#russian style fur hat

[suburbanswirl]

I’m ready for Christmas!

[aleesabella]

IG/ jenniferauada

[loveletterstomyenemy]

[copperbadge]

As I mentioned yesterday, I've been trying to get a bit of a jump on NaClYoHo, which is partly simply because it keeps me busy when I'm feeling restless.

I'm not doing it full-on, like putting on a podcast and cleaning until it's done, but in the mornings I've taken to checking the massive list I made of all the cleaning I want to do, finding something easily doable, and going and doing it.

So far I have:

Organized and moved the boxes I'm saving for holiday gift shipping from the front hallway (into the staging area where most of the stuff I just need to get out of the way is currently)

Weeded the rack of bags in the front hallway and set aside some for storage or donation

Weeded out the shoe rack for shoes I no longer wear and dug out and sorted the "winter socks" bag to move to the sock rack

Weeded the sock rack and set about 1/3 of them aside for either donation or other use (armwarmers probably)

Cleaned out the mud nook and hat display shelf in it; moved the costume hats to a box for storage and replaced them on the display shelf with my prized Hipster Mickey hat and the Russian fur hat my grandmother gave me

Sorted through the winter accessories (hats, gloves, scarves) stored in the mud nook and set aside some to donate/store; I know there are more I need to sort through and I don't want to put them away until I put ALL of them away so they're in a bag for now.

Sorted and consolidated the big pile of Stuff To Donate -- anything not clothing/shoes is now in a box or in the big suitcase I'm donating

Donated six grocery bags' worth of clothes and shoes

Moved the shoe rack and entryway table and swept both the floor and the floorboard molding behind each.

Tomorrow, if the spirit is willing, I plan to clean out the bathroom medicine cabinet. I'd like to pull it down and replace it with something newer, but I really like the style (it has a three-fold mirror so you can see the back of your head if you, like me, cut your own hair during pandemic) and it has electrics that are wired into the wall, so I might need to get a professional in. Trying to decide if I want to try taking it down and replacing it, or if I just want to buy some cheap organizer bins for it and do that next year.

[ineffableigh]

Thinking a lot about some memory parallels in season two...

About how everyone in Soho is dressed VERY ANACHRONISTICALLY, but not at all coordinated with each other. Clothes look pristine, brand new, unsullied, unworn. Caricatures of humans from the 40s, 70s, 90s, 2000s. Like an oversimplified idea of what Normal Humans look like.

Like uhhh excuse you white fur coat, leopard print skirt and platform shoes? Weird BRIGHT FUCKING YELLOW shirt, a flowy vest and leather pants? 70s crochet sweater with brown pants, crimped hair and chunky heels?

Rosie the Riveter This lady (Rosie is a different extra!) over here is either wearing big flowy skirts or actual mechanic's overalls like the war posters. She's EVERYWHERE throughout the season:

Rainbow tie dye, big hat, overcoat with pinback buttons? Like the guys in the cemetery?

Lady why are you fully lurking behind a pillar and staring at the Hamm Hams

What's my point? Point is... point is...

Gabriel's memories are the same.

RUSSIA - big hammer and sickle neon sign outside, two guys in back playing chess, one with a big bushy beard and the other a flat cap. Background music sounds like traditional/folk Russian music played on a balalaika, but playback on a ratty old stereo.

USA - Route 66 sign, hubcaps, money wallpaper, budweiser neon sign, bar/pool table/pool cues, American flags fluttering in the wind outside, 50s style radio on the shelf, SAME TWO GUYS IN BACK but now playing cards, and the one on the right has a baseball cap instead. And I don't wanna be like "what modern bar would be playing Buddy Holly on the radio" but... after hearing the background music in the Russian cafe, that is a CHOICE.

Hell, check out Not-Billie-Piper back here and her GIANT 50s up-do:

SAME THING AT THE RESURRECTIONIST, YEAH? ALL THE SONGS ON THE JUKEBOX ARE SCOTTISH OR PERTAINING TO SCOTLAND. "Letter from america" by the PRoclaimers starts playing but it was released in fucking 1987

And of course we know this pub is COVERED in Pressburger references, which we know carry way more meaning than simple fun cameos or whatever. Barring that, this is the Scottishest-Pub-est-looking-pub I've ever fucking seen, and it's SO CLEAN.

A fly IN the movie playing on the screen while we watch Gabriel's memories being returned to him from the fly he receives in this memory? More likely than you think (I can't find the movie name! Not in the X-Ray apparently)...

Anyway all that to say I think the show is trying to tell us SOMETHING is wrong the entire season. There's evidence shit's out of order, everything is WEIRD and high saturation, even people's makeup (Crowley's bloody orange half the time), and it all feels Extremely Set up...

OR poorly remembered.

[elizabethvictoriafashion]

1920s

1920s Fashion

For our third fashion history lesson, we studied the 1920s and Art Deco. The 1920s was an incredible decade that changed fashion as we know it. Skirt lengths shortened and women were finally liberated from the dreaded corset. The silhouette became more rectangular, undergarments were abandoned and women showed no cleavage. However, the waist was still aparent at the start of the decade.

By 1923, the waist had dropped, women became more flat chested and embroydery was heavy and glamorous. Fabrics such as sheer and chiffron were used (see through fabrics).

La Garconne

French for the bachelor girl, this word was used as a derogatory word by the elderly and a complement by the young. It was used to describe rebellious, tom boys with short hair and who wore men's clothing. They took part in pre-marital sex and other 'rebellious' activities.

By 1924, trousers were boudoir attire. For example, Paul Poiret's satin pajamas.

During this time, women began to reapply their makeup in public. This wouldn't have been allowed 20 years prior.

Despite the liberation of the corset, some women still used them to make their busts look flat. This was achieved by the freedom corset.

Menswear

The Prince of Wales became the 'it boy' for men's fashion. He was an idol, making fair Isle knits fashionable, and others such as: loose fitting tailoring 'bum freezer'; white flannel trousers and blazers; checkards; stripes; plaid. In 1925, the Oxford stripes became the trending trousers type. Loose fitting that had an average size of 40 inches! Despite the change of fashion from formal to casual, evening wear for men was still black tie and tails.

Lucian Lelong 1889-1958

Known as the man who saved Paris, Lelong stopped Hitler from moving Haute Cauture to Germany during the Second World War. Born into a family of designers, Lelong started a fashion business. He was a very smart business acumen. Unfortunately, he had to go to war. But once the war was over, he came right back into the fashion business. His business flourished with 1200 staff. Lelong was influenced by sport, due to this his designed are associated with fluidity. His dressmaking became engineering; he was a great innovator. Not to mention his 40 fagrances.

He developed the talent of up and coming designers, for example, Christian Dior. And in 1948, after nearly 30 years, Lelong closed his house for good.

Jean Patou 1887-1936

Not only a business man but also a ladies man. The two things Patou loved was women and business. That much so, he opened a dress shop after the First World War. He named it the House of Patou and got his family to work for him. Patou was inspired alot by Russian and Eastern influence, including his love of fur. He brought mens fabric into womens sportswear; similar to Coco Chanel. Patou saw trends like cubism and art decor, so used these in his work. Jean Patou did many iconic and unique things, such as; the first person to brand his work; brought over American models to work for him; created the most expensive perfume at the time, using 10600 jasmine flowers and 336 roses; created mens silk ties from biased cutting waste.

Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel (Coco Chanel) 1882-1971

Chanel did not start off wealthy, she was poor and didn't like her background. However, she lived a good life, despite the fact her mum died when she was 6. She lived and grew up in a nunnery making hats. Chanel was the first designer to create womens jersey taken from men's underwear. She paved her way into fashion by using sex and her sexuality. Her house was established at 31 ru cambon in 1909. At the time, Chanel No.5 was one of the best selling fragrances in the world! And the interlocking 'C's are the most famous fashion logo.

Art Deco

The Art Deco period is a movement in the decorative arts and architecture, originating in the 1920s in France after the First World War. It was developed into a major style in western Europe and United States during the 1930s. It was graphic, strong patterning with rich Egyptian colours; exoctic. For example:

Hoover factory, London 1932-1935

Chrysler building NYC.

An example of an Art Deco artist was Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

[okaima]

Karelian words - Fur And Leather Clothes

Tal'l'a - treated animal pelt Miehha - fur used for clothes making, especially coats and jackets Nahka - treated leather Kaža - leather or pelt that has dried hard Keččinä - rawhide Kenkäš - leather used for making shoes Šafjan - dyed decorative leather, most often blue or red, worn at the edges of children's boot shafts, collar and chest of fur jackets, married people's leather mittens and married women's shoes

Čäbry - curly haired pelt Hoveh - sheep pelt Jenotovoi - raccoon dog pelt Kalankettu - fish skin used for decorating clothes and items Kažinnahka - cat pelt Kettu - fox pelt Koirannahka - dog pelt Matikka, maehvoi - burbot skin Sagarvonnahka - otter pelt

Bašmakat, vašmakat - low-shafted or sometimes shaftless, heeled women's shoes

Belkkalakki, belkkatreuhka - fur hat made from seal skin, usually worn by village elders in white sea Karelia

Belkkakan'kat - traditional shoes made from seal pelt

Čiebalo, šiebalo - neck and chest warmer made from reindeer, bear, moose or sheep skin

Čubit - traditional leather boots worn during winter

Čuikka - fur coat, usually with cover of wool fabric, that reaches halfway down to wearer's calves and can be worn under another jacket

Čuikku, belkkačuikku - anorak or parka style jacket made from seal skin, usually worn by fishers

Hodakat - russian style dark leather shoes reaching to about knee or bit below

Holoppa - loose sheepskin fur coat

Joarat - traditional boots with shaft made from reindeer leg pelt and foot made from reindeer head pelt

Jänöihattu - winter hat made from white rabbit fur worn especially at Suojärvi area. The more decorated hats were mainly privilege of elders and married people.

Kan'kat, upokkahat - traditional shoes with low shaft. Depending on area worn with colourful weaved bands or with leather ties

Karva-alazet - fur mittens with fur facing outwards. Often made from dog fur

Kateturkki - fur jacket made from dog, sometimes sheep pelt in which the hairless side is covered with fabric

Koivikkahat - fur shoes made from reindeer, sometimes moose leg fur. Dark and white ones were traditionally most valued

Košeli - money pouch made of leather

Lippozet, stupnit - low traditional shoes worn inside during winter and outside during summer

Mahilan'e - sewing pouch

Moaličča - anorak type fur pullover with hood. Usually made from reindeer or sheep pelts. In Karelia, most if not all furs are worn with hairs inside.

Palttoturkki - straight, unpleated fur coat that is closed with buttons

Peäköt - traditional boots made from sheep's, reindeer's or cow's stomach or leg leather and which do not have the beak at the tip.

Poršnit, kurppuzet - traditional leather shoes made from single piece of leather

Prätti - fisher's leather apron

Puolisoappoat, puolruojuset - russian style leather boots with shaft that is just below calf or above ankle

Purkat - boots with shaft made of felt and foot made of leather

Pälsyt - women's fur vest with decorated fabric cover, usually worn inside or under jacket outside

Revokkahat, ketukkahat, reboikengät - shoes made from fox pelt, hair outside

Rukkazet - fur mittens with fur facing inwards. More decorated ones were privilege of married people

Sietka - tobacco pouch

Šoapka - men's winter hat, the more decorated ones were worn by grooms and married men.

Šupka, šuupa - long women's fur coat with wool fabric cover and pleating on the waist

Šäpäkkähät - leg warmers made from reindeer or deer, rarely sheep pelt. Worn mainly in reindeer herding area in Viena karjala.

Toopurat - over the knee reaching boots made from cow skin.

Treuhka - fur hat. Worn either by only women or all genders depending on the area. In later times it was mainly worn at weddings.

Tuluppa - russian style men's long fur pelt. Can have fabric covering or not depending on the wearer's wealth

Tušurkka - women's half-length fur coat. Can be covered or uncovered with fabric depending on wearer's wealth

[scorpiosmuse]

[1bringthesun]

alright. we’ve reached deranged o’clock. today, i, tai, will be dissecting the garb of Fyodor (bsd). if someone has done this already, oops! let’s begin.

to start, an image of Fyodor for reference.

so i’m kicking us off with his hat, because that’s probably the easiest part. the fandom has collectively agreed that it’s an ushanka, and yeah, i tend to agree. it pretty much looks exactly like this (image pictured below: white ushanka from this link).

so that’s that. to balance it out, i’m doing his cape next, because what the fuck. it looks like a pretty normal cape at first glance. one with fur lining. like this (image pictured below: a black cape with fur lining at the top near the collar from this link.)

but i urge you to go look back at the reference image, because not only does Fyodor’s cape not attach at the top, not only does it have buttons along the edges, but it has a notch lapel (a type of collar lapel; basically those foldy things by the sides at the top of a trench coat). and once again, it doesn’t attach at the damn top.

so that leaves us two options: either it’s an unbuttoned coat with sleeves that don’t show because it’s so dark and a fur lining, or it’s a really weird cape. and please spare me, because i know nothing about fashion. i’m doing this all for fun. so let’s explore each option.

it could definitely be something like this, except with fur added (image pictured below: soviet officer’s naval uniform from this link)

except… you know. it doesn’t have sleeves. but his cape doesn’t have anywhere to clip onto at the top, and it also has that collar lapel, and also buttons, so it barely looks like a cape at all! what are you WEARING, Fyodor??

there’s one last possibility, but it’s not a style of cape so much as it is one specific thing i found that looks like the discolored version of what Fyodor is wearing. because i know i’m going to hit the image limit, i’m just going to tell you to visit this link if you wanna see what it looks like. it’s just a lora piana cape.

in any case, his cape does look like a personally tailored version of something that originally came from the russian military, so there’s some food for thought. moving onto his shirt.

the one clothing item that looks most like what he’s wearing is a qipao/cheongsam top. for all intents and purposes, the style and everything looks quite similar—the buttons and how they’re in the middle, where the purple-colored trim would go on Fyodor’s shirt and how it aligns with the sewing, etc. here is an example.

(image pictured below: a white qipao/cheongsam top that honestly looks a lot like what Fyodor is wearing from this link)

that looks pretty similar, right? right?!?! but damnit Fyodor, you had to make things complicated, didn’t you?! because … because your collar? that is NOT a qipao/cheongsam collar. (image pictured below: official art of Fyodor holding his hat and smiling with no cape on from this link)

the only thing that would explain how this was still a qipao/cheongsam top was if he was wearing a fengxian collar. and even then… it’s not quite right. (image pictured below: woman wearing a red dudou with a fengxian collar from this link.)

…but putting so much effort into styling one single shirt… i mean, i couldn’t find any men’s examples of the fengxian collar because styling your qipao is more of a feminine thing to do. so let’s visit russian fashion again.

ah, but there’s the slight kicker. 19th century russian fashion was, to my knowledge, influenced by asian fashion. for example, the khalat, also known as a russian cape, which— huh, do you think he could be wearing a khalat?

….i finished talking about his cape. and as i was writing about the weird collar on his shirt, i remembered this official art, which i grabbed and saved directly from the manga so i don’t have a link source. (image pictured below: newish official art released in the manga—Dazai and Fyodor standing next to each other with yellow paint(?) severing their heads from their bodies and TV screens with various pictures surrounding them.)

Fyodor’s collar! look, it’s straight! maybe he IS wearing a cheongsam! the cape still has that weird collar lapel (goddamn it) so i can’t really say anything enlightened about that, but… the shirt!!

cool! alright! his pants! so this is really straightforward. idk if it’s pants that come as a pair with the shirt or something, but they just look like normal white linen pants to me. (image pictured below: linen, white pants on a woman from this link)

finally, his shoes. i only have one image left before i hit the image limit, so i hope you’re willing to scroll back to the top, where you’ll see his shoes look very strange, but surprisingly, they’re easy enough to label.

i think it’s likely he’s wearing Renaissance boots, given how they look almost identical to his sans the fact they’re disconnected in the front, but Renaissance boots DO have gaps, it’s just not pictured in the specific image of these specific boots i chose. (image pictured below: Renaissance boots from this link.)

yeah, they’re a little short, and maybe they don’t look EXACTLY right, but you can’t deny it’s the same style. if you think the shoe quarters look a little less attached to the vamps, then i’d just tell you to consider the fact he’s wearing spatterdashes and call it a day. (more about spats here.)

and finally, if you’re interested in 19th century/historical russian fashion, given Fyodor’s outfit seems pretty inspired by that, i advise you check out this link, which goes into some detail about things i didn’t.

of course, i hope you enjoyed my disorganized insanity, and may you have a good sun-out time or moon-out time!

[eolewyn1010]

Downton Abbey Fashion 30 - 1920s evening dresses

We’re on glam’n’glitz again: Time for evening gowns. I always want to comment on the recent developments of the evening fashions of the time, but then I always start with Violet, who never goes with the current fashion, so is there even a point to it?

Violet struts up in some gorgeous blue silk satin, the base layer of it plain, but the sleeveless robe part is a damask with a brambles-and-flowers motif. Not that this is what catches the eye because there’s no kill like overkill: The frame of the top and the sleeve cuffs are dripping with beading and sequins. I think we’re going with a kind of feather motif here – I don’t want to say peacock feathers because it’s lacking the typical big eye spot elements, but the shape is similar. I love how the colors come together here, various shades of grey, silver and gold with the blue of the dress. Funnily, despite her old-fashioned get-up with a tiara and throat brooch and all that, the necklace is quite a modern style of the 1920s, an overlong chain with a tassel-like pendant.

This comes off as a little more subtle by virtue of the monochromatic color scheme. It’s still silk satin over a massively embroidered white under layer, and it’s another tiara look, so it’s not lacking in opulence. Check out that choker. If Violet wanted to show off her entire jewelry drawer, it was a wise choice to go with a dress which has a largely plain surface, although that’s no shade on the lovely beaded trim.

Finally, the silver gown that she keeps for a while; it reappears in season 4 and then, in season 5, Violet gifts it to that snippy Russian revolution survivor princess. We get a layer of black chiffon over silver satin, and all the embroidery ever, a very delicate flower motif that’s sprinkled with beading here and there. I think the scalloped edges of the chiffon layer give this a bit of extra charm. But I will allow myself a little amusement at the fact that, while Violet gave Princess Snooty over there one of her nicer dresses, she drew the line at the bejeweled choker.

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For the total contrast program, Martha. Well, to be fair, her evening gowns are surprisingly subtle in comparison to her coats – no bright orange silks (shame) and no furs (probably for the better). But if Martha chooses to wear black, it’s gotta be black velvet. With tons of golden feather embroidery. And speaking of feathers: Her cute little cap there with the very subtle golden and enameled brooch on it, that’s been decorated with Lady Amherst’s pheasant feathers. I still don’t know who Lady Amherst is, but I’ll recognize these feathers anytime because I personally recommended them as a very ostentatious prettying-up element of a fictional outfit. And she can just afford to casually wear those. Never mind all the jewelry. I’m fine.

Martha likes her feather motives on black fabric, it seems. Other design, similar concept, including the same chiffon sleeves. The neckline is round this time when the former was square, and the jewelry is… ehm, subtler? I don’t know; those gems on her necklace are probably the real deal, but the design is simpler, and she has black feathers on her headpiece instead of big-ass speckled pheasant fathers. I’m actually not sure what that thing is; it’s not a hat. A beaded headband?

I have seen several things of an opaque fabric with translucent sleeves. My brain reacts kind of befuddled at this, being made of the most delicate chiffon but with opaque sleeves. Huh. It’s obviously embroidered with gold thread and sequins again; the necklace might be amber beads and is a nod to one of Martha’s other preferred colors, orange. That and her ginger wavy bob remind me of Edith. Girl should have just left for America with her grandma. But back to fashion: Martha has another big black feather in her hair, on some golden fixture that I think may be a kind of aigrette, but I can’t prove it either way.

You’d think this is another black evening dress, but no, the lighting is just unkind to the velvet. This is actually a very deep teal shade, and all the voided wavy lines and triangle elements in the fabric give such an art deco statement and make a massive contrast to Violet’s ornamental, classic embellishments. Where Violet wears a choker to go with her high Edwardian collars, Martha opts for another overlong necklace, although I wanna bet that it’s still full of real diamonds and emeralds. As is her hairpiece – expensive, but in a playful 1920s design; a sort of triple-headband with big feathers. The arched, floofy feathers remind me of birds-of-paradise, but I don’t know if the colors check out.

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For something more modern than Violet but definitely less ostentatious than Martha, let’s have a look at Isobel. It’s not shabby either; this seems to be brocade after all, but that should be why the dress goes without any decorative elements aside from the most subtle trim. At this point, we’re well-acquainted with black chiffon sleeves, but the shape of the dress, a kind of apron-style, is new, and one that Isobel settles in quite comfortably for the next couple seasons. The shoulder also has a couple of tassels hanging down the back, which I think is cute.

This might be a similar cut, but I can’t really tell because this is more tone-in-tone. Yay, I was just getting withdrawal symptoms from a lack of black sack dresses. At least it has some embroidery over the front. Could be a butterfly motif?

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Susan MacClare is a frustrating case for me. Firstly because the character is written with all the subtlety of an anvil and gets on my nerves, secondly because she gets dressed down which I’ve already gotten sick of with Edith, and thirdly because she wears a variety of evening gowns and none of them are shown very well. I first thought this green number was Lavinia’s dress. To be fair to Lavinia though, her dress didn’t look slightly tatty as this one does. Perhaps it doesn’t fit her right; that would be par for the course for Susan’s outfits. It has some embroidery and emerald chiffon going for it, but honestly, I would want to wear something nicer to this tiara.

Orange-bronze-yellow-something; I wish I could tell you about this dress, but I can’t see a damn thing. It has a drop waist and a chiffon overlayer and is rather baggy, so Susan goes with the times, but aside from some beading with a stars-in-the-sky motif, it doesn’t have much to look at.

This dress is not 1920s fashion with its high, tied-in waist, but I have to admit that it looks the best out of her evening dresses. It fits, it has a nice color contrast with her Tartan sash, it makes a nice backdrop for very nice jewelry. White is what we’ve already seen other attendants of the Ghillies ball wear, so there’s a continuous theme, and she has an excuse to wear something not quite in fashion for a traditional event.

Other than here where she has no excuse. This looks like red satin. Why does this woman not even have any color preferences? The floral embroidery stripes prettied up with some beading here and there are actually quite nice. It’s just that I look at this dress and think, oh, this is something Mary or Cora might have worn four or five years back. Why does Susan wear a high waistband when we've already seen her in period-typical drop waist? This must be the fashionably most inconsistent character on the entire show.

[goldenslumbersketchbook]

What are your thoughts on rotg Pitch black and the other characters?

Thank you for your question! I enjoyed sitting down and writing this out. My initial response was “They are Awesome! I adore them and drawing them brings me joy!” But I decided to go more in depth!

Please note these are just my personal opinions, as of May 2023. I judged everyone on three categories: Character, Design, and Drawability.

Nicholas Saint North

My Opinion on his Character: 10/10.

How could anyone not love this guy. He has infectious energy and is one of my all time favorite versions of Santa. I both enjoy his character in the books and the film. I love how he is a strong leader with a big heart who isn’t afraid to stand up for what he believes in. He is so cool and I love his competitive nature.

My Opinion on his Design: 10/10

North’s design is so full of geometric genius. I love how square he is. I also love all the Russian elements like the coat and hat. This is one cool Santa. I adore the tattoos and the swords he wields. I also like his younger self, very pirate adventure vibes.

My Opinion on his Drawability: 8/10

As much as I love this guy he is sometimes a bit hard to draw. He has a lot of tattoos and a large coats and a beard that covers a lot. I need to practice drawing him more. It is a bit fun to draw him in more exaggerated styles, but I definitely need more practice.

E. Aster Bunnymund

My Opinion on his Character: 7/10

Bunny probably scores the lowest on my favorite character scale. I adore movie bunny but book bunny kind of ruins the experience… he is so snooty and his rants get a little tiresome to read. I also don’t personally vibe with the whole alien backstory. I would of preferred him to be an actual bunny. More fantasy less sci-fi. I do love the drama he brings to the group. He is always first to speak up and question things as opposed to just going with whatever plan was proposed.

My Opinion on his Design: 9/10

Both book and movie designs have something different and unique to offer. I adore them both. I love the book bunny little glasses and long robes and staffs. I love movie bunny more tribal warrior rabbit look. Both designs do well capturing a unique look for the Easter Bunny.

My Opinion on his Drawability: 4/10

Bunny may have a great design for me he is extremely hard to draw. I don’t know how to draw animals too good (yet haha). Especially if it’s not stylized for a goofy doodle. He has a lot of elements I need to still learn. Like fur and animal proportions. Sorry bunny maybe in the future I will be better.

Toothiana

My Opinion on her Character: 10/10

I love this fairy so much. She is so adorable and responsible and is a true guardian. Her book backstory is one of the saddest things I’ve read in children’s media and although she put up walls becoming a sort of workaholic she still finds joy and excitement.

My Opinion on her Design: 10/10

She is what I want to think of when people mention a fairy. Not a shrunken down human with wings but something that would exist in nature. Something you wouldn’t bat an eye if you saw. I love the hummingbird design. I love her feathers and her face/eye shape. I just adore her.

My Opinion on her Drawability: 9/10

I do adore her design so much and I love drawing it too. It’s so relaxing drawing all the feathers. I do have a bit of trouble with the wings but I love drawing tooth. She has such a fun color pallet.

Sandman

My Opinion on his Character: 10/10

Sandman is so cool. I love how sassy and laid back he is. I love how he is a friend of the world but is chaotic enough to threaten to knock out a child with his bare fists. He is one of the few characters I don’t mind having a fake out death scene. He steals the show. Also his mermaid sand island should of made it into the film. We got to see everyone else’s homes.

My Opinion on his Design: 9/10

Oh I adore his design. It reminds me of the rankin-bass stop motion designs. He is so adorable and shaped like a star you can hug. I love how he appears to actually be made of dream-sand.

My Opinion on his Drawability: 9/10

Sandy is so fun to draw. I think his design works great in both 2D and 3D. I love giving him goofy expressions.

Jack Frost

My Opinion on his Character 10/10

Jack is an amazing and complex character. He is mischievous and childish he is yet wears his heart on his sleeve. He has this haunted sadness that lingers through him and yet always tries to get others to have fun. I love how much he cares for people despite putting off the cool loner persona. He will do anything to protect the kids, despite being a kid himself!

My Opinion on his Design 7/10

Jacks design is cool but I feel like it needs something. I understand his current look is supposed to be relatable teen but I feel like it’s missing something to help him blend further into the world. I love his outfit as a human. And nightlights armor is neat but I feel like Jack needs just something more then just a hoodie? Just a personal taste thing… I do see what they were going for.

My Opinion on his Drawability 10/10

Jack is so easy and fun to draw. I like drawing him in new outfits and styles. He is also fun drawing as his nightlight book self. Overall a really fun character to doodle and stylize. Especially since there is this constant movement to him.

Pitch Black

My Opinion on his Character 10/10

An amazing villain with a tragic past. I love how cunning he is yet is pretty blind by his own greed. I love how much joy he gets from spreading fear. I love the arrogance to his character and how he gets playful when trying to manipulate and or fight someone. A great villain who enjoys being evil. There is that element of longing for a family to him that is probably left behind from his days as Kozmotis which adds a good amount of drama to play with.

My Opinion on his design 9/10

While the guardians are complex and maximalist in there design pitch is sleek and minimalistic. His pirate aesthetic from the books are cool and his movie design has him move seamlessly in the shadows. I adore his face shape and demeanor. Overall a great simple design that brings contrast to a colorful cast.

My Opinion on his Drawability 10/10

Although simple Pitch is pretty fun to give added design elements too. Especially gold based accents. He is fun to draw in different outfits as well since he doesn’t have a lot to his design. It’s always fun to color him when I’m done drawing the others who have larger color palettes.

[morethanaloveinterest]

A Purrfect Look at Catwoman's Costumes in Batman 1966

Catwoman has several disguises in this movie, so let's get into what they mean for her character.

This is Catwoman's first disguise, as Kitayna Ireyna Tatanya Kerenska Alisoff, or Miss Kitka of the Moscow Bugle. She wears this to investigate how much Batman knows about the United Underworld's evil schemes and takes the opportunity to ask Batman to unmask.

The ensemble includes a knee-length jaguar-print coat with matching fur hat. It appears to be worn over a black dress. Her boots are knee-high with kitten heels and she wears black gloves.

Female Representation: 10/10 Our femme fatale dressed in an animal print as well as being a Russian spy in the cold war? Any of those could be an excuse for something skimpy but it makes sense for her to choose to wear this.

Practicality: 10/10 She looks great while being able to move around easily and stay warm.

This is mostly the same style of catsuit that Julie Newmar wore in the television show (one episode before the movie, several afterward). The placement of the belt was chosen by Ms. Newmar to emphasize her curves and obviously it is an excellent addition to break up the black. The boots are kitten heels, of course. She does not have the gold necklace here that Julie Newmar's did, instead using a small cat-shaped communicator when relevant. The gloves have gold claws and the black cat is named Hecate. Catwoman wears this for about half of the movie, whenever she is not disguised as Miss Kitka.

Female Representation: 10/10 While certainly slinky and form-fitting, it still appears to be something she would wear and enjoy wearing it. Catwoman is going to toe the line between being sexualized and owning her sexuality, and I believe this one stays firmly in the latter.

Practicality: 10/10 Catwoman manages to pull off all sorts of feats in this so I'm sure it's very practical.

Apologies for the quality of these screenshots; it was difficult to find any promotional photos of Miss Kitka. Anyway, this is what she wears to go see Bruce Wayne and lure him into their trap. The orange of the dress is perfectly matched in the boots and her nails are a similar shade. I'm not an expert on 60s fashion but I believe this was quite fashionable - especially the color choice. It does not particularly relate to her disguise as a Russian (as far as I know) nor is it especially cat-like. Perhaps orange was chosen for Halloween, where black cats are prevalent?

Female Representation: 10/10 Very sensible but lovely choice for our villainess to go seduce a millionaire.

Practicality: 10/10 I'm going to guess that she still has kitten heels, and the rest is very practical. The skirt is form-fitting without being impossible to move in, and she kneels on the floor in it so I'm gonna say it's quite practical.

This one's my favorite, it's gorgeous. Miss Kitka wears this on her date with Bruce Wayne. The bodice has a corset down the back, beautiful embroidery on the front, and the pattern on the skirt is also embroidered. Though I am again not sure what it has to do with being Russian or a Cat, but it's very good for a disguise.

Female Representation: 10/10 Absolutely stunning outfit to wear out on the town, seducing our hero. While a bit risqué for daywear, I believe evening gowns would usually show at least this much skin.

Practicality: 9/10 Perhaps not the most practical for a catburglar, but it serves its purpose here well enough for dancing and climbing in and out of a carriage.

Miss Kitka changes into something more comfortable while entertaining Bruce Wayne. Presumably there is some kind of lingerie underneath but we only see this pink robe. With a lovely cat brooch, finally.

Female Representation: 9/10 We do get a lingering shot up from the floor to her face, emphasizing her legs and her figure. So that's not ideal but the costume itself is pretty great for the situation. It again feels like something she would choose to wear (rather than chosen for the audience's benefit).

Practicality: 9/10 Probably not the most practical for most of what Catwoman gets up to - she changes out of it immediately afterward and into her catsuit.

[wellnesscard]

me when im like a russian girl with the fur hat like a ballerina like a wizard with the wizard sash doctor-strange-style -- im sorry, father christmas, is that you????

[axoloth]

Why don't all Slavic people create some great Slavic union? Their languages are so similar and cultures too, they all share respectful behaviours, etc.

That’s only your opinion because you are not Slavic. Our culture might seem similar to you, and our languages probably sound the same to you, too. But we see huge differences between our way of thinking; our culture is sometimes very different, just like our manners, and there are languages from which we understand maybe like 5 words out of 100. Slavic languages, I mean. And don’t say: “Maybe it’s just you because you are stupid, other people are surely more capable.” No. We do not understand everything that some other Slavic foreigner is telling us.

By the way, this comics perfectly illustrates the differences between our inter-Slavic relations:

For example, there are Western Slavs, like Polish, Czech, Slovak, and their regional variants. From them, as a natural-born Czech, I understand maybe 30–60 percent naturally. and then I have to guess the rest of the sentence from context. As a result, I will understand 80–90 percent of what they are saying.

Then there are Eastern Slavic languages, like Ukrainian, Russian and Belarusian languages. Do I naturally understand them, aka without second-guessing? No. Not at all. Maybe like those 5 words out of 100, if any at all. I have no freaking idea of what they are saying to me. They are usually pretty pissed off, especially when they are Russian, because in the time of the USSR, our parents were forced to learn Russian. I was born in the era of communism, yes, but I started attending elementary school in 1992, which is three years after the fall of communism. That was already in democracy, and we were learning German and English. So no, I don’t understand Russians. But some Russians still see us as their rightful colony, just like the British see the Indians, and they certainly don’t like it when we tell them we don’t understand them.

And the final linguistic group is the South Slavic language group aka the people who live in the Balkans, or very close to it. Those are the Croatians, Serbs, Slovenians (there are Slovaks and Slovenians, a big difference), Macedonians, Bulgarians, and so on. From them, I understand maybe 20–50 percent naturally, and from the context, I can guess maybe like 60–70 percent of their whole speech. That is if I am lucky. But I am second-guessing myself all the time, and I am frequently wrong.

And that’s only the languages.

As for the culture, our nations were, just like anywhere else in the world, always influenced by our invaders and neighbours.

The Balkans were strongly influenced by the Turkish Ottoman Empire. They long-belonged under their forced rule. You can see it in their style of dancing, clothing, habits, and so on. The style of dancing is usually frantic, with people twirling their handkerchiefs in the air, and hop-hop-hop like dancing, line dances, and men and women dancing separately. Croatian women even have a dance in which they dance with a wine jug balanced on their heads.

The Ukrainians, Belarusians and Russians have also a very different style of dancing. Men wear high red wellington boots and pantaloons, loose white shirts, big belts, and a headgear different from the rest of the Slavic groups. In the winter, it is usually something huge, warm and fluffy made out of animal fur (you can buy it in shops, nobody makes the hats anymore). Their style of dancing is more acrobatic. Men float in the air, half-bent, or they drop on their hands, throw legs in the air, and kick very high. Women merrily dance with legs in the air, waving handkerchiefs, or they kind of slowly float in circles. With their long skirts, they look like they are not walking but riding a skateboard. The dancing in general is very bold.

The Czechs, Poles and Slovaks - and this time, SLOVENIANS, too, even though they technically belong to the pre-Balkans - are the most different group. All of them were in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, so they are GERMANIZED to a certain degree. You can see it in their dances, habits and style of clothing. The Czech Republic especially was under a great deal of German and Austrian influence, because its geography “bites” into Germany. And we are direct neighbours. The other Slavs call us “Little Germans” (no kidding), because what we got from Germans was our sense of order, although only compared to other Slavs. In the Czech Republic, the order is more like a highly organized chaos, but it is still an order of sorts. The Bohemian part of the country (there are 3 parts, Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia) is the closest to Germany in terms of culture, music, dances and manners, especially when compared to more Slavic Moravia or Polonized Silesia.

EDIT: Also, there are religious differences between us Slavs. Eastern Europe tends to be traditionally Orthodox, while Central Europe is mostly Roman Catholic. The Balkan tends to be divided between both religions, mixed with Islam. And that's only the official religious practices. Unofficially, we Czechs are 80+ percent atheist and agnostic (we are the 7th most atheist country in the world, and the most atheist country in Europe), while the neighbouring Poles are the most religious and Catholic country in Europe (along with the Spanish), and one of the most religious countries in the world. They even had their own pope, John Paul II. That itself obviously creates another friction, especially when the attitudes in the Church influence the thinking of normal people. The Poles are traditionally largely antisemitic and anti-gay rights, while we Czechs don't give a damn. You can be gay here and stick a tongue into your partner's throat here, and while some people will comment about it or have a few remarks, no one actually cares. We are even the most tolerant European nation when it comes to marital unfaithfulness. It's the beer. We act as if we were drunk 24/7. We are just totally lax about everything. Granted, we are not lazy, but still lax, and we love to complain (how typically Eastern and Central European - even the Germans and Austrians love this… but not on such a scale), but we are still quite peaceful, at least compared to, let's say, the Balkans. Also, Central Europe in general is more peaceful than their other Slavic counterparts, AND we tend to drink socially, like the Spanish. Meaning, you go to a pub to have a beer and make friends. Nobody is drunkenly lying on or even under the table. And when we drink, we usually turn to beer, moonshine and wine. In Eastern Europe, they go to the pub - or they drink at home - to get drunk, and their to-go alcoholic choice number one is mostly vodka. And they tend to make up extra reasons for drinking every shot: “To Putin! To my sister’s new baby! To my brother’s divorce from that ugly hag! To today's great dinner! To the shooting of Laika into space!” I am exaggerating, of course, but this is how it goes there. They think they are just being friendly, while we Western Slavs tend to see them as alcoholics.

[wedekindplace]

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[retropickens]

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