I adore coats like this one, the cinched style, the fit and the beautiful suede. It works with or in this case without something fabulous underneath. I went with these fun pocketed style jeans, that just make me love the skills that people have with textures in SL. Finishing off the look with some great HighFeet add on shoes that are really cool shaped, I especially like the heel design, and the overall ensemble is a nice way to spend the day, doing whatever you need to do.

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Location –

Poses by:

 Flowey

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Esmerelda – YS & YS

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & High Feet, Visage Head, Physique Body – SLink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : YS & YS

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 175 – Flair

Hair:

Cachet Pony Attachment – LeLutka

Clothes:

Dandy Jacket – Gizza

JEANS Mesh – 3.0 F – stone – sYs

Shoes :

Vixen ( Slink High Feet add ons) – sYs 

Accessories :

Ladybug Ring – Yummy

The nicer the look is intended to be, the naughtier it can make you feel. Combining the so adorable dress from Tres Blah for this round of C88 with the innocent Anna hair from Lelutka, and the sexy pumps from Maitreya – The straps turn on and off, and you get lots of interchangable colours with the fatpack -… I end up with a night behind bars, goodness knows what I got up to. Hopefully Whimsy didn’t spend all my bail money on this round of Collabor88 because this whole shared cell thing, is not going to work for me.

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Location –

Poses by:

 Flowey

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Goth Skin Tone A – Adam n Eve 

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & High Feet, Visage Head, Physique Body – SLink

Vampire Teeth add on for Visage Head – COMING SOON to Slink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : Adam n Eve 

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 56 – Flair

Hair:

Anna Hair – LeLutka 

Clothes:

Darling Dress – Tres Blah @ Collabor88

Shoes :

Zest Pumps (Slink High feet options) – Maitreya Gold @ Collabor88

Accessories :

Jack’s typewriter Ring – Yummy @ Collabor88 

Collabor88 is just about to start, and there are amazing items for the Motel Spoopy theme this round. So many amazing Horror movies to draw inspiration from, and the Yummy release is an incredible amount of spooktacular jewellery, with an amazing gold typewriter ring, and a hotel room key, with the room number of a famous door, you probably shouldn’t enter.

The glamourous UpDo is by Exile, and Elvira herself would change her long loved locks for this number. It is splendidly piled high, and with the right colours to draw you into her web of intrigue. I am wearing a dress from Asteria, that Whimsy and I visited when we were on our store shopping adventures the other day… if you missed my long winded ranty post about that, you can see it HERE.

Bringing the look all together with my Goth Skins appliers by Adam n Eve, the Goth skins are for the Visage head and the Physique body, which fit in this dress very well indeed. The dress also comes with a neck corset of lace, but I left that off in preference of the Yummy items.

The teeth I have on are an add on option for the Slink Visage head, however they have not been released yet, I saw them on Siddean and kind of picked her pocket for them – shhhhh don’t tell – but hopefully they will be released in time for Halloween, or anytime really, because Vamping it up in SL is more than just one day a year. Plus they are hella sexy!

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Location –

Poses by:

 Flowey

Eyes:

Custom Eyes – Anara 

Skin Worn:

Goth Skin Tone A – Adam n Eve 

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & High Feet, Visage Head, Physique Body – SLink

Vampire Teeth add on for Visage Head – COMING SOON to Slink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : Adam n Eve 

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 56 – Flair

Hair:

Check Out Time – Exile @ Collabor88

Clothes:

Celebre Black Mini Dress – Asteria Creations 

Shoes :

Zest Pumps (SLink high feet add ons) – Maitreya Gold @ Collabor88 

Accessories :

Room Key 237 Necklace, Jack’s Typewriter Ring – Yummy @ Collabor88

Last night when Whimsy came on, I declared STORE SHOPPING DAY! I had already hit up a few earlier on my own, and she had been in and done some events. But I wanted to show that we do in fact store shop, that stores don’t and shouldn’t need to feel that their store ‘has to’ do events, as we see said so often. It is strange to see, the way that stores feel that if they don’t do them they are going to get left behind somehow, or that they wont make sales. Sure there may be less money made in the begining, but why can’t store owners do promotions in their own stores, run by themselves or their staff to encourage a similar response ?

Many years ago, long before events or theme days, I used to do this with a store I managed, a few hours once a week two items would be reduced, it brought customers in droves, and it definitely helped other items be seen that weren’t. If you think about it, with the amount of event shopping some customers do, it can end up a year or more since someone has been in your actual store, even though they feel as though they purchase every release – but those releases are at events. Take into account, that they may also only be a year or so old, that can mean that they have never even seen the other 50+ releases you have done in your store timeline.

I love events, I do, and I even run one myself, this is not an anti event post, it is more of a ‘get out there and do some store shopping’ encouragement post, and also a ‘ show your own customers what you do’  kind of thing. Events are supposed to be a tool, one extra feather in your cap, they are not supposed to become all consuming, there are many and I mean MANY stores that don’t do them at all, or just do them sporadically, a few ones that actually mean something to them.

Stores are supposed to ‘USE’ events, not have events use them, my meaning is that by having access to an established customer base, through not only the event, but the other participants, you grow your own customer base, but you are supposed to then go forward with that new customer base, and take them back to your store – and no that does not mean make lists using nefarious means and add people to a subscriber they did not sign up to, that is the lowest practice of them all – but by making sure that your items are enticing enough to the consumer, and by following through with releases that will bring them to your own doors.

I understand that it is time consuming to constantly create and have it not get the same kind of reaction sales wise that it may in an event, not may, I know they do, but there has to be a time you sit down and work out what it actually is you are doing. What is your goal, what do you want to achieve as a creator? do you do this to pay bills, and you need the money from wherever and however you can get it, and get it fast, or is there more going on than that? Money is great, again, do not misunderstand my intent – someone usually does – but there are many creators in SL that are motivated by different things, there are those that cash out, those that just want their money to stay in world, so it pays for their SL Lifestyle. There are those that create to create, and the money is just one big dollop of icing on the cake. There are mixes and all sorts of behaviours that go into running a store in SL and honestly, I have worked behind the scenes with Dozens of them over the years in one way or another. I do not advertise who I work with, people know what stores I have publicly Managed, but there are so many that are not public knowledge, but trust me, I know what it takes, I know the hours, the tears and frustration, the disappointment and the successes, the joy and the fun. I have worked 28 hour days with no sleep for collections, and I know none of it is easy. But no one should feel like they ‘have to’ do anything in SL, because when it comes down to it, I am not sure that anyone ever joined Second Life to open a business because they needed to make ends meet, that is something that usually evolves.

So again, sit down, use a notepad and pencil in RL, maybe even remove yourself from the computer for a bit, and find out what it is that drives you to succeed in your store. Make a list of what brings you happyness in what you do, and a list of what doesn’t. See if you can do more to get more of that joy, and find out what it is that causes the other…you have to also remember that essentially this is a job, so being mad about taking vendor pics, or listing on marketplace or having to box things up is all just a waste of ink, those are parts of the job, so while they may be boring and time consuming they are parts of your trade.

Look at what you are making for what events, or releases, and see if there is a pattern you have missed that brings in more sales.

Look at your store, this is something that people need to do every month MINIMUM. I often see stores that have relics of past events at their landing points, decorations for holidays long gone etc, this shows a customer not only that you don’t pay attention to your own store, but that possibly you haven’t even been in world, so what if something goes wrong? I could lose my money, and they may TP away = loss of sales.

Look at how you present your store, are your vendors dated? are your photo skills more improved than half your store now? if so then take some time to reshoot your ads. Again, boring to some and time consuming, but I have worked in retail in RL for over 20 years and I know that just moving a rack of clothing and restyling a display can completely sell out of an item, just because it seems so pretty and shiny to everyone. Older items may be still incredible work, but if its older skin, and prim hair in the ad, and you had bits of green screen left over or your hand is stuck in your hip, that is not giving that item the attention it deserves. Also check if there are items that could also be downselling your skills, if its not up to the level you are now at, remove it from the store and put it on Marketplace, unless it is selling really well still, but again, reshoot the ad if needed, and maybe even give it some attention as an item, some older outfits or items, could use makeovers.

Anyway, I am rambling now, but customers do want to show you their love, and they obviously do have money to spend, as even going to discounted events can run into the thousands, you just have to show them why coming to your store is an experience too, and show them who you are as well, in ways that makes it not just about getting a thing, but supporting a person who has MAD SKILLZ!

__________________________________________________________________________________

So after all that we went to L&B and I bought these awesome pants, that have a hud with 15 textures, but seriously, even though the plaid is what enticed me I screamed when I realised there was a tux stripe version. Not only that but the next store was Gizza and the first thing inside was a Tuxedo set, and I used to wear these shirts in the 80’s with sleeves though, and leggings or skirts and so this was just my ideal look. Whimsy and I actually exhausted ourselves trying on everything in the mesh department of Gizza, back and forth dressed and undressed – yay for clothing layers buttons on my body hud – it was an awesome few hours, and seeing other girls trying on different outfits. There are full collections at Gizza, which is fantastic, because Whimsy cries that no one seems to do those anymore that much.

I am still feeling my somewhat Asian influence from yesterdays look to this one, and again some sexy Shi hair, and these fantastic Geta from Blah that when they were released I flew over to get.

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Between the Lines Winxbox Prop Back piece only – W.Winx & Flair

Location –

Poses by:

 oOo Studio 

Flowey

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Amelie – YS&YS

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & High Feet, Visage Head and Physique Body – SLink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : YS&YS

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 230 – Flair

Hair:

Poise – Shi.

Clothes:

Zipp Pants BW Leather set – Lapointe and Bastchild

Macha Outfit Tuxedo – Shirt & Gloves only worn  – Gizza

Shoes :

My Elevated Getas ( worn with Slink High Feet) – Blah

I fell instantly in love with this hair when I saw the notice, straight over to Shi I went, and not only picked it up in the great black pack, but grabbed this awesome leather tied top at the same time. Large sleeves and the mullet style, with tied straps at the front make it fun to mix and match with all sorts of clothing. Shi. is always such an impressive store, the releases are amazing, and I am always really jealous of the items the men get.

If you are not a fan of the Caribiner clip at the back of the hair, that is just an attachment, but honestly that is what had me running over there, it is sexy as all get out. Other forms of sexy are these great new shoes by Glamistry. The laced up backs, the leatherwork and the metal, all interchangable depending on what versions of the shoes you get, but fatpacks definitely give you an abundance of options.

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Location –

Poses by:

Between the Lines – Runway Winxbox – W.Winx & Flair 

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Xiao – The Skinnery 

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & High Feet, Visage Head, Physique Body  – SLink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : The Skinnery

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 230 – Flair

Hair:

Raven – Shi.

Clothes:

Tie T Shirt – Shi.

Leggings Contrast – Emery 

Shoes :

CALYSTEGIA ( For Slink HIGH feet) – Glamistry 

Accessories :

Skeely Fish Cuff – Tea.s

I am a silver fan first and foremost, I will always go with silver options if they have them…but the idea of a light grey dress with a black belt with a gold buckle tickled my mixing metals brain. So mixing the idea of all the things together brought together this look, and completely going against my own rules, I did an effect to the picture that makes it a confusion of colours.

The dress is a stunning style by Cynful, whether casual or dressy it works! Dinner out with friends, a date night, or dancing it is perfect. Even better it fits superbly over the Slink Physique body, and no alpha used at all, anywhere. I was even able to keep on my mesh biknini bottoms underneath.

The accesssories are all bits and pieces from the round still currently going at Collabor88, by LaGyo and Yummy. I did how that event overlaps months, because you still have time to not only wear everything, but shop it all one last, two last, three last times.

The hair I have on is a recent release from Lelutka, the Cristal style is full volume hair, with an optional bow ribbon, which has texture colour options when clicked on. Very sultry hair, and frames the whole look together.

Also going on now is Uber, the shoes I am wearing by L.Warwick are from that event, and they are wonderful slip on wedges, with the amazing detailing her store is known for. They are so solidly fabulous, that you can spend all day and night in them, and be ready to slip them on again in the morning, wherever that may be.

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Location –

Poses by:

 oOo Studio 

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Annette – Pink Acid 

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & Mid Feet, Physique Body, Visage Head – SLink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : Pink Acid

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 230 – Flair

Hair:

Cristal – LeLutka

Clothes:

Society Dress – Cynful

Shoes :

Validation (Slink Mid Feet Add ons ) – L.Warwick @ Uber

Accessories :

Morgan Bangle, Morgan Clutch – LaGyo @ C88

Statement Necklace – Yummy @ C88

Ladybug Ring – Yummy

TODAY I ENDED UP VERY HYPER, AND THAT RESULTED IN ME DECLARING IT NATIONAL CAPS LOCK DAY, REALLY IT SHOULD BE INTERNATIONAL, BUT I WAS HAVING A MOMENT OF SILLY ON MY SILLY. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE DECLARED A ‘DAY’ MANY YEARS AGO WE DECLARED IT NATIONAL ‘LENS FLARE DAY’ WHICH IS STILL MY FAVOURITE SILLY. WE ALL DID LENS FLARE PICS, AND JUST BLOGGED WITH THEM, LIKE IT WAS ANY OTHER POST, BUT DOING IT TO COMMEMORATE THE DAY.

SLINK RELEASED THIS BRAND NEW SWIMSUIT THAT YOU CAN WEAR WITH THE PHYSIQUE BODY, NO ALPHAS NEEDED, AND IT IS FITTED MESH FOR THE BODY, SO WHATEVER YOUR SHAPE IS IN THE BODY, THIS WILL FIT PERFECTLY. THERE ARE BEAUTIFUL PRINTS IN FLORAL VARIATIONS, AND THIS IS THE FRANGIPANI, I MISS MY FRANGIPANI TREE, BUT NOT CLEANING UP THE MESS. THE BIKINIS ALSO INCLUDE A MATCHING PAIR OF THONGS, WITH THE BLACK THONG PART AND THE FLORAL BASE, SO CUTE.

I WENT SHOPPING WITH WHIMSY AT TIKI TATTOO, TO GET THIS GREAT DIVING BOARD, AND IT HAS SOME GREAT ANIMATIONS IN IT, THE DEAD ONE IS A WORRY THOUGH, I THINK IT SHOULD BE NAMED, BELLY FLOP RECUPERATION, BUT THAT PROBABLY WOULDN’T FIT ON THE BUTTON.

THE LOVELY STACEY OLLER, WHO IS ALSO TYPING IN CAPS WITH ME TODAY, HAS UPDATED HER SLINK PHYSIQUE APPLIERS AND VISAGE APPLIERS ALSO WORN BY ME TODAY. I AM WEARING ANNETTE AND LOVE THIS FACE, ESPECIALLY THE FRECKLES OPTIONS. IF YOU BUY THE ANNETTE PACKAGE, YOU GET SO MANY OPTIONS OF APPLIERS FOR VARIOUS THINGS, NOT JUST THE VISAGE HEAD, SO DEMO DEMO DEMO.

WASABI PILLS RELEASED THIS GLORIOUS STYLE OF HAIR, THAT REALLY HAS THAT DRIED IN THE SUN LOOK TO IT, PERFECT FOR THIS KIND OF DAY.

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Tiki Tattoo – Double Dive Boards

Location – The Deck

Poses by:

Flair – Stand 2 ( Winxbox Runway poses) 

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Lashes:

Natural Curl Sculpted Lashes – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Annette – Pink Acid 

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & Flat Feet, Physique Body, Visage Head – SLink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : Pink Acid

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 57 – Flair

Hair:

Roberta – Wasabi Pills

Clothes:

physique Mesh Bikini (Frangipani) – Slink

Accessories :

Ladybug Ring – Yummy

The hair was sneak peaked, and I declared it MINE! I IM’d Whimsy and told her, you can have Cristal but Bambi is MINE. She accepted it, she will be allowed to wear it occasionally, but it is MINE. Ashia though, she declared I was not allowed to own a hairstyle, pfft…goes away for a year and comes back all Bossy and stuff. She also came back and has been taking some blog pics, you can see the great Ashia Tomsen back in action HERE. It is still going to be mine, she can just delude herself for a day or so. Izzie’s has done all of us Slink Physique and Visage wearers a treat this week, with the release of Jolie lingerie appliers, some great stockings, and more wonderful eyeshadow options for the heads, so this is certainly exciting for all the lovers of the Maci skin by Izzie’s that she did with the appliers. I hope to see her do more in the future, so that there is more range.

I didn’t get a chance to blog in the latest Winxbox we did for the just closed My Attic, but I feel that I will use this in the future a lot. I actually used it with a lovely pose by oOo, so the box is pure backdrop in this case.

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Location –

Poses by:

 oOo Poses

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Lashes:

Natural Curl Sculpted Lashes – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Maci – Izzie’s

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & High Feet, Physique Body, Visage Head – SLink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : Izzie’s

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 57 – Flair

Hair:

Bambi – LeLutka

Clothes:

Jolie Lingerie (Appliers Slink Physique Body) – Izzie’s

Shoes :

none

Accessories :

Ladybug Ring – Yummy

Only a couple of days left of My Attic, and a week of C88 until its next session, so lots of shopping still to catch up on if you haven’t yet.  Nantra did these amazing Chicago inspired poses for this round of My Attic, and this one was just perfection when it came to showing the beauty of this style by Tableau Vivant, that is a stunning Beehive do called Upshaw. This whole look is very 60’s Poetry Cafe look, and I just love it, it reminds me of pictures I have of my Mum from that time, and I think her dresses were even shorter.

The sunglasses and earrings are fantastic Yummy pieces, and the dress is a perfect sweater dress by Lacuna. the knit in this dress is inspired, and I love the puffy sleeves and tighter wrist fit that it has. I can see wearing some great leggings with this dress, or barelegged as I am now, seeing as for me the weather is getting hotter not cooler. The shoes are by Essenz and also a My Attic item, the strap work is beautiful, and they come in great colours you are going to have fun picking, or just grab them all.

My Attic @ The Deck 

Collabor88

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Location –

Poses by:

Nantra @ My Attic 

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Lashes:

Natural Curl Sculpted Lashes – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Erin – League

Dimples – L.Fauna

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & Mid Feet, Physique Body  – SLink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : League

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 230- Flair @ My Attic

Hair:

Upshaw ( straight bangs ) – Tableau Vivant @ C88

Clothes:

Maeve Dress – Lacuna @ My Attic

Shoes :

Caracas (Slink Mid Feet Add Ons) – Essenz @ My Attic

Accessories :

Beaded Statement Earrings, Miami Heat Shades – Yummy @ C88

Ladybug Ring – Yummy

I was channeling my inner Sofia when doing this post, and sure enough when I am offline she pops in for a visit for the first time in months BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I took the pics on Sunday, so I was definitely sending her telepathic messages of missing her for sure. She loved looks like this one, and we loved her changing 512 times a day in front of us :). The sweater and shirt got me started on the look, it is soft, delightful and fits my body perfectly. It looks great with all sorts of items of clothing, skinny jeans, shorts like this and even skirts, whatever takes your fancy. It has a hud for texture change, but this was all win for me.

The piled up high bun is the style of hair that made it all Sofia for me, definitely her do, and by a creator she really likes too, Lamb. It is at C88 this round, and I just love the hair scrunchie wrist attachment, because what girl didn’t have one of those permanently attached to theirs during the 80’s and into the 90’s. I would often wake up with elastic indentations on my wrists from having it on way too long.

The shoes are worthy of so much love too, they are Elation shoes by Lindsey Warwick and are at this round of My Attic. The platform and heel are divine woodwork, and the rivets and perfect leather and fabric combination is just superb. I actually got to watch Lindsey make these as she has been streaming her work on Twitch.TV, you should definitely join and follow her channel.

Equipment Used:

VR Studio 3.0 and HUD and Library for location shoots–VR Foundry Mainstore,VR Foundry @ The Deck

Props, Furniture, Build :

Location –

Poses by:

 Bang!

Eyes:

Ellis – LeLutka

Lashes:

Natural Curl Sculpted Lashes – LeLutka

Skin Worn:

Erin – League

Dimples – L.Fauna

Avatar Enhanced Mesh Hands & Mid Feet, Physique Body  – SLink

Avatar Enhanced Skin Appliers : League

Avatar Enhanced Nail Appliers : set 230- Flair @ My Attic

Hair:

Margaux Hair – Lamb @ C88

Clothes:

Simple Sweater with Shirt – Mikunch @ kustom9

Luzie Shorts – Mimikri

Shoes :

Elation ( for Slink Mid Feet ) – L.Warwick @ My Attic

Accessories :

Scrunchie – Lamb @ C88

Ladybug Ring – Yummy