What is DSN?

Upon going through my mountains of folders and finding that I 'had nothing to wear' today I decided it was time to sort my 'DSN' folder. I was talking with Bill at the time, him being newly introduced to the SL world had no idea what I was talking about. It was then during one of my outfit changes that, my RL housemate/SL Sister, Ember walked past my computer saying "Oooo cute, where did you grab that from"?. When I said it was a DSN gifty, she too looked at me like I had a third eye protruding from my brow. So it seems that it's not only just the 'noobs' that have no idea what DSN is.

DSN - Designer Showcase Network - is a group of designers that offer select items from their store as free gifts to anyone registered in their category with a DSN Kiosk. I checked this afternoon and there were currently 362 Designers registered as offering gifts to subscribers.

The process is all quite simple. You locate a kiosk (there's one here in one of my favourite boutiques) and click the sign. A pop up box appears on your screen and you select which group/s you would like to be registered in. You can select one or all. The choice is yours. Then sit back and wait for the designers to release new items into their DSN vendors, you then get said item delivered to you. If at any time you decide you don't want to receive the free gifts (like who would want to give up freebies, huh) all you do is locate a kiosk, touch it and remove your choices. Simple as that.

The categories to choose from are:

1) Full Avatars

2) Vehicles, Weapons & Gadgets

3) Skins & Hair

4) Animations & Poses

5) Jewellery & Accessories

6) Female Fashion

7) Male Fashion

8) Home Decor

9) Business, Services & Tools

The fact that the two closest people to me SL at the moment, one being fairly new and one being over 3 years SL old, had not heard of DSN spurred me on to take a few happy snaps of recent items I have received via my Female Fashion subscription and spread the word to you all.

OUTFIT: Cristallina Dress in Pink (also available in red, purple, green, black, eggplant, golden yellow, beige and blue) from Reale*

SKIN: Acorn Frex [light] Elf-Soot 2 from Curio Skins

HAIR: Sylvia Streaked in Swedish Blonde from >Truth<

EYES: Dreaming Eyes in Azur from <<<>>>

SHOES: Shandria V2 w/Tita Toes in Dark Wood from Pixel Mode

POSE: Model Pose #215 from SEmotion Studio

OUTFIT: Evita Set from **CIA Designs**

SKIN: Acorn Frex [light] Elf-Soot 2 from Curio Skins

HAIR: Green II in Crayon from Maitreya

EYES: Dreaming Eyes in Azur from <<<>>>

SHOES: Bella Sneaks (colourable) from MK Fashion

POSE: Model Pose #60 from SEmotion Studio

OUTFIT: Exclusive Layered Combo from .hc&co.

SKIN: Acorn Frex [light] Elf-Soot 2 from Curio Skins

HAIR: Poppyseed in Obsidian from !lamb

EYES: Dreaming Eyes in Azur from <<<>>>

SHOES: Girls Biker Boots (foot only worn) from Redgrave

POSE: Female Pose # 3 from Sinsity

OUTFIT: Cherry Babydoll from ^^Moulliez

SKIN: Acorn Frex [light] Elf-Soot 2 from Curio Skins

HAIR: Joanna in Sangria from >Truth<

EYES: Dreaming Eyes in Azur from <<<>>>

SHOES: Frenzy in Pearl from Maitreya

POSE: Cute Charlotte from [LAP]

I Faux Pas, do you?

Today's blog is bought to you by none other than a walking Fashion Faux Pas. But do I make my faux pas' look good enough to pass as an accepted member of society within Second Life?

As stated on Free Dictionary, a faux pas is a gaffe, slip, blooper, blunder, boo-boo, botch, bungle, foul-up, fuck-up, an embarassing mistake. Something I am sure we have all done, no?

Recently I was given the opportunity to write as a fashion blogger for Avatar Weekly. A small job in SL that I feel quite chuffed to have been given the privilege of fulfilling. Now I haven't been blogging for long. And the blogs that I have done have all been for myself. A way to just blab about thing I like and hope that maybe one day they will be read.

One thing that really gets up my nose though....is other bloggers paying out on each other. We are not all perfect. No one is perfect. And if they think or say that they are, they are only fooling themselves and lying to the rest of the world. We are human, to err is to be human. Yes we live our lives in the virtual world of Second Life. But there are living, breathing humans making those avatars operational.

Now as I mentioned, I am now writing for Avatar Weekly. After a recent post was published it was bought to my attention that another blogger was criticizing pictures on blogs that featured 'bling' in them. *gasps*....the room goes quiet as the tumbleweeds drift by.

This blog is in no way aimed at the blogger for making their comment. For all I know, I could have a massive ego and assume that they have read my blog post...but who knows. There are heps of blogs out there that the comment could be referred to. But in any case it struck a raw nerve.

I don't have all the fancy, expensive clothes and shoes in SL. I don't have all the top designers from around the grid on my friends list. I don't blow wind up their shirts and blog about them left right and centre and get freebies from them to blog about in future. I spend my own lindens, which I struggle to make and I purchase nice clothes and shoes from the lesser known brands that are still just as bloody good if not better in some instances. And yes, slap a set of handcuffs on me and take me away, I sometimes fuck-up and forget to take off the bling. It takes all sorts to make the world go round and I am just one of those sorts.

So if in future you read a blog, see a flicker post, a plurk comment, someones profile in SL and to 'YOUR' eyes it's imperfect. Just stop and think for a minute.....have I ever had a day where I have stuffed up and someone has sat back and probably thought the exact same things about me. Because I would bet my bottom dollar on it there are people out there that will say yes.

We all need to get our start somewhere in life. Some of us in SL are fortunate enough to be naturally talented. Some of us have to work hard at it. For those that have the natural talent...or are lucky enough to have good friends make you look good.....try not to step on us little ones in future. After all, it is us that read your blogs, buy your designs and help you live the life you are getting accustomed to.

Hair - Brianna, Scarlet by Sirena

Eyes - Beloved Turqoise by Beloved Designs

Nose Pencils by Reek

Shirt - OMG / STFU Girls Tees by Reek

Shorts - Hot Pants in white by Redgrave

Shoes and Socks - Super Sneaks Platform Wedge by MK Fashion

Bandaids - Ouch! Bandaid knees by Reek

Poses - Flip Off by [LAP] & Girl Sit animation (dz738) from Kuso