I uploaded this windlight setting. The download link is further down in the post.

Avenue’s Couture of Hope fashion extravaganza for Relay for Life opens today at noon SLT. The 40 participating designers were asked to create a piece that embodies their vision of a “season of hope.” Entre Mares created this stunning piece that immediately brought Emily Dickinson’s beautiful poem to mind. Hope is the thing with feathers...

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune–without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I’ve heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

I decided to shoot this in a stormy sky to reflect the idea that Hope sings throughout the storms. As you can see, the gown is a confection of flowing skirt and train panels in addition to featuring the romantic feathers of Hope. The dress has every romantic element from a lace bodice and sleeves to leg-flashing skirts and flowing silks and tulles. Adding the cotton candy feathers is the crowning touch. The dress is called Wish. Hope is a Wish that has confidence in its eventual success.

I think Emily Dickinson got it wrong in the last stanza. Hope does ask crumbs of us – in fact, it demands a lot more than crumbs. Hope insists we act to make our dreams and wishes come true. Hope tells us to contribute to cancer research, to go to these events and support the funcing of cancer research. Hope tells us to do our part to combat cancer in our own lives, to avoid smoking, to check our breasts regularly, to get recommended tests and and exams. It’s our doing our part that turns wishes into hopes and rewards us with advances in treatment and with quadrupling the number of people who survive cancer in the last 40 years.

I added the white crystal pumps from Baiastice that have the huge crystal in the heel. I love the drama in these shoes and have worn them time and again. My absolute favorite white dress shoes.

I thought you might enjoy having the Windlight setting for this shoot so I uploaded it here for you to download it. If you prefer to create the setting yourself in Second Life, the screenshot of the settings is here.

The hair is an old style from Muism. It was the first fatpack of hair I ever purchased way back in 2007 and I still love it. Almost all my hair is red, but the silver in this Mandy cut is perfect. The jewelry is from luc and features the heavenly luminescence of opals.

The skin is also an Couture of Hope creation and comes from Blush – a new-to-me store. It’s a lovely, ethereal skin that seems made for the dress from Entre Mares.

***STYLE NOTES******

• Poses: Lost Angel
• Skin: Blush Purite Grace for Couture of Hope
• Eyes: PXL Creations SOUL
• Lashes: Lelutka
• Hair: Muism Mandy
• Nails: PXL Creations
• Dress: Entre Mares Wish for Couture of Hope
• Shoes: Baiastice Crystal
• Jewelry: luc Maya II