Seeing as I never know how to start these I’ll just get right into it 🙂 . A couple of weeks back we held our second ever Femboy Style Guide Fashion Show!
I’m actually a bit lost for words here because it was such an awesome whirlwind of evening; so rather then endlessly ramble I shall make this blog all about the people who made the show happen because it really is a huge project to pull off. Whether it’s hosting or building the show venue, promoting the party, playing awesome tunes on the evening, announcing, modelling, or stressing out (that one was my job), it really is a team effort. This blog entry isn’t just a celebration of a wonderful event but importantly it’s a thank you to all those epic folks and everyone who came along.
We also have a Flickr photo group and a thriving Discord server with oodles of handy shopping links and tips plus an awesome community of Second Life peeps who are always happy to give advice about building Femboy (or other) avatars: https://www.flickr.com/groups/14811328@N23/pool/ https://discord.gg/gGCkkU6Ccc
Fashion Show Catwalk taken by Mady.
The show took place at the Trouble sim (thank you Julia!!) and as you can see we had a stunning futuristic catwalk build created by my epic FSG co-founder Mady 🙂 who worked her socks off to put something so special together. If you’d like to see more of what Mady has been up to of late you can check out her Flickr using the following link (she also has pics from the first FSG Fashion Show so you should totally go peek): https://www.flickr.com/photos/191342623@N05/
Over 100 people visited the sim during the Fashion show.
I need to add a huge shout out to the Blacklist Bunker Crew here too 🙂 They gave us their Saturday event/party slot so we could have the fashion show then, their epic DJs (Izzy and Luna) played a sweet selection of tunes, and London helped Mady host on the evening. They really are the best and if you’d like to know more about the Blacklist handily I wrote a blog all about it: https://semysays.com/2021/11/26/semy-says-the-blacklist-bunker/
This time around we had an official Fashion Show Sponsor!! Millie who has an awesome store called Appetite; she even provided a free top which all our guests were able to pick up when they visited:
“Heni Trap Top by Appetitie” taken from Mille’s Flickr.
We even had our own catwalk announcer (Lyn pictured above) who told all our guests what our stunning models (more on them soon 😛 ) were wearing as they strutted their stuff down the runway. Much like all the time which Mady put into the build it’s so hard to describe the amount of prep work it must take Lyn to prepare for an event like the fashion show; how important it is to make things run smoothly can’t be quantified though, the show simply wouldn’t go on without Lyn’s stellar efforts. You can see more of Lyn on Dakota’s Flickr (plus there are links to naughty stuff on Slushe there too): https://www.flickr.com/photos/dakota-faith/
Speaking of our models they were stunning 🙂 (also like herding cats backstage lol) and every single one of them picked out a lovely selection of outfits across 5 categories: Denim and/or Leather, Sporty, Fantasy, Uniforms, and Model’s Choice. I’ve been super lucky that whilst we didn’t get shots of everything during the event everyone pulled together afterwards and either took their own photos or posed at a mini post-show photoshoot for Esmiel 🙂 I’d love to feature every single outfit here but the blog would just get crazy long (I know it’s already often enough) so instead I’m going to show you my personal favourite from each model’s wardrobe plus outfit details.
“Model Collage” by Esmiel.
(Huge credit to Esmiel here too who did a lot of work not just taking many of the shots put also putting almost all of them together in handy collages; he’s a superstar for spending so much time to help me make this blog happen).
Alex:
“Alex Fantasy” Taken by Esmiel.
Legacy + V-Tech Chest Mod.
Bellatrix Suit FATPACK + {Aii}.
Sweet Thing – Nara Legs.
Skin: [Heaux] Lala Fantasy (Lavender Fairy), VELOUR: Ipanema Body for Legacy – Skinny (Lavender Fairy), VELOUR: Maitreya Flat Chest (Lavender Fairy – Skinny).
I think you’ll all agree the models all chose utterly stunning looks for each category 🙂 Over the next few days I’ll endeavour to get the photo takers to add individual outfit shots to our FSG Flickr group (if they haven’t already).
Before I end this blog entry I want to let you all know about awesome stuff and things…
This Saturday at the Blacklist Bunker there are four DJs each playing an hour set for “Go Folk Yourself!” Keep an eye on the FSG Discord and in world groups for the LM/TP on around 12pm SLT on Saturday.
Here’s some handy rules though: – Theme is “Halloween”. Two rules, it must have be seasonally themed and include at least one avatar. You can do anything else with your picture; make it sweet, funny, sexy, naked, naughty, the choice is yours.
– Number of people or anything like that in the shot doesn’t matter it’s the photographer who is entering.
– Please submit entries in 1024 by 1024 format and send them via IM on discord to an FSG admin (Semy, MadylineJay, Esmiel).
– Entries will be uploaded to the new channel for all members to see plus we’ll give a copy to Daxia Darkbyrd who is going to create a gallery at the Blacklist Halloween sim.
– Prizes: First place: L$750, Second, L$500, and third L$250. Maybe a surprise too
– You can submit a maximum of 3 photos and have until Thursday the 27th of October to send them our way.
– Winners will be decided by the Blacklist Crew judging panel.
– Winners will be announced live in world during the Blacklist Halloween party on Saturday 29th of October. So if you want to know who the winners are you need to come along and join in the fun.
– We hope to have an FSG Festive Photo Contest closer to Christmas time!
(FYI at least one avatar means any avatar type; this is a contest open to everyone not just femboys).
We’re super looking forward to all the ghastly and ghoulish submissions 🙂
Semy Says… Just a little spoiler here for the fashion show next year ;P We all love femboys of course but perhaps it’s time to let some of our other LGBTQIA+ friends strut their stuff down the catwalk 🙂 .
Hey folks!! No starting apology this time although I probably owe someone one knowing me; this blog is a little late though… Anyhow I’d much prefer to say thank you 🙂 to everyone who has become part of our FSG project; whether you joined the discord server or group in world, took part in our recent photo contest (way more on that later), helped with my previous blogs, came to one of our events or even helped us make one happen. You’re all awesome thank you so much for supporting us! It also goes without saying (although I’m saying it now lol) that my other FSG co-conspirators (Mady and Esmi) have been amazing and none of all that we’ve done in almost a year so far would have happened without them; they both mean the world to me and it’s down to them that my little idea has become all of this.
I’m not going to talk too much more (hopefully) in this blog as the main topic is getting to show you all the amazing photos our server members submitted for our first ever photo contest but before we get there here’s a little bit of info and news about Femboy Style Guide…
For those who have stumbled upon my ramblings for the first time please check out these links to previous blog entries which tell you all about FSG, our awesome friends at the Blacklist Bunker, our first ever Fashion Show, and the amazing fashion which some of our members showcased recently:
I’ll tell you all about upcoming stuff at the end of the blog but here’s a couple of things which have happened recently…
Firstly Femboy Style Guide is fully searchable/discoverable in Second Life as Mady has employed some wizardry 🙂 plus we have a new party area at the beach. If you want to come peek here’s the SL TP link:
Speaking of our new party area I was super lucky to debut (well re-debut maybe as it has been like a decade) as a DJ at our last meet-up; I had a blast and really hope everyone loved the tunes I chose. In fact I had so much fun that I’ll be doing it again in the future… By the way if you thought the sweet picture at the start of this blog was familiar it’s because Esmi used it to create an epic poster for the meet up:
FSG – Bash at the Beach!
OK upcoming news later; how about seeing the awesome submissions for our first ever Summer Photo Contest?! (If you’re wondering about the contest rules it was super simple: 1024 by 1024 pics, on the beach, and there must be at least one femboy 😛 )
First up is zєℓєηý who was first to enter and got the contest started with a big bang of brilliant:
Awesome entries from Kris, Lupe, and Peach coming up but sadly I don’t have Flickr links for any of them 😦 We can all agree they took epic pics though that’s for sure.
Last but never least is Lyn with a trio of some lewd and lovely shots:
That’s a lot of super sweet pics for sure right? It isn’t them all though because I’ve saved the winners to show you all next 😛 We originally planned to have a top three winners and a “most fun” entry but honestly the standard of all the pics was so awesome that our esteemed judging panel (OK it was Esmi, Mady, and I) chose to expand on things. All the winners were revealed in world at the Blacklist Bunker Beach party a couple of weeks ago…
The Blacklist & FSG Summer Photo Contest Beach Party poster by Daxia!
If you were there I’m sure you’ll agree it was an epic evening with sweet tunes provided by Bwian and Daxia 🙂 ; if you missed it I hope you can join us at the next party. We had some special category winners on the night who all received a L$250 prize; here they are:
Best “Lulz” by Bwian! Best Tan by Diavkha!Best Lewd by Alex!Best Prop by Daxia!
And here our the top three in descending order. Third place received L$250, Second place L$500, and First L$750 plus a “Semy Shopping Experience”. Here we go…
Third place entry by M E W N I E!Second place entry by Yumi!!The first ever FSG Summer Photo Contest First place winning pic by Gaby!!!
We really were blown away by all the awesome entries; I hope you love seeing them all collected together here 🙂 The FSG Photo Contest will return at the end of the year so keep your eye on our discord server for news if you’d like to take part next time.
Semy Says… Before I end this blog entry I’d like to share some upcoming FSG dates with you so you can all plan ahead and party with us:
Saturday September the 24th at 12pm SLT – our Second FSG Fashion Show! Saturday October the 1st at 2pm SLT – FSG Meet up with debut DJ zєℓєηý! Saturday November 5th – The FSG Festive Photo Contest begins! Saturday November 19th at 12pm – The FSG First Anniversary Party!!! Plus something at Christmas time when we work it out… Esmi said he won’t wear a Santa beard though 😦
But before all of that make sure to come and join us for our September Meet up 🙂 We’ll be back at the FSG Beach but there’s a twist…
FSG September Meet up poster by Esmi!
Our friends from HEFFA! will be visiting us on Saturday September 3rd at 2pm SLT; come join us and party along to DJ Numi’s tunes right after Izzy’s Saturday set at the Blacklist Bunker (starting at 12pm) 🙂
Love and Pride by Diavkha (featuring Dia, Esmi, Semy, and Seven)
It might be a running joke now that I begin my blogs with an apology… so here we go again; sorry it’s later than I planned, life decided to get in the way. I won’t get into it here though you’ve all heard me moaning about it enough. Anyhow before I get carried away with myself I best not assume you know what FSG and everything is so if this is all new to you please check out my previous blog entries about Femboy Style Guide, our Fashion Show, and our friend’s (The Blacklist Crew) awesome community family sim at the Blacklist Bunker:
Over the last few weeks we’ve built up a really friendly community there plus we have a Second Life Shopping Index (ever growing) for all your fashion needs. You’ll find members sharing all sorts of info too from in world fairs, marketplace sales, memes, music, and some naughty pics.
OK Blog topic time!! Second Life femboy clothing (I’m going to define that as flat chest and bulge clothing options today) is a tricky thing for many of us. Depending which body/chest combo we choose there are always a limited number of options depending on creator’s time restrictions and how many different bodies they can rig for so I thought it would be nice to highlight a few different stores, what they make for femboys, and what they could possibly do in the future. I don’t want it to be all my own words though so FSG community members have volunteered their time to take some awesome pictures, list the outfits they put together, and add their comments. We’re focusing on some of the most well known stores (and maybe a couple less well known) so if you like the topic of this blog let me know please and we’ll cover more stores in the future.
Anyhow shall we see what our volunteers came up with…
First up is zєℓєηý whose chosen store(s) was V-tech/Valentine which many consider the OG mesh flatchest option.
Taken by zєℓєηý
Tattoo: Sanity from KAOS Tattoo
Hair: Hydie from Doe
Body Stars 2.0 by !13ACT
Knee Pads by DIZZY
Hazel Socks by Pink Cream Pie
Elbow Pads by L’Emporio & PL
Glitter Roller Skates by Spoiled
Aerial Shorts by V-tech
Dalian Top & Jacket by Valentine (top hidden in hud)
Comments by zєℓєηý: “An outfit inspired by my youth when I would go roller blading; an appreciation for the style and enjoyment with some pride flare mixed in I guess. It’s safe to say I’m Rolling around at the speed of sound; got places to go and gotta follow my rainbow.”
Taken by zєℓєηý
“I really love the styles and options they have for clothes and lingerie. If I am to be honest I wish V-Tech had more clothing items available in the theme of punky or alt fashion of Valentine. I am just happy to see everything they do is all is such high quality plus just great to look at and wear. I usually never know what I’m looking for whenever I go to Valentine but I always find something I like.”
Next up is Diavkha with Pixicat going full team goth!
Taken by Diavkha
Hair: Lamb – Pop
Dress: Pixicat – Ines
Stockings: Reign – Spooky Stockings
Hat: MW Boa – Women’s Floppy Summer Hat
Cat: Fawny – Coven Cat (Rare Gacha)
Gloves: Happy Undead – Mavis Dress
Rings: Yummy – True Rebel
Nails: Suicide Unborn – Minerva Nails
Comments by Diavkha: “What I like about Pixicat is their consistency in terms of item quality and texture choices which allows for the mix and match options of their clothes to create different outfits. I’m especially happy with their Maitreya Flat releases as it increases the clothing options for femboys plus their options allow for a variety of styles to be created.
My hope is that they continue to release for Maitreya Flat not just in dresses and tops but also other outfits as well.”
Next we have a super vibrant look by Daxia using options from Seka 🙂
There’s oodles of outfit detail here so have a peek and see what you think:
Body:
REBORN by eBODY v1.69.2 with [V-Tech]Boi Chest Mod – Reborn – v1.1
Clothing:
SEKA’s Almost Top (eBODY Reborn)
SEKA’s RockSt*r Sleeve (eBODY Reborn)
SEKA’s Thumb Glove SHORT (eBODY Reborn)
SEKA’s Almost Skirt (eBODY Reborn)
SEKA’s Glitch/d Belt (Un-Rigged Fem)
SEKA’s Fishnet Waifu (eBODY Reborn MAZEmods)
SEKA’s Raptor/Glitch Stomper (Female Rig)
Attachments:
[-]NANAO / Cybernetic Halo / Pink
[Yomi] Tenshi Hair
SEKA’s Double Cross Shade
!13ACT – Animated sparkle for eyes
LeLUTKA.Png.CEYLON.Lip.Set
LeLUTKA.Png.CEYLON.Nose.Set
.STOIC. TECH EARRINGS EL
SEKA’s “WAIFU” Choker
XC-88 Shotgun
MAZE.mods – Soft Thighs (both) (eBody Reborn)
Taken by Daxia
Daxia’s thoughts about Seka: “Seka is a great store if you are going for the punkish and cyber type of outfits. When I make such an outfit it’s my go-to. I really love how Seka create their items; how they look and feel. Seka clothing has such a neat edge to it; really unique. The textures are different and because of that it is a bit harder to combine items from other stores to an outfit but that not issue for me. It’s because of that different colour palette you become a bit more unique! I really hope Seka will add at least one bulge kind of item to the store; just undies would be great and that would tie everything completely together for me. For some items Seka supports Maitreya Flatchest which is great and they’ve recently added Reborn so that’s another tick off my wishlist.”
Dal’s thoughts about Mug clothing: “Femboy doesn’t have a single meaning. Think of them like a rainbow. Just like the colours which make up rainbow there are various different types of femboys and in order to accommodate such a diverse cast you need a clothing line that’s just as diverse and I believe Mug fills that niche. Mug provides an excellent baseline in which to build an outfit around; you can easily mix and match various outfits to create a look which suits you. Another plus is Mug makes more neutral clothing, meaning it’s not too feminine or masculine. I find myself using the Avery jeans or Dani shorts in plenty of outfits which lean either way.
Mug also allows you to use their clothing on different bodies using their included HUD for some of the most popular bodies on the market. So you aren’t just confined to V-tech. I’d like to see more colours (especially yellow) and perhaps more options when it comes to shorts. A good pair of shorts with a bulge option is hard to fine and I think Mug gets the bulge shape just right.”
Next a bumper outfit selection from Steph covering three stores technically. Firstly two outfits made using items from Sweet Tart and In Your Face which use Kups Flat:
Body Imperfections: Body Veins and Cellulite | Izzie’s Hair: Meadow w/ Hat | Truth
Hand Chains: Gracie Hand Chains | Secrets
Swimsuit: Pamela | In Your Face
Puffy Kitty: Camel Toy | Faida Leg Jewellery: Nina Leg Chains | Secrets
Boots: Fiona Boots | KC Couture
“For the “Puffy” shoot I wanted to not only showcase the “Pamela Swimsuit” from “In Your Face” for its flat chest option but (with support from the latest Camel Toy mod by Faida) it’s a good time to be a t-boi in this virtual world. What better way to have a nice afternoon on a beach.”
Head skin: Ashley (Toffee) | The Skinnery Hair: Ina | Foxy
Dirt: Dirt & Mud | Izzie’s
Head materials | Lelutka
Body Materials:
Headset: COMTAC II Headset | SAC
“For “It’s Not A Moon” this is where “Sweet Tart” came in and there’s really many ways to go about tackling some of the cute items they have. When I wondered how to approach things the answer was ultimately yes to combining, mixing, and matching. This photo features shorts from their “Keira” set, bra and belt from their “Ari” set plus their “AK Hip Flask”, “Tart Phone Armband”, and “Gena Garter Bag”. Until I found myself at the base camp with a rifle in hand, ready to squash misconceptions and break the bones of those small minds who can’t see how being a femboi is really the way forward.”
Steph’s thoughts about Sweet Tart and In Your Face: “I think there is a dire need to at least test out the viability of supporting other flat chest mods such as Maitreya flat even it means sacrificing supporting a body or two that may no longer be as popular as it once used to be. With luck this will further the aspect of inclusivity even more.
Future product line-ups maybe including more things like corsets or more simple items such as pants and knee-length skirts which include a bulge; Sweet Tart does have at least one offering of a corset and some pants that offer them which I have covered on my personal flickr.”
Dress: Raven Dress – Maitreya Flat | Big Beautiful Doll
Cigarette: Cigarette with Holder | ChicChica
“This shoot is rather “Fascinating” and the first piece to show off is the sexy “Raven Dress” with the spider-webs over the pecks. Although available in a bit of cloth one has to admire the sexiness of latex in the light of the night as well as candles.”
Taken by Steph
Here’s the outfit info for Steph’s second Big Beautiful Doll Inspired Ensemble:
“For that special occasion when romance and seduction fill the air you always have options of lingerie and as with their corsets as well as dresses you get older releases in V-Tech as well as releases such as this for Maitreya Flat Chest. For this “Bed Time” shoot we’re showcasing the “Riley Lingerie” and it’s just one of many items in lace you can find for the Maitreya Flat Chest add-on.”
Taken by Steph
Steph’s thoughts regarding BBD: “I don’t think there’s too much that can be said. They’ve been around supporting the femboy community for some time now. If I had more time, or could find the time, I’d try to reach out and try to get an interview of sorts to ask questions, get answers. Maybe that’s something else, for another time.
In their current or future line-ups along with the flat chest options, it’s clearly feasible for there to be some room for corset markets to add more bulge options. A few may allow you to fit in bulge panties from other designers but it’s often hit or miss due to different sizes on offer.”
Esmiel (our semi-resident FSG DJ) is up next with outfits from two stores; the first of which is from what I’m pretty sure if his personal fav Asteroid Box…
Taken by Esmiel
Hair – Chill by DOUX
Shades – Josiah by EQUAL
Nosechain – Vermin by CerberusXing
Tattoo – Drake by CORAZON
Bodysuit – Isla by Asteroidbox
Collar & Necklace – Emery Jewelry by Asteroidbox
Bracer – Indigo Bracer by Asteroidbox
“Asteroidbox is a fantastic store specialising in darker almost gothic styles. While they don’t always cater to Flat chests they have plenty of items which do.
The rigging, texture work, and styling is always top-notch – amongst some of the best in Second Life – and I’ve never been disappointed in one of their items.
Asteroidbox regularly have items on sale at events like Kustom9, Equal10, and Anthem; they also participate in Fifty Linden Fridays so always check that out!”
Now a lesser known store but one which has been making a lot of new products lately: Appetite.
Taken by Esmiel
Hair – Chill by DOUX
Shades – Josiah by EQUAL
Nosechain – Vermin by CerberusXing
Tattoo – Drake by CORAZON
Top – Heni Top by APPETITE (Hentai version)
“Appetite are a really interesting brand, making some very cool and unique items – my favourite being the pictured top: Heni.
They tend to focus on crop tops, hoodies, and dresses – nearly (but not quite everything) is fitted for Maitreya Lara Flat, so make sure you double check!
You can often find these guys at events like Hentai Fair; their releases get better and better all the time – they sometimes even have strippable/interactive features.
Their stuff is not too commonly seen around so definitely check them out if you want an interesting unique item or two!”
OK nearly there 😛 two of my fav stores left the first of which is Two Sided:
Taken by Esmiel
Two Sided July Patterns Top
Insanya – Bia Skirt
Rage – Smol Bulge Thong
Reign – Shimmer and Burn heels
Spoiled – Gamer Girl Glasses
Spoiled – Bitch Don’t Steal my Switch
Vibing – Leila Rings
e.marie- Kara Watch
e.marie – Anna Earrings
e.marie – La La Land Coffin Nails.
Two Sided is a long established and very prolific femboy fashion supporting store; if you’re a member of the V-tech group you’ll see them posting often about new items they’ve added to their line. They really do cater to our community rigging wise too; just peek their items on Marketplace and you’ll see that there are options for both Lara and Belleza V-tech, Maitreya Lara Flatchest, and Kups Flat. I bought the top in the picture at a fair over a year ago and it’s one of the most worn items in my Second Life wardrobe. That said I don’t own a lot more of their stuff – not because it isn’t good – but mainly because I’m a picky boi colour palette wise and they just don’t hit the tones I enjoy very often; so more of that please.
Last but not least here’s some love for Muse by Moon Elixir!
Taken by Esmiel
Moon Elixir X MUSE – Bulge G-string
Moon Elixir X MUSE – Morning Glory Corset
Moon Elixir X MUSE – Morning Glory Shoes
Moon Elixir X MUSE – Morning Glory Stockings
Moon Elixir X MUSE – Morning Glory Bra (V-tech)
Moon Elixir X MUSE – Snow Angel Fur Coat
Truth Destiny Hair
Magika – Prue Headband
e.marie – Kara Watch
e.marie – Trina Earrings
Rawr! – Jenny Rings
Rawr! – Vanity Nails
This is a favourite store of mine; because who doesn’t love hot lingerie?! Seriously though as most folks know pink and white is a favoured colour palette of mine so they always have me covered. The store has updated their line recently to add to their options though (pink and white wasn’t all there was before of course) and you’ll see their products pop up on a regular basis at various Second Life Fashion Fairs. Their older items often support the V-tech chest mod (but not all) whilst over the last year or so they have sadly dropped V-tech support and now rig for Maitreya flat (would have been great to see both). They also have a small range of bulge thongs and bottoms but these are limited and don’t work with all their lingerie designs so if there is anything I’d love to see Muse add to their collection it would be more of that.
A huge thank you to all the volunteers who took their time to take amazing pictures and give me so oodles of outfit and store info. I hope everyone finds this interesting and perhaps we can cover more stores in the future. I’d like to end the blog with some FSG News and some words from Lupe (from the Blacklist Crew) regarding something important. So here we go…
FSG Meet up with DJ London @ The Basement!!
Our next meet up will be in just over 2 weeks!! Also London who was our amazing launch party DJ is guesting to supply epic beats 🙂
We have other FSG Projects coming up soon too as next month I’ll be contacting models about their availability for the next FSG Fashion show (later this year) plus keep an eye on your group notices and Discord as on Sunday 26th June I’ll be announcing our Summer Contest!!
Blacklist Pride DJ Line up!!
Pride month is going to go out with bang!! The Blacklist Bunker crew have built a stunning Pride sim and have an epic line up of 7 parties in a row to celebrate. I’m going to try and go to all of them if I possibly can and would love to see you all there 🙂 Want to check out the Pride build? Well you’re in luck because here’s the location link… http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Trouble/116/96/2825
It’s not all about partying though as there are much more important things than that; so I’d like to end with words from Lupe so they can tell you all about this year’s chosen charity. Take care everyone. See you all soon 🙂
“Our donation goal for Blacklist Pride 2022!
Like every year we have picked a goal for all donations during Pride Week which starts this coming Sunday, the 26th of June. We have a whole week of parties and DJ’s planned at the specially built Blacklist Pride Park, and it promises to be EPIC!
Our Goal!
COC Netherlands is doing a donation drive for LGBTI+ people in Ukraine. The war in Ukraine has created very specific problems for LGBTI+ people over there. Shelter is a huge problem as our LGBTI+ friends there often cannot count on shelter and support from their families. LGBTI+ people in Ukraine are very vulnerable. People struggle to find safe accommodation as they often get rejected.
The LGBTI+ community there is in need of our help. COC Netherlands is there on the front-line. Money is needed to provide shelter and to help them flee to such shelters from the war zones. In the shelters there is a need for food, medication, blankets, mattresses, hygiene articles; delivering food in hard-to-reach areas; medicine; emergency evacuation assistance (gasoline, housing, transport); HIV medication, and psychological aid.
Next to this money is required to help those of the LGBTI+ community who are under direct threat; to help them relocate to LGBTI+ friendly countries.
We think this is a very worthy cause for Blacklist to get behind!
COC Netherlands has been advocating the rights of lesbian women, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people (LGBTI+’s) from 1946 on. COC strives for the decriminalization of sexual orientation and gender identity and for equal rights, emancipation and social acceptance of LGBTI+’s in the Netherlands and all over the world. COC is one of the few LGBTI+ organizations that has a special consultative status with the United Nations.
If you have any questions, please, do not hesitate to contact me, Lupe!”
Before I get going and talk about the FSG Fashion Show awesomeness I need to apologise. When I started a blog I had a grand plan to write every so often; cover loads of different topics, and just say well… more. Life (real or Second Life) tends to get in the way though; sometimes in a good way and sometimes bad, and I often end up procrastinating with an idea – or several – rather than making them a reality. After the show finished (which was 2 weeks ago as of the day I’m writing this blog entry) I was hit with a wave of post-show euphoria but a few days later all the planning, prep, excitement, worry, and apprehension that came pre-show caught up with me and I was left just utterly drained. I meant to write this a week ago but instead spent a few days wrapped up in a blanket with a chihuahua on my lap whilst I watched Judge Judy reruns. So I hope this blog entry is worth the wait at least a little bit…
Our spectacular show announcer Lyn – pic taken by Daxia.
OK preamble time because I guess you may have found this and not have a clue what FSG (Femboy Style Guide) is. I’d tell you all about it here but I already wrote about mine and Mady’s Second Life project, place, thing before so please go have a peek:
After our launch beach party we got our heads together about how to follow that up with another Second Life event to help get our project known about and the FSG Fashion Show plan was born :). I’ve honestly been so lucky because (as I may have mentioned before to people) I think I’m pretty good when it comes to coming up with ideas – not so much making them a reality though – so having a bestie like Mady means everything to me. FSG wouldn’t exist without her; as a place or as a concept. She made the Fashion Show happen by working tirelessly all the way up to the evening and during it, by being supremely patient every time I said something like “What if we did this?”, and if you came to the event I think you’ll agree by building something so perfect for the show.
FSG Fashion Show Venue build work in progress – pic taken by Mady.
We had oodles of help making it all happen of course though :). Julia was wonderful in letting us use the Trouble sim to host our build; Lyn (our show announcer) did an epic job – plus put in a ton of pre-show prep getting notes ready on all the model’s outfits (more on those later), Izzy who usually DJs at the Blacklist Bunker on a Saturday (at 12pm SLT) put an awesome set together for the show too which really gave the atmosphere an extra boost :). Also super importantly we owe the aforementioned Blacklist Bunker crew a huge thank you for giving us one of their Saturday party slots (and their DJ), helping promote the show, and taking pictures on the night. If you want to see Daxia’s or Mady’s pictures taken during the show I’ll link their flickrs below along with the link to our FSG Flickr which we hope you’ll join.
If you’ve never visited the Blacklist Bunker – one of my absolute fav Second Life places ever – you should totally check it out. Handily I wrote a blog about it in the past 😉
My last huge thank you of course goes out to all the models :). We had 9 models all together (including myself) although sadly real life commitments meant that Nikki (who is also FSG’s semi-resident photographer) couldn’t make the show. They all put together outfits for 5 different categories; Street/Urban, Beachwear/Swimsuits/Bikinis, Dresses, Lingerie, and Model’s Choice (where they got the chance to wear absolutely anything they wanted).
Each model also took the time to give me notes on their outfits so Lyn could tell everyone what they were wearing as they strutted their stuff down the catwalk and made a pose at the end. Everyone looked fabulous (I think the crowd agreed with me on that too); even though backstage before we all walked out for the first time I think there really was some genuine trepidation amongst us all at about walking out in front of such an epically huge crowd. In fact before you get to see some of what the models were wearing I ought to give another huge thank you to the crowd :). According to sim tracking stats (credit to Julia there) over 100 people visited during the Fashion Show day; Mady and I were (and still are) blown away by that. We hope you all had as epic a night as we did.
My Street/Urban Outfit – pic taken by Mady.
Model time!! I’d honestly love to showcase all the outfits here but it would make this blog entry crazily long (even for me) so instead I asked each model to choose their favourite outfit from the night and will show you a pic of that plus some info on what they were wearing. Plus rather than my rambling there’s a few words from some the models 🙂
“The First ever FSG Fashion show was my first ever attempt at being a Model in SL and provided an excellent excuse to dig through the Marketplace and Events to find inspiration and something unique to bring my style to life. Thank you To Semy and Mady for this Wonderful Chance and all the hard work in making this a possibility. I’m super happy with how everything went and you know you will always have a model with me!”
You can check out Blizzy’s Flickr using this link:
Chest/body type: V-tech Hairstyle: Haru Hair – Rumor by Truth Footwear: Via boot by D’eVil Dress: Tube dress Lust by Insanya Accessories: Lia bento gloves by D’eVil, Dexi eyewear by KC Couture, Luxe bracelets Annie by Ysoral
Comments from Moira about the show:
“I think FSG is a great idea and I want to help people out as they develop their appearance so they’re excited with how they look. I had a lot of fun showing of my clothes at the Fashion Show and can’t wait for the next one.”
“Next to my passion for music, partying, building and running a shop, I adore putting outfits together. In my early days it was rather difficult where to look and find outfits/items that match a flat chest. I learned over the years and got help from others as well. That’s why I really like and participate in the FSG initiative to help others who are new, or just inspire my fellow flat-chesters with my ideas. The fashion show was a ball with lots of people and I was kinda nervous too :). I’m glad I only fell from the catwalk just only once. But it was so much fun to do, to hear the cheering and positive messages afterwards.”
Chest/body type: Maitreya Lara Flat Hairstyle: Medusa by Doux Footwear: Crimson by CULT Dress: Hellbound Angel Dress by Moon Elixir x MUSE Makeup/Tattoos: Carcosa by Garden of Ku, Witchcraft by KENSHO
Comments from Esmiel about the show:
“While I don’t really consider myself a ‘femboy’ as such – I’m more just a skinny/androgynous dude who likes to wear girls clothes sometimes – I love being part of FSG and I’m annoyed it took me over a year to find it after switching to a Lara flatchest from my old Gianni.. however in the short time I have been in the group, I have loved how much dedication and effort the team have put into supporting those looking for a Femboy lifestyle here in SL – especially Semy – awesome work dude!!
The fashion show was just the latest example of the support that FSG provides to the community, and being part of it was amazing, such a fun night, so many awesome outfits and people.. it was a little scary at first but I think we all really got into it and enjoyed ourselves. The music was great, the turnout was incredible.. everything was fantastic. Thank you so much for letting me be a part of it!!”
Chest/body type: Maitreya Lara Flat Hairstyle: Aiko (XS/LelutkaEvo) from Foxy Footwear: Butterfly from N-Core Dress: Bombshell Babe from Moon Elixir x MUSE Accessories: Fitmesh Shaw from Tiffany Designs, Camila from ANTAYA, Pearl Earrings from PKC
Comments from Jordan about the show:
“It was very nice. I was worried I would lag on stage but it mostly went smoothly. I liked that there were different categories. Definitely gave variety. I suggest next time for models to send in their notecards and pics in advance to avoid same looks, I guess. Thank you very much for letting me walk the show ♥”
Peach – Model’s Choice.
Chest/body type: V-tech Hairstyle: *barberyumyum*S16 Footwear: .bijou ~ Spike Tip Toe Top: TETRA – Tokyo Puffer jacket Bottoms: Blueberry – Grace Pants Accessories: .Lelutka. Link.Choker Makeup/Tattoos: .:Vegas Tattoo:. (Light) Renewal
Chest/body type: Maitreya Lara Flat Hairstyle: Destiny Hair by Truth Footwear: Madame Noir Shoes by Moon Elixir x Muse Jacket: Snow Angel Fur Coat by Moon Elixir x Muse Lingerie: Sweet Treat by Moon Elixir x Muse Accessories: Ashlea Earrings by E.Marie, Majesty Light Coffin Nails by E.Marie, Jenny Rings by Rawr!, My Vintage Tiara by [ bubble ]
Lyn taking a break from announcing – pic taken by Daxia.
Semy Says…
It really was an awesome night; weeks of build up and preparation really paid off. It’s one of the best nights of not just my Second Life but my life in general and I’m so proud of it all, of everyone :).
Of course the Fashion Show is really about getting the Femboy Style Guide out there (well that and having an epic party where awesomely hot people get to show you how awesomely hot they look…) so before I end and tell you all what’s next for FSG I’d like to talk about something very close to my heart and one of the reasons I came up with the idea that Mady helped me with so it could become all of this.
A few years ago (pre-pandemic) around this time of the year actually I returned home from a long stint in hospital after having an operation to keep me alive; it’s something I’ve only ever told a handful of Second Life folks about. I’ve got a super rare – trust me you’ve never heard of it – blood condition that caused a cascade of issues including internal bleeding that was so extreme I was literally (the real use of the word honestly) on the verge of bursting. I nearly died, twice.
I’m still here though (even about to hit 12 years in Second Life soon) and whilst the whole thing was utterly life changing it has made me think back and realise just how important and special Second Life is to me; how lost I’d be without my real best friends like Mady, the whole Blacklist Bunker crew, and so many others, and how I wanted to help other Second Life users out. I’ve reflected on how lost I was in my early Second Life days as someone being brand new to the confusingly awesome experience that this virtual world provides and how I coped; I was lucky I found a place and awesome friends.
In my earliest Second Life days I danced at (and later worked as a manager) at a femboy club called Le Petite Mort. It was basically femboy central; it was a strip club (those did super well back in the day) but it was more importantly where we all gravitated to. It was our community (one that the Blacklist Bunker reminds me of in all the good ways) where there was a family feeling, wonderful people who still are my Second Life friends to this very day over a decade later, and it was run by my friend Pope Dagostino. Honestly thinking back I’ve been awful as I never took or saved any pics from back then of Pope or Le Petite Mort. Luckily Esmiel spoke to some awesome folks who kept pictures and sent some shots my way (Esmi deserves huge hugs for helping me).
DJ Pope.
Pope owned and ran Le Petite Mort; he was (for me at least) the OG Femboy, the person you went to for advice, someone who would help you out whatever you needed, he was an eclectic DJ, a fashion creator, he even made tattoos just for me that nobody else ever had in Second Life. If you ever see me wearing the “Unrepentant Sinner” group tag that’s from his group; I’ll never leave it. When strip clubs in Second Life started to end as a really popular thing ultimately Le Petite Mort closed but I kept in touch with Pope – I think most Femboys did – and I’d go to listen to him DJ at Starfall. He was always there; the Femboy, always ready to listen and help out. Then one day he wasn’t…
Life is short, fleeting, and fragile. I checked my emails one day to see a notice had been posted in the Second Life “Femboy” group by Suzizin who used to manage at Le Petite Mort. Tragically Pope passed away after a house fire. I wish I’d spoken to him more, I wish I’d thanked him more. Words after someone is gone never do justice to how special they were.
Pope Dagostino. RIP.
So writing this had made me cry; because I miss him, because I ought to have been a better friend, but I also don’t want to make my blog about the FSG Fashion Show something tinged only with sadness. I want you all to know why FSG is so important to me, because that’s something worth smiling about. It’s something inspired by a friend like Pope; someone who would have helped any new Second Life femboy on their journey, someone who took time to encourage expression and happiness in being who you truly are. If just one person finds that FSG helps them out like Pope helped me and so many other femboys then it has truly been worth doing it all.
The folks over at Starfall (which is another awesome LGBTQA+ Second Life Community venue) have built a memorial to their lost friends; which includes Pope. If you ever want to head on over and pay your respects I’ll include the the TP link here:
Walk down the hill towards the beach and look for this building.
Starfall.
So what’s next for FSG?
Mady and I are currently putting a list of models together (many from the Fashion show and pictured above) for FSG’s first ever Calendar 🙂 2023 version of course. We’ve also confirmed the date for our second FSG Fashion Show later this year – big thanks again to the Blacklist Crew who are giving us a full Saturday party slot – but you’ll have to wait and see when that will be. We’ve also got tentative plans for our first ever “Summer Photo Contest” (that’s a placeholder name for now though) so we’ll let everyone know more about that in a month or two when the world gets a little warmer.
Semy Lingerie – pic taken by Daxia.
So that’s my rambling over for this blog. I truly hope with all my heart that everyone who has taken part with anything to do with FSG really enjoyed our Fashion Show :). And if you ever meet a Second Life femboy who needs some help point them our way please or if you are a femboy who wants help then don’t forget to come visit our beachside location, join our Flickr, or drop Mady or myself a message.
So not really sure how to start this but here we go… Actually before I really get going I guess I ought to add some context; I’m going to talk about Second Life stuff – it’s a subject close to my heart of course – so rather than repeat things I’ve said before about that specific virtual world if you want to know a little bit more then please check out my previous blog entry on the wonderful Blacklist Bunker: https://semysays.com/2021/11/26/semy-says-the-blacklist-bunker/
For those that have spent any time in Second Life you’ll know that avatar building is way more complicated than it probably ought to be. You might be one of the many who has logged in once or twice, looked at your default avatar’s appearance, and been absolutely befuddled (I love that word) about why people around you look amazing in comparison to the lurching monster you’re trying to control.
That’s not your fault though; Second Life really is that user unfriendly sometimes. The avatar you start with during your early hours in world isn’t great, the inventory you have to improve upon that basically sucks, and if you want to improve you’ll need to start spending some cash ASAP. Even once you work out how the Second Life economy works (L$ or Linden dollars is the currency in word and on the Marketplace store https://marketplace.secondlife.com/?lang=en-US ) knowing what to buy is still a minefield given all the things you need to in order to put a quality avatar together. There’s a plethora of mesh bodies and heads, skins, various attachments, and other stuff before you even start buying clothing – none of which is utterly universal and will only work with specific mesh bodies. Anyhow I could talk about that forever here and that isn’t the point…
Butterfly Cave by Alex Blackwood.
See the thing is Second Life avatar creation options are wildly diverse but ludicrously complicated; sometimes knowing what you want to create for yourself avatar wise isn’t enough and you might need help. Those of us who remember our early days in the virtual world know that without someone to help point you in the right direction that creating the look you want can be so confusing it often makes you want to give up – especially if what you are going for is seen as somewhat niche.
If you’ve seen me in Second Life, read my previous blog entries, or checked my flickr and twitter you’ll know I refer to myself as a femboy. I won’t get into definitions here of what that is as it can be a minefield when you start taking into account certain people’s views or what things like Wikipedia or Urban Dictionary have to say; my best advice if you don’t know is to ask some friends, use google, or if you want to know what I think then ask me in Second Life or tweet me.
Creating a femboy avatar has gone back and forth over the years between complicated to easy and then back again (mostly due to how Second Life technology and systems have changed). Since I’ve had a femboy avatar from my very first day in Second Life I consider myself well versed in building one (not that I’d ever call myself an expert) so during my time I’ve helped many new Second Life users with shopping tips, in world landmarks (links which teleport you to a store), or a handy second opinion. Not that I haven’t had moments where I’ve been utterly confused about how to update my look – I have – and I’ve often needed awesome friends’ advice on what to do next.
Seven And Me! I’m on the right 🙂
During 2021 I met Seven who had never had a femboy avatar – his look at the time was very different – and I helped him find almost everything he needed to create the style he wanted. There are so many components you need for a full femboy avatar such as: shape, mesh head, mesh body, flat chest mod, AO (animation override), skin (plus layers like tattoos and make-up), hair, clothing, jewellery. That’s not even an exhaustive list though and doesn’t take into account how they all need to be compatible either so helping him out was quite the project – which I really enjoyed – but considering the time and effort it took plus the fact we still needed help (from Dakota who was amazing – even helping me update my own look at the time) it made me think that others who are new to creating their look could really do with a resource they could get help from.
I wasn’t sure what that should or could be exactly; maybe I could write about it here but would folks in Second Life see that? Probably not. Loads of Second Life users post fashion/clothing shots on flickr but that’s not a place to go for advice. Even an in world group is limited to word of mouth. Then one day I was chatting to my bestie Mady (owner of Mady’s Playground Hangout) telling her about my idea which she not only loved but it turned out she had also had similar ideas and so our project was born. Femboy Style Guide!
Simple Lighting by Mady.
We didn’t come up with the name straight away of course and there’s a whole story to putting the complete idea together but I’m rambling already so I’ll get to the point. What is Femboy Style Guide..?
The basic concept of FSG is if you need help/advice building a femboy (or trans girl avatar) – regardless of whether it’s all brand new to you or even if you just want a friendly second opinion – come visit us 🙂 We’re here to help; we’ll never ask for money/L$ or anything daft like that, we were all new to this once and know a friendly face is what sometimes makes a huge difference.
It’s all honestly still a work in progress but here’s what we have so far:
Our in world Second Life Location at the Mady’s Playground Beach – come and check it out: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Desire%20Island/28/145/28 Here we have an office/hangout, group joiner, gift giver (including custom pose stand and comprehensive style guide notecards full of info), contact info for Mady and myself (so if we’re in world you can IM us for help), mailboxes for when we’re offline, vendors for the V-tech Flat Chest Mod, pose stands for visitors to use, plus our beach area, and loads more. We even had a launch party there but I’ll get to that later…
Femboy Style Guide in Second Life.
Unlike many Second Life locations FSG is designed as a complete non-sex space. We want visitors to be able come and hang out, chat, try new clothing and avatar components, relax, and ask for advice whilst not being bothered. We’re also keenly aware that creating a femboy avatar is often co-opted by others as a kink thing (we’re not judging but that’s not what FSG is about) and/or made less about the avatar the person wants and more about what someone else desires so there’s no adult animations in any of the furniture or anything like that. We want FSG to be a quiet and welcoming spot not a place where you’ll be disturbed by horny wanderers.
If you do want to find naughty places to explore we’ve got you covered though as our beach connects to our amazing neighbours (The Blacklist Bunker) beach which you can reach just by walking along the pier and through the gate. FSG is part of a set of sibling sims (The Blacklist Bunker, Mady’s Playground, and Sheboys) so I’ll include map teleport links below if you wish to explore any of those:
DJ London Callin at the FSG Launch Party.Near the end of the Beach party.
Speaking of our sibling sims it was with their help and support that we were able to have a launch party (on our beach) in November 2021. FSG wouldn’t exist without their support; Mady and I were blown away by how the Blacklist Bunker owners got behind us. It was also really amazing to have over 50 wonderful Second Life folks come to celebrate with us at the launch plus seeing them check out all the hard work Mady has put into building our location. I honestly can’t put into words how awesome she has been. Not just in using her land for FSG to have a home or in making it such a lovely space but most importantly for putting up with my predilection to randomly suggest more and more ideas. When I call Mady my bestie I really mean it; beyond words.
We’ve got an in world Second Life group of course which you can search for or join when visiting the sim; with Christmas out of the way and the New Year begun my plan is to send a shopping notecard out to members every month with fashion finds, fair info, and new shopping locations.
We also have a Flickr group where we’re asking members to post pictures of their new and favourite outfits and looks (come and join us using the link below): https://www.flickr.com/groups/14811328@N23/pool/ We’d love to get that much more active if possible as the Second Life fashion flickr blogger scene can always do with more femboy contributions. I’ll include some of those below so you can see what our members have been coming up with:
Moira’s Outfit: Samantha Blazer by the Secret Store Fiona Belted Skirt by the Secret Store Gena Heels by KC Couture Attik Pearl Necklace by Karin Lupindo (MP) White Stockings by Elya (MP)
FSG Morning After: HARO Hoof Shoes [CX] Wild Hazard Leg Harness – Gold (A) and (B) [not wearing but it is part of the outfit [V-Tech]Basic Thong (Bulge UP)] HARO Chilly Cardigan HARO Chilly Gloves DOUX – Minji Hairstyle
Venus Lingerie (in White) by Mug. On Fire Boots (Silver) by Astralia. Jenny Rings & Earrings by Rawr! Glitter Nails (Coffin) by E.Marie. Destiny Hair by Truth. Prue Headband by Magika. Cat-5 drone By Solares.
Well most importantly we’re working out how to get the name out there within Second Life (we have an ad-board at Femboys currently) so we can help more people out if they need it. So if anyone has any ideas on how to make Femboy Style Guide more well known please contact either Mady or me as we’d love to hear from you.
We’re also in early stages of planning a Second Life Femboy themed Fashion Show (date and location to be confirmed) and have been talking to some of our amazing friends about how and when to put that together. If you have a femboy avatar and are interested in modelling for us; please join our flickr group (plus the in world group) and drop us a message. We’d also love to know if any Second Life clothing designers want to support our project or fashion show too so if that’s you please get in touch.
Finally I should add a huge shout out to Alex from V-tech/Valentine who has installed the V-tech chest mod vendors at our location don’t forget to check out their store here where there are oodles of amazing clothing options:
DJ Lexie at one of the previous Blacklist Bunker builds.
Ok… I’m going to start this blog by saying sorry but I seem to have forgotten how wordpress tools work and formatting this has been a nightmare so I hope it doesn’t look too terrible :(. That’s one bad thing out of the way now so the rest of this blog is all awesome stuff.
If you’ve stumbled across my blog you’ll hopefully have worked out that my image is that of my Second Life avatar and that I spend a great deal of my time in that virtual world. I could talk for a long time about what Second Life is (and I may do in the future) but there are much better options out there if you want to know more. Although there are also a lot of very outdated articles that really only seem to know what Second Life was a decade or more ago (like in that episode of CSI New York… seriously google it if you want to see old Second Life) so I suggest checking out Daniel Voyager’s wonderful blog.
He’s a twitter mutual – although I suspect all my dildo retweets and likes aren’t quite his thing – and has been writing about Second Life since 2007. You’ll find info, history, and news about the now often mentioned alternative to the “Metaverse” there so check him out. Plus his avatar looks like Bugs Bunny which is always a bonus.
The Blacklist Bunker Entrance in 2019 (?)
One day I’ll write about my last few years in Second Life, more about what the virtual world means to me, the wonderful people I’ve met, and places (sims) where I spent my time in my first days wandering the virtual landscape but I wanted my first Second Life themed blog entry to be about a place that is now (and has been for several years) supremely close to my heart. I’ll tell you exactly why in my final thoughts but I’d like to start by giving you some information on what the Blacklist Bunker is, who goes there and why, and most importantly I want to share the words of those people because honestly they can tell you how special a place it is much better than I ever can. I also promise to stop saying Second Life quite so much from now on…
Blacklist Party Poster.
As you can probably guess by the party flyer above the Blacklist is in the adult region of the virtual world. It’s an LGBTQA+ venue that welcomes everyone but it’s safe to say that trans girls, femboys, and people who are non-binary make up a huge section of the crowd. There really is a varied group who come by however so you’ll see plenty of cis people there too, asexual people, even the odd furry (google it). What really sets the bunker aside from other venues is that it truly is a place for everyone; you can be there and be yourself which you’d think would be easy in an online world but that isn’t always the case. It’s a hangout, a nightclub (with regular nightly DJs and weekly themed parties), a scenic spot to explore, and overall wonderful place to visit. The main club is situated independently of the world landmass (built on a sky platform) plus it has undergone multiple visual changes/updates over the years as the owners have a real flair for creating not only a fun venue but also beautiful spaces to wander around and take pictures.
Me sitting in the Blacklist Bunker garden earlier this year before the most recent update.
That’s not all though as on the ground landmass there’s now a beach hangout area which is also connected to the beaches of the Blacklist’s sibling sims (I think that term works 😛 ) of Sheboys and Mady’s Playground. Whilst in general most neighbouring Second Life places are completely unconnected – even having invisible barriers between them – you can freely wander from each beach section to the other and back again. You won’t need to search for an inworld landmark (used to teleport from place to place) or ask someone else to send you a request to join them. Plus if you visit the main club area there’s a clever set of doors which will also teleport you to the neighbouring places so you can explore those hangouts.
I’ll add the map landmark links for them all here though so if you are already used to Second Life or just started you can copy/paste these in a browser and be in any of those spots before you know it.
Emma DJing at the New Blacklist Bunker Build Launch Party – last weekend.
The bunker is at the most busy during the different DJ sets; usually 5 nights a week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) starting at what actually happens to be midday on the Second Life clock (SLT). Normally every second week there is a themed party on a Saturday either at the Blacklist or sometimes “on the run” at a specially selected/created second venue (often the awesome Trouble sim) which might well be decorated to fit the theme. All the different DJs have distinct styles so one night you could be listening to hip-hop and funk, another could be pumping dance tunes, shoegaze (ask Kalli it’s a new term to me), chilled out trance, or once in a very blue moon a William Shatner song or three (blame Emma).
Cyber Party. This might well be Commader Shepard’s favourite party at the citadel.
Speaking of themes there have been full themed weeks for Pride and Halloween (with parties every night) and even events themed after the TV show Pose where partygoers have worn a collection of different outfits and been judged by an eclectic panel of experts – I won the swimsuit round last time!! – which is always a blast to take part in. I’ll add some event shots…
Pics from Pride and Pose 🙂The Halloween Team 🙂“The Burn Unit” playing Britpop.
OK enough of my words for a little while. To really know how special the Blacklist Bunker is to those who go there I think what they say is way more important so here’s what they said when I asked them: “What does the Blacklist mean to you/how important is it as part of your Second Life?”
Sandra: “Well. To me, Blacklist is both “home” – a safe place and shelter, the center of attention and social life, where I always come by default; and it’s also the “friend crew” similar to what I could have had in high school or college. 99% of my social interactions are there; 99% of my friends are there; and it’s a place where I find comfort, support, intellectual stimulation, cultural opening, etc. Weren’t it for my SL partner, my SL would be rather empty without Blacklist – apart for a few mindless wanderings here and there. Or maybe i would fill up the space with something, but that would be a huge space. I can go from discovering new music, learning about new cultures, getting/giving moral support, wild sex, and sometimes all at once.”
Emma: “For me Blacklist IS Second Life. In a world where people and places can be transient and shallow The Blacklist is a constant, beating heart with a warm community of smart, sassy, fun personalities. If Second Life has a soul, it’s Blacklist, and without it I’d have drifted away long ago.”
Chosen from one of Emma’s favourite events.
London: “To me, The Blacklist is one of the most important things that exists to me in SL. It’s a thriving, vibrant hub for our Blacklist ‘family’, a melting pot of all kinds of people brought together under one roof to celebrate life and happiness. It also gives me the chance to express myself creatively by giving me a platform to DJ and entertain with the themed parties we have. I am fiercely passionate about the place, having formed some amazing bonds and friendships through my involvement with the place over the many years I have been a part of it and am immensely proud to be one of the owners of what I strongly feel is SL’s best venue.”
London DJing at the New Blacklist Bunker Build Launch Party – last weekend.
Mady: “Blacklist came into my life when I was looking for a place to belong. The Whole Shebang was falling apart and the owner had stopped logging in. The Blacklist Bunker I heard about from a friend, I don’t recall who. I started showing up. I remember there was one Blacklist on the Run at Heffa. I plopped in Daxia’s lap on the sofa and said. “Hi” and just hung out for a while. Getting to know people. Now I’m an addict. I can’t get enough of the fun of The Blacklist Bunker and Second Life. I started Mady’s Playground to be a sibling club and have some events at times when everyone in Blacklist is sleeping cause you know, time zones.”
Lupe: “Oh, that’s easy, Blacklist and the Blacklist people and Daxia are what keep me coming back to SL.”
Lupe DJing at the New Blacklist Bunker Build Launch Party – last weekend.
Latte (formally known as Sugar): “It’s where I do party at noon :)”
Kalli: “When I was first asked to say what The Blacklist meant to me I recoiled because my initial reaction was I don’t really belong. Anything I write here would come across in the wrong light. I feel, within myself, that I’m a bit different… I don’t regularly contribute to the chat because it can be a little lewd, or I feel out of my depth, or I don’t read or type fast enough to keep up. But these are not shortcomings of the club…
The regulars are open, expressive and unashamed of who they are… They’re outgoing, gregarious and friendly… but most of all accepting. It doesn’t matter that I may not have the confidence to really interact. People see me… say hi… and when I do open up they listen. I have the support of the people there when I do feel I can add to things. The club is home to a broad spectrum blend of music lovers, hedonists and perverts ( 😛 ) from all over the world – from Alaska to New Zealand and practically every timezone in between – who still have time for a prude like me.
The Blacklist may seem imposing at first because the community is so tight knit, but you soon get recognised, and with recognition comes comradeship. I’ve been a part of the furniture… no… part of the family for five years. I had my arm twisted to try DJing and now not only do I play every other Friday, I was asked to co-own the place last year.”
DJ Kalli
Daxia: “The Blacklist means the Second Life World to me. It grown to this amazing place not just for me but a lot of people. In SL terms, that is not a huge number, as we aren’t a club that pulls in hundreds of people per day. But I do believe the Blacklist, and mostly the community, has touched many people in the way I would want to be touched. I can’t really think of a SL without my precious baby, it would be so less meaningful and a lot more boring. Now I can think up events with the Blacklist Crew, create the club and venues with Lupe. But the most I would miss all those amazing people I now get to meet, it’s just wonderful.”
Daxia; DJ, Twister, and looking hot!
I think their words say it all really; the Blacklist Bunker isn’t just a place it’s so much more. There are so many people I could have asked to comment about that and I’m sorry that I didn’t get to ask everyone but this blog would be crazy long if I did 🙂 Also before I give you my thoughts I should add that all the pictures here have either been suggested to me by those who visit the club or taken from Daxia’s Flickr account. She also has a fantastic blog full of photos from the special themed events so I’ll link both below; go check them out as they are filled with amazing people expressing themselves in all sorts of inventive and wonderful outfits (even me :P).
I’m going to struggle to put this into words especially ones as wonderful as what others have said above… I’ve always found my time in Second Life has centered around a particular place; over the years there have been a few different spots but sadly they have shut down, changed ownership, or vanished but the Blacklist has been a constant since I discovered it. The in world location has changed once or twice plus how it looks has changed many times yet it’s still there; something which honestly isn’t always easy in a virtual world. The Bunker is where I go to party and socialise, discover new music, meet new people, and even learn more about who I really am. It’s my wild Saturday night out on the town and the warm blanket I can wrap around myself to feel safe.
Since I started my time existing online I’ve played many games and met many people online and the consistent thing about those experiences has been that whether it was because I was ill and unable to be online for a long period or because the game simply ran its course that eventually you lose touch with the friends you make along the way. Not here though… I mean for a start Second Life isn’t a game (that’s a long topic for another day) but most importantly because the people I’ve met at the Blacklist are still there and they care. I could turn up every day or vanish for six months and I’ll still be greeted like part of a family the next time I turn up; I always know they’d worry about me and ask after me if I didn’t keep in touch.
So that’s it really it’s an amazing place to be in but it’s so much more; it’s a community, a family. One that I love with all of my heart.
Posing in my launch party outfit by the Blacklist Bunker’s winter snowscape.
If my musings here have made you wonder about Second Life why not check it out; creating an account/avatar is free (although if you want to look really good have some money to spend). I’ll add the links to the website and where to download a third party viewer (an application to run Second Life in) called Firestorm. Also don’t forget to check out Daniel’s blog that I mentioned earlier.
Oh and finally… if you make your way into Second Life and intend to build a femboy or trans girl avatar please check out my (and my friend Mady’s!!) new project Femboy Style Guide (or FSG for short) :). We’ve got a little beach side office/hangout which you can visit to get information and help with creating the look that is perfect for you. We’re also one of the Blacklist Bunker’s beach neighbours so you can find our location that way too! But more on all of that next time 😛
Semy Says... 