Find Your Fashion

This series is currently in the process of being updated. While most of the information is still relevant I’m going through and updating the content as well as the images to ensure they are still accurate and current.

This is part 4 of the 5 part series Making A New You.

Avatar fashion is a huge industry in Second Life. Everywhere you go you’ll find people sporting their own style and individuality. The endless options make it easier to bring your dream avatar into reality. Make sure you still have that list handy from Part 1, you’ll need to know what’s left to acquire!

Demos vs Free Content

Similar to purchasing body parts and hair, demos are an important part of the Second Life avatar fashion industry. Demos are generally free or next to free versions of the product for sale. They tend to have a trait (such as incomplete textures or extra shapes floating around) that is visually displeasing to deter you from using it instead of the full priced product. While the price tag may look tempting, demos are not made for use beyond testing the product out on your avatar. Think of it as a sample taste of the final product. After all, you wouldn’t know if something fits without trying it on first, right?

Some products don’t have demos, especially low cost or free products. These products are commonly referred to as freebies, dollarbies, and gifts. As the names imply, freebies cost nothing and dollarbies cost 1L$. Gifts don’t have a set price, but tend to be inexpensive. Low cost products exist all over Second Life, however finding decent quality ones takes a bit of patience and hunting.  If you’re interested in keeping things free (or close to it) I highly recommend browsing The Free Dove.

Ways to Shop

Just like in real life there are different ways to find what you want to buy. Shopping in world can be a really unique experience. You can search in game for the product you want (such as “hair” or “dresses”) and visit various locations from the results. Wandering around stores is a great way to get ideas, especially if the store has models wearing what you’re looking for! Many sellers also offer perks such as in-store credit, discounts, or freebies for joining the store’s group. You’ll be offered information on that sort of thing when teleporting to the store.

Would you rather shop via your web browser? Check out the Second Life Marketplace. You can quickly search millions of items and sort by price, quality, popularity, and more. Purchases made on the Marketplace are sent to you in game for immediate use. If you’re looking for a very specific item (such as a sweater with cats on it) the Marketplace is the place to shop. It’s also great for staying within a budget. Note that when searching for inexpensive items you’ll see a lot of demos mixed in with full products at the 0L$ – 10L$ price range. Read up on what you’re getting before you click buy.

If you’d like to utilize both methods, I recommend browsing the Marketplace and then visiting the in world stores of sellers you find there. Most Marketplace sellers with in world locations have a link  to it on their main store page. You can use the link to teleport directly to where you need to be in game to check out the products in person! If the listed link is outdated you can search for the store via the in game search.

Another great way to shop, and one of my favorites, is by checking out events! Events are themed shopping locations with products from various creators. The bigger events have galleries you can explore on your browser, too. SeraphimSL is a wonderful source for finding events and seeing what they’ll have to offer. I highly recommend checking what events are running and seeing if any fit your style. There are fairs for skins, gothic styles, fetish products, tattoos, pretty much anything. Have fun exploring!

Avatar Fashion Products

There are thousands upon thousands of things to purchase for your avatar. You know what you need better than anyone, you just have to find it! Keep in mind that wherever you purchased your body you’ll likely find some clothing options as well. There is no way I can list every place to shop here, but I have created a list to get you started on some awesome places to shop!

What are your favorite brands and stores? Let’s make the comments section a hub for the cool places you like to shop! Part 5 covers how to ensure your avatar’s personality shines through with its movement.