Managing Outfits

[Jennifer Boyle]

I loved it when outfits were introduced.  They saved me soooo much time dressing.  I no longer had to search through my inventory every time to get just the right combination.  After I had used them for a while, I discovered that they are hard to manage because there is no built-in way to organize them---there is only one level on the outfit tab.  SL will not allow one outfit folder to be placed within another.  However, it will permit a regular folder to be created within an outfit folder.  Disappointingly, when one does that and then places an outfit folder within the regular folder, the outfit tab displays the contents of the lower level outfit folder in the first level outfit, and does not display the lower outfit folder within the regular folder.  One workaround is to forgo using the outfit tab and use the inventory tab to manipulate outfits, but it's less convenient.

Recently, I discovered that outfit folders can be moved to regular inventory folders outside of the My Outfits folder.  They still work perfectly well, but they do not show on the outfit tab.  I was able to get rid of a lot of clutter on the outfit tab by storing my winter outfits in another folder, where I also have the convenience of sorting them as much as I want.  For example, I have a Holiday folder with subfolders for each holiday; when that holiday nears, I can easily drag the outfits back to the My Outfits folder.

Another workaround to organize the Outfits tab is to name the outfits so that they are order in groups, e.g.., make "Dress" the first word for all dresses, etc.

Another shortcoming of outfits is that the only way to make one is to wear everything in it and then save the new outfit, so that it contains not only clothing and all attachments, but skin, shape, etc.  It becomes a real problem when one has dozens of outfits and decides to start wearing a new skin or shape.  I think I have found the best workaround.  I have one Nude Avatar outfit (One could have as many as one wanted.) containing skin, shape, eyes, bald head, tattoo layers I always wear, physics layer, AAA, and other attachments I always wear.  I have a few other outfits containing only attachments that I wear in certain situations.  I am removing the items that are in these outfits from all of my actual clothing outfits.  I can first replace my outfit with the Nude Avatar outfit, then add the appropriate attachment outfit for the occasion, and finally add the clothing outfit.  When I decide to change my skin or get a new AO, I'll only have to change the nude outfit.  Right now, I have the physics layer in the Nude Avatar outfit, but I'm thinking that it may need to be in the individual clothing outfits because different clothing may require different physics settings once I learn to use physics properly.

I'm posting this both to share with others what it has taken me months to learn and to stimulate discussion of how outfits can be used best.  Others may have found valuable ways to use them better that I have not.  Tell us your tricks!

[Rayse Senizen]

---

Jennifer Boyle wrote:

Recently, I discovered that outfit folders can be moved to regular inventory folders outside of the My Outfits folder.  They still work perfectly well, but they do not show on the outfit tab.

[...]  I have one Nude Avatar outfit (One could have as many as one wanted.) containing skin, shape, eyes, bald head, tattoo layers I always wear, physics layer, AAA, and other attachments I always wear.  I have a few other outfits containing only attachments that I wear in certain situations.  I am removing the items that are in these outfits from all of my actual clothing outfits.  I can first replace my outfit with the Nude Avatar outfit, then add the appropriate attachment outfit for the occasion, and finally add the clothing outfit.  When I decide to change my skin or get a new AO, I'll only have to change the nude outfit.  Right now, I have the physics layer in the Nude Avatar outfit, but I'm thinking that it may need to be in the individual clothing outfits because different clothing may require different physics settings once I learn to use physics properly.

 

---

i didn't know about being able to move the folders out of My Outfits either!  tyvm for the tip!

 

as for avatar physics, it's still a mystery to me. ???  still trying to figure that option out. o_0

[Venus Petrov]

Here is a page re: setup of avatar physics that may be helpful:  http://wiki.phoenixviewer.com/doku.php?id=phoenix_avatar_physics

[Jennifer Boyle]

Thanks, Venus.  I have read that the effects of the same setting are much different in the LL viewer and Phoenix.

One of my biggest issues is figuring out exactly what the definitions of the terms are.  You would think LL would publish some documentation that would, at least, have definitions of menu terms, but they don't Grrrr.

I have figured gravity out.  It's a misnomer.  Sag would be more descriptive of what it does.  Interestingly, it seems to reach its maximum effect with a setting of 10.

[Venus Petrov]

You are welcome!  It is easier for LL to titillate at these 'new' features than to define them.  Pun intended.