#because the trends rarely fit my personal style

[just-gay-thoughts]

Yall I'm getting so excited for the weekend because I don't have any big assignments, so I'm gonna try to alter a vintage dress I got yesterday! If all goes right I should be able to slowly buy more dresses without needing to worry about them fitting perfectly!

[redundant2]

Tidying up the tea bags

This is pretty enjoyable. From SMM at Reddit. Allegedly.

"This is all ALLEGEDLY. I have a friend who cleans house for very well-known, established, female actress/producer/director in “Hollywood”. (Not exactly Hollywood, butI don’t want to name the exact area. My friend has worked for “Actress” for years, and they have developed a rapport, as “actress” is a generally nice person who happened to hit it big, and has not forgotten her roots. She’s one of the good ones.

ALLEGEDLY: “Actress” has met TOW, and said TOW fawned over her like a serious fan girl. She literally followed her around an event trying to get a photo with “Actress”. Finally, “Actress” had to pretend to receive a very important call, so she could get away. TOW is literally a joke in the real A-list set. “Actress” says she is constantly made fun of, and has her assistant of the week call local boutiques begging for samples! Some actually say yes. Also, this is why TOW sometimes looks like she’s wearing a paper bag, or pants that are 3” too long. She gets the sample, and will wear it regardless of how it fits. Oh, and get this! She’s trying to create her own “style” with the super long pants. “Actress” allegedly told my friend that TOW is trying to start a new FASH-SHON trend with the long, dragging, pant legs! “Actress” and friends know this is BS, and that she simply hasn’t had the pants hemmed!

Oh, and all those fake “body shaming” Hollywood types? They call her The Box. No shape, no waist, no curves. Just a box. Nobody wants to dress her, nobody wants to be associated, and she pays full price for her “designer” accessories… which, according to “Actress” could be knock offs or fetched by her assistant from resale shops.

Also, “Actress” has been told through the grapevine that TOW and her poodle may have a former employee ready to spill the beans on the fights, the kids, the horrible treatment of staff and the all-around horrible working conditions inside the Sussex Mental Asylum. Oh, and TOW and poodle don’t sleep in the same bed. They rarely reside at their Montecito house… if they do at all. It may have silently been sold. Not 100% sure on that part. TOW is poison, she’s ruined any chance of ever being anything but Z list, and her agency is fed up.

“Actress” knows a lot of people, and has no reason to lie to my friend. “Actress” and friends have their daily laugh at the fake Princess and her poodle. The only people who will agree to work with them are no-name brands, z-list actors and failed show-biz types. The joke is that soon people will start seeing them hawking used cars in late night local TV! Oprah is also a joke. She’s only invited to things because people want her money, NOT her. She’s repugnant, classist and rude. She has forgotten where she came from. Nobody likes Oprah. Nobody. They only like her money. ALLEGEDY. Again… this is just chatter from the grapevine."

[applejuiceyjuice-art]

PARASOCIALITE MANIFESTO

⚠️massive infodump ahead⚠️

i wrote all that forever ago when i was trying to figure out the dynamic (and after rewatching a stream of the beginner’s guide, feeling incredibly inspired to create a drawing of twitch as a parasocial figure and thought i needed someone on the “other end” so to speak). after writing vol 3, it just sorta fell into place. i was trying not to post too many drawings before it came out 🤭

my original idea was basically the clashing of “someone who doesn’t care about anything” and “someone who cares too much about everything,” which is still true but i really love the added parasocial aspect of it 😁😁😁 and i like opposites attract type of shit i guess

kik wouldn’t even think of twitch as anything more than a basic influencer type until after watching for a good while. at the start, he was only curious, and still held disdain for twitch’s streaming personality. but he likes it when twitch gets mad, so somehow he found himself continuing to watch old streams and new ones.

there’s also a sense of relatability all streamers have, and so for someone like kik, who doesn’t find most people relatable (or tries), it felt even more intense. the fact that twitch is genderfluid, has overlap in their sense of humor, and those random moments where you and the streamer are just… thinking the same thing in the moment, feels like a red strings of fate to kik. donating to get twitch to read her message gives her a major shot of dopamine lol.

things that kik originally disliked in twitch are now reasons why she’s soooooo amazing: workaholic -> talented, trying too hard -> cute. she agonizes over being so attached to someone she once pinned as a normie and over the possibility that she’s being creepy.

deep down kik is a social person, and used to talk to people all the time, only thru the window while rarely meeting anyone “irl.” since amino is the only other person kik cares abt now and they go periods of time isolating itself, welllllll ig kik gets a bit lonely.

from twitch’s perspective, she has been working hard and trying to fit in with the bigger sites as her platform basically became a major trend in recent years. she adores the sleekness and style of celebrity type sites (which is why she thinks yt and insta are attractive) and wants the attention too. just in her own, gamer way.

twitch gets easily swept up in the streamer/audience feedback loop, and hasn’t quite figured out how to create clear boundaries. she can tell right away that kik was a fan by meeting #2, but she kinda likes being showered with praise and attention and stuff like that. though she really hates it when kik makes assumptions about her based on their limited perspective.

i specified that this happened during their burnout era because it would be when they make the most irrational decisions. before then, they probably didn’t even remember kik’s existence or rejected him. it would take a while for twitch to actually see anything in kik, partially cuz he never talks about himself or his interests, and also cuz he’s just not their type (or so it seems??)

after the dust is settled, their true dynamic is kik still being mushy/touchy-feely and twitch being awkward about it bc normally she’s kinda adverse to that stuff and would rather it be a joke. especially around other people. kik would bother the fuck out of him in public and likes embarrassing him. this also compounds with kik being the antithesis to the image twitch likes/wants to achieve.

dont get me started with the eddsworld polycule thing. theyd all kill each other

[ifjgh]

Next up is my "too cool 4 school" girlie, Lucya Kozlov.

Here's some basic info! <3

Goes By: Lucya Nicknames: Lucy, (Insert Possible Stage Name Here) DOB: Aug. 22nd, 1956 Age: 21 (Until her B-Day, which comes up early) Gender: Female, but isn't picky about it (She/Her/They/Them) Sexuality: Bi/Pan Ethnicity: Russian, French Occupation: Student (Psychology Major) Works at a Record Store, Lead Guitarist and Singer in her Band Socioeconomic Status: Living in Russia during the Soviet Union, she's not the best well off Place of Birth: Kazan, Russia Family: Very close to her Mother (French) because her Father (Russian) was rarely home due to working so much to support his family Height: 5'4“ Weight: 110 lbs. Disabilities: None(?) Possible Vertigo and/or Hearing Some Amount of Hearing Loss Fashion Style: Goth/Punk Coordination (or lack thereof): Very good at dancing on and off stage, but if it's something she's not focused on or using muscles memory for, her balance is kinda awful (possibly to do Vertigo) Personality Type/Trait: Defender - Dedicated, Protector, always ready to defend those she cares about or feels have been treated unjustly Introvert/Extrovert: Can handle people well, but would prefer to be alone most of the time, more of an Introvert Intelligence: Despite how she acts and carries herself, she's barely passing all of her classes, she'd rather work on her art and music then do her homework Self-Esteem: Average, prides herself on standing out Hobbies: Working on her Music and Art, Dancing, Singing, Smoking Skills/Talents: Creative, Imaginative, Great Singer, Good Dancer, Very Good at Reading People Loves: Music and Art, Smoking (it's a problem), Her Mother, Keeping up on latest trends Phobias/Fears: Not being able to fully execute her visions to her expectations, Bailing Syd out of Jail, Being Forgotten, Beetles (Probably the Beatles too, why not) Angered By: Ignorance, Unfairness, Hecklers, Not living up to her own expectations Pet Peeves: People who use too big of words in sentences, Boring people Obsessed With: Music, Art, Leaving a Mark on the World Bad habits: Messy, Smoking, will just leave a conversation if it's boring her, being a bit too blunt Desires: To create something that won't be forgotten to time, especially if it includes her friends, feeling like she finally fits in somewhere. To be as independent as her Mother is. Flaws: Blunt, Easily Bored, Perfectionist, Looses Interest Easily Secrets: Cries herself to sleep at least once a week over missing her Mother. Doesn't feel like she fits in with anyone here, but refuses to acknowledge it. A hidden embarrassing tattoo. Regrets: Said Tattoo, coming to this Collage and leaving her family (but she does understand this is a good opportunity), not speaking up when it would benefit her socially Accomplishments: Forming her own somewhat Popular band, standing out Languages Known: Fluent in English, French, and Russian, knows some Afrikaans slang (from being Roommates with Shelby), and some creative English insults (from hanging out with Syd)

(Things are subject to change the more I get things fine tuned, I've also kept some things secret for the time being. - Crow <3)

Bonus! Basic Profile Sheet, for funsies! X

[female-malice]

I'm objectively good at cooking and cleaning.

I love kitchens.

It's so tempting to work at a kitchen again. But if I do that, the pendulum might swing back to hating kitchens.

Also I'm just not cut out to be a cook at a restaurant. I tried it. I can do kitchen prep and cleaning just fine. But keeping all the orders straight as a cook is brutal.

I'm great at cooking for big family gatherings. I could cook for a catering company. That's different from cooking to order. Another option is cafeteria-style cooking. That means cooking for institutions, old people, and young people. That's fine. As long as I don't have to cook orders.

No one should have to cook orders unless that is their true calling and it brings them pure joy. Those rare few who take great pride and joy in cooking orders should be the ones running all restaurants. There should be exactly enough restaurants to fit every joyful cook and joyful chef. And then there should be no additional restaurants.

My dream kitchen job is something that doesn't really exist yet. Post-climate change community kitchen.

I worked with an amazing chef who was an 18 year veteran in the trade. And she was an expert at getting value out of every piece of food that came through the kitchen. Nothing spoiled. Nothing went to waste. The walk-in was beautiful. I would help her prep. Then the customers would come in. The line cooks did their magic. The food left the kitchen in massive Italian portions. The customers would eat half. And then they'd leave. The rest of the food on their plates would come back to me. And I'd throw it in the compost bin. And I'd take it out to the dumpster. Every day there was 50 pounds of food waste. The kitchen never wasted food. The customers wasted 50 pounds of food every night.

Consumers are never efficient. But skilled chefs are extremely efficient. A professional kitchen can be more efficient than the average private personal kitchen. My private personal kitchen has a 100% efficiency rate. But I worked in a professional kitchen and I was raised on sustainability and I'm a very hungry person. Many people in the developed world do waste food. And it's not because they're bad people. It's because managing an efficient kitchen is not easy at all. People are paid to do that because it's not simple. Even for professionals there are constant challenges to overcome. But they have experience to rely on. The average person does not. We can't expect to turn every human into a professional chef and kitchen efficiency problem solver. So how can we be a sustainable society?

Community kitchen. Cafeteria style. One kitchen would serve the 500 people living closest to that kitchen. So there would need to be a lot of these. The point is to put the people who are good at food in charge of most food. Anyone who enjoys working in kitchens in any capacity would work there and help solve food problems. And everyone else could eat there. Each community kitchen would need one of those brilliant shrewd chefs like my old boss.

Chefs are an important key to sustainability. But chefs are usually associated with the nightmarish restaurant industry with its impractical culinary trends and wasteful customers. So climate thinkers have overlooked the fact that great chefs are experts at sustainable efficient food planning.

[aromantisk-fagforening]

Wait actually I really liked that tag I made: Conformity is hostile & tiring. (also the part about it being dull)

People who only care about

fitting in

looking like everyone else /mainstream

not being weird

finding out the Best™ way to look/live (that's obviously universal)

visual art having to be hyperrealistic or realistic (all other visual art is a failure)

being pretty in a plain way / avoiding visual "flaws"

The only thing that matters about someone is how physically attractive or beautiful they are, whether they're a classmate, themselves, a war criminal or a YouTuber. (their personality or skills or achievements or crimes or anything like that are boring/uninteresting)

participating in pop culture (there's probably more nuance here, but to keep it short)

meeting the status quo

gender conformity in hobbies/sports (big red flag). (referring to activity part in the group more than the group's part of the activity)

only being interested in The Right Things

only listening to pop music / popular genres

something is Only valuable if Everyone already likes it

- are often rude and boring. They're usually the type to insult each other or strangers for not fitting the requirements they set for themselves. They don't want to think about things they haven't thought about before. If they meet or hear about anything different they "cringe" (accusing the person making them cringe of being "cringe" (a punishable offence)) and mock/ridicule them.

Meanwhile, people who

clearly spend little to no time on their appearance - or if they do it's not just The Trend right then, but making their own style

Are interested in uncommon/odd things - whether hated (/considered cringe or boring), unknown or just something people are generally neutral about

have ungendered hobbies/sports (hobbies common among men/boys &* women/girls)

are focused on hobbies/interests

do things because they're fun

care about themselves

never/rarely discuss physical appearance / never talk negatively about anyone's appearance (not even their own)

care about animals and/or nature

are often cooler. They usually don't judge you, and do treat you nicely and talk about stuff they find interesting, fun or funny. Whether they do weird stuff, or just don't actively conform, they're just cool.

*didn't mention nonbinary/abinary people because they don't really have nonbinary norms like that

These are just my beliefs, shaped by people I've known. I'm not saying anyone with a single trait from group 1 always are horrible, but just that people who have most of the opinions there often are hard to deal with, and have at times, completely incompatible world views.

But yeah. people in group 2 are soso cool and if you feel described and also bored or lonely or anything you can very much talk to me. Like, cause you are - as explained - cool imo, an ideal friend. (assuming you want to be my friend, if you actively don't want to be my friend then you're not an ideal friend obviously)

[colbyflask]

oops - a prelude

so i literally made this blog(?) three months and ten days ago and then never touched it again, in classic me fashion. Isn't that hilarious?? in the time since then, I got laid off from my job (exactly two months ago!!), I saw paramore in concert, flew to a city that is 3 hours away by car to dog-sit (the flight was 30 minutes - yes i am in my taylor swift era), and went to a wedding. these are probably the most life-altering things that happened to me in those three months. that's literally a whole fiscal quarter, I think. but this blog (again - is that what this is???) isn't about that. it's about me listening to music.

The only things I have turned on for my ear holes to listen to since February (how tf do you spell that??) are paramore and gorillaz (and the new fall out boy album but not as extensively). i do not think i am emotionally ready to capture the perfection that is paramore's discography in my dum dum words, so i want to start with gorillaz (since their music is kind of what kickstarted this whole writing experiment tbh).

when I started this thing, I think I had only listened to 3 of their seven albums. That number is now up to five. My initial plan was to go song-by-song on their self titled album, but I'm not going to do that anymore (like I will eventually, but that's not what I want to start with). I have now decided that I will start with what I'm currently listening to - the now now. That's such a funny name for an album (and is also why I didn't listen to it for a while LOL).

I want to tell you (yes, you - the person reading this) how I even started listening to gorillaz (also my brother and I have a joke where we call them "the gorillaz" but then we say it in funny voice so every time I type it, that's what I'm thinking of). I want to say I've always been aware of them (or at least their music, not necessarily their lore or concept). Clint Eastwood would come on one of the radio stations I would listen to in high school pretty often, and I had heard Feel Good Inc. at some point throughout the years. I absolutely saw people wearing the demon days shirts. While I enjoyed the music when we crossed paths, I never really dug any deeper. I do have a faint memory of checking out their music videos and being a bit put off by the animation (I think it was 2-D's eyes that creeped me out) and kind of put it on the back burner until last year (in hindsight, it was probably for the best that I didn't start listening until I was an adult because I would've been absolutely insufferable with it). also - the animation/art style has really grown on me. It fits with who the characters are, and I love how it's evolved since their conception.

The beginning is a little hazy, but I know it started with hearing Clint Eastwood again on the radio. It was as if the spirit of Del possessed me - after that, I had it on repeat on Spotify. I have this thing where I don't like to not know the words of songs (it might be fall out boy trauma, or maybe it's the lingering of perfectionism I like to say I've gotten over but totally haven't), and I listened to it over and over until I got most of the words down. I peeped over to their artist page, and did the same exact thing with Feel Good Inc. (it's quite honestly one of my favorite singles of all time and I have yet to get sick of it). I think I also listened to dirty harry a few times because of that one tiktok trend with the outfits (I hate how central tiktok is to this because I like to think I am not online as much as I am, but alas, here I am). This is the part where it gets hazy - Cracker Island (the song). I could not tell you how or when I first heard it (it was probably a youtube tiktok short), but when I did, I was absolutely obsessed. It was one of those rare moments where an artist captures so much of what you like on a single track. I wanted more, but I (stupidly) didn't seek it out.

Last year, Spotify wrapped did a silly goofy thing where your favorite/most listened to artists (that recorded a video) would popup and say "hey thanks for listening this year." Scrolling through mine made sense, until I saw a weird looking green man on my screen. Although I had only listened to like four songs, I listened enough to have gorillaz say thank you to me at the end of the year (and to promote their new album, of course). This is one of the few times where I feel like the word flabbergasted really describes my true emotion - first of all, had I really listened enough to make this green dude appear?? Second, who IS this green dude?? Third, WHY IS HE BRITISH??? If you're curious, this is the video in question. Knowing what I know now, this was honestly perfect marketing. It fits in SO well with what the band is and what their newest art is conveying. I showed this video to people and was like "what in the world IS this??" and then we laughed - we laughed into the new year.

And into the new year we went. Cracker Island came out sometime in February (that's kind of an iconic month for me now, huh?), and I could not tell you when I decided to listen to the whole thing. I don't remember if it was that month or in March, but boy am I glad I listened to it. Part of the appeal to me was it's name - why is this song and album called cracker island??? I had to figure that out (and whether or not I found out will be revealed in that review...).

After watching the two music videos for Cracker Island, I began to have questions. Who were these four people that composed this band? What's their story?? Why do they look like that?? Who is really making this music??? What in the world was happening in the Cracker Island and Silent Running music videos??? Who is this green guy and why did he kiss that old lady??? Luckily for me, this video popped up in my YouTube recommended and began to unravel some of the mystery. By the end of it, I was hooked. I wanted to know the history behind these four strangers. I wanted to know how all of this worked. And that's how I started listening to Gorillaz.

The first thing I had to figure out what everyone's name was - it took me a little bit to sort out the names and their instrumental roles (the green guy is called Murdoc??? and he was replaced by that guy from the Powerpuff Girls for an album??? what??? who is Paula Cracker??). I scoured wikipedia, read their brief character biographies, and had more questions than answers. What the hell is a phase??? Noodle shipped herself in a Fedex box?? why is there a 7 year gap between albums??? how did they make these albums???

tangent here - I used to play guitar hero as a kid (who didn't??) and on one of my favorite songs to play was song 2 by blur on bass. it took me an embarrassing amount of time to figure out that the singer of blur was the same dude from the gorillaz. like, I think I figured it out last year. what the heck. anyway it's one of my favorite fun facts.

In my research, I learned of the importance of an album called Plastic Beach. From YouTube comments to Wikipedia reviews, I deduced that it's their magnum opus. As a result, I decided I wanted to save that album for last. The listening order for the rest of them was a bit more variable. Here's what my listening order is/likely to be.

Demon Days (2005): after seeing it on so many shirts (that's a joke - it's because it was the album with feel good inc. and dirty harry), I figured I start off strong with this one. I 100% made the right choice

The Fall (2010): in my research i learned that this was a weird one, and I was too scared to start with anything else. I was bored at work (back when I still had a job lol) and put it on in the background. I still need more time with it, but it's still pretty solid. More to come.

Gorillaz (2001): This album is so fun - and it's also the only physical album I own. It was also the album I was jamming through when I decided to start this blog. I have notes written down for this one, so I'm looking forward to writing about her.

Humanz (2017): The album art on this one creeped me out (why does Murdoc look like john lennon) but the music is spectacular. I'm excited to write about this one.

The Now Now (2018): My current listen - I'll be writing about this one first!!

Song Machine (2020): One of two albums I have yet to listen to - is this even considered an album?? Like I know it is, but the song conglomeration is a little confusing to me, so I'm hoping I can figure out how to listen to it.

Plastic Beach (2010): I'm so afraid that this isn't going to live up to the hype I'm building up in my mind. But I'm also so looking forward to listening - rhinestone eyes is a provoking song that i could listen to forever and I'm anxiously anticipating listening to its relatives. I love a good concept album, and I think this is what that's supposed to be.

I'm leaving out some of the peripheral tracks (think the d-sides and laika come home) for the time being. Maybe they'll be the epilogue to this little project. I'm hoping to get this listening party done before the year is over - ideally before december. The majority of the past seven years, my top artist has been another british band that starts with a G, but this is the year they're ultimately dethroned (there was a year where a certain band that I will not name took top billing, but we're not going to talk about that because they're supposedly retired and I don't want to write about them).

I think this concludes our little prelude here - I wrote so much. It absolutely is not proofread, and i'm not starting everything out capitalized. it's not intentional or purposeful - I just didn't feel like hitting shift all the time. Until next time - I'll see you on The Now Now.

'-V

August 15, 2023

[amberfaber40]

Amanda Seyfried on why she will never divert away from her personal style

Amanda Seyfried on why she will never divert away from her personal style

The actress opens up about the challenges of red-carpet dressing and what she thinks makes a great investment piece

Jenna Ortega's Shag at the SAG Awards

Ortega has been on a roll this year since the debut of "Wednesday" on Netflix, and her retro shag haircut was equally as edgy as her character. The

Amanda Seyfried Is a Woman We Love

Because of those eyes, and that smile — even when it's filled with tabbouleh. Of these things we're sure.

Pastures New: Amanda Seyfried for The EDIT

Amanda Seyfried

Amanda Seyfried on playing Elizabeth Holmes in The Dropout & life away from the spotlight

Read the exclusive interview with Amanda Seyfried on PORTER

Amanda Seyfried still feels uncomfortable on the red carpet. As one of Hollywood’s most recognisable faces, you might assume that she wouldn't be fazed by it, but, like so many A-list actresses, she still struggles to feel at ease in the unusual situation. Posing in front of so many photographers will always have its challenges, she tells me, and no matter how much experience you have, it rarely feels like a natural thing to do.“I really enjoy experimenting with fashion on photoshoots, but the red carpet is a different animal; it’s very brief and it’s very frantic,” she says, speaking to me over Zoom from her kitchen table, dressed down in a cosy knit. “You don’t really have enough time. When I’m on a shoot, it feels more like acting – it’s more about the art in fashion, which is really fun for me. You can take as long as you like to feel comfortable and make the clothing work for you, which just isn’t really the case on the red carpet.”Because of this, Seyfried feels that she has boundaries with red-carpet dressing, knowing what she will feel at ease in. The actress has been working with stylist Elizabeth Stewart for years, someone who she says truly understands her style.“Elizabeth is so savvy – she is so amazing and I trust her so much,” she says with a smile. “She has these incredible relationships with designers, and she always finds the pieces that she knows I will like. She understands what will look good on my body and she knows my boundaries with fashion, and I am so grateful for that.”In terms of the process that goes into finding those amazing red-carpet looks, Seyfried says it is all down to Stewart, who brings a rack of clothes over to her house, which will always have something on that she’ll love. “It’s actually always very easy. Every once in a while – maybe once a year – I’ll see something in a magazine that I want to try, but almost always, it is something she has chosen, something she has put on hold, knowing I will love it.”Tristan Fewings //Getty Images Related Story Life Lessons with Anya Taylor-Joy For Seyfried then, much of her focus in fashion is about her down time, where she chooses to wear things that prioritise comfort over anything else.“I think my style has really always stayed in one place – it has evolved here and there and of course my body has changed when I’ve had kids, but I have always been one to wear sweatpants as often as I can, and when I wear jeans, it is going to be the same jeans I have had for years,” she explains. “It just works for me so I don’t move away from it. And look, I live on a farm for the most part now – no one is photographing me, so I just dress how I want.”This, to her, is what timeless style is all about: consistency. “I think it’s about not fitting into one era, you know, not fitting into a trend. For me, it’s really just been about what's comfortable over the years and so I feel in that sense that my style is timeless – I could be from anywhere, from any era; I never want to embrace trends or fleet from one thing to another.” She pauses, thoughtfully. “Maybe that’s because I’m just not brave enough, but I think that embracing what truly feels like you, and what you feel comfortable in is how you look your best.”CourtesyRelated Story Video: Inside Iris Law's beauty bag But comfort doesn't have to mean boring. While Seyfried may have her capsule wardrobe down to a T, she is all about investing in those very special pieces, those which elevate your everyday style.“Good jewellery is what I will invest in. It’s powerful because you can really embrace your own style with jewellery; you can make it your own. I will also invest in great shoes – I’ll overspend with them – and also I will spend money on cashmere, cosy jumpers I’ll wear forever, and a great watch.”As one of the faces of Jaegre-LeCoultre, she knows a lot about how to choose the right timepiece. Her top tips? “It has to be something that you are not afraid to wear all the time. It needs to be a watch that feels like it's part of you, and maybe you can’t remember a time when you didn’t have it, you can’t believe you used to not have it. You need to feel like, ‘How did I ever not own this? How did I walk around without this?’”“And I think this can be the case for very luxurious, extravagant watches too,” she adds. “I remember when I first tried on the Rendez-Vous watch – and I could see why it would be intimidating to wear because of all the diamonds. But I remember doing a shoot wearing it, styled it with a simple black turtleneck, and the pictures were just extraordinary. And I thought, yes, it’s very expensive – it’s exquisite – but it’s also extremely elegant and can add so much character to what you wear, even if you are just pairing it with jeans, maybe especially then.”CourtesyHaving such a close relationship with the brand has also allowed Seyfried to have even more respect for the beauty of the watches, now that she fully understands what has gone in to creating them. It's why this relationship has been successful for so many years.“Jaegre-LeCoultre is the master of watchmaking. It’s great to work with a company which is built on precision and attention-to-detail – their value is in these incredibly beautiful pieces, and getting to understand everything that goes into the making of these is just so incredible. Everything becomes even more special.”Working in fashion, and having access to such beautifully made products, has clearly made Seyfried appreciative of the power behind what we wear. And, whether in full glam on the red carpet or dressed down on the farm, she knows how personal style can tell the story of who we are – which is why she never wants to divert far from what she knows she loves.“Fashion is an extension of who we are and what we represent,” she says. “We are capable of expressing so much of ourselves in what we wear – it makes us feel seen before we even open our mouths.”Related Story Kate Hudson: What you don't know about me

[daisywords]

Can I dump my anxieties on you for a second? I've signed with a moderately large publishing company but in my contract I'm obliged to market myself on TikTok :( I have no problem being on camera, that's not the problem, it's how much this will hurt my soul. Do you have any advice on how to keep true to myself and my book? I swear every "TikTok Author" relies on tropes and 'spice' but I want to make content that is less surface level.

okay well first of all of congrats!

second of all: I think it's totally understandable and valid to have these kind of anxieties. Writing and marketing are two very separate skills, and it's rare that both are appealing to one person. The disconnect between writing the stories I want to tell and catering to market trends is something that I worry about too.

I'm definitely not the most qualified person to talk about this because I'm nowhere near close to publishing my own writing. (And though I have been involved in "the other side" of the publishing industry, it wasn't as much of the marketing stuff.)

That said, here's my two cents: I think there are certain styles that are best practice for the format and culture of TikTok, but that doesn't mean that the actual content or message has to be the same as what everyone else is doing. I'm not on TikTok so I'm definitely not an expert at what the kids are getting up to on booktok these days.

on the one hand, you're probably going to have to be more surface level than is ideal for you, just because you only have the time/attention limit for something shorter and snappier. But that doesn't mean you have to try and shoehorn your book blurb into tropes that don't quite fit just because they're the popular ones.

You're not going to be able to express the entirety of what you love about your book all at once. But you could probably break down various elements of your book that you love and talk about those individually.

If you're tired of the same old stuff all the time, chances are other people are too—not diving into every popular trend won't get you as big of an audience, but it might help you find the narrower but more ideal audience. In book sales/advertising, 10 people seeing your ad/tiktok/blurb and 5 of them buying the book is better than 100 people seeing your ad/tiktok/blurb and only 1 of them buying the book. Your job when it comes to marketing isn't to get the widest audience possible, it's to connect with the audience that's going to love your book.

That said, there's no magical way to target only those people, so to get views, you're probably going to have to do it in a way that's not your favorite ever. But I don't think that marketing your book as 'spicy' if that's not the real draw is going to do anyone any favors. If readers come for something other than what the book really is, they're going to be disappointed.

So I guess I would say—what do you love about your book? What makes you excited about it? Highlight those things! Be passionate about it, because you are passionate about it! And then maybe yeah, mix that with some trendier things to get the word out there. And you probably won't love it, and it probably won't be your favorite part of this whole author thing, but that's okay.

Just remember your target audience are people who like the kind of story you like to tell. They're people who get excited about what you get excited about. So imagine yourself talking to them.

Obviously take all of this with a grain of salt, since I don't really know what I'm talking about. But I am wishing you much success with your book. And also I'm so proud of you. And the fact that you've come this far is already amazing. And the fact that your book is true to yourself probably means that it will be lasting and impactful to your readers in a way that the "super marketable" ones won't.

[hue-culture]

5 Shades Of Green That Are Way Too Exclusive For Home spaces

Even after seeing all the multiple shades, you always find yourself hooked to greens?  A go-to color that makes everything beautiful and alluring. If shades of green tick all your boxes, then keep scrolling! This blog is all about different shades of green that are rare and exclusive.

We completely agree with the fact that green is such a harmonizing shade that expresses abundance and contentment but not all shades enchant the same vibes. Every shade is unique and incorporates different emotions in one’s space.

Designer Mat Sanders of Consort Design advises, “When choosing the perfect green for a room, really consider the vibe you want to evoke. Minty greens can sometimes come off as clinical feeling; grassy greens definitely feel more pop-prep, and darker greens will feel cozy and den-like.”

Salamander- Benjamin & Moore

If you are someone who always seeking expressive spaces that feels sociable and responsive with a sheer subtleness exterior. Then, this shade of green Salamander is what your space needs to be dressed in.

Belonging to the green parent family, this shade embraces tranquility and balance that harmonize your spaces. The blend of black and blue in this shade, make it more futuristic flexible, and intriguing.

Image Credits- MyDomaine

So if you are someone who loves to host house parties and always adapts or discovers new trends, then this shade is meant for you.

Smoke- Farrow & Ball

The magic of smoke from Farrow & Ball is one of a kind. It releases an earthy feeling in your space that makes you feel grounded and promotes calmness in your habitat. Even the style maven and interior design star Emily Henderson recently renovated her kitchen with this coat of green color. She said, “Using it on the island of my kitchen gives the room a fun, unexpected hit of color, while still keeping it traditional and allowing it to blend with the style of the home.”

Image Credits- Benjamin & Moore

The shade is so graceful that it can easily blend with the decor & give an upscale feeling altogether. Many individuals are precise in selecting tones as they don’t want colors to come in the way of interiors. That’s why they opt for hues that perfectly fit into their spaces. The same goes with Emily Handerson she expressed, “”I love this green because it’s totally timeless yet still appropriate for something old world and classic,”

Army Green- Benjamin & Moore

We can describe the shade as an offbeat yet the trendiest color without being extravagant.  It is a shade that many soothing souls can resonate with the most. Definitely a home-perfect shade that can be run for years to come.

Image Credits- Benjamin & Moore

The Portland-based interior designer Max Humphrey described this shade of green as the new navy. Her exact statement was, “”It’s keeping on trend with the ‘olive is the new navy‘ philosophy, and I suggest favorites such as Benjamin Moore Army Green and Dunn Edwards Military Green.”

Electric Lime- Sherwin Williams

An exclusive shade that caters to the choice of few. Only particular taste opts for such kind of hues for their mood board. As compared to greens, people tend to think in harmony. Contradicting this shade outshines vivacious and sprightly behavior in spaces.

Image Credits- House Beautiful

So if you are a chirpy yellow person and afraid to go for yellows in your spaces, then the Electric Lime from Sherwin Williams is a perfect substitute. That doesn’t brighten like yellow and still manages to enlighten a chirpy feel into the surroundings.

Jungle Camouflage- Behr

Can’t really resonate with tropical green or sea green and neither seeking any bright greens? Fret not, we have picked a slightly exclusive shade from Behr’s Jungle Camouflage. It infuses a subdued approach with an idealistic robust look that synchronizes tranquility and peace in the right proportion.

Image Credits- Behr

One can always feel mesmerized and connected with ourselves under such soft hues.

Every shade brings unique expression and feeling into the spaces. So one should be wise in choosing which shade of green should be incorporated into one’s life. It’s almost like a lifestyle choice that needs to make, so think logically. If you are getting confused and stuck, there is always an option to get proper color consultation by our consultants.

[dreamkidddream]

I’d like to request hc’s of the Brothers and Diavolo reacting to an MC that’s so cute, she could pass off as a doll. If she stands perfectly still, she could pass off as a full sized doll until she moves again. She has adorable doe eyes, wears cute clothes (Lolita fashion or just has an anime girl style), and even makes cute desserts. If the usual MC was weak and frail to them already, Doll!MC seems so dainty, precious, and fragile; these guys would ban paper if she ever got a paper cut.

Oooooo this is really interesting! I can just imagine Doll!MC just making everyone so scared every time she moves because they could probably hurt themselves just bumping into a wall because they look so fragile lol. These were short, so hope you enjoy!

Update: here’s part 2 with the other Undateables!

The Brothers and Diavolo Reacting to Doll!MC

Lucifer

...maybe he made a mistake in picking you for the exchange program after all

You just look so delicate, and just so pure. 

You have definitely made cute little snacks and brought it to him while he locked himself in the office with paperwork

He lowkey highkey likes it no matter how he brushes it off with the usual thanks. Keep doing it, MC, he really appreciates it

When you get in trouble and he gives you the usual lectures, he can’t look into your eyes for long

Geez, he already can’t stay mad at you for long but now he can just feel his resolve cracking

If you get hurt oh Diavolo prepare for helicopter parent Lucifer

As soon as you accidently cut yourself in the kitchen (it would be the tiniest cut, barely noticeable),  you’re no longer allowed in the kitchen unsupervised and can’t handle anything with a sharp end (whether its a butter knife or kid proof scissors that would be safe for Luke to use unsupervised)

“Let me do it for you, I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Lucifer, thank you but I’ll be okay. It’s just a frosting spatula it’s not sharp-”

Will punish his brothers 10x worse and demons 100x more if he finds out you got hurt (doesn’t matter what the injury is, could be so much as a paper cut there will be hell to pay)

Constantly checks on you when he can’t see you in person

Handles you so lightly that you barely feel his touch

Move over Belphie, you’re the baby of the house now 

Mammon

Protective x100000

Is still tsudere around you, but doesn’t insult you as much

Who are you kidding as soon as he looks into your cute doe eyes, he forgets what he’s saying 

Complains about having to do stuff for you but doesn’t mind at all really. He loves it because it feels like you’re depending on him, and that makes him feel worth something.

“C’mon human, let the Great Mammon carry your books! You’re gonna hurt yourself and I don’t feel like hearing Lucifer’s mouth today!”

It was just your planner and a small recipe book that Luke gave you, and it weighed less than 10 pounds but okay. You don’t complain either when you see that he genuinely wants to help and do these things

Basically your loud guard dog and secret service agent rolled into one

He’s gotten into trouble more than once for “protecting you”. A student barely bumped your shoulder and Mammon already tackled him. Lucifer was not pleased (but he secretly understood)

He can’t help it that you’re weak and surrounded by hungry demons! It’s a pain to go through this much effort to just protect you, since you look so helpless

MC he’s just worried that you easily break if a demon so much as breathes on you but he likes that he can protect you because he knows that he can keep you safe. You’re just too cute and sweet okay??

Also stand in his room after watching a horror movie to freak him out and he’ll be sounding like Mariah Carey lmao

Leviathan

RURI-CHAN IS THAT YOU??!

Is for sure having an otaku/weaboo freakout moment

You blend in with figurines so well, every time you come into his room he asks you to stand next to them so he can feel that his collection is complete 

He does it sometimes when he streams so people can think he has a rare limited-edition life sized doll that they can’t get. Makes him feel superior 

DRESSING YOU UP IN COSPLAY 100%

You’re like an anime character but in real life and he does not know how to handle it 

Can’t stare into your eyes, it makes them too flustered because he’s used to seeing it in his otome games and not from an actual person that he likes

Who needs maid cafes when he has you? You even dress and make anime themed desserts (once he built up the courage to ask you to make it for him)

Has to calm his beating heart every time he talks to you, you’re too precious for him MC! 

Your like his very own idol, minus the singing and dancing. However, if you can sing and dance....

Levi.exe has stopped working 

Satan

Thought you were a real doll until you introduced yourself

He really thought that someone brought you to life Pinocchio style

You looked like a princess from the many stories that he read, and he was smitten

Treated you so graceful and elegant like until he had his rage moments, which he told you to stay far, far, far away from him until he calmed down completely

Secretly placed a hex on you to where if someone tried to attack you or touch you with harmful intentions, they would be somehow be subjected to looking at their worst fear

You were wondering why that random stranger was just staring wide at you with extensive terror, but then you saw Satan grinning, so you left it alone. You thought it was just some weird demon thing

Loved when you made him cat-themed desserts

If you wore cat ears while doing it, he will turn extremely red

If you meow for him, he won’t know how to handle himself 

Asmodeus

You are just the cutest thing he has ever laid his eyes on!!

Besides from himself of course, don’t get it twisted he’s still #1

He has most definitely had more than one photoshoot done with you both. And you guys have been trending on the Devilgram a couple of times already

Really you guys trend at least twice a month, and his fans love you!

They always ask where he got the doll from but he always laughs and says that “it’s a secret”

Imagine their shock when they see you walking and talking at RAD, some are amazed and some are downright scared

Fashion shows! 

He lives for dressing you up in cute clothes. Your style already suited you and he had great tastes so the new outfits he got you were just *chef’s kiss*

The cute little desserts that you made for him, he always posted it on the Devilgram before he ate it. They were just so cute MC and he couldn’t not show his fans!

Is the most careful brother when it comes to keeping you out of danger. He refused to let his body or skin damaged, and he wasn’t about to let it happen to you either! You are both way too dainty and fragile to let anything happen

Also spa days and self-care nights weekly!

You’re the perfect match made just for him MC

He finally has someone that can understand his struggle of being beautiful, bless you MC

Beelzebub

Soft boy is scared of touching you :(

He towers over you, and he’s scared to even be near you

It takes some time, but he starts to warm up to you

Is always gentle with you, no matter the scenario

Holding hands? He is hardly gripping your hand, said hand fitting loosely in his

Getting hugs? He’s meagerly holding you, not wanting to crush you

You once complained to Beel that it wasn’t fair to get half done hugs (if you were hugging, you were getting a real hug, not a scared one). 

He made you swear that if he was hurting you to let him know, so now you have your very own signal to use for him just in case

He was very tempted to wrap you in bubble wrap and just carry you around like that

He LOVES your sweets, even more than Luke’s and Barbatos’

No matter the size, he loves them, mainly because you made them and it was made with love, just for him

It always makes him feel so warm inside, and he doesn’t feel his appetite gnawing at him like usual

No one is dumb enough to try anything with you both in his presence and not, unless they want to end up either a: deep into the ground or b: into his stomach

You just make him feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and he just loves everything about you. He just loves you

Belphegor

Hm, you look cute 

For a human

Acts like he doesn’t care, but you’ve caught him blushing before (he still does it too)

Won’t outright admit that you’re charming in your own little way, but he does in his sarcastic way like usual

“MC, you’re such a half-pint. You’re like my personal sized teddy bear.”

Has cuddled with you like you were his personal teddy bear (and still does, but you don’t complain at all)

Has a secret sweet tooth and eat your desserts whenever you make it just for him (and he doesn’t even share it with Beel, that monster)

Demons just have to look Belphie in the eyes, watch him flex his claws, and they all of a sudden forget about whatever they were planning. Good

He hates that you look so fragile, but at the same time he kinda likes it

You just look so soft, and you’re just so kind

It makes him feel like he’s protecting and caring for you, and that makes him feel calm and peaceful 

Please make sure that he’s okay MC, he’s scared that he’s gonna mess up again

Diavolo

The Prince of Hell is both surprised and pleased at your appearance

Do all humans look this charming or is it just you??

If someone as soft as you can survive living and going to school with demons, then this is great

Knew that you weren’t a doll, but still liked to admire you like one

Has asked more than once for pictures, you are just too enchanting!

Wants to have a portrait painted of you so he can hang it up in the castle

LOVES you baking for him! Loves when Barbatos does it too (even though it is kinda part of his job), but it feels different with you. It feels...domestic in a sense. Makes him feel like Diavolo, your friend and very interested in being your boyfriend, instead of Lord Diavolo, the prince that will be residing over Hell in the future

No one would be foolish enough to hurt you. If someone was, they wouldn’t even get the chance to lift a finger before they were directly dealing with him. Don’t take his kindness for weakness, he still is a demon after all, the future King of Hell to be exact

Was scared of touching you at first, but quickly grew out of it! He can handle his own strength, and you guys also have a signal to use just in case he does squeeze a little too tight

Will want to dress you up in royal clothes (if you were okay with it). Nothing is wrong with your current style, as a matter of fact it suits you! He basically just wants to play a fancy game of dress up/have a fashion show with royal clothing

Will take 100s of photos, no exaggeration

Asmo will be jealous, so be warned

Plus, he wants to know how his future lover/ruler would look in a crown so he can start taking measurements. You can never be too ready, right MC?

[alpacaparkaseok]

Could you repeat the question?

pairing: Taehyung x reader, oc x Yeonjun (TXT)

premise: a joint interview with your group, BTS, and TXT two months after you met your soulmate.

word count: 2k

[2/2] continuation of Can’t Keep My Hands To Myself

requested by anon - a picture of your request will be at the bottom of the post! 

------------------------------------------

“Please don’t tell them.”

“Me? Why would I say anything?”

“You...you have that look.”

Yeonjun whirls around to face Taehyung, who just entered the room. “Do I have a look?”

Taehyung winks at you in greeting, something that nearly makes you swoon and your group members snicker. 

“A look?” He frowns for a moment before giving his dongsaeng a pitiful smile. “Oh yeah, you do. Definitely.” Taehyung smiles at Jiwoo, my band member who is busy sending death glares at her soulmate. “He’s gonna spill it.”

Yeonjun jumps up from his seat at the same time Taehyung settles down beside you, placing his arm on the back of the couch and brushing your hair off to the side. It’s enough to make goosebumps rise on your skin, which of course he notices. 

Oh, how you’d like to wipe that knowing little smirk off his face right now. 

“I can’t believe this! I’m not going to say a thing-”

“Yeonjun, and I’m saying this with love, if you say a single thing about it, I will personally unplug your refrigerator when you least expect it.”

Your attention is pulled away when you feel Taehyung leaning in to whisper something in your ear. “So, do we know what they’re arguing about?”

You can’t help but giggle. “Nope. Jiwoo won’t say anything.”

“Neither will Yeonjun.”

The smitten couple have been teasingly arguing for the entirety of the morning, leaving the rest of us in complete and utter confusion. 

Oh well, I suppose it’ll help make the broadcast a bit more exciting. 

It’s been two months since Jiwoo and I first *ahem* teleported to our soulmates at the MAMA awards. Or rather, since I landed in Taehyung’s lap and Jiwoo was nearly knocked unconscious when Yeonjun was thrown into her at full force. Of course, Jiwoo claims that it was horribly embarrassing, to which I’m always quick to say that she should feel lucky that at least she didn’t end up in a grown man’s lap. For all to see, no less. 

Ari, our other group member, just rolls her eyes and tells us that beggars can’t be choosers. 

Yeah, whatever that means. 

The past two months have been busy, with hardly enough time to spend with my soulmate. Between the busy schedules and BTS and TXT and our own schedule, we’ve had to settle for late-night FaceTimes and the occasional lunch at the Bighit building. I’ve become really good at sneaking in and out of that building in broad daylight - so far I have yet to be discovered. 

Today, however, is an important one. It’s our first official schedule together as soulmates. Naturally, all three groups have come together for the interview/variety show. 

“Alright, time to head on!” A manager shouts into the room, and suddenly there’s a flurry of movement as we all head toward the door. “I need all the soulmates to stick to their own groups, ok? We don’t want to be causing a riot today.”

Right. With a gloomy expression, Taehyung parts from me to head back to his members. Jiwoo and I glue ourselves to Ari’s side, much to her chagrin. “Ready?”

Both you and Jiwoo respond simultaneously. “Nope.”

Ari just sighs, feigning annoyance. Together, the three of you await your cue as one by one, your groups are introduced. 

TXT goes first, the hosts making a big deal out of swooning over Soobin who now has a cult of his own due to his MC abilities. They make a show of handing the microphone over to him, begging him to take it over from there. He politely declines, while the rest of the boys bicker and chat in the background. 

Then your group is called out, and you find yourself walking out before a huge crowd. You didn’t realize that many people could fit in this building, but here they are. And all of them are here for the same reason: to get a look at the soulmate couples that have newly formed. 

And that have been trending on Twitter and Tumblr for two solid months, breaking all kinds of records. 

As BTS is introduced with an almost reverent tone, you understand why you’ve been trending for so long.

It has a lot to do with one of the men walking out right now, smiling at the crowd and waving, graciously bowing his way across the stage. 

Taehyung wears a gray casual suit which has him looking like he just stepped off a photoshoot. Hair perfectly styled and eyes glowing with adoration for the fans that roar and wave, he commands the entire room with a single raise of his eyebrows. 

Your soulmate, ladies and gentlemen. 

Today is the day where you prove to the rest of the world how much of a perfect match you are for this man. The notion is terrifying. 

“Wow!” The host, a jovial man named Donghyun shouts out, exaggerating how amazed he is by the crowd’s reaction to all three groups sharing the same stage. Indeed, it’s a rare sight. “Ok! Should we get started?”

After a few minutes of more introductions, a few cursory questions (he asks Yeonjun what he’s been up to recently and you’re pretty sure Jiwoo manages to telepathically threaten him, because he chooses the most vague answer imaginable), and instructions on how to begin the next activities, you’re off to the races. 

Painting races, that it. 

Donning a frock and eyeing the empty canvas before you, you glare at your opponent across the way. Taehyung, to his credit, refrains from winking at you. He thinks you’re adorable when you’re flustered, but now’s not the time. 

“Taehyung-ssi!”

Taehyung blinks up at Donghyun. “Yes?”

“Are you going to let your soulmate win?”

The game is simple: paint the listed object with as much detail as possible in a sixty second period. The others will have to guess what it is. 

Taehyung pouts his lips a bit, glancing over at you with a glint in his eye. “I’ll have to see, I think.”

Donghyun chuckles into the mic, turning to face you. “What about you? If Taehyung-ssi falls behind, will you help him win?”

You wiggle your eyebrows at your soulmate, heart soaring when he delivers a boxy grin. “Oh, of course not. I came to compete, not hold hands.”

The crowd bursts out laughing, and someone yells out, “I’ll hold his hand for you!”

You all dissolve into a fit of laughter at that, your cheeks blushing madly. “Yeah, thanks for the offer,” you say between giggles. Readying your paint brush, you wait for the signal. 

You’ve been given the word ‘Iceland’, which you figure shouldn’t be too hard. 

What you failed to account for was the fact that you’re perhaps the worst painter you know. What should look like a globe looks like a basketball and what should be a cube of ice instead looks like nothing more than a cardboard box. 

In the end, you’re pretty sure you laugh more than you paint. Your team members, consisting of a mix from both teams, look utterly confused at the end product. Eventually it’s Jin - who happens to be on Taehyung’s team - that accidentally calls out the answer. 

The rest of the games pass by in a blur of laughter and covert glances toward Taehyung. He always manages to find a way to make you laugh, even though he remains on the other side of the stage for the most part. You don’t miss all of the fans that look at him dreamily, and you can only hope that they’re happy with your overall performance today. 

At the end, you all squeeze onto a couple of couches. Donghyun makes a fuss over allowing the soulmates to sit together, and you can’t hide your smile as a beet-red Yeonjun sidles down to the couch to sit beside Jiwoo, placing his hands in his lap and trying not to do anything that will go viral. 

Taehyung sits on your right, crossing his arms in a way that pulls on his suit jacket enough to expose the outline of his biceps. You catch your eyes wandering, snapping your attention back to the front where Donghyun reads some questions off of a card. 

“I believe that this was the first time soulmates have met while performing at MAMA, is that correct? What were your first thoughts when you suddenly found yourselves face to face with your soulmate?”

The four of you that now have all the attention riding on your shoulders look to each other for help. Finally, with a racing heart, you answer first.

“I think the obvious answer is that I was shocked,” you smile as knowing chuckles ripple through the room. “But I was also really grateful, because Taehyung was so kind and understanding. The staff were very professional and helped us quickly. Overall, I really can’t imagine it having happened in any other way.”

There’s a few ooh’s and aww’s that greet your ears, but you look down at your lap as you blush. Taehyung slightly nudges your knee with his own, and in that simple movement you feel the comfort that he’s trying to give you. 

“I’d actually been talking to Jiminie earlier about soulmates,” Taehyung pipes up. 

“Oh, yeah! That’s right!” Jimin says, giving his friend a slap on the shoulder. “What are the odds?”

Taehyung flashes a shy smile. “I told him that I felt like I was ready. It can be strangely lonely sometimes, and there are times when I just felt like I was missing something. Now, all I have to do is pick up my phone and my missing piece is on the other side, ready to talk with me.”

Now people are really swooning, you included. You dare to peek over at your soulmate, heart nearly melting when you see that his shy smile is paired with pink cheeks. You wish that you could snuggle up to him right now, but that would definitely not end well. Instead, you lightly nudge his knee with your own, returning the little slice of comfort he provided you earlier. 

“And you two?” Dongyun asks after wiping fake tears away from his eyes. 

Yeonjun chews on his bottom lip, Jiwoo too lost in thought to notice that he has that look again. 

“I, er...” Yeonjun begins, squirming a little in his seat. “I was...really happy.”

Donghyun urges Yeonjun to continue. “Of course you were! What about finding Jiwoo made you so happy?”

Jiwoo looks up in horror, but it’s too late. Yeonjun has already opened his mouth and begun to speak. 

“I was so happy because the first thing she said to me was that she thought I was so hot.”

Radio silence. 

And then-

“Oh-ho!! Yeonjunnie you’re so dead!” Hueningkai laughs, and soon everyone follows suit. Even Donghyun has to throw his hand over his mouth to keep himself from snorting with laughter. 

Jiwoo looks at Yeonjun, who completely avoids her gaze as he stares unblinking at the floor. Then, quietly enough for nobody to hear except for you who sits beside her, she whispers, “Say goodbye to all the perishable items in your fridge.”

In the chaos that ensues, Taehyung discreetly traces circles against your arm and mumbles, “Why didn’t you say that to me when we first met?”

You smack his shoulder. “I should be asking you the same thing!”

Just before everything calms down again, Taehyung leans over to grab the abandoned canvas on the ground. Taking the still-wet paint and dipping his finger into it, he draws something out on it. Nudging you to get your attention, he flashes the canvas for you to see, hiding it from the cameras. 

It’s hard to keep a neutral expression as you see his handiwork. It’s just six words, but they’re enough to have your entire face flushed a moment later. 

I think you’re hotter than Yeonjun ;)

Stifling a laugh, you roll your eyes. “I hope you know I’m keeping that,” you mumble. Taehyung grins.

“Great. We’ll get it framed.”

A few days later, you do. It hangs in the front room of your apartment, for all to see. And for Jiwoo to loathe, as it serves as a constant reminder of her embarrassing first words to her soulmate.

Oh well. In the words of Ari, “Beggars can’t be choosers.”

masterlist

[nctnews]

220125 | Taeyong’s interview for the Febuary Issue of W Korea

<W Korea> I saw this comment, "The thing that Taeyong says most is 'What does x mean?" I also often see you not understanding what your members are talking about when having conversations (laughs). Is there a new word that you learned recently?

Taeyong: Hmm… I recently learned this. "So what, just go watch TV*" and "So what too, just go watch TV*"

*(T/N: It’s a trending slang term in Korea.)

Haha. Is there anything you are into lately? There's a lot of things I'm curious about since personal interviews with Taeyong are rare.

I'm really into scented candles. I like to make a warm atmosphere by lighting a candle. I even changed my body wash to a scented one because I started to like smelling fragrances. Ah, also, if I get flowers as a gift every once in a while, I put them in my glass containers.

You've found a very private hobby. Is there a look that you found interesting or that you liked out of the outfits you wore for our magazine photoshoot?

The skirt. Even though it's not my first time wearing a skirt, it's not something I can encounter often. So, the magazine photoshoot was more fun.

Everyone has a fashion style that they prefer in order to hide their flaws and emphasize their good features. What is it for Taeyong?

For me, my legs are too thin, so I don't wear styles like skinny jeans. When I choose pants, I prefer bootcut or straight fit training pants. Also, when I go shopping, I picture myself wearing the item while practicing. If I look cool while practicing, the practice goes better and it helps me (laughs). So, I like clothes that reveal my dance line or clothes that make the same dance move look better.

NCT's 3rd full album Universe came out in December, and you wrote some of the lyrics for the title track 'Beautiful', right? I observed the lyrics in your part, "Beautiful Life Beautiful Heart / From the bright side of life, look at yourself with no shame / Why is it that the world shines more beautifully when everything finds its proper place?" Phrases like 'bright side', 'no shame', and proper 'place' sounded like they were telling me Taeyong's values.

2021 was the year I felt that there really are a lot of beautiful things surrounding me. I realized that life can be joyful and beautiful even just because of very trivial things, and that there are countless ways to achieve this. Maybe that's why I wanted to tell the people who are sprinting hard towards their dreams that "you can have no shame by doing just that!"

During Taeyong's 'most relaxed and happy state,' when is it and how do you spend your time?

When I finish my schedule and come home to organize clothes, take a bath, or listen to music. Or when I replace the water in the aquariums, water the flowers, or fill the humidifier. When I spend time doing these simple and minor tasks, I like that I can organize my thoughts and be calm.

The fact that there is a large gap between the image of Taeyong on stage who has so much charisma and Taeyong behind the stage, it's surprising. I heard that you have a lot of interest in composing and writing songs, but how do you solve the issue if you get stuck while making a song?

I get advice from people around me or listen to a song that is similar to my situation. Why am I in this situation?' 'Why do I feel this way?' 'Through what experiences was this song made?' 'It's similar to me...' If a few days pass while thinking about these things, I get new ideas to use. Also, I tend to have the easiest time sorting out lyrics when I'm showering or organizing my room.

I heard that you are good at cleaning and neat by nature. What is the lifestyle item that you can't live without?

My phone and AirPods. Ah, and the keycard that I use to enter the dorms. I feel like I shouldn't be without my phone now, and AirPods are a must when I occasionally need alone time. For the dorm keycard, I need it because otherwise I would have to take the elevator one more time and press the password (laughs).

Your trainer during your trainee days said that "this one won't make it," right? I asked this question when I interviewed Baekhyun as well, but I am really curious about what the process was like for someone who was distant from dancing to end up becoming the center of the group’s performances. Was everything possible if you desperately practiced as much as you could?

When I was in middle school, I once told my parents that I wanted to attend an arts high school. So, my mother helped me to have a variety of hobbies. My favorites were basketball, art, and piano, and I liked to exchange raps with my friends too. Of course, I didn't think to make dreams and goals out of the things I did as hobbies. Once I joined the company, I went with this thought. 'This is the only path for me.' I think I felt a bit glad that there were people who liked it and were happy when I worked hard.

So you felt happy and made progress through the people who were happy for you. You must have been positively motivated by the reactions around you.

I shouldn't disappoint them, because they believe in me. With this thought, I could practice harder, for longer. I look for my friends around me when I lose confidence, too. When I meet those who listen to my concerns and support me, I don't insist on comparing myself to others and I naturally get things that I want to do. I'm actually tone-deaf with no sense of rhythm. I think that I'm like that even now. And because I know my shortcomings, I think the only thing I can do is keep working hard.

It's hard to believe that NCT's leader Taeyong is tone-deaf with no sense of rhythm. What's a song you listened to recently that impressed you?

070 Shake's 'Neo Surf.' I came across the music video first. and the free direction and nature as the background were so cool. It's futuristic but the direction that brings out nature combines well, so every time I watch it, the world of imagination unfolds.

Since debut, you have participated in rap making with Mark, and you occasionally release self-composed songs on SoundCloud. Yet you also show a performance that stands out from the center of NCT 127. When you compose and write songs, then when you perform, what are the differences in Taeyong's mode or what do you worry about?

When I listen to music, I tend to naturally come up with the flow and formation by thinking how about adding this gesture, move, choreography according to the song's concept. Since there are many people worthy of respect around me, I must have been positively influenced. As I closely watched the training team and the teachers, choreographers,composers, writers, A&R, managers, directors, etc. who taught me, I was inspired and naturally learned. There's also the point that I built up know-hows by trying to learn from looking at them. I think naturalness on stage depends on how much effort that person puts in. The difference is in how well I pull it off and act as much as the effort I put in within the decided formation.

Do you have an ideal rapper figure or performance?

There are a lot of rappers that make me think that way. There are solos and bands too. When I watched Mr. Cho Yongpil's 'Bounce' performance, I thought I wanted to be a person like him, and there were many times I thought I wanted to be a person who kept dreaming like Mr. Lee Sooman. My dream and goal is to continue performing with precious people who create stages together.

Producer Hitchhiker held a metaverse DJing party on 'SMTOWN Live', which was released on YouTube on January 1st. I still often listen to 'Around' released in 2017 under the names of Hitchhiker and Taeyong. At the time, for me, NCT had a heavy image, but the encounter between Hitchhiker's signature addictive and sharp sound and Taeyong was refreshing.

I remember the first time I was working on that song, I only did it with a small home recording device I had at home. I listened a lot to the beats... To the point where my head felt dizzy. If you listen to that beat a hundred times in a row, the 'Ddan-dda ddan-ddan-ddan' melody lingers in your ears. I remember staying up all night while thinking 'Let's see whether you win or I win' (Laughs).

NCT is a group with a unique concept that works with multiple unit systems such as NCT 127, NCT U, and NCT Dream. If you look back, is there a decisive time when you think, 'I've grown so much through this time'?

I remember the time from my debut song 'The 7th Sense' in 2016 until 'Boss' in 2018. The more I performed on stage, I was able to see my movements became preciser and my expressions improved more. Every moment on stage was so precious, important, and I didn't want to disappoint anyone. At that time, worked excessively hard. I think that makes me what I am right now.

When we filmed our YouTube content, we talked about drawing, right? Drawing and making music. The two are similar in expressing who I am, but is there a difference between just having fun and doing that fun thing as a job?

I often draw pictures based on the music make. It was fun to express the colors, shapes, and animals that came to mind when I listened to the song. Or, if I write a phrase or draw a cartoon character like graffiti, the time goes by quickly. If making music is a work that expresses me more specifically, drawing seems to have the same meaning as raising fish or cleaning for me. And for me, dancing in the practice room after a schedule or on holidays is like taking a break, so I don't think it's work at all. In a way, I think I am a blessed person because what I want to do and the work I am currently doing are the same.

I accidentally overheard you talk about your nephew to your manager. When I look at my nephews, I often wonder, 'Children know everything even when they are young'. What do you feel through your nephew?

Sometimes when I took a rest at home, and when I was caught up in worries or other thoughts, strangely, my nephew always didn't leave me alone. It's fascinating for me too because he seems to know and feel something, and comfort me too. My nephew is 7 years old this year. He has a girlfriend... Is it a secret? (Laughs) My older sister talks about my nephew almost every day, and I get healedby watching my nephew's vlog every day.

The behind story that you thought of your sister while writing the lyrics for mini-album <NCT #127 Cherry Bomb> original song 'Whiplash' was memorable. Like whipping, the older sister who strongly raised her younger brother!

My sister is probably the person who motivated me the most within my family.

I remember that Kai also talked for a long time about his sister and nephew when interviewed him. What was your sister's reaction when you first told her that you became a trainee at SM Entertainment?

I remember her not saying much at the time. We were both busy because that was when she was studying hard. I think not just my sister, but my entire family wasn't too concerned about me becoming a trainee. Instead, they supported me a lot.

If your currently seven-year-old nephew said 'I want to be a singer like uncle' at the age you started being a trainee, what advice would you give him?

'You will be good at whatever career you choose, and I will trust in that. Whatever you do, do your best and become the best.' I think I will tell him this, just like how my father said to me.

NCT 127's third full album <Sticker>, which released a few months ago, came in 3rd place on the Billboard 200. NCT 127 has been steadily raising their ranking on Billboard charts since 2018. Is there a point you want to reach going further than now?

I always think that 'I want to keep this team for a long time.' I'm an imperfect leader in a lot of ways, but together with the members, I want to show more things that only we as 127 can do, and I want to use 127's potential to make more memories with our fans. Although we have already made joyful memories while achieving many things and doing great performances, want to become a team that keeps growing and goes for a long time.

You said to me in the middle of filming that you have a lot of things you want to do in the future. Say all of those things you want to do. So ultimately what kind of artist you dream of becoming.

I hope my songs and lyrics give people strength. After my trainee days, when I realized 'I'm a person who feels happiness by making other people happy,' I wanted to support someone with the work I can do best. I like forming and making performances, and I like to move and inspire people. After doing that kind of work for a long time, I want to become a concert director or choreographer and live while working to help artists with the same thoughts as me.

2022 has started, and although it's still cold, you wore S/S clothing in the pictorial photoshoot. I think that it is necessary to look back and organize the past in order to move forward in the future. What are big or small things from 2021 that you think you did well?

Starting my Instagram and making a SoundCloud account. I liked that I had a new way to communicate with fans. I feel like I have more room to express myself. Because it feels like I danced, sang, and rapped through thatpassage… I think I did well.

Translated by nctnews

[postmodernbeing]

Shingeki no Kyojin Headcanons: 104th training corps (College AU - Outfits pt I)

Hello, Postmodernbeing here. I decided to continue writing about this College AU , only this time, I'm making some outfits HCs, since I'm working in a oneshot and this visuals could be helpful. Also, it seemed like a lot of fun so I've decided to give it a try. Hope y'all like this. Much love.

IMPORTANT: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin nor the trend of this outfits-displays, only this HCs belong to me. // Contains spoilers (for the icons that I used in some characters) // English is not my first language, so I ask for your patience and understanding.

Eren Yeager

Chains and rings of stainless-steel. Combat boots matching faux-leather jackets with studs and pins from bands.

Has a few flannel shirts (that he stole from Zeke, his brother doesn't mind, tho). But for the most part, Eren's shirts are from merch of bands with a few (handmade) changes.

Eren likes to sew badly on purpose some patterns or figures by following quick tutorials. All his clothes are modified or drawn over.

While his main looks are metal head alike, he also wears snickers, hoodies, sporty pants, and jackets to class. Pretty laid back, he looks as he just woke up from a nap all the time tbh.

Sometimes goes skating but he’s not that good, his skateboard is more of a fashion statement really.

Has both ears pierced around (lobe type) and tattoos on both arms.

It’s pretty obvious to this point, but I’ll say it anyways: Eren wears black religiously. Definitely he’s open to darker shades of any color, but must wear something black at least.

Mikasa Ackerman

Our girl wears black clothes mostly. She doesn’t have a preference between skirts/dresses or pants, but you’ll rarely see her wearing jeans.

Many skirts and ripped tights to match with platform boots or classic converse. Also owns a large wardrobe with different hoodie and shirt sizes and designs yet mostly in dark shades.

Lots of necklaces and rings with perforations to match, none in her face yet lots in her ears. Mikasa has only one tattoo: Azumabito’s clan logo.

Speaking about Azumabito’s, whenever she’s working with them, she wears faux leather jackets at most, and her classic red turtleneck. Nothing too exaggerated nor formal.

A total goth since middle school, and even though in college finds it a bit unpractical, she tries to keep it as loyal to her style as possible.

Books and notebooks are part of her attires. She’d be writing or reading at any time that’s possible. Not always about her classes, tho. She also likes novels and arts. An artsy goth, perhaps?

Armin Arlert

Sky blue is his color. Matching it with classy pants and blazers in clear colors.

His wardrobe looks like one that belongs to an aristocrats’ son. Some light-academia realness.

He can pull off some casual looks with sneakers but it’s more common for him to wear his oxfords, cap toes or moccasins to class, or anywhere really.

Cardigans, vests and blazers are his best friends as soon as autumn arrives. Always in colors such as beige, green, brown, and grey.

Armin is easily the best dressed from all his group of friends, and I’m not even open to discuss this. Let’s just remember his canon outfits throughout the four seasons. Even in a Modern AU he’ll keep being the king he is.

Not a big fan of accessories though. Except for his handkerchiefs that match his blazers. Since his grandfather used to choose his clothes, he taught Armin that a handkerchief was a gentleman’s must carry. Now he wears them only to pay his grandpa honor, as a lesson more so.

Jean Kirstein

King of brown jackets and turtlenecks. Really, his wardrobe is in such color harmony. It’s impressive.

Little to no accessories besides an occasional scarf or a single ring matching some bracelet.

Although he’s used to wear a consistent type of clothes and even colors, he wouldn’t dare to define a style for himself, is it boho? art hoe? dark academia? Maybe we’ll never know.

Zero perforations only because he’s scared of pain, but Jean is really drawn into them, so he uses fake ones for his ears sometimes. Has only one little hidden tattoo, made when he started college and lost a bet against Sasha and Connie.

Jean’s always stylish, clean, and smelling like cologne. He also has an extensive routine for shaving, combing his hair and trimming his beard.

Second best dressed of all his friends. Lowkey loves fashion but keeps it for himself (and Marco). Plus, in her mother’s house he keeps more clothes than his dorm' wardrobe can storage.

Marco Bodt

Colorful, youthful, and casual, that’s his style. Marco’s clothes reflect his joyful personality and every time he enters a room, he brightens the mood so easily.

A lot of denim and if he’s not wearing bright colors, you can be sure he’s caring something white with him (a bandana, a baseball cap, a scarf or his sneakers).

Shares with Jean a special appreciation for clothing, except Marco prefers more laidback and casual outfits.

Has no tattoos but recently got both ears pierced. He decided to since he really likes the earrings that k-pop idols wear.

If spring was a wardrobe, Marco would have it. I can’t stress this enough. Just so pretty and genuine.

Also, he definitely uses accessories (small jelly or colorful rings, bracelets of all kinds and simple necklaces) but there's more, he uses objects that are not meant to as accessories too. Such as band aids and small stickers around his face, skates in his backpack and flowers in his pockets.

Sasha Blouse

Unironically messy style. No matching patterns nor colors, different textures and sizes that made little to no coordination in her outfits. Unaesthetic is her aesthetic.

She likes baggy jackets and jeans with big pockets for snacks obviously, midi-skirts and graphic tees. Sasha is the definition of zero fucks given and still looking cute.

Of course, she knows how to pull off some cool outfits, it’s just that she doesn’t care that much unless is specifically required.

Not a big fan of accessories besides belts (maybe) and her backpack. Unless we’re talking about bucket hats that became a must wear thanks to Connie.

“Borrows” Nicolo’s hoodies/shirts that wears with her favorite threads. Then plays dumb when her bf asks her about his clothes. They both secretly love that dynamic.

Sasha plays it safe when it's about her hairstyle, also not a big fan of makeup -at least not the way Mikasa or Historia do-, but she’s open to try new things if her best friends dare her to.

Connie Springer

King of striped shirts and golden chains. His style is mainly urban and youthful. Conniegod remains unmatched in his awesomeness even in a Modern AU, if you ask me.

Owns a collection of sneakers that wears with his numerous printed socks. So creative and colorful.

Also, Connie has a small collection of unique shaped tinted glasses, also bucket hats and simple stainless steel chains.

Has small fun tattoos around his legs and arms, ears pieced but nothing too grunge. Speaking of which, he matches religiously his earrings with his chains that hang of his belt.

Usually wears dress pants or cargo pants. Anything but denim or really skinny fitted pants. Coincidentally, most of his shirts are loose too.

Definitely brings his skateboard with him all the time so it’s part of the outfit, really (Eren tried to copy that from Connie, let’s be honest). He’s so good at skating, and when he doesn’t feel like walking around campus, skating is always a good idea.

Part II here

[anothertimdrakestan]

Stealing Clothes From The Batboys/YJ Boys HC!

i wrote this on my phone due to immediate inspiration from a lovely anon!

"can i get a headcanon with the batboys and more if you can of how they react when their girlfriend steals theirs clothes? i love you're writing so so so much!"

Dick Grayson:

- you always steal his sweatpants even if they're like 4 sizes too big

- they're always a little worn and soft and smell like him

- you'll have to pull them up every 60 seconds but that's why you love them

- slipping them on when you wake up and starting to make breakfast, dick will come out of your bedroom and his heart will melt on sight

- he'll come up behind you and pull the waistband back effectively pulling you into his chest

- he'll toy with the drawstrings and waistband, feathery fingers dancing around your waist while you move around the kitchen

- he's the boyfriend that lovessss when you steal his clothes, eventually you'll run him out of sweatpants and he'll just go buy more, no questions asked. it warms his heart seeing you engulfed in his clothes

Wally West:

- Wally is a jacket king, he's constantly in different colors and sizes and types of jackets but he is very attached to them and often won't let you steal them

- but there's a secret to the jacket lifestyle, the t-shirt he wears under said jackets

- the t-shirts are slightly worn and unbelievably soft and they smell so strongly of your lovely boyfriend theyre your all time favorite steal

- often they might have a little hole or stain so you'll wear them around casually or sleep in them

- he makes fun of you when you both go to bed because you walk straight to his closet to pick out a shirt

- it makes his heart melt seeing you wear his t-shirts while he's away on missions, and having his warm and comforting smell on you 24/7 makes you miss him a little bit less

- he will steal the t-shirts back and wear them around to make sure his cologne is still there, for certain favorite t-shirts there will be all out wars for who gets to wear them, usually they end in tickle fights and him giving in calling you a thief even though he loves it

Jason Todd:

- jason's hoodies hit different i swear

- they're ginormous, soft, and beautiful

- the sleeves are way to long and when he sees you standing in one of his hoodies waiting for him after patrol he can't help but laugh

- "babe i know you love my hoodies but i'm scared it's going to eat you"

- he likes to pull the huge hood over your head laughing while you flail the hoodie sleeves

- when you're cuddling he likes to toy with the drawstrings and make little bows like the giant softie he is

- he will spend a whole day looking for the hoodie to complete his outfit then see you in it, he can never be mad when he sees the giddy look you get from how huge his clothes are on you, he's convinced you're the cutest thing in the entire world and no one can prove him wrong

Gar Logan:

- you're dork boyfriend unashamedly has hundreds of graphic t-shirts with terrible science puns or sarcastic logos and he'll beg you to wear them

- like any normal girlfriend you try to steal his hoodies or even will try on his beast boy suit as a joke but this boy will beg you to twin in punny t-shirts with him

- you're trending on social media like 24/7 from candid pictures of you and gar wearing t-shirts that say "i'm stupid in love with ->" or "i love her more than joker loves the batman" and other terrible graphics

- you like to style his band concert t-shirts into edgier outfits and it'll always blow him away

- "damn babe i need to go to more concerts if you're gonna look like that!"

- gar's love languages are affection and giving so you always let him shower you in his clothes and cuddles

- it always puts a dorky love-struck smile on his face when you steal his t-shirts and make epic outfits out of them and you'd do anything for your lover boy, who doesn't want to rep their boy???

Tim Drake:

- Tim has an eccentric style, and the two of you will often share clothes like jackets, maybe even pants, or hats (zendaya and tom holland vibes)

- he's always asking you for style advice and color combos that will look good, he's the first to tell anyone how amazing you always look and how talented your eye is for clothes - he tells everyone how you constantly take his breath away

- while you're day time style is amazing, it's in your own home that you give Tim a real show

- the best way to take his breath away is to slip on one of his button down dress shirts after a night of passion

- seeing you dressed in only his shirt, many of the buttons undone will physically knock the air out of his lungs

- feigning innocence you'll toy with the buttons and casually flirt until he's ripping the shirt off telling you he'll buy a new one

- occasionally you'll style outfits with his dress shirts, tucking them in pairing it with your favorite blazers, it feels like you've got a little piece of Tim rooting for you all day, the perfect pick me up during a rough day

Bart Allen:

- Bart is convinced you are the cutest thing to walk the planet and will actually vibrate through the floor with excitement when you steal his clothes

- your (and his) personal favorite is one of his many baseball tees

- this kid has at least 20 different colored shirts and you're pretty sure he wasn't even a baseball player, while he looks undeniably handsome you like to steal the shirts because of how soft they are

- he loves how the shoulders are too big and a little droopy, the sleeves are a little too long making you roll them up to your fore arm to get anything done, and he can feel his heart flutter noticing how you're always bunching up the material or trying to tuck it into your waistband

- seeing you in his shirts makes him all warm and fuzzy, he physically cannot keep his hands off of you if he tried

- when you cuddle he'll cling to the soft fabric with one hand, the other securing you to his chest, whispering something about how perfect you are before he devulges into light snores, keeping you secure and warm, his cologne intoxicatingly warm and comforting, automatically lulling you to sleep with him in minutes

Damian Wayne:

- Dami doesn't love you stealing his clothes, he likes it when you slip on his t-shirt or sweater after a long day and he'll usually expect it back

- but the best thing to steal from your cute boyfriend are his adorable turtleneck sweaters

- these knitted black sweaters are the softest material known to man but stealing them is so difficult because Damian doesn't like parting with them

- the face he gives you when you meet up in public while wearing one of his turtlenecks is too cute, a mixture of pride that you're engulfed in his property and also some mild amusement that you successfully snatched one of his turtlenecks out from under his nose

- "mhm beloved i like your shirt, tell me where did you get it?" his snark is always unmatched

- one of his favorite things to do when you're wearing his turtlenecks is pull the material up and over your mouth, effectively quieting you with your own shirt

- the playful glint in his eyes while he toys with the collar makes you smile like a child, loving how his inner goofy side comes out when he's with you

Jaime Reyes:

- there is no better clothing item to steal from Jaime than the iconic gray drawstring zip up hoodie

- this boy really goes through at least three a month if not more so he doesn't mind you snatching a few for your own closet

- he likes to grab on either side of the unzipped jacket and tug you into his embrace, his lips meeting yours while he toys with the fabric

- you take his jackets everywhere, he loves that you're rarely caught without one - he thinks it's adorable that you don't like to be without him

- his scarab genuinely thinks you're safer wearing his jacket and will throw a bit of a fit if "mate is unsafe! protections protocols active!" so you've taken to tying them around your waist, slinging them over your shoulder, and have even tried to crop or bedazzle a few to make a bomb outfit if thats you're style!

- the jackets are always worn and well loved, sometimes they'll have tears or burn marks from his scarab getting upset but you never mind the imperfections, they're what makes each jacket special

hope you enjoyed let me know who your fav was!

[audreydoeskaren]

Abridged history of early 20th century Chinese womenswear (part 3.1: 1920s-silhouette)

Source:  lucianolapadula.wordpress.com

*Disclaimer: I mostly talk out of my bum so don’t ask me for academic sources, I would love to know where they are but I haven’t found any reliable ones. I only share my own observations so please read me for filth if I’m wrong.

*There are almost no public domain images I could use because this topic is too obscure so I have to use random images that work and link the sources.

Intro/Context

In the 1920s the dominant form of womenswear was still technically the aoqun, however one piece dresses, sometimes with a fake vest, became popularized later in the decade and that could be considered a kind of proto-cheongsam. Many scholars and people on the Internet have different theories as to which particular garment was the true predecessor to the cheongsam but I think that’s a pointless quest, everything went in 1920s fashion and many styles bearing the same silhouette coexisted and they were all valid, it’s just that the one piece dress emerged victorious in the 1930s as the dominant form of womenswear. Looking at 1920s fashion with the sole purpose of finding the origins of cheongsam doesn’t do the decade justice.

In the 1920s Western influence also became more visible and many Art Deco designs were integrated into Chinese fashion, making it an all round exciting and creative decade for Chinese fashion.

Silhouette

In the early 1920s, the hem of the robe was similar to the mid-1910s ao from my previous post, hitting about the top of the hips. The sleeves became somewhat wider, but not reaching the widest point until the mid 20s. The skirt became shorter, usually mid calf, and was not as full as the pleated skirt of the previous decade. I was not able to find a lot of information about early 20s fashion but from the few contemporary drawings I did find (such as the one below) the outer robe of the previous decade seem to have become sleeveless in some occasions, resembling more of a vest, exposing the sleeves of the undershirt. Put a pin in this as the vest style will become quite prominent later in the decade.

Source: https://historypipe.blogspot.com/ (a cigarette ad from 1920)

Aoku (robe with pants) was still considered a fashionable way of dressing in the early 20s, then it started to fade out of popularity. The pants of the early 1920s were shorter and less form fitting than those in the 1910s, usually ending below the knee, allowing stockings to show, which could be very colorful and elaborate.

Source: lai yiching0926 on Pinterest https://www.pinterest.de/pin/675540012850646515/ (a tea ad from 1920)

Around the mid 1920s the skirt began to shorten, eventually reaching knee length, a development similar to that in Western fashion at the time. Pleating became fashionable again; instead of the mamian style pleating with flat sections in the front and back popular in previous decades, mid to late 20s skirts were completely pleated along the waistline, giving them an all round even fullness. Mid to late 1920s skirts commonly had wide hems, which could be decorated with embroidery, trimmings, scallop edges or other Western finishes. The sleeves were half length or shorter and became wider at the bottom, a style commonly known as 倒大袖.

Source: lai yiching0926 on Pinterest https://www.pinterest.de/pin/675540012850651575/ (a calendar showing the years 1926-1927) (the lady to the left is wearing aoku and the other aoqun. Notice the vest look)

Source: http://robertbrowngallery.com/artists_exhibited/artist_pages/image_page.php?image=Chinese_Advertising_Posters- (a raisin ad from 1925-26)

Around the same time, the proto-cheongsam one piece dress look was also being popularized. In the mid 1920s this style was usually knee length, with short sleeves and a high collar; they could also have the fake two piece effect, giving the appearance of a separate vest/tunic being worn. These dresses could have flared hems or short slits down both sides to allow freedom of movement. Interestingly, these dresses were tighter and more body-hugging than Western women’s dresses at the time, which were baggy and rectangular.

Source: http://www.thepankou.com/history-of-the-qipao-recluse-to-national-dress-1910s-1920s/?epik=dj0yJnU9UU82azlTdzgzSXBiYXV6dzJmUHdQcUFBaXQtci1KQVImcD0wJm49MmZTY3pna3FzQXBVOFJ3bGJSY1laZyZ0PUFBQUFBR0FVVU8w (I’m actually not sure if this is late 20s or early 30s, judging by the baggy look it’s probably 20s but the early 30s one piece dress had a similar, albeit tighter, silhouette)

Another thing about 1920s Chinese fashion is that I rarely see long-sleeved women’s garments, even in images supposedly depicting fall/wintertime. The more common way to fight off cold weather throughout the 1920s and 30s was to wear Western coats, especially Paul Poiret style fur wrap coats. I recall a lady in a contemporary film saying that coat design of this period was dominated by Parisian trends.

Source: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/19256348_hang-zhiying-1899-1947 (late 20s/early 30s) (the lady on the right is finally wearing long sleeves, not so easy to come across haha)

Source: art.com (their website shut down I can’t find the url) (1920s Western fur coats)

Late 20s Chinese womenswear was quite easy to identify. The skirts in aoqun outfits became longer, usually ankle length, with very wide hems. They had a tube like silhouette but were quite full, so I deduce that they were constructed from rectangular panels that were then cartridge pleated or gathered around the waistband. The waistline of the bodice (I don’t think these could be considered separate robes anymore...) rose quite significantly, ending at the natural waist. This was a divergence from the Western silhouette, which remained rectangular until late 1929. 

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/contumacy-singh/2803160798/in/photostream/?epik=dj0yJnU9cWhFcko0YUU5WXd1OERGQWd2VW9aQ1RXcFZ2S0VUTEEmcD0wJm49bWtmNTUzX0oxY2N3Zl94TWgycU5sZyZ0PUFBQUFBR0FVSW5R (a perfume ad calendar showing the years 1927-1928)

Source:  rs.bift.edu.cn (a cosmetics ad from 1928) (this company, Kwong Sang Hong, was founded in the 1890s and was really iconic and produced many advertisements which are great primary sources)

By the end of the 1920s there were four main styles of womenswear: the two piece aoqun with robe and skirt, the three piece set with robe, vest and skirt and the proto-cheongsam one piece dress. These styles coexisted; it was the silhouette (length of skirt, sleeve shape etc.) that changed throughout the decade and these changes applied to all styles. Interestingly, I don’t think I have seen photos of 1920s Chinese women wearing actual Western fashion, which is weird considering the level of westernization in the 20s and how easy to make and accessible 20s Western clothing was, in addition to the fact that many women in neighboring Japan had already adopted Western clothing.

Source: https://simplycirculate.wordpress.com/2012/04/05/beautiful-20s/?epik=dj0yJnU9WFVWLWtXQU9WM3NhOWVPZTJjZXlTMjc5SHVqeVNTUHQmcD0wJm49U1R4b2swZmxzQU9IUWpkX1o5TWVaUSZ0PUFBQUFBR0FWa2Zz (late 20s Western summer fashion) (Isn’t it interesting that when people think of 20s fashion they usually think of late 20s fashion? Early 20s with the long dresses and big hats deserve more appreciation, even though I don’t really like it personally)

Chinese women began wearing Western fashions in very small numbers beginning in the 1900s, but I guess because of the elaborate nature of Edwardian clothing and the lack of corsetry traditions in China it was expensive and not really popular. I have only seen uber-rich Chinese women in portraits wearing Western fashions. If a lady wanted to show Western influences in her fashion sense it was usually by using Western decorations or fabrics to make her Chinese clothes, or by wearing Western accessories.

Source: https://driwancybermuseum.wordpress.com/2012/07/29/semarang-history-collections/amp/?epik=dj0yJnU9TWRsc3pQU05nQTBVa19xVjZzSFBpSzlHclpTUHZrSUQmcD0wJm49WkdreF9VZnZqUEY3RWVOSVBaOExsdyZ0PUFBQUFBR0FVSnlz (Madame Wellington Koo in a 1910s ballgown)

I think it’s of some importance to discuss the methods for pattern drafting and construction. Chinese clothing began to become more form fitting in the late 20s, however it should be noted that this form-fitting shape was not achieved by Western dressmaking methods i.e. shaped pattern pieces and darts/tucks, but rather using the historical Chinese method of pattern drafting 平裁; Western dressmaking techniques would not be commonly used on Chinese garments until the 1950s. With this method, the front and back pieces of a robe/bodice would be two identical T shapes with overlapping parts at the front right closure. Historically (I mean in the Ming Dynasty) the overlapping bits at the front would be cut separately and then attached to the front pieces, resulting in a seam down the center front 中缝 that many people consider to be a staple of hanfu, although I’m not sure if this method was used before or after the Ming Dynasty. Similarly, I’m also not sure if this was the way 1920s/30s bodices were constructed, they may as well have two separate whole front pieces joined to the back piece at the shoulder and underarm/side seams. Until I get my hands on a period original this shall remain a mystery unless someone enlightens me (please). Anyway, bodices constructed in this method are not three dimensional and could be laid flat on a surface; this method was also used in other East Asian countries, maybe you have seen that when kimonos are laid or hung flat they have a T shape as well.

Example: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/88086 (mid 20s ao, can’t show the image here unfortunately)

This is getting very long so I will split the 1920s into multiple sections, information on design details, hair and accessories will be in subsequent posts.