The Way You Make Me Feel!

Wednesday, June 25th/2009; a day most of us thought would be like any other, but the sad news of Farrah Fawcett's anticipated passing this morning, followed by the shocking news of Michael Jackson's sudden death at the age of 50 changed this day in history forever.



Say what you will about Michael Jackson's freakish and bizarre later years, in the 80s, he was a g-d. I rushed home from school everyday when I was twelve and fought my three siblings for control of the record player, where I promptly played my Thriller album, again, and we all danced around the living room, knowing every word to every song. I had his poster on my bedroom wall, and I wore tiny buttons on my denim jacket, with Michael all over them. I was a true child of the 80s, and would have killed for that red studded leather jacket at one time, even though I knew it was hella dorky.



I remember the songs, the videos, and the way Michael Jackson changed the face of popular music and videos forever. I learned to do the moonwalk in stocking feet on my mother's hardwood floors. Thriller was a short film, going beyond mere music video status, I remember the night it premiered on TV, my whole family tuned in to watch. I remember the parodies of Beat It! and I'm Bad, Weird Al did so many, and that is the truest from of flattery. Those parodies are still as popular as the originals.



Michael was, to say the least, a character. But his life was both epic and tragic. We know about his legal troubles, something that bothers me still is the not knowing the truth. He never had a real childhood, the stories of his overbearing father are legendary. His entire family is a circus of freaks and eccentrics. We know about his bizarre fatherhood displays, calling his child 'blanket'. We know of his horrific plastic surgeries and his skin condition, something that has been fodder for the tabloids for decades now. But now, all I can think of are his triumphs. He was an incredible talent, he broke down a lot of walls, and he paved the way for so many artists. Justin Timberlake comes to mind, his style is so similar. So today, I threw together a look that makes me think of Michael. Military style jacket, black and white, the Jheri Curl, shades, and those white socks.

Rest in peace Michael, hope you enjoy that Neverland Ranch that is heaven and can finally find yourself, accept yourself, and feel the love you had been searching for your whole life. All I have for you today are thanks, thank you Michael Jackson, for The Way You Make Me Feel!

Outfit Credits:
Jacket - (P-K) by Polina-Kaestner, Military Jacket (Noire/Blanche)
T-Shirt - Armidi Limited, The Faux Vest Tee [White]
Pants - The Abyss, -Studded Leather- Pants
Socks - Jenika's, White Bobby Socks
Shoes - TESLA, 'Diva' Shoe (Black)
Glasses - D2TK, Model TK5 Aviator 1 Sunglasses
Hair - *booN, KAR07 Hair, Black Big
Skin - *REDGRAVE*, 04 Emma2 Tan SKIN / *icegrey
Eyes - (Miriel), Standard Eyes - Sunlit Tree

One Last Post... For Today Anyways!

As a final nod to ~~Ivalde~~ & -L'Abel- Appreciation Day, I wanted to re-post some images that I originally blogged in December 2007. At that time, my wardrobe was chock full of ~~Embla~~, ~~Ask~~, and ~~Ivalde~~ content. I created a series of collages, showing off all of my "Look Of Ivalde". They are my most viewed images on Flickr, with over 6,500 views each, and if you click the image, you will see the full outfit credits too. Just a small peek at the many faces of ~~Ivalde~~, and the reason I named my blog Second Life Fashion Addict. There are eight collages in total. And they are so popular, they still register up to 20 looks a day on my Flickr stream. Even Linden Labs felt they were able to use them without asking in their e-mail ads pimping out the new XStreet SL acquisition. Enjoy!















~ Ketsy

~~Ivalde~~ & -L'Abel- Appreciation Day - Thank You Bloggers!

I wanted to say thank you to each and every blogger, blog feed site administrator, and blog reader for their participation in ~~Ivalde~~ & -L'Abel- Appreciation Day.






It has been an amazing day, reading through the over 45 posts dedicated to Neferia Abel's work and person, and I know that when Nef gets her internet connection back, and looks at all the love and appreciation, the kind words and memories, she will be overcome with emotion. Nef has always kept a low profile, and seems to almost doubt her own skill in the most charming way, so your words and comments, your collective effort in participating in this meme, will really astonish her.

You can read though the amazing posts, and see all the participants names in the Blog Participants List. The list will continue to grow as I discover other posts on the various feeds, or if I am sent the links. I hope when you stumble across a look you adore, you leave a comment for the blogger in question. Sometimes we have our looks done weeks ahead of time, so preparing for a meme like this in just a few days meant a lot of people working diligently on very short notice.

Thanks again to each and every one of you for making today happen, your efforts are appreciated more then you can imagine.

~ Ketsy

New Sensation [Ivalde/L'Abel Day Post 4/4]

So now we get to my final post in this four post series, the one that absolutely tickles me with fashionista joy. Several months ago, after rebuilding the Ivalde SIM, Neferia debuted her new line of original creations, cleverly named -L'Abel-. It is a modern hand-drawn, hand made textured line of clothing including dress casual and some almost couture style creations. The looks are innovative, the colors modern, and the feel is something so completely different and unexpected. This is the -L'Abel- Aline Gold Dress, a wonderful symphony of sculpted, alpha and system elements. It is utterly feminine, yet has an edgy side to it, it looks timeless, because it is of this time. It comes complete with matching gloves, and is one of my many favorites under Neferia's new label. I have seen many others choose this dress for today's blogger challenge, and it looks pretty fabulous on everyone, no matter the size or shape of their avatar. That is a true testament to Nef's skill.



I opted to wear some amazing *REDGRAVE* shoes, that matched the look particularly well, and am holding a Muism clutch. The earrings and ring are both from (Shiny Things), and the bracelet is created by Eyva Matova but I couldn't quite remember how or when I received it. Hair is from Diversity Hair, and the skin is *REDGRAVE*. I really enjoyed putting this look together, as it just seemed to all flow organically out of my scattered inventory into a cohesive look.

I know many are sad that we will be without our dear Neferia for at least a months time, but I am thrilled to say that with the help of many friends, we managed to get Nef to agree to leave a small in-world presence in her stunning new Art Deco style shop on Retrology, where her most recent -L'Abel- collection is available, as well as many of her fabulous modern and vintage ~~Ivalde~~ looks. My wish for Nef is the same thing I wish for all my dear friends, to be healthy, happy, and grounded, whatever that means for the individual. I know Nef's mind will be positively spinning with new ideas when she returns to SL, and I know she will return when she is ready. For now, I will treasure my favorite designs from all the creators I adore, and not for one second forget that RL often can change so quickly, that our second lives become the first casualties of difficult times. If you have a favorite designer, be they well known, or obscure, I urge you to stop for a moment the next time you are in-world, make a quick note card expressing your appreciation for their work, and thanking them for beinging something special into our Second Life.

Shopping Details:
Dress - -L'Abel-, Aline Gold Dress
Shoes - *REDGRAVE*, Feather Heels - Black
Bag - Muism, Clutch, Black Velour (Left Hand)
Ring - (Shiny Things), Florina Ring - Gold
Earrings - (Shiny Things), Pyre Cascade Earring - Gold
Bracelet - Eyva Matova, Ammali Right Onyx [No Location Found]
Hair - Diversity Hair, Dare Blacks, Black
Skin - *REDGRAVE*, 08 Emma2 Tan Skin/ *Oldrose
Eyes - Miriel, Standard Eyes - Sunlit Tree
Lashes - MMS (Now LeLutka), Thora Lashes

Golden Years [Ivalde/L'Abel Day Post 3/4]

It has been amazing watching Neferia Abel's skill and range grow over the two plus years that I have known her. She has gone from making reproductions, to branching out and making "inspired" looks. She looks at the fashion of a particular era, seems to be able to distill the flavor of that time period down, and then make a look that is not only classic and familiar, but also timeless and unique. This ~~Ivalde~~ Ranka Gold Dress is a perfect example. It has the flavor of the sixties, but is also incredibly trendy and fresh. I adore that Nef includes stocking with so many of her looks, as she does with this look. The details are also spectacular, look closely at the tiny round buttons on the back of the collar, things that she could have easily skipped and would have gone unnoticed, but her inclusion of them just makes the outfit all the more perfect.



I pulled in some adorable ETD boots, and a bag from [gisele] to round out the look. Accessories includes a great Bangle from [Armidi Gisaci] and a ring from (Caroline's). Hair is by TRUTH, with skin by -AnaLu-. I just think this look is perfection, great for any party occasion, or a day of shopping in the city.

This look makes me smile, largely because it makes me see Nef's talents in a new way. These are truly her golden years, she is now producing on a whole new creative level. She has gone beyond mere reproductions and has become an entirely different sort of content creator, creating what is new and innovative, catering to her customer base, and making herself happy in the process. Nef has always struck me as a wonder woman of sorts. She is a mother of six, a devoted wife to her amazing husband Brumm, her RL work has been in a caring and often selfless vocation, and she is unfailingly generous with her time and talents. I have seen so many pictures of her family, including her dog, that I have lost count. I have spoken to her about the pressures of owning a SIM and managing a SL business, and we have shared our love stories. We live in entirely opposite time zones, so we rarely got a chance to get together, but when we did catch each other, our conversations would go on for upwards of an hour, and cover all manner of topics, always ending with hugs and kisses and "I love you". She calls me her "Ketzmin", and she is my Nefmin, my dear Nef.

Shopping Details:
Dress - ~~Ivalde~~, Ranka Gold Dress
Shoes - ETD, Kristin Booties (Natural)
Bag - [gisele], bag/maman ecru (front)
Bangle - [Armidi Gisaci], (Left) Healing Giraffe Bangle - Brown
Ring - (Caroline's), Natural Gold Bead Ring
Hair - TRUTH, Linda - Black & Whites (Night)
Skin - -AnaLu-, *InRainbows* NAT13 .brownish.
Lashes - MMS (Now LeLutka), Thora Lashes
Eye - Miriel, Standard Eyes - Sunlit Tree

If You Want To Be Happy For The Rest Of Your Life... [Ivalde/L'Abel Day Post 2/4]

What is ~~Ivalde~~ the brand best known for? Capturing Vintage and Retro looks and making them appealing, fun, and oh so feminine. I knew I wanted to blog at least one of my hundreds of ~~Ivalde~~ retro looks today, and so I decided that the one that best captured Neferia's attention to detail was the Kassandra Blue Dress. It includes the adorable rubber gloves and the apron. This dress makes me smile for so many reasons, not all entirely innocent. I wore it to a "Dysfunctional Family Dinner" event at PIN UPS, I wore the blue dress alone for a date night on Retrology with Draco, and I did one of my first Photo Shoots for my own pleasure with this look, doing a "50s' Demo Kitchen" look. That was before I even started blogging. I even wore just the apron and gloves with heels to make some very sexy pictures for Draco's birthday that year.



I love Nef's attention to detail, going so far as to make colour and fabric choices that suit the era of the design, combining both hand painted and photo-sourced elements seamlessly, and always making it almost impossible to choose any outfit in just ONE colour. I decided to go Stepford Wife and added in this fabulous feather duster from BLONDE, stockings from 1-800-Bettie's, and shoes from Maitreya. Jewelry includes the perfect pearl necklace from Decollage, and opal earrings from (Yummy). Skin is from Celestial Studios and hair is from Retro-rific Ingenue.

So, as the Jimmy Soul song says "If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, never make a pretty woman your wife, Go for my personal point of view
Get an ugly girl to marry you". Well, I think there are going to be a lot of unhappy husbands, because any woman wearing ~~Ivalde~~ is simply beautiful. Thanks Nef, for making my retro dreams come true.

Shopping Details:
Dress - ~~Ivalde~~, Kassandra Blue Dress [Includes Apron & Gloves]
Stockings - 1-800-Bettie's, Stocking By Bettie's (Taupe)
Shoes - Maitreya, Antie's Enchants (Black)
Necklace - Decollage, Bubblegum Pearls [Tintable]
Earrings - (Yummy), Opal Studs [from Opals & Pearls Set]
Duster - BLONDE, Feather Duster [Spring Launch Preview Gift]
Hair - Ingenue, Lamour (Blue Black)
Skin - Celestial Studios, Charmed Skin (Tone 20, Blue-Sea)
Eyes - Miriel, Hazel Eyes (Big)
Lashes - MMS (Now LeLutka), Thora Lashes

Love At First Sight [Ivalde/L'Abel Day Post 1/4]

When trying to decide how to tell my story of my love for Neferia Abel and her work, I decided I needed to start at the beginning, with the very first gown I purchased. According to my inventory, I purchased this in March of 2007, and I must say I had never seen anything like ~~Ivalde~~ when I first set eyes on the shop.

I was busy working at PIN UPS nightclub, then only two months in business, and we were looking for vendors for the upper gallery of the club. As always seems to be the case, it was my sister Anessa who grabbed me the moment I logged that day saying, "You have to come here and see this store, OMG you won't believe these clothes, all vintage!". I jumped on her TP and discovered myself in the midst of a large wooden shop, with huge panels covered in vendors, on a Norweigan SIM with a fishing village outside the door. I think the next twenty minutes were a blur, as I purchased at least ten outfits that day. But I remember my first, as most women do, and it is still so very special to me. This is the Janette Orchid Dress by then brand ~~Embla~~.



Within the week, Anessa had managed to get Nef to take a spot in our club, and so began a love affair that involved a lot of me shopping while DJing as my tips rolled in (I kid you not). When I really first met and spoke to Neferia, there was a joy and mutual respect instantly, a common love of fashion and things from the past. She is a most astonishing woman, and I have said to her more then once, "Do you sleep?". This dress holds a particularly special place in my heart, as I wore it on one of my first dates with Draco, when we went to Phat Cats and danced the night away, this is also the exact Celestial Studios skin and ETD hair that I wore that night. The Lya shoes and the stunning *KessKreations* jewelry are new, but looks perfect with this dress. A girl never forgets her first true love.

Shopping Details:
Gown - ~~Embla~~ (Now IVALDE), Janette Orchid Dress [Purchased March 2007]
Shoes - Lya, Nichelle Pumps (Pearl)
Jewelry Set - *KessKreations*, AnnMarie White Pearl Jewelry Set
Hair - ETD, Couture Collection, The Unique (Maroon)
Skin - Celestial Studios, Charmed Line (Tone 20, Earth 4)
Lashes - MMS (Now LeLutka), Thora Lashes
Eyes - Miriel, Standard Eyes - Sunlit Tree

Oh Happy Day!

Sometimes, the stars align and things just click. We often are only aware of the meaning things hold in our lives when we suddenly find ourselves without them. It may be a person, a place, a treasured item, or a simple belief that gets taken from us, and it can be devastating. When I heard that Neferia Abel was closing down all her ~~Ivalde~~ and -L'Abel- shops, including her SIM, while she recuperated from illness, moved house, and was without internet connection for at least a month, I suddenly realized how complacent we can get. How we can take things for granted, and how we assume those iconic content creators will always be there for us in SL. Fellow blogger Achariya echoed these sentiments in her post today. Nef is more then fashion designer to me, she is a dear friend, so this was a very emotional realization. But with a very large amount of luck, timing, and help from friends all over SL, we managed to get Nef to leave a shop open on Retrology during her absence, and I could not be more thrilled. You can read more about the story of how it came to be on the Retrology Blog. Neferia, being who she is, could not go without leaving a special gift for her beloved customers, and this Lime Sigrid Dress from her -L'Abel- line is that gift, available to everyone in the new store on the table in the lounge area.



The -L'Abel- Sigrid dress is a stunningly feminine floral treat, the sculpted fluttery capped sleeves are delicious, and it can be worn in short or long versions. I wanted a relaxed look, and pulled in my amazing new Rock Candy Watch from (Caroline's), available right across from the new ~~Ivalde~~ location on Retrology. On the other wrist, another treat from a Retrology vendor, the ~*Fresh Baked Goods~ Gem Jelly Donut Bangle in Silver, colour script changed to match the dress. The Yellow Rose Hair Flower is created by an equally dear friend and Retrology veteran, /artilleri/'s Antonia Marat. The perfect girly shoes to match this lovely look are from (Shiny Things), the amazing Belles, here in the Acid colour.



The lovely long messy hair is from Mirai Style, the wig is called .+*Nacy*+., and I think it is very sexy. This skin was a gift from my sister Anessa, very different from my usual look, the *REDGRAVE* Emma 2 Tan Skin in Smoky1 is definitely a big change for me, but I do like it, particularly the full glossy lips. These eyes are new to me from Miriel, picked up on my last trip over before she closes shop, they are her Standard Eyes in Sunlit Tree, a stunning yellow green hazel eye. Bedroom Lashes are from Cake.

Today, I am happy beyond words, and am looking forward to Monday, June 8th/09, when the Blogger Challenge for ~~Ivalde~~/-L'Abel- starts. A day for everyone to show off their favorite looks by Neferia Abel, and talk about their memories, experiences, or feelings about her work. I am part of the team spreading the word about the challenge, so please feel free to contact me or leave a comment here for more details. We would love to have you join in a day to celebrate a very special woman and content creator. Hope you find ways to appreciate the ones you hold dear today, you never know what tomorrow will bring.

~ Ketsy

Shopping Details:
Dress - -L'Abel-, Sigrid Dress Gift From Nef, Lime [$1L Gift Available Now!]
Shoes - (Shiny Things), Belles (Acid)
Watch - (Caroline's), Rock Candy Watch
Bracelet - ~*FBG*~, Gem Jelly Donut Bangle (Silver, L)
Hair Flower - /artilleri/, Rose Hair Flower (Yellow)
Hair - Mirai Style, .+*Nacy*+. (Black)
Skin - *REDGRAVE*, Tan Skin -Emma 2- (10 Emma2 Tan Skin *smoky 1)
Eyes - Miriel, Standard Eyes (Sunlit Tree)
Lashes - Cake, Bedroom Lashes