(Click on any image for a larger version) If I’m remembering right from high school French class, the name of our featured outfit translates to “Lady Tickles”… hmm… sounds awefully naughty when you put it like that! But Mme. Chatouille, by Devious Beauty, the fashion arm of Devious Minds/Chanimations, really does tickle the fancy! It’s part of their burlesque line (recently added to with their release of “Miss Dhalia“). I’ve used many of their props and poses here in the blog, but this is the first clothing piece we’ve reviewed for you. Mme. Chatouille was released in December 25th, 2009, and is described by the creator as being “Burlesque Couture and Lingerie” all in one. I agree. Of their clothing line, this one has remained my personal favorite of all of their releases. It’s also the design that Sean Gorham was most drawn to, when we popped over to take a look. What’s “Just Right”: The level of detail and options in Mme. Chatouille is positively luxurious. There are a variety of looks one can put together – pantyhose or stockings, covered or uncovered, with skirts or without, pasties, bows, you name it. The colors offered are vibrant and intense. This is the sort of outfit that Christina A *wished* she could have worn in her recent movie… I found myself really liking both the pantyhose and the stocking options.

What Could Use Improvement: The frilled collar gave us a bit of frustration, as it fell directly into/through the face in many of the poses we tried. If it had been modify, we could have saved some really gorgeous pictures, but alas. While it’s exquisite, the design also mandates a short or updo hairstyle – there’s no getting around that.

Other things to Note: Devious Beauty has a wide array of offerings on the Marketplace. They also have some of the most amazing poses and props you’ll see anywhere.

Featured Outfit Details: Mme. Chatouille, by Devious Beauty
Price: 750L in world, 800L on the Marketplace.
Pieces: 40
Availability: Black, White, Red, Pink, Rose, Blue, Teal.

Ratings:
Detailing: A
Prim Attachments: 2 skirts, corset ties, glove tops, Top hat with and without veil, frilled collar.
Resizing Scripts: Yes
Tattoo Friendly?: Yes: Multiple layers are provided.
Curvy Girl Friendly?:
Multi-purpose pieces?: Possibly, if one was creative.
Permissions: Copy, No Trans. Clothing layers: No Mod. Prim attachments: Resize Only
Sim Rating?: DeviousBeauty is rated Adult.

Photo Details:
Model: Sean Gorham
Photographer: Sabella Fallen
Location: (including SLURL)
Poses: Chanimations, Musical Alchemy
Props: Chanimations, Musical Alchemy

Model Details:
Attachments: Hat (with and without veil), two skirts (“mini” and “tutu”), collar, glove tops and glove laces – Mme. Chatouille in red by deviousMind
Outfit: Mme. Chatouille in red by deviousMind
Boots: Black Patent Ankle Boots by Bax Coen
Earrings: Ruby Studs by Caroline Apollo
Skin: Nubia Cocoa by Oceane
Hair: Rabi by Little Heaven
Eyes: Allure in purple by L.Fauna

Vendor List:
Bax Coen: (In World / SL Marketplace)
Devious Minds/Chanimations: Mme. Chatouille Burlesque Couture, Fetish Caberet Photo Stage, (Midnight Muse microphone), ShowDiva Boa in Black
L.Fauna: (In World / Marketplace Store)
Musical Alchemy: Upright Piano + rezzables (In World / SL Marketplace)

After getting back on SL after a 7 month involuntary hiatus, there were a few shops that I simply HAD to visit my first day back on the grid. One of them was Trashy Girls in Style, who remain one of my absolute favorite places to shop. Freya, the owner and designer, has an exquisite eye for lingerie. She was kind enough to share with me her newest release: Simplicity. It’s a bra and boy-short panty set that is the sort of every-day wear you’ll want to slip into. There are more than enough options to wear a different color each day! What’s “Just Right”: The clean, true-to-life styling of Simplicity is spot-on. I love the lace accents and the careful shading on the bustline. The underwire is clearly represented, and everything is beautifully proportioned. What Could Use Improvement: The color versions with dots on them suffered the most when it came to retaining textural integrity over the bustline. For fuller figures, I’d recommend the solid colors. Other things to note: While the boy-short is cut as you would expect a boy-short to be, I found the lines of the garment to be a little unflattering around the crotch. Thank Yous: A big thank you goes out to Taeja Diaz, of Dirty Boxes, for providing the skybox and all decor, as well as to the ladies from Syn City who came and modeled for me! Featured Outfit Details: Price: 125L Pieces: 5 (bra on shirt, undershirt, jacket, panties on underwear, pants) + layers info notecard, texture and landmark. Availability: Dotty Pink, Dotty Cream, Coral/Seaweed Trim, Blue/Pink Trim, Pink/Black Trim, Black, Red, Yellow, Navy, White/White Trim, Midnight Leopard, Petal Leopard and a Fat Pack Ratings: Detailing: B+ Prim Attachments?: No Resizing Scripts?: Not Applicable Tattoo Friendly?: Yes – Always offered on multiple layers. Curvy Girl Friendly?: Dependant on color: Curvy girls might want to avoid the prints with dots. Multi-purpose pieces?: pure, girlie underthings. Permissions?: Copy, No Mod, No Trans Sim Rating?: The Main Store on Deep Blue Lagoon is Moderate.

Photo Details:
Models: Katya Imako, Sinli Draconia, Kanomi Pikajuna, Angel Appoloin
Photographer: Sabella Fallen
Location: Carbondale Heights
Poses: Dirty Boxes, Poses For Posers (P4P)
Props: Building and all furniture and accessories by Dirty Boxes *

Model Details:
Katya: Outfit – ::TGIS:: Simplicity Set Embellished (Navy), Hair – Yuyan by Dr. Life, Skin -Belleza Elle Dark Tan 4, Eyes – Reflex 4 Realistic Blue eyes 2C,
Sinli: ::TGIS:: Simplicity Set Embellished (Black)
Kanomi: ::TGIS:: Simplicity Set Embellished (Dotti Pink), skin by Redgrave.
Angel: ::TGIS:: Simplicity Set Embellished (Yellow)
Sabella: ::TGIS:: Simplicity Set Embellished (White), Hair by Argrace, Skin by Belleza, Eyes by Poetic Colors, Nails by Candy Nail, Wedding Ring by JCNY, feet by N-Core

Vendor List:
Dirty Boxes
Trashy Girls in Style

* Kindly provided by the vendor.

Daisy, by Lingerie Boutique, is another outfit that I’ve been toting around forever in my inventory meaning to blog. The ensemble has a playful innocence to it that is very appealing. I started on pictures before The Video Card Crash of 2011, but upon my return, junked those pics and started over featuring two of the lovely ladies from SLUniverse, Eva and Scarlett. I appreciated them dropping everything to come and lounge about in a country garden! (Daisy Duke wears this outfit when she’s pretending she doesn’t know the boys are peeking in the window, you can be guaranteed.) What’s “Just Right”: We all liked the eyelet lace texturing on the babydoll – honestly, it’s the strongest part of the outfit. It’s crisp and clean and kittens-and-puppies-level cute. Scarlet and I both liked the way it gently frames the graceful curves of a woman’s belly. I also liked the touch of lace texture on the hip of the panties. It has been said before, but must be said again: Prim bows are the fastest way to make me squee! There are two bows offered in Daisy: a pair for the hips and one for the bodice. What Could Use Improvement: Sadly, the textures get just a little muddy on girls with curves on top and there are some spots there there are missed opportunities for shading/wrinkling detail on the panties. Also, the side bows are no mod – so you can’t change width for wider or more narrow hipped avatars, or make larger to fit proportionally. This is really a shame, because they’re utterly adorable.

Other things to note: Memory is a bit fuzzy going back that many months, but I am pretty sure I originally purchased Daisy on the SL Marketplace. I couldn’t find it there when I checked recently, so it may have been removed. (Or I could be remembering wrong; also entirely possible.) Lingerie Boutique does have a strong Marketplace presence for easy gift giving.

More Notes: I contacted the owner of Lingerie Boutique, Leanne Bebb, and she forwarded my note to the outfit designer, Trinetty Skytower. Ms Skytower was very kind to reply and give me some background on the outfit. Daisy was released exactly one year ago today! Trinetty writes, “Leanne had such a vast selection of seductive and dramatic lingerie that I wanted to introduce something a little more fun and flirty, sweet and innocent… and of course, inspired by summer itself.” I’d say she hit the nail right on the head!

Outfit Details:
Price: 220L
Pieces: 7 + Landmark (bra top on shirt and undershirt, panties on underpants and pants, panty bows, chest bow and babydoll)
Availability: Blue, Honeysuckle, Pink Tulip, Lilac, Sage, Sunshine, and Bluebelle

Ratings:
Detailing: B+
Prim Attachments?: Prim bows for hips and bodice, babydoll drape.
Resizing Scripts?: No
Tattoo Friendly?: Yes
Curvy Girl Friendly?: .. Mostly. If you’re indecisive, I recommend going for it on this one.
Multi-purpose pieces?: No.
Permissions?: Transfer, No Mod, No Copy
Sim Rating?: Atlantic City Island is rated Moderate

Photo Details:
Models: Eva Ryan & Scarlett D’Bacon
Photographer: Sabella Fallen
Location: Carbondale Heights
Poses: Poses4Posers, PDA, Glitterati, Exposeur, Abranimations
Props: Awesome Blossom, Botanical, Deco*Licious, Heart, MMG, Modest House, Pocket Gardens, Perfect Prefabs, TiMO, What Next.

Model Details:
Eva Ryan: Skin by LAQ – Phoebe, Hair by TRUTH – Drew, Eyes in Moonlight Blue, Shape – Custom, not for sale.
Scarlett D’Bacon: Skin by Glam Affair – Monica, Hair by lamb – Our Deal, Feet by Addictia – Tropica flip flops. Necklace by Milady’s – Together Platinum

Vendor List:
Addictia: (In World / Marketplace)
Awesome Blossom: Rug (In World / Marketplace Store)
Botanical: Green Dune Grass Bunch (In World / Marketplace Store)
{Deco*licious} Stack of Books (In World / Marketplace Store)
Glam Affair
Heart: Weeping Willow (In World / Marketplace Store)
LAQ
Lamb: (In World / The Marketplace)
Milady’s
MMGraffiti’s: Garden Shelf
Modest House: Spring Gazebo
Pocket Garden: Blue Flower Bed (In World / Marketplace)
Perfect Prefabs: Blue & Purple flowers
TiMo: Flower Field
Truth
What Next: stack of newspapers, coffee cup

This is another designer that was recommended by Disaster Krogstad, and oh goodness oh my is it blogworthy! Many of the outfits I found in the BDSM collection by LeeZu were daring and delicious, but the one that immediately drew my eye and held it was Sablier. Google tells me that “Sablier” is French for “hourglass” – and it certainly does sculpt the female figure into that classic silhouette! What’s “Just Right”: The shape of the corset has beautiful, classic lines. It has gorgeous highlighting to draw attention to a full bustline. The use of textured fabrics on the sides is a lovely, elegant touch. I like the angled lacing in the front back. Naeve’s response when I sent her the pictures for this shoot was, “OMG! You look sooooooooooooooo hot!” What Could Use Improvement: Without a doubt, the weak point of Sablier is the garter straps. Compared to the strong texture work of the corset, they draw the eye due to their lack of clarity and detail. The concept behind the stockings is very fun, and she’s provided some shadow detailing to give depth, but they don’t hold their own in the outfit. It may not be the case on other avatars, but when I put on this outfit, there’s a distinct line at the waist, even though I wore the Jacket layer and not a pants/shirt combo. Other things to note: Additional pieces provided include a collar with the BDSM symbol and some wrist ‘restraints.’ The shoes pictured in the pictures in the store do NOT come with the outfit (in some other ensembles in the BDSM room, the boots or shoes are included). The hip drape may give you some difficulty with resizing, but the details of it – the lace drape, the roses at each hip, are well worth the trouble. Featured Outfit Details: Price: 690L Pieces: 14 + 3 notecards (including an educational overview of BDSM), Texture and landmark Availability: Red or Black

Ratings:
Detailing: B+. If the garter straps were stronger, it would move into the A range.
Prim Attachments?: Collar, rope bracelet (L & R), skirt drape
Tattoo Layer: Yes: Full corset and panties on Tattoo layer
Resizing Scripts?: None
Tattoo Friendly?: Yes – Sablier has a very wide variety of available layers, including pants/underpants, shirt, undershirt and jacket.
Curvy Girl Friendly?: Yes – it held up to even my curves quite well.
Multi-purpose pieces?: The corset could be used for clubbing..?
Permissions?: Clothing is Copy only. Prim items are Modify/Copy.
Sim Rating?: General

Photo Details:
Model: Rick Seaside & Sabella Fallen
Photographer: Sabella Fallen
Location: Carbondale Heights, on location in La Galleria
Poses: NLimbo, LAP, DommEcile
Props: Office – on location, all props by La Galleria. Bedroom: Furniture by La Galleria. Perfume bottles: Alchemy Immortalis.

Model Details:
Sabella – Corset & Stockings: Sablier in Red by LeeZu. Jewelry: Divinica by JCNY. Shoes: Shark in Red by N-Core. Eye Makeup: Freebie by Nomine
Rick – Shape and Skin: Belleza. Clothing: INEEDIT. Shoes: Awori Cassini

Vendor List:
Alchemy Immortalis
Awori-Cassini: (In World / The Marketplace)
Belleza
DommEcile:(The Marketplace)
JCNY: (In World / The Marketplace)
La Galleria: (In World / The Marketplace)
LeeZu: Sablier ensemble (In World / The Marketplace)
Long Awkward Pose
N-Core: (In World / The Marketplace)
Nomine: (In World / The Marketplace)

Hugs, kisses and panty-lines,

-sabella

I can always count on Disaster Krogstad to have a recommendation for places to shop. He has a keen eye, enjoys spoiling his little moppet, and has traveled the grid far more widely than I. Recently he showed me a little boutique on the Tableau sim, Ooh LaLa. (Addendum: The sim is currently under re-design, but you can see the Ooh LaLa line – which is part of Nylon Outfitters – on The Marketplace.) I loved the design of the store, and really hope it doesn’t change too much in the sim remodel. It harkened back to when femme fatales of the silver screen wore structured corsets, weren’t afraid to embrace their femininity, and styles didn’t have to be cut all the way up to there to be considered sexy. While there aren’t a lot of different pieces offered, what is available is intriguing. I purchased three different outfits: the Lacey Slip, the Betty BodySuit, and the Lined Corset. I also picked up the Garter Clips and Black Seamed Stockings which are sold separately. After trying on all three, I was most strongly drawn to the Lacey Slip, which I purchased in Black. I appreciated its classic lingerie lines, the detail of the wide lace bands, the sensual draping of the fabric over feminine softness. Some clothing on Second Life is shadowed and highlighted for a girl with almost body-builder-like abs, but the Lacey Slip hints at the gentle curve of a woman’s belly and the delicious spot where thigh meets hip. What’s “Just Right”: I love the attention to detail when it comes to the patterning of the lace and the wrinkles on the fabric. As a ‘period piece’ the construction seams are perfectly placed and add to the authenticity of the garment. [While the garter straps are sold separately, they were remarkable enough to earn their own comments: The realism of the garter straps is very high. The satiny texture and the slight shift of the ribbon is luscious. I appreciated the way the garter straps peeped through the bright white lace of the slip.] What Could Use Improvement: I wish that the ribbons where the straps meet the bodice were prim ribbons and not part of the texture of the garment. On a smaller chested girl, they would work, but for me, there was distortion. The outfit cries out for the completion of the garter straps – I wish they were sold as part of the outfit. Featured Outfit Details: The Lacey Slip Price: 150 for the Lacey Slip, 140 for the Garter Clips (a 3 color set), 30 for the stockings. Pieces: 5 (Jacket/Shirt/Undershirt, Pants/Underpants) + Prim skirt piece and a landmark. Availability: Black (featured), Red, Cream, and Pink

Ratings:
Detailing: B+
Prim Attachments?: 1 – the ‘skirt prim’
Resizing Scripts?: Not applicable
Tattoo Friendly?: Not if you want to include the garters.
Curvy Girl Friendly?: Yes! In fact, some of the shading work celebrates a girl with softness.
Multi-purpose pieces?: I suppose one could wear this as a dress… maybe?
Permissions?: Copy – yes / Modify – Yes / Transfer – No. (All colors available on the Marketplace for gifting, though.)
Sim Rating?: Sim is currently closed for construction.

Photo Details:
Model & Photographer: Sabella Fallen
Location: Carbondale Heights
Poses: [What Next], Alchemy Immortalis, Olive Juice, Diesel Works
Props: Dressing screen and stool by What Next. Victorian Skybox by FE Designs.

Model Details:
Lingerie: (Ooh LaLa!) Lacey Slip in Black
Stockings: (Ooh LaLa!) Seam Stockings – Black
Garters: (Ooh LaLa!) Garter Clips
Shoes: Opium Ultra Stilettos in Black
Jewelry: *JD* black pearl necklace
General: Hair by Argrace, Skin by Belleza, Eyes by Poetic Colors, Nails by Candy Nail, Wedding Ring by JCNY

Vendor List:
FE Designs: Victorian Manor Themed Skybox (The Marketplace)
PS/PS & JD: Pearl Jewelry Set(The Marketplace)
[What Next]: Vintage Dressing Screen & Stool Modelling Props (The Marketplace)

Extra Special Bonus Edition Review!

Okay, I’ll be honest. The real reason for this secondary review is that it was a pretty thin excuse to get a friend of mine into lingerie. (Ok, so maybe I *am* trying to feature a wider variety of body types. But still. Doesn’t she look adorable? ) The Betty Body Suit is the outfit Disaster thought I would be most drawn to – but on my curves, it just didn’t look right. Enter someone of more delicate proportions – the infamous Eku Zhong!

All of the things I held against the Betty outfit, Eku praised – the lack of extra shadowing below the bustline, the modest back, the highlights and shadows. So it just goes to show that not everyone is going to see the same outfit the same way.

What we did agree on: The styling of the garment is beautiful – it captures the concept of that time period very well. I also appreciated that the garter clips were built in to this outfit, rather than a separate item. (However, the layering options using the garter clips aren’t the strongest. I would have liked to have seen a ‘bottom part of garment + clips’ option.)

Featured Outfit Details: The Betty BodySuit
Price: 150L
Pieces: 6
Availability: Red, Black, and Cream

Model Details:
Lingerie: (Ooh LaLa!) Betty BodySuit in Red
Stockings: (Ooh LaLa!) Seam Stockings – Black
Boots: Opium Hell Cowboy Boots (Unisex)
General: Hair by TheAbyss, Skin by []::Tuli::[], eyes by *REDGRAVE*, Shape by Eku Zhong (Custom, not for sale).

As promised, it’s been an exciting romp. Our first year of publication is behind us, and I thought it might be fun to take a look back… In 2010, there were a total of 69 posts. (I didn’t plan it that way, I promise!) SLingerie was viewed about 3,400 times, 765 of which were in December. The busiest day of the year was September 29th with 142 views, largely due, I am told, to some sort of controversy on Plurk. The most popular post that day was It’s All In The Details!

The top referring sites in 2010 were the SL Universe Community Forum, WordPress.com, iheartsl, Plurk, and slfeed.net. Some visitors came searching, mostly for slingerie, cut a curve in earthstone, jailbait corset, slexy, and woman in yellow corset bra panty and stockings. (Little confused about that last one, but that’s ok.)

The the posts and pages that got the most views and or comments in 2010 are (according to WordPress – I don’t get total view numbers by post, but they sent me a nifty summary):
1) It’s All In The Details! with 7 comments.
2) Sleek, Slexy, SLink-y Vixen! with 2 comments
3) Hollee Moley, Batgirl!
4) Here, Kitty Kitty!
5) My Babygirl, My SexyDoll, My Whore…

There are a number of folks to whom special thank you’s are due:
* Our readers! We wouldn’t be anywhere without you!
* Naeve Rossini – my cheerleader, partner in crime, and fellow aficionado. You rock, girl!
* The designers who kindly provided us with review copies: Trashy Girls in Style, BlackLace, SeldomBlue, Angel Dessous, and Lingerie by Hollee.
* The designers who kindly provided us with background sets: Apocalips Japan and La Galleria.
* The readers who wrote in and suggested places to shop, modeled for us, gave us updates on products and locations, and kept our creative juices flowing! Disaster Krogstad; Licmetis Schnabel; all the girls from Syn City – especially Kali Ireland, Paige Cedarbridge and Britnie Adamski; the girls and guys from SLU: Nimue Jewell, Meltemi Case, Beathag McMahon, Jeni Roussel, Alexa Lioncourt, Eclectic Wingtips, Eku Zhong, Rodeejah Urquan, Maureen Boccaccio, Mocksoup Graves, COCA Yven, Roxanne Bloobury, Seyla Warden, Madison Talon and Sion Bedrosian; the Carbondale Heights gang, including Katya Imako, Elle Aima, Malachai Locke, Breeze Charisma, Autumn Teardrop, Samantha Chandler, and Stormy Javelin.
* My darling Daddy, Abe Shackleton – a better, more loving supporter for all my madcap adventures, I could never ask for.

Thanks for hanging out with us this year, and we look forward to bringing you more panty lines, more garter-belt clips, more cleavage, more satin, more silk, and more of the best lingerie Second Life has to offer in the coming year!

PS: Reviews we’re currently working on -”Frozen” by ViLada and the “Lacy Slip” by Ooh La La.

One of the things you can count on when you purchase from Zaara, is that none of their designs are ever ever ‘look-alike.’ You’re going to find something fresh and interesting, not derivative. You can always expect rich textures, often with Near and Far East elements to them, beautiful garment lines, and a focus on detail. Their Sumana Lingerie release is no different, and it proudly upholds the Zaara tradition of excellence. Released back in August of 2010, Sumana features a strapless demi-cup bra, wide corset-style garter-belt, panties and stockings. The fabric choices step away from the usual: no tawdry lace or delicate tulle, they’ve brought us lush Oriental influences in satin. The fabrics are elegant and the Asian style floral patterns have a crispness that is remarkable, given that all of Zaara’s products are hand drawn. What’s “Just Right”: The pleating on the garter-belt/corset piece is unusual and adds a very elegant and couture feel to the garment. I like the keyhole cutaway on the panties and the adorable little bow is a perfect accent to draw the eye. The wide array of layers in the ‘optional pieces’ box really helps with putting together your ideal look. I appreciate that, because it allows me to wear my panties OVER the garters. There’s a lot to like here – the outfit is executed with precision and beauty.

What Could Use Improvement: If we were given a bra option with straps, as well as the strapless version, I would have had a squeegasm. I’ve personally never been drawn to the strapless look. An upward tug on the fabric of the stockings where they attach to the garter straps would be a welcome additional touch of realism. Such pretty fabrics are used, that I would have adored seeing a full corset version as well.

Other things to note: Zaara is my absolute favorite store build from a design standpoint. The store and surrounding courtyard and buildings are exquisite and perfectly suited to the style of products sold, while creating a beautiful and tranquil environment that invites you to explore, relax and enjoy. When you drop by, be sure to look for the freebies and lowbies being offered in the outer foyer. Look for the picture of a distinguished Indian gentleman (the winner of their photo contest earlier this year) – they’re on the table underneath. You’ll find two accessories and two outfits. Sadly, Sumana is not yet available on The Marketplace, but Zaara does have a strong presence there.

Special Note: A huge thank you to Eku Zhong, who not only provided nearly all of the physical elements for the set, but assisted with styling and shared her cultural perspective as well. THANK YOU!!!

Featured Outfit Details:
Price: 250L
Pieces: 12 (Plus 2 notecards and a landmark – be sure to open the ‘extra layers’ box!)
Availability: Ebony, Crimson, Gold, Vanilla, Frost, Blush

Ratings:
Detailing: A+
Prim Attachments?: None
Resizing Scripts?: Not Applicable
Tattoo Friendly?: There isn’t a combined layer item for panties/garterbelt… so you’ve got to decide which you want to wear.
Curvy Girl Friendly?: Yes – The fabric held up well to all my various curves.
Multi-purpose pieces?: This really is gorgeous, girly lingerie.
Sim Rating?: The Zaara Sim is PG.
Permissions: Copy: Yes / Modify: Yes / Transfer: No.

Photo Details:
Model & Photographer: Sabella Fallen
Location: Carbondale Heights
Poses: Kinki Animations, Poseur, Adorkable Poses, XOXO Ania, Pose Paradise, C’est La Vie, Tiny Awkward Bird, Glitterati, Exposure, Torridwear.

Model Details:
Lingerie: Sumana Lingerie by Zaara.
Shoes: Ilaida Mojri in Jeweled red by Zaara.
General: Hair by Argrace, Skin by Belleza, Eyes by Poetic Colors, Nails by Candy Nail, Wedding Ring by JCNY

Vendor List:
Apocalips Japan: Zen Moments Pool (The Marketplace), Stone Lanterns, Tea House building, Japanese Woodblock art prints, Kyoto Japanese table, Kyoto Sapphic Daybed, cushions, bamboo flooring, Japanese Square Floor Lamp in Cherry, Japanese tansu, Japanese Laquer tray, Step Tansu, Asian Mission Lamp in Dark Wood, Books, Incense Burner in Red, mikan basket, Tea Pot and Bancha, Raku Planter Cobalt with Bamboo, Turquoise Fat Planter with Bamboo.
Botanical: Green Dune Grass Bunch
Heart Garden Center: Golden Bamboo (The Marketplace)
Organica: Rock and Tree, Bamboo
Yurichan Aeon (Sculpt) & Eku Zhong (texture): Torii (Not sold as displayed)

OK, I confess: I love holiday themed clothing. I adore the costumes of Halloween, I grin and squee at adorable bunny outfits, snicker at festive St. Patrick’s day themes, and feel an odd sense of pride and pleasure at 4th of July ensembles. Is it any wonder that Christmas is one of my favorite times of year? There are a plethora of outfits designed for the holiday season and I’ve been checking in with some of the designers who have really impressed us this year to see if they were doing any special releases. One that jumped right off the page at me was the Carrie Bridger / Carrie’s Lingerie releases. She has over half a dozen, but the two that drew my eye the fastest was the Bratty and the Rachael. I visited their store and was immediately greeted by one of the customer service reps, Punky Teardrop. We chatted a bit about the store and the holiday items being offered. It was really lovely to have an actual salesperson to talk with, rather than a bot or silence, and I appreciated her help. She let me know that Carrie’s is doing a “12 days of Christmas” special, with a different outfit being offered for only 50L each day. I happened to luck out and found my favorite – Bratty – on discount that day. Yay for sales! What’s “Just Right”: I liked the taffeta sheen to this outfit, and the adorable striped fabric on the bodice contrasting with the gold snowflakes on the body. There’s well-done hints at boning for extra realism, which I always appreciate. The busk is a subtle detail that is highlighted by a bright red edging. The line of the garters is feminine and flirty. You’re provided with several styling options: under-bust and over-bust, a flirty mini-ruffle or gartered look. The pieces are very mix-and-match friendly so you can find the version you like best. I appreciated the extra touch of the prim bow for the lacing ends.

What Could Use Improvement: I found the prim ruffle/skirt a bit unwieldy. It’s so short that it will require a good bit of adjusting individual prims for a more curvy avatar. There were some angles it just looked odd from. I would have liked a secondary, contrasting panty option – it disappears into the garter-belt a little bit.

Other things to note: Carrie’s Lingerie has a strong presence on The Marketplace, and they have gift-friendly permissions (Transfer) which is much appreciated!

Featured Outfit Details:
Price: 425 apiece or 2,300L for the fat pack (which does not include the holiday version)
Pieces: 11 clothing + 2 prims + landmark + Texture
Availability: Holiday, Green, Pink, Blue, Purple, Red and Teal.

Ratings:
Detailing: A-.
Prim Attachments?: Skirt and Bow
Resizing Scripts?: None
Tattoo Friendly?: Yes – there are a generous variety of options provided.
Curvy Girl Friendly?: Yes – the patterns chosen showed minimal stretching and distortion.
Multi-purpose pieces?: You could pair the corset with pants for a holiday party, or use the under-bust option with a top for a festive look.
Permissions?: No copy / No Modify, Transfer OK! Prim Skirt is Mod.
Sim Rating?: New York Harbor is rated Mature.

Photo Details:
Model & Photographer: Sabella Fallen
Location: Carbondale Heights
Poses: Glitterati, Vista Animations, [What Next], Fire Beach Designs

Model Details:
Lingerie: Bratty – Christmas Edition, by Carrie’s Lingerie
Pasties: Holly Pasties by Motherfunken
Shoes: CourtX in Lipstick Red by AW Design
Deelyboppers: Holiday Horns by Circle Widdershins
General: Hair by Argrace, Skin by Belleza, Eyes by Poetic Colors, Nails by Candy Nail, Wedding Ring by JCNY

Vendor List:
/artilleri/: Colored string lights
AW Design: CourtX heels in Lipstick Red (The Marketplace)
B&D: Christmas Wreath
Carrie’s Lingerie: Bratty – Christmas Edition (The Marketplace)
Cleo Design: Bag of Gifts (This is actually the *packaging* for an item I purchased there.
Djinn & Tonic: Happy Christmas Tree (Part of the Stumblebum Brigade sale)
Fire Beach Designs It’s a Wrap pose and prop set (The Marketplace)
[GOS]: Macchiato coffee from the Cafe Collection
Motherfunken: Holly Pasties (The Marketplace)
MudHoney: Pinecone Tree w/ Gold Star (Hunt Freebie)
Republica: Snowflake Holiday Skybox
Skell Dagger: 5-prim tabletop Christmas tree (not sure where/if it’s still sold)
[What Next]: ‘Cosy Christmas’ Set 1 (Offered on the 12/12/10 Lazy Sunday), ‘Cosy Christmas’ Set 2 – (Offered as part of Project Themeory).

Second Life lingerie superstars BlackLace have teamed up with a real-life corset company for a really cool promotion: buy one of the SL collection – which mirrors a RL design – and receive a $25.00 off code to purchase a corset in RL! That’s pretty hecka cool! The partnership is with Vollers Corsets and the discounted corset can be purchased from http://www.abeautifulcorset.com. It looks like we have a total of six releases to look forward to: Stunning, Salacious, Dazzling, Enchanting, Ravishing, and Worship. The first and second of the series are now available – Stunning and Salacious – and they’re quite a treat! The first thing that caught my eye about the Stunning corset was the rich interplay of lace and satin. The whole of the corset is overlaid with a large-pattern lace. I selected the crimson, though it’s also available in gold and a burnished pewter. In comparing the pictures between the Vollers corset and their corset, they really nailed the design. What’s “Just Right”: The strength of BlackLace often lies in their use of texture. Here, lace overlays a gleaming satin, creating depth that’s visually interesting. The lace also helps to conceal a weaknesses I’ve seen from time to time in BlackLace releases, and that’s the highlighting on the bust in their garments. It can sometimes appear they’re designed for a smaller bustline, with opportunities for under-bust shading to accent the girls being missed. With Stunning, the darkness of the lace renders that issue moot. I like the way the panties mirror the back line of the corset. I also like the prim tops to the gloves. This is an area I have not seen enhanced with prim work before – on shirts, sure… but never that level of attention given to gloves. The fabric highlight and shadow work on them is already excellent, and the prim cuffs finish them off beautifully. The busk in the back, the eyelets and the lacing pattern also show a level of attention detail that I really appreciate, and is extremely well done.

What Could Use Improvement: Because BlackLace is mirroring an outfit that already exists in RL, they’re limited by the vision of someone else’s design. This puts a little bit of a restriction on creativity – I think they might have done more with the stockings and panties, if they had the freedom to do so. I would have liked to see the slightest touch of wrinkle on the undies to emphasize the high curve of the butt, or maybe a secondary panty option with more coverage.

Other things to note: Salacious was released on Saturday (Dec 4th) after I’d already purchased Stunning, and I’ll be honest – I probably would have snatched it up instead, given a choice between the two. Definitely worth checking it out on the Alphamale/BlackLace Blog or at their in-world location. It should also be noted that included in the delivery is A TEDDY BEAR!

Featured Outfit Details:
Price: $498
Pieces: 9 + 4 prims + 3 notecards (BlackLace Bio, FAQ, and the Coupon Code), + 2 textures + landmark + TEDDY BEAR.
Availability: Black on Red (Featured), Black on Gold, and Black on pewter/gray.

Ratings:
Detailing: A-.
Prim Attachments?: 4: 2 glove tops, 2 charm bracelets (Plus a TEDDY BEAR!)
Resizing Scripts?: Not applicable
Tattoo Friendly?: Yes – a generous variety of layers was provided.
Curvy Girl Friendly?: Yes – the patterning of the lace conceals whatever imperfections there might be.
Multi-purpose pieces?: If creative, this could be matched up with a flirty little skirt for a fun night out dancing.
Sim Rating?: Alphamale is rated PG.

Photo Details:
Model & Photographer: Sabella Fallen
Location: Carbondale Heights
Poses: With Love & Squalor, Long Awkward Pose, Kria Flan, Medhue Animations, Chanimations, Olive Juice

Vendor List:
AT Design: Urban Loft “Basic” edition (The Marketplace)
Bitter Sweet: Royal Planter
Earthstones: Tennis Bracelet, Tennis Necklace, Dangle Stud Earrings (Group Gifts)
FE Skyboxes: Overhead lights & Artwork
MudHoney: Madera Bed
Musical Alchemy: Concert Grand Piano
La Galleria: Ebony Isfahan Oriental rug, White Marble Fireplace and Table Lamp
N-Core: Soul XtremeHeel II Galaxy (The Marketplace)
RC Cluster: Beauty Counter, Makeup Artist Chair, Makeup accessories
Silken Surrender: Hairbrush (The Marketplace)
The Loft: Alex Black Sofa, Mayer Bench

*In case I forgot to mention it: The box includes a TEDDY BEAR.