For my final post of 2007, I thought I’d make just a few suggestions for possible New Year’s Eve party attire. It seemed to me that formalwear was called for, so here are just a few of my favorites, some recent, that haven’t been featured here before.
If you’re looking for a beautifully designed traditional tuxedo, consider the variety of styles by designer edo Tone. The simple, classic style at right (L$400) has clean lines, a notched silk collar, and silk-edged pockets. The pants are elegantly textured, with a cleanly defined crease. The shawl collar tux at left (L$500) is done with the same attention to detail. Also available are a “High Grade” tux (L$600), with jacket textured in deep charcoal rather than inky black, and for variety a grey tux (also L$600). Note that the prices given here are for the tuxedo jacket and pants only; all tuxedo styles are also available in “coordinated sets” with wing collar shirts, vests, cummerbunds, and ties in various colors and styles. These accessory items are also available individually, so you can mix and match or expand your wardrobe with specific items to your personal taste. Read the rest of this entry »
You probably already know that I’m a horror movie buff. One of the classics of the genre is F. W. Murnau’s 1922 “Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens” ["Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror"]. The film was ssentially an unauthorized film adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula, and although character names and some plot details had been changed (Max Schreck starred as “Count Orlok,” not Count Dracula), Stoker’s widow sued the production company–and won. All prints were ordered destroyed, but thankfully some survived. (Wikipedia presents a decent summary of the film’s history.) Far from genteel or gentlemanly, Schreck’s undead count is arguably the most feral and beastly interpretation of this iconic character. Murnau’s film was mind-bogglingly re-imagined by Warner Herzog in 1979 as “Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht” ["Nosferatu: Phantom of the Night"], this time with Stoker’s original character names and with Herzog’s “best fiend” Klaus Kinski in the Max Schreck role. Read the rest of this entry »
Although Christmas Day was fair and mild (if blustery) where I live in Los Angeles, since then it’s been just plain cold and windy. If this keeps up, this might be the first year in a long time that the weather is actively unpleasant for the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day. (The standing joke is that the parade commissioner must long ago have made a deal with the devil for good parade weather every year. Don’t believe the clear, sunny skies you see when you watch the parade on television–they’re the work of Satan! Every other day of winter is ugly and cold.) These classic “long johns” by Ichibod Etchegaray are just the thing for cold winter nights, and I’m thinking seriously about investing in some for my RL self…especially if I can find some that look like these. Read the rest of this entry »
In what threatens to become an annual tradition if he keeps it up, Dragontat Zagato has released the 2007 edition of his holiday collection of briefs and trunks at Brief Encounter. There are eight different designs this year: Blue Yule, Canes, Ho! (no puns, please), Xmas Mosaic, Naughty, Xmas Paisley, Xmas Plaid and Rudolph. As always, all designs are available both brief and trunk styles, and all are provided on both underwear and pants layers, for wear with tattoos and other layering convenience. I personally prefer the trunk style, and in my humble opinion it seems a bit more forgiving of the inevitable “tearing” at the edges as your avatar moves and assumes different poses.  In fairness, pattern stretching is arguably worse on trunks as the fabric extends onto the upper leg, so it may come down to which you find less objectionable, or (imagine!) simple personal preference. Read the rest of this entry »
In addition to the Santa hats at Chicanery and the Candy Cane at Gaslights Emporium, I found a number of great holiday freebies this year. One man’s no-brainer is another man’s brilliant inspiration, and rather than sit on these selfishly I decided to share just a few of my favorites here. I hit the holiday jackpot, so to speak, at Wilted Rose, where I found this Winter Outfit by Lotti Lusch for just L$1. This really is a complete outfit–the set includes pants, shirt-layer V-neck sweater with prim cuffs, chunky prim shoes, long flexi scarves in red and grey, and fuzzy ear muffs. The sweater, pants and scarves are very nicely done, with realistic fabric textures. The pants in particular look like they feel soft, comfortable and happily worn. If you only spend a single L$ on yourself this holiday season, drop it on this outfit–it’s easily the best quality-and-value bang for your Linden buck. Ladies note–the set includes a women’s version too! Read the rest of this entry »
If you’ve been searching for a new suit that’s just right for Christmas caroling, holiday parties and other celebratory gatherings, you may need look no further than the Festive Suit, newly released by Vincente Shepherd at Gaslights Emporium. This is a richly textured, finely tailored suit with detailing that is festive indeed, as its name promises. This is what Father Christmas would wear to parties, if he had any time during this of all seasons to hobnob with other smart gentlemen and ladies.
The suit includes trousers, jacket, flexi jacket bottom, black waistcoat, and prim white fur collar and lapel. I’ve added a white Victorian shirt from another of Vincente’s suits, but any simple white or contrasting shirt will do. The jacket is blessed with an eye-catching, slightly asymmetrical placket, close-fitting flexiprim tails, and elaborately detailed fur collar and lapels. Read the rest of this entry »
One evening last summer, after several gimlets (as typifies these things), a friend and I got on the subject of uniformity of dress. “A suit and tie is conformity as its worst,” my friend declaimed. “Constricting, it hampers freedom of movement; mandated, it hampers freedom of expression; and bland, it hampers the freedom to be creative. You are a fool to let yourself be forced to wear them and a lemming to do so uncomplaining.”
My smile had far too many teeth: “You’re one to talk, scion of the IT department,” I observed archly. “Ill-fitting Gap khakis and a royal blue polo do not make you the hacker baron of the network closet, any more than your bowlers make you Dick Weber. Mind you, don’t get any pretzels in one of your dozen or so pleats.”
Read the rest of this entry »
apex-high studio. has teamed up with ASpiRE! to hold a contest for male fashion in Second Life. In an effort to promote male this contest was created not to help place more emphasis on male fashion and male designers in Second Life. This contest is the first in a seasonal contest meant to advertise the best, most creative new male fashion line for the upcoming season.
Prizes for this contest are:
- A Fashion show in Second Life, performed by ASpiRE! on ASpiRE Isle and sponsored by apex-high studio. on February 17th, 2008
- 3 issues of free full-page advertising in the ASpiRE! Magazine
- A fashion launch party at your location in Second Life provided by Nexeus Fatale
This contest has two phases, the submission phase and the call-back phase. The submission phase is open to any Second Life designer that has 1 line of male clothing (5 or more male clothing pieces) and will start that from November 5th, 2007 to January 21st, 2008.
The second phase, the call-back phase, will happen between January 22nd, 2008 and January 31st, 2008, where the top five submissions will be called back for a final review.
On February 1st, 2008, the winner of the contest will be announced and have a fashion show sponsored by apex-high studio. and performed by ASpiRE! on February 17th, 2008.
apex-high studio. is run by Nexeus Fatale. ASpiRE! is ran by Bianca Darling and Trina Noland.
For full information and contest rules, visit: http://www.apexhighstudio.com/?p=23
So what if, as the song says, the weather outside is frightful? I’m such a whore for sweaters and coats as it is, I barely need winter as an excuse. This month you get to benefit from my hedonistic accumulation of cold-weather wardrobe items, as I’m sharing some of my favorites, both old and new.
First up, an old favorite of mine. These Pea Coats by Donmai Frederick, released last winter, have classic lines and a beautiful wool fabric texture. The set includes coats in six colors: Beige, Black, Blue (as shown here), Brown, Gray and Green. A simple undershirt also adds shape and bulk to the coat, so you look like you’re layering properly for the cold weather, just like your mother told you. As if that weren’t enough, you also get four flexi scarves, plain and striped, in short and longer lengths. Undershirt and scarves are tintable, so you can customize to your heart’s content. Also available in a set styled for women. Pick these up for L$300 for the set at Back and Forth (Metabirds 192, 71, 25). Read the rest of this entry »
From another Japanese dystopia, here’s a fine jacket bristling with prim add-ons. It’s by mk Curtiz and it’s called the S.I.C Staff Jacket. S.I.C apparently stands for Science Innovation Company. But it will also serve to remind you of the name of the sim, “sick.”
The jacket is available in three colours, dark green, grey and red. Allthough I love the dark ones, the prim attachments will show up better against a red background, so let me take you on a guided tour of that version of this complex piece of clothing.
Read the rest of this entry »
For my final post of 2007, I thought I’d make just a few suggestions for possible New Year’s Eve party attire. It seemed to me that formalwear was called for, so here are just a few of my favorites, some recent, that haven’t been featured here before.
If you’re looking for a beautifully designed traditional tuxedo, consider the variety of styles by designer edo Tone. The simple, classic style at right (L$400) has clean lines, a notched silk collar, and silk-edged pockets. The pants are elegantly textured, with a cleanly defined crease. The shawl collar tux at left (L$500) is done with the same attention to detail. Also available are a “High Grade” tux (L$600), with jacket textured in deep charcoal rather than inky black, and for variety a grey tux (also L$600). Note that the prices given here are for the tuxedo jacket and pants only; all tuxedo styles are also available in “coordinated sets” with wing collar shirts, vests, cummerbunds, and ties in various colors and styles. These accessory items are also available individually, so you can mix and match or expand your wardrobe with specific items to your personal taste. Read the rest of this entry »
