#red carpet looks only

[recurring-polynya]

I was thinking today about how Rukia's attacks are all in the forms of circles, and that her usual attack position starts with herself inside the circle, when it occurred to me that this is also the classic Hihiou Zabimaru position.

Interestingly, I think this is actually Hihiou Zabimaru's defensive position, but it's also their "ready position." As soon as I started thinking about this, I realized that this is actually a carryover from Zabimaru's shikai behavior-- they extend to attack, but retract to protect Renji in between attacks.

That's not actually what I wanted to talk about, though.

I've talked before about how I think that the fundamental theme of a zanpakutou and the foundation of its abilities is inherent to itself, but that the expression of those powers is strongly influenced by the shinigami and has the potential to take many forms. For example, I think the reason Rukia's shikai attacks are all focused on hitting people with ice are because she was trained by and idolized a man with a water zanpakutou, even though Sode no Shirayuki's powers are really more about thermal manipulation. I think this extends, not only to the effects of the attack, but the aesthetics of them. I mean, if you think about Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, is it really necessary that a bunch of swords rise up out of the ground? No, of course not. Are they the very essence of Byakuya-core? Yes.

To that end, I want to talk about the similarities between Hakka no Togame and So-oh Zabimaru-- not in the broad strokes, because they are very, very different zanpakutou-- but in the details. Rukia and Renji grew up together. They are best friends and battle partners and at some point become romantic partners. They get their bankai together. We already know they like making dramatic entrances together. It's no surprise that they have a similar sense of what it means to look sick as Hell.

Clad bankai. For starters, they are both bankai that are worn. I'm not sure if this is a term that's ever used in canon with regard to bankai, although it is used in reference to some Fullbring. In any case, it's a bankai that changes your outfit, as opposed to making some giant construct (like Komamura or Kurotsuchi's) or, um, special effects-based like Rose's or Tousen's, or just a better weapon, like Soi Fon's or Ikkaku's. There's no hard and fast here-- Ichigo also has a clad bankai, which is a full outfit change, like Rukia's. Renji's is somewhere between that and Kensei and Hitsugaya, who just get some shoulder accessories (and one could argue that Kensei's is more "big weapon" than "clad"). The point is, they're in the same ballpark.

Neck protection that leaves the throat exposed. I spent a bunch of time looking up historical armor to try and figure out if this is even a thing, and as far as I can tell, it is not. This says "I love a cowl neck, but I also want to be tits out." I think they both really loved those Hueco Mundo cloaks they had, except for the fact that they made it hard to talk or something and this was the result.

Shoulder guards. I'm not sure Rukia's are actually functional, but they give impression of armor. You'll sometimes see Renji's referred to as "pauldrons" or "spaulders", but these are European terms. In Japanese armor, the piece that covers the shoulder is called the sode. Yeah.

Stripes! "Don't say tiger print is lame!" Rukia says. "Renji really likes it!" Rukia says. Mm-hmm. You know who else has stripes on their neck and shoulders?

(Oh jeez oh jeez, looking at these two pictures underneath each other, Rukia's loops look exactly like Zabimaru's snaketail who stole this from whom?????) Speaking of...

Loopies!! The loopies are cool enough by themselves (if not performing any battle function at all aside from getting caught on shit), but here's the best part: Rukia's appear to be an extension of Sode no Shirayuki's ribbon. When Renji shifts into Orochi-Oh form he gets a bone ribbon.

On some level, maybe subconscious, maybe not, this man looked at the most beautiful zanpakutou in Soul Society and said "I want that for me."

Fringe. Rukia is mostly very stiff looking, but she's got these little ice crystal thingies dangling at various places. We'll have to see how this gets animated, but I hope that they blow around a little to add some kineticism and maybe make some bell-like noises. Bankai is all about making big winds and explosions and smoke clouds and you gotta have some dangle-y shit to blow around, it's compulsory.

Connections to royalty. In Rukia's it's more visual-- the ice tiara, the formal upright kimono. On Renji's side, his bankai is literally called "Two Kings", and it's two forms are "Baboon King" and "Serpent* King." ("Orochi" is used for a giant mythical serpents and dragons, including the eight-headed dragon Yamato no Orochi). I love this imagery being used for them in particular because of their origins as street kids. I hope, with all my heart, that someone makes an AMV for their bankai set to Royals by Lorde.

There's some other aspects that not necessarily inherent to their bankai. Rukia's ice crown is somewhat similar to Renji's bandana/sunglasses, in the sense that it's a head accessory. Rukia's bankai also includes tekkou (which she wears normally, but I assume these are bankai tekkou?) and Renji has his wrist wraps. Rukia's little ice flower on her chest reminded me a little of the baboon skull Renji had on Hihiou Zabimaru, in terms of, it's just...like...decoration? Their #brand? Finally, the cover on the sheath of Rukia's sword (which she also has in shikai) looks a little the extended hilt-guard Renji has going on. (For that matter, does Rukia have to wield Sode no Shirayuki two-handed in bankai? I feel like Kubo drew it that way because he couldn't figure out how to fit the hilt up her sleeve.

[fancyschmancyopinions]

SELENA GOMEZ at the BFI London Film Festival on October 11th 2024 wearing custom OSCAR DE LA RENTA

Selena is always a vision in red, but this look just didn’t fit her. The color is gorgeous and I love the silhouette of the skirt. The top just wasn’t working.

[kylieforeverandever]

Kylie Minogue attends the Closing Ceremony and the "Therese Desqueyroux" Premiere during the 65th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 27, 2012 in Cannes, France.

[invisible-pink-toast]

halle bailey wearing nautical themed dresses to the little mermaid premieres brings me so much joy

[badbitchesonlyhoe]

[pedripics]

Hear me out-

The same pearl earring that Nicholas Galitzine wore in Mary & George

I have a vision.

you know what i see the vision

[meraki-yao]

Taylor on the red carpet

Video credit: @/11份面包 (cuz I was so busy screaming over his outfit that I missed it myself 😂)

[caffemochachoco]

mahiru drawing to pair with the kotoko one :3

[bklynmusicnerd]

If I'm honest, I care more about Tabyana Ali and Brook Kerr (and Tanisha Harper!) dominating the red carpet with their looks than I do about any win (minus Sonya ❤️) during those hyperpolitical Daytime Emmys. The Robinson women (and Jordan) brought the glamor, and that's all that really matters.

[psychoticwillgraham]

i know i was roasting wedding dresses but now i wanna just roast luxury designer clothes instead bc there's SO much ugly as fuck shit and it seems like my last post was very well received so y'all are getting more. also the grammys are tomorrow and u bet ur ass i'm gonna liveblog the red carpet

[marc--chilton]

it's really only just now occurring to me that late 90s/2000s fashion can really be explained in just a few women and maybe one guy. paris hilton, ashley tisdale, avril lavigne, gerard way.... they're who i think of when it asked about that sort of era

[fancyschmancyopinions]

SELENA GOMEZ at the premiere of “Only Murders in the Building” Season 4 on August 22nd 2024 in Los Angeles wearing SELF-PORTRAIT

Selena looked so cute and chic at the premiere for her TV show. The black dress was so chic and I loved the little details of the neckline. This was a very nice and clean look, very nicely tailored and a beautiful beauty look.

[kylieforeverandever]

Kylie Minogue arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards on 29th August 2002 in New York.

[termagax]

my favourite side episode that ive been planning for 5ever is the team gets invited to a fancy ball and aja gets a handmade gown for it and feels really Normal about all this

[fandomtransmandom]

Barry Season Four Premiere Cast Photos

Rest of the photos here!

[sadgirlautumn]

The only Taylor red carpet look I haven’t liked was the floral folklore Grammy dress… the mask was cute though