that's so romantic
style study, wuthering heights(2026), and i'm hosting an irl event
I can’t be bothered most days to think beyond the same rotation of oversized knit sweaters and wide leg denim. Early bird status is hard earned when you’re bumbling around your shoebox apartment by lamplight at 6am. Sure, there’s a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ in an unofficial style uniform. [I’m currently wearing my favorite cobalt blue Gaspard Sézane cardi, wide leg Good American jeans, adidas spezials, the peridot signet ring I stole from my mom, and pearl drop earrings.] Boredom is stirring and I can’t really look at stripes anymore.
This is a style study: a focused collection of musings, reviews, and recommendations in fashion, beauty, and pop culture curated for you, by me (@gabbywhiten). This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are 100% my own. Oh! Registration is now live for my first in person event. All the details can be found at the bottom of this post :) The romanticism in the air right now is delicious. Let’s dive in.
📺 what i’m watching: “wuthering heights” (dir. emerald fennell)
💄 LCOTW: laura mercier caviar perfecting lip liner in brown tulle, rhode peptide lip shape in flex, elf cosmetics glow reviver lip oil in honey talks
🧠 a hyperfixation: yearning
🍫 weekend treat: an afternoon solo date with a good book, a cosmopolitan & a side of fries
📙 reader’s corner: workhorse x caroline palmer
Getting dressed is critical for staying present in my body. The average daily information overload could quickly send a person into an existential crisis. I pray “how are you feeling today?” won’t trigger the same. It’s a good thing my three style words (classic, creative, romantic) can easily be applied to arrange an outfit that feels decidedly “me”. I also love looking to movies, magazines, and old mirror selfies for some style inspiration when I need it.
I’m always [metaphorically, literally, emotionally] reaching for the sparkling romantic stories. I watched Casablanca(1942) a couple weeks ago and was on the brink of tears. In the middle of desperate romantic angst, you can’t help but respect Yvonne (Madeleine Lebeau) putting on her baddest outfit to cross paths with the 1940s version of a situationship.
There is a certain balance in the romantic aesthetic that I feel a strong attachment to; a softness that still balances well with darker, edgier essences. Matthieu Blazy’s Haute Couture debut for Chanel interpolates whimsical, free flowing garments with sharp [but also elegant] suiting. There’s also the fabulous in between; where Sabrina cut sheer blouses reveal lacy undergarments. In fact, Chanel girls of past and present capture the romantic style quite effortlessly.
Does it make sense if I say “sometimes I want an outfit that looks how Agape sounds?” It’s definitely Tiktok’s favorite tune off the soundtrack for Barry Jenkins’ gorgeous adaptation of James Baldwin’s novel, If Beale Street Could Talk. It sounds just like the escaping warmth of a waning New York sunset maintained in an early evening gathering around a fireplace.
I love squeezing every ounce of value from My Criterion Channel subscription when temperatures drop. Now, I’m hearing there’s a “Yearning” collection featuring Nora Ephron’s Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and Martin Scorsese’s Age of Innocence (1993). They did this for me.
Color pairings to rival Substack’s most viral notes were captured first in Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) and are delightful for a crisp winter palette: baby blue on cherry red; icy blue on evergreen. Lavender is always catching my eye as well and I’m going to blame that on my perennial obsession with Ever After (1998).
Then, there’s the obvious observation: there are so many good red moments in romance. There’s Rachael Leigh Cook’s descent down a suburban California staircase in She’s All That(1999), Audrey Hepburn’s stroll on the Seine in Charade(1963) and descent down The Louvre steps in Funny Face(1957); oh and Whitney’s red lipstick in The Bodyguard(1992). I love a red lip.
Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman, Saltburn) utilizes red details frequently in her adaptation of Emily Brontë’s singular gothic novel, Wuthering Heights. Margot Robbie’s Catherine Earnshaw is often adorned in ruby red garments and accessories (jewels, ribbons, sunglasses, etc.) to invoke an emotionally passionate environment through sartorial style.
However, the tangible aesthetics are simply not enough to capture the emotional depth conveyed in the novel. In my opinion, the excessive liberties taken in the film lead to an incoherent narrative and lack of emotional pay off. So by the time we get to these shattering monologues [pulled word-for-word from the novel], it doesn’t feel like we’ve really earned them. There are spoilers below.
Jacob Elordi’s Heathcliff is not well fleshed out and Shazad Latif’s Edgar Linton is dull. Mind you…these are supposed to be men who wander the English moors in depressive psychosis for decades after Catherine’s death. As far as the romance is concerned, I’ve genuinely watched steamier episodes on the PBS channel.
Fennell speaks at length about how she wanted to capture the physical feeling she had while reading the novel as a young person. I’m thinking about how me at 14 would have definitely been locked in on a fanfic that turned that whole ordeal into a love triangle [would’ve been #TeamEdgar for myself, #TeamHeathcliff for Cathy].
Maybe if Poor Things(2023) didn’t exist; I’d have been more affected by the guts, debauchery, and gore. Positively, I don’t hate the changes made to Isabella(Alison Oliver); maybe there is something there regarding the false notion of agency in a power imbalance that can never be rectified. But then, I’m even more confused about what she was trying to do with Heathcliff as a character. I’m curious how people are feeling about the movie; I feel indifferent about it!
On the other hand, the novel is expertly crafted. I’m particularly fascinated by how deeply Brontë investigates the corrosive journey of vengeance. And for the record, there was definitely an appropriate character in the Wuthering Heights universe for Elordi if you look close enough. All I’ll say is someone over there should’ve re-read Volume II. I’ll give two stars to Robbie and Lucky Chap who took a significant pay cut to guarantee a theatrical release. See movies in theaters!!!!!! Now that’s romantic. <3
We also have the first three episodes of [American] Love Story: John F. Kennedy and Carolyn Bessette from Executive Producer Ryan Murphy (jump scare). A text I sent while watching: “when she touched his wrist omfg”. So… do with that what you will. If you’re curious about how the modern media infrastructure cannibalizes celebrity [packaged as a NYC love story in a Calvin Klein column dress]; this one’s for you! I’m also expecting Old Navy pixie pant sales to skyrocket.
Valentine’s Day on a Saturday is so cutesy! I saw a tonnnn of weddings on social media. My newlywed ladies changing their names make sure all your documents match your birth certificate. The SAVE America Act passed the House this week and seeks to create additional voter registration requirements to participate in federal elections. It might get stalled out again in the Senate but who knows. Love shouldn’t rob you of your suffrage!
Big news! I’m hosting an event at The Morgan Library and Museum. Join me for a private tour of the J.P. Morgan’s private library before the museum officially opens to the public. Paid subscribers get early access to the sign up [see below]; spaces are limited but the event is completely free!
That’s all I have for you today. stay hot ❤️🔥
xx, Gabby