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juliamc1003 · 4 years ago

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I have always been interested in the printmaking process of Collagraphy. This genre of printing allows room for experimentation, surprising mistakes and interesting outcomes. I’m also interested in Collage making and Collagraphy is a great way for me to combine the two. Even when drawing on paper, I usually feel the need to add something physical to it, to create a texture or create something more tactile. Throughout this research for collagraph artists I have learned more about the genre and I am excited to progress and experiment now that I have inspiration. I enjoy the process of finding day to day objects around me, and to find out how they take ink and print. To create a collagraphy print it’s imperative to correctly and properly prepare your ‘plate’. Your plate is a firm surface which can be scored, etched and different textured paper,gels and paint can be added to create an image. You can transfer your chosen image the plate as if creating a Lino cut image. You must use the correct glue to when building your plate and you can also use string, buttons etc as long as the material used isn’t too soft or absorbent which will affect the inking process. The plate image is then sealed with gloss or varnish (also the back and sides to prevent curving of the plate when being washed). The inking process can be the relief or intaglio method (adding ink on top of the image or adding ink into the image and wiping off then using a press similar to the etching method) I have chosen three artists and of the three I was happy to find Donald Stoltenberg. I also was happy to find information on Atelier 17, a famous print studio in Paris and later New York, set up by a British artist, Stanley William Hayter. He encouraged lots of experimental ways of printing and encouraged artists such as Sue Fuller.

Donald Stoltenberg

Donald Stoltenberg’s collagraph ‘Central Station’, immediately sets the scene. The viewer feels caught up in a timeless romantic narrative filled with anticipation and excitement. We cannot see other passengers which eludes to a journey or travel out-with the humdrum and the rat race. The warm red and orange hues and bright white of daylight from the archway are enticing as if there is another life outside of the dirty smokey city. The title ‘Central station’ reflects the mood of the occasion, perhaps we are waiting to meet a friend we’ve not seen for a long time or we are taking a long train journey. We, as the viewer are given the choice to create the story...the train arriving - who are you there to meet? There is a huge sense of anticipation surrounding this image.

The scene seems to be dateless, could be 100 years ago or yesterday. The image has a heavy vignette and this gives focus to the huge archway of the station entrance and gives the viewer a sense of smokey hazy station. The train to the left of the image... is it arriving, departing or stationary? We are able to create our own narrative and that’s why I feel this image is of a romantic nature.

Stoltenberg trained as a graphic designer before starting his career as an artist. The artist also had a passion for architecture and maritime structures. He has published books in his career, popular books being ‘The Artist and the Built environment” and Collagraph Printmaking. Although Stoltenberg was a successful collagrapher and printmaker, later in life he dedicated his life to watercolour and oil painting as these techniques were less laborious, although his subject matters remained the same. (Destroyer At DryDock for example and can been seen in the link for the Anderson Gallery)

The addition of the bold text and numbers seem to act like a calendar or stopwatch - the countdown to a rendezvous or a holiday. The number 8 seems to be a favourite of Stoltenberg as we see this figure of 8 in his train triptych. Stoltenberg also favours a circular object when fixing his collagraph plate. We can see the circle plays a vital role in many of his other works. (Shipyard 1982, Warship, Wooden bridge, Relic and Coin collection again, in the link provided). The lettering in the station’s large arch window are not recognisable or familiar, therefore I would presume that due to the technique of collography, the letters were used purely for aesthetic reasons rather than for any symbolic reason. With this collagraph, the fonts and figures would have been deliberately chosen in order to sit well on the plate.

The Artist has achieved a sense of movement with the train lines and carriages moving from the foreground of the image into the distance. He has also achieved the sense of direction and movement with the hazy shadows from the outside of the station tunnel. The artist has used both vertical and horizontal lines overlapping giving a sense of the enormous structure of the station and how it seems to loom or envelope the trains and passengers. The glass archway is almost central to the image and our eye is led to the incoming train with it’s white dot as a light. The viewer easily places themselves standing on the platform in anticipation...

Works Cited

ARCHIVE, ARTWORK. “Art Collection from Anderson Gallery - BSU.�� Artwork Archive, 2021, www.artworkarchive.com/profile/jay-block/artist/donald-stoltenberg. Accessed 8 Mar. 2021.

“Donald Stoltenberg.” Wikipedia, 18 May 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Stoltenberg.

“Zullo Gallery - Current Exhibit.” Www.zullogallery.org, www.zullogallery.org/printmakers_page_1.html. Accessed 8 Mar. 2021. ‌

KATHLEEN BUCHANAN

This image is by the Collagraph artist Kathleen Buchanan. Titled ‘Flock and Sea” is conveys a sense of silence and serenity - a slow pace. We find ourselves in quietness, stopping to appreciate the landscape on a hazy Scottish island perhaps.

The sheep are in a restful mood, however there is a humorous element to them. Our eye is drawn to the crumpled sheep coat - like an old paper bag, random like litter in the lush green grass being anchored by the boulders. In a light hearted way we could see that the boulders are preventing them from sliding down the hill. There is also a sculptural feel to the sheep’s coats which gives them a comical look, like they’re are wrapped up in a duvet keeping warm.

It’s Spring time but still cold, the slight haziness and speckled effect in the blue of the sky reminds me of the Scottish midge fly buzzing around with the sheep unperturbed.

The sheep are relaxed, reminding us of the harmonious relationship between nature and animals.

The viewer cannot see the eyes of the sheep, but Buchanan has caught the personality of sheep - one always seems to be curious or suspicious. The distant sheep of the flock could be the dreamer or the outsider - the ‘black sheep’. The other sheep make the viewer feel ignored by the deliberate positioning of the animals .

The boundary line, between the sea and the hillside divides the image. There are many outlines in this image - around the boulders, the sheep coats and the island - giving a sense of heaviness and solidity.

Kate Buchanan, by profession is a biologist and her background in science links well with printmaking. Both fields of study involve great observational skills and this is obvious with her great understanding of the natural landscape and its inhabitants.

Works Cited

Design, Doug Felton Web. Kathleen Walsh Buchanan Fine Art Printmaking | about Me. www.greysealpress.com/about. Accessed 8 Mar. 2021. ‌

SARAH AMOS

Sarah Amos, is a master printmaker who divides her time between Australia and America and her art combines collagraphy with mixed-media or more recently, stitching. Her recent work is based on images from the vast Australian landscapes. This collagraph is from 2011 and is not so typical of her recent work however it immediately caught my attention. The title is called Little Red Wonder and it’s an apt title. There’s no obvious narrative, but the artist evokes nostalgia, and grabs your attention through the colour and lines and form alone. So many words spring to mind on viewing this image - it feels like Christmas. It’s candy canes and gift wrapped boxes under the tree. It’s like a hazy red glow of the fairy lights and the warm fire. The image reminds me of sweeties and paper straws, strawberry shoe laces, and toffee apples at Halloween. The geometric lines and shapes and the vibrancy and the mottled marks conjure up visions of and old-fashioned circus and the high trapeze -the big top. Or a slice of cool watermelon or Summer Cup cocktail. The white lines, in strange directions, as if holding up the makeshift tent, cosy and warm, safely camping in your bedroom. The image is fairytales of Dorothy and her ruby red shoes and The Queen of Hearts in Wonderland all in one box of wonder.

As much as the image gives a sweet naive impression, we can also imagine the polar opposite. The colour red is a very symbolic colour, maybe the artist chose this particular hue of red to translate an emotion. Could this be an angry expression with the jutting disjointed lines. The lines are hard and edgy and there is no flow. Is the emotion aggression - the white lines in the centre of the image seem to puncture the composition - like exposed bones through blood. The viewer feels small, as if we are underneath a structure and it feels looming and foreboding. The two blocks each side of the image seem to be leaning in and are imposing.

With the nature of collagraphy, the inking and printing process almost always gives a dreamlike quality, a little hazy but alway an honest and sincere image.

Reference list

AMOS, S. (2021). Master Printmaker | Sarah Amos Studio. [online] sarahamosstudio.com. Available at: http://sarahamosstudio.com/index.php [Accessed 8 Mar. 2021].

Bunyan, D.M. (2001). Sarah Amos. [online] Art Blart. Available at: https://artblart.com/tag/sarah-amos/ [Accessed 8 Mar. 2021].

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almostshadydelusion · 4 years ago

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yaI was tagged by: @inappropriatefangirlneeds thank you very much, hopefully these answers are as detailed as yours, feel free to tag me anytime.

If I were a month, I’d be : I have a soft spot for December cause it’s my birth month but, October also has a place in my heart. I love Halloween. My problem is that I love American weather assigned to months. December is Summer in Australia but I love the idea of Winter December and snow. October in my country is Spring so allergy season and also what we call swooping seasons. I adore the ideas of falling orange leaves, pumpkins and soft greens. I think the slight chill in the air and softer colour palette match the kind of month I’d be. So, in short I’d be American Autmn.

If I were a flower, I’d be: I’ve always adored blue and purple flowers so I’ve been researching flower meanings and also considering the general look of the flowers themselves. So far I appreciate Forget-Me-Nots for their well fairly obvious meaning (remembering those we love who are lost). Cornflowers are my favoutire minecraft flower but the historical association with Nazi’s have kind of pushed me away from picking this one. I evetually decided that based on the meaning of the flower I’d be a blue rose (not a natural rose colour), meaning “ mystery, the impossible, or the unattainable”. As for looks I’d be a midnight plum mini calla lily, which is said to symbolise fertility, faithfulness and the part I like rebirth. Best of all the website I used told me that blue roses and midnight plum calla lillies compliment each other.

If I were an album, I’d be : I have a wide taste in music but I’d say I’d be a dramatic/depressing album, maybe with some hopeful songs but not many. I’m torn between Your City Gave Me Asthma by Wlbur Soot, which while I’m not completely in love with all the songs on that album the general soft vibe matches what I want to acheive and also any Cavetown album, I’m leaning towards Sleepyhead but literally Aminal Kingdom and Lemonboy also call to me.

If I were a mineral, I’d be : I was intending to do a lot more research but, one caught my eye almost immedietly with both the meaning, the historical significance as well the meaning amonst those who deal with crystals and the look of the gem itself. Technically it’s not a mineral but a rock but, I’m putting it down anyway. The most common term for them are apache tears, which are rounded pebbles of obsidian. Spiritually they are apparently used for overcoming depression, bringing greif to the forfront to be dealth with and allows people to reach a “state of self-realization”. Historically they are named for a tribe of Native Americans who rather then be captured ran after losing a battle, rode their horses off a cliff.

If I were a sound, I’d be : the gasping breath before a sob

If I were a colour, I’d be : #7f1734 ‘Claret’ A deep shade of red that pairs well with darker colours or greys. Interestingly enough my shade and colours I associate with my friends don’t quite fit but neither do any of their colours with the others and yet I love that.

If I were a drink, I’d be : Something cherry flavoured that’s an acquired taste. If I were an alchohol I’d be, not by choice but if I just were one, I’d be sambuca (a strong flavour that only certain people like).

If I were a fruit, I’d be : I was stuck reading into fruit appearing in myths but I’ll settle for plum.

If I were a quote, I’d be : I don’t remember a lot of quotes particularly long ones. have a bad memory. I’d like to say I’d be a Pride and Prejudice quote but I don’t think I’m worthy of Austin. I was trying to think of a suitable fandom quote maybe “It was never meant to be” from the Dream smp or “I don’t want to go” from Doctor Who but I think I’ll pick a song lyric. Of course I went straight to Cavetown. “ I wanna make a colour that no one else has seen before. I wanna be so much more.” This is the one that I picked. Though there are so many. He just makes me feel things, sometimes I am so calm listening to him but then sometimes I’m balling my eyes out.

If I were a television series, I’d be : I want to pick a good one but I don’t think I’m worthy. Maybe a non problematic Gotham but that’s just me projecting. Actually maybe I’d be ‘I Am Not Okay With This’, a beautiful show cancelled for budget cuts after covid but has beautiful representations of mental health, non toxic masculinity and lgbt teens. I think I’d be something that has brillaint gay characters at the very least because that’s very important to me.

If I were a movie, I’d be : Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It’s brilliant and just my niche.

If I were a fashion brand, I’d be : Probably a really cheap one that makes sizes for bigger people cause I know the pain of nothing pretty ever fitting.

If I were a mythological creature, I’d be : I love Medusa but creature wise I’d be Bastet from Merlin. I’ve been obsessed with the winged panther creature for years. here’s what Gaius says about the species “ The writers of old called this creature a Bastet. A monster of nightmare that inhabits the twilight world between the living and the dead”.

If I were a taste, I’d be : An acquired one

If I were a scent, I’d be : Sweet and floral, just enough to entice someone into asking about it but not overly sickly sweet

If I were a fabric, I’d be : I want to say silk but I think I’d be leather or velvet. Like the pretty leather that one can make pants out of.

If I were a body part, I’d be : Back cause I carry a lot of stress

If I were a song: This is difficult. I might pick a Cavetown song but I lean towards She by Dodie Clark. I do like many Cavetown songs but I’ll put down Fool (I am currently listening to it and I just adore it both lyric wise and music wise). Idk either I’d be song about anxiety or being closeted.

If I were a god/goddess, my four attributes would be : Comfort (I’d want to be Goddess who is there for the vunerable and able to both provide and inspire comfort in self), Attachments (I’d like people to pray for strong platonic attachments to people and animals), Anxiety (I’m a firm believer in the devine having positive and negative traits, I feel like this is a defining traits and the opposite of comfort but that doesn’t mean that people can’t take aspects like overanalysing.) and my final trait would be loss (the other foil to my trait. When to let go of attachments and dealing with loss whether death or other causes).

So, that’s me.

I’d like to tag (feel free not to do it): @marcceh , @leafenclaw , @yanderebeat

#I didn't edit this sorry

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sridisha · 4 years ago

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theflowersinvenus · 5 years ago

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Venusian Sundays

Hi everyone, Happy Venusian Sunday and belated Valentines Day 🌸

I hope we all enjoyed ourselves on the day of love, whether it was shared with someone special or just loving yourself.

Lately, I’ve been trying to practice self-love through meditation. I started a daily practice of sitting in silent moments and listening to different meditation music to help clear my mind. I feel at peace, and it really helps me put life in a positive perspective. In order to embrace my Venusian qualities, I decided on a manicure for my nails. I rarely buy nail polish since I usually go to the salon, but I ended up picking a light lavender shade by Essie. And guess the name?

“Meet Me At The Altar” :)

Here are the two brands on my radar for 2020.

ELIE SAAB

I have an affinity for Lebanese couture designers at the moment, since previously I talked about my newest exposure to Sandra Mansour. Elie Saab is a Lebanese fashion designer. He started his business in the early 1980s and specialized in bridal couture. He is the first Arab to be admitted to the fashion industry’s governing body, Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. The first word that comes to my mind with Elie Saab is ornate.

This one sentence by Vogue Australia completely covers my thoughts on Elie Saab exactly:

“His overtly feminine aesthetic and romantic crystal-encrusted gowns initially attracted princesses, and later, film stars, enamored with his Middle Eastern detailing and European sensibility.” - Vogue Australia

Definitely my pick for one of my top haute couture designers, and I am very attracted to his newest Spring Summer 2020 line. I must say though, the next fashion brand I’ll be discussing will name Elie’s bridal collections as lacking in comparison.

GALIA LAHAV

The Galia Lahav brand is definitely more directed towards brides. The interesting story of this fashion house is that Galia Lahav used to be an arts and crafts school teacher before launching the fashion house. And even more unique, her duo designer of this fashion house, Sharon Sever, also used to be Galia Lahav’s art and crafts student! I’ve followed their brand a little longer than the rest of ones I’ve mentioned on other Sundays, and I highly admire their bridal craft.

Similar to impressive Elie Saab haute couture, Galia Lahav’s bridal collections seem well suited for luxurious royal weddings. There are two sections: Bridal Couture & Bridal Gala. The Bridal Couture offers sensual silhouettes, location and decade inspirations. Bridal Gala is the made-to-order bridal line “known for sweet-and-sexy cuts, soft fabrics and the undeniable fashion-forward look.” It’s almost overwhelming with how many stunning styles there are to choose from and yet no matter the choice, you can count on making a statement in any Galia Lahav gown.

Hope you enjoyed this week’s Venusian Sunday. Love & light to you all.

#venusian sundays #the flowers in venus #theflowersinvenus #vogue #elie saab #galia lahav #fashion house #haute couture #bridal #couture #weddings #venusian #sharon sever #meditation #valentines day #venusiansundays #writings

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roselukes · 6 years ago

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2800 Miles - Chapter 3 - l.h.

Previously

Summary: Luke knows what he wants, but he also knows he can’t have it

Tag List: @sassy-asht0n @happycrimiscalum @rosesarered516 @hoe4hemmo @heartbreakashton94 @climatehood @calumspeachy @dukehoods @holidayhood @wrappedaroundcal @mistletoemichael @plainwhiteluke @irwinkitten @irrevocablylukes @astroashtonio @catchinqcalum @irwinvalentines @hollyjollyhood @biggestslutforcalum @calumhampton @angelmikeyy @hotmessmichael @curlyhairedpopstars @meloncal @lukeschestnuts @thecashtonexpress @calsjackets @boytoynamedcalum @alyssarester @ssophisticated-simplicityy @calistajs

Disclaimer: plot was inspired by the app Choices’ story The Royal Romance

The night went on and Gwen was getting antsy. She had been sitting at the table for nearly two hours before Luke finally arrived at the ball. “Well, the prince sure is fashionably late.” Michael laughed.

“The prince is never late, everyone else is simply early.” Gwen said, smiling a little.

“Are you trying to quote Princess Diaries?” Michael laughed harder.

“I’m not trying, I’m succeeding.” Gwen pouted, kicking his shin lightly.

“Okay, you two, cut it out.” Ashton rolled his eyes playfully. “Gwen, you need to get ready to meet the prince. First impressions are incredibly important.”

“But, he already knows me?” Gwen furrowed her eyebrows.

“Yes, but no one else here knows that. And, they can’t know that.” Michael added. “People need to think you’re freshmeat like everyone else.”

“Okay, okay.” Gwen sighed and stood up. “He probably won’t even remember me.”

“It’s been a day, Gwen. He’s gonna remember you.” Calum laughed. “Go get in line.” Gwen stuck her tongue out at him and walked over to the forming line of suitors. She stood behind Alyssa with Hattie behind her.

“I hope you don’t think you’ll actually win this. You have no chance with the prince.” Alyssa smirked. “I’ve known him since we were kids. I have the strongest relationship with him out of everyone here.”

“Sure you do, Cruella.” Gwen rolled her eyes. She crossed her arms and watched as the suitors talked with Luke. Alyssa walked up to Luke and kissed both of his cheeks.

“Lovely to see you again, Lukey. Hope we find a time to dance tonight, I know how much you love dancing with me.” Alyssa giggled and squeezed his hands.

“Yes, I’m sure we’ll get the chance to dance tonight.” Luke assured her. “Always a pleasure, Lady Alyssa.” The guards ushered her away, just as they had done with those before her.

“Hey there.” Gwen smiled as she walked up to Luke.

“Oh, my God. Gwen, what are you doing here?” Luke asked, his eyes lighting up.

“Michael’s family is sponsoring me, so you’ll be seeing more of me here.” Gwen giggled. Luke grinned widely and pressed a soft kiss to Gwen’s knuckles.

“We don’t have much time here, so promise you’ll save the last dance for me?” Luke asked, holding her hand close to his chest.

“Absolutely.” Gwen smiled and squeezed his hand as the guards ushered her away. Gwen couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she walked back to her table.

“Gwen, you didn’t tell me you knew the prince.” Hattie gasped.

“I met him in New York, but keep that on the DL. I don’t need speculation about my motives here.” Gwen whispered.

“You can tell me about it later, but I should go find Holden. I’ll see you later.” Gwen nodded and watched Hattie walk away.

“This is so crazy.” Gwen shook her head. “All of these girls are here in hopes of marrying the prince?”

“He has hella money and the highest authority in Australia. Of course, they want to marry him.” Ashton laughed.

“Well, I’d marry him even if he was the one working in a rundown bar in New York.” Gwen huffed and took a bite of another scone.

“That doesn’t matter here. He’s going to choose someone who can run a kingdom with him, regardless if he loves her or not. Love has nothing to do with managing a kingdom.” Michael sighed.

“It’s not fair.” Gwen mumbled with her mouth full.

“Hey, will you act like you’re supposed to be here? Stop eating so much, and stop talking with your mouth full.” Michael groaned, pulling the scone away from her.

“I’m sorry, I’m hungry.” Gwen crossed her arms.

“If you’re gonna eat, eat some vegetables or something. Something that won’t make people think you’re fat. Nobility always keep their image in mind. Image is everything.” Michael explained.

“Look, I’m not gonna stop eating. These people can say whatever the hell they want about me, but I’m not gonna change who I am.”

“You’re gonna have to change, if you want to become queen.” Calum added.

“Maybe I don’t want to be queen. I just want to make Luke happy, and me being here, is making him happy.” Gwen stood up quickly and walked away from the table.

“She has a point. Luke doesn’t look as miserable as he did when he came in.” Ashton mentioned.

“Yeah, but still. She needs to try and fit in.” Michael crossed his arms. Gwen walked to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror.

“Checking to make sure you look good enough for the prince? Let me help: you don’t.” Alyssa laughed as she came out of one of the stalls. She looked at Gwen as she began washing her hands. “I don’t like you, but I’ll still give you some advice. If you want to impress the prince, wear red. Also, ditch all the earrings. He’s not into body art or excessive piercings.”

“And, why should I believe you?” Gwen rolled her eyes.

“Because, I know the prince better than anyone else here. If I don’t get to marry him, it should be someone like me, and that person is you.” Alyssa dried her hands and fixed her hair in the mirror. “You also might want to try exercising. You’re looking a little pudgy.” Gwen frowned and looked down at her stomach as Alyssa walked out of the bathroom. Tears filled her eyes as she rubbed her hand over her stomach. She took a deep breath to try an compose herself before walking out of the bathroom.

“There you are, I’ve been looking for you. It’s almost time for the last dance, and you haven’t danced with Luke yet.” Michael said as he walked over to her. Michael furrowed his eyebrows as he saw the tears in Gwen’s eyes. “Gwen, what’s wrong?”

“I’m fat, that’s what’s wrong. I don’t belong here with these women.” Gwen sniffled.

“Hey, is this about what I said? I’m so sorry, Gwen. I didn’t mean to make you think you were fat, that’s not at all what I was trying to say. I just said it so you’d think more about how people saw you, not that you need to watch your weight.”

“It’s Alyssa. She said she was giving me advice, and she told me to exercise because I’m pudgy.”

“No, you’re not pudgy. Gwen, you are beautiful. You belong here just as much as anyone else.” Michael sighed. “Don’t listen to anything Alyssa says. Ever. About anything.” Gwen nodded and wiped her eyes. “Now, go dance with your prince.” Michael pushed her in the direction of the ballroom. Gwen shook her head and walked back into the ballroom.

“Gwen, there you are. It’s time for our dance.” Luke grinned, grabbing her hands.

“You should know, I don’t know how to dance.” Gwen smiled and placed her hand on his shoulder.

“Just let me lead you through it.” Luke smiled and pulled her body close to his. He kept his hand on her lower back as he swayed along to the music.

“I wish we could be alone.” Gwen sighed, running her fingers through his hair.

“I do too. There’s so much here that I wish I could show you.” Luke leaned his forehead against hers. She smiled softly and continued to sway with Luke. He squeezed her hip gently before leading her out to the balcony.

“What are we doing out here?” Gwen asked, looking up at Luke.

“Getting some alone time.” Luke chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. Gwen smiled and leaned back against him as she looked out at the view of the garden.

“This view is beautiful.” She hummed, and looked up at Luke.

“The boys and I used to spend all summer out in the garden. We used to always go swimming in the fountain.” Luke laughed at the memory.

“You mean, you used to have fun?” Gwen joked, nudging his side.

“I always have fun.” Luke pouted. “Especially when I don’t have to be royalty.” The two of them stood out on the balcony for what felt like hours, but was only minutes. “We should get back in there. My father’s gonna do the closing remarks.” Gwen nodded and followed him back into the ballroom.

“Meet me in the garden in 20 minutes.” Gwen whispered to him before walking back to the boys.

“What were you and the prince doing on the balcony?” Hattie asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Just talking, looking at the view, enjoying each other’s company.” Gwen shrugged.

“He keeps looking at you. I think he really likes you.” Hattie giggled, making Gwen blushed.

“We have chemistry.” Gwen smiled softly. She took a seat next to Hattie as the king gave the ending remarks.

“Alright, I’ll see you in the morning for the derby. Have a good night, Gwen.” Hana smiled as she exited the ballroom with the other suitors and guests.

“There’s a derby tomorrow?” Gwen looked at Michael.

“Yeah, that’s one of the events. There’s a derby and then a picnic.” Michael explained.

“Great, I get to watch horses run.” Gwen rolled her eyes.

“Hey, you’ll be meeting the queen tomorrow. So, be on your best behavior and make sure you’re prepared to try and impress her.” Michael crossed his arms. “It’s important that she likes you, so promise me you’ll behave.”

“Fine, I promise.”

“Alright, now go get some sleep. Tomorrow’s a big day.” Gwen nodded and stood up, leaving the room. Instead of heading to her room, she walked outside to the garden. She took a seat on one of the benches and waited. She waited for nearly 10 minutes before Luke finally showed up.

“I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.” Gwen smiled and stood up.

“I’m a prince, it’s hard to sneak away.” Luke smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Has anyone told you how beautiful you are?”

“No, tell me more.” Gwen giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I couldn’t keep my eyes off you all night.” Luke chuckled, pulling her closer. “I’d never seen anyone so beautiful before in my life.”

“You’re full of shit.” Gwen laughed and kissed his cheek. She let go of him and walked over to the fountain. “So, you really swam in here?”

“Yeah, it’s 5 feet deep.” Luke smiled and sat on the edge of the fountain.

“Who makes a fountain 5 feet deep?” Gwen laughed and sat next to him.

“My mother.” Luke smiled. “My mother loved this garden. She spent all of her time here, and when I’m out here, it’s like she’s still with me.”

“How did she die? If you don’t mind me asking..”

“I-it’s a difficult story..” Luke sighed and looked down at his hands. “What about your parents?”

“Both of my parents were addicts. That was really the only thing they had in common. They met at narcotics anonymous and made me. They were picking up their next fix when the dealer shot them both. He apparently thought they were narcs.” Gwen sighed. “When I turned 18, the orphanage gave me the case file on them. I didn’t know anything about them until I was 18.”

“I’m sorry, that must have been incredibly difficult.” Luke sighed, holding her hand.

“I wish I could say it made me upset, but I was only 4 months old when they died. So, I don’t remember them at all. I couldn’t say anything about them.”

“Let’s talk about something happier.” Luke sighed and squeezed her hand. “Did you enjoy the night?”

“I enjoyed everything up until Alyssa called me fat, but then dancing with you made everything better.” Gwen smiled softly.

“Alyssa is a stone cold bitch, but she was once my best friend. She used to live here with us, you know.”

“Yeah, she doesn’t let anyone forget.” Gwen rolled her eyes.

“You’ll get used to her.” Luke sighed. “So, why did you want to meet here?”

“For some real alone time. I flew all the way from New York to be here, so I’m gonna get as much alone time as I can get with you, even if it means I lose sleep.”

“You know, people usually want to hang out with Prince Luke, but you just want to hang out with Luke. You’ll never know how happy that makes me.”

“To me, you’ll always be just Luke. That’s why I can do this.” Gwen smirked and pushed Luke into the water.

“Gwen!” Luke yelled, laughing as he wiped the water from his face. “I’m in a suit.”

“And, I’m in a dress.” Gwen giggled and jumped in. Luke laughed and pulled her close.

“You are crazy, Guinevere.”

“Crazy for you.” She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. Luke grinned and pressed his lips to hers. Her lips molded against his in a deep kiss.

“I’ve wanted to do this all night.”

“That makes two of us.” Gwen smiled and kissed him again.

#5sos #5 seconds of summer #luke hemmings #5sos smut #5sos writing #5sos imagine #5sos fanfic #5sos fic #fanfic #imagines #imagine #my writing #calum hood #michael clifford #ashton irwin

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kinghyra · 6 years ago

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The sun, the moon and all the stars.

HINNY FANFICTION

Author’s message: Hey there. This is a Hinny fanfic set a few weeks after the Battle of Hogwarts. I plan to turn this into a series that explores the change and complexities of Harry’s relationships. Naturally, I would start with Hinny as they are golden. It’s been a WHILE since I’ve written fanfiction (about 6 years), so apologies for my rusty skills. I plan to write a lot more now that it’s summer. Hope you enjoy! xx

“You actually are joking Perce…I don’t think I’ve heard you joke since you were-” Harry shook awake suddenly, gasping for air as the memory faded away. Reclining back into his soft pillow, he wiped away the beads of sweat trickling from his forehead. Harry stared at chipped paint on the ceiling, which was starting to reveal the wood underneath. His sweaty t-shirt clung to him and he shivered. Shifting to his side, he attempted to fall back to his slumber when he noticed the cold, empty bed beside him. Ron. He still hadn’t returned from his trip to Australia with Hermione.

Harry wondered where they were, what they were doing, whether they were missing The Burrow, or if they were thinking about him…A sick feeling rose up his stomach. He won’t ever forgive me, not after what I did. Unable to clear his mind, Harry grabbed his glasses and shoved them on hastily. A violently orange poster plastered on the wall directly in front of him greeted his new vision. Harry watched as the Chudley Cannon player whizzed past before circling back and waving to the audience around him. The smile rooted on his face caused the sick feeling in Harry’s stomach to rise again. When was the last time he smiled?

A shadow crept past him, diverting his gaze to the small owl perched on the windowsill. Its body heaved up and down in a systematic fashion and Harry turned his attention to his own heartbeat, which seemed to want to explode through his chest. Pushing his feet against the ground, he stood and wandered to the window. The endless fields swayed rhythmically to the breeze under the twinkling navy sky. Harry’s shoulders relaxed, and his breathing evened. Staring into the familiar made him feel leveled; he wished to remain like this forever.

The sudden urge to bathe in the familiar made him turn around and stride out of the room, down the stairs, through the kitchen and out the back door. He could hear the wooden structure behind him groan as he walked away from it, but he didn’t care; he just wanted to be able to breathe again. A small part of him resisted- it willed him to return to the house inhabited by those he considered to be his family. It doesn’t matter, thought Harry, they probably don’t want that title anymore. The further he walked, the lighter he felt. Harry stopped at the top of a small hill and stared into the endless horizon. He stood there, watching the stars exchange secrets and wink around the waning crescent.

Years seemed to pass when he inhaled a waft of flowers. He felt the presence of something slender and small walking toward him. Rooted to the soil, Harry turned his head toward Ginny, who was now standing right next to him, staring ahead. Her crossed arms and knitted brows made him feel uneasy, but he did not waver. “You’ve been avoiding me”, she said coolly. When he failed to respond, she turned to face him squarely. “Why have you been avoiding me?”

Harry felt her brown orbs pierce into his skin. “I haven’t been avoiding you”, he replied calmly. “You’re pathetic.” Ginny said. Flummoxed by her response, Harry turned to face her “Whaa..What?” Harry gasped. “I said, you’re pathetic. P-A-T-H-E-T-I-C!” Ginny bellowed. The wind stopped. The grass levelled. Harry caught sight of a few garden gnomes taking refuge in rabbit holes.

Although it was no laughing matter, Harry couldn’t help but smile. His eyes lit up as his smile transformed into a low chuckle. For a moment, everything seemed to go back to the way it was before. Ginny’s strong, hard expression softened, causing Harry’s heart to ache.

“Why do you say that?” Harry mustered, cocking an eyebrow. “No reason.” She replied, diverting her eyes. “Now you’re avoiding me” said Harry. They had switched positions in an instant. “I didn’t expect you to smile is all.” Ginny frowned. “I thought you were going to get mad or something. I just... I didn’t expect you to smile. I’d forgotten what it looked like. Ever since...” Harry’s heart sank. He had imagined this moment for weeks; he ran through every scenario in his head until it was about to burst, but he had never expected their conversation to turn into this.

Harry closed his eyes. When he opened them, he felt his fears wash away. He stood taller and firmer. Ginny gaped; the boy she admired from an early age was now standing in front of her. “I’m sorry Ginny.” He breathed. Saying her name gave him strength to continue. “I’m sorry for everything. I never meant for any of this to happen. I have been avoiding you. I have been avoiding all of you. But that’s because I don’t know where I stand.” Harry sighed truthfully, looking down at Ginny, who was now fighting back fresh tears. “I would take everything back if I could.”

“Everything?” Ginny whispered. Harry nodded. “I wouldn’t.” Ginny said, tears rolling down her cheeks. “What?” “You know what’s funny? I came out here expecting to comfort you. I’ve been watching you for the past few weeks. You looked like a ghost, walking in and out of rooms with no will left to live. All I’ve wanted to do these past few weeks was ensure you were alright. Instead, I’m the idiot who’s sobbing while you’re there looking all calm.” “You calm me down,” Harry said instinctively.

It was time for Ginny to close her eyes and sigh. “I don’t want you to take everything back Harry”, she said, opening her eyes. “I know you’re haunted by guilt. But know that everyone who was involved made a choice. We all made a choice to be there that night. Fred made a choice to go out and fight for what he believed in. If you take everything back, you’d be taking away the hope you instilled in people. The bravery you sparked in them. The will that inspired them. You’d be reversing their attention back to the taunting memories of their families that burn through their minds. You’d be allowing fear and hate to win!” Ginny said, her voice rising as heavy tears fell to the ground. “And you’d be taking back those stolen moments that we shared at Hogwarts.” Ginny whispered.

Harry stood frozen with his heart in his throat. Tears surfaced from his green orbs. For the first time in a long time, Harry felt like he was truly seeing her- Ginny. The girl whose blazing words warmed his cold heart. The girl who endlessly stood her ground. The girl who made everyone feel safe, even when chaos ensued. She gave him strength when no one else could. She was alive and standing right in front of him, shining like an angel. She was familiar, she was his home. “We will be ok.” She said, stepping forward and placing a hand on his cheek. Harry absorbed her radiance and consolidated his newfound strength. He knew that no matter what happened next, he would be alright. Harry held her hand to his cheek and squeezed. “I know we will.”

#hinny #hinny fanfic #hinny fanfiction #harry potter #ginny weasley #ronald weasley #hermione granger #harry #arthur weasley #battle of hogwarts #the burrow #fanfiction #hinny fic

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dichenlachmandaily · 7 years ago

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Future Shock

In Altered Carbon, Dichen Lachman harnesses her passion to brave a dystopian world.

Dichen Lachman sits behind the front desk in the Palm Springs Art Museum lobby, her eyes loosely shut as a makeup artist dusts gold pigment across her lids. She’s wearing Ugg boots; her hair is tousled. Despite the 6 a.m. call time, she declines a coffee and instead reaches for an old-fashioned doughnut hole. Lachman (whose first name is pronounced Dee-chen) is poised but low-key, nowhere near the fiery intimidator she portrays in her latest project, the Netflix original series Altered Carbon.

The museum is closed today, quiet save for crew chatter and the clang of gown-draped hangers on the stylist’s rolling rack; art hulks off the walls in the shadows of unlit corridors. Following months of stunt work, emotionally taxing scenes, and 16-hour days on set, the stillness is welcome. Lachman spent the summer in Vancouver, British Columbia, where Altered Carbon filmed its first season. Between network events and promotional appearances from São Paulo to Seoul, she’s savoring the post-production time off at home, just being Mom. Mathilda turns 3 in May, and her favorite things are scribbling, Sia music videos, and the family dog, Whisky. Deep love for family is an attribute the 36-year-old actress shares with her character, Rei. Perhaps the only trait they share, she says — that, and a fondness for action.

When it comes to that devotion, Lachman refers to a full-body, teeth-gritting sensation, a compulsion to hug tightly, to fuse, to be together forever. Rei takes the sentiment to an extreme, but Lachman relates. “That whole idea that I’ll just eat it,” she says, in her soft Australian drawl, which she dropped for the role. “Like I say to my daughter sometimes, ‘I just want to eat you up, I love you so much.’ ”

When we catch up by phone after the museum shoot, a few weeks before Altered Carbon’s premiere, she delves deeper into the idea of eating one’s feelings and shares a story about her four-legged childhood friend, a Jack Russell terrier named Singhi.

“When I was leaving Adelaide to pursue acting in Sydney, I found two of her little furs on my jacket,” she recalls. “I didn’t want to throw them away because I felt like that was throwing my dog away. I didn’t want to keep them because I thought I would lose them. So I swallowed the two little dog furs. I imagined they’d be absorbed into my body and we’d kind of be a part of each other.”

“When I was leaving Adelaide to pursue acting in Sydney, I found two of her little furs on my jacket. I didn’t want to throw them away because I felt like that was throwing my dog away.” Dichen Lachman

Lachman had shrugged off the role of Reileen Kawahara when she didn’t hear back from casting for four months. It was an uneventful lead-up. She received sides, sans any contextual clues to the plot, and submitted a self-taped video audition.

Then she got the call.

“What is this?” She’d actually forgotten. “There’s no callback? Do they want to see me again?”

“No,” Lachman’s agent told her. “They just want you to do the role.”

“I subsequently found out Laeta was a fan of Dollhouse [2009–2010] and The 100 [2014], so she was familiar with my work,” the actress says. “This is the biggest show I’ve ever been a part of … I just feel lucky to have been a part of it and humbled watching everyone’s work on the show.” The 10-episode, multimillion-dollar series, which became available for streaming Feb. 2, is one of Netflix’s highest-budgeted undertakings yet.

An adaptation of the 2002 cyberpunk novel by Richard Morgan, the first in his Takeshi Kovacs trilogy, Altered Carbon stars Joel Kinnaman as Kovacs (pronounced Ko-vach), a body-swapping soldier summoned to solve a murder in the year 2384. Human consciousness has been digitized and can be “sleeved” into new bodies, establishing a world in which the rich live forever and reprobates evanesce in the dark, debauched underbelly of society.

“It’s woven in such an intricate fashion, you can’t really say the show is just one thing,” Lachman explains. “It’s a love story. It’s a murder mystery. It’s action packed. There are all of these philosophical ideas, too. You walk away thinking, If I could live forever, would I even want to?”

Lachman portrays Kovacs’ sister, first appearing in episode one as a figment from his past; she gets her big reveal midway through the season. (At the risk of leaking a spoiler, let’s just say Lachman’s grand entrance is badass, evidential of the months pre-production she spent training in Japanese combat.)

Along with Kinnaman, the cast includes James Purefoy as a “re-sleeved” murder victim in search of his own killer; Martha Higareda as a well-meaning cop intent on closing the case; Renée Elise Goldsberry as Quellcrist, a futuristic Robin Hood hell-bent on quelling elitism; Will Yun Lee as Kovacs’ “birth sleeve”; Ato Essandoh as Kovacs’ gun-slinging ally; and Chris Conner as the personified consciousness of a hotel where Kovacs resides. These characters are complicated and not always who they appear to be. The plot is layered with flashbacks, visions, and alternate virtual-reality dimensions. Timelines seem to intertwine, leading the viewer through a supremely satisfying plot twist to a finale that may very well render all of us worthless until the second season finally airs. According to Kalogridis, “the biggest success is that the whole thing actually makes sense

“We lived with my uncle  and my aunts, my grandfather, and my cousins in a tiny  little apartment. So I had a really …” she pauses,  “colorful childhood, almost  of another era.”

Lachman was born in 1982 in Nepal. At that time, more than 90 percent of the country’s population of 15.7 million worked in agriculture, fielding rice, sugarcane, and oilseeds. Fewer than one in 10 owned a telephone. There was no FM radio. No television stations. Terrain continues to hinder development, but modern-day residents can tune in to Altered Carbon — Netflix extended its streaming services around the globe in 2016.

“I was there until I was about 7,” Lachman recalls. “I think we had Superman, Supergirl, and Police Academy, but no real TV to speak of.” Those VHS tapes were her immersion into science fiction. “We shared electricity with India at the time, so three or maybe four nights out of the week we didn’t even have electricity; mostly it was candlelight. We lived with my uncle and my aunts, my grandfather, and my cousins in a tiny little apartment. So I had a really …” she pauses, “colorful childhood, almost of another era.”

Lachman’s father, a Sydney native, was trekking through the Annapurna region of the Himalayas when he met his would-be wife, originally from Tibet, who was working at her family’s restaurant, a backpacker/tourist destination. “He told a friend, ‘I’m gonna marry that woman,’ ” Lachman recounts of her parents’ meeting. He did. The family moved to Australia when Dichen reached school age. “I remember taking my cousin to school [in Nepal]; it was in a hut, and they were still writing on slate with chalk. My father thought I’d have more opportunities if we were in Australia, so we moved to Adelaide.”

She was 23, living on her own in Sydney and dabbling in low-budget films — not long after the dog-fur incident — when she landed the role of Katya Kinski on Australia’s long-running soap opera Neighbours, a veritable breeding ground for Aussie exports. (Margot Robbie, Chris and Liam Hemsworth, and Russell Crowe are all alums.) A leading role in Joss Whedon’s sci-fi series Dollhouse brought Lachman to California in 2008.

Here, she met husband Maximilian Osinski, who is also an actor in the sci-fi/superhero sphere. Both have appeared in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC, albeit in different seasons, and worked together on TNT’s end-of-days drama The Last Ship. Most recently Lachman portrayed alien ringmaster Roulette in Supergirl’s second season. Then Netflix came calling.

“It’s so refreshing because all of the women are such intricate, complex characters,” Lachman says. “They get to be beautiful and fierce, and they hit back. I think this is largely due to Laeta really wanting to show us off like that, to give us more than just a one-note character.”

As Kalogridis puts it, fierce women are the backbone of the show; they promote an underlying message of “owning your body and owning your power.”

Kalogridis has a stellar team, from set decorators and fight choreographers to visual effects artists and cinematographers, whose credits read like a best-of sci-fi list: Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: Civil War, War for the Planet of the Apes, Wonder Woman, The Martian. “This was definitely a labor of love for a lot of people,” she shares. “It’s not a movie, but it’s not necessarily what you associate with TV. It’s sort of occupying an interesting in-between space.”

“We were world-building,” adds costume designer Ann Foley, who joined the Altered Carbon team after four years with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., during which time she dressed Lachman. “That was one of the things that really drew me to this project — helping Laeta build and develop this world. One of the challenges when you’re doing anything futuristic is trying to keep it grounded and relatable so people don’t get distracted by the costumes. You don’t want to pull anybody out of the story.”

Foley orchestrates a visual crescendo through the season in ensembles that define each character and provide covert signals to the viewer. Lachman’s commanding wardrobe evolves alongside Rei’s tumultuous story arc; androgynous Samurai- and Sōhei-inspired combat gear metamorphoses into regal, sinewy shapes. Threading together her range of looks is one choice color. “You see so much green in the world where Reileen and Kovacs grew up,” says Foley, referring to scenes filmed in Vancouver’s verdant forest near Widgeon Falls. “You’ll see there will always be an element of that color in her costume, because that helps to inform who the character is.”

In Episode nine, Rei sits with Kovacs and tries to express the intrinsic bond she has always felt with him — a full-body, teeth-gritting sensation, a compulsion to hug tightly, to fuse, to be together forever. Despite hundreds of years of separation, in this world where one’s consciousness can live forever, occupying different bodies, Reileen has never stopped loving her brother. They are family, and family comes first.

“Remember what Mom used to say?” Reileen asks Kovacs as they sit at a small table in a seedy Moroccan-style hookah lounge. She chooses each word slowly and carefully. “ ‘I love you so much, I could eat you up.’ When you were arrested, they put me in an orphanage. All I had left of you was one of your old shirts … They ripped that shirt out of my hands — I can still feel it tearing, the threads still in my fingers. I knew they were going to take those too. So I swallowed them. Just to have something, anything, left of you.”

That passion is the characteristic Kalogridis saw in Lachman and the reason she sought her out for the role. “She brings a real depth and age to a character,” Kalogridis says. “I absolutely believe her version of a woman in her late teens/early 20s and a woman who is 255, 260 … Dichen’s just a very old and interesting soul. She is the warrior goddess.” Lachman has ventured a long way from Kathmandu, from Adelaide, and from Sydney, but as with all of us, the sum of her past experiences defines the person she is today.

“There’s a moment,” Lachman says, “where [my character] discovers Takeshi in the yukuza warehouse, and they just start killing everyone around them. She looks at him and smiles. There was all this action happening around us, and I had to try to cover my laughter because I kept thinking, I can’t believe I’m doing this. Who am I?! I’m originally from a Third World country, then a sleepy little town in Australia, and I’m running around like Rambo on this set with hundreds of stunt guys and people shooting guns at each other …

“This is what I dreamed about.”

#dichen lachman #photoshoot #interview #press

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pezonesnegros · 3 years ago

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News and useful tips on Point of Sale and POS System Equipment.

Because my grandmother Rosemary was born during the Great Depression, she thought it was ridiculous to spend money on new, fancy clothing when she could stop by a thrift shop and pay $5 for a used, perfectly lovely floral blouse to wear to bunco night. When I was a teenager, we scavenged for vintage finds together and spent countless hours driving around San Antonio in her Chevy Malibu visiting the city’s secondhand stores, even showing up right when they opened to grab the latest arrivals.

Granny made a few brand-name exceptions to her bargain-hunting and resale gospel: matte-pink Clinique eyeshadow, for instance, and Chico’s silky black tank tops. These splurges, she said, were worth the extra money because of the quality. But our shared sense of style—I built my vintage wardrobe from our treasure hunts—stopped at one of her other indulgences: orthopedic flats from San Antonio Shoemakers, a.k.a. SAS. The local company’s slip-ons, sneakers, and sandals may have offered the extra support that my granny needed, but they were, to put it bluntly, ugly, with thick soles, broad straps, and unflattering shapes; the colors were the dullest creams and browns. Because they’re handcrafted, they’re not cheap, with prices starting around $100. Even if I could afford them, there was no way a teenager could get away with wearing something like that. During my freshman year at the University of Texas at Austin, my friends called me “Grandma” because I spent so much time with the eighty-and-older crowd when I was back in San Antonio (I even once took a water aerobics class with my grandmother). I didn’t need to give them any more encouragement.

Then, during the summer after my sophomore year, Granny grew impatient one day as she waited for me to find my Vans so that we could go to H-E-B. “Use my SAS shoes,” she demanded. I quickly slipped on an old pair of her cross-strap sandals that had been sitting in her closet for years. As we walked around the grocery store, I felt like I was floating. I didn’t know footwear could feel so good. Maybe these shoes didn’t look that ancient? For the rest of that summer, I wore those sandals as well as a pair of her SAS sneakers. By the time I headed back to school, I was a convert. I confidently returned to campus with three pairs of my grandma’s old shoes in tow (my friends, used to my quirky fashion sense, took it in stride, so to speak).

Trying on the Tour mesh lace-up sneaker in red multi.

Photograph by Jeff Wilson

Shoelaces at SAS.

Photograph by Jeff Wilson

Left: Trying on the Tour mesh lace-up sneaker in red multi.

Photograph by Jeff Wilson

Top: Shoelaces at SAS.

Photograph by Jeff Wilson

Today, as a twentysomething professional, I own a pair of SAS’s Medicare-approved white mesh Tempo lace-up sneakers, which were absolutely worth the $199 I paid for them. I wear them because they’re practical and comfortable, sure, but also because they make me feel connected with my grandma, who passed away two years ago at the age of 87. And owning them made me, for the first time in my life, something of a trendsetter. In the past year or so, I’ve seen hip college students at coffee shops near campus in Austin walking around in “grandma” shoes, some sporting that small, telltale SAS brown-and-gold tag on the side.

The sartorial world, it turns out, has embraced “ugly fashion” and the shoes that go with it, from “dad sandals” by Chanel to Balenciaga’s five-toe rubber sock. The Wall Street Journal noted recently that SAS and similar shoes are the new choice for millennials and Gen Zers. Nancy Richardson, the CEO of SAS, told me that as many people started working from home during the pandemic and began ditching their high heels and work shoes, they realized what I had long ago in H-E-B. “Once people have worn a really comfortable shoe, it’s hard to walk away from that,” she said, perhaps intending the pun.

The SAS General Store, in San Antonio.Photograph by Jeff Wilson

SAS was founded in 1976 in San Antonio by two friends, Terry Armstrong and Lew Hayden, who used soft, high-quality leather for their handmade shoes for men and women. They tapped into the city’s long tradition of crafting quality leather goods, from boots to saddles. The company is now owned by the Armstrong family; Terry Armstrong’s two daughters are still involved. SAS has a factory on the south side of the city and one about 145 miles west, in Del Rio, making it one of the few holdouts that still manufacture shoes in the United States, rather than, say, Vietnam or Indonesia. The brand is found in more than two hundred SAS stores and retailers around the world, including in Mexico, Australia, and Chile.

The company’s local roots run deep. Some San Antonio families have been working at SAS for generations. D. J. Bubar, the director of manufacturing operations, has been an employee for nearly forty years; his father worked there for about three decades. When Bubar started in the eighties, SAS produced a handful of styles and colors. The company’s offerings have since ballooned, featuring everything from boots and work shoes to handbags. To help appeal to more consumers, SAS recently brought on a team of new designers. “They are bringing ideas that maybe we have to be a little more open to, some of us old-timers,” Bubar said.

Now, in addition to its traditional, clunkier models, SAS offers kitten heels and snake-print ankle boots; there’s even the limited Oasis Collection of yellow sneakers and sandals, inspired by the West Texas hipster paradise of Marfa. Like all trends, this one will surely pass. But when it does, I’ll continue to walk—comfortably, of course—in Granny’s footsteps.

The above article was published here.

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afrolatinxsunited · 3 years ago

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News and useful tips on Point of Sale and POS System Equipment.

Trying on the Tour mesh lace-up sneaker in red multi.

Photograph by Jeff Wilson

Shoelaces at SAS.

Photograph by Jeff Wilson

Left: Trying on the Tour mesh lace-up sneaker in red multi.

Photograph by Jeff Wilson

Top: Shoelaces at SAS.

Photograph by Jeff Wilson

The SAS General Store, in San Antonio.Photograph by Jeff Wilson

The above article was published here.

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afriendlypokealien · 3 years ago

Text

News and useful tips on Point of Sale and POS System Equipment.

Trying on the Tour mesh lace-up sneaker in red multi.

Photograph by Jeff Wilson

Shoelaces at SAS.

Photograph by Jeff Wilson

Left: Trying on the Tour mesh lace-up sneaker in red multi.

Photograph by Jeff Wilson

Top: Shoelaces at SAS.

Photograph by Jeff Wilson

The SAS General Store, in San Antonio.Photograph by Jeff Wilson

The above article was published here.

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afroavocadowitch · 3 years ago

Text

News and useful tips on Point of Sale and POS System Equipment.

Trying on the Tour mesh lace-up sneaker in red multi.

Photograph by Jeff Wilson

Shoelaces at SAS.

Photograph by Jeff Wilson

Left: Trying on the Tour mesh lace-up sneaker in red multi.

Photograph by Jeff Wilson

Top: Shoelaces at SAS.

Photograph by Jeff Wilson

The SAS General Store, in San Antonio.Photograph by Jeff Wilson

The above article was published here.

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lamodecode · 7 years ago

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MAY 2018

EDITOR'S PAUSE

THE DREAMERS

A WELCOME NOTE

Last week, I joined the party and decided to accompany a girlfriend to see The Greatest Showman. The trailer was kind - trapezing wonders soaring effortlessly through the air, satin ballet blocks fresh out of the box, and top hats and canes stamping their mark on a grand stage of sweat, smoke, and song. The film’s lyricists had already Golden-Globe delivered.

Cue the music. It was showtime.

Before we continue, I am not about serving up spoilers and half-baked reviews. But I am all for a piece of art sending you home with a message and a mandatory mic. Pull back my curtain of thought on this blockbuster and you’ll find me centre-stage, barking out my best rendition of Pasek & Paul’s ‘This Is Me’ into my hairbrush, while taking life by a circus rope and swinging ‘er around (until I tank, fall flat on my face, break a tooth and get back up again). Excuse the sad analogy, but, yep, this is me and, even with my questionable trapeze attempt at life, this is the takeaway from an awe-inspiring film. No matter who you are, what you do, or what others think of you, dream big, stand proud, and boldly serenade the world with your story. Unapologetic tooth loss and all.

Somewhere deep in the core of the audience, there will be another dreamer watching like a hawk and hanging on this movie’s every move and every word. As a woman, from Trump to Harvey Weinstein’s deplorable antics, this world we live in is biting harshly these days, where life is marred with inequality or dreams are shelved before you can even sing, ‘Boo!’. My song is quite simple. I have always dreamed of launching an online fashion and interiors publication - blog, website, or otherwise - where I can fly the flag for two art forms that are forever crossing codes. If you know me but at all, you will know this passion project has laid unnourished and dormant in my diary of to-do’s for years, resubmitted to the first page of every new 365-day journal I purchase annually with the grandest intent, but whose empty pages I leave to wilt on a Kikki.K-laden office desk until the next 365 ring the bell. Why?

After leaving my UK life behind, following my now husband to Sydney, Australia, and briefly pausing my career to accommodate visa limitations, I had let my life’s sacrifices and other people’s views of my family choices dictate my worth. Time had run a mile. There was no confidence left in the dressing room. Self-esteem, vivacity, and determination had all exited stage left. My pen was ready to write but there was no ink in sight.

Yet here I am. It took a hell of a lot of judgment to make me realise my bottom line until I challenged myself to rise above the noise. In a world full of grim blows and #timesup tickers, you must dare to dream. Success is not born of dull flames and not one person has the right to cool your fire or steal your shine. No matter how much you love them.

So, to cut the ribbon on this thing here’s to the dreamers. To the magical moments and sublime people whose art has washed the dust off the years gone by. Fashion had no intention of echoing the political trials of 2017, and instead, went through a razzle-dazzle filter of glitz, glitter, and glam. See Spring Summer 18 for the ultimate case in point. From Yves Saint Laurent to Tom Ford, there is no body of work that has fought a fraught mood with such luminescence and lustre. And then there is Anna Robertson who is the irrepressible, kick-ass founder and designer-in-chief of YEVU - an ethical clothing and homewares line created in Ghana - that is changing the script of independent Australian design one colour-clad sustainable print at a time. If that’s not a dream come true, I don’t know what is.

There truly is a phenomenal power and confidence that percolates to the surface of good design. Not just born from the originality of thought and exceptional quality shining like a diamond on a balance sheet, but for the way it makes you feel. It’s a bit like life. With a rock solid graft, you can strive for the best. Or, perhaps, when you eliminate all reason to settle for anything less.

Happy reading. Happy dreaming.

#editorsletter #thenotes #double_size

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bigyack-com · 5 years ago

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What Do Gen Z Shoppers Want? A Cute, Cheap Outfit That Looks Great on Instagram

For every Greta Thunberg and school-skipping climate change protester, there is another member of Generation Z buying inexpensive clothes on a smartphone. Their purchasing choices — fueled by influencer culture and catered to by a new wave of ultra-fast-fashion retailers such as Fashion Nova, PrettyLittleThing and Missguided (responsible for a £1 bikini that sold out in Britain) — are as much about how an outfit will look on social media as in the real world. Three Gen Z shoppers in America, Australia and Britain invited us into their homes to talk about what they buy, and why. All of them work after school or save money to pay for their own purchases. Their interviews have been edited for style and clarity.

‘I Browse Every Single Day’

Mia Grantham is a 16-year-old British high school student studying for her A-levels. She lives with her father and her younger sister, Annie, in Wilmslow, England, a town outside of Manchester. Her bedroom is small but immaculately kept, with a bulb-lit dressing table and pillow shaped like a speech bubble reading “You’ve Got This” on her bed. Mia’s interest in buying clothes ramped up about 18 months ago, when she started getting an allowance and attracting followers on her social media accounts. She has more than 1,500 followers on Instagram, gets around 500 views per story on Snapchat and spends three hours per day on her iPhone XR (about five hours on weekends and during vacation). Her favorite going-out look is a red dress. She owns 14 of them.How often do you shop?I browse every single day — at least once — on the Pretty Little Thing phone app. It’s my favorite, and I don’t look anywhere else, except if I see something on an Instagram influencer I like. My current favorite is Molly-Mae Hague, a star from the 2019 series of “Love Island.” She recently created an exclusive clothing range for PLT, which makes me like the brand even more. Normally I look at shopping apps at the end of the day before bed for about 10 to 15 minutes. But if there is an event coming up that I want a new outfit for, then I could browse for more than an hour. I don’t really go to bricks-and-mortar stores. If I do, I go to Primark. Sometimes H&M. Maybe once a month, probably less.What kind of an event needs a new look?It could literally just be a meal. Or a house party, or a friend’s birthday. It could also be school, where we have a dress code but not a uniform.Why is Pretty Little Thing your favorite fashion brand?I pay £8.99 as part of a yearly subscription, which gives me unlimited next-day delivery on anything I buy. I know all the delivery people really well now — they always know when I have plans on a Friday or Saturday night. I don’t buy from places like Boohoo.com or Missguided as I’d have to pay for delivery, which would be a waste of money. I buy something at least once a week, and my basket value can be anywhere from £5.99 up. Once it was £230. Last week I bought 11 items and sent back three. Seventy percent of the time I send some ordered items back.How many pieces of clothing do you think you’ve bought in 2019?Eighty? One hundred? Those are pieces I’ve kept.What is your favorite piece that you’ve bought, and how many times have you worn it?The ones I probably wear the most are gray leggings that cost £2.50. For going out, I bought a silky red dress with a cutout for a house party. It cost £12.50 from the PLT Shape collection, which is for people like me who have an hourglass figure. I’ve worn it out three times, which is a lot for me. Normally I just wear a dress once.Why only once?Because I’ll normally be in photos when I’m wearing it that are then posted on social media. I wouldn’t really want someone seeing me in a dress more than once. People might think I didn’t have style if I wore the same thing over and over. Style is about changing for whatever the situation you are in and for different events.When do clothes become old for you?Well, things like leggings that you just wear in private around the house you can keep for years. Dresses, when you’ve worn them: twice.Is price important?Of course. If I’m only going to wear something once or twice, I’m going to want to buy the cheapest possible.What else do you look for?Social media is a big consideration. I’m on Snapchat and Instagram, and occasionally Facebook. I take selfies for social media every single time I go out, first in my bedroom and post them online, and then always with friends or my boyfriend, Will, when I’m at the party. More people will see an outfit online than they probably will in real life. I’m on Snapchat the most because of its messenger function, then Instagram, where I have both a public and a private account and spend an hour per day.For IRL, if I see an item I like, normally I’ll search for it on Depop before I buy it so I can see what a real person rather than a model looks like in it. People buy and sell fashion so quickly, I can usually find even the newest things on there. Most of my friends do that too.What constitutes a more special purchase for you?An Oh Polly! dress. I buy them for about £20 from Depop, though new they cost about £40 to £60. Those dresses I keep — I have three of them. Teenagers don’t mind buying secondhand clothes like some older people do: You can get good looks at a cheaper price, or directly swap one dress for another online. I tend to sell lots of the clothes I don’t want in big batches on Depop. It gives me the money to buy new things. I also sometimes take big bags to consignment stores in town, where they give you a bit of money for your clothes depending on how much you bring in.Do you ever think about where those clothes go once you’ve given or thrown them away?No.Do you ever look at where your clothes are made?Yes. I’ve noticed quite a few are made in England, which shocked me. I thought they’d all be made in countries like China, India and Bangladesh. Also, we have been learning a bit in Sociology about how our clothes are made and the working conditions for people who make them. In some countries I know they don’t get very good wages. It’s part of globalization. I wouldn’t talk about it with my friends casually, but we do talk about it in the classroom.What do you think of sustainable fashion?It came on my radar three months ago, I’d say. I am hearing more and more about it because a lot of brands are now bringing out sustainable fashion capsule collections, where clothes are made out of recycled materials, for example. A lot look the same as the normal collection but cost a few pounds more. But if I’m honest, I do think: Why would I pay more, when I can get the same for less?

‘I Don’t Like to Repeat’

Andrea Vargas, an 18-year-old freshman at Hofstra University, loves hunting for sales. She looks for them on websites like PrettyLittleThings and Boohoo, as well as physical stores like H&M and Forever 21, where she can flip through the racks and, occasionally, find gems.“I go shopping when the season sales are on,” she said one Saturday night at her family’s home in Farmingdale, N.Y. She commutes to school and spends most weekend nights out with friends: getting dinner, maybe going to a party or a concert. Her plan for this particular evening was to go to P.F. Chang’s with three girlfriends. Her room is small, with wood floors and inspirational quotes in photo frames on her pale yellow walls. A Billie Eilish poster hangs opposite her bed. A guitar she made out of an old skateboard sits in a corner.Scanning the clothes in her room, she began talking about how she got them. “The back-to-school sales, the fall sales, the summer sales,” she said. “I love sales.”Her absolute favorite piece of clothing is a red plush jacket from Forever 21. She wears it relentlessly when the weather is right. “It’s just so cute,” Ms. Vargas said. “I feel like it dresses up an outfit.”Ms. Vargas pays for her clothes herself, using money she earns by working at Target. The red jacket cost her around $40, and she said it was worth every penny. But, she said, “I feel like there’s no point in spending $40 on a T-shirt. I personally feel like if the quality of the shirt doesn’t match the price, it doesn’t make sense for me to buy it. If a jean jacket costs $60 and I can find it for $20, I’m going to buy it for $20. Especially since I’m in college, I need to buy all these books.”Ms. Vargas guessed she had purchased between 100 and 200 items this year, including shoes and jewelry, and that her wardrobe comprises 500 or 600 total pieces. “I would say the majority of it is shirts,” she said. “They have to be graphic tees. I like a little quote on my shirt here and there. I have yet to buy new jeans. I like a lot of ripped jeans. I rarely buy shoes.”She doesn’t generally check where her clothing is made, and she doesn’t feel guilty about how much of it she has. After she’s done wearing something, it can have a second life. “My mom is from El Salvador and my dad is from Nicaragua,” she said. “They’re not wealthy countries, so I like to give back to people who don’t have a lot. It’s hot there, so I can’t send long sleeves, but I try to send shorts that don’t fit me, things that are still presentable and wearable.”She thinks the right amount of money to spend on clothes is $10 to $15 on tops, and $20-$40 on bottoms. For dresses, which are usually for a special occasion, she’ll go over $40. She estimates she wears each piece 15 times before ultimately donating it or selling it on Depop — but she also doesn’t want to be seen wearing the same thing every day on Instagram.“If I have a shirt in one of my previous pictures I try not to take a picture again in it,” she said. “I don’t like to repeat.”Ms. Vargas had invited her friends over to get ready. Alana Wilson, 18, said that Instagram plays a big role in her shopping life, too. The moon-and-stars earrings that sparkled beneath her hair were purchased off an Instagram ad. Almost all of her clothes are from Fashion Nova.“If it’s cute, it’s from Fashion Nova,” Ms. Wilson said. “Any time I have money I’ll do a whole spree on Fashion Nova. I like it because a lot of IG models have it.”Another friend, Sofia Barbetta, also 18, agreed. “I feel like I find most clothes I want to buy in Instagram ads,” she said. “I don’t even follow that many fashion pages, but I see an ad and I’m like, ‘That’s really cute.’”She unlocked her phone to show some outfits she’d posted on VSCO, a photo-sharing app. “I went through a camo pants phase,” she said of one look. “This outfit, I got inspiration from Twitter.” Ms. Barbetta said she’d gotten very into Twitter lately. She started a Post Malone stan account several years ago, but lately it had become a place to post personal things.An hour after Ms. Vargas began getting ready with her friends, she zipped herself into her outfit for the night: a pair of black platform military-style boots from Target, black and white houndstooth pants, and a black off-the-shoulder top from H&M.“I got this outfit yesterday,” she said. “I was like, ‘This is the outfit I’m going to wear.’”But first, her hair. Ms. Vargas propped her iPhone up in front of her and sat cross-legged in front of her mirror. She pulled Miss Jessie’s Jelly Soft Curls styler through her waves. “I wanted to get one of those vlogging cameras,” she said, “one of the Nikon ones.” For now, she uses her iPhone.Hours later she used it to Instagram a photo of her and her friends posing outside a restaurant in 50 degree weather. They had decided not to go to P.F. Chang’s after all, and were at Taste of Asia instead. None of them were wearing coats.“Trust me we were freezing,” she declared in the caption. But they were all smiling.

‘I’m Dressing to Be Seen’

Nicole Lambert, 20, lives in Sydney, Australia, with her parents and is studying for an undergraduate degree in public relations and advertising at the University of New South Wales. She tutors students on weekdays and works a retail job on weekends. When she has time off, she and her friends like to dress up and hit the festival circuit. On a recent evening, after spending the previous day dancing to EDM, she and her friend Helena Marshall got ready in her bedroom for a more relaxing dinner.We’re not influencers — but … When I’m dressing to go out, I’m dressing to be seen, which is weird to say because we’re not influencers. It sounds shallow, but I think in the back of your head you’re like: I probably should avoid wearing the same outfit twice.At the end of the day, I prioritize the look versus the practicality. And that’s so unbelievable.Working to be cuteMy friend yesterday at this festival had a really cute Tiger Mist top with hearts all over it, but it had off-the-shoulder sleeves. I felt so bad for her the whole day, because she couldn’t put her arms up. But she got cute photos, so it was fine. I know when you put something up on Instagram and it does well, you’re like, “Well, that was a good choice on my behalf.” I love it when people message, “Where did you get that from?” You know you’ve found something people can’t easily find.Staying relatableI think about what I’m going to post for a decent amount of time. It’s a very curated version of your life. You want to look good in your photo, but have a funny caption so people know you’re down to earth and relatable.That’s why we have private Instagrams, because it gets tiring. That’s where we feel fully free to post whatever. The tragedies of your life. The real me.Keeping it privateOn my main Instagram, people wouldn’t know I’m funny. Because I just overthink what I post: Will people get it? Are people actually going to laugh at that?Sometimes I’ll get a weird feeling where I need to get off social media. I know some people delete their Instagram, like just the app. But that’s admitting to yourself that you have a problem.Leaving shops empty-handedI look for clothes at least once a week usually — either for an occasion, or just as something to do either online or in store. I shop 60 percent online, 40 percent in person. But 75 percent of the time, I’ll go to the shops, have a look around, and not find one thing because I think everything is the same.I’m not afraid to put on something weird. I’m really big into animal print at the moment. Almost to the point where I’ll wear too much of it. I love my snake pants — and flares. Flares should never go out.Princess Polly and Tiger MistFor basics, 100 percent of my wardrobe is from Kookai. They’re always rotating really nice, classic things. I get a lot of stuff off Revolve, because there are so many different brands. You’ve got things there that you’re not going to see five people wearing once you’re out. From other online brands like Princess Polly, Tiger Mist. Sometimes it’s overwhelming how much stuff there is online. I could go on for hours.Often, on Instagram, I’ll scroll through the Explore page, and people just tagging outfits. It’s so helpful because you just click onto the account, find the item. That’s how I find the little niche things.Where were these dresses made?If I feel so amazing in something, I’m probably not going to look too hard into the price. But I don’t like investing a lot of money for something you might not wear too much. I like PrettyLittleThing for crazy things for cheap, because they just do interesting little tops or little dresses, clubbing clothes. Do I look at the labels of clothes? Not really. In the back of my head, I assume that I know where the clothes are made: in China.In terms of how much I would spend: average price of a dress, probably about $180 Australian dollars. Jeans, about $150. A good going out top, $50. I do like a nice pair of heels, so I’ve spent like $200 for a pair. But then again I’ve got ones for $50. In my wardrobe now, I’d say I have roughly 200 pieces.Cycling the wardrobe overseasI do a big spring clean every year and send boxes of clothes over to my family in the Philippines. One of my cousins has a market stall. So I assumed that maybe my stuff would end up there if they didn’t want to keep it for themselves.I would say 30 percent of my wardrobe would get pulled out. Maybe 80 bits of clothes. It makes a good dent.When I pull it all out and you see a big pile of clothes on your floor, you feel a bit sick. I’m glad that I can send it somewhere and it’s helping at least my family.Supporting sustainability — or notI want to support sustainable brands. But if it doesn’t work for me and what I’m doing in my lifestyle, I’m going to go with something else instead.Timing is important. For what I wore to the Listen Out festival yesterday, I ordered on Tuesday morning, it came on Wednesday morning: literally in 24 hours. That means so much to me. I’m the least decisive person and the least patient person. When miniature bags were in, I was obsessed with this one from London. You could get your initials on it. But it said it could take 30 days and I was like, never mind. I got a cute one from Mango.You’re pushing it after seven business days. If it’s a big order I don’t mind waiting for a week. But if it’s one thing, it’s like: Why? Read the full article

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norafinds · 7 years ago

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Iro Lagos Summer

I am super duper excited about showing you this outfit. I have always loved African print and fashion so when I was introduced to the Nigerian brand Iro Lagos I immediately knew I wanted to work with them! I believe that cultural exchange is important and what better way to learn about Nigerian fashion than to do so from the source?! I love the marriage between the modern Western print and traditional Iro and Buba style and I have to admit that I felt right wearing it with an Indonesian batik headscarf. I know it's not very vintagey but I've realised that it's best not to limit myself to one particular style and wear whatever makes me happy. And boy I did feel amazing in this ensemble.

Two-piece Nigerian wrap dress - Olive - c/o Iro Lagos

Bag - Vintage 1940s

Flats - Venezia - c/o Charlie Stone

Earrings - from years ago

Headscarf - from Bali

I'm always grateful for my multicultural upbringing. Growing up in Indonesia and Australia to Chinese parents, I find it a personal challenge to be able to find things in common with anyone I am friends with. Recently I found myself bonding with my Nigerian workmate over how similar our childhood was. From the third world country struggles like flooding and blackouts, eating uncooked instant noodles when these things happen and you have nothing else to eat, to our fondness over telenovelas. She is also a fashion lover and when she learned about my admiration for African fashion she introduced me to Lara Ade-Afun who owned the brand Iro Lagos. She then sent over this beautiful piece to me and I think it's obviously that I am in love with it!

This outfit is actually a two-piece, consisting of an Iro (skirt) and Buba (top) that can be worn in many different ways. The Buba blouse is fitted in this style and it's a gorgeous jersey material that is perfect for summer. The skirt can be tied in different ways and I am excited to try other styles in the future. I wore this on a 27 degrees day and actually was very grateful for the lightweight material and the versatility to allow some breeze to reach my legs. I felt super glamorous in this ensemble - I love the combination of modest coverage and the curve-hugging style. I chose to tie the Iro to the side just against my hip and create asymmetrical hem. The vintagey Western print makes me think of Ulyana Sergeenko 2012 collection, rather sweet and humble. There are many different prints available in their current collection and you know what's amazing? My two-piece only costs about 40 pounds!! UGH AMAZING!! And from Nigeria it only took about 4 days to arrive into the UK so please head to Iro Lagos instagram now and DM them to purchase.

I wanted to inject some of my own culture into the outfit, and I realised that an Indonesian headscarf is the perfect choice. A traditional look was what I wanted to achieve and I think I successfully did it! I am just so pleased with this outfit and I know you can tell by my big smile! I was also smiling because of my new shoes from Charlie Stone. This Australian brand aimed to create vintage-inspired shoes with highest level of comfort and it sure smashed its goal. I was genuinely surprised by the supportive sole and the beautiful leather and I have worn in two whole days and can report that they are just as gorgeous as they are comfortable! I went for my usual size 37 but found it's a touch too long but it's perfect for my wide feet so I guess it's a compromise I have to accept. I think I could've gotten a size smaller and wait patiently for the leather to stretch but I have managed to make do with it with heel inserts. Also they don't feel like they're going to come off because of the straps. I don't often wear flats because I find that a lot of them are far too narrow or their soles are too thin but I think I have found the perfect flats for my vintage outfits and I am sure I'm going to get more in the future!

#norafinds #vintage #wrap dress #nigerian #iro lagos #iro buba #iro #buba #traditional #african #fashion #charlie stone #flats #australian #vintage shoes #review

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harryandmeghan0-blog · 6 years ago

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How Meghan and Harry's wedding will influence Irish weddings of every budget this year - Independent.ie

New Post has been published on https://harryandmeghan.xyz/how-meghan-and-harrys-wedding-will-influence-irish-weddings-of-every-budget-this-year-independent-ie/

How Meghan and Harry's wedding will influence Irish weddings of every budget this year - Independent.ie

Meghan Markle

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle drive off in an E-Type Jaguar after their wedding

Abundance of greenery

Trilogy ring

How Meghan and Harry’s wedding will influence Irish weddings of every budget this year

Independent.ie

The “Duchess effect” is a powerful thing. An endorsement from Meghan Markle is enough to boost sales of everything from designer handbags to charity cookbooks to the purple folders she carried on a visit to Australia.

https://www.independent.ie/style/fashion/how-meghan-and-harrys-wedding-will-influence-irish-weddings-of-every-budget-this-year-37821813.html

https://www.independent.ie/incoming/article37821799.ece/4031f/AUTOCROP/h342/81Prince%20Harry%20Marr.jpg

Where she is likely to have a more lasting impact, however, is in the weddings industry. As couples tend to plan their big day so far in advance, trends in weddings last a good deal longer than in the fashion or design worlds, and the royal wedding reigns as the supreme influencer.

What elements of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ceremony will we see at Irish weddings in 2019? We asked the experts about the top tips for a wedding fit for a royal.

Trilogy ring

Good rings come in threes

When the couple announced their engagement in 2017, brides swooned at the trilogy ring, designed by Prince Harry with two diamonds belonging to Princess Diana and a third stone sourced from Botswana, where he and Meghan took their first trip together.

According to Martin Commins, director of Dublin’s Bespoke Diamonds, the trilogy ring is enjoying a huge swell in popularity. “At the moment, it’s our second most popular style of ring. The trilogy rings are probably 35pc of what we sell, and five years ago, they would have been 5pc,” he says. Grooms are also increasingly taking the reins in designing their own rings. It was for many years a joint process between couples, but now, Martin notes, half of their custom rings are designed by men alone.

Real versus royal: “The trilogy ring is a nice way to get a lot of bling without spending a fortune,” Martin explains. “A ring with three stones up to one carat is probably half the price of one stone with one carat.”

Whether you’re spending €1,000 or €100,000, he advises focusing on the quality of the diamonds, and let the budget dictate the size. Another affordable option is to consider a sapphire or manmade diamond for the centre stone.

Costume Change

Meghan’s satin Givenchy dress with bateau neckline proved divisive, yet the boatneck is a classic style, and one that’s sure to see a resurgence in the next five years, along with the lack of embellishment and lace. “It gives people more confidence that they don’t need to go for something terribly fussy,” says wedding planner Tara Fay.

Her five-metre silk tulle veil, trimmed with embroidered flowers, is likely to be far more influential. “There’s a big interest in veils again, especially ones that have detail on them. It’s also about something anchoring the veil in place — obviously not everybody’s going to have access to a tiara, but we’re seeing a return to headpieces of some description, like hair jewellery or floral headpieces.”

Meghan opted for a more contemporary dress for her reception, and the halter neck gown by Stella McCartney has already inspired plenty of copycats.

“We’ve seen loads of halter neck wedding dresses since, and loads in bridesmaids as well. That’s going to be a really big bridesmaid trend,” explains Celina Murphy, deputy editor of onefabday.com. “It’s a simple style, but it was harking back to a ’90s/’00s silhouette, so it was a little more fashion-forward. It wasn’t all over the place in bridal, but it is now.”

Real versus royal: The exact design by Stella McCartney retails at €3,800, but Asos has a similar style in its EDITION range for €166. For bridesmaids, Debenhams, Asos and Dorothy Perkins for affordable halter options.

Take the cake

Claire Ptak’s lemon and elderflower creation for Meghan and Harry was a far cry from the traditional fruit cake. Celina explains that it’s already a popular flavour combination, but it cropped up at even more weddings late last summer.

“I think we’ll see a lot of couples testing their poor bakers to come up with unusual flavours as a sort of guessing game for the guests, ‘What are we tasting here?’” says Bláithín. “Couples will really experiment there.”

Real versus royal: The cake could easily be achieved on a smaller scale, with fewer tiers, or, if you have a skilled baker in the family, consider asking for help to make it at home — as Kate points out, a home-baked cake with buttercream icing is much more attractive than gummy fondant.

Abundance of greenery

In full bloom

After years of Kimye-inspired flower walls, the days of too-perfect blooms are coming to an end. In 2019, couples are lusting after Meghan and Harry’s abundance of greenery, especially the floral arch at the chapel doors. “Everybody wants that for their church this year,” says Kate, noting that a palette of green and white will suit any venue. “They draw your eye away from a bold carpet, and give a much more sophisticated aesthetic.”

Mark Grehan, the award-winning florist of The Garden in Dublin’s Powerscourt Centre, says clients often cite images from the royal wedding.

“What her wedding flowers have done is create a buzz around a garden kind of style, it’s a real country cottage style and it looks more natural and more understated,” says Mark, who also created a bouquet for Meghan during her Irish visit last summer.

Real versus royal: Mark advises reusing flowers from the ceremony at your reception, noting that he will often disassemble flowers from church pews to be used on dinner tables later in the day, which can save up to €300.

And if you really want that flower arch, Celina encourages working with a florist to devise a stripped-back style.

“Flower arches can be affordable for an average couple if you have them heavy with greenery, as opposed to filled with high-end flowers,” she says. “And small, tidy bouquets are a way you can pay homage to Meghan — if you’re watching your flower budget, an oversize bouquet is immediately going to be a no-no for you, so that’s one swap you can do.”

Pretty as a picture

Photographer Alexi Lubomirski’s black and white shot of the couple on the steps of Windsor Castle is destined to be much copied. “That’s definitely a trend,” says Tara. “People will want to emulate the photo where she’s sitting between his legs. That photo is very relaxed and feels unposed, although obviously it is posed, and that will have a big impact.”

Going her own way

Meghan eschewed tradition in walking part of the aisle alone, before being joined by Prince Charles; opting to have no bridesmaids; and making a speech at the reception.

“Couples think of the ceremony as a necessary evil, the hump they have to get over to get to the party, but the party wouldn’t exist without the ceremony,” says weddings expert Bláithín O’Reilly Murphy.

“But Meghan and Harry made it their own with very human choices. Often in Irish weddings, couples will have ideas about the ceremony, and they’ll share those ideas with family, particularly with their mums, aunts, grannies or sisters. If their mum, aunt, granny or sister says, ‘Well nobody does that, why would you be doing that?’, it puts the couple off. Because Harry and Meghan really pushed the boat out, I think the most unique trend we’ll see from their day is the ability to accept going against the grain. ‘If it was okay for the royals, it’s okay for my Deirdre and Michael.’”

Kate O’Dowd, who runs the wedding planning service Love &, agrees that traditions are gradually starting to change. “Families are so different now than they were. At my wedding, I was such a feminist that I decided I wasn’t going to be given away or given to anyone else, so I just walked down on my own!”

The bride’s speech, too, is becoming increasingly common. “It’s not 100pc attributed to Meghan, but I think that’s a thing where the seed is planted in a bride’s head,” says Celina. “It’s very male-dominated, but particularly in the last year we’ve seen that being changed up a lot. Couples were following the formula in the past, and now they’re more comfortable to ditch those traditions.”

Real versus royal: Celina notes that cutting the bridal party can have a serious impact on your budget. “You obviously still can have your best pals by your side, but you don’t have to pay for their dresses, shoes or flowers,” she adds.

Sing the praises

Music played a crucial part in Meghan and Harry’s big day, as 19-year-old cellist Sheku Kanne-Mason and the Kingdom Choir stole viewers’ hearts. Google searches for gospel choirs saw a significant spike in the weeks after the royal wedding, Celina notes. “Obviously Irish couples are looking to have a gospel choir because they saw it at Harry and Meghan’s wedding, that can be the only explanation. Gospel choirs have always been around and they are popular in Northern Ireland, but sometimes it just takes a high-profile wedding for it to really take off,” she says.

Cellists have been much in demand with Tara’s clients, too. “People will look at the ceremony and take elements: ‘I like that look, I like the idea of having a cello playing’,” she says, adding that many churches around the country have a gospel choir as the parish choir, or couples can look to commercial choirs as well.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle drive off in an E-Type Jaguar after their wedding

Driving into the sunset

“If I hear of one more person wanting an E-type Jag…” says Tara of the steel blue electric convertible that Prince Harry and Meghan drove after their wedding. “The car, without a shadow of a doubt, is the biggest trend. I had three enquiries about it within weeks.”

While the exact model has only recently gone into full production, Tara believes two-seater classic cars will be highly sought-after, as couples wish to add a flash of 007-esque glamour. “That has been the single biggest thing that has been passed on, it’s quite incredible. Whoever buys one and rents it out is going to make a fortune.”

Weekend Magazine

Source: https://www.independent.ie/style/fashion/how-meghan-and-harrys-wedding-will-influence-irish-weddings-of-every-budget-this-year-37821813.html

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