Men's Second Style

Do you ever get a crazy question stuck in your head, and you just can’t shake it?  You know what I mean.  It’s usually an “I wonder” type of question, typically one with no readily apparent answer.  For a kid it may be, “I wonder why the sky is blue?”  Adults may venture into the philosophical with “How do they get all those clowns in that little clown car?”  And then there’s the eternal classic: “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?” 

Well, recently for me it was “I wonder how elves dress in summer?”  I know—it’s not exactly earth-shattering.  And yet…I really wondered.  How do elves dress, anyway, for say a summer picnic?  Or a cruise, maybe, or just business casual?  Try though I might, I just couldn’t shake it.

Fortunately, Draco Nacht had some ideas.  When I visited his shop NachtMusik, I noticed that it was proudly billed as “a Dandy shop,” and I thought, Haha, awesome!  I really like that.  And then, Hey now—I could totally be a dandy elf.  I think I made it work.  You be the judge.

For garden parties, boating outings and casual picnics in and around Rivendell, you really need look no further than Draco’s Garden Flowers outfits.  Each set includes jacket with sculpted collar and cuffs, knee-length shorts that also have sculpted cuffs, and a coordinating short-sleeved shirt.  The sumptuous fabric print of jacket and shorts is definitely floral but decidedly not frilly; the cuffs are pattern-matched, while the collar contrasts.  The shirt features some rather formal detailing, but the fabric is unexpectedly sheer.  This plays as a fairly subtle tease from under the jacket, but distinctly less subtle when the shirt is worn on its own.  Use your best judgment.  L$100 each in four colors (Blue is shown here).

Perhaps, though, shorts in a flower print, however dandy, simply aren’t for you.  That would be entirely understandable—I suppose it’s a look that doesn’t work for absolutely everyone.  What, then, to wear?  I recommend to you Draco’s Summer Breeze linen suit.  This is a classically styled two-piece, single-breasted, three-button suit.  The fabric is nicely textured to resemble lightweight linen, which is always beautifully comfortable even at high summer, whether you’re in Los Angeles or Lothlórien.  The construction is simple—no prim cuffs or collars here—and the price is correspondingly accessible:  L$150 each in your choice of eight colors (shown in Natural), or buy the pack of all eight for L$700 for all 8.  Each suit includes matching jacket and pants, plus coordinating short-sleeved shirts in 10 colors.  Equally fine for work or play.

Draco Nacht’s designs for dandy men are available at NachtMusik (Caledon SouthEnd 205, 159, 25).  Ladies can be dandy, too!  Many items are unisex.

I noticed a few hmm, make that several weeks ago that Yukirei Greene, after a long absence from SL, had re-named and re-opened her fantastic jewelry and accessories shop.  The first things I took home were two sandal designs for men, but it’s taken me quite a while to figure out how to work them in.  Somehow, their Japanese styling not only works in this context but feels especially exotic.  I’ve paired Yukirei’s Silver Turquoise Sandals with Draco’s Garden Flowers ensemble, and the Silver Picture Sandals with the Summer Breeze suit.  As always, Yukirei’s creations are intricately designed and constructed, with impeccable texture work.  L$100 each at Skill Normal (Horseshoe 163, 9, 143).  Unfortunately, it looks like Yukirei’s re-opened main shop is now closed (the parcel is empty and up for rent), but a few of her smaller mall locations are still open, each with a different selection–check her Picks to find them.  I’ve also picked up a few of Yukirei’s other newer designs, and I’ll try to work at least some of them in here over the next couple of weeks.

I’ve found myself falling in love with Missallsunday Lemon’s fantastic hairstyles.  Her long styles for men are handsome, complex, dramatic, and very masculine indeed.  Here I’m wearing her style called “Kari,” which includes two variations, one with a long tail falling over one shoulder, the other long and flexi in back.  L$200 for a single color at Wasabi Pills (Thibedeau 44, 95, 22).

I couldn’t resist doing a little extra body accessorizing for my dandy elven avatar.  In particular, I wanted some new, fancier ears.  My casual, garden-party elf is wearing Faerie Ears with Flowers, by Elvina Ewing (I do hope it isn’t cheating for an elf to wear faerie ears, but I couldn’t walk away without these).  The gracefully shaped ears are scripted for selection from 16 skin tones (natural and brightly colored) by touch, and 9 different colors for the delicate flowers.  The set also includes undecorated ears without flowers.  Ears decorated with non-flowering vines are also available.  L$250 at Caverna Obscura (Ali 43, 156, 22).  On the other hand, my business-casual elf is wearing Disembodied Hand’s sculpted Elvaan Ears.  These are nicely detailed with an interesting and realistic (if that word applies here) internal structure.  They’re scripted for four different skin tones, and they’re moddable as well, so you can customize the color manually.  L$175 at Defectiva (bel Drift 143, 232, 501).

The earrings I’m wearing with Dis’ Elvaan Ears are the Diamond Earrings for Man just released by Deliziosa Vendetta.  These are beautiful, amazingly detailed pieces of jewelry.  (Men should be able to wear something pretty, if they want to, and not worry about this impugning their masculinity.)  The delicate chain with tiny diamond and GK logo is a great detail almost no one will ever see, but you’ll know it’s there.  I got these for myself in Gold, but they’re also available in Silver.  L$200 at Gems & Kisses (Jewellery 41, 198, 39).

As noted below, the skin I’m wearing is “Edwen” by Namida Akami (MUWU).  Check back for my review of this somewhat androgynous but still handsome skin, which is available in a dizzying range of makeup and other variations.