A Serious Woman

1930s fashion is one of my favourite styles when it comes to vintage clothes, but rather difficult to construct with the means of Second Life – especially when you don’t want to wear an “out of the box” outfit all the time, but I think I succeeded with this one. Also, I felt like donning a “serious” outfit before indulging in the playful nature of spring dresses, and there is a certain grown-up quality to the clothes of this decade which you don’t find in the years before of afterwards.

Sometimes, the outfits I blog go through a rather long evolution before I decide they are ready for taking a picture, but this one was a very straight-forward and quick development: every single item I tried just fell into place and the most time-consuming task was fitting the hair under the hat.

Body:

• Skin: (5th & Oxford) Brooke FAIR Subtle 6
• Eyes: [LeLutka]-Reflections-Mist-Eyes
• Lashes: (Miriel) Lashes – Feather [not available anymore]
• Hair: Ingenue :: Myrna :: Natural Black

Outfit:

• Jacket & Gloves: [The Sweetest Good-bye] 2nd Moon – Grey
• Skirt: Ingenue :: Vintage Basics :: Secretary :: Ebon
• Stockings: *Sheer* Stockings 01: Nylon Black
• Shoes: Maitreya Neyya * Toe-cap grey
• Hat: *COCO*_WoolFeltFedora_Black
• Bag: [LeLutka]-handbagBLACK

Other:

• Pose: *TorridWear* – Geometry 04

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Between The Seasons

Even though meteorologically, spring starts today, and even though I am sick of the cold, grey weather, it’s hard to come up with a daffodils-and-hyacinths-look when the window shutters are rattling in the storm outside. Instead, a TV-documentation on fashion designer Sonia Rykiel inspired me to create an outfit based on some of Rykiel’s collections from the 1970s, perfect for that time of the year.

Today’s look contains two pieces I have used in the same combination before, but they fit really well into the concept: if you look past the hippie and disco fashion, a lot of clothes from the 1970s are a re-interpretation of the silhouettes which were en vogue in the 1920s – especially noticeable in haute couture. For Sonia Rykiel, it became one of her signature looks which she still keeps varying several decades later. What I like about it is that despite the obvious references to bygone (fashion) eras, her creations never look dated.

Body:

• Skin: (5th & Oxford) Brooke FAIR – Nightfall 4
• Eyes: [LeLutka]-Reflections-Mist-Eyes
• Lashes: (Miriel) Lashes – Feather [not available anymore]
• Hair: !lamb. Dog Roses – ink

Outfit:

• Cardigan: *Thimbles* Jim Jones Doomberry Kool-aid
• Top: [Whippet & Buck] Cole Boatneck Top ALABASTER
• Skirt: *ICING* Fields of Bloom [part of outfit]
• Gloves: (5th&Oxford) Leather Gloves – M *white*
• Stockings: Stockings by Bettie’s – ivory [formerly 1-800 Bettie’s]
• Shoes: Maitreya Neyya * Toe Cap White

Other:

• Pose: Reel Expression – Posh 13

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World AIDS Day 2009

December 1 is World AIDS Day, and on this occasion I would like to do a blog post to raise awareness of a condition we all know about, but – for various reasons – choose to largely ignore in everyday life.

A very dear friend of mine is HIV-positive, and he also is the person who first introduced me to SecondLife® in December 2007. Without him, I wouldn’t be here, writing this post.

Like most people, I knew about HIV, but the role it played in my life was too insignificant to ever become more than a distant, abstract threat that seemingly did not belong to my environment. Now, no day goes past that I don’t think of it consciously, that I don’t hope for improvement of already existing therapies or for a breakthrough in scientific research, so that a cure might be found.

At a time of the year when most of the Western hemisphere has its collective thoughts on either upcoming or past holidays, I would like to take a break for World AIDS Day and for all those who are infected with HIV – regardless of age, race, gender, sexual identity or social status; regardless of whether their infection was a risk they took, an accident, or fate; whether they were born with it or not.

To my friend, I’d just like to say: I hope that many decades from now, we will sit together, old and wrinkly, laughing about the times when we were young. I love you.

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Of course, the red ribbon I’m wearing is very anachronistic, but in this case, I really don’t care.

My outfit is a new-ish release by Ingenue that I love so much that I’m not yet willing to change into something else. Both the high-waisted “Jane Jean” and the “Marguerite” sweater have a playful, pin-up style sexiness which is never really out of date, so even if vintage or retro fashion are not usually your cup of tea, you still might enjoy these two items. The quality is, as always with Betty Doyle’s creations, very high, so there really is no reason why you should hesitate to get one of the many colours she offfers.
If your balance is currently low or you still need further persuasion, there’s a red version of the Jane Jean available through a Midnight Mania board at Ingenue – just touch the board and with a bit of luck, you’ll receive a free copy at midnight SLT.

Since I recently joined the “iheartsl.com bloggers”-group, I will from now on note all promotional items I received through them with a bold “R” for “review copy”.

Body:

• Skin: (5th & Oxford) FAIR Audrey Summer Cocktails 5
• Eyes: (Miriel) Realistic Eyes – Strong Green [not available anymore]
• Lashes: (Miriel) Lashes – Feather [not available anymore]
• Hair: >Truth< “Ashlynn” espresso

Outfit:

• Sweater: Ingenu :: Marguerite :: Coal R
• Jeans: Ingenue :: Jane Jean :: Blue R
• Shoes: Maitreya “Verve” black
• Red Ribbon: freebie from the SL HIV Prevention and Education Center, here: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Snowlion%20Mountain/149/126/25

Other:

• Pose: [LAP] Wonder Girls II – The Zoe

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Autumn brings (a) New Look

In order to re-familiarize myself with blogging, I’m going to visit the 1950s again, and what would be better than wearing the “Doriane” coat by L’Abel on that occasion? Not only does it offer a splash of colour I’m often missing at this time of the year, but also it does have the most wonderful “New Look”-shape, with a tight-fitting bodice and a wide skirt. Accentuated with a black collar, black cuffs and matching accessories, the outfit remains classy while still making a statement.

Body:

• Skin: (5th & Oxford) FAIR Audrey Summer Cocktails 5
• Eyes: (Miriel) Realistic Eyes – Strong Green [not available anymore]
• Lashes: (Miriel) Lashes – Feather [not available anymore]
• Hair: Kin -Joan- [black]

Outfit:

• Coat: L’Abel – Doriane coat
• Shoes: Maitreya Group Gift Pumps black
• Stockings: *Sheer* Stockings 01: Nylon Black
• Earrings: ~Muse~ Claris Pearl earring in Gold
• Gloves: Fleur Gloves Short Black
• Hat: Tesla hat “Joan” [free]
• Bag: (P-K) Vintage Petit Sac Noir

Other:

• Pose: *TorridWear* Drama 08

 

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La Bella Figura

(Credits at the end of the post.)

Summer 1960: hemlines are creeping up to the knee, outfits become simpler. Only a few years later Mary Quant will present the mini skirt to the public and fashion rules will be completely overturned. The Golden Age of Haute Couture is coming to an end and at the end of the decade, the street will rule over the catwalk.

We tend to think of the 1960s as a decade of revolution, not only socially, but also in terms of fashion, and often forget that they also contributed many staples to classical wardrobe. Change did not come with a big bang, but was achieved gradually when the highly refined and complicated wardrobe of the 50s shed many of its decorative elements in favour of more slim-lined cuts.

When I received a notification about the release of Couture Chapeau’s Sophia Loren retrospective some weeks ago, I was immediately intrigued by the idea, but unfortunately an illness kept me from logging into SL for a longer period of time and afterwards it took me a while until I found the opportunity to poperly check them out. I’m glad I did, though, because I immediately felt drawn towards some of the hats, and so it came that the “Napoli” model inspired this look.

The outfit consists of Armidi’s “Primavera” mini-trench, worn without the prim sleeves for an authentic appearance, and the “Simplicity” prim skirt from /artilleri/, one of those basics I couldn’t do without in SL. Of course, I had to mod the prim parts of the trench to fit on my avatar (and over the system skirt), but in this case the task turned turned out to be surprisingly easy – a rarity when it comes to prim-clothes.
Black mid-length gloves by 5th & Oxford and black pumps by Maitreya lend an elegant touch to the ensemble, while the necklace by (luc) adds just the splash of colour to prevent it from looking too monochromatic. Tres Blah’s lovely bag finally has a design which matched my vision of this outfit perfectly, I only had to get rid of the bow – not because I didn’t like it (I do, very much so), but because there was “too much going on” in the outfit now. Fortunately, the bag comes with copy and modify enabled, so I could take a copy and shrink the bow to a size that you can hardly see it.

The hat is available in black and red as well and contains a resize script, so it should fit every avatar regardless of (head-) size; I’m wearing ETD’s “Roslin” underneath, once again modified to prevent some of the strands from poking through the hat.

“Why the cigarette?” you may ask. Well, I don’t smoke in RL and never would, but I found for a look from a time when smoking was the rule rather than the exception, when people were unaware of the health risks  and when stars did it in public without tabloids scolding them through a series of unflattering snapshots the next day, it would make an appropriate accessory. Even though the cigarette comes with particle smoke, it didn’t show very well in my snapshot, so I added the smoke in Photoshop.

And if you think that’s a cheap romance novel poking out of Aderyn’s bag, you are mistaken. She assured me that it’s a copy of Cocteau.

Body:

• Skin: (5th & Oxford) FAIR Audrey Fresh 1
• Eyes: (Miriel) Realistic Eyes – Strong Green [not available anymore]
• Lashes: (Miriel) Lashes – Feather [not available anymore]
• Hair: ETD – Roslin (smoke)

Outfit:

• Hat: La Loren Napoli Chapeau – white straw
• Jacket: (Armidi) Primavera Mini Trench Bianco
• Skirt: /artilleri/ simplicity pencil skirt *black*
• Stockings: [1-800 Bettie’s] Stockings by Bettie’s – nude
• Gloves: (5th & Oxford) Gloves Medium Black
• Shoes: Maitreya Group Gift Pumps – black
• Necklace: (luc) Gaea Necklace (coral/gold)
• Bag: -Tres Blah- Chic Satchel (black)
• Cigarette: PERSONA cigarette solo [freebie]

Other:

• Pose: Standing pose from [LAP]’s free basic AO in combination with the in-built holding pose of the bag

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Vive La Résistance

Body:

• Skin: Fleur Allure Alabaster Kitten 2
• Eyes: (Miriel) Realistic Eyes – Strong Green
• Lashes: (Miriel) Lashes – Feather
• Hair: fashionably dead – Dorothy’s Morning – Nothingness

Outfit:

• Dress: Ibizarre Flower Dress Siri
• Cardigan: []::Tuli::[] Cable knit cropped vest WHITE
• Hat: From the “Timeless Glamour” hair by Clawtooth by Clawtooth (some of the feathers are tinted white)
• Stockings: *Sheer* Stockings 01: Nylon Black
• Shoes: Maitreya Group Gift Pumps – Pearl

Other:

• Pose: Long Awkward Pose – [LAP] – CM-When I’m Alone

Towards the end of the 1930s, there already was a natural tendency towards fuller skirts in fashion which got stopped short by WWII and the rationing of clothing, cloth and footwear. Everywhere but in France, where women saw it as their patriotic duty to use up as much cloth as possible in their outfits so it wouldn’t fall into the hands of the German occupants. French women remained impeccably dressed through the chaos of war, and while everywhere else skirts became narrower and shorter each year, theirs remained full and wide and anticipated Dior’s New Look.

Today’s ensemble is inspired by such a French outfit from the early 1940s and proved more difficult than initially expected – I just couldn’t find some of the things I had in mind, or they did not look good in combination with the outfit, so in the end I kept it relatively simple. It’s so hot outside that I can hardly bear the sight of a cardigan and stockings anyway. 😉

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C’ha un bel balcone!

Body:

• Skin: Fleur Allure Alabaster Smudged 2
• Eyes: (Miriel) Realistic Eyes – Strong green
• Lashes: (Miriel) Lashes – Feather
• Hair: Diversity Hair – Delaney (black)

Outfit:

• Top: *COCO*_gift_floraltanktop (group gift)
• Skirt: /artilleri/ Carla circle skirt *green*
• Hair Flower: /artilleri/ Rose hair flower *orange*
• Bangles: ::Genesis:: Aidan Bangles
• Shoes: Maitreya group gift pumps (magenta)

Other:

• Pose: [IE] Imperial Elegance – Dazzle – 10

This post title is probably going to bring me tons of non-SL-related traffic, because it translates to “she has a beautiful balcony,” of course meaning “she has a nice rack.” I was trying for the look of 1950s’ Italian actresses – think a young Sofia Loren or Gina Lollobrigida – without copying any specific outfit. After all those sombre colours this blog just wanted something a little more vibrant. Still, if you had told me before that I’d walk the grid in an outfit combining orange, green and pink, I’d have declared that I’d never wear something like that. 😉

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Sitting at the Canal

Body:

• Skin: Fleur Allure Alabaster Fall In Love 3
• Hair: Donna Flora “Marlene” brunette (tinted darker)

Outfit:

• Blouse & Skirt: ~Ivalde~ Margaretha black
• Gloves: PIDIDDLE gloves teal [freebie]
• Shoes: Maitreya – Solace faded teal
• Stockings: OPIUM Everyday L$1 Store – tan lace-trim stockings
• Hat: Greta Elegance Hat grey tweed
• Corsage: Swallowtail profile picks gift
• Bag: B@R Clutch Bag Black

Other:

• Pose: seating pose from the Basic Female AO by [LAP]

A blog about vintage fashion in SL cannot possibly be complete without featuring something by Ivalde, and so it’s back to the 1930s today with the beautiful Margaretha set. The blouse is one of my favourite pieces by Ivalde and works equally well in a modern outfit.

Elegance Hats offers both vintage and modern pieces, and I was instantly smitten with the Greta hat, a typical 1930s design named after the great Greta Garbo. Back then, hats usually were worn noticably tilted to the side and drawn deep into the face, so that, depending on the perspective, they either hid most of the face or provided a dramatic background for one’s profile.  This one has not only a great texture, but also comes with a little hatneedle, thus adding a little extra adornment to the outfit.

Shoes and gloves were the starting point from which this outfit developed – as soon as I got the gloves (a freebie!), I knew I wanted to pair them with Maitreya’s Solace in faded teal. The bag is a lucky chair gift from B@rerose Tokyo, and the marvellous corsage finally a picks reward gift by Swallowtail.

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