50 Years of Favorite Styles

My favorite styles from the 1920's-1970's!

Afterwards style and class fell....really hard. So, I won't even mention them...

1920's

The era of the flapper, jazz music, glamour and refinement!

I myself have never cared for the heavily stereotyped flapper style (the short beaded gowns, long necklaces and headdresses) and have always preferred the more casual styles in the 20s, but you can't deny, their evening wear was stunning.

This whole outfit! When I think of elegance and refinement in the 20's, this is immediately what comes to mind!

 Everything from the cut, to the cloche, to the shoes. 

I imagine the colors would be a very pale tan color for the top and maybe a mint or pale green for the skirt and the ribbon around the neck as a contrast. 

This is absolute class and taste!

This is actually a wedding dress and it's probably more beautiful than any modern wedding dress I've seen in a while.

1930s-1940s

The 30's and 40's meld into one another, so I usually can't tell which style is from which decade. However, in spite of the Depression, the 30's are my favorite fashion decade. Primarily for the wide leg trousers! What I wouldn't give for a pair! 

And even with a war going on, it didn't stop women from still looking their best.

The second woman to the right with the striped shirt and belt is my favorite. I just love it and its simplicity and the trousers look so comfortable!

I believe this is the 30's, but in any case, I love everything going on here.

1950's

Crinoline's, poodle skirts, Elvis. 

Grace Kelly, Lucille Ball, Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn set the tone for style.

1960's

When Jacqueline Kennedy moved into the White House in 1960, she took the class of the 50's and gave it an update for the next decade, creating some of the most iconic style on the century.

1970's

The 70's did have its classy moments, but the resurgence of the wide leg trousers which was renamed bell bottoms, may have saved the decade.

Anne of Green Gables Blog Party

Katherine and Grace at Maidens of Green Gables are hosting a Anne of Green Gables Blog party!

Sherlock - Season 2

     Due to the brilliant cliffhanger at the end of season 1 of Sherlock, the two year anticipation of season 2 brought on the beginning of absolute Sherlock mania. Everyone, everywhere was obsessed with the updated detective and doctor. Fan-fictions, Pinterest boards, Tumblr fan accounts, all dedicated to the brilliance of Steven Moffat and Mark Gattis. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman became immediate household names; and Sherlock (along with Downton Abbey which premiered the same year) began a Renaissance in British television drama.

     No one, not the writers, directors, actors or even Sherlock Holmes fans ever expected such an incredible reception to the show. So it's only natural that season 2 recreate three of the most popular and iconic Sherlock Holmes mysteries, The Woman, The Hound and The Fall (to quote Steven Moffet).

Episode 1 - A Scandal in Belgravia

     Sherlock Holmes wanted to be a successful detective, not a famous one. However, due to John Watson's blog that relays all their cases, he is beginning to experience city wide fame in ways he never imagined. And this growing fame that encroaches on his privacy and his work, may end up being his undoing.

     Season 2 picks up right where season 1 left off. Sherlock and John literally at death's doorstep all orchestrated by Jim Moriarty (probably should have mentioned him in the first season review). They narrowly escape at the phone call of someone who could be their savior or their enemy; an even worse enemy than Moriarty depending on how Sherlock wants to deduce it.

     Shortly afterwards, Sherlock gets a very unlikely client...from Buckingham Palace. The royal family are caught in a scandal created by Irene Adler or The Woman as she is commonly known. Adler is a wealthy professional dominatrix who is as intelligent as she is beautiful and makes her living by blackmail. And like the rest of London, has a growing interest in Sherlock Holmes.

     Upon meeting Irene Adler, Sherlock is faced with a phenomenon he never thought he would experience. Not being the smartest person in the room. In a matter of minutes, Irene outwits Sherlock Holmes, leaving him in utter confusion, but also developing a secret and growing fascination for her. Afterwards, Irene screws around with Sherlock to no end, texting him constantly; to which he conveniently ignores, pretending that she, like everyone else, holds no importance to him.

    When, Irene gets into trouble and ends up on a coroner's slab, Sherlock is utterly devastated; another phenomenon he never thought he would experience. Yet, when it's revealed that Irene has actually faked her death, Sherlock is left more confused and angry than ever. To make matters infinitely worse, Irene uses and manipulates Sherlock to uncover a growing threat that ends up costing the lives of innocent people as well as the immense disapproval of Mycroft Holmes. 

     Irene has messed around with Sherlock's mind and has betrayed the people who originally commissioned her to get information from him. However, she made the mistake of severally underestimating Sherlock Holmes and when he discovers her one weakness, the one thing that she can no longer hide behind, Sherlock has finally had the last word.

Episode 2 - The Hounds of Baskerville

     While trying to quit his smoking habit, Sherlock is driving John to insanity. And John is not the only person who is going insane. Henry Knight from Devon, England will never forget the night his father was killed by 'a gigantic hound.' The experience still haunts him twenty years later and the traumatic loss of his father has left him to the point of delusional. He still believes that the hound is out there, waiting for him, waiting to attack and kill him. It doesn't help that the said hound has now become a supernatural legend for the small country town and helps with the tourism.

     Sherlock and John go down to Devon and visit the area on Dartmoor where Henry's father was killed. This investigation leads them to Baskerville Military Base, a top secret facility that is rumored to run insane science experiments. This case proves to be much harder on Sherlock emotionally than he cares to admit. Prior to going to Devon, Sherlock believed this hound to be a made up creature in Henry's mind, a coping mechanism to deal with the murder of his father. Yet, when he actually sees the hound and is faced not only with fear of the supernatural, but also the conclusion that he was wrong, he begins to break down at a rapid pace.

     John, ever the loyal--if not at times aggravated--friend, puts his former military skills to good use and ends up providing Sherlock with the information he needs to solve this bizarre case. While the hound may have been in Henry's mind, it was not entirely made up by Henry himself. Baskerville Military Base has indeed been hiding many secrets from Henry and the rest of Devon. Sherlock manages to piece together what he can, but to prove that he is right, he must risk facing the hideous beast one last time.

     When the time comes for the hound to be seen, Sherlock sees something entirely different. While Henry may see an imaginary dog, created by his fear of death, Sherlock sees Jim Moriarty. His own private monster, only this one is very real, very dangerous and is truly set out to destroy Sherlock Holmes.

Episode 3 - The Reichenbach Fall

     Heroes don't exist. And if they do, then Sherlock Holmes isn't one of them. Or so he says to John. After several successful cases, the once private world of Sherlock Holmes is busted open and Sherlock becomes an internet sensation, all due to John's charismatic writing of their work together. Sherlock is put on edge by this unwanted media attention and annoyed that John seems to delight in chronicling their private work life. He cannot escape the cameras, the lauded appreciation of thankful clients and being humiliated by Scotland Yard (much to their delight).

     Now that he's the center of media attention, Jim Moriarty puts his long awaited plan to destroy Sherlock Holmes into action. After staging break-ins to the Tower of London, The Bank of England and Pentonville Prison, Moriarty writes 'Get Sherlock!' on the glass case that holds the Crown Jewels case, right before he smashes it. Moriarty is arrested and brought to trial, where Sherlock is asked (or made) to give a testimony against him. He begrudgingly complies, but Sherlock being Sherlock does things his own way and ends up spending a night in jail.

     Despite the evidence brought against him, Moriarty  is set free, but Sherlock is not surprised. As he said in court, Moriarty is a spider and he knows how to weave his web. He knows how to use fear and manipulation to catch his prey and to make them suffer. After he is freed from his charges, Moriarty visits Sherlock explaining to him how he now owes Sherlock Holmes for his newfound fame. And with that fame he will make Sherlock burn and will make him fall. "Every fairytale needs a good, old-fashioned villain," he remarks. And Moriarty knows how to make a fairy tale into a nightmare and turn a hero into a monster.

     When Sherlock investigates the disappearance of two children from a boarding school, it's not long before he discovers Moriarty's hand in the whole case. He starts the game all over again. And slowly, little by little he begins to destroy Sherlock, pointing him out to be a fraud and a liar, that he created Jim Moriarty for fame and is responsible for the kidnapped children. As the media gets wind of these accusations, Sherlock knows that he is running out of time. He can no longer turn to John or even his brother, but instead to Molly Hooper, someone he has underestimated for far too long.

    To save his friends and protect them from future danger, Sherlock must confront Moriarty one last time. Moriarty has finally pushed Sherlock Holmes to the absolute limit. Sherlock refuses to back down and challenges Moriarty, proving his goodness in the face adversity. And even when he falls, Sherlock is not one to stay down for very long. 

Sherlock - Season 1

     Nine years ago, BBC took one of England's most beloved fictional detectives and did the unthinkable. They updated him! Benedict Cumberbatch--who was a relative unknown to the world at the time--broke into international fame when he brought to life a new, young and handsome, modern day Sherlock Holmes, complete with tech ware and gadgets. Martin Freeman was cast as Sherlock's pragmatic and charming partner in crime, Dr. John Watson, who relays their case adventures of Holmes and Watson in his blog. 

  
     Needless to say, the idea of updating Sherlock Holmes was practically considered heresy to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's loyal fanbase. My own family, my sisters especially, were die hard Sherlock Holmes fans and they weren't to happy at the BBC's radical interpretation of Holmes. However, after watching season 1, we were completely addicted. Not being a Sherlock Holmes fan myself, I didn't care either way, but my sister was very pleased at how well the show was written and how the lead actors brought such justice to their characters. 

Episode 1 - A Study in Pink

    Newly returned from Afghanistan, Dr. John Watson is trying to start over. Dealing with a wounded leg and suffering from PTSD, John is finding it hard to come back to a world without war. His therapist encourages him to write about...well anything. However, John is finding his new civilian life less than exciting. However, his possible new flat mate, changes his thinking very quickly.

     Sherlock Holmes, a genius who is lively, enigmatic, arrogant and a mystery to everyone around him, makes his living as a consulting detective. Or as he puts it, "When the police are out of their depth, which is always, they consult me." He's brought on for particularly difficult cases to extract details and information that the rest of Scotland Yard may have missed. Unfortunately, when Holmes gets started on a case, he takes over very quickly. While his genius may be necessary for the police, his conceited nature regarding his brilliance has also made him more than a few enemies.

    After a string of unrelated suicides begin to build up causing tension between Scotland Yard and the rest of London, Sherlock is asked to assist in profiling the most recent victim. Along with John, both men figure that these suicides are not unrelated and it's only a matter of time, possibly hours before a new victim is found. John soon figures out that Sherlock rarely if ever plays by the rules and is always going his own way to solve a crime. Yet, even Sherlock Holmes is not indestructible and when he finds himself face to face with the murderer, he has only his skill and his faith in this new stranger to get him out...preferably alive.

      In a span of 24 hours, John's life is turned upside down by this one very unique man. Yet, he feels a sense of purpose and belonging and chooses to stay at 221B Baker Street. Meanwhile, John is not the only person who is interested in the mind of Sherlock Holmes. A puppet master with maniacal intentions is lurking behind the scenes waiting for his moment to reveal himself to Mr. Holmes. 

Episode 2 - The Blind Banker

     As John settles into his new home at 221B, he not only continues to be intrigued by Sherlock, but also frustrated and at odds to know how to deal with his flatmate's ever changing personality. Thankfully he's not the only one. Sherlock, while claiming to neither have nor want any friends, has a small circle of acquaintances, who are all equally perplexed by the genius (and at times idiocy) of Sherlock Holmes. 

    Mycroft Holmes: Sherlock's older and infinitely more intelligent brother who--while not controlling the government--is trying to issue control over Sherlock and his headstrong nature. The Holmes Brothers' rarely if ever see eye to eye on anything, but there is genuine respect between the two of them. Mycroft sees John as a good influence on Sherlock and is forever badgering him to keep an eye on his brother.

     Mrs. Hudson: The landlady of 221B who adores both Sherlock and John. Mrs. Hudson who might question Sherlock's oddities at times, never questions his goodness that people rarely ever see. It's not long before Mrs. Hudson becomes a mother figure to John and Sherlock and oftentimes has no problem setting them straight and even assisting in their cases.

     Detective Inspector Greg Lestrade: When Scotland Yard is out of their depth, it's not long before Greg Lestrade runs to Sherlock Holmes for help. Although a good detective himself, Lestrade is better giving orders from his office while Holmes gives him the information. While the rest of Greg's investigative team despise Sherlock, Greg actually holds some admiration for him. 

     Molly Hooper: A young and rather hopelessly in love coroner who is forever trying to win Sherlock's affection. Molly works at St. Bartholomew's Hospital where Sherlock oftentimes does his research for cases. Molly is very gifted in her work, but she is timid and painfully shy, preferring to work in the background. Molly's fatal flaw is her unrequited love for Sherlock Holmes who refuses to see her as a valuable asset to his work. 

    Two disappearances, one a wealthy banker and the other an immigrant Chinese woman who works at a museum, strange codes and ciphers found on office walls and streets, and finally, a missing Asian artifact of immense value, encourages Sherlock and John to leave their flat and investigate these seemingly unrelated cases. They are taken from the banks of London to the streets of Chinatown, where they discover an Asian mafia group known as the Black Lotus Tong.

     Secretive and deadly, the Black Lotus' primary target isn't money, but Sherlock Holmes himself. And they will hunt, torment, kidnap and kill to get their target. However, the Black Lotus are not working alone. Someone more sinister and evil is controlling their every move, bringing him closer and closer to Sherlock Holmes.

Episode 3 - The Great Game

     Sherlock Holmes is bored. Bored, bored, bored. Lack of any interesting cases to solve has left Sherlock in desperation for anything to get his mind running. While Sherlock is beginning to get recognition for his work (and some recognition is not so flattering), he's wanting something truly hard and chase worthy. He wants a game. And a game is exactly what he gets.

     He begins to receive mysterious phone calls from people who are put in heavily dangerous situations. These people are then made to read to Sherlock texts from the master mind behind these 'games.' Using current working cases that are being publicized on television, Sherlock and John must race the clock to solve them. If they miss their time then theses game victims are killed. 

     Sherlock and John manage to solve two out of the three of these games, leaving both of them shaken at the fact that someone died because of them. Even when the phone calls stop, Sherlock is not convinced that the game is over. That whoever was messing around with him is still waiting. When John becomes the next victim, Sherlock is pushed to the absolute extreme, having to choose between his life or John's. 

Happy Independence Day!

It is the love of country that has lighted and that keeps glowing the holy fire of patriotism.

 ~J. Horace McFarland

Lately (with some major fangirling!)

     Well...I hope everyone is having a good summer! I am! After the painful drama of this spring, the relief that I'm feeling right now is incredible! Everything in my life has been good since then (I am driving much more cautiously now!!) and I would like it to stay that way. My blogging has been really good and I've surprised how much I've been able to do. However, many of my posts are either reviews or somehow geared toward movies and books. 

     I want to get back into my regular stories, seeing as I have two really good ones that I want people to read. I sort of left the Cinderella story on a cliffhanger...and my second one, When Morning Comes is becoming more and more of a real deal too. So, hopefully, there will be my own original writings posted up alongside my regular reviews.

      OMG! 4th of July is almost here! As I've mentioned before, July 4th is a big deal in my household. It's also my brother's birthday and so we've always had a reason to celebrate more than most. Every year, my family holds a massive fireworks display in the backyard and most of the neighborhood comes out to watch. My brother's don't skimp on fireworks either. Every spring they had to South of The Border and load up on almost $400 worth of explosives. So people had better show up!

Ok, now on to a little bit of fangirling!

     I don't think I've ever mentioned this amazing show on here, but if you want a mystery series with great characters, storylines, humor and romance all set in the late Victorian era, then I highly recommend Murdoch Mysteries. The show has been running since 2008 and they're filming their 13th and final season now. I've been watching the show since season 3 and I love it! 

     I may do a general review of the series eventually, but I should probably see season 1-3 first. My mom and I are almost done with season 11, which is kind of sad because there is a new character that has been introduced and that I may be somewhat in love with now...

     Detective Llewellyn Watts was introduced in season 10 as a rather zany and out of the box character. He doesn't really relate with the rest of the world, but as you delve deeper into his story, you begin to understand why he is the way that he is. Cookiness set aside, Watts has a very generous and good natured personality and shows immense kindness to others, especially people that are deeply hurt or lost. 

     Watts was only in a couple of episodes, so when he left, I was thinking, "He was kind of weird, but really sweet too." However, in the final episode of season 10, everything has gone to hell in a hand basket. Just when William Murdoch thinks that there is no possible hope for him and his loved ones, lo and hold behold in the last five seconds the most unlikely person appears. Detective Watts offers his assistance to Murdoch and ends up saving him, his friends and possibly Canada. I was in love from that moment on.

     Personality set aside, there is no denying that he is absolutely adorable! No, he is definitely handsome in a very classic sort of way. It's just so hard not to love him or fall in love with him, however you may want to view it.

    He may have been a long time coming, but Detective Llewellyn Watts is an wonderful addition to the show. I've heard that his character is developed more in season 12 and I'm so excited!

     Ok, so now I finally have that out of my system...

Have a good summer everyone!

Australia

     There's no denying that Australia is an extraordinary country. Baz Luhrman's 2008 drama manages to encompass all the adventure, mystery and romance that has come to define the Australian spirit. Starring an all Australian cast, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Bryan Brown, David Wenham, David Gupilil, Jack Thompson and Brandon Walters. Amidst the adventure and romance, Australia deals with the horrendous racial prejudice toward the Aboriginals at the hands of the English colonialism. All Aboriginals were despised, abused and treated as subhuman. Anyone who sided with them or defended them would receive the same treatment and be branded an outcast. 

     Months before Hitler invades Poland, setting off WWII, Lady Sarah Ashley of England invades Australia; setting off a chain of events that will bring unexpected, but much needed change. Sarah's estranged husband owns a vast cattle ranch, Faraway Downs, but is unable to make a profit from it, due to the dry land. King Carney who runs the best of the cattle ranches in Northern Australia wants his hands on Faraway Downs and offers a good deal to Sarah in hopes that she can get her husband to sell. Sarah, against her better judgement, packs up and flies to Australia where her greeting is less than genteel.

    Sarah is placed in the care of a rugged, rule breaking stock-man--known only as The Drover--who has been charged by her husband to deliver her to Faraway Downs. During their three day trip to Faraway Downs, Drover and Sarah have ample time to get to know each other. A drover is essentially a cowboy who is commissioned to drive cattle and other stock over long distances. As he puts it 'No one hires me, no one fires me.' Sarah also notices Drover's obvious friendship and respect toward his Aboriginal partners; as opposed to the racists tendencies of the rest of the white occupants of Australia. 

    When they finally make it to Faraway Downs, Sarah is met with her dead husband who was supposedly killed by the notorious Aboriginal shaman, King George. Now with her husband dead, Sarah has no choice but to sell, but a chance meeting with an mysterious little boy changes Sarah's heart and mind and challenges her to fight for this run down, but possibly hopeful ranch.

     Nullah is the illegitimate child of Faraway Down's shady foreman, Neil Fletcher and a beautiful Aboriginal woman, Daisy, the daughter of King George. Both Nullah and his mother are abused by Neil and while Daisy tries to protect her son, there is a fear that he will be taken away from her and put into a church home with other biracial children. The idea of these homes is to drive out any Aboriginal heritage these children posses. Nullah refuses to be caught and imprisoned and his wild spirit will become the salvation of Faraway Downs.

    Sarah is informed by Nullah that Neil Fletcher has secretly been working for King Carney. During a cattle drive, Neil was taking the best cattle and driving them across the billabong onto Carney land. Neil killed Sarah's husband on the drive and the pinpointed the blame on King George to cover his tracks. Neil is also responsible for the drought on Faraway Downs, when Nullah reveals that he has sabotaged the the water reservoir. With Lord Ashley dead and the land close to dying, both Fletcher and Carney believe that they can finally get Faraway Downs. However they both severely underestimated Lady Sarah Ashley or Mrs. Boss as she becomes known as to her staff. 

     After Sarah confronts Neil on his dishonesty and then witnesses him beating his own son, she fires him and with him his entire cattle crew. Now alone with cattle that need to be driven to the city and sold, Sarah has no choice but to go to the only man left. Drover. Although reluctant that this could work, Drover, Sarah, Nullah and their small crew take the cattle stock and drive them through the treacherous desserts, where they're met with hostile forces on every side. 

     And that is only the beginning of the story....

     Throughout the cattle drive, this rag tag group become a family and when weathering the dangers of the Never-Never, winning out to King Carney himself, falling in love and creating a family, saving Faraway Downs, face being to torn apart by the law, and eventually WWII coming to their shores, Drover, Sarah, Nullah and even, King George are bound to the unbreakable strength of the Australian Outback.

     This is a really long movie, but every minute is worth the watch. Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman were fabulous together! I've never been a big Nicole Kidman fan, but she was perfect in her story progression from a snobby aristocrat to an independent business woman intent on making her mark, standing up the higher powers, protecting Nullah and the other Aboriginals, while also capturing Drover's heart. Hugh Jackman is in his element as the Drover. He plays the romanticized, rugged Australian cowboy whose own moral conscience make him an outsider to his own people. Drover doesn't desire to be a hero, but overtime he gravitates towards the position as he begins to love Sarah and Nullah, while finally confronting his painful past. 

    Beautifully filmed in Australia with a wonderful score and stunning costumes, Australia harkens back to the days of the sweeping epic films, such as Gone With the Wind, Ben-Hur and The Ten Commandments. Australia may be considered a love letter to the cultures that have come to define an extraordinary land, but also a heartbreaking truth and asking of forgiveness towards a culture that was almost wiped out through prejudice and hate.