Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday and one that is not without some controversy.

The political and historical nuances and discussions are better handled by those more qualified than I.

On this day, a little more than a year after I began my Second Life, there is much to be thankful for:

A loving, beautiful and caring partner who continues to love me for me, despite my flaws and imperfections,

A family where love, respect and loyalty continue to be the cornerstone of the values that bind us all to each other in addition to blood-ties,

A community of kindred spirits who I would never have been able to meet otherwise and with whom I share values and ideals that hold us to a higher standard and a sense of responsibility that calls us to a higher duty, sometimes at a personal cost,

A community of friends, who though we have gone our separate ways, are still always there for each other to lend a hand, an ear or a shoulder,

A group of colleagues who I am just getting to know, who display the highest degree of professionalism in public which is counterpointed by good-spirited rambunctiousness
in private,

For all of this more, I give thanks and am truly grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving, dearest friend and reader!

A Black and White View of Last Call

Much has been said about Ginny Talamasca’s untimely passing.

I choose to ignore the snide, petty remarks made by the small minded who have never and will never contribute anything to Second Life. Instead, I honour Ginny in this small way.

I never had the chance to meet Ginny at all, but his loss is keenly felt. You can feel his presence in Last Call to this day and in the beautifully crafted clothes they made. My dear friend Pushy said it best

[2007/11/13 9:58] Pushy Fitzgerald: And you have to think, With Last Call, his soul is really in those things since he made them

For the Ginny that passed and the Ginny who now is, this tiny fashion tribute and a beautiful poem from the Tang Dynasty is sincerely dedicated.

"Looking at the Moon and Thinking of One Far Away"

The moon, grown full now over the sea,
Brightening the whole of heaven,
Brings to separated hearts
The long thoughtfulness of night…
It is no darker though I blow out my candle.
It is no warmer though I put on my coat.
So I leave my message with the moon,
And turn to my bed, hoping for dreams.

Zhang Jiu-ling (673-740)

Two of my favourite outfits are from Last Call, one black the other white.

Damara is perfect for clubbing, its sensuous lines highlighting the wearer’s shape with the Astrea coin belt serving as an usual eye catching accent. Shoes are LC Vamp's Ines in Black by Lyra Muse.

Kerry is a little more dressy. Slightly more reserved compared to Damara’s playfulness when paired with Armidi Gisaci Vidalia pumps in Metallic Giltz and AG's Gordie bag in white leather it fairly screams fashionista!

With an absolutely fabulous Chinchilla fur by Hex's Xellessanova Zenith, you have a look reminiscent of Miranda Priestly (the Meryl Streep character in wickedly funny The Devil Wears Prada, supposedly based on the legendary Anna Wintour). Black and white, playful and reserved, these two outfits are yin and yang…a tribute to the Ginny Talamasca that made Last Call the most prominent name in Haute Couture and to the Ginny Talamasca who now is Last Call….

Details

Skin:Sonia-tan-night by INSOLENCE

Hair: ETD- Chalissa- Black Frosted (Damara)
Aveda Institute - Long Flip - Champagne (Kerry)

Eyes: Radiant Green lenses by Joannah Cramer

Jewelry: MQ - Chinese Inlaid Jade - White Jade "Love" Set (SLX) by Mezzanine Qi

Nails: FGXN000u(natural gloss) by Second Skin Labs

A Rainey Day

This article was our first assignment at the Moda Modeling School, and can really be considered the start of this blog. The witty title was supplied by Licentious Maladay which he explains in his wonderful introduction.



What better thing to do on a rainy day than go shopping? Rainey Paderborn is a MODA student, who has definitely found her groove. I will never look at Burberry the same way again!-- Licentious Maladay

When you have all the Lindens in the world, looking good is easy. The real challenge is not only looking good, but fabulous on a budget!

I put together the following look and have gotten so many compliments and inquiries about it, that I want to share it with you, dear friend and reader. It’s one that will take you from business to the club, so you can be out all day without having to change. Although in Second Life changing and freshening up is never the problem it is irl!

The foundation of the outfit is LuhNee Hyun’s Burberry dress by Infinite 8, available at SL Exchange for L$49.00! The shape is slimming and flattering and the Burberry Check is instantly recognizable and to die for! It comes with glitch pants and a system skirt so you may want to use poses which won’t stretch the material too far! And despite the slimming effect, every woman in SL knows how system skirts make our butts look, so

you may want to mod your shape a bit for this…

Since the weather is turning a little cooler (ok, it really isn’t but any excuse to accessorize!) I paired Kat Palmer’s *IMT* Elizabeth Shrug - Burnt Orange with the dress. There’s a very delicate and subtle texture used, as well as flexi prim cuffs. At L$ 60.00 from SL Ex, not only is it a steal, when you consider that you have a to die for look already for L$109.00 it doesn’t get better than that!

Matching handbag and shoes were a must for me, and yes, SL Ex continued to provide! Eme Buchanan’s JDC - Handbag - Cream Tartan Purse w/ bling, is totally darling and comes with anims and a voice command for bling on and off. Compared to the outfit so far it’s more expensive at L$125.00, but we’ve saved so much money by shopping smart that this little indulgence can be justified!

Good shoes are always key and Tesla Miles has created absolutely must have Sculpted Prim Burberry Super Heels. Coming yet again from SL Ex at L$200.00, the sculptie shoes have a total of 3 prims and the heels are extra high to provide definition to the calves.

So now you have a wonderfully classy outfit, shopped from the comfort of wherever you want to be without flitting from place to place in-world and dealing with lag or failed tp’s. You’ve also done it for less than L$500.00!

To quote the makeover show….how do I look?

I put the outfit together because I heard that the new Gossip Girl sim was a faithful recreation of Manhattan’s Upper East Side and I couldn’t resist a photo op outside Helen Bernel !

I hope you had as much fun with this as I did, dear friend and reader. Take care and stay safe, sweetie <3

Rainey Paderborn's look created with the following:

Shape: Model's own. I am a professional shape crafter, co owner of To Die For! specialzing in high end shapes and custom AV consultation

Skin: Sonia-tan-night by INSOLENCE

Hair: Armidi Hair - The Milano - Blonde

Eyes: Radiant Green lenses by Joannah Cramer

Jewelry: MQ - Chinese Inlaid Jade - White Jade "Love" Set (SLX) by Mezzanine Qi

Nails: FGXN000u(natural gloss) by Second Skin Labs

A To Die For! welcome

Hi dear friend and reader!

Welcome to To Die For!--random thoughts on fashion, To Die For! (our high end shape and AV custom service business), and various other things that may come to mind from time to time.

A year ago today I began my Second Life and it's been wonderful, more than anything I could have hoped for. If you've gotten this far, chances are that you're in SL too, so you don't need me to belabour the obvious!

As I start my second year in Second Life, I look forward to what it will bring and am so very thankful for what I've been blessed with: a loving and wonderful partner, dear friends, kindred spirits...SL does not detract from my first life, it adds a depth and dimension to an already rich existence. To have two lives and have your dreams realized between them, it doesn't get better than that!

Thank you for visiting, dear friend and reader. I can't know for sure where this year will take us, so I'm looking forward to it with a sense of breathless anticipation and wide-eyed wonder...

Take care, and stay safe, sweetie!