On the dangers of verisimilitude

[marycrawford]

Oh dear. I've been reading War For The Oaks, an urban fantasy novel by Emma Bull that I generally enjoyed, but at certain points I kept thinking, This book was clearly written in the '80s.

And it was, of course. But the reason I was so aware of it is that people's clothes were described in detail, frex, the heroine wears a beaded sweater with shoulder pads, or a violet shirt over green leggings. I think the intent was to show that the heroine and her friends wear pretty, somewhat bohemian things, since they are musicians and everything, but I kept visualizing those outfits and making faces. Worst of all, one of the male love interests, a gorgeous man who is really a phouka, is described as wearing nothing but a pair of tight paisley jeans.

Paisley jeans. Gah. So much for sexiness.

Of course, in another decade or three, this effect will probably fade, and the clothes of the previous century will just look quaint and interesting again. I hope.

Comments

[rex-dart.livejournal.com]

Hmm, my mum has a gorgeous pair of dark brown paisley velvet jean-type pants. But it would take a very, very special male to pull off wearing them. In fact, I'm not sure that that male exists. Except maybe Gackt, but I don't think where clothes are concerned he counts as a male anyhow.

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

OK, brown paisley velvet doesn't sound quite so bad, compared to the the skin-tight paisley jeans horror I pictured upon reading. But yeah, not something most guys could carry off.

Gackt is an Asian popstar...right?

Mary, desperately pretending to have street cred

[rhiannon-jehane.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. I've been reading War For The Oaks, an urban fantasy novel by Emma Bull that I generally enjoyed, but at certain points I kept thinking, This book was clearly written in the '80s.

Oh, I love that book! I originally read it back in 1987, so when I reread it now, the fashion doesn't really seem that odd to me. But I can see how it would really stand out to someone just reading it now, almost 20 years later. To further note the 80's vibe, the original cover art had a picture of Eddi on the cover (along with Phouka in dog form) and Eddi looks exactly like Annie Lennox in her mid-80's blonde phase.

Have you read anything by Charles deLint? If you like urban fantasy, he's one of the best authors out there.

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

Heh, I have some Charles deLint in my bookcase, waiting for me to catch up to him. (I have a lot of books like that. Thank goodness, they are patient.)

Eddi as Annie Lennox...huh. I love Annie, but Eddi struck me as a stocky brunette, though I don't know if that's actually from the book or just my imagination.

Also, is it me, or did Anita Blake borrow a lot from Eddi and her friends? (Much prefer Eddi, though. *g*)

[flambeau.livejournal.com]

Hee! I mostly notice about the music, but yeah, the clothes also. Love the book, though.

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

Yeah, music too, but the songs I recognized, I like, so that's different. *g* Was very amused by the keyboard player intoning 'Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to discuss this thing called Life' and the rest of the song started playing in my head...

[dgcandace.livejournal.com]

Heee, I was wondering why the eye-rolling clothes were reminding me of something very, very familiar, and then you pegged it. Anita Blake!

I dunno why all of Hamilton's characters don't trip on their own floor length hair and the ten yards of lace they wear to the grocery store. And their twenty inch heels.

When I need to visit my "happy place" today I'll just imagine paisley jeans :-)

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

Anita Blake and her ilk make a lot more sense as '80s rock stars...and come to think of it, Lestat began that way, too. Huh.

It must be something about vampires and powerdressing. *g*