All I remember about last NYE was that Brendan did the Single Ladies dance and Ivan played the Seinfeld theme song at midnight. Other than that it was a wash, but the best thing about New Year's ( I guess) is that there is always another one! Tonight I shall tip my champs to another year past, and be thankful for the great friends that I have.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Thank you for reading my rants and obsessions and commenting and emailing and being completely better than best. I resolve to still be a weirdo in 2010, if you resolve to still be awesome. Deal? Deal.
So...what's your resolution? Tell me! Lemme live vicariously through you.
One more day and then this strangest year of all years is over.
So without futher ado, and in no particular order, my favorite favorite super favorite songs of 2009. A short list of the songs that got major play in my brainspace in the past 365- at least the ones that were new this year...I can't put Steve Miller's Serenade or The Breeder's Divine Hammer on this list, no matter how many times I've played them (and played them, and played them, and played them...)
If you have been playing along at home- all of these have been featured, and most likely hyperbolically exclaimed over, on this very blog. Enjoy.
KID CUDIDay N' Nite (Crookers Remix)
I listened to this song through almost the entirety of June, maybe exclusively. This REMIX is the realdeal dope version of this song, with the 90s danceparty breakdown in it. Glowsticks vibe. It makes me think of perfect summer and Portland and happy days spent alone riding my bike nowhere. (lonely stoner?). It reminds me of the Vision Quest and Kat & Jillyballs & Cube & Kevin. It's my summer (I miss it).
GIRLSLust for Life
Speaking of sunny days...This was another song I played all summer long. Christopher Owens is the perfect representation of all the boys I dreamed of when I was 14; a River Phoenix/Evan Dando/Dave Pirner lovechild in floral leggings and flippy hair. sighz. I wish I had a pizza and a bottle of wine.
YACHTPsychic City (Voodoo City)
Yacht makes me think of BDonns and our college dorm commune with Marisa in Portland in August..and Claire showing me some of the absolute best thrifting in the USA..if you don't mind the meth-y vibes. I also content that they are one of the best live shows you ever will see..ayayayayah
BEAR IN HEAVENLovesick Teenagers
The title alone kills me. Lately I walk around the city with this blasting on my headphones. It makes the artcic winds here way more easy to tolerate.
DAS RACISTCombination Piza Hut & Taco Bell
Hey, it's my blog. I love this fucking jam. Jamaica Avenue whatwhat.
THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEARTEverything With You
How do you not love the Pains?!? Do you have a black heart? Do you not long to have the happy ending in the John Hughes movie, ever? It should also be noted that I went to see them play at Mercury Lounge in February wearing my DIYd Lady Gaga hairbow made out of hair that matches my hair and so this song makes me think of that; hopping around with that ridiculous thing on my head. This song makes me happy.
CASS MCCOMBSDreams Come True Girl
I mean. Come on. This one may be non-dude friendly, who cares. Did you get a mixtape with this on it this summer? I did. You didn't? I am truly sorry for you. Listen to it in the dark.
SLEIGH BELLSCrown on the Ground
My deep love for this band has been well documented on this blog, and my facebook and my twitter and Street Carnage and the New York fucking Times. ...I think you know how I feel. This song makes me want to rage in the BEST WAY POSSIBLE.
LADY GAGABad Romance
When she sings I DONT WANNA BE FWIENDDDDSSSSSSSS...I die a little from hilarious true love. I need to meet her in 2010 or die tryin.
NEON INDIANShould Have Taken Acid WIth You
Sometimes I see parts of my life in my head like a weird movie...this is part of the soundtrack of the 2nd half of 2009, for sure. I think it's a pretty sweet sentiment, really. But then again I am slightly demented.
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE In the Flowers
I have never been an Animal Collective fan but this album totally seduced me from the first listen...Merriwether Post Pavilion came out this year during a seriously dark notgood actually horrible period in my life (omg, I like, totally have those) and I think I listened to this record a thousand times. I remember walking home from the train at 5 AM in a snowstorm after another night of weird fights and crying with this on my headphones and feeling like maybe this should be the only song I ever listen to ever again. I still feel that way...but this song makes me happy now. It's hopeful, right? I still have a bit of a fucked up pavlovian resonse to this album tho, it totally makes me tear up at inappropriate times WHOOPS.
Other faves on megrepeat this year: BANG BANG ECHE Fist Full of Dollars CITY WOLFWhere is My Mind (pixies cover) MIKA MIKOI Got A Lot (New New) MIIKE SNOWAnimal
Thank JEEBUS I am at an age when things like First Kisses and Losing Your Virginity are just the stuff sentimental moments & hilaritymaking. That being said, I love to discuss those sentimental moments all the time, often.
Let's talk about them, a lot, to everyone. Cmon! You know you want to!
Marisa Meltzer & I are making a one-off zine about first kisses called, naturally, FIRST KISS. And we want to hear about yours.
Send us the story of your first kiss. It can be as long or as brief as you like, but we'd love to know things like where you were, with whom, what you were wearing, what song was playing in the background, if it was a good kiss, how it happened, any emotional fallout, etc. We hope you'll want to use your name, but you don't have to.
Email your submissions by January 31st to mslightning@gmail.com and/or mnmeltzer@gmail.com Kisses, Elizabeth and Marisa
Hottest First Kiss of all time (or any kiss, for that matter):
My teenage dream First Kiss (my real one was in 7th grade and so not dreamy):
This one would've be pretty great too (without having to have my brother die in Vietnam, that is):
SO yesterday my sister picked me up in the family car and we hit up the dirt Jerz for some Christmas shopping/Gaga car singalongs/mall mayhem.
My only mission was to find a Target that would still have some meager shreds of Rodarte chillin on their racks. Leave it to Tbonz the supershopper to guide us to HACKENSACK where treasures were still to be found!
We tried on a million things, and I wanted most of them but $$$ is not so flowin and so I left with only what I NEEDED TO SURVIVE.
HEY GUESS WHAT MY FIRST INITIAL IS "E" necklace / Topshop (gift from my sis)
I. love. this. skirt. I love it! It is so pretty and strange. I don't think I own anything this prettygirlyfilmy, besides my mettalic Philip Lim Skirt from last year? I only want to wear it with my really old grey tee that is 80% holes or this giant grey sweatshirt I cropped up. Or grey tights. Or grey knee socks. Just lots of old grey.
PS, how bonx is that necklace?!?! Totally flavin' it.
Mustard lace skirt with nude tulle overlay & mustard perforated knee highs / Rodarte x Target
Maroon suede & white wooden platforms / Pierre Hardy x Gap
Giant mess, blogger's own
Baby blue lace & tulle & Swiss dot dress / Rodarte x Target
A collection based on Rosemary's Baby that is "Junior's" is not exactly GIANT RACK FRIENDLY, just FYI-SLERS. The mesh top of this dress makes this a somewhat sexxxay situation, but that's not so bad sometimes, right?
My dress matches my wall
Who's chapstick is that? WHOOPSY
I am gonna wear this on Christmas, cold weather be damned. I'm not really going outside, so who cares? Gonna need a cardigan though, SENSUAL CLEAVAGE doesn't really fly with Mom and Dad for family affairs.
Nude squareholed up kneesocks / Rodarte x Target
Gold metallic ankle boots / vintage
The OTHER kneesocks. Nude with all these little rectangular holes. Dope. I am so psyched on these, they were honestly the items I wanted most (besides the lace cardigans, which were long gone by the time I got to Target)
Other things I loved but had to leave behind were the floral raincoat, the cropped sherpa-y jacket (SO GOOD, SO SO GOOD! but at 50 dollars...ehhh I dont know. Kinda regretting leaving it but oh well), the navy lace skirt.
There was ONE leopard lace dress left and it fit my sister like it was made for her. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, if you can find it. You can't get dressed alone though..someone has to help ya with those back bows (The more you know).
Balls. Still thinkin bout the sherpa jacket.
But you know what? FASHION GLUTTONY is not a good look and I am really really happy with what I got.
Mo' betta' pics soon, I am still not into my blogga photo groove in this new apartment...
Some mornintime inspiration based on Madonna's 2 best looks which bookened that lil decade called THE NINETIES. (As I mentally/musically/sartorially/emotionally/conversationally never left the 90s, and White Lightning basically rides the line of 90s tributeblog...is this in any way SURPRISING, um nopes)
1 Supreme lounging around the housespiration, provided by Madge in her most perfect era: Blonde Ambition Truth or Dare 1990 Madonna (joygasm).
Satin boxing shorts, a black Gaultier bustier, a rosary (for when I am feeing contrite), a silk bathrobe, dancing gays. (No big deal). She is perfect EVERY SECOND OF THIS MOVIE. It's crack. It's my happy place.
PS, I realized yesterday (during viewing #958 million) that Madonnz was 32 when she did Blond Ambition and that was a trillon years ago. Makes me feel like there is tons more to come in life, right? Right.
The Christmas windows at Bergdorf Goodman are the sets and characters from The Fantastic Mr. Fox !!! (which I have seen twice and fills my empty black heart with pure shiny JOY for 90 minutes)
I hate that everything is all draped with watches and ties and shiz, but I guess you gotta push the product. It is pretty amazing to see these all IRLlike, I think I almost got in the Christmas spirit!
When I saw this picture in a tabloid a few weeks ago, I had an apoplectic seizure of joy.
A SOUPÇON OF CHOLITA
Not only because MKO is wearing a perfectional animal print coat, one of which I am D-DYING for
ELIZABETH & JAMES LEOPARD SWING COAT. I'VE WORN ONE AND IT RULES, TRUST.
(incidentally, the one I want most is from her and Ashley's Elizabeth & James label, PLEASE SEE ABOVE...but I digress)
...but I am loving this pseudo-Chola lip situation. Let me note that in the tabloid, her lip looked MUCH more dark outline than it does there, and I am going with that.
I gave it a try the other night while slightly intoxicated and highly curious. Oddly compelling.
I have a feeling that much like my high-heeled Docs & Margiela platforms, favorite denim bubbledress and Coogi sweater, I may need to file this look under "Shit I Dig That Guys Find Hot Not At ALL" AKA the "Fuck You, I Love It" list.
One last note...Brand new Proenza is dope (Ashley), really, but MK really is my Queen of Killing It. Weirdos FTW (the most appropz use of dorky internets slang ever).
Wait, one REALLY last note: MATCHING BAGS. Dieeeeeee-ing.
Thank you W magazine, Craig McDean & Alex White for the sartorial pornographic bounty we are about to receive. (yellow brackets and !s, mine)
Rodarte S/S 2010 Alien cage shoes of certain death. Those heels are made of nuts n' bolts, right? Fantastically cunty looking. Do the Mulleavy sister secretly take out their aggression in their shoe design? Inquiring minds want to know. (PS: clear Prada bags, I don't hate it!)
PRADA CHANDELIER HEELS, CHANEL CLOGS, PHI BOOTS. All S/S 2010, obvi. All desperately musthaveable. All in my dreams and hope and wants.
I know I am somewhat alone on this Prada shoe lust, but these plasticities are so many wrongs that fill me with rightdelight. CLEAR. CHUNKY HEELS. VELCRO. CRYSTALS. This is bananas and I am giddy. I want to wear them with dark grey ribbed tights and a beat up denim dress and be happier than I have ever been, mmkay?
I never stopped loving clogs and at least now I can get them skyhigh (if I win the lottery) from the Haus of Karl. Clogs4lyfe.
DISCUSSION POINT: PHI makes the DUH-HOPEST chunkyclunkybitchy ankle boots EVER. Kinda wonder why they aren't more on the forefront of internet WANT buzz? I COVET THEM SO HARD.
Please let the record reflect that Phi is my number one WANT for S/S 2010. DEAR ANDREAS MELBOSTAD, TAKE PITY ON ME. Please send boots, must have to live. K, theeenks.
This is what we talk about when we talk about GENIUS.
GAGA BARBIES. Holy fucking moly. He has DIY notes and turtorials on his flickr as well! I am speechless and full of awe and envy. 'veik11', I SALUTE YOU.
This is the hood of an old parka covered in fur scraps. Purchased for $5 in Kansas City on this summer's Vision Quest. It matches the fur collar of my coat perfectly. The overall effect is very FASHION YETI.
I lasted about 25 minutes outside last night. You would think that having lived approximately 98% of my life on the east coast I would have some sort of snowppropriate footwear. You would think wrong.
BACK ON THE SCENE. Let's post a shitload today and tomorrow, shall we?
I actually found glasses I like! On MY OWN FACE..this never NEVER happens.
All thanks to Jordan & Erik at Silver Lining Opticians. Kinda can't wait to get them back! I haven't worn glasses on the regs since 7th grade. But my eye doctor says I'm suffocating my eyeballs fro VANITY and SO...time to try something new (just more often, not ALL the time).
Bigger better post on Silver Lining & dope shades to come next week. Hopefully I will get these glasses with my actual nerd scrip in 'em back soon. Let's see how stoked I am then (coke bottle alert).
I do not actually own a really warm coat. I own plently of adorable vintage coats that I love, that i wear layers underneath, and my giant Yokoo cowl over, but nothing that ACTUALLY keeps out the cold.
Then I bought this fantastically warm and wonderful thing at the thrift in Philly last week:
Double-breasted soft fluffy silky fur. Perfect length, perfect pockets, a little Grey Gardens-raggedy (I prefer my stuff a little beat up) all for $25. It got SERIOUSLY FUCKING COLD here for a few days..and I didn't feel a thing. THIS IS SO WARM.
Oh, Margie Bennett, how I love your discards so.
I don't wear much white, but the other day the coat inspired me to get my winter white on. Fur + crochet tights + white oxfords. Who even remembers what I wore underneath, I never took the coat off.
Please note in the background my new favorite thing ever: My Botkier bag. It's slouchy and giant and since I got a sample, the leather is already a bit weathered. I get a million compliments on it (thank you Tanya!). I will take better pictures this weekend, but I had to mention it now.
When I saw the pictures of my Lady and that lady...my first thought was, "How absolutely DEMURE, Gaga!"
And really, it strikes me as nothing but LOGICAL to dress like the Queen of Hearts/aVictorian Satan worshiper/a very sexy deflated balloon animal when meeting the Queen.
But then I thought...Hmmm, she does seem a but PLAIN...what's missing, pray tell?
AH, OF COURSE. A SHAKESPEAREAN RUFF. Clearly! What does one do in a full latex ensemble, anyways?
This, OBVIOUSLY.
My heart just keeps growing fonder and fonder of you, Steffie.
PS, If you should so desire (and I secretly do), the Lady gets her latex from Atsuko Kudo...maybe you should too?
LOOOOOK AT IT. What a glorious thing. DREAMMAKER & HEARTBREAKER, that's what you are Ms. Kawakubo.
Sigh.
Sorry, where was I? OH RIGHT. Welllllll....I figured I might DIE without one and since my CASH FLOW does not allow for such acquisitions, I decided to take matters into my own (well-intentioned but not very sew-savvy) hands.
When I finally made a thriting/funtimes Philly date with my girl Sunshine, who is WAY more talented than I, I emailed her a pic of the coat and was like..can we also make these? She was like, duh, sure, no PROBS. AND I WAS FILLED WITH JOY.
So..how do you make one? First you hafta get the goods. What you will need is: a coat you wanna hack into, a blanket, an iron, a sewing machine (it COULD be hand-stitched but you might cry), and some thread. A dress form was pretty helpful, mainly because we were making this up as we went along. No dress form? Make your little sister stand there for you while you poke her full of pins.
Men's army trench: $5.95. Crazy wool blanket: $2.95. Both from the thrift earlier that day. Clown painting: optional.
Got it all? Start that shit already! Cut up that coat! Fold the raw edge, iron that shiz, sew it up.
Please note I refused to take off the new fur I had ALSO thrfited. It made me feel like Sharon Stone in Casino. I am nothing if not weird.
HI SUNSHINE, HI
So then you just...fiddle around with the blanket. We basically folded ours in 4 and cut the corner out (poncho ideas?). Then we sliced up the front and...pinned it and tried it on and til it looked right.
I decided I HAD to have pockets, because I always want pockets. So (with Sunshine's amazingly patient and helpful talk-through) I cut the pockets out of the trench, cut a slash in the blanket, and sewed them in! AMAZING.
HEY, I MADE THAT
And that is IT. Swear to Gagaloo, it was PRETTY EASY. The hardest/most annoying part (besides getting the drape right)? Sewing through a blanket. There is a LOT of FABRIC at times and it can make the machine a lil bit BITCHY. Other than that, it was pretty easypease. It took about..2 hours total, tops.
Would I have figured some sort of version of this out without Sunshine's help? Probably. Would it have looked nearly as good without Sunshine's help? ABSOLUTELY NOT. THANK YOU, SUNSHINE!!!
YAYAYAYAYYYYY...I AM GETTING SO DIY ADDICTED.
It's not perfect, it's not realdealholyfield, but I am pretty happy with it!
One thing I would've done differently: My coat was ginorm and so I had to move buttons around and do a lil sleeve doctoring to make it fit better. Sunshine used a perfectly fitted trench for hers and that was totally better.I love that we made the same thing but with 2 totally different results!
HOW CUTE IS THIS??
I am sure that Sunshine will post a much more comprehensive how-to on her blog if you need more specifics.
AND NOW I MATCH MY BATHROOM. DREAMS DO COME TRUE.
I am on such a DIYHIGH, guys! What project can I tackle next????
I've heard Miike Snow every single day this week, all in the strangest places (the HILLS, anyone?)
It feels like me right now. If I could, I would listen to this on giant headphones and jump on a trampoline in a field under the Big Dipper. Would if I could...but I can't, so I won't.
If you are SO INCLINED, all this bananaz finery can be yours just by clickyclickyclicking. OHHH the wonders of the internet!
If any of you have a spare $11,795 mabes you can holla at a gurl? That wig jacket has my name alllll over it.
All pricetag gasping aside, it's actually pretty amazing... a trove of MMM selections from 2005 to now, all kinds of random and cool stuff that if you can swing it you should absolutely have. (And send me pictures, because i want to see someone in THIS (there are TWO! One for me and one for you!)
We started with a table full of glitter n tape n shiny thangs and cookies (all important craft supplies, obvs).
And then...we got down to bidness? The whole thang is wayyyyy easy and fun to do, fer serious. One word of ADVICE: if you get too ambitious on yer tangram triangle pattern, it starts to feel a lot like math class and it sorta hurts yer head. But if you freeflow it, it pretty much turns out doppppeee.
First attempt! I call it The Ripper, cuz the triangles remind me of YACHT.
Next: The Bjorn Borg cuz the neon is like a tennis ball (what?)
Paperclips + electrical tape + the paper label from the electrical tape covered with neon nylon string from the hardware store = I mean, I don't know, $2.50? If that?
Mr Christopher Palazzo; bringer of cookies, weirdness, polar bear hats and exotic animal skins:
I mean..cmon, so good right?
Protoype for Bootsy Collins-esque weirdo glasses, inspired by Slanties:
Paper labels from electrical tape + electrical tape + nylon string + silver glitter = ??? Fiddy cent? I mean, it's mainly trash cept fer the glittah.
James Ryang: the fantastic photographer of the all the photos in this post and moonlightning sunglasses model:
AWESOME!
YAY for photogenic friends!
How could a Tuesday night be any better?
Keren and I decided we will be doing this weekly, inviting a rotating third party to join in the crafterness.
I hope everyone likes these because this will likely be your Christmas present this year, oopsy.
Stay tuned for next Tuesday when we attempt fashion Snuggies (JK? For us to know, and you to find out)
