Hey lady!

The Aquarius Zodiac month ends on the 13th, so you should surf over there soon if you want a nifty mermaid bra by Brutus Martinek of Pididdle. JesyLilo’s loose-fit jeans feature portholes on the outside of each leg. Why I do not know. Perhaps to show off a tattooed tangle of kelp.

Meanwhile, back on shore, Sopha Portal has released a new skin called Vivian. As with her other recent skins, Vivian is available in a pack with eight soft and sweet makeups. Six of these feature orange-red lips, and two, including the one I’m showing here, run to pink. I tend to think I don’t like anything named after a princess or a lapdog, but Aranel Ah’s Tiffany colour makes BOOM’s beautifully sculpted, nubbly textured Duveteux Rayonnant jacket absolutely irresistible. As far as I’m concerned, Ms. Ah has the all clear for Savannah and Felicity.

Credits to creators
Look one
PIDIDDLE – Sea Maiden Bra – Sea Princess (NEW at Zodiac; ty Brutus Martinek!)
::Exile:: A Winter’s Tale:Beach
*JeSyLiLO*:::Knotted Jeans:::*Dirty XS (NEW; ty Lilo Glom!)
Adam n Eve Clothes, Ana Lace Panty Popcorn
Graves, Cuffs from G329
-Belleza- Wynter skin (old 50L Friday)
MONS / Shocking eyes – blue
The Muse Poses, Venus (at Fashion Limited; ty Audrey Cresci!)

Look two
*MY UGLYDOROTHY -Vivian05(Burly) [available in three tones] (NEW; ty Sopha Portal!)
*MY UGLYDOROTHY -Cleaves tattoo1(Burly) (tat cleavage sold separately)
*BOOM* Duveteux Rayonnant Jacket (Tiffany) (mesh) (NEW; ty Aranel Ah!)
Maitreya Flare Jeans (for heels) * M #6
welldone.atelier/ Gold Deer rings (at fi*friday, pack includes gold and silver)
[e] Abbey – Red 05 (on sale)
Clemmm – Window Ocean eyes
focus poses, winter set (at Limited Bazaar)

GIMP your own, these are mine. (I shot these to look more yellow than they appear in a standard AnaLu studio 5 light. So please do try demos!)

Licking my chops

I’ve been reading Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber, which is supposed to be a collection of feminist retellings of fairytales. Several of the stories turn on encounters between teenage girls and animals. In one, Beauty transforms the Beast into a man with her love. In another… Well, let’s just say that those transformations can work both ways. And poor sweet Beauty missed out on some very sexy sex. The stories inspired today’s outfit, which sees Portia looking satisfied after sharing a barbecued big bad wolf with grannie and the woodsman, who turned out to be gran’s boytoy. That’s right: gran’s the original cougar. If you don’t like to read books, you might see if you can rent The Company of Wolves, a fascinating film written by Carter and director Neil Jordan.

This week I had my eye on some cool but pricey new jumpsuits. I decided to stop denying myself and splurge on whatever I wanted. To my surprise, instead of heading for Diram or Celoe, my av returned to Fameshed to drool again over Fanatik’s beautifully textured leather dresses. It seems I have some catching up to do in the not-denying-myself department.

Credits to creators
:FANATIK: Leather & Lace dress Brown S (NEWISH at Fameshed)
-tb- C88 Lace Dress – Brown [worn underneath] (old Collabor88 item)
Remy, BeastHood(FurCast)-M-OldFur/Brown (NEW at Around the World in Africa)
::Exile:: Little Things:Dirty [damn I love this hair]
{.essences.} Maria skin *Soleil dark* Sugar (NEW at TDR)
*League* Folklore Leggings -Ziggy (pl)
Maitreya, Devi Booties Rosewood (another catch-up splurge)
::je suis…grande::browns::bangles
:: Purple Moon :: Noble Ring in Walnut
poses: The Muse Poses, Tyche pack; PDA
location: Wretched Hollow

Sweater girls

Watch out for your av’s ego. As soon as I bought Portia a handful of gowns from Phoenix Rising, she went out and crashed every ball and opera on the grid. Pretty soon she was running with a rich and powerful pack, and the paparazzi began to follow her everywhere. Now she claims she doesn’t want to be photographed ever again. Well, maybe by van Lamsweerde and Matadin, who are “true artists.”

Notice how Portia seems to be refusing to have her picture taken but has actually stopped long enough for everyone to admire her Aimesi sweater, Phoenix Rising shorts, and Paper Couture boots?

Naomi Campbell has nothing on Portia. She threw her purse at me when the fri.day belt she was wearing under her Fishy Strawberry sweater started to chafe. I had already lost the best light of the day convincing her that no one would confuse the baggy uppers of the pink izm pants with her own thighs, which I described as justly famous perfectly toned towers of pixeliciousness. She accused me of being stingy with the compliments and then asked me what I thought of her butt.

Credits to creators
Light look and closeup
sweater: Fishy Strawberry, Knit Sweater Greyish Purple (TDR)
pants: izm, Go to the Conveni pants pink
skin: Heartsick, Ayame Illusion Crimson Kiss (Mid Cleavage) (from the free Ayame Three Tone teaser)
hair: Exile, BetsyBanging Black (old TDR item)
earrings: Eclectica, from the Jazz Chinoiserie Set
purse: Vinyl Cafe, Dominion Purse Pink Tartan (free at Free*Style’s Juicy location)
belt: fri.day, Wide Waist.Belt (Mauve)

Dark look
sweater: Aimesi, part of Aimesi Fashion Group Gift Pullover+ Leggings
shorts: Phoenix Rising, part of Frilled (25L till October 30)
skin: Heartsick, Ayame Illusion Crimson Kiss (Mid Cleavage) (from the free Ayame Three Tone teaser)
hair: Clawtooth, Somebody’s Lady Coco
boots: Paper Couture, Typhoon Boots Black
tights: Paper Couture, Dark Tights_Blue Dots (1L)
necklace: Miel, Elle Uber Bow
hat: ? [creator Maxwell Maven], Unisex Fedora (modded)

emotions: YadNi Monde, Yadnis Emoter HUD v 3.1
poses: Olive Juice, Slapping (PPH2 hunt gift)
set: Gauged, Photo Studio 1

You make sleek kills

I thought I’d sworn off leopard, but this free dress from Morea Style is just too utterly utter. Portia doesn’t have a lot of evening wear because many SL gowns are too fussy, and the skirt prims look like prims, not skirt. A simple column dress in subtle textures is ideal. (When oh when are we all going neo-classical?!) Exile’s new group gift features orangey-yellow lips. As looks go, it’s a tough one to pull off, but a colour-coordinating bird makes it work.

Open your eyes Prudence is Amperlope’s latest shape, one of two she has for sale at The Rumor sim’s Fall Harvest Festival. It’s such a pleasure to find one’s way around a new shape. I figured out right away that Prudence is no lover of avant-garde fashion. This girl’s body is carved to be flaunted in a hot cheetah two-piece from Sn@tch. Even so, that stuffed bunny shouldn’t have copped a feel while we were shooting. It’s always the lamb who wants to lie down with the lion.

Credits to creators
Look one
dress: Morea Style, Gift Exclusive (gg in store)
hair: Exile, Layne/dual choc (old TDR item)
skin: Exile, September Blush Para (with cleavage on tattoo or undershirt layer) (new subo gift)
necklace: Fashionably Dead, Single Feather Necklace
earrings: Mandala, Sinra Earrings/Moss Green [<3!] (Rockin’ Friday item)
bangle: Eclectica, Tortoiseshell Bracelet (part of DSN pack)
eyes: Tacky Star, Satin Button Med Vein 1
bird and pose: Just a Pose, My Fine Feathered Friend

Look two
shape: amperlope, Open Your Eyes Prudence (at the Fall Harvest Festival) (promo copy)
outfit: Sn@tch, Cheetah Corset Set
skin: Imabee, Light Lucy First Sight Love LTbrow (old gg)
hair: Posh, Beat Chocolate (from Hair Fair freebie bag)
shoes: Surf Couture, Nantucket Spectators Black
bracelet: Just You, Ying Yang Black (Fashion Freaks Hunt item)
eyes: HooT, Sunrise Eyes (Starlust)
tat: Tacky Star, Signa Tat (Goat Party pack)
bunny: Curvature, My Bunny Best Friend (freebie single-pose version of multi-pose paybie)

Hot blue

Forget me nots and feathers are free for the asking in Vitabela Dubrovna’s new garden.

Be an Ugly Duck on the cheap. Sale packs are 250L.

No fro is the perfect fro: Duboo knew we’d need seven. Emery’s beret brings the Blue to The Dressing Room, but only until Thursday.

Credits to creators
Look one
accessories: Vita’s Garden, Blue Hat and Blue Wings (freebies)
skin: Imabee, Petal – Rory – Retro Forever
hair: Miel, Mojito Blonde 1 from the Blondes I pack (available at Hair Fair; 50% donated to Wigs for Kids)
location: Utopia05

Look two
hat: R.icielli, Commander Hat Azure (50% off until September 15)
skin: Ugly Duck, Bella Bare Freckles Blue Eyeliner (on sale for 250L)
jacket: Kyoot, Deconstructed Socialite
hair: booN, Vine Shaved Hair Base Blueblack (Hair Fair gift)
earrings: Ganked, part of Flutter Blue set
eyes: Dime Piece, Amethyst (no longer available)
location: Luce

Look three
hat: Emery, Beret Tropez Sea (TDR Blue)
hair: Duboo, Disco Boomboom [down] (Project Themeory item)
skin: Cupcakes, Dahlia Sienna Navy (old gg)
jacket: Ravissant, Black Blazer
eyebrows: Exile, September Black Brows (current gg)
eyes: Mynerva, Geekgasm Eyes (old hunt gift)
location: Kowloon

She is a model and she’s looking good

Have you ever seen one of those blog photos that is little more than an excuse to show off the enviable looks of the blogger’s avatar? Well, you have now! I’m not kidding. Portia has had quite a bit of work done in the last few months, and she may soon be ready for her closeup. Ampersand Artful’s phrase “slider abuse” helped me figure out why my avatar’s cheeks could cut diamonds, and I softened them with ease. I’m particularly happy with Portia’s sad mouth. When I first joined SL, I thought I should have a smiling avatar or no one would like me. Then I realized I don’t want to be liked. (Not for smiling, at any rate.) Lately, I’ve been admiring hippy avatars, but Portia has a long waist, so it’s hard to give her the hips she deserves. Ironically, I’ve never considered enlarging Portia’s breasts. I must have lost my inner male (in a dead letter office or a dungeon, perhaps). My inner lesbian, on the other hand, is sitting front row center, opera glasses in hand, and she’s all adrool.

Credits to creators
skin: Exile, Already Gone in Blush and Blush Cleavage undershirt (September subo group gift) [I love this skin!]
hair: Exile, Bianca Twilight (from the Hair Fair freebies package)
hawt exhaustion: Exile, Insomnia facial tattoo (from the Hair Fair freebies package)
lingerie: Blacklace, Tempest (old TOSL special)
eyes: Glam Affair, Stella n4

Romp around the world

After yesterday’s disastrous stay at Motel Onyx, I decided that Portia simply had to go abroad if she wanted to stay on the romp. Amsterdam popped into my head, and the image of its bike-filled streets, charming domestic exteriors and relaxed atmosphere immediately made me smile. If only I could get Portia to do the same! Thus far, my experiments with smile HUDs have not been successful, and Exile’s recent group gift skin makes Portia look downright sad.

I visited Amsterdam for the first time last summer, arriving the day after Michael Jackson died. In the early evening, I was on my way to the modern art museum when I encountered a handful of people dancing to Jackson tunes blaring out the back door of a van. Let’s say that Portia looks sad because she’s reliving that bittersweet dance-party. Her All-in-One Polka Dot is a Lucky Board group gift at M+M. It can be stripped down to a cute jumpsuit or worn with all its prims as the irresistibly eccentric ensemble you see here.

Credits to creators

romper: M+M, All-in-One Polka Dot (Lucky Board group gift)

skin: Exile, Rapture Tone 3 DB Royal (recent group gift)

hair: kik, Lyla in Coffee

earrings: Sanu, Glitter-pop Earrings (subscribo gift)

shoes: Duh!, White Espadrilles (group gift)

pose: ELISA

location: Amsterdam

What’s lost?

What do we feel when an SL affair ends? That physical ache for a lost lover isn’t there. The body doesn’t suffer withdrawal. If one is angry with the ex, it is next to impossible to miss him or her, unless one thinks back to pleasurable moments. And then, because the end of the affair is always about disillusionment, one realizes that the beloved was even more of a fantasy than a flesh-and-blood ex could ever be. There is no actual person to miss.

Grief is not constant. But this week I feel huddled up in it. What I miss, what feels irretrievably lost, is my erotic and affectionate imagination. Most of the art I have made in my life has been for lovers. They inspire me, to put it blandly. This week I’m grieving the self I lost when I lost my playmate. I don’t play any more.

Take my shoes off,
And (I will) throw them in the lake,
And I’ll be
Two steps on the water.

Portia wears

skin: &bean, Hounds of Love (dollarbie in two tones available at Starlust location only)

hair: Exile, Dori in Dusk, Light Browns pack

sweater: RunoRuno, Bulky Sweater (old hunt gift)