glamourazzi

My next Dress Me Up Challenge is from Ana Lutetia, who said "hmmm... me thinks neko! ^^"

I know, I know, I'm way behind.

I have to admit to being a little excited about this challege because I am somewhat of an Ana Lutetia fangirl. I read a lot of fashion blogs, but hers is definitely one of my favorites. So, her taking the time to give me a challenge, was very cool.

I had an outfit in mind the minute I read this challenge, the Plaid Short Set from Riddle and it's one I've blogged before, which is probably not the best plan, but it's perfect for the look I wanted to end up with. However, I did take this opportunity to go out and find the best tail and ears I could find. I have one pair, and they're...good. Just..not excitingly good, ya know?

My friend Sutcliffe had this amazing tail on one night, and after getting the landmark from him, I tp'd over to Urban Dare. I recognized the name from Ana's blog, but I'd not gone to explore it. I'm so glad I took the time now because I LOVE this store. There's so much to see and do on this SIM that I think I spent at least two hours there, and that's saying something for she who has been known to tp out of a store in less than a minute.

The first thing I bought was the ear and tails. The quality here is amazing. Now, if you've read any of my posts at all, you know I'm a big fan of versatility, and the Neko Furry Tail and Neko Ears are the epitome of that. They come with a ton of options, from tail and ear length, to colors, to sound...a drop down menu is full of fun choices to help you coordinate your tail and ears with your outfit. Or, if you prefer, you can wear the HUD that comes with. I got the version with Bells, and you can toggle the level of the sound as well, which is a nice touch. There are several options to choose from though if bells aren't your thing. Oh, and people can interact with your tail and ears, petting them, tickling them, etc. And if you're with someone that has the same tail and ears, they interact with each other as well. How fun is that? The tail was just 200L and the ears, 150L. I'd say that's more than a bargain for everything you can do with them.

More behind the jump!

Even if you don't want to go full neko, this store has some amazing accessories that you could wear with just about anything. From boots to collars, to piercings, Urban Dare has a little bit of everything. My favorites are the leather arm bracers and straps, which also come in several options. These can be worn with a lot of the outfits in my inventory.

I grabbed the Urban Dare Cream Skin with Red Lips and Runny Eyeliner and I have to say I'm highly impressed. Skins are a bit of a problem for me. I can never find any that look right on my avatar...but this one is fantastic. It still looks like me, and I love the combination of the runny mascara and bright red lips. Craven Theas has several fun skins for you to choose from, and at 500L they're a bit of a steal. Oh, and let's not forget the Neko eyes. I got these lovely Lucky Monkey Neko Eyes in Medium Blue/Green. They're quite stunning. I forgot to take them off when I changed clothes to do a photo shoot, and my client complimented me on them and ran to get some for herself. She was as in awe as I was at the choices for eyes here. Every color combination you can think of!

There are also other merchants at Urban Dare, and Little Nuisance is probably my favorite. I got this super cute Art Belt by Little Nuisance and Urban Dare for 150L. I can't decide what part of this belt I love more: the picture changing frame, the paint brushes, the crayons that say Urban Dare, or the box of Nerds.

I also got this fantastic Poloraid picture changing necklace and loaded it with photos. It's super fun and works great. Also, the razor blade hanging off the back is a great creative touch.

I had the pleasure of meeting the creator and an owner of the club on Urban Dare, Indira Wobbit. She was very nice, and it was a pleasure meeting her as well as the host of the club and Urban Dare Model, Andie Boozehound.

I will definitely be going back to Club Dare. The mix of music was perfect for me: a little Electronica, a little Goth, a little Industrial. The club itself is extremely well done; the atmostphere is very welcoming, and the entire sim is a photographer's dream. I found some fun little hidden pathways and took some snaps. I couldn't resist. ;)

So if you're interested in high quality Neko items or just fun accessories, check out Urban Dare. With such excellent quality and affordable prices, it's definitely a great place to shop.


Photography by Arcadia Nightfire, MDR Photo Studio

Model Info:
Skin: Urban Dare - Cream, Red Lips, Runny Eyeliner
Eyes: Lucky Monkey - Neko Eyes Med Blue-Green
Hair: ETD - Aleah, Elika's Brown
Manicure: Sin Skins - Glitter Manicure, Black
Ears: Urban Dare - Neko Ear with Bells, Small
Tail: Urban Dare - Neko Furry Tail Long/Full - 3 Bells and Chain
Top: Riddle - Red Plaid Bikini
Bottoms: Riddle - Grey Plaid Shorts
Boots: WRONG - Basic Boots, Black
Tattoos: SN@TCH - Apnea Tattoos
PeppermintBlue - NekoPaws Tattoos Brown #01, 80%
Accessories:
Belt: Urban Dare/Little Nuisance - Leather Art Belt
Arm Straps: Urban Dare - Leather Arm Straps
Wrist Straps: Urban Dare - Leather Bracers, Double Strap

Jewelry:
Necklace: Little Nuisance - Polaroid Picture Changing Chain

Piercings:
Nose: Inks & Kinks - Diamond Nostril Stud
Lip: Shit Luck - Crossing Lip piercing, female
Eyebrow: G6 - Double Eyebrow Ring

Cajsa said: "I would love to see what eshi otawara outfit really draws your interest.Be sure to check out the second floor of her store as well as there's a lot up there and it's all on sale right now."

This was an interesting challenge. I've seen several of Eshi Otawara's designs before in Cajsa's blog and in other fashion blogs and magazines, but I'd never really spent time looking around her store. Her designs are unbelieveable, really. I'm in awe at the level of creativity on display there and can only imagine the time it takes to make such fantastical designs.

However, while I can appreciate the creativity involved, I can't say any of the designs really drew me in and made me fall in love. Of course, this is all a matter of personal taste and you may well find something there that you love. I hope you do, even...because the talent of Eshi Otawara should be appreciated.

I did find one dress on the second floor that I ended up buying, not only because I liked it but because it was a bit ironic. You see, Gabby Panacek did a review of this dress for Glamourazzi right after I joined the blog. I remember thinking how beautiful it was, and also knowing it was completely out of my price range. And now, because of this challenge, here I am reviewing the same dress. Things come full circle sometimes, don't they?

I bought the Smokey Tux Dress in Strawberry and once I put this glowing confection of a gown on, I immediately thought of Dracula. You can take the girl out of the Goth, but you can't take the Goth out of the girl. I'm afraid. So, of course, I tp'd over to the cemetary at Transylvania to photograph this fantastic dress.

Some interesting photos behind the jump.

One of the best features of this dress is the glowing skirt, and glow it does. If you look closely you can see how it lit up the bones in this coffin I'm kneeling on. This dress is just an absolute piece of art. The movement on the billowing skirt is lovely. It floats around your legs as you move, and the light coming from the skirt is a wonderfully creative touch. This is not the dress to wear if you're trying to blend into the crowd.

Of course, when you stand out in a graveyard, you should be prepared to attract attention.

Just like the movie. Well, as close as I can get anyway.

Check out Eshi Otawara's store when you get the chance. Be sure to check out the second floor where all the sale items are, including this lovely dress in it's myriad of color options. It would be a lovely addition to any wardrobe.

Photography by Arcadia Nightfire, MDR Photo Studio

Model Info:

Arcadia is wearing:
Skin: Celestial Studios - Charmed Skin 20 (Glitter- Silver 2)
Eyes: Eye AC - darkturquoise
Hair: ETD - Aiiyanna, Elika's Brown
Manicure: Sin Skins - Glitter Manicure, Crimson
Dress:Eshi Otawara (Chambre du Chocolat) - Smokey Tux Dress, Strawberry
Jewelry: Inks & Kinks - Diamond Nostril Stud
Pearl Choker that came with the dress
Bite Marks: Thirst::Bloodlines


Vampire Sutcliffe is wearing:
Skin: AVID - Vampire
eyes: AVID - goldfire
Hair: The Abyss - Illusion
Outfit: Van Helsing from Avid
Shoes: Van Helsing from Avid
Accessories: Bloodlines HUD and Fangs from Bloodlines

For my second challenge, Gabby gave me the following guidelines:

"Okay, Arcadia, let's get you away from the goth for a little bit. I'd love to see you put together something Glam punk in style. Start at Maitreya and Emery...their recent collaboration will give you lots of pieces to work with. Then check out Gritty Kitty or Exile for some hair. Oh, and I'd love to see you try some brighter colors with this, too. Have fun!"

I must admit that I found this the most daunting of the challenges, not because I dislike Glam Punk or anything, but because of those two little words: bright colors. *shudders*

After hiding in a corner and listening to my inner Goth hissing in my head for a while, I decided to be brave and tp over to Maitreya to see what their collaboration with Emery produced.

The results were interesting. And while I can appreciate the aesthetic of the outfits, I wasn't sure any of them were even remotely "me" enough to wear. But I did find myself drawn to the look in the promotional signs, so I thought I'd try to replicate that. It looked very Glam and still a bit "me". I found the Emery Biker jacket and immediately wished it came in more than two colors. Fuscia (Hot Pink to me) and Yellow are not colors I would normally wear. But I kept hearing Gabby's words in my head, so I snagged the Hot Pink jacket as it is the lesser of two evils. At least it's derived from red, right?

Next, I grabbed the Emery Denim Burk pants and the Maitreya Frenzy shoes in the special Hot Lips edition. They're black with hot pink on the bottoms, which totally matches the jacket.

And though Gabby directed me to other places for hair, I couldn't pass up the Nico hair sitting next to the Frenzy shoes. The Maitreya Armwarmers in black were next (sorry, I have to have black in there somewhere Gabby), and I was starting to feel a little better about the outfit. Not entirely comfortable, mind you, but I thought it would at least be an interesting experiment. All that was left was a shirt. And while the model in the promotional sign had on just a plain grey shirt underneath her jacket, I decided to grab the Emery Call Me outfit (a freebie, btw) and use the Blondie shirt from that outfit with my new look. It works perfectly to tie in those black armwarmers. As for accessories, I tp'd over to ::69:: for some fun pink and black star earrings and decided to use my Exotic Zeenu necklace from Viva La Glam instead of hunting around for a new one. With all of the pieces gathered, I tp'd home and put the whole thing together.

And you know what?

I LOVE it.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this look! I've not stopped wearing it for an entire week. Can you belive it?

Gabby, you've corrupted me!

More photos and info behind the cut.

Here you can see the Maitreya Nico hair. I wasn't quite sure about it at first, but Rhodesy gave it the green light when I sent her a photo of me wearing the demo, so I went with it. And I'm glad I did. It's super sexy, and it's a lot of fun to photograph. Believe me, I know. I'm wearing Beach Blonde, but it comes in a vast array of colors.


Ah, the Emery Biker jacket that started the whole thing. The first thing I've ever owned in SL or in RL that is pink. I think the texture on this is fabulous, and the cut is quite flattering. It comes with a prim collar and sleeve cuffs, but I opted to wear it without. You could do a totally different kind of look with them, though. And at 200L, I think it's quite the bargain.

The Maitreya Armwarmers go great with this jacket too, but I bet you could wear them with lots of looks. Oh, and they also come in a dizzying array of colors. You can get single colors, or packs of three.

Two great photos of the Emery Denim Burk pants. I'm not sure I'll ever take these off. They're just perfect. I love the color and texture, and they are incredibly flattering, especially in the back. And the skinny legs...love the skinny legs.


The Maitreya Frenzy shoes in the special unreleased edition, Hot Lips. Don't you just love Maitreya's shoes? So sexy and chic. I like these almost as well as their Virtue shoes, which I wear with just about everything. I may have to go back and get more colors.


So there you have it...Arcadia gone Glam Punk. I certainly never expected to see me in anything pink, but I'm glad Gabby challenged me. I love this look and will definitely be wearing it...a lot. Most importanly, I had fun. Which is what this is all about, right?

Photography by Arcadia Nightfire, MDR Photo Studio

Model Info:
Skin: Celestial Studios - Charmed Skin 20 (Glitter- Silver 2)
Eyes: Eye AC - darkturquoise
Hair: Maitreya - Nico, Beach Blond
Manicure: Sin Skins - Glitter Manicure, Black
Top: Emery - Tee Call Me 1
Pants: Emery - Denim Burk
Jacket: Emery Biker Jacket, Fucsia
ArmWarmers: Maitreya Armwarmer, Black
Shoes: Maitreya - Frenzy, Hot Lips
Jewelry: Inks & Kinks Nostril Diamond Stud
Viva La Glam - Exotic Zeenu Necklace (recolored)
::69:: - OpenStar Earrings, Pink/Black

Poses:
Photos 1 & 3: Long Awkward Pose - Seduction
Photos 2, 4, & 5: Striking Poses - DQ2 - Ann Margaret
Photo 7: Long Awkward Pose - JewelryPose_16

*revised because html hates me*

Gidge said "I want to see you do WARRIOR GODDESS! I’d cruise Fairy’s Grove and Tekeli Li for inspiration.Think……..BREASTPLATE!"


Ask and ye shall recieve, my dear. I give you Arcadia as Warrior Goddess.

I have to thank Gidge for coming up with this idea for the challenge because it gave me an excuse to buy an outfit I've been coveting for quite some time; Amazon by GothiCatz. I thought it was lovely the day it came out, and I still adore it. Of course, how often does a photographer need to be wearing a breastplate? And so, I resisted...and resisted...and resisted. But now, thanks to Gidge, it is mine! *cue evil laughter*

Amazon comes with two skirt options, Rubellite and Emmerald. I'm wearing Rubellite (of course). The movement on this skirt is just stunning; I would expect nothing less from Looloo Beck.

The detail on the breastplate is gorgeously done, and that same pattern is accented on the waistband of the skirt as well. I love how the top looks like a corset done in metal. I added some henna tattoos, from LaynieWear, just for fun.

One of the places Gidge told me to check out was Tekeli Li. I must admit, I'd never heard of that place before, but I'm glad Gidge pointed me in that direction. What fun stuff! I bought the Wyrmling hair to go with my Warrior Goddess look. It's quite well done, with a cute yet fierce looking dragon resting atop the head.

The back is just as fun, with cascading falls of hair held up by metal rings. It's very ornate and just what I was looking for.

The best part is that it's all scripted. You can change the hair color, the color of the dragon, the color of the jewels on the dragon, etc. All with just a click of a button. How fun is that?

I was also able to find some lovely jewelry. The Sinqui Collar and Cuffs set is just understated enough to go with the Wyrmling hair. It, too, is scripted. You can change the color of the metal and the color of the gems. The possibilities abound with stuff from Tekeli Li. And we all know how much I like versatile items.

Of course, no Warrior Goddess look is complete without some kick ass heels, and I had the perfect pair in my inventory. ZHAO's Savannah in black leather. Nothing says Warrior Goddess quite like leather straps wrapping half way up your leg. These shoes are stunning, and with the right outfit, make a very bold statement.

Last, but definitely not least, a Warrior Goddess must have a trusty blade. I tp'd over to Stone Keep and snagged the Spell Fire Dragon's Eye blade. A lovely peice of metal work. It comes with a shield (not shown), and animations for drawing and sheathing the sword. It even has sound effects.

All in all, I had a lot of fun putting this look together. Thanks, Gidge!

Photography by Arcadia Nightfire, MDR Photo Studio

Model Info:

Skin: Deviant Kitty - Voodoo Lashes - Sunkiss
Lashes: Deviant Kitty -Deviant Prim Lashes 01
Eyes: ::Tuli:: - Mesmerize Eyes, Blue
Hair: Tekeli-li - Wyrmling, Scripted
Manicure: Sin Skins - Glitter Manicure, Black
Pedicure: Candy Nail - #000 Basic Toenails, Black
Tattoo: LaynieWear - Henna Shoulders 1
Outfit: GothiCatz - Amazon (Rubellite Skirt Option)
Shoes: ZHAO- Savannah, Black Leather
Jewelry: Tekeli-li - Sinqui Collar and Cuffs
Sword: Stone Keep - Spell Fire Dragon's Eye Sword and Sheath (comes with shield not shown)

Poses:

Photo 1: Long Awkward Pose - Helping Hand
Photos 2 & 3: Long Awkward Pose - Dayum
Photo 4 & 5: Long Awkward Pose - Seduction

Oh, why not? It could be interesting.

I have a love/hate relationship with snow. On the one hand, I think freshly fallen snow (when it's like six inches deep) is one of the most beautiful sights you'll ever see on this planet. On the other hand, I absolutely despise driving in it. I am of the firm belief that if it's going to snow at all, there should be enough of the white stuff on the ground that I don't have to leave my apartment for a few days. Otherwise, what's the point?



But there is hope.



The beauty of Second Life is that I can enjoy the snow without having to drive in it, and that's just what I did a few days ago when wandering around MDR's new SIM. We have this lovely mountain top area with lots of trees, snow, and even wolves howling in the distance. It's very picturesque; the perfect stage for the newest GothiCatz outfit.

I love the texture on this shirt; it is exquisitely done and makes me feel all warm and fuzzy just by looking at it. And the row of buttons down the front adds a touch of cuteness to this dramatic winter outfit.

Of course, my favorite part is always the leather pants. These are highly detailed, with little metal accents all down the front of the legs. I paired this outfit with the Hylda boots from Tesla and kept the jewelry to a minimum - this outfit doesn't need any accessories.

You can take the fur trim off, but I think the outfit looses a lot when you do. Of course, it's up to your personal taste and the clothing is lovely with or without the fur.

Stage is the perfect outfit for taking in the winter scenery or going on those holiday shopping sprees. Tp over to GothiCatz and check it out.

Photography by Arcadia Nightfire, MDR Photo Studio

Model Info:
Skin: Celestial Studios - Charmed Skin 20 (Glitter- Silver 2)
Eyes: Eye AC - darkturquoise
Hair: the Abyss - Secret, Light Blonde
Manicure: Sin Skins - Glitter Manicure, Crimson
Outfit: Gothicatz - Stage
Shoes: Tesla - Hylda Boots, Black
Jewelry: Inks & Kinks Nostril Diamond Stud
Caroline's - Individual, a Right Hand Ring

Poses:
Photo 1 - Striking Poses - Krista Allen_10
Photo 2 - ANA_MATIONS - BabyDoll4_hip
Photo 3 - Long Awkward Pose - Emo - Forlorn
Photo 4 - Striking Poses - Tyra Banks_1