'I need to remember...sometimes there's so much beauty in the world, I feel like I can't take it, and my heart is just going to cave in.'
-American Beauty
It was Pancake Day this week, or Shrove Tuesday, and traditionally we give up something, be it food or drink, for the duration of Lent, until Easter.
This year, instead of giving up a certain food, I have decided to give up buying clothes.
Now, to anyone that knows me, they will understand that I buy a LOT of clothes, so this is going to be seriously difficult, but I wanted to do it for two reasons; mainly because I need to reduce my spending and start saving, but also because I want to cut down on buying fast fashion that is easily disposable and doesn't mean anything to me.
So, as a way of tackling my shopping withdrawal symptoms, I thought I would do a Wish List every week or so, with high street pieces I've found and love, whether I would wear them or not.
This week, it's an American theme, a style that never really goes out of fashion whether it be cowboys, denim, checks or varsity jackets. Topshop, my main place of worship, has a gorgeous collection centred around this (90's Grunge), but there are great pieces elsewhere on the high street too.
Moodboard Images (from www.favim.com, Vogue UK, Topshop):
Soundtrack:
The Civil Wars - 'Barton Hollow'
Nirvana - 'The Man Who Sold The World'
Avenged Sevenfold - 'Dear God'
Here are some of my ideas on this trend:
Glory Dress by Rebel Republic, £28,
http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&productId=4702654&langId=-1&categoryId=&parent_category_rn=&searchTerm=glory%20dress&resultCount=1
I LOVE this dress. Its midi length, authentic logo and slubby jersey material scream Americana; I would team it with bare legs, black ankle boots and a vintage denim jacket.
MOTO Bleach Flag Print Hotpant, £34,
http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&productId=4380094&langId=-1&categoryId=&parent_category_rn=&searchTerm=flag%20print%20hotpants&resultCount=1
MOTO Acid Denim Hotpants, £32, http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&productId=4668123&langId=-1&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=208529&parent_categoryId=203984&pageSize=200
Okay, I know the Stars and Stripes shorts were a bit of an obvious choice, but you get the point. The worn-in look of both these pairs of shorts add to the weathered feel of this style, and the acid pink ones provide a pop of colour to avoid a denim overload.
Fleetwood Mac Vest By And Finally, £20, http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&productId=4837933&langId=-1&categoryId=&parent_category_rn=&searchTerm=rumours&resultCount=1
Sleeveless Grunge Check Shirt, £26, http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&productId=4291925&langId=-1&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=208524&parent_categoryId=203984&pageSize=200&refinements=category~[209729|208524]&noOfRefinements=1
Black Ruched Waist Maxi Skirt, £30, http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&productId=2390358&langId=-1&categoryId=&parent_category_rn=&searchTerm=ruched%20waist%20maxi&resultCount=1
PARAGON Zip Front High Sandals, £90, http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&productId=4285976&langId=-1&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=208544&parent_categoryId=208492&pageSize=200
I love these four as separates, but I also think they would look great as an outfit. The understated cool of the 'Rumours' vest (one of my all time favourite albums!) works well with the classic checked shirt, with the maxi skirt and edgy zip detail heels giving them an edge. You could even dress it down by replacing the heels with some quirky Converse hi tops or Dr. Martens, other signatures of American style.
I realise this post is very Topshop-centred, but that's just where I found some inspiration! I promise to show more of a variety in posts to come!
Enjoy,
Sophie.
So today me and my uni friends plucked up the courage to go and see 'The Woman in Black'; directed by James Watkins, it is an adaptation of the novel by Susan Hill. I had heard about the play, and how terrifying it was with the woman in black actually wandering around the audience, so despite being apprehensive, I've read great reviews of it so decided to man up and give it a go!
'The Woman in Black' is the story of Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a widowed lawyer who is sent to a Northern rural village to sort the paperwork of its recently deceased resident, to discover the house is not quite empty. I'll be honest, a good portion of this film I watched through my scarf! It wasn't particularly bloody or gory, but I really felt caught up in the tension that the film created, and just knowing the woman in black was present was enough to scare me!
The physical look of the film adds a lot to the atmosphere; the stony grey houses, misty horizon and overgrown landscape seem to lack any sense of warmth or sunshine, and that's without mentioning the black marshland that surrounds the ominous Eel Marsh House. The woman in black herself is pretty menacing, but I personally thought the creepy toys around the house were frightening enough!
I am a huge Harry Potter fan, so I was worried that I would be unable to watch Daniel Radcliffe without thinking we were in Hogwarts, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Because his opposing lead character is essentially a ghost, he has quite a tough job of having to move the film along by himself, and wander around the house a lot without too much dialogue to rely on. I think he does a really good job with it; the only downside that we found was that he was a little unbelievable as a father and a husband, although I think that may be more down to us being used to seeing him as a school boy, rather than his peformance.
Horror films can often be a bit of a grey area: what doesn't bother one person in the slightest could absolutely terrify someone else. I think 'The Woman in Black' might be one of these films. I've seen some people's opinions that they didn't find it scary at all, but my friend Tarany (talulahs-attic.blogspot.com) and I were practically jumping out of our seat! I personally find the idea of ghosts really disturbing anyway, and I thought that the way this film portrays the woman in black, as well as the devastating effects of her curse, made for quite a chilling mix, so much so that it was hard to understand why Arthur didn't leave immediately! The ending is equally sad and satsifying, and the feeling of relief when you leave the cinema is a sign of the atmosphere it creates.
Quote of the Film:
Mr Daily: 'I believe even the most rational mind can play tricks in the dark.'
Rating: 3/5
Definitely worth a watch, but maybes in the daytime!
Enjoy!
Sophie.
I know I'm a little behind on getting round to watching this film, but I've heard a lot of great things about it and it didn't disappoint.
'Attack the Block', directed by Joe Cornish, is part comedy, part sci-fi, part horror, about a gang of youths defending their South London tower block from a vicious alien race.
The aliens themselves are pretty scary! Darkest black with only glow-in-the-dark jaws to warn of their presence, there are plenty of seriously jumpy moments! Cleverly, we barely really see the details of the monsters, making them even more ominous. The use of fireworks to defeat them, creating a mass of colourful smoke, makes for a beautiful contrast with the steely setting of the tower block.
The youths are also pretty threatening, but I think this film does a great job of turning hoodies into heroes. The leader of the pack, Moses (played by John Boyega), has the saddest story; he lives pretty much alone, and the block and his gang are all he has. Despite their obvious menace and questionable morals, the teens provide an insight into gang culture that is rarely ever seen; from their point of view.
I really enjoyed this film; the simple story and use of almost unknown actors and their fluent slang (which takes a while to understand!) definitely gives it a more realistic feel, with the perfect balance of scares and laughs.
Rating: 4/5
I would definitely recommend it!
Quote of the Film:
Sam: 'We should call the police.'
Pest: 'You'd be better off calling the Ghostbusters love.'
Enjoy!
Sophie.
