I Hat You!

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,—I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!—and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death. 

~Elizabeth Barratt Browning~

Written in the 1800's this perfectly describes my love affair with hats.  Thank god SL has some amazing milliner's or I would simply have left with my bottom lip dragging on the ground.  I have as many hats/hair accessories in my inventory as there are days in the year and usually the first thing to go on is the hat and I often build the wardrobe up from there.

In honor of the hat, I share two of my more unusual pieces with you.

Penis Envy 

Well who else could come up with such an amazing conCOCKtion other than SevenStar Amat, designer extraordinaire of Stitch By Stitch.  I think she did very well to represent a large portion of  the male species in one lil' ol' hat.  Big and small, thick and thin...it's a veritable banquet on top.

To make it pretty, she has arranged little flowers here and there.  Talk about making a silk purse out of a sow's ear.  When Seven sent this to me, I spent day's showing it off around the shops.

Shopping list:
Hair: Writer in Glazed by Detour.
Skin: Jesse Sunkiss (Make Up 10) by Belleza.
Eyes: Expressive Eyes Green (2) by Nany Merlin.
Jacket: Feather Black Coat by BiancaF.
Top: Henrietta Top by LeeZu.
Pants: Not Nerosumero by BianceF.
Shoes: Stivaletto Nero by Bolero.
Hat: A Little Bit of Everything Bouquet Hat by SevenStar Amat (Stitch By Stitch).
Earrings: Black Hearrings by UnTone.

Chal In A Box

 

Vain Inc. has been a champion of SL fashion in a multitude of ways from their Vain Inc. Boutique to Vain Magazine and everything in between. This hat titled "aLaChanel" was a gift some time ago and to be honest, I don't even know if it is still available; however, it never hurts to ask. It's so quirky and in my eyes it makes a statement. What, I don't know but it's chic in the extreme.

Yep you could wear it with an uber big gown but I like to wear polar opposities sometimes so shorts and Chanel hat make it more interesting to me.

Shopping list:
Hair: Brook in Mirage by Truth.
Skin: Jesse in Sunkiss (Make Up 14) by Belleza.
Eyes: Expressive Gray Eyes (Big) by Nany Merlin.
Top: Tee Eva (Shopoholic) by Emery.
Shorts: Black Ripped Shorts by FA.
Jacket: Opened Blazer by P-K in Noir (Polina Kaestner).
Belt: Embossed Wide Belt by Coco.
Shoes: Marie Shoes (Purple Royal) by Tesla.
Socks: Mit Suspenders in Lilac by Pig.
Hat: aLaChanel by Vain.
Bracelet: Chunky Heart Bracelet by MM.
Nails: an Purple by Petit Ange.
Glasses: Aviator Rosy by Emery.

So you wonderful SL designers, please keep making hat.  The madder the better.

Saying No To Content Theft the Artist's Voice Way

CONTENT THEFT.  Two words of late that have some SL creators reeling in the wake of numerous content thieves who have been passing their wares out with full permissions.  If you believe what you read, content theft appears to be on the rise and has done some serious damage to those who have contributed to the fashion industry of SL. 

Vultures and parasite's they surely are but the buzz on the grid is that LL have been very inconsistent with the way they have been dealing with the problem which is no doubt very disheartening for those who have poured their creative soul and RL dollars  into Linden Land.

SCD have just blogged about the attempt of Artist's Voice to raise awareness of this issue with residents and LL alike.  Whether you agree with the plan or not, to me doing something is better than doing nothing.

I personally will not accept any items offered to me in case they are stolen and I encourage you all to do the same and tell your friends as well.

In thinking about content creators and their contributions, I imagined what SL would be without them.  This prompted me to put my thoughts into a couple of pictures because I consider our world, the world we all chose to visit for it's ability to bring color and movement into our lives in a way not always possible in RL, would be dull and empty without them.  So for that I feel we must band together and say NO in as many ways as we can.

I'm going to take a 48 hour stand even though I know it will hurt the creators in terms of income but then I justify that having your SL's work stolen from you with little recourse could be more damaging.  Wanting to be a responsible blogger, I wanted to use my humble site to add to the message.

Go Artist's Voice...I admire you for your proactivity...damn, is that actually a word?

Stitch by Stitch - Fashion That Won't Hem You In.

From the minute Vixie Rayna turned up in one of  SevenStar Amat's designs from her store 'Stitch By Stitch' many, many moons ago, I was smitten to say the least.  I remember ooooo'ing and ahh'ing so much that my sharing, caring friend gave me the Violet Night dress that I never took off for what seemed like forever.  If this were a dress in RL it would have had to be peeled off me because of lack of washing.

I then met Seven and discovered this amazingly talented person who was interesting, kind, generous and intelligent.  What has always impressed me with Seven's collection is her mastery of prim work.  The coats, skirts, jacket's and dresses always sit so well on the avatar and somehow she always places them in the most perfect positions that when rezzed, as if by magic,  everything fits like a jig saw.  I believe there are not many who have mastered this like Seven.

Seven is a wonderful mix of artist and dress maker which is evident by her eclectic use of colorful textures, laces and zany adornments that make up many of  her pieces.  Her Frida Kahlo dress is one of my all time favorite outfits and I would give my eye teeth for a scarf in RL made of those incredibly colorful prints she has used in the dress.  Having just purchased two Sir Alistair Rai scarves in RL, I would die for a Frida inspired scarf created from the mind of Seven. The way she utilizes color, often combining hues that one would not expect but it always works and if you look carefully, you appreciate the thought that has gone into creating her unique pieces.

In honor of Seven's incredible talents, I have created a mish-mash of pieces centred around her glorious 'Miss Berlin' skirt which is part of a wider outfit she created.  If you haven't had the pleasure yet, do pop by her store and soak up the fun that is Stitch by Stitch.

Hair: Zoe in Natural Blond by Maitreya.

Skin: Jesse Sunkiss in Make Up 15 from Belleza.

Eyes: Expressive Eyes in Green (4) big by Nany Merlin.

Skirt: Little Miss Berlin by Stitch by Stitch

Jumper: Enroulent Jumper in Walnut by Gisele.

Shoes: Mishima Dawn in Brown Leather by Maitreya.

Anklets: Brown Anklets by Maitreya.

Stockings: Sheer Tan by Battered Boudoir.

Hat: Gold Teresa Hat by Elegance Hats.

Bangle: Line Bangle's in Plum by ::ElDee::

Earrings: Antonia Beige by DeLa.

Nails: French Pink by Detour.

The Love Boat - Holiday Romance

Well there's nothing quite like a holiday to put you in the mood for romance and fun.  I should know.  Chal's typist just had a holiday so fantastic, she's planning another one.

Cruising on a boat in the azure water's under the Meditteranean sun with the dashing Captain Carnell at the helm was just what Chalice needed to dust the cobwebs off after a long winter.  Scouring the grid for some holiday outfits, Chalice packed her case and headed dockside to join the mega-yacht 'MV Second Life'.  With lots to do every hour of every day, Chalice worked her wardrobe for all it was worth.

Here are some of Chal's holiday snaps.

Skin: Jesse in Sunkiss Make up 9 by Belleza
Hair: Afterglow in Blonde by Cake
Eyes: Expressive Eyes in Grey (big) by Nany Merlin
Dress & Gloves: Ciara Mystery black dress by Son!a
Hair accessory: Peacock Feather Hairneedle by MD
Necklace/Earrings: All My Heart by Aluinn
Shoes: d'Orsay Black Patent Shoe by Stiletto Moody

Skin: Jesse in Sunkiss Make up 9 by Belleza
Hair: Ashlin in Mirage by Truth
Eyes: Expressive Eyes in Grey (big) by Nany Merlin
Swimwear top: Miami by Baiastice
Skirt: Rock Check skirt by Susie
Bag: Blanc Croissant Satchel by MM
Necklace/Earrings: Pyramid by ::69::
Sunglasses: Miami by Baiastice
Shoes: Grace in Black by Maitreya
Hair accessory: Flower Rose in White by Artilleri

Skin: Jesse in Sunkiss Make up 8 by Belleza
Hair: Brooke in Mirage by Truth
Eyes: Expressive Eyes in Grey (big) by Nany Merlin
Swimwear: Persephone Bikini by Chic Boutique
Skirt: Gonna Pizzo Ruffled Panna by Bianca Foulon
Shoes: Silvera Pixieblue pumps by DeLa
Necklace: Love Eternal Pear Drop Turquoise necklace from BLD
Earrings: Love Eternal Two Tone Turquoise earrings by BLD

Skin: Jesse in Sunkiss Make Up 11 by Belleza
Hair: Bo in Natural Blonde by Maitreya
Eyes: Expressive Eyes in Blue 4 by Nany Merlin
Nails: AN Nails in Sakurapink. at Petit Ange
Top: Clypso Sunrise by Mimikri
Pants: Zoe White by Mimikri
Shoes: Laque White Pumps by Storm Schmooz
Bag: Short Feather in White by Muism
Earrings: Lilium Drops by Paper Couture
Bangle: Candy Line Bangle by ::eLDee::
Hair accessory: Rosie Hairpiece by Elegance Hats

Skin: Jesse in Sunkiss Make Up 9 by Belleza
Hair: Afterglow in Blonde by Cake
Eyes: Expressive Eyes in Green (big) by Nany Merlin
Dress: Tea Dress by Baiastice
Shoes: Celine Wordsworth by DeLa
Bag: Gold Chain Clutch by Muism
Necklace/Earrings: Modern Anch in Mint created by Babyhoney Bailey

Skin: Jesse in Sunkiss Make up 9 by Belleza
Hair: Afterglow in Blonde by Cake
Eyes: Expressive Eyes in Grey (big) by Nany Merlin
Dress & Gloves: Ciara Mystery black dress by Son!a
Hair accessory: Peacock Feather Hairneedle by MD
Necklace/Earrings: All My Heart by Aluinn
Shoes: d'Orsay Black Patent Shoe by Stiletto Moody

Skin: Jesse in Sunkiss Make Up 10 by Belleza
Hair: Zoe in Natural Blond by Maitreya
Eyes: Expressive Eyes in Blue 4 by Nany Merlin
Nails: AN Nails in Navy at Petit Ange
Lingerie: Jeweled Moonlight Lingerie by Chic Boutique
Shoes: High Heel Strap Sandals by Awori Cassini
Necklace: Diamont Heart & Key Necklace by MM
Earrings: Tsabaki by Untone
Bracelet: Chunky Heart Bracelet by MM
Hair accessory: Color Change Cherry Blossom by JetDoll

And they sailed into the sunset.

Copy Cat Fashion

Maybe there has been one, but I'd love to see a competition in SL where you have to recreate the look of someone famous. I recall doing something along these lines for a competition where we had to present a picture of our av as someone from history. I chose Madame du Pompadour and the wonderful Elysium Elde took my photo.

This was one of the more interesting competitions as it took some thought and leg work to recreate the wardrobe of someone from history. I placed second in this competition behind the irrepressible Mimmi B.

Anyway, being a tad bored one SL night, I thought I would give Pink a crack. I adore Ms Pink and if I could be anyone in the world, it would be her. I'm not one for wishing my life away but she's the package in my opinion.

Taking a photo from RL, I checked through my inventory until I was somewhat happy with the resemblance and took a snap. Trying, not very well may I add, to find the pose, the hair, the background etc was a fun challenge. Would love to see more people recreating a moment of a fav RL star in the blogs.

Here's the girl herself.

And here's Chal.

Jacket: The Bobbysocks Shoppe
slurl.com/secondlife/Demented Isle/204/148/29

Leggings: Shiny Leggings in Pistachio from Malt
slurl.com/secondlife/Juicy/34/75/24

Skin: Redgrave Pale Moon Skin
slurl.com/secondlife/REDGRAVE Womens Fashion/242/231/23

Hair: Yohkoh in White from Kin
slurl.com/secondlife/Eventide Far East/165/209/45

Bracelet: Soho Hardwood bracelet from JCNY.
slurl.com/secondlife/Farrah%20Island/200/80/25

Tattoo: Sexy Rose from Inks and Kinks
slurl.com/secondlife/InK/86/129/32

At Home With Chal

I really am loving the ability to muck around on my own land. Not that I have any prims left after the house, the landscaping, the waves, the prim water, the furniture blah, blah, blah. Just having the owners rights to have a security orb, set my own music, tv station and all the other things I've never had the opportunity to do is fun. I like hanging around the house when I have the time and going through my inventory unearthing stuff I'd forgotten I had. Like a lot of you, one of my most favorite things to do is put together looks from the bizarre to the banal. Using pieces from all different designers and seeing how they come together is great fun and lets me be the stylist I secretly want to be.

Not everything has to be out there and elaborate. I like to create casual looks for Chalice and using the house as a backdrop, I put together a simple but quirky outfit ready to go out with the girls shopping and for a bite of lunch.

Unfortunately the girls were late again and Chalice was left waiting. You know how it is, you go from room to room and chair to chair wondering where the hell are they.

Yeah they eventually arrived. A week later. Those hunts can take forever.

Eyes: Expressive Eyes Grey by Nany Merlin
Hair: Harlow in Natural Blond by Maitreya
Skin: Jesse in Sunkiss by Belleza (# 13)
Jacket: Dictator Shrug in Black by Digit Darkes
Top: Sexy Back top by Meh
Jeans: Zaara Classic Blue Jeans (slouchy leg)
Shoes: Mishima Dawn in Steel by Maitreya
Glasses: Celeste by primOptic
Hairpiece: Double Dragon Fur Hair Ornament by Z's

Miss Virtual World - Who Will It Be?

Competitions in any form bring out the best and worst in people but in SL, they are an entity all of their own.  I have seen some outrageous behavior from entrants in various competitions and I've seriously wondered if the person was 10 years old.  Borrowing Elton John's documentary title, 'Tantrums and Tiara's', it's perfect for what I have witnessed on occassion.  Interestingly though, one competition where I thought prim nails and hair would be flying all over Patch's place was the Miss Virtual World pageant when I was an entrant last year.  Nothing could be further from the truth in my opinion.  I was so pleasantly surprised that we all seemed to be genuinely encouraging  each other and I'd lay my recent holiday tan on the line that behind the computer, the girls weren't gnashing their teeth and swearing like wharfies.  Well if they were, it didn't come across in text or occasional voice.

I think competitions can be lots of fun but the one's that rely solely on avatar beauty where you send in pictures dressed in the organizer's outfits can have even the most mild-mannered person pushing over their Grandma and road testing every photographer in SL.  Linden's are spent hand over fist in the pursuit of the perfect picture...hair, skin, shoes, jewellery purchased just to compliment that outfit you'll never wear again.  I can understand the impulsion but I've learned that the more time and money I invested the more disappointed I was and annoyed at myself when I didn't win which was most of the time.  Anyway I digress.

This post isn't meant to be negative or in any way detract from the Miss Virtual World finalists who when you think of it, cut through some mighty fine competition to reach where they are.  Like or loathe this type of competition, I can tell you first hand that a lot (LOT) of work goes not only into organizing it, but participating.  For that alone, these girls deserve some bravo's and air kisses..

I just wanted to pay homage to the 23 finalists who I know have worked so hard to deliver the best possible product in all of the separate tasks along the way.  I used a texture that Ryker Beck kindly provided on her Rezzable blog, had a dabble in PS, then took it in-world to create 23 Tee's.  I sent them pink one's in respect of Breast Cancer Awareness month with their names and country  on.  Regardless of what you think of MVW, there are 23 people who have put in enormous effort to prepare for this contest.  It does showcase the talents of designers, builders, scripters etc and any event that raises the profile of these people is good in my books.

So here is my little, some may say pathetic, attempt to say GO GIRLS. 

Have fun chickie's and remember to put vaseline on your teeth.

Ode to Eshi - Forever In Our Hearts

Flipping through the Fashion Feeds last night, I noticed a headline saying goodbye to Eshi Otawara from SL. It directed the reader to Eshi's blog where Irena, the RL Eshi, had written a heartfelt and amazingly insightful post about her reasons for leaving SL. It was such an honest and perceptive account about the battle she has been facing in recent times in assessing her quality of life whilst absorbed in this game we call Second Life. It strongly resonated with me because I too had to critically analyze what it was about SL that had such a hold over me for a while that I would put spending time in-world over other RL enjoyable pursuits. It took me to leave for months and enjoy an overseas holiday to cut ties with  the negative aspects of my life in-world and finally realize it had become unhealthy and that I was losing touch with reality. I have found the perspective and balance required to allow me to come back.  Although I do realize that this doesn't happen to everyone, there were  people who contacted me to say they too had struggled with their identity and RL priorities.

Irena's descriptions of Eshi versus Irena and which one of them was clearly coming off second best should be a wake up call to anyone, like me, who have ever compromised their RL selves for their avatar. Bravo, bravo Irena for realizing that there is no contest...the RL you is too precious and deserves all the self-love you can muster.  It has served it's purpose and now you must move on. It was entirely your talent we all enjoyed in-world but I'm so happy that you are going to focus on extending this beyond the confines of SL.

I just wanted to say a huge thank you for making my experience in SL all the richer through your art works of various kinds. I didn't know you that well but the time I did spend with you I quickly came to realize what an amazing person you (Irena) were.  You created my Emu Egg National dress for the Miss Virtual World pageant last year and I was so proud to wear it. What you did with that dress, the small details, is beyond belief. I see it when I wear it...you captured the essence of Australian-ness and it didn't go unnoticed by me.

 

So you gorgeous thing...go out and take your rightful place and shine like the diamond you are. Yeah we'll miss you but for those who appreciated your fashion designs, we have your legacy.

Best of luck Irena although I don't think you'll need it.  You have a beautiful smile RL from your piccies so use it :-)

Halloween And All That Jazz

All Hallows Even is fast approaching on the 31st of October and whilst I have never celebrated it in any form due to being Australian, its great that I can get in the spirit of the lead up and the actual day in SL.

As usual there will be competitions, hunts and giveaways galore in the next few weeks and I took advantage of a competition currently running to get this devilish little number from SySy's Designs, a quality label well known to most fashion lovers in SL.

Any excuse to theme up a photo, I took myself off on my overworked broomstick for a ride around SL whilst the moon was full. After riding around checking what you were all doing during the night, I ended up at the Blooded Forest looking for Stingy Jack who I placed a curse on one day condemning him to wander the earth at night forever with a candle in a hollowed out turnip. Be careful little pumpkins or you too might end up in limbo if you try to trick me.









Hair: Spencer from Truth (Halloween giftie 2008).
Skin: LessThan3 - Pale - Disturbia 1 (Free Halloween giftie 2008).
Eyes: Expressive Eyes in Green 2 by Nany Merlin.
Dress: Bitch, Please from SySy's Designs
Gloves: AyaV Fur gloves sold at Atelier.
Boots: Midnight Boot in black by Fuel.
Necklace: Chained Heart necklace by JuJu's Closet.
Stockings: Fishnet Schwartz by Awori Cassini.
Broomstick: From Jas Particles & Prim Things.