I’ve been rather inspired by the way other women in this Substack sphere create outfits and I so wish I had discovered a lot of these sources for clothing when I was pregnant. Namely shopping second-hand or vintage pieces and not necessarily influenced by the latest fads and trends, plus saving a lot of money in the long run I’m sure, would have made getting dressed more fun, instead of resorting to the same 3 dresses over and over again. One silly regret of mind is that I never did get to wear the low cut jeans and tiny tee to show off my belly bump, I wasn’t brave enough!
Through these various fashion-focused Substacks, I started venturing into second hand fashion marketplaces like Depop, Poshmark, Ebay, Etsy, TheRealReal and my favorite Noihsaf Bazaar (Fashion backwards.)
Last week felt like a blur of constant scrolling, looking for nothing in particular (mostly a new wardrobe to fit my postpartum body) when I was reminded of a design blog I used to look at during my spare time at work.
The blog was called Design Sponge (the site itself no longer exists but the archives can now be accessed at the Library of Congress, which I think is pretty cool.) If I remember correctly it was all about interior design and decorating and there was a series called Living In. The premise was to choose objects (clothing, furniture, decorative pieces) related to a specific movie as if you were “living in” that movie and curating your world into theirs.
I absolutely adored Living In and was so excited when one of my favorite movies would get featured, like Amelie, Moonrise Kingdom, or You’ve Got Mail.
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Since Living In has been discontinued, sadly!, I decided to try my hand at my own inspired version and am calling it, Viviendo en.
(Living In, in Spanish… in case there’s a copyright? lol).
The first movie in this installment?
Viviendo en Amélie
I’m not sure if it’s because I’m an only child, but I’ve always been a daydreamer. Oh how I wish dinosaurs were real (when I first watched Jurassic Park as a little girl) or chocolate rivers really existed like in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Living in fantasy is probably why I was drawn to the character of Amélie and why it quickly became one of my favorite films.
I felt so seen by Amélie, maybe it was her perceived naïveté in engaging with those around her, in seeking adventure, beauty and connection.
One of my favorite scenes is the quick tour she gives to a blind man, in her quest to help mankind, she guides him across the street and tells him about the marvels of daily life that so many of us may take for granted: lollipops in the bakery window, the price of ham and spareribs, the florist’s eyes (basically the vibrancy of life!)
She leaves him at the metro and as he’s standing there taking in everything he’s just experienced, a radiant and golden glow envelopes him.
Amélie is not just about romantic love, but also about all the multitude of feelings we can experience not just in our lifetime but sometimes all in one day: closure, lust, jealousy, wonder, loneliness, delight.
It’s about the ordinary, simple moments that bring us joy like skipping rocks, stepping into your cozy slippers after a long day, or eating raspberries one by one off your fingers.
I had so much fun searching for quirky decorative items that could transport you into the world of Amélie. I really love the idea of bringing a little whimsy and playfulness into our daily lives by trying to recreate moments or characters from our favorite movies.
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Comiendo en Amélie
At the end of the movie, Amélie bakes her famous plum cake, or kouign amann. I’ve never made it but I’ve had my fair share from our local bakery and I love them! I also really appreciated this review:
“It tastes bread-like with a caramel crust that reminds me of creme brulee. It’s simple. Reminiscent of the best coffee cake you ever could imagine. It tastes very very French. I can see how this would make a beautiful French girl very popular.”
Hopefully, I can get back to baking and make it one day! Maybe i’ll watch Amélie after ♡^▽^♡
If you haven’t seen the movie yet, I encourage you to watch it!
And if you have, what is your Amélie-style list of your favorite things in life?
I enjoyed reading this so much, Joscelyne! What an amazing concept and I adore the Viviendo and Comiendo en Amelie curations you’ve pulled together. It’s been years since I watched Amelie but it’s right up there among my list of fave films. For some reason the scene in the photo booth keeps coming to me. I’ll need to rewatch it again soon – thank you for the inspiration, and I'm looking forward to more Viviendo y Comiendo en...! :)
This concept is so cute and made my heart sparkle!! I’ve never seen Amelie but I think I have to watch it now! ☺️