Every culture has something unique to contribute to the world. We experience many trends which mold our own ideas and perceptions. Since Second Life mirrors the real world, we collectively co-exist freely sharing our various cultures, fashion trends, music, languages, and more. The SL Enquirer set out to poll avies across the grid about some of the things trending in Second Life right now. Names have been changed.
The KFC Trend
Apparently, It doesn’t seem to be for chicken anymore. We are not here to avie body shame, let us put that out there at the start but with that being said, Some avies want to know what the appeal is looking like a plucked chicken and calling it sexy. Do men and or women actually like this mesh body style or is it similar to one's own real-life body shape?
This trend seems to be the most popular request to poll. It got its name because of the resemblance to a KFC chicken thigh, breasts, and drumstick. A body shape is wide and curvy then tapers down into a skinny chicken leg. Realistically, one's waist would not be that snatched in with the amount of fat deposit on the hip, thigh, and breast areas. Spongebob’s body shape would be a better example if avies are trying to “keep it real”.
Avie Poll
What do you think of avies that model themselves in SL as they are in RL? Do you think that is the true way to go or did they design your avatar for the complete opposite?
Ryan: “I love me some greasy a** chicken but damn how does chicken smell like bacon after a spin on the dancefloor?”
Bob: “Yes, we’re not here to avie shame, but that doesn’t have to mean you have to stretch out like the Stay Puft Marshmallow man either. Don’t you have enough on your plate?
Sally: DAMN I want KFC chicken now !!!!
David: Hey some guys like it. I remember when I was first starting out in second life. My slacks were so tight I could barely walk and this nice woman approached me and offered to help. We’ve been together ever since and I love every curve! Don’t hate.
Karen: “I’m calling the police.”
Big ol’ Sloppy Boob Jobs with extra animated physics
Ann Hawkins Turner is the woman who currently holds the Guinness world records for the biggest breasts but she is in some serious competition for a title in Second Life! Since the beginning of self-body modifications, many avies especially those in the stripper and escort careers have really loaded up the breast prims. Sometimes to the point, wearing simple shirts makes their body style look like a sloppy stack of pancakes, and the added exaggerated physics for realism only adds to the secondhand embarrassment of those around them. This phenomenon has many SL residents scratching their heads. Here’s what they had to say when asking if it was sexy.
Steven: “I’m into boobs and don’t really mind a set that is a little on the larger size, but I have the draw somewhere”
Salvatore: “Maybe extreme motorboating is a sport?”
Karen: “It’s just ridiculous! I’m calling the cops!”
Mani: “I don’t think it’s sexy personally but some men seem to love it”
Louis: “Natural is better but big or small love me some t*tties!”
The Itty Bitty Mini Committee
Ok ladies, ever hear of leaving a little to the imagination? Since the beginning of Second Life, many of the club-going women seem to be in a highly competitive sport of seeing who can wear the shortest mini skirt in the club. If you are part of the mini-trend, before spending all your pole money on new outfits, here’s what some guys had to say about this never-ending trend.
Avie Poll: Is it sexy?
Conner: ”Ain’t nothing wrong with a little cheek showing.”
Lucy: “Women should be able to wear whatever she wants, people need to mind their own business omg”
Paul: “If we are keeping it real. Way too many women in SL seem to think that the shorter the skirt the more attention they will get. I see them everywhere, can't catch a break! No. It is not sexy or cute. It just looks like a woman with low self-esteem.”
Jessica: “I think it is perfectly fine, but if they are going to wear those so short they need to make sure they wipe correctly and not leave any cling ons” Don’t even get me started when there are a bunch of them dancing in a club on a hot day!”
Darrin: “Why do I get the mental smell of a fish market?”
Karen: “That’s it I’m calling the cops! It is violating my rights!”
Larry: ”It is like seeing the whole cow before they cut your piece of Filet Mignon. Not appetizing”
George: “It reminds me of being at a gentlemen's club AFTER the lights are turned on…*shudders*”
Wilted Fern and Tumble Weed Hair
Mesh is a beautiful thing. Why not upgrade? Since mesh has become a thing, more avies are stepping it up in the upgrade department but like a well-kept yard, Second Life still has some overgrown weeds that are sprinkled across the grid landscape. Sometimes the lack of lindens prevents many from moving to mesh but it doesn’t mean your hair has to suffer. The nice thing about upgrading is, not only does it make you feel better when getting a makeover, but it also adds to the virtual world environment.
Avie Poll: How do you know if you have a weed garden on your head and how can it be fixed?
Karen: “Stop acting broke”. That hair is highly offensive and could cause emotional distress in my pomeranian who has to see that and relive the day he was snatched from the teet. I’m calling the cops!”
Pamela: “When your weave is so nappy you need a perm, it might be time to buy some new hair. Just saying…”
Sally: Girl!!! Please do us a favor and upgrade yourself and not look homeless. Time to spend those lindens!”
Janine: “Krispy Kreme wants their secret hair gel back.Looks like your mother banged a furry is not the look you should be going for. Too lazy to just hit up the freebie galaxy to find better quality hair.”
Gary: “I’m bald so I don’t have this issue but in my professional opinion as a random guy being polled. I plead with all of you who suffer from chronic bedhead in SL. My only suggestion is to detach the wig and live your best bald life. It’s free and the ladies love it! Ladies, If you are going the bald route, I suggest at the very least tape a bow to your head or something.”
Chester Mustaches, The Lumberjack Beard
With all the hard work mesh head creators put into the features of a hot and sexy male avatar (well some), why would they cover up all that goodness with a thick overgrowth of facial hair including crumb catchers and handlebar mustaches? We have to admit some of the stashes are a bit uncle-touchy- creepy. And let's not even mention the Ramen Noodle perms and brillo pad combos.
Avie Poll: Is it sexy?
Sara: “From a lady's perspective it gets in the way. Not to mention the delicate areas. It might be time to shave.”
Glitterbomb: “If the top ain’t manscaped, I can only imagine the forest below!”
Bianca: “Manscaping isn’t only for the chest and berries. It is a must for the face as well. My only advice would be to clean the razor before moving from one piece of real estate to another.”
Beverly: “Oh nooooo. This isn’t sexy at all. The whole caveman meets Vegas-style is soooo not cool anymore. People are over the Geico caveman insurance commercials. These men can go get entangled in someone else's overgrown yard. Not mine! I keep my garden trimmed.”
Jonathan: “I once met a guy with very long, spiky red hair and a tiny red goatee...he looked a lot like Beaker from The Muppets. Think before you drink, folks.”
Karen: “All I wanted to do was explore SL and I am being forced to see men in untamed facial hair everywhere. I can't take it anymore. I’m calling the cops because it is a fire hazard!”
The almighty strip club platform heels
Did you know there are over 200,000 reported high heel-related injuries a year in the U.S between 2001-2020? What is up with the towering platform heels? Please use caution dancing, standing, running, walking, or skipping in the sand or anywhere else for that matter. Thank goodness the reports are low in SL, the only damage done is wasting the Lindens. The groove may be in the heart but not everywhere in Second Life.
Avie Poll: Is this Sexy?
Kevin: “Why? Just why?”
Sally: “Too much lindens yes but at least I don’t have to go to the hospital after a fall like I would in real life.”
Barry: “I don’t know how to feel about platform pumps after the incident in a strip club when one of the ladies stomped on my jewels while giving me a lapdance.”
Gale: “I recall a time when I could do runway in platform feels. Now, the guys are winning the catwalk. Yes it’s sexy!”
Susan: “I am not trying to be a “Karen” but really I think it's degrading women and making them an image of being weak, we feminst are strong damn it and no matter if we can’t walk, we have the right to do as we please because we are Women hear us Roar”
Greg: “The buck stops with pregnant chicks in pumps on the dancefloor. That’s not sexy.”
Karen: “Don’t be telling me what to wear! I’m calling the cops because you are violating my freedom!”
Furries with Boob Jobs and bikinis
It’s bad enough SL has a vermin problem and they want to add huge breast implants and bikinis to the mix. Unless furries are trying to keep up the milk supply for their huge litters, there really isn’t a reason for it. Aside from that, putting clothes on animals is frowned upon by the more serious animal lover communities.
Avie Poll: Are furries with breast implants and bikinis sexy?
Bruce: “I can’t even look at my pet rabbit the same anymore after catching a couple of furries yiffing in the bushes behind my club”
Sally: “right-click and derender because who really wants to see that maybe in a porn film … not me.”
Tommy: “OK, I admit I always wanted to see the Little Mermaid nude when I was younger, but not anymore…”
Jared: “Shouldn’t furries have like 3 sets of teets? The whole trend is inaccurate and confusing! Maybe if I was a furry I might be into it but I wouldn't want to compete with a pack”
David: “Well it is really hard to say, I mean if the boobs are good, sure, but come on if they are saggy, then no, make them perky damn it, Perky boobs for all!”
Karen: “I don’t know why we are talking about this, a person’s boobies are their own business you are violating them making them the focus of your article, that is rude and I am calling the police!”
We have come to the conclusion there are no right or wrong answers with Trends. They come and go. Sometimes for years and then return and the younger generations think they came up with the idea. Trends become trends because at least someone is into it and others follow. No matter how silly they are to you, someone thinks it's sexy. Next time you see these trends around Second Life, you could either act like a Karen and cry about it or mind your own business, not everyone thinks your style is cute.