Wrapped Up With A Bow

A long time ago, I began to notice some changes in packaging and started collecting some of the most fantastic and my favorites, meaning to pull together a few now and then for pictures. And I kept forgetting, or having something else to do, but finally I have pulled them all together and they are epic. These are just the ones with built in poses with me standing, so they're a little more repetitive than my usual shots, but I really think the inventive and glorious packaging - all of it giving you things either automatically or with a single click - speaks for itself. Above is the packaging from De La Soul, which contains the tree that is in the middle of the store along with a picture of the product. Below is an adorable corset-purse from Favole (since closed) that I seriously considered keeping just as the purse - it's well made and totally adorable, and comes with the hand-outstretched pose for easy clicking. The Frooti package was probably the funniest, including me falling backwards with fruit flying everywhere; it makes me giggle every time I see it. I also love the dollies, and the tiny packages, all carefully held out so that you can see them and click them easily. Inventive packaging is among my favorite thing in Second Life - it adds such fun and whimsy to a routine endeavor. Each of these pictures is a different store (except for one repeat).

My bow, which is nearly swallowing my head, was an awesome release from SoliDea FoliEs, a store which has joined my growing list of stores to check out when I have some time and attention. I love the big, swoopy curves. My one complaint is it is very hard to find a hair to fit under it - I once talked about making a "hood friendly" hair folder for moments like this, especially now that more and more hair is un-editable mesh. My hair is a gorgeous release from Truth that I picked up after finally cramming myself into the sim during his sale. I blew a lot of cash for that, and this is one of the awesome, curly results. I love the loose curls - they blow me away, all loose and sweet. My dress is from one of my longtime favorite stores that I haven't blogged for ages - but she is no less amazing; Blue Blood is simply the To Go to store for well made, Gothy Lolita clothing. I particularly love her huge, floofy, layered skirts with their rich and dark textures. She's making some forays into mesh now, but I return time and again to her prim clothing because they're simply fun and still very well made. Check out the adorable bows at my hips; so adorable. Finally, my shoes are from another old favorite, G Field; I've worn her bow boots many times, but these bow shoes I keep returning too because they're simply solid.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Candace (promotional item)
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow (promotional item)
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Hair: Truth, Kasia
Bow: SoliDea FoliEs, Haudrey
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Dress: Blue Blood, Acha
Jewelry: Eclectica, 'Flora' Jewelry
Hands: SLink, Mesh Hands
Nails: Orc Inc, Glitterslash
Shoes: G Field, Bow Strap Shoes

Poses: Various

Location: Cupcake
Light Settings: TOR, FOGGY Silent Heck
Water Settings: Glassy

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

Mardi Gras in New Toulouse

Most of you probably don't know this, but I started on Second Life participating in various philosophy events. Philosophy is not often associated with fashion, but I was also very interested in style and appearance and spent a good amount of time dressing myself up. This was in rather sharp contrast to a lot of the other people, who tended to have basic skins and very basic clothing, often several years out of date, and who usually wore the same clothing. I didn't try to make a big deal of it, but I discovered how noticed it was when one of the men made a point of my dress - characterizing it as attempts to attract men, and solely that. I often feel like the outside being stylish and carefully put together tends to make people assume the inside is rather vapid - and being a blond (most of the time, obviously I'm not here) probably doesn't help.

My personal philosophy centers aesthetics as a high value - less out of choice, and more because over time I've noticed that part of how I determine something is moral includes whether it is also aesthetic. It is moral to show grace toward other people, and patience, and kindness, but it also creates beauty in the spaces between people - where you and I meet - and I value that beauty as an integral part of morality. I also think beauty has value of its own to bring about peace of mind, encourage attention and care, and simply make a world in which it is worth living and loving. Although modern US culture degrades beauty, art, and creativity as unnecessary and vapid - I consider it both central and critically important.

Speaking of beauty, the first Flux event is going on and the theme is Mardi Gras. I've never done much with Mardi Gras, but I have to admit I really enjoy the combinations of colors - purple, green, and gold make for gorgeous contrast. The hair is a recent Wasabi Pills release, an over the shoulder pony tail which I'm wearing in a bright shade of green. It's mesh, which means head positioning is a lot easier but the people who might be able to see it are fewer. The Cross Cosmetics from Nuuna were a purchase at 4.44.444 a few months back - something I grabbed on impulse, thinking it might be neat to layer in different cosmetic effect in the future - and it turned out to really pull my look together.

The L.Fauna purple lipstick is a perfect match for the other colors, and placing it over the cross of yellow really made a striking contrast. I layered on top the eyeliner from Adore and Abhor, which is available at the Flux event. They're set up to obscure the eyebrows in favor of blocked in black, and while usually I don't aim for such a theatrical effect, I have to admit I love it here. I also love the mask from Frooti with it's feathers, perfect for a masqued ball, which came with a number of poses. Sadly, none of them were easy masque-in-front-of-the-face poses, but I did what I could! I also added in an adorable beaded and feathered necklace from Forsaken. I'd love some bracelets and anklets to match - they would be so fun!

The dress from katat0nik is really the central point, though. It comes in three different colors - this is the traditional Mardi Gras colors, but there is a pink based one which would be sweet for Easter, and a red one which seems very Queen of Hearts. it comes with these cute little hand cloves I layered over long white gloves, as well as the adorable little Jester Crown. The staff in my hand is a separate purchase, but it can color change to match each of the different dresses. The dresses also come with three different skirts. The one you see has a masque on it hanging form a chain - all of which is three dimensional sculpting which gives it a truly lifelike effect - like it was sewn on. The second skirt is a bare panel. The third skirt is a transparent one, perfect for a sexy little look and to show off the cute panties with their bow-topped garters.

I finished the whole look with these wonderful Alice Project shoes which are tintable in a wide variety of colors - platform, heel, shoe, and strap all separate in their tinting (and with a huge number of heel options, from platform to the spike heel you see above). I also added in these very inexpensive stockings from Eclectic Firefly in place of the ones included with katat0nik's dress; I love the faded diamonds and the confusing mix of diamonds which make it look multi-layered and ease over that tricky ankle line with aplomb. My only complaint, and it is a small one, is that the socks go only to the ankles and the underwear adds up tot he waist; I would love thigh highs to go with my cute little garters, and they would have made the stockings even more useful in a variety of Mardi Gras outfits.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De la Soul, Aestali - Cream Rose
Eyes: De la Soul, RooMee Eyes - Rainbow
Ears: Illusions, Mystic Ears
Eyelashes 1: Flugeln Bise, 05-A Planty
Eyelashes : *X*plosion, PrimLashes
Eyeliner: Ador & Abhor, Checks Face Paint
Facial Cosmetics: Nuuna, BodyCoss Makeup - yellow
Lipstick: L. Fauna, Lipstick - Purple
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Taleen Mesh Hair - Grass
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Necklace: Forsaken, Feathered Harlot Beads
Dress: katat0nik, Jester Dress - Purple
Gloves: Swan Lake Gown Gloves
Mask: Frooti, Mardi Gras Mak
Staff: katat0nik, Jester Staff
Ring 1: Earthstones, Eternal Blossom Ring
Ring 2: Alchemy Immortais, Nestling Finger Talisman
Stockings: Eclectic Firefly, Mardi Gras Leggings
Shoes: Alice Project, Faelin Pumps

Poses: Frooti, Carnival Masquerade

Location: New Toulouse
Light Settings: TOR, NIGHT That Spells Moon 3

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only