Lady Intrigue

Another decidedly sophisticated look today, but with a monochromatic theme. I took these pictures ages ago, and I'm just now getting around to blogging them.
This outfit was one of those that simply fell together. I already knew the exact look I was going for, I only had to find the right pieces to create it. And that was pretty easy. I took these black trousers with the suspenders on the jacket layer (by the talented Rosemary Galbraith), added a simple white top from one of bossa nova's dresses, threw on my TaP long black gloves and some freebie white pumps, and the look was complete. Almost.
This hair/hat combo from Frangipani Designs (yes, the same one I wore in the last post... call it a two-ways-to-wear-it article) took this look from slightly masculine to ultra-feminine, sexy, mystery woman. The dark eyes and scarlet lips of the Another Skin, lust with freckles, helped with that lady-of-intrigue look as well.
I can just see this lovely lady at the rendezvous point, and the meeting going something like this.
"I told you not to call me again, Frankie. Why do we have to meet here again?"
"I just wanted to see you again... you left so suddenly last night..."
"There was a reason for that, sweetheart."
"Can't you see I that fell in love with you the first time I saw you?"
"Well, that was a silly thing to do. You know who I am, who I work for... a woman in my position can't afford to be in love."
"Now wait just a minute, Miss Aurora..."
"Don't mess with me, Frankie. I can have my men here in a split second, and they'll take you out."
"But I thought we had something special... last night was so wonderful..."
"I always get what I want, sugah. And right now, I want you gone. Beat it, baby, and don't look back. It's for your own good."
She only looks sweet and innocent. This is the attire of the woman who knows what she wants and knows how to get it.

On the sunny side of the street

Though I doubt many have noticed, I've been on a bit of a hiatus lately. RL relationships and such have made it impossible for me to spend much time in SL, but since I'm bedridden with mono right now, I thought I'd step back into my other world. It's going to take me weeks to catch up on everything that's been going on, but in the meanwhile, here's my latest contribution to the fashion world.
If seasons were people, this is what Spring would wear. The skirt was part of a freebie dress, just lovely. I wasn't too fond of the way the top part of the dress matched up, but what the heck, who wears dresses like they were packaged anyways? I tinted CRAP's tee to match, and added a tan cami from Pixeldolls on the undershirt layer to cover up that cleavage. For some extra definition and to conceal some seam issues, I added this gorgeous (and heavily modified for my purposes) belt from Armidi. The super-sexy t-strap heels are from Shiny Things.
And the hair... yes, this hair... it's from Frangipani Designs. Now let me tell you... this whole outfit took some time to put together, especially because of my long absence, but I was having one hell of a time finding just the right hair for this look. I wanted something casual, but graceful and not too messy. Once I tried on this Grace II style, I knew it channeled exactly the right Grace-Kelly-meets-Audrey-Hepburn vibe.
The boho jewelry from Earthtones tames down the flouncy-ness of the dress, and the slightly smoky eye and slightly glossy lip (Le, from Another Skin... pride with freckles... I love the freckles...) keep it understated and subtly alluring.
And, voila... a sunny, sweet, sophisticated ensemble perfect for a promenade in the park, linked arm in arm with a dashing Cary-Grant-esque companion.

And as a tangent, simply because I can, I must say that yellow is the most frustrating color for red-heads like me. I love it, but the ultra-pale skin I've been blessed with doesn't hold up too well under most yellows. I think there are about three shades of yellow I can wear... the browner, more mustard-y tones, but clothing manufacturers don't make clothes in those three shades. It's a pity, too, because the three shades of yellow that I can wear look quite outstanding against this deep red-auburn-mahogany hair of mine. C'est la vie.

Questions, comments, tips, tricks, hints, advice, and all other forms of friendly conversation are welcome.

xoxoxoxoxoxo

La Vie Boheme

"To days of inspiration, playing hookey, making something out of nothing, the need to express, to communicate, to going against the grain, going insane, going mad..." La Vie Boheme, Rent

This outfit is my tribute to bohemia, to sitting outside coffee shops, to smoking cigarettes, to solving the problems of the world from a cafe patio, to friends and lovers, to life, liberty and pursuing happiness, even if we never really find it.

I started this outfit with the Pochette Autumn skirt... this skirt makes me smile. It totally looks like something I would find in a thrift store and treasure for years and years. Or at an open air bazaar in some exotic, far off place. I love the richness of the colors at the hem... perfect, earthy, bohemian colors.

For the upper half of my body, I put on the BareRose tunic shirt in brown, and then I tinted it a much, much deeper, redder brown color to pick up on those rich colors in the pattern at the bottom of the skirt. I then added the gray vest, also from Pochette, on the jacket layer to add some interest and an even more boho feel to the ensemble. I'm a huge vest/waistcoat fan in RL, but I have a hard time finding ones I like in SL. Anyone wishing to design more SL vests to feed my addiction is likely to receive many virtual hugs and kisses from me. That's incentive, right?

Okay, accessories. Necklace and earrings are from Bebe, the Verano Literature set, which, if I remember correctly, was a freebie, but don't quote me on that. Anyways, it's quite lovely, and the earthy colors made me happy. I was afraid I was going to have to use my Earthtones Boho set again, and, don't get me wrong, it's a gorgeous set, it's just... well, overused. One of the most beautiful and well-done bohemian-styled jewelry sets out there, honestly, but I really hate blogging stuff that's been blogged so many times before. So here you go... an alternative to the wooden jewelry thing, a bit more delicate... the Verano Literature set. Lovely. Yay. MissAurora is happy.

Bracelets are by KorvinKreations, called the Flower Child bangles. Shoes by Shiny Things... I thought ballet flats made the bohemian thing feel a little more artsy and fun.

My skin is the Tete a Pied group gift Paon 4 in Buff. Omg, absolutely stunning. Roslin and CJ have outdone themselves yet again. Wow.

My hair is, yes, it's Armidi's Soho style. And yes, I paid full price for it. And yes, it is worth every single Linden. I can rarely justify spending that much money for something, but this hair, the way it frames my face, the perfection of the texture, the fact that I didn't have to edit a single prim to get it to look amazing, that's worth it to me. And while I hate following trends for the most part, there is a reason that Armidi is getting blogged. It's just plain well done.

My eyes are from Decollage, and as always, my shape is my own.

Bonjour, Paris!

It started way back when I was a young girl... this obsession with Paris. Two Audrey Hepburn movies, Funny Face and Sabrina, were my gateway to the beauty and romance of the City of Light, and I've been intrigued by it ever since.

I've wanted to visit Paris for years and years now, but never had the chance. So today, I outfitted myself in flat shoes and a comfy skirt-and-cardigan ensemble, and headed out to explore the Parisian aspects of SL.

First stop, Shakespeare and Company. A friend of mine showed me pictures she took of the actual bookstore in Paris, and I was jealous far beyond normal parameters of jealousy. So when I found a replica in SL, I simply had to hang out there for a little while and snap some pictures of my own. I just love the marriage of old-world elegance and artsy bohemia in this shop... scads of books everywhere, and make-shift cots and bed-rolls strewn over almost all available floor space. There's something inherently artistic about it, but I can't seem to put it into words. Suffice it to say, my visit to Shakespeare and Company in SL only fueled my insatiable desire to visit it in RL.


Next, since the Eiffel Tower is by far my favorite landmark in the world, I simply had to locate one in SL so I could pose in front of it. Also, I wanted to get a bit closer in my photo so you can see my D-skin and how soft and natural it looks, as well as my beautiful cameo locket from Caroline's jewelry. I positively adore cameo's, so when this one came up as a group gift, I put it on and have hardly been able to take it off since. Thank you, Caroline!

I would like to take this moment to point out my lovely cardigan from Tres Blah. I love the little crocheted rosettes on it, and I thought it made the perfect complimentary piece to the wonderful Pedicel skirt from SugarCube. It took me a little while, but I finally managed to tint the sweater to match the skirt. Also, the tank that I'm wearing under the cardigan is from SugarCube and is fabulously tintable. I admit it... as much as I love boutique unique clothes, I find myself going back again and again to the clothes that I can tint to match whatever else I'm wearing. But I digress...

As I traveled back home from my mini-vacation in Paris, I stopped by a nice little British pub because I absolutely had to take a picture in front of this gorgeous red telephone booth. Ah, they just don't make 'em like this anymore...

Anyways, back to business... here's the credits for my outfit. As always, feel free to IM me if there are questions...

-----

Top to bottom:

Hair- Celestial Studios Jennifer in Smolder
Skin- D-Skin 02 v1.1 Color A - EB1
Necklace- Caroline's Special Cameo Locket in Gold from Caroline's Jewelry
Cardigan- green (but I tinted it so it looks very little like the original cardigan)
Tank- In Dreams cami (tinted a very dark gray) from SugarCube
Skirt- Pedicel skirt in green from SugarCube
Shoes- Shop Seu flat pumps in black

And as always, my shape is my own. Bon soir, my loves.

Orange Sorbet

I generally don't like to wear orange. I've never been terribly fond of the color, I can't wear anything orange or yellow in RL because it makes me look like jaundiced, and at this time of year, everyone else is wearing it, so I don't want to.

But Antonia put this absolutely yummy orange-sorbet polka-dotted dress in her Halloween skull hunt, and I simply couldn't resist wearing it. I'm even growing quite partial to this particular color... and it looks good on my avi, whereas it could never, ever, ever look good on my RL skintone.

I tried on the wide waist belt in orange from Cupcake! and was actually surprised that it was in the right shade to go with the dress, AND it hit my avi at exactly the right spot so as not to interfere with the lovely poof of the skirt prims. Perfecto.

I wore my D-skin because I love it's natural simplicity while still not looking completely bare-faced. I thought the pale skin and the rich red of the Bombshell hair was a nice contrast. I chose very simple pearl jewelry and the pump(kin) shoes from the Shiny Things group gift. These shoes happen to be a prime example of how insanely effective freebies are for marketing purposes. I slipped them on as soon as I got the gift in my inventory, and I immediately wanted them in thirty other colors. They are perfect... absolutely perfect heel shape, classy and elegant lines, they fit like shoes are supposed to fit, and the texture is lovely. What more can a girl ask for? Well, more colors, of course. Unfortunately, it's going to take me a while to save up for the whole Classics line from Shiny Things, so I'll just have to make do with these for now.

I don't feel like listing all the credits for this outfit, but if you simply have to know where I got a particular item, just IM me in-world (MissAurora Jewell) and ask. I'll be so thrilled that you read my blog and were interested in my outfits that I'll tell you anything you wanna know. :)

An un-October outfit

So there I was, reading fashion blogs and pulling my hair out. The feed is so overwhelmed with pumpkins and skulls and vampires, and since I'm not a huge fan of Halloween or the color orange, I decided to put together an outfit that has absolutely nothing to do with Halloween, or fall, costumes, or pumpkins. Eh, what can I say... I hate following the masses.

So here you go... a cute, fun, and completely un-October outfit from yours truly.

I don't even remember exactly which piece inspired this ensemble. I tried on so many different things before finally settling on this slightly quirky, casual look. It reminds me a teeny tiny bit of an anime style, and the colors give it a hint of nautical inspiration... hence the lighthouse in the background of my photos.

Now, I've always been a fan of red and white. I picked up this button-down shirt from Bossa Nova ages ago. It was a part of the Cecilia outfit... I don't think it's available anymore, but I'm glad I have it, because I love the little red buttons and the bow at the top of the neckline. Granted, the quality isn't anything tremendous, but it's cute and simple. I ran out to It's All Good by Camie Cooper to pick up this double button vest in blue, just for this outfit. I think it makes a seemly addition to the top and keeps it from being too plain. I was very pleased that the vest didn't cover up that little bow.

This red skirt (and the several other colors I have) from SLink has been one of my go-to skirts ever since I bought it. I chose to wear these colorable tights from D3volution, and I tinted them a lovely, bright shade of blue to compliment the vest. I wanted to wear red shoes, because I simply adore red shoes, but I have such a hard time finding really nice ones. I constantly go back to these flats from Shop Seu, just because they're so simple, and they fit quite nicely. They're nothing to write home about, really, but for a cute, casual shoe, I can't find many that I like better.

Since the goal was to be casual here, I kept the jewelry, hair and make-up simple. Earthtones color-change necklace and earrings, a stack of bracelets from Artilleri, a lovely, summery Celestial Studio's skin, and a really cute freebie hair from Frangipani Designs called Zoey. I only recently realized that FD makes some adorable hair... I've loved the clothes for some time, but I tend to stick with the big-name hair makers. I'm trying to branch out, though. And this freebie, in about a zillion colors (which have perfectly splendid textures, in my opinion), is a great way to find out about FD hair and see if you like it. Of course, as I said... I do!

And, without further ado, the list. My apologies for lack of SLurls... I have no idea how to put those in here...

Clothes:

Shirt- Cecilia shirt from Bossa Nova
Jacket- Double button vest in blue from It's All Good by Camie Cooper
Skirt- Red mid-thigh skirt from SLink

Accessories:

Necklace and earrings- Gloria set (multi-silver) from Earthtones Boutique
Bracelets- Red 'n' white bracelet from Artilleri
Tights- Lush colorable tights from D3volution
Shoes- Red flats from Shop Seu

Body:

Skin- Vogue skin Summer 3 in Champagne from Celestial Studios
Hair- Zoey (freebie) in chocolate from Frangipani designs
Shape- all my own

Antonia is a Goddess, and Artilleri is Heaven

So, I said this wouldn't be a new release blog, but I can't resist showing off in my new, supremely gorgeous, jaw-droppingly luscious, I-totally-want-this-in-real-life coat from Artilleri.

Oh my gosh, where to begin? There are no words in the English language delectable enough to express my glee about this coat.

First of all, it's black and white. Of course, it comes in other colors, but why would I need other colors when I have black and white? (Confession: I have a tiny obsession with all things black and white.) Although that red one is beckoning to me...

It comes with prim furry cuffs and a collar (and you can choose between black fur or the snow leopard print fur for both) and absolutely precious buttons all the way down the front... How can you beat that? It has a flexi skirt that moves surprisingly well (not that I'm surprised by the quality of Antonia's work... she's always amazing!) and it hardly took any adjusting at all to fit me, especially since Antonia included two different skirts, a small one and a larger one. Don't we just love options?

Just look at the shading on this coat... just the right amount, and in all the right places... she's done it again, my friends. Pass me a tissue, please... I'm drooling over this texture.

And, of course, as soon as I saw this coat, I knew I had to pair it with my sexy Maitreya "boot-alicious" boots in ash leather... come on, how hot is that? I put on the little socks that came with the boots, and I added TaP's new ribbed tights in gray to finish the look.

All right, I must be off to explore more of the mouth-wateringly splendid items I have lurking in my inventory. For now, here's your shopping list...

*****

Pose-- Digital Dragon Designs, Elegance collection
Skin-- TaP's Vivant Buff Basic Red #1
Hair-- Diversity's Starlet in Auburn
Outfit-- Artilleri's Kat's Meow Coat in Snow Leopard (it's only $L200... go get one now!)
Tights-- TaP's ribbed tights in gray
Shoes and Socks-- Maitreya's Boot-alicious in Ash Leather with the included Grey-Black Socks
Jewelry-- Miriel's Bubble Earrings in black (even though you can't see them in the picture)
and Miriel's Find Your Way Necklace in black and white
and

Vitamin Ci's body light

*****

Classy Bohemian

My name is MissAurora Jewell, and I'm addicted to SL fashion. *points to her "my name is_____" sticker*

My favorite pass-times are shopping, bargain-hunting, creating outfits, reading SL fashion blogs and RL fashion magazines, and sharing the outcome of these pass-times with you on this new and completely frivolous blog.

Don't ask me how often I'm going to post. I have no idea. Probably only after seriously depleting my SL bank account, sorting through my only semi-organized inventory and stumbling upon an outfit I really love. This isn't a new release blog. It's not a high fashion, haute couture blog. This is my "what I felt like wearing today" blog.
Pardon my amateur picture-taking abilities... I'm still very new at this. Please, IM me or comment with tips if you care to. I love feedback, especially in the form of constructive criticism. And if you're a designer and I showcase your stuff, give me a holler... I'd love to get to know you!

*****

Today, I've put together a classy little number... casual, kinda vintage, with some bohemian-inspired elements and a simplistic feel. The colors are very creamy and earthy.

The shorts I'm wearing are some of the cutest knee-length cropped pants I've seen in SL... the flared legs make me feel a bit like Katherine Hepburn in her loose menswear trousers, but still oh-so-feminine and sexy. I love the detailed waistband... you can't really see it in these pictures, but there are cute little buttons on the side. Best of all, they were free!

In regards to jewelry, I feel the urge to mention the bracelets I'm sporting today... they are all lovely, and fulfill all my bohemian jewelry needs at an extremely low price. One was a dollarbie and the other two were $50 each. My G.L.A.M earrings were only $35, and they're adorable.

And of course my Enchant heels and my TaP sophisticate make-up add to the classy feel of this ensemble.

That's it for today, my beloveds... now here's your shopping list for the day.

*****

Pose- Elegance Series by Digital Dragon Designs, Pose #4
Hair-- ETD Lily in Cinnamon
Skin-- Tete a Pied Rose Dark Sophisticate #2
Shirt-- !TB Silky Blouse in Pearl
Shorts-- AnnaH Couture Paris Shorts in Burgundy
Bracelets-- Talisman Boho Chic Bracelet left arm
Talisman Boho Circles Armband right upper arm
Talisman Chunky Boho Bangles right lower arm
Earrings-- G.L.A.M Wooden Dangle & Hoop Earrings
Necklace-- Earthtones Boho Gypsy Necklace, Mixed Cherry Woods
Shoes-- Maitreya Enchant Sunrise heels

and

Vitamin Ci Body Lights