The other day I was reflecting on how many activities in Second Life revolve around sitting on something. I'd juts purchased a picnic table for my SL garden, and was standing on the roof (yeah, I primarily inhabit a roof, what of it?) talking to some friends, complaining of boredom, as one does in SL. Then the fabulous idea hit me! “Let's all go and sit on the new picnic table” I said. And everyone said “Ooh, okay, let's!”. And we did. And much fun was had, involving a parrot, a squirrel, a dustbin full of atomic bombs, and a duck with an identity crisis (don't ask). All because instead of standing, we had gone to sit on my lovely new picnic table. Of course, a lot of the 'sitting' being done is on sex poseballs, and one of my housemates demonstrated the draw of them by putting an arrangement of small sphere prims coloured blue and pink in the middle of our living room, and watching from afar as curious passers-by wandered in and sat on them, assuming it was some sort of orgy room. The other, more innocent explanation of this phenomenon is that they thought they were an odd collection of dance balls, because if there's one thing that people hop on poseballs for as much as 'adult activities' in Second Life, it's dancing. It really is amazing how dancing in Second Life can lift your spirits, even when there's no-one else around. I went through a period of ensconcing myself in a little black skybox when in a bad mood, strapping on my ancient Chimera, and having a good boogie, enjoying the hypnotic movements on the screen and wishing I could dance like that in real life. Most people, of course, opt to go to clubs and parties, with varying degrees of class, and dance the night away, with friends, with strangers, from the newest player (provided they can work out how to click the danceball) to the A-List 'SLebrities', dancing is the great equalizer in our virtual world. Just the act of applying an animation turns 'standing around talking' to 'a night out'. It's nice. Even better if, when you're flaunting your moves, you're showing off your impeccable fashion sense, in a dress with some of the most dance-worthy flowing lines I've seen in a long time.
Digit Darkes Lotus Gown Black
Digit Darkes' Lotus Gown Black provides a fun contrast to the classic pure white styling of many other dresses featured at Rezzable's Digital Alchemy event, being a cool black, gold and turquoise, taking the inspration of ancient Egpyt a step further and applying it to Digit's own couture-like styles. Ankle-length and strapless, this dress calls out for movement, with the ultra-sexy but highly tasteful slit up the left leg, which reaches to the upper thigh. Around the straight-cut strapless bodice is a motif in glittering gold, bronze and turquoise, of the Egyptian Lotus, a type of waterlily, found on the banks of the river Nile and highly revered by the ancient Egyptians. Starting as a single strand at the front of the bodice, it dips down and curls around the area of the ribs to the left, and then blossoms into three at the back, the first curling back upwards to connect to a simple black collar at the neck to form a kind of strap to the dress, the second embracing the line of the back of the dress, and the third reaching downwards and coming to rest at the top of the skirt. The asymmetrical skirt is a marvel of SL engineering, it's movements eye-catching and exquisite, while one tier of panels drifts gently to the left, the other floats to the right, the end effect being one of flowing water, shimmering silk, independent and dramatic. The lower half of the skirt is the same sparkling blue used for the waterlily of the bodice, scalloped at the hem, adorned at the top with oval medallions of gold, and then bronze and gold lining above those, looking almost like some exotic stained-glass or cloisonné design with the bold black lines separating the turquoise with flecks of gold.
The oBscene's Cleo skin
Worn with Digit Darkes' Lotus Gown Black is The oBscene's stunning Cleo skin, in Blu Peacock w/mole, a gorgeous golden bronzed skin which has a soft shading giving the effect of a healthy glow, fresh and dewy. The lips are natural and gently glossy, and the elegant cateye liner is lined itself in bright colour, with a decorative row of coloured dots at the lower lid of the eyes. Each makeup choice comes with two versions, one plain and one with a beauty mark on the cheek. The hair is Inorite's Cleo in Pot Kettle Black, a shoulder-length bob, with the edges swept gracefully forward to a point, and straight bangs, with the spectacular optional included Coin Tiara, a headdress featuring triangular arrangements of the Face side of ancient Egyptian coins.
Kakaue Yoshikawa's Egyptian Magic shoes
Finally, Kakaue Yoshikawa's incredible Egyptian Magic shoes. Initially, gold high-heeled strappy sandals, the straps decorated subtly with a design of Ankhs and Eyes of Ra, and holding two large gems per shoe, the ankle strap featuring a delicate tiny ankh hung from the front, holding another gem, and the back strap of the shoes are secured with a cluster of three even smaller bejewelled ankhs. At the click of a HUD, the gems can be changed, with a choice of 8 different stones, shown in the pictures is the Cyan. A further click of the HUD, however, will transform these delicate shoes into some absolutely amazing stiletto knee-boots(not shown). Large black ankhs are chained to the sides of black leather, but the really awesome part of these boots are the sculpted Anubis jackal heads in black and gold at the top of the boot, and the characterization of the base of the boot, with the same sculpted head at the toe, and crouched legs at the side, like an obsidian statue, and the hind legs up by the heel. While perhaps a little much for everyday wear, the boot option of these shoes is an amazingly creative work of art.
Works like these make me proud to be a resident in Second Life, despite it's problems, and are what keep me wandering this world, finding wonderful things to wear, wonderful things to see, and wonderful things to sit on! All of which, can happily be found at Kings Rezzable, where you will find everything featured in this post and more!
Written by Nivaya Barbosa
Photography, Model, Styling - SerinaJane Loon
A Timeless Agency Production
