There’s so many reasons to love the movie Notting Hill (in my opinion!) but arguably one of the most persuasive of these… is Rhys Ifans!
These days, I find myself looking at his ‘masturbating Welshman’ character with new, somewhat kinder eyes!
After all, beneath that mayonnaise-gorging, wetsuit-wearing exterior, I'm convinced there lies a depth of character. One which eluded in 1999, but which the lens of the modern age, has since brought into sharper focus!
For context, it's primarily against the backdrop of today's (somewhat warped!) fashion and beauty standards, that the grey-brief-wearing Rhys - flexing his prowess on the doorstep to scores of paparazzi - appears refreshingly anew!
I almost feel this 'vibe' needs bottling, and drip-feeding into the water supply as an antidote to the epidemic of ‘seriousness’ that now prevails when it comes to appearances.
At a time when 'image' is something to be curated, and the pursuit of looking good has reached all new, artificial lows— the 'I went out in my goddam underwear!' scene hits different!
I appreciate that in pedestaling Spike, I should probably insert a caveat or two, for the avoidance of misunderstanding:
First off, this observation is not to advocate slothliness, nor question the virtues of ‘dopamine dressing,’ and the power of making an effort (for the benefit of yourself... and others.)
Even so, I can also appreciate that sometimes, doing the opposite of all these things … might be liberating!
Liberating not just in a way that alleviates the pressure to look a certain way, but also in a way that creates new pathways in both lifestyle and relationships!
Stripped back and scruffy, I am arguably my most relaxed (and therefore creative and approachable) self, and these gains make losing a bit of street cred on occasion, a small price to pay.
Armed with this age-acquired opinion, Spike has become bit of a muse!
So much so, that I quite often find myself having a ‘chicks love grey!’ moment, where the unattractive reality of a pair of washed out granny pants, somehow finds acceptance!!
This, I feel, is key to cultivating a less fragile, more durable form of confidence. It's a confidence which is rooted in the power of No-F’s-Given, over and above fashion and physical perfection!
Back in 1999, ‘If you’ve got it, flaunt it’ was a luxury afforded to the few, not the many, and bound to a then-very-narrow definition of ‘it.’
‘It’…..was Anna Scott on the Red Carpet.
‘It’ wasn’t Spike walking through Notting Hill, rocking his ‘you’re the most beautiful woman in the world’ T Shirt!
Nowadays, though, I feel like maybe it could be (or even should be.)
Especially as, let's face it, there is nothing more flaunt-worthy, than a confidence with 'legs' beyond the finite parameters of youth and external validation!
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