Hangs you up the most

They say it’s spring, but the weather outside is still frightful. So I say, what the hell, let’s call it summer. Forget dressing up like a bag of Jordan almonds. Eat the damn almonds; wear sangría.
I’ve been wanting a Glance skin for a while now, specifically because the medium and dark skin tones are so lovely. I got Anais at Skin Fair. She’s a bit dear price-wise, with a bare-face skin at over a 1,000L and separate packs of lipstick and eyeshadow for 500L each. (Good news for those of you who like to make stupid mistakes when buying things: the September lipsticks look just fine on the August tone.)

Credits to creators
*BOOM* Manchesters (lime) xxs (NEW, in mannnyyy colours; ty Ms Ah!)
Leverocci – Sleek Blazer_M_Coral (on sale)
SOUL. Corset Dots S (awesome)
*Glance Skins – Anais – August – Black Brows – Small Cleavage
*Glance Skins – Anais – September – Glossy 06 lipstick
I added Mynerva lashes and Dutch Touch eyeliner, which aren’t available for purchase
MEMIL eyes 06_orange brown (bought on Marketplace)
Swallow, Sunglasses
>TRUTH< Sassy w/Roots – crow
TuTy’s – black hairbase tattoo 2
mijn.botique accessories / huge chain necklace rosegol (past TDRF and not available)
mijn.botique accessories / studded earrings n.2 – rgold
[ glow ] studio – Diamond Bar ring (rose gold)
[HANDverk], Stud Clutch.kiwi (free at the Free*Style shop)
Glitterati, Shuttered pose prop
GIMPed for your pleisure.

Big booms

I find myself expecting the bübs trend to go the way of the hamsters. Those who hope that the falsies will have more staying power should be encouraged to see some long-established creators, like Nylon Pinkney of Nylon Outfitters, Aikea Rieko of The Plastik and Aranel Ah of BOOM, making appliers for select items. They have opted to satisfy the insistent demands from Lolas Tango addicts (who have a lot of weight to throw around—if you know what I mean). For BOOM, Ms. Ah has created appliers for some of her sexiest numbers—the I Promise lingerie, the Carbon dresses, and the Day on the Yacht dresses among them. Here Portia wears the itty-bitty I Promise lingerie in turquoise and lipstick. I especially appreciate the fact that Ms. Ah specifies in the name which Lolas clothing layer to use with the applier. (It’s really impossible to figure this out by the cut of the top.) (P.S. I got the idea for this look from Ampersand Artful, who probably won’t beat me up for it. This time.)

As you can see, the BOOM lingerie applier pack also provides a peep version. Unfortunately, soap bubbles are not included. Portia’s pose is one of a new set of saucy stances for big-busted girls by Katey Coppola of Glitterati. They feature Ms. Coppola’s signature sultriness, but can also be shot to bring out the humorous side of front-loaded life.

Credits to creators
*BOOM* I Promise lingerie (turqouise and lipstick) with NEW Lolas Tango applier sold separately (ty Aranel Ah!)
Lolas ::: Tango ::: Mesh Breasts
+Nuuna+ Winter 2012 Gift Skin with Lolas Tango skin matcher (open gift)
Mad’ – Pure Sugar # Freckles+teeth (old VIP group gift)
[e] Abbey – White 05
Plastik, Madre Halo 4
Contraption, Clemantlers (LB)
!Ohmai : Antique Bee Ring (Silver)
Glow, Diamond Bar Ring (With Love Hunt item)
Mandala, Takara White Bangles (with nails not shown)
pose one prop: Glitterati, Blind
pose two: Glitterati, Boobalicious
Grim Bros. sent out this cool personal snow emitter as an Xmas gift!
If I hadn’t GIMPed these photos you’d be blushing. You’re welcome.
Hammies are forever!

Safe neither for work nor for the horny

Portia’s super-slinky gown is from Kex Blackheart of Paperbag. The dress has a scoop back and double side-slits. It’s part of the debut collection at the new Lyfe of Style discount shop. This new venue emphasizes urban styles that resemble the offerings at Fifty-five Friday. The dress, the gold-and-black harness belt and the Lolas Tango applier are all sold separately at 75L each. (Please note that the belt is system layers and the dress has a mesh skirt.) Sabina Gully of Magika has just released Stumble, a hairdo with a permanent—but colour-change—blindfold. I have mixed feelings about ombres in crazy colours because they can throw off an outfit. Magika’s colour pairings are fantastic, so I was thrilled to see that this style isolates the second colour at the back in a long, loose ponytail. This way, the ombre is a cool surprise.

I can’t resist showing off Lolas Tango falsies with Al Vulo’s current group gift skin, which includes an applier to tint the breasts to match. I find the line of these breasts incredibly erotic. The breasts can be scaled down, and Portia usually wears them on the small side, perhaps because I remain too attached to proportion. I have to say that I adore Vestigium’s Octapus tattoo. Lu Scorpio is celebrating her first anniversary in SL, and although this tat isn’t discounted, you may like some of the oldies she’s discounted to mark the event. Finally, Portia’s panties are part of Bubble Electric’s gift for the Hunt for Your Inner Slut hunt. This hunt started before Tango hit the market, so this outfit and many others in the hunt supply only an old applier. Tool around on a feed to see which gifts have been updated. Most bloggers are now crediting their fake bübs, so you can see which hunt gifts are compatible with yours.

Credits to creators

Paperbag. Double Slit Noir [harness belt and Lolas applier sold separately] (NEW)
Vestigium – Octapus tat (NEW)
h.m.a.e.m. – piqui pumps – lille (NEW)
Lolas ::: Tango ::: Mesh Breasts
Magika, Stumble with HUD 03 (NEW)
skin in first pic: It Girls, Chloe Pale
skin in second pic: al vulo- Eleonor * Son of Flowers group gift [with Tango skin tint applier]
second pic panties: Bubble Electric, black lace diva undies (part of a set for Hunt for Your Inner Slut hunt gift)
The Muse Poses, Ginger pose pack (21 sets left for 150L at Fashion Limited; ty Audrey Cresci!)
shot at The Looking Glass
I did more GIMP work than usual on these, so buyer beware!

Glitzmas

One of the things I love about the Christmas season in SL is the glitz. You won’t see me wearing gold or silver with black in my real life. But Anorak can be as glam as she wants to be in her new skinny jeans, a classy take on a 21st-century trend from Bela Tolsen of TuttiFrutti.

We finally get a look at Dorothy, and she’s not ugly at all. Sopha Portal’s latest skin focuses on softly glimmering eye makeups and orange and pink lip colours.

For Dorothy, there are three caucasian skintones to choose from and eight makeups in each pack. All makeups come with teeth versions, and the pack includes a pretty shape not shown here. Cleavage is sold separately.

The Plastik has a ton of Xmas-themed clothing on offer this season, as well as a number of gift-givers for group members. The Daunting Fate corset worn here is a regular item, available all year round for ever and ever and ever.

Credits to creators
Golden girl
*MY UGLYDOROTHY -Dorothy05(Burly) [NEW; see post for details; ty Sopha Portal!)
*TuttiFrutti* Epiphany - Skinny Mesh Jeans - [M]
:[Plastik]:-TomboyTee-://Zebra (former Lazy Sunday; other prints are available)
/Wasabi Pills/ Joy Mesh Hair – (BOOBS) – Gingerbread (NEW; ty Miss Lemon!)
Vestigium – Octapus tat [NEW]
h.m.a.e.m. – my three skulls necklace – gold
Oh! studio::My Wristchain pack
grasp, Fur trim leather boots/Black/Womens

Silver fox
*MY UGLYDOROTHY -Dorothy07(Burly) [NEW; see post for details; ty Sopha Portal!)
*MY UGLYDOROTHY -Cleaves tattoo2(Burly) [sold separately]
*TuttiFrutti* My Immortal – Skinny Mesh Jeans – [M] (NEW; ty Bela Tolsen!)
:[Plastik]:- Daunting Fate Corset://M-Flight
+Half-Deer+ Fawn Antlers (Monochrome) (Silver Lining Hunt)
+Half-Deer+ Neck Studs (silver) (erm, another hunt gift, look at sign in shop)
/Wasabi Pills/ Joy Mesh Hair – (BOOBS) – Chocolate (NEW; ty Miss Lemon!)
ISON – aviary claw bracelet (onyx)
[ glow ] studio – Choose Love ring (silver)
grasp, Fur trim leather boots/Black/Womens

prop: what next, butterfly chair photography prop [can be black or white]

Lightly GIMPed for your pleisure.

Higher ground

Bela Tolsen of Tuttifrutti has just released an exciting assortment of leggings to suit every taste. There’s a classic Burberry check, a delicate camouflage pattern, a cool aztec print and any number of colourful abstract and geometric styles. I chose the Running leggings to go with Portia’s free coat from Essences. I love the unusual colour of this coat and its distinctive old newspaper print. A Womenstuff Hunt gift, the pack also contains a black version for those of you who are mourning the loss of Elena’s humanity.

Be sure to check out the Unhinged Festival, which is raising funds for Eku Zhong. Treatment for thyroid cancer has left Ms. Zhong’s skull fragile, and she needs a prosthesis. Given the circumstances, I have to applaud the organizers’ boldly black humorous logo of a skull with an unhinged jaw. Many of the items at the festival are skull-themed, and there are plenty of gachas to make you crazy. Sakide’s Cranium Ring, shown here, comes in a series of bold colours and a series of pale shades. I also played gacha for a pair of lassitude & ennui’s beautifully textured flat suede boots, which rise to mid-calf and feature an embroidered sugar skull. Get your ghoul on for a good cause.

Credits to creators
*TuttiFrutti* Layer Legging (Running)
Essences – Papercoat Moondust XS (Womenstuff Hunt)
Sakide, Black Cranium Ring Teal (gacha at Unhinged Festival; see above for details)
[ glow ] studio – Wild Shoulder Drape (brown fawn/gold)) [colour change buttons] (at Around the World)
SOUL. Womanstuff Hunt Noa Skin (Womenstuff Hunt)
/Wasabi Pills/ Christy Mesh Hair – Chocolate
h.m.a.e.m. – bag 0320 – mokka
LaGyo_Zarema gloves Brandy
Maitreya Mesh * Devi Booties S Redwood
poses: PDA, gold/ivory and dead love
location: NODE store
GIMP is your friend. (I faked the lining of the coat. And the buttons in the shoulder drape, which wouldn’t photograph at all angles. I tried to desausage Portia’s fingers. Sigh.)

Babe meets woods

For a while I was hating mesh because so many creators are using the same templates. I’ve had nightmares where I’m being chased by a pack of those dresses with the extreme V neckline. (The clash of colours and fabrics is terrifying. And I’m pretty sure a few of them are made of polyester. And/or carrying meat cleavers.) Instead of avoiding mesh, I’ve found a way to make multiples fascinating. If I see a style I like, I wait for several creators to release it and then choose the version I think is best (and most reasonably priced, where possible). The tunic Portia wears in today’s post is an elegant and sensuous garment. (It looks so much better on an av than it does in pictures.) I held off buying it until I found LIV-Glam’s version in this rich chestnut-and-gold fabric. On sale this month at Designer Showcase for 85L, the Hannah Tunic actually offers twelve different fabrics selectable by HUD.

I’m sure you’ve all seen the beautiful Glam Affair skin from the current Collabor88, but I’m featuring this closeup because I love the Good / Bye tattoo group gift from Soul.

Wasabi Pills’ new Kylee hair is very seductive. I love the sight of the long tresses turning in on themselves in a way that defies RL physics. Oh, hey, did I tell you I got an ombre highlight job in RL? The last time I let someone put my hair in tinfoil was more than twenty years ago. You’ve all been a very bad influence on me. Thanks for that.

Credits to creators
/Wasabi Pills/ Kylee Mesh Hair – (BOOBS) – Cinnamon (NEW; ty Miss Lemon!)
[LIV-Glam] Fall 2012- Hannah Trumpet Sleeve Tunic-XS (at designer showcase)
lassitude & ennui, Embroidered boots F / XS / purple gold (I got these at Cinema and don’t know if they’re in store yet)
+++Blue Blood+++ Elvira Tights BROWN
Glam Affair – Roza – Brr & Etci 02 RED (at Collabor88)
Miss Shippe’s Studio, OMS O Rama Gold Feather Lower Lashes
SOUL. Goodbye Face Tattoo (VIP group gift)
Al Vulo! MEsh Lashes (came with a skin)
MONS / Shocking eyes – brown
LaGyo_Shield rings copper/white
[ glow ] studio – Black Eye and Tassel Necklace (gold) (at TDR)
poses: The Muse Poses, Tyche pack (NEW; ty Audrey Cresci!)
location: Hayden’s Haven

Devenir en gris

Trying to work with the shortcomings of a lousy PC setup and of SL itself, Portia dressed today in grey so that she would harmonize with her unrezzed environment and accessories. The photographic evidence of this experiment was so awful that we hotfooted it to the studio and waited for things to rezz. If I weren’t so determined to show you Kin’s new Cricket hairdo—a delightful gamine cut in the Jean Seberg tradition—I would not have been able to put up with today’s shoot-n-reboot regimen. A single Kin colour is priced at 100L. My stay at the sanitorium will cost quite a bit more than that.

To get a tiled, colour-drained photo out of the Emerald viewer, choose “View IM and Chat” when SL announces you’ve been logged out, then hit Snapshot, Refresh, and Save. Mind you, what you see in the Snapshot window is not what you’ll get. But that’s okay. At the sanitorium, faux delusionals enjoy a continental breakfast for free!

Credits to creators
top: Niven Collection, part of White Lace Dress (10L)
bottom: epoque, High-waist Knickers Grey/Nude Lace (old Stumblebum item)
hair: Kin, Cricket Black
skin: CandyDoll, Charlotte Tanned CL (old Thirsty Thursday item)
shoes: Shoe Fly Shoes, Promo Gladiator Sandal (recent group gift)
belt: fri.day, Wide Waist.Belt Melon
eyelashes: glow studio, Ademonia Lashes
earrings: Monkee, Hermione Dangle Earrings Silver (Etheria gift)
ring: Caroline’s, White Pearl in a Flower Silver Ring  (Etheria gift)

Dancing fools

Lavender mingles with mulberry and lilac wine mixes with bordeaux in this homage to New Wave. It’s New York, the early 80s, and the Pleisure models are dancing at their favourite after-hours club in TriBeCa. Miss Q, clad in sequins and spandex, is the first to hit the floor.

She lives in the East Village. What she does there no one knows, but judging by her eyelashes, it’s arty.

Portia’s conventional hairdo gives her away: the poor thing lives in Murray Hill, works in an office in midtown, and doesn’t know what TriBeCa stands for. Miss Q helped Portia transform her Veschi jumpsuit by cutting off the wide legs, giving her a harem pant that shows off her wedges. Unfortunately, no one could improve on Portia’s dance moves.

Anorak is a wealthy NYU student who lives in the West Village but regularly escapes the hordes by staying with her parents uptown. It’s her turn to be the idiot who decides, around 8 AM, that it’s a good idea to gallop in circles around the dance-floor.

She thinks her wig once belonged to Andy Warhol.

And Loica? Nobody knows where Loica lives and nobody knew that she doesn’t dance. She showed up late, or rather early, and set about fascinating men. When her friends asked her why she hadn’t livened up her burgundy outfit with lilac, she pulled her dress off and exited the club, very slowly, in an exquisite set of lavender lingerie by Epoque. But that’s an outfit for another post.

Credits to creators
Look one
jacket: Alatiel, part of Pretty in Shorts (May group gift)
top and belt: Veschi, part of Jump Her Lavender
leggings: League, Shiny Leggings Grape (freebie)
skin: Curio, GP Petal [Light] Winter–Coal 1
hair: Govil, Four Prim Hair Black (freebie)
lashes: Glow Studio, Ademonia Lashes (old Dressing Room item)
shoes: Surf Couture, Spring Fling Wedges in Blackberry
necklace: Chuculet, Ina Pearls White (5L)
gloves: Viva Glam, Brody Gloves Lavender
pose: DARE

Look two
jumpsuit: Veschi, Jump Her Lavender
hair: Posh, The Morning After Dirty Blonde
skin: Curio, GP Petal [Light] Winter–Coal 1
shoes: Surf Couture, Spring Fling Wedges in Blackberry
wristlets: LH, part of Tomorrow outfit
pose: Dare

Look three
dress: BebeDoll, Bethany Dress Plum (June group gift)
jumpsuit: artME Fashion, The Evil Under the Sun Feminine Bordeaux
hair: Wot?, Hair 020 (DTCH gift)
skin: YS & YS, Stella Cute Skin (old Dressing Room item)
boots: G Field, Short Lace-Up Boots in Lavender (subo gift)
necklace: Violet Voltaire, Love in a Void Necklace
eyes: Poetic Colors, Cosmic Dreams (freebie)
pose: DARE

Look four
dress: Zaara, Chaya Dipali (sale ends June 13th)
scarf and bangles: Lemania Indigo, part of Cashmere Gold outfit
skin: Dulce Secrets, Cypress Merlot 1400 subscribers (subo gift)
hair: fri.day, Tatum Passionate Red
pose: On the Cover

location: Ubah Paine (Thanks Kaina Shikani for letting me shoot while you were still setting up.)

Stressed out and messed up

There are times when real people don’t look so hot. Day times. Night times. All around the clock times. It’s tough to simulate looking-shitness in SL, but a few creators have made items that will give your avatar a stressed out and messed up appearance. I Ce Coco’s Scarlett skin, with its dark circles under the eyes, and eha’s sagging Rin updo make Portia look like she’s been up all night writing a term paper.

She’s so tired she thinks this outfit is perfectly coordinated. Don’t look at Portia’s Another Disaster T-shirt! It was a limited item by Pididdle and will never be sold again. It’s probably in your inventory, but if it’s not, you can covet mine.

Mijn.t’s Day After Easter dollarbie skin was not a big hit when it was released. I think we should embrace this look. Acne is, after all, a good excuse for wearing shades, because they save you from making eye contact with the people who are counting your zits. The braided ‘do by 69 is the follicular equivalent of smudged eyeliner. It’s hair that’s seen more booze and sex than sleep. Methinks this version of Portia didn’t even start her term paper.

Hey, it’s not like I’m showing you the backne!

Credits to creators
Look one
hair: eha, Rin in Sienna
skin: I Ce Coco, Scarlett (group gift)
skirt: Couverture, Spongy Dots Skirt Chocolate (new)
bag: YS & YS, Espalmador Bag-Blood (old Too Sexy gift; a discounted brown version is now available at The Dressing Room)
top: Pididdle, Loose ArtTop-Another Disaster-SL (no longer available)
socks: Pididdle, Scrunchy Wool Socks (old gift)
shoes: Lark, China Doll Flats (Red Packet Hunt gift)
earrings: Primalot, Disco Earrings (sub-o gift)

Look two
hair: [69], ME Dark Mocha
skin: Mijn.t, The Day After Easter Skin (dollarbie)
jacket: Poison, Tartan Jacket (MM Board)
blouse: Lark, Grace Blouse Sage
shades: Glow Studio, Jackie O (Creame) Sunglasses
skirt: So Many Styles, Chiffon Skirt Beige Pink
stockings: Encemble, Long Socks Gray (store is closed)