First Fashion Letter

Dear F,

Let me start off by saying Happy New Year!!! Hope you have a year full of luck and happiness!

Secondly I'm going to write my first fashion piece.

The Little Black Dress ; LBD

 

The LBD is my favourite and in my opinion the most iconic peice of fashion. It all started in 1954 when Audrey Hepburn wore a LBD in the film Sabrina but became fashion history in 1961 when Audrey Hepburn wore a very fashionable one in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Theese days stars are still being closely associated with the legendary LBD such as the cover of the first series of sex and the city.

Lots of Love,

T x

Books - Narnia

Dear T,

I have heard about Great Expectations, as my mom gave me the book. I never read it though, because it sounded boring. Now that I know a bit about it, I'll probably try to read it and then watch the movie.

I think your choice of theme is great, and it absolutely fits your character. I can't wait to see what you have to say. I'm glad you didn't choose maths, because you're right, it would be very hard to write about.

So here's my third book review.

Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Seven books in the Narnia series. Seven books each different from one another. Many know the ones come out as movies, like The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Some might also know The Silver Chair from the set of old movies. But what of the others? Sure they're all good, and each one of them can stand on it's on. The true beauty of the experience is reading them all in order. If you have watched The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, so much is explained in the very first novel, The magician's nephew. My personal favorite is The Horse and his Boy, third in the series. It takes place all in Narnia, with a new main cast of characters, although the hero does meet the stars of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The Last Battle is an epic ending to the series, assembling all the characters from all the books for one final adventure. I do not quite understand the filmmakers' choice of which books to produce, but I can assure that even the books made into movies hold secrets and details that bring the series alive as a whole.

Narnia is an imaginary world in which time goes by about a hundred times faster than in the real world. Narnia can be accessed through different portals. The Magician's Nephew introduces the creation of Narnia and it's first King and Queen. This book explains many of the old legends met in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, as well as the presence of the old man and the magic wardrobe in the old house. In the first book made into a movie, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, four British children are sent to the countryside for safety during the Second World War. There they find a wise and mysterious old man, and a wardrobe that brings them to the magical world of Narnia. The children must save Narnia from the curse of the White Witch, who has cast the world into an eternal winter. Towards the end of the book there is a leap forward of several years in the story. The Horse and his Boy takes place during that time. The reader learns a lot about what happened to the children from the previous book. The protagonist, an orphan boy, must cross the desert with a talking horse to warn the Narnias of an imminent invasion. He will discover much more about himself than he expected. Prince Caspian brings back the four children from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, now a year older. A century has passed in Narnia, and they return only to find the Narnians hiding in the woods for fear of a new line of human rulers. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader finds the two youngest of the original four, along with their cousin Eustice, on a Narnian ship. An older King Caspian, now a man in his prime, has set out to find his father's seven most loyal friends who fled into the outer islands when King Caspian's uncle took over. The Silver Chair happens several years later, with a much matured Eustice and a girl friend who's not his girlfriend. They set out on a quest to find Narnia's lost Prince before the old King Caspian passes away. The Last Battle is the least memorable of them all, but I personally love the feeling of meeting all the characters of an entire series assembled for one last adventure. The most I can say apart from that is it's interesting.

So some if the books may be a bit dull while others are page-turners, but the final result is wonderful. I you wish to read only one, The Magician's Nephew is the best stand-alone, while The Horse and his Boy is just the best. The other really good ones are movies, although I must emphasize that reading this classic tale is much better than just watching some of the films, plus you can brag about having read C.S. Lewis. A bit long, but well worth it. 

Thank you!

Film and Fashion

Dear F,

You told me to pick a theme about something I love and write about it. I took a lot of time thinking about what I love. It took me a whole lot of time and thought to figure out what I love and could write about. At first I thought about how much I love maths but I didn’t think I could write a lot about that. Then I remembered how much I wanted to be an actress when I was younger and how much I love clothes and style now. I decided: I'm going to write about drama, films, plays, fashion, Icons and anything else that involves Films and fashion.

Today I watched a movie version of Great Expectations. It was so mesmerizing and meaningful. In case you haven’t read the book or seen the movie I’ll tell you a little bit about the story but don’t worry, I won’t spoil the ending for you.

Great Expectations

It all starts off with a poor little boy named Pip whose parents are dead so he lives with his sister and her husband Joe the blacksmith, they raised him. He is visiting his mother’s grave when the atmosphere suddenly becomes very spooky and you feel as though someone is watching Pip. As he was running back home through marshes, he was caught by a suspicious- looking man who demanded a file from him and then the man told Pip that if he didn’t give him a file, he would cut his throat. Pip ran straight back home and stole a file from Jo’s work room. When Pip gave the file to the man he also gave him a pie which touched the man. Suddenly another scary looking man appeared. A horn was sounded. Pip ran home but the suspicious- looking man used the file to break the chains that were keeping him where he was. He chased after the other man and they started fighting. As they were fighting a group of soldiers surrounded them and they pulled them off each over.

Later on Pip gets informed that the wealthy Miss Havisham is in need of a young boy and Pips uncle made sure that Pip was chosen. On visiting Miss Havisham, whom resembles a ghost, he is introduced to her adopted daughter Estella. Estella looks down on him due to his common ways and manners. Pip and Estella then become playmates and Pip frequently visits the house.

Later on Miss Havisham meets with Joe and Pip to discuss Pip’s future and signs a contract whereby she pays for Pip’s blacksmith apprenticeship to Joe. Pip is disappointed because he no longer wanted to be a blacksmith, and he is even more disappointed when Miss Havisham tells him that he should no longer come to the house.

Seven years later Pip is called to Miss Haversham who presents to him a now adult Estella. Pip is captured by her beauty but is once again let down when Miss Havisham announces that Estella is to go away to Paris before going to London to find a husband. Privately Estella tells Pip to forget everyone in that house, and never to come again.

Pip is then visted by the lawyer Jaggers, who informs him that he has a benefactor (who insists on remaining anonymous) and that this benefactor will pay for him to move to London and become a gentleman. The benefactor has made it clear that Pip must not enquire who the benefactor is and that he will find out when he receives him majority. He also said that Pip must be known as Pip and nothing else.

Pip then assumes that he mysterious benefactor is Miss Havisham and that she intends for him and Estella to end up together.

You’ll have to watch the movie to find out what happens next but I truly recommend this movie.

Lots of Love,

T x

Books - War Horse

Dear T, 

The Immortal Icons of Style actually sounds really interesting. I'd love to have a look at it some time. Anyway like I said I'm going to do a whole bunch of book reviews for you, and even I'm starting with my favorites, you can be sure some are coming that won't be so flattering.

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

A horse, a boy, and a war. That's all it took to create the first book that ever made me cry. Michael Morpurgo weaves a tale of love and friendship, all through the eyes of a horse sent to fight in World War I. The characters are so real you will want to jump right onto the page with them just to make sure they do the right thing. Anything that can make the reader cry is well-written, but something that can make readers cry all five times they read it is exceiptional.

Joey is a little colt when a drunkard buys him and brings him to his farm. There, Joey meets the son, Albert, who takes care of him lovingly. 1914, and the family needs money. Albert's father does what he believes necessary, and takes Joey to the British army. Albert is only fifteen and cannot join. Joey will make and lose friends in this war, see horrors he never imagined in his worst nightmares. This is the tale of Joey, a war horse.

There is not much more to say. Don't worry, it's not gore or anything, just gripping and heart-wrenching and beautiful; short, but oh so powerful. It truly is amazing. I love it. <3

The Immortal Icons of Style

Dear F,

Your review was really fascinating and descriptive. When I've finished reading one day (good book!) I'll have a look at the hunger games.



I was wondering about what to write you and I thought about your book review. I knew that I could never write a review that compares with your amazing writing standards but then this afternoon my cousin gave me a really fascinating book "Fashion Box: The Immortal Icons of Style". It's such a beautiful book filled with hundreds of pictures of Fashion Icons in Iconic Clothes e.g. The little black dress.

I know it might not be your favourite book but it's still so fascinating to see pictures of Fashion icons in the same sort of clothing other different decades.



 

Lots of Love,

T x

Books - Project

Dear T,

I've always loved to read. My mom always read me books when I was little, and not always children's books. She read me Harry Potter when I was only three. I read as many books as I can, and I read them fast. So, T, I've decided to start writing book reviews. Okay, that sounds too professional. I'm going to write what I think of all the books I've read ( or almost ), one book at a time, and even though you're not as big a reader as me, I figure there will be some books you'll like on the list. So here I go with the first one, it's recently become very famous, and is my newest favorite.

I hope you find something of interest,

F

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Readers of all ages can thoroughly enjoy the Hunger Games trilogy. It can be read simply for fun, as it does not require any deep thought or intense concentration to understand and enjoy. It's a real page-turner. Others might read it one chapter at a time, trying to fully grasp the underlying message.

    The Hunger Games is a negative utopia. It takes place in a post-apocalyptic future. The apocalypse began with the melting of the polar ice caps, and ended with the remaining humans fighting over the remaining land. In the newly formed country of Panem, the populations of the twelve districts work so the people of the Capitol can enjoy themselves. The districts lead a failed revolution 74 years previously, and as punishment, the Capitol leaders created the Hunger Games, where twenty-four district tributes fight to the death in an arena to survive. The protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, volunteers for the Hunger Games in place of her sister who is chosen as tribute. But Katniss has a close relationship with her fellow tribute Peeta Mellark. One of them must die. Together, they will set in motion events of which they never even dreamed.

    One can make several comparisons here, including that of Roman society. The emperors satisfied their people with bread and circuses. In the Hunger Games, president Snow is the emperor, the citizens of the Capitol are the "people", the citizens of the districts work hard to provide the bread for the citizens of the Capitol, and instead of gladiators, the district tributes provide the entertainment in the arena. The citizens of the Capitol live with everything they could want at their disposal, at the expense of the districts. In the third book, Mockingjay, Collins makes a clear reference to the negative utopia novel Farenheit 451 when she assigns Katniss to squad #451 in the military. The conditions the Capitol forces on the people of the districts make them want to rebel, just as the protagonist in Farenheit 451 wants to rebel against the absolute control his government has over the American people.The Hunger Games is right up there with Farenheit 451 and 1984, but with a little more action and thrill. Really, it's an amazing novel. Collins makes her characters real and her message too. The Hunger Games is a must-read.

    If you have read The Hunger Games trilogy and are interested in understanding more than the overlying story, check out this book, available on Amazon and other bookstores ( it's not an ad, I really do recommend it ): The Hunger Games Companion: the Unauthorized Guide to the Series by Lois H. Gresh. 

If you really don't like reading, go see the movie coming to theaters in March 2012. 

Thank you!

 

Here we go!

Wow! We've actually started a blog!

WHY?

We're writing this blog because although we're together now on Christmas of 2011, tomorrow we're going our seperate ways. Whilst writing this blog we will be able to share our thoughts, events and just about anything we want to tell each other during our time apart. T lives in England, while F lives in the United-States. We've known each other since we were born, and our families are very close. We hope to stay best friends forever and always put Bellas over Fellas. 

This blog is our first step.

Young or old, always together. That's our goal.