SL Beauty Ideals? What the hell…

A Disclaimer first:

The following lines and pictures are in NO way related to the items displayed. Each single item I wear is an item I LIKE and a couple of them have been blogged on this blog. Take it as it is: With a ridiculous shape, anything can look bad, even the most high quality stuff you can imagine.

So, let me start my little rant.

Where the HELL do all these frowny fashionclones come from?

Yes, I know, beauty is a matter of perspective and all that good stuff. But seriously, WHAT exactly is attractive/sexy/beautiful about THIS, my eyes hurt just looking at it:

Is it the missing chin? The ridiculously oversized, downturned lips that make my avatar (yes, I made this shape within ~ 2 minutes) look like a chubby sad chipmunk? Is the buckteeth? Is it the TINY eyes set so wide apart that the word ‘human’ just doesn’t fit anymore? Is it the HUGE nose-width which totally does not fit to the rest of the face?

Or are the other reasons? Wait, maybe those hips…set so wide apart that the legendary invisible pony would fit through them without her having to move? Or is it the generally oversized head, the tiny shoulders, the itty bitty tiptoe feet,  used to apparently make up for the midget size? (My normal avatar is tiny compared to most…most of these sexy avis though barely reach her shoulder). Or wait, maybe the too short legs that usually are a sign of  Disproportionate dwarfism, a rather disturbing medical condition that MOST certainly no one would ever want to suffer in rl.

Or wait, lets take a look from the side!

Now, if those aren’t some fat, pouty lips. But where’s the chin? Oh dear lord, now that’s gonna be some ugly doublechin soon! And looks at that cute little nose, so broad from the front…yet the size-slider is set to 0! Now, that’s a truly human face we see there.

Seriously, what’s up with this? It creeps me out, wherever I go, I see avatars looking like this. I know, I know, mean, mean, mean! I never jump on them or anything, I just…wonder. Where does such a skewed perspective on sexyness come from? No, I do NOT believe that all these people just like a giant conglomeration of flaws on their avis. I believe they think they are truly sexy looking.  And the worst thing??? Guys are starting to look like this as well! Waaaaah!

Hellooooohooo! Manliness?

Where, please? This is neither feminine nor masculine it just ….is…..creepy. No more, no less. It isn’t even UNIQUE. Every second avatar on the fashionfeeds looks like this. Do you guys REALLY find this sexy? If so, why? Would you want to look like a chubby, bowlegged, sad chipmunk in rl?

Be a fashionista…in 2 minutes!

Or is it…because these shapes are -really- easily made? Like I said…2 minutes. Just set all the important sliders to the extremes, and you have your perfect, unique (haha) fashionista-look. So hot. No, I do not think ‘realism’ is a necessity in SL. But this trend teh past year has been quite…disturbing.

Where does the gap between the legs come from?

Is it something from RL that influenced SL by now and just took on absurd forms? Ever tried to google ‘leg’ and ‘gap’? Look at the results, it is quite sad.

I really, really hope these sights will sooner or later fade from the grid, just as the psychotically smiling barbie that was so en vogue around 2007 started to disappear.

What do you think?

Phew, now I am back in my usual shape…and feeling sooo good.

Now for something positive!

Now, I am gonna list some (there are of course much more!) avis I personally find to be very unique – in no particular order. Not necessarily my style or my perspective on beauty, but creative and..unique. Some of them you might know, others not.

Elle Couerblanc
Ebediyet Matthews
Mohini Denja
Ellantha
Aikea Rieko
Mochi Milena
Ainslee Resident
Ost Clawtooth
Torrid Streeter
Babette Sivocci
Persephone Penucca
May Barnett
Del May
Ponyo Kozlov
Ginevra Rodex
Gyrogyna Larnia
Tera Varriale
Screw Destiny
Ellie Lilington
Lori Stanton
Constance Daehlie
Sigifaust

And so many more. They all have on thing in common: I’d recognize them anywhere…even with no nametags showing. If your name isn’t on this list….I simply was too lazy to list every cool avi I know…and thinking about it, there are still surprisingly many ones. )

So, now I am gonna duck until the bitchslapping towards my face stops.

It is not what you say, but how you say it – Bloggers and Item-Review

Ever since I started blogging, I have been frequently asked why I never add any personal comments or similar things to my blog. Here is the answer:

Since quite some time it has become very ‘cool’ and ‘fashionable’ to  post your opinion on items and the louder and harsher the wording is, the more views your blog gets, preferably when it comes to ‘critique’ on other peoples’ creations. People love to read ‘the truth’ and ‘honest opinions’, they love to add to the drama, to comment on it etc. pp. I am guilty of that, too. I sometimes read such blogs for the mere amusement and head-shaking it causes.

And I agree with some of it. If an item is not worth its money, you have the right to point it out and support your statements with facts. I find that incredibly helpful at times. I often browse some blogs just to see the close ups on skins/clothing and other things that otherwise I might have failed to notice.

Yet, more often than not I lately get the feeling that people go way, way overboard. There is a very thin yet visible line between constructive criticism and destructive criticism. The first one aims at pointing out flaws and encourage the creator to become better or put more effort into their work. The latter however in 99% of the cases causes nothing but drama, hard feelings and usually a very defensive attitude on the side of the creator. The first is something I always support, the latter is something that I consider nothing but intentionally causing drama.

Or is anyone really suprised that a creator gets defensive when a blogger states: “Wow, this shit makes me wanna puke and punch them in the face?” Statements like these, sometimes less harsh, sometimes worse, seem to be really ‘en vogue’ lately. In Germany, we have a saying: “Der Ton macht die Musik.” – which can loosely be translated as: “It is not what you say, but how you say it.” You reap what you sow. If I behave like an ass, I don’t expect maturity and kindness in return.

So, my personal approach so far is: I only blog things that I truly like. I do not see the point in spending money or wasting time by blogging something that I do not support or like anyway. The things on my blog are things I love and that I pay or always would pay the necessary Lindens for.  I do not blog to have as many people as possible post their opinion or comments, I simply blog to show what sort of outfit I currently love in SL and to possibly inspire other role-players.

I am not saying that I will never start reviewing items as well (never is such a strong word…), but as of now, I don’t see the need for it and simply try the positive-only-approach by only blogging items that I can honestly support. Same goes for links, other blogs in my blogroll etc.

My two cents, I hope that answers that question.

PS: English is not my native tongue, so please forgive the possible typos, grammar-fails etc.