Fashion Highlight: Envious; A Bit of Goth, a little Fancy, Sometimes a Mix -Becca Drascol Reporting

Style & Something that's "you"

When looking for fashion in SL, I like to look for outfits and shoes that make my av look like I want her to. A style and personality that says a lil real life me, a lil fantasy...she becomes what I wish.  I like a bit of goth, a little fancy, sometimes a mix. One designer I really like the style of, is Envious.  From something on the riskier edge of hot to a bit classier, I can easily say Envious has variety.

Envious Main Store:

With an inworld store as well as marketplace you're free to shop whichever is your preferred way. I personally am a MP shopper, but when I stopped at the Envious mainstore I found the setting a large but cozy feeling. I liked the layout of the store, as well as the fountain out in the open area surrounding. To shop Envious via MP here’s the store link 

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/31927

To shop inworld you’ll find the main store here:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sim%20Style/206/100/2503

Interview with Envious Owner/Creator SayaNicole Cuttita:

Becca Drascol:  Can you tell me a little about Envious and what inspired it?

SayaNicole Cuttita: Well envious started in 2008. Back then I couldn't really find clothes that completely fit my style or personality. So I started looking into creating my own clothing and Envious was born. So I guess you could say my own desire to be unique is what inspired Envious.

Becca Drascol: I ike that J What do you see happening with your fashion line this Fall?

SayaNicole Cuttita: oh wow, I honestly don't know lol I never really plan anything for Envious, I kind of just create something that matches my mood. Which is probably why I end up making Winter fashion in the middle of Summer lol. I'm kind of backwards.

Becca Drascol: Gotta do what works for you, seeing as fashion is about creation. I really appreciate this.

SayaNicole Cuttita: It's np :) you're popping my interview cherry haha.

Becca Drascol: Which would you say was easier for you, creating before Slink, Lola and other enhancements like mesh bodies or after?

SayaNicole Cuttita: Well I won't say that creating for the various mesh enhancements is difficult. It's just become extremely time consuming. I do miss SL before all the different bodies just from a creation stand point because it does take extra time to get new designs out when having to load different types of applier hud's, or rigging something to multiple different bodies. But some of them really have made SL look so much better. And appliers have become easier with the omega system being around, that cut down on a lot of time :)

Becca Drascol: Agreed, and I can totally see that from your viewpoint. Would you say any RL fashion inspired your style?

SayaNicole Cuttita: Oh definitely, I think RL Fashion inspires every creator in secondlife.

Becca Drascol: Of course. Would you say more  like Goth, Emo and Casual? Anything you feel made Envious style what it is?

SayaNicole Cuttita: Envious is definitely a reflection of myself. I tend to hop around a lot between all the styles goth, punk, preppy, you name it. While RL fashion does inspire a small portion  I think I get more inspiration from music. It puts you in a mood and you tend to portray that in your design. And if you've followed my designs you can probably tell what days I was listening to rock or pop music lol . (hopefully this answers your question I'm probably failing lol)

Becca Drascol: No, you’re fine. That's a great answer from the heart.

I found Saya to be delightful, witty and lighthearted, quite pleasant to talk with. A creator that put a piece of her own style and sense of fashion within SL through her own line of fashion. A dream of having something she desired in SL and making it come true. And it's this reporter's view that all fashion rather in the real world or our virtual one, is a passion and style of each creator's own. A passion and style that makes it easy for us shopping to make ourselves into whatever we wish. To have a look that not only supports a creator's desire to have their fashion out there, but allows us all to express ourselves via what we wear and how we wear it. So for those of you looking for some good ole made from the heart fashion definitely check out Envious.

Marketplace : https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/31927

Shop inworld http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sim%20Style/206/100/2503

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Fashion Highlight: Mesh Head clothing - Becca Drascol Reporting

Great Mesh & a Good Deal:

Mesh, along with Slink, Lola and other enhancements within SL are the big thing. Normally what’s in, means that you have a variety of choices but also a variety of price ranges and different fashion options. And rather you shop for mesh online via SL Marketplace, or inworld via the store, you can find many designers with great fashion. But if it’s great biker/rocker mesh and a good deal you’re looking for, I completely recommend Mesh Head. The main store is not only large with tons to select from, but has affordable prices which is always a thumbs up to me. One feature I like of this store is, a non-demo item will receive a refund if you are unhappy with the fit. This is a bonus when dealing with mesh clothing. Unlike some people I rarely ever will change my shape to work with an outfit. You can find the main store here: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Elara/13/159/24

And for shopping via marketplace you can find Mesh Head here: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/103109

It was while at the main store inworld that I chose to inspect the sales floor conveniently reached by teleporter. Plenty of designs can be found on the sales floor for 60 L. This makes a girl so very tempted to spoil herself or loved ones with some awesome mesh. I also took note of at least two free mesh clothing in the sale area. For sure not only tempting but well worth it.

Interview with creator FrancescoCarrera Resident:

Becca Drascol: First tell me a little about Mesh Head and the inspiration behind it

FrancescoCarrera Resident: Have been doing it for over 2 years now, when the mesh clothing was introduced into SL I thought I'd give it a go, I'm a designer RL so was easy enough to do nice textures in Photoshop. I'm a bit of a rocker RL so thought I'd supply stuff that I like myself to the rockers and bikers of SL. It's quite a large target audience in here so as long as I make nice stuff I figured people would buy it. I keep my prices affordable to everybody which helps me sell a lot and people get good clothes at a reasonable cost without having to break the bank.

Becca Drascol: What trends do you see coming up for Fall?

FrancescoCarrera Resident: I don't really do seasonal stuff, I just make whatever comes into my head at that moment in time. I guess Autumnal colours would be the standard earth tones and stuff like that, maybe warmer outfits.

FrancescoCarrera Resident: You’re always safe with black and skulls for bikers and rockers.

Becca Drascol: Right.

Becca Drascol: Do you think there's something that makes your designs stand out from other designers that do biker/rocker looks?

FrancescoCarrera Resident: I try to be different in my range of clothes but I don’t really look at other designers stuff, I like to make sure my textures are sharp and add little extras like detailed stitching and quality logos. I think that's more of a question for my customers, I just do my best and make sure they get a quality product at an affordable price.

Becca Drascol: Right. I actually took a moment to check out the sale floor while at the store, and was pleased to see such great clothes at affordable prices but also felt the normal prices were comfy.

FrancescoCarrera Resident: I'm glad you think so. I add to the sale room now and again, that's older stuff from when I first started. I like to think all the newer stuff is a little better as things develop.

Becca Drascol: Lola enhancement has become a big thing in SL, do your see yourself adding the applier to you female line?

FrancescoCarrera Resident: Not sure, it's something I've thought about but not got around to it yet. Maybe the new mesh avis have made the Lola add-on redundant so I'm kind of one the fence on that one.

Becca Drascol: Understandable and perhaps something that is a little unique to you.

Becca Drascol: I want to thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me and ask if you have anything special you would like to add?

FrancescoCarrera Resident: Not really, I can answer more questions of you wish but I'm good so far :)

Becca Drascol: Oh yes, I did want to ask if the main store is the only location right now?

FrancescoCarrera Resident: I have satellite stores around SL, maybe 5 or 6.

Becca Drascol: Very nice.

FrancescoCarrera Resident: Not too many though, it's a lot of work keeping them up to date.

Becca Drascol: Do you ever or have you sponsored clubs or other venues?

FrancescoCarrera Resident: Yeah I do quite a few, send gift card and stuff. I sponsor Autism Awareness and Relay for Life also.

Becca Drascol: That's wonderful.

Becca Drascol: And if one were looking to get gift cards how would they go about that?

FrancescoCarrera Resident: I need to update to electronic gift cards but again haven't got around to it so I basically hand out textures that are Trans, when the winner of the event gives the card back to me with a notecard of what they want then I hand over the items. Old way of doing it but that’s all I have at the moment.

Becca Drascol: I think it's about what works for the creator, I'm sure a lot of time effort and hard work goes into the creation of the fashion itself.

FrancescoCarrera Resident: Yep, that’s the way I think also.

Becca Drascol: Again thank you so much for taking this time to talk with me.

The Overall Experience:

Not only did I have a pleasant time window shopping and looking around the inworld store, it was pleasant to talk with Mesh Head’s creator. He was easy to talk with, down to Earth and genuinely loves creating mesh. Next time you guys and gals of SL want to shop for a biker/rocker look with style and budget friendly, get on over to Mesh Head.

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Avie Poll: Breastfeeding in Second Life: Should SL moms be able to breastfeed in Public? Something Taboo? -Becca Drascol Reporting

Having just become an SL mom just two months ago, and with the RL controversy surrounding breastfeeding in public; I got to wondering.  Should SL moms be able to breastfeed in public if they so chose and if the venue were adult and family friendly? In our first lives it's more than controversial for a mom to feed her baby in public if that baby is breastfed. Even RL celebs have taken to posting and tweeting pics of themselves breastfeeding their newborns. And yet a lot of the public would rather they keep it private. When did something so very natural need to become something so very taboo?

Necessity or Joy?

True that Second Life is a virtual world...true that the babies are prim. But with the very realism of being able to change diapers, bathe and even breastfeed our prim babies it bears the thought, should we be able to breastfeed at adult venues if we so wished to?  Most SL residents most likely haven't even thought of this. Perhaps the thought is even a silly one seeing as our prim babies do not require care as they will not die or get sick(for most types like Zooby) And yet, I am sure that most SL parents became parents to add a form of realistic family to their second lives. With breastfeeding being something that is not only natural but a joy to most RL moms, it certainly is a joy to those of us who choose to breastfeed in SL. While we could keep this private, a moment shared with our SL spouse or father of our SL child, wouldn't it be lovely if we could breastfeed our child in public at venues where it would meet TOS standards?

Interview with SL moms, moms to be and SL dads:

Becca Drascol: So if a venue were adult and family friendly, Should SL moms be able to breastfeed in public?

DaeLove89 Resident: I don’t see why not....I feel like if there were questions about anything

its a natural thing..even in SL. People go to clubs and stuff and pay for the dancers to get naked for fun..I don’t see a problem with moms breastfeeding.

Becca Drascol: If a venue were adult and family friendly, Should SL moms be able to breastfeed in public?

ChantalRouge1684 Resident: I would say depending on where they are.  Like, I think there

should be a place for that in case it is needed.  And if there aren't those then I would bring bottles with me.

Becca Drascol: If a venue were adult and family friendly, Should SL moms be able to breastfeed in public?

Canaille Silverfall: I'm all for breastfeeding in public. Even in SL It's a totally natural thing.

Becca Drascol: If a venue were adult and family friendly, Should SL moms be able to breastfeed in public?

DragonMaster Mistwalker: Much as I feel RL if that's what they wanna do why not.

scarelett Corral whom I met through a close SL friend not only firmly believes in breastfeeding in public in SL but also has her own Zooby adoption agency, Corral Adoptions. A lovely family coziness is what I liked the most as we spoke. The venue deserves a second look but for this time around the focus was on SL moms. But to check out the babies up for adoption check out the SLURL below.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Wisteria%20Island/105/107/23

Popular Opinion:

So overall it was my experience of those I talked with, of whom are parents or about to be parents in SL...all were in support of breastfeeding moms. As a RL mom of two, SL mom of one, I too feel a mom should be able to enjoy breastfeeding, even if that were to be in a public place where it would be felt that breastfeeding is what it should be, natural and a part of motherhood. For a lot of residents SL is no different, we play it as we would do our real lives. We nurture our SL children as we would a real child and show them the love and care that any child would need.

For those looking to get a zooby from Zoobyville you can find the SLURL below to the newborn area of Zoobyville. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Zoobyville/101/189/22

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How Much Does Your Wardrobe Cost?-Becca Drascol Reporting

Bananas for fashion?

I think it's so simple in Second Life or any virtual world to get a bit caught up in building a fashion wardrobe, a style of your own. Perhaps to buy all kinds of clothes and shoes you could never buy in RL.  In my real life I'm not much a fashion and shoes girl to be honest. I grew up with a modest life finances wise therefore I learned to appreciate what I have for what it is. That's not to say I don't go gaga for some awesome clothes, boots or high heels in my RL. I too can go bananas for fashion.

Budget Friendly

Second Life being user friendly for creation and creations being user based leaves our world wide open for a ton of fashion from diva to down home country girl/boy and everything in between. But does this mean that said fashion needs to cost you a small fortune?  Of course not.  There are plenty of SL designers who offer quality clothes and shoes at fair prices easy on our linden wallets. EC Enelya's Creations by Teslinne Quann is one of my absolute faves. Very high quality looks for between 99 and 100 Linden. With some designs also in the 101-500 L range. EC Enelya's Creations can be found here on Marketplace: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/35849. And here in world http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sant%20Sebastian/130/141/702.

Another designer with lots of style for low Linden is ADN designs by Adabetha Nayl with many lovely looks, most of which are full outfits ranging in price from 1 L upwards to 250. All designs look just as awesome in world on your av as they do on marketplace. To find ADN on market, look here https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/58702 and for the in world store, go here http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Centre%20Commercial/90/131/16.

The Flip Side

For those who do crave well done clothing at more of a mid price scale but nonetheless worth it, there would be Graves Quality Fetish & Cyberpunk by Jackie Graves. On marketplace Graves price range goes from around 150 L to about 999 L. I truly have no complaints with the two outfits I have of Graves...love how they fit and love how I feel in them. So there is definitely something to be said for higher priced clothing as well. To find Graves on market look here https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/20249. For her in world store go here http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Oxymoron/56/103/31.

Beautiful Sin by Pebbles Rockin has some very lovely silks and other clothing. With prices that range from lower end such as 149 L and upwards around 897 L on market I would feel right in saying there may be something there for just about any av when it comes to cost. The designs are definitely unique and decently done.  To find the store on market look here https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/13372. In world I found that prices may vary but fatpacks come up in the range of anywhere from 5K in linden all the way to 8k plus in linden. For in world shopping go here http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Beautiful%20Sin/142/99/1002.

Big Spender or Looking like a million linden?

It's this reporter's opinion that rather you have the budget to buy everything in the highest of fashion or you limit yourself to the finest of low cost, promos and freebies, that you truly can look great for low cost. While I will not knock spending thousands to look good, I simply feel that you can achieve even a high quality look without spending so much. And as the old saying goes "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Shouldn't that hold true for fashion as well?  If you love your style and you're rockin that freebie, I say go for it and don't change a thing.

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Griefers or Lag? Which One Interrupts the Quality of your Second Life More? -Becca Drascol Reporting

Perfection? Certainly not!

A virtual world is by far not perfect. We know coming in that we'll deal with many issues here and there. Sometimes the issue is player made and then sometimes it's something within control of that world's creators and thus out of a player’s hands per say. We all hate the thought of griefers and lag, yet both exist within SL. But if given the choice which one deserves more focus of being taken care of as a priority?

 I went out around Second Life to ask residents just that.

Differing Views:

Becca Drascol: Should Linden Labs concentrate more on dealing with griefers or fixing lag?

EricTheBold Resident: Hmmmm that's a tough one. I think the griefing is a bigger issue though we don't get much of that here anymore but lag I think is the responsibility of the SIM Owner.

Becca Drascol: Should Linden Labs concentrate more on dealing with griefers or fixing lag?

MzSassyAngel Resident: I agree with that, They should.  Lag is horrible and greifers are too ..

Becca Drascol: Ok when given a choice though, which one should they focus more on, griefers or lag.

MzSassyAngel Resident: I have more lag issues then Greifers. I feel they should fix their lag issues since with that happening ppl crash and cannot enjoy SL.

Becca Drascol: Should Linden Labs concentrate more on dealing with griefers or fixing lag?

Naellai Resident: Absolutely with fixing lag. Griefers are annoying, but individual sim owners can handle them. Lag is something that hurts us all and makes people less likely to be in SL if they have to deal with it! Have only had TWO griefer experiences in almost three years. Lag is daily!

Becca Drascol: Should Linden Labs concentrate more on dealing with griefers or fixing lag?

Cammie Core: Griefers. Def'.

Becca Drascol: Care to elaborate a little on why?

Cammie Core: The griefing has gotten out of control and has reached new levels, graphic card crashing...etc.

Becca Drascol: Should Linden Labs concentrate more on dealing with griefers or fixing lag?

XxFoxyFrequencyxX Resident: Fixing lag, yep defo'. Griefers are easy to deal with.

To sum it up:

Rather you deal with constant griefings or constant lag or you're somewhere in the middle of both issues, lag and griefings are something we must all deal with when enjoying Second Life. I personally am in the middle of things. While I feel Linden Labs needs to focus on the lag issues which at times seem to crash me 3-4 times a day...I also feel it wouldn't hurt them to look more deeply into griefers. While talking to SL's residents I felt the vibe that people lean towards that which will make SL a more enjoyable experience.

If I had to give a choice on the matter at hand I would have to say lag as well. As a 5 year resident of SL, it seems more and more often I am not only crashed but my avatar will not load properly. Things such as my mesh head and my high heels shoes floating of my hands are just some humorous yet bothersome issues I face on a pretty regular basis. And of those I spoke with lag seemed a bigger issue to these folks than griefers.

What are your thoughts? Use the comment box below!

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Alternative Interactive Fun in SL-Becca Drascol Reporting

With so many things to do in SL I decided to look at the various interactive options in our virtual lives. Second Life is full of clubs in various genres such as rock, indie, pop, country or venues focusing on Role play or adult entertainment. But that isn’t all to do in Second Life.

  While clubs are usually a good place to meet new people or hang out and listen to good tunes with friends.  Usually I'm out watching my own avatar dance with my hubby's avi,  yet there's so much more we can do in SL.  I decided to explore those various things and share them with you.

Gold, Fish & Trivia Hunt

For some good old fashioned fun there's Linden Gold Hunt which offers both fishing and coin hunting. Not only do both games offer a lot of fun but also a way to make some extra linden. Simple and easy to play, a player need only get a free fishing rod to fish, or to grab a Gold Hunt hud in order to find coin locations. With a large community of players who actively fish and coin hunt daily, you're sure to meet new people and possibly make new friends as well find many interesting venues along the way. Also somewhat newer to LGH is Trivia Hunt. For those of us who love a good round or more of trivia you can enjoy that via the LGH community as well. It's as simple as finding venues that have a trivia hunt ball and go play.

Xuna's Rock Dance Club and Mall (fish hunt)

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Farrington%20Heights/151/56/22

With all LGH games you gain a virtual balance which is able to be exchanged to your linden balance when you have earned at least $1.00 in LGH balance. For land owners there's the ability to place coins for Gold Hunt and buoys for Fish Hunt to bring people to your land and is a fun way to not only gain traffic for your land but help the LGH (Linden Gold Hunt) community thrive and grow.

LGH(Linden Gold Hunt Headquarters)

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Business%20Park/156/216/22

Venues With A Variety

Some venues such as Rosetta Stone have Gold Hunt and also have horse riding in a very beautiful setting that is peaceful and relaxing. A place to kick back and enjoy the scenery or if you so wished to grab a horse and ride around while collecting coins.

Rosetta Stone (horse riding/gold hunt)

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Rosetta%20Stone%20Island/162/84/146

Other venues such as mine and my husband's, Secret Erotic Desires, have a bit of everything. We have Gold & Fish Hunt, as well as Skippo. Relax with a few friends and play cards. And aside from interactive fun we have themed events, dancers and other adult entertainment.

Secret Erotic Desires

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ysl%20Sunset/201/178/22

For some card gaming, bowling or 7seas fishing I found a lovely venue called Fallen's Games & Entertainment Paradise. The sim is done eloquently with a getaway vacation look which I found quite nice. Fallen's also features a few interactive games I personally had not as of yet seen in SL, such as Sparkle, SLictionary and En Garde. Definitely a nice non-skill gaming place to stop by a while and just enjoy.

Fallen's Games & Entertainment Paradise (mixed non skilled gaming)

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Heavenly%20Hills/113/37/23

With so many things within SL one should never feel afraid to venture out and see what interactive fun you just may find. Perhaps it was by accident you found a bit of something different, or perhaps it was simply luck or referred by a friend. But with SL's users are able to create our virtual world, with that a bit of real life comes in many forms.

My hubby and I had some interactive fun on this little journey and some relaxation in some wonderful venues along the way.

What are you doing in Second Life? There are so many possibilities.  I hope you go out and enjoy some interactive fun today.

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About Subcultures of SL-Becca Drascol Reporting...

There are so many cultures in Second Life. Like so many virtual worlds, the power to create is a strong part of the mix. It includes not only creating your avatar into something fantasy based, but also RP (role play) for most situations.  But why exactly do subcultures exist?  Is it the ability to be something we cannot in RL? Perhaps it’s for the creation of it all.  Or even to relive something via your avatar, which could be the case in becoming a child avatar or parent. 

Being a vampire in SL myself, I can honestly say it’s to be something that I have always loved the lore of. Stories, movies and characters with abilities we do not have in RL...immortality.  Bloodlines is one of the top subcultures in Second life. The Bloodlines web page shows us that approximately 133 thousand players are registered within this role play system. For most involved in Bloodlines it’s about family as well. The freedom to create a Vampire Clan, Lycan Horde, or Human Guild, allows players to recruit friends and have different social events within that group.

Mermaids...what lovely half human and half fish beings they are.  Who wouldn't want to immerse themselves into the fairytale of being such a mystical creature? And moreover a creature with the talent to live in the water or on land and yet be tied to a need for water leaves vulnerability.

Furries come in many a form.  Again another large subculture of SL. Simply put animal characters with human personalities.  Many a club and hangout is devoted to furries of SL. Some exclusive, others welcome any and all avies. 

Fairies beautiful sometimes winged but usually human in appearance have been in many a folktale and mythology. I personally have always loved fairies.  For me the draw to them was how they dress, their wings and just the pure almost innocent look of a fairy.

Tinies...well who can resist cuteness? Am I right? One avatar all rolled up into a very small package. Special made avies with the intent of being the smallest avatars around. One would assume the allure to being a tiny is the size and cuteness.

Finally Child Avies...love em or hate em they too are an intrigal part of our SL world.  Some relive the nostalgia of childhood via their child avie, while some others also choose to be a child vampire forever immortalized as a young soul, unable to die but forever within the innocent naivety that is childhood. Cute clothes and a pint sized you...the allure that is the beauty of all sweet and pure.  While moderate and adult sims have to have different rules per TOS on child avies there are many a child avatar and many places where it is more than acceptable to be a lil one.  Some also with the popularity of SL pregnancy have chosen to be the "child" of others within SL.  Another outlet to gain the bonds and closeness of family through role play.

Existence:

But the question here is why do these subcultures exist?  What draws people to them and why do they have such a following?  Thus far you have read my idea on why they're here within SL. And now I'll ask one person of each subculture why that subculture exists to them.

We'll start with Bloodlines which covers Vampires/Lycan/Human cultures all into one:

Becca Drascol: Why do you think the Bloodlines subculture exists in SL?

Noir8Sagato Resident: First time for rp but now it is for the creator a money maker.

Becca Drascol: Why does bloodlines exist for you personally?

Noir8Sagato Resident: Family and role-play.

Furries:

Becca Drascol: Why does the furry subculture exist in SL (in your opinion?)

ZeBooty Resident: Well Furries have always existed. And SL allows people to play as their

sonas fairly easily.

Becca Drascol: And why does it exist for you personally? Anything that makes it special for you?

ZeBooty Resident: Why it exists... That's hard to say. And I don't really know how to answer that.

For Mermaids, Fairies, and Tinies I got the opinion of an SL resident who has been a lil bit of everything:

Becca Drascol: Why does the mermaid culture exist in SL?

 Aurora Yardley: Mers...are for me truly free. They live in communities or solitary the groups that gather are like everyone else in SL. They have homes ...dance clubs (the dances are in 3 dimensions) and graceful.

Becca Drascol: Why do you feel the Fairy subculture exists?

Aurora Yardley: Ok ...there is a common link to fantasy creatures Mers...Fae. Petites and tinies ...they all are personal expressions of one's inner self and like human groups they like to gather and share ideas avie adaption tips.  An endless list they are open to each other and to the human public.

Aurora Yardley: The sims they all gather in generally are tailored to their needs. Mermaids and mermen go where there is water anywhere and mix with the normal humans over the entire scope of SL... Fairy folk  mix in well with fantasy sims  very well, they can be very cute, or devilishly naughty playing pranks. Again like with  any living thing they are unique and no two are alike.

Becca Drascol: Oh I'm sure there is a lot of creativity to each and for each person.

Aurora Yardley: For each genre it is an endless scope of variation. I collect skins and adapt them to roles I take on.

Finally we come to child avies:

Becca Drascol: Why does the child av subculture exist in SL?

BabyGirlVivi Resident: It is a way of life in which they choose to relive something they didn't get to live in real life, sometimes reliving what they couldn't in real life gives them closure and helps them battle through things easier in life reliving it in SL by being more of what they would've liked to live out more like than they may have RL.

Becca Drascol: Some people choose to adopt the role of being another avatars child in SL. Is this something you would do or have done?

BabyGirlVivi Resident: Yes I would love to do that. I have longed to find a family that would love to take in an avatar like mine. It isn't easy to come by, some may freak about it others really enjoy seeing avatars like myself. Another avatar that enjoys a child avatar understands the reasoning for us the way we are and are a great help to us if they take us in. The connection of being another avatar's child in SL is again reliving what we maybe didn't get to in RL, finally with another avatar's help we can feel at home, loved, cared about, and nourished with open arms and heart of the chosen avatar that wants the role of a child avatar in their SL lives. And at same time we can make fantasy for those that choose to do so, that they struggle to have RL.

To Sum it up:

Rather for fantasy or creativity we create the avatar we feel comfortable in and then we seek a place to belong and we find that place among some form of SL subculture. Be you Vamp, Lycan, Human, Furry, Mermaid, Tiny or Fairy, we all have found our place for our own reasons and our own escape into the world which we call our second lives.

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What do men really think of oversized hips, boobs and butts on avies? -Becca Drascol Reporting

In second life we can pretty much be whatever we want to be. From hair color to height, or not even human should we wish to delve into a fantasy look; the power to create an avatar as we want leaves many possibilities open.

 In this article I asked men what they think of oversized hips, boobs and butts. Either you love em or hate em, we all have a say on it. I felt a good starting point would be to ask my own RL/SL husband Dragonmaster Mistwalker.

Becca Drascol: What do you think of oversized hips, boobs and butts on avies?

DragonMaster Mistwalker: Big tits are nice to a point but after a certain size it’s ridiculous and gross. As for big hips they’re nice but after a certain hip size it’s just gross. I am an admitted ass man but an oversized ass is just gross.

Next I asked a male friend Ron, his opinion. While a strong opinion it was also a well thought out one with a bit of humor involved as well.

Becca Drascol: What do you think of oversized hips, boobs and butts on avies?

Ronmon Resident: Absolutely horrid. They look unproportionate, tacky, and just appalling. The boobs I can kind of understand however  with so many adult industries using girls that are unnaturally large. The butts, just no, it's never good to say, "Hey look at this chick, she has Jupiter and Saturn in her pants." And the hips, why would you want hips that are so large you can’t fit through most doors in SL?

Again,  just tacky. When creators of these obscenely large avies are doing their work, they can’t be taking themselves seriously.

Next I hopped around to a few sims to get more opinions.

Becca Drascol: What do you think of oversized hips, boobs and butts on avies?

ApolloPhaetons Resident: My favorite is oversized asses. I like full figured in general, not stick women lol. But also don’t like giant size either.

Becca Drascol: So basically your opinion is shapely but too big is too much?

ApolloPhaetons Resident: Yes.

Becca Drascol: What do you think of oversized hips, boobs and butts on avies?

Antobas Tiponi: I don’t like too much, like in RL.

Antobas Tiponi: too much is too much.

Becca Drascol: What do you think of oversized hips, boobs and butts on avies?

Serph Albion: I personally don't like it. Big front, butt and toothpick waist don't go together.  To me, it's about proportion. It has to look good. I get that there are people who are into inflation but that's the whole body, unless they only like inflation in specific parts. I'm an ass man and even I can say sometimes on SL I'll be like "No dayum on dat ass...That is one ass....I will pass." because it's so big.

Image retrieved from http://slfashiontutorials.com/tutorial-feminine-body-proportions-for-different-kinds-of-avatar-shapes/

Body Image or Trendsetting:

Of those I asked the overall opinion is a no. And yet we know there are those out there who love and adore the oversized look. Rather it be a trend or a way to invent one's self, there are many an "oversized avie" within Second Life. I feel everyone wants to be exactly how they wish and SL leaves the doors of creativity wide open. 

 In SL we’re given a palate to paint. We can play God with our avatar and make him/her or they, whatever the mind can think of.  To some a classic look may be fitting, to another it’s all about living a fantasy via our virtual world. So even if those I polled feel the oversized avie is not as appealing, there will always be a bigger than big bottom or a large bust out there in Sl and there will always be one opinion or another of them.  

Be it a body image or a trendsetting oversized has its place in Second life. What do you think? Use the comment box below.

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