How the other half lives

January 28th, 2012 at 11:21pm Ryan Darragh

I remember, when I was a kid, seeing photographs of people celebrating Christmas in shorts and sandals, even though their (fake) snow-flocked tree looked decidedly wintry to me. Mom, how can that be? Are they having Christmas in the summertime? (My mother was a schoolteacher before she retired.) Well, yes and no. You see, the Earth is a giant sphere, and some countries are on the other side, and the sun…and seasons… Well, my little head nearly exploded. I still can’t help thinking, deep down, that it’s kind of strange.

So, having finished up (for now) with sweaters, and before I move on to a few coats I’ve got my eye on, let’s make a brief side trip to a place that looks like January somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere. Because of course they’re dressing very differently there than I am in North America, even though it is Los Angeles and rather unseasonably warm these last few days. Consider it a well deserved diversion before we get back to dressing for chillier climes.

andersonlevis Obereung advertises his warm-weather casual menswear as “a modern take”. While I don’t disgree, I also think there’s a distinct retro/classic vibe to his shorts in particular—the asymmetrical elements, thickly layered fabrics, and profusion of not-always-functional buttons seem knowingly vintage (think, of all things, steampunk) rather than contemporary. It’s an interesting, even fascinating blending of influences and detail, a style interpretation that straddles the blurry line between Old and New.

Scott, discerning gentleman that he is, loves andersonlevis’ Saruel Vintage shorts. Their almost-baggy construction is reigned in by cuffed legs that are still comfortable rather than constricting. The herringbone fabric weave gives them a dressier look than you might otherwise expect. The sculpted shapes are impressive and make for a handsome garment. Inspect more closely and you’ll be rewarded by all sorts of realistic detailing: beautiful fabric texture and shading work, brand tags in back and at the cuff—and oh, those shiny metal buttons! Five colors, L$235 a pair.

Kamal, on the other hand, prefers the entirely casual look of the KlainKlot shorts. The twill fabric texture looks light and comfortable, and in spite of the neatly finished waistband the overall profile is loose, almost but not quite exaggeratedly so. Three glossy enamel-covered, metal-edged snaps adorn the asymmetrical fly. While the Saruel Vintage shorts incorporate a pants-layer base garment, these do not—just three sculpted attachments and a transparents alpha layer to hide your avatar’s body around the waist, just in case. Depending on your AO’s poses, you may notice that some of the fabric textures are mirror-flipped from one leg to the other, and some of the folds and wrinkles might just border on looking somewhat “crispy”. I find this more noticeable on the rack-style shop vendors, with their purposely regular garment presentation; it’s not really an issue in daily wear. Five colors, L$250 a pair.

Both men are wearing Birken Flip Flops, also by andersonlevis. These leather-strap sandals are classic at their core, yet not slavish in their interpretation. Here again there’s some asymmetry at work, in the way the leather straps cross over and under each other—really quite handsome. The integrated ankle bracelets conceal the join of the sculpted feet to your avatar’s own legs (a tattoo-layer alpha renders your own feet invisible), and the included HUD allows color change for the skin (but not the toenails), ankle bracelets, and decorative beads. As always, it can be challenging to get just the right color match for your avatar’s skin, and what looks good in some lighting conditions may not work as well in others. I found the subtle “grain” of the foot’s skin texture was more realistically visible on Scott’s lighter skin tone and got somewhat lost when tinted to match Kamal’s darker skin. I recommend trying out a free demo first, to make sure you’ll be happy with the results. Ten colors, L$350 a pair (or L$2,199 for a pack of all ten).

All available at Micoolie (Mastic Beach 244, 34, 3502).

Disclosure: Seen in World: Yes | Review Copy: Yes | Friends List: No

Notes: On "Scott": "Hyperion - Alexander" skin by Theodore DuCasse (Zanzo). "Scott" shape by Noon Twine (Noon Shapes). "Liam" hair by Wicked Loudon (Dernier Cri). Lotus Fantasy and Flare Lotus Color tattoos by ilotus Resident (Black Lotus). Fire Walk With Me necklace (yes, it lights!) by Plurabelle Laszlo (Bliensen + MaiTai). On "Kamal":  "Morris" skin by Shiloh Jun (Shybooty). "Crow" shape by Fade Dana (CMSS). MohOwk#2 hair by Shiloh Jun (Shybooty). Wet Look Tank by JohnnyD Posthorn (Juice). Kaimana necklace and bracelet by Caliah Lyon (Muse).

Entry Filed under: Casual,Micoolie,Sandals,Shorts