowaguma Hairstyles Anzu (Black)

Necklace:
+SPICA SHOP+ Long Volcanic Glass Necklace

*Powers of Creation* Very Petticoat

You know what's really hard to find? A comprehensive history of latex fashion. Seriously, I looked. I mean, ok, so if you google a search for it some sites pop up, but a lot of them I didn't really want to click on because they just didn't look...um... safe.

Not that there aren't some very at least 'not horribly pornographic' sites on the internetz about latex, Wikipedia of course has an entry even. Wikipedia's pretty safe, I guess, but really short on any kind of historic relevance. Now, I don't have any statistics, but my guess is that the fetish community in Second Life is probably a larger percentage than out in the real world. Obviously, there's a lot of places on the planet that just don't have the time to indulge.

Now, it might be that the percentages are closer if you compare them to the number of fetishists in the industrialized world, but that just brings up questions like what has technology actually DONE to us? Not really going to go any deeper into it, any observations I have would be totally unscientific anyway. I was really only looking so I could find a hook to start my blog post, so I guess this will have to do.

Either way, it's here... in FL and SL. Out here in the real world, well, you can just buy it, shine it up and wiggle into it... there's that satifying snap and squeak and you're a fetish goddess. In the metaverse, though, you're pretty much dependant on the skills of the designers themselves. For that, and for latex anyway, Kai Heideman's Powers of Creation is pretty much the best you can do. Kai's 'Very Petticoat' skirt has poc's signature beautiful textures and adds a bit cuteness to an otherwise very VERY sexy ensemble. I'm also wearing a simple poc tube top and even though these are from two different boxes, the textures still match VERY well. The skirt comes with a scripted feature for recoloring the lace petticoat and multiple glitch pants depending on your mood. The top comes in short or longer styles if you want to bear a little midriff too. Really versatile, very sexy and absolutely the best latex wear in Second Life.

So, for history? Well, I don't know where it came from but I'm really glad it's here... Enjoy.

Powers of Creation

Sn@tch~Post Apoc Picnic

There's a pretty good chance all this will be gone soon. Seriously, it's all over the news. End of the world and all that. It's a little depressing actually. I mean, from what the talking heads are saying, it won't be a big blinding flash of light or some biblical Xtian style Armageddon. Nope, looks like this is going to fall under the 'not with a bang but a whimper' heading.

Too bad too... I mean, wouldn't something like zombies or alien dinosaurs be a LOT more exciting? Now THAT'S an apocalypse! Nope, we get the dollar. The world is going to end because of MONEY. What's THAT? Money isn't even REAL... it's like... ohhh I don't know. It's a metaphor.

Whatever. There are much smarter people than me who can sort all that out. For the rest of us, well, if there's going to be an end of the world then at least we can have an end of the world PARTY.

~quick side note here... my room mate and I actually ARE planning an end of the world party for the Winter Solstice in 2012. Why 2012? Look it up. There's a movie coming out even. So, well, you're all invited I guess. No matter how it all turns out we can really only do it ONCE so we might as well do it right~

So, does Ivey Deschanel know the world is ending? I think she might. It explains her oh so cute Post Apoc Picnic outfit. Post Apoc comes with a shmexy netted skirt and multiple top options; purple, red, black... a dangerous net and a couple others. Of course, one of my favorite things about Sn@tch's releases is just the huge number of wearable options in each pack... you get a lot for your $L. Sexy, fun, gothic and yah, I'd wear it for the end of the world.

Of course, you don't HAVE to wait for the apocalypse... we could all be wrong. Maybe it's NOT all over. Maybe everything will turn out ok.

If it DOESN'T though, and you're planning on getting your own party together. I'd run out to the store before that spinach dip costs you $100 a pint.

Just Sayin'.

Worn:

Outfit:
Sn@tch Post Apoc Picnic (Black)

Skin:
[Curio] GP Lumine Dahlia

Hair
DV8 Juju (Bleach Blitz) Twisted Hunt Exclusive

Ideal Illusion~Elegance

Story has always been something I've tried to talk about when it comes to fashion. It's important. Story is mood, style, attitude, character... all that stuff. They're all parts of any kind of story: love, horror, science fiction, quasi-politico victorian melodrama, whatever. There are a lot of these kinds of stories in Second Life too, and it's the designers and artists that help us make up our own.

What's fun is when a certain look or a certain designer shows me something that just totally clicks, there are looks that just create their own story really. That's what happened when I saw Satori Triellis's 'Elegance' outfit from Ideal Illusion Sexy, gothic and very cool, Elegance somes with vest, prim collar, tails and buckles, and matching skin tight velvet leggings with some very lovely textured patterns and a strappy effect that works very well. Satori does some really nice work in her prims and everything is very easy to mod.

So, yah, that was the first part of the story... I added Illuminati Designs 'Eclipse' boots just because they matched the strappy effect on Elegance so perfectly, and of course Sadistic Hacker had the perfect jrock/cyberpunk style Vermillion to complete the look. The skin, naturally, is Nightshade Designs 'Emilie Autumn', which I just LOVE TO DEATH.

So there it was, a story. Look, setting, mood... all there. Designer not only as clothesmaker but as a storyteller. It's what we're all here for anyway, isn't it?

Satori doesn't have a huge selection in her shop, but what's there is just gorgeous. I'd check it out.

Stories are important in Second Life... if you're interested as well, I've started a Flickr group dedicated to the art of story in SL. Join here.

Worn:

Outfit:

Ideal Illusion Elegance for her (black)

Boots:

*Illuminati* Designs Eclipse Boots

Skin:

Nightshade Designs Emilie Autumn

Hair:

Sadistic Hacker Vermillion (spider black)

Nightshade Designs~Dark Jester

Evil is in.

It's true... it's everywhere. You've got your Twisted Hunt going on, there's evil sexy styles featured on the the new Nocturne blog feed. It's everywhere. Evil is sexy, evil is hot... and evil is Nightshade Designs' new Dark Jester skin.

So why so much evil? I mean, what's the deal, right? Well, honestly.. it's just more fun I guess. Look at 2009 so far: Heath Ledger wins Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars for his Joker. Joker's pretty evil. Tyra Banks has like a million shows she's either in or producing. She's evil. We love it, and honestly, in a virtual world like Second Life where 'pretty' seems to be the norm, it's just about time we all started embracing the ugly evil potential there.

Of course, it's not sooo ugly now is it? Belladonna Mureaux's extremely evil Dark Jester passes boring pretty into something very different. It's not just that this is a gothic horror themed look,nope, it's more than that. The beautiful makeup effects are genuinely well made, with a very visceral, blood colored smeared makup effect around the eyes and ghostly clownish skin tone. Scared of clowns? Yah, well, then maybe this isn't the skin for you. It's seriously beautiful though, something really lovely and fun to wear.

And EVIL, yes... Celebrate it. Embrace your dark side. Smear some facepaint on those cute pink bows and put on those chunky boots.

I mean, pretty is easy, no doubt. Pretty is boring. Beautiful? Well, sometimes you have to sell your soul for that.

Nightshade Designs Mainstore