Ginny Talamasca is My Designer

Or at least it seems that way.  Like half of the avatars of Second Life, when the Last Sale of the late couturière’s designs started up at Last Call, I loaded up at the bargain-basement prices.  But I was buying before that as well, and a good Talamasca is well worth the original price.  If there was a vintage couture market for designs on the Grid — impossible because of most perm settings — Ginny’s styles would rank up at or near the top.

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I wanted a new gown for a fashion portrait I was shooting for my new page on the Second Life Bloggers site at ning.com, and so I broke into the Inventory and chose an item I’ve been wearing a lot of lately in various forms:  Ginny’s Milena gown.  This is a gorgeous creation in leather and black satin; the bustier hugs you in just the right spots (grin), while the bustle gives that romantic luxury we ball-dancers crave.  I chose the chessboard in Versailles to pose at for the portrait, and the result was:

Stretching Your Wardrobe Budget

Second Life is loaded with great designers, even with the amount of content theft going on.  I’m glad to say that a lot of people are hanging on, and still making great clothes for the fashionable avatar.

I’m also sorry to say this, because a large part of my budget every week goes to buying new dresses and the associated details (sigh, grin).

But there is a way to make your clothes do double duty.  Some have thought of this already, I suspect; but it bears repeating — take off your prim skirt.  Now don’t freak on me!  Remember, many designers include the famous “glitch pants,” to cover up, shall we say, embarrassing moments when we sit down or fly someplace.  By taking off the skirt and wearing the essential parts of the rest of the costume, we have two outfits for the price of one, a gown and a pantsuit!

Demonstrations:  the first is Pragmata, and the second is Nadirra, both by Ginny Talamasca.

   

Make your money count, ladies.  You don’t have to go into virtual bankruptcy to have tons of lovely outfits every week!

Ready for Oscar Night

I wasn’t planning on putting up any more photos from other Residents for a few weeks, but I spotted this after posting this morning’s Contact Sheet, and it was too good to hold back. Connie Sec again, in something that would make every fashion critic drool for as she walked into the Kodak to prepare for her presentation turn for best picture:

The gown is by Pixel Mode, the hair by Truth. And Joan Rivers would shoot herself on seeing this. It reminds me of Charlize Theron a few times, like in that orange number with the shoulder clips some years ago. Young, sexy but with an old-school sophistication that is gradually coming back.

If I had to match this, I’d wear one of my Nadirra gowns from Last Call at first guess, such as this (which I’ve published before), but with a different, more formal updo hairstyle:

What would others of you wear? Send me links to Flickr photos or blog articles in the comments below.

Fashion for the Holidays

Let’s face it; I’m a fashionista at heart. In the daytime, I can knock around in a T-shirt and jeans (sometimes supplemented by an “intelligent” Oracle cloak from Avilion Mist). Although I am considering adding in some proper daytime suits (grin). But at night…. Well, let me quote from a story by a writer I’ve found online (with permission):

[F]estive gowns were the largest part of the catalogue. Dannta explained it this way: “Work mostly takes place in the light of day, and is done well and to your best ability, and its clothing reflects that utilitarian time; colors change, but the basics don’t. So it is, to a lesser degree, with other clothing of the day.

“But the night is a time of relaxation, of celebration. The work of the day is done for the most part, and you rejoice in its good completion. Your friends are at hand, and you enjoy their company. There are arts to be patronized, entertainments to see, children to play with, parties to attend, and love to make with your lover. The creativity of the dress reflects that change in mood, for creativity lives in dreams, and dreams live in the night.”

I agree with that philosophy, and I try to uphold it in this place, where such a life is easily possible.

When I see a fantastic new gown, it’s hard to resist buying it right off. (I usually give in [sigh].) So, when I spotted these gowns while tag-surfing through SL fashion blogs and articles, I just had to rush out and snaffle them. They come from several different designers: two not so well known (at least I think they aren’t, but they should be for this work) — and, sadly, one who is not among us anymore. I’m modeling them here in photos I shot in a photosphere park.