November Memo: Chanel, Murakami and Warm Underwear
I’m back from Beirut, but managed to catch a virus as soon as I left the noble home of the Phoenicians, so I need some cheering up. I’m rather frustrated for not being able to post for a while, as I have things lined up that I really want to share. Anyway, for now, let’s focus on things I’m looking forward to in November.
1. Noirvember. One could argue that film noir isn’t that cheering and one might be right. It is, however, a stylish and fascinating genre and well suited to late Autumn, so watching these movies in November is now a thing. My film consumption has fallen to embarrassingly low levels, but surely I can manage one or two noir classics in a month? Of course I can. If you’d like to watch some, too, I highly recommend @chimesatmidnight’s extensive list for inspiration. Or if you are a beginner, maybe try this bookish list by Bookriot?
2. Atmospheric books. I was going to write that I’m looking forward to Sarah Perry’s Melmoth, but accidentally read it on Wednesday in one sitting. That allows me to confirm it’s one of the most atmospheric books I’ve ever read, the descriptions of Prague in winter are exquisite (but not cheesy). The overall Gothic mood is also very suitable for this time of year. Another recent release that I expect to be atmospheric, although in a completely different way, is Murakami’s Killing Commendatore. It is thick, but November is the best time of the year to approach weighty tomes.
3. Cheap skincare. Who doesn’t like cheap skincare that delivers? If the first two things don’t live up to the cheerfulness promise, this one definitely does. There have been several launches recently building on the lessons learned from The Ordinary’s extraordinary success. I have a couple of separate posts coming on this, but until then, I highly recommend watching Nadine Baggott’s videos on GOW and The Inkey List and Revolution Skincare and QRXLabs. Caroline Hirons also has a (sponsored) overview video of The Inkey List.
4. Special Chanel. I must say I feel rather indifferent towards the pre-Christmas spending frenzy at the moment (I fully admit it could change any moment). The only thing I’ve seen that I truly covet is the limited edition red Chanel No 5 bottle. It truly is a thing of beauty and I don’t even like No 5. It does come in the L’Eau version as well, however, so I’m seriously considering getting it. [Update: I did buy it, shortly after writing these words. I feel that this fully justifies stealing the picture from the Interwebs.]
5. Unique clothes. This one is mostly for my Estonian readers, although maybe not exclusively. There was lots of interesting stuff on show at Tallinn Fashion Week in the end of October and I have spoken about many of those brands/designers before. I have however never mentioned Inga Vatsk-Laasner’s small collection that I believe is a few seasons old now and really rather unique in the Estonian context. All her clothes look very cool, but in a grown-up, Kate Moss meets Isabel Marant sort of way, rather than being very sporty and street. I’m in the process of ordering a couple of things and will keep you posted.
6. Less unique clothes. It is getting colder in Brussels and while heattech undergarments don’t sound particularly glamorous, they are certainly useful. Enter Alexander Wang’s collaboration with Uniqlo that brings the designer touch and some NYC street cred to the practical Japanese thermals. I bought a long-sleeved t-shirt. In neon yellow (I’m planning to wear it on its own as well as underneath knits and things).
7. The world. I have always been interested in history and geography and science and … everything really. If there is some sort of common denominator for capturing what I mean, it’s a wish to understand and experience the world. I feel this especially keenly since Lebanon: I would like to travel to at least five countries IMMEDIATELY, learn a dozen languages and educate myself on hundreds of topics. Overambitious, certainly, but some of it can be implemented. I can shift some of my budget from ‘things’ to ‘travel’; I can make small progress with languages even if intensively learning one isn’t currently an option (it might be as of the new year) and I can always read. I’m planning to continue my pretty excellent non-fiction streak with Adam Rutherford’s A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived and Stephen Hawking’s final book, Brief Answers to the Big Questions.
What are your November plans?
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Not a big fan of Chanel No 5 either, but WOW that bottle! November to-do: check out Michelle Obama’s book (though as always, all interesting parts are already all over the press), consider going back to Rouge Noir nail polish, read more (House of Cards -binge messed up reading schedule).
Have you tried the L’Eau version? Probably still not quite you, but I prefer it to the original. I am looking at my brand new red bottle as I write and it is gorgous. Genious bit of marketing.
I guess I should also read Michelle’s book, but I have so much else on my list that I’m much more excited about… I’ve been struggling with reading as well – work, a rather active holiday (meaning not just reading by the pool), the stupid virus, etc. But I’m currently doing well, hopefully work will not ruin it completely in the next weeks. It’s going to be pretty awful.
Wasn’t Melmoth great? I was surprised, a little, by how moving it was. Reading The Essex Serpent now. For a similar vibe, although more horror and all in Northwest England, I’d recommend the beautiful written The Loney by Andrew Hurley.
I think I liked The Essex Serpent better, but that might also be because I read it first. To be honest, not all of the historical story-lines in Melmoth worked for me equally well. Then again, I almost cried twice and I enjoyed the descriptions of Prague so much (not really a fan of descriptions by nature, me). How are you finding The Essex Serpent?
As it turns out, I liked The Essex Serpent better too and agree about the unevenness of Melmoth. But I am a wierdo fan of Melmouth the Wanderer and also was close to tears a couple of times in Melmoth (and I *never* cry reading, or very rarely), so thought its highs were even higher than the highs of The Essex Serpent, despite the latter being better overall. Anyway, a Sarah Perry fan for sure, despite not having had great expectations!
Yes, I think I cried twice! And I really think the descriptions of Prague are extraordinarily good. Will read whatever she writes next.
Wow, Ykkinna, I feel very honoured to be mentioned here! Noir is my favourite genre so I’m glad you’re inspired to watch some classic films. I must admit that I’m swooning over the red No 5 bottle as it’s a true thing of beauty. It’s hard to resist although I really should – I love this fragrance but it doesn’t last at all on me, even sprayed on clothing and my heart is set on Sarrasins since I read about it on here.
Cheap skincare is a favourite of mine too right now and I love GOW, especially as the products come in pump bottles as opposed to annoying droppers which always puts me off trying more from The Ordinary. The PHA is the best acid I’ve ever tried and one of the few suitable for my rosacea and I love the azelaic acid. Otherwise, the only thing I’m really into right now is the Diptyque Christmas collection – the almond scented candle might be my favourite ever.
How lovely of you to come and comment! Have you tried Sarrasins already? I truly think it’s stunning. And how interesting what you say about GOW, I am much more inclined to try their things now. *opens Victoria Health*
I think you are the first person I’ve ever heard saying Chanel No 5 doesn’t last on them. It lasts on me, but it’s just not among my favourites (I only wear it in the hair mist format), which is strange, as I’m a big fan of Chanel perfumes otherwise.
Yes, I got a sample of Sarrasins when I visited the Lutens boutique in Paris and adore it. And knowing how much you love it too makes me especially keen to get it and the purple colour is gorgeous. I should say that perfume in general doesn’t last long on me and that’s down to my skin but if I spray it on clothes or in my hair, it sticks around, except with No. 5 which fades in half an hour. I even bought the parfum and it’s no better, although Eau Première lasts well on me for some weird reason. Hope you enjoy trying GOW products!
I think Sarrasins would suit you so well, I can definitely see film noir heroines wearing it! And I find the way perfume interacts with different people endlessly fascinating. It’s of course sad that you love No 5 without really being able to enjoy it on yourself, but I think there’s also something cool in having this difficult relationship with that classic perfume. Drama! Uniqueness! Emily, lover of films and No 5, unrequitedly…This probably makes me sound very weird, but there you are.
I covet the red bottle of No. 5.
As any rational person would.
I succumbed to the red bottle too… No 5 L’eau. PRETTY 🙂
It is, it’s a beautiful object. We have great taste.
Welcome back dear! I love that huge feeling of interest in the world after coming home from a trip – so much more to see and learn! I’ve lost most of the languages I learned in school and university but every year I think about revising or learning a new one. Maybe it really is time to do it properly now…maybe there’ll never be time to do it properly, but we should try it anyway… Right, to perfume: I wear No5. quite a bit as a can’t-think-what-to-wear perfume, and find it very easy and radiant. A lady in my choir wears it very lightly and her corner of the soprano section is just a haven of beauty. I don’t come across it in public as often as I’d expect – maybe despite the marketing fuss/publicity/Christmas gifting it isn’t actually worn much? – which is encouraging me to wear it more now. I have a dainty 35ml bottle which is sufficient, and good for taking on trips. What I’m trying to work up to here is a confession that two weeks ago I bought the red 100ml bottle two minutes after clapping eyes on it. Elsewhere, November plans include reading more Tolstoy and Pushkin, drinking whiskey (cheap Irish stuff rather than the good Scottish stuff as I’ve blown my budget on a different kind of bottle) and rewatching Eric Rohmer films. And smelling like a heavenly soprano, obvs.
Your november plans are wonderful. Have you been successful in implementing them? I’ve been in a work-related back hole: it’s a bit better at the moment, but will get worse again before Christmas will relieve me for almost two weeks.
And I think that red bottle is worth temporarily lowering one’s whiskey standards. Also, there’s something romantic in drinking cheap whiskey.
Bleurgh, the work black hole. I am very relieved not that have that problem at present. Have been reading less than I expected, but at least the plans for singing and drinking and smelling good have been fully implemented 🙂 I do have a soft spot for shabby pubs and cheap spirits…and I’d forgotten than a light mainstream whiskey (as opposed to the dark and complex Scottish greats) is often a better choice for cocktails. Thanks to Artful Reader for that tip!
November and early December are always bad here, work-wise, and this year even more so, with the Italian situation (as I work on the economic and fiscal files). So it’s not unexpected, just have to get through the next three weeks or so and will then join you in singing and drinking 🙂
Also, I wanted to ask about November reads, but couldn’t figure out how to reply on that post. Not sure if something is up with my computer interface? Anyway, would you recommend the Rooney. I love Ottessa Moshfegh, but the Rooney didn’t seem quite as out there as I tend to like. What say you?
I’m also interested in the book about things being better than we think they are, which is certainly true according to all sorts of metrics. That said, I have a HUGE problem with Steven Pinker — a colleague, I have to admit, which may play a role. My issue with the *Better Angels,* which I read in its dreary, to me, totality, was that he never discusses what he counts as violence and why. In conversation his reply is violent death and the why is because that is what we can count. What that leaves out is the enormous number of people surviving, just, in situations of systemic emiseration, within systems of mass incarceration, racism, nonstate status, etc etc etc. You know all this probably better than do I. Also, climate change. It isn’t at all clear what the statistics on death will look like in fifty or a hundred or two hundred years. That is, was the first half of the twentieth century a blip or a sign of things to come. Ok, I’ll stop my rant! But I thought you would appreciate it even if you don’t agree!
The comments shut down after a while, I don’t know why – I really need to figure out how to change that.
I would recommend Rooney, yes. I think I would have loved her more in my twenties, but she is sharp and she can do dialogue, which I find very rare. Obviously it’s always a gamble, but I have a feeling you’d prefer Conversations with Friends to Normal People. Also, her books are relatively short and pretty compulsive, so they’ll not take that long to read. I guess that shouldn’t be a consideration, but in reality, there’s a difference whether I spend a day or a week on what turns out to be a mediocre book.
Regarding Rosling, I think you might like him a bit better than Pinker, although he is certainly not beyond critisism. Frankly, for me, the main point of the book wasn’t that everything is better than we think (maybe because I knew that bit from his other work), but how wrong we are about things in general. We make fundamental, structural mistakes all the time and I think in the days of information overload, it’s especially important to get the framework right and be alert to our own biases. He is also very careful to say that things getting better does not mean things are good. You will probably find him too simplistic, though: in order to make the book accessible for a very wide audience, it does loose some depth. Then again, he is a guy who has in fact worked for a long time in some pretty tough areas of Africa and that adds much to his credibility in my eyes. He comes across os a deeply decent person.
Yes the Rosling sounds interesting – and I’ve got no problem with some simplification when it helps get important things across. Also also, love the Rankine. Have you read her earlier book, Don’t Let Me Be Lonely. Unbelievably good.