A bit of diversion, for those who wonder where I get my taste for huge ballgown fashion, such as practiced by Sascha Frangilli (as above). Attend, therefore, to this film clip, from Shirley MacLaine’s What a Way to Go!:
(Laughing)
The movie, if you’ve never seen it, is about a woman who turns down the local wealthy boy in her town to marry a dirt farmer and part-time storekeeper. He starts spending all his time at the store, and builds it into a department-store empire, leaving her alone at home; but then he keels over at the office, leaving Louisa May (Shirley) a wealthy widow. She then falls in love with a down-at-the-heels ex-pat artist in Paris. He hits it big, spends all his time in his studio, and gets killed by the painting machines he builds, leaving Louisa with another five or ten million.
Louisa can’t help it; she falls in love again — but this time, with a man who’s a multi-millionaire in his own right (played by Robert Mitchum). She figures she’s safe with him; she can’t jinx him, because he’s already richer than she is. “Our life was like one of those glamorous Hollywood films, where it’s all about love and ‘what will she wear next?’” she says. Cue the above dream sequence (grin).
All Shirley’s costumes were done by Edith Head, and she really let herself loose on this one film … and got one of her many Oscar nominations for it. And I remember seeing this when I was a girl, on one of the old NBC movie shows back when. It’s stuck with me ever since, probably my favorite part of the movie … well, other than when the multi-millionaire returns to the farm of his youth, goes to milk the cow, and didn’t look to see whose undercarriage he was reaching for. (In other words, he got hold of the bull. The bull was … not amused.)
The 15th Second Pride Festival opened up on Friday, and will be running through June 23. This year’s festival has additional significance, as 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, considered by many historians the cornerstone point of the homosexual-rights movement.
Looks like everyone on the blog is getting a new house, so to speak. Harper and Conan have put up the new Main Offices (laugh); Jem and Diana had to find a fresh place, and now I’ve moved out of the little apartment I had into something smaller … but nicer, and rent-free!
It worked out … to my advantage … that a two-room skybox was up for sale during the last Fifty Linden Friday. Harper saw it, bought it for possible photo purposes, but also messaged me that she’d put a copy up in an unused section of sky, and I could move in, rent free. All I had to do was keep my LI load to 100 or below. Now that was sweet of her!
You should take a look at this skybox, by the way; it’s offered by llorisen, only 9 LI … and the thing, as of 30 minutes ago, was still available for L$ 50. Here’s the landmark to the kiosk, and there’s a demo to view as well (teleport from the kiosk). Better get there soon, before they catch wise (laughing). As for me, I’m decorating and furnishing it as I go, and I’m done pretty well so far.
Head: LAQ Zahra 3.05 Bento
Full body: Maitreya Lara 4.1
Eyes: Ikon Sovereign (Rustic)
Nails: alme. Mesh Stiletto Nails (currently available at Shiny Shabby through June 15)
Outfit: The Oak Amor leather top (Tangerine; currently available at Shiny Shabby through June 15); Decoy Halani high waist jeans
Yeah, I know; fashion means something new all the time. But we here at Around the Grid don’t operate in that sense. We like fashion; but we all prefer style. Fashion is what’s new, what’s hot; what’s hip. If you want fashion, look at most of the stars on the red carpets today, and you’ll find, some 10 to 20 per cent of the time, that the gown is wearing them. Even with professionals dressing them, there’s some horrendous dresses walking the runways.
Style, on the other hand, not only fits the woman, but complements her appearance, even augments it. Kim Kardashian wears fashion. (Lady Gaga … well, who knows what she wears at times, though she’s improved over the years?) Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy were stylish.
Where’s all this leading to? Well, I was checking out some goodies at the Fifty Linden Friday stores, and picked up some goodies, including at ANE Fashion. While there, though, I looked around at some of the other things on display … that’s what sales are for, after all; to lure you in to buy the full-price stuff as well as the bargains. And it was there that I found this lovely strapless dress that will almost surely never go out of fashion. (And that’s the key to true style; the garment will never “go stale” in the closet.) HUD controls for not just the outside, but the lining as well, with a selection of colors to please most. (You’ll never please them all, sigh.)
With a dress that never goes out of fashion, wear a hairdo that stays with it as well. You can get away with funky or flashy (in taste!) with your makeup and jewelry.
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Head: LAQ Skye 3.05
Body and feet: Maitreya Lara 4.1
Hands: Vista ProHands 2
Eyes: Ikon Triumph (Chocolate)
Hair: rezology French Twist
Dress: ANE Fashion Alice
Shoes: ANE Opentoe/Platform slingbacks (Sky Blue)
Jewelry: ANE Forbidden Fruit earrings (Diamond); Roger Paulino silver bangles; Ysoral Inesse necklace and bracelet, and Lynna rings
Easy Street is the place most of us … especially the ones who live paycheck to paycheck … dream of landing on, as did our parents and grandparents. Here in Second Life, Easy Street is easier to find; one place is a group of sims that includes Casablanca Bay.
Jumo came out with a gown a few weeks ago that would be perfect for anyone living on Easy Street in RL. I missed blogging about it while it was at the May round of Sense; but it has made it to June’s store, and can be picked up there.
She’s as sweet as tupelo honey She’s an angel of the first degree She’s as sweet as tupelo honey Just like honey, baby, from the bee
“Tupelo Honey,” written and performed by Van Morrison
Life isn’t all ball gowns and glittering elegance. Sometimes, for some people, their finest, sweetest moments can be on a bright, sunny day, sitting in blue jeans and a soft top instead of waltzing off into the starry sky with your prince. It looks like Maren has found one of those moments here, sitting by a fountain in Second Life’s version of Jackson Square.
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The details:
Head: LAQ Ana 3.05 Bento
Body and feet: Maitreya Bento 4.1
Hands: Vista Prohands 2
Hair: Clawtooth Miss Vanjie
Eyes: IKON Sovereign (Electric)
Outfit: Kaithleen’s Muslin Shirt (Brown Leaves) and Flare Jeans (available at 5/25 – 6/22 round of Uber)
Shoes: KC Couture Laida
Jewelry: Basanti TaMbA suite (ruby glass and gold)
Makeup: alaskametro Spring Beauty Book (Omega; available at Uber)
Wearing Gilda black by Valentina e.; Pure Gold skin by Fallen Gods; jewelry by EarthStones; May Rose hair by rezology. Photographed at Zibska main store.
Second Life® with Harper, Conan, Jem, Diana and Morgan
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