by Heidi Reid | Aug 1, 2023 | July/August 2023, Stuff
Outfits are stepping out and stepping up for every event imaginable.
Did you deck out head-to-toe in pink for the Barbie premiere or feel out of place when rolling up for the flick donned in your regular street attire? Even concert outfits have been amping up their extravagance lately—from Taylor Swift’s renowned The Eras Tour to Harry Styles’ Love on Tour. And this level of fashion commitment has extended from elevated concert apparel to popping off for everything from Oppenheimer to The Rise of Gru. Translation: Outfit prep and planning has reached mastermind level. Which leads us to wonder, what happened to simply wearing clothes?
A big factor at play a la the dress-up craze is the concept of self-expression. Movie- and concertgoers dressing the part amplifies identification with a virtue reflected in the event—see: women’s affinity with Barbie and the array of ethnicities, professions and ages represented in the film. Find the same self-expression showcased in Harry Styles and Taylor Swift’s concert attendees as well. Seeing an artist live has become more than just attending the performance, it’s now about being part of it.
Whether the trend has stemmed from athleisure exhaustion (thanks, pandemic!) or it’s just fun for an excuse to dress up, more and more people are working the business casual top and sweatpants combo. #Slay
And while we love a comfy ’fit, dressing up and getting ready is fun—NTM a healthy confidence boost… we love self-love!
Plus, it’s trendy to flaunt the ’fit online—where trends spread like wildfire. We all know going viral can happen at random—think the teenager behind the “Gentleminions” trend who amassed 8.9 million likes via his first and only TikTok video.
Whether you prefer dressing down or dolling up, this trend is still a win for any advocate of self-expression and entertainment. Wear what you want and romanticize the small things—Barbie would be proud.
by Cameron Rhinehardt | May 25, 2022 | Buzz, June 2022
Ready for your closeup? Lights, cameras, action! To fete National Movie Night June 10, we’re plotting to see if you can ace these local movie Q’s—from NC-born and -raised film stars to Raleigh-based flicks and more. The spotlight is all on you… And scene!
1. One for grabbing the bull by the horns? You might be familiar with the central scene in Bull Durham (actually filmed in the City of Oaks!) where Nuke accidentally throws a baseball through the glass window of which Raleigh bar?
a. Mitch’s Tavern
b. O’Malley’s Pub & Restaurant
c. Flying Saucer Draught Emporium
d. Players Retreat
2. Often find yourself in the middle of a “the book or movie was better” debate? Focusing on that reaction shot, which famous piece of literature was transformed into a movie and filmed locally?
a. To Kill a Mockingbird
b. The Handmaid’s Tale
c. Forrest Gump
d. Little Women
3. Sun off, outdoor movies on! Which Raleigh museum hosts a fam-friendly outdoor film series every summer, setting the scene for your watch crew to gather and view Oscar-nominated films and blockbusters on the big screen? (Psst: This summer’s premiere is June 24!)
a. CAM Raleigh
b. NC Museum of History
c. NCMA
d. NC Museum of Natural Sciences
4. Pass the popcorn! Raleigh’s only cash theater, Rialto, showcases new-to-the-scene films in a vintage space that’ll take you wayyyy back. What year did this historic theater open its doors to the public?
a. 1932
b. 1938
c. 1942
d. 1950
5. “Nobody puts baby in the corner!” Dirty Dancing’s Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey had the time of their lives filming several scenes at this picturesque NC lake.
a. Jordan Lake
b. Lake Norman
c. Lake Gaston
d. Lake Lure
6. Grab the tissues. The film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ second romance novel Message in a Bottle—starring The Princess Bride herself, Robin Wright—was filmed at which inconceivably beautiful NC beach town?
a. Wilmington
b. Kitty Hawk
c. Emerald Isle
d. Carolina Beach
7. Transgender actress Hunter Schafer (who you may know better as Jules Vaughn in the hit HBO series Euphoria), graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts after transferring from which Raleigh high school?
a. Sanderson
b. Enloe
c. Broughton
d. Longleaf School of the Arts
8. The Longleaf Film Festival returns for its seventh year (!) to put a spotlight on “film, fun and community.” In its first year (2015), the festival—which takes place at the North Carolina Museum of History—received entries from
how many countries?
a. 20
b. 25
c. 30
d. 35
9. “If you ain’t first, you’re last.” Most of the racing scenes in Talladega Nights—starring narcissistic NASCAR racer Ricky Bobby, played by Will Ferrell—were filmed at which NC speedway?
a. Charlotte Motor Speedway
b. Ace Speedway
c. Rockingham Speedway
d. Carolina Speedway
Answers: 1. A; 2. B; 3. C; 4. C; 5. D; 6. A; 7. C; 8. B; 9. A
