Mardi Gras

February 12, 2010

Mardi Gras

You can’t fool me, you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t love playing dress up. You probably don’t need an excuse to feather your hair but if you’re looking for one… Mardi Gras hits the Fat Tuesday sim on February 13th, 14th and 16th; three days of dancing in the streets with live music, parades and general merry-making. If you’re planning on joining the party then you’ll definitely need some fancy threads and you really could do a lot worse than a costume like this.

A Touch of Ireland is a shop I haven’t visited for a good year or more – clearly I need to attend more fancy dress parties. They have some great themed outfits including several for Mardi Gras. I went with the 2010 edition which is based around a harlequin top with beaded straps, with low v-neck and jagged hemline, featuring a printed crown to the front. The shorts are made in the same vibrant colours, although largely concealed by the extravagant skirt: the waistband is ruffled and sewn with embossed coins to the front while the back blooms into a mass of feathers and reams of printed silk, bustle crowned with two ceramic masks and finished with a garland of beads.

This outfit screams for showy shoes. I came strutting in these metallic pumps from Anexx; the peep toe stilettos sit high on a concealed platform, the ankle strap dressed with a curtain of leather strips that flutter loosely around the ankle, parted to the front to show off the foot. The colour change HUD was simple enough to use with some nice nail polishes to pick from.

The mask that comes with the outfit is fine in itself, but I just couldn’t get it to fit my face properly. I pranced over to Illusions and sifted through Siyu Suen’s extensive collection of masks; I had trouble picking just one I liked but the Civetta style worked well: a simple eye mask with ornate wiring across the brows and to the sides. With a wealth of colour change options you could easily match to another tone, and while there was a little modding required to fit my face the mask is wonderfully snug and really fun to wear. I did steal my plumage from the original mask sold with the Mardi Gras costume – the plumage is both congrous and ostentacious to great effect, particularly when pushing through the fringe of this flowing ponytail hair style from Truth.

I found some marvellous accessories, mostly by way of a single set from Mandala. It wasn’t the cheapest purchase I’ve ever made, but for a full set of bangles (in two styles), prim nails and rings, it actually worked out quite reasonably. The Takara bangles comprise solid bands, padded and covered cuffs stacked up the arm; the rings are less ornate but similarly piled, with oversized fingernails in two alternating tones. The whole look is wonderfully dramatic. In honesty I would have preferred a gold trim for this outfit as I don’t generally like to mix metals, but despite my personal preference the whole thing gels well.

The necklace was more difficult and I spent some time hunting around for some colourful beads before I had a brainwave and headed over to Zaara to pick up something a little different from what I had originally planned. This Suvarna necklace will work with plenty of other outfits, neatly constructed as a gold torc with solid arced pendant, inlaid with stones in a bordered floral design. While the green and red setting isn’t the perfect colour match, the latter isn’t overpowering and it blends to tone.

5th&Oxford’s ‘Rebel, Rebel’ makeups for their latest skinline are bold, bright and beautiful, perfect for a look like this whether you’re with or without a mask. The deep violet lips ensure the face isn’t left lacking, although much attention is diverted to the body with the amount of flesh being shown. The detail is strong but not overdone, with a particuarly sumptious rump and nice toning across the stomach and legs. The skins singles are very reasonably priced, although of course the fatpacks work out at even more of a bargain: demos are available in store and definitely worth a look.

For full details on the Mardi Gras events, pick up a notecard from Fat Tuesday.

Outfit:
Mask: Illusions, Civetta Venetzia – Forest/Gold
Costume, including Mask Feathers: A Touch of Ireland, Mardi Gras 2010
Shoes: Anexx, Fringe Pumps – Gold
Necklace: Zaara, Suvarna Necklace – Kundan
Bangles, Rings and Nails: Mandala, Takara Bangles – Purple

Body:
Hair: Truth, Melody – Gem
Eyes: Curio, Tragic Eyes – Watercolour (Shine)
Skin: 5th&Oxford, Brooke Medium – Rebel, Rebel 3
Poses: Reel Expression, Pin Up 1, Shoe Fair 07
CnS, Supermodel Fashion Poses 5b
ImpEle, Allure

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