The Dandy

His grandfather, Eustacio Babbage, had founded the great steamworks that had first allowed the great city of New Babbage to rise like a phoenix from the squalor of the grubby hamlet most now dismissed with no small contempt as Old Babbage, but which had then been simply Babbage.  He himself now ran that steamworks, greatly expanded since its initial construction, and was immensely proud of the fact that it provided the power that drove most of New Babbage.  Indeed, it was the steamworks that drove Industry itself and made life possible at their current impressive level of technological advancement, with all the accompanying creature comforts that the citizenry enjoyed so thoroughly.

He was arguably the closest thing to a dictator New Babbage had.  He felt himself to be a benevolent dictator, though.  Although he alone controlled the supply of power in the region, he charged what he firmly believed were eminently fair prices.  To be sure, he always made a significant profit, but never an outrageous one.  Well, almost never.  There had of course been the unfortunate incident in which Cogsbury Coal had attempted to skyrocket its prices…as if coal were not readily available for the picking in every hold in the ground!  But that had been two—no, three years ago, and was surely long since gone from the minds if not actually the hearts of his valued customers.

As befitting his station, he dressed to a certain level of finery.  The public, after all, expected no less, and he could hardly disappoint the public, could he?  For someone at his social level to fail to comply with public expectations was risky, dangerous, even suicidal.  In the public eye, appearance was or at least could well be all, and one disregarded that reality at one’s own peril.  Each day he carefully chose his ensemble with both au courant style and sheer impressiveness in mind.  It was always a fine suit, but color, accessories and other details changed.  Today he was wearing what had caught his eye in a shop window just two days before: impressively tailed jacket in dusky purple tapestry, coordinating vest, pristine white shirt, and finely striped grey pants.  And, in spite of his father’s biting observation, he did not think the spill of lace at the collar made him look effeminate.  The very idea!

To protect his delicate eyes and noggin, his sturdy goggled hat was just the thing, and all the rage these days.  His carefully tooled cane was both beautiful and utilitarian, and it also lent a subtle suggestion of authority—never a bad thing.  A cane might also come in handy if need arose to defend oneself against street urchins, like the one he saw even now on the other side of the thoroughfare, attempting to—no, in point of fact actually robbing that airship pilot!  The whole affair appeared to have gone down so quickly and smoothly that the rakish gentleman, distracted as he apparently was by that gaggle of simpering schoolgirls, was completely unaware that he had been relieved of his purse.  He would undoubtedly discover this unfortunate fact at some later, highly inopportune moment.

Ah well, it was just another day in the bustling city.

The Dandy is wearing:  “Vincent” outfit (L$330) by Paco Pooley (22769 Vintage).  Old Shoes by Fallingwater Cellardoor (Shiny Things).  Steampunk Gogglehat by Spikey Timeless (Figleaves).  Hydraulic Cane by Vincente Shepherd (Gaslights Emporium).

The Rocketeer

He was a son of a bitch, no doubt about it.  He knew it, and did not mind who else also knew.  You had to be a son of a bitch to get ahead these days, with cutthroats everywhere looking to steal your best, most saleable ideas and market them as their own.  And his most recent idea, only just implemented in practical reality, was bound to take the world by storm!  He knew it was so and dared any man to contradict him.

Unfortunately, the general public clearly looked upon his rocket propulsor with what he was quite certain was a healthy but disappointing level of distrust.  He supposed this was due to the fact that it was not powered by steam.  He could only sigh and kick at the earth in disgust.  This level of technological myopia would quite simply not do, not in this day and age!  Steam had been a marvel in its day, and certainly was still quite useful, but rocket power was the force of the future.  He knew it deep in his heart of hearts.  Why, equipped only with his prototype propulsor unit, he was easily able to pace and even outrace even the most advanced steam-powered airship of the day.  Every man would want a propulsor of his own!  Travel would become an individual thing, with no need to peruse printed timetables, find a way to the steamport, wait for the next departure, and then pack in like sardines with other travelers.  Even trains would quickly fall back to carrying only cargo.  Airship pilots—like that one over there, the cocky bastard, surrounded by all those women—had better watch out, or they would quickly become an endangered species.  In fact, that one had better this very second watch out for his purse, else that ragamuffin street child was sure to make off with it in his own quick hand.  Oh, too late.  He grinned in spite of himself.  He knew very well the pilot’s type, and it would serve him right.

Not that there was anything wrong with enjoying the attention of a lady, of course, or ladies if it came to that.  He was not blind to the fact that he himself cut quite a dashing figure, in consequence catching the approving eye of many of the ladies of New Babbage, and (or at least so he had been led to understand) no small few of the gentlemen.  He supposed their admiring approval had something to do with his noble profile, his dazzling smile, the way his leather flight jacket flattered his chiseled torso, or possibly the tight, necessarily aerodynamic fit of his flight pants.  (He had told recently told some of his friends, drunkenly but still not entirely in jest, that if they ever noticed him having to suck in his gut, they were to kindly draw a blunderbuss and kill him on the spot.)  Some called him cocksure; he took this to be both earthily, literally true and as a compliment, albeit a potentially envious one.  Ah well, c’est la vie!

A patron—that was what he needed.  A patron, a sponsor, someone with money who didn’t mind funding a business venture as sure to succeed as was his rocket propulsor.  The Babbage family had money, of course, but they were notoriously tight with it, and always had been.  He supposed you could hardly blame them.  But that young Babbage, what was his name, Something Babbage (of course, he sighed), the grandson who was running the steamworks now—he was obviously a clotheshorse, something of a fop actually, clearly spent too much money on his wardrobe.  He might not be entirely averse to an opportune, well presented investment opportunity.  He reached for his wallet, wondering if he could manage to fund a modest yet impressive venture-capital dinner with Something Babbage.  (He really would have to find out the man’s name; it would not do to call him Something, and calling him Babbage helped not at all—the city was almost literally crawling with Babbages.)  He patted his pockets in succession, absently at first, then with increasing concern.  Now, that was odd.  Where in creation was his wallet?  He knew for a fact that it was in his pocket just a few moments ago.

The Rocketeer is wearing:  “Keff” pilot outfit with rocket (Steampunk Hunt freebie).  Old Shoes by Fallingwater Cellardoor (Shiny Things).  The pilot outfit is a fantastic freebie, easily the quality of Paco’s other for-sale outfits, definitely not a cheap throw-away!

Vintage attire by Paco Pooley is available at 22769 Vintage (Aventurien I 182, 181, 21).  Some outfit items are also available individually.  All vintage items are 20% off during the Steampunk Hunt, which runs through the end of March.  Visit the 22769 blog for updates on new releases.

Don’t miss Part One of this two-part article, featuring The Ruffian and The Pilot!

The Ruffian

The kid had earned something of a bad reputation for himself in New Babbage.  He supposed that was due in no small part to his tendency to, shall we say, not always pay for everything he put into his pockets on Market Day.  Also, quite possibly, the fact that, when he did make payment  in actual coin, that coin had not necessarily been earned by way of actual honest labor.  He rolled his eyes and sighed; such distinctions were boring and tedious, and they made him feel tired.  And they were pointless as well, when there was such fun to be had!

Fun like roaming light of heart, fleet of foot and quick of finger through the streets of New Babbage, always on the lookout for opportunities to liberate valuable and useful items from their inattentive owners.  They never saw him coming, felt him close or saw him go—he was a whisper of breeze, a leaf on the wind.  Fun like waiting by the docks in Port Babbage for steamships to arrive, heavily laden with goods from exotic ports of call around the known world.  Sometimes, if he were lucky, for no more trouble than catching a thrown hawser as a ship eased into dock, he might also catch a few coins thrown by grateful sailors made unusually generous by their delight at being on land again, and by the sight of pretty girls in pretty frocks waiting for them on the quayside.  Fun like going to the regular airshows, or just to the steamport, to admire the sleek beauty of the lighter-than-air and steam-powered airships.  Although he was not at all unhappy with his lot in life, he still envied the airship pilots their crowds of admiring fans, many of them often of the female persuasion.

Lately, though, he had noticed the occasional sideways glance that suggested he might have outstayed his welcome.  There was always at least a slight danger of doing so, in his line of work.  He wondered if it might be time to give at least nominal consideration to the prospect of moving on.  In his experience, he had found it always best to keep at least one jump ahead of any significant level of official interest in his activities.  And it was true that fresh opportunities, bright horizons, and green pastures beckoned always just beyond the present circumstance.  It wasn’t for nothing that he always kept his spyglass handy.  He felt for the reassuring lump sewn inside the lining of his jacket—a small handful of coins, mostly bright copper but a few dully gleaming gold, carefully stashed away against just this inevitable eventuality.  Perhaps tomorrow, or even tonight, he would go to the ship’s agent and book cheap, inconspicuous passage to somewhere not far away, but far enough.

In the meantime, though, just one more good score…or maybe two.  He grinned to himself and let his eyes rove over the crowd as it milled about him.  That dandy gentleman over there, his purse was surely full to the point of being burdensome.  He would most certainly appreciate his load being lightened at least somewhat.  Oh, but that cocky airship pilot!  He was paying far more attention to the ladies along his path than to his own person.  The chase was on, and the chase was often more rewarding than the reward itself.

The Ruffian is wearing:  “Laurin” outfit (L$450) by Paco Pooley (22769 Vintage).  Steamkid sneakers and Communicator Box headset by Spikey Timeless (Figleaves).

The Pilot

He fancied himself the world’s premiere master of steam-powered airships.  Whether or not this was true, the objective observer might well wonder; but it had never occurred to him, and would indeed never do so, to question this self-evident truth.  He also fancied himself the world’s premiere master of certain rather more private, amorous, even intimate activities, or at least that the ladies he himself fancied, in turn fancied him in irrefutable point of fact to be.  Ooh!  He shook his head at the convoluted logic.  Truth be told, great pilot and great lover he might well be, but great thinker he was not.

However, blithely unobservant he was also not, at least not entirely.  He spotted the rather unsubtle ruffian from a fair distance, slipping smoothly through the crowd to be sure, but hardly invisible.  If the little rogue thought he was going to make off easily with any of the contents of this pilot’s pockets, the urchin would have to think again.  He quickstepped to the side, zigging where he anticipated the would-be pickpocket would zag, cleverly ending up at the center of a retinue of lovely ladies…quelle coincidence!  Flight goggles flashing in the sun, long black leather gloves gleaming, he boldly chatted one by one with the fair maidens, each more flattered than the last, it seemed, to be the object of his dazzling attentions.

He was sure he had spotted a grimace of disappointment on the boy’s face as they crossed paths in the crowd, surely no closer than three feet.  It was a small triumph, but a triumph nonetheless, and his chest swelled with pride.  From extensive experience, he had learned that even such relatively minor victories could often be a boon to the libido.  He anticipated an evening replete with naughty entanglements with one or perhaps more of this troupe of ladies and knew without a doubt that he was up to the challenge.

It was not until later that he realized that his secret travel purse, full of money and made of beautifully soft doeskin—So Soft You Won’t Know You’re Wearing It! the salesman had asserted…indubitably true and, in retrospect, arguably problematic—was missing.  He searched his person and cast-off clothing with increasing urgency, Miranda and Annabelle waiting in an uneasy balance between amusement and impatience.  In the distance, he imagined he heard a cackle of boyish laughter.

The Pilot is wearing:  “Tony” outfit (L$450) by Paco Pooley (22769 Vintage).  Old Shoes by Fallingwater Cellardoor (Shiny Things).

Vintage attire by Paco Pooley is available at 22769 Vintage (Aventurien I 182, 181, 21).  Some outfit items are also available individually.  All vintage items are 20% off during the Steampunk Hunt, which runs through the end of March.

Check back in the next day or two for the continuing adventures of our heroes (and anti-heroes) in New Babbage!  This was originally supposed to be a single comprehensive feature, but in typical fashion I was overly ambitious, and it just got to be too much.  So, I’ve split it into two separate features.  I think the second half is worth the wait. 

Zaara Kohime’s clothes and jewelry for women have always been full of grace, colour and hints of the exotic. The story goes that she created men’s versions of her hand drawn jeans after spotting males wandering the grid wearing the women’s version. Her small collection of men’s garments are very welcome. We can only hope that the range expands.

Zaara’s Classic Jeans with prim cuffs are available in indigo and black, the colours I’m wearing, or moss, ash or sky. They can be purchased individually for L$190 or in a fat pack for L$750. Permissions are copy ok, mod ok, no transfer for these as well.

Isis shirts are available individually for L$150, or in packs of 3 colours for L$400, or in a fat pack of all colours for L$1000. I’ve displayed the “Darks Pack” of forest green, blue and coffee. There is also a Neutrals Pack of white, cream and black, and a Colours Pack of leaf, turquoise and bright tan. The shirts come on all layers plus an underwear layer for low-waisted trousers. The jacket layer garment comes as a normal shirt or in a sheer version. Permissions are copy ok, mod ok, no transfer.

You’ll find the mainstore at Zaara (135, 132, 24). The men’s department is in a small side room.

Because I do like bags, and men often do really get the short end of the stick when it comes to things to contain and carry their stuff in.  Women of course have purses, which are (in Western culture, at least) universally accepted not just as a utilitarian necessity but as a legitimate fashion accessory, and often a quite beautiful one.  They take a variety of forms, as well, for different seasons and occasions:  shoulder bags, tote bags, handbags, clutches, and the list goes on.  And then there are the many interpretations and variations in shape, size, color, accents, trim—they’re almost like butterflies, with no two alike.

Men have wallets.  Usually in black or brown.  See what I mean?

Okay, you’re right, that’s not really fair.  We do have more than a few other options.  Briefcases aren’t really my thing, though, at least not outside the office—too formally professional.  Backpacks and satchels are fine, but very casual.  Attaché cases can be quite beautiful, although they often don’t hold much more than a collection of papers.  Messenger bags are a personal favorite of mine, but again they’re usually pretty casual in design.  The relatively new development, the rolling laptop case, is so not sexy, absolutely not a fashion accessory, although I confess that I have started using one (I can’t say “carrying,” as one doesn’t) in RL, to and from work, to keep from straining my neck and shoulder.  Getting older is, in fact, the suck.  But I digress.

With the exceptions of attachés and briefcases, there aren’t many high-fashion options here.  This is where the man-bag/man-purse/murse (/me sighs) trend has reared its adventurous head, attempting to provide for us men some more stylish alternatives, albeit often (in my humble opinion) with more ambition than success.  Boris Juneberry’s SOHO Metro Murse is successful as well as ambitious, practical and beautiful at the same time.  It’s stylishly shaped and finished in rich (Corinthian?) leather, with handy exterior pockets and shiny metal fittings.  Click to choose from five different leather colors (Black, Brown, Camel, Cognac and White) and five metal finishes.  Choose from three colors (Black, White and Gold) for the optional clipped-on sunglasses.  Six preset combinations are available, or you can customize each element individually to make up your own unique look.  The bag also includes a “hold” pose, so hopefully it won’t appear to float magically around in the air, at least not too much.

The detailed leather textures are clearly photo-sourced, but they’re well assembled, avoiding most of the problems I associate with photo-sourced items.  As is inherent with photo-sourced images, lighting is more specifically directional, so it may not look 100% correct from all angles.  That’s to be expected, given the technique, and the resulting effect works fine for me and is not a distraction.  More problematic is the fact that the bag is no mod, and no resizer script has been used, so there’s no way to size it up or down for a better fit to your avatar.  The “out of the box” size is a little on the big size for me, but should probably work just fine for most guys.

L$245 at SOHO Fashion (Hyades 225, 208, 29).

Since we’re already talking about fine leather accessories, it seems only appropriate to say a few things about my footwear.  These are Eponymous Trenchmouth’s (relatively) new “Franken” shoes.  You may recall that Epo has done a few other shoes with similar stack heels.  As you can see, those styles were rather less conventional in both color and styling.  These are ever so slightly more sober and restrained, but the heel elevation means that no one will ever mistake them for anything stuffy or conventional.  I love the subtle differences in the leather texture’s matte finish, and the serpentine stitching up the toe and vamp is something of a marvel—how difficult must that texture have been to piece together so precisely across the shoe’s prims?  Unsurprisingly, the detailing is not confined to the more readily visible areas of the shoe.  Note the subtle wear scuffs across the sole, the heavy stitching around the outer edge, the shiny nails that hold together the layers of the heel, and the embossed designer logo in the arch.

“Franken” is an entry in Epo’s new Green & Son line of shoes.  Other entries in the initial offering of styles include “Colbert” and “Stewart.”  Hey, wait a minute, those names sound familiar…do I detect a motif?  (What, no Maddow for the ladies?)  “Stewart” is somewhat to similar to “Franken,” but in glossy black patent leather with suede insets.  “Colbert” is available in classic Black, Brown, Copper and Cordovan.  A resizer script allows for easy fitting, and a separate “power walk” animation override is included.

L$400 a pair, with some styles available in packs at special pricing.  Demos are available in the shop.  At JCS Shoes (La Fortuna 1 42, 42, 23).

The Grunge Tanktop and Flame Red Swim Trunks are both by Shinichi Mathy.  As always, fine fabric texture work is the hallmark of Shinichi’s garment designs, whether casual, dressy or more formal.  The busy print on the swim trunks helps the optional prim leg extensions to blend in better than they might in a solid color.  I did mod the taper of the prims just slightly to fit my fairly thin avie a little better.  These are the February 2010 Shiki group gift for guys.  You’ll need to join the Shiki group (if you aren’t already a member) and visit the shop Shiki 91, 153, 22 to pick up your gift.  Head down the red hallway (on your right as you walk down the main aisle) to the special Members Only area to find the gift vendors.  Available at Shiki Designs (Shiki 91, 153, 22).

To add some fun to the casual vibe, try the Rollazz roller sneakers by Hummingbird Forster.  They may look like simple, classic canvas-and-rubber sneakers, left untied for comfort–but wait, there’s more!  A small wheel on each heel (okay, and the included rolling “walk” animation) let you glide right through laggy crowds with ease.  In basic black with a sharp skull design on the tongue for guys (and around back, too!); a more feminine version styled for the ladies is also available.  The rolling anim is included both in a Zhao AO and as a separate animation (no-copy, but oh well) that you can add to your own AO.  You’ll look relaxed and oh so cool, coming or going.  To my slight disappointment, there’s no sole texture, just plain white rubber.  (I’m a sucker for detailing; what can I say?)  But the wheels are scripted to spin, which is more than adequate consolation.  Currently, these are specially priced at L$215 a pair in a countdown vendor—there should be at least a few days left at this price as I publish this, but after the countdown expires you’ll have to pay full price.  Get yours at Hummingbird Designs (Trivy Isle 112, 155, 25).

Always up for new accessories, I was pleased to hear recently that Jordan Morgenrote is designing jewelry again after a not-insignificant hiatus.  Here I’m wearing a couple of her new designs for men.  Her “Greg” necklace strings on a gracefully shaped leather cord several beads in shapes and colors that play against one another in intriguing contrast.  The round central bead reminds me of a tiny blue planet, shrouded in clouds, but I think the small purple beads at either end are my own favorites.  The “Kaj <3” bracelet seems to be quite popular already, so it may be old news to you—I overheard a comment to the effect that “like Kaj himself, everybody already has one.”  (Somehow I’m not sure that was exactly a compliment to Kaj, but such is life.  I’m sure he understands.)  The bright silver heart design, in two-character texting shorthand, is very au courant.  Hey, all the kids are doing it these days!  Perhaps not coincidentally, it’s also just right for Valentine’s Day gift giving.  You can choose the bracelet with rawhide thong, as shown here, or with a simple black cord.  L$199 each at Jordan*s Jewelry (Asbury Heights 129, 59, 32).

I’m astonished (astonished, I tell you!) that this appears to be the first time I’ve mentioned Din Raymaker’s fantastic hairstyles in a feature.  I’ve worn and credited any number of them, but somehow I’ve (almost) never actually…said anything in particular.  How did that happen?  That seems somehow just wrong.  I intend to go back, find all those posts and tag them appropriately, so at least you can find them easily.  (Update: check out other Uncleweb
Studio styles in these posts.)  It’s a woefully insufficient gesture, but it’ll have to do for now.  In the meantime, this is Din’s “Roy” style for men, in Ash Rose especially for Valentine’s Day.  This was included in Din’s recent gift to group members, which should be available in the group’s notices history for a few more days.  The gift pack also includes “Roy” in Silver Wolf, along with a women’s style.  If you miss out on this group gift, you can also pick up “Roy” in Black and Brown as an in-store freebie.  Just drop by Uncleweb Studio (Yamashita 56, 83, 21) and check the main store counter displays.  For a freebie style, this is pretty fantabulous.  Din’s non-free styles are also well worth your consideration, so be sure to try a demo or two while you’re there.

The sky was brown, only brown, never blue, and everything was dry.  Dust blew by in great clouds, and the dust was the earth, and the earth was life, and life was faltering and failing.  He had taken to collecting deadwood from what remained of the stands of trees that dotted their land, and selling the dry, dead sticks for pennies as firewood.  Sometimes that was all the money they had for the week, and the only thing that put food on their table.  Some of their neighbors had already given up and headed West.  He wondered how long they could stay, how long they could last.

[ii]  With fewer and fewer chores to do, his days stretched out long and thin, like abandoned roadways.  He tried to while away some of the empty hours with his radio equipment.  Before the drought, his father had thought this a waste of time, and he had had to “play with his toys” in the barn, usually after dinner, by dimly sputtering lamplight.  In the darkness the barn seemed to grow larger, more cavernous, and the seemingly vast dimness magnified the magic behind the science he struggled to understand.  Some nights he worked later than late, straining his eyes until he could no longer make out the tiny components.  Now, his father no longer seemed to care, and he could lose himself in the profusions of tiny tubes, wires and crystals to his heart’s content, out in the open, in full broad daylight.  Although he was glad to have the freedom, he hated the reasons for it.

Sometimes, in the dimensionless blur of static that came to him in waves over the air, he heard voices.  They did not frighten him, but rather fascinated him endlessly.  Although it seemed they had been plucked somehow out of the ether just for him, he knew that really they were the ghostly remnants of conversations between people in places far away, bouncing and skimming around the curvature of the earth to reach him.  The faint echoes seemed almost otherworldly, and his mind filled with fantastic, impossible imaginings, the very opposite of the true world he lived in.  That he could hear these voices at all, whispering in his ears like a secret, was a mystery and a gift.  Strange as it would have sounded to say so aloud, he wondered sometimes if the voices were calling him away, calling him to leave.

[iii]  Even though he was no longer a child, and had put away many childish things, he still liked to explore the countryside around his family’s farm.  He especially enjoyed the calm and quiet of the old train station, with its single once-proud locomotive, long since abandoned to ruin in the fields.  He liked to imagine days long past, when the train ran from their quiet, green countryside to the bustling city, with all its possibilities.  He knew that his mother had made that journey many times as a girl, but he himself could barely remember the locomotive pulling slowly into the station, loud with the power of many horses, choking the air with steam.  A rusting hulk was all that remained, and it had no passengers save for him, his dreaming imagination, and the occasional jackrabbit that ventured aboard.

He thought sometimes he should feel some sadness for the dead train, and for the loss it represented.  But if the empty station felt like a graveyard, it was only in its pervading peacefulness.  He never felt afraid there, nor did he sense the presence of anything other than the few remaining insects hopping in the grass and the dry wind.

One hot, blustery afternoon, unable for some reason to settle or center himself at home, he headed out on foot to commune with the old iron horse.  His vague plan was to make the most of the quiet—to rest, to think, to plan, maybe even to nap.  Instead, something wondrous happened.  Inside the ruined locomotive, resting calm and jewel-like in the blasted interior, he found a dragonfly.  How a moisture-loving creature like a dragonfly could be there at all, so far from a body of water of any kind or size, was beyond his understanding.  It sat, unmoving and gleaming blue-green in the dim light, as though waiting for him.  Without thinking, he reached out to touch it—and then realized that of course it would surely be frightened, and fly away.

But it did not.  It simply sat and allowed him to touch its back, light as a feather, just for an instant.  He thought he felt a hint of electric shock, and he would have sworn that a tiny voice breathed in his head.  It reminded him of the voices he heard through his radio earphones, and what it said was:  “And then it happens.”

He felt a thrill of excitement.  And then what happens? he wondered.  What would it be that happened, and when would “then” be?  He could hardly contain his sudden impatience—the anticipation was too great.  He felt inexplicably, unshakably certain that, when what was to happen did happen, his life would never again be the same.

Instead of walking, he ran back home, his feet and his heart lighter than they had been in a long time.

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

[i]  Striped Sweater, Wooly Pants, Newsboy Cap and Walkin’ Shoes.
[ii]  Buttondown Shirt, Baggy Jeans with Belt, Suspenders and Walkin’ Shoes.
[iii]  Buttondown Shirt, Chinos with Belt and Walkin’ Shoes.

All clothing designs are by Posy Trudeau.  Find them at her new shop Homespun (Harajukubox 197, 176, 21).  Some items are from the Homespun “Grand Opening” exclusive gift and may not yet be available for sale, or are not available in the color shown here.  Part of the fun is seeing the appropriately sized and shaped packages Posy has created for each item.  And there are pies in the back kitchen!
 
Visit The Far Away at Dreamworld North 198, 153, 22.

I think there’s a lot of unrealized potential in the smoking jacket for the contemporary American male.  After all, we can surely do better than just schlumping around in an old tee and tatty boxers.  How appealing is that?  “Not at all!” I cry.  Not even if you’re George Clooney.  Come to think of it, I bet George has more than one smoking jacket of his own.  He’s that classy.

But he may not have one as fine as this.  Never let it be said that Spikey Timeless doesn’t take seriously the clothing of the gentlemen among us.  His newly released smoking jacket and cap are handsomely styled in brocade and satin for a look and feel that’s beautifully vintage, yet completely classic.  Each smoking jacket includes shirt- and jacket-layer garments, sculpted cuffs and collar, and prim tails with sash.  The base fabric texture is that of rich, elaborately patterned brocade, while the collar and cuffs have the subtle gleam of satin.  The prim tails are stiff rather than flexi, which at first surprised me.  But the ends of the loosely knotted sash are flexi, which provides some lively movement, and the rigid tails keep their distinctive shape properly without being obviously locked in place.  The jacket- and prim-layer fabric textures blend almost imperceptibly together, but you’ll still probably want to break out your Butt Size Zero shape for this ensemble.

As lovely as the jacket itself is, the pièce de résistance may just be the cap, finely appointed as it is in fabrics matched to the jacket, braided trim and knotted tassel.  Even a true gentleman doesn’t always feel he looks his best first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening.  Sometimes all that’s needed is a quick cover-up for slightly mussed hair and suddenly one is ready to meet the world, or at least the UPS delivery man.

Surely I can’t be alone in my conviction that we as gentleman can do better at attiring ourselves when we’re “just at home.”  Spikey’s smoking jackets are perfect for receiving visitors, reading by the fire, relaxing in the rosy glow of sunset, lingering over a fine glass of tawny port, receiving visitors, taking care of personal correspondence, cuddling with a Significant Other, or just napping.

L$200 each in Gold, Midnight (shown here), Red and Green at Figleaves (Mugen Kuppuku 18, 238, 33).  A special Red-and-Black version is available exclusively at The Mermaid Arcade (Port Babbage 179, 193, 106).

But there are exceptions to any rule.  After all, it’s not like simple clothing items are inherently bad or less worthy.  Hey, when I’m feeling lazy on Saturday morning, it’s jeans (or shorts) and a tee I reach for.  For me—or anyone, for that matter—to characterize a tee-and-jeans ensemble as uncaring wouldn’t exactly be fair.  It’s certainly possible for a designer to bestow lovingly executed texture artwork on something as basic as a tee, as basic as jeans.  When that happens, it’s something worth talking about.

The jeans and tees at Aeon Jiminy’s shop no.07 aren’t just worth talking about—they’re worth taking home and wearing with pride.  Check out the detailing in the Remixed – Hand Tee I’m wearing here.  Good-looking garment textures are a combination of several layers, blended together to create and present the illusion of not just real fabric but a real piece of clothing.  I’ve seen plenty of both good and not-so-good fabric textures over the last few years, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a smoother, more convincing blend of elements than this.  Look closely, but more importantly look long, and take it all in.  The base fabric weave; hems, stitching and seams that look like pieced fabric; the graphic design work; wrinkle and fold artwork that suggests realistic pulling, not just arbitrary shadows; and subtle but distinct shading of the underlying torso muscles.  It’s just sweet.

To the tee I’ve added Aeon’s striped Slip-On Sleeves in Brown.  These are a fun add-on that add a slinky, skin-tight long-sleeved shirt under your outer shirt.  Note, though, that these are sleeves only and cannot be worn on their own as a shirt.  Sculpted attachments add rumpled, slouchie cuffs—they’re moddable, so resize away and make them look as loose or tight as you like.  They’re available in several colors, striped and solid.

Although as I may have said here before it’s impossible for me to think of leather pants without thinking of Trinny and Susannah’s reflexive response to the very concept of leather pants (“Sweaty crotch!”), I quite like these.  The color is Soil, a rich, chocolaty brown.  The sculpted cuffs are casual and slouchie, bunching up over the instep and falling down over the heel.  I’ve left them a bit oversized here, so they fall down properly over my boots (more on the boots later).  Each pair of Aeon’s pants and jeans also includes a sculptie “booster” attachment for optional wear as a package enhancer.  I’ve seen similar attachments provided with underwear and form-fitting swimwear, but this may be the first I’ve seen included with pants.  As with so many things in life, package enhancement is best done in moderation, although there’s certainly potential for results that could be described as striking.

Although I had trouble setting aside this earth-toned ensemble, which is kind of perfect for my avatar’s usual coloring, for your benefit I did put together one other outfit.  The deep jewel-like color of the Plain Ico Blue Tee struck me as a good match for/contrast with the faded comfort of the Pente Alpha Jeans.  You know how it’s done, so you can take it from here.

All available at no.07 (The Box 93, 198, 21).  no.07 currently features a selection of tees (L$200; slip-on sleeves are L$80), jeans (L$300), leather pants (L$300) and underwear, all in an array of colors and designs.  Aeon plans to add hairstyles, shoes, a variety of accessories as well as animated gadgets and toys.  It’s worth noting that no.07’s region is accessible only by residents with payment info on file.  This is likely to exclude at least some potential customers and so may be a controversial choice.  In his press-release notecard, Aeon mentions that he made this decision based on concerns including protection of his design work and a lag-free shopping experience.

I haven’t made many specific comments regarding hairstyles lately, but I want to single out the great styles for men Sebastian Aries is releasing at Shag—and releasing regularly at that, with hardly a week going by that I don’t receive an announcement notecard.  This casually shaggy (hey!) style is called “The Substitute.”  Sebastian’s hairstyles are always carefully designed and constructed, even when the vibe is one of wild abandon, and this one is no exception.  I’ve got several other Shag styles waiting in my inventory to be shown off at the first available opportunity, but don’t feel you have to wait—drop by Shag at Silent 194, 146, 36 and check things out for yourself.  Individual styles are priced at L$250 each in color/shade packs.

My Aviator sunglasses here are by Gospel Voom.  Gos’ eyewear is easily among the best I’ve seen in SL, and that’s saying something.  The all-prim construction (my personal preference) is painstakingly precise, and each pair is extensively scripted with all manner of options for customization.  You can resize and reposition the glasses, change the frame and lens color and opacity, and turn glow on or off.  Aviator comes pre-loaded with ten different frame and lens texture presets, and additional textures are available for purchase.  The pack also includes a folded pair of glasses (customizable just like the regular pair) that you can wear as if hanging from your shirt, or maybe a jacket pocket.  No Mod, but Copy-enabled so you can tweak without fear and save customized copies with different outfits.  Definitely a luxury at L$1200.  Other great-looking eyewear styles are also available.

Gos also created my “Docs” 8-Hole Boots.  Like his eyewear, these boots are scripted to within an inch of their lives (albeit virtual) to let you customize their feet and appearance—and have fun while you’re at it.  You can choose from three different shapes by touch menu:  Pristine, Abused and Loose.  Recolor the laces and eyelets to make the boots your very own.  Even the back pull-tabs can be “turned off”, to keep them from showing unrealistically through pants.  L$875 a pair in your choice of a wall full of colors.  You can buy additional colors (boot texture add-ons) as “polish” for L$300—I won’t spoil your fun by describing how you “apply” the “polish” to your boots.  I checked out Brown, Black and Blue, and to me it looks like the different polish options aren’t simply re-colored versions of the same base texture—each has its own unique highlights and other detailing.  Laces and toecaps add-ons are also available.

I think it’s worth mentioning that even the packaging for these items has been created and designed with a sense of fun.  The sunglasses come in not just a simple box but a properly shaped case that unpacks with a clever animation, and although I truly don’t want to spoil your fun with the polish, it did make me think of Dapper Dan.  Just sayin’.

Gospel Voom’s prim designs can be found at [Gos] (Fat Tuesday 88, 164, 933).  Free demos are available, so you can try before you guy.  Although I didn’t try any out, I noticed a showroom with some great wristwatches on display too.

I suppose I should start with an explanation of my own personal style.  In Second Life, I like to dress in the manner that I wish I could afford to when going clubbing IRL.  For me, dressing up has a lot more to do with having fun with what you’re wearing and being noticed in a crowd.  I would say that in Second Life I like to dress in a manner that I couldn’t get away with IRL, except that I have worn several oufits IRL that were directly inspired by my SL outfits.

Another thing about my style, and something that most males seem to shy away from, is that I like to wear outfits that show some skin (or fur) in a creative way.  You might see me in a pair of jeans, but there will be strategically places holes in them and you’ll never catch me in anything close to business casual.  I hate wearing that stuff IRL, why am I going to wear it here?

That’s one of the reason’s I love Elixir so much,  they’re one of the few shops in SL that make fun clothing designed for guys that’s well made.  If that weren’t enough, most of their outfits mix and match very well with their other offerings AND when you buy an outfit, you get every piece of it in every layer that it’s feasible for it to be on.  Talk about making mixing and matching easy!

The first outfit that I have on is a great example of how well the outfits mix and match.  The pants are from the Rocket Set, they’re a nice shiney latex that’s cut exceedingly low on the sides of the legs to show off a bit of your legs.  Just don’t forget to wear the included thong or you’ll be showing off more than you intended.

The “top” is the jacket from Elixir’s Slice Set worn on the underwear layer and their Latex & Mesh Shirt worn on the shirt layer.  Add in Rubber Biker Gloves and you’re able to show off quite a bit of skin while still being covered from head to ankle.

The second outfit is made up of the Men’s Renegade Outriders for the pants, the Men’s Rubber Window Suit (which not only comes in every clothing layer, but also comes with the colored part as sheer, solid, or removed completely!), and the Rubber Gauntlets.  This outfit is great for a variety of club settings or can be used as a unique sci-fi outfit for RP. 

The third outfit I’ve put together from Elixir is probably the most risque of the four and not something most would feel comfortable wearing around SL, but I just absolutely love it and the comments I get wearing it. 

The top is the Zebra Tactical Harness, which I got when they offered it as a freebie for a hunt they participated in but they have since started selling it in the shop.  The bikini is from their Men’s Undergear Collection and the Carbon-Fiber Chaps were sadly only offered as a freebie during another hunt.  The owners of Elixir are great about listening to their customers and responding to their needs though, so I’m sure they’d offer them up for sale if a few people inquired about them.

Finally, we come to the last outfit of the show, one that’s so similar to an outfit I had custom made for an RL club event that I nearly passed out when I first saw it in Elixir.  I’m not being very creative wearing the Serpent Set all on it’s own, but then it doesn’t need anything extra to look absolutely stunning!

This outfit comes with a pair of prim leggings but, in my opinion, I think it looks a bit better without them.  The way this outfit both covers and reveals the body leaves very little to the imagination while at the same time making the imagination run absolutely wild. 

One thing that you may have noticed is that I’m not wearing shoes in any of these outfits and there’s a good reason for that…I never wear shoes in SL.  For some reason it always seems that no matter how good the shoes I get look, I’m never happy with them.

Find Elixir at Nelson Bay 195, 71, 46.

Avatar info
Skin: Nomine Neko - male cheetah from Nomine
Hair: Hiroto - Royal Blue from Penumbra
Ears/tail: AD-v3.0 Neko Tail and Ears; Whiskers: Ari-licious Color Change Whiskers; and Eyes: AD-Neko Eyes - Ocean Stars - all from Ari’s Neko Retreat