I bought a new tarot deck last month, and have been trying to learn to read the cards.  It’s been an interesting process, working to learn the symbology of the imagery and internalize the fundamental message of each card.

I’ve always been fascinated by the visual imagery of tarot, and as I study the cards and their meanings, I get drawn into the visual possibilities — I want to design my own deck, and create tarot-based paintings and SL tableaux.  I want to make the creative process part of the learning process.

I’ve read through a couple books at this point, and have begun re-reading them, doing the learning exercises suggested this time around.  Today is exercise 1.1: What do I believe about Tarot? Am I “totally skeptical about using the tarot for anything but fun”, or am I “absolutely convinced that the tarot can give me specific, personal guidance?”

I suppose (...)
Read the rest of Gypsy (220 words)

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Post tags: Fri.day, L.Fauna, Long Awkward Pose, Magic Nook, R.A.Crystal, SLink, The Loft, Tres Blah, Wishbox, Zaara

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I’m such a sucker for a monochromatic palette.  Perhaps it’s the influence of the color theory class I took back in the day, but I love value scales; here we transition from white to black as we work our way down the outfit.

I opted for gold-tone jewelry with silver and black accents here.  While silver-tone would have been truer to the gray challenge, I like the warmth that the gold brings to the look.

Credits:(...)
Read the rest of Gray (132 words)

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Post tags: Aglaia, AM Radio, Clawtooth, DeLa, Long Awkward Pose, Maitreya, Tres Blah, Vanitas Vesture, Zaara

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Credits:(...)
Read the rest of Goldenrod (122 words)

© SarahTheRed for Red and Re-read, 2010. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: +Plus, Duboo, Ingenue, Kalnins, Long Awkward Pose, Reel Expression, Steelhead Shanghai, Surf Couture, Tiny Bird, Tres Blah, YS&YS, Zaara

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(...)
Read the rest of Bloggers’ Challenge: Closet Clean-Out (92 words)

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Post tags: Chronokit, Izzie's, Kookie, League, Long Awkward Pose, Maitreya, Shine, Tres Blah, Zaara

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Adam n Eve’s Mei Li skin is available in (...)
Read the rest of Freckleface: Mei Li (114 words)

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Post tags: Adam n Eve, Junk, Kunstkammer, Tableau, Tiny Bird, Zaara

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Moving on to the poses themselves.  In this case, I’m considering the two Burlesque standing pose sets and one Burlesque sitting pose set from Reel Expressions.  So, how does one evaluate a set of poses?  For me, specific criteria: expression, naturalism, fit, mesh distortion, and value.

First, expression: does the pose express a certain mood?  Is it sultry, or emo, or standoffish?  I demand that my poses have expression.  I want them to tell a story.  You may have a perfect outfit and setting, but it’s really the pose that will tell the narrative — the narrative that helps to make a picture worth a thousand words.

Burlesque, in my mind, is about the contradiction between (...)
Read the rest of Review: Reel Expression Burlesque poses. (755 words)

© SarahTheRed for Red and Re-read, 2010. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 5th & Oxford, Aden & Anna's, Alirium Gardens, Beauty Avatar Couture, DeLa, J's, Reel Expression, Tres Blah, Vanitas Vesture, Zaara, [OH]

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What's going on here?

Total serendipity.  I happened to be wearing a purple shirt when the notice from Long Awkward Poses came through, announcing the release of a new set of poses — Jazzhands.  The notecard explains that this set is a bit of a tongue-in-cheek homage to all the early jazzhands freebie poses.  These new poses are fun and adorable, with modern posing sophistication instead of the bone-breaking awkwardness of early poses.  Anyway, the purple shirt reminded me of our painfully awkward outfit at rezzing, and I knew immediately that I wanted to give Ruth a modern makeover to show off the new posing fun.

No, it couldn't be!

If you were lucky or unlucky enough to be rezzed as Ruth, this look is immediately recognizable.  It may inspire a bit of terror or revulsion, but look again. Little Ruthie actually looks cute now, with (...)
Read the rest of Ruth Revisited. (315 words)

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Post tags: Adam n Eve, Bryce, Elliott, Fri.day, SLink, Zaara, [LAP]

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The process was oddly refeshing, allowing the look to develop organically and build upon itself.  I can get caught up in trying to achieve a specific look, looking only at items that meet my predetermined visual expectations.  Meanwhile, forgotten favorites moulder away in the inventory.  So, this was fun — no prior expectations, and using awesome items before they disappear into the dark abyss of sorted inventory.  Interestingly, the lovely Stacie Pryor of Sheek posted a similar concept just as I was editing my pics.

Now, while many of the items I’m wearing are previous group or hunt gifts, you may be able to find something similar in the creator’s store.  In addition, there are a few items in particular I’d like to draw your attention to. (...)
Read the rest of Odds and Ends (533 words)

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Post tags: 5th & Oxford, Dark Mouse, Ducknipple, Imagen, Mirone, Niniko, SLink, Surf Couture, Zaara, [LAP]

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Today, the United States of America celebrates its Independence Day.  While our customs and culture are not the only way, or the right way for everyone, they are mine.  And I’m proud today to exercise my freedom of speech to remind Americans of our separation of church and state.  Specifically regarding gay marriage.  At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what you believe to be right in God’s eyes — so long as marriage is a legal governmental institution, religious beliefs are irrelevant.  Separation of church and state.  The end.  (For more information about the NO H8 campaign, please visit their website.)

I also have a few notes about my fashion credits today.  Yes, I’m featuring an international group of designers, rather than an All-American lineup.  That was totally accidental — I simply chose the items in my inventory that I was in the mood to wear.  For a moment, I felt guilty.  Why not feature US designers?  There are certainly enough talented US designers to choose from.  But, after a moment of thought, it seemed appropriate.  Today I celebrate my country’s independence, but not to the point of excluding acknowledgement of the fact that we are a part of a larger global community, particularly within in Second Life — OUR global community. 

Credits:
Hair: Maitreya Aisha in Ginger
Skin: Adam n Eve Bliss skin, T1 tone, Freckly makeup
Eyes: Exodi Zbilja Eyes in Hazel
Lashes: LeLutka Seductress Volume Scripted Lashes
Shirt: Zaara Isis Shirt in White
Jeans: Zaara Classic Jeans in Indigo
Pose from Long Awkward Poses
NO H8 Face Paint and Duct Tape: Exodi

© SarahTheRed for Red and Re-read, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Adam n Eve, Exodi, LeLutka, Maitreya, Zaara

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I’ve finally hit upon my solution: Compare&Contrast posts.  (Yes, it’s a terrible name for the category.  Suggestions are welcome.)  One of my favorite posts was Freckleface.  It was fairly thorough, and I’m really interested in how similar products compare when placed next to one another.  I’ve been meaning to do a jeans comparison post for ages, and when I saw GoGo’s plurk linking to Fashionphiles’ Who Designed It Better blog post, I realized I’d been sitting on my answer.  (One thing this will NOT be: a who-ripped-who type of blog post.  I’ll focus on genres, like holey jeans, hair in curlers, littleblackdresses, and the like.)

Edit for clarity: The post linked above is not a who-ripped-who post, and I’m sorry if that caused any confusion.  I wanted to reference a blog that cemented my idea, and also to say that finger-pointing would not be part of what I do here.  The two ideas are completely separate.

I’ve also been wanting to do more in-depth features of specific products/designers, with more pics showing more angles of the product.  It means I won’t be able to turn out a blog quite as quickly, but I think I’ll be doing better work, and showing what I would want to see from a blog.  In feature posts, I may also be doing a bit more reviewing, sometimes pointing out flaws as well as features of a product.

So, from here on out, What? Another Fashion Blog?  posts will fall into three categories: Compare&Contrast, Feature, and LOTD.  I could probably drop the LOTDs, but, damnit, I like them.  After all, showing off cute outfits is why I got into this whole blogging thing.  I’ve got a big skin feature coming up next, and then it’s on like Donkey Kong with the Compare&Contrasts!

Credits:
Hair: Philotic Energy – Eira in Clinker
Skin: Blowpop N2 Elizabeth -tone C- 2.2 Cherry Blossom 2
Earrings: Dark Mouse Platinum Bling Earrings (previous group gift)
Necklace: Chuculet Ava – silver – necklace – pearly white
Blouse: Icing – Puma Jie in White
Dress: Vanitas Vesture – Flute Scribbly Dress – Red
Bracelet (R): Dark Mouse Silver Blue Bangles
Bracelet (L): Earthstones Bangle Set – Red/White/Blue (previous gift)
Jeans: Zaara Jeans – Classic – Indigo
Shoes: ETD Starley Pumps in Ostrich Pewter

© SarahTheRed for Red and Re-read, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Blowpop, Chuculet, Dark Mouse, Earthstones, ETD, Icing, Philotic Energy, Vanitas Vesture, Zaara

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