VOLUME 4 • issue 5 SEPTEMBER 2012
iconic lifestyle
THE ART OF BLOOMY BLEAK WHATEVER STYLES THEY’RE SWEET PETITES
PHOTOGRAPHER, MANAGER, BLOGGER
STRAWBERRY
SIN G H
ICON STAFF CEO and Publishers Potvin Tigerpaw & Sahara Mehrtens Editor in Chief Jordan Whitt Managing Editor Sensuous Soulstar Layout Director Marie Cox Style Editor Daija Arida Staff Writers
Photography
Luc Fray
Phe Bruun
Spartin Parx
Amelia Harsley
Hikaru Enimo
Qopi
Solitaire Highfield
Julie Hastings
Zachary Zufreur
Jule Lemondrop
Takeshi Kiama
Sahara Mehrtens
Tristion Paine
Read Online http://issuu.com/iconmagazine
Read the Blog http://iconicallysexy.blogspot.com
This is a huge issue for me. It marks
I consider myself incredibly lucky to
three years since I took up the reigns
be doing something I love, working
of Editor in Chief of ICON Lifestyle
with people I admire and respect
Magazine, and it’s been three years of
and to get paid for it! It’s been a
fun and frustration, celebration and
rollercoaster and I have loved every
stress. But I wouldn’t change anything
second of the ride. I look forward to
about it! I have met some wonderful
the next three years...and beyond.
people who are making Second Life an amazing place, seen fascinating
I would like to thank everyone I
sims and places, and been dazzled by
have worked with on ICON (special
gorgeous and creative fashions, most
shout out to Daija Arida), and to all
of which made their way into my
our readers who have kept me going
inventory!
and who continue to inspire me.
Get Jordan’s Look Skin - Lily V2 from Belleza Makeup - Eyeliner 2 from Belleza Hair - TUN247 from BooN Jewellry from Mandala Photo by Hikaru Enimo
Jordan Whitt Editor in Chief
CONTENTS LIFESTYLE
33
73
129
21 The Gorean City of Temos 33 ICONic Spaces: Mesh Out My Home 45 A Little R & R
STYLE
63 Style Feature: Whatever & Bleak 73 Style Icon: Alexxxa Delta 79 Blog Spot 87 Shoe Freak 89 Men’s Style 91 Get That Style 99 ICONic Beauty
Read Online http://issuu.com/iconmagazine
RADAR
109 Juggling Her Many Hats 119 Falling in Love with Apple 129 Sweet Petites 141 Pathfinding
177
ENTERTAINMENT
149 Seeing Red 157 Behind the Lens: Bloomy Miles 169 Long Way to Fame 177 DJ Top 10
VIEWPOINT
181 Confessions of an SL Addict 189 How to Have A Good Relationship 195 The List On The Cover Strawberry Singh dazzles as she celebrates the style of India in a gorgeous cover shot by the incredible Julie Hastings.
181
LIFESTYLE ICON MAGAZINE PAGE 21
Written by Luc Fray Photos by Qopi
Enter the Gorean world of the City of Temos, one of the major cities revealed in the Gor book series written by John Norman, which you can now visit in the Metaverse. In all honesty, I have not read a single book in this series, but judging from the sheer popularity of Gorean roleplay and lifestyle here in Second Life, I am sure that most, if not all, residents have a pretty good idea of what Gor is all about. Though some can have the wrong impression of it, but if you’re interested enough, you will find out for yourself that the Gorean Roleplay can be quite engrossing. Initially I had a bad view of it, owing to the fact that most of the Gorean roleplayers collect “slaves” just to feel good about themselves, and are not serious RP-ers who know the boundaries of IC (in character) and OOC (out of character) that I’ve seen players incorporate into their lifestyle. Imagine my surprise then when I found out that John Norman is a professor of philosophy and that the entire series actually has a serious theme and a plot to it. Sure, there are elements of sex in it, but it’s not in the same category as the trashy novels you can buy at the local adult places. The series is largely influenced by the John Carter of Mars novels of Edgar Rice Burrough. Fascinated and curious by this discovery, I decided to drop a visit to one of Second Life’s Gorean RP sims.
Gor is a planet located in our solar system that had been transported here around two million years ago by the Priest-Kings. It is a small planet and, which compared to the earth, is nearer to the sun. It is shaped like an inverted top, sphenoid but heavy on the bottom. It shares the same plane of orbit as the Earth, but since it keeps the Sun between them, it can not be detected from the latter planet. It has 3 moons - two small ones and a large one. Unlike the Earth, Gor has more land than water area. The temperature also tends to be higher. The build of Temos is quite lovely. It is located on a tropical island in the books, so we made it look that way. There is a gorgeous forest and some folk lore, as well as The Legend of the Stone Kajira complete with a poem written by the city’s poet laureate, Quercus Hellershanks. The buildings are open, ostensibly to catch the sea breezes but in reality to encourage role play. According to owner Baby Tairov, Second Life’s City of Temos was created about nine months ago, but has been in active RP for about seven months. It is unique in the fact that it is a fully immersive sim. The basic premise of the city is that it is a true RP sim. That means there is no OOC allowed in the open chat. No (( brb)) or ((afk)) etc. “We ask that our players figure out how to excuse themselves and keep things IC at all times,” she explains.
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That makes Temos unique in not only Gorean sims but most role play sims in Second Life. “It is very distracting for someone in the middle of an RP to talk about hockey, or say they are going for a smoke,” she continues. “We don’t allow players to go afk in an active RP part of the city for the same reason.” It is one of the sim’s most commonly broken rules mostly by visitors to the city. The rules are given out when people land on the sim, but quite a few don’t read them and thus have to be politely reminded. The second is that some people like to take the RP to IM and act it out there. “That is actually the mark of a poor role player,” Baby says. “Role play is ‘In Character’ and should be ‘out there’ so that anyone can react to it, as it is in real life. Good role play can include a ‘whisper’, but generally the rules of role play say that it is done in chat. I think that the latter is done from a lack of self confidence. Sometimes those new to role play worry about the quality of their RP, but they shouldn’t. We all are learning daily and we all make mistakes. Some do it because they want edgy RP but are embarrassed to do it in the open.” Like with other sims, people come and go, but City of Temos remains one of the most popular Gorean RP sims in Second Life. The roleplaying can be intensive, as it requires RP-ers to fully immerse themselves in the game, and for some this can be difficult. That is why the staff, as well as the RP-ers, are extremely pleased and grateful to those who actively manage their parts and run the sim responsibly to ensure smooth sailing.
Many story lines are ongoing. The simwide issue is war with several other cities and measures are currently being done to work on the resolution of those wars. “Medical” storylines are also going on. Tairov grins mysteriously and does not expound what she meant by those, especially after saying, “Suffice it to say that the effects on some of our citizens has been quite interesting.” If you are planning to join in the fun, City of Temos is currently hosting a huge dance contest for many competing cities. The best dancers will represent and compete for the honor of their own cities. “If people have not watched such a competition, they would enjoy it. A few days ago we had an IC mud wrestling at the tavern night. There are IC carnivals, kaissa tournaments and sword tournaments all in the works.” Finally, Tairov has this as parting words to share. “I think that role play is one of the most interesting form of fun in Second Life. A person has a chance to create a character in context, dress appropriately, talk and act in character and really convince others that you are that character. Some adapt dialects, or have other unique features that will differentiate them. It’s relaxing, it’s fun and it can be really engrossing and exciting. If your readers have not tried their hand at it I hope one day they will. If they are experienced RPers, I hope they will come to Temos and enjoy our city.”
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Grand Mansion from Laq Decor
Written by Sensuous Soulstar Photos by Phe Bruun
Once upon a time, builders spent countless hours, and prims, creating the perfect home. Block by block, prim by prim, they built the foundations, the windows, the doors and every essential piece in creating the perfect place to live. As time went on, and with the introduction of sculpts, doors and windows became a little more realistic and the prim count seemed to drop just a little. And with the introduction of megaprims, builders began to rejoice that “low prim” housing was actually a reality. But with each of these new innovations, the limitations still remained. With sculpts there was always a chance they would not rezz completely and someone’s viewer would corrupt a creation hours in the making. And of course, with megaprims, you could never resize any piece of your house, or the entire piece would resize itself,
and you would lose a portion of your home. Oh what was a creator that wanted to give the homeowner more modifiable options to do? And then there was mesh. While first praised for the unlimited possibilities it gave to designers in creating some of the most stunning and versatile pieces around, it was soon discovered that this new technological advance had even more uses; uses that would cause builders, and residents alike, to celebrate. With a bit of trial and error, savvy builders soon realized that mesh was the missing link. It gave creators the flexibility to lower prims, while simultaneously allowing residents to modify their creations to the heart’s desire. Not to mention it created an element of realism
Picturesque Cottage from Laq Decor
in textures seldom seen on the grid. With the implementation of mesh into their builds, creators were able to design new shapes, add depth and perspective to homes, and it allowed for resizing and retexturing without sacrificing any part of the home. ICON MAGAZINE PAGE 36
Factory Loft Skybox from Meshworx
But they didn’t just stop with the house itself. Soon mesh doors and windows were introduced. Giving even more realism to the home, builders were able to integrate light, shadows and reflective features into homes‌a feat never before seen in Second Life prior to the introduction of Mesh. Yet creators still were not done wowing residents. They followed with mesh furniture, again allowing for a texture paradise, many times causing residents to do a double take to remind themselves that they were not looking at a picture of a real piece of furniture, just its virtual counterpart. While creators are still finding new ways to integrate this technology into their creations, residents are now experiencing something amazing and never before seen in Second Life: the ability to have a grand and elegant home on even on the smallest of parcels. With prim counts even in the double digits for multiple bedroom homes, there are few limits to having the house of your dreams. Mesh has opened the door to not only look amazing and feel amazing, but to live like the rockstar that you are on any and all budgets.
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Gran Villa di Galli from La Galleria
Amarillion Modern Pre-fab from Scarlet Creative
With brands such as LAQ DĂŠcor, Meshworx, Scarlet Creative, and even the well-known La Galleria, now taking over the Mesh housing market, residents now have a ton of amazing options in choosing their next humble, or even not so humble abode. So the only question remaining now is: how will you mesh out your home?
Written by Amelia Harsley Photos by Tosha Bergan-Kiama
Real life is stressful, we all agree. But for many residents, SL can be just as stressful, if not more so. If you’re one of those stressed out residents, or just want to find a place to relax, there’s a new spa on the grid designed to rejuvenate and relax. Tosha Bergan-Kiama, Takeshi Kiama and Terrilynn Carami are opening the Pura Vida Wellness Resort on September 22, (the grand opening taking place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. SLT), and will offer a wealth of services to the public.
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“Pura Vida Wellness Resort will provide a one-of-a-kind facility that provides a unique immersive wellness experience,” Tosha says. “We are the only health and wellness resort that offers guided imagery through voice as a technique of virtual massages.” The staff will literally be talking their subjects through progressive muscle relaxation, body scanning, diaphragmatic breathing, as well as visual imagery bringing them to this state of calm and well-being, according to Tosha.
“By consciously deepening and slowing the breath, muscles relax and our state of mind changes,” she explains. “In addition to the physiological and chemical responses, we subjectively regain a sense of being in control again and no longer stressed.” Tosha, an occupational therapist in RL, knows the benefits of massage and
relaxation and is excited to combine her RL skills into the virtual world. “Virtual massage therapy initiates the physical body’s natural relaxation response which moves the body into homeostasis, or ‘balance’, which then puts the person into a state of mental and physical tranquility,” she says. “Professionally trained staff are ready to pamper you so you can ICON MAGAZINE PAGE 50
fully enjoy your experience and drift into a more relaxed state that we call the Pura Vida Experience.” The opening debut of the spa will feature live entertainment as well as a party hosted by DJ Kiana Lexenstar. “DJ Kiana Lexenstar will be providing the hottest mixes while you explore the beautiful grounds of the resort at 11 am,” Toshsa says. “All live entertainment will be at the main resort building designed
by Ewan Crumb and services by Editorial Clarity Designs and Roscko Cobalt.” Massages are not the only avenue provided by the Pura Vida Wellness Resort to pamper yourself, many vendors are there as well! “Because looking and feeling your best is part of the Pura Vida Experience, we host vendors of some of the best brands in the virtual fashion world: Purple Moon, Orage Creations, Finesmith Jewelry, LD Major | Loovus Dzevavor, Lush Unlimited, [AMARELO MANGA] and Cookies Bears by Sway’s,” she explains. “And for in-world beauty, Face Paint, Homemade Cosmetics
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and Lovely Mi. We are also the new home for Frozen Panty Poses by Takeshi Karma.” The grand-opening party will be full of fun and excitement as this new venture takes off in SL. “When you arrive you are free to dance and explore the grounds or take a tour,” she says. “Discover the hidden beauty within our walls and take it with you until you return again. There will be prizes throughout the event, 15-minute demos and even a drawing for free massages.
There will be a gift basket for everyone full of our best pampering tools, including gifts from the designers and Pura Vida. Come and learn how to relax at The Pura Vida Wellness Resort and immerse yourself in wellness.�
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STYLE
It doesn’t feel like it should be September already, but it is. I hope everyone enjoyed their summer vacation, but it’s time for some yummy fall fashion. I love when the seasons change and the new fashions are released. It makes me all happy and bubbly. This month we have a sexy Style ICON, Alex1985 Diabolito. I love his styling and his pictures and I’m glad he was willing to be featured in our magazine. We have all of our other favorite features returning as well, with some HOT pre-fall fashion. So I hope you enjoy all the hard work we put into it. If you are a designer and would like to be featured in our magazine, please contact me in world or email me at daijaarida@gmail.com
Get Daija’s Look
Daija Arida
Skin - Olivia in Makeup #004 from Fresh Fx Hair - WMO003 in Chocolate from booN Photo by Hikaru Enimo
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LazyTank 2.0 in Lil Aztec Summer Shorts in Anchor White
Photographed by Spartin Parx | Styled & Modeled by Alf Whittaker In honor of summer being over, we have Bleak as our men’s store for this month. They have some fun and graphic tanks and shorts that I fell in love with that are just perfect for the days as they hold on to the last of the warmth of summer. Mainstore: Royal Island (69.931,217.25,2600.11) Marketplace: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/97557 ICON MAGAZINE PAGE 64
LazyTank in Milkyway Summer Shorts in Anchor White
LazyTank 2.0 in Ethelion Summer Shorts in Halycon
Tube Dress in Palm Purple High Heels in Black
Photographed by Zachary Zufreur | Styled & Modeled by Taya Renfold For our ladies this month we are featuring Whatever, a very urban and streetwear store from designer AnneGrey. And of course - I’m in love with it. Mainstore: Blueberry Hill (140, 105, 21) Marketplace: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/105964
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Collared Top in Black Oriental Pants in Leo Spikering 3 Jewellry in Silver
Black Bear Tank Top Dark Blue Jeans Aztec Flat Shoes
Button Vest
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Photographed, Styled, and Modeled by Alexxxa Delta
This month’s Style ICON is the HOT Alex1985 Diabolito. I saw his blog posts on Flickr and began my stalking process. I enjoyed watching his great posts as I collected all the data I needed to ask him to be our ICON for this month. His blog is awesome and his style is classic bad boy with a twist. Check out his blog here http://thatguysblogsl.blogspot.com
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Jacket - Jeans Jacket + Shirt in Black from Sey T-shirt - Simple T Border from Arai Jeans - Jaw Breaker from Razorblade Jacket Boots - Mesh Jumpboots from Deco Glasses - Park Shades from Reek Earplugs - Gauged Earrings from Cobrahive Skin - Ryan Skin in Tone 5 from Tableau Vivant Facial Hair - Valiant & Sacred 2.0 Beard V7 from CheerNo Hair - Clarkson from NSD
Blazer - Mesh Suede Blazer from Hoorenbeek Shirt - Stripped shirt with tie from Hoorenbeek Pants - Mesh Pants from Hoorenbeek Shoes - Tux Loafers from NYU Earrings - Dragon Spiral Gauge v2 from HoD Piercing - Lisbeth from HoD Skin - Ryan Skin in Tone 5 from Tableau Vivant Facial Hair - Valiant & Sacred 2.0 Beard V7 from CheerNo Hair - 6th Avenue Heartache from Exile ICON MAGAZINE PAGE 78
Written and Photographed by Jule Lemondrop
On an island, warm sun beams announcing the last summer days - time to come, time to go. Knowing it was a long time ago and it will be a long time ahead - until they will see each other again. Enjoying the day, in perfect harmony, no matter how noisy or silent - things are repeating.
Skirt
Javu Outfit with Mesh skirt
from Crazy
Tank
Basic Tucked Tank Striped
from Tee*fy
Pants Capris from Crazy Shoes Luna Velvet in Black from
Pixel Mode
Earrings
Moderno Earrings in Black
from Apple May
Necklace Cross Necklace in Black
from Tres Blah
Bracelet
Ade from Kosh
Watch
BFF Ticker in natural
from Miel
Ring Nebula from Kosh Bag
Bag Belt from S E V E N
Hair Into Dust in Vanilla
from Exile
Skin Emma 2 - Midnight in
Honey DB CL1 from
theSkinnery
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Top with Skirt Mesh Casual dress in Earth Pink from Gabriel Pants Linen Pant from Willow Shoes
Rivea Pumps in
Grey Panther from
Mstyle
Earrings/ Necklace
UVA from Miel
Long Necklace Repairs Necklace Silver Amber from
Whippet&Buck
Ring
MIA Ring from Miel
Bag Ostrich Leather Bag
from Zenith Nude
Hair Lola in Red 06 from
Burley
Skin Sundust Frex Dark
Breeze - Sepia 1 from
Curio
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Otranto Shoes Photographed by Spartin Parx Modeled by Daija Arida
in Black Patent from Similar Italian Footwear
HoH No.026 from Random Inspiration!
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Photographed, Styled, and Modeled by Hikaru Enimo
Jacket Bright Green Pinstripe Blazer from JLB Shirt Basic Deep V-Neck in Black from Armidi Limited Pants Executive Chinos in Black from Ispachi Scarf Frost Striped Scarf in Black from Armidi Belt Kookai Belt Season 2 in Black from Mandala Necklace Onigiri Necklace in Charcoal from Mandala Bag Pastel Brushed Leather Bag in Black from NYU Glasses Intuition from Gos Shoes Brogue in Black from Kauna Hair 31 in Strawberry from Dura-Boy
Shirt Opus Sweater in Turquoise from Ispachi Jeans Executive Chinos in
Black from Ispachi
Shoes Brogue in Black
from Kauna
Bag Satchel Bag w/pose
from Meli Imako
Glasses Goscan from Gos Hair
Dawson in Medium
Blonde from MADesigns
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Photographed by Tristion Paine Modeled by Tristion Paine and Laya Felisimo
For this month’s Get that Style, we decided to do some early fall looks to get you all ready for the upcoming fashion season. Tristion and Laya have styled some very awesome finds from real life.
Coat
Kelley in Night from coldLogic
Scarf Chunky Scarf in Tartan Black from Muism Shoes Odessa Pump in Beige from Ison Skin Lily V1 Showcase Edition from Belleza Hair
Milla in Dark Brown from DeLa
Courtesy of googlesearch.com
Vest Fur Vest in Beige from Oyakin Shirt Military Shirt in Black from Ronsem Jeans Flare Jeans in #5 from Maitreya Scarf Wide Scarf from Mr Poet Shoes Alexa Wedges in Rose-Taupe from Maitreya Skin Lily v1 from Belleza Hair
Mango in Black from DeLa
Courtesy of googlesearch.com ICON MAGAZINE PAGE 94
Sweater Petit-Ami Sweater from Entente Pants Mungo Jeans from Not So Bad Shoes Chelsea from Hooreenbeek Bag Pandora Duffle from Ison Glasses 2012 Aviators Chrome from Dutch Hair rian from Atro Patena
Courtesy of fabsugar.com
Jacket Casual Blazer W/ Hoodie from Kal Rau Pants Executive Chinos from Ispachi Hat
Knit Beanie from Influence
Shoes Glossy Brogues from Levorroci
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Courtesy of gq.com
Glam Affair Cassiopea
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Giselle
Roza
Leah
Layla
Belleza Betty ICON MAGAZINE PAGE 103
Aiko
Erika
Lily V2
Chloe
RADAR
Juggling He Man Hats Written by Sahara Mehrtens Opening Photo by Julie Hastings Article Photos Courtesy of Strawberry Singh
er ny
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If you’re going to wear many hats, looking good wearing them is important – and nobody does that better than Strawberry Singh. Strawberry is one of the grid’s most ICONic bloggers, photographers, social media gurus and store managers, and she puts so much time and love into each of her roles that she’s made quite a name for herself. “Berry doesn’t have much of an SLife these days aside from photoshoots and blogging and her other work commitments inworld,” Strawberry laughs. “I used to be a lot more social and active a couple of years ago, but I think I’m over the social aspect of the game. Now I use it like therapy. My photography and blog help me share my innermost thoughts and desires.“ Berry’s blog, strawberrysingh.com, is one of the most well-known blogs for Second Life fashion, and although she got dragged into it, it’s become her avenue for therapy. “Believe it or not, I was almost forced into blogging by a dear friend of
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mine who is no longer in SL,” she says. “I didn’t really have any interest in fashion blogging, I just wanted to dance and socialize all day in-world. But she had a blog and she wanted me to join her, so after a lot of persuading, I decided to go ahead with it in December of 2007. Once I started I got a great response and realized it was a lot of fun. Blogging can be a lot of work, but it’s also very rewarding and almost therapeutic for me.” Blogging isn’t all sunshine and rainbows though. Berry explains that there are difficult parts of blogging and it’s different for each blogger. For her, it’s getting the outfits together. “I think the most difficult task, for me anyways, is the actual styling part,” she says. “I am so not a stylist. I really get frustrated with styling at times because it just doesn’t come naturally to me.” Though the styling presents a challenge for Berry to overcome for each blog post, the photography part of her work is what she enjoys most.
“My favorite thing is the picture taking. Playing with windlight, getting a nice angle and then dragging it into Photoshop to see how I can make it better,” she explains. “I love photoshopping. I love learning new tricks and using new tools and finding ways to make my images stand out more. The most challenging part is that I actually don’t know much about photoshop (I didn’t even know anything about the program before 2007). So trying to do what’s in my head but not having the expertise or knowledge to do it can be very frustrating at times. But still, I really enjoy the whole learning process.” Social networking has provided an avenue for Berry to get her blog noticed and create more of a following, and she has found many ways to use it as a tool. “The first social network I joined was Flickr, that was back in 2007,” she explains. “It was the photography that drew me into it and it was great getting to know the people there. Then I heard about Plurk in 2008 and joined that as well. Now over the years I’ve slowly joined almost all of the major social networks (Twitter, Facebook, Google+) with my avatar’s name. I think social media has played a very important role in getting my blog and photography more noticed by a larger community, not just the fashion community. I’ve also met a lot of amazing people through different social networks, people I would never have met in-world otherwise.”
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Berry also makes a name for herself through her in-world PR and manager work for a few businesses around the grid. “I’ve been with Zaara since 2008 as a manager,” she says. “I’ve also done PR work for LE.LOOK! Fashion District since 2009 and now I’m currently also doing some PR work for Maitreya.” For anyone wanting to breakout into the world of blogging and photography, Berry explains that it’s got to be a labor of love. “Put your heart into it. It should be fun for you,” she says. “If it’s not fun and you are doing it out of routine or obligation, it shows. Don’t do it if you don’t love it.”
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Written by Solitaire Highfield Photos Courtesy of Apple Fall
While many established designers are trying their hand at mesh, many new designers have been drawn to the grid to experiment with this new phenomena and try their hand at creating and designing. Apple Fall, a graphic
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artist in RL, had been designing mesh content for The Sims for several years and was instantly drawn to SL’s mesh capabilities. Named after himself, the newly opened Apple Fall store has taken off and residents are loving his designs. “I joined Second Life in August last year, so I’m still relatively new to this world,” Apple explains. “Before I joined, I created content such as mesh furniture and clothes, for The Sims since 2005. I make mesh products of all kinds, but my main thing is mesh furniture and skyboxes. The mesh craze created my business – I had no knowledge whatsoever of creating sculpties, I didn’t even know that ‘sculpties’ existed before I joined Second Life and was somewhat confused as to why mesh hadn’t been released in Second Life yet. Luckily for me it wasn’t long after I joined that the mesh beta was released and I could jump right in.”
He prides himself in his mesh work, and takes time making sure each detail is the way he wants it. “The furniture that I create tends to be very stylish, and I love making décor objects that add those finishing touches to a room,” he says. “I hope to expand in the future to creating full houses as opposed to just skyboxes, and maybe even perhaps new clothing meshes again when the deformer is released.” Apple explains that mesh is his passion when it comes to designing and he’s been able to create pieces that he’s truly proud of through its capabilities.
“Mesh allows me to create detailed objects for such a low land impact; something which is only improving as Linden Labs keeps revising the land impact of meshes,” he says. “My best seller to date is my New York skybox. It always inspires me to create nice things to furnish it with and I love seeing everything that people do with it themselves.” As a new designer in Second Life, Apple has had some struggles to get his business rolling. He explains the biggest challenge for him was getting his name out there. “A big struggle was marketing. It was a way, way bigger factor than I ever imagined it would be,” he says. “While I enjoy, and am experienced, in the creating side, before Second Life I had no experience whatsoever in business and marketing. It’s something that I unexpectedly had to learn, and quick. Although I can safely say that my business ICON MAGAZINE PAGE 126
wouldn’t be where it is today without the help of my more experienced Second Life friends, as well as my partner.” With a few months under his belt, things are going well and each sale he makes pushes him to go further with his designs and buildings. “Once you experience your first sale, your first good review, your first happy and returning customer; something ignites inside you,” he says. “Feeling that you have made someone else happy, you’ve given somebody something that they wanted, it’s a feeling that I can’t really compare to anything else. The sure thing is that once you feel that – it’s something you’ll want to feel again and again.”
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Outfit - Ocean Cruise from Sn@tch Hair - Nadine from Tameless Set - My Butterfly Dream from Bloomy Petite
Written and Photographed by Jordan Whitt
Petite avatars are the new ‘big’ thing in Second Life right now, and after buying one, I can see why. They are not only super adorable, but with designers and creators jumping on board, they are becoming just as stylish and glamorous as our standard sized avatars. Amelia Skin - Polly 2 in Porcelain from Al Vulo Hair - Amandine from Wasabi Pills Top - Flower & Lace Top from G Field Shorts - Frill Shorts from G Field Boots - Will Long Cuff Boots from G Field Glasses - Kathleen Sunglasses from Sister Fate Jordan Skin - Peach from Mynerva Hair - Monique from Wasabi Pills Outfit - Petite Ny B.H.S. from BareRose
Set - My Green Retreat from Bloomy Petite ICON MAGAZINE PAGE 132
Or they can bring out your inner fae, not just because of their size and ears, but also the gorgeous outfits and wings which are simply stunning and take you to a fairytale realm you will want to lose yourself in.
Hair - Greece from Emo-tions Gown - Eloina from Emo-tions Wings - CandyFae Gold Wings from Be Mused Gallery
Content creators have also embraced Petites by making homes, furniture and accessories, from whimsical and fantasy through to modern and trendy. I even saw a petite sex bed on Marketplace! There are AOs, poses, weapons, animals and even slow dances in Petite editions from Bits and Bobs.
Mystic Mushroom Cottage from Creative Fantasy Home & Garden Fairy Lights Mushroom Garden from Whimsy Petite Mushroom Table and Chair set from Dragon Magick Wares Hanging Chair from Mole’s End Hanging Hardware Stand from Lantian Pet Unicorn from All Meshed Up Outfit - Fairy Special from Evie’s Closet
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Petites can be glamorous too in miniature editions of gowns sold for standard avatars. You can buy it for yourself and your mini-me too. They can be slink and sexy...
Amelia Hair - Delilah from Tameless Gown - Sadire Gown from Snowpaws Jordan Hair - Orion from Wasabi Pills Gown - Starlight Gown from Kastle Rock Couture
Tea House for Petites from Sel & Nom Creations
...or dark and gothic.
Hair - Olivia from Tameless Gown - Madeleine Victorian Gown from Evie’s Closet
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Written by Sensuous Soulstar Photos by Phe Bruun
If you are one of those savvy residents that likes to keep a keen eye on Linden Lab, or you at least pay attention to the updates on the website, then you will have heard of a new little nifty feature that Linden Lab has unveiled, known as “pathfinding.� Unveiled on August 7th, pathfinding is a new innovative feature that allows automated characters, i.e. people, movable objects, animals, etc., to be created and given the ability to move around on their own with even greater ease on the virtual grid. Sounds pretty minor huh? Well, that would be where you would be incorrect! Think about all of the automated characters that are a part of your Second Life. Go ahead, think about it. There are the virtual pets that many of us are addicted to. Those cars and rides that we love to watch and to enjoy, especially in the theme parks. Even those nifty little shop attendants that greet you as you enter a store and stand with an ever pleasant smile while you peruse the aisles. All of these automated characters had to be created and scripted with hours upon hours of work, and even then they all had limitations. ICON MAGAZINE PAGE 144
Well here is where pathfinding has made life a little easier and even a little more enjoyable. It has removed a number of those limitations and cut down on the time that it takes to create these enjoyable characters, all of which serve to heighten our Second Life experience. Best explained by Linden Lab themselves, pathfinding now gives creators “a much easier and better performing way of creating characters that can move around in the world. Characters can use LSL functions to avoid obstacles, move around corners, climb inclines, and move across region boundaries: things that are very difficult or even impossible before. Pathfinding will also enable new gameplay mechanics, such as creating food that attracts monsters.” So what does this mean for you? It means that the next time you visit your favorite spooky haunted house, you better be prepared to truly be chased by the scariest of creatures. It means the next time you purchase a pet, you can now look forward to even more interaction with your furry loved one, and it means the next time you get ready to take the family to your favorite theme park, well, get ready to scream a lot louder…and maybe puke just a little more. While still in its early stages, pathfinding has already been generating a huge amount of buzz among creators, especially those who specialize in “nonplayer characters,” or characters that are not run by a person, but instead are run on an automated scripting system (i.e. that lovely little bot that smiles and greets you, and from time to time, gives out announcements). ICON MAGAZINE PAGE 146
This new system allows these non-player characters, or npcs as they are commonly referred, to do new things such as navigate their way around obstacles, follow roads, climb inclines and so on. Thus giving new meaning and depth to the phrase “artificial intelligence.� As of today, very few have been able to fully integrate this new system, as it has a steep learning curve (even steeper than learning mesh was for designers), but Linden Lab is working on setting the stage to debut the true benefits of this new feature by implementing in some of their more fun sims (the majority of which are accessible only to premium members). However all sims have now been outfitted with this new setting, which is optional and can be turned off for those who truly just do not want to experience this new phenomenon. For now, we will just have to sit back and wait to experience a more interactive, and somewhat smoother world, but as with the latest innovative additions from the Lab, we are in for a truly delicious treat. ICON MAGAZINE PAGE 147
ENTE R T AINMENT
Written by Sahara Mehrtens Photos by Qopi
From anger to love, lust to blood, the color red is symbolism for so many different emotions and feelings. For CodeBastard Redgrave, “Codie�, the color red holds her fascination and her admiration, and is the central theme for her club, Rouge. ICON MAGAZINE PAGE 150
“The original club was created when I joined SL in 2007,” Codie explains. “On a mainland parcel I bought with my roommate. I always was fascinated with the color red, and my name being CodeBastard Redgrave, we named it Code Red. The original name of the club remains even on the current Rouge sim, which is a design by Eshi Otawara. She had complete control over its creative design. It harbors the club, my store MechanizedLife where I sell my gadgets, and a gallery of my virtual photography works.” Codie’s Rouge Lounge is a place for people to come, chill and be entertained. The island, which is in the shape of a woman, combined with the red color emanating from all over the sim give it a provocative and sexy feel. “Rouge’s theme is one of adult entertainment,” she says. “I wanted to create a virtual space that was out of this world, and where people could immerse completely. I wanted it to be really different from conventional clubs, but retaining elements of luxury and romance. I also wanted it to be playful, open minded and allow avatars of all sorts to relax comfortably in a voice-less environment. It’s very boudoir inspired, very red, and quite sexy.”
Also on the sim is Rouge’s sister club, Rust! Completely different from many clubs around the grid, Rust is a build inspired by a different video game, Fallout. “About a year ago, I also built Rust!, a post-apocalyptic build inspired by the game Fallout,” Codie says. “We use it every Monday for our Zombiestep gig, which involves dancing to sick dubstep music while we murder innocent zombies with our heavy weaponry. It’s located 4000m right over Rouge. I know there’s a contrast between boudoir and the wasteland, but those are two themes that always fascinated me one way or another.” Music at the club varies, and they are very open to new types of music being played at any time. They also are always looking for new and exciting DJs. “Lately our music is mostly dubstep with Anubis Darkwatch, but we used to have all styles including rock, pop, punk, metal, industrial, all sorts of electronic music,” she explains. “We’re quite open on musical genres and like to invite all sorts of DJs for spontaneous events.”
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Codie said that though the economy has taken its toll, she still has many ideas to make the club bigger and better. Some of my plans include refurnishing the whole sim and create little intimate spaces where people can go on dates, and more events to come,” she says. “As for Rust, I have even bigger plans despite the time lacking, I’d really like to create a role playing community based on a game engine. We also want to get more regular nights going on, as we ended our traditional Thursday night dance parties.” Codie explained that the clubs success has been a group effort and her friends and loved ones have been more than supportive in her efforts. “I owe it mostly to be lucky enough being surrounded by fantastic friends, artists and creators,” she says. “Of course, hard work, to create my concepts, products and doing what was needed to advertize the place, run the events and so on.”
For anyone thinking of opening their own club, Codie offers this advice: “Work hard. Maintaining a crowd means serious involvement,” she says. “Also, use social media it’s great to draw some traffic. Be creative. Try and do stuff people have never attempted.”
Photos Courtesy of Bloomy Miles
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ICON: What is the best part of the work you do? What gives you the most pride? Bloomy: When someone tells me a picture made them smile or feel happy. What I can transmit through my images is what I really like. They have to give you emotions.
ICON: What frustrates you the most about being a photographer? Bloomy: Well, besides of all the tricks of SL like lag and some bad lines that appear on some of the pics sometimes for example, I feel frustrated when people don’t appreciate all the work that sometimes one picture can take. Sometimes take hours to edit or to have a good idea or representation, and they only see the end result and not all the work that goes into it. ICON: How do you manage to keep the creativity flowing? From where do you derive your influences? Bloomy: I don’t have a muse, my inspiration comes when I even don’t expect it. Sometimes I see a nice image in RL and I think, this could be a good idea, or maybe I see a nice pose or prop, or an outfit, or even a beautiful sim can be an inspiration. It is not about saying: I have to make a good pic today, it has to come naturally, spontaneous. SL has everything to give you inspiration.
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ICON: What is the most unusual thing/person you’ve been asked to photograph? Bloomy: Mmm I don’t think anything has been unusual so far, but when you take pictures of SL people and their avis are not nice, it is always difficult to get inspiration to make the final picture. On the contrary, when the avi is beautiful, the work is very easy. ICON: Have you ever refused to photograph something because it was so far out there that it made you uncomfortable? Bloomy: Not yet, but I know that I will sometime because I have my restrictions about some themes.
ICON: When you look back at your first SL photographs, what makes you cringe the most? Bloomy: That is always funny! I wanted to make good pics but my bad resolution and lack of experience didn’t help a lot, so my first pics were so flat. I laugh now when I see some of them, but no, they don’t makes me cringe. They were my school, my first steps to come where I am now, even though I am still in that school, learning every day. ICON: When you see the art that you create now, what do you feel? Bloomy: I feel that I still need to learn a lot, but I feel satisfied that they look better every day.
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ICON: If you weren’t a photographer and had to pick another profession in SL, what would it be? Bloomy: Oh, I was never interested about having a profession in SL. I used to say, this is my fantasy world and I come here to relax and have fun. I don’t want to feel stressed by work, I already have that in RL. But now I don’t mind to have this one because I enjoy it. As long as you enjoy what you do in SL, doesn’t matter what profession you have. ICON: When you have time for fun in SL what do you do? Bloomy: Pictures! They are fun, and more if I can take pictures with my friends. It is always a blast and I laugh a lot.
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Written by Sahara Mehrtens | Photos by Takeshi Kiama
Adding a little soul and spice to our SL, Long Pausch has one of the most sultry voices to grace the stages across the grid. Though he is a lover of all genres of music, Long is known for performing his soul music and his R&B music. “My favorite style to perform is R&B and Soul,” he says. “I find that soul music allows me to express myself. I listen to all genres of music.” ICON MAGAZINE PAGE 170
Long’s journey to performing in SL has been… well… long. “At first I just wanted to create myself in avatar form but found that in SL you can express yourself more than by changing your appearance but that there are communities that shares art, design and music together through their creations and talents,” he explains. “Most of the time I’m singing at karaoke sims around the grid.” Lately Long has spent his time performing around the grid, crooning the ladies and belting the big tunes. “Right now I am doing three consistent shows per week as well as performing at special events here and there,” he says. Though his main avenues for performance are soul and rhythm and blues, Long is a sponge, learning the ropes and trying to find new ways to improve his stage presence.
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“I am continuingly trying to improve and find new music and genres to learn,” he says. “The feeling of improving myself really motivates me. I am also a competitive person.” Right now, Long doesn’t play any instruments or anything, but has future plans to one day pick up a musical instrument. He also has many different ideas for making his performances more unique and interesting. “I can only sing, right now,” he explains. “But one day, I would like to learn the piano. I would also like to begin multilple streaming and perform with other SL artists.” Through the time he’s spent singing and performing in SL, Long has built many memories around his performances.
”My favorite performance memory happened during one performance where they were handing out panty throwers before my show,” he says. One lesson he has learned throughout his time in SL is, “Don’t get frustrated if no one shows up to your shows. Take it one performance at a time. Have fun and sing your heart out no matter what,” he says. Long explained that his fans make the performances worthwhile and gives them this shout out. “To my SL fans I’d like to thank you for all of your support,” he says. “Please, continue showing me love cause every one of you are amazing.”
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Photos by Qopi
Skyla
Her advice for upcoming DJs: My biggest advice is have FUN, because that’s what it should be about - the fun. Everyone kept telling me I should, especially with my accent and that I had
It was a confidence thing that kept Skyla from DJing beyond spinning for friends and private occasions. But finally she stepped out of her shell and started working in clubs where you will find her playing popular music from Top 40 to requests from people jamming to her music. “I try to find out
the personality for it, but I waited and waited. Now I am so glad I did finally do it. So my advice is jump in, do it and have fun. There are plenty of people and groups out there willing to help and give advice. And get a good mic! Skyla’s Top 10 Must Have Songs
and a real sense of belonging,” she says.
1. Heatwave - Wiley 2. Turn Up The Radio - Madonna 3. Goin In - Jennifer Lopez ft Flo-rida 4. Blow Me (One Last Kiss) - Pink 5. Turn Me On - Nikki Minaj 6. Motivation - Kelly Rowland ft Little Wayne 7. Hot Right Now - DJ Fresh ft Rita Ora 8. Hot Mess - Cobra Starship 9. Must Be The Feeling - Nero
Skyla also DJs for Bloodlines Clan too.
10. Blind Faith - Chase and Status
what the new releases are going to be and get them before they are played out,” she explains. You can find Skyla at the Drunken Duck, a club where she got her first DJ gig and a place she still holds dear. “It’s like family with a good atmosphere
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(Jackson1100 Tigerpaw) With a passion for music and the ability to weave entertainment and good musical taste, something he believes some DJs lack, Jackson jumped into spinning tunes four years ago. He wanted to make a good impression and enjoyable atmosphere for his listeners,and judging by his following, he has succeeded.
His advice for upcoming DJs: DJing isn’t about what you want, it’s about what the demographic of club desires, so as a DJ it’s your job to listen to what they want, and be able to present them songs that they may have heard of before and already love, along with songs they may not have
A massive dubstep fan, he collects different varieties from remixes to original mixes and he loves to share his passion at Ambrosia Dance Club and Rez Nightclub. “They aim to create a different environment for their audience, focussing more on the entertainment aspects of DJs whilst trying to stay away from DJs that are basically just glorified radio,” he explains. Well known for his use of “swag”, he is a DJ to check out when you want good music, and a good time.
Jackson’s Top 10 Must Have Songs
heard but will love.
1. Kyoto - Skrillex 2. Pirate Hooker - Zomboy 3. Yonkers - Tyler the Creator 4. Elmo’s Dubstep World - DJ Z3RO 5. Firestarter - KDrew 6. Killin’ It - Krewella 7. The Pursuit of Happiness - Kid Kudi 8. We Are Young (NickTune Remix) - Fun 9. Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites Skrillex 10. Love the Way You Lie (Screamo Cover) - Ocean Marie
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Written and Photographed by an Addict
In Second Life, this love of corsetry has become a full on addiction. The variety of designs, not to mention affordability, has let me explore and indulge in this love affair I have had since I was a child. Not to mention the fact they are way more comfortable to wear in Second Life! It started in a small way. I discovered Blacklace, which as everyone in SL knows, has the most stunning lingerie on the grid, and started buying a couple of sets every so often and before I knew it, I had almost everything from the store. Then when the Vollers Collection hit the store, I went nuts! My inner showgirl exploded and I was lost in a sea of corsets! But any lingerie store in SL is not safe from my corset hunting...and there are a ton of sexy ones out there, if you know where to look.
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And guys love corsets too. They are the ultimate tease. Sexy and seductive, showing a little, but at the same time showing so much. Pop one on and watch his reaction. He will love it!!! When I was a little girl, I wanted to be Maureen O’Hara in The Black Swan running around in the corset and pantaloons, ok so maybe not the pantaloons, but definately the corset, struggling to hold on to my maidenly virtue whilst trying desperately not to fall into Tyrone Power’s arms or Scarlett O’Hara being laced down to a 17 inch waist so I could wear a stunning hooped gown to the BBQ so I could flirt with all my beaus. And I just realised I am sounding really old now. But corsets have always intrigued me with their sexiness and design.
When I got older I was the chick in the leather corset and pants at the Def Leppard concerts (and yes I had tragic big hair as well). I was finally able to live out my childhood love in my adult years. That is one thing I have to definately thank Madonna for - she made underwear okay to be outerwear! I have an extensive collection of leather corsets which I wear when clubbing or when I just want to lounge at home and relive my 80s groupie-girl days. Don’t judge me!!!! And with the mesh evolution has come stunning new corsets that look amazing with jeans, long skirts, short skirts, even gowns. I have been known to buy from Marketplace without even trying a demo just cos I loved the corset and had to have it now! I have yet to be disappointed. There is just something so ‘olden day romantic’ and ‘fantasy’ about wearing a corset as part of your every day clothing. It brings a whole new dimension to your look and one you will love. Try it! If it doesn’t become an addiction for you too, it soon will!
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Written and Photographed by Solitaire Highfield
The impossible happened. You have found the love of your dreams and now comes the hard part....how do you keep them? All relationships are different, and there is no cookie cutter way to be a good partner, but here’s a couple of tips to help you on your journey with your Mr/Miss Now. 1. Take It Slowly Trying too soon to make it something more is a sure way to scare your new love off. You need time to get to know each other and trust that you turn out to be perfect for each other. Premature pushiness is the easiest way to scare them away. The initial sparks of attraction are very seductive and falling for someone can make you see something as more serious than it really is. Make the most of this magical time and don’t rush it. 2. Let Them Live Their Life You’re not entitled to all their time and attention...unless you want to be an obsessive partner. Let them go out without hovering around watching what they are doing. You are seperate people as well as a couple after all. They need space to do their things, so don’t take it personally. Everyone needs to have time to indulge in their interests and do their own things, just make sure they knows you are there for them, and let them have their time. 3. Be Yourself You don’t have to be fake to impress anyone, let alone them. Its tempting to remake yourself to fit their ideals, but if you have to change yourself to be taller, thinner, blonde, bigger boobage etc, then alarm bells that you shouldn’t be together if they are badgering you about your appearance should be ringing loud and clear. Don’t try to make them jealous - it usually backfires. Don’t lead them on if you aren’t into what they is - it may be easy to do, but will hurt when they find out you’re deceiving them. Don’t play games - it just means you don’t understand the meaning of a true relationship. ICON MAGAZINE PAGE 192
4. Don’t Try to Change Them It’s something we all think we can do, but the bottom line is....you really can’t change people. We’ll be the one to make them get over their commitment phobia or ditch the bling, but unless they want to, they won’t change. Don’t force it or you’re just forcing yourself out of a relationship. And on the other side of the coin - don’t let them try to change you either! 5. Friends Out Don’t let your friends micro-manage your relationship. It’s yours, not theirs. Everyone has opinions, but you don’t have to listen to them or their advice. Sometimes people just don’t get on, so hear them out, and then ask if they will try to get along with your partner for you and your friendship.
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Lie back and relax in the cute Little Dingy from Adorkable Poses. Best part about it is, it’s free!
I have had the same shape in Second Life since the day I first rezzed - over four years ago, so recently I thought it was time for a change. I love my new shape. Sure she is a lot shorter than my previous one, but I can wear so many skins with her now and they all look amazing. But the best part - with her smaller head I have no trouble wearing mesh hair!!!
Like toast? Then the amazing Toast Antlers from Arduenn Schwartzman are just the thing you need. With a variety of toast toppings pierced onto the antlers, you have the perfect snack anytime! And check out the other varieties if toast doesn’t excite you like it does me!
Know someone who can shop till they drop, or that you can turn to when you need something and they can rattle off a list of places to find it? Then give them the Best Shopper Trophy from BeLLam. It’s an award they will really appreciate.
Now I know most of you are still puzzled by the whole “men think?� thing, but occasionally they do. And with the AFK Laptop from Aroyo Heninga you can actually see him thinking when he goes afk. Just wear the laptop and it will sit you down to have a thnk or daydream. You can even add your own pictures to the screen. Check out all the other afk options they sell.
There is still plenty of time to hit the beach this summer! Check out the totally adorable Crochet Tied Skirt and Bikini from Swanky. It will have you looking chic and stylish.
Sick of going to weddings or parties as a single guy or gal cos you know everyone else will be paired up and slow dancing with their hunnies? Funny F*ckers has that problem solved. The Slow Dance Anywhere partner comes in male and female versions with a built in slow dance you just wear and you’re no longer the loser without a date!
Make a statement with the Lip Chain Love II from Envi. Who needs the ouchiness of a piercing when you can just hang this adorable little chained heart from your lower lip.
ICON lifestyle magazine
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SEPTEMBER 2012
All material used by permission and is the property of ICON. Reproduction or use of the content in whole or part, without the written permission of the Editor, is strictly prohibited.