Retro is back . . . hmmm is that redundant?

It seems that recently some of our favorite designers have been picking up inspiration from past decades. We even saw a great new sim, Spyderville, spring up with a completely fifties theme. That’s where we found these groovy Barbie boxes. Sadly, it is disappearing almost as quickly as it rezzed. But the timeless styles of the era continue. Neferia Abel continues to amaze us with her fastidious study of vintage era fashions, and her finely crafted vintage dresses. Sequoia is wearing one of her favorites, the Katinka, a recent addition to the Ivalde Fifties Collection. Kym is showing a brand new offering, the ChaCha dress, from PurpleMoon’s Vintage collection. With all crinolines and florals these designs capture the fashion spirit of the 1950′s, but can also be perfectly compatible with a trendy summer party today.We also continue to be very impressed with the expanding line of Hush Skins. Each new release is a delightful surprise!



I’d call your special attention to the fabulous NEW Blossoms Earring & Bangle set, which Seq made for me to go with this special dress.! It is available at Aurora Borealis. (Mention my name )



Sequoia is wearing – Katinka pink from Ivalde Vintage Fashion 1950 Collection
Hair – Scarlet Semi-Updo from Pocket Mirrors
Skin Amy in Glossygrape from Hush Skins
Shoes – Ribbon Slingback shoes from G Field

KymSara is wearing – ChaCha Dress – NEW from PurpleMoon Creations Vintage Collection
Jewelry – KymSara Blossoms Earrings & Bangles NEW from Aurora Borealis
Hair – Yara v1 – from CaTwA
Skin – Fay in “Temprting/Honey” from Hush Skins
Shoes – Absinthe by Nardcotix

On Location Lighting by LumiPro

And, with yet another echo from the fabulous fifties set in 1958 the film and play, “Grease” . . . PurpleMoon’s Sandy Dress. A sure hit at the drive-in or your favorite dance venue, or an evening cruise down Sunset Strip with the top down on the cherry red Corvette! Just to show how this lovely vintage offering can work for a current look, I’ve accessorized with jewelry from Finesmith and a most trendy pair of Fay’s Shoes’s Roxanne strappy heels!



Wearing – Sandy Dress in Cherry NEW from PurpleMoon Creations Vintage
Jewelry – Trivia Earrings & Swirl BRacelet from Finesmith Jewelry
Nails – Rave Reds from Finesmith Jewelry
Hair – Lolwa by CaTwA
Skin – Lily- Bewitched/Honey – NEW from <a href="Hush Skins“Hush Skins
Shoes – Roxanne from Fay Shoes
Poses – Morgane Batista Poses Shop

Vintage and Retro – Always in Style!

Things have seemed relatively quiet around Ivalde since the big flurry of activity around the Advent Gifts. The store has had a bit of a face lift, and Neferia is beginning to release some stunning designs inspired, as always, from her meticulous study of period fashion. She surprised us in the bleak mid-winter, with a look to spring and a delightful little Fifties frock – the Roseann –  in a  fresh bouquet of pastel chiffon.Just the thing to brighten your spirits while waiting for the snow to melt! Sequoia took one look and went to work designing a matching jewelry set. Her Roseann Floral Pearls are available at Aurora Borealis, just across the island from Ivalde.



Model – Sequoia Nightfire
Photographer – KymSara Rayna
Wearing – Roseann pink Dress NEW from Ivalde Vintage Fashion 1950 Collection
Hair – Posh-A-Browns by ICONIC
Jewelry – Roseann Floral Pearls NEW from Aurora Borealis
Shoes -*GF* Ribbon Slingback Shoes by G Field
Skin – LAQ
Poses – Morgane Batista Pose Shop



The latest addition to the Sixties Collection at Ivalde is the Elsa, a sillouette-hugging, sequinned cocktail dress with the classic stand up collar. Available in six jewel tone colors, this stunning number is turning heads at SL’s popular jazz clubs.

Model & Photographer – KymSara Rayna
Wearing -Elsa Sequin Dress NEW from Ivalde Vintage Fashion 1960 Collection
Glasses – Dorothy Cateye by PurpleMoon
Hair – Mochi by Analog Dog
Skin – April by LAQ
Shoes – Pinup pumps by Stiletto Moody
Poses by Morgane Batista Pose Shop



From the Sixties back we go to the Thirties with an exquisitely detailed dress named in honor of Gina Ventris, the winner of the recent Black Magic Styling Competition**. The Gina combines a rich deep velvet full skirt with a subtle floral-patterned silk top and matching bow at the low cut back. While clearly this gown reflects a high fashion thirties origin, it is equally appropriate for that special evening at SL’s trendiest ballrooms.



Model & Photographer – KymSara Rayna
Wearing – Gina Gown NEW – From Ivalde Vintage Fashion 1930′s Collection
Jewelry – Floral Ensemble NEW from WTG Jewelry
Hair – Labonya by Damselfly
Skin – Molly by LAQ
Poses by Avante
On Location Lighting by LumiPro

** In addition to all the wonderful vintage and retro designs from Ivalde, you might want check out their opportunities to participate in styling contests and win prizes such as Gift Certificates and a new outfit named for you!

Country Chic: Summer Lace

Yesterday was a big day on the Ivalde sim, the first part of the NEW summer Country Chic Collection from L`Abel was released. Neferia Abel has brought an attitude of style that is both flirty, feminine and way cool comfortable. She has brought a contemporary update of a classic look and feel to her L`Abel Summer collection using the coolest summer-weight cotton fabrics to include such wearable, lovable, fashionable, adorable, covetable and most comfortable pieces that i hardly know where to begin



We were struck at first by a few highlights of this collection right from the outset. Nef has used an absolutely dreamy collection of finely tatted lace fabrics as accent and focal points. This provides a connection to her vintage styles, but with a totally fresh and sassy perspective that is perfect for this season’s fashion trend of Boho Chic. Neferia’s colour palette is perfect to bring out the soft lines of these special pieces! We have been waiting so long for a collection that could offer so much in the way of soft pastels and distinctive bright florals, with a bonus of lace embellishment, to mix and match our to our attitude and style.

The Enna in lavender is so perfectly Kymmie! Soft and crisp in pastel with fine lace accents, you will have the option of a full skirt which could be worn at the waist or babydoll style or the adorable tunic top for a more casual look with the bloomer style pants. Kym was able to, of course, find the perfect hat in the GoS floppy hat with colour change scarf she has turned to the lavender to match.

Sequoia is all in white, wearing the Jessica White Lace in the long skirt version. What wonderfully fine detailed work on the bodice and well along the waistline and hemline of the 100% lightweight cotton dress. This set is full of finely hand tatted lace overlay and fringe from the long skirt version, seen here, to the many other options including baby doll version and lace cuff bloomers version with a both a long and short tunic. Soft cool feminine sass! complete with a bit of “tude”, which was easy for Seq to manage with her additions of the G Field Short Western Boots and Western hat from Hatpins.Tosy Xue has just released the NEW Kaleidescope set from WTG, in various colours and metals, Seq is adorned in the long silver and beaded necklace with a filigree pendant, a perfect length for this summer look. The nails are also from WTG, called Magna Mater.

Style Cards

Model/Photographer – KymSara Rayna
Wearing – Enna from NEW L`Abel 2011 summer Country Chic Collection Part 1
Shoes – GoS Espadrilles
Hat – Gos Floppy hat with Scarf
Skin – Emma by Tuli
Hair – Evi – by Maitreya

Model – Sequoia Nightfire
Wearing – Jessica White Lace Set from NEW L`Abel 2011 summer Country Chic Collection Part 1
Boots – Short Western boots by G Field
Hat – Heather Western Hat – White from Hatpins
Skin – LAQ
Hair – Maryam by CaTwA
Jewelry&Nails – WTG Kaleidescope necklace and earrings & Magna Mater nails

Exquisitely Set for a Holiday Hunt

The holiday season always seems to bring out the best of some of our wonderful SL designers. We will be taking a look at some of the seasonal designs during December. A Second Life tradition that we look forward to each year is the Peace on Earth Gridwide Hunt [POE] – now in its 3rd year! My Dear Sis and co-conspirator on the Notions Blog, is also the founder and organizer of the POE3. This year she created a lovely Antique Cameo Jewelry set which is the first gift in the hunt which features 280 of SL’s best. This set from ABJ [Aurora Borealis Jewelry] is a very Victorian themed set, a perfect match for Ivalde’s Holiday edition of the Dorothea gown. However upon trying it with other new and current release holiday gowns i discovered that it also works extremely well. The detail is exquisite and the poinsettia cameo is timeless. The hunt begins at ABJ [Aurora Borealis Jewelry], Happy hunting! for more on POE3 visit the blog at: http://peaceonearthhunt.wordpress.com/ ~ kym



Photographer/Model – KymSara Rayna
Wearing – Dorothea Holiday Edition from Ivalde Vintage fashion
Skin – Molly by LAQ
Hair – QPT129 by Boon
Jewelry – Antique Christmas Cameo Set by Aurora Borealis Jewelry (ABJ)
Poses – Glitterati

52 Weeks of Color Challenge: Sepia

My turn Kymmie! Worth the wait! This week Luna Jubilee’s 52 Weeks of Color Challenge called for Sepia. This stimulated thoughts of both Vintage dresses and vintage photos. I recalled all those worn old photo albums with curled faded photographs with warm toned shots of relatives and friends of my parents and grandparents. Kym’s thought was to see if we could find a suitable mix of old and new. I am wearing the Elisabeth from Ivalde’s 1950′s Collection which is a beautiful example of the post war return to femininity that came back into fashion in the mid to late forties into the 50′s. Though sepia was more from earlier period we wanted to see what it might have looked like say around this date in a Texas city studio 60 years ago. Notice i am indoors so no need for my gloves which every lady would have worn then .



Clothes: Elisabeth from Ivalde Vintage Fashion
Hair: Lilly – Natural Blond from Tukinowaguma
Skin: Kimberly Tan from Free Speerit with LAQ blond eyebrows
Shoes: *GF* Slingback shoes from G Field
Jewelry: Eolande’s basic essentials delicate pearl set

When A Brodway Baby Says Goodnight

Chocolate Covered Cherry seems such an odd name for a dress, however, one can’t help but think YUMMY with this sweet little confection from Geryn Sloane (G. Sloane Couture). The elegant floral embroidery and delicate lace trim are reminiscent of an earlier era, and moved me back to Old New York as a setting for the shoot. But, this lovely creation is at once appropriate for the most modern of Broadway Babies to look and feel spectacular for those very special events. ~ Kym

The Age of Aquarius

Someone has rightly said that a visit to Ivalde is like a trip through fashion history. Neferia Abel carefully researches each era that she designs for to be certain that her historically inspired creations are consistent with the look, feel and even the fabric that was in vogue at the time. The Skylar dress captures the spirit of the 60′s so well and is a perfect choice for that Age of Aquarius look.