“Vanity, I am sensible, is my cardinal vice and cardinal folly; and I am in continual danger, when in company, of being led an ignis fatuus chase by it.” ~ John Adams

*Evie's Closet* Willo O' The Wisp in Lament (Soft Lilac)

It was pointed out to me that I didn’t make mention of the fantabulous little number I was wearing in yesterday’s video post.

The Willo O’ the Wisp outfit by Evie’s Closet is a faetastic fairy ensemble (it comes with lovely wings that are not pictured in my photos, but you can see them in the store promo below) that really does everything right. The system layers are scant, but cover all they should. The textures aren’t just mindless repeats edited here and there, but shaded and blended to give a convincing tattered and patched look. The overall effect is stunningly lovely while still remaining delicate.

The use of prims is both practical and effective. The little hip frill on one side has different flex movement than the longer veil-like silks that drape from the shoulder, hips and chest. This lends an airy feminine allure that you don’t see enough in fantasy and lingerie pieces. That sense of being wrapped in a whisper of fabric translates here. There are sculpts where there need to be sculpts and regular prims textured expertly where they need to be. In the overly sculpted creations that dominate the market these days, this type of outfit stands out, proving that you can use multiple techniques to produce a superior effect.

*Evie's Closet* Willo O' The Wisp Store Promo

Prior to March of this year, I hadn’t been to Evie’s Closet in a long while (I think it was 2009 the last time I visited) and I was delighted to see how sophisticated the stock was. Evangeline Miles is a content creator who has developed herself in the format, skilled up with the market, and learned to employ layers and other multiple elements to give her creations an edge over most of what you see in the fantasy offerings.

While you’re at the store, you’ll also want to explore the rest of the Oubliette SIM. It’s a nicely done little fantasy realm.

Where Does She Get Those Wonderful Toys
*Evie’s Closet* Willo O’ The Wisp – L$350
Evie’s Closet

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Oubliette/184/189/249

We have no reason to harbor any mistrust against our world, for it is not against us. If it has terrors, they are our terrors; if it has abysses, these abysses belong to us; if there are dangers, we must try to love them. And if only we arrange our life in accordance with the principle which tells us that we must always trust in the difficult, then what now appears to us as the most alien will become our most intimate and trusted experience. How could we forget those ancient myths that stand at the beginning of all races, the myths about dragons that at the last moment are transformed into princesses? Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.

So you mustn’t be frightened, dear Mr. Kappus, if a sadness rises in front of you, larger than any you have ever seen; if an anxiety, like light and cloud-shadows, moves over your hands and over everything you do. You must realize that something is happening to you, that life has not forgotten you, that it holds you in its hand and will not let you fall.
~ Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters To a Young Poet (Letter Eight: August 12, 1904)

Lately, my SIM, Seven Veils has been undergoing major changes. After six years, I’ve closed my texture store, Esprit Decor. I haven’t the desire nor inclination to keep the products from getting stale. While I’ll be keeping them on the marketplace, there are simply better things to be done with the real estate.

Case in point: Drakyn Statuary from Sax Shepherd Desings (whose creations are slowly taking over Seven Veils)

Chernobog Boneback Drakyn Statue From Sax Shepherd Designs

Each Drakyn statue is based on a creature of its own lore – like this Chernobog Boneback atop an ancient temple which is only twenty four prims and textured in a rich aged bronze. I love the spikes down the neck and spine and the fact that you can see the arm/wing skeletal structures that frame the webbing of the wings. The texture is magnificent, employing a mix of rust and patina effects and set to a very slight shine which lends the illusion of old metal that has been polished.

Tricerat Drakyn Sculpture From Sax Shepherd Designs

My next favorite is the Tricerat Drakyn on its floating island which casts its shadow on the ground below. This little trick is only eighteen prims (woot!) and textured in lavish sard (carnelian) which is complex, lush and vibrant. Like all the statuary by Sax, it’s modify so you can leave it floating, or incorporate it into a structure or fountain if needed. Sax also sell his textures in his shop so you can build complimenting structures and accessories, too.

And just because the from-a-distance shot doesn’t do the thing justice, here’s my closeup, Mr. DeMille:

Tricerat Drakyn Sculpture From Sax Shepherd Designs

As for what I’m wearing, I finally trotted over to Gizza where I haven’t shopped in (I want to say years, but that seems impossible) a very long time. Gizza tends to be hit and miss with me. Some items are tres delish while others just don’t hit the same quality in terms of prim work and/or texturing. And because their stuff is copy/no-trans I am cautious about what I buy because if I have to mess with it too much, it gets annoying to edit no-copy objects. Still, their prices tend to be quite fair for no-copy, so I don’t have a whole lot to complain about.

And sometimes they knock it out of the park; such as with this pairing that reached high on my squee-o-meter.

Gizza Fashion - Chiffon Shirt & Floral Jeans

The Chiffon Shirt and Stretch Jeans do not come as a set, so you have to find them separately (they’re on the second floor not too far from each other). As you can see, the colors are vibrant and the prims are very well done. I did a little fitting but didn’t have to fuss too much to get them happy on my shape. The textures are sumblime and unapologeticly feminine. The semi-transparent system layers on the top give you a flirty little glimpse of navel, while maintaining modesty, and the prim textures manage to be gauzy without that annoying trans flicker that is the bane of SL fashion existence (of course it helps with that to wear an updo). You can also see the detail in the photo, how the shading gives the perfect illusion of gathers and ripples in the delicate fabric.

Gizza Fashion - Chiffon Shirt & Floral Jeans

I don’t wear jeans a lot IRL, but when I do, I prefer them dark and these are perfect with a deep rich denim and light stitching to punctuate the seams. The floral patterns are bright and lovely and manage to be chic with a hint of throwback flower girl. The prim cuffs are well done, easy to fit and boast a lazy curve and fold that I prefer to a straight turn-up.

As sexy Summer casual goes, you can’t beat sweet chiffon and floral jeans — even if they don’t offer much protection against Boneback Drakyn spines.

Where Does She Get Those Wonderful Toys:

Chiffon Shirt [Pink Roses] – L$200
Stretch Jean [Pink Floral] – L$200
**GizzA**

http://slurl.com/secondlife/GizzA%20Creations/126/131/22

Chernobog Boneback Drakyn Statue – L$750
Marketplace
Tricerat Drakyn Sculpture – L$750
Marketplace
Sax Shepherd Designs – Here Be Drakyns

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Seven%20Veils/64/207/21

Usual Suspects:
Shoes (Maitreya)
Hair (Truth)

“The only constant is change.” ~ Heraclitus

I decided to see what the oldest outfits were that I could find in my inventory. In preparing for a new culling, it was fun to take one or two last shots in some of my favorites.

Hint: If your avatar looks in any way like these photos, you are sporting 2005 pixel vanity. Upgrade now. You may think it makes you seem cool and aloof, but it really just makes you outdated and out of touch.
Extra Hint: If the stuff you are making looks anything like these photos, stop, drop and skill up (this means *you* hair designers).

It’s worth noting that I no longer seem to have my old glasses, eyes, or stockings from that era, so I’m sportin’ current eyes and glasses and sans stockings.

Throwback SL 2005 Look

2005: Part I
Hair: Lash Xevious (Flower Child in Bronzed)
Skin: Starley Thereian (CS Passport Skin – Paris/Brown Torrid)
Rose: Forseti Svarog (Roses For Hair – Scarlet)
Top: Nicola Escher (GK – Red/Black Lace Corset Top)
Skirt: Janie Marlowe (**Mis** Lil Ebony Ruffles)
Shoes: Fallingwater Cellardoor (Mary Jane Mules)

Throwback SL Look 2005

2005: Part II
Hair: Lash Xevious (Flower Child in Bronzed)
Skin: Starley Thereian (CS Passport Skin – Paris/Brown Torrid)
Dress: Nonna Hedges (Thank You India)
Shoes: Jackal Ennui (Taupe Brocade Mules)

“Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions.” ~ Pablo Picasso

Tableau Peddler Woman

After being out of SL proper for a time, I slipped back in to tend some Sim-related tidying which I will likely be blogging about tomorrow or the next day. However, since I was already en pixel, I decided to traipse over to the oft-blogged Tableau Spring Color Event which started on 3/28. My main goal was to pick up the Tres Blah Mexican Peasant Dress which has already been blogged to death. But while I was there, I found a darling little number tucked into one of the outskirtting trailers that houses Surf Couture‘s wares.

Surf Couture - Somer Dress

The sight of this Somer Dress (which only appears to come in Goldenrod and Tomato) might not affect younger shoppers in the same way it did me. You have to be a child of the 70s for this dress to bring back memories of mini-Tupperware tea parties. When I was little, Tupperware was indestructible and came in four main “harvest” colors. My favorite was the one I referred to as “golden squash” — I suppose because the cheery yellow complimented a sunshine girl who spent hours setting a small table in the backyard with pecan sandies and grape Kool-aid while forcing the most tolerant dachshund in the world to wear a baby doll bonnet to take high tea with her (high tea requires bonnets, this is an axiom). The child-sized mini-set was one of my favorite toys. Unlike my expensive dolls or the fine china tea set that had been passed on for five generations, Tupperware could get left out in the rain, the sun, the rain again, get half-buried (by aforementioned dachshund) and yet only require a quick rinse before it was ready for bonnets and high tea again.

Simple and perfect, much like this little dress.

Like most items that rely heavily on sculpt prims, there is some compromise in the movement aspects. And if your avatar is small-waisted there is the usual grumble of butt-cheek poking through the back when you size the skirt small enough to fit your waist. And, for the record, I have a modest bottom, so if you’re a boom boom in the back type gal with a small waist, this dress will likely not be your friend.

The compromise, however, is worth the little quirks. The shape and shading is tended with care and creates a lovely overall effect. The sleeveless top also has a sculpted bodice fold that would do Carol Brady proud and provides the perfect touch of dimension to compliment the textured buttons and seams on the system top.

Bow Soiree Platform Wedges

Interestingly, I had no golden shoes in my inventory so I trotted around the Tableau a bit and found the Bow Soiree Platform Wedges which are eye candy crack. How much do I love these? Well, let me put this in perspective. I hate 90% of all wedges because, you know, I’m not a stripper and I don’t want to play one on TV. Also, they require you to lapse back into the horror of system feet. And finally, I have a hard rule about buying shoes in colors I am unlikely to ever wear again. Despite those three strikes, I didn’t hesitate to squeak “mine” and tackle the damn things. They won me with their squee-tastic charms. It doesn’t hurt that they are deftly sculpted and richly textured.

Shopping fix accomplished.

Where Does She Get Those Wonderful Toys?

Somer Dress (Shown in Goldenrod)
L$175
Surf Couture (Emma Gilmour)

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tableau/205/244/23

Bow Soiree Platform Wedges (Shown in Honey)
L$400
Paper Couture (Cici Vonderheide)

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tableau/171/63/23

“Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experience.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

As part of my new-found desire to try new things, I finally decided to try out the FRAPS program I purchased over two years ago. I’ve always wanted a better way to show movement and some of the other details of virtual goods for consumer reviews and this seems like a good next step. The catch, of course, is that I’m a person who doesn’t like doing things outside my skillset, and I don’t want to pester one of the talented folk who put up with me to capture video for my little squee entries. So, I’m going to *try* and learn how to do this. To make the ensuing hi-jinks really entertaining, I’ve never used hotkeys for my camera controls, so I’ll be learning that, too. This is *not* a professional endeavor — this is the ugly process of an uncoordinated babbling little geek with pixel vanity learning new skills.

Yes, it’s as bad as you’re thinking. Only worse.

For my first video review, I chose the Nyna Bikini from Artilleri and the only hair style from the 2010 Hair Fair I could bring myself to buy — the Del Mar from Surf. Co. If you want to slog through my babble, the video review is here:

I know, I’m sorry, but I warned you it was bad.

In the future I will hopefully be improving on the camera controls and I’ll keep my mouth shut to wheedle the time down to just a snippet as opposed to eight full minuets of agony. I’m counting on my sense of dignity and wanting to not look like a total moron to motivate my skills to improve. However, the stark white backdrop is by choice. My reviews aren’t about splash. I just want to show products so that shoppers can know what to expect from a purchase and then make a choice about whether or not to buy. Clever edits, flashy backgrounds and other effects might look nicer, but my concern is that they’re really just vanity improvements that would interfere with the substance I’m trying to offer. The presentation will, hopefully, get better, but the rest will remain dry as toast.

At any rate, if the video quality didn’t give you what you needed, here’s a few close-up shots for detail. I especially think the shading and fabric textures on the Nyna are worth another long peek:

Nyna Bikini From Artilleri

And the hair:

Surf Co.'s "Del Mar" Hairstyle

That wasn’t so bad. Now where’s my lolly?

Where Does She Get Those Wonderful Toys:

Nyna Retro Bikini – L$150
Artilleri

http://slurl.com/secondlife/artilleri/93/123/26

Del Mar Hairstyle – L$200 (three color shade pack)
Surf Co.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/artilleri/131/175/24

(Currently Only on Display at the Hair Fair)