Face of Style Contest

Entrance into the Face of Style closed yesterday at midnight, so I can finally share the photos I entered! I am so happy because I have been dying to post them for a week. Was I being paranoid by not posting them until now?? Maybe, but you never know.

So, without further adieu, i humbly present to you my first attempt at entering a photo contest:

This was my body shot. I just LOVE the location. The textures are so excellent it almost looks like I photoshoped myself into the picture.

I am wearing the Erin boho dress by Last Call. I chose a water location because the light eyelet fabric of the dress seemed to demand it. However, I thought the elegant black lace would be better served in the darker atmosphere of a rain forest than at the beach. My hair is ETD Survive in Mahogany, but I made a copy and did a white linen retexture on the headband for this outfit.
Other items: Miriel's Casual Excess Necklace in black, Miriel's Bauble Earrings in Black, and Butterfly Bangles by ??? (i will have to do some research to figure out where i got these).

This is my headshot. The pose isn't extremely inspired, but i like the way it allows the details of the dress to be featured. The dress is the gorgeous Regina Dress by last call. I chose ETD Bonita II hair in burnt mahogany for a romantic look that wasn't too formal. My necklace and earrings are Miriel's Moon and Tide in Black with white mother of pearl. I chose this set because I thought the detailing on the dress looked like stars, so I thought a moon necklace would be fitting and I liked its delicate simplicity. Black elbow gloves were added for drama.


This is my profile shot. This was the hardest picture to choose. I love the pose in this picture and how it allows the whole outfit to be showcased as well as a good view of my profile. I love the outfit too, Trixie baby tee and brown plaid pants by Celestial Studios. I paired with it G.L.A.M. metallic pumps color-changed to baby blue, Skool Daze bangles in peach, and Caroline's cameo locket in black and gold. The hair is my signature, ETD Bedded Attitude in mahogany.

I had a really had time choosing between the above shot and the following to be my profile picture:

I loved the background in the alt picture and I loved how the car mirrored the colors in my shirt. However, I did not like how you could only see the top on my outfit in this picture. Also, it sort of looks like one of those Myspace cellphone camera pictures the way my left arm is stretched out. Ultimately, I choose the first picture despite the lack-luster background.


I didn't retouch or photoshop the pictures at all. I'm sure I am in the minority of entrants for leaving my photos au naturale. I just think it is much more thrilling
to capture a really great "candid" photo. I'm sure I could strike a few poses and snap a spangly (spangly??) background behind it and it would look awesome. I think that finding the perfect spot and the perfect lighting and tying your fashion in with the environment is half the fun of of photo shoots. Hopefully others agree.

The results of the contest will be announced on June 24th. I am not holding my breath as there have been hundreds of entries. I am fairly inexperienced compared to many fashionistas I've seen on blogspot and Flickr. I'm not going to say I don't care if I win, but I will say that I have had so much fun doing this that it was already worth it.

And I will also say that it is a great promotion for any SL business. Contests like this are excuses for massive shopping sprees. More contests please!!!

Ivalde: My One True Love

I'm here at ~~Ivalde~~ Village, home of my very favorite store in all of SL: Ivalde Antique and Vintage Clothes.

~~Ivalde~~ Village is a lovely Norwegian sim featuring Ivalde & Ask designs, Hairapy, Second Mirage jewlery, Elegance Hats, & Prim Seduction Shoes. In addition, there are waterfalls, a viking ship, and beautiful strolling areas to explore.

Hair: ETD Bedded Additude Mahogany; Necklace: Miriel's Casual Excess choker in black; Bracelet: Miriel's duel metal bracelet in black/silver

No one designer satisfies me so completely and so often. I have scores of items from Ivalde and a wish list a mile long. Designer Neferia Abel is truly a genius. The beauty of Ivalde (and Embla) clothes is in the detail. Take, for instance, the scalloped neckline of the vintage Audrey dress (above) and how it is mirrored in the hemline. It is beyond gorgeous. It sets this dress apart from countless others in SL with the same basic style. You can always tell an Ivalde design.

Speaking of unique, I present to you Ragna, my first dress from Ivalde. This dress is perfect. The delicate prim sleeves and wispy skirt make me smile every time I wear it. The muted green color is rich and indulgent. It is the ultimate sophisticated, feminine and lovely dress for day or evening.

Necklace and Bracelet: *BBB* Natural pearls; Shoes: Lassitude& Ennui Eva pumps in coal.

Flirty, feminine dresses are a specialty at Ivalde. Take the Siv floral sundress. I don't usually like large floral prints, so this dress was a great surprise. Perfect for a stroll through the garden or afternoon tea, the rose print on this dress is bold without being overbearing and the skirt flows gracefully with your movements.

Necklace: Miriel's Bounded Elegance in silver

Ivalde makes casual dresses and skirts as well. The vintage Margarita dress is so simple yet so sexy. This dress features a delicate floral pattern and intricate lace trim which adds sophistication and grace to this simple and easy dress. This piece is as casual as a pair of jeans, but so much more striking.

The vintage Trude outfit is another great casual look. The spaghetti strap dress has a short flirty prim skirt with floral detail, a cute white belt at the waist, and intricate ribbon detail around the neckline. This dress is great for day or evening and can be dressed up or down.
Neclace: Dhiny Things knotted bead necklace in mother of pearl. Bracelet: *BBB* natural pearls

But it doesn't stop there. In addition to the prim skirt, Trude also comes with stylish high-waisted striped sailor pants with a lower white belt for a more casual look. Trude also comes with an adorable white scallop-trimmed bolero that can be worn with either look. The addition of the bolero creates a beautiful diamond shaped neckline. all of the items are mix -and-match, and easily integrate with other pieces in your inventory.
Necklace: Miriel's Mirror, Mirror in black. Bracelet: Black & White butterfly bangles

In addition to a large selection of vintage items, Ivalde also has a great selection of rockabilly, Lolita, and Gothic styles for when you are feeling grim. I got the Brit outfit for free at the Ivalde Island's grand opening treasure hunt and I am sure glad i did. I would never have bought the outfit on my own since it so 'wild', but it is super cute. I wear it sometimes to live music shows and I even won a clothing contest for best goth outfit with it. Nice!! Brit features a tunic-style cap-sleeved shirt with an asymmetrical hem, black and white striped leggings with matching fingerless gloves. What I like about this outfit is that it has attitude without being gaudy or flamboyant like I find most goth stuff to be. It is really more No-Wave than Goth, but you can swing it whichever way you like.
Necklace: Slave the the music Necklace by PuNk Couture.

Items at Ivalde range in price on average from $L250-400, which is standard for outfits and dresses. But the quality and style is superior to most in SL, so you are really getting a great deal.

There is really no reason not to visit Ivalde or window shop off-grid at the Ivalde website.

Sea-worthy Fashions

My last post was so long, i figured that I would talk about my cruise ship fashions separately.

The adorable white eyelet dress is the Veranda dress by Miko Omegamu of *ICING*. Featuring a lovely flowing prim skirt and bow, this dress is perfect for daytime adventures on or near the sea. I'll be writing more about *ICING* as they have a ton of super cute dresses and the prices there are excellent. The beaded necklace with fun knotted detail is from Shiny Things. I actually got this for free at the GNubie Store in Indigo. You can get it in Ruby or Mother of Pearl and is one of my favorite necklaces.

The shoes I'm sporting I actually purchased onboard. They are called Diva Pumps by Eye Candy and they cost only $L35! They have optional bling, Sexy Walk, and have 12 color change options. The AO is a little wonky, but they are cute, versatile and a steal!!

My Evening look is the 1897 Tzarina gown in Ruby by Shenlie Fine Millinery. I got this dress on clearance for only $L100. If it is still available, it comes is a variety of dramatic jewel tones and it perfect for the most formal of occasions. My hairstyle is Barbie by Hairapy. This hair is super cute and flirty. I love wearing it with all of my vintage day and party dresses, but I found while writing this piece that it can be great for sporty looks as well. Speaking of sporty...

I'm not super into sportswear, so I made my workout gear from bits and pieces I had in my inventory, all of which were free. The tank is the ETD wifebeater, the pants were part of the LandF Sporty Outfit, the wristbands were from Devilish Cupcake, and the shoes were PuNk Couture hightops. The main PuNk Couture shop is closed until autumn, but they have a kiosk in Emerald City. However, I'm not sure if the hightops are still free.

My skating outfit was also made from a collage of random items. The black gloves were free from a lingerie box. The shirt was the top of the Flexified Lacy Flower Dress (short) found at most of the free stores and warehouses. The prim skirt came from the French Spirit Black and Sexy Flex Dress and the "tights" were a black recolor of a freebie "New Pants." Not to shabby, wouldn't you say?