TFIOS: The Fascimile in Our Styles

Hello world! I'm sorry it's been a little infinity since my last post. If you're a high school student, I think you'd agree with me that May is the most academically rigorous month of the school year. However, Diana and I are back today! We have a lot of awesome ideas for the summer, so we hope that you'll keep checking into our blog. This post is literature and movie inspired by The Fault In Our Stars! It is pretty likely that you might have read the book, and if you haven't already, I'm assuming that you aren't planning to at this point. Therefore, I won't give a whole synopsis of what the book is about. Instead, I'm going to be sharing my favorite quotes from the book! Also, today's title pun has the word facsimile because...YES. I have the same dress that Shailene Woodley wore in TFIOS! (Facsimile means an exact copy...except I didn't copy her. I had it before the movie came out!)

LBD: Little Black Dress

I read The Fault In Our Stars during my freshman year, around the time it was becoming very popular. I watched the movie a whole month after it came out because I had been out in D.C. when the movie was released. I remember sitting in the plane to D.C. and seeing the woman next to me silently shed tears while reading the last few pages.

I had gone to watch the movie with one of my close friends, and I remember watching the movie and freaking out when I saw Hazel Grace wearing the SAME EXACT DRESS that I owned to Gus's funeral. (Sorry, spoiler!) I obviously had never owned something that an actress wore in a movie, so it was a very, very exciting moment.

Here's my favorite quote from the entire movie:

Some infinities are bigger than other infinities. A writer we used to like taught us that. There are days, many of them, when I resent the size of my unbounded set. I want more numbers than I'm likely to get, and God, I want more numbers for Augustus Waters than he got. But, Gus, my love, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity. I wouldn't trade it for the world. You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful.

 
I bought this dress at Nordstrom a year and a half ago. I've worn it countless time for different piano competitions. It is classy and simple, which is what I love about it.

A tip for anyone: If you don't know what color dress to wear, just go with black! It is arguably the best color for classy events, and it is easier to hide stains!

Above is a picture of Hazel Grace and Isaac after Gus's funeral. This was the only picture I could find of Hazel wearing the dress. If you watch the movie, you'll be able to see it better.

"As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once."

 
Shoes: Aldo

I think the greatest perk of wearing black is that it allows you can match it with any color. It isn't really possible with any other color.

“The world is not a wish-granting factory.” 

“Oh, I wouldn't mind, Hazel Grace. It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you."

Sorry for all the sappy quotes, but the quotes are one of the reasons why so many teenagers love it. Let's be honest, sad love stories can be tragically magical. The plot of this book is so impractical, yet John Green's style of writing is so down to earth that it just makes the reader believe in every word wholeheartedly. I think TFIOS is one of those books that you absolutely love once you've finishing reading it. However, I think your impression of the overall book isn't as great after some time. At least that's the way it was for me. I'd strongly suggest that you read Papertowns, another one of John Green's books, if you haven't already. It is a fun read, and the movie is coming out in July!

Guest Post by Eve: Novel Styles

World Book Day

Hello, lovely Letrendary readers! I’m a new face on this blog, and I’m extremely excited to have the opportunity to guest blog this month, in honor of World Book Day. Books have always been wildly important to my life, influencing the words I use, the way I think, and certainly the way I dress. There’s something so magical about the power of a mere twenty-six letters to draw a reader into a novel new world (Good pun? I think so.), transport them through space and time, making so much accessible from the comfort of the reader’s own home. Sure, my kind of adventure is one that I don’t have to leave my couch for, but the goal of my outfits is to take those stories and wear them out into the world.

March 5th is World Book Day, a fabulous event that encourages kids to fill their minds with the wonders of reading. Fostering that love of books is so important and so beneficial at a young age. It shouldn’t just stop there, however. I certainly hope my own passion for reading never dies out. I encourage all of you to pick up some good reading material this Thursday, and pass some on to a younger generation. For more information about World Book Day, check out: http://worldbookday.com

Dress: Modcloth // Shoes: Deelux Vintage

I love this cute, vintage-inspired dress with its matching Peter Pan collar and sleeves— refreshing pear-colored accents. The floral-pattered cream lace gives it a nice, delicate touch.

There are two books that lent inspiration to this outfit.

The first is The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath. The color of this iconic cover, designed by Shirley Tucker, matches the accents of the dress, and the book, first published in 1963, comes from the same era as the inspiration for the outfit. The Bell Jar is a dark novel, following the slow unraveling of Ester Greenwood. The book is uniquely accessible because it appeals to a raw place of emotion, taking the reader on a journey through Ester’s eyes, making her choices feel deeply understandable, even rational. Plath drew on her own experiences with mental illness, and likely speaks to that troubled part in many of its readers. A visceral read not to be taken lightly.


The second book is The Perks of Being A Wallflower. Widely known for its cult following of angst-ridden teens, Stephen Chbosky’s award-winning novel utilizes the same color palate. 

Despite its faults, there are many things for which Perks should be commended, namely its courage to speak up about subjects that are readily made taboo by most media. Like The Bell Jar, this book may just be the kind of thing a struggling teen needs to hear. I think books are some of the best sorts of friends, and often times, they can do the same with poetry what a sympathetic shoulder does for those who need a cry.

Dress: Moon Zooom Vintage // Flower Crown: Handmade

This pale blue dress was a lucky find. Vintage and thrift stores are always my go-to shopping locations on a budget for interesting and distinctive outfits. A sheer floral lace is layered around the simple dress and clasps in the back. I paired the dress with my handmade flower crown (a staple in any fairy’s wardrobe), playing on the floral theme, and tying in a little of the blue from the dress with a splash of pink.



Wes Anderson inspires many of my outfits. I love the 60’s vibe and remarkable colors of his films. His most recent movie,  The Grand Budapest Hotel, is now released as a screenplay! I bet the eccentric and winding tale makes for great reading, and definitely great inspiration. I drew from the colors of the building itself and the surroundings for the crown and dress combination.




Another muse was The Islanders by Christopher Priest. It’s that
same blue hue, and the graphic design nerd within me is squealing with glee over the artistry of the cover by Amazing15.com. Priest transported me, not by overarching plots, but through deeply intriguing vignettes of life in the strange and beautiful Dream Archipelago. I have never read a book like this one, and I doubt I ever will again. It is a truly unique experience.

These are my all-time favorite heels. Those who know me know I have a weakness for mustard yellow, and these fabulous kicks are my dream come true. They are a great highlight for any outfit, spicing it up with a dash of bright color.





The Great Gatsby’s beautiful vintage cover sports the same color. This is a brilliantly written book, discussing disillusionment with the jazz age through tantalizingly rich language and imagery. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s crowning novel is a must-read.

Finally, my hair is a Victorian-inspired ‘do. It’s a simple way to get my wild curls out of the way in an elegant and unique style.

Well, that’s all for me. I hope you have a stimulating and stylish World Book Day. Cheers!

~Eve

Shirts with Stories

Apologies for my two-week absence! I've been mentally strained for the past two weeks because of finals and the SAT. Not to mention, both Diana and I are sick, but our ill bodies did not stop us from going out for a shoot! I am thrilled for this first literature-inspired blog post! My outfit was inspired by Kirsten Hubbard's Wanderlove. If you are a sucker for adventures and romance, then this book is for you! Make sure to read below for Diana's review on Wanderlove. There are many more to come. Enjoy! -Dorothy

A bit about Wanderlove first:

Wanderlove
By: Kirsten Hubbard

It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry to this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story.

-Summary from Goodreads

I am obsessed with adventures.

Yes, I'm deathly afraid of heights. No, I don't have enough common sense to travel around the world without the very real possibility of plummeting into situations that a little kid could warn you about. But that's not the point of an adventure, is it? To stay within your comfort zones, to test the limits with safety nets below you?

Wanderlove is about so much more than just traveling and adventures. It's about love, about trust, about running away and not running away. About staying still and not staying still. About watching the world spin around like a merry-go-round ride while you're standing in the middle, and as it sweeps you away into a land of endless confusion, you learn to eventually grab on to a horse and climb on, fighting your way through the hurdles of life. But, at it's heart, it's also a beautiful love story. There is no such concept as insta-love here. It is a fascinating and eternal and aching journey of learning that, yes, it's alright to fall back into someone else's arms, even after everything you've lost. It's okay to be afraid. It's okay to be angry. But you have to learn to discover the when, so that when the time comes, you won't miss it.

This story thrums with inspiration, pulsates with humanity, and rumbles with adventure. Surely, like any other book, it won't please the palate of every person. But I hope you read it, and that it makes you wonder and it makes you love.

Graphic Tee: Abercrombie//Olive Pants: American Eagle//Necklace: Forever 21 (click to enlarge photo)

I chose this graphic tee because 1)it matched the title of the book and 2)the graphic represents the main idea of the book.I love adventures-food adventures, amusement park adventures, spontaneous adventures, etc. I will always be consumed by wanderlust because I love traveling. It is a token to my happiness. The feeling of satisfaction I get from adventuring is unparalleled to anything else; it is distinct in how it affects me.

Simple yet meaningful graphic tees are great to have because they are so comfortable and easy to wear. I wear graphic tees when I'm too lazy to put together an outfit that requires more effort. 

 

I wore olive-green pants to complement the forest and nature colors on the graphic tee. Had I worn blue jeans, the outfit would have looked more bland. Thus, it is important to own several colored pants. Besides wearing different hues of blue jeans, colored pants like this one can make the outfit look like you put in more effort. 

Tip: An easier way to put together a nice outfit is to pair a simple top with colored pants. The color of the top should complement that of the pants. 

 

I accidentally left this necklace on the branch after Diana took this photograph...I didn't realize until I got home. *deep sigh*
This watch was given to me from my grandma, and it is so versatile. I practically wear it everyday. The earrings I got for Christmas this year from a classmate. Love them!

 A shirt can speak about your character; I tend to choose graphic tees that I personally feel connected to. It might seem odd, but hey, wear you and wear what you love. 

Have a wanderlustful week, everyone!