Category: second life resident blogs

Gothmas By Gaslight: Jalwa, M.V, Sakide and W&W

Gothmas By Gaslight: Jalwa, M.V, Sakide and W&W

by Lisa Millar ♥ 1 Comment

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More glorious Gothmas By Gaslight nicies to share with you today.

First up is this absolutely outstanding skin from Jalwa. It’s called ‘Coven’ (I’m bound to like it with a name like that aren’t I?) and it is absolutely divine. In fact, it is absolutely everything I need in a skin; gorgeous base tone, attentive detailing and scrummy, yummy make-up.  What I really love about this skin are the details: the eyeliner and brow-shape are striking and the lips are just astonishing; very moist, with a beautiful shape and detail. In fact this skin has made me hungry for more from Jalwa; I’ve visited the store and picked up a few demos to try. Oh, I must just point out something else I spotted on this skin that I really like; there’s a mole on the right bewb and it just looks really quirky and pretty (and REALLY draws attention to your norks in a good way!) Trust me on this, it’s well worth investing in! I don’t know much about Chandra Masala as a designer, but I do know that I am now incredibly keen to know a LOT more!I’m also wearing a beautiful dress and necklace from M.V. You can *just* see some of the frills that adorn the ‘Translate’ dress in-shot. This is a fabulous number, with more than a hint of dandy about it, featuring full length, fluted sleeves, a stylish corset and a skirt with a high front, making it an incredibly effective and dramatic dress indeed. It’s an inspired creation from Lokii Violet.  I’ve teamed it with another M.V release, ‘Aggy’s Necklace’ in tarnished silver, which  is a Gacha prize and is nothing short of exquisite.  It’s so pretty and very Gothique!  The red jewel makes it very festive, but of course you can wear it all year around. It’s a great piece, and there are a number of colours available including a very lovely rare.

ImageIn my next shot I’m wearing one of SAKIDE’s contributions to the GXG extravaganza, the ‘Silent Dress’. Now, this is a VERY flouncy little number which would suit many different kinds of role-play needs. It’s going to work extremely well for Goth-Lolita styling, and features a gorgeous bow to the rear, with a pattern to the front on the chest area. You can’t really go wrong with SAKIDE, it’s a label that I’ve really come to admire in 2013  and I always really enjoy Kinu Mayako’s releases. She  always goes that extra mile; for example on this dress a real stroke of genius is having the underskirt and bow HUD-driven, so you can change their colour and your look depending upon your mood. It’s a fabulous item, and you can also purchase it in white too. Check out this entry on Elysium Hyne’s Pinterest board for more details.

Last, but not least at all are these fantastic, sparkly red heels. Aren’t they divine?! These are so Dorothy-esque as to be ridiculous, but they’re utterly perfect and teamed with these black socks are very Gothtastic indeed! These stunning red shoes, called ‘Stardust’, have been lovingly made by Taydra Zsun, of WHIMS & WISHES fame.  They’re also the perfect match for this dress, but I can see them looking excellent layered with tights, a short skirt and jazzy jumper.They have a classic shape but it’s the glittery accents  that make them extra special, and super-seasonal too in this scarlet shade. (There are some matching mens boots available as well so the guys aren’t left out!)  I intend to get me some serious wearing out of these!

Gothmas By Gaslight is turning into a bit of a corker, don’t you think?

If you haven’t visited yet then you must; don’t forget that it’s split over two sims but both of them are packed to the rafters with awesome treats. Click HERE to visit the official blog.  Elysium Hynes has comprehensively covered the event, as per usual, on her Pinterest Boards, which I strongly suggest you check out. And don’t blame me if you drool all over your keyboard! 

Roots and wings and ISD things at Gothmas By Gaslight

Roots and wings and ISD things at Gothmas By Gaslight

by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

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More goodies from Gothmas By Gaslight to share with you today;  a dress from   the ROOTS AND WINGS GALLERY and a delicate choker from ISD.  I’ve mixed these two together because they compliment each other so well;  with both featuring winter tress as their main motif. 

First up is the ‘Wintery Goth Dress’.  This mesh dress is quite a frilly little number; it feels Victorian and certainly suggests past times. It’s quite flouncy, in fact to my mind it’s the shape of a dress that perhaps a servant would wear in role-play adventures. There’s a hint of Cinderella pre-transformation to it, in my opinion at least.  What makes it stand out however is the texture that has been added by Eliza Cabassoun.

This imagery of stark winter trees is taken from a photograph that Eliza has taken herself in real life. I absolutely ruddy well love it when people bring elements of their real life artistry into Second Life, indeed it is Eliza’s mission to share her photography and poetry in-world, and that’s something that I really admire.  You can read more on Eliza’s blog here and you can see selected photographic works by clicking this link.

@-_~ISD Winter's Night Chokers

Stacy Farspire is the designer behind ISD, and I read upon her notecard that she hopes the wearer gets as much enjoyment from wearing her creations as she did making them. Well Stacy, I did! This choker is a lovely companion piece to Eliza’s dress, and like the dress it’s a mesh item. It’s also a Gacha prize; you can win one of a multitude of different coloured chokers with each one featuring a wintry tree design.  It really looks the part, and combined with the dress makes for a delicately Gothic outfit that perfectly reflects the season.

You can read the Gothmas By Gaslight blog here; do check it out!

 

Kitty’s Raves & Faves 2013- The Emery Denim Jacket

Kitty’s Raves & Faves 2013- The Emery Denim Jacket

by Lisa Millar ♥ 4 Comments

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I’m going to be writing about a few things that I’ve really loved this year, and share these articles with you as 2013 draws to a close. 

For me, 2013 has been about even better mesh creations and the wider uptake in general of mesh by designers for even the most relatively mundane items. It’s transformed so much around us in-world, not least of all the dreaded prim count. I constantly wear mesh items now. I can’t go back to sculpted items, I love mesh way too much. It may not be a perfect solution, but it’s as close as we have got, and I’m totally hooked on it. Our avatars have never looked better! (well, SOME of them perhaps…)

So here’s to my  first rave and fave which is this utterly wonderful denim jacket by EMERY. It’s called ‘Hollywood’ and I am totally star-struck by it. 

This jacket is my favourite one of 2013, and I’m sure you can immediately understand why.  I’ve been wearing it for months now, and consider it to be the ultimate denim jacket in Second Life. EVERYTHING about this is pure mesh perfection.  Why do I love it so much?Well, let me break it down for you; for starters the texture choice is spot on. Denim looks best when it’s worn, and this jacket suggests that it’s been loved and thrown about a bit. Crucial elements such as the collar and upturned cuffs are coloured perfectly and faded in all the right places;  just like they would be if the sleeves were turned inside out for example, and with just the right amount of creasing to the arm. Speaking of which, look at the sleeves; folds and creases and fabric lines are all perfectly placed.  This must have taken ages to make, and to me that speaks volumes about the creator, Sunami Beck.  It takes hours to work at something to make it look this good when worn, and as a virtual consumer I appreciate the work that has gone into this creation. Need further proof of how impeccable this is? Take a look at the stitching and look how the jacket has been highlighted in just the right areas to suggest wear and tear. Last but not least consider the buttons; they’re the right brassy colour and practically zing against the indigo blue.  Guys, this is top-tier Second Life clothing. It may be a relatively ordinary item, but by being crafted this beautifully it becomes something else entirely. This is denim perfection.Just like a well-loved jacket in real life this one can be worn in a myriad of ways. I prefer to add mine to dresses, tees and skirt combos worn with tights and slouchy socks for an urban, kitty-street style.This is, without a doubt, an essential addition to your virtual wardrobe, and it’s a mesh item that I am confident I will keep wearing for many years to come. I adore it.

You can get your own denim jacket for L$350 off the marketplace, or in-world, and trust me, you really need one of these in your Second Life!! 

It’s the most wonderful time of the month!

It’s the most wonderful time of the month!

by Lisa Millar ♥ 1 Comment

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No, not that! It’s time for another round of Collabor88 guys and gals, and of course, just like always, it’s a corker!

Each time Collabor88 comes around I think, “Nope, I ain’t gonna go mad at it this time. No, there won’t be anything I want, I’m sure of it..” I adopt a firm disposition that lasts, ooh, about ten seconds and then flies straight out of the window. Then I spend all morning trying to get in, and leave with ALL THE THINGS!!! I have zero willpower, it’s pathetic. But can you blame me for being so weak-willed when you consider just how awesome C88 is?   It’s always jam-packed with quality lovely stuff and things and this month isn’t any exception at all; if anything I think it’s possibly one of the better rounds of recent times. Not that any of them have been duff, but this one is FULL OF JUMPERS amongst other niceies, and you all know how much I love jumpers. And coats.  And basically all things warm and snuggly..and there are plenty of those to be had…oh JOY OF JOYS!

First up is this bloody amazing, huge and super snuggly coat from Maitreya. Now there’s something a little Mod about this; the shape reminds me of London street-stylings, and it’s more than a little Crombie-coat-esque. Can you imagine wearing this in real life? It is HUMUNGOUS. This is the kind of coat you wouldn’t  need to wear a jumper underneath because you’d  have a hot flush.  The shape is fabulous actually, and it’s made even more blinking fantastic by the fact that it comes with sleeve extensions that change this  from a three-quarter sleeve into a full-sleeve coat.  You know, a lot of the time I gauge an item in SL against the likelihood of my wearing it in real life. Rightly or wrongly a lot of what I wear in world is an extension of what I’d love to wear in real life, had I the cash/figure to wear it. Needless to say but  I would so wear the shit out of this coat. I would wear it in blinking summer I love it THAT much. Yes, I might die from heat exhaustion, but I’d die looking outrageously awesome.

The over-sized shape allows a lot of space for a glorious texture, and it’s finished really well, which is just what you’d expect from Onyx Leshelle.  Onyx is a creator par excellence and whenever she release anything new to the grid you can practically hear the rumble of a squillion avatars feet running towards it.  I love everything about this coat. I could even lick the ruddy buttons I love it that much. Best of all? It’s just L$188, which is a bloody scandal really. It’s available in six variations and every single one of them is as delicious as the other, but for me it just had to be this gorgeous red, called ‘Syrah’.  I’m sure Jez could fit in this with me, which would be super cosy indeed!

Incidentally, I’m also sporting a new GLAM AFFAIR skin that can be found at C88.  It’s called Mokatana, and is simply stunning. I’ve become totally enamoured with the GLAM AFFAIR brand this year, and Mokatana is a stunning addition to their exquisite skin-stable.  So what does this skin have that attracted me so much? Allure, dear heart, and then some.  Like every GLAM AFFAIR skin it oozes personality from every virtual pore; add to that the fact that  they are so darn pretty; they have beautiful body shading and great make-ups and you’re onto a winner. They also have sweet optional additions such as moles and freckles, something that I’m festooned with in real life. (RL Titbit: I used to think the moles on my body mapped out the constellations as a kid.  Mad I know, but kind of a nice thought!) The real selling point on Mokatana though are the lips. These are the kind of lips that are made for kissing, and biting, and basically ravishing. They’re dewy and soft and just so gorgeously, mouthwateringly perfect that basically I went into squee-spasms when I tried this skin on. So I had to have it, natch.  The other vital selling point for me are the brows; Aida Ewing knows how to make GREAT brows, and various brow colours are very thoughtfully included in the skin pack.

Snapshot_005For my second look I’m wearing another make-up from the Mokatana line, and I’ve teamed it with a comfy combo comprising of this divine sweater from COLOR.ME.H.O.F. and the skirt/leggings combo in black from BAIASTICE.  This is another great sweater and again, an example of a quality texture that has been perfectly applied. I love the height of the neck and the inverted ‘v’ pattern on the front of this. It looks like a very expensive, designer sweater, don’t you think? The sleeves are styled to be large and shaped before finishing just on  the wrist. The body-length of this is good too; I get a bit annoyed with jumpers that are too short in SL, which is a bit daft really because it’s not as if I’ll feel a draught while wearing them, but it’s just a bug-bear of mine.  It was hard not to buy all of the range, but my favourite shade of red (In this case it’s called ‘Oxblood’) just had to be mine.  Moving on to the skirt/leggings and it’s hard to believe that I first blogged Baiastice way back in 2008. It’s simply marvellous that Sissy Pessoa’s brand has become one of the fashion benchmarks of Second Life, and she goes from strength to strength. It would be easy to dismiss the skirt and leggings as relatively simple mesh creations, but that would belie their strength. They’re extremely well created, the fit is great and the incorporated belt can be worn in either a gold or silver finish.  Speaking of finishing, the detail on the front of the skirt really adds something extra to an item that would have worked just as well had it been left plain, but it’s this attention to detail that has always made BAIASTICE creations stand out amongst their peers.

So there you have it, just some of the goodies available at this round of C88. But there are tons more, and I’ll endeavour to feature some of those very soon too.

But if you can’t wait, here’s your taxi!