PUMP IT UP (also it's halloween)

Whaddup. It's the night before Halloween and I am beyond excited to get that party started. Kelsey and I will be going as '90s-era Southern California cholitas. I've got my baggy overalls and wife-beater, all I need now are giant hoop earings, fake tattoos, and super thick, a few-shades-too-dark lip-liner. And to also turn my (new!) bangs into a big curl. YES!


I usually start planning the next year's Halloween the day after the actual holiday. Ideas for next year:
Wayne
Garth
Daniel Plainview (and hire a child to be H.W.), complete with a milkshake
Mary-Kate and/or Ashley circa the You're Invited straight-to-video movies.
Corky St. James

Any preferences?

Also, this weekend's jam: The Pixies-Wave of Mutilation
Along with Pavement, the Pixies were one of the first bands that I REALLY loved, that encouraged me to be more open and exploratory with music. In 8th or 9th grade, my older brother handed me a copy of Doolittle, and it was the weirdest, most nebulous, smartest thing I had ever heard. It's a band that's well-established in the musical canon, but somehow is always on the fringes. A band popular at the height of college radio in the 80s, but too popular for college stations today (at least at KVRX). A band who more people than you'd think know about, but somehow, Frank Black's shrieks and Kim Deal's echoing and haunting croons sound all like your personal discovery, a gem of your very own.



P.S. So, you know how Pavement is reuniting in 2010? The first shows of which will be in Central Park in September? I have a ticket. Sometimes I forget about it. But then, at various moments during the day, a euphoric wave of friendliness will wash over me, my cold heart will warm and expand like a marshmallow in a microwave, and I'll have a feeling that this world belongs to me and life isn't full of settled disappointments and muted desperation, and I'll wonder why. But then I remember: Pavement. Me. Front row. And I die a little bit.

Dear Diary

Hey, sup? So it's been a while, and I wish I had a good reason for that. I don't. But! I expect that as blogging becomes more of a natural, rhythmic thing for me, I'll post more and more. Plus I need to severely alter my internet procrastination habits...I won't be doing homework anyway, so why not blog instead of inanely fbook surf? So I'm going to turn this post into a bit of a diary for a second, so my thoughts will be flowin'.

I'm feeling:
1) restless. Maybe because it's Wednesday, a middle-of-the-road sort of day, or maybe because that's just the way I feel. I'll share something: sometimes college drives me crazy. In fact, sometimes I wonder whether I'd even go to college if it weren't some sort of societal obligation. I feel fortunate to be in a position that many people aren't, with the academic world and its respective opportunities at my fingertips, but it also can feel like a walled-in world. What I really want to do right now is travel, do something unexpected (like become a pole dancer or up and move to Brazil), basically just exist outside the typical college student realm. I don't know where that feeling is coming from, but I plan on exploring and questioning until I find out.
2) Uncertain. This stems directly from my restlessness. What do I want to do with my life and on what time scale do I want to do it? Do I want to be a journalist? Or do I want to own a coffeehouse or club? Do I want to be a documentary filmmaker? Actually all of those things. Where do I want to live? How honest am I being with myself when I consider these things?

This all sounds like a stage I should be hitting right about now in my life. It's probably a good thing; the uncertainty and restlessness can shake things up a bit. Nonetheless, it's frustrating. I decided to go on a mini self-absorbed rant because I figured a) it'll give you an idea as to what my frame of mind is right now and b) maybe you're going/ have been through the same thing. If so, please give me some wisdom!

I planned on turning this into more than a diary post, but Spanish class calls. I have a topic that I want to post on reeeeeal soon, though involving my newly-discovered interest: kitsch!

Coyote Ugly?

Hey! Long time, no see. As you can probably tell, Kelsey and I pretty much threw out our schedule when we realized we would be too busy to execute any follow-through. Also, I got a job, which I HATE (it involves cold-calling and soliciting money)and I'm also getting more involved with the radio station, so free time is usually spent sleeping or lying in bed catching up on tee-vee.

So, first thing's first: Weekend Jam. Yeah, I skipped a weekend or two, but Billy Childish should remedy that.


Yes! As for fashion weeks, which are now long over, I may be doing a top ten or something soon. All I can say is that for me, Lanvin takes the cake. And also those jam 90s platforms at Miu Miu. Everybody wants them, I know, but how beyond great are they?

Anyway, to the subject of today's post: sexuality.
Sexuality has been on my mind for a few weeks now, starting with that posting of the vintage Playboy covers. Lately I've been just shy of obsessed with burlesque and pole dancing (if you haven't seen Felix Cane pole dance, get thee to YouTube now). A few weekends ago, as I was cramming for bio and loathing the prospect of having to work another shift at my job, Coyote Ugly happened to be on television. And while I know that real-life Coyote Uglies aren't that tame or just working to fund law school or their burgeoning music career, there was something that hooked me. How great would it be to own your sexuality without being one of those women who think being an "independent woman" means giving sex away to the first guy at the bar?

The social stigma hasn't left things like pole-dancing or burlesque yet, and probably never will, which might be why I find them so magnetizing. It's subversive and unconventional, and seriously, how rad would it be to claim some righteous skills on the pole? It feels like it would be an outlet for sexuality and feminity without being a slut.

So, what say you? Should I quit my job and become a Coyote? Or is that slutty in itself?

PUMP IT UP

Hey, guys! This has been a busy week for me. Government tests, interviews with funeral home directors, and, tomorrow, Kelsey and I will finally be living our pre-teen dream of seeing Pearl Jam live at ACL. No, Pearl Jam isn't exactly indie street cred-worthy, and they really only have that one album that defined a generation. But, Kelsey and I grew up with them, and GODDAMNIT we will see them live and LOVE it if we want to.

It's gray and rainy here in Austin, the kind of weather I endure all summer for. I figured this weekend's jam should reflect the weather, and fittingly, Townes van Zandt came to mind. "Lungs" is one of my favorite songs ever, and I hope you enjoy it.


Also, for your viewing pleasure, here are some vintage playboy covers. I LOVE these. I love how classy and creative they are (just LOOK at how the bunny is incorporated in each photo), and I wish the concept of "sexy" would move back to this natural, womanly physical aesthetic, in which women have command of their sexuality without being trampy or vulgar about it.

















All photos courtesy of the fashion spot.

Have a great rest of the weekend, everyone!

CHEERS,
Rachel

P.S. I'm going out for burritos after this. You know that Jimmy Fallon pizza party dance? If I could do that for burritos, which I can, I would, and I WILL.

We're still around

We are inconsistent teases. We know.

Two things:
1. London and Milan. Some okay, some fucking great.
2. "Smeyes"? Oh, Tyra. Que ridiculo.

Also, here's a top-of-the-week jam, since Internet was out this weekend and I couldn't post it. But I was able to watch the Buffy movie.

How my favorite show (of all time, a-duh)came from that cinematic insult I do not know, nor do I care to find out.

Luke Perry was hot.

The Jesus Lizard, you guys. They're gonna be at FunFunFun in November. Excitement!

New York Fashion Week Pt. 1

Holla! Well, if you know me, you know that I have a deep appreciation for style and design, and that clothing (or art, if it's good) has meant a great deal to me since I first discovered style as a means of self-expression. When I was first considering starting a blog about a year ago, I was thinking about having a style blog, but decided that would be too narcissitic a venture and decided against it. And what bad timing it was for a negative decision--it seems fashion bloggers are getting more attention than ever. Some, with savvy sewing skills and an inherent creativity and eye for style, are deserving of that attention, and others, with their parents' bank accounts at their disposal, might not be quite so chic on the average girl's budget. But, whatever! That's just my opinion! It's the fashion blogger's world, and we're just living in it, am I right guys?
On that note, here's part one of my NYFW review:

1. Alexander Wang
OK. I know everyone and her best gay friend have been raving about Wang for a few seasons now. Honestly, I wasn't that impressed. The whole, short, tight, grungy club-kid Erin Wasson look lingered on the runways a bit too long for my taste and for a while there it seemed like the decadence of the 80s was a pervasive meme in the showrooms. However, I was never anyone to deny that Wang had some fierce talent, and this might be my favorite of his collections so far, and one of the best that showed in NYC last week.









2. Marc Jacobs
I really like this collection, better than I did last season. I loved the muted, but pretty palette, and there were obvious strains of Japanese design in his clothes. Some of the layering and proportions were reminiscent of something that might be seen at Comme or Yohji. And I'm also loving in Marc's flair for kilts. That'll do, Marc, that'll do.











3. Cushnie et Ochs
Breast cups that looked like molded breast plates, hemlines that keep you from sitting down, cut-outs and slits. Cushnie et Ochs, sexxxin' it up.









4. This dress from Donna Karan is truly a marvelous thing. I've always been a huge fan of DK's dresses...they're sexy without being too revealing and they drape in all the right places. I love her consistent accentuation of the shoulder, and this dress comes off as a silken, pastel dream.



There was more than one beautiful dress in this collection, but this is the one that I really salivated over.

5. Ralph Lauren
Now, I know Ralph Lauren isn't known for innovative or edgy design, but can I help it if those gold sequin harem pants last season were one of the most awesome things I've seen? Or if those denim overalls or gowns with overall straps are incredibly DOPE?! No. No, I can't.















More to come, later, guys. I'm so behind! Pretty soon Paris will be here and I'll still be covering the London shows. But hopefully I'll find the time to catch up.
-Rachel

excuses, schmexcuses, and also time to PUMP IT UP

Alrighty. Yes, I know I promised NY Fashion Week posts last week, but then Internet got cut off and I got busy. However, Kelsey and I are currently in the process of working out a schedule that will allow us daily posts so we can get back on the track to Blog Town.

But I will tell you that I was especially partial to Rodarte, Alex Wang (soooo glad we're moving away from the club kid look--I was beginning to think that was all he could do, Cushnie et Ochs, Zero + Maria Cornejo, Marc Jacobs (derrr), and some others, including one fantastic dress by Donna Karan and the sweet overalls at Ralph Lauren. Pics and better articulated reviews coming up soon, je te promesse.

For now, enjoy yourself some Shuggie Otis--"Inspiration Information." It's a sweet jam.
-Rachel



P.S. If you're up for some stale entertainment, Kelsey and I used to have a blog in ninth grade (I think?). We just made up stories. You can visit it if you like...
http://www.martinithursday193.blogspot.com/