#as a historical fashion girlie this makes me happy

[tabethawithane]

Those boots confirm she’ll be wearing Victorian-inspired fashion for at least part of the new set. I wonder if it’ll be the same denim set from the Fortnight video.

#as a historical fashion girlie this makes me happy #eras tour #ttdp #taylor swift

[apilgrimpassingby]

hello! i just wanted to say i am so pleased to find your blog😊your views on masculinity are so very refreshing, and i wish there were more blogs like you here.

so i wanted to ask you something!! sorry it’s a bit of a long-winded explanation, i am prone to overexplaining😭

i am sort of unofficially dating this guy—we still have to talk about it, but we do like each other a lot and are just taking it step by step. he’s very artistic, enjoys literature, he’s deep and introspective, and he’s very emotionally intelligent. one thing he has always talked about is how he loves examples of masculine men in fiction that aren’t necessarily athletic, like himself. he is gentle and kind, while still being protective and nurturing, and he takes good care of himself—but sometimes people will call him feminine or girly for his interests, or for actually taking care of his body/having a fashion sense (im pretty sure it is also because he learned to take care of himself this way a lot earlier than other guys in his class, so they were all just kinda like🤨)

i was wondering if you have any suggestions on how i can uplift him and help him feel secure in his masculinity. obviously it is not up to me to make him feel masculine, that’s not what i mean—i was just wondering if there is anything i can do, or avoid doing, to remind him that i don’t think of him as weak or what-have-you, since sometimes i know guys can start to feel that way if they aren’t necessarily athletic or if they don’t enjoy sports, because that is sort of the masculine stereotype—and i would imagine that society definitely makes you feel less masculine if you don’t fit into that.

it’s alright if there isn’t really anything to be said since this might be a bit of a weird question, but it’s something i think about a lot so i decided to just go ahead and ask. i would just hate to add to any of his anxieties or unintentionally cause him to question his masculinity, if that makes sense? i would like to support him in any way i can, whether subtly or directly.

thank you for taking the time to read this if you did, and no pressure to answer it, especially since i sort of just sprung this in your ask box. just know that your blog is appreciated and i am glad that you are here and sharing your thoughts. i hope you are well :)

Here are my attempts to help.

Point to historical/literary examples. Yes, I believe there is an essential "masculine function" that has been more-or-less constant across recorded history and human culture; but the Left is right to say that the form of it has historically been tremendously diverse. Taking care of appearance? The Spartans didn't just braid and oil their hair, their did so in public before their enemies as a show of masculine prowess. Literature? My ideal man, King David, wrote poetry (which the Bible has recorded for us). If you want more examples, message me and I'll happily provide them.

In terms of taking care of his body, it's a part of the relationship - you presumably want him to look good. Do you do it for your woman's happiness? That makes it a chivalrous - and, thus, manly - action.

More generally, step away from modern masculinity and towards historical exemplars. My chosen ones are David (as already said) and the chivalric code of high and late medieval Europe. Many people also look to the men of The Lord of the Rings who are, of course, rooted in the characters of early medieval English and Scandinavian literature.

As for not liking sport, that ties into the above points - a good masculinity is applicable to all men. It's about protecting your wife and children, providing for them, and leading them by word and example. That's what (in my humble opinion) real manliness is. For me, as a Christian (don't know if you're one) the essential masculinity passages are the example of David (1 Samuel 16 to 2 Samuel 23) and Ephesians 5:25-30. Nothing about doing sport or eating steak.

Hope this helps! And don't worry about bothering me, I always like receiving asks in my inbox.

#traditionalism #traditional masculinity #flood my inbox #answered asks

[krys-loves-otome]

Some Reference for My Otome OCs

A few days ago, @shamylicious-blog posted about wanting references for OCs for drawing practice, and I thought, hey, it was about time I had a visual ref post for my girlies, so I decided to make one.

All art posted below is mine.

Ikemen Sengoku Houki

She is an MC transplanted from a different game into IkeSen. An avid book lover that sometimes gets carried away in her readings and studying. Her suitor of choice is Mitsunari.

------

Ophelia

Another transplanted MC from the same game as Houki. Ophelia wasn't happy with her previous life but had accepted it for what it was, up until she was accused of a crime she didn't commit. Transporting to Sengoku Era Japan didn't help matters either, coming to hate Nobunaga and striking out on her own to get away from him. Falls in with Kennyo and stays with him for a while.

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Ikemen Revolution

Madeline "Maddie" Fleming

Maddie is my Alice that was inspired by the constant pokes at Sirius's age in-game, so I decided I wanted a magical girl that was 30+. Her powers are tied to her singing, letting her influence non-magical things into having magical properties. Her suitor of choice is Harr Silver

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Ikemen Vampire

Dorothea "Thea" Reid

Thea was born of a want for historical clothing in IkeVamp, so she's a modern-day seamstress and fashion historian that happened to find her way to Comte's Home of Legendary Frat Boys. Depending on the AU going atm, she's paired with Theo or sometimes in a threesome with him and Arthur.

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Abigail "Abby" Clarke

Abby is a shy artist that had run away from home and ended up also at Comte's Home of Legendary Frat Boys. She learns to heal there and have confidence in herself before going back to the present day. Suitor of choice is Vincent.

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Ikemen Prince

Clara Laurent

Clara was swept into the royal life thanks to Sariel's search for a Belle to choose the next king. She's a no-nonsense book store clerk that feels like the princes are more trouble than their worth, but she comes to care for them as time goes on, despite their tendency to bump heads sometimes. Her suitor is Nokto.

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Obey Me

Miriam "Miri"

Miri wasn't in the best place, mentally and physically, when she was transported to Devildom to be a part of the student exchange program. As time passes, she starts to heal and learn about her powers, something that had before ostracized her in the human world, only to be embraced in the world of demons, angels, and sorcerers. As she's still relatively new, she does not have a set suitor yet, preferring to keep the familial relationship she has with everyone in Devilldom, but she likes spending the most time with Beel and Levi, sometimes Lucifer too.

#krys's adventures in art #krys's babies #houki of jiyel #ophelia of revaire #madeline fleming (oc) #dorothea reid (oc) #abigail clarke (oc) #clara laurent (oc) #miriam (obey me mc) #some short facts to fill out the tags #since above is the basics of basics about each of them #a good portion of them can be swayed and pacified with sweets #Miri you can get to do almost anything for pudding or Madam Scream's cupcakes #and will cry if anyone eats them before she does #Nokto will blackmail Yves to make his signature chocolate raspberry cake to placate Clara sometimes #blackmail might turn to outright begging depending on how desperate he is #Ophelia misses sweets from her home and loves when Ranmaru brings her some sweet buns from town #outside of the sweets realm #Thea has beaten both Arthur and Theo in arm wrestling exactly once #granted it was through cheating because she kissed themb #but she still counts that as a win #while she doesn't get into the trance state that Mitsunari does #Houki will sit and read for hours if you let her #Abby likes to watch Naps and Jean spar sometimes to help her in posing drawing figures #Maddie is three days younger than Sirius so they have joint birthday tea parties with Lance and Harr joining in

[onyxmilk]

I saw some of your match up posts and I'm so curious (and exciting, too) about it. So I would like to ask for a sfw and nfsw HSR match up.

My pronoun is she/her. I'm a bi so I'm fine with whoever you'll choose for me!

I'm an INFJ with Scorpio sun. I would say I'm an old soul with a carefree, sometime childlike, personality. Let me make it clear.~ I enjoy philosophical topics and deep conservation. And history and historical things always get my attention. I'm always attracted to vintage or academic things and activities like museum, classical literature and music, languages studying... Even my fashion style get affected by my academic aesthetic obsession. But I know how to make a good joke and enjoy my time, too. When I'm surrounded by my familiars, I can get childish and clingy. That's how I show my trust, by putting down my hyper-independent mask and letting myself get vulnerable around them. Towards strangers, I can be seen as aloof and quiet. And it needs many many and maaaaany effort for me to warm up to anybody.

I'm quite competitive, at least in academic field. Maybe it's the post-gifted-kid syndrome, lol. When I set my eyes on something, I will neglect everything to achieve my goal. So you can assume that my health is not always in good shape (the truth is I get sick often, haiz). But that doesn't mean I don't know when I should stop. Instead, I'm proud to say I know how to keep myself in check when my competitive tendency could do bad things to other people. Normally, I'm type of people to just go with the flow. Some of my friends may say I'm a softie if the problem doesn't bother me too much to make me feel annoyed. And when I'm annoyed, that's a different story. Safe to say I can make a grown-up man cry with my words. You don't have to always use violence to solve things.

I think I have talents in learning languages. I can speak 3 languages and currently I'm learning another one. Yet, my major is business administration. You know, economy major is always a safe choice.

I'm quite short. But I think 155cm is an average height for an Asian so never mind. I have long black hair (oh I loooove long hairs in general, including my hair too, safe to say I love playing with my friends' hairs dguahuihhwh), dark brow eyes and soft feature with plump lips (my favorite features~) and a beauty mark on my right chin, right under my mouth (yes my favorite features again hehe). But my friends prefer my round full cheeks or my doe eyes (hm, and I think my eyes are rather sad, not doe-eyes much).

I adore cute and girly (?) things. Like flowers, small animals, moon, rain, autumn, soft color like pink or lilac... My fashion style mixes with feminine, classic and academia style. In conclusion, you can imagine some long black skirts, long dresses with flowers patterns and laces, white blouses, trench coats, a pair of marry janes...

My hobbies includes reading, journaling and just sleeping. My love languages are physical touch, quality time and acts of service. I prefer calm, collected, mature and gentle people and genders don't matter with me (if it helps).

I apologize in advance if I overdo it. But I believe the more details, the easier for you to finish my request! Have a great day or night and remember to take care of yourself.~

AHHH!! thank u for all the deets, and i'm glad ur excited!! :D, nsfw under the cut! minors/ageless blogs dni!!

HONKAI: STAR RAIL ; JING YUAN

SONG; Always Forever - Cults

sfw;

Jing Yuan loves to listen to you ramble about the history of.. anything! Even stuff that he has deemed irrelevant, he will listen to you talk about it's history because you love to.

He admires the fact you can journal, because personally he could never do that since he sits in his office and fights sleep to do paper work.

He loves being able to fall asleep with you in his arms, even after a long day or during his lunch break, he's happy to see you're free too and the two of you can take a nap.

He absolutely loves your sense of fashion and finds that it compliments your personality quite well.

He feels beyond lucky to have scored such a wonderful woman, falling in love with you over and over again each day.

nsfw;

Jing is a lazy but rough lover, often leaving marks on your skin that he expresses his desire for you not to cover up if you could help it.

He absolutely will have you seeing stars and white while he fucks you roughly, even on the nights he's not feeling particularly energized.

He'll use to the ribbon in his hair to tie you up, either it be to the bed or keeping your hands behind your back.

He seems to enjoy missionary position the most? Probably because its simple, and he can see your reaction as his cock abuses your the walls of your pussy.

He can't keep his mouth to himself, either it be on your neck, shoulder, or breasts, he will have it in his mouth and he will be marking you up.

#game x reader #anime x reader #x reader #match up #anime match up #anime match-up #match-up #game match up #game match-up #hsr x reader #honkai star rail x reader

[lilsuzn]

MLQC Boys as Fathers

Fandom: Mr. Love: Queen's Choice

Warnings: In the post below I decided to make girls like stereotypical girly things and boys stereotypical boyish things, but it doesn’t mean I believe it’s how it’s supposed to be. I personally had periods when I was very girly and ones when I was very tomboyish and that’s okay. What’s not okay is forcing your children to act certain ways and like certain thing just because they represent a certain sex.

Dedication: anon

Gavin

baby girl

Have you even seen that nail-painting Karma with him? This cutie!

If you guys had a daughter, she would be the happiest little girl on earth.

He would be unable to deny her anything. Don’t let these two go to the mall alone. Unless you don’t care for electricity or hot water. Then you do you, I guess.

I even can see him dressed in pink tutu, sitting by a small, pink table and sipping on nonexisting tea. Anything to make his little angel happy

I overall don’t see him as a parent who actively takes part in his child’s school life - like helping with organizing plays or sawing costumes or parent-teacher association associating or other stuff alike, BUT...

He sure would never miss a single performance of his baby girl and would support her along the whole way there.

And yes. He will watch YT tutorials to learn how to do some pretty hairstyles for his princess, even though initially he wouldn’t want to do them at all.

And yes. He will paint her nails when she’s old enough not to stuff her hands into her mouth all the time.

baby boy

They are collecting figures. Like, motorcycles and cars at first. Then also planes when the boy gets a little older.

He would look upto his daddy very much. Would adore that he’s a police officer and could fly and was just basically flawless - at least in your son’s eyes.

They would play with his plane toys, which boy could all name. His favorite would be the Supermarine Spitfire. Gavin could never play with that one. Dad is great and all, but it’s HIS plane.

When your sun gets a bit older, his dad would take him to aerobatic aviation shows and historic planes displays.

He surely would be a daddy’s boy, if you didn’t figure it yet. You’re cool and he loves you… BUT GAVIN?

Their bond remains strong throughout the years. They keep alot of secrets from you, but you benefit from it from time to time. Especially in saving nerves. So it’s cool. Unless it’s not…

When grown up he sure would become a police officer like his dad or a soldier. I sure see him in military aviation. Dad would be a bit worried, but would give him his full support and all the help he could.

I also believe you and Gavin would have more than just one child, but that’s just a side note.

Kiro

baby girl

He’s not a regular dad. He’s a cool dad.

Not a reckless dad tho. He knows it’s not good for kids to eat as much sweets as they want to. He knows it’s not the best idea to say yes to every single whim of theirs…

But his little princess is so pretty. And so cute. And so sweet.

Remember when I told you how Gavin would be not so happy to attend her daughter’s tea parties?

Kiro would live for those! He would buy himself dresses for those occasions.

And they would do fashion shows for you. 

This dad is going to ask his daughter to do his makeup.

Takes her to get ice cream behind your back after picking her up from her ballet practice.

baby boy

I don’t know why, but I see his son as that shy, artistic type. That romantic boy with an acoustic guitar kind of trope.

He would have a voice of an angel and a talent surpassing even his father’s. He literally doesn’t need Kiro’s evol to have his charm.

This dad would be so proud. A little sad that his modest, little boy doesn’t want to perform on stage with him, but still - so extremely happy to have such a talented son.

He would get him the best tutors, and the finest instruments and every other equipment his little angel might need. Not even necessarily ask for.

If that was what wished for, he would help him start a career. He surely has what it gets to make someone famous.

If that wasn’t what his son wanted however - he would never push him. He knows the price that comes with money and a large fanbase and he wouldn’t force anyone to pay it.

Lucien

baby girl

I see Lucien as the best dad of all 4, and before you get mad at me for being biased, know that he's not my fav. I like being called an idiot and men in uniforms.

Big part of it would surely be his psychological knowledge, not gonna lie. Second one would be his outstanding intelligence that helps him with application of  upbringing’s roles into life.

He just knows exactly how and when to be soft and when and how to be firm.

He would take his daughter for walks and movies. He would love to take her to an amusement park from time to time.

It’s important for him that his daughter would be well socialised.

And surprise, surprise - his daughter would be a genius. Doesn’t matter if you are biological parents or not. It just happened. And he’s very happy to be destroyed in a chase game by his nine year old.

He helps her with preparing for math contests. And any other contests there are.

They often sit together on the couch and read books. She even makes the same face as she focuses. Yes - even she’s adopted.

It’s a Christmas miracle, I don’t know. Ask Lucien, he probably does.

baby boy

Wouldn’t it be absolutely cute and a little bit ironic if his son would be a little trouble maker?

Wouldn’t want to study. Just spent all day on the playground with other kids. An tradic picky eater. Can fall asleep wherever he is, in whatever position he is.

I could see Lucien struggle to find a way to get to his child, but I couldn’t see him ever give up.

He would enroll his son into some school sports team and would very actively support it. They need a parent to go with them to attend a sports contest in another school. Sign him up. Lucien is a very busy man, that’s true, but not too busy for that.

He would learn the rules and tactics of whatever game his son plays.

Would help him practice outside his practices. Even if he might not enjoy it.

And obviously, would eagerly help him if he had any problems in school.

Overall, I see Lucien as a very loving father, who doesn’t shy away with expressing just how important his kids are for him.

Victor

baby girl

The one who would constantly motivate his children.

They are learning languages, participating in at least one sport, playing an instrument and traveling around the world with him to experience many different cultures.

His little girl would be confident, smart, self-disciplined and an absolutely cute dork who thinks daddy doesn’t know she figured how to get to that cookie jar on the highest shelf.

She started drawing things for him since she was too small to even talk properly… and she was really good for such a small poppet.

He quickly decided to add art classes to her already long list of extracurricular activities.

At some point she was absolutely wonderful. Daddy was swelling with pride.

A perfect student, remarcable artist… Obviously a Li.

She would then study architecture at the most prestigious university in the country. Victor would spare no expenses. She deserves it.

baby boy

A quiet but intimidating kid that sits in the first row in class and gives his teacher a challenging look.

Destroys in chess even Lucien’s daughter… sometimes.

Has no friends because he’s disgusted by other people.

Daddy’s boy lvl. 100 Future LFG CEO.

If he could he would even sleep with daddy… but daddy doesn’t let him because he needs “privacy” with you. Good thing you sometimes make him sandwiches, because you might get taken care of…

Victor would have his kid’s photo on his desk. Two of them actually. One facing him and one facing anyone who sits on the opposite side. People need to know just how cute they looked in their matching shirts during last year’s father’s day celebrations.

They would go to the movies together. Victor who usually makes sure your kids are eating healthy would buy him a huge popcorn… and sometimes even M&M’s.

Victor would be a principled dad with high expectations, but don’t make a mistake. Even if his kids weren’t as ambitious and success focused as he’s he would love them just as much and care for them just as much.

There would also be no favoring if you had more than one child. Everyone must feel equally loved and he would make sure it’s exactly the case.

#mlqc li zeyan #mlqc victor #mlqc #mlqc fanfic #mr love victor #mr love queen's choice #mlqc ling xiao #mlqc bai qi #mlqc gavin #mlqc kiro #mlqc lucien #mlqc fluff

[amphtaminedreams]

Sitting Front Row at...(On a Budget Obvs): Lookbook no.15

Hey to anyone reading!

And welcome to my fave lookbook I’ve done in a longggg ass time! Yes, that’s partially because it involved making collages and doing the low effort work of scouring Vogue Runway for “research purposes”, but I promise, that statement wasn’t made out of COMPLETE laziness-I am super happy with it too. It’s been a good use of pre-part-lockdown-lift time in the interim between that brief period of Christmas celebrations and eateries finally fucking opening again because let’s be honest, I always knew I was gonna get distracted by oat milk vanilla lattes and veggie all day breakfasts once I could actually sit down with them at my fave local cafe. You could say I was very much operating on a self-imposed deadline.

The “what I would wear to sit front row at...[insert designer here]” TikTok/Instagram reel trend was something I wanted to get on board with ever since I first saw one and whilst the option of doing my own live action take-I really cannot bear the thought of having to edit footage of myself awkwardly attempting to sit nonchalantly in front of a camera for hours on end-was off the cards considering my complete lack of screen presence, I decided a Tumblr text post would work just as well, and if not even better in a way. Given the absence of the time limitations you face when you’re making a reel or a TikTok I thought it’d be cool to present the looks as part of a mini moodboard for each designer which adds a bit of context to each look even if you aren’t familiar with their past collections and establishes the general vibe of the brand I’m attempting to replicate. Not to sound snotty or as if I am the font of all knowledge on anything high fashion related but even with my amateur knowledge I noticed that as the video trend took off and was adopted by big name influencers, it became less about the average person putting their own personal spin on the aesthetic of the labels we can’t ordinarily afford and more about them building outfits that only vaguely resemble the general public perception of the brand around the real corresponding (and often gifted and thus inaccessible to someone who doesn’t makes thousands for a sponsored post) pieces they own SO I thought I’d take the trend back to its roots and get a bit resourceful. All that being said, in no particular order, here are the outfits I would wear to sit front row at Gucci, Vera Wang, Miu-Miu, Marc Jacobs, Dolce & Gabbana, Brock Collection, Alexander McQueen, Etro, Burberry aaaand Saint Laurent based on their past collections and guess what? They didn’t cost a shit tonne of money :-)

-disclaimer: will include an asterisk before any new purchases if from a high street store though to be honest, I don’t think there are any, we shall see! I do include where I got old purchases from in case anyone wants to search anything on Depop/Ebay-

1. Saint Laurent (formerly Yves Saint Laurent)

-blazer from identityparty on Depop, pleather trousers from Zara, jewellery from Dolls Kill-

I know technically abbreviating Saint Laurent to YSL doesn’t really make much sense anymore given the brand’s name change in 2012, but I’ll always think of it as that in the same way I’ll always associate it with the slightly dishevelled yet simultaneously glitzy rock n’ roll aesthetic. The thing is, whilst YSL hasn’t done anything wildly out of the box for a long time, it’s rare they put a look on the runway that I wouldn’t wear; they never end up being a fashion week standout but the Parisienne take on grunge we’ve seen Anthony Vaccarello establish as his go-to will always have a place in my heart. 

2. Alexander McQueen

-embroidered leather jacket from Ebay (originally Topshop), harness from Amazon, dress from ASOS, boots from Koi Vegan Footwear-

Alexander McQueen is a brand that is pretty much universally liked, from the historically extravagant and groundbreaking shows the man himself put together to Sarah Burton’s more toned down but still beautiful collections. Obviously I didn’t attempt to do justice to the former, so I tried my hand at putting together a look inspired by Sarah’s blend of delicate femininity and nomadic edge, and it went...okay? Like it’s definitely not my favourite of all the looks because it does give off slightly cheap copycat vibes buuut outside of the context of this lookbook it’s cute.

3. Brock Collection

-boater hat from Ebay, midi skirt from morganogle on Depop, corset top from ownmode_, heels from amybeckett1, bag from Primark-

Brock isn’t as well known a brand as most of the others in this list but I adore everything Laura Vassar Brock does and I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to try and channel the vision of one of the OG pioneers of the cottagecore vibe through my own wardrobe. I mean fr, this woman’s work as a steady provider of meadow photoshoot worthy dresses and corsets and skirts is v slept on and I will not stand for it. I will sit in front of a camera and then write a paragraph in my blog post begging anybody who reads to give LVB (an abbreviation I acknowledge is unlikely to catch on because Lisa Vanderpump anybody?) some form of acknowledgement for her services to period romance novel inspired moodboards everywhere.

4. Marc Jacobs

-coat from House of Sunny, white shirt from Retro World Camden, co-ord from Sugar Thrillz, bag from Poppy Lissiman-

If there’s one thing Marc Jacobs always does, it’s COMMITS. TO. HIS. THEME. I just KNOW he has a secret Pinterest with separate boards for every fashion era of the 20th century and he is putting those boards to good use providing us with collections that are as immersive as they are eclectic year in year out. 

5. Miu Miu

-beret from H&M, hair clips from H&M, jewellery from Primark, coat from mollyyemmaa on Depop, shirt from YesStyle, sweater vest from YesStyle, skirt from Depop, diamanté belt from Brandy Melville, shoes from Koi Vegan Footwear-

We all like to talk about Bratz dolls and Monster High dolls and Barbies as fashion inspo but can we all focus on Cabbage Patch dolls for two secs so as to acknowledge the fact that a Miu Miu collection is basically all their fits grown up? And made boujie as fuck? If I want my fix of Wes Anderson meets Scream Queens (what a combo) inspired outfits, if I want prissy and girlish but also glam, if I want to look like a bratty rich girl whose one redeeming quality is her eye for vintage clothes, I know where to look and that is the Miu Miu section of Vogue Runway. 

6. Vera Wang

-blazer as in no.1, velvet bralet from catdegaris on Depop, harness from Amazon, skirt from Ebay, knee high socks from Ebay, lace up boots from Ebay-

Vera Wang’s RTW aesthetic, a blend of the ethereal, ultra-feminine bridal designs she’s known for and British style punk rock influences, is something I feel has only become firmly established in recent years but it is everything I ever wanted and more. I always find myself trying to balance the part of me that loves everything girly and delicate and pretty and the part of me that would love to be in a biker gang and Vera’s collections are always an inspirational reminder of just how well it can be done.

7. Burberry

-coat from charity shop, suit from emmafisher3 on Depop, top from simranindia, shirt underneath from Zara, jewellery from ASOS-

Now I’m not gonna lie, I’m not the biggest fan of Burberry but there have been a few looks over the past few years I’ve really liked and as someone who owns numerous trench coats, high necks and way too much plaid, I thought it’d be an easy one to replicate. Plus, if you can count on Riccardo Tisci for nothing else you at least can rely on him giving you some layering inspo which is very much needed in a country where it literally just snowed in April and where my plans for today have just been cancelled because the iPhone weather app did a Karen Smith and didn’t predict rain for today right up until it started raining so thanks for that one British meteorologists. Your incompetence strikes again.

8. Etro

-corset from Urban Outfitters, vinyl trench coat from Topshop, boots from Ebay, black slip dress from kaoanaoleinik on Depop, fur trim afghan coat from louisemarcella-

Like with Brock Collection, Etro isn’t a hugely well known brand, but it is always one of my favourites-to add a spanner into the works of any attempts to cultivate a firm sense of personal style, I live for the ornate Bohemian look that Etro does so well just as much as I love both grungy and girly pieces, and so I really wanted to include a brand whose collections go down that route. It was a toss-up between this and Zimmerman, the flirtier, free spirit counterpart to the dark romance of Veronica Etro’s designs; her vision really shines through the most when it comes to the brand’s winter collections, imo, and given that I live in a country where winter or some weather state resembling it does seem to take up 70% of the year, I did decide on channelling her work rather than that of the equally talented Nicky and Simone Zimmermann this time round.

9. Dolce & Gabbana

-flower crown from ASOS, tiara from Amazon, earrings from YesStyle, dress from alicealderdice1 on Depop, opera gloves from Ebay, boots from Koi Vegan Footwear-

D&G is a brand I felt really conflicted about doing-I don’t include their current collections in my fashion week reviews based on the actions of designers Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce over the last few years because I don’t want to mitigate the collective effort of fashion critics to push them towards irrelevancy. Though people like to claim the brand has turned a corner since Lucio Di Rosa was brought on board as the manager of celebrity and VIP relations last year (they are as prolific a force on red carpet fashion as ever), we haven’t seen any real meaningful apologies or reparations made by Dolce and Gabbana themselves which once again leaves us in the all too familiar quandary of whether or not we can separate the art from the artist especially when it is far too much of a simplification to only credit the two men for their work given there’s a whole design team behind them. There are a LOT of shitty people working in fashion, the whole industry is a bit of a cesspit if we’re honest, but I don’t think that should stop us from at least being able to appreciate old collections if we make sure we aren’t engaging in any kind of promotion of current works whilst doing so. D&G are a brand of high highs and low lows, with looks that range from hideously ugly to showstoppingly beautiful in a single show-when the looks are good, they are GOOD-and their presence in the fashion world is most definitely felt whether we want it to be or not. It would just be shit to refuse to recognise the existence of some real iconic runway moments, the practical work that went into the ornate detail and opulence that helped cement D&Gs place in sartorial history, the styling that’s made goddesses and fairytale queens out of modern day women as they’ve glided down catwalks, the far more extravagant and, let’s be real, sexier version of our world D&G shows have transported us to in the past. Will I talk about D&G ever again? No, and if you Google the scandals their brand has faced over the past few years, there are more than enough reasons why, but just this once I did want to pay homage to some of the collections, the snippets of which I saw on my Tumblr dashboard back when I was about 13, that first got me into fashion.

10. Gucci

-fur coat from Topshop, clips from Zaful, glasses from Ebay, dress from gracewright246 on Depop, shirt from Boohoo, blazer from charity shop-

Now last but, if you ever read any of my fashion week reviews (the likelihood of someone actually having read one of them and reading this is incredibly, incredibly slim lol, I wouldn’t read me either) you’ll know, definitely not least, is Gucci because Alessandro Michele comes through every!! single!! time!!

The man is truly the king of quirky throwback maximalism and it hurts my heart that a lot of people seem to think of it only as a brand associated with ostentatious displays of wealth. Year after year since Michele was made creative director he has released purposeful, fully-fleshed out collections which unravel themselves to us on the runway like time capsules containing the belongings of the rich and whimsical and yes that can sometimes result in outfits which are *ahem* a bit mismatched but it doesn’t matter because through fashion he manages to take us to a vivid version of the past where people could dress as freely and lavishly as they wanted to, into the wardrobe of a person unaffected by the side-eyeing of others. You get the impression he doesn’t design so much as plays around with some kind of enchanted dress up box and takes inspiration from there and to give that impression is only a credit to his talent-to make outfits so kooky and extravagant look like they were meant to be takes a boldness and genuine love for clothes that I do tend to feel a lot of the big name designers have lost in the pursuit of profit and the necessary placating of the dying customer base that keeps that coming in. Of course I'm not for a second saying Gucci does not care about profit, but at the very least, they have on board a creative director who genuinely has fun with what they’re putting out there and wants to make a statement too and that really shows; you can rest on your laurels and sell tweed boucle jackets to rich old white women for eternity but nobody’s going to mention your brand name and the word groundbreaking in the same sentence ever again unless they’re talking about what it was a century ago, you know (mentioning no names...unless...did I hear someone say Chanel)? That feels like such a shady way to end, lol, but I’m sure said brand will survive-to be fair, they’ve been included in every other What I’d Wear to Sit Front Row At video I’ve seen so although I’m always slagging them off for doing the saaaaame thinggggg year after year, for that same reason their aesthetic is instantly recognisable and so will always be a source of imitation. There are obviously pros and cons to being a brand which constantly reinvents itself but I think it’s totally possible to do that whilst maintaining an overall mission, and Alessandro Michele’s work at Gucci demonstrates that with ease.

Anyway, if you got to here, thanks for reading! I know I’m super behind on this whole TikTok trend and I know a Tumblr post instead of a video is a bit of a cop out but all the real, physically awkward ones out there know that watching yourself back is excruciating lmao, so I hope this does the trick. After this, I’m gonna get back to the reviewing S/S21 collections post though knowing me I’ll probs take a few days to get back into that because I feel like since I left full-time education (RIP me going back in a few months) writing continuously like this for any longer than about 15 mins fries what brain cells I have left. Again, thank you for reading and if you are, sending many good vibes your way! Stay safe!

Lauren x

#front row #frontrow #fashion #fashioninpo #fashion inspo #style #style inspo #designer #gucci #vera wang #burberry #label #miu miu #runway #fashion week #mood board #ysl #saint laurent #runway trends #ss21 #lookbook #vintage #outfit #marc jacobs #Alexander mcqueen #runway fashion #high fashion #haute couture #trend #collage

[gladiatortale]

My DEPRESSION BEATING, fandom obsessing, shit-tastic FANTASTIC year in review!

TL;DR: I’m fixing my mental health and figuring out WHO THE FUCK I AM one fandom filled day at a time! Thank you to everyone who’s been there for me along the way. xoxo

what’s up HEATHENS.

stating the goddamn obvious here, it’s been a HELLUVA YEAR. One emotional rollercoaster after another but we’re ALMOST DONE. I know things aren’t gonna magically get better the second it flips to 00:01 on January first, but I’m excited to put this year behind me, and (SHOCKINGLY) a bit sad to see it go.

It was a year where the whole world completely stopped, we realized what is really important, what is really worth fighting for, and took a GODDAMN SECOND to just breathe.

For me personally, the year (which I’m counting off from November 1st) started out UNBELIEVABLY SHIT. I had just been kicked out of the country I called home for the last four years (thank you Brexit), I had ZERO job prospects, my depression was the WORST it had ever been, and I just didn’t want to get out of bed in the morning. And in the beginning, the pandemic felt like salt in the wound, an extra kick in the teeth to my early twenties that had already “failed to launch.”

But I tried to embrace the madness, really take advantage of the world (that I always thought moved to fast) properly slowing down, and take time to try and become myself again. I wanted to figure out what I loved and try and become a bit more like the person I was before my depression got so bad.

I often say I became that Manic Trash Planet Lady™ you see in sci-fi adventure films; a bit zany to say the least, with a million ideas and a very eclectic fashion sense, but embracing the insanity as it comes...

*cough cough* audrey, get to the goddamn point!

Right. lol. THE POINT IS! 

I’m not 100% “healed”, I’m not sure if I think depression is a “oh look you’re officially cured! hooray!” type of disease, but this year I let myself ENJOY SHIT for the first time in god knows how long. I still don’t know “wHaT i WaNt To dO WiTh mY LiFe”, but I’ve got a better idea and I’m heading in (what feels like) the right direction. And most of all, I can look back and say I am better than where I was a year ago.

So I wanted to say T H A N K Y O U to the mad lads on this website that introduced me to the fandoms, shows, movies, fics... THE SHIT that made me happy this year and were there to be one (BIG) piece in my healing journey.

AND SO, with out further rambling ADO! Here are the highlights of the year marked by my ridiculous hyper-fixations and OBSESSIONS. Thanks for putting up with me ya fiends, xoxox

November 2019  The Arcana (Visual Novel)

I had just gotten home and I was in a LOOOOOOW place. Randomly decided to download this app when it came up and it proceeded to ruin my life (and my bank account...) for pretty much the rest of the year. It was exactly what I needed to get me through a tough time and I was thoroughly, horse-blinders-up-to-the-rest-of-the-world, OBSESSED. These gorgeous magical fiends ruined me and all I could say was thank you.

Joined the fandom: November 2019 Obsession peaked: Late November Obsession faded: December 2019; I started a new job AND my bank statement came in and I realized I had accidentally spent over SIXTY BUCKS on this stupid app. No ragrets, but I definitely started to phase out at that point. Fandom friends: Velma, (@lanavxds on insta) miss you girlie xx Fanfics you NEED to read: ‘Second Mistake’ by DeathBelle on AO3, because DAAAAAYUM SON. Favourite moments: Basically the whole of the Julian arc. That gangly himbo OWNED my ass for a month.

December 2019 Hazbin Hotel (TV Series)

Y’ALL okay here me out. Am I proud of this one? No. Is the show crass as hell? OOOOOOOOHHHH YEAH. Did my angsty ass love it at the end of last year? DAMN STRAIGHT IT DID. Goes without saying, but this is NOT FOR EVERYBODY, but it definitely helped me along the way to becoming more comfortable with myself and being open about being the massive geek that I always was, and watching things I enjoy regardless of what people say about it.

Joined the fandom: December 2019 Obsession peaked: Shortly there after. Fandom friends: None. Dipped one toe in fandom discourse and then promptly YEETED the fuck outta there. Obsession faded: January 2019. Still curious to see the full series if A24 actually ever does produce the whole thing, but I have def moved away from it. Fanfics you NEED to read: Haven’t read any. Maybe I’m a pussy baby piece-o-shit, but I DID NOT want to go down that rabbit hole, NO MA’AM. Favourite moments:

Discovering the Hunicast podcast. These guys are a riot and Ashley is a flustered GEM. Even if you don’t watch the show, go watch an episode of these fucking LADS just dicking about and your day will get better.

Watching the first episode with my partner and watching him realize his girlfriend is a total freak.

January 2020 Lore Olympus (Webtoon Comic)

*Officially* discovered this one thanksgiving weekend in 2019, but my Arcana phase was still raging pretty strong at that point so I didn’t really get in to it until later. EVERYBODY AND THEIR MOTHER NEEDS TO READ IT. It has everything and handles the reality sexual assault and it’s aftermath EXTREMELY well.

Joined the fandom: Late November 2019 Obsession peaked: January 2020 Fandom friends: KELLEY. MA GIRL XOXOXO Obsession faded: June-ish 2020. I’m like 10 chapters behind now, but I still love this story so much. Fanfics you NEED to read: SO MANY ON MY ‘MARKED FOR LATER’ LIST AAAAAH. I have to get to that... NEW YEARS RESOLUTION lol Favourite moments: Having a drunk conversation on New Years Eve in 2019 with one of my oldest friends from high school about how much she loved it too. Helped me see how popular fandom and fandoms, are especially after feeling like I needed to hide my enthusiasm through high school and uni. (THAT WAS A MISTAKE BUT I’LL GET THERE IN A MINUTE).

February 2020 Versailles (TV Series)

SO FUCKING GAY Y’ALL. Oh my god everyone in this show is so gay. Even when they’re not they still are a little bit. AND BEST OF ALL!! it’s very historically accurate (except for the demon satanic nonsense in season 3, what was that???)

Joined the fandom: February 2020 Obsession peaked: Like??? The SECOND I finished episode one. Fandom friends: none... WHERE ARE ALL OF YOU??? Obsession faded: March 2020. It was a fast and passionate love affair, what can I say? Fanfics you NEED to read: IF YOU HAVE RECS, GIVE ‘EM TO MEEEEE. Favourite moments: 

Showing the first episode to a friend of mine and the *ungodly GASP* that came out of her throat was... PRICELESS.

The ENTIRE throuple(???) relationship between the Chevalier, Philipe, and Palatine. PLATONIC/ ROMANTIC LOVE G O A L S.

March 2020 Yuri!!! On Ice (TV Series)

*deep breath* ...y’all knew this one was coming.

Was I ready for this show to ruin my fucking life? No.  Am I so glad it happened??? FUCK YEAH.

NEVER IN MY LIFE have I fallen off the deep end so quickly with a fandom. HOLY SHIT. This blog didn’t have much of an “identity” before, but I you said that this is a Yuri On Ice blog now I wouldn’t even be mad (nor could I really defend myself to the contrary... bc??? like??? just go LOOK at my archive). Craziest thing is I watched the first two episodes like?? a solid TWO YEARS ago, but I didn’t continue watching because I was just not in the right head space for all the love and silliness and positivity.

I could do a whole separate post about how much this show and how this fandom has changed my life (DON’T TEMPT ME I JUST MIGHT). But I’ll stick with the highlights for now ;)

Joined the fandom: March 2020  Obsession peaked: Has it peaked?? Went straight up and it still going lol Fandom friends: Sandra, my mentor, my queen @aeriamamaduck, my fandom ride-or-die. Thank you for taking this internet bby under your wing. RACHEL @idancewiththefairies I TRAPPED YOU HERE. MUAHAHAHA xxx Obsession faded: ON GOING. CAN’T STOP, WON’T STOP. Fanfics you NEED to read: jfc, SO MANY.

‘Until My Feet Bleed and My Heart Aches’ and ‘Of Bright Stars and Burning Hearts’ by Reiya @kazliin​ -- Rivals AU companion pieces. Longest fics I’ve ever read and JESUS CHRIST these two fucking SENT ME. Most popular YOI fics on AO3 for a REASON.

‘Tell Me Where Your Love Lies’ by @aeriamamaduck -- Royalty AU, trope-breaking ABO. Ah sweet, TMWYLL, how you’ve killed me over and over again. This BEAUTIFUL wip has SUCH amazing world-building idk where to start (Congrats on passing 50,000 hits!) EVERYONE GO READ IT.

‘Blackbird’ by sixpences -- WWII/Coldwar Spy Fic. I don’t have enough words to describe how amazing this is. It’s elevated to a higher plane beyond fanfic. Just go read it. Thank me later.

‘Zanka’ by rinsled05 @dreaming-fireflies -- The geisha fic that ruined me. *deep breath* AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH *gasp* I’m fine. lol I sooooo not ready for this fic. Holy hell, Aoyagi had my heart in his hands from the first chapter. “’Please’ [...] ‘Don’t give me hope.’“ FUUUUCK.

‘Echoes’ by Reiya @kazliin -- Future fic. First fic I cried at... BOI. I was NOT ready for this. Shouldn’t be surprised given the author, but MAN. “‘A love like that, a love like what they had together, it never leaves completely.’ Yuri spoke again, eyes still staring out onto the ice, lost in memory. ‘There are always echoes.’” JUST FUCK ME UP.

Favourite moments: Oh good lord, where do I begin??

Having two (count ‘em TWO) main characters with mental health issues (Yuuri and his anxiety and Victor with burn out and depression) and NOT MAKING IT THE ONLY ASPECT OF THEIR PERSONALITY. CLAPS FOR KUBO AND YAMAMOTO!!

Everything about Yurio (ESPECIALLY HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH YUUKO AND HIS GRANDPA), that tsundere motherfucker is too pure for this world.

THE KISS. THE PROPOSAL. MY HEART WASN’T READY. AAAAAH!!

This fandom *properly* introducing me to smut on AO3...

Thinking I was going to get Rachel to like the show... NOT being prepared for her to fall off the deep end and START LIKING REAL SKATING TOO!!

Staying up waaaaaay too late waaaaaay too often to plan out plot points for TMWYLL with Sandra. Love ya dearie.

The warm fuzzy feeling I get every time I think about Victor and Yuuri.

April 2020 Bungou Stray Dogs (TV Series)

I had a hunch I was gonna like this show considering ALL of the characters are based off of famous classic authors from around the world... what I was NOT prepared for was just HOW MUCH I was going to love it. HOLY SHIT. The art style? Love it. The plot?? Bonkers, but so fun. THE VOICE CAST??? AMAZING. Highly recommend to anyone who wants to get in to anime, great place to start.

Joined the fandom: April 2020 Obsession peaked: Probably this summer? But we have DEF plateaued in a VERY high place. Fandom friends: FIJI. MA BOIIIII @lil-1nsane  Obsession faded: Hasn’t. Hope it doesn’t Fanfics you NEED to read: So so so many. The smut in this fandom is *chef’s kiss*, but here are a few...

‘He Works Hard For the Money’ by CataclysmicEvent @cataclysmicevent2019​ -- Sugar Daddy AU. FUCK MAN. I was not expecting to like this one, but bloody hell. This fic grabbed me by the throat and WOULD NOT let me go. Praying for chapter 16! But the author is working on another STELLAR fic so I’m okay for now.

‘Everything or Nothing’ by CataclysmicEvent @cataclysmicevent2019​ -- University AU. FUCK THIS FIC. Started reading it as I was waiting for HWHFTM to update and BOI, this fic ROCKS. The alternating POV fits so well with the enemies/idiots-to-lovers vibe. Solid 10 outta 10.

‘The City Where Wind Blows’ by @raven-rein​ -- Cancer Death fic. *pained shriek* AAAAAAGUUUUUUUHHHH *gasp* aaaaaaAAAAAAHHHHHHHH, FUUUCCCCCCCCCKKKK MEEEEE. THIS FIC. Only the second fic I’ve ever cried to but I BAWLED MY GODDAMN EYES OUT. FUUUUUUUCK. I was not ready, never would have been ready. This is so tremendously well done, it killed me so beautifully, 

‘Haunted by Hatred’ by DeathBelle -- Canon compliant Soukoku. It is a CRIME that DeathBelle doesn’t have more BSD fics on her page, but this one is still brilliant.

Favourite moments:

THE CHUUYA-DAZAI MAFIA REUNION TEAM UP WHEN THEY FIGHT LOVECRAFT. Ooof. BOI. We love it.

The first three episodes. Soooo many break neck plot twists.

Every insane hypothetical conversation with Fiji.

Every time Atsushi or Tanizaki is on screen bc I LOVE THESE LIL BEANS.

June 2020 Trash Taste (Podcast)

Goddamn I love these chaotic lads so much.

As I became more and more comfortable with myself and my love for anime I stumbled upon these three goons, -- Joey, Connor, and Garnt, -- best known for there SUPER successful (mostly) anime YouTube channels. Even if you don’t watch anime, WATCH/LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST. The focus is mostly on their lives and the overall expat/immigrant experience, with a bit of anecdotal anime references sprinkled in. 

This show is both wholesome and heathenous in equal measure, and after having lived abroad for a significant portion of my (admittedly still quite short) life, it was such a breath of fresh air to hear people talk so openly about how living outside your home country is both wonderful and terrifying. They’re wonderfully candid about the fact that even if you love a place dearly, no where is perfect, and you WILL hate somethings about your new home even if the majority of the experience is fantastic. I cannot rate this show highly enough.

Joined the fandom: June 5th 2020, loved it from the first episode. Obsession peaked: July maybe? I was RELIGIOUS about watching the episodes as soon as they came out. Still watch every week, but less “on time.” Fandom friends: None :( but I have tricked my partner in to listening several times :) Obsession faded: It’s dimmed from where it was, but still going strong. Fanfics you NEED to read: NONE. NEVER PLAN TO. Hard and fast rule, I don’t read fics about real people. Characters played by real people, even that’s a maybe for me. But real-real people? FUCK NO. (some of my) Favourite moments:

Any time Garnt and Connor get into a big-brain-monkey-brain argument and Joey is just LOSING his GODDAMN MIND in the corner.

Bringing a retired Japanese porn star in the show for an honest conversation about consensual sex work and showing people can have more than one career in life.

Everything about the, ‘Are Online Friends Real Friends?’ episode. GO WATCH IT, it’s brilliant.

Garnt making “chotto-THE-FUCKING-matte” an expression

August 2020 Great Pretender (TV Series)

Spent most of the summer marinating in my BSD and YOI bubbles, until THIS BAD BOI came up on my Netflix recommendations. HOOOO BOI. This is some Anime Of The Year shit right here. Has a pretty original concept (Catch Me If You Can by way of Oceans 11-ish) but generally starts out like most other shounen (sans the super powers). AND THEN EPISODE FIVE HAPPENS. Not gonna spoil it but they TOOK THAT SHIT UP A NOTCH. Brilliant, even with a bit of an insane ending. GO WATCH THIS ONE.

Joined the fandom: August 2020 Obsession peaked: Pretty much as soon as I started watching it. Fandom friends: What’s up Fiji ;) @lil-1nsane Obsession faded: Naturally faded, but so glad I watched Fanfics you NEED to read: None so far! Little scared about this one, heard mixed reviews, but maybe someday. Favourite moments:

Edamame’s “madness arc” at the end of season 2. HOOOO BOY.

Laurent getting fucking WRECKED when Edamame punches him mid way through season 2, kills me every time.

Introducing my partner to anime with this show.

October 2020 Attack on Titan (TV Series)

RETURN OF THE KING. lol

In my quest to find an anime that I can watch with my partner, I turned on season 1 of this bad boi. Holy hell I forgot how much I loved this show, NO WONDER everyone lost their goddamn minds when this show first aired. I NEED to catch up before all the season four spoilers come to get me...

Joined the fandom: Winter 2016 Obsession peaked: Basically as soon as I started watching it. Fandom friends: None yet, but I know you’re out there... Obsession faded: 2017, JUST BEFORE SEASON TWO... I should have stuck around longer I know, but it’s slowly coming back. Reeeeeally need to catch up on seasons two, three, and four. Fanfics you NEED to read: GIVE ME YOUR RECS HEATHENS. Favourite moments:

Watching my partner FREAK OUT about Eren’s “death.”

EVERYTHING ABOUT POTATO GORL! lol

Getting in a conversation with a die hard fan after I hadn’t watched it in three years and saying... “Who’s that blond bitch that cries all the time?”/ “Armin?”/ “THAT’S THE ONE!”

November 2020... kind of. Figure Skating (Sport)

Okay this one is a bit hard to explain. 

I have been a DIE HARD figure skating for A LOOOOOONG time. My grandmother got me a hat from the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City and I remember watching even then. But I first became consciously aware of different skaters, my faves, etc. from about 2010. I vividly remember watching Plushenko skating in 2014 while on a school trip to Hawaii, and my friends laughing at me as I yelled at the TV.

But I didn’t TRULY get involved in the fandom side of it until this year. I had all this knowledge bottled up, but didn’t have any skating friends to talk to... UNTIL NOW. Super ironic that this happened in a year with almost NO skating, but I’ll take what I can get ;) Also did I stay up until FOUR-GODDAMN-THIRTY IN THE MORNING a few nights ago to stream Japanese Nationals on my phone??? YOU BET I DID.

Joined the fandom: Three times; 2002, 2010, and 2020. Obsession peaked: 2014? 2018? Idk it peaks any time someone does something amazing. Fandom friends: Rachel, my girl @idancewiththefairies​, WHY DIDN’T I INTRODUCE YOU TO THIS SOONER??? Obsession faded: Hasn’t. Won’t. lol Fanfics you NEED to read: NOPE. NONE. NOT GONNA HAPPEN. No fanfics about real people. Never gonna change that. (some of my) Favourite moments:

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir doing THAT routine at the 2018 Olympics.

Rachel​ sheepishly admitting to me that Shoma may have replaced Yuzu as her favourite, and me being SO DAMN PROUD of her for growing and developing her own skating opinions apart from me.

Yuzu’s 2012 ‘Romeo and Juliet’ routine and Worlds. THE RAW FUCKING POWER OF THAT SKATE.

Plushenko, cheeky bastard, changing his 2014 Team Event routine AS IT WAS HAPPENING.

The worlds friendliest rivalry between Yuzu and Nathan.

Any thing the Shibutani’s do, and all they do to break up the stereotype that all of Ice Dancing has to be rOmAnTiC and SeNsUaL to be good.

Watching my early faves become coaches and the D R A M A.

Honorable Mentions:

Coco (Film): I watched this the weekend I came home and I owe this movie a lot. It is so sweet an heartwarming, and it a roundabout way it brought me back to Tumblr (needed somewhere to vent my feelings considering I watched the movie a solid THREE YEARS after it came out, Tumblr seemed like the place to go lol). Watched in again in 2020 and it’s just as amazing.

Jekyll and Hyde (All media): Loved this book from the first time I read it in my first year of uni. But in December 2019, my fandom understanding reached its PEAK. The musical?? The comic?? YOOOOOO.

Dear Evan Hansen (Musical): I have BARELY engaged in fandom discourse, but the MUSIC. She fucking SLAPS.

Sirius the Jaeger (TV Series): This show is such an underrated gem. It literally has so much; "dead” family drama? Eclectic international group of monster hunters? Cowboys and vampires?? Yes, yes, and YES. And the main character has the same Japanese voice actor as Atsushi from BSD!

Studio Ghilbi (Films): My love affair with Ghibli goes back to when I was about 5 and BEGGED my mom to take me to the library so we could rent Kiki’s Delivery Service on DVD. But that love has been FULLY rejuvenated this year when I went to the Ghibli Film Festival in New York City (ironically in the last week in February). If you haven’t seen them, go watch From Up On Poppy Hill, Whisper of the Heart, and The Wind Rises. Spoilers, you’re probably gonna cry.

If you’ve made it this far, THANK YOU FOR READING! 

And thank you to all the amazing people that made my 2020 not so horrible. Good riddance 2020, don’t let the door hit you on the way out!

#2020 #mental health #appreciation post #figure skating #studio ghibli #coco #attack on titan #great pretender #bungou stray dogs #trash taste #versailles tv #yuri!!! on ice #the arcana game #hazbin hotel #anime #fandom

[tempestpaige]

ive seen it written many times over the years that lolita fashion was somewhat feminist because it intentionally went against the whole societal push for japanese women to get married as men typically dont like how overtly girly lolita tends to be (sorry if i worded that weird). is that just not true then?

from what ive heard from lolitas who live in japan, the attitude there is much more along the lines of just “these clothes make me happy”, which sometimes has the added side effect of women into lolita fashion delaying marriage in order to focus on lolita. but i don’t think many women in japan who are interested in the fashion directly do so with the intent to rebel or avoid marriage. at the end of the day, it’s clothes they like that makes them happy. it’s more of a statement of personal empowerment than something that is sending a message as a whole.

i think most articles or summary saying lolita fashion is feminist is coming from a western perspective, because alternative fashion here like goth and mostly punk, did have political origins as they were formed in music, but lolita fashion didnt really directly come from music (gothic lolita has roots in visual kei but the earliest forms of lolita fashion still predate bands like malice mizer).

we search for meaning in everything. someone saying “i dress this way because i like to” is unsatisfying to some when faced with something unusual like lolita fashion. especially sweet lolita, which is the most flashiest style and the most controversial in western culture due to cutesy, pastel, frilly clothing not really worn by women past puberty. gothic lolita is still recognizable by outsiders as goth, and most classic can be passed off as historical or vintage inspired wear. nothing like sweet lolita exists in the west, and when faced with something weird many westerns go “well it must be a weird sex thing” and I think, combined with more people being politically aware due to social media, that is where we see more lolitas try to justify their outfits by saying “actually it’s the opposite of a weird sex thing, it’s political! it’s feminist! im fighting the patriarchy!”

[stranger-who-writes-fiction]

Been having a weird/off week. But you know what’s made it better?

Spending some more time in Midvale with Supergirl Ep. 6x06, “Prom Again!”

Spoilers!

So! Last week was the fun shenanigans/set-up, THIS WEEK we get the emotional pay-offs and oooooh. So good. So good.

Historically, Supergirl kinda struggles to stick its landing when it comes to paying off its set-ups, but I think this episode is really solid in that regard.  

And thus, we begin! With the forest showdown! And I love it. Love every part of it. Love Kara flying in and freeing Nia and Brainy with her heat vision, love that one of Kenny and Kara’s go-to plays is called ‘Speed Racer’, love Brainy’s whole, ‘my buddy’s gonna BLAST YA if you don’t cooperate’ and Kara just. Threatens the bad guys from the shrubbery.

She’s supposed to be scary and intimidating with the heat vision eyes but dagnabbit...it’s just kind of cute.

Last week I completely forgot to mention how much I love that Kenny and Kara have go-to plays WITH NAMES. (NERDY names at that!) And also that Alex is so exasperated by it.

JUST YOU WAIT, KIDDO. 

Fast forward to the Fortress and everyone’s happy! The day is saved! The timeline is restored! Alex apologizes for being a bit of a grouch!

*cough* understatement *cough*

And Brainy doesn’t get the fist bump, d’awwwww. XD

Nia has a lovely chat with Kara wherein SHE is the elder hero who inspires the youths. Nice. NICE.

And THEN, the first of some good Danvers Sisters scenes...we’ll call this one ‘the mini-van chat.’ 

Kara apologizing about the ‘Zookeeper fight-y thing’ and the GLASSES FIDGET.

Shout out to the writers, who were ON-POINT with the dialogue for both parts, and shout out to the young actresses as well. It’s...honestly uncanny, how well they nailed playing Kara and Alex. 

(I mean, we knew this already, of course, but GOSH. What a wonderful showcase. So, so glad, that we got such a large Midvale story in the final season.)

Right, so, another dialogue highlight from the mini-van chat (but like, not in a silly way. More in a, ‘oh wow that’s very sweet’ way) Alex, to Kara about her choice: ‘It’s the right one because you made it.’

THESE KIDS.

Then we go to Nia and Brainy on the Legion Cruiser!

Nia’s outfit? Outstanding. Brainy’s mask? Admittedly a little distracting because it didn’t look like it was fitting quite right.

But A+ song choice for their dance, show. 

(Really, A+ song choices across the board. You can tell they were absolutely LOVING getting in all those needle drops.) 

And then we discover--ALL IS NOT WELL! THE TIMELINE IS STILL BROKEN!

Cat Grant has released the aliens! And she has been captured! And yet she remains heckin’ fearless!

Love that she calls Mitch ‘Mr. Blue Sky.’

It took me a while to warm up to this ‘new’ version of Cat Grant but this episode really gave her some fun stuff to do and yep, I dig it. Great stuff. 

Meanwhile, back at the prom...

I'm taking this moment to applaud the Supergirl folks for their very nice workarounds for ‘crowded’ locations this season thus far. The episodes have never felt like, overtly obvious in terms of Covid protocol impacts (I mean there are a few scenes here and there where you’re like, ‘oh, yeah, this is set up in this specific way to probably account for some production changes) but I’ve never felt that the episodes are losing anything, you know?

Case in point! Two episodes, set in a crowded high school! But most of the stuff takes place before/between classes, or outside!

(Specifically enjoyed all the outdoor stuff and natural lighting. It’s not quite the same as that LA sunshine, but. Still nice.)  

Anyways, in “Prom Again!” the action/discussions are set in the hallways/classrooms outside of the actual Prom. Inobtrusive! Makes sense for the story! Doesn’t compromise!

Gold stars for everyone. 

Kara and Kenny are BOTH unrelentingly cheesy--Kara even says as much--and it’s wonderful.

‘Hey Stargazer.’ Kara, you smooth operator you.

Shout out to Kenny’s bowtie, it’s great.

...Shout out to Kenny in general.

(Like, Will is great, but he’s got a lot to live up to, now.)

So FURTHER PROOF THAT THE TIMELINE IS BUSTED: Kara is going to stay in Midvale!

:O

Me, knowing full well that Kara has to go to National City, but also being...just a liiiiittle bit team Kenny: 

And then...THE METEOR!

That Kara just. Body-slams.

It reminded me of another Danvers, who also body-slams some space stuff:

But UNLIKE Kara’s cross-company cousin, this particular move does not end well!

Because there’s KRYPTONITE! And also, a CLOAKED SPACESHIP, BLOCKING THE FALLING METEOR DEBRIS! And, you know, ALIEN HUNTERS THREATENING HIGH SCHOOLERS! And Kenny SACRIFICES HIMSELF FOR KARA!

(Well, okay. It’s tonight but you get the idea.)

Poor, sweet Kenny. Who feels WAY out of his depth as he’s imprisoned alongside Cat on the alien ship...but it does bring us one of her patented ‘tough love pep talks.’ Wherein she calls Kenny brilliant.

And also, Kendall.

Never change, Cat. Never change.

Also, “Go, go.”

Okay, some more rapid fire specifics that I enjoyed so that this list doesn’t get...too? Long? ...No promises.

Smol Kara squaring her shoulders in that classic Kara Super Pose! 

Alex being able to pick a lock!

Kara using the reflected sunlight from the moon to heal!

‘That’s an 80% failure rate’ ‘Oh yes it’s terrible.’

The scene where the police have Kara, and Alex comes rushing out all, ‘that’s my sister!’ and Kara’s gonna just RISK EVERYTHING to fix this?

100/10, excellent, love to see that Danvers Sisters angst in the Worst Timeline. Also? Alex’s desperate little headshake, silently pleading for Kara to NOT DO THE THING???? Devastating. In the best way.

‘The world will know that name...Keira.’ 

No Plutonian Landshark sightings!?!? Not even a graphic on a computer screen? FOR SHAME!

(Personally, I’m imaging that they look like Jeff, pictured below.)

Kara stowing away on the Cruiser, and her very cute, ‘Don’t be mad!’

Her entire speech about her future--She’s just seventeen! She doesn’t have her driver’s license yet! Eliza’s only let her do the laundry once! She’s not even sure she can make rice!

(Eliza, I love you, but for Pete’s sake, let your kid do her own laundry.) 

Brainy and Kara trying to play it cool upon being discovered by Kenny and Alex! 

Their story involving an excess of formal wear!

Nia inspiring Cat to start CatCo, and telling her she’s CAT FREAKIN’ GRANT!

“If you say Lois Lane I will expire.”

Wait, did I mention the lucid dreaming power yet? ...Nia’s lucid dreaming power!

The entirety of Kara and Kenny’s talk in the gym!

Kara in the Worst Timeline tell Alex, ‘you don’t have to shout’. And then in the Fixed Timeline: ‘inside voice please.’

And she quotes Monty Python that lil GOOBER.

THE WHOLE EPISODE(S) was a GOSHDARN DELIGHT, I TELL YA. (Did I say that last week? I might’ve said that last week, but I don’t care.)

And now, some slightly more in-depth, overall thoughts:

So, How ‘Bout Them Danvers: Not surprisingly, the girls end up in, if not the exact same place as the end of “Midvale”, then pretty darn close. I’m trying to avoid, like. All of fandom, these days, but unfortunately, the bad takes are numerous, and often untagged. So I did see a bunch of people insisting that Kenny living ‘ruined the Danvers’ relationship’ and that the show is ‘taking away everything that makes Kara Kara’

To which I say:

In the broadest terms, what needs to happen by episode’s end to match up with “Midvale”, and prep the kiddos for the stuff that happens in the Pilot - Kara needs to put the aspirations of super-ing on the backburner, and Alex needs to like. Not hate Kara, but also be committed to helping Kara keep her secret, you know...secret. 

All of these things are set up. I repeat: All. Of. Them.

And Kenny didn’t have to die!

(I will admit, I chuckled that they so blatantly teased an untimely demise for him...because I know it will annoy select corners of fandom.

Muhahahahaha.)

But anyways, back to those key ingredients for making a ‘Danvers Sisters in the same emotional place they were in @ Midvale’s end’ soup: Alex deals with that simmering resentment. Seeing Kara handle herself well in a super-ing context gives her that little, ‘hey, this isn’t so bad!’ outlook.

BUT INTERESTINGLY, in the Fixed Timeline, Alex and Kara don’t have that chat in the supply room, where Alex is like. ‘You CANNOT reveal your powers, BAD THINGS will happen if you do.’ 

That is saved for the Pilot!*

MEANWHILE. The Kara ingredients! She puts super-ing on hold. 

Her chat with Kenny functions as a replacement for her chat with J’onn-as-Not!Alura, in the sense that it’s here that she reveals that she didn’t choose to come to Midvale, she didn’t choose these powers. 

(...I can already sense fandom using those lines to prove their end-of-series theories and like. Ugh. Ugh.) 

But anyways. It’s also here that we get shades of Pilot!Kara, what with the season one conflict of being Super vs. being normal. 

It’s ALL THE SAME STUFF.

Fandom needs to like. Chill. 

And their (fake) concern for Kara’s characterization is entirely misplaced, because this was a really wonderful showcase for Kara in particular.

Like. The first episode was really Nia’s time to shine, and we still got solid Brainy and Nia action in this episode!

But man. That good Kara content.

THE CONTENT I CRAVE!

So speaking of good Kara content in particular, I LOVED Kara’s prom dress. It's got both a SKIRT. AND PANTS!

Amazing.

I know nothing of fashion, but it was very cute, very girly, and okay. Though I hate the comic, the one thing I actually liked about Future State is Kara’s costume. This was similar!

(Thank goodness it looked nothing like the prom dress from Rebirth. That...was a bit of a train wreck.)

(Look, not all comic artists are great clothes designers, it’s just how it is.)

We see the empowerment theme come up with Kara inspiring Kenny; he describes her as ‘an amazing light in a world of darkness’ and tells her that, ‘you changed me, Kara Zor-El.’

We love to see it. 

They also agree that stargazing and Monty Python make for the perfect prom these absolute NERDS I love them.

*Quick wibbly-wobbly, timey-whimey note WRT making this episode ‘fit’ with the Pilot: I’m not saying that it 100% does. There’s already the change with the Kryptonite, and the added info/awareness of the DEO. 

Those little changes, though, don’t really impact the overall arc of Kara and Alex, the way the emotional stuff might. 

Thus! The ‘Pilot’ of Earth Prime, and in fact, the ENTIRETY of the show’s run thus far most likely involved little differences throughout, but the emotional core is very close, if not the exact same.

BUT EITHER WAY, it doesn’t matter, because our Kara and Alex are still our Kara and Alex thanks to the multiple sets of memories! 

(So all of fandom’s freaking out is for naught. As it almost always is.) 

I bring this up because, again, as much as I talk about setting stuff up for where we find Kara six years from now--this Kara is a little different! She comes across as more confident, something Izabela Vidovic mentioned in an interview, when discussing her approach to playing Kara this time around. 

And now, Alex: Admittedly, she gets less focus as like, a solo-entity in these episodes--she really is there to serve the more Kara-centric plot. Personally, it didn’t bother me too much because outside of these flashback episodes, Alex has had some solid development and screen time, so. It balances out.

And the scenes we did get with those 2? Solid. Top tier. There was even a couch scene! Like, technically. Because there was a couch in the supply room. XD  

Spotlight on Kenny: fandom kinda loves to insist that all the men on Supergirl are trash, because, ya know. 'Feminism’ or whatever. It’s ships, it’s always ships. But, in fact! The dudes on Supergirl? Are actually wonderful! And Kenny is another example of a guy who isn’t afraid to be emotionally vulnerable, who 1000% supports Kara, but is also like. His own person. 

GOOD JOB, SHOW. GOOD JOB.

Brainy too, had some really nice stuff in terms of dealing with his emotions!

And it’s Brainy who gives us our closing line, as Nia asks him how he’s feeling now that they’ve accomplished their mission:

“Hopeful.”

NOICE.

In conclusion! “Prom Night” and “Prom Again!” were EXCELLENT! They had heart! They had stakes! They had the promised time-travel do-over alluded to in the titles! Outstanding performances from the entire cast! Tthe ‘young’ versions of characters in particular! And I WILL be watching these episodes on repeat throughout the three-month hiatus! XD

But before the Super Friends take their break: NEXT WEEK! The Quest for Kara Concludes!!!

#SG post #supergirl spoilers #supergirl season 6 spoilers #long post #gifs

[arya-skywalker]

Makeover (Sanders Sides Ella Enchanted AU)

Note: This AU is a mix of the Ella Enchanted book and movie, as well as Sanders Sides and some original twists. As with the movie, there will be some... historical inaccuracies.

CW: implied abuse, slavery mention, obedience curse (Virgil literally can’t say no to anything seen as an order which is... problematic). Please tell me if I need to tag anything else.

~*~

“Virgil!“ Remus screeched. “Come here now!”

Virgil clenched his jaw, just barely preventing the curse from dragging him at some ungodly speed. As long as he made an effort to obey, usually he could avoid unpleasant side effects. Usually. So he jogged to his step brother’s room. “What do you want now?”

Remus threw a bundle of clothes at him. “I need to look presentable for our royal guests!” He bounced on his heels.

Virgil caught the clothes and set them on the bed with a sigh. “You’re old enough to get dressed yourself.”

Remus stuck out his tongue. “Lace me up, buttercup!”

Virgil wrinkled his nose, then walked over. “How tight do you want it?” By now he was used to the fact that Remus insisted on wearing a corset. Why? He didn’t want to know.

“Tighter!” Remus sucked in a deep breath. “Tighter tighter tighter!”

Virgil pulled it as tight as he could, smirking slightly. “Hurt yet?”

Remus held up his hand, twisting to see his reflection in the mirror. His face was turning purple.

“If you faint, it’s your fault, not mine,” Virgil said dryly.

“Mmmpf!” Remus gestured vaguely to loosen it again.

Virgil rolled his eyes and did so. It took another hour before Remus was happy with his appearance— after trying on multiple outfits and painting his face.

“Good. Can I leave now?” Virgil asked, wiping the sweat from his brow.

Remus hummed and turned to face him with an expression that only meant trouble. “Let’s go to your room! You need a makeover too!”

Virgil stifled a groan, but didn’t argue, leading the way to his tiny room. He used to have Remus’s room. Until he was kicked out. Now he lived in a glorified closet. “Okay, we’re here. Now what? Do I dare ask what kind of look you’re going for today?” Sometimes Remus reveled in making him appear to be the lowliest servant. Other times Virgil was his living doll for outlandish fashion. Virgil couldn’t decide which was worse.

Remus giggled and ransacked his wardrobe, throwing clothes around the room. “The prince and the king are coming! You need to look presentable,” he said.

“Okay.....” That meant not a servant. But if Remus wanted to make a good impression, maybe it wouldn’t be too embarrassing. Virgil sighed and sat on the edge of his bed, inspecting his cracked uneven fingernails.

“You’re too skinny for a corset. Puffy sleeves would get in the way. So......” Remus whistled. “Oooh what’s this?” He held out a black tunic with purple embroidery and laced sleeves. It was worn and old fashioned, but good quality.

“That was my father’s! Please—“ Virgil shot to his feet.

“Your father’s? You don’t talk about him much. Tell me one thing you hated about him. No one’s perfect.”

Virgil flinched. “I....” The curse clawed at his mind, bringing up bad memories that he wished he could forget. He swallowed. “He.... could be strict, sometimes,” he mumbled.

“Strict like my daddy?” Remus asked, walking over and tugging Virgil to sit back down with him.

“No. Not.... not like that. He never hit me,” Virgil said, biting his lip. “He just.... had high expectations that I feared I’d never fulfill.” He laughed harshly. “And look at me now— a slave in my own house.”

Remus was silent for a moment. Which could be a good or a bad sign. When he spoke again, his voice was softer, “Tell me something you loved about your father.”

Virgil wiped his eyes. “He always knew the right thing to say. When I was upset, he’d hold me. He wouldn’t tell me to stop crying. He wouldn’t say that crying was a girly thing. He’d tell me that my feelings were valid, that there was nothing wrong with how I was reacting.”

Again, Remus was quiet. Then he stood. “We’re gonna make your daddy proud!”

Virgil blinked. “We.... what?” He stared at his older step brother. “Since when do you care?”

Remus grinned like a Cheshire Cat. “Two minutes ago,” he said, then grabbed Virgil’s arm and yanked him to his feet. “Change into the tunic!”

Virgil automatically started changing, almost grateful to the spell for guiding his body through the motions. Otherwise he would have stood there gawking like an idiot.

Remus walked around him and helped lace up the tunic, then shoved him in front of the mirror. “It’s a start,” he mused. “Wait right here! I’ll be back!” He grinned and ran back to his room.

Virgil opened his mouth to protest, feeling the curse root him in place. Then he sighed and looked at his reflection, sweeping his bangs out of his face. The tunic did fit, although the sleeves were a little long. *I’m sorry, dad.... I wish I could make your proud but I’m just... me.*

Remus burst through the door and threw something on the bed. “Sit on the bed, close your eyes, shut your mouth, and don’t move until I say so!”

Virgil stifled a yelp, then did so, trying and failing to catch a glimpse of what Remus brought with him before closing his eyes and going still as instructed. A brush tickled his face. *Oh no....* The spell stopped him from sneezing.

Remus hummed as he worked, oblivious to Virgil’s apprehension. After a little while, he pulled away. “Open your eyes! Go look in the mirror!” he said excitedly.

Virgil took a deep breath, then did so, pleasantly surprised that Remus hadn’t overdone it. Dark eyeshadow and a hint of mascara, a dusting of silvery powder, and burgundy lipstick. He sighed in relief. “Thanks... I guess,” he said.

Remus giggled, bouncing up and down. “We’re not done yet!” He took a swath of black satin and draped it over Virgil’s shoulders, clasping it with a skull brooch. Then he attacked Virgil’s hair with bobby pins and fancy combs.

“Owww....” Virgil muttered. “What are you doing to my hair?”

“Don’t take any of it off until after our guests leave,” Remus ordered. “Gotta keep your hair out of your pretty eyes!”

Virgil groaned. “Are you done yet? What will your father think of you dressing up the family slave?”

Remus pouted. “You’re my brother! You’ve got noble blood in there.... somewhere... so you should show it off!”

Virgil rolled his eyes. “Whatever. You’re a dork.” Remus only giggled.

“VIRGIL!” His stepfather shouted from downstairs. “You were supposed to be in the kitchen an hour ago!”

Virgil winced. “Duty calls,” he muttered, saluting to his brother before trudging down to the kitchen.

#aryaskywalker writes #sanders sides #sanders sides fanfic #sanders sides au #ella enchanted au #virgil sanders #remus sanders #platonic dukexiety #tw abuse #tw slavery #obedience curse

[sittingoverheredreaming]

Girls’ Night

Happy Valentines Day! Who’s ready for a fic that has nothing to do with the holiday or even romance? This turned out very different that what I set out to write, and it hits some personal notes for me (warning for slight butch and homophobia). Yes, it’s just under 2K words of Haruka starting to connect with the Inners beyond Mina.

_____

None of the girls knew what to expect when Minako announced-- and she had announced, rather than asked-- that Haruka would be coming to their next sleepover. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say they all had expectations, but knew them to be incorrect and somewhat less than kind.

Makoto felt preemptively defensive. If Haruka dared deride any of their activities as too girly or childish, she was ready to fight. Ami was nervous that Haruka would not come without Michiru. She could not tell if she specifically did not want Michiru there, or if she thought a couple would be inappropriate. Likely, she conceded privately, it was both.

Rei braced herself for another boisterous blonde in the group. Usagi worried everyone, including herself, would be too flustered to have fun.

But when Haruka arrived, she did not appear boisterous or haughty or even suave. She looked nervous, shoulders raised, a plastic bag of clothes in one hand and a value-sized tub of cheese puffs in the other.

“I, um, brought these,” she said, handing the later to Usagi. “Thank you for inviting me.”

Usagi smiled and did not say she hadn’t invited her. “Of course, we’re glad you came! Everyone’s in here.” She took Haruka and the cheese puffs into the living room. They had their usual set up, squeezed just a little tighter to ensure a sixth person could fit. “So what sort of movies do you like, Haruka?”

Usagi had meant it as an innocuous question, but everyone’s attention shifted to them to wait for the answer.

“Oh, um.” Haruka scratched the back of her head. “I like about anything, really.”

“You can tell them, buddy,” Mina said from her spot on the couch, without looking up from the fashion magazine she’d filched from Rei.

Haruka flushed. “Really, anything is good, I don’t want to throw you guys off too much.”

There was a flash in Rei’s eyes that clearly said Too late, but no one voiced the thought. Haruka squeezed in to sit next to Mina, doing a poor job of feigning interest in the article she was flipping through on the summer’s hottest dress styles.

Makoto looked on from her other side. “You ever wear stuff like that?”

“Um, not really, no.” Haruka’s neck and ears flushed pink. “It’s just not really my thing? I mean, I had to wear dresses when I was younger, but…”

“Mhm,” said Makoto, and Haruka felt this was somehow the wrong answer.

Mina threw an arm around Haruka’s shoulders. “Haruka likes pizza though! We should get to ordering.”

Haruka tried to relax into her embrace. “Yeah, pizza’s great. Any kind of pizza is great.”

“Everyone loves pizza!” Usagi held up her phone like it was a holy sword, ready to order. “Pizza is the great uniter of the people.”

Haruka couldn’t help but laugh. “Actually, would you believe Michiru doesn’t like pizza? I didn’t think it was possible.”

No one else found it amusing. “She does seem the type,” Ami said cooly. Rei and Makoto nodded. Usagi still held her phone in the air, face contorted as she tried to process the words doesn’t like pizza.

“Why don’t we get two large pepperoni?” Mina said as though nothing at all had transpired. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ravenous.

Five uncomfortable murmurs of assent, and she declared the pizza would be on its way. For a long stretch, they all pretended to watch the pizza tracker. Their order had been received. The restaurant had not begun preparing it. Mina tapped her screen to keep it from going dark.

“You know, I’m pretty good at painting nails. Mi…” Haruka shifted and cleared her throat, sensing at the last moment that mentioning Michiru again was not the best course. “I could do it for you guys, if you wanted.”

“Maybe after the pizza,” Rei said. “If our nails don’t dry, it’s hard to eat.”

“Okay.”

“Look.” Mina tossed her phone to type side and pressed her palms against the table. “She did mine the other day.”

Her nails were a simple red. It was the most Haruka could do, but it was hardly impressive to anyone besides Usagi.

“That’s amazing! Why didn’t you tell us Haruka did them?”

Haruka had sworn Mina to secrecy, but she knew better than to say that. “It’s her secret power.”

“I’m jealous. I always get it all uneven.” Usagi pulled off her socks to wiggle her toes, where polish clumped at her cuticles and stuck to the skin around her nail.

“You just get too impatient.” Rei smacked at her socks. “If you just took your time--”

“I do, Rei, I do!” Usagi swung her socks in Rei’s face. “I go so slow! You’ve seen me, I just can’t do it good.”

“You only think you can’t.”

“Reeeeeiiiiiiiii.”

Makoto chuckled and leaned back on the couch. “You sure got them started.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean--”

She waved Haruka off, feeling momentarily charitable. “They get like this no matter what. It’s what you signed up for just by coming.”

“Yeah. It’s kind of nice. You guys are, I mean, when you’re just…” Haruka trailed off.

Makoto softened a little, loosening from the animosity that had built between them. “It’s always nice when people stop being on their best behavior for you.”

Mina beamed behind Haruka’s back. Even Ami, on the other side of the room, looked more comfortable. By the time the pizza arrived, she was sure this was going all according to plan. They all dug in happily, and for a moment it seemed nothing could go wrong. Usagi tried to match Haruka bite for bite-- a simple, yet admirable feat-- while Rei berated them both for their manners. Mako laughed at them all, big and loud, and Ami laughed small and quiet.

But as Mina knew very well, a victory so easily won was just as easily lost.

“It’s movie time!” Usagi declared when the pizza boxes were put aside in favor of various snacks. “What should we watch?”

Everyone-- besides Haruka-- threw in their ideas. Ami got groans for suggesting an Einstine documentary, but so did Rei for her historical drama. Mina, for once, did not suggest anything risque, but instead put forward a rom-com everyone had liked the last time they’d watched it. Makoto also suggested a rom-com.

And then Usagi pulled out a dog movie.

“Mama said this was really good!” She pointed at the cover art. “And the dog is super cute.”

“I heard they did a lot of research on dog behavior for that, it’s supposed to be very accurate.”

Rei nodded as though she was just as interested in scientific accuracy as Ami. “That’s my vote.”

“I’m down.”

Everyone looked to Haruka and Mina. “Um…” Haruka looked at the floor. “Wouldn’t you guys rather watch something more romancey?”

“Why?” Makoto asked, bristling again. “Is that all you think girls like?”

“No, I just like them, and--”

“What, you think the women are hot?”

If looks could kill, Mina would have murdered Rei on the spot.

“No!” Haruka waived her hands in front of her face. “I mean, sometimes, maybe, I don’t know, but probably not any more than you do.”

“Than I do?” Rei went tense, and the room went tenser.

“Than any of you, I mean.”

As soon as she said it, she knew it was a misstep. Ami blushed very red. Makoto looked to the ceiling. Rei crossed her arms, mouthing the beginning of arguments and shaking her head. Usagi didn’t look shaken, at least, just thoughtful, like maybe the idea just hadn’t occurred to her before.

“Well I guess the closet walls are coming down tonight, huh?” Mina said, too loud and cheerful. She clapped her hands. “We don’t have to unpack this right now, so why don’t we--”

“I think I’m gonna go.” Haruka grabbed her bag. “I’m making everyone uncomfortable. Sorry.” She was out the door before Mina could stop her.

“What the fuck, you guys?”

“Don’t what the fuck us. What the fuck you, you brought her.” Rei pointed an accusatory finger. “None of us wanted her here.”

“Yeah, you made that painfully clear. You could have been nice and gave her a shot.”

“I did and she accused me of--”

“Rei Hino you are a lesbian and everyone knows it, she didn’t accuse anyone of shit.”

“She was making fun of us,” Makoto said, tone terse and measured. “She thinks we’re too girly.”

Mina took a breath. “Firstly, projecting much? Secondly, she does like rom coms, and painting nails, because she’s a complex human being, and she just didn’t want to watch the stupid dog movie because she was gonna cry when the dog died, and she’d get all embarrassed about that.”

“THE DOG DIES?”

They ignored Usagi. Ami looked around, and, realizing it was her turn, shrugged sheepishly. “I just don’t like her much.”

Mina rose a finger, but then dropped it. “You know, that’s actually pretty fair. Thank you for being honest.”

Usagi, being ignored already, took the opportunity to slip outside. She was happy to see Haruka hadn’t gotten any further than her car, having taken a moment to brood behind the wheel. She forced a smile as Usagi approached. “You shouldn’t be outside barefoot, kitten.”

“I want to apologize for everyone. Can I come in?”

Haruka shrugged, so Usagi climbed into the passenger seat. “I didn’t know the dog died. In the movie, I mean.”

Haruka chuckled. “That’s okay.”

“I would have cried too.”

Haruka flushed, and they were silent for a long stretch.

“It’s hard to think of you as just one of the girls.”

“Yeah, I know. I get that a lot.”

“Not… not just that.” Usagi stared at the dashboard. “You’re only a year older than us, but you seem so… so far ahead. I don’t think Michiru would be any less intimidating. You know parts of yourselves we can’t even fathom yet. And you’re like, practically married.”

“And you and Mamoru aren’t?”

“That’s different, we have a whole other life and destiny tying us together. You just chose each other.”

“I guess that makes sense.” Haruka folded her arms over the wheel and rested her chin on them. “I don’t feel older than you guys, though. You guys have built this whole thing with each other, and I don’t have that with anyone. I mean, Mina likes me alright, and we hang out, but that’s it. I haven’t had a group like this since I was real little, and even then it was mostly boys.” She smiled weakly. “They stopped liking me when I started beating them at sports and not kissing them.”

Usagi laughed. “Well, you can beat me at all the sports, I’m sure, and I won’t stop liking you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah!” Her eyes widened and she pumped her fists. “Let’s have our own sleepover in here!” She leaned back her seat and started to pull up movies on her phone.

“It won’t be comfortable.”

“It’ll be better than spending the night with meanie Rei. Here, this is a movie I’ve seen, nobody dies and it’s real cute” She balanced her phone on the window so Haruka could see. “We can have a nice little girl’s night.”

Haruka sighed and leaned her seat back to join her. “I guess this could be fun.”

Mina looked on from the front step as Usagi hit play. The others would come around with time, she was sure, and if nothing else, this was a good start. She slipped back inside to make sure no one would interrupt Haruka’s sleepover.

#sam writes #yo Usagi and haruka are kind of a loaded pair but I love them as friends #And while I love Mako and Haruka as the secondary friendship to the broTP #I think Usagi would make the connection sooner

[trip-downtheriverstyx]

BDRPWRIMO: A mock application- disclaimer that I did this as an exercise for my OC story aha but it’s still connected enough to Swynlake so!! 

OPAL ACHERON;; 

ABOUT THE CHARACTER; NAME: Opal FACE CLAIM: Mackenzie Foy PRONOUNS: She/her AGE: 18! SEXUALITY: Straight-ish. True Generation Z Straight, aka she mostly likes boys but won’t rule out ever liking a girl lmao sexuality is fluid JOB/SCHOOL: Pride U—Theatre! Scriptwriting at this moment. RESIDENCE: Belle’s house! WHY YOU’RE APPLYING FOR THIS CHARACTER (5 SENTENCES MINIMUM):

I’m just gonna use this space to talk about why I love Opal. She’s such a bright, upbeat, artistic character who has lots of dimensions to her. She’s driven first and foremost by an intense love and delight for life—for making each day unique and figuring out how to express herself or “make her mark.” She’s had a happy childhood with parents who love each other and are very passionate themselves, and that passion rubbed off on her and onto everything she touches and does. Because she was taught early on to never give up and to tackle problems head on (very Hades and Belle truly), she isn’t a pessimist or a cynic. She wants to find solutions to her problems. She wants to succeed and triumph. And so when her illness strikes, it never really occurs to her to be depressed about it. I mean, sure, that’s part denial right there but it also speaks to the iron of her will. She’s resilient and why wouldn’t she be? She grew up in Swynlake.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR CHARACTER CAN ADD TO SWYNLAKE (5 sentences minimum): She is the kind of girl to get into trouble and bring people along with her! She hears about something mysterious in the forest? Absolutely she wants to check that out. Student body elections? You betcha Opal wants to run. She’s more of a ‘leader’ than a follower, though at the same time, I think she operates in this middle space between “mom friend” and like, I dunno, cool aunt friend—like, part of Opal getting into trouble will be on behalf of some of her closest friends sometimes. (If you’re thinking to yourself, is Opal a Gryffindor??? I don’t know. I’m between Raven v Gryff v a very friendly Slytherin because I think she gets attached to persons over groups but I’ll let u know where she lands lmao.)

LIST THREE GOALS THAT YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH WITH  THIS CHARACTER/THAT THIS CHARACTER WANTS TO ACCOMPLISH:

None of these are gonna make sense to you guys here we go— 1. Come to terms with her chronic illness—her ghostliness is sort of a metaphor for this. Opal desperately wants to be normal but she isn’t normal. She needs to accept she has certain limitations…but those limitations don’t have to necessarily LIMIT her “life” experience. 2. Have a YA-worthy romance probably—Opal is definitely too romantic for her own good, while simultaneously being pretty sensible about it and probably a little persnickety. She’s definitely had boyfriends in the past, but does fear true commitment in a way because of how much she values independence and doing things her way. She’s like her mum in that sense ahah. And I’d love for her to really learn how to be in a relationship. 3. Hijinks with her brothers related to “fixing” her condition—which maybe culminates in a visit to the underworld?! Mostly because I need a fucking plot for this thing. But it would be funny if Hades is still Lord of the Underworld and this is like the equivalent of going out to a 21+ strip club or something lmfao.

WHAT IS YOUR CHARACTER’S VIEW ON MAGIC? (3 SENTENCES MINIMUM):

Opal grew up around magic so naturally she loves it. She also depends on magic to make her life livable. While magic is vilified by others, magic lifts up Opal’s own life—and so she sees lots of good with it and is a true magic advocate. She also realizes she’s in a really unique position (like a lot of white upper-class kids with a chronic illness) in that the nature of her family’s magic means she GETS the care she needs, even if that care is through magic. BIOGRAPHY (300 WORDS MINIMUM, 3RD PERSON):

Opal Acheron is not dead yet. Opal Acheron is a lot of things besides dead (ish.) She is the daughter of Belle Acheron, a very successful Magick Rights Lawyer, and Hades, the ambassador to the Underworld. She’s an artist. She’s an actress. She’s a big sister who takes that job very seriously, even when her twin brothers annoy her. She’s a wicked horse rider and she also plays a mean game of chess, taught by the Lord of the Dead himself. And when she was just 12 years old, she scripted her first petition with the help of her mother, advocating for an Undead Appreciation Day. She is a Swynlake Native and it’s in her very blood. She wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. And yes. She’s just a touch dead. Soon after Opal’s eighteenth birthday, she developed a very inconvenient heart tumor that would certainly lead to her untimely end. But her father intervened before her soul could pass through the veil. He bargained with the Fates—Opal would live frozen in time, a ghost during the day, and a girl at night, for as long as she wanted…or at least, until the Acherons found some kind of solution, magic or medical, that might give Opal more time. Now, Opal has to learn a different way of living, a life between things, and just in time for her first semester of university. But Opal considers herself a very optimistic girl, even if she’s a ghost one. She’s determined not to let her condition get in the way of her dreams. Why should she— Opal Acheron is not dead yet.

ROLEPLAYING SAMPLE (500 WORDS MINIMUM, 3RD PERSON): 

Opal sees a cute boy.

He sits in the back of Hatter’s café, trousers the colour of mustard and rolled up so she can see his ankles. She likes his ankles best of all, or at least, she likes them best from where she stands next to her brother who is waiting for his peppermint mocha. She wants to get closer to decide about those ankles. And whether or not those glasses he wears—the thick, clear plastic kind—are real or just a fashion statement, and what she thinks about that, too. Either way, she knows he is cute enough to ask.

Unfortunately, she’s a ghost, which makes these things slightly more complicated.

If she were still alive, Opal would not hesitate to go over and introduce herself. If she were alive, she’d already have made eye contact with him across the room-- like in her favorite classic movies, with women in splendid pin-up skirts and perfect curls, who flirted over the tops of books, speaking whole poems with a flutter of their eyelashes. If she were alive, maybe she’d even entice the skinny-ankled stranger to buy her a coffee too. But because she is not alive, she should turn away and mind her business-- her flirting days behind her now.

But that sounds terrible. So instead, she informs her brother, who is a medium: “Bell, I see a cute boy.”

Bellamy is reading and not paying attention to cute boys. He doesn’t look up from Frank Herbert’s Dune, only turns a page and says, “Good for you.”

She presses her lips together. “Bell, you’re not even looking. I need you to go over and talk to him for me.”

“No thank you.”

“That wasn’t a request.”

 “Ah, well, then you should say please.”

 “I said it wasn’t a request.” Opal stares owlishly at her brother, who has officially started ignoring her, as though she is little more than a gnat buzzing around his ear. Well, she can buzz much louder if she really wants to. Opal has no qualms about being an annoying older sister. In her opinion, being annoying is in the job description of an Older Sister, and especially an Older Sister Who Is Also A Ghost.

And so she reaches out with those ghosty hands of hers and levitates Dune right out of Bell’s hands. A few eyes in the queue slide their way and follow the book as it floats above her brother’s head. Bell stares at his hands still, like nothing happened.

“This is rude,” states Bell with his eyes on his empty hands.

She wiggles the book in the air, pages fluttering. “Please,” she says.

He finally looks up and regards her with a blank face. “You’re so immature.”

“I’m a ghost—emotionally stunted by nature,” says Opal. “Now, please, talk to Cute Boy for me.”

PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING ABOUT THE CHARACTER (MINIMUM OF THREE WITH 2-3 SENTENCE EXPLANATIONS): FAVORITE (OR LEAST FAVORITE)… COLOR(S): “It’s not fair to the other colors to have a favorite.” WEATHER: She loves thunderstorms. They’re so dramatic and she likes to pretend to be scared or like it’s gonna blow the house down. MUSIC: Musicals of course! Lots of classics and old jazz singers. She does like pop music too but only a tune here and there. MOVIE(S): oh OLDIES again! Musicals! Black and white classics! Got really into silent films at one point. She also loves old historical dramas and she wants to start in an Austen revival. Loves Shakespeare theatre. Sexual awakening when she saw DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliet SCENT(S): Um…flowers. Understated scents, probably doesn’t wear perfume unless for special occasions. BEVERAGE: is she an ice coffee bitch—Yes also flavored lattes and herbal teas. FOOD(S): vegetarian :3 She really loves coconut in things. Her favorite meal is probably like a vegetarian coconut curry or something—kinda sweet n spicy at the same time. She loves Indian food for that kinda reason too. Oh and vegetarian sushi like with avocado and mango and stuff. ANIMAL(S): Horses! Belle would have Opal start riding as soon as she can walk (despite Hades probably being overprotective.) Opal would be a true blue horse girl. She’d read all the horse books and goes to feed Philippe with her mum and probably wants her very own horse too! Horses are the best! 100 percent horses! Also, the humble caterpillar. OR 3 HEADCANONS (3 sentence mimimum): -Opal has one of those weird girly phobias about cutting her hair. She only ever trims it and she loves it as long as it can go. She also taught herself how to do extravagant braids and updos—definitely self-taught when it comes to that and also make-up, all through Youtube tutorials, since Belle isn’t exactly savvy herself. (I bet she’s done Belle’s hair tho isn’t that cute.) - Despite absolutely loving to dress up, her day to day look is pretty practical. She likes boots because they can be cute but she can still go trudging through Enchantra and they don’t get too uncomfortable.

#bdrpwrimolauryl

[princettegil]

Ya know, sometimes I wonder if I’m *too* strange? Like, if you looked at all my likes, interests, etc. you’d think I was competing for most special snowflake award! Alone, they’re probably not too weird (minus a few things that definitely are) but combined they really just look like I’m screaming for attention. And it makes me feel uneasy because that’s NOT the reason! I really and truly like all these things and deeply feel this way; there are no ulterior motives or tantrums screaming for attention via those interests and identities but I realize that they probably seem that way to others and I worry that I may be judged as trying too hard to be special or something and I’m really not. But it worries me still ‘cause, like, I mean, look at some of the things I really love/identify as! ●Anime/Manga/Cosplay (one of those not too weird alone things but…) ●Goth culture and fashion (a little strange to most folks, sometimes really strange to some) ●Halloween addict (I do mean extremely, 24/7/365) ●My obsession with cats (crazy cat lady/person, not insanely odd…) ●Acting like a cat, wearing cat ears all the time, meowing a lot, probably being catkin or therian, following kittenplay blogs because of it (definitely weird, esp the deeper you get to know my catty side) ●Being Trans/NB (especially wanting to be a feminine/extremely girly boy and not just a boy) ●Being ace (and demi pan-romantic) ●Ruling over my own micronation (definitely freaky to most people) ●Because of the above, using the gender-neutral title of ‘Princette’ ●I created my own religion (freaky extraordinaire. In my defense it’s mostly just a cat-goddess sort of Paganism but I also came up with a greater God of my own creation…) ●My new, legal name. I thought it was easy but apparently no one knows how to pronounce Gilraen Hime (even after spelling out the pronunciation – Gil-RAY-in He-May) And so many questions over what it means and where I got it. I really just should have went with Gil… orz Like I said, alone a lot of these things aren’t too strange. Being an anime fan irl isn’t too odd to most people on this site but to non-otaku and older folks it’s pretty strange and they can never seem to understand it. Dressing goth in rural KY? Ouch. Talking about Halloween in Spring/Summer/Winter? Somewhat odd but kinda okay-ish to most. Wearing cat ears? Okay, they’re quirky. Meowing and purring and identifying as a cat person? Something must be wrong with them. Being Trans/Ace/etc.? Odd. Being gay or bi would be fine but trans and ace and demi pan-romantic? WTF snowflake!? Especially wanting to be a girly femboy? Okay…why? You’re gonna dress and act the same so why?? Having a micronation? Ruling over my own land with my own laws and government and being a Princess---err Princette? Uhhh… is your head on okay? That’s just some sort of fantasy game right? Like, you’re not for real serious are you?? Creating my own religion? Fucking blaspheming freak. All of these things TOGETHER!? WHAT.THE.HOLY.FUCK.IS.WRONG.WITH.YOU!?!? Are you some sort of eccentric crazy psycho!? Special snowflake syndrome!? They must just want attention! What a freak! Weirdo. Somebody wasn’t hugged enough as a child. They’re definitely crazy! Obviously, they live in some fantasy world. This is the real world, honey. Act more normal okay? But it’s just really what I like! No other reasons! I’ve liked anime since I was 5 and watched Speed Racer and Gatchaman! Cosplaying makes me feel free! I love dressing like characters I feel so close too! And sometimes, the clothes are just so cool looking!! Goth clothes? Same deal! I love the way they look! And they make me feel better, pretty. So what if it’s not the normal definition of pretty! I think it’s beautiful! Unique and dark and ragged edges and flowing gowns and fabric and belts and straps and mesh and - - - lovely! Halloween is something I always liked and eventually won my ‘favorite holiday’ award lol. Fall, October… that crisp air, crunchy leaves, dressing up as anything or anyone you want, telling scary stories and watching horror movies, visiting beautiful cemeteries as the leaves turn to fire, being scared in haunted houses, laughing from the adrenaline, goth décor and clothing for cheap!, hay rides in the cool air, spooky accessories, that odd feel of something otherworldly… what’s not to love!! And as a goth, seriously best time of year to shop! Being catty and wearing cat ears and meowing is just another thing I love! I’ve always felt better and less anxious and more myself around cats, always loved learning about cats, wished I could be a cat, it feels natural to be cat-like. And cat ears are soooo cute!! Do I really have to explain my orientation and gender? It took me a long time to get to this point and accept what I am and it’s only lead to me feeling better about myself. I’ve always dreamed about being a Princess and with a micronation of my own, I can be! Not only that, I can create a place where I and others like me can feel safe and belong. I can create the world I wish for instead of just bemoaning the country I was born in and forced to obey. My religion is also better suited to my interests and beliefs. Sure, I made up a God and mythology but I know it’s just that – mythology and my creation. But is that really so different that most other religions if you look at them scientifically and historically? I still believe in other gods to some extent and to some extent I’m still a bit agnostic but it’s tenants are very Pagan and very much a reflection of the things I believe and revere, tinted with my own interests and things I know a lot about (cats.) It gives me the same hope that more accepted religions give to their adherents. So, I’m strange. Odd. Weird. Different. Eccentric. Quirky. But I’m not doing it for attention, I’m doing it cause I like these things and they make me feel happy. So my interests are a bit strange to most people and there’s a lot of them most would consider weird. So what? I’m me. I’m happy. And that’s all that matters. You’ll get no apologies from me for enjoying my life!

#Catkin #cat therian #halloween #trans #nb #goth #asexual #micronations #religion #paganism #non-binary #transgender #personal

[ayuwatanabe]

Pink Feminist English ver.

　You will see hundreds of advertisements regarding hair removal, plastic surgery or diet supplement everywhere in Japan. That makes me uncomfortable and it seems like the beauty industry is trying women to feel shame and have complex with body image. Having body hair, gaining weights, aging… they all are natural in terms of living but they are considered as ugly things of women. However, human being is very beautiful for me even though it is seen as dirty. Also, why are these propagandas for female ONLY? Why are armpit hair and leg hair called Muda (waste, useless) -hair while women are required to take care of their long hair which stands feminine? Shaving hair can be beautiful but not shaving hair also can be beautiful. Both are just fine and it is our choice. No one has the right to comment negatively to others’ appearance. Even if you are fat or skinny, remember that there are always people who likes and dislikes, you cannot be everyone’s favourite because there is no standard of true beauty. I had been suffering eating disorder and social anxiety for years. When I lost tons of weights, no one actually cares. When I got fat because of overeating, no one also cares. People around me actually do not care how I look than I thought. The cause of this problem is that, no one loved me because I did not love myself and I did not love myself because no one loved me. My self-hate could not stop and I feel very uncomfortable with being myself and my appearance. I was scared to look at mirrors. The only thing I could control is what I eat but that was not a solution. I just wanted love from someone special, I care about and I realized that being skinny is not what everyone expects me. Therefore, I focused to accept myself first and have a healthy life. Now I might be fat comparing with the Japanese beauty propaganda standard, but I feel better with myself than before. Self-love is beautiful no matter what appearance because your body is for yourself, not for someone else. Here, I want to celebrate everyone’s scar, tattoo, body hair, cellulite, acne… everything is just so LOVELY and they have the possibility to be seen as beautiful!

  I had been avoiding to confess that “I AM A FEMINIST”. Because here in Japan, the image, the bias of feminist does not follow the true definition. Feminist is considered as the aggressive woman with masculine appearance. If you are following my social medias, you can probably understand (and some of you might be like me) that I am far from those images. I am sensitive, weak, and I respect all gender and sexuality. I do not think that every woman should be strong and independent. You can call yourself feminist while wearing very girly, lace outfits if you would like. Men and women are different but both sexes have its own powers and beauties. I do not claim that I want to completely eliminate the wall between men and women. We should be free from from gender stereotype, pressure, which social bias consists. The original definition of feminism is the belief that both men and women have equal rights. Men do not have to be masculine and women also do not have to be feminine. We can be whatever be like. For instance, Japanese medias use the word "女子力（Girl Power）" for product promotion activities. Gaining Girl Power means becoming a girl, who can cook, wearing clean make-up (putting too much make-up sometimes considered as a slut / bitch) and fashionable clothes. I was disappointed that such as propaganda vocabularies only focus on female and everyone naturally accepts without any doubts. One of the most famous magazines, “VOGUE” wrote the article about the ideal women for getting men’s attention. The title of the article is "The best way to seduce men is not improving language skill, there are more important things." It says women's appearance is the most important for men and there is no need to study, learn foreign languages, cultures, traveling because it is meaningless from the point of view to get men's attention. I was sad to see that such a famous fashion magazine said like this. Both internal and external of women are not for men’s attention, we learn / dress up for ourselves if we want. In addition, there are thousands of articles besides VOGUE magazines, mostly not for men, but only those made for women. First of all, women do not need to be interested in makeup and fashion. No matter how painful, boring and lonely my life is, I can be happy just wearing my favourite outfits, so fashion is for myself and I was shocked to see that many Japanese medias tell people that being fashionable is equal to seducing men. Certainly, it is nice to dress up just for someone else but if you like dressing up purely, please enjoy it for yourself first. Every Woman does not need to be interested in them and it is waste of money, time and stressful to make effort what you do not like. Plus, I realize the personality comes out on the appearance, so the core of being fashionable is not what you put on outside actually. The person who is charming and having confidence all look cool in appearance naturally.

　I’ve never seen a parade of LGBTQ before my first travel to England. There were many men wearing pink, frills, lovely clothes, walking with boyfriend…it was just so beautiful. In Japan, many X gender or gay people cannot confess their sexualities because people make fun of them just like Japanese TV shows do. Many medias treat LGBTQ people like they are the funniest creatures and the audience take it seriously. I did not like pink and those girly stuffs personally, but I feel strong power from it since this parade. Women wear pants but men do not wear skirts and everyone call sissy / gay when they see men wearing pink, feminine items. That ambivalence is interesting that I felt strong power from pink, but it is also seen as socially weak and childish. This project, I create it very pink and put feminine atmosphere on purpose. It is kind of ironic because I call myself feminist, but the image which the society created is completely different with me and my works. I want to break the traditional prejudice of the feminist women who has short hair, male looking and isolated women (never fell in love with men). However, I believe feminist women can wear adorable and romantic items while showing body hair or spreading their legs like ordinary men in public. I want to be feminist but I also want to be seen as cute and feminine. Historically, the images of women are created by mostly male artists such as paintings and pictures. That’s why it feels very meaningful that an ordinary girl like me captures the female gaze.

​

[jessicakehoe]

The 5 Best Moments From Michelle Obama’s Becoming Talk in Toronto

There’s a lot one can learn about Michelle Obama over the course of reading her 400-page memoir, Becoming. In the book, the former First Lady of the United States details all the experiences, challenges and events of her life, right from a childhood on the South Side of Chicago to eight years in the White House, but there’s still—and will always be—so much more to know. Over the weekend at the Toronto stop of her book tour, we learned some fun facts about the global icon. Like:

If she could meet any famous historical figure, who would it be? Eleanor Roosevelt. If she could replace the national anthem with one song from Lemonade, which would she pick? Formation. What can men do to be better allies? Bow down. (That one was a joke.)

Read on for the five best moments from the evening, and the stories and wisdom she shared over the course of her conversation with 2 Dope Queens’ Phoebe Robinson.

On raising strong daughters “Here’s what I’ll say about my brother that should be relevant to men in the audience as it pertains to building a strong girl. My brother Craig and my father were the first examples of how men should show up in my life… They loved me unconditionally but not in that sort of pretty, girly, cutesy kind of way. I wasn’t just a precious little thing that wore dresses and was cute. My brother and father saw me as an equal. So when our father taught us anything, he taught it to us both. When it was time for Craig to learn how to box, I got my little boxing glove. When it was time to throw and learn how to catch, somebody was throwing and somebody was catching. And I learned what it felt like to be respected by men in my life and that shaped completely the kind of men I let in. To the fathers out there: trust me, girls know when you really value and respect them. Adoration alone isn’t always enough.”

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Happy birthday to my big brother, Craig, who’s always been by my side whenever I’ve needed him. But what I love about Craig is he isn’t just that way around me. He’s always there for my mom, for his wife, and especially for his children. No matter what he’s got going on, he’s always making sure those around him know they’re loved. So today, I want him to know he is, too. Have a great day, @craigmalrob!

A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on Apr 21, 2019 at 1:27pm PDT

On the fear of failure “When I talk to young people about that, I remind people that transition is something that you have to practice and oftentimes people let their fear keep them from practicing transition. For me, when I decided to go to a magnet high school and not my neighbourhood school, you go through that first phase of ‘oh my god this is so frightening…’ You do it, you push through that fear. By October it feels more natural, by January it’s old hat and before you know it you’re finished with your first year in high school. It’s over. It’s like a wave of fear that you have to get used to riding. If you stop you never get used to the fact that you’re going to get over that wave of fear. And a lot of people never practice getting over that wave of fear. They let that fear stop them because they’re afraid it’ll never end. The feeling of failure ends just like any painful thing. You recover from it. It doesn’t last forever in the same way.”

On her and Barack Obama’s Netflix deal “We have such a limited array of stories that we hear about in the world because the storytellers tend to be white, male, older people who tell the stories that relate to them. So it is so important to have different voices determining whose stories get told. Because I understood in writing this book, for example, that it wasn’t important for me to tell this story just because I was the former First Lady but when you think about how many living black women get to tell their story en masse in a way that will be read by millions. Oftentimes our stories are told by others, and when someone takes your story and tries to retell it sometimes it loses its realness, it loses its power. So this platform isn’t really about me and Barack, it’s about giving as many other people the space and the platform to tell more stories so that our kids have different views of how to be human in this world.”

The projects the Obamas are working on for Netflix include a drama set in post-WWII New York City, a scripted anthology, a children's series, and a number of non-fiction projects https://t.co/ivz6DDXi8M pic.twitter.com/bRJWJuWLsj

— CNN (@CNN) May 1, 2019

On creating a better world for women “Particularly in the workplace, I want men to think about the fact that whatever their workplace is like for the women who are currently in it, that’s what’s going to be waiting for your little girl when it’s time for her to step in. So if you’re one of those men that’s not making room for women’s voices, if you sort of overtalk a woman—I mean these are just small things, I’m not even talking about the crazy harassment stuff that can really go on, I’m just talking about the basic considerations or understanding what it means to value the voice of a woman. Because if you’re not doing that day to day in your workplace, that’s where your daughter’s going to be. And if you taught her to be strong but you’re then not preparing the workplace for the strong woman you’re creating, you’re doing a disservice to her.”

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‪Happy #FathersDay @BarackObama. Our daughters may be older and taller now, but they’ll always be your little girls. We love you.‬

A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on Jun 18, 2017 at 8:02am PDT

On the infinite process of ‘becoming’ “It’s never too late to be healthy. It’s never too late to be a better friend. It’s never too late to be more self-reflective. It’s never too late. I hope to be growing until the day I die. I hope to be discovering new things about people and places because what’s the alternative? The alternative is that you stop? And when is that? At 60, at 70, at 80? You just stop growing? You stop trying, you stop dreaming? No, it can’t be. Life is too long and it’s only getting longer. People are going to be living even longer. I’m just going to be getting going in my 80s. I want to be that old lady that says whatever’s on her mind. You know that older woman that just doesn’t care and you’re like ‘[gasp] Grandma! You shouldn’t have said that.’ I want to be her.”

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As I reflect on the past year, I’m so thankful and overwhelmed by all the new experiences and memories. From launching new endeavors and engaging new voters to sharing my story with all of you—and hearing about so many of yours as well. Thank you all for joining me on this journey and for sharing so much of yourselves. There’s so much to discover in 2019! #IAmBecoming #top9

A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on Dec 31, 2018 at 8:06am PST

The post The 5 Best Moments From Michelle Obama’s <em>Becoming</em> Talk in Toronto appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

The 5 Best Moments From Michelle Obama’s Becoming Talk in Toronto published first on https://borboletabags.tumblr.com/

[fluffyasra]

So I thought this looked like fun, and I’m always down to develop Elit a little more. Idk if anyone’s gonna read it, but maybe it’ll be useful for my own reference lol. (Original post found here) 

I’ll put it all under the cut so as not to clog your dash <3 

Character Chart Character’s full name: Elit Aroha Wingate Reason or meaning of name: Elit was something I translated from Latin many years ago to use as part of a cool-sounding gamertag (lol) but apparently it means “developer”, which is kind of fitting. Aroha means love in Maori, and I think it sounds lovely. Character’s nickname: El or Sunbeam Reason for nickname: El is obviously short for Elit, and Sunbeam because she’s a pretty smiley gal Birth date: 14th February Physical appearance Age: 21 years How old does he/she appear: Younger than she is, around 17 Weight: 190 lbs or 86 kg Height: 161cm or 5′2″ Body build: Hourglass figure, but a fairly chubby one Shape of face: Heart shaped, but soft and round Eye color: Green Glasses or contacts: She doesn’t use either, but she would prefer contacts if she did. Skin tone: A pale, rosy complexion Distinguishing marks: Freckles across her nose and cheeks, and a small patch of skin on her stomach that never tans, so it’s just pure white. Predominant features: Her ears are slightly larger than average, and she’s really self-conscious about it.  Hair color: A pink-tinged blonde Type of hair: Long, with big loose waves Hairstyle: She usually wears it in a half-ponytail, but likes to leave it loose or tie it all back if she needs to. Voice: Soft and girly, she speaks fairly quietly and enunciates well.  Overall attractiveness: She’s quite pretty, although perhaps not conventionally due to her weight and whatnot.  Usual fashion of dress: She likes flowy, loose-fitting clothing. Usually some kind of soft white blouse, and her favourite burgundy harem pants.  Favorite outfit: Despite her everyday floaty style being her go-to, Elit’s favourite outfit is any kind of over the top dress. She favours a vintage A-line fit and flare kind of dress. Jewelry or accessories: She has a gold ring set with a small ruby, and matching bracelet that she always wears. She also tends to wear a piece of rose quartz on a length of leather around her neck. Personality Good personality traits: Optimistic, caring, romantic, studious, hard working Bad personality traits: Messy, stubborn, sometimes lazy, awkward Mood character is most often in: She’s usually pretty happy and contented Sense of humor: Ridiculous. Everything is funny to her Character’s greatest joy in life: Elit is happiest when she can swim in the ocean. Nothing beats that. Except maybe swimming in the ocean with Asra. Character’s greatest fear: Losing Asra Why? He is the only constant in her life, and he’s been there to take care of her as long as she can remember. She loves him with all her heart and can’t bear the thought of losing him. What single event would most throw this character’s life into complete turmoil?Losing him. She wouldn’t know what to do on her own for a long time.  Character is most at ease when: She can curl up with something to read, whether it’s a story or something to learn. Bonus points if Asra and/or Faust are with her. Most ill at ease when: she is left in charge of something important. She is terrified of messing up and making things worse. Enraged when: she, or someone she cares about, is taken advantage of (which happens all too often, given her caring personality) Sad when: Elit can be very over emotional, and lots of things can make her sad easily. Fortunately, she’s quite easy to cheer up too. Priorities: To love and be loved. To learn how to be the best, most useful magician she can. Life philosophy: It’s better when you’re smiling If granted one wish, it would be: For her life to be how it was prior to her memory loss. Why? It was everything she desires - family oriented, she had a wonderful relationship and lots of friends, and was well on her way to becoming a powerful magician. Character’s soft spot: Elit IS the soft spot. Greatest strength: In a pinch, Elit is far more resourceful and quick thinking than she gives herself credit for. She reads a lot, and remembers things she’s read, so she can be quite helpful in many situations. Greatest vulnerability or weakness: She is very trusting, which means she is easily manipulated  Past Hometown: Elit was born in a small but busy fishing town Type of childhood: She had a happy childhood, being an only child her parents devoted a lot of their time to her. She did well in school and enjoyed exploring her town. Pets: She had a black cat called Bella that she kept as her familiar, but she doesn’t remember. First memory: Waking up in Asra’s arms coughing after he successfully brought her back to life. Childhood hero: Her mum! Dream job: Elit would love to be a writer Education: She was in school til around 17, when the plague spread through Vesuvia, and now is being educated as Asra’s apprentice (in my modern AUs, she’s doing a degree in astronomy) Religion: She doesn’t have any particular religion, instead trusting in magic Present Current location: Vesuvia Currently living with: Asra and Faust Religion: -  Occupation: Asra’s apprentice Favorites Color: Pink Least favorite color: Orange Music: Soft and relaxing strings or indie-pop in the modern AU (but modern Elit will also happily sing at the top of her lungs to Justin Bieber’s “Love Me”) Food: Peach pie Literature: She loves classical or historical romance Form of entertainment: Reading Mode of transportation: Boats! She loves being on, in and around the water Most prized possession: Her ruby ring Habits Hobbies: Swimming, baking and reading Plays a musical instrument? She can play the harp Plays a sport? Definitely not How he/she would spend a rainy day: Curled up in bed or somewhere else cosy with Asra. Perhaps just talking, or she would read. Smokes: No Drinks: She does, but not all that often Other drugs: Nope What does he/she do too much of? Worrying about...everything What does he/she do too little of? Tidying and cleaning up Extremely skilled at: Baking Extremely unskilled at: Technical stuff confuses her (such as computers in the modern AU) Nervous tics: She plays with her necklace a lot, or wrings her hands Usual body posture: Stands up quite straight, but is more comfortable leaning on one leg Traits Optimist or pessimist? Optimist Introvert or extrovert? Introvert Daredevil or cautious? Cautious Logical or emotional? Both. It often depends on the situation. Disorderly and messy or methodical and neat? Elit is a chaotic mess Prefers working or relaxing? She enjoys her work Confident or unsure of himself/herself? Unsure and insecure Animal lover? She’s quite afraid of animals, but likes the idea of them Self-perception How she feels about herself: She’s very insecure and doesn’t like herself much. One word the character would use to describe self: Fat What does the character consider her best personality trait? How much she cares about people What does the character consider her worst personality trait? How stubborn she can be What does the character consider her best physical characteristic? She likes her wrists and hands. What does the character consider her worst physical characteristic? Her body as a whole. She hates her weight How does the character think others perceive her: Sweet and cute What would the character most like to change about herself: Her weight, and her ears Relationships with others Opinion of other people in general: She doesn’t particularly like other people, but doesn’t think they’re inherently bad  Does the character hide her true opinions and emotions from others? Yes, she often puts up a front around other people Best friend(s): Gianna, in the modern AU Love interest(s): Asra, always

Person character openly admires: Audrey Hepburn Person character secretly admires: Taylor Swift Most important person in character’s life before story starts: Asra After story starts: Still Asra lol

#okay so some of these weren't entirely relevant #but hey #whatever #ask game #questionnaire #elit