New Year’s Style Resolution: Shop Your Inventory

Submitted by Persia Bravin

New Year’s Style Resolution: Shop Your Inventory

As someone who spends approximately 90% of her Second Life - visiting surf beaches across the grid while wearing either a bikini or swimsuit - you would assume that my clothing collection in my inventory is limited. But you would be wrong. Oh, so wrong. Because my love for fashion transcends real life and somehow manages to worm itself into my virtual existence too. Even in SL I can’t resist the allure of a new designer, the pull of a beautiful new bikini or the powerfully emotive punch of a cleverly crafted fabric texture. And when I find something that fits me – to perfection – well, hey – I will take it in every colour you have please.

Call of the waves

I blame this innate fascination with fashion, from any life, firmly on my real-life parents. My Mother has worked in the fashion industry my entire life and my Father is the type of guy that can make a casual Saturday jeans and sweater combo look like he has just come off the catwalk. They are both voracious style lovers; they love fashion history and new discoveries and view fashion as a bona fide art form rather than something transient and disposable: so, it’s no wonder that an appreciation for fashion is in my real and virtual DNA too. Handy excuse, right?

Wax Up

When I first came to SL a decade ago, I remember staying up all night, trawling the various stores back then to find SL garments that somehow reflected my real-life sense of style. It was like a whole new world of retail had magically unfurled before me. Six months in, I joined BOSL Magazine as a writer and was taken under the wing of BOSL’s owner and the Godfather of SL fashion himself – Mr Frolic Mills. There’s not much about the SL fashion industry that Frolic doesn’t know, but he has always generously imparted his style tips with humour and grace.

The blue lagoon

Over the years, I have never really examined my SL shopping habits. I have never been extreme in my SL shopping (I prefer to be out surfing if I am honest), but despite a modicum of retail caution, I have still managed to end up with a massively overladen inventory. Sometimes, the fates collide, and back in December I was reading a real-life article about fashion ‘respinning’ where people take much loved items that they already own and restyle them with some carefully chosen new clothing or accessories to freshen up their look. That same day, I logged into SL to tidy my groaning inventory and it all just clicked: learn to love what you already have.

Post surf chilling

So, I have resolved this year to *at least try* and hit my inventory – not the shops – when that fashion bug bites. Only a few weeks into 2019 and this decision has also revealed new creative possibilities. It’s really rewarding to mix and match new and old items from various designers and come up with different looks. I dug deep into my much loved ‘swimwear’ folder and fished out bikinis and beachwear (old friends) that I have worn to death and teamed them with some fresh pieces (new loves) to put a whole new spin on my standard everyday surfing outfits. Give it a go – you have nothing to lose and everything to rediscover.

Beach to bar

Words, photos and styling by Persia Bravin
Photos shot at Surfer’s Bay VIP

The Fashion List:

Call of the waves
Old friend: BTS Crop Top Blue (Emery)
New loves: Malu necklaces (Kunglers) and shorts from Araceli Outfit (Ricielli)

Wax up

Old friend: Bikini - Paola Top &Panty (-: zk:-)
New loves: Peyton mesh hair (Wasabi), Flux bracelets (EF) and Nicky Swimsuit Sarong Pareo (adorsy)

The blue lagoon
Old friends: Kauai Mesh Bikini Surf Blue (Rebel Hope) and Raksha Belly chain (Zaara)
New loves: Scarlett Top (Giz Seorn) and nose ring (Maxi Gossamer)

Post surf chilling

Old friends: Hipkini (The Forge) and Cabo San Lucas necklace (Maxi Gossamer)
New loves: Julia jacket (Blueberry) and Montana hair with hat (Truth)

Beach to bar

Old friend: Megan bikini (Rebel Hope)
New loves: Go-Go Jeweled Jacket (Mimikri), Liona sunglasses (Dahlia) and Malu necklaces (Kunglers)

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