Create A Noob!

I second this. Newbs want to learn and turn into productive members of SL. Noobs get bored and go back to WoW.

before we go bashing superficial/vain people too much - remember they are a huge driving force in the economy.

I have to admit that my avatar is very vain....I have many different hair styles in the color I've chosen, as well as many shades of eyes and tons of clothes. To me, SL is not RL. Some people want their avatars to look like their RL selves....I don't. My avie is perpetually 25, although my RL self passed that age many years ago, my avie is tall and blonde with blue eyes and a very sexy shape. Hmmmmm, not much like my short non-supermodel self. Hey, I always wanted to be tall and curvy and my avie is. I don't see the problem with that, and if I'm judged as superficial, it's because someone didn't take the time to talk to me and get to know me for what I am. Just as people with less than stellar looks shouldn't be judged, neither should those who choose to look like an idealized version of man-hood, woman-hood. If you choose to be buff or curvaceous, don't let someone detract you from that. The bottom line is that your SL self can, and should be, whatever you want it to be! It's YOUR second life!

Amen to you Sunni. Bottom line is you can be whatever you wish, even a muscle-bound Goliath, if that's your dream.
Personally I like a bit of realism in looks. But nothing's wrong with perfecting it. My av is vain too. And it surprised me. But I guess that's because she's the extension of what I want to be. Although she's attractive, she's not a Barbie doll however. Probably in an SL wet-tshirt contest, she wouldn't win.

Oh Gregory, if it's tats you want, many people will make them custom for you. There's a new store, Laguna Ink, that specializes in custom orders. Everyone's suggestions here are great ones.

Well I know it's a tad late to ring in, but I was checking out Nocturnal Threads today and they have an excellent casual men's section (though rather gothic-chic, so if you don't like that style)...

As is I like a fairly nice male AV to look at that isn't muscle-bound and overbearing... Of course this applies to the 'street thugz' to... I've seen more than one guy in a 'black' skin and a tux with way to much bling... That's as bad as 'My brain is the size of a pee, but I can lift you and six other AV's!'...

And don't dis the nicely defined chests, legs, and arms of some skins... There are many looks that don't require a full 'shirt' and you do want something under there when that is the case...

btw you could also look for 'jack in a box' or something like that... Heck if your willing to spend some cash I even know a few women who would show you were to go to dress your AV... I've seen them before while clothes-shopping for myself... ^_^

Calla has that, next to the free men's hair. I don't like the shape in that box (the crotch is hanging where I think the knees should be) but it's mod, and there are decent outfits in there.

I agree with the rest of your post, but if a newbie needs anything at all it's a skin, in order to look remotely like a human being. Nothing looks worse than the standard Ruth-turned-male avatar with the typical plain brown bodypaint.

As long as you're not an all-time beach or sexclub hangout most of your avatar is covered by clothes, so an expensive skin is just wasted money. Play around with the sliders, like lighting up the skin a bit (or making it darker) and adding a bit of the face lines for more definition. Trust me, it goes a long way.

Prim hair: Thought about it... for maybe five minutes but decided it isn't worth the spent money and the hassle. Females may need it, especially when it comes to longer hair, but more often than not I unwillingly think about octopi (plural of octopus) sitting on people's heads...

If your av .. resembles Phil Linden .. then you might just look like a noobie.