THE NERD THAT GOT AWAY?

On August 29th 2013 a "nerd party" was held at Rez Nightclub - sponsored by Style Kingdom. Mostly normal people came as their most nerdiest creations.  Looking at the photos posted in Facebook the standard was quite impressive!

Sadly, I was unable to attend.  The event was arranged to take place between 18:00 and Midnight - in Second Life time!  Move forward 8 hours and you have my actual time here in the UK.  I would have had to be awake from 2 am until 8am in order to be a part of the party. I'm sorry to say that although I'm a devoted fan of the Ambrosia Entertainment Group, I am not that devoted that I will stay up all night - especially when I have to be at work only a few hours later.

That said, if I had been able to attend, this would have been my effort.  Perhaps some of the greatest geeks and nerd must be the fans of science fictions shows like Star Trek and Doctor Who.  I have followed the show since the 1960s and I can name all 12 "Doctors" - including the new one, Peter Capaldi! And this is without reminders. With this in mind, I am wearing a Tee-shirt produced by IMP TAIL. This is the same creator of the grinning Cheshire Cat tee-shirt I reviewed recently.  On this tee-shirt, the 10th "Doctor" (David Tennant) is portrayed as the Ten of Hearts. Only one other Doctor (Matt Smith) is available in the range at present. The shirt retails at L$50.

To add to the look is a pair of spectacles.  Now this is a really amazing buy! Produced by Mad Mesh, these glasses cost just L$9!!!!  A bargain, especially when you get a varied selection of colours.

Talking of "geeks" and "nerds", there is a huge "Geekfest" (thats what the people who attend call it unofficially) held twice a year at the Telford International Centre, Shropshire, UK.  The most recent event "Insomnia 49" was held just over a week ago.

Tee-Shirt : https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/IMP-TAIL-Doctor-10-Female-Mesh-Tee/4416042

Spectacles : https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Mesh-Nerd-Glasses-in-several-colors-plain-checkered/3301853

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

CARNIVAL TIME!

Well...not really!  Although we here in the United Kingdom have just held our own version of Carnival at Notting Hill, in west London.  Notting Hill Carnival has been held every August Bank Holiday weekend since 1966, although its roots go back much further.  Unlike the Rio de Janeiro Carnival, Notting Hill is very much a Carribean event as much of the community are from the West Indies. As such rhythms such as soca, reggae and calypso are very much in evidence. In recent years, Notting Hill Carnival has embraced other cultures and demonstrates the colourful multi-diversity of modern British culture.  Today, Notting Hill is the second largest carnival in the world - the largest being Rio!

To honour Notting Hill I am wearing this peacock outfit from 

Doreeses Pieces Costume & Pajama Shoppe (Formerly Be Baggy World). Mesh wouldn't work well with this outfit, so when applying the items you have to add them individually.  The shoes come with an alpha, although unlike shoes from N-Core, etc these do not come with a skin-match HUD. A realistic carnival-style dance animation comes with the outfit.  The feathers look amazing and move beautifully when you move. If I had a video recording I would show you how well it moves.

The outfit comes with its own shape, but as you can see from this photograph it works fine with my own avatar skin and shape. At L$399 I believe that it is a fair price to pay for such a nice item - especially for the work involved.

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/MARDI-GRAS-SHOW-GIRL-PEACOCK-FEATHERS-COMPLETE-OUTFIT-FROM-HEAD-TO-TOE-HAND-FANS-DANCE-ANIMATION-FUN-ACCESSORIES/1904768

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

WE'RE ALL MAD HERE!

Those who know me well in Second Life know that I like to dress with a strong accent on being glamorous. To see me dressed down is quite rare. And even here I am struggling to stop myself from "glamming up".

This look is inspired by a video that Rainie had posted in Facebook about some dance exercise called "Twerking". In the video, the girl was wearing leopard-print leggings with flat-soled calf length boots. She was wearing a black tee-shirt. 

For this look I am wearing snake-pattern leggings produced by FANATIK (retailing at L$290).  Because of the leggings, I was unable to get any calf-length boots to work as the snake-pattern on the leggings seemed to show through, no matter how I tried. So, I went to Lapointe & Bastchild and found a pack of their "Elise" design boots which came in both ankle and calf lengths.  I am wearing the ankle boots in the photograph. This boot pack retails at L$699.

However, the real bargain here is the T-shirt.  The grinning cat motif "We Are All Mad Here" was just L$1.  Yes...  One Linden!!!

T-shirt : https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/GIFT-IMP-TAIL-We-are-all-Mad-here-Female-Tee/4416054

Snake Leggings : https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/FANATIK-Printed-leggings-Snake-Rigged-mesh-pants-XXSXSSML/4652846

Ankle Boots : https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Special-Edition-LB-Footwear-Elise-Womens-Boots-in-Patent-Black-Leather-with-Ankle-and-Knee-Boots-w-EZ-Fit-Plus/2538073

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

THE LONDON LOOK!

London has become one of the most vibrant cities in the world, embracing people and cultures from all over the globe. Each August, the chiefly West Indian community hold the Notting Hill Carnival, which although not quite as spectacular as Rio de Janeiro is most certainly the biggest street carnival in Europe

London has always been known as a leader in style and music.  It's greatest period was in the 1960s, during the era of The Beatles, The Who, The Kinks, the Rolling Stones and names like Carnaby Street have passed into folklore.

I have attempted to search for good retro clothing which are evocative of the 1960s and 1970s in Second Life.  There are a number of Second Life designers which do create retro clothes, but unfortunately the quality of the items are not so good.  Perhaps some mesh designer might like to take up the mantle and make QUALITY retro stuff?

So, what of the "London Look?"  London Fashion Week takes place twice a year and parades the best in contemporary and conceptional fashion. The London Fashion Week takes place in February and September with the next between September 13th to the 17th 2013.

The black jumpsuit is part of the "London" range created by !Rebel Hope and retails at L$450.  It might seem quite expensive, but I feel the quality shines through.

The ruby sequined mini-dress is from House of London and is part of their "Liv" range. Retailing at L$300, the dress comes in several vibrant colours. I have worn this dress on several occasions and love how well it suits my figure.  The photo does show some minor degradation on the hemline, but this is most probably associated with the pose.

Jumpsuit : https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Rebel-Hope-London-Mesh-Jumpsuit-Black/4383505

Dress : https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/PO-Liv-Sequin-Dress-ruby/3972493

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

"MRS PEEL? WE'RE NEEDED!"

For most British people of a certain age the title "The Avengers" does not recall thoughts a series of comic book superheroes out of a Marvel comic, but a 1960s TV series. It was a rather tongue-in-cheek espionage programme with elements of comedy and fantasy sci-fi.  "The Avengers" first screened in 1961 and ended in 1969. Some 7 years after the original series had ended "The New Avengers" was screened on British TV, but this was cancelled after just 2 series.

For many who remember "The Avengers" there were two central characters.  John Steed (a dapper English gentleman) and Mrs Emma Peel - his sexy and feisty sidekick (played by Diana Rigg).  Mrs Peel was the third female sidekick of Steed's, but perhaps is the best remembered.  Her trademark outfits were usually catsuits - often made of leather, although she occasionally wore dresses.

The show was ground-breaking in it's day for the sexual tension between the two central characters, although this never went beyond flirting and sexual innuendo.  This is perhaps the main reason why The Avengers was so popular.  Sexual suggestion is more exciting than "in your face!" sex.

Trying to find a typical 1960s style catsuit in Second Life (and in mesh) is quite difficult. Perhaps the nicest catsuit in SL are made by 2Chez.  The one I am wearing is known as "Calaveras de Azucar " (which I am led to understand means "Skulls of Sugar").  I really like this catsuit as it looks sexy but not slutty!

CatSuit : https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/2Chez-Calaveras-de-Azucar-Catsuit-Red-White-Black-Rigged-Mesh-in-5-Sizes/3994912

Video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKKeVtWDEPw

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

"READY WHEN YOU ARE!"

The Return of

MIX & MATCH GIRL!

I am a great lover of coordinating clothing that wasn't made to go together, but looks GOOD together!  In the real world this ability is quite easy, but in Second Life, not so easy.

The trick is trying to get one item's mesh to work with another.  This is really difficult and many designers can't even get their own range of clothes to work together unless it has been formed as a fixed item. Being a lover of mesh I had to take another route, but it was a route I have used many times before - even in pre-mesh days.

In this outfit I have decided to mix mesh with sculpted items.  I have done this before, but only with minor items such as hosiery and strappy tops. In this case used a couple of sculpted items from one of my old stalwarts at Lapointe & Bastchild.  Although they do make mesh clothing, I have found that many of their non-mesh items look amazing!  The jacket you may have seen before as I used in one of my coordinating outfits in white. The jacket comes in 3 sculpted sections (each adjustable). The boots are also from Lapointe & Bastchild and are also detailed as sculpted. However, adding the boots to your avatar through your Inventory look identical to adding regular shoes.  I love these boots!  They don't look too weird and impractical to wear.

The pants are mesh and come from one of my other favourite stores - Maitreya. Finally, I needed something to wear under the jacket and I found this black top by Villena worked well.  It is also mesh, but it fitted beneath the jacket with the minimum of fuss. The top is detailed with a small embellishment on the collar which lifts it from just being any old top!

All in all I believe this combination has worked well, but I would welcome your opinion.

Jacket: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/WOMENS-Sculpted-Jacket-Cropped-in-White-leather-with-EZ-Fit-Plus/2232246

Top: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/villena-Pointed-Collar-Top-Black/4537955

Pants: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Maitreya-Leather-Skinny-Pants-Black/4455942

Boots: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/LB-Footwear-Elise-Womens-Knee-Boots-in-Black-Leather-w-EZ-Fit-Plus/2530353

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN

Some months ago, I saw "Under The Tuscan Sun" on television. This 2003 romantic-comedy starred Diane Lane as Frances - a recently divorced woman who gets offered to go on a vacation to Italy by a lesbian friend. The only drawback is that although Frances is "straight", the vacation is a grey tour.  During the tour she spots a villa and by a series of circumstances becomes it's new owner.

Soon after her arrival in Tuscany, Frances meets and befriends a glamorous and eccentric Englishwoman, Katherine. Katherine (potrayed by Lindsay Duncan) offers Frances various bits of advice. She hires a local builder to renovate the villa with his Polish workers.

However, life still seems to be in a rut, so she decides to go away for a while and visit Rome. During her time there, she is charmed by a seemingly genuine Italian, Marcello. They have a brief affair, but due to a series of awkward circumstances their relationship becomes strained. Because she misses Marcello so much she dons a pure white dress at travels to his home town. Although she finds Marcello, she soon discovers that he has been with someone else.  Returning to the villa, Frances eventually finds happiness with those around her.

The white dress pictured here is by coldLogic and for me personally is inspired by Frances' white dress in the movie. In actual fact the dress isn't totally white, but has a pale flower pattern on a cream material. It is the closest I could find in a mesh style.  Also, it is in halter-neck style whereas in the movie is is a full blouse-style top. 

Dress: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/coldLogic-dress-reynolds-june/4669385

Movie (full): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZedrtgCans

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

Liv-Glam

 Glancing through a friends fashion blog recently I was reminded of Liv-Glam - a fashion house that I had until now had forgotten about.

Liv-Glam have an impressive selection of dresses, with the majority of them being mesh.  SamanthaSJones has a wonderful imagination and a number of the outfits can be combined with others in the range. For instance, the dress and jacket () features the Anikin dress and the jacket from the Bregazzi outfit.  Combined, the look is perfect for the office.  With power-dressing like this, the office juniors are going to be falling at your feet. 

The outfit with the Tiger print skirt is called "Something Stupid".  I really like this dress, partly because of the length (I prefer longer dresses), but also because the halter top can be interchangeable through a HUD. Great for parties!

Below is one of a series of halter-neck dresses.  This one(Valencia) makes a wonderful autumnal party dress with its mixture of autumn colours. 

All the outfits featured here feature a HUD. When you buy any Liv-Glam item which states on Marketplace that it has a HUD, you will initially receive a single file in the "Received Items" of your Inventory. WEAR (not ADD) the HUD.  You will see the HUD on your screen.  You can then select the configuration that you wish then select the outfit that you desire. Once done, you will only receive the further files you require (alpha and clothing size). That way you avoid cluttering your Inventory with files you do not require.

This is just a small selection. Take a look at Liv-Glam and see for yourself the amazing range of outfits

Something Stupid (top left): https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/LG-Boutique-Summer-13-Somthing-Stupid-Hud-1/5217960

Anikin Dress (top right): https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/LIV-GlamWINTER-2012-Anikin-Bodycon-Dress-Hud/4531869

Bregazzi Jacket (top right): https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/LG-Boutique-Summer-13-BREGAZZI-Outfit-6-Hud/5054547

Valencia Minidress (bottom): https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/LIV-GlamSpring-2013Valencia-Beaded-Mini-Dress-II-HUD/4577110

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

M.A.G.NIFICENT DRESSES

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/MAG-Mesh-Dress-Rainbow-Zebra/3988974

Those of you who have seen me at various functions - particularly at Ambrosia Entertainment Group venues - will probably have noted the various dresses I have worn. Some of them are featured here. The most recent dress you may have seen  is the Zebra print dress (above).

All the dresses are made to a common design, but come in a variety of patterns and colours. Dekin Sahara at M.A.G. seems to have a liking for ethnic and street designs and the M.A.G. store is well worth a look - and not just for dresses!

Anyway, I won;t bore you with a lot of blurb about the dresses.  I will let them speak for themselves! The dresses retail at just L$100 each.

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/MAG-Mesh-Dress-Sequin-Glam-Gold/4355622

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/MAG-Mesh-Dress-Sequin-Night-Party/4354313

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/MAG-Party-Dress-Sequin-ZigZag/4354289

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/MAG-Mesh-Dress-White-Lace/3988938

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/MAG-Mesh-Dress-British-Flag/3988903

                         https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/MAG-Mesh-Dress-Channel/4355667

                   https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/MAG-Party-Dress-Sequin-Nude/4354292

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

WANT YOUR OWN PHOTO STUDIO?

(But Can't Be Bothered To Mess About?)

There are several types of photographic studios available in Second Life, but most of them need time and patience to set them up and use them. Many of us prefer to get them straight of the box and get them working straight away rather than go through the tedious job of looking through the instructions. Come on.  Admit it!  We have all done it at some time or other!

Some weeks ago I reviewed the CTS Wardrobe. Although I was not too impressed with the Wardrobe itself, I was impressed with the HUD that came with it.

The primary reason for the HUD is to enable you to don your outfits and through the HUD take photographs to store in the Wardrobe itself. However, the wardrobe only works with certain viewers - mainly the Phoenix Firestorm viewer.  The HUD does come with a number of additional operations.

Firstly, you can rez a pose stand through the HUD. Once done you can easily bring up the installed studio (main photograph).  There are a number of alternative scenes that you can easily select - as I have in these photographs.  The backdrops are somewhat out of proportion to what could be considered to be correct, but this is the case of the majority of the photo studios on the Marketplace. You can add your own backdrops easily by inserting your desired texture into the contents tab on the standard editing system (right-click on the HUD - Edit - Contents tab ).  

The HUD does come with a number of poses, although you can select "No Poses" and use your own. In the case of the smaller photograpgh, I was using one of the poses I bought from MyAnimation (at L$60 each). 

There is a camera tool within the HUD to enable you to save the outfit for the Wardrobe, but I prefer to use the regular tools on my viewer for things like taking photographs and moving items about to get the right poses and angle. The only thing missing from this package is the ability to adjust the lighting of your pose. Also it has to be said that this is a personal studio and is not intended to be used as a professional "photographer and client" set up. However, as a simple system it is ideal. It is just a pity that to get it, you have to buy the CTS Wardrobe - which retails at L$699!

For my review of the wardrobe go to http://meljohaughton.blogspot.com/2013/08/carlyle-theas-solutions-wardrobe.html

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

THE COLOURS OF AUTUMN

The nights are beginning to draw in, and soon evenings out in the back yard or by the beach will become a memory as we look to spending our nights out dressing up for the theatre, the romantic meals out, etc.  Although Mother Nature may be shedding off her Summer glory and getting into something more autumnal, it does not mean that the Autumn colours are depressing and drab.

Once again, Shannon Byron at !Soul Fashions steps up to the plate with this offering.  Shannon has incorporated all the colours of Autumn in this lovely gown.  The gown is up to her usual high standards.  There is absolutely nothing at all that I can say negative about this item. 

The gown comes complete with a Tango's applier, so if you love to show off your boobs, you can do so with this item!  Whilst on the subject of breasts, I love the detail on the gown where the bustline gathers together in the centre. This really enhances your cleavage, whether you use "Lolas" or not.

All in all, this is a beautiful gown and in common with much of !Soul Fashion's output is very good value at just L$60!

Gown: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Soul-Mesh-Gown-Dress-Lolas-Tango-Lush-Shiny-Abstract/4644521

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

ENJOY SUMMER - WHILST IT LASTS

There are only a few more weeks of Summer left before Autumn returns with its reminder of the chilly nights to come. At least that will be the case here in my own country. So, why not make the most of the remaining few days?

Once again, I return to !Soul with this colourful dress. Its styling is pretty much like a smock dress similar to something you could wear whilst on vacation - perhaps poolside or out dancing at the nightspots. There are several dresses in this range.  Each dress has a coordinating pair of sandal shoes.

Whilst I love the dress itself, I am slightly disappointed in the shoes. This is only a personal preference. You may love them!  However, in common with most of Shannon Byron's output at !Soul the outfit retails at the amazing price of L$60!  The already excellent price is even better when you consider that for that price you get a mesh dress, shoes - and a skin match HUD for the shoes.

!Soul Summer Dress: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Soul-Summer-Mesh-Dress-Mesh-Sandals-Sunshine/4885202

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

SOMETHING FOR NOTHING?

We all love to have something for nothing, and I came across this little beauty whilst scouring SL Marketplace. And it's FREE!

I have made it no secret that I love Shannon Byron's work at !Soul, and this sweet black dress is no exception.  The dress is only available through "Marketplace" and also comes with Tangos Appliers for those of you with boob enhancements.  It is a mesh dress so fitting should pose little problem.

Included in the package in information regarding a fashion contest.  This is open until September 7th 2013 and to enter you must register with !Soul and be wearing !Soul products in any photographs you submit. You must also provide an inventory of your clothing used in the photograph. The Top Prize in the competion is L$5000!

Dress: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/SoulMesh-MP-Gift-IW-Info-Gift-5000L-Info-Photo-Contest/5171923

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

Ooh La La!

A girl likes to feel nice when dressing up and her lingerie is no exception! However, the standard of Second Life lingerie is quite variable in style and quality.  Most non-mesh underwear looks fine, but in many cases looks painted on.  As those of us who wear mesh already know, mesh clothing has the look as if you are actually wearing it.  And this lingerie set is no exception.

Created by Olivia Yokosuka, this item looks very glamorous and sexy.  I prefer my underwear to look like this rather than some of the rather tarty items that seem to be so abundant on Second Life.  At present this item is only available in 3 colours - black, red and vine (deep red).

You may have to edit your shape a touch to get the lingerie to fit perfectly. I had to increase my breat size a touch to "fill" the bra cups. For the panties, I just wore the larger size (I normally wear medium sizes). The stocking I am wearing here are a set of non-mesh I have had for a long time.  This item comes with its own hosiery (which appear to be non-mesh). A word of warning when buying mesh lingerie!  Check that the stockings in whichever underwear you decide to buy is either mesh or non-mesh.  If they are mesh stockings and full (not footless), then you may face issues with any shoes you may wish to wear.

Come on, girls!  We deserve to look gorgeous! And right now, this item is on a PROMO price of L$79!

Lingerie Set: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/PROMO-Olivias-Lace-lingerie-set-black/4549816

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

Can Someone Turn Those Lights Out?

How often have you heard this is in a dance venue - or wherever else - and someone walks in with a hugely bright facelight?  Someone is almost sure to complain about this, until the culprit (or victim) eventually turns off their facelight.

Let's face it, for us ladies "natural" Second Life isn't exactly flattering. It tends to leave our faces looking dull and lacking complexion. So, many of us have had to seek facelights.

My own avatar ( LAQ "Nellie") comes with its own facelight.  You would think that being optimized for the LAQ skin that it would compliment it. But, my avatar's skin is supposed to be tanned, yet the LAQ facelight seems to overpower the tan.

After an extensive search I eventually found the Damage Invisible Illuminator.  Unlike most other facelights which illuminate from the outside, this one illuminates from within. Installing and operating the illuminator is very simple and for most people even the default setting is perfect.

Take a look at the two photographs of me in a bikini.  The right is with the LAQ facelight.  The one on the left is with the Damage Invisible Illuminator.  My tan looks more normal with the Damage Illuminator, but that is my opinion. I would love to hear yours!

Also note the sky colours.  With the LAQ facelight, the blue sky is almost flooded by light causing it to look a blue-grey colour. However, with the Illuminator the sky is a healthy blue.

The Damage Invisible Illuminator retails in SL Marketplace for L$499.

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Damage-Invisible-Illuminator-face-light/3275383

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

!SOUL - Mesh Tube Gown -Sequins

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/SoulNanny-Mesh-Tube-Gown-LolasHud-TexChangeHud-Sequins/5132434

Those of you who follow my fashion blogs already are aware of my liking from Shannon Byron's creations at !Soul fashions. Shannon's gowns and dresses allow you to look amazing at an even more amazing price. Most of her dresses and gowns are just L$60 each!

I reviewed one of her gowns previously, and there isn't much more I can say about this one. This gown is one of a series to this design.  A check of her catalogue on SL Marketplace will show the varied patterns in which this dress comes in. 

This beautifully patterned gown has something of a Cleopatra look about it, so when it came to accessorizing it, my thoughts went to her asp. I said ASP!!!  (LOL)  "Angelas Bijoux" has a nice series of sensual items of jewellery including the serpent (left).  Available in both gold and silver, a matching arm bracelet is available. The jewellery is re-sizable, so can be adjusted to fit.  Neither the necklace nor the arm bracelet "bling", but the eyes of the serpent do blink with a blue light.  This can be turned off. My only criticism with the jewellery is the faux sheen which is obviously instead of a proper bling. However, "bling" can be a bit script-hungry, so perhaps it is a compromise.

Necklace:https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Angelas-Bijoux-Silver-snake-necklace-silver-and-sapphire-gemstone-serpent-necklace/970913   

Arm Bracelet:https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Angelas-Bijoux-Silver-bracelet-silver-snake-form-with-gemstone-serpent/970873

At L$399 each item, the Serpent jewellery is in my opinion a touch over-priced, particularly as you can buy rather more elaborate items from other vendors in packages for only a couple of hundred L$s more.

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

FUN & FANTASTIC VALUE

I suppose in the days when mesh clothing was in its infancy we were all concerned at how much this new mesh clothing was going to cost us. Now, some years down the line our fears have been allayed. Mesh has become more of an advantage rather than a problem.

One such advantage has been the versatility of mesh with regard to clothing.  Today, we can buy one item and are able to tailor it to our own desires.  Also, many mesh items come in packages. Such is this dress by Giselle Grizot at 2Chez This package comes with 8 colour options, so essentially 8 dresses in one package. The colour scheme pictured is one called "Carnival".  The dress is priced at a great value L$149!

I only have one issue with the dress.  The rear of the dress does look a touch uneven.  Perhaps it is the design or perhaps it might be my ass causing the dress to left a touch at the rear.  All things said, the dress is a fun item!

Dress: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/2Chez-Ninon-Wrap-Dress-8-Colors-Rigged-Mesh/4712360?page=1

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

The Further Adventures of

MIX 'N' MATCH GIRL!

    I really seem to be on a roll with the "White period" I am going through at the present.  After pairing the :(F.A.D ): corset with the leather pants at first and then the mini-skirt later, I thought I'd try something a touch longer.

Once again, I visited FANATIK and found a white leather pencil skirt. Retailing at L$295 it also works very well with the corset.  Whereas the mini is sexy and sassy, the pencil skirt looks sexy yet classy.  Then I hit on another idea.  A jacket?  Where could I find a matching white leather jacket?  Look no further than Lapointe & Bastchild!  I have long been a fan of                                                theirs.  

Now, I am a great fan of mesh, but it does often has its limitations. This is particularly an issue when trying to attach a mesh coat or jacket on top of a mesh blouse or similar.  So, it pays to step out of the mesh box and go non-mesh.   The L & B jacket can be applied gradually and looks good with the rest of the outfit

     Corset: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/FAD-Halyna-Strapped-Corset-White/5177374
    Pencil Skirt: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/FANATIK-Pencil-skirt-leather-white/3630510
   Jacket: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/WOMENS-Sculpted-Jacket-Cropped-in-White-leather-with-EZ-Fit-Plus/2232246

                                         Mini Skirt: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/FANATIK-Mini-skirt-leather-n white-Rigged-mesh-XXSXSSML/3837578

Leather Pants: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/2Chez-Side-Laced-Leather-Pants-in-White-with-Turquoise-Crop-Tops/3158654

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

Mix & Match II

I had a lot of positive feedback about my first "mix & match" outfit of the leather corset top and the leather pants, so I thought I'd attempt something similar with a skirt.  This was more difficult than I had hoped, but I eventually discovered this amazing white leather mini-skirt from Fanatik (https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/FANATIK-Mini-skirt-leather-white-Rigged-mesh-XXSXSSML/3837578 ).  At L$295 the skirt is not particularly cheap, but the quality does show. 

The skirt is high-waisted, which suits the fitting of the corset very well.  My avatar uses the LAQ "Nellie" shape with Mocha "tan" skin.  The white of the outfit does show off the tan very well.

For those interested in the corset details, this item can be found at https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/FAD-Halyna-Strapped-Corset-White/5177374

* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx

MyAnimation Model Poses

Just over a week ago I reviewed the Ultimate Dance HUD and remarked upon the ease of its use.  Not only is the HUD useful for dances, but for many other animations or poses - such as those featured at MyAnimation.

Whilst MyAnimation has its own HUDs, etc which would be optomized to take their own dances, etc the Ultimate HUD works equally well - and is much easier to operate!  As I said in the previous review, just place the Ultimate HUD on the floor and drag the animations to the HUD and "Ta-dah!" that the job done! No web setting up at all!

At MyAnimation, you can select over 100 different static poses. Most are typical fashion poses, but there are a number of "glamour" poses.  So whether you want to do fashion or erotic photography then you should be well catered for.  The wonderful thing about these animations are that you can try before you buy - and there are no pose balls to worry about. So, if you are taking your photos in a location which does not permit poseballs they you will have no issues. Whilst the poses come in packs, you are able to select and buy your favourite poses for just L$60 each! There are also Couples poses, but they use poseballs.

Nearby to the static poses are a number of "Catwalk" animations.  These show fairly typical fashion show moves.  However, unlike dance animations they only run for a brief time and do not loop (repeat). You might find that your own animation overide might work just as well. These retail at L$100 each.

Both the Catwalk animations and the model poses work equally well with the Ultimate Dance HUD


* Please note that all posts are unbiased opinions and that I receive no sponsorship from any source whatsoever!  Mel xx