Men's Second Style

It can be challenging to actually (virtually) meet up with someone in SL, even given the convenience of not having to leave my house or even, um, get dressed.  So many people, so many time zones–it’s not as easy as it looks.  I was fortunate enough to connect via IM with Abby Coalcliff earlier this week, and we chatted about her new fantasy menswear release at Analise.

Abby:  My sister [Talyn Barrett] is the main designer of Analise.  I usually sell women’s casual wear, and now I’m entering men’s fantasy. I know it’s a bit silly but it’s fun to do something a bit different sometimes.

Ryan:  I think SL should be fun–which to me means getting to do things I wouldn’t or couldn’t in RL.

Abby:  Oh, I totally understand!  I’m currently trying to get out of my RL box.

Ryan:  More of us should do that more often. 

Abby:  [If you] get any silly men’s clothing ideas, send them my way!

Abby’s first release of menswear includes five outfits in different styles and fabrics.  Up first is “Buckley’ (L$450), a simple but tasteful ensemble for the comfortable but not necessarily wealthy gentleman.  The set includes a vest that can be worn with or without the long-sleeved shirt, trousers, flexi jacket tails, and prim belt.  The shirt is roughly woven but still looks comfortable, due to its muted coloring and soft fabric texture.  The trousers are handily provided on both the pants and underwear layers, for wear either with shoes or tucked into boots, as shown.  Although the belt is moddable, I could not simply “stretch” it down to fit me, apparently due to one or more component prims already at minimum size.  However, I was able to use Edit Linked Parts to select and resize the waist belt loop prim with no difficulty.  “Buckley,” shown here in Black, is also available in Brown.

“Colin” (L$425) has a couple of different looks, one more casual, the other a bit dressier.  The simple, more casual “blouse”-style top shown here comes in versions with and without sleeve stripes, and glove-layer sleeve extensions are also included.  The black sash is optional, but in this case I think more is definitely more.

The reddish-brown coat is nicely textured with rough-grain leather on both the jacket-layer top and the flexiprim coat bottom.  The heavy buckle-and-strap fasteners close the front of the coat–no zippers here!–feel authentic and are a great visual detail.  The coat can be worn over the lightweight “blouse” top or on its own.  The set also includes brown and black trousers–again, on both pants and underwear layers for wear with shoes or boots.

“Fagan” is for the young lord who fancies himself a bit of a dandy.  The tunic’s fabric texture makes it look heavy, like tapestry, and the Celtic-knot detailing lends formality.  The high prim collar and shoulder caps make it clear that the wearer is (or at least very much wants to be) well established in society’s upper echelon.  Rolled wrist cuffs and a stylishly trim flexi tail complete the tunic.  You also get a simple black belt and pants for wear with both boots and shoes.  Shown here in Green, ”Fagan” is also available in Burgundy, Black, Blue, White.  The set is priced at L$350 for a single color, or L$1400 for a pack of all five.

“Roland” is the epitome of the dashing adventurer, just returned from extensive travels or about to embark upon some grand quest or other.  A simple cream-colored tunic is made of shiny, almost silky fabric and decorated with stylized great birds; black piping edges the neckline and cuffs.  Black pants on two clothing layers allow for wear with shoes or boots.  Seven shoulder capes complete the outfit in Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Red, White and Yellow.  Flexi fabric falls dramatically from the leather shoulder cap, secured by a strap across the chest and decorated with a coordinating medallion.  The capes are moddable but can’t be “stretched” smaller as a whole; it was no problem to shrink the chest band to the appropriate size using Edit Linked Parts.  “Roland” is priced at L$500 for the set.

“Seamus” is proper attire for the gentleman who is quite proper indeed.  The base of the outfit is made up of a jacket-layer top and black underwear-layer trousers (no pants layer this time).  The texture work on the velvet jacket includes some lovely decorative embroidery in metallic gold thread, and the wide collar reinforces the illusion of the white shirt actually being worn underneath.  It’s the prim components that give this outfit its shape: flexi jacket tails and sash, shoulder caps, and arm and leg pieces that make billowy sleeves and trouser legs.

Color choices include Red (as shown here), Black, White, Green, Gold, Aqua and Blue.  “Seamus” is available for L$500 for a single color, L$3000 for a pack of all colors.  A version of “Seamus” in Aqua and Purple is currently available as a freebie to Analise group members.

Permissions for all items are No Copy / Transfer; prim parts are moddable where appropriate.  The pants were No Modify in my review samples, but according to Abby they will be moddable when purchased in the shop.

All designs available at Analise (Talana 127, 130, 25).  Menswear is to the left as you enter the store, through the archway marked “Free Women.” It’s at least somewhat likely that this does not mean what you think it means.