Men's Second Style

I did something new and unusual this year.  I took vacation over the Christmas and New Year holidays.  Two weeks off from work, to be precise.  I had no travel plans, as my immediately family members all live fairly close to one another, but I wanted to try out a less busy and stressful holiday season, to see what that was like.  I had all these plans for fun and productive things I was going to do, and some of these were actually accomplished.  But mostly I, um, sat around and was pretty mellow.

As fallout, I suppose, of all this calm and relaxation, the holidays seemed for me perhaps not to pass more slowly but somehow to last longer, if that makes sense.  Here it is, January 8, and I’m still feeling festive.  Hey, we’ve only just passed Twelfth Night!  In fact, our tree is still up.

I’m also still (so far) going strong with winter formalwear, although I might be just about ready to wrap this series up.  Today’s installment features new creations by swaffette Firefly, longtime SL resident and designer, currently available at her new über classy formalwear boutique, High Society.

The Hamilton Tux (L$420) is a beautifully detailed, luxuriously appointed formal suit that includes a variety of clothing pieces and accessories that can be combined and recombined for several different looks.  The rather mind-boggling set includes jacket, pants with prim cuffs, tapestry vest, and three different shirt-and-tie options, with appropriate prim accessories.  Detailing on the jacket includes a tasteful pocket square in fabric matching the vest and a prim “back flap,” the design and inclusion of which I have previously described and praised at some length.  As is shown above, the jacket can also be worn as a coat by means of an optional flexi coat “add-on” attachment.  This coat section is lined with the same tapestry fabric used for vest and pocket square, so the whole ensemble coordinates really quite beautifully.

The three shirt-and-tie options include: shirt with bowtie band and wing collar detailing, for wear with the prim bowtie; shirt with necktie painted onto the fabric texture (and this goes to show you just how good a “texture” necktie can look); and a plain shirt, for wear with the prim collar and tie.  The stylized but elaborate floral print on the shirt goes well with the tapestry of the vest and jacket, and it’s a perfect, unexpected touch of extra luxury.

Most prim components are included in various sizes, including some described as intended for a ”slimmer fit.”  Bless you, swaffette!  All the skinny guys and I thank you.

The Hamilton Tux is available in Black and Gold (as shown here), Black and Silver, the autumnal “October” (I’ll be picking this up and setting it aside for fall), and the special “Hogmanay” edition.  By now it is, as swaffette says, “a bit late for Hogmanay, but maybe ideal for Burns Night.”  Ahh, if only I could wear swaffette’s “Hogmanay” tux to a RL Burns Night supper!

For something a bit more retro-casual, but equally classic in its own way, consider the Rockefeller shirt and pants set (L$300).  Here you get dress pants and ruffled tuxeduo shirt, provided in different versions on various layers (including underwear extension) for tucked and untucked wear.  The shirt can also be properly buttoned to the collar or casually unbuttoned, and separate prim attachments are provided so you can wear the bowtie tied or loosened for after-party revelry (the loosened tie is flexi).  This level of flexibility is wonderfully helpful.

Far from being afterthoughts, the carefully sculpted prim French cuffs are themselves things of beauty.  I don’t consider myself jaded (at least not yet), but I do look at a lot of SL fashion design work, and although much of it is very impressive, moments of true thrill are still relatively rare.  Perhaps surprisingly, this is one of those moments.  Although a shirt cuff may seem on the surface to be mundane, these certainly are not.  The stiffly starched cuffs are gracefully curved, and the cufflinks themselves, rather than being simple, cosmetic decorations, are properly formed and painstakingly detailed.

The Rockefeller shirt and pants set comes in your choice of Blue, Mauve (as shown here), Pink and White shirts.

All available at High Society (Penryn 69, 82, 36), formal wear for men and women from SF Design.  Permissions are M C T, but copiable versions are vailable for selected items.  Be sure to pick up a box of gift items at the entrance!