All That Glitters …
The theme for the evening was “Gold.” It’s always a challenge when the themes are so open ended but at least in this case “gold” has a concrete meaning that’s other than just the color.
“I am Midas, King of Pessinus in Phrygia …”
The skin is Belleza’s Mathieu in Deep Tan 6 that I got for another contest, but it just said “king” to me and coupled with the UWst “Ilias” hair, I established the basis for a king of ancient Macedonia. My tunic is SF Designs Toga and on my feet the elegant – and ubiquitous – BoHo Sandals from Shiny Things. I looked all over for a pair of strap-up “gladiator” style sandals but the only ones I found didn’t match the look I wanted.
The gold was the next problem. What kind of gold would Midas wear? Crown, natch. I added a torc, matching armbands, and a belt of golden plates. I really didn’t have time to shop for all of these items so I spent a very pleasant hour making them. The crown was the only weak part. It started as a simple circlet, but that didn’t really say “crown” to me and I added the three triangles to it. I thought it looked less polished but possibly more crown-like so I went with it.
Then I had to figure out what to say about this outfit. (At the end of the show, the master of ceremonies calls each model to the front of the stage to explain something about their outfit and how it fit the theme before they take their places for the judging.) If I depicted Midas after he met Dionysus – when his touch turned golden – then everything should be golden – including his tunic and I didn’t have a golden tunic. My solution was to pick the moment just before Midas got his power and used this paragraph to kick it up.
“I am Midas, King of Pessinus in Phrygia. In return for my hospitality in caring for his friend, the drunken satyr Silenus, the god Dionysus will grant me one wish. I go to meet him now to ask that all I touch be turned to gold. I do this for the love of my people so that we may all live in wealth and comfort until the end of our days…”
Of course, the gift becomes a curse as “everything” is interpreted literally by Dionysus, with tragic results for Midas and his people.
The Result
Midas Wins!
Unexpected is an understatement. It was a huge field and there were a number of gorgeously golden outfits there, including another male contender for a change.
What Would I Do Differently?
I liked this response to the theme. I was not happy with the crown so replacing that would be my first priority.
Finding a golden tunic and sandals would have let me be Midas in a full blown “everything I touch” mode.
Stuff
Tunic: SF Designs – Roman Toga
Sandals: Shiny Things – BoHo Sandals
Skin: Belleza – Mathieu Deep Tan 6
Hair: UW.st – Ilias Coffee
Eyes: (*> Bower Bird <*) Everyday Eyes – Mahogany (lge)
I always enjoy reading your reasons for selecting an outfit and that you frequently think outside the prim. As for styling gold, you make a great Midas.