Fragmentary Girl's Favourites
A few of my favourite things - Party Girl, clogs and more
I love seeing and reading about what people are currently obsessed with, it feels like a really nice way to get to know the writers you follow so I thought I would do my own favourites post whilst you wait for my next essay. It will be a little bit of everything I am loving; books, films, tv shows, music and fashion!
Starting with a book, Penguin released a new collection Penguin Archive with a lovely selection of red and white paperbacks of iconic writers' short stories. I bought two, Mary Shelley’s Transformation and Mary Gaitskill’s Secretary. My two favourite Marys!
I have loved Mary Gaitskill for years, her novel Veronica is one of my favourite books and her short story collections are now the only fiction I want to read. Secretary, of course, stood out as it did for many and the film adaptation with Maggie Gyllenhaal is one of my favourites of all time so it was nice to revisit this story and 3 others in the Penguin collection.
Gaitskill explores desire, pleasure, obsession and displacement. Her characters are so distinct, raw and very human. They are excellently written short stories that capture what goes on behind closed doors. I will always go back to her collections.
Party Girl, where have you been all my life? I watched this film for the first time about a month ago and have since watched it 2 more times. It’s incredible. I want to watch it all the time. I want more films like it. I am obsessed.
Party Girl follows Mary (played by Parker Posey), a certified party girl who finds herself broke and in debt with her godmother who gives her a job as a library clerk to pay it off. Here she finds a love for philosophy and the dewey decimal system, all whilst wearing some crazy archival designer clothes and crushing hard on a Lebanese street vendor. This film is for the unemployed girls in their early 20s who are still fabulous regardless. I felt incredibly seen by Mary’s story. Even though she is superficial and ridiculous, and has some questionable moments, she is a great archetype of a 20-something girl who is finding her place in the world.
Parker Posey is fabulous, the fashion is perfect, the music is brilliant and you will have a laugh watching it. Couldn’t recommend this enough.
I have been binging Desperate Housewives and I would be lying if I told you it wasn’t on right now whilst I write this, it’s on constantly. It has been a while since I have loved a TV Show so much that I can’t stop watching it, I think the last time was Sex and the City and that was a very long time ago.
I went into it thinking it would be proper trashy TV but I was quickly proven wrong. The characters are so well written; particularly Bree Van De Kamp, the story lines are absurd and gripping, even my boyfriend watched a couple of episodes and enjoyed it. I am on season 5 at the moment and Kyle MacLachlan has really stolen the show. I am also watching Twin Peaks (another current fave) so it’s quite funny transitioning between them as his characters are so different. Imagine if I was watching Sex and the City right now too, I’d have 3 Kyles!
This will be a show that I will probably watch over and over again.
Addison Rae has consumed my life. Her new album is so girly and fun, every song transports you into her world and it is summer everyday there.
It’s a bit of Britney Spears, a bit of Madonna and a bit of Lana Del Rey, which is a winning mix for me. Her lyrics are self-assured and full of love - self-love, familial love, true love, you name it. Her visuals are also wonderful, she is an incredible dancer and performer, she feels very distinct to the pop girls we have been seeing over the last 10 years.
My top 3 songs are Headphones On, Summer Forever and Diet Pepsi.
I can't wait to see her open for Lana Del Rey next week, I feel like the luckiest girl that I get to see both in one night!
For about 2 years I have become a heels wearer and my current favourite heels are heeled clogs. I bought a pair of pale green suede Swedish Hasbeens last year and got so much wear out of them in spring, and just the other day I bought another white leather pair with a sling back and a bow. They are surprisingly comfortable and the fact that I can do long walks in them with no pain has made them an absolute favourite.
I did have a disastrous time with my new pair yesterday, the glue holding the sole onto the wooden heel melted and fell off whilst I was walking up Oxford Street so I was stranded for a bit. I am going to take them to the cobblers because really the soles should be nailed on the shoes, Hasbeens have clearly been cutting costs… I am willing to forgive you though Hasbeens, please send me shoes!
That’s everything for this favourites post! I hope you enjoyed, would love to do this again. If you want to see more of me follow my instagrams @bellabluebloss for writing & life, and @shoesshoesiknow for my shoe archive.
See you next month with a new essay!
Love, Bella <3
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