Non-Cute, Coy, or Sexy Animations for Women?

[LaskyaClaren]

Greetings Forum Hivemind!

I'm in the market for a new AO, or at least for new animations for my existing one (which is a mix of purchased and free animations).

I'd like animations that are, obviously, high quality, but that also depict natural and non-cutesy-poo or "sexy" motion. In other words, animations that show a woman in normal, everyday interactions with others. I don't want to be thrusting my hips to one side, or arching my back, or looking coyly over my shoulder.

(That's not to be judgemental, by the way: such animations have their place. It's just not how I want to be perceived.)

I've found, of course, individual animations here and there that accomplish this, but I'm wondering if there isn't a single AO that achieves it. The closest I've found thus far are two at Vista: the new Cosmpolitan AO, and their Elegant Lady one (even if the title does leave me gagging a little).

Does anyone have any particular suggestions for an AO that I might buy entire, or at least harvest for a number of good animations?

I'm quite willing, if need be, to cobble together animations from diverse sources, but I've found that the "flow" is smoother if they have been designed as a package.

And of course, I'm supremely lazy, and would prefer not to have to spend hours and days searching for individual ones I like. ;-)

Thanks!

 

Edited to add: Sorry. I've just realized that this should probably go in the "Your Avatar" section, but there you are. Oops.

[Bree Giffen]

You should look at male animations. They work just as well for women although some might go to the opposite end of the spectrum and be too masculine. Also look for female AOs marketed as business animations. Those aren't sexy. 

[LaskyaClaren]

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Bree Giffen wrote:

You should look at male animations. They work just as well for women although some might go to the opposite end of the spectrum and be too masculine. Also look for female AOs marketed as business animations. Those aren't sexy. 

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Thanks, Bree.

I've thought about male animations, although that would of course also mean cherrypicking appropriate ones, as most of the male AOs I've seen seem to have some very hyper-masculine poses.

I searched "professional" in the SL Marketplace, and there is one by Abranimations that I will check out. I haven't searched under "business": that's worth a shot as well.

[LaskyaClaren]

Oh, here' s one for "sexy drunken girl."

That'll probably fit the bill, right?

 

/me sighs

[Madelaine McMasters]

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LaskyaClaren wrote:

The closest I've found thus far are two at Vista: the new Cosmpolitan AO, and their Elegant Lady one (even if the title does leave me gagging a little).

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Imagine my reaction to the title of Vista "Perfect Lady" AO that I use. I was looking for precisely the look you describe, and found nothing better years ago.

I do have Oracul's "Math Teacher" AO in my inventory, though I haven't ever worn it. I believe I intended to move some of its poses to my Vista AO.

[Pussycat Catnap]

Just cherry pick the animations...

Hit up as many animation shops as you can and buy individual animations. Stuff them into an AO Hud or TPV built in that lets them all cycle in some manner (I use the one from Akeyo as its really easy with having multiple animations of the same type).

You'll be much happier if you pick your animations individually. And be more unique.

 

[LaskyaClaren]

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Madelaine McMasters wrote:

Imagine my reaction to the title of Vista "Perfect Lady" AO that I use. I was looking for precisely the look you describe, and found nothing better years ago.

I do have Oracul's "Math Teacher" AO in my inventory, though I haven't ever worn it. I believe I intended to move some of its poses to my Vista AO.

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"Perfect Lady," unfortunately, would only half serve my needs. I am, in my own particular and idiosyncratic way, pretty near "perfect."

 

It's the "lady" part I'd have some problems fulfilling. ;-)

[LaskyaClaren]

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Pussycat Catnap wrote:

Just cherry pick the animations...

Hit up as many animation shops as you can and buy individual animations. Stuff them into an AO Hud or TPV built in that lets them all cycle in some manner (I use the one from Akeyo as its really easy with having multiple animations of the same type).

You'll be much happier if you pick your animations individually. And be more unique.

 

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Thanks; this is increasingly looking like the route to take. I may start with a AO package, and then fiddle with it, pulling and adding as need be, but much will depend on what I can find in the way of individual animations.

I'm pretty adept at working with the ZHAO Hud, so I may just use that.

[Aethelwine]

I would recommend taking a look at the Oracul AOs not so much because any spring to mind as being precisely what you want but because they are high quality and cheap compared with other AOs.

I think I use some of the walks from the maths teacher AO, and the basically girl anims for the stands and sits and stuff. But take a look at them all and think whether you need the whole AO or just some of the anims and work out which is cheaper way to buy them.

[LaskyaClaren]

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Aethelwine wrote:

I would recommend taking a look at the Oracul AOs not so much because any spring to mind as being precisely what you want but because they are high quality and cheap compared with other AOs.

 

I think I use some of the walks from the maths teacher AO, and the basically girl anims for the stands and sits and stuff. But take a look at them all and think whether you need the whole AO or just some of the anims and work out which is cheaper way to buy them.

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Thanks!

Although I'm about the farthest thing from a "math teacher" you could imagine, it sounds as though that's one I should look at.

I'll also check out Oracul, which I don't know at all -- I'm not overly worried about price, but why pay more if I don't have to, right? After all, that's extra L$s I could spend on slide rules, calculators, and graph paper. :-)

[Snugs McMasters]

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LaskyaClaren wrote:

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Madelaine McMasters wrote:

Imagine my reaction to the title of Vista "Perfect Lady" AO that I use. I was looking for precisely the look you describe, and found nothing better years ago.

I do have Oracul's "Math Teacher" AO in my inventory, though I haven't ever worn it. I believe I intended to move some of its poses to my Vista AO.

---

"Perfect Lady," unfortunately, would only half serve my needs. I am, in my own particular and idiosyncratic way, pretty near "perfect."

 

It's the "lady" part I'd have some problems fulfilling. ;-)

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Maddy can't get within a country mile of "perfect" or "lady", and that's entirely for lack of trying.

[Treasure Ballinger]

I use Vista's Basic Girl for this same reason. 

[LaskyaClaren]

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Snugs McMasters wrote:

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LaskyaClaren wrote:

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Madelaine McMasters wrote:

Imagine my reaction to the title of Vista "Perfect Lady" AO that I use. I was looking for precisely the look you describe, and found nothing better years ago.

I do have Oracul's "Math Teacher" AO in my inventory, though I haven't ever worn it. I believe I intended to move some of its poses to my Vista AO.

---

"Perfect Lady," unfortunately, would only half serve my needs. I am, in my own particular and idiosyncratic way, pretty near "perfect."

 

It's the "lady" part I'd have some problems fulfilling. ;-)

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Maddy can't get within a country mile of "perfect" or "lady", and that's entirely for lack of trying.

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And you should commend her for it. As I'm sure, in your quiet moments together, you do.

I myself only achieve perfection by ,maintaining remarkably low standards, and a shifting goal post.

[LaskyaClaren]

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Treasure Ballinger wrote:

I use Vista's Basic Girl for this same reason. 

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Yes, that's the one that I started with, and that still forms the core of my current mixed AO.

It's not awful, but I suspect that in part is also because it's rather dull.

It would be nice to think that there are varieties of "interesting" body language that aren't overtly, ostentatiously "sexy," but maybe I'm wrong, in SL anyway.

[Madelaine McMasters]

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LaskyaClaren wrote:

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Snugs McMasters wrote:

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LaskyaClaren wrote:

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Madelaine McMasters wrote:

Imagine my reaction to the title of Vista "Perfect Lady" AO that I use. I was looking for precisely the look you describe, and found nothing better years ago.

I do have Oracul's "Math Teacher" AO in my inventory, though I haven't ever worn it. I believe I intended to move some of its poses to my Vista AO.

---

"Perfect Lady," unfortunately, would only half serve my needs. I am, in my own particular and idiosyncratic way, pretty near "perfect."

 

It's the "lady" part I'd have some problems fulfilling. ;-)

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Maddy can't get within a country mile of "perfect" or "lady", and that's entirely for lack of trying.

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And you should commend her for it. As I'm sure, in your quiet moments together, you do.

I myself only achieve perfection by ,maintaining remarkably low standards, and a shifting goal post.

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We rarely have quiet moments together, though the noise doesn't escape my skull.

I recommend you carry your goal post in your purse.

[Tiffy Vella]

I use a mixture of aos that have been put together over the years, some quite over the top (for a giggle if I'm off building and not being seen by anyone) , and some sensible (I like my default stand that lets me talk politely with others without presenting a rear end to them like a baboon in heat). I'd also recommend that you to visit Oracul, as they sell well-populated aos for a very good price, the animations are mo-cap and copiable, and you can edit them to make your own version. You can then add animations from a variety of stores (if you can edit a Zhao you will figure out the Oracul notecard system easily). Also, check out men's runs, as they can be much more sensible than women's ones.

 

Enjoy! Shopping for anims can be really fun

[Liaa Nova]

Hi, I use Abranimations 'Urban Woman' ao, some walking about, definitely not sexy, abit of hand to hair but not too much. It does have a really annoying brushing dust off legs ani i can't be bothered to see if I can remove but it's good, not guy like and not all cutesy

[LaskyaClaren]

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Madelaine McMasters wrote:

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I recommend you carry your goal post in your purse.

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This is an excellent idea. It's sure to get lost in there, rendering the entire issue moot. 

Who wants to be "perfect" anyway? :-)

[LaskyaClaren]

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Tiffy Vella wrote:

I use a mixture of aos that have been put together over the years, some quite over the top (for a giggle if I'm off building and not being seen by anyone) , and some sensible (I like my default stand that lets me talk politely with others without presenting a rear end to them like a baboon in heat). I'd also recommend that you to visit Oracul, as they sell well-populated aos for a very good price, the animations are mo-cap and copiable, and you can edit them to make your own version. You can then add animations from a variety of stores (if you can edit a Zhao you will figure out the Oracul notecard system easily). Also, check out men's runs, as they can be much more sensible than women's ones.

 

Enjoy! Shopping for anims can be really fun

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Thank you Tiff! This is good advice, and another vote for Oracul, which I will definitely check out.

And thank you for the baboon bottom image, which may linger uncomfortably in my mind for days to come. ;-)

[LaskyaClaren]

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Liana Wildmist wrote:

Hi, I use Abranimations 'Urban Woman' ao, some walking about, definitely not sexy, abit of hand to hair but not too much. It does have a really annoying brushing dust off legs ani i can't be bothered to see if I can remove but it's good, not guy like and not all cutesy

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I have an Abranimations AO, but I don't know their products as well as I do Vista's, so this is very helpful! Thank you; I will schedule a trip there to test drive this!

[LaskyaClaren]

I just wanted to leave a short note to thank everyone who contributed to this thread! 

I spent several hours last night running through hundreds of animations at three major animation stores. My still tentative, undigested, and highly subjective conclusions are:

 

• The animations I looked at that purported to depict "professional" women or women in professional contexts seem to do so by permitting a minimum of actual movement. Apparently, when women aren't at clubs, they are standing somewhat lifelessly with arms crossed or hands on thighs. (Maybe this is why I have not be as successful at administration in RL as I might have been? I've been getting the body language wrong!)
  
  
• On the other hand, to judge from animations depicting "office workers," professional women spend much less time actually working than Preening, Posing, and Pouting. (The Three "P"s of How to Get Ahead in Business?)
  
  
• Most mocap must be undertaken in hair salons. OMFG, people, women do not play with their hair every 30 seconds!

I finally settled on a miscellaneous batch of animations, mostly from Oracul (Thank you for directing me there, those who did! Occasionally odd but well-done animations that are ridiculously inexpensive!) As I didn't want to sacrifice movement to modesty, I chose ones that seemed to me assertive in a relatively unsexual way.

I'll probably continue tweaking my AO endlessly, but at the moment, anyway, I'm fairly happy with the result.

So, again, thanks for the advice and guidance!

[Madelaine McMasters]

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LaskyaClaren wrote:

Maybe this is why I have not be as successful at administration in RL as I might have been? I've been getting the body language wrong!

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I don't imagine I'll ever find animations that match my RL body language... which is gibberish.

I look forward to seeing what you've put together, Laskya!

ETA: On further reflection, my RL body language may simply lack nouns.

[Tiffy Vella]

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Yay! It sounds like you've had fun! And yes..there are a lot of hilarious animations out there. Which is a good thing.

 

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LaskyaClaren wrote:

I'll probably continue tweaking my AO endlessly, but at the moment, anyway, I'm fairly happy with the result.

 

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Many of us end up tweaking everything, forever. SL is a haven for endless tinkerers.

 

 

[Treasure Ballinger]

LOL that's what I liked about it, it's dull.  :matte-motes-big-grin:

[LaskyaClaren]

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Madelaine McMasters wrote:

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LaskyaClaren wrote:

Maybe this is why I have not be as successful at administration in RL as I might have been? I've been getting the body language wrong!

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I don't imagine I'll ever find animations that match my RL body language... which is gibberish.

I look forward to seeing what you've put together, Laskya!

ETA: On further reflection, my RL body language may simply lack nouns.

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I knew a writer-in-residence who used to tell students who came to her for advice on their writing that they should avoid adjectives, because adjectives were a little bit fascist, and deprived the reader of the joy of imagining the appearance of something unhindered by the author.

Perhaps a body language without nouns is similarly liberating. As an academic theorist might say, your body is dynamic, unfixed, and always in the process of "becoming"!

 

Or something like that.

Seriously, give it some thought; it's something you could work with. I find that theory always supplies a great way to justify my own otherwise inexcusable inadequacies. :-)