Body Positive: Introduction
[Update] SL is acting out one more time, and I just can’t take decent pictures today. Skin and clothes textures don’t show. I’m stuck with some I don’t even want to use for this post. I’m very sorry for the delay! Today I’m just posting the introduction to the new ‘Body Positive” series, hoping that tomorrow will be a better SL day :-)[/]
Today I’m starting a new series of posts called “Body Positive.” By popular demand, I will show skins, shapes and, to stay in the fashion mood, I will compliment them with underwear and swimwear.
Skins and shapes are utterly personal. That is the reason why my choice criteria for them will be different, especially for shapes. I won’t show only skins and shapes I like; otherwise I would only show you the skins I wear on a daily basis and my own shape, which is not for sale!
I tried to find skins I could recommend to friends, even if I wouldn’t wear them myself. I mean they maybe aren’t my taste each time, but I consider them good or very good skins. My choices, as usual, are personal and, of course, you could disagree with them. None of the skins designers I had to contact for this series of reviews refused me sample products, by the way. (As I already owned the skins I wear on a daily basis for my private use, I didn’t have to ask for them - not sure I could get them as samples, though.) So one more time, if you don’t find a skin you know in a “Body Positive” post, it’s probably because I haven’t considered it good enough. Let’s say maybe I forgot a pair of good skins, but you won’t find a bad one here. 
Shapes were more delicate. One of the reasons why I decided to show shapes was I didn’t want to show myself on slmen almost naked! 
I did that once and I decided I wouldn’t do it again. Yes, it’s totally ridiculous, but I am what I am! I’m crazy deeply identifying myself with my avatar when I’m online.
The main reason for shape reviews was the continued demands from people. I know that a lot of people, including me, thought that it’s not so complicated to build a shape. Not true. It’s easy to have a human figure, less so to obtain what you really want. Everyone doesn’t have the skills and/or time for that. And, as with clothes, I thought I could help people to choose from the tons of shapes we can find in SL.
So I made a selection, mostly from SLX and SL boutique because, as usual, I am terribly short on time. I know that not all shape makers are on SLX or SL boutique, so if you have names or addresses of MODIFY shape makers, please drop me a note card in world or leave a comment here. I will be happy to contact the creator to ask them for samples (this is true for skins as well, although I know them a little better from being a customer).
My first and absolute criteria is to get only MODIFY shapes.
I will explain in a following post all the reasons why in detail, along with advice to help you in your choice. But please if you have to follow only one recommendation, follow this one: NEVER BUY A NO-MODIFY SHAPE. That way, you will at least be able to perfectly fit shoes and sandals you can find in SL, and slightly and simply modify the size of your head to fit hair, which is enough in many cases, rather than having to edit the hair itself, which is much more difficult and tiresome. And for many others reasons too, so more to come!
I know, I know, shape makers will tell you they set their shapes to ‘no modify’ to avoid having thieves copy their work, blah blah blah. I perfectly understand their concern, and I’m the first to blame the copycat and the thieves. But as a SL fashion magazine editor, my purpose is to promote quality work from great designers, of course, and ethical, customer-respectful commercial practices as well, so I can’t bear the idea that the huge majority of honest customers have to pay the price for copy-protection practices. I can add that very good shape makers have been selling modify shapes for a long time, and their business seems pretty healthy.
The second criteria is faces. Bodies are easier to modify, faces more tricky. So i selected realistic faces. I tried to choose various realistic faces, pretty ones, but not only!
Hope you will enjoy these posts!
