LOTD: Marsala Mondays

Sometimes Fifty Linden Friday throws up an absolute blinder of an item. Over the years I’ve seen all kinds of absolutely brilliant bargains featured every week, and this Friday past was no exception when I TP’d into GLAM AFFAIR and purchased their latest offering at the bargain fifty linden price. ‘Katra’, as she is called, is an absolutely cracking skin, but not because of any particular make-up style or enhancements. She’s actually pretty plain and almost boring really, but POW! does she make a cracking canvas to add colour to, as I hope the photographs featured with this post prove; ‘Katra’ is an absolutely beautiful skin. There’s a reason AIDA EWING is one of the most popular skin designers in-world, and this skin serves as a firm reminder of that fact. ‘Katra’ was available in the ‘Polar’ tone (which is about as pale as I’ll go when it comes to skins) and it doesn’t feature much facially other than a hint of blush swept across the cheekbones and some very simple shading to the eye. However, once I threw my PXL Sweet Lips into the mix in a gorgeous shade of Crimson, and added some eye-liner then ‘Katra’ really seemed to come alive. The base tone (when viewed in CalWL) has an almost translucent quality to it, and it looks beautiful across the entire body, not just the face. This is a skin that wears very well indeed. I decided to adorn myself in the No Brow version of the skin which meant I could add my NAR MATTARU ‘Nova’ brows into the mix. I’m really into changing the way my skins look by way of eyebrows and hairbases at the moment, and these ‘Nova’ brows are an excellent addition to any inventory, offering a lovely sculpted shape that I would absolutely kill for in real life. Thank goodness for Second Life, eh?

I’m still wearing my absolutely sensational ‘Emily’ hair from ACTION INKUBATOR at the moment too, and it will take nothing short of a miracle for me to wear a different style at the moment because I’m way too in love with this style. so instead of new hair, I added some new ears, (Only in Second Life can you write a sentence like that!) with my chosen tabs being the latest version of the popular STEKING ears from MANDALA.

Mandala’s original STEKING ears were my very first mesh-ear purchase in-world and I recall at the time wondering if they would be worth it. Many blog posts later I can confirm that yes, they were indeed worth every single linden because they were, and still remain, absolutely brilliant ears to sport in-world and just add that extra element of authenticity into the mix. I have a number of pairs of mesh ears in my virtual box of delights nowadays and I really don’t feel virtually dressed without them.

What’s different about this latest STEKING release are the options that are included; you have the choice of human, pixie or full blown elf-ears along with piercings and best-of-all, tattoos. Not just your common or garden tattoos either; these are full-colour and are either positioned along the main part of the ear, along the cartilage or at the very tip. It’s the tattoos at the tip that are particularly attractive and make these ears so striking however you choose to wear them. In fact, if you’re a regular FLICKR viewer here’s a challenge for you – count how many store ads and modelling shots you see these featured in. That’s how I discovered them myself. (They are pretty ubiquitous at the moment BUT please don’t let that put you off purchasing them. There’s often a reason something becomes so popular in Second Life that everyone you see seems to own it and that’s because said item is so well-made that you’d be foolish not to indulge!)

So onto my actual outfit which this rather adorable dress from MUKA. It’s incredibly simple but well-shaped and *just* qualifies as a dress (although you can add a denim skirt/shorts underneath with ease). You know, I’m turning into my mother, I really am, because when I first saw this I was convinced it was a top, rather than a dress. (Another example? OK well there’s a cracking denim skirt at this round of KUSTOM 9 but my first instinct when I saw it was to scoff “Skirt? SKIRT? Bloody belt more like!” I’m blaming such a reaction on age…) Anyway, top or dress it doesn’t really matter because it fits well (I used the bespoke Maitreya fit included in the pack) and looks very pretty too.

I raided my inventory jewellery box for something that would work with my look in a relaxed manner, and found the ‘Savannah’ bracelets from the ever-amazing MAXI GOSSAMER were just the ticket. Around my neck I’ve added this absolutely outstanding ‘Spirit Animal’ necklace from ATOMIC at COLLABOR88. I’m wearing the owl design because cats for some mad reason aren’t included but fortunately for me owls are my other favourite animals (Great Greys in particular, I love their massive moon-like faces) after my feline obsessions.

To finish I elected to add some body art and to that end I’m sporting an astonishingly awesome leg tattoo that would surely make even Cheryl Cole wince. This absolute beauty of a body art piece is from RECKLESS and is actually an old group member gift. I love it when brands offer their group members treats such as this one; it really makes joining a group worthwhile and definitely makes you feel that as a customer you’re held in high regard…

..which is evidently what Gospel Voom must think judging by the absolute stormer of a group gift he’s bestowed upon us this month. His ‘Skull Chain Sandals’ have proved to be a real hit in-world and it’s not hard to see why; they’re beautifully crafted and absolutely worth your time zooming in and out in a shoe-loving frenzy. They’re so bloody pretty! Like all of Gos’s footwear releases these shoes look so real that it feels like you could reach into your monitor and pick them up. They’re beautifully styled and the small skull is incredibly well detailed for its size. And just when you think it couldn’t be any better these shoes are gifted to us in the sensational ‘Marsala’ shade, which is the Pantone colour of 2015, don’tcha know. (If you follow that link it will take you to a page that displays colour pairings for the Marsala shade-handy when you’re looking to match something fantastic with these shoes, and trust me they deserve nothing less!)