Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
– In Flanders Fields, John McCrae
Happy Saturday, kittens! What a week this has been…the midterms, the après midterms, the long anticipated catapulting of Mr. Sessions from the ranks of the Trump cabinet–which is not an uniformly good thing, shockingly. Another mass shooting in the US, another flurry of Brexit shenanigans in the UK. It’s all quite a lot to take in and the news that Notorious RGB broke a rib literally caused me to clutch mine in fear.
We are commemorating the centennial of the Armistice in WWI tomorrow, which is a much bigger deal and more solemn occasion here in Europe than in the States; here the scars of the war are still present on the landscape. Britain has been filled with events, exhibitions, memorials, art, commentary, and remembrance services for a year in the lead up to this Remembrance Sunday, which have been deeply moving.
In other words, the world is filled with highminded thoughts and low brow dark humor, as always. And so, I’m bringing you a links post with a nice mix of important and decidedly lighthearted pickings from around the internet this past week to help you thrill with triumph at humanity, or steel yourself to contend against its darker impulses. Whichever you need this weekend.
Hot damn, this stuff makes me happy!
It’s absurd how expensive this dress is…and how much I’m drooling over it!
This piece at The Atlantic, about the economy of human attention, how we spend ours and how it gets hijacked, was an interesting read.
This story is everything I love: Tudor history, gore, historic items discovered in attics–it’s perfect.
Shock. Surprise. Whomever could have guessed. /sarcasm
This was quite an endeavor…and a recap….
One of my favorite up and coming artists gave a beautiful performance on SNL last week if you are so inclined.
We still have not forgotten the Blake Shelton fiasco, People, but this will do nicely to rectifying your shameful lapse.
That’s one hell of a mis-sent invite, trolls. But thanks!
Meditating on this piece this week.
Let me sing you the song of my people.
About that horrific mass shooting, you’d never guess that mental illness and sexism played a role, huh? Just kidding. Also, more horrifically, it transpires that among the survivors are individuals who also survived the Las Vegas mass shooting earlier this year.
We need to talk bout the overabundance of neutrals in the ethical fashion space. My kingdom for a jewel tone…
EVERYONE ELSE WRITING TWEETS AND HEADLINES CAN GO HOME.
Join me in fangirling over Gillian Flynn some more. Rage, complex femininity, difficult characters…this profile has everything. This is relevant mostly because Katarina and I had a fab conversation about authors adapting their work for the screen and we both talked about how much we liked her work in all its iterations.
This one made me laugh aloud. Brilliant!
Small Dog Syndrome 
Nice picks this week! LOVE that green dress and you must buy it. That’s an order. Will read the Atlantic piece later — but so true.
Since when is SIR Walter Raleigh not Sir?!!! Head in a bag, but of course.
And confidence really is the ability not to keep comparing our messy insides with others’ polished, gleaming outsides.
I am *tattooing* that last line somewhere on my body.
Were I not so fiscally responsible right now, I would absolutely have beg, borrowed or stolen that dress but there is no way in hell I can justify the price tag. But my god, isn’t it gorgeous?!
BUY IT. Seriously, missy, it is astounding….I have very rarely blown $$$$$$ on a garment, but sometimes you must. I spent (in 2011) $750 full price for my burgundy kitten heel slingback Manolos and wore them on my wedding day — and many times since.