read.with.loree

In life, we have to try and go find where we are meant to be

[readwithloree]

Why I love Legally Blonde

You know why I love Legally Blonde? 

It's because Elle loves and wears pink.

At first, it may seem like the director just wants us to easily recognize Elle in the crowd or highlight her importance. But, it’s more than that. 

Have you ever noticed how in movies (mostly old), women in power are often seen wearing neutral make up and classic colored blazers or suits to reflect power and authority? If they're not wearing black suits, they are portrayed as cold but competent. Like Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada, who is characterized as emotionally distant, aloof, and ruthless yet very competent. 

It’s like women can’t have both worlds. If they want to assert themselves, they have to strip away parts of them that are socially and culturally associated with femininity. 

According to Cordelia Fine, when a woman climbs the professional ladder, especially in a male-dominated field, she may strategically shed all her attributes and identity that she thinks are exclusively feminine to prevent her male colleagues from being reminded that she is a woman. This can include refusing to wear make-up, resisting vibrant colors, embodying "anti-female" attitudes, and sometimes antagonizing other women. As she ascends to the top, she may find herself isolated (because there’s often only one room for the “historic first” for women). In the process, she may unconsciously disassociate herself from parts of her that she thinks are feminine and adopt the behaviors associated with masculinity to stay afloat and survive. 

And Elle Woods did the exact opposite of that. Throughout the movie, she remained bubbly, sweet, and kind all while being smart and driven. A girls’ girl through and through. She did not tone down her wardrobe and instead wore the color that most people in the courtroom shy away from. She did not change a bit of herself. Instead, she walked in there, succeeded, and even delivered her batch's graduation speech. 

I love it because I think that’s how it should be. Women should walk into every room carrying all parts of themselves, demanding the rights and opportunities they deserve. 

Elle Woods will forever be iconic. At the end of the movie, she unapologetically wore that vibrant pink attire in the courtroom and won the case nonetheless. 

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“Honey, remember to never let anyone ruin the best in you.”

artwork from fubiz via pinterest

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"I know, sometime in your life, you have lost your faith to your dreams -- I know because I am guilty of it too. There are happenings in our life that are forcing us to drop and abandon our passions, some events that are keeping us apart from our dreams. But no matter how silly and ridiculous your dreams might seem to you, it's never okay to throw them out of the window. It is time for you to prove that dreams don't only happen in fairytales and they are not images that only happen at night. Dreaming is only for the brave and I know that you are brave and strong. Chase the uncertain and dream brightly!"

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i listened to

all your echoes

and accepted

all your flaws

but why can't i

make you stay?

illustration by @sandra.cumplido via instagram

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somewhere

between

the chase

and obsession

she lost herself.

artwork from fubiz via pinterest

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"I once saw the Universe in your eyes. But now, I don't think you still possess it. Maybe, some hollow dimension in the Milky Way has absorbed the glow in your eyes."

artwork by Henn Kim via pinterest

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“Tonight, before you fall asleep, let the Universe take away your worries and self-doubt. May the falling stars grant your wishes and dreams. And tomorrow, may the world shower you with happiness and hope.”

sending all the love from emmcee

artwork from soupsane.tumblr.com via pinterest

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you have no idea how many times i tried to look for you in every place i go and in every pair of eyes i meet.

artwork from i am black via pinterest

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i will constantly search for you in every sunrise and sunsets, in every night and constellation and in every alternate and parallel universe.

artwork from pinterest

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day four, dec ‘19

To my eight-year-old sister,

If ever there is a falling star tonight, please do not wish to grow up fast.

I know you’re tired of all the lectures and house rules.

I know you’re sick of us prying to your own things and plans.

I know you’re exhausted from all the dramas we throw at you.

I know we always point out your minor mistakes and then make them a big deal.

But let me tell you this, being young is the funniest and most overwhelming time of your life.

So, enjoy it while it lasts.

Just let me list down all the perks of being young, so I can convince you.

When you are young, you have all the time in the world to decide what flavour of milkshake you like — freely and no rush — but when you are an adult, believe me, you won’t even have the time to brew your own coffee — and that’s the reason on why the upper part of the cabinet in our kitchen is full of instant coffees.

When you are young, you can spend your entire day going to afternoon dates, midnight drives, and slumber parties — you can talk to your friends about your crushes and common interests or how funny your Math teacher is — but when you are an adult, you won’t even recognise your own home because your job will unintentionally require you to stay 24/7 at your office. Plus, you cannot treat everyone as your friend because sometimes, someone will never be happy for your success, and you’re afraid that they might back stab you.

When you are young, the only things you are obsessed with are bubble wraps and paper dolls — you know, simple things excite you — but when you are an adult, you will shamelessly obsess over some random guy who doesn’t even have the looks but will still cheat on you.

When you are young, the only questions that made you nervous were written on the slam book of your eighth grade friend or class queen bee but when you are an adult, you will spend your entire night thinking about the possible questions on your job interviews.

when you are young, amusement parks, bookstores, and field trips are the things that make you wake up early — with good mood and positive vibes—but when you are an adult, the traffic will require you to wake up five hours earlier than usual. Plus, you have to avoid riding the hassle elevator with your annoying colleagues talking about some random office gossips — so you will just take the stairs.

When you are young, you are afraid of dark places and ghosts stories — you can call mom to stay with you — but when you are an adult, failures, disappointments, rejections, expectations, and responsibilities will become your biggest nightmares — and you cannot call mom.

When you become an adult, you will constantly pray and tell Him to take you back to those times when you could wander, leap, and jump into wherever you want and still got nothing lose, back to those days when you were never scared to try extreme and dangerous things, back to those years when you fell down but could still managed to be come back on the game.

Because honey, when you become an adult you have to watch your every steps because one wrong move and everything will fall down — you won’t even have enough energy and drive to rise up again.

When you are young, everyone loves you and will stay with you. Life is perfect, young love is sweet, and your dreams are all about changing the world.

When you become an adult, you are all alone in this world. You will have to face your breakdowns at 3 am, and your insecurities and down falls will eat you up. You will sink in the quicksand of anxiety and sadness, and no one will pull you up but yourself.

So if ever there is a falling star tonight, please wish for a different thing.

sincerely yours,

your worried, annoying older sister

artwork from pascal campion art via pinterest

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day three, dec ‘19

"Where have you been?" I worriedly asked.

"In the train station." He replied as if it wasn't a big deal.

I remained silent, waited for another answer that could satisfy my wondering about his whereabouts.

"I am waiting for her. That's the place I last saw her. Maybe she's just there, hiding. Patiently waiting for me to find her." His eyes were full of hope—the kind of hope you don't want to break.

He has no idea that the girl is now thousands of miles away from him. Sadly, in the arms of another man.

artwork from we heart it via pinterest

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that’s it honey, you cannot have all the people you love.

artwork from alisha via pinterest

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day two, dec ‘19

Once in the middle of a busy subway. Somewhere between the trains and stations. Somewhere between the passengers and their own destinations.

A lost stranger once said,

"Life is sad. It isolates you from the things you're used to. It detaches you from the places you fancy. It dazzles your eyes from things you can't have. It separates you from the people you were attached to."

"No honey, it's not life that causes you sadness, longing and grief. Sometimes it's the city, most of the time it's the trains, oftentimes the stars and always the people."

Life talked back.

artwork from picsyy.com via pinterest

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i know that you will bloom despite the drought, emptiness, and isolation. how do i know? the cactus told me.

artwork from etsy via pinterest

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but darling, you’re my certain in this world full of uncertainties.

artwork by esyadeposu via pinterest

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day one, dec ‘19

to the guy who lives next door,

i still remember everything about you.

and when i say i remember things about you, i’m not referring to your favourite colour or your favourite baby picture. what i mean is i remember the name of your first pet— the stray corgi we found on the second alley near downtown. i remember when you asked me a favour to keep it in my house at night because your mom is allergic to fur and dog poop.

when i say i remember everything about you, i don’t mean the freckles on your face or the birth mark on your back. what i mean is i remember the secret room under your stairs— the comfort zone where you kept all your game cards and old stuffs. i remember the smell of your old books that piled up on the corner of that room.

when i say i remember something about you, i’m not pertaining to your birthday or your favourite holiday. what i mean is, i remember your first embarrassing email on Yahoo and Facebook— with code names and too many underscores. and because you have a tendency to forget a lot of things, i remember how you used my name as a password so you wouldn’t forget it.

and when our grade school teacher told us to write what we wanted to be when we grow up on a blank sheet, i remember what you wrote.

and then we were teenagers, aggressive and curious and still dumb— this was the time i remembered you the most.

and when i say i remember things about you, i’m not referring to your height or your shoe size. what i mean is, i remember that you never signed up in any sports club at school because, obviously, you’re not a big fan of physical movements. i remember the old wooden guitar you bought in a garage sale and that was when i figured out that your passion is neither science experiments nor Shakespearean poems.

when i say i remember everything about you, i don’t mean your favourite worn out jeans or how well you kept your favourite classic songs on your playlist. what i mean is, i remember the times when i wanted to borrow your hoodie because i like how your smell still lingered on the fabric even after it was washed on the laundry.

and i remember that you were accident prone, so you always wear a helmet on our way to school until the end of junior high.

and then we’re college students—cramming and surviving and still a little dumb.

when i say i remember things about you, i’m not referring on how bad your penmanship is or how terrible your love letters are. what i mean is, i remember the day when you had your first heartbreak — it happened during the mid year break. i remember all your missent drunk calls and texts, and then forget about them when you’re sobered. i remember how you begged in front of her doorstep and how cliché your lines were— you even blamed the romantic movies you saw on TV.

and when i say i remember everything about you, i’m not pertaining on how your haircut and soft lips make you look like the Asian version of James Dean. what i mean is, i remember your favourite spot on the library and how many times you lift the middle of your eyeglasses every time it slide down on the bridge of your nose.

when i say i remember everything about you, i’m not referring to the shallow and obvious things about you. what i mean is, i remember your childhood memories you probably forgot or the the things you didn’t notice when you were seventeen or how college made you tougher and smarter.

but honey, do you even know my favourite colour?

i guess not.

you never asked.

Artwork: Hikari Nashi via Pinterest