Yummedy Summer :P

Ten Percent Innocent

About 40 fashion weeks are held in different cities around the world every year. But the Big Four are in New York, London, Milan and Paris, and they are the most prestigious. Smaller fests are found everyplace on the globe. But ask yourself this: "Why would anyone ever hold a fashion show in New York, London, Milan, or Paris?" Have you ever been there? Have you seen how the locals dress? And I'm pretty darn sure they don't dress any better in the other places that you might not visit. Geez! Why not Peoria? Dubuque? Grand Rapids? Schenectady? At least there they don't park their cars on the sidewalk, thus impeding your sexy walk!

Fashion is the most important way to communicate who you are without saying a word. It's so sweet when a fellow fashion fan wants to take a picture of your fabulous ensemble, or when someone hot gives you the once-over and a nodding look of approval. (Even sweeter is when they want to add you to their friends list or even take you home for the evening.)

I think the true fashionista lives in SL. It's only here that this particular spirit can truly run wild. But SL for most is a sort of part time thing. So, of course, we're really running late seasonally, which SL time usually is, or early, or in-between, or who cares? I'm here to present you with my spring/summer fashion choices. What you should look for and what you should buy... And where… Hmmm... I'm so judgmental...

I have a few ideas what might be hot this season: bold flowers, bigger than your head; menswear with a feminine look; wide (studded) belts; gladiator sandals; statement coats; statement jewelry; clutches and odd handbags. My fashionable friend Michele Norsk has similar but slight different ideas: animal print sundress/halter dresses (accessorize with gladiator heels, or with chunky heel sandals); large flower print dresses or skirts (match the skirts with bold solid tops); halter top dresses in bold colors with soft sweater fabrics, and empire waists; terry cloth shorts and hoodies; tops in bold colors with front plackets, and puffed shoulders or sleeves; floral print bikinis like BCBS Mas Azria line in RL.

Retro shorts

But I’m not as judgmental as my friend Michele, who both inspires me and seems to be prescient about trends. This warm afternoon, outside the institution of higher learning that I work in, I saw a young woman a dark blue blousy top and fitted hotpants, perhaps in cotton sateen. Her look was not entirely successful, perhaps due to her shoes. But an hour later, I happened to see another young woman wearing a similar pair of cuffed shorts in a stiff reddish fabric with platforms. The effect was more flattering on her. I was intrigued on this warmish spring day: Will we see more of the look on the streets? Michele then brought me (completely independent of these observations) a vision for the summer: retro, 1950s, Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardner…

Michele has rules for shopping and dressing. Michele's 12 commandments: (1) Don't rule out freebies, but don't rely on them either. (2) If it looks cartoonish, it is. (3) Have lots of shoes... many styles, colors, heels, flats, boots, casual, dressy and organize them accordingly. (4) ALWAYS look at the details in SL clothing... it’s as important to the look as it is in RL. (5) Accessories and hair and nails make a difference... ALWAYS take the time to create a whole look. (6) Makeup: what do you mean you only have one skin? You NEED to be able to adjust your makeup to the moment and don't forget your fingernails and toenails. (7) Don't be afraid to use an illumination tool to backlight your look. It’s a special cheat we can use here!! (8) Don't be afraid to try a new store, but put your favorites in their own inventory slot. (9) Lindens aren't the same as dollars and Euros; don’t be afraid to spend some. (10) NEVER wear the same thing day after day. And most importantly… (11) Dress in a way that is comfortable to the personality of your avi: If you dress like Ms. Manners and act like a hooker (or vice versa) it just won't work. Finally… (12) Improvise: use the stuff in your inventory to create new looks that work for you.

Boy clothes

I do not ascribe to all of Michele’s dicta. For example, I stick to one shape, one (or two) skins, and pretty much the same hair color. I opt for consistency and recognizability. I really like wearing men's clothes sometimes. It's a big change from what I usually wear. (btw, I bought these by accident cuz the pecs on the mannequins looked like boobs, LOL.)

Shoes?

Michele thinks gladiator shoes are hot. Aviva Kuhn, on the other hand, not only likes to have lots of shoes, she has fallen for a specific pair of shoes. I mean she is in love with her shoes. She has coveted these shoes. She fondles these shoes. She kisses these shoes goodnight. This is pretty bad for a married woman with small children…

Aviva may well be SL’s reigning shoe expert. As the hottest dancer at a hot club, Zanadu ( Lesten - 213, 245, 47) she pays a lot of attention to her feet and what’s on them. In addition, she sees her shoes as a way of celebrating her extreme sexual liberation. The male-female relationship is reduced to a playground for sexual pleasure, while the intensity of female friendship is experienced with a new, satisfying and comfortable emotional intimacy. While celebrating classic femininity, shoes can be the bond that creates sisterhood among independent women.

Needless to say, we all have subsequently visited the maker of these shoes, are totally amazed at the prices charged, and are also amazed at the quality, fit, and hipness of these shoes. These are impossibly high, impossibly hip, and impossibly expensive heels…

Stores I like…

I should point out that these are not stores I just heard of, these are stores I have visited and bought at repeatedly. Judge for yourself…

High end shops:

BAIASTICE & ARTRANSFER GALLERY - Fashion and Art, centro italia (87, 22, 32)

Gisaci - Upscale Clothing, Armidi (91, 131, 30)

*Muism* Main Store, Muism (189, 113, 25)

Super high end shoes:

Stiletto Moody Shoes, Deauville (45, 29, 22)

More moderate clothing:

Blaze* Fine Fashions - Quality, Triumph (100, 139, 251)

DE Designs, DE Designs Ladies Clothes (85, 122, 38)

French Gallery - Haute Couture D, Pickerel (106, 226, 129)

KA Designs Island, Fair Isle (221, 150, 23)

Luminosity, Luminous Island (83, 117, 31)

Never 30, lingerie, wedding, formal New Paris (129, 235, 29)

Rebel Hope Designs-RH Engel Jewelry, Monarch Bay (213, 83, 27)

UK Couture Island, UK Couture Island (228, 129, 22)

WRONG, AlterNation (161, 158, 38)

More moderate, but v, v nice shoes:

D2TK Main Island Store (opening, D2TK (189, 179, 68)

Lassitude & Ennui, Nouveau (65, 63, 30)

Shiny Things, Shiny Falls (170, 180, 37)

ZY Creations, Belial (232, 79, 44)

Jewelry:

Digital Dragon (113, 113, 23)

EarthStones Jewelry - Main Store, EarthBound (124, 138, 25)

RICX's FINE JEWELRY, Nepessing (60, 76)

A nice store:

Enysy Mikita Desgns, Sammy's and Britta's Playhouse, Egill (153, 166, 22)

Special mention:

Annapurna Onomatopoeia's Yak & Yeti FREE jewelry clothing and furnishings, several locations including Salzburg - Winter Sports - Roman, Salzburg (181, 83, 27) (The jewelry will knock your socks off.)

Summer food

Salade Niçoise
From The Way to Cook, by Julia Child (R.I.P.)

For 6 to 8 servings

1 large head of Boston lettuce, washed and dried
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed, blanched, refreshed in cold water, and dried
2/3 to 1 cup salad dressing, such as Oil and Lemon Dressing (recipe follows)
3 or 4 fine, ripe tomatoes, peeled if you wish, cored, quartered, and seasoned before serving
8 to 10 ounces oil-packed tuna, drained and flaked

1 quart French Potato Salad (recipe follows)
8 hard-boiled eggs, halved lengthwise
1 can flat anchovy fillets packed in oil, opened and drained just before serving
1/2 cup black Niçoise-type olives
3 or 4 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup minced parsley

Assembling the salad: Shortly before serving, line a handsome, large and wide salad bowl or a roomy platter with lettuce leaves, drizzle a little olive oil on them, and dust with a sprinkling of salt. Toss the beans in a mixing bowl with a little of the dressing, and correct seasoning. Drizzle a spoonful or two of the dressing over the tomatoes. Season the tuna lightly with a spoonful or two of dressing. Place the potatoes in the center of the bowl or platter; mound beans at strategic intervals, interspersing them with tomatoes and mounds of tuna. Ring the salad with the eggs, and curl an anchovy on top of each. Spoon a little more vinaigrette over all; scatter on olives, capers, and parsley. Serve as soon as possible.

Oil and Lemon Dressing—Garlic Variation
From The Way to Cook

For about 2/3 cup, enough for 6 to 8 servings

2 strips of fresh lemon peel (1 by 2 1/2 inches each)
1 clove garlic, mashed and minced
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more, if needed
1/2 tablespoon Dijon-type prepared mustard
1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup fine fresh oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Mince the lemon peel very finely with the salt, scrape it into a mortar or bowl, along with the garlic, and mash lemon and garlic into a fine paste with a pestle or spoon. Beat in the mustard and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice; when thoroughly blended, start beating in the oil by droplets to make a homogeneous sauce—easier when done with a small electric mixer. Beat in droplets more lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

French Potato Salad
From The Way to Cook

For about 1 quart, serving 6 in combination with other items

1 1/2 pounds warm cooked and sliced potatoes
2 tablespoons finely minced shallots or scallions
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine, chicken stock, or potato-cooking water
1 1/2 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, optional

Boil or steam the potatoes in their jackets until they're cooked through but still firm. Peel while still warm, and slice into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Turn the warm potatoes into a bowl and toss gently with the shallots or scallions, a sprinkling of salt and pepper, the wine, stock, or cooking water, the vinegar, and the parsley. Let steep 10 minutes or so, tossing gently several times. Then correct seasoning, toss with the optional oil, and the potatoes are ready for serving.