Berry’s meme this week is all about avatar sizing. At the end of it she asks us to disclose our digits; I haven’t had time to do that yet but I will do that tomorrow. While I was researching this issue I found an old (2008!) interesting conversation on SLU regarding avatar bodyshapes.  Although time has passed, some of the arguments are still relevant today. You can read it HERE.

Like all of Berry’s previous Monday challenges and memes this really got me thinking, especially about the way I represent myself in world. I love Kitty’s shape, but I have no issue in adding a few pounds here and there when I feel like it. (Note I say add rather than take away, I think she’s darn near perfect size-wise and I simply cannot bear avatars that are too thin!) Upon reflection I feel a bit guilty sometimes that she’s not bigger!

Anyway, here are my answers and I’ll update the rest tomorrow.

Thanks again for the challenge Berrycakes!

1. Do you try and keep your avatar’s body proportionate and similar to the “average” proportions (pictured here)? I do try and retain some sense of proportion on my avatar’s body-shape. I often tinker about though, I like Kitty to have a belly and hips and boobs and carry a bit of weight on her.  I admit that I will tweak her shape to fit clothing better but I don’t see anything wrong in that.  She tends towards a M or L in standard sizing, much like me in real life! (Well, large actually. I like cake.)
2.  What do you dislike the most about the SL avatar mesh? Hands and feet are the main problems, but they can be easily remedied now thanks to the wonders of Slink hands and feet. I wouldn’t be without mine now! My biggest bug-bear HAS to be wrists. They’re so ruddy ungainly on avatars, so I always hide them with bangles or bracelets and watches. Mesh hands again help with that issue, although there’s a slight gap that can be easily rectified  by wearing loads of nice jewellery. At the moment I’m loading up my virtual wrists with the Boom Friendship bracelets from the arcade because I love them to death!
3.  Does it bother you when you see other avatars that are not proportionate at all? Well, we live in a virtual world so the idea is that you can look however you want to look, so with that in mind I try not to judge. Having said that, of course I do, even if I don’t realise it. I confess that I inwardly draw breath sometimes when I see how skinny some avatars are. What is it with the super long-legged, skinny crowd? And whilst I love my bum, hips and tum, when I see some avatars walking around with their inflated Kenny Everett arses I have to try really hard not to laugh. But that’s when it’s taken to extremes, obviously. I do like it when I see plus-sized avatars in-world actually. It’s quite brave to be a plus-sized avatar in a world where in a few clicks you can be ‘perfect’ (whatever THAT means) so I’m impressed when I see them. It’s sad that it impresses me actually, because it’s merely a reflection of real life being brought into the virtual world. I always loved seeing Rosie Barthelmess in-world, a gorgeous plus-sized avatar and a lovely person too.
4. Even though this is a virtual world and people can be anything they want to be, do you feel when they are in human form, they should try to keep their proportions close to average? No, they can do what the hell they want, that’s the whole point! I may not like the look they’ve created, but that’s my own personal opinion and it doesn’t matter. They design their avatar to express themselves how they see fit, it has bugger all to do with me and nor should it!