♥ Lolita Hazed ♥

Lolita Hazed Playlist: 2009 in Music

2010-01-01T12:36:00.003-06:00

God, 2009 has been such an intense year: I graduated, I had the best summer ever, said goodbye to a lot of things and experienced more than I would've expected. It's been overwhelming, depressing, exhilarating, boring, fantastic, so many other adjectives that just don't work together. It's been a hell of a year for all of us. Celebrities died and other things happened that I can't remember. Here is what I do remember:

1. Florence + The Machine "Dog Days Are Over"

Spring was so hard. God knows I can't remember winter-- that was hard too. I probably spent most of it crying because school is ridiculous. Anywho, after driving home on a lovely afternoon with this blasting, I seemed to get into a few really great (and expensive) schools all at once. I was jumping and shouting all over the place, but deep down, I kinda knew I wouldn't be able to go. I remember waiting until everyone had left the house, lying on the floor, and blasting this, sobbing and singing as if it would help me.

2. Bat for Lashes "Traveling Woman"

However, I told myself not to give up. This was one of the first songs I'd heard off of Two Suns and I remember sitting and thinking Natasha Khan had written this song for me. I took solace in her advice: "don't sacrifice your plan / 'cuz it will come back to you..."

3. Ivy "Edge of the Ocean"

Some seniors freak the FUCK out about prom. I, on the other hand, was a total skeptic after a super shitty junior prom, and instead went to the dollar theatre with some friends. I was endlessly encouraged to go, but I was really only in it for the after party, which was basically just me and my best friends lounging in a hotel room gossiping. The morning after, we got breakfast together, and it was totally perfect. Listening to this in the car, I didn't care how much everyone fun everyone said prom had been-- it ended up being exactly what I wanted, without me even having to go.

4. M83 "Graveyard Girl"

Graduation isn't that big of a deal anymore, is it? That's at least the impression I got from feeling like the ONLY ONE who was seriously freaking the fuck out on my last day of high school EVER. That day, I went to a middle school reunion where I was given a letter I'd written to myself four years ago-- a letter my teacher had to force me to write. My sister asked me to read it aloud in the car, and it ended up saying things I'd been needing to hear. It made me cry as I read it, made me feel so alive and eager for the future that I couldn't help but smile and cheer through our whole farewell assembly that morning. But who cares, right? I mean it's not like it meant anything anyway!

5. Third Eye Blind "Motorcycle Drive-By"

After graduation, I was lucky enough to have finally ended up with friends I want to know for the rest of my life. This was a recurring song throughout the year, and apparently even before then; an ending to a happy first road trip together as adults.

6. Biz Markie "Just a Friend"

My friends and I danced to this during my first (of many) game of quarters, and it totally became a theme. Hell, we were even going to use it as the chorus for a dirty Christmas song we wrote together (long story, the real chorus is WAY better). This song is every fun thing I did all summer-- maybe all year!

7. Little Boots "Stuck On Repeat (Fake Blood Remix)"

Discovering the power and repercussions of my body; the soundtrack to a night that, despite its messy aftermath, I reflect on pretty happily.

8. Florence + The Machine "Drumming Song"

Failing my driving test for the FIFTH TIME (go ahead and laugh, HELLO WORLD, THIS IS ME, etc.) and seeing its application to the rest of my life.

9. PJ Harvey "The River"

After starting college, I was a bit on edge, what with my sister still being around. I was always preparing myself for the day she'd leave, the day I kept thinking I would just dissolve. I remember freaking out in the car, telling her how afraid I was as this played, only to go back in my room and cry alone. She left. Nothing happened.

10. Annie "My Love is Better"

In fact, I've been doing just fine on my own.

11. Elbow "Mirrorball"

When my sister came home, we went on a drive together to look at Christmas lights. This started playing and I just kept thinking about how much it applied to her. She'd been gone for three months and everything had changed, and I just kept thinking about how badly I wanted to be in her shoes, how much I wanted to leave town and come back home to change.

12. Lily Allen "I Could Say (Doctor RosenRosen Remix)"

I have a pretty good feeling it won't be too long until I do.

Happy New Year

Y Lolita Hazed

The Lolita Hazed Seasonal Playlist: Fall 2009

2009-10-04T17:28:00.000-05:00

There is absolutely nothing like fall. The air gets crisper, the sleeves get longer, and it's so much easier to find excuses to cuddle. You'll also notice your playlist getting a little more serious, and Fleetwood Mac suddenly seems so much more fitting than The Fresh Prince. It's about to get colder, so dump out the Arnold Palmer (NO! Just hand it over, that way you won't waste any), start up the teapot, and put these songs on while you ease your way into a comfy season.

1. Clem Snide "Don't Be Afraid of Your Anger"

This song is breakfast with your best friend on a bright morning, where the freshly risen sun looks so much closer to the ground that it throws you off, if only for a second.

2. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals "Let it Ride"

As a native Oklahoman, I'm no stranger to vast country roads, and this is the kind of song I like to listen to during a road trip when we've all been in the car for a little too long, the day beginning its inch toward darkness.

3. The xx "Crystalised"

The xx's new album is absolutely perfect for fall (and worth your money), even if you'll probably make yourself a little depressed listening to it. Their stunning first single says so much with the simplest uses of sound, expertly used in all the right spots to punctuate the kind of longing that speech alone could never communicate.

4. Death in Vegas "Scorpio Rising"

I love Death in Vegas-- I used to consider this song my anthem, and no matter what you think of Liam Gallagher (okay, his voice is pretty cacophonous), this is sweeping, epic, the surefire start of something significant. I always feel the need to really belt it out when this comes on--which makes me feel good about myself, because I'm a way better singer than Liam Gallagher.

5. The Rapture "Out of the Races and Onto the Tracks"

This season marks my first semester in college, and I always kind of hoped that it would somewhat resemble the crazy party where this plays in The Rules of Attraction. Obviously, real college is nothing like Bret Easton Ellis's version of college, yet after a month, I'm a little frustrated (but not at all surprised) that there have still been no crazy Burning Man parties... that anyone has told me about. I am so not cool anymore.

6. The Duke Spirit "Cuts Across the Land"

Something about psychedelic guitars, like in this song's refrain, just totally bring fall to mind for me.

7. Architecture in Helsinki "Heart It Races"

There's never been anything to do in this damn town, so when I was in junior year of high school, my friends and I would search everyone for somewhere we could dance. Of course we'd never find anywhere, but the car worked just as fine. This was played during one of the better examples, all of us going crazy in our seats to the music whose gorgeous ambience demanded we roll the windows down.

8. Air "Dirty Trip"

I was obsessed with Air's score for The Virgin Suicides when I was in eighth grade. This was all I'd listen to on overcast mornings, which would really set the tone for the rest of the day. No wonder I was so sad all the time!

9. Soft "Higher"

Two years ago, I fell into an incredibly passionate relationship with a girl who quickly became one of my closest friends. We connected so deeply that we filled one another's falls with our presence, driving around town, laying on blankets in the park with pumpkin chai ("chumpkin"). It was a really happy time, and I see her face behind the driver's wheel every time I hear this song.

10. The Cure "In Between Days"

Something about this song just reminds me of fall-- riding the bus to school, stopping at your locker before class, re-arranging your route so you have a better chance of bumping into the boy you like. Though torture it was, John Hughes-y music like this just makes it feel all the better in retrospect.

11. Death in Vegas "All That Glitters"

I love Death in Vegas, and their softer stuff like this is fantastic for the colder half of the year. Something about this song makes me feel like I'm about to go to the movies, and maybe get a cup of coffee afterward.

12. The Marshall Tucker Band "Can't You See"

This such a famously sad song, yet I really can't listen to this without smiling at least a little. It reminds me of a cozy night, hot tubbing with my best friends in the world and marveling at how alright it felt to stand half-naked in cold weather. Oh, and pantomimed homoerotica. Long story.

13. Windsor for the Derby "The Melody of a Fallen Tree"
The Marie Antoinette soundtrack is a fall staple for me, and this song is so calm and upbeat that it's become a longtime favorite of mine for fall drives.

14. My Bloody Valentine "Never Say Goodbye"

There's something about shoegaze that's just downright equinoctial, its hollow soundscapes the perfect compliment to falling leaves and the ironically gloomy vibrance the trees take on as a result of it. Something about the motion of songs like these just make everything around you seem a little more poignant.

Enjoy the tunes and pour yourself some hot cider!

Y Lolita Hazed

Agent Provocateur just wants to have fun

2009-09-09T23:24:00.005-05:00

Last season, Agent Provocateur co-founder Joe Corré described the brand's aesthetic as "a superhero costume to wear under your clothes", and while he vaguely touched upon its idea of alternate personas last year with witch and pirate-themed lingerie, this fall we can really see what he means.

With a cult following and stores scattered all over the globe, it comes as no surprise that Agent Provocateur is one of the most popular designer lingerie brands in the world. For all their success, it's incredibly delightful to see them milk it the way they do in 2009/2010's introductory collection "The New World Order", each range actually the costume of a powerful superhero (i.e. Crystalina, shown at left) created for the AP universe. The photography is absolutely stunning-- by far the most impressive campaign I've seen them do yet-- and each "superhero" has her own video showing off her talents, not to mention her gorgeous lingerie. You wonder how much the campaign cost, but you know Corré doesn't care. He's having a blast, and "New World Order" shows it.

Check out the dazzling new collection here.

Bomb.com (Go Tell Your Mom!)

2009-08-01T14:57:00.004-05:00

Hey all! My last post is up on rising feminist blog The F Bomb! See for yourself! Read it and weep (maybe not weep, but still)!
BETTER RECOGNIZE.
Y Lolita Hazed

The Fatal Generalizations in the Teen Movie

2009-07-29T00:17:00.003-05:00

Teen movies very obviously base themselves on harmless stereotypes: the jock, the bitch, the nerd, etc.-- stereotypes so deeply rooted into our expectations of the genre that we can't be bothered to think about other possibilities. However, after re-watching the awesomely awful Whatever It Takes for the first time in at least four years, I started to see something recognizably offensive that I had not noticed before: it seems that the typical teen movie's female characters are, more often than not, projections of the archetypal male's virgin/whore complex. Characters can only be one or the other, and there is no inbetween.
While teen movies are generally oversexed as a selling point, there's an underlying tone of moral retribution that has been used to the point of becoming cliche. This easily brings to mind the classic horror movie rule of sexually active characters being gruesomely killed off, a tradition less explicitly carried out in the similar rule of the archetypal whore "getting what's hers". This is the case for Jodi Lyn O'Keefe's character in both Whatever It Takes and She's All That, not to mention others in Cruel Intentions, Jawbreakers, Sixteen Candles (to a point). To make matters worse, O'Keefe's desperately sluttish character in the former is so blind in her horniness that she ends up sleeping with the biggest nerd in the school. Meanwhile, the end of the movie suggests that the prototypical, romance-obsessed good girl, Marla Sokoloff, loses her virginity to the boy-next-door. The message beneath it, whether aware of itself or not, seems ridiculous when thought over: sex for anything but love is outlandish.
Notorious screenwriter Diablo "Honest to Blog" Cody shows an awareness of this when discussing her upcoming teen horror movie Jennifer's Body in the August/September issue of BUST. The virgin and the whore are both present in her story, but instead of portraying the former (played by Amanda Seyfried) as naive and consumed with love, Cody gives the character an honest sexuality. "She has sex for pleasure in this movie, and that was important to me. She's this wide-eyed, innocent blonde who's trying to protect the town, but I wanted to show at the same time that she can have an orgasm, she can get excited about having sex."
To be fair, Cody isn't alone in creating female characters who don't suffer from the virgin/whore complex. The golden age of the teen movie brought forth time-tested classics that avoid such cliched characters-- notably in Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You, American Pie, Can't Hardly Wait and The Breakfast Club-- instead portrayed as either perfectly normal, virgin teenage girls taking their time or reveal sexually active women as independent and in total control of what they do with their bodies. Not one, nor the other, but both make for good representations of a sexually healthy teenage girl.
But it's almost understandable that these stereotypes are presented to us at such a young age. Teen sex is never a light subject-- it's one of the most obvious portals into adulthood, and the carefree use of young adults as caricatures can take some of the gloom away. Yes, it's a big deal, and yes, it has, on occasion, ruined some lives-- but this doesn't leave sex for sex's sake to the prototypical harlot. Sex for love isn't always perfect (if ever), and sex for pleasure doesn't always make a girl feel sick the morning after. Teen movies, by typecasting women, can promote unrealisitic ideas of what makes a positive sexual experience, of what side a woman is supposed to take. These concerns will follow a sexually insecure woman for a long time, which makes it important to distinguish the utter bullshit of the virgin/whore complex. After all, we're all virgins at some point, all of us riddled with sin. So if we can't take both sides, then who are we?

Florence + The Machine's "Lungs": A Full-Body Experience

2009-07-10T02:26:00.015-05:00

"Once more with feeling": this seems to be a prominent idea in UK powerhouse Florence + The Machine's debut Lungs, and God, if you're familiar with Florence Welch's music, such a statement may surprise you-- girl already has a hell of a lot of feeling. Only a few years ago, Welch was a rare breed of rumpus-starting club singer across the pond, discovered and made into the phenom she is today by Queen of Noize Mairead Nash when hearing her sing in the bathroom. Since then, she has gained a following as rabid as her sound, thanks not only to her astounding voice, but to her insatiable, Alice-like curiosity (Welch took a break from a performance by jumping into a pool right in the middle of a SXSW performance, only to return by crawling under the stage) for which she is now notorious. This alone makes it easy to see why hype has escalated so quickly for her, while so many are only now learning who she is. With such a big world of strangers to approach, it is clear that Welch intends to make herself resonate, and a strong album seems the only option. And so the quest begins as such an innocuous, emotionally naked woman as she heads toward us all with a steady drum in her head and a rabbit in her heart.
If you were content with the rougher sounds of Florence's singles and live tracks, I wouldn't get too comfortable-- every familiar track on Lungs' has resurrected itself with more power than before. The perfect example is standout "Howl", which brings to mind Angela Carter's fixation with wolves and, as a live track, was once much more sweet and harmless. Never again, this reworking tells us, as her art has transformed her from mere girl to beast... and the claws are out. Welch gives you a reason to fear her as the album moves on, not only for her magnanimous talent, but for the pure vitriol with which her stories unravel, evident in the strange revenge tale "Girl With One Eye". On it, Welch commands her adversary to "get [her] filthy fingers out of my pie"... wait, what? you'd probably ask any less intimidating songstress, but no. Not only do you not question Welch-- you don't feel the need to. Her affinity for off-color topics is just one of the many things she does so well.
And yet, with her love for the non-sequitur, you can't help but relate to Welch. Her metaphors explain themselves quite easily-- "Dog Days Are Over" references our surprisingly common inability to accept happiness. "Kiss With a Fist" is the clever outlining of addiction to a person, no matter how much you know you're hurting yourself. Beneath all the album's savage imagery, it is undeniably human-- which is at least made clear by the desperate fervor of her words. It's a Peter Pan of sorts, an adolescent girl who refuses to accept the fact that she is becoming a woman, wanting instead to stay in the forest with her imaginary gang of fellow miscreants. The pain this album holds is all internal, fitting readily with the bodily imagery that is visible throughout the whole album, and kept deep inside until its sheer power overtakes her throws her into the tantric behavior that Welch is famous for and has perfectly captured in this album.
After the fit is over, the fire remains. Lungs puts a listener in such a frenzy that it almost seems necessary to smoke a cigarette afterwards. But at this point, Welch's mission is complete: who was once a strange woman has summed herself up perfectly to an unknowing world... though we're sure to learn much, much more about her as her, most-likely, very long career as a performer goes on. A debut like Lungs gives fans the impression that what with Welch's already passion-drenched catalog of singles and onstage fire, which have already shocked fans like Courtney Love, this girl has only begun to spill her guts.

Your New Answer to the Death of Mooka Kinney

2009-07-07T17:00:00.006-05:00

Ever since last fall's news of the defunction of fashion favorite Mooka Kinney, there has, without a doubt, been a void in the fashion world. It seems as if designers everywhere are attempting to pick up where Rachel Antonoff and Alison Lewis went off-- rompers have obviously blown up, sophisticated attention to small details (like heart-shaped buttons) have increased, and babydoll chic in general has really seen a comeback. However, nobody does it quite like Mooka Kinney did, and it's been difficult finding something even close to their charm.
Turns out I've fallen in love all over again. MK lovers, look no further than independent label Lulufinder Vintage, a New York-based designer with devastatingly beautiful rompers and dresses for no more than $130 (a guarantee Mooka Kinney, for all their wonder, could not meet). At a glance, the brand shows a stunning attention to quality products (expect delicate silks, lace, flawlessly sewn sequins) that make it such a worthy successor to Antonoff & Lewis's beloved brand. The clothes are, like Mooka Kinney's, innocent with a ladylike edge that instantly readies these babies for the street-- just be wary of all the compliments you're bound to get!

Below are some of my favorite pieces up for sale:I'm sure Mooka Kinney fan Jenny Lewis would adore this retro romper. (Loverboy, $95)
This sweetheart romper practically screams "Wear me to a picnic!" (Midsummer tea, $95)

I could see these aptly-named Magician shorts being a huge hit with Natasha Khan or Liela Moss. (Magician, $89)

Find these and more at Lulufinder's Etsy page.

The Lolita Hazed Seasonal Playlist: Summer 2009, Vol. 1: Mosquitos

2009-07-03T12:57:00.001-05:00

Photo credits: Nic O'Donnell

It's July, I know, and my summer playlist has been a long time coming-- but only because I've had to think over exactly what could really work for me as summer songs. To me, it's one of the most sonically diverse times of the year, with an atmosphere that sounds just as well with the hook-tinged bangers that litter the season's radio as it does with its integral lazy poolside tracks. Summer has so much more than one sound, and I've decided to take time to cover as many as possible. This playlist centers itself around the slower, latter category of music for the end of a hot afternoon, and it thrives in suburbia.

1. Nightmares on Wax "70s 80s"
What with its dub influences, this song was practically made for summer, while its more socially conscious lyrics may make it seem otherwise. Actually, I wrote a term paper about this song's first verse (indirectly, of course)!
2. Pat Kelly "Somebody's Baby"
Pat Kelly is one of the best dub artists ever. His songs are always so sweet and his voice is enough to lull a beachgoer to sleep. This song is one of his best, a sublime track with a hint of sunshiney melancholy that ends up being far too upbeat to actually bring a listener down.
3. Althea & Donna "Uptown Top Ranking"
Who can't take some reggae in the summer time? I just want to kick back by my nonexistent pool with my existent sunglasses when I hear this one, and it really shines when played without a cloud in the sky.
4. Chapterhouse "Mesmerize"
This is my shoegaze summer jam. It is at once soothing and exhilarating and, like most Chapterhouse songs, can send chills through your spine with so few notes.
5. Le Tigre "Eau d' Bedroom Dancing"
This is a great song to listen to on a bike through the suburbs when the day is coming to a close, but the sun is still shining, its rays flickering through the vibrant canopy of trees above you.
6. Beth Orton "Daybreaker (Four Tet Remix)"
My mom's boyfriend has The Other Side of Daybreak on repeat in the summer, but without that clear bias aside, Daybreaker and its remixed equivalent seem to have been made for summer. This, Four Tet's take on her phenomenal ode to nature, is my favorite example. Throughout the song, its soothing, oceanic clicks practically beckon you into the water.
7. The XX "Blood Red Moon"
This is a strangely romantic song that I've recently enjoyed as a soundtrack for evening cigarette breaks. The imagery provided is wonderfully dark, and while this may have a more autumnal feel for some, this song plus a nightly summer breeze seem hard to separate from one another.
8. Otis Redding "Sittin' on (The Dock of a Bay)"
Otis Redding has a real knack for painting a picture with his songs, and this, one of his most famous tracks, is no exception. I have really fond memories of this song.
9. Badly Drawn Boy "Once Around the Block"
This brings back memories from one of my favorite summer days ever. It was after a day very well-spent with friends at a water park, who I was supposed to meet again later that night for dinner (and some unprecedented playground fun). As I waited impatiently, I listened to this, taking its melody with me outside as I danced in a short sunshower.
10. Nelly Furtado "Turn Off the Light"
Whenever I listen to this song, I'm immediately taken to a night eight years ago, standing in the pool house during a party at the home of my neighbor's "Nana". This song was right at home in the swampy twilight in a shockingly wealthy neighborhood that seemed to be filled with huge haunted houses.

Enjoy, and there's more to come(?).
(Happy fourth, y'all!)

Glove Survives

2009-06-28T22:41:00.017-05:00

Michael Jackson's very public passing over the last week has only begun to really affect me. Like, I am SO fucking sad. I had absolutely no idea his death would hit me as hard as it has, especially when someone who's SUCH a big deal is around for your whole life and, out of the blue, he's just gone. I never saw it coming and I think about it pretty much every five minutes.
All around the world, people are paying tribute, whether it's through wearing one glove, like Lily Allen at Glastonbury; or cassette-only owners of the classics rediscovering their love for Thriller via iTunes. Whatever the show of affection may be, it's an important one to show, because I believe every performer out there, especially today, owes something to him-- I'm not even a performer, and I know I do. Some of my strongest childhood memories were soundtracked by him, and I wouldn't have been the same otherwise-- but time and exposure changes things. Celebrities become so deeply entangled in the media that it's easy to forget about their accomplishments and, especially in this case, their mortality. It was probably only a month ago that I had reminded myself of the fun in "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", and in mere weeks, he was gone.

I'm completely shocked, and I want to let everyone know how important he was to me, too. I knew it would be hard to find a sequined glove, so that was out of the picture. I remembered a very simple design (at right) by Alex Aranovich that I'd fallen in love with on 2K six or so years ago. It was in the style of the classic "I (heart) NY" shirt, but the heart was replaced with a sparkly glove, and the NY with the initials MJ. I wanted it so bad, but never really brought myself around to buying it, as I was a highly self-conscious middle schooler afraid of facing criticism for showing public support of someone who, at the time, so many had accused of such awful crimes (of which I, to this day, believe he is innocent, and I'll fight you on it). I never actually thought 2K would get rid of the design, but they did only recently, and will not bring it back, in spite of my incessant e-mails trying to encourage otherwise (which really makes you have to respect them-- a greedier company would instantly try to capitalize on a retired artist's suddenly relevant design). I started to get a little sad and think, "Damn, I guess I'll never get to rock the clever shirt I'd wanted for so long."
Fortunately, that's not the case-- Aranovich himself has told me that he plans to reissue his design independently on Etsy with all its original color choices (blue, pink and heather grey) available, along with a brand new commemorative red-on-black design that is very Thriller. I'm saving up so I can buy one when they come out and finally wear it with pride. (Hell, I may even track down that elusive costume glove to really get my point across.)

And you know what? I think it completely sums up my feelings for the icon.

Visit Alex Aranovich's under-construction Etsy site here, and if you'd like to know when he re-releases his design, e-mail Alex at rockwithyou@aranovich.com so that, when the time comes, you can pay a stylish tribute too!

You Should Know, You Should Know Better

2009-06-27T07:00:00.001-05:00

Hey kids! Guess what it is today? Really hot? No! (Okay, yeah, it is, but still.) Today is the nineteenth birthday of a very special lady out there who you all probably know named Erika. If you don't know her, hell, why don't you two get introduced?
Within only months of starting her blog Do It at the Disco, Erika gained a sizable fanbase with her unique, earnest musings about sex, pop culture, and whatever was making her tick. When I stumbled upon it almost a year ago exactly, I was immensely surprised with how magnetic her writing was. It was honest, funny, and full of an intimacy that made it hard to not empathize with her. Her work wasn't going unnoticed, either! She was getting acclaim from left and right, and I have to say I was SUPER jealous-- but it was hard to hate when she was just so nice to me. I started talking to her in July of last year, and in no time at all, I found one of my, hands down, favorite people I've ever had the pleasure of discussing anything with. This lady, this WOMAN (19!) is so amazing and continues to knock me down with her creativity.
Erika went on to become a well-loved blogger at Missbehave for the second half of 2008 and now writes for Los Angeles-based news source Buzzine. She is certainly going places, and I'm so glad to be able to call her my friend. She's an inspiration and a great person, and (sound the drama alarm) I might not be writing here today if it weren't for her.

So join me in giving this girl some PROPS! (I mean buy her stuff. It's her birthday, you shouldn't be so insensitive.)

I love you, Erika. Have a WONDERFUL 19th!
Y Sarah

And as an added bonus, just for you, a young Paul Dano in his underwear.

You'll have to excuse his shyness. He's not used to girls of your hotness seeing him in such a state.

Shh! Party at Journelle!

2009-06-18T00:53:00.007-05:00

If I were only in New York, I'd be all up on Journelle more frequently than dudes on a girl wearing their products. With their marked emphasis on quality products and customer comfort, Journelle is the creme de la creme of east coast lingerie retail. Those ladies definitely know how it's done, and when they get the community involved, they up their ante even further. What they've got planned this evening has my name written all over it:
But alas, my being thousands of miles away renders my attendance impossible (I like my language as fancy as my lingerie). If you're around, why not use this get-together as an excuse to buy yourself something and subsequently blame it on the (free) alcohol? Hell, it's better than buying it sober and getting in trouble for it. Summer sales, man.

Journelle, 3 E 17th St, 7-9 PM
RSVP@journelle.com (Quick, children! And buy me a present to thank me for filling you in!)

All the Real Girls

2009-06-08T21:47:00.002-05:00

In what has so long been a culture busying itself on the necessity of physical perfection, especially that of a woman, it's so refreshing to come across gorgeous fashion that embraces real women. Such a phenomenon is visible in Studio City lingerie boutique Faire Frou Frou's recent photo shoot, which includes close friends of photographer Krista Mason. The following photos show women draped in some of the most high quality lingerie available-- women who are real, sexy and confident in their own skin, and Mason captures that beautifully.See the rest of the shoot here, then score the pieces you like at the Faire Frou Frou summer sale!

Hellz Bellz gets me

2009-06-08T20:32:00.008-05:00

After the ugly demise of Missbehave, it would be very easy for me to say that I've outgrown streetwear, and with the absence of the magazine that turned me onto it in the first place, I thought I had. However, I'm finding it hard as ever to turn away from always stunning Hellz Bellz-- a brand I've always felt was made for the girl who never thought she could pull off streetwear (i.e., me)-- especially with new pieces like the one below that are pretty much shouting directly at me (I mean, come ON, it's from a collection called "Lolita").
Recognize that picture/caption? It's from last summer's gorgeously anarchist bridal campaign for Agent Provocateur, and what with its explosive politics, Hellz Bellz's drawing inspiration from it makes sense. It's an inspired choice, which I not only say because of my strong love for both brands, but because of how much it works. Brands like Hellz Bellz pride themselves on having an aesthetic that is, in the words of Married to the MOB's Leah McSweeney, "tough and sexy at the same time", and the "Let Them Eat Kate" campaign (the video for which can be seen below) was definitely that.

Needless to say, I'm totally sold. Get the shirt here and Kate's bra right here.

Because someone out there is ALWAYS weirder than you...

2009-05-28T01:33:00.005-05:00

Speaking of writer's block and boredom, dear GOD, what engrossing camp DON'T those crazy Spanish soap operas have? Seriously, every time I eat at Las Tres Fronteras, as I did two nights ago, I have to sit facing the television so I can see the insane soap operas that are always on. That night, it was the ridiculous El Rostro de Analia that was on. I only needed to see the theme for my interest to invested. (Hint: There is reggaeton involved. REGGAETON!)

I must. Know. Where I can watch this.

Florence Welch: Cure for Cultural Boredom

2009-05-28T00:57:00.009-05:00

Summer is an important time for self-exploration, so it's essential to find a good source of introspection or inspiration. Last spring, I rediscovered Florence and the Machine per "Dog Days Are Over" (which has a knack of making me cry, and did tonight out of NOWHERE as I watched the Maida Vale performance of it, which I highly recommend and is viewable here), and re-rediscovered her just the other day after stumbling upon her picture in the May issue of ELLE UK. Starting that day, I have submerged myself into Florence and the Machine, reading old interviews, watching old videos, anything and everything I can, and its provided me with a bounty of inspiration.

A good story is necessary in the summer, a time that can get so dreadfully boring that you want to do something extreme. I've read some of my best books in the summer, and year after year, the pressure is on to find worthy contenders to beat the greats of years past. I think that, perhaps, via Florence, I may have found even a SERIES of contenders for this year's dive into reading. Captivated as I was by her disarming ability to tell a story, I've Googled pretty much everything name-dropped in her bloggings and interviews, etc., to come upon some serious gold in the "magical feminist" author that is, the apparently classic one I'd never heard of, Angela Carter. Tonight, I've been drowning in works like The Bloody Chamber and The Magic Toyshop (neither of which I even own... yet), even their chapter names so full of strange poetry that the connections Welch draws from her work is immediately visible to a Florence fan. You don't even have to go in with a clear plot in your mind, and it's still interesting as hell.

It's almost enough to get ME writing again. Hopefully, you'll get the idea too from the Alice in Wonderland-inspired video for her wonderful upcoming single, "Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)":

Nick Cave has a new book coming out. THIS YEAR.

2009-05-24T21:02:00.004-05:00

And the sound you just heard was me dying a little on the inside but in a good way.

YES, you heard me correctly: this fall will see the release of Nick Cave's second book, entitled The Death of Bunny Munro, which will follow a new widower and his son on a road trip around England. It will be his first work of fiction since 1989's And the Ass Saw the Angel, a critically acclaimed tale of revenge, sin and voyeurism in the deep South written in the peak of a Bible-thumping stage for which Cave would become so famous. It is the most eloquent, highly nuanced literary porn I have ever read (seriously, that book is dirrrrrty, Xtina-style, but not really).
This year will also see him providing voices and production for the upcoming animated film The Cat Piano (which sounds adorable) and taking on the role as screenwriter for the movie The Death of a Ladies' Man. Most notably, he and longtime partner in crime Warren Ellis will be in charge for the score for the long-awaited Cormac McCarthy opus The Road. I will be seeing all of the above.
And the Ass Saw the Angel will also see its twentieth anniversary re-release through Penguin later this year, re-edited by Cave himself.

So badly do I hope this all means a book-signing tour. It must, it MUST!
I WILL travel for you, Nick. My love knows no distance.

Your little doll,
Y Lolita Hazed

Historic Lolitas: Kat Bjelland

2009-05-08T18:56:00.007-05:00

Holy shit, this bitch is SO. BAD. Seriously, if you're not down with Kat (center at right, wearing the Lolita glasses OBVIOUSLY), YOU SHOULD BE. One of the first things my Facebook pen-pal who I want to marry said to me was that I slightly resembled Kat Bjelland. At the time, I was completely unfamiliar with who she was. BUT NOW I AM. And now I see it is a HUGE FUCKING COMPLIMENT.
Off-topic ish aside, this here ladybird was a HUGE spark leading to the riot grrrl movement. Babes in Toyland, for whom she sang and played lead guitar, was all about oxymorons-- a cute sounding name with destructive as hell sounds, delicate looks and a rough as FUCK voice, lacy lingerie peeking from a babydoll dress. At the height of grunge, Bjelland coined the term "kinderwhore" to describe this sexualized little girl she dressed up as, a term eventually accredited with her close friend Courtney Love. (Of course, you could never tell they were friends-- the notorious singer was the subject of BIT's outrageous hit "Bruise Violet".) With an aesthetic revolving around irony, it demanded people to contemplate women's image in society, starting with the antiquated belief of "chicks who can't play their instruments". Everything about her made a loud statement, and it was heard by the likes of Kathleen Hanna, Corin Tucker, and other badass bitches that would go on to start the fire known as "riot grrrl". Evidently, this girl could rock.

Seriously, I'm obsessed with Babes in Toyland now. And you should be too.

Download: Babes in Toyland "Bruise Violet"

Girls on TV: Peggy Olson (Mad Men)

2009-04-15T17:36:00.017-05:00

Only recently I've begun catching up with the largely-hyped AMC Original Series Mad Men, about which, unless you completely avoid the media, you have probably heard a lot. One of the many things it receives praise for is its refreshingly honest portrayals of women, the three most important being of sexpot secretary Joan Holloway, disillusioned housewife Betty Draper, and unprecedented success story Peggy Olson. While Olson is characteristically underestimated by all, she manages to transition from Don Draper's secretary to his colleague, which, I'm sure you recall, was no easy feat at the time.
I've read one too many articles that have dismissed her with one-word descriptions such as the following: "frumpy", "ambitious"-- turning the focus to more overtly feminine counterparts, Betty and Joan respectively. While I adore both Betty and Joan, I feel that critics tend to tragically overlook Peggy-- I've almost come to find Jezebel's visible preference of seductress Joan over the blatantly more progressive Peggy offensive. Yeah, so sometimes she's a bitch-- she's human and every character on such a realistic show needs some weak points. But I can't do anything but admire her for skill, climbing the corporate ladder through creativity, not dirty tricks (which could be said, maybe half-heartedly, of her mysterious male double, Don). If she wasn't such a required focal point for the show, the pilot would not have revolved so much around her first day at Sterling Cooper. An outcast in both stages of her work environment, a great article I read on her suggested that her character's weight gain at the end of season one seemed to be a strong statement against the gender roles of the era-- the constant unspoken requirement of being pretty. Sudden physical anomalies aside, Peggy is promoted by her notably sexist male co-workers. These are just a few of the many reasons that I find her to be such an important, resonating character. Without her, I firmly believe the show could not go on.
So yeah, she may not be a Jackie or a Marilyn, but is that really such a hindrance? After all, I don't think anyone would want to be one of a hundred colors in a box, would they?

Monkey See, Monkey Do

2009-04-10T10:43:00.002-05:00

OHAI! It's a pretty lovely spring day over in Oklahoma. My main lady V over at Savage Sunshine did this survey and suggested I do it too, so what can I say other than "I'm on it"?

What is your current obsession? The new Bat for Lashes, which is wonderful.
What are you wearing right now? A plaid dress I bought from this bomb outlet store in Japan and 575 drainpipes.
Who was the last person you hugged? Mi madre, I'm exciting I guess.
If you were a tree, what tree would you be? Well Barbara, I think I would be a palm tree, cherry blossom tree, or def a bonsai tree if only because of its Karate Kid connections.
What’s for dinner? Too early for that shit. I sure as hell am Jonesin' for a burger.
What was the last thing you bought? Three muffins and I ain't even frontin'!
What are you listening to right now? Crystal Stilts "The Dazzled"
What is your favourite weather? Springtime in Los Angeles, especially in the Santa Monica area. It's warm but the breeze throws it off and gives kind of this cold front-y feel.
What’s on your beside table? Ain't got one, yo. I keep my phone by my bed though for an alarm clock.
Say something to the person/s who tagged you. V. I MISS YOU.
If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be? Probably somewhere nice in Greenwich Village. But you know what? God, maybe somewhere in Paris or London.
Where are you typing from right now? My room, nowhere fancy.
A book you're currently reading? American Psycho and my friend's copy of The Time Traveler's Wife.
What would you like to have in your hands right now? It's not so much my hands as it is... oh shutupbrain.
What is your favourite tea flavour? Sleepytime. I cannot resist a tea with such a name, especially when it's flecked by an adorable bear in pajamas.
What did you eat for breakfast? A bomb as hell blueberry muffin, and because of this, I'm feeling like my day is gonna be a-okay.
What did you want to become as a child? A fairy princess. My mother asked me what I wanted to be and after thinking hard, I had made my decision. After she told me I couldn't exactly be one, I was never the same again. If it's ever possible...
What is your fantasy? Getting paid ridiculous sums of money to sleep. That is the dream. Then I could seriously do some damage in my waking life.

Obviously, I tag Erika. Expect more shit soon. Who knows what it will be.

Reflection: White Trash Charms "1984" Collection

2009-03-22T19:13:00.002-05:00

Back in the halcyon age of ELLEgirl, I remember when the severely popular jewelry brand White Trash Charms first came onto the scene. Something about them in all their hype was so instantly appealing, able to evoke a maturer version of walking into F.A.O. Schwartz. White Trash Charms has consistently prided itself on quality, and it is as sophisticated as it is childlike. This is represented best in one of their very first collections that would become one of their most famous and popular ones: the 1984 collection.
The 1984 collection of White Trash Charms was not only attractive and adorable, but totally genius. They had a bounty of candy-colored enamel charms inspired by tried-and-true cultural mainstays like The Karate Kid, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Andy Warhol, Xanadu, the mod sixties and much more. They could attract four-year-old girls unaware of the references as well as super fancy celebrities who flocked to the pieces, like Lindsay Lohan, who, pre-"fire crotch", was photographed on the cover of Seventeen wearing the necklace inspired by Little Darlings.
I surrendered to its power back in 2006, the year my ridiculous obsession with M.I.A. begun, after having seen her wearing the 15 Minutes necklace (above). I suddenly had to have it, and when I wore it, the compliments came at a surprisingly huge rate. I rocked that shit on the daily-- plus it looked REALLY cool if I wore it with my Velvet Underground shirt. The love and instant cheer it gave me was what made so sad to recently find that the collection is pretty much dead. If you look, it's now no longer on their site and almost nonexistent elsewhere. It's a crying shame considering how fresh, fun and instantly nostalgic these pieces are. This was stuff to get excited about wearing!

So ladies, pour one out for this seriously inspiring business right here. (And Brooke Dulien, if you're reading this, you know what must be done.)

New Agent Provocateur bridal collection!

2009-03-20T14:47:00.005-05:00

Fresh off of the romantic spring collection Pan and the Vestry of Virgins, Agent Provocateur has just released a brand new bridal collection entitled The Brides of Ulysses. It's certainly a fantastically demure collection and the promotion photos are wonderful. My favorite range is definitely the gorgeously retro Lois (pictured).
I do wonder: is this the fourth, "surprise" collection that Joe Corre described in the fall issue of Knickers Forever? As I have no plans of getting married soon, I hope not, but as a poolside collection dropped last year after the exciting "Let Them Eat Kate" bridal campaign, I doubt this is the last of AP before summer.

Lily Allen's next single is...

2009-03-16T17:09:00.004-05:00

..."Not Fair". Above is a still from the upcoming video, where she'll most likely be channeling one of her heroines, Dolly Parton. I'm not sure I dig the choice to make this the next single because, first of all, I thought the highly superior and message-latent "Everyone's At It" would be next, and second of all this is my least favorite track on the new album next to "Fuck You" (yeah, I said it). But I'm sure the video will be absolutely delightful, and does our Lily not look wonderful?

Yeah. She does.

Lily Allen starts the American leg of her new tour on April 1 in San Diego and if you're in town, you'd better be there or be square.

Lolita Hazed ain't dead.

2009-03-01T23:21:00.005-06:00

Hey ladies! I know I've been gone for quite awhile. I've been AWOL from almost everything since mid-February, and I'll be slowly but surely getting back into the swing of things soon. But, anywho...

Remember back in November when I told you about the McQ by Alexander McQueen collection for Target inspired by Liela Moss of my FAVORITE band The Duke Spirit, whose shit is the most underrated stuff since... olive oil? The woman I have been waiting for the rest of the world to fall in love with is totally getting into the spotlight THIS MONTH and I could not be any more pumped.
IT IS FINALLY COMING OUT THIS WEDNESDAY. I am so pumped that you don't even know and I honestly don't care how much the Liela Moss Neptune cover shirt (above) costs because I AM BUYING IT IN FIVE SECONDS FLAT. I know there's a necklace built into it, but I'm probably going to have to wear my Tatty Devine Duke Spirit necklace with it anyway to show supreme fandom because I win and you don't (just kidding, but maybe not). Grlfrnd you do NOT know how FUCKING EXCITED I AM. And OMFG THEY ARE TOTALLY RELEASING AN EXCLUSIVE COMPILATION FOR TARGET (basically a "greatest hits", what have you, plus their exclusive cover of Alex Chilton's "Baby Doll") THAT I AM BUYING.
It's going to be almost like a tiny little Christmas, but instead with an amount of red comparable to communist China (the reason why I could never work at Borders or Target).

Yeah, okay, this entry was def pretty rushed and I should go to bed,
Y Lolita Hazed

(In other news, I'm currently perfecting my spring playlist, which, spoiler alert, actually has a Duke Spirit track on there and will be up before you know it!)

Holy AWESOME.

2009-02-18T18:40:00.003-06:00

Oh. My God. Do you recognize this baby?The right answer is YES. YES OF COURSE YOU DO WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU.
I've been looking all over for answers as to how I could fill this black void in my soul and THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE SEARCHED FOR. It's by new-ish American brand Letters of Marque and I need it NOW, so I can start my reenactment of "Toxic 2, but better". How did I come upon this FANTASMIC discovery? Thanks to my new favorite website, Knickers, which is just... AMAZING. Go read it. Now. OMG, it has everything a lingerie aficionado could EVER want. Um, bargains? News? The experts to help you find ANY lingerie you see ANYWHERE (such as in this case)? It even has this super awesome quiz that tells you what kind of style lingerie you are. I'm a Flirt (totes accurate and cue R. Kelly)!

It's... it's just awesome. Go.
Go now.

Two Suns artwork REVEALED!!

2009-02-16T16:32:00.004-06:00

And of course, it's effing BOMB and I might buy the LP just to have this baby hanging on my wall. WITNESS THE GLORY!

Natasha Khan, you are the queen of my world. If it were possible, I would have your children gladly, and I'm scared to death of the prospect of childbirth. Please start a cult so I can join.

Could I be any more excited?!? REALLY. COULD I. I am listening to a preview I got in my e-mail just a few minutes ago and I am LOVING what I hear.

More Love, Please: Viva K

2009-02-13T17:06:00.008-06:00

Four years ago I fell in love with the awe-inspiring Silverlake quartet Viva K, a band united by the discovery of a sitar which may or may not have belonged to the late Brian Jones. I stumble upon their music on shuffle and I forget how unbelievably underrated their music is. They released their first and only album so far, self-titled, in 2005 on a relatively unknown label called Stinky Records. The album was launched to quiet acclaim and has delved in obscurity, appreciated by too few. However, it gave us some seriously amazing songs like "No Better Time", "Dekoder" and "Does It Matter?" (video above) that continue to blow my mind to this day. Singer Ween Callas kicks so much ass and brings to mind classically awesome ladies like Siouxsie Sioux and Justine Frischmann. Please check this band out! I would love to see them come out and truly flourish.

Bump this, buy the CD, and thank me later.
Download: Viva K "No Better Time"

Do I need this?

2009-02-10T18:38:00.003-06:00

My MOB shirt might be lonely...

(On sale, just in time for spring, here)

Girls on Film: Cherry Darling (Planet Terror)

2009-02-07T12:31:00.011-06:00

It's damn hard to feel sexy when you're walking around with a useless dead thing of a limb. I should know-- I'm bedridden from taking a nasty spill last afternoon! So who else to brighten my mood with some serious asskicking than the fabulous Cherry Darling, whose former paramour replaced her dead leg with a machine gun?
Really, there's nothing I could say about this badass bitch that hasn't already been said. Disillusioned with her job as a go-go dancer, she decides to quit and pursue a career in comedy-- eventually providing one of the movie's great jokes when she loses her leg. "I was gonna be a stand-up comedian!" she says in tears. After all, she couldn't very well be a sit-down comedian, now, could she? This girl has so much spunk, she immediately regains confidence after her hospitalization. She treks outta there with no more than a wooden leg, later to become the weapon of choice for her ex-boyfriend, master gunman El Wray. She even manages to get some hot ex-sex pre-gun leg!
And of course, it was never the gun that made Cherry Darling so irresistible-- chick's already got all the ammo she'll ever need. Proof here:

Cherry, darling, I want to be just like you.

Playlist: Fuck You, February

2009-02-04T17:07:00.008-06:00

I hate February already. I'm just mad all the time. After I watched my car get towed yesterday, I begun digging into my angry playlist-- and you can too! Feel the rage!

The Misfits "Attitude"
One of the greatest angry songs EVER. I honestly don't have enough good things to say about The Misfits, considering how all-around great they are. Glenn Danzig is an effing fantastic singer, unlike SO MANY PUNKS, such as the notorious lead singer of...
Public Image, Ltd. "Public Image"
Bad voice or not, no one can deny that the legendary Johnny Rotten does angry flawlessly.
be your own PET "Bog"
I'm sorry-- I'M NOT SORRY!! Damn RIGHT. Teach me, Jemina. Oh, and their self-titled CD is pretty perfect if you don't own it. And you NEED TO. GO BUY.
Midnight Creeps "Menstrual Institution"
A friend of mine introduced me to the Midnight Creeps last year and OMG this song is RIDICULOUS. Don't be surprised if you find yourself singing this at the most inappropriate moments!
Bikini Kill "Star-Bellied Boy"
Authentic angst straight from the goddess of riot grrrl herself. And, um, LOVE the Dr. Seuss reference! Only you would, Kathleen. Only you.
The Libertines "The Saga"
This was my first-ever Libertines song. I was hooked immediately, and a long love began. Pour one out for them!
Veruca Salt "Seether"
I listen to this song CONSTANTLY. It's probably one of my favorite songs ever made and it sums up my current feelings. I never thought that would happen. Uh oh. Angry girls FTW!!
Sleater-Kinney "O2"
The best song on One Beat. Honestly, I can't think of anything wrong with it. Proof the riot grrrl could be taken into the 21st century!

Wanted more songs? Too bad.
(I didn't mean that, I'm sorry.)

Lily Allen's coming to America!

2009-02-03T16:07:00.004-06:00

My little princess is migrating in April! Here's when and where:

4/1: San Diego, CA (House of Blues)
4/2: Los Angeles, CA (The Wiltern)
4/4: San Francisco, CA (The Warfield)
4/6: Seattle, WA (The Showbox SoDo)
4/8: Salt Lake City, UT (The Venue)
4/9: Denver, CO (Ogden Theater)
4/11: Minneapolis, MN (First Avenue)
4/12: Chicago, IL (Vic Theater)
4/13: Detroit, MI (St. Andrews Hall)
4/15: Atlanta, GA (Variety Playhouse)
4/17: Washington, D.C. (9.30 Club)
4/18: Philadelphia, PA (Theater of the Living Arts)
4/19: Boston, MA (House of Blues)
4/20: New York, NY (Roseland)

Awww. Salt Lake City and not Tulsa? Realllly? Dude.
This is also another way to show that God just keeps looking at me in the face and saying, "Sarah, you need to go to California now."

Go check out non US dates and listen to ALL OF HER NEW ALBUM RIGHT NOW.
You're welcome.

Married to the MOB S/S 09 x KID SISTER.

2009-01-31T17:55:00.007-06:00

Obviously, I adore Kid Sis and MOB avec tout mon coeur. So I FLIPPED when I discovered that she of the pro nails was the face of the brand-new MOB collection! Peep some of my favorites below:
Obviously, this picture wins. And I decided I REALLY need this cardigan.
Money Over Bitches indeed.Kid Sister, you are the princess of my heart. It did not take much for you to create that title.

Three is a magic number, don't you know? There is more fun to be had! Have it here!

False Advertising

2009-01-31T16:06:00.006-06:00

I have been looking ALL OVER for a mascara that doesn't smudge. So when I heard that Bourjois had a new one supposedly made for that exact problem, I was definitely interested. I finally bought it last night (for $10, y'all!) and, upon application, was instantly wowed (I don't throw that word around) by how much they made my eyes pop! I felt like Twiggy or something. Instant doe-eyed effect.
However, it smudged an hour or so later. Maybe I'll end up trying the Clinique mascara that RiotBecki from The Pipettes swears so heavily on. Worth it-- but, y'know, advertised wrong.
Or, y'know, maybe I just suck at putting mascara on.

Get this jazz right here or, hey, maybe somewhere else, it's your life.

Blast the Past: Chingy "Right Thurr"

2009-01-28T16:26:00.003-06:00

On Sunday I dreamt that this song played whenever I walked... er, strutted. It was a pretty awesome dream, as I recall. How joyful I was when it popped out of nowhere in the shuffle of my iPod later that day. Which reminds me...

Chingy, I miss you. You were oh so much fun with your ridiculous songs about ladies and hotels and ladies in hotels. You were everywhere five or so years ago, disappeared, and came back with "Dem Jeans", only to disappear and never be heard from again. Let's not make that your tale. I expect a Chingy resurgence in '09.
Please?

Bat for Lashes has some exciting surprises up her sleeve...

2009-01-25T13:57:00.007-06:00

Not since her ethereal cover of The Cure's "A Forest" for the Perfect as Cats tribute compilation have we heard from Bat for Lashes goddess Natasha Khan. So when I heard that she and her new band The Blue Dreams had an album coming out only three months from now, I SQUEED. I am OBSESSED with this woman. And now she's on the cover of UK fashion mag Dazed & Confused to give what is considered to be her biggest interview to date (not to mention an unbelievably GORGEOUS cover, peep it below!)!
In this issue, she'll be disclosing several awesome details on her upcoming album Two Suns (one clue: she's pulling an effing Sasha Fierce!! Get ready to meet Natasha's sexy alter ego, Pearl) and I'm way, WAY too excited.
AND HOLY SHIT YEASAYER'S GONNA BE ON IT. OMFG. OMFG. GIMME THIS CD NOW NOW NOW.
I need this issue in my hands à ce moment.

Two Suns tracklisting:
1. Glass
2. Sleep Alone
3. Moon and Moon
4. Daniel
5. Peace of Mind
6. Siren Song
7. Pearl’s Dream
8. Good Love
9. Two Planets
10. Traveling Woman
11. The Big Sleep (Feat. Scott Walker)

Could. Not. Be. Any more. Stoked.

Albums I'm hella excited for in 2009

2009-01-25T13:40:00.015-06:00

God, it's going to be a GOOD year for music, let me tell you that. Expect this to be updated throughout the year!

Amanda Blank, I Love You
Annie, Don't Stop
Asobi Seksu, Hush
Bat for Lashes, Two Suns
The Big Pink, A Brief History of Love
Black Lips, 200 Million Thousand
Florence & The Machine, Lungs
Grizzly Bear, Veckatimest
Kid Sister, Ultraviolet
Lily Allen; It's Not Me, It's You
PJ Harvey & John Parish, A Woman a Man Walked By
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, It's Blitz!

Out with the old...

2009-01-22T19:18:00.016-06:00

Ladies and gentlemen, right at this very moment, I am watching the brand new series of Skins.
Er, well, trying to, as this buffering shit is taking a MILLION years. Le sigh.
Either way, I have no idea what's coming in terms of quality as the first generation was so spectacular-- which I'm sure you all know. But perhaps one of the best parts of Skins is the amazing Alex Hancock's tip-top music selection for every episode. As I watch lots of TV, I should know: perfection in TV music is ridiculously hard to come by. And Skins did it. Here are a few of my favorite moments from Series 1 and 2, in order of appearance:

Death in Vegas "Dirt"
This is one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite electronic bands, and when I heard this in the first episode, I knew I was getting into something good! A great introducion to the show-- y'know, aside from the obvious Chingy factor. Chingy FTW.
UK Apache & Shy FX "Original Nuttah"
THIS SONG MAKES ME GO APESHIT. And when Jal's dad plays this at a party to save it from irretrievable boringness, EVERYONE does. It's... beautiful. I especially love Anwar in this scene!
Tricky "Hell is Around the Corner"
Reduce me, seduce me, dress me up in Stussy. The soundtrack to one of the sexiest, most beautifully tragic scenes in Skins history. Cassie swaying on a bench in her stunning golden tap shoes and vodka spray gun... I die. V knows what I'm talking about.
Archie Bronson Outfit "Dart for My Sweetheart"
I love when music so fittingly narrates plot. THIS is a perfect example, in which a jealous Tony prepares to blackmail Michelle's new boyfriend. True love, Skins style.
Blonde Redhead "23"
This song wasn't even used in a Skins episode-- it was used on a teaser, and oh my God, did it work to capture the drama of series 2. It was arresting, sexy, made you want to know more and really was a perfect intro to the shocking, unbelievably more character-introspective season. And of course, the music in series two was the best Skins has ever been.
DJ Shadow "Organ Donor"
Because Skins has the best dance music ever. End of story.
Beach House "Childhood"
This was a perfect choice for Maxxie and Michelle frolicking on the beach and trying to ignore the slutty Scarlett and her awkward advances on teenage boys.
Charlie Parr "One-Eyed Jack"
When Jal and Chris make their defining bet with each other. I only wish I had this song! It's like Chris and Jal's love song. It's so beautiful.
The Good, the Bad & the Queen "The Good, the Bad & the Queen"
This is the background music to the hottest sex scene Skins has ever seen-- maybe one of my all-time favorites! So hot. Tony does it with this chick who might not even be real, making it the first time he's had sex since his accident. As this act would cement Tony's transformation, drama was necessary. And thanks to my darling Damon Albarn, it was amped to the extreme. ALL of the music on this episode is perfect, by the way. It's my favorite episode yet.
Low "Sunflower"
This plays in Jal's series 2 episode as Chris is being rolled away in the hospital. This was such a good play on the tragedy that is Chris and Jal's love story, and the beautifully sad lyrics helped to foreshadow Chris's death.
Lipps, Inc. "Funkytown"
Because I think we all really, REALLY needed this. Thank you, Skins. (BTW, who else totally loves Doug? OMG squee at the cuteness. Lots of him in series 3, plznthnx!!)
ADELE "Hometown Glory"
A gripping narration of Cassie alone in New York. This song provided a great deal of insight into her mind, giving viewers the impression that an escape from her life's turmoil was impossible.
Elliott Smith "Between the Bars"
Hands down, one of my favorite songs of all time. As Elliott Smith was pivotal to my middle school emo phase, hearing this during such a poignant moment on the show gave me a nice, warm feeling. Every time I crawl under my duvet, this song now plays in my mind.
Maps "It Will Find You"
GAWD I love this song. While it wasn't the last song of the season (that was given to MGMT's "Time to Pretend"), it's such a great conclusion to this generation that sends off each and every character, and gives fans the impression that they're all headed for great things.

Gonna miss these guys. So much.

Dan Deacon & Liam Lynch "Drinking Out of Cups"

2009-01-19T17:30:00.004-06:00

My friend is obsessed with this. After watching it a few times, I kinda am too. Don't like it? YOU SUCK!

Love Letter: Consider me married to MOB.

2009-01-16T16:46:00.001-06:00

Okay, so do you remember when I was seriously sad from Karmaloop running out of my size when my dream MOB shirt was on sale? After that, I took to the internet in frantic search of somewhere else to find it. While I way stupidly could've gotten the shirt for half as much at '80s Purple (thanks, Google, I thought we were friends), Yasi at Cultist totally had my back... and now IT'S MINE.

And oh my God, it fits like a glove. I fell in love at first sight of myself in the shirt. And while some of their recent merch may seem expensive, it isn't a front-- Married to the MOB is the real deal down to every detail. It is, hands down, the most quality streetwear I've ever placed upon my skin. Their shirts' fairly long lengths are also a huge plus!
Oh dear, I need way more where this came from. Leah McSweeney is 100% right-- the fabric alone (tough graphics put aside) makes me feel tough AND sexy, all at the same time. MTTM FTW!

New Agent Provocateur collection drops!

2009-01-13T16:39:00.005-06:00

If there's anything that is guaranteed to catch my attention in terms of complete and total adoration, it is the following: Greek mythology and Agent Provocateur. WHAT DO YOU KNOW. Pan and the Vestry of Virgins collection, the 2008/09 range I've most anticipated, is out TODAY! Peep it with me and fall in love.I wasn't crazy for Angharad when I saw it first in last winter's "Lady of the Manor" collection, but this is GORGEOUS. White eyelet with peachy satin bows? Virginal indeed!Natalia is like Jesse from last year but WAY prettier. *Sigh*, this looks like wearing a violet underneath your clothes.

This is Nicola. I SWOON. Oh my God, that floral print? DIE. That red edging with the red stockings is just so painfully gorgeous. I NEED IT.

What are you waiting for? FREAK OUT here!

Can you keep a secret?

2009-01-11T18:21:00.007-06:00

Just when you thought the Karmaloop winter sale madness was over-- it's NOT. But of course, they kept it a very close-guarded secret... if you use the one-time code GOODS09 from now until February, you get 50% off!! Here's what I'd hit up, what with the limited dough I have remaining:I am way more Biggie than Tupac. However, Cubannie Links's Tupac Rosary is SO Lily Allen that I'm not sure I can resist! Crossing my fingers that the stupidly hot Tupac earrings will be back in stock soon!
Real Price: $30
With Code: $15

I am not allowed to wear this MOB shirt to school, and I can not find it in me to care. In other news, who can get over how hot that model is? I can't.

Real Price: $35

With Code: $17.50

This Steven Shein necklace was in Missbehave last fall and I still want it. It's so adorably tiny on the model, and I was smitten upon sight.

Real Price: $24

With Code: $12

Um, thank GOD for Karmaloop, right? Hit it up here, and don't forget to use GOODS09 at checkout!

Y Your friendly neighborhood Lolita

Blast the Past: Robyn "Do You Know What it Takes"

2009-01-10T13:48:00.004-06:00

GAWD I love this song. Always have. Always will. Considering how hard it is to escape a kind of has-been status, it's seriously cool that Robyn's hip now (I was quite surprised learning that three or four years ago). But no matter what, I will always keep a soft spot in my heart for these good ol' days. I used to be so embarrassed of growing up in the '90s with music like this, but in retrospect, I can't help but love it. Completely. LOVE THIS SHIT. Love her. I remember when she was on Kablam, does anyone else? It was intense.

This was the best song on Robyn is Here, which I totally have somewhere in my house but can't find. For shame!

WHAT?! No.

2009-01-09T20:11:00.006-06:00

For several years I have harbored a strong crush on hispanic heartthrob Gael Garcia Bernal, a man who could always count on a Top 5 spot in my To-Do List. Year after year, my obsession did not falter, until it sort of just subsided.

Upon receiving certain news, I have realized the crush never died in the first place. After mourning his BFF Diego Luna's being taken off the market by some chick two years old than me, it saddens me to realize I'll be mourning his as well.

Gael Garcia Bernal had a KID. With some chick named Dolores Fonzi.

I hate you already, Dolores Fonzi. Even though you are mad hot.

[E! Online]

Obama and I are SO on the same food page.

2009-01-06T16:45:00.008-06:00

Just a few months ago, when I was in Evanston, Illinois, my whole family was being super-bitchy so we had to stop and eat somewhere. We stumbled upon Dixie Kitchen & Bait Shop, which turned out to be TOTALLY ridiculously amazing in every way and now one of my Chi-City faves. They give you johnny cakes (pancakes that require no syrup for those unaware) for free, are awesome for all things southern and fried, and have pecan pie that might make you cry.

So I was totally stoked when I stumbled upon, in all its glory, then-Senator Barack Obama adorably food-reviewing this awesome joint on a local show called Check, Please!. Dig it!

They are going to play it on some radio station all the time now. And on inauguration day. I think this means everyone should eat johnny cakes that morning or something, which I'm totally cool with.

I kinda need fried chicken now.

[GIANT]

Tatty Devine sale!

2009-01-05T19:01:00.002-06:00

I have coveted this Tatty Devine lollipop headband for almost a year. It's SO Sue Lyon as Lolita it hurts. It is now half-price. $30.04. WANT.

Pretty much errthang else is half-price now! Hit it up here!

OMG, '09 TV!

2009-01-02T12:01:00.000-06:00

Three awesome shows come back in January, WOO!

Gossip Girl (January 5, 8/7 C, CW)

So Chuck Bass is suicidal and whatnot. He's probably not going to die, they just want you to think that. But still, I really hope that when Chuck Bass DOES die, "I'm Chuck Bass" are indeed his last words, later to become his epitaph. Blair will place flowers upon his gravestone, quickly glance at the all too true engraving, and weep, whilst muttering to herself, "I'm Blair." (Please look at this icon, by the way. I think I could look at it all day.)

Scrubs (January 6, 9/8 C, ABC)

Thank GOD for the writer's strike cuz Scrubs is back for one more season! Woo! This show has been out of my life one year too long. Meanwhile, JD has facial hair and I'm not sure if that's a good thing...

Secret Diary of a Call Girl (January 18, 10:30/9:30 C, Showtime)

More Ben! More Hannah! More presumably unresolved friend-to-friend sexual tension! More pretty lingerie to fawn over! ZOMG get excited with me!!

OMFG

2009-01-02T00:28:00.005-06:00

NEW. SKINS. TRAILER.

I was having my doubts, but if the whole season is this good, then WOW. Bring this shit ON.

[OH NO THEY DIDN'T!]

Lolita Hazed Playlist: 2008 in Music

2009-01-01T14:26:00.008-06:00

I have this weird little hobby where I actually write down every song I hear throughout the year, collect them in a Word document, and round up the ones that were important to my year. I've been doing this since freshman year and it's always been exciting to see the results at the end of a year.

2008's been a crazy year for Planet Earth, that's for sure-- I bet we could all name at least ten external reasons why. However, here's what was going on with me as it all happened, including the best, the worst, and the truly unforgettable:

1. The Church "Under the Milky Way"
I heard this song so many times this year-- first and most importantly being as we comforted a grieving friend of ours after someone we know died (and a lot of people I know died this year). It was really perfect for such an emotional moment. Later, in the summer, I heard it playing on TV in Japan when my family was watching Prison Break. An interesting contrast for you.
2. Blur "Song 2"
My friend and I would sing this at the most random moments ever this spring, shouting it for all to hear. At one amazing point, he and I actually sang it very loudly on a karaoke game in the middle of Best Buy. We considered none of the customers. He almost got beat up in the bathroom for it. We're never returning to that Best Buy.
3. Patrick Wolf "The Magic Position"
I heard this song playing TWICE in Madrid, which, for all the songs in the world and all the cities in the world, is pretty damn random-- first being when my friend Jenny and I were wandering the city streets alone, second being in an H&M a day later. It's such an undeniably happy song, and a wonderfully appropriate representation of the first time I'd ever felt so free...
4. Eric Clapton "Livin' on Tulsa Time"
My teacher met a friend of hers at a bar in Paris one night, allowing us to accompany her. We sat at a separate table because it made us feel cooler. Anyway, at one point in the night this song plays and my teacher was totally WEIRDED OUT. "Guys!" she shouted at us. "Did you guys request this or something?!" It was a really freaky coincidence. Of all the bars in Paris, the one we were in happened to be playing a song about home.
5. Annie "Loco"
I downloaded this song the night before I left for Tokyo and couldn't stop listening to it the next day (I swear I could lose myself in it). I listened to it on both planes and in the train that took us from Narita to Tokyo, which took us through unbelievable scenery. As the exciting beats rolled on, I was witnessing the outskirts of a landmark Asian city, sprinkled with vast countrysides, skyscrapers, castles... it was humbling. This song was making me feel like a total jetsetter-- which I had actually become! Let me tell you, it's a cool feeling to be shocked by a 45-minute plane ride.

6. Bat for Lashes "Seal Jubilee"

I had this song stuck in my head for a very, very large portion of the time that I was in Japan. It was a really great background for how lost I felt in the sea of strange faces, the gibberish scrawled over every surface, the awe-inducing level of technologic advances... in spite of having my family around, it was very lonely.
7. U2 "Ultra Violet (Light My Way)"
My friend Julia is one of the few people I know to whom I can truly talk about ANYTHING and feel understood, and I was pretty heartbroken when she left for China last fall. We communicated solely through e-mail, telling each other all the fun things we wanted to do when we were together again. I daydreamed of running through fields with her in hippie dresses, this song playing in my mind. A little while after she got back, this song was playing at a bar as we walked down the street. "Oh my God," I said to myself as I stopped in the middle of the street. "What?" she asked. "Nothing, really," I replied, smiling.

8. Yeasayer "2080"

After Sarah Palin was chosen as the Vice Presidential candidate for the Republican party, there seemed to be a great fear in the air. I remember watching the debate between her and Joe Biden and actually rolling up into a ball at one point. I actually started crying. I felt so doomed and worried for the future and turned on this song.
9. Daft Punk "Aer OBAMA (vs. adam freeland)"
At Milk and Knives Zombie Night, I was getting down with a bunch of my closest friends. This song came on and we had no idea what they were spelling until my friend listened-- everyone in the room immediately reacted. It was like YMCA or something. The room was filled with a positive energy, like anything could happen... and on November 4th, it did (and I voted!!). We made history. Say it!

10. Sister Nancy "Bam Bam"

I played this in my New York hotel room before I spoke to my Facebook pen pal for the first time. Two unknowingly kindred spirits collided. It was AWESOME. We had breakfast at the Moon Rock, rode the carousel in a rainy Central Park, and tried to sneak into the Chanel Mobile Art exhibit. We bonded over our love for riot grrrl trainwrecks and Pot Psychology, and I confessed I wanted him to be the Rich to my Tracie. Maybe he will be someday. We almost saw Repo! together. It was one of my favorite parts of this year.

11. Lily Allen "The Fear (Demo)"

In the midst of college stress, this song summed me up pretty well. I was uninspired, insecure, and feeling completely hopeless. For quite awhile, I've felt like everything in the world was so big and unattainable. This song is so sincere it makes me cry. I have to close my eyes when I listen to it.

12. Lipps, Inc. "Funkytown"

Because there's lots of other stuff that makes things bearable. This is on the list not only because I recently videotaped my friend dancing to this while she was drunk, but also as a mass show of love to my Brooklyn Prom Queens, who have definitely been a big part of my year. I love you all!

13. Fatboy Slim "Praise You"

I was listening to this song last night, thinking about how unbelievably appropriate it felt. 2008 was a hard year, perhaps the hardest of my life. We've all had to overcome huge obstacles, intimidating amounts of fear, crippling levels of stress and pressure-- I don't know about you, but I feel it was well worth it, because I am so much stronger for it. This year has helped us come so far, that damn straight it's praiseworthy.

I loved 2008. I laughed, cried, experienced new things, embarrassed myself publicly through varied types of emotion... and I'm ready for more. So bring it, '09!

Happy New Year to you all, darlings! I hope 2009 is as memorable for all of you as 2008!

Y Lolita Hazed

Best Movies I Saw in 2008

2008-12-29T16:17:00.008-06:00

Just so you know, I NEVER go to the theatres. Ever. I only went about fourteen times or so, a paltry amount. However, here's what's made my list for what I enjoyed most.

1. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
OMG THIS MOVIE IS SO CUTE. I am seriously in love with Jason Segel now, who you will discover upon viewing has absolutely no body hang-ups at all, which is seriously sexy. I left the theater with the dorkiest, most unwipable smile on my face. GO SEE IT NOW. Preferably with friends. You will have a ball, I promise! I would watch it now if I could. Sarah Marshall FTW!!

2. Milk

You've probably heard it everywhere, but really-- this movie is incredible. It's touching without being saccharine, convincing without possession of a bias, and so endlessly human. Sean Penn is so damn snuggly that I found myself wanting to run into the screen and give him a little cuddle. God, did this movie resonate with me-- I only wish I'd cried more. An enthralling story of acceptance and the lengths a human will go to in order to achieve it. Please see it!

3. Slumdog Millionaire

It took awhile, but perhaps my favorite director, Danny Boyle, is finally back in his FIRST Oscar-hyped movie, while his fans are wondering why it hadn't been happening years before. Starring Skins alum Dev Patel in his first onscreen role, this emotionally rich portrayal of childhood, crime, romance and just getting by will certainly steal your breath. As was the case in last year's favorite The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, it doesn't get much prettier than those credits. While it's not Boyle's best, it's very much worth seeing and further proves his chameleonic abilities.

4. The Dark Knight

It's on everyone's list, isn't it? However, it was very, very good. I was disappointed the first time I saw it as, being a Gotham FREAK, I was expecting more. The second time is better! But you know what would have made this movie #1? Harley Quinn. But no. Better luck next time, suckaz (I'm only kidding-- kind of. Step up your game for femme fatales, plz, Poison Ivy's still pissed at Uma Thurman)!

5. Iron Man

After my BFF had me watch this, I could NOT shut up about it. Oh my God, if you haven't seen this yet, you HAVE to! Robert Downey, Jr. is not only awesome, but adorable, making his own robot friends and cute little quips and it's just so damn good in every way. GO SEE!

6. Let the Right One In
This movie, which Erika recommended me, is untouchably cool and very startlingly pretty (that chick on fire on the bed?! OMG). Apparently the dumbass who made Cloverfield wants to remake it, probably never will. Tulsa just now got this movie, so suck it, Tulsa, I saw it without your help!

7. Australia

I don't care what you say, reviewers. This movie is beautiful, and while it was kinda crazy in the third act, I was still so tempted to cry. I didn't, but I wanted to. I miss your crazier side but I love you so, Baz. This was a class act.

8. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2

DUH. This movie is way too much fun for me. How much do I love chickflicks? Let me count the ways. You may not rave, but if you rent it with your girls like I did, you'll have a LOT of fun.
9. Pineapple Express

So, yeah, I enjoyed it, but what a massive disappointment. Fun, and I do love bromances (Seth Rogen and James Franco are a great one-- adorbz chemistry), but could've been WAY better. Even if I DID want to hug James Franco, y'know, among other things...

10. 21

So it's not the best movie ever. Believe me. But it's SO FUN and I really enjoyed watching it. It kept me interested on that long, long flight to Japan. So thanks, 21 (even though in-flight Tetris was more than enough to keep me satisfied)! And as I know Vegas quite well, the places they went were pretty instantly recognizable, making for more fun on my part. Big plus!

Movies I Wanted to See... But Never Did (And Still Want To)

The Go-Getter

Hamlet 2 (fourfour's obsession with it exacerbates the desire)

Repo! The Genetic Opera (ALMOST did in New York! Curses!)

Towelhead (don't care if it flopped)

Tropic Thunder

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

The Wackness

WALL-E (and my family laughs at me)

Still Haven't Seen...

Doubt

Revolutionary Road

Complain all you want about boutique cupcakeries, but this is BEAUTIFUL.

2008-12-28T09:30:00.001-06:00

The picture in E's latest post reminded me: you know how fancy cupcakes are totally a trend now? Dude, there's a cupcakerie in my town called Kupcakz! It might be the most adorably LOL-cat-esque-named cupcakerie of all existing cupcakeries (yeah, Tulsa's cute), and after hearing about it in the newspaper several months ago, I've been seriously begging to give this place a try. And this week, I totally did!

So! Presenting my first-ever cupcake reviews (I am REALLY hoping this is something I'll get to do more than once)!

Not a Carrot in the World (pictured, go ahead and guess which one)

Carrot cupcake, duh. It's pretty meh. Too punny for my tastes.

A Cupcake Named Mackenzie

If you're a chocolate fan, this is probably your naked chocolate Jesus as a cupcake, and not the naked chocolate Jesus that actually existed. (BTW, "Naked chocolate Jesus" is really fun to say fast. So catchy. OMG band name!!) It's got chocolate filling, and its cultural reference is completely lost on me (I'm a 90's baby, give me a break).

Sooner than Later

A red velvet cupcake the boutique made to emphasize their support of the OU Sooners. Those silly little Oklahomans and their statewide college football feud. Eh, it's not Magnolia red velvet, but pretty damn sassy nonetheless.

Tropical Bliss (pictured)

SO. PRETTY. You look at it and you freak because you think you're gonna eat a cupcake covered in Fruity Pebbles-- in which case you'd probably be in Heaven, but they're actually coconut flakes and they're almost as good. Real tasty! Want eat again!

Boston Dreamer

My sister and mom ate it all. Those bitches.

I Dream of Ginger

This is the special monthly one! OMG, so good. It's ginger cake with (totally dead-on) egg nog cream cheese frosting. Hands down the best all-around cupcake I ate from there, but then again I'm kind of a freak when it comes to egg nog. Annnnnd I think I'll go drink some more.

So it's not Magnolia.

So. The fuck. What.

Check out all the, um, Kupcakz I didn't try right here.

Sample the first half of "It's Not Me, It's You"!

2008-12-26T16:46:00.011-06:00

Okay, so this has apparently been around for five days but I JUST now found it. Lily Allen has decided to give us a little taste of the upcoming awesomeness It's Not Me, It's You! You'll get to hear:

1. Everyone's At It (my absolute favorite, unstoppable)

2. The Fear

3. Not Fair (ooh, country)

4. 22

5. Never Gonna Happen (OMG, HOT)

6. Fuck You (HA, cute for Christmas, eh?)

Get it HERE! Thank me later!

Trust me when I say they won't be able to put a genre on this one. Um, SO excited.

Yet another hot chick dies in 2008...

2008-12-26T12:43:00.005-06:00

Eartha Kitt, yet another femme fatale I greatly admired, died last night-- and the video below was the first thing I thought of. Below, watch Eartha Kitt as she finds her spirit animal.

(BTW, if you want to see Eartha Kitt at one of her most fabulous moments, please rent The Emperor's New Groove if you haven't seen it. Plznthnx!)

(God, some seriously cool people died in 2008, huh?)

R.I.P. Eartha. You were truly one-of-a-kind, and you will be greatly missed.

[Jezebel]

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T14:59:00.003-06:00

To celebrate this often religiously non-specific holiday, I present you with the greatest, most accurate Christmas song of the 21st century.

I love you ALL!
Y Lolita Hazed

Lily Allen pulls a Mario!

2008-12-23T16:00:00.016-06:00

OMG, I love Internet games more than... buttered toast. A little. So when I saw in my mail that Lily Allen has both a) a pretty new website for 09's surefire hit It's Not Me, It's You (call me biased, so what) and b) a Mario-esque "The Fear"-themed game, I totes freaked.

And you know what? You can play it right HERE! Avoid paparazzi, booze and ecstasy; listen to the fantastic new song "The Fear" as much as you like, and have fun with cute little computerized Lily! I know I will :-) (Play hard enough and you may win an autographed copy of It's Not Me, It's You-- which I could SO use.)Aww, look at her. I wanna be cute and pixelated. Make ME a game, dear Internetz!

Did the albums I was excited for last year suck?

2008-12-21T11:23:00.009-06:00

What do you know? Most of them did not. Here is the list of albums I was excited for with my comments on them...

Annie, Don't Stop
d00d, wut?! This was supposed to come out this year. It did not. It's coming out in spring. Sadness commences.
be your own PET, Get Awkward
What a disappointment. As a huge byoP fan, I was SO EXCITED. The results didn't live up to my long wait-- the original sparks just... were gone. Plus, all the really great songs didn't even make it onto the final version, which was a huge debacle and, well, caused the band's demise. One of 2008's saddest deaths. I was looking forward to more.
CSS, Donkey
I liked this one! Showed my electro-buddies heading in a new direction. It's the CSS I love, but a wee bit more gentille and definitely different, and I have a lot of respect for artists who try never to take the same route twice. I see L7 influence? Likey. Read my review here.
The Duke Spirit, Neptune
THE BEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR. Hands down. Buy this shit. It's so good.
Goldfrapp, Seventh Tree
OMG yawn. Yawn. Yawn. I love you, Goldfrapp, but naw. Did not dig. You can do better than this, and I could tell you weren't feeling it the moment I saw that sad excuse for an album cover.
Kid Sister, Koko B. Ware
(Now titled Dream Date) January 27! Woooo!!
The Kills, Midnight Boom
*Sigh*, another favorite of mine from the year! Sexier than usual Kills fare, and believe me, these kids are notoriously sexy (and they show no sign of sucking! EVER!). Their aura exudes UNTOUCHABLE coolness. This album is great, buy it for me for Christmas, plz? I still no haz.
Lily Allen, T.B.A.
It's Not Me, It's You! This one is accounted for. SO A-CITED!! Feb 10 plz!!
N.A.S.A., T.B.A.
Single? Check. So where's the album? Come on.
Ratatat, LP3
It was good. Didn't buy it because I didn't care enough to.
Uffie, T.B.A.
Didn't come out, just like we all knew it wouldn't. Sadz, but saw it coming. We pretty much only saw you twice this year, and I miss you. Come back. Soon. LOVE.

Good albums from '08 I didn't include on the anticipation list:
Britney Spears, Circus
Yeah yeah, so you preferred Blackout-- but you've gotta admit, Britney rocked this shit. Seriously, "Circus" is so, so good. It gets me PUMPED.
Erykah Badu, New Amerykah, Part 1 (4th World War)
My sister, a huge Erykah fan, got this and it's really quite good. Very different, but definitely one of the best she's ever done. However, my sister thinks it's Erykah Badu for white hipsters (which it kinda is, and I have proof).
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds; Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
Oh, you already know what I think of Nick Cave. I really don't have to say any more, do I?

Anything you liked or were excited for that I didn't include? Hit me up!
Oh, and HAPPY SOLSTICE!!
Y Lolita Hazed

Apparently, Americans totally CAN subscribe to Playboy France.

2008-12-20T21:18:00.002-06:00

I adore Playboy France, so upon hearing that I, an American who doesn't live in a big city with access to NSFW foreign mags, could obtain a subscription, I was all "Wh-wh-WHAT?!"
Do. Want.
If you're unaware of what's so appealing about French Playboy, you should see some of the spreads. They are so damn sophisticated, and the shoots are always styled VERY well, of which a lingerie devotee like myself is appreciative.

I really want a subscription. I think my mother would be... uneasy. She already thinks I'm a lesbian, so I may as well give her another reason.
Souscrivez-vous à Playboy France ici, mes amies!

In other news: There is SO a new Agent Provocateur store in Chicago OMG.

Confidence isn't dirty

2008-12-20T15:50:00.011-06:00

Have you ever noticed how so many women are ashamed of saying they look hot? Self-loathing is such a big thing throughout a girl's adolescence that confidence can seem shameful, much like masturbation and the appreciation of nudity to those who have grown up sheltered. Women have been conditioned to believe that loving yourself is wrong.

Which brings to me the following... what do you think Kelis' "Milkshake" is about?

Go ahead, guess. I've had so many conversations about this topic with people, and I have heard the most unlimited amount of crazy answers. (I could tell you my favorite, but it's quite NSFW.)

There is absolutely no obvious sexual innuendo in this song. Really, look at the lyrics (not to mention the ridiculous opinions people have of its meaning). And if you've ever read her column in Missbehave, you'll know this woman seriously knows her shit. She is a strong feminist, and while it might not appear as such, "Milkshake" is indeed a feminist anthem. I have a great amount of respect for Kelis and believe she is much smarter than people would think-- and has anyone ever considered how tongue-in-cheek this song may be? Come on, she drops a bunch of really vague shit into a song, advertises it to have sexual connotations (the video, the single cover to the right), and leads people to create the craziest ideas of its meaning-- while she has said he rself that it is about confidence, sex appeal. If you think about it all, it makes for a BRILLIANT parody of the neverending sexual stereotyping of female artists, as she successfully turns a concept completely on its head.

Another constantly mistaken song is Tweet's sexy hit "Oops (Oh My)". While VH1 trashed it as blatant narcissism, many believe it to be about masturbation (a meaning she rejects, contrary to the song's implications of such)-- when really, the song revolves around the singer's original lack of confidence. She's gone through some rough patches in her life, and at one point, she was so ashamed of how she looked (upon her self-discovery: "I'm turning red, who could this be?") that she was planning on killing herself. As crazy as it sounds, she was saved by a phone call from her dear friend Missy Elliott, who she now calls her Guardian Angel, asking her to provide vocals for her album Miss E... So Addictive. Tweet has said "Oops (Oh My)" is a discovery of how beautiful she really is.

It's depressing how so many seem to believe that women are so desperate for fame that they will sexually exploit themselves through music-- but of course, so many women like that HAVE existed (*cough*, Pussycat Dolls, *cough*) that culture has gotten itself into a pit of believing they will sing about anything to make money (no thanks to former Jesus freak Katy Perry's female-degrading frat party antics-- you know the one I mean, sorry Alex), which my heroine Lily Allen has so wonderfully parodied in "The Fear" ("I'll take my clothes off / and it will be shameless / 'Cuz everyone knows / that that's how you get famous"). And obviously, that's a girl who has learned to understand the meaning of "Milkshake".

So why can't everyone else? And what the hell is up with this sexualization of female confidence?

You tell me.

You're so wonderfully, wonderfully, wonderfully, wonderfully pretty!

2008-12-19T23:43:00.004-06:00

I was looking at underwear on the Refinery 29 blog and OMG, I've fallen in love with a new brand called Wundervoll. Not the sexiest name, but oh, the brand itself is gorgeous. Seriously, look at that high-waisted beauty (which reminds me-- has anyone noticed that all of a sudden, high-waisted underwear is HUGE? I think I know why...)

It's simplistic, but totally sexy at the same time. It brings to mind if Helmut Lang did lingerie, which would be AWESOME.

All in all, Wundervoll is succeeding at making the basics sexy again. Best of all, they make cottony shirts and pants to wear over them for optimum couch potato-ing-- which I FULLY endorse. You'll look hot, no matter how many crumbs you have dangling off the little threads of your sweater.

Props to the homebodies.

Check out Wundervoll here, and buy it here if you can understand German. (I can't, and I'm okay with that.)

Karl Lagerfeld earrings.

2008-12-19T18:57:00.006-06:00

Do I want?

I think I want.

It's gonna be BIG!

2008-12-19T17:18:00.005-06:00

If you haven't heard: Erika, Valentina, Alex and I have started a blog together!! You should see it!

Check Brooklyn Prom Queen out right har.

Dita von Teese gives expensive fashion advice!

2008-12-18T17:04:00.007-06:00

What a surprise, right? She guest-edited Net-a-Porter.com's gift guide with some really gorgeous stuff. Sure, it's all damn pricey, and God knows you can't afford any of it, but it's all really, really good picks. It also taught me I might not be totally apathetic towards La Perla (that pink set is SEW HAWT, you basically see what it would look like if Mimi Holliday made garter belts). Check it for yourself!

If I were a rapper, Bijules would make my bling.

2008-12-18T16:45:00.004-06:00

Just when you thought the Bijules nail rings couldn't get any more AWESOME, they went and added glitter to the equation.
OMG.
Gimme.

[Highsnobette]

Stuff That Pisses Me Off #1: Feigning sluttiness

2008-12-17T17:01:00.006-06:00

Little Miss Virgin 2004 Hilary Duff is trying to convince Maxim that she never rendered herself hymenally intact... much like Britney Spears of yesteryear. However, I don't think people care enough this time around.
I'll just tell you that I can't stand shit like this. When Hilary Duff was younger, she displayed a strong case of morals that she became notorious for, and whatever they were, morals can be admirable when stuck to-- even if she was trying to fit into a pre-teen-friendly niche. Some odd years ago, she made an album called Dignity that no one heard. So now, not so ironically, she is conforming to the most cliched standards for women so she can what, sell more shitty records?
Yes, it's very much not their business. However, you should have said that two years ago. We know you want us to think you're a cool slut now, but haven't you learned from previous one-hit women who have attempted that route and failed miserably?
What can you learn from this? BE YOURSELF-- not a cliche. Fuck your audience.
I also don't like liars (or hypocrites, thank you very much). You don't lie about shit that can be proved wrong. I think there's a lot of proof that honesty sells. If you're looking to sell more shit, show us intelligence, creative backbone. Or don't, y'know, I don't really care.

Just like my eternal queen Lily Allen once said, "Just be you. It doesn't matter what people think."
And I don't think there's any better PR philosophy than that.

[Jezebel]

Karmaloop sales are crizzay!

2008-12-15T15:35:00.002-06:00

OMG surriously, just when you thought Karmaloop discounts could not get ANY better, they just went and topped themselves with the biggest discount code I've ever seen. 35% off, y'all!!

Here's some of the shit I personally would cop if I had ample dough:

GAWD I love Cubannie Links. If you didn't win a free pair of earrings today (I didn't either), get some here cheaper than you'll find them anywhere else!
Retail Price: $28
With Code: $18.20
Varsity chic is HUGE in streetwear this season, haven't you noticed? Hellz Bellz gives their rendition of the classic letterman jacket and it's HAWT (like the model). OMG, do want.
Retail Price: $148
With Code: $96.20

The slutty hoodie I CRAVE. Give it to me.
Retail Price: $96
With Code: $62.40

As three is a magic number and I forgot how to add jumps into Blogger posts, I'll leave the rest of the fun up to you. Hit up Karmaloop here!

Skins Series 3 Preview!

2008-12-15T12:29:00.002-06:00

Here's all you need to know... Effy is STILL a badass. Surprise?

I had better be able to watch this when it comes. I'm not sure I can wait.

Sarah attempts to sit back and relax as fear mercilessly devours her entrails

2008-12-14T14:57:00.000-06:00

This is a Big. Fucking. Week. I could not be any more afraid. Why?

I'm supposed to find out whether or not I get into my top college tomorrow. Through a letter. To say I'm on edge would be an understatement.
This is the last week of my semester and I'm scared shitless of my status in Calculus and, um, ART. Yes, you read correctly-- art, the class everyone is supposed to get an A in, regardless of perceived skill level. Shit, nobody has an A in that class.
FINALS. In the words of Rachel Zoe, I die. But not in a good way.

I know I'm supposed to be *so* fortunate to go to a Top 100 high school (which I am, don't get me wrong)-- it's just that it's kind of killing me. My friend's brother went to MIT and he said his freshman year there was easier than his senior year at MY school; how on earth so many people in my school manage to churn out 4.0's year after year beats me.
Also, I've told way too many people where I'm applying, because what else can I say? "I'm superstitious, so I'm not telling you"? I swear, if I have to tell one more person I barely know where I've applied or want to go, I will scream. (In private. Because I'm a lady.) Not only do I feel like I'm disclosing seriously intimate details to strangers-- it also makes me feel like if I don't get in, everyone will know. EVERYONE, which is a big deal, considering I've already had to deal with "so and so got into Cornell" and "so and so got into Georgetown" for a whole week as my aching brain loops "Shutupshutupshutupshutup" like a broken record.

I can't stand those judging eyes. They burn.

For the past few days, I decided that a superpower I might want is to be able to turn into a bouncy ball every time I go into fetal position. Balls don't have to eat, sleep, breathe, work for a living... they're just bounced daily by adorable children. That's a fun existence in my book.

A Tribute to the Baddest Bitch in the Business

2008-12-12T15:21:00.003-06:00

There is no one like Bettie Page, and never again will there be anyone like her. As this woman is such an unbelievably huge deal, I'd like to pay my respects to her. So turn on The Cramps, put away your whips, and mourn with me.

When it comes to sex icons, Bettie tops them all. As a prime influence in the 1950's sexual revolution, she was about as radical as you could get back then. While the more traditional pin-ups of the time were more chaste and coy, Bettie's brought danger into the equation. And while she was a sex symbol, she was one that strongly represented the power of a woman in control-- which was extreme(ly necessary) in a culture of female subservience. She exuded confidence, vivacity, and a healthy dose of humor. Best of all, she was scary! This was a chick who showed an equilibrium between fear and lust, as you knew she could probably kick your ass-- but didn't you want her to?
Internally, Bettie didn't seem to give a damn about it all. When the uniform came off, she was just as kind as any Southern girl's charm would allow. While sexuality was her job for years, she had the unshakable innocence of a child. She was so good at what she did that beneath those layers of racy lingerie, it's hard for viewers to remember she was just like a little girl, having more fun with dress-up than you.

I love you, Bettie, and I salute you in your eternity of kickin' it with Jesus.
Long live the patron saint of the pin-up.
Y Lolita Hazed

(Channel a legend in femme fatality and check out an Agent Provocateur set Bettie would appreciate here.)

byoP fans: Here's something fabulous I just remembered.

2008-12-11T19:38:00.000-06:00

I recently remembered that I found Jemina Pearl's MySpace in freshman year. This was on it, and it is proof that she is better than you. (E + V: You will fucking LOVE this.)

Please, Jemina, come back into my life.

Party with Amy fo' free!

2008-12-11T16:35:00.000-06:00

Amy Sedaris is, basically, everything I want to be in life. Her career is making weird shit and just being awesome. And you can meet her! She's hitting up the Columbus Circle Borders next Tuesday at 7pm and it's sure as hell gonna be some crazy ish.

I wish I could go. That way, I'd end up meeting both of the Sedaris kids in 2008 (David gave me a bracelet, I'll never forget it), and I would be the coolest kid in school.

End.

My new "Sliding Cat".

2008-12-09T20:45:00.000-06:00

Some of my friends are so good at YouTubing that I'm totally convinced it's a skill. I don't have it. Bryan Meador, however, does. Yesterday morning, my sister got an e-mail from him saying "This is what you'll do when you see me next", with the following attached:

Can't. Stop. Watching. It is seriously sliding cat all over again.
MUST WATCH AGAIN

Vegas isn't relaxing to 99.9% of Earth's population.

2008-12-09T18:52:00.001-06:00

But it is to me. Call me crazy.

Of all the places on this green earth I've visited, I don't think I've visited any city more frequently than Las Vegas. I went there really frequently as a child, it was kinda fucked-up.

This year, as a senior, I haven't been able to get Vegas off my mind-- especially with how much I've travelled. Vacation is all I can think about, I tell people. And they're all, "okay, shut up. You've been to major cities on three different continents in the course of one year, how on Earth do you need vacation?" Well... foreign travel is... hard, to say the least-- especially in tours or in countries that are home to languages of which you speak not even a small derivative. I have done both, and I worked my ass off.

Vacation to me is being able to do NOTHING. After all, you're paying for it-- why not get what you want? The last real vacation I had was in Vegas, during the spring break of my sophomore year. I spent almost a week sunbathing, reading, feeling no pressure to do anything at all. I have really fond memories of that trip. I have really fond memories of Vegas in general. I don't understand how anyone could live there, but it's one chaotic place I can think of where relaxation comes very, very easily. Plus, it's SUCH a haven. Here are 10 reasons I want Vegas, right now:

Ye Olde Camelot Arcade. So expensive, and so worth it. It's the ultimate in child gambling, in the center of real-gambling land.
Red Rock Hotel, the most relaxing and awesome place Vegas could ever have. The hallways are totally Shining-esque. I started talking to my finger upon first sight of them. Awesome.
Mandalay Bay wavepool. OMFG FUNTHYMES. I met a girl who walked against the current through the WHOLE Lazy River. I give her mad props, whatever her name was.
So many wonderfully whorish little novelties. You've got lots of oxygen bars, 3D movies, gondola rides, Madame Tussaud's, Ripley's Believe It or Not-- just the dumbest, craziest shit you would never do at home.
It's true what they say about your identity in Vegas-- as long as you're not a celebrity, you can totally lose it. I will one day go to Vegas alone and disguise myself as a Russian tourist. It will be believable.
The city lacks intellect. Completely. It's the dumbest city I've ever visited. Now that may strike some as a negative, but it's so wonderful. As a student, I find that being able to not think about ANYTHING is a luxury within itself. However, I didn't find a single Barnes & Noble in the city. Shame! I need my magazines!
The best in drinking. I had the best mojito my lips have ever been blessed with in Vegas. Not to mention they have AWESOME food-- the bomb Tex-Mex chain La Salsa is a fave with my family.
No morals at all. This was where I saw someone wearing a thong in public for the first time. It's interesting.
How wonderful is that echo-y feeling you get inside the shops? Mmm, mmm, mmmmm. Especially in The Venetian, as you can hear the gondolier sing. And Caesar's Palace has those hella dramatic Greek tragedy light shows (meaning: awesome).
OMFG SHOPPING. Two words: Agent Provocateur. *Sigh*

Considering how swamped I currently am, it's all I want. But until I've finished high school and earned the money to get myself from Cool Place A to Cool Place B, I remain swamped. C'est la vie.

God, I'm going to have a BLAST there when I'm 21. I was pissed when I learned you've gotta be 21 to gamble there. Fuck that shit. I say Peach Pit plans a meeting in Vegas (hopefully not our first) when we're all of age and have made our millions. Penthouse. Champagne. Memories in the making.

N.A.S.A., for reals, and FINALLY.

2008-12-09T16:08:00.000-06:00

Fans of the Jonze brothers will agree with me when I say it's been a long, long year for both of them. You've got Spike with the ever-obstacled Where the Wild Things Are, and you've got Squeak E. Clean with the release of N.A.S.A.'s hotly-anticipated debut album that's gonna be THE SHIT. It was supposed to be the album everyone simultaneously freaked out about this summer. I haven't heard anything from these guys in awhile, so it's about time a single came out.
Lo and behold, it actually has. "Money", which features David Byrne, Z-Trip, Seu Jorge and Ras Cango and direction from art's most prominent propagandist, Shepard Fairey. CHECK IT!

N.A.S.A. - Money ft. David Byrne, Chuck D, Ras Congo, Seu Jorge & Z-Trip from smokeYYY That Real Ish on Vimeo.

[New York Magazine]

Win stuff for being slutty!

2008-12-08T19:59:00.000-06:00

And you don't have to put out either! That's right, instead of writing to Santa about how good you were, Nicole Locher wants you to write her about how bad you were. And don't write fake stuff, she can smell bullshit. Stories will be confidential, and the 10 baddest chicks win anything they want from the store with free shipping!

You have until December 14th to write your list to badsanta@lochers.com. I don't think you'll feel guilty about it in the morning.

Anna-Catherine Hartley = Not Dead.

2008-12-08T18:34:00.000-06:00

I think we can all agree it's been awhile since we've seen Uffie. Like, REALLY seen her. I was totally thinking she was dead or something (not really)-- but the new issue of Status is enough to prove otherwise!

She's looking fly, and working hard on the album that has taken FOREVER to come out. And, um, SHE'S MARRIED. APPARENTLY. WHAT. Uff's also looking to get a fashion collab so keep on the lookout, seeing as HOW HOT would that be?
In other news, I've not seen one person in the press notice that "Pop the Glock" is basically one big sample of "Top Billin'". Not one. Shame.

Read the article and more here.

ThunderAnt, I love you.

2008-12-06T17:55:00.001-06:00

O. M. G. Thank you, Jezebel, I NEVER would have discovered this if not for you.
Carrie Brownstein (beautiful singer and ex-guitarist of one of the best riot grrrl bands ever, Sleater-Kinney) and Fred Armisen (formerly of SNL) got together to start a comedy duo called ThunderAnt. It's so, so amazing. Their feminist bookstore videos are super popular, but "The Perfect Song", below, is the real gem to me:

Corin Tucker's in it. I bet you knew that.
Ooh! And "Katchenza" is so good. Watch it and get more ThunderAnt here.
OMG they've got a podcast too! Subscribe!

So look what I found!

2008-12-03T17:04:00.001-06:00

In response to my post from just yesterday, check out what I totally found when I was looking up a Lily Allen pre-order!

(Aww, look at her. She's too cute, almost shocked that we have chosen her as a dream date.)

Yup, Kid Sis is ACTUALLY hitting us up with her CD (finally) in January! Woo! You can preorder it on Insound right here. Love the artwork, done by the very talented Dust La Rock, who also illustrates for Missbehave and the now 19+ Studio B (one year from now = holla!).

I pity the fool that does not mark January 27th on his or her respective calendar.

Olly olly oxen free!

2008-12-02T17:26:00.001-06:00

Kid Sister's debut Dream Date was first supposed to come in summer. It was then pushed back to September. Then last week. There's even a (great) review of it in the new issue of BUST! So... I'm confused. What's going on?
Come out, come out, wherever you are, Kid Sis! No matter how fabulously huge that cake of yours is, I can still see you...

BTW, a song of hers, "Get Fresh", leaked onto RCRDLBL, and you can download it here. It's hot. Want more!

2009, prepare for Lily Allen to stake her claim on you.

2008-12-01T02:05:00.000-06:00

Lily Allen just announced her first tour dates of the year. Pop Justice has also already given a glimmering review of the forthcoming It's Not Me, It's You... meaning: it's SO on.

The eternal Lolita Hazed heroine entered 2008 with a determination to own it. After entering the American pop scene with her acclaimed debut Alright, Still and gaining both the control and interest of the public eye with her admirably brazen voice, she had both the clout and resources to make her sophomore album yet another hit. She was pregnant with boyfriend Ed Simons' baby, the new face of an upcoming Agent Provocateur collection and taking charge of BBC3 with her talk show, Lily Allen & Friends. But time passed and not only did she miscarry and get dropped from the Agent Provocateur campaign at the last minute-- she had to live under the constant scrutiny of the public eye. Since spring, she has a lot of well-deserved time to think things over, and she has come out stronger than ever.

Fans who have kept an eye on Lily this year are well aware she hasn't stopped working, nor has she let the small stuff get her down. She has instead spun her problems into gold, providing us with one good song after the other and perfecting the final touches on what I'm led to believe will be Lily's most personal and artistically-centered album yet. After all, Alright, Still was quite obviously more of a Mark Ronson production, and with all the tracks she's released lately, you can tell she's much more in charge of her sound now-- and she's certainly showing she handles the independence well! The songs she's been making are the best she's ever done, and not only do they stay true to her outspoken nature-- they show that in two years time, the eternally honest wild child has matured into a well-rounded young lady, her trademark sass developing a refined quality as she focuses less on shock and more on creating a general statement that is likely to strike the public more directly. With hot electro beats and very strategic lyricism, Lily Allen is poised to prove that she could change the world.

Pop's reigning brain is back with a vengeance, and this time, she's truly ready to show Planet Earth she means business. It's Not Me, It's You drops in UK record stores on February 9, 2009.

My Best Friend

2008-11-30T13:32:00.000-06:00

I swear, this stuff has been keeping me company in the winter for almost half my life. Every year, I find myself looking more and more forward to the day when it finally starts getting cold so that I have an excuse to get this. It makes me so happy; I'm already on my second box of the season.

If you haven't tried it, something is wrong with you. If warm fruity goodness isn't enough to get you interested-- all you drunks out there, you can do SO MUCH with this. I've just been using it with hot water for years and years and obviously, I am doing it wrong. You can make sodas, cocktails, pretty much anything that is appley and delicious, and you can probably secretly pour rum into it without creeping anybody out (hey, it's your thing).

Um, they have HELLA recipes here. I've fallen in love with the possibilities. OMG, you can make a CAKE!

How badly do I want to try this with champagne?

(The correct answer: real, real badly. New Year's Eve, plz?)

"Mumbai is burning, and the world keeps turning..."

2008-11-28T23:41:00.001-06:00

The Mumbai killings are just... absolutely heartbreaking. As the sad, three-day death toll rises and rises and rises, I've actually just now found a surprising pair of names in the casualties.

Loumia Hiridjee and her husband Mourad Amarsy, founders of the French lingerie brand Princesse Tam-Tam, of which I have long held a very great deal of admiration and respect, were found dead in Mumbai. [The Times of India]

I have no words. I know that nothing I can say can even compare to how unbelievably... earth-shattering this all is. I cannot even imagine the magnitude of this tragedy.

God bless India, and may all this horrible violence please, for the love of anything, end as quickly as possible.

Stay safe.

I love you all.

Y Lolita Hazed

EDIT: It's over now. Thank GOD. [MSNBC]

Agent Provocateur. Free perfume. WANT.

2008-11-28T21:26:00.000-06:00

Agent Provocateur is giving free 50mL bottles of their famous Maitresse parfum for every online order above £100. Considering how wonderful their new(ish) collection, Pirate Provocateur, is, not to mention how curious I've always been about their fragrances, I would TOTALLY hop on this deal (lasting until December 15, while supplies last).
You know. If I had money to do so with.

But you can, as well as find out more about this special promotion, here!

The Lolita Hazed Seasonal Playlist: Winter 2008/2009

2008-11-28T10:56:00.000-06:00

It's the day after Thanksgiving! Do you know what that means? ALMOST WINTER!

In my mind, winter is hands-down the best season for music. Somehow, I keep on finding songs that sound wonderful against the pristine white background of the chillier months, when it's time to get cozy and sip some tea by the fire with the people you love most. So for your personal enjoyment, here's my compilation of all the occasionally dark and always beautiful tracks I have on repeat this time of year:

1. Stereolab "Neon Beanbag (Atlas Sound Southern Baptist Remix)"
What a happy tune! Seriously, I don't understand how Laetitia Sadier & Co. could ever fail to bring on the smiles. With its warm reindeer bells, this is an obvious choice for chiming in the holidays.
2. The 6ths "Falling Out of Love (With You)"
I would make this the music for a montage of a snowball fight between lovers-- which is ironic, considering the song's context, but somehow, it fits the idea perfectly.
3. The Walkmen "We've Been Had"
Can't even describe how wintery the feel of this song is. I remember having it on loop in my head during French class four years ago as I daydreamed of running alone through a lit-up Utica Square.
4. Idaho "Levitate"
This is a very cozy little track that I can see playing in a dim cafe at night, the people inside drinking coffee and watching others shuffle through the snowy city streets.
5. Badly Drawn Boy "Walking Out of Stride"
The amazing Damon Gough used the whole of the very wintery About a Boy score to create something that felt strangely intimate. This makes me think of a bundled-up couple doing, well, what do you think (refer to title)?
6. PJ Harvey "The Devil"
My #1 Girl Crush PJ released White Chalk at the perfect time last year, and while fans of her more guitar-driven sound were disappointed, I was very much entranced. The album was gloomy and hollow, and in my favorite song, she sounds like a ghost appearing in the curtains of an occupied house, a melodic warning reverberating from her throat.
7. Bat for Lashes "Tahiti"
Last winter, my town was hit by a freak icestorm that scattered pieces of the strongest trees onto the roads and kept thousands of houses across the state without power for a least a week. On the first night without electricity, two of my friends came over for a quiet night by the fire, looking for what we could to stay occupied. Something about how the house felt provoked me to grab Bat for Lashes' Fur and Gold and play it on the battery-powered stereo, and this was the first thing I wanted to hear. It caught the atmosphere perfectly, and I feel it whenever I hear this.
8. Asobi Seksu "Stay Awake"
Yuki Chikudate sings like a cherub in distress, and this beautiful almost-single shows the always entrancing shoegazers heading in the direction of romantic '60s girl-pop. This is one to snuggle under the covers to.
9. My Morning Jacket "Mahgeeta (Edit)"
Jim James' voice has this sublimely airy quality about it, and this feels like a snow-day anthem waiting to happen. When it plays, I can see the heavily-dressed citizens of a small, deep South town walking to a nearby burger joint upon salted sidewalks that have retained a storm's moisture.
10. Otis Redding "Cigarettes & Coffee"
One of the most wonderfully emotive legends in soul conjures up a perfect image of happiness that can be found in the simplest little things. It's a song that makes me want to take a few friends to Village Inn on a restless night and do exactly this.
11. The Pipettes "A Winter's Sky"
Duh, right? This is a sadder, Shangri-La's-inspired ballad of theirs that reminds me of Elijah Wood in The Ice Storm, and I can almost imagine the trio singing this out in the cold like unmeddling angels, watching as the tragic heroine plunges to her death.
12. PJ Harvey "Silence"
PJ continues with White Chalk's eerie, piano-driven beauties that hang in the air like a cold breath. It's divinely personal, reflective and hauntingly resonant.

BONUS: Panda Bear "Bros"
This is one that I didn't think really fit anywhere else, but still think is a really great winter song. I read that this was recorded in an indoor pool, which makes it have a uniquely wintery quality. I would like to sled to this at night, even though I have fallen off my bike to this (yes, I'm five).

The best sale of Thanksgiving weekend...

2008-11-27T17:29:00.001-06:00

Net-a-Porter.com is FINALLY having a sale. No more guilt! 50% off, um, ERRTHANG!

Hit it up NOW.

Vendredi Noir @ Locher's

2008-11-25T18:00:00.001-06:00

The fabulous ladies at Locher's are giving us a reason to shop online and stay out of the crowds this Friday-- all tops on their website are 25% off! Go get something ironically pretty to wear when you're at Sweetiepie this weekend!

Y Lolita Hazed

Absinthe bar opening in the Meatpacking District!

2008-11-25T17:35:00.000-06:00

How girlishly badass does the new restaurant Sweetiepie sound? Just from the name, you can tell little girls would totally dig this... meaning, boozed-up little girls. In other words, me. This place is both a confectionary and an absinthe den! It's written up to be sensously dim, delicately decorated, and lavishly equipped when it comes to desserts-- a $50 sundae may not beat the cost-level of Serendipity 3's ridiculous 1K dessert, but it's got at least twenty scoops. Talk about childhood dreams! If Marie-Antoinette lived in New York City, you'd be sure to find her here. Ooh! And you can eat your dinner in a golden cage! This place seems sexy in an almost babydoll-esque way.

This is like the Lolita Hazed restaurant. I'm hitting this place up the next time I stay at The Gansevoort.

Hit up Sweetiepie, opening tonight at 19 Greenwich Avenue.

JUST slutty enough: Round 2

2008-11-24T16:48:00.000-06:00

This hoodie. Is. Unbelievable. It's almost crumbelievable.I've always looked at hoodies and thought, "Huh. This needs to be made a little sluttier somehow." Shepard Fairey knew what I was talking about. That man knows exactly what women want somehow. I am convinced. How is this so? This might be one of the hottest hoodies I've seen... ever.

Don't care if it won't keep me warm. Want. And it's, um, $10 cheaper on Karmaloop? (Shame on you, Shep! You know there's a recession! I'm only kidding. Not really.)

Lily Allen's new album is called...

2008-11-24T16:14:00.001-06:00

...It's Not Me, It's You.
Perfect. So Lily. Much better than Stuck on the Naughty Step.

Here's the tracklisting:
1. Everyone's At It
2. The Fear (or "I Don't Know" / the new single, as you may know)
3. It's Not Fair
4. 22
5. I Could Say
6. Go Back to the Start
7. Never Gonna Happen
8. Fuck You (AKA "Guess Who Batman")
9. Who'd've Known (awesome, as I thought that wouldn't be released due to copyright issues)
10. Chinese
11. Him
12. He Wasn't There
(Order most likely not confirmed-- see here)

Preorder it here and you'll have it by February 10! I personally am waiting for Insound's pre-order to come around, as they always have adorable little presents that come with the CD's.
Couldn't. Be. More. Excited.

OMG OUTDOOR ICE SKATINGZ!!

2008-11-23T14:19:00.000-06:00

As I walked past the famous Wollman Rink in Central Park two weeks ago, it was hard to not get at least a tiny bit jealous. I eagerly snuck the lens of my camera through the metal gates, taking quick snapshots of adorable little groups who skated happily to '60s girl pop. I sighed to myself, wishing I could do something like this anytime I pleased...
...which is why I full-on SQUEED upon reading the local headlines of today's Tulsa World. Dude, the BOK Center is opening an outdoor skating rink!! With a giant Christmas tree, just like Rockefeller!! OMG OMG. THIS FRIDAY. I am going to dress up so damn cute for this.

I'll be expecting/performing hijinks of this caliber:

Cool Mag Alert: Flavor City (France)

2008-11-22T13:15:00.000-06:00

When I was in New York this month, I discovered this amazing little magazine store called Universal News Cafe right down the street from my hotel (which I plan on writing about later). Stepping in, I was in awe-- every magazine I could think of and MORE was there-- except for one, a magazine I fell in love with in France this summer. A little magazine by the name of Flavor City.

I got this at Relay upon my arrival at the Paris train station, immediately intrigued by it's gorgeous cover flecked by singer/supermodel Micky Green (above, third). This thing kept me entertained the entire bus ride and then some. Ladies, if there's a magazine that is seriously WHERE IT'S AT, Flavor City is it. It's basically like a girly teen magazine for stylish French women, with page upon page of hot fashion, celebrity gossip, street style, sexy French boys, beauty tips and OMG QUIZZES. They're also down with the hottest spots in Paris so you can be sure to hit the city in style-- AND they make sure their socially-savvy little readers know what's going on in the world (big plus). This is some of the most fun I've had in a foreign-language magazine, and I've come across a few. Um, SUBSCRIPTION. WANT. This baby needs more love.

Get to know Flavor's flavor at their awesome blog here (French skills required, unless you'd like to read with Babelfish). Totally adding to blogroll!

Okay guys so GUESS WHAT.

2008-11-21T17:44:00.000-06:00

It's official-- the Secret Diary of a Call Girl Facebook (yeah, I'm a nerd, whatevz) has confirmed that the Peach Pit's TV obsession will start its second season for Showtime on January 18 at 10:30 ET/PT! You know what that means-- more Hannah/Ben sexual tension funtime! Get pumped!And in case you've ever wondered what hot items Belle's wearing in the show like I have, the website has a brand new style feature! Check it out here.

Huge La Perla sale next week!

2008-11-20T18:13:00.000-06:00

You ladies know I'm allll about fancy lingerie. However, I've never been a chick who freaked out over La Perla-- they've just never really held my attention is all. Buuut they are having a massive sample sale (up to 75% off, ladies) on 5th Avenue starting Monday the 24th and ending that Friday. So if you're a La Perla kind of girl, I advise you head on down there and get something pretty and recession-friendly!

La Perla 5th Avenue: 260 5th Ave (between 28th and 29th), 9am-6pm

Happy shopping, darlings!

In other lingerie news, the amazing Journelle is going to be featured on Tim Gunn's Guide to Style tonight on Bravo at 10/9 C. I'm tuning in, how about you?

Here comes Lily Allen!

2008-11-20T17:08:00.000-06:00

Lily Allen was in Bedfordshire yesterday filming the video for her brand-new single "The Fear", which I'm very excited for as this is one we haven't heard! I thought Lily said "Everyone's At It" was going to be the new single, but I guess this proves otherwise (second single, mabes?). Either way, it looks like this vid is going to not only be fun as usual, but also very beautiful. Lily's back in full swing, baby! These next four months are gonna be totes Lily-dominated, so get ready, 'cuz this album is gonna be hot! Isn't she as well? *Sigh*. Lovely Allen indeed.

[See what she's wearing and more at ASOS Today]

I forgot how much I love Britney Spears.

2008-11-19T20:21:00.000-06:00

2008 has been awesome for Britney Spears, hasn't it? "Womanizer" kicks ass, not to mention I listened to the Circus leak and I'm totes loving it. No joke, that shit is so good, search it on Hypemachine ("Lace and Leather" is my personal fave)!
Some chicks from that era are not allowed to have "greatest hits" albums. However, Britney just had so many good ones... which brings me to this amazing claymation imitation of one of those jams, "Stronger".

I am now so angry that I can't find my copy of Oops... I Did It Again!. Must find.

Found courtesy of stopmotion wunderkind and total hottie Michael Mouris' YouTube (did not make this).

CRAZY FACT: I met Britney AND Jamie-Lynn at Urban Outfitters in Chicago when I was nine. It was awesome.

The Awesome Bath I Haven't Had

2008-11-18T21:59:00.000-06:00

I'm pretty sure every kid has dreamed of immersing themselves in Jell-O at least once. Hell, adults probably do, too! Either way, I know that when I read about Jellybath in ELLEgirl (R.I.P.) six-ish years ago, childhood dreams squeed in my brain, skipping happily at the prospect of being fulfilled. I was unmistakably intrigued (I even think the onomatopoeia "floomph" was used at one point-- it drew me in) and determined to one day try this baby out for myself.

Though further inspection of the product has proven that no, it's not like taking a bath in Jell-O, I still found myself wanting to chill out in a pool of blue goosh. Come on, it requires a separate pack of mix to dissolve this stuff! How much fun is that? It also apparently stays warm for a super long time, which is awesome, considering the fading warmth of bathwater is a problem I face frequently. ELLEgirl went so far as saying it feels like a blanket. Um, water blanket? "Inconceivable!" cried Wallace Shawn. This sounds like the best idea for a Christmas present that anybody ever had, and I don't know about you, but I sure as hell could use some. Check out a video of some chick trying it out below!

Notice how when she pours on the powder, it sounds like she's emptying a bag of Pop Rocks. Awesome.

Buy Jellybath at locations listed here, or at their Paypal shop here. Either way, if I try this, I'm def posting about it!

New Asobi Seksu OMG!

2008-11-18T21:42:00.000-06:00

If you're not aware of Japanese shoegaze band Asobi Seksu's greatness, you best get schooled! Today, they put out a single with two brand-new songs: "Me & Mary" (which you can hear below) and "Breathe Into Glass". James and Yuki have confirmed that this will be the first single of an upcoming album, apparently called Hush, so get excited!

You like? Get new single on iTunes 'kay!

Duke-Spirit-loving fashionistas REJOICE!

2008-11-18T17:19:00.000-06:00

To say that Liela Moss has remained "under the radar" is an understatement. She and her band, The Duke Spirit, have been critically acclaimed by a very, very small audience. As a huge fan, it has gotten to me, as The Duke Spirit are much better than the shit that gets hype these days-- especially considering the magnitude of greatness that their second album, Neptune, possesses. However, since Liela has decided to fully embrace her love of fashion, she's gained the attention of a cool dude who agrees with my woes-- none other than fashion Olympian Alexander McQueen. I have been ALL OVER the idea of his line for Target and not only was his cosigning of my beloved frontwoman enough to get me excited-- he pretty much MADE the line FOR her. And he's got the girl modeling. Um, he's even got her picture from the Neptune cover on a SHIRT! A shirt that I'm BUYING!Monsieur McQueen, if this love of Liela was a marketing ploy to get me to buy your now cheaper (thank you, thank you so much) digs of high-renown, you already had me at Target. And now it looks like I'll be at the opening... on, um, THURSDAY. THIS SHIT COMES OUT ON THURSDAY. I will so be wearing that shirt with my Tatty Devine Duke Spirit necklace!!

[Picture courtesy of Highsnobette]

Fred Flare = Best Christmas Shopping Evz.

2008-11-16T15:14:00.000-06:00

Yeah yeah, it's obnoxious, but it's about that time to start shopping for friends. I have a lot of fun with it, and I pride myself on being a hella good gift-giver. Fred Flare never fails to be a #1 gift source-- after all, they're one of the quirkiest shops out there, and they've got some crazy stuff! I got most of my presents for friends from there last year and they were a huge hit (their talking Japanese watch being one of them). Their gifts are stylish, original and make for some awesome stocking stuffers. Here are my favorites that I would totes get for myself if I were my friend:

If I could be an animal, I would so be a hummingbird. They're tiny, have freaky flight patterns, are super colorful and live on juice. Also, they have the fastest heart rate of any animal out there, so if you ever tried to shoot one, it'd be all Matrix-like. Hummingbirds are badass, and this $10 gold-plated necklace is tiny and adorable. Do want!
These Lucid Studio necklaces are GORG. The cupcake necklace is more popular but I have absolutely no idea why because, hello? PRETZEL NECKLACE! AMAZING! They're also made of fancy-shmancy vermeil, so you know they're quality. I couldn't really afford to get this for a friend as it's $50, but that's quite cheap for vermeil.
These gloves are so '80s goth that I was spellbound on sight of them. Considering most of my clothes are black, these babies and a black veil are all I need to start dressing like Lydia Deetz on the daily. So pretty! So cheap! Gimme!
The ultimate Lolita Hazed pick, and a tres necessaire part of my Peach Pit Justice League superhero uniform. While they're not as accurate as the more high-couture Cutler & Gross glasses they're knocking off, these shades are cute and easy on the wallet.

Don't you know there's more fun to be had? Check out What's New for the holidays @ FredFlare.com!

Covers That Aren't Boring

2008-11-13T22:50:00.000-06:00

You know what? Covers are getting so old. I'm kinda sick of them-- especially the recent trend of covering a song that came out one day ago is no longer progressive or surprising-- it just seems dumb, especially when it's been done before. If you want to be progressive, do something different, right?
Which reminds me of something amazing I found a few winters ago. This might have become one of my favorite covers ever, ever, EVER. It's SO BADASS, and it's resonated with me. Yes, year after year I come back to it. It includes wonderful deadpan singing action and some intense blond headbanging madness. This is a video that will make you want to learn how to play the ukelele. It may become your life ambition.

Obviously, this video is perfect in every way.

Um, WHAT THE HELL.

2008-11-11T17:28:00.001-06:00

The super-hot and highly-buzzed Married to the MOB x Nike Dunks hit Nike's 21 Mercer in SoHo November 8. I was reading about it just now and thinking, "Oh, well, that was after I came back home, right?"
Dude. I was totally in New York then. WHAT. DUMB.

So mad I didn't know. If you're in NYC, you should hit up 21 Mercer so you can tell me the price tag and make me jealous. I'm scared it'll be in the three-hundred's range, but if it is, I can at least look at them and say "These shoes are three hundred dollars. These shoes are three hundred dollars," and so on.

I just want to see what they look like on my feet. And maybe sigh a little.

OMG, Claw!

2008-11-10T23:23:00.000-06:00

I am all for chicks who do their own thing, so I've obviously got a soft spot for America's graffiti queen: the inimitably awesome Claw Money! The bitch is back with a vengeance in her AW08 collection. Some of my favorite tees are below:

God, I love feminism in streetwear, and with ladies like Leah McSweeney and Claw, there's so much of it now to just bathe in. (See also the HAWT "Gangster Bitches" tee and hoodies.)

Come on, sing along!
Um, tiny claw-shaped braces. I'm officially in love.

I usually limit my fashion pic-posting to three, so you can save the rest of the fun for yourself. It's so wonderfully '90s, with its Nike rips, old school rap references, totally Tribe-Called-Quest-esque patterns. And for her more high-line, notorious outerwear collection, it gets even more badass with, um, sportswear copyright infringement (Red Satin's my pick, but I personally couldn't give two shits about team sports). That's right. This girl's not afraid of your lawyer. In fact, she's already sharpening her weapons...

Get the new goods from AW and her highly covetable collab jewelry (DO WANT) with artist Gabriel Urist here.

More Love, Please: Maps "It Will Find You"

2008-11-10T22:52:00.000-06:00

This song is so arresting in every way. It's a well-written mix of contradictions: melancholy and hope-inspiring, soft and chaotic, paralyzing and almost dance-worthy-- it's a shame UK act Maps hasn't gotten more love, especially after being nominated for a Mercury Prize in 2007 (through which they helped fellow noms Bat for Lashes and Fionn Regan do a cover of Primal Scream's classic "Higher Than the Sun"). A song that truly stops me in my tracks with its quality is rare, so this is a song I keep coming back to on the dark nights it fits so well with. It's also awesome for driving on the rainiest of days. And I know that because I totes discovered this song through the Skins finale, in which characters drove in rain. Anyway.

Dear Earth: Give Maps more love. Start here.
Download: Maps "It Will Find You"