Reading the 1 star reviews on Amazon is one of my guiltiest pleasures. No matter what it is that I’ve read or seen, there is someone out there who hates it with the firey passion of a thousand suns. From Nobody Belongs Here More Than You to Black Books there is someone angry enough to log on and rant about it, even if they are very much in the minority. Never more is this true than with arty European black and white films, the apex seemingly being Antonioni’s aimless epic L’Avventura.

Now, I am biased because I love Monica Vitti. I love everything about her. I love her hair, her eyes, her nose (especially her nose), and her cold, serious face. There’s nothing more beautiful than watching her run about an island, her amazing bouffant blonde hair bouncing behind her, in shining black and white, even if the plot died hours before. I mean I get it, I get the crappy reviews because nothing happens. A girl goes missing on an island and then nothing happens. She doesn’t get found, no-one really cares, a lot of people loll about bored and hot, and then it ends. But honestly who cares? Monica Vitti’s running around sighing! What more do you need?

My love of Monica Vitti borders on the totally creepy at the moment: I’ve set up a Fuck Yeah Monica Vitti, which even if no-one ever follows it I intend to attempt to update forever, because seriously she is that good. Just look at her face! Everything about it is amazing! There is literally nothing I don’t like about it. I could look at it forever, just staring, staring out into the beautiful sea, thinking of nothing, doing nothing. That’s how much I love her. That’s why I thought Monica’s suave, ice princess, character would make for a perfect date outfit.

Simple, pared down, smart, but not stuffy, just pair this Monica’s stunning face and you’ll be set. Of course that may not be possible for everyone, or in fact anyone who isn’t Vitti herself, but try, go on, try, stare out of your window and think about something you’ve lost, something you’re not sure you care about, that’s it. Now hold it. You’ve got it!

So it’s not Halloween, but there’s nothing better than a scary movie to tuck up with on a cold night right? I recently watched Rosemary’s Baby for the first time and all I can say is what took me so long? It was terrifying, ridiculous, and totally amazing, I loved every second of it, and then, ding! a light went on in my head and I thought to myself, “Woah! Not only is Mia Farrow a style icon but she is obviously the perfect candidate for Make It A Date!” and so here is the result of that brain wave.

Rosemary (Farrow) has quite the line in draped garments and peter-pan collars, two things I too have an incredible weakness for. If I could dress like any fictional character for the rest of my life it would be Rosemary. Damn it if her infamous crop suited me I’d lop mine off tomorrow, but sadly I look like a strange cross little boy with short hair and it’s not terribly flattering on me. Balls.

Most of Rosemary’s Baby occurs in the summer and so Rosemary wafts about in a series of increasingly large a-line sundresses and nightgowns that waft above her knees and round about her in ice-cream shades. However since it is now winter I thought we could update her look to something a little more seasonal both clothing and colour wise. Capes, billowing skirts, and amazing mustard peter pan blouses, all layered around an enormous draping navy cardigan that prove even someone 7 months pregnant can look amazing, and that they too deserve a date night! Duh!

Note: I am not a ‘Polanski apologist’ however I do believe that people who do bad things are still capable of making interesting work.

A few days ago I went to see Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (Part 1) and I fell in love with the Potter world all over again. While Deathly Hallows was my least favourite book (Half-Blood Prince forever!!) the film managed to whittle out some of the more boring parts, though not all. I mean how many times can I see Harry and Hermione in a fucking tent? Seriously J.K, skip to the end.

That aside there were enough thrills and spills to keep me going through an incredibly long film, with no-one but my popcorn for company. Firstly Nick fucking Moran was in it! What the hell was that about? Shouldn’t he be making some kind of gritty British urban thing where he gets to say “Come on mayt-ah!” a dozen or so times? Either way I was pleased to see him, even if I did have to google his character on my phone, under my coat so that the people behind me didn’t complain. Also Rhys Ifans as Luna Lovegood’s dad! I think is the first thing I’ve seen him act in rather than bumble about talking in a Welsh accent so that was nice.

Speaking of Luna, I love her. I love love love her. In the books she was my favourite character (aside from Ron) and in the films Evanna Lynch is utterly perfect bringing to life the adorable dippiness of Luna without making her irritating. Every second she’s on screen you can see how bloody chuffed she is to be out there acting in a Harry Potter film, rather than just reading the books at home, and the Nylon interview I read with her last month was beyond cute even if it did alert me to the fact that she has Michael Jackson’s eyes tattooed on her…. That aside how can you not love a girl who wrote to J.K Rowling when she was battling with anorexia, and who conquered it in order to star in the Harry Potter films?

Lynch herself has helped design items for Luna’s costume, and it was her excellent jumpsuit in Deathly Hallows that alerted me to the fact that she was such a style maven. And so I thought, who better to star in the latest make it a date? Luna has a fun, quirky, and unique sense of style, and I thought it seemed just right for a winter date.

You could wear this anywhere from walking through the park, through to a coffee date, or a trip to a gallery followed by lashings of cake! Don’t be afraid to mix up colours, textures, and patterns, and never worry about looking frumpy when it’s cold – some of my favourite warderobe items are wintery! There’s something so alluring about layer upon layer of fuzzy knits and shearling that makes you want to reach out and touch it, which is something that should totally be happening on your dates!

Although I’ve tried to keep if fairly under wraps I must admit my taste in films and music runs to the cheesy. There are few things that make me happier than watching Lover Come Back or The Girl Can’t Help It for the umpteenth time, and so it is with great joy I am sharing one of my favourite movies of all time with you: Gidget.

Not to be confused with the books, tv series, Taco Bell promoting dog, or Marilyn Manson bassist, Gidget is a summery, sunny story of diminutive girl surfer Frances aka Gidget and her love of surfing and surfer boy Moondoggie . I hope some of you are still reading after the word ‘Moondoggie’ because, honestly, this film is a real gem. The plot is pretty simple: tomboy Gidget goes to the beach with her bikini clad friends and becomes interested in surfing much to the chagrin of an all-male surfer gang; but the hi-jinks, appalingly bad special effects, and Sandra Dee’s effervescent performance elevate it above some of the contemporary more  braindead beach films.

For one Gidget is no eyelash batting jitterbug despite being played by the squarer than square Sandra Dee. She is a fearless teen stuck between the being a carefree child and a boy crazy adolescent, prim but feisty, innocent but smart, and most of all utterly adorable.

One of the refreshing things about this film is how there is no great ‘make-over scene’ and that Gidget’s character and look remain unchanged at the end of the film and yet she snags the boy! It’s almost unbelieveable to think that a character that is over and over again pointed out to be immature, dorky, and ‘too cute’ could be nevertheless be attractive and come out on top at the end of the film but that’s just what happens. Admittedly this film has a whole slew of cringe inducing moments including when Gidget’s mum tells her that a woman’s greatest job is to bring out the best in her man, as well as a fair deal of subtle slut shaming, but well, you get everything from a 1959 surf movie can you?

Flaws aside it was with Gidget’s one-pieces in mind that I decided to feature it in Make It a Date. Looking over her sometimes bizarre swimwear choices it made me realise that we neither need to wear a revealing bikini, nor a filmy sarong on the beach to look nice and that sometimes beachwear can be just that. Gidget’s flattering conservative swimsuits were generally paired with sandals and a simple hooded jacket thrown over the top, and feel like the perfect antidote to the leopard print super 70s retro glam that is being pushed upon swimwear buyers from all angles lately.

When out of the water Gidget stays true to her WASP roots and dresses in a feminine, if slightly saccarine manner. When I saw her repeatedly throw a chunky boxy cardigan over a pretty evening dress I am not ashamed to say I squealed with delight. It is something I do all the time and I’m glad to see that it looks as good as I thought it did, althought admittedly I’m no Sandra Dee.

Even if you don’t watch Gidget and I’m sure most of you won’t, I think the most important thing to take away from the film style-wise is that we are at our most attractive when we are being ourselves, even if that is a tantrum prone prissy surfer.

Ever since I was a teenager I’ve had what can only be described as a distasteful interest in the Nazis. Everything about their rule is utterly abhorrent and yet I can’t stop myself from devouring information about them. From feature length depressing documentaries to pulpy comic strips they hold my attention like almost nothing else. So it was with great glee that I rewatched Inglorious Basterds for the third time last week.

As gory, WW2 themed, semi-subtitled films go it is pretty fucking awesome. Sure there’s no subtext or romantic plotline but who the hell needs one when you’ve got the baseball bat toting Nazi killing ‘Bear Jew’ Eli Roth or stone cold super fox cinema owner turned, er, Nazi killer Mélanie Laurent? This said I read a blogger talking about how moved she was when she discovered the ‘deeper meaning’ behind it all which made me spend a good week trying to figure out what the hell that was: Nazis are bad? The Allied forces did bad shit too? Hitler was batshit crazy? Goebbels liked crap films? Don’t fuck with someone twice? If you’re anymore enlightened than I then please, pray tell.

In the midst of all this testosterone and gore there are two brilliant female characters: Bridget Von Hammersmark and Shosanna Dreyfus,played by Diane Kruger and Mélanie Laurent respectively. It’s almost impossible to tell you anything about their characters without giving away huge plot points which the film really thrives on, so for now let’s just look at how suave they are, and see how to make their looks into the perfect date outfit.

First up we have Shosanna Dreyfus: a young, secretly Jewish, cinema owner living in Paris towards the end of the war. Shosanna is headstrong and unwilling to play along with the Nazis, and her bold nature shows through in her clothes, as she eschews t the predominantely feminine look of the time and at times appears to be an errant extra from Oliver!

It is however the outfit she chooses for the climax of the film that we are going to focus on here, as honestly, it’s a darn sight more interesting than her day clothes. Keeping it simple in a red dress, clutch bag, and heels Shosanna fits perfectly in the crowd, and couldn’t be dressed better for what will turn out to be the last night of her life. The outfit, which you can see here in parts, was almost impossible to get a good, full picture of, but you can see a few better shots (including a shitty almost full length screencap) here and here. Being a young woman with little means at her disposal even while all dolled up Shosanna wears no jewellery and avoids trowelling the make-up on.

While the outfit above could easily veer into Coleen Rooney territory keeping it simple with the most basic of props and letting the dress speak for itself means that you look more screen siren than screaming harlot.

As for Frau Von Hammersmark, well, she is a lady of means. Means, style, wit, sophistication, and balls. Bridget is an actress and one who could charm the pants off anyone, me included. When we first meet her, in an underground bar in rural France she is decked out in what she probably thinks is casual, but in anyone else’s book is sharp as fucking razor. Also she speaks German so well it’s made me think about learning it as my 5th language, I know she’s a native, but seriously, I can dream can’t I?

Von Hammersmark’s look is perfect for a day date, an after work meet up, or the supposedly terrifying ‘dinner with the boyfriend’sfamily’ evening. An outfit that’s the ideal combination of prim and sexy yet suitably old fashioned enough to impress even the most dullard grandmother. Fuck it, I’m not even that into girls and I’d marry someone if they were wearing this. The key to the Von Hammersmark look is fit. Everything has to hug you just the right way with nary a pull or stretch: you don’t want to look like you’ve been poured into your clothes, more like they were moulded especially for you alone.

The eagle eyed among you may notice there is no black in this outfit, that’s because back in the 40s black was something reserved for evening wear and funerals, and frankly I agree. Black is such a harsh colour on almost every skin tone and is no more flattering than any other colour. Black does not match with everything, nor does it age well (the fading! Oh the fading!!), and there’s nothing duller than someone mindlessly in head to toe black doing it just because they think it looks chic. It makes you look like a teenage goth, but hey, if that’s the look you’re going for, rock on.

Anyway, I hope this scratch into the blood stained surface of Inglorious Basterds has inspired you to put your opinions of Quentin Tarantino on hold and watch it for the first, second, third, or fifteenth time. If the outfits don’t grab you then surely Brad Pitt, the spectacular gore, or the promise of a shoot-em-up explosion filled finale will.

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