Category: Second Life Fashion Editorial

Gasp shock horror..SL 2.0 is here!!!

Gasp shock horror..SL 2.0 is here!!!

by Lisa Millar ♥ 1 Comment

It’s been a funny old day.

Everything was plodding along in its usual way. I was in-world for a bit earlier, then left for a hospital rendezvous. Upon my return the bombshell was dropped:

SECOND LIFE 2.0 is finally here!!

I literally creamed my knickers. The odd thing is I was only thinking about it earlier in the day, and wondering how much longer we’d have to wait.  I have a dreadful memory at the best of times, but I seemed to recall that February had been mentioned as the month for release., and seeing as February is almost at an end I was starting to think the labs had forgotten, but not so; ‘M & Co’ had finally unleashed the beta and it was all systems go.

It must say a lot about me that I actually felt sick as I was downloading the new viewer, the kind of sick that you experience as a kid on Christmas Eve.  The sensation of pure excitement, tempered with a million “What if?” scenarios coursed through my veins..What if I didn’t like it? What if I couldn’t use it? What the hell will I do with my REAL life if it sucks?

Well dear reader I can say with all honesty it’s not nearly as bad as some of my Plurk pals would have me believe, in fact, I actually *really* like it. You see, here’s the thing: I am NOT a very technical person at all. For some reason people seem to think, in real life at least, that I am, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I manage with computers but I don’t know squat by comparison to some, and the same has always applied to my Second Life experience. I perform exactly to the standard that I set myself in Second Life…nothing more, nothing less, and that makes me happy. I’m not a Second Life overachiever. Sure, I make shapes and take photographs, but that is a million miles away from building virtual palaces, being a top DJ or clothing designer or achieving any of the other amazing technical achievements that have been made by individuals in-world.  The only thing I have in common with Codie is a voluptuous figure; I don’t have her brains for coding and scripting and all the alchemy that goes on behind the scenes. But that’s OK, because that’s not what I want to use Second Life for.

And there is your problem, because the new viewer is created with the new user in mind, and it really shows. With a few exceptions I think the uber-creators are going to despise it, and I’ve certainly seen evidence of that tonight on the forums and feeds. Gone are the pie-charts and the myriads of options that some, like myself found so confusing, but builders found essential.  They’re still there of course, but this new viewer, so far as I can tell, is all about immediate functionality and ease of use all the way.  I really rate a lot of the options that the labs  have incorporated too.  For a start the interface is really neat and more visual than the previous viewer.  They’ve installed an easy to manage landmarks system, kerching! I LOVE that. They’ve integrated forward and back buttons which seem such a trivial thing but will make such an enormous difference to navigation.Beloved was peeping over my shoulder and said that the new interface reminded him of Firefox; I dunno about that, but I do know that I’m loving the new inventory options, such as ‘Outfit’ and ‘Wearing’…I could go on, but I haven’t got to grips with it all myself yet.  There is going to be a LOT to learn, but I have breathed a huge sigh of relief and I don’t feel as daunted as I did before. This new viewer appeals to me because it fits my learning curve and my abilities perfectly; even after three years, I don’t really find much fun in fannying around with prims and this new viewer doesn’t make me feel so intimidated and dunceworthy because of that. My own personal view is that there should be a choice of interfaces for users, say an interface like this one for casual users and those who spend their time shopping and socialising, with minimal time spent upon object creation ( sound like anyone you know?) As a complete contrast there should be a GUI for those who do want to create, with easy access to all the tools and tackle that they need to perform their in-world tasks with no hassle.  Of course, this is only a Beta, so perhaps the Labs will allow for an element of personalisation and allow for this kind of interface in future releases?

Incidentally, the new Snowglobe 2.0 viewer is out too, so of course I’ve downloaded that and I can  say, hand on heart, I’ve had the BEST Second Life experience that I have had for WEEKS by making the transition. Minimal lag, no crashing..it really has been a complete breath of fresh air for me and has revitalised my Second Life experience.

Will I miss the old viewer? I guess so.  It’s hard-coded into my brain, because I keep reaching for the bottom right of the screen to bring up my inventory. But I’m swept away by the frenzy and the hype and I have a very good feeling about all this, in the sense that like Linden Homes a week ago, these new changes will bring new avatars to our wonderful virtual world, and new avatars mean new talent, new ideas and will hopefully sustain Second Life for many years to come.

Anyway, here are a few links to wet your appetite for the new viewer: ArminasX Saiman has a great piece about the new viewer over at Second Effects.  Sasy Scarborough has written all about inventory mangement and learning about the new sidebar on her blog too, it’s a really helpful article, thanks Sasy! Finally Torley Linden and the gang have a host of fabulous tutorials for you to watch, learn and be entertained by, all available by following this link.

Sora Tatham, Miss Virtual World starlet at W&Y show

Sora Tatham, Miss Virtual World starlet at W&Y show

by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


You can see why can’t you? Beautiful…

 I am so impressed by the models here, their timing has been spot on and the choice of poses that they have used has been spot on.  As a shape creator it’s been interesting to see the shapes that each model has used, alas just like the catwalks in real life each model is very slender with elongated legs, but there is a touch of curve to some of them.  I’ve been truly impressed by the male models too, each one has been utterly gorgeous.  It’s interesting to note that I’m more impressed by seeing slender male models than I am by the female ones: I think that’s because each male shape looks more realistic when the muscles aren’t as in your face..no muscled marys on display here.  I would have loved to have been able to take a few pictures of teh boys to share with you , but it was very difficult to achieve a shot that wasn’t partially greyed out:( The lag was pretty dreadful.

Kitty’s liking the Moonshine..nom nom NOM!

Kitty’s liking the Moonshine..nom nom NOM!

by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


BELCH!
*Such* a classy bird, me…
So I logged in-world this morning to find a DSN dropbox from a brand I wasn’t amazingly familiar with, called ‘Moonshine’. I find DSN ( Designers Showcase Network) to be a very useful, guilt-free way of introducing me to new creators. This morning was a treat from a brand called ’Moonshine’..hence my bad manners. The box featured a top called ‘Sheer’ in Treacle, and it is simply divine, don’t you think? It is, as the name suggests, see-through and features a delicate design over the fabric and a belted ruffle around the base. It’s very well detailed, extremely pretty and I love it, so I decided to go and check out the store. ( See? DSN works!)
I’m sure glad that I did too, it’s a real hotch-potch of styles and items at shockingly good prices. You’ll find casual wear, dresses, skirts, jeans and undies, as well as more eclectic items such as knife belts(?) dotted around the store. The designer, Shelley Toonie, states in her notecard that you won’t find specific styles here because basically she just creates what she feels like, and I have to say that in this case that formula works exceedingly well. In fact ‘Moonshine’ is the kind of store that you should visit with a friend because you’re sure to find things that appeal to both of you. It has a high “Ooh, come and look at this!” factor.
So what did I find? Well, I hunted down the ‘Sheer’ top that I’m wearing and was pleased to find that it comes in 5 additional colours and costs a mere L$150. Well worth a punt. I also really like the pirate dress,’Brandy’, I usually don’t like ‘froo-froo’ but this works extremely well( In fact, match up with the knife belt and you’re on to a winner) The ‘Fracture’ top is a one strap affair with armlets and would look great worn with baggies. Contrast that with ‘Flutterby’, a blouse under a jumper sporting a butterfly motif which is ideal for the more reserved casual dresser: it would look really good with short denim trousers and chunky wedges. An absolute must-see are the ‘Spoiled’ jeans, because they’re anything but. Featuring multiple layers and prim cuffs they’re a steal at L$75, especially when you see the fabulous jewel-like colourways that you can buy them in. Perfect with chunky boots and a vest top, I especially like the ‘Corroded’ and ‘Algae’ choices.
Moving on from the jeans I found some rather snazzy hud colourable sash designs. These are rather pricey at L$249, but could be the perfect finishing touch to a myriad of outfits, so well worth a peek. If you like retro and rockabilly wear then you will really love ‘Hope’, a smashing two-piece dotty tied-top and skirt outfit, whereas the gown-loving brigade are sure to rate ‘Vixen’. ‘Placid’ is a good choice if you’re planning on tying the knot this spring,. It’s a tiered dress featuring a sculpted bow and is reminiscent of the cut-away dress worn in the ‘Beautiful’ perfume ads all those years ago..remember it? In other words you need great legs..not really an issue in SL though!
‘Moonshine’ is a large store and is laid out really well so it does lend itself to leisurely exploration and I had a great time just wandering around…I headed upstairs ( yes, there is an upstairs section, it’s a very large store!) where I found some more casual tops and cardigans. I really like the ‘Crush’ tops. Shelley seems to like single-strap attire and these feature 3 styles for prim attachment so would look great worn with jeans and boots. The ‘ Basic Vest’ is anything but, featuring a collar and bow attachment and a long sleeved black tee to wear beneath, should you wish.
Finally there is even a section for the chaps here too! Great menswear on display here; from chunky knit hoodies and layered tees to rib tanks. Nothing amazingly different to what you’ll find on offer at other stores, but all well made and featuring lovely colours and textures. An item to note for the more romantic fellas amongst you is ‘Poet’, a jumper with sculpted cuffs and lacing detail at the throat..very nice indeed. I especially liked the ‘Earth’ and ‘Coal’ colorways. ( Not too sure about Chilli though..I couldn’t see Jez in that in a million years!) Overall verdict? A very satisfying store to nose around, with items to appeal to all budgets and all tastes and definitely one to watch. In fact, I suggest that you take a trip to ‘Moonshine’ and drink deeply…you may find yourself a wee bit intoxicated but I promise you that it’s a very pleasant trip and may inspire frequent return journeys! (Hic!) Click HERE to go see

Pic features me in the ‘Sheer’ top in Treacle worn with LeLutka ‘Stacy’s Night Out’ leggings in oil.

OMFG!

OMFG!

by Lisa Millar ♥ 1 Comment


I haven’t done a skin review in an age, so was delighted when Redsoledrea Gossipgirl (try saying that with a gobful of chips) dropped a box of skins on me. Having not a clue about the brand I had no expectations so I’m delighted to say I was, well, delighted when I popped on one of the skins. Redsoledrea has remade the Elle skins in a darker skintone, and isn’t it yummy?
It’s available in one pack called ‘Glam-R-Us’, in which you’ll find 2 brow options and 4 makeup choices. She’s keen to stress in the blurb that ‘…each skintone has its own special makeup because not all skins are created equal…’ I don’t quite get that, but what I do get is that these skins are incredibly good and excellent value for money. The skinpacks sell for a mere L$800 and you get 8 skins total…that’s L$100 a skin, which is bloody good value if you ask me. I’m expecially impressed with the make-up options for this skin, and the shading upon the face.The colour work is spot on, the shading on all areas of the body is accurate and gives the skin a very realistic feel. Areas such as nostrils, shoulder blades, collar bone and belly button all look the part and fit really well. The skin tone itself doesn’t feature the subtle nuances that you’d get on say a Curio or Belleza skin, but you know what, it doesn’t matter a bit…because in my opinion this skin is a real find. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that the colour options do lend it towards the fashionista crowd, and I can imagine seeing a models wearing this one in-world…it has that ‘feel’ about it, if you know what I mean?
In this photo I’m wearing the skin with my Kittylicious! Selina shape, and you can safely say that they are a winning combination aren’t they? I love it. I think you will too, so why not go and check OMFG out for yourself by clicking here….and tell ’em that Kitty sent ya:)