The Starry Boyshorts are really cute and totally sexy, and perfect for turning up the heat this summer. I love starry prints; hearts, take ‘em or leave ‘em, but stars are forever with me. They are going to be available in eight different colours for only L$50 each.

The Delora Corset Top was named after Delora Starbrook, the amazing and talented designer behind the Shoe Expo this year, who also happens to be a very sweet woman. This top is so cute with the prim cuffs and tie at the neck, and you’ll be able to pick this up for L$150 each, and there’s also eight colours to choose from.

The Canimal stockings are the cutest stockings ever! Immediately I had to put on matching Mary Janes, and look for a flirty flippy skirt for that naughty schoolgirl look. They’ll be available in either black or white, with prim bows to match the ribbon trim, and you’ll get the white and black pair of each colour for only L$75 each. In case you hadn’t sensed the theme yet, there are also eight colours to choose from.

I hear tomorrow is the big day for release, so make sure to go down to Jaywalk tonight and sign up for her Subscribe-o-Matic service. She released the cutest Catpaw slippers tonight in the group too as a gift, so get hooked up, and then stand at the doors waiting for tomorrow!

This is Baby Blue on the left, and the Toffee base on the right.

On the left is Bouquet, and on the right is my favourite of the bunch, Raisin. If you’ve been looking for a beautiful darker skin, this is definitely one to go grab!

I’ve been loving these so much, I’ve been wearing them for days!

I thought I’d post my thoughts on it, since, well, I can, and I actually have something to say.

First, I am an avid reader of PostSecret, the blog on which SLsecret is based. And I think it’s a really powerful site, one that often makes me cry and laugh, commiserate and concur. But SLcecret is a horse of a different colour so far.

First, the SL world is vastly different, and smaller, than that of PostSecret. Secrets pour in from all over the world to go on Postsecret, and they identify neither secret-keeper nor any person the secret is about.

Secondly, the secrets on PostSecret are almost overwhelmingly something personal to the person sending the postcard, and expose something about THEM. Some of the secrets posted on SLsecret, in particular one which is a thinly-veiled barb on someone’s creative endeavors, are not that at all. They’re just another way to anonymously poke fun at someone else’s expense. And why does there need to be yet another forum for that? I’m hoping that as time marches on, the secrets will become more personal, less hateful and thus more interesting. First weeks of anything tend to be a trial, right?

Third, I do not believe that comments should be allowed after the secrets have been revealed for the week. I don’t think anything good can come from allowing comments, and there is a reason Frank over at Postsecret doesn’t allow them.

It’s not that I am against the idea; I do think it could be a really good forum to express oneself and get something off your chest. But there should be a little more judicious pruning so that it becomes something it ought to be, rather than yet another way to attack people you don’t like.

My humble two pennies, of course. Your mileage may vary.

I’ve long been a fan, but I haven’t always had a reason to wear it *cough*. Literally everything you buy here is beautifully made and gorgeous to wear, so I may have taken too many pictures. But, it’s better than pictures of fugly, skanky swimwear/undies that’s been all over the feed today, right?

All of her ensembles come transferable (except all of the latex outfits), so all you men out there can buy your lady something special to model for you (oh come on, you know you want to). And one of the pitfalls of having transferable items is that you tend to only get one layer, so you can’t give away a layer and cost the designer money. However, Camilla has a workaround for this, and offers a separate copy on the pants and shirt layers, for those who have tattoos.

The newest release is Flore, a lovely and sweet floral ensemble that has several different ways to wear it. Two styles of panties and two different bras, along with the detachable ruffle, makes this pretty summery set a must-have. It comes in six colours, and you can pick these up for L$290 each.

My one concern with this is that the tiny little ribbon bow at the front of the panties is for avatars who are a hell of a lot skinnier than I am. I had to make my body thickness at 0 before I could see it, and then I could adjust it properly to fit myself.

I don’t think I can say enough good things about Insolence, and the obvious loving care and detailed perfectionism shown in each and every item. On the left is Louise in Purple, and you can get it in five other colours, each costing L$290 each. As well, the open camisole is optional, so you could just wear it as a sexy bra & panty set.

In the centre is Melanie, which is available in six different colours for L$290 each, and it comes with both a bra and a corset, so you can choose which you’re in the mood for. It also has matching stockings, which I love wearing, even though I hardly ever wear lingerie.

Leslie is a gorgeous lace bra & panty set, which I have been drooling over ever since I got it. I love the cut of the bra, and the panties are very sexy. It’s available in six colours for L$200 each.

The Alice outfit is one of my very favourites in the entire store, which is why I chose to show three colours of it. It’s also available in six colours, at L$200 each. Whether you’re wearing the garter belt or not, it oozes sex appeal and is sure to gain you at least one stalker.

/me cracks the whip!

The Misty line of latex fetish wear is hot, hot hot! Half of the available outfits have exposed nipples, which is why I am showing the other half No matter which of these outfits you choose to wear, you’ll have your partner begging for more mercy.

Most of the outfits have two options for underwear - open front or closed - which should be fairly obvious as to what those are. I of course wore the closed versions. I love the fact that all of these use the same textures, so I can mix and match from different outfits to create the perfect Domme Phoenix look to terrorize my love with. However, in these pictures, I chose to keep all outfits as they come so as not to confuse anyone. The Dionne is one of the fullest outfits, and thus costs the most at L$490. In the centre is Dawn, which will run you L$390, and on the right is Tracey with the most amazing criss-cross halter top, costing only L$290.

I am a big fan of white lingerie. There’s something so pure and…virginal about it. It makes being naughty and kinky a whole lot easier to hide

The Cerise Spring outfit, on the left, is L$250 each and only comes in one color. I personally like it best as only the bra and panties, but the chemise is quite lovely too.

In the centre, Aradia is L$290 if you’d like to see this in your inventory. Each colour is based on white, with four different accent colours. The difference is small, so you have to look closely if you want to really be able to see it.

On the right is special outfit, Jade by Insolence & Callie Cline, which you can call your own for only L$290 each in six colours. There are tons of options with this outfit, including strapless and strappy bras, corsets and two boas which you can wear in different ways.

The Laure corset set is absolutely breathtaking. I actually got this particular outfit in a Christmas hunt, I think, last year. This is the Emerald colour, but there are four other colours, each selling for L$290 each. It’s a bit naughty with the sheer panels, and they show off my nippular area! I never do that, so you know this must be a special day to go along with a special outfit.

The Leia corset outfit, in the centre, is a bit different, in that you can buy either a bra or a corset version, for L$200 each, and there are four colours available. I think I’d much prefer to pay a little extra and get both the bra and the corset, but I usually tend to go for corsets when available, so that’s what I have.

The Scarlett outfit is named after Scarlett Niven, and was made for Scarlett after she won the Budweiser Select Lingerie Legends contest (in which I was also a contestant, way back in the day). This particular colour was a special gift and is not available for purchase, but it is available in four other colours, for L$290 each.

Insolence is the premier lingerie store in all of SL, in my humble opinion, and one cannot go wrong choosing anything there to wear, whether you’re wearing it just for yourself or for someone special. Visit Insolence at Venom, and make sure to sign up for the Subscribe-o-Matic update group as well, because you won’t want to miss even a single new release!

Credits after the cut.

Skin:

MM Skins (Zero line) - various skintones and makeups.

Hair:

Photo 1 - Chalisa II in Chestnut by ETD.

Photo 2 - Elizabeth II in Espresso by ETD.

Photo 3 - Abigail in Nutmeg by Armidi.

Photo 4 - Maxine in Black by ETD.

Photo 5 - Armidi hair.

Photo 6 - Jessica II in Elika’s Brown by ETD.

Shoes:

Photos 3 & 4 - Virtue in Patent Black by Maitreya.

Milla Michinaga is one such designer. She’s been one of the fashion community’s most beloved bloggers with her impeccable sense of style, but for now she’s focusing that energy on her new design house, MichaMi.

Milla makes fairly classic designs that are easily mix-and-matchable, which fits in perfectly with her own keen sense of pairing items you’d never expect together. I am not nearly that creative with finding items to wear together, so her blog, and now her clothes, are staples for me as I attempt to create a look that’s infinitely me.

Her designs are available on every layer possible, and I wouldn’t expect any less of any blogger-cum-designer, since we’re all well aware that the more layers, the better. One of the things I really like is that Milla includes style sheets, listing who made everything she’s wearing in her ad posters. Yay for thoroughness!

On the left is the Bustier & Shorts set, available in four colours for L$100 each, or in a fatpack for only L$300. I love fatpacks, especially when they’re inexpensive, so of course I pop for it all. In the centre is the Bandeau dress, which I wasn’t sure about in the pictures, but I have to say it looks fabulous on me! Unfortunately, it’s not available in a fatpack, but as each dress is only L$75, and comes with several sash colours, you can buy all or some of them and not feel guilty at all. On the right, the Glitter Tube & Leggings comes in five colours for L$100 each, or you can pick up the fatpack for L$400. This is one of her newer items, and her texturing is really well done, and the little details, like the v-shape cut on the back of the leggings, make it something a little more special.

One of my favourite items in the entire store is the racerback Glam tank, available in seven colours for only L$50 each. I love tanks and I have only about a billionty of them, but this has raced to the top of the list when I’m looking for one. I love neutral colours, and it’s apparent that Milla not only does too, but realizes just how important they are to having the perfect top to throw under that cute jacket.

My only critique, and it can barely be called that, is that I’d like to see proper names for her items. I find it way easier to remember things when they have a proper name attached, but that is a very small thing and only my own personal opinion, as opposed to something wrong with her or her store.

I highly recommend visiting MichaMi soon, you’ll fall in love with her pretty creations and her perfectionism in what she offers.

Ornamental Life’s name came from the now update-only blog of the same name by Shir Dryke. Bright colours seems to be the theme here, and though it’s a change from my usual uniform of neutral beiges, browns and other earth tones, it’s not unwelcome. I work hard at making sure I have lots of various colours in everything, and never is this more apparent than in my swimwear and undies. Ornamental Life is the perfect place to get your colour on, with her well-finished, fun and beautiful work.

Her items are a bit more expensive than MichaMi’s, but she also follows in the “more is more” ideal when it comes to layers. Her texturing and colour selection is really nicely done, and I am very happy with my purchases here.

The Kiwi Kawa swimsuit on the left comes in seven bright colours, for L$180 each or L$960 for the fatpack. I love how this is a bit different from your other swimsuits in SL. The bikini sizzles on the sands all over the grid, and the Cube Cure bikini is hawt hawt hawt and shows off your cleavage extraordinarily well. Seven available colours sell for L$150 each, or it’s L$800 for the fatpack. One of Shir’s newest releases, Safe in my Heart, on the right, is really pretty, and carries an important message with it as well. It is technically a bra and panties set, but I think it’s bright and funky enough to wear out on the beaches. There is a pocket on the front of the panties, and it’s that feature that carries a message, included in the package when you purchase it:

Maybe you noticed there’s a pocket on your new panties:) It’s there for a reason. The morale of this story: stay safe, love wisely and above all, don’t forget to love yourself.

HIV is no distant legend that does not concern you. It does. It concerns every last one of us. Get tested, use a condom and if you’re a drug addict, do NOT share needles!

I lost a close friend to HIV and I know, it’s not something that happens only in Africa or in the movies. Sadly not. He will never be forgotten and all those who I did not know, they won’t be forgotten either. Take care and stay safe:)

Shir Dryke

There are tons of tops in loads of bright colours, like the Proteus Machine in Fuschsized on the left.  The details on this make it fun, sexy and different from what everyone else is offering.

The Little Karma outfit comes with a really nice system skirt, matching bracelets and in several different colours of outer tanks, layered over a lacy black bra/camisole type thing.

Sounds of Goa is a halter style dress which can be converted into a one-piece swimsuit, in five different bright colours. I love this dress, and though it’s not normally the type of thing I’d go for, I couldn’t help myself in this case.

Ornamental Life has tons more beautiful stuff and I highly recommend a stop by her store if you haven’t been yet.

Ana Lutetia is the extremely prolific blogger, photographer, model and now poser who doesn’t ever seem to stop. Her blog is a haven of beautiful pictures and she has the most extraordinary nose for finding the new and hot releases you’d consider “must-haves.” She turned that attention to poses, and now has a huge store chock-full of modeling poses for both men and women. All of the poses I used in my blog today come from AnaLu, and it’s a poser heaven, with poses to work for every mood.

Stop crying about yourselves already!

Blahbity Blah Blah….so a lot of you got taken by Hart Larsson’s PXL skins, which now have a DMCA filed against them by Laqroki’s Mallory Cowen…big deal.

it’s not the first time someone has blogged raving about something that turns out to have been stolen, and it definitely won’t be the last.

With all due respect to Sasy Scarborough, does her letter really need to be reposted & reinterpreted on every other blog? Come on already.

Get a hold of yourselves and stop being so alarmist and dramatic already. And stop posting the letter on every single blog, because it all goes to the same damn feed!

I should mention that I do have some of Stiletto Moody’s shoes that I’ve picked up as part of the 40% off sale of last season’s stock. I think the idea of “seasons” in SL is a bit weird for shoes, since they look like the same sort of thing to me, but at 40% off, the price is a lot more reasonable and starts to approach what they should be selling for.

Rather than just make a post about how much I think this is total crap, and overpriced hype that everyone should boycott until their prices fall more in line with others making shoes that are similar or better in quality, I decided it’d be more productive (and more fun) to show off some shoes by other creators who are doing AMAZING work in sculpted shoes, and not charging an arm and a leg for them.

J’s new Cross Belt pumps are L$350 per pair, or L$1200 for a fatpack of six colours. J’s has made a big splash in the shoe world as of late, because of his optional sculpted toes that are included. Usually, there are two versions of each shoe so you can either choose the toes or not, with only a small additional charge for the toes.

Personally, the toes kinda creep me out. I can see that they do look better in some ways, but in others…it’s just too weird. Why is it so weird for me? I dunno. I don’t have prim manicures either. But these newest shoes were only available with the sculpted toes, so I got them, and okay, I can see the appeal. My feet look pretty cute. I know that tons of people are loving these, and for only L$350 per pair, it’s a pretty rockin’ deal.

Kitties Lair has been another shoe designer I’m liking a lot lately too. At L$290 per pair for her newest “Anita” heels, they’re obviously fairly priced, when you consider the average price of sculpted shoes in SL. They’re well-made and fit your feet really well. Shoes that do not hug the foot well is one of my big pet peeves with shoes here, and can make me hate even a really nice pair of shoes. They have a bling option which you can turn off with a menu, and the nice thing about them is that once you turn them off once, you don’t have to do so every time you wear them.

Maitreya’s Frenzy shoes are some of her latest releases and are L$400 per pair. There are so many colours and options available that there are four separate fatpacks at L$1500 each. These are hot hot shoes, and Maitreya’s quality is bar none. Onyx and Beau make some of my favourite shoes, and if I’m ever searching for a pair of shoes for an outfit, chances are Maitreya made something perfect to match.

Shiny Things’ Fallingwater Cellardoor’s work is, in a word, amazing. Her shoes and boots are of the highest quality and very recognizable as Shiny Things, which I think is an excellent thing. The Belles debuted at the Shoe Expo last month, and they sell for L$350 each. These are some of my favourite shoes right now and my only beef (besides the no fatpacks thing) is that they don’t come in more colours!

I should mention that all of the above designers, except Stiletto Moody, offer demos of their products. So you can actually see what they look like on your feet before you sink your hard-earned money into them. Gee, you’d think charging so much for a pair of shoes would allow you to make a demo for your customers, wouldn’t you?

So there you have it. Four different designers whose work is as good as or better than the shoes you’ll find at Stiletto Moody’s store, for a fraction of the cost. There is NO REASON for shoes to be so expensive in SL. And thankfully, the other designers are not pricing themselves as high just because SM does.

The quality of her poses have vastly improved in recent months, with the poses moving fluidly from one to the next. I’m not sure if she’s updated her old poses with that, but if she has, I hope she offers free upgrades to people who bought her sets before

The Swimsuit pose pack is one of the newest sets. It’s got some really sexy poses in that are perfect for showing off lingerie or swimwear, or even just clothes, since no one ever said you have to use the poses only as intended.

The other newest set is Pinup, and it’s, you guessed it, a little more sexy, saucy, daring, all those things. I chose what I considered three of the most “pinup-y” of all the pinup poses, and I definitely think these are extremely cute. My one beef is that for the kneeling pose on the right, I had to make my breast sliders at less than 25 so my hands wouldn’t sink in to them. I normally don’t have very big breasts, but 25 is a bit too small for my taste. Having options for those with slightly bigger breasts would be a bonus.

It’s a bit of a short write-up today, stuff happens and prevents me from being as wordy as Luth and Reel Expression deserves.  So I’ll leave you with the pictures and tell you that you’re most definitely missing out if you are missing stuff from Reel Expression, ESPECIALLY since she reduced the price of her sets by half the amount!

I hope you enjoyed my week of Animations & Poses.  There are some incredibly talented people making poses, and I’ve had a lot of fun this week on these posts.  There are some others I didn’t showcase, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have the utmost respect for them and their work - it just means I can only do much in a week.  But I think this will be a regular feature - animations spotlights - so stay tuned!

You’ve long been able to see their modeling animations on every runway, accompanying the latest fashions, but my favourites are their static poses. I find them much more “model-y” than the average pose, and if I’m wearing something I consider very high-fashion, then I tend to break out the Maitreya poses.

A few months ago, Maitreya released two sets of poses, including a set of standing poses. These are by far some of my favourite all-time poses, but they’re so recognizable and unique that I don’t use them often for fear of overdoing it. All of the above poses are from that pack.

With every pose, I am automatically drawn to a more…sophisticated, unusual look than what I’d normally wear. I am drawn to casual wear - jeans, t-shirts, chucks or sandals and I’m set. But it’s like virtually impossible to wear that kind of stuff and hop on the pose stand with these poses - it’s unnatural and I just feel goofy. So I always glam up a bit.

With every new release of their latest beautiful sculpted shoes, Maitreya would tease us with these really interesting ad posters for them. The model would always be sitting or standing, but your eye was automatically drawn to their shoes. The reason for these is because Beauvoir would make new poses specially for the shoes, and it was aggravating to say the least that they were selfishly keeping the poses to themselves!!! Just kidding (kinda), but then along with their standing pose set a couple of months ago (maybe longer, who can tell now), they released a full pack of all of these sitting poses they had been teasing us with for months.

Maitreya is one of my favourite stores in all of SL, and Onyx and Beau are two really lovely, nice people I’ve had the pleasure of talking to now and again, especially with the recent shoe expo they were so generous with in their participation. If you go, make sure to take a buttload of cash and don’t just hit up the pose area, but the shoes, clothes (especially the *M*A*i*i*K*I* section - I hope that’s the right formatting for that sub-brand) and hair they have on offer.

Sorry, no credits today…not a very good day. But IM me in-world if you see something you don’t recognize and I’m happy to tell you. Maybe I’ll even update the pose with credits, but given my laziness, that’s unlikely.

With that slightly cliched but very true statement out of the way, I can say that ANA_Mations, while not totally of my taste, has raised the bar for quality, at least in my humble opinion. I’m not saying that just because she’s my friend, but because I believe that she set the standard in the way animations are uploaded, saved and sold in SL. Smooth transitioning between poses/animations was not common-place before she opened her store, and even for a time afterwards, but it’s common now, and considered sloppy and amateurish to have your pose jerk in between.

Most of Surrealia’s work is in AO’s, with gentle breathing motions and subtle, realistic movements. I don’t think I can adequately describe just how well-made they are without you trying a demo out yourself.

Surr’s latest release is the couples HUD, a menu-driven alternative to having her simultaneous release of fourteen couples animated poses, which, it has to be said, is vastly superior and less messy than the poseball option. The nice thing is that she is not charging any extra for the HUD version, which some creators and designers insist is worth more, even if you don’t really like or want that option.

For my photography pal up here and I, they required some adjustments to fit us properly, but the instructions included with the HUD are fairly clear, if a bit complicated when compared to the poseballs by themselves.

The Kyoot AO has always been one of my favourites, and when you look at the stands included, is there any wonder why? The poses shown in this picture are of the same stand, but with a transition built in. As you can see, they are fairly similar, but it’s a natural change that doesn’t look weird, and doesn’t have you standing there rudely yawning and stretching in people’s faces all day.

I must say, I look damn kyoot! in this AO, and I bet you would too. It immediately made me want to put on something crazy and fun, something I probably wouldn’t normally wear without umm…massive amounts of hallucinogens (I don’t wear stockings and heels with shorts, like, ever, it just doesn’t happen.)

The Fairy AO is, in a word, spectacular. I’m not sure I could even do it justice in this post, but I’ll do my best. There are ten “stands” even though none of them are stands as such; fairies don’t stand, after all, they hover and flit around. This AO embodies the feeling of a fairy’s life quite well, and is one of the most complete AO’s in ANA_Mations, with turns, crouches, flying, etc. You would be well-rewarded to pop down and try them out for yourself. Playing around in Straylight will never be the same after that.

I love being a fairy. I went through quite the fairy phase on my flickr, washing out pics and just generally adoring the way I looked in Windlight. I’d prance around in the sky where I lived, but I never had an AO to do it properly. Now, I can fly around and actually *be* a fairy, which is the coolest thing ever. Too bad I’m in a film noir phase right now, but the fairy will no doubt live again.

The Photographer’s Boudoir Chaise was released quite a while ago, and caused quite a fuss at the time, since it was the first such item of its kind, ending up all over the feed. It’s menu-driven and has 38 poses in it, everything from lying seductively on your back, to crouching on your hands & knees, mayhaps ready to be spanked? Dirty! And utterly sexy. And now that I don’t crash from every blue box or menu popping up on my screen, a lot more fun to play with too. It’s also colour-changeable for both the cushions and the chaise itself, so you can fit your mood and not the other way around.

Surr recently acquired herself a Sim, named it Jabberwocky, and finally got to live out her dream of a fantasy Alice in Wonderland-type place all her own. Surr’s always been very into Alice in Wonderland, but not the sanitized-for-your-protection Disneyland version. You can watch some of her movies based on Alice on her youtube page if you like. She has her mainstore in the Queen of the large chessboard. Several smaller stores are dotted around in various pawns and such, but I think the coolest part of the Sim design is everything you can find underground. It’s amazingly creative and well-done and worth a visit for anyone. Make sure to turn your draw distance all the way up though, because you’ll want to see it all the way up in the sky to view it all properly.

Credits under the cut.

First & Second Pics:

Skin - Makeup 5A Diva Fair tone by MMSkins (no longer available) \ Hair - Annie May II in Nocturne by Celestial Studios \ Top - Little Miss Welfare tee by Canimal \ Shorts - Denim Shorts in Grunge by Tres Blah \ Socks - Lulu Tube socks in Mixed Blues by Celestial Studios \ Shoes - Low-Tops by Akeyo.

Kyoot Pic:

Skin - Lumine Sweet by Curio \ Hair - Annie May III in Nocturne by Celestial Studios \ Nose Ring - Aitui 1 captive bead eyebrow ring (refitted to chin to wear as nose ring) \ Top - Manzano in Lime by Decoy \ Shorts - Short Jean Shorts by Cupcakes (M&R Cupcakes) \ Stockings - Solid Thigh Highs in Blue by Shiny Things (freebie) \ Shoes - Belles in Acid by Shiny Things.

Fairy Pic:

Skin - Lumine Sweet by Curio \ Hair - Sea Nymph in Pearl by ETD (Limited edition - no longer available) \ Costume - Faerydae in Peach by Nicky Ree.

Boudoir Pic:

Skin - Lumine Sweet by Curio \ Hair - Abigail in Amber by Armidi (alliteration is your best friend :P) \ Nose Ring - Aitui 1 captive bead eyebrow ring \ Bra & Underwear - Intimizzio Auflori Chambre in Dove by Armidi.