Where there is desire, there is gonna be a flame
Where there is a flame, someone’s bound to get burned
Just because it burns, doesn’t mean you’re gonna die
You gotta get up and try, try, try…
I promise there are pictures that exist somewhere of my MVW Audition outfit. I think I need to re-shoot them, though. Sorry about that. >.>
I am Miss Virtual ♛ Iceland 2016. And that still feels REALLY weird to say. For a few reasons. Any of you who have followed me for any length of time probably know a few of said reasons, but it’s just… still so surreal to me. Even after having walked the runway in our first challenge. I thought that might be the point that made it feel more ‘real’… but it’s still so… gah! Perhaps the second runway challenge, which is a tribute to our current Miss Virtual ♛ World, will sorta bring together the fact that here in the next couple of months, Eles will pass her crown to one of 33 of us competing right now.
That thought alone is still so… wow!
Anyway…
It’s surreal to me for several reasons. (Have I repeated myself enough? Lol.)
And while I was totally going to save this story for the post of my audition outfit, it doesn’t look like that’s coming back out of my inventory any time soon, so since this is my first official “MVW post”, I figured I’d tell you all this story now.
Reason #1: I’ve been working for this for the last 3 years. Every year in MVW, there is such a mixture. People who just started modeling, wanted to try their hand, and got in right away, people who aren’t certified models but are killer stylists, and people who have been working and improving for this moment to finally make it in on a second, third, fourth, etc attempt. I fall into that last category. Now, with that said, I did NOT audition last year. I did not even put my headshot in to be considered. BOSL and MVW had just come into new Ownership and I wanted to see… just how it was going to go. MVW had been built up into this huge thing… like some giant rite of passage, and there was some stuff behind the scenes under the old ownership that so many people questioned or outright attacked. I took a ‘gap year’, for lack of a better term, to watch and see.
And I was blown away. Last year’s group of ladies was amazing. The competition was run like I always knew Reign to run things. (I’ve also been rather close to Colour of Couture happenings for the last 3 years as well, auditioning, competing, helping backstage, etc.) I had every reassurance in the world that I needed in order to put my headshot in this year and get to this point. I wouldn’t change my ‘gap year’ for anything, as I got to see some truly beautiful, wonderful women have their time and their journey. And now this year, it’s time for mine.
I remember my first audition 3 years ago. I totally felt like the cards were stacked against me. Not purposely… but just… I didn’t actually get a live audition until the last one. So there were literally 40-50, if not more, of us walking for the last 4 or 5 spots. Lol. Needless to say, there were going to be a lot of disappointed models, and I was ultimately one of those. Even though I’d expected it, it didn’t stop it from hurting any less. But I’d just recently begun modeling, and I remember speaking to one of the ladies who DID make it through, and she reassured me, “This was my third try.” Not her third try that year… her third YEAR trying. And I’d always looked up to this woman as a model.
If it took her 3 years, then it’s a process. I’d resolved that in myself and started working my ass off.
Reason #2: It’s not Ireland! If you scroll back a bit, I spilled my guts some time ago about my “Ireland dreams”. It had always been my dream and goal to represent Ireland in MVW. My father was Irish… which, with his death just over 2 years ago, made this dream that much more significant. But also, for the longest time I ran around SL as a redhead. I was always some form of red. When my skin was darker, my hair was more of a crimson/merlot/blood red. When my skin was pale, I was a ginger. I was always convinced that no one could take my red hair from me. And then someone did. I was literally at the point that I could not look at my avi with red hair. The reason for which and the story behind the change just… isn’t something I want to go into… but I started running around with something I never thought I’d do again… super pale, and super light/platinum blonde. And that became my look. Now, I’m not saying I couldn’t represent Ireland just because I didn’t have red hair anymore. And in fact, it was my second choice in country selections. But I happened upon a quote about Iceland one night while I was on a random Google search. And the quote spoke to me so deeply, I knew I had to make it my first choice. Iceland is like… my life, and my journey, in country form. *Laughs*
“When you live in a country which moves alarmingly under your feet every five years or so with an earthquake or a volcanic eruption, you face, like the saga heroes of old, a choice of two courses of action, neither of them good: Either to flee the country and all its hazards, or to stay and brave them out. For more than 1100 years the people of Iceland have chosen to stay and brave them out.”
That is me. And that is what I will continue to do. When faced with the choice to run away or brave it out… I will ALWAYS brave it out, for as long as I can take it. And I’m still here. So, that should tell you something. 🙂
Anyway… I know this had nothing to do with the actual runway challenge that we walked in on Saturday… haha! The theme we were given was Lady Marmalade Meets Zumanity… both of which are amazing. I knew generally what Zumanity was, I’d heard about it in passing, mostly because I’m obsessed with Cirque du Soleil, and so is Nova, and she’s also obsessed with this show in particular. But I’d never actually poked around the trailer videos and stuff before this challenge. I was REALLY inspired by the ‘Wind’ number, and the little previews of it I saw. Which explains why my styling was a bit ‘longer’ and ‘more covered’ than a lot of the other candidates. I wanted something that would flow like the Wind performer did, but I also didn’t want to be in just a sheer bodysuit. So I took my Lady Marmalade and the burlesque that I love dearly (and have WAY too much of in my inventory from my neo-burlesque dancing days!) to recreate “Wind in the Style of Lady Marmalade”. It was super fun, and I had a blast walking with 32 other wonderful women.
I look forward to more!
*~* Tell Me, Are You Just Getting By? *~*
Shape: MINE
Skin: Yolandi (Artic Tone; Makeup Option 04) || Glam Affair
Eyes: Hope Eyes (Fjord) || IKON
Hair: Ennuit (All Blonds) || Vanity Hair
Hands: Avatar Enhancement Hands (Elegant) || Slink
Feet: Avatar Enhancement Feet (High) || Slink
Nailcolor Applier: Dark Set || Nailed It
Eyeshadow: Iza (Aqua; manually tinted to match) || Nuuna
Lipstick: Shena Lips Only (Aqua) || Madrid Solo
Black Lingerie (Underneath Corset): Vitality (Black Satin & Ruffle) || Blacklace
Corset: Fancy (Teal Satin & Lace) || Blacklace
Feathers (upper & lower): Lis Feather Upper & Lower (Teal) || -AZUL-
Full Skirt: Dubois (prim skirt) || Lyrical Bizarre Templates **not released yet**
* Thank you, Lyrical! It was perfect to meet my vision of Wind!
Heels: Anime Platforms (Black) || Pure Poison
Earrings/Necklace/Bracelet: Royal Blush || Lazuri
Rings: Accessories Rings (Black) || Formanails
Poses: Various from PosESioN
Location: Runway for MVW Runway Challenge #1: Lady Marmalade Meets Zumanity
* Built by the wonderful and amazing Sofia Corleone
Blogging Tune: “Try” – Pink (Jayesslee Cover)
Antisocial Darwinism 