I’m feeling weirdly spaced out today. The torrential rain and wind last night stopped me from sleeping, or at least I think it did. I was all prepared to have to wear my wellies on the walk to the station this morning and pulled them out of the airing cupboard only to find when I looked out the window that the ground was dry. Not completely dry, but not flooded as I thought it would be. I’m wondering if maybe I just dreamed the storm, and dreamed not sleeping properly? In any case, I was quite glad not to have to wear my wellies because they would have looked rather strange with my lovely phase eight Bastile dress, in which M tells me I look like I belong in Bletchley Park. My wellies are great though, in fairness. They were very cheap, from PriceLess shoes or similar in Dover last summer and they are pink and flowery. They kept my feet warm and dry all last winter so I’m not maligning them in any way!
The cold and dismal weather yesterday got me thinking about my winter clothes again. I had to wear tights and boots for the first time in ages, and for the first time ever paired my grey Asturias dress with a long sleeved black top. I think that layering is something that looks good on other people but out of place on me, but it kept me warm. I have bought the same dress in pink jersey, and plan to dye it red next week so I will have a nice, bright winter dress.
I’ve been reading lots of blogs recently, in an attempt to decide if I want this one to have a specific focus, and also just to get an idea of how I should write. It’s been really interesting and I have had lots of ideas. I think the main thing is that I want to develop my own voice, and I think that blogging would be a good way for me to do that. One of the blogs that I read frequently is very interesting, but the writing style always irritates me a little bit. The UK based writer is clearly a reader of a few of the American fashion blogs that I also read and enjoy, and has appropriated their style of writing. Maybe I should say that she shows a clear influence, which might be fairer. In any case, there is something about it that doesn’t sit right with me, and this has made me determined to have my own voice, however frivolous it might be.
That said, I am a bit of a magpie and will happily pick ideas from others. And on that note, I am taking an idea from the Second Hand Shopper, whose blog I have been enjoying recently. She has developed an admiration for the style of Bette Davis and is making an effort to adopt this into her wardrobe. So I am going to write a list of the women that I find stylish (although, unlike Second Hand Shopper, I am a bit too lazy to make any great changes to my wardrobe to model myself on them)
Myrna Loy
I was completely unaware of Myrna Loy until Nic and I fell in love, and he showed me the Thin Man films. I fell rather in love with Nora Charles, and with Myrna Loy. I love the way she carries herself. She's always dressed up to the nines in her movies, as stars were at the time. I like her quirky looks and expressive face. When I was a teenager reading the Anne books, this is how I imagined the adult Anne Shirley to look. And Myrna even had red hair! I also, somewhat strangely, like her arms. They are soft and rounded and lovely.
Katharine Hepburn
It's a bit too easy here to make a reference back to Audrey Hepburn because they have the same surname, but I'm going to do it anyway. Lots of fuss is made about the style of Audrey (and deservedly so) but I'll take K.Hepburn any day. Physically speaking we couldn't be more different, so I could never hope to emulate her style. And I can't say anything about her acting or looks or personality that hasn't already been said, so I'll just leave it at saying I think she is incredible.
Allison Janney
For my money, the best thing about The West Wing. She's got the same endearing, slightly goofy appeal as Myrna Loy, I think. But she is another impossibly tall woman who I could never attempt to emulate.
Tori Amos
Look, she's not looking so good these days - her hair seems to have been replaced by some mad Tyra Banks-style weave. And her music is passing me by nowadays as well, but a large part of my heart belongs to Tori Amos. She's who I wanted to be from the ages of 12-22, and I would still love to look how she does in this picture.
I could go on with some fictional women also, like Liz Shaw and Mary-Beth Lacey, but I'll save that for another day, I think.
Liz Shaw is completely brilliant, though. Look:
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