#I'm bored XD

[kaddyssammlung]

[fox0war]

(Cracks knuckles okay let's give this a shot) When they cracked their eyes open, they could barely remember their conversation with.... er.... what were they really? They were sorta... person-ish, but not really, guess that conversation didn't come free with the "all your prior memories" huh? Well th- FUCK, ow. Shit. Their head hurt like hell now that they thought about it, and they felt like they remembered... more than they used to? Like they remember having paws at one point, webbed fingers at another, no arms at all in a third, and so on. Hold on- they hadn't even thought about their environment yet! They looked and- were they in an egg? Were they fully sapient and about to hatch? They certainly felt all curled up and damp- aw fucking hell they didn't want to start as a damn baby! But it was better than not being a dragon, they guessed. So they began to attempt their eggy escape, which was mostly just trying to tear the outer egg. Honestly the egg felt kinda soft from the inside... but they could feel something harder on the outside as they tore through the first skin of it, which would be cool to get into the biology of but they had already busied theirself into thinking too much, it was hatching time! As they eventually made their way out, they shook off a thin... slime? Slime felt like the right word. That had covered them. Now was a good time to stretch, first forelimbs, then hindlimbs, two- no- four wings followed next, the more frontal pair feeling larger, then finally they stretched out their tail, which had apparently been tightly curled while they were in their egg. Man, it felt so nice to have so few cramps, desk jobs couldn't get them anymore! Oh man- had they specified what kind of dragon they wanted to be? What if they were a lame dragon with no breath wea- eugh. They felt hungry, and gross. Nearby they could hear a stream, that'd fix both problems spoke one corner of their brain, but their more recent corner, the human corner, just went ew, no! unsafe and gross! you can't eat raw animals and wash in random water! but honestly? They just decided to ignore that part, they asked for a dragon, they're going to get their money's worth! (or, I guess, death's worth?) So off they ran, hopping in as soon as they saw the stream. Some distant memory told them to be careful, their scales were soft, they'd be damaged if they'd be too enthusiastic. So they listened, being careful in how they washed the egg gunk off. Honestly- this was a good time to see theirself, they thought as they looked for their reflection. They looked kinda... cute in a weird way, but certainly still scary. They also didn't seem to be only scaled? Or at least, it looked like they had other textures, pinfeathers? That'd also be interesting to think about biologically..... if it weren't for their stomach yelling at them. Sheesh they'd only just hatched! Rude! But whatever, they went fishing, swallowing some smaller ones whole, as unsafe as the human corner of their brain nagged it to be. Honestly? This whole remembering everything deal didn't seem like a downside, it all seemed kinda distant and vague, but it felt good, helpful, right. What had that weirdo been so worried about?

“A what?” “A dragon.” “I can’t just-” “You said I could reincarnate as any living thing.” “Yes… But dragons are fantasy in your world! That means you’d have all your prior memories since you’d exist outside the laws of nature!” “Even better!”

[experiment14-12]

spoot

[cuddlytogas]

So I accidentally almost got into an argument on Twitter, and now I'm thinking about bad historical costuming tropes. Specifically, Action Hero Leather Pants.

See, I was light-heartedly pointing out the inaccuracies of the costumes in Black Sails, and someone came out of the woodwork to defend the show. The misunderstanding was that they thought I was dismissing the show just for its costumes, which I wasn't - I was simply pointing out that it can't entirely care about material history (meaning specifically physical objects/culture) if it treats its clothes like that.

But this person was slightly offended on behalf of their show - especially, quote, "And from a fan of OFMD, no less!" Which got me thinking - it's true! I can abide a lot more historical costuming inaccuracy from Our Flag than I can Black Sails or Vikings. And I don't think it's just because one has my blorbos in it. But really, when it comes down to it...

What is the difference between this and this?

Here's the thing. Leather pants in period dramas isn't new. You've got your Vikings, Tudors, Outlander, Pirates of the Caribbean, Once Upon a Time, Will, The Musketeers, even Shakespeare in Love - they love to shove people in leather and call it a day. But where does this come from?

Obviously we have the modern connotations. Modern leather clothes developed in a few subcultures: cowboys drew on Native American clothing. (Allegedly. This is a little beyond my purview, I haven't seen any solid evidence, and it sounds like the kind of fact that people repeat a lot but is based on an assumption. I wouldn't know, though.) Leather was used in some WWI and II uniforms.

But the big boom came in the mid-C20th in motorcycle, punk/goth, and gay subcultures, all intertwined with each other and the above. Motorcyclists wear leather as practical protective gear, and it gets picked up by rock and punk artists as a symbol of counterculture, and transferred to movie designs. It gets wrapped up in gay and kink communities, with even more countercultural and taboo meanings. By the late C20th, leather has entered mainstream fashion, but it still carries those references to goths, punks, BDSM, and motorbike gangs, to James Dean, Marlon Brando, and Mick Jagger. This is whence we get our Spikes and Dave Listers in 1980s/90s media, bad boys and working-class punks.

And some of the above "historical" design choices clearly build on these meanings. William Shakespeare is dressed in a black leather doublet to evoke the swaggering bad boy artist heartthrob, probably down on his luck. So is Kit Marlowe.

But the associations get a little fuzzier after that. Hook, with his eyeliner and jewellery, sure. King Henry, yeah, I see it. It's hideously ahistorical, but sure. But what about Jamie and Will and Ragnar, in their browns and shabby, battle-ready chic? Well, here we get the other strain of Bad Period Drama Leather.

See, designers like to point to history, but it's just not true. Leather armour, especially in the western/European world, is very, very rare, and not just because it decays faster than metal. (Yes, even in ancient Greece/Rome, despite many articles claiming that as the start of the leather armour trend!) It simply wasn't used a lot, because it's frankly useless at defending the body compared to metal. Leather was used as a backing for some splint armour pieces, and for belts, sheathes, and buckles, but it simply wasn't worn like the costumes above. It's heavy, uncomfortable, and hard to repair - it's simply not practical for a garment when you have perfectly comfortable, insulating, and widely available linen, wool, and cotton!

As far as I can see, the real influence on leather in period dramas is fantasy. Fantasy media has proliferated the idea of leather armour as the lightweight choice for rangers, elves, and rogues, a natural, quiet, flexible material, less flashy or restrictive than metal. And it is cheaper for a costume department to make, and easier for an actor to wear on set. It's in Dungeons and Dragons and Lord of the Rings, King Arthur, Runescape, and World of Warcraft.

And I think this is how we get to characters like Ragnar and Vane. This idea of leather as practical gear and light armour, it's fantasy, but it has this lineage, behind which sits cowboy chaps and bomber/flight jackets. It's usually brown compared to the punk bad boy's black, less shiny, and more often piecemeal or decorated. In fact, there's a great distinction between the two Period Leather Modes within the same piece of media: Robin Hood (2006)! Compare the brooding, fascist-coded villain Guy of Gisborne with the shabby, bow-wielding, forest-dwelling Robin:

So, back to the original question: What's the difference between Charles Vane in Black Sails, and Edward Teach in Our Flag Means Death?

Simply put, it's intention. There is nothing intentional about Vane's leather in Black Sails. It's not the only leather in the show, and it only says what all shabby period leather says, relying on the same tropes as fantasy armour: he's a bad boy and a fighter in workaday leather, poor, flexible, and practical. None of these connotations are based in reality or history, and they've been done countless times before. It's boring design, neither historically accurate nor particularly creative, but much the same as all the other shabby chic fighters on our screens. He has a broad lineage in Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean and such, but that's it.

In Our Flag, however, the lineage is much, much more intentional. Ed is a direct homage to Mad Max, the costuming in which is both practical (Max is an ex-cop and road warrior), and draws on punk and kink designs to evoke a counterculture gone mad to the point of social breakdown, exploiting the thrill of the taboo to frighten and titillate the audience.

In particular, Ed is styled after Max in the second movie, having lost his family, been badly injured, and watched the world turn into an apocalypse. He's a broken man, withdrawn, violent, and deliberately cutting himself off from others to avoid getting hurt again. The plot of Mad Max 2 is him learning to open up and help others, making himself vulnerable to more loss, but more human in the process.

This ties directly into the themes of Our Flag - it's a deliberate intertext. Ed's emotional journey is also one from isolation and pain to vulnerability, community, and love. Mad Max (intentionally and unintentionally) explores themes of masculinity, violence, and power, while Max has become simplified in the popular imagination as a stoic, badass action hero rather than the more complex character he is, struggling with loss and humanity. Similarly, Our Flag explores masculinity, both textually (Stede is trying to build a less abusive pirate culture) and metatextually (the show champions complex, banal, and tender masculinities, especially when we're used to only seeing pirates in either gritty action movies or childish comedies).

Our Flag also draws on the specific countercultures of motorcycles, rockers, and gay/BDSM culture in its design and themes. Naturally, in such a queer show, one can't help but make the connection between leather pirates and leather daddies, and the design certainly nods at this, with its vests and studs. I always think about this guy, with his flat cap so reminiscient of gay leather fashions.

More overtly, though, Blackbeard and his crew are styled as both violent gangsters and countercultural rockstars. They rove the seas like a bikie gang, free and violent, and are seen as icons, bad boys and celebrities. Other pirates revere Blackbeard and wish they could be on his crew, while civilians are awed by his reputation, desperate for juicy, gory details.

This isn't all of why I like the costuming in Our Flag Means Death (especially season 1). Stede's outfits are by no means accurate, but they're a lot more accurate than most pirate media, and they're bright and colourful, with accurate and delightful silks, lace, velvets, and brocades, and lovely, puffy skirts on his jackets. Many of the Revenge crew wear recognisable sailor's trousers, and practical but bright, varied gear that easily conveys personality and flair. There is a surprising dedication to little details, like changing Ed's trousers to fall-fronts for a historical feel, Izzy's puffy sleeves, the handmade fringe on Lucius's red jacket, or the increasing absurdity of navy uniform cuffs between Nigel and Chauncey.

A really big one is the fact that they don't shy away from historical footwear! In almost every example above, we see the period drama's obsession with putting men in skinny jeans and bucket-top boots, but not only does Stede wear his little red-heeled shoes with stockings, but most of his crew, and the ordinary people of Barbados, wear low boots or pumps, and even rough, masculine characters like Pete wear knee breeches and bright colours. It's inaccurate, but at least it's a new kind of inaccuracy, that builds much more on actual historical fashions, and eschews the shortcuts of other, grittier period dramas in favour of colour and personality.

But also. At least it fucking says something with its leather.

[saltynsassy31]

Fanart for @cosmique-oddity

Whale Shark Blurr

I had been meaning to draw for this au for a bit, ever since I saw the design simply because it was SO GORGEOUS I HAD TO I JUST HAD TO

I wanted to make a fully rendered fanart but I just knew it would never happen with how slow I am 😔 (some day maybe tho, I love drawing mermaids)

[fishyhead]

My and my older brother💜

(i'm Sarah he's Petey)

[raplinenthusiasts]

best album poll

[dizzydoyer]

Live as you've always wanted!

Be as you were always meant to!

Do what you've always dreamed!

It's time to move and come HOME.

We always need more neighbors.

(And I'm gonna need to make a 70's esk advertisement for this. Dang it. Gonna have to draw that now.)

[shiori8]

Power-Couple Uravity & Midoriya-Sensei

I know I'm incredibly late to the party but guess who's finally finished MHA and is all sorts of emo about all of these losers... 🥹

(In my head I imagine them posing like this for a magazine cover, but it's been a while since I did much drawing in general, so here's just a sloppy little piece to try and get somewhat back into the groove of things lol maybe I will come back to this idea one day ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

[walkingstackofbooks]

for your kissing ask game, if you're willing to do platonic kisses as well - platonic kira & julian, either 14 or 37!

and i hope i am remembering the right numbers lmao. uh it should be "casually" or "without a motive"

You caught me at just the right time to make me think about this - it's only a short little thing, but I hope it satisfies!

--

Julian was the first one to find it. "I've got it!" he hissed, causing Kira to shoot out of her seat and stalk over to him. As she bent over to examine his computer, Julian could feel her breath against his ear.

"Here," he said, pointing to the screen. "That's what you wanted, wasn't it?"

For a few seconds, she studied it, making no reply, but then her grip on his shoulder tightened, and she turned to him. "Julian, you're a genius!"

"Well I know that," he chuckled. The kiss she'd just pressed to his temple was swiftly replaced by a light cuff to the back of his head. "Hey!"

She laughed, eyes gleaming, already moving eagerly back towards the door. "Send the details to my PADD," she called as she crossed the threshold. "And thank you!"

[mikimeiko]

Mindhunter | Season 1 (2017), Joe Penhall

[kaddyssammlung]

[yuriyuruandyuraart]

self indulgent horross doodles just because i can >B)

[partof-mydestiny]

[muttsterion]

A random rare not entirely Kenny-centered rambling of mine but just sort of thinking about the South Park Boys' names...

Mainly just an observation and moreso what names their called vs their given names? I dunno...like how Kyle is probably the only one without a nickname or variant of his given name..

"Stan" is tech short for "Stanley" yet the only time we've heard him being referred to as Stanley was by his parents mostly in the earlier seasons and mostly when he was in trouble...now in more modern seasons everyone calls him Stan no matter what.

"Kenny" is a variant of "Kenneth" yet we've only heard his fosters calling him Kenneth and they weren't even his real parents..."Ken" is also a variant of Kenny's name but we only heard that once from Cartman in one instance and it was never brought up again.

Speaking of Cartman all the kids who know him usually and only refer to him by his surname "Cartman". With the exception of Butters only the adults ever call him by "Eric". And his mother only calls him "Cartman" when he's in trouble and Lianne uses the full on name tone. XD

And the most odd one of the bunch of course is "Butters". His given name is "Leopald Stotch"....yet no one in the history of South Park has ever called him "Leopald" or even "Leo". Not the kids, not the grown ups, not even his own parents or grandmother refer to him as "Leopald". Everyone calls him "Butters"..... and I mean I assume his parents named him "Leopald " but again I've never even heard them call him by that....yeah.

Sooo I have no idea where I'm going with this I just found this whole observation interesting...any thoughts? XD

[originalgenshinscenarios]

Okay I'm done with Natlan and Citlali's quest

My opinion on Citlali improved slightly, but the rest... Ehhh... No. I'm not gonna say that Natlan was bad, cause ngl for me the most boring archon quest was Sumeru. (And I'm saying it because of the fact that the dream loop was ridiculous and I hated it just as much as I hate Nahida which is a ToN)

Spolier rant in tags