#once again john is a fashion icon

[hellogoodbyegirl]

Squeeze in 1980?

[neechees]

Hi! You don't have to answer this if you don't want to, that's totally fine! But you talking about Orville Peck's appropriation of indigenous culture with his fashion choices made me realize that I had never considered that there might be some aspects of "cowboy clothes" that white ppl shouldn't wear and that was super wrong of me. Again, you totally don't have to answer this, but I was just wondering what ways a white person could wear "cowboy clothes" in a manner that wasn't disrespectful? Or perhaps, should we not wear them at all? I can't afford T yet, but when I can finally get it I was planning on getting a cowboy outfit to embrace my trans mascness, but if that would be wrong of me I can scrap that plan no problem!

Ehhh again this is actually SUPER HARD to answer because almost everything about cowboy fashion & the cowboy "aesthetics" are lifted directly from Native American fashion and culture, either because a lot of cowboys back in the day were Native American themselves (including Afro-Natives & Indigenous Mexican vaqueros) or they were White & just kinda. stole the look from the Native cowboys due to a number of factors.

If you google "cowboy jewelry" the first thing that comes up is silverwork & belts & turquoise jewelry, which is taken from Navajo metalwork. Fringed leather clothing? Again, many Native tribes did that (& in some tribes the fringes could mean something, its not just for looks), most popularily with vests, jackets, and pants. A lot if the leather jackets were a result of Native women just sewing their clothes the same but in a European styled cut. Compare this "cowboy" look below to a Lakota war shirt: both have hair embellishments dangling from the arms.

Studded belts? Inspired by Cheyenne mirror belts, which often also have metal studs in them & you'll still see Native pow wow dancers have this in their regalia. Floral vests? A lot of the inspiration comes from Plains floral beadwork. Geometric patterns and blankets? Came from Southwest or Mexican Native American blankets & designs, ask any Navajo weaver & they'll tell you the same. Feathers in cowboy hats? Who else is famous for wearing feathers on their heads--? Native Americans. The look is still popular with older Native men.

Hell, if you visit this site that sells Western/cowboy fashion, you'll see a SHITTON of appropriation going on, taking Native imagery & designs, including one taken from Native American ledger art, all on White models.

The appropriation of Native culture and fashion in the cowboy/western sphere is ongoing, and the influence that Native fashion & culture has in Western/cowboy fashion as it is is absolutely MASSIVE. I once said in another post that the cowboy/western aesthetic essentially belongs to Native Americans, Latines (especially Mexicans), and Black people. And the history of White cowboys has been one largely of colonialism, racism, and displacement of Indigenous peoples, and the masculinity associated with White cowboys especially is also steeped into racism & American patriotism (think John Wayne. There's a reason he's an American icon who played cowboys & killing Indians in films.). I think the only thing that isn't influenced from either appropriation or colonization is like, jeans. Even the style of cowboy boots themselves and potentially chaps were influenced from vaqueros.

So if you're White I'm not sure that'd exactly be a good route to take because trying to seperate Indigenous elements from this fashion/look (nevermind the problematic history of White cowboys) is almost impossible. Obviously I can't force you to do anything, but honestly if I were you, I'd try a different direction, because otherwise I think you'll find trying to do this will be very hard.

[companion-showdown]

Masterpost of Masterposts

Want to see how the previous tournaments went, look no further

Best Companion

WINNER: Rose Tyler 2023 edition - ran this one again this year voters comments are tagged differently as i will reblog passionate arguments for any candidate winner announcement

Fight Club

WINNER: Leela Who would win in a fight? winner announcement

Toxic Relationship

WINNER: Clara Oswald Who has the most toxic relationship with the Doctor? winner announcement

Get Them

WINNER: Tegan Jovanka Who is the most likely to beat the Doctor's ass? winner announcement

Companion's Companions

WINNER: K9 Favourite character who could be described as a companion to a companion winner announcement

Glowing Green Goo

WINNER: Iris Wildthyme Who is the most likely to lick the glowing green goo? winner announcement

The Great Himboff

WINNER: John Benton Who is the Greatest Himbo Companion? winner announcement

Not From Around Here

WINNER: Jamie McCrimmon Favourite companion not from contemprary Earth winner announcement

Just this once

WINNER: Wilfred Mott Which companion deserves to do well in a tournament for once?

Doctors of Doctor Who

WINNER: Martha Jones Who is the best companion who is a Doctor or medical professional winner announcement

Chaos Incarnate

WINNER: The TARDIS best chaotic companion winner announcement

Teenage Takedown

WINNER: Ace McShane best teenaged companion winner announcement

Master's Mates

WINNER: Jo Grant most fun relationship with the Master winner announcement

Biggest Gay Icon

WINNER: Bill Potts what is says on the tin winner announcement

Greatest Accomplice

WINNER: The TARDIS greatest accomplice to the Doctor's War Crimes winner announcement

Fashion Show

WINNER: (in a Romana-off) Romana II Greatest Fashion Sense winner announcement

Most Tragic Departure

WINNER: Donna Noble, but the final was rerun post 60th specials, and Adric won in a massive landslide! what is says on the tin (winner announcement)

Hottest Companion

WINNER: Martha Jones what is says on the tin winner announcement

Freaky Little Pets

best weird pet of anyone in Doctor Who WINNER: K9 winner announcement

Almost Companion

WINNER: Li Shou Yuing Who do you most wish had become a companion? winner announcement

Impossible Pairings

WINNER: Martha Jones with 9 favourite non-canon pairing winner announcement

Showdown 2k24

WINNER: Donna Noble Redo of favourite companion winner announcement

Villainous

WINNER: The TARDIS Which companion would make the best villain winner announcement

Intoxication

WINNER: Donna Noble Best companion to get intoxicated with winner announcement

Anti-Villainous

WINNER: Gomez!Master Which villain would you most want to see as a companion? winner announcement

Family Feud

WINNER: Mott-Noble-Temple Who is the best family in the whoniverse? winner announcement

You can find fun arguments for candidates under the tag #tags and replies

The current tournament is always my pinned post once it starts.

[preet-01]

A short prequel of sorts for my last Lewis x John Elkann ficlet. I cannot stop thinking about this pairing.

Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, John had never wanted for anything.

If he even thought about something, it would appear in front of him. Not quite served on a silver platter, but as close to it as humanly possible.

So he had never wanted for anything in his life, at least not until he’d run into one Lewis Hamilton — not yet a Sir but still so chivalrous.

A chance meeting had turned into a years long desire for the British racing driver. How anyone got anything done with Lewis near them, John would never know, but god did he want to find out.

His first thought is to throw money towards getting closer to Lewis. It’s a path that tended to always work. But Lewis had been a star from the day he touched one of those RC cars. And he was labeled the billion dollar man — Lewis had no need for the endless amount of money that John had at his disposal.

He has done work harder, get crafty and go out of the box.

Stepping outside of Italian aristocracy and industrialists, John finds himself in the presence of fashion icons and celebrities that he can’t name off the top of his head. But during every event Lewis greets him with his perfect gap-toothed smile and a joke about it being a small world.

If only he knew the effort John went to and the “anonymous” donations he’d made.

Lewis’ social circles are filled with parties and designer clothes. It truly is a blessing that Ferrari designs clothes and gives John an in. There are professional benefits to it, celebrities that wouldn’t have thought to come to a Ferrari fashion show are booking it in their calendars.

The next step to actually getting Lewis is getting him away from Mercedes. The team that had once lauded Lewis as their star had been slowly declining over the years and in John’s opinion wasn’t worthy of Lewis anymore.

But despite all his efforts, Lewis remains oblivious.

Until after the Singapore Grand Prix, Lewis on the podium and alone. A win that could have been his had something been different lost. A team that barely acknowledged him.

Lewis would typically fly with the team, but John offers a ride on his private jet and for once he actually accepts. There’s a hidden hurt in Lewis’ eyes that he would not have gotten to know Lewis so well, he would’ve missed it.

“How come you’ve been at so many races recently, man? I don’t think I’ve seen you this much ever,” Lewis questions.

“I am a fan of the sport first and foremost. Might as well enjoy the benefits of running Ferrari,” John replies. “And there are contracts that I want to be finalized,” he adds.

“Charles and Carlos? It would be a good idea to lock down drivers before it becomes chaotic with the other half of the grid not having contracts finalized during the summer,” Lewis notes.

“Charles, yes. With Carlos, however, we want to keep the seat open should someone else want it. Perhaps a world champion,” John replies vaguely. He’s curious to see what Lewis will say.

“Nothing could take Max away from Red Bull, especially not now that Daniel’s back there as well. And I doubt Fernando would return to Ferrari after his run,” Lewis says.

“They’re not the only champions on the grid and definitely not the ones I want,” John tells him.

“Oh, but I said after Monaco-“

“I know, but just keep it in mind. If we do sign Carlos again it’ll only be for a year,” John cuts him off.

He’ll have to forget being subtle because Lewis is perhaps one of the most oblivious men he’s ever met.

[tim-hoe-wan]

Balenciaga definitely crossed the line. I think that these advertisements are inappropriate, and even disgusting. I hope that this backlash prevents the fashion houses from using children in their ads ever again. I feel like all of parties involved were fully aware of these documents. Thought I highly doubt that they predicted that it will reach the general public, and more importantly that the right-wings conspiracy theorists “journalists” will accuse them of being part of a paedophile gang and that they will be taken seriously by the Twitter / Instagram / Fashion folks. I think that they wanted to be that name of everyone’s lips as they always do tho they haven’t thought it through this time. Since they’re so out of touch they also had no idea that most people feel sensitive and want to protect kids.

Also It looks so ridiculous when their representatives claim that it wasn’t the idea of Demma and that all of these highers up at Balenciaga/Kering didn’t know about it so they’re suing the set designer of this ad, only to put a blame on someone (who isn’t even decisive or important). As if Balenciaga isn’t know for their provocations. Cowards. If they want to be soooo edgy they should bear the consequences. Especially after they’ve been showing in our throats for years how edgy, transgressive and provocative they’re. Which proves me once again that Demma and his collaborators lost a touch with reality a while ago. I’ve always thought that he’s just a desperate man who is selling hoodies, bags and jackets while making models look sick and drugged cause he wants to present some ass weird apocalyptic visions at his fashion shows to convince everyone that he’s that visionary artist. I feel like many influential celebs/people etc. put him on a pedestal without any criticism so they’re partially guilty in some sense in my eyes.

As for Lotta I knew that they will come for her one day. She’s too successful. Agree some of her Instagram posts are weird however half of shit which is posted on that thread about her which gained around 60k likes on Twitter is made up. Ex. the girl in a red dress with two babies is not her and Lotta actually doesn’t work for Balenciaga since 2019 as far as I know.

Also I think that Kering should have a better pr team. I think that it’s a bad sign that people are associating his name with a cruel head of a big devil corporation. I don’t claim that he isn’t one and I don’t feel sorry for him. However he fumbled a bag big time from a business point of view since people now who he’s.

That’s my thoughts :)

Fashion labels doing this shit always make me feel conflicted cause sometimes I want to react, but my friends who work in the industry have all talked about how labels and their creative directors totally love pulling the shock value card to give them attention. So reacting and giving the brand clout is definitely what they want you to do. The rationale is half a classic pr move, and half of it being their argument that artist is all about provocation and how much they can push it to the limit. With Demma, I feel he’s definitely at his wits end in how to get Balenciaga to keep up with other high fashion labels but at the same time doubles down when things become negative.

I know Balenciaga is considered within the world’s hottest brand right now, but I think what Demma is doing and what Alessandro did for Gucci in terms of overall impact will be pretty short lived. I can’t remember the last time these two brands put out something that I feel will become a classic and stay beyond the short lifetime of fashion in the influencer era. They’re no Tom Ford Gucci and John Galliano Dior for sure so the constant either shock value or teaming up with hypebeast brands always feel shallow and a last ditch attempt to do something iconic.

[robmillistw2]

Understated-yet-slick perfection? (Lee Michaels ‘Barrel’, 1970)

Following on from Ken Hensley’s 1973 solo effort in my last post, we go back three years and cross the Atlantic; once again in the name of finding inspiration amid the limited back catalogue of classic-era album rock, fronted by a keyboard player.

Lee Michaels: if you are British there is an 80% chance you will not have heard of him. Think of him like Steve Winwood: a sensation on Hammond organ and a big, ‘blue eyed white soul’ voice. So much so, often he would take the stage as a duo with his fantastic drummer Frosty, Michaels’ organ playing being ‘compete’ - that meaning he supplied the bass parts with his feet. Such was the manner of his previous (third) album from 1969: good bluesy organ and that big, soulful voice: no more and no less. And he was huge for a bit: the most commonly seen proof of his existence is, in the UK, a photo of the iconic awning at the Fillmore East which showed him headlining over Humble Pie. It is also said that John Bonham was particularly taken with, and subsequently influenced by, Frosty. Makes sense.

Michaels’ fourth album from 1970 is the platter of choice here and let’s move swiftly on in ‘..and this is where the story really starts’ fashion. I first encountered this when I was about 18, and borrowed it from the late great Mick Wayne, my guitar tutor; Mick had lived in the USA for a brief period in the early 70s, and brought it back with him: it was one of those glorious USA pressings with the thicker card covers bound by the wraparound printed outers. At the time, I was a non-singing, non-writing guitarist and I remember finding it a pleasant rather than essential listen. But there: ‘Life is change; how it differs from the rocks’ (Paul Kantner). Once I switched to keyboards, the name Lee Michaels all of a sudden meant so much more!

Like Hensley’s LP, revisiting ‘Barrel’ was guaranteed to hook me in from the start with just the cover! A shot of Michaels perched nonchalantly on his piano stool and ever-loyal Frosty next to him, in the enticing, funky timber studio (Michaels’ own; in Mill Valley, CA) with a selection of acoustic instruments strewn around, a Fender amp or two, an old 100-series Wurlitzer electric piano and Michaels’ piano -  a funky old upright with the lid up, mic’d. You want the photo to suck you in, warp time and beam you into that room making some music with them: just like you do with those great photos of The Band in the Sammy Davis Jr poolhouse and The Doors recording La Woman in their rehearsal space. It’s always home studios or makeshift spaces that do that; there is a sense of fun conveyed that the big ‘proper’ studios never match in photos.

Lee and Frosty are augmented by guitarist Drake Levin on this record and his stint in the hitmakers Paul Revere & the Raiders isn’t forgotten: by Californian standards of the day, this is ‘old school’ guitar playing, not stream-of-consciousness blowing. ‘Barrel’ is, in itself, a great album for grooves and sounds, and opener Mad Dog sets that mood straight away with a ‘The Weight’-like steady beat, applied to a 12-bar format, and Michaels’ tasteful, unshowy piano is complemented by Levin whose guitar is fed through a Leslie. Michaels’ vocals, as ever, gutsy and soulful.

I won’t go through this track by track and deny anybody who might be tempted to seek out a copy the sense of discovery, but the aforementioned opener and two other tracks (I could live without a brief romp through 'When Johnny Comes Marching Home'!) give a good overview: ‘Murder In My Heart For The Judge’ is (as many will know as soon as it is named) a cover of a Moby Grape song, written by Jerry Miller and Don Stevenson (from their 1968 second album ‘Wow’). It’s taken pretty faithfully, but a scrap slower and more emotion is wrung out of it as a result. Michaels is on piano, but is playing organ bass pedals and Levin’s guitar bursts in and out in the spirit of co-writer Jerry Miller. Hearing this tune immediately reminds you of where you’ve heard a singing voice akin to Michaels before: it is of course Moby Grape’s Bob Mosley.

My favourite track is ‘Day of Change’. It has it all: those late 60s smooth, luxurious verse chord changes with a static, pedal tone bass (meaning the musical technique, not the organ foot pedals, although it is both!), more of Michaels’ effortless singing and bursts of what can only be described as big, Billy Preston-inspired gospel organ chords driving the tune along between verses. It is fantastic.

So there: Lee Michaels. Never amounted to much in the UK, and all but retired by the mid to late 70s even at home. Apparently he owns a chain of shrimp restaurants: maybe he was just shrewder than many musicians in recognising when his star was waning, and investing his money wisely while he still had plenty of it!

[giftsforus]

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[thevouofficial]

21 Most Popular 80s Fashion Trends To Dress In 2022

Most Iconic Fashion Trends of the Eighties, from Party Costumes to 80s Jeans

The 80s fashion decade holds such a unique place in the world of fashion, trends, and styles.

In a world of no fashion influencers and no social media, 80s fashion drew inspiration from music and TV shows, creating more style idols than in any previous fashion decade.

‘Big,’ ‘bright,’ and ‘loud’ describe the 80s fashion decade, with eye-straining colors and patterns, power suits, shoulder pads, dramatic earrings, and acid wash jeans.

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TOP 10

Most Popular 80s Fashion Trends

1. Padded Shoulder Power Suits

2. Aerobic Leg Warmers

3. Rolled Up Sleeves Leather Jackets

4. Statement T-shirts With Slogans

5. Polka Dot Dresses & Skirt Suits

6. Colorful Leotards & Bodysuits

7. Double Denim Top & Bottom

8. Stirrup Pants & Leggings

9. High-cut Swimsuits

10. Acid-Washed Jeans

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The eighties were also a decade of fashion trends that people ‘loved to hate,’ as you’ll see later on, in our gallery of iconic ’80s outfits.

Hair was teased and permed to the limits, voluminously styled, and sometimes crimped; make-up was bold with clashing colors, almost like face paint.

1980s fashion styles were also about flaunting money – wearing designer brands, preppy outfits, and loud logos to showcase one’s wealth and status.

Nevertheless, the 80s influence has shaped not only the culture and fashion looks of that decade but also the styles we wear nowadays, in 2022.

In this article, I’ll take you back down memory lane to experience once again the most beautiful moments of the 80s fashion and styles.

Without further ado, these are the 21 most representative and inspiring 80s fashion pics, images, and moments ever.

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1/21 Power Suits

1980s power suits were the ideal look to represent powerful businesswomen. Joan Collins (TV Star); Alexa Singer (Model – US Vogue October 1985); Rosie Vela (Supermodel).

Power suits and power dressing was all the rage in the 80s, as a trend created by celebrities and movie stars playing influential, power-hungry career women.

Grace Jones’ sharply-tailored suits with broad padded shoulders inspired the ‘girl power’ and cross-dressing movement of the 1980s – and an inspiration for artists such as Annie Lennox, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Solange, and Lorde.

Also, as a sign women were rising through the ranks, Britain was run by Margaret Thatcher, the country’s first-ever female Prime Minister.

2/21 Padded Shoulder Dresses

A more subtle vibe of power was conveyed via ’80s padded shoulder dresses. Joan Collins; Dolly Parton (1987); Brooke Shields; Princess Diana.

The shoulder pads were such an influential trend in the 80s fashion that they even started to be adopted by dress designers.

Notable shoulder pads were matched with vaporous dresses with puffed sleeves to create unique geometric shapes and cuts.

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3/21 Leg Warmers

Leg warmers conquered the 80s fashion, from cinema screens to books and VHS covers – Jamie Lee Curtis’s iconic 80s aerobic styles in Perfect (1985), Jane Fonda’s workout books & videos (1986 & 1987).

The 80s fashion styles were influenced by those times stars and celebrities, promoting fitness and aerobic exercises on TV.

Olivia Newton-John and Jane Fonda’s appearances (Flashdance in particular) turned legwarmers into every woman’s fashion statement.

Aerobic outfits, leggings, oversized sweaters, and even skinny jeans for women were all garments that required legwarmers as a finishing touch.

4/21 Leather Jackets w. Rolled Up Sleeves

80s leather jackets with rolled-up sleeves were made popular by music stars such as Micheal Jackson, Jon Bon Jovi, and Morten Harket.

Worn by music and movie stars such as Bon Jovi, Madonna, Cher, Tom Cruise (Top Gun), and Morten Harket, leather jackets were a must-have in the 80s.

However, the most popular leather jacket styles had large, padded shoulders and were worn with the sleeves rolled up, and Michael Jackson’s Thriller look is the perfect example.

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5/21 80s Preppy Fashion

80s preppy look, known as ‘Yuppie Student’ was the style of affluent college students, displayed in many 80s movies such as Heathers (1988) and promoted by 80s American fashion brands such as Ralph Lauren, Bert Pulitzer, and Tommy Hilfiger.

The 80s was also the decade of designers focusing on comfortable and stylish preppy styles.

Brands like Polo, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, and Calvin Klein launched college-styled jackets, trousers, and shirts in pastel colors with stripes.

Seen as a key 80s trend, preppy shirts (also seen in ‘Light Academia‘) were worn as either a formal button-down or a smart casual t-shirt.

6/21 Statement Tees & Slogan T-shirts

After the anti-war 70s movements, the slogan tees became activists’ weapon of choice. Some of the most iconic fashion statement t-shirts of the 80s were ‘CHOOSE LIFE’ by George Michael & Andrew Ridgeley Due, Wham!, Katharine Hamnett’s ‘SAVE THE WORLD’ oversized tee, ‘WAR’ by Frankie Goes To Hollywood band.

Statement tees, also called slogan t-shirts, are another 80s fashion-defining moment, beautifully exemplified by Katharine Hamnett’s pieces.

The designer’s anti-nuclear-missiles T-shirt, worn while meeting then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher in 1984, is now part of 80s fashion history.

The trend of slogans printed on t-shirts was quickly adopted by Pepsi, Nike, Adidas, and Guess after realizing the advertising power of their own logos printed on T’s.

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7/21 1980s Mini Skirts

The 80s mini skirt style was popular with celebrities around the world; Italian singer Sabrina Salerno – the Argentinian comedy, High Heels (Tacos Altos) in 1985, and American actress Victoria Principal in her famous office look.

The 80s is also the decade of mini skirts, skater skirts, and Rah-rah’s.

Mini skirts were first seen in the 1960s fashion, often matched with go-go boots.

But the mini-skirt trends peaked in the 80s, worn with legwarmers and/or leggings.

Popular materials were denim and spandex (see Kylie Minogue’s high-shine minidresses) or augmented with layers of net and lace, Madonna-style.

8/21 Polka Dots Patterns

The ‘polka dots’ style stormed the 80s runways thanks to Emanuel Ungaro’s Summer-Spring collection in 1985 and Yves Saint Laurent Summer-Spring 1986, and celebrities loved the look; see Princess Diana’s royal tour of Japan in 1986 and polka dot dress at Ascot in 1988.

Inspired by 1940s – 50s fashion, polka dot dresses, skirts, and tops resurfaced in the 80s with a vengeance.

The style was brought back by the French fashion house Emanuel Ungaro on its SS 1985 ready-to-wear collection, fast adopted by royalty, pop stars, and cinema celebrities alike.

Princess Diana loved sporting polka dots skirts; the Strawberry Switchblade pop duo had them on big PVC belts and Claudia Cardinale on her characteristic dresses with tie necklines.

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9/21 1980s Animal Prints

After reaching peak popularity in the 60s, ‘Animal Prints’ returned to the 80s fashion scene, popularized by 80s celebrities like Joan Collins and Bon Jovi as well as fashion shows such as Yves Saint Laurent F/W 1982/83 runway.

Even in the 80s wearing natural animal skin was drawn upon.

However, that didn’t deter celebrities from wearing over-the-top animal prints on every imaginable outfit and style.

From leggings to handbags, skirts, and sunglasses, bold prints of leopard, zebra, tiger, giraffe, and python were the rage.

10/21 Eighties Oversized Eyewear

Some of the most iconic 80s oversized glasses and sunglasses are Jane Fonda’s famous red spectacles at the ‘Genocide’ Beverly Hills Premiere in 1983; Sammy Davis Jr.’s 80s oversized glasses, Cindy Crawford’s oversized Cateye sunglasses in white frames for Laura Biagiotti magazine in 1987; Arnold Schwarzenegger’s famous oversized sunglasses in the first ‘Terminator’ movie in 1985; Robert Redford’s oversized glasses in 1981. Meg Ryan’s geeky spectacles in ‘When Harry Met Sally’ in 1989; and Michael J. Fox’s oversized aviator sunglasses in ‘Back To The Future’ in 1985.

Most fashionable sunglasses in the 1980s had giant frames and sported colored or mirror lenses.

Some of the most popular 80s sunglasses frames were oversized Wayfarers and Aviators by Rayban.

Yet, depending on your social circle, you could also spot Gucci, Cartier, and Vuarnet in large frames.

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11/21 Asymmetric Silhouettes in 1980s

The asymmetric silhouette style was introduced to the 80s fashion catwalks by progressive fashion designers such as Pierre Cardin for the 1984 and 1987 Haute Couture Spring/Summer collections, Claude Montana for Genny 1984 collection, and the Australian designer Katie Pye.

Thierry Mugler’s spring 1983 ready-to-wear show is the best example of clothes in which one side is not the same as the other.

The asymmetric style was best exemplified by Molly Ringwald, a famous Hollywood actor of the 80s.

Some key characteristics of asymmetrical style and design feature a one-shoulder bodice, slanted hemlines, or necklines, often seen nowadays in the streetwear pieces of Japanese fashion.

12/21 Leotards & Bodysuits

Leotards and bodysuits were the fitness fashion statements of the time, sported by the 80s Aerobic stars like Gilda Marx and Jane Fonda to the National Aerobic Championship Theme of 1988 and even 80s famous gymnasts like Nadia Comăneci.

After the influence of drugs and freedom of “flower power” of the 70s fashion wore off, the 80s started as a self-conscious decade.

Jane Fonda took advantage of women’s obsession with dance and exercise with fitness videos showcasing an extensive collection of bright colors bodysuits.

With the help of music divas like Cher, the promotion and selling of sportswear apparel in bold colors became an 80s thing.

What nowadays we call athleisure once started as leotards and bodysuits, a functional form of fashion.

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13/21 Double Denim Craze

‘Double Denim’ was a big eighties look, in particular, vintage Levis jackets; see Johny Depp’s denim vest & torn jeans, Whitney Houston’s oversized Levi’s denim jacket with high waist mom jeans, or John Stamos’ aviator Levi’s denim jacket with rolled-up sleeves.

The 80s double denim style craze is the best example of how celebrity power shaped and still shapes the current fashion trends.

Levi’s 501 jeans campaign involved top celebs of those times, such as Nick Kamen, who had a top 5 hit single in 1986, written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray.

The trend of pairing double denim jackets with high-waisted jeans continue until the end of the 80s, thanks to Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Ben E. King, and Percy Sledge boosting Levi’s sales and vinyl records.

14/21 Thick Socks With High-Top Trainers

Wearing thick socks with high-top trainers was part of the cool-casual outfits of the 80s. The look was particularly popular among 80s young hip-hop stars such as Salt-N-Pepa.

In a trend started by fitness celebrities that moved from gyms to 80s catwalks, thick socks, layered socks, and even socks with lace edging were an 80’s fashion statement for the girls.

Neon socks paired over the other and worn with trainers were popular in various contexts, at the gym, meeting with friends, and even at the office.

And as the idea of wearing socks everywhere became popular, ankle socks worn with heels started to emerge, from movie clips on MTV to movies and the catwalks.

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15/21 Sheer Tights

From nude to neon, sheer tights appeared in various colors in the 80s, designed to match different outfits, from casual wear to formal clothes; mini skirts to power dresses, heels to high-top kicks.

In the 80s, wearing short skirts to show off your legs was very cool – see Debbie Harry’s chic little black dresses accessorized with striking hosiery.

Initially, sheer tights had neutral colors – for a more natural look – like brown during the day and black in the evening.

Influenced by the growing fitness craze, sheer colored tights became a thing in the mid-eighties, with many fashion brands creating colored stockings.

The colored sheer tights trend continued into the 90s fashion, worn at the office and even at dinner events.

16/21 80s Stirrup Pants & Leggings

Designed for comfort and simplicity, 80s stirrup pants and leggings were some of the most loved 80s styles, worn as either gym wear or casual outfit pants.

Stirrups are light metallic frames hanging on each side of a saddle, used to support mounting or riding.

Stirrup pants borrow the concept by having a strap of material at the end of the foot to hold the pants in place.

Given their construct, stirrup pants were trendy in the 80s in sporting activities such as aerobics, ballet, and dancing, eventually permeating into daily fashion looks.

Towards the end of the eighties, women of all ages could be seen wearing leggings and stirrup pants matched with large t-shirts or comfortable oversized sweaters.

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17/21 Decorative Lace Dresses & Accessories

One of the most famous ‘lace fashion’ moments of the 80s was Madonna’s iconic appearance on MTV in 1984, wearing a lace dress and lace gloves. Joan Collins also contributed to the 80s lace fashion trend as Alexis Carrington in Dynasty (1983).

After Madonna launched her global hit “Like a Virgin” on MTV in 1984, lace dresses and lace gloves became an instant fashion statement throughout the 80s.

The trend can be seen everywhere, even in movies, and one of the most popular characters spring the style was Alexis Carrington in Dynasty, played by Joan Collins.

18/21 1980s Harem Pants

‘Harem Pants’ became popular in the 80s thanks to MC Hammer, a look fast adopted by many eighties Hollywood stars such as Demi Moore and Donna Summer.

Originally known as a harem skirt, these pants were introduced to western fashion circles in 1910 by the Parisian designer Paul Poiret.

Long, baggy, with a very low drop-crotch and fitted at the ankle, harem pants were also known as the MC Hammer pants.

In psychedelic colors and dizzying patterns, harem pants are another look that makes the 80s fashion so unforgettable and unique.

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19/21 High-cut Swimsuits 80s Style

Showcased in the 1987 issue of Sports Illustrated and Christy Turlington’s photoshoot by Gilles Bensimon for US Elle’s 1987 June issue – high-cut swimsuits were the dominant swimwear of the 1980s, very popular among 80s celebrities like Sybil Danning.

Some of the most popular swimsuits of the 80s had a high-cut one-piece, like the babes on the original Baywatch series used to wear.

The high cut was designed to elongate the legs while the waist tucked everything into a slimmer silhouette, whether there’s a bit of weight on the hips or tummy.

20/21 80s Post-punk Fashion

80s UK music culture shifted from punk to giving birth to the post-punk fashion era that included new stylistic movements such as goth and indie. The post-punk fashion trend of the 80s was led by unorthodox fashion designers such as Vivienne Westwood.

Inspired by London’s skinhead culture that took the 60s fashion by storm, the 80s punk style version had a milder, more enigmatic look.

The softer variations of post-punk 80s fashion were influenced by a blend of skinhead culture with other cultures and musical trends, from goth rock to glam and psychedelic rock.

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21/21 Acid Washed Jeans

In the eighties, acid-washed jeans were the norm, from Renée Simonsen’s vintage 80s Bonjour acid wash mom jeans and denim jacket to ‘Saved By The Bell’ sitcom of the late 1980s.

Distressed, acid wash jeans were popular from the mid to late 80s and early 90s styles.

Invented by the Rifle Jeans company in Italy, washing denim with chlorine and using a pumice stone to distress the material.

Loved by heavy metal and rock bands, 80s acid-washed jeans were matched with biker jackets or fringe jackets (cowboy/country music style leather jackets with lots of tassels).

The acid-washed denim was so popular that even non-rock acts such as Bros and Salt N’ Pepa jumped on it, triggering brands like Jordache, Guess, Wrangler, Levi’s, and Gitano to create limited collections and collab pieces.

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More on 80s Fashion – People also ask

What kind of clothes were popular in the 80s?

The most popular 80s clothes for women were power suits, legwarmers, dresses with padded shoulders, and spandex and Lycra tights.

For men, some of the most popular clothes in the 80s were leather jackets, polo shirts, Oxford shirts, and turtlenecks.

However, both genders wore linen, velour, corduroy suits, high-waisted acid wash jeans, and animal prints.

What should I wear to an 80s party?

The best 80s theme party outfit depends on the style you want to recreate.

In the eighties, there were several fashion styles, but some of the most popular were power office, street casual, punk, and athletic looks, each with its own shoes and accessories.

Some of the most popular 80s accessories are:

scrunchies;

leg warmers;

fingerless gloves;

plastic bangles;

large earrings in neon shades;

mesh accents;

and pearl necklaces.

How do you dress in 80s fashion?

Dressing a perfect 80s fashion look is simple, as long as you combine some of the most representative clothes of that decade with the relevant accessories to the 80s style you choose to showcase.

For example, if you want to recreate a stylish 80s post-punk look, all you need is a biker-style leather jacket, acid-washed jeans, a loud logo t-shirt with an 80s popular slogan, and a pair of black leather boots.

Then, finish this classic 80s look with relevant punk accessories, such as metallic bracelets, studs, spikes, laces, and chains.

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Final Words on 1980s Fashion

The music television channels (MTV launched in 1981) and the first generation of personal computers (1st Apple Computer launched in 1984) significantly influenced the looks of 80s fashion.

Music clips particularly influenced 80s fashion and American TV shows such as Dynasty and Dallas – think power suits and shoulder pads and fine jewelry worn by Alexis and Krystle Carrington.

Madonna, Joan Jett, and Cher’s video clips inspired teenagers to wear biker leather jackets, ripped tights, assorted with punk-styled bracelets, studs, spikes, and chains.

Similarly, Cyndi Lauper and Tina Turner’s polished looks left their marks on 80s women’s fashion with asymmetric aesthetics, oversized blazers, and poof skirts.

And let’s not forget the influence that Jane Fonda and Olivia Newton-John’s fitness clips had on teen girls, even wearing sheer tights and legwarmers everywhere, with anything.

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[evermore-fashion]

Met Gala 2022 Thoughts

Am I really talking about the 2022 Met Gala already? It still feels like a few weeks ago we were all rolling our eyes at how badly the fashion was because attendee’s either couldn’t be bothered or didn’t understand the theme. Overall it was so underwhelming that I had no idea this year’s gala was back to it’s usual May slot and less than six months after the borefest of 2021. Anyway here we are judging everyone who was lucky enough to attend the prestigious gala. This year’s theme was “Gilded Glamour” which in my opinion is one of the easiest themes to ever be announced by the Met Gala. It’s also about The Gilded Age which was the period of history between 1870 and 1900 when the United States saw massive economic growth and rapid industrialisation. So did I see many gold or gowns that were inspired by this period in history? No. Was the fashion better than 2021? Absolutely. 

Here are my favourites that I felt followed the theme as closely as possible and just looked amazing and made up for the shitshow of 2021.

Blake Lively (look one & look 2) Once again Blake came to the Met Gala and she slayed it at the Met Gala with one of the most eye catching and gorgeous gowns of the entire night. It was by Versace (again) and was apparently inspired by the skyscrapers of New York City and the Statue of Liberty. Also what better way for Blake to make her grand return to the Met Gala with a two in one gown, all in all this look was EVERYTHING! 😍 Kim Kardashian I know this look gained a lot of online controversy because she wore an original Marilyn Monroe gown that many believed she had no right to wear etc. However I thought she looked gorgeous in it, it was simple but still elegant and let’s face Marilyn Monroe was a fashion icon for her time and that should be celebrated. Plus it was nice to see that Kim had broken the curse of her dementor look from 2021 and decided to wear something a bit more normal in terms of high end fashion.

Billie Eilish  This look really surprised me as I’m not a fan of Billie Eilish and her fashion choices at all, plus I didn’t like the nude gown she wore at the 2021 Met Gala (it clashed with her skin tone and made her look ill). But if anyone understood the theme this year it was Billie and she looked amazing in her custom Gucci gown. She really looked like she had stepped out of a painting from the Gilded Age, I don’t think I have anything more to say other than bravo Billie, bravo! 👏🏻 Katy Perry Hallelujah! Katy didn't dress as either chandelier or a cheeseburger at this year’s Met and instead went for a classic Oscar de la Renta gown instead. What I loved about this gown is that Katy Perry posted a photo on Instagram of a classic oil painting that was clearly the inspiration behind her look. Also the back of the gown embodied the gilded age with a black silk taffeta skirt that ruffled up around the derrière. 

Laura Harrier This might be my second favourite gown (after Blake) because I love black, I love silver and I love sparkle which was all rolled into one in Lauren’s H&M custom gown. Also I loved the subtle damask pattern on the gown to give it that deep rich look that just made it feel that bit more of a period piece but with a modern twist to it. It was understated but it was beautiful and huge props to Laura for going with H&M instead of haute couture designer.

Cardi B I can’t believe I’m actually mentioning Cardi B as just like Billie Eilish I’m not a fan of her whatsoever, but she did wear a stunning Atelier Versace gown that I can’t take my eyes off anytime I see it online. It gave me elegant steam punk vibes which I love outside of high end fashion and the fact that she understood the gilded portion of the theme was enough for me to fall in love with her look. 

Sarah Jessica Parker She plays a style icon and she slays as a style icon once again the Met Gala. I loved this gown by Christopher John Rogers because it was so unusual yet so fitting for the theme all at the same time. It won me over just for being unique. According to Vogue Sarah paid homage to Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley, who made history as the first Black female fashion designer in the White House. You can read more about Sarah’s gorgeous look and the inspiration behind it here. Anitta I don’t know much if anything about Anitta but her look caught my instantly this morning whilst I was browsing the Met Gala hashtag on Twitter. I thought she looked breathtaking in the deep purple duchess satin Moschino gown. Everything about the gown was both stunning and elegant and I loved the pearls that really finished off the look and just screamed royalty in the gilded age. 💜 So yeah thats my favourite looks from this years Met Gala, it was definitely fun to look through them all this morning in comparison to last year. Heck even some of the male attendee’s went all out this year even if some didn’t follow theme (like Sebastian Stan wearing Valentino 😍). Like I said before though clearly some attendee’s understood this years theme (and knocked it out the park) whilst others ignored it in favour of their own taste in high end fashion instead. Personally I think those that attend the Met Gala and ignore the theme entirely should be banned from attending future events. 

Anyway feel free to leave a comment or drop me a message letting me know your thoughts on this year’s Met Gala. Did you have a favourite look? Was the theme better than 2021 and do you think it’s okay for attendee’s to ignore the theme entirely?

[swimmingleo]

HSLOT boots and psychedelic fashion conspiracy

Are we ready to read too much into things once again but classic rock style ? Hell yeah, here we go.

DISCLAIMER I don't really believe in what I'm writing here, but I think it's fun and I like to entertain the thought of Harry going full nerd style to put up his lil uniform (I mean, he better has thought it through).

There is one thing that caught my attention about Harry's stage uniform and it's the consistency of his boots. Agreed, they're pretty, look comfortable and practical while serving the psychedelic 60's vibe he's going for (we'll come back to that), but they're custom made and I like to make a big deal out of thin air, so.

da boots~

Let me introduce you to the niche world of Gohil's Shoes

Gohil's is a small independant shop located in Camden created by Velji Gohil in 1966. Back in the 60's, the shoemaker was notoriously known for his colorful, bold and unique handmade leather boots. Gohil supplied the iconic psychedelic boutique Granny Takes a Trip, which played a big part in the underground scene and where lots of rockstars would buy their outfits (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Marc Bolan, yeah all of em).

Rockstars such as Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton, Elton John or David Bowie popularized Gohil's boots designs or even directly commissioned him.

But where it gets interesting is when Pink Floyd gets involved oF COURSE OMG LEO SHUT UUUUP.

No way to tell 100% but I'm pretty confident they're all rocking their lil Gohil's leather goods here, in all kind of colors like a proper uniform.

Syd Barrett the man himself got his own custom-made Gohil's boots: short ankle and elastic gussets (precisely. It will make sense later).

cmon i like making parallels it's fun

More of Syd's boots:

Pink Floyd plays a massive role in the Gohil's lore because they gave the shoemaker proper credit and immortalized his work in classic rock culture by namedropping the shop in The Wall.

I got elastic bands keepin' my shoes on

[...]

I've got a pair of Gohills boots

But I got fading roots, Nobody Home

Please, I don't know why they purposely spelled it wrong, it's killing me.

The unmistakable reference to Syd's boots evokes his melancholy surrounding fame and how out of place he felt in the public eye. The elastic bands were allegedly part of his boots' design because he wouldn't lace his shoes anymore: in the end, no matter how custom made the shoes were, they didn't feel part of him because they were tied to his new life as a rockstar.

It doesn't stop here with Syd and shoes discomfort, here we go.

In 1967, Syd writes Jugband Blues (tw flashing lights i think?). He's on his way out from the band, not able to keep up with the work rate and the record's company demands. The song is a criticism of the music industry: from the ironic marks of respect (which remind me of how Harry thanks Rob Stringer lol) to the shallow psychedelic visuals and unsettling vibes of the music video.

The camera films quick glimpses of the set they're on: the machinery, the staff... even a suit who's just standing there watching. Like in TPWK.

AAAANYWAY THE SHOES.

And I'm grateful that you threw away my old shoes

And brought me here instead dressed in red, Jugband Blues

In Jugband Blues, in Nobody Home or even Vegetable Man (In yellow shoes I get the blues), the shoes are a prison Syd wants to escape from, an emphasis on the fact that he doesn't feel good in his skin and barely feels like himself at all. He doesn't belong even in his own clothes and misses the familiarity of his old shoes: a reminder of a place and time where he felt safe and not... Perceived.

All in all, the shoes are a big "DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE". When the lights are up, with all eyes on you and you got those brand new Gohil's boots on, do you know who you are ? Do the shoes make the Man ? Or just the performer ?

For Another Man, a milestone in Harry's solo career and a big ass tribute to classic rock fashion, Harry wore his lil rockstar outfit while keeping on his old worn out Converse.

He's determined to pursue his career while staying true to his roots. He's not losing himself to his stage persona.

On the right Keith Richards, wearing snakeskin Gohil's boots from Granny Takes a Trip.

Now what about Harry making a point of wearing consistently the same boots' design on tour ?

I won't pretend like Love On Tour psychedelic visuals didn't remind me of Pink Floyd at first. WHICH IS FAIR, cuz after all Pink Floyd were the first to actually do a regular light show on their live performances. They would project liquid light effects, crazy colours, and play with the patterns and textures of their Granny Takes a Trip outfits...

... Basically, the performers and lights blend together. The obvious risk is for the performer to be literally eclipsed by the lights, which was Pink Floyd's intent (idk they were shy or smth).

For Love On Tour, Harry is going all in with the psychedelic tribute, boots included. Except he's not letting the lights or the clothes wear him. By wearing the same design again and again, he's appropriating them the same way he would wear his crusty sneakers to death <3

I got inspired to write that post with what @laurelier and @ialwaysknewyouwerepunk wrote about Harry and the comfort he could find in clothes, a steady aesthetic and the frequency he wears specific garments, something he seems to have found with Fine Line. While Live On Tour's suits were more diversed and impressive, he implied how uncomfortable he felt performing in them. It also read as part of the rockstar image push during the HS1 era where articles would often compare him to Mick Jagger, Bowie or Prince.

Since then, with Fine Line, Harry knows who he is, became a trendsetter, an icon on his own and made a point to sing about how good in his skin he feels. He loves the boots and they feel like home

...

all of this for some boots yo

[follows-the-life-ahead]

Cold Souls - Cruella x fem!reader

Chapter one | Chapter two | Chapter three | Chapter four | Chapter five | Chapter six | Chapter seven | Chapter eight | Chapter nine | Chapter ten | Chapter eleven p1 | Chapter eleven p2 | Chapter twelve | Chapter thirteen

Summary- Y/n is a friend of Artie's who often helps him and his crew of tailors. Now that Artie has required her help for the fashion show of one of the top icons of the moment, Cruella, she has to learn how to coexist with her and try and understand why her friend is helping such a rude person. Will Cruella and y/n be able to put their problems aside and work together? 

A/n - Hey guys so sorry for not updating in a while, it's just that I've been helping my mom at work and this past week I was just very busy. Don't worry, updates are going to return to the normal schedule. I hope you enjoy this chapter and don't forget to comment, I love to read them! Stay safe <3

Pairing - Cruella x female!reader

Word count - 1.4k

Warnings - none

Cruella was now sitting on the couch next to yours, at the back of Artie's shop. You had busied yourself in making the tea, the second you entered the back room. You could feel Cruella's eyes on you from the same sofa she had seated, you were trying your best not to turn around, pretending you were oblivious of her stare. After you had prepared the tea, you reached for two teacups, sugar and milk and placed them onto a tray as well as the teapot, and carried it to the small center table in front of the sofas.

From the moment you sat down, Cruella began to tell you the whole story of what had happened after the show. She told you everything. From finding Horace and Jasper both tied to chairs in the middle of the warehouse because they had been followed, to the Baroness plan to kill her on the warehouse fire and make it look like Jasper and Horace were the culprits. She told you about John, the Baroness butler, who had been the one who rescued her before the flames had consumed her.

You sat there quietly, listening intently. It was quite a story to take in. You had stopped drinking your tea halfway into the first minutes, to process everything that Cruella was telling you.

"But that's not even the worst part." She told you, clearly noticing your facial expressions switched from surprise to concern, and the other way around, as she moved from detail to detail in her story.

"There's more?" You asked, expressing your true surprise, as to say 'what could possibly be worst than be almost burned alive?!'

Cruella stared at you and nodded while pursing her lips. She then reached for the necklace, that was hidden under the button-up shirt she was wearing and took it off letting it dangle between her fingers as she brought it closer to you.

"This necklace was my mom's, when I was a kid she told me it was a family heirloom and that one day it would be mine," Cruella smiled down at the necklace in her hands as she was telling you the story. "This necklace was the one I told you about, the one I tried to take from the Baroness at her White and Black Ball and failed, it was on the same night I found out she killed my mother." She looked up at you, and the memory of when she told you about the necklace at the warehouse flowed to your mind.

"Well, I figured out that it isn't just a necklace." She said. You looked at her, a look of confusion filling your features instantly. 'Not just a necklace?' You thought.

Cruella lifted the necklace from her palms once again, taking a hold of the gem with one hand and the top of the pendant with the other, she lifted the pendant and drew the gem down, and all of a sudden the necklace showed a secret key. You were filled with surprise as you stared at the tiny key that now took place at the end of the string. You looked up towards Cruella, your eyebrows furrowed.

"This key," she looked down at it, "unlocks the box my birth certificate was in." Cruella then lifts her gaze towards you once again. You tilt your head to the side, even more, confused than before. Birth Certificate? What the heck was going on? You just nodded your head for Cruella to proceed. She let out a big breath and continued.

"The Baroness is my birth mother."

Your eyebrows lifted so high up in your forehead that you were almost sure they would fall out, your eyes were as wide as they had ever been before, your mouth agape as you processed Cruella's words. You were frozen in place for a long while, looking at Cruella to make sure you had heard her correctly. She just pursed her lips and nodded, while putting the gem back on the necklace, hiding once again the secret key, and placing it around her neck and under her button-up shirt yet again. Cruella just waited for all the information she just gave you to sink in, as she calmly sipped her tea, while looking at you expectantly.

You finally let yourself relax and leaned back in your chair, still a bit shocked but overall relieved to finally know what had happened.

"I was... not expecting that, to be honest." It was the only thing you could think of to say.

"Well, I wasn't either." Cruella told you, leaning back on the couch as well.

She then proceeded to tell you how John was the one to show her the key that was in the necklace and the one who held the box of her birth certificate. She told you how the baroness had given her away to died, and how Catherine, her other mother, who used to work for the baroness, saved her, gave her a home, and raised her as her own.

"And that is basically the whole thing." Cruella finished telling you all about what she had just discovered hours ago.

"That is a really messed up story." You said. You would've never thought the Baroness was Cruellas real mother, or that she tried to kill her own child twice now.

"Indeed it is." Cruella agreed, moving to sit cross-legged on the couch, getting more comfortable.

"What about Jasper and Horace? We have to get them out of prison!" You stated, wide-eyed yet again, remembering them both.

"Not to worry, I've already taken care of that, they're safe." She answered you calming you down.

"And is this John person, trustworthy then?" You asked her.

"I believe he is, yes." She answered you, moving forward to grab her teacup.

"Well then, knowing you I bet you have a plan." You said, stating the obvious. As Artie says, Cruella always has a plan.

"Obviously, darling, hence why I came here to talk to Artie, where is he anyway?" She asked, sipping her tea while looking around the room.

"He went to pick up some new fabrics," you explained. "but I know him and he is going to help you and so am I." You said, always offering to help her with whatever it was her plan was this time.

"Why would you help me?" She asked incredulously. "After everything that happened, everything that I just told you, this could be dangerous." She exclaimed.

"And what? You don't think I can handle a little dangerousness?" You asked her while scoffing. Why was she making a big deal out of this? The more the merrier, she could use all the help she could get, why turn your offer down?

"Oh, darling, I know you can, that's not the problem."   She told you, and it was her who scoffed this time.

"Then what is?" You asked, curious to know what the problem was this time, yet starting to get annoyed as to why she didn't seem to want your help.

"The problem is that I won't be able to live with myself if something happens to you." Cruella admitted, setting her teacup down on the table firmly. She wasn't looking at you, she was staring at the center table, refusing to return eye contact.

So that was what this was all about. You found yourself flushing for the hundredth time again near the woman. Your heart warmed at her concern, even if it was just a matter of not wanting a friend to get hurt it still made your stomach flutter with butterflies.

"Nothing will happen to me." You said softly, a small smile gracing your features.

"How can you be so sure about that?" She asked you in a small voice, still staring at the table's surface, not looking at you.

"Because I know that you won't let anything happen to me." You admitted. This was something you were indeed sure of, after everything Cruella just told you, all the complicated scenarios that had taken place, it all made you realize one thing, that being, that Cruella would never let anyone mess with her family and friends, and you were glad to be a part of her small bubble.

Your statement made Cruella instantly look up at you. Surprise filled her features, a small blush covered her cheeks, and the smallest but still honest of smiles was shown. You were starstruck by her in every single possible way, and you didn't regret it in any way.

Clearing your throat you continued. "So, now that that is discussed, what is the plan?" You asked her.

Cruella flashed you an evil smirk and started to tell you everything.

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[thevindicativevordan]

On Kong Kenan/Super-Man

It should've been him. He should've been the Superman of 5G/Future State/right now not Jon, and he should be the one getting an HBO Max series not Val. Hell he should be getting a movie!

God this dude is literally the best legacy character Superman has ever gotten, wholly his own person with his own lore and status quo while still building on the idea of "Superman". I am so pissed at DC for essentially just dropping him after his ongoing ended, what the hell Lee? You keep trying to make the Wildstorm characters happen, I need you to get my man Yang another Kenan book.

Have to admit I was a bit nervous at first about whether or not Kenan would be a worthwhile character. Yang's New 52 Superman run had been a disappointment to me overall, with only the the arc where Superman has underground wrestling matches against forgotten gods really sticking with me. Now he was introducing a brand new Superman? Didn't feel like he had "earned" that yet. But from the first issue I was hooked on this new character.

Kenan was unlike any other member of the Superfamily. He wasn't kind or sweet, he was an asshole! He was a bully! He was fantastic! Right from the start Kenan was set up to undergo a very different kind of character journey than the other members of the Superfamily. Empathy, humility, respect for people weaker than himself, these are all traits most heroes wearing the S-shield already posses by the time they first don the crest, but not Kenan.

Like all bullies he was even a bit of a coward himself at first, trying to bail on the experiment meant to give him Superman's powers right as it begins. After "saving" Lixin (the kid he bullies and steals lunch from every day) from Blue Condor he demands all the money Lixin has on him as payment. He's not courageous or selfless either at the start, Kenan is as much of an opposite of Superman as you can get short of being Bizarro. Learning the appeal of these traits formed the basis for his growth over the course of his series.

Seeing Yang bring in a lot of recognizable "Superman" elements in the series, but with a twist, was also great. Kenan is the one who bullies "Luo Lixin" rather than the traditional Clark/Lex friendship of Pre-Crisis and Birthright. Initially Kenan develops a crush on intrepid reporter for Primetime Shanghai, Laney Lan, but she dismisses him as too young and Kenan eventually ends up pursuing Avery Ho (Flash) instead. Baxi the Bat-Man of China has a similar relationship with Kenan as the traditional Superman/Batman in terms of being vitriolic best buds, however Baxi is the one who has the most respect for authority while Kenan is the rebel. Kenan is a part of the "Justice League of China" which does not meet with the approval of the already established Chinese superheroes, the Great Ten. That contrasts nicely with the good relationship the Justice Society and Justice League have, as well as seeing Yang lampshade the "Chinese copy" trope and incorporate that into his storytelling.

One of the funniest differences is how Kenan chooses to immediately reveal his identity as Super-Man to the world by taking off the compliance visor he was forced to wear, contrasting with Clark's choice to hide his identity. He was so eager to impress people that he never gave any thought to the danger he could put himself or his family in by revealing his identity until it was too late, something Clark is well aware of and has taken great pains to keep his identity secret. Was a missed opportunity for DC to have Kenan comment on Clark copying him for once when he outed himself under Bendis.

But one of the most poignant differences between Clark and Kenan is the gulf in separation between their relationship with their parents. Clark has a loving relationship with Ma and Pa Kent, trying to live up to their lessons as best he can. In contrast Kenan's mom was believed to have died in an airplane crash when he was just a child, and he never really knew her. His father was distant from him after that and the two weren't really close despite Kenan's attempts to impress him. So Kenan lacks that strong connection while still clearly loving both of them.

Pa Kent's death is one of the most tragic examples of Clark's love for his parents, and I've always been a fan of takes where Clark promises his father to fight for the powerless on Pa's deathbed. Kenan gets a similar scene at the start of his career, his dad "dies" (after being exposed as Flying General Dragon, a pro-democracy "supervillain" from the Chinese authorities perspective) and wants Kenan to promise he'll fight for Truth, Justice, and Democracy. But because Kenan's dad never really bonded with him, Kenan doesn't know what those mean, and can only promise that he never wants to see people die, something his father takes comfort in at least. In classic comic book fashion it's revealed that Dr. Omen, Kenan's "boss" and the one who gave him his powers, saved Kenan's father, because she is Kenan's mother! Kenan's relationship with his parents forms a lot of the crux of his character arc, and seeing how Yang utilizes the classic Superman concept of family kept the storytelling exciting.

Yang's brilliant exploration of the concept of "Superman" through the prism of Chinese culture was a great way to differentiate Kenan as well.

I absolutely freaking love how he tied to the concept of Qi to the S-shield in particular. Connecting the shape of the shield with the way Kenan has acquired his powers along the path of the Bagua (eight trigrams used in Taoism that represent the fundamental principles of reality), with his octagon S-shield outline representing all eight principles together, was mindblowing! So was the idea of restricting Kenan's access to his powers unless he was actually acting in a Superman manner, that tied his character growth to his power growth in an entertaining manner. There were so many characters and concepts that meshed Chinese and DC lore together, like how Emperor Super-Man was Kenan's "Doomsday", they even recreated that iconic dual kill shot! The Chinese Wonder Woman Peng Deilan, being based on the Chinese Legend of the White Snake! There was even some Korean mythology referenced with the Aqua-Man member of the JLC "Dragonson".

Yang also managed to do a Superman Blue/Superman Red story with Super-Man Yin/Super-Man Yang!

Shameful that it took me a while to realize what Gene Yang was doing but once I caught on I was touched. You can tell how much Yang loved Superman and his mythology, and how he was excited to incorporate as much from Clark as he could, while still using it in a way that was solidly Kenan's. And not just Superman's mythology, but the history and lore of the entire DC Universe. I-Ching got to be brought in, fleshed out, and used as Kenan's mentor! The "Yellow Peril" villain from Detective Comics #1, the comic DC gets its name from was brought in and revamped as I-Ching's twin brother All-Yang! Hats off to Yang for taking a racist caricature and attempting to make him into something more.

This series was a beautiful attempt by Gene Yang to build a space for Asian heroes and villains where they could be more than stereotypes, Kenan himself being a defiant mold-breaker in every regard as the complete opposite of most Asian characters in Western media (a jock, a bully, loves his dad but not on great terms with him, a powerhouse as a hero, etc). So much thought and hard work was poured into this by Yang and his team of artist collaborators.

Especially the costumes, man Kenan had so many great looks. From his starting outfit (which is my favorite Superman variant not worn by Clark himself), to the one with the Yin/Yang shield he acquired later on, to his Super-Man Yin & Super-Man Yang outfits, Kenan looked damn cool. Part of me is bummed they didn't go with the Chinese character shield they toyed around with, but I loved how Yang used the "s-shield" as a plot point, so I'm not too broken up over it.

All that great work Yang did to build that space up has been more or less forgotten sadly. It was nice to see Kenan in the DC Asian Month Celebration issue. Avery is going to be in Justice Incarnate at least (unsurprising considering she was created by Williamson). So fucking bummed that Superman Family Adventures cartoon didn't happen, they were going to have Kenan and John Henry Irons in it! Would've been a dream come true for me to see Irons in animation again, and Kenan making the jump to outside media! Maybe that would've encouraged DC to let Yang keep writing New Super-Man, or at least encouraged them to use him elsewhere instead of allowing him fall into Limbo.

Unfortunately I'm not sure what the future holds for Kenan. Jon is being pushed as Clark's replacement in the comics, with DC keeping all the other contenders such as Kon benched. Calvin is leading the Justice Incarnate team likely due to the upcoming Coates reboot that will make Clark black. Val will probably get something once Taylor leaves Jon's book or once they officially announce the HBO Max show is happening. So where does that leave Kenan, my new favorite PoC legacy hero? Currently my only hope is that Yang is working on something for DC involving him. Yang left Batman/Superman, where I was hoping to see a Baxi/Kenan team up, to go work on "exciting other opportunities" per his Twitter. So fingers crossed that there's something in the works for Kenan!

One day I hope he gets his day in the sun again.

[stephspurs]

ONLY ANGEL - A John Stones Fanfiction

STEPHSPURS. - THE MASTERLIST ONLY ANGEL - FANFICTION MASTERLIST

The lights go down, the room turns dark, a murmur of people still trying to find their seats settles into the otherwise silence. The floor to ceiling screen behind the runway awakens to show a video montage of arguably the most famous supermodels in the world. “It’s difficult being a woman, and other women understand that...but it’s also fun to be a woman and I think we should be able to own that”

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is unlike any other in the world, it is the equivalent of the SuperBowl for supermodels. Bodies like Gisele Bundchen, Heidi Klum, Tyra Banks, grace the runway year in year out for the most-celebrated lingerie event in the runway calendar. A change of scenery for the traditionally American-based fashion show saw the glittery stage set up and a plethora of beautiful women touch down in London town.

Josephine Andersen, a 25 year old Danish-born supermodel found herself sitting backstage in hair and makeup, in a scantily-clad lingerie set with the iconic barely-there silk wrap adorned with the famous branding across the back of her shoulders and ‘Angel Josephine’ across her left side, right above her beating heart. Make no mistake, Josephine was meant to be here. She had worked hard every single day since the last runway event that she was fortunate enough to have walked in for the lingerie brand, to prove her rightful place as an Angel.

Yes, success is the direct result of hard work - and there was no denying that Josephine was a hard worker. She knew that she wasn’t special, and like most, she would have to work for what she wanted out of her life. What she didn’t know before going into the modelling industry at the ripe old age of 13, was that it was as mentally challenging as it was physical. Everyday was a constant battle between her head, her heart, and her agent. Nevertheless, she was aware of how difficult it was to be a woman, but she was also aware of just how fun it could be too.

John Stones, a 27 year old Barnsley-born (although his mate Kyle Walker would argue the point that his postcode says Sheffield but that's a story for another time) footballer for Manchester City Football Club, found himself sitting front row of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in London. He had never attended an event quite like it before, his mates sat either side of him ready to enjoy the spectacle that he didn’t think he would ever have the pleasure of attending. With the current season underway and the fact that his home club was a whole 4 hour drive away from his current location, it was a small miracle that the group of lads from Manchester were allowed to attend at all. These boys were down for a night of beautiful women, lingerie and getting up to no good.

The music started, the screen went black, the crowd erupted in applause for the first model through the parting screen - Angel Josephine. Strutting down the runway to Harry Styles' live version of Only Angel, John was mesmerised by the woman before him. She was working the crowd, sensual glances, little smirks, a cheeky grin here and there. Standing at the end of the runway, facing the abundance of cameras, Josephine gave her best smile and a confident wink to the camera before tossing her hair over her shoulder and proceeding to walk back up the runway.

John hadn’t been able to take his eyes off of the girl, he wasn’t sure he had blinked since she stepped foot out on the runway - if he closed his eyes for just a millisecond he would miss too much. He was addicted to her beauty, never having seen something so ethereal in his life. Maybe it was the atmosphere, maybe it was the champagne, but he honestly believed that there was an angel before him. Following her with his eyes as she walked back towards where he was seated, he made eye contact with her and she held it. Sending him a wink, and blowing him a kiss before smirking to herself and exiting the stage. She had no idea the effect that she had on the otherwise cocky man, she had reduced him to a puddle of mush, too intimidated by her beauty. The moment she was out of his sight, it was like he could breathe again, the sound that was previously muted around him returned to its full volume and his tunnel vision had widened to take in the whole show. Taking another sip of his champagne, he caught the eye of his best friend Kyle (yes, the same Kyle from earlier) who smirked and gave him a pat on the shoulder. Kyle had seen the whole interaction, albeit limited and largely one sided, and knew exactly what kind of trouble his friend could get himself into here.

Backstage Josephine was being ushered from the runway to the small curtain that was hanging from a clothes rack, providing a make-shift dressing room for her to strip off of the current segments undergarments and into the next set that had been so kindly draped over the top rail by one of the wardrobe assistants. Normally she would be thriving under the fast paced nature of the evening, the adrenaline pumping through her veins like a drug, however she was encumbered by her own thoughts of the devilishly handsome man in the front row. His eyes were engraved in the back of her mind, when she shut her own eyes she could see the intensity of his stare - it was numbing her, slowing her down. She was desperate for another glance at him, being brought back into the moment by the yell of a backstage hand asking for her to hurry and get into her next wings, she stripped and redressed. Was she lightheaded from the pressure that she had placed on herself to prepare for the evening, or was it because he seemed to take up all of the air in the room and space in her brain? She could argue that she was fulfilling her role as an Angel by winking at him and blowing him a little kiss. It was her job to flirt with the crowd and put on a show after all, but she knew exactly what her intentions were and they were nothing but devilish.

Perhaps the only event more iconic than the fashion show itself, the afterparty was what most people involved in the show looked forward to. The humans, even with their celebrity status, had the opportunity to mix with the angels - who, for one night only, let go of their halos and swapped them for horns. For one night, the beautiful women of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion show in all of their angelic glory; could be as bad as they dared to. This was the unspoken truth of the after party, and if you had the fortune of being able to attend, it was not an event easily passed up.

John found himself once again surrounded by his mates, mingling with the models and his celebrity pals alike. Not once had he forgotten about the first angel he had ever laid eyes on, he didn’t even know her name but by God did he know her body. It was as though the 30-odd seconds she was before him his eyes scanned her from head to toe, every curve of her body engraved into his memory. He could remember how the light reflected off of the body shimmer she had bathed in before walking the runway, how the curve of her waist continued at the perfect degree to complete her perfectly-sized derriere. Before long, he felt the room get smaller and smaller, the air was thicker and his hearing had started to muffle. She was standing in his direct line of sight - not that it would matter if she was standing on the other side of the room, behind a crowd of people, John’s eyes would find and fixate on her.

John watched as she worked the room, obligatory pleasantries flowing from her lips as she double kissed the cheeks of men who were old enough to be her grandfather. He watched their leather-like hands wrap themselves around her lower back, too low for his liking. He watched her smile and pretend that she was comfortable, but he could see the look behind her eyes scream that she shouldn’t trust their words - that they didn’t want to just buy her a drink. Without realising, his hands started to curl around his scotch glass until he had to put it down on the table before him and excuse himself from the company of his friends and the new company they had invited to their table. Weaving his way through the crowd, eyes never leaving the side of her face, he began to make his way towards her. No plan of action, nothing to say, anything would be good enough in an attempt to rescue her from what is looking to be her own personal version of hell. As though the universe had willed it, she looked into the crowd and locked onto the gaze of the tall man who was currently striding towards her. The look on his face told everyone around them that they weren’t to get in his way, to mess with him.

Reaching her, she held her breath and waited for his next steps. Josephine didn’t know what to expect, but the handsome smile that erupted from his previously pursed lips and filled up his face had sent her heart into a frenzy. For just that moment, she chose to believe that that smile was reserved for her and only her. Reaching forward and coincidentally knocking the older man’s arm from around her waist and replacing it with his own, he leant forward and planted a loud kiss to her cheek before wrapping her in a hug that warmed her soul. Her whole body pushed into his, she was unable to see his face but she could hear his heart and it told her that she was safe.

“I’m so proud of you, babe. I reckon I'm the luckiest guy in the room to be able to call you my girlfriend” He said into her ear, loud enough for the group of older men to hear and begin to talk amongst themselves after realising they had no chance with the Danish beauty, not that she ever gave them that impression to begin with.

Pulling away from the tall man, she looked up at him and gave him her best smile, a sincere smile. She ran her hands down from his back and found his hands that were placed on her waist, lacing their fingers together and pulling him off into the crowd to the bar.

“So, boyfriend, do you have a name?” She spoke whilst picking up the vodka on the rocks - not her favourite drink but it had little to no calories and anything that had a calorie count lower than her weight, which was difficult enough to find in the first place, was a win in her eyes.

“John, but I prefer to be called your boyfriend, even if it's only for one night” John spoke back to her, looking down at the angel who had covered herself up a bit more since the last time he had the pleasure of looking at her. However, the outfit she was currently wearing still allowed John’s mind, and eyes, to wander. A secret moment shared between the two in an overcrowded room.

PART 2. (smut warning)

[twistedtummies2]

Two Weeks in the TARDIS - The Fourth Doctor

Welcome to Two Weeks in the TARDIS! I’m talking about the different versions of the titular protagonist from “Doctor Who.” Each day I’ll be covering a different Doctor, going in order from the First to the Thirteenth.

Today, we’ll be discussing the longest-lasting Doctor (so far) in the show’s history, as well as one of the most iconic. This is the Fourth Doctor, Tom Baker

BACKGROUND

With the end of the Jon Pertwee era, the decision was made to take Doctor Who back to its roots, specifically looking at the era of Patrick Troughton. Tom Baker was not a well-known name, and in many ways, he played the Doctor more or less as himself: there is almost no separation between performer and character here, and that makes the performances almost universally grand. Right from day one, he established himself as drastically different from Jon Pertwee: gone was the authoritarian dandy who loved high-speed chases and karate chops, and in his place was an absolutely unhinged thrillseeker, who wanted to explore the universe just for the sake of it. Baker ADORED playing the Doctor, and to this date, he is the actor who has played the character the longest: in the show proper, he played the role for seven straight seasons, and ultimately only left because of personal and professional arguments with the head producer of the time, John Nathan Turner. By all accounts, Baker had a bit of an ego: he was once directly quoted as saying words to the effect that he knew more about the show than the writers did. As a writer myself, I think that’s dubious; as an actor, I find such commentary ill-advised. Keep in mind, Doctor Who was his big break: suddenly the man was a star, and he took that stardom seriously...but at the same time, one could easily argue the fame went to his head. By the time he left, regardless, Baker had made QUITE a mark: while the Fourth Doctor never properly appeared again on the show, he remains one of the most iconic to this day. Whenever people think of Doctor Who, Baker is usually one of the first incarnations they think of. For better or worse, the Fourth Doctor is truly immortal.

PERSONALITY

This Doctor was the first to deliberately pay homage (however indirectly) to Patrick Troughton’s. Much like Troughton, this Doctor was a shabby oddball who HATED to be tied down. However, things play out in a somewhat different fashion. A major character trait of the Fourth Doctor is his sort of Devil-May-Care habits: he almost never goes out to deliberately save people, unlike the Third Doctor. Instead, he’s usually just trying to escape and survive the mess, and as soon as everything’s cleaned up, he’s off and running without a second thought. Even when he IS out on a specific cause, he treats things with a sort of cavalier attitude, and he reserves the right to make his own choices: if he ultimately feels the objective of the mission is wrong, he will abandon the mission with little to no hesitation. In his very first episode, he does everything in his power to try and leave UNIT, and it takes a great deal of coaxing and prying for him to take anything seriously or stick around in that story...and once his job is done, he’s gone in a flash. That would be the typical formula throughout his era; this Doctor was heroic, but not necessarily a hero. In fact, another episode, “Face of Evil,” outright references his often irresponsible nature, as he finds out actions he did sometime in the past have had negative consequences...and yet, once he’s cleaned up the immediate problem, he’s quick to wipe his hands of things again and leave once more. He’s like a plumber who comes in, tightens a few screws, then leaves again only to come back when the pipes leak once more. The Second Doctor, in contrast to all this, was much more responsible: he was kooky, but he was also determined, and would stop at nothing to do whatever he felt was his sworn duty. Baker, very clearly, doesn’t care about duty: just about moving on. The other major difference is the KIND of oddball Baker is in comparison to Troughton. Troughton’s Doctor was something of a nutty professor; an absent-minded goofball who was much more clever than he seemed. Tom Baker on the other hand...is completely and utterly BONKERS. This is the first Doctor where his sanity is often truly in question: with Troughton, you always knew he was just crazy like a fox, pretending to be mad and exaggerating his own silliness. With the Fourth Doctor...it’s no exaggeration, he’s just WEIRD. And while he will play dumb or exaggerate his silliness from time to time, he’s not particularly GOOD at it. It’s like he’s mocking his enemies rather than trying to outwit them: outright telling them, “Yes, I am onto you, I have a plan, and you will never know what it is till it’s too late!” He’s temperamental, energetic, and irrepressibly eccentric: his mood swings rapidly, and he has a motormouth you wouldn’t believe. The Doctor has always been a somewhat Sherlock Holmes-esque figure, and I think Baker was the first of the Time Lords to really tap into that: a man you didn’t always trust, but would always do the right thing, and whose brilliance made him irreplaceable in a fix. It’s no wonder Baker would later actually PLAY Holmes...but that’s another story.

COSTUME

While Tom Baker’s costume would go through some color changes throughout his era, the basic look remains the same from start to finish. Again, much like the Second Doctor, his runabout personality is plainly on display, as his costume looks slapped together and barely adheres to the basic laws of sartorial savoir faire. However, unlike the Second Doctor, there is absolutely nothing here, really, to suggest much similarity to his predecessor: this Doctor is a whole new ball game, plain and simple. His garments ride a fine line between sloppy and sophisticated; the huge coat and overblown scarf never seem to slow him down as he leapfrogs from moment to moment, and while he’s not as action-ready as his predecessor, he’s still quite active physically. Fun fact: the giant scarf was sort of an accident. Apparently, it was commissioned privately by one of the show’s creators, but there was a miscommunication: the woman who made it was brought a VERY large amount of wool, and ended up using ALL of it to create that monstrosity. The scarf was kept because it was just so bizarre, and because it actually ended up being quite useful: the garment is often used as a tool by the Doctor in multiple ways. His floppy hat taking its place upon his head off-and-on throughout his run, he strides through scenes with confidence. It’s a costume that speaks perfectly to his character: a bizarre adventurer with a brilliant brain.

NOTABLE COMPANIONS

As the longest lasting Doctor, Tom Baker had more companions than any other. The first major two were Harry Sullivan (who I personally like, but not many others seem to) and Sarah Jane Smith, both residents of UNIT. Sarah Jane ended up becoming the single most popular companion in Doctor Who history; she even ended up getting not one, but TWO spinoff shows in her honor. It’s hard to describe what’s so great about Sarah Jane; she’s one of my favorites, but she’s one of those characters where what makes her so beloved is difficult to grasp. I think in many ways she was just the perfect traveling companion for the Fourth Doctor, in particular: there was a childishness to her, and a sense of real kinship with the Fourth Doctor. They felt almost like siblings to each other, and the moment where Sarah Jane left the series was arguably the first tearjerker Companion Departure in the entire show. She was often more capable than people gave her credit, and was just as funny as Baker was. After Sarah and Harry left, the Doctor picked up another pair. One was Leela, whom I personally feel is one of the most underrated Companions of the show: a savage warrior from a race of primitive humans encountered in “Face of Evil,” who joined the Doctor out of a desire to learn more about the universe and how it works. Shortly thereafter came K-9: this was a character people still either seem to love or hate. Personally, I love him: a robot dog who became the one and only pet the Doctor truly had. A fellow Time Lord (or, rather, Time Lady), Romana, was next to join in; she was first played by Mary Tamm, but really hit her stride when played by her second performer, Lalla Ward. Every single one of these characters were great, and it was wonderful to see how the Fourth Doctor’s relationship(s) with each one would work and develop, since no two were ever properly alike. The Fourth Doctor did have still more companions...but just like with Sarah Jane in the previous post, I’m saving them for later. Again, this is for the NOTABLE ones; the ones who I feel are most worth pointing out for anyone interested in looking up the show, and who I felt best complimented their respective Doctors. Up until arguably the last season, the Doctor never really had any bad companions in this era, and with seven seasons and, fittingly, seven years to worry about, that’s quite impressive.

RECOMMENDED VIEWING

It was actually REALLY hard to decide on one solid episode for the Fourth Doctor’s era. There are LOTS of great episodes and great showcases for Tom Baker’s take on the character throughout his era, as you would expect, given his longevity and iconic status in pop culture. This is the last time for a few Doctors where my recommended choice will be my favorite episode of the era, and I sort of chose it mostly just by default: since I really couldn’t decide properly, I figured this would just be the most obvious pick. That episode is “Genesis of the Daleks”: a serial widely regarded as one of the best and most influential in the series’ run. In this episode, we learn the origins of the Daleks, as the Doctor is sent by the Time Lords to the evil race’s homeworld, Skaro, in a time shortly before the Daleks were created. The Time Lords have foreseen that the Daleks could become embittered in a war with their race (this would prove prophetic MANY years later), and the Doctor’s job is to prevent this war from happening by making sure the Daleks never come to be. The episode also introduced a new major villain in the series, Davros: the mad cyborg scientist who created the Daleks in the first place. Originally intended as a oneshot character, after this, Davros would appear in ALL subsequent Dalek stories until the end of the Classic Era, and has made a couple of appearances since in the “New Who” era of the modern day. As far as the Doctor goes, it’s a good showcase of the deeper, darker, and softer sides of the Fourth Doctor’s personality, while still having plenty of room for his usual wit and humor.

Next time, we’ll discuss Peter Davison, the Fifth Doctor: The Lord of Salad Dressing.

[barbasbodaciousbeard]

Accidental Feminist Icon

Between my own headcanon Barba becomes a very niche viral celebrity for being a mix of feminist icon giving one liners on the news and handsome/well dressed and the DJ Khaled post, this happened. 

“Counsellor, are you listening?” Olivia asked as Rafael Barba looked at his phone again. It had been months now since he started trying Manhattan SVU’s cases, and she hadn’t seen him this distracted before. 

“I just- why do I have rapid fire Twitter notifications? Over one hundred and fifty?”

“You have Twitter?” He rolled his eyes, not proud of the admission. But he liked to follow politics and music and satire. His colleagues would have discourse on legal proceedings and theory. But when he opened his notifications, the sea of professional headshots making up the icons in his notifications window were replaced by cartoon avatars and selfies. Handles like @Bradley_GreedADA were replaced with @feministkilljxy. 

What was happening?

Why were there GIFs of him now?

“Rafael?” He was snapped back to attention by Olivia’s hand passing over his phone screen, and he shook his head, holding the screen out to her. “What am I looking at?”

“Why have a couple hundred- are these all teenagers?”

“Are they following you? Or tagging you?”

“Both?” He scrolled through the mentions.

“Both.” A questioning look.

“Have I gone viral?” he asked herr, eyes wide and his tone disgusted. Twitter was where he posted law books, nice dinners out, homemade dinners in, and the nicer scotch he drank. Sometimes even pictures of himself; some of his friends enjoyed fashion as well, and their twitters all had a heavy thread of their suspenders and ties. Suddenly, he was having photos he’d posted to flaunt his ability to mix patterns retweeted in appreciation of something more than the color scheme.

“I think you have. What have you said now?”

“The girl whose tweet I keep getting tagged in mentioned Jocelyn Paley and the Adam Caine case.”

“That was seven months ago.”

“I’m very aware. I have to get to the office. I’ll get you that warrant.”

He continued to scroll as he walked, alarmed by the number of followers he was gaining and going to open a direct message from a friend to see a wall of messages from names he didn’t know. Once he was able to find Bradley’s message, he saw it was series of tweets with videos and GIFs of him on the courthouse steps. They were all from the same case, he assumed the Adam Caine case. He clicked the video of he and Rita Calhoun.

All I can say, today's Grand Jury indictment is the first step towards achieving justice for Jocelyn Paley. 

The DA's office is desperately trying to distract from their recent scandal with a high-profile case. 

Don't give me that--whether you're a john in the South Bronx or a $3-million-a-year talk show host, no means no. 

 He could remember the exchange now, and it had apparently been retweeted thousands of times. Cameras always made him determined to distract, determined to drive home a point. And now, he was seeing some group of teenagers had clung on to his words, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about becoming recognized enough by that demographic to warrant this rapidly increasing follower count. 

“Carmen, can I ask you something?”

“Of course, Mr. Barba. Need coffee?”

“No,” he said plainly, shaking his head and showing her his feed. “Is this normal?”

“They found you?”

“Excuse me?”

“Haven’t you seen the posts?”

“I don’t branch out on Twitter often.”

“I see it mostly, like, on Instagram with captions and people post clips of you on vine.”

“What’s vine?”

“A six second video app. Teenagers and young women post you. Vine is normally comedy. But people are obsessed with you. Niche, but sizable number. I think it’s mostly New York girls who see you on the news. But that means the vines went viral a couple months ago.”

“So now they’re all following me on Twitter?”

“You’re viral for being attractive, dressing well, and prosecuting rapists. Embrace it.”

“I can’t post my clothes anymore.”

“Just continue like usual. Don’t respond to DMs.”

He spent a few weeks terrified of this new following, but after three days, things calmed down. The number of followers he gained was weird and confusing to him, and he decided to listen to Carmen ultimately, keeping the profile the same and pretending nothing had happened. She did stop him one day, showing him that there had been people making fake accounts, yet another thing that was insane to him. She primarily told him because these accounts were attempting to take advantage of the fact young girls were the ones following him. He awkwardly slid the handles to Olivia, and Carmen filled out an application for Twitter verification that left him mortified. Even worse, it was approved. 

He was swept away in a case soon enough. Lindsay was assaulted by a whole fraternity at Hudson. They uncovered a previous victim in a hospital, a fraternity known for being a rape factory, and a dean helping create a culture that buried these attacks. It was becoming higher profile than he expected, and it wasn’t easy to try. He’d had to shut off his notifications on his phone during these cases. When Lindsay committed suicide, he accompanied Rollins when she went to arrest the dean. What he didn’t expect was for two of the women they saw to approach him, asking if they were here about Lindsay and thanking them when he said he couldn’t mention it. Then they asked for a selfie. Rafael was mortified but obliged. 

“We recognize you from Twitter.”

Well, now he knew he needn’t accompany the squad out anymore.

When he got tweets from the kind of scum that supported the fraternity, it took a concerted effort not to respond. That could jeopardized the case. He’d already had to tell the two girls they couldn’t post about him being there. He tweeted a disclaimer for if people saw him out, feeling like an asshole. Twitter was now becoming a liability, but he could balance it and refused to give up the feed. Slowly, the GIFs and stills of him on the news were collected, and he only got embarrassed again when mami’s students had discovered him and realized he was the guy in their principal’s pictures. Now Mami had a Twitter, and she followed people who praised him joyfully, though he’d managed to convince her not to interact in private messages or respond to people insulting him. 

The Jenna Miller case caused another leap in his follower count, and he had developed a little sense of pride instead of embarrassment when his followers jumped from people who mattered in New York to people who mattered elsewhere. A congresswoman from Ohio. Artists. Activists. He’d texted Olivia when Lady Gaga followed him. Plus that woman from True Blood. God, she was beautiful. Plus the hot boybander that had probably made him realize he was bisexual. It was weird, and he was unwilling to publicly acknowledge any of it. Unless they were on twitter, he certainly didn’t tell anyone he knew other than Olivia. Soon enough, someone had made a t-shirt on Etsy of the moment he’d turned on his heel. The media had called after Jenna, the olympian, and he’d told them no questions. Then the had the gall to bring up her sex work. He’d stopped on the steps, turning on his heel and announcing “Except for that one. Paid or not paid, no means no. Consent can be revoked at any time.” And now, Etsy users were profiting on it. This group was niche, but it ran deep. Luckily, he noticed the shop only had a few dozen sales.

Everything was fine until Rafael Barba lost his ability to maintain his composure. Up until now, he’d monitored his name, mentions, and a few hashtags people used with him. It was usually just the GIFs and stills and soundbites. He participated in some banter after the first couple of years, boundaries firm enough he felt he could. But he still didn’t bicker. Carmen said he got a following for being a good guy, and he thought it was gross openly condemning rape seemed to be all it took to be a good guy. But then through his lurking, Rafael Barba saw a tweet about DJ Khaled. He’d had to google who the hell that was, unsure who all of Twitter was piling onto, but he found the tweet objectionable enough to respond.

“Mr. Barba,” Carmen said, eyes sparkling with amusement as she came in to see her boss still scrolling through his phone. “You really decided this is the time to get involved on Twitter? You only ever respond to what people say to your stuff or your friends.”

He should’ve known she’d be on top of it. He’d given her access when notifications went through the roof the second time, and Carmen helped filter through DMs he didn’t want to see. But now, that meant her phone was vibrating like his in response to his first tweet in response to a stranger or someone who wasn’t in a thread under his own post.

“What? I’m supposed to endorse consent but not enjoyment?”

“You’re going to end up in a Buzzfeed article, sir.”

“If this is my legacy, so be it.”

“Your legacy? Taking it seriously now?”

“This is serious.”

Carmen’s phone buzzed in her hand, and she knew he’d sent another tweet. Her own account got notifications so she could monitor him. She sighed heavily, unlocking the phone and looking at it. 

“Mr. Barba, does your mom know you’re bi?”

“No, why?”

“She follows you, idiot.”

“Shit. Well, I suppose it’s time.”

“If you tweet Smash Mouth, I’m quitting. These kids are already thirst tweeting you. They must have tweet notifications on for you.”

“Who’s Smash Mouth?”

“How the hell are you culturally relevant?”

“According to Liv, I’m a feminist icon.”

“Don’t get arrogant sir. I help run this twitter.”

“I’ll change the password. I do all the posting.”

“I won’t tell you if Evan Rachel Wood slides in your DMs.”

“Why would I care?”

“I know why you watched True Blood.”

“Touche.” He paused. “Do you think she will?”

“Give me the phone. I’ll bring it when Liv calls.”

“Why would she call?”

“She made a Twitter, sir. Followed you last week.”

“Shit,” he said, eyes wide. “I posted pictures of my food. She saw me acting like a Twitter guy.”

“You are a Twitter guy.”

He rolled his eyes, ending with a retweet of his new favorite addition to the conversation. 

@mia-liz @chasingeverybreakingwave @thegirlwiththemaleficient-tattoo​ @teachingpanda​

[madmensideblog]

MAD MEN BOOK RECS

Happy pride/Don Draper’s fake birthday ❤️ Below the cut, I’ve listed info on my favorite Mad Men related books and a couple I haven’t read yet but I’m really looking forward to. Let me know if you check any of these out, or if you have any other recommendations! ❤️

Mad Men Carousel: The Complete Critical Companion by Matt Zoller Seitz

“Mad Men Carousel is an episode-by-episode guide to all seven seasons of AMC's Mad Men. This book collects TV and movie critic Matt Zoller Seitz’s celebrated Mad Men recaps—as featured on New York magazine's Vulture blog—for the first time, including never-before-published essays on the show’s first three seasons. Seitz’s writing digs deep into the show’s themes, performances, and filmmaking, examining complex and sometimes confounding aspects of the series. The complete series—all seven seasons and ninety-two episodes—is covered.

Each episode review also includes brief explanations of locations, events, consumer products, and scientific advancements that are important to the characters, such as P.J. Clarke’s restaurant and the old Penn Station; the inventions of the birth control pill, the Xerox machine, and the Apollo Lunar Module; the release of the Beatles’ Revolver and the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds; and all the wars, protests, assassinations, and murders that cast a bloody pall over a chaotic decade.

Mad Men Carousel is named after an iconic moment from the show’s first-season finale, “The Wheel,” wherein Don delivers an unforgettable pitch for a new slide projector that’s centered on the idea of nostalgia: “the pain from an old wound.” This book will soothe the most ardent Mad Men fan’s nostalgia for the show. New viewers, who will want to binge-watch their way through one of the most popular TV shows in recent memory, will discover a spoiler-friendly companion to one of the most multilayered and mercurial TV shows of all time.”

A classic episode-by-episode look at the series from reviewer Matt Zoller Seitz.

The Legacy of Mad Men — Cultural History, Intermediality and American Television (Edited by Karen McNally, Jane Marcellus, Teresa Forde, and Kirsty Fairclough)

“For seven seasons, viewers worldwide watched as ad man Don Draper moved from adultery to self-discovery, secretary Peggy Olson became a take-no-prisoners businesswoman, object-of-the-gaze Joan Holloway developed a feminist consciousness, executive Roger Sterling tripped on LSD, and smarmy Pete Campbell became a surprisingly nice guy. Mad Men defined a pivotal moment for television, earning an enduring place in the medium’s history.

This edited collection examines the enduringly popular television series as Mad Men still captivates audiences and scholars in its nuanced depiction of a complex decade. This is the first book to offer an analysis of Mad Men in its entirety, exploring the cyclical and episodic structure of the long form series and investigating issues of representation, power and social change. The collection establishes the show’s legacy in televisual terms, and brings it up to date through an examination of its cultural importance in the Trump era. Aimed at scholars and interested general readers, the book illustrates the ways in which Mad Men has become a cultural marker for reflecting upon contemporary television and politics.”

This is a really beautiful collection. It was published in 2019. It’s rather expensive. (I found a used copy for much cheaper.) If you can afford it, I really, really recommend buying it. There is a pdf floating around if you know where to look though. But like I said, it’s really amazing work and the women who curated it deserve high praise and compensation.

A few favorite essays of mine include “Don Draper and the Enduring Appeal of Antonioni’s La Notte” by Emily Hoffman, “Mad Men’s Mid-Century Modern Times” by Zak Roman, “Mad Men and the Staging of Literature via Ken Cosgrove and His Problems” by Aaron Shapiro, and “What Jungian Psychology Can Tell Us About Don Draper’s Unexpected Embrace of Leonard in Mad Men’s Finale” by Marisa Carroll.

Mad Men and Philosophy: Nothing Is as It Seems (Edited by William Irwin, James B. South, and Rod Carveth)

“With its swirling cigarette smoke, martini lunches, skinny ties, and tight pencil skirts, Mad Men is unquestionably one of the most stylish, sexy, and irresistible shows on television. But the series becomes even more absorbing once you dig deeper into its portrayal of the changing social and political mores of 1960s America and explore the philosophical complexities of its key characters and themes. From Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle to John Kenneth Galbraith, Milton Friedman, and Ayn Rand, Mad Men and Philosophy brings the thinking of some of history's most powerful minds to bear on the world of Don Draper and the Sterling Cooper ad agency. You'll gain insights into a host of compelling Mad Men questions and issues, including happiness, freedom, authenticity, feminism, Don Draper's identity, and more.”

This collection was published just a month before the start of season 4, so it only concerns the first three seasons of the show. As such, it includes some assumptions that are proven false and a few strange misreadings that I’m sure would’ve been cleared up had they had the rest of the show at their disposal. But there are some great philosophical insights and analysis.

I haven’t yet read the whole collection, but my favorite essay of what I’ve read so far was “Pete, Peggy, Don, and the Dialectic of Remembering and Forgetting” by John Fritz.

The Fashion File: Advice, Tips, and Inspiration from the Costume Designer of Mad Men (by costume designer Janie Bryant)

From Joanie's Marilyn Monroe-esque pencil skirts to Betty's classic Grace Kelly cupcake dresses, the clothes worn by the characters of the phenomenal Mad Men have captivated fans everywhere. Now, women are trading in their khakis for couture and their pumas for pumps. Finally, it's hip to dress well again. Emmy-Award winning costume designer Janie Bryant offers readers a peek into the dressing room of Mad Men, revealing the design process behind the various characters' looks and showing every woman how to find her own leading lady style--whether it's vintage, modern, or bohemian. Bryant's book will peek into the dressing room of Mad Men and reveal the design process behind the various characters' looks. But it will also help women learn how fashion can help convey their personality. She will help them cultivate their style, including all the details that make a big difference. Bryant offers advice to ensure that a woman's clothes convey her personality. She covers everything from where to find incredible vintage clothing and accessories to how to pair those authentic pieces with modern shoes and jeans. Readers will learn how to find their perfect bra size, use color to convey a mood, and invest in the ten essentials every woman should own. And just so the ladies don't leave their men behind, there's even a section on making them look a little more Don Draper-dashing.

I recently ordered a used copy of this book and haven’t yet received it, but I’m very much looking forward to it. Like Mad Men and Philosophy listed above, it was published between season 3 and 4, so unfortunately does not cover the whole show. It sounds like it might just cover the women’s costume design, though I’m not sure. Janie Bryant is such a meticulous, genius costume designer that I can’t wait to read it. Relatedly, you should follow her incredible costume design instagram where she posts lots of her work from Mad Men and other shows with fascinating insight into her process.

The Universe is Indifferent: Theology, Philosophy, and Mad Men (Edited by Ann W. Duncan and Jacob L. Goodson)

Centered on the lives of the employees at a Manhattan advertising firm, the television series Mad Men touches on the advertising world's unique interests in consumerist culture, materialistic desire, and the role of deception in Western capitalism. While this essay collection has a decidedly socio-historical focus, the authors use this as the starting point for philosophical, religious, and theological reflection, showing how Mad Men reveals deep truths concerning the social trends of the 1960s and deserves a significant amount of scholarly consideration. Going beyond mere reflection, the authors make deeper inquiries into what these trends say about American cultural habits, the business world within Western capitalism, and the rapid social changes that occurred during this period. From the staid and conventional early seasons to the war, assassinations, riots, and counterculture of later seasons, The Universe is Indifferent shows how social change underpins the interpersonal dramas of the characters in Mad Men.

I only just found out about this collection, but I’m very interested in finding a copy. This was published in 2016. You can see the table of contents here. EDIT: This book is available to read on Scribd. They offer a 30 day free trial.