Iris Wants to Know: Is Your Virtual Style More Important to You Than Your Virtual Space, or Vice Versa?

Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style

Avatar fashion has been a priority for me since well before I ever found Second Life, so it should be no surprise that that's exactly what I gravitated towards when I started. When you give me a dollhouse, my first priority will inevitably be the dolls themselves -- that's just how I am, and I have the sim households to prove it. That's not to say I'm not interested in what my spaces look like, but usually I care about the appearance of those spaces only in relation to the "dolls," as an extension of them (or even just a backdrop.) If I'm forced to choose between character customization and home customization, I'm probably not going to humm and haw about it terribly long.

But for every fashion-focused SL user who treats their virtual spaces like one big photo backdrop, there's someone else treating it like a canvas; placing everything just so, spending hours perfecting, tweaking, and upgrading it. Even if their shoes are dated (and honestly who even cares) there's no denying that their front foyer is current and on trend.

So what about you? I know for some it will be a tough choice, but here's what I want to know: If you had to choose between virtual fashion and vitual decor, which side would you choose and why? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart on Twitter, Iris Ophelia in Second Life) has been writing about virtual worlds and video games for nearly a decade, and has had her work featured on Paste, Kotaku, Jezebel and The Mary Sue.

Comments

[val]

I would kick off my virtual shoes, walk through my virtual foyer and let my toes enjoy the grass and flowers in my backyard. In other words, you forgot the people who enjoy/agonize over landscaping even more than either of the pursuits/time sinks you mentioned. To each their own.

[Pussycat Catnap]

I think she implied an inclusion of landscaping in the home care and treating the place like a canvas. If not - that is how I will read it anyway. :)

I would be wrong to say I don't care about my look because its kind of obvious that I do given what I comment about all the way-too-often time...
- Its a very specific something I seek to capture in my avatar looks.

My avatar has always been an expression of an inner self. The whole composition speaks to a self image, an expression of my faith, politics, and personality.

BUT... I am equally if not more passionate about the space my avatar inhabits.

I've moved so many times in SL

My core home is on its 6th location. I've been at this one the longest though, since 2011. I've almost always had a couple of additional spots.

Each place is very carefully laid out to set the right mood for me, or to feel like a home, or to say something (almost 1/3 of my Bay City land is a message piece put together after Trayvon was murdered).

I very very rarely move some of the things on my land. Both inside and outside the home - the composition and layout has meaning. Not for the purpose of snapshots, but for the purpose of being within that space.

I take a lot of pictures in SL, but I've never had one of those 'photoshoot booths' that some people use: because I prefer to feel that I inhabit SL, rather than use it as a prop. There is a spot 4000m above my home where I have some pose stands, and a prop to measure proportions - but that is related to my build platform - where I customize myself or fix outfits, not where I 'make art'.

[Connie Arida]

Sorry, I want it all.

[Cicadetta Stillwater]

I'd have to go with virtual style over space. I have a Linden home. I tweak the decor once in a while, but mostly it's just my home base and my guaranteed safe spot.

But I do get a kick out of dressing various avatars. Every avi is a puzzle, and I'm still proud of having found a way to dress up that anthropomorphic slug… Anyway, I spend more time in social situations than anything, so that's more time spent with avatars than with home base. Clothes it is.

[Patricia Flemming]

Both should and would be equal if it was not for the money factor.
Dressing up your avatar doesn't cost a cent, the prims and meshes you wear are paid for by the owners of land in Second Life

For 2$ or less you have a nice shiny avatar to boost your ego and show to others. 50 cent shoes, 40cent hair and a 90cent skin and there you are, ready to seduce or look all fine with your firm boobs you do not have in RL or having a face without wrinkles again like you were young. It is cheap entertainment that can keep you going for hours.

Having land on the other hand does cost and the objects you need are much more expensive as well. So it is not a matter of what is more important because both are equal important. It is that one thing costs almost nothing while the other can cost 100$ per month if you want a good result.

Yes there are ladies spending a significant amount of money on clothes but most will pay 5$ or less per month and there are tons of freeloaders as well.

There should be a dress up cost to balance between having land and a home or having a sparkly looking appearance.

If it would be the other way around you can be sure residents would have 1 outfit and all live in royal mansions and castles and drive a Bentley in Second Life

[CronoCloud Creeggan]

Choose between Style and Space? That's easy. Style first. Why? I'm CC Creeggan, Virtual Fashionista, that's why! I shop therefore I am. Lots of people see "me", but few people see my land. My Linden home is my "studio" where I have my pose stand and backdrop, though I do have other land, and I have been looking for a house upgrade.

But as much as I adore that new Dutchie home, which made me squee at first sight. The furnished version is $161 US dollars and would require me to tier up to the $40 a month level to use it! That would mean less virtual dress/hair/shoe shopping which would simply not do.

[Jessica Pixel]

I do enjoy decorating my virtual space, but I spend more money on clothes than home and garden goods.

[Jane Primrose]

For me, it's the virtual style, purely because clothing, skins, hairstyles etcetera are things you can buy intermittently as and when you have the money, and you can find many good freebies and cheapies if you make an effort. By contrast, either a Linden Home (which I did have for a while when I had a better RL job), or land on which to build your own home or place one you've bought, is a regular, recurring financial commitment, and when I can't even make RL rent, it's out of the question. Occasional SL fashion treats help console me for the fact that I can't afford any of the clothes I'd really like IRL, either.

[Pussycat Catnap]

@Patricia Flemming: It seems a bit "1%er culture" to find the people who spend more money to be more redeaming or worthy of praise.

I've a lot of respect for the person who can put together a $2.50 outfit and make it look good. I've got an amazing amount for the person who can make a Linden Home look nice on a similar budget.

On the other hand, I just finally got myself under the $200/month point in my spending on SL...

All of you obviously need to bow down and worship my amazing sense of style, as I spent nearly $200/month for about a year now.

#sonotgoingtohappen

PS: I wouldn't drive a Bentley if you gave me one and paid its bills. Nor would I want a mansion. I've too much style to opt for 1%er-copycat. :p

[Pussycat Catnap]

@Chronocloud: "But as much as I adore that new Dutchie home, which made me squee at first sight. The furnished version is $161 US dollars"

Gasp! I've not seen that yet.

Yesterday I bought an amazing skybox for 900L. I saw some that were even better for the same or less - and would fit into 512s or 1024s. This one was just the theme I needed for where I put it.

You can be amazing on land or scene on a very tight budget. Nobody should be spending US$161 on a building in SL unless their budget is so high they can't tell the difference between a Benjamin and a Washington.

[FredTheGamer]

for me it is a retreat, very minimalistic and super prim efficient. But cleverly designed to give the illusion of a vast field. I sit there and watch TV and movies, talk to friends and work on various little projects. Just like in RL a home in SL is important to me. I also think my appearance is important but rarely change it anylonger

[Muse]

Uh style. Nobody comes to my home.