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2009-10-23

Two Hits and Two Misses for LBD This Fall  

I have mixed feelings about what LBD's has released for fall so far. Certain elements really excited me and others were a bit of a disappointment. (Images from the LBD blog.)



When I saw the minimized image of the woolstock pullover, released in mid-September, I was like "WOW" and then I clicked to see the more detailed version...and my words trailed off into just "ow." The design itself is actually very interesting. The prim work looks great and very true to real-life fabrics. I love the loose form of this top. It's got that "I look so great without even trying" sort of lazy-chic look which I love, and I think the matching head wrap looks cute too. My main gripe is the textures.

It's hard to tell if the texture used for the top in the main image is photo-sourced or not, but it certainly seems like that is the case. The distortion of the pixels around the neck of the top and over the bust just makes the execution of the top look sloppy.

The place where the main texture connects with the frills at the sleeves looks kind of strange, it doesn't look like it's part of one cohesive piece, it looks more like the frills are like some sort of whipped cream applied on top.

At 130L a pop, it's cheap enough that one could take the chance and pick it up. It would certainly be okay for everyday wear, but definitely not something that would photograph very well.



I think the Nottingham pants which came out early this month, are extremely fun looking. They have a sort of tom-boy look to them which I really love. There's so much character and imagination in the piece. They really take advantage of the fantasy world that SL can provide for us. It truly speaks to the different personalities that are out there on SL. The colors and the textures are really great and the multiple fading options gives one the ability to personalize the look even more. At 200L, this would definitely add something interesting to one's wardrobe.



I'm glad LBD made so many color choices for the Miss Mara scarf released last week, because it's a piece I can definitely see people wanting to coordinate with many different outfits. I love the bohemian feel of this accessory and it can really be the focus piece for what would otherwise be a plain outfit. It is effortlessly stylish and very fashion forward.

The prim work is excellent, there isn't a "manufactured" feel to it, rather it feels like each bead was individually placed at random, giving it a more real and hand-made look. The texture work is stunning, particularly at the neck and I love the shine detail on the beaded strings. A lot of thought and effort went into this piece and I think it is worth every part of its 250L.


I have mixed feelings about the latest release, the Noa dress which went on sale yesterday. The overall look isn't so bad, until you start looking at it in detail. The skirt of the dress is just too piece-y looking. It looks like it was made from a skirt-rezzer. The multi colored fabrics around the waist do look really cute, they break up the white color very effectively and I can imagine using them with other outfits at well.

The prim work on the top is great, I love the way the sculpted prims are used to create a very expensive-looking and chic top, but the textures feel all wrong. While the textures on the low back of the top does look very nice, the grey that begins at the top of the sleeves just appears out of nowhere, which destroys the illusion of one, cohesive piece. It looks like the arms were just sort of glued on.

I would not buy this piece at 450L. I'd wait for it to go on sale, and if it was maybe half the price it is now, I might pick it up.

Posted in , by Zeenat Winterfeld | 0 comments

2009-10-21

Zaara's Fall Release  

Last month, Zaara Kohime made our jaws drop with a release of gorgeous statement necklaces that left us in awe of her talent. Her work is not only detailed and realistic, but each piece is absolutely unique, a testament to the variety of cultures that inspire this content creator.
Some of my favorites from the collection (images from Zaara's flickr):




This month, Zaara released mouthwateringly beautiful Larin skirts, the kick-off to her fall collection, each color looking more beautiful than the next. My favorites are the art prints, which are each lovely and unique enough to tempt one into buying the entire pack. I only have one minor gripe about these skirts: While I love the realistic draping and folding effect at the bottom of the skirts, I can only wonder if maybe Zaara went a tad overboard: the two folds that appear to be almost horizontal (seen in the solid plaids image) confuse me. I'm no art or textile expert, so forgive me if my observation is totally off-base here, but I'm not sure the satin-y material meant to be portrayed here would fold horizontally like that unless the person was sitting.




Her most recently released Mishti tanks, out early last week, perfectly compliment the Larin skirts. The textures are, as always, lovely and realistic looking, portraying a real life feel of what the fabric would look like worn on the body. The ties at the top with the beads at the end are prims, adding to the realism of the look. I wonder if the ruffling detail at the top would be enhanced even more if it was also made from prims.

Posted in , , , , by Zeenat Winterfeld | 0 comments

Fall Releases!  

So I ran into a bit of a dilemma.

This fall, designers are coming out with some beautiful things that are inspiring my inner art aficionado to speak up and talk about them. The only problem is, well, my wallet.
*opens pockets. watches moths fly out.*

So, I'm reviewing these upcoming releases based on the sales images available on the designer's blogs and/or flickr images or simply people I've seen around the grid wearing the designs. Hey, I wish I could buy everything but I'm just not that rich.

If you're a designer and you think my review of your item was inadequate based on images alone, feel free to send me a review copy along with a detailed notecard indicating it as such (so I know the sky didn't randomly start raining down couture on me). If you wish me to return the item after I'm done reviewing it, make the item transferable and I'd be happy to give it back after I'm done. If you just want to complain that I didn't like your stuff and reviewed it without buying it, *shrug* not my problem. Freedom of speech and all that.

Posted in by Zeenat Winterfeld | 0 comments

2009-10-20

Back on SL  

Hey guys,

So if you're wondering where I've been this past, um, year, I've been out of the country and away from good broadband access. Being back on SL after a year is an interesting experience. Companies are rebranding and designers are stepping up their work to maximize the potential of the new SL settings. I'm glad to see that instead of adjusting environment settings with just the perfect formula to beat Windlight, we now have skins and clothes that are perfectly compatible.

Here's to change and being back on SL!

by Zeenat Winterfeld | 0 comments

2008-09-19

Laqroki Fall Menswea  

Second Life's fashion industry is a fashionista's wildest fantasy. The most exotic designs from some of the most creative minds around the world are available to you with the click of a button. Unfortunately, a much neglected demographic in SL's fashion industry are male fashion connoisseurs. While there are many designers who attempt to reach SL's fashion conscious gentlemen, there are only a select few who have managed to combine both high-quality textures with fashionable designs. Laqroki (formerly RaC), known for its high quality "Portrait Skins" has recently released an admirable Fall menswear line,available in the Apparel section of the store at Laqroki 111, 161, 65. Apparel Designer Winter DiPrima has created a wardrobe that any fashionable SL gentleman worth his salt would be happy to have in his inventory.


Laqroki's graphic tees make for great casual-wear for the Second Life man. Pairing fun, interesting designs with colors that are easy on the eyes, these whimsical shirts help you make a statement without ever having to type into local chat.


The open neck and rolled up sleeves of this pearl pinstripe shirt really stresses the "casual" in "business casual." The loosened necktie prim (with black and white color options) declares you the bad boy of the boardroom.

Never underestimate the casual sophistication of a V-Neck sweater. Shown here in power color blue, this item can be worn over jeans or paired with Laqroki's khaki shorts for a laid-back, yet still neat look.


For those crisp, Autumn days, pick up Laqroki's lightweight long jacket with a prim hood. You can purchase the jacket by itself or with an irremovable plaid shirt like this one in green. The jacket by itself can be paired with a collared shirt for a more stylish look, or paired with a tee for a casual, laid back day.


Laqroki's jeans are a nice balance between being realistically detailed without looking like they were directly cut and pasted from a RL magazine. They are available in several colors and can be dressed up or down with included belt and no-belt options.


Another must-have item is the stylish high collar coat, which is offered in a large selection of colors. Buy it in black and pair it with a shirt and tie for a more serious, sophisticated look, or purchase it in beige and pair it with a bright color like pink for something more stylish. For a more downtown urban look, buy it in military green and pair it with a grey tee.

Posted in , by Zeenat Winterfeld | 0 comments

2008-09-13

Digit Darkes 50% Off Shoes Sale  

Sasy Scarborough dropped the "S" bomb on the "Digit Darkes" blog early this month: a 50% off sale on all the shoes in the store! I've only recently had some time to check the sale out. The DD store doesn't yet have a huge variety in terms of shoe styles, but each style does offer a good selection of color and texture options. I picked up two pairs: The "Elphaba Heel Bow Heels" and the "Jen Heels" in the "Pucci Print."


The Elphaba Heels are great but I do have a small gripe about the texturing, particularly on the gold fringed lining and gold sequin-work. I'm not entirely anti-photosourcing but the color of these shoes do take a bit of a hit because of it. This is a REALLY small point to note on an otherwise good-looking shoe. They are well sculpted and come with an optional sexy-walk override to use with the shoes.



The Jen Heels in the Pucci print are fabulous. The colors are bright and eye-catching, the texture of the jeweled buckle looks excellent and everything looks smooth and seamless. I'm not too crazy about the jeweled "X" on the backs of the heels of both pairs of shoes, but that's just me.

Overall Evaluation: Well made shoes, but I feel the 50% off sale price should be the actual price for some of the designs.

Posted in , , by Zeenat Winterfeld | 0 comments

2008-09-12

Read BEFORE You Decide You Want to Eviscerate Me With A Toasting Fork...  

Let me make one thing very clear: I appreciate the work of all of SL's fashion designers, and no I don't think I can do it better myself. I tried designing for a few days before I admitted defeat and decided to leave that job to the professionals who are already doing such a wonderful job of it. That being said, the reason why my critiques aren't simply paragraphs of glowing praise but are ACTUALLY CRITIQUES is because of this appreciation. Let me explain.

I write fiction in RL. Of course I love it when people tell me how much they loved my story. Who doesn't love praise? But praise alone doesn't help anyone. I heavily rely on the people who tell me what DOESN'T work and offer helpful suggestions on how to fix it. Those are the people that truly appreciate my art and want to see me improve. In turn, that is what I wish to do for SL's fashion designers. Believe me, I recognize the hours of work that must have gone into creating your designs and I admire your effort to make SL a more beautiful place. My desire is only to help that effort in my small way. If you find that offensive, there is a small "X" in the upper right hand corner of your screen.

For those of you who are still reading, thank you. I appreciate your comments and suggestions. The purpose of this blog is to educate SL's fashion consumers on what they're spending their hard-earned Lindens on and to offer constructive criticism to SL's designers.

Stick with me guys, this should be fun.

by Zeenat Winterfeld | 0 comments

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