The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Like many other books, I watched the film of the Perks of Being a Wallflower, before reading the book. Unlike most people, I actually prefer this order as I think it makes reading the book more enjoyable as I don't spend the time trying to get to the point of the story but simply slowly meander my way through the story, giving myself time to appreciate the language.

The first thing that struck me about the book is the strikingly genuine voice the narrator speaks with, this, as well as the awkwardness of the main character and American literature, written decades earlier; The Catcher in the Rye. Both these novels revel in the confusion and emotion of growing, yet what makes this books special is the way they embrace these emotions.

The soundtrack that is actually included in the novel, given to the narrator in a mixtape, perfectly characterises the story. So if you would like to get a feel for the kind of novel this is then I've posted the collection of Perks of Being a Wallflower songs below:

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Spring 2013 RTW

Louis Vuitton: The designer that Poppy Delvigne described as "transcends the era". This show really let this idea shine with the box- bags, beehives and checkered prints.

Alexander Mcqueen: Quite a dark theme going on here contrasting to the bright pastels of many others shows. However to keep up to date there were coloured details in gold as well as summer sweet 50's style dresses.

Valentino: As always Valentino held a beautifully simple show, the focus was all the carefully crafted clothes. This show allowed Valentino to pull together and clarify all the themes we've been seeing through the last few seasons such as the colours; nude and black as well as the lace and transparent embellishment. This season however there was a definite emphasis on the cut out dresses, a contrast perhaps to the more masculine dark leather we saw in fall?

Chanel: A wind farm was the setting at Chanels show this season, this appeared to be a statement preluding the fact that this was to be the biggest of Chanels shows so far. I felt like this show was perhaps a summer version of the Fall RTW 2011 show, with similar style jackets and blanketed material except with of course the lovely yet predictable twist that made it a summer collection; colours. "Pearls, pearls, pearls.." was what Karl Lagerfeild had to say about his collection. Pearls once again featured at Chanel but this time not as body art on the models but on the clothes instead, the pieces of clothing was not just embellished but swamped with the things.

Saint Laurent:
there was a sense of "pure Saint Laurent" in this show. Perhaps new designer Hedi Slimane felt the need for him to go back to the brands root for his first shot at designing for Laurent. There was a very bohemian look to the show, with large hats and long skirts. It was as if a girl had gone to a vintage shop and managed to create all these gorgeously elegant clothes, while maintaining a  sense of timelessness.

Giambattista Valli:
Theme of athleticism held strong at the show. But the feminine, soft materials maintained a relaxed feel; such as this smart trouser suit which ended with a laid back material cuff at the ankle. As at Chanel there was also a sense of lightness and transparency that's still wearable.

Stella Mcartney: Stella felt this collection was more "direct" than her others. There were definitely more colours than her usual collections and the shoulders Mcartneys so famous for appeared even bigger. She felt she needed to maintain the athleticism in her collection which symbolizes that line between genders.

Book Review- Dying to Know You by Adrian Chambers

The beauty of this book lies not in the plot, which the writer slowly meanders through, but more in the individual unfolding stories of intensely lifelike characters. Although at first the novel appears to be a typical romance, as the story unwinds we find that this aspect of the book is not the focus at all. The story begins with Karl, an 18 year old dyslexic boy who visits to his girlfriend’s favorite writer for help with his own writing; as his girlfriend is desperate to know more about cagey Karl and thinks this can be achieved through writing letters to her. However she is completely oblivious to the fact that he is dyslexic, so ironically this is actually the hardest way she could have chosen for him to express himself.

It is this task that brews a friendship between Karl and the elderly writer. Over time they learn about each other and find that surprisingly the two people of such different generations have a lot more in common than they expected. It is book that reflects the behaviorism of human nature in a realistically raw way, which reaches out to the reader as it’s something everyone can relate to. Chambers also has a skill with picking out mannerisms of people which most would overlook, this adds to the quirkiness of the book and makes it an even more interesting read. It’s also quite an inspiring book, as Karl travel’s his journey to find a way to express himself and work out his aims; the reader simultaneously goes right along with him. The fact that you know very little about Karl and the narrator isn’t a drawback because it makes the moments when they do have rare emotional dialogues even more poignant. I would say this book is definitely one to read, as its powerful story is one that will stay with you well after you read the last page.

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gothic romance

 Black. Lace, long hair, over applied eyeliner; a dark drama queen with sophistication. This, is the Romantic Goth.

 

500 Days of Summer - Movie Review

This film begins with the words- "This is not a love story". And indeed it wasn't. Although there was a hint of serious undertones in the light humor throughout the film, the levels of this sober mood never peaked high enough for it to become; a love story.

This was actually what made the movie so good. It wasnt a typical romance; it was real. Yes- there may have been a few singalongs and animation edits along the way but aside from that; the personalitites, actions and feelings of the chatecters were real- you could relate to them. And isnt that want everyone wants in a good film?

There are also echoes of similarity to another film that Zooey Deschanel stars in- Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. Both subtly mock the actions of the human race and question whether we act on what we feel or what were told to feel. However this is done subtly using clever satire which gets through to us by the appearance of the friendly voice over who speaks at intervals in the film to offer helpful background knowledge and general tips on life.

PASTEL

Ready to embrace the pastel trend? Try a pastel nail colour to get a minimal modern take on the look. Or- if your feeling brave; throw in something androgynous to balance out the doll effect a pastel dress would otherwise create in your outfit.

Maybelline- in Ceramic Blue

Peach dress- Topshop £36