Color Come To Life: The eLDee Fashion Show

Picking up where I left off, Saturday evening was as busy as Saturday afternoon, and the highlight was attending the eLDee Fashion Show at the JM Models Fashion House. Lilyana Dryke, the L and D of eLDee, is quickly becoming one of my favorite designers for her easy-to-wear style sensibilities and dressy-casual chicness.

Our host for the evening, Eddi Haskell (sorry, have to giggle just a little here as that name calls to mind fond memories of one of my favorite childhood TV shows)...oops, back to the post...Eddi described the featured designer in this way:

"Lilyana is a designer with a fondness for beautiful rich colour, stunning unique textures and simple yet striking, fun, flirty and sexy casual designs in her outfits. The collection you are about to see tonight will appeal to every taste and personality, especially for the girl who likes to mix n' match her wardrobe, these outfits are a must."

This is my second time attending a show at the JM Models Fashion House, and I have to tell you that I just love the facility. This time I even hung around for a little bit after the show and everyone was just so friendly (why am I always shocked by the friendliness in SL? I've yet to meet a truly boorish av). I only wish that I had taken more, and quite frankly, better pictures at the event. For pictures from the live show, please visit the JM Models blog.

Click the jump for more info, photos and style sheets.

After the show, I hurried over to eLDee's flagship store on the Sapphire sim to pick up several of the outfits featured. I would suggest you do the same.

eLDee Eva in Blue, ETD Ashley in Blonde, Shiny Things Francoise Flats in Blue

eLDee Panze in Yellow, ETD Davina II in Blonde, Kittie's Lair PeepToe Pumps Tease! in Vine

eLDee Bali in Yellow, Armidi Glamourous II, Maitreya ChiChi Pumps in Black

eLDee Line in Orange, ETD Wynn in Blonde, Kittie's Lair PeepToe Pumps Tease! in Snake 01

eLDee Atoll Swimsuit in Lemon (this Limited Edition suit was a gift for show attendees), ETD Brenda in Blonde

In all photos: Skin: Fleur Vivant Bronze Feline 3
More Photos and Info After The Jump

Meetups and Openings and Shows...Oh My!

Saturday was a very busy day on the grid and I did my best to make the most of it! First up was the Twitter meetup where I had the opportunity to visit with all of my new twitter friends.*waves* I only wish I'd thought to take more pictures.::sigh::

(What? You don't twitter? You simply must, darlings! Ha! I even talked Guy into it!)

Harper Beresford and CodeBastard Redgrave hold court at the Twitter Meetup.

While at the party, my new, fabulous friend, CodeBastard Redgrave, invited me to attend the opening of the Arthole gallery with her. I spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the exhibits in abject amazement and then dancing and laughing and taking part in general mischief making.

When you arrive at Arthole, you are given a notecard that reads, in part:

"Arthole is a new collaborative project between Arahan Claveau and Nebulosus Severine. Having successfully worked together for the first time in 2007 on the exhibition Salon Du Disruptif for the Heldscalla Foundation, they were eager to establish a permanent space for their work.

Split into three separate levels, the gallery has been very consciously conceived to be a continually evolving space, that will strive to challenge and surprise the visitor. The environment has been designed to encourage exploration at a more considered pace, and those that choose to do so will likely be rewarded with a much more immersive and satisfying experience."

In fact, you will find several notecards as you study the individual works. Read them. They are full of information that will enhance your enjoyment of the exhibit.

Instead of regurgitating that information to you here, I'm going to leave you with some photos and captions and brief little snippets...and a direct command to visit the space for yourself. I promise that you will not be disappointed. Click on each photo for a larger view.

Located on the third level, which will be used for exhibits by visiting artists, this photo was taken in the space created by Arthole's first guest, Ichibot Nishi. The installation is titled "λ.mnemonic” and there really are no words to describe it, you must see and experience for yourself. Codie took the above photo of the two of us inside the giant vagina. Please click this link to Codie's Flickr page to view more of her photos from the opening...and then browse around to see ALL of her amazing work...DO NOT skip the Boudoir Rouge series.

Like so many of the exhibits, both Simulacrum v2 and Untitled v2 are scripted to provide a multi-dimensional display. Simulacrum v2 shows subtle changes in movement and texture that will mesmerize the viewer and Untitled v2 is comprised of a series of overlapping images creating an ever-evolving work of art.

Null will really draw you in. When you first teleport to the level, it appears to be simply a bright white room with pyramidical walls. Walk into the space, though, and you will notice that the walls follow you. Go ahead, fly around, they'll keep up. Did I mention that you need to turn your sound up when visiting the gallery? No? How remiss of me! Please, do make sure your sounds are turned up, it will really enhance your experience here. Especially when you turn away from the Null space and enter the Fontana exhibit.

My favorite exihibit, though, is titled Fuck me/Shoot me. Each of the eight colored panels is comprised of tiny, repeating images of an anonymous, shirtless British soldier holding a gun. (The inset picture here, showing the detail, was taking from the notecard provided by the artist) As you walk or fly into the panels, the color will change on contact. The interactivity, and gravity, of the piece is awe-inspiring.

Oh, and I did mention the party, yes? Of course, I remembered the party! What a fabulous time! I must thank Codie again (and again and again and again) for inviting me...we danced up a storm, laughed hysterically and held a very *cough* serious *ahem* discussion as to the pros and cons of jiggly prim breasts.

Oh, but the busy day did not end there. Later that evening, Guy and I attended the eLDee Fashion Show featuring the designs of the uber talented Lilyana Dryke. Tune in Monday for pictures from the show.

Now get thee to Arthole tout de suite! Right after you open that twitter account, of course. *wink*

More Photos and Info After The Jump

Come Sail...er, Speed...Away

Have I told you about my new home? Guy and I recently moved to Balboa Beach, where we share a sim with new friends Donal and Lorrie. It is a beautiful place with lots of lush landscaping, white sand beaches, and, because it is a part of the United Sailing Sims, wide open water for boating. So, of course, I am learning to sail. I have the sweetest little Pine Tako that Guy outfitted with new sails that depict the perfect sunset. It is just the thing for romantic jaunts across the USS or competitive races at Starboards Yacht Club.

Sometimes, though, a girl needs something a little racier. This new boat from MaxMarine and the new bikinis from Mimikri are just what the doctor ordered.

The new Swordfish 40 from MaxMarine owner and creator, Maxmilian Milosz, caught my eye the first time I laid eyes on it. And the fact that it was available in pink was just a bonus! I haven't bought one yet (I think it will be a little present to myself once my inventory is under control...call it incentive), but that didn't stop me from visiting it at the marina and taking some pictures of the new St. Tropez line from Mimikri.


The textures of the bikini are gorgeous, creating a subtle sparkle on the otherwise simple triangle top and the thong bottoms fit my avi very well. The optional skirt and top pack includes a maxi skirt (as shown below), a babydoll top and miniskirt. You can see more of the collection on Mimikri's blog. My only complaints: there is no fat pack available (I want it in all colors!) and the bikini and skirt set are sold seperately. I'm trying to clean up my inventory, remember, so it would have been nice to have all of these items in the same folder without having to move them there myself. I can be lazy like that. Gee, maybe that is why my inventory is such a mess now, ya think? Ah well. It is what it is.

Here are some pictures of the St. Tropez bikini on its own and with the maxi skirt. And don't you agree that my future pretty in pink love boat makes a great backdrop?

Skin: Fleur Vivant Bronze Feline 3... of course :)
Eyes: ~Glanz~ .::Eyes::.mid:FreshBlue
Hair: MMS-MessyHair - Natural Blond
Bikini and Skirt: Mimikri St. Tropez - Black
Shoes: *HUB* Venus Sandals in Sleek Noir
Jewelry: -Earthtones-Chakra Boho Beads Hoop Earrings and Necklace, Black/Gold
Hat: Cachet-TiffanyHATearth (retextured)
Handbag: Everyday Tote (Steel)
THE Boat: MaxMarine's Swordfish 40 in Pink
Photographs taken at Max Marine

More Photos and Info After The Jump

I'm Going On A Diet

Tuesday night I had some time to myself so I decided to hatch a drakelet or two and work on organizing my out of control inventory. It has reached situation critical and drastic measures must be taken.

Why drakelet hatching? I love the thrill of hunting for new hatching locations and the little drakes are just so cute! But most importantly, Drakelets take about 45 minutes to hatch, and during that time you have to stay in one spot...waiting. So, that is 45 minutes that I can set aside to work on my inventory without distraction. Also, building is allowed in most of the Grendel's Children areas, so opening boxes is not an issue. But, I digress...

Follow the jump to read more about my plan to trim down and shape up.

I'm going on a diet. That's right. Until my inventory has been returned to a manageable state, I will be cutting out the fat (read: deleting those items I know I'll never actually wear or need) and only consuming new releases that I just can't live without. I actually thought about not allowing myself to make ANY purchases until I was down to a manageable weight (read: item count), but then the "what ifs" took over. What if ETD puts out a new release of hair or shoes? What if Tres Jolie releases a new dress that I have to have? What if Muse introduces a new line of jewelry? No. I had to leave myself an out to take advantage of these possibilities.

For the time being though, I'll be posting about items that I find in my inventory that I had completely forgotten about be they clothes or objects or landmarks. I hope you will enjoy all of the treasures that I have buried so deeply.

Style Sheet (Note: Aside from my skin and the boots, everything that I am wearing has been sitting in my inventory completely untouched for months)
Skin: Fleur Vivant Bronze 3 Feline
Boots: J's Goth Belt Boots
Jacket: Last Call Damascus Urbane Jacket (slip)
Jeans: Armidi Limited A001 Jeans Black Industrial
Hair: Aveda Institutes at ETD Aveda Short Crop 2 - AVEDA Champagne
Watch: Muse Classic Tank Watch in Natural/Silver (dark face)
Location: Grendel's Children - Avaria Kro - Waiting for my BloodSmog Drakelet to Hatch.


More Photos and Info After The Jump

Archange Has Arrived

At exactly 9:01 PM SLT on Monday Night, fashionistas from all over the grid answered Danner Dosei and Katterina Dagastino's call to attend the Grand Opening of Archange. The opening marks the debut fashions on this new partnership and also signals Katterina's return to the SL fashion world since the closing of Last Call.

Here is just a sampling of the designs you will find at Archange, located in the former Last Call building. I will be posting more about the designs and these designers as soon as recover from lag exhaustion.

Left to Right: Archange's Fernanda, Zophia and Natalia

Congratulations Katterina and Danner on your new adventure!
More Photos and Info After The Jump

Undressing In Style

Sometimes a girl just needs to spend an evening showing off her sexy side. So, with that in mind, I set off to photograph some of my favorite Lingerie outfits.

More Photos and Style Sheets After The Cut...

Total Betty, Insolence and Nicky Ree make some of the finest lingerie on the grid, in my opinion. And these three outfits are excellent examples of their work.

Cover Photo and Bottom Photo (Top Left):
Outfit: Total Betty *Valentine* Lingerie Set
Hair: MMS - Vanessa Hair - Gold Blond
Shoes: Kittie's Lair Platform High Heels in Kiss Black
Skin: Fleur vivant bronze feline 3 (all photos)

Bottom Photo (Top Right)
Outfit: Insolence - Louise in Purple
Hair: ETD Jessica in Blonde
Shoes: Kittie's Lair Peep Toe Pumps Tease! in Black

Bottom Photo (Bottom Left)
Outfit: Nicky Ree Rose Lingerie - Champagne
Shoes: Tesla Natasha Heels in Tan
Hair: ETD Alayna in Blonde

More Photos and Info After The Jump

An Evening of Fashion

Last night, I was fortunate enough to attend the Alchemy and Angels Fashion Show produced by JM Models Fashion House. And, to make the evening complete, Guy was able to escort me to the show...~smile~ The show was beautifully produced and the models were stunning. The real stars of the show, however, were the designs by Constanza Volare of Alchemy and Isobel DeSantis of Angels. Gunther Allen, our emcee for the evening provided the best description of these two talented designers.

"Constanza is a dress designer with a fondness for bold colors and rich, shimmering textures in her stunning designs. Her dresses take you back to the golden age of Hollywood glamour - but with a contemporary twist.

Isobel makes some of the finest shoes and accessories in Secondlife, delicately crafted with amazing detail and a range of color choices to match all the outfits Constanza makes."

Below the cut you will find more pictures from the show and photos of the new Alchemy Releases provided by Constanza Volare.

In the above pictures you see the first model of the evening preparing her walk down the runway, one of my favorite outfits of the show, and the aptly named Adorable outfit.

The following pictures were taken from Constanza Volare's flickr page, with her permission, of course. To view larger images, please follow the link to flickr. You can find all of these designs at Alchemy.

To purchase any of the fashions seen here, along with all of their other beautiful designs, just follow the SLurls to visit Alchemy and Angels in world.

Oh, and as for me, I'm wearing Alchemy Unique in Yellow with the system skirt option, along with my go-to hair and skin of choice - ETD's Davina II in Blonde Burnt and Fleur Vivant Bronze Feline 3. And Guy, well, he's all in black...go figure...*S.


More Photos and Info After The Jump

Cachet To Spare

Cachet - \ka-ˈshā\ - noun - 1: an indication of approval carrying great prestige, 2: a characteristic feature or quality conferring prestige.

Minnu Palen and Thora Charron embody the very definition of the word, so it is no surprise that their latest foray into haute couture should be branded accordingly. With the release of their Spring 2008 line, I have decided to post a retrospective of my favorite pieces from their debut line and a sampling of new releases.

More Photos and Style Sheets after the cut...

Let's begin with Cachet's debut release...
The Ford (Ice) Dress, with it's short white skirt and cut-out at the midriff, is textured beautifully and gives off a sheen that feels almost iridescent. The two photos featured here show off the dress in a setting with more natural daylight and with with the windlight settings manipulated to showcase the iridescence of the texture. Thanks to Tucor Capalini for providing the photos and allowing me to shoot at his Lunar Landing location.



















The Spider outfit, with its wrap of tulle, sleek pants and fashion-forward belt, is edgy and fun. Though the tulle wrap floats around the body fluidly, one would never consider it "fluffy" or "confection-y," this is couture, for sure.




















The Marlene dress takes the inventory-staple Little Black Dress and pushes it into Haute Couture. The low-cut bodice is perfectly complimented by the futuristic headpiece, with it's silver and stiff netting, and the strong profile of the shoulder pieces. The simple silver clutch, which comes with the outfit, is a simple and elegant touch that serves to ground the outfit, not overpower it.

















Victoria takes the classically feminine line of the babydoll dress and infuses it with a lot of style. The rich plum color and sheer white tights can be dressed up or down without detracting from its couture tilt. Here I've chosen to pair it with some sculpted boots from Redgrave.
And now....drumroll, please...for the new releases...
Alex is a vision in chiffon chic. The skirt moves beautifully and the slight slit in the front of the skirt offers an occasional glimpse of the matching panties. This dress needs nothing more than a pair of nude, snakeskin peep-toes to make this fashionista feel like a lady.

Recently, I read a comment from Caliah Lyon (she of Muse fame), praising the detailing of Cachet's pants. The Tilda outfit demonstrates this beautifully. And though I love every outfit I have purchased from Cachet to date, this is the one I would kill to be able to rez into my RL wardrobe.

Finally, GoldGlam is delicately textured with an upscale leaf-like pattern that takes the metallic gold from day to night with ease. I've photographed the skirt here, but when you purchase the outfit, you'll also receive pants with the same attention to detail mentioned above.

If you've not yet visited Cachet, I encourage you to throw on your stilettos and head over there tout de suite. You won't find an overwhelming number of items, but a carefully edited selection of designs and accessories. Each item is fashion-forward yet wearable, and, to my mind, very well-made. In other words...this is a boutique with Cachet to spare.

Style Notes:
All Clothing and accessories by Minnu Palen and Thora Charron for Cachet
All Hair by ETD (Except cover photo, which is from BooN)
Skin: Fleur Vivant Bronze 3 Feline
Eyes: Tuli Bright Blue Eyes
Shoes, by outfit:
Ford (Ice) and Marlene - Stiletto Moody Pumps (color change)
Victoria (cover photo) - Stiletto Moody Elegant Slingback (Silver Twinkle)
Victoria (article photo)- Redgrave Boots, Black Leather Sculpties
Alex and Tilda - Kittie's Lair Peep Toe Pumps Tease! in Snake01
GoldGlam - Armidi Gisaci Barcelona Slingback in Black with Gold



More Photos and Info After The Jump