Okay, I can’t help it. I love feathers and I love creative fashion. It’s one of the reasons me working for *SoliDea FoliEs* is such a good fit. Mila Tatham designs very creatively. But there are a lot of these truly creative designers out there. One of the others brands I simply can’t live without is Faint Paulse’s Ladies Who Lunch. I started playing with this outfit Saturday, but it was such a nightmare in SL getting anything to attach I finally said “uncle” and left. I think today was a little better, and I hope you like. I am keeping with the low velocity one more day, so Draakje? short and sweet, so there!
Take from? There is a new round of Hottie Cooterati’s Zodiac, and its Taurus, and I’m a Taurus, so HAVE fun for my birthday month! And buy me lots of prezzy’s, okay? See, so nice, I’ll even include the taxi. Taxi to Zodiac!:
Outfit One:
Skin: Essences, Taurus **Hottie Cooterati Zodiac event** (Thanks Anderian Sugarplum :**)
Hat: [LWL], Blush Veil hat
Hair: Tuty’s, Adorable
Earrings: Mandala, Leather Feather
Makeup: Mons, Burning eyeshadow (**Taurus Hottie Cooterati Zodiac event**)
Gloves: Mimikri
“Wings”: [LWL], Vesuvius, feather part of hip pieces
Shirt: [LWL], MFM11 Aviary Top
Tutu: [LWL], Aviary Tutu
Socks: ALB, Joy (part of a boot set)
Shoos: [LWL], Faint! Precarious Platforms
Low-velocity weekend. Recovering from last night? Perhaps. Wanted to finish up the Spring 2013 trends blogs, so here it is. If you remember from my first blog of springs trends I showed some high contrast black and white prints. Those are still in style but if those Rorschach-esque digital prints are too over the top for your style, stripes might be right up your alley. Make the statement big and bold but at the same time uncomplicated. With denim, they’re all-American; with navy, they’re nautical-chic; and worn head-to-toe, they’re just plain cool. Bonus: You’ll definitely be able to wear them for seasons—even years—to come, because this is a style that always seems to come back into style.
Outfit One:
Bag: Handverk, Leather Feather
Jewelry: Mandala, Onigiri necklace and Hokusai watch
Makeup: Mons
Hairs: Boon, WMO003
Shirt: Maitreya, Rib Tank
Skirt: Baiastice, Mesh maxi
Hat: Baiastice, Huge Brim Hat
Time-honored and fashionista-approved, luxe leather pieces in refreshed shades are a strong style for Spring 2013. More tomorrow.
Since I previously used the quote, “I hope she’ll be a fool — that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” you can probably tell I am enamored with F. Scott Fitzgerald and more specifically, The Great Gatsby. So you can imagine my excitement they’ve remade the movie, I just hope it follows the book closely. There are so many meaningful quotes meandering through this novel, each time I read it I learn something more about myself. I’ve probably passed the title quote by on numerous occasions without thought but this time, I did stop and F.Scott is wise and on the mark. Many times we do judge others by our own personal experience, how can we not? We are the best authority on what we have seen, felt, done and oft these prior markers shadow the bigger picture, creating previously unrealized bigotry’s towards others who are different. One only has to use the example of the topic of gay marriage to know both sides are strong in their arguments and seldom stop to see the others view.
After fall 2012’s whirlwind of brocade, fur, and embellishment, it’s no surprise to see influences everywhere from India and the Middle East to Russia, the beautyful beading should make for some seriously stunning evening wear this Spring.
Don’t get me wrong, I realize its easier to look at life through a single window, ours, but I wonder if its as effective or productive? Should we make “fast-food” assumptions when it comes to how we view other people? I hope not. After all, compassion, love and empathy only come when we have the ability to put our feet soundly in the shoes of the other person. It just makes no sense to label people based on our experience, we don’t know how they got to where they are and their journey in life is seldom the same as our own, if it is, well then it’s just an “us” versus “them” mentality, so what may seem the only solution to the us may have a unique completely different outcome to the them.
Take from, sure, I’m a Cao, it’s what I do. Look out a window, then walk to the other side of the room and look out a different window. Open your eyes, and look around, there is so many different colors to see. Even in white and black, there are numerous shades. People are the same way, each of our life experiences uniquely effect our vision, our ability to interpret what we see. It is important to remember there is never necessarily a right and a wrong response, so if we are passing judgement it behooves us to remove our own experience and prejudices from the equation prior to making any decision that involves another human being. A little high-gravity sure, but then sometimes the most important things are.
Outfit One:
Lingerie: Sonatta Morales, Pretty Lingerie Taxi:
Hat: Leezu!, Garbo Hat **L’Accessoires** Taxi:
Pumps: Miamai, Marian 50’s pump **L’Accessoires**
Jewelry: Donna Flora, Pasqualina
Hairs: Tuty’s, Bob
Statement Sunglasses . Want to add a runway feel to your everyday basics? Pick up a pair of spring’s OMG-worthy sunglasses.
They are easier to ride in the direction they are going. ~ John Naisbitt . Last week I covered color, it’s uses, the color wheel, and whats available and trendy. Can’t express enough how important that color wheel is! For the next couple of days I want to show some of the 2013 Fashion Trends. I know this is a rehash of a January blog, but sometimes it’s good to readdress to update because as we know, fashion may be eternal but boy does it ever change quickly! Today’s first two trends are based on the rounds of the 2013 Spring Fashion Week in New York City. I’ve conveniently written what the trend is under the picture, so if you can’t stand to face Word and Peace as written by Cao every day, I made it nearly painless for you!
Black and White . Spring often reminds us of pastels and flowers, and they were definitely at the fashion weeks, but there is just something tried and true about black and white.
Glasses, glasses, glasses! Aren’t they just such a marvelous fashion statement? This year they hit the runway in every shape and size, each pair louder and more fabulous than the next. Aren’t these shades from Swallow just glam? I feel like one of those rich diva’s you see walking about in NYC, now if I can just find where I put my purse with the dog in it.. The second trend is black and white, the designers put a strong emphasis on these colors and it just makes sense. Think about it, they are appropriate to wear year-round, easy to pull off on any budget, easy to dress up or down so it’s sleek enough to wear for business or on a date night, this trend is the definition of wearable, so you will probably see it consistently throughout the season.
I made my black and white “pop” with the added flashes of red.
“They’ll either want to kill you, kiss you, or be you.” ~ Suzanne Collins
The Avaricious and the Bellicose. Come on, we all know them, they are just otherwise known as Haters or Internet trolls and if you are a Second Life model or a dedicated blogger, sooner or later you’re going to get up close and personal with one. Human behavior has been as it is for century’s now, it’s not some new phenomenon; envy is one of our biggest challenges in life. And honestly, being nice or not nice, doing or not doing, someone somewhere will hate you no matter what your response is. It’s just a sad fact of life. So right off the bat, don’t be immature and think everyone will like you. Do the best to walk quietly with all whom you encounter but when you meet a hater realize, envy sucks but everyone liking you ain’t gonna happen. Distancing your emotions from the hurt allows you to be free to look at the world without those little pink sunglasses.
“Envy is the art of counting the other fellow’s blessings instead of your own.~Harold Coffin”
I think the best we can do is accept their emotion, but realize typically it’s not YOU they are angry with, they just want something you HAVE, or ironically don’t have, depending on what “it” is. Because to tell the truth, when it comes down to a new pair of Jimmy Choos or pay my mortgage I can be pretty darn envious of the person whose house is paid for. And ironically, one of the odd things about life is whatever they are envious of; typically it is merely on loan to you, because we’ve probably all experienced something that was taken away. So the best we can do with the gifts bestowed upon us is to enjoy them while we have them, hold them sincerely but most of all never use them to harm others. If they are taken away, I would certainly hope the people around me would recognize I only used my gifts to promote the good of society and not to be malicious to others because you don’t realize how many splinters you’ve created on the ladder your climbing until you begin to slide down.
Take from? Yes, the world is filled with avaricious and bellicose people, it’s a fact of life. What limits their affect on us is how we respond to them. Motivational speaker Harvey MacKay, put it quite eloquently when he said, “Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about those who don’t. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would most likely be worth it.” All SLURL’s are under the “Last known SLURL’s page” to the left!
Okay, now see. I’ve mentioned it often enough before, but there are some disbeliever’s out there, but honestly, I am basically undate-able. I really am. My mom is a big part of the reason too. She is determined to see me married off just to give her a dozen or so grandkids. Why she picks on me and not my brother? Heck if I know. No, that’s not sincere, you have to know my brother, maybe it’s probably a good idea to slow down his gene pool. (Just kidding bro) I’m at my wits end honestly, and about to make sure I do not pick up when I see her name on the caller ID. The other day she calls, and I know it’s bad because the first thing she says is, “Cao do you love me?” I kick my own arse right then for picking up the phone, you’d think how much harm can a five foot three woman do, but frankly, she scares the davil out of me. After I affirm my undying love for her she tells me good then I won’t mind going out with Mrs. So and so’s son while he is in town. *head desk*
We decide to meet for a drink. I always refuse to meet for dinner on a first date. Why? Remember my manner’s “issues”? If he chews with his mouth open I am likely to look over at him, smile, and stab him with my plastic spork. They apparently frown on that in most eating establishments around here in this drinking village with a fishing problem. I digress, I show up at the alotted time, and lo and behold he doesn’t look so bad. Handsome fellow, great teeth, taller than me, my big three requirements are met. It was going pretty well, we were chatting about likes and dislikes, cursory things and I mentioned at one point I’d like to learn Spanish. He looks at me and I sware, this is more or less how the conversation went.
Guy: So you like it South of the Border, eh?
Me: What?
Guy: You like dudes from South of the Border (SOB).
Me: [stare] …
Guy: So is it because Florida guys don’t have much going on South of the Border?
Me: WHAT?
Guy: You know, chicks like you these days just don’t want to date guys like me anymore, is it because of what we’ve got SOB?
I got up and walked out. But I thought to myself, “IF YOU THINK IT IS WHAT YOU HAVE SOB THAT MAKES GIRLS NOT WANT TO DATE YOU, YOU ARE REALLY MISSING THE BIG PICTURE HERE.”
Of course this is in gest, mostly. But you single women out there know what I’m talking about; we’ve all spent time with “that” guy. So smile and forage on, somewhere out there is some perfect guy made just for us. At least thats what I hear. I hope your Wednesday slides peacefully into the weekend! If you get a chance, come see me Saturday April 13th 1PM SLT, at the *SoliDea FoliEs* show during SoloEvane’s Milan Fashion Week! Today’s color tip? Don’t forget your primary colors, there is a reason they look so good on a flag!
Outfit:
Hair: Boon, YNO421
Glasses: Dumani, Cateye
Lips: Blackliquid, Bloodgloss
Jacket: Leverocci, Sleek Blazer (might be out of business, I tried to find)
Scarf: GizzA, Tricot Set (from the)
Skirt: Maitreya, Mini
Clutch: Chic Zafari, London Bag
POSE: BehaviorBody, Handbag pose
Today’s blog will be a quick one. “YAY!!” Say’s my besty, Draakje Dailey. Ah heck, and probably 99% of you out there. This Spring, when you are playing with colors, don’t forget your Color wheel! Ever wonder how some of your favorite fashionistas put colors together to create eye-catching and fabulously colorful outfits? Well, The color wheel is an excellent wardrobe tool!
For a positive success, it is best to make the following combos using the color wheel as your guide:
1. Colors directly next to each other (i.e. yellow and yellow-orange; yellow and lime-green; violet and blue-violet, etc.)
2. Colors that form right (90 degree) angles with each other (i.e. yellow and red-orange; blue and crimson; green and orange, etc.) *I find the crimson a bit of a misnomer as the colors are more in the purple shades, but will call it this since it’s on the color wheel that way.
3. Colors directly across from each other (i.e. yellow and violet; blue and orange; red and green, etc.)
4. Colors that form a T (i.e. blue, orange, and crimson; yellow, violet, and red-orange; green, red, and orange, etc.)
5. Colors that form an X (i.e. blue, orange, crimson, and lime green; yellow, violet, turquoise and re-orange)
Since brown is a neutral, it will go with virtually any color on the color wheel. I love to pair a chocolate brown with cobalt blue or fuchsia for a fun and bold combo. Of course white, black, and the hues of blue found in denim are also neutrals that go with just about anything.
As for all of those accessories we as fashionista’s wear? The color wheel also applies to them. Go crazy with colored hats, bags, shoes, or scarves. When choosing jewelry, pair gold (or gold-toned) jewelry with your warm colored outfits. Warm colors have a yellow, gold, or orange undertone to them. Wear silver (or silver-toned) jewelry with your cool colored outfits. Cool colors have a blue, pink, or red undertone to them. Always remember though since colors are broken down by hue, temperature, intensity, and tone any single hue can be either warm or cool. You will have to look at the undertones.
Take from? See? Color isn’t something to fear, just keep a color wheel handy and take the power into your own hands! Get out there and Color your world! I was amazed how much color I saw available when shopping for this blog yesterday! All SLURL’s should be under my “last known SLURL’s” page to the left, if not, give me a holler.
Orange and Blue Outfit:
Hairs: Boon, YNO 421
Lipstick: Lovely Mi
Glasses: Emery, Era Taxi:
Earrings: Mandala, Leather Feather
Watch: Mandala, Hokusai
Necklace: Bon Kings
Shirt: Ricielli, Summer Mini **So many colors and prints, a virtual color wheel on its own!* Taxi:
Shorts: Ricielli, Summer Mini Top *ditto*
Lime-Green and Crimson Outfit:
Hair: Boon, BNG331
Sunglasses: Emery, Leopardess
Belt: Emery, Fuschia
Top: Emery, Candy
Skirt: Emery, Running Free
Purse: Ricielli, Mesh Gia (In Easter egg)
Hair: Lelutka, Invert . Pose: Behavior Body, Squint (pose Fair) . Shoos: Similar Italian, Roma . Purse: JeSuis, Zebra clutch . Couturier’s Dock: Hat: Baoba, Carousel . Dress: Liv Glam, Imani
I know, I know! Another title of “alphabet soup.” I can’t help myself, as I’ve said, I love words. I’ve received a lot of positive reinforcement since yesterday when I stated at times I wish to walk away from SL.To all of you kind hearted people, you are the main reasons I stay. I’ve met so many good people in Second Life. We all have buried somewhere deep inside a good gene, we just have to wrestle it out at times, but in SL there seems to be a lot of good genetic markers in people. Or perhaps I am so sickly sweet the big meanies just choose to leave me alone. Which is fine, I am a steadfast believer sitting in the front row pew of the church of Mean People Suck. I’ve spent the morning working, my “day job” is working with numbers, so of course, my mind wanders. Oh wait, perhaps that’s why I got a grade of “C” in Trigonometry in college. One thing my friend Tai Galicia said as I was floundering around for something, ANYTHING! to blog struck me. When talking about me she said, “you style for the joy it brings.” More amazing than the fact what she said is true, is the fact she heard it a while ago, she remembered it, but I did not.
Hair: Lelutka, Invert . Pose: Behavior Body, Squint (pose Fair) . Shoos: Similar Italian, Roma . Purse: JeSuis, Zebra clutch . Couturier’s Dock: Hat: Baoba, Carousel . Dress: Liv Glam, Imani
I don’t really think it’s abnormal of me to forget, I am a self confessed, “flighty” at most times, it’s why my best friend is Draakje Dailey, she has a mind like a steel trap and makes sure I am where I am supposed to be with whistles and bows. I just suppose being human, I sometimes lack true commitment. I have a hard time being given an item and being told to “style this.” It’s not how my mind works. I’ve never asked a designer if I could blog them or join their blogger group, my blog isn’t about this. I just want to see really cool things, purchase them and style. So my apathy at times stems from these moments when I have commitments to blog but really no free will to put expression in the styles. So please forgive me this week, dear designers. I am actually ashamed of myself. I should do a better job on your gorgeous designs and will put forth more effort in the future.
That said, it’s actually something for all to think about. Don’t be afraid to add little expressions of YOU to your style, it’s what makes you stand out as different. I think when we are teens, most of us, are so scared of self-expression we all tend toward a popular conformity. Wouldn’t the world be an incredibly creative place if we were more accepting of our differences in styles and tastes? Inside all of us are little “style passions,” whether it be for certain colors, materials or shapes. We all have some preferences, lets start to share them with our viewers. Personally I love what I call, colors you can taste or feel. A sweet Tangerinish orange, a chocolaty brown, a red as yummy hot as “red hots” candy. I think when you feel passionate about an element of your style, the passion translates to the look creating a passionate feel. Today’s little cocktail is from Liv-Glam and the elegant hat is Baoba. Both are available at the Couturier’s Dock and perfect for any event that needs a chic elegant appeal.
Take from? Would it be my blog without one? It’s in the title. A person of pauciloquence is one brief in speech. Having just read another version of Cao’s Word and Peace, you’d think I surely don’t suffer from it, but in real life I do. When it comes to personal style, I, like a lot of you, suffer from kakorrhaphiophobia. We fear creating our look with our own personal style preferences because we fear failure. Create the vision that is uniquely you by not being brief in the conversation of your look. Let the unique elements of your style preferences tell the story because honestly? You can’t truly fail. Self-expression, when truthful and about you is yours alone, and who can tell you its wrong if it is what you think is beautiful? Think on it a while, it will come to you. Thank you, Tai! You’ve brought me back to my focal point. I’ve a few more pics to clear away this week but next week I think I will re-explore my passion for color. Taxi:
I was going to stand here today on April fool’s Day and say I’ve decided to quit Second Life and this blog, but the feeling was so close to the current truth, I didn’t have the heart to put it into words. The fool’s joke would be on me because it’s an every other day thought for me some weeks. But leaving right now isn’t on the agenda for me, I’ve come so far and learned so much from other peoples comments, here and inworld, and about myself in these musings, I suppose, that leaving seems the cowards way out. You people are the best though, you honestly are, I can’t tell you how many encouraging comments and notecards I receive in a week from avatars and *wink* humans alike. It truly makes me smile and gives me the will to plod on. So thank you! I enjoy knowing you are there and knowing quite a few actually care.
Such an odd phrase, “I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.” Do you know where it comes from? There was a legal trial in the United States in 1925, The State of Tennessee vs. John Thomas Scopes. Scopes, a public high school teacher was charged with teaching his students evolution, which was illegal to teach in state funded schools. Scopes was unsure whether he actually HAD taught evolution, but he purposefully agreed he had because he thought the topic needed to be addressed in the legal arena. What ensued was a media circus pitting modernist (people with radical beliefs of the scientific and cultural influences of the Enlightenment) against fundamentalists (those who have a strict adherence to specific theological doctrines). I suppose technically if evolution is true, “I’ll be a monkey’s niece” would be the correct descending order. Though, the way we act sometimes, I often wonder if such a mix would be an improvement to man, but deteriorate the monkey?
Take from? Yep! It’s that kind of high-gravity Monday. We all need to evolve at times, whether it’s by learning a new way of viewing the world, defining our relationship within the world or by accepting the inevitable things we may not like and living with them peacefully. Of late there has been a great deal of talk about gay marriage in the news, and being a thinker and a watcher I’ve noticed, unlike past trials, there has been almost no discussion about whether homosexuality is deserving of the public’s moral condemnation. With that rhetoric and moral discomfort gone, I can’t help but think the children of homosexual parents will finally have their voices heard. Is this good or bad? Depends on “what side of the fence” you stand on. But personally, (and this is, of course, just my thoughts for what they are worth. Not too much I am sure) I think for the sake of these voiceless children, it just may be the right thing to do and the right time to do it. Mark Twain wrote much more eloquent than I ever could when he penned, “Loyalty to petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul.” If your thinking of checking out the current round of The Couturier’s Dock, you better hurry, its going to be open just a few more weeks. And looky there, I’ve even included the taxi for you! Taxi:
an chailín álainn 