Wronged

WHAT I'M WEARING:

SKIN: Cassandra in Mocha (Izzie's)
LIPSTICK: Dark Red for Cassandra Skin (Izzie's)

EYES: Enchanting Eyes in Dark Brown (Nana)

HAIR: Cleo in Treacle [of Dark Browns pack] (Truth)

NAILS: Drop Dead Red Manicure (*Sexy Mamas*)

TOP: Loose Pocket Tank Sheer in Mustard (Beetlebones)

JEANS: ZebraJeans in Dark Grey (Beatnik)
BOOTS: Dandy Boots Flor (*MIEL*)

EARRINGS: Disk Earrings in Wood (GACHA at Shakeup!)

NECKLACE: Abstract Necklace ([glow] for TDR)
 SUNGLASSES: Swager - Class (ShadZ)
BAG: Mesh Satchel Bag in Vintage (**Shine** for the Private Room Event)

Cassandra is a lovely skin, I must say. Izzie hardly disappoints.

I love freckles and wish I had them in RL. However, I get to live vicariously through Inferna and because of Izzie's Cassandra! Here's another thing I really appreciate about Izzie's; considering what you receive in the box when you purchase the skin, Ms. Button's creations are a steal!

I LOVE the skin I used in the previous entry. That skin is called "Love" by Illusory. I downright love it. However, it costed 1,000L, and the package includes four versions of the skin (DB Teeth and No-Teeth and LB Teeth and No-Teeth. I say "DB" and "LB" because, honestly, I have no idea what the difference is. I'm sure it's light and dark something, but I really don't know!), 30 lipsticks (15 with teeth and 15 without), a freckles tattoo and four eyebrow shapers. That's not bad at all! But then, here is what comes in Cassandra's package: eight skins (again, DB and LB versions of Cassandra with cleavage and freckles and both), nine lipsticks, 10 eyeshadows, one eyebrow shaper, a matching nail base, and (GET THIS) a modifiable shape! And I got all of this for 990L! It's just 10 lindens less than the Love skin, but I feel like you get so much more (though, again, you get a lot with the Love skin).

The Miel boots: As I've stated before, I know Miel for the brand's options to customers. The Dandy boots are very detailed, and you can change the color of the sole, leather, and the trim individually! There are five different colors available for each! I've been a SLer for about 1.5 years, and I'm pretty sure I've had these boots for about a year. They were one of my earliest and best purchases! Get 'em!

A demain...

Feign

WHAT I'M WEARING:

SKIN: Love in Cocoa_Smoked (Illusory) - 30 lipsticks included! I'm wearing "Burnt Red (Teeth)"

EYES: Enchanting Eyes in Dark Brown (Nana)

HAIR: GaEun in Black 03 [of Blacks pack] ([BURLEY])

NAILS: Drop Dead Red Manicure (*Sexy Mamas*)

TOP: Lacey Little Top in Peach (Kyoot)

BLAZER: Floral Jacket in Fall (TokiDoki)

SHORTS: Minx Shorts in Brown (Mon Tissu)
SHOES: Deck Shoes in Blue Leather (Plausible Body)

EARRINGS: Cycle dans la Chocolaterie [set of earrings, necklace and ring] (PurpleMoon Creations)

NECKLACE: Julia Necklace Long (The Golden Fleece) - only 10L!

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You've seen my previous posts, yeah? You must know, then, how absolutely IN LOVE I am with this skin.

I stood in front of the vendor art for this skin, debating dropping 1K for it. I said, "No" then "Yes" at least five times each, but in the end, the skin overtook me, I tell you! 

It comes with two versions of 15 lipsticks, with teeth and without teeth.  These 15 lipsticks are, in turn, divided into five folders. Of course, the whole set is boxed inside of the skin's folder. It's a whole lotta unpacking, but do you SEE the skin? It's well worth the dragging-and-dropping.

I absolutely didn't mean for Inferna's eyes to be closed in one of these shots, but I actually like the way it turned out. Do you?

I bought three other skins with which I am also infatuated. And I've asked two designers - League and The Skinnery - if they'd be so kind as to create the Jen and Sabal skins, respectively, in darker tones. I'd love to have them, but they are a bit light for my tastes.

Also, I'm not sure about Plausible Body. I got these shoes (for really cheap) when I first joined SL, so I'm not even sure if they are still around. I'll check now, actually, to sate my own curiosity. 

A demain!

Katherine

Did I mention that I also recently purchased the Brianna Skin from Izzie's?

I seriously have four skins that I adore and feel enough confidence in to wear with any of my outfits. I love my LAQ go-to skin. However, a girl must have options! And I am so happy and relieved to say that, oddly enough, I look forward to debating with myself WHICH skin I'd like to wear for the day!

WHAT I'M WEARING:

SKIN: Brianna Skin in Mocha (Izzie's)

HAIR: Again in Brown 09 (elikatira)

EYES: Enchanting Eyes in Dark Brown (Nana)

LIPSTICK: Vibrant Brianna Lipsticks (mocha) (Izzie's)

NAILS: Drop Dead Red Manicure (Sexy Mamas)

LINGERIE SET: Desiderio Lingerie in Nude (Fishy Strawberry)

SHOES: Platform Stiletto in Wheat (justB - [closed])

NECKLACE: Amelie Pearl Necklace ([glow])

DREAM INK!

I got yet another skin! Thank goodness for partners who are willing to spoil, yeah?

There's no way I could afford this skin. And, honestly, I think the skin is a bit over-priced. HOWEVER, I had to have it. And my partner came to the rescue.

This skin in Tiana in Ebony. I love it so much! She's beautiful. STUNNING, I tell you!

 

 

WHAT I'M WEARING:

SKIN: Tiana in Ebony (Dream Ink)

HAIR: Collette in Swiss [of Dark Browns pack] (Exile)

EYES: Enchanting Eyes in Dark Brown (Nana)

NAILS: Drop Dead Red Manicure (Sexy Mamas)

TOP: Prudence Cardigan in Red (Mon Tissu)

BOTTOMS: Studded Dye Shorts in Beach (Imbue.)

SHOES: Wild Diva in Zebra (Le Primitif) !Group Gift!

EARRINGS: Chained Love Earrings in Silver and Black (The P!nk Bandaid)

BAG: The Desperado Bag (!The Dressing Room -past -Edition!) (LaGyo)

JAX

WHAT I'M WEARING:

TOP: Anka, Seeing Spots 1 (Jazumi)

BOTTOMS: Ri Ri Shorts in Light (Lethal Couture)

SHOES: Ankle Boots, Black Widow (A.L. - a steal on the marketplace!)

GLASSES: Hipster Peepers in Tortoise Shell (Miel)

NECKLACE: Kandula Necklace in Gold (League)

BRACELET: Golden Lucite Bangles in Noir (The Sea Hole)

BAG: The Desperado Bag (LaGyo for past TDR collection)

I'm standing at the colorful and exciting Tableau sim, one of my favorite sims. Some of the best stores are on the Tableau sim, including the one from whence my hair came! That store is Fashionably Dead. Additionally, Clawtooth, Paper Couture (or p.c.), Nylon Outfitters, and many many others wonderful designers are here. I consider myself to be a bit hipster, so this place is heaven for me.

Skinned in Second Life

You're used to seeing me in the LAQ skin,  Phoebe, in Ebony. It's my favorite skin and for good reason. I wear it so, that I usually leave it out of the photo credits.

However, as I've mentioned, I like to shop. I like variety! I've had the same skin for my entire Second Life (which is all of 15 months). So I decided it was time to try another skin. In real life, I am a dark-skinned woman. Of course, I want my avatar to reflect me as much as possible. Therefore, I searched for "dark" skins.

Generally, I think the options for dark-skinned women (and perhaps men, as well) are quite limited. It's unfortunate. I don't understand the exclusion for most designers; is it not as easy to make a dark skin as it is a light skin? Perhaps I don't know what goes into making a skin well enough to make a judgment, and I readily admit that, but there are designers who DO cater to the darker-skinned SL population. Why are there so few who sell TRULY dark skins, considering such a creation is obviously possible? To me, it suggests that dark skin is a feature to be ignored, something unattractive, something not legitimate enough to recreate in Second Life. But dark-skinned people DO exist behind avatars, and as long as they have the linden to buy dark skin, dark skin should be available to them. Because there are designers who acknowledge dark skin, we do have options. However, we don't have as many options are light-skinned people (or people wishing to play SL as light-skinned, regardless of their RL skin tone).

Here's the thing: when I went around looking for skins, I found nothing but spectacular skins. It's obvious that all skin designers I visited were talented and sold beautiful skins. I want them, but my belief that I shouldn't have to settle precludes my purchasing the skin. And that's regardless of how much I admire the skin.

The following is what I found on my search, which has lasted about a month. I've not given up yet. I have ten photos here, showcasing skins from nine different designers. I've included my LAQ skin just for comparison. Out of the ten skins here, I'd say only two or three of them are the kind of dark I'm looking for. Of course, I'm not going to make any comments as to which designers' skins I favor here, because I think that's just unnecessary. However, I'm sure you can deduce that LAQ's Phoebe is one of my favorites. Also, these are arranged in alphabetical order, not in order of preference.

Here we go:

As I said before, I wish I could buy skins from all of these designers. Obviously, all of these skins are beautiful and realistic. However, I highly doubt that light-skinned avatars are limited to a very small group designers. That's the way it SHOULD be, but also for darker-skinned avatars. I (and other people prefer a dark skin for their avatar) deserve to be just as fulfilled as our more fair-skinned counterparts, especially since everyone - white, black, red, purple, and so on - sparse resources (linden) toward that end.

When a designer's darkest skin, whether it be "dark" or "mocha" or "cocoa" - is more like a tanned light skin, then there is a portion of the SL (and RL) population that is being either purposely ignored or unintentionally excluded.

Which case are we seeing here?

EDIT: I didn't want to originally mention this because I'm always nervous about singling anyone out, whether for good or bad! But I've got to thank Izzie Button for her mocha release of the Bonita skin. I did speak with her about my concern, and she was so understanding of my concern and of the fact that I meant no harm.

The mocha release, once I got my hands on it, was a dream come true for me! Not only is the skin well-made and detailed (love the freckle and birthmark deets!); it is a skin that I accept as a dark skin. I am by no means important enough to think that every designer must adhere to MY, and only MY, opinion as to what constitutes "dark." But I'm so fortunate and so glad that Izzie cared, listened, and responded! And she's a real sweetheart. (I'm not suggesting she released the mocha version just for me, and I hope it does not come off that way. I just wanted to personally thank her for caring about the concerns of one single customers of SO many!).

Shred

WHAT I'M WEARING:

TOP: Hearts in Sequins Jacket in Pinkish (::LC::)

BOTTOMS: Skirt Pleaded Victoria in Nastur (Emery)

LEGGINGS: Leopard Leggings (Pink Acid)

SHOES: Camilla in Cherish (Baiastice)

EARRINGS: Safari Earrings (LOULOU&CO)

GLASSES: Nerdz Glasses (Bird Next Door)

LIPSTICK: Bitten Lipstain in Big Apple Red (AG)

NAILS: Drop Dead Red Manicure (Sexy Mamas)