Sleepless

Sometimes, I just like to plug a random word into Second Life Search and see what turns up. The word in my mind today was "sleepless" and it yielded some surprisingly good results.

I narrowed the results to Places, and the first place I landed was in the middle of the TonkTastic store, in the heart of the Sleepless sim. I've known of TonkTastic for a long time (the now-defunct landmark I have for it dates back to 2008) but the shop had somewhat fallen off my radar. The richly detailed "Legend" flight jacket and the rigged mesh Gumboots that I landed in front of made me glad that TonkTastic is back on my agenda.

I resisted the lure of the boots (though many Lindens will undoubtedly be spent here soon) and selected the next promising location in the Search results.

Which was somebody's house. Not wanting to be caught trespassing, I hurried on, but not before peeking in the open windows. The inhabitants may be low on furnishings but they are high on mushy family photos, which made me smile.

The next hit I clicked on was Sleepless Nights, and the view I saw when I landed would make staying awake worthwhile.

This looks like art. It's actually a shop. I followed the line of falling down power lines to the Fiction & Chaos store which boasts a selection of women's and men's clothes and hair in the punk/neko/goth/rave styles. Wandering through it, I happened on the main store of House of Usher and admired the carefully crafted gothic furniture that would be at home in any remote and foggy palace.

The last destination I selected was a sim called SleeplessMUSIC. It also happens to be the main store of Connors Clothing.

I had heard of Connors but it's not very familiar to me, so I lingered briefly, checking out the casual styles for men and women and made another note to spend some more time (and money) here later.

At this point, I ran out of sleepless locations and time to visit them. I headed back home, pleased with my discovery of some new and new-again places and secure in the knowledge that shopping is the cure for insomnia.

The Gallery Gift Shop

Bringing to together art, fashion, and decor, the Gallery Gift Shop offers something to please every aesthetic.

Visual art is displayed throughout the location, with links to the artist's flickr photostream. Some is available for purchase as well. The landscaping that adorns the outside area and some of the furnishings within may be purchased to beautify your own home. Inside, designers including Tableau Vivant, 22769, and Glam Affair and many others, offer exclusive skins, clothing, and furnishings

The site itself is a work of art, with crashing waves bursting through the gallery wall in contrast with the urban skyline outside.

Visit The Gallery Gift Shop.

Culture Shock

One thing I've always loved about Second Life is the generosity of its members, so I'm thrilled to be able to share information about Culture Shock and A:S:S's participation in a very worthwhile charity. Culture Shock is raising funds for Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) for the second year in a row and features many talented designers who are offering gorgeous exclusives with 50-100% of the proceeds going to the charity. The event opens on May 4th at 4 pm SLT.

A:S:S Chevallier Rings in 5 Different Styles.

A:S:S (link not available until event opening) has created this stunning Chevallier Ring in 5 different styles (click the photo to see the amazing detail) as an exclusive 100% donation item. It includes a HUD that allows you to easily switch between the six textures:

A:S:S Chevallier Rings in 5 Different Colors/Textures

More Mesh Hair

Yes, I fell in love with it the minute I saw it.

The Fantasy Faire yielded much more of interest to me than I expected, including this sexy new mesh hair from Wasabi Pills, a Fantasy Faire exclusive. The Teeloh hangs naturally down one side while showing a sexy shaved skull on the other. Included hair bases provide a realistic look to the style. The Gingerbread color (one of the demos) is such a gorgeous color that I'm almost tempted to go red.

Noob Beautiful

Older Second Life residents still cringe when they recall how they looked when they first arrived on the grid, with bad hair, clothes that looked like they were applied with a paintbrush, and the ubiquitous duck walk.

And this isn't even the worst of the early appearances.

There's a brand new dance, but I don't know its name

Tonight, I'm bringing you a post about SL fashion. Merrick has done some lovely posts on the topic (which you should really read). I'm posting about a lovely piece of clothing I got from Lapointe & Bastchild.

To be completely honest, I love L&B's clothing. Their boots. Their accessories. Their jackets. Their... everything. Me blogging about Paul and Bastchild's new piece of work is likely to get a little saccharine, as I'm such a fanboy. The piece I got yesterday and am sharing with you now is called 'Drift', and it's from their Swear line of urban styles. While everybody knows them for the lovely gothic dresses they do, for the ankle boots, for the men's suits with names like Vampyre and such--the Swear line is an effort for them into a more casual, more everyday sort of appearance. Here is a shot of the whole thing:

The leather jacket is quilted in texture--and is a hugely adaptable sculpted prim, which you can stretch top to bottom, or side to side, or front to back--as are all the other parts of the jacket. The whole outfit is in one package--jeans, boots, jacket, and T-shirt.

Here is a closeup of the detail on the right sleeve- the zippers, the buckles, the little pockets. This is one outfit that really rewards attention!





Here is the torso in closer detail, so you can get a good look at how the jacket hangs, and at the tiny details that Bastchild does so well. And last, but not least--















here are the prims for the ankle cuffs and the shoes that are part of the outfit.

Amazing work, as always- and for a limited time, this whole outfit's just L$499! So get on over to Lapointe & Bastchild's shop and pick yourself up the whole outfit, which I do recommend strongly- there are plenty of uses for the various parts of it as a complementary look with much of the clothing I own- and probably for you, as well! And for those of you with lady friends, let them know about this too- they did the same boots with a stiletto heel, a midriff-length shirt, and a jacket that will fit on a woman's form--all for the same price.

Blithe SL Magazine, April 1, 2012

Open publication

Springtime at the Parish

After months of being extremely busy, I suddenly found myself with nothing to do last night. I stared at the almost finished issue of Blithe SL Magazine, wandered around kicking a few stones, and pestered a few friends with cries of "I'M BOOOOORRRED!" Finally, it dawned on me: I hadn't fully explored Menswear Fashion Week. Excited and ready to do my part to help the Second Life economy, I tped over and wandered the stores. Honestly, if you haven't been to Menswear Fashion Week yet, you need to go. It is full of the best designers for men.

I've been searching for new spring-wear as warmer weather approaches. It's been difficult to find as designers hold on to the winter styles, but at Menswear Fashion Week, I discovered what I'd been looking for.

An open shirt says, "Bring on the sun."

Menswear Fashion Week 2012

All the best for men, all in one place? It's true. Stop by the Menswear Fashion Week sim and rest assured that every store you enter will cater to your male styling needs. Anything a man needs to fill his inventory has been gathered to make shopping a dream.

In addition to shopping, Menswear Fashion Week offers a variety of runway shows, demonstrating the designs of talented creators across the grid. Earlier, Aleida's runway show displayed the new male releases of a talented designer who has been creating gorgeous feminine fashion since 2009.

Aleida's designs brighten up the runway.

Orange isn't really a color that appeals to my fashion sensibilities, but the sexy Edmilson Blazer in orange by Aleida challenges my preconceptions; not only can orange be worn well, it's sexy.

Free Accessory from Kal Rau

Kal Rau's highly detailed mesh keychain in green.

I was thrilled to see this new gift from Kal Rau and excited to share it with everyone. This intricately detailed keychain is available with clasp metal in green, red, pink, black and silver. It's an amazing complement to a variety of outfits and the colors ensure infinite coordination options. Although this keychain is mesh, it is unrigged, meaning you can move it to different locations on your avatar, ensuring that it hangs from a belt loop on any jeans. To receive the gift, join the Kal Rau premium group and check the notices. Be sure to remain in the group so you can receive the latest information about new releases, gifts and more.

Mesh Baggies from Kal Rau

Kal Rau Baggies with Red Plaid Boxers

I have to admit that I'm not fond of baggies. I just don't like the fact that the style makes my legs look shorter and my torso longer. However, I do acknowledge that it is a popular style, loved by many, and even fashionable on avs shaped differently than mine. Despite my resistance to hop on the baggy wagon, I tried out Kal Rau's mesh baggy jeans and found myself quite pleased. Like Kal's other designs, these pants have amazing textures. They fit the baggy fashion, but don't drop down to the knees, making me look like I'm all torso and no legs. Yes, they work for me in ways other baggy jeans I've tried don't.

Mesh, Part 2: The Controversy

I fell in love with mesh hair at first sight (or first wear). Done right, mesh hair has beautiful shape, fabulous textures and the added function of moving with the avatar, rather than poking through the shoulders. This is an example of rigged mesh. Creations that are rigged are designed to flex and bend as the avatar moves, so it works well for hair and clothing, adding to the clothing options in Second Life.

Dragon Mesh Hair from Wasabi Pills

Wasabi Pills's Dragon Mesh Hair (and other mesh styles) demonstrates how mesh hair wears and moves. See that curve in the hair? While the lower part of the wig stays still, the rest of the hair moves as the head moves. This eliminates the hair-through-the-body problem that comes with prim and flexi hair.

Gabriel Shirred Jacket

I find ways to justify expenditures, especially when it comes to Gabriel. So, this morning I took a trip to the mainstore to see what I neeeeeded (because I really don't have enough clothes). Of course, this Shirred Jacket was something I couldn't refuse.

Just look at that fit!

This jacket is beautifully created with sexy styling and intricate detailing. Who could ask for anything more? (Okay, I could, but I want the whole store). This creation isn't mesh, so you don't have to worry about people on older viewers not seeing the sexiness of your belly button peaking through that bottom opening. This hot style is available in 4 colors, stone, khaki, dark olive and black. Each color is available for L$450, a steal for such high quality.

Hair: Shag - Trophy Hunter in Honeypot

Skin: Evian - Noah Pale

Sunglasses - SZD - Sunglasses Black (group gift)

Necklace - Gabriel - Angel Heart Necklace (group gift)

Jacket - Gabriel - Shirred Jacket in stone

Mesh Leather Jackets!

I'm not supposed to have this bike. I'm dangerous when it comes to steering pixel vehicles.

Nothing beats a well designed leather jacket when it comes to wardrobe musts. They add a nice, masculine touch to an outfit and are perfect for riding your bike along the mainland roads. When Kal Rau released his new, mesh leather jackets, it was impossible for me to contain my excitement.

Kal Rau Mesh Shirts

The more I learn about mesh, the more I like it. I like the way it's textured, its realism, the way it moves with the body. While there are some issues with it (that I'll discuss in a future post about mesh), it brings SL another means to create beauty and a sense of reality.

One creator who has embraced mesh clothing possibilities is Kal Rau. Kal has been designing for years and his innovation and attention to detail has kept his clothing among the highest quality SL has to offer. So, of course, we would expect him to transfer that quality to mesh.

Kal's newest release, these wonderful plaid shirts in mesh, demonstrate just what mesh designers can bring to the grid. They are perfectly textured, available in two sizes and in six different color combinations, and a sexy style that wears the way layer clothing doesn't.

These shirts are available for L$350 each color or for L$1500 for the fat pack of 6. When it comes to style and function, these shirts are a perfect addition to any wardrobe. And, if you're one of the holdouts who hasn't tried mesh anything yet, Kal Rau's plaid shirts are the ideal introduction to an exciting new SL technology.

Freebie Friday!

Hello folks, Nath here again. Merrick and I were talking about forthcoming columns and it occurred to us that, what with the stereotyped perception of gay men being clothes horses, it might be useful to help our readers find good clothing. There's a lot of bad freebies out there, it bears note- some of the worst being what we're handed by Linden Lab when we first rez.

Yes, we all have these outfits. No, nobody really likes them.

But because of how advertisment and promotions work in SL, there are several ways to get nicer freebies than these, with very little effort. Several clothing designers have a section of clothing they deliberately offer for free, to let you see what you think of their offerings. Others have lucky chairs, midnight mania boards- all ways to get more avatars into their shops to look around, and while some shops treat their freebie boards/chairs as a place to offer something substandard for free, there're plenty of shops who offer nice things for free on their lucky chairs- simply things that are a bit dated, or no longer selling as they once did.

However, on this Freebie Friday, we're going to focus on another means by which designers give away their goods for free: the hunt. In a hunt, one person gets several vendors together (sometimes more than a hundred), and gets them each to donate an item. They place the item and the LM for the next shop in the hunt in an Easter egg, which is then hidden in the shop. A lot of hunts will have a web page where hints or updates about the status of the hidden prize can be posted- as well as SLURLs so you can go to a specific shop if you want. Some bloggers put together a page where photographs of the items they've found can be shared, too.

This week, we're going to talk about the Jack or Jill hunt. This hunt is organized by Depraved Nation. It started with 50 shops in it, and the male path (this is a hunt with a gift for the ladies, and a separate gift for the men) currently has 48 vendors. There are a lot of very talented folks offering things for the hunters- including a full shape and skin! The 'easter egg' you're looking for is a small gray disc with a male symbol (♂) on it, and there are hints at http://depravednation.com/jack-or-jill for the various locations in the hunt.

Everything in this picture is from the hunt:

What, doesn't everyone put on a mohawk to go skiing?

Skin & shape: Michael, from Ispachi
Hair: Destroyer w/ Razored Hairbase, from Raw House
Sunglasses: Sofian Mesh, from Kumaki Glasses Style
Jacket: Down Jacket, from Gabriel
Shirt: Drape Shirt (brown), from Gabriel
Scarf: Scarf Be Men, from *** Just You Jewels ***
Pants: Solemn Jeans, from Travisty
Belt: Belt-Duality *MESH*, from [ JP ]:dsg.
Shoes: Fulham Riding Boots, from LOORDES OF LONDON

The hunt starts at Razorblade Jacket's shop, and continues through several others- Gabriel, Nikita Fride, Ispachi, to name some of my favorites. You can get to Razorblade Jacket to start the hunt by clicking on this SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Depraved%20Nation/140/157/70 There are a wide variety of designers in the hunt, and quite a lot of terrific gifts they're sharing with the hunters. If you're looking for a new skin, new shape, new eyes, or winter clothes- and especially if you're looking for free ones- I really recommend participating in this hunt!