OH MY LAUD!

A few weeks ago Charlize Crumb posted in Facebook about the imminent arrival of a new style of ankleboot from Maitreya.  Well... they have arrived!

Priced at L$750 the boots are pretty well the typical price for good quality Second Life footwear.  In the package you get your standard package (alpha, footshaper , shoes and HUD), but also included is a SLink set.  Obviously you have to wear your SLink "High" feet in this case.  With Maitreya now selling a dual format package, could we now see others such as N-Core, Bootgasm, etc doing likewise.  After all, various SL clothing vendors now retail dresses, gowns and other items with options to wear with Lola breasts and Phat Azz bottoms and other similar avatar enhancement.  Why not shoes and boots.

My verdict?  I'm not totally blown away by them.  They look nice enough, and the detailing is excellent. There is virtually no difference in appearance between the standard boot and the SLink option.  That is my main reason for not being impressed.  A look at many other SLink shoes will show impressive build quality.  The "Laud" doesn't quite cut the mustard in comparison.

But... this is purely my personal opinion. You may disagree...

DETAILS

Boots: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Maitreya-Gold-Black-Laud-Boots/5965963

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

THE PERFECT DRESS!

Success!  This is the dress I have been looking for! At last, I find a designer who has the guts to attempt to create a mesh dress in white.  One of the biggest challenges with dresses such as this is recreating movement without making the dress look stained.  Th last time I bought an all-white dress similar to this was from Gizza - prior to the advent of mesh.  That dress didn't look too impressive.  

Sascha Frangilli has created a dress that looks glamorous indeed.  In the Marketplace "blurb" it states that this dress evokes the 1950s, but this dress deserves to be worn for any special occasion. 

I have searched for a dress to compare with the one worn by Diane Lane in the movie "Under The Tuscan Sun" You will catch a glimpse at 02:05 on the video.  Some have come near.  But this one hits the mark totally!

DETAILS:

Dress: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/SAS-Betty-White-Dress-Mesh/5901718?page=1

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

INSPIRED BY K T

Quite a few of the outfits I have made up in my Second Life inventory have been inspired on others.  Some are people that I meet in my real life - others by celebrities.  My inspiration this time has been the Scottish singer K T Tunstall - seen in this video performing "Suddenly I See".

In her video Kate is wearing a dark brown dress with purple tights. Her calf boots are also dark brown.  Topping everything off is a beige jacket.

For "Mel's Mix n Match" version I have once again had to shop around. Being the Second Life Marketplace I have had to compromise.  Finding a comfortable loose-fitting jacket is not easy in Second Life, so I have had to turn to ECLECTIC WINGTIPS "Darla" range.  Unfortunately, although this trader offers light colurs, beige is not one of them.  As I am wearing purple tights ( by CANNIBELLE), I decide to opt for a purple jacket instead. The dress is "jolie" from COLDLOGIC and is branded as being in army colour. The hipster belt comes in a number of colours. It give the impression of being a button-front dress with the top few buttons unfastened and giving a tempting flash of bosom.

The boots are from ERRATIC.  This store is now my "go to" for calf length boots.  They absolutely eclipse BOOTGASM in quality.  A close-up on these boots (patterned as "Emily") reveals the quality of construction. These boots so realistic you can almost see the leather!

DETAILS

Jacket: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/e-Darla-Blazer-Lilac/3636240

Dress: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/coldLogic-dress-jolie-army/5942593

Tights: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Cannibelle-Plain-Ribbed-Tights-FATPACK-with-SLink-appliers/5544472

Boots: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/erratic-emily-leather-boots-brown/4778504

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

A WHITER SHADE OF...ERM...

WHITE?

One of the greatest challenges in creating a co-ordinated look of the same colour in Second Life is getting the shades just right.  Pinks and Browns have so far been the most problematic for me.  One would think that White would be easier (White is White...isn't it?).  Actually, White isn't as easy as it looks. Some whites look a bit creamy, some look off-white (slightly grey).

This conundrum faced me as I put this outfit together. In true Melanie "Mix n Match" stylee I employed garments from 4 SL creators. Initially, I started with the top.  This is actually a Bunny Girl outfit from !SOUL which was great value at just L$60!  This comes as complete with bunny ears, a fluffy bunny tail and ankle boots.  However, in this case I used just the body suit.  I then wore a white leather mini skirt from FANATIK (L$295). My next purchase were the thigh-high boots from Maitreya. As these boots are not yet on SL Marketplace I had to visit the Maitreya mainstore to purchase them.

My final purchase was the leather jacket. FASHIONATIC market this jacket as Martica Female Gothic and retails at L$350. When first worn the jacket is black, but the colour can be altered by use of a HUD. One thing to point out about this jackets is that there are 2 alphas (one with corset and one without), the corset will appear by default when first worn.  However, previously mentioned HUD will allow the corset to be hidden.

Obviously so much white could be overpowering, so there are options to break all this whiteness up. The jacket details such as straps can be altered by the HUD. The top (Bunny Outfit) comes in 2 options. Option 1 is white with a black waistband. Option 2 is a white waistband.

If you are intrigued by the cat figures they are available from Surge for L$599

DETAILS

Bunny Outfit: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/SoulMeshBunnyOutfit-WhiteLolasLushPhat-AzzCute-AzzGhetto-BootyPerfect-BUM-BRAZILTopBoots-Ears-Tail-Sleeves/5870165

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

Boots: Go to Maitreya Mainstore

Jacket: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/MESH-Martica-Female-Gothic-Leather-Jacket-Rigged-HUD-Driven-DreamLife-FashionNatic/5874841

Cat Figures: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Mesh-Feline-Statues-Statuettes-Full-Permission-Land-Impact-1-AO-and-Shadow-Maps-Included/5306348

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

(Not) PASSING THE DUTCHIE!

Firstly, I apologize to the British reggae band MUSICAL YOUTH for the use of the biggest hit single "Pass The Dutchie" which was a #1 hit around the world in 1982.  They also appeared on Donna Summer's 1983 hit "Unconditional Love"  Although initially active in the 80's Musical Youth reformed in 2001 - abeit with only 2 of the original members left.

The Dutchie in this case is actually the store name for products created by Froukje Hoorenbeek. Since initially purchasing the kitchen (top photo) I have bought several other Dutchie products.

One thing that impresses me about Froukje's merchandise is that (without exception) every single item is of high quality and that animations included  are of equally high quality. 

Let's deal with the animations first.  Most SL furniture is adult-based,so come with sexual animations.  Dutchie adult animations look eerily realistic. Froukje has obviously taken great care to ensure realism.

The PG animations are also very good indeed.  One of my SL friends commented about the sink basin photograph.  In that picture I am cleaning my teeth, but she reckons that I'm being sick into the basin.  Looking at it I can understand what she means! :)  It must have been the lobster thermidorthat I cooked in the Dutchie kitchen!  LOL

However, all this quality comes at a price.  Dutchie products do not come cheap.  But, you get what you pay for. And that is quality!

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

SOAKING UP THE SUN

The sun nearly always shines in Second Life, unless of course you modify your environment.  If like me, you spend a great deal of your SL "on-line" time you may have set your home (if you have one) with an amount of beach stuff.  At my home I have a covered jetty and the picnic table as well as the towels shown in the picture.

If you read my previous blog you will recall how enthusiastic I was about the "Dutchie" furniture such as the kitchen and the washbasins. The same traders also make beach equipment.  The beach towels shown here are by Dutchie.  Once again, the animations contained with the beach towels are very good - and every one is contemporary with sunbathing.

The towels come as a pair.  Once you sit on the towel a dialogue box comes up with animations to select.  A beach bag will also materialize.

However, as with the other Dutchie produce I've reviewed, all this comes at quite a steep price.  The towels retail at a hefty LS599!

In the background - and retailing at L$580 - is a picnic table marketed by Tiki Tattoo.  A very well designed and constructed piece of furniture, the table would compliment any beach. Notice it has a roof in case you get too hot.

DETAILS

BEACH TOWELS: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Dutchie-mesh-beach-towels-pink-and-blue-with-2x18-single-animations-and-rezzing-beach-bag/3783318

PICNIC TABLE: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Tiki-Tattoo-COPY-Beach-Picnic-Table-Mesh/4929937

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

MEL'S KITCHEN!

It is often said that it you want quality, then you have to pay for it! This is very much the case with this kitchen set from "Dutchie".  The set comes in two versions - PG and Adult - retailing at a cool L$5499 and L$6999 respectively.  They are not cheap!

What you do get is the quality.  The version pictured here is the Adult one.  With the kind help of my boyfriend we were able to test out most of the animations.   Most Adult kitchen sets in SL are prominently sexually oriented.  This kitchen set indeed has its share of sex animations - and they are all very good and smooth and extremely realistic!  However, there are many more animations - and they are all excellent.  You can chat, drink, cuddle, embrace and prepare meals.  In the picture  (right) I am at the Aga stove frying some eggs.

The kitchen comes with a number of accessories many of which are interactive.  You can also buy these through Dutchie's SL Marketplace section.  You can also add other items.

Whilst at Dutchie, I was fascinated by a wash basin set (left) for my bathroom. Once again, this is very expensive - retailing at L$999!  However, as with the kitchen the animations are also amazing - although all are "PG".

Whilst Dutchie's merchandise is very expensive it has the quality to go with the high tag!

DETAILS

KITCHEN: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Dutchie-adult-interactive-mesh-kitchen-with-13-single-and-72-couple-animations-4-sequences-cooker-fridge-vegetables/5617178

WASHBASINS SET: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Dutchie-mesh-vintage-washstands-with-mirrors-glass-holders-soap-holders-and-towels/4934371

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

THINKING PINK...AGAIN!

It has been sometime since I last posted to my blog, mainly down to time pressures.  I will still post to blog occasionally, but not quite to the extent I did before.

Those who see me around Second Life will know that I try to dress with elegance and glamour.  However, in this case I decided to flirt with a look that is much younger than I would usually wear. And judging by remarks made during a recent visit to the Ambrosia Dance Club it has received broad approval.

Being a child of the late-1950s my best years were during the late 70s and the 80s. As I sometimes attend clubs like BAD I thought I'd try to get somewhere close to an 80s look.  My first thought was to find a Rara skirt - a very popular multi-layered skirt of the time. SL Marketplace was not an easy place to look, but this Gothic-style mini skirt from FashionNatic seems to fit the bill.  This skirt is layered and you can easily changed each layer's colour by means of a HUD. The skirt retails at L$350.

My next search was for a top.  I was looking for something like a blouse, but my eyes were drawn to an amazing short hoodie from <UTILIZATOR>.  This trader does not have a lot in the way of clothing, but their short hoodies do look amazing.  And at just L$100 each are good value.

My shoes are from N-Core.  My hair is Juliet from Catwa. Those who have followed my blogs may also notice a somewhat softer look to my avatar.  The shape and skin I am now using is "Pearl" from Laqroki.

DETAILS


Hoodie: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/UTILIZATOR-Short-Hoodie-Pink/3420030
Skirt: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Sygrit-Gothic-Mini-Skirt-Rigged-Mesh-HUD-Driven-DreamLife-FashionNatic/5858658

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