The Dangers Of Demo Night

Every now and then, we have an event at PIN UPS called "Demo Night". The point is to pile on as much demo clothing, hair, skin, shoes, and accessories as you possibly can, and make a general fool out of yourself. Well tonight was just such a night.



After cleaning my inventory recently, I managed to delete almost every demo item that I had. So off I went tonight to grab some really great demos, with the biggest silly signs on them and the most insane items I could think of. Well, here we find the danger in "Demo Night". You pile on all this stuff, and then hang out in it for a good two hours, if not more, and you find yourself actually liking it on yourself. Not to say that I expected not to like it, just that the point was just to collect it, and not to end up shopping. It goes to show you that some addictions run deep.

I guess the point of this post, other then to show you how incredibly silly and fun (not to mention inexpensive) a "Demo Night" contest can be, is to say to those designers who do offer demos that their efforts do actually result in sales in the end. We know this with things like skin and hair, but for shoes and jewelry, and even clothing, it may mean a sale that you never anticipated, and likely once people see the quality of your work, a life-long customer. So even though it takes a lot of time and effort to provide them, I just wanted to say, thanks for the demos!

Shopping Details:
Hair - *Zero Style*, Maki (Strawberry Chocolate - Demo, M)[Big Sun Demo Label]
Skin - Laqroki, Jasmin 04 mily DEMO
Fairy Costume - Adam N Eve, Woodland Fae Costume (Green)[Includes Demo Wings]
Shoes - Adam N Eve, Serpenti (Very Purple)
Jewelry - KessKreations, Classic Stone Necklace & Stone Bracelet [Monarch Butterfly Labels]
Non-Demo Items:
Eyes - **[Riddle]**, Realistic Brights (Brown)
Lashes - [Detour], Love Lashes

Toga Party Done Sexy

Who doesn't love a Toga Party? Just the thought of one brings scenes from the classic National Lampoon's Animal House to mind, the crazy silly antics of John Belushi and company. I also remember my first Toga Party dance in high school, I was 16, stole a six-pack of my dads beer from the fridge, chugged 2 with some girlfriends, then upon leaving the dance managed to slam my friends toga sheet and her fingers in the car door. Ah, good times! I have had several Toga Party Events at PIN UPS, but I always wore the same clunky costume, cute but not in the least bit sexy. That was until Anessa dragged me to Cupcakes to pick up this adorable One Shoulder Mini Dress when Stiletto Moody was about to release her Gladiator Boots. Anessa & Graci (On Your Toes) got me into a pre-release pair for a photo for their blog, and the look was perfection. This may not specifically be a Toga, but it is close enough, and really a sweet little dress. It also comes in white, silver, and about half a dozen yummy soft pastel colours. I think it cost less then $100LaLas as most of the offerings from Cupcakes do, make sure you visit if you have never been.

What goes better with a Toga then Gladiator Boots, and any opportunity to wear these Stiletto Moody Gladiator Boots is one I am going to exploit. These are the All Colours version, with a touch for menu option and you can select any of the great combinations the boot is offered in. I love this Black with an almost copper/bronze lining. I decided to work with this Bronze colour in my accessories, pulling in *PERSONA*'s amazing Mighty Heart Collection Bracelets and Earrings. I love that there are so many bracelet options in the set, and the they all come for right or left hands, so you can mix them up a bit, here I am wearing the Mix Bangles on my left wrist, and the Bangles on my right. The Mighty Heart Earrings are really lovely too, I love the texturing on the puffed hearts. I am also wearing my Gimcrack Diamond Solitaire by Caroline's Jewelry.



This Divine up-do from Laqroki is a lovely pile of loops and twists, and reminds me of the hair styles worn in the Russell Crowe Gladiator Movie. I did mod this to tack on a second set of bangs though, because of my higher forehead, but it was a fairly easy job to do. This skin is bianca F.'s Drama, which has a really chiseled almost porcelain look to it, very lovely. Separated Lashes are from Cake, and Big Hazel Eyes from Miriel.

Shopping Details:
Dress – Cupcakes, One Shoulder Mini Dress (Black)
Shoes – Stiletto Moody, Gladiator Boot (All Colours)
Jewelry - *PERSONA*, Mighty Heart Collection (Bronze)
Earrings, Bangles (R), Mix Bangles (L)
Ring – Caroline’s, Gimcrack Diamond Solitaire
Hair – Laqroki, Divine (Black, Moded Bangs)
Skin – bianca F., *bf* fata2-ivory-drama
Lashes – Cake, Separated Lashes
Eyes – Miriel, Hazel (Big)

Looking For Atlantis...

I wear a lot of costumes in-world, it comes with the territory when you DJ and Manage for a club with Nightly Costume Events, so when PIN UPS recently had an "Under The Sea" event, I opted to shun my normal goofy scuba gear, and look for a spectacular mermaid costume. Time being limited (isn't it always?), I hit SLX and came up with this extraordinary Japanese Green Tea Mermaid by Sala Snook of KAMI-HITOE. Mermaid costumes have come a long way since I bought my first almost 18 months ago, and this one is so beautiful. I love the Kimono style, the way the tail looks like it has strand of Seaweed wrapped around it, it comes with the gloves, matching nail polish, and the flexi tail looks so life-like when combined with a Mermaid AO. If I knew the proper name for the Bustle like sashes that wrap the waist on a Kimono I would happily use it to describe my very favorite part of this costume. The sashes and flexi ties and the waist are incredible.



I decided to take this one out of the studio, and into the sea where I could get some really interesting shots. I landed in the Elorian Gardens, a lovely little underwater playground with poses and dances and all sorts of lovely underwater plants and animals. I really did feel every bit the Daughter of Atlantis.



Every mermaid should have luminous, flowing hair, and this Silk II style from Laqroki was perfection. The flexi strands look lovely with movement, and it almost looked as if I was actually underwater when moving. I chose to wear a lovely skin from La Sylphide I picked up as a Limited Edition as some point, perhaps as a Relay For Life Item. So I am unsure as to whether or not it is still available, but I will say that skins from La Sylphide are lovely in general and well worth a look. Eyes and Lashes are from Celestial Studios.



It was really lovely to get out of the studio and explore a little, something I should try to do more, particularly when it involves a beautiful costume meant for a specific setting. Now back to looking for that lost Kingdom of Atantis, as a girl who loves her pearls, I will have to keep my eyes open on my journey.

Shopping Details:
Mermaid Costume - :KH: Japanese Green Tea Mermaid by Sala Snook
KAMI-HITOE, Japan 10 (19,232,26) [Bought On SLX]
Hair – Laqroki, Silk II (White)
Skin – La Sylphide, Ltd. Ed. Liliana Skin, Almond (Smoky Shadow)
Lashes – Celestial Studios, Prim Lashes (Classic 10)
Eyes – Celestial Studios, (CS) Optics – Natural Series (Hazel)

Location: Region – Bellagio, Elorian Gardens

Doing The ChaCha!

While exploring the new *Velvet* SIM, home to bianca F., *QS* Skins, Vain Inc., and dozens of other brilliant shops, I wandered in to Frozen Turquoise Valentine. Sad to admit I had never been to their shop before, and had never really seen them on the feeds, but I was never so happy to discover a "new to me" shop. The very first thing I saw when I walked inside, was this adorable ChaCha Dress, and the Lime Colour immediately caught my eye. So sweet and fresh, flirty and fun, well crafted, and reasonably priced, who could ask for anything more. By the time I stepped outside the shop, my arms were full of fabulous finds, I urge you all to visit *Velvet* and make sure you check out FTV when you are there.

When I heard that Laqroki had released new styles in my favorite white shade, I headed over to check them out. I scooped up 2 of the new wigs, and as someone who never tries on Demo Hair, (a mistake BTW) I headed home to check them out. I do love this June style, the length, colour, and texture is lovely, but I didn't notice from the ads that on the left side of the forehead, there is a big gap in the bangs, they seem to stop short. I had to rez another wig on the ground, unlink, and pull of the bangs from it, then rez a second unlink, and add in the bangs piece to the one I wanted to wear. It is difficult with TGA Textures to achieve a seamless look, and if the photos show an oddly angled bang sweep it is because it was the best I could do. The style is very nice, but it is my own fault for not trying a Demo, and I will never plop down $400LaLas so quickly again, which is a very high price for hair in a single color. Live, Learn.



The shoes are a brilliant pair of freebies from the ETD Clover Hunt during St. Patrick's Day, The Hampton Wedge is a lovely chunky Sandal and is available in a wide range of great colours, this one is Lucky Green. The bag is the even so french Madeleine Bag (like the shell shaped cakes) from Paper Couture, as are the Basic Hoop Earrings. The intricate bracelets with the inset gems are from -EARTHTONES-, the Lushwood Cuffs are part of the latest batch of releases and are really eye-catching. Gimcrack Ring is from Caroline's.

Skin is Canimal's Essence of Grace in Poison Make-Up, so pretty with the Echo of Green in the shadow. Eyes are the lovely emotive Mystical Doll Eyes by Lost at Naughty Designs, and Love Lashes are from [Detour].

Shopping Details:
Dress – Frozen Turquoise Valentine (FTV), ChaCha (Lime)
Shoes – ETD, The Hampton Wedge (Lucky Green) [Clover Hunt Freebie]
Purse – Paper Couture, The Madeleine Bag (Citron)
Bracelets - -EARTHTONES-, Lushwood Cuff (Spring/Gold)
Hair – Laqroki, June (White) [Modded Bangs]
Skin – Caminal, Essence of (Grace)…Poison
Lashes – [Detour], Love Lashes
Earrings – Paper Couture, Basic Hoop Earrings [Tinted, Free Gift in Store]
Ring – Caroline’s, Gimcrack Diamond Solitaire
Eyes – [ND] Eyes by Lost, Doll Eyes (Mystical)

Divine in Burgundy Wine

I have been sitting on this sweet Pleated Neck Babydoll top from Armidi Gisaci for months, the minute I saw it I knew it was exactly the colour I wanted and the style was just so elegant yet casual. I love the subtle pleating of the body and neck on this top, the sheerness of the top is so modest yet so sexy. Only when putting this look together, did I realize I had purchased the matching shoes at some earlier point, the Armidi Gisaci Barcelona Slingbacks in Falu. And so an outfit was born.

When Aleri Darkes has a new release, the update group gets the shout-out and there is always a 75% sale on one of the new items for the first 24 hours of the release. I picked up these fabulous shorts on sale, the *AD* Brighton Shorts in Grey cost me less the $40LaLas, but they are a great item at any price, a classy pair of shorts that can be dressed up or down. I wanted to go with natural classic accessories, and this lovely Shell Day Bag from Cachet is so precious. The ring is a gift from my sister Anessa, the Princess Ring from Paper Couture. I pulled in some of my all-time favorite Jewelry, the Grazia Pearls from EARTHTONES, here in the Divine/Silver colour. Lucas Lameth gives us some of the best natural and boho chic baubles on the grid, and on my last trip there I scooped up another set of these Grazia Pearls, now in brilliant bright tones like red, yellow, and green. Not only that, but there is currently an in-store promotion for customers spending over $100LaLas on any purchase to get a free Retro Jewelry Set, all fabulous, so I managed to spend enough to get all 6 of these sets for FREE. Check it out at EARTHTONES before the promotion ends!



I had never worn and hair from Laqroki (formerly RaC), I wasn't always so hot on the way it moved, the flexi made it look like a living thing. But when I saw this great Divine Up-do, I leapt at it, although I did make a copy and pull the bangs off it to add a little more to the forehead on this one, I just felt I needed more. The skin is the dreamy eyed Twinkle from Celestial Studios Charmed Line. I am wearing the big, almost Anime' fabulous Hazel Eyes from Philotic Energy, and Bedroom Lashes from Cake. A divine look head to toe.

Shopping Information:
Eyes – Philotic Energy, Hazel Eyes
Lashes – Cake, Bedroom Lashes
Skin – Celestial Studios, Charmed Line (Tone 20, Twinkle)
Shorts – Aleri Darkes, *AD* Brighton Shorts (Grey)
Bag – Cachet, Day Bag – Shell
Bracelets – EARTHTONES, Grazia Bracelets (Divine/Silver)
Ring – Paper Couture, Princess Ring
Earrings – EARTHTONES, Grazia Earrings (Divine/Silver, From N&E Set)
Shoes – Armidi Gisaci, Barcelona Slingback (Falu)
Top – Gisaci, Pleated Neck Babydoll (Falu)
Hair – Laqroki, Divine (Black) [Bangs Replicated & Added/Moded]