Greetings All!
For those of you who have no clue what all I do, I create period and fantasy Second Life women's clothing, and role play most often in the Gorean Sims. They're a lot of fun for me, scary as heck for other people, and controversial for still others. I play a Free Woman physician. The clothing lines are Victorian, Medieval Fantasy, Boudoir Robes, and Old World, which is a mix of styles. I also have three other lines in the works, one modern and two others, but more on those later. I occasionally do commission work, but it has to be worth my while financially to pause in my normal work to take on a commission. For more on that stuff, IM me in SL.
Now a bit about Gor. The world of Gor is based on a series of books by John Norman. Some of the books are fun to read in the way that Conan the Barbarian is fun to read. I'd call the Gor books male bodice rippers, and for anyone that read the romance novels of the 1970's and 1980's, you know what a bodice ripper is. Still and all, the Gor books are fun, and there's some basic truths under all the sometimes painful prose that John Norman uses. One of the most basic truths is dominant men and submissive women. That's what draws many to the Gorean lands in SL. Some want to free the slaves, something I always laugh at since most slaves are jostling to find Masters and would no more wish to be free than you would wish to sever a limb. Some come to be slaves and are looking for Masters. Some are Masters in the making, and damn few are Gorean Masters. In the year I've been in SL Gor, I'd have to say I've met maybe five real Masters.
Now you have to understand that I do not, as a Free Woman, travel extensively through out the Gorean lands of SL. That is my role playing choice. I have met a few of the men though, and of those I can say maybe five were real Masters. That's a staggeringly low amount, but my qualifications for a Master are rather specific. He has to know women and psychology well. He has to understand the difference between Mastery and domination and abuse. He has to be able to make a woman want to wear his collar not by threat of force, or coercion of any type, but by simply being the man he is. He has to be strong enough to dismiss or sell a girl for being displeasing, and the man that tells his slaves publicly that he loves them is no Master in my eyes. That's catering to the princess slave syndrome. If you love your slave, keep it private please. It's just icky to see a man fawning over a woman when she's on her knees before him. A simple, 'you please me, girl' should be enough for the knowledgeable Gorean Master and slave girl. That's my two silver bits on that!
There are many blogs that deal with Gor and Gorean Masters and slaves and what all the sexual tangles are. There's pros and cons and scandal. Lifestylers and RPers, role players, and even within Gorean sims themselves, there is a lot of clash. Goreans are a people of passionate opinions, and if you hang around them long enough, you either begin to agree with them, or you decide there's other more interesting things and you leave. I've been hanging around these people for a year now, and I stayed.
Do I consider myself Gorean?
Good question. In the context of roleplaying I'd say yes, I am, and darned proud of it, thank you! I admire the standards of honor, honesty, and strength that Goreans strive for. I'm not going to say might for right, that's another genre. The Gorean standards can be very harsh, and this doesn't always translate well to real life. But on the whole, I have found a home in Gorean SL, and in doing so I found a horrifying lack of style in the women's clothing! So that's what started me into designing clothing.
Slaves have all the shiny silky bits (which is wrong on another level, but not something I'm addressing this morning), Free Men can find many outfits in other genres that apply well, but what passed for Free Women, or FW, style, was enough to gag a sane woman at the very least. That or make her laugh hysterically in other areas. No really, now I'm going to get out my long pointy stick and start poking fun at things. If you don't care for this part of the blog, just remember, it's MY opinion. Not laws handed down by the Goddess, God, or Priest Kings, depending on your religious preference!
The FW dress was horrendous a year ago. I laughed myself sick when I saw women drifting by wearing gowns the size of small tents that could hide slaves under them. Two or three slaves at a time no less. Lest you think I'm exaggerating, let me tell you a friend once showed me a snapshot of SL, with a FW who had two slaves hiding under her skirts. Yes, under. To add insult to injury, there were FW who thought wearing stilettos with all the bling they could muster made a great addition to the tent gowns from hell. And under these gowns were usually a pair of pants, often called glitch pants, and nothing else. A woman would then have a face veil, and often hair a model would consider good. It was and IS a ludicrous look. If any FW out there is still dressing in this fashion and I've offended you, good. I'm not backing down and I'm not taking it back.
Now John Norman wrote 26 books. I haven't read them all, I'm working on it, but when I do read a book I take detailed notes about the clothing. Nowhere in the books I've read or the quotes I've found has it been said that FW must look like frumps or that they must wear gowns by Omar the Tent Maker. Granted, SL Gor isn't exactly 'by the book' as so many claim. If it was slaves wouldn't see silk on their bodies except at a sale. So there's leeway. We are all human, we love color and sparklies and pretty things. But let's be sane about it to some extent, and try to honor some of John Norman's work in spirit if nothing else. Free Women dress stylishly, elegantly, and with decorum. That last part is very important. With decorum. That means your tits should not be hanging out, nor should your toes. Think something along the lines of Victorian gowns and you kind of get the idea. Ankle should never show in public. Having said that, you do not have to go raid the Victorian sims for clothing, though it can be done and they have some gorgeous gowns!
In public in most places, you (a FW) should have a veil that covers the lower half of your face, long sleeves, a long gown, and shoes with closed toes. A hat is a nice addition or a head veil to cover the hair, which should be in an updo. That means no long loose hair. Slaves wear their hair loose or as their Masters demand they wear it. Pony tails on a woman are considered a leash, so remember that before you decide that's acceptable for a FW. Braids work. In your home sim, while you're going about your Caste work, you might wear a half down hair style, but on the whole no one should see a FW with her hair down but her Companion or her family at home.
Gloves are used in some places, and if you're out and about visiting other Gorean sims, be careful and respectful and toss a cloak on as well. Seems like a lot, but the experienced woman can do all this stylishly, making her own fashion statement, and leaving behind Omar's god awful tents. I swear those tent gowns are fire hazards. They should be banned as a matter of public safety!
Many places want face veils, and there's some great veil makers out there. I'm not one of them. My veils are passable and will cover your face and match the outfit. But Solange makes gorgeous veils and has for a long time. There's a few other designers out there as well who make great veils. Look around if you need them, or ask the lady who's veil your admiring where she got hers. Know the rules of the sim you're in. Some places do not require women to wear a face veil, some do.
Jewelry should be confined to hair combs, broaches, rings, bracelets on the right wrist only, long necklaces, and jeweled veils. There's one huge lack here that most women just coming into SL Gor will be appalled at. FW are not allowed to wear earrings. They are the mark of a high priced pleasure slave, and any FW in Gor would be horrified to be caught with pierced ears. On some sims, in accordance to their laws, any woman caught with pierced ears will be forced collared and sold as a slave. Again, ignorance isn't an excuse. Know the rules and laws of the sims you're going to play on. Shopping areas are usually safety zones, and if not, there's always a lot of warning before you step into the shop area. Though my personal opinion is that the sim is stupid for having a shopping zone that's not totally safe, and I personally never keep a stall in such markets. I don't want my customers threatened in anyway when they're out spending their hard earned lindens on me!
So now we know some basics of FW wear. Let's talk style. Style is something a woman has that is not really easily explained. But you can look at a woman and think to yourself, 'wow, I wish I could look that good, or wear that kind of outfit', or 'goodness, what a gorgeous cut and color on that gown!' That's style or what I also call gown envy. Gown envy to me is when I see a gown that I consider gorgeous, well made, and something that I want. I don't often get gown envy. We each have our own style, and finding what works best for us sometimes takes years. My personal advice is wear what makes you happy, Yes, even if it's one of Omar's god awful gowns, if you're happy with it, then go you! However, if you're wearing a tent gown, for the love of God, stay away from open flames!
That's enough for this sunny Monday morning. I wish you all well, I hope your day is gorgeous and that you too find some pretty thing to add to your wardrobe!
Kembri
