Wear Something Gaudy Day GWTW Style

Today is one of my favorite days of the entire year. Okay, that might be a little bit of an exaggeration  but it is a day near and dear to my heart. October 17th has been designated as "Wear Something Gaudy Day." I grew up hearing my grandma use the word with great disdain to describe jewelry, fashions or home decor she didn't approve of. She was also quite fond of the word 'uncouth' and used it often to describe people who weren't southern and/or people who weren't acting like good southerners. 

I, for one, appreciate the gaudier things in life. And in honor of today, I wanted to celebrate one of my favorite characters who rocked her gaudiness in all its glory.... 

gaud·y

gôdē/ adjective

1. 1.

   extravagantly bright or showy, typically so as to be tasteless

   
   

For example:

{Belle Watling} 

This Gone with the Wind anti-heroine gave Scarlett a run for her money by befriending Rhett and just plain ol' being a decent person. I always loved her style...her strawberry blonde hair and crimson lips, her red velvet jail-visiting ensemble trimmed in white fur. I wish she had gotten more of a story line in the film. 

{pink tulle + a spray of roses on top = gaudy for sure, but she owns this look & I love it!} 

{Just because there's a war going on doesn't mean you can't get your gaudy on!} 

So you heard it here friends...today, you can rock your gaudy looks with pride! And for that matter, if you love how it makes you feel, go gaudy every day. Style is about expressing your personality and if you've got it, flaunt it! 

On this day: Gone with the Wind Premiere

On this day in 1939, Gone with the Wind premiered at Atlanta's Loew's Grand Theatre. Wouldn't you love to have been there? The stars of the film descended onto the city and caused quite a stir. From Clark Gable (seen below with his beautiful wife Carole Lombard) to Vivien Leigh and others, it was a night to see and be seen. 

New Hollywood has nothing on the glamour and opulence of old Hollywood...it was a different time and we'll probably never really know what it was like to be part of that world. But I love looking through the old images that I find...imagining how it must have felt to have all eyes on you, bringing Margaret Mitchell's masterpiece to life. There are so many awful things going on the the world right now, I guess I just wanted to look back with fondness to a simpler time. 

Here's a link to a wonderful blog with lots of great back story from my friend Denise, who I met a couple of years ago at the Margaret Mitchell House social media event. Enjoy! 

Goodflicks: Beasts of the Southern Wild

Pretty soon we'll be in the middle of Hollywood film awards season, and while I haven't seen many of the biggest blockbusters from the past year, there's one film I did see that is getting some attention. Beasts of the Southern Wild is a magical, yet heartbreaking story about a little girl named Hushpuppy who lives with her father in an area of the Louisiana bayou called 'the Bathtub.'

If you saw the film, I'd love to hear what you thought! I only saw it once in theaters but I am sure that it is one I will watch again and again, as some parts are so subtle, it's easy to miss them the first time. What was the best movie you saw this year? Do you think it deserves a Hollywood award?

Thanks for stopping by! 

xoxo 
- Kate Spears

147 Years After the Burning of Atlanta

I don’t remember the first time I saw Gone with the Wind as a child nor all the subsequent viewings thereafter (there were many), but I vaguely remember the first time I saw it after learning that many aspects of the story’s setting and background happenings had really taken place once upon a time.

Probably the scene which had the most impact on me as a child was the burning of Atlanta by Sherman and his men. I’d be on the edge of my seat watching as Rhett tried to coax that poor horse, with Scarlett’s shawl over its eyes, through the depot as the flames leapt around them. Even though I knew they’d make it, I always watched as if anything could happen.

You might wonder why I’m mentioning this today. On November 15, 1864 General William Sherman and his men left the scorched ruins of Atlanta and began their march to the sea. To be clear, I’m no Civil War scholar…just your average southern girl with a blog celebrating life in the south. Those were dark times in our nation’s history…not the first, not the last, but  they helped shape what the south was to become, some good and some not so good. I like President Herbert Hoover’s quote in which he states “the supreme purpose of history is a better world.”

Thankfully the fair city of Atlanta rebuilt. It’s home to Coca-Cola, the Braves and Julia Sugarbaker…to me, it doesn’t get much better than that.

A Modern “It” Girl

I’ve always been a fan of Clara Bow. Imagine my surprise to see her 1927 film It available as a selection to watch instantly on Netflix. The film, also the source of her nickname “the It girl,” is a lively, yet silent romp. Watching it requires your full attention so don’t try to view it while multi-tasking or you’ll miss much of the charm (and probably the story!).

The above clip shows Clara and her suitor enjoying a carnival fun house…although I don’t think that whirling disc would pass any safety inspections by today’s standards.

Here’s a little re-style of Clara’s pleated skirt & sweater ensemble from the film. Have you ever looked to a film from the past to get inspiration for the present?

#GWTW75…Celebrations never cease

Today is the 75th anniversary of the first time Margaret Mitchell’s book, Gone with the Wind was available for purchase. I know it’s been GWTW frenzy around the blogosphere lately, but for good reason. From social media meetups to movie premiere galas, Atlanta has been hopping this summer with all the excitement. NPR did a wonderful piece on the anniversary, which you can listen to here.

“I want to be famous in some way – a speaker, artist, writer, soldier, fighter, stateswoman, or anything nearly.”

– Margaret Mitchell, January 1915

I took the above images during my visit to the Margaret Mitchell House in Midtown Atlanta and the preceding quote is also from the exhibit. I wonder if Ms. Mitchell would have been surprised by the reach of her fame even all these years later. Considering her other contributions to society, in addition to her written words, I think she has achieved fame in every category to which she aspired.

If you still haven’t gotten your fill of GWTW, Georgia Public Broadcasting produced a fabulous documentary about the life of Margaret Mitchell called “Margaret Mitchell: American Rebel” which is airing tonight. Even if you don’t live in the GPB viewing area, you can still view the film in a web presentation tonight, as well as chat online with the director! Hope you’ll tune in!

Writing Wisdom from @emilygiffin

So I know I promised to do a post on the fabulous Emily Giffin, author extraordinaire who spoke at the skirt! Magazine Creative Conference. She imparted some excellent wisdom to our group, mostly pertaining to writing, but it could also really apply to whatever your dreams might be.

If you aren’t familiar with Ms. Giffin, she wrote Something Borrowed, the book recently turned into a motion picture starring Kate Hudson & John Krasinski. Something Borrowed is followed up by Something Blue, both of which I really enjoyed poolside a few summers back. Anyway…

I’m not going to try and list everything EG said, although I was furiously scribbling notes from my spot on the front row…hence the blurry pic! But here are some of the tidbits that spoke to me most and my thoughts on each.

EG: Don’t assume that other writer’s have an easier time than you…writing is just plain hard [but worth it!]

EG: Think of yourself as a ‘real’ writer no matter what your circumstances are. [In other words, call yourself a writer and you’ll be a writer. Don’t think that just because you haven’t ‘published’ a book or had your book turned into a movie you aren’t a real writer…this one meant a lot to me!]

EG: Every book in a bookstore is just the product of one person who sat down and wrote one page at a time. Also, editors are just people…all it takes is one person who wants to publish your book. It is possible. [When you think about it this way, it really does seem like an attainable goal]

EG: Don’t worry about being perfect and DON’T compare yourself to anybody else. [LOVE that]

I really appreciate Ms. Giffin taking time to come speak to us…it was one of the highlights of the whole conference for me. I’m embarrassed to say I still haven’t seen the film version of Something Borrowed but it’s on my to-watch list! If you’ve read her books or seen the film, what did you think?

{top image via Atlanta Magazine}

Royal Wedding

You’d have to be living under a rock to have missed the frenzy of coverage surrounding the nuptials taking place today…leading up to the blessed event, I watched the wonderful classic film, Royal Wedding, to set the mood.

Released in 1951, it stars Fred Astaire & Jane Powell, a quirky brother/sister dance act who have traveled to London to perform for the wedding of then-Princess Elizabeth. It’s a fun romp of song and dance.

I’m not attending any wedding viewing parties, but if I were, surely these hats, modeled by the southern momma and me would be good choices?

              

Since I know most folks are completely preoccupied with the wedding, I wanted to keep this post short. I’ll leave you with this…

Many happy returns to the royal couple and hope those of you who pulled all-nighters can grab a nap! Happy Friday folks!

{movie stills via imdb.com}

A Moment for Elizabeth Taylor

We lost a jewel this week with the passing of Elizabeth Taylor. From the first time I saw National Velvet I loved her, but my favorite of her pictures is a little more off the radar. Released in 1954, Elephant Walk is the story of wealthy colonial tea plantation owner John Wiley and his elegant wife Ruth. Set in Ceylon and filmed on location, there is intrigue, glamour, elegance and sadness. It’s everything that Elizabeth Taylor was so known for bringing to life on screen.

The film received lackluster reviews, but something about its visual elements make up for that in my mind. The setting is so vibrant, it almost acts as another character. Vivian Leigh was originally chosen to play the female lead and supposedly some of the long shots are of her. When Leigh’s mental illness became too much of an issue, Taylor stepped in to replace her.

I’m interested to hear if any of you have seen Elephant Walk and what you think of it. Elizabeth Taylor was a legend…they just don’t make movie stars like her anymore. She will be missed.

A horse of a different color

Today is the 71st anniversary of the nationwide release of one of my all-time favorite movies. I have loved The Wizard of Oz since the very first time I saw it way back when I was just a tiny tot. I’ll never forget being swept up in the ‘magic’ of cinema when Dorothy stepped out of her house into pure Technicolor fantasy land. I still get that feeling a little when I watch the movie.

I got a great book from the library called 100 Years of Oz and it has some fabulous images in it, pertaining to the whole franchise.

 

 

 

My mom likes to tell the story about how she and her siblings would beg to skip church on the one Sunday night per year that the film was broadcast on television, and then stay up late watching it. I can’t imagine not being able to watch my favorite movies and shows anytime I please, but in a way this would make it much more special. It’s always interesting to revisit beloved childhood films and books to see how our adult selves process them. I’m a weepy-eyed mess by the time Dorothy is saying her good-byes…and Charlotte’s Web? Can’t even go there unless I have a huge value pack of kleenex.

Is this one of your childhood faves? If not, what movie did you love in childhood and continue to watch? Maybe you’ve shared it with your kiddos. Do share!