Happy Saturday, It's Sunny and I Feel Bright Gray

INSPIRATION OF THE DAY

My junior thesis-type project that I'm working on right now is consuming me. Everything I do or say right now seems filtered through this lens of MUSIC and COSTUME as expression.

This might be the reason that, in swimming through #OCCUPY WALL STREET life right now, I am turning heavily to reminders of another type of revolution that went crashing through the nineties- and is still happening! -     

: RIOT GRRRL

Which is why today's inspiration are some images that call for REVOLUTION, GIRL- STYLE, NOW!

What's inspiring you this week???

PARTY JAM

Vinny Blanco is a college rapper from NY who claims that his life is a party - I know him personally and can testify that this is pretty much true.  He just dropped a new single FaceOff. It's a great party track so take a break from midterms and party it up to this song.

Don't forget to click "Like!" and follow him on Twitter here.

Things I Love This Week

Hello everyone! The weather is kind of lame today in New York, but that's okay. I feel like it's been a long time since I've done a TILTW, so let's doooo it.

♥ So, I'm now officially addicted to the show Weeds on Showtime. Does anybody else watch it? I just started it the other day and I'm already up to season five. Seriously, this show is making me its bitch.

♥ In other news, I'm working on getting my website completely up and running with Paypal. Hopefully by tonight or tomorrow it will be completely set up. Don't forget to keep checking back for new products! I'm doing the best I can to keep it up while I'm getting ready to go back to school.  I am so, so excited for this.

♥ Going back to school soon! I'm excited to move into my apartment that I'm going to be sharing with six of my friends this year. It's going to be crazy. I can't wait. I'm pumped to learrrrn! (Ummm nerd alert.)

♥ Skype! It is the best thing for college students.

♥ Parties! House parties, parties in the city... as long as I am with my friends, we can have fun in a cardboard box!

 I gave this Mexican tequila to my friend as a gift. It has a real scorpion at the bottom!

I went to a ...umm, Health and Safety Meeting in Brooklyn with my friends.

Yaaay safety!

Tae and I were on Nickydigital.com!

♥ I am totally loving all of the style direction pieces that are popping up in the bloggaweb. Who started this trend? I am thinking maybe it was Gala Darling. I am going to do one of my own for this season, and I suggest you do one too! If you don't know what I'm talking about, 

-here are 2010's and this season's style direction pieces by Gala Darling. She calls them "Psychedelic Ladies Who Lunch" and "Gossip Girl on Acid". Cute!

-here is a seriously sweet one by Luinae called "Fairytale Dancer".

I think mine might be called "Urban Gypsy"!

♥ My last day at work for the summer. Woo!

♥ Drawing, drawing, drawing! My sketchbook is filled with so many Aviva designs that I can NOT wait to get started on.

♥ Runninggg. I recently purchased the Nike+ sportband and I'm obsessed. It logs your miles, pace, and more and you can upload it to nikeplus.com

♥ Muuusic! There are so many awesome concerts coming up that I am planning to go to. I am seriously stoked for them. I'll keep ya updated on which ones I am going to; maybe you'll see me there! I know for sure that I will be attending Envy on the Coast's farewell performance at The Fillmore at Irving Plaza this Saturday. (Read their vocalist Ryan Hunter's explanation for the breakup here. It's so sad and beautiful. I wish them all luck in their future endeavors.)

On a happier note, my older brother is releasing a rap album soon called iParty . Check out his Facebook page and some of his tunes here: Vinny Blanco!

♥ Babyloves: ♥ study abroad research!, "I passed the test...and I didn't sneeze!", planning trips, finding old pictures in my basement, decoration planning, buying kitchen wares, Sonic trips with sing-alongs, old friends, telling scary stories with friends, fruit salad, late night coffee-and-cheesecake trips to the diner in the rain with my best friend, longgg Facebook wall posts.

Alllrighty, I am out like trout! See you later! What are you loving this week?

5 Ways Blogging is Like Being a Rapper

 "I've been hustlin 

From dusk till dawn 

I've been hustlin

For so long"

-Afroman

#1 ♥ You gotta hustle, hustle real hard. 

#2  ♥ You've gotta rep your stuff.

"Represent yo' shit muthaf*ckaaaaa
Well shake yo' drink up and spray the muthaf*ckin' crowd
Throw yo' click up and say it muthaf*ckin' loud" 
-Lil John and the East Side Boys - Put Your Hood Up

 If you don't support your blog, who will? If someone on another blog mentions a topic that you have a blog post about, mention it in a comment! Tell people at work, school, conventions, wherever!

#3 Be Real
"Don't say shit if you can't be real about it" -Trillville

Unless your blog is centered around some crazy idea or persona, you should be the same person in real life as you are on your blog. People can't lie on the internet and get away with it anymore. This is 2010!

#4  ♥  Focus on Your Own Thing
"Just handle your business and always be persistant like Jehova's Witness" -Brand Nubian Young Son
"I'm sayin homie do the right thing" -Ludacris
Getting in fights with other bloggers makes you look bad, not badass. Focus on your own blog and your readers. Figure out why you are blogging and always remember it.

#5 ♥ Keep producing! 
"The top gets higher the more that I climb."  -Lil Wayne
Don't stop coming up with content. Seriously, how many mixtapes has Lil Wayne put out now? My dude is in jail and still recording verses over the phone! That's legit.

So there you go, guys. Rap and blogging have more in common than you might have thought! I leave you with this quote from the late great Biggie Smalls:

"Stay far from timid, only make moves when your hearts in it, and live the phrase sky's the limit."

What to Wear to Summer Music Festivals

I know I didn't put this out in time for Bonnaroo... but Vans Warped Tour is just starting!

Dressing for summer music festivals can be tricky. The weather can range from HOT and sunny, to windy, to torrential downpour. The trick is to wear clothing that is comfortable and versatile, and to be prepared. Channel the boy scouts or girl scouts! And if you are channeling the girl scouts, make sure you remember to bring me some cookies.

To begin, why don't you check out: Tips For Attending Summer Music Festivals. You'll get some tips on what NOT to wear and other ways to have a fun time.

SMF 1 by nikkidee featuring Ksubi shorts

If you're not the stand-in-the-back type, holding a purse gets annoying real fast. And you know in your heart that it isn't fair to make your acoustic loving friend be bag bitch every year. Pair a stripey t-shirt or a breezy crop top with a utilitarian vest that has lots of pockets. Now you don’t need to worry about where you will keep your stuff. Go-go-gadget cellphone!  Wear some studded shoes and crowd surf your way to the front. Now you are truly hardcore.

Summertour by nikkidee featuring Nike shoes

Pair a bustier-style top with some cool jeans. Look ma, no tanlines! Add a cute backpack for all the free stickers you get...and guitar picks you'll catch.

Side note: Converse high-top All Stars happen to be my shoe of choice any time I go to a concert. However, they are flat on the bottom and can get very uncomfortable if you are standing, dancing, or moshing in them for hours at a time. I am stubborn and insist on wearing the same pink shredded converse I've had since about the seventh grade to almost every show.But I would consider trying boots or some more comfortable shoes, like Nike or another athletic type shoe.

Romps by nikkidee featuring Converse shoes

It can get really hot out there, and cute rompers make life so easy. And according to Polyvore, the pink one was seen on Kim Kardashian - zomg (I'm sure it looks better on you). The gray one is only $10 at blnts.com- Awesome. Save your money for sweet merch at your favorite band’s tent! And a twelve dollar hotdog.
Pair your romper with a cute hat and colorful converse for an outfit that everyone will envy.

Rock on in style this summer.

Musical Clothes: Daft Punk is Playing at My House

I'm starting a new segment where I am going to create outfits, either on Polyvore or in real life, based on a song, band, or concert and post pictures here!

Music can greatly influence fashion, and I often listen to music while I am getting dressed and ready. Music can influence a person's mood and it can definitely influence their outfit! I would probably wear something quite different if I was listening to The Cure while I was getting ready, than if I was listening to Britney Spears.

If you have a song you would like me to make an outfit for, let me know in the comments or in an email. Feel free to send me ideas.

This first outfit was made in Polyvore and is based on the song "Daft Punk is Playing at My House" by LCD Soundsystem.

This is what I would wear if Daft Punk was actually playing at my house. It was definitely influenced by the music video!

Daft Punk is Playing at My House by nikkidee featuring Paul & Joe Sister skirts

Does the music you listen to ever influence the way you dress?

Inspiration: Christian Joy

Christian Joy.
She is a designer of costumes, of monsters, and of rock and roll. She was the first designer that I was inspired by and looked up to.

Christian Joy was born Christiane Joy Hultquist in Iowa. She began designing in Brooklyn around 2000 with no formal training. She met Karen O, lead singer of the band Yeah Yeah Yeahs in 2001 and began designing unique costumes for Karen's stage appearances.

"Christian Joy and Karen O met when Joy worked as a shop girl for Daryl K, to which the future rock star was a regular. After a few cocktails, Joy began to design the outfits that would eventually define Karen O's onstage persona." (Tongue in Chic)

 I have always been into fashion and the music scene, and Christian Joy and Karen O made me realize that music and fashion influence each other and are inseparable. If you look back in cultural history, you most likely think of the music and clothing from each time period, together. Each look means something and each song means something too. This is why movements in music and trends in fashion coincide.

Christian Joy in her studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
She has designed for the UK band The Klaxons. In 2007 her costume designs were featured at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London as part of the New York Fashion Now exhibit. In September 2009, Joy costumes were featured in a Where The Wild Things Are pop-up shop in Los Angeles. (The first picture in this post is a photo from this costcollection.)

Some of Christian Joy's work:

Designs for the stage

 The many costumes of Karen O.

I follow everything that Karen O wears on the stage. She makes the clothing come alive. She proves that clothing is meant to be worn, it is an extension of self. I can help you express who you are, or help you become another person entirely.
Christian Joy's clothing and costumes prove that anything really is possible in fashion.

 Extra Love:
www.christianjoy.us

What's inspiring you today?

Beautiful and Bionic

Hey everyone, I have a bunch of posts that are lined up and almost ready to go, so check back soon. For now, though, I am on a total Christina Aguilera Kick. I have her new CD, Bionic.
 Something I like about Christina is that each of her albums has a different sound, but they are all undeniably Christina. This album has a really different sound from Back to Basics or Stripped (my favorite Christina Aguilera album).  I saw an interview with Christina on FUSE where she explains that if Back to Basics was a look back in music, to jazz and the like; Bionic is a look into the future. She also says, in an interview with Ryan Seacrest, “It’s really a fun, fun record. Really futuristic. I was inspired by a lot of electronic music, electronic artists, and so you’ll hear all those elements.”  Most of the album is electro- dance type music, but my favorite song is "You Lost Me". It is incredibly beautiful and really showcases the different things that Christina can do with her voice. I reccommend listening to live versions as well-amazing!



I have heard many people argue that she is trying to copy Lady Gaga in her new video for "Not Myself Tonight". However, I disagree. I think that if you go back and watch old Christina videos, she has always been both sexual and artistic, always trying new and different things in her videos. I suggest watching the videos for "Dirrty" and "Fighter". She explained in an interview on People.com "I feel sexuality to be very empowering. I think men love to believe that they own our sexuality, so if a woman represents herself in a sexual way, people think, 'Oh it must be for a man.' But men don't have the right to own our sexuality. If I want to be sexual, it's for my own appreciation and enjoyment! That's why I like to talk about the fact that sometimes I am attracted to women. I appreciate their femininity and beauty."



Anyway, I really wanted to post this video: the song that became the anthem for freaks, for young girls, for the gay community, and for people around the world... everyone needs a reminder that we are all FREE from the judgment of others.                
My beautiful readers, remember:

You are beautiful. :]

Handguns Interview

 Handguns is a pop-punk band from Harrisburg, PA. The band is made up of Taylor Eby on vocals, Jake Langley on guitar, Nate Bobb on bass, and Marco Florey on drums.  They were added to a tour with the band With the Punches. They are all about hustling, hard work, and their love for music, which is awesome. Here's a little quote from their Myspace page that I think is rad: 

"We don't have famous friends we are not critically acclaimed and no one in this band was ever in some famous band who's name we could drop or coat tail we could ride. But we will get up earlier than you and work longer and harder. That has to count for something. If it doesn't then at least we had a hell of a good time trying and made some amazing friends along the way."

You can't argue with that! I was lucky enough to get an interview with Jacob, who plays guitar.

How would you describe your sound?
We play pop punk. Its what we grew up on kinda like a mix between The MovieLife, Saves The Day, and Blink 182

How would you describe your live performance?
 We put everything we have physically into our live shows. I feel like if I don't get done playing and have to wring my shirt out then Iike I have ripped off everyone who payed to see us play.

I actually have the t-shirt that says “Handguns cuddles on the first date” and I’m just wondering, is this really true?
 Yeah, we snuggle! :) but that shirt was made to poke fun at this hardcore band called Bracewar they have a shirt thats says "Bracewar fucks on the first date". If you have that shirt you are lucky we only made 25 of those in that color and won't ever make the same ones again. EBAY GOLD

Haha, awesome!
What is your favorite song (not from your band) ?
 I really don't have a favorite song I have so many. If I where to pick my current favorite song it would have to be "I saw Behemoth and it Ruled" by Man Overboard

How stoked are you to be going on Warped Tour this summer?
 Pretty stoked we are not actually playing at warped tour we are selling cds in the line then leaving to go play a show. Its going to be a lot of fun and a great way for us to get our new record into peoples hands.

Would you rather have the power to teleport, or the power to freeze time?
 Teleport hands down. Touring would RULE if we could teleport. Tonight England tomorrow Punxy Pa.

What advice would you give to a band that is just starting out?
 WORK WORK WORK WORK Don't worry about any of the other stuff. Like the hardcore band Modern Life Is War said in their song "dead ramones" "we're not pretty and we're not rich we're going to have to fucking work for it" That is the mindset we have when it comes to the band. We know that we are not by any means "heart throbs" and we are FAR from rich nor do we have rich parents to foot the bills. And we don't have some "in" by being friends with the "right" people. We just play, practice and tour as much as possible. Also when you love what you are doing as much as we do it doesn't feel like work. Oh and play music that means something to you. So many bands right now start out and write music that they think people want to hear. The songs we write are what we love and what we want to play.

 Any exciting tour stories?
Taylor and I wrote the song "Anywhere But Home" about the full U.S tour we just did. The song was written after we had just made a 1,237 mile trip from Wa to Az with NO money after 12 out of 14 of west coast shows were lost due to bad planning on my part / a "booking agent" and I use that turn loosely screwed us over. Coupled with being robbed at the house we were stupid enough to sleep at in Wa.  We had not eaten in days and were totally broke. We did EVERYTHING we could to make that trip we ate out garbage cans. Begged on highway exit ramps. Even played acoustic on the Hollywood Blvd. With all of the bad things that had happened we all agreed that even though we had just went through one hell of a hard spot that would leave most bands running home or calling Mommy to wire them money. We were happier in the back on a van running on fumes and spare change than we would ever be at home working.

I would like to add a side note to that story. We made that trip from WA to AZ to meet up with our friends in The Wonder Years to play three shows that they got us on last minute and in a very real sense saved us from being absolutely screwed without them and those street corners and many trash cans we dug food out of we would most likely still be stranded out there. True friends are hard to find! Dudes who you can call from 3500 miles away who care enough to do what they not just hard to find but they are once in a lifetime.

Anything else you’d like to say?
Yeah, find happiness wherever you can. Don't let the people in your life or the world tell you how to make yourself happy. We are on this planet for like 70? maybe 80 years if we are lucky. When you find something that make you happy choke the hell out of it don't let it go. For us its being in this band. And thank you so much for taking the time to do this for us!

Thank you!

♫  Go check out the band's Myspace at www.myspace.com/handxguns

♫  Follow them on Twitter

♫ Read the Handguns blog which has lyrics for their music.

♫ You can read a review for their EP Anywhere but Home here on Alter the Press and you can listen to it here !

 What have you been listening to lately?

Music Challenge: Mash Ups

I have been putting together a giant summer playlist, which I am totally addicted to. It is a mix of last year's summer playlist, and a whole bunch of new songs that I can't stop listening to at the moment. The only thing that all of the tracks have in common is that they put me in the summer mindset in some way.  The thing is, I'm going a little bit mash-up crazy.

 I have a challenge for you guys: provide the soundtrack to my insanity by way of: 
Mash-Ups. "a song or composition created by blending two or more songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the music track of another." (thanks wikipedia.)


Give me your tired, your poor, your mash-ups! What is your favorite?

Here's what I am listening to at the moment: 
10 rad mashups

The best mash-ups I've heard have either Biggie or Daft Punk in them.
My favorite mash-up DJs are: Girl Talk (dancing in the Girl Talk crowd at Bamboozle was the highlight of the entire festival), Super Mash Bros., party Ben, and the awesome DJ Earworm.


Also:

Should I give the person who submits my favorite mash-up a prize? Should I have regular music challenges with prizes? Do you want more contests? Should I just shut up? (I'm not going to.)


xxxx