Welcome welcome, my lovelies! It’s Wednesday!
New England is frigid and windy again. I’d love for it to be spring, but I also have terrible allergies. It’s a toss up right now really. April also means my birthday! I asked for either taxidermy or a weighted blanket (my two moods).
I’ve also been playing a lot of Elden Ring. Anyone else on the video game bandwagon? I made an astrologer named Janice. Her backstory in my braid is that she’s a Midwestern suburban mom with a sensible braid, who fell into a fantasy world through a magical portal in a TJ Maxx dressing room.
A quick links for today!
…
Thank you to Sam for sending this one over! The National Gallery as an “art of fashion” video, which dives into paintings that have inspired Bridgerton and The Great.
…
Are you listening to Lovestruck Daily yet? It’s made another list of podcasts you should be listening to! (Spoiler: I just recorded an episode with Sarah, Alisha, and the Lovestruck Daily team. So excited for it to air!)
…
One of my favorite fashion and history twitter accounts tackled the fashions in the latest season of Bridgerton.
1 – It's time for #Threadtalk, & we're tackling #bridgertonS2. Yes, there will be historical musing & gown swooning, a warning, dear reader: it isn't all pretty.
Why? Because the Regency period is steeped in Imperialism & appropriation by way of fashion.
It's complicated. pic.twitter.com/GzY0PRhKpW
— Natania Barron (@NataniaBarron) March 28, 2022
…
And if you just want some wholesome content, here’s someone talking about their dad’s adorable idea for a “travel taco” and said dad’s response once he realizes his taco thoughts have gone viral.
for years my dad has argued that what the world needs is “the travel taco” i.e. a taco with sealed edges to keep all the filling from falling out while you’re on the move. and for years my mom has patiently explained the concept of burritos.
— Kaitlin Ruiz (@Kaitlin_M_Ruiz) March 26, 2022
…
Don’t forget to share what cool or interesting things you’ve seen, read, or listened to this week! And if you have anything you think we’d like to post on a future Wednesday Links, send it my way!
The “travel taco” thread just keeps going deeper into the rabbithole and I am here for all of it.
The wet shirt was an intentional homage to Colin Firth’s scene: https://ew.com/tv/bridgerton-wet-shirt-scene-homage-colin-firth-mr-darcy/?did=759588-20220330&utm_campaign=ewk-tv_newsletter&utm_source=ew.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=033022&cid=759588&mid=83393129912
“I’d be okay with Lester Holt” lol
I think travel taco dad, Roberto, is all of our dads. Thanks for the wholesome share and smile- I needed it today!
So, is ‘Elden Ring’ actually that hard? I’ve, on occasion, forcefully “dropped” controllers when I’ve been frustrated & replacing them is expensive…
@Jaye: Okay! Here are my thoughts! The game is made by From Software, which is known for the Souls series and those are notoriously punishing. I debated on buying this one because that’s not the kind of experience I want. However, from gamers I trust and gamers who also avoided From Software games in the past, this one can be as challenging as you want to make it depending on the class you play and how many side quests you do before getting to the main bosses. I recommend the Girlfriend Reviews video on it.
My husband and 4 of my 5 kids play Elden Ring. And they all talk Elden Ring. Two of the four kids playing live at home right now, and two live close by. Just about any time they are occupying the same space the game is front and center, with shared experiences, strategic planning, and tips for each other. They occasionally look at me sheepishly and offer to talk about a more general topic, but I just smile and pull out my book. I don’t mind them bonding over the newest rage in gaming. A family that plays together…generally gets along and has fun. 🙂
@Amanda: Thanks for your thoughts & the link! I’m leaning towards giving it a try.
(Bloodborne will forever remain unfinished!)
I did love Kate’s teal. And Kate’s orange! But I’m still sputtering over the undergarments. WHY was she wearing shiny cheap-looking nylon shorts with frills under her frock? Where was her shift?!
I also wonder privately about the colonial history of the Bridgerton world (which is essentially a fantasy world entirely). The colour-blind casting has now created a world where aristocrats of all different races are now served by a huge underclass of people of all races, and we never really interrogate where all the wealth and privilege of the Ton come from. Did Lord Danbury have West Indies holdings..? Did the senior Duke of Hastings? Admittedly, traditional white Regency romances do a spectacular job of avoiding investigating this too.
Anyway! Eager to see how they tackle the question of all those unnamed servants in a colour-blind exploitative class system when we get to Sophie’s story.
Re Bridgerton, personally, what got me sputtering in the wardrobe department were the horse riding scenes: Kate dear, where’s your riding habit????
I think the teal was supposed to be her habit. Except she didn’t have a shift or petticoat under it.
@denise – Colin who?
I love love love the gowns, especially the paisley prints that Kate dons. I am enjoying season 2, problems and all! As a transplanted desi, I also enjoyed reading this take on season 2: https://offcolour.org/2022/03/25/bridgerton-vs-bollywood-regency-romance-with-a-desi-twist/
And this interview with Charithra Chandran. Quotable quote from the interview: “ “If you’re gonna make money off of my people, you’re gonna pay my people, that’s the one thing I stand by all the time.”
https://offcolour.org/2022/03/30/meet-charithra-chandran-the-diamond-of-the-season/
The one-page RPG Trapped in a Cabin With Lord Byron isn’t very balanced, but it is cute and fun to read.
https://boingboing.net/2022/03/29/play-trapped-in-a-cabin-with-lord-byron-the-one-page-rpg.html