Pieces of My Closet XI

Sorting through my inventory is always interesting, but I've had a reoccurring problem of forgetting not only about the things that are unorganized but also forgetting what I have in the organized section of my inventory.  I came across a blog about a visual inventory organizer on Every Second Man yesterday that had me very intrigued.  I checked out the marketplace listing and thought that the system was a bit pricey; I definitely was not about ready to shell out 699L for a product that I wasn't sure would work for me.  Fortunately, the designer has a very thorough website with an example of how the system works.  In short, this program is designed to allow you to efficiently organize and catalog your inventory with pictures and custom tags.  I honestly do not know how I have survived without this for the past three years; it is most definitely worth 699L plus some.  If you want to use the wardrobe to not only organize your inventory but to be able to wear outfits directly from it, you do have to be using a RLV capable viewer.  No matter the size of your inventory, I highly recommend this product.

I'm not typically a fan of system layer dresses that have a prim piece stuck between the legs; too often the prim piece is shaded differently than the dress, and it just ends up looking bad.  I made an exception with the Malika dress by Baiastice (since the items from this brand are extremely well made!) that I found in my inventory.  I had been wearing the boots by LaRoo the entire time while sorting in the hope of finding something that would look good with them.  For some reason, when I saw the dress with the boots I was instantly reminded of a favorite movie from my childhood.... Teen Witch.  The combination looked like something Louise would have worn.  Unfortunately, the dress by Baiastice is an old Dressing Room item that is no longer available; the designer does have similar type designs offered in her store, some of which are mesh.

So the boots by LaRoo aren't technically something old that I rediscovered in my inventory, but they were already there when I started sorting this week; so, that should count for something!  LaRoo is a newly formed collaboration brand between Cracked Mirror and CrashOV Uladstron; all designs offered by this brand are completely original mesh creations.  The Clyde Boots are available in twelve colors and feature a partially laced shoe with a girly touch of studs adorning the toe and heel of the shoes.  A free demo is available for you to try, or you could pick up the free Christmas version via the subscriber; simply click the board to receive the shoes.


Credits
Clothing: [Dress] Malika in Scarlet Red by Baiastice (No longer available) and [Tights] Sheer Tights in Black by Izzie's
Shoes: Clyde Boots in Black by LaRoo Shoes
Jewelry: Chouette Earrings in Gray by je suis
Hair: Lewna in Indecisive Blonde 2 by ploom 50% Off Sale
Skin: Mistletoe (With Love Hunt 2011) by Atomic (No longer available)
Makeup: Black Eyeliner Gentle Fume by Acid & Mala
Eyes: Eternal Eyes in Storm by IKON
Lashes: 2011 Curl Lashes by LeLutka
Hands: Mesh Hands Casual by Slink
Pose: Moody 2 by aDORKable Poses @ Zodiac
Location: MadPea Carneval

Obscure

I hope everyone has had a great couple of weeks since the last time I posted.  A combination of a large amount of real life work to complete and a new found addiction to Pretty Little Liars has kept me away, but I should be back on a regular basis now.  I really need to stop finding new shows to watch on Netflix... especially when they have 2+ seasons available for you to watch.  I get so sucked in and then just have to keep watching episode after episode.  Lol  I suppose I could have worse addictions.

I came across the oversized sweatshirt I'm wearing when I was covering FROST for Seraphim.  I have to admit that I have always been a bit turned off by the store name Cynful since it doesn't really sound very conservative at all.  I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, right?  After checking out the designer's profile, I think the name of the store may actually be a play off of her name, Cynthia Ultsch.  Curiosity lead me to check out the main store location, and I actually do like quite a few of the designs available.  Perhaps you will be seeing more from this store on my blog in the future.  The oversized sweatshirt is available in six colors and includes five mesh sizes and an alpha layer; a free demo is available for your convenience.

Izzie's is participating in this month's round of Collabor88 with an exclusive version of Geanna available in two skin tones, fair and pale.  Each skin includes four brow colors, a nail base and a brow shape.  A free demo is available for you to try; you may also want to snag the exclusive nails by Izzie's while you are there which include nine colors and three sizes.     

A new jewelry set was recently released by je suis titled Chouette.  Eleven strap colors are available for both the necklace and the earrings.  The pearls and metal pieces are both color change; ten colors are included for the pearls and five colors are included for the metal pieces.  The jewelry is resizable by script.  While you are at je suis, check out the We Are Back! section; a lot of previous event exclusives have been placed out for a limited time.  Grab them while you still can!

LaRoo Shoes officially opened their main store location about a week and a half ago with two new releases.  All designs by the two founders of the brand are completely original mesh creations.  The Arsene Boots are available in twelve colors and come with twelve strap colors and four heel colors changeable via a HUD.  The boots are extremely well made; the mesh is very smooth and the straps give a little extra dimension to the look of the shoe.  I honestly love how mesh boots bend with my avatar's legs.  I used to avoid boots when we had to rely on prims and sculpts because boots that contained two or more pieces per shoe could end up looking extremely odd when walking or posing.  That is something that we thankfully don't have to deal with anymore since mesh has come along.  A free demo is available for your convenience.


Credits
Clothing: [Top] Oversized Sweatshirt in Snow by [Cynful] @ FROST and [Leggings] Sheer Tights Colors in Pink by Izzie's
Shoes: Arsene in Black by LaRoo Shoes
Jewelry: [Necklace] Chouette Necklace in Gray and [Earrings] Chouette Earrings in Gray by je suis
Hair: Indulge in Brown 03 by [elikatira]
Skin: Geanna Frostbite Skin Pale DB by Izzie's @ Collabor88
Makeup: Black Eyeliner Gentle Fume by Acid & Mala
Eyes: Eternal Eyes in Storm by IKON
Lashes: 2011 Curl Lashes by LeLutka
Hands: Mesh Hands Relax by Slink
Poses: [1] Model 219, [2] Model 228 and [3] Model 254 by Glitterati
Location: Pretty Island

Foggy Morning

The final round of FAIR opened last weekend which is where I found the adorable sweater I'm wearing by Zenith.  I'm almost always cold and wearing sweaters in my real life; so, my pictures today are definitely a reflection of the real me.  I've loved Zenith for a very long time and was really excited to see that they are now making mesh items.  After nearly a year of wearing mesh clothing, it is really difficult for me to wear outfits with prims and sculpts even from my favorite designers.  The sweater is available in six colors and includes five sizes, an alpha layer and a color change HUD for buttons and leather pieces.  A free demo is available for your convenience.

I couldn't believe how incredibly difficult it was to find a pair of flat shoes to go with this outfit.  I have the set by [elikatira] that I wear all the time, but I wanted to change it up a bit.  I considered the flats with bows by mon tissu, but the texture on the bow really didn't go with the look.  I wanted something that was frilly and not just a plain flat shoe.  With the help of the lovely people on my Plurk timeline, I finally (after two hours of searching) settled on the pair from Cracked Mirror.  The Ruffled Flats are absolutely adorable; they are available in twelve colors and can be purchased as singles or in a fatpack.  A free demo is also available for your to check out.


Credits
Clothing: [Top] Billie Lace Tank in Cream by Pink Outfitters 50L Sale, [Sweater] Hoodie Sweater Coat in Cocoa by Zenith Fashions @ FAIR and [Pants] Cotton Pants in Army Green by mon tissu
Jewelry: Voyante Necklace Plain Long by je suis 50% Off Black Friday Sale
Shoes: Ruffled Flats in Brown by Cracked Mirror
Hair: Details in Brown 08 by [elikatira]
Skin: Geanna Skin Pale DB by Izzie's
Makeup: [Eyeshadow] Geanna Eyeshadow Moss by Izzie's (Included with purchase of Geanna Skin) and [Eyeliner] Black Eyeliner Gentle Fume by Acid & Mala
Eyes: Eternal Eyes in Storm by IKON
Lashes: 2011 Lashes Curl by LeLutka
Hands: Mesh Hands Casual by Slink
Poses: [1] Elegant 2 by aDORKable Poses 50% Off Sale and [2] Clever 3 by aDORKable Poses @ Zodiac
Location: Mer de Trudeau

Never My Love

I had such difficulty with this photo that I almost scrapped it.  If you look in the background, you will notice that the windows on the house are not quite right.  They have a weird twisted shape and no matter what setting I tried to tweak, I could not get them to look normal without getting closer to the house.  Instead of deleting the photo and looking for a different location, I decided to use it anyway and see if any of the many talented photographers could help me with my little problem.  Any suggestions are appreciated!

There are so many new (and beautiful) items in the outfit I'm sharing.  JANE recently released two new mesh dresses, and honestly, who doesn't get excited about this?  One of the dresses is a strapless design (photoed above) and the other features a 50s style strap.  Twelve total patterns are available between the two dresses.  Five standard sizes, an alpha layer and a shadow layer are included with your purchase, and you are able to demo all mesh items at JANE absolutely free.  I first discovered JANE during a sale almost two years ago; of course, mesh was not in the picture then, but I fell in love with her designs and the love just keeps growing.  While you are at JANE, check out the clearance sale in the back room.  All nonstandard sized mesh has been reduced by 50% and will be retired when the sale ends.

Wasabi Pills has two new hair styles out for Fairy Tales in 2012 and both are absolutely stunning.  Mesh hair has been very touch and go with me.  I've always loved TRUTH hair, but for some reason his mesh designs have a crinkled texture on me.  I've never had that problem with Wasabi Pills, and as a photographer I love the fact that the 'alpha' portions do not disappear when I turn on shadows.  It can really be a pain to take multiple pictures to be able to put those pieces back in.  If Fairy Tales in 2012 is still a little too crowded for things to rez properly for you, demos of the two hair styles can be found at Wasabi Pills' main store.

I'm not sure if I have ever tried a Belleza skin before, but either way I am in love now!  Evil Queen is one of two new skins also featured at Fairy Tales in 2012.  I know everyone always talks about the body of a skin, and while the body is very important, the face is honestly my favorite feature and Belleza's couldn't get much prettier.  The lips on Evil Queen are to die for (no pun intended) and the brows are so pronounced and striking.  For you body lovers, highlighting and shading can be found throughout the skin which gives it more realistic look.

Last, but certainly not least, are the adorable new mesh shoes I am wearing from Izzie's.  I don't think my inventory will ever have enough flats!  I probably love these so much in world because I love them so much in my real life.  My job requires me to be on my feet the majority of the day, and I don't think my body could handle heels all day.  The shoes feature a cute flower on top.  Thirteen two-toned options are available as well as two solid options.  A free demo is available for your convenience.


Credits
Clothing: *Blake Dress in Cherry by JANE
Shoes: *Flower Flats in White by Izzie's
Jewelry: *Leah by je suis
Hair: *Princess in Chocolate by Wasabi Pills @ Fairy Tales in 2012
Skin: *Evil Queen by Belleza @ Fairy Tales in 2012
Pose: Model 251 by Glitterati
Location: T Town

* Denotes promotional copy.

Week 14 of 52 Weeks of Color - Royal Purple

I'm a tad bit later than I would like to be with my Color Challenge post this week, but SeraphimSL has kept me sssoooo busy! Blame the girls over there. Lol There is so much awesome newness in my outfit for this week. The first is that Pixel Mode now has mesh! I really love that so many talented designers are embracing this fluid form of design. The dress I chose for my photo is titled Missy; it is available in eight colors and four sizes are included with your purchase.

I have been wearing my Brianna Skin from Izzie's nonstop ever since its release a few weeks ago. I love it so much that I was almost afraid to take it off to try on the new skin, Cassandra, also from Izzie's. But, not to worry... I like this one as well! Cassandra is available in six tones, and your purchase includes cleavage/no cleavage and freckles/no freckles options as well as ten tattoo eyeshadows, ten tattoo lipsticks, a nail base on the glove layer, a brow shape and the modifiable Cassandra body shape. You get so much product for your money in this purchase!

The jewelry set I'm wearing is a new release, titled Turquoise, from je suis for the ZombiePopcorn Collection. This set contains so many small, detailed pieces. I absolutely love the color combinations; it definitely makes the set very versatile. A ring is also included with your purchase of the necklace and earrings.


Credits
Clothing: Missy in Mauve by Pixel Mode
Jewelry: *Turquoise by je suis @ ZombiePopcorn Collection
Hair: Here in Brown 08 by [elikatira]
Skin: *Cassandra in Pale by Izzie's
Makeup: [Eyes] *Cassandra Eyeshadow Purple by Izzie's and Black Eyeliner Gentle Fume by Acid & Mala; [Lips] *Lipstick Soft Pink by Izzie's
Poses: [1] Three Quarter 3 by !bang and [2] Stand 124 by !bang

* Denotes promotional copy.

A New Look

I hadn't originally planned to post this photo on my personal fashion blog, but I ended up loving it so much that I had to! We are redoing the Staff Page at SeraphimSL, and this is the photo that I took for the redesign. The quality of mesh at coldLogic is absolutely amazing. Although I haven't purchased an extreme amount of pieces, I do indeed completely love all of the ones I have. I think that a comment I received while checking out sales for SeraphimSL this morning says it all... "that (on you) is one of the best outfits I've seen in sl ever." I couldn't agree more with her! The realistic movement and gorgeous texturing of the jacket and the shirt is enough to make anyone drool!

Although you cannot see much of my pants, I am wearing the Easy Day Trousers in tan by JANE. The combination makes a really lovely outfit. I will be wearing another color of these pants tomorrow in my 52 Weeks of Color post with a full length picture; be sure to keep a lookout!


Credits
Clothing: [Top] Combo Cole in Chocolate/Strawberry by coldLogic and [Pants] *Easy Day Trousers in Tan by JANE
Jewelry: [Necklace] *Leah by je suis and [Earrings] *Leah by je suis
Hair: Rush in Brown 08 by [elikatira]
Skin: *Brianna in Pale by Izzie's
Makeup: [Eyes] *Brianna Eyeshadow Black by Izzie's and Black Eyeliner Gentle Fume by Acid & Mala; [Lips] *Brianna Lipstick Rose by Izzie's
Pose: Model 021 by Glitterati

* Denotes promotional copy.

Jane's French Château

I am completely enjoying the unseasonably warm weather we are having where I live, and I am also completely loving all the new spring items by designers in Second Life! JANE released quite a few colorful mesh items yesterday, and if you follow my blog at all, you should already know how much I love her pieces. The Dabs Skirt is just one of the new designs out; it is available in three colors and comes in standard sizing. The shirt I am wearing is an older JANE style, but it matches so perfectly with the green dots in the skirt. Even though the shirt is not mesh, I love how the system layer provides a 'tucked in' look for the outfit.  I will also be blogging more of JANE's new releases this weekend with my 52 Weeks of Color post; so, be on the lookout!

If you are a lover of poses, you will probably be happy to know that Glitterati is having a 100L pose sale through the end of Pose Fair 2012. I know that the Pose Fair begins April 15th, but I'm not completely sure when it ends. Nonetheless, take advantage of this great sale! Glitterati has some of the best poses that I have come across in Second Life. They are extremely easy to use and very versatile.

Happy Spring!!


Credits
Clothing: [Top] Cameo Halter in Celery by JANE and [Skirt] *Dabs Skirt in Plum by JANE
Shoes: Montsegur Pumps in Berry by mon tissu
Jewelry: [Earrings] *Leah by je suis and [Necklace] Butterfly Collector by Yummy Accessories
Hair: Rush in Brown 08 by [elikatira]
Skin: *Brianna in Pale by Izzie's
Makeup: [Eyes] *Brianna Black Eyeshadow by Izzie's and Black Eyeliner Gentle Fume by Acid & Mala; [Lips] *Brianna Rose Lipstick by Izzie's
Pose: Model 188 by Glitterati
Location: Chateau de la Lutiniere

* Denotes promotional copy.

Sally Has Seashells

I'm really in the mood for warmer weather to be here today with this recent design by Siss Boom! Sally Has Seashells is a cute minidress with sculpted features which include the skirt and the belt. The sculpted pieces include resize scripts which make it very easy to size the outfit to fit your avatar. A note that includes tips and suggestions for fitting sculpted pieces also comes with your purchase. Your purchase also includes the cute matching bag. The dress is available in three colors: blue, aqua and red.

The poses I used for this post are brand new by aDORKable Poses. I really love the poses by this designer because of her uniqueness and her inclusion of mirror poses. It can be extremely annoying to find the perfect pose for a picture but in the opposite direction of what you need it to be! You never have to worry about that with aDORKable poses because mirror poses are included in all of the packs! Photo 1 features a pose from the Bag Lady II pack available at the main store location, and Photo 2 features a pose from the Legs pack available at the Festival of Sin.

While you are at Siss Boom you should pick up this adorable group gift titled Black Angel which includes both the top and the jeans. If you aren't a member of the in world group, simply click the board in the store and join for free!


Credits:

Photo 1
Clothing: *Sally Has Seashells in Red by Siss Boom
Jewelry: *Chic Gold by je suis
Pose: *Bag Lady II 8 by aDORKable Poses
Location: Izzie's

Photo 2
Clothing: *Black Angel by Siss Boom (Group Gift)
Shoes: Shox in White/Black by [ hoorenbeek ]
Pose: *Legs 3 Mirror by aDORKable Poses @ Festival of Sin

Both
Hair: Good Morning in Girl Next Door by Clawtooth
Skin: Love (Scarlett) in Milk by Illusory @ Collabor88

* Denotes promotional copy.

Week 5 of 52 Weeks of Color - Patina

This week's color has proven to be the most difficult for me yet. The cute mesh dress I'm wearing was not my first outfit of choice. I began with a really adorable dress from Donna Flora, but the translucent skirt proved to be a bit too much for shadows, and I found myself shopping once again. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the Oxford Dress by LeeZu, I just wish that I hadn't spent money on something that I didn't use. Who knows though... it may prove to be useful at a later date. If you drop by LeeZu in the near future, be sure to check out the tops section of the store; there is a mesh shirt in four different colors for only L$50 each! What a steal!

I had never tried an Atomic skin until they started showing up in The Dressing Room Blue a few weeks ago. I have a habit of snagging up the discount skins every week from the two shops even though I typically have no idea when or where I will use them. But, you never know what will pop up with this challenge, so I'm really glad that I bought it! I do believe that this may be one of my favorite new skins; Ivy Graves' work is absolutely amazing. I will most likely be making a trip to the main store location soon to check out what other goodness she has. Unfortunately, the skin I'm wearing is no longer available at TDRB, but there is a new Atomic skin with luscious red lips just waiting for you to buy it!


Credits
Clothing: [Dress] Oxford Dress Mesh in Wool Turquoise by LeeZu and [Pants] *White Cotton Leggings (edited) by Siss Boom
Jewelry: *Leah by je suis
Hair: Faith in Mocha with Roots by TRUTH
Skin: Grace Skin - Buff - Winter Kiss by Atomic @ The Dressing Room Blue (No Longer Available)
Pose: *Poofy 8 by aDORKable Poses

* Denotes promotional copy.

Week 3 of 52 Weeks of Color - Electric Indigo

I hoped to get so much more accomplished this week blog wise. I had at least three posts planned, but real life continues to wear me out. Uuuggghhh Two hours of travel time per day to and from work has got to end soon!

When I saw electric indigo was the color for this week, my first thought was 80s! I really didn't have many ideas of where to go looking for my outfit; so, I checked out some blogs to find stores I had never been to or hadn't been to in a while. This random search landed me at Emery.

The Skinny Jeans are a perfect addition to my wardrobe; at first the color was a little much for me, but I've actually developed a fondness for them. The color is really fun and girly. The Zebra Top on the other hand... not so much. Remember those quality pieces that will last that I mentioned wanting to add to my inventory last week? Well, I wouldn't exactly classify this shirt as one of those. Although it does match very well with the jeans, it's really not designed for anything other than posing. The sleeve pieces are very oddly shaped and attached to the shoulders; talk about not being AO friendly! The stripes were also extremely hard to deal with when it came to matching them up with the prim piece. If this shirt were mesh, it would be a total win! However, I wouldn't recommend it as is.

The necklace I'm wearing is a new piece from je suis titled Voyante Necklace Plain. It includes scripts for resizing, stone color texture, 'chain' texture and metal texture. A very neat aspect of this necklace, is that it also includes an option that allows you to input your own RGB for the stone color which allowed me to make the color perfectly electric indigo! You can never go wrong with a piece of jewelry you can custom color!


Credits
Clothing: [Top] Dressy Zebra Top in Violet by Emery and [Pants] Jean Skinny Passe in Violet by Emery
Jewelry: *Voyante Necklace Plain by je suis
Shoes: The Solas Shoes White by Fir & Mna
Hair: Andrea with Roots in Mocha by TRUTH
Skin: *Nathalie . Tan . 01 by Filthy Skins
Tattoo: Rainbow 1 ll by DAMNED at Fashionably Late
Pose: Model 157 by Glitterati

* Denotes promotional copy.

Nathalie

I think I'm starting to go a bit stir crazy after being off work for a week because of the holidays. Since getting married and moving out of my mother's house where I had plenty of siblings to keep me company, I have discovered that it can get quite lonely when you are home alone all day long while your husband is at work!

Thankfully, I had some blogging to catch up on to keep me occupied for a while. I absolutely love the new Chapka from je suis! It looks so warm and cozy; I suppose being 'warm' in Second Life isn't really important, but since I'm constantly freezing in real life, I love the look! To continue with my mesh addiction, I picked up some more items from JANE including the Zipper Hoodie and the Classic Fit Jeans. I cannot get enough of how beautifully and seamlessly the mesh clothing wraps around my ava. It looks so much more natural than bulky prim pieces.

The item that launched this entire post was the new skin, Nathalie, from Filthy Skins. I first found this designer at a discount event that I honestly can't even remember the name of now. The quality of her product impressed me then and her continued growth in skill still impresses me. I really love the makeup choices that are included in Nathalie; there is enough variety for you to wear the skin casually or for a party night out on the town... say New Years Eve perhaps? Nathalie is offered in four skin tones at L$1,800 each; however, if you are a VIP member (L$199 join fee), you can pick up every new skin at 50% off for the first 48 hours after it is released. I just checked, and the discount offer is currently still available (4 pm SLT)!

Credits
Clothing: [Hat] *Chapka in Olive by je suis [Coat] Zipper Hoodie Spectrum in Blush by JANE and [Pants] Classic Fit Jeans in Light by JANE
Hair: Early in Brown 11 (VIP Collection) by [elikatira]
Skin: *Nathalie in Tan by Filthy Skins
Pose: Model 048 by Glitterati
Location: The Pixel Bean Coffeehouse

* Denotes promotional copy.

Layer Me

My mind is almost completely blank this evening, and I really cannot think of much to say. Perhaps it has something to do with watching Star Trek all day with my husband. I have to admit, however, that I have liked the show a lot more than I ever thought I would.

The magic of Second Life for some people is being able to transform into anyone you can imagine, but honestly for me it is being able to express my real life self in a digital world and continuously discover new and exciting things each day. The outfit I put together today is completely something that I would wear in my real life. I love layering pieces and matching them with simple jewelry that adds a little personality to the design.

Jackets are one of my favorite items of clothing in real life, and I am constantly on the lookout for them in Second Life as well. The problem that I have found with most of the jackets in world, sadly, is poor shading and blending with the impossibility of properly lining up the prim pieces with the system layers. As she has proven time and time again, however, Izzie's is a step above most when it comes to blending the textures of prim pieces and system layers. Her new Suede Blazer is absolutely stunning; the texturing is very realistic while leaving an artistic drawn look. The blazer is available in ten fabulous colors. The clutch I am holding is also a new item from Izzie's that is also available in ten color choices.

As you probably know by now, I love poses and can never resist new sets from great designers especially when the sets are set at sale prices! Bang Poses has two new sets out today, a mini set for Super Bargain Saturday at L$60 and a full standing set for Lazy Sunday at L$75. Pick these up before the prices jump!

The 50% Off Black Friday Sale at je suis has been extended until Sunday at 12 pm SLT. I am wearing the Sophistique necklace and earrings in dark. The pearl color as well as the metal color is changeable via a HUD. Ten options for the pearl color and five options for the metal color are included.


Credits
Clothing: [Top] Intrinsic Tank in Avocado by JANE (Freebie), [Jacket] *Suede Blazer in Black by Izzie's and [Pants] Classic Jeans in Light by Zaara
Accessories: {Clutch] *Clutch in Green by Izzie's and [Jewelry] Sophistique in Dark by je suis
Hair: Isolation in Honeycomb Roots by !lamb.
Skin: *Laika II . Tan . 01 by Filthy Skins
Pose: *Stand 225 by !bang
Location: Where It Begins

* Denotes promotional copy.

So, I've Been Away

I know it is so unlike me (note the sarcasm) to just disappear without warning or notice. But, I promise that it was for a really good reason this time. My real life has changed in very dramatic and very blessed ways over the past few months. My fiance and I were finally married in early October, and we couldn't be happier. It has taken a while for us to get the internet connected at our house (I so love the sound of that), but I'm back now. My work commute is much greater now, over two hours daily; so, I probably won't get to post as often as I did before. But, at least I will be posting!

The dress I am wearing is from the ever lovely Siss Boom. The sparkle of the Forget Me skirt really caught my eye as I was looking over all of her new releases. The skirt is made of two attachments; so, if sparkle isn't your thing, the under layer is beautiful enough to stand on its own.

Oh my, how I have missed skin and hair on Second Life! I don't think that I will ever be able to get enough of either. The skin I am wearing is the new Laika II by Filthy Skins. I absolutely loved this designer when I first saw her work, and she continues to get better with each new release. The makeup is lovely and the shading and highlighting hits in all the right spots. If you have not tried Filthy Skins, I highly recommend that you stop by and try a demo!

I'm not sure if I even need to introduce an [elikatira] hair anymore. Her work is so well made and so recognizable that any hair addict would immediately know who made it. Soft is a delicate short style full of curls that can be found at the current collection of Collabor88 for only 88L per color pack.

If you love beautiful jewelry, you will really want to check out the je suis 50% Off Black Friday Sale. All products have been marked down until 12 pm SLT on Sunday. I'm wearing one of the newer designs titled Leah which is a color change piece. Through tomorrow, you can pick up the necklace for L$250 and the earrings for L$200. That is the equivalent of a complete fatpack for only L$450!


Credits
Clothing: *Forget Me by Siss Boom
Jewelry: *Leah by je suis
Hair: Soft in Brown 08 by [elikatira] at Collabor88
Skin: *Laika II . Tan . 01 by Filthy Skins
Poses by Glitterati

* Denotes promotional copy.

Sky's the Limit

I love the whimsy feeling of the new Sky's the Limit dress by Siss Boom. The skirt of the dress has a very beautiful, frilly, feminine shape; the textures are very soft with differing levels of transparency. The collar is also a unique touch that gives the dress a different feel; it of course can also be worn without it and look perfectly fine. Both the collar and the skirt contain resize scripts which make fitting very easy. The dress is offered in three different colors with one color being marked down to L$100 for a limited time.

I'm wearing a new skin by a new to me skin designer, and I have to say... I love it! Nika by *Step inSide* has beautiful shading, highlighting and makeup choices. I will be doing a full review of this skin in a few days, but I wanted to give you a little sneak peek of it now! When you teleport to the store, you will be routed to a landing point which looks like a furniture store (probably because it is!), but don't worry, you are in the correct place. There is a teleport board at the landing point; the green button will take you to the skins.


Credits
Clothing: *Sky's the Limit by Siss Boom
Jewelry: Sophistique Dark Earrings by je suis
Hair: *KEIKO hair - Bournville by LeLutka
Skin: *NIKA medium 6 HB by *Step inSide*
Pose: *Poofy 6 by aDORKable Poses
Location: HuMaNoiD

* Denotes item provided by designer for review.

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.

Belinda

Have you ever been so tired that it's difficult to think? That is kind of where I am at the moment; so, please forgive me if my entire post makes no sense whatsoever!

Izzie's is most definitely turning into one of my favorite shops; I am more and more convinced of this with each new release. Her new Long Top is feminine, conservative and very fun! The blouse features system layers as well as five beautiful prim pieces; the sleeves are actually composed of two sculpts each which blend fantastically with each other. Honestly, the designer's ability to beautifully blend all the pieces of her clothing is what first caught my attention. Too often in Second Life, designers will make their vendor pictures look like the sculpted pieces blend well when in actuality they do not; Izzie's clothing actually does blend that well! Nine colors are available at L$150 each or $1,050 for the fatpack.

Like my bag? It's the newest release from je suis, and I have to say that I absolutely love it! Every girl needs a great bag for the summer, and Prete definitely fits the bill. The contents of the bag are perfect for a trip to the beach or a relaxing day in the park! You have everything you need: shades, water, towel, a magazine and most importantly... sunscreen! The bag does contain a very nice holding pose which works with your AO. A random person actually IMed me while I was trying to shoot some photos to ask where I got the pose to hold my bag like that. Hehe Twenty color choices are available at L$199 each or L$1,990 for the fatpack.

Not only does Izzie's make beautiful clothing, but she makes beautiful skin as well! Belinda is Izzie's latest skin release, and I have to say that I really love this look. I always look for realism mixed with artistry in new skins, and Izzie has definitely delivered! The skin purchase is set up a little differently than what you may be used to; Belinda is sold in three skin tones at L$700 per tone. Each tone contains a skin for black, blonde, brown and red brows and with options for cleavage as well. There is only one eye makeup included in the pack, but you can purchase lip gloss sets to change up the look. If you have ever really loved a designer's eye makeup but wished the skin had a different lip color, this type of purchase would be a good choice for you! The skin itself has a very basic lip color; so, it is easy to apply a lip gloss tattoo over the skin and still look beautiful. Three different lip gloss sets are available at L$120 per eight color pack.


Credits
Clothing: [Top] *Long Top in Pink by Izzie's and [Pants] Classic Jeans in Light by Zaara
Hair: *Pandora in Mocha by TRUTH
Hair Clip: Gem Clip - Flowers by EarthStones
Bag: *Prete in Stripped Black by je suis
Skin: *Belinda Skin (brown brows)- Sunkissed by Izzie's
Lip Gloss: *LipGloss Rose 2 (Set 2) by Izzie's
Lashes: 2011 lashes/curl by LeLutka
Poses: [1] *Take A Look 3, [2] *Ohai There 5 and *Freestylin' 1 by BANG
Location: Everwilde 

* Denotes item provided by designer for review.

Truth District

The opening of Truth District caused a lot of stir and excitement over the weekend, and with good reason. Some of the top names in Second Life fashion have joined to create the latest mall hosted by one of the top… if not THE top… hair designers: TRUTH.

What makes Truth one of my favorite hair designers? I would have to say realism. And, not just realism in looks, but realism in movement as well. No other hair designer that I have come across has as realistic movement in their hair designs as Truth. With the opening of the new sim, Truth has released six new styles, one being a gift. You can pick up five of the new designs in the main Truth store, but the gift can only be acquired at the satellite store on Truth District. To receive the hair, you must be a member of the in world Truth District Updates group which is free to join.

Pictured below:

• Darcey in Clove
• Darcey 2 in Carrot
• Jean in Raven
• Pandora in Mocha
• Summer in Seaspray
• Becky (Group Gift) in Beach

To celebrate the opening of Truth District, many of the designers have placed out gifts for the update group in their stores. And, as expected, they are amazing gifts! These gifts will be out until July 8. It may take you a while to teleport into the sim because of all the craze, but keep trying! The design of the sim is absolutely stunning, and the generosity of all the designers is well worth the time it will take!

• Picture 1: Grixdale – Tank and Skirt (Group Gift)
• Picture 2: Whippet & Buck – Top (Group Gift)
• Picture 3: The Sea Hole – Outfit (Group Gift)
• Picture 4: Ducknipple – Top (Group Gift)
• Picture 5: MichaMi – Dress (Group Gift)
• Picture 6: Miamai – Swimsuit (Group Gift)
• Other group gifts used in pictures: Skin by Curio (pictures one and five) and poses by Glitterati (picture one).

You may have noticed the necklace that I am wearing in all the pictures. Eternelle is one of the latest designs by je suis who also happens to have a satellite store at Truth District. This piece comes with so many options, it is absolutely insane! Scripts are included in the necklace, earrings (not pictured) and a ring (not pictured) for size, gemstone, metal and band. This design can be worn dressy as well as casual. I really love that each gemstone can be individually colored; this is one of the aspects that makes it so versatile. Je suis also has a group gift for Truth District in their satellite store; be sure to stop by and pick it up!

Teleport to Truth District


Credits
Clothing: Listed above
Jewelry: *Eternelle by je suis
Hair: *All styles by TRUTH
Skin: [2, 3, 4, 6] *Summer (Sundust) by Curio
Poses: [1] Long Hair 3-3 (Group Gift), [2] Long Hair 2-6, [3] Long Hair 2-3, [4] Long Hair 6, [5] Model 051 and [6] Model 033 by Glitterati

* 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.