Second Life Clothing

Second Life clothing is a major part of the Second Life experience. For some Second Lifers it is their experience. Many users design and sell their creations in Second Life boutiques.

The Wild and the Wacky

You will see it all when it comes to style in Second Life. It may be surprising for new users to see a Goth in full black, chains, and white face make- up hanging out with a prim woman in a business suit and actually enjoying each other company! But hey, that’s the beauty of Second Life.

In Second Life you are represented by your avatar. When you first sign on you have the chance to create you avatar based on your specifications as to height, weight, eye color, skin color, hair color, and other physical attributes. Unfortunately, you are very limited when it comes to clothing choices. What you have is what you get.

So where does the wild and wacky clothing you see in Second Life come from? The answer is simple – it comes from users just like you. Second Life provides modules for creating clothing for your avatar. There are several basic templates you can download and use to create shirts, pants, and other Second Life clothing items.

The easiest way to start making new clothing or customizing your own is through “appearance”. Click on your avatar and choose appearance from the menu given or go to the top menu on the Second life viewer interface or screen and choose: Edit - Appearance. You can customize or create many different types of clothes (shirts, pants, shoes, skirts…) using each of the clothes folders shown. You can also create new outfit folders choosing the “Make outfit” button at the bottom of the window.

Linden Lab, the creator of Second Life, recognizes that not all users are tech experts. You will find easy to follow tutorials on using the templates to design clothing. Linden Lab provides Adobe Photoshop software which allows you to create unique designs and textures for your clothing.

And Everything Else

You will find all types of clothing represented in Second Life. There are throwback “hippies” in long, loose, and flowing skirts with desert sandals. There are business men and women in corporate wear. High fashion divas and fantasy creations buy clothes in the many Second Life clothing boutiques.

The important thing to remember about clothing in Second Life is that it portrays your image in the virtual community. Just as in real life first impressions are important. You will want to match your avatar’s fashion to what you wish to accomplish in the Second Life world. If you are opening an art gallery you will have greater freedom in choosing Second Life clothing than a person attending a meeting at the Swedish Embassy.