Mariko Magic - Enlightening, Exhilarating, Extraordinary

Fashion Magic By the Waters of the Nile

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Enlightening, Exhilarating, Extraordinary is the motto of ALB Dream Fashion. The Africa and Moroccan inspired fashions by designer Analee Balut are indeed enlightening, delightfully exhilarating, and truly extraordinary. Drop in the ALB Dream Fashion main store and be prepared to be excited by the breadth and beauty of the fashions and items on display. At the store you will find quality clothing, footwear, hats, skins, jewellery, and accessories for women and men. And the fashions are to dream for - great textures and colorful styles that are full of grace and harmony. The store itself is a joy to shop in - tasteful, airy, Moorish and set in the exotic North African desert sim of A'ksha Dunes.
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ALB Anna Set
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I have four Annalee Balut designed outfits in my clothing inventory, and all are among my favorites. Today, I'll highlight a colorful and elegant outfit called ALB Anna which sells for $599L. Through the magic of Second Life, I took this Africa inspired design to Ancient Egypt to display its enchantment among the monuments and lost mysteries of the Nile. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.
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Cascade of Colors
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The ALB Anna set includes top, flexi sleeves, pants with attached belt, long flexi front skirt, flexi flat skirt, and red pumps. The sleeves and the skirts are very sheer (so wonderful), and the outfit is a veritable cascade of colors. Note the exquisite detailing and patterns revealed in the above picture. I absolutely love the color orange, and so I love way the designer utilizes the color as a highlight to draw one's attention to the outfit and the wearer.
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You can create different looks with this versatile outfit

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

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Hair by Analog Dog Hair

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

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Daughter of Isis and Queen of the Upper and Lower Nile
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I hope that you enjoyed this look at a very exciting piece of fashion magic. I hope to feature more Annalee Balut designs in future posts.

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ALB Dream Fashion main store:

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

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

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

The Meadow

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The Meadow at Opar is a celebration of color, overflowing with wildflowers in full bloom and tall grasses. The meadow is an island surrounded on three sides by Opar's interior waterways and on the fourth by the sea. This magnificent scene is framed by tall pines and white birches and by Opar's rolling hills and mountains. Leaving the northwest side of the villa, you enter the meadow by crossing a small bridge and are immediately engulfed in a sea of orange cosmos. A steady wind is blowing across the meadow making the orange field undulate and roll like waves upon the ocean. Strolling through the field, the orange flowers give way to delicate pink and finally to white and to the tall grasses bordering the sea. Beyond the meadow lies Opar's Wild Shore and the Hidden Forest. I hope that you will visit my Opar and take a walk in my meadow. And bring a significant someone and enjoy a special moment.

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A Pretty Place for Pretty Girls
.Dawn

. Dusk
. Orange is one of my Favorite Colors
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Kaja Lurra enjoying a walk through the wild flowers
.Tall Grasses Bordering The Sea.

Sitting on the ground and conversing in a sea of blooms

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Opar: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Opar/30/140/26
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Mariko Magic: Another Look at Spring Magic

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

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

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Family Portrait

Sitting with my sisters Dawson and Victoria

I received an IM today from my sister Victoria wanting to know if I had any pictures of us together for her profile. Victoria is the latest incarnation of my younger sister Wynter/Sade. Vic is impish and Japanese in appearance - a real cutie. I suggested that we shoot some new pictures in the rose garden at Opar. Minutes into the photo shoot, my sister Dawson dropped by providing an opportunity for me to create a portrait of my Second Life family. This photo series is one that I will cherish.
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Day Dreams

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Sharing Dreams

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Pssst... wanna buy some hot pictures of my sister

What is she doing behind my back?
.S Spooky Picture - but not really inspired by Henry Fuseli

Family Portrait

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Cheesecake Mariko: Orange Sparkle Delight

Orange Sparkle

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It's about time for dessert. Serving another slice of cheesecake a la Mariko.
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A Trip to Red Rock Mesa

Under Western Skies

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Yesterday, Jaysun and I went on an exploring excursion to Red Rock Mesa, a sim featuring Native American and Southwest art. Set in the American Southwest, Red Rock Mesa features towering red bluff cliffs and lonesome pines. This sim should have been a magnificent natural panoramic setting with which to display Native American culture. Unfortunately, it is so cluttered with theme park structures and shops that much of its naturalistic beauty is obscured. But there are things to see and fun things to do here. I had a very enjoyable time made even more so by Jay's company.
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There is no flying allowed at Red Rock Mesa so one must be prepared for plenty of walking and climbing. One starts by exploring the pueblos of cliff dwellers and climbing the ladders to get to the higher ridges. There is a wonderful rock climbing cliff that I ascended to get to the top of the mesa. I actually found this challenging, and it was so much fun. Using mouselook to look down into the valley floor, while dangling precariously from a rock, made me deliciously dizzy. I am a little nervous around heights in real life. Throughout the mesa one hears tribal drums and singing. Dancing and circling a large fire to the beating of drums fired my imagination. I imagined Jaysun staked out for the ants and vultures by our tribal warriors. He is a dastardly cowboy, after all (but I would certainly save him from that awful fate a la Pocahontas).

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I know that I decried the quantity of shops taking away the grand vistas of Red Rock Mesa, but the shopping is good and recommended. I bought a couple of Native American motif rugs and number of Native American costumes, the best of which is a lovely Navajo outfit with beautiful turquoise jewelry and accents. This outfit is featured twice in the pictures of this post. I've also started thinking about doing a future fashion blog post about Native American fashions. So if you are in the mood for alittle exploring, consider a trip to Red Rock Mesa. I might come back someday for more shopping and to climb that cliff again.
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Indiana Jones couldn't do it better

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Hanging on by my finger tips - Darn my manicure is ruined

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Can you really rock climb backwards like this and in high heel boots
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Navajo Princess

.Red Rock Mesa, Native American Indian and Southwest Art

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Native%20Lands/73/99/27

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Mariko Magic: Early Spring Magic

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

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Argrace Beanie with Long Straight Hair

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

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This lovely top is also found in the Argrace Main Store and is called With You. As you can see in the pictures, With You is very flattering to your figure and has a wonderful texture. It is designed by Air Winx, the owner of Argrace, and sells for $300L. It is available in White, Wine Red, Browny, DP, Olive, Light Grey, and Black. I purchased Wine Red. Your purchase gets you two models, a long sleeve and a medium sleeve model. I am wearing the medium sleeve. With You also comes with a very cute plaid muffler that is perfect for when the March wind has a brisk snap.
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'With You' from Argrace Main Store
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White Satin Pants from Redgrave Women's Fashion
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I completed this spring outfit with the White Satin Pants available at Redgrave Women’s Fashion. The pants are designed by Emilia Redgrave and sell for $400L. You might choose to finish off your outfit by purchasing some great jeans at Argrace. But these white satin pants are one of my favorite items for mixing-and-matching. They do so well with so many other pieces. They are perfect for taking a top from one of your lovely formals and creating a less formal look that is just credibly sexy.

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Voila - Mix and Match Fashion Magic for Early Spring

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

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Argrace Main Store:

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

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Redgrave Women's Fashion:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/REDGRAVE%20Womens%20Fashion/242/225/23

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Pictures were taken at Opar, my personal estate
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Dawson's Photographic Study of Wynter

Dawson's Portraits of Wynter

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My sister Dawson has diverse interests, and she overflows with talent. Dawson's enthusiasms range from Chinese cooking to gardening to travel and much more. She is also an exceptional photographic artist in real life and Second Life. I call her a photographic artist because she is much more than a skilled photographer. I am featuring in this post a series of portraits by Dawson that comprise a wondrous study of her relationship with my younger sister Wynter.

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Dawson carefully choose the landscape for this study. It is wide and almost barren. Set at early predawn, the predominant colors are still dark and muted. One can feel a misty morning chill. The most intriguing landscapes in art are those that are a mirror to human emotions and conditions. Barren and cold landscapes such as that chosen by Dawson are used to artists to evoke a wrenching loneliness. Might this be the case in these pictures but for the presence of Wynter?

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Wynter's beauty is understated throughout this series. She is dressed simply and in black. Her blouse and stockings are torn. She is obviously not a stranger or traveler to this landscape but an inhabitant. She is warmly appealing and someone we hope to encounter. Her presence is comforting and fulfills a longing for warmth to dispel the morning chill. We are so glad she is here for us. And so ultimately these are not landscapes that evoke loneliness. That is the wonder of Wynter and the special place she holds for Dawson.

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The final picture is my favorite. We learn that there are possible dangers in this landscape. Humans are warned to beware. But Wynter is walking through this landscape with ease and confidence. It is a spirit that one wishes for all of us in life.
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Mariko Magic: Miss China Town Creates Fashion Magic

Mousebi Erin, Miss China Town

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

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A casual sophisticated look with a hint of intrigue

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

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Mousebi is wearing only the top portion of the Lima Trenchcoat offered by Armidi Gisaci. Surprisingly, this works well in creating her look. And I especially love the collar on this coat. It is reminiscent of the film noir of Bogart and Bacall. The color is Hazel, and the coat sells for $325L. I have also recreated this look for myself; but I choose the color black. This works well too. The wide black leather belt is a marvelous accent which sets off the top from the rest of the outfit. The belt is from COCO and sells for $150L. COCO is located in the Cocon shopping mall of the Gion Shirakawa sim. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.
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Mousebi is wearing the (F/Skinny) A001 Jeans sold by Armidi Limited for $145L. The color is Dusted Classic. These boots are terrific, and they are a great find. They are sold by L'Atelier Storm Schmooz Exclusive Second Life Footwear and are their Storm Schmooz Maitresse boots. Mousebi choose the color Chocolate. They sell for $500L. For my look, I choose Black Classic for the jeans and black for the boots.

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Mousebi's hair is is from Mirai Style and is their Caly hair. The color is Latte. This hair sells for $200L. The finishing accents include dark glasses from Armidi Gisaci and is their Lifestyle Aviators. The glasses sell for $325L. Her necklace is from CeeJay's Miscellaneum and is their Isis Necklace.
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I would like to thank Mousebi for sharing with us her wonderful mix-and-match fashion magic. I hope to feature more of her magic in future posts.

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Armidi - Hair, Clothing, & Accessories:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Armidi/134/128/25/

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L'Atelier Storm Schmooz Exclusive Second Life Footwear:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sawsnake/157/238/23/

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Coco:

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

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Mirai Style:

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

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CeeJay's Miscellaneum:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lonicerae/73/201/418

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Pictures were taken at China Town sim.

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