For now, I am no longer a Second Life Resident. Linden Labs have decided to upgrade their system for taking payment from residents outside of the US and in the process are unable to take my payment and have suspended my account.

In mid May, I received an email from ‘My Friends at Linden Lab’ advising that I may experience problems in making payments because they’d upgraded their system for International customers and had ‘run into a few bugs and systems issues’. However, my friends provided a link to a post on their blog which reassuringly advised that ‘Recent Billing Issues Will Not Affect Your Account Status’.

I was at least prepared then, when 2 days later, I received an email advising that LL had failed to bill my account. I responded to the email and asked if their failure to bill was related to technical issues; after all I knew the credit card was good and had been since I started using it for Second Life payments in 2007. They replied and instructed me to call to sort out billing. They provided 2 telephone numbers, both of which were invalid when called so I emailed back and told them so. I then received a set of instructions, by email, on how to update my billing. The instructions involved a complicated 26-step process and required me to purchase L$600 to satisfy the new minimum transaction of at least $2.50 USD; ironic when you consider that the upgraded system, which caused the failure to bill in the first instance, was implemented to ensure billing would be ‘easier, and less expensive’ (quote taken from ‘My Friends at Linden Lab’ in their original email). I responded and advised that I had no intention of going through their suggested long drawn out process and purchase L$600 which I did not need in order to rectify their technical problem. I was somewhat pleased when I received their reply which advised that my case was being reviewed by the relevant department and that I would receive a response in 2 to 5 working days.

In my naivety, I expected that the response would take the form of an apology and offer to accept my payment without inconveniencing me or putting me to additional expense. Hmmm … no … the response was notification that they hadn’t received payment and that if they didn’t do so within 30 days ‘your account will be canceled, and your inworld land holdings (Linden Home included) will be foreclosed on’. At this point, my ability to log into Second Life was disabled. Having come to the conclusion that taking the moral high ground was going to result in my loss of account, possessions and land, I swallowed my pride and logged on to the Second Life website to update payment details. At this point, I was presented with a message asking me to call them or submit a support case. I called the provided number (plus others given on the website for billing support) 7 times, but every time I called I was cut off with the message “Call ended. Thank you for your call”. Unperturbed, I returned to my account and selected the link to submit a support case, at which point I was logged out of the system and invited to submit a question as a guest. There was an option to log in and I chose it and engaged in a few minutes of technical merry-go-round, eventually returning to my starting point – the guest question submission screen.

The introductory message on LL’s billing support advises that Second Life residents can find help on the website or through chat support. Running out of options, I decided to look for the chat support option on the website. I couldn’t find it, but in looking, I came across an option to restore my account and update my payment details (you have to wonder why the original message I received when logging into my account didn’t just direct me there?). I noticed that there was an option to change country of residence. As you may know, I’ve recently moved to the US. I intended to update my residency details and change billing to a US credit card at some point in the future, but as I was being forced into updating billing, I thought I’d might as well do it there and then. I successfully changed my country of residence to the US, but after selecting the option to make payment, I was advised onscreen that I was still being billed in pounds sterling. Not only that, but the amount being billed was $52.50 higher than I’d previously been notified I owed. It was at that point I saw a golden glimmer of hope in the corner of the payment screen – the elusive and magical chat support button – squeee! I was sure that a LL support staff member, once aware of my plight, would empathise and rush to take my cash; we could all then move on from this painful incident.

I’m not sure how long our chat lasted – it seemed like over an hour and I won’t take up your time with irrelevance. I more or less relayed the series of events as outlined above and in a stereotypical customer services styley, she reassured me that she was listening … I was hopeful. Afterwards, she responded by asking me if I’d followed the 26-step procedure to update my billing details. After realising my hopes were in vein and internalising a big sigh, I explained that I had not because I did not feel it was fair to expect me to spend time and money sorting out their technical problems. Besides, updating my billing details would not resolve the problems I was now experiencing after changing my country of residence in being billed in the wrong currency and for the wrong amount. She went on to explain that “the upgrade has caused a lot of issues that we are trying to resolve”, that my account should not have been closed, that they would move my account back to the old system, but that it would take some time to complete, the system was automatic and they had no control over it. I would have to log on again in 48 hours and attempt to update my billing information then. In the meantime, my account would remain locked and I would continue to have no access in-world.

I told the chat operator that I had no confidence in LL and that I felt would be faced with the same issues in 48 hours as I had then. I told her that I wanted a telephone number so that I could speak to someone. When none was provided, I advised that I wanted to escalate the issue and asked for the details of someone I could contact to make a complaint. All I received in return was a generic email address; she refused to offer me anything further except for some advice; after explaining that they knew they had problems after their upgrade, she went on to tell me that is why they had sent me the emails to tell me to update my billing information. Obviously, I felt a fool … it appeared that this was all my fault. My advice, for any International Second Life Residents who may be experiencing similar problems to me is, when asked to step up by LL with your time and your money to resolve their technical problems, do not shirk your duty. Do your bit and help them out … God knows, they need it!

Skin: Redgrave Hana Pale Skin 12 (L$790)

Eyelashes: Redgrave Showgirl Eyelashes (L$90)

Hair: Muism Egle Hair in Shine Black (L$125)

If you’re a designer and would like your creations included within the magazine, please feel free to send me copies of your work. I can’t promise that I’ll include it, but I will if I really love it . Bye for now!

Dolly’s top 5 suggestions for  things to do in London:

1. Get away from the tourist crowds and eat French at La Sacre Coeur in Islington.

2. Take a flight and enjoy a 360 degree view of the City in London’s top paid for visitor attraction, The London Eye.

3. Learn about England’s bloody past from a Yeoman at The Tower of London and see Henry VIII’s armour whilst your there.

4. Mingle with the rich and the richer at what is claimed to be the World’s most luxurious department store, Harrods.

5. Have a picnic in St James’s Park before strolling up The Mall to Buckingham Palace.

Skin: Curio April Skin in Petal Tulip 1 [Dark] (L$1,000)

Hair: fri.day Deena Hair in Scornful Red (Reds pack) (L$75)

Sunglasses: miel Bella Peepers Sunglasses (scripted) (L$175)

Vest: !Ohmai Summer Breeze Vest in SUNNYSUBMARINE (part of the Summer Breeze outfit) (L$120)

Jacket: fri.day Military Jacket in Original Denim (L$100)

Necklace: Atelier AM Lemmon Necklace (L$100)

Bag: JE*REPUBLIC La vie est belle Bag in Valentine – Valentine hunt gift (no longer available, but very similar style and colour available in-store L$150)

Jeans: Armidi A0001 Capri Jeans in Dark Classic (L$145)

Shoes: Maitreya ChiChi Pumps in Yellow (scripted) (L$450)

There’s been a bit of a debate around fri.day since it’s much anticipated opening at the beginning of August. Well, like them or not and for what its worth, my opinion is that they are delivering as promised. You’ll find a good range of well made basics here in all layer and colour options (yah!) plus a few crackers including some great waist belts, the beautifully styled military style jacket featured in this post, and some truly lovely hair (also featured). The best news is that they’re holding a sale from now until 10th September and most items are discounted at around the L$50 to L$100 mark.

What has never been in question since launching onto the Second Life fashion design scene, is the universal love shown for !Ohmai. I adore the sunny nature of this little yellow vest and applaud Anya’s skill in textures and the innovative use of the system skirt to produce the peplum. I know of only a few other designers who have done it so well – and I am talking about the uber talented and well-seasoned crew at Tableau here!

The September issue of Second Style is out now!

Click here to view (feeling chuffed)

Those of you that read my last post may know that I’ve been away for the Summer. Sugar Daddy’s family came to visit from the US for a month and we had a wonderful time showing them all that Britain has to offer. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time for blogging or any SL playtime for that matter so Dolly didn’t join me on our adventures. However, if had she been with me, I know she would have worn the outfits I’m going to showcase in my series of next 3 posts. Today, I will be your guide to Edinburgh; so please “Suivez-moi!”.

Edinburgh is a fantastic city charmed with character, whiffing of whiskey, and tarted up with tartan! Scotland is renowned for wet weather and it’s no exaggeration when I say that I’ve never seen such heavy downpours as we experienced during our visit. However, it all seemed to add to the novelty value for our visitors and Edinburgh proved to be their most favourite of all the places we visited in Britain.

Dolly’s top 5 suggestions for  things to do in Edinburgh:

1. Eat Haggis, Neeps and Tatties with Whiskey Cream Sauce at The Last Drop Tavern in Edinburgh’s historical Grassmarket.

2. Take a tour around The Real Mary King’s Close, a forgotten street from the 17th Century recently discovered buried beneath the Royal Mile.

3. Walk the Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace and the controversially design Scottish Parliament Building.

4. See the Scottish Crown Jewels and St Margaret’s Chapel (built in 1130 and Edinburgh’s oldest building) at the City’s most famous tourist attraction, Edinburgh Castle.

5. Shop ’til you drop in Edinburgh’s busiest shopping district, Princes Street.

Hair & Hat: Truth Morgan Hair in Brownie (Browns 2 pack) (scripted hat) (L$225)

Skin: Curio Lovely Skin in Vintage Rose 1 Petal Frex (L$1,000)

Eyes: Glanz Transparency Shine Eyes in Fresh Blue (L$300)

Eyelashes: REDGRAVE MoulinRouge Eyelashes (L$90)

Nails: Love Soul Clear French Prim Nails in Natural (L$90)

Earring: Creamshop Toon Heart Earrings (scripted) (L$195)

Shirt: AOHARU Ruffle Shirt in Ivory (part of the Ruffle Shirt Dress) (L$280)

Dungarees: Stylissimo Long Fly Home Dungarees (part of the Long Fly Home outfit) (L$450)

Bag: Cherry Hannah Vintage Messenger Bag (scripted) (L$325)

Bracelet: eLDee Kali Bracelet in Red (fatpack) (L$60)

Skirt: Canimal Sinister Skirt (part of the Sinister outfit) – Vintage (no longer available)

Shoes: Periquita Mary Squares Shoes in Dark Yellow with Red Buttons (scripted) (L$350)

Now, for a bit about the clothes . I love scripted items and lately designers seem to be offering us more of them and with multi-component scripting giving more flexibility to co-ordinate and create new looks. A number of the items included in this post fall into the latter category including the Cherry Hannah Vintage Messenger Bag which comes with 6 fabric options, 2 leather options, and multiple buttons to play with. Also featured are the Periquita Mary Square Shoes which have 18 shoe and 9 button colours to choose from. Periquita shoes are unmistakeably gorgeous with their quirky shapes and now all of them come with scripted colour options too… happy days!

(PS – As so many of you liked the black cat from Film Noir, he’s making another appearance. Unfortunately, the cat isn’t from SL … he’s my Deviant Art pet … I think I will call him Hector.)

Hair: REDGRAVE Sakura Curly Bob Hair in Blond (L$150)

Hat: LaGyo Special Beige Fedora (L$180)

Blouse: BareRose (Fantasy Section) Miss Quin Shirt (part of the Miss Quin outfit) (tinted R:255/G:237/B:186) (L$140)

Bracelet: Bliensen + MaiTai Industrial Revolution Bracelet (L$170)

Shorts: LeLutka Michelle Pants in Tan (L$325)

Watch: Denver Hax Free Chiming Pocket Watch (case tinted R:32/G:32/B:32) (L$0)

Leggings: Lost Dreams Leather Trend Leggings in Cream (L$90)

Boots: BAX Ankle Boots in Black Patent (L$700)

Hair: Vanity Hair Babilone Hair in Essence (Blond pack) (L$250)

Earrings, Choker & Bracelets: Eclectica Deco Pearl Strand Set in Gold (L$300)

Necklace: fashionably dead Goth Necklaces (L$150)

Dress: Paper Couture Vivian Italiano Rose Skirt and Bodice (part of the Vivian Italiano Rose outfit) (L$600)

Corset: Trilobiteware Brocadey Underbust Corset in Star (fatpack) (tinted R:255/G:255/B:204) (L$250)

Boots: Bettie’s Victorian Ankle Boots (L$300)

Hair: LeLutka Jean Hair in Platinum (Peroxides pack) (L$225)

Headpiece: AMARIAH Mist Black Crochet Dress Feather Hair Accessory (part of the Mist Black Crochet Lace Bubble Dress outfit) (L$389)

Blouse: Stylissimo Twisted Victoria Shirt (part of the Twisted Victoria dress) (L$450)

Dress and Gloves: M*A*ii*K*I Poof Gloves in Black and Poof Top/Skirt in Champagne (part of the Poof & Skirt Champagne outfit) (L$550)

Necklace: So Many Styles Pearl Necklace in Black (L$120)

Stockings: Curio Obscura Free Copper Stockings (L$0)

Boots: BareRose (Shoes Section) Short Ballet Boots in Black (fatpack) (L$135)

Last, but by no means least, I would like to shout out a huge thank you to Chance Greatrex, creator of ..::DARE::.. poses, for assisting me with this post. As well as the range of poses (and clothing items) you can purchase in-store, Chance has just started a commission service (full perm if required) and is already working with some big names in SL. I commissioned these poses from Chance and they’re now available for sale at Chance’s main store in Camorro. He is an absolute delight to work with, adorable, and hugely talented. In RL, Chance has a dance background and his knowledge of human movement is obvious when you see his poses which are, in my opinion, the most innovative in SL. Visit the ..::DARE::.. main store or IM Chance Greatrex in-world for details of his commission service.

One of the first things I do when I unpack and try on an item is see whether I can tint it. Tintable items offer so much versatility and you can create unique, particularly mix ‘n’ match looks using them. For non-prim items, right click your avatar and select Appearance. Then select the item you would like to tint under the Clothes heading. For prim items, right click over the item, select edit and then look for the Textures tab. Remember to make a copy before tinting!

Hair: House of Heart Breeze Hair in Birch (Browns pack) (L$195)

Glasses: HOC Industries Skinny Framed Glasses (L$40)

Jumper: Maitreya Savoir Turtleneck Top in Beige (L$225)

Blouse: L’Abel Sigrid Lime Shirt (part of the Sigrid Gift Dress from Nef) (L$1)

Trousers: artilleri Fererra Pants (part of the Fererra outfit) (L$1)

Necklace: Shiny Things Knotted Bead Strand Necklace in Mother of Pearl (modified to wear in pocket) (L$0)

Shoes: Kalnins Coquette Shoes (L$500)

Hat: Sixty-nine Allure Hat (L$150)

Nail Polish: Candy Nail Clear Glitter French Nails – former Pick Gift (no longer available)

Corset: Royal Blue Body Con Is Not Dead in Silver (L$100)

Necklace: Atelier AM Layered Flower Necklace in Pink (L$170)

Bracelet: ::MEZZO:: Double Bangle Rameacryl in Silvergray (fat pack) (L$75)

Jacket: K.I.T. Gabrielle Jacket in White (L$280)

Trousers: LeLutka Mick Pants in Pink – (pre-release – coming soon) (L$0)

Shoes: Stiletto Moody Bare Vivien Shoes in Silver Patent (Price and LM not available at the time of posting due to sim closure for remodelling)

Hair: MIASNOW Wild Woman Hair (L$100)

Nail Polish: Armidi True Enhance Painted Nails in Cherry II (L$90)

Corset (under): Fashionably Dead Fire Compound Top in Grey (part of the Fire Compound Dress) (L$275)

Corset (over): Kyoot Classic Black Austere Corset (L$90)

Necklace: Icing Rose Ribbon Choker (L$195)

Gloves: Creative Kaoz Dainty Lace Gloves in Black (L$25)

Skirt: Royal Blue Spring Bum Skirt in Romance (L$250)

Leggings: Lost Dreams Leather Trend Leggings in Black (L$90)

Boots: BAX Ankle Boots in Black Patent (L$700)

Pose: ..::DARE::.. Field Flower (L$50)

Hair: WAKA & Yuki 84 Hair in Pink (Pack B) (L$100)

Earrings: [glow] Studio Bad Flower Earrings (L$160)

Corset: Icing Casablanca Top (part of the Casablanca outfit) (Chest Lillies modified to wear on skirt) (L$350)

Handbag: Gisele Maman Bag in Maroon (L$280)

Skirt: Beauty Avatar Couture Charlotte Peach Skirt (part of the Charlotte outfit) (L$400)

Stockings: ..::DARE::.. Lace Stockings in Bronzy (L$50)

Shoes: : Paper Couture Ava Signature Shoes (L$260)

Pose: ..::DARE::.. Ssshape (L$50)

1. A big thank you to Sheltered Heart for sending me the new hair styles from House of Heart. I love it when designers send me things because they value my opinion; it gives me the warm fuzzies . However, I won’t include review items in my posts unless I absolutely love them and the Breeze style certainly fits into the latter category. The flowers are scripted with an abundance of colour options and are beautifully sculpted, and I adore the flexi curls. House of Heart Breeze Hair in Birch (Browns pack) (L$195)

2. If you’ve read my first ever post, you’ll know that I wasn’t a fan of handbags because I don’t think they work well with AO’s. Well I’m pleased to see things have moved on since then and that designers are now starting to include poses with their bags. Hurrah! This cute little bag includes two nice poses (side and front) and comes in a twin-pack with maroon (illustrated) and ecru options. Gisele Maman Bag in Maroon (L$280)

3. This neckband from Icing is delightful and different. It’s incredibly detailed and well crafted, especially the feathers which waft when you move. Icing Rose Ribbon Choker (L$195)

4. What I like best about this necklace is the placement of the pearl strand layers which gives it a natural feeling of movement. It’s a nice length which works with a lot of outfits and is offered in flower and non-flower options and in a range of shades at the main Atelier AM store. Atelier AM Layered Flower Necklace in Pink (L$170)

5. The designers at [glow] Studio are prolific in their brilliance right now and every week it seems as if they gift us with yet another selection of accessory goodies. I was just preparing for this post when Linka Demina dropped these new earrings on me … perfect timing … thank you Linka! [glow] Studio Bad Flower Earrings (L$160)

I’ve intended to do a Film Noir inspired piece for some time now, ever since my great friend and RL/SL artist, Gracie Kendal, asked me to help her with a promotional postcard to advertise her gallery. Gracie wanted the postcard to be in the Film Noir genre and asked me to do the styling and artwork. I picked out this outfit for the postcard and loved it so much that I’ve been meaning to blog it forever.

Yesterday, members of the fashion bloggers group heard the very sad news that Neferia Abel, designer of the Ivalde and L’Abel labels, is closing her store due to RL commitments (click here for more info). As a thank you for all the amazing work that Neferia has given to the world of SL, some of my fellow bloggers have set a blogger’s challenge for today in tribute.  It seemed like the perfect time, therefore, to get around to publishing my Film Noir post featuring the L’Abel dress, jacket and gloves that I have loved and been meaning to blog for such a long time.

On the downside, the world of SL fashion will be a much sader place without Neferia’s creations. However, on a positive note, you can continue to purchase her work on Xstreet, clothing items at a new temporary home at Retrology, and accessories at the old store location.

Hair: Paper Couture Frida Hair in Blonde (L$300)

Hat: Chapeau tres Mignon Panther Net Hat (L$300)

Mascara:  [ glow ] Studio Avantgarde Eyeliner 01 Eyelashes (L$100)

Earrings: Paper Couture Pearl Earrings (part of the Pearl Strand Set) (L$400)

Jacket, Dress and Gloves: L’Abel Kesara Dress in Black (L$595)

Cigarette and Holder: Foxy’s Smoke Shop Aly Gold Bitchstick (Enhanced version) (L$225)

Stockings: Insolence Dolores Nylon Seamed Stockings (part of the Dolores Black Outfit) (L$290)

Shoes: DeLa Stella Pumps in Noir Black (L$400)

Pose (first picture): ..::DARE::.. Easy Peasy Lean (pre-release – coming soon)

There was a little grumpiness and talk of feeling uninspired amongst my blogging peers recently and I wondered if the negativity was dragging everyone down. I’m glad to see us going back to what I think we do best… finding and photographing and telling our readers about our favourite things. That’s certainly what I’m going to concentrate on and I’ve resolved to not read any posts that even sniff at drama. Incidently, this probably means that this post will contain typo’s as technically I cannot read it, as it talks about drama.

Anyway, moving on; in an attempt to lighten the mood and spread some love, the items I’ve featured in this post today are those things (old and new) in my virtual wardrobe that I adore, find myself reaching for all the time and (unlike drama) never tire of. I hope you like them too <3.

Please note that I won’t be permitting any comments about drama on this post. I’d love to hear from you though if you like my favourite things and please feel free to comment in general on bunnies, flowers, poetry and such. If anyone really does feel the need to ‘have a go’, they could always Plurkerise me. If they’re shy, I believe it can be done in secret with chums, but I’m hoping that I will be considered for a public slagging off. That way more traffic will be driven to my blog, my visitor numbers will increase, and my life will feel complete .

LeLutka Sack Bag in Goldenrod (L$275)

Detour London Flats in Brown (L$300)

GBL Charmed Cuff – Vintage (no longer available)

**DP**yumyum Tweed Jacket in Brown Check (L$220)

WoE Kloe Jeans in Steel (L$200)

Yummy Bird Cage Earrings in Silver (L$0)

Sixty-nine Allure Hat (L$150)

Curio Petal Lovely Skin in Olive Branch 2 [Dark] (fat pack) (L$3,000)

REDGRAVE Angelina Blue Eyes (L$100)

REDGRAVE Moulin Rouge Eyelashes (L$90)

Truth Jess Hair in Toffee (L$0)

J’s Real Toe Belt Platform Sandals in Olive (L$380)

Armidi Gisaci Square Cut Linen Mini Dress in Dark Gray (L$235)

LeLutka Dietrich Shirt in White (L$225)

Bliensen + MaiTai Scavenger Tie (L$250)

COCO Valentine Gift Bag – Group Gift (Search for ‘*COCO* UPDATE GROUP’ in Groups, join and activate before visiting the store to collect your gift)

Shiny Things Tuli Pumps in Silver (L$400)

CREAMSHOP Toon Heart Earrings (L$195)

*SHOP SEU* Pompadour Hair in Blonde (L$170)

Muism Satin Ruffle Top in White (L$350)

Tres Blah Belted Tunic (L$90)

Just for fun – Acceptable in the Eighties – Calvin Harris

Hair: Mirai Style Tori Hair in Cream (Cream & Brown Pack) (L$200)

Nail Polish: Armidi True Enhance Painted Nails in Cherry II (L$90)

Earrings: Emery Triangular Blondie Earrings in White (L$0)

Blouse: Pink Outfitters Poppy Chest Ruffles Shirt in White (modified to wear under jumpsuit) (L$100)

Jumpsuit: L’Abel Adora Demin Jumpsuit (L$200)

Belt: Fleur Patent Leather Belt in Scarlet (L$100)

Bangles: Earthtones Aurora Shades of Romance Bangles – Vintage (no longer available)

Shoes: Pretties by JB Risque Shoes in Vixen (L$325)

Hair: booN TOM245 Hair in Blonde (L$200)

Nail Polish: Reale Manicure in Snow (L$0)

Earrings: [glow] Studio DeLyn Letters Earrings in White (L$150)

Scarf: Pretties by JB Wilds Scarf in Zebra (L$75)

Dress and Belt: Fab.Pony Jacqueline Dress in White Dove (L$299)

Jacket: COCO Jacket in Black (part of the Jacket & Shirt outfit in Black-White) (L$380)

Bag: La Besace Pochette in Black and White (L$200)

Ring: CaLLie CLine Diamond Cocktail Ring with Gem Changer (part of the Divine Bubble outfit) (L$950)

Shoes: Maitreya Slinky Stilettos in Patent White (L$350)

Hair: Maitreya Sun Hair in Copper (Coppers Pack) (L$200)

Necklace: Atelier AM Layered Necklace in Black (L$150)

Vest: Emery Choose Life Tank (L$100)

Jacket: en Svale Denim Jacket in Indigo (L$280)

Bangles: Armidi Neon Stacked Bangles in Orange (L$175)

Skirt: Fab.Pony Denim Rahrah Skirt in Indigo (L$210)

Leggings: :: DUTCH TOUCH :: AFri Leggings (part of the AFri outfit) (L$350)

Socks: Creative Kaoz Dainty Lace Socks in Black (L$25)

Shoes: Maitreya Frenzy Shoes in Black (L$400)

Hair: Truth Jess Hair in Grape (L$0)

Sunglasses: Shade Throne THE SET UP Gaiola (L$150)

Earrings: +plus Plastic Earrings in Yellow (L$45)

Vest: Surf Couture Driftwood Tank Top in White (L$100)

Mesh Top: Colourable Mesh Crop Top – Vintage (no longer available)

Dress: MG Fashion Le Fashionable Python Dress in Deep Plum (L$425)

Bag: +plus Rock Clutch Bag in Yellow (L$90)

Leggings: Emery Short Zebra Leggings (part of the French Kissin’ outfit) (L$350)

Shoes: Maitreya ChiChi Pumps inYellow (L$450)

I’m sure that all regular blog readers will now be aware that last week, us bloggers were thoroughly spoilt with gifts so generously donated by a host of fabulous designers.  What some of you may not know, is that the week would never have come about or been as successful and so much fun, without the wonderful CaLLie CLine. Not only did CaLLie conceive the idea of Bloggers’ Appreciation Week, but she orchestrated the event and was responsible for getting designers on board to support it.

I know very little about CaLLie, only that she is a prominent figure in SL, has a reputation for helping out where it is required, and is a great fashion designer. However, through the notecards and chats I’ve been a part of this week, it is clear to see that CaLLie is just an all round nice gal. I like her style (and I’m not just speaking of her fashion label here). She approaches the game with maturity, fun and such a generous and warm spirit.

Today is officially CaLLie CLine Appreciation Day as declared by the Fashion Bloggers Group of which I am proud to be a member. Thanks to TearSong Vaughan, fellow blogger, for coming up with the suggestion. It’s a chance for us to say ‘thank you so much CaLLie!’; it was so very nice to be appreciated and we are all very grateful to you.

Scarf, Pantsuit, Bracelet, Ring, and Boots: CaLLie CLine Cover Girl Outfit with Boots (L$299)

Hair: Uw.St Marina Hair Type B in Brown Wolf (modified to wear under hat) (L$190)

Hat: Tesla ‘Sammy’ Hat (L$0)

Nail Polish: Reale Manicure in Snow (L$0)

Spotlight: ..::DARE::.. Personal Spotlight (L$0)

Hair: ETD Bonita II Hair in Smoke Burnt (All Black/White Pack) (modified to wear under hat) (L$100)

Hat: Tesla Unisex Bowler Hat (L$0)

Flower: artilleri June Polka Flower (part of the June Polka outfit) (modified to wear on hat) – Vintage (no longer available)

Nail Polish: J’s Natural Real Color in Red (Fat Pack) (L$50)

Shirt and Cuffs: Pig Tuxedo Top (L$120)

Corset: Kyoot Classic Black Austere Corset (L$90)

Ring: CaLLie CLine the Rock Ring (part of the Cover Girl Outfit w/o Boots) (L$199)

Shorts: Emery High Waist Shorts (part of the Call Me! outfit) (L$0)

Stockings & Suspenders: Insolence Dolores Nylon Seamed Stockings and Garters (part of the Dolores Black Outfit) (L$290)

Shoes: Bettie’s Tango Sandals in Black (L$200)

Hair: Exile Suri Hair in Harlow (Blonde Pack) (L$250)

Nail Polish: J’s Nail Polish in Black (L$0)

Sunglasses: Noir Lolita Shutter Shades in White (L$1)

Shirt (under): :: DUTCH TOUCH :: Striped Under Shirt (part of the Che Black outfit) (L$250)

Shirt (outer): Last Call Go to Girl Wrap Top (part of the Go to Girl Outfit) – Vintage (no longer available)

Bangles: chuculet Sofia Bangles in Silver/Black – Blogger’s Appreciation Week Gift (not for sale)

Bag: La Besace Croco Cabas in Red (L$300)

Ring: Paper Couture Times Square Ring in Kyanite (L$175)

Skirt: Vanitas Vesture Dovely Linen Skirt in Gray (L$75)

Stockings: Paper Couture Tights in Grey (L$0)

Boots: La Besace Croco Booties in Red (L$200)

Hair: booN FTN683 Hair in Blonde (L$200)

Earrings: +plus Plastic Earrings in Red (L$45)

Pantsuit: MG Fashion Gillian Pantsuit in Black (L$400)

Belt: Fab.Pony PVC Belt in Hypersilver (part of the Jacqueline Dress) (L$299)

Gloves: Bliensen + MaiTai Vintage Leather Gloves in Crimson (Fat Pack) (L$300)

Bag: La Besace Fausse Fourrure in Zebra (L$275)

Socks: Maitreya Prim Socks in Red (L$75)

Shoes: La Besace FFourrure Heels in Zebra (L$150)

Pose: ..::DARE::.. Antoine Strong Standing Pose (L$50)

Hair: Paper Couture Frida Hair in Blonde (L$300)

Nail Polish: J’s Natural Real Color in Pink (Fat Pack) (L$50)

Swimsuit and Flower (modified to wear in hair): Meghindo’s Touch of Sensuality Abaete Swimsuit (L$300)

Necklace: Last Call Kerry Tahitian Pearls & Cameo Necklace (pearls tinted R:87/G:87/B:87) (part of the Go to Girl Outfit) (L$350)

Skirt: &Bean I Kill Her! Skirt (tinted R:203/G:146/B:183) (part of the I Kill Her! outfit) (L$195)

Ring:Vincenca Rosca Star Flower Ring (part of the Star Flower Collection) (L$430)

Stockings: Silvery K Gritter SAKURA Stockings in Baby Pink (L$50)

Boots: Courtisane Hors d’haleine Booties in Baby Pink (L$950)

Skin: [Rockberry] Character Skin (L$0) – Group Gift (search for ‘[Rockberry]‘ in Groups, join, and then activate group before visiting the store to claim your gift)

Hair: Maitreya Sunday Hair in White (Peroxides Pack) (L$200)

Swimsuit: Little Rebel Designs Precious Metals X Swimsuit in Silver (fatpack) (L$500)

Jacket: Paper Couture Carnation Jacket (part of the Carnation Jacket outfit) (L$500)

Necklace: Paper Couture Shell Statement Necklace (L$280)

Belt: MAiiKI High Waisted Belt in Patent White (L$190)

Ring: Elate! Rose Ring in White (L$85)

Shoes: AOHARU Suede Laceup Sandals in White (L$580)

Hair: Exile Wild Orchid Hair in Harlow (Blonde Pack) (L$250)

Swimsuit: eLDee Evaa Swimsuit in Purple (L$85)

Necklace: Swallowtail Butterfly Necklace (L$400)

Gloves: Creative Kaoz Dainty Lace Gloves in Black (L$25)

Leggings: *Fishy Strawberry* Fisher Leggins in Black (L$60)

Boots: Shiny Things Wrapped Stiletto Boots in Black (L$400)

Hair: *SHOP SEU* Pompadour Hair in Purple Brown (L$170)

Sunglasses: Paper Couture Logo Aviators in Umber (fatpack) (L$200)

Earrings: Yummy Bird Cage Earrings in Gold (L$0)

Swimsuit: Chic Boutique Versace Swimsuit (L$149)

Shirt: Luck inc. Button Down Shirt in Brown (L$199)

Necklace: Yummy Momento Locket (L$130)

Bracelet: Yummy Found Hearts Bracelet with Color Changeable Bands in Gold (L$130)

Shoes: INDI Designs Belluci Shoes in Gold (L$325)

I think these swimsuits work well as part of an overall outfit, but they’re also fabulous worn on their own. Neither the Little Rebel Designs or Chic Boutique bathing suits are new; I’ve owned them both for a couple of years, but still love them! Meghindo’s Touch of Sensuality is a fairly new label and the work is amazing. The designer, Meghindo Romano, has created one of the sexiest and well designed swimwear ranges I’ve ever seen in SL, together with a beautiful range of lingerie and clothing pieces. The main store is being remodelled at the moment, but you can browse the complete Meghindo range at the satellite store at Casablanca Boulevard in the meantime.  I am, of course, a huge fan of Lilyana Dryke’s creations and the Evaa Swimsuit from her label, eLDee, is typical of the brilliant work you can find at the main store. As I’ve come to expect from Lilyana, it has a quirky edge with a semi-transparent prim collar and cheeky thong back. The range of colours is so lovely, I found it hard to choose which one to feature; at just L$85, you could always splash out and buy it in more than one colour if you can’t decide either .

With the sterling versus dollar rate coming down quicker then a bunch of adolescents with swine flu following a high school disco, us Brits are getting less and less for our Linden. Certainly in my case, it seems increasingly important to invest in SL clothing items that are versatile. One way that I look to add versatility to my purchases is to seek out tintable items. In this post, I’ve decided to feature a few pieces in my inventory which are adaptable, high quality, have great styling and offer good value for money.

Ingredients: Take one fatpack of Veschi Tintable Tights (L$250) plus a selection of 50 flats by Ding (priced between L$0 and L$70 per pair), add a dose of Dolly’s Tints Hints = Limitless Low Linden Leg Loveliness!

I am sure that most of you are familiar with how to tint clothing items in SL, but those that are not can view a video tutorial here. The video shows how to select colours using the click and drag ‘Color Picker’, but you can also type RGB values into the Red, Green and Blue boxes and those that want to replicate the tinting of the tights as illustrated above can choose that method using the included references. If you want to colour match a tintable item with another piece of clothing, you can find the RGB values for that piece of clothing through the advanced menu (if you don’t have the advanced menu enabled, press Ctrl + Alt + D). Select Advanced > UI > Show Color Under Cursor and the colour references for anything you move your mouse over will be displayed in the bottom right hand corner of your screen. You will notice that the reference includes 4 sets of numbers but you only need to enter the first 3.

Happy tinting .

I found a recent SLsecret post highly amusing; someone in week 36 was poking fun at mass produced items using full perm textures and sculpties. In contrast, it started me thinking about hand-drawn textures and the amazing talent that goes into the creation of them. Don’t get me wrong, I think photo-realistic and computer generated textures when done at their best (aka Redgrave) are fantastic, but I wonder if we give enough credit to those designers who create clothing the old fashioned way using paper, paint, and ink. For me, there is just something oh so special about owning a piece that I know has been hand-drawn. Anyway, that got my creative juices flowing and I seem to have been struck with the arty farties. So in this post, I decided to focus in the main on hand-drawn clothing and pay homage to one art movement with my very crude attempt at cubism (no chuckling in the back please!).

Hat: MG fashion FACTORY French Style Beret in Plaid (L$1)

Hair: Maitreya Piper II Hair in Caramel (Browns Pack) (L$200)

Nail Polish: J’s Natural Real Color in Pink (Fat Pack) (L$50)

Glasses: BareRose Glasses SE in Blue (Fat Pack) (L$50)

T-Shirt: Nylon Outfitters Promo T-Shirt (part of the Womens Freebies pack) (L$1)

Jacket: Jacket: **DP**yumyum Tweed Jacket in Check Brown (L$220)

Scarf: AOHARU BT Simple Scarf in Pink (Fat Pack) (L$220)

Hair: LeLutka STEFANI Hair in Platinum (Blond Pack) (L$190)

Mascara: [ glow ] Studio Avantgarde Sylvialicious Eyelashes (L$100)

Nail Polish: Love Soul Malama Prim Nails in Purple (L$0)

Top: AOHARU Drapery Top in Yellow (part of the Drapery Dress) (L$280)

Scarf: MALT Fashions Twilly Neck Tie in Tawny Port (L$120)

Bracelet: COCO Group Gift Gem Bracelet (L$0)

Skirt: fashionably dead Fire Compound Skirt (part of the Fire Compound Dress) (L$275)

Stockings: Shiny Things Solid Thigh High Stockings in Purple (L$0)

Shoes: Courtisane Devoue Sandals in Turquoise (L$690)

Hair: Truth Natasha Hair in Honey (Light Browns Pack) (L$225)

Mascara:  [ glow ] Studio Avantgarde Eyeliner 01 Eyelashes (L$100)

Hat: Elate! Free Tiny Top Hat! (L$0)

Shirt: LeLutka Dietrich Shirt in White (L$225 )

Tie: Bliensen + MaiTai ‘Art Deco’ for Ladies Tie (L$250)

Suit: Thimbles Master of Cats Suit in White (L$110)

Ring, Bag & Nail Polish: Love Soul Holstein Prim Nails & Clutch Bag (L$150)

Shoes: Tesla Natasha Heels in Black (L$359)

Remember, when you buy a dress or any all-in-one, you could be getting more than one outfit for your money! I often split up the top or bottom of a complete outfit to make separates as I have in the first of the main shots in this post. This works best if the outfit is offered in multiple layer options so check the vendor first to see what you get in the pack by clicking the item as if you’re going to buy it and looking at the available layers in the pop up window.

(Just for fun – Heavyweight Champion of the World.)

Hair: Armidi The SuperPony Hair in Hazelberry (Red Collection) (L$275)

Sunglasses: [ glow ] Studio Shutter Shades Night Version (part of the Shutter Shades day’n'night pack) (L$230)

Earrings: AA Full Circle Earrings in Gold – Vintage (no longer available)

Vest: Naive Sum Undershirt in White (part of the Sum Top in Brown) (L$90)

Gloves: PlantPets Boxing Gloves (tinted) (L$0)

Necklace: ICoN Heart Necklace in Gold (L$200)

Cardigan: COCO Cardigan in Navy (L$250)

Trousers: Mimikri Hot Couture Roxy Pants in Orange (L$250)

Socks: School Daze Bobby Socks in White (L$25)

Shoes: Armidi Gisaci Viniani Heels in Maya (L$375)

Hair: MAIRAI STYLE Caly Hair in Latte (Chocolate & Latte Pack) (L$200)

Visor: EMO Black Star Visor (L$25)

Earrings: Yummy Jewlery Pink Swirly Earrings (L$0)

T-Shirt: Surf Couture Tie Back Polo in Sour Apple (L$100)

Armbands: Emery Arm Bands (part of the Call Me! outfit) (L$0)

Shorts: Emery High Waist Shorts (part of the Call Me! outfit) (L$0)

Socks: Casa Del Shai Rollergirl Hot Pink Socks (part of the The Rollergirl Romper Outfit in White) (L$300)

Shoes: Maitreya Frenzy Shoes in Black (L$400)

Hair (with Hat): *SHOP SEU* Bonbon Hair – CSR 2008 Prize (no longer available)

Gloves: PlantPets Boxing Gloves (tinted) (L$0)

Dress: Ce Cubic Effect Wrap Tank Mini Dress in Slver Gray (L$395)

Jumper (on Shoulders): COCO Cardigan on Shoulder in Tricolor (L$200)

Socks: MiLOS Designs School Girl Socks in Red (fatpack) (L$199)

Shoes: Pixelfashion Sally Shoes in White (L$0)

1. More and more, I find myself turning to Xstreet when I’m styling and can’t find items I know will finish off the ensembles I’m putting together. Whilst the search functionality may not be perfect, it’s certainly an improvement on the inworld search. I’ve found many pieces on Xstreet, including this one, that aren’t available inworld and they tend to be a whole lot cheaper too. EMO Black Star Visor (L$25)

2. I love a freebie just as much as the next girl especially when they’re as yummy as these earrings created by Polyester Partridge. You can pick them up at the GNUbie Store along with a green version and whole host of freebie and dollarbie goodies from some of SL’s most popular designers. Yummy Jewlery Pink Swirly Earrings (L$0)

3. I have one word for these shades… genius! In case you haven’t worked it out yet, they are textured on the lenses with city street reflections. The pack comes with a night and day version. Highly recommended! [ glow ] Studio Shutter Shades Night Version (part of the Shutter Shades day’n’night pack) (L$230)

4. Thanks to Anessa Stine, author of On Your Toes, for posting info on her blog about this great shoes. If you want them, then get moving as they’re only free until 24th April. Pixelfashion Sally Shoes in White (L$0)

5. Now this may look like your ordinary polo shirt, but as you’ve probably worked out by now, I always go for things that are just that little bit different; this top certainly fits into that category. It has great hand-drawn texturing on the front, but it’s quirkiness lies on the back where you’ll find the cutest gathering finished off with a prim tie. Surf Couture Tie Back Polo in Sour Apple (L$100)

OK, so I know its a little late in the weekend to be wishing everyone a Happy Easter. I’ve been busy, but just had time to put together this quick post. I hope that you had a great time and got your share of chocolate… Dolly got hers and I certainly got mine <3.