Thursday, 9 April 2015

The Vintage Hunt



Any new addition to a wardrobe is cause for celebration, but for some the prospect of a non- new item can cause an even bigger shopping high. No one can adequately put their finger on what makes vintage or second-hand clothing so dang appealing but appealing it most definitely is. Perhaps it’s the desperate desire to have an out-there original piece or the triumphant feeling of the hunt as you grasp in your clutches the only item in the charity shop that isn’t four sizes too big. If the faint smell of grannies and moth balls isn't too overpowering for your taste or a recent trip into Topshop made you want to weep at the state of your expenses then maybe you too should try the pre-owned love hype! Before one goes into battle, however, there are a few important hints and tips any second-hand soldier should know.
Shot taken from a recent Lou Lou's Vintage Fare I attended in Swansea 
Know the difference between second-hand and vintage. Yes, there is a difference and yes, they are often confused for one another. To put it simply, second hand is pre-owned and no longer wanted, often cheap and cheerful, think charity shop and normal Ebay auctions; Vintage is from a specific era and so reflects it, also reflected in its price (££££££), often rare. If it’s genuine vintage you aspire to then try to keep to classic pieces such as a black 60’s shift dress or perhaps a timeless 50’s prom dress to keep the cost minimal. If second hand is more your cup of tea then the world is your oyster!
Plenty of places in Swansea cater for the second-hand and vintage inclined. Talking to some of my friend’s on the subject, Gemma says, “charity shops are the best because if you search for vintage online it’s usually just a copycat style and it’s so much more expensive”, she also personally recommends the British Heart Foundation. Also look out for pop-up vintage stalls that are becoming more and more popular.  Poppy also suggests, “Hobo’s, near Wetherspoon’s in town. It’s my favourite place in the city center, they do vintage esque-novelty things too and things for the home as well as clothes!” With a whole selection of vintage Levi denim jackets it’s certainly worth a visit.
Traipsing round charity shops can, however, have a horrible habit of being fruitless, with nothing to show from your efforts than blisters and a tension headache. That’s why your best second hand resource, and in life in general, is the internet. Imagine the scene – you walk into a Shop and see the most beautiful *insert your clothing of choice* ever but with a hefty price tag, is an infeasible dream. What do you do? Walk away? Abandon it? NEVER!! Try searching the realms of Ebay and other clothe selling platforms online. For instance the app industry has developed some amazing platforms for selling and buying clothes. Try Depop and Vinted, you can be amazed with what you could find! Someone else’s trash is another’s treasure. Wait long enough and SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE will be selling the item you wanted in your size, often at a starting bid of 99p. Trust me it’s worth the wait.


Now you’re equipped with a few hints and tips that should allow you to go into battle with the endless rails of rubbish to find that shining beacon of light, a.k.a something pretty and unique, that can’t be find on the high street. 

Sunday, 11 January 2015

Harry Potter and the Bible by Richard Abanes Review



Plot Description: Is the Harry Potter series a dangerous influence on children? Does its anti-Christian values make it an inappropriate influence?




When I uploaded a picture of this on my Instagram account I got a lot of messages along the line of, “oh my god, cooooool!!” “Where’d you get this from?!” “F4F?” and “Send me nudes”. The latter two are, admittedly were just Instagram spam, but the amount of interest of what is basically literacy theory surprised me. The appeal perhaps proves the first point Richard Abanes makes, Harry Potter is one of the most, if not THE most popular book series ever written, and if it has Harry’s name on it, people are likely to be interested. This is, however, where mine and Mr. Abanes occurring views end.

Abanes states the argument of the book clearly on the front cover:

Harry Potter: Harmless Fantasy or Dangerous Fascination?

How many of you will be staring at your computer screens perplexed at this question? Harry Potters just a nice story about an orphaned wizard, right?! There’s nothing harmful in the plot that makes J.K. Rowling’s series inappropriate to children, Christian or not? Well just to cut a long story short you’re right. I’ll briefly sum up the main points of Abanes argument:

  1.     Rowling’s representation of Magic is too close to the occult form of Magick denounces by the Bible, making it inappropriate of children.


Abanes states examples of how Rowling takes real figures and references of the occult world and intertwines them with her fictional world. Mythological, astrological, even the Arthurian legend and how they are used to gently and skillfully introduce the occult world in an appealing form to children. The occult, if you’re wondering is essentially ANY form of thinking or reasoning as to what or how we are here, that does not conform to Christian beliefs and the Bible. For example, the use of the feline in the series (Mrs Norris, Crookshanks, Professor McGonagall’s animagus) is used in clear reference to Wicca. And what we would think of as clever intertextuality of Harry’s books for class authored by Wicca figures and the reference to Nicholas Flamel is denounced as Rowling subtly trying to link the real to fiction to influence the reader.

      2) Ron, Hermione and Harry, in particular, portray behaviours and attitude             that make them dangerous heroes for young children.

*eye roll*

Sorry I couldn’t help it.

Abanes cites numerous examples of Harry and Ron sneaking out of their dorm, trespassing, lack of respect for adults, drinking, cursing and a general lack of Christian values. The faults to this argument are laughable.

·        As Rowling CONSTANTLY AND REPEATEDLY tells us: not all bad people are completely bad, and not all good people are completely good, this I believe is a very good lesson for children to learn. Harry, Ron and Hermione are Gryffindor’s. This means they are brave, courageous and loyal. However, they can also be pig-headed, stubborn and too fast to rush into things without thinking. If Rowling presented us with a 2 dimensional representation of a person with solely good values, not only would this be an inaccurate portrayal of human behavior, it would also be plain boring!

·        Harry Potter is a teenage boy. He’s going to be full of angst. He’s going to do things he’ll regret. If you try and deny that this will happen to your child and shield them from the world, that’ll blow up in your face. Big time.

·        Harry apparently shows bulling tendencies. For example, as Abanes cites, Harry and Ron’s attitude to Hermione and Neville in the Philosophers Stone.

“Hermione succumbs to peer pressure after overhearing Ron and Harry say she is disliked at the school. Hermione endears herself to them by telling a “downright lie” to a teacher in order to cover up for the boys… This morally troubling scene concludes with Hermione and the boys becoming friends” (p36)

This scene is in no way put into context. Harry and Ron on hearing there’s a “TRRRROLLLLLL!!!! TROOOLLLLL IN THE DUNGEON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” rush to try and warn Hermione as they are both extremely worried for her safety. Then on finding her in mortal danger save her life! If Hermione were to turn them into the teacher then she’d be a downright dislikable person. Perhaps, Rowling intention then, was to teach children a lesson about abandoning childhood self-centeredness in order to make friends. And as for Neville, yes Hermione curses him when he attempts to stand up to them leaving the dorm. Rowling however, more than makes up for this by making Neville the hero at the end of her book with Neville being the reason Gryffindor win the house cup, teaching children, that it is worth standing up to people.

                  3 )Due to the fact that Rowling places her fiction novel in the world of reality           (e.g. Kings Cross Station, locations in Surrey ect.) children will be unable           to distinguish what is fiction and what is reality.

If this is a genuine concern of parents then there’s no more hope for mankind. Let’s all just burn every fantasy and fiction book ever written. We wouldn’t want children thinking then short people are hobbits, would we?

 People really don’t give children enough credit, they’re capable of understanding and grasping maturer content that you’d think. Harry Potter is, after-all, a story about friendship and love; magic is a mere narrative backdrop. If children were to grow up with no fantasy, imagination or magic (see what I did there) it wouldn’t be much of a childhood at all.

I did, in a way enjoy this book. It made me slightly angry and annoyed, but being British I gain pleasure from this. I also enjoy reading literary theory, and Harry Potter being my favourite book series it was nice to read a critical theory on it. This is however, where my enjoyment ended. The examples cited were random at best and used only to fit his argument. The argument itself is EXTREMELY weak, and despite not being a Christian myself, I’m sure they too would find this reading hard going and disagreeable (Abanes himself uses multiple quotes from influential people in the Christian world who have only praise for Rowling’s series).

Of course make your own mind up whether you agree with the argument, after all what do I know? It’s interesting, none-the-less, to know other people’s opinions and thoughts. It’s like soup of the mind to read arguments that oppose our own!

Leave comment letting me know what you think!

Lots of Love,
Rhian
Xoxo

Richard Abanes, Harry Potter and the Bible: The Menace behind the Magick, Christian Publications, Inc, Horizon Books [2001]





Monday, 29 December 2014

Book bag Book bags



Want something fun and frivolous?! Look no further you little consumerist bookworm, you!! Look at these beautiful tote/book bags that are currently available at Waterstones!!  They’re £7-£10 each but if you want people that pass you in the street and know your reading preferences then look no further!!








I’ve so far collected 2,3 and 5 and they’re amazing for the overspill of stuff I have to lug to Uni each and every day. However, my desire for more is growing and the Wuthering Heights one is just a little bit too hard to resist. I also love the ‘future writer’ bag which for *ahem* a future, feature journalist, may hopefully act as inspiration!!

Have you managed to get a hold of them yet? Or have you seen them in store and, as me, been driven mad with lust!
Which one is your favourite?

 Lots of Love,

Rhian

xoxo

Sunday, 28 December 2014

Book Haul / Merry Christmas Part 2



 I have this boyfriend and sometimes if I kiss him real good and pat his head real nice he’ll do nice things such as go book shopping with me and sometimes independent second hand book searching for me if I’m particularly poor (what can I say, he’s a keeper).

But this isn’t an “I’ve got a boyfriend” boast post… oh no, it’s a “look at the beautiful books I’ve just acquired” boast post. So the other day I went to an old stately home, Attingham Park which is quite possibly a Jane Austin/ Downton Abbey     fandom paradise with lovely lovely old people willing to help and give talks and wish you a Merry Christmas at every turn. Also, because it was Christmas, there was ceiling high Christmas Trees in every room and frost covered grounds which were rampant with deer, which, if you use your imagination could totally be reindeer.




And to top it off the stables had been converted into a second hand book shop
Therefore, books were purchased and go as follows:



Stephen King – Carrie
I’ve wanted to read King for a while but had no idea where to start, so many google searches such as “which King book to read first” or “which King book voted best” were made but many of the posts suggested “the Dark Tower” series as the best of King. This might be the case but I doubt it’s a first time, light reading recommendation. So when I saw Carrie I thought that might be the a good place to find my footing. I’m a whole 26 pages in at the moment (I know, impressive *hair swish*) and have only good things to say. Do I really have time to become obsessed by another author? No, but I don’t think that’ll stop me.

Angela Carter – Angela Carter’s Book of Fairy Tales

I’ve read Carter before and I LOVE the way she takes well known stories, adds a few ‘f’ words, a feminist aganda and somehow manages to change your entire perceptive of the tale and storytelling. She’s magical and one of the most talented writers of the 20th century and I devour everything she put her clever little biro to. So when I saw this I nearly hit the floor and cried. Fairy Tales. Hard Back. Gorgeous Illustrations. A beloved author. Sale in Waterstones. The stars aligned and this angelic beauty became mine. The book is constructed of short folktales that take no longer than 15 minutes to read one which makes the reading light and extremely thought provoking. The tales have individual motives of intent on the reader; you’re meant to learn something. The select few I’ve read are also EXTREMELY dark (perhaps worrying if this was picked up as a last minute Christmas present for a niece/nephew and wasn’t properly examined) so aren’t for the light and frothy teen book reader out there.

J.R.R. Tolkien – The Silmarillion
I fucking love Lord of the Ring. I love it. I love the maps, I love the adventure, I love the race of beings and I love the mythology. I drink it up like nerd nectar. 

Shortly after watching this youtube video I became obsessed with trekking through the various lotr wiki pages to learn as much about the mythology and first age of middle earth and all the rest of it I could find. I have basically no idea what The Silmarillion is really about, from the blurb it sounds more like a narrative story more than an explanation of mythology but hey ho I’m up for anything. I’ve also been told that it is extremely complicated so have decided I’ll read it when I can dedicate an entire week to it. If this means I don’t get to read it till the summer so be it. 6 months is a mere blink in the life of an elf. I’m patient. I can wait*.  

David Eddings – Castle of Wizardry
So if you didn’t know David Eddings is one of the best fantasy authors out there (obviously excluding Mr T ((not from the A team I meant Tolkien)) ), and if you enjoy that genre I recommend whole-heartedly The Belgariad series. My boyfriend’s mum swears by them and I decided to give them a go after seeing the cool maps in the front and my weakness to peer pressure. I’m two books into the series but I try and stock up on them in second hand book shops because they’re not so easily attained, so I have them all now except the elusive fifth. It follows the story of a young lad called Garion who discovers that his simple life is actually anything but, his aunt is actually a highly powerful sorceress and the old tramp is one of the most important wizards in the world… and his grandfather. Don’tcha hate it when that happens. Garion along with his aunt and grandfather and a rag tag team of misfits *oh cliché* are attempting to bring down the evil god Torak before he regains his power by attaining the Orb. Sounds good, huh?
So what about you? Did you receive any good reads for Christmas?   Of course you did I’m sure you were spoilt rotten! ;)
Lots of Love,
Rhian
Xoxo

*REFERENCEEEE!!!!!!