LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS VIDEO.
I have just been browsing some other blogs through the IFB Network and noticed one Fashion blogger wrote a feature on Katy Perry's latest single, 'Last Friday Night' (TGIF) and I wondered to myself, 'Huh, I wonder why I haven't done the same already?'
This video is so so sentimental to me for so many reasons. Lets make it clear why.
- It reminds me of the house parties I used to have in 6th year at school - 6th year being my last year at High School for those of you who don't know. I don't know how many people know this, but I was never always popular. Don't get me wrong, I believe that once I found my niche at school, started dating older boys and became happy with my body (AKA, becoming happy with my petite breasts and what seemed like a strange taste in fashion at the time), I was finally on the road to acceptance. I was always one of those people who grew up caring what other people thought. I didn't pathetically cling to people for attention, but I always wanted to be "cool"... But I was rebellious too. Always having a quirky sense of style that many people did not seem to grasp at a young age. So this video kind of reminds me of how I used to dress in a kind of, "so wrong its right" manor. I've not lost that element of myself, just tweaked it ever so slightly as I have quickly learned through being a Fashion student what works, and what doesn't. More to the point however, this video really reminds me of the house parties I used to have at school. All the girls would gather together and get rat arsed before the party, but EVERYONE wanted to look fashionable doing it. No matter how small the get together was, or who was going to be there, a significant amount of carefully executed time was taken getting ready for each individual party. I think this is because we never knew what pictures would end up on Facebook.
- In a way, this video also makes me sad as I no longer have the luxury of house parties anymore. It reminds me of the past - times that I have tried to forget. I have not tried to forget them because of the fact the house party itself was bad, it's just that I don't hang around with the people I did then, at all. This is not a bad thing. How this came to happen is regardless - it was ALWAYS going to happen. People grow apart and move on, this is part of growing up. The music video reminds me of just that - "growing up". It reminds me of all the times I would sit alone in Primary School and High School and wished I had a boyfriend and I wished so, so hard that someone would accept me for who I was. I did not want to change, but some people are so cruel, I felt like I had no option to. Growing up I was a goth, then I transitioned into a NED - these were some of the happier days believe it or not, and THEN I became who I am today very slowly. It certainly wasn't a fast process... But slowly but surely, I began to feel accepted. And in my final year at school, my year was made by all of the house parties... I guess that 6th year the first and last year of crazy house parties.
- THE CLOTHES, THE FUCKING CLOTHES!! It's sooooooooooo 80's!! Of course I was not born in the 80's so how on earth can it be nostalgic to me you ask?? Well, for those who don't know anything about Ashleigh Kate Duncan, I recently returned from a stint in London Town. I worked for the Mad Hatter Philip Treacy ( no biggie! ^_^ ) and while I was there, I made it my sub-mission to track down the best Vintage stores in London. I made sure that when I bought the clothes, I found out when the clothes originated. Most of the vintage finds I have are from the 80's (so I am told...) so the video reminds me of vintage shopping in Camden Market - Chalk Farm to be exact - and some of my favourite outfits I would wear to work such as high waisted retro denim Levi's shorts with a filthy denim vintage jacket from Urban Outfitters. I rocked the double denim look many times and I am so proud! I love the neon, the clashing contrasting colours that are so powerful, they would give you a migraine if you look at them for too long.
- I love how Katy Perry's geeky alter ego "Kathy Beth Terry" kind of finds true love at the end as her super cute geeky admirer slays the jock to captivate her heart. Maybe I'm looking into the video too much, but I kind of see me and James there! It's so ironic how lots of guys ignored me when I didn't dress slutty. When I began to dress the way I thought would attract men I would exude a fake sense of confidence and arrogance which was in retrospective, just to compensate for my insecurities. But only then did I feel that the opposite sex would pay attention to me. Although this method was a somewhat success as I did manage to get boyfriends, they turned out not to be so much "friends" but just "boys". Very confused and very strange boys... Throughout all of this, there was always one boy however, that had a crush on the girl - that boy was James and that girl was me! :) so when things got real bad and other boys came and gone, James was always standing by to pick up the pieces. So ultimately, I get a small sense of myself and James' journey to where we are today. He too has rescued me when I have become so wasted, I have passed out. I believe that is true love right there people!
- I love all of the lyrics to this song. They essentially sum up how I would feel after some of the wildest house parties. The lyrics seem to provide me with new flashbacks every time I listen to the song. My favourite lyrics are as follows,
"There's a stranger in my bed
There's a pounding in my head
Glitter all over the room
Pink flamingos in the pool
I smell like a minibar
DJ's passed out in the yard
Barbies on the barbecue
Is this a hickey or a bruise?"
I would go as far to say that this is one of my favourite music videos of the year so far. I by no means feel that Katy Perry's lyrics are genius, nor do I think she is the most talented singer in the business at this moment in time, but it is her unpredictability and hilarious sense of humour that keeps me and I'm sure many others on their toes.
xoxo
