totally top shelf
Tropics
Happy new week, lovely friends! I know I’m a day late; I’d actually intended to get this post up over the weekend, but time has been spiriting away from me faster than a freight train. It’s my goal to get a queue of pictures and posts done this week so I can take a breath again; if you see me in-world and I’ve got my Busy Mode auto-response activated (such brilliant feature that I think may be exclusive to Firestorm), please don’t take it personally! It’s just me trying to get mah blog on; either that, or I’ve mistakenly left it going and I’m tabbed out of SL browsing pictures, which is entirely something I’m guilty of doing. (Flickr baby, I can’t quit you!)
I would be sublimely happy if I could create a clone who would do all my mundane RL worky stuff, whilst the original me spends hours on end looking at all the lovely photographs the SL community creates. And it must be said, those pictures are brilliant for marketing purposes. Every time I see something I’d like to buy, I bookmark it with the intention of checking it out in world or on the MP when time allows. The last time I peeked into that folder, I had about a hundred entries. Yikes! Anyone have a cloning program that can also produce Linden dollars en masse, or perhaps create a generous benefactor with endless pockets who would find great pleasure in seeing me collect all the lovely clothing and accouterments? I think in cheeky-speak they are called sugar daddies (or mamas). Yes, one of those would suit me quite fine. ;) ♡
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“I’m more awake than I have felt
A distant fear breaks at my feet
This is the bay, these are the breaking waves
I still know you here …
And I fear I might forget this moment
Let it breathe into the breeze and
If I lose a path already found
Far away, locked away, locked away …”
Look
Maitreya Body – Lara v3.5
Genesis Lab Head & Skin – Melissa
Truth Hair – Kora (Gingers HUD)
Avi-Glam Eyes – Hypnotic Eyes (Fjord) New Release *
Damien Fate Eyelashes – FATELashes v2.0
Aurica Store Tattoos – Elania (Maitreya, Slink, TMP & Omega Appliers) New Release @ Totally Top Shelf, through June 23rd *
Style & Pose
Ricielli Bikini – Roya Bikini (in Brown for Maitreya Lara & Belleza Isis) New Release @ Tropical Summer Fair, through June 17th *
ECCO Jewelry – Layered Ankle Chains (Fatpack for Maitreya, Belleza & Slink) New Release
Label Motion Pose – Scene #2 Pose 4 New Release @ Shiny Shabby, through June 15th *
Destination & Inspiration
✈ Sights: Baja Sands
🎧 Sounds: Polarsets – Tropics
Walkin’ After Midnight
Sneaking in one final post to celebrate items from the Mesh Body Addicts Fair, which wraps up in the evening of Friday, August 21st. This will be an uber-shorty as you don’t need to read my jibba-jabba when there’s limited time shopping afoot (or whichever mesh body part strikes your fancy!) Please enjoy! ♥
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Look
Body / Maitreya | Mesh Body – Lara v3.4
* Skin / AlterEgo | Daya – Almond (Brown Brows)
* Hair / Besom | India – Fade Dye HUD | Collabor88 Event, through September 6th
Eyes / Avi-Glam | Radiant Eyes – Jungle | SL Marketplace
Lashes / Mon Cheri | Falsies Mesh Eyelashes – Upper
* Lips / Nova Bodyshop | Grace Lipstick – 001 (LeLutka, TMP, Kissers, Loud Mouth, Nyam Nyam & Sweet Lips appliers + system tattoo layers) | Totally Top Shelf Event, through August 22nd
Tattoo / Things | Paziah White – Faded (Belleza, TMP, Slink & Omega appliers + system tattoo layers)
Style
* Mask / ERSCH | Lace Mask (White) | Gacha Item at the Classically Kinky Event, through August 31st
* Dress / Dollle | 113 Silk Cami Nightdress – Beige | Mesh Body Addicts Fair, through August 21st
* Shoes / Essenz | Bucharest Heels (for Maitreya & Slink high feet) | Mesh Body Addicts Fair, through August 21st
Poses & Destination
* Pose / Signature Pose | Sophie – 003
Location / Wanderstill
The Great Escape
Hello loves! I’ve been bone-deep tired the last few days, the kind of fatigue that I just can’t shake despite my best caffeine-and-cold-shower efforts. Like many of my kindred Second Life souls, I’ve some health troubles that shadow me and occasionally dull my spirits, but I do my best not to let them get the better of me. And it’s times like these that I melt more deeply into meditation, enjoying the rejuvenation that comes from a few minutes of pure relaxation. Many say that meditation can impart the feeling of flying or floating, and when I received these incredibly charming new poses from Kirin, that feeling of dreamy, floating repose is exactly what came to mind!
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Look
Body / Maitreya | Mesh Body – Lara v3.4
* Skin / L’Etre | Jessica Skin – Pearl Tone | WearHouse Event, through August 28th
* Hair / Moon | Requiem Hair – Variety HUD | Uber Event, through August 23rd
Eyes / Avi-Glam | Specular Eyes – Albino | SL Marketplace
Lashes / Mon Cheri | Falsies Mesh Eyelashes – Upper
Eyeliner / Glam Affair | Couture Eyeliner No 02
* Eyeshadow / Zibska | Rona Eyeshadow – 11 (TMP appliers + system tattoo layers) | Mesh Body Addicts Fair, through August 21st
* Lips / Nova Bodyshop | Gemma Lipstick – 007 (LeLutka, TMP, Kissers, Loud Mouth, Nyam Nyam & Sweet Lips appliers + system tattoo layers) | AnyBody Event, through August 31st
Style
* Jewelry / Secret Love | Anne Necklace (11 gems, 3 pearls and 4 metal colors in HUD) | Totally Top Shelf Event, through August 22nd
* Dress / Salt & Pepper | Hippie Dress (Long / Sunrise) with Hippie Deluxe Belt (Gold) | The Gacha Garden Event, through August 22nd
Poses & Destination
Poses / Kirin | My Sweet Cloud Poses – 7 | Kustom9 Event, through September 10th
Location / The Vineyard at Checkmate
Thanks to the bevy of summertime and fantasy-themed events on the grid, there have been many gorgeous mermaid pictures to enjoy on Flickr these last few weeks. So I put my own spin on the trend, imagining myself as an innocent human damsel who was kidnapped by a nefarious merman and held in his watery lair, only to escape when a low-floating cloud came by as I was sunning myself on the rocks. Hee hee! Hey, stranger things have happened!
The wonderful items in my look today may almost exclusively be found at events – 7 different ones, to be exact! – and since that’s a very auspicious number, I don’t feel the least bit guilty about making you travel the grid to pick up all the loveliness! All of the SLURLs and details may be found in the credits above, but I do want to give a special mention to the luscious Requiem hairstyle by Moon for the current round of Uber. It covers one eye and is terrifically sexy and sultry, with Moon’s trademark wonderful textures and color options.
I’m also really impressed with the lovely Hippie Dress & Belt by Salt & Pepper, part of a lovely gacha set that may be found at The Gacha Garden. The dress is available in both long and short versions, and the set includes a matching necklace, bracelet, earrings, belt, and a special “Seed of Inspiration” item that may be received after 20 consecutive plays. For more information about the event, be sure to visit The Gacha Garden website, and keep an eye on the calendar as this round wraps up on August 22nd!
Sail Into the Sun
Now I know what this looks like: I’m clearly not dressed for sailing, and this lil’ ship of mine is a fair distance from the shoreline, but I totally didn’t commandeer it for fashionable photography purposes, honest! Well, not purposefully; it was just floating there so innocently and enticingly off the coast of the Mesh Avenue event – how could I resist? But as you can see, my clone and I have absolutely no clue how to sail, and neither a strapping young sailor nor a randy band of pirates was anywhere to be found. So when all else fails, pose for your life! :)
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Look
Body / Maitreya | Mesh Body – Lara v3.4
Skin / The Skinnery | Emily – Bare Face (Champagne)
* Hair / Besom | Alder – Browns HUD | Collabor88 Event, through September 6th
Eyes / Avi-Glam | Specular Eyes – Hazel | SL Marketplace
Lashes / Mon Cheri | Falsies Mesh Eyelashes – Upper
* Lips / Nova Bodyshop | Gemma Lipstick – 008 (LeLutka, TMP, Kissers, Loud Mouth, Nyam Nyam & Sweet Lips appliers + system tattoo layers) | AnyBody Event, through August 31st
Style
* Jewelry / Secret Love | Anne Necklace (11 gem colors, 3 pearl colors & 4 metals in HUD) | Totally Top Shelf, through August 22nd
* Dress / LEGENDAIRE | Jennifer Dress (4 colors/patterns in HUD; standard mesh sizes) | FAD Fashion Event, through August 25th
* Shoes / KC Couture | Miami Heels (for Maitreya, Belleza, Eve, TMP & Slink High feet)
Poses & Destination
* Left / Zomy Poses | Portrait Poses – #6
* Right / Kirin | Sitting Pretty Pose Pack – Pose 1 (v1)
Location / Mesh Avenue
An easy-breezy, simply chic look for today, thanks to the lovely Jennifer Dress by LEGENDAIRE (available at the FAD Fashion Event), which I’m especially fond of for its deeply-dipping arm and necklines, the lusciously high left-side slit, and the perfect knee-length cut. The HUD offers four unique patterns, and it comes in standard mesh sizing. The angle hides my delicate necklace more than I intended, but it’s well worth visiting the Totally Top Shelf event to see all the lovely items on offer, and if you adore Secret Love‘s jewelry as I do, be sure to stop by the mainstore where Faylinn is offering a 50% off sale on everything through August 20th!
I also want to mention my gorgeous hairstyle by Besom, which may be exclusively found at the current round of Collabor88 through September 4th. This is the must-visit event of the week, with a dazzling number of designers contributing to the 4th anniversary round of this truly wonderful shopping experience (it’s in my Top 5 favorites for sure!) The Alder hairstyle is super versatile: a touch of bombshell mixed with sleek and chic, and that perfect mid-torso length that I love so much. Getting into C88 will be tricky for at least the next few days, but I promise it will be worth it when you get there!
Moth, Butterfly, and Torchbug
The inspiration for my title today comes from a gorgeous piece of music I had the fortune to stumble upon from the Elder Scrolls Online soundtrack, a game I’ve not yet played, although I’m a tremendous fan of the single-player RPGs in the Elder Scrolls series. And in like kind, my look reminds me of something I might have loved to wear in Skyrim, or perhaps in another favorite RPG of mine, Dragon Age. Rather than slaying beasts today though, I’m charming them! These lovely butterflies at the gorgeous Calypso Dream sim seem to be quite interested in me, at least!
Please click for full size.
Please click for full size.
Look
Body / Maitreya | Mesh Body – Lara v3.4
Skin / Belleza | Eva FLF – Sunkissed
Hair / Elikatira | Lillian – Essentials HUD
Eyes / Avi-Glam | Blissful Eyes – Clarity | SL Marketplace
Lashes 1 / ACD | Lashes – 08 | SL Marketplace
Lashes 2 / Ri | Lashes – 04 | SL Marketplace
Eyeliner / Glam Affair | Couture Eyeliner No. 02
* Lips / Nova Bodyshop | Grace Lipstick – 001 (LeLutka, TMP, Kissers, Loud Mouth, Nyam Nyam & Sweet Lips appliers + system tattoo layers) | Totally Top Shelf Event, through August 22nd
Style
* Wings / Che Bella | Seed of Inspiration – Moth’s Treasure (6 wing colors in HUD) | Gacha Item from The Gacha Garden, through August 22nd
* Mask / Spyralle | Forest Edge Mask (4 metals & 6 leaf colors in HUD) | Illusion Point Event, through August 18th
* Jewelry / Cae | Sebastian Necklace & Earrings (3 metal colors, 10 pearl colors & 10 gem colors in HUD) | Illusion Point Event, through August 18th
* Dress / Les Encantades | Chiara Dress – Olive | Illusion Point Event, through August 18th
* Feet / KC Couture | Diana Jewels (Maitreya Mid & High, Belleza Mid & High, Slink Mid & High feet)
* Kirin / Sitting Pretty Pose Pack – Pose 5 | Kustom9 Event, through August 10th
Location / Calypso Dream
With the exception of my twinkly toe jewels, everything in my style today may be found at a fashion event, three of them from the fabulous Illusion Point which is on through August 18th. From Les Encantades, I’m wearing the dreamily draped Chiara Dress, and I just fell in love with this warm, leafy green color with its golden accents. And speaking of all things leafy, how lovely is this face mask by Spyralle? I’m delighted with how perfectly it fits, and the included HUD offers 4 metals and 6 beautiful leaf colors to choose from. Also from Illusion Point is the utterly charming Sebastian jewelry set by Cae, which features a delicate crab in 3 changeable metal colors, with 10 gorgeous pearl options and 10 jewel tones for its wee little eyes.
Another wonderful event exclusive is from Che Bella and it’s the Moth’s Treasure Wings, which may be found at The Gacha Garden. Much like the recent Epiphany event, The Gacha Garden has a really unique twist to its gachas: once you’ve pulled 20 times on a single machine, you are guaranteed an ultra-rare item – a “Seed of Inspiration” – that will be retired forever after the event. To learn more about how the event works, and to see the truly exceptional list of event designers and sponsors, be sure to visit The Gacha Garden website!
I also have to mention how much I adore this rich magenta/plum lipstick by Nova Bodyshop, which may be found at Totally Top Shelf. I think this is my favorite Nova lipstick so far: it fits my pouty lips just perfectly, and the shade is striking without being too deep. Perfect! And as always with Noctea’s wonderful cosmetics, the Grace lipsticks come with a wide range of appliers, which I’ve listed in the credits above. I’m also using a pose from the excellent Sitting Pretty Pose Pack by Kirin, which may be found this month at Kustom9. Sitting poses that work well with mesh clothing can be a bit tricky, I’ve found, and the options in this pack are really lovely. I’m sure I’ll be turning to them often in the future!
One last thing to mention is how truly lovely the Calypso Dream sim is; I’ll be visiting here all the time for picture-taking opportunities, I just know it! Many thanks to the gracious Manis Lane for offering her sim to the public for exploring and photography! ♥
Happily, Ever Afterr in Second Life 