The Dandy Store!

No, I’m not talking about the famed comic books. ‘Dandy’ in this sense refers to the male character (particularly written about in Victorian literature and famously so in the works of the incredible Oscar Wilde) who cares about his appearance, pays particular attention to how he dresses and can be flamboyant. But I won’t get into literary definitions or lectures about Wilde!

However, I was handed a note card with information about a Dandy Store called ‘Nachtmusik’ by one of its two owners the other day. The store is owned by Draco Nacht and Theodore Nacht and lies on the beautifully quaint sim of Caledon South End. It caters to ‘Dandy-ish’ male avatars primarily with its elegant Victorian style clothing but also has a couple of female gowns as well.

I went along to take a look, since such an idea is very original in Second Life™ and it is something of a change to see in terms of the saturated clothing market.

The first thing to note it just how well this place is set up. The store is elegant, Victorian in feel and works well with the concept of the designs it sells. The building was created by Gregg Barrymore. Kudos to the owners though for opting to lay out their store in theme. As I say frequently, I really hate to see locations where the items have been thrown out in prims with no thought or care.

The Dandy Store at Caledon South End

Inside 'Nachtmusik'

Some of the Dandy Store's Designs

Getting beyond the incredible interior and exterior decor, I took a close look at the advertising pictures for the clothing they create here. This is very much a new store, which explains the relatively limited range of items available. But already there is a certain quality to be seen. The outfits stay very much true to their theme and are incredibly ‘Dandy-ish’ in nature. Many of them can also be sent as gifts, which is a great idea and very convenient. The prices are very reasonable. For example, the ‘Colorful Gentleman’ outfit which is an entire outfit with jackets, pants, shirt layer plus prim parts too, is just L$ 150! ‘The Dandy’ outfit, again a full outfit featuring prim puffed sleeves and cravat is just L$ 200, the same price as the female gowns.

So pricewise, superb. For layout, wonderful. It is very much a niche, however. Few people in game I have seen dress permanently in this style so I imagine it would attract costume buyers just as much as those who choose this for their overall look.

I would say this will be more impressive once it has a larger range, particularly if the new releases will stay as true to theme as the current ones. It’s refreshing to come across a designer who is focusing on a niche like this. I would much rather see someone specialise in their area than become a Jack of all trades and a master of none.

Whether you like your avatar to be permanently a Dandy, or whether you simply require something of this nature for a costume party, this is worth a look as the quality is seemingly high and the products look detailed, not to mention the low prices. You can find Nachtmusik Dandy Store here.

– Broom Andel

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Demoiselle Denimore’s rating is 7/10.
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