👗Who Wore it Best: People vs Celebs edition

Pippa Middleton's wedding has been THE event of the year (or at least, the first 6 months of it!) and part of the fun was watching the guests arrival to the church...There were celebrities like tennis phenomenon Roger Federer with his stylish wife, members of the Royal family (of course) and so on. 
Expecially the female guests wore high fashion dresses, that's when I noticed a few of those were familiar because I've already saw them...on actual celebs!
It wasn't the first time I noticed that, so that was the hint for today's post: non famous people who wore the same dress as actresses, singers, even European royal members!

One or two of the "normal" people listed below are no strangers to spotlights (there's a fashion blogger and model, I admit it!), but the other will surprise you! Enjoy!

Back in May, 2014 British actress Eva Green wore this gothic ballerina inspired black tulle dress by Dsquared², for the photocall of her Tv show ‘Penny Dreadful’. Eva is well known for her dark outfit, this one for just another confirm. A few months after, Selena Gomez showed at the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation gala and pose for a photo with another attendee, that wore the same dress as Eva.

Back to this year, Queen Maxima of Netherland wore a magnificent bright blue dress by Roksanda to welcoming the President of the Republic of Mozambique. The same dress was also spotted on a guest at Pippa's wedding.

Actress Eleaonor Tomlinson made her way out of BBC studios in a peplum inspired baby blue top by Self Portrait. She paired it with light blue jeans and open toes shoes. Fashion blogger Soraya Bakhtiar went for a even more casual/sporty look, atually wearing the dress version of the top with with sneakers, a jeans jacket (not pictured) and round Garett Leight sunglasses.

American singer Cassadee Pope (first female winner of The Voice USA) wore this sheer embroidered dress by Yanina Couture at the 2017 American Country Music awards event, back in April. She look chich matching her red lipstick to the flowers on the dress and a slicked back chignon. Brazilian model Gizele Oliveira opted for sexier look at this year Cannes amfAR event. She went for a coral lipstick and left her long hair loose.

This is it! Famous people against non (or less) famous ones. 

Tell me, who do you think wore these gowns better?

Photos credits: zimbio.com, dailymail.co.uk, celebmafia.com, Soraya Bakhtiar's blog

🎬 Movie Review: Nerve

Based on the same name novel by Jeanne Ryan, Nerve is a thriller with Emma Roberts and Dave Franco. Also starring Juliette Lewis and Emily Meade, respectively the protagonist's mother and bff.

Venus "Vee" Delmonico is a senior student in high school, a very skilled photographer that has been accepted in art college in California, but is also very introvert, insicure, being a "watcher" of her own life, so she ends up doing what other people want her to.
After Vee's best friends embarrasses her in front of the boy she likes, Vee decides to join a new online game, Nerve: it's basically a series of dares, the more you complete the more money you make, until there's only one player...

The dares start with something simple, in Vee's case, kissing a stranger for a 5 seconds or trying on dresses, but the more you advance in the game the more difficult, scary and illegal these dares become. 
You'd say "it's just a game, I can quit whenever I want!"....not that easy!

My Opinion

I had no expectations for this movie, I thought it was going to be an easy way to "escape" reality for a couple of hours and it was. Don't get me wrong, I liked it, but it's nothing special. 
Emma Roberts and Dave Franco are amazing, the story is captivating and has no "yawn moments". I'd recommend it for those Saturday nights where you have no ideas on what to do and for those who like social networks/online games theme movies. 

Would I pay the full prize ticket? No, but if you have discount codes/free tickets, I'd totally go for it!

Raking: 2¾/5

Related movies and tv series:
Gamer (2009) 
Disconnect (2012)
Selfie (2014 - Tv Series)
Sword Art Online (anime)
The Circle - my review HERE


Photo credits: impawards.com & Euronews.com

📖 [Vintage] Novel of the Week: Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster

Happy Sunday everyone!! Sorry for my week long absence...to make up to all of you, who were so kind to stick around, here's a brand you review of a well known book! Enjoy!

If you're a 90's kid you'll probably remember the anime, if you're a movie addict then you'll know Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron starred in 1955's movie: they all are based upon the 1912 novel by Jean Webster, Daddy Long Legs!

I really enjoyed this novel, it's highly recommended...read my review and thoughts to know why!

Jerusha Abbot lives in John Grier orphanage and has no idea who her parents are...Her last name was picked out from the phone book. 

She hasn't been adopted so, when she finished her education, is obliged to work as caretaker in the orphanage itself, until one day a misterious benefactor offers to pay Judy's University tuition (the benefactor was fascinated by Judy's writing skills) with the only rule to write him every month and let him know about her progress in studies and life.

Judy attends an only girls college on the East Coast and has some troubles fitting in, mostly because all the other students are whealthy, so ends up hiding her humble past. Eventually the truth will be revealed, but Judy's friends, (Sallie McBride, Julia Rutledge Pendleton and Leonora Fenton) will understand and keep being on her side.

For the summer holidays Judy is sent (under Daddy Long Legs suggestion) to stay at Lock Willow's farm, in Connecticut, with Mr and Mrs Semple and there finds out an incredible coincidence: Julia's uncle, Jervis Pendleton, whom she previously met when he visited his nephew in college, once owned the farm stay with the Semples as well.

At first Judy is thankful for the oppurtunity Daddy Long Legs gave her that she follows all his requests, but growing up she starts to questioning why he doesn't want to meet her or even reply to her letters so she starts to disobey his request to spend the summer at Lock Willow instead that spending it with her friends. Eventually she'll go in Connecticut again and will spend a lot of time with Jervis Pendleton...

That was just the tip of the iceberg, because Daddy Long Legs forbids Judy to accept a scholarship or to spend the holidays with her friends and it's only when things are at a no turning point that he decides to reveal himself...

👍👎My Thoughts

The entire book is in an epistolary form, all from Judy's prospective, of course, and I think it was the best way to show how her character and personality change from the first to the last year of college. The novel is about 250 pages long, but the mistery behind Daddy Long Legs figure is so captivating and intriguing that I finished it in one day...

It could be used both as bedtime story or summer reading for teenager students, but is such a cute story that anyone would appreciate it.

 My vote: 10/10

My review of the Korean manga based on Daddy Long Legs HERE

Photo credits: goodreads.com & fanpop.com

👗Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge vs Mandy Moore

This beautiful Preen pre Fall 2017 dress could have came out from a 50's Hollywood star wardrobe, don't you think?

The Duchess of Cambridge wore it first last September, while on tour in Canada. She and her husband were guests for an evening reception at the Government House. She opted for the red version of the "Finella" dress, matched with red accessories and a diamon maple leaf shaped brooch.

On the other side, american actress Mandy Moore hit the "This is Us" FYC event red carpet in the same dress, but in blue. She went for a wavy hairstyle, blue clutch and shiny sandals.

Who wore it better?

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge or Mandy Moore?

Photo credits: dailymail.co.uk & zimbio.com

#TTT - Top Ten Tuesday

Here's the movies and books of the previous lists that I've watch/read during last months!
- 47 Meters Down 3/5 - If  you're thinking about watching this movie because so you can see sharks...well, you'll be disappointed. The focus of the story is to survive and to overcome your fears, great white sharks will appear just once or twice.

- King Arthur: Legend of the Sword 3/5 - my review HERE

- Spotlight 5/5 - I see why it got nominated and won as Best Picture and Best Writing Original Screenplay during 2016. It is quite long, but it's a must see!

- Sašenka by Simon Sebag Montefiore my review HERE

This month wishlist:

MOVIES

Table 19 (2017) by Jeffrey Blitz. With Anna Kendrick, Craig Robinson, Lisa Kudrow, Stephen Merchant and Tony Revolori.

Wonder Woman (2017) by Patty Jenkins. With Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Conni Nielsen, Robin Wright and Danny Huston.

Baywatch (2017) by Seth Gordon. With Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Alexandra Daddario, Priyanka Chopra and Jon Bass.

A Monster Calls (2016) by Juan Antonio Bayona. With Lewis MacDougall, Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell and Liam Neeson (voice).

Rules Don't Apply (2017) by Warren Beatty. With Warren Beatty, Lilly Collins, Alden Ehrenreich, Matthew Broderick and Annette Bening.

BOOKS

A Monster Call by Patrick Ness
The Blackhouse by Peter May

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
This is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

Mischling by Affinity Konar


What should I see/read first?

Photo credits: impawards.com & goodreads.com

👗Alexa Chung vs Chiara Ferragni

I know, I know...Chiara Ferragni, again! It's not my fault she's wearing dresses and outfits worn by someone else as well and the other way aroung...
The piece of clothing this time is from Prada S/S 2017.

Alexa Chung wore this pale yellow Chinise inspired blouse first, while attending the Fashion Awards 2016 on December 4, last year. She completed the look with matched trousers and opted for black accessories (belt, shoes and purse). 

Chiara Ferragni wore the same top during a shopping trip in Milan, a few days ago. She went for a more casual look with short jeans shorts...given the hot days that recently spread throughout Italy, that was the only choice. She wore yellow sun glasses and a rock black bag.

Who wore it better?

Alexa Chung or Chiara Ferragni?

PS - this outfit has been worn by Marjorie Harvey (Steve Harvey's wife) as well, back in March, during Paris fashion week.

Photo credits: Chiara Ferragni's IG & zimbio.com

📖 Novel of the Week: Sašenka by Simon Sebag Montefiore

This novel runs through 3 historical periods that are really important in Russian history: Russian Revolution in 1917, the Stalinist period in 1939 and the end of the Comunist and URSS era in 1994, it's written in third person, from the protagonist's point of view.

Sašenka Zejtlin is a wealthy young girl from Saint Petersbourg, who has been converted to the Bolshevik cause from her uncle, Mendel’. In 1916/17 she becomes an important asset to the Bolshevik party and makes a valuable contribution to the fall of the Tsar.

13 years later, in 1939, Sašenka lives in Moscow, is married with Ivan "Vanja" Palitsyn, a NKVD agent, and has two children, who adore her. She's the director of an housewife themed magazine and truly belives she could never be happier.
Then she meets Benja Golden, a famous writer, and all her convictions about feelings goes straight out of the window...but even a single wrong choice will set Sašenka's world upside down and she and all her family will be in danger.

London/Moscow - 1994
Ekaterina "Katinka" Vinskij, a talented and smart historian, gets assigned with a genealogy research by Paša Getman, a powerful Russian man, who lives in London with his mother, Roza Getman. Katinka is requested to find Roza's mother. She always knew she was adopted, but now she wants to know the entire truth about it...and gives Katinka a name to start with: Hercules Sativon. 
Katinka goes back in Moscow and, as her search goes on, also back in time...

What I liked 👍

The characters are so "true", so real: they have their merits and defects, they're either brave and conditionable...you can sense their humanity, and I think this is the goal any author wants to achieve.
The story is addictive, both the pricipal and the sides ones; it's ruthless and forthright, it covers 3 generations of a single family and everyone related to them. Plus the plot twists are insanely good!

What I did not like 👎

Few of the descriptions were nearly incomprehensible because the author uses terms in Russian or yiddish (the family is hebrew) and those distract the attention, even if I understand they were put there with the porpuse of giving authenticity to the story...And probably it would be more easy to understand some historical facts if I had a degree in Russian XX century history. The epilogue is way to long, some addictions and characters could have been easily left apart.


I like "One Night in Winter" more, even if it's set in almost in the same historical period as "Sašenka ", but this doesn't mean I won't suggest the reading! Mr. Montefiore confirms himself as a great novelist as well as a superb historian. On the cover is said this is a love story, well...it's not just romantic love, but parents love for their children as well as patriotic love for your Country and endless trust in those who rule it.

My final comment would be: READ IT. You won't regret it.

My vote: 8¾/10

One Night in Winter by Simon Sebag Montefiore - my review HERE

Photo credits: /cramptonillustration.blogspot.it & redbubble.com