#gold is literally the colour of wealth and high status

[radiosmile]

Stolas + Gold

[thranduilswifesblog]

Part 3 about the clothing detail cause I'm bored, and I really like to paying attention to the small detail

Today I'll discuss about Elrond's Armour and the detail behind it. And ofc it's my headcanons...

He's the battle of the last alliance Armour

In this battle his position is as Gil Galad's lietuenant. The High King. And there's a small detail I've noticed. You can clearly sees there's a mixed colour between green, a dirty gold, and blue. In my headcanon it's symbolized the alliance that happen between Noldorian and Sindarin. Cause Gil Galad's houses colour is blue, while Eryn Gallen is green. And he wore a small brooch on his chest, it's the symbol of Gil Galad's main knight, or lieteunant

While Gil Galad, wore the big one. And he wore his circlet, as the sign of the king. And if you pause in that scene, you can clearly sees the other troops only wore armour without the brooch or even circlet, cause they're consider as the "lowly" Troops.

While Elrond and Gil Galad braids their hair and it's symbolized they with is the highest position in that battle.

Elrond battle armour with the white council

Look at that supermodel! Elrond's armour when he helped Gandalf and Galadriel is quite similliar with what he wore during the battle of the last alliance. But you can see the different between these two.

Elrond now as a lord he wore a circlet on his head

In the battle of the last alliance he just wore a thin cloack, while in here, he wore a long robe. Robe it's usually wore by the person with "highest" Status. And in here, he's the ring wielder and the lord of Imladris. Not someone lieteunant.

His Purple Armour

He has been seen only for a brief moment with this armour. Which is such a waste cause I love this armour.

This armour colour is purple. In the ancient medieval eras, purple is consider as the "royal" Colour. Cause it's so hard to gets this colour, I read somewhere, you literally had to extract that kind of worms to gets this colour. That's why in that time, only the royals can wear this colour. They even used this colour for their robe for coronation.

Elrond wore this colour cause he's a royalty and now a lord. With immeasurable wealth, so it's simple that Elrond want to makes a statement that he's a very wealthy lord from a very respected houses.

[lassieposting]

Things Kirigan and Kaz have in common:

- Fashion Sense: Both like understated elegance, relying on flattering cuts and quality fabrics to project an air of status and wealth. Both favour black with metallic accent colours (gold, silver, copper, brass). Both appreciate a good brocade.

- A Beloved Pet Dumbass: Kaz has Jesper and his gambling addiction. Kirigan has Nikolai and his complete lack of self-preservation.

- Touch Aversion: specifically as a result of childhood trauma.

- Devotedly Loyal #2: Ivan for Kirigan, Jesper again for Kaz.

- Missing Sibling: Kaz is a little brother without a big brother, and Kirigan is a big brother with a little sister he only sees rarely.

- Heart Eyes For Wifey: Inej for Kaz, Alina for Kirigan.

- Tactical Minds: Strategy is Kirigan's literal job and Kaz has a talent for outmanoeuvring his enemies - he plans the Crows' heists.

- Snark Knight In Dented Armour Personality: They're both deeply traumatised, broken men with massive trust issues who are nonetheless charismatic, fiercely loyal and very protective of those they care for. Kaz uses his influence to protect his crows, and rescues Inej from the Menagerie. Kirigan is a living shield between Fjerda/Shu Han/the less tolerant Lantsov kings and Ravka's Grisha population, and he's willing to take on his own merzost monsters to protect Alina.

- Power & Influence: Kaz is the head of his gang of criminals, vaguely analogous to a mob boss. Kirigan runs an army. Both are lonely, isolating, high-pressure roles where they are surrounded by underlings, not equals.

- Childhood Circumstances: Kaz was left homeless and destitute in a dangerous, degenerate city after Jordie lost their money and subsequently died. Kirigan was raised as a hunted minority, impoverished and perpetually on the move. They'd likely share some essential childhood skills; sleight of hand, light fingers, a flexible interpretation of personal property, cheating at cards, etc. Skills they could've used to feed themselves when nothing else would.

With that in mind:

Friendship Thoughts

- They're (officially - no one here has forgotten The Bomb Incident) introduced by Nikolai post-war. Sturmhond has done contract work for Kaz in the past - mostly overseas couriering of dubiously legal merchandise - and likes to drink at the Crow Club when he's docked in Ketterdam.

- Kaz recounting the story of his triumph over Pekka Rollins, however many years in the making, over a civilised glass of whiskey with the same kind of savage satisfaction Kirigan recognises from finally winning a brutal, drawn-out campaign.

- (Kirigan advises him to take in the Rollins boy, and be a kind mentor to him. Leaving him with the Dime Lions who are loyal to his father allows them to make him your enemy. Taking him prisoner and mistreating him does the same thing yourself. Far better to control both the boy and the narrative he's told from a young age. Trust him, Mr. Brekker, he has made that mistake with so. Many. Princes. Harmless boys will come back as angry men to bite you in the arse.)

- Deep, involved debates and discussions on tactics and strategy. Kirigan is an incredibly powerful Grisha and, while he grew up in the dirt, has spent centuries as a supposed "nobleman" and politically influential advisor to the Ravkan crown. Kaz spent much of his life as a penniless, powerless Barrel rat clawing his way out of the gutter with nothing but his wits. They approach the same problem from very different perspectives with very different assumed-available resources and see things the other would miss.

- Nikolai inviting Kaz to fancy Ravkan balls like it's a fucking play date. Kirigan can introduce him to a whole new network of wealthy investors if he wants to grow his business interests, open up a new echelon of society. And when they're not doing that, they can hide out in the corner being antisocial and judging everyone else's fashion choices.

- Long, dry letters exchanged across an ocean. Kaz sends a page and a half of Trouble Jesper Has Gotten Into Lately to Os Alta, in miniscule, italicised handwriting. After a few weeks, he receives three swirly, copperplate pages of Stupid Shit Niko Has Done This Month in return. For both of them, this is mostly entertainment, a brief break from an endless stream of boring paperwork to snort at the antics of someone else's idiot.

- Swapping skillsets. Kaz has plenty of his own informants in Ketterdam, but will sometimes write to tap into the Darkling's extensive, notoriously on-the-ball spy network, if foreign intelligence will be useful for a job. In exchange, he'll use his criminal network now and then to get Kirigan things from the black market - explosives, firearms, supplies Ravka is running low on, escaped Grisha indentures - on the quiet.

- Corecloth suits for Kaz. Fancy court waistcoats with Kerch embroidery for Kirigan. Swapping tailor recommendations. It sounds snarky, like they're subtly dunking on each other, but they're enjoying themselves. Jesper and Nikolai can simultaneously bond over being flamboyant and debonair.

- Nikolai learns quickly not to play cards with either of them. He knows how to cheat well enough, but Kaz and Kirigan are playing 5D Cheating Chess with sleight of hand, crimped cards and gaslighting, and if he keeps at it he'll lose everything down to his trousers. It's always the quiet ones.

- Mutual grousing about how inconvenient Feelings are. These two sat at the bar in the Crow Club downing shots while Kaz laments that Inej left him to go adventuring and Kirigan tries to explain that Alina murdered him but he got better. Plenty of salty side-eye aimed at Wylan and Jesper, being cute and couply at the Makker's Wheel table.

- "...is that a De Kappel?" "It is. What of it?" "I met him, once. About thirty, thirty-five years ago. He came to paint Pyotr's wedding portrait." "My wraith procured that one for me." "Ugh, perhaps you could have her procure ours, as well. It's still hanging in the throne room. I'm tired of seeing his pug face every time I report to Nikolai."

[matchbox-fighting-furies]

Introducing the Fighting Furies action figures!

In 1973 the British toy company Lesney Products & Co. Ltd began planning what would be their first foray into the burgeoning and lucrative market of boy’s posable action figures and accessories. Principally known for their celebrated Matchbox brand of small replica die-cast cars and extensive range of collectable vehicles, their Fighting Furies action figures would also employ the ‘Matchbox’ trademark, launching first in the U.S.A in 1974 and then shortly afterwards in the U.K and Europe the following year. European trade buyers could instantly order directly from stock and the products promptly began to appear in retail stores around the world, including Canada and as far afield as Australia.  Standing at 21.5cms (8.5”) – but occasionally described by Lesney as being 23cms – they lasted for a run of 5 years in total in Europe and the UK, but soon petered out after only 2 in the U.S.

The two primary figures – Captain Peg-leg Pete (aka Captain Peg-leg) and Hook – were generic and exotic 18th century pirates whose aliases were somewhat insensitive epithets of their physical disabilities, but in the world of 1970s toys, amputees seemingly enjoyed positive discrimination for the job of pirate. Clearly either health and safety standards on-board their respective ships weren’t what they should’ve been, or the joys of lawless buccaneering came with their own perils of the job. It’s unknown whether the recipients of these action figures drew any lessons from the apparent physical dangers of being a high seas pirate but presumably the spoils of violently attacking trade route ships and other vessels in order to extricate them of their possessions so as to boost one’s own personal wealth were sufficient to offset the risks and exciting enough for the protagonists to be considered adventure heroes! Their wayward life of fighting, deceitful disguises and testosterone charged camaraderie were clearly sufficient for children to be wilfully shanghaied into “set the mail-sail” escapades! (And, as for the pirates, this was a time before HMRC, or the IRS, so we can turn a sailor’s patched blind eye to their somewhat carefree enterprise for instant wealth creation and general disorderly antics).

          “While cruising in the Caribbean, Peg Leg Pete’s ship ‘The Sea Fury’ is attacked by the rival pirates led by Hook. As the two leaders battle around the deck the other Pirates marvel at the strength and ferocity of the struggle. Finally, both Peg Leg and Hook burst into laughter, grasp each other’s hand and vow to fight together to capture treasure… The fighting Furies are formed!!” [sic]

The full adventure story from the adventure Booklets/Leaflets included with the Peg-leg and Hook Figures.

The figures featured several innovative features, most famously incorporating the igneous ability to throw a knife or repeatedly slash away with a cutlass via releasing the figure’s spring-action right arm or by repeatedly pumping the button discreetly embedded on their side, under the left arm. Impressively this core feature happily continues to perform in virtually all vintage “played-with” examples and undoubtedly justifies their assertion for fighting furiously. The products also put heavy emphasis upon promoting their design for “Action-Flex” bodies, which allowed for impressively agile poses – although they were susceptible to eventual loosening after heavy use – and the Lesney company had duly applied for patent protection. Furthermore, the Peg-Leg figure imaginatively incorporated into his (bottom of the range) prosthetic leg a “secret” map tightly rolled and hidden inside, which could be removed by unplugging the leg’s stopper! This now lovingly renowned feature typically ensured that every map was destined to be lost as it was notoriously difficult to return once unrolled. (Although the idea was always an ill-considered precaution whenever peg-legged pirates went for a paddle).

Adorned in period style dress the figures were clearly inspired by caricatures established by Hollywood’s portrayals of historic swashbuckling antics and by the Boys Adventure literature of a previous era, but historic sea-fairing adventures, such as those featuring Jason and his Argonauts, continued to be popular in cinemas throughout much of the 1970s. Curiously, Peg-Leg in particular appears to be a cultural hybrid mixing the physical icons of clichéd European pirate folklore with the handsome persona of a ‘leading man’, while both seemingly representing exotic origins and not the stylised Cornish or British influences which might have been expected for pirates produced by a British company. Peg-Leg’s enigma was suitably ambiguous, and the designs sought to be internationally relatable with universal market appeal while clearly careful to avoid any inadvertent copyright conflicts with facets and appearances identifiable as any famous onscreen properties.

Going by the adventures, which were provided throughout the pair’s accessory packs, it’s clear that the handsome Peg-leg, with his thick slick locks of Hollywood hair (and, as were the rules of the time, his more European appearance) was the leading man, with Hook occupying the traditional and period device of the faithful sidekick established by, among others, Batman and Robin, the Lone Ranger and Tonto (in an ill thought through contradiction to his ‘Lone’ claim), the Green Hornet and Kato and even Robinson and his companion Friday. Regular references throughout the product line to the Spanish Main, pinpoint their adventures to the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico and indirectly indicates that Captain Peg-leg, with his dark features and skin tone, might have been the only Spaniard named ‘Pete’?

The Pirate figures and their default outfits:

Described as “savage” in official Matchbox literature, perhaps disconcertingly they were both weaponised with their own cutlass and a hand dagger. Being avid sword fighters, it was easy to press their buttons: literally! Tucked away on their side, under their left arm, was the all-important button which raised and released their spring-action right arm for “Fantastic press action sword fighting!” This could also be deployed manually for “Fabulous knife throwing action”; helpfully speeding up the process of losing these little accessories.

While the typical loss of the hidden map from the Peg-leg figure is notorious and it rarely survives in situ, many vintage “played with” examples do at least manage to retain the leg’s end plug (if not the figure’s small knife) but less well recognised is the fact that every loose and played with example of both Hook and Peg-leg will inevitably no longer be sporting their tiny “gold” plastic ring (unduly added to the independent little finger of their sword fighting hand). These usually forgotten and overlooked micro-accessories – which weren’t transparent, or skin toned, but were golden yellow with a bulge on the outer side and representative of the typical bling such characters would wear - are only ever to be found on mint boxed examples and even then, they may already have fallen off and are languishing somewhere within the packaging. Ironically however, you just might be forgiven for suspecting that their primary purpose was to ensure that the cutlass remained securely held in the figure’s hand while still displayed in the product’s corner window packaging (and for rapid sword fights), as they were fitted to the finger after the sabre and its hand guard were embedded into and over the toy’s grasp, helping to keep it in place.

Both figures were kitted out in colourful period piece attire, although which period exactly is anyone’s guess, but a loose placement might point to the late 18th century. Their default outfits are satisfyingly vague enough for their mystique to allow imaginations to run unhindered and they generally rustle up the spirit of non-specific exotic south seas tailoring. Hook sports his own pair of striped European style socks and colonial style buckle shoes while Peg-leg could seemingly afford more luxurious knee length swashbuckling boots – only without any buckles - as he only needed the one for his left foot. Both sport natty gold braid waistcoats – although Peg-leg insists upon wearing an undershirt as he’s the leader and is clearly less barbarous - and presumably in the interests of keeping in touch with their more fashion-conscious sensibilities both wear bewilderingly bonkers long and flowing silk like sashes around their midriffs of bright yellow and a vivid orange. Owing more to the 1970s, these cost-effective adornments added a flourish to their appearance although they look too synthetic or invented when compared to their optional accessorised outfits which were sold separately.

The figures themselves were exceptionally well designed, articulated and unusually poseable with sharply detailed sculpting in the faces; although Hook can appear half asleep depending upon his eyeliner paint job and appears to be perpetually staring at your shoes. Such was the effort, originality and pride taken in these new action figure designs the product packaging boasted Patent Pending status and the ‘Pat. Pend.’ logo was prominently shown.

Captain Hook evidently paid pleasing and careful attention to his appearance, sporting a huge purple chest tattoo and presumably regularly spending hours carefully shaving his scalp and leaving only one rigorous side-of-the-head patch to grow lusciously long? And after grooming his moustache he seems to have still found time to apply some very effecting eye mascara; careful to look his best for any pirating escapades. (This would also save time if heading straight out after work on a Friday). Hook’s enigma is aided by a general complexion indicating the character’s potential east Asian origin – making him the only one of the team destined to convincingly sport the optional Kungfu Warrior outfit - while his default garbs allude to western Asia; all happily helping to underpin his ‘of no fixed abode’ elusiveness.

Although seemingly planned alongside the original two pirate figures, children would have to wait until 1976 for the additional action figure of The Ghost of Cap’n Kidd to join the range along with his inventive harnessing of the luminous glow-in-the-dark fascination bestowed upon all children of the 1970s. No doubt in clear support of unadulterated spookiness Cap’n Kidd’s ghost figure would actually glow in the dark, recreating the only spectre of ghostly goings-on acceptable to young minds and his loose, semi-transparent, pale remnants of perished clothing would work harmoniously with his underlying skeleton as it glowed. Physically the figure followed the same established build as the others but was made entirely in a light lime-green coloured plastic with the all-important luminous paint providing his USP ingeniously and selectively applied to the body and face in stripes and blobs to rather convincingly create the appearance of a glowing skeleton after lights-out! He had the same sword slashing “action arm” but his outfit and accessories were decidedly minimal with only a weatherworn skimpy shirt and frayed pants, a hat and one miserly sword. Even his boots had been spirited away; although his tricornered hat and cutlass did glow-in-the-dark in their own right.  

Many will report that there were only ever three official figures formally created for the Fighting Furies Pirate line, but wait, was there a fourth!? There is also the Falcon bird of prey figure included in the Hooded Falcon Adventure pack, but regrettably it wasn’t equipped with the same press-button sword fighting action.

*** Find out more about the Fighting Furies Adventure packs or checkout all 9 Fighting Furies posts! ***

[isagski-blog]

Art History ‘Prince of Egypt’ Reupload

The Prince of Egypt – Historical Artistic Representation

 ‘The Prince of Egypt’ is an animated feature film created in 1998 telling the biblical story of Moses from the Book of Exodus. The story is based in Egyptian times where the pharaoh has enslaved the Hebrew people as slaves. Therefore, the artwork in the film will have biblical and Egyptian influences. Overall tone in the film has to reflect the hateful and ruthless way the Egyptians were portrayed in the Book of Exodus.

Backgrounds and design in the film are heavily influenced by Egyptian art. The audience is introduced to the vast gap between higher and lower class. The opening song sweeps through the slums of the slaves as Moses Mother escapes from the Egyptians. The brown and red colour scheme illustrates the dirt and danger the Hebrews live in. In contrast to the clean blues of the Pharaoh's palace and the chase scene goes through the richer class’s houses made of white stone. Clothing is essential to separating the classes as well. Moses begins wearing Several items of jewellry which the Egyptians wore to show their wealth and it made them more attractive to the Gods. His jewellry also appears to be real gold and precious stones which only the rich could afford. Sandals made of leather that were only for the rich which we see tear as he walks.(3)

                        The scene in which Moses removes his rich clothing symbolises his transformation as a character, casting his old life away into the desert. His wig makes a significant change to his appearance. Wigs were reserved for the rich as servants and slaves were banned from shaving their hair or wearing wigs. Therefore, Moses growing out his hair to be long and curly lets him blend into his new life, instead of having him be bald like a lot of high standing Egyptians.(4) The drastic change in clothing almost appear as a new character, returning to the grand palace of the Pharaoh wearing a red robe, long hair and a long staff with the red and brown colour scheme that contrast the Egyptians blue and white shown in the beginning.

The walls inside the Pharaohs home are covered in Egyptian artwork and the film uses these visuals to tell an important turning point in the story. Egyptian art was a way of representing individuals, hierarchy and story through images and the film reflects this as the story on the wall reveals to Moses the truth of the pharaoh’s ruthlessness. Important figures in society such as Pharaohs would be carved larger implying their ‘God-like’ position in society and the film portrays this in the carving. Despite the section being animated they make use of static poses to convey action as a carving would. The emphasis on the pharaohs arm pointing to command the death of Hebrew babies reflects his power and authority. Stories of the past being told through art on the wall is accurate to Egyptian art. Most of what we know about Egyptian life from the time is thanks to the recording of people’s daily lives being carved into stone.

Near the beginning of the film there is an unfinished stone carving, that the brothers accidently destroy, which is called a ‘stele’ in Egyptian art. Stele were a way to remember someone when they had died which usually meant showing their daily lives and family.(2) That unfinished statue references the ‘Stele of the Sculptor Userwer’ which is a significant piece of ancient Egyptian artwork. It is a significant piece of art because it was a carving left unfinished, with the ink lines left on the stone meant to guide the sculptor. It is likely that the Userwer was carving it for himself and died in the process, leaving it unfinished. The guidelines left behind illustrated how the Egyptians created their style of artwork. Strict proportions in their carvings, measuring out where each body part should be which is what made their characters look so robotic and similar. Referring back to the scene where Moses discovers the Pharaohs cruelty, the animation of Moses’s vision is done all as carvings. Choosing to have the Pharaohs story in stone represents his ‘stone cold’ ruthlessness and the army he sends to kill the babies are all composed of the same image conveying how individuality was surprised and the robotic appearance of Egyptian art. The art style is also accurate to the carvings as the characters become two dimensional and show no emotion. The Egyptians believed emotion was fleeting thus did not draw emotion on people which makes the cruelty of the scene seem even more inhuman. As this scene is so significant, being the turning point for Moses to leave and help his people, the animations artwork well reflects Moses realisation of the Pharaohs overbearing authority and ignorance to human emotion through the very literal visuals of Egyptian art. (1)

References:

1.       https://egyptianartinfilm.wordpress.com/

2.       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stele

3.       https://www.historyonthenet.com/egyptian-clothing

4.       https://www.encyclopedia.com/sports-and-everyday-life/fashion-and-clothing/clothing-jewelry-and-personal-adornment/wigs

[kellycrawford93]

fashion history - victorians 3

Royal children

Queen Victoria (1837-1901) and Prince Albert had nine children: Victoria (known as Vicky), Albert Edward (known as Bertie and later Edward VII) (1901-10), Alice, Alfred, Helena, Louise, Arthur, Leopold and Beatrice. The life of the royal family was of great interest to the general public. Newspapers and illustrated magazines would publish imagined views of their intimate domestic life.

The image below features one artist’s impression of a royal domestic scene, showing Victoria and Albert with their four eldest children, who are wearing typical outfits of the period, with both boys and girls wearing skirts. At this time, young boys would wear skirts until they were deemed old enough to wear either breeches or trousers, generally somewhere between the ages of two and eight.

Even in the age of industrialisation and increasing mass production of clothing, the making of garments was still labour intensive and a lot of people still literally wore their wealth. As in many families, the royal children wore hand-me-downs and altered clothes. They may have been princesses and princes but when they were little, their clothes were practical and relatively plain. The boys were often dressed in sailor suits, a trend that Victoria helped to popularise, and which she continued to encourage with her grandchildren. They were also often dressed in identical or very similar clothing.

For more formal occasions, the young princes could sometimes be seen in Highland dress. This style of clothing was particularly popular with the royals following Queen Victoria’s first visit to Balmoral in 1848, a place that became a favourite with the royal family. A surviving tunic worn by Prince Albert Edward in 1844 for the state visit of Louis-Philippe I of France shows the more formal and elaborate clothing that the young royals wore to meet foreign dignitaries.

As her children grew up, the Queen ensured that they were dressed appropriately and would often make their choices for them, even as adults. When Vicky married Prince Frederick William of Prussia in 1858, Queen Victoria chose her trousseau, which was crucial for demonstrating Vicky’s status and position to her new family and subjects. After the wedding Queen Victoria kept a close eye on what Vicky wore in public, noting on one occasion that a pink ball dress Vicky had worn in Brussels was a particular success. She advised that her daughter ‘not be impatient about all these details’ of how her outfits were received.

The royal children also had to follow standard royal etiquette in dress, so when their father died in 1861, they adopted mourning clothes as their mother did. When the Prince of Wales got married in 1863, Victoria was concerned about what her children, who ranged in age from 22 to five, should wear for their first public appearance since the death of their father. She was adamant that they dress in the appropriate mourning colours: ‘I think decidedly that none of you ought to be in colours at the wedding but in grey and silver or lilac and silver, or grey, or lilac and gold and so-on…’.

As they grew up, the royal children and their spouses displayed their own tastes and styles in dress, but generally they still followed, rather than led, fashionable trends. An exception was stylish Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who married the Prince of Wales. Her habit of wearing chokers, ribbons or high collars (actually to hide a scar on her neck) and her love of tailor-made suits were adopted by other women who wished to emulate royal style.

In many ways the clothing and fashion of Victoria and Albert’s children followed patterns that had been set by earlier generations of royal families. As for most children, their clothing had to be practical, but they also had to dress formally for certain events in a way that most non-royal children would never have done. A unique experience for the Victorian royal family, however, was the development and increasing use of photography. Visit the next step to see some photographs of the royal family from the collection of Historic Royal Palaces.

When Louis Dageurre invented the Daguerreotype (the first publicly available photographic process) in 1837, it sparked a golden age of photography. Queen Victoria (1837-1901) and Prince Albert were enthusiastic supporters of the new technology and they became early patrons of the Photographic Society. Alexandra, Princess of Wales, was also an avid photographer.

The couple and their children were photographed a number of times throughout the 1850s and Victoria created her own, personal photo albums of her children and grandchildren. In 1860 Victoria and Albert agreed to the first official photographic portraits of the family. These were to be published as a series of visiting cards. For the first time, members of the public could purchase their own photograph of the Queen.

Compared with today, when images can be captured and shared in seconds, Victorian photography was an unbelievably long and involved process. Sitters were required to sit still for up to a minute at a time, and their poses can sometimes look stiff, even uncomfortable, to our eyes.

At the time, however, photography was a medium that was seen as flexible and innovative, especially when compared with standard portraiture. Photographs could be taken indoors or outdoors, with single or multiple sitters, they could be posed or, as technology developed, more spontaneous. This opened a unique window into the private life of the royal family and created a new sense of intimacy between the monarch and her subjects.

Over a century later, it also gives us a valuable insight into the formal and casual clothing of the royal family. Click on the link below to see some examples of royal photographs from the collections at Historic Royal Palaces.

[tipsycad147]

Planetary Magic 1: The Sun, Success and Health

by Christopher Penczak | Jul 29, 2013 |

(Originally appearing in Crow’s Calling)

When I look into the night sky, I feel a sense of wonder and awe, as if the universe is staring back at me with millions of brilliant lights. From ages past, humanity has stared at the sky, seeking wisdom and answers. Through much observation, study and testing, we created a system to see the patterns of the universe reflected in life on Earth. The system is called astrology, a science and art of interpreting the sky. Many cultures have variations upon this once central theme. The ancient people revered astrology more than our modern culture, using it for planning and counsel. Most 21st century people see astrology as strictly entertainment, asking a potential mate, “hey baby what’s your sign?” to search for a surface compatibility. For those of us reclaiming the spiritual traditions of the past to forge a new future, astrology can be more than simple entertainment. It can be a valuable addition to magic, meditation and ritual.

Astrology is a vast topic, so for this series of articles, we will focus on the planets and their practical application to those on a magical path. By looking to the astronomy, mythology, folklore and correspondences, we get a wealth of inspiration.

The Sun is considered the first “planet,” though it is technically a star. In astrology, the Sun, along with the Moon, is called a luminary, meaning light. It is the centre of the solar system. As the centre, it represents our personal centre, or core, in this lifetime. The Sun represents our primal fire, and who we are learning to be. It also denotes our physical health and aspects of the personality.

Out of the seven energy centres of the body known as chakras, the Sun corresponds to the solar plexus, our place of personal power, self-image and ego. Here we illuminate and heal our fears. The Sun is also connected to the heart chakra, as the centre of the chakra system. The physical heart provides the energy, in the form of blood, like the Sun provides energy in the form of light. Each planet is associated with one or more zodiac signs. The Sun rules Leo, the lion, the sign of developing our sense of self and identity, to interact with others. The lesson of Leo is the development of the healthy ego. Leo also corresponds with the physical heart and healing heart ailments.

By looking at the five elements, earth, air, fire, water and spirit, the Sun obviously resonates with fire, an energy of purification, passion, guidance and protection.

It is the largest “planet” and therefore has a great importance on us magically. The Sun can ultimately be seen as the source of life on Earth, providing the energy for all chemical reactions. Even though we may lose sight of it in times of darkness, or obscure it with the mental cloudiness, the Sun always continues to shine, being a constant guide.

Solar figures are found in many mythologies. In the Greco-Roman tradition, Apollo is associated with the Sun, as a young god assuming the mantle of the old god Helios. Apollo is a god of light, prophecy, healing, archery and music. He rides the chariot pulling the Sun across the sky. In Egyptian lore, Ra is not only the Sun god, but also the great creator and supreme force. Ra is the father creator and king of all gods. His great grandson, Horus, is later associated with the Sun. In Norse myth, Balder is the figure akin to Apollo, a god of light and life. He is the son of Odin, as Apollo is the son of Zeus. Balder is protected from all harm, except from weapons of mistletoe, and the god of mischief, Loki, tricks a blind archer into killing Balder with mistletoe and sending him to the land of the dead. Lugh of the Long Arm is one of many Celtic solar gods, also associated with the harvest, grain and light. He is one of many skills, including blacksmithing, magic, poetry, chess, athletics, warfare and carpentry. The Romans associated him with Mercury, but he is equally comparable to the solar deities. Modern pagans celebrate his rites at Lammas, or Lughnassadh. Although most cultures view the Sun as male, and the Moon female, the ancient Japanese look to the Sun goddess Amatarasu, as the queen of heaven and goddess of light. The Japanese flag is based upon her symbol, the rising Sun.

The attributes of the planet, through astrology and mythology, show us many facets and talents under the Sun’s domain. The Sun is associated with life, health and healing. Talents that help you shine, and develop a healthy ego and self-image are also appropriately ruled by the Sun, such as performance, music, art, and drama. The light of guidance and illumination is an important magical symbol. Solar energy helps you centre in your own power, like the centre of the solar system. Magically, the metal associated with the Sun is gold, as are the colors gold, yellow and orange. Gold is traditionally used to denote wealth, and thereby power and status. Magic and ceremony to increase your success are appropriate forms of Sun magic.

There are many ways to align with the power of the Sun. If you do visionary meditations or shamanic journey, you can ask to meet with a solar god and ask for his or her blessings. You can also choose times that resonate with the Sun. Each of the seven main planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) have a day of the week. Sunday is literally the Sun’s day and an appropriate time to do solar rituals. When any planet is in the sign of Leo, it will have a solar flavor to it. Check an astrological calendar.

Like the Moon, the Sun waxes and wanes. From the Winter Solstice to Summer Solstice, solar energy is building, so it is a great time to grow with the Sun. The rest of the year, it is waning. Personally, we each have periods of the year that correspond with the seven planets, divided into periods of fifty-two days. The first fifty-two days from your birthday is considered a time of the Sun, a time of empowerment, success, health and prosperity. In general, for the Northern Hemisphere, the first fifty-two days after the Spring Equinox is a hemisphere solar period, lasting roughly from March 21 to May 11. Take a few moments to figure out your own personal Sun period.

Other ways to harness the vast power of the Sun is to include solar items in your rituals, ceremonies and magic. Call upon solar gods. Do rituals during the daylight hours. Honour sunrise, noon and sunset. For those familiar with drawing down the Moon, try drawing down the Sun. Use the colours of the Sun on your altar, candles, altar cloth and tools. Magical texts have many resources of metals, minerals and plants “ruled” by the Sun, meaning their energy is in alignment with the Sun, although each item may have more than one planet associated with it. Use these correspondences for charms, talismans and potions. Here is a list of some common solar items:

Minerals: Amber, Ametrine, Boji Stone , Orange Calcite, Carnelian, Cat’s Eye, Citrine, Diamond Herkimer, Diamond, Pipestone, Pyrite, Quartz, Ruby, Sunstone, Tiger’s Eye, Topaz

Herbs: Adder’s Tongue, Agrimony, Alfalfa, Allspice, Almond, Angelica, Ash, Banana, Bay, Birch, Blackeyed Susan, Borage, Cactus, Caraway, Seed, Celandine, Centaury, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Citron, Copal, Daisies, Eyebright, Fir, Frankincense, Galanga Root, Garlic, Ginseng, Goldenrod, Goldenseal, Heliotrope, High John the Conqueror Root, Hops, Juniper Berries, Marigold, Mistletoe, Mustard Seeds, Red Oak, Oat, Orange, Peony, Pimpernel, Pineapple, Pumpkin, Rosemary, Rue, Saffron, Sage, Shepherd’s Purse, Sundew, Sunflower, Tarragon, Tea, Thyme, Vine, Walnut, Yarrow

(Be sure to consult a reputable medical herbal book before using any herbs topically or internally. I suggest using herbal charms by carrying a small cloth bag filled with herbs and/or stones, infused with your intention through a solar ritual.)

Try this simple Sun ritual to feel the power of light, life and success in your life. First, you will need a piece of gold jewellery. Cleanse the gold, smudging it in sage, anointing it with water or bury it in the ground for a few days. Ask to remove all harmful and unwanted energies. On Sunday, at dawn or noon, go outside, hold up the gold jewellery and feel the energy of the Sun resonate with the metal. Focus on thoughts of health, prosperity and happiness, and feel those thoughts fill the gold. Ask for the Sun’s blessing in your life. Meditate with these energies for as long as you would like. When done, you can wear the jewellery whenever you need some light and energy. For those suffering from winter depression, I suggest doing this in the spring or summer, and wearing it during the deep winter, to help bring guidance and light as needed. Next: The Moon, Manifestation and Psychic Ability

Resources:

* A Salem Witch’s Herbal by Laurie Cabot. Celtic Crow Publishing. * Archetypes of the Zodiac by Kathleen Burt. Llewellyn. * Astrological Magick by Estelle Daniels. (Samuel Weiser) * Astrology From A to Z by Eleanor Bach. Evens and Company. * Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs and Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic, by Scott Cunningham. Llewellyn. * Lifting the Veil: Practical Kabbalah with Kundalini Yoga by Gurunam. Rootlight Publishing

https://christopherpenczak.com/2013/07/29/planetary-magic-1-the-sun-success-and-health/

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Glam rocks! Why sequins are having their brightest party season yet | Fashion

It is all too easy to throw shade at sequins. Well, not literally, obviously, but for certain fashion tastemakers – let’s imagine them as a cabal of Kinfolk readers who only wear navy, grey and camel-coloured cashmere – sequins are a turn-off. Sequins are not tasteful, in the subtle, understated sense. They seek to attract attention. They are Marilyn, not Audrey. They are Bob Mackie and RuPaul and Jessica Rabbit and Beyoncé on stage in a leotard and Bianca Jagger at the Met Ball in 1974. (I mean, come on, guys. What’s not to love?)

Sequin snobbery is nothing new. In 1955, while accompanying a satin-swathed Grace Kelly to the Oscars, the costume designer Edith Head summed it up with the snooty comment: “Some people need sequins; some people don’t.” This party season, however, even the usually sequin-averse among us may feel the urge to welcome sparkle into their lives.

Céline SS18 show at Paris fashion week. Photograph: Getty Images/Estrop

Sequin skirt, £49.99, zara.com.

Something very shiny is happening in fashion. You expect to see sequins on the high street in November, but this year’s gems will hold the office party to a higher standard. There are pencil skirts in clashing stripes at Zara and shimmering, liquid-like midnight-blue turtlenecks at & Other Stories. These are sequins that do not carry a whiff of Christmas-tree naffness, unapologetically designed to be worn at night.

In designer fashion, even minimalists such as Céline are using sequins, while many others – Dior, Margiela, Victoria Beckham – are deploying sequins’ glam cousins: glitter, rhinestones and crystals. Consider the rise of fashion’s current darling, Michael Halpern, a young designer whose 70s-influenced work has inspired the likes of Amal Clooney to pile on the bling. Then there is the emoji zeitgeist, where the symbol most likely to inspire fancy dress costumes this year – ie, the new flamingo – is the mermaid, a mythical creature with shimmering scales that can only be replicated through sequins. Little wonder that sequins are already key to the new Vogue under Edward Enninful, seen on Kate Moss at the launch party and on cover star Adwoa Aboah in the magazine.

Politicised sequined slogan tees at Ashish’s London fashion week show. Photograph: NurPhoto via Getty Images

Ashish Gupta is the London fashion week designer most associated with sequins, using them on straight-up beautiful dresses and politically charged slogan T-shirts (“STAY WOKE” and “QUEER” look glorious in sequins). “I used to think of [using sequins] as a little bit of a revolt against blandness and boring fashion,” he says. “Now, in light of everything that is happening, I find the idea of sequined slogans amazing, of saying something serious using a medium that is not usually taken that seriously.”

Margaret Laton’s jacket is one of the V&A’s earliest examples of sequins in fashion. Photograph: Alamy Stock Photo

Some of the history of sequins sounds – appropriately enough – a bit embellished. The Smithsonian cites Leonardo da Vinci as a potential sequin pioneer because he once made a sketch for a machine that could punch discs out of a metal sheet. More convincingly, Tutankhamun is considered an early adopter, given that he was buried with gold discs stitched into his garments, presumably to confer wealth and status and ward off evil in the afterlife.

One of the V&A’s earliest examples of the use of sequins on European fashionable clothing is a jacket from around 1610, although, says curator Sonnet Stanfill, “excavations from much earlier periods” have shown the stitching of “coins and precious metals on to clothes to show rank” to be an ancient pursuit.

For Gupta, this history demonstrates sequins’ capacity to become “almost quite a sacred, spiritual thing”. He can get quite deep when he is talking about sequins. He cites French philosopher Mark Alizart’s TED talk about humans’ fascination with blinking lights and the human interest in “fireflies, water reflecting light; there is almost a primal need for light and water. There are scientific experiments that prove that humans are attracted to glossy, shiny things.”

Gupta’s personal sequin references range from Dorothy’s ruby slippers and 80s Bollywood to Leigh Bowery, whose quote – “The reason I use sequins at the moment is because if I cannot cast the light, at least I can reflect it” – is a mantra that has helped him through difficult times. He considers sequins’ rise to be politically timely: “There is such a feeling of helplessness against so many things,” he says. “It could be a response to that in a way, a search for light and higher ground.”

Christian Dior SS18. Photograph: Peter White/Getty Images

For Stanfill, sequins are historically notable for their use by elite echelons of society “as a means of sartorial distinction and a demonstration of the ability to pay for the highest level of craftsmanship”, she says. “They are a wonderful expression of the desire to put your best self forward no matter what century you are dressing – the very human urge to dress up.”

Christian Dior SS18. Photograph: Peter White/Getty Images

That urge has even been dangerous. In the 30s, sequins were made from electroplated gelatin. The possibility of suffering a sequin-based injury was perilously high given that “they would melt when warm or overheated”. Now sequins are more likely to be made of vinyl plastic, although still more technological advances are being developed with the hope of making sequins sustainable. “It’s fascinating how many iterations there have been,” says Stanfill, who sees the many technological advancements as compelling evidence of humanity’s dedication to the cause of self-adornment.

Not all adventures in sequins are successful, given that so many garments tend to develop bald patches by midnight. Sure enough, good sequins tend to be expensive, mainly because stitching them on properly is so laborious. (Check the stitching carefully if you are sequin shopping on the high street. I have it on good authority that hand-stitched sequins are usually knotted individually, whereas machine-created high street versions are likely to be stitched in sections, so that if one goes, the whole section unthreads, like old-fashioned Christmas fairy lights.)

Perhaps the loveliest thing about sequins is that they are best experienced in person. Although they have been popular from the early days of Hollywood – with actors such as Marlene Dietrich using them to create otherworldly radiance – their twinkle and shine cannot be truly replicated through a screen. The app Kirakira was recently launched for this very reason – in an attempt to bring 3D sparkle to 2D photographs on Instagram – and while its effects are very beautiful, they cannot match sequins’ real-life luminescence. Nor can they beat the experience of wearing sequins and, being your own disco ball, throwing patterns of light on to the wall.

So, no, sequins still aren’t tasteful, in a minimalist-black-turtleneck kind of way. But don’t they offer something better and more necessary? As Gupta says: “They actually light you up.”

This article contains affiliate links to products. Our journalism is independent and is never written to promote these products although we may earn a small commission if a reader makes a purchase.

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[talesfromaestria]

The 7 Merchant Republics

Nuprayra is a land in turmoil. A land of great wealth with bountiful resources, yet all the 7 cities have caught themselves in an endless spiral of disagreements, vying for the most power in the region. The webs of lies over time have made it difficult to discern whether there is hatred or just friendly competitiveness. One thing is certain, however, they all need each other to secure safety and prosperity for Nuprayra.

A peak of basalt and a healthy plume of ash mark the location of Keital, a town built of a similar dark stone to its origins. Laid out at the base of the volcano is an expanse of low rising buildings with the only variation from the many shades of black being the vibrant colours from the market place; the stalls either having a dyed roof or the buildings being made out of imported brick. The slopes of the volcano are marked by a thick wall that guards the most valuable parts of the city, a well-built path leads up to the crater, the buildings increasing in wealth the higher you go up. The end of this path is marked by an estate built of only the finest materials and is the residence of the ruling family here, the Thamars. They built an industry off of forging weaponry and selling it off to anyone (as trade usually goes), the most prominent buyer being Keadia. They achieved such an expansive smithing economy by siphoning off the lava from the volcano to heat up the metals. Such a feat was achieved by “aqueducts” that would burrow into the mountain of ash and carry it over the richer areas or in specially designated canals and take it to the destination. This level of safety is less needed on the other side of the wall, so the lava just flows freely for the blacksmiths and armourers to use.

Pothamire lies a little to the west of Keital, it is situated between the two largest lakes of Nuprayra and is one of the largest merchant republics by population. The city is isolated into two parts, separated by a cliff face leading up to a plateau. This cliff face is extended further by the large dam where the lake would normally spill into the river, this is the gem of Pothamire and possibly the key reason for them to do so well despite the lack of natural resources. The lower area of the city is where the river meets the dam, and where the harbour lies at the base of the dam and alongside the river, ships move along all of the Pothalor river system where possible. The rest of the lower area is the market place and services for any visitors; visitors are not often allowed access to the upper levels. The largest building of the bazaar is also the only one built of stone amongst the lower levels. A large auction house and storage purely for the trading of people; the biggest industry at Pothamire. On the cliff face and dam that divide the two major parts of the city there are some houses and platforms made of wood that snake up the sides, attempting to reach a safer place that is similar to the upper level. The water flow from the dam is used to turn numerous wheels which are used to move the cranes which are the quickest way to get up to the next level. The same gargantuan wheels are often used to work other areas in the city such as the castle gates. If one can manage to gain passage to the upper level they are greeted by one of the most beautiful sites imaginable. Each building is unique. In design and material, no two buildings are alike. This is because only the rich live on the upper levels and so have constructed residences made entirely of imports and built completely by slaves; the only people on the upper levels that aren’t amongst the richest. The fortress constructed emerging from the waters not too far from the dam is the residence of Lord Hythor, a man who has no shame or guilt in slavery and encourages it all throughout the city.

If one follows the rivers down they will eventually get to the point where the are flattens out and the vegetation becomes denser focused around the banks and the only place that one can actually find trees in Nuprayra. This is the land of Ysidiir. Built across numerous flows of the river, the city districts are themselves, isolated from each other by the rivers. Any entrances into the city are well defended either making use of heavy fortifications or bridges across the faster flowing areas of the rivers. The inner workings of the city are a mixture of roads, pathways and canals which all converge and spread out from the marketplace and docks area within the city. All the buildings within the city are mostly built out of the local wood which is relatively cheap to residents of the city and often drapes of fine silks due to the warm climate and silk being the only other resource near Ysidiir. This silk trade contributes to a large network of dye works to display the vibrant colours that the elite of Nuprayra and dare one say the world, desire. The city guard is focused primarily on the Landor Arch. A large series of gates with thick walls and heavy fortifications and being the only section of wall not bordering any of the fast flowing rivers that usually act as natural moats. The Landor Arch has one large gate in the center which is used for the normal populace and any entering without any commercial cargo. The other 6 gates, 3 on each side of the large, central one, are designated for traders which are used as safe zones for the guards to check any papers and cargo of the hopeful entrants. The ruling authority in Ysidiir is actually one of the most democratic in Nuprayra being a collection of individuals who often are very wealthy, but not always, and are voted in by the common-men of the city. The old castle of Ysidiir is built around the fastest flowing sections of the rivers and is used secondarily as the political residence and primarily as a military fortress for any authority within the city due to its commanding presence above the area.

The “city” that is by far the largest in terms of land by far is Ethrakiir. Built amongst the slower flowing areas of the Pothalor rivers where they meet the vast ocean that stretches before them. Ethrakiir is only a large region due to the great amount of farm land it controls and grows for the purpose of their trading. The rivers flood regularly and reliably granting the opportunity of this possibility. The region is surprising in that it has one small area known as the Capital Region which is where the leaders of the different provinces of Ethrakiir meet up to discuss any important matters. The capital complex is a palace-like structure near the coast that is central to all the provinces of Ethrakiir. It is at this location the leaders of the nearby provinces commanded by Ethrakiir meet up to discuss any tensions and even distribute some wealth if some of the lords did not do as well as the others the previous year. The most prominent of all the lords however, is Byronnor the Bloody Baron. As his name suggests, he often takes a more aggressive approach to situations and commands over much of the pastoral farming of Nupraya which he uses for cavalry forces. Currently, his influence is limited to Ethrakiir, as are most of the lords. However, he seeks to advance it much further the only way he knows how. Through force.

Further towards the West, following one of the most built up roads in the world that trails through the desert along the northern half of Nuprayra; the reason this road is so well travelled is because of Grathdor. What was originally a large area of canyons carved out of the red rocks of sand by the forces of nature this was once a uninhabitable and untraversable land. However, the incentive was found to build up this area. Within all of these caverns and canyons were plentiful bounties of metals, iron, copper, gold, silver, and many more. The concept of a hub in the middle of the desert for metals mining and a checkpoint before the Lost Expanse; an area of desert that is risky to traverse due to the unpredictable nature of the sands, there are numerous trails through that are more reliable than the others though many raider groups do prey on the smaller convoys. This was the purpose of Grathdor. Grathdor, due to having no fertile land nearby, receives large imports of food from Ethrakiir and Nakkandiir, in return it offers metals. Grathdor also imports a large amount of slaves, mainly from Pothamire. The slaves work with little rest and for a small amount of rations, but it keeps the profits high for the higher ups. The mines are only visited by the slaves and the occasional overseer to punish any who do not meet their quotas; this is because the areas in the light are actually nice. The numerous pillars of rock that stand out as islands in a sea of dust from the sandstone are used for fortifications to maintain security in this fragile region. The other areas on the surface are used for inns, taverns and market places with most of the wealthy residents actually living within the rock on delicate but rather beautiful bridges and supports for their system of power. The area that stands out the most however, is the large castle on the largest island of rock, this is the residence of Thymon; the current dictator of Grathdor who rules with an iron fist, quite literally due to his right hand being cut off and later being replaced with one cast in iron. Thymon was a giant brought in from Rukkanda to work in the mines due to his strength. He was brutally punished with the removal of his hand and started an uprising, raising most of the slaves to the wealthiest class and dragging the wealthier people down to the status of slave. All except the dictator at that time who was kept on as Thymon’s personal slave until he was mysteriously found one day with his entire body mangled and crushed. The culprit has not been found though many may hazard a guess as to who it was.

Even further west, and the northernmost city is Nakkandiir. Nakkandiir is the largest port in all of Nuprayra and sits in a large bay area. This is where most large imports from the West arrive at if travelling by boat such as those from the Twin Islands, Luchait, and the biggest of all, Rukkanda. This city was originally a small village with a severe lack of resources. The only thing the villagers knew was boats. They could build them out of almost nothing and sail them almost as good as a Rukkandan. They harvested the waters around them; bountiful supplies of fish, whale mating grounds, high crab populations and occasionally, pearls. With the desire for coastal goods growing, especially within the landlocked nobles, Nakkandiir grew. They struggled to find any resources and so used what they had, boats. Any boat that got decommissioned or wrecked within the area of Nakkandiir was used as housing. The entire city is built out of a flotsam. The only sufficiently built up area is the docks; which, thanks to Rukkanda, is the most developed part of the city. In return for this infrastructure development, Rukkanda collects tribute from Nakkandiir, usually in the form of a payment of gold, but sometimes asking for the recruitment of some of their best sailors and admirals suffices. In Nakkandiir, they often see everyone as equal with the ruling class being a democracy of the admirals being the ones getting voted in. The leader of Nakkandiir does not even get a special residence as everyone is seen as truly equal.

The 7th city is Vydaran. Nestled within the south western mountains it is often referred to as the Bastion of Wealth. The only area of Vydaran that is outside is the grand entrance; this is because the rest is within the mountains. A vast network of tunnels and the grand fortifications at the entrance have made the city a very difficult area to siege. The tunnels of the city weave their way through the mountains into numerous openings such as the marketplace and the gardens. From here there are many houses built into the mountain side. The two main industries of Vydaran, both benefit from being within the mountains. This is because the first industry is the mining of gems and the occasional precious metal. This keeps the industry in a close area and an enclosed area. The other industry is banking, many within all of Aestria, choose to deposit their wealth in Vydaran due to it being rather neutral and heavily fortified. The gems of Vydaran come in all types such as diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, rubies and so on. The recent growth of the vaults of Vydaran can be attributed to Lord Kleptor. A man who desires nothing but the shiniest of materials and even goes so far as to see himself as a god-king. This has not caused any issues yet, but when the current influx of gems is not enough for him, where will he turn to in order to be sedated?

[coachoutf-blog]

Women's Enjoy Affair With Luxury Purses

There is certainly no doubting the truth that females have an ongoing adore affair with luxury purses. Purse blogs or e-magazines and opinions on purse message boards suggest that some women are literally obsessive about them. There are actually females who truly personal countless luxury handbags which collectively are worth countless numbers of dollars. Social websites and Dr Google publish pictures with the well-to-do, famous people and royals that are viewed out and about with distinct bag coach outlet for every outfit. They occur in different colours to match just about every shade and magnificence of their outfits. It is easy to the loaded and famous, celebrities and royals really have to possess a massive selection of luxurious handbags. Nevertheless the standard doing the job female or perhaps the continue to be at home mum can barely pay for to pay such high costs to understand her dream. The reality is the fact that most bag-loving females will go without having other factors in an effort to fulfil her want for the new bag. What sacrifice would you've been geared up for making to bid with the Hermes Birkin which just lately sold at auction for over $200,000? Made of beautiful pink crocodile pores and skin, it is adorned with 18 carat gold components and authentic diamonds. The basic Hermes will expense coach backpacks a minimum of $8000, and you may likely ought to be with a waiting around record to obtain it! Luxurious handbags lately will not market for a lot less than $500. In actual fact, lots of with the a lot more special style homes market their luggage for very well around $1000. I personally would need to save up for your extensive to become the very pleased operator of one of those remarkable equipment. Although the last word 21st-century object of motivation, luxurious purses are classified as the not just for your well-to-do, celebs and royals, but in addition for performing women from all walks of lifestyle also. Now, gals of all ages are possible to invest a lot more with a handbag than a holiday break, jewelry or even a vehicle. All of them have this concealed motivation to become discovered. Dresses actually usually takes second position to luxurious purses. For instance, an advert produced in 2007 featuring Kate Moss lying bare with a seaside with very little on aside from her Longchamp handbag. Their message was clear: apparel are redundant - it really is all in regards to the bag. So why do women have this appreciate affair with luxurious handbags? Among the explanations is because they are getting to be a personal style statement illustrating a woman's wealth and status. They also issue out how vogue conscious a woman is, and demonstrates her situation and earning electric power. It is usually because the at any time developing acceptance of your huge purse, which more than the past 100 a long time or so, has followed the emergent social independence of women. Beforehand a woman's part was normally domestic and she or he would carry her personal matters within a purse tucked in to the folds of her skirt or within a small purse she carried discretely. But as gals ventured additional from the home, both for leisure and function, larger sized purses grew to become a practical way of taking their stuff with them. Eleanor Roosevelt is alleged to acquire began the pattern of making use of a substantial purse being a manner accent An additional motive why luxurious purses turned far more popular was the point that rail and sea travel became a lot more available, so there was extra need for trendy baggage such as suitcases, dressing conditions, in addition to hat and shoe packing containers. This cause the development on the present day leather-based handbag. It really is not surprising, coach discount consequently that a lot of of modern top rated fashion houses, such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada and Hermes, originated while in the late 19th and early twentieth centuries. And as women attained monetary independence, the handbag market flourished from all proportion to its modest beginnings.