Ah! This book looks cool. British photographer Janette Beckman captures that magic time in Hip Hop when commercial wasn’t king in The Breaks: Stylin’ and Profilin’ 1982-1990. Beckman moved to New York City from England just as the Hip Hop lifestyle was gaining its footing, so her perspective is pretty pure. She photographed the Punk movement and other subterranean music cultures in the UK before coming to the US, so…yeah.
And if my rousing review doesn’t tempt you, perhaps this will:
Zooey Deschanel’s style has always dazzled me. She mixes vintage and designer clothes insanely well and rides the line between retro and classic like a champ. That’s why I was so relieved when I heard Volume One, the debut album by Zooey’s band with M. Ward called She & Him.
They’re my new favorites. Zooey’s charmingly imperfect voice matches her fashion sense with its quirk. The whole album is an interesting mix of genres and eras with elements of Phil Spector, Leslie Gore and Dusty Springfield, and Rolling Stone says they sound like Bright Eyes and Guided by Voices, too.
You have to hear Zooey’s rendition of You Really Got a Hold on Me.
Anyone who truly knows me knows that I am one of Erykah Badu’s biggest fans. Not only is she amazingly talented (The new album is scheduled for Feb 26th and I can’t wait!), but she arrived at MTV yesterday in this outfit with these shoes, looked great, and doesn’t give a….. Love the glasses!
Oh my heavens! Have you seen this video? If not, you must immediately stop what your doing and give it all your attention. It is the worst video ever made…and the best. It’s so horrifying and hideous that I think Ashlee Simpson should shunned by society. Come on guys, we have to.
The whole thing is awful–the singing Roman head, the twins a la The Shining, the giant Rubik’s Cube, the striped leather dress, the insane asylum, the Gulliver’s Travels allusions…..the levitating!
I see that Ashlee wanted to make a fashionable and artsy Gwen Stefani/Bjork/ Siouxsie/Nina Hagen video, but that’s very ambitious. I would say that this video is the opposite of fashionable, and I just know that Pete Wentz spent a lot of time coaching Ashlee on how to be “weird.”
Ay, ya, ya! Indeed.
UPDATE*** I just read this quote from Wentz:
“It’s probably the weirdest video I’ve seen of hers It’s like a Salvador Dalí painting meets Being John Malkovich. She just went to this weird place for it. It has this kind of multiple personality, like the song does.”
No, guys, this isn’t part of American Apparel’s “dirty girls eat popsicles” series, it’s a taste of Ben Sherman’s new ad campaign. It’s also a sign that Ben Sherman is looking to shed it’s genteel persona and untuck its shirt. The company known for looking sharp and keeping crisp seems to be having an identity/mid-life crisis–just look at the sloppy mess and the blue saliva string. Jesus, what would Paul Weller say?
Forgive the dramatics, but this picture bums me out. It marks the end of an era. I suppose it was bound to happen what with the lack of kids going Mod or Skinhead these days, but still it stings. I blame Emo.
In the late 80’s, my cousin Chante was THE leader of the Janet Jackson fan club. She handed down all non-Black clothing to me and she would’t be caught dead without a key dangling from her ear. I wanted to be her so bad! Thoughts of intense choreography and steamy warehouse buildings came to mind as I shopped a local flea market and came across this little gem. It’s so Janet Jackson’s 1989 Rhythm Nation!
This amazing wide elastic Black belt from the late 80’s by Alden Howard is the perfect addition to the “transition into the 90’s” portion of my wardrobe. It snaps in the back because of its hard core face plate. The 6″x4″ suede patch is covered with Black metal loops, bars, and studs. I suspect chains weaved throughout the loops originally but I love it the way it is!! Best part, of course, is the price. That’s right, a whole buck!
And now for your listening and viewing pleasure… God those were good times!!
Around the Way Girls (our new fave) writes about Cliche, a company that’s bringing back those leather African medallions from the early 90s. Someone had to do it!
