Taking time out to revisit some favorite designers and get acquainted with some new:
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.
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.)
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.
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.
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.
Worn with this is #58 CPD (Chaos, Panic & Disorder) really nicely
simple Celtic Cross. This piece of jewelry (unisex) hits that sweet spot
between being simple enough to wear casually as with jeans, and sleek
enough to merit serious consideration as an accessory to something more
formal. 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.
22769 Brings it on with this dark brown double jumper. The hint of an undershirt is a golden tan and the silk scarf brings elements of both, and has a double leather buckle catch on the left folds of the scarf. It's a pretty classy look for something so obviously casual, but those guys at 22769 are really aces at making it all fun. 
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.
Stop #73 on FWH brings you to FA Creations which tucks this full outfit into the hunt prize. Components are the stripped knitted sweater with loose sleeves. The undershirt is a button down black shirt, which unfortunately only came as a shirt layerand no underwear layer extender which limits the ability to wear the shirt with anything else. It is a pretty basic black shirt, so you may be able to find some other black extender you can wear with it. (The best match I found was Indi Designs Harper, which is an older set.) The over sweater is really nicely done in terms of the fit and the sculpt bottom of it. It comes with an accented collar and loose tie, that overall makes it a nice piece to wear with pretty any pants you have. But, if you don't like to Mix and match, FAC has you covered because they also provide you with a pair of dress slacks, and just to make sure you are all put together you get a pair of black casual shoes and socks -- although given the nice look of the sweater and collar, if people are looking at your shoes, you're wearing it wrong.
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.
Orchid Lotus & Moondance (#74) gives you something a bit more formal with Ethan, a full set of beige button down with accented collar and darker grey dress slacks. Another shirt that I like but which has limited use outside the set itself. without the shirt extender and the color is just unique enough to make a match nearly impossible although you could certainly extend its wear by adding a scarf, vest or jacket.(the slacks, though, went pretty well with the 22769 offering, so that was all to the good in my mind.)
Last is a Black turtleneck from SE*Designz (#17). I'm not entirely sure it was meant for males or if the turtleneck was meant to be unisex. There's a vest with the outfit that seems not to be for guys but the turtleneck worked out fine (did have to resize the turtleneck itself) and is a nice solid black wear-with-anything kind of sweater that I love.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
 |
| 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
Getting It On For Fall - The weather is getting chillier where I am, bringing back memories of of other autumns, halloween parties and fall festivals. Luckily Paco over at 22769 has me covered, and he does it so very well. First up is a gift for the Boo for 2 hunt. He's mixing it up a bit with these cords and a deep green silk shirt. The cords are relaxed and timeless, 50's style cuffs that go really well with my favorite Boots from Gabriel. Open collar shirt and a classic look all around. Free is good, but when 22769 gives you a gift, you know it's going to be something you want to wear, not just something you want to find so you can get to the next stop on the hunt.
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.
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.
Twisted Unseelie Courts versus the Steampunk Hunters
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 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.
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.
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
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 after a day in the sun, probably time to check out the night life. Urban Republic's gradient shirts fit any night scene.
Real Men Do Not Fear the Cute
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).
And if A&M's bi-colors aren't your thing, then you should duck over to Urban Republic Co., and grab their open shirt set in multiple colors.
Or you can grab the Urban Republic Co. MHOII-6 hunt gift and get the shirt and jeans, with the underlayer t-shirt in black or white.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
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.
The other areas are on the hands and forearms, and nape of the neck. On the arms and hands, the shading provides a musculature in keeping with the rest of the body, but it doesn't seem as finely layered as what you see elsewhere on the chest, shoulders, back and legs, kind of a shadowing that looks fine in lower light, but seems too heavy in situations with more light. The arms are also slightly paler in comparison, making the artistry (and it is artistry, no matter my quibbles) stand out rather than blend into a seamless shift of skin tone. Having talked to skin designers before, many agree that getting the hands right is difficult; hands don't have the deep valleys and rise that larger muscle groups, have so trying to define that takes time and patience.
Some of the skins have a hair base, which I am a huge advocate for. The front hairline is realistically curved to frame the forehead, a hint of whispy hairs at the peak of the line. The back however seems to dip a bit low on the sides. Not really an issue if you are going to be wearing hair over the base, but if you like the shorn look, it does draw the eye to the back of the neck. (Obviously, if you don't use the hair base, this is a non-issue.)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.
While doing some hunts with a friend, we fell into Urban Republic Co. There was actually quite a lot we liked, but you know, hunt, gotta get to the next one, move along...and while I intended to go back, I got a reminder in the delivery of their latest release in a line of themed full outfits. Jeans, t-shirt and an open plaid shirt, back carrying a subtle graphic -- in this case the outfit is called Black Guns, staking that Urban territory with disarming country boy style.
Keep in mind that I love plaid and I love open shirts and so slipping this on really was the easiest thing in the world. Collar and cuff details on the plaid are nice, not clunky and settled in to fit on the first try. T-shirt has some nice stretch and shadow folds, making it look as a well worn t-shirt should. Jeans have a nice fabric grain and the side seams, pockets, and placard details are clean and sharp, not blurred or stretched.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.
While checking out [Let's Get Dirty], I caught sight of Energy Menswear in the same shopping district. Energy has long been a favorite of mine, although they keep moving so I keep losing them but I've always enjoyed the designs and the kind of in your face style. But it was entirely by accident that I tripped over the freebie in the shop. Just in time for the 4th of July, a date of some significance (not to mention time off and an excellent time to catch up with friends and family and eat more food than is good for you) to those of us in the USA,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!
Another freebie I'm glad I didn't miss is the release of a pair of Vision eyes from Photos Nikolaidis at A:S:S. I don't change eyes often, I kind of like the ones I have, but I'm tempted here. The eyes are vibrant and slightly larger than usual without traipsing into anime territory. The set Photos is giving away is a blue to teal color, and there are both traditional eyes and prim lenses. The price for both individual sets of other colors or fat packs is also pretty reasonable -- which most stuff at A:S:S is. Even if you don't want to change eyes either, I encourage you to check out A:S:S if you haven't. There's a little something for everyone there.Other Notes:
Hair - Lelutka Seth - Coal Mine
How I spent my weekend - La Venta Eventa
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.
.:*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.)
When not free is worth it.
TopHair: 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.
Posts
