"The Only Place" - Best Coast

Last week it was my birthday. My birthday has always been and will always be my favorite day of the year. I am well aware that this is because it is the one day a year I feel I can let my inner narcissist out into the world and not be sorry at all for demanding all of the attention. And I think it is very healthy that I can admit that. 

Unfortunately, looking forward to an August birthday practically year-round causes the rest of summer to fly by incredibly fast. Last week also marked the first time in months that Minneapolis wasn't a slave to sweltering heat. While the cool breeze and cloudy skies were a welcome change after nights of sweating through semi-consciousness in an apartment with a shoddy window A/C unit, it also made me a little sad that the summer was beginning to come to an end.

To mark my defiance of the inevitable change in season, today's look is based on Best Coast's "The Only Place". This song is the perfect summer anthem. If we're being fair, it's more of an ode to California, but being a true Minnesotan girl, I'm going to pretend they meant Minnesota lakes when they sing "we've got the ocean/got the babes/got the sun/we've got the waves". That totally applies to Lakes Nokomis, Calhoun, Isles, and Harriet. Minus the waves, I suppose.

Regardless, this look embodies a carefree summer day wonderfully. It's got the necessary layers to transition from a day on the beach/boat to bonfire, and those washed out colors lazily speak to a day of no responsibilities. 

Listen to the song here. 

Well, hello again.

Whoops. Accidentally took a four month hiatus there.

The good news is, that break allowed me to think about what I want this to become. I've been pretty happy with what I've produced thus far, but what I've really enjoyed is how this has reignited the creative spark in me in a way that I haven't felt in a very long time. Wanting to actually invest in this project has forced me to be more connected to music, fashion, and the wealth of resources at my disposal.

As a result, I'm re-prioritizing how I want to spend my time, which means looking into guitar lessons and classes at MCAD instead of endless hours spent watching my Hulu queue. Allowing myself to truly be inspired by the art and concerts I attend and act on it.

So, what I'm saying, is this may look a little different in the coming weeks/months. The focus will forever be music and fashion, but in different iterations. It's still a bit abstract, but I'm always optimistic.

"How You Like Me Now?" - The Heavy

I am seriously digging the funky, retro sound of "How You Like Me Now?". The choice to sample Dyke & The Blazers' "Let A Woman Be A Woman - Let A Man Be A Man" was absolutely genius and gives it an infectious beat that I love. There aren't a whole lot of subtleties to this song; the title itself gives it away. And who doesn't dream of seeing that certain someone from a past life and impressing them with how cool/smart/mature/awesome you are now?

Like the song, this outfit has few, if any, subtleties. How appropriate, then, to include the Giuseppe Zanotti sandals designed by Kanye West, a man known for many things, but none of them subtlety (let's count how many times I can use the word "subtlety" in this post). I wanted the rest of the ensemble to speak to the retro-inspired nature of the song, adding some modern cat-eye shades, a little leopard peplum, and some cavity-inducing sweet bubblegum leather skinnies.

I suppose this look could be considered over-the-top, but so is the message that's being sent, so I think it fits.

Listen to the song here.

"Settle Down" - Kimbra

Ever since "Somebody That I Used To Know", I've become more and more interested in Kimbra. I'm drooling for her full-length album to be released in the States (if anyone knows where I can purchase it here, please let me know - it's not on iTunes nor is it on Amazon [booo]), and in the meantime I get to enjoy her 4-track Settle Down EP on repeat. 

The title track sets itself apart with an a cappella intro and a some percussive vocals that maintain throughout the song. It's a cheeky, honest song about wanting to settle down (hence the title, you guys). It almost sounds as if it's sung by a child who thinks she knows what love is, incorporating a bit of "Star Light, Star Bright", though it gets a bit more desperate towards the end and she almost begs her man to stay with her, singing "baby there's no need to run".


To evoke this look I put together a classic, "Mad Men" meets Stepford Wife look. Very demure, nothing too overt or risky, very proper. Almost unsettlingly so. 


Listen to the song here.

"King of the World" - First Aid Kit

First Aid Kit has quickly become one of my favorite bands. I'm so amazed by them - they're a Swedish sister duo but their music is so old country you'd think they were direct descendants of the Coal Miner's Daughter herself. This song is the closing number on their debut album The Lion's Roar, and though it was difficult to choose which one to feature, I found myself drawn to this one. I love it's declarations of being nobody's baby, everybody's girl, queen of nothing, king of the world. 


It's all about feeling insecure yet confident at the same time and trying to understand where you fit in. Although the message is somewhat unsure, I still feel that evokes this sense of strength. Like the storyteller is saying, sure, I don't have it figured out yet, but I know that I will and in the meantime I'll do my best. That's why I wanted to pair this with such a strong look.


Those Roberto Cavalli pants are killer, right? Totally undeniable. I wanted to build the ensemble around them, with more metallic accents to allude to the royalty that's wearing it. I also included the soft Clover Canyon top to represent the unknowing - it's a lovely print of the horizon and reminds us that we are a small piece of a huge puzzle. It keeps the look a bit more grounded.


Listen to the song here.

"Manchester" - Kishi Bashi

 

 

Not sure if you've heard, but it's going to be 75 degrees this week in Minneapolis. HOHHH MY GEE. Finally. This summer is going to be fantastic - I've got an anniversary vacation coming up, loads of local concerts to go to, Tough Mudder, and Bonnaroo. And that's all before June! Summer is the best. You know what else is the best? This song. I think I found my song of the summer - and it's only March!

 

This is yet another "instant love" songs. I think I'm starting to understand the formula I need for me to feel an attachment to a song. It usually involves at least one of the following: hopeless and/or beautiful declarations of love; an infectious melody that builds on itself with grand instrumentation; the ability to spark the desire for me to stand up and twirl around until the song is over. Kishi Bashi has included all of these qualities in "Manchester".

 

The song begins with a dreamy string and percussion sound and builds into the chorus, when Kishi Bashi sings "Oh, hello/will you be mine?/I haven't felt this alive in a long time". And what makes one feel more alive than sporting some high waisted geometric printed shorts and a cutout blouse? P.S. - "Oh, hello" is one of my favorite ways to begin any story, conversation, anything.

 

Please listen to the song here (along with other tracks from his Room For Dream EP).

"Skinny Love" - Birdy

Oh my, it's been awhile, hasn't it? Let me explain: I've been traveling for work, the end (good explanation). 
To be honest, I've also been suffering from a bit of writer's block. I've been collecting all these gorgeous and unique pieces to put some new looks together and struggling a bit to find the music to match. So really I've been spending most of my time combing through Spotify to find some more songs to inspire me. 

I love Bon Iver. He's become a bit more of a big deal of late, what with the two Grammys and all, and I am happy to have listened to his music prior to his nominations & wins. I can't claim to be a true fan from the beginning, however - my boyfriend likes to remind me that he saw Bon Iver in 2007 at Pitchfork before For Emma, Forever Ago even came out (yes, I am dating a hipster, but a mild one, I assure you) - and I must confess that when someone first recommended him to me I thought they were saying "Boney Bear", but I like to believe that my fandom has made up for lost time. I had the opportunity to see him live at the Orpheum this past fall, and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. 

I want to do his latest album justice, but it's taking me some time to decipher the lyrics. So for this post I'm cheating a bit and posting a cover of a Bon Iver song (my unwritten rule is to not duplicate artists as I post; this way I can still post from his sophomore album. Hooray for tricking the system that I created and has no real consequence if I break!). I discovered this song on Spotify (yikes, product placement much?) and it really is a gorgeous cover. I hadn't known anything about Birdy until tonight - my, my, this young lady is talented. She's 16 (!!) and released this cover when she was 15. She simplifies Justin Vernon's song even further, complementing her truly lovely voice with piano. 

The song itself is just heartbreaking, much like the album from whence it came. It's about a relationship that is failing/has failed, and the longing for it to last. This ensemble attempts to evoke that longing, with delicate details that allude to the wearer's fragile emotions, as well as some more rugged notes to represent the wearers jaded views coming out of the experience. 


Listen to the song here.