As promised, here is my next batch of nighttime, pajama-ed fantasies (the kind that focus on obtaining some famous gal pals, not recreations of the grilled cheese scene from the Devil Wears Prada with various polite, hunky men). As study abroad deadlines loomed large in my head, I began daydreaming about all the fabulous, hip, cosmopolitan friends I will make across the pond. Here is my very useful list of the top 3 birds from the UK I want at my girly sleepover.
WHEN: It seems fitting to have my party on a quintessentially British day. However, the only ones I can think of are Guy Fawkes Day and the Bank Holiday weekend…so one of those? I’m flexible.
WHERE: Kate Winslet’s house from The Holiday
WHO’S INVITED:
Party Guest # 1: Emma Watson
Still walking that line between adorable and sexysexy starlet (I am not linking to “nip slip” pictures I found, I have more respect for my dream friend than that), da Watz, as I would call her, has raced past puberty and into maturity with a grace unknown to (wo)man. How did she skip that awkward phase of adolescence where girls look like oversexed twentysomethings or unsexed nine-year-old boys? (See Emma’s perfection in fig. 1, a depiction of the rocky road of female growth; also featuring myself on the right, and some ten-year-old French model I found on Google on the left). Emma’s accent allows for crisp yet rounded articulation which is posh enough to envy, but warm and cozy enough to avoid labeling her as stuffy or snobby. When not starring in film adaptations of novels, this girl has modeled fancy Burberry trench coats perfect for rainy trips to the library, and briefly got her Ivy on at Brown University. However, da Watz is not afraid to get a little bit goofy, which is why at our party, we would make her read us all to sleep (preferably from Harry Potter) with specific character voices, of course. Narrating episodes of Honey Boo-Boo on mute in her perfect English dialect is also acceptable.
Party Guest #2: Carey Mulligan
Carey is more than a fashionable pixie haircut and an adorable set of dimples. Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated, Carey is a force to be reckoned with. Four of her Nine movies reviewed on RottenTomatoes.com have at least 80% positive reviews, including risky hits such as Drive, Shame and her breakout film, An Education, where she holds her own alongside Ryan Gosling, Michael Fassbender and Peter Sarsgaard respectively. Carey is bubbly without being ditsy, quick to laugh yet instantly serious and worthy of all fancy actor accolades. Kenyon students in particular should love Carey because she is hipster treasure. She’s stepping into the symbolic shoes of Daisy Buchanan in Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming adaptation of The Great Gatsby alongside Leo D and many others. In An Education, she listens to French music, smokes cigarettes and gives Zooey Deschanel’s vintage inspired wardrobe a run for it’s bow-and-polka-dot-ridden money. Most importantly, she is the new wife of hipster nu-folk king, Marcus Mumford, and they are adorable. As a slumber party guest, Carey’s easy going personality and forgiving dimples will force her into the role of confidant, instigating games of Truth or Truth (we are dignified ladies) or Never Have I Ever (maybe).
Party Guest #3: Karen Gillan
Karen is a wildcard in many ways. First of all, she in fact hails from the craggy wilds of North Scotland, not mainland England. Second of all, she is a bit of an underdog. Karen is widely known for her supporting role in the UK’s TV cult favorite Doctor Who. On the show, she played the time-traveling Doctor’s companion, unafraid to throw some sass his way and take the reigns. Karen has no trouble competing with one of television’s most notable quirky goofs. Third of all, she is a ginger. She is a sexy ginger, steering the public’s eye away from the likes of ginger icons such as the obviously horrible Donald Trump, Carrot Top, or Kathy Griffin. Lastly, her name is Karen. How many Karens are there under the age of forty besides the one in Mean Girls? Her refreshingly light attitude paves the way for other lame-namers like Dolores, Wanda or Judith to take expectations of cat loving and introversion by storm. At the slumber party, Karen (and her gift for physical comedy) would lead fabulous games of charades. I also feel like for some reason, she would be totally willing to play the Danny Zuko to my Sandra Dee (or the other way around) should sleepover guests find themselves in the mood for a singalong screening of Grease.
Honorable Mention Goes to:
The Crawley Sisters (and their maids) from Downton Abbey
Although I couldn’t narrow down the list to just one sister, I do wish to include them in my slumber party to bring another dimension of elegance to the affair. I imagine them teaching us all how to do the charleston in our PJs when Glenn Miller’s “In the Mood” plays in the The Parent Trap. Plus, ever since I used to watch Zoom, it’s always been my dream to meet a PBS superstar. Reading Rainbow’s Lavar Burton is my backup.