The Jane Austen Formula

I need to do another Austen review, but most of the other heroes only have two really viable options, and so I'm going to first, lay out the Austen Formula, and then in another entry I'll discuss the Villains (who's the best/worst, that sort of thing).

What's brilliant about Austen is that even though she follows, almost exactly, a basic and obvious formula, you still freak out about whether or not the heroine will end up with the hero. So, here it is.

There is a Heroine that is meant to be with an obvious Hero. Either the man she's loved for years, the newest man in her life that loves her, or the man she's known her whole life.

There is a decoy man who can be rather villainous and  for a time is a legitimate contender for the Heroine. He has or displays intentions towards the Heroine and either has had past affairs, or will have future affairs, or both. Sometimes he's not all together immoral. Whether or not the Heroine has actual designs on the decoy, or vice versa, he throws the Hero off his game.

There is in most cases another woman; a best friend's sister or a cousin, the new girl in town, the young girls in town, a secret fiance, Jane Fairfax and/or your best friend, or an impregnated former lover. Whether or not the Hero has actual designs on this other woman doesn't really matter. She still throws a wrench in the situation.

There are revelations that get the decoy out of the way. His past comes out, he runs away with your cousin, he's been engaged for months, etc.

There is a revelation that gets the other woman out of the way: We find out he doesn't love her, she suffers a massive brain injury, she's an awful person, she's his sister, she switches brothers.

There is a realization: Usually the Heroine/Hero learns the truth about the other woman/decoy and/or the Hero does something wonderful, and/or the Heroine realizes she loves the Hero, and/or the Hero grows a pair and mans up, and/or the Heroine and Hero just fall in love.

Usually there is a side relationship with sisters, in-laws, cousins, friends that serves as a lesson, or just creates hubbub in general to forward the plot.

Let's start with the most well known, then move on in no particular order other than Persuasion is my favorite and Sense and Sensibility is not my favorite and has the most variations to the formula.

Pride and Prejudice:
Heroine: Elizabeth Bennet
Hero: Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy-new guy in town, loves Elizabeth
Decoys: Mr. Wickham and Mr. Collins
Other Women: Anne de Bourgh and Caroline Bingley
Revelation: Wickham is a cad, he runs away with Lydia, and Elizabeth learns Darcy is the Bennet family's savior.
Realization: Elizabeth realizes she loves Mr. Darcy and that he's amazing. Mr. Darcy learns from Lady Catherine's visit to Elizabeth that he should hope again.
Side Story: Jane and Bingley (other woman is Georgiana Darcy, Bingley learns Darcy kept Jane from him, Bingley grows a pair).

Persuasion:
Heroine: Anne Elliot
Hero: Captain Frederick Wentworth-old love of 8 years
Decoy: Mr. Elliot, cousin
Other Women: Louisa and Henrietta Musgrove
Revelations: Louisa is engaged to Mr. Benwick, Henrietta is engaged to Charles Hayter, Mr. Elliot is a cad
Realization: Capt. Wentworth grows a pair and writes Anne the most amazing letter ever

Mansfield Park:
Heroine: Fanny Price
Hero: Edmund Bertram- cousin and love of her lifetime
Decoy: Mr. Crawford
Other Woman: Miss Crawford
Revelation: Mr. Crawford runs away with Maria, Miss Crawford is a terrible human being
Realization: Edmund, after a long while, realizes he's always loved Fanny.

Northanger Abbey:
Heroine: Catherine Morland
Hero: Henry Tilney- first guy she's met
Decoy: John Thorpe
Other Woman: Elinor Tilney (whom Catherine mistakes for Henry's date and not his sister, for about a minute)
Revelation: Catherine is not rich and is kicked out of Northanger.
Realization: Henry loves Catherine and doesn't care if she's poor.
Other story: Isabella leads on Catherine's brother and is seduced by Captain Tilney, Henry's brother.
***Northanger Abbey, as the first written, has the weakest formula.

Emma:
Heroine: Emma Woodhouse
Hero: Mr. George Knightley- neighbor and sort of brother-in-law
Decoys: Frank Churchill and Mr. Elton
Other Women: Jane Fairfax and Harriet Smith
Revelation: Frank is engaged to Jane. Harriet loves Mr. Knightley
Realization: Emma loves Mr. Knightley, Mr. Knightley grows a pair and tells Emma he's always loved her.
Other story: Harriet likes Mr. Martin, Mr. Elton, and Mr. Knightley. Mr. Elton likes Emma but eventually marries Miss Augusta Hawkins. Harriet marries Mr. Martin.

Sense and Sensibility:
Heroine: Elinor Dashwood
Hero: Edward Ferrars- new guy in town
Other Woman: Lucy Steele
Revelation: Edward will not inherit if he marries Lucy. Lucy switches brothers and marries Robert.
Realization: Less a realization, and more of Edward hadn't wanted to marry Lucy for a long time and so was free to propose to Elinor.
***There is no decoy in Elinor's case.

Heroine: Marianne Dashwood
Hero: Colonel Christopher Brandon- loves Marianne at first sight
Decoy: John Willoughby
Other Women: Brandon's goddaughter and Miss Sophia Grey
Revelations: Willoughby has impregnated Brandon's goddaughter and has married Miss Grey for her money.
Realization: Marianne slowly falls in love with Brandon, realizing he's a good guy.

With more than one heroine, and the decoy getting so close to being the hero in Marianne's case, Sense and Sensibility is the most complicated of the formulas, but still adheres to it. In it there is no decoy for Elinor, and no other woman for Colonel Brandon.


So there it is. Like I said, expect an entry comparing the faults and virtues (if any) of the decoy men. 

Opening Night Dress 2013: Inspiration and Sketch

 Ah! Where to begin? I guess with the fact that I LOVE dressing up. I've been realizing more and more recently that getting all spiffy is a hobby of mine and I YEARN for occasions to do so. I'm really thinking more and more that I need to marry a man with a career that mandates fancy parties, so politician, philanthropist, actor/director/producer.

The fanciest party I get to attend in the near future will be the USF summer opening night party. Last year I made a dress, then found a vintage beaut and wore that instead. This year I have the intense pleasure of having Jack C. Schmitz as my 24/7 style consultant. I decided on full length this year and Jack suggested late 1930s surrealism as a jumping board. I really have a 40s/30s body, so that's why we're sticking around this era. The silhouette is also not SO formal that it'll be inappropriate for said party. These decisions led to many facebook convos exchanging Pinterest links that eventually got me to this beautiful 1931-32 Schiaparelli from the Philadelphia Museum of Art:

I was attracted to the draped skirt and lost my mind when I read that the train IS the drape. This is perfect bc if I ever have a more formal occasion you better believe that train's coming down! And wouldn't you know? I have 12 yds of a beautiful medium weight knit from Michael Levines in a deep and rich teal. Not the most summery of colors, but I love it and it makes my eyes pop.

So, that's the skirt. Obviously with my modesty standards the top needed to be different. Jack Jack and I started discussing color blocking and I eventually settled on nude on top in some way, then found this Jenny Packham dress on my bridal board:

Super simple, neckline pleats and set in sleeves with sheer and beaded shoulders and sleeves. Mine will be in nude with bugle and seed beads. I'll look for a belt and/or trim in NYC when I go, or I can make one. The train can hook under the belt, or if I line the top (as yet undecided) I can hook it under the waist like the original.

color rendering to come

This is going to take a lot of work, but it won't be all that hard necessarily. I've never done an evening gown in knit. I've been researching online and reading my books and picking Jack's brain (who is currently KILLING it at Parsons Meares in NYC). There will be a mock up and the beading will be done on a hoop before the pieces are actually cut. Like I said, it's going to be a lot of work and is going to take awhile. Add the fact that I don't have access to dress forms or drafting tables. This is going to be an adventure!

Below is a quick sample I did with some silver bugle beads I have. The collar I got from Seoul has silver bugle and champagne seed beads, I want to do something along those lines for when/if I decide to wear my collar with the dress. The back is beaded as you might tell from the sketch. I want the nude to look like shimmering skin. Cross your fingers! I'm anticipating at least 3 leisurely weeks of just beading.

And what height of shoe should I wear with it? I have 4" nude pumps, but to be honest heels that tall at a party where everyone stands makes it pretty awkward to talk to anyone but Jack (when he stands up straight). 3" heels only make me 6'2". I wear heels bc they make my legs and butt look fantastic, but the legs are taken out of the equation in a full length skirt. Decisions decisions!

I can't tell you how great it is to have a project to think about. I want to make at least a couple more items for my NYC trip and other USF events, so it's good that I have 6 1/2 months for this. Hoping I can get it all done except for hems by the time I get back to Cedar. Then Jack can help me :).


Also, I got hired by David's Bridal as a part time sales associate! I start training next week, so I better get some work done this week! I'm excited to have something to do and to be making money and to be in the bridal business as I hope one day to have a custom LDS standards boutique. 

Project: Opening Night Dress 2013

This was a sneak peak I put up on Facebook. It's the makings of my opening night dress for the 2013 season at USF (no matter what my contract MUST run through opening). You can also include more champagne beading in the supplies list. The collar will be optional, and there is 12 yds of the teal....(yes, it is teal, not blue). This is all I'm going to show for now, but there it is. I've got seven months and in case you were wondering it's going to be 100% LDS approved bc by then it'll have to be :D. All the modest!!! Excited?! I am!

favorite picture: rainy day in Seoul

My last full day in Seoul we went to the holiday palace and it was raining and freezing, BUT the colors of the autumn leaves were spectacular. This is one little leaf that came along for the ride. I loff him.

vlog: Birthday!

I made you a birfday video. It's not a song or a poem, just me talking. What more could you ask for?
***When I say "What happened when I was 24" I mean "24th year".
P.S. I also went to my first Husker game this year. 

Flamenco

I saw Riverdance when I was 14 and sure, the step dancers were amazing, but the flamenco dancer mid show was sex on stage. She was phenomenal. She wore red and she moved oh so slowly.

Antonio Gades

My first show I designed was Blood Wedding by Fredrico Garcia Lorca. Our directors, one a choreographer, had wanted to produce this piece for years and focused on Spanish flamenco movements to inform the play. I watched a lot of flamenco for research, Antonio Gades specifically. This man, woof. I don't go for skinny boys, but woof. I watched his Blood Wedding and Carmen, both flamenco "ballets" with the story as rehearsal and performance.  El Amor Brujo is more of a traditional production in that there is no rehearsal as performance.

Gades' partner in these three, and in many of his YouTube videos, is Cristina Hoyos. This woman, while not classically beautiful, is the sex. She performed at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic opening ceremonies. These two together are ridiculous.

Things that are great about flamenco:
-The hands: SO deliberate and fluid

-The feet: I don't know how they make all the noise they do with what looks likes so little movement

-The faces: SO intense!

-The music: Spanish flamenco singing is haunting and raw

-The clapping: major part of flamenco, so great

-The pants: so high waisted 

-The dresses: I've said it before and I'll say it again, female dancers, and performers, get extra points for working their costumes. It's a big job.

-The men: so so skinny

-the women: so so curvy

Case in point about the pants and the dresses. She WORKS that dress:

And then there's Carmen Amaya. THE dancer of her generation. This clip has her in pants and a dress. Skip to 7:35 if you must. She might be in pants, but she works that hair.

Funeral Potatoes

This post is dedicated to all the men who fell hopelessly in love with me and/or my potatoes this Summer at USF.


FUNERAL POTATOES

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 tsp salt
1 tbs onion
1/4 c butter, melted
1 c sour cream
1/4 c milk
1/2 c shredded cheese
6-12 potatoes boiled and grated.

9x13 pan topped with more cheese. Bake at 325 until warm in.