Gw M Winter 2008

Editor’s Note

For those of you that didn’t know, I began as the Editor of Glam. Initially, I had accepted the position to challenge myself in a field I passionately planned on studying in my personal life. However, based on my time constraints and the dedication needed to produce this magazine, I was no longer able to continue on in that role. As Publishing Editor for the second book, I was able to contribute and also support something I cared for deeply. Caliah Lyon was then introduced as our new Managing Editor. We were all fortunate to have Caliah as a part of our team for that next publication. We wish her great success in her real life endeavors as she continues her education. Now, I find myself back in the Managing Editor’s chair. With great excitement, I wish to share with you more of the changes you will notice. GWM has learned a lot from each of these experiences. After evaluating our past publications, we came to the decision to expand our team. Then we elected to change our format, and our production schedule. Now a quarterly periodical, GWM will bring you the highest quality of couture fashion, photography as well as human interest articles to feast upon! So, I introduce to you our new vision as well as our new team. We hope you enjoy our new beginning as much as we have enjoyed creating it. Miabella Foxley

ON THE COVER model: Minnu Palen photography: Minnu Palen

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Minnu Palen

writer’s editor Catero Revolution

EDITOR IN CHIEF Miabella Foxley

contributing writers Maddox Dupont • Bakersfield Kidd Graciana McMillan •Serenity Mercier Helianthus Mesmer • Serendipity Nerd

publishing editor Marleen Vaughan advertising manager Sasy Scarborough

contributing artists & photographers Miabella Foxley • Jordan Giant Bakersfield Kidd • Torrid Midnight Keiko Morigi • Minnu Palen James Schwarz

Team director Aradia Dielli

stylists Valena Glushenko • Monta Horan Severine Morrisey • Mariya Nesiote

produced by Glam World

guest stylist Uma Ceawlin

GLAM READERS I regret that I have to step down from the role of editor for Glam Magazine due to academic responsibilities - it’s been wonderful working with such a talented and motivated set of writers, photographers and stylists par excellence. Despite the hard work that each issue demanded it gave me a chance to hone my skills as a photographer, stylist and editor; I would not have learned as much as I have about SL and windlight photography without joining the team. Working for the magazine also allowed me to meet the people behind the scenes - those who drive the SL fashion industry with their remarkable skill and talent. I’m happy to announce that Miabella Foxley will be succeeding me as editor. She has already proven herself capable in the role once before, and I look forward to what she can bring us again in the near future. I thank Minnu, Aradia and the rest of the staff for having given me this chance to hone my creativity and bring my ideas to life in a magazine I could be proud of. Caliah Lyon

ta b le o f c o ntents W I NTER 20 08

Second Life and Linden Lab are trademarks of Linden Research, Inc.

Minnu Palen Midnight Garden Graciana McMillan interview: corn Serenity Mercier Down The Rabbit Hole Helianthus Mesmer INDIAN FASHION Keiko Morigi D’OR Serenity Mercier Bikinis Recommended Minnu Palen avenue Serendipity Nerd autumn art Torrid Midnight Blue moon Bakersfield Kidd Buenos Dias Jordan Giant colorfall Keiko Morigi & Miabella Foxley apropos Maddox Dupont men’s fashion Keiko Morigi mister

Cornelius Sloat: These are our latest beds. All these 3 sets made by Dev. GLAM Magazine: They look amazing! You created these because you found the market lacked what you were looking for in a bed, correct? Devon Fischer: Yeah pretty much. CS: That’s right; the market was stagnating when it comes to the way animations were used. People haven’t moved much since SexGen first came out. It’s all just sex-sex-sex, and it was like that for more than 2 years. GLAM: Did you make all the poses as well? CS: Yes we did. And it was a long, painful process. DF: Very long! CS: Poser was - mind me saying - a bitch. GLAM: Do each of you have a specific job you take on when creating or do you both work on all aspects? For example, did one of you work on the bed and the other

creating poses? DF: We did it all together, really. We both worked on beds and poses. CS: It’s more fun that way or something. DF: We kind of feed off each other for inspiration I think. GLAM: You met within the first week of joining SL. How long before you were creating together? DF: Ahh, the memories. CS: Very early on, at least. Oh, back then we knew next to nothing. Who would have imagined. DF: We did a lot of exploring in SL together then. I was piss farting around with friends early on. CS: Well, I was sort of creating very early and then, I think Dev started building with a bling script. DF: Hanging out in sandboxes talking to strange men. That’s how I met Corn. CS: Hmmmm, I wasn’t that strange!

DF: LOL! CS: Well, yes, I was building in that sandbox. DF: It was a blink script, not a bling script! Jeeze! CS: That’s right. Blink. GLAM: What was Cornelius making in that sandbox? Or was that his method of meeting women? DF: Actually, he was with a friend of ours. CS: Yeah, what was I making? DF: I don’t recall you were making anything at the time. Were you? CS: I was with a friend, actually. We were Mac heads and I was showing him the new Macs I made. DF: I was with a friend also. We approached Corn and his friend asking them if they knew how to make a free blink script work. Then we spent hours goofing around, and since then we have been firm friends. CS: Yup, that’s how it all happened. DF: I don’t think I actually built anything for several

By Graciana McMillan months after that. CS: Then it was the coffee machine, wasn’t it? DF: Yep, the GIANT coffee machine. GLAM: When did you decide to build and sell furniture? CS: I started right from the beginning making the Macs and the question quickly became, ‘Okay I’ve got a Mac, what now?’ My friend had an idea that I should make it available. Back then, and probably still now, one of the biggest groups in SL is the Macintosh user group with thousands of members. We contacted them and we found out that there are very few providers for computers. We ended up finding someone who was planning to make a shop, but had no computers. So that’s how it started. We were just goofing around at the time. GLAM: When did you open up your own store? CS: Well, it’s all such a weird chain of events. I was providing content for this store and the guy bought a whole lot of land and wanted to rent it out. For weeks,

Devon Fischer and Cornelius Sloat, the owners and creators behind the Corn and Instinct furniture stores, graciously gave up part of their afternoon to allow GLAM Magazine into their shop and provided an opportunity to speak to the minds behind the modern and ultra-realistic fashion furniture designs. Cornelius tends to be the more outspoken one - often offering his views on design and fashion on his and Devon’s SL Homestyle blog - while Devon seems a bit more reserved to the public. It is a steadfast combination that brings to the Second Life™ community remarkable creations and designs. Most recently the two have released the automated beds at their Instinct store. An amazingly realistic and a refreshing addition to the animated furniture market, these beds have people from all corners of the grid spending more time between the sheets (and I don’t just mean doing all that kinky stuff that some AV’s do). Don’t get me wrong, these beds still provide ample inspiration in that department, however Devon and Cornelius were seeking to include the simple and sweet stuff. Our interview started with a tour of the Instinct store.

months, no one rented and so it was gonna go to hell, and I had the idea of making things people probably didn’t want. So I started making coffee machines and computer desks. We thought, ‘Who needs coffee and computers while they are already sitting in front of their computer desks in real life?’ DF: I think at that point I still wasn’t making furniture. I had this obsession with wanting to make shoes. So I rented a store in Digit Darkes’ mall, X3D. GLAM: Ohhh, yes, and you still do from time-to-time? DF: Well, to be hones,t I neglected that for a long time. I don’t think I have made a pair of shoes for, um, at least 12 months. CS: Oh, I remember one of your early inspirations was to have a shop bigger than that one … was it “Gurl6” or something? DF: I do get the urge; I am just rubbish at it, though. GLAM: When you opened up your shop of things that (you

thought) no one wanted were you surprised? CS: Oh, it was scary. It was like , ‘Holy shit, how am I going to afford $2000L per month! I am crazy why am I doing this?’ I guess I wasn’t thinking at the time and I can’t recall exactly what happened, but it was making the rent somehow. CS: Then, it was more than making rent. There actually wasn’t really realistic hope of any profit at all. And the profits came in slowly. It was not an “OMG people want this sort of thing”. It was slow, slow, slow. GLAM: When did you start making pieces Devon? DF: Well I was still busy goofing around until Corn moved to a piece of land he purchased. Then for some reason he wanted to teach me how to build a chair. CS: Oh yeah, that was scary too! DF: I think I was probably annoying him and the rest is history really. CS: Oh, I remember those lessons.

DF: A chair turned into a table, lamps and stools. We had a little dining and kitchen section at that store with the coffee machines and desks. CS: We were selling the coffee machines well. I already made fridges and some simple kitchens so it was natural to expand on that. DF: Oh, and then the CORN sim. My god that was scary, eh? Wondering how we were going to fill it. CS: Yeah, that was HOLY SH!T ARGGGG scary! It had been an obsession for a long time. We were not so lucky on mainland with regard to neighbors and there were always prim restrictions. What we did right from the beginning was rather detailed products and they were all high primmed. We ended up using rezzers to fit things and they were buggy and slowed everything down. Terrible. GLAM: Now, how “primmy” would you say your builds are? DF: Definitely less than they were with the help of sculpties now. They aren’t like mega low prim, but much better. CS: I think at some point we thought that [sculpties were] the end of us; we hadn’t even finished our sim yet! We were scared of the idea of sculpties, but now we actually welcome it. It really cut down 30-60% of our prim counts. GLAM: So from computers, to coffee machine and then dining room sets, it was a natural progression to start with the bedroom furniture. CS: To tell you the truth right at the beginning we needed beds. That’s probably the first thing we needed when we met, didn’t we, babes? DF: um…. GLAM: Personally? CS: Yes, personally. LOL! DF: blushes. GLAM: You must be tired avs! CS: Heeheehee. Well the thing was we knew about SexGen, but it was never good enough. It was shit ugly even back in 2006, and on top of that they were charging 7,000L a pop for one. So there was always a genuine desire, even back then, to have a cheaper bed that actually looks good and at the same time not having just sex animations. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to find out that your bed is pretty much useless after awhile if it’s just sex and cuddle animations. It’s just very limited. But you know. It was a terrible idea to start making beds first of all. It’s a bastard to make mattresses, pillows and sheets. DF: LOL. CS: Normal prims do not give you the ability to make them realistic without maybe 200 prims. GLAM: Where do you find your inspirations for the textures and designs, and what are your real life preferences? CS: You know, it’s very simple. Our style is not the cartoon style, not the fantasy style. It’s obvious that we aim for realism. DF: It’s just every day realistic stuff. Although I do like modern style, I would

also like to make something more traditional one day too, but I think this kind of style fits in most homes. CS: Well I think both Dev and I have a preference for modern stuff. At the same time there were not many modern items around when we started. We thought modern would be the easiest (and that was a mistake in judgment). GLAM: How was that a mistake? CS: There is a reason why modern furniture isn’t cheap and that there is an aesthetic quality to it, even in real life. Simple, yes, but proportion and perfection became important and much easier to pick up because there are no details to distract you. It’s like fashion; it’s difficult to make a t-shirt look good. DF: I think modern could look a bit primmy if it wasn’t done right before sculpties came along. CS: I tried making t-shirts thinking it’s the simplest, but hell you CAN’T make a t-shirt look good. Even that was a challenge with old prims. It is very easy to end up looking primmy. It is very easy to go “wrong”. So, about the question on whether those were the things we’d like: I think we actually went beyond what we like. On real life, I would go for things that are more modest, at least for me. I think same for Dev, but since it is a fantasy here in SL, we went for things that are more out there. DF: Yeah, if I was rich I would. LOL. CS: Definitely! I think we actually like some retro styled stuff too. GLAM: One of you mentioned maybe designing more traditional pieces. Do you have any plans to expand into the different styles? CS: Well, that is something we like to think of as possibility, but that thought also gives us a great headache. DF: Yes, it can get a bit overwhelming if you start to plan too much. It took us a fair bit of time to do this store and it’s by no means finished. CS: We bought a sim, really, to make traditional styled furniture. And that was an error in judgment too because since the 2 years I bought it, we have not made anything for it yet. DF: It’s like a personal sandbox wouldn’t you say, Corn? CS: Yes, we made crap for it. DF: We have all these ideas of things we want to do and make, but in reality it takes so long. It can drain you too. GLAM: You need some time for fun too. Devon: Definitely, it’s fun to explore all the new places in SL .Some really beautiful ones out there. Gracious as they are talented, Devon and Cornelius have left an imprint on, not just the furniture industry of SL, but on their customers as well; having created prim pieces of style that one can come home to. Whether spending time in between or on top of the sheets, so to speak, avatars can have all their fun and look stylish while doing it. END

By Serenity Mercier © 2008 Serenity Mercier and Surrealia Anatine She’s one of the finest machinima film-makers in Second LifeTM, to say nothing of the wider world of machinima beyond. If you haven’t yet seen the gritty subterranean dance piece “Bounce” or the eerily whimsical fantasy “Something Wrong with Me” then there’s definitely something wrong with you! Themes ranges from featuring the upbeat and buoyant to the disturbing and heart wrenching with imagery that takes the viewer dancing across the urban skyline or plunging deep down into a rabbit hole.

The characters within often confront a darker side of life - war, family tragedy, loss of love. The film maker often lures the audience into dreams that tease the shadowy corners of the human psyche, revealing glimpses of fears just half perceived in the darkness. The visual subject matter described is the vision of Surrealia Anatine (http:// www.youtube.com/user/OneJovialSim) and GLAM Magazine recently had the opportunity to sit down with the content creator to talk about dreams, creativity, childhood, and the art of machinima. GLAM World Magazine: Surrealia, you’ve been making machinima for going on 4 years now. What got you started? Surrealia Anatine: Well, I used to play The Sims 2TM a whole lot. I really loved the game itself. Then one day I happened upon a little video called “The Resolution” by Decorgal, and I found out that you could make films and videos with the game. When I was little, I used to write a lot and it was mostly screenplays, so the idea of filming was very appealing. I searched around and found a website called Sims99, where I found several people who were creating machinima, and critiquing each other as well. I worked really hard to develop a style and make videos without a ton of flaws, and to be original. Once I got the hang of what I was doing, I was in love with the craft and tried to offer help and advice to others that were also new and learning. Almost 4 years later, and I’m still in love with machinima, and its capabilities, and its slow rise to get the general public to understand it. It’s come a really long way over the past few years. GLAM: In your earlier films you worked with The Sims. Why did you eventually move over to Second Life? SA: That’s an easy one to answer. It’s because The Sims 2 (owned by EA games) doesn’t allow ownership of films through their End User License Agreement. Basically, if I put every bit of heart and soul I have into a production, in the end, I would have no rights to it. Also, everything can be created within Second Life – which is not the same with The Sims. There is much more freedom for everything creative in Second Life, as well as the rights to own your films. GLAM: You mentioned developing an original style. How would you characterize

your style? SA: That’s a really good question. I have no idea how to characterize my style because I move from dark to happy over a day sometimes. GLAM: Yes, there’s certainly a compelling darkness - a shadow world, if you like - that runs through your work. Can you comment on this? SA: Well, I had a difficult childhood, and I had to grow up very quickly. As a result, I became withdrawn on the inside, even though it wasn’t noticeable on the outside. I have anxiety disorders and panic attacks, so, I think that when it comes to bringing the audience into a state of fear I’m really just letting them see how I feel underneath it all sometimes. I actually use film to combat my panic attacks. If I stay active and creative, I don’t have them. I haven’t had one in almost two years because of it, in fact. Creation and surrounding myself with people who make me laugh is my only therapy, and I’m happy to say that it works for me. GLAM: Your earlier films are often quite macabre and gothic, the Alice ones especially. Since arriving in Second Life your films have become more upbeat and fun, even if they do still retain some of those darker notes. What’s changed in your creative vision since transitioning over? SA: I wouldn’t say that my vision has really changed, as much as the filming environment is different. In the Sims, well, they can’t dance! In Second Life, avatars can’t really ‘act’. So, it’s more about making an adjustment due to the environment and tools than it is any actual change in my vision. I just have to convey things differently. GLAM: Your Second Life films are much more visually based, whereas the Sims films are more strongly narrative. Does Second Life lend itself to creating work that is more visual in form? SA: I believe so, yes. I have always been drawn to body language to tell a story. If I were going to make a narrative story in Second Life, I would avoid dialogue, whereas I would rely heavily on dialogue in the Sims. It helps that I’ve never been much for talking in my films anyhow. I prefer ambiance and body language to speaking. GLAM: Do you think that connects to what you were saying earlier, about being withdrawn on the inside? Do you start to read the world differently - maybe picking up on levels of communication others might not notice? SA: I hadn’t ever thought about it, but you’re probably exactly right. I’ve always noticed the way one’s eyes shift, or the movement of a person’s fingers when they are angry versus happy, or the way the body stands taller when yelling versus bowed down when sad. I think too that because I don’t always have words to describe what I see or feel, visual cues are extremely important to the way I explain my thoughts or visions.

GLAM: Tell me about your sources of inspiration. Where do you get your best ideas, and how do you go about developing them? SA: It varies, really. Sometimes I’m moved purely by a song. For example, in my film “What a Feeling” - I was digging that song like crazy when I heard it, and it conveyed how I felt internally at the time too - so I created a video that would show a certain freedom. I related that feeling to Saeya Nyanda’s new version of Silent, and how it must feel to start over with a whole new palette – freeing. Other times, like in the case of “Something Wrong With Me,” I was completely inspired when I saw my friend Chicanery running around all silly in his new avatar, so we built the video around that inspiration. GLAM: Do your dreams inspire your films sometimes? SA: Definitely. Several of my films have come from dreams - usually my childhood ones, but sometimes adult dreams also. I’d say about half of all my films were dream related in some way. GLAM: The Alice books by Lewis Carroll seem to be a very strong source for you. What do the Alice stories mean to you? SA: To be honest, I never thought much about the Alice stories while I was growing up. In 2006, I decided I wanted to give people something they were obviously looking for: the Alice-Marilyn Manson connection. And that’s why I made the first movie. While I was creating, though, I began to realize ‘Alice’ and I had our own connection – incredibly bizarre dreams. This drew the whole concept of the story into my thoughts, and how so many people from around the world were drawn to this little girl and her dreams. I decided people as a whole would have been frightened by these dreams. It wasn’t whimsical if you were the dreamer, and that people saw a much darker tone to the story than Disney wanted to portray. So, in honor of Lewis Carroll himself, as well as Alice Liddell, I wanted to give the more twisted side of Alice. GLAM: You mentioned you had a difficult childhood, and that played into your dreams, and hence into your films. Can you share a bit of what made your childhood difficult? SA: Well, I went through a lot of divorce stuff. But, that played not nearly as much as one particular horrid experience. When I was five, I had a teenage relative who held me in a bathroom, and started running a bathtub full of water. When I innocently asked her what she was doing, she informed me that she was filling up the bath for me to drown myself in. Then, she pulled out a gun and held it to my head and told me that I was going to drown myself. I believe that was the first full blown panic attack I’d ever had. I

had dreams for years and years afterward about bathtubs and death in general. Every person that died in my life ended up in a bathtub in my dreams ... even though I barely remembered that event throughout my life. The strangest, most horrible realization I ever had in my life was the day I realized I was running to the bathroom to hide every time I had a panic attack. I didn’t stop having them, until the day I realized what had caused my nightmares and panic attacks to begin with. GLAM: Why did she do that? How horrible! SA: Yeah, I think for her it must have been some sort of really bad teenage joke - that’s the only thing I can think of. I remember screaming and panicking and breaking my nails trying to get out of there – until she laughed and let me go. I was a mess for weeks according to family, but I completely repressed the whole situation afterwards to a point that I never actually remembered the whole ordeal until a couple years ago. GLAM: Do you record your dreams? SA: No, I don’t. I have difficulty writing it out in words, so, sometimes I film them instead. I just don’t always make a practice of releasing those tiny clips of dreams onto the general public because I know they won’t understand it. GLAM: I have journey dreams quite often: long wandering journeys up into the mountains, along winding roads and steep cliffs. They’re always a strange combination of anticipation and anxiety. SA: Yes! It’s because you’re not right where you feel you want to be ... yet. GLAM: At the same time, I’m really enjoying the journey. SA: That’s it though! That’s where the anticipation comes from: enjoying the ride, living life as it takes you along its path. The anxiety is what’s ahead. And the uncertainty of what exactly is ahead. GLAM: Speaking of what’s ahead, can you give us any hints or previews of upcoming projects? SA: Well, I’m working with Kafka Dinzeo right now to create videos for his music (he’s amazing to say the least, so it’s a huge honor for me). And I have a third Alice movie to create, but that will be awhile. So, mostly right now, I’m just playing and still learning to film in Second Life, and having a lot of fun doing so! END.

Let’s think for a moment about the phrase “timeless elegance”. What never goes out of style? What always looks great? Would it be little black dress? Or maybe pearl necklace? What about stilettos? Yes, all of these surely are classic pieces, and it’s good to have them in your closet or inventory. Actually, it’s good to have them in both places mentioned. But do you know, that there’s a garment which doesn’t go out of style not for decades, but for last… several thousand years? Saree was first mentioned in Vedas, one of the oldest sacred texts in the world, dated approximately 3000 BCE. The word saree itself is said to have its origin in the Sanskrit word Chira that means cloth. Saree is made of single, unstitched piece of fabric, such as cotton, crepe, georgette, silk chiffon or brocade, varying from four to nine meters of length. There are several ways of draping the sari, and it definitely some skills are required to do it properly, since even for an experienced person it takes 10 minutes or more! Not as easy as just slipping into your fav dress! Saree may be plain or with printed floral designs or geometric prints. It usually has two decorative borders running the length of it, and one of the shorter borders, called pallu, continues the decoration. The more dressy the saree is, the more decoration it has. Let it be sequins, beads, stones, metallic wires, embroidery… The most expensive sarees are hand woven and decorated with real silver and gold threads, pearls and precious stones. Sometimes it takes as much as six months of craftsman work to create a single saree. It might be casual or dressy, worn on everyday basis or on special occasions. It has passed the test of time and is still worn by millions of women in India. There’s something special about it… as Indian fashion designers Azeem Khan says, ‘Saree is very sexy but does not show anything’. So, would you like to get one for your avatar? There are several places in world where saree, salwar kameez or lengha-choli can be bought. Interesting little store called Yak and Yeti offers India, Nepal and Tibet garments for free, as well as nice selection of jewelry. FallnAngel Creations’ designer Azriel Demain, whose designs are incredible mix of gothic, fantasy and ethnic fashion, also has a line of Hindi clothing. Creations by Arandhna Voight of Mashooka Designs are not to be missed as well. There’s also a place appropriately named ‘International House of Style’, with wardrobe from Asia, Africa and Middle East. Still, when we compare the number of places where we can buy saree, cheongsam or kimono to the amount of places offering, say, evening gowns, the former seems rather low. That was the impression Zaara Kohime had after starting her SL adventure. ‘I

started in SL with traditional wear because there was a distinct lack of it’, says the designer. In real life (yes, there’s one, do you remember?), Zaara is familiar with both, graphic design as well as fashion. ‘I am an art director/illustrator in RL’ she explains. ‘I used to work for an advt agency for some years that had mostly beauty/fashion clients and the experience is helping me now. SL combined all my key interests - illustration, fashion and business, in one go’. So Zaara takes us for a trip to her country of origin, India. As we enter her store, we are not finding ourselves in default prefab. The building is based on Indian rustic house, and is really beautifully made. Zaara is skilled builder for sure, and I’m looking forward to see the sim she had purchased already and is going to reveal in the near future! Inside the store, we can find a selection of traditional Indian wear, as well as Indo Western clothing. All clothes have really eye-catching colors and beautiful textures, which the designers draw mostly by hand. Also looking at prim work, we can’t help but notice that it takes a lot of skill to recreate the floating fabric or saree or dupatta with prims. One of most elaborate of Zaara’s creations is Indian Bride outfit. The set comes in three colors, crimson, saffron and fuchsia. As you may already know, Indian brides won’t wear white. In fact, in India white is the color of mourning, appropriate for widows. Traditional bridal outfits are red, as red symbolizes fertility and luck. It’s accompanied with loads of golden decorations and jewelry. Gold goes especially good with shiny black hair and warm golden skin tone… fortunately, this kind of look is quite easy to achieve in SL, just dig your body parts folder. Zaara bridal outfits consist of ghagra (long, flowing skirt), choli (short blouse, showing midriff), dupatta (scarf ) and chiffon veil. Bridal bindi comes with the outfit, as well as mehendi tattoos. Zaara says that her creations are popular among SL brides; she actually had attended an Indian wedding in SL and had quite a lot of fun. So would you like to try it? Make your avatar look like Indian bride or Bollywood star for one evening? Or if you don’t feel like it, would you like to add a little exotic touch for your casual SL wardrobe, such as henna work or bindi? If the avatars are extensions of ourselves, Second Life is extension of reality. And, using Second Life as a platform, we can go for the journey through space and time. We are being connected with thousands of people from all around the world, and every one of them brings a little piece of his or her reality into SL. The piece Zaara Kohime has brought is definitely a beautiful one. END

D’or

photography by keiko morigi Model: Colleen Desmoulins

Sailing Second Life

By SERENITY MERCIER ©2008-08-05

Let’s face it – you may have a hot shape and the teensiest bikini on the grid, but it all means nothing if you don’t have the most important fashion accessory: a sleek, well-trimmed sailing yacht or a muscular powerboat – especially one with a good-looking skipper at the helm. Boating is a hugely popular activity in Second Life™, which is not surprising given the abundant waterways and shimmering coastlines that comprise one of the metaverse’s most beautiful features. One way to acquire a boat to complement your swimwear is to hook up with one of the aforementioned skippers. Yet this involves various complications which, while not altogether unpleasant, will almost certainly diminish the amount of time you’re actually on deck looking fabulous. A more reliable route is to acquire your own boat and begin discovering the wonders of virtual seafaring on your own. Besides, with so many sailors plying the waters, you’re bound to attract plenty of attention out on the waves. Two of the finest boat-builders in Second Life are Jacqueline Trudeau of Trudeau Classic Sailing Yachts and Verkin Raven of SeaWolf Marine. Jacqueline is the master builder of the metaverse’s most beautifully crafted sailing vessels, while many consider Verkin’s SW3 the sleekest powerboat on the Windlight waves. Jacqueline Trudeau began turning prims into sailboats back in 2005. She wanted to buy a gift for a friend, but then discovered to her surprise that there were very few sailing craft available. “I wanted to get a traditional looking sailboat,” she recalls. “I thought, ‘This is SL, everything is here.’ Everything but that it turned out.” Having already done a fair amount of building in SL, Jacqueline questioned ‘How hard could this be?’, and began crafting her first vessel, the Trudeau 32, using a sailing script available on the SL wiki to put her build into motion. “I took the script, plunked it into my first collection of linked and textured prims … and it promptly capsized,” she laughs. The script came from the Flying Tako, a simple sailing dinghy created by Kanker Greenacre, who is fondly remembered for creating the very first working sailboat in SL. “Kanker Greenacre is the godfather of SL sailing,” Jacqueline points out. “We all genuflect in his direction.”

Undaunted, Jacqueline persevered. “I didn’t understand about root prim orientation,” she explains, “but I got it going, through trial and error – I made a lot of modifications to the script along the way.” Several people saw Jacqueline while she was testing the boat and expressed an interest in purchasing one. Although reluctant to take on the challenges of operating a virtual business, Jacqueline decided to put the Trudeau 32 on the market. “When I first came to SL, I was taken aback by the sheer commercialism of the place. I thought … I never want to get involved in all that. Little did I know!” Three years later, Trudeau Classic Sailing Yachts boasts a line of eleven superbly crafted sailboats, with “over 5,000 out on the grid somewhere”, according to the company’s sales records. acqueline has produced some outstanding sailboats over those years, including the Defender II, a sleek racing yacht that received the Second Life Sailing Federation Best Overall sailboat award, and her recent offering, the Tradewind, a stunning two-masted tall ship. Jacqueline’s personal favourite is the Friendship. “I think it epitomizes what I’d like in a real-life boat,” she says. “Not too big, but with classic lines. When you see the real life boat that inspired it, you know the owner of this boat is someone who really loves sailing.” She’s also very fond of the Sojourner, a snug two-person boat perfect for romantic sea voyages. “My partner Larinda and I did a circumnavigation of the new continent in the Sojourner,” Jacqueline reminisces. “We’d sail a couple of hours in the evening, and then we’d find a place to moor and camp the night.” For Verkin Raven, the journey to launching SeaWolf Marine took a somewhat different course. Soon after joining Second Life, he became – in his own words – “extremely addicted to vehicles.” “The first thing I wanted to know getting off Orientation Island was if there were vehicles I could play with,” he grins. “I spent every linden I got on vehicles. The Second Life grid was to me like a giant flight simulator with extremely detailed scenery.” Before long he discovered the pleasures of travelling Second Life’s waterways.

“Among all the types of vehicles,” Verkin recalls, “boats became my favourite, because SL has so much water, and the Linden Straits made it safe to explore without running into ban lines and such.” A visual artist in real life, Verkin was soon attracted to the challenge of creating his own watercraft. He took one of the freebie boats available on the grid and “just started modelling on it.” He focussed on powerboats and over time developed the SW3, an impressive ship with clean robust lines designed not only for speed and manoeuvrability, but also socializing. “The SW3 was fun to make because it let me improve on all the things I didn’t like about my previous motorboats, plus I got to put a whole lot of casual sit poses on it.” Perfect for leisurely cruising, the SW3 can carry up to 18 passengers, although Verkin doesn’t recommend such a large party on one boat. “There are 18 sit points, but their purpose is to give passengers more freedom to choose where they sit.” “I don’t think anybody has ever successfully crossed a sim border in a vehicle with 18 people sitting on board,” Verkin explains. “Besides, it’s much more fun to split a large group up among several boats.” More recently, Verkin has ventured into the greater challenge of building and scripting sailboats. His Tetra 35 is a beautifully designed and exceptionally fast racing yacht. “I wish I’d started building sailboats earlier … The range of motion and helmsman involvement is a joy.” The skills needed to operate a powerboat can

be quickly learned – “Motorboats use the same controls as walking, so it’s pretty straightforward,” Verkin tells me. However, mastering the art of sailing takes a bit more knowledge and practice. “It helps to know a little about sailing in real life,” Jacqueline advises, “but once you understand some sailing basics, I would say it’s not difficult at all.” Verkin agrees: “Sailing eventually becomes second nature. The great thing is that even if you’ve mastered the controls, there’s always a challenge, and helmsman can always improve. It can be as difficult as trying to beat the champion around the course, or as simple as just idly cruising around the lake.” Given the popularity of the sport, Second Life boasts many great places to go boating. Perhaps the best is the United Sailing Sims (USS), a collection of over 80 privately owned sims all linked together with water thoroughfares and no ban lines anywhere. The USS began with the Starboards Yacht Club, created by Marktwain White on his sim Hollywood. He soon added more open sims, or voids, comprised of mostly water with a few islands. Before long, other like-minded estate holders became involved and the USS community grew to its present size. Another popular area is Sailor’s Cove with over 15 privately owned sims all dedicated to SL sailing. With only one sim separating Sailor’s Cove from USS, Jacqueline is hopeful the two areas will soon be linked together. “All it takes is one connection sim,” she points out, “so I think it will happen.”

For power-boating, one of Verkin’s favourite spots is the water sims on the original mainland. “Adriatic has a rezzable area in the middle of a huge lake, which is connected to the rest of the mainland via Linden Straits,” he explains. “The fastest ships can really open up around Adriatic.” From a fashion perspective, moving fast across the grid can demand some sacrifices, especially if you want to manage the challenge of crossing all those sim borders successfully. “The SL sailor has to be conscientious of the prim count they’re hauling around,” cautions Jacqueline. “High prim attachments are a no-no.” Why? “Sims have to hand off the presence of objects and avatars to each other as they cross the borders,” Verkin points out. “The more complex the avatar or objects, the laggier the transfer will be.” To counteract lag, serious sailors will take extreme measures to reduce their prim count to an absolute minimum. “Most of the serious SL regatta sailors go bald … women too!” Jacqueline declares. I’m suddenly feeling self-conscious about the hair I’m wearing, which must log in at close to 100 prims. I try to picture myself pulling off the Natalie-Portman-in-V-for-Vendetta look, and decide to keep the hair and compromise on clothing instead. “So bikinis are recommended?” I ask Verkin, feigning naïveté. “Oh,” he replies, “for numerous reasons, yes.” END

MODEL: Uma Ceawlin

While each season has its own unique way of calling to our senses, none have the explosive vibrancy of autumn. With green giving way to bright reds, yellows, and oranges, and the crisp aromas carried on breezes that have traded their balmy summer warmth for the gentlest touch of winter’s chill, autumn serves as a primal alarm clock. It awakens our instinct to prepare for winter – to make the best use of one last burst of energy before the cold sets in and the world settles down for a nap.

In Second Life™, autumn isn’t always easy to find. One can easily locate sims that display tropical beaches or evergreen boreal forests - even snow covered winter wonderlands seem somewhat easy to find (becoming easier still as the holiday season approaches). However, it is a rare thing to uncover a sim that dedicates itself to the technicolor beauty of autumn. Hopefully, the few selections chosen here will provide readers with a starting point in a quest to unearth the perfect autumn setting to add color to one’s Second Life experience.

Straylight http://slurl.com/secondlife/Straylight/183/52/25 What guide to finding beautifully natural settings in SL would be complete without at least a mention of Straylight? Straylight was one of the first sims to use sculpted prims to achieve a wonderfully natural look that was nearly impossible before sculpts were available (and that is all the technical talk about the place I’ll even try to offer). The bottom line is that Straylight is simply one of the most beautifully natural looking places to be traversed in world. Nowhere else in SL is the suspension of disbelief allowed to take such a break. As one wanders around the sim, watching stray beams of sun or moonlight penetrate through the tree canopy and listening to the breeze as it rustles the leaves, one can honestly begin to forget that none of it is real – but for the lack of mosquito bites and such (but who wouldn’t call that a benefit?) While most of the sim is deep and green, the southwest portion of the sim gives way to the colors of autumn. Trees

with brightly colored leaves grow on each side of a ravine that is crossed by a beautiful, stone arch bridge. More trees of vibrant colors grow on the south side of the ravine, but the view to the north has taken a decidedly darker turn as Halloween approaches. A small, recently added section of dead forest - complete with gray, leafless trees, rolling mists and, in the deep of night, colourful will-o’-the-wisps - fills the north side of the ravine. It is hauntingly beautiful. The sim is so popular that, long ago, it went from being a secluded walk in the deep woods to a daytrip at a park. While most everyone tends to keep to him or herself, one is bound to run into people no matter how deeply into the woods one believes to have. That might not serve for a romantic rendezvous, but it still makes for a fun outing to a beautiful sim where, along with finding new things to ooh and ahh at with every visit, one runs the pleasant risk of meeting an old friend or making a new one.

New Trails http://slurl.com/secondlife/ZweiteWeltNew/221/13/22 New Trails is a fairly recent addition to the grid. So new, in fact, that it is still somewhat under construction. However, it is open to the public and well worth the visit, if only just to see what nature can inspire in Second Life. Comprised of two adjoining sims, New Trails uses the extra room to offer a more wide-open space than can be found in other similarly built or landscaped sims. Landscapers have innovatively set the water levels of both sims at different heights - a differential that creates a much wider waterfall between the two sims than would usually be accomplished otherwise. Leaves blow through the air as water snakes its way in streams from the mountains into cool lakes and lagoons. Rays of sunlight dance between the trees and over the open areas. The real star here are the trees. This setting creates an environment in which imperfection is its own perfection. While the trees at Straylight are artistically beautiful, with their uniformly colored leaves, many of the trees at New Trails seem caught at that stage where the leaves are only just beginning to turn – their green becoming tinged at the edges with orange and gold. The

joined sims take on a surreal quality as, along with the scattered ancient ruins, one may happen upon ghostly white crystal trees that glow with their own inner light. While many of the things seen within the New Trails sims are (or will eventually be) for sale, the viewing experience isn’t interrupted by the presence of intruding vendor panels scattered along the walk. Instead, miniature versions of the trees seen throughout are displayed with attached vendors in a building fashioned after a large greenhouse such as one would see at a botanical garden or arboretum. As inspiring as it is, the ‘under construction’ feel is still present. The manifestation of this being the utter silence. The waterfalls are soundless, no birds sing, and while the trees may sway in the breeze they do so without making a sound at all. The incompleteness actually serves to excite this writer as I imagine what New Trails will eventually become. For the moment, the sims are only lightly visited making it is very easy to find a secluded corner for a romantic interlude, to be inspired to take photographs, or to serve as a quiet place to visit with friends.

Japan Tempura Island http://slurl.com/secondlife/tempuraisland/125/44/33 Visitors arrive at Japan Tempura Island at a hub on the southern end of the sim. A large castle dominates the north and the west gives way to a lush, green forest. To the east, however, is the autumn experience we seek. While the other locations covered in this article may make heavy use of sculpted prims Japan Tempura does not, instead using standard prim trees extremely effectively. What sets this island apart is attention to the detail in its ground cover. Anyone who lives near maple trees knows just how many leaves they send fluttering to the ground each autumn. Untended maples are left with a naturally occurring doughnut ring of gold and yellow foliage fallen around their trunks. The tree trunks create pathways for the wind and the leaves only seem to shift around on these paths. They never blow away. The trees here simulate this perfectly. Another of the sim’s fascinating features includes the near ethereal glow that the canopy seems to take on as one walk beneath. It’s just the sun more easily penetrating the leaves as they turn colors, but the effect is dazzling and captured expertly in the landscaping. Leaves seem to fall from everywhere; a pair of deer lounge lazily at the center of the woods; the sound of a distant waterfall fills the ears. The sim is distinctly peaceful and

serene. Scattered throughout the area are visual goodies like the swing situated near the cliffs overlooking the bay, the sitting area set back far enough to watch the deer without disturbing them, and a hidden “room” within the trunk of an ancient, giant tree complete with a bedroll for two and romantic candles. If there is anything to say against Japan Tempura Island it is that this beautiful autumn setting is so small. The moderate traffic on the sim seems to have greater effect as there just isn’t very much room to be far enough from everyone to provide any seclusion. It isn’t worth missing a chance to experience the surrounding beauty, however. It simply screams out for hand-in-hand walks with a special someone and every tree seems poised to invite couples to kiss beneath their branches. It would be impossible to try to find, let alone effectively write about every sim in Second Life where one can find an autumn experience. Hopefully, the three places described here can serve as a jumping-off point to visiting many more similar settings for secluded and romantic encounters, happy gatherings with friends and, of course, taking and sharing many beautiful, vibrant fall pictures. END

“Buenos Dias, Señor.” “Buenos Dias.” “Identificación con foto, por favor. License, please.” “Si, si, tengo aquí”

words and pictures by

Bakersfield Kidd

I hand the border inspector my license. “ Are you with the newspaper, senor .. aqui en El Paso?” “No, officer. I’m with a magazine. I’m here for Dia De Los Muertos, para mi familia.” There’s never any need to go into great detail with these border officials. If there was one thing I had learned in the countless passes into the Country of the Sun it was that these guys are paid by the hour to sniff out anything suspicious, but not compensated enough to have patience. “Cuantos dias en Mexico”’ “Uno.” “Esta bien,” he nods contentedly. “Bienvienidos a Ciudad Juarez, Senor. Welcome to Mexico.” It had been a good two months since I last crept across the crumbling bricks and stone of the connector bridge into Juarez. Looking across the stretch of dried up stygian reservoir bed that outlines its border my mind triggers the familiar and unshakable response to the visuals; this is home. This is home? I had grown up in West Texas, making Mexico and its border towns always within reach- places of refuge where I could go and disappear for awhile. Little nooks that mainstream Texans wouldn’t venture into for a weekend and definitely not at night. And yet, here I was again with the nose of my car making that turn down Del Charro Avenue and into the gated driveway of the Chula Vista Motel-Juarez Finest Lounge and SwimPool. However, I had no time for relaxing on this trip, I wasn’t here for creamy drinks and SwimPools. No, I was here to fulfill a promise, a promise which required me to fight to get the magazine to approve one more trip down to Mexico on their tab. The stingy editors waited until oct 30th to give me clearance, which meant me arriving in Mexico on the 2nd, the last day of Dia De Los Muertos. Piedro De La Agua del Selenas. How’s that for a name? This was whom I had come for, the late

great Piedro. He was a shop owner and purveyor of Mexican trinkets and novelties to Juarez tourist visiting for festivals, food and even the mythological donkey shows. He had been an honest man in his time, and his little shop of plastic items and candies was located in the big walk thru market just south of the downtown core. “el Pan de Dios”- the bread of god- his shop had been in the marketplace from ‘63 until April of ‘76 when he was stabbed for his shop profits while closing up one night. His murderers were unaware that he had a little neighbor boy run his bank money at three o’clock each Wednesday afternoon. At the time of his slaying, all he had was three dollars and 38 cents, by American currency. My mother works with other women cleaning houses on the weekends. One of them, Anna, a middle-aged woman, was Piedro’s sister. This past year she had been a struggling resident of south Juarez until she earned enough to pay her way across to Texas for work. My mother heard the sad tale of Piedro and his shop, how every year during the los Muertos holiday she would make her way to Piedro’s grave in the Cemetario de Los Angeles near her house. She would place a 1976 American nickel on his gravestone, utter a prayer for him and then stayed by his grave until morning. She had done this, without fail, every year since his deatheven somehow procuring a 1976 nickel. Some years she wrote to her family in the states to ask them to send her one. Well, my mother, the saint that she is, wanted to help. if Anna couldn’t do it herself, my mother would find a way to help. what that really meant was, “listen, I’m going to call my globe-trotting son, he lives in Boston and he’s a writer, he gets to go anywhere he wants, he makes lots of money and he ain’t doin’ shit, I’m sure. he’ll take yer things to Piedro, okay? Okay”’ “Dos dollares, senor. Dos dollares.” “Gracias, seniora. Si, tiene rojo i cabolla?” “Si, si. Aquí.” She covers my tacos with red sauce and onions. I turn and fix my gaze upon the streets -these streets- these barely there streets of Juarez. To my left are the robust fragrances of roasting meat for tacos. To my right, the nutty vanilla and cinnamon smell of row after row of earthy chocolate and sugar. Hand-tempered, hand shaped little skulls for the holiday. Fine swirls of rose and tangerine adorn their little faces, standing out bright against their dark, grainy texture. Delicate sugar flowers nestle within the eye sockets, each one made in a style unique to the family that sells them. These fading streets may be crumbling beneath their feet, but I can see that the cement and brick are the only things that decay here. At least, I’d like to think so. And then... its starts. Strings, drums, wood, bone. Music! I had only walked about five blocks from the motel. The Clerk told me that the Cemetario Los Angeles was within walking distance if I didn’t mind the uphill. Apparently, I’m just in time, and the stretch of statues and people goes all the way down, at least a mile to the bend. I hear the rhythm of the people, the feel the cadence of the celebration. They dance by in traditional dress. Bellowing dresses that look like upturned flower blossoms, knitted and tied, with fabric so fine they look almost of cray paper- Green, red, purple, blue, over and over again. The woman have they eyes blacked out with makeup, straight lines down over their mouths, twirling and twirling around the outside of the procession, giving the

entire crowd of people a clockwork like illusion, like they are the cogs pushing the crowd along. In the center, the men wear white linen shirts tucked into white linen pants, no particular cut or seam, just straight and narrow against their bodies, like bones. Bright red sashes wrap twice around each of their waists, and a few of them have picture frames on chains and cloth hanging from their sash belts. They wear paper masks with brilliant designs that resemble the sugar skulls. They march with mariachi instruments in their hands, some with deep wooden and bone drums. A few of men in the middle, march with the statues. Giant towering statues of skeletons, mother marys, skeletal dogs and birds, some at least six or seven feet above the marches encompassed in flower arches and resting on flower beds, they dance. As the procession nears me I step over to a merchant and quickly purchase a baseball sized chocolate skull, calaveras as they’re called, and wait for the procession to be about halfway past, and without a second thought I step into the mass. I’m walking with the people. The Celebration of the Dead is now happening all around me, and in my head, I’m thanking my mother for volunteering me. I palm my candy and reach a hand in my pocket. Yep, there’s the nickel. We make our way back up Del Charro Ave, before making a right at the foot of the very steep, Via Del Ray. I’m breaking apart my chocolate and letting every piece slow melt in my mouth, without any regard for the mess it’s making of my hands, I’m smiling the entire way, oblivious to the long, steep walk. As we near the gates of the cemetery, the dancing devitalizes, without words and in unison the entire procession slows its stagger. The music is still going, but the mariachis have begun to pluck instead of strum as to quiet the sound. We all enter in the same manner. An old man, a stranger, walks close and takes me by the hand. Is he here for a lost wife, a lost son, do I remind him of someone? I grip his boney hand and nod to him with a respectful smile. He breaks off from me just a couple rows ahead and with a wave he’s off to find the one he misses. I stop and let the entire procession pass by me. Behind the marchers, the town folks have now gathered. They’ve brought with them all the accoutrements of this festival. Food, drink, picture frames, personal items such as dolls, hats and even eye glasses. Things that once belonged to the loved ones are brought here on this night to hopefully reunite the spirits of the dead with the families that still love them. Somewhere in all of this, I think I spot the shadowy figures of the machine workers, all of them here in spirit, all of them most likely taking the day off from their protests. I hope so, at least. Tomorrow, at noon, I’ll be making my way out of the motel. After that will be a half hour wait at the border, coupled with more uncomfortable exchanges with the border police. I’ll have lunch in El Paso at Lindo’s. I’ll drive ten hours down the 40 to swing by my folks in outer Ft Worth. Finally, Three days of travel back to Boston, Two if I really want a day to myself to properly write all this up. But I’m not worried, I have what I need, I had it long before i left for Juarez. I’m not here for my story. I’m here for the loved and the dead-for the promise and the prayers. I pull the nickel from my pocket, and give it a quick kiss. END

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MODEL: Haver Cole

MODEL: Vintage McMillan

By Maddox Dupont

Men’s Fall/Winter Fashions This Season Undoubtedly, this season men’s clothing options will once again be filled with selections in usual fall/winter male palette of navy, grey, black and white. Resist the temptation of the colder, drearier months by brightening your spirit with splashes of color in oranges, golds, teals, purples, soft pinks, electric blues, muted greens and browns, which can only serve to pull you back into a state of sanity. This season is all about breaking the norm and showing the confidence that, although you are familiar with the rules, you don’t always have to play by them. Looks patterned with checks and lumberjack plaid are back this season as reflected in the work of the designers of the Girlspeedo Latte of Gbberish and Icemocolo Voom of Muism, which have embraced this style in both contemporary and retrospective interpretations. Muism’s Tartan jackets come in variety of colors that tantalise the most discerning of tastes. One can pair the jackets with checked or corduroy pant styles like the dress cords shown here from Valiant by Wavie Haller. The “Italian” look has always had its following; this season especially pays homage to Mediterranean sensibilities based on one’s ability to unabashedly shed that boyish form and bulk up, assuming a look that exudes more machismo. The Buck shape by MADesigns Shapes is shown here, swathed in Dragonfly Designs’ Ridge skin, which I recommend for those who want to look muscled and athletic. Buck comes in 2 body sizes – medium and well-built – to suit your preference.

This fall, appeal to your sense of adventure by showing some skin and challenge the waning temperature bar. Though winter has not yet arrived, don’t let the tan you carefully nursed throughout the warmer summer months go to waste. Fight off brisk conditions with a looselywrapped scarf from Muism, which has recently released number of winter accessories that ensure that the wearer is kept completely warm. The pink shirt from Muism’s Slim Fitted Suit in dark brown ensemble, also shown, may be just what you need to lighten things up. Add dark turtleneck beneath and you’ve got an outfit that will accommodate cooler evenings without leaving you feeling overdressed. Pink is not a color that is often seen worn in autumn months, however, it has become a refreshing choice. Just ensure that you select it in a softer shade. As always, Muism offers us a suit with many layers options: 3 collar options for the pink shirt and variety of tuck styles. The added considerations result in a very versatile set of clothing items that, that can potentially be combined with other items in and outside of the Muism collection to achieve a natural look. Our Italian look would not be complete without rich fabrics and great pair of shoes or dress boots. To most effectively match the color of Muism’s woolen suit I chose Redgrave’s Loafer in Mocca. Additionally, jewellery should be conservative and understated. Mhaijik Guillaume’s Silver ID Leather Ring is exactly that. Recently, a number of new designers have popped up in the men’s fashion scene, some

Men’s Fall/Winter Fa

of whom have found a place in KMADD City. My partner Kirk and I are always excited to discover new talent, introducing them amongst some of the top brands and more established designers for men that the sim has to offer. The following outfit features two relatively new designers that have caught our attention particular, and will hopefully inspire you to visit their respective stores. Encouraging and supporting new designers is needed to invigorate and provide diversity in the often neglected men’s fashion industry. Let me acquaint you with the wonderful color vibracy of Gbberish and Meriken Co. by Yaszi Mornington stores. If you are not color shy and are enamoured all that is “vintage”, this season’s selections will be perfect for you. Retro and vintage are back with classic lines and patterns delivered from a fresh perspective. Gbberish and Meriken Co. provide plenty of layer options to easily mix-and-match their clothing items, and as such one is bound to find something of interest in their stores that house a variety of superb, quality designs infused with fun and charisma. I offer you a word of advice when wearing many colors: try to limit number of overall colors displayed within a particular outfit. You do not want to end up looking like a circus clown, and adversely, you don’t want to seem as though you are wearing a monochromatic uniform. Instead, stay within the same color range to achieve a visibly well-thought-out look. Dressing well is often intuitive, but needs to be common sense as well. Take a visual inventory of the look you’ve put together and

use your powers of discernment to gauge whether things “look right”. If not, don’t be too lazy to change things around, shed and replace articles of clothing until you arrive at an ensemble that feels complete. I the accompanying photos, I’ve started with Meriken Co. Stipe Blue pants and matched it to their new Drops Blue jacket – though not created in as a set, these two items combined to create a perfect match. Since I really loved the teal colors in the pants, I endeavoured to reflect the hue in Gbberish’s Old Brompton Knitted Vest and gloves from Savvy? by Dakota Buck (the length of the gloves may swallow shirt cuffs and should be reduced in the appearance menu). To further play into the colour palettes of these two stores, I opted for the Micro Dots Pink shirt from Meriken; once again, providing just enough detail to keep eye interested. Although I mentioned that pink needs to be soft, in this case I needed something to break tonal monotony of the pants and jacket. The color of the shoes coordinates with the hunting hat from Argrace. These seemed to be the best color choices since the range is limited and blacks or browns, which just didn’t jive with the vision of the outfit. For added warmth and detail I chose Mhaijik’s Gold and Purple Sapphire Ring and the Armidi Gisaci Sandsbrook Scarf in Gold. If you are on the look-out for more gentle and sweet look, Valiant’s new skin release may be just what you’re in the market for. I had an opportunity to provide the designer my “brutal feedback” during its development stages,

ashions This Season

and I’m pleased to say that all-in-all Wavie Haller has come out with a truly great looking skin. What I love about this skin is that in every pack Haller also offers consumers black-andwhite versions of the same skin (just in case you want to star in a black-and-white film noir machinima). Love the idea. In addition to this skin option, keep your eyes peeled for the Sensitive face which has tears and other cool “make up” options that I have yet to see other designers do. Now I know that some of you will not surrender to color so easily this season, and as such I’ve provided a simple yet elegant style in black that is sure to keep you looking smart and warm. What I wanted to illustrate here is how one can go from daywear to night wear, from elegant to more casual with just few changes and by using only few items of clothing. I call this a “flexible style”. To accomplish this look I used two pairs of pants styles, both from Armidi – Ruvidio, which you can dress up, and Chinos for more casual look. In the footwear department, I’ve found that Kalnins by Maris Kanto well suited to business and daywear attire, and that Redgrave’s Cowboy Loafers look great with night time or more relaxed styles. The MADesigns Ai Shape (shown in eyes from Minnu Model Skins and MADesigns, and in the Beijing skin line from Minnu Model Skins) is shown wearing the Muism Buzen Loose Tie and Mechanism Satin for more casual, nightlife look. If you wear the tie untucked over the cardigan, the outfit gets an instant Brit rock feel, which is very popular at the moment. Mathfew Alonzo and Savvy Avvy return with a number of new releases for fall/winter, and this black cardigan is one of them. I simply love this cardigan for its subtle shading in addition to the elegant feel it adds to my look.

These outfits are more suitable for indoors than for battling the elements. I imagine it would be something you could wear at the office or under coat. Still if you need to dash out for quick bite to eat scarf from Aitui by Jesseaitui Petion is sure to keep you cosy. One more thing: do not be afraid to experiment with skin this season. There have certainly been more than enough great new releases for men from designers like Minnu Model Skins, Valiant, Damiani and A.C Store. It’s also worth mentioning that just because certain skins might be designed with a particular cultural aesthetic in mind – MMS’s Beijing skin, for example – it does not mean that you can’t wear it and make it your own with a bold statement that speaks to the uniqueness of your own shape. Getting the most out of a great skin is dependent on a well-made shape to give it “ethnicity” and needed realism. This means that a variety of skins may also compliment a Caucasian facial structure. And there you have it. It is my hope that these pages have provided you with enough bright ideas for your next shopping excursion. Many of the designers and clothing content featured within this article can be found at KMADD City at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Kmadd%20 Enterprise/187/94/26. If you are looking for more inspiration, we’ve got plenty of talent showcased within our sim, so please pay us a visit. If would like to get more detailed style information on any of the outfits displayed within this article, visit our blog at http://madimage. wordpress.com. MAD Image brings you daily male and female styles to suit every occasion, brought to you by some of the leading names in the Second Life™ fashion industry. END

MiSTER

by Keiko Morigi

MODELs: Monta Horan • Catero Revolution • Vasean Talamasca •Sylar Boyd

The following Designers were used in this issue of GLAM: Blue Moon: Baiastice Paper Couture DeLa Muse Fleur Cachet BareRose Mimikri Split Pea The Closet MMS Coif Aoharu Shop Seu Vintage Wear avenue: Defectiva LBD MMS Chapeau Tres Mignon Artilleri Aoharu The Closet Pixel Dolls Thimbles Bax Coen Vette’s Boutique Mimikri DeLa Picnic Zaara Maitreya apropos: MMS Swallowtail Armidi Torrid MMS Pixel Dolls LBD

ColorFall: Fashionably Dead Nylon Outfitters MMS Paper Couture D’or Paper Couture LBD Uzuri Blaze Florina Mimikri Shai Icon Muism Stiletto Moody Cachet M & R Cupcakes mister Abyss Cream Shop Icon Armidi FNKY Muism Dejavu Aitui Truth Kari Vintage Wear The Good Life Tonk Tastic Sey MMS Laqroki Bare Rose Paper Couture Maitreya Soreal Gritty Kitty Coif Chase