Category: virtual worlds

WITCHY WEEK: ‘Bia’ by Baiastice

WITCHY WEEK: ‘Bia’ by Baiastice

by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

The Mabon Queen

Make no mistake guys, this latest round of COLLABOR88 has been an absolute winner.  Of course I’m bound to say that I suppose, seeing as the blog is called Kittywitchin’, I’m ‘The Kittywitch’, and the theme for C88 this month is ‘Muted Coven’, but even if I hadn’t been of a Pagan persuasion I genuinely feel it would have been a runaway success owing to the quality of the items.

In fact, I get the feeling that the COLLABOR88 team have taken some time out to think and assess what works and what doesn’t about the event.  For a start, the majority of the items this month are bang on target with regards to the brief. I didn’t spot any startling faux pas as I have in previous months (Oh the theme is this month is flowery sparkles? I know, let’s have latex underwear, that works! (Said no-one ever))  The content itself including all the clothing, accessories and builds are astonishing which probably explains why it has taken me days to get in.  It’s absolutely rammed (you stand a better chance of getting into THE ARCADE than C88!) C88 doesn’t do duff stuff but this month it’s in another league.

So because it’s all things witchy, and it’s all things bloody fabulous as far as this blog is concerned, AND it’s my RL birthday tomorrow (13th) I’ve decided to celebrate with WITCHY WEEK!

I’m not even an official C88 blogger (and they sure as hell don’t need the publicity!) BUT when you find things that are so far up your street as to be in your pantry pinching your crisps then YES I’m going to blog about them.  (Edit: I do sometimes wonder what people who aren’t from the UK and/or used to my sense of humour actually think about the nonsense I write upon these pages; for that I apologise but what can I say, when I’m enthusiastic I verbalise drivel by the bucket load. You’ve probably noticed!)

So let’s begin ‘Witchy Week’ with something absolutely stonking, the ‘Bia’ collar and dress from Sissy Pessoa, the creative Goddess behind BAIASTICE.

To be honest, I don’t know what I can write about Sissy and her label that I haven’t said before.  Her work is consistently outstanding and she’s been a right little trailblazer carving out her own niche in the SECOND LIFE fashion world with her consistently breath-taking designs. Sissy makes some of the best high-end fashion on the grid, and each release is as satisfying as the last.  She uses the best textures, applies the most exquisite details and shapes each creation with style and panache that is only mastered by a handful of creators on the grid.

Her latest release, ‘Bia’, has all the hallmarks of a SECOND LIFE classic.  This gown and accompanying collar scream haute couture with a twisted edge, yet are so adaptable that they could be worn at a Christmas Ball, a Yuletide extravaganza or a Halloween party.  The paler versions of the gown lend themselves perfectly to weddings, and because this is ‘Witchy Week’ let me draw attention to the fact that any of the colours of the dresses could be worn by High Priestesses at Sabbat gatherings.  Imagine casting a circle wearing this ensemble, oosh!PicMonkey Collage

Here I am wearing two examples of the gown.  I’ve chosen the brown  version for my main shot because it feels very ‘Mabonesque’; by that I mean that we’re approaching Mabon, the Autumn Equinox, and it struck me that this ensemble would be  perfect for that.  The red would be wonderful for Yule, although I feel it would actually be more appropriate to a Pagan fire festival such as Beltane.You can wear these gowns without the long skirt, which adds a nifty twist to an already near perfect ensemble, and the matching collars with their feather embellishment really finish off the look.

To further enhance this beautiful ensemble I decided to add my ‘Moonriver’ hair by VANITY HAIR, along with the latest skin from ZOUL CREATIONS.  This is ‘Brianna’ and by gum she’s gorgeous. As always, not only has SHANTIA SOULSTAR created a perfect base-skin, but the makeups are sublime, whichever lipstick and eyeshadow you choose  to compliment your appearance.  I really love the brows on this skin as well; they’re not overly thin and have a delicate arch  which really sets the whole eye area off.  The lipsticks really enhance the pout as well and each one is a real treat to wear.

Baiastice_003

I don’t think this is the last time you’ll see me wearing this particular outfit during ‘Witchy Week’, and I hope you’ve been inspired to try to get into COLLABOR88 and pick up this glorious gown.  I promise you won’t regret it.

Kitty wears:

BODY: Maitreya ‘Lara’ V3.4

SKIN: Zoul Creations ‘Brianna’ SK3  Dk Brows chA

(First pic: Bronze 03 eyeshadow, Orangey 3 lip)

(Second Pic: Black 03 eyeshadow, Red 03 lip)

EYES: IKON  ‘Triumph Eyes’ Armor / ‘Hope Eyes’ Crimson

LASHES: Hush ‘Flirt’

EARS: Mandala ‘Steking’ Series 5 (Pixie)

HAIR: Vanity Hair ‘Moonriver’ (Materials Ombres) (Crown worn with red ensemble was a free gift at the Vintage & Cool Event)

DRESS/COLLAR: Baiastice ‘Bia’ Dress and Collar (available in ten colours; Kitty wears Choco and Red in these shots) COLLABOR88

And then Kitty’s ovaries exploded..

And then Kitty’s ovaries exploded..

by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Jez BodyAfter what has seemed like an eternity spent waiting (although very patiently so, obviously) the SLINK PHYSIQUE MALE has arrived.  HALLELUJAH!

Guys, he’s *exactly* what I was hoping for. Like the SLINK PHYSIQUE FEMALE this is an accomplished mesh body that photographs well and is incredibly easy to wear and style. You know what I really like about  though?  It’s NOT a body for aspirational bodybuilder types. ‘ManSLink’  is toned and far more Hugh Dancy in build than Arnold Schwarzeneggar, and that suits me just fine. Obviously when you wear a mesh body it’s your underlying shape which plays a huge role in how the mesh will look, but this is the body worn out of the box on Jez and he didn’t need to make any changes, which is incredibly satisfying.  ManSLink (the nickname for this body release; and it rather suits!) is built to fit the XS Slink hands and isn’t keen on too much additional body fat; fortunately for us Jez’s shape is lean and already has the requisite sliders turned down to 0.  It really does fit him incredibly well.  Something that is rather special about  ManSLink is that he already comes endowed with an appendage! HUZZAH! OK, it’s flaccid so you can’t use it for more amorous moments, but it, err, looks authentic and even if you don’t really use one it’s nice to know that it’s there.  Unfortunately for me at the time of writing Jez can’t get his underpants off so I can have a good look, you know, for scientific reasons, but that’s more to do with user knowledge and getting acquainted with the HUD functionality rather than an omission on SLINK’s part.
Just Jez: Jez testing out his new SLink Physique bodyPerhaps one of the biggest wins for ManSLink though is pricing. It’s the same as the female Physique, L$1250, and that is a BIG deal. THE SHOPS mesh body is L$5000, and although that is indeed a very attractive body and one that Jez uses it’s incredibly expensive (despite the inclusion of hands and feet). Of course, don’t forget that when you purchase THE SHOPS you’re also going to have to endure the whole shopping ‘experience’ as well, whereas with SLINK you just visit the store then click and buy, which is infinitely preferable and a lot less hassle too. Oh, and have I mentioned Omega appliers? Yup, ManSLink is Omega applier compatible (the female equivalent will be too in the next update) and this is a pretty big deal indeed. I’ve  seen reports of people using existing Slink tattoo appliers that were for female bodies yet work on ManSLink too; YRMV but it’s definitely worth testing what you have in your inventory to see if it works for you!What else is there to like? A good range of alpha options via the HUD, and plenty of clothing cuts that should hopefully enable you to wear your current mesh wardrobe, although a few finer ones around the neck  and tops of the arms for more precise tee-shirt fitting would be nice.  There are also items in store available to try too, Jez picked up a pair of the stovepipe jeans in ‘Indigo’ and they look bloody brilliant on him, so he’s very pleased.

Now ‘Manslink’ is out hopefully there will be a rush of content creators making appliers for skins. You can of course use the included tinting HUD to match, but appliers are exact and make lives so much easier, especially when you have no patience, like Jez.

All in all we’re both delighted with this release; already this is Jez’s favourite mesh body and he’s really enjoying wearing it (Although I really need him to figure out how to get his kecks off!!)   The waiting has definitely been worth it and the end result is a really rather gorgeous mesh body that any male avatar should be proud to wear.
Congratulations to Siddean Munro on another epic SLink release!
LOTD: Forever inspired by Amy

LOTD: Forever inspired by Amy

by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Amy x

I remember one day about six years ago I was sat at my desk in RL work and was raging about how badly Amy Winehouse was being treated (yet again) by the press. It was clear that poor Amy was going through sheer hell battling her own personal demons, yet the press seemed to relish nothing more than hounding her as she seemingly self-destructed. I recall a colleague at the time saying to me in an astonished voice “You really do care what happens to her don’t you?” and the fact was yes, I did very much.

I loved Amy’s work. It wasn’t just the fact that she had a soaring voice and a vocal range that belied her young years, she also wrote lyrics  from the heart that were totally relatable to.  That said, I didn’t like her very much; she came across badly in print and on screen and it took me a while to see through how she was being represented, but once I did I understood (as well as I could) that her behaviour stemmed from the fact that she was deeply troubled.  Her drunken TV appearances and completely crazed antics were fuelled by more than drink and drugs, they were acts of utter despair and cries for help that only now we seem to recognise.  And yet either no help was offered, or for some reason it was refused.  Of course, it ended tragically and we lost someone that we should have cherished and nurtured rather than criticised and condemned.

I won’t watch the recent documentary about her, not yet anyway, although this clip gives me the shivers..

I don’t think I can bear to watch the progression of her condition and the ultimate sad outcome.  Many people scoffed when she passed that it was a certainty that she would die young, but did it really have to be so? I can’t help but think we were cheated by her death.  She was an amazing artist but she could have become so much more had she lived, and when I listen to her I sometimes feel very angry because we lost her.

For me she was at her most beautiful when she was recording the album ‘Frank’.  She had long hair, hooped earrings and an absolutely fantastic figure; she looked healthy and happy and stunningly beautiful.  Contrast that image with her in the ‘Back To Black’ video and she looks completely different; styled to within an inch of her with the melancholy beginning to really show.

But I think the most enduring image we have of Amy is of the towering semi- beehive hairstyle and the powerful black eyeliner that she sported along with Fred Perry shirts, short skirts and ballerina pumps.  That’s what I’ve been inspired to recreate here; using the outstanding hairstyle named after her from VANITY HAIR and my old favourite eyeliner from MONS.

Amy was almost ten years younger than me; she was born 14th September 1983 (I was born 13th September 1973) and since we (almost) share the same birthday I always raise a glass to her on mine, and thank her for the wonderful music she left behind.  I’ll be doing that again this year and  I’d like to think that wherever she is now she’s at peace, she recognises her own talents and finally feels the love and admiration that all her fans, myself included, continue to have for her.  RIP Amy.

Kitty Wears:

Basic look:

BODY: Maitreya ‘Lara’ V3.4

SKIN: Glam Affair ‘Katra’ (Polar) August NB

EYEBROWS: Just Magnetized – Diva Brows – Brunette02

EYES: IKON ‘Triumph Eyes’ – ‘Armor’ GROUP GIFT

LASHES: Hush ‘Flirt’

EYELINER: MONS Black Eyeliner Series No.8

LIPS: PXL Sweet Lips

LIPSTICK: Arise ‘Jenn’ Reds 6 pack – VINTAGE & COOL FAIR

EARS: Mandala ‘Steking’ Series 5 (Pixie)

HAIR: VANITY HAIR ‘Winehouse’ (Ombres Naturals)

Outfit:

SHIRT: FOXES ( I cannot find a LM for this brand?!) ‘Throw back and tied-Red’

SKIRT: BUENO Denim Skirt -Midnight Dark (Ripped)

BRA: (Just seen) FOXES Brasserie ‘Animal’  COLLABOR88

If it’s vintage then it’s definitely cool!

If it’s vintage then it’s definitely cool!

by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

If it's Vintage, it's definitely coolIs it me or has August been crazy?  There’s been an absolute deluge of must-have items flooding the grid in a tsunami-like manner since the beginning of the month and it’s been a nightmare, albeit a wonderful one, with so many incredible items on sale that I’ve no doubt purchased and promptly forgotten, or even worse I’ve bought them twice!

Anyway, another awesome event has launched this weekend and this time it’s the turn of the VINTAGE & COOL FAIR to make a massive hole in your Linden balance. I’ve been looking forward to this event with a serious amount of anticipation and on the whole it does exactly what it says on the tin by showcasing numerous styles and furnishings from times past.There’s some absolutely cracking stuff on sale but there are also some very jarring submissions too that are way too modern to include (unless you count things from the middle of last week, which I don’t).  I’m not naming names but you will see items at this event which will make you laugh out loud at the absurdity of the inclusion. We’re seeing that a lot at recent events too, and that’s something that I’m writing about in a bigger post that I hope to feature on these pages when I am brave enough to publish it!

What I am sure of though is that organising events cannot be an easy task, and if a creator turns up last minute with contributions that don’t meet the brief, what do you do? Refund them and have an eyesore of an empty store or let them participate and hope nobody notices?  The latter option is where the problem arises.  In common parlance vintage tends to be used when referring to the ‘Golden Years’ of the 1940s, 50s, 60s and 70s.  It’s only recently that the 1980’s and even the 1990’s have started to be included into that category. With so much source material to choose from it almost feels like there’s been laziness on the part of some creators who have added some very bizarre items into the event bucket.

Fortunately there are plenty of nice things to buy at VINTAGE & COOL that more than meet the bill and rest assured that you will be impressed by the extraordinary effort from all the parties concerned. It’s an easy to navigate event with some seriously satisfying shopping to be enjoyed, just try not to laugh too hard as you walk by the stores which clearly thought they were coming to something else entirely!I really enjoyed having a wander around and spied some classic retro styling from the 1950’s with plenty of voluminous skirts and neckerchiefs and lots of polka dots too.  There are also some great mini-skirts and dresses from the 1960’s and some cracking flares if 1970’s is more your thing, and has been an incredibly popular influence on fashion this year.  I wasn’t really shopping for anything clothes-wise in particular so left myself pretty open to all the choices that are available, but I did have one thing I had to have above anything else..vintage_002

 

There’s been a huge amount of buzz around this beehive hairstyle because it went  ‘SLviral’ on Flickr and Plurk a few days before event release which  of course drove the shopaholics into a frenzy. It’s not surprising  because it’s  beautifully made and really evokes the inspiration behind the name (which, if you don’t know, is of course Audrey Hepburn).  It’s a nice, weighty style which suggests that it would be heavy on the neck, and has acres of volume on the crown.  The back is neatly finished into what was called a ‘DA’ in the late 50’s/early 60’s.  That stands for ‘Ducks Arse’, and it was a particular favourite of teddy boys who created the style with brylcreme and a fine comb.  (Alex Turner from Arctic Monkeys has been doing similar recently too).   I find Ombres the most versatile of shades for my needs I opted for the pack filled with a selection of them and I’m incredibly pleased with my purchase.  I will have to venture back to the event once it’s calmed down a bit though; there’s a free hairband that can be worn with this style in the booth and I don’t want to miss out on that. (Which would of course make this style perfect wedding hair..let’s not go there, OK?)I’m still wearing the astonishing GLAM AFFAIR ‘Katra’ skin that I picked up during last week’s FIFTY LINDEN FRIDAY.  Like I wrote last week, it really does serve as an exceptional base for make-up layers and now that we have the facility to apply SIXTY wonderful layers of nonsense on our bodies you’d better believe I’m all about the eyeliner and the lipstick and all that jazz.  Fortunately there are some brilliant cosmetic brands at this event, and I’m incredibly impressed by a new-to-me brand, LA BOHEME. The make-ups were heavily discounted. Would they be any good? Well, the evidence speaks for itself; as soon as I put them on I knew I was, to coin a Charlie Sheen phrase, ‘Winning’. They’re excellent.  Totally un-touched picture above peeps, and my make up looks ruddy fantastic doesn’t it?  This shot is of me in my bedroom testing out my hairstyle and make-up layers and as you can see this LA BOHEME  Glamour Eyes ‘Hecate’ eyeshadow is simply nothing less than sublime.  Isn’t it a treat? I bought a few packs and I will enjoy using them in forthcoming posts I think (I’m ALL about the eyeliner, I really am) but I tell you what I really like about this eyeliner in particular; it’s quite sharp. Oftentimes the lines look quite smudged and shading can be a tad off, but this is practically perfect and that really pushes all my kitty-buttons.  Turns out LA BOHEME is a brand that is more than happy to supply amazing make-ups at a fraction of the cost that is usually charged in-world.   In fact, the brand has been around since *gulp* 2004!  I actually took a quick trip over to the main store too for a quick nosey; and I’m inclined to think that the store owner is a bit witchy due to the naming conventions applied to her wares..(touches nose in a knowing fashion).  Needless to say once the event has calmed down a bit I’m heading back to her booth and buying everything in the store, it would be rude not too!

Of course I haven’t removed my MANDALA ‘Steking’ Version 5 ears at all yet, and I’m loving the options that they come with too.  You can’t go wrong with a jam-packed HUD crammed with lovely tattoos and pretty jewel colours can you? I’m even wearing the Pixie style rather than my normal human lobes, but how could I not try them when they’re shaped so beautifully? (They almost hint at my feline persuasions..) They really are an incredible product and I’m determined to get the very best out of them.Something else that I haven’t removed recently are my PXL SWEET LIPS.  In fact, I find myself wondering if it’s worth moving on to the newest version? These are the originals and they serve me incredibly well,  and I much prefer them to any of the other virtual gobs out there on the market, but still I do wonder if it’s worth upgrading? ANYWAY, enough of that because I invested in some Sweet Lips-specific lip colours at VINTAGE & COOL too from a brand called ARISE.

Like my LA BOHEME purchases I was so impressed that I treated myself to a number of packs.  Here I’m wearuing a lovely red from the ‘Jenn’ red pack and it is divine. There are 6 different shades of red in the collection and I have no doubt I’ll be wearing all of them pretty frequently.  ARISE is a brand I am often tempted by and I always find their products to be very professional indeed; I think I’m going to splurge out on them a lot more and of course I’ll share my results here with you.  I have no doubt I’ll look virtually fabulous of course!

To finish then, I’m wearing a favourite shirt from my inventory, along with some old LEAGUE bracelets and a recently acquired necklace from the KIBITZ Gacha at Kustom 9. This isn’t really a ‘Look Of The Day’ post, more of a kitty mess-about but here’s an extensive shopping list just in case you fancy any items that I shared today!

Kitty Wears:

Basic look:

BODY: Maitreya ‘Lara’ V3.4

SKIN: Glam Affair ‘Katra’ (Polar) August NB

EYEBROWS: Just Magnetized – Diva Brows – Brunette02

EYES: Nar Mattaru ‘Just The Basics’ Green

LASHES: Hush ‘Flirt’

EYELINER: La Boheme Glamour Eyes ‘Hecate’ S4 -10  – VINTAGE & COOL FAIR

LIPS: PXL Sweet Lips

LIPSTICK: Arise ‘Jenn’ Reds 6 pack – VINTAGE & COOL FAIR

EARS: Mandala ‘Steking’ Series 5 (Pixie)

Clothes:

SHIRT/DRESS: Erm..this is embarrassing! I’ve forgotten what it was called! I’ll name it here when I find it again…

Accessories:

NECKLACE:  Kibitz ‘Cat Charm’ (Gacha) No 3  KUSTOM9

SEPTUM RING:  Cae ‘Septum Piercing’ COSMOPOLITAN SALES ROOM