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/

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/

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