Festivities and Controversies

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Peace on Earth and all of that jazz.  I'm not sure how long this will be because I really wanted to just touch base and say Merry Christmas.  However, I've been reading a lot over the last few weeks that has made me wonder what it is we do as models in SL and who it really matters to.  As the year drew to a close I told you all that I was stepping out of my comfort zone/shell more and was entering more contests and castings---some of which I knew that it was slim to no chance that I would win a darn thing or make the cut.  Was it frustrating to not place or make it?  Well of course and it is just natural to look for reasons as to why it is but I know pretty well that it's truly look of the draw.  Whereas one person may love the way I style and look another will, and has, said that I'm not thin enough or tall enough or whatever enough.  Now I could change all of that and try again but that's not really being true to myself so the best thing to do is just accept the judgment of those doing the judging and keep moving forward with the people who appreciate what I do.

A model I've worked with quite a few times let her frustration out for the world to see.  Part of me was saying good for her but damn she just torpedoed her career and another part was saying hmmm maybe that should have been password protected for those you trust and them alone.  She was totally entitled to voice an opinion and people are equally entitled to react to that opinion.  The problem really is that we don't really have any explanation for not being the it girl and without it---especially if something starts to look "odd"---we just can have a crap ton of resentment begin to build up.  The few times I have found myself there I took a long break from contests and only cast for shows I was dying to be in and let the chips fall where they may.  It's impossible for someone to not have a reaction to being rejected but when that feeling starts to overwhelm us we gotta find something else to do. 

This is true right now as another chapter in the Miss Virtual World saga has come to an end.  I was able to watch it on metaverse tv without the crashing in Patch which was delightful.  However, as I watched I think that my radar for what anyone may be looking for is totally off.  Granted the final show is just a part of who makes it to the finals but I'll say I was partially stunned by who did and didn't make the cut.  Not as stunned by Serene winning but still hadn't pegged her for the eventual winner.  The uproar has cropped up afterward has made me think the same things I thought last year.  Not that it's necessary because the contest is what it is and people will continue to enter as it is such a great opportunity, but if there was slightly more transparency in what was happening then people wouldn't be as able to launch totally baseless attacks against the winners or finalists.  By that I mean, for the Miss America pageant and a few others, as different things occur the scores are tabulated and announced during each round when you get to the finalists.  Would it require a lot of effort to do so in SL?  Well I can imagine that yes it would as lag and crashes can make score reporting difficult.  Would some super anal person still say that someone was judged more leniently or more harshly?  Yes of course they would as we tend to champion our friends or the underdog or whatever but it could also show that someone has just been routinely better throughout the process.  I'm not sure what the answer is to the mountain of controversy that crops up after major contests and really I'm not sure anyone wants the answer either.  Controversy keeps us talking if nothing else and it gets at least a few new people interested for everyone one it turns off. 

It would be interesting for something like MVW to have actual pageants for each country but logistically that could be problematic.  Regardless, as others have said more eloquently than me---as models we are not forced to do anything really.  I haven't really done any nude work for example.  However, as long as contests have huge prizes attached and the opportunity for tons of exposure they will always be on the checklist of those aspiring to even just work more than they do now let alone be famous.  If we can't tolerate the losing/not being selected then maybe a break is necessary unless we want to work twice as hard and recreate ourselves a few dozen times until we are "model perfect" which most of us I believe aren't.  We have RLs and we have to attend to them and in this case SHOULD if our drive to win a title no one outside our fashion pixel community will care about is driving us over the edge.

All we can ultimately do as the big contests have wound themselves down for the year is going into the new year hopeful and appreciative for what we have now.  Thanks to all the designers who have allowed me to blog their new goodies.  Thank you the agencies who think my slightly shorter curvy shape is worth working their runways.  Thank you to all the models who have been helpful and funny and a place to vent before during and after a show.  And thank you to all of those who feel a need to be creative and give me something to think, blog and talk about.  Have a great holiday all.

The Great Rouge Caper

Sorry everyone.  I really don't have a good excuse for being MIA the last month.  Work has thankfully started to slow down in RL and I get an extended vacation in about a week.  During which time I will hopefully get my butt back to work on some more posts for this blog as well.  I've been doing most of fashion styling on the Maniera blog which is fun and still in full swing.  I have two cocktail dresses that I need to feature and I may split them up so that one is here and the other gets the Maniera love lol.  Project Rouge stalled primarily because I wasn't sure who to even begin to touch base with at this point.  I should probably get one done this month since it is the month I was born in RL and right before I was born in SL lol. 

Other than that, hmmm what's been up.  I've done a few more shows for JM which have been great and honestly felt like a huge pat on the back because it's a totally different experience.  We get plenty of time to style and then quick intense rehearsal and show.  It's great actually.  Plus who can get upset about being in a Azul or Donna Flora show?  It's been lots of fun working and blogging and well shopping.  It's Advent time for a lot stores so freebies abound at two of my favorite stores, Ivalde and Dark Mouse.  This weekend Miss Virtual World wraps up as well.  I kinda want to go but the lag is a killer and crashing is standard so I may skip it and wait for the lovely pictures at the end. 

If you're still around and didn't venture a guess at the Maniera blog about my styling choice there, here's an opportunity to get a free shirt from Ingenue.  The first person to identify the photographer from the 3rd Project Rouge shoot gets their choice of what I have left lol.  I will probably just be keeping them but if you feel like trying, just leave a comment and I'll let you know if you won ASAP.

Bye for now,
Rouge

baby it's cold outside

Really I have nothing good in the means of title so I just went with the reality of life right now.  It's been a busy month.  You know me, work in bursts girl, so I had lots of stuff going on about two weeks ago.  Thankfully I do well in most castings so I was lucky enough to do the JM Models show for Donna Flora as I got to play in my realm a bit.  Vintage is LOVELY.  Had to be a bit of body mod (mostly shrinkage of boobs) to make sure the outfits looked great but it was fun.

After that I got to walk in my very first superElite show since my graduation show.  It was part of Japan Fashion week which was a collaboration between SE and Agata.  It was fun and there were two shows a day for a week along with the opening and closing shows.  I was introduced to a lot of new designers and got to take part in a the finale show and the Honey and La Dulce Vita shows too.  That allowed me to meet a lot of new models as well and hey got paid and got presents depending on which of the four shows you ask me about.

Small shows always mean lots of outfit changes and if nothing else I get three or four new outfits styled to wear whenever I'm feeling super lazy and not wanting to piece together any of the things I grab off the feed.  I am a little behind on picture taking for Maniera which I hope to get over tonight.  Been feeling uber lazy the last few days because I'm super tired for some reason.  I have four outfits styled that I want to get up over the next few weeks and another outfit that I need to style.  Each outfit is a fun new look for me even if there are some standard vintage looks in the collective.  Still haven't gotten back on track for Project Rouge but I'm gonna get on that soon too. 

See ya soon
Rouge

Busy bee

This post probably won't be very long.  I have a few shows coming up over the next few weeks which I am kinda tickled about.  End of this week I'll be in the Donna Flora show with JM Models and the week after next I have two shows with superElite during their big fashion event.  This will be the first show I'm in for both agencies (not including the graduation shows I did with SE) so I really am overly thrilled. 

I am slacking with Project 2010.  I finally just thought of the perfect shot I want for this month but haven't even stated to find a photographer.  I know, silly me as I have been on top of these things before this month.  I just haven't had it in me the last few weeks to do much of anything that wasn't totally required of me.  Plus most of the people I'd want to use aren't taking new clients right now.  Sucks for sure but this is about expanding my photographer contacts so I gotta keep looking or shelve October and shoot for two in November.  Ehh if anyone has any suggestions let me know.  See ya soon

Rouge

She's Got the Look

I swear I will try to find a youtube link to the Prince jam U Got the Look before I finish this all up because that song just popped into my head as I was typing the title.  I don't really watch much reality tv as I find a large portion of it kinda vapid as hell.  So it is with no small measure of surprise for me that I pay enough attention to a show on TVLand to tune in every so often to catch it.  She's Got the Look is a modeling show for women over 35.  I am so not under the delusion that my impending 35th birthday would put me in the running but they have featured some amazing women of all shapes, sizes and complexions for the last three seasons and I have been impressed.  This year the final two episodes displayed women who could appropriately be labeled as underdogs coming out on top.  Were they stunning?  Absolutely, but--and there is always a but--they were both more on the tomboy spectrum and one was more curvy than all of her competitors.  The pre-finale episode showed those two women booking all the open castings jobs they went on (2 a piece for the 4 available jobs) and thus being the only ones safe for the finale while the other more naturally thin and stunning cast mates didn't have that security.  The finale would have probably been brain frying for me but all the girls did a good job, well most of them, and then the runway show started.  I have to say the ultimate winner rocked it even though they all looked amazing and there were only slight baubles for one of them on all of her runs.  As I usually don't watch shows like this, I am normally not emotional.  But this time I was.  I was pulling for Marilin and Julie because they each deserved a chance to do something beyond the show.  Not that Rachelle didn't but she'd probably be able to get work standing on her head half asleep.  Marilin won and it was amazing.  Read her thoughts here.  And tune in next season if there is one lol.

It was an honor to just be nominated

Well it would have been if I had actually been nominated for something.  The results of the MAD Agency casting were released today and while I made it to the end of the process I was not selected to join the agency this go round.  I wasn't particularly holding my breath on that one because there were some stellar models amongst the competition and really I'm just not that well known.  It was a good experience and I appreciate the multi-tiered application process as it did give us all a chance to be ourselves and shine in whatever way we could.  The risk didn't necessarily pay off but I really did enjoy myself and it was an utmost honor to have even made the initial cut.  I'll keep plugging along, you know I always do lol.

Shame on me for not sharing Skip's amazing pic earlier but I was trying not inundate you with blog posts.  With no further delay here is the photo that he gave me in my leather cutie pie set.

Let me just say again, Skip is freaking amazing.  None of this image was present when he snapped it.  Just me as kinky as a pair of pasty and a fishnet top would allow me to be.  It's just uber sexy and I have to thank him for that yet again. 

I didn't walk in the SE show but because I was in on rehearsals I did get to cue the girls for the show.  I hope I didn't screw that up too bad, no one out front seemed to notice so that's great.  And I'm casting for their next shows since a few will be at 6PM and I'm good and free at 6PM.  Not sure if I'll get picked but again this phase of life is all about taking the chance and hoping it works out.  I'm debating entering the next Betty Boop vintage contest on Flickr.  I love Donna Flora but blonde pinup isn't exactly my forte area lol.  If I woman up I'll let you know.  The one I did for the Betty lingerie is on my flickr page and probably rotating on the side over there to the right.  Okay that's enough for now. 

Catch ya soon,
Rouge

And the beat goes on

This will probably be a two pronged post so I'll do the less introspective piece first. Project2010 had a slight delay because our intrepid photographer needed a little break.  That's perfectly fine as the picture Barney delivered was fantastic and just what I asked for.  In case you were wondering what I asked for it was something quirky but appropriate given the outfit.  The picture is adorable and regardless of how it does with the contest I'm happy that I had a chance to work with Mr. Roundel and can say he does amazing things.  Not that he needs me blowing smoke up his butt.  Those of you that know his work know how great he is.  So without further adieu here's the photo in question.

The next wave of Project Rouge (Project 2010 whatever lol) was done by someone who has taken fantastic photos of me before.  Skip Staheli was given the task of doing completely different images.  I wanted one sexy vintage kind of shot and the other just edgy and not my typical kind of shot.  While the second shot isn't quite ready I couldn't hesitate to share the ones that are.  I think I look great and especially the 1st image just conveys something stunning to me.  I love what Skip does to photos and the two shots below are just beautiful.  Some of you will recognize the outfit from the shots that Ludwig Prinz did earlier this year.  This was not because I was dissatisfied with what Ludwig did at all.  My original thought was have all the photographers snap me in the same outfit but that wouldn't really work.  This was mostly because I couldn't totally style the way I wanted to for the Phoenix Rising contest as they only wanted jewelry from the brand or associated brands used.  What was available didn't really work with what I wanted to display so I scrapped the pearls you see here and honestly didn't find this hair until Hair Fair at boon. 

Now if you are still reading and not staring or trying to find Barney and Skip in world to set up a shoot(highly recommend doing that sooner as opposed to alter if you wanted to as they are both incredibly busy men) then you can stick around for the last part of my daily blurb.  I love what I do in SL.  I have made great friends and think I do good work when I'm in a show or have to style myself for a shoot.  What continues to intrigue and periodically frustrate me is how that is perceived by others.  Sometimes the works is roundly supported and appreciated which feels great.  I don't want to let anyone down or disappoint them of course but being acknowledged rocks.  However, and this is more often the case, there is no reaction at all which I guess could be better than being slammed and saying what I do sucks.  But without feedback of any kind how do you improve what you do?  Now I doubt the random lack of information is going to make me slow down at all.  I'm enjoying it as a I mentioned before but it would be helpful I think to hear something every now and then.  Thanks to everyone that have already commented on the photo that is up on Skip's stream, it's much appreciated. 

Oh and for those of you that stuck it out to this part lol.  I did get an interview with the MAD Agency so I'm into round three of selection.  I was a bit surprised I'll admit it but I'm thrilled at the same time.  Have another practice in a few hours for SE but it should be pretty easy.  Only one change and it wasn't too bad.  Well that's it for now.  I'll be back whenever lol ohhh and go read the Maniera blog.  Some of my vintage wear posts will be there from now on.  See ya later.

It pays to pay attention

I had a horrible day.  Well semi.  I'm doing this weird diet so I can do more testing and figure out what's going on with my tummy.  That finally calmed down and then I was able to do the runway practice for the superElite show.  I'm the backup model but I still need to know what I'm doing.  It was a good practice and the walk was fun.  After that I was doing my blog trolling and saw a mini contest that *BOOM* was running to award 250 to 5000L gift cards to loyal readers but it was ending in an hour.  I had featured a *BOOM* outfit a few months ago in a skin post and figured if nothing else it was something fun to do.  I got a 250L giftcard to go find these pants I was thinking about buying before.  Yippee.  *ICING* put out another adorable dress you should go check out.  And they put one in the Red Seal Hunt that gives you a fabulous dress for free if you can find it at the Rue D'antibes location.  Happy shopping ladies.

Auntie Rouge Wants You

You know I had to make the title kinda corny.  Uncle Sam wants you probably would have confused you just as much and hey it's a long weekend and I don't have to go to sleep early so WOOT.  I wanted to wait a few days after the show had actually happened and then work and crazy life got the best of me so here's the delayed photo spread from the MAD Agency Casting that I was invited to participate in.  I was very surprised to make the initial cut to be honest.  Taking more risk does not equal more confidence just so you know lol.  Each casting group was given a theme for their show and mine was Military Trend/Urban Cool without being costume like.  I can't say I nailed it and you know me I had to find a way to make it comfy and vintage like.  Still have interviews to go through before there is a final yes or no but the show was great and they are a very friendly crew which is much appreciated.  So without further ado the photo is below and of course I probably wouldn't have been near this bomber but it was a fun backdrop.  Oh and in addition to the blogging duties I have had at Maniera I'm going to start a weekly column focusing on vintage pieces.  First post should be up soon.  Enjoy.

I'm Wearing:

Hair: Maitreya Piper II
Jacket: *COCO* Flight Jacket
Shirt: *COCO* BowShirt (undershirt layer only)
Scarf: Haunted Zuzu Dulcet Flower Scarf
Pants: Muism High Waist Trousers
Boots: J's Long Boots Round
Skin: Laqroki Elena
Lashes: Cake Bedroom Lashes
Earrings: Eolande's Large Pearl Studs

I love a Good Sale and Roaming SL

And sometimes I just <3 anything I find amazingly cute.  The outfit I'm wearing is from L'abel and was part of Humpday Happiness this past Wednesday.  There was a white version as well but ehhh that was way girlier than I was willing to go that day.  I found the hair at the aforementioned fab-u-lous a few weeks ago and thought it would be a nice match with this outfit.  The earrings are from glow studio--soooo adore them, they make the most interesting things sometimes--and I'm wearing a bracelet I realize now that you can't see in the photo lol from Dark Mouse.  The shoes are from Kalnins and are totally customizable and do a damn good job of matching skin tone without a whole lot of effort.  Looking at the pictures these could use a tiny bit more tweaking but after very little effort that was a great match.  The skin as always is from Laqroki--well not always but usually lol.  And an unanticipated plus of reading the Fashion Critique page was that they linked to SL's destination guide.  I have been bouncing around on that page to different sites for good backdrops for the pictures I take in world and that was fun.  The backdrop I chose for these was Eostara and it's kinda gorgeous.  And just because I am trying to do better about posting this information the poses are all from LAP. 

Oh and I did the final photo shoot for the month and that will probably be up at the end of the week so yeah.  As soon as I narrow down some outfits I MIGHT have another person lined up for September or I might just push it back to October and then just leave myself with two months to finish Project 2010.  Still waiting to hear from MAD but we got an update that a decision should come to us by tomorrow evening so we'll see how that goes too.  See ya later everyone.  Enjoy the snaps.