exploring the intersection of history and fantasy, dressing as escapism, and a round-up of vintage and secondhand treasures for the 2024 medieval revival
This post is crazy good. The inspo is perfection.I think about the middle ages often, mostly because my eyesight is so terrible that I would have wandered into the woods and died as a teen. I also think about it any time I take antibiotics 😬 definitely would have died from a bug bite in my twenties without them
Haha! A great reminder that everything can feel romantic through the right rose colored lens. I always think about how terrible it must have smelled-- the hygiene + street smell must have been *something*! Thank you for reading!
One of my go-to Halloween costumes is The Smiths' "Bigmouth Strikes Again"-esque Joan of Arc: chainmail-looking knit top, plastic sword, big boots, and a Walkman. Definitely not quite as ornate as Zendaya's Met Gala look (one of my all time favorites), but it still makes me feel quite powerful and cool. The renaissance revival as a whole fascinates me; it's one of the most interesting instances of trends repeating themselves in my opinion due to the political and social implications behind it.
Love your go-to Halloween look -- I feel as though we're going to see a lot of medieval themed halloween this year! I also completely agree that this revival is 100% a complex, intricate reflection on where the world is politically/socially/environmentally. I had so much more to say but could not seem to form my brain swirls into composed, interesting thoughts last week lol
Thank you so much! I took an art history class (during a very brief college attempt) that focused on Gothic architecture and it forever changed me -- it's absolutely wild to think humans made these otherworldly creations with their bare hands. I will see Sainte-Chapelle in my lifetime, I am determined!
I totally agree! It’s impossible to not be impacted by this kind of thing. I mean, just one look at a flying buttress and you realize how impressive humans can be!!
Sainte-Chapelle was one of my favorite life experiences!! The most magnificent jewel box of a building. I hope you can see it sometime soon too! 🥰
Love this! History and the clothes omg well picked! I will definitely take my velvet dress out as well as my prom dress that is totally medival inspired: green and gold. Had a chain necklace in triangle shape that was the perfect. /the swed Viking 🦊
Love this round-up and mini history lesson, Glenn, thank you!💕
I got into this look in the 90s when REN fairs and this whole vibe had a big revival. I had a dark green velvet dress that I wore to death. I still love this look!
Yes!! I really wanted to dive into the 90s revival of medieval and its relation to "whimsigoth" but that would have been a whole other 1,000+ words lol
Dark green velvet sounds like a dream -- might just have to hunt for some velvet at the thrift this week!
This post is crazy good. The inspo is perfection.I think about the middle ages often, mostly because my eyesight is so terrible that I would have wandered into the woods and died as a teen. I also think about it any time I take antibiotics 😬 definitely would have died from a bug bite in my twenties without them
Haha! A great reminder that everything can feel romantic through the right rose colored lens. I always think about how terrible it must have smelled-- the hygiene + street smell must have been *something*! Thank you for reading!
so often that I decided I might as well write an essay - I can’t wait to read this!
One of my go-to Halloween costumes is The Smiths' "Bigmouth Strikes Again"-esque Joan of Arc: chainmail-looking knit top, plastic sword, big boots, and a Walkman. Definitely not quite as ornate as Zendaya's Met Gala look (one of my all time favorites), but it still makes me feel quite powerful and cool. The renaissance revival as a whole fascinates me; it's one of the most interesting instances of trends repeating themselves in my opinion due to the political and social implications behind it.
As always, fabulously written!
Thank you for reading!
Love your go-to Halloween look -- I feel as though we're going to see a lot of medieval themed halloween this year! I also completely agree that this revival is 100% a complex, intricate reflection on where the world is politically/socially/environmentally. I had so much more to say but could not seem to form my brain swirls into composed, interesting thoughts last week lol
Wow, everything about your writing here is awesome! The moodboards too. Thank you for sharing!
I think about the Middle Ages almost daily since moving to France. My American brain still can’t comprehend the age of the architecture here!
Thank you so much! I took an art history class (during a very brief college attempt) that focused on Gothic architecture and it forever changed me -- it's absolutely wild to think humans made these otherworldly creations with their bare hands. I will see Sainte-Chapelle in my lifetime, I am determined!
I totally agree! It’s impossible to not be impacted by this kind of thing. I mean, just one look at a flying buttress and you realize how impressive humans can be!!
Sainte-Chapelle was one of my favorite life experiences!! The most magnificent jewel box of a building. I hope you can see it sometime soon too! 🥰
I was laughing so hard at the Grease story lol
Me too!!!
Swooning so hard!!! Thank you 😍
Thank you for reading!!
You had me at Drew in Ever After
The film *technically* takes place during the renaissance but I couldn't not include Drew, she was my fairytale blueprint as a kid!
This one is my favorite one yet! The history lesson was so well written and I’ll take one of everything from the moodboards!
Thank you, Megan!
Love this! History and the clothes omg well picked! I will definitely take my velvet dress out as well as my prom dress that is totally medival inspired: green and gold. Had a chain necklace in triangle shape that was the perfect. /the swed Viking 🦊
I love that! Gold and green is such a decadent color combination. Thank you for reading!
Absolute perfection, as always
😘😘😘
Love this round-up and mini history lesson, Glenn, thank you!💕
I got into this look in the 90s when REN fairs and this whole vibe had a big revival. I had a dark green velvet dress that I wore to death. I still love this look!
Yes!! I really wanted to dive into the 90s revival of medieval and its relation to "whimsigoth" but that would have been a whole other 1,000+ words lol
Dark green velvet sounds like a dream -- might just have to hunt for some velvet at the thrift this week!
Thank you, as always, for your support!
This is so well done!
Thank you for reading!
I knew this would be a BANGER post and it IS!!!!! Also submitting for substsck’s review medieval inspo in the form of Gerard Way of my chemical romance dressed as joan of arc in 2022: https://www.sopitas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/my-chemical-romance-corona-capital.jpeg