Anna Karenina

I just watched the latest Anna Karenina movie.  I  really was in a mood for a beautiful  romantic version of this beloved book. I cannot say my wish was fulfilled. It is an original adaptation  with ballet scenes and theater settings as to indicate that life is a show where we have fixed roles that we cannot change. I couldn’t find anywhere Tolstoi ‘s atmosphere of deep dramatic Russia. The casting was disappointing as well.  While many film critics praised Kyra Knightley’s interpretation, I found her far away from the 19^th century Russian aristocrat, more like a flirty young contemporary woman and some times even vulgar. Vronsky, her lover played by Aaron Taylor-Johnston looks like a good for nothing, superficial lad. How could she fall in love with him is miracle.  Jude Law is Anna’s cuckold husband, but his role was much expanded and his character much humanized and deviated from the original. Still, he is the best actor in the movie and the title should have been “Mr Karenin”.

I hope I will like more the forthcoming Great Gatsby.

The picture in the lookbook is of Vivien Leigh in a much better version of Anna Karenina.

Other actresses who played Anna Karenina:

Vivien Leigh, 1948

Greta Garbo, 1927, 1935

Jacqueline Bisset, 1985

Keira Knightley, 2012

Tatiana Samoilovna, 1974

Sophie Marceau, 1997

White leopard and Spring

I had a pause in blogging. It is true, I was very busy with my work  but still, not that busy.  I wanted to write something about the passing away of Margaret Thatcher but I didn’t feel doing so after posting about Maya Angelou.  They are different characters, both strong women but at different extremes.

What is important is that Spring is eventually coming here and I shed away furs and woolen coats. Today I was wearing my white leopard coat bought from Asos for a song.  First I saw it on the delicious blog Le monde de Tokyobanhbao. And then, lucky me, I found out it was still available.  

27 March

Quiet day at the office and appropriate outfit.

27 March par norafab utilisant jupes longueur cheville

Golden dream

Friday night and I am going out. I like to mix silver and gold, silk and fur. It makes me feel like a princess.

Ingrid

I just finished the memoirs of Ingrid Betencourt, a Columbian woman who spent six years in the jungle as a prisoner of rebels. She survived and she tried several times to escape until eventually she was liberated by government people through ruse. It is very impressive how a woman could have survived so long in such conditions. A very strong woman.

A la manière de: Tamara de Lempicka

I still like the paintings of Tamara de Lempicka although I read a lot of criticism, naming her painting as too bended to then society's taste. She painted mainly women during the roaring 20s and 30s . A contemporary publication said "  that de Łempicka's "models are modern women. They know neither hypocrisy nor shame of the bourgeois morality. They are tanned from the sun and wind, and their bodies are lithe as those of the Amazons". She achieved success in both Paris and Holywood and when her fame fades she moved to Mexico where she died in 1980.

The colours, especially the blue as well as the clothes in her paintings are still an inspiration.

St Patrick's Day

I  celebrate St Patrick's Day remembering the day I first arrived in New York long time ago. I was never attracted to the Americas or New York and I was tired after the long journey. The first thing I saw arriving at the hotel - it was Hotel Roosevelt in Manhattan - were some drunk people. Today is St Patrick's Day, the day of Irish people I was told. It was dark and I was a little scared. I thought I didn't like New York. This however changed  the next day.

Un-saintly outfits

For this post I was inspired by Sacramento's (always) inspiring blog. When looking for devil or skull-related images I found another interesting blog called T-shirts et satanisme. This is one of the pleasures of blogging - finding out how much imagination people have!

 

BB

Brigitte Bardot threatens to migrate to Russia too if two elephants are euthanized in a French zoo.

I liked her style, her rebellious self, that she retired when she decided so and her fight for the protection of the animals. She was never interested in the Haute Couture, but only in whatever she liked and fitted her.

I dislike some of her recent political positions.

Casablanca

I love this movie and I am not the only one. I met once a man, an American who knew all the dialogues by heart and was ready to recite them to me ( I declined politely). I will put on my 2013 wish list the fedora and a brown tailleur.

Copy Cat

I got inspired by  Chic on the Cheap lovely outfit and I immediately wanted something romantic. I have a similar vest but I preferred a black version of her beige sheer.

Copy Cat par norafab utilisant jupes courtes

26 November 2012

My passion for prints, animal impressions and brownish hues was present in my today's outfit. I mixed in some grey however. Brown and grey do not seem fitted but somehow they looked great together.

Red velvet and pink wool

Warm colours to keep me warm in this chilly weather.

red velvet and pink wool par norafab utilisant sacs fourre-tout en cuir

La dame à la licorne

I always liked this tapestry, one of the series named The Lady with the Unicorn, made in the late fifteen century in Flanders. It is now in a museum in France.  The real meaning is still unknown but it has been interpreted as representing love or understanding.The colours, the mille fleurs (thousand flowers) pattern are so inspirational.

Monochromatic

Despite the gorgeous day and rather high temperature for the season, I stick to fall colours of brown and gold hues.

Monochromatic by norafab featuring a leather vest

travel garb

I am travelling to a sunnier place. I wear a neutral, comfortable outfit and look forward to some relaxing time.

travel garb par norafab utilisant hauts à manches longues

A wine issue

In my country we call this colour "bordeaux", while else it is called "burgundy". Both are also delicious French wines. Whatever. This is what I wore today, with my faux fur vest.

25 October

Last summer in Thailand I found in a shop a pair of large and silky pants, extremely comfortable and so cheap that I bought four pairs, in different colours. Today I paired one of them  with a leopard top and a Jones New York thrifted blazer. My red tote provided the needed variation of colour.  I am ready for Fall!

25 October par dofab utilisant collier avec chaîne en or

Romantic Trench-coat

Time has come to wear again a trench-coat. I found quite a collection on Polyvore, below. Trenchcoats have something romantic, that reminds me of the movie Casablanca. Rain, fog, and Humphrey Bogart wearing a trench-coat. Here’s looking at you, kid!

19 September

Chilly and sunny day. It was a pleasure to go for a stroll wearing a warmer outfit and enjoy the fresh air of the early fall.

19 September par dofab utilisant chemises manches 3/4