As SL so RL: Giles Boudoir Crossover Fall 09

Boudoir Crossover Fall 09, originally uploaded by Tempest Hennesy.

More in my As RL so SL series, the real life runways bring you a peek into the frills and intimacies of one of the most sensual parts of a woman’s wardrobe combined with the casual or haute of the daylight hours.

Boudoir Crossing

As SL so RL: Dsquared² The Wanderers Fall 09

The Wanderers Fall 09, originally uploaded by Tempest Hennesy.

Trends, fashion forwards, style is not simply the domain of the ladies, as we all know. Let’s not forget the boys in the seasons’ turn with men.style.com’s Fall 09 preview. This theme harkens back to the travel worn, the weary, the ruggedly handsome…

The Wanderers

The Garment Rack: Babalicious Boots!

BAX New Boots 0812_002, originally uploaded by Tempest Hennesy.

Being one of those (not-so) strange women who have a Thing(tm) for virtu-realistic shoes of all kinds, and being a blogger, one would think that I would have my own blog focused on the other loves of my life. One would think so, but I prefer to leave that to more talented people than myself like Anessa Stine at On Your Toes. This time, though, I need to make an exception as I just have to share that BAX has done it yet again with their Prestige Boots in black and white.

DCNY_July DCNY Girl Winner Tempest Hennesy

DCNY_July DCNY Girl Winner Tempest Hennesy, originally uploaded by Anessa Stine.

Shape: by STYLES V Bodies by Ohren
Skin: [Lorelei] by DCNY (soon to be released)
Hair: AKAMI by .::MADesigns Hair::.
Outfit: Fay by DCNY (soon to be released)
Shoes: Marilyn by Stiletto Moody

Photographer: Anessa Stine

If you have tried to TP to the Main Store at Xalapa, or wondered why things have been a little quiet lately, have no fear! DCNY is still here, in fact they are hard at work rebuilding the entire sim to make your shopping experience even better.

DCNY Girl – July 09

DCNY Girl – July 09, originally uploaded by Tempest Hennesy.

Since it’s said that idle hands are devil’s work, I’ve managed to keep myself busy since stepping down from a super administrative position. It’s given me the chance to get back to the one thing I love almost as much as partner in all… modeling!

This time the opportunity comes in the form of being elected as this month’s (July 09) DCNY girl! I have to say that I am very excited about this position. Owned by Dave Casanova, DCNY carries from casual to formal, to skins. All well crafted and well thought out. While most of SL fashion have very definite European influences, and there’s not a thing wrong with that, it’s nice to see a North American, east coast (to me, anyway), flavor to clothing, and DCNY have definitely captured that.

It’s only going to be for a month but do look out for more from DCNY, and me, during that time and definitely stop in! It’s worth the teleport!

DCNY Clothing Co. Main Store

Back on My Grind: Runway Divas #12

RunwayD 0528_011, originally uploaded by Tempest Hennesy.

Today (May 28th, 2009) I had the opportunity to walk with some of the old girls, and some new, for the 12th installment of Runway Divas. Unique and fantastic, we had the pleasure of wearing the designs of Barerose’s, June Dion. June was present to watch us strut our, proverbial, stuff and to witness the novice models try their own hand at the runway.

Thank you to Rena Mascot, EFA, and the staff of Barerose for helping put this together.  I was proud to walk it.

The Garment Rack: Visiting Victoria

Temp 0521_028, originally uploaded by Tempest Hennesy.

Getting back into the swing of things, I took the opportunity to visit Victoria V’s main store. My goodness, I’ve been living in a cloud for a while; the area has changed. Definitely worth a drive by. Of course, while there, I had to pick up a little number for myself for the red carpet. What red carpet? Never you mind. I’ll find one!

Shape: STYLES by O

Skin: Leona by Redgrave

Hair: Analog Dog – Embrace

Outfit: VictoriaV – Charlott Empire Evening Gown

DANGER: Curves Ahead

Curves Ahead

Originally uploaded by Tempest Hennesy

I’ve seen it over and over again and, for the most part, ignored it over and over again. After all, how people choose to live their lives is their business; even within the fashion industry of both RL and SL.

I am, though, had it up to the proverbial here with hearing ‘Wow! Tempest is Curvy!’. Hell, yes, I’m curvy. Curvy AND successful. My body mass is well above 0, as is my musculature. My behind doesn’t even go down to 0 for a prim skirt, though I do keep it low enough to not look like I’ve got a 16-wheeler behind me.

Everyone has their idea of beautiful. For the better part, I try to leave people to theirs. I expect, though, to have mine left the HELL alone; especially by people who I have surpassed on many an occasion. Tyra Banks was, and still is, a beautiful not size 2 model. She’s not even a size 6 and has graced runways all over the world; and then some. The first black model to be, solo, on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine. To be blunt… guess what? Twiggy is passé, and even she’s gained weight.

So, the next time my ‘curves’ come into question, consider this: Not only is the likelihood that I’ll hear it high… remember that these curves are dangerous and ever climbing higher.

Interview

(Make no mistake. The following is not my writing, though the interview was with me. The actual interview is part of the text for the EFA Runway Robics soon to be announced, and can be found here)

Here is an interview with Tempest Hennesy, our dedicated and driven models teacher and mentor to realize how important runway skills are in this industry…

======================================================

Bobie Woodget: Tempest Hennesy, you know better the anyone how to express the true attitude that makes one blossom.

Tempest Hennesy blushes. Thank you.

Bobie Woodget: So, when you’re at a show what makes you say: “that chick has been professionaly trained?”

Tempest Hennesy: Well, there are more than a few who think it’s easy to ‘walk’ in a show. As easy as pointing in a direction and moving there, but it really does take more than that. To me, when I see someone who knows what they’re doing, that person makes it look almost fluid… almost real; well as real as you can get in a virtual environment. Can they go from walking, carrying themselves, to a pose and make it look like it’s not being done by a robot or a doll? Can they make the people watching stop flipping windows and pay attention because, along with the mechanical, they’re also bringing the personality into it? Then, they’ve got. It’s all of that. The mechanics, the timing, the poise, the grace… the knowledge to pull it all together.

Bobie Woodget: So to you it starts by identifying the image you wanna show the audience?

Tempest Hennesy: Exactly. If you want to be a model, a professional model, then as much as it’s practice practice, practice, it’s also perception. If people can’t look at you and see professional, then you can practice till you’re blue in the face and your feet bleed. Show the audience that you’re serious. Then, they’ll be watching while you pull everything else together. Well… not you, LOL! You already do that.

Bobie Woodget: Hehe thanks! At your opinion… when does the model’s image interfere with the designer image? In other words, how flexible does the model have to be with his/her own image?

Tempest Hennesy: While I don’t agree with being a tool, like a hammer or a nail… that’s my personal choice, though… a model still needs to be the canvas for the designer and their clothing, or the photographer and their vision. Things such as hair and behind shape (to make the system skirts not so big) should be a given and easily changed. Piercings and tattoos, though… those are the individual. Those really have no place in the designer’s outfit unless that’s the look their going for. I have a tribal, and a belly pierce that I adore. They’re a part of me… same with my earrings, but if a designer, or coordinator, asks for them off, they’re gone. I also Neko, sometimes… but, again, that’s a personal choice and, as a canvas, it’s not my place to force it on my designer if that’s not what they want.

Bobie Woodget: I see, and what should be the limit for a model in her/his flexibility? When can she/he say no? Or can he/she?

Tempest Hennesy: Again, this is my personal… it could vary from person to person, for whatever reason because it really could limit their exposure. They have to decide if it’s worth walking away from one job and hope there’s another… I don’t change shape, and I don’t change my ethnicity. I am a proud, black woman, and I won’t be portrayed as anything else. I’m also a Tyra Banks style model, with all the curves, and I won’t slim down for anyone, either. But it takes /a lot/ of strength to walk away from a job because they don’t want that… It takes a lot of tears to know you were passed up because you can’t…won’t, change. But it also builds a lot of respect for people, even designers and models, who see you take a conviction and keep it. That’s where I am, now. That’s what’s made me successful. It’s hard… I wouldn’t recommend it to everybody, but this is me.

Bobie Woodget: Hehe, yes it is and everybody who’s worked with you (including myself) is glad you are “you.”

Tempest Hennesy blushes. Thank you.

Bobie Woodget: What kind of attitude on and out the runway is a deal breaker to you?

Tempest Hennesy: Oh, arrogance is a huge deal breaker. I tell my trainees that there are two sorts of divas… Diva demanded, and diva earned. A diva demanded is one who yells the loudest and thinks that everyone owes them everything. They’ve GOT to walk first, no matter what. If they don’t like the designer, they will say it out loud, in front of them, and if they don’t get what they want then they will throw a temper tantrum and everybody has to stop and feel sorry for them… A Diva earned is one who has worked hard, compromised where necessary, asked for whatever and stepped aside when need be. They don’t always have to be first, they’re just happy to be there… They’re the ones that you hear people say, “I respect her. She’s what a Diva’s about”. They give you the title.