Zaara

Come Hither

Despite the fact that the temperature is barely above freezing here, you can always find some summer cornfields to skip through in Second Life. I love that the virtual weather completely validates my somewhat unseasonal choice of outfit.

These stunning eyelashes were purchased at Calla following a tip-offf from the lovely Beulah Mills. She said these were the best prim lashes she's ever worn - I'd hate to play favourites, but I will say I'm pretty taken with them myself. They were easy to fit (praise be!) and they beckon in silken tones that few red-blooded males could resist. An absolute must if you're getting dressed to impressed, Tigerlily Koi has several different styles available so you can pick a match depending on your mood.

I was looking for a light nude makeup and settled with this one from Cupcakes. I was won over by this creamy skin, particularly the pretty face which carries a natural shade to the lips and a soft golden glow on the eyelids. I like the definition on the upper lids, the shimmer to the inner eye and slightly smoked outer some added impact. While the blush is strong, it really works with this complexion - even the slight, unkempt brows fit the face perfectly.

The one-shoulder top is Flutterby by Lookr. It's so easy to wear and stands well alone, although you could just as easily layer it. It doesn't need too much dressing, and is a nice alternative to the simpler cami styles if you're looking for a very feminine casual top.

I adore this belted skirt by Sugar Cube. The a-line skirt falls in stiff pleats, and has an angled hemline because of it. The top runches and poufs above the belt for an unusual line: this paired with the bright tulip print quite compelled me to make a purchase. It can be a nightmare putting together print designs due to seaming issues, and is probably why we don't see a huge number of patterned items in the shops. It's a real treat when designers produce quality pieces like this.

I know I haven't long since modelled these sexy heels from SLink, but I do so adore them. Their being painfully beautiful demands a regular outing from their box, and since the HUD makes it so simple to match skin colour, I can bring them out for any occasion and it barely takes a minute to get them set up. I think Siddean Munro may well have made a prim feet convert out of me - and it's taken all my mental will not to start writing terrible puns in relation to that fact.

To finish, I added these strung shell bangles from Zaara and capped it all off with a darling hairdo from Decoy. It's a volume rich pony tail accessorised with a simple alice band. The fringe falls heavily to the right side, with loose strands to the left that balance the look. The hair is rather loosely pulled to the back, giving a wispy softness that really worked well with the outfit.

Outfit:

Top: Lookr, Flutterby - White
Skirt: Sugarcube, Belted Skirt - Blue
Shoes: SLink, Chelsea Stiletto Heels - White
Bangles: Zaara, Sadaf Paua Bracelets - Silver

Body:

Hair: Decoy, Nicole - Ash Brown (Bangs)
Eyes: SLB, July 09 - Hazel R
Eyelashes: Calla, Flutter Lashes
Skin: Cupcakes, Daydream - Honey - Golden
Nails: Candy Nail, P037 Shine Silver
Pose: Reel Expression, Random Pose 103

Comments: 2

Tagged: Calla, Candy Nail, Cupcakes, Decoy, For your Second Life, Lookr, Reel Expression, SLB, SLink, Sugarcube, Womens Fashion, Zaara

"My Look is Attainable"

The style focus today is on these shades from Gos. Available for men and women, the new Custom range provides sophistication and such diversity that you can literally match these to anything you wear with them. From the moment you rez these out you'll notice the quality. The case itself is a work of art: spare a few prims in your home and keep this on the counter, leaving it open to show off your new eyewear or closed for a more subtle cue for your friends to enquire about. Inside you'll find your shades and me-oh-my, these are fine! Gos sells shades in several styles but I'm modelling Compulsive here. The primwork is to a very high standard, with sleek textures that can be changed at the click of a button.

The base model starts you off with a few options. The exact specifcations depend on the shades you buy, but the click-to-activate HUD allows you to change everything from the lens tint to lens style, size and even the position on your head. If you get bored of the colour or fancy jazzing things up a bit, then you need to purchase an upgrade spray can. Pop your avie on a pose stand and activate the spray: you'll shake the can, spray up a storm, and now have additional options for your eyewear. The idea is original and the execution is fabulous, offering an immense amount of customisation. I don't think I've ever had so much fun with an upgrade or a pair of sunglasses before - but don't take my word for it, go visit Gospel Voom's store and try a demo for yourself. You won't be disappointed.

I found the scarf at Zaara. It's actually intended for the gents, but I just couldn't help myself. It scales down to fit but retains its ample size, leaving you wrapped in reams of lushious fabric. I love the shape as much as I love the texturing, particularly the tabbed ends and the stringed hem.

The cardigan is from Pink Outfitters. The texturing is convincing with hand-drawn crochet detail that makes me feel warm and snug just looking at it. The skewed button-up is a nice touch, and worked well with Lookr's Cosy top as a base. I like the open, dipped neckline on our ladies tshirts, and the tucked in option goes great with these pants from Sweetest Goodbye. I had to take the cuffs off to allow me to wear the boots, but trust me, they're worth it.

In my last post regarding Magnifico's boots, I didn't show you a closeup. No more! I decided to go crazy and post a second picture to give you a decent view of this gorgeous footwear by Lyanis Sin. This ankle boot is so good you could eat it: the leather slouches from the top down into the shoe, detailed all over with ultra-realistic creases. The toe piece is made from a separate section of leather, stitched back to the main. Leather bands decorate, holding a silver hoop on the one side. The sole is simply finished, but certainly very chic. I'm a real fan of the black lace roses that adorn the top, but the boots have a plain or lace option included with each colour pack.

Back up top, quick mentions for the skin and hair. Both were gifts and I don't think either are still available, but you can see the quality of the designers in any case. The hair is from Mirone, with a very high hairline and extravagant bun piled high on the head for a real glamour style. The 'Adie' style still in store mimics this style, and Mirone stock other hairs from casual to high fashion looks.

The skin from Symphony Skins shows a great deal of care and attention to the face in particular, with a slightly metallic makeup that seems to be reflective of the healthy, luminant body. The V3 series is available in store in a variety of makeups and skin tones, so if you like the look you should definitely fly over and check out some of the demos.

Outfit:

Cardigan: Pink Outfitters, Fi Cardigan - Cream
Top: Lookr, Cosy - Dark Green
Pants: Sweetest Good-bye, Bombom - Brown
Sunglasses: Gos, Custom Sunglasses - Compulsive (Cow Respray)
Scarf: Zaara, Pashmina Scarf for Men - Olive [Tinted]
Boots: Lya, Valentina (Rust)
Bracelet: Miel, Tor Bracelet

Body:

Hair: Mirone, Glance - Anniversary Gift
Eyes: Curio, Tragic Eyes - Hazel (No Shine) Small
Skin: Symphony Skins, V3 Contalto - Phoenix (2009 Limited Edition)
Pose: Persona - Oblivious

Comments: 4

Tagged: Curio, For your Second Life, GOS, Lya, Miel, Mirone, Persona, Pink Outfitters, Sweetest Good-bye, Symphony Skins, Womens Fashion, Zaara

The Difference Between Penguins and Cats

I get cold really easily, which can be a problem when you live in the UK. When I go out I usually have three or four layers on, and in the winter I refuse to leave the house without a full-length coat and one of my ridiculous hats. I'm all about the log fires and roast dinners from early October til late March.

Adam is more the sort of person who throws a scarf on over a tshirt, steps out into the open air and remarks about how it's "nice and fresh". That's pretty much what this outfit is about.

If you're going to wear a scarf, this one is definitely a good buy. Argrace have done a neat job, creating something that is as much a fashion statement as it is about defending from the elements. As a bonus, no fitting was needed. This crosses around the neck without any fuss, and is detailed to the ends with stringy tassels. Available in lots of colours, and Adam tells me there's a women's version too. I'll be all over that a little later.

Cosy is a classic tshirt. It's simple but striking, and available at the Lookr store in several colour choices for both men and women. Even with short sleeves, this manages to look warm and inviting, but if you did want to pop on another layer then a long-sleeved tee beneath would give you some extra coverage without stealing the style.

The jeans are by Zaara, and I don't think this is the last time they will make an appearance on the blog. The texturing is spot on, with subtle shading, creasing and stitching details defining these as seriously stylish casuals. For maximum wear, three prim options are offered for the cuffs. All of them are superbly executed.

The shoes are low top chucks from Akeyo. These are a good casual shoe, well textured with stitch and eyelet details, as well as lace sculpts. The pack comes with 'closed' and 'open' versions of the shoe, depending on how laid back you want to make your look.They're also recolourable, so there's plenty of wear to be had.

The skin is from a complete avatar set from MADesigns. I'm not used to inspecting male skins in intricate detail (if you had me down for a pixel perv, you were sorely mistaken) but this one seems to tick all the boxes from my point of view. When you get close up youll notice the features are actually very soft, but the body remains well defined even at a distance. The torso is seriously toned, with downy hair on the chest and leading down from the belly button - the legs are also very muscular, so you may need to adjust your thighs to properly fill them out.

The finishing touch is a watch by GOS. If you're familiar with the brand, you may feel GOS watches are expensive, but considering how intricate the pieces are, with no prim-count spared, they do make a good choice for the discerning buyer. They certainly stand out, so work well as a statement piece.

Outfit:

Scarf: *ARGRACE*, Long Stole(M) - Paisley - Black
Tshirt: Lookr, Cosy - DGreen (M)
Trousers: Zaara, Classic jeans for men - Indigo
Shoes: AKEYO, Chucks - Low Top
Watch: GOS, Steel Navitimer

Body:

Hair: MADesigns, James - DB II
Skin and Eyes: MADesigns, Complete Avatars - Jayden (White)
Pose: Cns Poses, Male Model s1 Standing 006

Comments: 0

Tagged: Akeyo, Argrace, CnS, For your Second Life, GOS, MADesigns, Mens Fashion, Zaara

Feeling Zen

I found an extra room at Zaara that I had somehow completely missed before. I am fairly sure it's because I'm usually on some mission or other when I'm shopping, blinkering me to a select few objects to acquire. I find these missions are imperative to financial stability, to ensure I don't arrive back home with a credit card receipt long enough to mummify a small elephant.

In any case, it was something of a revelation to discover that one can also buy mens clothing at Zaara (although possibly not to some other fashionistas in Second Life). Keen to absolve my oversight, I teleported Adam directly and we soon returned home to inspect the relative newness.

The open shirt is very nicely done, loosely tailored with patterned blocks all over. Toggles are sewn to the left front, while the right side is piped with a chevron pattern. Of interest, the flare on the shirt is achieved by a flexi prim rather than a sculptie, which gives it some extra flow when moving.

Lookr's Pagoda tshirt went nicely here, tucking into the top of the chinos, also from Zaara. Adam commented that he would have liked a longer option for the trousers too, but as they are the prims are well-textured and blend beautifully, creating a rolled up, by the water feel.

While we all love our clothing, I think it's fair to say that a skin makes the avatar, and this one from Belleza is a particular favourite. Tricky Boucher is one of the few people who have stuck to just one area, but as a result he excels in his creations, offering skins you either want to wear or be held up against. Adam tells me there are plenty of options with all the mens lines, this one including the all important hairbase in each pack.

Despite our British heritage, we carefully refrained from using socks in this photoshoot. Shiny Things' striped Oxfords provided a nice alternative to sandals: they're a versatile shoe that work with a range of styles, including this more casual feel.

Hair is from MADesigns. This mid-length style is centre-parted with hair at various lengths to create a layered appearance. MADesigns tend to focus on shorter dos as a rule, but despite that established preference, you should definitely consider some of the longer styles which are well-constructed and fully modifiable if you did want to made some small changes.

Outfit:

Jacket: Zaara, Nalin Summer Shirts - Brown
Tshirt: Lookr, Pagoda - White (M)
Trousers: Zaara : Chinos - Espresso
Shoes: Shiny Things, Striped Oxfords - Brown

Body:

Hair: MADesigns, Mark - DB II
Eyes: Avalon Design, Unique - Deep-Blue
Skin: Belleza, Ewan - Med 7
Pose: Vista Animations, VAMM18A

Comments: 0

Tagged: Avalon Design, Belleza, Casual, For your Second Life, MADesigns, Mens Fashion, Shiny Things, Vista Animations, Zaara