Spring Fashion Trends!!!!

The Angst-y guide to Spring 2008 trends- here you'll find all the hottest trends for this season and my assessment of them.

Global- want to look like a world traveler without, you know, ACTUALLY travelling to those horrible places that require you to get malaria shots? This trend is for you. OK, so I sound a little harsh but I actually like this look. It's like urban warrior in a way- and lord knows I'm definitely an urban girl. Suburbanites need not apply. Do not mistake this for a carte blanche to douse yourself in animal prints- a little goes a long way. Pick one and stick with it. I'm a big fan of accessories like a leopard print scarf or zebra shoe. You can wear a nice khaki shirt dress with some super-high wedges and wooden jewelry for a nice take on the trend. (Dress, Topshop...soon available in the US!!)

Color- let's face it, my wardrobe needs a shot of color. I've put a ban on purchasing anything black for a while since my closet started to resemble a big black blob. Anything bright will do: pink, blue, green, orange, yellow. This is a nice departure from those horrid pastels that are so ubiquitous in the springtime. I fucking hate pastels...I ain't trying to look like the easter bunny. I like a bright dress, for example, with muted shoes. It's a nice look for going out.(MARC by Marc Jacobs Cashmere Colorblock dress: $368.00)

Gladiator Sandals- love, love, love. There's nary a shoe I met that I didn't like. I think Old Navy makes some super cute ones for like 20 bucks. They come in either flats or heels and a variety of colors so they'd work for any occassion. Perfection! (these are from Old Navy, on sale for $16.50)Word to the wise tho, do not try this if you've got short legs since the straps will just break the vertical line.

Bandage Dresses- you know, Herve Leger. Meh, no thanks...I'm not gonna stuff myself into a sausage casing anytime soon. Rihanna rocks it tho.

Star Prints- Miss Moss is again responsible for starting up a fashion trend. I think this trend is really cute and works well with dresses and tshirts. Gotta have the attitude to match! (Star Print Silk Dress at Intermixonline.com: $285.00)

Wide-Legged Jeans- I have to admit that I'm a fan of this look on other people but can't work it to save my life. When done right it looks amazing but I've seen too many cute girls fall victim of the too short wide legged pant. Ugh, it's NOT pretty. Best leave this to the hipless set.

Music To My Ears

My taste in music has been described as "eclectic." It's true, I listen to just about everything with the exception of country which I just cannot stand. If I hear anything about tractors and other farm machinery I might puke. So with that one genre aside, everything else is pretty much fair game. I used to be very much a music snob, especially in those oh-so-difficult teenage years when my affiliation with a particular musical style meant everything. It was a time when I had to prove my moral and intellectual superiority by shunning anything that was too "pop-py." Hence...my musical exploits were limited to classic rock, hard rock, and alternative. Pretty narrow, huh?

Well, since then I am proud to say that I've evolved as a person and no longer feel ashamed to say that I fucking love Justin Timberlake and occasionally groove along to some old school Britney. In addition, I've branched out into more experimental type music and genre-mixing bands. Yeah, I'm secure enough with my "coolness" to realize that my liking Rihanna and Beyonce doesn't take any of it away from me.

So in the grand old tradition of list-making, here's a small list of artists currently on my ipod. You should check them out because I say so and I know what the fuck I'm talking about :)


Brazilian Girls- not Brazilian, and only 25% female. They mix quadri-lingual lyrics and funky, catchy beats. NPR favorites.
Download: "Jique," "Pussy," "Talk To The Bomb"


Orion Experience- New York City based indie pop group. They are "better than cocaine" (thnx Perez)
Download: "Obsessed With You"

Lupe Fiasco- representin Chi-town. Killer rhymes and thought-provoking lyrics (if you're sharp enough to follow), it's rap with a conscience and a social message. Oh, he's kinda cute too. Download: "Hurt Me Soul," "The Coolest," "Day Dream" (featuring Jill Scott)

VHS or Beta- St. Louis rockers that remind me of The Cure. Craig Pfunder, the lead singer, has one of the most hypnotic voices I've ever heard. Download: "Can't Believe A Single Word," "Bring On The Comets," "You Got Me"


Rihanna- love this girl!!! Good for listening to when you want something light and girl-powerish
Download: "Umbrella-ella-ella-eh" (sorry, couldn't help myself), "Take a Bow"

Elliott Smith- le sigh. Very talented singer-songwriter with lots of problems (RIP) I wouldn't recommend listening to him when it's dark and gloomy out because it will lead to a minor bout of depression.
Download: "Waltz #2," "2:45 AM," "Bottle Up and Explode"

Jeff Buckely- yet another dead singer songwriter. His version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" is heart-wrenching. His stuff is generally dark. This blog is not called Angst in the City for nothing!
Download: "Hallelujah," "Despite The Tears"


Radiohead- Hail to Thome York! This man can do no wrong. I would also suggest checking out his solo album "The Eraser" which was part of the soundtrack to "A Scanner Darkly."
Download: everything

Indochine- French New Wave group. I think they split up but you can still enjoy their music.
Download: "J'ai demande a la lune"

The Killers- yeah, a little cliched but whatever. It's indie rock and roll for me! They recently released a B-Sides album which rocks, if I don't say so myself.
Download: anything from "Hot Fuss."

Amy Winehouse- girl has issues but she's GOOOOD. R&B, soul, and jazz all rolled into one fucked-up, bee-hived package. I'm eating it up!
Download: "Back to Black"

Sara Bareilles- unlike her so popular "Love Song" most of her other songs are surprisingly moody, which is just fine with me. It's rather amazing she has no formal musical training.
Download: "Gravity," "Come Round Soon"


Regina Spektor- Soviet import from Brooklyn. She plays the piano and has a really quirky style of singing. Her lyrics are very New York-centric and use a lot of typical slang (she does the accent sometimes too!)
Download: "Hotel Song," "Better"

That was just a really small sampling of my far-reaching musical tastes. I'll try to do a follow-up at some point because there's a lot more where that came from.

Happy listening!

This Just Gives A Whole New Meaning to "Bitch Drink"

Oh yes, I remember this wine! I just stumbled across this picture and it brought back good, yet fuzzy, memories. I think we found this one at a liquor store on 2nd Ave (?)
Not exactly sure how it tasted like but if the name evokes anything it should be bitter, with a sarcastic bouquet, and angsty undertones.

Update: Yes, it was in fact 2nd Ave and the wine was TERRIBLE

Stuff I Like!

"Wow, cute bag!"
"Get your own bag bitch."

http://www.algshop.com/