"How to Make Friends & Unite People" - My Experience of the 'RA Fandom'

Now that I'm starting to find my way in this blogging world (though not without some growing pains!), I thought it was about time I write about my personal experiences of a very important part of being a follower/admirer/well-wisher/Armitage Army member of Richard. That is; The "RA Fandom". 

In The Beginning ... 

This time in August I was in a pretty rubbish place. Jobless, and facing a career which made me miserable, when all I wanted was to pursue my creative ambitions, but not quite sure how to do it. I was pretty lonely too; being without cash to spend doesn't make you the most popular person, or maybe that I haven't got the right sort of friends! I faced all this, and life was a pretty miserable prospect. Then, one day, I decided to go and see one of my favourite people in all the world in a role I thought him born to play. I went to see The Crucible, and everything changed...

The first time I went to see The Crucible I had decided it was a treat for myself. I'd kept some money aside, it was a special time to indulge in something that I would enjoy. And boy did I. At this point, I knew there were fellow Richard admirers out there, but I'd been in a pretty isolated place, so my awareness of them was minimal. But it was on this day it started to change. There was a great buzz about the theatre and everyone was whispering excitedly to each other - friends amongst friends, but most interestingly; strangers amongst strangers. I spoke to several people behind and to the side of me; we could all sense each others excitement and shared each others thoughts on what we hoped for the performance. And so the play truly did feel like a shared experience - we had all shared in that moment of excitement and now were sharing equally in the play's moments of sorrow. I left the theatre feeling so much better, inspired in fact. With the hope of not sounding too melodramatic here; life felt worth living again...

But my true initiation into the RA fandom all came down to a random encounter on Twitter. It was one of those moments I look back on and think: "imagine where I'd be if it hadn't happened"...

A Chance Encounter

Richard had joined twitter, and so my usage of it had quadrupled ;) - After 'Baconbeard', how could I not be checking his account to see what ingenious inspired moment would come next?! It was during one of my browsing sessions, in which I was mainly indulging in enjoying other peoples stage door photos, that I saw a little tweet come up from someone who said they had a spare ticket to see Richard in Conversation, as she was no longer able to go. Time froze. I had so wanted to go, but money was tight. But I went for it - 'seized the day' as they say - and got in touch...

And the person I met is now a very dear friend to me. She said I need not pay her for the ticket. But we eventually agreed if I could buy and post her a poster she had forgotten to get, that would make up for it. I thought this such a generous offer, I snapped it up and was very grateful! 

At first, my cynical lonely mind thought; 'be careful, she could be misleading you'. But she hadn't asked for anything out of the ordinary, and had sent me all the details for the ticket; I decided to trust in someone this time around. And boy, did it pay off! I arrived at the theatre, everything was fine, I had a wonderful time. I texted her after the event to thank her and filled her in about what I could remember, and I now dedicate my previous blogpost to her, in thanks of her kind gesture :).

And so, my submersion into the RA fandom had begun. And it was about to get even bigger and better...

On the day I recounted in an earlier post, when I, by chance, got to see The Crucible a second time, and met the lovely Richard himself - well, I had not achieved this alone. Whilst queuing at the theatre on that spontaneous day, I had texted my fellow RA friend to tell her about my little adventure. I asked if she knew the chances of me getting a ticket, and she said she didn't but she knew a group who would be able to help, on Facebook. And so I was let in to this group and, once again, my kind RA friend performed a wonderful act of kindness and asked its members if any of them had advice for me about getting a ticket and the stage door experience. I stood in the queue, taking in lots of very useful advice from strangers all over the world on my little phone; it was quite surreal! When I managed to get my ticket I shared it with the group in disbelief, joy and gratitude...

After the performance and meeting the man himself, I rushed home and shared my thanks with him on Twitter; and once again was introduced to further Richard admirers, asking stories and sharing pictures of their autographs. That was a wonderful experience too. I wrote a thank you message on the Facebook group and had a browse around; this looked like fun! From that point on, everything changed, and I became what I am now; the member of a fully fledged RA-Admirer family of my very own :)...

Finding a Family

The Crucible was coming to an end, and some of the members were getting itchy feet; we wanted to talk and also share fun things about Richard, but not just in a Crucible context. We also were all fond of our new exposure to Richard's brilliant and quirky sense of humour, and wanted a place we could share in that. And so a few of us united and created our own group, of which there are now many wonderful members. 

It was here that I really began to find myself again, and get back a little confidence. I was required to co-operate with people, learn to use new social media features, make an interesting group people wanted to join; but also I was able to interact with a group of people who all had a shared interest in Richard Armitage. It felt like home, somehow. I felt like I was able to share with these people in a way I've never done before, even with my oldest friends. I was laughing like I hadn't laughed in years. Real, serious belly laughter; tears and everything. It was wonderful. I woke up each morning wondering what mischief we would get up to! What I loved most about the group was that it was fun. It was a place we could go to laugh, and share funny pictures of Richard and indulge in each others admiration for him and have funny little competitions. There was an implicit trusting bond between us all and it meant what was created was really a Richard Armitage family. I hope, if this blog ever comes into your view, Richard, you can feel proud of the fact that people all over the world are uniting in their admiration of you, and are honoured to be, too :)...

Here's an example of the kinds of fun pictures we
 love to enjoy, for their complete sillyness :)!

#OneBeardToBringThemAll

It was at this time I became involved in a little Twitter event which you may have heard of, called #OneBeardToBringThemAll. It was an idea we had, to put on what we thought would be a fun and entertaining little 'event'; to wear beards, in honour of Richard's own he was still sporting from his role as Proctor at the time, and also in reference to an interview in which Richard suggested the Armitage Army wore a uniform...."perhaps beards?".

It was during this time that we really bonded as a group, and a time in which I learnt more about myself and my skills and capabilities (and also flaws!), than I ever had before. We had to work together as a team to finalise and organise the details of the event, contact other groups, answer questions. It became almost like a full time job! But what I saw unfolding was pure excitement to share in something fun and unique for Richard; even if it meant looking a bit silly! People were working together and loving it; I saw a really good side of human nature during this time, which helped me a lot. 

When the day finally came, and I finally managed to unleash my beard (which I was very proud of, by the way, and quite miss ;) ) - and watch others unleashing theirs on the Twittersphere too - it felt incredible. Never have I felt more part of the world I live in; even if it is in a virtual sense. There were beards from the UK, America, Europe, South America, Australia... Though there were only a modest 'number' in end, it was clear to see the enjoyment of this event spread further and wider than just those wearing the beards! To share in (what we considered) a victory, after all that anticipation and nervous energy was such an adrenaline rush (god I know I sound sad, but it really was!). It almost became not about Richard at all; though inspired by and essentially for or in honour of him. It became about us. The RA fandom. A small group of us uniting, in our own small way, to share and celebrate the joy we got from being fellow RA admirers, and doing it together. It really was such a special time, an unforgettable time, and I thank all those who worked hard to put it together and all those who participated, and those who enjoyed it too!

The Inspiration for #OneBeardToBringThemAll ...
look at The Precious...*strokes screen*... ;)

Settling In

I feel very much part of an RA-based community now; I have regular conversations - RA related or otherwise - with people on twitter and facebook; I have made lifelong friends. I have made connections with the RA bloggers, and been welcomed warmly and given some great advice and guidance on how to make blogging work for me. I have come across new creative ventures, inspired by Richard, like Cartoon Armitage, and connected with fellow artists across the world on our combined passions of creativity and Richard (a heavenly mix, that's for sure!). And last but not least, I have made connections with a whole new group of RA friends; those of you who take the time to read my blog and are kind enough to give me feedback - you have helped me become a better blogger.

And so, I come to my present point in this journey. Part of a fantastic FB group full of laughter and trust; with some new friends I have made along the way. I have a community of people I can tweet about Richard with, when I am feeling like the addiction is all too much to bear (which I have been recently). And of course there is the man himself, who continues to find his style of Tweeting and who I learn more and more about with each tweet; witty, quirky, lovely, honest, articulate. My own tweets feel pretty silly in comparison, but I love enjoying his hashtags with my circle of RA friends! I have become part of a community - albeit a virtual one. But in today's age, where everyone is so stressed and so busy, maybe that's exactly the kind of escape you need? It has certainly been a great help and support network for me. And long may it continue; though I may have to get a life and actually start doing some things at some point ;). Whereas three months ago I thought myself useless, worthless, a failure; now I feel I have really for the first time in my life, started to accept who I am, faults and strengths, and am learning to be comfortable with them, and feel braver to challenge those parts of me I think I can make better, stronger. 

What if?...

I do think to myself; what if? What if I hadn't been to see The Crucible? Would I have met Richard? What if I hadn't been cancelled on by my friend, and gone a second time? What if I hadn't replied to that tweet? ... Would the beards have happened? Would I belong to a community of new friends, with whom I have a new found confidence and passion for life? ... It certainly makes me wonder...

And then there's Richard. If I hadn't discovered Richard, and wanted to see him all those years later in the remarkable role of Proctor, what would I be doing now? I'm going to go all out now and say something potentially over-the-top, but in many ways I genuinely do believe it. Richard Armitage saved my life. Through my admiration of him, his good nature and his fine work, I have made new friends, have a new found confidence, have new hopes and a new drive for life...

 So thanks for that, Sir :).

Thanks Richard! :D

Antigone 

x

My Account of Richard Armitage in Conversation at The Old Vic

When I first heard Richard was going to be doing a special event at The Old Vic, I was very excited. I had wanted to see him talk for a long time, and this was my chance; he was right on my doorstep! So when I turned up at the theatre, I was full of anticipation and excitement. Excited to see him as 'himself' (out of character), and in anticipation to discover whether the real Richard met up with my previous perceptions of him from interviews, and also my hopes of what I wanted him to be.

I had got myself a ticket in the Upper Circle of the theatre, so sadly I wasn't able to see Richard's responses up close, but I had a clear view from where I sat and luckily he had a microphone so I could hear him perfectly.

I waited eagerly. "Where will he enter from?" I wondered; the play is in the round and characters entered from several different points throughout the play - which would Richard enter from? In the middle of the stage were two plush red velvet chairs and a small round side table - they looked very chic and elegant in the middle of that round stage and old embellished architecture. Then, he entered...

A Cheeky Pic from inside the Theatre - Richard sat on the right hand side *points*...

He wore an outfit pretty similar to one seen here on his appearance on The Andrew Marr show, and looked lovely in it too :). He entered from (our) stage left and immediately the auditorium rung out with applause. I have to say, I was anticipating to cringe a little and hear whooping and wolf whistles, but the response he received was surprisingly civil and measured!

Richard at the Andrew Marr Show

What struck me first was Richard's considerateness; as soon as he entered, he looked up and around at the auditorium, then straight up at us in the Upper Circle and gave a pleased and flattered smile and a big and enthusiastic wave! His eyes, even from "up in The Gods" sparkled freshwater-blue under the stage lights. We all waved back, very honoured and flattered too :). He seemed to glow and filled every corner of the space with affection and friendliness. I saw a positive and engaging spirit, who wanted us to know he was grateful we were there, and that we were very much a part of the conversation that was about to occur, not just observers of it. I loved the inclusive feel this established right from the start.

First Impressions

What struck me first was Richard's considerateness; as soon as he entered, he looked up and around at the auditorium, then straight up at us in the Upper Circle and gave a pleased and flattered smile and a big and enthusiastic wave! His eyes, even from "up in The Gods" sparkled freshwater-blue under the stage lights. We all waved back, very honoured and flattered too :). He seemed to glow and filled every corner of the space with affection and friendliness. I saw a positive and engaging spirit, who wanted us to know he was grateful we were there, and that we were very much a part of the conversation that was about to occur, not just observers of it. I loved the inclusive feel this established right from the start.

Also what was noted was the effort, thought, and conviction he put into his answers. His answers all felt very well thought out and full of substance. He brought along a copy of the play with him to reference, also a letter from a well-wisher which had particularly moved and inspired him, which he shared with us at the appropriate moment. I think Richard, in making such effort with his answers in this way, and making us feel included in his thought processes, brought a really warm and comfortable feel to the theatre - it really did feel like a conversation, between all of us. I remember at one part he got so engaged what he was talking about he had to stop and say "was that your question?!" in a light warm manner, and chuckled. That was so lovely to witness, and in those moments I felt my reasons for thinking so highly of him as a human being were expressed at their full magnification.

There is, however, definitely an intensity and mysterious reservedness to Richard's character and composure. Not that he was being evasive, indeed I found him very open, but I did feel like he was, at times, making the decision to hold things back, which I can totally understand. It's something everybody does. Why, because he is an actor with a new found celebrity, should we expect differently of him and for him to give everything away?

There was also an intensity to his answers; he used beautifully vivid and powerful language at times, which to me expressed how very deeply he felt things. When speaking about his work, he spoke in a very passionate way - we saw his ambition, and a love for what he does, shine through in those moments. He spoke about things in a way that very much came from his soul; there was real conviction there, and a real love of what he does, which was great to see.

I have always admired Richard's measured demeanour; it's something I aspire to myself, as I am the type to get very emotionally - almost hot-headedly - passionate about most things and run away with myself. He sat with very open body language; his leg folded across him, like seen in the picture I included above, for some of the interview. He used his hands and gestures to express himself throughout, which brought his words to life. His voice was calm and softly spoken, but he expressed himself clearly and confidently enough so that you could every word. He constantly looked up and out and around at us in the audience, keeping us enthralled and engaged. The lights in the auditorium were up, so to see all those adoring faces must have been quite intimidating and nerve-wracking, but he coped with it with grace. Richard seemed very self-composed.

Channelling Proctor

When speaking about The Crucible, what struck me how how much of an effect the play had seemed to have on Richard. He spoke about not being able to let John Proctor go at the Stage Door at night, which I had experienced first hand. He spoke about how he would prepare for the role; by listening to music in his corner of the dressing room, to gear himself up for what was about to unfold. I loved getting this insight into his craft, and also admired his methods in themselves. Coming from a creative background I understand the importance of immersing yourself in your craft, of really going to "that place" in order to express what your creative urges are telling you needs to be said. On hearing how Richard prepared for Proctor, and how he felt the character, within himself, very much explained the power behind his performance. 

He was almost like a medium, a man possessed; not by the Devil, but by John Proctor, himself...

A Man Possessed - Richard clearly became Proctor,
through the processes he used in his craft

"It's not funny the second time, either...sorry"

In an interview between Richard and Martin Freeman, I remember Richard mentioning that he couldn't tell jokes. Now I can't say I've ever heard Mr Armitage tell a joke, other than in this scenario, so who knows if he really can, but from watching this clip, and others in which Richard mentions how is 'not very funny' (I hope I'm accurate in my perception of this!), I expected the talk to be a very solemn affair.

But it was far from solemn. That's not to say it wasn't serious at times, because it certainly was; but what I loved most about the talk was that we really got to experience Richard's natural humour. It might not be joke telling, but I think having natural charm and wit is a much harder thing to have and/or perfect, and this just oozed naturally from him. This is something I think was very much missing from what I've seen of the transcripts. He made charming comments and cheeky asides throughout the talk, which, apart from "carrot-gate", I don't think were really mentioned.

Examples of this were found in little remarks he made in his answers. When referring to his preparation for Proctor's voice, he mentioned visiting an old mentor from his RSC days, and recounted him asking her for help, and ended with something like: "And then she said, come and lie down on my sofa" *audience giggled*...

Another occasion was when he spoke about his days at LAMDA and having worked in the round. I laughed at a part when he mentioned studying the Greek Classics: "and I remember there being lots of sand...." and he paused at this, as if to emphasise his bemusement in this.

There were also great moments of banter with the audience, like on one occasion when Richard was asked about whether he would do any more theatre work, and he said "Not Musicals... Which one of you suggested that?!?!" and he turned behind him in his chair at looked up and around us, playfully :).

Perhaps this humour shone through due to the circumstances of the talk. He knew he was in a place amongst people who admired him and his work; so perhaps he felt he could trust us enough to speak and behave in a more relaxed way? It was so lovely to see; I felt like I was, in those moments, getting a sense of 'the real Richard'....

Politically Aware

Another thing which came across vividly in Richard was his engagement with politics, and his passion for the importance of being engaged in this way, in the world we live in. I know this is an area which has caused friction in the fandom before, but for me it was a wonderful and commendable side of Richard which I thought was lovely to see. Perhaps this was because he shares views similar to my own on the issues he spoke about, though I think even if I had disagreed with them, I would have admired the confidence he had to share his views so openly and articulately.

You see so many actors talk about their work without even the slightest consideration of a shred of context or deeper meaning in it; as though politics or philosophy scares them or is not a 'cool' enough subject to be interested in. This was absolutely not the case with Richard. What came across loud and clear, watching him in conversation, was that he cared about the world and what went on in it, and that he had opinions on it which he was not afraid to share. This was a really wonderful side of him to see.

I noted upon reading the transcripts, that several moments in which Richard got a little political were actually omitted from them. I thought this was a shame, but could understand the reasoning behind it; perhaps those who compiled the transcript wanted to remain impartial on that front, or maybe there are rules about not including those sorts of comments?... Who knows.... All I can say is that was one thing I noticed to be missing from the transcripts which surprised me. I'd be happy to go into the details of what he said in these political moments, (though there were only a couple, really), but I feel their content is not so relevant as the fact these statements were made in themselves.

Passionate Artist, Funny Chap, Politcally Engaged

As the talk ended, I found myself impressed with what I had witnessed. Richard was everything I had hoped he would be, from what I'd previously seen of him in interviews, and more. His wit was great to experience in person, he was just charming and lovely. His articulate answers demonstrated his desire to want to become a more knowledgable person and try and understand better the world around him. His considered answers and warm rapport with us in the auditorium showed he was a man who was very much in tune with the feelings of others, and one who wished to embrace them.

I left the Theatre once again in awe of 'The Armitage'. It was over so quickly; too quickly for my liking! After his bold and beautiful closing statement, Richard was on his feet as we thanked and applauded him, waving once more in acknowledgement of us all, and slipped off backstage again, with a quick hoisting up of his trousers as he went ;) ...

" I suppose I already feel changed in that I think I have opened a part of myself, or Proctor has opened a part of myself, or somehow I have opened a part of Proctor, I don’t know which part of that is, but it had frightened me before and I guess I am no longer afraid."

I hope that in exploring my personal experience of my perception of Richard, I am able to give those who were unable to attend the talk a more personal view of what went on that day. Combined with the actual words he spoke at the talk expressed in the transcripts, I hope to try and share a more rounded experience for those of you who couldn't make it.

This has also been a great way for me to analyse my own reaction to the event, and what I opinion I formed of Richard's character from it. As for the 'real Richard', well who knows, and I don't claim to know it here, I only wish to describe the perception I got of him, even if it was his "public persona" (though in my gut, my instincts tell me he was being as much himself as one can in such a situation).

Here is a link to the transcript from the event and the live tweets, for you to combine with my account of things, if you'd like :)...

Richard Armitage In Conversation - Transcript (Part 1)

Richard Armitage In Conversation - Transcript (Part 2)

Richard Armitage in Conversation - Live Tweets from The Old Vic (Storify)

Until Next Time :)

Antigone x

Cartoon Armitage - My Love Affair with an Alpaca ... ;)

Since joining Twitter, I have come across not only many wonderful words inspired by The Armitage, but also a vast variety of images I wouldn't even have thought to look for, had I been browsing normally on the web. This is, I think, is one of the more positive aspects of social media. Creative people, with an idea and the talent to execute it, are given a platform on which they can immediately connect with people to whom their work might also speak.

This was very much the case for me and a certain illustrative artist who goes by the name of 'DI_Alpaca' (do you get the reference in the title now? ... how could you think I meant a real Alpaca?! hehehe ;) ). I saw her work being retweeted when searching for the Richard Armitage hashtag...

This is DI_Alpaca, meeting the man himself...
She got a Hug and a Photo?! - lucky thing! :)

I fell in love with what I saw instantly. I hope some of you have had the chance to see some of this work, and I will be sharing some here, but for those who haven't, please check out DI_Alpaca's Tumblr page, where the images which were tweeted all originate.

Cartoon Armitage by DI_Alpaca

What I love about her work is that although her drawings are incredibly cute (!), I think they still very much have the essence of Richard in them. Not just in his physique, but also, somehow, in his 'spirit'; by which I mean his general loveliness we all care for but can't quite explain! I've picked a few examples of my favourites (there are loads, luckily!) in the hope of illustrating what I mean, somehow...

The Usual Suspects

This was one of the first images I saw. I loved how DI_Alpaca had captured the unique mannerisms of each character, and how they were arranged to look like a line up. This reminded me of that iconic scene from the film 'The Usual Suspects', actually!

Here we see (from left to right): Guy of Gisborne, Mr Thornton, John Proctor (holding his Apothecary, hehe), Thorin, Lucas North & photobombed by Richard himself as Santa Dwarf)

DI_Alpaca's drawing reminded me of this iconic scene from The Usual Suspects...

I also loved how they were interacting with each other - Thornton seems to be consoling Proctor, who is holding his Apothecary ;), and in what looks like a reference to Benedict Cumberbatch, there is even a photobombing Armitage Santa Dwarf- a look taken from Richard in the Crisis for Christchurch campaign in NZ...

Do you see the resemblance? ... hehehehehehehe...

A Striking Likeness

I thought they were just wonderful, and all had about them a certain quality that I felt portrayed Richard perfectly, a kind of sensitivity I think he possesses. Richard strikes me as a sensitive person; by which I mean he seems very in tune with the emotions and feelings of the characters he plays, and seems to take them into account in his acting roles but also in interviews with his interactions out of character - this is just my opinion, anyway...

Richard's philanthropic side is expressed here beautifully

There are also a series of drawings she did of The Crucible, which I think are very poignant and capture the tense silence which engulfed the theatre around these characters at times. This (below) is taken from Act Two and depicts a particularly awkward encounter between John and his wife Elizabeth. I think the drawings perfectly captured the intensity of the scene; the feeling of something needing to be said, but not knowing quite what it is or quite how to say it...

I rummaged around for some more work and also found this brilliant image, taken from Richard's role as John Standring in Sparkhouse. I thought not only was the physical resemblance remarkable, but she really captured the warmth and kindness of John's character...

Cartoon Standring bears a striking resemblance to the real thing...

For me, that is the sign of a true artist. Most people can probably learn how to draw well if they practise the skill hard enough. For me, what makes an artist different is that they somehow have that innate skill to capture something of the world around them in more than just a physical sense; an essence, a feeling, an interpretation of the world around them and the people within it. DI_Alpaca's work clearly has a sense of this, and her own mark - as an individual and an artist - is made in her artful capture of Richard and the roles he has played.

No-one Nose

Having looked at these cartoons a lot over the past few days and weeks, what I also thought was striking and worth a mention was the distinct lack of a feature of Richard's which he has commented on himself before, that is his nose . I have heard Richard refer to himself as a "beanpole who grew into his nose". What I absolutely love about DI_Alpaca's cartoons are that they completely refute Richard's reluctant affiliation with this body part as his defining feature, in that there is not a nose in sight! And yet I am still undoubtably sure, when I look at her drawings, that they are of him. I hope if he has seen these drawings, this fact fills him with some relief; your nose is not the feature which defines you for us, kind Sir... it is you and your approach to your work as expressed through these drawings which is what defines you (for me, anyway!)....

Saying that, I have to say DI_Alpaca has captured an incredible likeness with Richard's beard! It is a character in it's own right, hehehe...

This is a pretty perfect likeness to the man I saw at the Stage Door!

With Good Intentions

There seems to be a really affectionate feel to the drawings. They seem to be coming from a good place and that warmth really shines through and was contagious, I thought! They immediately made me smile and feel all warm and fuzzy inside ;) - and provided me with a moment in which I could just allow myself to appreciate my fondness for Mr Armitage. So thank you for giving me a way to do that, DI_Alpaca!

I have created a Pinterest Board with all the Cartoon Armitage drawings I have found so far and am in the process of uploading them all, so I can enjoy them all in one place (I hope you don't mind, DI_Alpaca? Your work is credited there too). If you wish to have a moment of Cartoon Armitage Appreciation, then please do follow this link and Repin or follow the board and images if you like :) :

Cartoon Armitage Pinterest Board

I feel like there is more I could say on these cartoons; and if I think of the appropriate words, I will, but I think it's just best for now to allow the works to speak for themselves.

To finish, I'd like to indulge in and share my favourite of her drawings (so far) with you :) ...

BaconBeard Moment (of genius!!)

 #IceBucketChallenge Trauma 

From that Sunday Times photoshoot....*sigh*... ;)

Enjoy!

Antigone x

If I were Richard's Stylist on the Red Carpet (Part 2) - Theory in Practice...

Ok, so I was feeling like the ideas in my previous post were perhaps a little far fetched or too abstract, and I was starting to feel silly for suggesting them! So I thought I would do a little experiment using images of Richard I found wearing already similar looks, and combining them with things I suggested to try and illustrate a little better what I meant. So here we go...

I think I might add more to this as I discover more things, here's just a few to get started with...

Colour Blocking

Ok so imagine Richard in this gorgeous vintage 60's style suit (well it looks 60s to me ;) )...

Now imagine the suit with a colour block tie like this instead... maybe in blue and magenta instead ... I think it could work...

Here's an example of a brighter coloured shirt under a classic coloured suit, worn by Richard himself... In my last post I didn't mean the colours should be garish for the sake of it, I don't think that suits Richard's personality. But I can see this in maybe a deep green or purple working really well too...

Now look at Richard in this dark suit - already there is some colour in this look, a muted chocolate/khaki colour...

Now imagine him with a deep aubergine coloured shirt and bright azure blue tie, wouldn't that bring out his eyes...

I think putting this into practice, I'd say a simple dark/light classic coloured suit and the colours the as the accents and accessories would be the thing I'd want to try. 

I find colour so exciting to experiment with ... I think I was just getting carried away with things. However I do think if Richard were to wear a coloured suit, Boateng would be the kind of designer to make it work for him, and I'd love to see him wear a coloured suit with a granddad style shirt under it, with that distinctive collar.

This is actually alot more difficult to express than it feels in my head. I hope its coming across somehow. It's been fun to get creative with it and I hope you've enjoyed my ideas. It's something to think about, anyway!

Antigone x

P.S - Can I just apologise for any previous poor grammar or spelling ... this whole idea for a blog post got me way too enthusiastic and I didn't do a very good job of proof reading it! Hope it's legible! At least the pictures are pretty... hehehe ;)

'Who are YOU wearing?" - If I were Richard's Red Carpet Stylist...

Time for something a little different...

I was watching a great interview by Richard the other day given while on the red carpet of a local premiere in New Zealand (featured below). It's a great clip which shows a sassier side to him, which was refreshing and fun to see, and in all honesty the interviewer on the other end of it was being pretty sarky!  I love how he gave the guy as good as he got - I thought at one point Richard might stare the guy into paralysis with those sparkly blue lapis-lazuli of his. This ice-blue stare happened in particular when the interviewer asked Richard: "Who are you wearing this evening?". Richard seemed amused and almost taken by surprise by this question, and responded, wittily: "Who are YOU wearing?".

RA: "Who are YOU wearing?"

This got me thinking... If I were to dress Richard for an event like that, what would I have him 'wear'? And when I say 'have' I don't mean I would force him to wear it - I tried to think of something which Richard might be comfortable to wear, but which was perhaps something out of the ordinary for him. Not that I can know what that would be, of course, I've only gone by what I've seen him wearing previously.

It was whilst pondering this thought that I came across a discussion on a Facebook group I'm (very proud to be) a part of, about what 'look' we would dress Richard in, for a Red Carpet event. I saw mention of one of my favourite designers there, and so thought I'd give this a go myself! So here goes...oh before I start, I must thank the group for allowing me to borrow some of their excellent images to illustrate my points - I speak for you all, though not on your behalf, of course ;)...right, here goes...

After looking around for ideas, I worked out there were three key elements important to me for the perfect Richard Red-Carpet-Look; the shirt, accessory choices, and ... here's the controversial one... a splash of colour. I've used each of these "elements" to explore some potential looks below. Keeping in mind I have a creative background in visual art and am a huge fan of anything quirky and colourful, so my choices may by not that conventional, but I've tried hard to look at what I've already seen Richard wearing and pick things he might realistically wear, even if a little different to the norm for him. Have a look and see what you think...

'Getting Shirty' - finding the perfect shirt

As we can see from this picture (below), Richard looks great in a well fitted shirt. But what I realised whilst doing a bit of research were how very many different type of shirt cuts/styles there were! Here are a some styles which I thought a little different, but in the right context, could provide a great alternative to the standard crisp white shirt (not that there's anything wrong with that of course ;) )...

This shirt is a great cut on Richard

"Granddad shirts" (yes, they really are called that ...*rolls eyes*)

I have been in love with this style of shirt for a really long time. I love what the collarless look does to the male form - it accentuates the neck and adams apple, makes the shoulders seem broader. I think it can work buttoned right to the top; or worn under a classic suit, as shown here by Jude Law; or a few buttons can be undone at the top without a suit jacket for a more casual look. I can definitely see Richard wearing this style of shirt in both contexts, and looking mighty fine in it too! 

Patterned Shirts

Patterned shirts can also be a great way to jazz up a suit. There are so many pattern styles to choose from for men these days - from retro paisley print, to geometric. I think a perfect example of a style of patterned shirt to suit Richard would be this polka dot one. The polka-dots are small enough not to seem to gimicky, but add a bit of vibrancy and movement to the suit (thanks to my facebook friends for this image!).

Two-Tone Shirts

These are a really interesting alternative to a plain shirt. They are often used to inject colour into an outfit, by using the colour as a highlight to a plain-toned shirt. Under a dark suit, or even on its own with smart trousers, I could see this as a great way for Richard to express his personality through a tease of colour.

This is a really contemporary two-tone look

Here's some tonal detail on a shirt - it would look great
with a colour-blocked tie under a plain suit.

These are just a few styles I can see Richard wearing. I had to stop myself, as I really could have gone on and on looking at these, but I still had accessories to consider! ;)

'It's all in the Accessories' - adding that little something extra 

Having explored the importance of a good shirt, I decided to move on to Accessories. A vital part of any outfit, accessories can provide a splash of quirkyness or class, and, of course, personality. Here are some accessories I thought Richard could use ...

BOW TIE

Yes, I said it! I would love to see Richard in a bowtie. And I don't mean part of a tux, as seen here (though of course I wouldn't object to that, hehehe) ...

Ohhh boy... What a handsome fella...

Call it geek-chic or quirky, I think with the right look, a bow tie would be perfect on Richard. (Thanks Clodagh Monet on Tumblr for these pics below :) ).

Waistcoats

i think a lot can be said for a great waistcoat. In the same was a great fitted skirt can accentuate the female form, so can a great waistcoat for a man. I could easily see Richard pulling of the "oh, I forgot my jacket at home" look and wearing a waistcoat with style on the Red Carpet. I particularly like these for their sleek fit and also the chain and handkerchief detailing. In fact, handkerchiefs could also be a great way to add a bit of something different to a suit, through colour and pattern choice.

With small additions - like a chain, handkerchief or rolled up sleeves -
a waistcoat can look smart and dashing all on its own.

Ties

Ties are a very underappreciated accessory, I think. They can add a striking statement of sophisitication or playfulness. I have included an example of this below, where Richard wears this very suave mauve/grey striped tie which just brings the whole outfit together beautifully. I think Richard's choice in tie could give him a variety of different looks to pick from..

Richard showing us how to wear a statement
tie with style

Colour statement

A simple, boldly coloured tie, can change the feeling of an outfit instantly. I can see Richard wearing a bright azure blue one to lift his eyes, or perhaps an aubergine to complement his dark hair.

This gorgeous magenta would really bring out Richard's
eyes, I think.

Stripes

Stripes come in all kinds of different pattern formations (who knew!). I am particularly a fan of horizontal stripes, as I think they look really sharp and contemporary. I think both chunkier and slimmer stripes would work on his build.

Here's a Chevron-type stripe which would work well in
vibrant colours

This ombre' type tie could also work
with the right colour-palette

Colour-blocking

I am a big fan of colour, and when I found this colour-blocked tie I thought I could maybe see Richard wearing it under a jet black suit with a crisp white shirt, held in place with a simple pin tie. It has a real 60's chic vibe about it.

In discovering this colour-block look, I started to think a little deeper about what exactly it was I think I would want to add to Richard's outfits if I were to style him with a look. And then it became clearer....

'A splash of colour' - being bold and brave

What I realised, after getting this far in my little project, was how important colour would be for me, and getting those colours right, if I were to dress Richard. 

The perfect example of this in action on Richard is seen in his outfit for the Premiere for 'Into the Storm'. I thought this look really suited him, and was something quite different to what I had seen him in before. Normally I was used to seeing him in neutral or monotone shades, but here he wore a bright and bold Royal Blue suit with style, accentuated perfectly with a crisp white shirt, brown brogues and that brilliant striped tie; the stripes were chunky and the red and blue tones vibrant and punchy. Richard seemed not afraid to wear colour and these colours really suited his complexion and perfectly brought out his eyes.

Richard at 'Into the Storm' Premiere, pulling off
a splash of colour

We tend to see Richard in muted and neutral tones - perhaps because they are classed as masculine? Well I think, as shown in Richard's choice in suit above, that a bit of colour could be a really exciting option for him, which I think he could pull off perfectly. That's not to say there isn't anything wrong with a good black, grey, or navy suit - they are classics - I am just exploring what I might dress him in, and I am always a fan of using colour to bring accent and personality to an outfit.

When I thought of colour, one particular designer came to mind; and funnily enough, this name was also raised on the discussion on the facebook group I mentioned earlier, who provided the inspiration for this post.

His name is Ozwald Boateng. A British fashion designer of Ghanaian descent, he is known for his use of bold colours and sleek, streamlined, tailoring, and has his own place in Saville Row, in London. I have always been a fan of Boateng, since first seeing his work in a documentary made about him which I saw whilst at art school. 

Boateng does seem to dress mostly Afro-Caribbean stars, though I have seen him dress men more of Richard's fairer complexion with perfect style too. Here are some of Boteng's looks I think would work perfectly on Richard, with the right colour choices, of course.

Where on the Spectrum?

And so begs the question - "what is the perfect colour choice, for Richard?". It's clear there is one feature of this lovely man which seems to act as a source of inspiration for colour choice. That is, of course, his eyes. They really do sparkle, and I think with the right colours they can be made to sparkle more. Some colours can be used also to bring out tones which are not so obvious, certainly in the eyes.

The colours I think of here are Blues, Greens, Purples. I even think, as splashes of colour, magenta, fuchsia and turquoise would work in complimenting his blue eyes and dark hair. 

I love these iridescent suits as a subtle way of introducing a
bit of colour

Deep purples and earthy greens, as well as
 blues would make a great colour palette for Richard

I can also see Richard pulling off a bit of 'colour-blocking'. A brightly coloured shirt and jacket, with dark, perhaps black-coloured, trousers, would work really well. I think this could provide him with an opportunity to wear what artists call 'complimentary colours', by which is meant; a complimentary opposite shade, like two sides of a coin. I've included a colour wheel below to show you what I mean by this.

Look diagonally opposite the colour of your choice
 to find its complimentary opposite.

So, in practice, Richard could try wearing a green toned suit with an accent of red on/with it, via an accessory. However, I will say here I think I would stay away from dressing Richard in certain shades - mostly citrussy ones -though I think green would work perfectly on him. The case seems for many fairer skinned people, like myself, that yellow and orange shades, even as accessory details, can be a little hit and miss. I think zingy tones could be incorporated into an outfit using more lime green tones, if that effect was desired.

An example of colour-blocking - though I would keep
Richard away from too zesty tones.

I think its also really important to note here how a coloured accessory on/with a neutral suit can work really effectively too. An example of this is seen below, where this gorgeous cream linen suit (which come to think of it, I could also see Richard wearing) is given a little kick by this bold striped tie, very similar to the one Richard wore in his Premiere outfit I mentioned earlier.

A splash of colour really works well here

Just a quick comment on Jackets...

I also thought I could see Richard wearing a double-breasted cut of Jacket - his broad shoulders and 'V' shaped upper body, would look great in a double breasted suit or with a trouser/double breasted suit combo, or so I think. Plus, I love the air of style these kinds of jackets give off, and if anyone could pull that off, Richard could...

And finally... (something even more quirky to get you thinking)...

We all know how good Richard looks in knitwear. But I would really love to see Richard bring back the cool polo-neck hipster-beatnik-type look. Especially now with his magnificent beard, I think he could pull off a well fitted polo neck with total elegance. I can see a dark one sitting quietly and stylishly under a dark suit, like shown here. Now what do you make of that? ;)...

In Reflection...

So, all in all, I learnt quite a bit about Richard from this little project, which, in truth, I probably spent a little more time on than I should have, muahaha ;). I hope by some form of psychic energy Richard is inspired to try wearing even more splashes of colour in his style choice in the near future, or even... dare I wish it... a Boateng suit!

Hope my ideas got you thinking about what you would like to see Richard 'wearing'...

Antigone x


P.S ... Just to say, I'm not a Fashion grad, so I might not use proper fashion terminology, sorry. It's just a bit of fun really... :)