Holiday Season

It's the start of the Holiday Season - Thanksgiving is nearly over and then it's a month of Christmas parties and New Year's celebrations. This time of year, it's all about the fabrics and the details - velvets, satins, silks, laces and sequins. The glimmer of diamonds and platinums, golds and sapphires accompanies every evening out and it's a time to add more glimmer to the skin and darker lipstick and eyes. Yes, I do love dressing for the holidays.

Today, seeking a momentary escape from turkey and pumpkin pie, I found a new shopping area. (Well, new to me at least!) These velvet pants are absolutely spectacular. They are exactly like something I'd wear to a holiday celebration in real life. The texture is wonderful and the draped, lace, embroidered cuffs fall perfectly. They actually come with two sets of cuffs, the other pair are only one layer.

I paired them easily with the top of a dress from Pixel Dolls. The silver color pulling out the embroidery in the pants. I added a fur wrap because it is, after all, nearly December. But, once arriving at the party, the bare shoulders and low-cut back of the shirt are perfectly sexy with the pants.



Drop earrings compliment the easy updo. The starry necklace was added last minute to add a bit more sparkle and accompany the evening look.

I love a sexy ankle and an ankle strap with stockings and the calf-bearing pants create a smooth line.

The only thing missing is a chilled glass of Pinot Grigio, which "real life" Kristianne is going to find, now.

Happy Thanksgiving for those who celebrate it - and Happy dawning of the Holiday Season for everyone else. May we all be grateful for the things we have, the people whom we love and cognizant of those of us who lack. Tonight, I raise a glass to you all.

---

Pants - wonderhul pants - Pants Layer, Prim Upper Leg Attachments
YumYum
http://slurl.com/secondlife/creators pavillion/151/132/27/

Shirt - Celeste Shirt, Black (part of Celeste Drese Freebie!) - Shirt Layer
Pixel Dolls
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Port Seraphine/14/129/56/

Wrap - Fur in Black - Prim Spine Attachment
earth & sky design
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tellus III/233/179/23/

Stockings - Nylons, Special Vintage, Darker Black - Sock Layer
No.9 Nylons
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Pacific Heights/161/164/21/

Shoes - Visions of Love, Black - Shoe Base, Prim Foot and Lower Leg Ankle Strap Attachments
Minx
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hauwai/46/95/98/

Earrings - Irina, Black & Onyx - Prim Chest Attachment
Lassitude & Ennui
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nouveau/65/63/30/

Necklace - Starry Night Evening Chain, Diamond - Prim Chest Attachment
7 Deadly Prims
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Penrose/98/68/30/

Hair - Emmy, Eclipse - Prim Head Attachment
Diversity Hair
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dacham/94/147/46/

Skin - MM-Light SkinGloss-Blood
Minnu Model Skins
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Glam World/118/136/23/

"I Never Did Mind About the Little Things"

Well I've done something I never thought I'd do on this blog. In fact, I structured the page with the understanding that I never would do it. But I'm someone who believes that confession is good for the soul.

So, here it goes:

I changed skins.

That's right. I actually purchased a skin that isn't from Minnu... and not only that, I've been wearing it for hours. See, I venture out and buy new skins all the time. And then I wear them for about 20 minutes and decide I can't deal with it and switch back. It's a combination of not liking my shape in different skins or not liking specific details. I'm just as picky with my real life make up as I am with my virtual shading and highlighting. When I find something that I like, I stick with it and I vary very, very little. I've been wearing the same type of purple-ish eye shadow since I was 19. I switch brands, sure - Laura Mercier, Mac, Channel, Clinique - but it's all pretty much the same. I do switch it up a bit when it comes to lipstick and lip gloss, but basically... I know what works and I stick with it.

Minnu's skins just work with my shape that was tweaked for days and days to fit. Sure, sometimes I think of different colors that I wish she'd do (an eye shadow similar to my favorite Mac purple, for example would bring tears to these Mercier-lined eyes), but overall I'm thrilled with my Minnu skins and can't ever change for any period of time.

Tonight, however, I took a jaunt to a new SIM that I'd heard whispers here and there about. After adjusting my settings for the full effect, I slowly made my way around the offerings at The Abyss and paused to review the skins. I did what I always do - pick up all the demos and wait to get home to try them on. I need to try a skin with all my favorite hair styles and a few of my favorite shirts... I need to wear it around and catch sight of my face from different angles to see if there's anything that rubs me the wrong way.

And this one? It didn't... it really didn't. The lipstick is more severe than a color I'd wear consistantly, but it's fun for specific looks. I love the smokey eyes. They're not TOO dark but dark enough to give contrast to my eyes and make them pop just the way I like it. I even love the contouring offered with the blush just under my cheek bones. Yes, yes indeed... I think I like it.

So, I teleported back and pushed my way through the lag to buy my favorite pack. I slid it on dashed back home. There was one final test that the skin had to pass. See, I'm not the only one who's pretty happy with my Minnu skins. In fact, every "other" skin I've tried on Ben has almost immediately rejected. And 9 times out of 10, I agree with him completely. So, this time I didn't say anything. I was up on a pose stand taking a few pictures when he signed on. After our usually (sickeningly sweet) greetings, he said "you look awfully cute..." I held my breath and offered a simple "/me smiles" in return... "... despite the different skin." "/me sighs" But, instead of an "I don't like it," he said, "it's a different, hot little look." Well that was positive.

I took him back to The Abyss and we shopped some more and marveled at the SIM build. (It's really, really phenomenal - if you haven't been, go. And, follow the directions for altering your settings.) As we dressed to go listen to one of our favorite DJ's, I even got a "the skin is growing on me."

So while I don't think I'll ever leave Minnu permanently (and I really, REALLY won't if the aforementioned Mac purple shows up when the SIM reopens in December), I am happy to have found a "different, hot little look."

One of the first stores I found and fell in love with in SL was Sand Shack Surf Co. I was thrilled to see a notice of new stuff from Emma today, right after I wore my ballet flats on the blog, too. She released some adorable kitten heels that I had to check out (thank god for the "shack pack!") and there are some fantastic new sweaters, too. I thought the black was perfect with my dramatic make up and hair. I like the unexpectedness of the ruffled edge and lace insets with the more dramatic elements of the outfit. I wanted a little color pop and figured the tintable tank from Persona would be the perfect option. When I put it on, it was already tinted this great deep aqua color from an outfit I wore last week. It was the perfect "pop" under the black layers so I didn't even change it. The tuxedo pants from Last Call are the manifestation of unattainable perfection. I love their low-slung nature; the fit through the hips and thighs and the smooth flare at the legs. The "tuxedo" stripe down the side is just an added finishing detail that makes these pants my favorite black "go to" pants ever.

The accessories for this outfit were simple. I added a prim belt buckle for finishing. The wrapped pearl necklace from Bonita works with the lower cut neckline of the sweater and compliments the short, modern hair. Ah, the hair. This hair is super, duper, uber flexi hair from Analog Dog. While it's officially called "Sasha," in my inventory it's labeled "Femme Nikita" and every time I wear it, I picture Bridgette Fonda calmly saying "I never did mind about the little things" in the movie Point of No Return. In my mind, it fit with the make up and the overall feel of The Abyss SIM. (Have I mentioned that you HAVE to go check it out?)

The finishing touch came from the "Diva" shoe from Tesla. I liked the height of the heel and thought that the platform sole added that touch of funk the outfit needed. Plus, in my mind I had morphed in to an assasin and for some reason, I could just see running down the street in these puppers. (Uh, in my fantasy world... in the real world, I'd trip and skin my knees and the palms of my hands which would result in my trying not to cry like a little girl while wondering which hurt worse - my owies or my ego.)

---

Sweater - Frills Trim Cardigan, Black - Jacket Layer
Sand Shack Surf Co.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lions Shore/62/196/0/

Pants - Maidi Tuxedo Pants - Pant Layer, Smooth or Slouchy Prim Pant Leg Attachments (part of "Maidi" outfit)
Last Call
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dazzle/68/11/27/

Undershirt - Tank Top, tintable - Colors Available on Jacket Layer, Tintable on Undershirt and Underpants Layers (for "tucked in" look)
Persona
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Axenfall/131/61/22/

Necklace - Black Wrapped Bead Necklace, Low Shine - Prim Chest Attachment
Bonita's Jewelry and Furniture Shop
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Malra/45/87/66/

Belt - Easy Street Belt Buckle - Prim Pelvis Attachment (part of "Easy Street" outfit)
TorridWear
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Chartreuse/177/69/22/

Shoes - Diva, Black - Shoe Base, Prim Foot Attachments
Tesla
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dreamworld South/231/221/22/

Hair - Sasha, Black - Prim Chin Bang Attachment, Prim Head Hair Attachment
Analog Dog
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Triggerfish/82/27/21/

Skin - Jadzi Noxious_SS, [3]C
The Abyss
http://slurl.com/secondlife/The Abyss/96/136/237/

Casually Careless

Well, back to business as usual at Life by Proxy... and "business" in these here parts is mix'n'match fashion! I had a lot of trouble putting together my next blog-worthy post. It was almost as though I was on fashion overload so I decided to step it back a little bit, stop thinking so hard and just write about the next fun outfit I threw on. And so I did. This is a great, casual outfit that works for a Sunday shopping spree or just hanging out. It's also a bit of silent rebellion against high fashion for a day or two to reset my style meter and get back to the basics.

Yesterday, I decided to do a little running around shopping. It's been awhile since I've had the time to just wander from store to store and see what's new in some of my favorite places. I also wanted to go check out Yummy because I recalled seeing a necklace that I wanted but didn't have time to grab. While roaming around, I ran in to several of you awesome girls who read the blog! That was fun and it was nice to chat and get some of your thoughts and opinions on blogging, fashion and everything else one-on-one. Feel free to stop me whenever you see me around. I love to chat!

While at Yummy, I picked up this cuh-yute sweater from Nylon Outfitters. It's actually all one piece, the sweater and the t-shirt underneath it, and I wasn't sure if I dug that at first. I was afraid that it was restrictive and I was going to want to pair the sweater with something else. But, the price was right for what it is and I think it makes for a cute look with jeans or a jean skirt for a casual out and about look. Besides, who can pass up the impressively hand-drawn big button detailing? The hood in the back is also hand drawn, not a separate prim, and I decided I really liked that organic quality. Plus, it makes it so easy to just put on and go... no messing with prims or trying to fit the sweater with different hair styles. The pink t-shirt underneath completes that "surfer chic" look and I like that it extends past the hem of the sweater itself. The set also comes with a shirt layer that adds "bulk" to it to make it look a bit more "sloppy".

The jeans are my absolute favorite jeans in Second Life. They fit phenomenally well and do wonderful things for the hips and derrière. I hope and pray daily that Maitreya will release another set of jeans as fantastic as these are. And for this outfit, I like the cargo pockets and zippers and how that casual detailing coincides with the details on the sweater.

I did manage to snag the necklace that I wanted from Yummy this time around. The details of it are pretty spectacular with the multiple chain look and the little extra charm. I think it has a vintage feel that works with the rest of the outfit. I paired it with a charm bracelet from Miam Miam. I've renewed my addiction to charm bracelets in real life and just decided to start building a new one. Like I've mentioned before, I like jewelry with a bit of significance and nothing fits that billing like a charm bracelet. This one is color changeable with just a click... gold, silver, copper and bronze (so you'll never have to mix your metals! *wink*) and is outfitted with all sorts of "good luck" charms. A chunky bangle on the other wrist gives a bit of weight to the accessories, which is needed to balance the button and the hood.

I started with a pair of boots, but then decided I wanted to add some color to the base of the outfit as well and knew my cherry-red ballet flats from Surf Couture would do just the trick. Every time I put these on, I have to cam in on the shape and the texture. They're so perfect. Since it's a bit chilly out, I added some fun purple plaid socks that stand out, but also blend with the tones in the rest of the pieces.

The ever-popular Cake Europa short, messy hair (that I tinted a bit to make a bit less red) and red lips with purple eyeshadow, and the outfit is complete!

(sidenote: please bear with me as I try to figure out the best structure for my pictures here... I know I keep changing it up, but I think I'm happy with this style... thoughts?)

---

Sweater - Big Button Knit w/ Tee - Jacket Layer, Additional "bulk" on Shirt Layer (not pictured)
Nylon Outfitters
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lions Shore/92/81/23/

Jeans - Raw Jeans - Pant Layer, Prim Lower Leg Attachment (comes with "skinny" and "no prim" style pant layers, also)
Maitreya
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Superieure/94/43/451/

Socks - Weird Plaid Socks, Purple - Sock Layer, Prim Thigh Bow Upper Leg Attachments
Shiny Things
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Shiny Falls/173/181/37/

Shoes - Sculpted Ballet Flat, Cherry (No Buttons) - Prim Foot Attachment (comes with both "button" and "no button" style)
Sand Shack Surf Co.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lions Shore/62/196/0/

Necklace - Chained Heart Necklace - Prim Chest Attachment
Yummy
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lions Shore/92/81/23/

Charm Bracelet - Pouch Belt, Brown - Prim Pelvis Attachment
*Miam Miam*
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sunset Arts/167/178/25/

Left-Hand Bangle- Cali's First Gold Bracelet - Prim Forearm Attachment Freebie! Properties Indicate Caliandris Pendragon as Creator

Hair - Europa, Dark Red (with a bit of extra grey tint) - Prim Head Attachment
Cake
http://slurl.com/secondlife/FNKY Cake/129/76/26/

Skin - MM-Light SkinGloss-OhWow
Minnu Model Skins
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Glam World/118/136/23/

A Break in Regularly Scheduled Programming

I'm pausing my regular fashion commentary to wrap up on my previous blog. The post written about LeeZu Baxter Designs sparked interesting commentary in the comments section and also precipitated at least two additional blogs from other writers about the issues raised.

Not surprisingly, I was contacted by the owners of LBD today via notecard. They presented an offer which I chose to decline. I feel as though the conversation itself is pertinent to my page, though, so I will include the text of those two notecards here.

From LBD:

Dear Kristianne-

LeeZu and I read your recent blog post this morning. We are very concerned by the devastating personal and professional impact of your attack against LBD and LeeZu in particular. Our concern is the unbalanced and unfair nature of the comments you made. We fully support your right to speak your mind and opinion but even the worst tabloid at least makes an effort to give the other side’s position.

Every reviewer in our experience in RL and SL has the courtesy to ask the questions of the subject that will be raised in the review in order to keep the reivew balanced. We would have been glad to respond to the accusations and the issues you raised. We respectfully disagree with some of your assumptions and charges.

It would be pointless to rehash what is already written...that is water over the dam. But I have a proposal for you.

In the interest of being balanced, fair and a good journalist we would like to offer you a no holds barred interview with LeeZu. Ask any question you want....pricing, design elements, workmanship, staffing, business, display, customer reactions, how we determine prices...anything at all. Then publish the interview on your blog.

We would only ask two things: That it be done asap so as to be current with your comments and that it be done in writing.
Because LeeZu is not a native English speaker the translations take time and we want our answers to be clear and accurate for you. I know you worried about publishing this attack as we worry about the impact on our personal and professional reputations.

What do you say? It is only fair.

LeeZu Baxter
Suzi Phlox

My Response:

LeeZu and Suzi,

Thank you for the notecard. Let me start from the top.

Life by Proxy, my blog, started as a place where I could narrate my adventures in and around Second Life. I developed it in to a fashion blog that was meant to display my personal style and the experiences that surround the creation of certain looks - be they interactions with designers, other residents of Second Life or events within my Real Life.

My posts were always meant to be my commentary on what I observe when something sparks my interest and makes me feel as though I have something to say. The structure of my blog has always been one that contains only my opinion on whatever items I choose to feature, an "op-ed" if you will. It's written in first person in an editorial style with personal anecdotes abound. It is in no way a publication or a tabloid and all of my posts are opinion pieces. To date, I have not agreed to do a review at someone's request, nor have I written about "review copies" I've received. I've also never approached a designer before writing a piece or requested "review copies". For me, that would take away from the individuality and personal element within the page. There are numerous bloggers and SL-based publications out there who use that method to review items and I figure I'll leave that to them unless a special circumstance presents itself. The comments and opinions expressed in my blog about pieces are developed on the merits of the pieces themselves and from the very beginning I chose to keep the "politics" of Fashion in Second Life off of my page.

I don't feel as though there was anything in my blog about LBD that constituted an attack, personal or otherwise. I don't feel as though the review WAS unbalanced or unfair - I gave my opinion, prefaced as being my opinion, on two items that I purchased. There isn't much to "defend" as far as that goes. If you noticed, there was a positive, downright glowing, review of the Pulli sweaters in the blog two before the one you're referencing. And I've since seen numerous positive reviews of other LeeZu designs by other bloggers.

I do understand that a business - real or virtual - is built by customer and public opinion and that a blogger's comments can dramatically sway that opinion one way or the other and I do take that responsibility seriously. Judging by the comments on my post about LBD, I simply gave voice to other opinions that hadn't yet been shared and I do feel that LBD has a unique opportunity to listen to the opinions expressed by me and other commenters on my page and weigh them appropriately to determine if there are any changes that should be made within the business structure. If you feel as though the level of workmanship contained in the items warrants the pricing structure developed, then it is absolutely well within your rights to continue to market your products in that way.

In conclusion, while I appreciate your attention to my page and your desire to participate in an interview, at this time I don't feel as though I want to alter the structure of my blog to include interviews. A "blogger" is not a "journalist" and I never presented myself to be "fair and balanced" - I am, however, always respectful and I tried to compose the post about LBD in a respectful, yet honest manner. I will, however, write a post today to inform my readers of your offer as well as my reasons for declining it. There may be another blogger who feels as though an interview with you fits within their structure and will give you a forum to share your information. But at this time, I don't feel that Life by Proxy is the correct place to do it.

Respectfully,

Kristianne Matfield

---

As per usual, I was a bit wordy... but I feel as though my response accurately communicates my feeling on my page and is probably something that needs to be said.

Anyway, we'll be back to our regular fashion ramblings this evening, I hope.

--Kris

High Fashion?

When I received the notice from LeeZu Baxter Designs about the fantastic sweaters I featured a few days ago, there was one more element that caught my eye. The jeans were fantastic. I don't know as though I've seen that level of slouch and deconstruction in a garment in SL yet and I wanted them... I needed them... I lusted for them. After I bought my sweaters, I made my way over to the model "on duty" at LBD and asked her if she knew where the jeans were from. She did not but said she'd find out from the designer and let me know. The next day, I spoke to LeeZu myself, actually, about something unrelated and remembered I still wanted (needed) to know where those jeans were from! She directed me back to her shop, indicating they were a part of one of her top-of-the-line designs. She did tell me that she'd be making a less expensive version in the coming days (apparently, this happened yesterday). Well, I have a fancy-shmancy SL job that pays the good Lindens and I can appreciate the cost associated with stellar designs, so back I went to the store to check them out. I found the outfit quickly once I knew what I was looking for (tsk, tsk to the model on duty!) and brought my mouse to hover over it waiting for that little information box to pop up.

$1200L.

I rolled my eyes and pulled my mouse away. It wasn't that I couldn't afford the outfit, it was that I saw it as ridiculously overpriced for what it is. Cute jeans, yes, absolutely. Two intricate tops that do, upon brief inspection, show a mastery of clothing design, yes again. Some fancy high fashion accoutrement that one would never wear anywhere besides a costume party? Yes, yes indeed. After all, does one really need a peacock tail and a skirt that looks like seaweed wrapped around the legs?

Ohhh, but those jeans... I was in lust.

I couldn't let myself do it, though, and I left the store without the outfit in my shopping cart. I picked up a leather jacket that looked stunning, instead, but I couldn't justify the outfit and I'm not sure why, really, as I've purchased insanely expensive items in SL before. In fact, my favorite store has some of the higher priced clothing I've stumbled across but for some reason, the perfect simplicity of the pieces makes it more understandable to me. In this case, it felt like throwing prims all over something in an attempt to simply obtain that "high fashion" look (anyone else sick of that phrase?) and I just had a mental block against it.

A couple of days passed and I couldn't stop thinking about those jeans. Finally the other day, in a moment of weakness, I teleported in, walked straight to the back corner of the store (before the store had even rezzed - sorry if I ran over anyone), waited for the vendor to show itself and purchased the outfit before quickly teleporting home in an attempt to outrun my own guilt.

Why had I done that? Why did I purchase something that for whatever reason I was morally opposed to?

Well, because I wanted to write this blog, of course. And I was hoping I would love the other pieces so much that the price suddenly made sense to me. (Didn't happen.)

It's funny, I contemplated long and hard about whether or not I would ever write negative reviews on this blog. Initially I thought I wouldn't and instead wouldn't feature something if I didn't like it. In fact, this particular entry has been sitting, written in full, in my "pending" blogs for three days while I contemplated whether or not I wanted to go to a negative place here. But I do think that part of the responsibility of having a voice is also using it.

And so, here's the original outfit that I purchased.




Okay, so... I don't have to wear all the parts, I get that. But then, I started to look at the jeans... the jeans that I loved... and I realized that the cuffs around the thigh are black with silver hardware... and the belt that is part of the texture is brown with brass hardware. And, as I've mentioned before, that's one of the things that drives me crazy. So the only way to make an outfit that I could live with using these jeans was going to be by covering up the belt.

And then I remembered that the fantastic jacket that I had purchased instead of the jeans outfit may have had the same problem. Let's take a look.


The buckles on the sleeves? Silver. The buttons on the jacket itself? Brass. What do you think? A conscious design choice? Or just an unintentional fashion faux pas? The only way I can wear the jacket is by editing the prims... I don't get that choice with my jeans, though. The mismatched metals and leathers are part of the textures. And I hate to say it, but it just feels sloppy to me.

I'm a strong believer that a product is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. And so, if the market will bear a ridiculous mark up, so be it... but is there a point where it crosses a line? And if so, what's that point?

So, there's my negative review. And now, on to the positive spin - the outfit I did manage to put together with my jeans...

So, apparently, the jeans come complete with an infectious "high fashion" disease because that's the only type of look it seems I could put together. The cute little shirt I picked up months ago but didn't wear often because the prim skirt never fit correctly. I remembered editing it when I bought it and finally just wearing it with black pants to mask the exposed part between the top of the skirt and the bottom of the shirt itself, which of course wouldn't work here. And I couldn't have fabric gap showing with my $1200L jeans and so I edited each and every box-pleat prim to conceal that gap. Once finished, I had a shirt that looked like it should (and covered the brown belt) but I will warn you that it was a hell of a lot of work. The outfit was begging for another layer to add interest and dimension, but the shirt itself is on the jacket layer so there was nothing I could use to put over it and I didn't want to put something under it. Then I remembered that last weekend as we dressed for an event on the Titanic, I mentioned off-handedly and with a bit of a chuckle to Ben that my shoulders were going to be cold in my tank gown on a ship's deck at night. (Am I the only one who feels cold or hot for her avatar?) As I put the finishing touches on my hair and shoes, he teleported off and surprised me by buying a gorgeous fur coat. The glorious thing about the coat is that it's all prims (and it avoids looking like a life jacket... which, now that I think about it, had the potential of being handy for our afternoon on the Titanic but thankfully wasn't needed). Layered over the rest of the outfit, it becomes one of the central pieces of the look and it really facilitates in making it all about the luxurious, heavy texture. The fishnets and stilettos are damn sexy with the seams running up the back of the calves and I think they're unexpected with a jean fabric, thus completing the outfit.

A chunky bangle holds its own with the bulk of the fur coat and the textures (black and silver) pull the black and silver details from the cuffs of the jeans. I like the feathered drop necklace which adds interest but doesn't take over the top of the look - there's already a lot goin' on up there with the jacket and the v-neck shirt.

And voila... Expensive look for expensive jeans.

---

Jacket - Fur Jacket, Black - Prim Spine, Upper Arm and Forearm Attachments (forearm attachments not worn in this outfit) earth & sky design
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tellus III/233/179/23/

Shirt - Amplify - Jacket Layer, Prim Ruffle Stomach Attachment Layer Refuge (Sinistyle) http://slurl.com/secondlife/Koreshan/51/69/24/

Pants - JenFall - Pant Layer, Prim Upper Leg Attachments (for gathered effect) (part of full outfit) LeeZu Baxter Designs
http://slurl.com/secondlife/centro italia /123/148/22/

Stockings - Black Fishnet Stockings - Freebie! No Creator Available in Properties

Shoes - Visions of Love, Black - Shoe Base, Prim Foot and Lower Leg Ankle Strap Attachments (ankle straps not worn in this outfit) Minx
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hauwai/46/95/98/

Necklace - Irina, Black & Onyx - Prim Chest Attachment Lassitude & Ennui http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nouveau/65/63/30/

Bangles - Wood & Metal Bangles - Prim Forearm Attachment Last Call http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dazzle/68/11/27/

Hair - Mica, Mahogany - Prim Head Attachment Maitreya http://slurl.com/secondlife/Superieure/94/43/451/

Skin - MM-Light SkinGloss-OhWow Minnu Model Skins
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Glam World/118/136/23/

With the rest of the blogging community, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the remaining partner at Last Call and all of his dear friends and family. While I didn't know the person behind Ginny's avatar, I am able to recognize the profound impact that team has had on the fashion community in Second Life. The designers behind Ginny show the opportunities that are available to anyone wishing to step up and take them in Second Life and I hope they continue to serve as an inspiration for the artists to come.

While I won't use the tragic loss of human life as a promotional tool, it didn't feel right to write a blog about fashion without honoring the loss of one of SL's top designers.

Your spirit will indeed be missed.

Ripples on the Dance Floor

It's Friday, the end of one of those weeks that started too fast and ended too slow. I get in these moods sometimes where I just want to let go... give up a bit of the control I try to maintain with closed fists almost all the time and become someone a little bit different than I'm expected to be. You know the feeling, music turned up just a bit too loud and drinks coming a bit too fast. Yeah, that's the kind of Friday night I'm in the mood for.

This was actually a quick toss on of some basic black layers. The base is an Armidi Limited tank dress that works with a lot of different looks. Layered over tight black leather pants with the perfect creases around the knees and thighs, it becomes a bit more edgy. I chose to stick with black on black because it creates a longer line from torso to toe. It also sets apart the subtle gold accents in the other pieces. The top layer is a summery wrap top from Redgrave that is fantastic on its own, but here it provides a bit of dimension and oomph to what started as boring black layers. The "rocker chic" edge comes from the detached sleeves and tall black boots. They add a bit of "funk" that wouldn't be there with simple stilettos and bare arms.

The double bracelets is a look I employ in "real life" often as a bolder accessory choice. There are two different metals at play here. The matte thick bangle links the center detail on the over shirt wrap where as the high-sheen bangles give a bit more interest and tie the shiny boot details to the rest of the outfit.

I followed the age old accessory rule here... get dressed and as you're walking out the door, check yourself in the mirror and remove one accessory. In this case, I took off a feathered choker as it was getting a bit TOO matchy-matchy and too busy and detracting from the details that should stand on on this outfit - the wrap, the textures and the bare shoulders and clavicle.

The hair is a bit more funky than I usually choose in SL or RL, but I love the interest the over-the-shoulder ponytail provides and the bangs are that perfect mysterious, guarded, sexy, messy, in-my-eye thing that is absolutely intentional but looks as though it were an afterthought. Kudos to Helyanwe at Deviant Kitties for accomplishing that. I did tint this hair as it started as a bright white-pink. The shading of the gray tint still allows it to be rocker-chic pink without crossing the line in to too punk.

The coup d'etat on the hair and the layers comes from the back view which looks a bit military-bullet-proof-vesty but has enough detail to make someone want to see what's happening in the front of the outfit.

And when you're in one of those "make me forget about the rest of the world for just one night" moods - it's all about luring the interest around to the front now isn't it?

Our music accompaniment for the day comes from world-class spinner Mark Farina. Makes you want to move, doesn't it?

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Tunic - Tunic A001 Tank, Black - Jacket Layer or Shirt Layer, Glitch Pants on Pant or Underpants Layer, Prim Skirt Pelvis Attachment in two Size Choices Armidi Limited http://slurl.com/secondlife/Armidi/132/104/26/

Shirt - Wrap TOP, Black - Undershirt, Shirt or Jacket Layer Redgrave http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sands Shop Art/217/47/24/

Pants - Isabeaux Leather Pants, Black - Pants or Underpants Layer, Three Choices of Prim Lower Leg Cuff Attachments LF Fashions
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Freelon/130/91/31/

Boots- Boots, Black- Shoe Base, Prim Foot and Lower Leg Attachments Redgrave http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sands Shop Art/217/47/24/

Gloves - Mirli Sleeves, Black - Glove Layer (part of Mirli Sweater - just glove layer worn in this outfit) Maitreya
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Superieure/94/43/451/

Left-Hand Bangle- Cali's First Gold Bracelet - Prim Forearm Attachment Freebie! Properties Indicate Caliandris Pendragon as Creator

Right-Hand Bangles- Lady Thin Bangles, Both Gold and Pearl Shown - Attachment Points Edited, Pearl Attached to Forearm; Gold Attached to Hand Talisman http://slurl.com/secondlife/Talisman/106/160/97/

Hair- Siyu, Pink Taffy - Prim Head Attachment Deviant Kitties http://slurl.com/secondlife/Deviant Kitties/128/127/22/

Skin - MM-Light SkinGloss-20s Minnu Model Skins
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Glam World/118/136/23/

A Girl in a Fantasy

The other night, Ben and I were rebuilding our photography studio on new land. We work well together when we're building, both clicking away in silence in our own little corner of the world stopping occasionally to laugh about something or ask a question. I snapped open a notice from FashCon advertising new sweaters and was struck by two things immediately. First, the model featured in one of the pictures could be my twin. In fact, I had to think back for a second to make sure I didn't actually model for the shot. Now, I've read all the hubbub about "stolen" shapes and identities in Second Life and I in nooo way think that's what happened here. Put the same Minnu skin on a taller, auburn haired girl with more of a square-shaped face as opposed to the heart shape or longer jaw lines that many have, and yeah, she's gonna look like me. But it's rare that I see someone that actually makes me pause. The second and far, far more important thing I noticed was the fantastic sweater!! They looked great on my doppelgänger which was an easy way to know they'd look good on me, too! I excused myself from scripting the teleporter that was insisting on launching me to the edge of the SIM and dashed to the store to snag a sweater. I picked it up in three colors because the red print I wanted wasn't available in the vendor for some reason (that has since been fixed). I came back home to resume teleport-scripting donning my new perfectly deconstructed sweater and feeling down right glorious. I thought I should spend some time getting the corner of the studio I use for my blog pictures set up and ready so I could take some shots of the sweater but then I figured this sweater would show up all over the blogs so I opted out of featuring it.

It just occurred to me today that I haven't seen it pop up on ANY blogs which is surprising and also fabulous... it gives me an opportunity to settle in to its cozy luxury once again.

As a side note, when I began writing this blog, my itunes kicked on a song I've been somewhat addicted to lately. As I belted out the chorus at full volume, I was struck by its appropriateness in Second Life. So, I've included the song here for you, too...

Eyes are magic, see right through me - makes me feel like, a girl in a fantasy... turned to real life... Stars in the morning makes me feel like, a girl in a fantasy... turned to real life...

I love the prim attachments on this sweater. There are three sets of attachments and they're all optional. The forearm sculptie cuffs are my favorite part, though... they're baggy and comfortable looking and fall to just the right point on the hand. The upper arm shoulder attachments complete the turned over neckline that does glorious things for the shoulder, neck and clavicle.

The texture on all of the colors is different and equally wonderful in each iteration and I love the drape at the hemline that slides perfectly over the waist of my favorite worn jeans. I topped (or, I guess, bottomed?) them with an upturned cuff to balance the neckline of the sweater.

A short hair that shows off the exposed shoulders and simple jewelry complete the look!

---

Sweater - WoolPulli, ornawhite, black, ornagrey - Shirt Layer, Jacket Layer for extended hem, Glove Layer for extended sleeves, Prim Sleeve Forearm and Upper Arm Attachments, Prim Collar Spine Attachment LeeZu Baxter Designs
http://slurl.com/secondlife/centro italia/166/163/22/

Jeans - Used-Look - Pant Layer, Prim Cuff Lower Leg Attachments Redgrave http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sands Shop Art/217/47/24/

Shoes - Ruffle Boot, Black - Shoe Base and Prim Foot Attachments Shiny Things http://slurl.com/secondlife/Shiny Falls/173/181/37/

Earrings - Solitaire Earings (sic), Platinum/Diamond - Prim Ear Attachments Xessories http://slurl.com/secondlife/Urbane/175/122/22/

Choker - Chasm Necklace, Silver/Black - Prim Chest Attachment Lassitude & Ennui http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nouveau/65/63/30/

Hair - Tina, Cranberry - Prim Head Attachment Diversity Hair http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dacham/94/147/46/

Skin - MM-Light SkinGloss-Blood Minnu Model Skins
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Glam World/118/136/23/

White Shoes?!

Oh my. I've been unintentionally MIA! I hate it when bloggers pull the "my real life got in the way" thing so I won't say that. It's just been really busy in Kristianne-Land and while I've been pulling together some great, great outfits, I haven't been taking the time to photograph them. So I'm sorry, my loyal readers (all two of you!) - I promise to do better.

To compensate, I'm going to do a few quick-hitters that get the look out without all of the verbose narrative I like to use to fill in the gaps. I'll still include the detailed pictures and the Product List from Hell (as I've dubbed it), but I'll cut back on the length of the posts while I play catch up! (Well, that's the idea at least!)

So, let me ask you a question. Does your avatar follow established rules of fashion? You know, no white shoes after Labor Day; don't mix your black/brown leathers for your belt and shoes, etc? My guess is that most of the fashion-conscious SL residents will say that yes, in a lot of ways, their avatars follow the "rules" - even if the rule is to break the rule. (How do you think we wound up with the gloriousness of Winter White?) So, last week I was getting dressed for a job interview (got it! Woo hoo - more later!). I put on this great little suit outfit but the fabric colors where a bit cooler than I would usually go for in the Fall. I gave myself an out because the SIM I was going to is a bright and cheery build that resembles the beach fronts in the Carolinas. I'd actually feel strange going in a heavy wool, anyway. But when it came time for shoes... I couldn't bring myself to wear white in any way. Poor Ben teleported me in to look at some new land (we're shopping around - our neighbor is a nightmare!), and there I stood all dressed up but standing barefoot. "Where are your shoes?" he asked. (Actually, he didn't. I don't think he noticed that I wasn't wearing shoes, but that just made a far better transition than what actually happened...) "I can't decide what color to wear." "White," he answered. I don't know if my intake of breath was audible. I'm guessing it was as he quickly said "Or not." "I... can't bring myself... to wear white shoes... after Labor Day." It sounded so silly even as I said it. But I knew it was true. And so the next morning, off I went to my interview - wearing a delightful pair of red shoes!

I love this skirt. I love the structure of it. I love the fit through the hips with the flair mid thigh. I love the buttons and the fabric and the color. This skirt is what I built the whole outfit from, trying a variety of combinations of shirts and jackets and shoes and accessories. I finally decided I liked how the aqua pulled at the seersucker stripe in the skirt and the texture of the blazer was robust enough to not look too springy or too flimsy. The upturned collar of the button down plays with the angles of the sheared hair to give a bit more of an edgier frame to the face. And the cuffs of the shirt just polish it off nicely.

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Jacket - Hooded Blazer, Blue - Jacket Layer, Prim Hood Spine Attachment Decoy Fashions http://slurl.com/secondlife/Southern Paradise/18/102/23/

Skirt - Crinkle Stripe Sailor Skirt - Prim Pelvis Attachment, Glitch Pants on Pant Layer Boing Fromage http://slurl.com/secondlife/Overdrive Island/162/139/37/

Shirt - Sheer Buttoned Shirt, White - Shirt or Jacket Layers Persona http://slurl.com/secondlife/Axenfall/131/61/22/

Shirt Bottom: Celine on Underpants Layer, Last Call
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dazzle/68/11/27/

Shirt Collar: Pacifico Ladies Shirt, Prim Spine Attachment, plus NINE
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Teffelaw/8/29/21

Shirt Cuffs: Celine Sculpted Flared Cuffs, Prim Forearm Attachments, Last Call
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dazzle/68/11/27/

Shoes - Talyn Pumps, Sangria/Black - Shoe Base and Prim Foot Attachments Enkythings http://slurl.com/secondlife/Orbiuna/181/142/342/

Necklace - Black Wrapped Bead Necklace, Low Shine - Prim Chest Attachment Bonita's Jewelry and Furniture Shop http://slurl.com/secondlife/Malra/45/86/66

Glasses - Danielle Black Glasses - Nose Prim Attachment Insolence http://slurl.com/secondlife/Emmelia/93/166/65

Hair - The Short V, Mahogany - Prim Head Attachment Armidi http://slurl.com/secondlife/Armidi/135/127/26/

Skin - MM-Light SkinGloss-20s Minnu Model Skins
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Glam World/118/136/23/

Color Pop

WOW... So, today, I'm totally NOT going to do the little game I decided to play in my last blog with wearing "old" inventory items. I started with the best of intentions. Really, I did. In fact, I wasn't even going to blog tonight (okay so I started this at the crack of dawn and fell asleep and finished it this morning...). I just decided to toss on some clothes and do some random shopping. I've been somewhat busy lately with some business-type ventures I'm working on, so I started a little folder for the notices that I've been receiving through FashCon and my other groups that I didn't want to forget about. And tonight felt like a good night to wander to a few of those places and see if there was anything that caught my eye. I hate to say it, but I'm a bit Halloween-ed out. There's just SO much out there and I really don't need any of it. Not only that, but I'm sort of "Fall Clothes-ed" out, too. I have sooo many cute little pea coats and longer jackets... several cozy turtle neck sweaters and boots... and, well, honestly it's all starting to run together. So I decided to take a bit of a shopping hiatus - I even succeeded for, well, a whole 36 hours. So anyway, I saw a few notices come through that I was anxious to check out so I tossed on a little outfit to run around in. In honor of the Halloween I'm so wanting to be over, I even pulled out a dramatic, jet black hair that I haven't worn very much at all because it's just a bit too severe for my everyday look. And off I went. The first stop resulted in several "nopes" and then I left empty handed. Unheard of - I can usually talk myself in to at least ONE piece or two. But, not tonight. I've become a PRACTICAL shopper. I check the items by selecting the "buy" button without clicking "buy" again so I can see the details of what I'm about to receive. I'm trying to use a bit of foresight and look at the layer options and imagine what I think I'll want to pair it with the future. For example, I passed up a fat pack tonight of an amazing sweater/skirt combo because the sweater was short sleeved - not immediately a problem, just put it on over the cute thermals I grabbed this weekend. *clicks buy* Wait, wait, wait! It's only available on the shirt layer - NOT on the jacket layer. *checks thermals* Also only available on the shirt layer and not the undershirt layer. Well, so much for that. And off I went. Sad, so very sad. Anyway, I grabbed a few odds and ends at Cake - a bracelet I've been wanting for awhile and keep forgetting to go grab and the demo of a hair that looks like it has potential but I'll need to wear around the house tomorrow while I'm building to make sure I like it. (Okay, okay - and ONE of the aforementioned short-sleeve sweater outfits... I couldn't help it! They look so cute!) I also grabbed a scarf that I had made a notation about at some point and then I was off the next locale. Oh yes, Artilleri - I know what I wanted there...

Oh my god am I in love, lust and adoration for the new scarves! I've already issued a plea on the Artilleri blog beggggging Antonia to release a fat pack because I literally want them all. (UPDATE: I just received word from Antonia that she put out a Fat Pack of the scarves! It's a huge discount of $500L for all of the styles and colors versus $75L for one - so it's so worth it! Thank you, Antonia!) I decided to wait and see if she humors me and so I snatched up only one. When I got home and tossed it on to see if I really did love it as much as I thought I was going to, I literally exhaled audibly with glee. It's GORGEOUS. Not only is the texture to die for, but the color is absolutely phenomenal. I foresee working this little number in to many, many outfits to come. Paired with my decidedly warm and comfortable men's cashmere sweater that looks adorable with another set of tights from Armidi Limited and it's the perfect fall look. The colors of the off-white and black mixed with the pink of the scarf - yeah, I love it. The belt is one of the Shiny Things belts that fit on the first try (almost - but required VERY little editing)! The boots... well, they're a new release from Redgrave and I'm ashamed to admit I bought them in every color (and then proceeded to declare that I wouldn't shop for 36 hours). I love them - but I do have two small, small "complaints" - to start with, the hardware on them is gold... and I'm primarily a silver metal girl. And I'm also totally anal about mixing metals - especially bright gold metals. (I WILL do it - it just as to be the right look and the mixing needs to happen within the same piece or at least the same area on my body - two different bracelets or necklaces, for example... or stacked gold and silver rings.) No biggie, I figured. I can just edit. Uh, no I can't. The invisible prims are blockin' my view. And honestly, I'm afraid to start messing with them because I don't want to keep them from functioning as they should.

About those invisiprims - I do wish they were just a little bit thicker. They're not totally doing their job around the ankle joint and, well, like I said - I'm a bit, erm, anal, and it bugs me. But, I will let them be because I love the texture and the heel height and shape are great. Plus, they pull me away from the ever beautiful and ever present Melisande boots from Last Call.

Accessories are minimum - well, nil really. The pop of the scarf and the great colors of the Minnu skin are all it needs. It's framed by a different feeling hair for me usually. I like the dramatic black and like it more with the color of the scarf to frame it. I don't usually do a bang because in real life, I have a very small forehead (no really - look at my RL pic in my profile in SL - it's tiny!), so I've also made SL Kristianne's forehead small and that limits her hairstyle options, too. But the bang on this hair works - the fringe is a bit sexy, I think! My new favorite bracelet to top it off and we've got an outfit to die for!

Yes, I do think I'm in love!

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Sweater - Cashmere Turtleneck, Black - Jacket Layer or Shirt Layer, with Spine Turtleneck Attachment (not pictured) Gisaci
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Armidi/135/128/26/

Pants - Metallic Tights, Champagne - Pants or Underpants Layer Armidi Limited http://slurl.com/secondlife/Armidi/132/104/26/

Scarf - Colour Thread, Pink Threads - Prim Chest Attachment Artilleri http://slurl.com/secondlife/Artilleri/91/123/26/

Belt - Stoned Belt, Black - Prim Stomach Attachment Shiny Things http://slurl.com/secondlife/Shiny Falls/173/181/37/

Boots- Boots, Black- Shoe Base, Prim Foot and Lower Leg Attachments Redgrave http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sands Shop Art/217/47/24/

Bracelet - Amor Vincit Omnia, Silver and Moonstones - Prim Forearm Attachment Lassitude & Ennui http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nouveau/65/63/30/

Hair - Fernanda, Black - Jet - Prim Head Attachment Sirena
http://slurl.com/secondlife/West Sunset/160/50/22/

Skin - MM-Light SkinGloss-20s Minnu Model Skins
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Glam World/118/136/23/

A Vintage Flair

Last night was one of those boring nights. Everyone I usually run around with - be it shopping, club hopping or people watching - was all off doing other things. So I was forced to entertain myself. That consisted of reading blogs for awhile and catching up on what everyone else out there is wearing and talking about. It made me realize that I'm going to have to start doing a new trick. For a week or so, I'm going to open my inventory and sort by "Date" and wear some of the older things in my closet. It's not thrilling to go from blog to blog seeing the same new release over and over again. It starts to make all of us SL fashionistas look like we were cut from the same cookie cutter. The same hair; the same skin; the same clothes - and there's nothing really distinguishing one avatar from the other. I don't know if my style is really that distinctive from everyone else's - I like to layer; I like high quality; and I like to look fantastic. But I'd also like to think I can insert the same originality into SL Kristianne's appearance that I do in real life. So let's see if venturing back in time a little bit helps me accomplish that!

Now, this entry just took on an entirely different spin than I originally intended and it has NOTHING to do with the cute little look I put together last night as I braved the clubs all by my lonesome.

I wanted something that was cute and a bit different but not too "I'm a sexy tramp," if you know what I mean. I dig the leggings I picked up from Armidi Limited. I like that they look a bit thicker and do a great little gathering thing around the knee and top of the calf. It's not as easy to see in the black, but I still like them. I decided to go for a bit of a vintage-y look in the bold color combination of black, white and red. The great men's white button down from Blaze offers the sexy spin with its open buttons. And you gotta love the Fat Belt from caLLie that offers a color punch and the finishing touch.

I kept it simple on the details. A fun necklace from Lassitude & Ennui and the "Love Conquers All" bracelet complete the jewelry. They're subtle enough details to pop the whole look and tie the accessories together. I love the messy hair with the crisp white men's shirt... it almost gives that illusion of hopping out of a day in bed and throwing on his shirt and some quick details to dash out the door. The peep toe heels add to the "vintage, Sandy post make-over in Grease" look. Fun and different for a night on the town.

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Shirt - Boyfriend Button Down - Shirt and Skirt Layers *free giveaway to group members* Blaze http://slurl.com/secondlife/Blaze/71/118/23/

Pants- Metallic Tights, Black - Underpants or Pant Layers Armidi Limited http://slurl.com/secondlife/Armidi/132/104/26/

Belt - fat belt, bright red - Jacket, Shirt or Undershirt Layer caLLie cLine http://slurl.com/secondlife/caLLiefornia/224/194/22

Shoes - Vidalia Pump, Metallic Noir - Foot Base and Prim Foot Attachments Armidi Gisaci http://slurl.com/secondlife/Armidi/128/140/26/

Necklace - Irina, Black and Ruby - Prim Chest Attachment (feather color edited) Lassitude & Ennui http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nouveau/65/63/30/

Bracelet - Amor Vincit Omnia, Silver and Moonstones - Prim Forearm Attachment Lassitude & Ennui http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nouveau/65/63/30/

Hair - Eva, Mahogany - Prim Head Attachment (glow and non-glow styles) Maitreya http://slurl.com/secondlife/Superieure/94/43/451/

Skin - MM-Light SkinGloss-OhWow Minnu Model Skins
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Glam World/118/136/23/

Pedicure - Pedicure 04 - Sock Layer RaC
http://slurl.com/secondlife/RaC City/187/136/27

Once you start...

So I was lamenting the belt yesterday and how truly impossible it is to get one to fit properly. And then, I went to Shiny Things. I picked up every belt she had in the store on a guess that Fallingwater has probably mastered the art of belt design as well as she has shoes. The first belt that I wore last night with a great little outfit fit with just a bit of adjustment. And it actually looked like a belt and not a hula hoop. So I had high hopes this morning when looking for the extra punch for my outfit today. And the belt I chose DID almost fit. Almost. And so, I pulled up my edit screen to see if I could just close those last few gaps......... and a half an hour later, I was left with a belt that fit and looked great with my outfit - but didn't really look like the original belt I purchased. In fact, this was supposed to be a double wrap belt and I got rid of the second wrap. Oops. So sorry, Fallingwater - I do love your original design. But I guess my hips are too wide....

Anyway, yesterday was a very successful shopping day. I stumbled in to Decoy and picked up some great stuff. This blazer comes in several different colors and I loved them all and bought the Fat Pack. It has three hood options - sculpted, sculpted with strings and prim. It was the perfect topper for a preppy little look today. I' m really impressed with the quality of the hand drawn pieces from Decoy. They have an appearance of weight to them that is the result of great texture and seam work. I picked up some jeans and a few scarves and a dress, too. And the "oohs and ahhs" emitted when I got home to try them on landed all of the items in a special "Decoy" folder under the "Designers" area in my inventory. Those are the Designers I know I'll go back to.

I've read a lot of clenched teeth recognition of Ginny Talamasca and Last Call in the past several weeks. And you know, say what you will about her but she's a problem solver if I've ever seen one. She's perfected the layering options and the extra detail is what makes her designs so incredible. The prim cuffs on this shirt add a needed element to the outfit. The button-down itself was a bit too low cut, so I tossed on an undershirt. I concocted some new glitch pants that work with the bottom of the button down on the underpants layer. The skirt is also an edited version of the little black shift dress that also came from Last Call. (Gee, I'm an editing fool today).

I'm also digging the locket from Caroline's that was distributed to her group members the other day. It a great romantic accent (and a real locket!) that completes the look. I'd nearly forgotten about this new hair from Calla. It's perfectly coiffed and sure not to be forgotten again. Some nice charcoal tights and then the pop of brown tuxedo pumps and we've got my spin on a preppy coed. While brown and black historically don't belong together, it's a mix I've always done in "Real Life" and find it works with the right color palate. In this case, it's the green jacket that welcomes the addition of brown.

And while I don't usually mention my skin, as they're all from Minnu and all delectable, I do have to say that this is by far my favorite. It's one of the first that I purchased and I love the tones of the purples against the fairer skin and dark hair. While I don't wear it all the time, every time I do, I smile happily.

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Jacket - Hooded Blazer, Forest Green - Jacket Layer, Prim Hood Spine Attachment Decoy Fashions http://slurl.com/secondlife/Southern Paradise/18/102/23/

Shirt - Celine White Shirt - Shirt and Underpants Layers, Prim Cuff Forearm Attachments Last Call http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dazzle/68/11/27/

Undershirt - Kadesh Sheer Tank - Shirt or Undershirt Layer Last Call http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dazzle/68/11/27/

Skirt - Ginny Shift Dress - Mini Prim Stomach Attachment (self-designed glitch pants and stretched mini prim in this outfit) Layer Last Call http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dazzle/68/11/27/

Tights - Cozily Tintable Stockings, Gray - Sock and Underpants Layers (part of Cozily Outfit - just sock layer worn in this outfit) Veschi http://slurl.com/secondlife/Fuzzy/193/229/34/

Belt - Pouch Belt, Brown - Prim Pelvis Attachment Shiny Things http://slurl.com/secondlife/Shiny Falls/173/181/37/

Shoes - Tuxedo Pump, Brown - Shoe Base, Prim Foot Attachment Shiny Things http://slurl.com/secondlife/Shiny Falls/173/181/37

Necklace - Caroline's Special Cameo Locket, Gold - Prim Chest Attachment (special edition) Caroline's http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lo Lo/126/210/24/

Earrings - The Dauphine Earring, Silver/Jet - Prim Ear Attachment ~Muse~ http://slurl.com/secondlife/Linji/143/152/49/

Hair - Spanish Jasmine, Dark Mahogany - Prim Head Attachment Calla http://slurl.com/secondlife/Callatropia/125/194/24/

Skin - MM-Light SkinGloss-20s Minnu Model Skins
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Glam World/118/136/23/

Petroleum

I've had a couple days of frustrating outfits. You know how sometimes it just comes together perfectly and then other times, you don't have a shirt on the right layer; the glitch pants aren't editable but for some reason are too long (or short) for the skirt; the prim belt won't stretch or shrink to fit your hips; the stockings you want to wear are on the pant layer and the glitch pants with the perfect waist band are ALSO on the pant layer and neither one is available on the underpants layer? Yeah, it's been two days of THAT. Designers, please hear my plea:

Glitch pants -

Please make them so I can change the length. Nothing frustrates me more than pants sticking out from the bottom of my skirt.

Please, please, please provide them on both the pant and underpants layer. I have so many skirts I want to wear with other pieces and I just can't.

Shirts -

Please provide them on all layers - jacket, shirt and undershirt. Again, there's so much layering I want to do but can't with the limited options presented.

Follow the lead of some of the inventive designers out there who provide longer shirts on the shirt and undershirt layer by providing a corresponding underpants that fills the gap between the bottom of the shirt and the top of the pant.

Pants -

Please provide pants on both the pant and underpants layers so that a longer baby doll with glitch pants (on the pant layer) can be worn. My favorite jeans get minimal exposure under some cute longer prim shirts and sweaters because I need the glitch pants on the pant layer.

Stockings -

Please provide the stocking tops on both the pant and underpants layers, too. See reasons listed above. To wear them with a babydoll, you gotta be able to wear the glitch pants, too.

Belts -

This is just a general comment - belts that are offered on the jacket layer are really great. There's no need to mess around with prims and the disappearing edges in to my (not THAT wide) hips.

Okay, my complaining is over.

All that said, I did manage to put together a pretty cute outfit. A few days ago, I was wandering through Shiny Things trying on fabulous sculptie demos and wondering just how many pairs of tuxedo heels one girl really needs (answer: all of them) when I "overheard" a conversation between two other fashionista shoppers. They were both wearing the same shrug in different colors and I eyed it up and down and decided I had to have it and jumped in to their conversation to inquire about its location. They directed me to MG Fashions and I scooped it up in, well, every color. And I love MG's "Petroleum" color that is featured in a few of her designs. And I love how it looks with the black and white of the rest of the outfit. While at MG, I also nabbed a few (okay, all) of her t-shirts. I love the detail on them... the neckline and sleeves, the drapey fabric around the stomach. And, you can't see it here, but the hem does this awesome little lift and fall. Here, though, I paired a white undershirt with the t-shirt to close the gab between the waistline of my skirt and the bottom of the t-shirt. The exposed skin didn't look right with the covered legs and arms.

Speaking of the legs and arms, the skirt from Devilish Cupcake is fantastic. It's available in a few different muted colors and comes with both the "smart" skirt and the regular skirt option. This, however, is the skirt I was mentioning where the glitch pants are too long and not editable. It's hardly noticeable with the fun "Weird Plaid" socks from Shiny Things and I did drop the skirt down a little bit to compensate as well. The belt is from the Last Call Sweater dress I wore in the last blog. I have to say that I love the look of it with this outfit, but it was one of those miserable headache inducers that actually prevented me from wearing it with the dress it came with. The black of the skirt absorbs some of the issues I had fitting the belt, though, so it works here. The detail of the leather straps and the charms is great - but the prim shape makes it really hard to fit on a girl with a bit of hips and butt. The belt and skirt also both attached to the same point (pelvis), so I had to attach the skirt to my stomach and move it down.

Maitreya's Blossom Boots are just indescribable. The detail is truly amazing and I spent a few minutes camming around them to take in the texture of the suede... the finishing touches on the buckle... and even noticed the scuffed soles under the toe of the boot. Maitreya also does a perfect heel, in my opinion. It's the right height, the right thickness. Just all-around gorgeous. (And, I second Iris Ophelia's comments here that this is a shoe designer who should "get real".)

I'm addicted to my Armidi SoHo hair. I can't seem to take it off. It's just the perfect casual hair look and I like the color of it very, very much. I'm trying to broach back in to my old standards, but this one is just too good.

Last Saturday night, in a fit of boredom, I headed out to Talisman for a "witch" hunt of free stuff. Last I heard, there were upwards of 50 funky witches hidden all around the area with free stuff from all of Talisman's vendors. (I was there for an hour and found less than 20 - seriously.) While there, I nabbed these awesome silver bangles. I've worn them almost every day since.

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Sweater - Crocheted Shrug, Petroleum - Jacket Layer, Prim Upper Arm Sleeve Attachments MG Fashions http://slurl.com/secondlife/Portucalis/64/166/22/

T-Shirt - Line Flower Tee, White - Shirt or Undershirt Layer MG Fashions http://slurl.com/secondlife/Portucalis/64/166/22/

Undershirt - Kadesh Sheer Tank - Shirt or Undershirt Layer combined with Pant or Underpants Layer Last Call http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dazzle/68/11/27/

Skirt - Claire Tiered Skirt, Charcoal - Glitch Pants, Pant Layer, Prim Pelvis Attachment (attached to stomach for this outfit) Devilish Cupcake http://slurl.com/secondlife/Talana/220/42/26/

Socks - Weird Plaid Socks, Black - Sock Layer, Prim Thigh Bow Upper Leg Attachments Shiny Things http://slurl.com/secondlife/Shiny Falls/173/181/37/

Belt - Starley Charm Belt, Noir - Prim Pelvis Attachment Last Call http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dazzle/68/11/27/

Boots - Short Blossom Boot, Black - Shoe Base, Prim Foot and Lower Leg Attachments Maitreya http://slurl.com/secondlife/Superieure/94/43/451/

Choker - Chasm Necklace, Silver/Black - Prim Chest Attachment Lassitude & Ennui http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nouveau/65/63/30/

Bangles - Lady Thin Bangles, Silver - Prim Forearm Attachment (both Right and Left arms available) Talisman http://slurl.com/secondlife/Talisman/106/160/97/

Bracelet - Single Checkered Bangle, Black - Prim Forearm Attachment (both Right and Left arms available) Woo's! http://slurl.com/secondlife/Stadtrand/28/207/21/

Hair - The SoHo, Sangria - Prim Head Attachment Armidi http://slurl.com/secondlife/Armidi/135/127/26/

Skin - MM-Light SkinGloss-Blood Minnu Model Skins
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Glam World/118/136/23/

Copacetic

There's something about a fall Sunday that makes me wistful. The leaves changing; the days shortening; the weather turning... and all the rest of those Fall stereotypes we're all so familiar with, fill me with a sense of longing. I'm not sure for what, exactly, but it happens every year about this time. I turn to the warmth of a familiar sweater and the company of a mug of coffee or cup of tea. While it's unsettling, I also find something vaguely comforting in its repetitive presence. As the weather droned on outside my window today - first the sun was shining brightly in the crisp blue sky before being swallowed by another convocation of gray clouds that quickly commenced with their all too familiar rain - I concocted my own cliché, watching the rain coat the outside of my window as I sat opposite the pane. I shivered in my long sleeve shirt and reached for a thicker sweater; one that would provide not only comfort from the cold but also from the craving for something unknown. And before long, SL Kristianne needed the same. While stylish in her red tuxedo heels and matching shrug over a white tank, we both needed something more. I remembered the folder of cozy dresses I scooped up from Last Call recently and pulled out the oatmeal color and slipped it on. The brilliantly soft texture was exactly what I needed to warm the chill. The prim turtleneck and cuffs are reminiscent of a sweater of sheer perfection the likes of which I slid from a shelf at J. Crew a few seasons ago and happily wore out of the store after its purchase and reach for consistently when the leaves begin their slow decent. Cinched with the rich toffee belt from Ms. Callie Cline that draws on the brown of the opaque tights and leather boots, it was an outfit that depicted precisely what I needed it to. Accessories are minimal because, really, where would they go? Messy mahogany locks, soft make up and the simple glimmer of my diamond ring and I was ready for a nice Venti Latte and an afternoon matinée with a close girl friend.

While the dress is a bit shorter than one I'd don in Real Life probably, it works with the opaque chocolate tights that are included in the pack. Because it's a system skirt (that seems to fit just fine), the dress could also be layered over a pair of jeans as well. The new belt from Callie is perfect on its jacket layer. While I didn't love the silver label adornment on the back at first glance, I do understand the desire for branding and brand recognition. And as the day wore on, I decided the metal plate gave the belt even more texture and depth. The tonality of the oatmeal sweater and the browns of the belt, tights and boots create a warm, rich color palate that compliments the colors of the season quite nicely.

I'm in love with the prim sleeves that attach seamlessly higher up on the forearm to give the cuffs of the sweater some bulk. They balance the weight of the heavy turtle neck and the texture of all the pieces is to die for. I jumped for joy when I traipsed through Maitreya last night to find the hair that I loved under the Jam hoodie in its own version now. Her mahogany color is my favorite and I would personally drop to my hands and knees and start kissing feet if it were adopted by other hair designers. For now, though, I'll stick to the Eva and the Mica as my primary styles. While it's more fixed (sculptie) prim than I usually go for, I like the tousled look of the curls around the face and can deal with its lack of movement because of them.

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Sweater Dress - Starley II Mini-Sweater Dress - Jacket or Shirt Layer, Skirt Layer, Prim Neck and Sleeve Attachments (comes in five colors and includes two colors of tights and two prim belts) Last Call http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dazzle/68/11/27/

Belt - fat belt, caramel brownie - Jacket, Shirt or Undershirt Layer caLLie cLine http://slurl.com/secondlife/caLLiefornia/224/194/22

Tights - Starley II Mini-Sweater Dress, Noir - Underpants and Sock Layers Last Call http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dazzle/68/11/27/

Boots - Melisande, Chocolate - Shoe Base, Prim Foot and Lower Leg Attachments Last Call Vamp Last Call http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dazzle/68/11/27/

Hair - Eva, Mahogany - Prim Head Attachment (glow and non-glow styles) Maitreya http://slurl.com/secondlife/Superieure/94/43/451/

Skin - MM-Pale SkinGloss-Smokey Minnu Model Skins
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Glam World/118/136/23

It's Black and White

It's a chilly day here in my RL hometown. Fall has, er, fallen and I'm dragging my feet slowly towards my fall wardrobe both here and SL. This morning I thought I'd get myself into the spirit and go explore some of the Fall and Halloween SIMS out and about. After all, who doesn't love a trip to the pumpkin patch? After about 20 minutes of that, I was bored and needed to reestablish my roots in a more urban atmosphere. A little shopping trip; a stop in New York and I was feeling decidedly more myself. But the cute little green quilted jacket, brown skirt and boots I was wearing were just a bit sweet for my mood. I didn't want to go too punk as it is still the middle of the afternoon and all; but I figured I could get a bit edgy. I knew my new Armidi hairstyle captured the look I was going for and so I put it on and the rest just came together! It's a bit more layer-y than I usually do, but I'm getting more in to that. (After all, the rest of these blogging fashion mavens are all about wowing us with their incredible mix'n'match and layering capabilities and I do want to keep up with the trends!) I'm one who likes the unexpected mix of a Summery white skirt with the darker fabrics and knits. And leather and linen has always been one of my favorite mixes. The detail on the jacket is great with the little zippered pockets on the sleeves and I've been wanting an excuse to wear the great damask cami. Top it off with the tousled hair that looks eerily similar to how my RL hair is worn today and we've got a winner!

See, it really just as simple as black and white... Ha!

The linen pleated skirt is consistent with Last Call's usual quality. It's constructed well; it fits well; and the shading makes it look like more than just prim triangles on a white-panted rear. The appearance of the fabric has a weight to it that allows the linen to work with a heavier, Fall look.

I absolutely love the knit socks from Shiny Things. The texture is incredibly realistic and they just look so soft and cozy. They come in several different colors, but I had to stick with Black and White for today, obviously!

The "junk" bracelet from Illuminare has been one of my favorites since very, very early on in my SL days. I like the different colors and textures and it adds a bit of interest to any outfit. And, it dresses both up and down well. The "Chasm" choker is really well made and works well with the outfit. The silver, or steel, links in contrast with the diamond in the "chasm" is the perfect balance of (forgive me) shabby chic. And I love that I can layer it with another longer necklace as I've done a couple of times in the last few days.

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Jacket - Mylene Fierce Zippered Leather Jacket - Jacket Layer (part of Mylene outfit) Last Call http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dazzle/68/11/27/

Shirt - Sloxie Legend Cami-Lace Trim-Damask BW - Undershirt Layer (available on all three layers) Second Wave Apparel http://slurl.com/secondlife/Plush Gamma/96/211/21

Skirt - Callista Pleated Skirt - Glitch Pants, Pant Layer, Prim Skirt Pelvis Attachment (part of Callista Outfit) Last Call http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dazzle/68/11/27/

Tights - Indian Summer Tights - Underwear and Sock Layers Battered Boudoir http://slurl.com/secondlife/Boudoir Isle/225/31/23

Socks - Stripe knit thigh highs, black - Sock Layer Shiny Things http://slurl.com/secondlife/Shiny Falls/173/181/37

Boots - Old Laceup Boot, Black - Shoe Base, Prim Foot and Lower Leg Attachments Shiny Things http://slurl.com/secondlife/Shiny Falls/173/181/37

Glasses - Danielle Black Glasses - Nose Prim Attachment Insolence http://slurl.com/secondlife/Emmelia/93/166/65

Choker - Chasm Necklace, Silver/Black - Prim Chest Attachment Lassitude & Ennui http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nouveau/65/63/30/

Necklace - Pave Heart and Wings Necklace - Prim Spine Attachment *Miam Miam* http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sunset Arts/167/178/25/

Earrings - Black Pearl Drop Earrings - Prim Ear Attachments Paper Couture http://slurl.com/secondlife/Barcola/80/125/26

Bracelet - Junk Bracelet, Black - Prim Forearm Attachment Illuminare http://slurl.com/secondlife/Retrology/141/234/40

Hair - The SoHo, Nutmeg - Prim Head Attachment Armidi http://slurl.com/secondlife/Armidi/135/127/26

Skin - MM-Light SkinGloss-20s Minnu Model Skins
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Glam World/118/136/23

"Amor Vincit Omnia"

Love Conquers All... I'm in love. Head over heels, crazy-mad, undeniably in love. It happened instantaneously, immediately and I just knew. I just... knew.

I've been looking for the perfect white pants, both in real life and in Second Life for as long as I can remember. I got pretty close in Real Life this summer with a nicely tapered pair of thin white khakis from Old Navy of all places. Still not perfect, but close.

In my blog reading frenzy last week, I crossed in to MichaMi's Style Blog and glimpsed a pair of great white satin pants from Last Call. I made a mental note and moved on. Last night, it was time to find them and I couldn't. I looked across every wall and placard and examined every outfit looking for these white satin pants and I couldn't find them. To make it even worse, I couldn't relocate Mischa's blog, either, to get the style name. In frustration I settled in to google and Firefox history and finally found her blog. I spotted the outfit I was looking for, and thus the pants. But I noticed she was wearing a fantastic shirt, as well. I couldn't bear the droves of fashionistas at Last Call again (and of course, the accompanying lag) so I figured I'd head to Redgrave first to pick up the fantastic top. After doing the dreaded walk to the edge of the SIM before being bounced back to my screen location that had me nose-to-nose with a wall, I shook myself off and decided to cam my way through the store.

I'll take that.

Oooh, and that.

And I want THAT.

And then, I rounded a corner... and there under a sign that announced "New!" - I found them. Yes, it was love at first sight... an experience the equivalent of which I've only experienced once before (and it wasn't for an article of clothing that time)! Quickly, oh so quickly, I right clicked, chose "Buy" and they were MINE! (If only real love were that easy, right?) I dashed home to try on my new purchases and put together an outfit that would show off their fabulousness right here on this page. Well, it wasn't that easy... and that's how I knew it was love... take a look:

Delectable! The satiny gathers of the prim cuffs... the perfect creases around the hips and upper thigh... the drape at the back of the knee...

And they go with EVERYTHING! They work for a luncheon or casual daytime business gathering and transition easily in to a warm evening look. The prim belt that accompanies the package changes the simplicity of the front and makes them a bit more "rock and roll" - perfect to wear for an evening out and about!

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Outfit 1:
Pants - White Satin Pants - Pants Layer, Prim Leg Lower Leg Attachments, Prim Belt (pictured in Outfit 4) Redgrave http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sands%20Shop%20Art/217/47/24/

Shirt - Grey Jacket with Ribbons - Jacket Layer, Prim Arm and Waist Ribbons Redgrave http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sands%20Shop%20Art/217/47/24/

Camisole - Soft Lace Shirt (part of Soft Lace Dress Outfit) - Shirt Layer Sensual Designs http://slurl.com/secondlife/Le%20Cadre/76/235/21/

Shoes - Sparkle, Silver - Shoe Base, Prim Foot and Lower Leg Attachments Minx http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hauwai/46/95/98/

Outfit 2:
Shirt - Milano Halter Top, Hibiscus - Jacket Layer Gisaci http://slurl.com/secondlife/Armidi/135/128/26/

Shoes - Shes Good, Black - Shoe Base, Prim Foot and Lower Leg Attachments Minx http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hauwai/46/95/98/

Outfit 3:
Sweater - Grey Transparent Jacket - Jacket Layer Redgrave http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sands%20Shop%20Art/217/47/24/

Shoes - Visions of Love, Black - Shoe Base, Prim Foot and Lower Leg Attachments Minx http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hauwai/46/95/98/

Outfit 4:
Jacket - Red Jacket - Jacket or Shirt Layer Redgrave http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sands%20Shop%20Art/217/47/24/

Shoes - Shes Good, Black - Shoe Base, Prim Foot and Lower Leg Attachments Minx http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hauwai/46/95/98/

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The sweater that prompted my initial trip to Redgrave is pristine. The small details are what make it so eye catching - the shimmer of an implied white bra hiding under the sheer fabric; the wrinkled bow of the belt and the soft gathers of the fabric at the hem and wrists. And I of course had to add the bracelet that screams the message of love that I now feel so deeply - "Amor Vincit Omnia".

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Choker - Chasm Necklace, Silver/Black - Prim Chest Attachment Lassitude & Ennui http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nouveau/65/63/30/

Necklace - Feather Pendant Necklace - Prim Spine Attachment *Miam Miam* http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sunset Arts/167/178/25/

Bracelet - Amor Vincit Omnia, Silver and Moonstones - Prim Forearm Attachment Lassitude & Ennui http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nouveau/65/63/30/

Earrings - Chasm Earring - Prim Ear Attachments Lassitude & Ennui http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nouveau/65/63/30/

Hair - Katya, Cherry Brown - Prim Head Attachment Deviant Kitties http://slurl.com/secondlife/Deviant Kitties/128/127/22/

Skin - MM-Light SkinGloss-OhWow Minnu Model Skins
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Glam World/118/136/23