darker than we remember; softer than we forgot.

collage by Rocco. PC- style.com; the pond moonlight by edward steichen.

The Valentino Spring 2010 ready to wear collection sends us spiraling backwards down a rabbit hole into the dankest swamp of dank. We tip toe across stepping stones, between the reeds, beneath a boisterous murder of crows. We reach our fingers toward the milky silver skies and grin. Here, in The Swamp of Childhood Fascination, reside all manner of silver and magical things. This fact may be easily forgotten, but childhood can be a terrifying place... only, in the best of all possible ways. This collection is all fairies and dryads and naiads and night. It's a narrative of Victorian little girls with huge dark eyes and the dreams they dream of fantastical things in their high away rooms with their pale-faced governess who hungers for her Rochester. This is how we see it, at least: a dream of light from out of dark. And oh god, the shoes. The shoes the shoes the shoes. Be still my madly beating heart, The Shoes.

What do they remind you of?

Which brings us to... if you have not seen Pan's Labyrinth... oh dear, darling, get thee to Netflix! This film is the absolute in fairy tales for grownups (but really, what fairy tales aren't for grownups?) It is gruesome and frightening and lovely and lush. And the musical composition... breathtaking. The lullaby theme is perhaps the most haunting strain of a melody ever written... ever. If you disagree, please, let us know what you find more heartbreaking than this. We'd love to hear it... secret inner goths that we are.



p.s. The Valentino shoes in the center bottom row also remind us of those giant black goldfish they have in fountains at a lot of shopping malls n' things... anybody else? No? :/