Hello! I've just came here to say I adore your Gideon and Harrow designs (as someone w/ a big forehead, I thank you for harrow bigger forehead). I do have a question; how did you come up with their designs? What did you keep from canon and what did you add that, well, makes the characters... Them.
Info-dump as much as you want, I wanna learn more about their looks and just whatever else comes to your mind. (Also it feels like really nice to see myself in harrow, at least in appearance.... Thank you).
HI!!!!!!! AND THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!
To be honest, my furst Harrow was the most basic Harrow ever
I only start to read book at this point, but then i came across a line where her skin was described as gray, and that's when the gears in my head started moving
headcanons thoughts bellow (tw: non-sexual nuduty)
Only after some time, when I was already attached to the design, I found a post describing the appearance of the characters on the official Temsyn blog, and it turned out that Gideon’s skin should be darker than Harrow’s. I was very afraid that I would not be accepted in the fandom for such inattention, but as it turned out, many people were pleased to see such design of Harrow, and some even saw it as a representation. I am very happy about that!!!
The book gave me enough descriptions of her appearance that I didn't add much except to make her look ridiculously lanky.
In book 3, at the time of her first meeting with Kiriona, Nona said that her appearance was completely opposite to Harrow’s in every way. That's why I build their portraits on contrasts. Harrow have neat smooth nose, Gideon on the other hand have hooked nose. Harrow have cupid bow lips, Gideon's lips is more slim. Harrow is bony, Gideon is kinda curvy. Harrow has tsureme eyes, Gideon have tareme eyes. And etc. etc.
Almost all the details are taken from the book, even her acne, so again I didn’t add much of my own. Unless I think that Gideon is not as big as she thinks she is (Camilla is bigger) (gaining weight in the ninth house with a terribly poor diet is very difficult)
This post changed my whole imagination about her.
Necromancer gideon as bonus!!
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Vendors hock wares for tourists along the crowded cliffs of Mossdeep. Three things brings people to the island city, Space, the League, and Legends. A blurry picture of Rayquaza before a mass of stellar activity is just as common as a picture of a stellar ring showing off the first official images of a black hole. Youngsters, lasses, poke freaks and cool trainers are plentiful enough for the "No Battle" signs to be warranted. They add an intensity that isn't welcomed and they make me avoid the gaze of anyone that might be from Kalos.
No one bothers me. They never did. Battle Chateau was a local hot spot, but it was more or less a guarded secret where serious trainers could discuss the nuances of strategy. Our funds never came from the league and as such League Aficionados knew nothing about us. I liked the obscurity. I liked the people. I liked a lot of other things that I don't want to dwell on, but I do.
Past the market the crowd thins, and a solid line of locals draws my eye to a bakery. They're selling cakes designed to look like Pokemon, or maybe it's a pokemon that looks like a cake. Ever since the league opened in Galar people can't get enough of their local Pokemon.
I find it hard to keep up. There's supposed to be another acquisition soon, somewhere around Kalos. It's the fastest acquisition in the League's history. I don't understand where all of this money and public support is coming from, but there seems to be no end in sight for the League's growth. Kanto used to have three rival divisions, Hoenn seven, and now it's just the League.
There's a clump of Zigzagoons gathered around a dumpster. A collared Aipom is breaking the latch. The dumpster flings open and the Zigzagoons shoot themselves into the bin. They rip apart plastic and gorge themselves on human waste.
There's a nearby park. Unattended children play League Deck on the tables. A girl too young to have a license is training a very distracted Popplio. It's as good a place as any to begin my journey.
Connie the Swanna emerges from her Quickball. The flash of light and crackle of sound draws the eyes of the children, but even in Hoenn the Water/Flying Pokemon is a common enough sight for them to return to their training. Tactics or taming, those skills will be needed on their road ahead.
Connie coalesces into a majestic pose. She stretches out her wings and turns deliberately away from me. The aging pen is trying to get out of a flight. She brings the left wing low and twitches it, and in the most telling of maneuvers she eyes me and brings her feathers flat against her neck. I arch a brow and she gives her wings a serious flap. I approach and the pen raises her back and let's out an annoyed woop.
"Do you wanna battle?"
It's an older kid asking me the question, he's old enough for his voice to drop an octave but young enough for the acne to out number the whisps of hair on his face. The teen knows I'll say "no" but there's someone in the crowd he's trying to prove himself to.
"Sorry, I've only got the one," I tell him.
"We can do one on one. I have a Tranquill." He adds that last part sly as a Seviper.
"Are you going to use that Tranquill?" I ask with too much spunk and his friends laugh.
He nods. "No tricks. Your Swanna versus my Tranquill."
As far as I know, no one has discovered an electric wing attack, so I have every reason to believe him. If anything, I'm at an advantage.
I look to my Swanna. "How about it, Connie, you up for a fight?"
She ruffles up her feathers and preens her chest. She's not exactly hyped but nothing about her looks hesitant.
I tell the kid, "lemme see the Tranquill."
The not quite a youngster obliges, and throws out a painted premier ball. This pokemon was likely a gift, the kind of Pokemon that stays with a child who doesn't have a lot of chances to battle. The bird is a beautiful specimen. He's strong and healthy and ready to push any rivals. Connie takes an interest now, and it's not friendly.
I take out my league card and the kids surround us.
"Stakes?" I ask with enough fire to roast a Grumpig.
"1,000 pen."
It's way too much for a one on one, but there's a desperation in his voice I don't miss. Besides, the kid's knees are already shaking.
"What's your name?"
"J. C. Raggly," he squeaks.
"Alright, J. C Raggly, let's have a pokemon battle."
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on FIMQ deleting her content and COVID-19 (and a gratuitous larry fic rec)
@freddiesmyqueen first of all queen i hope you’re doing ok although i know some shit must have gone down for you to delete/private list all your videos and i hope you know that the larry community supports you always. Also your talent is TRULY unmatched in the world of video editing - no one makes edits quite like you and that’s why your loss impacts the community so profoundly.
secondly, i know at least i was hoping to turn to rewatching all of FIMQ’s videos while i’m being quarantined due to the coronavirus. and i’m willing to bet that i’m not the only one. this is a scary time and for people like me who feel profoundly alone right now, the only way for me to calm my nerves and fears is by reverting to the content and community that helped me feel not so alone when i was in middle and high school. For me, that looks like watching FIMQ videos and reading my favorite larry fanfics (which i will also link below). because of this i thought it might be helpful to repost some links that were posted by @bluemoonlarryandkaylor for a signal boost (if my teeny-tiny account can be called a signal boost).
link to a google drive with FIMQ videos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ONwfLOd_IYvAL5OUDqDb_LLgQsDpd9il
link to an acct with some FIMQ re-uploads: https://www.youtube.com/user/Joana3961/videos
link to FIMQ vids with spanish subtitles: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIouodFhArMkQhOHxv2t2NgxTwl6KvXAT
and now if you want to look at some good old fashioned larry fics that are my ABSOLUTE faves and could 100% be actual novels/movies, keep reading:
And Then A Bit** by @infinitelymint aka the best fanfic ever written (basically larry fakes a relationship for publicity with each other and it could be cannon if you really wanted to hope upon hopes): https://archiveofourown.org/works/1415272/chapters/2972746 (159k)
“We’d like to give the fans what they want.” Magee states, placing his hand on the table in front of him and leaning forward. “We want to give them Larry Stylinson.”
Or, take a parallel universe where Louis and Harry were never together, mix in a two year hiatus and an impending comeback, pour in a dash of lost fans, two tablespoons of strong friendship and a Modest! employee with a good idea. Add a squeeze of pretending to be a couple, lots of kisses and a tattoo or two. Stir. Serve: the mother of all publicity stunts.
(aka Harry and Louis fake a relationship for publicity. Eventually it becomes a lot less fake and a lot more real.)
Escapade** by @haydolce aka the Jack McQueen fic: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4034197/chapters/9071932 (146k)
In the grand scheme of things, finding a date for a wedding should be no problem for Louis Tomlinson. He's rich. He's handsome. He's reasonably well behaved. But when the wedding is for his lifelong best friend (and former boyfriend), and is happening in under a month, finding a date for the ceremony and accompanying festivities becomes more of an adventure than he ever could have planned for.
California Sold** by @isthatyoularry : https://archiveofourown.org/works/5157680/chapters/11877494 (123k)
Notoriously closeted boyband member Harry Styles is famous on a global scale, meanwhile Louis, as his best friend, is back home in Manchester, living the typical life of a 24 year old. When Harry needs Louis with him in LA, a publicity stunt gone wrong changes their friendship forever.
A fake-relationship AU between two lifelong best friends.
Bring Your Body Baby (I Could Bring You Fame) by @theboyfriendstagram : https://archiveofourown.org/works/4263903/chapters/9652944 (84k)
Eighteen year old Harry Styles just graduated high school and landed a summer job as a waterboy for his favorite football team. His job description is simple: be ready to hand water and towels to players if needed. That didn’t seem to include Louis Tomlinson though, a twenty-three year old, recently transferred Paris Saint-German player, who seems to like making Harry’s job much more difficult than it has to be.
OR
A self-indulgent AU that takes place over the summer of 2015. 18 year old Harry hates pining after people he can't have, and 23 year old footballer Louis loves flirting with people even though it never means anything.
Pull Me Under** by @zarah5 : https://archiveofourown.org/works/870766/chapters/1672104 (140k)
AU. As the first British footballer to come out at the prime of his career, it helps that Louis Tomlinson is in a long-term, committed relationship. Even if that relationship is fake. (Featuring Niall as Louis' favourite teammate, Liam as Louis' agent, and Zayn as Liam's boyfriend, who just happens to be good friends with one Harry Styles.)
You You You** by @isthatyoularry : https://archiveofourown.org/works/846690/chapters/1617212 (137k)
“Infamous boybander leaves club together with unknown,” read the headline. Underneath were pictures of a boy with dark curls, green eyes and very tight pants. They both studied the article for a moment, reading it through quickly.
“Is that…?” Louis frowned. That guy almost looked exactly like... "HOLY FUCKING SHIT!"
"Louis," Niall said, looking absolutely fucked over. "You just fucked the most wanted guy on earth. You just fucked Harry Styles of One Direction."
Or, the one where Harry and Louis meet at a club and Louis takes Harry home, only for him to realize that the boy who just made him breakfast half naked is Harry Styles from One Direction.
Like an Endless Summer by @horsegirlharry : https://archiveofourown.org/works/11365494/chapters/25442085 (87k)
“You just wanna go fawn over Styles as soon as possible,” Zayn grumbles.
“I do not. Plus, he probably got ugly this year. Eighteen is an awkward time...I bet he’s got acne and one of those terrible fuckboy haircuts all the hipsters are getting these days, with the shaved sides? Just watch, the first year we’re gonna get any time together is gonna be the first year I don’t have a stupid crush on him.”
---
Or, Louis is a riding instructor at a summer camp, and Harry is a fellow counselor who he’s been successfully managing his crush on for the last two summers. That is, until Harry shows up this year leveled up and lethal, and all Louis’s formerly perfected veneer of nonchalance melts like a popsicle in the sun.
Three French Hems by @100percentsassy and @gloriaandrews : https://archiveofourown.org/works/3064493 (20k)
In which Louis is a designer at Burberry and Harry spends December wearing Lanvin… and Lanvin… and Lanvin.
The Dead of July aka the Marvel Fic by @whimsicule : https://archiveofourown.org/works/3594570/chapters/7928520 (117k)
Being an Avenger means continuing to be Captain America and smiling and being honorable for the public and Harry does his best. But it doesn’t give him time to figure out who he is supposed to be once he takes off his uniform and puts the shield to the side. Just being Harry had always involved Louis, and Harry fears he doesn’t know how to exist without him.
or: Harry is Captain America, and Louis’ been dead for 70 years.
Gods & Monsters by @mizzwilde : https://archiveofourown.org/works/2090982/chapters/4550871 (201k)
The instructions were simple: seduce and destroy Harry Styles. Not once did they discuss the option of Louis actually falling in love. So, naturally, that's exactly what he did.
Love is a Rebellious Bird aka LIARB aka the orchestra fic aka dont hum bolero by @100percentsassy and @gloriaandrews : https://archiveofourown.org/works/1162438/chapters/2362331 (135k)
AU in which the boys still make music. Louis is the concertmaster of the London Symphony Orchestra, Harry is the New! and Exciting! interim conductor/ex-cello prodigy who "has made Mozart cool again" according to Esquire Magazine (Louis hates him immediately, which is definitely why he internet stalked him in his dark bedroom late at night that one time), and Niall is the best. Zayn and Liam are around too.
Don't hum Bolero.
My English Love Affair** by @isthatyoularry : https://archiveofourown.org/works/1873962 (19k)
The thing about sleeping with a member of a famous indie band is that the inevitability of having a song written about you is most likely a hundred percent. The second thing is that in the end, nobody's supposed to find out it's about you.
The one where Harry writes a song about his English love affair and Louis sleeps with someone in White Eskimo and all he gets is a stupid song written about him.
Soft Hands, Fast Feet, Can’t Lose by @haydolce : https://archiveofourown.org/works/5799241/chapters/13366498 (113k)
American Uni AU. Harry Styles is a frat boy football star from the wealthy Styles Family athletic dynasty. A celebrity among football fans, he knows how to play, he knows how to party, and he knows how to fuck (all of which is well known among his legion of admirers).
Louis Tomlinson is a student and an athlete, but his similarities to Harry end there. Intelligent, focused, independent, and completely uninterested in Harry’s charms, Louis is an anomaly in a world ruled by football.
A bet about the pair, who might be more similar than they originally thought, brings them together. Shakespeare, ballet, Disney, football, library chats, running, accidental spooning, Daredevil and Domino’s Pizza all blend into one big friendship Frappucino, but who will win in the end?
Wild and Unruly aka the Cowboy fic by @100percentsassy and @gloriaandrews : https://archiveofourown.org/works/2723093/chapters/6099611 (124k)
Harry is a cowboy sitting on the biggest oil reservoir in Wyoming, and Louis is the paralegal assigned to pressure him into selling his land.
For As Long As I Can Remember (It’s Been December)** by @greenfeelings : https://archiveofourown.org/works/15051122/chapters/34892210 (128k)
After recovering from a severe accident that causes Harry to lose his memory of three years, he moves to London to start his life over as a star chef. Little does he know that when he falls in love with Louis at first sight, it’s not the first time they meet.
Featuring an unintentional game of hot and cold, Harry chasing memories that won’t come back, Louis burying himself in work to try and forget what he can’t forget, Liam being torn between two of his best friends, Zayn as a moral compass and Niall saving the day with good music and brutal honesty.
the boys of fall** aka the american football fic by @godgavemelou : https://archiveofourown.org/works/5443037 (21k)
“And everyone, this is Harry Styles. He’s going to be our starting quarterback this year.”
Louis looks at him, the tall and lanky Harry Styles, and takes it all in. He’s got hair to his shoulders that curls at the ends, tattoos all down his arms, and a bright smile on his face as the team cheers him on. He’s lean and fit, and absolutely beautiful, and Louis hates him to the core.
OR an american football au where the boys play for the university of tennessee, and harry and louis quite hate each other.
** indicates that the fic is a log-in required fic, but if you want the pdf i can send it to you
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Spring/Summer & Haute Couture Week 2021: Whoops, I’ve Missed a Loooot
Hi to anyone reading,
Where TF has the time gone!?
After experiencing the longest January of all time (when your birthday is right after New Year, you get that between Boxing Day before NYE slump like a couple of weeks after everyone else), February has gone by in, like, 5 minutes and already we’re well into the throes of the F/W 2021 collection presentations. Meanwhile, I’m here like! Surprise! Here are my reviews of the S/S 2021 collections if anybody still cares! I mean I’m mashing it up with corresponding haute couture week reviews to fool everyone into thinking that doing it so many months later was intentional and it was totally working right up until this sentence, right?
In all fairness, I originally thought that I wasn’t going to bother reviewing S/S21 because it seemed kinda redundant given the circumstances and I wasn’t keen on the idea of collections being showcased via photo sets which is the route so many brands chose to (understandably) go down. Buuuut, the more I saw of what designers had put out there, the more I was tempted to put this post together and now here I am. The fact that designers are even able to churn pieces out during a pandemic when I’m out here like 0__0 no thoughts, head empty...it’s impressive to say the least, especially the way so many used the circumstances to inform their designs. In a way, it would be a disservice not to do a post on the season, and yeah it’s late, but given that it we are actually about to enter spring and the shows are kind of the deciders of what’s going to be “in” and “out”, they’re more relevant than ever. With plans for our way out of lockdown materialising-now is the perfect time to add that I don’t want ANYONE suddenly developing selective amnesia over how our government has failed us now that Boris has announced when the clubs COULD reopen-let this post serve as a roundup of every bit of inspiration available for our spring fits. I also want to use this opportunity to disclose how irritated I am at myself for starting the previous fashion week reviews post by declaring I was going to work through the designers in chronological order when I meant fucking alphabetical because I now can’t go back and change that. So this time, let me start properly. I’m going to be reviewing the collections in ALPHABETICAL order. Now that’s out the way, let’s do it. First, Acne:
It’s so great to start on a high, it really is, and fortunately Acne is reliably good. It’s still got that deconstructed, minimalist feel that the brand is known for but for the summer season; we can see creative director Jonny Johansson and his team moving away from the heavier pieces we saw last time round, away from upcycled bohemian curtains and towards a breezier, more season appropriate aesthetic, boujee kaftans and swimwear rebelliously hacked up and artfully rearranged, and it feels correct. The net pieces, the beachy colour palette, the oil spill-esque print (though this represents an intruder of the marine ecosystem, as a print I loveee it and 100% want more!) and the accessories, reminiscent of shells, coral and anything else you might find on the seabed, give me a hipster mermaid washed ashore vibe which completely fits with that rugged, mysterious sense of Nordic folklore references and adventure the brand has established as its foundation. If it’s a nod to some kind of new age cult that Johansson was going for, which apparently is the case, I’m guessing said cult worship sea goddesses and perform pagan rituals on the beach by moonlight, and though indoctrination doesn’t sound at all inviting, it's a party compared to scientology.
The chiffon trousers here are actually chic and seeing them styled under a blazer makes me realise done right they CAN be more than just a PrettyLittleThing summer sale piece, so I’ll store that away for outfit inspo when the time to get rid of some layers comes around. The glasses, too, are very Gucci. Flip flops with socks I don’t think I can ever come round to but-
Whilst it was a favourite of mine last season and it sticks to that same bohemian vibe with a lot of the elements I love, Ferretti lacks a little oomph this time round; it’s more stripped back, neutral, easy-going, and it is lovely, but for those same reasons it doesn’t grab my attention as much as the past couple of collections have. If you’re an influencer wanting to shoot a Joshua Tree desert lookbook this is sublime, but compared to the flair I saw in their last winter show, for example, there’s something lacking.
I’m very glad to see neutral coloured boiler suits on the runway, however; I snagged myself one off Depop the other week so I might be unintentionally ahead of the curve for once! The crochet detail dresses are nice too but very much remind me of past Zimmerman collections, or an Ermanno Scervino grab for the most high street friendly parts of Erdem SS2020, something along those lines. What I’m trying to say is that it’s definitely been there done that, even by Ferretti themselves and not in a continuity kinda way, in a kinda…this is basic and pretty so we know it will sell kinda way.
Eurgh, I wanna be one of these Alessandra Rich girls so bad.
I end up repeating myself every single time because I always love her collections but really, this is what a high fashion novice thinks Chanel is. Alessandra Rich outsold. As much as her dresses have looked amazing on people like Kate Middleton and January Jones, I’m just waiting for one of the modern it-girls to take the nostalgia-tinged femininity of her pieces and put some kind of daring, street-style twist on it; if that doesn’t happen I’ll gladly take 5 minutes of fame so I can do it before fading back into obscurity. Let me fulfil my modern first lady fantasy, reenact the croquet scene from Heathers, drape myself on a chaise lounge whilst smoking with a cigarette holder, and then throw me back into the trash where I belong. I can die happy. Also, can we once again appreciate how much more iconic the Alessandra Rich two piece made the already moment Dakota Johnson singlehandedly brought down the Ellen dynasty?
Dakota knew exactly what she was gonna do and the energy that she was gonna channel when she wore that piece and I admire it. Alessandra Rich, if nothing else, will go down as a key moment in pop culture history, and you know what? It’s what she deserves.
Whilst I do wish she’d branch out a little and try and get back in touch with the dark drama of old McQueen collections now and again, Sarah Burton has made a very recognisable Alexander McQueen silhouette and it’s beautiful; this season is gorgeous as always. A leather biker and tulle affair that’s perfect for a grunge ballet, it’s easy to avoid lamenting the excitement and theatrics of old collections when Sarah creates such consistently sophisticated pieces. Stunning.
Now, a quick haute couture detour with Alexandre Vauthier:
Compared to other haute couture collections, this is pretty toned down and by appearances alone (I know haute couture is more about meeting technical requirements more than anything else but there is a level of grandiose you expect to see) is more like a RTW collection than its counterparts. That being the case, I don’t have a huge amount to say about this one, though I do really like it-the ruched metallic boots especially. The Studio 54 vibes and the glam rock influences are clear and a lot of these pieces could definitely make it into Lady Gaga’s AHS Hotel wardrobe which is a compliment of the highest order, so there ya go. Plus, if a collection IS gonna be presented through stills, a format like this is preferable to some of the others I’m gonna talk about. There may be more exciting ways of doing it but simple allows us to see the clothes properly and at the end of the day, that’s what I care about the most!
Heading back to good ole’ RTW, we have Altuzarra; I wasn’t hugely keen on their last collection but this is definitely a step up for me and justifies keeping them on my radar. Though in some ways this seems like less of a summer collection and more of a late winter/early spring transitional one on the basis it can’t seem to decide which temperature its catering to, there’s a lot to like: a colour palette that reminds me of a Dion Lee collection, harnesses evocative of those sprinkled throughout the last few Alexander McQueen shows, and more of the utility wear trend that I’m still very much into nicely contrasted against lighter, airier pieces for an overall fresh, modern vibe. The interpretive dancewear style pieces are interesting and the woven platform sandals are the shoe of the summer but the white shirt with the cape incorporated is definitely the high point of this show and I absolutely adore it.
Anna Sui was actually pretty cute this time round. Her pieces have always been kooky, but in the past a little too lairy and occasionally cheap-looking for me. This collection, however, is kooky in more of a Melanie Martinez styled baby doll kinda way, as opposed to in an eccentric Bjork loving aunt whose idea of heaven is an all-must-go Primark sale kinda way (I know some people are going to vehemently disagree with my aesthetic preference there) and I love that. There seems to be a lot more creative direction going on, a much clearer vision of what Sui wanted to achieve, and yes a few of the looks went a bit too hard on the cookie cutter vibes but on the whole, they were more edited than usual; it seems Sui actually paid attention to the “take one thing off before you leave the house” rule this time. The staging is the perfect compliment to the doily style bucket hats and the sandals paired with frilly socks, and really adds to the whimsy of the collection, and as a whole, it really reminds me a lot of the way my mum would dress me as a toddler but styled up for a grown adult. Cute AF.
Armani RTW I was pleasantly surprised by, considering I don’t usually rate it. It’s a cool, androgynous take on retro shapes and styles that’s simultaneously fit for the hustle and bustle of the modern world. Strong 2021 Peggy Olsen vibes, and a bit muted Lacoste-I can 100% imagine Elisabeth Moss as Peggy swanning around in one of those huge minimalist houses with the floor to ceiling windows after a long day at work, though we’ll switch the cigarette for a vape because...you know...welcome to the future. And sure, maybe the vision is slightly influenced by THAT scene from Us, but whatever. As for the men’s wear, if I have to look through an endless gallery of straight white men in plain ass suits every time I do some kind of red carpet fashion review, I at least hope they’re wearing Armani. I need me some impeccable tailoring to soften the blow.
I do wonder, however, how the clothes would look on plus size models. I feel like it’s a collection that’s very catered to a person who is straight up and down, and it feels like a bit of an easy cop out not to have any kind of versatility. Say what you want about Christian Siriano but he caters to all body types very well.
I actually quite liked Armani’s haute couture collection too; the pops of colour and the intricate embroidery give me what I’ll later talk about missing from Valentino haute couture. There were still some of the frumpier pieces that I usually associate Armani with but also a lot of Great Gatsby-esque looks that I really enjoyed.
Returning to RTW, Ashish was amazing. I LOVE that there’s always some kind of unique print (this time round, kitschy illustrations) and whilst a whole maxi swan print dress may not be the most wearable for the majority of us, Ashish Gupta does bold and innovative really well. There were a few boring striped pieces in there but I adore the one shouldered butterfly print dress and I NEED that Hail Satan jumper; it reminds me a lot of something by sustainable fashion brand Minga, which is one of my absolute fave websites to buy from when I’m treating myself to some new clothes.
Azarro’s haute couture collection is full of supreme awards show afterparty fits, and I was shook to find out that Olivier Theyskens is the brand’s creative director! My newfound obsession with his pieces really had me like :O when I realised he was behind Azarro too. I loved their collection last time round, though this I’m finding a bit harder to give much analysis on because of the way it’s shot; whilst it could be a YSL perfume Vogue ad, which is obviously far from a bad thing, it comes at the cost of lacking visual clarity. That being said, from what I can see, Theyskens once again masterfully channels the wardrobe of the effortlessly cool, messy haired, smudged eye make up rock ‘n roll girl, and I think that’s someone we all want to be.
Balenciaga RTW was an interesting one for me-on first inspection, I was kinda disappointed. Without the usual drama of the bold, exaggerated silhouettes and the theatrical production of their shows, I felt it was missing a bit of the magic I’ve come to expect from them. The streetwear elements infused throughout, a departure from their typical pieces, was very hit and miss; the shearling slip-ons in particular were not my thing at all. I’d be admiring some beautiful gothic dress and then my eyes would slide down and see those monstrosities and it would bring the whole thing down a notch or two, despite bad shoes being something I can typically overlook if I otherwise enjoy the rest of the outfit. My initial conclusion: that the Balenciaga Myrtle Snow would choose as her last words this collection.
However, upon re-evaluation when typing this post up properly and knowing what to expect, I like the collection a lot. I’m getting a bit of a Seoul streetwear vibe from it, and I can appreciate that although it is a lot more trend focussed, it’s got an edgy, daring quality to it, with a lot of androgynous, utility wear elements on show. I loveee the Balenciaga chokers too and in my wildest dreams would get my hands on one before it goes the way of the Gucci belt and gets overdone and flaunted by social media influencers as a show of wealth to the point of tackiness.
At Balmain the sculpted body armour made a comeback but on this occasion, not in a way that I liked, and there war far too many neons for my taste too. No matter how many times it rears its ugly head, I find it hard to get on board because as a colour palette I can’t help but associate with Claire’s Accessories circa 2007-it has to be SO well done to avoid looking cheap, imo, and these Balmain pieces weren’t good enough for me to go against that gut aversion. A collection with 100+ looks isn’t usually a good sign and expecting Olivier Rousteing to achieve the impossible and manage to do both quality and quantity is a recipe for disaster; it’s a shame because his last collection was so original and yet this one feels like a cheaper looking rip off of other brands. It was just a bawdy display of 80s overkill IMO and if I can only find 8 outfits to include out of 100 that’s clearly not a good sign.
Bottega Veneta is a brand that the high fashion side of the internet loves that I can never 100% get on board with; I get it, they’re behind the gorgeous square toed heels, but other than that none of their collections have ever really wowed me. The chunky knitted pieces are very Miu Miu style futuristic grandma chic and as someone on the cusp of being either a millennial or gen Z (depending on which website you visit) it’s got me outfit planning for my retirement years. Utilising so much wool for a summer collection, however, seems like a choice because can you IMAGINE wearing a heavy knit in blazing sun; I almost didn’t include the collection to be honest but then every so often something really cute came long, and one of the signature crisp, classic BV pieces would be done well and so I felt I had to. Am I missing something given all the hype here? IDK tbh.
Burberry? Meh. You could also call this collection how many ways can I do a trench coat, with results of differing quality; occasionally the mix match of styles worked and I saw the deconstructed outerwear concept that Ricardo Tisci was presumably trying to go for, though it can’t come as much of a surprise that the combination of a trench, denim and leather jacket was mostly just messy and came off as a last ditch attempt to make the classic coat more interesting by just chucking other fabrics at it and seeing what stuck.
One thing I will say is that there were some really sick prints going on-the snakes in particular-and it was those prints that were really the saving grace of the collection; as I said with regards to Ashish, I like it when you can tell a brand has gone out of their way to experiment with patterns and actually incorporate illustration and graphic design into their pieces. Prints notwithstanding, though, it wasn’t a memorable collection and I really can’t wait for the day we put this whole multiple denim jean waistband trend to bed once and for all; in the wise words of Regina George “stop drying to make multiple waist bands happen. They’re not going to happen.”.
Carolina Herrera was just as I expected. Whilst Wes Gordon was a little more daring with the structure of the pieces than usual, you can still he’s still committed to designing for the wealthy, modestly dressed socialite (yes I’m talking about Tinsley Mortimer and yes, I have recently become obsessed with Real Housewives) and her insatiable need to collect more charity gala gowns than she’ll ever possibly have opportunities to wear in her time on this earth. Sounds like a great life, sure, but it’s not like it gets my heart racing when I see the looks on the runway. The most memorable piece for sure was double breasted blazer w the asymmetric ruffle; I haven’t seen anything like it in a RTW collection in recent memory.
Now onto the fucking train wreck that was Celine RTW.
It’s not even bad for a runway fashion show, it’s just like…straight-up bad. Like Hedi Slimane went back in time to 2013, took a bunch of models into my local Topshop (and I have to clarify my local Topshop rather than the flagship Oxford Circus store-RIP-because to do the same in the latter would produce far better results), picked up some cheap basics, switched the lights off, and then, finally, dressed them in the dark. There’s very few positive comments I can make so I’m just going to move on.
Chanel RTW I actually didn’t hate as much this season; maybe it’s because coming from Celine, my standards are like, on the floor, but it’s slightly better than usual. Whilst most of it was same old same old, the opening 10 or so looks and then from 40 onwards were alright. The colour contrast pieces were classic Chanel in a good way, that is to say somewhat modernised and appealing to a younger clientele as opposed to the elderly women who still see a boucle jacket as the height of fashion. The mini chiffon capes were also cute, and if it weren’t for COVID putting pause on everything I can see the Chanel headband being duped ad infinitum.
The worst part of the collection was without a doubt the pieces with the neon logo print, which I wish I could erase from my mind. At this point, with Virginie Viard seemingly refusing to make any attempt to reinvent the brand, Chanel is best when it’s subtle; that way it appeals to those regular customers who rely on the prestige of the garment and the new generation of consumers who are further branching out into experimenting with their personal style and want a quality base. But who I ask are these tacky ass pieces aimed at? Because though it appears to be an attempt to infuse a kind of youthful spirit into Chanel, it is very out of touch with what gen Z actually like, and I can’t imagine any rich old white ladies buying them either. Big shoulder shrug.
Whilst I tend to find Chanel’s haute couture collections a bit better than their RTW, this is probably on par. Still rather meh and frumpy at times, but there were some pretty, whimsical pieces in there that were definitely elevated by the staging which, I must say, was very dreamy. I’ve enjoyed the last couple of haute couture shows a lot more (the one with the library set was v cool), which were comparatively restrained with the frivolous details and the chintz, so this seems a step back. The dresses with the 50s Audrey Hepburn for Miss Dior style silhouette are lovely but obviously, as per the reference, nothing new.
Onto something much more exciting, we have Charlotte Knowles’ RTW collection, whose work has made her one to watch. I’m not as huge a fan of this as her last instalment, but Knowles’ (who I recently found out only just graduated from Central Saint Martins, making her achievements all the more impressive) continues to create clothes for a girl far cooler than myself; I know, that wouldn’t be hard, but we’re talking like, miles cooler. One of those women who can literally pull anything off and immediately make you want to try it yourself even though 9 times out of 10 that would be a bad idea-I could probably take, like, one piece and make it work but anything more would most likely just be me embarrassing myself. You wouldn’t think San Fransisco psychedelic summer of love motifs would mesh with futuristic Mad Max style biker vibes but Charlotte and her partner Alexandre Arsenault make it sexy AF, like a combo that was always meant to be. They are a dream team.
And lastly for this post, we have another collection I really liked: Chloe. Sadly Natacha Ramsay-Levi’s last collection for the brand, she truly went out on a high note, with a reliably gorgeous iteration of her sophisticated take on bohemian style. Who now, will we look to when we want to cosplay as one of the Jessas from Girls of the world? When we want to pretend we’re a rich, party girl socialite backpacking across Western Europe (along the foothills of Mount Tibidabo…) on a commissioned trip to “find herself” for the fashion magazine column she’s writing, whilst we’re actually on a budget family holiday in Spain? When we can’t decide if we’re dressing like a modern day Rachel Green or Phoebe Buffay and say fuck it, I’m gonna do both? I mean sure, I could never afford Chloe anyway and sure, I’m interested to see what Gabriela Hearst can do with the brand, which despite its loveliness is quite predictable, but it’s definitely sad to see Ramsay-Levi go when she has become a reliable source of elegance and class each season. She brings a quietly confident brand of femininity to the fashion world where the high profile design houses are increasingly dominated by men who are sometimes too focussed on being bold and brash enough to be hailed as the newest design visionary, and I have huge respect for that. She will be missed.
Now it feels right to end the post here, given that I just finished with a kind of dramatic memoriam for a woman who is very much still alive and given that I would really be playing with fire by trying to push Tumblr’s edit post feature any further, so I’ll wrap it up for now. In part 2, which will hopefully be out over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be looking at a surprisingly strong haute couture collection from (can’t believe I’m about to say this) Maria Grazia as well as some of my faves, Etro, Dion Lee, Gucci, and of course Iris Van Herpen’s haute couture. In the meantime, I’m hoping to get a post out on my favourite sustainable clothing brands and to shoot my take on the “what I would wear sat front row at X” video trend that’s been going around lately on TikTok and Instagram reels, which I know I am kinda late to the party with.
I’m also looking at starting “photo dump” posts where I basically just substitute what I would be putting on my Instagram feed as photo posts on here, all the way back to when I first started my fashion Instagram account. I know this is hardly a hot take, but Instagram has really gone to shit, and once I’ve moved all my photos from there to here, I’m probably going to be deleting my account and just keep my private personal one. I’m sick of the endless scrolling past photos of people edited to the point of being unrecognisable and of seeing faces that all conform to that exact same Eurocentric beauty standard with the exact same surgical procedures to the point that even I, as a thin, white cis girl feel disgusting (so god knows how others without my privilege feel) because I don’t have a fucking fox eye lift or whatever it is that internet famous surgeons are telling us we need for our faces to fit the “golden ratio” at the moment. I am OVERRR all the promoted posts from people who preach social awareness and equality and authenticity and kindness making money off promoting companies that rely on slave labour rather than those who make me feel uplifted and inspired. And I am VERY MUCH done with scrolling through share for share and like for like pages because I am embarrassed by the fact that my likes don’t match up to my follower count since that must mean that NOBODY LIKES ME AND EVERYONE HATES MY FACE, right!? Even though I’d like to think that mentality was something I grew out of a long time ago. Instagram, much like Facebook before it (which is no surprise since the latter now owns the former), has just become another cesspit of an app which exists solely to convince you to buy new clothes and follow the latest filler trend and blow money on holidays you can’t afford to convince everyone you’re living the good life. Like many others, I have finally come to the conclusion that the way Instagram operates now is nothing but detrimental to my wellbeing. So, all that being said, I’m moving my feed over here, to a place where I can just arrange my silly little photos into silly little collages and not care if I’m shouting into the void by doing so because they’re just a screenshot of my life that I can look back on in however many years time and think Oh, Cool! That’s What I Was Interested In Back Then! That Outfit is Timeless! Or That One Was a HUGE FUCKING MISTAKE! Because I do love the creative element of Instagram, turning your feed into a collage, picking out which colours compliment each other, posting your favourite art and your outfits and the makeup looks you’re proud of, the beautiful sights you’ve seen-I just hate how unbridled capitalism and unrealistic social expectations have once again destroyed a good thing, and caused it to stray so far from its original vision of connecting people. Here, I don’t care if I get 0 interactions on those kinds of posts, because I am putting stuff out there I am proud of that expresses who I am and that interests me, and when I put a lot of hard ass work into something that’s actually important or that benefits others in some way as opposed to indulging my own vanity, it does get some circulation and I hope that it does make a positive difference, regardless of how small. I hope it doesn’t bother anyone too much seeing my initial photo dump posts on their dashboard as I try and catch up to where I am now; you’ll probs see a mini influx of 2015 fashion and I’m sorry about that! But I don’t *think* it will be too long until I’m up to date and then the photo dump posts will be much less regular.
Anyway, sorry about the Instagram rant there at the end! If you read all the way til the end, this is a huuuuge thank you! I hope you enjoyed the post and I will get the next one out ASAP, potentially with a few posts in between. As always, feel free to inbox me if there’s anything you wanted to talk about or suggest and make sure you stay safe. There may finally be some light at the end of the tunnel:D
With a cautious dose of optimism, and the acknowledgement that I will most likely regret saying this: bring on June the 21st UK gals!
Lauren x
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since it’s late n u guys have been so encouraging
i wanna preface this by saying....im not a Writer and this is pretty much the first wrestling-related thing i’ve ever written. also this was written at 3 am yesterday so pls keep that in mind ALSO it’s not very. romantic bc 1.) im not good with that stuff and 2.) it’s kinda covering the early stages of their relationship so they’re barely even friends yet! (this takes place right before war games!)
that being said thanks for being so nice abt it guys ur all the sweetest and i love u and i’m sorry this isn’t Better but constructive criticism would be appreciated! mwah!
Pete tapped his fist against his jaw in a needless effort to hype himself up.
The guaranteed brutality of his upcoming match didn’t faze him—brutality was his specialty, after all— but despite that, he couldn’t shake off an uncomfortable feeling.
Maybe it was the thought of having to rely on others for his victory, or maybe it was the thought of them relying on him. Neither were things that he was exactly used to.
He wondered, when the time came, if he would put himself in harm’s way for the sake of the others.
Pete thought of the last time he had relied on someone. It was ironic in a way, how the same person he had tentatively began to trust would be one of his opponents tonight.
He had never really thought of Roderick as a friend, just a sort of unavoidable ally. His eagerness had been irritating as was his general disposition, but Pete had chosen to put his trust in him. A choice he’d come to regret.
He liked to believe that the betrayal had made him all the more dangerous now. Not only could he use his desire for vengeance to his advantage, he’d also be sure not to make a mistake like that again.
Pete had operated just fine on his own for as long as he could remember. There were a select few times where he’d tried opening up, and each time he paid for it. It took a few experiences for the lesson to be drilled into his brain, but at least now there was no way he could forget it.
He should stick with what he knew best, and what he knew best was solitude.
Keep interactions short and bitter. You look out for one person, and that person is yourself. Everyone else is simply an obstacle or dead weight.
It was a philosophy he lived by, and one he truly believed in. There just happened to be times where he’d let it slip and thought maybe, just maybe, someone could be an exception. But they never were.
A steady knock on the locker room door disrupted his thoughts. A faint feeling of pain registered in Pete’s jaw as he realized he’d been tapping his fist against it this whole time. Before he could say anything, the door opened and Ricochet’s head popped in.
“You got a minute?”
Pete didn’t answer, he just raised an eyebrow when he noticed something in Ricochet’s hands. It looked like a tube of toothpaste.
Ricochet followed his gaze and held up the object, wiggling it in his hand. “Oh, this? Yeah, it’s kinda why I’m here, actually.” He walked up to Pete and held it out to him. Pete read the label, which only confused him more.
“White….face paint?”
The other man adjusted his North American Championship on his shoulder. “Yeah. Y’know, war paint for tonight. It was Hanson and Rowe’s idea. They figured we should at least look like a cohesive unit.”
“What’s the point of that?” Pete deadpanned. “Face paint won’t get us a win against Undisputed Era.”
Ricochet looked at a loss for a second, then sighed. “C’mon man. It’s to pump you up, get you excited to kick some ass. Plus it’ll look cool, yeah?”
Pete wasn’t very convinced, but he wasn’t in the mood to argue. He did admittedly like the idea of amping up the intimidation factor, not that he was going to tell Ricochet that. “Fine. Might as well fool people into thinking we’re a real team.”
“S’that supposed to mean? We’re a real team. Cole and his cronies are gonna see just how real we are tonight.” Ricochet declared, giving Pete a few taps on the chest.
Pete stiffened at the contact and glared at the highflier. Ricochet was someone who currently fell under the obstacle category in Pete’s eyes. He hadn’t forgotten the match where both their titles had been on the line. They never received closure, and Pete intended to change that next time they crossed paths in the ring.
He’d prefer for Ricochet to stay an obstacle rather than become dead weight.
“I’ve said it before, you’re just a guy carrying a piece of gold that I want. As for the other two, they’ve already got each other. We may be on the same side, but we’re not a team.”
The grin on Ricochet’s face weakened a bit. “Man do you like, practice this stuff in a mirror before you talk to anyone?” He chuckled at his own joke—was it a joke? The weight of Pete’s words didn’t seem to mean much to him, however, as he quickly bounced back. “Anyway, face paint, yes or no?”
“Sure.” Pete said.
“Great.” Ricochet tossed the tube of paint to Pete. “Doll me up.”
Pete barely caught the tube in time. He whipped his head up to face Ricochet, trying to make sure he had heard him correctly. “What?”
Ricochet had placed his title on the bench next to him and met Pete’s gaze expectantly. “What? I can’t put it on myself. There’s no mirror in here.”
“Then find one.”
“No can do.” He almost looked smug, as if he had planned this. “Bathroom’s closed for repairs, apparently Kyle and Bobby thought it’d be fun to flush Sullivan’s gear down the toilet. He caught ‘em in the act.” Ricochet let out a whistle. “It wasn’t pretty.”
Pete didn’t want to hear any more. For whatever reason, Ricochet was intent on sporting war paint, he might as well indulge him. After tonight, he could set his sights on what really mattered.
“Alright. C’mere.” Pete placed his championship on the bench opposite of Ricochet’s and squeezed some paint onto his fingers.
He lifted his hand only to pause suddenly, leaving it hovering in front of Ricochet’s face. “What’s their paint look like anyways?”
Ricochet thought for a moment. “It’s like…a V shape on each cheek.” He explained, tracing the motion over Pete’s cheeks with his finger. “Simple enough.”
“Right.” Pete grunted, doing everything he could to ignore the way his face had heated up. He pressed his fingers to Ricochet’s face and began painting the design, trying his best to keep his hand steady.
Pete came to a halt when Ricochet started giggling quietly. He gave him a strange look, pulling his hand away.
The other man took a moment to compose himself, then cleared his throat. “Tickles.” Came the simple explanation. Pete rolled his eyes and continued with his work, retracing the lines to smooth out the jagged edges.
He paused again to add more paint to his fingers, avoiding Ricochet’s gaze. Pete could feel the man looking at him and unconsciously tossed his head a bit to let his hair cover his face.
As Pete started on the other cheek, he noticed Ricochet hadn’t stopped staring at him at him, almost amusingly.
“What?” Pete finally asked, with a hint of challenge.
Ricochet seemed unbothered. “You’re just a lot more careful than I thought you’d be” He said, a little quieter than usual. It was unclear if the remark was meant to be teasing. It seemed sincere enough, but even if it was Pete wasn’t sure what the implications were.
Pete said nothing and averted his eyes again, finishing with a final swipe. “There.” He muttered. “All done.”
“Great! I’ll just have to trust that it looks good.” Ricochet reached up to touch his freshly painted face, then decided against it. “Alright, your turn!”
Pete froze, he hadn’t thought that far ahead.
He wasn’t particularly keen on anyone paying close attention to his face.
It was bumpy and weird; he knew this. Acne scars and uneven stubble were just the beginning of it. It was something he’d learned to accept, but he wasn’t exactly dying for others to get a good look at it.
Regardless, he knew Ricochet wouldn’t take no for an answer. If he had, Pete wouldn’t have just spent the past few minutes spreading paint on his face in uncomfortable silence.
Ricochet took the paint tube from Pete’s hands. “You mind uh…” He made a hair flip motion. “Getting that out of the way?”
Pete looked down at his hands, covered in white paint, and decided to go with option two. He swung his head to the side—a little too forcefully—and flipped the blond mess back. He was satisfied for a moment before it came toppling back down in his face.
It was times like this where he seriously reconsidered growing out his hair.
“I gotchu.” Ricochet intervened, looking even more amused than before. He tucked Pete’s hair behind his ear to keep it from coming loose again. “Sure got a lot of hair homeboy.” He commented.
“Guess you can’t relate.” Pete replied bluntly.
Ricochet laughed out loud at that, almost too eager to make fun of himself. “Guess not.” He emptied what was left of the paint into his hand and got to work. Pete winced at the cold feeling, trying not to pull away. “But you know,” Ricochet continued. “The lack of hair could be the secret to my speed.”
Pete wasn’t fully sure if he was joking. “I reckon that’s why you got pieces missing in your eyebrows too?”
The highflier laughed again, this time not as loud, but a huge smile graced his face. “Man, you’re alright.”
Ricochet spread the paint on Pete’s cheeks with ease, moving just as smoothly as he did in the ring. Pete fought with everything he had to try not to break out into a fit of laughter. Ricochet was right, the feeling made him ticklish. His lip curved upward in a smile that he quickly pushed away.
“All set.” Ricochet finally announced, looking proud of his work. Pete didn’t doubt that the man had probably done a better job than him. “Now we look like a force to be reckoned with.”
Pete held couldn’t help but soften his expression a bit. He felt cool, and far more relaxed than earlier. Once again, he wasn’t going to tell Ricochet that, but he appreciated the feeling. “If painting faces keeps you from screwing up tonight, then so be it.” He replied with a shrug.
Ricochet shook his head, and if Pete didn’t know any better he’d say he was annoyed. “You never quit do you? Y’know we can do this whole rivalry thing without all the little remarks, yeah?”
“Cause make no mistake,” Ricochet’s tone grew serious. “I’m just as focused on that title of yours as you are on mine.”
The sudden change surprised Pete, but it didn’t faze him. After all, this was why he kept up his guard so high. He knew behind every person there was a set of intentions, and each interaction with him was a means of achieving them.
“I’m well aware.” Pete said evenly. “S’why I’m not buying this partner ruse. We’re not friends, and we never will be.”
Ricochet paused for a moment. “Just ‘cause you’re a future opponent, doesn’t mean we can’t be on the same page now. It’s no ruse, I’ve got your back tonight. I mean that.”
“Better to have your own back first.”
Ricochet lifted his hand to rub the back of his neck, looking unsure of where to go from there.
“You’re a tough nut to crack.” He said finally, leaning down to grab his North American championship. When he came back up, he was smiling again. “But I’m willing to prove where my loyalties lie out there. There’s no hiding in the ring.”
Pete eyed him for a moment, then nodded briskly. “That’s one thing we can agree on.”
“I’ve got another. We both wanna beat the hell out of those undisputed assholes, right?” Ricochet offered. “That snake Roddy’s gonna be out there tonight. If you ask me, you should focus on giving him the ass whopping he’s had coming instead of making enemies out of your partners.”
An odd silence followed his words. Pete didn’t know how to respond, and Ricochet’s intense gaze wasn’t making it any easier. In his heart Pete knew he had a point.
He was more than willing to take on all four members of the Undisputed Era himself, but he knew realistically he wouldn’t come out victorious. He needed Ricochet and the War Raiders whether he liked it or not.
Just one night couldn’t be so bad, right? Even if it involved putting his faith in other people. Ricochet had nothing to gain from betraying him. Hanson and Rowe, he wasn’t so sure, but considering how fixated they had been on the Undisputed Era for the past several weeks, it was unlikely.
Ricochet saved Pete from having to muster up an answer by reaching over and picking up his United Kingdom Championship. Pete’s eyes widened and he tensed up, ready to snatch it out of his hands.
There was no need to, however, as Ricochet placed it snugly on Pete’s shoulder.
He gave it a few pats, admiring the intricate design on the belt for several moments.
Ricochet took a few steps back, his own title sitting around his waist. “You look good.” He said finally. “Let’s do work tonight, mate.”
Pete’s partner tossed the now empty paint tube in his hand once, then turned to saunter off.
“Not your mate.” Pete replied in a half-hearted protest. He couldn’t see Ricochet’s face as he left the room, but Pete knew he was smiling.
“By the way, the bathroom’s perfectly fine. Just figured we could use a team bonding exercise.”
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i am never going to use this tumblr for posts again
alright so since i finally got out of testing today and i learned how to scroll frame by frame through youtube videos, i am going to reward myself by doing an unnecessarily thorough breakdown of the quanzhigaoshou live action trailer imagery(watch cn fanbase beat me by a country mile)
nighttime cityscape/highway scene fades out
team happy walks into one side of an arena, wearing competition uniform (i will explain this later)
we switch to team excellent era, coming in through the opposite side of the same arena, also in competition uniform. their side of the arena is lit in red, not blue. are they playing at the same time? is this happy vs ee? :shrug:
also, why tf is a backpack part of all these uniforms? how much stuff do esport players need to carry anyway? did a backpack company sponsor the production??
panning shot of signs, looks like they’re for huang shaotian or blue rain
that’s cruel, br-fen. why does captain get no love :cry:
shot continues moving, now the signs are for han wenqing
based on lighting, i don’t think they’re the same shot
fade out to scene of arena packed with fans and players
if I’m getting these signs right, looks like it’s (right to left, moving with the camera):
team void, tiny herb, tyranny, blue rain, excellent era
so, all stars
honestly, the scale’s kinda small. thumbs down to location scouting – the weird lighting polyhedrons confirm that it’s the same arena as the one from the happy/ee shots in the beginning, so expect ~location weirdness/ambiguity~
unnecessarily synchronized card insertion
based on the card logo, i wanna say tiny herb?
ee responds in kind!
tyranny puts headphones on in unison. the headphones are white. also, i think this is their casual uniform. based on the giant maple leaf in the background, i would say that this is an away game with ee, but the worn metal and circle room in the background look more like tyranny’s supervillain clubhouse
now ee is playing. this shot looks like ee turf – they’ve got white-backed seats, and that weird angular lighting motif. also they’re wearing black and blue headphones because ~product placement~
i say turf, not arena, because there don’t appear to be any actual player booths in these two shots, the set design looks like what we’ve seen for the clubhouse pics (this is because the production couldn’t afford to film all of the games in actual arenas, isn’t it)
also, ee is wearing competition uniforms.
now tiny herb is playing on what looks like the same set, but with the background lit in red, not blue. maybe they’re playing against ee? also from this angle I can clearly see that they are *headsets*, not headphones, which means that vc is not banned by this version’s alliance. some dude in blue is hanging out in the background, probably an official of some sort. I am not sure whether this is their casual/competitive uniform
a guy in ee uniform sweeps his hands across a keyboard with unnecessarily colorful backlighting
~product placement~
ye xiu (yang yang) stands in front of ‘glory pro league’ hologram thing with his back turned, wearing the happy casual uniform
mouse shots! keyboard shots!
face shot! (of ye xiu, wearing casual uniform (puma!) and headset (white))
group shot of happy walking down arena hallway, wearing competition uniform. this is where I explain this bit. so as far as I can tell, every team has (2) uniforms: a casual uniform, which looks like a tracksuit and those enormous thick sweatpants had an ugly, ugly, baby, and a competition uniform, which looks dorky as hell. all of the female characters manage to elevate the terrible costuming by being beautiful, but are dragged down by the fact that apparently the alliance uniform for women mandates a miniskirt, because apparently no one has gotten cold legs in an arena, ever. (to be fair to the costume department, its not that they did a terrible job, its that their job was to replicate esport uniforms, which are a hot mess)
the main difference between happy’s casual and competitive uniform, btw, is that the casual one has a high collar and the puma branding, and the competitive has this funky sweater? not-collar thing
idk fashion words
also, ye xiu is wearing a mask because Reasons
(the reason is that judging by chen guo, this is from the challenger league arc, and the producer/director/writer/whoever decided to move around certain things)
boom! ee vs happy in the big arena, baby~~~
one dude from each team is standing under the spotlights, probably sx and yx by process of elimination
presumably!yx is NOT wearing a mask. maybe it gave him acne
pan across team happy getting ready to play in their booth? idk where this is
i see at least three types of headsets in this shot, and wei chen, who is not wearing his. maybe he got knocked out early?
now it’s the weird circle room that was in that early shot with tyranny! advertising on the ceiling lights, nice
I … have no idea what’s going on here. giant ee leaf on the sides, bunch of logos I can’t make out in the back, there are just *way* more people in here than any match would call for
like I think the dudes in the middle are wearing ee casual uniforms, but everyone else seems to be wearing black tracksuits? i don’t even know
ye xiu, geared up in full hobo gear (long coat&hoodie), storms out of the ee club set that was previewed in earlier set pics.
keyboard and mouse action!
ye xiu playing in the ‘storage room’ on a gaming laptop. also, he’s changed into a *different* hoodie
I have no clue what brand the laptop is; it’s the same as some of the monitors in a couple of earlier shots, might be Chinese?
yu wenzhou cameo
ye xiu hobowalking sadly in the snow (ngl, the hoodie make me laugh a little)
excellent era (w/su mucheng) walking into some stadium wearing casual uniforms. they are piss ugly
(the uniforms, that is. also ee minus mucheng, but who’s counting?)
happy coming from the opposite direction, also in casuals
and they pass each other! dramatically!
probably!yx taking a glory badge out of a box. can’t make out the details, but it says ‘1’ at the bottom, so these are probably the drama replacement for championship rings
tang rou focus shot! also, if that’s her line in the vo, I am *very* pleased
“turn all of the ‘can’t be done’s into ‘can do’”
yu wenzhou shot in casual uniform
ye xiu on The Motorcyle (pfft)
chen guo prepping for a celebration at Happy! she is Very Excited about that champagne tower. not sure who the two messing around with balloons in the bg are
tang rou in a cab looking upwards –
-to su mucheng, walking inside a stadium while wearing ee competition uniform
huang shaotian smiling at yu wenzhou while the rest of br preps. also, the blue rain competition uniform is an Abomination, which you will not appreciate until seen face on
ye xiu, whispering ominously ‘this is the last match’ as happy leans in around him
wei chen and… steamed bun? who is making a weird face, thumbs up
‘good luck’ whispers wang jiexi
and steamed bun *grabs* the challenger’s league cup, lifting it to wild cheers
chen guo and the crowd are ecstatic
partayyyyyyy
‘I will NOT give up’ says han wenqing, man who nobody, ever, has thought would give up
han wenqing and huang shaotian fistbump as tyranny and blue rain walk down a hallway, both dressed in their competition uniforms. zhang xinjie is confused. yu wenzhou is smilingly tolerant of the fact that hst is fistbumping right across his chest (huang shao is going to DIE, later)
okay so,
uniforms
tyranny’s looks fine! maybe the best competition uniform in the alliance (the bar is not high)
they’ve got a pretty normal chevron pattern across the front, some stripes. about the only problems are that the pants are a *little* too tight, and that some tyranny members are absolute maniacs who zip their jackets up all the way so it looks like they’re wearing the worlds weirdest collared shirt
blue rain …
so the closure is not that bad! pretty unconventional, an asymmetric zip with two fasteners across the top and some kinda … shawl collar? idk. I actually like it
but the pattern … i feel like someone said to the costume department, ‘you know, all of these uniforms have too many straight lines in their designs. we should add some curved lines. give the curves to blue rain! they’ve got no girls, so it’s the only way they’ll get any!’ and then they doubled down by adding raised piping for emphasis
that, and the way that uniform material looks like some kinda spandex-velour mix … it reminds me of the star trek:the next generation uniform! also, the casual uniform does the same curved line thing except in the opposite direction, and as a cutout, so its even worse
chen guo cheering in crowd
maybe a projection screen? tyranny and ee logos up on the wall
and happy logo SLAMS shut
ye xiu with his hoodie looking sad and pathetic in the snow up at happy
happy in competition uniforms coming downstairs (chen guo, so challenger’s league)
also damn, happy internet café is *swanky*
I mean, my eyes would hurt from the glare after a while, but it’d be pretty
EXCELLENT ERA
trophies. looks like seasons 1,2,3 going down to the left
sun xiang at the whiteboard lecturing ee. he is the only one not wearing the casual uniform. where is your piss ugly uniform, xiang xiang? this is a team endeavor, you’re not allowed to not wear it. it builds morale
BLUE RAIN
yu wenzou smiles
huang shaotian … fake guitars? with … something that’s been bundled up
TINY HERB
i guess this is why they redesigned the logo, so it would match the aesthetic and could be slammed shut like this, but i still don’t like it
honestly, tiny herb training room aesthetic is incredibly beautiful and soothing
but still way too much white, what the hell ppl, don’t you know about eyestrain?
‘today we’re training how to put our headsets on, synchonizedly’ sponsored by hp
also apparently that *was* the tiny herb competition uniform earlier, since this is the casual one. hmm. a bit too olive drab. tyranny’s still winning
signature wang jiexi EYES shot
TYRANNY
tyranny training room looks a lot less like a supervillain lair when brightly lit! go figure
now it looks like an overexposed supervillain lair *set*. progress!
captain han is ANGRY
hands clasp in front of happy members in the bg. tang rou is def not paying attention
is ye xiu wearing a mask AND a hat??? dude, chill
happy walking into crowd of fans&paps … somewhere. why is steamed bun kneeling next to the door? :it is a mystery:
group cheer! no ladies
group … orange juice! with su mucheng! damn, qiao yifan’s tall.
confetti in the stadium, and reporters charge forward
judging by teams and signs, this is all stars, so reaction to ye xiu’s dragon raising its head?
‘beautiful!’ ejaculated ye xiu
key and mouse action ~~
and the crowdteam happy goes wild!
team fist pump! someone has put their phone on their chair. I hope they don’t sit on it
ye xiu putting on headset in happy internet café. cant tell if this is hobo!hoodie or hoodie no.3
ye xiu :eyes:
key press. wtf program starts up with ‘s’
cgi is cgi
everything looks super gloomy and overcast ~ i hope they do more varied environments
and we see lord grim! they’ve gone for a really…tarnished metal? look for the MMU
like, I would not mistake it for an umbrella.
yang yang face
THE KINGS AVATAR
Okay, so if you were looking for anything of actual substance in this, looks like they’re doing ch.1 - 1052 at least, probably 1-1060, so the end of the challenger league arc.
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Confessions of a Photographer
Hey, Confessional, I love the blog! Thank you for putting up these stories. I get all giddy when I see a new one. Long time reading, first time confessing, yadda yadda. This town is real weird, ya know? I’m surprised there isn’t more content on here. Maybe the oddness just rolls off the locals’ backs and they don’t notice it anymore or something. I moved here a few years ago and… Wow. I’m glad this exists because I have zero people in my life that wouldn’t have me committed if I told them about this. I just wish I’d found this confessional sooner so that I never moved here in the first place. It would have been nice to have a warning.
I’m a student here at the local high school. Go Devils, go! I’m in the art program. I like to take pictures and work in the dark room. It’s super cool! They never had a dark room at my old school, it was all digital. I think doing it the old fashioned way is better though. Call me a hipster if you want, it’s just what I prefer.
(sidenote: has anyone noticed how disturbing our mascot is? It’s not even a cute cartoon devil, it’s an actual uncanny valley demon. What is with this body horror? Who let a cultist design our merch? I need answers.)
Earlier last school year I was walking around town. I had to explore a bit, gawk at all the tourist traps, see the fun places to hang out. I was looking for inspiration and found this nice hiking path. I wanted my first project to be about the beauty of my new home and the forest called to me, ya know? All those reds and oranges. Every year it’s like the trees set off a fireworks display to say goodbye to summer. I was going to make a scrapbook or something, add some pressed leaves, I dunno. I never plan these things out; it’s better to be spontaneous.
Maybe I should have planned my trip a little better. I was still wearing my shoes from school, the ones with just the slightest bit of a heel, and the ground was uneven and… Well, I’m clumsy. I fell right off the path and down an incline. I was inches away from bashing my head in with a rock. I saw my life flash before my eyes!
Okay, maybe it wasn’t that bad. It wasn’t that deep a ditch. I was glad I was alone though, I was so embarrassed!
I did see something flash though. It was starting to get dark and from my new angle I saw deeper into the forest off the path. There were little flashes of light, one every thirty or so seconds, like from a camera.
I wondered if another photography student had the same idea as me. What if there was another path over there? It seemed weird for them to be so close together but whatever. I got up and headed towards the light. If I was going to trip over nothing, I wanted someone around to call the ambulance I would definitely need! Plus, potential new friend? Hell yeah.
I got over there okay. I was careful not to trip a second time or step in animal poop or something. I could see the light better now. It was quieter the further from the path I got. Less wind, less animals, less insect buzzing. I could hear the sound of a camera shutter as I got closer. I thought to myself, whoever it was, they needed to stomp around less if they wanted photos of animals. They had to have found something interesting if they were taking so many pictures in one spot though.
I finally got over there and… Wow, it was a really fucking weird tree. There was no one else there, not even another path, just this tree. I don’t mean ‘weird’ as in non-native, like a palm tree, I mean weird. It was sitting in a little clearing like the other trees didn’t want to touch it. A tree leper.
The tree hadn’t lost any of its leaves for one. It’s leaves were white, from where I was standing, for another. And the flashing as coming from the tree. I moved slowly towards the plant, ready to bolt at any second, trying to get a better look. I just had to see what the flashing was coming from. Was it some kind of hunting camera? Why would a hunting camera had a shutter sound or a flash?
I finally got close enough to see the tree had a knot. It was right in the middle of the trunk like a tree in a cartoon. An animated owl popping out and tap-dancing wouldn't have surprised me. The tree flashed again, right in my eyes, and I shouted. I reached out to the hole blindly. Maybe some asshole art student had put their camera in the knot for a timelapse shot or something? Then I touched it and blinked away the flash and…
No, the camera lense was just a part of the goddamn tree. A functioning camera was in this tree. I don’t mean like some chimera of technology or an art installation either; it was natural. This tree had just decided ‘fuck it, I wanna be an artist’ and grew a camera. I was freaking out a little bit so I decided to examine the rest of it.
It was sorta thin and spindly, like the wind should have knocked it over already. I guess all its strength had gone into defying nature and left it with little to use on proper growth. It wouldn’t be a good climbing tree, that was for sure. I noticed something else now that I was closer; the bark was black and shiny. I touched it and it was smooth, and the sides of the strips were sharp, and it had perforated edges…
It was film. The trees’ bark was layers and layers of wrapped film. The outer layer had hardened to provide bark-like protection but it was most definitely film. I was softly screaming internally as I hooked a finger around a loose strip. There was no way this was legit, right? I pulled off the section of ‘bark’ and it bled. Not blood, of course, but sap. Not from between the film strips, but from the strips themselves, it bled.
The tree took my picture again and I swore. I moved around the trunk a little so I wouldn’t continue to get bright lights to the face. I ended up getting a low-hanging branch to the face instead. I took a closer look at those square, white leaves the tree had. I watched blank-faced as one of the leaves fell to the ground and another one popped out to take its place. It was a photograph of me, staring dumbfounded just above the camera, taken about two seconds before. The tree had polaroid leaves and all my surprise had dried up at that point. I looked down and saw a blanket of ‘leaves’ just like the one of me. So the tree had been losing leaves, it had just been replacing them just as fast.
(I know you guys have title guidelines for posts on the blog, but come on. How great would ‘Photosynthesis’ have been?!)
As far as weird shit goes, it seemed pretty… not mundane, but safe? I guess. Maybe I was just in shock or something. I spent a good twenty minutes carefully circling the tree and looking at all the photographs. You’d think it’d be boring, since the camera never moved, but some of them were really good. Aesthetic, maybe, like they belonged on tumblr. There were some really great shots of animals that had wandered close by. Most of them were from some distance, but one brave chipmunk had gotten all up in this tree’s grill. It left a little scratch mark on the lense that got… less and less in the photos around that one. Slowly. Like it was healing.
It was getting even darker now and I wanted to go home. I didn’t want to think this was just a weird dream the next morning though. This was the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me! I wanted to come back, but I knew I’d convince myself not to if I didn’t have some kind of proof. I knelt down and picked up some photos from the ground before turning tail. I ran back to the path and out of the forest. I needed some time to process all this.
I went back the next day after school. When I woke up, the photographs had still been safely tucked into the notebook I put them in. I even showed them to my mom to make sure she saw them too. I wasn’t hallucinating and it wasn’t dark. It was time to go back. I found the tree faster this time now that I knew where it was.
The first thing I did was find those pictures of myself and pluck them off the tree. The camera flashed twice immediately, no thirty second wait, to replace them. I tucked them into my pocket; I’d have to avoid the front of the tree but the back should be okay. I sorted through the photographs on the ground. I didn’t want to distress the tree anymore by plucking its leaves.
I knew I should tell someone, show someone, but… It was a tree that took pictures. Who would believe me? And if they did, the government would take the tree away for study or something. Mindwipe me like in Men In Black, I dunno. Either that or trigger a media circus like the world had never seen. I just wanted more time alone with it. I was curious. When I’d finished with the tree, then I would tell people.
Inspiration hit me. I could take the best photographs from the tree, maybe pick one a month to put into a scrapbook, and use it in a final assessment-type deal. ‘A Year in the Eyes of a Tree’. Some of the pictures were great. I didn’t like them so much yesterday, but they were growing on me. If I took them from the ground, I’m sure the tree wouldn’t mind… Because it was a tree. They don’t have feelings. What do I look like to you, a hippie?
After that, I came back to the tree every week. I looked forward to it. I was happier out walking in nature; sometimes before or after I would visit the tree I’d take a little hike. I even lost some weight, score! It was a good place to collect thoughts, a great place to do homework, and my grades improved. Mostly because I was actually doing homework. The photograph tree watered my crops, cleared my acne, and taught me how to make six figures a month. Okay, not actually, but it was pretty chill.
It was chill until about a month ago. I hadn’t done my project last year because it didn’t feel finished, ya know? I did something else and waited to put together my tree project. Maybe a collage. I could blow up a bunch of the pictures and edit them together into one cool and surreal scene, maybe? I was still think about it. It would be awesome though. Even if I got a bad grade, I would know it was awesome. Because it came from a cool zoological anomaly. I kept coming back to it over the summer and the beginning of this school year.
Around mid-October I started noticing weird things in the photographs. They were never around me while I was there and I never felt anything either. It was things like oddly shaped shadows, not people or animal shaped, but odd. I knew every shadow at every time of day on every day of the year from looking at the photographs. I knew when something was out of place. The shadows would only be there for a day or so from what I saw from the pictures. Maybe something had gotten stuck on the lense that day, I thought.
As the month went on, I noticed other weird stuff. Like photographs of dead animals. Oh, it had happened before. Animals hunt, animals eat each other, and I’d been watching the photos for a year. This wasn’t like that. It wasn’t the type of wound animals inflict, there was no other animal in shot eating it, and there was never any remains of the animal when I got there.
From what I could gauge from the amount of photographs, an animal would show up dead right in frame. It would stay there for a few hours, untouched by hunter or insect, and then would disappear between photos. No blood left behind, no gore. If I hadn’t been cataloguing the photos, I wouldn’t have known an animal had been there at all. I didn’t come back the week after, but… I did come back the week after that. Every day. I just needed a few more photographs, alright? I know, it was stupid. I know, I’m too dumb to live. It was like the tree was calling me.
The strange photographs got stranger but I tried to ignore it. I just wanted some more aesthetic pictures. Morning mist, the changing leaves, curious deer and hulking bears. That sort of thing. It was like being in a fairytale and looking at one at the same time. I had to find out the story of the tree. It was my duty as a fellow artist.
That’s how I felt before I came back the week before Halloween. Every last photograph had this… thing in it. It started as a blur at the edge of the tree’s vision. It got closer and closer and closer. It was so gradual it was hard to see the change between two photographs. It was humanoid but on all fours. Its skin was black and shiny like the tree’s. It got closer to the camera until it stopped. It stopped and it sat right in front of the lense. It stopped and it sat and it smiled. And it stayed there for hours.
The way it looked into the camera. It was like it knew, ya know? It knew I had been there, it knew I was collecting the photos, it knew I would see it. How could it have known? I was careful to never be in frame of the tree’s lense. I had never left a picture of myself behind.
I took a closer look at the photograph and noticed a branch I had tossed aside the day before. It was just in the corner of the frame, but it was there. I did a little mental math with the lighting I had seen in the photos.
That thing had been there that day. It knew because it had been watching me. I ran from the forest as fast as my legs could carry me. No. Nope. Fuck that. Not going back.
I did go back, eventually, with my father’s gun and a gallon of gasoline. Not my smartest idea and Smokey the Bear would like a few words, but I did it. I burned that tree and all it’s photographs to ashes and never looked back. I haven’t been there since. I am not dying to some weird camera monster. I’m just thankful I didn’t need to use the gun.
Although, I might still be too dumb to live. Before I burned the tree, I unscrewed the lense from the knot. There was a flash bulb inside, going off every thirty seconds like always, and I took it. It stopped flashing when it left the tree and I took it with me.
What do you think? Should I plant it?
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I really wanna combat same face syndrome on my sims and I really wanna make each of them more unique but idk how ;-; advice?
Omg I’m so happy you think I’m qualified to answer this gsjdj 😩🥺 Idk I like to search for character design on Pinterest whenever I’m stuck, and go after whatever I like!
I also like to add facial hair/freckles/acne/makeup whenever a face feels blank. It makes a lot of difference!!!
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Make Your Own Beauty Products! (recipes included)
Hiya Gorgeous!
Today I’m super excited to show you how to make some of your own personal care products. While you’re whipping up that morning smoothie or healthy dinner, why not add some skin and haircare to the menu?
Which is why I reached out to my friend, the lovely Danielle Shine, a Natural Foods Chef and Health Coach who specializes in making DIY beauty recipes.
Like many of us, Danielle had a serious wake-up call that lead to changing what she ate and the products she put on her body. Her story is so inspiring and thought-provoking, which is why I want you to meet this wonderful woman.
As you probably already know, what you put on your skin is just as important as what you put in your stomach. With so many different products on the market, it can be confusing to find the right beauty regimen that works for you.
But knowledge is power—so let’s learn how to choose wisely and how to make our own potions from the ever-glowing, Chef Shine….
Wanna make your own hair & skin products? Here’s 2 recipes to get ya started from @Shine_Danielle! @Kris_Carr
Kris: You’ve had an incredible journey! How did a near-death experience lead you into natural beauty?
Chef Shine: My love of all-things-natural stemmed from pure desperation to heal my body in the cleanest, most natural way possible after spending almost three years feeling sick, tired and wired. My lightbulb moment arrived after I almost died during a routine medical procedure prescribed to figure out what was wrong with my frail, malnourished body.
After adjusting my diet and beginning herbal supplementation to support the repair of my hormones, bones and gut garden, something still wasn’t right. Luckily, I began working with a holistic doctor (with a background in skincare). I learned that the contents of my beauty cabinet housed ingredients that were causing toxic pressure on my body—negating all the good stuff I was doing.
Kris: From everything you’ve learned, what’s your #1 rule of thumb when it comes to beauty products?
Chef Shine: I’ve learnt over the years that Mother Nature knows best. When it comes to keeping your insides and outsides in tip-top shape, there’s a great mantra to repeat daily: Keep it simple, sweetheart! Whether you’re feeding your body with food or looking after it with creams, lotions, and potions, your best bet is to stick to real ingredients. This way, you know for certain you’re supporting your body to feel and look its best because don’t forget: your skin is your largest organ. What you put on it is effectively eaten, absorbed and dealt with by your internal organs and immune system.
Kris: What are some of the ingredients to look out for?
Chef Shine: Unfortunately, this is a long-winded answer. Here’s a list of some of the nasty ingredients to look for in your beauty products. Use this to do a beauty cabinet sweep:
Parabens – used to extend shelf-life of your cosmetics. Look out for ‘butylparaben’, ‘isobutylparaben’, ‘propylparaben’, ‘isopropylparaben’ which may be endocrine disruptors (due to estrogen-mimicking preservatives) and environmental contaminants.
Nanoparticles – incredibly common, super tiny particles found in most sprays, powders and sun blocks. Nanoparticles are small enough to penetrate your lungs and enter your bloodstream and may cause all kinds of health problems. Right now, cosmetic companies do not have to list nanoparticles in their list of ingredients.
Formaldehyde – found in shampoo, conditioner, other hair products, skin moisturisers and most commonly, in nail polish. Formaldehyde is a carcinogen, irritant and allergen that is best left to its main function: to embalm dead bodies.
Siloxanes – often used in skincare to give a smooth, velvety feel. Also used in windshield coatings for cars and anti-scalants for buildings. This ingredient may cause serious hormone issues.
Petroleum and petroleum by-products – found in a LOT of skincare, lip glosses, mascaras, etc. The ingredients may interfere with your skin’s natural functions and clog your pores causing acne and in some cases, contact dermatitis.
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) – these are preservatives and antioxidants that are carcinogenic, still used in cosmetics and some foods. Both may mess with your endocrine system.
Diethanolamine (DEA) and Triethanolamine (TEA) – both create that satisfying lather we’ve been conditioned to expect when cleaning our skin and hair. When DEA and TEA come into contact with other chemicals in cosmetics, they can create carcinogenic compounds called ‘nitrosamines’ which have been linked to esophageal, stomach, liver and bladder cancer.
As you can see, these ingredients (and many, many more) may actually damage your skin, lower your immunity, and disrupt your brain, reproductive, microbiome and endocrine functions. Some may also cause more serious illnesses, including cancer.
Kris: What can we do to support our health and avoid toxins in our beauty products?
Chef Shine: Bin the baddies and begin again! In a lot of cases, people with clean diets who still experience internal or external problems often discover the underlying cause of their ill health is hidden in their chemical-laden beauty, skincare, and hygiene products. One glance at the ingredients list on the back of one of these popular, conventional products will display a laundry list of things known to negatively impact our endocrine system and overall immunity. Thankfully, my toxic load lightened up after I began making and using my own natural beauty products—which is why I’m passionate about sharing my natural beauty recipes!
Kris: Thank you Chef Shine!
I hope you learned a little more about the importance of organic beauty. Now let’s move on to a few of Chef Shine’s favorite DIY beauty recipes—a DIY Shampoo and Makeup Remover.
Get more insight on how to live a healthy & vibrant life straight to your inbox:
No Poo Herbal Shampoo
Make this basic recipe to support your glorious locks. Remember: you aren’t adding any (nasty) preservatives, so this shampoo’s shelf life will be much shorter—and that’s a good thing!
A few things to note: the ends of your hair (the quickest to become dry, brittle and split) actually don’t need shampoo. They’ll be cleansed enough as you rinse this shampoo from your hair. Also, it’s not necessary for shampoo to create lather to work––there are a LOT of chemicals at play in over-the-counter shampoos to create lather! The dirtier your hair, the less lather there should be when using natural ingredients like the ones below.
¼ cup Liquid Castille Soap (Dr Bronner’s works well)
¼ cup organic, full-fat coconut cream (from a BPA-free can made with just coconut and water)
1 tablespoon fresh herbal tea (choose from: chamomile, rosemary or calendula)
¼ cup full-fat organic coconut milk (homemade or from a BPA-free can)
10-20 drops of your favorite organic essential oil/s. (Chef Shine loves orange oil, but she’s also used chamomile and rosemary oil which work well too. You choose!)
OPTIONAL: If you have dry or damaged hair, add 2 teaspoons olive, jojoba or grapeseed oil
1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on medium-high speed for a few seconds.
2. Pour into a BPA-free plastic bottle and shake well before use. Apply a small palm’s-worth size, but you can use more if you like. Use within 1-2 days and store it out of direct sunlight.
Moisture-Boost Makeup Remover
This luxurious recipe contains shea butter, a nourishing oil for all skin types, vitamins A and E which feed your skin in so many ways, and fatty acids that help restore damaged skin.
1 tablespoon unrefined shea butter
30ml extra virgin coconut oil
1 tablespoon sweet almond oil (sub with grapeseed oil if allergic to almonds)
1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil
OPTIONAL: 2-4 drops of your favorite skin-friendly essential oil
1. Combine all ingredients together, whisk and stir vigorously.
2. Pour into a dark glass jar (best for freshness) or small BPA-free plastic container with an air-tight lid.
3. Store in the fridge for freshness. Keep in mind that this oil will become hard in the fridge, and soft out of the fridge – either way, it’s fine.
4. To use, take 1 teaspoon of oil and massage it all over your face and wherever you have makeup applied. Hold a warm, wet facecloth over your face for a few seconds before gently wiping your makeup away from all parts of your face.
5. Follow with your usual skincare routine, however, you should find you don’t need to add more moisturizer afterward, as these oils are deeply nourishing and supportive for your skin.
Both of recipes contain real, natural and organic-where-possible ingredients that aren’t hard to find (Amazon and online stores are great resources!).
Thanks again to Chef Shine for designing these recipes to feed your beautiful body and help you shine, too!
Your turn: Do you have any DIY beauty recipes to share? Or any natural, organic shampoo or makeup remover brands you love? Let us know in the comments below!
Peace and beauty,
The post Make Your Own Beauty Products! (recipes included) appeared first on KrisCarr.com.
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Japan has one of the biggest beauty products industry in the world. A lot of Japanese cosmetic brands like SHISEIDO, SK-II, KOTOSHINA etc are getting very popular in the western market.
The Japanese Beauty Products have finally earned a major following among other countries and with good reasons. The Japanese beauty products excel in packaging and design. The products are novel and exotic thanks to their high quality and continuous innovation. This is the same reason why the Japanese cars and electronics are so popular.
Japanese beauty products have a different approach then western skincare in which products which care for the overall look and care of skin are made a priority. The beauty products are mostly made from natural ingredients which are good for people with sensitive skin and who don’t like to use chemicals in cosmetics.
So Here I present 5 Japanese Beauty Products which will make you more attractive.
1:) Kiss Me heroine Water Proof Mascara
This mascara is the real deal. Using this will make you feel that you have never used waterproof cosmetics before. It is very popular and doesn’t smudge. While purchasing it I thought that people are exaggerating about the wear time in their reviews but this one is the closest to a permanent mascara you can get.
This mascara deserves 6/5. It dries very fast, I apply a couple of coats and then brush my lashes. The only problem with this is that it’s difficult to remove. So before applying this apply a regular mascara first and then add a couple of coats of this waterproof mascara. This way it will come off easily.
2:) Pore Cleansing Foam
It is a pore cleansing foam that contains Jeju volcanic clusters. It is suitable for oily and/or sensitive skin. It doesn’t irritate at all and your skin will feel fresh and clean. I love the samples which come with this product. I highly recommend this one.
I am buying this for my friend as a present. She is suffering from acne and pimples and has a very sensitive and oily skin.
3:) Japanese Beauty Skin Bath Wash Cloth/Towel
This is a Japanese Invention award winner and a patented product. It dries quickly and is completely machine washable. It is a 3 pack 35 inches of towel which is much longer than a normal washcloth.
I got this product in the light blue color, which is quite attractive. All in all, this is a wonderful product, and I would not hesitate to recommend it to friends and family.
4:) Baby Foot Easy Pack Exfoliating Foot Peel
This exfoliating foot pack is a 2 pack treatment. It has 17 natural fruit acids and enzymes which gently loosen dead, rough, and callused skin for touchable feet. This treatment is also excellent to help control foot odor and eliminate fungus issues.
It is suitable for women( sizes 4-12) and men (sizes 4-13)
5:) MIRACLE OINTMENT For ACNE, ERUPTIONS, MINOR BURNS AND MUCH MORE
First things first, this ancient Japanese remedy is cheap miracle ointment and comes with FREE SHIPPING. This miraculous ointment is suitable for acne, eruptions, minor burns, chapped skin, chilblains, minor cuts, dry athlete’s foot and ringworm.
My aunt has been using this product since the last 25 years. Believe it I am not lying. Got a scrap, a cut , a pimple o anything just use it. Get it and you won’t regret it.
So We Come To The End Of The Post. It’s Sad To See You Leave And Hence I Have Some Gift For You. Here is a list of 5 Best Korean Beauty Products in 2017.
We hope you love the products we recommend! Just so you know, Care To Groom may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page and will donate 50% of income to charity.
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5 Japanese Beauty Products Which Will Make You More Attractive Japan has one of the biggest beauty products industry in the world. A lot of Japanese cosmetic brands like SHISEIDO, SK-II, KOTOSHINA etc are getting very popular in the western market.
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