Author Archives: Cajsa Lilliehook

About Cajsa Lilliehook

Santino Rice's little ditty "It's only fashion" seems a perfect title for my little fashion blog as you and i know that fashion means the world to him. Co-founder of It's Only Fashion and Blogging Second Life.

Modern Romance

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The Fernando gown from Dead Dollz is romance personified. I love the beautiful embroidered tracery of flowers and vines in that soft peach, blue and mint. I love the fitted bodice with the bouffant exuberant squirt and the sheer overblouse. the definition of the belted waistline. It takes so many elements of historical and folk costume and the result is completely modern. It borrows from the baroque to make something minimalist and resolutely of the the now. It’s just great design on every level.

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Same Damn Dress

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Gidge and I popped over to Nº21 because she had seen a dress in the EloquenceSL Shopping Guide she had to have. When I saw it, I had to have it too, so we decided to do a “Same Damn Thing” challenge, or in this case, Same Damn Dress. I love the same damn challenges because it gets at the heart of what makes fashion exciting and creative. We are all individuals who make decisions about styling so that even when we wear the same damn dress, we look different. So, if any of you want to style this same damn dress, post your links below for the giggles.
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hallucinatory heat

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So it is hot again. One of the joys of living in the Pacific Northwest is avoiding blistering heat, but thanks to global climate change, I am afraid that may become a thing of the past. However, I suppose I should keep it in perspective. It is far hotter elsewhere.

Most of the time, when you read about someplace deathly hot with temperatures in excess of 120° Fahrenheit, you can also add “but at least it is dry heat” which might be small comfort at that temperature, but it still makes a difference.

This was made very clear when I read a news article that left me reeling and think I should be grateful. There is a city in Iran, on the Persian Gulf, that reached a Heat Index of 165° degrees – that is heat of 115° and a dew point of 90. Heat and humidity, that is just not fair. Now my response to heat is to dress lightly, so imagine that heat in a burqa. It makes me very grateful for my much lower intensity heat discomfort.  Continue reading →

Read Any Good Books Lately?

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Foxes has released this beautifully fitted and textured dress in a mind-numbing 24 different versions from sparked to ombres to solids with standard sizing and sizing for specific mesh bodies. Obviously, the Foxes creator has given up on sleep.

The long list for the  Man Booker prize was announced yesterday and I have only read one of them. That is one reason it is my favorite book list. It goes beyond bestseller lists and borders, elevating excellent fiction from all over the world. Usually by the time the next list is out, I have read my way through the list. It is changing, though, until 2013, the authors had to come from the Commonwealth and now it is open to authors from any country so long as they write in English and their books are published in the UK. For the first time there are five American writers on the list. Will this change the complexion of the list? I don’t know. I hope not.

I have been on a lucky streak lately, reading several good books in a row. Right now I am reading The Sellout by Paul Beatty, an hilarious satire of post-racial America. The protagonist’s father is killed by the police in what is supposed to be a ridiculously senseless and satirical example of police violence. Unfortunately, reality has surpassed satire on that score.

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Well, that was easy!

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Damselfly Marnie hair and Azuchi Suma dress

If you have been following this blog lately, you know that Hair Fair happened and while it was happening, I have been publishing interviews with Hair Fair designers. I got a notecard back from one on Sunday. It was from Shyla Honey of Damselfly and began with an apology because she had been out of town for two weeks and wanted me to know she had not been ignoring my notecard queries. I didn’t read the rest because I was in a bit of hurry.

I popped over to Hair Fair to buy the two of her Hair Fair releases I had not already purchased and pick up the gifts and shot my pictures of all her hairs. Then I opened the notecard back up and realized that the note was all she sent, reasonably assuming since Hair Fair was ending, I would not continue the interviews. Oh well, at least I have all the pictures.

I decided to wear this dress from Azuchi because it has that  huge ruffle across the bodice that normally conflicts with hair and Damselfly hair is often long and curly and exactly the sort of hair likely to cause problems with a bodice ruffle. Not that I was looking for trouble, but I chose it because a few design decisions were made that address that problem well. You will note that you get the full ruffle, it has gathers in it and makes the bold design statement, but it is crafted to lay close to the bodice, avoiding conflicts. It’s a bit of trompe l’oeil and it works well.
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Hair Fair Designers — MissAllSunday Lemon

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I have been wearing Wasabi Pills since 2008, though the first year I was wearing Wasabi Pills skin and then later, when she began wearing hair, I started wearing her hair, too. Between Gidge and me, there are nearly 200 posts with Wasabi Pills hair. I do not know if I was one of the first to blog her items, but I do remember that when I first blogged her skin, she sent me a warm and friendly note. I also remember how when mesh hit the grid, she hit the ground running as if all that time before mesh was just preparation for mesh when she really got into creating a new level.

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Wasabi Pills Saffron

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Hair Fair Designers — Alice Demonia

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I wore my first Alice Project hair three years ago this month. Alice Project holds a special place in my heart for scaring me the first time I put on an all white hair that I applied a texture to. I am certain there was an involuntary squeak or two before I realized I had not broken it and just had to add the hud and click. We are friends on Plurk and I don’t think I will be telling any deep, dark secrets if I tell you she has a wicked, sardonic sense of humor. And as you can see from her favorite photo, “Nobody parties like Alice Demonia.”

Hair Fair may be closed, but you will be able to find these styles in the stores. I have some remaining profiles to do, so on we go.

Alice Demonia by Vanity Mirror 2013

Nobody Parties Like Alice Demonia by Vanity Mirror – 2013

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Alice Project Strawberry

It’s Only Fashion: What’s the craziest thing you ever did in Second Life? Most exciting? Silliest? Is there a story you can share that captures your Second Life experience?

Alice Demonia: My Second Life has been pretty boring, I think, hahah. When I first started, I did the standard exploring and trolling and laughing at various sex related sims. That’s probably the most excitement I’ve had. Nowadays, I’m notorious for AFKing at my friends’ platforms or sims for days. I tend to just sort of set up wherever I am, if they’re open to that. The Flickr photo I’ve included is the product of one day where I logged in at a friend’s and everyone just decided to start throwing down things around me, lol. Continue reading →

Repairing the World

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There is a concept in Judaism called “Tikkun Olam” which roughy translates to repairing the world. As with any religious concept, there is debate about what that means: does it urge people to because engaged in social justice activism to make the world more just or does it mean making the divinity of god manifest? I am not Jewish so the finer theological argument is not for me to engage, I can simply admire the confident power of that injunction. There is an assumption there that we all have agency, that we can do our part, and that power to repair the world is in our hands.

However, since we are not magical creatures, we probably need to start small, with ourselves and our relation to the world, finding avenues to being people together, to create the Beloved Community, another religious concept, this time from Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. This is a community formed by and of agape or brotherly love, the selfless love of others that seeks justice and dignity for all.

“I am convinced that love is the most durable power in the world. It is not an expression of impractical idealism, but of practical realism. Far from being the pious injunction of a Utopian dreamer, love is an absolute necessity for the survival of our civilization. To return hate for hate does nothing but intensify the existence of evil in the universe. Someone must have sense enough to cut off the chain of hate and evil, and this can only be done through love.” — Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Continue reading →

Hair Fair Designers — Helena Stringer

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Our Lady of the Bugs was the first hairdo I purchased from The Stringer Mausoleum, long ago for Halloween 2008. Her work is instantly recognizable because it is wild and exuberantly creative, full of wit and a dollop of kookiness. It entertains as well as adorns.

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Helena Stringer – Pixel Mythos – Bats by Moonlight By Helena Stringer – 2015

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The String Mausoleum Kitchen Magnet, Luxuria GigaWatt Bodysuit, Sn@tch Latex Gloves, Glamistry Echium Heels

It’s Only Fashion: What’s the craziest thing you ever did in Second Life®? Most exciting? Silliest? Is there a story you can share that captures your Second Life experience?

Helena Stringer: The Craziest Thing I have ever done in SL® would probably be taking the reigns of Media Manager for a rather large event, 2 weeks before it was to open. I learned a lot, and was rather successful at it. There was over 200 designers in that event, and I managed to get each of them covered at least 2 times, by a team of 60 bloggers. I did this while being in 13 Events/Hunts/Rounds myself for my own store as well as running the Main Site for the Event, which had a tem and daily postings. Would I do it again? Probably, I am crazy like that, haha. Continue reading →

She Stood In the Storm

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Azul for Lexi Project

For some reason, this feels cancer’s year. It has been wreaking havoc with too many lives. It will be a year in August since my sister’s diagnosis and double mastectomy and she is still not cleared to go back to work. Chemo laid waste to her immune system leaving her vulnerable to multiple bouts of pneumonia and a baker’s dozen of random diseases that I have never heard of – one so rare that it had never been seen in that hospital before. Then, just to make things interesting, they found three brain tumors during a scan. In the end, though, she has survived and hopes to be back to work soon.

My niece is struggling with her own cancer battle, driving 330 miles to the Mayo Clinic and back again once a week. There are closer clinics, but she has always been an adventurous sort and  managed to acquire a rare and orphan form of cancer that can only be treated there. We had a scare with my one year old great nephew, but thankfully the tests came back negative a few days ago, but it has been a tense two weeks while we waited for results.

Friends in my first life ended their long struggles with terminal cancer in May and June. Meanwhile, here in Second Life, Amy left us in May and Melanie left us in July. This has not been a good year. But it’s only a little more than half over and perhaps it’s time to turn things around.

Here is one chance to do that. The Lexi Project is a fundraiser that starts on Sunday, July 26th, to help Lexi Zelin (AngelRED Couture) who was recently diagnosed with Stage III Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a rare lymphatic cancer, basically a cancer of the immune system, weakening a person’s ability to fight infection. The cancer has not spread to her bone marrow, so she has a fighting chance.

Azul for Lexi Project

From Elizabeth Edwards book, Resilience.

Lexi Zelin is adjusting her sails, but cancer is expensive and even more so when the pain keeps her from working. She explains all of this on her GoFundMe page.

Again and again, the Second Life community has come together to help each other in moments of need. This is her moment of need and our community will be there for her. Mami Jewell of Azul has released this special edition of her Abigail gown for sale at the Lexi Project fundraiser and 100% of the sales will go to help Lexi’s cancer struggle. In fact, all of the items at the event will donate 100% to Lexi. Depraved Nation is donating the land for this event.  You can learn more about the Lexi Project on its Facebook page.  There is even a Flickr Group for the event.

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Whether cancer has been stomping through your life or not, I hope you will find some items that appeal to you at the event and help Lexi in her struggle to “adjust her sails.”

Store info at Blogging Second Life
****SHOPPING LIST******
Poses: Di’s Opera
Skin: Glam Affair Asia
Mesh Attachments: .LeLutka.Mesh Head-KARIN v1.1
Maitreya Mesh Body – Hands
Maitreya Mesh Body – HUD V3.4 Lara
Maitreya Mesh Body – Lara V3.4
Slink Avatar Enhancement Feet High
Appliers: Glam Affair Karin Asia
Lelutka Karin HUD
Maitreya Lara hud (nails)
Eyes: Aphotic Gloom – Aquilius Eyes (Hazel)
Hair: Miss C. – Alara_Red.4 @ Hair Fair
Clothing:  -AZUL- Abigail ChainBelt(NonBright)
-AZUL- Abigail MeshDress S/LEXI PROJECT
Shoes: Slink Siren Stilettos Fuschia
Jewelry:  (Kunglers Extra) Orquidea Alba Necklace and Earrings