Monday, June 29, 2009

New Jack Swing Stand Up!



Ok, so yes there were some teleprompter/audio/folks hittin' old age issues, but you have to appreciate the sentiment going on here! I'm surprised half of these dudes still move as well as they do... choreography was not lacking.

On another note, can we bring back the keytar?

He's Back


Neo-Soul is back with a vengeance... ladies, time to get your sexy ready!



Sunday, June 28, 2009

Oh My Goodness, OH MY GOODNESS!


The single most high point in a night full of hot messes... if only this was real!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

All Hail the King

20twenty Tees put these rad legacy tees together. It's a beautiful thing.

(via Lateboots)

Friday, June 26, 2009

Drool



I want to be the Original Playa... from the Himalayassss!

Memories of Michael

I've lived in many places around the world and America in my short lifetime. When you move that much, sometimes it can be hard to relate to those around you. Being in a new place and presenting yourself for the first time can be nerve wracking, especially because others might view you as a threat. After a while, you learn that there are some common denominators you can mention to ease into being in a new situation. Everyone loves movies. Everyone loves food. Everyone loves music. And everyone loves MJ. I have literally bonded with people in every city, every country I've been to, over P.Y.T, or Beat It, or Remember the Time. I've danced to Rock with You at clubs in NYC, at bars in the South, at beach parties over seas. Michael became the global soundtrack for more than just a generation, for a state of mind. If you wanted to feel familiar, feel at home, and feel understood, nothing was better than a Michael cut.

Michael was the true essence of an entertainer. He revolutionized the way music sounded, the way we moved to that music, and the way that music came alive on the big screen. His videos were so much more than mass productions (although they certainly were those as well), they were a unique synthesis of story and sound. Of visual and auditory. Not many people-- on the big screen, the small screen, or any other screen-- can achieve the type of visual and cinematic legacy that MJ did through his various videos.

Often misunderstood, hated, and mislabeled, we have to remember that we never really knew what was going on in his life and had limited access to the person he truly was. From what we do know, he was a dedicated man who devoted himself to his family, his craft, and his fanbase even when the world turned on him. I will always mark moments in my life with his music, simply because his music means that much to me and I know I'm not alone in that.

Here's a clip of Michael performing Wanna Be Starting Something, partly because I never got to see him live, and...well, finding embedding codes was a nightmare.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Farrah Fawcett Passes

Fair, feathered hair beauty Farrah Fawcett passed away today at the age of 62 after losing her battle with cancer. She will be remembered for her smile, beauty, charm, and ability to light up the small screen.

Her last words were simply, bravely, "I'm Happy. I'm Ready."

Our thoughts are with her family.

What's Hot in the Streets

We haven't done a Secret Store post in a while, but that doesn't mean I haven't been coppin' some good ish. They have been especially good with cute dresses lately, I've been surprised! Let me put you on to my new favorite purchases from our Secret Store...



This body conscious frock is bitin' American Apparel's steeze, but the print on this one is so much cuter. If you've got some curves to flaunt, this is the perfect piece because it's simplicity is sexy enough to draw attention to your best assets, and the material is thick enough to hold you together. Buy it here for only $16.90!


Somewhere, in a far away land, my Momma is laughing! As a kid, she always enforced the importance of wearing a good pair of bike shorts under your dress so the boys on the playground won't get a sneak peak of your day-of-the-week undies! I wish i had day-of-the-week undies, but in the meantime these biker shorts will do. I've worn them with a long white T and a flannel, rockin some pro-keds. Hipster chic for only $4.80!



This little ditty is a most adorable, Lolita inspired jumper! Cute, sexy, and again looks hawt with pro-keds! Super cheap, cop it for only $19.80!





Who doesn't need a good acid washed jacket for the summer? Good look with your docs and a flannel dude!


Meoww! That's all i have to say about these caged beauties!



Once you pop the top on these cheap stand-out, you gotta cop! Hit up the Secret Store today and get you some goods!

Red Bottoms


Get our girl Rhi Rhi in the red-bottoms earlier this week in LA while chillin' with Pharell. Not mad at the Mickey Mouse tank either, she's gettin it in!

(Thanks to Bossip for images)

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Journey to Mecca


Hayyy! For all of you female sneakerheads in NYC, an event you can't miss... FSF is holding a weekend BBQ and is giving away comps for discounts and other goodies! Gotta hit it up if you're in town, if only for some sweet photobooth action!

Monday, June 22, 2009

I Challenge You!


I used to love playing jacks as a kid, and if I recall, I was super duper good at them. I would walk around, as if I was the hotshot, with my set of jacks and the little rubber ball in the pocket of my dress and challenge unsuspecting kids to an ass whoppin'. I dont know if I can beat ass as an adult, but... I sure can look cute trying to!

Jinkies!!

I need this Fafi x Kweenz Destroyer collaboration tee right now. I mean this very instant. Today. Um... why isn't it here yet?!

How cute is this?! This Fafinette looks just like me, on a good day. She's got the cap, the bamboos. I heart. I heart so much!

(Much love to Bubblegum Pony*s for the info)

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Diary of an NYC Vagrant

I am a vagrant! I say this because I am broke. Despite being broke, I love to live large! Today was June 21st, the first day of summer, and here is what your favorite vagrant did...

Brunch at Barmarche. Chocolate-chip pancakes are always a wholesome start to the day.We also enjoyed some iced lattes. Definitely livin' large. But since we're broke, we stuck with tap water.

Today was Make Music Day in NYC. It's the largest musical festival in the city, and performers gather in public and make music to a vagrant's ears.
This guy looked a lot like Heath Ledger, no?

We decided to walk into DKNY in SoHo. Definitely not a place for vagrants. However, they were offering free ice cream, so we felt it was alright to make an appearance.

Then we walked. And walked. And walked some more. We walked to Cornelia St in the West Village, and found some people playing pianos.
We sat down on a stoop and watched them, because they were pretty good. It started to rain, but they kept playing. A video camera even fell on one of the pianists' hands, but she kept playing!
This made her, in my opinion, considerably better than she was before, because I realized that she was a G who could roll with the punches. I wanted to give her daps, but it started raining again. So the vagrant, staring blankly into her empty wallet, just decided to make her way home.

F.O.X.


Alright, alright I admit it! Apparently, I no longer have standards in life, because I kill my brain cells weekly with a healthy hour-long dose of VH1's latest train-wreck dating show, Daisy of Love. It's true... I enjoy watching these tattooed neanderthals compete for a chance to bang a walking blow up doll! Are you happy now? Jesus, get off my back!

Anyways, last week our "rocker princess" (and I use that term extremely loosely, as loose as Daisy's... ahh, let's keep this PG-13) grew some balls and kicked off the playboy of the series, Fox. This post will henceforth be a loving dedicating to the man who is as smooth as a baby's silky skin, Fox (a.k.a Daniel).

Ahh Fox! You won me over with your boyish smile, your insta-tan, and makeup skills that far surpass any I'll ever have in my lifetime. The plethora of hipster tattoos, the beanies, and skintight Ts-- could you look any more like a sexily low-budget version of Johnny Depp! And let's not forget your witty moments. That one time you showed off your humorous side when you asked "Who's Marilyn Monroe?"! Oh, wait, you actually meant that. Your smooth talking mumbo-jumbo was enough to even confuse me! Or maybe that was because my four year old cousin can articulate himself better than you can. Either way, Fox, you truly are a master of words, a man of wisdom, and one hot piece of hipster ass.

Fox, we salute you!




Friday, June 19, 2009

Remembering

In the wake of his 38th Birthday this week, I had to post one up for a fallen soldier... Enjoy and Remember his greatness!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Like Two Gorilla In the Jungle Makin' Love!


Rhi Rhi is in LA and back at it-- peep her out and about wearing a dress from the exclusive and much anticipated Christopher Kane Gorilla collection, available to us commoners in limited edition pieces at Collete. Dress is fly, but wished she would have dressed it down a bit more. Either way, she's doing the damn thing once again!


(Thanks to Bossip for pics)

Monday, June 15, 2009

M.C. Ya'll

There was a brief moment in time when the batcase known as Mariah Carey was actually cool. A sliver of a moment when she was hip, refined, and sexy. That sliver, know as the Butterfly album phase, was all about Mariah reclaiming her independence and breaking out of the pop bubble. She was freeing herself from the shackles that bound her, namely Tommy Matolla, and embracing a doper, iller, fresher alter ego (and this was before alter-egos were Sasha Fierce popular)-- M.C.


M.C. wasn't afraid to show her body, express her sexuality, and experiment with a broader set of reference points on camera. Her look for this album, both in promotional photos and videos, was influenced by a retro pin-up girl aesthetic. From the sailor costumes in the Honey video, to the simple black slinky number in My All , its clear that our girl was trying to glam herself up to become a retro diva, an image which fit a lot better with the overall sultry range she vocally explored on the Butterfly album.

The tour de force of the album, visually and sonically by far, was the Mobb Deep sampled "The Rooftop". M.C. is definitely crushin' in this one without a doubt. The art direction is beyond dope! Deep maroons and navys blend well with flashes of both artificial and natural lighting. The styling of the video was all about recreating the late 70s early 80s pin-up look. The puffer windbreaker, the jordache jeans, big disco curls and platforms-- M.C. in full effect ya'll! I have always been really stylistically inspired by this vid, and I think it has stood the test of time beautifully. Everytime I catch a peak of Mimi's current day, Nick Cannon holding, hoochie pants wearing self, I think back to this video and the sliver of time when Mimi was M.C.!

Mademoiselle Chanel

The Fader just posted an expose on a charming new book coming out this summer, a photographic chronicle of the late great Mademoiselle Chanel. Shot by photographer Douglass Kirkland for a 1962 Look magazine piece, the photos capture Coco at work and play in what can only be described as her last reigning summer. Almost 80, Coco's suited French elegance was beginning to fade out of style as the swinging 60s were on their way in. Miss Chanel must have sensed the impending trends, but her impish smile and polished professionalism expel any sense of doubt that might have been in her mind.

The book's heartfelt forward is written by none other than current Chanel mouthpiece Karl Lagerfeld, and Mademoiselle--Coco Chanel/Summer 62 is set to be released this August. Certainly worth a peek in the bookstore, even if you can't afford to buy the book!



Sunday, June 14, 2009

You're Turning Me On...

I almost always only have one thing on my brain. Usually, that thing is food. But today my mind has been wandering and keeps coming back time and again to these amazing Nike Blazers. I previously blogged oodles of love for them, but when I was out and about today and saw a random chick stomping about in them, my feelings towards these lavender SBs intensified from slight sneaker crush to full blown unrequited love. Lush light purple suede, snake-skin swoosh... my heart palpitates uncontrollably each time I visualize these babies! I can't help but fantasize about sliding them over my sock-covered toes. Pulling the padded tongue over the edge of my skinny jeans. Lacing up the black strings. Wiggling my toe around under the suede-capped toe. Lusting over the reptilian swoosh in the mirror.

Let me stop before it gets too hot in here...

Please Baby Baby Baby Please!


Our favorite jewelry visionary, Melody Eshani, just released some preview images of a new piece on her blog last week. Inspired by the ever-so-stylish, ever-so-influential Spike Lee alter ego Mars Blackmon, the new necklace is a right-on-target recreation that bears Eshani's signature mirrored faceplate. Mars Blackmon symbolized the fun, carefree, artistically inspired side of hip-hop culture. He was unafraid to be silly, unafraid to be who he was, unafraid to point out his flaws, unafraid to put himself on the line to win over everyone from a woman, to an audience, to Michael Jordan himself (can you tell I'm crushin'--how could you not!)! He was the epitome of early BK swagger, spirit, and genuine desire to have fun (something that we're missing these days).

As a Mars Blackmon uber-fan, all I can say is... PLEASE BABY BABY BABY PLEASE! Please give this chain a wide release, and please let it be soon because it is a must-cop!



Check out Mars being Mars below... Classic shit!


Friday, June 12, 2009

Steady Thang


After being put on, I've really grown to love The Clipse. This pic of them with Rick Rubin is one of the many reasons why. Notice how reliable they are-- you can always count on them for the point-and-pose!



Listen to their new track "I'm Good", featuring Pharell, over at The Fader.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Flowers in My Hair and a Mean Mug

These hot bitches have had a long day of kickin' ass and taking names. When they woke up this morning, they were never planning on dealing with half of the shit they dealt with, from the pot of frijoles boiling over, to the kids sneaking one too many cookies from the fuckin' cookie jar. They had to put the rest of the world in its place, let everyone know that they run shit. You heard them, they run shit!

But, alas it's all in a days work. When the last dish has been washed and the final shirt folded, sometimes you've got to let go of all that stress and sit back with a phat cigar. Just take a puff. Inhale and let it out.

Know what I'm saying?

(Thanks to Big Daddy for image)

Baldie's Back

Bald and the Beautiful-- Amber Rose and Kanye West were spotted yesterday back together again, and shopping at American Apparel in SoHo.

Old habits die hard, eh?

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Blog in the Making


Our secret store just announced the launch of their official blog on their website! I'm so stoked, now I'll be able to keep a hawk's eye out for their awesome knock-offs that I can actually afford to cop...

Check the... Time?

I need to cop this Fluid watch so that I can rock it on the Boulevard of Linden! Ya dig??

For those of ya'll who aren't in the know, Tribe is in my all-time top three musical (and other) best group of all time.



Vintage Sale!


Funky Fannys
is joining the Brooklyn Flea this weekend to bring you their awesome vintage wares (last time I was at one of their sales, I scored a ridiculously cute striped 80s power-woman button up!). But even better than vintage, is vintage that is priced at just $10! No, not a typo, but they are really bringing you the heat at their "Gone Wild" sale-- everything is just $10 bucks!! If you're out, say hi because you KNOW I'mma be in the building!

Katie Who?

So I don't know anything about this new artist, Katie DiCicco. Nada. Zilch.

All I know is that Santos Party House is throwing a party for her tomorrow night with the great DJ Dances with White Girls! Check it out if you're in town...

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Bangles for the Bi-Racial Babies


As a bi-racial baby, I'm super excited to bring you guys the scoop on an important piece from B-Side jewelry's new collection, the "Loving Day" bangle. More than just a beautiful, well constructed bangle (as we've come to expect from B-Side), the bracelet pays homage to Supreme Court Case Number 388 U.S. 1 1967, the court case of Loving v. Virginia, which legalized interracial marriage. A portion of all sales of the bangle, as well as their upcoming 'RIGHTS' collection, will go to the Harlem's Children's Zone charity.

Finally, great product for a more than great cause!

Monday, June 8, 2009

Hi, Bink

It's been a while since I hit you with an old school joint... this one pretty much takes the cake. If you don't know it, shame on you! Get your soul on...

Precious Trailer

My day job is in the film industry, where I toil away for a ridiculous amount of hours and endure an insane amount of frustration to make sure that audiences everywhere can enjoy movie magic! One of the projects I've come into contact with in the last few years has finally come to fruition. Based on the successful novel Push , the film is now called Precious, and has garnered extremely successful reviews at the Sundance Film Festival and in the film media in general. The story chronicles the rise of an teenager growing up in Harlem who has endured physical abuse by the hands of her mother, and sexual abuse from her father. Pregnant for the second time, she is invited to enroll in an alternative school and finally meets a teacher who inspires her to transcend the negativity around her and make the best of her life. With amazing performances from an all-star cast, including Monique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, and newcomer Gabourey Sidibe . The director, Lee Daniels , ensured that a sense of gritty realisim was reflected in the film's cinematography, and his direction is both tender and enganging. Check out the trailer, if only because this is a powerful story that will touch you, I promise (if it doesn't, you have a heart of steel and I can't help you...good luck with that!).

Friday, June 5, 2009

Summer Sandals

How cute are these!! Love the low heel... finally, comfort is on the horizon!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Love At First Sight...

Zoe K talks about her love of TV On the Radio, feather boas, and collage making in this video from Nylon Tv.

ZOE KRAVITZ


Girl Crush still in full effect...

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Art School Girls

Mad props for this outfit and the arty-fierceness this girl is reppin! I have yet to find a pair of drop crotch pants that looks this good!

(Thanks to Big Daddy for image)

Shoe Art


Christian Louboutin's upcoming ad campaign is one of the more thoughtful, evoking fashion campaigns in recent seasons. Drawing from the classicism of 18th century still life, Louboutin teamed up with photographer Peter Lippmann and creative director Nicolas Menu to produce an intense series of portraits that place the shoe within a complete and extremely detailed scene. Featuring melanges of fruits, sweets, wines, and other delectables, the shoes look just as tempting as the rest of the objects in the scene. The shadowing (which is reminding me a lot of the dramatic vividness of 17th century Dutch master Rembrandt) gives the shots a sense of dark sexiness-- these shoes aren't for the faint of heart. The campaign is truly a reminder that fashion can be nothing short of art.









(Thanks to The Fashion Spot for pics)