I’m excited to be moving forward with volume 2 of my new series, Fashion + Food + Film. To catch you up, be sure to read the premiere post of how this series concept started here! This time, I’m delving into one of my favorite modern films, Midnight in Paris, and reviewing a bit of Rachel McAdams’ circa 2011 style (hello belted everything). We paired the film with a traditional French dish, a fun French dessert, and a light cocktail. Ç’est Magnifique!
The Film
Midnight in Paris was written and directed by Woody Allen. Owen Wilson plays Gil Pender, an aspiring American novelist with an appreciation for nostalgia. His wife Inez, played by Rachel McAdams, pretty much thinks his head is in the clouds and doesn’t mince words when displaying her impatience with him. With things being not so great on the homefront, Gil takes to walking the streets of Paris at night to clear his head. That’s when he encounters a vintage car of party-goers who whisk him off to a completely different time – Paris in the 1920’s. He meets Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Picasso, and Hemingway among others. This glittering time travel occurs every night at midnight, and each time Gil is introduced to more characters of whom he has long admired.
Midnight in Paris is one of my favorite movies for a few reasons. I think the writing is really clever, and I love the dynamic between Gil’s pleasant demeanor and overall love for life to the stark contrast of the blissfully ignorant and pessimistic family he has married into. It makes for some dramatically funny scenes. If you appreciate classic literature then it’s hard not to enjoy seeing some of these authors and artists as real people, or at least how they might have been. I love time travel films, and this one paints Paris beautifully in the between war years.
The Fashion
Chambray Shirt Dress | White Cotton Shirt Dress | Gold Interlink Studs | Silver Drop Earrings | Black Leather Belt | Beige Leather Belt | Aviator Sunglasses | Black and Cream Woven Wedge Sandals | Neutral Platform Wedge Sandals | Brown Leather Crossbody Bag | Black Leather Bucket Bag
It was 2011 and things were certainly moving positively away from what I personally consider one of the worst periods in fashion, the early to mid 2000’s. I think what Rachel McAdams wears throughout most of the film pretty much translates today. There were a lot of shirt dresses and wedges, a look that is definitely something I would wear now to explore the City of Lights. A belted shirt dress is a great look. I just think the costume designer went a bit overboard and belted everything she wore. But overall her looks are something that can be easily recreated.
For my own take, I prefer the breezy comfort of a short sleeve shirt dress with a platform sandal and crossbody bag. This shirt dress is really comfortable and honestly feels like I’m wearing pajamas, or at least a pajama top, but the length is still appropriate. A crossbody bag is essential for travel and I like this chain strap bag to dress it up a bit. Platform sandals like these are comfortable but also cute.
I rounded up some other versions of the shirt dress plus shoes and accessories, if you’d like to recreate this look, too! It’s really easy, and honestly you could snag one of your husband’s button down shirts for this.
The other side of the fashion coin in Midnight in Paris features the roaring 1920’s. The drop waist shift style dresses of the time are something I still find really attractive today, minus the whole feathered headband thing.
The Food (and drink)
If you follow me on Instagram then you know that Paul has been going above and beyond in the kitchen lately, especially since we have been staying at home. I love sharing what he makes for us, and so many of you have said how much it inspires your own culinary efforts. He’s been pushing himself to try new techniques and to make dishes that he’s always wanted to make but for whatever reason had not. One of those dishes is Coq au Vin.
Coq au Vin is a classic French stew where chicken is braised slowly in red wine and brandy, with pearl onions and mushrooms – there’s even bacon in it. What results is a truly decadent sauce over chicken that completely falls off the bone. Our kitchen smelled heavenly!
A couple of our favorite Coq au Vin recipes can be found at Serious Eats and Bon Appétit!
Drinks and Dessert
To start our evening of ooh la la, we made a traditional French 75. It’s one of my favorite summer citrus cocktails. Check out this post for the recipe and three other cocktails to make this summer. I’ve been doing some reading up on the French 75, as I’m always curious on the history of food and drinks. When was it first created? How did it come about? Where does it get its name? From what I’ve surmised, humans have been imbibing a concoction of champagne, gin, and citrus juice for a long time. It wasn’t until 1927 that the French 75 first appeared in print. Its name came from a piece of French artillery used during World War I. Once it had a name, the French 75 soared in popularity.
Paul really captured the French spirit with homemade Nutella crêpes, a dessert/snack that I have always enjoyed in Paris. I’ve had them at sidewalk cafes and from street vendors, and they’re just the perfect treat. I had purchased this crêpe batter spreader for him a while ago and he made a pretty perfect crêpe with it!
Get this basic crêpe recipe from Bon Appétit!
How are you enjoying F+F+F so far? La vie est belle, non?
xo – Erin
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Fashion + Food + Film | Vol. 2: Midnight in Paris appeared first on CathedralsandCafes.com. If you see this content published anywhere else, please email cathedralsandcafes@gmail.com.
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