[#659] Memories Bring Back You

 

Here’s to the ones that we got
Cheers to the wish you were here but you’re not
‘Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
Of everything we’ve been through
Toast to the ones here today
Toast to the ones that we lost on the way
‘Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
And the memories bring back
Memories bring back you

Memories, ♫Maroon 5♫

 

The strength it’s taken me to do this post was something I was unsure of ever happening. Those who know me have undoubtedly been aware of my absence from blogging and or social media and there’s been a very valid reason. In September, my reality suffered a tremendous loss and while I don’t want to go into details as it’s not something I’m comfortable with but I wanted to make sure that when the time was right for me that I’d find a way to work it out through virtual artistry.

I’ve prided myself on the ability to be creative but lately it just hasn’t been there and it’s taken me away from the virtual side of things. My passion for it has been lacking and I don’t want to put anything less than 100% when I’m able to do it, otherwise it shows and if I can tell then I’m pretty darn sure that others can see it too.

While I’ve been away and dealing with the situation, some really excellent clothing has come out that I’ve wanted to promote and show because of how much I love it. Lapointe & Bastchild has been around for a long time and when it comes to their loyalty to their customers (as well as their bloggers) they rank among the top of any brand. They take the time to listen to the people that purchase and wear their clothing and even take the time to refresh some of the items by adjusting some of bugs for how it fits with a certain body or add a new body to the list of those that are asked to be added (within reason because creation of these things take a lot of time and effort to a degree that a lot of us fail to realize). The denim version of the “Ranger Shirt” was given an upgrade with some tweaks to some of the mesh bodies that have also made updates and with that the patterns have been given a refresh too. Long sleeve shirt on top of short ones are one of my favorite types of clothing so to see this update was a welcome one for me.

I might have missed it’s initial release at TMD in September but believe me when I say that the “Havoc Jeans” are everything. With three different types: Reg, Rolled and Tapered (which come in handy with different boot styles) and the ability to wear a pocket chain (also a feature that would make others beside myself shout “take my money!”) these jeans are a huge contender for the Heavyweight Champion in the male jeans market. For those who may have recently picked up the leather pants version of “Havoc” (which I will be showcasing hopefully soonish) that are currently at the November round of TMD, the key fob from it also works with the jeans and vice-versa with the chain. Lots of great features that are interchangeable between both releases. Please keep in mind that to get the chain and key fob are only available with the FATPACK version of both “Havoc” styles. If you have purchased a single color of either product, I believe that you can contact the store manager or the creators to upgrade to FATPACKs so you can get the bonus add-ons. It’s well worth it from my vantage point as someone who loves these kind of jeans/pants.

Compatibility for the “Ranger Shirt” and “Havoc Jeans” include: Belleza Jake, Signature (Geralt & Gianni) and SLink Physique (with an alpha for the SLink Redux version).

One thing I want to say that I feel is important is I know that we spend a lot of time focusing on things that may seem super important to us and tend to look past those that should be important. Look closer to those details because there will be a time that you’ll wish you’d paid more attention to them and will grow to regret it. Everyone’s situation is different and that is understandable but I think that we’ve all got people that mean a great deal to us and we should show them that because then neither you or they will ever have to question the importance they play.

I’m trying my best to not make this a downer post as that is not my intention, however, there have been many people I know virtually that have recently gone through something similar in their lives so this is not so much entirely for me as it is for them as well because we all are finding our ways to cope. The days, months and years to come will forever be changed but with all the love and support from those around us, it may never every bit of the hurt inside away but it will at least help us heal to some degree.

 

To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.
Thomas Campbell

 

POSE: Come Soon Poses – The Club

BACKDROP: Come Soon Poses – Friday Night 04

– Brennan’s Look –

HEAD: LeLutka – Guy v3.4
SKIN: Session Skins (Store / MP) – Tom (Tone 02)

SHIRT: L&B Swear (Store / MP) – Ranger Shirt / Denim (Fatpack) ✦ Updated
JEANS: L&B Swear (Store / MP) – Havoc Jeans (Fatpack)

– Mike’s Look –

HAIR: Stealthic – Atlas
HEAD: Catwa – Daniel v3.2
SKIN: Stray Dog – Joaquin (Tone 03)
MUSTACHE: Magnificent – DanielHipster Stache & Beard Medium
BEARD: TheSkinnery – Jason Facial Hair
BODY: Signature – Gianni v4.8
TATTOOS: Speakeasy – Storm

SHIRT: Ink Me – Jacob Shirt @ Christmas Lane
PANTS: Cheerno Sado – RopePants @ The Men Jail ✦ NEW

 

[#655] I Love Rocky Road

 

They tell me ice cream junkies are all the same
All the soda jerkers know my name
When their supply is gone
Then I’ll be movin’ on

“Weird” Al Yankovic, ♫I Love Rocky Road♫

 

It’s Sunday and it has been a bit since my last post and while I was thinking of something to do I remembered that there was a fun little build by Salacity called “Zesty’s Dairy Bar” which is my first post for the brand since becoming part of their team. I thought it could be fun to do an ice cream themed photo but I didn’t have any single male ice cream photos and after a quick search upon the Marketplace I added “#Profile 5” from FRIMON Store which at one time was linked to an event and some other stuff. My idea was starting to look better and better.

With the scene and pose now in place all that needed to be done was the put my look together and get shooting. It’s been a long time since LV Designs has done a skin based on an actor from pop culture TV. One of the coolest I’ve seen was the Kit skin that was based on Game of Throne’s star, Kit Harrington. The latest in what I would personally call the star line is based off of Dacre Montgomery who is one of the actors on Stranger Things. I know I’ll catch flack for admitting to not having seen this but it’s on my list so cool those jets folks! It probably won’t win me any points to note that he has also played the role of Jason in the rebooted Power Rangers movie (which I thought was getting a sequel that all but seems dead now…oh well). The skin comes in two tones Pearl and Buttermilk (works with Stray Dog Tones 02 and 04 respectively). I thought it was kind of humorous because I think that his character also works in an Ice Cream Parlor or something so that’s a bit more humor added in along with “Weird” Al’s parody of Joan Jet’s “I Love Rock N Roll”. You can find this skin at The Men Jail until the 28th of August so still a few days to take a look and grab it if you want.

Lapointe & Bastchild have done it once again and have taken one of my favorite products and given it some new breath. Graphic tees are pretty much life as far as I concerned and even in the virtual world I can have some fun wearing the newly updated for 2019 “Santa Cruz T-Shirt Collection”. They’ve did some fine tuning for some of the male bodies as well as added some fun new designs to it. The shirt is compatible with Aesthetic, Belleza (Jake), Signature (Geralt/Gianni) and SLink Physique and can be found at the their main location which as always there’s a taxi for below.

A new event is also going to be on the horizon from Pale Girl Productions called “Ark” and I wanted to mention it now to make sure the name gets into people’s minds. If you like events like Skin Fair, Vintage Fair, Curves, and The Trunk Show then you might want to give “Ark” a chance as well. It’s going to feature some of the best designers on the grid and maybe some that are just waiting to show you what they are capable of. The theme revolves around animal themed items such as skins, clothing, furniture and accessories for the avatar. Since this is the first time the event is running I am unsure of what to expect but I like the idea of the challenge it poses so it’ll be exciting.

I will be making a post on it once the press packet is released and I’ll pass that on through the site so keep those eyes peeled ladies and gents!

 

POSE: FRIMON Store (MP) – #Profile 5

BUILDING: Salacity (Store / MP) – Zesty’s Dairy Bar

HAIR: Vango. – Keith
HEAD: CATWA – Stanley 3.2
SKIN: LV Designs – Dean Skin (Pearl/Tone 02) @ The Men Jail ✦ NEW

SHIRT: L&B Swear (Store / MP) – Santa Cruz T-Shirt Collection ✦ UPDATED
SHORTS: Cold-Ash (Store / MP) – HURST Cargo Shorts

 

[#617] Cause It’s Taking My Life Away

 

They reach beside
A leech to find
I dreamed of this so long
This used to feel so strong

Default, ♫(Taking My) Life Away♫

 

For the last couple days I felt like I was in a very small creative block (or hole). I had an outfit (which I changed a little bit from the original plan) but no real idea what kind of scenery I wanted but I had a bit of a resurgence and took a few things I had not used yet and combined it with some new things and the results were actually as good as I hoped they’d be.

Default (the band) has always been high on my list of Canadian musicians that I’ve enjoyed listening to since as long as I can remember. One of the memories I have as a late teenager (yeah I hate putting a date on myself but can’t properly tell a story without it), going to see the band at a summer festival before they had truly made it big nationally. One of the things that I enjoy is being able to say that I’ve been a fan of a band before they hit big. It’s a small brag of course but it’s kinda cool to discover stuff before the majority (there are several bands I can say this about that are very popular currently).

The formation of the idea of this blog kinda has been circling in my brain long before this (I just didn’t know how I wanted to implement it). Tucking ideas away for a rainy day is something I do often and that way when a pose set or a backdrop comes out that fits the mold then I take advantage of what there is to work with. The Men Jail is set to open next week and Lush Poses is releasing two new pose sets and the one I am using for this scene is called “Shinedown” which is also the name of a band that I love so this just makes this that much better for me.

“Shinedown” is a set of 6 poses to which some of them have mirrors but the gist of these poses is that they are laying poses (most of which are from a face down position with one being a face up pose). I think that it played into the part of the song that speaks of dreaming as I found a really cool and colorful bed by Kei Spot from the Zodiac event to contrast the color of my clothing which I’ll get into here in a moment.

The last few months I’ve seen the poses that Lush Poses creates have impressed me and I’ve been able to hammer out some nice photos using them this one included. My advice would be to look them up on Flickr or visit The Men Jail when it opens on April 08th and find out yourself just what I’m talking about.

LUSH Poses – Shinedown Pose Set

• Bento poses (requires bento enabled viewer)
• 6 different poses (some with mirror versions)
• Fatpack includes Static, single poseballs and a pose stand
• Exclusive to The Men Jail starting on 04/08/19

Lapointe & Bastchild (more specifically it’s SWEAR label) has a “henley” that many of you probably already have but if you don’t then I might have added something to your shopping list for this weekend. The attention that this store gives to its items as far as HUDs with many colors to choose from giving many options to pair with just about any color pants or denim jeans.

I know that I’ll be able to pair it with just about anything because it fits really great which is also another reason why L&B is one of my favorite stores. While now I am a blogger for them but going along with what I’ve said concerning Default, I’ve been a fan of there’s for a long time (years to be exact). The interactions I’ve had with both owners as well as their customer service over the time is everything a store should be, they treat their customers right.

For my outfit I paired the shirt with the latest pair of jeans from TORI TORRICELLI named the “Atlas Jeans”. While I am predominantly a blogger now that is on a budget, being in the group I was able to get a discount on the FATPACK before the April round of TMD even begins (which is where it will be at starting later today 04/05).

Going with a shade of blue for the shirt and the purple into an acid washed style of the jeans was just the right contrast to set the scene with the Kei Spot bed. Everything came together nicely and I’m really proud of the results of this scene/photo.

L&B SWEAR – Henley

• Original mesh
• HUD contains 28 different colors to choose from
• Fitted for Aesthetic, Belleza (Jake), Signature (Geralt + Gianni) and SLink Physique mesh bodies
• Get it now at the L&B SWEAR mainstore!

TORI TORRICELLI – Atlas Jeans (Fatpack)

• Original Mesh
• Belt-Chain Add-On Included
• HUD contains 30 denim color options, 5 chain add-on metal colors and 6 graphic prints
• Fitted for Aesthetic (Enzo), Belleza (Jake), Signature (Gianni) and SLink Physique mesh bodies
• Coming to The Men’s Department on 04/05/19

One last piece that I utilized that is not a new product but as a lock&tuft blogger I am going to give it some love because I myself love this hair. The “Ruined” hair has a bit of age on it but it still stands up to the test of time and there are not as many colors in the pack as their are in current hair products but there are still many staple colors that make it worthwhile.

This hair also comes with a blindfold which is not show here but it is meant for the kink crowd (as there are some rather naughty words printed on said blindfold). I like this hair because it’s a longer hair that’s just the right length and doesn’t cover my face for the type of shot I wanted to take here. I’m all for older releases of hairs and I’ve had this hair for a good while, obviously long before I began to blog for the store.

lock&tuft – Ruined Hair (FatPack)

• Original mesh
• 60 different hairs (3 different HUDs)
• Blindfold version included
• HUD for Blindfold contains 4 different sayings (8 colors per saying)
• Grab it right now at the lock&tuft mainstore!

On that note I think I have covered all the things I wanted to cover and hope that a few people find this post useful and even potentially check out some of what I’ve blogged here. Blogging the items I enjoy is very much worthwhile and I believe in them or why would I blog them? So much great things out there right now events wise.

I’ll get to what I can so that you stay apprised of what’s out there in the virtual world. Until the next time I will catch you on the flipside!

 

Deep down it hides

 

POSE: LUSH Poses – Shinedown @ The Men Jail ✦ NEW

BACKDROP: Paparazzi (Store / MP) – Towerblock Room
BED: Kei Spot – Love Bed @ Zodiac ✦ NEW

HAIR: lock&tuft (Store / MP) – Ruined
HEAD: LeLutka – Guy v3.3
SKIN: Stray Dog – Mario
BEARD: F u o e y – Ryan Beard @ Kinky Event ✦ NEW

SHIRT: L&B Swear (Store / MP) – Henley
JEANS: TORI TORRICELLI – Atlas Jeans @ TMD ✦ NEW

 

[#610] Coffee And Cigarettes

 

Yeah, I have friends, but they have friends,
And they have parties, and I’m so awkward.
So what do you say, just as friends, we see a movie
This weekend, alright? Okay.

Never Shout Never, ♫Coffee and Cigarettes♫

 

The weekend is almost over already and it feels almost like it just started but oh well what can you do right? I needed a day or so to recharge and am back to what I know best and that’s showing off stuff I like and telling the world what I think about it in the best way I can (even though sometimes it comes out awkward).

A week of Skin Fair 2019 has gone by with another week left (it ends on the 24th, exactly a week from today). I’ve had a blast showcasing items from the event and there is still plenty more as well as ones you might not expect to see in a post here. Yep that’s right I am going to put my spin on some Skin Fair goodies that I might not have done in the past.

Today’s blog has items from stores I’ve blogged for the fair but have released more than one exclusive. I am going to start out with another skin from Vendetta in which is for either CATWA and Omega which is different from the last skin I featured as that was for the LeLutka specifically. It is a very youthful skin for those of you who tend to want your virtual selves to look younger but I’m sure that you can give it a more seasoned look with the right facial hair.

I paired it up with the “Desmond” shape from West End, which is for the CATWA “Daniel” head; both of them combined I think make a great combination. When I am looking through things and pairing them at random I never know what the results will be but with the look I put together here it turned out to be a good mix of designers.

Vendetta – Yvan Skin

• CATWA and Omega applier (Sold Separately)
• Available in 3 tones (04, 05 and 06)
• Body skins are sold separately
• Exclusive to Skin Fair until 03/24/19

West End – Desmond Shape

• Shape for CATWA Daniel
• Body shape and eyebrow shape included
• Exclusive to Skin Fair until 03/24/19

Time for me to also get a bit deeper into this current round of The Men Jail which has really been chock full of things (some of which I may not even get to blog before the round ends). I’ll start though with the Zule Hair by Letituier, which is a medium length curly hair that has a slight part on the left side. I would say this style has a lot of volume to it. The style itself is not one that I’ve worn much because it is not often that designers create it.

My awesome shirt is one of the latest from Gild. Garrete killed it with the “Interval-T One Arm” shirt, which is more like a modified turtleneck in retrospect as the neck is a bit longer than your usual sweater or shirt. There is also a slanted intended slash across the middle of the chest/abdomen area as well as the right arm completely missing to give it a unique fashion look.

I love standard clothing (jeans, shirts, jackets and the like) as much as the next person but wearing creative and functional items like this is also fun too. It also allows for a bit of fresh air to come through in these blogs so that they don’t get as stale as they could with wearing the same type of clothing all the time.

Rounding out my review of TMJ items in this blog is for the pose set from Navajo. I see their pose set ads on Flickr quite often and when I saw this set come through as part of the event, I found the right setting to use it at. “Bento Static Pose Pack 11” is a set of smoking poses with two of the poses having a mirrored version (a mesh cigarette for either hand is included).

I am not a smoker personally (I was a very long time ago) but it just wasn’t really a good plan for me personally so if I can do it without harm virtually then (or in a potential role-play situation) that’s fine but I also at the same time am not promoting it. I see younger people take it up at staggering ages as compared to when I was in that age frame.

Letituier – Zule Hair

• Original mesh
• Resize script in hair
• 6 different color HUDs (Sold Separately)
• FATPACK is also available
• Exclusive to The Men Jail until 03/28/19

Gild – Interval-T One Arm

• Original mesh
• Black, Gray and White versions
• FATPACK option also available
• Fitted for Belleza (Jake) and Signature (Gianni)

Navajo – Bento Static Pose Pack 11

• Bento capable poses
• 4 poses (with 2 mirrored ones)
• Left and Right hand cigarette prop
• Exclusive to The Men Jail until 03/28/19

Today is also St. Patrick’s Day, many people all over the world (that are not likely even Irish) will celebrate by drinking copious amounts of beer to eating Corned Beef and Cabbage (which is also a tradition on this day). I myself in the real world are not Irish but my virtual heritage is so I am getting together with a few friends and just hanging out.

I hope that anyone who is out there celebrating that you stay safe and make sure you get home as well without any trouble. Many will wake up with the headache the size of a double decker bus but hit the shower get some coffee and swallow down a few aspirin and get back to it. Fun start to the week for that lot of people.

On that note I am gonna take the opportunity to wrap up this post and leave you all with the style credits. Enjoy the last remaining hours of the weekend and see you back here again for the next one…byeeeeee!

 

And I’ll hope that Saturday will be the day
When everything feels okay.

 

POSE: Navajo – Bento Static Pose Pack 11 @ The Men Jail ✦ NEW

HAIR: Letitueir – Zule Hair @ The Men Jail ✦ NEW
HEAD: CATWA – Daniel v3.2
SKIN: Vendetta – YVAN (Tone 04) @ Skin Fair ✦ NEW
SHAPE: West End – Desmond @ Skin Fair ✦ NEW

TOP: Gild – Interval-T One Arm (White) @ The Men Jail ✦ NEW
PANTS: Gild – Soft Leather Easy Pants (Basic)

 

[#609] Touch, Peel And Stand

 

Yes I’ve finally found a reason
I don’t need an excuse
I’ve got this time on my hands
You are the one to abuse

Days Of The New, ♫Touch, Peel and Stand♫

 

Sometimes when looking through things that come through as review packs from some of the partnerships I have there are things that I usually know that there will be a few things that will likely not end up on the blog because of my comfort zone but I’ve been trying more as of late to work outside of it. This blog is visual proof of that and I am not sure how I feel about it quite yet but my initial impression is favorable.

Hitting a small stride on the naughty side, I have some items from The Men Jail that definitely fall within the category of outside of my normal stylings. I’m going to start out with the “FiDa Shorts” by Cubura. This very small shorts accentuate a certain part of the male anatomy in a very defining way especially if choosing some of the lighter colors that come in the HUD from the FATPACK.

I have to say that idealistically they are a tad snug (you’re welcome for that nugget of info).

Another thing that I don’t normally feature in my posts is decor but the “Sadistic Pleasure Rack” by Short Leash helped me come up with an overall idea for what I wanted to do with the pic which was delve into the kinky side of the world. There’s plenty of tools (not really sure if that is the right terminology but oh well don’t shoot the messenger) hanging on the rack to ideally make for an interesting night. Yes it might only be for show but it’s very detailed and would be a great addition to someone’s “play room” if you catch my drift.

Cubura – FiDa Shorts

• Original mesh
• 24 colors to choose (Briefs and edges)
• 4 button metal colors
• Fitted for Belleza (Jake), Signature (Gianni) and V-Tech (Maitreya) mesh bodies
• Exclusive to The Men Jail until 03/28/19

Short Leash – Sadistic Pleasure Rack

• Original mesh
• Realistic kinky tools hanging upon a wall rack
• “The Pleasure Is All Mine” adorns the top
• Resizable item
• Exclusive to The Men Jail until 03/28/19

From the Skin Fair I am wearing the “Vergil Skin” from Kooqla which is a store that I am vaguely familiar with but had never really tried their products before. I was pleasantly surprised by what I found with the detail of the skin as well as the range of skin tones (of what I am wearing tone 03). The body skin has just the right musculature.

In addition to that also gave myself an edgier look with the “Fade To Black Tattoo” by MooLoo Body Art. There are so many good things to say about this tattoo…such as I like the clouds and moon up by the collarbone/shoulder area as well as the portrait bust of one of my favorite authors, Edgar Allen Poe, adorned right on the back leg.

I really see wearing this tattoo on a more consistent basis in the near future which is not a usual modus operandi of mine (I do not usually wear tattoos all the time or for more than a few days). With each new release I continue to become more and more impressed by MooLoo and in my opinion the store can hang with the heavyweights like Dappa, Speakeasy and even Bolson.

Kooqla – Vergil Skin

• Five tones (001-04 sold seprately)
• CATWA head skin and Belleza body skin (also sold separately)
• Exclusive to Skin Fair until 03/24/19

MooLoo Body Art – Fade To Black Tattoo

• Fresh and Faded body appliers
• Applier HUD for the following:
• Belleza (Female and Male)
• Maitreya
• Omega
• Signature
• SLink
• Exclusive to Pose Fair until 03/24/19

There were likely a lot of song choices I could have used to be the backing but I dug into my magical bag of music knowledge and pulled out a gem from the late 90’s. This song was likely one of the only songs that trended at that time for Days Of The New but at the time it got a lot of radio airplay as I recall having heard it a lot on the weekends when I could stay up longer and listened to music before falling asleep.

I feel like it has an element to it that fits with the scheme of the blog and who knows maybe it was written for situations such as this? Music unless the writer explicitly says what it is…is open to interpretation. Whichever the case is, it works for me and I’ve now hammered out another blog that I can put to rest and leave all of you with the style credits.

Time to relax a little and get ready for the weekend I hope everyone has some great things planned and until I return with some fun new items I hope everyone takes care. Laterrrrrrrrrrrr!

 

And now I stand, and I peel for more.
Won’t you touch me touch me, I won’t let it go

 

POSE: WRONG – BENTO Male Poses – 21

HAIR: Burley – Dorian
HEAD: CATWA – Daniel v3.2
SKIN: Kooqla – Vergil (Tone 03) @ Skin Fair ✦ NEW
TATTOO: MooLoo Body Art (Store / MP) – Fade To Black @ Skin Fair ✦ NEW

SHORTS: Cubura – FiDa Shorts @ The Men Jail ✦ NEW

SKYBOX: llorisen – Keating Skybox
CHAIR: Violetility – Junk Armchair (Damaged)
TOOLS: Short Leash – Sadistic Pleasure Rack @ The Men Jail ✦ NEW
NEON: Seven Emporium – Sinners

 

[#607] We Don’t Know

 

Oh we don’t know the roads that we’re heading down
We don’t know if we’re lost, that we’ll find a way
We don’t know if we leave, will we make it home
We don’t know, there’s hope, then we’ll be okay

The Strumbellas, ♫We Don’t Know♫

 

One of the coolest things about a virtual community like Second Life is that creators really put a lot of effort into the items they make (well the ones that are legit and don’t take from other hard working people but that’s an entirely different story). Many skin makers tend to pay homage in ways to some of their favorite celebrities or pop culture icons when making face skins.

The proof of that can be seen in Birth’s latest male offering that is a Skin Fair exclusive named “Mr. Lee”. I likely don’t have to tell you who this skin is patterned after but just in case I can at least give you a hint: He is a legendary martial artist who passed away way before his prime and his son Brandon (who is in one of my favorite movies of all time) did as well in 1993 during filming of that movie.

The level of detail in this skin is remarkable as is the quality of the body applier. I would say that personally I would wear more Birth skins (as I also love their facial hairs) but their range of skin tones doesn’t cover what I feel represents me. Their skins are awesome but as an every day wear it just isn’t in the range that I’m used to, however, it is for a lot of people as I know most skin creators work when I see people out on the grid I know who created their face. Yes that sounded a lot less weird in my mind but I hope it makes sense.

This release has 7 different tones which I am also providing a skin key for so that you can see what is offered. Also keep in mind that this is a Catwa applier which I am wearing on the “Daniel” head. Each tone applier has options for eyebrows, hairbase and beard combinations with different hair tones for all three. The body appliers which are sold separately also have options for bare skin or two different options of body hair also with the same tone colors for body hair.

Also from Skin Fair is the very discreet “Infinity Tattoo” from Reviver. This is a store that is new to me so I am just learning about it as I go but I chose to wear this ink because I enjoy the message it has to it which is essentially “love forever” in the form of an infinity symbol with a feather and the word “love” on the top and bottom.

Such a great message really and it doesn’t have to even mean love for your significant other, it can be love for your parents or family or even for yourself because it all starts there. While it may be cliche to say…love truly starts with yourself and if you can’t love you then there’s no way that you can love anyone else.

Birth – Mr. Lee Skin

• CATWA head appliers
• 7 different skin tones (sold separately)
• HUD includes No Eyebrows, Eyebrows, Hairbase and Beard options
• Body skins sold seprately
• Exclusive to Skin Fair 03/24/19

Reviver – Infinity Tattoo

• Unisex tattoo
• Applier HUDs for Belleza, Maitreya, Omega, Signature and SLink mesh bodies
• Exclusive to Skin Fair 03/24/19

With a face that looks like one of the most legendary martial artists of all time it would be ridiculous not to have hand wraps (taped hands). The “Luctator” hand wraps by L’Emporio & PL are just the thing that anyone who wants to take a photograph depicting hand to hand combat or fighting of any kind to make it more realistic. The tape is so realistic looking that you know L’Emporio took great care in making these. Truth be told I had been looking for something like this for a while but had given up looking. Seems it was the right timing and just fell into my lap.

The coolest part to me is that each version comes with 3 colors (white, dirty, and black) each with clean and bloody types so that you could take a photo before a skirmish and then take another one that would take place after with the blood stained texture. These are the kind of things that make me happy in the virtual world when it comes to accessories or clothing. It just takes the right person with a similar mind and the expertise to be able to create it and bring it to consumers like myself.

L’Emporio & PL – Luctator Hand Wraps

• Bento compatible (Bento viewer needed for proper use)
• 3 colors included via HUD (White, Dirty, and Black)
• Clean and Bloody versions also included via HUD
• Fitted for Belleza (Jake 2.0), Nyramith Aesthetic and Signature Gianni mesh bodies (sold individually)
• Exclusive to The Men Jail until 03/28/19

Now that I’ve had my fun trying my hand at being a peaceful warrior, maybe I’ll wear the hand wraps again and do a follow up photo where I’ve hit the streets of some location and take down some evil doers with my fists of rage. Come to think of it many video game characters have also had their fists wrapped over the years so that could be put to use for an idea as well.

On that note I’m going to tuck this blog post in as it is also getting late where I am at and there’s plenty of things to do tomorrow. It’s looking to be a full day so my next blog entry may not be again until Wednesday with how things look. I hope that something in this blog has inspired even just one reader to take a glance at both of the events I’ve covered in this post even if not for the items I have featured.

Be well until our paths cross again grasshoppers!

 

Well I know it gets harder every single day
And I know my darkness will never go away

 

POSE: X.T.C Poses – KJ

BACKDROP: Bitter Vanilla – Aisumicha (Black)

HAIR: Stealthic – Narcotic
HEAD: CATWA – Daniel v3.2
SKIN: Birth – Mr. Lee (Tone 02) @ Skin Fair ✦ NEW
TATTOO: Reviver – Infinity Tattoo @ Skin Fair ✦ NEW

HAND WRAPS: L’Emporio&PL – Luctator @ The Men Jail ✦ NEW
PANTS: etham – Shane Joggers

 

[#606] Don’t You Forget About Me

 

Don’t you forget about me
I’ll be alone, dancing you know it baby
Going to take you apart
I’ll put us back together at heart, baby

Simple Minds, ♫Don’t You Forget About Me♫

 

Welcome back to my continuing coverage of Skin Fair 2019, in today’s entry I am featuring a shape from Gloom for the very recent LeLutka “Guy” head as well as a new facial hair from Mister Razzor. Strap in your seat belts and make sure you’re ready because I’m about to take you to more fun items from the biggest avatar modifying event on the grid.

I’m going to start off with the “Vic Facial Hair” from Mister Razzor, which I have to say personally that I like the life like look of this stores beards. There are three different styles for this release each of them with an applier for basic black and tintable (for the blondes, browns and gingers out there). For this entry I am wearing version #3 with the black applier. Having facial hair is something that I feel is a part of who I am both virtually and in reality and when I don’t have it I feel a little naked. There are many out there who feel the same way and I soundly encourage you fellas out there to check out this beard.

Gloom is a brand that I’m rather familiar with as they work with another event that I blog for but mainly release eyes for it so it’s pretty cool that for Skin Fair they have released several different shapes (2 male and 1 female) and since I am wearing the LeLutka “Guy” head, I have combined it with the “Castelli” shape. I really like the how they bring about the features of the face to the point where I likely wouldn’t tweak anything (as the shape is modifiable). Keep in mind that not everyone is the same height or even width on the grid so making adjustments to that is possible also.

Mister Razzor – Vic Facial Hair

• Black and Tintable applier
• 3 different versions (sold separately)
• FATPACK option also available
• Appliers for CATWA and Omega enabled mesh heads
• Exclusively at Skin Fair 2019 until 03/24/19

Gloom – Castelli Shape

• Made for the LeLutka Guy head
• Belleza (Jake) and Signature (Gianni) body sizes included
• Modifiable to suit your needs
• Exclusive to Skin Fair 2019 until 03/24/19

E Storm has two new items that just hit the shelves of The Men Jail that just opened up on the 8th! The double release is part of an ensemble called “Maxim” and consists of a shoulder draped shirt (more like a sweatshirt honestly) and jeans.

The shoulder shirt has 3 pack options each with 6 colors each and the pants have 14 different denim options (I am wearing Torn 2); both products have a FATPACK option to them if you just can’t decide which one you like best. The shoulder shirt allows for me to show off my upper physique a little better and with all this blogging I have been doing lately it is sure paying off.

It’s almost a workout in itself sometimes!

E Storm – Maxim Shoulder Shirt and Jeans

• Original Mesh
• 3 color packs with 6 colors each (Shirt)
• 14 different denim colors for jeans (sold individually)
• FATPACK options for both items
• Fitted for Belleza (Jake) and Signature (Gianni) mesh bodies
• Exclusive to The Men Jail until 03/28/19

My excitement level has gone up a notch because lock&tuft have just released a new beanie/hair combination at Equal10 that bears my name! That’s right, the “Brennan Hair” is named after me and comes with a HUD that has 9 different hat collars. There is also two versions each having a different patch in the front which is super cool.

150 hair colors are at your disposal between the 5 different color HUDs included in the FATPACK which is what you get with every lock&tuft release. This store doesn’t play around let me tell you that. The hair is a great value and also made very well which is something you will see more and more when I feature the store in my posts.

lock&tuft – Brennan Beanie/Hair

• Original mesh
• HUD for beanie with 9 fabric colors
• Two different patch versions
• 5 hair color packs
• Exclusive to Equal10

I really love how the photos turned out and am stoked full of energy about the things I’m discovering from Skin Fair as I know many of you are since it’s now been open for two days. There truly is a bit of everything there for the gals and the fellas which means that I need to really kick this post into gear.

On that note I am going to wrap this up and start setting up the next thing photo session. I hope you are enjoying my coverage of Skin Fair as much as I am as there is a lot more to come in the next week and then some. On a non blog related note I hope you all take care of yourself and those close to you because this is all we got and once it’s gone there’s nothing that can change how we’ve traveled through life.

Be good and be good at what you do; catch you all next time!

 

As you walk on by
Will you call my name?

 

POSE: Image Essentials (Store / MP) – Take A Seat V1

SKYBOX: Schultz Bros. – Art Space Skybox

HAIR: lock&tuft (Store / MP) – Brennan @ Equal10 ✦ NEW
HEAD: LeLutka – Guy v3.2
SKIN: Stray Dog – Mario (Tone 02)
BEARD: Mister Razzor – Vic Facial Hair @ Skin Fair ✦ NEW
SHAPE: Gloom – Castelli Shape @ Skin Fair ✦ NEW

RINGS: L’Emporio – Arloch Rings
SWEATER: E Storm – Maxim Simple Shoulders Shirt @ The Men Jail ✦ NEW
JEANS: E Storm – Maxim Pants @ The Men Jail ✦ NEW

 

[#605] I Wanna Be Sedated

 

Twenty-twenty-twenty four hours to go
I wanna be sedated
Nothin’ to do and nowhere to go
I wanna be sedated

The Ramones, ♫I Wanna Be Sedated♫

 

It is that time again guys and gals for makeovers galore all in part to Skin Fair 2019! A cornucopia of new mesh heads, skins, make-ups, shapes, tattoos and accessories galore all so that you can upgrade your existing look or completely give yourself a new one. Some of us would love for that to be as easy in the real world but it doesn’t work that way unfortunately which is why it is so much fun to be able to do it virtually through the Second Life platform.

Batten down the hatches and bare with me as this post is very information heavy with quite a few pictures . This is my second post for the event (the first was pre-opening) so I have visual maps of the layout for all of you to click on and get an idea where you want to go before you even land. Just keep in mind that the first day or so will be pretty traffic heavy so if you don’t get in right this minute these items will not be going anywhere.

The event lasts until the 24th of March which gives everyone plenty of time to do their thing.

Vendetta is participating in this years fair and I am familiar with them for some of their releases from The Men Jail as well as Hipster Men’s Event. “Adrian” is one of three exclusives and has been created for LeLutka branded heads (Andrea and Guy respectively). The tones as you will see in the chart that I am going to post below are more golden in nature (think various tans). The face is mature yet still youthful and can be given a beard treatment to look a bit older if desired.

A shape is included in the package but if you are first giving this brand a try, the body skins are sold separately at their in-world location which I will also provide a taxi for you in the style portion of the blog; if you are curious as to which tone that I am wearing I can tell you that I have on Tone 4.

Vendetta – Adrian Skin

• Created for LeLutka brand heads
• Shape included
• 3 tones to choose from (04-05-06)
• Body appliers sold separately
• Exclusive to Skin Fair until 03/24/19

For someone who has an affinity for body ink, Skin Fair is going to be a treasure trove for me with many designers releasing tattoos as part of their exclusives or if they are only tat creators then all of their exclusives will be body modifications. Carol G., one of the fair’s proud sponsors has released this nifty (yes I’m old school so I can say stuff like that) tattoo called “Insight”.

It comes in two versions (Black+White and Color) with 4 different pigments (Dark to Light). Looking at this tattoo closely you’ll be able to make out some familiar icons from pop culture fame (Hint: look on the back!)  This is my first go round with Carol G. even though I am familiar with the name through various events but that is one of the great things about being a blogger for an event is that you can sample stores you may not have considered before.

I’ll definitely be keeping a closer eye on the releases from this store, highly impressed with this tattoo for sure. This is one I’d recommend so now you know!

Carol G. – Insight Tattoo

• Applier HUDs for Belleza, Maitreya, Omega, Signature, SLink and TMP mesh bodies
• Two versions (Black+White and Color / Sold separately)
• 4 different pigments in HUD (Dark to light)
• Exclusive to Skin Fair until 03/24/19

As promised, here are the Skin Fair 2019 sim maps so you can begin to plan your mad shopping sprees. Enjoy everything that Skin Fair has to offer and be sure to come back as well to see what I’ll be featuring next from the event!

Transitioning from Skin Fair to another event just opening today is The Men Jail, where I am wearing a hair from L&E called “Helton” in Black (Blonde and Brown packs are also available). Style wise I would say it reminds me a bit of a modern mohawk and that prompted me to go the punk rock route with my soundtrack choice for this blog (in start contrast to last blogs dabble into Country).

The Ramones were pioneers of the punk rock scene and have inspired many artists that have come after them and newer artists are being influenced by their music as I write this. To find a hair that reflects this type of music is something I feel is important to the overall theme of the blog entry.

Now that you are aware (which you probably already were anyway) that there are new events open (Collabor88 has also opened today as well but I don’t have anything to blog from that but it is a point of interest) there’s no excuse to why you can’t start off your weekend with a little retail therapy and become a brand new you or find a new outfit or accessories.

On that note I am going to turn you over to the much anticipated stylings of this blog entry and take a bit of a breath and gear up for the next exciting entry for me as I navigate through the wonders of Skin Fair and other events/items within my grasp. I can already assure you in the posts to come there will be some different things from me.

See you around the corner everyone!

 

I can’t control my fingers
I can’t control my toes
Oh no no no no no

 

POSE: WRONG – Static Male Poses – 24

BACKDROP: The Bearded Guy – Recesss Time – 2012 ✦ Gacha

HAIR: L&E – Helton (Blacks) @ The Men Jail ✦ NEW
HEAD: LeLutka – Guy ✦ NEW
SKIN: Vendetta – Adrian Skin (Tone 4) @ Skin Fair ✦ NEW
TATTOO: Carol G. – Insight Tattoo @ Skin Fair ✦ NEW

JEANS: Deadwool – Broberry Jeans (Washed Pitch)

 

[#604] It’z Just What We Do

 

Hey, we might look a little crazy tonight, hey baby that’s alright,
It’s our backwoods, boondock roots, it’s just what we do.
It’s just what we do.

Florida Georgia Line, ♫It’z Just What We Do♫

 

It’s the anniversary month for me as a blogger and there’s a lot going on for March so I am going to try and keep it rolling as best as I can to make sure I cover a lot of great things from events like Skin Fair, The Men Jail and The Men’s Department to stores like Cold-Ash and Native Urban. The energy I am riding on right now is great and I decided to visit Whimberly to see if I could find a spot for a photo.

I thought it would be fun to kick back and have a few cold ones to celebrate some of the milestones that I’ve accomplished lately as well as the aforementioned anniversary of blogging on my own (most won’t remember that I started blogging as part of a team for a site before I branched out).

The Men Jail opens up for a new round tomorrow and I have utilized a few items that I thought were fun. Since I already crossed off Corey Hart’s “Sunglasses At Night” I needed a different tune so with a scene that screams country I decided to go with one of my faves of the genre, Florida Georgia Line. I’ll be the first to say that Country is not my first choice when it comes to music but there are some really good artists and songs that are within the genre.

The sunglasses I have on are from a new designer/store that I have not heard of before named Ultraman Creations. The “Emperor Glasses” are pretty stylish and my favorite part about them is that they flip up revealing regular lenses. Reminds me a lot of the character of Dwayne Wayne played by Kadeem Hardison on “A Different World” though the style is a little different they still have the flip up action in common. The included HUD gives you the option to choose from 3 metals on the intricate part of the frame and 4 on the outside lenses. There is also a special section for the outside lenses where there are graphics like hearts and x’s as well as “Bad Boy”.

All in all these are a pretty fun pair of shades and it is not something you see a lot on the grid. I applaud the effort of Ultraman Creations and look forward to seeing what other types of products the release in the future and when someone asks about them, I can say I was one of the first to feature them on These Conversations Kill.

The other item I have from TMJ is the “X. Beer Bucket” by X. Store (another new store that I’m just getting acquainted with). While the main function of the bucket is to be worn by the owner (from which beverages can be dispensed to anyone who clicks it), I’ve chosen to use it in a different capacity as a decor function. It also comes with a bottle of brew that has a hand hold animation when worn.

Pretty soon the weather will get nicer and there will be in-world barbecues and this will definitely come in handy for the brew consumers in your circle or family. Give it a closer look when The Men Jail opens tomorrow along with many other offerings this round.

Ultraman Creations – Emperor Sunglasses

• Original Mesh
• Texture HUD included
• 3 metals for frames
• 4 colors for outside lenses
• 9 special graphics for outside lenses
• Resizable through HUD
• Exclusive to The Men Jail until 03/28/19

X. Store – X. Beer Bucket

• Original mesh
• Wearable beer bucket has built in pose with beverage giving
• Wearable bottle of beer with built in hold animation
• Exclusive to The Men Jail until 03/28/19

I have a new jacket to wear courtesy of Cold-Ash by way of The Men’s Department. Much like the last release the “Ryan Bomber Jacket” comes with an option for a hooded sweatshirt or a regular shirt; considering I wore the hoodie version with the last release even though I love them I have to at least be fair.

With the FATPACK there is 9 different jacket colors with 11 different hoodie colors and 10 shirt colors which makes matching it up with the rest of your wardrobe as easy as can be. I chose to wear the red (or crimson if you prefer) color to go along with the red tint of the lenses on the glasses. I could have gone with blue but I wanted to have some contrast between myself and the night sky in the photo.

One hugely positive thing I can say of Cold-Ash is that while there may not be releases for every event under the sun, the events the store participates in get a high quality item because CA doesn’t take shortcuts or rush things just to make a deadline and that is something I can appreciate as I’m sure everyone out there does as well. With there being several more weeks of the cold going on I am nearly positive this will make another appearance before the weather turns decent.

Cold-Ash – RYAN Bomber Jacket (FatPack)

• Original mesh
• 9 jacket colors
• 11 hoodie colors
• 10 shirt colors
• Single versions also for sale
• Fitted for Belleza (Jake), Signature (Geralt+Gianni) and SLink Physique mesh bodies
• Currently at The Men’s Department until 03/30/19

I am going to take this opportunity as I have plenty to blog this month to wrap things up as quick as possible and turn over to the credits. Hopefully if you aren’t able to get out to shop before the weekend that set aside some time to visit some of the latest rounds of events and visit some of your favorite stores as you never know if you’ll stumble upon something new.

Another one is in the books but I’m looking forward to what is next and I sure hope that you all stop back again to see what I might be up to but until then…see ya! P.S. Go visit Whimberly it’s an awesome place for photography!!!

 

Time to get your buzz on and your love on, all night long,
And if you play your hand right, you won’t have to go home alone.

 

LOCATION: Whimberley

POSE: Come Soon Poses – The Club (modified)

BEER: X. Store – X. Bucket Beer @ The Men Jail ✦ NEW

HAIR: Exile – Boy Next Door
HEAD: LeLutka – Guy ✦ NEW
SKIN: Stray Dog – Mario (Tone 2) ✦ NEW

GLASSES: Ultraman Creations – Emperor Sunglasses @ The Men Jail ✦ NEW
JACKET: Cold-Ash (Store / MP) – RYAN Bomber Jacket (FatPack) @ TMD ✦ NEW
JEANS: Deadwool – Broberry Jeans (Washed Pitch)

 

[#599] True Colors

I see your true colors
And that’s why I love you
So don’t be afraid to let them show
Your true colors

All Time Low, ♫True Colors♫
Originally Performed by Cyndi Lauper

About a month from now I’ll be celebrating the 5th anniversary of blogging and the 4th of being This Conversation Kills. I’ve been blogging under this banner for so long that most people who know me or what I do don’t know that I started my personal blogging career as “The Saints of Fashion{ation}”. I did so for the first year through the first 100 posts and realized that it wasn’t the identity that was fitting of who I was and am.

With that in mind I’ve transported those first 100 posts in their glory to a new blog location, The Saint of Fashionation. I’m going to be placing it in my blogroll for posterity even though it won’t be active as it is for archival purpose but it’s a great way to see the transition from where I started to where I am now.

Along the way I’ve met some really excellent and helpful bloggers, designers and just general people through social media like Facebook that have been encouraging. I’ve blogged for many great brands some who I have been with for a long time and have built a great partnership with and to me that is a testament of not giving up even when things have been tough.

I should be saving this kind of writing for the next blog which will be my 600th post overall in less than 5 years which for me feels very impressive. Though it’s only just the beginning for me as the virtual world continues to provide me with content to be able to make visual stories that incorporate fashion from both genders as well as accessories like backdrops and decor.

Starting this blog off is the backdrop I am using which is from Paparazzi and is called “Chinese New Year” which most people already know happened already so I’m late to the party. I just love the look and detail of the backdrop and it isn’t so much me celebrating the “Year of The Pig” but just finding something visually appealing to have as my surroundings.

I love how the light comes off of the vases to the left of me (which is the viewers right). That is one of the things I love best about items with materials, they way they react to lighting to give it much more of a dramatic effect and a realistic one at that.

Paparazzi – Chinese New Year Backdrop

• Original mesh with built in materials
• Best used with advanced lighting
• Resizeable by touch
• Available now at Paparazzi’s in-world location

Swank is an event that has been host to Bakaboo fashions for quite a long time now, it is one of THE events to be able to grab Ocean Blackthorne’s unique creations and is where you can get the latest outfit combination “Robert”. The patterns in this outfit are visually beautiful and made it hard to choose which one that I wanted to wear.

This outfit does come in three separate packages but can also be bought all together with quite a bit of savings. It also has an animated option which if I could get a good video capture of it, would be able to show you just how cool it is but after attempting it several times without success it simply wasn’t meant to be.

Stepping out on the grid with such colorful fashions will certainly catch eyes and turn heads. The coat, pants, and shoes have 5 different colorful alternating patterns with the coat even giving you an option to go shirtless or wear a base color (Black, Gray and White) shirt. The shoes themselves also have 3 different choices within the 5 patterns (two different patterns and one mixed of the two).

For anyone who likes having variety as well as unique style will instantly become a fan of Bakaboo because I know I did.

Bakaboo – Robert Outfit

• Original mesh with built in materials
• Coat, Pants and Shoes sold in separate packs
• Entire outift FATPACK also available (Best Value!)
• Animated version also available
• Fitted for Belleza (Jake), Fitted Classic, Signature (Gianni) and SLink Physique mesh bodies
• Exclusively at Swank until 02/28/19

True colors are beautiful
Like a rainbow

Just when I had thought that I was done with my coverage for The Men Jail this month, I found two more items that worked with this outfit to accessories it to the max. CHEERNO’s “C4 Glasses” are very stylish and the options that come inside the HUD add to what I feel is a pretty cool look as it is. They gave me a feeling that I was styled like say Elton John which I feel is a compliment to one of the world’s best entertainers for the last 4 decades if not more.

In addition to that I have on the “Wilson Hat” by Crystal which is a bucket style hat adorned with an affixed cross that comes in both gold and silver versions. The only thing that I would have liked more from this hat is that it came in a version other than black; I realize that it goes with just about everything it would have just been cooler to have a colorful version to accompany the outfit that I am wearing. This hat reminds me a little bit of something that Prince might have worn as well so with the glasses I’m pooling together a look of two of the coolest and flamboyant musical acts and to me that’s pretty cool.

CHEERNO – C4 Glasses

• Original mesh
• Resizeable menu through touch
• HUD contains 11 style options
• Exclusive to The Men Jail (02/28/19)

Crystal – Wilson Hat

• Original mesh
• Gold and silver cross versions included
• Can be resized
• Exclusive to The Men Jail (02/28/19)

In all though I really enjoyed putting a look together that was not my usual type of attire which I will fully give credit to Bakaboo for. Whenever I blog the clothing I feel like I am sharing one of the grids best kept secrets that everyone who doesn’t know about will have the chance for themselves. I encourage you to check out both the Swank and The Men Jail before the end of the month before new products hit for the March edition of each event.

I believe it’s time for me to finish up and leave you all with the style credits so that I can prepare the next look and scene so that I can at least make one more appearance in the already short month of February. Enjoy yourselves until our paths cross once more and hope that your next shopping trip is a good one as a happy closet sometimes makes a happy person (I just made that up I think).

So long for now!

---

POSE: X.T.C Poses – Franklin

BACKDROP: Paparazzi (Store / MP) – Chinese New Year

HEAD: LeLutka – Guy ✦ NEW
BEARD: Volkstone – Guy Facial Hair @ A+ Event ✦ NEW

HAT: Crystal – Wilson Hat @ The Men Jail ✦ NEW
GLASSES: CHEERNO – C4 Glasses @ The Men Jail ✦ NEW

COAT: Bakaboo (Store / MP) Robert Coat @ Swank ✦ NEW
PANTS: Bakaboo (Store / MP) Robert Pants @ Swank ✦ NEW
SHOES: Bakaboo (Store / MP) Robert Shoes @ Swank ✦ NEW