WITCHY WEEK: ‘Bia’ by Baiastice

September 13, 2015September 13, 2015 by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

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!

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.

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

This Kitty Has Claws…

November 1, 2014November 2, 2014 by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Because Halloween falls on a Friday this year, many parties have extended into the weekend and my social network timelines are full of fantastic costumes and glorious ghouls in both real and second lives. Sadly, I’ve not been able to partake of any parties in either domain purely because I’m on call for RL work this weekend; which means that you can pretty much guarantee a call if I you’re enjoying yourself! So, I opted to play it safe, and wasn’t going to log in (because I’d feel left out) when I got an email to tell me that I’d received a rather special Halloween present. And oh my word, it’s pretty spectacular…

This is the Dahlia Dress from BAIASTICE, and as usual SISSY PESSOA has nailed it again. ‘It’ of course meaning stunning fashion with fantastic texture, detail and design.

This is an astonishing gown; it features a gorgeous damask fabric with an intricate corset design to the front. The back plunges, allowing it to be worn with this sensational collar accessory, which features a fantastic mesh spine! To bring the elements together there’s a stylish hat and matching gloves too. The hat is adorned with ribbons and foliage and finishes with a grand veil across the front. The mesh fits extremely well, and the gloves with their eye-popping (literally) sharp claws make for a particularly thrilling touch. It’s a breathtaking ensemble. If your kind of Halloween is high-class, then this is the outfit for you. I felt beautiful in this, really elegant but with a demonic edge. The imagination and craftsmanship that has gone into creating this is clearly on show for all to see, and it sure turns heads. I’ve been complimented on this dress a number of times and it’s been a real pleasure to point avatars in the direction of UBER SL, where the Dahlia Dress collection can be found.

Obviously I’ve opted for red, but the gown is available in ten colours, which makes it incredibly versatile. There’s even a white version, which would make an absolutely dazzling alternative/ Gothic wedding dress. The spine is detachable should you want a little more formality to your outfit, but why you would want to remove it is beyond me, it looks so striking and unexpected when you turn around. Congratulations Sissy on this amazing collection!

Baiastice ‘Dahlia’ Dress – L$495/Fatpack L$3435

‘Dahlia’ Gloves – L$225/ Fatpack L$1750

‘Dahlia’ Hat – L$195/Fatpack L$1325

Here’s your Taxi to UBERSL

COLLABOR88 – ON SAFARI WITH KITTY

July 8, 2014July 8, 2014 by Lisa Millar ♥ 1 Comment

One of the reasons I’m so addicted to Second Life, as I’ve probably said many, many times before, is that I get to live vicariously ‘through’ my avatar.

For example, Kitty gets to wear things that I can only ever dream about.

In real life I’m a bit of a chunky monkey, not that I care especially as I’m happy just the way I am (The horror! Someone who is fine about their flab! Have I no shame?!), but in Second Life I tend towards a more slender yet curvaceous figure.

In other words, I actually have a waist instead of a spare tyre..oh the humanity, so boxy jackets have become a thing for me in recent months. You may have read my post from December 2013 where I waxed lyrical about the EMERY Denim Jacket, which is to my mind still one of the best jackets in-world and brilliant for teaming with other items like long dresses and skirts and the like, but I’m always on the look out for another for my collection.
And I’ve just found it.

Now, when I heard that C88 was going to be a ‘Safari Chic’ theme I have to confess I was a tad disappointed because to me Safaris automatically conjure up images of Victorian moustached men-types proudly showing off the latest beast that they’ve shot and are shipping home to their parlours to be stuffed. I can’t say I’m keen on hunting, especially big-game which I think is the most pointless and cruel kind. So my initial thoughts were that I’d give C88 a miss this round.

But I haven’t, and boy am I glad I changed my mind because if I hadn’t ventured forth and battled my way through the crowds I’d have missed out on so much. In fact, I’ve brought an absolute shit-ton of amazing fashion at this month’s event already, and I’ll be sharing it with you this week, but by gum I MUST tell you about this jacket. OH MY GODS JUST LOOK AT THIS RUDDY JACKET! Isn’t it PERFECT?!

It’s from THE SECRET STORE and is the kind of jacket that I have been after for an absolute age. It’s more formal than my denim number, but still casual enough to wear anywhere without looking out of place. It’s one of those items that you see and automatically stop in your tracks and squeal “I NEED THIS!!” in a pathetic manner. It’s a banquet on a stick of jacket happy.

For a start the shape is beautiful. There are no sharp angles or zips, just undulating curves and a lovely, slightly raised neckline too. I’m incredibly taken by the fact that there is no random frippery and fanciful decoration to the front either. To be honest I’m sure it would have looked swell with buttons and adornments of all types, but for me it is absolutely stonking just as it is, with pockets to the breast that are neither fussy nor boring, instead they sit flush to the fabric and are just enough to stop the front from looking too plain.

The shoulders do see some militaristic detail; there are buttons, but they don’t scream “Look at me! I’m a military jacket!” at you, they’re quite subtle and unobtrusive really. The sleeves are a delight; a little gathered at the top to create a slightly puffy appearance, but not so much that the jacket tips into the Gothic realm. They are finished nicely too, with the cuffs ending neatly on the wrist.

The back of the jacket is just as excellent as the front. It’s gathered into the middle and is finished with the same button detail that featured on the shoulders, but again it’s not too ostentatious. The detailing on the buttons is rather good and the creasing that is etched into the whole item is very authentic looking. I can’t quite work out what the fabric is; in close up it seems to be some sort of herringbone linen/cotton mix, but I can’t tell. (I do know that if you swap the buttons for some with a touch of bling and change the fabric to velvet you’ll have the perfect going out jacket for Autumn/Winter- there you go THE SECRET STORE, you can have that idea for free! )

But I digress. This is a really smashing item and one that you really should include in your virtual wardrobe. I’ve invested in the black option, BUT there are ten colours available and if you can splash out on the fat pack at L$888 then I’d strongly suggest that you do. This singular item will finish off so many outfits beautifully that it would be almost scandalous to not own the ‘Noah Jacket’ in every tantalising option.

I’ve teamed it with another absolutely cracking find, the Kafue Mini-Skirt by BAIASTICE. It always gives me a lot of pleasure to see Sissy Pessoa’s latest designs because she’s worked so hard to become one of the most successful labels on the grid and really deserves her place among the fashion elite. The Kafue skirt is another example of a simple idea executed beautifully by Sissy, featuring a stylish belt that sits on the waist and a skirt in either pattern or plain fabric. Sissy always makes great fabric choices I think, and this skirt offers some great options and will offer heaps of wear. Of course, I had to have the cat print, but there are ten colours and six prints to choose from in the range at just L$88 a pop.

Last but not least, on my feet I’m sporting some rather splendid recycled tyre sandals courtesy of BOOM. This work so well that I think I’ll be wearing them for the entirety of my virtual summer! You all know what a texture whore I am, and these have been textured perfectly to represent their origins; when you zoom in you can ‘see’ the dimples and roughness that suggests they’re recycled items. There’s a tarnished look to the buckles and a suggestion of a cork inner-sole too. They look really comfy actually! They can only be worn with SLink flat feet, but that’s no hardship; throw on your favourite nail lacquer and your feet will look a treat!

Finally, I found some cracking poses at COLLABOR88 that I really do need to mention. They’re from PURPLE POSES (a guest at this month’s event) and I confess I hadn’t heard of the brand before. As soon as I’d purchased these I knew I wanted more, so I popped over to Audrey Guter’s studio where I was pretty dazzled by the range on offer all at really decent prices too! The set available at C88 is called ‘Rachel‘ and they’re really nice modelling poses that I can see myself using lots in the future, not just in this post. Sometimes you just want a pose that isn’t too Avant-garde, but still suggests movement and will look great in photos without too much hassle; these poses fit the bill and are just what I was after.

I would say go and buy all of these items right now, but seeing as it’s day one of C88 you don’t need me to tell you that your chances of getting in first try are slim to none!

Instead, why not check out the Flickr feed or the official blog for a while before you try your luck. And trust me when I say it’s definitely worth it!

KITTY WEARS:

Skin is ‘Maya’ by NAR MATTARU (OMGacha July Round)
Hair by TRAM (C405 Maroon)
Nose Ring by MONS (Mesh septum ring style 1 in Gold)
Mesh body, hands and feet by SLink
Jacket ‘Noah’ by The Secret Store @ C88
Skirt ‘Kafue’ by BAIASTICE@C88
Shoes ‘Recycled Tire Soles’ by BOOM @C88
Manicure/Pedicure (Set 116) by FLAIR
Poses ‘Rachel’ @ C88 by PURPLE POSES

It’s the most wonderful time of the month!

December 10, 2013 by Lisa Millar ♥ 1 Comment

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.

For 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!