Tag Archives: Aphotic Gloom

My Slink Obsession Brings Us Full Circle

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I’m not obsessed
So don’t forget it
It’s just a silly phase I’m going through

I must confess that clothing appliers amuse me. After all, when I began back in 2007, most clothing was made of textures applied on the avatar’s system layer. Details like buttons and collars and cuffs were usually drawn on and even photo sourced clothing had an air of unreality to it. Flexis and sculpts added depth and form, but they did not add verisimilitude. And then came mesh and there was a revolution in fashion where most of the design effort was focused on the forms, the shape, the buttons, collars and other details and the fabrics were added later. Because the barriers to entry for mesh creation are higher in terms of skills and software, several designers retreated and retired. Now that mesh bodies have replaced the system body for thousands of us, we are back to applying textures, this time on the mesh body. It does seem like we have come full circle – though with a distinct revolution in quality.

For example, this swimsuit from MiaMai is put on with an applier. It’s from the quarterly My Slink Obsession event that opens tomorrow. Certainly there are lots of mesh swimsuits and even several that don’t flash unsuspecting bystanders, though I think they are in the minority. However an applied swimsuit has its advantages, especially for those bystanders when one is sitting down and shifting positions in a chair. Another reason to love appliers is how much easier it makes layering. All of us have struggled with trying on a dozen blouses trying to fine one that will fit under a jacket and longed for the days of system clothing when layering was as easier as one, two, three. This brings back that ease coupled with the higher quality of the mesh body.
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Bright, Bright Sun-Shiny Day

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The rain has been gone for several weeks now. It did not even rain for the Grand Floral Parade during the annual Rose Festival, which is, I think, a violation of the Oregon Constitution. I guess we are going to get all of our 68 sunny and 74 partly sunny days in one fell swoop.

I have been feeling lethargic with the uncommon and unprecedented heat wave flattening us here in Oregon, but despite the heat, I did make it to The World’s Largest Louie Louie Sing-a-Long last week.

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The Holy Everlasting Church of Zydeco

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I stopped off at The Holy Everlasting Church of Zydeco. If you have ever listened to zydeco, you will understand that it is a religious experience. The church was in disrepair, aged and neglected, with chickens running around. Never mind, though, zydeco does not need a fancy venue. In fact, it would probably feel uncomfortable.

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Shiny

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BYRNE is a new to me clothing line by ByrneDarkly Cazalet. Some of you may be familiar with her because of her involvement in Kamera Klub, the monthly photographic event that has produced events like the BOSCH IN HELL recreation of The Garden of Earthly Delights or from the Tart Gallery. She is an occasional denizen of The Velvet where I DJ, so when I saw the store name BYRNE and inspected to see who was the greater, I was pleased and kind of amazed she found time for even more creative endeavors. She does not have a huge selection of clothing yet, but I liked what I found. She likes colors and prints and is a bold designer. This is actually one of her more subdued prints. The dress is a lovely naturalistic pink and green that makes you think of a lovely young forest with a splash of roses on the front. When you purchase the dress you get four dresses – one with pink roses, one with green roses, both with regular and materials finishes. I wore the Materials version which reacts so beautifully to light. 
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Petticoat Junction

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I do love a full, wide, pouffy skirt with layers of petticoats. It can have its disadvantages. I was wearing several layers of petticoats under a skirt at a barn dance once. I was sitting out a butterfly on some hay bales one night and a mouse ran across the hay and up the skirt, between the layers of petticoats. What with the netting being very nice for the mouse to grasp and the many layers to try to shake him out of, I must have spent 10 minutes jumping up and down on a hay bale trying to shake him loose.

Of course, no mouse would dare come within striking distance of these spiked heels from Glamistry. They might be too dangerous for the speed of barn-dancing. Imagine stepping on someone’s toe. Fortunately, in Second Life® we do not have such banal concerns and I can wear my lethal weapon shoes without a care.

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I began this outfit with the gorgeous Carrie skirt with the Black Rose print. It comes in several other prints, including beautifully feminine florals. However, I fell in love with the geometry of this print the minute I saw it. It is visually striking and makes such a powerful statement. I can imagine is with a massive shoulder piece of feathers for some gala, but for a walk on the beautiful streets of Venice, something less formal and avant garde seemed in order.
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The Market

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My favorite farmer’s market in Portland is on the South Park Blocks. I love walking on the grass under the cool, shady trees. There’s something so much fresher and vibrant about that setting than the many other markets set up in concrete parking lots under the hot sun. There was one right next to my old apartment, less than a block away, and I still preferred the wonderful shady, tree-sheltered market downtown. Folks in Second Life® can put their markets anywhere they like, so I chose a grassy spot with trees.

My dress is from Bomshire – a new to me store. It is a dress with a simple black top and a vibrant print skirt. I simply love it.
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Gone Fishing

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Those Fisherman Pants from Zaara at The Arcade make me very happy. I have several pair, snatching them up for the gacha machine filled with party delights from Goa.

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I love how the Pixicat vest from Collabor88 this month goes so well with it that I had to try out a few variations.
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Under Electric Candlelight

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The new Lola dress from Baiastice for Collabor88 is every kind of summertime perfection with wonderful summer colors and prints, lovely design details that highlight the feminine shape and flatter every figure. I love the rich texture of the ribbon inset, collar and bow. Even better, with the fitted mesh, it fits perfectly.
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Experiment

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Mami Jewell of Azul just released a beautiful limited edition outfit to elicit your inner fairy and feed your fantasies. It is called Pepeké and comes with a very revealing, short shift with wings, and butterflies and gossamer skirts. It is what dreams are made of, femininity, delicacy and romance.

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On the other hand, you can drop the fantasy elements and wear it as a loose and very sexy summertime blouse over a pair of pants. I love mixing things up, not wearing things right out of the box, and though mesh makes that more complicated; it is still possible and still a lot of fun.
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Of Corrupted Databases, Cabbages and Kings

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Regular readers of It’s Only Fashion will have missed us for the last two days. We had a corrupted database. From what I understand, it took a package from a North Korean agent in a black wool coat and dark glasses. Of course, anyone else would have known the agent was suspicious because it’s something like 90° and he’s wearing a black wool coat. Our database, however, was naive and unsuspecting. I hope it has learned its lesson.

Perhaps though, like Thomas Bailey Aldrich, it was distracted by two petals falling from a rose:

MY mind lets go a thousand things,
Like dates of wars and deaths of kings,
And yet recalls the very hour—
’T was noon by yonder village tower,
And on the last blue noon in May— 5
The wind came briskly up this way,
Crisping the brook beside the road;
Then, pausing here, set down its load
Of pine-scents, and shook listlessly
Two petals from that wild-rose tree.

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