Retro

When The Secret Store released the Rise Skinny Jeans a couple weeks back, I instantly fell in love.  I'm not much into the ultra low rise jeans that have been popping up all over the grid lately, and this style is definitely a nice alternative to that.  However, I still had a dilemma with the gorgeous pants.  I had no idea where I would find a top to show off the cute high waste cut.  That problem was quickly solved with the new round of FaMESHed; The Secret Store released Sweet Sheer at the venue which obviously goes quite well with the pants.  The Rise Skinny Jeans are offered in eight colors (four classic and four pastel) and include five sizes and an alpha layer; a free demo is available.  Sweet Sheer is also offered in eight colors and includes five sizes and an alpha layer; a free demo is also available with this design.  If you are looking for a great value, The Secret Store is offering both the pants and the shirt in a special color for Lazy Sunday.

Izzie's released a new skin this past week titled Geanna.  It should be no secret by now how much I love the skins by this designer; her designs are absolutely stunning and you get so much for what you are paying.  The skin is available in ten tones and includes a modifiable body shape, freckles on tattoo layers, four brow colors (with the exception of the mocha, cocoa, ebony and dark tones which contain only one brow color), cleavage options, nail bases, twelve lipsticks, eleven eyeshadows, eyeliner and an eyebrow shape; as always, a free demo is available for your convenience.

The perfect addition to any wardrobe always has to be items that are modifiable... And it is even better when the modifiable piece is jewelry!  I was looking for a simple pearl set yesterday when putting this outfit together and thought about the sets by Yummy Accessories at a previous Collabor88 event.  Unfortunately, I hadn't picked any of them up; so, I said a little prayer and teleported on over to the main store to see if by chance they had been put out there.  They have been and are still set at only 88L for the necklace, earrings and bracelet set.  Four versions of the white unrigged mesh jewelry sets are available and are all completely modifiable.  Don't forget to make a copy of any item before you start to modify it just in case you have an oops moment, and trust me, I have plenty of them myself.

Although I love all the pose sets by aDORKable Poses, I honestly never thought I would use any of the Floored poses that were released a couple weeks ago.  I'm just not a sitting down in pictures kind'a gal.  When I was thinking about what type of photos I wanted to shoot for this outfit, however, one of my first thoughts was sitting on the counter of a retro diner.  Adorable picnic tables at a retro diner shop worked just as well though!  Two sets of the poses are available with each containing five poses plus mirror poses.  Demos of the poses are available.


Credits:
Clothing: [Top] Sweet Sheer in Candy by The Secret Store @ FaMESHed and [Pants] Rise Skinny Jeans in Black Denim by The Secret Store
Jewelry: Timeless Pearls Single Strand by Yummy Accessories (Modified)
Shoes: Millside Flats in Onyx by [elikatira]
Hair: Rumor in Black 04 by [elikatira]
Nails: *Fall/Winter 2012 Classic Nails by Izzie's
Skin: *Geanna Skin Pale DB by Izzie's
Makeup: [Eyes] *Geanna Eyeshadow Pink and [Lips] *Lipstick Rose by Izzie's (Included with Geanna Skin purchase)
Poses: [1] *Honey 5m and [2] *Floored II 5m by aDORKable Poses
Location: Artilleri

* Denotes promotional copy.

Copacati

You know I'm all about the dressy casual wardrobe, and I have always loved The Secret Store.  Put the two together with a brand new release and you will have a very happy me!  The Copacati Silk Sweater was released last weekend in seven colors.  Each purchase includes five sizes in standard sizing and an alpha layer.  I really love the geometric shapes the top features, but perhaps that is just the math dork in me trying to poke its head through.  A free demo is available for you to to try.

I haven't been a huge fan of mesh hair yet because most of the pieces I have tried have this weird crinkled texture problem; I'm not sure if it is a problem with my viewer or if it is a problem with the mesh.  Nevertheless, I absolutely adore the style put out by Exile at the latest edition of The Dressing Room Blue.  It's a short, sassy look and includes four colors (and doesn't have that weird crinkled texture problem).  At 70L, it's an absolute steal.  A free demo is available.

Credits

Clothing: [Top] *Copacati Silk Sweater in Raven by The Secret Store and [Pants] Zooey Wide Leg Pants in Raven by JANE

Hair: Late at Night in Maple by Exile @ The Dressing Room Blue

Skin: Love (Milk) in Frenchie by Illusory Skin (Former Collabor88 item - no longer available)

Pose: *Pencil II 7 by aDORKable Poses

* Denotes promotional copy.

Vanessa Goes to the Circus

I had full intentions of posting the blog for these amazing new releases by The Secret Store and Filthy Skins a few days ago, but with having to dodge tornadoes, they had to wait a few more days!

Circus is currently being offered by The Secret store at EPOCH; four versions of this adorable outfit are available. The jacket is a mesh piece; so, please try the demo before you purchase. The mesh pieces do come in standard sizing. The top hat is included with your purchase as well as socks and a garter. The event will be open through March 11th.

Vanessa is the newest skin by Filthy and is available in two tones: cream (top) and peach (bottom). I'm not sure if the skin tones are new or simply renamed, but I do know that I absolutely love cream; it has a very soft and sophisticated look. Eight makeups are included with each tone as well as a shape (not pictured). No edits were done to the bottom two pictures showcasing the makeup choices other than cropping so that you get a true depiction of what the skins look like. The top picture has been edited to smooth angles in body shape as well as to soften the overall look of the picture.


Credits
Clothing: *Circus in Charcoal by The Secret Store @ EPOCH (New)
Hair: Opal in Kit Kat by !lamb.
Skin: *Vanessa by Filthy Skins (New)
Pose: *Pencil II 4 Mirror by aDORKable Poses (New)

* Denotes promotional copy.

Week 2 of 52 Weeks of Color - Coral

Yay! I didn't wait a week to do a new 52WoC post! Last year when I started the challenge, my goal was to use as many pieces of clothing from my inventory that I already had as possible; I kind of want to do the reverse this year though I'm not sure that is the smartest idea with an inventory that is already over 60K. I would really love to get rid of the pieces that I know I will never wear again and replace them with quality items that will be staples of my wardrobe.

In all honesty, this week's color challenge was just an excuse to go pick up one of the new mesh shirts by Maitreya. I've been eyeballing Onyx's new items since I saw them pop up on the feeds but couldn't convince myself to purchase a piece. Now that I have, I'm afraid that I may find myself there more and more often. The Silk-Neck Tie Blouse is exceptionally well made with beautiful textures; it has a very classy and quite conservative look... Very school teacherish.

The skin that I am sporting is the new group gift from Filthy Skins. Alexandra always puts out amazing gifts every month for both male and female avatars, and with a joining fee of L$199, twelve free skins and shapes per year is really a steal that more than pays for the group fee.


Credits
Clothing: [Shirt] Silk-Neck Tie Blouse in Coral by Maitreya and [Pants] *Flared Pants in Cream by The Secret Store
Hair: Jess in Cocoa Brown by Raspberry Aristocrat (50% Off)
Skin: *January Group Gift Female Tan by Filthy Skins
Pose: Stand 127 by !Bang

* Denotes promotional copy.

Petticoat Lane

I always find the diversity of talent among Second Life designers to be extremely impressive. It is interesting to watch when a creator branches out from what we are used to seeing from him/her. Katey Coppola is best known for the amazing poses she makes under her SL brand name Glitterati. As you have probably noticed, I use a lot of Glitterati poses; they are extremely well made and rarely do my hands disappear into my body (Katey must have a big booty, too!). Recently, Katey opened a new store titled Petticoat Lane where she is exploring her creativity as a clothing designer. I love how feminine all of the clothing designs are thus far; the colors are soft and inviting. I cannot wait to see this brand grow!

My favorite of the new Petticoat Lane releases is the Regal Skirt; it's high waistline and gently slopped skirt is very elegant and lady like. The shading on the sculpted part of the skirt is absolutely beautiful; it adds depth and movement. I was afraid that the sculpt was going to be hard to fit because it is simple (but pretty!) with no belt or any other type of 'barrier' at the top. I was pleasantly surprised, however, by how easy I was able to fit it to my shape. Resize scripts are not included in the skirt, but it is modify and therefore very easy to add your own if you are like me and cannot stretch properly to save your life. Seven colors are available at 150L each or 500L for the Full Collection.

PhotoShop makes me very nervous; I know very little about it and don't have much confidence in my ability to use it. I have been getting a lot better at liquify, but I still have a long way to go before I become a true 'professional' at it. I tried something new for me in the picture above, and I would appreciate ideas/suggestions/tips. I loved the red sky in one of my windlight settings, but my ava looked completely washed out with it; so, I took another photo in a neutral windlight and blended the two. Does it look completely unnatural? I got the final picture by placing one picture on top of the other and erasing the window scene to get the red sky on the picture underneath and then merging the pictures. Is there an easier way to do this? Perhaps I will get even braver with my next PhotoShop experiment and try dodge and burn!

Since it is difficult to mention Katey Coppola without thinking of Glitterati, I thought it would be appropriate to also showcase her latest pose prop release. Disco is so much fun; three pieces are included with your purchase: the large set for posing, a hanging disco ball for decorations and a pose box (not pictured). All the items are copy which will let you decorate to your heart's content. All of the disco balls contain seven color choices and the pose disco ball contains ten poses. Most Glitterati pose props sell for at least 500L, but you can pick this one up as a Marketplace promo for only 100L! It is a definite steal.


Credits
Clothing: [Top] *Popsicle Dress - Sleeveless Top by The Secret Store and [Skirt] *Regal Skirt in [1] #1 and [2] #5 by Petticoat Lane
Jewelry: Anya Earrings - Silver by SIGMA @ My Second Wardrobe
Shoes: Move Pumps - Onyx by [elikatira]
Hair: Black Tie Affair - Toffee by Shag
Skin: [1] *Alexandra . Fair . 08 and [2] *Alexandra . Fair . 03 by Filthy Skins
Poses: [1] Model 023 and [2] *Disco by Glitterati @ The Marketplace
Location: Siss Boom

*Denotes promotional copy.

Week 38 of 52 Weeks of Color - Patriarch

I started off last week all excited because I knew that I had the perfect item already in my inventory for patriarch. As it turned out, I couldn't find it. I know I bought it... I'm pretty sure I didn't delete it, but I have no idea what it is called or who it is by. Just another reason why I really need to get my inventory sorted!

Thankfully, I was still able to find something in my inventory to match the color and didn't have to go out shopping! The Secret Store is one of my favorite places for clothing on the grid, and the reason why should be rather obvious. Maylee Oh's creations are always beautiful and impeccably made. But, what impresses me even more than her ability is her kindness; Maylee recently started a new blog in which she shares her knowledge of making clothing in Second Life and gives step by step instructions on how you can make your own. How incredibly amazing is that! So, check out her blog and go buy her stuff!! Lol

Love the hair? Yeah... Me, too! Though I have to admit that there is hardly a time that Truth Hawks has a release in which I don't like what he has come up with. Zaria is a beautiful long style with wavy strands of hair draped over the right shoulder. Two bang styles come in your purchase: straight bangs like the one I am wearing and bangs that are swooped to the side. Color packs are available at L$250 each or L$1,500 for the fatpack.

If you haven't noticed (or if you haven't heard me say it a billion times), I absolutely LOVE poses! I honestly couldn't tell you how many I have in my inventory, and in all seriousness... no matter how many I have, it will never be enough! I really love the poses put out by aDORKable Poses not only because they are unique, but because all of the singles poses also come with a mirror image! Anyone who has used poses for pictures knows how amazing having that ability is. There have been so many times I have thought that a pose would be perfect if it was just done the other way. The Side Pony is one of aDORKable's newest releases which was absolutely the perfect set to showcase the new hair from Truth. When you visit her shop, also check out her discount room where you can find some pretty amazing things!


Credits
Clothing: [Shirt] Poppy Neck Ruffles - White by [Pink] and [Skirt] *Froufrou - Purple by The Secret Store
Jewelry: Boheme by je suis
Hair: Zaria - Mocha by TRUTH
Skin: *Annabelle by Filthy Skins
Pose: Side Pony 4 Mirror by aDORKable Poses
Location: Lo Lo

* Denotes item provided by designer for review.

My Hair Fair Favorites

I can't believe that tomorrow (well... technically today) is the last day of Hair Fair 2011 and I still haven't blogged what I spent six hours finding a couple weeks ago. -.- Yes, I claim the title of Queen of Procrastination. Please and thank you. Lol This post is going to be a little different than most I do simply because of all the pictures I'm posting from various designers. The style names along with the designers will be listed below each picture as well as what pose I used in each particular picture.  All hair designer landmarks are set to the Hair Fair locations.

Khloe in Brown Bittersweet by Raspberry Aristocrat - Pose: Model 144 by Glitterati

Boyfriend in Kit Kat by !lamb. - Pose Model 116 by Glitterati

Milena in Golden Brown by Decoy - Pose: Model 100 by Glitterati

Shy Little Thing in Brown 3 by Head Mistress - Pose: Long Hair 3-3 by Glitterati

Sex Symbol in Brown 3 by Head Mistress - Pose: Long Hair 3-8 by Glitterati

Wind in the Willows in Brown 3 by Head Mistress - Pose: Long Hair 2-2 by Glitterati

Rolling Tides in Brown 3 by Head Mistress - Pose: Long Hair 6 by Glitterati

Luna in Brown by Magika - Pose: Long Hair 3-3 by Glitterati

Kimi in Golden Streaked by Illusory - Pose: Model 023 by Glitterati

Story in Brown 08 by [elikatira] - Pose: Model 034 by Glitterati

Pretend in Brown 08 by [elikatira] - Pose: Model 071 by Glitterati

With in Brown 08 by [elikatira] - Pose: Model 089 by Glitterati

Credits

Clothing: [Shirt] Dahlia Top in Brown by Purple Moon and [Pants] *Flared Pants in Caramel by The Secret Store
Jewelry: CHUM necklace by miel
Skin: *Paige in Ivory 04 by Filthy Skins


* Denotes item provided by designer for review.

Down on the Bayou

I really have a mishmash of goodies for you today. One of the many things that I completely love about Second Life is the ability to change. I can change everything about myself in a matter of minutes: what I’m wearing, what ethnicity I look like, even where I live. There is so much freedom that you have here that we aren’t able to experience in real life.

Probably the first thing you noticed about my look today is that I have gone darker! Typically I do wear lighter skin tones since that reflects the real life me whose skin is so light it is nearly transparent. When I saw this skin, however, at the Grunge Soul Project, I just had to have it! Al Vulo is a new to me skin designer whose work I am absolutely loving. I also picked up a skin she has out at the Fashion Garret which is another version of the skin I am wearing except a tad lighter and with pink eye shadow instead of blue. I really love the makeup on this skin; the eyes are captivating, the blush is perfect and the lips are screaming for some attention from my hubby. For a mere L$75, it is a total win!

Accessories truly have the ability to add that finishing touch to make a perfect outfit. I am completely loving the styles that are offered at je suis. There you can find everything from bold and beautiful to delicate and elegant. All of the pieces, however, have class! The Asymetrique pieces really caught my attention during my last visit; they are what I would call a statement piece. The big, chunky pieces are beautifully textured. Nine color combinations are available in this collection at L$149 per necklace, L$99 per earring set and L$149 per bangle set. The pieces are color change which allow you to choose different shades of the main color for each piece of the jewelry. If you want the entire collection, prices for the fatpacks are L$999 for the necklaces, L$399 for the earrings and L$599 for the bangles. Scripts are also included which allow you to easily resize the pieces to fit your ava.

Since I have had the privilege of blogging Izzie’s designs, I honestly don’t think there has been one release that I haven’t completely fallen in love with. The one constant theme that I can see in her work is the ability to beautifully blend sculpts with system clothing, and the Off Shoulder Top is no exception. The shirt is very versatile in that it can be worn with a dressy pair of pants as I have in my pictures or with a casual pair of jeans; it also looks fabulous with the hot Leo Print leggings which Izzie’s also recently released. The piece is beautifully textured with soft fabrics which is available in ten gorgeous colors at L$150 each or L$1,200 for the fatpack.

Boots! Guess how much I paid for them… go ahead, guess. Nothing! These absolutely amazing boots are the newest group gift being offered by Hoorenbeek. I absolutely love the designs put out by this store; it’s just too bad that most of them are designed for men instead of women. Perhaps if we beg and plead he will design more shoes for women? It’s worth a shot! He does, however, have the most amazing athletic shoes that I have seen on the grid, and it just so happens that he is having a L$200 sale this weekend on select items. Hoorenbeek has one of these sales every so often, and I always go to see if he has marked down a pair of the athletic shoes that I don’t yet have. My collection of his redention of Nike Shox is complete; now I’m just waiting to complete my SL Balance collection. I suppose I could also start a collection of a new type of sneaker! This sale runs through Sunday, and you most definitely do not want to miss it! To receive the fabulous group gift, you do have to be a member of the subscribo group for at least fifteen days, but gifts are typically left out long enough for you to go slap the board and then wait a couple weeks to pick up your gift.


Credits
Clothing: [Shirt] *Off Shoulder Top in Blue by Izzie’s and [Pants] *Flared Pants in Cream by The Secret Store
Jewelry: Asymetrique Necklace, Earrings and *Bangles in Blue by je suis
Shoes: Zahra Boots in Black by Hoorenbeek (Group Gift)
Hair: Again in Brown 08 by [elikatira]
Skin: Miha 2 (Choco) in Shine Peacock by Al Vulo at Grunge Soul Project
Poses: [1 and 3] Model 71 and [2] Model 04 by Glitterati

* Denotes item provided by designer for review.

I've Got a Secret

There are very few shops in Second Life that I adore as much as The Secret Store. Since stumbling upon it via the fashion feeds quite a few months ago, I have kept my ears perked for news of releases and events. What do I find so attractive about The Secret Store? Simply put… conservatism and class.

I know that you saw this hair yesterday, but honestly, I just could not help myself when I saw the polka dot Cherie’s Flared Skirt and Ribbon Tank. Doesn’t it just look absolutely adorable together? Yeah… I thought so, too! The skirt has to be one of my favorite pieces in my inventory; it is very exceptionally made. The sculpt is beautifully shaped and the patterns available are equally beautiful. The skirt features a high waist band and a very cute flare. The skirt does contain a script for resizing which I appreciate very much since I tend to have to resize all of my clothing. Of course, if you want to help reduce SL lag, simply drop the scripts once you have it sized to fit your ava. Six textures are available for the Cherie’s Flared Skirt at L$195 each or L$900 for the fatpack.

To go with the adorable skirt, The Secret Store also released a new set of tanks that I absolutely love! The Ribbon Tank features extremely well made textures to match the newly released skirts as well as a couple extra patterns which go well with the newly released Flared Pants. I don’t have anything against a little cleavage, but I personally like to keep most of the goods covered (most of the time… bahaha!), and the Ribbon Tank definitely provides that! I love the little bow that is featured at the center of the top of the blouse; it adds a little touch of extra femininity. An optional sculpt is included with the tanks which gives the shirt more of a tucked look when worn with high wasted pants (pictured below). I love this! It makes the shirt very versatile in that it can be worn casually or as a dressy look. Eight textures are available for the Ribbon Tank at L$149 each or L$1,000 for the fatpack.

I think that I have officially found a new favorite pair of pants in Second Life. The Flared Pants are extremely well made (see the trend of excellence with The Secret Store?). Unlike a lot of pants on the grid, you cannot even tell with the sculpt pieces for the flared legs begin. This is a definite sign of a great designer. I promise that I did not do any blending with colors on my pictures to give this effect; they really are that well made! The pants come in two variations: basic and embroidered. I am wearing one of the basic pair in my picture, but the embroidered pants are lovely as well. Eight textures total are available for the Flared Pants at L$189 each or L$1,300 for the fatpack, and they are worth every Linden! Not so sure? TP in to The Secret Store and find out for yourself! If nothing else, teleport in to listen to the music; I love the theme!

In celebration of their one year anniversary, je suis is having a 50% off sale. At prices which were already reasonable, half off prices are more than reasonable! Even better, the jewelry I am wearing features color changing scripts which makes buying one set like buying a whole lot for one very low price. I’m really glad that I was paying attention to my notices when the notecard announcing the sale came flying by. But, don’t put off visiting this store; the sale isn’t lasting long! The original notecard said that the sale would last for four days and was dated June 19. The set that I am wearing is titled Sophistique Dark and is available at L$125 (necklace), L$75 (earrings) and L$75 (bracelet). Ten colors are included for the pearls and six colors are included for the metal pieces. Resizing scripts are also included in the pieces which simply makes life easier!

Talking about making life easier, a friend of mine passed along a new HUD by Glorious Insanity she had came across yesterday, and to be quite honest, if you are a photographer in Second Life, this product is a must have! I couldn’t tell you the number of times I have been so frustrated while snapping pictures because my ava was looking the wrong way or blinked as soon as I hit the button. This HUD completely eliminates that problem! I was a bit skeptical that it would actually work, but I am so happy that I bought it. It is well worth the L$350 it is selling for and then some. Nine preset eye positions are included in the HUD as well as some facial expressions. Even better, the HUD works on you as well as other people; simply click on the people you are photographing, and once accepted, you can direct their eye position!


Credits
Clothing: [Shirts] *Ribbon Tank in White Polka, Batic and Old Roses, [Skirts] *Cherie’s Flared Skirt in Polka and Batic and [Pants] *Flared Pants in Cream by The Secret Store
Jewelry: [1] Queen Posesiva Earrings II in White Gold by Alienbear Designs, [2] *Simplicity in Obsidian by Mariposa (No Longer Available) and [3 and 4] Sophistique Dark by je suis
Shoes: [3] Serenity Heels in Paisley by Purrfect 10 (VIP Gift)
Hair: [1] *Mystery in Black by Lyrique, [2] Leah in Brown 08 by [elikatira] and [3 and 4] Later in Brown 08 by [elikatira]
Skin: [1] Elf 2 [Dark] Enchant 2 (Sundust), [2] Elf 2 [Dark] Blue Bird 1 (Sundust) and [3 and 4] Elf 2 [Dark] Lore 1 (Sundust) by Curio
Poses: [1] Model 03, [2] Model 30, [3] Model 85 and [4] Long Hair 3-4 by Glitterati

* Denotes item provided by designer for review.

The Secret Store @ Culture Shock

I have to say that I absolutely love the classy new outfit The Secret Store has out for Culture Shock. I’m rather conservative in real life, and I think that part of my personality definitely shines through in Second Life as well. The vintage texture of this two piece outfit is extremely adorable. The prim pieces are extremely well made and blend beautifully; I especially love the flower attachment for the jacket! The Popsicle dress is available in five options for L$200 each; the Eglantine jacket is available in three options for L$189 each.

Credit
Clothing: [Dress] *Popsicle in Floral and [Jacket] *Eglantine in Floral by The Secret Store @ Culture Shock
Hair: Rhythm in Brown 08 by [elikatira]
Skin: *May [Dark] Hydrangea 2 (Sundust) by Curio
Pose: *Model 436 by EverGlow

* Denotes item provided by designer for review.

Romance

Everyone can use a little romance in their inventory, and The Secret Store’s latest release is just the way to do it! Romance is an adorable babydoll type shirt that features a high neck and a sculpted prim skirt. I really love how shiny the texture is and how soft the colors are. Six color combinations are available for L$189 each or L$1,000 for the fatpack. Two special edition color combinations have also be left out from a previous Lazy Sunday event for only L$70 each!  Grab them before they are gone!

I really needed a cute pair of black leggings to go with the adorable Romance top; so, I headed for my favorite shopping place of late… the marketplace! It’s so easy to just type in what you are looking for and browse through the choices; it really cuts down on all the time you would spend looking through various shops! I do have to be honest, however; sometimes I am a little nervous about buying products from vendors I have never heard of. I hate spending money on clothing that looks fantastic in a picture and absolutely horrible on me. I typically prefer to grab a freebie from a store as a basis for quality before I spend Lindens, but since the leggings from Art Decade were only L$30, I decided to give them a shot anyway. I have to say that I am completely impressed with my L$30 leggings! The texture is absolutely beautiful, and at such a cheap price, I can afford the fatpack of seven colors for only L$150! I just had to visit the store in world as well, and I really love their products. You just may be seeing more posts featuring Art Decade products!


Credits
Clothing: [Shirt] *Romance in Light Pink by The Secret Store and [Pants] Leggings in Black by Art Decade
Shoes: Buckle Flats in Black by Phoenix Rising
Shoes: Brande in Cynical Black by fri.day (SALE)
Skin: Elf 2 [Dark] Sprite 2 (Sundust) by Curio
Pose: *Knee High Fashion 5 by !Bang
Background by FairieGoodMother

* Denotes item provided by designer for review.

Kimi

Lately I have shied a bit away from doing exclusive skin posts because it took me entirely too long to take the photographs (crash after every snapshot), and I have been running very short on time (planning my wedding and taking masters courses!). I am completely loving how my Second Life has been behaving since the last update. No more crashing after one snapshot! I was able to completely photograph the beautiful new line by Filthy Skins with the new skirt from The Secret Store in under thirty minutes. Words truly cannot describe how happy that makes me.

Kimi is the new face by Filthy Skins, and I absolutely love it! I have discovered so many fantastic designers by visiting discount shops; Chic Boutique is where I found the lovely Alexandra Barcelos. So, to all you designers out there who think that discount shops are a waste of time and effort, they are definitely not! You will attract more customers who always hunt for a bargain. Kimi is a soft, gentle skin for the most part. The eye shadows are evident but not overdone, and the lips are beautifully colored. I love how the designer has only added a touch of eyelashes; this gives you, the customer, complete freedom to add your own favorite eyelashes. I should have added a tattoo layer eye shadow to my pictures for an example; I’ll remember to do that with my next Filthy Skins post. Six makeups are available in four tones each. Also, a closed mouth and ‘teeth’ version are included in your purchase. Single makeups can be purchased for L$ 1,000 each or L$4,000 for a single skin tone fatpack containing all makeups. If you are a Filthy Skins VIP Member (L$199 joining fee), you will receive a 50% discount on your purchase if made in the first two days of the release (today and tomorrow)! Be sure to activate your tag BEFORE your purchase!

The Secret Store is another one of those amazing little shops with absolute beautiful designs that I found through, no… not a discount shop, but a hunt! Just another example of how designers who are so good to their customers can attract more traffic. Maylee Oh has added a new design to her shop at Euphoria titled Froufrou. I really love the super cute name! To go with the super cute name is a super cute design. I always love The Secret Store sculpts; they are all beautifully crafted with amazing textures. Of course, the new skirt is no exception. Three layers of beautiful ‘fabric’ give this skirt a very girlish look. I really love the belt attached to the top; it definitely gives the skirt a little extra personality. Resize scripts have been added to the skirt which allows you to easily make adjustments for your ava. The skirt is available in six adorable colors at L$189 each; a fatpack is also available for L$900.

Last, but most certainly not least, Ingenue is having a 25% to 50% Off Sale on everything through Saturday! I’m sure you are as happy as I was when I first heard about it. Angelique is just one of the many beautiful designs on sale right now. The body suit features a corset style design with a hint of an adorable floral texture. Ten colors are available in this designs at L$82 each. Love them all? Pick up the fatpack for only L$412!


Credits
Clothing: [Shirt] Angelique in Lilas by Ingenue and [Skirt] *FrouFrou in Purple by The Secret Store @ Euphoria
Hair: Details in Brown 04 by [elikatira]
Skin: *Kimi (Pale) by Filthy Skins
Pose: 062 by Glitterati
Background by FairieGoodMother

* Denotes item provided by designer for review.

Sweetheart

I was so excited when I saw that there would be another new Curio skin release last week. Sweetheart is an absolute beautiful skin that may be a little simpler than the designs we are used to seeing from Gala. Could this possibly mean that there will be Curio tattoos in the near future?! I’m keeping my fingers crossed! Although the eye shadows are subtle with some of the makeup options in this set, they are still very beautiful, and the lips are just as luscious as ever. I love how glossy and juicy they look.

An exciting new aspect of the Sweetheart skins is that different colored eyebrow tattoos are included with your purchase!! This definitely makes it so much easier to purchase a skin that has makeup options you love even if you prefer another hair color! Colors included are auburn, black, blonde, brown, ginger and strawberry (not pictured).

If you are loving this skin as much as I do, you will be pleased to know that this skin was released in the new megapack instead of fatpacks! What does this mean? You can get ALL skin tones for every makeup for only L$3000 (L$12.5 per skin). It’s an absolute amazing deal especially if you love having a lot of skin options. Individual makeups are also available which include all skintones per makeup for L$1500 or one skin tone per makeup for L$1000.


Credits:
Clothing: Black Rose by The Secret Store
Shoes: Move Pumps in Smoke by [elikatira]
Jewelry: Timeless Pearl Earrings in Black Pearl/Platinum by EarthStones
Hair: Past by [elikatira]
Skin: *Sweetheart by Curio
Pose: Model Pose 077 by Glitterati
Background by Moonchild Ljilja

* Denotes item provided by designer for review.

Week 13 of 52 Weeks of Color - Emerald

When I think of emerald, I think of a deep, rich green and not so much the mild green proposed on Luna Jubilee’s 52 Weeks of Color. But, like so many other colors in this challenge, I suppose emerald has its various shades as well.

Although I have never blogged The Secret Store before, I have most definitely admired the designs of Maylee Oh since I first noticed her on the fashion feeds a month or so ago. Her sculpts are beautiful and the textures are breathtaking. The skirt I am wearing, titled Chiffon in Silk Kerchief, is a special currently available at The Dressing Room Blue where The Secret Store is appearing as the guest. Personally, I believe Maylee should be a permanent fixture at TDR! Who doesn’t love getting fabulous clothing at a discount?!

My shirt is actually part of a dress by Siss Boom who is now placing out designs each week to correspond to the theme for 52 Weeks of Color. Writing on the Wall was Lestat Reuven’s contribution to taupe, and honestly, I feel that this taupe is more ‘taupish’ than the color swatch on Luna’s blog. Once again, so many shades are available! I’m too OCD for this… Why can’t there just be one shade of each color?! ROFL But, then I suppose all we would be left with are primary and secondary colors; that seems a bit boring.

The pose I am rocking is by Luna Jubilee herself! Through January 31st, all six pose packs have been marked down to L$100. Luna is running out of wall space and having a major sale before she sends all her smaller packs to the Marketplace. All future packs sold in store will contain ten poses each. I used Wake Me Up 7 (Extra Curvy) in the photo above which is included in one of Luna’s new pose packs. Luna’s poses are so versatile and can be used with so many different outfit types. If you have never visited !bang, you should definitely stop by! … And especially since there is a sale!! Hehe ;-)


Credits:
Clothing: [Shirt] *Writing on the Wall by Siss Boom and [Skirt] Chiffon in Silk Kerchief by The Secret Store @ The Dressing Room Blue
Jewelry: Adele Bangles by Indy & Co
Shoes: Move Pumps in Clover by [elikatira] – VIP Exclusive Color
Hair: Suzy in Brown Mix by Exile @ Previous TDR Special
Skin: *Nala Breeze (Pale) by Filthy Skins
Pose: *Wake Me Up 7 by !bang
Scene by Modd.G
Window View by Angelia61 Stock

* Denotes item provided by designer for review.