Red and Re-read

LOTD and Ch-ch-changes

I’ve been spending quite a bit of time lately contemplating the content of my blog.  What differentiates it from other fashion blogs?  What do I have to offer that’s special and unique, or at least not done better by others?  Sure, I enjoy my LOTDs and such, but others do them better.

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

TAGS: Blowpop, Chuculet, Dark Mouse, Earthstones, ETD, Icing, Philotic Energy, Vanitas Vesture, Zaara

Discord Designs at Hair Fair

Left: Discord Designs - Chad - Malice. Right: Discord Designs - Yolanda - Malice.

I tease Kallisti Burns of Discord Designs sometimes about not making “pretty girl” hair — you know, movie star and trendy and girl-next-door hairstyles that we self-styled fashionista bloggers love.  She’s best known for her awesome braids, moustaches, and dreads, with a few edgier semi-traditional styles thrown in.  The thing is, though, despite my teasing, I feel damn pretty when I wear Discord Designs hair.

Lazy Places at Hair Fair 2009

Okay, I have the flu, and feel like my mind is moving through mush, so apologies if I lack coherence.

SakuraDawn Lei has a shop full of adorable things: her famous hooved and pawed boots, playful poses, cute shoes, doll keys, and jewelry.  So, I was excited to see that she’s now making hair, and it’s just as adorable and quirky as the rest of her stuff.

From left to right, top to bottom: Arya, Dawn, Liir, and Deeba.

Arya is a choppy sexy style, with long straight hair stretching halfway down the back and piecey front layers.  Dawn is probably my favorite of the bunch, with Heidi-meets-Princess-Leia pinned-up coils.  Liir is a unisex, close-cropped style, and Deeba sports big wavy playful pigtails.

Oh!  and the hairs have color-change options!  The three girl styles have color-change bangs, and Liir has a streak that starts off-center in front, then runs down the middle of the hair all the way down the back.  There are a total of 33 color options, including solids and stripes.

TAGS: Lazy Places, YourSkin & YourShape

Bryce at Hair Fair 2009

Gentlemen, pay attention.  Many of you are oblivious to mens’ hairstyles in RL.  You think it doesn’t matter; you like the way your barber’s been cutting it the last decade; you don’t want to worry about upkeep.  (Ok, metrosexuals, perhaps this doesn’t apply to you.)  I ask you to scroll through the six hairstyles below.

Bryce Designs Wonder in Sienna and Tuxedo (proceeds benefit Locks of Love)

Hairstyles are important.  Hairstyles help to tell the world you are; they express a certain personality.  Bryce Tully, the talented creator behind Bryce Designs, has six offerings at hair fair, and each has its own flavor.  Bryce is one of the leading mens’ hair creators, which means one of the leading creators of ladies’ short styles.  Sorry boys; we’re stealin’ your stuff again.

Bryce Designs Holmes in Sienna and Tuxedo

Look at those › Continue reading

TAGS: Belleza, Bryce Designs, Imagen

Audacity at Hair Fair 2009

Catty Loon of Audacity has released new styles for Hair Fair, of course!

First, the girls’ styles.  On the left is Tara in Chestnut.  It’s a big, curly ponytail, with wispy strands framing the face and a color-change hairband.  On the right is Ethel, also in Chestnut.  Remember the old cartoon The Flintstones?  This style reminds me of Pebbles — perhaps this is how she’d get ready for a date when she’s older.  Like Tara’s hairband, the rollers are color-change.

Next, the men’s styles, which of course I had to try on my girly av.  In the top row is the Bill style, in Chestnut and Espresso.  It reminds me of that perfectly tousled look guys have when they’re growing out their hair.  On the bottom, we have Rodik, which seems well-suited to RP and historical looks.

Finally, we have some of the generous gifts set out at Hair Fair!  From left to right: Carli in Ginger, a perky ponytail.  Nikki in Strawberry Blonde, a straight medium-length hair with lots of volume.  Chelsea in Chocolate, a pulled-back wavy style.  Moods – Despair in Vanilla Bean, a messy, curly short hair.  Hilary in Darkness, a half-pulled-back voluminous style.  Nan in Rust, a casual braid.

TAGS: Audacity, Tuli

Tiny Bird at Hair Fair 2009

Just how many favorites can one have?  When we were kids, we were only allowed one per category: one favorite color, one favorite ice cream flavor, one favorite movie.  Now, though, it feels we’re not so limited.  I can have lots of favorite hair designers across the grid.  Or, maybe, I should pull out that thesaurus and choose another word for favorite.

To the point, › Continue reading

TAGS: Adam n Eve, Tiny Bird

Rogan's Hammock

Preface: So, I live at the Stokame Artist Colony.  I love it there.  You get a beach shack, a skybox, and a store, all in one package.  And the community is awesome: experienced and new creators in one place, encouraging each other, supporting one another.  We’re a diverse bunch: furniture-makers, jewelers, shape-makers, clothing designers, curators, artists, and … pose-makers.

Rogan Diesel, creator of Diesel Works, is one of my amazing neighbors.  He’s been creating some really awesome fashion and couples poses, and just created this PG-but-sexy-as-hell couples hammock.  Couples hammock, you ask — why, there’s only one person in the hammock.  Yes, well, I spend most of the time on my beach by my lonesome (no that’s NOT an invitation; I’m happily partnered), and wanted to test out the poses and see how they worked solo.  I hit this smoulderingly hot picture, and knew my work was done.  If you like this, you should really take your someone special over to the store and test the hammock.  Rogan really keeps his poses emotionally intimate while still keeping it PG.

 A few technical notes: The hammock has touch-on/off swinging-in-the-breeze option.  The three pillows and the blanket are scripted color-change to suit your environment.  The hammock also includes posts and ties, and if you join the group, you can pick up a few trees to go with.  And, per the group notecard: “Free lifetime upgrades for this version (PG v1.0). More poses will be added, free upgrade with all new poses. But new purchases will be priced differently at that time.”

Hammock and Pose: Diesel Works Hammock
Skin and Bikini: Dutch Touch Star – Cream Bikini – Freckled Subscribe-o-matic gift (bikini is part of the skin)
Hair: Tiny Bird – Stein – Brownie

Big Bad Blogger Challenge: Entry #1

So, I’ve decided to take part in the Big Bad Blogger Challenge.  It will indeed be a challenge for me.  I usually take hours on a blog entry, from taking initial pictures in world, editing them, writing the blog, tracking down slurls, to finally making sure to promote it a bit.  So, to do an entry a day, I’ll have to really work on my speed.

Puppy keeps me company while I work

I missed the first day of the challenge, as I was out of town, but I’ll answer those questions now. 

How long have you been a blogger?
About six months?  I’ve been blogging at this site since early February, and I blogged a bit at another site for a while. 

How has it enriched your life?
That’s an interesting question.  Thanks to blogging, my SLife is definitely richer.  I’ve become a part of a community, and made wonderful friends, whom I may not have known otherwise.  I’ve improved my both my in-world pictures and my PhotoShop skills.  I think consistently writing and editing has been good; it keeps the mind active, and keeps those skills fresh.  I continue to be inspired by my fellow bloggers to do better . . . to be a better blogger, to be a better designer.  As a new designer, the blogging community, through Plurk and blog entries, has been amazingly supportive, which means the world to me.

On the other hand, the time I spend as an SL blogger takes away from RL time, which I have a hard time with.   Frankly, I’d rather spend the day working on a blog post than taking care of RL chores, and have been working to find a balance between the time I spend in each world.  I suppose, in that way, it presents an opportunity to improve my time management skills.

LOTD: Wearing Purple

Purple things at Vanitas Vesture on sale today.

Credits:
Hair: Truth Kensei in Lagoon (tinted)
Skin: lessthanthree Sugar skin, Light tone, Nerds F makeup
Eyes: Miriel Realistic Eyes in Watercolor
Lashes: LeLutka Seductress Volume Sculpted Lashes
Dress: Vanitas Vesture Belldandy Dress in Purple
Tights: Insolence Carmen Shiny Heavy Tan Pantyhose
Tattoos: Tramp Stamp Rowan Stars
Bracelet, left: +Plus Summer Essence Bangle in Gray
Bracelet, right: Pretties by JB Moxie – Hues of Purple Bangles
Shoes: Maitreya Group Gift Pumps in Violet-Blue
Poses: Reel Expressions

TAGS: +Plus, Insolence, LeLutka, lessthanthree, Maitreya, Miriel, Pretties by JB, Reel Expressions, Tramp Stamp, Truth, Vanitas Vesture

Second Date

Fleur recently released the Second Date dress.  I love this dress — it’s very much like something I’d wear in RL.  The above-the-knee hemline is playful and fresh for summer, and balances out the plunging neckline quite nicely.  A wide black sash accentuates the waist, complimenting the hourglass female figure.  It’s Roslin Petion’s first solo endeavor as a clothing designer, and wow!  it’s very skillfully done; I never would have guessed.  The shading is delicate and subtle, with no visible seams. 

I’m also wearing a Fleur skin, the Strawberry Parfait 2.  It has a distinctly hand-drawn feel, with a youthful, fresh innocent face.  The lips are full and pouty, and the hand-drawn freckles are playful.  Fleur skins are currently 50% off, but I don’t know how long the sale will last, so hurry, hurry, hurry!

Credits:
Hair: Tiny Bird WillowC in Ginger
Skin: Fleur Boutique Strawberry Parfait 2
Eyes: Miriel Realistic Eyes – Aquamarine
Lashes: LeLutka Seductress volume sculpted lashes
Top Tattoo: Artilleri Spotty Mix Tattoo
Bottom Tattoo: Tramp Stamp Rowan
Dress: Fleur Second Date in Teal
Bracelets: Yak & Yeti Devdas Indian Glass Bangle Set
Earrings: Yak & Yeti Bollywood Jewelry – silver/topaz
Shoes: 1-800 Bettie’s Black Sandal Pumps
Poses: TorridWear
Photo layouts inspired by Stacie Pryor

TAGS: 1-800 Bettie's, Artilleri, Fleur, LeLutka, Miriel, Tiny Bird, Torridwear, Tramp Stamp, Yak & Yeti