*Click pictures for enlargement*

I Don't Kiss Ass

Most everyone knows that. Whether it be in an online world or the real world, this girl doesn't kiss anyone's ass. Not to say that I pretend to be high and mighty because I don't. I'm not a fan girl whatsoever.

Even in my reviews on Appearance Mode I always give special attention to things I don't like or just downfalls to things, but there are always upsides to stuff. This entire post is ode to downfalls and just flaws that could easily be fixed - but haven't been. And maybe by the end if I feel relieved to get all this aired I will start listing off a few pluses ^^

I fell victim to over-photoshopped ads, and lighting shadows and now have a serious case of buyer's remorse. Let me explain:

Where it all Began

For months now I have been on the prowl for a neko skin that isn't overrun with spots or stripes which make me look like either an emo cutter or have full body herpes, and that was mostly purple or at least had a lot of purple therein (Sorry but purple is my 'thing' - always has been).

When it comes to skins of any kind I don't mind dropping some decent cash because hey - you get what you pay for, right? Cheap skins almost always have huge flaws or just aren't as detailed or as good looking as that [ND] skin that costs twice as much. Now there are times where products are just overpriced - but as a consumer its your duty to know the difference between quality and stupidity. I have faith!

At any rate - I searched and searched for neko skins. Helyanwe's place had advertised them, but I didn't find them. I swear I looked allll over - but I just didn't see any neko skins. I could have gotten a little ADD but seriously I saw nothing that could constitute as anything other than just a 'skin'. As much as I've always liked Helyanwe's stuff (ever since I had that huge corkscrew hair that could put an eye out) I didn't want a normal skin. Neko neko neko!

I had remembered a little shop where I had once bought piercings that I used to mod my Anisa neko ears and remembered that they had skins. The name? Hybrid Street. For a moment I even remembered seeing neko skins .. but I tried to contain my excitement until I got there. Finally after all this time .. I stood to be a proud purple neko.

Arrival

I was bombarded by half nekos. The ones that wanted a "Josie and the Pussycats" headband but didn't want to go all out. The ones with the schoolgirl outfits that looked like they were straight out of Cool Devices (Yeah shut up I know what hentai is - not to mention plenty of other things <.<) or sommat.

Anyway - the skin wall is slightly hidden but I found it after I made my way around the soon to be nekos hovering around the 'everything you'll ever need to be a horse/bunny/mouse/kitty' I got to the skin wall and was absolutely floored to see a skin with nice spots that I could modify to make them purple. Could this really be true? As a longtime shopper I bought a demo for 1L. I stripped down naked in the store (save for my boots) and began to analyze. Days of avatar modesty are long gone when it comes to skin shopping, damn it.

So I'm checking out the demo and the only downfall I saw was the huge lips. I'm talking Naomi Campbell after botox sized lips. Meh not a huge deal I could alter my shape a little if I really wanted to skin. Then I made the sim time noon so I could have full light and look the skin over. Everything seemed to check out. I checked the tit shading to be sure it didn't look like I had put my boobs in a big suction hose. I checked the ass shading to be sure it didn't look like I had forgotten to wipe. I didn't check the cooch cuz I really don't care if my skin has bits or not. Boob shading is important because of tank tops - twats are never important to me.

When I was inspecting the back I saw seams on the arms. I thought "Is this just a 'demo' thing?" because often demons are just to give you an idea - they aren't exact replicas. I checked the ad to be sure that it was just a rez flaw or a demo bug. Here's the ad:

Hrm no arm flaws in the add. So I dumped my 950L into the skin. I put it on in the store while wearing a short sleeved 'untucked' shirt from Form, jeans, and some long messy hair. Like every girl I change clothes on a whim and did the same on this day, and to my horror.

Euphoria Comes Crashing Down

There are so many flaws with this skin. At first I thought "Oh its just me" or "Its just my computer" until Bebop looked at me on his computer. I peered over at the screen and simply said "Fuck. Me." I just wasted 950L (which is only like $4USD) on this item that I will never wear again.

Me wasting 4 bucks doesn't bother me. Its the fact that there are tons of people who go to that shop every day and waste 4 bucks - which adds up! So this designer is making at least something off their leet ad photoshopping. Here are the flaws on the skin:

Ring Around the Collar

There is a very crisp, very clear line around the neck/throat of the skin. In the add you'll see she wears a collar. This flaw was not apparent on the demo skin nor in the ad. The face is a totally different color from the chest. Just lookit that line!

Worse than pit stains

Down the backs of the arms there is a very clean seam that shows where the patterns almost match up ... but not quite. Granted I am not a skin maker - but most, nah I'll say 95% of the good skin makers have seamless skins. There are a few old skins that have a seam or two - or some bad shading. The lines on this thing are so noticeable I can't believe the person who made them could even stand it.

.... Running Down your Mom's Thigh

I don't remember exactly how that little insult went but that's how it ended. At any rate - there are these white .. things .. running down both legs from cooch to ankle on this skin. Not to mention on the outside of the legs is just a blank line (that goes for the torso too) that leads all the way down where seam work and matching was severely lacking.

Pants Too Tight, Fatty?

I realize that I don't have a toothpick for an avatar. But ya know no matter how tight I put that pants slider - she never has to suck in to get into any kind of jeans. Well going by this skin you'd think I walked around in pants that I had to lay on the bed and use pliers to zip (I was a fat kid - I know how this goes in your teenage years) There's this gross line right across the tummy. Now wearing a full length shirt (one that goes all the way to the bottom of the template on the regular shirt layer) will over this flaw - as will wearing a shirt that goes on the jacket layer that goes all the way down .. but any of those little cutsie baby doll tees won't. Your fatty seam will show all the live long day. And its just as noticeable as all the others.

The Pluses

The tit shading is awesome - as well as the ass shading. The tummy work is great too except that ugly ass line! The nipples seem a bit on the 'inverted' side (you girls know what inverted nipples look like don't ya? With the dimple in the middle?) but even that is tolerable because the cleavage and underside shading is done so well.

The face itself is really really good - except those humongous ass lips. It literally grossed me out but like I said - if all those ugly things I pointed out were fixed .. I would have just altered my shape to compensate!

Some people may think I'm being too picky - but this really isn't as its advertised. It isn't my shape that's doing it as I found out by re-visiting the store.


You: Before you buy any of these hybrids .. be sure to pay special attention to the neck, backs of the arms, inner thigh, and the abdomen line beneath the bellybutton

You: Just looking out for others is all n.n

Shopper1: thank you Orchid

You: No problem. Made the mistake myself a few days ago

Shopper2: Yes I know about the pattern thing my best friend is a Furry lol

Shopper2 : he bitches about them all the time




If you decide you still want one of these skins - go for it but I've done what I felt right by warning folks that what they see isn't necessarily what they get. There are lots of other awesome stuff in this store (Hybrid Street, Gnoma (6, 188, 46)- just steer clear of the skins is all.