The Heart Of The Matter

Sorry for giving the appearance that I fell off the virtual map, I just had the worst case of Food Poisoning and/or Norwalk Virus, complete with several hospital visits, and am only now feeling like I have the energy to do anything productive with my time. Basically, I now have a rather fast heart rate, and they aren't sure why, but it seems to be normalizing on it's own now too. This "Look Of The Day" has been sitting in waiting since March 5th, and it's about time it got it's due attention. It is somewhat amusing that this look includes the adorable BareRose Key of Heart Bag in Red.



I love coats, particularly ones that make nice use of prim pieces and have some nice appropriately sized prints on them, like this AOHARU Red Check Short Trench Coat. I really love the collar and waist tie on this coat in particular, and the red plaid is really fresh and spring like. I paired it with a simple pair of black jeans from *AnnaH* (now .:Storin:.), this pair was part of the Heart of Love Limited Edition Laura set. The shoes here are a perfect matching red from Lya, the Sakura platform wedge pump was a gift from one of the Retrology event hunts, and are a really fantastic basic shoe. I loved the way the open collar of the coat looked with the [Armidi Gisaci] Gunmetal Niama Necklace, a great layered look adding a lot of impact at the throat. Other accessories include the adorable Kandy Kitty Mod Love Ring, and a simple ITF Dual Ball Brow Piercing.



This amazing wig is from Maitreya, the Piper II is soft fresh perfection, with a bobby pin tucked on one side, and it's smooth silky texture. It is a remarkable wig and looks particularly realistic. I have been wearing the -AnaLu- *InRainbows* skins almost exclusively since Ana dropped a review pack of them on me when she first released them. I love the soft lips, the lovely brow, it is a luminous and unique looking skin. The lashes are Thora from MMS, but might now be available at LeLutka, while the eyes are the amazing Miriel Hazel Eyes. A soft and sweet look, getting to the heart of the matter, which is that I have actually missed all my friends in the online community and blogging for you all very much.

~ Ketsy

Shopping Details:
Coat - AOHARU, BT_CheckShortTrenchCoat_Red
Jeans - *AnnaH* (Now .:Storin:.), from Laura HoL *Limited Edition* Set
Shoes - Lya, Sakura (Red)
Bag - :::B@R:::, Key Of Heart (Red, Hand)
Necklace - [Armidi Gisaci], Niama Necklace - Gunmetal
Ring - Kandy Kitty, Mod Love Ring
Brow - ITF, Brow Dual Ball [No Current Location Found]
Hair - Maitreya, Piper II - Blacks Pack (Pitch)
Skin - -AnaLu- *InRainbows* NAT13 .brownish.
Eyes - Miriel, Hazel Eyes (Big)
Lashes - MMS, Thora Lashes [No Current Location]

Easy, Breezy Beautiful

Warm Spring weather has been . . . elusive. I wanted a look that would be Spring-fresh but also keep me warm. This lovely sweater dress from Stitch by Stitch is perfect. I love the colors and the embroidered details.



This deservedly ubiquitous Breeze hair from lamb is perfect-- so lovely and relaxed. To keep my legs warm, I tinted these tights from Veschi to compliment the subtle hues woven into the dress. I also used those colors for the changeable gems in this luc (formerly Earthtones) ring.



The skin is from Gala and the shoes are real wardrobe workhorses from ETD.

So chin up, fashionistas-- warm weather really is on the way, but we can still get the look of Spring AND stay warm while we wait.

Shopping details:
Dress: Stitch by Stitch Green knit dress
Tights: Veschi Tintable heavy knit tights
Shoes: ETD Starley pumps in teal
Ring: (luc) jewelry three stone scripted ring
Hair: lamb Breeze in Powder
Skin: Gala Lovely style, Petal tone, Rose make-up
Eyes - (PixelDolls), Adorable, Blue
Lashes - [MVS], XR Female Eye Lashes

A Zen State of Mind

When life gets crazy busy, I love a look with a little Zen to it. Here, the muted colors and relaxed fit keep me calm when all about me is descending into madness.



The top is from [gisele] and the neck is so dramatic that I opted not to wear earrings or a necklace. The pants are part of Nefrina's new line, L'Abel. Love! Love! Love! I own a pair similar to these Bibbi pants in RL, and they are such a favorite. I can dress them up or down, but they are always comfortable.



When I hear "new at ETD," I drop everything and get right over there. I was so excited about this Loraine 2 style. The details are great and it is a wonderful mix of casual and elegant. I also own shoes similar to these Tesla High Oxfords in RL I just adore them. The color here was so perfect you would think I custom tinted them, but I just got lucky. The bag, with this cool geometric print, is from Courtisane. My skin is another beautiful one from Gala-- this time the Lovely style, Petal skin tone, Olive Branch 1 make-up. My bracelet is from Dark Mouse.

Life may be hectic, but with this outfit, I'm relaxed and ready for anything.

Shopping Details:

Pants: L'Abel Bibbi pants in beige
Shirt: [gisele] enroulent in moss
Shoes: Tesla High Oxfords in bronze
Bracelet: Dark Mouse Rough Gold Square Bangle
Purse: Courtisane Sacoche bag in Dubai
Hair: ETD Loraine 2 in Black
Skin: Gala Lovely style, Petal tone, Olive Brance 1 make-up
Eyes - (PixelDolls), Adorable, Blue
Lashes - [MVS], XR Female Eye Lashes

Modern Retro

As soon as I saw this Highrise outfit from Mythology, I was a goner. I love the retro look of it, but still think it has a modern edge. Aeris Pinazzo has such a great eye for detail. The fabric of the shorts and the gathering under the bustline just blow me away.



By happy coincidence, I then stumbled upon these Enchant pumps at Maitreya. The pink color is the perfect compliment to the blue of the shirt, and the little bow adds to the retro feel of the outfit.



I used the color-change option on the Silver Jelly Gem Donut Bangle from Fresh Baked Goods to bring together the blue and the pink. The Circle Pendant Necklace in Silver from Persona and the silver hoop earrings from Paper Couture add a modern touch, keeping the outfit from looking too "old school."

Words cannot describe how much I love the Gertrude hair from Curio. I always get tons of compliments on it when I wear it and it really completed the look I was going for, as did the Gala Pin Up skin in Apple Pie 2.

Sometimes I want to satisfy my retro love without going totally vintage. I think it's all about striking a balance and finding a way to bring the boop-boop-a-doop into the 21st century.

Shopping details:
Outfit: Mythology Highrise
Shoes: Maitreya Enchant Sunset
Bracelet: Fresh Baked Goods Silver Jelly Gem Donut Bangle
Necklace: Persona Circle Pendant Necklace in Silver
Earrings: Paper Couture Silver Hoops
Hair: Curio Gertrude in Black
Skin: Gala Pin Up Light in Apple Pie 2
Eyes - (PixelDolls), Adorable, Blue
Lashes - [MVS], XR Female Eye Lashes

The Roaring 20s - Vain Inc. Magazine Issue 20

This month, Vain Inc. took a trip through time, and I did my best to bring the fashion of the 1920s alive. Fabulous dresses from ~Ivalde~, Cartunno Couture, Greenwood Designs, Adam N Eve, Rebel Hope Designs, & Simone. Hats, wigs, and shoes to suit the style of the era.



Check out the full Issue HERE.











Click the images to see larger versions with credits on my Flickr Stream.

Cry Me A River...

Sometimes you just need to have a good cry. It's so hard to get the face of an avatar to express emotion. Sure you can get an Emoter HUD, an often passed about full perms item, but it has a limited range of mostly comical expressions. It is often the skill of the pose maker, the lighting, the angle of the eyes that allow the appearance of emotion. Then often some post processing, be it Photo Shop, or a similar graphics program, is often the way we add emotion to our in-world snapshots.



But what if you want a straight screen shot, are unable to post edit, or need to express sadness in an in-world event, drama, or show. This is where the remarkable Kala Bijoux of Material Squirrel has given me yet another reason to adore her. Her new Real Tears scripted attachments can give you the look of tears without any post-processing. The unit attaches to the face, and if you click on it you can customize the look of your tears (highlight transparent items is helpful to find it and adjust it's position).



Whether tinting the teardrops, adjusting the number of drops, or the speed that the drops fall, it is a really interesting and unique wearable, and I was thrilled when Kala dropped some review copies on me this week. There is also a version that cries bloody tears, for all the Vampire roll-players who might enjoy for some really dramatic flair. The tears come in male, female, and child avatar sized versions, and there are 2 attachment points for the female sized version so that you can wear your favorite lashes at the same time. For the Photo Shop phobics, like myself, it is a really great item to add some drama to your pictures. Give then a try if you want to add a little emotion to your Second Life. It's alright to cry, crying gets the sad out of you.

Shopping Details:
Tears - Material Squirrel, Real Tears by Kala Bijoux (Female AV Size - Chin)
Hair - ETD, Chel (Naturals I, Black)
Skin - -AnaLu-, *In Rainbows* NAT13 .brownish.
Eyes - Miriel, Hazel Eyes (Big)
Lashes - MMS, Thora Lashes (Now LeLutka)

Up, UP and Away. . .

. . . in my beautiful balloon skirt.



How could you not feel bright and bouncy and feminine in this fun, flirty Poofy Skirt from Uncle Wiggily? To balance out the volume of the skirt, I went with Persona's Iris Knit Top in blue. The shade perfectly matches one of the colors in the skirt, and I love sleeveless knits in early Spring where there is still a nip in the air.



My J's Tassele Wedge Sandals are in that same shade of blue. The new trend in "real toe shoes" makes me a little nervous when I wear them, because I know that even though the toes look like the right shade on my computer, others might see them differently, like I have the dreaded "Franken-feet." However, I do love the attention to detail of J's shoes, and the tassels on these are beautifully done. Both bracelets are from the Fresh Baked Goods' Turkish Delight set in Rose. The Oriental design on the large bangle is exquisite and I think these are a wonderfully different addition to Fresh Baked Goods' line.



Nylon Outfitter's Short Flippy hair works so well with the bouncy, flouncy nature of this look. The make-up is Cupcakes Celebrity line, Vanilla tone, Dusk make-up-- it's lovely and subtle.

As Spring flowers start to bloom, let your wardrobe do the same. If you usually stick to a sleek silhouette, try puffy skirt in a bright floral and you'll find yourself looking for tulips to tip-toe through!

Shopping Details:
Top- Persona Iris Knitted Top in blue
Skirt- Uncle Wiggily Poofy Skirt
Shoes- J's Tassele Wedge Sandals
Bracelets- Fresh Baked Goods Turkish Delight in Rose
Hair – Nylon Outfitters Short Flippy Hair
Skin - Cupcakes, Celebrity Line, Vanilla Tone, Dusk Make-Up
Eyes - (PixelDolls), Adorable, Jade
Lashes - [MVS], XR Female Eye Lashes