“Am I Beautiful Yet?”

“Am I Beautiful Yet?”
I’ve blinded my eyes with ornament. Replaced my limbs with ornament. Cut out my organs for ornament. Am I beautiful yet? I can dance for you. Watch me. I will never stop dancing. Never stop watching. Never. Stop. Or else.

For the the theme of ‘Freak Show’, I’ve put together this circus ballerina. Her limbs are wrapped in gold with pink accents, as well as barbs, some tinted with blood. Ballet is known for being brutal in its precision, and this type of decoration carries the metaphor visually.

Her face is obscured by a mask of similar style. Floral designs, especially that of the thorny rose, are prominently featured here almost like a religious icon. It is perhaps one of the most eye catching pieces of the style, in part representing her inability to see the world for what it is. She is blinded by her preconception of what beauty is, and is unable to appreciate the world around her.

Finally to pull it all together, the most unsettling piece is her torso body mod. Many strive for an hourglass shape, but the tragic ballerina has assumed a literal hourglass, complete with animated sands. Yet another clever visual metaphor representing the years of life she’s shaved off by taking her pursuit of the beauty ideal to unhealthy lengths and destroying parts of herself in the process.

The entire style combines fragility, obsession, suffering, and horror into a form of visual storytelling, in order to tell a very tragic story.

As stated above, the look was made for a special show hosted by Madd Modelz on the amazing “Uri Jefferson’s Freakshow” sim (SURL). We all had to write our own descriptions for our styles and presentation and I had in mind what I wanted to say but since I am not a native English speaker, it mostly doesn’t sound as I want it to be. This time I had great help from a dear friend – Tour Blanche, the partner of my sweet sister Consuela Blanche. He is a god with words and made my idea sound so amazing, that I could not just have it for the show. I wanted them to be visible for longer than the few minutes of the show and he allowed me to post them here on my blog. Thank you for that Tour β™₯

Clothing

Outfit: Moon Amore – “Etheral Time / Hourglass Body” (Gacha, Rare)

Shoes: N-Core – “Ballet” (Maitreya)

Accessories

Collar: aisling – “Nura”

Headpiece: Moon Amore – “Etheral Time / Decima Mask – Gold” (Gacha, Common)

Arm/Hand Wraps & Nails: Moon Amore – “Etheral Time / Chronos Arms” (Gacha, Rare)

Leg Wraps: Moon Amore – “Etheral Time / Chronos Legs” (Gacha, Common)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: KoKoLoReS – “Runa”

Makeup: .::Nanika::. – “Gold Eyeshadow” (LeLutka Applier)

Makeup 2: CURELESS[+] – “Noel Set” (Omega Applier)

Eyelashes: alaskametro<3 – “Slay” (LeLutka Applier)

Lipstick: alaskametro<3 – “Impressionist” (Omega Applier)

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Aida 3.4”

Eyes: -SU!– – “Aure Eyes” (Group Gift)

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Neck: CURELESS[+] – “Dog Bites” (Omega Applier)

Knees: Izzie’s – “Knee Wounds” (Maitreya Applier)

Skin: CURELESS[+] – “Morphine” (Omega Applier)

Poses & Props

Poses: Poseidon

Set:

Backdrop: Chaotic Creative – “Center Stage Scenebox” (not anymore available)

Circus Ring: Chaotic Creative – “Aerial Dolls Trapeze” (not anymore available)

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Let it Snow!

TUNES

Oh, the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we’ve no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
[Dean Martin]

Finally we had the first “light” snow!

It did not stay on the ground for too long but we had some! With all the cold weather it was about time an I hope soon it will stay as well πŸ™‚

For the first snow I again had to do something casual, especially because I finally got the “Skates” from N-Core at their Black Friday sale. I was after them like in forever, but I always kept telling my self “You can get them if you blog them”. When I saw them at the Black Friday Sale, I could not resist any longer and since I started to try to force myself not not just buy things and never use them – here is the post πŸ˜‰

I loved them so much as they have 3 different options. You can wear them as simple boots, roller skates and ice skates! Not to mention that you as well have the choice to wear the leg warmers or to skip them if you wear long pants and want them to go down to the boots only.

Talking about options… the cool hair I am wearing has the magic of many different options too. Not only the hair color and the accessories – even the style you can change!

No.Match made this amazing and cute hair style for the actual round of COSMOPOLITAN and as far as I know you have at least 2 days to still grab it there, or you will find itΒ  later on at their main store.

I will now enjoy my new skates a little more and find some more cool locations with ice skating rinks or frozen lakes πŸ˜‰

Outfit

Coat & Shirt: GizzA – “Cozy Layered Coat W Tartan” (Maitreya)
Shoes: N-Core – “Skates” (Maitreya)
Leggings: Nanika – “Ombre Tights” (Maitreya)
Gloves: Izzie’s – “Arm Warmers” (Maitreya Applier)

Accessories

Headpiece: UNA – “Earmuffs”
Scarf: Sleepy Edgy – “Handknit Muffler” (store not existing anymore)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No.Try” – NEW @ COSMOPOLITAN
Makeup: Izzie’s – “First Snow Makeup” (LeLutka Applier)
Lipstick: Izzie’s – “Dry Skin Patches” (LeLutka Applier)

Body & Tattoo

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”
Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.3”
Lashes: Izzie’s – “First Snow Makeup” (LeLutka Applier)

Poses & Props

Poses: Am Poses – “Ice Skating Pack #2” & Focus Poses – “Ice Skater 14 & 15”

Location

Model & Photographer

Trend Fall 2018: Headwear

Picture Made for Eclipse Magazine September 2018 // https://issuu.com/eclipsemagazinesl/docs/eclipse_magazine_september_2018

Outfit & Accessories

Jacket: MSS – “Ellen Shoulder Coat”
Top: MonCheri – “Dead Romance Tank”
Headpiece: Janka – “Novo Scarf”
Pants: Dirty Princess – “Lil Suspense Princess Shorts” (Maitreya)
Leggins: lassitude & ennui – “Hisa leather leggings” (Maitreya Applier)
Shoes: N-core – “Rogue” (Maitreya)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: .Shi – “Hearken”
Makeup: Zibska – “Noir Pack 06” (LeLutka Applier)
Lipstick: Izzie’s – “Fae Lipgloss” (LeLutka Applier)

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – β€œSimone 3.0”
Body: Maitreya – β€œLara 4.1”
Face: Izzie’s – β€œPores & Blemishes (LeLutka Applier)

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

A Walk in the Park

Walk in the Park

You go for a walk in the park ’cause you don’t need anything
The hand that you sometimes hold doesn’t do anything
The face that you see in the door isn’t standing there anymore
In a matter of time, it would slip from my mind
In and out of my life, you would slip from my mind
In a matter of time
[Beach House]

Outfit & Accessories

Jacket: *COCO* – “Denim Jacket over Shoulders” (Maitreya)
Top: Maitreya – “Bali Boho Blouse” (Maitreya)
Pants: Kaithleen’s – “Frill Denim Shorts” (Maitreya)
Tights: Izzie’s – “Sheer Tights Basic” (Maitreya Applier)
Shoes: N-Core – “Rogue” (Maitreya)
Bag: GizzA – “Soho Tote Bag”
Glasses: EarthStones – “The Yesterday”
Necklace: Kunglers – “Melita”
Rings: .Drastic. – “Fairy Silver Rings” (Maitreya, Bento)
Nails: Nailed It! – “French Manicure Pastels Set” (Maitreya Applier)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No.Nothing” – NEW @ COSMOPOLITAN

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”
Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4,1”
Face:Β  Izzie’s – “Pores & Blemishes” (LeLutka Applier)

Poses & Props

Poses: Foxcity

Location

Model & Photographer

Last Winter Day

We had a really rough and cold week last week.

After the weather was quite nice already, the temperature dropped down unter the freezing point again and all of a sudden we had snow again!

Who the hell needs snow in spring, when you packed up all winter clothing already???

That was the reason, why I wanted to do one last winter/snow post before spring finally comes back and hopefully stays πŸ˜‰

Outfit & Accessories:

Top: [sYs] – “Elisa” (Maitreya)

Pants: Enfant Terrible – “Locked Heart Chasity Belt” (Maitreya, Boundbox October 2017)

Lingerie: Blacklace – “Claire Black Lace Teddy” (Omega Applier)

Shoes: N-Core – “Kelda” (Maitreya)

Tights: Nanika – “Reindeer Tights” (Maitreya Applier)

Necklace: Kunglers – “Nadir”

Hair & Makeup:

Hair: no.match – “No.Boarder”

Makeup: alaskametro<3 – “Fall Runway” (LeLutka Applier)

Body & Tattoos:

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Face: Izzie’s – “Pores & Blemishes” (LeLutka Applier)

Model & Photographer:

Wicca Merlin

 

Pose Studies with HelaMiyo

HelaMiyo – “Ankles Action” Pose Set

Poses are something very personal and as well to me they are a very important part to my pictures and blogging. We all spend a lot of time to dress up our pixels to get a cool look for our posts. I need the same amount of time as well to find the poses I do want to use for certain outfits. A real cool outfit can be super boring and not exciting at all when you use the wrong poses in my opinion.

HelaMiyo – “Ankles Action” Pose Set

If you have a wonderful detailed outfit and you just do a standing pose with lots of background and ambience around you, all those pretty little details simply vanish. It took me a long time until I figured out a way for me to keep those details and as well have a cool picture. Poses are very often too underestimated. Sometimes poses that look crazy and weird on the first view, can become very interesting if you play with them, turn them around or just have a crop picture where you only can see certain parts. Maybe that requires more pictures to showcase an outfit properly but I do not mind that at all if I am satisfied with the picture itself.

HelaMiyo – “Ankles Action” Pose Set

For shoes for example you can do so much more than just have shoes and feet on the picture. Like with the pose I used on the picture above. The shoes are the definite focus in that picture, but I still have nearly my whole avatar shown and the outfit it self as well. The same pose from another angle can showcase something different. So one pose can be used more than once and maybe sometimes you cannot even tell that it was the same pose with a totally different angle on it (at least I could not :p)

HelaMiyo – “Ankles Action” Pose Set

Sometimes I get asked, why I am doing more than one picture for my blog posts and if one picture would not be enough. Maybe sometimes one would be enough but then, if you style your avatar with time and passion, would you not like to show all the details you styled to it – Maybe a back view or a closeup? For clothing I usually do not have more than 3 to 5 pictures, if I do not have a picture story or something like that. Then I try to have one full body shot, one head shot and maybe one with shoes, nails or a little detail that would be overseen in one of the 2 others. But if I play with poses, I do have more than that. Usually, one pose set has more tha one or 2 poses in it and how I could showcase a pose set with just one picture if I do not wanna stuff all poses into one picture?

HelyMiyo – “Ankles Action” Pose Set

If I want to do pose studies with more than one pose set, I have to have more pictures to really showcase the work a pose designer put in to it. To be honest it is as well fun to change poses and angles while you take pictures. I sometimes find angles and crops I never would have thought about, by just turning and rotating my pose stand *giggles*

For this post I had over 80 snapshots and in the end over 20 pictures from them, that I wanted to use. but since 20 pictures is a lot I forced myself to cut it down under 15 for one post and do some more on a second post, so I will not beat you down with too many pictures πŸ˜‰

HelaMiyo – “Our Darkness” Pose Set

For todays post all poses are made by HelaMiyo.

HelaMiyo is not a new pose store. Miyoko Magic entered SL in 2008 and HelaMiyo was born back then as well. Miyoko always had very unique and impressive poses that not just were ‘simple standing’ poses. If you ask her you will find out that all of her poses have a linked story to her RL as she states on her website (http://helamiyo.blogspot.de/) . Maybe that explains as well why all of her poses are so unique πŸ˜‰

HelaMiyo – “Our Darkness” Pose Set

I still remember one of my first pose sets from HelaMiyo from when I started modeling and was working for a store named Staged back in 2009. We were standing on a round platform and we got a puppet hanger to wear so it looked like hanging puppet/string dolls instead of just usual store models – I really loved that idea and I still have those hanger and poses πŸ˜‰

That was the first time when I discovered HelaMiyo poses πŸ™‚

HelaMiyo – “Our Darkness” Pose Set

The more I was happy that now, about 8 years later, I got to know the person behind th poses! I am usually too shy to talk to designers if I am just one of a million customers, because I always think they are so busy with creating and I do not want to bother them with me and my questions πŸ˜‰

The more I was excited that Miyoko IMed me after one of my last posts, where I was talking about the difficulties to do pictures with gowns (https://wiccamerlin.de/i-am-a-pants-person-but-i-am-not-a-gown-enemy/).

She sent me 2 amazing pose sets for gowns (which I still have to post as well, as soon as I find a gown I do like) as she really proved me that there ARE gown poses who are not just boring and without any action πŸ˜‰

HelaMiyo – “Rock” Pose Set

What I do like a lot with the HelaMiyo pose sets is, that you always get a mirrored version of each pose. So you can decide either what direction you want to look at and as well you can do amazing pictures with a mirror or even fake reflection. It is really fun to experiment with that kind of pictures if you have the possibility of a second, mirrored pose.

HelaMiyo – “Contemporary Jump” Pose Set

HelaMiyo – “Contemporary Jump” Pose Set

I really think, that poses are sometimes underestimated and we just use them for the purpose to have a pose for our amazing styles and we rarely see the work and effort that posemakers as well have to do, so that we can shine in our amazing outfits on our pictures and on the virtual fashion runways. Because of that, I like to do the “Pose Studies” posts here and there, where I can mainly focus on the poses and give them the attention and time they really earn.

HelaMiyo – “Contemporary Jump” Pose Set

As well that is a personal challenge as well as you have to find an outfit that cooperates with all the poses no matter what πŸ˜‰ You have to find a look, where the poses come out clean and proper without breaks in the clothing or having your limbs inside your body. Sometimes that even asks for lightly shape changes to make your shape fit the poses as well. I did not have to change my shape for the HelaMiyo poses but the outfit was quite a challenge as I wanted to use some specific poses that have a lot of movement to them.

I hope you enjoyed my little pose journey as much as I did while iI was doing the pictures andΒ  I am sure that will not be my last one as I have a few more amazing HelaMiyo poses left to showcase πŸ˜‰

HelaMiyo – “Ground Sit” Pose Set

Details

Outfit & Accessories:

Body & Jacket: [sys] – “Samhain” (Maitreya)

Stockings: .:Avanti:. – “Ripped Nylons” (Maitreya Applier)

Shoes: N-Core – “Ballet” (Maitreya)

Eyepatch: .Shi – “Patch Mechanics 4.1”

Rings: MEVA – “Bento Maitreya Rings Silver” (Maitreya)

Collar: Pure Poison – ” ‘W’ Love Collar”

Hair & Makeup:

Hair: Vanity Hair – “Crown Royal-Greedy”

Makeup: Zibska – “Augusta” (LeLutka Applier)

Lipstick: Zibska – “Asya” (LeLutka Applier)

Body & Tatoo:

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Facetattoo: Izzie’s – “Pores & Blemishes” (LeLutka Applier)

Poses & Props:

Poses: HelaMiyo

Model & Photographer:

Wicca Merlin

HelaMiyo – “Ground Sit” Pose Set

 

Stunning news from !deviousMind & EMO-tions

!dM 24 001

Today I would like to lead your view on one of the latest releases from deviousMind (!dM). For “The 24” event, Chandra Meehan created a wonderful and sexy dress called “Yve”.

!dM 24 002

“Yve” is part of kinda a new mini collection of deviousMind. The thing that combines all of the new designs are the ivy petals that are used for ornaments, decoration and parts of the textures. The “Yve” dress has a super cool feature. If you purchase one at “The 24” event, where it is sold as an exclusive design, you will get a hell lot of options with that dress.

!dM 24 003

As I unpacked my “Yve” dress, i first looked for the HUD, as I saw at the advertise, that it should be color change. Since the dress it self is mesh made, I thought you can change the texture and color by a HUD. But there was none and as I anyways was talking to Chandra, I asked her and she told me to just touch the dress… I was like… “oook but mesh you usually cannot touch, if it is rigged” but she just answered that if SL gives me trouble by touch only, I should just right click it and choose the option touch. I was very surprised after I touched the dress and got a menu. With the menu you can easy recolor the dress to your likings. The “Ivy” dress comes in various sizes so you can make sure you get one to fit your shape. As well you will find 2 version of each size for the dress, one metallics and one metallic material, where you can choose from. This dress is really a must have for all who dare to be different πŸ˜‰

You still have a few days left to get one of the “Yve” at the “The 24” event, but hurry only 100 are available and there is not too much left!

The “Dream” hairstyle and the “Wild Garden” necklace are one of the latest releases of EMO-tions. The hair style is perfect for any elegant or even fashionista look. The ears are free and you can showcase perfectly earrings and jewelry ;). The “Wild Garden” is a wonderful necklace of the mesh jewelry collection of EMO-tions. With the filigree lines in black and silver and the little decorations, that are added on them it made the perfect finish for my today’s look.

!dM 24 004

Details

Outfit: deviousMind (!dM) – “Yve” – NEW (mesh, The 24 exclusive)

Hair: EMO-tions – “Dream” – NEW

Necklace: EMO-tions – “Wild Garden” – NEW (mesh)

Skin: Silken Moon – “Wicca”

Eyebrows: Silken Moon – “Tribal”

Shoes: N-Core – “Infinity”

Stockings: No. 9 – “Special Vintage darker black”

Makeup: L.Fauna – “Smokey Cat-Shadow blue/black”

Poses: *PosESion*

Model & Photographer: Wicca Merlin

AVENUE Spring/Summer Fashion Week 2013 – Azul

AVENUE Fashion Week - Azul

Details

Gown: Azul – “Anima” – NEW (AVENUE Fashion Week 2013)

Shoes: N-Core – “Coquete” – NEW (Hollywood SwagBag)

Skin: Silken Moon – “Wicca”

Makeup: Silken Moon – “Cherry Blossom” – NEW & *LpD* – “Steam Cloud” (FFL 2013)

Hair: EMO-tions – “Noise”

Poses: Wicca’s Wardrobe – Poses – “Expressive Set” (coming soon)

Model & Photographer: Wicca Merlin

AVENUE Spring/Summer Fashion Week 2013 – Lush by Coco

AVENUE Fashion Week - Lush

Details

Top: Lush*limited*: Lush Has Ridges” – NEW (mesh, AVENUE Fashion Week 2013)

Pants: Lush*limited* – “Skinny Jeans” – NEW (mesh, AVENUE Fashion Week 2013)

Shoes: N-Core – “Addiction” – NEW (Hollywood)

Hair: SugasmacK – “Cate”

Necklace: Chloe – “Flower Necklace”

Earrings: Candy Nail – “Gatcha Toy Pieces”

Bangles: Paradisis – “Caprice”

Skin: Silken Moon – “Wicca”

Makeup: Silken Moon – “SM Eclipse Color Eye Gold”

Poses: Wicca’s Wardrobe – Poses – “Casual Jeans 002”

Model & Photographer: Wicca Merlin

[AD] Creations: Peter Pan – Puoi Volare

AD+MA PeterPan Full

β€œAll children, except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this. One day when she was two years old she was playing in a garden, and she plucked another flower and ran with it to her mother. I suppose she must have looked rather delightful, for Mrs Darling put her hand to her heart and cried, β€˜Oh, why can’t you remain like this for ever!’ This was all that passed between them on the subject, but henceforth Wendy knew that she must grow up. You always know after you are two. Two is the beginning of the end.”
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

AD+MA PeterPan Face

Deatils

Outfit: [AD] Creations – “Tribute to Peter Pan – Puoi Vulare” – NEW (mesh)

MAkeup: [MA] – “Dragoness Gold” – NEW

Lipstick: Silken Moon – “Wicca Lips Tarbaby” – NEW

Skin: Silken Moon – “Wicca”

Shoes: N-Core – “Stylus”

Hair: Son!a – “Lust”

Earrings: EMO-tions – “Liberty” – NEW (Hollywood)

Model & Photographer: Wicca Merlin