THE SCARLET LADY!

In William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" Tatania is Queen of the Fairies.  In Mohna Lisa Couture's "Tatania" gown you will become Queen of the Ballroom dancefloor!

I have owned a Tatania Gown for a long time.  It is a white gown with a graduated black fishtail. Originally, this gown was only available in the Mohna Lisa mainstore but it is now available in the SL Marketplace. However, for this blog I am wearing the red version. The gown has a slim strapless profile and also has something of a medieval appearance to it. Unlike some fishtails which are part of the gown and move together with it as such, this is in the form of a shimmering attachment.  This allows the gown to flow as you move - enhancing the shimmer effect.

In the above photograph you will see that I am wearing a bolero.  Fortunately, no animals are ever killed in Second Life, so in a way an SL fur is ethically sound. This is one of the Yolanda range by Maxi Gossamer.  There are two packs in the range - Natural and Fashion. Each pack contains a number of colours. The colour I am wearing is called Arctic Fox. These boleros are 100% Mesh and yet easily resizeable. 

This photograph shows the gown without bolero.  I have accessorised with Bandit jewellery.  Whilst there are much cheaper jewels available in Marketplace, Bandit have a look of class about them. The jewels I am wearing are a mixture of pearls and rubies.

This look is most certainly not cheap. The gown retails at L$699, the bolero at L$399 and the jewels L$1480!  Find out how much your boyfriend or husband REALLY loves you!  LOL

Gown: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/MLC-Tatiana-Hot-Red-by-Mohna-Lisa-Couture/5008793

Bolero: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Fur-Bolero-Yolanda-Natural-Furs/4583249

Jewelry: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Bandit-Jewelry-Akita-Pearls-Rubys-Diamonds-Set-Necklace-Earrings-Bracelet/1493441

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

PRETTY IN PINK

My search for the ultimate pink cocktail dress continues, and on the way there I have come across this sweet denim dress by Blueberry.

Retailing at L$185 this dress comes in 5 other colours.  Of a simple design, this dress could be worn almost anywhere!

If you look closely at the smaller photograph, you will see a pair of loop earrings. These are made by Bandit Jewelry. Constructed to look like platinum with pink gems, the earrings cost a whopping L$450!  However, with jewelry such as Bandit or JCNY you expect quite steep prices. As is standard "bling" can either be switched on or off.

Denim Dress: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Blueberry-Mishi-Mesh-Denim-Dress-in-Pink/4118610

Earrings: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/44-Bandit-Jewelry-New-reflective-PRINCESS-BANGLE-EARRINGS-Pink-Gems-Platinum/588812

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

THE GOLDEN GIRL!

I swear that Skye Bluestar and myself must have been separated at birth! Earlier Skye had released a blog featuring a metallic jumpsuit with a belt accessory.  Only a couple of days ago I had been trying out with this gold catsuit by Gisele Grizot at (2Chez).

I have sisited (2Chez) before and had already reviewed one of the other catsuit designs.  Gisele has a number of beautifully designed catsuits. 

To compliment the catsuit, I am wearing similarly golden shoes from the N-Core Delicious range.

Dame Shirley Bassey - Goldfinger (Remixed)

Catsuit: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/2Chez-Selima2-Gold-Rigged-Mesh-Catsuit/4013501

Shoes: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/N-core-DELICIOUS-Gold-Mesh/4627337

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

THINKING PINK

I was hunting through SL Marketplace for a hot pink mini-dress when I stumbled upon the beautiful gown by Apple May Designs.  THis is one of her "Eve" series of gowns and this one is labelled as "Hot Pink".  I certainly cannot think of a better superlative to give this gown.  It is Pink...and it's HOT!

What impresses me the most is the main part of the dress. In fact, I personally believe the dress would be better without the fishtail and sold as a cocktail dress.  In fact, I know this is possible as at least one other SL fashion creator markets dual purpose dresses with the ability to be altered between dresses and gowns.  The embroidery looks stunning and even if the gown was available as a cocktail dress would really show the outfit off.

The gown retails at L$275 and is available in 4 other colours.

Gown: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Apple-May-Designs-Eve-Gown-Hot-Pink/5147023

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

MELANIE - WORKING GIRL

It was only when I decided upon the title "Working Girl" for this page that I realized the possible comparison between my avatar and Melanie Griffith in the movie of the same name.

Trying to find decent clothes for the working girl in Second Life is not easy unless you want to go down the "slutty secretary" route.  There are many outfits which show you as the "office bike" but very few which show you off as an efficient and glamorous worker or boss. This is where Maitreya excel.

Maitreya have an excellent range of quality skirts which come in three lengths - mini, mid-length and pencil.  A visit to the mainstore will show a rack of different colours. The pattern I am wearing is called "Herringbone".  Nearby is a rack of necktie blouses - also in various colours. 

 A fairly recently addition to the Maitreya stable are the over-knee boots. These have long been a thorn in my side.  Once again, many designers tend to go for the slutty design and on occasions the build standard is not good. The Maitreya "Jazz" boots are well constructed and look classy and still retain a certain sexiness.  These are rigged mesh and come in several sizes.  Note also that the boots are built-up heels and not stiletto heels.

Finally, with the autumn days drawing near and the weather cooling off towards winter, every girl needs to keep warm.  Maitreya also have the answer for that with this cosy jacket. This also comes in various sizes and colours.  

I have long been a fan of Onyx LaShelle's work and have several of her items in my inventory

Blouse: Please visit mainstore

Skirt: Please visit mainstore

Boots: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Maitreya-Mesh-Jazz-Boots-Slate/3340263

Jacket: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Maitreya-Magan-Jacket-Wool-Burgundy/4461348

With the mini-skirt version

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

A CALCULATED GAMBLE

I used to term "Gothic" with reservations as this outfit is not what most would associate with Gothic style. This is more about the style name given to the top by the creator - :{F.A.D.}:

I got the inspiration  for this look after a recent night out (well...it was night-time here in the UK!) at Ambrosia Nightclub.  The DJ there was Venus Petrov and she was wearing a bright yellow skirt similar to the one in this photograph.  I am not sure where Venus bought hers but the skirt I am wearing is from Maitreya.  There are a number of different colours available and the skirts cost L$300.

The top is from :{F.A.D.}: and is part of their Libi Gothic range of tops. These too come in a range of different colours, although coordinating them with the Maitreya mini skirt may be a calculated gamble.  In the case of the yellow items above, they seem to work. However, I have also tried to match both items in red but sadly the skirt and top are in different hues of red.  You may also have to drop a size to make them fit snugly. I normally wear my skirts in M (Medium) size, but as the waist is naked here To enable an annoying gap appearing around the waist I have had to reduce to Small size with this item.  The top retails at L$250

Top: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/FAD-Libi-Gothic-Latex-Top-Yellow/5022612

Skirt:  https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Maitreya-Mini-Skirt-Vivid-Leather-Tarantino/4455293

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

CASUAL IN CORAL

Sometimes it is good to get out of the posh clothing and into something a bit more casual and in this particular blog I am covering a pair of skirt and top combinations. 

The top and skirt featured above are available through coldLogic. I admire the design of the tank top as the creator has taken the time to make the shoulder straps very intricate.  Both top and skirt come in a variety of colours.

Tank Top: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/coldLogic-top-ellis-coral/3335988

Skirt: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/coldlogic-skirt-coyle-plum-punch/3336011

For this outfit I had to shop at separate outlets. The top is from Erratic and is a series of "double tanks" in their range. The ruffled skirt is from Geometry and also comes in a variety of colours.

Tank Top: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/erratic-cary-double-tank-stamps-scarlett/5009079

Skirt: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Geometry-Precious-Ruffle-Skirt-Coral-rigged-mesh-in-standard-sizing/3667455

Between the two outfits, I personally prefer the coldLogic combination.

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

RED HOT LEATHER!

Those who have seen me at the various gigs in the Ambrosia Entertainment Group will have noticed that I love to wear leather. Leather can be an exciting material to work with and can look very sexy indeed.

For both these outfits featured here I have returned to two of my favourite "leather" outlets - Lapointe & Bastchild and Maitreya. As mentioned in previous blogs, the majority of L&B jackets are sculpted - as are these two featured here. The fact that these jackets are not mesh and are modifiable makes alteration to fit over mesh very easy. However, as the tops worn beneath the jackets are not mesh either, I had no problems with adding them to the outfit. The mini-skirt is mesh and is from Maitreya.

I am wearing the N-Core Delicious "Red Passion" shoes with the above outfit. I have shown a close-up (inset).  Those of you who have read my earlier blogs will remember I made mention of these recently.

In the picture below I am wearing the outfit that I call "Kitty" in my avatar outfits.  This features a similarly sculpted leather jacket with leopard-print sections, matched with a similarly patterned top. The shoes are the N-Core "Noir Intense" style in black.

Red Leather

Jacket: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/WOMENS-Sculpted-Jacket-Cropped-in-Red-leather-with-EZ-Fit-Plus/2232234
Top: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/VG-Beater-Tanktop-in-Black/1815945
Skirt: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Maitreya-Mini-Skirt-Vivid-Leather-Lust/4455295
Shoes: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/N-core-DELICIOUS-Red-Passion-Mesh/4627343

Black Kitty (below)

Jacket: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/WOMENS-Special-Edition-Sculpted-Jacket-Cropped-in-Leopard-and-Black-leather-with-EZ-Fit-Plus/2255378
Top: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/graspLoose-Style-CamiLeopard/614715
Skirt: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Maitreya-Mini-Skirt-Dark-Leather-Black/4455340
Shoes: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/N-core-ESSENCE-Noir-Intense/1751174

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

WHEN YOU'RE HOT...YOU'RE HOT!

Only the other day I posted a combination of striped dress and denim jacket as seen in the above photograph.  This was totally my own idea and came from my own inspiration to try out a few combinations.

You could have blown me over with a feather though after a visit to my local shopping centre.  There, on a bus stop advert poster was an advert for VERY.CO.UK - a British mail order company.  Pride of place on this poster was a young woman wearing a black & white striped dress with a jacket - albeit leather.  However, the similarity between my outfit and hers was amazing. Check out the video below.  It is the very first outfit

I honestly had no idea that this advert was about. Anyway, here is my "new" version of my outfit complete with a leather jacket.  As before, the dress is from the "House of London" The denim jacket is part of an outfit by Stars Aichi which I covered in a previous blog page. For the leather jacket, I returned to Lapointe & Bastchild. Unlike other L&B products I have covered, this one is Mesh and not sculpted.  Therefore standard Mesh protocol applies.  At L$599 the jacket is a tad expensive but actually comes with 4 different leather styles and also 8 different tank tops (selected by a HUD)

Dress: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/PO-Liv-Sequin-Dress-noir/3972488

Denim Jacket: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/PROMO-StarsFashion-Jezabel-beautiful-outfit/5041663 (part of)

Leather Jacket: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/WOMENS-SWear-MESH-Classic-Black-Leather-Jacket-wHUD-Rigged-Mesh-Clothing-in-6-sizes/2498829

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

SHOWING YOUR STRIPES

It is always refreshing to find clothes that don't just have to be worn for parties and nights out.  Sometimee you can find something that is equally at home in the home, the office and (Yes) on your nights out!

From Spearsong comes their "Retro" dress.  I am wearing 2 of this type of dress. There are 6 dresses in this range. The dress looks very feminine and even today in 2013 very fashionable.  Here in Britain at least, I have found that the flared skirt has been very popular, and can see this continuing for some time.

There is nothing really fiddly with this dress.  The belt is an integral part of the dress and so there is no need to adjust it.  If fact, the whole outfit is so easy to apply.

The best thing about this dress is the price. This is one outfit that does not break the bank.  This is just L$99!!!

 Red-striped Dress: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/SS-RED-BLACK-STRIPED-MESH-RETRO-DRESS/4015469

Pink-Striped Dress: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/SS-PINK-PINSTRIPE-MESH-RETRO-DRESS/4015376

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

SPARKLE ON THE DANCEFLOOR

The days (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) are getting shorter. Conversely, the nights are getting longer. But this doesn't mean that it is time to stay at home by the roaring fireplace at watch TV til the Spring returns! Not that many of us possess fireplaces in these days of central heating.

It is time to sparkle, and when better way to sparkle than in a sequin dress!  There are a number of beautiful examples in Second Life, but my personal favourites are those from House of London.  Retailing at LS300 each, the dress comes in 10 colours - available separately. As can be seen the dress comes in plain and striped versions.  Also, as can be seen from the photograph with the striped dress, the alpha is tight enough to allow you to wear a small jacket on top. The jacket here is the same denim jacket from the cream dress in my last blog.

I really like this dress and have worn several of the colours on visits to dancefloors. My only reservation is the rather chunky shoulder straps.  It seems that dress designers are either scared of straps (making their creations "strapless" - or they make them chunky!  Fortunately, this position is improving and every day more strappy dresses are appearing.

The eagle-eyed of you will probably have noticed that I am wearing hose in the photographs.  The pantyhose comes from No.9 Nylons, who stock an extensive range of hosiery - from pantyhose to stockings. Stockings come in both garter-belt and "hold-ups" No.9 Nylons also sell an amount of lingerie too.

Dress (Top): https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/PO-Liv-Sequin-Dress-onyx/3972485

Dress (Lower):https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/PO-Liv-Sequin-Dress-noir/3972488

Denim Jacket: See http://meljohaughton.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/timetocoverup.html

Nylons: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/17624

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

TIME TO COVER UP?

The nights are beginning to draw in here in dear old Britain and soon the warm balmy nights shall be just a memory. But is it time to cover up yet?

Well girls, it is always good for us to come prepared.  We don't have to put our sexy mini-dresses in storage just yet, but it pays to keep your shoulders warm.  After all, there may not be that generous guy around to lend you his jacket.

From Stars Aichi comes a complete outfit.  The main part consists of a strapless mini-dress.  I am not totally blown away by the dress itself, but the denim cropped jacket looks amazing!  Fortunately, the dress and the jacket have separate alphas, so you can use the jacket elsewhere. I have a number of other minidresses that work just as well with denim.

The outfit also comes with knee high socks, boots and tango appliers. All in all, this is quite good value at just L$99.

Outfit: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/PROMO-StarsFashion-Jezabel-beautiful-outfit/5041663?page=6

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

MEL-LOW IN YELLOW

Actually, it is only this outfit in the photograph which is yellow. What we have here is a blouse and skirt combination by Mutresse.  When you first look at this item in SL Marketplace the retail price of L$489 may seem quite steep, but when you delve deeper into the outfit you find something quite amazing.

There are 24 fabric colours contained within this outfit.  These are applied by means of the supplied HUD.  You are free to be as creative as you like with your colour selection, so what you effectively have here is not one outfit...but dozens!!  You also have the selection of wearing the blouse with or without sleeves.

Unpacking is pretty straight forward. However, you might wonder where the alphas are.  Check the folder for your outfit.  The alphas are contained within a sub-folder.

Go on!  Be creative!

Blouse & Skirt: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Mutresse-Lili-Sheer-Blouse-with-Skirt-24-Fabrics-Rigged-Mesh/5244073

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

BLACK & RED

When I dressed for Geemix's set at Ambrosia recently little did I know that Skye Bluestar was going to be wearing something very similar (below left) 

Those of you who follow my blogs will no doubt recognise the combination of my outfit. To recap, the jacket is Lapointe & Bastchild, corset is by F.A.D. and the pants are also by Lapointe & Bastchild. When you are looking for leather or PVC clothing, L & B is a great place to begin your search.  I will not bore you with details about the item, except to remind you that apart from the leather jacket everything is mesh.  The L&B jacket is sculpted and modifiable, so if you need to make any adjustments, they are simple to do. 

Skye is lovely lady and a great friend in SL.  I admire her fashion sense and hope to work with her at sometime.

Jacket: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/WOMENS-Sculpted-Jacket-Cropped-in-Claret-leather-with-EZ-Fit-Plus/2232228

Corset: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/FAD-Halyna-Strapped-Corset-Black/5177375

Pants: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/WOMENS-SWear-MESH-PVC-Pants-Ankle-Zip-Black-Rigged-Mesh-Clothing-in-X-X-S-X-S-S-S-M-M-L/3897218

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

PAINT THE TOWN RED

I have often been quite conservative in my dress sense - preferring to keep as much of my body covered.  However, browsing through SL Marketplace I stumbled across this hot little number from {Dollie*}.

Retailing at L$250, this is a lovely little outfit for the party and comes in 4 colours - red, black, brown and white. As can be seen it comes in 2 parts. The skirt is nicely hugging and has a ruffle at the rear.  The top too is ruffled but has a large bow at the back.  Both top and skirt come with their own alphas.

With so much flesh on show, it is tempting to accessorize, but I chose to use a navel piercing and a necklace.  Too much jewellery could probably detract from the simply, yet sophisticated look of the outfit. 

The shoes I have chosen here are a pair I have had for a long time. From N-Core, I feel that they coordinate well with the outfit. They are called "Red Passion" and come from N-Cores "Vintage" range.  Sadly, these shoes are no longer available through Marketplace, but a really sexy pair are available through their "Delicious" range at L$795.

Outfit : https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/dollle-Tiered-Ruffle-Outfit-Red/4781441

Shoes: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/N-core-DELICIOUS-Red-Passion-Mesh/4627343

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