These are a few of my favorite things…

Right off the bat, I want to tell you that nothing funky or new was found for this post.  I wanted to do an article that was very close and personal to me.  I wanted to say something about myself that I wouldn’t otherwise say and thus show you all a side of Maev Ceawlin that few get to know.  And that is I am a huge formal junkie.  The first dress I bought in Second Life was a ball gown, the first hair I bought a romantic up do, and one the first places I searched for upon rezzing (which will be three years ago Saturday) was a ballroom.  I love to dance and it is one of the ways I meet people (it was how I met my fiancé).

So I wanted to share with you some of my favorite looks and gowns.  I am always looking for the next best thing, and my aesthetic has always been (and will always be) simple, graceful, romantic, and natural.  The same skins I wear for casual wear are invariably the same skins I use when in formal attire.  To dress them up, I change lashes to something more full and dramatic (hint, hint).  Shoes aren’t in this post, because they are usually hidden by the long gowns, but when dancing, the skirt often reveals the footwear so here is some advice:  get open-toed heels in at least two colors, black and white; while pumps are okay, they aren’t dressy enough.  Keep it simple; a ball gown is supposed to be about accentuating the waist, bosom, and visage, not your feet so always match as close as you can to your gown and please, no bling.

I guess it’s the little girl still within me that loved to play dress up, put on mama’s jewels, put some Vivaldi on, and dance around the living room with my biggest teddy bear, but I can never resist the urge to slip into something silky and exquisite, go to the more popular ballrooms and dance the night away.  I recommend the indulgence, even if you don’t like to dance; what better way is there to see what everyone else is wearing! XD

SySy’s is a top priority for me when it comes to gowns.  I subscribe to the updates and own at least a half-dozen of SySy Chapman’s gowns.  They are classy and well made.  I am a woman who, above all else, prizes versatility and economy, so Redgrave‘s pale Jennifer skin in smoky is a staple of mine.  The dramatic eye and pale lips go with everything in my wardrobe, and the ample cleavage provides the sex appeal where the dress demands it.  Aden‘s Suri hair goes perfectly with its flirty and romantic curves.

With Spanish flair, this gorgeous gown is from Son!a.  I saw this on another dancer at a ballroom I frequent and had to have it  The lace is beautifully done (with options that allow it to be opaque or see-through for those more brazen), the color rich and the applique detail at the bottom very graphic and modern.  League‘s Misty skin is just as detailed as Redgrave’s, but you get different cleavage options.  I enjoy how bright this skin is and its refinement.  The style of my hair has seen a trend recently, and that is that it usually has something to do with Truth Hawk’s ever-growing collection of delicately coiffed dos.  Here I am wearing Rosa, an àpropos title for an up do that comes with three different colored roses that you can interchange to match your outfit.  This picture doesn’t do them justice, they. are. gorgeous.  The attention to detail is absolutely, completely, and masterfully crafted.  I want a whole dress just out of the roses, heeheehee.

I told you I keep it simple, lol.  This SySy Chapman gown is as basic as they come; a rich velvety brown that drapes off one shoulder.  But how many times have I gone to the dance halls and all I saw was red, pink, and boobs?  Brown might be earthy, it might be neutral, but it stands out in a sea of color.  I always pair this dress up with Maitreya hair, because both are realistically made and go well.  I’m using the dramatic lip option that Curio skins come with, which is a blessing, because I would never buy them on my own.

Another important dressmaker that I have visited for years is Nicky Ree.  This woman has always put out a stunning gown and she’s been one the best in the business forever and a day (SL time).  This gown I’ve had for almost two years (I just realized that number and gasped; I had no idea I was that old lol) and I love the rich brown, but also the fun stripes in the top that make this unique.  Atomic‘s winter skins have been good to me this season; I love the shading on the cheek and the brows are the perfect shape for my face.  Fri.day‘s Quinn makes an appearance in this blog, being the more styled long length in my inventory.  The color and delicateness goes wonderfully with the skin and gown.

Kungler’s is relatively new on my list, and this is the only dress I’ve bought from there so far, but I am very impressed by their elegance.  This is actually a more avant-garde piece; with these almost wreath-like wrappings going down the back and up around the front of the dress, but I think the colors are amazing.  The wine tulle is brought out even more by the taupes and blue-greens of the straps.  To me this dress is very earthy and so I usually wear leaf earrings and a more natural hair style (in this case Maitreya’s Dylan in almond)

This gown is new to me and it’s from Skin Flicks, purveyors of fine formal and semi-formal wear.  I love the draping and light lavender color of this dress.  I feel pretty and ethereal when wearing it.  Going with that idea, I used a loosely gathered hairstyle from Fri.day, Jasmine2.  Tendrils frame and cover my face just as romantically as the dress drapes my body.

If you noticed, I started out dark, with the deep tones of passion and sensuality.  We end here with lighter shades of romance, bringing elegance and discernment to the forefront.  This dress is one of the few in my closet that comes from the same designer that I get my haute couture.  I must say that Lelutka has crafted a piece of the highest quality in this gown.  It’s just drooling with sophistication and realism from the sash around the waist to the structured bodice.  If I want to make a statement to all those I come across in the dance halls, I wear this beauty.  I usually wear Lamb!‘s bumped ponytail because for me it equals the simple splendor of the gown.

And there you have it!  My secret pastime is exposed!  Though I can’t say I didn’t enjoy immensely this article.  My jewelry choices here were from Luc (formerly Earthtones when I bought them) and I didn’t vary from this because I usually don’t vary in real SL.  I like jewelry to be complementary, not the focus, so I make them small accents in my ensemble (another good hint).

February 2, 2010 | Categories: fashion | Tags: (luc), Aden, atomic, ballgown, ballroom, contemporary, Curio, dressy, Earthtones, fashion, formal, fri.day, kunglers, Lamb!, League, lelutka, maev ceawlin, maitreya, medley, modern, Nicky Ree, party, photography, Redgrave, second life, skin flicks, son!a, sysy, SySy Chapman, truth, Truth Hawks | Leave a comment