#anyways rose being mixed inspired this Mia for me

[jellophoid]

I look around quickly yall don’t like her anyways so I can do this right 👩🏾‍💻

[observeroflaplace]

Now you may have noticed, but my submissions have been to Ao3 this year; which have been mostly easier to edit and submit. Mostly. I do appreciate a lot of the in built systems there so expect most of my stuff going forward to go there.

Still, this has been once again very fun! I did lose steam after 25, long before I realised, but it’s still a good exercise.

Now for the fun part.

The highlights of the challenge for me.

“Horizon” just plays into some visuals. The open sky during an apparent day contrasted with the reality of a distance sunset. However, I show Izayoi “failing” at first, and revealing a success through a hidden plan from the start. Also, “measured and proportionate response”

“Third-Rate” ”Reticent”, and “Cloud Nine” somewhat act as a trio, with Cloud Nine explicitly following up the present day part of “Third-Rate”. “Third-Rate” is especially important to me, as this character has really been inspiring to play in roleplay on Light lately, and this expands on some very traumatic background themes which lurk behind a character initially conceived as “a more down to Earth and approachable Izayoi”. The warning tags are mostly to be safe, but it also contains my hardest hitting internal monologue.

”Stamp” is worth a mention as it explicitly ties into a piece by Koi, as an in-character reply to that. This is one of many pieces this year that I’ve written in a Mielikki-WoL continuity, with Izayoi here having been coincidentally requested by Koana prior to Mia being sought out by Wuk-Lamat; and here I play a little with some Urianger-adjacent vibes of having promised to be open and not lie to those few Izayoi genuinely holds dear, only to be expected to anyway and it tearing her apart. Don’t worry though, she makes her frustrations towards her current employer very known in “Morsel”, which might just be the funniest thing I’ve written all month.

”Telling” acts as another example of “Izayoi uses an apparent defeat as a ploy” and also “means entirely divorced from raw strength to succeed”. Granted, “not-Bonharve” gets his ass beaten, but as he says, that wouldn’t help their case. What did, happened before that. My tongue in cheek nickname for the villain comes from him being inspired by an antagonist from an rp plot which didn’t quite take off.

As per my usual trend of avoiding the actual word itself (where I can), “Hackneyed” proved especially difficult for me as I didn’t know what, in-universe, had lost its appeal. So instead I went for light-hearted meta commentary about observations in roleplay in the LRC.

“Stable” was the result of some MAJOR “future child” brainrot, as well as wanting to write about one of the possible “bad timelines” we know about. Very Future Trunks/Silver the Hedgehog. After a lengthly discussion with Koi about details, this is what I came up with. Since this is the Black Rose timeline, some details are different from Koi’s own piece about this character later. I don’t name drop him here, ironically for future-proofing. Stable refers to the unstable device/temporal travel, but also to emotionally ground himself for a moment.

Length alone should tell you that I had fun with “Duel” - which I notice was also one of last year’s prompts. The challenge here was figuring out a way to write Izayoi’s ancestor working against a vastly stronger foe and impressing her (for consistency with some rp backstory things), without all of Izayoi’s tricks for a true “anyone could beat you this way” win. But it also let me write some direct power mixed in to represent the unrefined form of this character motivation from the ancestor, as well as toy with aesthetics, ability, and personality more or less from scratch.

Last but not least, “Perpetuity” gets a mention for letting me experiment with intentional repetition for dramatic effect. I hope it feels just as spooky when they layers come apart as intended.

I'd love to see a follow-up after the event is over of people sharing their favorite piece from the event. We just wrote for thirty days! What are we proudest of making?

YES, I love this idea! Now that the challenge's 24-hour deadlines are officially closed:

Writers, what were your proudest moments in FFxivWrite this year?

[taurusjaehyun]

just a little bit of your heart // j.jh

♦Pairing: Jaehyun x fem reader

♦Other Members/ Characters: Johnny, Taeyong, Doyoung, Hyuck, Ten, Jisoo, Rose and Mingyu

♦Genre: ANGST!!!

♦Warnings: unrequited love, mentions of smut, sad, shitty situations, y/n is very very sad and in love, cheating

♦Word count: 3,978

♦Story: A little is better than none.

 Note: Hiiiii!! I’m back! I know I’ve been MIA in a while but life just happened and so many situtations led me to lose inspiration over writing, esp with Jaehyun (for reasons induced by other jaehyun fans L) and life was generally shitty esp with my already bad mental health lol a anyways, here’s an angsty piece that I’ve been working on for a while since I was sad lol I hope you guys enjoy it! Some references to Ariana Grande’s Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart which is sad af lol.

                                                             ----------------------

 “No. I never loved you and I don’t think I ever will, y/n. I wanna say sorry but I’m not. I know you love me but I really don’t think I can give it back.”

 Ouch.

 For once, you wanted to initiate the kisses that led to fucking just so he could shut the fuck up, much like how he’d shut you up when you kept asking if he loved you. You kept asking him if he finally loved you, and you had begged just even for a little bit of his heart but he never gave you just a hint, even. At least now, he was being honest. After one year. The one year you begged for him to date you just so you could convince him and make him fall for you.

 Throughout the year you spent together, Jaehyun was an excellent boyfriend to you. He provided what you needed more so on the physical side because when it came to feelings, he couldn’t give you anything more than what he already gave. You were thankful he didn’t change the way he was around you and how he treated you as a friend, especially after you started dating. There was really nothing more to being his girlfriend except the dates and the sex.

 You could feel your already broken heart shatter even more. Of course you knew he didn’t love you. He never said and showed he did. And he definitely wasn’t sorry.

“I’d like for us to stay friends, though. I love you as a friend and I don’t wanna lose you over this.” He speaks out, completely calm and reasonable. The hand he had on your thigh felt more foreign than ever.

You give him a tight smile and try to get away from his hold, sitting up and leaning on the headboard of your bed where the two of you had just gone through heated rounds of sex. Couldn’t this have waited after you two were dressed? But he was probably wanting this moment to happen soon anyways so it doesn’t drag out because he’s just too nice. That was the problem with him, he was too damn nice.

“I… Thank you for tolerating me,” you smile, exhaling in the process. You couldn’t let him show how you could feel your insides shatter into powder and that the pain was seeping to your skin and bones. It hurt so much. You couldn’t breathe.

Jaehyun stayed silent but offered you a sheepish smile. It was as if he expected you to just accept his revelation and break up with you even though everyone, especially him, knew how you’d been in love with him for ages.

  The break up news wasn’t as shocking to people as you thought it would. Everyone saw it coming and they were just counting down until the two of you parted ways. Men and women were flocking him and you couldn’t stay mad as he treated them the same way he’d treat everyone while he was dating you but, the problem now is, he never loved you so who’s to say he wasn’t already entertaining people while you two were together?

 Your ‘friends’ saw this coming. Ten, one of the people that clearly expressed that he was not so fond of you, had brutally told you that it was about time before you eventually broke up because according to him, ‘Jaehyun was as interested in you like oil and water wanted to mix’. It hurt and it was embarrassing as he told you that in front of everyone. Even when you were together, he’d even make comments about you and Jaehyun sometimes when you were still together.

 Almost all of your group of friends had agreed with Ten, basically. With the way you were acting like everything was okay and that you were completely fine with parting ways with Jaehyun, everyone thought you had moved on from him. Though Jaehyun had said that the break-up was mutual, they never failed to tease you and tell you that Jaehyun probably dumped you which was real shitty, to be honest, but it was true anyways so you couldn’t deny it.

 You had no one to talk to. It was either they didn’t really care or they sided with Jaehyun. You weren’t apart of the original crew of friends anyways. Now that you’ve broken up with Jaehyun, it felt like there was no reason to spend time with them anymore.

 Jaehyun was very popular in university so of course, everyone knew him and wanted him. While people mostly knew you as the girl who chased after Jaehyun, became friends with him and finally got what she wanted when you successfully got him to date you. No one but you and Jaehyun knew about the one year you begged from him after he had turned you down after your very well prepared confession. Despite that, everyone wasn’t convinced your relationship was out of love in the first place. You’d make Jaehyun turn up in public with your marks inflicted in ‘passionate nights’ but everyone thought of it as purely sexual.

 Everyone knew Jaehyun didn’t like you that way and he was just too nice.

 2 weeks after, you go through the motions as if nothing has changed. You restrain yourself and start to stay away from Jaehyun. You don’t really actively reach out for him, or get close to him like you’d normally would. He’d assume his position beside you because ‘that’s what he was used to and you’re still a good friend to him’.

 You’d decided that little was better than none. You’d take this the feeling of your chest hurting just to see, feel and be with Jaehyun.

 “Did you sleep with her?” Haechan asks, teasing Jaehyun. Jaehyun had started going out with the guys again and although you didn’t wanna know, you were still in this table where the friends shared everything within themselves.

 “No, no! We’re still getting to know each other and besides, we both just got out of a relationship.” Jaehyun explains as he throws a piece of fry he stole from your plate into his mouth.

 Doyoung grunts, flicking Hyuck’s forehead which made the sophomore groan in pain. “Dude, his ex is literally beside him and it’s only been weeks. Rude.” Doyoung scolds Haechan who only retaliates back.

 “Oh, I forgot about you, sorry.” Hyuck shrugged nonchalantly, knowing that jab was directed to you. Without missing a beat, another topic overtakes the table and you’re left to your thoughts again.

 You lose your appetite and decide the peas in your mashed potatoes were very much interesting—just to tune out the others conversation. You tended to overthink and you admit for the past 2 weeks, you’ve thought of nothing except Jaehyun, especially when you were in bed. At night is where usually everything comes crashing down.

 2 weeks of sleepless nights full of tears and no one has noticed nor mentioned it. But you think it’s actually better than actually having to explain yourself. No one had heard your side of the story after the break up and how especially hard it was for you, of course. No one knew what was said and what transpired between your relationship.

 You always thought Jaehyun was just particular about his privacy but turns out, he was doing damage control and not letting people assume about your relationship so when the time came, no one could get in your business because they knew nothing at all. You felt stupid because now it’s clear that it was more like a day dream in your head. Jung Jaehyun, turns out, wasn’t as nice as everyone thought he was.

 You had your classes timed in your phone since you always managed to be late, mostly to the fact that Jaehyun had you pressed against a wall, crying for him, so when your alarm for your next class goes off, you quietly leave the table and as expected, no one really noticed. You liked it better that way.

 As your presence with Jaehyun’s friends started to become non-existent, you started having your food in the courtyard instead of the cafeteria where Jaehyun and his friends usually ate. They’d text you on your whereabouts but you managed to make excuses and you recently joined an org in uni that took up your time and your focus so they didn’t really bother asking much for you. You had a few classes with them anyways.

 Jaehyun texted you whenever he could, though. After all, before you dated, you were the closest to him so it’d be weird not to answer his messages. You had agreed to be friends with him anyways after that night when he dumped you. You did your best to reply, of course, you didn’t want to disappoint him. Again, a little was better than none.

 Most of the time, you’d end up thinking about wanting to cry about Jaehyun that eating became physically taxing and annoying, and you throw yourself in so much work and studying that you barely had time to rest and it didn’t help that Jaehyun was everywhere in your dorm as well so you resorted to sleeping in one of the empty classrooms.

 And that was where you saw him with her.

 You had no idea of what Jaehyun had been up to except for the stuff he’d tell you on text, but you definitely knew he always had had his eyes on this one girl from your Politics class and she definitely was very interested, and now even more that he’s single and you’re definitely out of the picture.

 Jaehyun and Mina were at the front of the room, with Jaehyun pressing the perfect Mina against the board, passionately kissing her in the classroom you were occupying. It seemed like they hand’t noticed ur existence as you were jolted awake when her heel hit the wooden tables when Jaehyun had lifted her from the table and onto his lap before pressing her against the wall, kissing her so slowly and passionately.

 He’d never kissed you that way. No matter how much he kissed you, how harder he fucked you, this was the most you’ve ever felt actual feelings from him. You couldn’t deny the painful jab at your heart so you distract yourself, thinking about your tiredness and want to sleep. You try to force yourself again back to sleep so you had to listen to them making out while talking like lovers. You didn’t cry at all, and you were damn proud, but after they had left, you missed your class and went straight to your dorm, seeing his ghost again. Seeing the ghost of him from your past memories was better than the Jaehyun you saw earlier. You couldn’t deal with him after that.

 After that, you’d completely tried to ignore Jaehyun and his friends. They were never your friends. You’d just smile and wave at them when you see them at classes but there was no point for conversation. They’d text you but it was over nothing. And not to mention that Ten was being extra cold and hurtful with the texts he sent you, knowing you being absent around them was because of Jaehyun.

 From TY:

-          I know you love him a lot.

-          I’m always here if you need to talk.

 From JCC:

-          We miss u broski 😔 we’ll kick Jaehyun and his new gf out for u just come back 😂

-          Oh. Sorry, they’re together now tho... I didn’t mean to tell you... but Ig it’s only right.

-          JN: Sorry :(

 From Junguwu:

-          Hang in there, y/n :) fighting!

 From: Hyuck

-          JAEHYUN HAS A NEW GF???? LMAOOO

-          Suck it up and come back! Show him u don’t need him 🤪

 From Doyoung:

-          You ok?

-          I guess you already know about Jaehyun and his new gf?

-          Take care of yourself, y/n. I know you love him a lot.

 From Jaehyun:

-          Y/n?? Where are you??

-          Miss hanging out with u!!

-          Imma buy u fries just hang out with us again!! I have sumn to tell u!!

-          Im seeing Mina now!! Reply when u see this!

 You busied yourself with the new organization you joined and turns out, the news of Jaehyun dating Mine was bigger than expected, well not to you. It had been a long time coming anyways. Mina and Jaehyun were hooking up even way before you and Jaehyun got together. Jaehyun and Mina were both well known to be one of the most beautiful people in campus and it just made sense they’d date. People were even calling them the most beautiful couple even before they met so needless to say, this couple was approved and well supported by the people in your uni, not just your department.

 You were old news. It had just been 3 months since you and Jaehyun broke up and it was long forgotten. However, comparison wasn’t avoided now that Jaehyun was dating a goddess in his league now, compared to when he dated you, a nobody. You were just known for being the girl that Jaehyun dumped after a year.

 Some people though, find it funny that you were still so obviously into Jaehyun. Your parting ways with Jaehyun and his friends was not unnoticed by the gossip mills in the uni. Out of spite and pure entertainment, people would as you about Jaehyun and how your relationship was, which you ignore—for the most part. Some people are just really interested in him and how it was dating him, and most people asked how he was in bed and of course, you didn’t answer. You tried to distance yourself from him and anything to do with him. You didn’t realize how popular Jaehyun was, honestly. You knew so many people were against you when you were friends and even more so when you started dating.

    You decide to go out again, linking up with a few girls in your org, Jisoo and Rose. It was a club you’ve never been before and you’re glad because they were actually good company. After the break-up with him, you often hung out with them because of the time you spent in the org and you’ve been inseparable ever since.

 It wasn’t common for you to wake up with a stranger next to you for the past 2 months. You heard that Jaehyun started sleeping around a week after you broke up and even if you tried to act like it didn’t hurt, it really did. He was always one to sleep around but he assured you he was loyal when you were together and you gave yourself to him whenever he needed you so he wouldn’t stray but clearly, that wasn’t enough to keep him.

 You recognize your one night stand as Mingyu who you had class with last semester and was good friends with Jaehyun. Not that it mattered, though.

“You were crying last night,” Mingyu started when he passed you a bowl of cereal as breakfast from his position in the other side of the kitchen island. He had offered, of course.

 It wasn’t anything new, really. “Oh?”

 “You were calling his name, you know,” he started as he looked up at you, gauging your reaction, “even when I was fucking you.” He said awkwardly then cleared his throat.

 You sigh, clicking your tongue, “that’s embarrassing. I’m so sorry.” Again, it wasn’t anything new.

 “It’s ok. I know you love him. Everybody knows.”

 You frown, “is that supposed to be a good thing?”

 He looks at you and sees your less than welcoming expression. “No, I mean like, he knows you love him and everyone does. It shows. And it’s completely understandable why you’re hurt now that he’s... with Mina.” He cleared his throat when you visibly wince at the mention of Mina’s name. “He’d tell us... about you sometimes when we hung out.”

 You didn’t want anyone’s pity, honestly. “Yeah, well. See how that didn’t work out.” You laugh bitterly. “I gave him a lot of me and he never felt the same way. It’s ok, though. I mean...” you pause and start to eat your cereal and he nods.

 “Umm... I’m really sorry I don’t know how to comfort you but if it makes you feel any better...” he pauses, as if pondering then smiles before speaking again, “you’re a great fuck.”

 You burst out laughing, “well, that was the only way I could keep him, Mingyu.”

 Mingyu ended up dropping you off at your dorms on the way to his first class, and in his car so the walk of shame wasn’t as embarrassing. You didn’t forget what he told you before you came down the car.

 “You’re worth it, y/n and more than enough. Jaehyun isn’t just for you and it’s his loss, honestly.”

 You skipped on your first class, staring up the ceiling as you let the tears fall silently until you couldn’t breathe. Even with the amount of guys you’ve slept with, none of them compared to Jaehyun. You knew some of the guys you’ve slept with knew you were Jaehyun’s ex and if they didn’t, they’d know from the way you could call his name and cry for him in the middle of drunken sex. You felt extra bad for Mingyu as he turned out to be a great ear for you and the fact that he said that you were one of the best fucks he’s ever had while you couldn’t say the same.

 Sex was pointless at this point, honestly. You couldn’t feel anything but the emptiness and pain you felt while you were being fucked and usually, the after effects were you being sore. And the only way you would cum was when you’d think about Jaehyun fucking you but that made the pain in your heart grow. It was an annoying cycle.

    “Fuck me, Jaehyun.” You’ve admittedly had a little more to drink so it was the first thing you said as soon as you saw him. He was in a booth along with his friends and your arrival and opening words surprised them all, no doubt.

 “What are you doing here?” Jaehyun asks, confused. He’s never seen you at a club before and knew you didn’t like going to clubs. Well, you only started going after you broke up anyways so how would he know. Jaehyun and a few of the guys stand up, holding you in your drunk stupor.

 “Fuck me.” You mutter as you push yourself to him and catch his mouth in a heated kiss which he stops by pushing you away and wiping his mouth. That hurt.

 “What the hell is happening here?” Ten asks, confused and surprised as Jaehyun looks at you in so much shock.

 You were desperate and the alcohol inside you was giving you the push and confidence that you usally didn’t have. “Jaehyun, please. Fuck me. I’m begging you.” You plead, trying to kiss him and grind yourself against him that you smell Johnny’s familiar cologne and you just know that he was the one who pulled you away from Jaehyun and is currently holding you back. “I can’t feel anything. I can’t. Jaehyun, please. Fuck me. Make me feel. Please, please.”

 “Are you on drugs?” Johnny asks, scanning his eyes over you as he holds you back from Jaehyun.

 “I’m not high or drunk, Johnny. I just can’t take it anymore! I can’t feel anything! Just-I just need to feel something… anything.” You reach out for Jaehyun again and Johnny’s hold tightens around you. “I’ve tried fucking other guys, I even fucked Mingyu and the guys in your team but I... can’t. If they’re not you. I can’t fucking feel. Make me feel, Jaehyun. Please.”

 Jaehyun talks to the guys and they decided to leave you be, Jaehyun personally drives you to your apartment while they cover for him. Mina was there after all.

 He helps you to your house, not trusting you alone. Yes, you were drunk but you were aware of everything you were doing and saying. In the car, you didn’t shed a tear, keeping quiet. You basked in the feeling of anxiety he was giving you. It was better than not feeling anything at all.

 As soon as you got in your room, you kissed him and stripped. And of course, he did fuck you after you begged him. And he made you beg more and more in bed, too. The tears that you thought would run out, never stopped pouring as he fucked you. Because the person that you heart longed for was finally in your arms again.

 Your heart was full with him. His warmth filled your being, his scent filled your senses, his kisses left you breathless, hos touches leaving warmth in his wake, his cock filling you like no one has ever and his cum filling you to the brim. You felt everything all at once that you felt overwhelmed. You knew you were screaming how much you loved him as he was fucking you and you don’t regret it. You let him use you for his own pleasure as you cried for him. You’d take everything and anything you could for tonight.

 After multiple rounds of fucking, you were beyond exhausted but seeing him in the flesh beside you, in your bed again made you... feel. Before tonight, he was just a ghost in your home and in your mind. You’ve longed to see him like this again. You spent a lot of the night awake, watching him sleep, tracing the features of his beautiful face you’ve missed that you’ll probably won’t see again.

 “Am I ever gonna be someone worthy of your love?” You ask quietly as you stare at his serene face. It was unfair how beautiful he looked, even at his most vulnerable. “I miss you so much.” He shifts and you pull your hand back as if you were burned, tucking your hand away, feeling awkward. “I’ll never be enough for you and I know that. I don’t wish for you to feel the same way because I don’t deserve it. You deserve better. You deserve her. She’s everything I’m not…” You scoot away from him, giving him much space as possible. “But I wish I was her and you were mine.” You feel the tears fall down your temple and you quickly wipe it away. “I’ll never be deserving of you, even just a little bit of your heart, Jaehyun.”

  You decided to clean up, taking your time in the tub and wearing sweatpants and a hoodie to hide the marks he inflicted onto you. You didn’t want him to see, even if he knew what he was did. Walking was a bit hard to do because of the sex but it wasn’t new with him.

 You sit on the solo sofa by the bed, watching Jaehyun asleep, lying on his stomach and head facing you as he slept, mouth agape and body completely limp. You could see the scratch marks on his back and arms and the hickies on his neck too but frankly, you try not to care about it too much.

 You barely notice the sun coming up until the room is filled with light and the sun just highlights Jaehyun’s beauty more and more. You feel... everything all at once. The loss, the pain, the love, the anxiety, the despair, the desperation, the jealousy—everything. It had you feeling breathless, as if the air was knocked out of your lungs.

 You hated it but it was better than feeling numb. You’ve never been so lonely and unwanted before and you it hits you so hard.

 A little was better than nothing.

[salty-apples]

My first memory of a wedding dress is a little vague but I can still remember the feelings of awe and wonder it inspired. It was my cousin’s wedding and I was her flower girl. I was decked in a frothy, flowery pink dress and my cousin who seemed to fill the room with her height (I was tiny then and everything looked huge from my perspective) was in the biggest ballgown I had ever seen. Struck by the beauty and sheer mass of the dress, I began to look forward to the day I too, would get my ballgown moment (opinions have since changed- I am no longer a ballgown aficionado).

Since then, I have been on a quest to find the most beautiful wedding dresses in the world- and from my rather hyperbolic title, you can tell that today’s post is going to be a doozy.

Hello and welcome to another post where I fangirl over a topic.

Today, I’m going to be pulling together all the wedding dresses I’ve ever loved, from cinema to real life, you name it! This particular post is in two parts and I’ll be discussing why I love the dresses and why I think they make the top ten all-time list.

First up, wedding dresses from film.  

Carrie Bradshaw’s Vivienne Westwood dress from Sex and the City

The Sex and the City universe was a fashion trip. Although I never actually watched the series, I was glued to the products of Carrie Bradshaw’s wardrobe in the movies. The photoshoot for the magazine after her engagement was announced was amazing, giving us shot after shot of what happens when you get the all-star treatment. The dresses from the designers were works of art but none embodied the fashion forward spirit of our heroine than her Vivienne Westwood dress. To even begin to understand why the dress is so special, you’ve got to first look at its creator. Vivienne Westwood is known as the godmother of punk fashion, and to dip her nib in the wedding ink, you know that such a designer is going to do something extraordinary.

And extraordinary it was. Carrie’s dress is a ballgown, holding true to her princess-like status. But it is also sleek and modern, capturing the very essence of a woman who sees herself as the heart and soul of New York. It is beautiful and paired with the feather, it was stunning. This dress is an all-star entry, deserving of its own spot in an exhibition and I’m sure there a few people who would agree.

Mia Thermopolis-Renaldi’s dress in The Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement

I don’t know how many people know this but I am not the biggest fan of lace, mostly because lace in all its forms disagrees with me.

However, I am willing to forget all that when I watch The Princess Diaries, especially the second movie. I love all the fashion moments, from Queen Clarisse’s dress to Mia’s 21st birthday party to their parade outfits. But the zenith of all moments was Mia, gliding down the aisle in the most regal wedding dress a fictional character has ever worn.

And you know what it had?

Lace, and a good amount of it.

Mia’s A-line beauty was built for a queen-in-waiting, the lace being a sign of that girlish, somewhat careless nature of hers and the smooth silk providing structure to the lace, strong support for a girl transitioning into a woman; a princess into a queen. For anyone who is looking for some sweet royal inspiration, look no further than Her Royal Majesty, Queen Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi, Queen of Genovia.

Lisa McDowell’s wedding dress in Coming to America

You know what’s wild about Coming to America?

It’s how they managed to pull off all that Euro-African headgear! It cracks me up every time.

Anyway, Coming to America doesn’t disappoint when it comes to delivering iconic lines and equally iconic fashion. I’m sure by now we’re familiar with the various interpretations of Imani’s court presentation dress during prom season but least talked about is the dress that ends it all- Lisa’s bubblegum pink delight of a wedding dress.

If you’ve read my colors post, my total abhorrence for the color pink is no surprise. That hatred melts away when I see Lisa’s dress. In form, it is the typical choice for an African bride- massive ballgown with a bustier and a towering tiara (the only thing it’s missing is the typical jacket- you know the one). But in color, it sets her apart. That’s not to say that there aren’t members of court who are donning the pink for the wedding. No, this is different. They are clad in soft gauzy pastels but she is the American woman who stole the heart of their prince and she is in a quintessentially American color. She is representing.

And in this thesis, I will discuss why everybody needs to vote Lisa McDowell for president…

Just kidding. Tl; dr: Lisa got the best dress a princess-to-be could ask for.

Toula Portcullis’ dress in My Big Fat Greek Wedding

For anyone who hasn’t heard of Toula Portcullis, she is the much-harangued heroine of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Honestly, her pains are many especially after she gets engaged and has to balance the cares of planning an intercultural wedding while still managing to stay sane. She’s stressed and if not for her fiancé, she would have lost it completely.

That aside, the reason her dress is here is not because it is a great beauty (it’s not quite to my liking, really) but for the sentiment attached to it. Toula, as the last female to wed in her family, is gifted with the poufiest dress in history, a dress steeped in a mix of love, culture and good wishes. It is her family’s wish that she lives and lives well and with the way they handle they dress, the ball of fabric passing from happy hand to happy hand before it gets to the bride, their coos and prayers are following her. Even though she declares, “I am a snow beast” as she sees herself in the mirror, she’s still as her family wanted her to be- the most beautiful bride they had ever seen. Later on- after some reverse tailoring by the new couple- excessively frilly, silly and poufy becomes pretty and sweet.

And that is the end of my story.  

Tiana’s wedding dress from The Princess and the Frog

Tiana’s wedding dress is as a few of my friends from school used to say, special spesh. Besides being the first and only black princess in the Disney Princess franchise, she’s also the only one whose dress can boast of what it’s made of.

First, it is straight up juju- a feat I am yet to see any Nollywood movie accomplished. Tiana had the best dressmaker in the world and I know this because from what I know, any woman who is called ‘The Voodoo Queen of the Bayou’ has got to outrank another who goes by ‘Fairy Godmother’ (I’m sorry, Ms. Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Bo but it’s a fact).

Second, her dress is 100% natural- everything swamp material. Tiana marries (pun intended) fashion, function and today’s buzzword, ‘sustainability’ in what is perhaps, the grandest statement a new princess can make. It is green, regal and eco-friendly and who better to wear a dress that striking than a woman who understands how to live a no-waste life.

And next, wedding dresses from real life!

Grace Kelly’s wedding dress

No list about the best weeding dresses is complete without mentioning Grace Kelly.

Before there was Meghan Markle, there was the original American superstar to marry into royalty and her dress… Constructed by her studio’s seamstress, Helen Rose, Grace Kelly’s dress was built in such a way that it did not overwhelm her in the way that many wedding dresses can. The lampshade silhouette of the dress, though uncommon now, is quite unique, especially with the way it stands- with unnoticed support structure, of course. The lace is delicate, sculpted into style that is both modern and old. It fits its wearer perfectly and makes her quite the standout bride. The dress is timeless, an opinion I’m sure most bridal enthusiasts would agree with.

Beyoncé’s vow renewal gown by Galia Lahav

There’s something about Galia Lahav creations that just transport the viewer or wearer into another world. Dresses from the brilliant folks who make them are elegant, stylish and beautiful, and this particular dress – worn by none other than Beyoncé – takes the cake.

I’ve always loved seeing Galia Lahav dresses and this particular dress has been my favorite for a long time. When I saw that Beyoncé had nabbed it for vow renewal, I was practically jumping for joy. It is an elegantly crafted piece, with a structured bodice, statement sleeves, sections of skirt that stylishly expose the thigh, and both delicate lace and rococo-style detailing juxtaposed beside each other. It’s beautiful dress for a beautiful lady who makes beautiful music.

Was that too many beautifuls?

Angelina Jolie’s wedding dress

Just like Toula Portcullis’ dress, Angelina Jolie’s dress was steeped in sentiment. A simple enough dress, pleated at the bodice and attached to an A-line skirt, the main draw of the skirt was what was it’s back. Made by Versace, it was as simple as it was sweet.

Giving her children license to express themselves, the back of the wedding dress was transformed into a canvas for them. Each of her children contributed drawings, doodles and sketches which were then transferred from paper to fabric and transformed into high art. It was, in short, a beautiful tribute from loving children to their loving mother. I bet Maleficent would have loved it.

Kate Middleton’s Alexander McQueen wedding dress

Whenever a royal wedding rolls around, regular folk and royal watchers get buzzing. All royal families are well, royal and there is none more royal than the most famous one of all: The British Royal Family. So, when a future queen gets her wedding day, the best designers are entrusted with the task of making the royal bride look the part.

To execute this task, the Duchess of Cambridge turned to the house of Alexander McQueen. Head of house, Sarah Burton delivered in a big way, turning the volume on the phrase, ‘English Rose’ all the way up. Incorporating motifs of the English Commonwealth into a traditional princess look, lace and silk and delicate detailing were the order of the day. Her Royal Highness’ wedding dress beat all on her wedding and it has continued to be one of the top contenders on the list of the most defining wedding dresses of the last twenty years.

And this absolutely fantastic creation!

This dress looks like Christmas morning, with a side of ‘It’s my birthday!’ You can be sure that though my preferences aren’t with ball gowns, this is one dress I would not hesitate to put on if it were given to me!

And that folks, is the end of today’s post. I know everybody’s got their favorites and I can’t wait to hear yours.

This post marks the end of the ‘clearing out my drafts’ spree and I, for one, am glad that now, I can really begin to work on new stuff. A few pieces are currently cooking in my head and who knows, maybe a certain suspended series might get some new life! It’s the season of second chances and I am just brimming with joy as Christmas Day approaches.

Until next time, ciao!

Top 10 wedding dresses of all time My first memory of a wedding dress is a little vague but I can still remember the feelings of awe and wonder it inspired.