[Guest Style Consultant] : Elric Anatine [ii]

Fashioning an Elegant Fursona

September 1st, 2009 at 10:58am Ryan Darragh

Akin to humans, furs come in all shapes and sizes, with the added complexity of species to consider.  Perhaps a little more challenging, albeit very rewarding, is customizing your furry self.  Unlike humans, furry avatars do not have an easy to use slider system for changing the shape and size of various attributes.  And while clothes may make the man, they most definitely make the fur–as do accessories; for it is the easiest way to express individuality when bound by a (usually) difficult-to-modify avatar.  Before I jump into apparel however, I do wish to say a few words about some of the customizations possible with a furry avatar.  Results vary, as does everyone’s desire to modify his or her base furry avatar.

Perhaps a little unusually, I stumbled into my fursona quite by accident, rather than entering Second Life with the express purpose of creating a furry avatar.  I’m almost embarrassed to admit this publicly, but my partner had, on a number of occasions, referred to me as a fox, so one day (about two years ago) I decided to investigate the acquisition of a fox avatar.  After some considerable research, I settled on the Arctic Fox by Cheetah Kitty, feeling that it most closely approximated my human self.  I then pondered: “If I were a fox, what would I look like?  How do I transfer my preference for Victorian and elegant gothic attire to my fox self?”  And so the journey began.

Clearly my human pony tail hair would not work with my fox self.  I tried applying a few of the shorter lengths of blond hairs that I had collected (and never really worn), and it was not until I triumphantly placed Illusions’ “The Dauphin” (blonde) wig onto my fox self that I thought, “There is the beginning of a gentleman fox.”  From the point on, I embraced my fursona with zeal, and my project shifted from being an intriguing challenge to having more fun than I anticipated.  As an important aside, it is absolutely imperative for hair to be modify (and not via a resize script either) when customizing your furry avatar.  Furry heads come in all species, shapes and sizes, and hair cannot simply be enlarged to properly fit all furry heads.  So do ensure the hair is modify before you buy.
 
Similarly, jewellery should also be modify.  The monocle I am wearing, which I’m pleased coordinates well with the suit, had to be enlarged and the over-the-nose pieces extended to span the width of my fox’s snout.  There are very few monocles to be had in Second Life unfortunately, and I was pleased to encounter this one in my travels.  The SLC by Serious Giggle (a shop definitely worth visiting for the spectacle wearers among us) is scripted to change appearance, glass opacity, and bling.  While not as comprehensive as spectacles by PrimOptic (who I wish would release a monocle), the SLC monocle is very impressive nonetheless.  And it is modify!

Attaching jewellery and accessories to furry avatar components can be particularly amusing.  For example, if you wish to attach an earring to your ear, you must rez both items, work the earring appropriately into position (resizing as necessary), and potentially contend with a script that twitches your ear randomly (that is the amusing part).  Ensure that all items you combine are modify, and link the piece of jewellery to the furry body part (the root prim should remain within the body part so that it properly attaches to you when worn).  If you have access to land where scripts are disabled, you will find the job of attaching items to moving body parts much easier.  [For a modifiable item, you should also be able to disable its scripts temporarily.  Look for the "Set Scripts to Running/Not Running in Selection" options under the Tools menu.  -- Ed.]  I fashioned the earrings I am currently wearing with components from the monocle for a somewhat balanced and continuous look.  I do like my accessories.

As I casually play the part of eccentric apothecary with an interest in toxic substances in Second Life, I felt it prudent to add one of my newest acquisitions to this ensemble–the strapped-to-thigh dagger and syringe combination.  I only acquired this item a month ago and sadly the creator has left Second Life, along with her wares.  I am therefore quite delighted that I was able to purchase this fun little accessory before it vanished.  It is modify and I made a few adjustments to suit my needs.

Most furry avatars allow for custom colouration of the eyes (usually via chat commands).  When I recently switched from my Arctic Fox avatar to Aventity’s White Fox, I retained the heterochromia appearance of my blue eyes as this modification had become very much a part of me.  I also took the opportunity to make my new fox’s fangs a little longer in order to lend a subtle edge to my projected gentleman fox image.  Additionally, I switched from Illusions’ Blonde wig to the Powdered variant (matching the White Fox avatar much better), and it was not long before my new fox avatar exemplified myself again.
 
My clothing preference, however, will always remain constant, regardless of whether I am in my human or fox form.  Although I do often end up “buying for two” as my human self has a preference for black and red where my fox self prefers black and blue.  Silent Sparrow and Falln releases almost always ensure that I buy three of every suit (black, red and blue).
 
Silent Sparrow is one of the most furry-friendly clothing designers in SL.  Hya’s suits are always fun to wear, accessorize and mash up.  Her styles and colours are compatible, so a new look can easily be achieved by combining aspects of different suits.  Her latest suit, however, Severin, provides so many options (two trousers, two cuffs, three jabot, two jackets and three shirts) that mixing and matching might just feel a little blasphemous.
 
The quality in Severin is unmatched, the style is pure elegance, and the design is positively rich.  This opulent dark velvet and lace suit all but screams “touch me” (a note to those looking for something special to wear on their next date).  Dress Severin up or dress the suit down for a more casual appearance.  Explore all of the variations and create a new look every time you wear this versatile ensemble.  The striped trousers (another weakness of mine) are available in dual tone or single tone, depending on how fanciful you feel.  The three sumptuous versions of the jabot afford you three different looks yet again, and also need not even be worn if you prefer the casual look.

I am relieved when clothing creators make their trousers modify so that I can shorten them to accommodate the White Fox’s digitigrade legs, which I have grown a distinct preference for.  One of the reasons I have latched onto the digitigrade legs is that I do not need to agonize over shoes and boots; my quest for the perfect pair is ongoing (although I’ve found a few that are close).
 
I have a marked passion for quality prim coat tails, and I must say these are the most creatively and exquisitely designed yet.  For those who say they cannot wear prim coat tails–try Silent Sparrow’s (especially one of the recent releases), and you if you find that they do not fit perfectly upon the first wearing, alteration takes mere moments.  This care and attention to detail, as well as fantastical realism, is one of Silent Sparrow’s trademarks, and one of the reasons I look forward to every new suit release.

The prim components fit well, and are modify for those who need to make small adjustments (something I need to do once in a while with my smaller framed fox avatar).  Speaking of fox, the default attachment point for my tail is the stomach, and Hya’s suit coat tails attach to the pelvis.  What does this mean exactly?  It means that I do not need to spend time attaching my alternate tail (one I modified to attach specifically to the pelvis for those creators who assign coat tails to the stomach instead of pelvis).  Due to the minimal number of attachment points, I suggest that any fur also adapt copies of various furry body parts so that they can be attached to alternate locations when required.
 
Returning to this dark Victorianesque gothic ensemble displayed here, the belt, cuffs and jabot are very finely crafted and imbue Severin with a life of its own.  Luscious, decadent and even a little playful, this suit will stand the test of time and become a very versatile ensemble in my collection.

~~~ Details: ~~~

Fox avatar:  Male White Fox by Mephitis Jezebel of Aventity
Hair:  The Dauphin (Powdered) by Siyu Suen of Illusions (item retired)
Suit:  Severin by hyasynth Tiramisu of Silent Sparrow
Gloves:  Aconite Gloves by hyasynth Tiramisu of Silent Sparrow
Monocle:  SLC by Kirin Xeno of Serious Giggle
Dagger & Syringe:  ~SA~ Another Poison – blue by Insania Aeon (very sadly retired)
Earrings:  Modified by myself and based on the monocle SLC by Kirin Xeno of Serious Giggle
 
Elric Anatine
Apothecary
Syzygy Selene
Distinguished Aesthetics

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Speaking for myself, I enjoy these Guest Style Consultant features (and I certainly hope you do, too), not least because they’re something different and fun.  The guests often go in directions and try things I haven’t.  They also provide an opportunity for an enjoyable chat during the photo shoot.  These chats are often not only fun but enlightening.  I had looked forward with keen anticipation to chatting with Elric about his uniquely fashionable fursona.  He was quite generous and forthcoming in sharing his experiences and insights.  In particular, I was fascinated with his choice to present this suit in his furry guise.

“I just had the idea to combine a little furry intel with a review.  Fur does not appeal to everyone, but the clothes might.  (winks)  Even among furs I’m odd…a fur with a WIG?!?!  (laughs)

“I’ve really enjoyed exploring having a furry avatar.  I never really intended to.  It’s been a fun avatar to customize.  [There have been] some definite growing pains, like losing my tail while wearing certain outfits.  It surprised me how quickly I adapted myself to all attributes of the furry persona (fursona)…ears, tail etc.  And then yes, there’s the more intimate side of novelties, such as ‘Good lord, how do I find a “nice” attachment?’  If you ever want to be entertained, go to a furry mall and view the vast array of attachments available.  (chuckles)  Not to be lurid, of course.  But it’s a consideration.

“The other interesting aspect of having a furry avatar is seeing others with the same base avatar and what they have created for themselves by way of customization.  One learns quickly how to build and adapt creations as well.  These earrings, for instance, took me about a half-hour to create based on the monocle.  I was pretty pleased that came together as quickly as it did.  But other times, I can agonize over modifications and still toss it away.  I suspect most people who like to really customize themselves endure the same.”

Interestingly, I myself am a big fan of unique, intricate prim accessories.  That is one thing Elric and I have in common.  I was quite taken with his leg cuff with syringes, and told him so.

“Thank you!  Oh, that was such a find.  A week later the creator retired from SL.  Her SLX shoppe is no more either.  XStreet, apologies.  She only made a few things, all quite well.  Seemed to have a great philosophy…and then…poof.  But I understand.  This is a very transient world.  Or can be.”

I was highly impressed with Elric’s fox avatar, and especially intrigued by his fox eyes, in two shades of blue, and wondered if that were a custom design element.

“No, actually,” he responded.  “Each eye can be scripted to ‘take’ a different colour.  Most furs, interestingly, choose to have the same colour, which makes sense.  David Bowie is a favourite of mine, so it’s a subtle nod to him really.

“The tail can get a little wild at times.  (laughs)  It’s scripted to a few settings, which is nice.  I think having a furry avatar takes on a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘playing with oneself’ because you do feel a bit of a toy sometimes.”

I found the tail to be quite eye-catching actually.  After all, what’s the point of having a tail if it just sits there?

“Agreed.  I was just chatting with Hya [Hyasynth Tiramisu, the creative force behind Silent Sparrow] about tails and she said, ‘Tell Ryan it’s a disease.’”

We laughed together.  So, once bitten, you’re never over it?

“Yes, exactly that—in that it becomes a necessary part of you…a must have…one feels naked without it.  I find even my attitude changes a bit.  I feel more relaxed as fox.  A little more playful.  It’s been a really curious experiment.”

Ultimately, I think Elric’s hope is to address some possibly mistaken impressions regarding fur.

“Most people have a conception that furs are cargo-pant-wearing griefers, when that is not always the case.  (chuckles)  And [being furry] does bring some prejudices, unfortunately.  But, at my age, it’s water off a duck’s back.”

So to speak.

Entry Filed under: Accessories,Avatars,Aventity,Dressy,Fantasy,Furry,Illusions,Period,Roleplay,Serious Giggle,Silent Sparrow,Suits,Victorian,[Guest Style Consultant]