Second Life Fashion

  • | | | |

    Who Really Benefits from Premium Plus Without Stipends? Creators.

    Bygogo Fashion, iheartslFeed, JuicyBomb, Second Life, Uncategorized
    1 Comment
    Who Really Benefits from Premium Plus Without Stipends? Creators.
    Photo taken at the Linden Casino!

    Second Life is rolling out a new cheaper Premium Plus plan this October, but it doesn’t include the weekly Linden stipend. On paper, it works out to about the same cost as the old plan with the stipend, but the benefit really depends on who you are in-world.

    If you’re a resident who shops, rents land, or just enjoys having a little spending money, the stipend is basically free Lindens in your pocket. It’s what makes Premium feel cheaper, because those few hundred Lindens a week can either go straight into your shopping budget or help offset the cost of Premium. Without that stipend, the discount doesn’t really give you more value. You just lose the free money.

    Where the new plan makes sense is for creators and anyone earning Lindens in-world. If you already have a steady flow of income, you probably don’t care about a stipend trickling in every week. In fact, this option benefits you more because it means fewer Lindens are being pumped into the economy. Less supply keeps Lindens stronger, and that helps creators when they cash out their earnings.

    There’s also a smaller win here for people who love playing Game of Homes (GoH) and having multiple homes. Premium Plus gives you access to the 2048 Linden Homes, and this new no-stipend version brings the cost down by about $100 a year. So if you’re mainly in it for the house and don’t care about stipends, this plan lets you hold onto a home for a little less.

    It’s also worth pointing out that with the real-life economy struggling, Second Life is clearly planning ahead. They’re looking for ways to improve their own virtual economy while keeping Linden dollar stable. A stronger, steadier Linden dollar benefits creators the most, especially those who rely on cashing out.

    But I also wish Second Life would consider the residents who aren’t earning any Lindens at all. For a lot of people, the weekly stipend is more valuable than free uploads or other perks. I have Premium Plus and almost never upload anything. This is where the new plan could backfire. Without a stipend, people may become more budget conscious. They may start to notice just how expensive it is to buy Lindens with real money, once you factor in the fees and the not so great exchange rate. Reminding people that in-game currency equals real money is not the kind of wake-up call Second Life should want to encourage.

    If Second Life wants to cater to all residents, they would allow us to customize our Premium plan. Imagine being able to pick from a list, no uploads, no stipend, no extra groups, etc., and adjust your subscription price based on what you actually use. That kind of flexibility would make Premium feel more tailored and valuable to everyone, not just creators.

    At the end of the day, this plan isn’t really for shoppers or casual users. It’s for creators who earn their Lindens, or for GoH fans who just want the cheapest way to hold a house for less money. Everyone else will find the stipend plan still gives the better deal.

    Still, having options is always a good thing. Soon, residents will be able to choose what works best for them, whether that’s weekly pocket money or a lower upfront cost with no stipends attached.

    Read more on these blogs:

    Read More “Who Really Benefits from Premium Plus Without Stipends? Creators.”
  • | | | | |

    Autumn Look

    Bygogo Fashion, Hair, iheartslFeed, JuicyBomb, Second Life, Uncategorized
    0 Comments
    Autumn Look

    New face skin! I’m wearing the new Briar skin from Amara Beauty. I haven’t been wearing Amara much since I switched to non-Velour body skin tones. Amara right now only creates skins for Velour tones, which makes it hard to match with whatever body skin I’m wearing. At the moment I’m wearing Session body skins, which only comes in four tones. It wasn’t easy to match, but I think I made it work.

    I like this face so much, it’s nearly perfect. I added a few of Izzie’s face tattoo fixes, but other than that the skin looks great right out of the box. If you like a face with defined features and a polished look, this one’s for you.

    Autumn Look

    I’ve also been wanting to blog about the Belle Epoque Reopening Hunt since August, and I finally got around to it now. You have until September 30 to check it out and grab 22 items for L$10 each. I love this dress so much, and I already own it in another color. The hair I’m wearing is a free gift from Wings. If you’re like me, you love a good freebie and mixing it with paid items.

    Now that Autumn’s here, I’m so excited to bring out all of my cardigans and sweaters. This beautiful Maple Cradi from Orphic even has a built-in hand pose, which I usually avoid, but here it’s cute and it works. You can find it at this month’s Anthology event.

    Read More “Autumn Look”
  • | | | | | |

    Magic Moments

    Bygogo Events, Fashion, iheartslFeed, JuicyBomb, Second Life, Uncategorized, What I think
    0 Comments
    Magic Moments

    There’s always room for a little magic in our lives. Sometimes I start rezzing random things on my platform that don’t make any sense at all, like twinkling glow blobs floating up behind me. But why not? It’s magical. Second Life doesn’t have to follow logic, it just has to look the way you want it to.

    Lately my Bridgerton obsession continues with this gorgeous new Fairie Queen crown from Sparkle Skye. You can find it at Engine Room right now, which is one of my favorite events. I love when an event is filled with historical and fantasy-inspired pieces, so if that’s your vibe, this one’s worth checking out.

    It’s your Second Life, make it sparkle.

    Magic Moments

    What I’m Wearing:
    Sparkle Skye – Fairie Queen @ Engine Room
    Wings – TF0710 hair
    JustBecause – Oaklynn Gown
    Everfaery – Amia Necklaces
    Glam Affair – Song (L005)
    LeLutka – Billie Mesh Head

  • | | | | |

    Session – Athena Body Skin

    Bygogo Fashion, iheartslFeed, JuicyBomb, Second Life, Skins, Uncategorized
    0 Comments
    Session - Athena Body Skin

    Now that my shopping blackout is over, I rembered that I wanted the Oaklynn Gown from Just Because. I collect a lot of their gowns since I love their style and color choices. When I’m not lounging in casual clothes, my other favorite style is Victorian lady, so I just fill my wadrobe with lots of gowns.

    I went to Session Skin to try on the Charlize skin, mostly out of curiosity. I had no interest in looking like Charlize Theron, but I wanted to see if it looked good in-world. That led me to trying on a whole wall of face skins, only to decide they all aged me a little more than I would like in Second Life. The good news is that I still came away with a gorgeous new body skin.

    Session - Athena Body Skin

    I wasn’t even looking for a new body skin, but I’m always open if something suits me better. I tried on the Athena body skin and it looked great with a few of Izzie’s fixes. The challenge was matching their four skin tones to my Glam Affair face. It’s surprising that they only offer four tones and no neck blend, which leaves you on your own if you’re wearing anything other than a Session face skin.

    Still, I made it work. I paired the Almond body tone from Session with Glam Affair L005 for the face. What you see here is not the bare Session skin since I added a couple of Izzie’s tattoos, but you get the idea. One of my gripes with the Ethereal Essence body skin I was wearing before is that the torso was too shiny, and they still have not released an optional layer to fix it. Another annoyance was how the inside elbow sat too high on the upper arm, which looks awkward when you bend your arm. Since I bend my arms a lot in Second Life, especially when holding things, I notice it right away. The Session body skin, however, has perfect shading at the elbow.

    Session - Athena Body Skin

    If you wear lighter tones and want to try a new body skin, these are worth a look. The toes are a bit of a blurry mess, but overall I liked it enough to fatpack. I would never recommend a body I would not wear myself. The definition is nice, and I managed to match it pretty well.

    Session - Athena Body Skin
    Read More “Session – Athena Body Skin”

  • Sweet

    Bygogo Uncategorized
    0 Comments
    Sweet

    The only thing on my calendar this weekend is the Spoonful of Sugar Festival. This event raises money for MSF/Doctors Without Borders, and I always admire the designers who donate their time to causes in Second Life, especially the smaller or lesser-known charities. Every year I look forward to SOS because some of my favorite creators are part of it.

    This year it feels like a lot of people might be skipping the festival. The Seraphim mention didn’t include a gallery, and even SOS’s own website doesn’t have one. That made shopping a little tricky, but I went straight to the brands I love such as Izzie’s and Alaskametro and found some great things. There’s even a gacha area if that’s your thing.

    Pro tip: Keep an eye out for a bowl of sugar if you want to grab some L$20 bargains from participating brands.

    Sweet
    Izzie’s – Age Yourself (BoM Layers) – Left: Bare skin | Right: With face wrinkles added

    One of the highlights for me was Izzie’s new Age Yourself set. Wrinkles and aging looks seem to be getting more popular in Second Life, and honestly, she’s scary good at transforming skins. The set comes in 50%, 70%, and 100% opacity layers so you can blend the wrinkles with your current skin.

    Sweet
    Alaskametro – Soft Brows – Left: Light brows | Right: Tinted brows

    I also picked up the new Soft Brows from Alaskametro. I never use the brows that come with a skin, so I’m always hunting for new ones. These are the perfect thickness, and they looked great when I tried them on. The only thing I wish is that they came with a HUD so I could play around with the opacity. I like layering BoM brows under LeLutka HD brows. On the left you can see the light colored brows, and on the right the tinted ones. You lose a bit of detail when tinting, but it’s fabulous that the option is included so you can get the exact shade you want.

    Check out the SOS Festival, show your favorite brands some love, and support a good cause while you shop.

    Read More “Sweet”
  • | | | | |

    Stillwater Village

    Bygogo Fashion, Hair, iheartslFeed, JuicyBomb, Second Life, Uncategorized
    1 Comment
    Stillwater Village

    Hello from Stillwater Village! I needed a pretty place to show off my pretty new teacup from Sparkle Skye, so I found this gorgeous estate and decided it was the perfect backdrop for these photos. The trick to crashing an estate in Second Life is simple: act like you belong. Stand in front of houses or public buildings, but steer clear of homes where people are inside. I’ve never once been asked to leave. Most estates are surprisingly welcoming to bloggers and photographers.

    A little bird told me that today is Truth Hawk’s birthday, so happy birthday to one of the most prolific hair creators in Second Life. Thank you for two decades of beautiful styles! One of my earliest memories is wandering into Truth’s shop in an urban region, back when he only sold clothing. Are you old enough in Second Life to remember that? It feels like things have come full circle now that Truth is releasing clothing again. This top might be a little nipply, but I don’t care. It’s cute, it’s still modest in its own way, and I love it.

    Stillwater Village

    I spent the entire month of August without shopping. I survived retail blackout and came out the other side.

    Now I’m back just in time for autumn cozy vibes and everything the grid has to offer.

    Read More “Stillwater Village”
  • | | | |

    Wallflower

    Bygogo Fashion, iheartslFeed, JuicyBomb, Second Life, Uncategorized
    0 Comments
    Wallflower

    Let’s talk about the little details you can add to your skin to make your Second Life avatar feel more realistic. Back in the day, I couldn’t stand imperfections. Every skin I wore had to be flawless. No wrinkles, no freckles, nothing. I still don’t want freckles, but I’ve come around to appreciating a few imperfections. Right now, I’m obsessed with layering Izzie’s Body and Face Veins over my skin, along with her Feet Veins and Toe Creases. I didn’t go heavy on the face, just a few veins around the eyes. I also added Neck Creases, which I never liked before, but suddenly I’m into this week.

    I also switched my Glam Affair skin two shades lighter, from L005 to L003. I wanted to stick with L005, but the face shading was way too dark, and there’s no way I’m layering dozens of Izzie’s fixes just to correct something that shouldn’t need fixing. L003 is lighter overall, and that means the shading is softer too, which works out much better.

    Wallflower

    Even though everything I wear is available to everyone and nothing is made just for me, I still feel one of a kind. No one else is going to make every single choice I make, and that’s what makes your avatar unique. It really does come down to the details if you want to stand out.

    Are you counting down with me? Only four more days until Blackout August is over. Rejoice!

    Read More “Wallflower”
  • | | | |

    Party

    Bygogo Events, Fashion, JuicyBomb, Second Life, Uncategorized
    1 Comment
    Party

    I left my platform and went to Alicia’s birthday party. In case you didn’t know, all the OG bloggers know each other. We go way back, decades really. If you cross one of us, you cross all of us… just kidding! It’s not like that, but we do keep in touch.

    For a long time, most of my Second Life friends were either bloggers or creators, but I’ve since expanded my circle to include people I’ve met around Bellisseria.

    I’m always open to meeting new people and making new friends. I accept random friend requests. If someone’s bold enough to send one, I figure I should say yes. I sometimes send random friend requests too, to people I’ve known forever on social media, though we often never end up talking or seeing each other in Second Life. I’ve always been notoriously bad at showing up in Second Life. Crowds and teleports used to make me anxious, but I’m slowly getting better at it.

    Since I’m not shopping this month, I have lots of free time and I’m finally ready to accept teleports.

    Read More “Party”
  • | | | | |

    Something in the Water

    Bygogo Fashion, iheartslFeed, JuicyBomb, Second Life, Uncategorized, What I think
    3 Comments
    Something in the Water

    Are you tired of me starting every post with Blackout August? Well, it’s day 22. The original creator of this challenge, Imogen Aurelia, deleted her link on Flickr and kept part of it on Facebook. I’m not even sure she’s still doing the challenge herself, but I’m pushing through. I’m determined and almost at the finish line. What this challenge has shown me is that I’ve been selective for a long time, so while it started out kind of painful not being able to instantly grab that new hair I wanted, it also revealed that I don’t actually love everything made in SL, and I don’t need to have it right away.

    For today’s look I dug deep into my inventory and remembered how much I used to love a brand called M.Birdie. I don’t think it’s open anymore, since the store’s Flickr is gone and the SLurl in the designer’s profile leads nowhere. I liked this store so much, but most of my items from them came through gacha events. Everything I have is made for Maitreya, but I managed to wear it with LaraX because this top is roomy and I used the alpha layers. If you still want this top, even though it’s at least seven years old, you can still find it on the Marketplace. If you know what happened to the M.Birdie store, let me know in the comments.

    When my friends heard I was doing this challenge, they gave me tips on how to cope with not shopping. One of them said, “You could go spend store credit.” Which is true, I could, if I even remembered where I had store credit. The truth is I don’t want loopholes, I want to go without. I’m still blogging for a few brands and new items are hitting my inventory often, so I don’t feel completely deprived. I decided to sit out on promoting much of it this month, but that doesn’t mean I can’t promote it later. The great thing about Second Life is that when brands create items, they can keep selling them for years as long as the quality is good and people still want them. There’s this constant push to buy new and wear new, but I think that actually does brands a disservice. A dollar earned from a new item or an older one is still a dollar.

    If you like the idea of Blackout August, you can start any time. Wearing items you already own shouldn’t ever feel like a betrayal, and it won’t make your favorite brands think less of you. They probably won’t even notice.

    Something in the Water
    Read More “Something in the Water”
  • | | | | |

    Bright

    Bygogo Events, Fashion, iheartslFeed, JuicyBomb, Second Life, Uncategorized
    0 Comments
    Bright

    It’s day 15 of Blackout August and I finally left my platform. I went to the FLF Bday Bash for the free gifts and it was actually really fun to click through everything and feel that familiar rush of new items piling into my inventory. There are hundreds of gifts here, so if you enjoy opening boxes and trying things on, this event will keep you busy. After spending nothing, I teleported home and put together my outfit.

    Even though I’m doing this no buy challenge, I have to admit FLF Bday Bash is a great event. Everything, even some fatpacks, is just L$50. If something still catches my eye in September, I will grab it then. For now, the freebies are more than enough.

    I found some really cute clothing at the event, but I ended up wearing the Maret dress from Pixicat, which was free at June’s Shop & Hop. Honestly, I still have so many Shop & Hop items waiting to be sorted and blogged.

    This photo was taken at Mirai Melody. I have visited before, but now it has a futuristic twist! I love all of the colors and chaos behind me.

    What I have learned on day 15 of not spending is that changing my outfit in Second Life is just as fun with freebies as it is with paid items. The feeling is pretty much the same for me.

    Read More “Bright”