Gowns – Usually something outside of my comfort zone!
Normally I am used to say, I am not that much of a gown person. Somehow that is true, but not because I do not like gowns! It is more the fact, that in SL you cannot do as much with gowns as you can do with mix and match outfits or pants outfits – styling wise and picture wise.
With a gown your poses are automatically very limited to something, that does not spread or move your legs too much. Sitting mostly does not work without damage on lower part of the mesh gown and in the past with flexies it was even worse, when all the prims were hanging through your body. So what is left… mainly standing poses if you do not just go for closeups or crops. To me that can become boring very fast as you have a lot of ambience in your picture or you just stand there in an amazing environment and look like as someone forgot to pick you up :p
The next limitation you have is the styling itself. Certainly you can play with several accessories, jewelry, shoes and hair but the gown itself you rarely can transition to something different that just the gown and not many gowns to allow you a style category change. Gowns usually are meant to be formal or maybe even goth but still somehow elegant. I do like twisting style categories and changing purposes of certain clothing and as well I am addicted to mix and match to create a new look for me, that does not look like the one I saw on the vendor.
Not because I have to be always different and unique, just because I want to get a connection to the clothing I am wearing, to make them my own.
Everyone has an idea about the character and avatar that they play. Some do like the beauty side, some like the more ordinary looks, or even do like the imperfection and some are just looking at things and get a vision for them together with their avatar. I never did limit myself to a certain category, I just went with the flow for every outfit I was given with free styling reigns. I am not siting here and have to force myself to get a different or certain look, mostly it just happens step by step with every item I add to it. Sometimes beautiful, sometimes dark, sometimes weird and sometimes just simple casual.
When I saw the amazing “Samal” gown from E-Clipse Design, I immediately had a vision for it. I saw a black gown, some funky accessories and color! Maybe even something color popping like I do remember it from the 80s ;). I first played with red and black, but for what ever reason it had to be a more striking color, something that does scream color at you – if that makes sense. I was trying some neon green and yellow before I stumbled over a teal shading. The “Tista” lipstick from Zibska did a lot to my color decision as well. I loved the two-toned stong colors so much and it was a headache to find accessories in the same tone. So I ended up to re-color our bento gloves from the “Joan” outfit, the “Oakes” hair from KoKoLoReS and my LeLutka hair base (thank god we have the tinting option!) to match the color of the lipstick.
The gown is a firework of texture/fabric combinations. You have a more cotton looking fabric for the straps, the amazing detailed lace for the waist part and then you get a satin impression for the bottom of the gown.
Maybe some will question the term ‘gown’ for this outfit now – I don’t.
It can be worn very elegant as well and if you are brave enough, you can wear it on a red carpet or to a dance event as well – Lady Gaga showed what can be called gowns and used like it 😉
It is always in the eye of the beholder how you define certain things but with the tight body part and the wider floating bottom it is a perfect gown to me 😉
The “Samal” gown and as well the awesome “Old Phone” glasses that I used for todays look, can be found on the ongoing Black Fair 2017 until the 20th or October. If you read this post afterwards I am sure you will find the designs in the main stores of the creators 😉
So after all I am not a gown enemy, I just need the right gown and the right mood to get a vision for style and pictures 😉
Details
Outfit & Accessories:
Gown: E-Clipse Design – “Samal” (Maitreya) – NEW @ The Black Fair 2017
Gloves: Wicca’s Wardrobe – “Joan” (Maitreya, Bento, part of the Joan outfit) – NEW @ The Black Fair 2017
Glasses: [Since1975] – “Old Phone Glasses” – NEW @ The Black Fair 2017
Necklace: Minimal – “Chelo”
Hair & Makeup:
Hair: KoKoLoReS – “Oakes”
Lipstick: Zibska – “Tista” (LeLutka Applier)
Body & Tattoo:
Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”
Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”
Poses & Props:
Poses: Foxcity
Model & Photographer: