If you prickle me…

Had anyone told me when I started this blog that Portia’s fanciest outfit would be made of cactus, I’d never have believed her. Was this because I didn’t know then that Portia likes pain? Because the end of irony made working with succulents seem insensitive? Or because the Belgians rejected cactus as undeconstructable? No, no and no. It was because my little mind could not anticipate Zib Scaggs’ imagination. Her fabulous Valentina gown will be shown April 6th, the last day of Avenue’s Spring/Summer fashion shows. It is also one of the limited edition items available in the fashion week market. In addition to the gown and black face-paint you see here, the special package includes a set of delicate earrings and necklace, a pair of simple, strappy sandals and a decorous chignon hairdo in black and white versions. Underneath the cactus skirt there’s a gorgeous black satin evening skirt. All of these items will come in handy if the President’s Ball bans weaponized frocks (or ‘fros).

Credits to creators
Zibska, Valentina gown (NEW at Avenue Spring/Summer Fashion Week; ty Zib Scaggs!)
::dutch touch:: ::AmBeR:: V2 Dark – PeachyLips [The inworld store is closed, but there's one skin on Marketplace. Could more follow?]
~SongBird~ Delirium’s Spiral eye makeup (Twisted Hunt gift)
Clemmm -ReSnick eyes
[Iruco]hair25(black)
*BOOM* Fearless ankle cuffs (v2) Silver (NEW; ty Aranel Ah!)
*BOOM* Fearless wrist cuffs (v2) Silver (NEW; ty Aranel Ah!)
*LpD* – *Steam Clouds* Earrings White (a Fashion for Life donation item that may not be in store; I will check) (ty Nevery Lorakeet!)
Hello Spacegirl – Ilia Collar (long) L (black) [Try a demo. This collar is very very small]
*SoliDea FoliEs* chameleon rings
Debrah’s, “Coty” HighHeels Black Snake
Blah, Model pose pack 2
GIMPed but not so much that I have cactus needles stuck under my fingernails.

Pretty gritty

It’s time once again for Fashion for Life, a charity event which supports cancer research. I did my shopping, and I hope to feature my purchases over the next few posts. (I also just bought a rubber corset, and I have my eye on a metal chastity belt…so my plan to be posh may go awry.) Ms. Nevery Lorakeet of LpD makes the kind of ball-gown that ladies adore: delicately coloured, dreamy and fluffy like whipped cream. Her new gown, Steam Cloud, features a boned white corset set against a pale pink inset in the bodice. No fewer than eight large panels of white net make up the voluminous skirt. A good SL blogger, like Lada Leeroy, will run with this gown to a stunning sylvan setting and do it justice in poetic photos. A bad SL blogger—that would be me—will get nervous about the whole nature thing and retreat to her favourite dark alleyway. Think of it as an urban beautification project.

Another one of LpD’s charity items is the makeup Portia wears in this post. The eye is an especially elegant combination of silver-white shadow and dramatic black eyeliner. If you are planning to shop Fashion For Life, do note that the organizers have made all our lives perfect by providing a page of direct TPs to the participating creators’ booths. Because the event is spread over seven sims representing the seven wonders of the ancient world there is absolutely no lag—a wonder in itself.

Credits to creators
Pic one
*LpD* – *Steam Cloud* Dress (at Fashion For Life; ty Nevery!)
*LpD* MakeUp – *Steam Cloud* (at Fashion For Life; ty Nevery!)
:[Plastik]:- Maelian Skin [BETA]:// London Fog. (former Lazy Sunday item)
/Wasabi Pills/ Fay Mesh Hair – Dark flame (ty MissAllSunday Lemon!)
[Etchaflesh] Rose Leather Neck Corset (M)
-UtopiaH- Wild Skull [gold] (Tango compatible and available in silver) (at Perfect Wardrobe)
:[Plastik]:- Dena’ina Bracelet [L]:// Suntouched Gold
:[Plastik]:- Dena’ina Bracelet [R]:// Suntouched Gold
Leverocci – Stone Encrusted Cuff_MarbleStone
Mons/ Shocking Eyes Brown

poses are old freebies by xbordeaux
street location is Urban Decay
GIMP is the word

Hello earth

Time passes between shooting pictures, editing them and posting them. Occasionally I find myself posting pictures that feel stronger than I do at the moment of writing, that feel as good as I did at the moment of shooting. Today I haz a sad, so I won’t tell you how this pic revises the end of Anna Karenina. I do hope that despite my failure of words, you will feel inspired to fly off to the Couturier’s Docks, where, as of noon today, Riri Ninni’s kinky Yoke Joke necklace is available in brown or blue-black in limited numbers. You could then take a taxi to LpD to pick up Nevery Lorakeet’s very romantic Ophelia dress, which is available in ecru, shown here, as well as white and pale pink. Finally, you will want to beam yourself up to Marketplace to pick up Sion Pearl’s new version of her classic earpods for MetaTheodora. These are also available in a blue-light version.
Hello Earth, an old favourite.

Credits to creators
LpD, Ophelia Dress ecru [mesh with sculpty veils] (NEW; ty Nevery!)
h.m.a.e.m. – yoke joke *raining day* (at Couturier’s Docks; ty Riri!)
MetaTheodora, Cyber EarPods 2013 Edition – White (NEW; ty Sion!)
Amacci Hair Pythia ~ Night
ChaChaDee! – 1970s Heel Leather Grey
Glam Affair – Renee – Dreary Soul 03 BL (old gacha)
-Sorry.Asia- Cyber.Touch Make-Up (old gift)
Clemmm -ReSnick eyes
pose one is part of Ambergris, LastNight Hand Muff (old gift)
pose two: PDA
location: BCC
These pics were GIMPed lightly and Pixlred hard.

I’ll get ahead

I wanted to call this post “Suck it, Armani,” but I wasn’t sure that creator Nevery Lorakeet would appreciate it. (Trendy curses don’t travel well.) Jamira is the newest ensemble from Les Petits Details. It features Ms. Lorakeet’s signature combination of a sober blouse and extravagant skirt, this one in black netting. The pieces can be bought separately in world, but not on Marketplace, where only the whole outfit is on offer. There are two variations on the ensemble, each with a different fabric for the jacket (with optional buttons). One skirt is a washed green and the other a worn brown.

Cece is a dramatic new avatar from Jesylilo. The pack includes a slim shape (not shown) and three makeups with blazing brows. In twenty-five years of following fashion, I’ve seen several attempts to launch the bushy brow trend, which never catches on. One of the most beautiful Steven Meisel photos ever run by American Vogue depicted a naturally bushy-browed brunette in all her glory. She was never heard from again. (And I don’t mean Arizona Muse. This was well before she was born.) Do note Portia’s elegant piercing from ellabella, which features crosses where dimples ought to be. It fit right out of the box, which is rare for piercings on Portia.

Ever notice that your av’s most expensive shoes always get hidden under skirts? Not this time: one of them escaped.

Credits to creators
items from LpD (ty Nevery!):
- *Jamira* Black [mesh jacket with resizable sculpty skirt] (NEW)
- *Daria* Dress Black – [collar only in the closeup]
Drift, L’Bow Bow (hunt gift)
*JeSyLiLO*:::CeCe:::*LightSkin*J1 (NEW; ty Lilo Glom!)
Amacci Hair, Sphinx ~ Jet Black (is the sale still on?)
.:ellabella:. Saint – Crimson – chin
:[Plastik]:- Hazel Bracelet:// (old With Love Hunt 3 gift)
: Amorous : Die Schlacht (Earrings) (part of set)
celoe, amae.sandals.depth/sleek.
poses: dfo! no one is going to pay us to eat carrot sticks [actually, I like carrot sticks]
pda, for P.C. III
Label Motion, TDRF 4 pack
Obviously, it’s not usually possible to have one’s skirt part magically to reveal one’s shoe. Nor is it possible to ruin the highlights of that gorgeous hairdo without special tools. Thank you GIMP.

Never been a night owl

I’ve never been one of those people who can’t believe she’s starting her work-shift at the ungodly hour of 1PM. Love this geek chic: new from Wasabi Pills, Lumi 2 features curly hair with the cute colour-change hat from Lumi. Lumi 2 is adjustable mesh, so if you found the original too big for your noggin you are sure to enjoy the sequel.

I’ve never been one of those people who wakes up to her surroundings around 4PM. The Lumen dress is not the latest offering from Nevery Lorakeet of LpD, but it is one of my favourites. I can never resist a paisley pattern, and the batwing sleeves are fun to photograph. The Lumen pack includes a poncho version as well as the dress. It’s available in washed-out red tones, shown here, as well as pink, black and blue tones. Do note that LpD has changed location, so you will need to use the new URL listed below.

I’ve never been one of those people who starts studying at sunset.

Credits to creators
/Wasabi Pills/ Lumi 2 Mesh Hair – Gingerbread (NEW; ty MissAllSunday Lemon)
*LpD* – *Lumen* Dress Red Tones (Mesh – Size M) [a quick fix for anyone who finds the alpha layer too big: narrow your av's shoulders] (NEWish; ty Nevery Lorakeet!)
fri.day – Basic.Turtleneck (Salmon)
fore, lace zip Leggings
h.m.a.e.m. – raining boots – brown cream (NEW; ty Riri Ninni!)
:Curio: Petal Frex [Light] Party Girl-Potion 2 (NEW group gift fatpack; search for “Gala and Rita”, not Curio, to find the group)
:FANATIK: My bad girl ring Copper
Tee*fy Wooden Bow Necklace Black Strap
[KAMOURASKA] Rouyn Porcupine Cuff Matte Ebony
(vive9) Risky Readers [abyss] (old gift)
all poses built into the furniture
location: library
GIMPed before 9AM

Needs some shelter

Portia discovered some depressing rain at the DQ Maze, where a player may win prizes if she tries out the bed and the harp. There’s also a movie theatre showing a wonderfully morbid cartoon. Waiting in vain for another three-prim zombie, Portia models some fall steals: her Reckless Abandon coat is only 55L at this week’s fi*fridays; and her !gO! skirt is only 90L at the current Perfect Wardrobe. Portia’s sophisticated Bag 0320 is a new mesh release from h.m.a.e.m, and it comes in black and rain-grey shades as well as the mokka shade shown here.

Anorak missed her bedtime and sees her skin sizzle in the still-strong sun of fall. Her drop-hem skirt is part of Sakide’s Huntress outfit for The Dirty Turkey Hunt. Her twill jacket with grungy shirt (all in one in mesh) is Sugar and Cyanide’s gift for the Womenstuff Hunt. Anorak’s sexy platform boots are a new release from LpD. The snake-skin-patterned Geena boot is available in black, shown here, brown and beige. There is also a matching bag.

Look one
!gO! *little hippie* skirt – XS (PerfectWardrobe) 
::RA:: One Button Coat [Grizzly]L
h.m.a.e.m. – bag 0320 – mokka – (NEW; ty Riri!)
** [ Riddle ] ** Pussybow Dress – Green
[Plastik]-Fierii Leggings-UP-Swamp Thing (Halluwin special still available)
[CheerNo] Boots Jonny (at TDR)
Glam Affair – Roza – Brr & Etci 02 BL (at current Collabor88)
[e] Locked – Blonde 02
*EED* Kiowa Earring~ Amber
LaGyo_Zarema gloves dappled (old gift)
LISP – Rainy Days Umbrella (tex change) (part of a pack)
location: Dwelling Quay Maze, Cherry Beach

Look two
*LpD* – *Geena* Boots Black (Mesh – M) (NEW; ty Nevery!)
[ SAKIDE ] Huntress Skirt S (TDTH)
**S&C** Alexandria Jacket – Black with shirt XS (Womenstuff Hunt)
Glam Affair – Roza Unnamed 01 (new VIP gg comes with and without freckles; 30L fee to join)
::DT:: ::JoLiE:: V2 Beautymarks Moles and Freckles (face)
- .HoD. – Compassion Piercing Set Prt. 1 – Silver Lining
Magika [Hair S] Tendency 03
Sedmikraska, Drippy Tights (Marketplace)
+:+WTG+:+ **C flat** choker and bangles (Nov VIP gg; fee to join)
MG – Ring – Ramona 77 (October Collabor88)
:::Sn@tch Nail Candy (Black/White Tips):::
LISP – Sunny Days Parasol (tex change) (part of a pack)
location: Wretched Hollow

Fall flowers

I still haven’t gotten over the end of the summer, so I decided to say screw you to fall and double screw screw to falling back an hour. (I am so terrified by the possibility of Romney winning the election that I turned on every light in the house. At 4:30 PM!) Nevery Lorakeet of LpD makes it easy to defy the dark with her elegant poppy-inspired Organza dress, which is only available in pink. I love the puffed-up sleeves on the bodice, which could be worn with black leather pants for a more casual look.

Zib Scaggs of Zibska has just released her fall line of at least a dozen avant-garde ensembles. I had to have Xia, which is available in beige and coal as well as rose, shown here. The dress comes complete with orbital flowers. (None of the flying flowers in this photo is faked.) I wanted to contrast the delicacy and exuberance of the dress with bold, simple jewellery. Ayira, Zibska’s metal-change set of collar, cuffs and multiple-piercings earrings created the perfect contrast.

Look one
*LpD* – *Organzal* Dress Pink (NEW; ty Nevery!) [Both the skirt and the hat come in unscripted and resizable versions.]
{Trinket} Cut Here bracelets, necklace, earrings (at Tomorrow Today fundraiser)
[kik]hair-Nina(dirty blonde)
-Glam Affair – Roza – BaroQ 03 – Red (old Collabor88)
Quellazaire – Cig Bent

Look two
Zibska, Xia ~ Rose (NEW; ty Zib Scaggs!)
Zibska, Ayira ~ Cuffs, Ear Cuffs and Necklace (ty Zib Scaggs!)
booN ZPO133 hair chocolate
^^Swallow^^ Group Gift- Happy Halloween (gg) [Damn I love that scar!]
IT GIRLS – Chloe Pale Eyeshadow 1

Nuwiggles, Forever Alone Pose Box (old Pose Fair item)

GIMPed for your pleisure.

Oh my stars!

MIASNOW’s Truth is back today. She looks so sullen in a sugar-skull skin that I couldn’t pass up the chance to dress her all spooky (as you’ll see if you visit the Pleisure Flickr). Then I had to make her all floofy in LpD’s heavenly delight, the MyStar dress.

Credits to creators
*LpD* – *MyStar* Dress (ty Nevery!)
*Dura* Group gift2 -Halloween 2012-BLA-resize
MIASNOW Shape – TRUTH (halloween subo gift)
blah.blah.blah, Dia De Los Muertos Skin/Sugar Skull Skin (Boo Bunny Hunt, ended)
LaGyo_Lana rose crown blue
R.icielli – IRIS SKULL RING /PP black gems
R.icielli – SKULL EARRINGS /GRAFF
Aluinn, The Black Rose Cascade Pearls (old hunt gift)
location: Bubble Electric
I’m unhappy with the way I GIMPed the skirt. Check out Nati Williams’s cute shot to see the dress in all its glory.

Blown away

If you like avant-garde couture, you should float off to see the new gowns from Aliza Karu of Angels and Demons Creations. Ms. Karu is one of twenty creators who made gowns in white, black or red to celebrate Avenue Inc.’s fifth anniversary. My favourite by far is White Soul, a cage gown worn over a white girdle and torn fishnets. It comes complete with big soap bubbles! Of course! Much of this outfit is mesh, and it is only available in one size, so you have to be willing to adjust your shape in order to wear it.

The current group gift from LpD is this delicious witchy skin. Portia’s eyes are new from Umeboshi for The Gallery Gift Shop. The pack also includes red, purple and blue-white peepers.

Credits to creators
[AD] White soul (NEW at Cinque; ty Aliza!)
*LpD* Skins – *Andrea* Witch (Halloween) (group gift; ty Nevery!)
[UMEBOSHI] Rue eyes -Honeycomb (NEW; at The Gallery Gift Shop; ty Keiba!)
[LWL] Twitter Phone (Gold)
How Vexing, Churchwarden pipe (old subo gift)
The Muse Poses, Editorial A pack (NEW; ty Audrey!)
I forgot to write down the location. Sigh.
GIMPed but not pimped.