Demo Day at Kittys! Collabor88 Feb 2020

February 8, 2020February 8, 2020 by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Calloo Callay! It’s ‘Demo Day’ at Kittys! What better way to spend a very blustery Saturday afternoon (we’re supposed to be getting a storm later, it’s called ‘Storm Ciara’ and frankly she can just ruddy well bugger off) than trying on all the things currently on sale at Collabor88?! I bloody LOVE C88, it’s one of my favourite regular in-world events and I’m always excited each month to see what treats lie in store…

I had a look at the catalogue on Seraphim, and then zoomed on over to the cam-shopping platform and had a quick cam around, noting a few items that I really liked the look of and thought that might be worth a try-on session at home. Laden with virtual bags I TP’d home (in the first few days of an event it’s always better to try on at home or at a sandbox because loitering keeps other people from the event, and frankly that’s just not on) and threw them all over the floor as I set about my demo session. I ALWAYS demo before I purchase; it’s just not worth the disappointment of investing in a purchase only to get home to find that it doesn’t work well on your body at all. I’ve learned my lesson on this the hard way. If something’s been rigged badly and you’ve just bought a fat-pack of something divine, you’re going to be in for one helluva unpleasant shock when you realise it’s borked.

All of the pictures I’m sharing with you here have been taken with my graphic settings ramped up high, using bright lighting to enable me to see details properly. The windlight setting that I tend to use for such purposes is ‘Bree’s Apple blossom’, should you wish to give it a try. I haven’t post-processed or enhanced them in any way, they’re just as they appeared on screen. Click on a picture to see a larger version.

First of all I’m trying on this beautiful ‘Marie’ hairstyle from DOUX. I own a lot of this particular brand’s hairstyles and it’s a nightmare because I ALWAYS say to myself that I’ll get the basic pack, and end up getting the ruddy deluxe one, but no matter. I definitely think DOUX hair is worth your attention and investment; I’ve always found their styles to be consistently high-quality featuring beautiful textures, colours and styles along with well designed hair-bases, which makes the styles infinitely wearable. Plus how did we ever manage before stylist HUDS, huh?

‘Marie’ is a side-swept, layered and waved style that evokes a classic feel. It’s more or a medium length and sits just past your shoulders at the back. It’s also a bit nice, I fell for it as soon as I put it on! I mean, just LOOK:

I generally don’t go for brighter colours like the ones above but I felt really drawn to them while I was trying the style. Of course, they’re colours that are in the Deluxe pack because of course they are, and they’re each individually worthy of high praise. This is just three photographs mind you, be aware that there are ….. in the HUD for the Deluxe pack. Which is nice. Ugh, I have no self-control where virtual hairstyles are concerned and this one is just so pretty that it would DEFINITELY make ‘fetch’ happen…(Think about it.. you’ll get the reference!) I love it. Damn you, DOUX!

Moving swiftly on then and next is the latest skin from INSOL. I couldn’t try the LELUTKA one as I don’t have the latest head but no matter, I’m more than happy with my GENUS ‘Baby face’, and even more so after I tested ‘Lena’ upon it. I don’t wear many INSOL skins, and more fool me because this one is very pleasant indeed. What attracted me to this particular skin was the brow shape built into it; I’m a total virtual brow whore. I love them, and I’m a huge fan of wearing a no-brow skin and adding brows from other content creators to create a totally unique look. However, this is a skin that I would be more than happy to wear with the built-in brow, which has a lovely strong arch and frames the face perfectly. The detail on the face itself is great too, especially the central highlighting and shading, which renders a subtle look to the face making for a great base to layer virtual make-up on. (With a trowel, obviously!) The big thing for me when I’m buying a new skin tends to be will I have to buy the facial skin AND a new body applier HUD? This generally then leads me to scrabbling around in my absolute nightmare of an inventory and either feeling defeated or elated. I’m delighted to say that today was the latter; I did indeed have an applier for my body colour of choice, ‘Peach’, and when I added this to my Maitreya 5.1 Lara Body it just made me fall completely in love with the skin. The INSOL skins are L$888 each (L$2588 for the fat-pack), but VERY worthy of your time and investment. ‘Lena’ is available in 7 skin tones at the event.

Next up we have the first clothing item that I tried. This is the TETRA ‘Velvet Mini Dress’, and I was attracted, but slightly wary of the shape of the mesh. It’s been a recent trend in Second Life fashion to have dresses that fall off the shoulders BUT occasionally the mesh shapes just don’t work with your AO (Animation Over-rider) or dancing animations. This is a really important point to make so listen closely gang; when you’re trying on frocks, tops and what-nots that are off shoulder or super baggy switch your AO on and go for a walk around. Then stick your favourite dancing animations on and try again. If the mesh seems to fit and flow with your body well, then you know you’re onto a winner. You may find that for super safety you have to alpha-out areas on your body (quite often I have difficulties with the fit around my armpits/boobs where I have to deploy the alpha layers) Also, if it’s a dress, does it come with pants? Some do, dome don’t. Can you wear mesh pants underneath (should you want to?) or apply layer lingerie to hide your virtual lady garden from up-skirters? (Yes, there are people like that in Second Life, you literally cannot be free of the chuffers in either life. HEX THE LOT OF THEM I SAY!) Ahem. Anyway, I stuck my arms up in the air and swung them around like I just didn’t care, which I didn’t. I zoomed in, I zoomed out and I had a proper look. Unfortunately, there is a wee glitch under the right armpit that I cannot resolve with alpha-layers alone, so I need to have a think about whether or not I invest. That’s a shame, because it’s certainly a pretty frock and I really like the overall shape. It’s textured well and the HUD features excellent details such as changing the metal upon the belt eyelets and the fabric on the belt buckle and buttons. I really like that, it means you have styling options to play about with to make your perfect dress. I think it will work well with heels (can I just say I literally CANNOT WAIT until someone starts releasing kitten heel styles for the new foot shape that’s been added to MAITREYA. I’m desperate to get my kitten heels on, I’ve always loved them. Come on shoe-makers of Second Life, crack on! Cough *Gospel Voom are you there?* Splutter…

JUST BECAUSE is a brand that has been on fire with quality releases recently, and this month is no exception. The ‘Alicia’ gown is old Hollywood styling with voluminous sleeves leading to tight cuffs at the wrist, a cinched in waist and beautiful draped skirt. You can use the included HUD to change the colours of your dress and the flower adornment, changing the colour of the petals, the pearls in the centre and the leaves. I love having fun with elements like this; you can create a myriad of looks and this dress would be great for virtual occasions of any kind but honestly, to me it screams “WEDDING DRESS!!!” especially when worn in the ivory or white colour choices. To be fair though it’s lovely in any colour and works beautifully with the DOUX hairstyle. It’s as if they were made for each other; simple earrings and a pearl necklace would be perfect for a wedding look, with perhaps a flower decoration in the hair (or an up-do with tiara, veil, the whole works) but this isn’t a dress that you need to overpower with embellishment. It’s stunning as is. Problem is, it’s not the kind of dress I would invest in because, well, I’m not a classy bird that goes to lots of grand occasions where I could wear such a show-stopper. I’ve not even got wed in Second Life, but if I did want to I’d give this dress serious consideration, and with Valentine’s Day fast approaching it would be a sensational choice for a romantic dinner date with your beloved. That said, I might treat myself to one so I can swoosh around at home and pretend to be all glam…

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about my trying-on session, and there are still lots more lovely things at this month’s round of C88 that I haven’t had the chance to test out yet, but I’m thinking I might do a video featuring a few things..what do you think?

Is there anything you think I should demo and share here?

Let me know in the comments!

Don’t be Lost and Found when you’re just 20Twenty!

October 22, 2015 by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Isn’t it nice when you find something fabulous in-world and something equally fabulous that goes with it absolutely perfectly? Ok, I know I’m prattling on, but you see I’ve got JUST the things for you right here, right now! First up, feast your face on this gorgeous chair and table set from the always astonishing Ria Bazar, which is available at the latest round of ‘Lost and Found’.

It’s called ‘Paris’ and features an armchair filled to bursting with textures and poses along with a matching console and props including books, a print and picture light, flowers and both a full bottle of wine and one that’s been spilled, which is both rather novel and incredibly upsetting. I hate spilling wine. To match it I’ve discovered a rather glorious ottoman from MUDHONEY which really complements the BAZAR ‘Paris’ set.

This ‘Fran’ ottoman is available in both pattern and plain varieties from a new event launching this month called 20TWENTY . Don’t you agree that both the chair and ottoman are so fabulously textured they could have been made for one another? (Ria Bazar AND Ravyn Hynes in ONE blog post, that’s two of the best designers in-world right there gang. YIPPEEE!)

But, why stop there? To Halloween things up a bit I took the next shot with a side table also featured in 20TWENTY; this long-legged side piece is from the ‘Witches Diner Set’ by UNCERTAIN SMILE. I changed the textures on both the chair and ottoman, and also added a ‘Skully Wall Candle’ from DYSFUNCTIONALITY (who also feature in this months inaugural round of 20TWENTY) with the result making for a slightly spooked-up yet still classy place to rest your weary toes after a night of serious trickin’ and treatin’!

Lost and Found runs until November 1st and you can catch it HERE. It’s extensively covered on the forever awesome SERAPHIM SL blog, and so is 20TWENTY too.

LOTD: A bit of everything! (OMG Gacha, Hair Fair and The Seasons Story too!)

July 11, 2015July 11, 2015 by Lisa Millar ♥ 1 Comment

July is in full swing and it’s a BUSY time of year guys and gals, and with so many events running at the moment it’s hard to know which way to turn or where to spend you hard-earned Linden Dollars. Blogs such as ELOQUENCE (and SERAPHIM) do an epic job of featuring the majority of in-world events so that you can see if there’s anything that you fancy before you try to TP in, and for that we owe them our gratitude. It must have been an absolutely enormous task recording the releases and photographing them at the HAIR FAIR Blogger preview last night, yet Vixen Thibedeau has done a sterling job. (I was there for about five or six hours, got lost twice, spent way too much and felt completely overwhelmed by it all, so pity the poor blogger that has done all the legwork for you!)

If you don’t use blogs such as ELOQUENCE or SERAPHIM to plan your event visits then I really do recommend that you start doing so now. I never land at an event now unless I’ve had a good look at what is on offer beforehand. I go to each event with my list in hand, get my shopping accomplished and get the hell outta Dodge! I’ll return once the initial furore has died down towards the end of the event run, and then I can happily wander around and take in the build, the displays and the ambiance of the place. (Oh, and stare at all the avatars in attendance and scrutinise what they’re wearing. Ahem, no, I don’t, honest.)

Today’s ‘Look Of The Day’ then includes some items that can be found at events that are currently setting the grid on fire. I’ve gone for a dressed down look today, with the key element being this absolutely ravishing hairstyle from a brand called ‘MURRAY’. I’ve never heard of them before yet I think they’re going to have an exceptional HAIR FAIR 2015, because all the styles they offer at the event are flawlessly executed. There’s no fuss, no tortured prims or misaligned mesh to be seen and no flatness of texture either; but you will discover hair that is beautifully styled, textured and utterly perfect when worn. (Regular visitors will have noticed that I’m wearing a long hairstyle and shock, horror Kitty-readers but most of the styles that I have purchased at HAIR FAIR 2015 have been loose and flowing, rather than my normal much-loved bob shapes. Clearly I’m sickening for something!)

But back to MURRAY; the reason I fell for this ‘Giorgia’ style is because, well, just look. It’s perfect isn’t it? This is the ultimate in plain and simple long hair. Some people may think that when you’re launching at such an occasion you should go out all guns blazing and throw some seriously fancy styles our way, but actually I think it is far better to start as you mean to go on. It would be way too easy to throw avant-garde and over-the-top styles at us but we’d wear them once, twice maybe before throwing them into the backs of our inventories, and I don’t know about you but mine is bursting at the seams as is. Better to launch with something with universal appeal in my opinion, which is what they have done with all four of their HAIR FAIR releases.

You know you should never disregard ‘simple’. It takes a proper artist to make something look so easy and effortless, when behind the scenes it’s actually very difficult to do. Hair creation in world can be merciless after all. MURRAY is a brand that has started with, well, not so much of a bang, but definitely not a whimper. (I think an assertive stamp of the foot?)
They’re a brand I’m going to be watching with interest and I cannot wait to see what further items they come up with during the remainder of 2015. Incidentally, if you’re curious about the flower it’s actually a freebie in recognition of HAIR FAIR’s 10th birthday and comes in a pack of 6 different shades for you to enjoy from TABLEAU VIVANT. (When you do manage to get in watch out for the freebies that the majority of vendors have placed out for us, there are some absolute cracking styles that people are giving away!) It looks beautiful with this ZOUL CREATIONS ‘Della’ skin and I’ve resurrected my PXL Sweet Lips from my inventory to wear too. Why? Because they’re plain awesome!

My dress is another summer release from the APHORISM label. Rucy Byron is turning into a virtual design powerhouse in 2015 consistently releasing quality fashion for male and female avatars; the dress is available in either pattern, plain or floral flavours and encapsulates perfectly the Boho vibe that seems to be rocking Second Life in 2015. You’ll find it at THE SEASONS STORY. To accessorise, I’ve added a nose-ring from the latest round of OMG GACHA! which is full of Summer and kawaii-themed delights with loads of machines to play.

There really is so much going on this weekend/this month/this summer in-world that you’ve absolutely no excuse not to find something that you’ll enjoy, and don’t forget that INDIE TEEPEE is in full swing over the weekend too, don’t miss it! ( I previewed it in my last post here)

Kitty Wears:

Skin: ‘Della’ by ZOUL CREATIONS
Mouth: PXL Sweet Lips (worn with Della lipstick/applier) by PXL
Eyes: ‘Charm’ Eyes in ‘Brown’ by IKON
Ears: ‘Naked’ by AITUI
Lashes: ‘Flirt’ by HUSH

Hair: ‘Giorgia’ Hairstyle (light brown 05) by MURRAY @ HAIR FAIR
Hair band: Tropical Headpiece’ in ‘Sunset’ (TABLEAU VIVANT HAIR FAIR gift)

Body: ‘Physique’ by SLINK
Hands & Feet (Casual Hands and Mid Feet) by SLINK

Dress: Summertime Dress (s) by APHORISM (THE SEASONS STORY)
Shoes: ‘Boho Platforms’ in Brown by PURE POISON

Septum Ring: ‘Nisha Septum Ring’ (Black) by ^^SWALLOW^^ (OMG GACHA)
Ring (just seen..only just!) Schadenfreude Owl Wee Beastie Ring by SCHADENFREUDE

Pose: AN LAR POSES ‘The Watchtower Series: Two’ INDIE TEEPEE

Kitty’s Arcade Raves & Faves!

December 15, 2014July 13, 2015 by Lisa Millar ♥ 1 Comment

Odd for me that I haven’t blogged THE ARCADE so far, but it’s been publicised to death across the blogging landscape so please forgive my transgression thus far. But of course, just like all previous rounds it is an absolute corker. Perhaps even more so this time; there’s a massive, gorgeous Christmas Tree in the centre of the build and underneath it you’ll find gifts from many of the designers taking part, and they’re all FREE. Which is bloody wonderful!

THE ARCADE is all about the gacha, and I’ve been hitting a number of machines especially hard. Naturally I couldn’t get in for the first few days, but I’m not having any bother at all now that the initial furore has eased.

It’s very hard to pick a favourite vendor this time around. My criteria is simple; does it have a cat on it? If the answer is yes then you may proceed! ATOMIC have pushed all my buttons in an abstract sort of way with their ‘Critter Comfort’ collection. Granted, it does look like you’re wearing animal pelts and naturally the idea of wearing a cat draped around my neck fills me with dread, BUT it’s very clear in both lives that these are merely novelty accessories and thank goodness for that, because they look ruddy fabulous:)

The CASA DEL SHAI Crazy Christmas Sweaters are all kinds of fun. Naturally, I’ve been after the jumpers that feature a very grumpy looking cat on them, but no luck yet. As I’ve said before, Gacha festivals of this kind are fabulous for picking up wee items and paraphernalia that really turn your virtual house into a home; and I’ve been collecting items from the SORGO Insomniak Geek Collection to scatter around my skybox work area.

I’m incredibly partial to PIXICAT’s collection of animal onesies, because I collect these in real life…

They’re called ‘Kigurumis‘ and I own a Lion, Lemur and a Kitsune (Japanese Fox) along with a couple of cats too (these are the only snaps I dared share with you of me wearing them though!) I love them, oftentimes I get home from RL work and just throw one of these on and that’s me sorted until bedtime. They’re ruddy roasting as well so you don’t need your RL heating on so high when you’re wearing one. I can’t recommend them enough so was delighted to see them in-world…

But I think perhaps my ultimate must-have items this round, apart from the PIXICAT onesies, are the bags from NYLON PINKNEY. The reason I love these is because I am a super-huge NYLON OUTFITTERS fan. I love Nylon’s quirky and original artworks and designs and when I saw these bags I almost died from excitement. They feature fabulous artworks by the great Nylon herself and include hand-holding animations too. I don’t usually bother with bags in Second Life, but I’m so in love with these that I think bags will be a part of my wardrobe for a long time to come! Naturally I’ve spent a small fortune trying to get the rare, which of course just HAD to be a cat didn’t it? No luck yet sadly, but there’s still time…

THE ARCADE runs until the end of December so you’ve loads of time to visit and gacha yourself into a coma. Kitty-tip, if you’re looking for a particular item from THE ARCADE try yardsales first. My Yardsale of choice is at THE PEA, where everything is nicely alphabetized and easy to navigate, but SERAPHIM has a comprehensive list.

Kitty Wears:

Eyes by IKON

Ears by AITUI

Skin by BELLEZA (Eva Med Matte 8) (UBERSL)

Hair by LITTLE BONES (FROST)

Dress By FOXES (C88)