Nice Things Lately...📷
(Fighting Fatigue with Fun Frivolities)
This writing by Nayyirah Waheed surfaced in my mind recently as I caught myself sighing - the kind of sigh that comes from deep within, as an accessory to bone-deep weariness.
I am tired. And I think everyone I know is feeling the same right now tbh.
The past few weeks have felt monotonous, drenched in rain and desaturated in greyscale.
Have you ever noticed how much greyness there is in the world lately?
I promise I’m not trying to be a bummer, but as I looked out from the upper-deck window of a bus recently, it reminded me of this study (side note - this article is also worth a read) and I found it quite alarming that the only real colours I could see were the yellow road markings and red tail lights of the traffic.
It occurred to me that I needed to shift my perspective and find a spark of inspiration again. I’ve never been much of an Eeyore, and I don’t intend to start now.
So off we went today, on a day trip to nearby St Leonards and Hastings, about an hour along the south coast. Dear reader, I’m happy to say I found my creative rejuvenation.
Largely through thrifting in new, unknown spaces, where I poured over objects, clothing, records and books and began to wonder…Could these objects of yesteryear, with their vivid, unapologetic shades, be some kind of antidote to the modern malady of grey?
I’m currently sitting on our sofa, having returned from our day trip a couple of hours ago. I hadn’t intended to publish anything this week, as my drafts folder which usually holds at least one or two pieces in progress, is currently sitting empty and gathering dust.
And whilst I definitely plan to share more of everything we saw (and purchased!) in St Leonards and Hastings today (including a very lovely wine bar we visited before heading home) I thought in the meantime, I’d share a little something else to tide you over.
Not least of all, because some of the following have been doing just that for me, keeping a sense of optimism and delight as I wait for the clouds to clear.
Wes Anderson’s World
In late January, we braved the savage rail-replacement services to schlep up to London to see friends and visit Wes Anderson: The Archives at The Design Museum. I will say the following with absolute certainty. If you have ever enjoyed a single whimsical, camera-panning, meticulously colour-paletted, deadpan moment from Anderson’s films, don’t sit on this one.
In homage to Anderson’s characters, who so often make sense of their lives through lists - cataloguing objects, plans, and feelings with clinical precision, I’ve included my five favourite moments from the exhibition below.
1 - Wes Anderson has teeny, tiny cursive handwriting and frankly it’s the most endearing and adorable thing I may have ever seen.
2 - Margot Tenenbaum’s Fendi fur coat from The Royal Tenenbaums - as worn on screen by Gwyneth Paltrow, in quite possibly one of my favourite cinematic moments.
3 - The bejewelled corn-cob pipe of Liesl (Mia Threapleton) from The Phoenician Scheme, featuring carnelians, opals, emeralds, sapphires, and citrines. I don’t smoke, but would be tempted to start if it meant flourishing this pipe.
4 - If you think for a second that I didn’t lose my mind and squeal with delight when I saw the furry figurines of Fantastic Mr Fox, you’re sorely mistaken.
Pure, unadulterated joy.
5 - Last seen being thrown in the dirt as the three estranged Whitman brothers run in slow motion to board their departing train, The Darjeeling Limited - the monogrammed, safari animal embossed Louis Vuitton luggage are works of art.
Man on the Run
Who is your favourite Beatle? For me, it’s a conundrum comparable to which Sex and the City character you think you’re most like - the four women each represented different facets of womanhood, each loaded with traits that were easily identifiable to most women, so it’s an impossible question from the get go.
Similarly with the Beatles, as I’ve got older, I’ve realised that my tendency to oscillate between John, Paul, and George (sorry, Ringo - you were the steadfast sweetheart of the band, but you’ve never quite made it to the top spot of the podium for me) probably means I’ll never have a categorical favourite.
All of that said - I think I’ve mentioned before, the deep fondness I have for the post-Beatles era with Paul, when he and Linda shut out the world, rode their ponies, raised their kids, and found solace in their own company in the Scottish wilderness.
From what I can see, the new Paul McCartney documentary, Man on the Run pulls back the curtain of that era, before continuing into the creation and run (pun intended) of Wings.
Well just like Charlie Bucket, I’ve got my ticket - and can’t wait to see all that gorgeous footage of Linda being a bad ass. As for Wings…Well I’d have to quote Alan Partridge…
Style Crushing ❤️
There’s something magical about stumbling across someone online and spending days getting lost in their photos or work. That’s exactly what happened when I discovered MoonRiverChaCha, aka Matheus Lomonte.
From what I can tell, Lomonte is an aspiring fashion designer from Brazil with a wonderfully eclectic and inspirational eye for putting together vibrant, fun and textural outfits that tiptoe on the edge of eccentric, but are never absurd. Pair this with a knack for drawing unexpected and intriguing connections between fashion, art, and pop culture, and it’s an breath of fresh air, sartorially speaking.
Part ingénue, part surreal old lady (and we all know how I feel about that reference) Lomonte’s unique looks have been lingering in my mind as I wait for the temperatures to shift in midwinter England.
Worldly Pleasures
Specifically - the pleasures of The World of Interiors. I’m subscribed to their newsletter, and was delighted when one landed in my inbox, just as I was stood in the kitchen at work, waiting for my lunch to heat up in the microwave.
The article in question that I found myself pouring over as my soup cooled in my distraction, was the interview with artist David Saunders, the inhabitant of this beautiful space below. It’s so different to my taste, and yet so aligned. I love that everywhere you look there is something of charm and character, and how lovingly curated the whole space appears.
Speaking of tired - it’s now nearing my bedtime, so I’ll leave you whilst I’m still making some kind of coherent sense, with a quote I loved, in a book I purchased today.
’You Can Find Inspiration in Everything*: (*and If You Can’t, Look Again!)’ is a 2003 book by fashion designer Paul Smith - I’ve been finding myself increasingly drawn to him and his design practice recently, so was delighted to stumble across this gorgeous hardback today (the universe always provides 💫 )
Here’s wishing you a brilliant day 💛
You're so right about the lack of colour in the world. We found a proper haberdashery shop yesterday and spent ages looking through their colourful buttons and trimming and ribbons. Felt so jolly afterwards!