prismdelta

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All I have to say is Treat everyone, even the Dead, how you want to be Treated

Hating on someone is one thing but disrespecting the life they lived is another.

The World doesn't just revolve around you and your feelings.

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How to unite the World with an argument of Words

things got a little heated in the gc today

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Well that's a Disrespectful joke to a Life well lived, so uh get a Self Help book and re-evaluate your life

with transphobia ever on the rise in this country, it's nice to see the government open more gender neutral public toilets

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I'm confused why is this about Gender Neutral public Toilets when the picture is about a Prominent Figure Resting Place being Open to everyone.

Uhm I am confusion

with transphobia ever on the rise in this country, it's nice to see the government open more gender neutral public toilets

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“When dad said he didn’t want any cat in the house. Him 2 weeks later:”

(via)

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I always thought Eugene from Try Guys was Bisexual, as a Kid.

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I have on and off feelings with a Girl

Her Hair and her eyes were Black as the Abyss and I was the Fool that wandered in

I can stare and stare for hours but I can never truly be with her.

The Way she smiles, brightens me

The Way she Shouts, Darkens me

It was Switch, a Button, but all things needed Power and sadly I wasn't one for that.

I long, long for a day I can accept her and for her to accept me but when will that come?

She rejects me yet I Longed for her

I know she will be happier with someone else, someone that had power for her Switch to light a spark that will never go out.

She said I'll be a Great Boyfriend but does she not realize my eyes were for her and her only....

I Wish, I Pray, I hoped for her but that will never come...

I said, "Thine eyes shant look into her Abyss" but it's a Lie, Illusion and the Heartbreaking truth

I long and long for that day to come but like a Switch, I turn on and off

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Ariel should be both part of the Try guys and and the Try Wives, other than that Kwsei would be a great Addition.

If the Ned Fulmer cheating story is true, and he both gets left by Ariel and gets kicked/leaves the Try Guys, I vote Ariel gets to stay on as one of the Try Wives regardless

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Hamilton Fandom I would like Art of James Madison's Ghost being like, "Yas Bitch Slay" at the fact that Lizzo is playing his Crystal Flute.

Like this is glorious

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CYBERPUNK

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Shop , Patreon , Books and Cards , Mailing List

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My entire life is a lie

Baby corn is just regular corn that gets harvested early.

(Source. Source 2)

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Been getting back to the PJO Fandom, so guys just asking, do you think Artemis's sexuality is Lesbian, Arrow Ace or Demisexual?

For me, I think it's Demisexual because she had a relationship with Orion, according to sites,

"Demisexuality is a sexual orientation in which a person feels sexually attracted to someone only after they've developed a close emotional bond with them. Forming a bond doesn't guarantee a person will feel a sexual attraction, but the bond is needed before sexual activity is even possible"

Orion was in the ranks of the Hunters of Artemis, and he fell in love with her only after a long time which probably Artemis did the Same too.

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Huh, when you actually need this for art reference

hi Audrey, love to hear your thoughts on the Singaporean drama ‘Last Madame’ (2020 Netflix).The story shifts between modern day & the Singapore of 1938. On discovering her a great grandmother’s cheongsam, a young woman reveals an intriguing past life. Not sure if the dresses are historically accurate or the designer has taken a few liberties. They’re beautiful all the same. Beware, the drama’s tone is odd, some violent scenes sit alongside a coy hallmark romance. It’s worth a watch though.

Hi, I looked up some photos from the show and came to the conclusion that it wasn’t really historically accurate. I would say that the costumes in Last Madame fall under the category of Republican era guzhuang, or stereotypical (neutral) costuming. The designer likely did not consult any primary sources such as drawings, photographs or original artefacts, but used modern cheongsam and “industry standard” hair and makeup. I think it would be pointless to do a full review of Last Madame because its costumes literally have many of the same mistakes and weird tendencies as mainland Chinese shows set in the 1930s, a couple of which I have reviewed already. I think it would be more helpful to do something similar to what was requested previously for The Sword and the Brocade but for the 1930s, a guide for how to recognize whether dramas/movies set in this decade have good costuming, without being an expert on 1930s Chinese fashion. This did turn into a bit of a rant toward the end because I got tired of seeing designers copy each other’s mistakes and giving zero fucks about accuracy or aesthetics.

How to tell if 1930s costuming is historically accurate

Before we start

First I need to address some, uh, ideological issues. Because fashion changed so quickly in the Republican era, costume designers need to be very specific about the year in which the costuming is set in in order to achieve high levels of accuracy. If the time setting of the show or costuming is simply stated as “1930s” instead of “1934″ or “1938″, it’s already a bit sketchy. The differences between early, mid and late 30s Chinese fashion could be subtle to the average person, but they definitely exist and should be recognizable to costume designers who know their craft.

Hairstyles

Finger waves

Personally I would say that hairstyles are more effective at showing if costuming is accurate than the clothing. I’ve talked about this often in older posts, if a production team used these very flat finger wave extensions with dramatic curves, it is the biggest red flag that the costuming is no good. Real finger waves were very structural, involving the combing, pinching and waving of the hair on the person’s entire head, not just the section at the front. Hair would be bobbed short or had the rest of the length rolled up tightly after waving was finished. The finished hairstyle was three dimensional and short, with visible protruding ridges and rows of highlight created by the wave-like shape. Even if a finger wave hairstyle was done correctly (which it honestly never was, to my knowledge at least), it was only fashionable in China between 1930-1935. Early 30s finger waves tend to be shorter and sit closer to the scalp, whereas mid 30s finger waves had a fizzy, puffy end. Any drama/movie that uses finger waves extensively for other years could not be considered accurate. Period dramas/movies’ obsession with finger waves in the Republican era confuses me, there were so many other cool hairstyles to explore.

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This, is a finger wave, suitable for the early 30s.

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This, is also a finger wave, suitable for the mid 30s.

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From Winter Begonia. This, is an extension and not a finger wave. Her hair is only waved in the front section and not in the back. You can see in the previous image there’s about three to four waves from the top of the person’s head to their ears, whereas here there are only two. It’s a shame because the actress is so pretty.

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The extension in question can be bought easily.

Brush out curls

Typically, early 30s hairstyles were short and sat close to the scalp, whereas late 30s hairstyles were bigger and more puffed out. By that I do not mean the hair was longer----women’s hairstyles were all short in the 30s, they did not reach below the nape of the neck until years into the 40s. Brush out curls achieved by rollers, heat or pin curls were more common in the late 30s, but keep in mind the waves created were still very tight and voluminous, not loose and saggy like in a lot of Republican era dramas/movies. Also, most Chinese dramas/movies portray actresses with perfectly smooth and shiny hair throughout, which was not the case for actual fashionable late 1930s Chinese women whose hair often had frizzy ends due to brushing out and the setting products used. In the mid and late 30s, a common hairstyle was a middle/side parted brush out curl with the front side bits pulled back, pinned or waved, creating a semicircle of curls around the lower half of the head, if that makes any sense. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this hairstyle in a drama/movie, but it was so common in the late 30s. Also, hairstyles throughout the 1930s were flat at the top, so if you see any victory rolls, pompadours or general puff at the top/front, it isn’t accurate.

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1936 poster.

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Closeup.

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From Last Madame. Her hair is way long and the croissant she’s wearing at the front does not help.

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Yu Mo from The Flowers of War, set in 1937. We’re going in the right direction but still not quite there. Her hair is too long, too puffed at the top and not pulled back. The curls are also way big. Not historically accurate.

An alternative hairstyle was straight hair. For young girls and students, their straight hair would be mid to shoulder length, often side parted, with an optional pin. For older women and servants, their straight hair would usually be pulled back into a bun. Straight hair is something dramas/movies do get right most of the times, because it is so simple and straightforward. However, sometimes the hair is too long or the hairstylist decides to add some unnecessary braids or something to “spice things up”.

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1930s straight hair, simple, short and unfussy.

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From Rattan. Straight hair tooooooo long.

Cheongsam

Neck area binding

The biggest and most useful indicator: neck area binding. All 1930s cheongsam with binding/trim had it go around the neck, the style where the binding goes around the top of the collar and then plunges into the lapel was a 1950s invention. 

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Mid-early 1930s, yes neck area binding.

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1950s, no neck area binding.

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From Jasmine Women, no neck area binding hence not 1930s.

Darts, insertion sleeves

Most cheongsam in the 1930s were constructed in the Chinese method, without any darts. If you see two vertical darts running down the bodice of the cheongsam in a drama/movie set in the 30s, which is more common a sight than it should be, you can pretty much assume the designer threw accuracy out the window. Darts weren’t used on cheongsam until the 1950s. Sleeves were also dolman sleeves 98% of the times, meaning there would be no armhole seam. 

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From Last Madame. See the two lines running down the turquoise/grey cheongsam to the left? Those are darts and shouldn’t be there. I personally dislike the use of darts on any cheongsam that isn’t the 1950s Hong Kong ultra hourglass style, they detract from flowy-ness and create this boob shelf, which makes the cheongsam look stiff. Some of the cheongsam here also have insertion sleeves and missing neck area binding, that’s three strikes against accuracy. Their hair and makeup is... disastrous, to put it very lightly.

Typical mid 30s cheongsam: tall collar, neck area binding, no darts, no insertion sleeves, and the breasts look separated.

Insertion sleeves were sometimes used, but the armhole seam was set very deeply in, creating two vertical lines instead of the diagonal ones common for modern insertion sleeve cheongsam. This style was probably mimicking the cheongsam with vest look popular in the 20s/30s transition.

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1930s cheongsam with insertion sleeves or insertion sleeve effects.

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Modern cheongsam. The shoulder area is slightly reinforced/padded and the armhole seams extend outward. Not 1930s.

Collar

Early 30s collars were extremely tall, around 7-9 cm depending on the wearer’s neck length. Visually, the collar should be able to cover all of the wearer’s neck, using three to six buttons. There was also no or only a very small gap at the front, appearing cylindrical. I have never seen an early 30s tall collar cheongsam done properly in tv and film, the costume designers are always too cowardly to add super tall collars. For visuals of how these super tall collars look recreated, I believe 松果sir and 杨真真Janine on Weibo have some photoshoots. Less extreme tall collars did exist, and they are usually the ones represented in tv and film, but if they were too low or had fewer than three buttons, they’re not accurate. Late 30s collars were low, but low all around, not tall at the back and plunging at the front. All collars from the 30s were fitted to the wearer’s neck, and there should be no extra space between the neck and the collar.

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Super tall, cylindrical cheongsam collar with four buttons from the mid 30s.

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Late 30s low collar, you can see the back is a similar height to the front.

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From Autumn Cicada. The collar is tall at the back but dips significantly lower at the front, which is neither early nor late 30s. There is also a significant amount of space between the collar and the back of her neck, not 30s.

Sleeve length

Short sleeves of 1930s cheongsam became shorter as the decade progressed, going from just above the elbow in 1930, to halfway between the shoulder and the elbow in 1934, to cap sleeved or sleeveless in 1935/6. Most cheongsam sleeves in dramas and movies are way too long, often ending just a bit above or below the elbow, sometimes being full length even. The incorrect length, coupled with how skinny the actresses usually are, makes the cheongsam look stiff and unbecoming. Sure, longer sleeves existed in the 30s, but short sleeves were considered more stylish and thus more common among fashionable women. Also, most long sleeved cheongsam in tv and film have sleeves that are too tight.

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Common sleeve length for early-mid 30s cheongsam. The cut of the armpit area is quite loose so you should be able to see puckering under the armpits, which is in my opinion an essential element of 1930s cheongsam and great indicator of proper construction.

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Common mid-late 30s sleeve length.

Tv and film be like:

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Twelve Legends. It’s a shame because I really like some of the fabric and trim choices in this drama, but the hair, makeup and other construction details leave much to be desired. Like, the sleeves are so tight (maybe they used stretch fabric?) that you cannot see any puckering under the armpits.

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From The Flowers of War. What is the appeal of this quarter sleeve length that was never popular in the 1930s? These characters are supposed to be attractive sex workers, but I think they look like the middle aged Chinese aunties who organize dance groups in your local park?? The use of complicated lace trims, the color combination, long hair and sleeve length worked together to create Live Laugh Love ensembles that no fashionable young Nanjing woman in 1937 would wear.

Long sleeves were definitely more of a thing in 1929-31, on the flat flapper dresses popular at the time. However, I don’t know of a single drama/movie that correctly replicated that look so it’s not an excuse.

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Early 30s long sleeved two piece cheongsam.

Design details

What I am going to say in this section is more about aesthetic tendencies in the 1930s not individual features, things that aren’t technically incorrect if they appear in a 30s drama/movie but fail to recreate the 1930s when overused.

Chinese period dramas/movies loooove to overdo 1930s looks, using flashy fabrics and a lot of unnecessary bling. I assume it’s because designers either thought they “captured the glamor of the 30s” or because over the top fabrics are more appropriate for theater, both reasons I disagree with. 

1) The root of the “30s glam” illusion is probably stereotypes surrounding Art Deco design. The term Art Deco was coined by historians in the 1960s and not actually used by people in the 20s and 30s to describe their art style, thus very difficult to define. I feel like Art Deco in 1930s China was more limited to architecture and interior design; there were many 1930s buildings in Shanghai that looked like similar designs in France and the US (where Art Deco was mostly happening), whereas the clothes labelled “Art Deco” just look more like generic Modernism and Cubism. I definitely prefer calling 30s Chinese clothing “Modernist” because it’s a broader term encompassing many art styles that did exist back then, and prevents people from inserting their preconceived notions about fringed dresses and feather boas. 

2) Tv and film are not like theater or opera, the audience doesn’t see the costumes from far away. Even a film shot with an iPhone camera in 2021 could have great image quality, so there is really no need to exaggerate decorations on the costumes.

Fabric and trim choice

A lot of 1930s fabrics were very funky, geometric and abstract, inspired by popular art styles of the day like Cubism, de Stijl, Constructivism and Surrealism. Plain, unicolor fabrics and floral patterned fabrics were also common. The unifying factor is their two dimensionality and repetitiveness. 1930s fabrics for day cheongsam seldom had large areas of beading or thick embroidery, nor did they have large printed patterns in irregular placements. A lot of fabrics for cheongsam used by dramas/movies look dated and grandma-esque, by both modern and 1930s standards. 

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Floral and striped fabrics from the 30s. You can see the floral motifs follow a grid arrangement and are not free form.

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Funky abstract fabric.

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Plaid and tie-dye inspired fabrics.

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Geometric patterned fabric.

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Plain unicolor fabric, of which Indanthrene was most popular.

Tv and film be like:

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I know that in my review of The Flowers of War I said it had ok costuming but after some consideration I realized I was being too nice and there is nothing stopping me from going feral on ugly costumes. Again, the costumes are not *incorrect*, they’re just ugly and of questionable taste by 1930s standards. My comments might sound harsh if you’re new to 1930s costuming, but believe me once you’ve looked at enough pictures from the 1930s and then go watch some dramas/movies set in the 30s you will cringe as much as I do. Look at this cheongsam, wtf is this granny burgundy color?? And these giant flowers?? People will and should read you to filth if you go out like that in 1937. I was reading this editorial article from 1948 and the author described these tacky floral print/embroidery fabrics and patterned trims as “country bride” and it cannot be more accurate----not just for the 30s or 40s, but for 21st century cheongsam making as well. I have to finally assert my opinion and tell you that this is no fabric suitable for a beautiful Nanjing courtesan.

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From Last Madame. These just look cheap, and they straight up look like modern Taobao cheongsam (they probably are). Maybe costume designers thought they were obliged to use gaudy fabrics for sex worker characters? Republican era sex workers just dressed the same as other people to be honest, even more fashion forward at times, this is definitely not the representation they have to put up with. (Also the lady to the far right looks like Tia Kofi??)

Weird fabric choice is especially pronounced when it comes to sheer cheongsam. It’s almost like designers feel sorry for the characters if they didn’t give them some embroidered, lace or otherwise decorated sheer fabric. Actual 1930s sheer cheongsam commonly used plain, translucent fabrics for the sheer outer layer, and a plain, opaque slip underneath. 

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Mid 30s sheer cheongsam. This one is already exceptional because it has the beads on the sleeves, though they are also minimal and cute.

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From Last Madame. Sorry to tell you but this embroidery is totally unnecessary. It makes the cheongsam look cheap.

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From The Grandmaster, more like The Grandma-ster.

However, the biggest problem with tv and film cheongsam design is not fabrics, but trims. I have very seldom seen movies and dramas use trim and binding styles that were *actually* popular in the 1930s, and when they were there were usually other problems with the cheongsam construction that ruin the whole thing. The most common and iconic border trim styles were single row wide decorative binding, double row plain wide binding, “train tracks” trim consisting of spaced out rows of binding etc. On the other hand, costume designers adore flashy trims, like beaded bands or floral lace, which raise serious questions regarding taste. Textured trimmings weren’t at all common in the 1930s and were usually only used in moderation, because people also thought they looked gaudy and aged the wearer. Maybe it’s because designers think intricate trimmings and complicated fabrics show off wealth, though what they might not know is that it was far more technically demanding and expensive to apply two rows of binding neatly than simply tack on some gaudy trim. Anyway, if you see a drama/movie where most or all trims are patterned instead of plain, and the fabrics are weirdly tacky, chances are the designer doesn’t really understand 1930s aesthetic. Not to mention that in the 1930s trims were often of a color or motif that matches the fabric in some way, either in the same shade or deliberately contrasting. This is probably too much to ask for in the current climate of costume design...

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Single row wide patterned trim (it’s flat though, not textured). Both the trim and fabric are in cool colors, appearing harmonious.

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Single row thin binding.

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The iconic double row wide binding. I may or may not be biased toward this style because it is my personal favorite <3 The brown and white binding strips match the color of the fabric.

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“Train tracks” style trim.

Meanwhile in tv and film:

The Flowers of War, again. These lace trims are super popular in Republican era costuming, despite the fact that you had a 1/100 chance of seeing them on actual 1930s cheongsam. The colors neither match nor contrast, they just look meh.

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From The Grandmaster, lace trim strikes again. Hi granny. Also her hair is really weird.

Now, if you strongly disagree with what I consider tacky or incorrect and insist that these costumes are indeed beautiful and accurate, before you comment on this post please think about why costume designers never have the gut or knowledge to recreate any of the styles I mentioned first. Maybe, just maybe, it’s not because these designs are actually pretty or accurate, but rather because costume designers don’t know what the fuck they’re doing and copied each other :3

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W H Y

I S

T H I S

T R U E

Second male leads in kdramas are either the purest form of boyfriend material or entitled assholes and there’s nothing in between.

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ABSOLUTE CHONK

The Black Cat (Qing Dynasty--1700s). Min Zhen. Hanging scroll; ink on paper

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Period Dramas, we love them, they test your Knowledge on History and the Romances and Experience brought to life in front of your eyes, they MAY not be real people but it is the Fusion of those before you.

Today I'll be showing part 1 of Period Dramas you should watch, Minor Spoilers ahead tho

-Outlander

Outlander is a very unique Drama, it portrays the Characters from their era where they lived, Claire, the Main Character, is from the 1940s suffering PTSD from WW2 as she firsthand experienced it from being a Combat Nurse.The Fact that she is already scarred tells you about the Age rating of this show.

In some Event, I'm not gonna spoil it, she is Transported back in time to the 1743, in Scotland, where she faces dangers she only read from History Books and Records, none of the Characters are exactly Progressive in the Time Period they lived and that's unique part of it, it doesn't force Progressive themes onto the Characters and actually depict what people like back then.

You can legitimately compare the people from the 1700s to the 1940s to the 1960s.

-Last Madame

Hailing from my Country, Last Madame is a Netflix Series about a Girl who discovers the lives of Women from 1930s Singapore, the setting takes place in a Brothel, as in those times Women who wanted to find a Job and not be forced into marriage could only go to these places, it's a form of Freedom, that most people don't understand these days.

If you're looking for ✨ S t e a m y ✨ Romance, Rivalry and a Looming Threat of a World War 2, here's a Show to Watch.

-Scarlet Heart

There is the Chinese and the Korean version, each taking place in a different Era, the Chinese one takes place in the Qing Dynasty (1636 to 1912) and the Korean one takes place in the Goryeo Period(918 to 1392), I can say that both installments are Tragic as hell, heartbreaking, Unrequited love stuff if you don't count Chinese version's Modern Day Sequel and Literal Death of Characters.

The Main Character Time Traveled to this Era, so do you want to be Destroyed in and out? This is the right one for you, however Personally I think the two Series happened in the Same Universe for some Reason.

-This Land is Mine

Another Drama that also comes from my Country, it talks about Singapore in the 1950s, still suffering from the effects of WW2, it is apart of History that many Elderly Singaporeans still remember and it horrifies them, It talks about being Racial divide, the idea of Independence, Riots that happened that honestly told Countless stories that many still remember.

It's Available on YouTube and get ready for a Heartwarming Cliffhanger as you realize that the Character's stories are not supposed to be complete because the generation that lived in that time is still existing, it's a Good show.