So, as I said I'm brand new and I haven't the slightest idea what shops are good for what - or even how to tell if something is of good quality beyond how it looks. With that said I have a lot of questions - sorry, please bear with me!
I already know that I should demo everything I can, but what if something I'm interested in doesn't offer a demo? Is there some way I can tell if it's good or should I just avoid shops that don't offer demos?
What are some good mesh bodies and heads for a more petite (adult) girl? So far it seems that the deadly combo of tall, curvy, and sexy reigns supreme on SL (not that I'm complaining) but I can't seem to find anything along the lines of what I'm looking for. I would like to be short and slim with a smaller chest and a more "cute" than sexy sort of look. Kemono and anime avatars come close, I just prefer the more realistic look.
Where can I find a lot of fantasy stuff? I browsed through the vanity thread for awhile and my favorite avatars were all fantasy, historical, or sci-fi themed. I don't know if I'm allowed to post pictures of them, but I will say they must have been hard to put together because I can't figure out where they got it all! I've seen wings, pointy ears, animal ears, horns, tails, mermaids, satyrs, all kinds of avatars yet I don't really come across those things in the marketplace. Is most of it custom made?
If anyone can point me in the direction of some great shops for lolita, fantasy, historical, or steampunk clothing that'd be great too! I'm sure there are some well-known brands that I just don't know about yet.
Edit: One more! When people talk about animations on mesh bodies and heads, are these separate from/do they interfere with AOs?
Any tips you guys can offer would be greatly appreciated.