Swooning over Costumes.

Hello, dearest people. If you've stuck around me for a time, you'll have noticed that I like (um, perhaps I should change that word to 'love', because the word 'like' is a bit of an understatement) to swoon over costumes in Period Dramas. I pin endless pins of Period Dramas and I see endless pictures of Period Dramas in my life, so I always have several costumes to swoon over at the same time. So now and then I devote a post to my favourites. People think those posts are a bit boring, because it's always the same. You know, 'LOOK AT THAT' and 'JUST LOOK' and 'WOW ISN'T IT GORGEOUS' and 'I WANT IT' and very often, 'I NEED IT.' That's boring. So apologies in advance, folks.

Today I'm going to swoon over some costumes. (I just happen to be very good in pointing out stuff everyone is already aware of. It's not hard, you know.)

Our family watched 'Summer Magic' recently, and I thought the dresses the girls wore to the party were absolutely gorgeous. They remind me a bit of something Liesl von Trapp would wear, strangely enough.

(Actually, that's not so strange, because Liesl's outfits are gorgeous too. So it's pretty obvious these gorgeous dresses remind me of Liesl's gorgeous dresses.) (I'll stop rambling.)

As long as I live, I will NEVER get tired of the Downton Abbey costumes. Never, and I repeat it again, Never. Lady Mary's wardrobe used to be my favourite, but now, in the later series, I've started eyeing Lady Rose's wardrobe somewhat more. Her wardrobe is just to DIE for. (Not really, though. Because of what benefit is a lucious sparkly, girly, perfect wardrobe when one is dead? None.)

This outfit of Rose's is also gorgeous. Just sayin'.

I need to see 'Somewhere in Time' so badly. Reason number one: Because Emma, my dear friend, has been wishing me to do so ever since we bumped into each other. Reason number two: Because Eliza's wardrobe is seriously the STUNNIEST thing ever. The outfit pictured above is my favourite one of hers. (Sink me, she's on the header.)

The lace, people. Matched with the pearls and the light pink. *fails*

My siblings, my father and I are watching 'Singing in the Rain' at the moment. I LOVE IT. It's just such a fun, squeeful, jolly, toe-tappy, one-gets-tumbled-inside-the-story musical. I have always adored Kathy's wardrobe, but this time watching it I only realise how much. It's just so adorable. Of course, it helps that Kathy is acted by the most adorable actress of all time, but seriously - her dresses, HER DRESSES!!!! 

My favourite so far is this sheeny, cloudy dress. It looks like it's as light as a fluffy feather (especially in this picture). Isn't it a coincidence that it matches with the backing scenery? I don't think so. :-P

Anna in 'The King and I' has the most PERFECT hoop-skirts ever made. Just LOOK. (Ha, I told you was going to tell you to look sooner or later.) Is that not the most PERFECT shape? I'm obsessed with Anna's dresses.

One day I shall wear such a perfect hoop. I need to so badly.

You know, I'm not a very big fan of Victorian Styles. Admit it, some of them can be pretty weird. 

But (you were waiting for that 'but', weren't you?) the dresses Victoria wears in 'The Young Victoria' are AMAZING. Really. Her yellow ball gown is my favourite, because it's draped in endless lace (lace is always a good idea) but, because I'm sure I've swooned over that one already, I'll show you my second-favourite Young-Victoria-gown. This lavender one.

THE FLOWERS. I knowww. It's not fair.

Cosette's wedding gown is beautiful, by the way. Give me those puffs. 

(I have a question for the Les Mis experts. Does this gif actually come from the movie? It's HAPPY! Because that's pretty darn adorable, that he twirls her around. I might have to watch Les Mis. (Or at least the wedding scene. It's surprisingly HAPPY, for Les Mis.))

What are some costumes you've been adoring lately?

Be honest - do these post bore you?

On why I don't like 2005 P&P

Ladies and Gentlemen, today I am here with a very controversial subject. (I will win it, by the way, the debate-to-come in the comments. Just warning ya.)

I have doubted and postponed the writing of this post, because I know I have some followers - who I wuv just as much as the others, of coursey-course (I am not an encourager of favouritism, you see) - who really are excruciatingly fond of this two-thousand-and-five Pride and Prejudice. So please, don't get upset by my little opinion of no real true consequence. I just want to do a rant. Because, I'm dreadfully sorry, I do. not. like. This version. At all.

Now. Allow me to put the record straight. I am NOT one of those people who believe you can only love one version. Nonsense. I can prove people-who-think-that-of-me wrong by pointing out the example of Sense and Sensibility. I love, love both 1995 and 2008 equally. There. See? It's just that that coincidentally is not the case with Pride and Prejudice. I've seriously TRIED to like the 05 version. I promise. I watched it TWICE, for Pete's sake. But I just DON'T GET IT.

But first, because I always encourage positivism (I'm afraid you won't see much in today's post), I will tell you what I DID like.

1. The music. Really. It's SCRUMPTIOUS. I have nothing whatsoever against the music.

2. Jane, if she wouldn't have had such a very MESSY hair-style 90% of the movie, was very good. I love Susannah Harker's Greek, kind, sweet look, but, after the messy-hair-complaint, I have no further complaint about Rosamund Pike's Jane. She was very sweet, very beautiful, so darling. I love both Janes dearly.

3. The scenery was very lovely in some scenes.

That's all I can think of for the time being. Let's go to the real part of the post, shall we? Are you sure you're ready? Okay. I suppose now is as good a time as any.

Let's start with Keira Knightley's Lizzy, shall we? Now, I'm not a Keira Knightley hater or anything, mark that. I just DON'T think she's Lizzy. She just... *splutters helplessly*... ISN'T. Thing is, when I see Keira Knightley, I see something like this, not something like this. I see a kind of fashion-model, a teenager of the 20th century with the side bangs and so-obviously-make-upped-face. She's beautiful, but she just doesn't LOOK Regency.

Also, SHE shouts instead of making discussions in an at-least-tolerably ladylike manner. Also she GOES OUT IN TOWN WITH HER HAIR DOWN. And in the fields in her night garb. Now, for those times, that was positively shocking. Sounds weird? Well, it was. It WAS positively shocking. Times have changed since Jane Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice, dear readers. Society behaved differently. 

And that's the PROBLEM with this P&P! It's so ridiculously... modern. This Elizabeth Bennet continually reminds me of those teenage girls walking along the shops. I can see her pixie cut under her always-messy wig throughout the movie, and I almost expect to see flip-flops when she lifts the hem of her dress. Most of the time she looks like she's just tumbled out of her bed - which, don't get me wrong, could look charming, but which was SO not HOW-IT-WAS-ISH for those times!

Pride and Prejudice 2005 is the least Period Drama-ish Period Drama ever. There I said it.

OH PLEASE. This looks like a Youtube Ad advertising Nivea cream or something like that. Or someone trying out special camera effects. This is just NOT Jane Austen. 

Dear people, do these things come in to your mind when you think of Jane Austen? - Messy Hair? Night-gowns!!? Swings? Pigs? Elbows on the table? Whispering in Church? Shoulders slumping down? Georgian gowns? Well, if those things come to your mind, fine. :-) But personally I don't think of these things and That's also why this P&P bothers me.

It's like everyone is wearing their pyjamas the whole time. I DO beg your pardon, but I must tell you. Our family calls this P&P 'Pride and Pyjamas.' We do. My brothers came up with it, and I have to say I thought it exceedingly fitting and I call it by that myself.

Look. LISTEN TO THIS. Remember that scene where Mr Darcy comes and gives Lizzy the letter? Well, that's supposed to be the one where Mr Darcy gives it to Lizzy during a stroll in the woods, right? Nope, ma'am, NOT in this version. Here it's the most VULGAR thing ever - Mr Darcy just COMES IN the room (without knocking or 'exuse me's or the maid introducing him - he just opens the front door like that), in the late evening, while Lizzy is WEARING HER PYJAMAS (this, for that time, was really - oh, I wish you'd understand - really just not exceptable!) and hands her the letter. WHILE SHE'S WEARING HER PYJAMAS.

And remember that scene where Lady Catherine comes and gives Lizzy a good talk? Yeah, it's supposed to be the stroll in the garden, right? Nope, ma'am, it's in the middle of the night, while everyone is in their night-garb. Lady-Catherine! One of the MOST important, respected people! She goes to the Bennet's in the NIGHT, and faces a family with loose hair and night-gowns?!!! Oh, PLEASE. Like this is accurate. I really can't watch it.

Why is everything in the night? Why can't there be some scenes with TIDY rooms and NEAT hairstyles? 

Look, research has been done and it has been factualized that the Bennet family would have been able to afford eleven servants. And listen to me, the Bennet sisters had no jobs like women have now, so it is only natural for them to have the time to do their hair beautifully everyday! Please! People complain sometimes that the Bennet sisters in 95' Pride and Prejudice look too 'perfect' and coiffed every day. But really, if you had eleven servants in the house and no job, wouldn't you have the time to do your hair every day and to look good and pretty every day? Especially if you went into town?

I am very upset.

SERIOUSLY.

It's the last scene that pains me the most. (The pain is real. Dare ye not laugh.)

So this is how it goes, right? Lizzy goes out (not in the daytime, of course, in disastrously messy hair, of course, and in her nightgown, of course, this is nothing new) into the fields (insert misty-ness and sunset-ness for romantic effects) and VIOLA, coincidence everyone, Mr Darcy appears magically, with his messy hair and his unbuttoned-things.

Myself, I can't take that. How did they know they were going to meet in the same place? Like, did they message each other on their phones? (Oh no, this is a Regency movie. Sorry. Forgot for a minute.) (*snort*)

Why did the movie makers make everything so... steamy? Mr Collins, he gets a dull unromantic room with a big roast of beef. Mr Darcy, he gets rain and sunsets. Not fair, right? In the book and in 95 P&P the proposals for both men are in similar places. No suddenly-they-dance-on-their-own-in-an-empty-ballroom. No almost-kisses after the first proposal, either. (Seriously?!! They ALMOST kissed after that angry conversation in the rain! Like, Lizzy EXPECTED one?!!)

And when they dance at the ball in Netherfield, they made it all steamy and slow and staring-in-each-others-eyes-y. That's not how Jane Austen wrote it. It was a curt and so not romantic. In this P&P even Lizzy (who's supposed to be rather monstrously disgusted by Mr Darcy, remember? She doesn't LIKE him, remember?) she GAZES bewitchingly in his eyes.

And talking about the world 'bewitched.' Where does THIS come from?!! This quote: 'You have bewitched me, body and soul?' This is just... I'm not even starting. 

Oh look, Miss Bingley forgot to put on her dress.

And there are millions of other things. I'm so sorry. I won't cover them all, because I can make a huge unhealthy rant out of every little scene. I'm horrific, I know, and I feel very bad on your (that is, if you like P&P'05) on your part. (Seriously, pulease don't get offended.)

But because I've started, I must finish. Here are a few more mini rants:

1. Mr Darcy. He doesn't look like a man who owns 10000 a year. Nope, ma'am. Why did they make him look all sloppy? He looks like a farmer boy, a bit dressed up, maybe, but that's all. I really can't stand it when men have bad haircuts. He looks scruffy and bored and 'AH-I-don't-care' and 'Poooor-me'-ish the whole time. He doesn't like the slightest bit proud, either. This should be called 'Humble and Pyjamas', not 'Pride and Prejudice.'

2. (Also, Mr Bingley's hair. Not even starting. Mr Bingley was just a weirdo. A puppet of some sort, almost. His 'laugh' HAUNTS me in the night.)

3. Also, they made this P&P look like it was set several years earlier. Some people wear Regency things, but most of the people wear Georgian garb. Even my older brother, who normally NEVER notices anything fashion-wise (he's that kind of chap) commented that this P&P isn't Regency, it's Georgian. It's like they didn't know which one to choose, so they made it a mix. They allowed some girls to wear Regency things but gave Georgian garb to all the rest. Make Up Your Mind, please.

4. Mr Bennet looks like a pirate. Benjamin Whitrow's Mr Bennet is just SO superior.

5. Everyone has messy hairstyles practically all the time. I know I've talked about it already, but I had to mention it again, because that's one of the things I dislike the most. I think they might have forgotten that combs existed in the Regency (Georgian) era. Poor them. One must think the best, after all.

6. Mrs Bennet wasn't funny. My opinion solely then.

7. Same goes for Lydia. I didn't think she was funny. Of course, the girls here LOOKED more like teenagers (also because they acted and looked more like teenagers do now, in 2015) but I didn't get the taste of the brilliant characters.

8. Charlotte Lucas was good, but it made me wince to see her and Elizabeth run and giggle like Lydia and Kitty in the ball room. I doubt very strongly that twenty-seven-year-olds would have done loud giggling and RUNNING in the ballroom. (Oh yes, that's also a reason why I don't like this Lizzy. She behaves like Lydia and Kitty half of the time. And her giggles are weird. (Must have been influenced by Mr Bingley, I suppose.))

9. My one last big point I'm going to cover is this - the movie's, what's the word for that? - setting? - was weird. Sometimes it went REALLY slow, filming the scenery and the grounds at Pemberly, and Elizabeth Bennet's eyes (seriously, we KNOW you have eyes, Elizabeth Bennet) and the swing in the muddy front yard very slowly, veeeerrry slowly. And then SUDDENLY we go back to the story - whoooosh, whoosh, zam, slap. People talk very fast, everything tumbles over each other.

Pride and Prejudice is a super complex story. You can't jolly well squash it into two hours or less. Or maybe you could, but not if you spend quarter of the time filming eyes and romantic effects. I think so strongly, at least.

10. Also, the fact that you can see Keira Knightley's pixie cut in MANY of the scenes drives me a bit crazy.

I'm sorry.

I just don't like this movie.

*runs off*

*edit* Go read this post here if you're a P&P05 lover. I have something to tell you.

The Stereotype Busters: Oldest Sisters

WHAT-HO! (now and then I really have to use that word to start off a blog post. Today was one of those 'now and then's.)

Dear folks, do all of you follow Melody's blog? (You can find it here.) Melody's blog is one of my uber-favourites in this highly entertaining blogging world, mostly because practically ever blog post is centered around Jane Austen, which, y'know (or y'should know) is always a good idea. Anyway, Melody has started this thing called 'The Stereotype Busters' in which anyone who wishes to (which could very well include you or you or you) may write rants against those annoying pecsy stereotypes around the world. Because Stereotypes ANNOY us, right? (So head over to this post for information, if you're interested, and all that.)

Now, the Stereotype I'm going to prove the contrary to, are those 'Oldest Sister' Stereotypes. Yes, there are several, when it comes to that. Oldest Sister stereotypes rile me to no end, mainly because I am the oldest girl in a family of ten, and I feel I must defend myself. Heehee.

I'm going to talk about three Older-Sister-Stereotypes, but I'm going to focus most on the last one, because it's the one that irritates me the most. Please bare with me.

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FIRST // THE STEREOTYPICAL PERFECT AND HELPFUL OLDER SISTER

Dear Jane Austen, I love you to itty-bits, but Jane Bennets do, frankly, not exist. At least not in my world.

So this older sister Stereotype sometimes gets paired with me. *Snort* No, not because people think I'm perfect. But because people assume that, because I'm the oldest girl in a large family, I spend the whole day changing diapers, cooking, cleaning, and being a 'second mother.' (Ugh I HATE that phrase. 'Second Mother.' If someone calls me that EVER again, I'm going to collapse in a frensie of fury.) (I am happy to say, though, that fewer people call me that now I'm older. But I got pestered with the entirely irritating phrase in my younger years a lot. *Shudder*)

That's an Very Annoying Older Sister Stereotype, people. That older sister who never complains.  That older sister who literally has no life aside from working at home and being a 'second mother.' That older sister who ends up being the old maid in books because she was too busy helping at home. YEAH, THAT.

But then, there's also the complete contrary...

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SECOND // THE VAIN, BOY-CRAZY STEREOTYPICAL OLDER SISTER

Now we also have a completely different stereotype! Oh goodness, where do these all COME from? (I will make them disappear.)

You know what kind of stereotypical older sister I'm talking about now, don't you? That kind of 'going-out-of-the-house', 'I'm-OLD-enough', 'make-up-crazy', 'high-heels-primpy', '1000-boy-friends-at-the-same-time' kind of older sister. Sometimes slash rather often that kind of character gets shoved to the youngest sister (as in the case of Pride and Prejudice), but I've seen or read more than enough books or movies where the older sister is like this.

Often, such as in 'Cheaper by the Dozen' and 'Sound of Music' it will be the case of a slightly sheltered family, and the oldest girl will rebel by doing something like wearing a daring dress or cutting their hair or secretly going out to visit the telegram-boy. You get the point. Rebels and rather without-a-head-ish kind of girls.

Seriously, like, ARE there stories without vain oldest sisters? (Yes, there are. Of course.)

I find this Stereotype rather annoying, because, I admit it (there, don't say I don't tell you everything!), one of my worst fault is being rather... well, I am sometimes a bit vain. I do care what I look like. Don't most girls? But I'm not the stereotypical vain older sister at all - I'm kind of 'Meg March'-vain, not Scarlett-O'Hara-vain. I'm not the boy-crazy, loity-toitering in heels older sister at all, thank you very much.

And now we can move on to the 'main' one I'm talking about in this post. The Stereotypical older sister that gets so horrible misused in literature, cinema and real life. Are you ready for my rant? Because there's one.

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THIRD // THE STEREOTYPICAL BOSSY OLDER SISTER

When I was younger, like eight or nine and soso, there were times when I HATED being the oldest sister, and the reason was not because I "had" to look after babies (snort, I rather enjoyed that, and I didn't have to at all, that's just a stereotype) and things like that. Nope, the reason was because I so often read books where the oldest sister was vain and bossy, while the younger sister was the fun, main character.

Now, the word "bossy." That's a strong word.

It is NATURAL for the older kids in families to, y'know... be protective. To kind of POINT OUT things. Like, if I see my little sister put her hand in a jar of jam, I'm not going to go 'okay, fine, bleh', I'm going to be practical and use my common sense and go, 'Nope! Don't do that. What are you thinking?' (I might add a Woosterish 'Well! Of all the bally NERVE!' for fun.) Us older kids are just... not being critical to anyone here, but often the older ones of the family just... kind of DO less silly things. And therefore they must point things out to prevent millions of stupid things to happen.

Elinor, just pointing something out. That's not being bossy.

So there's a difference between that kind of 'pointing-out-hey-there-just-stop-that-silly-thing-will-you-'bossy'', and the real-bossy-kind-of-bossy.

And what I HATE is that those two kinds - the 'just pointing out', what people sometimes unrightly call 'bossy', and the mean, 'GO AWAY'-evil-stepsister real kind of bossy - are always mixed up. Because of stereotypes. Like, people automatically think, 'Oh look, that's one of those mean bossy sisters again' immediately, without assuming the fact that there is a 'not-bossy-kind-of-bossy.' Am I talking nonsense, or do you kind of get it?

To show you the difference, here are some examples.

Let's start with Eliza Jane, shall we? Have you all read 'Farmer Boy'? That Little House book about Almanzo's childhood with all the food and horses? Yes, that one. Well, if you've read it, you'll surely remember the extremely annoying and bossy older sister, don't you? Eliza Jane. She doesn't let Almanzo do anything, let alone touch a crumb before dinner is announced. She, I admit it, is a rare mean sister. She is also the kind of stereotypical bossy sister. Just MEAN.

Now, you'll have to agree, this (Eliza Jane-bossy) is not the same kind of (let's-call-it)-bossy that, say Elinor Dashwood has. 

The first word that comes in my head to describe Elinor Dashwood is not 'bossy'. SO not. Elinor Dashwood is sensible and therefore has the need to point things out to her slightly-less-practical sisters and mother. Things like telling Marianne to please say more than just 'yes' and 'no' and stuff like that. That's not bossy, right?

And Mary Ingalls. I used to be the biggest Little House fan, ever, so I have my 'defending Mary Ingalls' paragraph all over-thought and ready for you. Mary Ingalls was written in the eyes of her very-different younger sister. If my younger brother or whatevs would write a book about his life I'm afraid there would be a rather big possibility of me being portrayed in a cringe-worthily stereotypical-bossy-sister (hopefully not as bad as Eliza Jane, though. Really, I do my best to be reasonable). Laura also often writes about how she admires Mary, so I'm sure Mary was a lovely girl. She and Laura had tons of good childhood memories together. Mary just felt the huge need to SAY those doggoned obvious things to Laura now and then, that's all. She was just being a good older sister.

So, please, everyone who has older sister, please do not go around and call them bossy (unless they are REALLY as mean as Drisella or Anastasia or Eliza Jane. But please, those are uber-rare.) I hate nothing more than being called bossy when I'm just pointing things out that need to be done or that SO need not to be done. It's a hard thing, being an older sister.

(Of course, I'm not critising any of the 'younger sisters' out there. Wouldn't dream of it, I wouldn't! I'm sorry if I offended you when I said that about the older sisters feeling the need to point out stupid things. I don't mean to say that you're stupid, not at all. Just, sometimes younger siblings can do disastrously WHAT THE PORRIDGE things. For instance, deciding to throw out all contents of the marble bag. Of COURSE I feel the need to tell them to tidy it up. That's not bossy.)

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SOME OLDER SISTERS IN LITERATURE THAT AREN'T STEREOTYPICAL 

I often find myself sympathising enormously with the older sisters in movies and books, especially when they aren't portrayed in stereotypical ways (actually, ONLY when they aren't portrayed in stereotypical ways, heehee.)

I absolutely love Meg March. She does what older sister's do (y'know, point out things (that's not bossy, remember? ;-P)) and she has her faults, such as being carried away by the latest fashions and ball gowns, but she's sweet and has a darling original personality. She can be mistaken for a stereotype (in fact, that's why I didn't like her when I was younger - I thought, 'Oh, there you go. ANOTHER vain older sister'), but she really isn't.

I also love Elinor Dashwood, of course. She's a chump.

I love it when I come across a very quirky, very different older sister! I did so yesterday evening, when we watched 'Summer Magic.' Nancy Carey is a chirpy, chattery oldest girl, very good-natured, and a bit hot-tempered. She rather delighted me. :-)

Fanny Dorrit, in 'Little Dorrit', is by no means an older sister I heartily approve of, but she has a very un-stereotypical side to her too. She's hilarious and almost-sweet, under that silly stereotypical bossiness. She was a very kind of refreshing character, for an annoying older sister. I like Charles Dickens.

DO YOU GET ANNOYED BY OLDER SISTER STEREOTYPES?

OLDER SISTERS, HAVE YOU BEEN CALLED 'BOSSY'?

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Sailor Suits in Period Dramas

This might be a weird idea for a post in some of your opinions, but, as I think sailor suits are the most adorable things on earth (seriously, take any kid, put him or her in a sailor suit, ét voila, you have a kid cute as gold. I don't know what sailor suits do, but they do a lot. (Am I talking a lot of nonsense?)) I thought it would be rather nice to devote a post to sailor suits in Period Dramas. 

Why not, and all that.

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Downton Abbey

Dear little George Crawley in a sailor suit! I knew he was cute but this really... awwness, everyone. I love the dark navy blue sailor suits most for little boys. Once we had a baptism at our Church where the brothers and sister and cousins of baby getting baptised all wore navy blue sailor suits like this - it was TOO cute for words. Everyone was distracted.

And Rose's adorable sailor look in her teenagery years! Isn't it beautiful! She looks so young and youthful in it.

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Pollyanna

My siblings and I watched the Hayley Mills version of Pollyanna several days ago and I immediatly fell in love with the costumes! Especially Aunt Polly wears some most delicious Edwardian things. This sweet sailor-suit dress was ADORABLE (*snort* I feel like I'm over-using that word already. Please do accept the pardon I beg.) on Pollyanna.

I still much prefer 'my' Pollyanna version, though. The Hayley Mills version was very nice, but they changed so doggoned MUCH from the book! Like, even the names? Mr Pendleton is called PendleTON, everyone, not PendeGAST. And the whole bazaar thing... not in the book, that. But it was a lot of fun, though. I really like Hayley Mills - she has the cutest little voice.

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The Sound of Music

Of course these classic sailor suits were the first that came to my mind when I prepared this post. Captain von Trapp and all his sailors. I think these suits are lovely, but I've always pitied the children for having to wear exactly the same. I would rather Hate to wear the same as all my siblings, even if what we wore were as darling as sailor suits.

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Berkeley Square

*Strokes Berkeley Square over the head* This is a such a poor, neglected series! I so wish they had made a second one because there are so many things not yet wrapped up. Unfair. T'is MOST unfair.

Anyway, about the sailor suit. There are a few in Berkeley Square. I especially like Thomas' one. And the STRAW-HAT. Just toooooo adorable. I wish boys still wanted to wear straw hats. I would have a lot more respect for them if they did.

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The Secret Garden

I'm not the Secret Garden's biggest fan (no reason in particular, I'm not just that one biggest fan, that's all) but I DO love Mary's sailor-ish outfit.

By the way, dear people reading this, did you know that the actress who played Mary, a certain Kate Maberly, is the sister of the actress Polly Maberly, who played Kitty Bennet in Pride and Prejudice '95? Just a little nice fact to pass your day.

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The Railway Children

The Railway Children has two spot-on sailor suits, but I only found one picture - this one of Peter's. Peter's such a nice, fun chap, isn't he? He looks like an absolute SPORT decked in the white sailor suit.

The other sailor suit (here's a tiiiiny picture) belongs to Bobby. She looks very profesh in it. Also very sailor-y, which is a pretty useless thing to say considering the fact that she's wearing a sailor suit. (Because, yeah, sailor suits are supposed to be sailor-y. I'll stop blabbering.)

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What are your opinions on sailor suits, people? (That is if you have one (an opinion, not a sailor suit) to start with. One might not have an opinion.)

Can you think of any other sailor suits in movies?

Do you like watching sad movies?

I love crying whilst watching movies. Well, love heh, isn't 'zactly the right word to describe it. It's just that, when a movie makes me cry, it means it has touched me inside and normally those movies are the ones I can't forget, even if I want to. Those kinds of movies kind of live inside me for a long time.

I have to admit, my favourite movies are not ones that really make me cry, though. My favourite movies are the ones that are beautiful and most-part happy and British and Jane Austen-y. They have their fluttery parts, but they aren't usually handkerchief-y. Movies such as Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Wives and Daughters and Anne of Green Gables have made me cry but they aren't, in my opinion listed under the title 'sad movies.' They are movies that make one happy. Movies that one watches to get cheered up. Cosy-hours-movies. Perfect.

But then I have seen sad movies which have managed to reach my 'favourite' list, so I do enjoy the sad ones. 

Of course, different people define different movies as sad (for instance, Little Women. Many people say it's a 'sad movie' - but I think it's rather cosy and happy-feelsy. Although OF COURSE it has a sad bit or two. I cry my eyes out at Beth's death. But I wouldn't call it a 'sad movie'. I don't know, there's more to Little Women than sadness. It's a cosy, happy family story.) And of course, there are several kinds of sad-movies I just can't watch. 

For me, sad movies must have...

1. A re-assuring ending. I need HOPE. 

It doesn't have to be all rosy and happy and sparkly and golden (although I have to admit I like those too) but it needs to have an ending with hope. Not one of those 'Oh goodness, how am I going to ever get over that' endings. Ugh.

'Testament of Youth' was a brilliant movie, but the ending didn't have as much hope and 'happy feeling' as I would have liked. Still, I just about tolerated that, and I love 'Testament of Youth' because it's so gorgeous and pretty. But I wish they would've made the ending more hopeful.

'Miss Potter,' for instance is, in my opinion, a rather sad movie, but I absolutely love it - it has a good ending. Beatrice finds another guy and you can finish the movie with a smile on your face and a happy feeling inside, despite all the sad feels and tears.

2. The sad movie has to be my kind of sad. 

I know, that might sound weird. But there is a 'my kind of sad' and a 'not my kind of sad.' Let me sit down and clear my throat and explain. (Thank you for letting me. You really are too kind.)

'Not my kind of sad' movies are the gruesomey kind of sad. Like, I can't CANNOT watch Holocaust movies. I tried once and I had nightmares even though I stopped before half of the movie. It was just too BLACK and GRUESOME. Like, I was trembling with the horrid sadness. That is so not my kind of sad. Goodness, reading books about the Holocaust make me snag for breath in anguish. Of course I can't watch Holocaust movies.

And Les Miserables is not my kind of sad either. I couldn't watch it. One sad thing after another. Endless shots of miserable, raggerdy, blood-smotched faces - so. much. vivid. misery. I just didna like it, I didn't.

The only movie with slightly 'gruesome' and 'vivid' sadness I love is 'North and South.' Oh, and I like most of the Dickens movies. But really, most sad movies with the 'scary, violent sadness' are so not for me. No thank you.

Movies that are my kind of sad can make me cry and even leave me with misery-feelings. Testament of Youth made me feel absoblumelootely miserable, but I also absoblumelootely love it. It's a vivid movie, but it not one-thing-after-another-gruesome. Miss Potter, as I mentioned earlier, is SO my kind of sad. It's quiet and twinkley sad. Umph, it's so good.

I have a question for you. Two, in fact.

1. Do you like watching sad movies?

2. Do you know some my-kind-of-sad Period Dramas you think I would like?

(Because I obviously need to lengthen my to-see list. Haha.)

By the way, isn't that picture from 'Sense and Sensibility' gorgeous?!! I have a serious love affair with pretty Period Drama pictures. Ahum, perhaps you noticed.