Mmmm…Chocolate!

Who among us doesn’t love chocolate? Snapping a piece off and savoring a rich Belgium dark chocolate with 74% cacao, so sublime, or perhaps the smooth silky tantalization of your tongue when a truffle melts on it, or perhaps unwrapping the jewels of confection, from the box of Maribelle’s of NY signature chocolates, that never made it home. Just the thought of such a delectable can set your mind reeling and your mouth watering. Hold that thought…ok got it? good 🙂



Consider what it might be like if that special treat were somehow transformed into an exquisitely luscious wearable. Rose Morpork has done exactly that, realizing her vision in layers of lace and silk in her design of the Chocolate Feast Gown, a recent release from Paris Metro. And what a delightful treat it is, at once daring and elegant. The sheer lace bodice is trimmed in rich dark chocolate velvet to emphasize the tailored design with a raised collar and cuffs. The skirt is a cascade of smooth silks and lace that will have you arriving in marvelously good taste. Sounds pretty yummy, don’t you think?



Choice of accessories was rather easy, the exceptional Shena Inspiration set from Finesmith Jewelry seems just the right touch to carry on the bold theme of the gown’s design. Hmmmm . . . . the little wrapper on my Dove chocolate bite reads, “I deserve another, just because I’m me.” I believe i will!

Model/Photographer – KymSara Rayna
Wearing – Chocolate Feast Gown by Paris Metro
Jewelry – Shena Inspiration by Finesmith Jewelry
Hair – Sinnea by Amacci
Skin – Julie by LAQ
Nails – je::suis
Poses – Avante Poses

Jewelry Fair 2011

Jewelry Fair 2011 – The Elements has drawn to a close and we took in the sights and sounds experiencing some old favorites and a few wonderful new jewelry creators. With such a dazzling array of tempting designs i would like to give you a taste of some distinctive pieces i found worthy of special note.

The Enchanted Emerald and Diamond Ensemble from Lazuri caught my eye right away. One of the things i look for in fine jewelry is fit. My sister Sequoia, and other high quality jewelers like Zuri Lyric, pay particular attention to that sort of detail, so i guess i come to somewhat expect it. More about Seq’s sets in upcoming posts. This Enchanted Emerald and Diamond Ensemble, not only offers an elegant formal look but, it is a dream how well it contours of my shape. This set has already become a prime part of my formal jewelry wardrobe.



Sian Birke Jewelry offered a delightful Sleeping Beauty set, complete with thorny rose vines woven into the lovely chains and hoops. But, this is not just a fantasy set — every component is menu-driven color change! You can have a Rosebud, vine and even leaf match to your gown and choose your favorite metal as well! A very flexible and stunningly beautiful set , however the lawyers caution us to warn you, though this set may make you a “beauty”, taming a “beast” can be a thorny situation!



I must admit that i embrace the part of me that loves mathematics, i have this abiding fascination with fractals and fibonacci progressions and such patterns. If you share this particular characteristic with me wonderful! If you do not, well not to worry, you don’t need it to love Kerryth Tarantal’s lovely fractal-based Glass Bangle Series. Available in a spectrum of wonderful colours, you are sure to find more than one Fractal Art to Wear to tempt you, as well as creating any number of combinations. Spyralle at Kerryth Tarantal Studio, has quickly jumped up my list of favorite new designers jewelry designers to follow.



Jewelry Fair highlights would be never be quite complete without the incredible designs of tosy Xue of WTG Jewelry, tosy’s featured offering for the Fair this year was his Fragrance Ensemble. The fit is flawless, the menu-driven texture and color changes include five differnent jewel stones and every necessary metal texture. The set is not only beautiful, but a perfect choice for those particularly difficult matching up styling challenges.



Last, but by far not least, is Kimbra McMillan’s beautiful set Pearl & Ribbons from Beloved Jewelry. This set also comes with menu-drive colour adjust for every component. This ensemble can be set to work with so many outfits.



Initially i thought this would be perfect to wear with any number of vintage gowns, however when i matched it up with one of Meiling’s latest releases from BOSL Fashion Week, Ladies Who Bunch dress, i discovered it is SO very much more! After hearing quite a few complements on the set, it was easy to see that the Pearl & Ribbons is spot on to the current fashion. I know we are going to be seeing much more of Kimbra and Beloved Jewelry.

The Jewelry Fair 2011 is over but the trends and excitement will live on and we encourage you to visit the main stores of those we have showcased and others who tempt us and fill our imaginations.

Style Card

All photography by KymSara Rayna
Model – KymSara Rayna

Photo 1: Enchanted Emerald and Diamond Ensemble by Lazuri

Photo 2: Sleeping Beauty Ensemble by Sian Birke Jewelry

Photo 3: Glass Bangles Fractal Art to Wear by Spyralle : Kerryth Tarantal Studio

Photo 4: Fragrance G Jewelry by WTG

Photo 5: Pearl and Ribbon Set by Beloved Jewelry

Photo 6: Ladies who Brunch Ensemble dress NEW from MEILING Couture‘s “Last Train to San Fernando” Collection featured in BOSL Fashion Week

Peachtree Southern Style

Model’s Workshop is a wonderful gift to Second Life Fashion, an organization that promotes continuing education of models and photographers and a forum for the exchange of ideas. I have attended a few of the Photography workshops over time and enjoy the Monday evening chats sis coordinates. I had not necessarily considered and maybe I should more often, joining the Model’s Worshop Styling Challenge held on Wednesday evenings.

When I saw the announcement that the weekly challenge was a 1930’s theme, Neferia Abel’s latest release from Ivalde immediately came to mind. The Elvira Gown has such a refined gentility and I thought it might be a nice excursion into sharing something I have become quite familiar with styling. I was both honored and amazed at the end of the evening when the voting was concluded, that I won the styling challenge! It is always a treat to share Neferia’s designs.

Being from the south, I grew up to the stories of the well mannered and fashionable southern society. As I prepared, I was paused to ponder the many period photos I had seen of the ladies of Atlanta lined up in their fashionable post antebellum southern style along Peachtree and Forsyth Streets, anxiously awaiting the premiere of Gone with the Wind at Loew’s Grand Theater. That was 1939 and knew the Elvira Gown would suit the definitive look I had in mind.

As I explained to the Model’s Workshop audience, during the 30’s ladies from the south were letting their hair flow while “y’all up nawth were lopping it off” into finger curls. We also were still so very fond of our millinery, a woman of refinement would not be caught dead without a suitable hat for the occasion. However lovely we looked, there were the occasional gusty days no hatpin was large enough to keep our hats from also being “gone with the wind”.



I just had to include the Emma hat, which matched both the era and my vision for the ladies of Atlanta 1930’s outfit and went extremely well with the flowing curls of the Bettie hairdo from Analog Dog. Sadly this particular piece of fine millinery from Elegance Hats is no longer available in Second Life. The good news is that one of the fine makers of vintage shoes, Enkythings, continues to offer a myriad of designs. The Sulaco open toe style shoes are a perfect depression era look and the Clara Pearl set in Golden picked up at +Aurora Borealis+ completed the ensemble beautifully. Thank you to all who attended and voted this ensemble the best styled of the evening. Y’all come back now ya hear!

Model/Photographer – KymSara Rayna
Wearing Elvira Gown by Ivalde
Jewelry – Clara Pearls by +Aurora Borealis+
Hat – Emma by Elegance Hats (Designer left SL – no longer available)
Shoes – Sulaco by Enkythings
Hair – Bettie from Analog Dog
Skin – Nellie by LAQ
Poses by Diesel Works
Nails – Je Suis

For more information on the Model’s Workshop visit: http://modelsworkshop.wordpress.com/

Roaming the Galaxy for the Perfect Look

Paris Metro designer, Rose (RFB) Morpork, is amazingly artistic at creating a perfect blend of shade and light to bring out the vibrancy of primary colours, while creating depth with an overlaying texture. Her NEW Galaxy gowns are so exceptional in that way and the colours of each of the gowns are so complementary to each other that it was rather easy for us to decide this should be a collaborative post.

We slipped into our favorite colours from the several dazzling choices and set to styling. The vivacious Galaxy gown features a boned corset top, blossoming above to an elegant flare and flourish, the skirt floats with such delicacy with every move, highlighted by the tone-on-tone paisley design of the dreamy silk fabric.

As is customary and natural, as sisters separated at birth will do, we were equally drawn toward one of our fave jewelry designers, tosy Xue of WTG. His incredible jewelry ensembles were a smashing choice in adornment to the Galaxy, adding a flair and additional interest. Sequoia chose the Pappillon set to match up with the gold and KymSara the Blessing set to go with the teal.



When it came to updos, we both rave over the booN hair collection of hairbase coiffures. For starters, there are three versions of hairbase carefully designed to match the sweep direction of the main hairpieces. Also available are perfectly matched hair attachments to the the main hair. KymSara and Sequoia have used all of these options, which allow you to augment the main hair well beyond what is available elsewhere, to create very individual looks. We were quite pleased with the results and it is safe to say we will be back shortly with more elegant designs from all three of these designers, but for now . . . off to the ballroom!

Sequoia

Wearing – Galaxy Gown NEW from Paris Metro
Jewelry – **Papillon** ensemble by +:+WTG+:+
Hair – UPP382 hair and hairpiece NONO28 black by booN
Skin – LAQ

KymSara

Wearing – Galaxy Gown NEW from Paris Metro
Jewelry – Blessing Ensemble by +:+WTG+:+
Hair – Updo ZGO223 by booN
Skin – LAQ

Photography by KymSara Rayna
Poses by Behavior Body