#English restoration fashion

[gogmstuff]

Baroque era dress -

Top  1656 Amalia von Hesse-Kassel by Adriaen Hanneman (Sotheby's 28Jan16 auction Lot26)2880X3559 @72 2.3Mj.

Second row left  1665 Catherine of Braganza, Queen consort of England, Scotland, and Ireland by Sir Peter Lely (location ?). From tumblr.com/blog/view/costumedufilm 1568X1920 @72 792kj.

Second row right  Lady, possibly Catherine of Braganza by John Michael Wright (private collection). From tumblr.com/roehenstart 800X923 @72 207kj.

Third row  1660s Jacquemijna Le Pla by Abraham van den Tempel (auctioned by Sotheby's). From tumblr.com/blog/view/the-perdita 1280X1604 @72 749kj.

Fourth row left  1670 Maria Dircksdr Bogaert by Gerbrand van den Eeckhout (Kremer Collection - Amsterdam, Netherlands). From tumblr.com/shewhoworshipscarlin 1122X1300 @72 293kj.

Fourth row right  1660-1680 Noble lady with a dog by Jan de Baen (Louvre). From tumblr.com/the-perdita.

[inthedarktrees]

“A shocking story that could happen to YOU!"

Runaway Daughters, 1956

[night-unfurls-its-splendour]

You know

I don't have a lot positive to say about the re-staged version of the ALW musical.

But I will admit I do kind of like the fact that Raoul barges into Christine's dressing room as she's undressing.

I like this because, on the surface its very ha ha, so awkward uwu, but it also highlights how very scandalous this very action is.

In 19th century theatre culture (especially in France) there's only one reason a man (the patron of the Opera, who is the main financial backer of the establishment) goes into a singer's dressing room with a bottle of champagne. Whether that is Raoul's intention doesn't matter: he's a man of society, he's the responsible one here, or he should be.

But setting that aside, this really makes me think about how Raoul is never thinking about Christine in a circumspect fashion. He is not thinking about the fact that this is a private area he is entering uninvited--a private area that is private for the very specific reason: at any point, Christine could very well be naked or otherwise in a state of vulnerability and/or undress behind that door. He does not knock, or announce himself. He either is not thinking about this or does not care. Both are bad.

(And yes I am conscious of the fact that Christine is not only undressing, but undressing in front of the mirror; the mirror that Erik is, in all likelihood, hiding behind, even as she does so).

To Raoul, as much as (perhaps even more so than) to Erik, Christine is an object. An object to be, by turns, admired, pitied, placated and protected.

Perhaps I find this so interesting because in the book, Raoul is shown to invade the sanctum samctorum of Christine's dressing room without her knowledge or consent several times.

"When you were pitying him the other night, the night of the masked ball. When you came into your dressing room, didn't you say 'Poor Erik'? Well Christine, there was Poor Raoul who overheard you!"

"That is the second time you have listened at my door, M. de Chagny!"

"I was not at your door! I was in the dressing room! In your boudoir, mademoiselle!"

An interesting contrast to Erik, who, in spite of abducting Christine, holding her against her will etc. always knocks three times on her door before entering her bedroom in the house by the lake, and gives her his word that in that apartment and in her dressing room she is assured of privacy from him.

"How can you believe yourself safer here in the theatre?" Raoul asked. "If you can hear him through the walls, then he can certainly hear us."

"No. He gave me his word that he would not be behind the walls of my dressing room again, and I trust Erik's word. My dressing room and my room in the house by the lake are mine exclusively, and are sacred to him.

Also very interesting to me is that on my fourth read of various English translations of the book [1911, 1911 restored, 1990 Lowell Bair, and 1996 Leonard Wolf] there is never any indication that I've noticed that Christine's mirror is two-way glass. It does not slide to the side as depicted in movies/ the musical. The mirror is built into the wall itself and turns with the wall on a pivot like a revolving door. There is never any mention of him looking at her through the mirror, only listening and speaking to her through her walls.

[lostberet]

🕊 ˚✧ 🦢₊˚ʚ LOOK MY WAY

He had noticed the lack of love in the moral world. Conflicted, he traveled to the moral world to figure out the problem in which he was only left with disappointment and no answers. Out of self-punishment, he goes by the name Seokjin and stays in the human world where he produces a perfume company in hopes of restoring love. However, he can't help but notice how his heart beats faster for an employee, and maybe, he can understand why there is a lack of love.

✒ pair. kim seokjin x fem!reader ↪ plot. The god of love, Eros, Cupid to others, has always been part of making humans fall in love, however, the moment his eyes land on you, he's hit by his own arrow of love. tags. greek god x mortal au, non-idol au, modern history au, love at first sight, lovesick Seokjin, angst, sexual tension, semi-smut cw. This story won't contain accurate greek mythology, Jin talks to Aprhodite (his mama in this story), lovesick jin, bow and arrow, Jin gets desperate and almost shoots the reader, kisses, angst, Jin experiences heart-break, sexual tension, semi-smut, unprotected sex (wrap it before u tap it), mini breeding kink if you squint, , english is not my first lenguage, if i missed anything let me know! wc. 5k a/n. I want to make a part two for this, but I am not sure, please let me know if you guys are interested! also, i was in a bit of a rush :c it's midterm season. I hope you all enjoy, like, comment and reblog! love yous!

|| masterlist || entry || part ii (maybe)?

Eros has seen the world grow. Bloom into the most curious society. What was once a life with no buildings that touched the sky, or with cement roads, Eros had grown to adapt.

The adaptation wasn't any of his concern, no, his worries and strengths lay in the relationship and love of the morals, which, throughout time has grown bitter. His concern didn't lie in the many lights the cities populated, or the noises the cars and bars created, but in the fact that no one believed in true love. 

Unsatisfied, Eros brought himself into the mortal realm, wanting to explore, to study, to understand and hopefully, redeem love. Yet, each time, he was left disappointed. There would be cases in which he was able to use his bow and arrow, creating a wonderful match. And there would be times where those relationships failed, why? He didn’t understand, was he failing as the god of love? Was cupid not important anymore? As self punishment, he decided to stay in the mortal realm in hopes of redeeming himself. 

He went by the name Seokjin, unable to use his given name. With his godly powers and influence, in the mortal realm, he lives a life of luxury, just like back in his immortal realm. His beauty was outstanding thanks to his mothers genes, the humans loved him. And during his time in the mortal realm, Madan flourished, a Perfume company. One in which he believed would bring love, humans loved the scent of perfume, right? 

And that’s where the gods had brought you. In front of a bridge building whose architecture resabled the building in ancient greece. The summer sun warmed your golden skin, the fresh wind blew your dark hair, as if nature was welcoming you into your home. Each step you took into the building caused your gut to yell, telling you, warning you, yet just like every warning, you brushed it away. 

You weren’t a model, you weren’t an influencer, heck, you weren’t a fashion icon. But the woman whose eyes landed on you sure were. It causes you to feel smaller, uglier. Could it have been their fair skin, their shiny hair or their style? You didn’t know, but you knew your appearance wasn’t welcomed. 

The moment you took the elevator to the 5th floor where your Marketing office would be at, your breath was knocked south out of you. You choked back a gasp, it smelled good. Too good. You felt a headache rising to your temples and dizziness. You wanted to take a deep breath, but it was impossible with the amount of goodness scent. 

“Are you alright?” the voice of the god spoke, you opened your eyes and tilted your head up. Glazing into some beautiful brown eyes, so beautiful, yet so sad, ‘Yes, just.. Headache.” You muttered, your eyes leaving him, “which floor?” You cleared your throat, “5.”

Jin never intended to lose control. No, he never wanted to. But he was losing his sanity, his will, and most importantly, himself. He never liked the idea of forced love, or love magic or anything that had to do with poisons. But his fingers would tingle at the idea that maybe, that was the solution. 

He stayed all day in his elegant office, high off the many scents; chocolate, vanilla, roses, cinnamon, anything that could bring the sense of desire. During his time on the mortal realm, he noticed the human’s like of smell, bringing an idea that if he produced the right scent, it could make one fall in love. It wasn’t exactly a love potion, no. Not at all, in fact, he wanted to resolve this without his bow and arrow, without his gift, because maybe it was time not to force love?

The meeting room was dark compared to the rest of the company building, it made you feel as if you were taking part in some evil plan when in fact you were meeting the CEO and discussing Marketing aspects with the team. Yet, your gut kept telling you that it wasn’t right. 

You turned your tablet on and started taking notes, drawing small doodles of the illustrations and predictions for the Spring edition collection, “No, I want something to last.” Your ears perked up as you turned your head to the chairman. Everyone in the room is doing the same. He rubbed his forehead with two of his fingers, “I don’t want to repeat fragrances, I want it to last.” 

The presenter licked their lips and uncomfortably shifted from where they stood, “Oh well.. I..” They stuttered, their eyes dancing around the many faces in the room, “We.. We can try oils instead of perfumes?” You muttered out, unsure. 

The chairman’s eyes landed on you, causing you to flinch. You pressed your lips into a thin line and cursed yourself as you noticed his expression change, “or maybe not..” you whispered. “What’s your name?” you lost your job. Is what would have happened if Jin didn’t appreciate your idea. 

“y/n, y/n l/n. I’m new in the Marketing team.” You introduced yourself. Jin only stared at you, letting out a breathy chuckle, “Welcome to the team, y/n. I would like to hear more about those oils.” You thanked the gods above for sending Jin as your boss.  

You didn't know if Jin made your life easier or harder. On one hand, he knows what he wants, he has a goal. On the other hand, he doesn't know what he wants, or, in other words, how to deliver that goal. You've been working carefully with Jin and the fragrance team to come up with a new scent. One that lasts like Jin wanted.

"No, I want the smell to attract, to.. I don't know.." Jin threw his hands up in defeat before dropping them back down, slapping the sides of his leg, "attract desire on people."

"So.. lust?" You question as you took notes on your tablet. Three months. Three freaking months is what took you to be Jin's right hand in this project. Three fucking months to be his assistant. Jin's neck snaped towards you and you were sure you heard it crack.

"I don't do lust," Jin hissed, "I do love, passion." He sighed. You nodded at his words, tapping your apple pen on your tablet, "But.. these notes.. they point to lust.."

"What.." Jin breathed, feeling too tired, too stressed. "How can anyone think about falling in love, when they're so tempted by lust?" you asked, taking a breath before continuing, "Love isn't something that can be forced or attracted by a simple trait. There's supposed to be chemistry.. affection? not desire.. or want, but longing." You explained.

Jin let out a breathy laugh. His hands resting on his hips as he turned around. His laughed turned into a sarcastic one, sending you into freeze mode. He looked desperate, mad even, “I can’t keep falling.” he uttered out, his head hanging low, “you’re not failing, sir..” Jin only laughed, shaking his head. “You’re only saying that because I am your boss.”

You shook your head, setting your coat and tablet down, “No, I mean it. You’re so talented and splendid, you have a gift, sir.” Jin almost snored at your comment. He had a gift alright, but even with his gift, he was a failure. Or maybe his gift had run out. “No, I have no gift.” 

You frowned, “I have no fucking gift. If I did, I wouldn’t be stuck here. I wouldn’t be working on perfumes that help people recognize love and desire, I wouldn’t be standing here, being explained what love is, when it's supposed to be my thing.. I would be back home.. I'm a joke.”

You pitied the man in front of you. He must have had a rough life, you believed. One in which he had to live up to accomplishments, to success. Just like you felt at times. You sighed, “If it’s alright..” you took a step closer to the man, his gaze lifting from the floor to your eyes, “can I give you a hug?” 

“A hug?” puzzled, Jin frowned. You nodded, getting closer and softly wrapping your arms around him. He tensed at your touch, he was never touched this way before, or touched at all, in fact. “It’s okay, Jin.” You whispered softly. Your voice comes to him in comfort, “Success takes time, no one is perfect.” But he’s supposed to. Jin softly gave into the embrace, wrapping his arms around your waist and leaning his head on your shoulder. 

Jin never intended to lose himself, but he was going insane. Among all scents and perfumes he's worked on, none of them matched with yours. Because as he hugged you, his arms tightening around your waist, nose digging into the crook of your neck, he felt his heart flutter. You didn’t only smell like coconut with a mixture of vanilla, you didn’t only smell like cinnamon and caramel, you didn’t only smell like fresh laundry and lavender, but you smelt of comfort and hope. 

Your embrace loosed the moment you felt Jin tremble on top of you. The smile you had on your face completely gone as you tried pulling away from him. His arms held you in place, pulling you back into the hug as he let out a sniff, his voice weak and heavy, “Let’s stay like this.. Just for a little.” And you accepted it. 

You found Jin to be a very interesting person. He had strange tastes, or just simply didn't care. If anything, he didn't have any boundaries. He acted like he ruled the world, and honestly, if you had that amount of money, you would too.

Jin had smoothly and noticeably made it a habit to take you to his home, his house to practice give him some therapy. Oddly, enough, it didn't feel like therapy sessions.

"Maybe, I ain't cut up for this.." Jin muttered, his fingers resting on his lip. It's been around two months since that intimate hug, and ever since then, Jin had gotten.. well, he clung onto you.

You hesitantly reached, placing your hand on his back before rubbing it softly. It'll become sort of like a habit for you to comfort him. You didn't mind. You wanted to help. He lifted his head, looking at you, "you're more capable than you think, Jin."

You smiled softly, causing Jin's heart to flatter once more. What did you have to cause his heart to beat like crazy? Taking a breath which got caught, he scanned your features, falling into a spell, "..y/n."

You couldn't understand the strange tension in Jin's eyes whenever you were too close to him, touching him even. Words of comfort always caused Jin to look at you with such intimacy. Something you never got to experience in other relationships. Jin brought his body closer, nose almost touching before you realized, waking up from an enchantment.

"I..uh.. sorry, I'll head out.." you stuttered out, making your way towards the door. Each step you took made Jin's heart pound louder in his ears. How was he to tell you that he liked you? He liked you perhaps a little too much.

Jin followed behind, his thought train speeding through his mind. Without hesitation, He extended his arm, recreating holding his bow and that's when he felt it. Love can't be forced.

His heart dropped as he shook his head, running to you, "I'm sorry, y/n.. please.." You said softly but loud enough for you to hear.

Jin held your wrist, stopping you from taking a step. You turned towards him, avoiding eye contact, “Y/n..” his voice came out as a faint whisper, as if he was trying to reach for you. Your eyes betrayed you, slowly lifting their gaze to meet Jin’s and you silently cursed whoever made the man in front of you. His eyes enchanted you, hypnotized you even. His soft plump lips tilted into a small smile, leaning his face closer to you and your eyes took a quick glance at his lips before lifting them up to meet his eyes. 

His fingers lightly held your chin, making sure to keep your head in place, not wanting you to leave his gaze, “Stay with me..” the words left his mouth, putting you into a spell in which you couldn’t escape, “please?”

You swallowed, but you nodded. Jin only let out a small breath as he grinded, his other hand coming to hold and wrap around your waist before he leaned closer. Both your nose brushed against each other, and of course you let out a faint whine. Jin’s thumb brushed your bottom lip, causing a small shiver to run down your spine at the warmth, “you’re so.. Enchanting..”

Your eyes looked down at his lips and as if answering your silent question he pressed his lips against yours. Both your lips chasing after each other in a deeper kiss. Your arms flew to wrap around his neck, locking him into the kiss in which he didn’t complain. His touches were ghostly against your skin, afraid to touch you as if you would melt away. Your touches were clingy and desperate, wanting him to touch and melt you away. 

That night you experienced so much emotion through physical contact, emotion in which you never imagined ever to experience in this lifetime. His hands were gentle as he held your wrist, his thumb brushing against your wrist as he thrust his hips against yours. His other holding the back of your neck as he stared at your face, taking in every expression as he rolled his hips into you. 

You would let out a whiney sob as you opened your eyes, a glass filled vision as tears built up from the pure pleasure Jin was giving you, your jaw widening as you let out a silent moan. Jin let out a soft grunt as he felt you tighten yourself around his cock, sending his eye to twitch out in pleasure as he leaned onto your neck. Brushing his lips against your pulse point before he kissed and sucked marks onto your skin. 

Your hands ran down his back, nails digging into his skin the moment you felt your sixth orgasm of the night build up, “Jin..” you cried out in which he responded with a soft hush, “I know, darling..”

It’d become odd. The relationship between you and Jin, ever since that night. It had seemed that both of you were nothing during the day, but the moment everyone left the office leaving both your souls, you’ve become different people. 

He would crack jokes, take you out for dinner, drop you at home. He would never ask for a kiss, nor a hickey, all he asked for was for your time. And it terrified you. It must have been 7 months since the night you slept together and Jin had not treated you any different, but your mind would shift towards the worst. 

Maybe you were horrible in bed, were you too loud? You felt something crawl up your leg, it felt like the legs of a spider. Perhaps you were too ugly? It didn’t take long for the overwhelming feeling of insecurity to crawl over your whole body. 

That night as you sat in the chair in the middle of the island in Jin’s kitchen, you fought the urge to ask him. His back faced towards you as he cooked up pasta. He always did this, at least every Friday. Take you to his home where he would cook for you, make you laugh, make you feel special and then sleep tangled in his arms. It scared you. 

“Was I bad?” you asked, setting the fork down as you’ve lost your appetite, Jin only looked up from his plate as he slurped a noodle, frowning. “I mean..” Jin then set his fork down, wanting to have his full attention on you, “when we slept together, was I bad?” 

He tilted his head, unsure of how to answer your question. You felt nervous under his gaze, “No, not at all?” He questioned, unsure where you were getting at, “Then why haven’t we done it?” Your voice came out as a whisper, Jin then swallowed as he blinked, “Because I didn’t think you'd want it.” 

The kitchen fell silent. Jin continued, “I want you.” he paused, straightening his back as he chased your eyes to lock with them, “all the fucking time.” It was your turn to be left speechless, “I want to take you everywhere every time, but I know it’s not right, not without your permission.” The table fell silent again, and as both of you ate once more, you debated with yourself. 

After washing the dishes, Jin brought you to the living room in which he turned the TV, “I find it so fascinating how humans can come up with these things. So creative.” You let out a chuckle as you sat on the couch, you back sinking into the comfort of the pillows. Selecting a streaming app, Jin also leaned back, laying next to you as an arm rested above your shoulders. “I’m serious, you guys are interesting.” 

You only leaned onto his shoulder as he selected the Movie he mentioned a moment ago while washing the dishes, “Percy Jackson is.. Hm..” Jin hummed, thinking back to his life as a god. Your eyes looked up at his pouting face, “I think it’s cute.” 

You hummed as you reached over for the blanket, covering your body. “Cute?” Jin frowned as looked down at you, “I meant as in, the gods having kids. I don’t know anything about all that Greek God bullshit, but them having kids seems like a cool concept.” You explained yourself as your eyes settled at the screen before you. 

Jin’s thoughts shut off, staring at the wall next to the TV trying to progress what you mentioned. His eyes squinted a bit, imagining a world in which he potentially had a child, is that even possible?

“If you were a god, let’s say,” you asked, snapping Jin out of his thoughts, “and you had a child, would you let them go through all that just to accept them?” You asked, your brows frowned as you looked at the screen. Jin took a deep breath, “No.”

“Me neither. You have children out of love, not to keep the bloodline going.” You muttered, cuddling the blanket closer to you, "If i were to be a mom one day, I would never let my child think they had to live up to my expectations to receive my love."

Jin blinked. love. what really did it mean, what came with it. He rubbed his fingertips together, feeling the softness of his own skin before he sat up, looking at you. "Can we sleep together?"

You rubbed your eyes, already feeling tired, "what?" Jin leaned down towards you, "Can I kiss you?" Your eyes widened a bit, but nothertheless, you nodded.

You regretted it instantly. Your wrists were pinned behind your lower back and your face lay on the couch as Jin pounded you from behind. Small grunts and moans filled the living room, some being washed away by the sound of the TV. You twitched under him, feeling the tight knot in your stomach, "fuck Jin.."

You gasped out, kicking your feet a bit. Jin only tilted his head back, feeling his cock twitch as he slipped in and out of you, furiously slamming into you from behind, "you're so good to me, y/n.." he moaned.

His hand gripped the fat on your hip, bringing you back to him as he fucked into you, "so pretty.." he muttered, his head coming back to look at the way your cunt took his dick. "gonna fill you up so good, so full.." his head was thrown back, and soft moans left his mouth. His breath hitched when a load of his milky white cum shot out, causing you to gasp out as you soon felt your own orgasm clasp.

Jin kept thrusting, slow and gentle, making sure to keep his load in you. He knew that what he wanted was very slim, but the thought lingered, "I promise to take you everywhere.. I'mma make you feel loved and satisfied."

Jin kept his word and he did take you whenever he could. Whether that was bending you over his office table or having you ride him in his car in the company's parking lot. It worried you how much time and stigma the man had. He was out of this world.

"I don't just have sex, y/n." He laughed. Settling into his bed, your body already too tired as you closed your eyes, "I make love." He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you into his body. You wanted to protest, to argue with him. we're not in love, is what you wanted to tell him. But maybe it was a conversation of another day.

You were terrified. Nothing could have prepared you for what you were about to experience. You rubbed your temple as you walked into Jin's office floor, throat dry. You were confused, drowned in complex emotions.

It was about 8 pm, and everyone on the floor had gone home, or so you thought. Opening the door to Jin's office, the smell of what was once so pleasant to your nose caused you to cringe in disgust. This was no pleasant scent, but it was a familiar one.

The smell of sex reeked your nose as you quickly covered it, your eyes frowned as you noticed Jin in the middle of the office. His hair was a mess, clothes sticking to his body by sweat. You only scanned the room, no one was there. But nothing hid the fact of what had happened in that office.

"I'm sorry." You whispered, closing the door. You stared at your feet for a second trying to progress what had happened. Door handle still in hand, you tighened your grip before making your mind up. And the moment you let go, the door opened with Jin trying to reach for you.

"Y/n, it's not what you think." He started, following after you, "I don't care, Jin." you spat, "I mean it, y/n. I.." He huffed out, wanting to hold you from taking another step from him, "I love you." That's where you felt your heart drop.

“No, Jin, you’re confusing love and lust, please!” You pant out, your hands trembling as you hold your coat close to you. You felt tears build up in the corner of your eyes. You were hurt, tired, and scared. You reached the elevator, pressing the button. “You don’t love me, Jin.”

The elevator was going to take a while, you knew that. You took a deep breath in, trying to calm your trembling voice, not wanting to show how much of an effect he had on you, “You need me, yes, but you don’t need me.” Jin licked his lips, noticing how dry they’ve become. He was puzzled, confused. He, Eros, the god of love doesn’t know what love is? 

“That is.. No.. That..” he breathed, the elevator dinged, opening its doors as it gave you an escape. Jin closed his eyes as he shook his head. His heartbeat was close to his lungs, his body felt on edge, and he felt panic. “Y/n.” He held onto the elevator door, his grip tight as his knees felt weak, “I need you.. So much..”

His eyes cried out in desperation as he scanned for any sign of understanding, of longing. You stared at him, you felt your nose become stuffy, ready to cry. His cheeks had turned flustered and his eyes had watered, he looked like a mess, a gorgeous one, “There isn’t one day that my heart doesn’t ache for you. There isn’t one second where I want to be near you, please y/n..” 

He wanted to kneel in front of you, begging for you. Years and years of being worshiped, he never thought of a day in which he would worship anyone. But you arrived and changed everything, “words cannot describe how I crave for you, y/n.”

A single tear escaped your eyes, slowly rolling down your cheek as you stared at Jin, and before you knew it, you couldn’t hold the rest of them back. You let out a silent sob as you pushed Jin’s hand off the elevator door, pressing the closing button, “I’ll send in my resignation and you better accept it.”

The moment the doors closed, Jin felt his whole world collapse. Maybe he did too, maybe he too fell to the ground and sobbed, letting out painful cries as he held his chest. His hand clenched his heart as he let his tears flee. His lungs hurt from the lack of oxygen, too mournful to let any of it in. The lack of oxygen didn’t hurt as much as his heart cried for you. 

The next couple of weeks felt like a visit to the underworld where Hades lived. So cold, so dark, so lonely. And out of respect, he stayed away from you. And out of love, he accepted your resignation. Yet the moment he signed the paper, he felt like you had taken a piece of his heart with you, while he was only left with the brief memory of you, not worthy of any piece of you. 

His days had turned gloomy, his attitude had become pissy, and his heart still throbbed with pain. He had taken a break from the company. What was once his mission to restore love had been thrown out the window. Now he understood why morals were too scared to fall in love. 

SeokJin looked up at the bright night sky, his eyes staring at the sea of stars, but none looked as beautiful as you. No, he wasn’t ashamed to mention it, you could be just as beautiful as his mother. Were she to meet you, she would for sure assume you were one of her children. His throat spat a sob, his eyes sore from crying. Was this what it felt to love someone? The back of his hand covered his mouth, not wanting to make another sound as another tear rolled down his face. Why did loving someone hurt so much? 

Maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t cut out to be the god of love. He didn’t know anything about love. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he let out a dry sob, “Mom, what am I doing?” he asked basically no one, “What am I made for if it’s not love?” and deep down his heart broke just a little more. 

A/N. love is like a fart, if it's forced, it's probably shit.

[bbgliker-teehee]

(I actually sent this before, but something went wrong with my Internet, and I'm not sure if you received it, so I'm trying this again. Warning: long rant... again and possible grammar mistakes)

This... is starting to get concerning. Like seriously, what's up with Viv and her obsession with top hats? Almost all male characters wear a top hat: Lucifer, Husk, Sir Pentious, Vox, Valentino, Asmodeus, Stolas, Zestiel, GOD!?!?(I think?🤔) and now the hotel itself. 🤣 Am I missing someone? I'm sure I'm forgetting someone. And what's even more frustrating is that some of them wearing top hats don't make any sense. Lucifer is an easy example. He wore his top hat BEFORE HUMANITY WAS EVEN A THING!!!! We saw that at the beginning of episode 1. Like, WHAT? And don't get me started on Zestiel. Now, we don't know when he died exactly, but we can tell from what period he is by the way he speaks (and the fact that he is the oldest overlord right now also helps, kinda).

Early Modern English is the stage of the English language from the beginning of the Tudor period to the English Interregnum and Restoration, or from the transition from Middle English, in the late 15th century, to the transition to Modern English, in the mid-to-late 17th century. (From Wikipedia)

This man spider-man doesn't look that he lived in any part of the Tudor period. Seriously, what was going through Vivzipop's head when she designed her characters? And if she likes top hats so much, why hasn't she made a female wearing a top hat? I mean, look at those women:

THEY LOOK AMAZING 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Lovesart23 in YouTube explains the situation with the character designs and fashion a lot better. Watch them if you haven't already 😉

The reason I really like Lovesart23 is because they actually do research!!!

And yeah...we NEED women in top hats!!!!!

[dresshistorynerd]

Favorite Historical Architectural Styles

Since I've done my favorite historical fashions, I thought it would be fun to do historical architectural styles too. I want to write more about architecture too, but I've started thinking should I do a separate blog for architecture and architectural history or should I just do it all here? I think it would be better in a way that I wouldn't have to worry if anything I want to write is too far from the actual topic of the blog, but then again, there is a lot of overlap, especially when it comes to Arts and Crafts movement (which I'm currently writing my thesis about and which I definitely will talk a lot about), and also I would have to manage yet another blog.

Anyway, I'll again do this from oldest to newest. I will limit myself to western styles (except when we get to Modernism all styles are very international), even though there's a lot of non-western styles I enjoy, but it's what I know most about.

Perpendicular Gothic

I love Gothic architecture in general and the several first entries will be my favorite sub-styles of it. I love the the way Gothic Cathedrals try and so often succeed to feel like forests. I love how the structural elements are used to create the aesthetic. I love the organic visual elements. I love that it's such a unique style in Western architecture. And I love the amazing craftsmanship that went into it.

I'm particularly a fan of English Gothic because of it's insanely beautiful and complex ribbed vaults. From English Gothic my favorite though is the Perpendicular style, which was basically the English late Gothic. It's characteristics can be seen in the second pic. It has the stretched arch and the very flowing and organic traceries. I do include here the rest of English Gothic too, since even though the Perpendicular style is my favorite of them, all if it is still one of my Gothic favorites.

German Late Gothic

As it's becoming clear I love Late Gothic architecture in general the most, and in the geographical axis I also love German Gothic. Early and High Gothic were mainly divided into French and English styles and the French style dominated in the continent, just being altered a little to the local building traditions outside of France, but during late Gothic it diverged much more strongly into different styles.

German Gothic also has beautiful complex faulting (though less insane than English) and it also has that same pursuit of massive height French Gothic has. Those combined with that Late Gothic's more streamlined flowing and organic aesthetic, some of the German Late Gothic cathedrals really sell that feeling of standing in a forest.

Finnish "Gothic"

I have a soft spot for the Finnish Medieval stone churches, which are not nearly as sophisticated or detailed as the other European counterparts, but still made with beautiful craftsmanship and they have some cool own features. It's very far from the European Gothic traditions, as you can see, but that's still the influence, hence Gothic in scare quotes. I love the simple outward appearance with the exposed thick stone walls, the details of the gable that worked as the calling card for the building master and the very steep roof. Like everywhere at the time, the roof in these has wooden structure, which is frankly super cool. It was not a simple engineering problem to make a roof that steep and massive at the time, but the structure works so well there's 600 year old roofs with the original logs still working perfectly well. I also really love the original medieval murals in them, which were painted over during the Reformation (you can't have color in a Lutheran church damn it), but thankfully some of them have been restored from under the paint.

Finnish "Renaissance" Log Churches

Renaissance also didn't land in Finland similarly as it did rest of the Europe. When Renaissance was going on in Europe, they still were building those "Gothic" churches here. These log churches were based on Scandinavian version of the Renaissance church, but they didn't really look like Renaissance churches, and were kinda it's own thing continuing a lot of the aesthetics from those Gothic churches. This is a highly specific style, but I just think they are so cool and pretty? Like they really made a CUPOLA out of log.

Arts and Crafts Movement

Arts and Crafts Movement didn't have exactly a style, rather a design philosophy that was more important than specific style. There's of course a lot of stylistic similarities in the works of the different members of the Movement, because they had overlapping sources of inspiration and were influenced by each other, so we can think of it as a style. I could, have and will talk about them for hours, but briefly now: It was a moment in latter half of the 19th century and early 20th century and their goals were reviving craftsmanship skills and professions, socialism, opposing industrialism and abolishing the hierarchy between fine arts and applied arts. They were very much influenced by Medievalism and Gothic art and architecture, though unlike Gothic Revivalist, they took more from the guiding principles than the aesthetics. They basically started Modernism and lay ground to all the Modernist architecture's main principles, like form follows function.

Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau was directly influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement and was the first mainstream Modernist style. I especially love the more toned down Finnish Art Nouveau, or Jugend as it's called here, but I do love the style more broadly too. I'm not that into those almost Baroque style versions of it though, with barely any straight lines. I love the round doors, the stylized floral patterns and the use of light.

Organic architecture

This has to be my favorite modernist/post-modernist (?) style. It's direct successor of Arts and Crafts movement and it's also more of a design principle than a unified style. There is some stylistic similarities, but it is stylistically very diverse philosophy. It was most prominent during the 20th century, but it always stayed in the sidelines, though there are still architects who might be considered practicing organic architecture. Organic architecture is all about living in harmony with nature, taking inspiration from it, designing the building to fit the building spot and the surroundings, extra care taken in to preserve the nature already there, and using local natural materials when possible. My favorite architects are Raili and Reima Pietilä, who were most prominent organic architects in Finland. (I almost moved into apartment designed by them, but it was in pretty bad condition, so it wouldn't have unfortunately been worth the price.)

Brutalism

I know it's not for everyone and it's not easy to make it work but when it works, it really does. It was born in 1950s during the reconstruction era. Brutalism is not just concrete though. The point is to show the raw materials and the structural elements. Technically a lot of Gothic and Arts and Crafts architecture is then brutalist. Timber frame architecture? Also brutalist. I'm only half joking, of course the style itself is also very bare and, well, brutal, but I love it for the same reasons. I really love bare textures of materials and exposing the materials of the structural elements. And I do actually really like the texture of concrete. Though I will say concrete is destroying our world and we should use it as little as possible. But we should also protect old buildings and keep using them rather than built new ones, so I feel fine admiring the old brutalist buildings. The best brutalist buildings combine materials very intentionally and make works of art with the light.

Bonus - Favorite contemporary architecture: Traditional methods

As we're living in the post-modern times, there's not really unified and specifiable styles or architectural ideologies anymore. They all kinda flow into each other and architects don't organize themselves into clear groups based on style and design philosophy. So it's hard to put into words the style I like in contemporary architecture. There's been growing interest in studying traditional structures and methods, learn from their sustainability and incorporate them into contemporary architecture. They are techniques that have been developed through trial and error on the span of centuries, so we really don't have to reinvent the wheel here. Traditional methods of a given area have also been developed for that area and it's climate, from the materials available there, so they also push us to use local materials. Typically these traditional structures are very simple, often made from solid material, which makes them easier to built without construction error (a huge problem in modern structures), and easier to fix and maintain, when inevitably there is issues. Also they are beautiful, definitely more so that steel and glass. I love solid brick structures, log structures, timber frames, natural stone, rammed earth and all of them, especially when these beautiful materials are left bare.

[labuenosairesfrancaise]

Grimsthorpe Castle

Hi guys!!

I'm sharing another grand english state! 

House History:  The building was originally a small castle on the crest of a ridge on the road inland from the Lincolnshire fen edge towards the Great North Road. It is said to have been begun by Gilbert de Gant, Earl of Lincoln in the early 13th century. However, he was the first and last in this creation of the Earldom of Lincoln and he died in 1156. Gilbert's heyday was the peak time of castle building in England, during the Anarchy. It is quite possible that the castle was built around 1140. However, the tower at the south-east corner of the present building is usually said to have been part of the original castle and it is known as King John's Tower. The naming of King John's tower seems to have led to a misattribution of the castle's origin to his time.

Gilbert de Gant spent much of his life in the power of the Earl of Chester and Grimsthorpe is likely to have fallen into his hands in 1156 when Gilbert died, though the title 'Earl of Lincoln' reverted to the crown. In the next creation of the earldom, in 1217, it was Ranulph de Blondeville, 4th Earl of Chester (1172–1232) who was ennobled with it. It seems that the title, if not the property was in the hands of King John during his reign; hence perhaps, the name of the tower.

During the last years of the Plantagenet kings of England, it was in the hands of Lord Lovell. He was a prominent supporter of Richard III. After Henry VII came to the throne, Lovell supported a rebellion to restore the earlier royal dynasty. The rebellion failed and Lovell's property was taken confiscated and given to a supporter of the Tudor Dynasty.[2]

The Tudor period

This grant by Henry VIII, Henry Tudor's son, to the 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby was made in 1516, together with the hand in marriage of Maria de Salinas, a Spanish lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine of Aragon. Their daughter Katherine inherited the title and estate on the death of her father in 1526, when she was aged just seven. In 1533, she became the fourth wife of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, a close ally of Henry VIII. In 1539, Henry VIII granted Charles Suffolk the lands of the nearby suppressed Vaudey Abbey, founded in 1147, and he used its stone as building material for his new house. Suffolk set about extending and rebuilding his wife's house, and in only eighteen months it was ready for a visit in 1541 by King Henry, on his way to York to meet his nephew, James V of Scotland. In 1551, James's widow Mary of Guise also stayed at Grimsthorpe. The house stands on glacial till and it seems that the additions were hastily constructed. Substantial repairs were required later owing to the poor state of the foundations, but much of this Tudor house can still be seen today.

During Mary's reign the castle's owners, Katherine Brandon, Duchess of Suffolk (née Willoughby) and her second husband, Richard Bertie, were forced to leave it owing to their Anglican views. On Elizabeth's succeeding to the throne, they returned with their daughter, Susan, later Countess of Kent and their new son Peregrine, later the 13th Baron. He became a soldier and spent much of his time away from Grimsthorpe.

The Vanbrugh building

By 1707, when Grimsthorpe was illustrated in Britannia Illustrata, the 15th Baron Willoughby de Eresby and 3rd Earl Lindsey had rebuilt the north front of Grimsthorpe in the classical style. However, in 1715, Robert Bertie, the 16th Baron Willoughby de Eresby, employed Sir John Vanbrugh to design a Baroque front to the house to celebrate his ennoblement as the first Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven. It is Vanbrugh's last masterpiece. He also prepared designs for the reconstruction of the other three ranges of the house, but they were not carried out. His proposed elevation for the south front was in the Palladian style, which was just coming into fashion, and is quite different from all of his built designs.

The North Front of Grimsthorpe as rebuilt by Vanbrugh, drawn in 1819. Vanbrugh's Stone Hall occupies the space between the columns on both floors.

Inside, the Vanbrugh hall is monumental with stone arcades all around at two levels. Arcaded screens at each end of the hall separate the hall from staircases, much like those at Audley End House and Castle Howard. The staircase is behind the hall screen and leads to the staterooms on the first floor. The State Dining Room occupies Vanbrugh's north-east tower, with its painted ceiling lit by a Venetian window. It contains the throne used by George IV at his Coronation Banquet, and a Regency giltwood throne and footstool used by Queen Victoria in the old House of Lords. There is also a walnut and parcel gilt chair and footstool made for the use of George III at Westminster. The King James and State Drawing Rooms have been redecorated over the centuries, and contain portraits by Reynolds and Van Dyck, European furniture, and yellow Soho Tapestries woven by Joshua Morris around 1730. The South Corridor contains thrones used by Prince Albert and Edward VII, as well as the desk on which Queen Victoria signed her coronation oath. A series of rooms follows in the Tudor east range, with recessed oriel windows and ornate ceilings. The Chinese drawing room has a splendidly rich ceiling and an 18th-century fan-vaulted oriel window. The walls are hung with Chinese wallpaper depicting birds amidst bamboo. The chapel is magnificent with superb 17th-century plasterwork.

More history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimsthorpe_Castle

This house fits a 64x64 lot and features several impressive rooms, more than 29 bedrooms, a servants hall and several state rooms!

I only decored some of the main rooms, for you to have a glimpse of the distribution. The rest is up to you, as I have stated that I do not like interiors :P

Be warned: I did not have the floor plan for the tudor rooms, thus, the distribution is based on my own decision and can not fit the real house :P.

You will need the usual CC I use: all of Felixandre, The Jim, SYB, Anachrosims, Regal Sims, TGS, The Golden Sanctuary, Dndr recolors, etc.

Please enjoy, comment if you like it and share pictures with me if you use my creations!

DOWNLOAD (Early acces: June 30) https://www.patreon.com/posts/grimsthorpe-101891128

[itsror9]

Help Mohammad's Family Evacuate from Gaza

“Over the past two years, my life journey has shifted from a tale of digital marketing success on social media platforms and Google to one marked by renewed challenges. Losing my job, along with essential equipment and contracts disrupted by internet outages, has set me back to square one, with a loss totaling around $3000. I’m Mohammed and this is my story.

Residing in Gaza, my family has weathered the storms of unjust wars and oppression. We had lost our home in the 2014 war, and after much difficulty in compensating for that loss, we faced a new setback in 2023 war on Gaza, losing everything we had recently acquired (our home, jobs and even our neighbourhood that had completely wiped out). We're now seven individuals without a real shelter, currently residing in displacement areas in the southern part of Gaza Strip that is unsuitable for living. We have no way even to return; everything is destroyed and we cannot even find away to stay alive! I spend my whole day thinking about my family and if we will survive this unbearable and unimaginable situation in this chaotic world. Hence, l started this crowdfunding campaign to help them out and find away to save their lives apart of the never-ending bombardments and military airplanes as my father needs an urgent treatment abroad after being injured in our house bombing. There are still fragments in his body that haven't been removed due to a lack of medical services and equipments.

My immediate family involves: Ismail Mahmoud (father), Iman Mohamed (mother), Areej (sister), Israa (sister), Mustafa (brother), and Abdul Rahman (little brother), a 14-year-old student whose educational pursuits were abruptly halted, depriving him of opportunities in English language learning and programming activities.

Israa, serving as both a STEM Lab Trainer and chemistry teacher, stands out in her ability to engage children in practical and enjoyable science education, guiding them through contemporary projects in artificial intelligence and evolution.

Mustafa, a young fashion entrepreneur, launched his clothing store in 2021 with a passion for style. Sadly, he faced a devastating setback, losing over $10,000. Now, he's determined to rebuild from scratch and restore his livelihood despite all the damage around. You can make a difference in his journey to recovery by supporting him in so many ways.

If you look deeply at my family, you’ll foresee how successful we were before this war!

Thus, The dire conditions in refugee camps pose an imminent threat, compelling us to seek refuge for my family to rebuild our lives with dignity and security. Therefore, We hope to raise over $70,000 for a safe life and to start a new dignified life from scratch again, including $40,000 to ensure our safe passage through the Rafah crossing, where the cost of crossing ranges between $5000 and $7000 per person. This will enable us to continue our professional lives and education without fear or terror.

Your donation, no matter how small, can have a significant impact in saving a family that has endured multiple wars and seeks safety. Thanks for showing love and support!”

[anastasiaskarsgard]

Could you do a one shot between bills character in John wick and a quiet noblewoman. Like he begins talking about art and the reader, someone who lost someone important to her and had been quiet ever since, starts to babble with him about art. Everyone is shocked cause she hadn’t talked this much since the death.

“Why do all the French artists paint like this?”you overheard a small American boy ask his Father. The man shrugged his shoulders, looking like he’d rather be anywhere but here.

You really wanted to answer the boy, and to tell him there’s so many more styles if he prefers. The French have so many forms of art ranging from sculptures, to architecture, to elaborate gardens and fashion houses. You wanted to tell him about the gardens of Versailles or the hall of mirrors. Regale him with stories of the amount of effort it takes just to run the hundreds of fountains, spread throughout the vast palace grounds. Tell him about the way French artists fought against oppressors in the most amusing ways, like the story of Christian Dior and the Nazis. You wanted to say so many things, but the words were stuck in your throat, and you felt like the walls were closing in on you.

Just as you were turning around to flee another failure, you came face to face with a breathtaking man. He was not looking at you though, his attention was on the young American boy. He had an annoyed look on his gorgeous features, and just as you realized you were staring at this man he spoke; “Renoir was one of the founding fathers of Impressionism, but unlike Monet and Degas, he was a perfectionist. This is not all France has to offer however, maybe your father should take you to see some of the enormous scenes of battle, that make you feel various emotions. Delacroix is just up ahead.”

The boys eyes lit up and he snatched his fathers hand, enthusiastically pulling him forward to see the famed scenes of war and suffering.

“Degas wasn’t any less of a perfectionist.” You blurted out before you knew what was happening.

The man turned to you and cocked an eyebrow. Grinning slightly, he asked you what your favorite exhibit was in the museum, switching from english to French.

Thrilled to talk about art, with someone who looked like a work of art himself, you began to list your favorite artists currently on display, and only became more enchanted when he shared his impressions of them. You had always been the queen of random facts about various topics, especially art, but as your conversation flowed, you learned several new things from this man.

As you followed him into the newest exhibit to see what he called groundbreaking, you’d nearly forgotten that you hadn’t spoken a word in over a year.

That is until you saw HER.

Emily Devoss, the literal reason your heart had been broken. You’d grown up together and she’d always made a point to make you feel small. She was always the first to point out your flaws, and she’d always seemed out of reach. Seeing her perfect clothing, on her perfect frame, with her perfect smile and perfect hair, reminded you of the worst day of your life.

Completely humiliated and grasping at sanity in front of all your friends and family, you’d received a FaceTime from your husband to be. Heart soaring and hope restored, you’d answered it thinking he’d have an explanation for his tardiness, but were met with him sitting topless by a pool telling you he wasn’t ready for marriage. Completely bewildered that he’d wait till you were standing in a church in your wedding gown,in front of hundreds of people, to decide he wasn’t ready was more than you could comprehend. Then Emily Devoss had come into the frame, and had sat in his lap and bitten his ear and the call had ended.

(A few weeks later, she had dumped him, and he’d had the audacity to expect you to take him back. You’d ignored him; refusing to reply to any communication, or answer your door. You blocked him on everything, but he’d been persistent, calling and texting from strange numbers. Since you weren’t speaking, you never answered calls anyways, but you were able to communicate through text and email. Just not with him.

The thought of any type of communication or contact with that man, turned your stomach.)

Your parents and bridesmaids had seen the FaceTime, since they were all curious where he was too. Overwhelmed and likely in shock, you’d completely shut down and checked out. As the whole situation became more real, and sunk in, You avoided everyone like the plague for the next several months. when it finally came time that you needed to speak, you could not bring yourself to do so. You texted and emailed, the bare minimum, but that was it.

After your mother tried to have you committed, you’d compromised and gone to several therapists. None of them were able to get you to speak. You simply didn’t feel you needed to speak to anyone if you so choose. Being mute wasn’t illegal, and you couldn’t imagine any reason to speak ever again, until today.

“I have been so rude. My name is Vincent, but most call me Marquis. May I have your name?” The beautiful man asked you, unaware of the inner struggle you were fighting.

Unable to take your eyes off Emily more than a few seconds, you bit your lip, as your world began to crumble.

Vincent observed your odd behavior and quickly came to the conclusion that you were distressed by someone in the room. Stepping in your line of sight, your eyes met his and you could physically feel yourself calm a bit.

“I do not know what is happening, but I don’t often repeat myself.” Cocking an eyebrow at you expectantly, he crossed his arms and your mind raced.

“Don’t bother handsome. She’s broken beyond repair. She’s too stupid to speak.” Emily’s voice cut through your heart, and you began to panic.

Vincent spun around to face Emily, and you were certain you’d lost another man to the horrible woman, and could feel the sting of tears in the back of your eyes. You could see they were speaking, but in your current state, only heard white noise and your quickening breath.

Just when you were sure you’d burst into tears and pass out, Emily’s face visibly fell, and she looked utterly terrified. Quickly approaching you, she awkwardly bowed before you, and then apologized, before quickly making an exit.

Blown away by the obvious terror in her eyes, you looked to Vincent once more, and found him holding out his hand for you, gently smiling.

“What did you say?” You found yourself asking.

“Oh I just told your friend Emily, that I don’t take kindly to people distressing the few beautiful things left in this ugly world, and she recognized the error in her ways,” he stated as you took his hand, and walked beside him up to the newest exhibit.

Except you couldn’t take your eyes off of this man. The Marquis radiated confidence and danger, but for whatever reason, you knew you’d never be safer in anyone’s hands.

Smiling when he turned to you again, you told him your name.

[marzipanandminutiae]

Questions because I'm curious! What is your 'holy grail' doll to collect? Have you ever tried making a whole doll from scratch? What's your favourite part of doll restoration? What are your favourite haunts for doll hunting? What doll collectors/restorers do you admire most? And lastly, if you could go back to any period(s?) to get a doll when it was new, what time period(s?) would you go to

Ooooh doll questions! let's go!

Holy grail doll to collect. I already have at least one of them- a late 1860s French fashion doll with an articulated wooden body. She survived the fire and I love her even more for it; her name is Leonore. A few "wouldn't be nice" dolls I don't have yet include:

Antique 18th-century English wooden doll (I have a lovely repro at the moment, Amy)

Simon and Halbig 1159 lady doll

A wax fashion doll. I lost all of mine in the fire, unfortunately

Lenci boudoir doll

Miniature china-headed doll with an articulated wooden body

A Black French fashion doll (SUPER rare, but they did exist)

2. Have I ever made a doll from scratch? Yes, out of polymer clay with jewelry headpins baked in to string her together. She was floppy and had anime eyes drawn on with Sharpie. Not the most successful experiment.

3. Favorite part of doll restoration? Cleaning. They just look so much happier after a bath!

4. Favorite doll-hunting haunts? EBay. Sadly, one doesn't come across the sort of doll I collect in the wild much anymore, though I've had some luck with French fashion doll clothes at the Brimfield Antiques Fair.

5. Admired doll collectors/restoration artists? My friend and Amy's maker, Paul Robinson. Michael Canadas and David Robinson. Kathy Libraty (also a friend- a dealer who does restoration). Illiandra Alvey (another friend). Samy Odin. Kat Davies. Bradley Justice Yarborough (a LOT of these are people I'm friends with). Linda Wall.

6. Time travelling to get a doll when new? 18th-century English wooden. Unless you get VERY lucky, they retail for like $20K right now- the pretty ones in decent condition, that is.

Or an Albert Marque doll, to sell and make like $300K off of.

[filmnoirfoundation]

NOIR CITY 21

Celebrating its 21st year, NOIR CITY, the largest annual film noir festival in the world, returns to Oakland's Grand Lake Theatre, January 19-28, 2024. FNF president Eddie Muller will present a dozen double bills pairing an English language noir with a similarly themed foreign language film—24 films over 10 days. Whatever the country of origin, there are heists, prison breaks, missing persons, cultural alienation, love triangles, and lots of plain old-fashioned murder.

Muller says this edition "has been tailored to satisfy those folks who love noir filled with the colorful vernacular slang so essential to American and British noir—as well as adventurous viewers intrigued by seeing a familiar story—typically a crime committed for passion or profit—play out in cultures with different values, mores, and styles." Through his programming of NOIR CITY festivals around the nation and his hosting of the popular Noir Alley franchise on Turner Classic Movies, Muller aims to move audiences past the idea that film noir is a strictly American genre.

Joining him this year, as co-programmer and co-host, is acclaimed film scholar Imogen Sara Smith, a familiar commentator on The Criterion Channel streaming service. "Attending NOIR CITY in the Bay Area has been a highlight of my year for over a decade," says Smith, "and I'm thrilled to be joining Eddie as co-host this year. I'm especially excited that the program we've put together will introduce audiences to some rare international titles, alongside Hollywood classics. It's going to be a stellar festival."

Kicking off the collection of rarities is the FNF's most recent restoration — 1952's Argentine film Never Open That Door (No abras nunca esa puerta) — based on two short stories by American master of suspense fiction, Cornell Woolrich. The picture was preserved by the Film Noir Foundation in 2013 and has now been completely restored by the FNF through UCLA Film & Television Archive, thanks in part to a grant from the Golden Globe Foundation (formerly HFPA). Fernando Martín Peña, Argentina's pre-eminent cinephile, will be on hand to introduce the film with Eddie Muller.

Included on the 2024 schedule are English-language rarities such as Black Tuesday (1954), Plunder Road (1957), Across the Bridge (1957), and Strongroom (1962). Little-seen international titles include The Human Beast (France, 1938), Aimless Bullet (South Korea, 1960), Bitter Rice (Italy, 1949), Four Against the World (Mexico, 1950), Zero Focus (Japan, 1961), and Smog (1962), a forgotten surrealist masterpiece by Italian director Franco Rossi freshly restored by UCLA Film & Television Archive. Explore the full line up, buy tickets for individual double features and Passports (All-Access Passes) at the festival website.

GO TO NOIR CITY

[scotianostra]

What more can we say about Mary that has not been said already? Well I have dug up a few little known facts about the lady.

Mary used to wash her face with white wine; it helped keep her alabaster complexion, which was the height of fashion at the times, in perfect order. The use of such fine tipple to keep the wrinkles at bay was a source of constant consternation to her English keepers the Earl of Shrewsbury and his overbearing wife, Bess of Hardwick, who were forced to foot the bill for most of the upkeep of their ‘guest’ while she resided in England at Elizabeth’s ‘pleasure’.

Still on the subject of her time in England, whilst she was in the custody of the Earl of Shrewsbury and his wife Bess of Hardwick, Mary fell out with Bess big time; Bess apparently became convinced that her husband had more than just a soft spot for the captive Queen of Scots. To get back at Bess for besmirching her name Mary wrote what has come to be called ‘The Scandal Letter’ to Elizabeth I, detailing all the dubious titbits of gossip Bess had told her over their sewing sessions.

According to what Mary had heard from Bess, Elizabeth thought herself so beautiful that she couldn’t be looked upon directly; her ladies-in-waiting would frequently find themselves convulsed with laughter at having to maintain this fiction; also that Elizabeth was sexually insatiable and had pursued one of her favourite courtiers, Christopher Hatton, and secured his favours in a threesome; and finally, and perhaps more mysteriously, that Elizabeth ‘wasn’t like other women’, perhaps physically or in some other way. Sir William Cecil, Elizabeth’s secretary of state (later Lord Burghley) sensibly saw to it that his mistress never received the letter. I do wonder what the "not like other women" comment meant!

And finally Mary was implicated in several lots to assassinate he cousin, Queen Elizabeth, the first was The Ridolfi Plot in 1571, it is said to have involved Philip II of Spain, Pope Pius V and the Duke of Norfolk, as well as Mary’s advisor, the Bishop of Ross, and Mary herself. It was to involve a Spanish invasion and a catholic uprising, followed by Mary being wed to the Duke of Norfolk, then would take the throne. When Ridolfi’s messenger was arrested at Dover, incriminating letters were seized and Norfolk was arrested, tried for high treason and found guilty. He was executed on Tower Hill on 2 June 1572. Ridolfi was abroad when the plot was uncovered and escaped this fate. Elizabeth was reluctant to authorise the execution of a fellow queen, but Mary was kept under ever-tighter surveillance.

Then there was the Throckmorton Plot Francis Throckmorton was arrested in November 1583 by Sir Francis Walsingham’s agents. Under torture he revealed a plot to invade England and place Mary on the throne, naming several allies in his confession. Throckmorton was executed and Bernardino de Mendoza, the Spanish ambassador, was sent back to Spain. Again, Parliament and Council believed the Queen of Scots should be executed. Again, Elizabeth refused to admit that Mary had been plotting against her. This plot contributed to the Act of Association of 1585 after which, Mary would be held responsible for any plot carried out in her name – whether she knew of it or not.

In 1585 we saw The Parry plot.William Parry had been working as a double agent for both the English Queen and Mary, Queen of Scots. Queen Elizabeth was informed that he had planned to kill her either in a private meeting or ambushing her. There were calls for Mary, Queen of Scots, to also be brought to justice –although there was no proof of her involvement in the Parry Plot.

Parry was arrested for treason and hanged at Westminster.

And finally The Babington plot in 1586. Babbington, an English Catholic nobleman plotted to restore the Roman Catholic religion by placing Mary on the English throne. Anthony Babington had made Mary aware of his plans to kill Elizabeth and help Mary escape.

Mary replied to Babington in letters, she explained how she wanted France and Spain to help her become Queen by invading England.

However, these letters were intercepted by Elizabeth’s spy, Sir Francis Walsingham. The letters were amended, to what extent we will never know, but it is known a gallows sign was added to a letter and a post-script asking for the names of the conspirators.

In her defence, she claimed that she could not be accused of treason as she was not an English subject.

Mary was taken to Fotheringay Castle and put on trial in October. Throughout the proceedings she protested her innocence and denied all knowledge of the plot, but the letters were produced as evidence of her guilt. After months of delays Elizabeth signed Mary’s death warrant on 1 February 1587. Seven days later Mary was beheaded in the Great Hall at Fotheringay.

Bonfires were lit and bells were rung throughout the country in celebration.

[akkivee]

skimmed thru the guidebook myself!!!! here’s what i thought was neat about it!!!

the book cover was warning text all over it lol and it reads:

‘hypnosis mic has the power to interfere with people’s minds. when handling it, please be mindful of the extent to which its users’ influence can reach. furthermore, possession of a hypnosis mic that is not authorised by the chuuoku is subject to strict legal penalties’

within the pages, there’s another warning that’s partially blocked off by the graphics, but is advising to thoroughly read thru the guidelines for optimal functionality for failure to do can cause errors, malfunctions and other issues lol

pretty sure said pages are of the box the hypnosis mics are delivered in lol

the current era relationship chart is insane lmao like there are so many arrows. if it’s important, there’s probably an arrow for it lol

a handful of timeline events were removed in favour of including info about everything all the way up to the music festival. most of these removed events were when individuals met each other, eg dohifu meeting, rei and otome meeting

i think it’s just funny lmao but the section in bb’s story talking about jiro and saburo’s jobs to get ichiro to consider making a team with them, they included a silhouette of some woman to represent hifumi’s stalker LOL

did they update the official site with rei’s blood type??? if they didn’t, he’s type a 🤔

according to dh’s most important persons page, rei and otome stopped seeing eye to eye about the true hypnosis mic and the ramuda clones

the explanations for nagosaka’s abilities are neat!!!

🎋: makes the other person laugh, weakening their abilIties (tho interesting to note it’s not written with the english word ability to imply the hypnosis abilities)

🍮: informs allies, strengthening their power

0️⃣: manipulates any number of people to his own advantage

📿:enters a meditative state that increases concentration to block the opponent’s ability (ability here is written in english to imply it’s the hypnosis abilities)

🌙:gathers courage that restores own power (parallels jakurai’s ability to restore to normality when tled literally)

⚖️:with a shout, repel all attacks back at the opponent and away from allies

otome’s likes are gardening, tea, and antiques. she doesn’t like bugs or coffee. her favourite foods are pasta and risotto and she doesn’t like meat

ichijiku’s likes are ribbons, general goods, and fashion magazines. she doesn’t like pigeons or roller coasters. her favourite foods are sweets and she doesn’t like curry

nemu’s likes are making sweets and aquatic sports. she doesn’t like tobacco or lizards. her favourite food is hamburgers and she doesn’t like shellfish

the guidebook says the effects a person experiences after the true hypnosis mic is used on them varies from person to person. there are plenty of unknowns about it, including why hypnosis abilities disappear once under its influence.

the guidebook actually doesn’t have those pics of shakku and co we got in arb lmao. tho to that point it’s kinda interesting the people’s photos they do include are yotsutsuji and hanabi

[rowan-blood]

Book Recommendations

Kellen Graves

Prince of the Sorrows (Rowan Blood, #1) Lord of Silver Ashes (Rowan Blood, #2) Herald of the Witch’s Mark (Rowan Blood #3) The Fox and the Dryad

K.J. Charles

The Smuggler and the Warlord (A Charm of Magpies, #0.5) The Magpie Lord (A Charm of Magpies, #1) Interlude with Tattoos (A Charm of Magpies, #1.5) A Case of Possession (A Charm of Magpies, #2) A Case of Spirits (A Charm of Magpies, #2.5 Flight of Magpies (A Charm of Magpies, #3) Feast of Stephen (A Charm of Magpies, #3.5) Five For Heaven (A Charm of Magpies, #3.6) Jackdaw (A Charm of Magpies, #4) Rag and Bone (A Charm of Magpies, #5) A Queer Trade (A Charm of Magpies, #5.5) The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal Butterflies (The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal, #2) Remnant: A Caldwell & Feximal/Whyborne & Griffin Mystery (The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal, #3; Whyborne & Griffin, #3.5) Proper English (England World, #1) Think of England (England World, #2) Song for a Viking (England World, #2.1) A Fashionable Indulgence (Society of Gentlemen, #1) A Seditious Affair (Society of Gentlemen, #2) A Gentleman’s Position (Society of Gentlemen, #3) Wanted, A Gentleman An Unseen Attraction (Sins of the Cities, #1) An Unnatural Vice (Sins of the Cities, #2) An Unsuitable Heir (Sins of the Cities, #3) Spectred Isle (Green Men, #1) The Henchmen of Zenda Unfit to Print Band Sinister The Rat-Catcher’s Daughter (Lilywhite Boys, #0.5) Any Old Diamonds (Lilywhite Boys, #1) Gilded Cage (Lilywhite Boys, #2) Masters in This Hall (Lilywhite Boys, #3) Slippery Creatures (The Will Darling Adventures, #1) The Sugared Game (The Will Darling Adventures, #2) Subtle Blood (The Will Darling Adventures, #3) The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen (The Doomsday Books, #1) A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel (The Doomsday Books, #2) A Thief in the Night

A.J. Demas

One Night in Boukos Something Human Sword Dance (Sword Dance, #1) Saffron Alley (Sword Dance, #2) Strong Wine (Sword Dance, #3) Honey and Pepper (When in Pheme, #1)

C.S. Pacat

Captive Prince (Captive Prince, #1) Captive Prince: Volume Two (Captive Prince, #2) Kings Rising (Captive Prince, #3) Dark Rise (Dark Rise, #1) Dark Heir (Dark Rise, #2)

Joanna Chambers

Provoked (Enlightenment, #1) Beguiled (Enlightenment, #2) Enlightened (Enlightenment, #3) Unnatural (Enlightenment, #4) Restored (Enlightenment, #5) Gentleman Wolf (Capital Wolves Duet, #1) Master Wolf (Capital Wolves Duet, #2)

Tamara Allen

Downtime Whistling in the Dark The Only Gold If It Ain’t Love The Road to Silver Plume (Secret Service #1) Playing the Ace (Secret Service #2) Invitation to the Dance

Harper Fox

Brothers of the Wild North Sea Once Upon a Haunted Moor (Tyack & Frayne #1) Tinsel Fish (Tyack & Frayne #2) Don’t Let Go (Tyack & Frayne #3) Kitto (Tyack & Frayne #4) Guardians of the Haunted Moor (Tyack & Frayne #5) Third Solstice (Tyack & Frayne #6) Preacher, Prophet, Beast (Tyack & Frayne #7) Out

Sebastian Nothwell

Mr Warren’s Profession (Aubrey & Lindsey, #1) Throw His Heart Over (Aubrey & Lindsey, #2) Hold Fast Oak King Holly King

Lydia Gastrell

One Indulgence (Indulgence #1) One Glimpse (Indulgence, #2)

Hale Ginn

Lord of the White Hell, Book 1 (Lord of the White Hell, #1) Lord of the White Hell, Book 2 (Lord of the White Hell, #2)

Adella J. Harris

The Marquess of Gorsewall Manor (After the Swan’s Nest, #1) The Earl of Klesamor Hall (After the Swan’s Nest, #2)

Cat Sebastian

The Soldier’s Scoundrel (The Turners, #1) The Lawrence Browne Affair (The Turners, #2) The Ruin of a Rake (The Turners, #3) It Takes Two to Tumble (Seducing the Sedgwicks, #1) A Gentleman Never Keeps Score (Seducing the Sedgwicks, #2) Two Rogues Make a Right (Seducing the Sedgwicks, #3)

Lily Morton

The Mysterious and Amazing Blue Billings (Black and Blue #1) The Quiet House (Black and Blue #2) Something Wicked (Black and Blue #3)

Freya Marske

A Marvellous Light (The Last Binding #1) A Restless Truth (The Last Binding #2)

Other Authors

The Devil Lancer by Amara, Astrid The Reluctant Berserker by Beecroft, Alex The Scottish Boy by Campi, Alex de Catalina Blues by York, Marlo The Rake, the Rogue and the Roué by Westfall, Eric Alan The Gladiator’s Master by Sutherland, Fae The Song of Achilles by Miller, Madeline When Skies Have Fallen by McGowan, Debbie Nova Praetorian by N.R. Walker The Reanimator's Heart (The Reanimator Mysteries #1) by Kara Jorgensen

(last update 2024/04/19)

I would appreciate your recommendations if you enjoy one or more books from this list.

[mihrsuri]

Elizabeth and Robert’s kids in the OT3 Verse because @boleynecklace got me thinking about them.

Anne (Nanette) - the oldest who marries William Cecils oldest son because I think it’s funny to have William Cecil and Robert Dudley be in laws though their relationship is pretty different here because Elizabeth isn’t the Queen etc. Inherits her title of Duchess of Pembroke as her mother inherited it from Anne’s namesake grandmother.

Anne is not only best friend with her cousin Turhan (King Thomas II) she’s also his spymaster (secret) and one of his chief advisors. She inherited all the political acumen and also the ruthless pragmatism.

Henry (Harry) - the second oldest. He will definitely let you know that he’s totally older than his twin by like, two minutes. Very crucial. He’s the courtier, the sportsman jouster and the fashion plate tbh. Also definitely a ladies man (his wife is actually okay with this - they married because they were friends and wanted children, not due to love).

Thomas (Thom) aka the gardener (I think it’s very cool actually). Henry’s twin and is the one holding the impulse control and the braincells of the twins. He’s actually the one who manages the estate even though Harry is the Duke of Leicester. The gardens he designed and planned are famous even today in universe.

Robert (Robbie) - he’s the sailor and the guy who essentially founds a non imperialist version of the English Navy. Sails as far as Indonesia at least, spends several years in his cousin Maryem’s court in Persia (she’s the Empress), falls in love with a Privateer/Pirate uh Admiral (I love her). You know, the usual.

Marian - the youngest by far (the late in life surprise baby). She’s a painter who married twice (her first husband was Terrible) and lives till 1680 and has an amazing life - especially in terms of this AUs version of the English Civil War and the Restoration.

[ohtobealady]

I was tagged by my lovely wifey, @thehiddenbaroness. Thank you darling!

Are you named after anyone?

I am not!

2. When was the last time you cried?

Hmm, I'm not sure I can recall. I'm sure something as made me misty-eyed recently (a song or something), but nothing is springing to mind. I'm not really a crier, but that isn't to say crying is bad or weak.

3. Do you have kids?

I have four: two sons and two daughters. That's weird to type for some reason?

4. What sports do you play/have you played?

I've danced (I, too, consider that very much a sport) and played soccer. I am not a sporty gal, much to my own disappointment.

5. Do you use sarcasm?

Not especially, actually? Only when the occasion calls for it. ;)

6. What’s the first thing you notice about people?

it's probably whether or not they smile or soften their features if we make eye-contact.

7. What’s your eye color?

brown, baby

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

I don't like scary movies, so I suppose happy endings?

9. Any talents?

I'm a good teacher and I read aloud well.

10. Where were you born?

Louisiana.

11. What are your hobbies?

Writing, learning (French, embroidery, composting, history of fashion/clothing), word games like crosswords, listening to true crime podcasts (Cult Liter and Something Was Wrong as ongoing series; Scamanda, The Retrievals, and A Ghost Story as standalone series), binging audiobooks

12. Do you have any pets?

One Aussie named Noble, two cats named Babycat and Bagheera

13. How tall are you?

not tall LOL nearly 5'6"

14. Favorite subject in school?

Hmm, Speech, Theatre, English (those three being my degrees), history of any type, but specifically ancient civilizations and Euro History of the 18th and 19th centuries.

15. Dream job?

I haven't really decided yet. In some sort of literature job, maybe? A museum curator? Ooo art restorer! Honestly, though, I loved @thehiddenbaroness 's response: "I'd like to be occupied with love in its different forms, and for my time to be largely my own." Beautiful.

Tagging, but feel no pressure!

@randomabiling @modernamericangirl @mar-nu-falmar @juliasdowntonstuff @abumperprize @andallthatmishigas @its-because-of-his-lordship