Slmen – How Men Dress in Second Life ®

The Gallop Shoes from Kalnins are script controlled, where you can choose from eleven colors (light blue, light brown, white (shown on main composite), blue, green, light green, and grey, as well as brown, magenta, black and brown grey (shown in second composite). By clicking the left shoe, you can also control size, choosing from small, medium or large preset sizes as well as Size- and Size+ for fine tuning the size manually, and position control. Lastly, you can control the shininess (shininess is set to ‘off’ here), as well as accessing the landmark for Kalnins and choosing whether or not you want a walking sound (I find walking sounds unnerving in SL, personally).

These shoes are unique, featuring uncommon colors (although some classic colors are missed, like dark brown, burgundy, maybe a true dark blue), a long narrow shape so unlike most SL shoes for men that it’s almost disturbing, and a sharp design that matches both dressy slacks and jeans. They are copy/no trans, a great bargain since you get all eleven colors for only 500L.

Quality: 4/5 - Style-Originality: 3.5/5 - Usability (different layers, modify perms, amount of outfits put together with a single pack, sizes for attachments…): 5/5 - Price:4.5/5 - Value for money: 4.5/5

This grey cardigan from Kalrau is stylish and comfortable looking, with typical Kalrau texturing, a soft grey sweater over a subdued green plaid shirt. Because it only comes as a jacket layer, I miss having the choice of different layers, as it could conceivably be worn with a jacket over the top, or a coat. I wear sleeve fillers set at 6 to avoid “tight sleeve syndrome.”

Quality: 4/5 - Style-Originality: 3.5/5 - Usability (different layers, modify perms, amount of outfits put together with a single pack, sizes for attachments…): 3/5 - Price:4/5 - Value for money: 3.5/5

Ottico Numero 74 glasses, also script controlled, allow you to control the frame color, with a choice of pink, green, black, red or wood (shown). A classic, sturdy shaped frame and slightly translucent lens, allowing you to easily see your av’s eye color, make these a good choice for glasses. I only wish I could adjust the opacity of the lenses.

Quality: 4/5 - Style-Originality: 3.5/5 - Usability (different layers, modify perms, amount of outfits put together with a single pack, sizes for attachments…): 4/5 - Price:3/5 - Value for money: 3.5/5

Completing this outfit are jeans from Robin (Sojourner) Wood, available for a mere 50L, masterfully textured and tinted a dark grey, a ring from Mhaijik Guillaume’s found objects series, Exile’s Echo hairstyle in Greystone, and a bag sadly no longer available from Republik (sorry).

Style, Photography: Perry Proudhon

[Click on the picture to enlarge]

Showing Gallop Shoes by Kalnins in white.

Some available colors within Gallop Shoes by Kalnins [Click on the picture to enlarge]

left to right, top to bottom: Black, Brown Grey, Brown, Magenta

credits after the jump!
(more…)

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A while back, I showed another t-shirt from Hazard, part of a collection of quirky, odd shirts with amazing graphics, as well as nice shading and texture. Here, I’m showing “Disturbed,” featuring a crazy cartoon head (Max Headroom?) on a dog’s body. I can’t lie and say it doesn’t disturb me! These t-shirts come on several layers, both jacket and shirt, plus an underwear extension for low-rise pants.

Quality: 4/5 - Style-Originality: 4.5/5 - Usability (different layers, modify perms, amount of outfits put together with a single pack, sizes for attachments…): 4/5 - Price:4/5 - Value for money: 5/5

The new Gypsy hair from Defectiva is wild and fun, a mess of hair jutting out of a wrap that is script-changeable. I like Disembodied Hand’s hair work. It’s adventurous and unique, with nice textures and a playful air. Shown here is the classic bandanna pattern.

Quality: 4/5 - Style-Originality: 4/5 - Usability (different layers, modify perms, amount of outfits put together with a single pack, sizes for attachments…): N/A - Price: 4/5 - Value for money: 4/5

The outfit is finished off with the Reborn pants from Aitui, black rubber bracelets from Mhaijik Guillaume, and the Porn Star slip-ons colored in ‘Olive.’

Enjoy!

Style, Photography: Perry Proudhon

[Click on the picture to enlarge]

Credits after the jump!
(more…)

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I found this complete outfit at Exile’s Shop, where Kavar Cleanslate sells the many men’s hair he’s designed lately. This “London Punk” outfit is nicely done and especially generous with tons of provided items! In the pack, you will get an open black tank top on the jacket layer, a long sleeved shirt plus the same tank top on the jacket layer as well (not shown), a “spider trap” shirt on the shirt layer, a pair of red plaid pants on the pants layer with two prim pockets, two different studded armbands (left and right), two different studded bracelets (left and right), a double studded waist belt, two leg studded belts (leg and thigh), a studded collar, a full set of facial piercings. But wait, there’s more: you will get a blond mohawk as well! I’m showing you pretty much everything for you to see the possibilities, but you can play with less accessories and, obviously, use them put together with different outfits! Everything is modify and copy, and sold for a very nice price. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did!

Introducing some new boots from GutterBlood Spoonhammer. Like I said a few days ago, the former range is on sale for bargain prices and it’s the perfect time to complete your collection of serious boots for 100 Lindens a pair. The new “ROT” range is made with sculpties. With the same first shape, GutterBlood designs 5 versions with different finishes (all shown in the composites). They fit easily and can be resized to your needs. You can get the finishes of your choice for a mere 250 Lindens, which is more than fair!

Style, Photography: Ben Vanguard

[Click on the picture to enlarge]

Showing “ROT Polished Boots” from “GutterBlood Shop”

Other available sculpted “ROT Boots” from Gutterblood Shop [Click on the picture to enlarge]

Left to Right & Top Down: “Root Boots” from “GutterBlood Shop” in: Commando, Dirty Commando, Toecutter, and Corpsestomper.

credits after the jump!
(more…)

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Kobe Flatley has been designing for his brand “Mechanism” for a few months now. The “City Plaid Jackets” are IMHO the masterpiece of his first collection, showing an original style and nice textures. Each color pack (Brown, Deep blue, Deep red, and Grey, all shown below) includes all the layers you could need, a prim pocket, a prim collar and a pair of cuffs. Note that everything is moddable and copy, plus Kobe provides three sizes of each attachment. These are easy to fit, and the collar’s texture aligns perfectly with the jacket texture, which is not the case with a lot of other items!
They are also very fairly priced, considering the attachments provided.

Quality: 4/5 - Style-Originality: 4.5/5 - Usability (different layers, modify perms, amount of outfits put together with a single pack, sizes for attachments…): 5/5 - Price: 4/5 - Value for money: 5/5

[Click on the picture to enlarge]

Showing: mechanism city plaid jacket in Brown, Boon Pants CHN07, Exile Hair Mythos in Sand.

The pack of pants offered by Boo Kamura for Boon is a total steal. You will get a pack of pants in 8 colors (4 of them shown below), nicely textured, casual but with a slightly silky fabric that makes them totally versatile. They are moddable, copy-no transfer and the whole pack is only 350 Lindens. The best bargain to put together tons of outfits with. Go get them!

Quality: 4/5 - Style-Originality: 3/5 - Usability (different layers, modify perms, amount of outfits put together with a single pack, sizes for attachments…): 4/5 - Price: 5/5 - Value for money: 5/5

When I saw these boots from Shunta Watanabe for “Big Boob Boutique” in a Japanese sim I was exploring a few weeks ago, I had to buy them immediately! Okay, they are not easy to wear, especially for men, but I found these funky boots so funny I couldn’t resist them. The color harmony of the checkered material is very appealing. They are modify and transfer (so be careful when you mod them!). You can get them in two more colors, checkered grey and brown.

Also showing: one more ring from the “Found objects” collection by Mhaijik Guillaume for “Guillaume pour homme,” a new hair from “Exile,” “Mythos,” shown in four of the 30 great colors offered, and “Angel,” the blonde complexion skin from “Damiani.” Enjoy!

Style, Photography: Ben Vanguard

More pictures and credits after the jump!
(more…)

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With his latest release, Eponymous Trenchmouth (builder and texturer behind “JCS Shoes”) has reached the next quality level, one more time!

His brand new “Havana” sandals show nice proportions, which is a feat in SL, according to the poor characteristics of the avatar mesh at the feet and ankle level, especially on the male avatar.

Knowing that males’ ankles are especially thick (the more muscled an avatar, the more wide are its ankles for some strange reason, thank you LL!), plus that men’s feet are really wide, imagine the challenge for a shoe builder to make decent shaped shoes fitting those constraints. Epy is one of the few designers skilled enough to succeed.

“Havana” sandals are done the old school way, using regular prims. Sure they are a bit primmy, but they rezz pretty quickly without making you look like you’re wearing big balls on your feet for a few minutes (or more, depending on the lag). Their good leather textures are perfectly aligned and seams are almost invisible, even in closeup. They are offered in four colors: black, dark brown, mid brown and khaki (all shown below the cut.)

As you can see your feet inside the sandals, you need to set your feet big enough to get a proper look. The sandals are consequently wide enough to give room to the feet. Believe it or not, even when you use the small size for the sandals (and so, for me, feet set to 27 in appearance mode), they don’t look dramatically huge. I can imagine the amount of work that has been put into their building to get such a nice result.

Last but not least, these “Havana” sandals include a very nice resizing script, user friendly, low lag, giving you instant key access to 6 sizes, plus the usual fine tweaking buttons. This is the first time Eponymous Trenchmouth offers that feature, and his new releases will include it from now on.

Quality: 4.5/5 - Style-Originality: 4/5 - Usability (different layers, modify perms, amount of outfits put together with a single pack, sizes for attachments…): 4/5 - Price: 4/5 - Value for money: 5/5

[Click on the picture to enlarge]

Showing: Shai Conservationist Safari Suit in Grey, JCS Havana Sandals in Black, Exile Hair Echo in Greystone.

With their classy look and quality materials, Epy’s “Havana” deserve more than your usual board shorts. I chose to show them to you with the “Conservationist Safari Suit” from “Casa del Shai” (by Shai Delacroix). I had them in my inventory for a little while and didn’t have the occasion to introduce them on slmen. This is now done! They come in three color packs: Fatigue, including a brown undershirt; Khaki, including a fatigue undershirt; and Grey, including a grey undershirt (all shown below the cut). Each pack offers a pair of pants on the pants and underpants layer (perfect to tuck in boots without messing the pants’ layer settings), a matching jacket on the jacket and shirt layer (for a tucked look), and a tucked shirt, to wear alone or under the jacket, offering a discreet and elegant camo pattern (I would say “camo-chic” :-)). They will bring you a laid back but yet elegant look, and their colors are, as usual at “Casa del Shai,” nice and subtle.

Quality: 4/5 - Style-Originality: 4.5/5 - Usability (different layers, modify perms, amount of outfits put together with a single pack, sizes for attachments…): 4/5 - Price: 3/5 - Value for money: 4/5

Kavar Cleanslate, hair designer of “Exile,” released new hair for the hair fair. Showing today “Echo,” a cool mid-length hair, perfect to give a more trendy look to my outfit. Also a bracelet and a ring from the so poetic and delicate new collection “Found objects” by Mhaijik Guillaume for “Guillaume pour homme,” and one of the latest skins released by Kaoz Koba for “Damiani,” “Neo,” which would be perfect to express your dark side in the most attractive way…

Style, Photography: Ben Vanguard

More pictures and credits after the jump!
(more…)

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While trying to think of what to say about Swaffette Firefly’s new outfit for SF Design, I seized the opportunity to bone up on my art history. My first idea was that the outfit put me in the mind of Claude Monet, one of the founders of French impressionism, and I re-experienced the watery beauty of that amazing artist.

I went on to do a quick search of some other Impressionists, only to find Mary Cassatt. Mary Stevenson Cassatt (1844–1926), an American painter and printmaker, lived much of her adult life in France, where she first befriended Edgar Degas and later exhibited among the Impressionists. Her paintings “The Boating Party” and “Summertime” resonated most strongly, reminding me of the overall feel of Swaffette’s most recent release.

Then I thought, wait a minute, you high-minded freak, this is a blog of virtual fashion, not a crash course in art appreciation!

So here I am to tell you that Swaffette Firefly’s outfit is, as always, beautifully hand drawn and shaded, with an excellent eye for texture and color. The SF Design Henly, at 400L, is an amazing bargain for a feast of options on multiple layers — slacks, shirt, vest, jacket…

And Swaffette has done something I’ve been waiting for for quite a while…an ingenious prim attachment to the back of the jacket that eliminates that annoying hyper-fitting appearance (you all know what I mean, I’ve never had a jacket stick quite THAT tightly to my backside irl!). It comes in two different sizes and is easy to attach and barely needs adjustment, and naturally covers the back of the jacket, making it look even more realistic.

Quality: 4/5 - Style-Originality: 4.5/5 - Usability (different layers, modify perms, amount of outfits put together with a single pack, sizes for attachments…): 4/5 - Price:4/5 - Value for money: 5/5

I thought the Fleur Vivant men’s skin in bronze was a good choice to complement Swaffette’s artistic flair. This is a unique, soft skin, not known (and worn) enough, pleasant to wear, very reasonably priced…one that I frequently forget I have buried deep in my inventory! I need to wear it more often, I think.

Eponymous Trenchmouth’s Scratch shoes in sand/brown round out the Henly nicely, along with the Nimaj Gold Brick ring from Mhaijik.

Enjoy!

Style, Photography: Perry Proudhon

[Click on the picture to enlarge]

[Click on the picture to enlarge]

Credits after the jump!
(more…)

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This “Taxi Addicted boy” from CheerNo Destiny for A.C. Store is quite original. This complete outfit (including socks, short pants on the pants layer, shirt on the jacket layer, belt, hat and prim collar) won’t please everyone, and that’s what’s good about it!

I like it because it excites my imagination. I feel like it’s a futuristic taxi driver outfit, or maybe some cyber-punk private investigator outfit (because of the hat!)? Also, for some reason it makes me think of the movie “Clockwork Orange.” Anyway, it’s cool to have something different to show!

The whole outfit is sexy looking, with abs showing under the shirt and strategic highlights on the pants. The items are quite well done, with quality textures. The double belt is especially good, with nice badges on it. Attachments (belt, collar, hat) are resizable by menu, which is really useful, and every other item is copy, modify, no transfer. Note that you will get two pairs of socks in the pack, whites (shown) and yellow ones. You will get the whole pack for 520 Lindens. Many other outfits of this “taxi” series are available in store!

Quality: 4/5 - Style-Originality: 4.5/5 - Usability (different layers, modify perms, amount of outfits put together with a single pack, sizes for attachments…): 3/5 - Price:3.5/5 - Value for money: 4/5

It took me some time to find shoes I could wear with it, avoiding Converse like shoes for once Know that the racers from FNKY! work well with this outfit, and the Jaywalker from Detour as well.

I went for simple boots from Gutterblood Spoonhammer, Da Chic, that are not too high and let the sock show. I wonder whether GutterBlood will sell his boots for long or not, as there is no mention of them any more on his profile. They are still at Glass Earth, on the roof, at a discounted price: 100 Lindens only, a pure steal for moddable copy no transfer alternative boots. Go there to complete your collection and drag your friends, as I feel (but maybe I’m wrong) that these nice boots won’t be here for long!

[EDIT] Gutterblood has still a shop (direct tp here [Designer & Address]) , with new sculpty boots that are worth it! It’s confirmed, old boots will be taken down soon!

Style, Photography: Ben Vanguard

[Click on the picture to enlarge]

credits after the jump!
(more…)

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