The Lolita Hazed Seasonal Playlist: Fall 2009

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

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!)

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

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

"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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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...

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

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.

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

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)

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

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

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!

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...

..."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.

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.

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!!

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

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?

My MOB shirt might be lonely...

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

Girls on Film: Cherry Darling (Planet Terror)

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

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!

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.

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

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"

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...

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

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...

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"

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.

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!

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?

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"

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.

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.

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!

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!

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!!