Fashion

Fashion Reviews

Mix and Match with Meli

Jaz Fashion, Reviews

A long time Second Life staple is Meli Imako, a purveyor of full perm clothing items. Most often their products are used as the base for other creators to produce ensemble outfits, adding and changing textures. While that is still their strong suit, recently Meli has been including some pretty decent textures in some of the models as well, allowing them to be used as-is for those so inclined. A very good example of the latter is the Vixen dress, a wonderfully frilly confection:

Vixen is available in five mesh sizes as well as Fit Mesh for all the major mesh bodies, with the hat available separately. Note the Meli Imako does not have an in-world store so all of their products can be found on the Marketplace.

Another good outfit right out of the box is the High Seas Pirate Corset, which is equally at home as a Gothic style Lolita dress. Here is an example of the dress with one of the three included textures, the black:

To add to the atmosphere on this one, I mixed in a chiffon dress held aloft by ravens, from The Dark Swamp. The Meli corset dress is available in five Fitmesh Sizes plus fits for all major mesh bodies and three included textures. And true to the premise that Meli supplies meshes for other creators to adapt, I know that this dress is available in pre-made sets from at least two other vendors: Sn@ocks in five separate colors; and Adris King Designer in an eleven-color HUD. Both use the same basic pattern that comes with the texture set with a few modifications.

Now just because other vendors mod these items doesn’t mean you can’t as well. Here is the same dress with colors I changed using Photoshop and uploading the texture back into Second Life, this time on the happy side of the Disney aisle as Snow White. I added some mesh bows, one for the front and one in my hair, and found nice boots and stockings to go with.

And finally, to show that sometimes just a little bit of modification can give you just what you are looking for, here is the Women’s Cravat Blouse and Corset skirt. I wanted a librarian sort of outfit but one with a little sexy appeal; so I was able to adjust the transparency on the top and add a lacy bra underneath. The outfit is available in five mesh model sizes (not Fit Mesh).

Ready to do a little custom modifications, my sweet friends? Cheers!

Take a chance on Lady Penelope

Aeon Events, Fashion, Reviews, Sponsored

Aloha, all!  Let’s take a look at a gorgeous little treasure that Solas and Bee at Silvan Moon Designs have created for the Fantasy Gacha Carnival!  This is Lady Penelope, available for Maitreya and SLink Physique bodies in seven different lovely light shades.

I finally got this lovely necklace and earring set from Empyrean Forge.  I’ve been gazing at Springleaf for several months, every time I’d stop by We Love Role Play… and finally Jaz got downright tired of me waivering over it.  it’s a large piece — larger than I usually wear, but it’s perfect for a strapless gown like Lady Penelope.  The pieces come with HUDs that allow eight different texture choices for the leaves, eight jewel choices, and two metal choices!  It’s perfect for that elegant organic touch.

Oh, yes, and I splurged a while back on a membership to Truth Hair.  Their group gift (sent right out through the group messaging system!) for the month of August is Yuko, a lovely long straight hair with a host of styling options.  While I definitely don’t look like me with straight hair, Truth’s hair is top-notch and I’m terribly impressed with the styling HUD.  It’s a lot of fun to play with!

As usual, Solas’ mesh and Bee’s texturing just can’t be beat.  I love the diaphanous sleeves and bodice on Lady Penelope.  Stop on by the Fantasy Gacha Carnival and take a look for yourself!

Mahalo!  A hui hou!

A Bit of Boho

Jaz Fashion, Reviews

It’s still summer, still time to be a bit Bohemian and casual… and here are three outfits designed to do just that.

For a light and casual feel one can try out the Rhapsody top and skirt combo available from ArisArisB&W, which comes in six colors of pretty floral patterns with a HUD. The top features cute tassel trim along the hem of the top. Fits are provided for all major mesh bodies.

  • Top and Skirt: Rhapsody by ArisArisB&W
  • Jewerlry: Leah earrings and Georgia armlets by AvaWay; Peace Love and Harmony Bracelets by Earthstones
  • Hair: Hadeya and Lamar by Catwa
  • Pose: The Elena Series – Two by an lar

For a little darker, somewhat rich velvety look, good choices are items from Oubliette, including the Burnout Velvet Kimono top and Brujah Maxi skirt.

The top is available in five individual colors and includes an optional shirt in six colors. The skirt is available in six individual colors. There are also fat packs for both pieces, and fits for all the major mesh bodies are included.

Mixing and matching things is always something I love to do, and here is a fun example of that. The main parts of the ensemble are from the Arwen gacha set from Giz Seorn, available at the current Epiphany event. It consists of a lovely blouse, a bikini bottom (each available in thirteen colors, plus three rare colors for the top), and a gypsy belt and a gypsy necklace, each available in three colors. The outfit is Maitreya only, and while the components are available on Marketplace from resellers, those rare tops with the pretty patterns run some hefty Lindens. So if you are fond of gachas you may want to run over to Epiphany while you can and try your luck! I matched the Arwen set with flexi skirts from Caverna Obscura’s Starlight outfit, which while quite beautiful as it’s own outfit, made the perfect compliment to the Arwen gypsy look.

  • Top, Bikini, Belt, and Necklace: Arwen by Giz Seorn (gacha item at Epiphany)
  • Skirt: Starlight – Midnight by Caverna Obscura
  • Jewelry: Gypsy necklace and earrings by Earthstones; Boho ring collection by *KATE*
  • Hair: Haku by Argrace
  • Pose: shepherdess 3 by Axix

Come light a little incense with me, and I shall tell your fortune from the cards, my sweet friends! Cheers!

Leader of the Band

Jaz Fashion, Reviews

Well, I have been told I beat to the sound of my own drum…

Today let me show you some cute fantasy outfits with wonderful detailing. Often it is those mesh details that really sell an outfit and make it unique. First up is a great little uniform outfit from Cureless called Rose Duelist, which gives new meaning to the term hourglass figure. In addition to its cute shape, it includes nifty pauldrons with looped cords and a HUD with seven colors for the jacket and separate color options for the collar frill, jacket borders, pocket, underskirt, lapel rose, jewels, cuff base, cuff frills, cuff borders, pauldron jewels, pauldron braids, and the included shorts. Goodness that is a lot of options!

I’ve paired the outfit with a highly detailed pair of boots from C & S called Rubby, which come with a 40-color HUD, along with five metal options. The laces can also be in any of the 40 colors. The boots can be worn as thigh-high as shown here, or the top portion can be removed for a mid-calf look. (I should note that the mesh for this boot is not exclusive to C&S; if you are particularly interested in black, I found a pair of the same boots from Ghee, with a more limited HUD of six colors but a much richer looking leather texture to them.)

  • Outfit: Rose Duelist Uniform by Cureless
  • Boots: Rubby Boots by C&S
  • Hair: Haku by Argrace
  • Pose: The Bella Series – Three by an lar

When it comes to detailing, one of the absolute best is Zenith, who have created a spectacular steampunk ensemble in eight colors. The leggings with the belt-purse are available from their main store; the corset top was a recent event release at We Love Role Play and is not yet in the store but hopefully soon! The perfect matching boots for this outfit were my favorite Xulia’s from FashionNatic.

  • Outfit: Steampunk Corset Armor and Steampunk Waist Pack with Leggings by Zenith
  • Gloves: Criminal Police by Zenith (a gacha item)
  • Boots: Xulia Boots by FashionNatic
  • Hair: Haku by Argrace
  • Jewelry: Ladies Key by Earthstones
  • Pose: Candy Pose 1 by K&S

This last outfit is another extremely versatile dress, which was released by Eliavah for an event and has not yet made it into her in-world or Marketplace stores but is worth waiting for when she does. Everbloom is a sweet corset-style dress  with two HUDs having 33 colors plus 8 metallic shades, with separate color sections for the shirt, corset, skirt top, skirt bottom, and ribbons. I’ve matched it with the Candy Lolita Boots from Candy Kitten which comes in twelve colors via a HUD with separate color sections for the boots, bows, laces, socks, and garters.

Let’s go marching together, my sweet friends! Cheers!

Sanctuary’s Promise

Aeon Fashion, LotD, Reviews, Sponsored

Let me take a few minutes out of a bit of a holiday here to share a lovely gown and jacket combo with you.  Solas and Bee at Silvan Moon Designs have a lovely new release in the store for you, The Promise of Sanctuary in six gorgeous jewel-tone colours!  

The detail work, both Solas’ mesh and Bee’s texture, is really quite amazing.

Stop by Silvan Moon Designs and find a bit of Sanctuary.  Have a wonderful happy day, my friends!  Mahalo!  A hui hou!

On a Wing and a Fae

Jaz Fashion, Reviews

Let’s have a little fun this time around and I will show you how I really look in Second Life. Yes, I am by nature a faerie and most at home wearing my wings. In fact, this first outfit I will show you is what got me into SL. In RL I do 3D artwork, and one day I saw a promo ad for the beautiful Moonlight Melody outfit by Caverna Obscura. My first thought was “Wow, that is as good as the 3D models I am using! I need to go look at that.” I signed up for Second Life, and it was the first outfit I bought… and here I am six years later. 🙂

Now unlike some of my ‘normal’ clothes ensembles, with my fantasy and faerie outfits I tend to mix and match a lot of things… sometimes even maxing out my attachments… but this is more about sharing the faerie look than the parts and pieces.

So let’s start with said Moonlight Melody outfit, which is still my all time favorite. All of these shots were taken in my private garden, and no surprise it was rather designed with faeries in mind. 🙂

When I am feeling really one with my garden I tend to start sprouting flowers. 🙂 In fact this outfit is mostly just… flowers… but then that is not uncommon with outfits from Boudoir, who specialize in elaborate ensembles that are often a floral riot.

Often times it takes a bit of experimentation to find the right combination of components, but when you finally hit upon it the feeling is happy happy. And even better when it can be worn multiple ways; in this instance I am wearing all the parts of the outfit but depending on mood and circumstance various parts can be removed for a more, um, casual look and feel… This particular outfit also holds special meaning for me, with some very happy shared memories a part of it.

When I am looking for a nice contemplative spot, there is nothing better than my little waterwheel! And here I am fluttering in another wonder from Caverna Obscura, called Wisteria Wind. Caverna does such wonderful fantasy outfits!

Come, take my hand and fly with me to my garden, sweet faeries!

A Touch of Magika

Jaz Fashion, Reviews

That would be Magika hair, one of my happy hair places! Today I’d like to show you a selection of their offerings, both long and short, including one of my favorite hair pieces (which you will have seen in some of my previous postings).

Magika used to have a somewhat spread-out and confusing store but this year they moved to new quarters where all the products are in one easier to navigate space. In addition, all of the hair pieces have been combined into fat packs with all of the colors, 120 to be exact, in four included HUDs.

Let’s start with my happy hair, HoneyWhiskey, a nice almost Marilyn Monroe-esque casual style:

Next is a nice sweeping longer style called Never:

And a little big longer still, but with a bit more ‘wind’ look to it, is the Hush style:

And last, a sweet updo with French braid and curled up bun in the back called Meadow:

Time for a trip to the hair stylist! Cheers!

 

 

Far Eastern Flair

Jaz Fashion, Reviews

Waves to my sweet friends as today I give you something different! I am very fond of Asian fashions, both the demure and the more flamboyant. Today’s offering is very much more in the latter category!

So when we talk about out-there Asian style we of course have to start with Bare Rose, a Second Life staple for many years. Anyone who has been to the Bare Rose store, with its giant 20 story walls of outfits, knows that the selection ranges from fantasy to fantastic to… truly out there!

This one. Celestial Taipei, is by no means extravagant in terms of Bare Rose… but still pretty flashy. It is a full mesh outfit in a single size, with flexi in the back. Many of the Bare Rose outfits are system layer, but the newer offerings come in mesh (some say fit mesh but… not so much). The good thing is that the outfits are also relatively cheap, so one can afford to experiment as the ones that do work are often spectacular.

A more recent find of mine has been irrISIStible shop. They have a range of fantasy outfits, all very nice done and some with incredible detailing, like the China Dragon shown here.

It clearly competes with the Bare Rose outfit in the “problem getting through doorways” department… but is sure to impress even when standing still! It comes in five mesh sizes as well as Maitreya, Belleza, and Slink, in four colors with  a texture HUD, and some of the parts are resizable and detachable.

Now for slightly less flamboyant, we can go with Luas and their sexy shorty kimono style Akira outfit which comes in four bright colors. Akira is part of a gacha set but the gacha is in-world at the Luas store. Also, the parts shown here are not the rares, and are available on Marketplace from resellers at reasonable prices.

 

Did I say something about flamboyant? You ain’t seen nuthin’ yet! ShengLong by W-Zero is a gacha outfit too but worth trying to get, as I guarantee you everyone will know you are in the room with this one. In fact it needs more than a picture to show you, so check out this video clip:

This spectacular outfit includes the cloud particle effects surrounding you, as well as the animated dragon swirling around your body. AND were that not enough…

… it includes an animated bento dragon tail in back! So when you are ready to be appropriately revered as an ancient goddess… now you know what to wear!

  • Outfit: ShengLong by W-Zero
  • Hair: Jacqueline ponytail by DragensVarg (part of the Jacqueline-Steampunk-cap-goggles-hair set, Marketplace link)
  • Pose: crossed hands 1 M by Lumipro

Bows discreetly to all my friends (as much as one may bow in some of these outfits…) Cheers!

A’a i ka hula!

Aeon Fashion, LotD, Reviews, Sponsored

Happy Aloha Friday, my friends!  I get to share a beautiful new ti pa’u with you, a traditional hula skirt made from ti leaves.  It’s all in mesh from Island Style Designs!  Leave the grass skirts behind, and please please please let’s not talk about the abomination of coconut bras.  (although you may want to see the note on coconut bras at the end of this older post).   

  • Island Style Designs — Hula Girl mesh hula outfit (Maitreya/Physique fitmesh/standard 5 rigged mesh sizes) (includes mesh ti skirt, white top, hibiscus haku lei with ferns, kukui necklace, plumeria lei, and hibiscus flowers for your ear — all of the items that you see here except for the kupe’e and kakau, the anklets/bracelets and tattoo!)
  • ::*) Charmed (*:: —  plumeria kupe’e (anklet and bracelet) (from Ti-Leaf skirt, 30cm, Pearl)
  • Juna Artistic Tattoo — Haka tattoo woman
  • BellePoses — Hula Baby 6 (mirror) pose (marketplace link) exclusive for the The Avenue

And yes, I know that the haka is Maori in origin, but the tattoo has many common themes across Polynesia… besides, I  like it.

Also, that lovely traditional canoe behind me?  It’s a wa’a kaukahi, a single-hulled canoe with an outrigger.  This lovely one came from Tiki Tattoo, purveyor of lovely island decor.  This is a really lovely piece, and was a gift to me from a dear friend.

This is such a lovely hula outfit.  Nickki at Island Style Designs has really outdone herself!  You’ll definitely see me in this at summer dance events.

A’a i ka hula, waiho i ka maka’u i ka hale!  Dare to dance, leave your shame at home!

Aloha kākou, my friends!  A hui hou!

on the cool breezy dunes…

Aeon Fashion, LotD, Reviews

Aloha kākou!  I’m so sorry I’ve been away and sporadic, hopefully things will get back to normal here over the next week!   Like many of you, I enjoyed the big extravaganza of SL15, and picked up my store credit to Blueberry.  I found something just perfect — the DWL Classic jeans!

The fatpack for these jeans is totally worth it.  There’s a thirteen colour HUD plus exclusive patterns (I love the boho pattern shown — it matches my foil tattoos from Alaska Metro!), and three different jeans cuts – skinny, classic, and boot cut.

The belt from Bellydance Goddess is resizable, and just the perfect addition to this lovely little outfit.

I probably don’t need to tell you, Blueberry is just so hard to beat for quality mesh!

Mahalo!  A hui hou!