What and Why:
We all begin VP life as hideous black boxes. Most of us investigate our virtual selves and don one of the limited AVs we are born with.
This is a fine start -- We can now learn to flip and to change mood (see below). Also, these built-in avs identify one as a freshly-hatched newbie, and may attract AV donations. But sooner or later one wants to "go to the mall" and pick out one's own virtual attire.

The accepted master list of AV and gesture shops is Ing's.. We are all in her debt for the effort of creating and maintaining this list. As of April 8, 1998, she listed over 350 avatar and gesture shops. These places come and go, however, so a number of the links will lead nowhere.
Ing has recently added a listing of AV shops by type.
Some Shops (in no particular order):
Candid Avatars.
A wealth of AVs, including lots that are quite different from the VPlaces
norm. Animals, fireworks, symbols and patterns, etc.
Not many men and women though.
Mystie's Avatars. The name of this places changes, but it has a
good selection of AVs for men and women, including some fantasy and animal
ones. Unfortunately Mystie has complicated the links
unnecessarily Still, it's a good place to get a basic wardrobe.
Coree Proffitt's Dark Avatars.
Vampyres
and skeletons and ghouls and other goodies.
There are also links to Coree's other neat pages.
Editrix's Fine Art Avatars. A select collection of really classy AVs. For the distriminating gent or lady with a taste for
art. If you like her AVs, you may like her other links,
including the chat room DaVinci's Exile
Brit's Page O'Avatars. All Cheese- and Beefcake here,
plus some pretty faces. Nothing really gross.
Brit used to have a page of "Ladies & Bikes", but it has disappeared.
Maybe they've gone to put on a bit more before riding.
Avatars by The Beach Bums: "This is a
collection of avatars created by friends that hang at
Beach at Sunset ... " Several contributors,
beachwear and more (or less) ... .
GinGinCoo's Avatar Heaven. There's a variety of stuff here -- Spyderman, Stooges, Simpsons, StarWars, Seinfeld ---.
Wolf's Wolf AVs. A nice little collection of wolf AVs.
Drkwolf promises us there are more to come.
If you're into wolves, check out the Animals section of Ing's by-type
listing.
LucyLastic's Avatars. A huge collection. This has dragons and animals, and it also has lots
and lots of humans, including erotic and "alternative" AVs.
If you are under-age or "easily offended" heed the
copious warnings and stay out.
© 1998