Men's Second Style

When I first saw the new rock-star gear from designer Arbel Vogel of Winter Moon, I thought, “Oh, I know who would love this stuff.”  And then I thought, “Wait a minute…I know who should model this for me!”  Fortunately my powers of persuasion are not insignificant and my friend Tekkie Figtree agreed to pose for me.  I was lucky enough to catch him at a gig as well (he’s a member of the SL band MudSlinger), so you can see both him and the gear in action, not just all pretty in the studio.  Arbel’s “Rawk On” sets include jacket-layer top and leather pants with appropriately satanic metal-studded belt.  The open jacket is enhanced by a stand-up prim collar, prim rolled cuffs on the sleeves, and flexiprim jacket bottom.  The pants are taken to the next level by sculpted-prim cuffs complete with padlock-and-chain accents and not-so-subtle bling. Read the rest of this entry »

New from designer Dominik Bauer of GuRL 6 is this men’s hair style, called “Ego.”  This is the kind of ‘do I simply couldn’t maintain myself in RL–highly styled, carefully controlled.  I suspect it would require the use of a great deal of Product, styling skills and/or patience I simply don’t possess, even possibly the foundation of better hair than, sadly, I actually have.  This, of course, is one of the many reasons we love Second Life.

I love the no-nonsense, strongly upswept hair in front, the strategically chosen strands that “inadvertently” escape (you didn’t really think that was accidental, did you?) and the subtle rooster tail that suggests that the stylist’s control isn’t quite complete, after all.  And in the morning I don’t have to figure out how to recreate my stylist’s elusive magic.  Read the rest of this entry »

One of my favorite things that happens in SL (not often, but once in a while) is when a designer I’ve never heard of IMs me out of the blue and says, “Hey, I don’t know if you’re familiar with my work, but here’s what I do, won’t you take a look?”  To me, this is an opportunity for discovery that feels a lot more personal and serendipitous than browsing through the New Releases forum for promising announcements…although I do that, too!  So when an IM popped up from Raindrop Drinkwater a while back, I was happy to take a break from sorting my inventory (ugh) and chat for a bit.  We had a delightful conversation touching on her design work, her shop A2Nz (Alsace to New Zealand), which she runs with Abyssia Otoro, and I don’t know how many other topics, and I’m pleased to share a few of her newer designs with you.  The ensemble you see here, called “Elsasser: Hansi”, is an Alsacian formal suit, traditionally worn for significant events such as weddings and balls.  It includes a white dress shirt, black trousers, jacket-layer red vest (both alone and with the jacket, as shown here), prim tie with collar (one to wear with the jacket, one to wear with the shirt alone), and a sculpted hat.  Raindrop mentioned that she had paid special attention to the shading of the jacket and of the trousers, and the effort really does show. Read the rest of this entry »

This Saturday, July 28, marks the conclusion of SL Relay For Life 2007!  The final event will be a round-the-clock walkathon held on specially designated areas of the grid, designed and built up by RFL teams from all over.  You are invited to visit the Relay sims this weekend to show your support for those who are living with cancer as well as those who are working toward a cure.  A variety of events are scheduled, from the opening ceremony at 2pm SLT on Saturday, to themed laps around the Relay track throughout the day and night, to fireworks displays across 32 sims, to the formal closing ceremony.  The Shopaholics team’s Gypsy carnival-themed build is at RelayForLife28 80, 81, 25, so click to TP directly and look around for the big tent!  In the Credit Where Credit Is Due Department, the beautiful build is by the fabulous CJ Carnot.  Others I’ve seen at work are Shai Delacroix, Grazia Horwitz, Nicky Ree and Tigerlily Koi–troublemakers, every one of them.  I hope I haven’t left anyone out!  Read the rest of this entry »

If you haven’t yet visited designer Posy Trudeau’s airship-themed shopping collaboration, Plunder, you’re missing out.  Suspended high above Second Life by lighter-than-air ships, Plunder is an oasis of wood and metal, shopping and relaxation.  In addition to Posy’s own shop Civvies, Zabitan Assia’s FORM, Dragontat Zagato’s Desert Moon Clothiers and others, you’ll find the Cloudbuster Cantina, where you can take a break and quench your thirst.  When Posy was telling me about her new steampunk designs, she mentioned that she had discovered steampunk while researching airship designs for the Plunder build.  Fascinated and creatively challenged, she’s taken that discovery and with it run headlong into that rich alternate Victorian era to create her new collection of steampunk gear: the Steampunk Coat, Steampunk Hat and Steampunk Boots you see me wearing here. Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve browsed at the BareRose Tokyo shop before, but must confess this is the first time I’ve taken something home.  These new Daruma Tanks by designer June Dion caught my eye, though, and I was really curious about how the whole outfit would go together for me, so I grabbed them and ran.  I was also curious about the name “Daruma,” so I did a little research (Google is my friend).  Daruma is the Japanese name for Bodhidharma, the founder and first patriarch of Zen.  A tradition still observed today is that of Daruma dolls, also known as dharma dolls.  These are round, hollow Japanese wish dolls with no arms or legs, modeled after Bodhidharma, who is said to have lost the use of his arms and legs after meditating, seated in a cave, for nine years.  The Daruma has come to be symbolic of optimism, persistence, and strong determination.  A Daruma doll is traditionally given to someone starting a new venture, celebrating a birthday, or at the beginning of a New Year.  At the start of an endeavor, one of the doll’s empty eyes is painted in with black and a wish is made for good luck. The other eye is painted when the goal is reached.  Hey, I bet you weren’t expecting a cultural history lesson today!  Read the rest of this entry »

This review is long, almost shamefully overdue.  In my own defense, I can only offer that I came across this beautiful suit by designer Rebel Hope shortly after covering some similar items a while back, and I try to keep some level of variety in my posts.  I don’t want to hit you with too much of a good thing or get stuck in a rut.  Sadly, this sometimes means that coverage of great designs can be delayed.  But let us move on and dwell on the past in another way. 

Inspired by the myth and romance of Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, the dreamer and vision behind the Flamingo Hotel and Casino and arguably the founding father of Las Vegas, Rebel has created the Bugsy Suit, an ode to men’s fashion of the 1940s. Read the rest of this entry »

From a sartorial point of view, I have always been drawn to the prototypically Edwardian. The thick tweeds in nearly organic grays and olives, rich woody wingtips below gray flannel, waistcoats of subtle plaids, cravats made from slabs of silk folded seven times as if as an afterthought. But there cannot be denied the pomp and promenade of the previous generation – the Victorians knew a bit about dressing for one’s station. The streets of Caledon brim with toppers and capes, silver-tipped walking sticks, and uniforms of such daunting variety and dash as to make any martial engagement a riot of color.

Mako Magellan, whose previous work has been lauded amongst his customers and intimates, has come out with a selection of new suits (L$200), each color (blue and gray pinstripes, brown, mustard and gray) available in both single and double breasted. While much of Magellan’s work is archetypically caledonian, his latest offerings straddle the line between the Italianate style of present-day businesswear and the Victorian costume. Demand drove these latest designs, said Magellan: “The impetus was simple – so many people, men and women, asked me for them,” Magellan explained. “They are more contemporary than previous things I’ve done, but I try to make what I get asked for.”

Read the rest of this entry »

No. A hole would be something. This was Nothing. And it got bigger, and bigger…
–The Neverending Story

The menace of the all-destroying Nothing imbues the new trenchcoat by Beckenbauer Productions. Worn sleek and dark, or bulky and ominous, it’s a coat worthy of Sephiroth, Vampire Hunter D or Roland the Gunslinger. Because I am nowhere near as cool as any of those people (and because any attempt of mine to be menacing is met with giggles and pats on the head), I asked Makhai Hammerer to model the coat for us, and he graciously (if forebodingly) assented. Read the rest of this entry »

You’re supposed to reply, “How lazy is he?”

That’s right, I’m off on vacation again.  Don’t worry, it’s for just a few days this time, from July 18 through July 23.  I’ll be back so soon, you’ll barely notice I’m gone.  In the meantime, look for a review on Wednesday from Secundus, and I know that Aidan’s got something in the works too.