On Monday I had plans to see the second Hunger Games movie (Catching Fire). For those who haven't seen it, it's set in a dystopian future in which a country has a super rich, hyper-consumption driven, dictatorial Capital supported by various surrounding districts, many of which are impoverished and exploited for their natural resources. I haven't read the books (only a very favourite author like Margaret Atwood or Octavia Butler can make me change my no-dystopian fiction policy, because it depresses/exhausts me so much and I'd rather save my difficult reading for things actually happening in the world), so I'm not a fangirl I suppose, but the first movie impressed me, and I can never resist doing a bit of thematic dressing. Especially since I maybe see 2 or 3 movies in theaters a year, so this is a rare occurrence (this was the first one this year, next will be the Hobbit)! The movies visually show a difference between the Capital and poor districts by colours and textures: the poorer ones are depicted in a lot of blue and grey with a run down, more textured feel vs the bright, shiny capital. Obviously, I'm in solidarity with the oppressed people (while recognising that as a white US citizen with middle class parents I live in an environment closer to the Capital), and here are some screenshots that inspired me.

I'd been looking for a corduroy jumper/pinafore dress for at least 2 years before I finally found this one this summer. It's one of my favourite blue-grey colour with just the right neckline and gathered, poofy, swingy silhouette; I just had to hem it a bit. The ragamuffin feel seemed to fit perfectly with the movie, and to enhance that I put my most urchin-y grey wool sweater on underneath. The dress is actually a maternity dress (which I didn't realise until I pinned up the hem evenly, tried it on, and discovered the back was ending significantly higher than the front...after a few moments of wondering if my bottom was now large enough to require special hemming, I realised what was going on), so I reigned in a bit of the formlessness with a belt in a dusty, muted blue. Finished off with grey tights (it was still cold here on Monday) and no accessories, because Districts 11 & 12 are too focused on trying not to starve/freeze/be killed by the government to have many baubles.

For my outerwear, I chose by slouchy navy blue hat & scarf, made in the Ecuadorian Andes, as looking the most appropriate (and actually wore them for at least half the movie in the theater, it was so cold!) and paired it with my navy blue coat, which is in a bit too nice condition, but still more muted than my other options. No gloves, as I had extra long sleeves. I debated about boots, but ultimately chose these sturdy rubber/canvas lace-ups, although the colours don't quite match; after all, if a girl in those districts received hand-me boots of this quality, she would wear them with everything regardless of style. I didn't lace them up all the way to make them look a little too big/rougher.

I felt good in this, a bit more exaggerated than usual (in my everyday style I'd pair the dress with a top that was a bit neater) but not absurdly so. I found the clothes very comforting (something I needed during the first part of the movie): the combination of softness and sturdiness is one of my favourites, as are these colours of course. Ultimately of course, I recognise the irony of thematically dressing for a movie that portrays much of the Capital's excess through exaggerated fashion, but I like to think in the real world things aren's so simple: one can be smart, committed to social justice and environmental protection, etc. and still enjoy clothes and dressing. Admiring the movie's costuming and aesthetic decisions did not blind me to the plot/themes and their (sometimes hamfisted) parallels to our world.

All thoughts & suggestions welcome! Thnx for reading/looking.