It’s Friday, how are we feeling? Good? Stunning! This week flew by, it’s like I was just sitting down to write last week’s newsletter. Don’t worry though, I still have plenty of beans to spill. It’s very fashion focused this week, you’re welcome.
The New Balance loafers: these are so ugly, but I sort of like them? I think it’s fun when fashion is stupid, sue me! I predict that very soon someone cool will style these and then they will be the new it-shoe.
Anne Hathaway for V Magazine: last week I said long live the hathaissance, and it appears that the team at V Magazine heard me loud and clear. The styling vision for the shoot came from Hathaway herself, and she’s wearing couture looks from both Schiaparelli and Margiela. The woman has taste!
Intern (2000): I have heard this movie referred to as the original Devil Wears Prada, so I decided to check it out. It’s actually nothing like TDWP except it’s about a fashion magazine. I can’t say that I recommend watching Intern because it’s bad, but I also can’t stop thinking about it. This movie is somehow chock full of fashion industry cameos. The best one is André Leon Talley who isn’t simply a quick cameo, but one of the movie’s villains. They try and set that up in a scene where he bitchily gossips about the fashion industry over cocktails with Gwyneth Paltrow. That didn’t really scream evil to me personally… because it was iconic. I want to be at that table!
The plot of the movie is that a spy amongst the magazine’s staff who keeps sending photo spreads and ideas to their rival magazine, Vogue, and they have to figure out who it is. At the same time the titular intern is trying to get the “magazine’s token hetero” art director to leave his model girlfriend and fall in love with her. Two of the fashion editors are played by Joan Rivers and Kathy Griffin. It has a strange campy musical number in the beginning that is never addressed. There’s a whole thing about Silly Putty. It’s at it’s best when it is wacky, but too much time is given to all the other crap. Had they cut some of the boring part out, I think this would be a camp classic.
This playground design that was apparently everywhere: I was stopped in my tacks and sent right back to the early 2000s last week when I saw this picture of a playground that I remembered going to as a child.
People from all over had replied claiming that the picture was of their local playground. It seems that these super unique playgrounds were actually all over the place. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I did some googling. I found out that in the 80s and 90s over 2,000 of these playgrounds were designed and built by Leathers and Associates with the help of local communities. The process would start with a fundraiser. Then, local children were asked to submit design ideas for the playground. Leather and Associates would oversee the design process, and then local volunteers would build the playgrounds in 4 days. Business boomed in 1986, when this building process was featured on both Sesame Street and Mister Rogers. Do you feel educated? You’re welcome.
Julia Fox for InStyle Magazine: I love this shoot. It’s giving alien woman goes to the office.
Barbra & Judy: This video was circulating for Barbra’s birthday this week. It’s one of those videos that I feel the need to watch every few months because I need the dopamine.
The colorful 80s world of Lisa Frankenstein: What is it with Frankenstein-esque stories with fabulous production and costume design lately? Trend alert. Huge few months for goth queen Mary Shelley. Diablo Cody’s take on the classic monster story is an ‘80s fantasia. The way she translated the elements of the story to fit the time period made this such a fun watch. She does mad science in a tanning bed!
The sets, costumes, hair, makeup, and soundtrack were all perfect. It looks amazing. I think this movie, much like Jennifer’s Body, will be a flop that becomes a cult classic years later. It’s not a cinematic masterpiece, but it’s a campy fun time. Also, the main character looks like Chappell Roan, and it made me wish that she had done a credits song for this movie. Her 80s sound would have worked perfectly.
Loewe’s decades of confusion ad: I love this. I love that they are poking fun at their name. I love the archive looks. Can you tell I’m very into a retro thing right now? Anyway, this is a stunning ad. It’s quirky. It’s funny. No notes.
That’s all the beans until next week! Bye, diva!