Fabulous Five!

Five years ago I decided to check out an online game called Second Life. I'd been reading about it on a newsgroup and my curiosity was piqued.  This probably sounds terrible, but somebody I knew wrote how her relationship had needed because of her partner falling in love in SL, and I figured there must be something to it, for that sort of that sort of thing to have happened. So I downloaded it on my old pc with a terrible internet speed, and had a look around. Or rather, waddled around looking dreadful in a system skin and freebie hair and clothes while I figured out how to change my avatar shape and how to "sit" on things to make me dance. 

A very brief stint as a pole dancer (I was rubbish) and a slightly longer stint as a vampire (I was pretty rubbish at that too - I only managed to get two souls - I just didn't have the heart to bite people) I had a lucky chance meeting with a man called Lucky who gave me a skybox to live in (surprisingly with no strings attached) and I discovered the joys of home furnishing. I had no idea about prims, so I overloaded his sim pretty fast with the cutest kitten (that was like 400 prims!) and a really great fairy rezzer that I didn't know how to switch off. I tried making it snow one day too...that's when I found out about cntrl+alt+T to show transparent objects, but not before the whole sim was like a blizzard and I ran crying to a friend to help me. 

Then I met a man, we fell in love, and moved onto an island together, and I learnt how to build a house. Once the house was finished, I fell out of love with him, and moved back to my little skybox. My ex got together with a model called Star, who became my big sister and mentor.

I'd developed a love for shopping, dressing up my avatar, and taking photos quite early on, and by this point (early 2010), I had my own little studio and started entering contests on Flickr. Star always encouraged me to train as a model, but I resisted for quite a while (It actually took her about a year to persuade me). And then one day, I was hanging out in Frank's Bar, and I got an instant message from the man who is now my real life partner. I've told that story before, so I won't repeat it - if you're interested, you can read it here. But I must say, if SL brought me nothing else, it brought me the love of my life, for real.

By 2011 I decided I would give modelling a go, and by the end of the year I was a whole lot taller, and quite a bit thinner, my eyes were smaller, and so were my my boobs! I'd graduated from iC Motions Academy and Miss Virtual World Academy, I'd won a couple of contests, and I'd had some lucky breaks getting into some great shows. I started this blog too. 

In 2012 I worked at blogging and modelling, tried and failed to get into Miss Virtual World, but really plugged away at the bread and butter of being an SL model, I learnt about the production side of fashion shows and did some machinima work too. It wasn't a spectacular year in career terms, but I made some wonderful friends in the fashion community and it laid the foundation for what was to be an extraordinary year ahead.

I started 2013 with the Avenue models casting, and got in. Avenue was every models dream agency. I was invited into top agency BLVD too. Then I entered and won the SL Top Model contest, run by Frolic Mills of BOSL. As a result I got to work with some awesome designers, had my first BOSL cover, and was offered the job of BOSL Magazine Fashion Editor - a post I am still proud to hold. I got to know the delightful Warm Clarity of ~ghee~ and became her marketing manager. I succeeded in becoming Miss Virtual UK 2014, and made the top 12 in the Miss Virtual World Pageant. I also started the SL Say No campaign in support of UN Day to End Violence Against Women and was honoured to work with the Misses on a powerful video to support the campaign. All in all, a fantastic year, that finally put me on the map as a model in Second Life, and why I decided to call my age "Fabulous Five".

So, five fabulous years. And looking back, so much has changed. The mesh revolution has totally changed the way we dress. Themed and discount events have changed the way we shop. SL is smaller, in terms of population, than it was back in 2009, but the amazing creativity is still there. Second Lifers have created their own corner of Facebook which has added a whole new dimension to forming relationships. And the thing that has always kept me enthralled - meeting and making connections across the globe, is as rewarding as it ever was. So thank you, for checking out my little corner of the metaverse and taking the time to visit with me on my Rezz Day, and for just being there. I have no idea what the future might hold for me in Second Life, but here's to five more fabulous years!

Scroll down for style notes and SURLs. /me blows a kiss

Dress: Loovus Dzevavor - Shades of Love Gown
(this was a Gypset Market exclusive in February - not currently available for sale, sorry)**

Jewellery: Swallow - Cameo Pink for TDR Fusion

Gloves: Leverocci Belgravia - Jessamine Snow Leather (recoloured)

Hair: Elysium - Torre Hair

Eyemakeup: Mons Makeups Eyeshadow Dark Horse for TDR Fusion