The Artful Shopper

Taking a break until Fall

2010-08-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let you all know I'm alive, Real Life has just thrown me for a loop and knocked the wind out of me. So have a few events in Second Life.

I plan to be back at some point to continue this blog, probably in the Fall, because I enjoy it very much, but right now I feel I need to concentrate on "being there" for my daughter while she continues her cancer treatment.

Thank you all so much for your support -- this has been a fun project, even when I've struggled with a sharp learning curve as far as SL etiquette goes. I hope to see you all soon!

Historical Heroines says goodbye

2010-07-09T09:16:00.000-07:00

I've been remiss in not reviewing Historical Heroines, which specializes in 18th, 19th and early 2oth century hairstyles, and now I've just received the sad news that the shop will be closing as of Thursday, July 15.

"Due to a combination of RL factors and my computer hiccuping every time I access SL, I haven't been around in months," said Duchess Cornelia Rothschild of Teslace in a letter to her customers this week. "I've decided that this isn't fair to my customers/landlord, and thus I am closing up shop and selling my parcel."

Her Grace has discounted all color packs to 45L, and fatpacks to 100L at the Historical Heroines main shop in Caledon II.

These are just some of my favorites of her work: Miss Baudelaire, in "cobblestone" (below left); Miss Westenra, in chestnut brown (note: Westenra is an earlier style already discounted to 150L with full color options included), and Miss Josephine, also in cobblestone.

"I thank all for your support over the years," Her Grace said. "My shop has always been a fun little hobby for me - nothing serious - and every time I've seen another creator's vendor with my hair used on the model, or heard someone recommend my store, I've been flattered and humbled. It's been a wonderful experience."

While you are there be sure to pick up the freebie hairstyles Miss Felt and Miss Marie, as well as the freebie "Miss Rothschild's HUDKerchief," a HUD which provides you a dainty lace kerchief to dab at your eyes, hold in your hand, or wave a hello or goodbye to someone.

There are few hair shops in SL that specifically cater to the historical RP community, and those of us in that community will certainly miss the Duchess' creativity and the wonderful resource Historical Heroines has been.

Category: Closing sale
Prices: 45L-150L
Designer: Cornelia Rothschild, Historical Heroines
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caledon%20II/34/49/26

Independence Day group gift at Diamonx Studios

2010-06-29T18:56:00.000-07:00

This is the week to go shopping for that special Independence Day party gown, and Raudf Fox at Diamonx Studios is the first out of the gate with this special edition, Patriotic, of her new gown Stripe Time.

If you aren't a group member, simply click on the group joiner sign at the entrance of the shop. Once an active member, you can click again and browse through the last ten group messages sent (Stripe Time - Patriotic is message #2 in the list, and should deliver the gown to you when you select "Read This" in the menu).

Enjoy!

Category: Group Gift
Price: 0L (must be group member)
Designer: Raudf Fox, Diamonx Studios
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Fushida/243/195/121

Take a Walk to the Darker Side

2010-06-28T04:41:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's me! I know, not terribly Victorian, but once in a while I like to take a walk on the Goth side. Trying to be a proper Victorian all the time can become tiresome.

Here I am modeling Darker Side's Flourish dollarbie gift set, which includes this lovely violet gown, hair, shoes, skin and shape. Sadly I had the worst time taking a photo of this skirt -- you'll simply have to go to the shop and see it for yourself. I should add that the dress and feather hairpiece are perfect acceptable to wear to a Victorian ball with an elegant Victorian updo!

Darker Side's primary focus is hair and skin, which only retails for 50L! Between those prices, the great group gifts, dollarbies, a 10L bag of 20 discontinued hair fat packs, and the Lucky Board, you're libel to walk out with a whole new persona!

Categories: Dollarbies, Group Gifts, Lucky Boards, Midnight Mania
Designer: Darkandiel Bury, Darker Side
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Green%20Mist/22/212/600

Trixie's tea party gown at Duchess Designs

2010-06-27T15:10:00.000-07:00

Trixie, by Duchess Designs, is an amazing freebie I stumbled upon recently. Hat, scripted fan and shoes are even included! I confess I lengthened the black underskirt for my more modest Victorian purposes, but the original version is about mid-calf length and would fit well at an Edwardian tea party.

Duchess Designs' gowns have a strong Rococo influence, with large, lush skirting and flowing sleeves, but many of them are easily adapted to the Victorian Romantic era which shares in common those attributes. There are also figure hugging Grecian inspired gowns, dresses for little girls and a Midnight Mania board!

Dresses retail on average for 500L, so Trixie is really a grand deal.

Category: Freebie
Price: 0L
Designer: Shimmer Benusconi, Duchess Designs
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Neverdol/155/243/511

Freebies & Dollarbies @ Antique Artistry

2010-06-22T22:45:00.000-07:00

The landing HUB at Antique Artistry Antiques is just the beginning of a wonderful adventure through Fatima Ur's Victorian Home & Garden Center.

Merchants on Fatima's other sims are invited to set out freebie and dollarbie items for new visitors, and there is a wide selection of clothing, jewelry, shoes, furnishings, landscaping items and other goodies to discover.

Among the gifts I picked up: Miss Ur's own gown design, Sweet Victoria (left), ZE Design's Red Orchid ball gown (center), and from Figleaves, Martha, in green (right), perfect for the young Victorian lady.

I also took home a pearl necklace from Bonita's Jewelry and a red rose earring and ring set from AIR.

Outlet: Antique Artistry Antiques HUB
Prices: 0L-1L
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Antique%20Artistry%20Antiques/98/136/27

Victorian clothing sale at Rag Dollz

2010-06-18T00:17:00.000-07:00

Gotta love Rag Dollz -- Emedea Mortensen is a prolific designer with a great head for marketing.

This week she's put out a selection of Victorian dresses, a gent's suit or two, and boots, all 50% off retail.

Above, I'm wearing Afternoon Tea in burgundy (left, 99L), Miss Beakersmith (99L) and Daphne McAllen (133L).

Below, I'm modeling Rawlings Park ( 133L), Sophie Longbottom (133L) and Medburn Square (0L).

Yes, you read right, Medburn Square is a freebie this week!

Category: Half-off sale
Designer: Emedea Morgenstern, Rag Dollz
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Videos/211/96/22

Freebie shoes at In Her Shoes

2010-06-15T00:10:00.000-07:00

You know that designer Rachel Boram gives away hair at her shop Vignette -- but did you also know she gives away shoes at her shop In Her Shoes?

Three examples of her work, that fit within a 19th century fashion context, are Her Leather Boots (left), which also come in a men's version and feature a half dozen color choices.

Having trouble finding footwear appropriate for a native character? Warm Winter Boots (center) are a close approximation to what some Native American tribes wore for footwear any time of year, depending on their locale. These unisex boots also come in about a half dozen colors, with nice beading and feather variations.

At right, the Bow Bow ballet slipper shoes are fine shoes for evening gowns or young ladies. They too have a broad color selection.

Category: Freebies
Price: 0L
Designer: Rachel Boram, In Her Shoes
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Vignette/124/101/56

A little romance... and food at Aphrodite Shop

2010-06-14T01:05:00.000-07:00

I haven't really reviewed much outside of clothing as yet here, but there are plenty of historical RP prop items out there to be had for free or cheap.

I stumbled upon the Aphrodite Shop thanks to an announcement via the FabFree group's update notices. Aphrodite Shop has several specialties, but food and related dining/entertaining accessories are the big draw.

The shop has not one, not two, but five Midnight Mania boards. On the evening I wandered in, the prizes were enticing: the Romantic Love outdoor dining set (above); Crops of the Day , a serving tray of New World autumn vegetables (below left); a World Cup 2010 Fine Red Wine Tray; and a set of 9 beautifully rendered African pots -- all of which I ended up winning, after becoming a group member.

While I was there, I picked up two freebie gifts, a plate of cannolis (above center) and a bottle of "Carmen" wine. I also bought the dollarbie Go Germany! serving tray (above right) which delivers cold German beer and doeners. Yummy!

Categories: Group gifts, Midnight Mania
Price: 0L-1L
Designer: Marina Ramer, Aphrodite Shop
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Neit/159/161/693

Taking a break

2010-05-30T19:22:00.000-07:00

I'm just taking a break this week, but hope to be back soon. Thanks all for your support!

Gentleman's separates, accessories galore at Magi Take

2010-05-28T13:15:00.000-07:00

Magi Take has a shop full of separates and accessories that are perfect for the Victorian gent, most only 10L: boots, faded undershirts, newsboy caps, corduroy pants, suit jackets, "destroyed jeans," sheepskin vests, old suitcases, etc.

We went for a winter look this time. We made adjustments to some of the pieces: darkened the color of the cap; stretched the duffle coat's hood to make it a fur collar; loosened the fit of the corduroy pants.

Most of the items have multiple pieces for sizing, alternative fitting or attachment points. Most are mod, so there aren't any sizing scripts.

In this case we spent a total of 55L to create this complete outfit:

Hat: Casual Cap (brown)
Price: 10L

Boots: Work Boots (dark gray)
Price: 10L

Shirt: Turtle Neck Sweater (gray)
Price: 10L

Jacket: Duffle Coat
Price: 10L

Pants: Cord Pants (dark brown)
Price: 10L

Gloves: Fur Gloves (black)
Price: 5L

Category: Cheapies
Designer: Take Lowey, Magi Take
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Magi%20Island/157/136/23

Lillie's Shopping Challenge #3, Part Two: African American Woman Settler

2010-05-26T04:11:00.000-07:00

In part one of this week's Shopping Challenge, we assembled two outfits for a male Old West settler of African/African American descent. Today, we turn to the lady settler -- with a bonus child avatar!

Former female slaves in the Old West usually worked in professions they had acquired skills for while working on Southern plantations -- cooks, housekeepers, "domestics." Here I'm imagining my African American lady as a cook, perhaps the owner of a restaurant.

Hair straightening has actually been in practice by African American women since the early 1800s. As the blog "Terrence Says" describes in the post "Combing the History of Black Hair," in the post Civil War era:

"whites look upon black women who style their hair like white women as well-adjusted. 'Good' hair becomes a prerequisite for entering certain schools, churches, social groups and business networks."

So essentially any of the historic hairstyles I've previously featured in this blog are perfectly acceptable for a female African American character. However, in the case of my restaurateur, I decided to be provocative and chose a "twist" style, which in fact happens to be a men's hairstyle by Dischord Designs.

The second dress set is a brand new mother/daughter set currently available on the Rag Dollz Midnight Mania board this week. This is an excellent example of what a typical 19th century woman (and daughter) would wear on the frontier -- bonnets, high necklines and long sleeves to protect their skin from the sun.

Mother/daughter Skin/shape/eyes: "Zuzu"
Category: Lucky Chair
Designer: Tellaq Guardian, Tellaq Avatar Creations
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tropical%20Breeze/39/61/23

Mother's hair: "Kele"
Category: Freebie
Designer: Kallisti Burns, Discord Designs
Outlet: Savoir Hair
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/TenFifteen/126/90/27/

Dress #1: "Golden Fields"
Category: Freebie
Designer: Akemi Nakamichi
Outlet: Free Dove
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Gallii/113/79/33

Dress #2: "Green Fields" Mother/Daughter Prairie Dress set
Category: Midnight Mania
Designer: Emedea Morgenstern, Rag Dollz
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Videos/211/96/22

Daughter's hair: "Lillian"
Category: Freebie
Designer: Rachel Boram, Vignette
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Vignette/53/51/30

Lillie's Shopping Challenge #3: African American Settler

2010-05-24T01:28:00.000-07:00

Part of the challenge and satisfaction of roleplay is stepping out of your own skin and into that of another person, and telling that person's story respectfully and authentically.

The 19th century American West was a diverse place -- 3rd or 4th or 5th generation Euro-Americans weren't the only faces to be seen there. There were Chinese immigrants, former slaves, Mexican nationals and "First Peoples" all seeking a better way of life -- or struggling to preserve one.

Creating an African American character can have its challenges -- mainly, where do you look for a quality skin? I was lucky to get a heads up from Renee Lowenhart at Fabulously Free in SL about the Eddie skin at Tellaq Avatar Creations. This photorealistic skin can be acquired right now for free either via the shop's Lucky Chair or Midnight Mania board.

We decided to make up two outfits for the African American avatar, to reflect two possible career paths. The suit at the left, Fancy Man by Brain Circuit (10L), has a more debonair look for the businessman, gentleman's gentleman, or proper attire to attend church. At right, it was not unusual to see African Americans head west to work as cowboys.

Note: We realized after finishing this post that the cowboy outfit did not come from one source. It's actually what I refer to as a "mashup," consisting of many different separates to create a look that is completely unique to the avatar. All of the individual items, however, were acquired through legitimate "freebie" areas at defunct and current Western RP sims.

Skin/shape/eyes: "Eddie"
Category: Midnight Mania
Designer: Tellaq Guardian, Tellaq Avatar Creations
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tropical%20Breeze/39/61/23

'The Businessman"
Suit: "Fancy Man"
Category: Cheapie (10L)
Designer: Olivia Winterwolf, Brain Circuit
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Courtney%20Island2/161/218/22
Notes: You'll find this suit on the third floor.

Cap: "Lord Toad of the Road" Motoring Cap
Category: Lucky Chair
Designer: Reghan Straaf, Hatpins
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Venus/152/33/27

Smoking pipe: "Wooden Pipe" by
Category: Freebie
Designer: Rip Wirefly, Sculptify
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Clockhaven/112/172/103

"The Cowboy"
Notes: All of these items were full perm freebies, so if anyone is interested in a copy of the outfit we've assembled here, I would be happy to provide a free set to anyone who inquires. To maintain the integrity of the items and the wishes of the content creators, I will change the perms on them so that they cannot be resold.

New group gift from Brain Circuit

2010-05-23T21:31:00.000-07:00

I have been woefully neglectful of the gentlemen bargain hunters out there of late, so today my gentleman companion Montgomery models Brain Circuit's wonderful group gift of the month, Dark Gothic for men, a black velvet brocade overcoat. To top it off, Monty wears the well matched Dark Gentleman top hat, a freebie available at the shop's deliciously Gothic entrance.

I stand in the background wearing the female version of Dark Gothic, along with the equally well matched (and free) Dark Darling ladies hat.

Take a look around this moody, atmospheric shop while you're there. You'll find an amazing assortment of Victorian/Gothic clothing and accessories, typically priced 199L-249L for full outfits. On the third floor, two Lucky Boards give away a male and a female outfit. There you'll also find the whimsical (and free) Unwanted Kitty Box (Free to Good Home), a cardboard carton for the homeless Neko in you.

Category: Group Gift
Price: Free (must wear group tag to receive gift)
Designer: Olivia Winterwolf, Brain Circuit
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Courtney%20Island2/161/218/22

Victorian hair at Ingenue Outlet

2010-05-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

Ingenue specializes in mid century fashions (20th, not 19th, alas) and hair, but as with most quality designers, there are always pieces which can "pass" for Victorian.

In this case, Senorita (left), in mahogany, can be worn with or without the Victorian style snood (a hair net with ribbons and flowers). At right, Christine, also in mahogany, is a European style updo with a wraparound braid -- its tight construction makes it a great piece for wearing with hats.

Both of these I found in the Ingenue Outlet shop for 50L!

Category: Clearance sale
Price: 50L
Designer: Betty Doyle, Ingenue
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lo%20Lo/226/91/28

Victorian gown group gift at The White Armory

2010-05-19T03:44:00.000-07:00

I discovered this gorgeous group gift from The White Armory thanks to Renee Lowenhart of Fabulously Free in SL.

The Victorian Princess gown features 17 pieces, and regularly retails for 899L. To get the gown, you must join White Armory's update group and wear the group tag when you touch the vendor. The gown is available to group members until next Sunday.

The White Armory specializes in primarily medieval gowns, but many gowns are easily adapted to Victorian wear. The 899L-999L price tag on most gowns reflects the quality of the textures and detailing that designer Bee Dumpling puts into her creations. Once you try on the Victorian Princess gown, you'll soon be haunting the Armory halls to see what other fabulous dresses she has.

Postscript: I had a bit of a wardrobe malfunction when I first put the gown on, as the bodice is very low cut. The dress comes with modifiable pasties to prevent such a disaster, but for the more modest Victorian lady, I would recommend wearing a coordinating undershirt layer corset under the bodice.

Category: Group gift
Price: Free (must wear group tag to receive gift)
Designer: Bee Dumpling, The White Armory
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Emerald/79/131/26

New Midnight Mania, Half-Off items at Rag Dollz

2010-05-18T10:37:00.000-07:00

Rag Dollz has two new outfits on its Midnight Mania Board this week: A Day at the Beach, featuring both a Victorian gown and a vintage swim suit (above), and Of Steam Arcana, a nicely inventive steampunk lingerie set.

The Half-Off Board theme this week is Steampunk, and all four new outfits are 49L, including Nomad of Time (left) and Lightning Ride.

Also of note, new releases at Rag Dollz will be half price their first day out!

Categories: Midnight Mania, half-off sale
Price: Free (when board target number is reached); half-off sale, 49L
Designer: Emedea Morgenstern, Rag Dollz
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Videos/211/96/22

Freebie hair at Vignette

2010-05-17T04:33:00.000-07:00

Vignette offers several nice freebie hairstyles that fit into the Victorian category. Shown here are Cinder (left), Gibson, and Sophia. All style packs have the traditional spectrum of hair colors to choose from.

"After years of loving Second Life and the creative freedom it brings, I've decided to give back," says designer Rachel Boram. "So young or new avi, rich or poor... I hope you enjoy the things I make."

Category: Freebie
Price: 0L
Designer: Rachel Boram, Vignette
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Vignette/53/51/30

Closing sale at Muze

2010-05-16T04:31:00.000-07:00

Another designer is closing their doors: Muze.

Seraphina, in champagne, is a lovely example of the work designer Muze Reyna has come to be known for. Add a pair of gloves and remove the wrap and you have yourself a high waisted Empire era ball gown. Seraphina also comes in rouge (red), jazz (blue), goldfinger (gold & green), boutique (red & black).

I was asked today if there's been a recent increase in SL shops folding. In reading merchant discussion forums, many point to the recent changes in which the SL Search function returns results. Merchants who were once at the top of the return list are now pages back, and see a sudden and drastic decrease in traffic as the reason.

Other merchants haven't seen any change.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a concept that not enough business people grasp, and in SL it is no different. However, when the terms used to rank results are changed, and there's not a clear guide as to how merchants need to fine tune their search descriptions to adapt to the changes, that spells trouble. It's an unnecessary and painful hit to the SL economy.

I'm not sure if Linden Lab takes this into consideration each time they make a significant change to the SL marketplace. But if this is indeed yet another LL generated hiccup in the SL economy, and I've seen many, we will sadly see many more small, quality designers fall by the wayside.

Category: Closing sale
Price: 10L
Designer: Muze Reyna, Muze Digital Fashion
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Ultima/153/215/22

Lillie's Shopping Challenge #2: Old West Saloon Girl

2010-05-15T02:25:00.000-07:00

What's an authentic Victorian saloon girl or "soiled dove" dress has been an ongoing debate in the SL roleplay community. The answer is probably as individual as the saloons and eras of the 19th century Old West.

In a recent post on her blog, Lola McGinnis, who portrays a soiled dove in the Deadwood RP sim, makes a very good case for what works and what doesn't.

For this shopping challenge, I decided to try for something a little more upscale, while staying away from the more extravagant burlesque style costumes that proliferate in SL. I think I arrived at a good compromise -- the fun, over-the-top volume of the Pamela 2 hair with the minimal makeup of the Beata skin. The Handkerchief dress is named for the ragged hemline -- for a more drab look try the black version.

Hair: "Pamela 2" (Brunette)
Designer: Chiana Meredith, ChiChickie! Hair
Price: Lucky Chair prize
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Pioneer/95/220/27

Skin: "Beata A" (Pure)
Designer: Xaida Fang, Xaida Skins
Price: 10L
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Bohemia%20Mall/110/137/27
Notes: The 10L sale, which also includes eyes and jewelry, are part of a closing sale, so pick these up soon, as they won't be around much longer.

Dress: Handkerchief Dress (gloves included), red
Designer: Adam n Eve
Price: 10L
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Genesis/198/225/29
Notes: Additional colors include blue, black, citrus, green, purple

Boots: Ankle Boot, black leather
Designer: Lassitude & Ennui
Price: 40L
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nouveau/72/101/34
Notes: These ankle boots are part of a bargain pack with more than a dozen colors -- these are thus far the best Victorian boots I've found for the price!

Closing sale at Cilian'gel Boutique

2010-05-14T14:18:00.000-07:00

Sadly, Cilian'gel Boutique at Valefar is closing. But for the next few days, all items are reduced to 10L, including Got Antoinette? (pack #2), as seen above, and Got Nightmare?, seen below.

Cilian'gel features an eclectic mix of ball gowns, costumes, lingerie and modern clothing. Definitely worth a visit, and sad to see this location go, with its snowy castle above, and lovely beaches below.

Category: Closing sale
Price: 10L
Designer: Cilia Shepherd, Cilian'gel Boutique
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Valefar/43/198/292

Complete elder avatars at SkyShop

2010-05-12T14:52:00.000-07:00

SkyShop Hair Resort, while known primarily for its hair products, has a modest discount nook in the basement of its Heaton main store. While browsing there I discovered these dollarbie male and female elder avatar sets.

Businessman (left) features skin, shape, prim hair and beard in grey, prim shoes, clothing and AO. The suit itself features a very modern pink tie (the suit jacket, shirt and tie are all combined in the system jacket layer) which my gentleman companion Monty concealed with a cravat (Monty also quickly concealed -- er, rather, discarded -- the blingy ring that came with the set).

Also available separately is a freebie male hairstyle, Laurent, in grey, if you'd like to try a more coifed Victorian or Edwardian men's style.

Yes, that's me modeling the Senior Citizen set (right). It features skin, shape, white prim hair with a single braid down the back, prim shoes, clothing, a cane with AO, glasses and earrings.

The included dress is very nice quality, and with a slight stretch of the skirt, would fit well into a Victorian setting. The AO and glasses actually would work for either a man or a woman, so gentlemen, if you aren't too attached to your Lindens, I'd recommend spending one to get those two accessories if you'd like to make the male avatar appear even more elderly -- er, mature.

Category: Dollarbies
Price: 1L
Designer: Cay Trudeau, SkyShop Hair Resort
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Heaton/110/187/286

New Artful Shopper group in SL

2010-05-10T20:45:00.000-07:00

I've done it, I've launched a new in world group for The Artful Shopper, called, of all things, The Artful Shopper!

My plan is to structure it so that shoppers can use the group chat to share any shopping bargains they happen upon that fit the blog's Victorian/Steampunk/Old West theme -- freebies, dollarbies, lucky chairs, picks & update group incentive programs, Midnight Mania boards & other promotional tools.

As in other update groups, I also plan to invite designers to join so they can announce sales and other special promotions.

So if you like the immediacy of an in-world update group, just do a search for The Artful Shopper and join all three of us (so far)!

Hot off the presses -- Rag Dollz group gift for May!

2010-05-09T12:17:00.000-07:00

This is what I mean by the prolific promotions at Rag Dollz -- May's group gift, Blue Street, arrived in my inventory this morning. A fantastic late Victorian bustle gown with a cheerful hat detailed with daisies.

Category: Group gift
Price: Free (must be group member)
Designer: Emedea Morgenstern, Rag Dollz
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Videos/208/95/22

Katherine gown now on Rag Dollz MM board

2010-05-08T13:25:00.000-07:00

I haven't featured Midnight Mania promotions yet, so I'll start with the juiciest MM boards in Victorian SL: Rag Dollz.

This weekend is the last chance to "slap the board" for the group only MM gift, Katherine, a lovely, wispy evening gown in ivory with burgundy detailing.

I'm usually a daily Rag Dollz visitor (and customer), because designer Emedea Morgenstern is always debuting new clothing and usually has some related special promotion running at her flourishing main store.

Whether it's the Midnight Mania boards, which change frequently throughout the week, or Lucky Chairs, the shuffle sale vendor, group gifts, the Bargain Countdown, the freebies tucked in virtually every corner of the store, or any of the special discount sales, I (or one of my alts) inevitably leave her shop with something!

More examples above of recent Rag Dollz finds: A Grim Rose (left), a Lucky Chair prize; Rawlings Park (center), another MM board prize; and Highland Lady, from the Bargain Countdown board (for just 75L!).

Rag Dollz covers a wide range of clothing genres, including Steampunk, Gothic, Lolita, Old West, fantasy, plus related accessories -- with retail prices typically ranging from 99L to 199L, it's very easy to fill your inventory to overflowing with Rag Dollz clothing. Did I mention RD also carries men's clothes?

Category: Midnight Mania board
Price: Free (when target number is reached)
Designer: Emedea Morgenstern, Rag Dollz
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Videos/208/95/22

Sixty Linden Saturday hat at Hatpins!

2010-05-08T11:02:00.000-07:00

Hatpins participates in the Sixty Linden Saturday promotion (which has now expanded to Sundays as well), and this weekends hat is the Lady Tatiana in plum, which regularly retails for 250L. A gorgeous, must have hat!

Category: Sixty Linden Saturdays (& Sundays)
Price: 60L
Designer: Reghan Straaf, Hatpins
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Venus/193/24/29

Embroidered Velvet & Wool Coat/Cape freebie from Skye Qi

2010-05-02T11:28:00.000-07:00

Simply gorgeous is all I have to say for this c.1900 embroidered velvet and wool coat/cape by Skye Qi of Vintage Apparel Emporium. You don't see many Art Nouveau gowns in SL, and this example with its stylized peacock motif in rich blue velvet is truly striking. And free!

Be sure to pick up Miss Qi's trunk of helpful LMs and others goodies for the newcomer while you browse the rest of her lovely inventory.

Category: Freebie
Price: 0L
Designer: Skye Qi, Vintage Apparel Emporium
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/New%20Toulouse/103/180/24

Lillie's Luck: Diamonx Victorian gowns

2010-04-30T02:16:00.000-07:00

A triple bit of luck this week, after hitting the two Lucky Chairs at Diamonx Studios: at left is Belle Time 2, a lovely pink and white floral ball gown which can also work as a mid-Victorian crinoline day gown; Conveyance Time in emerald green, a late Victorian bustle gown with Gibson era balloon sleeves (remove them for an earlier authentic look); and Ball Time 2 in silver and black, another lovely evening gown with a generous crinoline skirt.

While you're there, do check out designer Raudf Fox's wonderful selection of Victorian and early Edwardian gowns. Retail prices typically run $150L to $200L, and she provides a wide array of colors to choose from. I have outfitted many a Victorian lady alt from her shop!

Category: Lucky Chair
Price: Luck of the draw
Designer: Raudf Fox, Diamonx Studios
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Fushida/243/195/121

Today's shopping trip: Enky's Dollar Store

2010-04-27T00:37:00.000-07:00

Enky's Dollar Store is one of those secret places you almost hate to share. Unlike the typical "freebie" shops in SL, Enky's is furnished to like an actual designer shop. That's because a number of very well known designers are featured here, offering a sampling of their merchandise for virtual pennies on the Linden.

While the merchandise is primarily modern in focus, there are some very good deals to be found on items such as skins, shapes, jewelry and other accessories. Enky's is where I first discovered the Dany's French Touch clothing line -- here at Enky's, I discovered Charmeuse, a gray and black gown with white lace bodice (1L). Originally a short skirt set, I lengthened the skirt and added dark gray glitch pants and undershirt to transform it into a dress suitable for a Western barmaid.

My gentleman companion Monty found two suits at Enky's: At left, he's wearing Abbie Furse's Guettard work shirt (1L) and Steklov jeans (1L), a nice set for Old West RP. At right, he's wearing Donna Flora's Orlando suit jacket and pants set (1L). Originally in a light gray, Monty darkened the suit and added a white button up shirt from his inventory to complete the outfit.

Above, I'm modeling three dollarbie skins offered by ALB Skins + Shapes: Larissa, Mary and Marlene. The minimal makeup on both Larissa and Mary make them excellent 19th century roleplay skins. Analee Balut's skins typically run $500L + -- a LM to her main shop is included in the skin sample pack and is worth the trip.

As an added bonus, if you shop long enough, a money orb may actually reimburse you for some of your purchases!

Outlet: Enky's Dollar Store
Prices: 0L-1L
Location: Wilcutt
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wilcutt/20/166/402

New group gift from Bleak House Designs

2010-04-23T23:29:00.001-07:00

Today from Renate Marchionne, another lovely late Victorian day gown, Rose's Boarding Dress II, a free gift to members of Bleak House Victorian Designs update group.

I share Renate's affection for large Gibson style hats, and this one is certainly grand! Perfect attire for attending opening day of boating season.

Category: Group gift
Price: 0L
Designer: Renate Marchionne, Bleak House Designs
Location: Antiquity Township
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Antiquity%20Township/204/180/24

Spring Freebie gown & bonnet from M'Lady

2010-04-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

M'Lady Designs is truly one of the best Victorian clothiers in SL for the well dressed Victorian lady. The 400-600L retail prices on designer Teaa Demina's gowns are worth every penny. Also to be found at the shop is Victorian hair, shoes, parasols and other accessories. M'Lady also offers Victorian clothing for men and children.

The freebie Oxbridge gown I'm wearing here is your opportunity to see for yourself the quality of work that goes into M'Lady gowns. This gown in a lovely periwinkle blue has the mid-Victorian crinoline skirt (better known as the "hoop skirt") and features fine lace detailing on the bodice and collar.

Also available is the sun bonnet, which features daisies and a cheerful blue gingham ribbon. Click on the the ribbon and you can change the texture to match whatever gown you are wearing (as always, be sure to make a back up copy before you experiment with texture changes or sizing).

Category: Freebie
Price: 0L
Designer: Teaa Demina, M'Lady Designs
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lace/64/75/23

Free Imperial Stockings at Vinyl Cafe

2010-04-19T19:27:00.000-07:00

Stockings and other "unmentionables" would be something that a proper Victorian lady would not be discussing in mixed company (or displaying anything above the ankle, for that matter), but I felt that these freebie "Imperial Stockings" by Vinyl Cafe Fashions are an exception.

The fatpack comes with four striking colors: noble green, royal blue, commanding red and regal purple. I admire these stockings in part because effort was made to match up the the UV layer seams on the sides -- I have seen my share of uneven UV seams, even among the best designers. It takes a great deal of patience to try to match them.

These stockings will be a freebie for a limited time, so shoppers are urged to pick them up soon!

Category: Freebie
Price: 0L
Designer: Maztor Giles, Vinyl Cafe Fashions
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Vinyl%20Cafe/22/220/22

Roleplay Field Trip: Paintrock, Texas c 1890

2010-04-18T03:17:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned before, I have several alter egos that roleplay frequently in Victorian, Steampunk and Old West sims. This post is first installment of my occasional "Field Trip" series, where I plan to highlight some of my favorite RP sims, and discuss topics related to RP. In particular, I'll be looking at how fashion helps set the tone of an RP sim.

I think one of the most crucial aspects of an RP sim's success is the quality of the teleport HUB or welcome center. To draw players in, especially people who are new to RP, I think it's essential to provide freebies or low cost clothing and other "starter" RP items in a HUB staging area.

It encourages people to "try out" a sim without them having to invest a large amount of Lindens initially -- only to discover that RP theme or the sim itself isn't a good fit for them. For the people who do return, they will soon enough start investing their Lindens in items of more personal meaning.

There are several new Old West sims in SL. I recently became aware of the town of Paintrock, Texas, and decided to explore.

It's a handsome little town, with a nice combination of wood, brick and stone facades, two hotels, a school, a church and an impressive town hall. The folks there are very friendly as well.

My traveling companion Monty joined me for this field trip, and it's a good thing he did, because we found some great Western freebie clothing at the sim's welcome area.

Our first stop was the Dance Hall Saloon, where two freebie outfits by Rag Dollz set the stage, so to speak -- Lady Clara and Barnabus. I like Clara because the outfit looks as though it's covered in dust and grime, which you don't see textured too often on SL clothing. As a bonus, Clara also has a nicely concealed pistol belt on her thigh.

Our next stop was the Yellow Rose Hotel, which appeared to be closed for renovations, but we snuck in anyway. I'm wearing Rebecca, a gorgeous day gown by Tabitha Ninetails of The Laughing Academy. The dress also comes with matching shoes. Monty is wearing the dollarbie Gentleman Oliver set and Curious Cowboy hat by Kembri Tomsen of the Curious Seamstress.

Last but not least we put on our best weary traveler expressions to go with the Western Settler and Lady Settler outfits by Astolat Dufaux of Montagne Noire Clothiers. The Lady Settler features both a white and red bodice, with long sleeves or rolled up, and the skirt has two versions one with a white apron and one without. The Western Settler comes with a jacket, shirt, pants and basic black boots.

I liked very much the layout and feel of Paintrock. The welcome center was also very nice, and included other items besides just clothing to help newcomers get started. I look forward to returning and learning more about this lovely town!

Field trip location: Paintrock, Concho County, Texas
Roleplay theme: Old West (about 1890)
Gift item location: At teleport HUD (welcome center)
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Varo/215/30/28

Lillie's Luck - two gowns from Morgana K.

2010-04-17T01:05:00.000-07:00

Don't let the name fool you -- Morgana K. Medieval Dresses has a very nice selection of Victorian riding style gowns. Tonight I had the luck of winning two gowns from the shop's three Lucky Chairs.

The Purple Plaid gown looks ready made for a horse ride with its jaunty top hat and jacket. There are actually several variations in color and texture for this gown, which usually retails for 400L.

As a mod item, I made a minor change to the texture on the skirt so that the plaid pattern was more in scale with the height of my avi.

Immediately after winning that dress, I won again, this time "Arwen," a white Elven dress with blue sash, which makes a very proper dressing gown or nightgown. This gown also comes in several colors and can be purchased for 200L.

Category: Lucky Chair
Price: Luck of the draw
Designer: Morgana Kingsford, Morgana K. Medieval Dresses
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Kambam/12/148/57

Blakopal releases new freebie gown, "Destiny"

2010-04-16T02:08:00.001-07:00

I'm not always a prim and proper Victorian Lady -- evidence of that can be found in the glee I felt discovering BlakOpal's latest freebie gown, Destiny.

Immediately after I put on the dress I knew I had the perfect hat to complete the ensemble -- the Lady Harriet I picked up at Hatpins earlier this week via a Lucky Chair.

Pulling the virtual pins out of my hair, I searched through my inventory and found Exile's Cassandra, a long, windswept freebie hairstyle, in coffee.

Voila, The Pirate Queen, seen here with BlakOpal's island harbor as a backdrop.

Gown: "Destiny"
Designer: Blakopal Galicia, Blakopal Designs
Price: Freebie
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/BlakOpal/102/101/23

Hairstyle: "Cassandra" (in "coffee")
Designer: Kavar Cleanslate, Exile
Price: Freebie
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Covet/187/63/32

Hat: "Lady Harriet" (in navy and silver)
Designer: Reghan Straaf, Hatpins
Price: Freebie (via Lucky Chair)
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Venus/193/24/29

More dollarbies for gentlemen

2010-04-15T03:32:00.000-07:00

Enky's Dollar Store provided a good start to yesterday's Shopping Challenge, so I thought I'd share another photo of the other two dollarbie outfits Monty picked up at Enky's and then at Dany French Touch's in New Toulouse Bayou.

Gentleman Farmer, at right, is a great starter suit for western RP with its plaid shirt and rough canvas trousers. We matched it with Caed Aldwych's Town Hat, a free item given out as part of a collection of free clothing for newcomers to the Deadwood sim.

Albin is a more formal set featuring a mango satin brocade vest, frilled shirt and back trousers. An acceptable garment for the gambler character -- flashy, but elegant.

Dany's other men's clothing sets, which include Medieval, Renaissance, Victorian and Gothic themes, retail for 150L are are definitely worth a look.

I should also mention that the backdrop for our "gent" photos is New Toulouse Bayou, a very nicely detailed, atmospheric sim which puts you right square in the middle of a Louisiana bayou.

Suit: "Gentleman Farmer"
Designer: Dany Bimbogami, Dany French Touch
Price: Dollarbie
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wilcutt/145/174/384/
(found at Enky's Dollar Store)

Suit: "Albin"
Designer: Dany Bimbogami, Dany French Touch
Price: Dollarbie
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/New%20Toulouse%20Bayou/31/142/21/

Hats, hats, and more hats

2010-04-14T12:57:00.000-07:00

Hatpins has to be my favorite place to hat shop. Designer Reghan Straaf has a distinctive talent for making Victorian hats for both women and men. Her creations run the gamut from elegant to whimsical, covering the Victorian and Edwardian eras -- but these hats can just as well be worn with any modern attire. Her Steampunk themed hats are especially notable.

I wandered in today and had the rare good fortune to hit the two Lucky Chairs there not one... not two... but three times while I shopped. I won two hats and a 100L gift certificate.

Left: The Lady Harriet is a lovely navy and silver hat with a fanciful pirate look in its two large silver feather plumes and curled brim, accented by two sapphire pins.

Right: The Lord Spats top hat is accented by black buttons and two silver chains draped across the front of the hat's crown. This hat can be found in the men's hat section at Hatpins, but I found it perfectly acceptable for ladies wear, especially if it were matched with a gown in a military style cut.

In the far back of the shop are stacks of hatboxes with 1L and 5L offerings, as well as a hat exclusively for newbies. My two favorite dollarbies are Old Hatbox Hat (made from textures used on early Hatpins hat boxes) and Mildred.

The Lady Reghan IV and Charity hats are two highlights among the 5L hats.

Hatpins participates in the 69L Hump Day discount program, and I was right on time for this Wednesday's special, the Lady Theodora in gold (right). Hurry to grab this one, it will be gone by tomorrow morning!

Since I was on a roll, I decided to visit the used the Hatpins Discount Shop in Caledon Downs and see what I could get with the 100L gift certificate I won from the Lucky Chair. Here is where I picked up the Lady Nicola (left) on sale for 100L.

These are all fantastic starter hats for the aspiring Victorian lady, but you'll soon find yourself, as I did, looking to her full retail hats to make matches with every dress in your inventory.

Designer: Reghan Straaf, Hatpins
Location: Venus (retail shop)
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Venus/193/24/29
Location: Caledon Downs (discount shop)
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Downs/171/137/44

Lillie's Shopping Challenge #1: A 19th century gentleman

2010-04-13T23:32:00.000-07:00

A regular blog feature I'm introducing today is "Lillie's Shopping Challenge" (for lack of a better term). What's the challenge? Outfit an authentic looking, presentable avatar while spending the least amount of Lindens to do so.

For this inaugural post, I will be outfitting one of the most difficult of SL creatures to clothe, the 19th century man.

It can be a challenge to initially oufit a male avatar in SL, especially a 19th century man. This is especially true for male RP alts, who are more often than not destined to have a short life -- gunned down in the streets of some Western town after robbing the local bank, for example.

So you don't always want to invest a lot of your hard earned Lindens in a wardrobe for someone who won't be wearing more than one or two outfits during his brief "lifetime."

Then there is the issue which often comes up in designer circles about designing for the SL man: do men only wear one or two outfits because they can't find appropriate clothing, or do they only wear one or two outfits because they enjoy shopping in Second Life... about as much as they do in real life.

My gentleman companion Monty volunteered to be my first experiment in outfitting a 19th century male avatar. Monty has been slouching around SL in a newbie skin and clothing he acquired in 2008. Oh the humanity!

We picked randomly from the catalogue of landmarks in an inventory folder I keep of my travels. Here are the results:

Hairstyle: "Saul" (in the Salt & Pepper shade "Storm")
Designer: Bryce Tully, Bryce Designs
Price: Freebie
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tully/118/40/25/

Skin: NY Executive Male - White Plains - Trim
Designer: Mystical Demina, Mystical Virtual Studios/Extreme Reality
Price: Freebie
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Extreme%20Reality/26/40/23/

Shape: "Dane"
Designer: Di Hoorenbeeck, Di's Shape Design
Price: 1L
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wilcutt/145/174/384/
(found at Enky's Dollar Store)

Suit: "November"
Designer: Dany Bimbogani, Dany French Touch
Price: Dollarbie
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wilcutt/145/174/384/
(found at Enky's Dollar Store)

New Bleak House Designs Victorian bustle train skirt - 1L!

2010-04-12T18:38:00.000-07:00

The lovely Lady Renate Marchionne of Bleak House Designs in Antiquity Township released a gorgeous new Victorian brocade gown yesterday.

"My Victorian Brocade bustle gown is easily my most popular piece so I decided to see what would happen with a train skirt," and she is very pleased with the results, she said.

In black & white, the brocade gown features a mid/late Victorian bustle train skirt, a parasol, two top hats, and black opera gloves.

This is one of the nicest quality "freebies" I've seen recently. Do check out the rest of her inventory -- her gowns are very reasonably priced at just 150L to 175L.

Upstairs, you'll find five additional 1L gown sets, including my favorite, Absinthe and Old Lace, a late Victorian gown and parasol set in rich forest green.

Category: dollarbie
Price: 1L
Designer: Renate Marchionne, Bleak House Designs
Location: Antiquity Township
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Antiquity%20Township/204/180/24

Today's shopping trip: Savoir Hair

2010-04-10T02:32:00.000-07:00

Savoir Hair is a great place to start not only to acquire freebie and dollarbie hair, it also gives shoppers the opportunity to test out different hair designers and compare construction and color quality.

Seen here are five hairstyles I selected that are great starter styles for Victorian era lady RPers. I'm modeling brunette styles as that is my default hair color both in SL and in RP.

Left: Renee, a curly updo by Audacity. Renee is available in Sable only. Freebie.

Right: Isabella by ChiChickie, includes a full inventory of hair colors to choose from. This is one of my favorite hairstyles for wearing with hats. Freebie.

Left: Felicity, a voluminous updo in chocolate by Gurl 6, comes as an "Everything" pack of 60 colors. Freebie.

Right: ww*hair-101 by Kyoko's Hair Shop is a nice loose updo that comes in two shades of brown and one blonde sample. Dollarbie.

Last but not least is Susan, by Exile, a ragged ponytail in coffee. A full range of haircolors are included in this style set. I like this hair when RPing a "rough day" -- just getting off the stagecoach after a long trip, or doing housework or farm chores... you can see on my face that it's been a long day! Freebie.

Every hair pack comes with landmarks to the original hair designers shop. I encourage you to take a look at the other offerings available from these designers -- you won't be disappointed!

Category: freebie, dollarbie
Price: 0-1L
Merchant/distributor: Savoir Hair
Location: TenFifteen
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/TenFifteen/126/90/27/

Lillie's Luck - Agnes Rose gown from Figleaves

2010-04-09T01:37:00.000-07:00

In my travels today across the grid, I found hidden among the cherry blossoms of Mugen Kuppuku a little shopping gem called Figleaves.

Specializing in "elegant clothes for the discerning customer," Spikey Timeless has assembled an eclectic selection of clothing perfect for the historical role player -- a little Victorian, Steampunk, Medieval and Renaissance, with a few accessories and amusements included in the mix.

Spikey's designs are all hand painted and individually textured with a vibrant palette.

Tucked up on the second floor, a Lucky Chair is currently distributing Agnes Rose, a rich and frothy magenta gown with white lace detailing. Fortune was with me today, but if luck isn't with you on your visit, Agnes Rose is available in a total of five colors, including a bridal version, for 350L each.

On your way out, don't forget to slap the Midnight Mania board! Currently the target number is just 20, so bring your friends.

Last but not least, it's worth noting that Spikey is the rare designer who actively accepts commissions these days.

Category: Lucky Chair
Price: Luck of the draw
Designer: Spikey Timeless, Figleaves
Location: Mugen Kuppuku
SURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Mugen%20Kuppuku/19/232/33/

Second Life introduces new starter avatars

2010-04-07T00:03:00.000-07:00

On April 2, Linden Lab rolled out a new series of starter avatars for new residents. I thought I'd take a look and see what components might be Victorian friendly.

Linden Lab has commissioned Adam n Eve once again to create the new lineup of free avatars. AnE have previously produced several "newbie" avatars and clothing for LL. The new avatar sets can be found in the clothing section of your inventory's default Library.

Above, you'll see the 12 avatars. Not really anything "Victorian" that stands out there. In fact, there's nothing to suggest any of the historical or fantasy lives you can live in Second Life. I'd say this was another signpost on the roadmap toward making SL a social networking platform that appeals to a more mainstream audience.

The most obvious "Victorian friendly" items in the pack are the skins. That's because they all come with undergarments permanently attached. The "Female Goth" skin comes with underwear that can best be described as "mummy wrap." Here in the second set of photos, at far left, is me wearing the Female Goth skin, shape and hair.

I liked the female goth clothing well enough, but the male goth clothing (see middle), especially the boots, was the better of the two sets. Adding a top hat (part of a set of free top hats available at Curio Obscura), transformed the outfit into an equestrian set.

All in all, the new crop of avatars is a practical and "safe" place for any newbie or alt to start from scratch. Hopefully LL is instructing new residents that they can "upgrade" their SL experience and seek out content that reflects the unique personality they wish to project on the grid.

Welcome to The Artful Shopper!

2010-04-05T18:47:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to my new blog, "The Artful Shopper."

I am one of many personas of a longtime Second Life role player, who spends most of her time in Victorian, Steampunk and Old West RP sims.

I have a large family of avatars who have been created to explore various aspects of the 19th century history, as visualized in the lands of Second Life -- everything from soldiers to barmaids, immigrants to thieves.

Over the years my typist has shopped far and wide in SL to create a historically correct look for her alter egos, and along the way has discovered some pretty amazing designers. While she's a follower of many SL fashion blogs, there are few that are targeted specifically to the Victorian shopper. After passing along some landmarks the other day, a grateful friend asked "Why don't you start your own blog about your adventures as a 'bargain hunting' Victorian in Second Life?"

This is where I come in: my typist has selected me from among my sisters and brothers to take on the task of blogging.

So here is the premise of this blog: As my typist's fortunes rise and fall in real life, Linden cash has sometimes been scarce for creating new alts -- especially those whose stories will have limited life spans. A great deal of clothing and hair items in SL are no transfer, so outfitting a new character can be prohibitively expensive.

Now that being said, there are many, many talented and generous designers out there who offer freebies, "dollarbies," lucky chairs, picks & update group incentive programs, Midnight Mania boards, among other promotional tools, to bring paying customers to their shops.

These resources are wonderful for assembling a new avatar cheaply, but my typist has never intended to be a freeloader, taking advantage of designers by only shopping their freebies. Quite the opposite: her ultimate goal is to support designers of quality items by giving them her business when she's flush with Linden cash.

So what can you expect from this blog? Regular reports and updates on promotions such as those I mentioned above, but all with an eye on items appropriate for 19th century role play. I'll "show & tell" recently acquired items and highlight the occasional frivolous "freebie challenge" -- how to assemble an entire outfit with the least cash outlay and shop hopping.

A word on "Freebie Etiquette": Instead of reinventing the wheel, I (I'll retire the term of "my typist" from here on out) will point you to the "Freebie Etiquette" page at of one of SL's best bargain shopping sites, "FabFree" -- Fabulously Free in SL.

I want to emphasize again that as a bargain shopper, I'm extremely grateful for the "deals" many designers reward customers with, or offer to new avatars. It's important to remember that they are under no obligation whatsoever to do it.

A note card or word of thanks lets designers know that their promotions are working, and encourages them to continue their generosity. Becoming a return, paying customer is also important -- designers deserve to be compensated for the time and creativity they put into their products.

But that's part of the fun and community feeling of SL -- putting as much into it as we get out of it.

Thanks for reading, and for joining me on my shopping adventures!