Taking time out to revisit some favorite designers and get acquainted with some new:
Redgrave is a perennial favorite; my favorite skin and my favorite footwear come from there (Biker boots - not shown and before they got a resize script which I'm really happy about. No script lag with those babies)
That said, I'm really fond of the newly releases Survivor boots in canvas and./or leather. Nice construction and detail, and like my favorite biker boots, well worth the price. While there I also found the relatively new release of a pair of vintage jeans. these are sharp looking for also being so worn and the detail options (keys or purse, smokers pack,) set them above other jean sets. Unisex and reasonably priced.
Another favorite is SF Designs. swaffette's been making us all look good for years and she's amazingly generous. The Grey Marl Double breasted cardigan is a free gift and it's sharp and classic looking.
Newer to my wardrobe are both EMO-tions hair and [Y] Style Jewelry. EMO-tions came to me highly recommend by a friend and I have several styles I wear but the favorite of the partner is this long look, Resurrection II. The hair is mod and since I'm not a Gor or Historical RPer I took the liberty of making the bone and skull accents invisible. I like the loose look around the fair and the heavily wrapped braids and ponytails come across just as wonderfully messy as any such style will after a day of fighting, foraging or if you are like me, knocking together furniture or digging in the garden.
Also new, is this great necklace from[Y] Style. Greta's been pleasing me a lot with her bold but simple designs. Most of the Quartet that make up StyleYakuza have amazing talent for both style and statements and Greta's not disappointing anyone with her designs. It's a small set of offerings so far but growing and scarily reasonably priced. Be sure to hit her group as well, since as you'll see later, the lady gives out great gifts.
Another hairstyle from EMO-tions, this time shorter, but with the same kind of loose easy look as the more involved designs. Aaron comes in multiple colors as do all EMO-tions styles, many of which are unisex.
Destination and Infinity are new releases from GothiCatz, which is one of the first shops my SL mentor took me to in looking for outfits that met my style as well as my wallet.
The skin, left, was a group gift from Belleza, another favorite skin maker. The group admission isn't prohibitive and it's worth it given the regular price of their skin packs.
CPD {Chaos, Panic & Disorder} provided this Celtic Cross necklace over Christmas and I like the detail on it a lot. I have a few pieces I tend to wear all the time -- this just got added to that relatively small folder.
I've had these black sneaker boots from Duh! for awhile now. Given my penchant for boots, you'd think I'd wear them more often, but something abobut the GothiCatz outfit made them seem like the exact right thing. They are seriously a lot of fun, and like most of Duh's shoes and boots in credibly easy to fit and with a lot of little details that might go unnoticed. Loose flexi laces aren't exactly a requirement in footwear but having them makes me grin since I can't seem to ever tie my shoes anyway.
The Zero Natural skin from Heartsick was a pleasant surprise in the Millenium Hunt. Find it secretly marked to $1L for the Millenium Hunt and you get 7 versions of the skin n a dark tan. Rich tones, fuller lips, and a great set of eyebrows. I wasn't as enamoured of the included shape - it ran a little too young for me -- but it's a well done shape if you are looking for a style that runs on the slim, youthful end of the body ranges. (Also included in the pack is a gorgeous set of skins and shapes for the ladies. This is a deal you don't want to miss.)
Back on track with the old reliables would be a really bad list if it didn't have Doc Eldridge's DE Designs in the mix. Doc's been a favorite for a long time, he does dome amazing thing with his textures and designs and seriously gets how men's clothes should fit. There's not a lot of extra attachments beyond the necessary -- most of the detail comes from his amazing gift for laying textures and shades and shadows on textures which provides not only a seriously nice looking set of clothes but also a low lag fashion statement.
Rune is a more casual line for Doc and he's been adding to it steadily. Kain features a grey Henley (and I love my Henley's) with a plaid overshirt, musltiple sleeve options and open and closed. It also comes with a well worn pair of jeans in regular and low rise. Be sure to open the optional layers box and do not fear the underwear layers!
I finished this set off with another favorite trend setter -- Gabriel and the group gift of Black leather low boots. I may love my biker boots, but I also love my jean cuffs. Gabriel lets me have both.
Ali & Alli have made a name for themselves in both their prolific out put and the variety of styles they offer. the ladies are also generous to their group members (as well as pretty much everyone else.) Sticking with a shorter style is this crop cut loose look in black and silver, light weight and easy moving.
The necklace is the gift I mentioned from [Y] Style, multi-link chain that rest close to the skin. if you don't have an open shirt or jacket, then by all means get one to show this off.
Luckily for me GizzA had this tartan open jacket up for sale. I really like the look of this[ from the epaulets to the zippered edges and the loose fit of the bottom of the jacket. it's sharp and contemporary and would look as good with striped slack, leather pants or a kilt as it does with jeans.
The first time I encountered Egoisme was on a hunt (crafty bastards). I've been a fan ever since -- not of everything (the collection is huge) but they never fail to impress. The Trekking boots are no exception. As with Redgrave's boots, the devil's in the details and the textures.
Tableau Vivant is doing some amazing things with fashion, but also with photography. M4ri1yn Magic and Aida Ewing both have style and flair coming out their pores (if avatars had pores) and they are the brains behind both TV and Glam Affair (and the former Beauty Avatar line) as well as a bunch of other amazing ideas and offerings. From Skins to clothes to amazing photo props, (and some killer photo shoots) you can't do any better than tagging along on the ride these two are taking a good portion of SL. Whether you want to spend 10L or thousands, you will get quality and style; and you can get great gifts too. The Noctis skin is a group offering from TV and it's a stunner. Bluish undertone, glittersheened glam, without being cheesy, it's a great skin to offset the designs of other talented creators.
Getting this skin, I hunted for things to offset it and took in TGL's (Tokyo Girl) Eyes and Hair. I'm more and more impressed with TGL everytime I come across her work - including the mesh belt in this picture. It's got some amazing details and handles and sizes like a regular prim or sculpted piece, which for me is important cause I like my shape.(and yes, Tokyo Girl -- think outside the box guys.)
Also pictured is a better view of the [Y] Style group gift, Harnessed. I also found the Celtic band tattoos from .:CoLLisions:. released last fall, worked amazingly well with this skin, (as did the Life is Beautiful tattoo) but I tend to think Guen Decuir is a pretty talented designer anyway.
Hair:
Ali & Alli
EMO-tions
TGL (Tokyo Girl)
Skins:
Tableau Vivant
Heartsick
Belleza,
Eyes:
TGL (Tokyo Girl)
Jewelry:
[Y] Style
CPD
Tattoos:
.:CoLLisions:.
Clothes
Redgrave
SF Designs
GizzA
DE Designs
GothiCatz
Shoes/Boots
Gabriel
Egoisme
Duh!
Redgrave
Favorites Old & New
When you don't need a reason hunt - For Whatever
::Upfront Disclaimer:: I'm participating in the For Whatever Hunt as a merchant. Luckily for me (and seriously, for you too) I don't make clothes. I got a preview because I'm a blogger, not because I'm in the hunt. And can I say, FWH's blogger room is a brilliant idea. I'm sure others have done it, but this was the first time I've used one and While I like seeing what the ladies are wearing or what the trends are, both my inventory and my time management skills really appreciate being able to see what's available to blog without trying to do the entire hunt which, now that I have my own store, is getting increasingly hard to do.
If you do choose to do the hunt, there's some really excellent gifts for
the guys, and maybe one or two that may not be meant for the guys but,
you know, I'm all about taking advantage of what I can find and use.
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The hair here isn't part of the hunt, but it a new release from Alli&Ali : Elements Hair Lava (unisex). It's got kind of that Tokyo pop look and feel to it - a bit shaggy, a little mohawkey, not so subtle color shift between blond and black and red, that offers a striking first glance. I don't generally go in for the faux-mohawk look but I was pleasantly surprised at how well this went with pretty much everything else I was trying on. This is a group gift at their mainstore. They also have a version called ice, with the same kind of color shifts.
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Graffitiwear (#15) took an ethnic walk with the Aztec Feathered pendant; heavy rope chain links (that need no resizing - AWESOME!) connect to a really nicely done Aztec motif coin in copper, accented by three feathers. I can see wearing this a lot. I pared it here with one of the Hoodies from Envy Me. Most of them were a Christmas style but there's a couple of plain ones in the fat pack and I like the fit of the black one. Hoodie comes with and up and down option (and i the up option was one of the few things that didn't work with this hair.
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Kennedy's offers another full set, although I admittedly like the shirt the best. The jeans are a pale grey with a hint of shine and a skull pattern on the right thigh. The shirt is a darker grey, nice pull lines and a fun caption.
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There may be other options in both clothing and jewelry for guys, opting into the blogger room was optional for the merchants and I haven't had time to even start the actual hunt, but even for these offerings, it;'s worth taking a break from whatever you are doing to do at least some of the For Whatever Hunt.
Grab Bag of Fun
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BOOF: Unicorn Attack & Texture Change Horned Beanie. |
Also from .:CoLLisons:., is this striking back tattoo called Aum. Arabic script in a henna colored sunburst.
Gearing up -- new releases and gifts
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Not free but amazingly reasonable at $190L is this very, very cool lightweight green parka with a fur-edged hood. The fur itself is very very fun and well done, and the jacket managed to stay with me when I moved -- something not all prim coats do. It comes with basic black jeans, rolled 50's style cuffs and and a really nice loose necked turtleneck in a brown//black color. The ribbed knit on the turtleneck is also well done. I think I want Paco to texture my RL clothes, thanks. This item was designed for the Gallery Gift Shop, so take a look around while there.
Real Men Wear Lavender - I'm not shy in my admiration for Lexi Vargas's work for Brocade Tiger. Here's a designer who started out wanting to make clothes he would wear for fun, who has only gotten better as he goes on. It's possible the fact that he's both a RL artist and an SL model contributes to this - if you've ever wandered through Rfyre, you've seen him on the posters there although chameleon that he is you may not recognize him at first.
All that aside, Lexi goes for the elegant and sometimes the outrageous -- if you ever wanted to wear Steampunk Glam, Lexi's the guy to go see. His latest release is Double Take, which is a colorfully fun take on a traditional style -- Classic suit styling in Lavender Plaid. Sharp pointed vest and open necked tie make it casual fun, and the placard pleat at the waist gives it the kind of detail only an artist (or a clothes horse like me) could love. It rings in at $250L and if you want to make a statement at a bash this autumn, slip this on and try not to look too smug. Now, if lavender isn't your thing -- feel free to view his less flamboyant other suits in a similar style.
Where Art Meet Function - artMEfashion is new to me but I have to say I was impressed right off the bat. The offering was this truly excellent and detailed Steampunk Duster in black. At $400L it's something you want to make sure you are going to get some wear out of -- but the details on this long coat are really worth looking at. The coat is self moves really well, has that worn leather look that's hard to translate in SL, has buckles enough for any Steampunk adventurer and the loose flexi details at the shoulder, collar and skirt are a whole lot of fun. Their catalog currently seems to be geared more toward the gals, but I only had a few minutes to look around and plan to go back. Demand creates opportunity, so if you are looking for some truly incredible Steampunk Gear, then by all mean encourage designer Moonstone Eiren into putting her remarkable talents toward more guy gear. All of us will thank you.
Twisted Unseelie Courts versus the Steampunk Hunters
I only wish I had more time to devote to both hunts; but I fear I'm going to miss some really excellent gifts on both. So I'm tagging some favs:
Sangre Noir, 22769, and CoLLisions:
I readily admit to my bias in favor of Sangre Noir. Noirran Marx has an eye for the gothic style with rich fabrics and small details that catch the imagination. Her offering for Twisted: Unseelie was one I knew I didn't want to miss because she never disappoints.For the ladies there's a flowing silky shirt/dress, ruffled hem and flowing fabric attached to the shoulders and back with delicate dark roses. Like most of Noirran's designs, the fabric moves easily, and seems to slide against this skin. Worn alone, its a sexy mini or lingerie like casual. Worn with a skirt or jeans and it turns casual into elegant.
For the gents is the Unseelie Kilt, which obviously brought out my oft hidden dark elf side. Shimmering blue/black fabric, held up by a belt of roses caught on barbed wire. I like kilts. I like this kilt a lot.The perfect match to the Sangre Noir design are two offerings from CoLLisions: Mab's Apprentice tattoo for the Twisted Hunt and for the men, The Pandemonium Necklace for Steam.
22769 rarely disappoints and being a ling time X-Men Fan (like prior to the current crop of cinematic representations) to see their take on two of the original X-Men in all their vintage glory fills me with glee.For the ladies, Jean Grey effects her transformation into the elegant but lethal Phoenix, prior to any redemptive tales, and 22769 captures that leashed power an calm assurance we first saw in the First Lady of the X-Men. Cyclops is likewise captured; and I appreciate that the rendering eschews the overly ornate for the sleek lines and body hugging necessity of clothing a super hero. Or a pair of them.
All of these gifts are well done, are packed with imagination and creative spirit and can be yours for free. But like the silent movements of the Unseelie Courts and the unacknowledged heroics of the superhero set, the gifts too will fade from sight if you don't collect them soon.
Dog Days of August
The Dog Days of August means looking for the cool and comfortable, and some of our favorite designers are giving away that comfort and style for free.
LeLutka offers the light and definitely bohemian comfort of the Summer Breeze Ensemble to it's group members. Straw hat and a curled and windblown hairstyle, coupled with the casual comfort of a silky sarong. (bikini top for the ladies.) Beachcombing, beach bumming or beach living, this one is a not miss outfit. Thank you LeLutka!And like he planned it, Paco over at 22769 is offering up a retro look for the "Summer Feeling" hunt with a bold patterned set of retro boarder shorts. From Baja to Bali, you can keep your summer cool and your fashion hot and you get to do it for free. (Paco even tosses in a towel in case you decide to check out the surf.)
And after a day in the sun, probably time to check out the night life. Urban Republic's gradient shirts fit any night scene.This weekend you can get a pair of Guy's Basic Pants from KisKis during the La Venta Eventa weekend sales. (Grab them today, though, the sale ends at midnight.) and to finish off your look, Gabriel has low cut boots in black and brown as a Group gift. The boots are exceptionally well done, laced and fit with most pants, even those with cuffs (just remember to "add" rather than wear the cuffs to keep both.)
Real Men Do Not Fear the Cute
Acid & Mala are offering a fat pack of fun and yes, cute, bi-color t-shirts. $60L for the SBS sale (and still up as of this morning.) Come on, you know you want to wear giraffes. Or kitties, or adorable robots. But if you can't face the cute - there's a plain tee as well and for $60L, how can you possible go wrong?
Multiple layers (Jacket, Shirt, underwear, pant) let you add your fun tee to any other set you have, prim sleeves provided in large and small (And modifiable -- thank you, A&M).
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Rolled sleeves, upright collor, jacket layer for the open shirt, underwear layer for the tank.
Come on. You know you want to.
Putting your best face forward
Faces Studio has been making all kinds of impressions lately and the new release of their skin, Justin, should only increase the interest and the discussion.
Overall I really like this skin; the detail is pretty amazing, both in musculature and body hair. The skin tone is amazingly detailed, with all the faint freckles and little flaws that give a skin character and add to the impression of Justin as being a man capable of handling just about anything he needs to. I'm especially happy about the eyes, and the faint folds beneath them that manages to pull Justin out of the too young and pretty into the just old enough and bold enough.
Justin is an elegantly muscled skin, with a face that is neither too handsome or too easily dismissed. There's curve to his lips that speaks of humor (or the sudden urge to flirt), eye spacing that allows the kind of straight forward gaze some skins lack and he looks good in jeans or in something a little more upscale.
There's some highly realistic skin folds at elbows and knees which get overlooked at times because let's face it they aren't the most interesting part of a body.
The skin I tried of the four samples I received was Justin Clean hair HairBody. And I really was impressed by the application of the body hair, not only to the chest but a light dust across the back as well as along the tops of thighs and the backs of the calves. It's a skin I could comfortably wear either every day or for those "oh my god, I have to look good!" moments that include first dates and time on the side of the pool.
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These really are quibbles though -- and it's easy for me to stand over here and critique someone else's hard work. I am not the artist the designer at Faces Studio is, and skin making is an art and Justin is really an excellent example of that skill and well worth the asking price.
If you want a skin with some character, personality, and some amazing detail, you should check out Faces Studio's full line and spend some time with their demos. Faces Studio also offers some innovative add-ons for skins that allow a variety of changes to a skin without having to buy a new one which is a huge bonus for anyone that roleplays or who just likes to change up their look now and then. Want to enhance the skin tone? You can do it. Need a few bruises? You can get them. Add a little aging? you can do that too. Faces Studio has a lot of ways to make that face you are wearing, really yours.
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A note from Aizen Arentire over at [Let's Get Dirty] had me popping over to check out his shop in the Gayborhood and I liked what I saw mostly because I do love me some tank tops and Aizen has a bunch from the funny to the ironic to the hot to the just plain comfortable. The fit and detail is really nice, no blurred shoulders, nice folds and a slightly lower underarm cut which I like given that my av runs to the larger size. I'm pretty sure they are unisex, although there's none of the heavier shading under the breast area you see in women's tanks. I went with the flowered tank, just because the colors caught my idea but for only $75L, I'm going back for more.
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You get a well done patriotic t-shirt and matching jeans -- the perfect thing for that family picnic -- just for clicking. Now that's a reason to celebrate!
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Other Notes:
Hair - Lelutka Seth - Coal Mine
How I spent my weekend - La Venta Eventa
La Venta Eventa is a new(-ish) weekend shopping event making the rounds, where some of my favorite designers are participating as well as a few I didn't mind being introduced to. Eleven categories of offerings from Houses to Poses, all items for $100L or less, but only from Friday Midnight to Sunday Midnight.
Weekends have become the target for a lot of specialized sales, almost too many of them to keep track of, but this one has a limited number of designers, isn't as intensive as a hunt, and by and large I found the offerings for men to be interesting and fun.22769 never stops impressing me and the Sportsjacket outfit they offer is no exception: Cool blue tones, lightweight jacket, well detailed jeans and a playful t-shirt. Paco Pooley has a flair for style and a touch of humor in almost everything he and his partner put out for their customers. And for the price, you can't beat the look.
Twisting a bit to the side [Virtual/Insanity] offers the guys a set of black nails for La Venta Eventa, suitably goth and oh so fun. Tintable base gloves let you match to your skin tone, and really, why should the gals have all the glam of decorated nails? The pose letting you see my manicure is from Luba, also for La Venta. This is actually a face set meant for jewelry or glasses or good face shots for the ladies. There is a pose pack for men as well, equally as appealing. (Note for the Luba poses - the shop is in The Euphoria shopping district, which houses some amazing designers for men and women. The district gives points you can redeem, so join the Subscriber (no group slot) before you buy. The tier limits seem high but you might be surprised how quickly they can add up for you. )
.:*December*:. is also in La Venta, and while the necklace on offer wasn't quite my style, they are also participating in the Black Butler hunt. I'm pretty sure the glasses with their catcher are meant for the ladies but they are way fun and funky set with my goth look for the day. Topping it off is Yellow Jester's Rosary, a piece I already had in my inventory but being offered up at a deal of a price for 60L Weekends. (Edit: Designer MandyMandy MacMillan of .:*December*:. offered up that the glasses I'm wearing are modeled after those worn by a character in the Black Butler manga & anime series and are entirely meant for the guys. I completely missed the connection, so my apologies to MandyMandy.)Not to be last nor forgotten is Entropy's very appealing Skybox called The Recluse. Designed by La Venta organizer Nae, this is an amazingly detailed hideaway for the bookish among us, but not cramped with its high ceiling and factory style widows open to let the light in. There's also a chair pack, at the regular price, but altogether, still less than $400L for both for a seriously unique skybox. The pose here is from Luba's male pack for La Venta.
When not free is worth it.
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Hair: Emo-tions / AMELIE /black
Necklace: Pacific Coast Fundraiser Mia's Gems
Shirt: Rudy Fehr Hemp Shirt Mocha
Pants: Rudy Fehr Cargo Pants - Black
Middle
Shirt: Rudy Fehr Racerback Tank Aqua
Pants: Rudy Fehr Rudy Fehr Jeans- holy
Boots: Hoorenbeek Hustin boots Used Black
Bottom
Hat: Rudy Fehr Bogey
Scarf: Rudy Fehr black &white bandana
Coat: Rudy Fehr Tweed with suede elbow patches
Shirt: Rudy Fehr Hemp Shirt Mocha
Pants: Rudy Fehr Cargo Pants - Olive
Sim: Roche
All proceeds go to the Central Asia Institute.
For the ladies, try Boho Hobo next door, where 100% of all proceeds go to RAWA supporting Women in Afghanistan.