Back To School...

Last night, I was positively crackling with anxiety and hope, watching the US Presidential Election returns. I am not American, but as a Canadian, a part of a country that is the largest trading partner with the US, and an allied country, this election was as important to me as any that I have known in my own country. I am proud of the energy and hope that I saw in the Democratic process south of the border, and I am inspired. There is no doubt that the battle has just begun for the US and the world, rebuilding financial stability and looking for peaceful resolutions to our differences. We all need to go back to the books, to learn lessons from the past and find hope for the future as we begin to tackle the challenges in our collective path. Saving the environment, ending war, and bringing health and stability into the lives of the most vulnerable in society. I know that my views may not be popular with everyone, there is a healthy dose of socialism in our Canadian Constitution, and I am not ashamed of it (though my father heartily disagrees). I respect the rights of others to differ in their beliefs and values, but we are, after all, in this together. So I am hopeful that the future will bring new ideas and new solutions, and though there will be setbacks, I feel that the tide has turned for the first time in my adult life. Clearly, I am no speech maker, and should stick to the pretty pixels I blog day in and day out, but I just felt the need to express myself, I hope you will afford me this luxury.



Back to the business of stroking my addiction to virtual fashion, this was the look I put together while anxiously awaiting last nights results. I wanted to be comfortable, ready for action, and ready to learn what might be. I went for casual and grunge, my personal favorite way to dress day-to-day. The look started with the great .:Naive:. Rebel Condition Pants that have a very cool burnt out look to them. I pulled in one of the great tops to be found at the new shop *Sprawl*, this wicked Hearts and Guitars Tee, which comes on all layers as always with Pushbutton Skolnick's work, and is one of the most appreciated features. I love being able to wear tucked in tops and work with layers. The Pink Leather Jacket from ::DUTCH TOUCH:: worked really well here with the colour of the stripes in the pants, I love open jackets that let you see the details of the items underneath. The slacks extend to mid-calf, so I pulled on these great Maitreya **Boot-alicious** Ash boots with a leg-warmer like calf portion, they worked really nicely here. I love to wear my WRONG Braces, or suspenders, when I remember to. This Checkerboard set is my favorite, and comes with a non-prim jacket layer set as well as this great prim set that works with dozens of pairs of jeans and pants.



I pulled in a great Tote Bag from Gritty Kitty, it is scripted to change to one of several brilliant textures with just a click. love the little hanging key chain and the buttons on the bag, so I decided to pull in a few more pins with this Eclectic Accessories Kitten and Skull Badge set. The chunky Double Bangle is one of a huge and inexpensive fatpack from ::MEZZO::, with about a dozen colour variations in the pack. I am really embracing the hat and hair combos lately, and this is one of the best yet, the Panache ZF and Kari collaboration produced this great Girls School Hair, also available in a men's version. The cute little braids sticking out from underneath the side of the hat are really sweet. A favorite skin from Celestial Studios, eyes from Miriel, and lashes from [Detour] complete the essentials.

Shopping Details:
Jacket - ::DUTCH TOUCH::, Pink Leather Jacket
Top - *Sprawl*, Hearts & Guitars Tee
Pants - .:Naive:., Rebel Condition Pants (Grey)
Suspenders - WRONG, Braces (Checker Board, Prim)
Boots - Maitreya, **Boot-alicious**, Ash Leather (Grey-Black Socks)
Bag - Gritty Kitty, Tote Bag (B)
Bangle - ::MEZZO::, M-Double Bangle Rameacryl*Silvergray
Buttons - E!, Eclectic Accessories, Kitten and Skull Badge
Hair/Hat - Panache ZF & Kari, Girls School Hair
Skin - Celestial Studios, Charmed Line (Tone 20, Gloss-Red)
Lashes - [Detour], Love Lashes
Eyes - Miriel, Hazel Eyes (Big)

The Fashionable Goth

Sometimes, when you outfit yourself from head-to-toe in black, you either look extremely emo, or uber goth. The most recent "Best in Black" event at PIN UPS found me in a mood that suited the colour, my man has been out of town for most of the month, and it has been really difficult for me to not be able to talk to him as often as we normally would. With so much inventory, it took me ages to settle on just one look, but this look is a little bit emo, a little bit goth, yet still has a high fashion feel to it. I attribute most of that to the fabulous creations from M * A * ii * K * I, the collaboration between Maitreya creator Onyx LeShelle and Dutch Touch's Iki Ikarus. The system elements are clean and stylish, the prim parts sculpted to perfection, and the layer options make the pieces endlessly workable, whether it is with other M * A * ii * K * I offerings, or any other pieces you might have in your closet. I started with the Poof Skirt & Black (Alt) Set, but with my persistent system skirt glitch, I decided to work in some leggings rather then fight the system so to speak. I love the leggings that came with the M * A * ii * K * I Patent Green Set. They utilize not only the undies layer, but also extend further down the leg with the sock layer, and include a great bunched up prim detail on the ankle. The system layers are really used to their best advantage here, while the amazing sculpted pieces like this collar add polish and style.



I was dying to get another pair of the new Lya Nichelle Pumps on my feet, here in the Black. Lyanis Sin sent me a fatpack on release, and they are a really sexy and simple sueded pump. I wore the Gold pair in my Look Of The Month for Vain Inc. in the upcoming September Issue, and the fatpack is the way to go if you love a classic pump like this. The purse is a bit of gothic whimsy (if there is such a thing) from Bastchild Designs, the Chainmail Purse has rows of spikes, a theme I went with for most of the accessories in this look. This week E! Eclectic Accessories dropped some review copies on me, and it was perfect timing. This great Black Studded Arm Strap is the first I have ever owned, and I love the way it look here, breaking up the very glam outfit with a little bit of Gothic detail. A really great accessory, I can't wait to go off in search of more of what E! has to offer. I echoed the spikes with some WRONG Spike Bands in Black at my wrists, a great staple accessory. My favorite long dangle earrings are these Jagged Earrings in Black from Diamonde., and my most worn accessory is my Gimcrack Diamond Solitaire Ring from Caroline's. I added a Lip Ring from Red Ruin for a little more edge.



More great hair from (JUNWAVE), this EROTICA style is really edgy, lots of sheared layers, and really changes the shape of your face with all it's height. Canimal's Sunshine make-up in the Essence Line, Grace Tone, is really striking, a very dramatic eye, which I love. Bedroom Lashes by Cake, and [Detour]'s Delta Eyes in Hazel round out the essentials. The look has a decidedly modern Gothic feel to it, I really like how this look came together.

Shopping Details:
Top, Skirt – M * A * ii * K * I, Poof Skirt & Black (Alt) – Top, Collar, & Poof Only)
Leggings - M * A * ii * K * I, Long Leggings(Black) from Stapless & Patent Green Set
Shoes – Lya, Nichelle Pumps (Black)[Gift from Lyanis Sin]
Purse – Bastchild Designs, Goth Chainmail Purse
Arm Straps – E! Eclectic Accessories, Studded Arm Straps (R) Black [Review Copy]
Bracelets – WRONG, Spike Bands (Black)
Earrings – Diamonde., Jagged Earrings (Black)
Lip Ring – Red Ruin, Lip Ring
Ring – Caroline’s, Gimcrack Diamond Solitaire Ring
Hair – (JUNWAVE), EROTICA_BLACK_L
Skin – Canimal, Essence of (Grace)… Sunshine
Lashes – Cake, Bedroom Lashes
Eyes – [Detour], Delta Eyes