Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

If you haven't seen Quentin Tarantino's latest film set in 1960s Hollywood, what are you doing?! Once Upon A Time In Hollywood officially blew me away with its quirky plot, swingin soundtrack, crazy outfits and oh-so Tarantino ending.

I wasn't all that familiar with Tarantino's films before this year and initially Ben and I were drawn to this film because Leo is my all-time favourite, I love the 60s and I really love Hollywood. Ben sent me the trailer for Once Upon A Time In Hollywood a few months ago and we'd been counting down the days until its release ever since. Now, after seeing it three times in cinema I can officially say I'm a major fan.

Set in 1969, fictional characters Cliff Booth and Rick Dalton, played by Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, play comical roles in the rewriting of a major historical event. Despite being a big Hollywood fan, I didn't know much about the Charles Manson murders or Sharon Tate. In fact, I went the entire three hours of my first screening with absolutely no clue of their significance to the story. If you've seen this film then you'll understand just how random and strange it appeared without that context. It was even better for the second time, as I sat alone in the cinema with a large bag of popcorn to keep me company. I was able to simply sit back and appreciate it for the third time, knowing exactly what was coming. After understanding the thought that Tarantino put behind each scene, character and reference, the film became even more of a masterpiece. Keeping the memory of Sharon Tate alive in an alternate universe run by deadbeat spaghetti western actors and stunt doubles with vicious Pitbulls.

My like-minded, 60s loving pal, Fran is also a big fan of the film and its incredible soundtrack, with bops from Deep Purple, Simon & Garfunkel and The Rolling Stones. We blasted this brilliant soundtrack on our drive to Savemart a couple of weeks ago with Matt and I still have it on repeat now!

We also shot some super fun photos in town with Ben and Matt before heading off. I especially love the black and white shots taken in Aro Valley, Fran used the flash which gives them a really cool almost film-like quality. My favourite photo is of me and Ben walking across the street, I love the shadows and the warm lighting from Fran's camera and editing.

In these images, I'm wearing a fully second-hand outfit. If you're very observant you may notice that these are actually new jeans (yes!) I felt that it was time to invest in some new flared jeans, as my everyday pair were getting well worn. I found this incredible pair of 1970s flare style denim jeans from Karen Walker on Depop. They're incredible quality and even shipping them from Australia cost so little, they were very much worth it! I love how high waisted they are, and they fit perfectly around the waist, meaning I don't need to wear a belt, which is great. My vintage shirt is from Recycle Boutique in Wellington, one of my absolute favourite shirts that I will take with me to my grave. My blazer is a thrifted Vinnies find and my orange headband is thrifted too.

I plan to see Once Upon A Time In Hollywood again (and again) once it comes out on DVD. There's something about the setting of Hollywood in the 60s that I simply adore and I love the old western theme too, so many good cowboy boots to drool over! Make sure to catch it in cinemas soon, it's an absolute must-see!

Bella 🌼