#henry pearl icons

[hier--soir]

may + june + july reads

the strange case of dr jekyll and mr hyde by r. l. stevenson [★★★★]

"Though so profound a double-dealer, I was in no sense a hypocrite; both sides of me were in dead earnest; I was no more myself when I laid aside restraint and plunged in shame, than when I laboured, in the eye of day, at the furtherance of knowledge or the relief of sorrow and suffering."

: ̗̀➛ a london lawyer, mr utterson, investigates strange occurrences between his old friend dr henry jekyll, and the evil edward hyde.

: ̗̀➛ a horror classic! coming in at a sweet 96-pages, it was easy to smash out in an evening. and despite the brevity of the text and the fact that it's over a century old, i found it insanely compelling and indeed pretty chilling at multiple points.

: ̗̀➛ there are some ridiculously funny lines in this. i believe he named the evil character hyde just so he could drop this banger: "'If he be Mr. Hyde,' he had thought, 'I shall be Mr. Seek.'"

: ̗̀➛ henry jekyll my sweet summer child, you flew way too close to the sun with this shit.

: ̗̀➛ "You must suffer me to go my own dark way." BARS.

babel: an arcane history by r. f. kuang [★★★★★]

"The poet runs untrammelled across the meadow. The translator dances in shackles."

: ̗̀➛ opening in the year 1828, a young boy from canton is orphaned by cholera and brought to london by a mysterious professor. he is trained in latin, ancient greek, and chinese, in preparation for the day he will attend oxford university's royal institute of translation - babel. the tower is the world's center for translation and silver-working, the magical craft that has so far brought unrivalled power to the british and supports the empire's ongoing colonisation of the world. but what happens when it is discovered that britain is pursuing an unjust war against china, and robin realises that serving babel means betraying his motherland.

: ̗̀➛ this book left me absolutely speechless. upon starting it i was immediately ashamed at how long it had taken me to pick this up considering all the hype. serious thanks to @seventeenpins for recommending this to me recently, you are the best for putting me onto this.

: ̗̀➛ beautifully crafted, incredibly intelligent, great central characters. i don't even know how to put into words what i felt about this one. and as someone who consumes a fair amount of translated literature [see: my love of ancient greek and roman classics] it tickled my interest around the biases and intricacy of translation so perfectly. you need to read it. please.

: ̗̀➛ have to include: "It should have been distressing. In truth, Robin found it was actually quite easy to put up with any degree of social unrest, as long as one got used to looking away."

: ̗̀➛ have to include #2: "So then where does that leave us? How can we conclude, except by acknowledging that an act of translation is then necessarily always an act of betrayal?"

: ̗̀➛ and absolutely cannot not include this iconic PBS diss: "He greatly enjoyed Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, though he could not say the same of the poems by her less talented husband, whom he found overly dramatic."

paradise rot by jenny hval [★★★★]

"But my dreams are full of apples, and in the dark my body slowly transforms into fruit: tonsils shrinking to seeds and lungs to cores. I dream of white flowers blossoming under my nails, as if under ice. Then my nails break, opening up like clams and in the finger flesh there are little sticky fruit pearls."

: ̗̀➛ jo is in a strange new country for university, living in a house with no walls, a roommate with no boundaries, and a home that seems increasingly more and more alive.

: ̗̀➛ so much piss in this one folks.

: ̗̀➛ jenny hval is a norwegian musician and this was her debut novel, and it was bizarre and haunting and disgusting and made me cringe and feel squeamish at many points, and yet i read it in one fell swoop. it grips you for 120-odd pages and when you're done it feels like you've been spit out disoriented.

mrs s by k. patrick [★★★]

"When she is not around, I invent her. When she is around, I invent her. It is not her fault."

: ̗̀➛ an australian butch lesbian travels to england to work in an elite boarding school, where she meets mrs s, the headmaster's wife. over a hot, restless summer, the two engage in an affair.

: ̗̀➛ i enjoyed this one decently enough. the writing style grew a bit tiresome, and the storyline seemed quite laissez-faire, but overall yes i enjoyed it. what can also grow tiresome for me is the woman-on-woman affair when one of them is married to a man - but maybe i've just read too much queer lit with no foreseeable happy ending lately, idk.

: ̗̀➛ the way the dialogue was structured [or perhaps, unstructured to a painful extent] was not my cup of tea at all.

: ̗̀➛ i was really tickled by her living in an annexe so close to the school nurse, who is very religious. the dynamic gave way to great passages like this: "I imagine her, at night, sending prayers my way, so sweet as to be malicious. In each of our interactions there is always the feeling that I would do better under her God. I don't mind her God, so tangible. The sexy Jesus in her bedroom. His body I too would die to have. Not just the chest but the legs, a footballer's legs, complex with muscle. Even those sad, raised palms. Brazen in their injuries. Such glamour." like hello??? incredible.

grey dog by elliott gish [★★★★]

"You called me a dirty little beast, and I have become as dirty and beastly a woman as there ever was."

"What is that quote from Othello, what Emilia says about men? They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; They eat us hungerly, and when they are full, they belch us."

: ̗̀➛ a 'literary horror novel' set in 1901 about the unmarried and almost 30 'spinster' ada byrd who accepts a teaching post in a small isolated town. she wants to be rid of her past, one 'riddled with grief and shame', but upon witnessing strange and grisly sights, ada begins to believe that something ancient and beastly is behind all the peculiarities in this little town. her confusion deepens, and ada's grip on what is reality, delusion, or traumatic memory, begins to blur and fail.

: ̗̀➛ body horror, gore, the horrors of being a woman, witchy business, descent into madness, women longing for women.

: ̗̀➛ because the entire text is written in first person diary entries, i found that it sometimes failed to establish a creepy atmosphere. although this issue was more prominent for me in the first half, while in the second half the diary entries acted as a great insight as to how unhinged she was becoming. slay.

: ̗̀➛ imo this is simply what happens to a woman when she is raised by a heinous father and ends up an adult surrounded by too many sexy older women!

the sleepwalkers by scarlett thomas [★★★]

"How many eyes can one storm have?"

: ̗̀➛ still reeling from the chaos of their wedding, evelyn and richard arrive on a tiny greek island for their honeymoon. it's the end of the season and a storm is brewing on the horizon. they check into the villa rosa, which has a peculiar owner named isabella, and everyone wants to talk about the famous sleepwalkers, a couple who stayed at the hotel recently and drowned.

: ̗̀➛ saw a tagline that coined this as 'patricia highsmith meets white lotus' and i'd agree. good mystery thriller with some action.

: ̗̀➛ this one was a touch slow at first [it's told in letters, dictated audio recordings, from different perspectives, etc] but ultimately gripped me and i thoroughly enjoyed the drama and mystery. newlyweds that hate each other's guts? yeah, bestie, i need to know why.

: ̗̀➛ i really got into some of the takes showing how evelyn and richard viewed each other. this really stuck with me: "I read infrequently, partly because every book change me, right down the level of my DNA. I didn't want to be changed so often. But you were able to hoover up contemporary culture without so much as a little belch afterwards. You just carried on being you."

: ̗̀➛ also let me fucking tell you, there was a line in this book that made me drop my kindle and GUFFAW in shock. page 88, HELLO. evelyn girl you kill me.

the drift by c. j. tudor [★★★]

"These days death had been laid bare for what it really was. An ending. Often brutal, seldom fair, rarely kind."

: ̗̀➛ a thriller-esque, horror-esque book about a deadly infectious virus, and the attempted survival of three seperate groups trapped in isolated circumstances in the icy wilderness. [this one is so hard to describe sorry]

: ̗̀➛ the book is told through three different pov's. i normally despise this but i actually didn't hate it in this case, although i did have favourites.

: ̗̀➛ boyfriend asked me to read this when he finished it and then watched me from across the room the almost whole time, pretending not to be staring whenever i looked up. and he was right, it was fast-paced, had some good twists and turns, and was enjoyable, albeit very different from what i normally read.

what have i done? an honest memoir about surviving post-natal mental illness by laura dockrill [★★★★]

"Put me out of my misery. I feel like a killer on the loose. I need to turn myself in."

"Or the one of New Mum having champagne and cake with the girls. Another doing 'date night' two weeks before her six-week check, like, 'Yes, we still have sex!' Mum is fitting back into her clothes; Mum is making papier-mâché piggy banks; drinking enough water; shaving her armpits; reading a bedtime story; going to a gig; playing peekaboo. Mum is keeping up with her favourite TV shows; reading the Booker longlist; being a good friend; making a healthy yet tasty cost-effective-probably-vegan meal; recycling; giving baby massage; sterilising. Mum is getting rid of her pregnancy knickers when they are the only knickers she truly likes; doing her taxes; walking the dog; donating to charity; freezing bananas; learning Japanese because why not? ... Oh look! Mum is abseiling down the Shard and still finding the time to express and write a blog about the whole experience."

: ̗̀➛ a memoir about a first-time mum's experience with post-partum psychosis, and her survival.

: ̗̀➛ this book was a heart-ache of a read. honest and raw and devastating and uplifting. often very very funny -- "People told Hugo, 'Don't go down the goal end, mate; it's like watching your favourite pub burn down.' Oh ha. Ha. Ha." -- i couldn't put it down.

: ̗̀➛ the end did start to feel a touch self-helpy which isn't necessarily my bag of tricks when it comes to non-fiction, but those inclusions felt warranted and fair after such an in-depth depiction of everything laura had gone through.

: ̗̀➛ serious mental health trigger warnings for this one. there is plenty of humour, but it gets very dark.

the death of jane lawrence by caitlin starling [★★]

"She dreamed of tearing out a rotted pit inside of him where his martyrdom resided."

: ̗̀➛ in an alternate version of victorian-era britain, jane shoringfield is seeking a marriage of convenience that will allow her to continue working, with all the benefits of being a married woman, and she finds this in dr augustine lawrence. however, he has one condition - she can never visit lindridge hall, his family manor outside of town, where he himself will sleep each and every night. but on their wedding night, an accident strands jane at the door in a rainstorm, and in place of her husband she finds a terrified, paranoid man who cannot tell reality from nightmare. by morning he is himself again, but jane knows something is terribly wrong at lindridge hall.

: ̗̀➛ i picked this up looking for a fun, spooky little read, but am sad to say that i absolutely did not like it. the characters were fickle, the plot twists were unsurprising and revealed poorly, and the storyline was all over the place. sadge!

: ̗̀➛ sold itself as a gothic ghost horror, but didn't live up to that at all [for me!] heavily inspired by crimson peak, and it doesn't care if you know it.

: ̗̀➛ also - when your 'independent strong female' mc marries a guy who lies constantly and makes up bullshit and every time she confronts him he boo-hoos so she forgives him immediately cause he really is a nice man?? womp womp.

: ̗̀➛ also also - way more cocaine in this than i expected.

my book rating system is as follows:

★ = i felt pure contempt the entire time

★★ = yeah it's a book

★★★ = i liked it!

★★★★ = good fucking book, damn

★★★★★ = blew my dick clean off and i'll throw a tantrum if everyone i know doesn't also read it and love it

if you want to share a book you love with me, please do! i am always looking out for new recs.

[themakeupbrush]

In no particular order, my top looks from the 2023 Met Gala "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line in Beauty"

My thoughts are below, but I'll be honest, I didn't really do any background research this year because there wasn't much to be done. These are really just my opinions on whether or not I liked the look.

Ironically, I felt this was a very mediocre year, which led to me having a lot more favorites than usual because they were kind of all on the same level. In previous years I would have separated this into multiple posts, but I don't really see the point.

Doja Cat: I wanted someone to dress up as Choupette the cat and she delivered, and managed to do so in a way that was still fitting for the event

Keke Palmer: She looked amazing, and really captured the Chanel look with the bombshell hair and the extremely bedazzled tweed. I honestly don't want to think about how much that dress weighed

Anne Hathaway: Besides that fact that I love everything Anne Hathaway has ever done, this dress was the perfect combination of honoring Lagerfeld's style while also incorporating it into the style of the brand she was representing (Versace). It had tweed and pearls, but also sex appeal and safety pins

Cardi B: First, I just want to appreciate her ongoing commitment to high fashion and the fact that she had three (3) completely separate looks. This particular Miss Sohee look was my favorite because she's living out my glinda barbie mermaid fairy princess dreams

Harvey Guillen: This was one of the first looks I saw of the night, and still one of my favorites. It has all the Lagerfeld style essentials, but still manages to look unique. Plus, creative menswear always gets extra points because the bar is painfully low, though this year was a surprisingly pleasant exception.

Jennifer Lopez: It's not the most creative look, but it's right up my alley and honestly, do we expect anything groundbreaking from JLo? She's always going to show up in something pretty that's decently on theme enough for me to just focus on whether or not I like it. And this immediately makes me think of classic Chanel.

Penelope Cruz: She was a co-host, it's vintage Chanel couture from the 80's, and she's one of the people I most heavily associate with Lagerfeld and Chanel. A win all around.

Russell Westbrook: I really want to give Russell Westbrook credit for always showing up to the Met Gala and really going for it. I love all the details: the pearl necklace, the tweed blazer with floral clasps, the bows on the shoes

Chloe Fineman: Another first look that turned out to be a favorite. This again had all the necessary design elements without feeling like a cheap knockoff. Also major points for the bedazzled cat bag.

Anok Yai: I don't know and I don't care how this relates to theme, she looked like a goddess

Bad Bunny: Another man not only doing something interesting but incorporating the theme? Genuinely shocking. Obviously I loved the OTT floral cape, but I really loved the ode to c. 2005 Chanel with the backless suit and backwards necklace.

Gisele: She wore the same dress from an iconic 2007 editorial, proving not only that she still has it, but that she's always had it. A true supermodel.

Salma Hayek: She looked hot, I don't know what else you want me to say about it. Also it had color, which nothing else did. My eyes were starving for color.

Glenn Close: For starters, she needed an entire team to carry her train so props for that. She brought the drama, the glitz, and the "age is just a number so shut the hell up" glamor.

Lil Nas X: This was, for lack of a better phrase, a cheeks out, bedazzled, balls to the wall look. The Choupette inspiration is more obvious when he was inside with the fur (ish?) coat on, but I honestly didn't care. I needed a moment and he delivered. Though I do wonder (1) how long it took to bedazzle him and (2) will he every fully be de-glittered.

Brian Tyree Henry: I don't know if it's the pose or the cape, but it's giving me dramatic shakespeare vibes and I appreciate it.

Naomi Campbell: The only issue I have with this look is that they called 2010 Chanel Couture "vintage" and I can't accept that. Beyond that, I mean, it's Naomi Campbell in Chanel Couture. I was also dying for any semblance of color at this point and somehow this dress was among the most colorful

Jenna Ortega: The perfect combination of chanel tweed cropped blazer/mini skirt and the Wednesday Addams aesthetic. Which was interesting because I thought she was trying to move away from that but I don't care it was a successful look

Ava Max: Chanel was known for the haute couture bride, and this not only really captures that, it was one of the most and quite honestly only majorly dramatic looks of the night

Halle Bailey: She looked like a mermaid and I love that for her

Ashley Graham: I would have loved this look regardless, but after seeing the dress it was modeled after, I also think it was one of the best tributes of the night

Tems: Has she ever looked bad on a red carpet? Her headpieces are just getting bigger and more elaborate and I see nothing wrong with that.

Diddy: I love the drama + the floral cape, though I am left wondering how he didn't faint under all of that. Also, you can roast me all you want for captioning his post with Sean Combs but that's what was given to the AP so it's what I went with.

Shai Gilgeous Alexander: A final man who followed the theme and wore something interesting, arguably more interesting than some of the women. I actually think I like this look better without the coat over it.

[the-jewel-catalogue]

The fascinating story of the most infamous necklace in British portraiture

B is for Boleyn. The now iconic single-initial lavaliere, immortalised in Anne Boleyn’s portrait as Queen consort to King Henry VIII, has become synonymous with the scandalous royal and her untimely end.

Royal sitters of imperial portraits took great pains to curate the ensemble in which they were to be immortalised. Ergo, by posing in an overt symbol of her identity as a Boleyn - in her official portrait as a Tudor Queen no less - Anne deliberately breaks with the conventional representations of a deferential British consort.

The acquisition of this provocative piece of jewellery hints at the audacious influence the chief mistress of the French King – Françoise de Foix, Countess of Châteaubriant – likely had on the future Queen of England. During her transformation at the French court, Anne acted alongside Françoise as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Claude of France.

If legend is to be believed, then the ‘other Boleyn girl’ – Mary Boleyn, Anne’s sister and former mistress to Henry VIII – was given the necklace during her last visit with the disgraced Queen in the Tower of London and safeguarded it for her niece, the future Queen Elizabeth I 

According to this persistent lore, three of the four hanging pearls on the Imperial State Crown – thought to have been added by Elizabeth I – are believed to be those from her mother’s famed necklace.

[yen-sids-tournament]

Pirates of the Caribbean Dynamic Duos

Ramblings under the cut:

We purposely did not include the main romantic pairs from the movies (Will & Elizabeth, Elizabeth & Jack, Elizabeth & Norrington, Calypso & Davy Jones, Philip & Syrena, Jack & Angelica, Henry & Carina...) but that's not saying if you see romance up there it's a wrong interpretation (at least not for the human pairs)

Of the 9 pairs, 8 are in the movies (definitely the trilogy). Anne and Mary are the painted ladies visitors see while standing in line for the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. They were supposed to be worked into other places, the rides and movies both, but it never panned out. Scarlett and Giselle are the pair of working women who slap Jack multiple times, their story is explained in a short. We went looking for Ladies to include.

We included Sumbhajee and Askay solely because of Askay casting the vote for Sumbhajee for Sumbhajee. It lives rent free.

Jack (not the monkey) gets two pairs because we say a list of this very concept which included "Jack and the Black Pearl" and had to go with it, BUT we did want to honor Gibbs too (plus we felt Gibbs was a truer pair than Will or Barbossa for Jack).

Finally we are expecting Murtogg & Mullroy and Pintel & Ragetti to be leading, but we do live to be surprised!

[thetudorslovers]

"Anne's gowns were made of richly ornamented silks, brocades, and velvets, frequently embroidered with gold and silver thread, and garnished with pearls, jewels, and precious stones." - Retha M. Warnicke, "The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn"

Anne was known for her exquisite sense of fashion and style. She was a trendsetter in her time, and her clothing choices were often imitated by the ladies of the court. One of Anne's signature fashion statements was her French hood, which was a headdress worn by women in the 16th century. Her French hood was often decorated with jewels, beads, and gold embroidery. Anne also wore gowns with wide sleeves, which were known as "French sleeves."

Her gowns were often made of luxurious fabrics such as velvet, silk, and satin, and were adorned with intricate embroidery, lace, and beading. She also favored vibrant colors, such as deep blues, greens, and reds.

Anne's fashion sense was not just about dressing up, but it was also about conveying her status and power. As a queen, she had to maintain a certain level of grandeur and sophistication, and her wardrobe reflected that. She also used fashion as a tool to express her individuality and assert her authority, which was unusual for a woman of her time.

However, her fashion sense also played a role in her downfall. Some of her detractors criticized her for dressing too provocatively and accused her of using her clothing to seduce the king. Her French hood, in particular, was considered by some to be too risqué and suggestive.

Despite the controversy surrounding her fashion choices, Anne Boleyn's legacy as a fashion icon has endured. Her influence can be seen in the clothing of her time, as well as in modern interpretations of Tudor-era fashion.

"Anne's clothing was an outward sign of her power, and her style was emulated by women throughout England." - Antonia Fraser, "The Six Wives of Henry VIII"

[madame-mortician]

My Personal DBD Wishlist

So Dead by Daylight released the Year 9 roadmap, and Jesus Christ there are a LOT of licenses coming to DBD for this year and the next, so I wanted to share my personal wishlist for licenses, concepts and ideas that I want to go to DBD. Keep in mind, this is all my opinion and none of this is stuff that I think is coming, they're just things that I'd like to come, y'know?

A Second Silent Hill Chapter

Now this might seem pointless since we already have plenty of Silent Hill characters in the game, but we also have plenty of Resident Evil characters so let me dream. Personally, I'd want an outdoor Silent Hill map, showing the foggy streets. For Killer, I'd either want Walter Sullivan or Claudia Wolf, though depending on the killer power, it would work to have Claudia as the killer (to tie with Cheryl more) and have Walter be a Legendary. As for a survivor, I feel like Henry, Eileen and Harry are the only ones that could really work, since I don't think Vincent or Angela would suit the game very well. Similar to how Legion received Robbie the Rabbit cosmetics, I think perhaps Nurse should receive a Silent Hill Nurse cosmetic and maybe Hag could get a Sakura Head cosmetic. Again, this is all a personal wishlist so I doubt this will ever happen but it's fun to pretend.

A Second Saw Chapter

Yes, we're doing this. So for a map, I'd go with the Catacombs from Saw 5, where the Fatal Five's games occurred. That way we would be able to explore multiple trap rooms, just like how Gideon's Meat Plant goes through multiple trap rooms from Saw 1-3. It wouldn't have to be an exact replica, the Meat Plant map sure isn't, so some other locations could even be thrown in there like the Glass Coffin room. As for characters, I'd personally go with Mark Hoffman as the killer, and either Jill Tuck or Peter Strahm as the survivor (or maybe both.) I think having a full-blown new chapter might be a little too much, especially considering that Mark and Amanda would act the same way, so a second idea would be that Amanda receives a bunch of Legendary cosmetics changing her to the other apprentices (Hoffman and Lawrence), with the only issue really being that those characters also wear pig masks, but to that I say Legion all has the same mask, yet there's four of them so hush. Tapp could get Legendary cosmetics that change him to Jill or Peter, or hell even Adam and Matthews could get in on the action.

A Second Evil Dead Chapter

So Evil Dead is one of the most iconic slashers of all time and it was completely ROBBED in DBD. Sure Freddy was kinda screwed over, and the TCM chapter didn’t even come with a survivor or map, however Evil Dead personally means more to me and it just sucks to me that they could only get AVED Ash, and not the iconic Evil Dead 2 Ash, or hell, even AOD Ash would’ve been nice. In my dream, hypothetical second Evil Dead chapter, I’d give Ash an Ultra Rare that turns him into AOD Ash. I’d also include a killer, either Evil Ash or Deadite Cheryl, and I’d either add Mia as a new character, or make her a Legendary for Ash. If Deadite Cheryl was the killer, I’d include Ellie and Linda as Legendaries, and if Evil Ash was the killer I’d probably give him a Baal skin.

An X Chapter

I think an issue with DBD is the lack of modern horror licenses. Sure we have Stranger Things, but that’s already over 5 years old. We haven’t gotten any modern characters beside them. Granted, there isn’t a lot of iconic horror films releasing nowadays that aren’t reboots or sequels, so that’s hard however X is an iconic and new franchise. Pearl as the killer, Maxine as the survivor, it’s perfect. You could argue Pearl being younger would make it confusing between her and Maxine since they look the same, however if Pearl is given animations that look unique enough, she’d be different enough to Maxine to not confuse them.

More Resident Evil Legendaries

So with Silent Hill, I wanted another chapter despite the abundance of content however with Resident Evil, I feel like we don’t really need entirely new characters. Resident Evil already has 2 killers and 4 survivors (4 killers and 9 survivors if you count Legendaries) whilst some licenses don’t even get 1 killer (Evil Dead my beloved.) Despite this, I still do wish for more content. Resident Evil just has so many iconic heroes and villains that are great for killers and survivors, however to include all of them would take up like 20 chapters and by that point it wouldn’t be fair at all to the other licenses who get nothing. I personally really hope for Lady Dimitrescu and her Daughters to come as Legendaries, the only issue being that I can’t tell who they should replace. In my head, I can kinda see Dimitrescu being a skin for maybe Plague but the power doesn’t fit that much IMO. Same problem with Dimitrescu’s daughters, I’m just not sure who they could be if not new characters. It’s simple for characters like Barry, Sherry and Ashley to be introduced, just make them skins for Leon and Jill, but it’s way harder to introduce new unique killer skins. My other bet would be to have Lady Dimitrescu be a skin for Nemesis, and have her daughters as the zombies, but that feels like too much work.

A House of 1000 Corpses Chapter

I’m not even sure what their powers would be or if there’d be a survivor or not, but I’d want the Firefly Family in this game, asap. I’d either have their chapter come with 2 killers, Captain Spaulding and Baby Firefly, with them both getting legendaries that change them to Rufus and Otis respectively, similar to Legion. Again, not sure on power, since they’re just regular killers, but I’d want Baby and Otis to be more psychotic and quick, with Spaulding and Rufus being slow heavy-hitters. Instead of the house, I’d have the gas station as the map, with most of it being outdoors but including a small indoor area with the front registers and the dark ride. It would be similar to the Greenville map.

A Junji Ito Chapter

This one is a bit of a unique one, since very other one here has a movie or game models to base themselves off of. Junji Ito has manga and anime, with irrelevant live action movies, so if they added anybody they’d have to make them fit the style. Although Junji Ito is my DREAM chapter, I didn’t think it would work… until now… Since Castlevania recently got added, they adapted the video game/anime designs for DBD and they look amazing. Not only are they anime-ish but also fit DBD’s art style, but they look good and not uncanny/bad. My point is, now I 100% believe they could add Junji Ito characters with no problem. My dream would be a mix of multiple stories, so Tomie would be the killer, Kirie/Shuichi would be the survivors and we’d get legendaries of characters like Souichi and Fuchi.

A Fatal Frame Chapter

This is one of those ones I highly doubt is going to happen, but I would love it either way. I'd go with the Silent Hill route where we get a map, a killer and a survivor with the survivor getting multiple Legendary cosmetics to account for the magnitude of popular protagonists in the franchise. I'd personally have the default be Rei Kurosawa since she's arguably the most popular protagonist, and she would come with Legendary cosmetics that turn her into Ruka, Yuri, Mio, Miku, Miu and Misaki. The killer could be Sae Kurosawa, though honestly any of the ghosts could work as the chapter's killer. As for a map, I feel like the best one would be Minakami Village, however again, any of the maps could work, hell maybe they could even do the Saw route, where they merge a bunch of locations into one map. The killer could have a new unique item, similar to how Sadako comes with tapes, or Xenomorph comes with turrets, the killer could come with cameras.

Springtrap

Yeah, yeah, very original I know. The truth is, I'm a huge FNAF fan and have been for a long time, and even though Springtrap is not my favourite animatronic in the series, he's definitely the most popular and the only one who could really work as a "main killer" (especially since the other animatronics have mostly become "good guys.") Of course, they could always bring in Legendary cosmetics to turn him into Freddy or something, but for now, Springtrap works the best and a lot of people want him so why not? Edit: YIPPEE!!

Elvira

I know survivor-only chapters are less fun than killer-only chapters since survivors are basically just skins, but shut up. Anyways, we’ve already had celebrity cameos, with Nicolas Cage, who is technically a horror actor but isn’t strictly known for horror like some better characters. DBD is branching away from horror nowadays, but I’d still love to see horror themed celebrities make appearances. Elvira is the biggest one I can think of, known was an iconic horror legend for being a gothic host for horror films. Her connections to horror would make her great for DBD, as she would have lots of comedic lines relating to these slashers she’s now with, similar to Nicolas Cage.

A Proper 2v8

So they recently announced 2v8, however it's only with the original 5 killers and a select few survivors. I understand they want to test the waters, and also they are adding new things and gameplay mechanics to their mod, however, I personally just want a regular 2v8. Two killers, 8 survivors, just that. No classes, no weird new mechanics, just regular DBD with double the characters. Of course some things would have to be changed so that it's not unfair, but not to the point of it being a completely different thing.

[gogmstuff]

Images of Geneviève Lantelme -

According to Wikipedia "Geneviève Lantelme (born Mathilde Hortense Claire Fossey, 20 May 1883[1] – 24/25 July 1911) was a French stage actress, socialite, fashion icon, and courtesan. Considered by her contemporaries to be one of the most beautiful women of the Belle Epoque and bearing a resemblance to American actress Ethel Barrymore, she is remembered for the mysterious circumstances of her death: on the night of 24/25 July 1911, she fell from the yacht of her husband, Alfred Edwards."

1902 (May issue) Lantelme in Paquin, Les Modes May issue. From verbinina.wordpress.com/page/8/ 2106X3000.

1902 Geneviève Lantelme, Théâtre du Gymnase, photo by Reutlinger, Les Modes July 1902. From les-modes.tumblr.com/image/51225719455; fixed spots w Pshop 1280X1779.

Genevieve Lantelme in Doucet by Reutlinger. From tumblr.com/beautifulcentury859X1600.

ca. 1905 Geneviève Lantelme by Henri Manuel. From Wikimedia 2283X2883.

1907 Mademoiselle Lantelme by Giovanni Boldini (Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea - Roma, Italy). From Wikimedia 1474X2776.

1907 April Mlle. Lantelme of the Theatre Rejane with lace-trimmed celadon day dress, with pink roses and feathers in her red hair, wearing rings of white and black pearls, photographed by Paul Boyer, on cover of French periodical les Modes 853X1280.

Lantelme in Paquin day dress by Félix. From verbinina.wordpress.com/page/6/ 1266X2806.

ca. 1908/1909 Lantelme in Vionnet gown by ?. From verbinina.wordpress.com/page/3/; fixed larger spots w Pshop 1280X1707.

1910 (June) Genviève Lantelme in Maison Drion-Régnier sheath evening dress, Les Modes - photo by Félix. From les-modes.tumblr.com/page/28 1280X1784.

1910 Geneviève Lantelme in Le Costaud des Epinettes by Abel Faivre (location ?). From Wikimedia 1190X1620.

Lantelme in Paquin afternoon dress by Félix. From verbinina.wordpress.com/page/6/ 1789X2395.

1910 Lantelme in Paquin photo Reutlinger. From verbinina.wordpress.com/page/6/ 2048X3060.

1911 Elegante et son chien (Lantelme with blue hortensias) by Antoon van Welie (location ?). From verbinina.wordpress.com/2015/03/06/an-unknown-portrait-of-lantelme/; doubled size 1600X1032.

1911 Lantelme photo in 2 August 1911 issue of The Bystander. From verbinina.wordpress.com/page/2/; fixed spots w Pshop 815X1186.

1911 Un Vendredi au Salon des Artistes français by Jules-Alexandre Grün (Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen - Rouen, Normandie, France). From verbinina.wordpress.com/page/7/; fixed spots & abrasion flaws w Pshop 4800X2800. Lantelme is at the visual center of this work.

Lantelme and dogs by Reutlinger. From verbinina.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/lantelme-cabinet-photo-with-2-dogs; adjusted borders & fixed flaws w Pshop 1094X1594.

Lantelme in La Gamime wearing Paquin by Reutlinger. From verbinina.wordpress.com/page/6/ 1230X1636.

Lantelme in Paquin by Manue. From verbinina.wordpress.com/page/6/ 2197X3360.

Lantelme in Paquin. From verbinina.wordpress.com/page/6/ 1401X2000.

[yr-obedt-cicero]

The fascination with busts of Hamilton

After @essentialaegis pointed this out in the notes of this post, I started to look back and realize there were quite a few times people had some alluring interest or comments towards busts of Hamilton. These particular recollections being from Elizabeth Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and none other than Aaron Burr.

I remember nothing more distinctly than a sofa and chairs with spindle tracting legs, upholstered in black broadcloth, embroidered in flowery wreaths by Mrs. [Elizabeth] Hamilton herself, and a marble bust of [Alexander] Hamilton standing on its pedestal in a draped corner. That bust I can never forget, for centuries the old lady always paused before it in her tour of the rooms, and, leaning on her cane, gazed and gazed, as if she could never be satisfied.

The Atlantic Monthly. United States, Atlantic Monthly Company, 1896.

After gazing a moment at these objects, the eye settled with a deeper interest on busts of [Thomas] Jefferson and [Alexander] Hamilton, by Ceracchi, placed on massive pedestals on each side of the main entrance—“opposed in death as in life,” as the surviving original sometimes remarked, with a pensive smile, as he observed the notice they attracted.

Randall, Henry Stephens. The Life of Thomas Jefferson. United States, Derby & Jackson, 1858.

Soon after his return Burr visited Boston. Phillips called on him at the Tremont Hotel, and offered to act the part of a cicerone. Among other places they went to the Athenæum, then on Pearl Street, to see the pictures and look at the library. As they walked down the hall, between the alcoves, Phillips caught sight of a bust of Hamilton, one of the ornaments of the library, which he had forgotten was there. He tried on some pretext to draw Burr in another direction; but he, too, had seen the bust and marched straight up to it. He stood facing it for a moment, then turned and said: “A remarkable man—a very remarkable man.” Upon this he wheeled on both heels in military style and moved on again with great composure.

Martyn, William Carlos. Wendell Phillips: the Agitator: With an Appendix Containing Three of the Orator's Masterpieces, Never Before Published in Book Form, Viz.: "The Lost Arts", "Daniel O'Connell", "The Scholar in a Republic".. United Kingdom, Funk & Wagnalls, 1890.

[Original source Recollections of Wendell Phillips, by F. B. Sanborn]

Take an anecdote in point. Mr. John Ant—n, a brother lawyer, had a bust of Hamilton in his office, and, from a trick or habit, A., when in earnest thought or talk, would fix his eye upon the bust. Burr had a consultation with him; and A., unconsciously, fixed his eye upon the pale Hamilton; but, instantly remembering, withdrew his sight from it, still not before Burr divined his thoughts. The Colonel quietly, slowly poked out his long fingers, pointed to the bust very deliberately, and said: “He may thank me—I made him a great man.”

PARTON, James. The Life and Times of Aaron Burr ... Vice-President of the United States, Etc. Fourteenth Edition. United States, n.p, 1864.

He had occasion to pay some attentions to Aaron Burr during a visit Burr made to Boston after the death of Hamilton. He took him to the Athenæum, and while walking through the sculpture gallery, seeing the bust of Hamilton near him, turned off, naturally thinking it would be disagreeable to Burr to be brought before it. But Burr went directly up to it and said in a very loud tone, ‘Ah! Here is Hamilton.’ And, pressing his finger along certain lines of his face said, ‘There was the poetry!’

Adams, Charles Francis. Richard Henry Dana: A Biography. United States, Houghton, Mifflin, 1891.

Arguably the most beloved busts of Hamilton has been coined as Giuseppe Ceracchi's iconic one. When Ceracchi took a trip to the US in 1791-92, he proposed a monument in honor of the Revolution and appealed to Congress to finance the project. Ceracchi had attempted to raise the funds for the memorial, and Jefferson endorsed him and told Robert Livingston that he was; “a very celebrated sculptor from Rome.” [x] He began sculpting models of the founding fathers, including others like Washington and Jefferson. In July 1792, Ceracchi wrote to Hamilton that he was; “impatient to receive the clay that I had the satisfaction of forming from your witty and significant physiognomy”. [x] When Ceracchi heard the memorial proposal was rejected by Congress on May 7th, 1792, he sent the completed busts to each of his models in 1794. Hilariously, he also sent them each a bill for the work which they didn't ask for. Though while Washington tried to return the bust rather than pay that outrageously for a marbel copy of his face, Hamilton shamelessly paid $620; “for this sum through delicacy paid upon cherachi's draft for making my bust on his own importunity & as a favour to him.” [x]

The Roman stylized bust paints Hamilton like an ancient senator, with a slash of the Order of Cincinnatus over his bare chest—Likely referring to the Society of the Cincinnati, which you can read more about here and here. The original is inscribed on the back in Latin; “DE FACIE PHILADELPHIAE EX ECTIPO FLORENCIAE FACIEBAT JOS. CERACCHI CIDDCCLXXXXIV” Which translates; “Executed in Philadelphia and copied in Florence, Executed by Joseph Ceracchi, 1794.” [x]

The Hamilton family kept the bust until 1896 when they donated it to the New York Public Library, there is also a copy on display at the Grange. This bust would be utilized as a common reference for Hamilton's appearance posthumously, as Trumbull used the bust as model for a series of 1804-1808 portraits of Hamilton, that would later be used for reference on the ten dollar bill. [x] And the first US Postal Service stamp to honor Hamilton was an 1870 30-cent stamp using this bust as a model. [x] Also in 1880 while the bust was owned by Hamilton's son, John Church Hamilton, he lended it so it could be used as a model for the head of the granite statue of Hamilton by Carl Conrads. [x]

[ancestorsalive]

The Henry O. Studley tool chest is a remarkable piece of craftsmanship and engineering that has captivated the attention of tool enthusiasts and woodworkers for decades. It is considered one of the most intricate and beautifully designed tool chests ever created.

Henry O. Studley, a piano and organ maker from Quincy, Massachusetts, crafted this extraordinary tool chest in the late 19th century. The chest is a masterpiece of organization and efficiency, designed to hold a vast array of tools in a compact and visually stunning manner.

The tool chest measures approximately 39 inches tall, 18 inches wide, and 9 inches deep when closed. It is made primarily of mahogany, with intricate inlays of ebony, ivory, mother-of-pearl, and various other exotic woods. The exterior of the chest is adorned with ornate carvings and decorative elements, showcasing Studley's attention to detail and artistic flair.

What makes the Studley tool chest truly remarkable is its interior. When opened, the chest reveals a meticulously arranged collection of over 250 tools, all neatly organized and secured in custom-made holders and compartments. The tools include a wide range of hand tools, measuring instruments, and even musical instruments such as a violin and a flute.

The interior of the chest is a symphony of precision and efficiency. Every tool has its designated place, and each tool holder is carefully designed to maximize space and accessibility. Studley ingeniously incorporated hinges, pivots, and sliding mechanisms to allow the tools to be easily accessed and displayed when the chest is opened.

The tool chest also features a fold-out workbench, complete with a vise and tool storage compartments. This portable workbench allows Studley to work on his projects wherever he went, making it a versatile and practical addition to the already impressive tool chest.

The craftsmanship and attention to detail exhibited in the Studley tool chest are truly awe-inspiring. It is a testament to the skill and dedication of Henry O. Studley as a craftsman and artist. The chest has become an iconic symbol of excellence in woodworking and a source of inspiration for generations of craftsmen.

Today, the Studley tool chest is housed in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. It is often displayed as a testament to the ingenuity and artistry of craftsmen from the past and continues to inspire and amaze those who have the opportunity to see it in person.

[standupcomedyhistorian]

Hi, everyone!

As a huge Black Mirror fan, I was psyched about the new season but had tempered my expectations after season 5's awfulness.

And well...

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

This was legit the best season since season 3! 🙌🏼

I absolutely adored Demon 79 (very Swarm with the awkward murders), and Loch Henry got SO intense with the crazy twist. I also LOVED the mask parallel with the BAFTA statue...so clever!

I'm seeing that people weren't into Mazey Day, but I enjoy any paparazzi takedown, and the early oughts setting was fun (loved seeing Zazie again since Atlanta ended). Very "Britney's New Look" on South Park, and I didn't pick up on the double meaning of "shoot me" until reading the comments (oy!). Loved the use of Muse's "Supermassive Black Hole" as well!

Finally, I was SO impressed by Josh Hartnett's acting in Beyond the Sea. I remember when he was a big teen heartthrob (I had a roommate that was obsessed with him in college), but I hadn't seen him in anything since that abomination Pearl Harbor with Ben Affleck. Let's just say...he has aged really well, and him growing a beard in space reminded me of Bo in Inside! Haha

Just noticed the Y in "Beyond" is the symbol from White Bear...nice (I've even made that icon on my Rubik's cube)!

Aaron Paul was also FANTASTIC in that episode. Fun fact: Bo and Aaron had a weird and hilarious interaction on Twitter after Aaron saw what. for the first time. The parenthetical asides are so clever!

My least favorite was definitely Joan Is Awful. Too over-the-top for me, but Salma Hayek was pretty funny in it, and boy did I love the Michael Cera cameo (George Michael!).

What did you think of the newest season of Black Mirror? What's your opinion of Charlie Brooker and his writing—do you think any episodes will be nominated for an Emmy? I could easily see BTS getting a nod, particularly Josh and Aaron.

I'm also now really excited about a "Red Mirror" spinoff if it maintains the campy '70s vibe...reminded me of Hammer horror films ✌🏼

[jesuis-melodrama]

The Aesthetics of Miraculous' Main Cast Pt. 2

Due to popular request, a second instalment based on the series' deuteragonists and tritagonists.

5. Tsurugi Kagami // Indie

Hear me out.

First of all, like with all aesthetics, there's no concrete definition for what constitutes as 'indie', although most people have a pretty definite idea of what shouldn't be. Indie is one of the widest aesthetics out there, bordering on multiple other sub-genres connected to a mish-mash of specific architectural, cultural, and musical styles.

But for Kagami, what I constitute as "indie" for her is simply a strong attraction to independence and individuality.

I don't think there's two better words to describe Kagami, out of all Miraculous characters, even the main deuteragonist cast, Kagami stands out because she has always been a girl who gets what she wants when she wants it, at times breaking the signature Miraculous limits of being reset back to default at the end of each episode. She remembered her disdain of Adrien, and although still cares deeply for him, never forgot the wound she obtained from him either.

Unlike all the other rich kids of Miraculous, Adrien, Chloé, Félix, and even Lila to a debatable degree, Kagami has always been far stricter and more formal in manner. This is does not, however, means that she is content to conform with her situation and blend into her mother's desires for her. No, Kagami has demonstrated capabilities to be far more rebellious than even our resident rogue superhero, surprising him at instances, and her adamant dedication to her drawing hobby, despite her mother's clear verbal disapproval, cements the strength of her indie personality. Moody independent loyalty, above all else.

We've never seen Kagami wear any other outfit apart from her fencing gear, kimono, and blazer-ed school uniform, and the audience certainly isn't aware of what her room or house looks like, but I imagine Kagami would be rather casual and grunge in sartorial terms. Preferring a good pair of comfortable, worn-in sneakers which are prime for running and other physical activities, rather than heeled shoes. Soft denim, fitted t-shirts, and relaxed bomber jackets with patterns of bright orange tigers and candy-red koi fish are also on the menu.

In terms of decorating her room – perhaps something like the image I provided above, granted with a lot more red and a couple prints of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's scattered around.

6. Luka Couffaine // Grunge

Grunge is defined by music. Having started off in the hard rock scene of Seattle, Washington, the popular grunge fashion sense – worn denim with holes at the knees, flannel, Converses, and oversized jackets – was once the uniform of preceding alternative rock bands to the likes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, and 7 Year Bitch.

There's a general idea of hopelessness infested within grunge circles. Usually young teens with little faith in their futures or the adults/world around them, left to partake in aimless activities such as attempting to start off their band from their garage-offices, or smoking marijuana in the basement of their parents' house.

But a larger, more significant portion of grunge is about counterculture, rejecting the expensive and the mainstream, the manufactured and the perfected, for what is authentically human. In musical terms, this means hand-played instruments over recorded pieces and studio voices versus autotune.

I don't think there's a better way to describe Luka other than authentic. His grunge-style outfit and characteristic dyed hair aside, his rather angsty backstory as being the secret son of a rock icon, Luka is a genuine and honest person, who has seldom lied on screen (rather difficult to do when the series circles around hiding superhero identities from romantic interests), and never shied away from saying what would be tormenting and embarrassing to another person.

Congratulations to Luka for making the first, full love confession to his love interest in Season 3. It may have been blatantly disregarded since, but Luka did it, clear words right in Marinette's face, he did not conform to his peers' habits of sneaking around and attempting to find shortcuts.

7. Félix Fathom // Preppy

Since I've found out Félix is part-American, this aesthetic suits him far more.

There is an aspect to Félix that is Old Money, much like Adrien, semi-canon or not, apparently both boys have blue blood within them, as Emilie and Amélie are both alluded to being some form of English aristocracy. But what differentiates Preppy from Old Money, and indeed what separates Félix from Adrien, is sociability.

Félix does not suffer the serious curfews and heavily regimented household dynamic Adrien does, he's free to do what he wants, when he wants, and according to this show, that includes committing cross-country felonies with the aid of his loving mother.

Much like Old Money, Preppy is characterised by wealth, and a penchant for materialistic objects. Félix lives in a London penthouse, BTW, if anyone doubts his ability to showcase his upper-class background. Plus: his outfit. Apart from Kagami, and that appears to be a school uniform that she pairs off with sneakers, Félix shows up to nearly each scene he's in with a waist-coat, black tie, and dress shoes. Not even Papillon/Papillombre/Monarch can beat that level of suave.

What also defines Preppy, a rather negative aspect which shines it out from other luxury aesthetics, is that partakers in this particular kind of sub-culture are known for elitism, looking down on those who are financially not on their level, or destitute in etiquette.

From the moment he arrived on-screen, Félix had been plentiful with his disdain, letting it be very well know who he despises or think little of.

8. Zoé Lee // Art Hoe

Zoé wants to be an actress. You can't get more artistic than that, and considering family dynamics, having a career goal alone places Zoé as far from the Chloé alignment as possible.

Art Hoe is an aesthetic based around nature, a love for art, and (usually) women. While the specific art form in particular is usually paintings related to the pop-art, graphic, and modern and post-modern genre, there are plenty of indie and alternative films such as the works of Andy Warhol, David Lynch, and Wong Kar-wai's, surreal, dream-like pieces which fits into the spacey, high culture requirements.

Not to mention, Zoé's outfit. From her bright turquoise beanie to sunshine-yellow jeans. Zoé's dabbles between tough masculinity with her leather jacket and quirky femininity with her blocky flower shirt. Her shoes are perhaps the most vibrant aspect of her ensemble, with quite a sombre backstory – "Yeah, I've written every nice thing that anyone's ever said to me, to keep them with me all the time." "But there's only one message!" "I only had one friend." – speaking of both her colourful personal style, but subdued persona.

I can see Zoé wearing mom jeans and painted overalls, slugging Kånken backpacks over her shoulder and donning striped Van Gogh socks.

To cap-off her Art Hoe requirements, the aesthetic focuses heavily on DIY, which Zoé proves by painting her own daily shoes.

[bloodpen-to-paper]

Met Gala 2023 Presented By Me

With this year's theme being "in honor of Karl Lagerfeld", a fashion designer whom I'm learning from the fashion community is "ew", lets see what we got:

~The Models~

-Rihanna being fashionably late, wearing an egg?-like top that opens to reveal a simple yet beautiful dress (she's got a baby bump!); the "no shit" was iconic honestly

-Jared Leto fursuit (its cause he was dressing as Lagerfeld's cat)

-Harvey Guillen coming through with a lovely floral suit, I'm not usually one for light pink but his was very pretty

-Who let Lil Nas X have access to the arts and crafts box (but he looked stunning, the mask was gorgeous and he's got more confidence than most to pull off what I'm now calling a Full Bedazzle)

-Kristen Stewart going full butch queer, the eyebrows and hair were rugged inspired and most didn't like it but I think that was the point?

-Pedro Pascal and his knee against the world (as well as spreading the red is superior agenda cause it is)

-^ but with Salma Hayek cause holy shit this is the red agenda

-Bryan Tyree Henry continuing to remind me how much my taste in men has improved over the years because he is so fucking fine ANYWAY-

-Lizzo giving me feminine gender envy despite the odds

-Janelle Monae doing a Janelle Monae as is customary (I'd love to know what the inspo was for her if so let me know!)

-Bella Ramsey you are so gender thank you (and they served too, the Thom Browne suit with the white accents is simple yet very classy)

-Every year I give one (1) free pass for a man to wear a standard suit, this year goes to Ke Huy Quan because I couldn't say anything bad about him if I tried (at least he had some style, the fingerless gloves were cool)

-Obligatory Gwendoline Christie was there and existed comment by me because I am in love and I am not ashamed of it

-Florence Pugh's fit had mixed reactions, the shaved head, headdress and white dress look were really good but I think the way the dress came out had people not fully digging it, I can understand but I'll appreciate it nonetheless

-Anne Hathaway in all her fuzzy glory (the hair's a beehive on a very felted dress but like it worked? marks for originality and being able to pull it off)

-Loved Stephanie Hsu's bedazzled suit, won't be able to stop thinking about it actually

-Tems was stunning, I'm a huge fan of the floating leaves design we need more nature-inspired looks

-Olivier Rousteing and Jeremy pope slaying with their "Karl who?" and cape apparel

-Gotta shout out Yara Shahidi for going with something unique, the pearl's color palette works surprisingly better than I expected with the gold (personally I would have more gold trim in the top half but that's just me)

-Let Lady Gaga's outfit for the Met Gala this year be a lesson in misinformation because the pictures circulating Tumblr are not in fact from the 2023 Met, she didn't attend (it is a stunning outfit though)

-Jenna Ortega looking almost like a dapper pirate in the absolute best way possible the gender envy the style I am going insane

-Doja Cat living up to her name (Cats should take notes honestly the makeup was really good. She also kept answering reporter questions by meowing. Because she's Doja. Anyway.)

-Anok Yai's dress reminds me of those ornate beaded lampshades, I wonder if that's where she/her designer got the idea

-Emily Blunt giving me gay panic once again WHY IS SHE SO GORGEOUS (she's got a giant fucking bow tie that's what clowns wear why is she able to pull it off this is so unfair)

-Conan Gray looked like an actual prince I am obsessed

-I saw someone said Cardi B was giving goth Barbie and that is honestly the best way to describe it

-Yung Miami having a beautiful look cause her outfit was underrated this year

-I thought Emily Blunt and Bryan Tyree Henry were all I had to worry about and then Julia Garner came in with a steel chair

-Ella Fanning's look captivating me specifically

-And cause I can't comment on every person or we'd be here all day, go check out the underrated outfits from Amanda Seyfried, Alton Mason, Glenn Close, Sora Choi, Ava Max, Jessica Chastain, Taika Waititi and many more!

~Final Thoughts~

-The palette this year was very black and white... literally. Lots of outfits in black, white, or both. I'm not really into the fashion community so I wouldn't know but I'm guessing its a signature theme of Lagerfeld's? Let me know! I'm always down to learn more about other communities and their history

-I'm also assuming Lagefeld's got a thing for flowers cause there were a lot of flowers imbedded into the outfits, they looked lovely~

-As well as long flowy dress/coat tops cause there were a lot, and I loved how people mixed it in with the flowers. Lots of the men did it this year and it looked fantastic

-Speaking of, I'm proud of the men for actually dressing up this year omfg its insane how many male celebrities will go to a literal fashion event and pull up with nothing but a plain ass suit and though most of them this year did wear suits, there was much pizazz. Like, actual life put into those outfits. So yeah, you love to see it

-Overall, a very nice Met Gala. The crazy stuff came from the usual people who go all out, and we got plenty of highlights from people who embraced the theme, with the occasional unique look to really stick it out

Thank for reading and see you all next fashion event!

[styleofdiamandis]

        LOVE + FEAR TOUR: NADYA DZYAK & OTHER

We have finally arrived at the third and final chapter of our “Love + Fear” world tour fashion breakdown! After we looked at the designs of Maggie Barry and Olima, it’s time to tackle down all the looks created by the other designers who were involved in this epic tour.

This week I'm introducing you to Ukrainian emerging fashion designer Nadya Dzyak whose designs were adored by Marina and stylist Mercedes Natalia for her tour.

First up, we got the Spring/Summer 2019 long ruffled nude tulle dress with matching round belt ($822.00).

M also wears the Versace’s heart-shaped Love gold ring with Medusa icon and meander pattern...

...and her beloved Nike Huarache sneakers in full white!

Nadya Dzyak’s Resort 2020 lookbook showed the designer experimenting with unusual color combinations and new shapes. Here, our girl wore the nude tulle mini dress with multicolored dots, ruffles and silk trim.

Her jewelry here included a pair of Alison Lou’s green neon Jelly hoops from her iconic “Loucite” collection...

…and a vintage Chanel gold sunburst logo chain necklace.

Next, Marina looked dazzling on stage in another Nadya Dzyak Resort 2020 confection: a blue dotted tulle tiered mini dress with silk trim. Check out that circular pleat at the front!

This look was crowned with a pair of ZARA gold hammered earrings with three flat faux pearls...

...plus her Hermina Athens Amalthea gold-plated sterling silver statement necklace.

At her Dublin date, the Greek-Welsh singer chose this crimson red tulle mini dress with dots, matching belt and silk trim from Nadya Dzyak’s Fall/Winter 2019 collection.

Manchester-based label The Dolls House was founded in 2012 by Rebecca Henry. Marina debuted the sparkly Cindy silver sequin dress which features a square neck and ruched sash detail. HOT!

A pair of Steve Madden’s Carissa metallic silver sneakers with silver-tone rhinestones all over perfectly tied the look together.

We’re almost at the end! Marina wore two colorful looks from the Resort 2020 collection of Maisie Wilen, the young emerging designer who was discovered by Kanye West back in 2019! 

First up is this orange & blue psychedelic abstract print long-sleeve mini bodycon dress with asymmetrical hem.

The other look is the Body Shop psychedelic printed green & blue long-sleeve top and matching leggings.

All of her jewelry is Sylvia Toledano. She wore the Petite Candy hoops in gold brass with turquoise, turquoise verte, cornaline, yellow onyx, amethyst, died ruby and moonstone…

…the Fall/Winter 2019 Lee long necklace with multicolored stones which she wrapped twice around her neck…

…and the Byzantine cuff with green turquoise, dried ruby, turquoise, amethyst, cornaline, green onyx, tiger eye, yellow onyx, black onyx and calcedoine.

[pridepages]

Safe Spaces: Lavender House

I just finished Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen. I have thoughts...

Here there be spoilers!

Move over, Benoit Blanc! It’s been a banner year for queer detectives and while Rian Johnson has given us an icon for the silver screen, Lev AC Rosen has created one for the page in Evander “Andy” Mills, openly gay private eye and narrator of Lavender House. But while the Blanc mysteries are largely the fun kind of lampooning of our privileged and bigoted populations, Lavender House is more somber in tone and more reflective about the place of queer people in the United States.

Set in the 1950s, Lavender House introduces the reader to Andy Mills in the worst period of his life. Mills knows he’s gay, and has struggled through life hiding it first as a soldier and then as a police officer. In an era where gay people’s existences were explicitly criminalized, Mills has spent his career deftly sneaking around in underground gay bars and clubs to avoid detection. But one day, his luck runs out: forcibly outed in a raid, Mills knows life as he once knew it is over and he is officially and forever an outcast. He contemplates ending his life, but before he can he’s offered an unusual job...to find out the truth behind the sudden and mysterious death of the matriarch behind the famous Lamontaine soap empire. Escorted to the private home compound called, affectionately, ‘Lavender House,’ Mills meets an unusual family and must determine if any of them is a murderer.

The twist, naturally, is that every inhabitant of Lavender House is queer (hence the name, for people who know their history: lavender was a color code associated with gay culture). Victim Irene lived romantically with her ‘secretary’ (wife) Pearl. Irene had a son from a first marriage, called Henry, who is legally Married to Margo. However, Henry is truly partnered with his ‘secretary,’ Cliff, and Margo is partnered with her ‘friend,’ the notorious club owner, Elsie. Even the three staff members--two women who are partnered and one man who recognized Andy from the clubs--are also gay. In fact, the reason Mills is hired by Pearl is because he is pointed out to her as having been fired as a cop for being gay. In this private, moneyed estate, all of them can close the gates to shut out the eyes and the threats of the outside world. In Lavender House, they live as they choose. So Andy Mills discovers something in Lavender House he could only have dreamed about: a safe space.

The term ‘safe spaces’ has become a double-edged sword. On the one hand, all people who fall under the rainbow umbrella need and deserve spaces where we can feel free to be ourselves, to meet people like us, and to live feeling like we can breathe. All of us can probably remember having some moment like Andy, looking around at the life and the love he sees shared around him:

 “Elsie...dipping her slightly as they kiss. Margo is smiling the whole time. This is like how Cliff leans his head on Henry's shoulder. For them, it's the bickering, the flirting, that brings them closer. It's funny how many ways there are to show you're in love, and yet outside Lavender House, we never get to experience any of them.”

Home is supposed to be the place where we can retreat from the outside forces that condemn us, or silence us. It’s supposed to be a refuge where we can be our most free and honest selves. In that sense, a place like Lavender House probably seems more than a haven...it’s almost like paradise.

On the other hand, isolating ourselves is both limiting because it can create an echo chamber and because it creates boundaries between us and the wider world we deserve to live in. Andy sees some of the consequences firsthand: Cliff never leaves the estate, fearing recriminations from a vengeful bio family, and spends long, lonely hours practically isolated. The bars may be gilded, but Lavender House has become a cage. Even the most powerful member of the surviving family, heir Henry, has a complicated relationship to the self-imposed isolation of Lavender House. But his conclusion is that the pain is worth the protection. “Just because we know what we are, and we know what the world is, doesn't mean we can change anything about either of them...I never felt ashamed of who I was, but I felt a lot angrier outside this place.”

So is a safe space a heaven or a hell? Is a place like Lavender House the solution or does it create yet more problems for the people it’s supposed to protect? 

I think these are the wrong questions. I don’t think it’s about where you choose to plant your roots or how. The question is: who are you choosing to plant them with? 

In the 1950s, it would have been a mostly foregone conclusion that coming out meant becoming a pariah. So, many chose to bury that part of themselves deep in order to be able to remain part of their homes and their families. But Elsie has a point: “You can’t hide a part of yourself from people and still be their family. And if you share that part...well, most families tell you you’re not family, then anyway...now your real family is going to be the one you make of other people like you.”

Coming out is not a universal social death sentence today. But that doesn’t mean we automatically feel at home in the families or communities we are born into. Now as then, we look for places to find “companionship. Friends. Lovers. Family. We have to make these things for ourselves.”

Every member of the family agrees that Lavender House is worth saving, and that justice in their case must be nontraditional in order to protect the precious life they have created. Because the truth is that the bond between them shapes their world more than a fence ever could. Lavender House isn’t a haven because it’s a mansion exclusively full of queer people. It’s because Lavender House is a giant family of queer people who came together and choose every day to love and protect each other no matter what.

Maybe the reason we still struggle over safe spaces is because, like everything, we forget that no two people are exactly the same. The perfect safe space doesn’t look the same for everyone. While readers leave the Lavender House family strengthened in their renewed love and faith in each other, Andy Mills leaves them to seek a new adventure. Even though Andy is invited to join the Lavender House family, in the end he chooses not to: “I've seen what life can look like, even if the one here isn't the one I want. Maybe, though, they've shown me a door to something better. It might fail. I might fail. But at least I'll do it as myself.” Andy is finally able to recognize that there is a big world out there, full of people living all kinds of different lives despite the odds, and that bonds of love that form a community can be found in all kinds of places. He doesn’t have to settle for a place that isn’t his. He can build one of his own.

Home is more than the walls we live in. Home is in the people we share them with. And if we haven’t found the place we fit in the world yet, then we have to keep living, learning, and laying the foundations for the place where we will.

[doamarierose-honoka]

James Gunn's upcoming Superman (formerly Superman: Legacy) will officially introduce several key Justice League heroes to the new DCU.

The DCU's first movie will see Superman enter a world populated with existing heroes and villains. This comes as the new rebooted slate gets underway and plans to introduce many more iconic heroes such as Batman in the coming years.

James Gunn's Superman Casts Justice League Heroes

The cast of James Gunn's Superman includes actors for five (potentially six) Justice League heroes who will head up the start of the new DCU.

Details of each of the heroes and their actors are explored below:

Superman (Clark Kent)

Kal-El, better known as Clark Kent or Superman, requires no introduction to any Justice League enthusiast and can be instantly recognized by his iconic red, blue, and yellow costume and blossoming cape

Hailing from the destroyed alien world of Krypton and after a lifetime being raised in the farmlands of Kansas, Earth's sun offers Clark Kent unimaginable powers of flight, super-strength, super-speed, freeze breath, heat vision, and more.

Replacing Henry Cavill as the Man of Steel is David Corenswet, an up-and-coming actor with recent credits in The Politician, Hollywood, and Pearl. Ahead of Superman, he will take to screens later this year in the disaster flick Twisters.

[ Henry Cavill's Superman Replacement Actor Is Looking Jacked (Photo) ]

Green Lantern (Guy Gardner)

A member of the Green Lantern Corps, Guy Gardner, will appear in Superman, bringing with him all the familiar powers of the emerald space-cops through a will-powered ring and the ability to create glowing constructs from pure imagination.

Guy Gardner will only be the first Green Lantern to appear in the DCU before Hal Jordan and John Stewart lead the way in Max's Lanterns. It's currently unclear whether Gardner is set to join his fellow space cops for the streaming series.

Nathan Fillion will portray the Green Lantern following his leading role in the viral cop drama The Rookie. He previously worked with Superman director James Gunn during his time in the MCU with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

[ Green Lantern TV Show: Everything We Know So Far ]

Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders)

Another legendary member of the Justice League to feature in Superman is Hawkgirl, aka Kendra Saunders. Her introduction follows the big-screen debut of Hawkman in Black Adam, played by Aldis Hodge, whose future is uncertain.

With origins going back to the planet Thanagar, Saunders embodies the soul of her ancestor and the original Hawkgirl to become the latest hero, donning a set of wings and wielding a powerful mace into battle with the Justice League.

Hawkgirl will be played by Isabela Merced, who was recently seen in a superhero project in Madame Web after roles in Dora the Explorer and Instant Family. She will soon appear in HBO's The Last of Us Season 2 as Dina.

Mr. Terrific (Michael Holt)

Michael Holt is one of the greatest minds in the DC universe which he used to develop his iconic T-spheres. These powerful flying drones can be utilized for various purposes including combat, in which he is also a strong martial artist.

Better known as Mr. Terrific, Holt entered the superhero game after the accidental deaths of his wife and unborn child. He would go on to join several teams such as the Justice League and the Justice Society, and he even found his own with the Terrifics.

Edi Gathegi will play Mr. Terrific in Superman after the actor once played Darwin in X-Men: First Class and held other roles in StartUp and For All Mankind.

Metamorpho (Rex Mason)

Metamorpho is perhaps the least-known of the Justice League heroes set to appear in Superman. Otherwise called the adventurer Rex Mason, he gained his unique powers from a radioactive meteorite he found in an Egyptian pyramid.

After the incident, Mason became able to shape-shift his body into various forms and elements, including turning part or all of him into solids, liquids, or gases.

Metamorpho will be played by Anthony Carrigan, who took two dips into the DC mythos before in Gotham and The Flash. Other recent credits for the actor are Barry, Bill & Ted Face the Music, and more.

BONUS.) Supergirl (Kara Danvers)

Kara Danvers, aka Kara Zor-El, is the older cousin to Clark Kent who was sent to Earth to protect him but ultimately her pod went off course and she arrived years later. Now, she follows in his footsteps on Earth as Supergirl, brandishing a similar powerset and donning an outfit akin to her cousin.

Supergirl has not been officially confirmed to appear in Superman, with James Gunn stating on Threads he "never even said she was in the movie" when news broke about casting for the Kryptonian hero.

Regardless, her appearance in Superman would make sense ahead of her starring in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Based on the comic of the same name by Tom King, the movie is reportedly set to enter production later this year from director Craig Gillespie and writer Ana Nogueira to become the DCU's second movie.

The DCU's Supergirl will be brought to life by Milly Alcock, who found fame in 2022 as the young Rhaenyra Targaryen in the first half of HBO's House of the Dragon Season 1, a spin-off to Game of Thrones.

When Will the DCU's Justice League Assemble?

Superman will kickstart the new DCU as Clark Kent enters a world filled with existing heroes such as those explored above. That said, it's unclear if these heroes are operating together under an umbrella such as the Justice Society or whether they are scattered around and working alone.

Currently, it seems more likely the latter will be the case, as Superman ushers this world into a new and more hopeful era of heroes. This tonal shift ought to be the first step toward one day assembling the Justice League in the DCU whenever a threat powerful enough to unite Earth's heroes finally comes along.

But fans shouldn't expect to see the Justice League unite anytime soon, as there are plenty more characters who will need projects before then such as Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash, and Martian Manhunter, while the likes of Batman already have a solo movie on the docket with Brave and the Bold.

As it will undoubtedly take many more years to introduce all of these important players, it would be shocking to see the new Justice League assemble to conclude Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters anytime before 2029 or 2030.

That said, there will likely be plenty of teases and smaller crossovers to come before then, with Superman already set to include seven major heroes. Just as was the case with the MCU over a decade ago, fans should prepare for years of build-up and cryptic hints before this new team assembles.

[ James Gunn's Justice League Reboot Movie: When Will It Happen? ]

Superman hits theaters on July 11, 2025.

[arsistq4545]

The Subtleties of Dazzling Design: The Pinnacle of Cadillac

When you hear the name Cadillac, luxury, elegance, and prestige immediately come to mind as associated with an automotive brand. As one of the pearls of the American automotive industry, the impact Cadillac has made is not limited to its rich history and iconic designs alone. Let's take a look into the world of this automotive giant and understand why everyone dreams of owning a Cadillac.

Looking into Cadillac's history, you can see it is one of the cornerstones of the American automotive industry. Established in 1902 by Henry Leland, the brand has revolutionized engineering and design since its inception. Initially renowned for its impeccable craftsmanship, Cadillac has merged luxury and performance over time, establishing a unique identity.

Cadillac's dazzling designs continue to captivate the hearts of automotive enthusiasts. In every model, sleek lines, elegant details, and striking front fascias stand out. Especially in recent years, Cadillac's design team has skillfully blended modern touches with classic lines, creating a unique aesthetic. Leading headlights, wide wheels, and inspiration drawn from the brand's famous emblem ensure a striking presence in every Cadillac model.

However, Cadillac is not only limited to a stunning exterior design. The interior provides a scene that combines luxury and comfort. High-quality materials, ergonomic layouts, and state-of-the-art features offer an unforgettable experience for drivers and passengers alike. Whether on a long journey or navigating city streets, the luxury and comfort within Cadillac's interior turn every ride into a pleasure.

Of course, Cadillac stands out not only for its exterior design and interior but also for its performance. Powerful engines, intelligent chassis systems, and state-of-the-art driving assistance systems elevate Cadillac into more than just a car. With models tailored to every driver's needs and preferences, Cadillac strikes a perfect balance between daily usability and exhilarating driving experiences.

In conclusion, Cadillac is not just a car but a lifestyle. Combining luxury, elegance, and performance, this brand continues to adorn the dreams of automotive enthusiasts. Carefully crafted in every detail and making every drive memorable, Cadillac has rightfully earned its place on the throne of the American automotive industry.

If you're seeking the perfect combination of luxury and performance, consider taking a look at a Cadillac. Stepping into the world of this brand, you'll encounter not just a car but a lifestyle.