It’s not easy to keep white shoes clean when you live in post-apocalyptic ruins. Let’s be honest—it’s never easy to keep white shoes clean. Not really. It’s just something that has to be done, if you’re going to wear them. But with a city falling into wreckage around you, it’s an especially daring (and problematic) fashion choice. What with the abandoned cars, broken-up streets, buildings slipping into sinkholes and all. And the dust!—the dust alone is enough to make anyone cry and pull on some grey high-tops.

But not our hero. For our hero will not be balked by empty grocery stores (or gradually emptying trash bins), the disappearance of public transportation, or even by the end of the world as we know it. Because he feels fine. And he looks fine, white shoes and all. The way he sees it, the decline and fall of civilization is no reason to let your appearance go. At least his favorite clothing shops weren’t looted in the aftermath. At least there’s that.

The experience has been quite freeing, really. He can roam the emptied streets pretty much at will, curl up and nap in the sun wherever he likes, and yowl at the moon as his heart desires. Some days he feels positively feral. A few mangy-looking strays aside, the humans seem to have taken all the dogs with them when they abandoned the city. That’s a big plus right there, as far as he’s concerned. And the hunting! Well, let’s just say that there are little mousies everywhere these days, just for the snatching. And the snacking! Yum!

In fact, it’s almost like living in paradise. No traffic to dodge, nobody throwing shoes at him for singing to the night sky, plenty of trees to climb and collapsing buildings to explore. Really, it’s all been very exciting! True, there are no zombies shambling through the ruins, but still. In an apocalypse, he would have hoped for zombies. That would have been a hell of a thing.

Lately, though, despite the solitary, do-my-own-thing aspects of his feline side, he has to his own annoyed surprise found himself somewhat less than 100% happy in his new paradise. He reluctantly acknowledges that it can and does get lonely sometimes, living in a big empty city…and one that’s falling apart, no less. Now and then he sees another kitteh boy or girl, doing his or her own thing, but all his attempts to form a gang or start a club or whatever have been declined, if not rebuffed outright.

He finds himself thinking seriously about checking things out in the next city over. Or town, no point in being picky. Two or three towns, even, or cities, or whatever. Just to see what things are like out there. Maybe he’ll find some kittehs who’ll start a club with him. He wouldn’t even mind seeing a dog or two, just for a change.

He wonders if he can hot-wire a car.

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Our hero is wearing the following designs by Jc Oskar:

Hoodie Tank – mesh, with nine different undershirt textures via HUD. L$180.
Lill Jeans – mesh, with nine different fabric textures via HUD. L$100.
Jeans Shorts – mesh. Five colors, available individually. L$100 each.
The 7Style Shoe – seven color choices via HUD. L$100.

All available at 7Style (Grace 114, 171, 3234).

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On Ryan: “Joshua” skin by Pixelperfection Resident (The Skin You’re In!). “Nekoge” hairstyle by hiko Nino (Happy Dispatch). Neko Ears and Tail (with bad-kitteh detailing) by Acido Ferraris and Mala Oh (Acid & Mala Creations). Wollked t-shirt by JcOskar (7Style). Engineer Boots by Elec Tone (ElecTRo Kitty). Project Collar 1 and 2 by Marry Lemur (Lemur). Honour Ring by Belle Roussel (Chop Zuey). Mad Nerd Glasses by Domsson Lean (Mad Mesh).

It’s been a while since I had a Guest Style Consultant make an appearance here. Actually, looking back I see that it’s been longer than a while. That’s surely not because I haven’t seen other guys out there doing a great job at putting themselves together. They (you) are certainly out there, and I have extended the occasional invitation here and there. But sometimes, sadly, the answer just isn’t yes.

In all honesty, I suspect that the reason behind this is my own different level of “presence” in SL for the last year and then some. Although I’m still inworld regularly, and I still enjoy exploring, hanging out, and just being social, I’m not “just around” like I used to be. I think that has had an unavoidable effect on how, when, and where I meet new people. I still have a solid handful of regular hang-outs, but in these settings I think there’s a bit less of the constantly stirring soup of friends, acquaintances, strangers, and new friends than I used to experience. Maybe I just need to get out more?

So when Gil Raleigh hit me up via IM a while back to ask if I had any thoughts on swimwear (more on that in a post to follow), and we ended up running around for a while on an impromptu shopping jaunt, it seemed completely natural to ask him to share his own great look and style insights here. Rather than leaving me hanging, he agreed almost immediately, which I appreciated for my own selfish reasons, and sent me regular progress reports on how his ensemble was coming together. I think you’ll agree that Gil has put together a great casual look that can serve as a starting point of inspiration for any of us. He has done, and I think very well, what we all at least sometimes struggle with: put together pieces from different designers and come up with a coherent “look” that really works.

Gil and I chatted during our photo shoot, and with his kind permission I’ve transcribed some of our conversation to share with you.

Gil: “The vest is from Aoharu, and while it was not originally the concept behind what I was going for, it proved itself to be so versatile. Which led me to think about how I like to dress for Spring in the Northeast. The weather is unpredictable at best. Just today we had a morning that was warm and fine, with sunshine showers around mid-day, followed by an afternoon downpour. And the day finished with a rainbow and a charming sunset.

“So the Vest is this fabulously versatile piece that works elegantly with a variety of styles. I worked with quite a few pieces before I finally settled upon the polo shirt, although. I confess to starting with the jeans, which are Hoorenbeek’s Classic Jeans, Mesh Black.”

“The Hoorenbeek brand is expensive—no need to lie about it, and no reason to deny it. But of all brands, they have always ranked as among my top favorites.”

Ryan: Well, cost is absolute, but value is relative.

“Indeed it is. I find that if one is clever, they can shop Hoorenbeek and buy classic articles like these jeans. Besides the sizes, of course, the options for the jeans come in High Rise and Low Rise, and the jeans also boast a variety of belts. So one really does get an excellent value.”

“The polo shirt came from Guarded Cross. Guarded Cross is great because I find them to be inexpensive but high quality.”

Ryan: Something I think we can always appreciate.

“And the shoes are by INDI, who gets very little press. These sneakers are [from] the O’Leary collection, and I could easily buy two of every shade, and still want more. INDI’s workmanship on their shoes are one of the best kept secrets on the grid, and I for one am only giving it out because I love them so much it would be criminal not to.

“I didn’t add accessories to this, mostly because I felt that with the vest, I didn’t want to overdo things.”

Ryan: I hear ya. Wasn’t it Coco Chanel who said something like “It’s not the accessories, you’re wearing—it’s the last one you take off”?

Gil Raleigh nods.

Ryan: Or words to that effect.  [For the record, the actual quote is most often documented as: "When accessorizing, always take off the last thing you put on."]

When I complimented Gil on his overall look, which he had clearly put together with much thought and care, he responded, just a tiny bit cryptically:

“I had a great muse, and thanks to the ingenious minds of the designers, I had a great palette to play with!”

Shopping notes:

Beige Biker Vest, L$320 at AOHARU
Maroon Polo Shirt III, L$250 at Guarded Cross
Black Jeans, in Mesh, L$480 at Hoorenbeek
O’Leary’s sneakers in White, Black, & Red, L$350 at INDI Designs

Regarding his skin, hair, and shape, Gil said with a smile, “Secrets keep a fellow sexy, these are a few of mine.”

Every year, about this time, I find myself on the lookout for an outfit, ensemble, accessory—something—that’s at least vaguely Easter-y in theme or tone. I’m not really sure why. It’s not like I’m looking for Valentine’s Day outfits every time February 14 rolls around. How many times can you dress up like Cupid, anyway?

And here of course I’m talking about secular Easter, with all its quasi-pagan trappings and ornamentation: bunnies, flowers, eggs…it’s all about fertility, after all, and renewal of life after a long, hard winter. In the past, I’ve admittedly been guilty of taking some liberties with all this symbolism, as well as embracing a certain level of irony. But, as I like to say, if you aren’t having fun in SL, you’re doing it wrong.

This year, just to be different, I’ve gone with a fairly literal interpretation of the various motifs, at least from a decorative standpoint. And although this is mostly about having fun for, on, and with Easter, I’m looking to the future as well—you can wear this outfit pretty much year-round, without the themed accessories.

Released just time for Easter, nancy19 Amiot’s Easter-themed outfit “Falco” comes complete with all the festive, high-visibility accessories you see here. The muted colors of the base clothing items (rugby-striped sweater and skinny black mesh jeans) work well as a foundation for the brightly colored eggs in the wicker-basket backpack, the candies and eggs dangling from the black leather belt, and the bunny-bedecked boots. These boots alone have already been the object of much amused admiration, perhaps because the rabbits are performing the delightful—if not particularly magical—trick of pulling a carrot out of a hat.

The skinny jeans (included in five sizes) are nicely detailed and well executed, and I can easily see these becoming a handy wardrobe staple. The slightly rumpled cuffs cut in close at the ankles, so the jeans should work well with a variety of shoes and boots. I found that the jeans fit closely and well to my own shape without the need for any tweaking to eliminate any gap at the waistline…something of a pleasant surprise, as that’s a pet peeve of mine.

I must admit that I’ve cheated just a bit with the cap—I’m wearing a hairstyle (Kavar Cleanslate’s “Smoke 2″) that has its own integrated cap that looks quite like the one included with this ensemble. I willingly confess that this is due in large part to the fact that I was feeling lazy, and simply didn’t feel like finding and tweaking another hairstyle to work with the cap. (The “Smoke 2″ cap is also scripted for various different color options, so there’s that as well.) Like the other prim accessory items, the included cap is scripted for resize and should work well with any number of shorter hairstyles.

As I mentioned earlier, this outfit need not languish unworn and unloved in your inventory after Easter. You can easily wear the sweater, jeans, and cap any time—just add your own favorite shoes or boots, or mix and match to your heart’s content with other things already in your extensive wardrobe.

Available in six colors (I’m wearing green here), and priced at just L$99 each for an almost irresisble impulse buy. At N & B Design (Tranquility Dreams 97, 160, 31).

On Ryan: Ocean 2.0 skin by Simple Spad (Zoobong). Smoke 2 hairstyle by Kavar Cleanslate (Exile). Executive Glasses by Zaira Aura (Karacter).

In my last post, I wrote about petite mesh avatars and the fun I’ve been having with mine. In recent months, we’ve also seen the introduction and increasing popularity of mesh feet and hands. Many if not most of us see the distinct aesthetic advantages of mesh feet, as the default SL avatar’s feet are sad little spade-like appendages that simply don’t hold up under close inspection. Toes? We don’t need no steenkin’ toes! Well, you know, actually we do. At least it would be nice.

If you’re like me, you’ve seen or at least wondered about the possibility of “full-size” mesh avatars. There are indeed some out there, at first just a few but more as time goes by. Intrigued, I’ve tried on several demos, but without exception the mesh shapes were all very beefy, and the skins were all detailed with very “ripped” musculature. These may well be very popular, but they weren’t for me, and they didn’t seem very Regular Guy, based on general concepts of realistic proportion. Of course one can’t change the texture artwork on a skin, and while changing one’s shape in the traditional manner is something most of us have done at one point or another, whether for good or for ill, changing the underlying shape of a mesh avatar is fraught with the potential for unpredictable and ultimately unsatisfying results.

So, I wondered, what’s a determinedly non-Schwarzenegger boy (unless it’s Patrick we’re talking about) in SL to do? Wait and hope, I decided. And so I did. And, of course, kept searching. And searching.

And searching.

And then I found Kevin. Horo Kral’s “Kevin” is a full-size, all-mesh male avatar that is, in many ways, quite beautiful. I can’t really call it “just” a skin because it is, again in many ways, much more than a skin as we know it. More, and also less, in ways that are good, bad, and problematic.

The Good

When he’s good, he’s very good. Did I mention he’s beautiful? The high-resolution (2048×2048) skin textures are rather stunning—standard resolution for skin textures and clothing is 512×512, so in theory the textures here have up to 16x as much detail. I haven’t counted the pixels, so I can’t vouch personally for the numbers, but I am willing to go on record as observing that the textures are visibly more detailed. Greater resolution isn’t a magic bullet, of course, but from an aesthetic perspective it’s not a bad place to start.

Although it comes with its own shape, which I am wearing here unmodified (and is rigged so it will follow your avatar’s movements—more on that later), the mesh avatar (“skin”) also has its own shape—and that shape is realistic, decidedly non-bulky, and subtly sculpted. There are curves where our avatars now have planes, dimensional details where our avatars must rely on texture artwork and shading, seamless construction where our avatars have often-visible “join” lines as texture maps meet. The result is a level of detailed realism that so far outdistances what’s possible with our avatars today that it’s jealousy-inducing. You’ll find there’s no need to add on sculpted nipples, just for that extra bit of dimension. The hands are impressive enough, but take a closer look at the feet, with their smoothly rounded ankles and individual toes. Sure, you can buy mesh feet for your avatar today. I’ve tried several demos and even own a few. Have fun matching them to the tone and texture to those of your favorite skin. Also, buy yourself a few attractive ankle bracelets…you’ll be needing them.

The Bad

And yet…and yet. Of course everything is not perfect. You knew it couldn’t be. You knew that would be too good to be true. And you were right. Are there wrinkles, stumbling blocks, challenges? You betcha. Are any of them show-stoppers? You’ll have to judge for yourself.

Although there is a nice variety of facial hair variations, at present there are very few skin tone options, and you cannot tint the mesh avatar. Introducing other skin tone options should be fairly straightforward, and the designer may do so if the avatar sells well and/or if there is demand for additional skin tones. I like this light tone just fine, and there is also a (much) darker tone. If you try a demo and the only thing holding you back from taking the plunge is wishing for a different skin tone, I encourage you to let the designer know. There are also no body hair options, and you won’t be adding any via garment- or tattoo-layer add-ons. I know. I’m sorry. Keep reading.

It shouldn’t be too big a surprise that garment-layer clothing is simply not an option for this or any mesh avatar. Unfortunately, this eliminates all of your “traditional” clothing, whether that be a modest gentleman’s wardrobe or a ridiculously vast accumulation. You’ll only be able to wear all-prim, fully sculpted, or mesh clothing items. (The good news is that prim accessories such as belts, hats, and messenger bags will work just fine, as will prim hairstyles.) This is also true of Petites and other miniature mesh avatars, and will be true of other full-size mesh avatars as well. Unfortunately, this means no tattoos, neither on garment layers nor on the tattoo layer itself. None of these No’s are necessarily a death sentence, but they’re certainly things we’re all used to being able to do with every other skin we own.

The Problematic

As I mentioned before, all-prim, sculpted, or mesh clothing can be worn, but the unsurprising reality is that it may or may not fit well. My best guess is that, based on both observation and extensive if informal research and experimentation, the mesh shape—while attractive and realistically proportioned—appears to be “non-standard” enough that mesh clothing designed for the traditional avatar simply does not always fit well. This seems to be true of shorts and pants more so than shirts and vests, which suggests greater deviation from “the norm” (whatever that may be) from the waist down than in the torso. I noticed a significant gap between (mesh) clothing and (mesh) body along the top of the butt, although clothing fit fine at the belly. With some effort, I was able to conceal this gap, but not to eliminate it.

In fairness, the designer has made available (included with each mesh avatar) a developer’s kit for clothing designers. This should, in theory at least, allow anyone to create clothing that’s a perfect fit for Kevin, just as numerous designers are doing for the Yabusaka Petites avatars. Unfortunately, at this point Kevin is far from the standard that the Yabusaka Petite mesh has become, and as far as I know no mesh clothing specifically for Kevin has been released for sale.

To help with fitting clothing properly on the mesh avatar, an included HUD allows you to “turn off” (render invisible) various sections of the avatar: shoulders, forearms, upper thighs, and so on. This is more or less comparable to using a 100% transparent alpha mask (typically provided by a clothing designer along with a mesh clothing item) to conceal appropriate parts of your avatar while wearing mesh clothing. In theory, this is a great idea. In practice, the HUD-controlled system is helpful but limited. I expect to find myself routinely running into situations where, for example, hiding upper arms isn’t good enough, but hiding elbows is too much.

All that said, as you can see he also dresses up real nice…which somehow almost seems to be defeating the purpose. After all, even more so than with traditional skins, you kind of hate to cover it up. But you can’t go naked to every social occasion. You may notice that this tux (the beautiful mesh Modern Black Open Tuxedo from Lapointe & Bastchild) looks just a wee bit oversized and bulky on Kevin. Don’t blame L&B; that is entirely due to the complexity of and compromises necessary in fitting mesh clothing over a mesh avatar. Avatar alpha masks are of no use here, and “Standard Sizing”, while useful for the standard SL avatar, likewise won’t necessarily help here, since as I mentioned earlier Kevin appears to deviate somewhat, presumably intentionally, from “standard” avatar dimensions and proportions.

Kevin has one and only one facial expression: pleasantly blank. There are no other expressions, and no animation of any kind—the eyes do not even blink. (However, the eyeballs are those of the standard avatar, and they do move in their sockets. This means you can wear any of the eyes you already own, whether “system” or prim.) The result is unfortunately somewhat although not entirely reminiscent of the CGI characters in “Polar Express”. (In particular, read and see the great differences relatively minor tweaks and animation in the face can make in our perceptions of the character. Read a little further down to see how this is true even for characters that are relatively or even highly stylized, rather than more photo-realistic.) I’ve mentioned the Uncanny Valley before, and while the impression here isn’t actually creepy—just noticeably different from the behavior of the standard avatar, which is after all our baseline here—I think that effect is definitely at work. The difference is subtle rather than overt, but it is noticeable, eventually at least, and you (and your friends) may or may not be bothered by it.

Last, but certainly not least, are the significant limitations imposed on the customization of one’s shape while wearing a rigged mesh avatar. Basically, you can make gross adjustments using what can be thought of as the “skeletal” sliders (such as overall height and limb length), but making changes to the “body fat” sliders (such as the various muscle groups and butt size) has no effect. If you’re familiar with the limitations of rigged mesh, particularly the ways in which it is and is not affected by the avatar shape sliders, this shouldn’t come as too big a surprise.

Unfortunately, this is the current reality in the absence of a mesh deformer of some kind, whether manually controlled or in some way automatic. Although some alternatives such as Redgrave’s “Liquid Mesh” clothing are being introduced inworld, there is still uncertainty regarding official support for mesh modification/deformation. You can follow along on Natales’ blog for (among other things) periodic updates on the mesh deformer project, such as it is. I guess you can tell I’m not holding my breath. Even so, I can’t help but see great potential in mesh avatars, at least in concept.

Ultimately, I find myself considering (and not for the first time) some very Philip K. Dick-ian questions: Who am I? What is my identity? Is this avatar really me, whatever that means? These are often difficult and always interesting questions to ponder. Ultimately, for me the answer is—it must be—no. Like the Petite avatar I’ve been experimenting with and enjoying lately, I find that Kevin, while a great costume or alternate persona, is no more “me” than, say, a designer shape, no matter how hot, that is not my own. This isn’t a condemnation or criticism of artistic merit, technique, or technology; it’s just how I feel. Of course these are all questions that only you can answer for yourself.

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Rather than go into ridiculous amounts of detail on things you can read about simply by following the links, I shall simply mention that here I am wearing:

Horo – HV5: Kevin Mesh Shape (L$1299)

Horo – HV5: 21 Year Old Head (L$265). This is an optional attachment The default/included head has an older, more mature face, as can be seen in the mesh shape link just above.

Horo – HV5: Skin 10 (L$295). This is one of several HUD-driven skin installers that allow for facial hair variations.

All by Horo Kral. Available on SL Marketplace, as linked, and also at Horo (Merricks Landing 4 84, 35, 23). Oddly, demos are available at the inworld shop, but not on SL Marketplace. A female mesh avatar “Sabrina” is also available.

An instruction manual can be reviewed here prior to purchase.

On Ryan: “Suck My Kiss” hairstyle by Sebastian Aries (Shag). Lustrous Eyes (Isla) by Brandy Rasmuson (Shine). Pubic Hair M1 by Skoda Thor (Intimate Garden). TheBum Sweater (BlueJean) by Untitled (bleak). Graffiti Hoodie Vest and Sunrise Jean Shorts (Garuda) by Drusus DuCasse (Zanzo). Earthshine sandals by Maris Kanto (Kalnins). Constellation of Scorpius pendant by Di Yifu (Inca Temple). Modern Black Open Tuxedo Paul Lapointe (Lapointe & Bastchild). City Walk dress shoes by Fallingwater Cellardoor (Shiny Things).

Bigger is not necessarily better. I know, I know—size matters, and all that. People do say that. But as always, it’s not what you’ve got: it’s what you do with it that matters.

On and off over the last several months, I’ve been admiring, sometimes enviously, the diminutive yet detailed “petites” avatars of some friends of mine and searching for one that I liked well enough to take the plunge. Now, I can hear you wondering: “What are these petites of which you speak?” Well you may ask. Petites are small (approximately one-third size) mesh avatars for your Second Life persona. The original petites mesh was created by Yabusaka Loon, and this has become something of a de facto standard. On the one hand, this may somewhat reduce the available variety; on the other hand, it means that designers can create clothing and accessories that are sure (or at least more likely) to fit properly. On balance, given the vagaries and challenges of fitting mesh clothing (even on the traditional avatar), I think it’s good to have a standard.

The problem was, at least for me, that all the petite avatars I was seeing were fairies, sprites, wood nymphs, and the like. Yes, this is a perfect application for very small-sized avatars like these, and so yes, you’ll see some included here—but I wanted one with a more-or-less human base skin texture, and at least the option of human ears. Because options for customizing the body shape and face are so necessarily limited, I also hoped for something that wouldn’t be and look exactly the same as the ones I was seeing most often. Vanity rears its ugly head once again.

Then I found Cane Sutter’s “Tom Thumb” petite mesh avatar. Tom’s skin texture is nicely human-realistic, not perfectly smooth and glossy. Although the underlying shapes are the same (Tom has been designed on the Yabusaka base mesh), skin artwork gives the face and body a look and musculature that’s different from many others. You also get—and this was a big selling point for me—a freckles option in addition to the regular “clean”, un-freckled skin. After trying out a demo, I was sold.

The avatar includes two mesh body shapes; mesh body, feet, and hands in three different positions; petite hairstyle (not shown here); prim eyes; and genitalia in two states (“relaxed” and “excited”). You also get the Yabusaka Mesh Skin Tinting Hud and the Yabusaka Fairy Mesh Control HUD, which lets you choose from three different facial expressions as well as control the skin’s bright, glow, and metal finish settings. You can also hide body segments (shoulder, upper arm, elbow, crotch, knee, and toe), to accommodate different articles of mesh clothing. As the avatar uses the standard Yabusaka base mesh, clothing made for this standard will fit.

L$1200 in your choice of three different skin tones: Milky, Sunny (shown here), and Tanning, or L$2400 for all three tones. The Wood Elf costume/clothing items (more details below) are also included. An avatar only (no cosume) with human ears is available separately for L$1000 in the same skin tones, L$2000 for all three tones. You can also try a free demo or send these as a gift to a lucky friend. Available at Skinthesis (Oubliette 234, 109, 36).

This Wood Elf ensemble is inluded with the Tom Thumb avatar. The outfit includes loincloth, headpiece, flexi wings, and trailing vines “bodysuit”. Coverage is minimal and really shows off the detailed texture work on the mesh body. I did make some modifications to the “out of the box” prim attachments, turning off full bright and adding a slight glow for an effect I found more pleasing. I am wearing MissAllSunday Lemon’s “Dragon” petite mesh hair, L$110 at Wasabi Pills (Coraline 206, 135, 53).

I’m quite happy with this simple casual outfit I put together. The black cargo shorts are a true separate that can be worn with your own favorite shirt or without. Sculpted cuffs add a bit of dimension and are a nice touch, even on an avatar that’s smaller than usual. By Deadri Silvershade. Just L$15 at Pooka’s (Alice 211, 47, 1094). My wee sneakers are also from Pooka’s, just L$40 a pair in four color combos. The V-neck shirt is by Kai Sivanand, L$50 on SL Marketplace. Although I’ve left it white here, it’s moddable, so you can tint it as you like.

Just for fun, while shopping at Pooka’s I also picked up this Autumn Devil outfit. (I’ve been thinking of it as the Little Devil outfit, as there’s nothing specifically autumnal about it beyond the decidedly Halloween-themed skullie boxers, which you can easily trade out for trousers.) The outfit includes the aforementioned skull boxers, boots, bat wings, demon horns and tail, nipple rings, skull collar, and belt buckle (not shown here, but would look great with black leather pants or jeans). L$45 for the set.

Bellissa Dion’s Leather Pants and Blue Open Shirt outfit straddles the line between casual and dressy. I was a bit disappointed to find that the shirt and pants are integrated in a single mesh item, as I had hoped to be able to wear at least the pants separately. (Many outfits are just that—fully built ensembles that cannot necessarily be worn as separates. Is this a step backward? Maybe, but it might also be a necessary growing pain as we move toward the possibility of full mesh avatars; more on that in a subsequent post.) In any event, this is a fun, sexy outfit for the petite man about town. The shirt has sculpted collar and cuffs; the jeans are included in regular, boot, and hoof cuts. L$100 on SL Marketplace; other colors are also available.

I’m also wearing Fawn Springflower’s Petite Men’s Biker Boots. These are nicely detailed, especially impressive at such a small size, and are scripted for automatic resize, just in case. Choose from six colors, including Black as shown here. L$100 a pair or L$350 for a pack of all six colors. Available at Peek-A-Pete (Lovers Escape 215, 138, 21).

Alice Klinger’s “Elvis” hairstyle in Dark Red is currently (still) available as a promo freebie on SL Marketplace. Both regular and petite sizes are included; other colors are available at the regular price. I have also had good luck with resizing regular, moddable hairstyles to fit my petite avatar—more on that below.

Poise Collins’ Digital Spirit outfit for petite guys is a great promo purchase at just L$10 for the set. The set includes prim Army Belt (for some reason not shown in the vendor art), graphic tank top/tee, and stylishly faded and shredded jeans with sculpt cuffs. At this price, it’s difficult to complain to forcefully that shirt and jeans are integrated and can’t be worn separately. Get your own on SL Marketplace. Here again I’m wearing Deadri Silvershade’s petite men’s sneakers.

Another fun fantasy outfit is Sredni Eel’s Pete Mesh Djinn outfit. You too can be the genie of the lamp—and almost fit inside! Each outfit includes vest, harem pants with flexi sash, feather-bedecked turban, serpent arm band with glowing eyes, and pointy shoes. Mine is in Oasis Green; five other colors are also available. L$150 each at Avatar Bizarre Avatar Bizarre (Burmilla 208, 219, 38).

Of course it’s simply not possible that Bare Rose could have nothing to offer, even for the petite of the masculine persuasion. In point of fact, you will find, in a special section, a generous selection of petite designs for men, and not all are fantasy themed. Unsurprisingly, prices are also quite reasonable. The Petite Tail T2 tuxedo I’m wearing here is easily the nicest petite male formalwear I’ve found so far. Each suit includes mesh jacket, shirt, trousers, and cummerbund, with sculpted collar and bowtie, jacket lapels and shoulder pads, shoes, and flexi coattails. Options for four tie colors, two jacket lapel colors, and three vest colors are included, so you can mix and match for different looks. L$135 at Bare Rose (White Wolf 26, 135, 27).

I really like Evangeline Miles’ Wood Fairy ensemble—it’s simple in construction, with handsome detailing that works well in miniature. It’s also more flexible than many petite outfits, including some shown here: the pants can be worn with or without the vest (although the reverse is not also true). The pants have sculpted cuffs, and you also get a sash belt and fairy wings. A freebie at Evie’s Closet (Oubliette 161, 183, 414). A full-size version is also available, but does not include the vest, which was created especially for petites. Here again I’m wearing MissAllSunday Lemon’s “Dragon” petite mesh hair, L$110 at Wasabi Pills Wasabi Pills (Coraline 206, 135, 53).

A final observation: as you begin to make your first forays into the Big, Bad World of SL as a petite, it is all but unavoidable that at least a few people, here and there, will observe that you look “cute”. How you feel about that is up to you. I don’t think that petites are intrinsically “cute”, but pocket-sized creatures are arguably easy to imagine as not too far off from puppies, kittens and the like. My advice? Take it as a compliment, don’t let it get to you, and take the first available opportunity to show what a bad-ass you can be, regardless of height. After all, if the tiny little shoe fits…

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There are a lot of great resources out there for petites, and for those considering taking the plunge. I have found bunnys Fride’s MicroCam HUD and Walk Speed Reducer for petites to be essential, if not indispensable—they’re saved as part of each of my petite outfits. The MicroCam HUD overcomes the problem of incorrect (or at least decidedly not optimal) camera position with avatars that are not of standard size. You can choose from a handful of different camera views that will allow you to see your avatar clearly and help you to move around in a world that suddenly seems much bigger. The Walk Speed Reducer (worn as a separate attachment, but controllable from the HUD) reduces walking, flying, swimming, and ascending speed. This allows for greater proportional realism and more accurate positioning of the avatar. Free on SL Marketplace.

You’ll also want a resizer script that will allow you to size down prim attachments for wear with your petite avatar. I had good luck using one here to size down one of my longtime favorite hairstyles, hiko Nino’s “Nekoge”. I had far less luck sizing down jewelry items, no doubt because some prims would reach minimum size in one or more dimensions and would then no longer size down in proper proportion. Hairstyles seem to be more forgiving. Although I’ve done only minimal experimentation so far with prim clothing components—collars, cuffs, and such—at a guess, overall I would expect moderate, mixed success here. Of course your mileage may vary. Note that the item(s) in question must be moddable, so you can drop in the resize script. You can pick up a resizer script at Petites Kingdom—it’s included in one of the resource notecards. While you’re there, you may want to do a little shopping! A resizer script is also available in a freebie box at Skinthesis (Oubliette 234, 109, 36).

Also, for your reference, a few web resources that you may find helpful:

Second Life Petites blog
Second Life Petites FAQ
Second Life Petites Shopping Directory

On Ryan: “Nekoge” hairstyle by hiko Nino (Happy Dispatch).

The snow crunched under Etienne’s feet as he slowly and deliberately made his way across the great open space that would, in warmer weather, be a verdant lawn. It was a long way from the manor house to the stand of trees on the south side of the grounds, and already he was beginning to feel the chill. It would not do for him to be shivering with cold; it simply would not.

Even at this distance, he could see clearly that Charlot had not yet arrived. Charlot Archambault, that silly, stupid bastard. And neither had either of their cowardly seconds. Etienne wondered if Charlot would try to back out, citing the absence of one or both seconds. Well, they would simply have to rouse and recruit someone from the house, if it came to that. For he was Etienne de Chandagnac, his honor had been impugned, and he would see this thing done.

Why Charlot had not insisted on pistols was beyond him. Charlot was a better shot—only slightly, truth be told, yet still—while Etienne was by far the better swordsman. This morning, they would be far from evenly matched. Etienne was having great difficulting finding any concern in his heart for this particular disparity. Yet still he wondered.

The nature of their dispute hardly mattered. Needless to say, there was a lady involved, and quite a lady at that. Geneviève du Pointe du Lac was hardly an ordinary lady, if such a thing even existed. She was barely more than a girl, and her beauty was almost unearthly—complexion stylishly pale without reliance on excessive (or seemly any) powder, aquiline features that were sharp without seeming hard, eyes that seemed somehow ancient in a face so very young. It was impossible not to notice her, and to look at her, long and often, propriety be damned. Although she offered no signs of outward encouragement, still it felt as if she more than desired the attention. It was almost as if she willed it.

Needless to say, the lady Geneviève had attracted the attentions of virtually all the eligible gentlemen in her social orbit, of course including both himself and Charlot. In the end, it was inevitable that they should come first to gentlemanly confrontation, eventually to harsh words, and ultimately to a call to duel.

Etienne looked up and saw Charlot in the distance, straggling across the snow-covered lawn. There was movement at the great door of the main house, as well, and he knew their seconds would be along in short order. Etienne sighed, sorry that it should have come to this. But he would not be bested, and he would win the lady Geneviève’s hand. Or at least her attentions for a fortnight.

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Photos Nikolaidis’ “Etienne” suit is a beautiful example of stylized yet authentic period attire for the discerning gentleman in SL. The full suit is made up of coat, vest, shirt, breeches, stockings, and tricorner hat . The shirt’s high collar includes a fluffy jabot; the strikingly angular coat collar (with lapels) and cuffs for jacket, shirt, and breeches feature shiny silver fleur-de-lis embellishments. Both coat and shirt can be worn with or without flexi lace at the cuffs, and the stockings are provided in six pale colors. Clothing items are included on all appropriate garment layers, for your convenience.

Choose from Anthracite, Brown, White, Plum, Peach, and Blue. L$430 each as color-coordinated suits on SL Marketplace, or mix and match individual pieces at A:S:S Decades – Historical Clothing for Men. You’ll also find free short white silk gloves and a set of period-appropriate mouches in the store.

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Photographed on location at Chateau de Versailles (Chateau de Versailles 82, 8, 28).

On Ryan: “Nowaki” skin and shape by AdamnEve Core (BND). “Enzo” hairstyle by Alair Cortes (Pocket Mirrors). Buckle Shoes and Green Lens Goggles by Arundelain Dumart (Arundel Design). Rapier by Grandmaster Rexen (available on SL Marketplace).

No shepherds here. No wise men. No baby. No stable, either. No bright, bright star up in the sky. Just an angel.

And not your typical Christmas angel. More of an activist biker geekboy goth-lite grunge punk angel. (Adjectives in alphabetical order, in case you’re wondering.) Probably not what you expected. Certainly not what I expected. I’m not sure I’ve ever gone through as many iterations and variations when putting together an outfit as I did with this one. In fact, you can probably see that I never really settled on one “final” look here. But let us not worry about that, shall we?

The centerpiece of this ensemble is Eow Reverie’s beautiful cardigan sweater, a handsomely designed, beautifully executed garment that’s exactly the kind of thing I like to wear, all winter long. Well, when I’m not wearing a pea coat, my love for which is well known. Or, just maybe, along with. I do so love to layer!

The sweater’s various fabric textures are really quite lovely—realistic rather than stylized, yet soft and appealing, with not a hint of “pasted on” crispiness. And yes, I said textures, plural: the different textures here give the impression of pieced construction. Sleeves and back are the same color, but the sleeves have a fine, close weave while the back seems not simply rougher but rather comfortably, cozily nubbier, and very touchably so besides.

Ribbed cuffs on sleeves and at bottom hem are convincing, buttons are chunky and dimensional, and buttonholes are visibly open. The front panels are especially gorgeous, with a roughly woven woolly fabric texture that’s just to die for. Patch pockets are slightly pouchy upon close inspection, not just two-dimensional shading, however artful. So, really, there’s a lot to love.

Here again, as with so many other mesh garments, this sweater can only be worn unbuttoned, not closed. This is my only gripe, and in the big picture it’s a small one indeed, but still. As mesh clothing designs become ever more realistic and complete, I for one would love to see more wear options than the typical single choice. If you’re a creator of mesh clothing designs, consider yourself challenged!

L$200 each in monochromatic Black, Leopard, and Stone (shown here). At RONSEM (Pluto 156, 196, 28).

Paul Lapointe’s Men’s Biker Boots can be worn as full-height boots and as lower-height “shoes”. (Choose Classic Fit, to the knee, or Tall Fit, to the calf.) L$499 at Lapointe & Bastchild (Evocative 201, 87, 30).

Siyu Suen’s Angel Wings can be worn folded or extended (as separate attachments), and are scripted for color change (11 preset colors/combinations, plus a tintable option). L$350 at Illusions (Carnivale 202, 82, 45).

Location pictures taken at my favorite, decidedly non-traditional Christmas build this year, Slightly Twisted (Slightly Twisted 151, 85, 112).

On Ryan: “Republic – Florence” skin by Theodore DuCasse (Zanzo). “Daniel” shape by Bertu Caiben (S (and) P). “mShort01-E” hairstyle by Aska Watler (CriCri). SOUL Eyes – Summer by Hart Larsson (PXL). NOH8 tee by Fleur Sorbet (Fleur Boys). Ash Jeans by Zabitan Assia (FORM). Biker Belt by Paul Lapointe (Lapointe & Bastchild). Urban Belt and Runes Cuffs by Alexandra Nichols (Wicked Gear). Executive Glasses by Zaira Aura (AXL Pro Fashion).

It’s almost embarrassing, really, how much I love pea coats. You may remember that I’ve featured more than a few here over the last few years, and I’m highly confident that I own at least a few others. I do have one in RL as well—just the one, but it’s a very nice one, and my favorite coat. But in RL I have just one, and in SL I can have as many as I want. You do the math.

Strictly from a scientific perspective, it’s interesting to see how design and construction have changed over the years on such a specific garment. This early example uses no prim add-ons at all, except for an optional scarf accessory. Most recently (where does the time go?), I featured this coat by Amerie Spittler, with its finely sculpted collar and other components. The progression seems clear: although of course good texture work is essential as always, new techniques for adding dimension and volume make possible ever more realistic clothing designs.

Where do we go from here? What is the next step? Love it or hate it, you know the answer: mesh. Ramses Meredith’s rigged mesh pea coat is, in a word, remarkable. It’s finely textured, with fabric artwork that’s softly shaded and arguably more visually interesting than simple, traditional wool. It’s also highly detailed, with chunky cuffs, turned-up collar, and shiny oversized buttons. Last but certainly not least, thanks to its rigging, it moves more naturally with your avatar than it has any seeming right to do. I might just be in love.

You can choose to wear the coat with or without an integrated, slightly grubby undershirt. Even if it’s not your thing, this is a nice option that’s essentially thrown in for free. And of course you can accessorize with your own favorite shirt, or shirts, to your heart’s content. If I may be permitted one minor grumble, it’s that the coat can only be worn open, not buttoned closed against winter’s harsh chill.

You’ll find the coat very reasonably priced at L$250; a free demo is available. Choose from ten different, not necessarily wintry colors—I particularly like the Persian Blue you see here. Five sizes/fits are included, so you can choose the one that best suits your shape. At Egoisme (Dominus 169, 111, 22).

It’s worth noting especially that my boots here, traveller Bade’s very fine DH Boots, are currently just L$50 a pair in your choice of six colors on SL Marketplace.

On Ryan: “Andrej” skin by Aida Ewing (Tableau Vivant). “Tito” shape by Alair Cortes (Pocket Mirrors). Y-62 hairstyle by Fuu Sohl (ZEUS). Buttered Hazelnut eyes by Ampersand Artful (sauce). Fit denim boots cut jeans by AIR Winx (ARGRACE). DH Boots by traveller Bade (Dirty Hands). Poncho scarf by Reila Karu (Reila). MARLEY Crocodile Lens A glasses MARLEY Crocodile Lens A glasses by Cheerno Destiny (CheerNo). Men’s Happiness Choker Chain by Alexandria Nichols (Wicked Gear).

Last night he dreamt of summer again.

The rain had been falling, on and off, for weeks, and lately it had threatened to turn into snow. The days were bitter and cold, and the nights were long. But in his mind it was summer, for it was summer he dreamed of.

He dreamed of hot beaches and glowing sunsets, of bonfires and tiki bars. He dreamed of rolled-up jeans and tank tops, of sneakers and no socks. He dreamed of warm breezes and cool drinks, of long days and pleasant nights.

In his dreaming mind, he wandered long sandy stretches, with waves pulling and rushing at the whims of the moon. He basked in the sun and felt it warm him to the core. As evening fell, the crackling beach fires warmed him just as well.

But all dreams must end, and winter in the real world has its own charms. Winter too has bonfires, roaring ones that burn brightly and warm the heart as well as the feet. Drinks that are neither fruity nor tropical are instead brown, bitter, and stirred. Cozily clad friends still laugh and connect, and this is what matters most.

And, after all, there will always be dreams of summer.

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Salah Axel’s rigged mesh Rolled Up Jeans are exactly right for my personal dream of summer. They’re like my favorite perfectly comfortable, perfectly faded jeans from RL somehow translated into SL—a minor yet still happy-making miracle. The rise is decidedly low, for a fit—and look—that’s confident and sexy. All of the detailing, including a leather brand patch on the back pocket, is softly textured and well integrated into the whole garment.

Each pair includes two styles (both comfortably faded, but one rather more worn and patched than the other), each in five sizes, so you can choose the one that works best with your shape. Unrolled, full-length jeans are also available, but I loved these so much that I had to have them first. Both styles are available for women as well as men. In the shop you’ll also find belts designed to fit perfectly with these jeans.

Choose from seven different fabric colors; here I’m wearing Nile Blue. L$380 at Connors (SleeplessMUSIC 149, 128, 1725), or L$2200 for a bundle of all seven colors. A free demo is available.

On Ryan: “Ocean 2.0″ skin by Simple Spad (Zoobong). “Nekoge” hair by hiko Nino (Happy Dispatch). Plain Tank Top – White by jesseaitui Petion (Aitui). 7ommys Punk Rock Allstar hightops by 7ommy Gunes (Sentou Yousei / Battle Fairy). Trinity tattoo by Joey Williamson (no longer available).

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This post turned out, quite unexpectedly, to be something of a meditation on the enjoyable escapism I often find in Second Life. Who knew? Never fear—I have some cold-weather apparel waiting in the wings. Also, it’s warm in the Southern hemisphere!  :)

Everybody remembers at least one. You know what I’m talking about—that one teacher who everybody kind of fainted over, got wobbly in the knees for, maybe actually lusted after. Maybe not in the “Give me an A, or at least a B+, and I’ll do things for you” way, but still.

I remember one college prof who was the object of distracted, dewy-eyed attention from most of the girls in the class (and presumably some of the guys). The funny thing was, this was a comparative programming languages class. The other funny thing was, he was kind of schlumpy, although in an admittedly endearing way, if you liked frazzled—he always seems to look just a tiny bit frayed around the edges. Maybe that was part of the appeal. I guess I never got it.

Not so here. Here the de rigeur tweed jacket is impeccably tailored, the shirt crisp, the tie appealingly askew…but only just so. The jeans—one wants to look not too stuffy, after all—are faded, yes, but neat and clean. And the deck shoes are an old, good, comfortable friend.

Consider the jacket. (After all, it’s why I’ve gathered you here today.) Ross Myhre’s Casual Blazer is just what the professor ordered, whether for early morning classes, afternoon office hours, or a social evening at a friendly gastropub on the way home. The pushed-up sleeves are less restrictive for energetic lecturing, and there’s no need to worry about getting chalkboard dust on them. The matching CB Shirt’s crisp cuffs show just enough, and the buttons are shiny and detailed. I especially like the tweed fabric texture, which is realistic enough to look softly scratchy, but with smooth, stylized shading so it doesn’t look too “crispy”; you may remember that as a pet peeve of mine.

It’s true that the professorial look I’ve put together here is less frazzled and more (hopefully far more!) stylish than anything my comparative programming languages instructor ever managed. But trust me—the effect is not at all dissimilar. It’s just that my professor here, with his carefully styled hair and geeky-sexy glasses, scores a little higher on the admittedly shallow but nonetheless real “Hot Or Not?” exam. Study! Prepare! Take good notes! It makes all the difference.

Casual Blazer in Harris Tweed, with CB Shirt and Cerise Tie, both by Ross Myhre. Rigged mesh, with xxxxx sizes included. L$299; a free demo is available. I’m pretty sure I bought my shirt with ties in a separate pack, but never mind that now—the jacket you buy will include shirt and tie in 19 colors.

Available at Kauna (Solary 242, 164, 3330).

On Ryan: “Anderson” skin by Kira Ahn (dekade). “Will” shape by Ivy Maverick (Maverick Design). “Portnoy” hairstyle by Alice Klinger (Ali & Ali Designs). “Moonlight in your eyes” – Olive by Photos Nikolaidis (A:S:S). Limited Jeans and Undefeatable Leather Shoe by GonzuS Decosta (Stash). Four Corners Readers by Elie Spot (mon tissu). Leather Sketch Books by Elysium Eilde (elymode).