Book Style: Much Ado About Nothing

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Continuing our adventure in Shakespearean Book Styles, today we're styling Much Ado About Nothing. For those unfamiliar with it's slightly complex plot - seriously, I love The Bard's comedies, but an Abbot and Costello routine is often easier to follow - let me give you a brief outline: Benedick and Beatrice secretly love each other, but don't even know it themselves, so spend all their time flirting bickering while their friends scheme to set them up. Claudio and Hero fall head-over-heels in love before an asshole named Don John tricks Claudio into believing Hero has been unfaithful, leading to Claudio slut-shaming her on their planned wedding day. Before the truth is revealed and all the lovers can be reunited Hero "dies from shame". When Don John's plans are finally uncovered, a distraught Claudio is forced by Hero's father (who's been bankrolling the insane amount of festivities the entire play, btw) to publicly un-slander Hero and to marry Hero's "cousin" who is really Hero-who-only-faked-her-death because nothing says true love like being called a whore and then giving your One True Love™ a heart attack from shock at the altar. I always like the bickering Beatrice and Benedick better, anyways. 

Onto the actual clothing. I drew inspiration for this outfit from a modern Italian donna di mondo. I paired this "Claudio" skirt with a military-style sleeveless blouse for the sheer joy of contrast, floaty meets regimented. A "Real Hero" leather jacket easily takes this look into colder temps. These "Margaret" booties also transition nicely into colder temps - just add tights when you get chilly! A striking "Beatrice" tote bag and a "Beatrice" rose crown are so delightfully Italian to me. A statement "Hero" bracelet pairs nicely with a "Gossip" citrine ring, "Ursula" tassel necklace, and masquerade-worthy earrings. A pair of "Benedict" aviators add the perfect incognito touch. 

Book Style + Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, inspired by an original story by J. K. Rowling is the subject of today's Book Style. I'm going to talk about the book below in more detail, since it's a bit spoiler heavy, so let's jump right into the Book Style.

A pair of black Harry's jeans and a vibrant "Ginny" tank form the base. On top I've added a "Stockholm Syndrome" cardigan for an extra witchy vibe and because I have some feels about how Delphi was raised. A pair of magical "Scorpius" sneakers and a "Magic Touch" hat will keep the tip and the toes covered. For jewelry I added a "Rubber & Magic" ring, a serpent arm band, an Augurey-inspired feather necklace, and a pair of skull earrings. For accessories I chose a "Witch Craft" clutch, a black magic phone case, and a pair of "B'witched" sunglasses to hide that evil gleam in your eyes. The final touch is a bit of sparkly "Dirty Baby" nail lacquer.

Okay, onto my thoughts about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Careful, SPOILERS ahead!

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I won't be the first person to proclaim that Harry Potter and the Cursed Child gave me a lot of mixed feelings. Unlike some people, I'm okay with the story continuing. I'm even okay with the play as a whole - even if I wish it wasn't ONLY a play. Losing Jo's voice, as integral to the world of Harry Potter as the Boy Who Lived, himself, is a bit of a blow to the emotional depth of the story. And reading a play always means experiencing less character insight than a novel allows. We are suddenly stripped of the inner monologues, the nuanced emotions, the narrative point of view. If I saw Harry Potter and the Cursed Child live in London, I believe that I wouldn't be mourning this lack of intimacy. I like to think I'm blessed with a fairly creative imagination and Jack Thorne's stage direction allowed me to get a sense of what being in the theater would actually be like, but reading it on paper is cold. I would recommend really looking at the cast and performance photos ahead of time to help envision the characters better. I will admit that picturing them as the overdone "aged" versions from the final film never worked well for me. With the lack of physical descriptions in the script, I found it easier to see them that way.

What I do love about the direction that Jo guided Thorne and John Tiffany in is that the play addresses a few of the qualms I had with her original ending. They are able to add a bit more depth to Dumbledore and Snape by acknowledging that while admirable in their sacrifices, they were deeply flawed humans. I'm still not sure how I feel about Voldemort and Bellatrix getting it on. I know Bellatrix would've been all about it, but Voldemort always struck me as being incredibly asexual. I can't picture him getting off on anything but power and cruelty. Maybe the were into BDSM. Or maybe they used some sort of magical in vitro to produce an heir of the Heir of Slytherin. So, that's weird. I hate that Delphi misses out on an opportunity at being a more three dimensional character by being introduced in a play and losing out on us seeing her better. Not thrilled that there's an air of being desperate for daddy's approval, either. I feel like making her evil in her own right would have been a better move. Voldemort's heir would surely want power for herself in her father's absence, not to bring him back to power. Maybe if they'd elaborated on her background more and her upbringing and how much indoctrination she had actually been subjected to. Ah, if wishes were horses... All in all, I am glad I read it and I enjoyed dipping my toes back into the magical world of Harry, Ron and Hermione.

If you're on the fence about this one, I would recommend it with a couple of caveats: Remember it's a play. Remember that it isn't a story about Harry, it's a story about Albus and Scorpius.

Book Style: Twelfth Night

Next up in my Shakespeare Book Style series is the comedy Twelfth Night. Fun fact, I can never spell "twelfth" correctly; assume that every instance here was accompanied by a squiggly red line of vocabulary judgement. Twelfth Night is a fun romp filled with love triangles, devious co-workers, and mistaken identities.

For this outfit I wanted to play with the idea of masculine/feminine dressing. I have a deeply rooted love of androgyny that my curves defy at every sartorial turn, so any excuse to really bust out the menswear makes my heart extra happy. Let's start with a pair of "Olivia" skinny jeans and a "Buck Gender Roles" t-shirt (also available as a tank!). Nothing embraces the long-standing tradition of women borrowing from the boys like the tuxedo and a pale pink tuxedo jacket brings the style game up a level here. Pro tip: Dress up jeans and a tee in seconds with a blazer, it will never get old. Another "masculine" silhouette meets "feminine" coloring with the pale pink brogues. I had to sneak in a pair of yellow socks for poor Malvolio - I can't be the only one who really pities this poor schmuck! A pair of bright blue suspenders adds some cheek to the menswear theme. Echoing the same vibrant cobalt with this envelope clutch, perfect for securing messages, ties the look together.

Now onto jewelry. A pearl ring can be used to woo your very own Cesario, should you choose. On the other hand (pun, so so so intended), a "Love Triangle" ring also fits the bill. A "Sebastian" watch brings in the masculine element to the jewelry selection while "Olivia" earrings reflect the love triangle theme yet again. Finally, sport a tiny fake mustache with this quirky little septum ring!

Book Style: The Tempest

Today's Book Style is another of my favorites from Shakespeare, The Tempest. (At this point, I think I may try and tackle all of his plays, even Hamlet.) The Tempest is such a stark play, and one of the few that does not bear an easy lineage. I love the blending of mythologies (Ariel, Juno, Ceres and Iris) and the brand of magic Prospero wields, based so much on words and knowledge. 

For the Book Style, I wanted to dress a modern day Miranda. I imagine her being less shipwreck-chic and more aristocrat-stranded-in-Bali. The outfit starts with a pair of flowy "Tempest" pants and a cropped floral bustier in "Storm Blue". I added a long, lightweight red cardigan to help insulate from stormy gales and sea mist. For the feet I chose a pair of earthy "Ariel" platforms. A sorcerer's daughter stranded with ample luxury goods would of course drape herself in jewelry. A pair of "Magic" threader earrings, a "Storm" accent earring, a "Prospero" watch, "Magic Eye" and "Miranda" rings, a "Duke" bracelet, and a "Work Your Magic" necklace will certainly help her win Ferdinand's heart. Finishing the look with "Shoreline Sea Foam" nail lacquer and a smokey "Sycorax" eye shadow embraces the dual ethereal and dark aspects of this play. 

Book Style: Macbeth

When it comes to Shakespeare I tend to favor the darker and more fantastical plays to the dryer histories or the romances. Macbeth reigns supreme for me. Perhaps it's because it is The Bard's shortest play. Although, I think it's probably because the women have all of the power and fortitude. Lady Macbeth is evil, but she's in control - even if she doesn't get a first name! The three witches set all the events of the play in motion with nothing but their words. Just wonderful. The men are all reactionary, while them women are decisive and ambitious and manipulative. 

For a Macbeth Book Style, tartan was a must. But then I fell in love with this possibly-faux-tartan shirt dress and I don't care if it's authentic or not. To keep the legs toasty I added this beyond-perfect pair of dagger tights. On top a McDuff cardigan - I know it's "MacDuff" technically, but Anglicized names come in many not-quite-right varieties. On the feet, a pair of blood splattered pumps will really get under Lady Macbeth's skin. A Macbeth book clutch is a must-have for this outfit, too. For jewelry, I chose a "Dagger" necklace, "Thunder" earrings,  a "Witch" ID bracelet, and a "King and Queen" ring. Add a touch of "Hecate" lip paint to your pout and go assassinate a king or two.*

*For serious, do not assassinate anybody, no matter how tempting.

Book Style: Lullaby

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I love me some Chuck Palahniuk. His twisted brain speaks to me. The very first thing I ever read of his was Lullaby. It still remains one of my favorites. For those of you not familiar with the basic plot, Carl Streator is a newspaper reporter assigned to work on a piece about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Streator, himself, lost his wife and infant child suddenly. As work progresses on his article he notices a disturbing pattern: All of the families involved had a copy of Poems and Rhymes Around the World open to an African "culling song"; the same poem he read his wife and child the night they passed. Streator eventually realizes the culling song works and sets out with a real estate agent, Helen Hoover Boyle, to destroy all the remaining copies of the poem to prevent further deaths. Joining them on their hunt is Helen's assistant, Mona Sabbat, and Mona's boyfriend, Oyster. 

For this Book Style I was channelling Mona more than any other character. A little bit punk, a little bit hippie, a lot of I-do-as-I-please. Also, next time I say I'm going to style a book with a predominantly white cover, sit me down and ask me to reevaluate my decisions! I started with these denim shorts that honestly tie more into the book cover than the book in anyway. I tossed a pair of white fishnets on the legs. An oversized white "Rhymes" tee and an oyster-colored, vegan-friendly moto jacket have the top half covered. For shoes, a pair of "Rhyme" boots in "white peace" will keep your feet comfy and dry while you road trip the country in search of a killer poem. A "Carl" belt adds some weight to the outfit.For jewelry I fell in love with this skull nose ring and "Until Death Do Us Part" ring. A "Mona" pendant and a pair of "Africa" gold studs rounds out the ensemble. 

Does anyone else love Mr. Palahniuk as much as I do? What's your favorite book?

Book Style: The Island

Fact: I rarely like non-fantasy YA.
'nother Fact: I adored Olivia Levez's The Island.

Definitely recommending this gritty and realistic novel which absolutely earns the comparisons it has garnered to Robinson Crusoe and Hatchet. Our protagonist, Frances, is sentenced to a work program on an island in the Indian Ocean in lieu of jail time for her crime. When the plane carrying her, the group leaders, and her fellow juvenile delinquents crashes in the middle of the ocean, Fran's survival skills are put to the ultimate test. There's nothing like hours of solitary time on a deserted beach to really think about the consequences of her actions, either. By the time it turns out that Fran's island may not be as deserted as she assumed, you'll be rooting for this unlikely, and often bristly, hero.

I wanted to do beach-worthy and youthful for today's Book Style. It's not Fran's exact outfit - I refuse to style Spongebob bikini bottoms. Honestly, I'm so far from teenage now that I'm not even sure a 16 year old girl would wear anything I style. Anyways...

Let's start with a "Castaway" bikini. (Not pictured: All the sunscreen you'll want to apply. And reapply. And reapply again.) A pair of "Love Yourself" denim cutoffs seemed appropriate for Fran's journey. A "Françoise À La Mer" tee on top keeps the look easy. A pair of terrier leather flip flops are surely something Fran would love; she has a soft spot for pups, after all. I kept the jewelry simple with sparkly fish earrings, a fishtail bracelet, and an "Indian Ocean" necklace. In the category of Things-Fran-Would've-Loved-To-Have-Had-Handy we have a bright blue pair of aviators and an adorable shark iPhone case. Of course, even stranded, Fran was never without her eyeliner (this one is "Delinquent") and her nail lacquer (this sandy taupe is "Coconuts").

If you want to entertain and challenge your DIY survival skills, check out Olivia Levez's tutorial on how to make a shoes out of your bra!