Hemlines and Heel Heights.

It all started with LDO (LaDonna Upshaw), as it often does these days, who told me about a Maitreya VIP dress that was to die for.   So I went to Maitreya, dropped an inactive non-fashion group so I could join the Maitreya group. Bye Byem Caledon Oxbridge Fencing, Fashion takes Precedence as it is Written in CC Rule #1! As an aside I hate it when social locales ask me to to join a group upon teleporting in.  I'm a fashionista, my group slots are valuable because I'm always maxxed out.

So I got the dress...and then I needed different boots than what I had, for the dress... which leads to the heel issue I will speak of in a bit.  Then I needed some hair...and LDO made a suggestion.   So here's the ensemble that fashion enabler LDO "enabled" me to buy:

Maitreya Long Jersey Dress, which is available...for now...in only that color.   CC NEEDS it in more colors.  Onyx describes it as a "cousin" dress to the Nolita, which is a good thing since i just love the Nolita.  Yes, the dress is mesh, and it has a low scoop neckline in back.  It's very "Young Fashionista in Winter doing some upscale shopping, before meeting her girlfriend for dinner" sort of dress.  Or "Macy's/Von Maurde jewellery/purse/makeup department SA dress"  Reminds me of some of the Duchess of Cambridge's Issa dresses too!

LDO suggested that hair for me, while I was looking through my Truth/ETD hair for something to wear.  It's Amanda from DeLa.  It's nice, I like it,  and it's mesh.  However I didn't see much else at DeLa a that appealed to my tastes sad to say, it was mostly long "youthful" hair, like most of Truth's recent stuff.  That's the Poetry necklace for Sax Shepherd's Frills line hiding in there.

 

For boot choices, it was pretty much between the Bax's and these GOS Boots.  I chose these for two reasons.

1. The Bax's are a little bit too much "Pretty woman BEFORE the makeover" boots.  The heel is too high for my taste in a classic dressy boot.

2. These have equestrian touches, that make them more classic even if the heel is a touch higher than I would want.

Which leads to my heel height rant.   I like the Bax boots, and I would have had them already if they came with a "Stuart Weitzman Sensual" heel, rather than the "even higher than the Stuart Weitzman Fever" heel they have.   As it is these GOS's heel is more of a "Fever" aka the "Nuhyper boot" than the lower heel I wanted or to put it another way, I don't always want a 100mm heel I wanted 85mm.  Yes, I know, I'm one of those people who thinks of heel heights in mm even though I live in America.  And Yes, I also know that for most SL residents the higher the heel the better, but that's not "me".

Which leads into another fall/winter dress I saw some time ago, wanted, but didn't buy.  This one, from Coldlogic.

I like the dress, but as you can see from the fact that I'm wearing the demo, I didn't buy it.  Why not?   The hemline is too short for my taste.  It's not that I want it as long as the Jersey dress....I just want it a touch longer.  You see I have this "internal mindset" of what my avatar would wear...and while that dress's basic style somethinhg I would wear...the hemline isn't.  4 more inches. just a touch longer and I'd have got the fatpack.   The same goes for the other fall/winter Coldlogic dress releases.  That dress as it is now would be a 14 or 16 inch hemline in RL and I want the equivalent of an 18 or 20 inch...which would STILL be above the knee.

I'm no prude no matter what some may think, I just want things a touch more "classic"  I like my sexy a touch more elegant.  A subtler sexy.  It's hard to explain.  This Donna Flora Ester dress has a hemline closer (but a touch longer) than what I want in a short sweaterdress for winter.  It's one of my favorite daytime dresses these days, even with the a-line skirt.

SLURLS

Maitreya

DeLa

GOS

Sax Shepherd Designs

Coldlogic

Donna Flora

Mayfair, Mon Tissu and Celoe and my Boycott.

LDO told me about new shoes at Celoe, and said CC would love shoes.

CC always want new shoes so CC want TP, but only the region is listed in search, not the Celoe store.  So I TP to the region, which I've been to before, because of the Mon Tissue move.

The Mayfair region and the Mon Tissu and Celoe stores within, are badly designed.  They're trying to go for that "looks like a RL store look",  with alpha hanger items and whatnot and all that does is slow the loading down.  It's one of the reasons why shopping at the Mon Tissu location in Lula was so annoying.

If we've learned anything from SL it's that simple is better when it comes to store designs, if I can't buy something within 30 seconds of a TP, your store is badly designed.

Bad designers, BAD BAD.  Why do you not learn from others, and your own previous mistakes?  You want shoppers to have a pleasant experience, not a bad one.  This is one reason why some are heavy Marketplace users.  If you want me to shop in your in-world store don't make it a laggy mess for sake of appearances.

Want to know why there are no pics?  28 minutes and I STILL can't see anything to buy!  It's why I get any Mon Tissu from marketplace now...because I can't shop there in-world.

Look, Mon Tissu and Celoe owners, you are so clueless about the reality of an effectrive store design, that you don't deserve my L$.  It's that simple.

And guess, what, trying to TP out of Mayfair caused the client to logout!  That's it, I'm boycotting, Mon Tissu and Celoe until their designers get a clue.  And I'm going to start encouraging others to do the same.

The Contessa and the Avatar as a Whole

 It all started with LaDonna, as it often does.   She was talking about skin demos at a certain store, so I popped in to see her, wearing what I was wearing at the time.  Which happened to be a poofy ball gown...and yes a tiara.  LaDonna saw me and said something akin to:

"A little early for ball gowns isn't it Contessa."

The word, "Contessa" got me thinking, since my avatar has been described as "aristocratic", "elegant", "intimidatingly perfect".  I don't consider myself to be perfect, I just shop...a lot. So eventually with some suggestions from my friend Alastair Whybrow,  I came up with a backstory and some looks for a "Contessa" persona, just for fun, not for actual role-play or anything.

The Contessa! She is aristocratic perfection, charming, elegant, beautiful, and she's not even an actual Contessa, that's just a nickname she picked up at boarding school. Her home country has been a republic for a couple of centuries. She has wealth, intelligence and drive. She even went to finishing school where she was caught necking with a celebutante heiress of some renown. there wasn't even a hint of scandal, because she was even then "The Contessa" She came out as lesbian at university and ended up in the Fashion business... She is feared and loved, like a High Queen in a fantasy story. But she herself doesn't look down on anyone, that would be rude and unbecoming

the Contessa's professionalism, and singlemindedness in what she knows to be right and wrong, can make her appear a blunt instrument if someone transgresses The Laws of Fashion.  But although she can still a transgressor with a raise of a perfectly arched eyebrow, she is always cool and in control. Panic and Drama may sometimes surround her, but the Contessa herself remains an island of aristocratic calm

She dresses VERY well, whether she's just come back from doing autocross in her Aston Martin convertible, with jeans, tunic and wild sexy hair,

or when she's at the office being interrupted by a phone call while deciding to make her new shoe release in Black velvet, black satin, black suede AND black patent and black kid leather, in 4 different heel heights.

Or when she's at a charity ball, alone again... because some think she's an Ice Queen,

But she iis not an Ice Queen, she has a heart of fire for the lady who loves her for who she is... The Contessa, maybe a bit too vain for her own good, maybe too picky and cranky at times... but at her core...good hearted.

I was planning on doing this post alone, but after doing some fashion watching at the ETD sale....Don't look at me that way, it's ETD!  I'm going to hold on calling it ETD till she changes the branding back to it's right and proper form. :-)

So I was fashion watching at ETD  (glares) and noticing that there were avatars who were obviously trying to have a coherent look but failing in some way.

One example I saw was of an avatar whose "orange-y tan" skin let her look down because the pink lipstick shade it  had was all WRONG, notwithstanding the sucky orange part.  A higher quality skin and her overall look would have turned from what some might call "fug" to "California Beach Babe"

Another was of a girl who seemed to do Hogwarts RP, she had age appropriate hair, the uniform, the AO was age appropriate for a Hogwarts student....but the look was failed by the "lemon sucking fish face with too tiny eyes, and hints of IPR" shape, sheer hosiery (she needed opaque tights), and shoes no Hogwarts student of the age she was trying to RP as would wear.  (cute little high heeled oxfords, great if she was RPing a college girl, but not for Hogwarts)

Another was someone trying to do a "Jersey shore sexpot" look but was failed by her cutesy skipping anime-ish AO.

Personally, I see the Avatar as a whole, and everything should work together in a coherent way:  shape, skin, hair, AO, clothing, Accessories...EVERYTHING"  One little thing off, and the coherence isn't there.   So don't ruin your sexy adult look with that Gaeline little girl AO.   Don't dress your avatar with a face that looks like a 12 year old japanese girl in clothes a 23 year old would wear or use a cigarette.  And if your avatar is an adult, don't do knock knee or pigeon toe poses.  It just doesn't work.

Start thinking of your avatar as a "whole" and your avatars appearance should improve, IMHO.  If you see pictures of SL Fashionistas like LaDonna or Gogo, you will notice that they ALWAYS have a coherent look.  The last time I saw LaDonna she had a "Hottest Mom on the Cul de Sac" look going.  Everything she was wearing contributed to that "whole".   Fabulous.

Picture notes:

Zaara Ashima Blouse, Tres Blah JuJu Jeans, Truth Bebe hair, Belleza Pale BEtty skin, G Field Cuff Boots

Donna Flora Helena ensemble, Truth Isla hair, Belleza Betty Pale skin, G Field Eve pumps.

Passion4Fashion formal gown, Truth Jocelyn hair, Belleza Betty Pale skin, Donna Flora Willa jewellery set.

Nylon Outfitter's LBD's at Collabor88.

Nylon Pinkney did a set of 5 similar LBD's in various bodice/neckline styles.  It's Nylon so it's her usual quality stuff, wish they fit just a touch slimmer but that's just me and not a knock on their quality.

From left to right, Strapless, Spaghetti v-neck, one shoulder, scoop and boatneck. The stockings (the weakest part of the ensembles, IMHO) are included  Personally I like the boatneck the best, it's a rare neckline in SL, but I likes them all.  So GO, brave the lag at C88.

SLURL to Collabor88's new location

The folders, however do NOT include an LM to Nylon's Main store, which is in Tableau, of course, can't miss it.

Hair is Truth Penelope (an acquaintance suggested a modern hair)

Skin is a Betty Pale 1 from Belleza.

Pearls are the Kennedy Black Pearl set from Caroline Apollo.

Shoes are The G Field "Eve" Pumps.

CC McCrankypants and the Evil of Jira.

I am VERY cranky today. at both Linden Lab and the SL userbase.

For one, this bug hit me today after a Nvidia driver update:

https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/VWR-29423

Want to see what it looks like?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBkoUQ9-_7E

It makes SL totally unusable.  Addendum: Also affects Firestorm and a heck of a lot of other 3D applications... so it's an Nvidia thing I think....this time.

And then there's the new inventory copy bug I found in Main Release a few hours before the above hit me.

https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/VWR-29418

Some of you may be thinking:  "But CC, I thought you used Snowstorm"

I did until these two bugs hit me:

https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/VWR-29139

That's the gap/line in the neck one, which is anathema to one such as I.  The CC is all about the pretty, and that bug maketh the CC less pretty and it must be destroyed.

And then there was THIS one, which messes up inventory search by preventing scrolling down in results.

https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/VWR-29358

I rely on inventory search.

All of this makes the CC VERY CRANKY.  Don't the Lindens test this stuff out?  Am I the only person who runs the viewer on Linux that is a fashionista that actually uses the inventory and changes their outfits and takes screenshots?

Really Linden Lab, you ought to offer bounties to people to test stuff out.  Offer various rewards to  people that run Snowstorm, reward people when they find bugs, not just those who fix them.  Can't fix a bug unless someone finds it first.

Now some of you are thinking:  "CC, I run Phoenix, this doesn't matter to me."

Yes it does because you're part of the problem!  Stop using Phoenix!  That old codebase is creaky and un-maintainable long term, that's what  phoenix devs say themselves.  Sooner or later LL WILL cut off V1 codebase viewers, they should have done so long ago.

And again some of you are thinking:  "But CC I hate the V2 UI, that's why I u se Phoenix."

Oh please, you can make Firestorm use V1 UI, if you need to, but I actually prefer V3 UI.  It simply behaves like other applications.  Sure it's got discoverability issues (I have a couple of JIRA's on that too), but it's much more like a "normal" application than the V1 pie mess.  One of the reasons for the V2 UI change was to make SL more "normal", for people coming into SL.  Though the SL userbase being filed with oldbie crankypants, had got used to the quirks old crappy V1, and encouraged some newbies to switch to Phoenix because they didn't know how to use V2 themselves.  BAD Residents...BAD BAD.  Don't encourage viewer fragmentation!

I'm going to say this again.  If you must use a TPV, it should be the latest Firestorm release.

But I have a better idea than that...use Snowstorm instead:

http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Snowstorm_Project

All SL viewer code is derived from that.  Even Firestorm code is descended from Snowstorm.  You want bugs fixed, start with the grandfather code...in Snowstorm.  And how do we find the bugs so they don't reach main release in either LL's own Main viewer or Firestorm?   We have to USE Snowstorm, it's the only way.  So Please, SL userbase, I'm on my hands and knees begging here...use Snowstorm

A tale of an indigo dress

Recently, a friend pointed out a mesh cowl neck dress to me via Marketplace:

The dress is from ISON by Harry Hyx and it's called "cowl neck dress" in my inventory.  I like a good cowl neck in RL, which is why I got the fatpack because it's a good deal.  However I have one itsy bitsy quibble which will reduce the number of times I wear it......I want it with a longer hemline, more like the Maitreya Nolita

Okay so maybe not that long, but I do wish the ISON dress was closer to knee length than upper thigh. Just above the knee should be just about right. As it is now, it's more of a Romger dress or a Bebe/MAC SA dress.  I don't mind showing cleavage or leg, I just don't often do both at once.  Now in winter I could pair it with opaque tights and boots to tone it down a tad but can't do that now.  Yes, I know, I'm weird that way.  And if it was longer, it would remind me more of those ISSA dresses the Duchess of Cambridge wears in RL, which would be a good thing.

ISON cowl neck dress fatpack on Marketplace

So you Wanna be a virtual fashion model?

When I was young, in the back of Seventeen or YM magazines there were often advertisements for modeling schools.  One in particular that I remember are the Barbizon ads which had the tagline:  "Be a model....or just look like one."

Well my longtime SL friend Alaska Metropolitan has put together a book both in-world, and ebook outside of all the things she learned (and taught others) over the years.  It's called:  "So You Wanna Be A Virtual Super-Model"

To tell the truth, considering how hard it is to find gigs in SL, she could have added the classic "or just look like one" tagline, since her book basically tells you how to look fabulous.  I mean REALLY fabulous.  It has good information about skin choice, shapes, what to do at photo shoots and runway shows, making a portfolio, tweaking your settings...if it's part of making you pretty, it's in there.

The in-world edition which is 124 pages, is best read rezzed, but you can attach it as a HUD.  It's available on Marketplace for L$500.
So You Wanna Be A Virtual Supermodel on Marketplace
The website of the book is:
SLFashionTutorials.com

This is the sort of thing that every person with a female avatar should read. 

Hair: Elikatira Leah in Brown 8 (tinted to get it closer in appearance to a proper ETD Mahogany)

Dress: CeCe dress by Alaska Metropolitan (Not available).  Yes it's named after me.

Skin: 5th & Oxford of course,

Shoes: G Field Eve's, of course.

superflufee in RL

superflufee is mesh avatar who who does adorable and funny videos about SL. superflufee's RL creator has actually had the avatar 3D printed so superflufee is now in RL! Enjoy.

CC McGrumpyPants: Nylon display at C88.

Everyone knows what Collabor88 is right, a place where a bunch of creators can put new stuffs for only 88L$?  You can get some nice deals there...amongst the lag you get from there being a horde of shoppers there.

Well the last time I was there, I was walking around and saw a display that made me have a "What the Hell, Designer" moment.  It was simply put, not a good ad..and it was from a Veteran designer who should have known better....Nylon Pinkney of Nylon Outfitters in...(shudder)....Tableau.

Here's the display:

Bad Ad!  Ad scare CC with lack of contrast!  CC can't read!  Pastel dresses, pastel background, pastel lettering is a bad mix.  Sure, It's Nylon so the dresses are most likely of high quality and easily worth the L$.  Most likely she didn't have a second pair of eyes check it out and has a bad monitor or one that could use some calibration.   And even if that was fixed, the freaky Supermarionation meets "Tableau girl" model is unappealing to me.  Unappealing models means I'm less likely to buy stuff in displays.

 And...I'm less likely to support a designer that I partly blame for the plague of freaky cabbage patch, cowboy legged, hammer pants wearing, oversized glasses overusing, frowny faced, overpierced, cigarette equipped..."tableau girls". I call them that because that is where I first saw them, though they also like LAMB, Mon Tissu, Tres Blah and in the old days, Boing Fromage, besides the usual Fashionably Dead, Nylon Outfitters and Clawtooth  Tell me that this image of Elka and these displays aren't the ancestors and inspiration for the current generation of even MORE exaggerated you-know-whats.

No girls, you are not being indie anymore, in 2006 being a touch cartoony with slightly wider hips, capri pants and oversized glasses was indie compared to the high heels and party dress wearing barbie glamour girls like me, but in 2012 you are a caricature.  Stop it!  If I never see a pair of oversized glasses again.....  Now if they looked like Zooey Deschanel, that would be another story.

Sax Shepherd Jewellery line: Frills

The Blessed Velvet Head, who is otherwise known to people who don't use silly titles as Salome Strangelove, has been encouraging a friend of hers to maketh the jewellery.  This be-eth a good thing, because Salome knows her stuff, and knows the grid could use a good jewellery maker.  Salome also told me she's been telling Sax about former jewellery maker Miriel Enfield and explaining her needs in jewellery.  The new line being from Sax Shepherd Designs and called "Frills"

So, being as I am a former lackey of hers, I was provided with some stuffs to look at.  Chunky beady stuffs  The first set that I caught notice of in my inventory  was the red and black lacquer Poetry set, being intrigued by the name I put it on.

CC loves.  That's basically all I have to say, I'm no jewellery expert, but I know what I love, and I love that.  And if I had seen it while out shopping with L$ in my pocket, it would have ended up in my inventory.  I love it that much.  Comes in other colors too!  And with armbands and anklets.  (I'm not much for ankletts, not even in RL.)  It is also reasonably priced, Salome is training Sax well.

I also tried on the Carbide Pitanga set, nobody does carbide in SL, which is a crying shame.  Which I also liked for it's chunky sort of stripey grayness.

That is also not the only carbide set Sax has done, which is a good thing. 

The sets are scripted with easy to use resize scripts...I had to take them down about 5% for me.  And if this is what Sax has come up with having only started doing jewellery, I can't wait to see what he comes up with once he really gets going.  And thank you, Oh Great Piggie Bunned Salome, for bringing unto me the beady goodness.


SLURL to SSD: Frills at Seven Veils

CC McGrumpyPants: Hamlet Total Fail.

Hamlet is complaining about his technical issues again.

I will say it again, he's wrong to blame LL  The blame should rest on himself, and his inability to recognize that default laptop video drivers often need replacing. 
 LL themselves say that on Windows Vista and 7 you should use the absolute latest drivers.  I've troubleshooted serveral friends SL issues, and I have found that several times, their graphics driver was NOT up to date and sending them to Nvidia/ATI to download the latest driver fixed the problem.

 But let me address those bullet points:

• Buy a better laptop to run SL.  

No, SL is hard on laptops and since most laptops don't have user upgradable graphics cards, you're out of luck if you want to  upgrade.

•  Get a better graphics card to run SL.

Well that 335M should run SL fairly well for what he does. Though turning on Shadows will probably drop his framerate in half.

• Stop using a Dell/Alienware to run SL.

Yes, while Alienware was once a boutique brand the hard-core gamer geeks tend to prefer other brands now.

• Stop using Windows 7 and install Linux OS to run SL.

Yes, he could, I do.  I have minimal issues, I often make jokes about how stable SL is for me compared to others, but SL should run pretty well oh his laptop once he gets his issues fixed.

• Use another third party viewer (made by non-Linden staff) to run SL.

Nope, I always recommend LL viewers, either mainline or Snowstorm if you want to contribute to testing and catching problems before they reach main release

• Stop expecting SL to work like a mainstream product and just learn to run SL.

Yes, SL is not a mainstream product.  Gamer companies PAY nvidia to add profiels for the games to Nvidia's control panel/settings thingy.  They give or supply at reduced cost sofware and games to include WITH video cards.  LL does not do those things.

• Here is a long and detailed technical explanation on how to fix your problem that would be nearly impossible for an average consumer to follow, but you should do so anyway to run SL.

It's no fault but your own, Hamlet, if people tell you how to fix your issues but you refuse to do so and keep on complaining.  I know that if I'm experiencing graphics problems in windows, the first thing I should check is to see if Nvidia released a new driver package version.  Also if I had a hybrid card setup as in some laptops I would check to make certain the crappy Integrated half is disabled and ensure that it ONLY uses the good half with it's own RAM.  Installing a new graphics driver is easy, it's not hardcore nerd work, and everyone should know where to go to get updated video drivers for their computer.  It's kind of like knowing how to check the air in the tires of a car and put air in if needed.

Hamlet, I offer again to fix your problems via remote assistance as I said in a previous post.  I'll even sweeten the offer.  If I can't fix your SL issues in an hour or less, I will pay you L$1000.  I make this offer out of nerd pride and the desire to get you in-world more.  You may not like the fact that I called you on your indirect financial relationhsip with Facebook in regards to your excessive shilling of a Facebook/SL connection, I am truly offering to help

ADDENDUM:  Just had an idea.  Hamlet, since you went all gaga over Philip Rosedales Coffee & Power startup, maybe you could offer up a job there to fix your SL issues remotely....when they're back up running. silly startups, keep your original stuff running until the new stuff is 100% ready, then do the transition.

And Hamlet...neither you or I, are Tom Wolfe.
.

Bloggy Disservice

I must apologize to my very few readers, and to the SL shoppers in general for doing them a disservice in my blogging.

I have ignored certain issues, like quality, or store builds, or pricing and not commented on them.   you see, as a blogger, it's part of my duty to do things like that.  We bloggers should be advocates and ombudspeople for consumers, insisting on good quality, fair prices, etc.  I have not been doing that and I should have been.

In part it's because I'm nice and don't want to make people upset, or cause drama.  I have attempted to discuss certain issues in certain groups but it tends to cause a slight ruckus, so I back down.

But today I'm going to talk about certain issues, without getting too particular, for the most part.

1. Mesh and Pricing:  Personally I don't think creators should charge more for mesh products.  For one, mesh has been in the works for ages, so creators should have been learning the tools a year ago, though I do take that in account.   The real reason is that there's a glut of stuff in SL and shoppers are tapped out!  Shoppers can only spend so much, and there's so much supply and only so much demand...that should mean that prices should DROP, but they haven't.  And of course I've always been a big fan of "everyday low prices" a la Bare Rose.  And also, Mesh is a crapshoot, sure there's demos for some of it, but i's still a crapshoot.

 2. Hair.  Most mesh hair is "meh" and it looks plastiky.  I haven't seen any really worth owning...not even Truth or Elika, though they come closest.  There is also a problem with a "sameness of styles" recently...it's hard to tell hair apart since everyone is doing superlong and full hair that's swept back on one side and poofed out on the other for the frowny girls with hammerpants.  This is especially a problem with Truth hair, which is really having the "sameness" issue with me.  Enough with the headbands and the brushed back bangs.

3. Skills and quality:  Some creators haven't really skilled up over the years and it shows.  Some have also been a bit slack in the quality  I think every creator could use a second pair of eyes, to help keep them honest. I've had two recent purchases that emphasized this.

One was an ensemble that looks fine from a distance but up close it's edges need work..and this was a long time creator that should have caught it.   What's worse is that I picked up a similar item from another long time maker that is 1/3rd the price and is of higher quality.

Another was a mesh dress that is simply sub-par, even if I like the texture/color of it.  Neither have been seen on this blog and they won't ever be seen.

4. Shoes are overpriced, compared to everything else, we all know this and we shouldn't put up with it as consumers...so stop buying L$1000 shoes already!

5. Pricing in general, take what I said about mesh and add this:  Supply is high, demand is static.  There's only so many people willing to spend money in SL.  Part of that is the designers problem for overusing freebies as a marketing tool.  I know several people who simply DO NOT SHOP, and group hop, and do other things to get a ton of freebies/cheapies.  Rather than charging a high price and getting few sales...why not charge low enough that people actually spend MORE than they what they would at the high price level without realizing it.  Would you rather they spend 800 on one item, or 1000 or 1200 without realizing it because your stuff is cheap enough that they buy multiple items.  And do NOT charge more for the complete set than the items bought separately added together....that will REALLY annoy me and make me not want to shop there ever again.   Sure it could be a mistake, but that's why you need the second pair of eyes!  Every vendor should be checked by someone else for typos/misnaming/mispricing!

6. Store builds.  I have seen far too many crappy store builds lately.  Mostly it seems to be an issue of wasted space, don't make me walk a half mile to see all your stuff.  Gown makers seem to be the worst at this.   Azul, I'm looking at you...single sided displays that are spread out too much and are overly large...  And don't get me started on inconsistent naming schemes, or items not given good descriptive names. In other words, don't name the glitch pants, glitch pants...give them a "Dress X - Noir- glitch pants, pants layer" name.

7. Use your groups, for other than just dropping announcements of new releases.  they can supply the second pairs of eyes, and if you can get them to be frank, good honest feedback.

8.  Talk to the bloggers/press, and actually "listen"...we can really help you, when we're not being too whiny.

This does not mean I'm going to blog stuff and then say how I don't like it or that it sucks...I'm too nice for that.  But be aware that I DO notice things and DO talk about them sometimes.

My entry in the Summer Beauty Drag Pageant.

Just a quick post on my entry into the Summer Beauty Drag Pageant I mentioned last post:

On all:

Shape: Male, I modded my own shape

Skin: Nomine Andro Latte clean

Makeup layers by MOCK

Tiara and Jewellery by Native Visions, Wee-Ah & Rhia,

On Left:

Truth Jean Hair in Blood, Miriel
Enfield Eyes in Strong Green,
Lady D suit by Elisea Carter,
Carmen pantyhose by Insolence,
Madison Mesh boots from DECO
MOCK Makeup layers used: Super Neutralogy eye, and and L`Eau lip gloss in Russian Red

On Center and Right:

Truth Tanya Hair in Blood
"Nine" Gown by Purple Moon,
Mock Makeup layers used: Licorice Whips makeover and L`Eau lip gloss in Russian Red

Summer Beauty Drag Pageant

Here's details on the Summer Beauty Drag Pageant  envisioned by Aemeth Lysette.

That's an interesting idea actually. In my very early days I tried to make the male shape I started with as pretty as I could...but just decided to click the gender button. The trick is that they have to use a male shape are are encouraged to use a male skin, though most MTF crossdressers/drag folks and transitioners tend to use full coverage makeup...at least until they've done permanent beard removal.

Though personally those femboys with their waif-like bishonen meets kawaii shapes are going to have an edge. Put a female skin on them and bingo, pretty!  I took one of my acquaintanceto my favorite skin crack dealer, and ETD...I mean Elikatira some months ago. Made her...I mean him, look even more adorable and squee-worthy.

I don't plan on participating, for one I think I deleted my male shape. and I'd probably be too quick to cheat a little even if it was just subconsciously, since I know which male faces and bodies are "easier" to transform.  "how about I make him slender, and short, and give  him some nice andrej pejic cheekbones, and make  his eyes slightly larger, and give him a slender nose and lets plump up those lips a touch so that when I put a minimal makeup skin and MOCK makeup on him, he'll look faboo"

Though this quote in a post by my Nemesis Hamlet Au over at NWN (okay he's not REALLY my nemesis), over at NWN, made me go WTF!:

Your actual real life gender is irrelevant, though I have a feeling that all else being equal, female SLers will probably have an edge, even over all the many men who like to roleplay as hot avatar girls.

I absolutely disagree.  Who knows more about making a male shape and face look "feminine", female SLers...or male bodied people who actually crossdress/do drag or are transitioning?  Personally, I know quite a few skills related to that, and yes, they're applicable to SL.

This is not the first time that Hamlet's ignored the existence of MTF transfolk in SL.  Have you noticed that Hamlet seems to mention/promote the blogs of female avatars that are open about their RL female identities?  I think this Hamlet quote from a post about the Boudoir design house sisters says it all

 Which is yet another example to counter the cliche that glamorous female avatars in Second Life are really fat naked guys in a basement -- sometimes, they're actually glamorous European women in a high-end fashion salon.

Yeah, lets hide the fact that some female avatars are played by non-transgendered men...and some even played by MTF transfolk like me, under a rug, shall we.

Caledon Minecraft!

Caledon has a Minecraft Server provided by our dear Generous Guvnah Shang, as a sort of bonus to feature to Caledon residents. Here's a short video I made, showing one of the "trains" a bit of the main Village and I eventually walk to my little outpost at the edge of the Jungle.

A Challenge for Hamlet Au

My Nerd pride is acting up today. Ol Hamlet Au, whom I openly think is clueless in regards to SL, has been complaining about problems with SL clients for a long time on his 18 month old high end...snicker...laptop.

A recent post has the gist of his complaints First off, in hardcore gamerland, which I am not a part of, high end becomes dumpster crap very very quickly. I looked up his specs of his Alienware m11x. It is NOT a high end machine...not even for 2010.

 It's got a Dual core CPU running at 1.3 GHz....the slowest I've ever run SL is on a 2.2 GHz Single core, and a 2.0 GHz dual core machne. It uses Hybrid graphics, it uses integrated for basic stuff and a GT335M for things like SL...THAT is what is probably causing the issues.

For one if Hamlet's lifestyle is as mobile as he says it is, he's probably running that thing unconnected from power which might switch to integrated...which will suck.

And secondly, that GT335 is only slightly better and in a couple of ways...worse than my GT220.

Really...compare them GT 335M GT 220

While it does have more cores than my GT220, it's slower and it's OpenGL support (which SL uses) isn't as good: 2.1 intead of the 3.1 my GT220 supports.

 I want to fix Hamlet's issue, because one of the reasons I think Hamlet is clueless about SL these days is that he doesn't spend enough time in world. And the reason he doesn't is his tech issues, which I'd lay odds I could fix in an hour or less. Which would basically be, uninstalling imprudence...removing his settings.xml file from the standard viewer path, installing V3, installing the newest nvidia drivers...turning off Aero...and totally disabling the low end intel-integrated part of his hybrid graphics.

So here's the challenge to Hamlet: Let me Remote in to your box....if I can fix the issue in an hour or less....I get a reward. What sort of reward? Well, more dresses would be nice.....but I'd settle for an Op-Ed gig on NWN or even being unbanned from comments.

 Now you're all thinking: "But CC Hamlet knows you think he's clueless and would never let you remote into his laptop."..that's true, but I have nerd pride and would never take out my disagreement on Hamlet's writing...on his SL experience. I want his experience to be better so he spends more time in-world and becomes LESS clueless.

I also sent an e-mail to Hamlet a few weeks ago with a few similar suggestions.

 By the way, Organic Silk Dress from League, Analog Dog "Gala" hair, G Field shoes.

Harper Beresford makes me buy stuff.

Harper Beresford makes me buy stuff...well she doesn't exactly make, as in holding a melon gun to my head, but her blog makes CC want stuffs NOW! very very often.

Harper did a post where she showed off the Maitreya Nolita dress in Red with a recent Analog Dog release called Sassafrass. I already had the dress, which is faboo and practically every fashionista on the grid has it already, in several colors, which I haven't posted on the blog. but when I saw the post, I needed that hair NAO.



The hair reminds me of Queue Marlowe's earlier style, , that's Harper's namesake, which I also like, being both above the shoulder and curly/wavy. Except Sassafrass is better because it comes in Queue's newer colors. IMHO Queue does some of the best curly/wavy hair on the grid.




Harper recently showed off a dress from SAS, called La Seine, that comes with short poofy tulle skirts and traditional BIG ASS SL "battleship skirts". But she did not mention the Audrey Hepburnesque hat that comes with it.



So that made the ensemble even more squee-worthy for me. I love poofy lil party skirts and I also love Audrey Hepburnesque hats, because I worship the Audrey, as everyone who reads this blog knows by now.

It's a simple hat, but sometimes, simple is good.




Also harper didn't show off the Battleship skirt, but that's okay because I prefer the short skirt too, but if you need a BIG ASS skirt for some social venue that's picky and wants you to wear one, it comes with one.




When Harper showed off this tuty updo with a very low bun, I was all over that like a hat wearing fashionista obsessed with finding a good updo that works my hats would be. The gown she showed it off with was by Azul, but I didn't get that one, but I got this more "Dancing with the Stars one" called: Blossoms Joli




As you can see, I decided to pair it with a spray tan (just the medium tone of one of my standard skins) and lashes with oomph from Beetlebones just like one of those ballroom dancers. Here's the back.



And some close-ups of the hair. Now its not perfect, and this color isn't exactly CC's color (I'll try the Red Velvet color eventually) but it's reasonably good hat suitable updo.








My skin and shoes are my usual 5th & Oxfords and G Field's.

SLURL's

SLURL to Analog Dog

SLURL to Maitreya

SLURL to SAS

SLURL to TuTy

SLURL to Azul

Sometimes I just want to smack the oldbie crank commenters on NWN.

Really. @#$# oldbie cranks with axes to grind! What's funny is that I'm one of them too!

NWN Deathwatch post on Firefly RP sim

RP sim's aren't viable long term, no, not even with cheaper tier some of the oldbie cranks go on about, because when they lose their "funding angel" they go down it's that simple. They simply DO NOT PAY FOR THEMSELVES RP groups really ought to start charging fees to enter their land and fees to support their groups, donations aren't going to cut it if the "funding angel" has a bad year and needs to cut back or gets bored with SL, or annoyed with the Drama of RP groups. The tools do support access fees you know.

Let me quote Iggy here:

It's one sim. But that is how it starts. If LL loses its RPers, its over. They've already lost the business world. The educators and nonprofits are seeping away.

Oh Iggy, the hardcore RP community in SL is miniscule. the clubgoing howlzers outnumber them 10 to 1 at least, even in the old days hardcore RP was a niche.

For all the fashionista angst over mesh doo-dads and the right eyeshadow, I'd wager that there's not enough XXX and play-Barbie customer base out there to keep the Lab open.

Oh Iggy, you're like those Slashdotters that think everyone thinks like them and wants to spend lots of time tweaking/building and messing with computers rather than just buying something that works without fiddling. You know the ones, who t hink that because their nerd games like Eve Online are 90% male, that SL is as well. They're the ones who keep that "there are no women on the internet" meme going.

But, Iggy, The Barbie girls...they outnumber you and the people like you by a HUGE margin. Haven't you SEEN the HUGE number of SL fashion blogs? Do you not realize that avatar appearance enhancements, drive the SL economy? In other words, the Fashionistas basically run SL behind the scenes. They have for quite a while now. They're the ones spending the money. Skin Fair? Hair Fair? Sin Fair? Fashion for Life? Vintage Fair? Fantasy Fair?

There's tons of old fashionista centric regions STILL going strong. Because unlike college students popping into SL for a class project, or Open source obsessed nerds who buy their furry avatar to make a statement against the "Barbies" (and also say how they didn't have to pay for their furry form on opensim because it was "free") and then spend the rest of the time building Battlemechs or starfighters in sandboxes, fashionfolk spend money. A LOT of money. Look, Iggy, read these posts by Salome Strangelove, that'll help you understand I think:

Post about being a girloholic

about misogyny and denigration of fashion play

The real reason some of the cranks exist is...the hardcore builder/scripter nerds aren't the center of SL anymore, LL doesn't need to cater to them like it used to. I'm lucky, while I'm a nerd, being a fashionista means that I don't feel as alienated from modern SL culture as folks like Orca Flotta or Shockwave Yareach or foneco Zuzu seem to be. Once there were quick build contests, and everyone driving around in vehicles, and hanging out in the nerdy places the "builder/scripter" crowd enjoyed. But not anymore. Now there's voice, not just text and there's a horde of 25-45 year old women going around SL, and they tend to not go to Aerodromes or space museums.

I think that folks like Orca, Shockwave, etc, kind of feel betrayed, like SL turned it's back on them...they helped build it, they were the pioneers and now it's "fine fine, you helped kickstart SL, but we don't need you so much anymore, now shut up about sim crossings, only the cult of the vehicle and a few steamlanders really care about that, everyone else TP's everywhere so it's not our #1 priority so just be quiet and go back to fiddling with your vehicles in your vanity sims that you basically use as sandboxes." You can see it in how Orca and the others talk about "The masses" and how they feel ignored. They don't want new users...they want to go back the way it was, when people like them were a larger portion of the SL userbase.

But deep down they know SL needs new users and they resent it, and it makes them oldbie cranks...grid love em. Now they spend a lot of time bragging up opensim...which is nerd centric like the old SL...not very many Barbies at all there. But what they don't understand is that the most important part of SL isn't the prims or the scripting or all the things the builder/scripter crowd holds up as the greatest things in the universe....it's the people. And opensim is going nowhere without people. Sure the nerds love it, but it's not going to grow beyond them, and the educators who want a cheap region to bring a few students in, without the Barbies those people dislike. No currency, no shoes, no people, it's that simple. And while there are some opensim based worlds that DO have currency, why would I go to one of those Tiny little markets when SL is so HUGE. Those places are just SL...without the community. They're going nowhere, because ultimately, they depend so much on SL that they ARE SL, under different names. They're SL for people who want to say "Fuck You" to LL for various reasons (too many barbies, region pricing, ignoring sim crossings), without actually giving up SL.

So there you have it, a rant from an oldbie crank...ME, about OTHER oldbie cranks. I understand "why" they write what they do, and I feel for them, even if I don't agree with them.

By the way, Pussycat Catnap is easily the most commonsensical voice of reason commenter on NWN these days. Well worth reading.

Ordinary Girl

I'm not one that's really majorly a follower of the SL live music scene, though I have attended events now and then. A semi-Random SL group chat lead to talking with a singer in SL, this is one of her songs, which appeals to me, quite a bit. I think it's a sweet song, and I have permission to link to it.



She's open about linking to her outside of SL web presence at:

saratiemogo.com

Quick Casual Friday, for Mrs. Upshaw-Bouscario

Another quick post while I have the pictures ready.

While I'm known for not dressing casually and usually, but not always, being the most dressed up avatar at my usual hangouts, even I wear jeans sometimes. It depends on my mood, mostly and who is around me.



The cardigan is the Comfy Cardigan from Fri.Day.The camisole is from the late lamented L`Abel brand from Neferia Abel....that was her branding on her modern stuff, it isn't available anymore. How I miss L`Abel, but I did manage to pick up most of her L`Abel inventory in the closing sale.

The Jeans are a new acquisition from Tres Blah, the Juju's, that my friend Clarice gifted me with. That's the black but they come in other washes, and I'll probably be picking up the dark rinse at least. You have choise of three different prim style leg attachments, straight, Flare, and rolled up. (Didn't take the time to do all 3.)

The flats are the Basic.Flats from fri.day.

The hair is a cute modern shaggy style called Gala from Queue Marlowe's Analog Dog, under her "just .b" brand. That's the Fox color, and as I have said, I like Queue's reds.

The skin is the same as the last post I think, yes, yes it is. 5th & Oxford, Fair Subtle 6.

The whole outfit reminded me of the outfits you see the actresses in Swiffer/cleaning supplies/Glade candle commercials wearing, you know, the whole "I'm a cute young mom in a cami and cardi, hip jeans and ballet flats" look. So I pulled out my retro-vac from RC (Redd Columbia):



SLURL to Analog Dog Hair

SLURL to 5th & Oxford

SLURL to Fri.day

SLURL to Tres Blah

SLURL to RC

Insolence Lauren Lingerie set, with Friend Clarice

Clarice is yet another member of what my friends and I call our "family", kind of like sisters of fashion. One of the things we do is make each other buy stuff. Well, not exactly make, it goes something like this, only with more words and not as succinctly and without LOLCAT speech:

"zOMG, that's adorable, I NEED it NAO, where did you get it? There? I am so there, NAO. You make me spend so many L$."

Some time ago, Clarice showed up at one of my favorite hangouts wearing a lingerie set I didn't recognize underneath a flannel shirt and jeans. Now even though I didn't recognize the set, and thusly didn't have it already, I did recognize the work, I know Camilla Yosuke's of Insolence's work on sight. Since Clarice was the one that "made" me buy it, she and I modeled it together. She also made me buy the flannel shirt.

It is named Lauren, it has the usual Insolence options, with corset, without corset, on various layers, garters no garters, 4 different pairs of stockings. Etc etc. But the important thing is that it was pretty, and CC NEEDED it.



Clarice is in the Red, and I am in the silver.





And a standing shot of the Red, it comes in more colors, and I don't have them all....yet. I know I will eventually. Included stocking colors are white, tan, off-black and black.





Clarice also made me buy that hair...it's Truth: Jean. How I adore Clarice...who makes me buy stuff. And yes, I asked her for permission to post these.

SLURL to Truth Hair

I forgot to ask about Clarice's skin and hair, I know, bad CC. But my skin is of course a 5th & Oxford, Fair Subtle 6. No prim lashes today, but I've been favoring the Beetlebones mesh ones lately.

SLURL to 5th & Oxford

Lauren Lingerie by Insolence:

SLURL to Insolence Lingerie

The shoooooooes, are oldies but goodies on both Clarice and myself, Shiny Thing's Kelsey T-Straps. She only has them in that color...I haven't "made" her get the Willow Pack (what other people might call a fatpack) yet. It's all part of CC Rule #1, of which one states (there are multiple rules #1): Which colors do you need? All of them.

SLURL to Shiny Things

Beer Barrel Goth

I was in one of those moods, trying to figure out what I wanted to wear next....I was actually wearing trousers, a simple shirt and short hair at the time, believe it or not. Donna Upshaw-Bouscario of FE made a suggestof jeans or goth...said I had to get past the "Ice Princess" That made me laugh, because Grace Kelly is one of my style icons.

So I headed into inventory, and remembered I had a recent dress from Silentsparrow, Selador, I first saw it on retro-fashionista Ceejay Writer in Seraph City. It comes with 3 skirt options.
:
The more gothy victoriany steampunky Woofy version. (Thats what it's actually called in inventory, Woofy!) Nice layering effect on the skirt and underskirt.



Circle, your basic circle skirt:



And pencil, which is what Miss Ceejay was wearing when I first saw it and NEEDED it. I so love a good pencil skirt:



You probably noticed there's a pastie option, which is on the undershirt layer, along with the regular low cut pretty bodice. Boobie shot!



I had these antique embossed tall laced boots from Arwen's Creations. Sort of Victoriany sort of steampunky, with a high, but sturdy heel. They are VERY nice and I want them in RL. I have 3 pairs of these and keep intending to go back and the other colors.



With Truth Andrea Hair, which I think of as Counselor Troi hair, and a 5th and Oxford "Fair NightFall 1" skin heavy on the dark eyshadow with fuchsia lips.



When Mrs. Upshaw-Bouscario saw my pictures, she described them as "Beer Barrel Goth", explaining the post title.

SLURL to SilentSparrow

SLURL to Arwen's Creations

SLURL to Truth Hair

SLURL to 5th & Oxford

Friend Clare!

Clare Sorbet is one of my best friends in SL...redhead, fashionista, and quite honestly nice. Herself and a few other retro-fashionistas (and redheads) of my acquaintance are a sort of a family. We share shopping finds, hang out with each other, etc.


Today Clare was wearing an adorable floral print dress from Toki Doki, very cute and sort of housedress-y looking.



Her hair today is Truth Evelyn, which I also have, in the Cherry color (I wear Truth hair in Blood). She says her skin is from Pink Fuel, "Ember" The Pink Fuel skins that I've seen tend towards the girly cute youtfulness side of the spectrum, and this one is quite adorable on Clare.




The shoes are Mary Jane Courts from GOS. A simple mary jane pump with a moderately high, but sturdy heel, and rounded point toe, that resembles a "Character shoe" that dancers use but with a higher heel.

Gender juxtaposition, and what it says about us.

I was talking on FE about mesh hair, which is a whole 'nother topic I'm not going to get into at this time, and it was suggested I check out a hair store I'd never been to. Now I'd seen prim hair from this place on other people and it looked fine to me, I had been meaning to go there anyway sometime.

I did the usual thing, checking out demos and whatnot, hobnobbing with fashionfolk, but as I was looking around I realized the hair display vendors bothered me for a reason.

This is the guy hair. This place has some VERY nice guy hair and if you're a guy avatar, GO now! You won't be disappointed.



Those are attractive guy avatars in my opinion. They look like adults, old enough to buy alcohol and even old enough to have graduated college and have jobs.

These are some of the female hair displays:





Putting it bluntly, those avatars look a LOT younger than the male displays. The bodies may have boobs, but the faces look to my eyes chubby cheeked young girls wearing a lot of makeup, not even old enough for high school. And most certainly not as mature looking as the males.

That bothered me...to me it was a sort of "Toddlers and Tiaras" effect. Now I know that in certain SL communities there's a trend of dressing and looking like a part Japanese cutesy anime inspired girl, and there's nothing wrong of that. It was the juxtaposition of the two, manly adult and cutesy girl face with knockers that bothered me and what it said about the fashion community of SL. I think that if the guys has been your standard slender Bishonen anime-inspired guy/young Bieber type, essentially the male version of the female displays, it wouldn't have bothered me so much.

But it did. But it's not like I didn't think the hair wasn't nice hair, it was...sigh.

Alaskametro Basix lingerie

I've known Alaska Metropolitan for aaaages. She was probably my first designer friend. She recently dropped me some lingerie sets and lace dress sets. Now the dresses aren't really me...but the lingerie...is well...well lets just say I REALLY like the lingerie, even though it is as the name says:

Basix. Every femmy person out there has some basic "nice" lingerie. We're all searching for our perfect combination of fit and style.






Yes, I went a touch artistic with the pics, but Alaska always does good display ads (she pretty much wrote the book on designing a good display) so it's not a big deal.

Nice isn't it...only comes in basic muted nudey colors even the black is a sort of soft grey. You get sheer, opaque and sheer lace version with choice between straps or strapless in each set. Anyway when I first put them on I was like HOLY CRAP, that has got to be inspired by the old style Body by Victoria or the old iPex. (Though in RL I wear the Cacique stuff. made by the same company, same stuff, only sold at Lane Bryant rather than Victoria's Secret) The biofit 7-way is probably closest to it these days.

Anyway it's a very nice everyday bra that I want in a LOT more colors and patterns. If you look at the clasp in back which I don't show, you'll see that it's a 3 hook bra, which it would be in RL. It's also inexpensive.

As far as I know Alaska doesn't have a in-world store these days, only her alaskametro Store on the Marketplace

She also does makeups, nail tattoos, brows and whatnot, she's a makeupista in RL.