The Unofficial Second Life® Fashion and Shopping Blog

As CronoCloud mentioned, as sort of a last goodbye to the blog we’re sharing with everyone a few of our favorite things we’ve found during our time in Second Life. While I haven’t been around as long as some of the others here, and I don’t have quite the inventories they do, I have run across a few things that I can’t live without.  (Turns out that CC and I made some of the same selections… what can I say, she has great taste!)

First, a couple dresses. The one on the left is from Marly’s, it’s a delightfully polka-dotted, full-skirted number called Spanky’s Spots, and I’m wearing it in Sage. I have soft spot for just about anything retro, but what really endears this dress to me is that it was my first real fashion purchase in Second Life. Just under a year ago, I was wandering the Retrology sim and desperately holding on to my first 300 Lindens, when wham… I knew I had to have this dress. From that point on, I was a goner. Thanks, Marleen, I’ll pay you back one day…

On the right, a much more recent purchase. Even though I rarely have the occasion to wear ball gowns in SL, I still have a hard time resisting buying them, especially when they’re as beautiful as the Miss Hathaway gown from ICING that I’m wearing here. If you happened to catch Anne Hathaway’s gown from this year’s Oscars, you know exactly what the inspiration was for this dress, and how amazingly well Miko Omegamu duplicated the look with this design. The primwork in the bodice rosettes alone makes this gown worth every Linden.

Since my job here at Linden Lifestyles was to focus on hair, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a couple of my favorite styles. I have gushed about the hairstyles that are sold at Aden before, including the Sarah ponytail pictured on the left. But it’s worth repeating here that this really is one of the best ponytails on the grid. I find myself going back to it every time I need a casual look.

On the other hand, sometimes you need something more formal, and my favorite for such occasions is the Vivian style from ETD. As you know by now, ETD is my first love when it comes to hair textures, no one else does a mahogany shade like Elikapeka Tiramisu. The Vivian style is an elegant French twist updo, and as someone pointed out in the comments to my ETD review, it weighs in at a very stingy 37 prims. I reach for Vivian whenever I’m looking for something elegant but also want to do my part to fight lag. (Then again, those prim savings might be outweighed by the rosettes on my gown - which you can see in better detail in this closeup.)

When I talked with Salome about joining Linden Lifestyles, I told her that I don’t do nudity. Well, that’s out the window now, isn’t it? It’s for a good reason, though - I’ve stripped down to show off my shape, which no, you can’t actually buy for yourself. But if you are looking for a little help with your sliders because you can’t get your shape exactly how you want it, I’d recommend doing what I did and contacting Zada Zenovka of Shapes by Zada. In addition to selling various pre-made shapes, for a price Zada will work with you to create a custom shape. Zada has a near-encyclopedic knowledge of SL skins and how they interact with body shape, so you can be sure that your new shape will work with your skin of choice.

Finally, I wanted to highlight my eyes, which are the Light Blue eyes from Miriel and are the only eyes I ever wear. All of the eyes Miriel Enfield sells are superbly drawn, they range from natural colors to exotic, and they come in two sizes, but I really don’t need such options. I haven’t been able to get over these captivating blue ones from the day I first saw them. Plus, as we’ve noted before, Miriel’s vendors are set up to let you choose whether you want copy permissions or transfer permissions on your items, which is a big step toward greater consumer choice and something I hope finds wider adoption around the grid.

Okay, I guess that brings me sadly to the end. In the short time I’ve been on the staff here, I’ve come to realize just how amazing the readership of Linden Lifestyles is, and I will miss you all. If you feel like dropping by my personal blog, Second Life, First Person, I would love to have you all over for a visit. Until then… it’s been great fun, and an honor to squee along with you!

(Read More | Where to Buy)

The royal quest to satisfy my dress envy of a particular gown that my friend Elyse was wearing, led this Cinderella to VictoriaV McMillan and VictoriaV Fashion. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was more to this store than one very hot dress! I’ll share with you a few goodies that I found.

First THE DRESS…. when I saw Elyse wearing it at Bubbly Nightclub one night, I knew I had to have it. It’s called The Berry Dress and it was fashioned after a dress worn by a very famous Berry on the red carpet. I fell in love with the delicate work on the bodice; the roses are exquisite and, to my utter delight, placed precisely in the correct places so that there were no alterations necessary. I also have to say that for a dress with draping at the waist, which never seems to go well in SL, this one looks amazing!

It’s summer in the city and hey, even Cinderella has to work. I found the Heather All in One collection, also at VictoriaV. This mix-and-match set covers all of your bases from business casual to the power suit. Pants, skirts, and a few blouses this one has it all. I liked the idea of a summery white suit, and while not usually a fan of green, I think the green accents really add some life to each of the outfits. The only not-so-great thing I noticed was that the textures in this outfit aren’t as high quality as the textures in their formal-wear. Not that it keeps this from being a fabulous collection, it has everything you need as a girl on the go.

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It’s June and I just couldn’t get away without checking out Victoria’s line of bridal gowns. She had several lovely gowns for me to choose from, my favorite being the Barbie in gold. Yes, I said it, Barbie. I felt like Cinderella Barbie as I proceeded to glide across my floor in this gorgeous dream of a dress! I love the gold accents and the lovely and unobtrusive veil. Now all I need is a Prince Charming and I’m all set… any takers?

Last but not least we have another formal showstopper, the Alie. What caught my eye about this dress was the glittery texture on the bodice. It’s seems to be very difficult to get that kind of a look without it looking like polka dots gone wild, but I think Victoria has done a nice job with it here. It’s very elegant and refined and I felt fabulous in it.

All in all another successful shopping trip for this Cinderella, now… where did I park my carriage?

Until next time…

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Zoya

Being that this is my first blog entry for Linden Lifestyles I thought… hey… let’s blow the top off of this place! Let’s get down to the nitty gritty of what every woman wants - dignified sex appeal. We all know there is a thin line between sexy and, well, cheap. I’m hoping to make that line a little clearer by introducing you to Iosune Bade.

Iosune is the owner and designer for BDreams. Her designs are created with one mission, to make you feel like the sexy goddess you are. With her unique and beautifully constructed designs, you just can’t miss.

I’ll start out a few steps back from the line and inch a little closer as we go along. Below is a photo of her Zoe design. Zoey, as Iosune told me, was inspired by the costumes with bodices once the fashion during the period of the famous cabarets in Paris. This lovely dress is the epitome of elegance with a little sex appeal. I love the lace accentuating the deep neckline and the lovely white ruffles at the bottom. The effect, girly but sensual. An intoxicating combination, just ask any man.

Next was BDreams Selma. I put this baby on and felt “va va va VOOM!” How could I not? I’m sooo loving this “little black dress” with a kick! Notice the sexy deep “v” neckline on this little number and I couldn’t get away without showing you the scrumptious back and the gorgeous flexi-skirt. Now, normally I would say “hey, low front and back, isn’t that overkill?” Sure, mostly it would be, but Iosune seems to pull this one off with style and grace and yes… some slink thrown in for fun.

My next review doesn’t just come close to the line, it pretty much stomps all over it… and I love it! I found Bdreams while searching for a dress for a very “special” occasion. I was looking for sensual but sophisticated, and a little more daring than I would normally go. Bdreams Black Angel is a dream in lace and lovlieness. As Iosune explained to me “Angel was inspired on the first night that a woman give(s) <sic> herself to another person in body and soul.” When I purchased this item I took it home and tried it on and let’s just say that some important bits weren’t covered properly. Perfectly fine for the bedroom, but not to go out on the town. I contacted Iosune and she responded very quickly, inviting me to her workroom to show her the problem. She assessed the issue and within 24 hours provided me with a more discreet replacement for the item. She was wonderful! I wish every store in SL had such exemplary customer service.

Overall I just want to say, job well done Iosune. Bdreams provides quality clothing with outstanding customer service and I will be back!

Until next time…

xoxoxoxo

Zoya

**Note** Haute Style is having a sale on select items at their store thru this Wednesday (5/21/08). If you like what you see, you might wanna run your pixels over there asap!

If you’re a sporting gal, then you know we’ve got a chance for a new triple crown winner. Big Brown has taken the Derby and the Preakness and now it’s all down to the Belmont. If he’s crowned, he’ll only be the 12th horse in history to win the big three, (the most recent being Affirmed thirty years ago in 1978). So, I spent a little time scanning through my inventory to see what would be a fun and fashionable wear to mark the occasion. Lo and behold, Forda Fairlane and Moxie Polano of Haute Style & Co. had me covered.

This Robin’s Egg gown is not my usual kind of wear, but it has a certain My Fair Lady feel that is impossible to resist. The textures are so delicate and the craftsmanship of the prims compliments the elusive qualities that make the pale pink blending into pale blue just work. You also can’t see it in the still photos, but the movement of the gown is perfect. It just…rustles. The hat which gives the ensemble it’s name is a sqeee-tastic work of art.

Part of playing dress up as a girl is wearing bold hats with silly things on them, and this lavishly feathered number with the birds nest tucked into it almost too charming to bear. Oh, and if you just want the parts that are lingerie-friendly and casual, there is the scaled-down version 2 that is sure to please.

While poking around the store, I also found the Ginnalli dress which I’ll have much more occasion to wear; it’s a formal dress that isn’t overly formal and not dated by a period style. Again, here, the textures are decadent. The lush layer of lace cascades over the blood red satin, sweeping down into an oyster shell ripple that will leave you drooling. The bodice is a stunner in itself - with a darling black satin bow. I do wish that more of the gowns offered their tops and bottoms on multiple layers. The items at Haute are premium priced and it would be nice to allow the consumer to mix and match them a bit.

Another couldn’t-leave-the-store-without pickup was the Maxie Sheer Jumpsuit. If you don’t have any involvement with creating textures in SL or any other 3d visual environment, I cannot express to you how difficult it is to lend detail and layer to black items. Black textures require an ungodly ability to manipulate sheen and light source so that it doesn’t all just look flat. Satin is also a royal pain in the ass to pull off in a visual sense because satin is only satin due to the shine and finish, otherwise it might just as well be polyester. So what am I trying to say to you? I’m trying to say that in order to make this jumpsuit someone had to make a deal with the devil. I’m not clear if there were sacrifices to the gods of virtual fashion, or if someone has agreed to the role of dark minion for a few centuries, but oh-my-god it’s worth it.

I love, love love this jumpsuit. I love the prim ruffles on the arms and legs; I love the sash; I love the sheer panels on the sides that tease you into following all the way around; I love the flirty open bodice. In short, there is NOTHING on this little number not to love. If it were cake, it would be solid frosting - it’s just that good.

(Read More | Where to Buy)