#antique high jewelry tiara | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ladyreapermc · 4 years

Text

Fic: Sympathy for the Devil (John Wick x Reader) 2/4

Summary: Your best friend is getting married and you’re very excited until you find out that your ex is coming to the wedding. After a night of too much drinking and without a date for the big day, you summon a demon to make a deal.

Part 1

Author’s notes: I was gonna wait until Wednesday to post this, but you know what? F*ck it! Let’s be chaotic! Have some more demon!John my good people! I was pleasantely surprised at how many of you responded to this. Thank you for being as interested as Demon!John as my crazy brain and @toomanystoriessolittletime (but she doesn’t really count because we already established we share the same brain! lol Kidding! I love you). So here’s chapter 2 and a brandnew cover! Thank you @themanthemyth-thelegend for lending me your photoshop skills to add the title. Love you lots!

Wordcount: 3470

Warnings: once again mentions of alcohol and nausea and hangovers (but no one throws up, I promise!)

It took you a moment to finally open your eyes after the kiss. You didn’t think anything could feel that good and that might have been the best kiss you had in a long time. Maybe in your entire life. You were almost disappointed that John had broken away because it made you feel a strange sort of loss.

When your mind finally stopped racing enough for you to pay attention to your surroundings again, you noticed John was nowhere to be found and there was no trace of him. No sign he had even been there in the first place. Maybe your inebriated and horny brain did conjure him up after all. Shaking your head, you returned home, setting the jewelry box on your bedside table and crawling under the covers. As you closed your eyes, you were convinced the entire thing had been a weird dream.

The next morning your head was pounding, your stomach churned with every movement and your mouth tasted like something had died inside. You stumbled blindingly into your bathroom, fighting off nausea. The shower made you feel a little more human and awake. The fresh pot of coffee, the stack of pancakes and a bottle of aspirin waiting for you when you got to the kitchen finished off the job.

“Didn’t hear you come in last night,” your mother commented while you shoveled pancake goodness into your mouth.

“Went drinking with the girls,” you replied around a mouth full and your mother grimaced in disgust, making you roll your eyes. It wasn’t like you were doing that in public. It was just you and her, but she always made a big deal about your manners. It wasn’t as bad as in your pageant girl days, but it was still annoying.

Back then your mother would control every aspect of your life and behavior, because being a pageant queen herself, she always dreamt of passing on her legacy to her daughter. You lost count of how many times she told you how she and her dad struggled to conceive for years and had pretty much given up hope when she found she was pregnant of you, their little miracle, and her dream had come true at least.

You kind of enjoyed at first, the whole pageant life. All the tiaras and pretty dresses were fun, but as you grew older, your interest shifted and you always felt like she never had forgiven you completely for not going forward with it, choosing college and police academy instead of state and national pageants.

“I ironed your dress for tonight and hung it in the laundry room,” she said conversationally bringing you back to the present and you winced, appetite gone.

“Thanks, mom,” you said pushing the plate away from you.

You had blissfully forgotten the entire wedding/rehearsal dinner and the fact that you’d be running into Ryan on both but here was your mom bringing it all back. It wasn’t really her fault. She didn’t know he was in town, much less the details of your breakup. All you told your parents was that you two were done. They didn’t ask for details too relieved that it was finally over.

After washing your plate and refilling your mug, you went back to your childhood room, planning on doing some work before it was time for dinner, but stopped at the sight of the jewelry box and book of shadows.

Part of you wanted to believe you didn’t go to the middle of the street like a lunatic to play summoning demons, but the cut on your finger was still there, so was the box. That did happen. Could John had been real? He couldn’t be, right? What was more plausible? That you summoned a demon from the pits of hell or that your hallucinated a gorgeous man due to too much alcohol?

You cleaned the box and put your necklace back on with snort before powering your laptop so you could write up some reports, being confronted with the low battery light. You dug through your bag, searching for your charger but apparently, you had left at home. This was so not your day.

“I’m heading into town,” you called out from the front door as you put on your shoes. “Anybody want anything?”

“Could stop by at Callum’s, see if the books I ordered arrived?” your father asked and you called a quick agreement before you stepped out into the sunny spring day.

You considered taking your car but decided that a walk would do you some good so you put your earbuds, blasting one of your playlists and after twenty minutes you were at the heart of town, waving at familiar faces as you made a beeline to the electronic store to buy yourself a new charger, before heading to the antique books dealer a couple of blocks down the road.

Callum’s bookstore was a little place that had been standing for as long as you could remember and it was one of your favorite places in your home town. As you stepped inside a small chime rang out, announcing your arrival. To your surprise, it wasn’t Callum that stepped out to meet you, but a young man who smiled brightly at you.

“Welcome to Callum’s books. How can I help you?”

“My father ordered some books,” you said, offering your last name and watching as the man – Clark according to his nametag – typed on a computer. Apparently, Callum was beginning to modernize his business.

“They’re in the back. I’ll pack them up for you,” Clark replied with another smile, before disappearing behind a door.

You wandered aimlessly, browsing the book spines, picking up random titles that caught your attention to flip through it. There was something magical about reading through words that someone else had read one day or even made notes. It was a unique story inside a story.

As you read through a dedicatory in one of the books you picked up, you felt the familiar prickling on the back of your neck, the strange, uncomfortable feeling of being watched that always made the hairs on the back of your neck to stand on its ends.

You breathed slowly left hand falling to your waist but coming up empty. You didn’t have your holster with you because you weren’t on duty. This wasn’t New York, this was your hometown a city where the worst kind of crime that had ever happened in the last ten years was someone vandalizing the high school principal’s car.

Setting the book back, you turned around, breath catching in your throat when you saw John there, leaning against one of the bookcases and watching you with his intense dark eyes.

“Hello, darling.”

Your mouth moved wordlessly for a couple of seconds as you tried to make your brain work through your shock. He was real? You didn’t hallucinate or dream him?

“No, you didn’t,” he said, lips drawing into a smirk as he took a step towards you. “We did indeed meet at the crossroads and make a deal.”

“Right,” you croaked, the memory of kissing him enough to make your knees weak.

Fortunately, you heard Clark calling your name and had an excuse to look away from John and focus on the friendly seller instead. As you reached for the pile of carefully wrapped books, John swiped in, picking them up for you.

“Why don’t I give you a hand, darling?” he said, not giving you a chance to answer, his gaze shifting to Clark. “Tell Callum I’ll meet him tomorrow to see the other book.”

Before you had a chance to protest, John had already stepped outside his long legs giving him an unfair advantage and you had no other choice but follow. He made his way to a gorgeous Mustang holding your books under his arm, as he opened the passenger door for you.

You stood there still too stunned to know what to do. Were you really about to get into the car of a strange man, possibly a demon? Before your mind could finish processing that thought, your legs had already moved you forward and you got in. John flashed you a smile as he handed your books before closing the door.

“You look like you could use a drink,” he teased, turning on the engine and you snorted. It was ten in the morning and you were still nursing a hangover but he was absolutely right.

“I’ll settle for some coffee,” you said instead and John nodded, driving the short distance to the same diner you had been at with your friends yesterday. The two of you even sat at the same booth nursing the burned coffee as you just stared at each other, the air heavy with tension.

“You have questions,” John said, finally breaking the silence. “Ask them.”

“You’re really a demon?” you blurted out and he chuckled, giving you a quick nod. “Prove it.”

“You want me to grown horns and a tail or something?” he asked with a smirk and you snorted. That would be quite funny and ridiculous. “It would.”

“And you can read my mind.” It was an assertion, but John still nodded. You wondered how that would feel, to listen to everyone’s thoughts.

“A little bit like listening to a radio that’s picking up interference,” he replied, startling you and he even looked surprised himself like he wasn't expecting to tell you. “I can hear yours much clearer. Other people, they’re usually just whispers, and I need to focus a little more.”

“So, I guess I have to be careful about what I think around you, huh?” you said with a smile, which John returned.

“Probably.”

And just because you could, you conjured up a mental picture of him with bright red horns sticking out of his dark hair. John nearly spat out of coffee, laughing and you chuckled too, relaxing.

The silence stretched between the two of you again, but strangely it wasn’t uncomfortable. John set your nerves on edge, but not in a bad way. It was more like eager expectation, the same you used to feel every Christmas morning before coming down the stairs to find your presents. He was a fascinating surprise you were anxious to unravel.

“What exactly happens with this deal?” you asked, drumming your fingers on the table, just to have something to do.

“You get what you want and I get what I want. Simple as that.”

“And what you want?” you met his gaze that seemed to electrify your body and steal your breath with its intensity.

“What you think I want, darling?” he asked, tracing the brim of his cup as he watched you and you swallowed hard, looking away.

“My soul?” You guessed and for the third time, Joh just nodded. It was refreshing to meet someone this honest. “But I didn’t give you that in the deal.”

“True. But there are other ways to get it. Just takes longer.”

“Is there a way to break the deal?” you asked.

“Do you want to?”

You thought about it and you should want it. You were sitting across a literal demon who just told you point-blank that he wanted your soul. You should want to stay as far away as possible end this before it even began but something was stopping you. A sort of morbid curiosity, the same one that pushed you to the crossroads last night. That part of you wanted to see how far John would go to have your soul and how far could you push back, challenge him.

“No,” you said finally and John smiled, it was almost wolfishly, predatorial and made you shudder.

“Then what time should I pick you up tonight?”

---

Eight on the dot John pulled up in front of her house, dressed in one of his best dark suits, his hair pushed back and away from his face. He surveyed the two stores Greek revival style construction, the picket white fence and perfectly manicured lawn. The embodiment of the American dream.

With a smile, John walked up the stone pathway to the front door and before he could even reach for the doorbell, it was pulled open and there she stood in a navy-blue dress falling just above her knees and a deep neckline that commanded his eyes to take a peek at her generous cleavage.

The dark color of the dress complimented her porcelain skin, just like the dark shade of red of her lipstick that kept pulling his eyes to her full lips and the way her hair was pulled up exposing her neck almost dared him to kiss it. She looked irresistible and John couldn’t help but want to wreck her, taint the pristine purity he could feel on her.

“You look beautiful, darling,” he said and she actually blushed, lowering her gaze, a shy smile across her lips.

“Thank you.”

She took the hand John offered her, letting him lead her to his car. He could feel her hesitation, doubt filling her mind again, along with concern for her friends at the thought of bringing a demon to the rehearsal dinner.

“You have nothing to worry about, darling,” John reassured. “I’m bound to you until our deal is completed. I will not harm you or anyone you care about. I have no reason to do so. Not unless they threaten me.” John could tell she was inclined to believe him, but there was still a hint of uncertainty. “Rest assured that I will never lie or deceive you. Not when the truth can get me everything I need.”

She met his eyes, holding his gaze for a moment, searching for the truth in them. John knew she was very apt at spotting lies if due to her training or natural talent, he had yet to discover, but John was very happy that he was being completely honest with her. Apparently satisfied with what she saw in his gaze, she nodded and got into the car.

It was a short drive to the Italian restaurant the rehearsal dinner was being held and when John handed his keys to the valet, he also included a healthy tip. It was much easier to assure the safety of his car by being generous than being threatening.

He offered his arm, noticing how small her hand looked tucked by his elbow as he guided the way to the entrance. As they stepped closer to the door, John was flooded with her anxiety, the fear of running into her ex and his new girlfriend and uncertainty about her looks. It was overwhelming and unsettling and John was getting nauseous himself, so he entwined their fingers together and squeezed lightly. She looked over at him almost surprised as John offered his reassurance.

“Everything will be fine,” he said against her ear, making sure his lips grazed her skin just to see her shiver and gasp. Once again he was overtaken by her scent, making him unsteady with want. He pulled away, noticing the way her eyes were a little glazed too. It was good to know that he wasn’t the only one affected.

They quickly located their table, sitting side by side and John ordered her some sparkling wine to settle her nerves and bourbon for himself.

As the night progressed and conversation flowed, John could tell she had relaxed considerably as she talked and laughed with her friends. He piped in every now and then, but his focus was mainly on her, making sure she was enjoying herself, that her glass was always full, but alternating with water so the wouldn’t get sick.

He kept an arm around her shoulders, fingers either playing with the loose strands of hair on her nape or with the delicate chain of her necklace as he sipped his own drink. John didn’t quite understand his need to have a constant point of physical contact with her but didn’t question it and she didn’t seem to mind. As a matter of fact, whenever he pulled his hand away for any reason, she searched for it, leaning against his touch like a cat starved for affection.

When she stood up to make her toast, John tried to ignore the loss, focusing instead on scanning the rest of the guests. He had noticed a blonde man staring at her all night and wondered if that was the ex-boyfriend. Regardless, John made sure she remained oblivious to him and he didn’t dare to come closer.

From the corner of his eye, he saw her hugging the bride after her speech, the two of them exchange quiet words. A rush of pleasure shot through his body as she lied about him to her best friend. It was small, but it was a sin and her guilt tasted like rich coffee in his tongue, bitter but delicious. He grinned into his bourbon, glancing to where he saw her, but finding the spot empty.

As John looked around for her a sudden ache in his chest chased away any enjoyment that came from tainting her soul, confusing him because he never felt bad about corrupting anyone before. Then again, he never really met anyone like her before.

He took a moment to tune into her thoughts, listening to how she chided herself for lying to her friend and for being smitten by John. He almost smiled because she was a very intelligent woman. She could tell John was manipulating her, using his ability to be privy to her thoughts and feelings to give her everything she wanted, but she still couldn’t fight her attraction any more than he could fight his.

There was a moment of silence and then John was overcome by panic. It squeezed his gut and made him stood up in an instant, ignoring the strange looks he was receiving. She was terrified and the need to find her grew impossible to ignore or fight against. John let their bound guide him, finding her cornered by the blonde man just outside the restroom. Apparently, he was indeed the ex.

She looked like a deer caught in headlights and it brought forth a savage urge in John to ripping this man to shreds. He could actually feel the thrum of power barely contained under his skin and knew that if he looked into a mirror right now he would find his eyes were pitch black.

John pushed down at his impulses, a little shocked at his lack of control and protectiveness towards her. He never cared about the ones he made deals before. They were just meat sacks carrying around the prize he wanted. Not her though. She was different to him and he didn’t know why.

“There’s something you need to know about our breakup.” John heard the man said just as he moved closer to them, making the other man shut up.

“There you are, darling,” John said catching her gaze and her relief was obvious.

He moved towards her with sure steps, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close to his body, giving into the possessiveness he seemed to be feeling for her. He was rewarded by the feel of her tense muscles relaxing in his embrace as she hugged him back, her thumb hooking on the belt loops of his trousers.

Once he felt she was safe and protected, John shifted his attention to the ex-boyfriend. Examining the other man and enjoying way too much the terrified look in his face as he confronted the darkness of John’s eyes.

“Hello. I don’t think we’ve met,” he said offering Ryan a hand. “John.”

“Ryan,” the blonde said, his voice cracking slightly, and John smiled. Spineless asshole, not worthy of his time. He shifted his gaze to her, dismissing Ryan.

“Are you ready to go? It’s getting quite late.” She nodded quickly, letting John guide her away from Ryan, her relief growing at each step they took.

“Thank you. How did you know?”

“We’re bounded, my darling. I will always know when you need me,” he said caressing her arm soothingly and pressing a quick kiss to her temple. The action surprised both of them. John didn’t mean to be this gentle and he realized she wasn’t the only one getting too involved.

He waited while she said her goodbyes to the bride and groom, another lie slipping easily through her lips. The rush of sin wasn’t as big, neither was her guilt. Once she was ready, John led her outside where his car was already waiting. This time, she didn’t hesitate on getting in the car, as a matter of fact, as John took the driver’s seat, all he could feel coming for her was comfort and relief.

tbc

Permanent Taglist (give me a shout if you want to added or removed)

@poisonedjoinery @ringa-starr @curly-minnie @i-cant-remember-my-old-login @caryled @beyond-antares @kathorax @krazycags01 @meetmeinthematinee @red-pill-blue-pill @baphometwolf666 @soarocks @imagine-the-fanfics @moonlit-raven-haven @cumberbatchbaps @coolbreezeinkeanureeves @kindainlovewithkeanu @sgt-morgan @hisdeadwife @generalgoldfishldrm @thesadvampire @a-really-bi-girl @solariumss @sagekeanu @fanficsrusz @ehggowo @nonsensicalobsessions @howtoruin-someones-perfect-day @flaaff @sanctuarygirl @mikaneonox @futuristic-imbecile

#john wick #john wick fanfic #john wick imagine #john wick x reader #john wick x you #demon!john wick #fanfic #series #alternative universe #sympathy for the devil

191 notes · View notes

afterdeaths · 3 years

Text

CHARACTER AESTHETICS.

XANDER

WARDROBE: leather jacket, suits, dress pants, boots, antique band shirts, plain colored tops, thick belt, wristwatch, sweatpants, no shirt, athletic gear, sunglasses, punk. APPEARANCE: tired, dark brown eyes, dark brown/black hair, not necessarily pale but not tan, always bruised and cut, stubble/beard, athletic build, thin, sharp edges, buff, many tattoos.

ZAHIRITH

WARDROBE: fishnets, big boots, heels, barefoot, shorts, leather, thin and torn up shirts, lingerie as clothing, no skirts or dresses, heavy duty belts to hold knives and daggers, gloves, jewelry, indistinct gendered clothing. APPEARANCE: painted lips (red/black), pale skin, short white hair, nearly white but mostly grey eyes, nearly pear shaped, simple tattoos, short, covered in scars, sharp features, wiry build.

MATTHEW

WARDROBE: loose clothing, lounge wear, scarves, mens fashion, 50′s style, high waist pants, slippers for shoes, loafers, sometimes a leather jacket and some jeans, usually clothing that looks almost like pajamas or something one would see on a runway. APPEARANCE: pale, ashy skin, appears sickly, dirty blond hair, blue eyes, angular features, too thin, frail, a few tattoos, average height.

LILLIAN

WARDROBE: tights, pastel dresses, skirts ballet slippers and point shoes, yellow, sweaters, blue lingerie, scrunchies, leotards and tutus, turtlenecks, floral patterns, jeans, tiaras, sweatpants, soft socks. APPEARANCE: light brown long hair, green eyes, a few scars, athletic build, soft features, a rose tattoo, medium height, subtle makeup, rosy cheeks.

#「 ᴜɴᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ɪɴғᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ━ xander. ( facts )#「 ᴜɴᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ɪɴғᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ━ matthew. ( facts )#「 ᴜɴᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ɪɴғᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ━ zahirith. ( facts )#「 ᴜɴᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ɪɴғᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ━ lillian. ( facts )#「 ғʀᴏᴍ ᴀ ᴅɪsᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ━ ( queued )#long post /

1 note · View note

thesimpireblr · 4 years

Photo

HIM Dowager Tsarina opens exhibition on the Crown Jewels collection

Today HIM Dowagers Tsarina Marie Simnov, accompanied by HIH Grand Duchess Olga Simnov, opened the exhibition on the Simpire Crown Jewels and high jewelry collection in the Fields-Marshals Hall at SanMyshuno Imperial Palace.

After the Simpire revolution, and the overthrow of the Imperial regime, many of the Imperial family jewels were dismantled and sold, completely destroying one of the greatest collections in the SimWorld...

Once the Imperial regime was restored in the Simpire, HIM Dawager Tsarina took as one of her goals to find, buy and rebuild the once grand jewels collection. A legacy HIM leaves for future generation and that will be carried out by HIM Tsarina Alexandra.

Let’s start to see the exhibition...

... Here we can see the Simpire Crown Jewels... in the center we have the Imperial Crown, a marvelous and majestic piece in white gold and diamonds, crowned by a grand rubi and the cross.This is one of the older pieces in the collection and one of the only peaces that survived the revolution. In the font we can find the small Tsarina crown, the Imperial orb and the Scepter...

Surrounding the grand crown we can find some of the older crowns that survived the revolution.

HIM is mostly proud of some grand and old tiaras she found and bought, during her reign. Now these Tiaras are in use by HIM Tsarina Alexandra.

This display contains some of the most valuable pieces, the Large Pearl pendant Tiara, under it is the Diamond collier de Chien necklace and tiara; the next in the right is the Grand Diamond Kokoshnic Tiara followed by the Antique Large Diamond tirara and the rare Coral, Diamond and Pearl Tiara. Some of the most extravagant tiaras in the collection.

Next, in the display...

...we can find the tiaras now in use by HIH Grand Duchess Olga Simnov. The Wave Pattern Peal tiara, next to the rest of the parrure, the brooch and the grand necklace. the last tiara in this display, in the far right, is the Pearl Pendant Kokoshnik Tiara.

Both of this tiaras are remakes commissioned by HIM the Dowager Tsarina, of the originals that disappeared in the revolution.

Following the exhibition...

...we find the tiaras normally used by HIM Dowager Tsarina Marie Feodorovna Simnov. A rare collection of diamond and Safire Parures, starting from the left corner we can find the Simpire Sapphire “Wave” Tiara (remake of the original); in the far right we can see the grand Kochli Sapphire Tiara and in the center the rest of the parure (necklace and brooch).

If you continue to the next display...

...we can find some of HIM neckless and earrings sets. In the first we can see the Diamond Necklace and earrings and in the last one we can find the diamond and emerald as well as the rubi and diamond sets (from @batsfromwesteros).

In the center, one of HIM largest and most mysterious necklaces, a copy of the Famous Queen Marie Antoinette missing necklace. A replica commissioned by Tsarina Catherine the great Simnov after the French Revolution.

Following the exhibition we can find the...

Rest of HIM tiara collection, The Grand Duchess Fringe Tiara, in the center we can see a collection of diamond brooches, necklace and earring (by @batsfromwesteros). Last in the Display we find HIM last acquisition, The grand La Rusa tiara, bought in the last auction.

The final peace in this exhibition is the grand...

..., very old and extravagant Simpire Nuptial Tiara. This amazing pieces was one of the few that, for the symbolism and value, survived the revolution. This tiara Dimond tiara has, in the center, a large and very valuable pink diamond and it is only worn by Imperial Brides, and very rarely, in some of the grandest cerimonies. The rest of the parure is being heavily restored for their permanent exhibition. (the wedding crown, necklace, clasp, and earrings)

HIM is very happy to see all the imperial jewels, old and new, together in one place... Works are being held in the north wing ground floor of the Imperial palace for the Imperial Crown Jewels collection museum. As stated by HIH

“...This collection belongs to the Simpire... Everyone has the right to admire up close the amazing and historical pieces...”

Next week, HIM dowager Tsarina, will be flying to United Simgdom to attend the next Simstie’s auction where two grand historical tiaras will be auctioned. Two pieces HIH hopes to acquire for the Collection.

#simpire #ts4 #monarchy #simnovdynasty #gen1 #sims royalty #sims 4 royal #sims 4 royal family #sims 4 royalty #simsroyalty #royalfamilychallenge #simblr #ts4 monarchy #the sims #the sims 4 #SimnovImperialCrownJewels

45 notes · View notes

gemville · 2 years

Text

Diamond and Emerald Bella Époque Tiara, Circa 1910

Source: Pinterest

#antique tiara #antique high jewelry tiara #belle epoque high jewelry #belle epoque tiara #diamond and emerald tiara #diamond and emerald jewelry #high jewelry #luxury jewelry #fine jewelry #gemville

205 notes · View notes

caffeineivore · 5 years

Text

Fic!

For @smokingbomber. AU. A scene featuring Kunzite, Mamoru and Usagi, in which Kunzite and Mamoru are best friends and Kunzite and Usagi are siblings. For a fic not yet published. This is semi-unedited drivel and snark. Sorry not sorry.

The commencement ceremony for his sister’s class at the Greenwich Academy features raindrops on roses and girls in white dresses (without blue satin sashes) and a Pulitzer-winning journalist as the commencement speaker, and of course, their whole family was there for Una’s big day. Kent’s mother, Isabelle, had also attended the school in her own teenage years, and had been sloppy with sentimentality all morning at the thought of her only daughter following in her footsteps. His dad, of course, was a bit more prosaic, though he did approve of this year’s choice of commencement speaker as opposed to last year’s staid and rather boring senator.

Una isn’t Valedictorian-- that particular honour falls to her good friend Molly O’Shea, the heiress of a chain of jewelry stores. Molly’s family is a bit new-money, and her mother is undeniably a little crass by their standards, but she’s a sweet girl, undoubtedly with a bright future ahead of her, and certainly, Una could associate with worse people.

The graduating class of an elite, private all-girl’s school is typically less than 100 students, and this year’s is no exception. Kent had heard tell of the local public school holding their ceremony at an actual sporting stadium due to the plethora of students, family, friends and staff involved, and it’s almost comical. Who would even be able to get a good picture of their kid’s face as he or she got their diploma from some spot in the stands fifty feet up? It would make sense for a college graduation, of course, but seems to lack the sort of sentimentality and ceremony that kids always enjoyed.

“Hey.”

The voice is familiar, and while his best friend’s presence isn’t a complete shock-- Matt has been promoted to almost-an-honourary-Crawford-Tate since the events of a year ago, it does strike Kent as a bit odd that his friend would be standing there in full-on black tie and carrying a bouquet of red roses like it’s a wedding or something.

“Hi there, Miss America. Lose your tiara or something?” Kent jostles his friend’s arm good-naturedly, but rather to his surprise, Matt doesn’t say anything smart-alecky back in response and watches the proceedings without a word.

They sit through the speeches, the music and ceremony, and of course, everyone applauds when Una receives her diploma and a yellow rose as her name is announced. She beams and waves at them as she follows the rest of the procession down the line, and Kent is struck with the fact that his baby sister is now all grown up, wearing a long white dress that isn’t all princess ballerina ruffles, her hair down her back rather than in pigtails. Una is petite and bubbly and probably would love sappy nonsense like fuzzy little kittens and Disney movies for the rest of her life, but she is no longer a kid, and it makes Kent, at the advanced age of twenty-two, feel ancient.

The ceremony ends shortly, and Una breaks away from her friends to join them, and that is when all Hell breaks loose.

That she smiles and runs towards them, not quite graceful in her kitten heels, is not super surprising. She’s a soft-hearted little thing, after all, and unlike Kent, who’d grown up on a steady weekly diet of private tennis lessons and captained his rowing team at Yale, generally hated sports and athletic activity. But that she only spares her parents and Kent the most perfunctory greetings before making a beeline for Matt on the other hand stops Kent in his tracks, and when Matt hands her the roses, then opens his arms, and she jumps in, arms looping around his neck and blonde hair mingling with Matt’s black, Kent is almost certain his jaw made an audible thump as it hit the floor.

It isn’t the type of hug a girl would give a friend, or a brother, and the kiss Matt has the audacity to plant on her isn’t exactly fraternal in nature, either. Kent doesn’t even register his own parents’ reactions-- whether they were as shocked and appalled as he was, or whether, worse, they somehow knew about this. Matt picks up a giggling, blushing Una and swings her around, then sets her down and, even more horrifyingly, pulls out a small black velvet box out of a pocket. It’s like the climax scene of every fluffy chick flick ever except in Kent’s head, some 80s era Wes Craven horror movie soundtrack is playing over it.

Matt pulls a ring-- an actual RING!-- out of the box, classic antique platinum band with a flawless white pearl flanked by two small diamonds, and offers it to Una. “It’s not-- well, it’s my mother’s. I know we’re young, and you have college and I have med school. But I want you to wait for me. Someday, I want to do this again, with something just for you.” It’s an old-fashioned notion-- a promise ring-- but even more shocking is the fact that his normally quiet friend is doing this in front of everyfuckingbody like it’s not some huge spectacle, let alone the fact that apparently Matt and Una had been carrying on for goodness only knew how long before then, because she seems thrilled and misty-eyed rather than horrified and shrieking. She kisses Matt again, accepts the ring and the roses, and then, FINALLY, Matt manages to meet Kent’s eye, and Kent has no choice but to move his brain and body out of the fog and react.

He hauls Una none-too-gently out of Matt’s arms, and then punches Matt in the face, his friend’s head snapping back at the contact of Kent’s fist against his jaw. Matt almost falls down, but then Una is screeching and yanking Kent off like a baby kitten attempting to move a mastiff, and her ire is apparently at Kent for punching Matt rather than Matt for laying hands on her in every single violation to the Bro code in the history of ever.

“DON’T HIT MY BOYFRIEND!!! WE ARE IN LOVE AND YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!!” Undoubtedly, this is the liveliest graduation scene the hallowed grounds of Greenwich Academy has seen in at least a decade, and perhaps later, Kent would be reading about some pearl-clutching old biddy having a stroke because of this almost-brawl that would certainly be more in character at a dive bar that served cheap beer and twangy country music or whatever than here. But for now, Kent turns, open-mouthed, to stare at his sister. The petulant words and tone are definitely hers-- classic riled-up Una-- but since when was Matthew Darien Clark anything but his friend?

“Matt is NOT your boyfriend! Since when is Matt your boyfriend?! YOU JUST TURNED EIGHTEEN LAST JUNE SINCE WHEN DID YOU START HAVING BOYFRIENDS?!”

“Kent, you’re making a scene and embarrassing your sister.” His mother’s voice cuts through the haze and whatever undoubtedly furious retort Una has for his remark. “It is extremely unseemly to engage in this boisterous contretemps in public like an uncultured ruffian. Una, dear, do stop screaming. Do you think we might be able to find a place with some privacy to resolve this situation?”

“Why the need for privacy? HE’S the one who wanted to freaking damn near propose in front of all these people! He should suffer the consequences of his actions that HE chose to do publically!”

“I have nothing to say to you about Matt and myself, and until you get off your high horse and leave whichever awful Victorian planet where women sit cross-legged at home and bat their eyelashes while patiently waiting for the men to find something to do with their lives that you seem to be living on, I have nothing to say to you, period. Matt’s your FRIEND and you just punched him because, what, we’re in love?” Una clenched her jaw, then raised her chin in stubborn defiance. “If you’ll excuse me. I need to find some ice for my boyfriend’s face.”

“Kent, kindly don’t conduct yourself like a hooligan.” Even his father, apparently, was in on this horrifying scenario. Kent Crawford-Tate, Jr. looked his usual unruffled self, slightly bored and slightly disapproving with the scenario playing out. “Matthew is not a stranger or an unsuitable fellow, and he even asked my permission to do this beforehand. Your sister is happy.” He waves a hand at the crowd starting to gather around them, bequeaths a jovial smile. “Everything is perfectly fine, folks. Isn’t it a beautiful day? Are you all right there, son?” This last bit is directed at Matt himself, who is rubbing his jaw gingerly, but meets his eye with a wan smile.

“I’m fine, sir.” Matt then turns his dark-blue gaze towards Kent, and though his eyes are somber, they’re unapologetic and meet Kent’s without any fear. “I’m okay with you punching me. I guess we should have told you, but everything was happening so fast. I’m sorry you’re upset over it, but I’m not going to stop seeing Una just to appease you.” An awful, sappy smile crosses Matt’s face. “She’s the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

“Okay, that’s my sister, and that’s disgusting, and never do that again.” Kent shudders. It’s incredibly demoralizing to learn that not only is he the last one to know about this outrageous new development, but Matt’s focus is completely on Una’s happiness. “Do I even want to know how long this has been going on?”

“Since the time my grandmother got sick. Una caught me on a bad day, and just… she understood. We must have talked for hours.” Matt, the noble idiot, brushes lint off his stark black lapels and makes that lovesick face again despite Kent’s stern injunctions just a moment prior. “Your whole family has been incredibly supportive, and I can’t thank them enough, of course. But Una-- she’s like light shining through the darkness. I don’t know what I would have done this last year without her.”

“Ugh.” It’s an uncouth nothing of a word, but Kent finds that he doesn’t have anything else to say. The idea of being friends with a boyfriend of Una’s has literally never occurred to him before, nor the idea of his own best friend eyeing his little sister, nor even the idea of his best friend being in love, period. Certainly Matt was not the sort to tomcat around the Yale campus like some of the other rich, privileged douchebags of their acquaintance, but they were too damn young to settle down for 2.4 kids and a white picket fence. Or, more likely in their case, 2.4 kids, a live-in housekeeper, and a six-bedroom mansion with a three-car garage.

His asshole disgrace of a best friend has the nerve to smile. “You’ll know what I mean someday, bro.”

“Why, you have any long-lost sisters?” It’s a snotty remark at best, but Matt is too nice of a guy to care, and Kent privately finds the idea of continuing to pick a fight with someone who, goddammit, is just not willing to engage, about equal to the idea of arguing with a six-year-old about the existence of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Sure, it may be an easy battle to win, but the victory would feel dickish at best, unjust at worst.

“No, but you’ll fall in love yourself someday. And when you find the right woman, nothing will be as important to you as bringing a smile to her face, and all you’ll want from your friends and others around you is the support and goodwill to share in your happiness.”

“Sounds like a hocus pocus curse, so you should probably stop that shit. I didn’t punch you that hard, you ass.” Kent doesn’t want to shake on it and call it good, not in front of all these people, especially since they’ve already given everyone at that year’s graduation more than enough of a shit show, so he hunches his shoulders, well aware that a multitude of young, white-gowned debutantes are eyeing him like something beneath a microscope slide, and hightails it out to the parking lot.

His car is… noticeable, even in this sea of luxurious, flashy Range Rovers and Mercedes Benzes and Bentleys. The sleek black Maserati with the custom gold trim had been a present for his own graduation a month earlier from his parents. Sure, he rarely ever drove it into the questionable parts of town, and certainly it is a vehicle that screams ‘PLEASE HIT ME WITH A SPEEDING TICKET AGAIN, OFFICER, AND MAKE IT A GOOD ONE!’ the way a BDSM fetishist might scream at some leather-clad dominatrix plying a cat-o’-nine-tails on his backside, but it is a Thing of Beauty and a Joy Forever. Kent makes a beeline towards it, then stops in his tracks about two feet away.

Una had certainly NOT been fetching ice for Matt’s jaw in the interim. Keyed into the exorbitantly-expensive custom paint job, in loopy, girlish handwriting, are the words “SCREW YOU, I DO WHAT I WANT!”, followed by a bright pink lipstick heart on the side mirror.

God fucking dammit! He was too damn young to have two heart attacks in one day.

#mamoru x usagi #kunzite #fanfiction #fanfic #sailor moon #smokingbomber

22 notes · View notes

tiaramania · 2 years

Note

Talking about 18th birthday tiaras, why Theodora din't received a tiara while Alexia did?

And also, not a tiara question, but dint knew where to ask, did Marius Borg Høiby received any royal order? At Ingrid Alexandra's birthday gala, he seems to be wearing some kind of official pin

And yes, loved Elisabeth's new tiara. It has beautiful design elements which is rare to see in these days high jewelry tiaras.

Nothing has ever been said about why Princess Alexia received a tiara but Princess Theodora did not. There are 18 years between when Alexia turned 18 in 1983 and when Theodora turned 18 in 2001. The family's financial situation may have been different by 2001 and they couldn't afford to spend that kind of money on a tiara. The family may have still had some hope back in 1983 that the Greek monarchy would be restored so a tiara for Alexia may have seemed more appropriate then. Theodora could have simply preferred a different type of present that she thought would be more useful to her. Really there are a lot of possible reasons and for a princess of a country that hasn't had a monarchy in 50 years, Theodora does alright in the tiara department. She's worn Princess Alexia's Diamond Tiara, the Antique Corsage Tiara, and the Turquoise Daisy Tiara.

Marius Borg Høiby hasn't received any orders but he has a couple medals. I'm not really an orders and medals person but my best guesses are the Royal House Centenary Medal on the left and King Harald V's Jubilee Medal on the right. Anyone please chime in if you know more.

Yes, I loved Princess Elisabeth's tiara and that is probably because it is an antique piece that's new to the family and not a newly made high jewelry tiara. We're calling it the Brabant Festoon tiara and I've got posts about it here and here.

#Tiara Talk #panachesstuff #Princess Theodora #Greece #Greek Royal Family #marius borg høiby #Norway #Norwegian Royal Family #Princess Elisabeth #Belgian Royal Family #Belgium

34 notes · View notes

thehereticpharaoh · 5 years

Photo

Cleopatra - Stereotype vs Reality by Pelycosaur24

I am back at it again with more stereotyped images of human history. Pharaoh Cleopatra VII. Philopator may not only be the most famous woman of antiquity she definitely in one of the most iconic figures in all of history period. No wonder that she has had countless appearances in pop culture. But of course whenever there is a lot of interest in a specific period of history stereotyping in inevitable. With this drawing I tried to contrast the common pop-culture depiction of Cleopatra with a more historically accurate reconstruction.

So for our “modern” Cleopatra on the left I took a look at various artistic depictions, cartoons, Halloween costumes and make-up tutorials. I tried to identify the defining features that make this look so iconic. Turns out it is mostly four elements. First the short black hair, adorned with the signature snake tiara (which in itself is based in reality), the bejeweled collar and the belt. As I mentioned already in my Stone Age – Stereotype vs Reality drawing, not all stereotypical elements are wrong, as a lot of the patterns and ornaments do find a basis in real life ancient Egyptian clothing (however most often not necessarily from the time of the actual Cleopatra).

For the more accurate Cleopatra on the right I went with a Greek/Hellenistic look. While Cleopatra would have dressed Egyptian in religious and official ceremonies I imagine that her more casual clothing would have represented her Greek/Macedonian heritage. Characteristic for Hellenistic dresses is the very high waistline as well as the disappearance of fibulas in favor of clasps holding the dress at the shoulders. For the colors and the jewelry I took inspiration from the Fayum portraits the oldest of which date to the 1st century AD. I modeled her face and hair after depictions in coinage (de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleopatr…) as well as the few portraits ascribed to her (de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleopatr…). In keeping with this I opted to depict her wearing a “diadema” the headband worn by Hellenistic kings as a symbol of power.

#history #africanantiquity #ancientegypt #ancienthistory #antiquity #cleopatra #egpyptian #kemet #ptolemaic #ptolemaic egypt

93 notes · View notes

cool-masum · 4 years

Text

Wholesale jewelry to sell for profits is acknowledged

Wholesale fashion jewelry:

As jewelry wholesaler, we always provide discounted shipping rates along with limited time seasonal rates. We strive to provide our customers with the top-of-the line wholesale jewelry products available at lowest prices. Though we focus our attention to providing our customers with low prices, we also firmly stand by the products offered on our website and believe that our products will provide satisfaction to our customers.

Our business goals and services are simple: to respect our customers' needs and to provide great products for their business. We are always opened to comments and suggestions as fashion jewelry supplier, jewelry wholesaler, fashion jewelry importer about jewelry wholesale, fashion jewelry wholesale, fashion accessories wholesale and jewelry imports.

Wholesale product line include but not limited to:

Wholesale fashion jewelry, seasonal fashion jewelry, corporate gifts, beaded jewelry, fashion handbags, wedding gifts, prom accessories, themed jewelry, charm jewelry, antique, designer looks, holiday themes, sterling silver, Austrian rhinestone, Victorian, Swarovski, shell, ceramic stones, Italian glass beads, patina, natural turquoise stones, cubic zirconium, Lucite beads, fresh water pearl bracelets, bangles, toggles, necklace sets, pendants, pins, brooches, earrings, chandelier earrings, rings, watches, men's watches, hair pins, hair clips, tiaras, scarves, shawl, gloves, purses, bags.Bulk Costume Jewelry Wholesale:

Buy wholesale costume jewelry for resale, please choose China's reliable and reliable wholesale fashion jewelry distributors, FROM OCEAN - more than ten years of wholesale experience for bulk costume jewelry, and have good cooperation with many popular jewelry manufacturers, at the most advantageous price, and fast Delivery system.

Wholesale Fashion Jewelry:

wholesale dozen pack fashion jewelry from the Professional fashion jewelry wholesale marketplace, fashion jewelry earrings, Stud, necklace, bracelets, cuff bangle, beaded jewelry, natural stone jewelry and more.

Visit - https://fromocean.com

Wholesale Costume Jewelry:

Buying wholesale jewelry to sell for profits is acknowledged a great business globally with the trend that more women realize the magic embellishment power fromocean fashion jewelry for beauty. Finding reliable, professional wholesale fashion jewelry distributors and suppliers thereafter becomes a key for jewelry businesses' success. Hence, Jewelry Bund, founded in 2008, dedicates to meet these demands by serving high quality bulk Fashion jewelry cheap and established trustworthy reputations in the industry.

1 note · View note

superbcollectorsheep · 3 years

Text

Beauty & Style

Earrings, ornaments decorating the ears, have been one of the principal forms of jewelry throughout recorded history. The term usually refers to ornaments worn attached to the earlobes, though in the late twentieth century it expanded somewhat to include ornaments worn on other parts of the ear, such as ear cuffs, and is used to describe pieces of jewelry in earring form, even when they are worn through piercings in other parts of the body (for example, in the nose). The most common means of fashion earrings to the earlobes has been to pierce holes in the lobes, through which a loop or post may be passed. But a variety of other devices have also been used, including spring clips, tensioning devices such as screw backs, and, for particularly heavy earrings, loops passing over the top of the ear or attaching to the hair or headdress.

In many cultures and contexts, earrings have traditionally been worn as symbols of cultural or tribal identity, as markers of age, marital status, or rank, or because they are believed to have protective or medicinal powers. Even when they have served other purposes, however, the primary function of earrings has been a decorative one. As earrings are so prominently placed near the face, and at the juncture between costume and coiffure, they, perhaps more than any other element of jewelry, have been particularly responsive to changes in fashion; as hairstyles, hats, collars, and necklines have risen and fallen, earrings have correspondingly increased and decreased in size and prominence, and during many periods they have been instrumental in balancing and tying together the desired fashionable appearance.

In antiquity, earrings were one of the most popular forms of jewelry. The crescent-shaped gold hoops worn by Sumerian women around 2500 B.C.E. are the earliest earrings for which there is archaeological evidence. By 1000 B.C.E., tapered hoop (also known as boat-shaped) earrings, most commonly of gold but also of silver and bronze, had spread throughout the Aegean world and Western Asia. In Crete and Cyprus, earrings were embellished with twisted gold wire, clusters of beads, and pendants stamped out of thin sheet gold.

In Egypt, earrings were introduced about 1500 B.C.E. and were later worn by both men and women. Many Egyptian earrings took the form of thick, mushroom-shaped studs or plugs, which required an enlarged hole to be stretched in the earlobe; these could be of gold, with a decorated front surface, or of humbler materials such as colored glass or carved jasper. Ear studs consisting of two capped tubes that screwed together could be worn alone, but some also had elaborate pendants of gold cornflowers, or falcons with flexible tail feathers inlaid with glass.

In the first millennium B.C.E., Etruscan and Greek goldsmiths brought new refinement and artistry to earrings, which were valued as both an adornment and a sign of wealth. Variations on the hoop were the so-called leech earring, a thick tube secured by a hidden wire, and the Etruscan box-type earring, which encased the earlobe in a wide horizontal cylinder. Disk earrings, with pendants in the form of amphorae (ancient Greek jars), figures of Eros, and decorative beads and chains, were another popular form, joined about 330 B.C.E. by twisted gold hoops with animal-head finials. All of these forms were stamped out of thin sheets of gold and decorated with fine palmettes, scrolls, and flowers in twisted wire and granulation; such earrings were fairly light in weight, but gave an extremely rich effect.

Roman earrings were similar to Etruscan styles until the first century C.E., when new styles with disks and pendants mounted on s-shaped ear hooks appeared. Colored stones and pearls were favored, and earring styles proliferated to satisfy the Roman taste for ostentatious display. At its height, the Roman Empire had the effect of standardizing styles of jewelry over much of the known world; after the center of influence shifted to Byzantium (Constantinople) in C.E. 330, and Roman influence began to decline, local variations once more emerged. Characteristic Byzantine earrings were plain gold hoops with multiple pearl pendants hung on chains, and crescent-shaped 925 silver open hoop earrings.

In Europe, earrings virtually disappeared between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries, as hairstyles and headdresses that completely covered the ears, and later high ruff collars, made them impractical. Earrings finally began to revive in the late sixteenth century, as ruffs gave way to standing collars. At first, complex enameled designs were popular, but improved techniques of gem cutting soon shifted the emphasis to faceted diamonds. In the seventeenth century, large, pear-shaped pearl pendants were a favorite earring style, and those who could afford to do so wore two in each ear. It was also fashionable to wear pendant earrings on strings or ribbons threaded through the earlobes and tied in bows, and to tie ribbon bows at the tops of earrings to achieve the same effect. Similar earring styles were also worn by fashionable gentlemen, but usually in one ear only.

By the late seventeenth century, earrings had become an essential element of dress, and larger and more elaborate forms began to develop. Two of these became the dominant styles of the eighteenth century: the girandole, in which a single top cluster branches out like a chandelier to support three pear-shaped drops, and the pendeloque, a top cluster with a long single pendant. New sources of diamonds, along with new methods of cutting them, developed early in the eighteenth century, made them the material of choice for jewelry, and high-quality paste imitations were also available. Glittering girandoles and pendeloques, visually tied to the ears by stylized ribbon bows of diamonds set in silver, effectively balanced the high, powdered hairstyles of the period. Despite their refined and delicate appearance, such large earrings were quite heavy; some had additional rings soldered to the tops, permitting the wearer to take some of the weight off of her ears by tying the earrings to her hair.

When the neoclassical style of dress and simpler hairstyles came into fashion at the end of the eighteenth century, earrings became lighter and simpler. Jewelry of cut steel, seed pearls, Berlin iron, and strongly colored materials such as coral and jet, harmonized well with neoclassical fashions, and classically inspired cameos and intaglios were set in all kinds of jewelry. Heavy girandoles gave way to pendant earrings composed of flat, geometric elements connected by light chains. "Top-and-drop" earrings, composed of a small top element attached to the ear wire, from which a larger, often teardrop-shaped element is suspended, also came to the fore around 1800, and remained the most popular earring style throughout the nineteenth century. Matched sets of jewelry, known as parures, assumed new importance in the nineteenth century, and they were available even to women of modest means. These sets usually included at least a matching necklace or brooch and earrings, but could also include bracelets, buckles, and a tiara or tiara-comb.

In the 1810s and 1820s, the trend toward lighter and more delicate jewelry continued, and settings of gold filigree or elaborate wirework (known as cannetille) were very popular. In the 1820s, a romantic interest in the past also inspired jewelry designers to revive historical styles from the ancient world to the eighteenth century, and a modified version of the girandole earring returned, along with elaborate gothic tracery and rococo-revival scroll-work. As hairstyles became more elaborate in the 1830s, earrings became more prominent, with small tops and long drops reaching nearly to the shoulders. In spite of their size, these s925 silver earrings were fairly light in weight, owing to lightweight settings of gold cannetille or of repoussé (embossed relief raised from behind with a hammer), which had largely replaced cannetille by the 1840s. Earrings with long, torpedo-shaped drops of carved gemstones with applied gold filigree were also popular, many with detachable drops to allow the tops to be worn alone.

In the late 1840s and through the 1850s, a new hair-style, with hair parted in the middle and gathered to the back of the head in loops that covered the ears, caused a virtual disappearance of earrings. Around 1860, once again owing to a return to upswept hairstyles, long pendant earrings made a comeback, and through the 1860s and 1870s they were produced in an astonishing variety of styles. One major theme was historical revival, with Egyptian and Classical styles particularly popular. Some revival earrings, such as those produced by the Castellani family in Rome, were fairly faithful reproductions of recent archaeological discoveries; others were fanciful pastiches of classical earring forms, architectural elements, and other motifs such as amphorae. Earrings with carved classical reliefs of coral or lava, or Roman glass micro-mosaics, were very fashionable, and were often brought back as souvenirs by travelers to Italy. Other popular styles were naturalistic renditions of leaves, flowers, insects, and birds' nests in gold, enamel, and semiprecious stones; enameled renaissance-revival styles; and, for more precious gems, floral sprays and cascades. A new style in the 1870s was the fringe or tassel earring, with a graduated fringe of pointed drops suspended from a large oval pendant.

In the last two decades of the nineteenth century, large pendant earrings went out of fashion, in part because they were incompatible with the newly fashionable high dress and blouse collars, and with the elaborate "dog collar" necklaces worn for evening, which almost completely covered the neck. Small single-stone and 925 sterling silver cuba earrings, either firmly mounted to the ear wire or mounted as pendants to move and catch the light, were the most commonly worn style through the early twentieth century. The most fashionable earrings of all were diamond solitaires, which became more available after the opening of the South African diamond fields in the late 1860s. New cutting machines and open-claw settings, both of which increased the amount of light reflected by diamonds and made solitaire earrings more appealing, were developed in the 1870s. To prevent valuable diamond earrings from being lost, catches were added to secure the bottoms of the ear wires. Another innovation, first patented in 1878, was the earring cover, a small hinged sphere of gold, sometimes finished in black enamel, which could be snapped over a diamond earring to protect it from loss or theft. By the end of the century diamond ear studs (also called screws), with a threaded post passing through the ear, and held securely in back by a nut screwed onto the post, were also popular.

By 1900, as earrings declined in size and importance, many women stopped wearing them altogether. Some commentators denounced ear-piercing as barbaric, and women who pierced their ears were considered "fast," or not quite respectable. (In the United States, some of the reaction against pierced ears may be credited to the desire of "native" Americans to distinguish themselves from the large numbers of immigrant women, almost all with pierced ears, who were arriving from Europe at the time.) In spite of piercing's negative image, small screw earrings continued to be worn, and new screw-back fittings, which could be tightened onto unpierced earlobes, were available for those who did not wish to pierce their ears. Around 1908, pendant earrings were revived, but with light, articulated drops of smaller stones rather than single-stone drops; diamonds, pearls, and stones matching the color of the costume were the most popular materials.

The earring revival continued into the 1910s, aided considerably by a growing acceptance of costume jewelry. Jewelry could now be selected for its decorative value rather than its intrinsic value, and women could afford to own many pairs of earrings to match particular costumes; the rise of costume jewelry also made ear piercing less necessary, as women were less concerned about losing inexpensive earrings. (Many women, as was still true in the early 2000s, also had adverse reactions to the cheaper metals used in costume jewelry, which made pierced earrings seem less practical.) The fashion for the Oriental and exotic inspired by Paul Poiret and the Ballets Russes was reflected in bead necklaces and long drop earrings of Chinese amber, jade, black and red jet (glass), and carved tortoiseshell. Empire-revival fashions also inspired a revival of nineteenth-century jewelry styles and materials, including cut steel and cameos.

By the early 1920s, earrings were again almost universally worn, and the range of exotic styles had expanded to include hoop and pendant earrings of Spanish or Gypsy inspiration, Egyptian styles inspired by the discovery of King Tutankhamen's tomb in 1922, nineteenth-century antiques, and picturesque "peasant" styles from around the world. As reported by the New York Times in 1922, in the 1920s earrings could "no longer … be considered as an article of jewelry; they are the article of jewelry." With dress styles now comparatively simple, and many women bobbing their hair, earrings were considered an essential finishing touch-a means both of filling in the area between the ear and shoulder and of expressing the wearer's personality. Bold geometric pendant 925 stud earrings, made of diamonds and platinum contrasted with strongly colored materials such as onyx and lapis lazuli, were displayed at the Exposition International des Arts Décoratifs in 1925, and this style, which became known as Art Deco, remained popular for both precious and costume earrings for the remainder of the decade.

0 notes

systemic-dreams · 7 years

Note

Ship meme: do Braevys

Here we go ;)

Who said “I love you” first

Braelen cos he can’t keep his mouth shut and the more he drinks the worse he gets at forming coherent sentences. It annoys Nievys to no end but she can’t stop listening for some reason >.>

Who would have the other’s picture as their phone background

I imagine Braelen since Nievys uses nothing but burner phones and erases her data history constantly to avoid information leaks but she might keep a holopic somewhere in the cloud among useless data packets that no one checks anyway. Braelen would keep that one photo that Nievys hates but he loves it cos she’s doing that cute little smirk and whenever he’s feeling down he can just talk to it and feel like she’s there, disapproving.

Who leaves notes written in fog on the bathroom mirror

Nievys cos she’s a mysterious super spy and flimsi notes are cliche. Sometimes she’ll write something and add a little loveheart at the bottom and then rub it all out and write something else but when Braelen fogs up the mirror he can see what she was trying to write before and grins.

Who buys the other cheesy gifts

Braelen is the king of buying terrible gifts because he has terrible taste and a terrible sense of humour so he’ll buy bright red socks with Imperial insignias on them or gaudy pieces of jewelry that look like they came out of a children’s toy set but occasionally he’ll hit the nail on the head and buy something nice. Like one time he was scamming an antique shop salesman on Ziost and found a vintage blaster from the personal armory of Odile Vaiken but he didn’t know what it was. It just looked like a really cool gun, so he swiped it for Nievys.

Who initiated the first kiss

After many failed attempts to get a kiss from Nievys, Braelen finally conceded and agreed to take it slow, softening his advances with only the occasional terrible pun. Nievys took initiative the night they went undercover at a high class charity ball on Alderaan. She took Braelen along as arm candy and to sell her Republic disguise and he was only too happy to be around the super rich guests. After completing her objective, Nievys noticed Braelen sulking in a corner at the end of the night and asked him what was wrong. And he said there was nothing he could steal that would be worth giving her. Nievys noticed the Queen’s tiara lying in the trashcan nearby, along with several gizka drumsticks and gave a tiny kiss.

Who kisses the other awake in the morning

Braelen likes to watch Nievys sleeping cos she looks so cute when she doesn’t scowl. She’ll kiss him in the morning, but he sleeps really deep so it doesn’t actually wake him. She likes to cuddle up in his arms and just chill there.

Who starts tickle fights

Braelen will initiate tickle duels despite being incredibly ticklish himself and will often lose since Nievys knows all the weak points in his body. She is the reigning tickle champion.

Who asks who if they can join the other in the shower

Braelen will stick his dick into the cubicle and do a silly voice “may I join you for a bathing, fair lady?” ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Who surprises the other in the middle of the day at work with lunch

Braelen. Always hungry. Always carrying around food. Nievys will be on a super stealthy stakeout and he’ll rock up with a bag of nerf burgers and fries for them to eat.

Who was nervous and shy on the first date

Nievys. She was nervous someone would see them and realize she was dating an idiot and exploit her weaknesses. But no one did. It helped that she was using her stealth field generator to look like someone else.

Who kills/takes out the spiders

Nievys is the resident spider assassin. Braelen is terrified of insects and screams like a girl when he sees colicoids. Balmorra was just nope, nope, NOPE.

Who loudly proclaims their love when they’re drunk

Braelen is a mouth breather and incredibly loud and then he gets drunk… Oh boy. Really bad drunk Braelen love poems.

“Purebloods are red,Chiss guys are blue,Nievys is the hottest,Baby, I love you” - A poem by Braelen while dancing naked on cantina table

#braelen #nievys #swtor oc #ship #romance #relationship #me writing a thing #ask

6 notes · View notes

animeman08 · 3 years

Photo

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is a fictional superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character is a founding member of the Justice League. The character first appeared in All Star Comics#8 in October 1941 with her first feature in Sensation Comics #1 in January 1942. The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986. In her homeland, the island nation of Themyscira, her official title is Princess Diana of Themyscira. When blending into the society outside of her homeland, she sometimes adopts her civilian identity Diana Prince.

Wonder Woman was created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as being his inspiration for the character's appearance. Marston's comics featured his ideas on DISC theory, and the character drew a great deal of inspiration from early feminists, and especially from birth control pioneer Margaret Sanger; in particular, her piece "Woman and the New Race".

Wonder Woman's origin story relates that she was sculpted from clay by her mother Queen Hippolyta and was given a life to live as an Amazon, along with superhuman powers as gifts by the Greek gods. In recent years, DC changed her background with the retcon that she is the daughter of Zeus and Hippolyta, jointly raised by her mother and her aunts Antiope and Menalippe. The character has changed in depiction over the decades, including briefly losing her powers entirely in the late 1960s; by the 1980s, artist George Perez gave her an athletic look and emphasized her Amazonian heritage. She possesses an arsenal of magical items, including the Lasso of Truth, a pair of indestructible bracelets, a tiara which serves as a projectile, and, in older stories, a range of devices based on Amazon technology.

Wonder Woman's character was created during World War II; the character in the story was initially depicted fighting Axis military forces as well as an assortment of colorful supervillains, although over time her stories came to place greater emphasis on characters, deities, and monsters from Greek mythology. Many stories depicted Wonder Woman rescuing herself from bondage, which defeated the "damsels in distress" trope that was common in comics during the 1940s. In the decades since her debut, Wonder Woman has gained a cast of enemies bent on eliminating the Amazon, including classic villains such as Ares, Cheetah, Doctor Poison, Circe, Doctor Psycho, and Giganta, along with more recent adversaries such as Veronica Cale and the First Born. Wonder Woman has also regularly appeared in comic books featuring the superhero teams Justice Society (from 1941) and Justice League (from 1960).

The character is an iconic figure in popular culture that has been adapted to various media. October 21 is Wonder Woman Day, commemorating the release of her first appearance in All Star Comics#8 (with the exception of 2017 which held the day on June 3 to tie in with the release of the film of the same name).

Wonder Woman has been featured in various media from radio to television and film, and appears in merchandise sold around the world, such as apparel, toys, dolls, jewelry, and video games. Shannon Farnon, Susan Eisenberg, Maggie Q, Lucy Lawless, Keri Russell, Kate Beckinsale, Rosario Dawson, Cobie Smulders, and Halsey among others, have provided the character's voice for animated adaptations. Wonder Woman has been depicted in both film and television by Cathy Lee Crosby, Lynda Carter, and in the DC Extended Universe films by Gal Gadot.

> Diana Prince

The "Diana Prince" identity has been part of Wonder Woman's history since her comics debut in 1941. In the early Golden Age stories, Wonder Woman served as a military secretary during World War II, using Prince as her cover. Later occupations Wonder Woman performed as Prince included translator at the United Nations, Air Force captain and ambassador, and in the '70s TV series, Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman used Prince to serve as an agent of the Inter-Agency Defense Command. In the DC Extended Universe, Prince works as curator for the Department of Antiquities at the extremely prestigious Louvre Museum and is held in very high esteem by the curator of the Gotham City Museum of Antiquities. Her tremendously long life span, accumulation of immense amount of knowledge and exceptional perceptiveness makes Diana Prince the wisest and most emotionally-intelligent member of the Justice League.

During Marston's run, Diana Prince was the name of an army nurse whom Wonder Woman met. The nurse wanted to meet with her fiancé, who was transferred to South America, but was unable to arrange for money to do so. As Wonder Woman needed a secret identity to look after Steve (who was admitted to the same army hospital in which Diana Prince worked), and because both of them looked alike, Wonder Woman gave the nurse money to go to her fiancé in exchange for the nurse's credentials and took Diana Prince as her alias. She started to work as an army nurse and later as an Air Force secretary.

The identity of Diana Prince was especially prominent in a series published in the early 1970s, in which she fought crime only under the Prince alias and without her mystic powers. To support herself, she ran a mod clothing boutique.

The Diana Prince alias also played an important role after the events of Infinite Crisis. Wonder Woman was broadcast worldwide killing a villain named Maxwell Lord, as he was mind controlling Superman into killing Batman. When Wonder Woman caught him in her lasso, demanding to know how to stop Superman, Maxwell revealed that the only way to stop him was to kill Lord, so as a last resort Diana snapped his neck. To recover from the trauma of killing another person, the Amazon went into a self-imposed exile for one year. On her return to public life, Diana realized that her life as a full-time celebrity superhero and ambassador had kept her removed from humanity. Because of this she assumed the persona of Diana Prince and became an agent at the Department of Metahuman Affairs. During a later battle with the witch Circe, a spell was placed on Diana leaving her powerless when not in the guise of Wonder Woman.

The New 52 universe does not have a "Diana Prince" identity as stated in an interview by series writer Brian Azzarello. However, when she and Superman began dating, for her civilian identity she used the Diana Prince alias whenever she was around Clark Kent; such as when she introduced herself to Lois Lane at Lois's housewarming party under that name.

Personality

Princess Diana commands respect both as Wonder Woman and Diana Prince; her epithetical title – The Amazon Princess – illustrates the dichotomy of her character. She is a powerful, strong-willed character who does not back down from a fight or a challenge. Yet, she is a diplomat who strongly "favors the pen", and a lover of peace who would never seek to fight or escalate a conflict. She's simultaneously both the most fierce and most nurturing member of the Justice League; and her political connections as a United Nations Honorary Ambassador and the ambassador of a warrior nation makes her an invaluable addition to the team. With her powerful abilities, centuries of training and experience at handling threats that range from petty crime to threats that are of a magical or supernatural nature, Diana is capable of competing with nearly any hero or villain.

Many writers have depicted Diana in different personalities and tone; between both of her diametric extremes; that of a worldly warrior, a highly compassionate and calm ambassador, and sometimes also as a naive and innocent person, depending on the writer. What has remained constant, and is a mainstay of the character, is her nurturing humanity: her overwhelming belief in love, empathy, compassion, and having a strong conscience.[citation needed] This trait had been the reason for her induction into the Star Sapphires.

Writer Gail Simone was applauded for her portrayal of Wonder Woman during her run on the series, with comic book reviewer Dan Phillips of IGN noting that "she's molded Diana into a very relatable and sympathetic character."

Actress Gal Gadot described Wonder Woman as "an idealist. Experienced, super-confident. Open and sincere even in the midst of a gruesome, bloody conflict. Having many strengths and powers, but at the end of the day she's a woman with a lot of emotional intelligence".

In the Golden Age, Wonder Woman adhered to an Amazon code of helping any in need, even misogynistic people, and never accepting a reward for saving someone; while conversely, the modern version of the character has been shown to perform lethal and fatal actions when left with no other alternative, exemplified in the killing of Maxwell Lord in order to save Superman's life.

The New 52 version of the character has been portrayed to be a younger, more headstrong, loving, fierce and willful person.[citation needed] Brian Azzarello stated in a video interview with DC Comics that they're building a very "confident", "impulsive" and "good-hearted" character in her. He referred to her trait of feeling compassion as both her strength and weakness.

A distinctive trait of her characterization is a group of signature mythological exclamations, beginning with "Great Aphrodite!", followed by "Great Hera!", "Merciful Minerva!", and "Suffering Sappho!', some of which were contributed by Elizabeth Holloway Marston.

#dccomics #dcuniverse #justiceleague

1 note · View note