“If you’ve got it, flaunt it.” I’ve got new boots from Gos, and they’re certainly going to get me noticed.

The problem I have with majority of knee high boots in world is form. The shape isn’t right on the leg, the leather isn’t formed in a realistic way and the majority are also a nightmare to fit. Gos’s Burlesque raised the bar for me, but Curvaceous takes it to a whole new level giving you everything and more in a super sexy package.

Set on a platform base, Curvaceous is composed in a way that artfully reflects on the female form, lifting up for an angular arch that allows for an ultra high heel without deforming the foot shape. The curves are irresistible, running up the leg to create a beautiful line along the body that’s sure to leave them swooning. A wave runs down the outside of the leg, separating the boot into two sections that can be independently texture and colour changed. A set of buttons detail the upper, with a zip to the inner leg and compressions and wrinkles detailing about the ankle.

What do you want from your boot? Whether it’s shiny leather, suede or a mixture of the two, Curvaceous has you covered. Casual, club and sassy evening wear are covered as every boot has three heel change options; stiletto, chunky or wedge, so you can pick whatever suits your mood and style. Curvacous features the usual scale and stretch Gos fit options to enable a complete custom resize to your shape, and is currently available in 10 colours as singles, colour update polishes, or with a fatpack at a bargain discount price to allow for literally millions of combinations.

While I’m not wearing much else, I’m sure you’ve noticed the new Belleza skin, Erika. Available in six skin tones, Erika also has cleavage and blonde hair base options with 20 different makeups available and additional 8 tattoo layer lipsticks to mix up your looks a little. While I’m usually more about the face than the rest of the skin, dressed as I am it’s a little difficult to ignore the body which as usual has had a complete rework since the last female skin release. The back is particularly well done, with the most delectable bottom I’ve seen in a long time.

Erika and Elle (Tricky’s previous skin release) do have a lot in common with facial characteristics, but there are subtle differences that will certainly make it worth your time to take a careful look. Elle had different options with regards brows and base while Erika is definitely a fairer tone, also dictating the depths of colour in the available skin tones. Until 24 January 2010 you can buy the Erika fatpacks at a generous discount (L$5000 for each skin tone) or if you’re feeling a little strapped for cash you could always join the Belleza group for just L$250 and pick up the group gift skin to see you through until pay day.

There’s not much else I’m wearing, save the bodysuit from Hucci. It’s an exclusive at LeLook! and as well as being suitably sexy it’s also set at a very reasonable price so worth picking up while you’re there. It’s supplied on several layers so you can effectively adjust the sheerness of the material by doubling up, or of course you could wear with other things if you’re feeling a little more modest.

Outfit:
Bodysuit: Hucci for LeLook!, Circolo Bodysuit – Nude
Boots: Gos, Curvaceous – Fatpack

Body:
Hair: Truth, Roxana – Toffee
Eyes: PixelDolls, Avatar Natural – Chocolate
Eyelashes: L.Fauna, Tattoo Lashes – False & Underlashes
Skin: Belleza, Erika Med – 7
Lips: Belleza, Erika Med Lips – 1
Pole and Pose: aDORKable, Strip-a-doodle
!bang, Knee High Fashion – 2
Del May, Alternative Babydoll

Shot in: CLICK, The Runway Pose Prop

I have a new love and her name is Emma.

Tuli recently reopened after a complete revamp of the store, bringing us a wealth of new faces. A couple may be familiar to you having already had appearances at The Dressing Room, but most are completely fresh and you may well want to spend some time trying on demos and getting better acquainted with the girls.

After much deliberation I chose Emma with her soft, flawless face and wide lips that cut something of a smile on my shape without needing an edit. Tuli has changed the way she sells her skins, and now rather than individual makeups you can buy a reasonably priced pack of six for each skin tone. The pack also comes complete with cleavage boost tattoo layers, 12 lipstick options, a shape and eyebrow shaper, lashes and freckles. As all the options are on the tattoo layer these skins are really built for the official viewer which will all you to wear multiple tattoos at once, although of course you can still get a variety of looks using single extra tattoos on the six skins which all have different eye makeup.

I felt like a bit of glamour today so started my outfit with one of Mimikri’s newly released fur stoles. The fur runs long down the body, looping behind the neck with a front tied sash around the waist to shape and offer some extra security – well you wouldn’t want it getting up and walking away now, would you? As it happens, the pricetag (a mere L$200) suggests no virtual vixens were culled in the making of this beauty so you can wear it with a clear conscience.

As much as I love the Mimikri stole, I took it off for the second shot to give you a better look at the top of this gorgeous skirt from Vanitas Vesture. The Alchemist Skirt is all kinds of beautiful, flowing gently out from the waist and falling in sequinned pleats to a hemline just above the knee. It sits high on the waist with a runched band trimmed in pearls; they run lines to the top and bottom, the surround trailing down and across the middle and following all the way down the side of the skirt. SarahtheRed Aurbierre has created a fantastic piece, but taken it a step further by repeating the upper and creating a clothing layer waistband that can be interchanged. Buy your favourite colours in the skirt before trying your luck on the gatcha, and pick up belts to mix and match for personalised colour combinations or for wear with the rest of your wardrobe.

On my feet I’m wearing Gos’s Platform Pumps, this time in the Green/Black combination. The reason I prize these over most of the other platform slip-ons in my inventory is because of the options they give with their contrast tones. Wear them as solid colours or your own chosen blend of the two tones, and even select whether or not you show the delicate ankle strap or forego it completely. I’m all about options and these have plenty, including the usual resize, script deletion and dozen other extra features Gos always load into their creations.

Speaking of options, the jewellery I’m wearing is all by je suis and also features lots of colour choices to customise your look. You can change the metal and accents on both the earrings and choker (the two pieces are sold separately but if you wear them together the scripts will ‘talk’ and so you don’t have to set up each individually for your outfits) and scale to size at the touch of a button. The ring is from another set entirely but works in the same way: unfortunately there are no demos in store but you will usually find someone handy to help out if you have any queries. The Raye jewellery pieces are new, based around large, teardrop pendants with two stone-set outer lines and a metal centre strip. The necklace shown is the simplest version, but you can opt for one with two additional pendants if you prefer.

Outfit:
Stole: Mimikri, Fox Fur Stole – Black
Bodice: The Secret Store, Wild Pop Lady Bodysuit (part of a set)
Skirt: Vanitas Vesture, Wonderland Alchemist Skirt – Emerald
Belt: Vanitas Vesture, Hermetic Waistband – Charcoal
Shoes: Gos, Platform Pumps – Green/Black
Earrings: je suis, Raye Earrings
Necklace: je suis, Raye Collar – 1
Ring: je suis, Mysterious Ring
Gloves: La Maison Kaestner, Long Leather Gloves – Black
Bag: ORTA, Blake Clutch – Sea

Body:
Hair: Truth, Madeline – Copper
Eyes: PixelDolls, Avatar Natural – Ocean
Eyelashes: L.Fauna, Tattoo Lashes – False
Skin: Tuli, Emma Fair br – 06 Slate
Poses: !bang, Freestylin’ 6
Olive Juice, Caress Myself
Glitterati, Swimsuit 10

Location: Tyranny

The snow was starting to get me down so I moved to warmer climes.

I wanted to start with something colourful so I pulled out the jacket and scarf I found in an outlet of Peqe on the Euphoria sim. I understand the set is exclusive to this location and comes in four colour options of the same style. Open to the front with wood buttons on the side, the sleeves are rolled up past the wrists. The cowl scarf hangs loose to the neck, sitting over the raise of the padded shoulders. Be aware that the jacket may cut through if you wear an AO with a lot of shift on the upper body or the hips as it consists of just one prim for the main section; it’s similar to most prim jacket styles so you should be a pro at adapting your stance to suit.

Beneath I have tucked in a shirt from Ibizarre, a grey vest with a scatter of metal flecks sewn to the top for some added sparkle. Layered up this works pretty well, a little more interesting than something plain but not so much going on as to overwhelm the jacket.

The trousers are also from Ibizarre, a cropped style with upturned, crumpled cuffs that crop short on the lower leg (not shown here). The prims give these a bit of an edge, offering something different to the standard, and the trousers themselves are pretty versatile to be worn as shown or tucked beneath longer length boots to suit. Detailed with sewn seams, zip fly and button waist fastening, these can be suitably understated when tucked into long boots too.

On my feet I’m wearing Maitreya’s Neyya shoes in brown leather, overlaid by legwarmers from LeLutka, sold as part of a set with the Fame pumps. While not shown here (the colour I bought wasn’t right for this styling) the LeLutka Fame pumps are unique, well-made and very beautiful, but I was rather unhappy with the demo and then the fitting process in relation to the legwarmers. The in-store demo of the shoes only allows you to see the pumps meaning you’re rather walking blindly into paying almost L$700 for a pair of shoes with a feature piece you can’t even try before you buy. The legwarmers are scripted to a percentage resize, independent to each leg, so you can only scale up or down, each one separately, which leads to a fiddly and time consuming process of then manually pushing and pulling the legwarmers this way and that in an attempt to get them as close fitting as possible. Despite my avatar having 0 body fat and therefore pretty skinny legs, I had to hugely upsize to get legwarmers that fitted. Of course you could ‘cheat’ and create your own alpha layer to hide the required section of leg, and this may be the best option if you want your legwarmers short and skinny. Having said all this, when you finally get the right fit you will be suitably impressed as the sculpts are interesting and slouch nicely on the body. The legwarmers come in two varieties, striped and plain, with options for recolour on different parts to allow plenty of customisation.

This week’s Truth releases definitely grabbed me, and the Tatum style seemed the perfect compliment for this look, long, wavy locks sweeping across the eye and falling loose over the shoulders, topped with a knit cap that covers the head. As usual you’ll find a multitude of options, from colour change on the hat to streaks in the hair and the all-important split attachment points to allow easier movement with your AO.

Outfit:
Jacket and Scarf: Peqe, Flowery Jacket – Pink (Euphoria Exclusive)
Shirt: Ibizarre, Camille Tee – Gray
Trousers: Ibizarre, Maeva Pants – Black
Legwarmers: Lelutka, Legwarmer – Stripe (part of a set)
Shoes: Maitreya, Neyya – Brown Leather
Belt: Bare Rose, Snow Smile – Black (part of a set)

Body:
Hair: Truth, Tatum – Auburn
Eyes: PixelDolls, Avatar Natural – Emerald
Eyelashes: Garage, Eyelash Tattoo – 008
Eyeshadow: cheLLe, Smoke – Everest
Skin: Belleza, Elle BR Pale – 2
Nails: Candy Nail, 000 Basic Nail – Plum
Poses: EverGlow, Model 346
Olive Juice, Feigned Innocence
gesticulate, Copley Square 2

Location: Lula

Looking for a place to shelter from the cold. Of course, it might help if I’d remember to wear my coat out.

As it is I’m only part wrapped up today, the look starting with a sweater that was part of a Happy Holidays Hunt gift. While the black does cover up a lot of the detail I really like the design; I’m a particular fan of the prim sleeves, which are pushed back up from the wrists, slouching casually in a way that’s rather different to much of what else I’m seeing on the market at present. Made to be worn as a dress, if you choose to wear this cropped you can layer up with other pieces using the underpants part to cover midriff.; the seam’s a touch visible if you were to look too closely, but as a freebie this isn’t an issue at all. If you missed the Salma knitted dress in the Happy Holidays Hunt you can still pick up the red version completely free in store – it is a Christmas Gift so I’d suggest being quick!

Overlaying the sweater I’m sporting Miel’s Elle tank, which comes in various colour choices for each tone (‘dark’ shown here). Everything’s built to work with the other components in the same set. You can of course pair with other Miel pieces for exact colour matches or mix things up with the rest of your inventory, but either way you’ll get value for money from the Elle set.

The skirt and bow are from mon tissu, taken from a party dress. The skirt itself runs in soft pleats out from the body, scalloped at the base with a lighter, ruffled underskirt just peeping through. Girlie and easy to wear, the only thing to be mindful of when wearing without the original top is that you will appear to be missing the belt which is drawn to the upper layers. I compensated here by editing a belt from Fri.day, hiding the buckle beneath the bow and using it to finish the line around the waist.

While it may have been better advised to wear thicker legwear, fashion overruled my sense of reason and I put on there cropped leggings from Nayar. They finish just below the upper line of the boots, so be mindful if you were thinking of pairing them with something different. Rose patterning is worked in among the wide fishnet, with low-rise top to ensure they tuck beneath whatever you’re wearing.

The boots are my trusty Burlesques from Gos, still a staple in my wardrobe. With satin uppers overlaid by black leather accents, the boots feature gorgeous curves that define your legs and detailed lace-up fronts with tied ribbons criss-crossing around the combination flat and hook eyelets. The satin and ribbons colour change, and you can get a custom fit through the easy to use resize menus that allow adjustment in every dimension. A stiletto heel may not be the easiest thing to snow-walk in, but the magic of the metaverse cares not for such things and you’re sure never to falter on any surface.

Accessories are minimal but mandatory for a polished finish, not least this crafty little handbag I found in the YomeShoujo shop gatcha. Having stumbled upon this in early December I immediately had a play, picking up a few colours for some friends as Christmas presents; I came back more recently to get one for myself, remembering how much I’d liked them. While shoulder bags can be a little awkward to wear with AOs, with a little adjustment I got this working quite nicely – posing with it was actually more of an issue! The bag hangs on a material chain across the body, set to one side with printed playing cards on the front. Sides are stitched loosely with twisted trails of two lengths hang from the base, finished with bright feathers. There are various designs and colours available and you can swap with friends if you get duplicates.

The scarf is from Miel, available in this plaid texture or alternatively a plainer style with floral patterning to the ends. It has several recolour options so you can make it fit whatever is in your winter wardrobe. The scarf seems to go particularly well with this new do from Truth; Pepper’s soft tendrils rest just in front of the shoulders, long waves cascading down the back, the bulk of the hair pushed tidily beneath the stretchy band that wraps around the head. The material accent is blossom-shapes with a button centre and can be hidden or colour changed with a touch of a button.

Finally to mention the pretty Zoe skin from Tuli which is currently on sale as part of Disco Deals – I think today may be the last time you can snag this for a bargain price of just L$99 so be sure not to miss out. Zoe has a soft face featuring several beauty marks, shimmering soft lips and wide, bright eyes (I’ve chosen to cover the dazzling teal eyeshadow with tattoo makeup here). This is the only tone available, but you can try on a free demo at the stall if you’re at all undecided.

Outfit:
Sweater: Purple Moon, Salma Knitted Dress – Black (hunt gift)
Tank: Miel, Elle Tank – Paprika Dark
Skirt and Bow: mon tissu, Party Dress (part of a set)
Tights: Nayar, Fishnet and Lace Leggings
Boots: Gos, Burlesque – Model
Scarf: Miel, Lia Scarf – Plaid
Bag: YomeShoujo, Bag – txt
Belt: Fri.day, Wide Waist Belt – Red

Body:
Hair: Truth, Pepper – Chestnut
Eyes: PixelDolls, Avatar Natural – Ocean
Eyeshadow: Kyoot, Feline Makeup – Wine Berry
Eyelashes: Beauty Avatar, Regina – 03
Skin: Tuli, Zoe Fair/Brown Brows – Disco Deals
Poses: Glitterati, 091, 153, 158

Location: crtl shift h and FireGood

The snow’s back. Best to wrap up for the occasion.

This cape jacket from MALT is a new release, available in plenty of colours with various options for styling. You can choose to wear longer or shorter sleeves and there are two collars included so it’s very much up to you how you wear this one. I opted to maximise the tiered, striped sleeves which flow beneath the peaked shoulders, the darker tone picked up again on the wide, open collar with its layers of material falling down to the front and back to shield you from the worst of the weather. While there is a glitch layer provided and you can mod both the prims or your body to get a perfect fit, if you wanted to cheat you could create your own alpha layer to ‘hide’ your chest and give the best shape in the body.

Beneath I have on a winter-worthy sweater from WoE. Ginger is horizontally striped in multi-tones, textured with a knit pattern that works so well for the season. The cuffs run in line with the jacket sleeves, and I didn’t even need to mod much to get a perfect fit. The slightly slouched roll of the neck also fits well with minor adjustments, bringing the outfit together.

Fume’s leggings in their desaturated tone and soft swirling patterning were an ‘acquire on sight’ purchase – sometimes I’m a little more restrained with my shopping, but I just knew I’d get plenty of wear from these pants. Under skirts, shorts or worn just so you’ll appreciate these for adding a little something extra to your outfits. I’ve tucked them into the new boots from Elikatira, drawing high up on the shin with a slouching leather upper coming to rest just above the base of the chunky heel, detailed to the outside with a buckled strap on either leg. Toes peek out to the front, closing at a point. The boots are reasonably priced and come in colours to match whatever you’re wearing, modifiable with standard editing as opposed to scripts.

I crowned this look with a new hair from Dark Mouse. You may know Mouse Mimistrobell better for her jewellery, but she’s been making hair for some time now. Her most recent release up-dos caught my eye, particularly the Antonia style which features a swept fringe to the front, the parted section flicked back to the one side while the remainder of hair is neatly pulled back in a voluminous bun, crossed pins fastening at the back.

I should also point out the skin I’m wearing as it’s a group gift and sneak preview of the new Exodi Sylvan line. You have to be a member of the VIP group to pick this up; there is a L$250 fee, but Ryker Beck is generous with group gifts on new release so while you more than get your money’s worth with just a single pick-up, it’s even more of a bargain if you decide to stay in the group. Sylvan is fiercely beautiful and offered in four skin tones with light and dark brow options, cleavage and freckle versions. I’ve added a touch of extra liner with a Cheap Makeup tattoo, but the eye makeup supplied is a pretty smoked slate colour and very wearable.

Outfit:
Jacket: MALT, Domonic Swancho – English Walnut
Sweater: WoE, Ginger Sweater – Clay
Leggings: Fume‘, Cornocopia Desaturated Tights – Sheer
Boots: elikatira, Secret Boots – Cocoa
Earrings: LOGO, Byzantine Short Earrings – Gold
Ring: Zaara, Raga Oyster Ring – Pearl/Gold
Bag: Bare Rose, Connie – Brown

Body:
Hair: Dark Mouse, Antonia – Brown 2
Eyes: PixelDolls, Avatar Natural – Ocean
Eyelashes and Liner: Cheap Makeup, Liner + Lashes – 5
Skin: Exodi, Sylvan Vivante – 2011 Dk (group gift)
Poses: aDORKable Poses, Bag Lady 5
Olive Juice, Brush. That. Dirt off yo’ Shoulder
Glitterati, 011

Location: Bacio

Look again.

The new Lorelei set from ICING immediately caught my eye when Miko Omegamu announced its release yesterday. What girl doesn’t love a little glamour in her life? Disguised as an elegant dress, Lorelei’s bodice features pleated silk cups with black panels to either side that extend the length of the design and surround the tops. Skinny straps support with a slim sash sewn around the ribs for extra detail. It drops to a pencil skirt which finishes just above the knee, but of course you don’t have to wear that indoors. Whip it off to reveal a vintage inspired bodysuit complete with suspenders and stockings. What a treat! Lorelei is currently available in purple in the Lucky Chairs at the ICING store, so if you’re a little strapped for cash you can stop by and see if you can win a set instead.

If you’re feeling the cold you can keep the chill off with a buttoned shrug from mon tissu. They come in a number of colours, but I opted for pastel blue here. It consists of three prim parts (main body and two sleeves) – depending on your body shape it can be a bit tricky to fit, as if you have a large chest it may end up sitting quite wide on the body. Nothing a quick chest-edit won’t sort, but be aware.

There’s nothing like a bit of shiny leather, particularly on your feet, so I opted for Gos’s Platform Pumps with this styling. They’re simple, chic and perfectly adaptable to whatever you’re wearing – I hid the ankle strap here and chose a single tone, but you can find dual colours in store with colour change on all parts so you can really customise the look.

Jewellery is all taken from the Soiree Set new out at Dark Mouse. This is best suited to evening glamour, particularly if you have a low-backed dress that needs accenting. Set in gold, the pieces mainly comprise large and small blossoms of pearl studded with deep sapphires to centre each bloom. The necklace itself is a reversed design, a string of pearls draped long down the back, weighted with a pendant featuring intricate metalwork between petal shape stones. The earrings mimic the pendant design for beautiful ornamentation against an updo or pulled back loose style as shown here.

Gloves are a little luxury I don’t think I indulge in often enough, but with the sale going on at La Maison Kaestner these seemed like an absolute steal. Sold in various colours with three lengths supplied in every pack, the leather gloves are simple but can add something special to your outfit. If you can contrast against your jewellery it will work to even better effect – a bracelet or cocktail ring will always make more impact when worn as such.

To top it off I wore Truth’s new Courtney style. It’s very similar to the other new release, Mariska, only cropped without the pigtail and flying free behind the ear on the left side. Flowing beautifully as you move, it’s difficult not to see the appeal – customise via the colour change pins and choose streaked or solid colours.

The clothes rail I’m posing with is from Glitterati and is the opening gift for the new VIP group. It will also be available in store, but the group joining fee is the same price and so it seems to make sense to sign up if you have the group space as Katey Coppola promises frequent goodies in the future. The Rack comes with ten fun and flirty inbuilt poses and an easy scripted system for adjusting your position against the prop.

Outfit:
Jacket: mon tissu, Loire Knit Shrug – Blue
Dress/Underwear: ICING, Lorelei – Nude
Shoes: Gos, Platform Pumps – Just Black
Jewellery: Dark Mouse, Soiree Set
Gloves: La Maison Kaestner, Leather Gloves – Black

Body:
Hair: Truth, Courtney – Expresso
Eyes: PixelDolls, Avatar Natural – Chocolate
Eyelashes: L.Fauna, Lashes Tattoo – False
Skin: Tuli, Audrey tone 1/br – 06
Poses and Prop: Glitterati, The Rack

Welcome to 2011.

The look started with a bargain buy from The Dressing Room Blue. It’s so worth scouting around The Dressing Room’s two stores every now and then as you will often find a piece or two you fall in love with that are a fraction of their usual store price, or exclusive to the sale rooms. This jacket from Emery is fun to wear, pseudo-military with its studded, high and angular collar. The shoulder pads mimic the other lines, jutting out although not in as much of an exaggeration – the cropped coat crumples all the way down the sleeves and maintains a softness through the body, moving well with most AOs. It does use up a lot of attach points, but if you use the official SL viewer you can simply add any other accessories, eliminating possible clashes.

PARADISIS provided this slip of a dress, micro-mini with contrasting trim to the neck, hemline and sleeves. On its own it’s a little daring but layered up it looks perfectly respectable. For the price you can’t really go too far wrong: it’s neatly made with extra depth offered by the two-tone and the double button fastening on the skirt, and options to wear as a sweater tucked into skirts or trousers if you prefer. As a dress a belt definitely adds something; I chose this skinny belt from Fri.day but a cinch would probably look just as nice.

These floral shorts from Zaara have been in my inventory for some time but I don’t think I’ve blogged them yet. They come in two lengths, the longer as shown and some that crop much higher up the leg, with various colours available as singles or multipacks. They’re flat drawn so ideal for popping on under skirts and even other shorts, their appeal really coming from the pretty print that runs up the leg panels.

Boots are by Gos, the GTFO style being one of my favourites to date. Now also available in a shoe version to wear under trouser cuffs, GTFO is supremely versatile, featuring the usual Gos scripting to enable a perfect fit to your shape as well as colour change on all parts if you opt for the fatpack versions. The detail on the boot is superb, featuring minute stitching and back loop detail, a knotted tie to the lace-up front and three buckled straps to accent.

Accessories came by way of eyewear from Gos and a necklace from Beatnick. The Intuition glasses can be retextured to give you dozens of options, stylings ranging from catwalk-chic glasses to this militant camo with bullet-holed lens. They can be worn on or off the face, changing position with the click of a button so you don’t have to manually edit if you want a change when you’re out and about. The necklace is a freebie available in the Beatnik store, simply crafted with three lines of beads hanging below the circular choker. The set includes two similar bracelets which I haven’t shown here, but it’s worth a visit just to pick them up.

The new Mariska hair from Truth seemed the perfect choice for this look. Wavy locks are pulled tight around the head and drop in front of the right shoulder, a heavy bias to that side with thick fringe falling across the eye and long tendrils cascading down above a thin plait that hangs at chest level. There are colour-change bobby pins to the left, streaked options and double or single attachment points to move better with you.

Finally to mention the poses from Glitterati which are out later today after the sale ends – I know I told you about this before, but if you’re quick you can still dash over there and pick up some bargains before everything goes back to normal price. The poses I’m using will be part of the new release which also includes some lovely couples poses, so look out for those too.

Outfit:
Jacket: Emery for The Dressing Room Blue, Sheena Jacket – Army
Dress: PARADISIS, Automne – Camel
Shorts: Zaara, Tara Lycra Knee Shorts – Black
Boots: Gos, GTFO Boots – 8 Colours
Sunglasses: Gos, Custom Eyeware Intuition – Camo
Necklace: Beatnik, Sacred Wood Necklace
Belt: Fri.day, Lucid Belt – Brown

Body:
Hair: Truth, Mariska – Clove
Eyes: PixelDolls, Avatar Natural – Blue
Eyelashes: L.Fauna, Tattoo Lashes – Pretty
Eyeshadow: cheLLe, Smoke – Leaves
Facepaint: Truth, Aiyana Facepaint – Green (part of the Aiyana hairstyle)
Skin: LAQ, Tess2 Fair Glow Skin – 01
Nails: Exodi, Maipedis – Nude
Poses: Glitterati, 157, 152, 160

Location: Vagabonds

Christmas isn’t Christmas without a Poinsettia.

If you’re in the market for a new dress for party going you should take a look at ORTA’s new Cassandra gown. With billowing skirt featuring a slight train to the back, Cassandra features a deep v neckline to showcase your assets, with bows ornamenting the shoulders. Simple but dramatic, you can also opt to remove the skirt for a sexy bodysuit that can be layered or worn alone if there’s a certain someone who’s been extra good to you this year. There are some beautiful light and dark colours to choose from and you’ll find matching clutches available in store too.

I accessorised with jewellery from Dark Mouse, opting for both short and long necklaces to add interest to the neckline. The je t’aime set features diamond cut garnets set in gold with heart-shaped pendants to accent, contrasted against the flirty tassel provided by the Victorian style necklace that rests further down the chest. I’m also wearing a hair corsage from AtomicBambi – while it’s not quite Poinsettia it’s a good imitation, and in this get up I’m sure none but the most dedicated horticulture enthusiast would be examining too closely (and seriously, if you meet this person at a dance then you know you need to find a new partner pronto).

The skin is new from Glam Affair, the fiercely beautiful Jadis. Shown here in the group gift makeup, you’ll notice a highlight of gold sweeping around the eyes, with bronzed cheeks and shiny, satin-smooth lips. If you want to try Jadis for a bargain price – the join up fee is a nominal L$30 – or like the makeup then make sure you check the group notices now as this won’t be around for long. It’s well worth the outlay as you get this makeup in five different skin tones each with two brow options, and of course you can stay in the group for Glam Affair updates and possible future gifts.

To finish, one of my favourite updos, the Esti style from Exile. This chic voluminous bun has just the right amount of teased strands flicking up from the trio of puffs to the back, a wispy fringe swept smooth across the forehead. I’m wearing with an Amacci tattoo hairbase which finishes perfectly providing a very natural hairline on the scalp.

Outfit:
Dress: ORTA, Cassandra Gown – Ruby
Shoes: Fri.day, Basic Pumps – Red
Flowers: AtomicBambi, Rio Hair Corsage – Rio
Necklace 1 and Earrings: Dark Mouse, je t’aime – Gold/Garnet
Necklace 2: Dark Mouse, Victorian Tassel Necklace – Copper/Red

Body:
Hair: Exile, Esti – Mink
Hairbase: Amacci, Hairbase Tattoo – Dark Brown
Eyes: PixelDolls, Avatar Natural – Blue
Eyelashes: Beauty Avatar, Regina – 03
Skin: Glam Affair, Jadis MedTan – Gold A (group gift)
Lips: Cheap Makeup, Miss Priss Lipgloss – 5
Nails: Candy Nail, NS000 Basic – Dark Red
Poses: aDORKable, Poofy 5 mirror, Poofy 8

Location: The Looking Glass

It’s a funny time of the year to be walking alone.

Bare Rose is one of those stores that I visit infrequently, but every time I pop in I wonder why I’m not there more often. June Dion’s store is bursting with inexpensive outfits with everything from fantasy to casual styles. You do have to sift through, but it’s definitely worth it to locate gems like this cropped jacket from the Snow Smile set. For less than L$200 you’ll get several entire outfits – recolours of the same thing – but since the items are also transferable you can either load up on options yourself or kit out your friends and alts. This fur-trimmed coat has a suede feel and comes complete with wide half sleeves, the open front ornamented with popper fastenings on thick leather straps. It’s cute and cosy, well worth the sale price alone although you’ll also get sloganed tops, denim shorts and sash belts for your money.

Beneath I wore Miel’s Lia Dress top again, this time in an olive brown colour. I love everything about the Lia ensemble, but this is easily my favourite piece with its detailed striped weave, low v-neck and crinkly cuffs. I paired up with a tank top from JANE to keep the chill off my chest a little more. I’m sure my mother would approve.

Such cool weather really demands a scarf, and while there are no shortage of wooly neckwraps on sale at the moment, you don’t always want to cover up completely. I opted instead for this necklace from je suis, a lovely little jewellery store bursting with exquisite beads and baubles. This piece is simply made from strings of beads wrapped closely around the throat with a single draped line to the base, scripted to texture change with dozens of options. The beads can be coloured in three separate sections or all together, enabling you to customise as much or as little as you care to – string and metal parts can also be toned to suit. It’s difficult to appreciate the options from the displays in store, but there is usually a customer service representative in store or contactable if you have any queries on the jewellery, so it’s definitely worth asking for a demonstration if you’re unsure.

The skirt I’m wearing is from BOOM, and comes complete with belt sash tied on a bias with a floppy bow. The skirt material has a tweedy feel and with three attachment parts the movement seems fluid and natural with most AOs and poses. The belt is recolourable with plenty of options, but I would suggest you make a copy of the main prim before you play with the features; there are tints available for the sash as well as several texture options, but once you’ve tinted the belt you can’t revert back to white, so all you can then play with are different shades of red, green or blue. That aside, it’s a lovely casual skirt and will work with a lot of different styles, so well worth picking up in a colour or two.

Riding boots are from mon tissu, long to the leg with defined sections and a double buckle detail on the wind-around strap above the toe and about the ankle. Set on a blocky heel and finished with a rounded toe, the leather boots are well textured and lit. Certainly beautiful to look at, I have to say that I was a little disappointed with the fitting. They’re moddable so you can scale them yourself, but on a long boot it can be awkward to get the proportions right like this and moreso to ensure symmetry when you tweak the second. If you’re using alpha layers you have a little more scope, but the included alpha layer wasn’t long enough for my legs, which meant I either had to borrow another from a different pair of boots or make my own. It’s a minor qualm about the boots – they are reasonably priced and look great on, but something to be aware of before you buy as it’s difficult to tell from the demo.

To finish I chose a new release hair from Magika, which I love for its sultry waves and the way strands of the fringe drop down to cover the edge of the eye. Natalie is essentially a static do, and although there are a few flexis woven into the body to give a tiny bit of bounce, the movement is mostly apparent from the way the locks are styled. The attachable HUD gives options for resize and recolour of both the hair and the hat, with optional ‘hair chew’ which has become the Magika signature with all new releases.

Outfit:
Jacket: Bare Rose, Snow Smile Jacket – Brown (part of a set)
Jumper: Miel, Lia Dress – Caper
Cami: JANE, Intrinsic Tank – Truffle
Skirt and Belt: BOOM, Love Me Skirt – Hot Chocolate
Tights: Miel, Lia Socks – Cream 1
Boots: mon tissu, Provence Riding Boots – Chestnut
Necklace: je suis, Africain Necklace Short

Body:
Hair and Hat: Magika, Natalie Mirrored – Browns
Eyes: PixelDolls, Avatar Natural – Ocean
Eyelashes: Beauty Avatar, Regina 03
Eyemakeup: a.e.meth, Wet Eyeliner (thick & super lash)
Skin: LAQ, Tess2 Fair Glow Skin – 06
Poses: aDORKable Poses, Bag Lady 4, Poofy 8, Poofy 7

Location: embryo

There for all to see, if you’re only looking…

Even by starlight my feet are looking particularly fabulous cocooned in Gos’s seasonal Slouch Boots. The original boots were released a couple of weeks ago but Gos have just put out a festive quartet colour pack in the same style. The soft leather boots are calf-high, creasing down the leg and set upon a raised wood base with studded join surround and ringed harness detail about the ankle. I’m wearing them in red tartan, but you can also choose from green argyle, silver and gold; the metallics are particularly fun, perfect for accompanying your New Year’s Eve party look and generally good for adding some sparkle to your style.

As with the original Slouch you can texture change the leather, wooden clog (there are masses of texture options for the base), metal parts and strapped parts independently to make the look your own. The resize scripts allow for you to tweak height, depth and width to ensure a tailor-made fit to your shape for the most flattering look on. There’s no fuss with every option running from the on-touch HUD, giving you extras including show/hide of the G logo, invisiprims on or off and options for the boot fixer to integrate properly with your AO. Whether it’s beautiful sculpts, textures or features that interest you, the combined package makes these boots worth the Linden spend, and if you’re feeling full of seasonal generosity, they are giftable through the store vendors and via Marketplace.

Red’s one of my favourite colours at any time of year, but there’s certainly an abundance of it around the fashion houses at the moment. I picked up this belted skirt from R.icielli, selecting it as much for the a-line shape as anything else. SL skirts have come a long way from their origins – the oft-bemoaned system skirt and the gravity-defying tutu – and while sculpted skirts can be a little difficult to fit to certain shapes and can cut through with your AOs, they still look a darn sight better than they used to. My advice would generally be to size up a little, covering with a poofy top if the waist band really starts to sit too wide, and to go with darker colours if you’re conscious about how things blend as prim lines are invariably more visible on paler shades.

Up top I went with a floaty sleeved blouse from mon tissu, a newly opened store featuring the collaborative works of Juliette Westerburg and Emma Gilmour (owners of Tres Blah and Surf Couture). The collection is currently small but the shop demonstrates room for expansion, with feminine tops, dresses and skirts lining the shelves. This blouse features drawn beaded detail to the front with billowed sleeves that crop above the elbow. Here I’ve worn a bodice from Ingenue over the top to provide some solid fabric to accessorise, but you’ll find it’s pretty as a standalone too.

The scarf is from LeeZu, a flamboyant mass of material and beads draping about the neck. There are plenty of colour options for sale but this is easily the most dramatic, and the design is something different to the traditional knitted winter scarf so sure to get your noticed. With the fabric pooled around the neck, it drags to an arc front and back, weighed down by the contrast tassels set with wooden beads set along each strand.

The hairstyle from Truth is an older release, but one I like both for the bowed band and the contrasting tips option. Rather than running streaks of colour through the hair, Jackie allows for colour change on the hair ends, so you can add some subtle depth or dramatic flare to the look. The high ponytail sits comfortably around the ears with some free strands taking any harshness from the face, falling straight to the back and ornamented by a thick ribbon tie.

Outfit:
Blouse: mon tissu, So Boho Blouse – Black
Bodice: Ingenue, Tulipe – Noir
Skirt: R.icielli, Antonia Highwaist Skirt – Red
Tights: PL*UM, Trenca – Black
Boots: Gos, Slouch Boots – Festive 4 Pack
Earrings: LaGyo, Potas Earring (Happy Holidays Hunt)
Scarf: LeeZu, Miss Mara Scarf – Ethno Fire
Bangles: Mandala, Pearl Rain Bangles – Gold

Body:
Hair: Truth, Jackie – Chestnut
Eyes: PixelDolls, Avatar Natural – Chocolate
Eyelashes: Glam Affair, Celebrity 02
Makeup: Elysium Eilde for Tuli, Jade Makeup tone 3/br – Astarte 3
Skin: Tuli, Jade tone 3/br – 01b
Nails: Exodi, Manipedis – Ruby
Poses: Glitterati, 143, 146
EverGlow, Model 206

Location: Baffle, Van