How am I supposed to do this?

I can't believe that you can't play this to it's full extent if you aren't good at 3d, photoshop, or scripting. The games are all some form of bingo, and even then it seems impossible to even play this really. I run out of my 500$ a week quickly, I don't see how you can keep it around. I do happen to make a lot of clothes, but I have no way to afford the land to sell them! How do I get a foothold! I really need help, I spent 20 bucks for what seems like nothing!

Many malls offer vendor space for rent for less than your weekly stipend.

Firstly, you do not need land in order to sell your clothes. There are many malls in the world where you could, for a small rent each week, sell your items.

It's true that some residents come to SL with experience of Photoshop, scripting etc, but I think the vast majority do not. I had no prior knowledge so am learning all the time and get a great sense of achievement from that.

It's not my business what you spend your money on each week, but I nowhere near spend all my stipend; in fact I spend very little and have sufficient to buy a good piece of land on which I will build a shop. It depends what's important to you - spending or saving for a specific project.

Lastly, you can buy L$ on GOM or several other places.

I hope you find what you are looking for.

Alexa

Slippi,

I sympathize.

Getting a foothold can be frustrating. Beneath the technology of SL, this is the basic premise of the environment: You choose your goals and you find your way. It's a lot less boring than Kill The Monster And Gain A Level, but a real frustration at times.

Having unloaded that pompous sunburst of insight on you, let me be quick to give you some encouragement, and for selfish reasons: You're good in Photoshop, yes? I think I saw that in another post. I envy that.

If you're good in Photoshop, and are willing to learn to learn to make unique, detailed, high-quality men's clothing, you'll find an instant clientele. (Nice-looking clothing for the ladies works too, but please, give us guys a break )

Chip Midnight just posted a set of enhanced templates for use in clothes construction. He's taken the trouble of color-coding the join areas for seams, matching up which has been one of the major obstacles for beginning designers. You might want to download a set and play with them, see what you think?

As far as getting yourself established...you might find it worthwhile to think about a basic seasonal line you could put together, and start thinking in terms of an eventual fashion show.

There are some seriously-connected Fashionistas on the Grid. You get the attention of any one of them with a portfolio, I think you'll find you've just written yourself a ticket. They'll critique your work, they'll help you put a show together, and they'll coach you what you need to do next. Most important: they'll drag all kinds of interesting and prosperous folks over to have a look at what you've done. I've attended a handful of fashion shows, and every one of them has been jam-packed.

If you're good at Photoshop, you have one of THE most marketable skills on the Grid. But just running an ad on the forums, inviting work, isn't going to get you where you need to go. You need a game plan.

I suggest you contact Mae Best and see if the two of you can schedule some time together. She may be kind of hard to find this weekend...she's dealing with some major technical issues in her private sim...but she's an exceptionally good Mentor, and she lives to meet people like you.

Above all, please don't get discouraged. The Grid moves much faster than the Outside World, but it still takes time, perseverance, and strategy to get anything worth having.

== danny d.

Hi Slippi
I happen to be one of those Fashionista types AND I am dedicated to helping new folks -I think I did meet you briefly at the Elbow Room movies - but then my SL/Qicktime etc flipped out and I had to bail.
IM me in world and I can help you with a game plan and/or get you hooked up with a debut fashion show. I have a huge open air events space, a buncha HOT models and the New Citizens Inc group all set to help get you started - lets ROLL!

Breaking into the fashion world and the world of high-end boutiques and networks of players who can help you is tough. Some people are giving you advice that sounds good.

I have malls and boardwalk stalls with only $25 and $50 stalls which you are welcome to try. Most high-traffic malls are going to want at least $75/$100 per week or more, and it gets tough to pay. I find it can take 30 days or more to make a sale and get established.

Many people argue fiercely whether it is worth taking free spots and worth apprenticing yourself by letting an older player take you under their wing. I think it pays to understand the value of business costs early on, and to travel around to the malls, watch shopping patterns around telehubs, and maybe get at least a small space there to test your market. And there are many free opportunities like yard sales, etc. I think you also need to shop around with the "apprenticing" offers as well.

Become an escort!

Personally I have a hard time figuring out where my "niche" should be -- there is SO MUCH good stuff out there already. And given the glut, I'm inclined just to totter away at my virtual sewing machine in my own spare time and sell by word-of-mouth only. Yes, that may be a terrible business model, but it's fairly low overhead... and I'm enjoying SL for its social aspects more than pretending to be a business woman

One additional thing you might consider is participating in contests. There seems to be one for just about everything (though the majority seem to involve the word 'sexy'). Even a L$300 third-place prize can help set you up a bit more comfortably (think of it as 30 "free" texture uploads), and if you've any social bent at all they can be good places to meet people and make a few connexions.

This much I've learned in about a week of SL YMMV of course.

My advice is to quit. If you've been here this long, claim to make clothes, yet bitch about everything else related to commerce in SL, you probably shouldn't be here. Since last summer you haven't been able to find space to sell your merchandise? Unreal, the hand-holding some people require.