Alluring Them In

Faithful readers know that I'm a Fleur girl. Why? Because their skins are perfectly suited to my shape. The first Vivant I wore made me light up in a way I didn't think possible, and since that time I've worn almost nothing but Vivants and various Boutique skins. So, as you might imagine, I've been waiting anxiously for new Fleur skin, and my hopes have been fulfilled. The new Fleur line, Allure, was launched last Sunday with a big party at the store. Various Fleur Flickr contest winners modeled new skins (/me waves to Rosie and Aislinn) and I even had one of my pics up on the wall modeling one of the new skins, if you can believe it. I was so happy to see many old and new friends at the launch, all in support of Ros and CJ's hard work.

But you don't want to hear about my social life, you want to know about the skins. First off, I love them. Now I can just hear you. You're saying, "Yeah, but you're friends with Ros, so of course you're gonna say that." Well, maybe. Let me put is this way: I'm buying Allure skins, and I'm recommending Allure skins. I'm putting my money where my perfectly shaped mouth is and my perfectly shaped ass will be on the line if you buy them on my recommendation and don't like them. But funny I should mention the mouth. The new Allure line will require you to modify your shape a little if you are used to the Vivants, primarily because the mouth is slightly different. I think it is based on the Shoujo mouth, but those skins are in much softer tones so the lips aren't as noticeable, whereas some of the Allure makeups really heighten the mouth. If you're like me, you might need to slightly raise the corners of the mouth and make your lower lip a little less full to achieve maximum effect. Other than those minor tweaks, the skins fit my shape just as well as previous releases. Let me also say that the body work on the Allure line is awesome. Did you hear me? Awesome! I'm going to send you over to Grazia Horwitz's blog to read her description of the body, because she sums up everything so nicely, and provides full body pics. /me looks at Grazia's pics and fans herself. The only thing I have to add it that one of the beautiful things about Fleur skins is that they really look like one's underlying musclature is providing shape and definition to the skin, when in reality, as with all skins, it is shading and coloring doing the trick. But Ros has a way of hiding the artifice involved, a rare skill.

What I find most interesting about Allure is that they make me look more mature. (Editor's note: Looks are deceiving, eh Dot?) My default skin for months has been the Vanilla Parfait 2, a skin which brings the cute out like no other. Don't believe me? Check the evidence. Now compare it to the pic below with me in the Allure Ivory Kit 1. I periodically begged Ros for freckles while she was working on these, and she has delivered in a big way: a lovely make-up job which doesn't require me to lose my freckles. For more traditional glamour, look at the Allure Ivory Lounge 3 pic, which is more reminiscent of silent film stars and smoky nightclubs, while the Exotiques are a more modern take on high fashion. There are many many more makeups available, so head to Fleur and start looking around. I promise you'll find something you like.

Now that I've drooled all over Fleur, I'm adding Ornamental Life to the short list of things I can't be rational about. About a month ago I received a FashCon notice about new lingerie from Ornamental Life. Now, I knew the name, but I had never been to the store, so I clicked on a few of the pics on the notecard. Five seconds later I had TPed to the store, and was stuffing my virtual shopping bag with lingerie. Why? That's a good question. There is no accounting for personal taste, but the designs and colors speak to me and, in my humble opinion, are tremendously flattering to my shape. While I was taking the photos below, a group gift appeared from Ornamental Life, and that's the gown in the final pic you see below. How cool is that? The link I've provided is for the Ornamental Boudoir, dedicated to lingerie, and you can find a cute opening gift there, or you can check the Ornamental Life main store.

Hair, as usual, is from booN. You need booN hair. The power of Dot compels you!


And now the pics:



Skin: Fleur Allure Ivory Lounge 3
Hair: booN KAR07 in black
Lingerie: Ornamental Life Flower War "Clover In Your Hair"



Skin: Fleur Allure Ivory Exotique 3
Hair: booN KAR07 in black
Lingerie: Ornamental Life Antoinette Whirls "Down The Pier"



Skin: Fleur Allure Ivory Vampy (opening party gift)
Hair: booN MOM55
Lingerie: Ornamental Life Remembering Chloe "Yang"


Skin: Fleur Allure Ivory Kit 1
Hair: booN DOT742
Lingerie: Ornamental Life Into White "With A Touch Of Destiny" (Boudoir opening gift)
Necklace: artilleri High Roller (no longer available)



Skin: Fleur Allure Ivory Kit 1
Hair: booN KRC02
Gown: Ornamental Life Doll Theory (Halloween group gift)