Virtual Neko in Second Life

Give In to Temptation with Rebel -X-

•July 15, 2008 • 3 Comments

There I was, innocently exploring a Neko mall when I spotted an amazing texture inside a store across the plaza. Neko ears in the vendor picture reassured me that potential shopping quarry was at hand, and I sauntered closer. That’s when it happened. A dress with black lace arrested my texture-loving heart and dragged my mouse (evil, singularly-minded, linden-devouring creatures that mice are) up to the “purchase” position. “Nightshade” was mine…

L: Excellent lace texture on Rebel -X- Nightshade. R: Detailing on Perturb/ation Torico Arm Cuffs (click image to enlarge)

More Neko, goth, and vampish outfits beckoned. I temporarily assuaged my guilt with a couple of lovely men’s t-shirts that would look great on Bobby, dropping a notecard to the designer to request them as a gift. And that, cats and kittens, is how I met the lovely Rouge Darcy… a kind-hearted, sharp-witted, RL Italian artist who has clearly mastered the art of clothes making in Second Life with her store, Rebel Xtravaganza, or ‘Rebel -X-‘ as she likes to call it. I’m humbly pleased and honored to call her a friend (and a stubbornly generous one at that!).

Where does a Neko girl go, draped in textures as lovely as this? Bobby knew just the place: Crimson Shadow, another excellent Rezzable sim known for its vamp, goth, and Neko residents and patrons. It was time to explore!

Our teleport landed us into the middle of a “Best Neko” contest being held during one of Crimson Shadow’s regular afternoon DJ events… yup, we were in the right place. However vampires rule here, as attested by the glittering pools of blood, dark gothic textures, and lovely detailing in pentagrams, stained glass windows, and dancing cages.

It was almost enough to make this Neko want to shop for pale skin and fangs… and my, but Bobby’s neck was starting to look extraordinarily beautiful during the photo shoot… and then… I spotted the writing on the wall of the cave: “Give in to Temptation.” ::: smile spreads slowly across face ::: ^_^

Rebel Xtravaganza’s Blog
http://rebelxtravaganza.blogspot.com/

Visit Crimson Shadow Rezzable
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Crimson%20Shadow%20Rezzable/203/228/25

Keep up with Events at Crimson Shadow via their Blog
http://rezzable.com/category/tags/crimson-shadow

More About Crimson Shadow
http://thewintermarket.blogspot.com/2007/09/crimson-shadow-rezzable-preview.html

What I Wore While Exploring:

© Stacia Villota / Virtual Neko in Second Life – 2008
http://virtualneko.com

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Posted in Explore, Fashion, Urban / Grunge
Tags: crimson shadow, Explore, Fashion, goth, gothic, neko, nekoism, nekos, rebel extravaganza, rebel x, rebel xtravaganza, rebelx, rezzable, second life, secondlife, SL, vamp, vampire

Exploring Steam Forge

•July 10, 2008 • 3 Comments

In the weeks leading up to the creation of this blog, I spent a great deal of time researching Neko styles in Second Life — from Steampunk, Goth, and Vamp, to Kawaii, Geisha, and pretty much everything in between. I tracked down countless Neko designers, many of whom were often situated in fantastically built sims that offered just as much fun for the explorer as they did to the shopper (did I really just say that?!).

One of my favorite such shopping destinations is Steam Forge — not only due to the caliber of stores available to Nekos there, but because it’s the kind of place you can’t help but walk around and admire.

Imagine my excitement the other night when I happened to see Thomus Keen there — the talented designer behind the concept of Industrial Steampunk in Second Life. One notecard and 24 hours later, I discovered that the man behind the Steam Forge sim is probably one of the kindest, most generous individuals I’ve met in SL. And oh what a passion…

“It’s ALL about passion for Steampunk,” began Thomus. “When Destany Laval and I brought our vision of Industrial Steam Punk to SL, we didn’t know if it would catch on or not, but we didn’t care, because it wasn’t for the money. Yet it seems to have taken off, for which I am eternally grateful.” (Destany Laval’s neighboring “Creeve Town” is just across the Iron Bridge from Steam Forge).

Thomus recently finished doing some major upgrades to the main stores around Steam Forge, and seemed particularly pleased with how League turned out. “I LOVE having steam punk designers here… and do whatever I can to support them. We don’t charge them rent, we don’t constrain them with prim limits, and we made a big workshop to give them a place to build and share resources that help all designers, new and old.”

Silently padding around the sim for a few last photos after our chat, it was clear Steam Forge reflected a labor of unbridled enthusiasm and love. The next time you’re looking for a unique piece of Neko fashion or simply a great photo opp in Second Life, I’d encourage you to stop by.

What is Steam Punk? Read more here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk

Steam Forge has changed since I visited, but you can find their new home here:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/FairChang%20Ampere%20Main/130/121/25

What I wore while visiting Steam Forge:

Fashion photo (top) by Bobby Yoshikawa <3***
Steam Forge photos (lower two) by Stacia

© Stacia Villota / Virtual Neko in Second Life – 2008
http://virtualneko.com

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Posted in Casual, Explore, Fashion, People
Tags: creeve town, Explore, Fashion, neko, nekoism, nekos, second life, secondlife, SL, steam forge, steam punk, steamforge, steampunk

Hair Recommends – Part 1

•July 7, 2008 • 11 Comments

Although this blog won’t be focusing solely on fashion, it’s safe to say that roughly half of my posts will cover kitty couture on a regular basis. Because hair is such an essential element of an outfit — especially critical for Nekos in light of the extra furry parts on our bodies — I wanted to share four of the styles I’ve been wearing lately to spark your imagination. Let me start by confessing some of my biases:

| Ears | To me, seeing a pair of pale, strangely hairless human ears just below my lovely Neko ears is a bit odd, so I tend to wear hair that keeps those lesser counterparts safely hidden.

| Color | I like to match (for the most part). If I’m wearing a dark red Neko tail and ears, I’ll try to choose a similarly dark red hair… or at least red-tipped hair. Same goes for white hair with white tail/ears (or white-tipped pink if I’m feeling kawaii), brown with brown, and black with black. (I’ll be doing similar posts on ear and tail recommendations in the future, stay tuned.)

| Style | It probably goes without saying, but I’m not going to wear a French braid, pigtails, or a well-coiffed bun (despite how gorgeous Mariya looks in them) as a Neko. Give me something a little messy, a bit shaggy (preferably flexi), and every once in a while, maybe even a little bit bizarre.

Got a favorite Neko hair? Drop me a comment, I love discovering (and reviewing!) new styles.

Hair Recommend #1:
Armidi – “The Roxy” in tipped reds (wearing Honey Ginger with Auburn Tips)

Hair Recommend #2:
Eat Rice! – “Pickle” in Auburn (I’m sorry to say this store went out of business about 8 months after this story)

Hair Recommend #3:
Kin – “Lucy” in red

Hair Recommend #4:
Kin – “Ryuuzaki” in red

All photos by Bobby Yoshikawa <3***

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Posted in Fashion, Neko How To
Tags: armidi, couture, eat rice!, Fashion, hair, kin, kitty, neko, nekohair, nekoism, nekos, second life, secondlife, SL

Midian City Nights

•June 28, 2008 • 5 Comments

Where better to start Virtual Neko exploration than one of Second Life’s best and oldest RP sims… Midian City.

When I first discovered Midian, I loved nothing more than to curl up on the steps of the central police precinct, furtively moving my ears to catch the idle chatter as all of Midian’s best, darkest, and most bizarre swaggered past. Chances are I may have been wearing something sorta like this:

Since those early days, I’ve come to learn more about the various cultures and subcultures in this amazing city, including a tight band of Nekos called the Midian City Catwalkers. I can only hope that some day, I’ll be lucky enough to meet them….

Photography by Bobby Yoshikawa <3***

If you’re having difficulty figuring out how to wear a skirt AND a Neko tail AND a cool Neko accessory belt all at the same time, never fear, I’ve got the answer for you on this page!

Read More about Midian City:
http://www.ldmag.com/en/post/2007/05/02/Midian-City-A-Dark-RP-Community

Explore Midian City:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Midian%20City/138/48/30/

Learn more about Midian City via their Forums:
http://midiancity.informe.com/index.php

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Posted in Casual, Explore, Fashion, Urban / Grunge
Tags: Explore, Fashion, kitty, midian, neko, nekoism, nekos, second life

First scratch on the post

•June 26, 2008 • 7 Comments

The Unanswerable Questions:

Why do silly humans sleep at night, immerse themselves in water, and turn up their indelicate noses at raw meat? (despite a few enlightened ones who make an exception for sushi… cat rest your souls).

The Answerable Questions:

More importantly, what inspires the birth of a Neko in Second Life? How does an aspiring Neko uncover the velvety underbelly of Second Life Nekoism — be it whiskers, etiquette, couture, roleplay, or genre — while discovering the best dark alleys or cozy perches along the way? Where do Nekos roam for fashion, passion and amusement in Second Life?

The Kitteh Who’s Askin:

Curious, playful, insatiable, sarcastic — apparently it was only a matter of time before discrete furry parts magically appeared on my avatar during my second year in SL. While I certainly don’t purport to have all the answers, I love nothing better than hunting and sharing my kill (a reasonable justification for the frequency of the word Neko in my inventory, no?).

If you are likewise drawn to the Neko side of Second Life, whether for part time fun or the result of total DNA reconstruction, this blog’s for you — a place to share what you love and connect with others of your species.

I have no idea what this will grow into, I only hope that it will.

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