Men

I was going to blog about My store "Menlosopy" and show you some of the outfits. I IM'ed Eve Express, designer and creator or Body by Eve Skins and Shapes to get one of her new male skins. Now Eve is my closest friend, just after Jula. I tried not to ask for a skin very often, because I end up with every fat pack she has.
Eve has been perfecting all of her skins over the last few months. I think she has perfected the male and female skins with her Sheen line!
Eve is very detailed when it comes to the body. She spends hours on the torso. Her back, torso and legs are some of the best in SL! (Both the female and male skins.)
So ladies and gentelmen if you are looking for an makeover you need to stop by. You can pick up some new skins and shapes from body by Eve (BBE), mens wear by Menlosopy, and womens, by Shouted Couture. I also have some killer ladies boots for only 50 Lindens!
There are only 5 shops, so your shopping experience is lag free! I think the picture above said it all "Hummm Nice"!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Borgatti/34/253/79

IM Kasen Kazan inworld and I will send you a landmark!

Aloha!! That is Aloha shirts from Shiki Designs. Time to hit the beaches, that is after you hit Shiki Designs for their new Aloha Shirts. Now I have yet to blog about gifts from designers, I feel that most bloggers will not be honest in giving a truthful review cause their gravy train might get cut off. After 7 months of getting items from Shiki Designs, I can honestly say that it is well worth the Lindens to shop there. If you are looking for that nice tropical look, waste no time getting to Shiki Designs.
The shirt on the left is Brown Ginger , the one on the right is Flowers. They retail for 220L's and that includes 4 layers, plus a nice prim collar.
Summer 2009 Aloha Shirts comes in 10 designs.
Yes I broke down and did this review on a designer's gift, but they do outstanding work, which is hard to find in mens clothes in SL.
So as you head for the beach, stop by Shiki Designs and pick up some Aloha Shirts!

Just Two Weeks!!!

I was very lucky tonight!! I was tp to someones private home and shown a sneak peek of a new mens complete fashion line!! In just 2 weeks, there will be a very big release show! Two of SL's best know designers have teamed up to create this Fashionista line for SL's Fashionista's Male.
When I say complete line, I mean COMPLETE LINE for men. The colors, the textures, I thought I was in Milan, at the biggest fashion show of the year! I begged, I cried, just wanting to own just one item from this line! ( and no amount of Lindens helped!)
So for the next two weeks, I will be in a state of sadness. Keep close by, I will let you know what I can find out. Till then men, start saving your Lindens!!

Is it worth it?

I was reading over some modeling academy's price list, It really is amazing how much some of these places charge!

Ewing charges 10,000 lindens!! What really gets me, is they set up an interview with people wanting to enter their modeling academy. I can see the interview now.
"Tell us why you want to be a model?" "Well if we decide to accept you"
Something tells me that if you was to walk up and fork over 10,000 lindens, they are going to accept you!
"After all interviews are finished, successful applicants will be notified and invited to register for classes. More information on the training course can be found at the EFA website"
Successful applicants? (I guess they mean if you have the 10,000L's.) At the end of their sales pitch, they go on to tell that some of their models have won so and so modeling events and such.
Is it really worth paying 10K to learn how to be a "model?" Can they promise that you will make back the lindens you spent on the course?
Is a modeling academy the way to go if you want to break into modeling?
Let's look at some of SL's top models and see if it is worth it?
One of the most famous models in SL is Mimi Boa, did she go to a modeling school?
Chalice Carling, has she went to one? The most famous model in my eyes, Jula Carnell I know for a fact did not attend a modeling academy/school.
She worked her butt off to get where she is today! I did have a talk with her about modeling schools, and she did say that they do help. If only to have it in ones profile.
So I would say that yes a modeling school can help. Is it worth 10,000L's? Only someone who has paid that kind of cash can answer that. But I do know that Le Belle Facon Academy offers, the same training taught, by SL's most sought after model (Jula Carnell). Jula goes that extra step in offering small classes. Jula will be the first to tell you it takes more to be a model than looking pretty, and she will personally walk you though every step in becoming a successful model. Le Belle Facon's 5,000 Linden course will teach you everything you need to know, that other agencies that are charging up to 10,000L's. Can we make you one of SL's top models? I am sorry to say the answer to that is "NO"! Only with a lot of hard work can you make that happen.
So if a modeling school/academy promises you, that they can make you famous, walk away.
But if you are serious about being a model, and are willing to work hard and put in the time, contact Jula Carnell, at Le Belle Facon Academy.

"When a designer makes a would be model buy her designs to be considered for a job."

The other night, I was doing some work at the "Academy of Performing Arts" when a notice from SL Models popped up. Seems that Ravissant's was having a model search. It had been awhile that I had done any modeling, and thought I would give it a shot. I had an application sent to me. I started to fill it out, then the small print caught my eye.

"Reminder: Please attach below a Headshot and a full body shot with an outfit from Ravissant desgins ONLY"

I had never heard of Ravissant Designs before, nor had any of their designs.
I proceeded to fill out the application anyway, figuring that they were looking for professional models.
When I got down to the part to put the pictures in, I attached a profile shot and body shot and added " (Sorry I don't own any Ravissant)
I will go and check out Ravissant's and see if I like any of their clothes, but I do not believe one should buy something to be considered for an modeling assignment. Just standards I live by."
Well I knew I would not get the job before I even sent it!
It is designers such as the owner of Ravissant that turn a lot of young ambitious models away from modeling. Someone just starting out as an model, would be hesitant to spend Lindens on clothes, without knowing for sure If they would get the assignment.
I do hope that designers would be more proud and confident of their creations, that they would not have to try and come up with with ways to get people to buy their clothes!
So Ravissant I give you a big thumbs down!

Butterfli meets Shouted Couture

by Thalia Svoboda
As I looked around Shouted Couture today a particular piece caught my eye, a mix of sexy sophistication and monochrome chic, I am of course talking about the outfit called "Fashion News White". The Outfit consists of a fitted white jacket with monochrome news print effect on both the high collar and cuffs, skinny news print effect pants depicting Betty Boop and various other fashion images, uber glamorous white boots with silver star detail and a rather classic looking chunky silver belt with black buckle. If that got your fashion buds tingling then you'll be pleased to know it also comes in black.

This outfit designed by the fabulous Jador Fashion is a perfect example of her timeless and almost poetic designs, with her extraordinarily high standards of detail it is easy to see why this Italian designer has made such a name for herself. One of the first lucky women to wear this ensemble was the stunning Butterfli Sorbet of LeBelle Facon Modells. I caught up with her to see what she thought of the outfit.

Thalia Svoboda: Hi Butterfli thanks for joining me

Buttefli Sorbet: What an honor ty :)

T S: Well firstly I have to say you looked amazing in the outfit.

B S: Thank you :)

T S: So what were your thoughts of the outfit when you first saw it?

B S: The black and white caught my eye first... Those are my favorite colors... Then I saw the artsy design and the sexy cut of the jacket.

T S: Would you buy this outfit if you were out shopping?

B S: In a heartbeat, It's a complete outfit, with matching boots :)

T S: It did look amazing on you.

B S: Thank you Thalia :)

T S: You are very welcome. So what do you think of the designers and the work they do?

B S: Love her... she is such a great designer... I did find Jador in the Best of Italian Mall a while back and I already had some Bolero creations.. I really think Italian designers are top of the line.

T S: So... tell me about you, How did you get into modeling?

B S: Funny story... I first started hosting... then got intrigued by my real life sister modeling in SL, then I met someone who was offering modeling lessons, however they turned out to be a scammer and just ran with my money, this very nearly put me off modeling until I met Kasen Kazan, and he said to me " Hey, come to LeBelle... I can help you" which is where I was instructed by Tula Howlett, she was fantastic... love her.

T S: That's terrible, sounds like Kasen and Jula saved your career in modeling?

B S: Yes... I owe so much to those two beautiful people.

T S: So when did you first hear about the shoot for the outfit in question?

B S: Well... Kasen was looking for live models and when he calls I run... hehe. I like to help him out as much as I can :)

T S: So what's next for you?

B S: Modeling... Modeling... Modeling... Hopefully I can make something happen lol

T S: Any projects in the pipeline?

B S: Well I am in the finals for the SL Elegance Competition which is on the 24th of April.

T S: Best of luck with that you have one more person wishing you every success.

B S: Awe Thank You :)

T S: Thank you for taking the time to speak with me

B S: My pleasure... anytime.

Photography 101

I thought that since Shouted Couture was having a photo contest, that I would write an article about Photography Studio, and Photography. Does a person need to spend thousands of Lindens on a photography studio? Will they make you look like a million Lindens?
Well the answer to both of those questions is a Big Fat NO!
All a photo studio does is put together in one big prim what you might already have in your inventory. Photo studios just make it easier for you to take the photo.
I have seen thousands of SL pictures over the last couple of years. I would guess that less then 1/4 of the photographers in SL used a studio. They just pop out a prim put a texture on it and Bingo, they have a backdrop!
The art of taking a good photograph is not having a 8k Linden studio, the art is in the editing.
Photo Shop, Gimp, Photo Plus, and a host of others is what makes a good picture. Also we cannot forget your poses and the angle of the shot and lighting has a lot to do with it. I remember doing a photo shoot of a model. She kept telling me to stop using the cheap free poses. Well those cheap free poses that come in photo studios pose stand, may be free and not that great of a pose but I was using different angles while taking pictures. One of those pictures got more positive reviews then some pictures I took using expensive poses. ( I end up ejecting that model)
You might also consider having your pictures taken by a professional photographer. I will tell you to be careful of photographers who do not charge much. A good photographer can take up to 2 hours editing just one photo. It is time consuming, and a lot of work goes into making that picture into a Beautiful Glamor photo! At Di Carnelli's Photography Studios we take pride in making your photo's look their best! Many of our photos have help models win contest, and help them break into the fashion industry. If you are looking for a professional photographer contact us. If you are just looking to have fun break out that SL camera of yours and start taking pictures! If you would like to take a class on SL photography contact me.