Exile has just released two new hairstyles! There’s also a mesh hair group gift (not shown) so if you’re dying to try some mesh hairstyles, check that out! 🙂 I love these hairstyles, they’re so casual, a lil’ messy, and totally girly.
I’m wearing the new Suspenders (on Jacket layer) from RezIpsa Loc. I think these suspenders are so adorable, and I was really excited about them when I saw them!
However, I did notice some texture bleeding on the arm, eeeek! This is an easy fix though, so I hope it is fixed cos it’s noticeable in some poses where the arms are lifted.
What I’m Wearing:
BOOM – My Milkshake Tied Tank (Sunshine)
RezIpsa Loc – Suspenders (Raven Black)
Fishy Strawberry – Billy Denim Shorts (Garage) KBoots – Engineer/Biker Boots (Black)
LaGyo – Mira Shoulder Bag (Pompei)
I was so excited to see Kuni at Hair Fair this year. It’s one of my favorite hair brands in Second Life. The textures look especially gorgeous when you turn on materials because there is a realistic shine that brings everything to life. It blends beautifully with SL skins and really adds to the realism of your avatar.
If you have not checked out Hair Fair yet, you definitely should. Every single item donates a percentage to Wigs for Kids, a smaller charity that could really use the support, especially right now. You get amazing hair and help a great cause at the same time. It’s a win win.
Flickr sent me an email recently, reminding me that my Flickr Pro subscription is up for renewal. I’ve subscribed to Flickr Pro for many years, dating back to 2007. The price was reasonable at first, at around $25 a year, then crept up to $50, now it’s $71.99! I’ve been paying for the subscription 2 years at a time, to get a slight discount. I did not know that Flickr raised the price so much, and wanted $139.99 from me for 2 years (this already includes savings). Before they could auto-renew my subscription, I went to cancel it to see if they would offer me any discounts to stay, and they did!
I stumbled across the Blackout August initiative created by Second Life resident Imogen Aurelia, and I’m honestly really into the idea.
BLACKOUT AUGUST A pause. A reset. A quiet rebellion against the noise.
We’re stepping back from constant shopping — not to punish creators, but to challenge a system that’s chewing up time, talent, and energy for less and less return.
Creators are burned out. Shoppers are overwhelmed. 💸 L$ are worth less. 🌀 The loop is unsustainable.
So we’re unplugging — for a month — to breathe, explore, connect, and remember what Second Life used to feel like before it became just another sales feed.
This isn’t a protest. It’s perspective. Not a ban — but a boundary. Not harm — but healing.
✨ Support sims. Tip artists. Host meetups. Style your inventory. Explore again. Let SL be about experience, not exhaustion.
Imogen Aurelia
Even though I love shopping in SL, I’m totally on board with taking a pause. A reset for 30 days to stop the constant cycle of buying, and just enjoy what I already have. Maybe even do something different in Second Life. What’s that something else? Hanging out with friends, exploring sims, playing a game. Just being present.
This isn’t about boycotting anyone. I love SL creators. I’ve been shopping and blogging for over 18 years. But even from the consumer side, I can feel the burnout. Creators are producing too much, too fast, and shoppers can’t keep up. I miss when a new release felt special for months, when we showed it off to friends and designers actually had time to enjoy the success of their work instead of rushing into the next release or discounting at a weekend sale.
If going 30 days without shopping feels impossible, you can still take part in a way that works for you. Maybe that means buying only the things you really love instead of grabbing everything just because it’s new or on sale. Personally, I’ve been buying less without even meaning to. My inventory is out of control — I’m at 93K now and trying hard not to hit 100K. I need this break just to organize and reset. That alone is a project.
Can you still enjoy SL without buying anything? Yes. Absolutely. Brands are always giving away gifts and store credit. Most of us have inventory full of unopened things. You can wear what you already have in a new color or styled differently. You can still support creators you love this month by wearing items that you already own.
Some people might say this kind of pause hurts the economy or puts creators at risk, but that’s a much bigger conversation. Most of us are just players. We’re not here to keep the grid economy afloat. I’ve spent years spending money in SL, and I’ll continue to support the creators I love, but I don’t believe it’s my responsibility to make sure everyone is earning. SL is a hobby for most of us. We engage with it how and when we want to.
So I’m trying out Blackout August. I might go the full 30 days, or maybe just a week here and there. But I’m doing it. You can too. Try it in a way that feels right for you. Let Second Life be fun again, not just a sales feed. Let’s breathe a little.
After I linked to my Ruthed.com post, a couple of people went out of their way to leave Anonymous “hate” comments that was neither necessary nor relevant. I have no issue with Yoko Leeroy’s pricing at all — in fact, I talked to her today, and now I have a clearer understanding of why her Pick was worded that way. It was rude, but she said that some fellow creators sent her IMs saying she was ruining their only source of income — which sounded familiar to me. When Eloh Eliot first released her skins PSD, some people also had the same outrage. And look where we are now? The skins economy is not ruin, and in fact, we have even more brands to choose from than before.
I am happy when I can talk things out with people who may offend me at first glance. I can’t say the same for some of you guys in SL though, who went out of your way to IM Yoko after my link and said, “I can’t believe what Gogo did to you!”
To people who went out of your way to IM Yoko, LOL @ YOU. It got you into her shop didn’t it? Shame on you, for trying to fuel the fire 🙂
I’ll admit to being a snob about template clothing in SL, but I absolutely love this Romance Tunic Dress from Toxic. Sometimes, template clothing can cuter than an original creation, and more inexpensive! I paired the Mint colored dress with the new Collide hairstyle from Exile (available at faMESHed).
The Cupcakes Anonymous “Kawaii Sleep Over” Hunt ends on September 30th, if you haven’t checked it out yet! I’m terrible with hunts, and couldn’t find all the things I wanted, lol. I love the Overnight Duffle (Hearts edition) hunt item from Lark, can’t wait for the full release with even more textures!
I’ve actually noticed this problem in a lot of work by really good designers…this kind of stray mark .. I suspect they are far more noticeable on really fair skin (like yours and mine!) — and I’d really urge designers to make sure they are checking their clothes on both really light and really dark skins … because as you say — that one is a very easy fix, and probably just an oversight~
You can prolly do a quick fix on it yourself if it’s mod. Make the sleeves shorter in appearance.I know this is not an excuse for the designer and they should fix but meanwhile you can still wear the suspenders and see not marks.
Hey Gogo, how are you getting the windlight settings on the new viewer?! It completley confuses me. I guessed my way through it and stil was dark. Any help?
I’ve actually noticed this problem in a lot of work by really good designers…this kind of stray mark .. I suspect they are far more noticeable on really fair skin (like yours and mine!) — and I’d really urge designers to make sure they are checking their clothes on both really light and really dark skins … because as you say — that one is a very easy fix, and probably just an oversight~
You can prolly do a quick fix on it yourself if it’s mod. Make the sleeves shorter in appearance.I know this is not an excuse for the designer and they should fix but meanwhile you can still wear the suspenders and see not marks.
This is SUCH a god tip!
Yes good tip. Too bad almost all clothing layers are no mod. As if that is any protection against a ripper. sigh.
Hey Gogo, how are you getting the windlight settings on the new viewer?! It completley confuses me. I guessed my way through it and stil was dark. Any help?
Ohhh! Good catch! I totally hadn’t noticed that! I’m putting them in the main store this weekend, so I’ll be sure to fix up the layers before then. ;D