Winter Jefferson, the only sardonic Australian Vampire knight fashionisto on the grid, has issued a challenge that really appealed to me. He has asked fashion bloggers to show some love for June Dion and Bare Rose, the prolific, peripatetic and people-priced store that has been the lifesaver for costume hunters and bargain shoppers across the grid. Winter lists the many reasons to love Bare Rose and I won’t repeat them, just ask that you hop over to In Cold Blood and see if you don’t agree that Bare Rose is well-deserving of a blogging tribute.  Take for example, this chidori jacket…

When I spent 135 Lindens on this coat, I did not get one coat, I got an entire fat pack of coats – but with no shortage of quality or prim work. A hat, a flower and jabot, every little thing that could make this outfit great was included – -even a ruffly underblouse that I am not wearing.

With the jacket, I have on a pair of Digit Darkes Developer pants and the bottom half of a pair of Enkythings Pinson boots. Here’s a secret for you – you can make ankle boots out of most of your boots and wear them under your pants by simply leaving off the calf prims.  I am a big fan of Digit Darkes and in particular of her Developer Pants. I happened to be wearing a black pair the first time I met her, when a fellow photographer Blink Pinion sent me a TP. He’s not the sort to TP you in to vote for him, so I followed and arrived at Digit’s rez day party as a complete party crasher and she welcomed me warmly. I was so relieved I was wearing those pants.

Here you can see the detail on the jabot – and get a nice peek at the lovely earrings from Balderdash’s Meadowlark set.  IF you are on the Peace on Earth Hunt, be sure to go to Oubliette and find her earrings, but also take the time to look at her marvelous jewelry. Her sets are reasonably priced and have astonishingly fine detail.

And again, here’s another of the marvelous Chai skins. I thought I might share what a great retailer Launa Fauna is.  When I purchased these, I bought the store card – which gives you a huge discount. I put on the card and the proceeded to buy the skins…not noticing that I was doing it wrong and paying lindens. I guess my music drowned out the ding of spending. I got an IM from Launa Fauna asking if that was my intent and I facepalmed and said, “uh, no, major fail” and so she rectificed my idiocy on the spot. I gave her the card and she gave me cards for the remaining ones I wanted to buy and refunded my overpayment.   Three cheers for attentive retailers who watch out for dingbat customers.

Here is a snap I took at the store, showing Launa Fauna in a light shade of her skin and without freckles.

****STYLE NOTES******

• Poses: Reel Expression
• Skin: Chai Double Shot Freckled Lilly With Cleavage
• Eyes: IC-Eyes Soulful Hazel
• Lashes: CyberNetic
• Hair: Diversity Hair Nika Grenadine Red
• Top: LaLa FooFoo Lightweight Sweater Eggplant
• Pants: Digit Darkes Developer Pants Plum
• Shoes: Enkythings Pinson Boots sienna
• Jacket: Bare Rose Chidori Jacket Yellow
• Earrings: Balderdash MEadowLark earrings