The Making of Tessa

It started when I opened so many stores that I ran up to my 25 group limit (grrrr ... can't we fix that?). I decided to create an alt, but one that could be fun -- after wrestling with names (what a process!) she came inworld as Tessa Derryth. I, Ziki, never really change my appearance -- I have the same skin and hair I did a year and a half ago -- but I thought with an alt I could have a little fun. And although almost everyone has alts (usually to hide behind, which wasn't my interest!), I wanted to create someone who could be a sort of a sandbox for me, a chameleon (but beautiful of course!). Creating an alt isn't inexpensive, really: shape, skin, hair, AO, eyes, clothes, on and on. My first inclination was to create someone who looked completely different, and so, above, you see Tessa #1! (Taken at the incredible sim of Miriel Enfield, sadly now closed to the public.) The skin and hair are both from Laqroki, and I lived happily with this combo for a few weeks -- I love the face especially. The clothes pictured are from League, and worked great. But as striking as the face on this skin is, I was a little disappointed in the rest of it (read: nude!), and so I went shopping again.

I headed back to my trusted skin designer, Naela Carter, and her shop, Allure, for Tessa version #2 (above) ... and this is the same hair from Laqroki in a darker hue. Compared to the skinny as a stick Tessa #1, now I had a more formidable build, but somehow this avatar reminded me too much of Ziki! (You wouldn't think of us as sisters if you saw us, but it was too close for me.) This playful outfit is also from League -- I look like I jumped off a St. Pauli Girl bottle, don't I?

And then while I was out shopping around for clothes I wandered into Jamie Holmer's INDI Designs store (great place) and was really struck by the beauty of her avatar depicted on several of her vendors, which gave me the the inspiration for Tessa #3 (above), who seems to be sticking with me. (No, Tessa doesn't look anything like Jamie Holmer!) The skin is from Dutch Touch, hair from Truth, and clothes from INDI. Now the question is: Is Tessa going to develop her own personality? Hmmm.