Speaking of what to wear (and also of Adrian Grenier, who played Anne Hatheway’s boyfriend in Devil Wears Prada, and AH plays Jane Austen), I got the Jane Austen Centre Newsletter a few days ago. There’s an article about a costume from the Keira Knightley Pride and Prejudice up for sale here. It might be kind of fun to own a film costume, but: A) it costs more than $6000, money that could go far in my ‘research travel fund’, B) it’s really quite ugly, C) who could wear it besides Size Double Zero Keira? If I was going to spend thousands on a movie costume, I can think of a few I would much rather have. There are at least 3 from Marie Antoinette, the lacy green dress Gwyneth Paltrow wears to Box Hill in Emma, and the purple striped travel suit and big hat from Titanic (I still lust for that hat).
I also learned from the JAC newsletter quiz that the Austen character I most resemble is–Marianne Dashwood! I took a similar quiz a few months ago with the same result. I was kind of hoping I’d become more Lizzy Bennet-ish in the meantime, but oh well. I will just go write a dramatic poem about it!
Now, I’d better go and practice my eyeliner-applying skills for the Big Date (just bought a supposedly “user-friendly” eyeliner from Clinique, plus a gorgeous new Chanel nail poilsh called “Heatwave”–a sort of mix of pink, coral, and red, with a shimmer). Is there a particular movie costume you’d like to own? And which Austen character are you?
Alas, I’ve never been on a date. . . oh well. LOL
I did that quiz and somehow I came out Lizzie. Sure, I loved that, but in the end, I’m nothing like her. LOL 🙂
And there are plenty of movie outfits or props I’d love to get my paws on, but on the top 10 list, this one —
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/ilove/years/1995/gallery/340/darcy.jpg
🙂
Lois, who could get rich on charging people to touch that if she did own it 😉
Well, let me break that link up, and if you really want to see it, just copy and paste the parts in your browser. 🙂
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/
ilove/years/1995/gallery/340
/darcy.jpg
But I really figure you can guess. . . 😉
Lois
Good luck on your date!!! Whenever I’m nervous about a date – or similar function – I always tell myself not to make it more than what it is – just one evening. If I have time, I get my nails done too. Always a boost for some reason. 🙂
-Michelle
Have a great time! (The nail polish sounds darling). I took the Jane Austen quiz and came out as Lizzy. I love those character quizzes–sometimes I take them as the characters in my own books, which is produces some hilarious parallels. As for costumes…Nicole Kidman’s red gown from “Moulin Rouge” and the pink dress Gertrude/Cate Blanchett wears to the theatre in “An Ideal Husband” immediately come to mind. I have had my hairstylist copy movie hairstyles for several events–I had “Shakespeare in Love Hair” (which involved wrapping my hair around lots foils) for a Shakespeare-themed event and “Moulin Rouge Hair” waved and swept to the side) for a bohemian-themed event. A lot more affordable than the dresses :-).
Hope you have a great time, Amanda!
Cara
(typing in a London internet cafe…)
Cara
Tracy, those are all fabulous costume choices! The more I think about it the more gowns I come up with that I would like to own. There are some from Phantom of the Opera, Lord of the Rings, etc etc. I’m very jealous that you can get “Shakespeare in Love” hair! I could only do that with copious extensions. 🙂
Lois, I definitely think you have a good business idea there. You could make a fortune at a JASNA conference alone! LOL
Michelle, good advice! I try to just “have fun” on dates, but so often they feel like grueling job interviews. I’m hoping the wine helps. 🙂
I’ll report on it all tomorrow…
Amanda! Have a fabulous time on your date! I can’t wait to hear about it.
You would look adorable in that Box Hill/green and white Emma costume.
Personally, I always coveted Professor McGonagal’s emerald green Celtic robes. Life would be simpler if we could just all wear those robes!
Anxious to read about your date, Amanda! Have a great time!
Wanted to tell you, too, that I appreciate finding out about the tartx website–the jewelry is so cool!
Lois, me, too. I’m Lizzie. And no, I certainly don’t want to own a costume from that movie. Most of them were drab as dish rags, especially Lizzie’s.
Cara: You can’t just type that little bit and leave. How’s London? How’s the air you’re breathing? What’re you seeing? Oh…
Amanda: The date’s going to be fabulous. You know that we’re going to be haunting the comments section tomorrow for news from you??
Have fun on the date! I am sure you’re going to look fabulous.
I’d love any of the evening gowns they made during the forties. I especially like Bette Davis’ gowns from ‘Now, Voyager’.
Wine helps everything.;-j Here’s to a faboo evening!
The costume I’d like is Richard E. Grant’s coat from Withnail & I. It’d make the perfect birthday present for my son’s sixteenth.
A date! What fun!!!! Hope you have/had a wonderful time.
Film costumes that I’d like to own . . . that’s a hard one. How about those of the lead actress in Amazing Grace. Those were amazing and from my favorite time period in the world, the late 18th century. Can I go with stage costumes? I’m dying to have an entire wardrobe based on the clothing of the citizens of the Emerald City in Wicked. Those were the most amazing, asymmetrical designs. I’d kill for one of the guard’s coats!
Did you know that J. Peterman (who I think is now out of business) did repros of a bunch of the Titanic costumes? I know they did the purple stripped dress and the rose and black gown.
Okay, the date was lots of fun!! Wow, it’s been a long time since I could say a date was “fun.” 🙂 They had a champagne tasting at the wine bar, and he was cute and funny. Next week we’re going to a swing dance workshop, even though neither of us have ever done swing dancing before, LOL.
I actually have one repro of a Titanic gown, the floaty silk-chiffon one in various pastel colors. I bought it on ebay a few years ago, and it’s really lovely. I need a place to wear it again…
The Awards night at National?
So cool, Amanda that you took the plunge. I so admire that. I suck at asking guys out. Glad that it went so well. I would have loved any of the costumes from Titanic even though I hated the movie. There was a musical on Broadway called Light in the Piazza that not only made me want to go to Florence, but also I coveted all the gorgeous 50’s dresses.
Amanda wrote:
Who could wear it besides Size Double Zero Keira?
Hmm. Is double zero bigger or smaller than zero? It’s mathematically confusing.
I’m glad your date went well! Remember, we men are not all bad. At least, not all the time.
Todd-who-is-very-good-sometimes
Ooh, I’m glad your date went well, Amanda!
As to costumes… let’s see. I liked some from the Gwyneth Paltrow Emma (I don’t care that they’re not period fabrics), and IIRC some of Michelle Pfeiffer’s dresses in Dangerous Liaisons…
Cara