In my spare time (such as it is) in Second Life, I like to go play at an 'immersive' Victorian steampunk RP sim. For reasons probably best kept to myself, I recently went in search of some Victorian underwear to wear there, which was rather less fruitful than one would perhaps imagine. I eventually found a place which had a fine selection of nice vintage undies, in my excitement bought altogether more than I needed, and proceeded never to actually publicly wear any of it. It got me thinking, though, two things: Firstly, for all the lingerie stores out there in Second Life, very little of it caters towards historical roleplayers, and for all the historical dresses to be found out there, there's little consideration for what could possibly be worn underneath them. Secondly, as rare and lovely and period-specific the underwear I had found was, it was scarcely what I would consider 'steampunk', which got me thinking further 'what makes something steampunk?'.
The conclusion I eventually reached was that it's a case of taking something old, and seamlessly adding a modern twist to it, like a remix. It's like the movie “A Knight's Tale” (except a completely different era and genre, of course, but it works for my purposes!) where a dash of contemporary style and sensibilities brings the story from a tale of olden-days jousting and self-redemption, into something that's alive. It's like a remix. The same goes, perhaps more so, for Baz Luhrmann's epic “Moulin Rouge”, and many others now, which embrace the mentality of steampunk, despite not actually covering everything in cogs and sprockets to prove their point. The same can be said, in my opinion, for this next outfit, exclusive to Crimson Shadow, and designed by the incredible Draconic Lioncourt.
Lily is a multi-occasion deliciously sexy lingerie set, which includes so many options that it will suit the shyest of shrinking
violets, or the raciest of vamps. Confident in it's identity as lingerie, the clothing parts of Lily come only on the undershirt and underpant layers, making the set perfect for not only underwear for show, but also to be worn under regular clothes by those who like to feel fully 'dressed' in Second Life. The top part is a strappy wonder, which manages to look classic rather than bondage wear, but still retains a hint of kink, the bra clasped at the front with a small metal ring, from which the central line of the boning is suspended. The overall feel of this top is of a corset with the fabric part removed, the vertical lines hugging the shape of the body as they descend from the beautifully shaded plain black cups of the bra. Around the upper waist, almost acting like a light waspie, is a band of ruched black fabric, trimmed at the top and bottom with tulip-motif lace, reaffirming the femininity of the outfit, which is contrasted with a thinner band over the upper hips, studded with shining rivet-like buttons attaching the straps, and a subtle frill of grey at the base. The back of the top is likewise secured with these round metal buttons, giving a sparse air of industrialism to it. The panties are a flattering high-cut thong, in simple black, with a lace trim adorning the hips around to the back. The panties come with or without a garter, which attaches to the sheer, glossy, seamless stockings.
The wealth of optional attachments romanticize Lily, starting with the draping armlets, which bring a gypsy feel, like off-the-shoulder sleeves. Likewise the stockings can be worn with frilled sheer tops at the thigh, which perfectly set off a number of the skirt options also included. First is the sheer babydoll, which is a million miles from the smock-like tops which for so long were a mainstay of Second Life fashion, and hearkens back to the babydoll's roots as lingerie. Starting at the lace-trimmed band of the top and with the hem just above the knee, the babydoll offers modesty but at the same time is undeniably incredibly sexy. The stocking tops come into their own with the solid black short skirt, which allows them to peek out seductively from under the skirt. The third skirt is the most elaborate, and puts me in mind of a petticoat, and further with the armlets brings the sweet gypsy feel to the ensemble. It is gently double-layered, one semi-sheer layer and one lace layer, the lace being most evident at the bottom, and reaches just past calf level, allowing flirty ankles to be scandalously on display.
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