Ensembly Challenged

Look of the Day - 5/4/09

2009-05-04T02:51:00.007-07:00

Ahhhh, summertime. Where I live, it's been well into the high 80's for a few weeks now, and on days like these, I find myself wishin' that I had breezy, beachy clothes in RL that would be half as stylish as those in SL. Like the Cabana Dress from Sand Shack Surf Co. This was the first new piece I snagged after my SL hiatus, and I credit Emma Gilmour and her incredible design for launching my fashion passion back into orbit! My first new skin - the early April group gift from Free Speerit - also helped trigger a new skin obsession ... Although I think I can safely say that the Kimberly skins are absolutely in my top 3 favorites of all time. The faces are exceptionally done, with a hint of exotic beauty. Lookin' this good, I can't decide if I want to shop or go dancing. Probably both! :)

Skin: Free Speerit - Kimberly (Group Gift)
Hair: Zero Style - Maya (Raven)
Shape: Custom

Eyes: Bliss Couture - Realistic Eyes (Grape)
Lashes: Cake - Bedroom Lashes
Nails: Sin Skins - Glitter Manicure (Vivid Pink)

Dress: Sand Shack Surf Co - Cabana Dress (Black/Blue)
Necklace: Lucas Lameth - Grazia Necklace (Silver/Blue)
Bracelets: eLDee - Line Bangles (Candy)
Shoes: Shiny Things - Supernova Wedges (Black)

Look of the Day - 5/3/09

2009-05-03T12:38:00.008-07:00

After finally plowing through my unbearably long list of shopping destinations (and finally fixing all of of my very out-of-date landmarks), I decided that I'd finally get down to exploring some of the places on the list of SL "cool spots" that I've been jotting down for ages. I wanted to keep it cool n' casual, and this look is based around the fabulous Jam Hoody from Maitreya. Although I have the add-on pack with the hair and hood option, I just love the texturing and sleeve details of this piece - even when worn simply as a sweater. And how can you not love that color? Gorgeous!

Skin: Chai - Nutmeg (Cole Freckle)
Hair: ETD - Chalisa II (Elka's Brown)
Shape: Custom

Eyes: Bliss Couture - Realistic Eyes (Opal)
Lashes: Cake - Bedroom Lashes
Nails: Sin Skins - Glitter Manicure (Vivid Pink)

Top: Maitreya - Jam Hoody (Blue)
Pants: Armidi Elephant Outfitters - Jordyn Shorts (Gold)
Jewelry: Icon - Wood Earrings
Shoes: Shiny Things - jane Wedges (Tan)

Look of the Day - 4/29/09

2009-04-29T19:29:00.005-07:00

Today was all about chic comfort as I prepared to wander around the grid fueling my deepening obsession for skins (MOAR PRETTY FACES!) I'm really liking the versatility of the Builder Jumpsuit I snagged from Pink Outfitters, but then I realized that I don't have as many tops to wear with it as I'd thought, so I went back to my tried-and-true Buone Vacanze Blouse from Armidi - although this time in the luscious Ukraun Purple tone, which is like a sultry mauve-wine that I just want to get drunk on! I'm also in love with this necklace from Dark Mouse, which I had to get in the fat-pack (silver, gold and copper metals) because just so dang lovely. Now to shopping!

Skin: Blowpop - Tuesday Honey (Ely Violet, Freckled)
Hair: ETD - Felicity (Caramel)
Shape: Custom

Eyes: Glanz - Mid Forest Green
Lashes: Karamia - Starry Eye Lashes
Nails: Reale - Manicure (Wine)

Top: Armidi Giasci - Buone Vacanze Blouse (Ukraun Purple)
Pants: Pink Outfitters - The Builder Jumpsuit (Black)
Jewelry: Dark Mouse - Flowers Are Blooming Necklace (Silver)
Shoes: Shiny Things - Supernova Wedges (Black)

Look of the Day - 4/21/09

2009-04-21T23:02:00.008-07:00

I have to admit straight away that I'm not a huge fan of accessories, as you'll no doubt be noticing! Because I prefer a more curvalicious shape, belts have proven to be a pain to resize, and the poses in my AO don't seem to work well with handbags. I'm getting into jewelry more and more though, with pieces from Lucas Lameth and Miam Miam (sadly on hiatus) being my favorites thus far. The delicate and lovely Butterfly Frolic necklace is color-change scripted and comes with matching earrings as well. (I do so love my color-scripting - the more mileage I can get out of a piece in my sometimes "ensembly challenged" wardrobe, the better!) And I am head-over-heels for this hair, which I just snagged from Zero Style. It's so floaty and sexy, and it makes me feel like I've just tumbled out of bed after a luxurious nap (or sexytimes, as the case may be!)

Skin: Redgrave - Leticia 2 Tan (Gold)
Hair: Zero Style - Prissy (Black Cherry)
Shape: Custom

Eyes: Glanz - Forest Green
Lashes: Karamia - Starry Eye Lashes
Nails: Sin Skins - Glitter Manicure (Crimson)

Top: Armidi Gisaci - Buone Vacanze Blouse (Red)
Jeans: Decoy - Inferno 88 (Light Wash)
Necklace: Lucas Lameth - Butterfly Frolic (Gold)
Shoes: Jaywalk - Kithryn Sandals (Onyx)

Greetings and Salutations!

2009-04-21T18:41:00.006-07:00

"Begin at the very beginning - a very good place to start!"

So interestingly enough, this is both the first and forth incarnation of Ensembly Challenged. I launched EC here on Blogger back in early 2007, briefly switched to Wordpress.com, and later to my own domain. But real life got in the way, and I moved away from blogging - and from Second Life in general. I stopped back in for a short time in Summer 2008, and then on a lark, I logged into SL for the first time in nearly a year about two weeks ago. It only took an hour or two of playing dress-up in my long forgotten skybox for my passion for Second Life fashion to come roaring back. And so much has changed! Favorite designers of yesteryear are no longer, small shops have blossomed into fashion dynasties, and I still manage to run out of Lindens in the blink of an eye. So I thought I'd quietly pick up where I left off - a former blogger, fashion creator, and SL addict - and see where things led.

There are SO many more SL fashion blogs now than there used to be, and although I'm a vintage blogger from the "olden days", of course I wonder if there's room - or need - for one more. But that's where the name Ensembly Challenged fits in. Originally I chose it because I have a soft spot for the movie Clueless, and I loved when Cher asked her high school rival if she preferred "fashion victim or ensembly challenged". But now it's taken on a new meaning, as my vastly dwindled stash o' Lindens means that I have to be much more frugal than I was before, and rely on mixing up old favorites, rather than pouncing on all the trends. (Much as I'd love to!) So Ensembly Challenged 4.0 will take on the challenge of breathing life into older - yet much loved - pieces, and celebrating the fact that fashion can be just as fabulous after the newness wears off. So stay tuned! Looks of the Day (and other Second Life bits and bytes) will be coming shortly.

Cheers,
Jayde