Obsessed Magazine

A Female-Fueled Rock Playlist

Tricia Callahan — Sat, 22 Jul 2017 22:01:32 +0000

Females are the truth behind punk rock. Behind every Kurt Cobain is the ex-girlfriend who scribbled “Smells like Teen Spirit” on his high school bedroom wall. Being a girl in a punk rock scene can be daunting. Being an opinionated, over-the-top, screechy, powerful female can equal one big bitch to the masses.

But behind what might be discredited as juvenile aggression is a female who has a message. For our punk issue, it would be a clear crime not to praise women in punk. So let’s push our way right through the mosh pit, shall we?

Cherry Bomb
The Runaways

For its time, Cherry Bomb was the raunchiest, barely legal “come hither” the world had ever seen. Calling out shameless ownership to their sexuality, “Hello daddy, hello mom, I’m your ch-ch-ch-ch Cherry Bomb,” these fearless girls came together for a brilliant moment before it fell apart – but not without leaving gems and superstars in its wake.

Horses
Patti Smith

Patti Smith is the quintessential female of punk rock stemming from the NYC punk movement in 1975. This lanky lady churns out one of her famous tracks, “Horses,” with a dark storytelling voice that stands in front of a galloping beat. Fearless and famous Patti Smith is a poet of punk.

Hell on Wheels
Betty Blowtorch

Guitar-driven bad-ass band Betty Blowtorch offers a track that you make you want to drink whiskey (straight from the bottle). Forming in 1998, with three original members of Butt Trumpet, Hell on Wheels evokes a bar band biker feeling that is hard to recapture. Lead singer Bianca Halsted tragically passed away in a car crash in 2001 in New Orleans, but her memory lives on in her female-propelled albums.

Deceptacon
Le Tigre

This is one of the most dancy tracks on the list. The fun claps and the chorus offer a sing-song melody: “Who took the bomp from the bompalompalomp?/Who took the ram from the ramalamadingdong?” Who would’ve thought the song is about a girl rejecting a guy who thinks he’s cool because he has a van and a couple of shitty songs with his band?

Skinny
The Dollyrots

This band started with two friends in Florida and relocated to their new hometown in Los Angeles in 2002. Kelly Ogdan is the lead singer and bass guitarist while Luis Cabezas plays lead guitar. They have written three albums together and are soon to release their fourth. “Skinny” is an older track off “Eat My Heart Out.” As the title “Skinny” would suggest, this song is about the unfair standards women have to live up to in the U.S. and how they can lead to eating disorders.

The Young Crazed Peeling
The Distillers

The aesthetic of Brody Dalle goes without saying she embraces punk fully, which is why she is so adored. The Australian native used her distinct brass voice and guitar-playing skills to keep the band alive through the revolving door of members. “The Young Crazed Peeling” is a track off of their 2002 album “Sing Sing Sing Death House.” The song is a confessional in which Brody explains where she’s from and how things might have been tough growing up, but she doesn’t take life for granted, knowing she has everything that she needs.

Who Invited You
The Donnas

The Donnas got together in the early 90s but are popularly known for their album “Spend the Night,” which was released in 2002. “Who Invited You” stood beside tracks like “Take it Off, Dirty Denim” and “Take me to the Backseat.” The obvious theme was females taking control of not only their personal lives but their sex lives as well. “Who Invited You” is a little bit more about rejection: “We don’t care if you think our party’s cool/because we do/and we don’t care if you have more fun at Sunday school cause who invited you?” You don’t have to be a man to be a bouncer – kick them out and grab their beer as they leave.

Violet
Hole

Bad Reputation
Joan Jett

Other people write songs, but Joan Jett writes anthems. She is the definition of tough and the longevity of her career and her popularity make that clear. An executive producer for the movie “The Runaways,” Jett continues to tour, not to mention she provided commentary in Sini Anderson’s “The Punk Singer,” a documentary about Kathleen Hanna. “Bad Reputation” is a timeless song that reminds women everywhere to stay unapologetically true to themselves. There are all sorts of ways women get bad reputations and Joan Jett simply lets the listener know that she doesn’t give a damn.

New Radio
Bikini Kill

Refreshingly honest, Bikini Kill led the largest feminist punk rock movement, Riot Grrrl, to date. It was songs like “New Radio” that encouraged females to act out in a boys-rule-the-universe world. Lead vocalist Kathleen Hanna implores “Turn that song down/Turn the static up.” Bikini Kill, a fairly secretive band that declined talking to the press on most occasions, let the music speak for itself.

This article was originally published in Obsessed magazine’s Punk Issue.

Shooting Blanks: A History of No Wave Cinema

Matt Cohen — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 00:56:24 +0000

Steve Mass & Diego Cortez. Photo by and courtesy of Bobby Grossman from Blank City.

New York, New Cinema

In one of the opening scenes of Jim Jarmusch’s “Stranger Than Paradise” (1984), a long, slow tracking shot follows a young girl walking through a desolate, empty city street. Screamin’ Jay Hawkin’s “I Put A Spell On You” plays on the movie’s soundtrack as the lone girl walks down a series of blocks filled with bleak, run-down buildings and barren alleyways.

The image and setting is ironically depressing and faintly post-apocalyptic. It is as if the setting was in some war-ravaged Eastern European city, when in fact, the film was set in the Lower East Side of Manhattan in the year 1984.

New York can be a magical city. From the neon wonderland that is Times Square to the hip, urban bohemian hangouts of Greenwich Village, New York City has a certain charm and quality that has made it one of the greatest cities in the world. Yet, in the 1970s and early 1980s, a new film movement, known as “no wave,” emerged to depict a not-so-glamorous New York, and showed images that were far from the timeless and classic settings portrayed in iconic NYC-based films.

The movement was a stripped-down, DIY approach to filmmaking that not only revolutionized the art of independent cinema at the time, but doubled as a strong cultural statement for the obscure and revolutionary art and music scene in New York. It was a movement that featured a derelict culture of offbeat and pioneering artists and musicians, and combined a strong sense of collaborative unity, shoestring budgets, unique visions, and DIY sensibility.

As a whole, “no wave” sparked a nuanced, minimalist and wholly original aesthetic for films.

Blank City, a new, fascinating documentary by French newcomer Celine Danhier, documents the history of No Wave cinema and the “cinema of transgression,” a term coined by No Wave director Nick Zedd to describe the sadistic and darkly humorous shock value of much of the latter work of many No Wave filmmakers.

Steve Buscemi and Mark Boone Junior in Eric Mitchell’s film “The Way It Is,” featured in BLANK CITY.

Through in-depth, candid interviews and amusing anecdotes with such notorious “no wavers” as Jarmusch, Steve Buscemi, John Lurie, James Chance, John Waters, Beth B, Scott B, James Nares, Debbie Harry, Thurston Moore, Lydia Lunch, and many others, Danhier manages to create a rousing and informative documentary that does justice to the spirit of No Wave cinema.

The impetus for No Wave cinema came from the “no wave” music movement. As anyone who was around New York, especially in downtown Manhattan in the late 1970s would tell you, it was not the most glamorous place to be, and was filled with not-so-glamorous people.

According to James Chance (of the bands Teenage Jesus and the Jerks/James Chance and the Contortions), “Straight people were trying to escape New York. The only people who wanted to come to New York were like freaks and crazy people.”

In 1978, Brian Eno (of Roxy Music) curated a compilation album titled No New York, a 16-track compilation of songs by the bands D.N.A, Mars, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, and James Chance and the Contortions. When the album was released, it introduced the world to an emerging music scene that was born out of the frustrations of dilapidated industrial slums in the Lower East Side.

The No Wave music movement was less of a pinned-down style or sound of music, and more of an unorthodox methodical approach to starting a band and playing music. The art-punk sound of the movement was less of a testament to the reinvention of sound with suspect professionalism or musicianship, than it was of curious
artists attempting to expand into a new medium, whether they were good or not. “Nobody was doing what they were good at,” remarks Lurie in the film. “The painters were in bands, the musicians were making films.”

Thus No Wave cinema was born.

It started as a sort of avantgarde approach for these artists and musicians to try their hand at something that was completely foreign to them. But for these artist-turned-filmmakers, they took that avant-garde approach and found a stylistic niche to create a movement. Above all else, these No Wave filmmakers valued the mood, raw texture, and lo-fi aesthetic of their films rather than trying to string together a coherent narrative or structure.

“Patti Astor” Photo by and courtesy of Maripol from Blank City.

The Rise of Nothing (and Everything)

Just as the music aspect of “no wave” grew to prominence in New York, No Wave Cinema followed along heartily. By the early 1980s, filmmakers like James Nares, Scott and Beth B, Eric Mitchell, Lydia Lunch, and Chance were regularly screening their work at the same venues that had helped to populate the corresponding music scene years earlier.

Venues like the famed CBGB’s and Max’s Kansas City became the breeding grounds for these budding auteurs. However, it was not until the opening of The New Cinema, a film space created by Nares and Mitchell of the Collaborative Projects collective (a grant-funded collaborative formed amongst artists, filmmakers, and musicians in New York in the late 1970s), that the full impact of No Wave Cinema came to fruition.

The space was more than a place where filmmakers would screen their latest pieces; it became a refuge and the central hub of the “no wave” scene. It was through the infamous screening parties at The New Cinema that “no wave” began to make a splash in the greater art world. Films like “Rome ‘78”, “King Blank,” “Black Box,” and “Underground U.S.A”. gained notoriety through their continual runs at The New Cinema. As the work of this movement began to receive mainstream attention through film reviews written by commercial media such as The Village Voice, The Washington Post, and Variety, the movement consequently fizzled out.

“No Wave 78” photo © GODLIS.

Some of the more radical filmmakers of the movement, such as Richard Kern, Lizzie Borden, and Zedd, continued to push the boundaries of the extreme, and their work soon developed into what is now known as “the cinema of transgression.”

“The cinema of transgression” developed in the wake of the demise of “No Wave Cinema.” By the time the movement had fizzled out in the mid 1980s, some of the movement’s filmmakers had pushed beyond the boundaries of conventional filmmaking to the point of gratuitous shock value and sadomasochism.

Few others, most notably Jarmusch, continued to work in the same fashion and brought “no wave” into mainstream attention with films such as Stranger Than Paradise (which won the coveted Camera d’Or at the 1984 Cannes Film Festival), Down By Law, Mystery Train, and Coffee and Cigarettes.

Debbie Harry in Amos Poe’s film Unmade Beds, featured in BLANK CITY.

Chronicling the Blank Movement

With Blank City, Danhier has perhaps created the most comprehensive and well-documented account of the notoriously underground “no wave” movement. The film employs a classic documentary approach to tackle its subject through the conventional use of talkingheads, erratically and stylistically intercut with splendid archival
footage. The result is a wholly enlightening, fascinating and informative film that sheds light on one of cinema’s most enigmatic and hard-boiled movements.

With her approach, Danhier paints an apt portrait of the bleak reality of New York City in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She does so in a way that romanticizes the derelict, drug-addled slums that were the backdrop for the inspiration of the “no wave” movement. Particularly effective is the number of open and candid interviews that Danhier found for the film.

Such reclusive stalwarts as Jarmusch, Chance, Lurie, Nares, and Amos Poe who were notorious for avoiding interviews, opened up candidly about the movement and provided for some of the film’s most vivid and amusing anecdotes. What Danhier has created is something remarkable. Blank City is more than a well-put-together documentary chronicling a moment in time. It is a love letter to a lost generation who lived in a fleeting but highly influential movement spearheaded by cinematic pioneers.

It is clear with Blank City that Danhier’s passion for her subject runs deep, as her film defines her role less as a director and more as a diligent and dogged cultural historian of No Wave cinema. Thus Blank City becomes less of a documentary and more of a visually comprehensive and highly detailed account of an innovative movement, and is sure to become the authoritative text on the subject.

Watch Blank City on Amazon here.

From the Archives: The Tribe of Life with Michael Rapaport and Phife Dawg

Matt Cohen — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 20:03:10 +0000

This article was printed in the Autumn Winter 2011 issue of Obsessed Magazine. Photos by Kate Reeder.

In Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest, famed actor Michael Rapaport dons the filmmaker hat for the first time as he explores the trials and tribulations of hip hop legends A Tribe Called Quest. Compiled from more than 100 hours of footage, the film is a moving, intimate, and wholly informative portrait of A Tribe Called Quest that chronicles their 20-year plus career with the utmost care and precision.

Born out of the streets of Queens, A Tribe Called Quest exploded onto the rising hip hop scene in New York during the mid-1980s. The Tribe, which consists of founding members Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jarobi White were an influential asset to the development of modern hip hop. Along with fellow artists De La Soul and the Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest was a central part of the Native Tongues Posse, a musical collective of hip hop artists whose music featured positive, good-natured lyrics and a distinct nod to the culture of their African heritage. With such classic tracks as “Left My Wallet in El Segundo,” “Bonita Applebum” and the iconic “Can I Kick It?”, A Tribe Called Quest created a unique and unprecedented legacy that has been a major influence on some of today’s biggest names in hip hop, and undoubtedly shaped the world of hip hop as we know it.

Photo: Kate Reeder

“For me, A Tribe Called Quest meant the same thing as the Beatles, Led Zeppelin or the Rolling Stones, so my goal was to treat them the same way those groups have been documented over the years,” Rapaport says about the idea for making his documentary. With Beats, Rhymes & Life, that esoteric passion is wholly apparent through Rapaport’s unique vision and precise and honest portrayal of the group. “I know that I made it for one reason and that’s because A Tribe Called Quest is my favorite group and I love their spirit and music.”

The film itself is part concert footage from their reunion at the 2008 Rock the Bells tour, part chronicling of the history of the group, and part “behind the music” featurette that explores the troubling dynamics among the groups members.

Rapaport offers some great in-depth interviews and personal access to the group’s founding members as they reunite for the first time since their 1998 break up.

What develops is a triumphant examination of the personal lives of Tribe and the conflicts within the group. Particularly moving is the creative tension between Q-Tip and Phife Dawg that eventually led to their 1998 breakup, and Phife’s life-long battle against diabetes, which led to the group’s re-formation, and makes for some of the film’s most emotionally charged moments.

Despite all the drama of the group, they all were able to put their differences aside and come together for their brother in peril and Rapaport poignantly captures those touching moments. Beats, Rhymes & Life is a fascinating and moving music documentary that will appeal to both hardcore Tribe fans, and to those new to the group.

Rapaport and Phife Dawg were kind enough to sit down with Meets Obsession and discuss the process of making the film, as well as some of the hardships and obstacles that went into making this labor of love.

Meets Obsession (MO) [To Michael Rapaport]: When did you decide you wanted to start directing films?

MR: I’ve had the curiosity and impulse to want to direct films for about the past ten years. With my career as an actor, I was around so many great directors, John Singleton, Spike Lee, Tony Scott, Woody Allen, and when you’re around them and you’re like “How do they do this?”, and there’s a love of filmmaking and curiosity about it. I’ve been talking about wanting to direct a movie, but unless you’re like Leonardo DiCaprio, or Jim Carrey, or a big, big star with lots of money, the only way to make the transition from actor to director is to just do it, you’re not going to get handed anything.

The idea [for this film] stuck with me… and I was working on a television show that I was not happy doing, but I was actually making a good, steady paycheck. It was a good paying job, but it was not fun to do, and I found that Tribe was going back on tour in 2008, and I asked them “Can we do [the film]?” Getting started was the easiest part, but it was being compelled that got me through it. Documentary filmmaking is a bloodbath; it’s not like making Avatar. It’s not even like making a small independent movie with a $500 budget. It’s no budget, it’s nuts and bolts, it’s nothing. We’re out walking through New York City carrying bags and cameras. It’s guerrilla, straight-up guerrilla filmmaking, but I love that part and it brings out the best in myself and the people around me.

MO: You’ve mentioned all the great directors you’ve worked with in your career, Spike Lee, Woody Allen, Tony Scott, John Singleton. Did working with them influence your directing style?

MR: It influenced my directing style in terms of the one thing all those guys share; they share a different, unique tone. Tony Scott’s very loud, he’s Australian, he’s smoking cigars, but he’s in control of the set. Woody Allen and Spike Lee are very similar; they’re real low-key, super quiet. Spike Lee’s a little feisty at times, he’s like a little general, but [the directors] and John Singleton, they’re in control. I worked on a movie with Nora Ephron, and one thing I learned from her is she would sometimes say, “I don’t know, but we’re going to figure it out.” Just being confident enough to do that and just coming in with a plan and applying it, those are the things that I learned from those directors.

MO [To Phife Dawg]: It’s such an expository and personal documentary, were there ever times when you felt you didn’t want the camera on you?

Phife: Absolutely, I got tired of that damn camera. But the one thing I liked about the process [of shooting the film] is just knowing that the director, he may not be Steven Spielberg yet, but the passion was definitely Scorcese-ish. He was adamant, he was passionate, he really wanted to get it done and make sure everybody’s eyebrows lift off their faces when they saw the film. That was his whole approach to it. So, I wasn’t going to be the weakest link in it by not supporting him and not giving him my best. Not like it’s a performance, it’s real, it’s a documentary, when I say giving him my best, I mean no-holds barred… and I just laid it on the line, as best as I could.

Photo: Kate Reeder

MO [To Phife Dawg]: This doc chronicles the whole history of the band, including the fallout between the [band], and your intense battle with diabetes. What’s the hardest part of the documentary for you to watch?

Phife: When I’m getting ready to go in for the operation. It had to be the hardest, definitely. That, as well as how I was looking before the operation. There are scenes where it’s like, ok, Phife is sick, obviously. Then there are scenes where he’s turned a corner, when we’re going to rehearsal, or Australia or Japan where it’s like, ok, Phife is back, which brings it full throttle, at least for myself.

MO [To Michael Rapaport]: With Beats, Rhymes, and Life, you demonstrated that you have a unique vision and style to filmmaking. Do you want to keep directing films?

MR: Yeah, I want to direct a narrative film. I’ve got a script I’m excited about, but we’re really nowhere with it yet. I haven’t really been able to truly focus on it. It’s something that I would like to get going by the end of the year.

MO: Is it something you wrote?

MR: No it’s something I read, very dark.

MO: What genre?

MR: Human, it’s dark, it’s very dark, but it’s poignant, and it deals with teenagers who are at the bottom of the bottom. But it’s told in a very interesting and fresh way. With the script, I liked how dark it gets, but how poignant it gets, and that balance.

MO: Does it remind you of anything? What kinds of films are similar?

MR: Boyz n the Hood meets A Clockwork Orange meets Kids, with a sprinkle of Natural Born Killers. It’s a really bizarre script, but I’m nowhere with it yet. One of the challenges for me personally for getting this movie made is, “Yeah, you made this documentary, but can you technically direct?” And I’m thinking, “Jesus Christ, you know how tiring making this thing was?” There’s no script, there’s no nothing. Give me a script and I’ll shoot a few takes, I’ll make it happen. But it’s my plight and I’ll find a way to get the [film] made.

The Evolution of the Celebrity Designer

Tiffany Frasier — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 06:13:50 +0000

It’s no secret that nearly every fashion house has a devoted celebrity following. It can be said that neither celebrity nor designer could exist without one another.

This reciprocal relationship most certainly benefits both parties, with designers getting their clothes seen by dressing famous names and celebrities receiving accolades for their trend-setting style.

But does having impeccable personal style or being dubbed the “red carpet star to watch,” translate into a clothing line? A celebrity may know how a fabric will look on camera or how a dress should fit at every angle to glide down a red carpet, but does that give him or her enough credibility to explore design opportunities? Does it provide the necessary knowledge about design techniques and quality?

The complicated relationship between designers and celebrities, and the evolution of the celebrity designer, has become a circus that many fashion devotees would pay big bucks for a front row seat.

The showdown has recently been chronicled in great detail by a fashion insider in a new book that gives a behind-the-scenes look at the rise of the celebrity designer.

The veteran Wall Street Journal fashion reporter, Teri Agins, investigates in the page-turner, “Hijacking the Runway,” how famous names have stolen the spotlight from fashion’s trained elite.

Agins pulls back the curtain on who gets paid to sit front row at a fashion show, celebrity designed fashion brands, and the lure of celebrity fragrances. The line between celebrity and fashion becomes even more blurred when discussing the amount that a famous name is involved in the line and why some celebrity clothing lines are a success and others fail.

The level of involvement that celebrities have in their fashion brands varies, with some designing the pieces themselves, and others simply inspiring the lines and lending their names. Over the years, we have witnessed that when the name of a celebrity is at the forefront of a collection, the design aesthetic can become the secondary factor for the brand.

Case in point, the epic failure of a celebrity-turned-designer can be identified as Lindsay Lohan. In 2009, Lohan served as an artistic advisor for the French fashion house Emanuel Ungaro at Paris Fashion Week. The collection featured ill-fitted blazers and fur stoles, overworked patterns, and offensive glittery heart-shaped pasties. The couture house’s founder, Emanuel Ungaro, bluntly referred to the collaboration as a “disaster.”

Kanye West then jumped on the bandwagon and accused Lohan of ruining the credibility of celebrity designers and called her “9/11 for celebrities doing fashion.” This is an ironic statement given that Mr. West’s foray into the fashion arena was met with criticism a few years later. In 2011, West’s fashion line’s debut at Paris Fashion Week created expectations that would be impossible to live up to, even for established and trained designers. Ultimately, the show was a disappointment.

West has vented his frustrations by the idea that a design degree and a hands-on approach is necessary to be taken seriously. But on the other hand, designers that have worked from the bottom up, having gone to design school and studied the craft for years are equally insulted by the notion that a celebrity can walk in and put their name on a collection and call themselves a fashion designer. For a struggling designer who doesn’t have the financial gain or following, it is a step backward for the industry to accept a famous name who doesn’t put in the same amount of time and effort. What is an up-and-coming designer to do when the competition is a hip-hop superstar who shares the same dream of conquering the fashion world?

The other question to ask is, despite all of the high fashion connections and opportunities handed to Kanye West, what made his collection fail while other famous names succeeded? According to Agins, the people who have succeeded have done so because designing is their one and only job.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen can be identified as being successful for trading their claim to fame for a lucrative fashion empire. The duo are heavily involved in the design process for their ready-to-wear collection, Elizabeth and James, and high-end line, The Row. By not fixing their names to the label, the Olsens have become more than celebrity designers, they have allowed their lines to prosper and be acknowledged for the quality of work.

Victoria Beckham shed her pop star image as member of the Spice Girls, and has brought her posh sensibility to the fashion industry with her self-titled ready-to-wear clothing line. Her collection won the Designer Brand of the Year at the 2011 British Fashion Awards. With a flagship store that has just opened in London, Beckham has developed a brand that emphasizes a high-end tailored impeccable style.

Both of these fashion lines have reached critical acclaim and financial success because the clothes have transcended the famous name making them. Victoria Beckham and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have created fashion brands that are not just based on fans.

While there are famous names that have penetrated that elitist wall of fashion and have been accepted and received credibility from the couture fashion gods, there are celebrities whose fashion lines don’t have the same cache but have been deemed a commercial success.

Singer-reality star-actress-turned-fashion designer Jessica Simpson has earned the name “Fashion’s Billion Dollar Baby,” thanks to her fashion brand. The collection includes handbags, shoes, and clothing that generates an estimated $1 billion in annual retail sales.

The Jessica Simpson Collection is no longer just a celebrity brand, it’s a brand. However great her business model has become, Ms. Simpson fills a commercial space that isn’t equivalent to the high fashion world.

The fashion industry has always been an unpredictable arena. With the popularity of street style, the democratization of social media, and consumers looking for style in places other than inside fashion’s tents and the red carpet, designers have much more to compete with than the celebrity designer.

Fashion has become crowded, and since it doesn’t seem that the celebrity designer will disappear anytime soon, fashion designers have had to enter the stage to steal back their spotlight. Fashion designers once fought each other for big names to wear their clothes. Now, designers have become celebrities in their own right, creating personas that consumers connect with.

Fashion has come full circle from high fashion brands like Chanel and Dior telling women how to dress, to celebrities using their fame to endorse brands and establish their own lines, and now in-demand designers like Tory Burch, Vera Wang, and Michael Kors using their celebrity to cement themselves as big brands.

Fashion has such a personal and emotional connection with consumers, that whether it is a trained fashion professional or a red carpet regular trying to get their foot in the door, brands need to focus on the bottom line: designing quality clothes.

Howling with LOLAWOLF

Tricia Callahan — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 04:15:36 +0000

Howling and stepping out of the shadow of her father, Lenny Kravitz, is daughter Zoë Kravitz, who is not only gaining recognition as an accomplished actress (“Divergent,” “X-Men,” “DOPE”) but also for her independent music project, LOLAWOLF, the 3-piece electronic pop band that’s among this year’s list of bands to watch.

New York-based LOLAWOLF consists of Zoë, Jimmy Giannopoulos, and James Levy, who only started playing music a few months ago and already they are making major headway.

Their latest self-released album, “Stay Calm” houses syrup-toned vocals that flare with island sriracha tapering with loose-ended lyrics. Jimmy and James (both also members of Reputante) bring the electronic musical sharpness that hits like a wall of tribal bones while bouncing with delicious 80’s synth.

We caught up with Zoë, Jimmy and James to talk about their new album, “Stay Calm,” their experiences touring with A$AP Rocky and who they think is a bad ass motherfucker.

Your latest track release, “AYO,” bumps with vivacious intensity. Was there anything in particular that inspired the musicality of the track or is it something listeners should be expecting throughout the album?

Recording in the Bahamas influenced the sound of that song and a lot of the other songs on the album. The setting brought out some tribal and playful elements for us.

The video for “AYO” was directed and shot by Trouble Andrew, what was it like to work with him?

Really fun. His work is raw and honest and he is a bad ass motherfucker.

With your latest album, “Calm Down,” dropping October 21, what are you most excited about?

The fact that our debut album is coming out! We’ve been playing these songs live for most of the year, so we’re excited to have a record out that’s representative of our sound.

Is there a particular track that you can’t wait for fans to hear or are you just ready to get on the road and start touring?

We’re excited to tour. We just finished 12 dates with Lily Allen, who is just amazing. Then we are going to Australia for some dates with Miley Cyrus and come back and play some shows with Warpaint.

How will the LP differ from the previous 5 track EP release? Or does the vibe remain pretty consistent?

The new LP has a different vibe from the EP in that it’s got more of a hip-hop production style and R&B vibe.

With all the amazing musical connections you’ve made, such as touring with Miley Cyrus and Lily Allen, and having A$AP featured in one of your tracks, what were some hilarious or standout moments?

The whole experience is just awesome–working with people you respect, developing friendships with them.

Some of your newer tracks seem to have heavy hip-hop and Jamaican influences. What particular artists have had an influence on your sound and direction you wanted to go in?

TLC, Aaliyah, Salt-N-Pepa, Ginuwine, Dr. Dre, A$AP Rocky.

What are the reasons you make music? Is it a personal form of expression or is there a bigger message you hope to get across?

It’s about personal expression both lyrically and musically.

How did you guys meet originally and decide to start playing music together?

We’re all friends from Brooklyn. We initially got together for fun to make some music and things just developed, so we’ve kept going.

Uncloaking the Coven: Wiccans and Spiritualists

Sarah Marloff — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 03:10:40 +0000

Witch, Wiccan, witchcraft: three words that resonate strongly with anyone who hasn’t lived under a rock for the last 50 years. From “Bewitched” to “American Horror Story: Coven,” most of us can generate a pretty clear picture of what a “witch” looks like. Thanks to Hollywood’s longstanding love affair with the supernatural, today’s culture is quite possibly more enchanted by, well, enchantment.

However, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Modern culture’s obsession with the supernatural has simultaneously left us a bit more skeptical of the otherworldly. Maybe it’s because so much of what we see is exaggerated, but, to many, the idea of a real life “witch” is something to scoff at.

Yet witchcraft is alive and well in America. Now, before you get all Salem Witch Trial, trust that those who practice look less like the ‘90s goth witch a la Fairuza Balk, or Alyssa Milano’s “Charmed” premonitions. In reality, modern day wizardry looks a bit more like spirituality.

“It’s about trusting in the universe, and trusting that everything happens for a reason,” says Alexandra Warren. At 19 and a sophomore in college, Warren has considered herself a Spiritualist since she was a senior in high school. “We believe that the energies we have are deeper than our surfaces, and that we don’t just go away after we die. Instead, that energy just shifts.”

A daughter of a Jamaican father and a French mother, Warren credits her parents for establishing the root system of her beliefs. Before becoming a lawyer, her mother spent years practicing to become a medium—someone who can tune into people’s energy in order to offer insight into their state of being.

Though she never felt Spiritualism was forced upon her, Warren acknowledges that she’s been involved with it her entire life. “As my sister and I got older, we got more and more curious and more and more into it. It’s almost like a hippy’s take on Christianity.”

Conveniently, very near to Warren’s hometown is Lily Dale. Located in upstate New York, this seemingly magical township houses a spattering of registered mediums, and a general safe space for Spiritualists to practice, take solace, and further their knowledge with daily lectures and demonstrations.

However, meeting with mediums—like a modern day confessional—is just part of how Warren practices. “I believe in the Boomerang Affect,” she says. “Meaning, what you put out, you get back. In my practice, I try to give what I want to receive.” As a physical reminder, Warren keeps a personal altar. On it, she places only things with personal significance and meaning, including candles and her favorite flowers, orchids, which have a calming effect on the college student.

Despite her belief in both mediums and pantheism, Warren points out that she does not self-identify as a Wiccan. More to do with spells and magic, the practice of Wiccanism goes one step further than Spirituality. Or, as Warren explains, “A Wiccan is to an Orthodox Catholic what Spirituality is to a modern Methodist.”

Like most things having to do with the soul, witchcraft offers no clear and precise definition. Unlike Christianity, there is no single catchall term to define those who practice. However, the belief and extent of magic used does seem to generate a clear divide amongst believers.

Unlike Warren, Lee (who asked to only be referred to by first name) unquestionably, considers himself a witch. With family origins stemming back to Haiti, his father in New Orleans, and growing up in Paris with his mother, sorcery seems to run in his blood. And though he knows his ancestors were devoted to the practice of voodoo, Lee has taken on a self-taught approach to witchcraft.

“Our family’s magic doesn’t come from a light place,” Lee’s father explained to him, after Lee came out as a witch. With that knowledge, and subsequent fear of releasing negative energy into the world, Lee has focused his craft on white magic. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be selfless, but it is a give and take. Whatever you ask for, you have to give something in return. Being able to harness these energies for good or evil is what makes you a witch.”

But Lee’s magic isn’t about super powers—“that’s Hollywood,” he says. Instead, he describes his practice as “simplistic.” Like Warren, he too has an altar, adorned with candles and crystals, which he believes houses his energy. Rather than casting spells, he offers “prayers” by lighting candles and releasing good energy—“things I want for me and others”—into the world.

Lee’s foray into the world of the supernatural began with a deck of Tarot cards, gifted to him by his aunt. A self-described “forgetful” person, Lee mastered the deck in record time—memorizing the cards’ multitude of meanings in less than a month’s time. Several years later, friends often say his readings are eerily precise.

“I can’t predict the future—I’m not that gifted—but I have this connection to the universe that lets me see the path the people are on, and let them know. Once people are aware of their path, they can move appropriately.” Aside from Tarot, Lee is more likely to read about witchcraft from a historical perspective rather than casting spells. But the possibility of danger only enters when those spells are centered on selfish desires. “Dark magic is used for your direct benefit. It’s not helping anyone else, and you’re not willing to give anything in return,” explains Lee. “But something is drawing from that energy, and it’s really detrimental to your soul.”

Whether it’s witchcraft or karma, it’s hard to argue with the idea that putting out negative energy only produces more negative energy. Isn’t that why even something as small as sitting in traffic can have an adverse effect on an entire day? “You can call it witchcraft, a knack for predicting humans, or a mechanism, but it’s something that I believe is very real,” Lee sums up, referencing the “subtle” changes he’s been privy to witnessing.

“Recently, I asked this Higher Power for professional success,” says Lee, offering an example. “I did a ritual where I sacrificed my vanity. I stopped myself from letting my vanity control me, and two weeks later I got an amazing job opportunity.”

While both Lee and Warren are somewhat private about their beliefs and their practice, they acknowledge the existence of real life covens. Similar to a church congregation, in neo-pagan culture, a coven is simply a community of witches. Such groups intrigue Lee, who says he’d love to be part of a coven. “It’s a bunch of people who share the same mindset. I feel like—if I had a group of likeminded people—I’d be able to do more and explore more of witchcraft.”

Even if a coven would allow Lee, and all solo practicing witches, a chance to dig deeper into their gifts, it wouldn’t look like the movies. “Shows like “American Horror Story” and “Charmed” have given [paganism] a Hollywood approach. No one wants to make a movie about how I practice witchcraft,” jokes Lee.

With a skeptical lens on Hollywood, Warren blames horror movies for making people afraid of non-traditional belief structures. “Spirituality doesn’t believe in negative energy, at least not the way it’s represented in movies like “The Conjuring”. It can’t be transferred like that,” she explains, noting that some of her friends are scared to get readings from her mother. “The media has turned Wiccanism into something to be feared.”

Like any other religion—organized or not—witchcraft, paganism, and spiritualty look different on everyone. And how far one goes is up to the individual. “I don’t draw stars or make sacrifices,” says Lee. “It’s like how some people go to church and pray; I’m getting in touch with something that’s intangible and it’s a really spiritual experience for me. Life can be so harsh sometimes, that—even if it is total bullshit—it helps make sense of it all.”

“I don’t want to live in a world where we cope through our iPhones and don’t search ourselves for how we’re feeling,” Lee continues. For him, witchcraft is not only a way of healing and hoping for good things; it’s also a means for self-exploration. The practice pushes him to look deeper into himself to discover new personal depths.

Spirituality provides Warren that same comfort. Like therapists or pastors, mediums offer reassurance about life’s hardships. “There’s lots of similarities [between Spirituality] and any and all religions,” says Warren. “Everyone finds themselves in different ways. Mainstream culture needs to start accepting that.”

While witchcraft may be a bit more mundane than pop culture would have us believe, it’s anything but boring. Traces of magic and unexplainably meaningful connections can be found all around us. Just remember, “Magic is only as powerful as you let it be.”

Soul Meets Body

Obsessed Webitorials — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 06:08:10 +0000

Photographer

Blake Ballard

Model

Brian Scott
Chosen Model Management

MUA/HAIR

Sarah Biggers

Fashion Editor

Blaire Ballard

Wardrobe Credits

Black Denim and Fur Aviator Trapper Hat: Stylist’s Own
Faux Rabbit Fur Poncho: Redfish Designs
Palm Tree Short Sleeve Button Up: Woolf
Rose Jersey Tank: Classy Brand

Making a Case for Spring Footwear: Blocks, Mules and Slides

Katherine Lutes — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:00:00 +0000

No outfit is ever complete without shoes. Flats, heels, wedges or boots — they can be a simple accessory or become your statement piece of the day. Each new season brings with it new shoe trends, and this spring, stores are bursting with trendy and daring pieces of art for you to rock on your feet. Here are our hottest shoe styles for spring:

Lace Up Flats

This trend takes the ballerina flat to a whole new level. With laces criss crossing up the middle and sometimes around the ankle, they will have you feeling like a gorgeous dancer. They are very practical and will never fall off your feet, but they also pair well with almost any outfit — from skinny jeans to a skater skirt.

Ankle Straps

Keeping with the ballet look, the simple ankle strap is big this season. You will often find it at the very tip of a pair of flats or a chunky heeled shoe as a simple accent to finish off the look. Or you may find a statement shoe with a thick ankle strap or even two. Of course, you can hide the strap underneath a pair of trousers, but it looks best when worn with a dress or skirt, showcasing it’s beauty.

Slides

This season’s flip flop. The slider sandal has no uncomfortable piece of rubber in between your toe, instead you simply slide on and go. You can find this shoe trend in many stores and all over the internet. From simple rubber and black to more glamorous leather and metallics, you are sure to see a wide range of these shoes worn around during the summer.

Mule Heels

Making a comeback from decades past, the mule has been seen on celebrities everywhere. They’re most popular in neutral tones, but make a real statement in a bright colour. Whether peep toes or closed and pointy, this shoe is comfortable and fashion-forward.

Block Heel

Put aside the stilettos and wedges of other seasons, this spring and summer are all about the block heel. For ladies who are not a fan of heels, or feel as though they may fall over, this style is perfect. It’s sturdy and comes in many heights. Rock a block heel this season and you’ll be turning heads!

Slip on Sneakers

Who ever said fashion and comfort don’t mix?! With a pair of this season’s slip on sneakers, you’ll be on your feet for hours and look like you’ve stepped right off the runway. Go for a more versatile pair in all black, or be daring by sporting a pair of pony hair leopard print. There’s a style and a colour out there for everyone. Even men

By strutting your stuff in one or all of these new shoe trends, you will not only look great, but feel great too. Sturdy heels and flat shoes are taking over, so let this season be the one where you take the leap and try out a new trend!

Pore People Problems: Get Clearer, Smoother Skin

Sara Luse — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 17:40:00 +0000

It seems like whenever we really want our skin to look good, we break out. It may as well be scientific fact (Murphy’s Law is such a dick). If you’re like me and you’d like clearer skin (aka you’re a human), then equip yourself with the proper weapons for a pretty complexion:

1. Cleanser

You need a face wash that’s right for your skin, or else you’ll be throwing the balance off and your acne will actually be worse. Pick one that’s made for your skin type. If your skin is sensitive, never give your face a “one size fits all” cleanser. For acne prone skin, I’m a die hard fan of Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Oil Free Acne Wash. It’s an infallible drugstore option. Also– don’t over-wash your face. It’ll make things worse. Again, problematic skin needs balance.

2. Spot Treatments

To target specific breakouts, spot treatments do wonders. Iconic options include Mario Badescu Drying Lotion and Origins Spot Remover Anti Blemish Treatment Gel. Apply some to the blemish before bed a few times a week to speed up the drying and healing process.

3. Moisturizer

Unless you have seriously dry skin and small pores, go for an oil-free moisturizer. Oil in our beauty products clogs pores extremely easily, giving us blackheads and bumpy skin. Another term for oil-free is “non-comedogenic,” AKA it doesn’t clog pores, so look for that on the packaging. Two great oil-free options are Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer and Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. Both these options make your skin feel really soft. Side note– just because your skin is oily, doesn’t mean you don’t need to moisturize!

4. Masks

If you want skin that’s clearer and super smooth, use face masks. There are so many different types of masks for whatever your skin needs at the moment. If you don’t have a lot of time and your skin is acne prone, try Clinique Acne Solutions Oil Control Cleansing Mask. It only stays on for 5 minutes, so it’s a quick (and effective!) fix for breakouts. Alternate masks for acne with moisturizing ones, to keep you from drying out your skin. Glam Glow Thirsty Mud is a great moisturizing mask for all skin types. It makes your complexion look awesome.

5. Exfoliating

Are you exfoliating? If not, start right the F now. Especially if you’re in your late twenties, when your skin’s natural exfoliating process starts tanking. Exfoliating your skin removes dead skin cells and oil build up, preventing blackheads and large pores. It also makes your skin feel incredible, look glowier and your makeup will go on way smoother. One of my favorites is the Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant. It’s a rice-based grainy powder that you mix with water to form a paste, then you scrub your face with it. It kind of makes me feel like a scientist.

FILM: The Big Deal About “The Salt of The Earth”

Israel Daramola — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 12:00:00 +0000

THE WHO

Wim Wenders, Sebastiao Salgado, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado

THE WHAT:

A look into the life and career of photographer Sebastiao Salgado.

THE BIG DEAL:

“The Salt of the Earth” is a glacially paced exploration of the man behind the photos of Earth. Salgado captures the lives of the poor and natives of countries that go largely ignored. Salgado has also been a prominent photographer of nature and landscape, finding the beauty in parts of the Earth that resemble the beginning of time on the planet.

The filmmakers (one of which is Salgado’s son Juliano) try their best to find the raw beauty of the man who’s spent a living pointing his lens on untapped parts of the world. The documentary is most interesting when it follows Salgado on his photography trips; but when it recounts the history of the photographer it loses a lot of steam.

The film turns into a time-killing educational seminar rather than a captivating story about a man who has lead an amazing life too often and staring at photos over warm, somber voices doesn’t make for the most enticing feature.

However, Salgado is a fascinating figure who has led a life worried more about being connected to nature than to anything else. At times, you’re curious, when it comes to tragedies like Rwanda and malnutrition in Ethiopia: what the excessive force on the horrors are in service to and whether or not the context of Salgado talking about photographing the tragedy feels completely appropriate. In the end, one thing is certain, Salgado did want to educate people about what was happening and as a photographer, the only way for him to do so was to portray it for what it is.

THE GRADE: C+

Tickets & Showtimes | Movie Trailer | Official Website

The Salt of the Earth opens today in select theaters.

A Gender-Neutral Shopping Experience in Selfridges’s Agender Project

Meets Obsession — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 19:28:06 +0000

In social media and on the fashion week runways, gender has almost certainly been the topic of conversation for the last few years. Sweden just added “hen,” a gender-neutral pronoun, to their dictionary, and the call for gender-neutral bathrooms are a daily trending topic among gender activists.

Adding to the gender narrative is Selfridges, a retailer that just launched a project called Agender.

Dubbed as “a celebration of fashion without definition,” the Agender project offers consumers a “unique genderless shopping experience” by concentrating solely on unisex lines, available both in the brick-and-mortar store as well as online.

The Agender project includes a concept space devised by designer Faye Toogood, a campaign video by Kathryn Ferguson & Alex Turvey featuring an exclusive soundtrack by Devonté Hynes, and striking campaign images of models dressed in Ann Demeulemeester, Comme des Garçons, Meadham Kirchoff, Gareth Pugh, and Nicola Formichetti’s Nicopanda, among others.

You can shop Agender here until the end of April.

Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley Launch New Hillier Bartley Brand

Meets Obsession — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 18:47:26 +0000

It was just two weeks ago when it was announced that Marc by Marc Jacobs would cease to exist and would instead be diffused into the Marc Jacobs brand. At the time of the announcement, it was unclear if MBMJ Creative Director Katie Hillier and Design Director Luella Bartley would follow suit and move to work under Marc Jacobs… that is, until now.

Meet Hillier Bartley, a new luxury brand created by the former Marc by Marc Jacobs design duo. According to sources, the brand, which just launched this week, is comprised of ready-to-wear apparel, bags and accessories, and will be available at select retailers starting in August.

Will Hillier Bartley be major competition for Marc Jacobs? We’re not sure. But what we do know is Hillier will remain involved with the Marc Jacobs brand in some capacity. Double win!

Beauty Watch: Best Beauty Looks From”Empire,” DIY Festival-Style Braids, Zoolander Poses for Valentino, and More

Susan Linney — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 18:35:13 +0000

Sephora launches new mobile contouring app. (Via WWD.com)

Sexy festival-style braids and how to create them. (Via Allure.com)

The best beauty looks from the first season of Empire. (Via Yahoo! Beauty)

Miss Universe Japan Comes Under Fire For Being Biracial (Via PopSugar)

Peep some awesome pics from Zoolander’s FW shoot for Valentino. (Via Style.com)

Work it Out: Seven Versatile Pieces You Can Wear In (and Out of) the Gym

Katherine Lutes — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 16:00:00 +0000

There is no greater time-suck than having to change your outfit before leaving the gym in fear of subjecting the outside world with the sight of your tattered t-shirt and ill-fitting basketball shorts. Oh yeah, and there is also that lumpy sack we call a gym bag. Well, friends, our embarrassing gym moments (always in front of gorgeous, buff guys, of course) have finally come to an end. Clothing companies are now producing workout gear you want other people to see see you in. Check out these seven #hot workout items you can rock around the clock.

COLORFUL LEGGINGS

Leggings have truly taken our world by storm. From leather to fleece-lined, these classic pieces are available in just about any colour, length or material imaginable. Their stretch and comfort makes them a great piece of workout gear. But toss those black, tattered ones and spice up your workout with a brightly coloured or patterned pair. Many brands are offering stripes, florals and neons to make your workout a bit more exciting. Now you have no excuse to wear those grungy sweatpants. Strut to the gym in a cute pair of leggings and you’ll be sure to turn some heads.

SCUBA HOODIE

Lululemon has always been known for their comfortable, long lasting and aesthetically pleasing workout gear. Their clothes are versatile and look hot on everyone. One of their most popular (and coziest!) pieces is the Scuba Hoodie. This layering piece is as comfortable as any boyfriend’s XXL hoodie, but it is the shape and unique colours that set the Scuba Hoodie apart. Just throw it on after your workout and head to the nearest market for a snack. No one will know you just sweated out the amount of a small pond.

CUTE SPORTS BRA

Probably the most important part of workout gear is the magical sports bra. Seriously, no one wants to see that bounce. Many girls use them underneath tank tops while others, the very confident others, wear their sports bras alone. Whatever your preference, it is important to still look and feel your best. This means even your sports bra should sport a cool design (pun intended) and come in fun colours. Try out different straps, pick one that is two toned or go for a fun pattern that will peak out under your tank. That way, every part of you will feel pretty and ready to get fit.

CROP TOP

Just like leggings, crop tops are everywhere. There is no better way to feel relevant in and out of the gym then by pulling on one of the most talked about pieces of the last few years. Of course, if you’re planning on wearing it in the gym, stay away from cotton and opt for one that absorbs sweat, like the ones available at Free People. That way, you’ll look runway ready and still free to do a lunge or ten.

DETAILED GYM BAG

Put down the book bag. Throw away the plastic shopping bag. And invest in a gym bag, people! Make sure it is big enough for all of your gear, yet maintains the shape of a handbag. Choosing a style with leather straps or metal detailing will make it look less like a workout bag and more like a designer purse.

TURBAN HEADBAND

The worst feeling is catching a glimpse of yourself after a workout and realizing your hair resembles a bird’s nest. In this moment, there is very little to do other than throwing it up in a ponytail and hoping for the best. Thankfully, there is another option now: the turban headband. These headbands can be worn during the workout to keep your hair away from your face, or thrown on afterwards to make the best out of a sticky situation. Choose your favourite colour or pattern to draw people’s eyes towards the turban instead of your sweaty roots.

FITBIT ACCESSORIES

The Fitbit is an amazing new piece of technology that tracks your fitness and food intake. It is a great way to visualize your progress while working toward your set goals. Previously, these bulky plastic accessories were not exactly fashion forward. Recently, however, Designer brands such as Tory Burch have taken the plunge and created stunning pieces to accessorize your Fitbit. You will want to wear these pieces everywhere!

Going to the gym is a great thing for both your mind and your body, so every woman should feel beautiful and empowered during and after her workout. With these pieces, you will not only look fabulous, but you will feel it too. No longer do you have to rush from the gym to the car for fear of being seen, you can stop and run some errands on the way home with confidence.

District Diversions: Cherry Blasting, Art In 3-D, Happy Hour With “Daria” and More

Lizzy Amato — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 15:15:24 +0000

We’ve got you totally covered with a list of all the dope events you’ll actually WANT to go to. Ahead, everything you should ditch those other plans for.

SMITHSONIANat8 Party: LA GRANDE FETE

March 27
La Maison Francaise

Why You Should Go: The Francophonie Cultural Festival will go out with a bang with this fancy fete. There will be food and drink samples from over 30 embassies, not to mention some very sexy French accents! Oui, Oui. Details.

Cherry Blast

March 27
Blind Whino SW Arts Club

Why You Should Go: Cherry Blast is a thrill for the senses: a stunning combination of music, dancing and cherry blossom-inspired art with a prairie-meets-Echostage vibe. Details.

Don’t Block The Box Comedy Show

March 27
Wonderland Ballroom

Why You Should Go: Come out to the Wonderland Ballroom for a night of laughs, dancing and alcohol. I dare you to think of a better night. See, you can’t. Details.

Phillips after 5: Art in 3 Dimensions

April 2
The Phillips Collection

Why You Should Go: This fascinating exhibit inspired by Man Ray’s repurposing of objects will blow you away. What’s even cooler? You can test out the 3D art yourself. Details.

Sick Sad World Happy Hour

March 28
Black Cat DC

Why You Should Go: Venture to hipster town– AKA The Black Cat— to relive the 90s with showings of the television series “Daria,” along with discounted drinks and cool vibes. Details.

The End of the Line for Marc by Marc Jacobs

Meets Obsession — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 19:05:27 +0000

Although the rumors have been swirling around for the last few weeks, WWD broke news today that the Marc by Marc Jacobs diffusion line, currently designed since 2013 by creative director Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley, will be discontinued.

The MBMJ line will fold into Marc Jacobs’ main collection, and according to WWD, it will “encompass a range of merchandise and price points currently divided between the two lines, from luxury to contemporary.”

It has not yet been confirmed if Hillier and Bartley will make a move to the Marc Jacobs creative team.

Though we’re sad to see the end of this line, we think this might be a smart step for the Jacobs’ brand. While Marc by Marc Jacobs may no longer exist, the silver lining is that they’ll able to keep their creative vision under one umbrella and will still offer the best of both worlds.

5 Tricks to Make Your Makeup Last Longer

Sara Luse — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 18:11:54 +0000

There’s nothing worse than looking in the mirror and immediately hating everyone you’ve been around all day because you’re thinking, “why the hell did no one tell me my face looked like this?” as you wipe away the eyeliner that has run down to your clavicle.

Thankfully, we’ve got a few beauty tricks to help your makeup last longer and stay in place all day or night:

Primer

A painter never paints a canvas without priming it first, and the same rule applies to your foundation and concealer. Primer acts as a base so your makeup can go on smoothly and adhere to the skin better, thus lasting longer. Smashbox makes a primer for just about every skin type or problem.

Makeup Setting Sprays

Tons of makeup artists swear by setting sprays like Model in a Bottle or Urban Decay All Nighter. These act as a sealant for your makeup (just like sealant for a painting– noticing a trend here??) and lock it in place, so it won’t smudge or settle into fine lines. It’s kind of like hair spray for your face. Urban Decay’s has temperature control technology that actually lowers the temperature of your makeup to resist heat and humidity. I know, right?

Using Both Liquids/Creams and Powders

Something I’ve noticed that makeup artists do to keep their clients looking perfect for hours– even without setting sprays–is layering different formulas. For instance, to keep contour and highlight looking fierce, apply cream bronzer and highlight first. Then, apply powders in matching shades on top. The powders will then sink into the creams and lock them in, making your face pretty resilient. Anastasia Beverly Hills sells both cream and powder contour kits. The same goes for runny eyeliner on your bottom lids. Always put some matching shadow at the lash line to create a barrier so the liner doesn’t melt down under your eyes.

Setting Powder

You don’t need to buy a foundation that boasts hours and hours of wear. Setting powders can do a lot for keeping oil at bay, and making your foundation last long. Some of the best and most used powders by professionals are Makeup Forever HD Setting Powder and Ben Nye Luxury Powders. Dab or pat the powder onto your skin– don’t swipe it. This ensures that you won’t displace your makeup in the process and you’ll get better, longer-lasting results this way.

Always Use Concealer and Lip Liner

Muting out your lips with some foundation/concealer before applying lip color not only gives you the truest color of the lipstick, (without your natural lip color interfering) but also will prevent feathering. The next step is lip liner. Lip liner is essential when using darker lip colors– especially reds. Clean edges are the key to a flawless red lip. Additionally, you can clean up the edges even further with concealer just outside your lip line. MAC and NYX lip liners come in endless colors to match whatever shade you’re going for.

Seeing Spring Through Rose-Colored Sunnies

Meets Obsession — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 20:22:10 +0000

If you live on the East Coast, the weather has probably been more gloomy than glorious. Like us, you’ve probably been wishing this brutal weather away.

Gloom no more, darlings, because spring will soon return (cue screams of uncontrollable joy).

But with winter comes the absence of sun. Remember that yellow ray of light in the sky that used to shine so brightly and affect our moods? Yeah, we can hardly remember either, but we do know that at least spring will guarantee many more days of sun than our never-seeming-to end winter.

For all of you early preppers, you’ll need some chic sunnies to get you through this upcoming spring. Start shopping now with these on-trend, editor-approved picks that will have you, quite literally, seeing through rose-colored glasses.

Sure, we have a few more days left in winter, but that doesn’t mean we can’t dream (and shop) for spring and summer.

Watch Chloe Sevigny and Liv Tyler in Proenza Schouler’s Beautifully Shot Fashion Video

Meets Obsession — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 18:47:20 +0000

Dynamic fashion duo Proenza Schouler just released a gorgeous short film that highlights their spring 2015 collection. In the video titled, “Legs Are Not Doors” we witness eternally cool girls, actresses Chloe Sevigny and a very pregnant Liv Tyler, as well as models Fei Fei Sun, Laura Love, Liya Kebede, among others, talking abstractly about ocean water, being a woman, pondering colors and having salty tastes in their mouths.

Dig a bit deeper and you may find the subtle sexual undertones and what this film is actually about (there are many visual clues along the way).

Directed by Harley Weir, “Legs Are Not Doors,” is certainly rich in texture with fast-moving, alternating clips that reveal teasing images of Proenza Schouler’s collection of houndstooth and geometric square prints, knits and, of course, snakeskin and perforated leather.

With a vintage feel to the quality, the video is beautifully shot and worth a watch.

How to Revamp Last Year’s Spring Wardrobe with Perfect Pairings

Katherine Lutes — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 17:45:00 +0000

Spring is upon us! Which means warm sun, blooming flowers and of course…a new wardrobe! But, what do you do with all of those beautiful pieces you purchased last year that are no longer “trending”? You revamp them! By adding a new piece, one that may already be in your wardrobe, you can create a beautiful and trendy outfit for spring.

If you own wide leg pants…

Add a yellow top.

According to the the models gracing the spring/summer runways, yellow is going to be a huge colour this season and adding a simple top will go a long way. When paired with last year’s wide leg pants, you’ll have yourself a sunny and sophisticated pair.

If you own a black or white tea length skirt…

Add the opposing colour.

Black and white is another trend we’ve been spotting in abundance on the runway. This monochrome look is not only great for all figures, but can be worn on all occasions as well. When using last year’s midi skirt, you can spice up an old trend with a new palette.

If you own a floral shirt…

Add some culottes.

Celebrities, models and fashionistas everywhere are jumping into a pair of culottes and rocking them like nobody’s business. These wide-legged, midi length trousers can go from day-to-night and look stunning when paired with a floral pattern. Combine last year’s print with this year’s hottest item and you’ll look like a million dollars.

If you own statement jewelry…

Add a shirtdress.

There’s no better way to liven up a simple shirtdress than with a bold piece of statement jewelry. Choose colour for daytime and at night, add a touch of sparkle to make sure that the shirtdress trend is taken to the next level.

If you own a lace top…

Add military green bottoms.

As seen on “Project Runway All Stars” Season 3, military and lace are a great pairing. Designer Christopher created an army green trench with a lace overlay that was nothing short of amazing. The good news is it doesn’t have to be that complicated to pull this look off. A simple lace top paired with military inspired pants is a great way to look trendy and fabulous without trying too hard.

If you own bold coloured lipstick…

Add all white.

Another colour trend seen on the runways is head-to-toe white. A completely white outfit would look stunning with a bright, bold lip. Go with a classic red for a sultry look, spice it up with a pink or be daring by wearing purple. This is a great way to draw the attention towards your face and let your natural features stand out.

A new season does not mean a whole new wardrobe. Instead, it is about using what you’ve got and incorporating new pieces in order to reflect this season’s trends. Have fun with it and always remember to stay true to yourself and your own style.