Enlightening, Exhilarating, Extraordinary

Fashion Magic By the Waters of the Nile
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Enlightening, Exhilarating, Extraordinary is the motto of ALB Dream Fashion. The Africa and Moroccan inspired fashions by designer Analee Balut are indeed enlightening, delightfully exhilarating, and truly extraordinary. Drop in the ALB Dream Fashion main store and be prepared to be excited by the breadth and beauty of the fashions and items on display. At the store you will find quality clothing, footwear, hats, skins, jewellery, and accessories for women and men. And the fashions are to dream for - great textures and colorful styles that are full of grace and harmony. The store itself is a joy to shop in - tasteful, airy, Moorish and set in the exotic North African desert sim of A'ksha Dunes.

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ALB Anna Set

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I have four Annalee Balut designed outfits in my clothing inventory, and all are among my favorites. Today, I'll highlight a colorful and elegant outfit called ALB Anna which sells for $599L. Through the magic of Second Life, I took this Africa inspired design to Ancient Egypt to display its enchantment among the monuments and lost mysteries of the Nile. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

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Cascade of Colors

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The ALB Anna set includes top, flexi sleeves, pants with attached belt, long flexi front skirt, flexi flat skirt, and red pumps. The sleeves and the skirts are very sheer (so wonderful), and the outfit is a veritable cascade of colors. Note the exquisite detailing and patterns revealed in the above picture. I absolutely love the color orange, and so I love way the designer utilizes the color as a highlight to draw one's attention to the outfit and the wearer.

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You can create different looks with this versatile outfit

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This outfit is shock and awe. It guarantees you a grand entrance at any event. The outfit is also versatile and dresses down to some delicious looks. Remove the large front skirt and you are now wearing a sexy top and the flat skirt becomes a gorgeous cloak, very sheer and light. The white pants are a more prominent part of the look. It has a great texture and a colorful matching belt. As you can see, the white pants complements the flow of colors. Now, remove the flat skirt and you have a very sexy casual look that is fun and attention grabbing.

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Dressed down to a very sexy casual look.
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Hair by Analog Dog Hair
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I usually find the hair styles at Analog Dog Hair rather pedestrian and not well proportioned (much too large) nor especially well made. Imagine my thrill when among the dross I discovered some fashion magic. The hair is called Amber. It is flexi hair and sells for $350L. Amber is fabulously ethnic. The hair is pulled back tight and then set free to billow and flair. Its a marvelous effect. The curling strands of hair off to the side is a little touch that provides a lovely accent. Your Amber purchase gives you a several colors - black, brown sugar, brunette, cinnamon, and copper. I am wearing copper. This hair is a great find and is possibly one of the finest hair pieces to be found in Second Life.
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Daughter of Isis and Queen of the Upper and Lower Nile

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I hope that you enjoyed this look at a very exciting piece of fashion magic. I hope to feature more Annalee Balut designs in future posts.

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ALB Dream Fashion main store:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/A'ksha%20Dunes/185/74/51

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Analog Dog Hair

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Analog%20Dog%20Hair/126/204/21

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Photos were taken at Ancient Egypta, Egypt Valley of the Gods, Cultural Arts Museum - Ancient Egypt Tomb Exhibit

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Another Look at Spring Magic

Magic in Nantucket

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This picture is too good not to post. Click on the picture to enlarge it. I am wearing my early spring mix-and-match outfit while visiting the lovely seaport sim of Nantucket. I hope that you enjoyed another look at this outfit and are further encouraged to put together this mix-and-match and take a trip to Nantucket.

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Nantucket:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nantucket/128/128/10

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Early Spring Magic

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Spring will be arriving in just a few days. Early spring bulbs are already accommodating a landscape eager for color after a dreary winter. And the Japanese in me is looking forward to cherry blossoms, always the highlight of spring as the season’s most spectacular show. And we definitely need to start planning our fashions for the new season. Early spring presents a change-of-season problem as we have some of the vestiges of winter and not yet the full glory of warm spring sunshine. This fashion problem is perhaps best solved by mixing-and-matching to put together that magical outfit for early spring. Mixing-and-matching is such great fun. The sheer joy of it was wonderfully expressed by my friend Smidget Beaumont, ‘I love taking bits of random outfits and smooshing them together to make something different and a little funky.’ I recently smooshed together a few pieces to form an outfit for the season. Perhaps not funky, but maybe more smart and casual. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

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Argrace Beanie with Long Straight Hair
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March is the windy month. So I wanted a hat to cover my head and keep my hair in place. My sister Wynter (as Victoria) wears a very cute beanie that is perfect for the look that I wanted to create. She took me to the Argrace Main Store where I purchased the Argrace Beanie with Long Straight Hair for $250L. The hat is designed by Rika Owen. What is great about this beanie is that you can click on it to change its size and color. The colors are: Sand Beige, Daiquiri Green, Pink Mist, White, Rainyday Grey, and Black. I selected Pink Mist from the menu. The beanie can be purchased with hair or without hair (to fit over your existing hair). I find that the beanie without hair is very difficult to adjust to your existing hair. I would recommend buying the beanie with hair. It can be purchased with long straight hair or with long layered wavy hair. Available hair colors are Black, Blonde, Light Brown, Dark Brown, Red and Platinum. I bought the black long straight hair.

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This lovely top is also found in the Argrace Main Store and is called With You. As you can see in the pictures, With You is very flattering to your figure and has a wonderful texture. It is designed by Air Winx, the owner of Argrace, and sells for $300L. It is available in White, Wine Red, Browny, DP, Olive, Light Grey, and Black. I purchased Wine Red. Your purchase gets you two models, a long sleeve and a medium sleeve model. I am wearing the medium sleeve. With You also comes with a very cute plaid muffler that is perfect for when the March wind has a brisk snap.
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'With You' from Argrace Main Store
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White Satin Pants from Redgrave Women's Fashion

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I completed this spring outfit with the White Satin Pants available at Redgrave Women’s Fashion. The pants are designed by Emilia Redgrave and sell for $400L. You might choose to finish off your outfit by purchasing some great jeans at Argrace. But these white satin pants are one of my favorite items for mixing-and-matching. They do so well with so many other pieces. They are perfect for taking a top from one of your lovely formals and creating a less formal look that is just credibly sexy.
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Voila - Mix and Match Fashion Magic for Early Spring

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I hope you have fun creating your own mix-and-match fashion magic for early spring. And please go hanami (flower watching) when the sakura cherry trees are in peak blossom. Look up and view the blossoms against a clear blue sky. And take pleasure from the shower of soft white falling petals as they cover and spread over the receiving ground as if a spring snow.

Argrace Main Store:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/shin%20zushi/150/162/26

Redgrave Women's Fashion:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/REDGRAVE%20Womens%20Fashion/242/225/23
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Pictures were taken at Opar, my personal estate.
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Miss China Town creates Fashion Magic

Mousebi Erin, Miss China Town

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Our guest model is Miss Mousebi Erin, the reigning Miss China Town. The Miss China Town contest was the popular highlight of the Chinese New Year celebration held in the China Town sim, and it was actively followed by the SL Chinese community. The contestants for the title of Miss China Town were a collection of some of the loveliest asian women in all of Second Life. Mousebi Erin, a beauty from Hong Kong, was awarded this year’s title by popular acclamation.

A casual sophisticated look with a hint of intrigue

I was introduced to Mousebi while visiting China Town during the New Year celebration. I was shopping with Selina Heron, my good friend from China, when Mousebi walked into the store. As the newly crowned Miss China Town, she had a celebrity presence; but, I was even more impressed by her fashion sense. Mousebi put together a marvelous outfit and a look that imbued her with an air of casual sophistication while also hinting of intrigue. I could imagine her as the femme fatale to Simon Templer or James Bond. Selina provided the introduction, and, while we chatted, Mousebi would occasionally puff long on the cigarette held in her right hand to great effect. When next we met, I asked Mousebi to model that outfit for my blog. She agreed, and so I am pleased to provide you with the details of this intriguing look.

Mousebi is wearing only the top portion of the Lima Trenchcoat offered by Armidi Gisaci. Surprisingly, this works well in creating her look. And I especially love the collar on this coat. It is reminiscent of the film noir of Bogart and Bacall. The color is Hazel, and the coat sells for $325L. I have also recreated this look for myself; but I choose the color black. This works well too. The wide black leather belt is a marvelous accent which sets off the top from the rest of the outfit. The belt is from COCO and sells for $150L. COCO is located in the Cocon shopping mall of the Gion Shirakawa sim. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Mousebi is wearing the (F/Skinny) A001 Jeans sold by Armidi Limited for $145L. The color is Dusted Classic. These boots are terrific, and they are a great find. They are sold by L'Atelier Storm Schmooz Exclusive Second Life Footwear and are their Storm Schmooz Maitresse boots. Mousebi choose the color Chocolate. They sell for $500L. For my look, I choose Black Classic for the jeans and black for the boots.

Mousebi's hair is is from Mirai Style and is their Caly hair. The color is Latte. This hair sells for $200L. The finishing accents include dark glasses from Armidi Gisaci and is their Lifestyle Aviators. The glasses sell for $325L. Her necklace is from CeeJay's Miscellaneum and is their Isis Necklace.

I would like to thank Mousebi for sharing with us her wonderful mix-and-match fashion magic. I hope to feature more of her magic in future posts.
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Armidi - Hair, Clothing, & Accessories:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Armidi/134/128/25/

L'Atelier Storm Schmooz Exclusive Second Life Footwear:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sawsnake/157/238/23/

Coco:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Gion%20Shirakawa/66/176/42

Mirai Style:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Takaraduka/150/216/33

CeeJay's Miscellaneum:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lonicerae/73/201/418

Pictures were taken at China Town sim
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Lady Thera & Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh Spring Blossoms at Lady Thera's

Les Irises (1889) by Vincent Van Gogh

Cezanne, Monet, Renoir, Klimt, Pollack, Miro, Warhol. We do so love the arts, especially the great painters. So we should not be surprised to find that they have inspired great fashion. To find such art inspired dress designs, take a trip to Manitova Italia and visit Lady Thera's Art & Fashion. I spent a fascinating hour there viewing well displayed reproductions of famous paintings and delighting at the marvelous outfits they inspired. My delight was enhanced by having the fortune of meeting Thera Taureg, the owner of Lady Thera's and the designer of its creations. Thera is Italian and from Brazil, and you can imagine the friendly outgoing personality that results from that fusion of backgrounds. She personally modeled for me a number of outfits from her collection as we chatted. I found it difficult to choose among them and difficult to resist them. So I ended up going on a spending spree and purchased four outfits. I depleted my monthly spending allowance; but, I did acquire magic. It was worth it.

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Today's post will focus on one of my favorites among the Lady Thera's creations - Vincent Van Gogh Spring Blossoms. Thera makes textures from great paintings and then uses her talents to create fashion magic with them. Blossoms is inspired by Vincent Van Gogh's Les Irises. Les Irises was painted in the garden of the asylum at St. Remy, in the south of France, in May 1889. Van Gogh, suffering terribly from what is believed to be schizophrenia, committed himself to the asylum and was painting at a feverish pace as he believed it would restore his well being. His paintings during this period, which include Starry Nights and Les Irises, are considered his greatest work. Les Irises is on display in the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

This outfit is stunning. Van Gogh had a marvelous color palette which is on display in this dress. The details incorporating Les Irises are exquisite. Click on the pictures to enlarge them and see the details. The oufit consists of a double prim super flexy skirt, blossom jacket, gloves, under shirt, and under pants. Best of all, it is topped by a beautiful textured hat (capello). Spring blossoms is suitable for strolling uptown or clubbing in the evening. It shows off best against rich plush backdrops. Its movements on the dance floor are incredibly sexy. This outfit just flows. It sells for $990L. Costly, yes; but, you are getting a work of art.

The details are exquisite

Very flattering to your figure and incredibly sexy

Thera Taureg, owner of Lady Thera and fashion designer extraordinaire

Pictures taken at Opar and Wiseguys Social Club

Lady Thera's Art and Fashion:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Mitcom%20Experience/135/79/136
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Fashion from Bijou and Hair from Zero Style

Gig from Bijou

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I purchased this number at Bijou, at their main store in Bijouaholic. It's a new creation called 'Gig'. Click and enlarge the picture to see the quality of this dress. I love the details of the cloth and its folds, and how it drapes and flatters one's figure. The short skirt sweeps up in the back to give you a great look from behind. A broad black leather and coiled metal belt provides a finishing accent. I'm wearing the gold outfit. It also comes in khaki, beige, black, purple, aquablue, and yellow. It sells for $270L. To find this outfit, you must go up the stairway to the store's second floor where they display new fashions. Be sure to catch a look at the wonderful crystal chandelier gracing the stairway. It is gigantic.
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The hair I am wearing is from Zero Style a store that specializes in Japanese style hair. The style I have is called 'Dana'. It is flexi hair and comes from the Dana brunette collection. The color is Dark Cherry. The Dana brunette collection sells for $300L. Don't be put off by the display pictures at Zero Style with the all too young looking models. Yes, many of these hair styles are too schoolgirl (what do you expect from Japan). But there are some sophisticated style hair to be found here.

Side Look - Note the work on the sleeves

Rear Look

Crystal Chandelier at Bijou

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The main picture was taken in China Town sim.
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Bijou: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Bijouaholic/160/176/24
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Zero Style: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Zero%20Style/124/137/38
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What is Mariko Magic

Mariko Nightfire
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Mariko Magic is the fashion feature that I have been posting in my blog, Mariko Nightfire: A Virtual Life. I have brought these posting to this new blog which is solely dedicated to fashion in Second Life. There are some expectional talents creating fashion in Second Life. Some are well known and many deserve to be. I will feature them and their most magical creations. We all thrill when we find that special outfit that creates magic for us. Grace and Style. Sensual and Sexy. Cute and Whimsical. There are many elements that flow and mix to create fashion magic. It takes a special talent to get it just right. So lets go find these exceptional designers and their creations and highlight them here.

If you have any suggestions or have found some fashion magic, please send me an email at mariko_nightfire@live.com . Perhaps you already have some magic in your clothing inventory and would like to model it for this blog. Let me know.
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