In addition to freckled “Gael,” Rack has released freckle-free “Ander.”  The two skins have similar but different faces and what appears to be the same body detailing.  You will notice that Gael’s freckles aren’t only on his face–there’s a realistic sprinkling of them on the shoulders, arms and upper chest as well.  Detailing is smoothly done, with definition that’s real and present, but soft-edged rather than crisply defined, a slight layer of body fat over the toned muscles.  You’ll see less definition in back, where the emphasis is on smooth shading rather than sharp definition.  This may not be 100% realistic, but for me the best skins walk a tricky, subjective line between realism and stylization, and I think this approach really works.  Ander and Gael can be worn with a light dusting of body hair, as shown here, or without body hair.  Both options are included with every skin.

Both skins come in four tones: Norte, Sur, Este and Oeste.  Each is shown here in Este, the second lightest; Norte is paler, while Oeste and Sur are darker.  You can choose from twelve different facial hair options, only a few of which are shown here.  Interestingly, these skins have tintable brows, scalp and facial hair via the skin color slider.  The default color is a fairly neutral dark brown, but you can tint to something that more closely matches your hair, or go a little crazy.  Sadly, body and pubic hair are not likewise tintable–I was really really intrigued by that possibility–but this is still a great bit of flexibility.

Overall, I like both of these skins very much indeed (although I am partial to Gael’s freckles).  As I mentioned earlier, in many ways they approach being ”ideal skins” for me.  It’s worth mentioning a couple of things that might be caveats for some.  If you look closely, you’ll see that the nipples are horizontally oval rather than round(ish).  This isn’t unecessarily unrealistic, and it doesn’t bother me by any means, but it may strike some differently.  The other thing is something I’ve seen on other skins, to varying degrees.  In certain avatar positions, you’ll notice stretching of the skin texture where the groin and inner thigh meet.  This is such an unavoidable reality of our SL avatars that we may as well call it a “feature.”  The effect on these skins is just slightly more noticeable to me than it is on some other skins–I’m not picturing it here, because I try to keep the blog from blowing past PG-13 (although if you check the oh-so-tasteful nude at right, you can almostkindasorta see the effect).  What I think may be happening here is that the edge of the pubic hair just hits the seam or “stretch” area, thus making the texture stretch a bit more visible.  When you try on demos, you’ll be able to see if either of these are a concern.

Permission on these skins are M C T.  They are priced at L$995 for a “single” skin, which includes bald and head hair hair options, with and without body hair, in your chosen skin tone and facial hair option.  You can also buy a variety of pre-fab four-packs for L$2985, or you can buy any three single skins and get any other single skin free.  You can mix and match different facial hair options, skin tones, even male and female skins!  Demos are L$1.

An included notecard mentions that these skins are based in part on open-source skin templates by Eloh Eliot and Sezmra Svarog.

Available at Imagen (Daffodil Island 29, 96, 3000).

1 pair of Nike Uptown styled sneakers (tennis shoes for those of you in the south)
1 pair of baggy jeans
1 sports jersey
1 excessively over-primmed platinum chain and matching earrings
And last but not least, 1 oversized baseball cap representing the local team

Here’s the thing about my community: anything other than that, that isn’t a suit, is jokingly considered “metrosexual.”  For us that’s not a good thing.  If you’re trying to get your Kanye West on you’ll be labeled as something negative (usually from fellas on SL who don’t have the lindens or the IQ to have a true sense of fashion).

Going against the grain, I decided to be myself on the game.  A typical New York after-hours party gentleman.  In my circle here on SL as well as in RL it’s known as the “Grown & Sexy.”  The look is elegant in its simplicity, yet you’d be amazed how difficult it was to find the right pieces to make it work.

My look as of writing this is simple yet Clooney:

Sartoria Grey Suit Suit by traveler Bade - Sartoria
THE Dress Shirt by Bastion Weyland - Rogue Men’s Clothing  (I consider this to be the best open collared dress shirt for a suit or vest in Second Life)
Grey Low Shine Dress Shoes by Daman Gorilla - Adam n Eve
FNKY black dress socks by Funk Schnook - FNKY!
Rudens Optics Glasses by Maris Kanto - Kalnins
King’s Back Ring by naith Smit - Naith Smit Design
Cross Jewelled Stud/gold/clear earring by Icemocolo Voom - Muism
Eyes from The Gold Beach edition by Lano Ling - Poetic Colors

I keep my look simple because I dress the way I do for work in RL on this game, and for leisure the way I dress when I’m off of work.  I try to keep the prim count down so i can enjoy each sim I visit and focus on each client I shoot, though occasionally on my leisure time I’ve been known to throw on a Zooby Snake, some neck jewelry, etc. to differentiate myself from others around me.

The most important part of any man on SL is the combination of his shape and his skin.  My shape was designed by Veronika Garzo of Exotique and my skin was designed by Niecy Devin of Emporium Epidermis.  As an African American (partially) male on SL it’s darn near impossible to find a look that works simply because of “hair.”  We often get stuck with Made Men skins, possibly an Emil from Redgrave, or a Soul skin.  I ran through all of those companies, mainly because they had a skin with drawn hair on top which is closest to my look of short hair on the dome in real life.  I’d like to thank Niecy Devin of Epidermis Emporium, for the last part of my look…my skin.  Niecy took pictures of me in real life and designed a skin to complement me perfectly inworld.  She’s truly a talented soul.  Both of these ladies worked tediously to get my avatar as close as possible to what I look like in real life.  I am honored to walk around in their work on a daily basis.  Their location is Nympholism (227, 63, 24).

There you have it, the look I’ve pushed for over the last year and what I now define as a “Grown & Sexy” look.  Thanks for reading.

Renji Land is a photographer in Second Life.

One of the more traditional Menlosophy designs is undoubtedly the Chess shirt.  When I say “traditional,” I don’t mean it as a slam–it’s not code for “conventional” or even ”old-fashioned”–and I mention it at all only because I’ve said so much in this context about getting outside the box.  This shirt may still have one sleeve inside the box, but it’s such a handsome design, in such a challenging fabric print, that I can’t help but love it.  The cut is flattering, and the tight check print is potentially problematic but done so well that it looks better than it has any right to do.  Sculpted collar and cuffs are pretty much de rigeur for dressy shirts these days, and many casual shirts as well.  Here the collar is casual but smart, with sharply creased edges and crisp points.  The cuffs are equally casual but softer, rounder, and they looked comfortably turned-up.  L$150.

Glauco is a casual outfit in which luxurious fabric textures are embellished with detailed prim attachments.  The Glauco shirt is a short-sleeved almost-henley, distinguished by a fabric print that’s reminiscent of tapestry and elaborately sculpted laces for the vee neck.  The coordinating pants have sculpted side pockets, cargo-style but somehow fancier–look closely and you’ll notice decorative touches like the shiny metalwork, flexi accents and fine print fabric.  The set also includes the knot-tied head scarf in matching fabric.  I didn’t attempt to edit a copy of my hairstyle to “disappear” properly under the scarf, but it seems to me that the scarf would work pretty well with shorter, close-cropped styles.  L$425 for the outfit.

Here again I’m wearing the casual Robert shoes, this time the Burb style.  L$200.

Up last but in my book certainly not least is the Secret outfit.  I must confess to a certain nostalgia here, as this ensemble is (to my eyes, anyway) very, very Eighties.  The marble-print shirt, intentionally but unself-consciously twee necktie and heavily distressed jeans are things any synth-pop star of the era would happily have flaunted.  You know the guys I’m talking about.  Hell, I’ll say it:  Limahl.  Not that I’m making fun of the Eighties!  As I said, there’s a definite nostalgia factor at work for me.  I’m not sure if this outfit is intentionally retro, or if it’s just a case of Everything Old Is New Again, but it kinda pushes that “grad night” button for me.  The collar and necktie are separate attachments, so you can wear them together or solo.  The sculpted cuffs, like the shirt itself, are semi-sheer.  The sporty beret, sized a bit on the large size here to fit over my hair, is also included.  L$400 for the outfit.

The Robert shoes style here is LV.  The fabric’s print is distinctly reminiscent of “monogram” prints used by famous-name designers on a variety of items, from purses to umbrellas to shoes.  In fact, it’s quite specifically reminiscent of one designer in particular, who shall remain nameless but whose initials are…L.V.  L$200.

I have only scratched the surface of the variety of designs and styles Amanda Bolero and ziamela Loon have created for Menlosophy.  Part of me is tempted to describe the line as “something for everybody,” but I’m not sure how true that really is.  Although some items in the collection may not be your thing, you owe it to yourself to drop by and take a look.  There’s certainly a lot to choose from, and you never know what you might take home!

Most prim components are resize scripted for your fitting convenience.  Many clothing items are available in colors other than those shown here, and many designs are sold both individually and as part of an outfit, so take a look around before making your purchase.

Available at Menlosophy (Olivine Island 240, 86, 32).  You can open your own Menlosophy shop by becoming a member of the Menlosophy Affiliate Program–contact Mimi Juneau inworld for details.

With their new collection at Menlosophy, design partners Amanda Bolero and ziamela Loon push the envelope and stretch the boundaries more than just a bit.  Sure, much of the collection qualifies as “contemporary casual”–what’s not to love?–but few of any of the designs are simple or ordinary.  One of my favorite pieces is the Velvet jacket, shown here in Verde.  Velvet seems to me like it would be an especially difficult fabric texture to pull off successfully in SL.  To be convincing, it has to look like it has not just sheen but some depth as well.  It has to look rich.  Here, all my wishes have come true.  The velvet fabric appears to be based on photosourced elements, but doesn’t look like a garment crushed up against a pane of glass (that “crispy” look I tend not to favor).  The broad lapels are embroidered in what appears to be metallic silver thread.  Sculpted cuffs and upturned collar are stylish and dramatic.  The neutral grey (and tintable) turtleneck is included.  L$275.

Plenty of designers have put their personal touch on the wardrobe staple I’ll call the Deeply Open Shirt.  Here, as part of the Markus outfit, you see another interpretation.  Although there’s no actual transparency, the fabric of the Markus shirt looks and somehow “feels” as though it’s sheer.  And then of course there are the four or five buttons that have been left strategically unbuttoned–this time the plunging neckline isn’t reserved exclusively for the ladies!  Prim pieces include pushed-up sculpted cuffs, slightly askew popped collar, dressy knotted scarf, and shirt hem that seems to be fluttering in a slight breeze.  Fitting the collar and scarf for wear at the same time is challenging, unless you aren’t bothered by some slight prim intersections.  The coordinating Markus pants are nicely done, with impressive detail and fabric texture work.  I thought the sculpted slouchie cuffs were odd, though.  I fussed with them for a while but couldn’t come up with a look that worked for me, so I decided to go without.  They may work better for you.  L$300 for the outfit.

Although many if not most of the Menlosophy clothing designs would look great with dressy shoes, I decided to have some fun “dressing down” a bit with the casual Robert Shoes in various styles.  The style I’m wearing here is called Bottega Veneta, which I suspect is a nod to the famous Italian maker of upscale leather goods–the leather texture here emulates BV’s Intrecciato woven leather.  My partner saw these over my shoulder and said, “Wow, those look good!  In fact, they look so good I might just delete [these other shoes] from my inventory.  I’d probably never wear them again.”  I myself would probably never go that far–I keep stuff around pretty much forever, even if only for reference–but these are indeed good-looking shoes.  The sculpted laces are neatly tied and very spiff looking, but for some reason I especially like the big, puffy tongues.  L$200 a pair.

Most prim components are resize scripted for your fitting convenience.  Many clothing items are available in colors other than those shown here, and many designs are sold both individually and as part of an outfit, so take a look around before making your purchase.

Available at Menlosophy (Olivine Island 240, 86, 32).  You can open your own Menlosophy shop by becoming a member of the Menlosophy Affiliate Program–contact Mimi Juneau inworld for details.

Check back early next week for Part II of my Menlosophy coverage.  There was just too much to cram into a single reasonably sized post!  Plus, this way you can have some fun shopping over the weekend.  You know you want to! 

In the best way possible, I mean.  Her new Performance Suit, released earlier this month, may just be the most impressively flexible suit I’ve ever worn.  Dozens of pieces provide for what seems like tons of mix-and-match wear options.  I tried to count up the possibilities, but I gave up when I lost track and had to start over.  Twice.  I kid you not.

swaffette’s creation is a classic English three-piece suit, in an attractive slim cut, with two-button jacket.  This simple description doesn’t begin to convey the extensive planning and effort that have clearly gone into such a generous “single garment” offering.  If that doesn’t signify some kind of madness, I don’t know what does.  But you be the judge.

In her announcement notecard, swaffette notes that the Performance Suit is the result of a “long labour.”  To this I would add “of love,” because there’s no way on earth that anyone puts this much time and artistry into something just to sell it.  There has to be something else, whether a sense of accomplishment, pride taken in the work, or fun had along the way.  And of course I am not yet abandoning my madness theory.

I can’t possibly describe all the possible wear options and combinations, but I’ll do my best to give you a good idea of what this suit set offers.  Let’s start with the jacket and move on from there.  You can wear the jacket sensibly closed, as you see here, or comfortably open.  Fabric textures are smoothly detailed, and everything layers and blends quite beautifully.  Optional prim buttons for the cuffs are a very nice touch.  swaffette’s simple and elegant optional “back flap” allows the jacket to fall smoothly and naturally in back.  The vest can be worn layered under the jacket or on its own–it’s conveniently provided both with and without sleeve filler.  (I did notice some slight “streaking” in the solo vest’s fabric texture along the shirt-pants border.  This is something I’ve seen elsewhere as well, and you may not notice it unless you zoom in.  This appears to be a specific problem area on the generally problematic SL avatar.)  Pants are understated but quite handsome.  You get one “plain” pair as well as one that includes the vest’s bottom hem, so the vest can appear to fall down past the waistline.  The pants also include sculpted cuffs, some of the nicest I’ve seen, crisply turned up and realistically shaped.

But you don’t get just the suit!  The set also includes a fully featured dress shirt in beautiful tone-on-tone pinstripe fabric.  The shirt is provided on multiple clothing layers, and you can wear it on its own or under the vest and/or jacket, buttoned to the collar or unbuttoned, tucked or untucked.  The shirt also includes gorgeous sculpted cuffs that feature original cufflinks by Accacia Brissot.  The various prim collars are scripted for automatic resize, but they’re conventionally modabble as well.  Necktie options include textured as part of the shirt, for wear with jacket and vest, and prim ties (some with flexi) that can be worn tucked, low and loose, or completely untied.

A red dress shirt set is currently available as a freebie, part of the Make Him Over Hunt.  You can find the orange hunt gift giver conveniently located near the Performance Suit vendors.

L$450 each in Charcoal (shown here), Blue, Dark Blue, Grey, Tan and Marble, each with a complementary tie pattern.  A version of this suit styled for the ladies is also available.  At SF Design (Penryn 88, 103, 36).

Ranger managed to select the “look of the day” theme, which made its first appearance with Nic and Dahlia last winter. This time the theme was taken a bit more literally as “what would you wear out today?” with 2500L to explore our respective styles.

Express Zenovka - I’ll Do Anything

Go make your next choice
be your best choice.
And if you’re looking for a boy with a voice,
well baby I’m single.

Are you in the mood for some dude?
Are you in the mood to be subdued?
Or would you rather just mingle?

Let’s get set then,
to go then.
And let us jet set,
we’ll be like the Jetsons.
You can be Jane my wife.
Should I marry Jane tonight?

I would.
If I could.
I’d do most anything,

spontaneously.

lyrics taken from “I’ll Do Anything” by Jason Mraz

Ranger Theas - The Emperor’s New Clothes

A long-time, well-trusted friend told me about this new suit she saw the other today. She told me I would look fantastic in it. My ego swelled as she continued to gush about my rugged good looks and fantastic physique. I know I work out everyday, and anything would look good on me. I didn’t mind her fawning on me, as I’m completely used to that by now. To my surprise, she pulled out a package. She claimed this wonderful suit was inside. She whipped open the box top, but left me puzzled. There was no suit.

She acted as if the suit was there, starting to unfolding it. She told me to take off my shirt, motioning to me to come over so she could slide on the jacket. I played her little game, but saw no suit and didn’t want to offend her. I motioned as if putting on the coat. I felt her hands brushing across my shoulders and down my back. As I spun to look at her, she spun with me and told me not to move since she’s making adjustments.

As quickly as she had the jacket out, she had my pants off. I was confused about the suit but questioning her intentions even more. I smiled, thinking there was more to what she is doing. As I tried not to laugh, I realized all this time she has continued her boasting of how great I look and I wasn’t getting horizontal with her. Drunk on compliments and “clothed” in this attire that I couldn’t see, I was too ashamed to tell her I couldn’t see it as she urged me to go out and show off her gift.

Proudly, I paraded down into the busiest area. Nothing was going to stop me. I felt great in my new look. Hoping for more kudos, I waved to the crowd as a hush felt over the throng of people. Suddenly, a voice in the distance yelled “Put some clothes on, you perv!”

Ugh. I knew I was naked. I KNEW IT! My “friend” is so off the holiday card list.

Voting Time

Thanks to reader BoyNamed Xue, who dropped me a notecard inworld to inquire politely wtf was up with the comments. 

Although you’ll undoubtedly be seeing further fallout from that shopping trip in days to come, I kinda couldn’t wait to bring one set of items to your attention.  I don’t do a lot of posts focused on a single item these days–my ambitions somehow get set way up high, and the posts get all complicated, and then they take a long time to put together.  I have fun, which is selfishly important to me, but it can drag things out.  Friends have encouraged me to mix things up and Fear Not the One-Off, so today I have just one thing for you.  I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.  Okay, cue the Radio Announcer Guy voice…

Do you ever feel insufficiently, improperly or unrealistically endowed in SL?  Are you sometimes dissatisfied, your Significant Other occasionally less than wholly impressed?  Let’s face it–those “package” sliders can only do so much for a man.  You deserve better…more.  You deserve DIMENSION.  Intimate apparel for men from LeLutka.  All the realism money can buy.

All right, so I’m no advertising major.  So shoot me.  Imagine it as a TV commercial, though, and you begin to see the possibilities.

The question of the hour is: how to get around SL’s painfull obvious lack of provision in the basket area?  Xcite and other providers offer solutions for those special clothing-free moments.  But what about before that?  To put it bluntly: what about before the underwear comes off?

I have long been a fan of Jesse’s lovingly detailed, decidedly non-unisex boxer briefs, which leave little if anything to the imagination.  As great as these are, they can still only take a guy so far.  I’ve tried on any number of briefs with prim “enhancements”–some conventional, some latex (shh!), some too subtle, some decidedly un-subtle, some just not quite successful.  I never found any prim-enhanced underwear that really worked for me.

Until now.  Thora Charron’s line of underwear for men, out now at LeLutka, is not only beautiful but impressive.  As traditional briefs, they’re quite nice, with detailed fabric textures and a wide range of colors, fabric prints and styles to choose from.  But wait!–there’s more.  Add the sculpted enhancement piece and see what you’ve been missing.  It’s pattern-matched to the briefs, and although the blend isn’t invisible, the pieces are shaped and shaded such that it certainly doesn’t stand out.  The realistically sculpted bulge carefully (and I think successfully) walks a fairly blurry line.  It’s realistic enough to be intriguing and definitely not silly, but it’s not so detailed that it reminds you of too-tight biking shorts.  Just for fun, let’s see that again, this time on a high-cut style.  Before … and After.  You be the judge.

The briefs are provided on pants and underpants layers and include a copiable, moddable sculpted prim bulge, so you can be as endowed as you want to be.  I strongly advise keeping things within realistic reason, but if you feel like going crazy, by all means knock yourself out.

L$195 a pair at LeLutka Lingerie (LeLutka Mode 71, 115, 25).

In case you’re wondering–yes, Kith bought some too, but no, I’m not telling which. 

I’ve gone through a lot of looks in my time here.  Starting with the newbie/freebie and working up to writing about fashion and participating in the fashion world as a model and photographer, I’ve discovered a lot of styles, designs, and designers.

It’s hard to nail down exactly what my look is.  At heart, I’m a minimalist kinda guy.  Less is more in my book.  It may not seem like it when you see all my various contests and looks and all, but when I’m just hanging out on the grid, I like to keep it pretty basic.  I don’t wear a lot of extra crap in RL and I don’t see any reason to do it here.

= | = | =| = | =| = | =| = | =| = | = | =

For this column I’ve picked out a great “riri parka NAVY” from Marinesta, my favorite pair of Elephant Outfitter Jeans, and the BoHo Sandals from Shiny Things.  The parka is one of the items from the Relay For Life Clothing Fair 2009.  Marinesta had this as a featured item and I fell in love with the excellent use of prim and sculpty parts to add a great finish to what is basically a hoodie.  The Elephant Outfitter jeans have been one of the staples in my wardrobe for months.  They were one of the first things I spent lindens on and I’ve never regretted it.  I have other jeans – ripped, colored, even cut offs, but when I want to just hang out, I grab these.  I found out about the BoHo Sandals in a post on Men’s Second Style.  I’ve worn them in competition, out dancing, and they’re great for schlepping around on hunts or out taking location photos.

Accessorizing is a challenge for me because I just don’t wear a lot of extra stuff as a rule.  For one thing, I’m really conscious of the Avatar Rendering Cost and how much a lot of really intricate prim attachments can lag me (and everybody around me) down.  So I try to find a few good pieces and let them make the statement for me.

For this column, I’ve gone with some standards – glasses from primOptic, a shark tooth necklace from M.R.M, a simple ruby ear stud that I made myself, and a bracelet that I took off.  The glasses are very cool.  I love the ability to color change lens and frame and use them for anything from sunglasses to reading glasses.  They give me a lot of flexibility and a great look besides.  The shark tooth necklace was another Men’s Second Style item that I picked up from Express Zenovka’s Blogger Throwdown with Surfer as the theme.  M.R.M has some terrific jewelry and this is one that I wear a lot.  The ear stud is just a simple piece that I made because I wanted something in my ear and this was one way to get a nice accent without adding a lot to my system load in terms of Avatar Rendering Cost.

Then we come to the bracelet I took off.  I won’t say which one it was because that’s not fair to the designer, but it’s a little game I play with myself.  Coco Chanel has a saying about accessories.  Her advice is, “When adding accessories, when you’re done, take off the last thing you put on.”  The temptation, of course, is to try to put on too much.  Even in RL people tend to over-accessorize and distract from the clothing.  So I follow her advice in-world as well.

Finally, some words about my body.  The shape is one that I’ve been tweaking from the beginning.  I started out as a 98 pound weakling by comparison to many male avi’s on the grid.  The “big, blocky beefcake look” has never been something I get.  So I picked a more common, slender shape and I’ve been adjusting it about once a month ever since.  At the moment, because I spend a lot of time modeling, I’m well over 7′ 6” but I’ve maintained the narrower shoulders and wider hips that keeps me looking less like a Muscle Beach Boy and more like a Normal Guy.

Today, I’m wearing a new skin from LeLutka, Absolute in Tan.  I love the way Thora Charon has done the chest hair on this skin.  I don’t have much in RL so it makes me feel like a Manly Man to have it in-world.  The navel is a bit odd on this skin, but I love the face and over-all shading.  Besides, my belly button isn’t something I usually let hang out while I’m wandering around the grid.

For hair, I picked a MADesigns platinum blond called Cruz.  With the beach boy tan and maritime flair on the top, the California cut to this MADesigns hair just adds the great finishing touch.

So, I know I’m preaching to the choir here, a bit, because guys reading this are already aware of men’s fashion in SL.  But I can’t encourage guys enough to go out and play with looks.  I’ve been guilty of the “why do I need two skins?” syndrome myself, but I’ve gotten over it.  I really enjoy playing with how I look and scoping out new designers, new looks.

And you never know where it’ll lead.

Links:
Parka - Marinesta
Jeans - Elephant Outfitters
Sandals - Shiny Things
Necklace - M.R.M.
Glasses - primOptic
Skin - LeLutka
Hair - MADesigns
Ear stud - Roland’s Shop at The Enclave

Photos’ main shop is good, even impressive size–I had no idea that anyone’s A:S:S could be that big–and it’s well stocked with a wide variety of casual clothing for both men and women, including some unisex designs.  I don’t mind admitting that I had some trouble deciding on a manageable handful of things to share with you here.  (Setting my sights idealistically but unrealistically high is a recurring bad habit of mine.)  I decided to start with a few designs that were just fun, and then go from there.

I’m a total sucker for a sexy tank, and in that regard Photos’ Simple Tanktops are just what the doctor ordered.  The fabric texture’s photosourced origin is readily apparent but not objectionably “crispy,” and the color choices (I’m wearing Brick Red here) are fairly subtle and subdued.  Although it’s not immediately obvious, the fabric has some transparency, so skin details and tattoos will show through slightly.  Hey, I think the Sexy Factor just went up a full notch!  L$50 each.

What I had in mind was Something Summery Casual, and what caught my eye next were these Capris.  I love short pants of pretty much any flavor, and capris aren’t just for Mary Taylor Moore any more.  These are extremly low-rise (sexy again) and have great decorative detailing that includes sculpted cuffs in colorful plaid flannel, matching plaid patches, and embroidered stars.  And do they not make my A:S:S look great?  I wouldn’t mind if the top waistline edge were a little more soft, a little less crisp and jaggy, but it’s not very noticeable against a patterned shirt, and you have to look pretty close to see it even against bare skin.  Seven colors, L$60 each, or L$210 for a pack of all seven.

The plaid flannel Sash Belt and Armband are sold separately, but they’re a perfect match for these Capris.  A little bit of flexi gives them grace.  Seven colors, L$60 each, or L$210 for a pack of all seven.

Also a lot of fun are the Sleeveless Shirts, and not just fun–they’re also a terrific bargain at just L$25 each.  Simple, fun, breezy and eponymously sleeveless so you can show off those biceps you’ve been working on.  (Tweaking those sliders really is a hell of a workout, isn’t it?)  Check patterns are notoriously challenging for the SL avatar, so prepare yourself to live with some pattern distortion.  Embrace the distortion.  Let it flow through you.  Learn it, live it, love it, be it.  Kind of like lag.  Just don’t let it knock you on your A:S:S.  Shown here in black/white, but I also took one home in black/blue.

Like I mentioned earlier, there’s a lot of stuff in Photos’ shop and I had fun just walking (okay, camming) around and picking out something here and there that spoke to me and had ensemble possibilities.  Although it’s not a color I can wear and get away with every day, I had already picked up the Simple Tanktop in Orange, because I liked that the shade of orange was more melon than Hallowe’en pumpkin.  What to do with it, though?  Then I spotted the Spring Jacket in Beige and thought, Aha!  The jacket’s open front is perfect for Summer (or, okay, Spring) and shows off your favorite tank, tee or pecs.  Photosourced details like pockets are softly blended with the fabric texture.  The sculpted collar adds some realistic dimension.  L$60.

Rather than sit around on my lazy A:S:S, I figured I could manage to put together one more outfit for your consideration.  It’s not terribly summery, but hey–it never hurts to plan ahead.  And it’s chilly and rainy today where I live anyway, so there you go.  The Cosy Loose Knit Sweater looks like an old favorite rather than a new purchase.  The weave is big and loose, as advertised, and the fabric looks like it would indeed be cosy and comfy rather than itchy and scratchy.  Wide stripes are bold and eye-catching.  The bulky prim collar is just the right touch for such a big, chunky sweater.  L$60.

You got a glimpse of Photos’ Low Rise Jeans above, worn with the Spring Jacket, but I really picked them out to go with the sweater.  (I wasn’t sure the Capris really worked in this context.)  You’ll find the jeans in a handful of different colors and designs, but I especially liked this light blue pair with its scary skull design.  The denim fabric is heavily faded, but not yet destroyed.  Rolled-up prim cuffs are textured on the inside (which is now on the outside…got it?) with properly raw, un-dyed fabric.  L$75 a pair.

All of Photos’ clothing designs are provided on every possible layer, for maximum flexibility and convenience.  Available at A:S:S (Fordham 48, 87, 105).  A:S:S is a stop on the Make Him Over Hunt, so the shop has been pretty busy the last couple of times I’ve been there.  What are you waiting for?  Get your A:S:S on over there right now!