MMI Fashion Pose Off

I've been a "model" in Second Life since 2009.  I use quotes around the word model because most of my work has been behind the camera, taking pictures for my flickr and occasionally doing a runway show casting.  I have only ever graduated one academy, and have only a handful of professional contacts.  I'm absolutely TERRIBLE at networking.  I tend to curl up on the other side of my computer screen and keep to myself in photoshop.  Being an introvert is complicated in the extroverted world of fashion modeling in SL.

Anyway,  I chose to take a chance and audition for Mister and Miss Model International, also known as MMI.  It's a brand new pageant where contestants represent themselves and not a country.  Sounds simple, right?!  I was intrigued.  I liked the idea of representing myself and being able to be myself, with the look and shape that I like, and not what others deem acceptable.

Our first runway competition was today and it was a fashion pose off set inside of a wrestling/boxing ring.  Now for this diehard WWE fan, it was my chance to be the diva I've always wanted to be and since we could style for it anyway we wanted, I thought it would be easy peasy....

Boy was I wrong.  Last night, I was on my 5th variation of an outfit and I hated everything. And since I hadn't figured out my outfit, I hadn't even started on poses yet.  I wanted to quit.  I was second guessing everything and was terrified that I'd humiliate myself on the runway and fall off, and succomb to the monster we all lovingly refer to as "Lag."  I'm glad I didn't quit, but boy oh boy, was I close!

I only wanted to pull from what I already had in my inventory since the styling is supposed to represent us.  With over 60k of items to choose from, it should have been the easiest thing in the world, but it was not.  I was getting frustrated, felt uninspired, and dead creatively.  Until I remembered that I had purchased this armor from DRD.  I decided to build my look around it.

I had wanted to use a pair of high waisted armor pants from Pixicat, but I couldn't find anything to go with it.  Once I decided to build my look around DRD, it all just fell into place.  I had purchased my top from Baiastice a few months ago at a collabor88 event and the hair is one of my faves from Boon.

Of course for a pose challenge, I couldn't do without my favorite pose designer in SL, Del May.  Our sponsor for the event was Katink Poses, and we were given some poses to choose from, courtesy of that designer as well, and they were amazing poses.  I already had a lot of poses in my inventory to choose from since I have many poses for photography purposes.  I purchased a few more on the off chance I made it past the first round and I would need additional poses.

The runway competition was so much fun, though lag was a complete monster.  We all did it! We made it through! And even though I didn't win, I did make it to the final pose off round and that was such an accomplishment in and of itself. I honestly and truly didn't expect to make it past the first round.  This week we have a photo challenge and next week we have another runway challenge, sponsored by some amazing designers!

Stay tuned, I'll be using this blog to document my journey over the next few weeks!  It's going to be amazing.

Style Card

Pants:       Pixicat
Top:         Baiastice
Armor:     DRD
Necklace: Mandala
Hair:         Boon
Hands:      SLink
Skin:         Glam Affair