The Dolly Rocker Girl's Guide to London: Stores

I'm in love with shopping. And to quote both the Shangri-Las and the New York Dolls, "when I say I'm in love, you best believe I'm in love, L-U-V." It's a love affair that blossomed early on in the twenty-plus years I've been alive, and it is one of the reasons that I live and breathe as a happy, healthy person on this earth. Shopping lifts me up where I belong, it's the wind beneath my wings. It's probably the greatest love I will ever know.

So of course I've spent the majority of my time in London seeking out various vintage shops, stalls at markets, department stores, and boutiques to grasp what British style is all about. I've been told (and I readily agreed!) that I dress in a rather London way, more so than I dress American. I certainly do not dress like I am from Dallas, where heels, tight clothes, and big hair reigns supreme. Limp locks, patterned frocks and scuffed up shoes work quite well for me! 

I can certainly get more specific about the stores that I like if people would prefer to know great vintage shops or hole-in-the-wall boutiques, but these are my ultimate shopping destinations. 

My Five Favorite Stores:

1. Topshop (Oxford Circus): a mega-store if there ever was one. Five floors of glorious shoes, jewelry, accessories, and clothes - for both gals and guys - Topshop is my go-to place when I need something fantastic but I'm not sure what. The bottom floor houses up-and-coming designers that are really diverse in aesthetics -- from The Ragged Priest to Oh My Love, there's no limit to what Topshop will offer.

2. Dolly Dare (Spitalfields): the British answer to Betsey Johnson's wild fashions, over-the-top girliness, and maximalist approach to dressing. I admittedly went into the store because it had 'Dolly' in its name, but I am so glad that I did - I picked up the most amazing slinky black velvet minidress that was trimmed with long fringe and covered with zig-zagged gold glitter. It's the ultimate rock star dress. Go to Dolly Dare for lace, ruffles and ruching, flouncy skirts, dresses with petticoats, and shoes by brands like Irregular Choice.

3. Selfridges (Oxford St): one of the many massive stores in London (from Harrods and House of Fraser to Debenhams and Liberty, the list goes on and on), Selfridges is like my heaven. If you can't afford the Balenciaga and Missoni upstairs, check out the Topshop and Miss Selfridge sections on the lower floors. That way you won't break the bank, but you still get one of those traffic-stopping yellow shopping bags. I've had lunch a few times at Dolly's, the resident tea café for the department store that was named after the Dolly sisters, both lovers of store founder Harry Gordon Selfridge.

4. Mary Quant (Chelsea): this store is sparsely stocked (which is true of most every designer boutique) but there's a whole lot to want in the pristinely white Chelsea store. Classic Quant designs like wool shift dresses and miniskirts hang alongside more contemporary-inspired pieces to create a whole collection that any stylish girl would be insane not to want.

5. What Katie Did (Notting Hill): this retro-inspired lingerie company has its home in Portobello Green, a covered area of shops on Portobello Road. Popular among celebs -- the brand has been rocked by everyone from Kate Moss to Gwyneth Paltrow and was the exclusive supplier of the fab undergarments in My Week With Marilyn -- What Katie Did offers comfortable but luxurious items like bullet bras, high-waisted knickers, satin robes, marabou mules, and corsets.

The Dolly Rocker Girl's Guide to London: Markets

One of the best things about living in London is the number of markets in this city. Some are only weekend affairs, like Portobello Road Market, while some happen everyday like Camden and Alfies, but one thing is for certain - if you ever make it to London, a market is a must-do.

My Five Favorite Markets:

1. Borough Market (Southwark): a foodie's dream. Open Thursday through Saturday, this food market -- located near the Globe Theatre -- is a heavenly blend of artisan chocolates, cheeses, breads, juices, wines, vegetables, teas, and basically every other exotic, luxurious, delicious food that you can think of. Stock up on groceries for the week or have lunch on the cheap by filling up on the market's many free samples.

2. Alfies Antique Market (Marylebone): an amazing assortment of vintage clothes, decadent jewelry, fantastic antiques and light fixtures. There is also a charming rooftop restaurant where you can stop in for a quick bite to eat while shopping. It's one of the few indoor markets I've been too, which means that regardless of rain or shine you can go to the market on its days open Tuesday through Saturday.

3. Portobello Road Market (Notting Hill): arguably the most famous market in London. It attracts tons of tourists and locals alike for its mix of costume jewelry, vintage clothing, and local foods. The stalls are open Saturday only, but it's worth it to check out Portobello Road during the week to visit stores like Cath Kidston and All Saints, and vintages shops like Dolly Diamond and One of a Kind.

4. Camden Stables Market (Camden): Camden Market is an umbrella term that covers four different markets and streets of stores open every day. My favorite is the Stables, which are literally old horse stables converted into stalls where you can find alternative and vintage fashions, ethnic foods, vinyl records, screen-printed tee shirts, furniture and global housewares.

5. Spitalfields Market (Spitalfields/near Liverpool St): open five days-a-week, Spitalfields offers vintage clothes, pieces from local designers, jewelry both homemade and antique, and a wide range of old books (I picked up a first edition of A Twist of Lennon here for five pounds!) and comics, pastries, kebabs, fur gilets, leather shoes, manual cameras, and compasses.

The Dolly Rocker Girl's Guide to London: Sweet Places

It's no secret that I have a bit of a sweet tooth. Thankfully, London is home to some of the best sweet parlors and dessert shops that I've had the immense pleasure of visiting. Whether you want a little taste of Paris from Maison Bertaux or Ladurée or want to relive your childhood at Hope and Greenwood, there's a place for everyone to indulge in London.

My Five Favorite Sweet Places:

1. Ladurée (Covent Garden): there are several locations for this famous French dessert house throughout the city, but the Covent Garden location is beautiful and fairly quiet (in comparison to the Ladurée in Harrods). A mix of salted caramel and raspberry macarons is the perfect Sunday treat for myself.

2. Amorino (Soho): this gourmet gelato shop can also be found in Chelsea, but I've only visited the one in Soho. My fave flavors are the chocolate-hazelnut (tastes exactly like Nutella!) and salted caramel. It's simply the best gelato I've ever had!

3. Hope and Greenwood (Covent Garden): an old-fashioned sweet shop specializing in retro candies, Hope and Greenwood is a treat to visit. Visually it's everything you wished a sweet shop would be -- darling and jam-packed with goodies, it's the closest I've found to a real-life Candyland.

4. Maison Bertaux (Soho): Soho's oldest (and best) pâtisserie captures the essence of all things French in a charming and authentic café setting. Come here for yummy pain au chocolat and to check out the gallery inside. 

5. Prestat (near Piccadilly Circus): London's oldest chocolate house is so delicious that it's gained the approval of the Queen mum herself, garnering two Royal Warrants. Prestat is so widespread throughout London that boxes of the chocolate can be found in Waitrose grocery stores.

The Dolly Rocker Girl's Guide to London: Pubs and Taverns

You aren't truly getting the London experience if you don't visit a pub or two. Whether you go for a pint of beer or just some fish and chips, the pubbing experience is an important element of London life. No matter where you go you'll find a pub, but some of them are too commercial or too limited in choices for my taste. But for the amount of pubs I've been disappointed by, there is a healthy number of pubs that have truly delighted me.

My Five Favorite Pubs and Taverns:
1. The Princess Louise (Bloomsbury/High Holborn St): one of the nicest pubs in London. With etched glass creating cubicles for private drinking, the pub has an authentic Victorian feel to it, which is kind of rare for pubs as a lot of them have been commercialized and purchased by massive chains. It also has some of the best cider in the city.
2. The Lamb (Bloomsbury): rumor has it that Charles Dickens used to come to The Lamb all of the time to write, but this pub is worth visiting even if you're not a Dickensian scholar for it's beer and traditional English pub food.
3. The Fitzroy Tavern (Fitzrovia): let's just say that there's a reason why this tavern was famous among many literary figures such as Dylan Thomas, George Orwell, and Augustus John. Now a popular hangout for UCL students, the Fitzroy is different from many other pubs I've been to -- there's interaction between customers and a really lively atmosphere.
4. Cross Keys (Covent Garden): a gorgeously decorated pub with tons of shrubbery covering the outside and knickknacks covering the inside. If you go to one pub in Covent Garden, make it Cross Keys.
5. Ye Olde Chesire Cheese (City of London): located in the financial district on Fleet Street (of Sweeney Todd fame), this pub dates back to the 17th century, with previous pubs located there since the 13th century. This pub has good food and a selection of drinks to choose from, but it's definitely worth it to come here just because of the history.

The Dolly Rocker Girl's Guide to London: Restaurants

As my time in London is winding down (I leave this Saturday sadly), I thought it best to do a few closing posts about my favorite adopted home. In the next few entries I will muse on my favorite spots in London -- shops, restaurants, clubs, and markets, all (or at least I hope all!) will be covered. If you have any special requests for lists of my favorites -- like my favorite vintage shops or bookshops -- drop a note in the comments section or send me a line via email and I will gladly comply!

Despite its reputation, London has some really excellent food. From Greek to Mexican, Indian and Italian, this city has an endless array of options for a truly great dining experience.

My Five Favorite Restaurants:

(Some of these restaurants have several locations, so I am just noting the places that I frequented)

1. Bumpkin (Notting Hill): though there are three locations all over London, I went to the one in Notting Hill for brunch and it was incredible! The food was delicious, the decor was charming -- and they have the best Bloody Mary that I've ever tasted. 

2. Hummus Bros (Bloomsbury/Holborn): a range of nontraditional hummus options. I always get the guacamole hummus -- it's perfect with one of their mint and ginger lemonades.

3. Cantina Laredo (Covent Garden): True, I like this place because it reminds me of home (there are a few Cantina Laredos in Dallas) but this is one of the only spots in London that I've found can do a proper margarita. Come here if you're in desperate need for some tequila, chips and salsa.

4. Bloomsbury Coffee House (Bloomsbury): I learned about this place from my friend Anna, of The Puddle Jumper, and now it's my favorite place in the city to get an iced coffee, a yummy breakfast, and do some work. A chill atmosphere and great soundtrack round out a truly fantastic coffee house experience. 

5. Dishoom (Covent Garden): a self-titled "Bombay café," Dishoom specializes in Bombay cuisine that goes beyond typical Indian fare that you can get in London. With tapas-style dishes that have incredible spice, flavor, and heat (something hard to come by in some London restaurants!), Dishoom is unique in an never-ending sea of restaurants in Covent Garden. 

the game of elevens

I was tagged by Julie of the girl with kaleidoscope eyes to complete something called The Game of Elevens. Thankfully, eleven is one of the few odd numbers that I like, so I decided to participate.

Here are the rules:
1) You must re-post these rules
2) Round One: post eleven random things about yourself
3) Round Two: answer the questions the tagger posed to you in their post
4) Round Three: create eleven new questions for the people you tag to answer
5) Tag people and go to their blog and tell them that they've been tagged for the game

Round One

1) I have six piercings, all in my ears.
2) My favorite war is World War II.
3) I have an obsession with lingerie and retro undergarments. Today I found the website What Katie Did and I am obsessed with the idea of getting a pair of high-waisted knickers and a bullet bra.
4) A dream of mine would be to develop, produce, and star in a biopic on Jean Seberg.
5) I believe in black magic and the occult.
6) Much of my 2011 was focused on finding the perfect kimono bed jacket.
7) In my mind, I am best friends with Kanye West.
8) Because I can't access The Daily Show on Hulu in the UK, I know considerably (and ashamedly) less about current events.
9) I am tragically uncool in most walks of life.
10) Try as I might, I can't whistle for the life of me.
11) I am contemplating dyeing my hair peroxide Debbie Harry blonde and darkening my eyebrows dark brown, because I've decided that I need a change.

Round Two

1) What do you want to major in when you go to college? 
Well, I am a junior in college and I am a Creative Writing major with a minor in Film and Media Studies.
2) What exactly is in your purse right now? 
An umbrella from the MoMA for that unpredictable London weather, my wallet, my passport (in its obnoxious hot pink leather case), loose pounds and bills, tissues, Dolce Vita lipstick by NARS, Boscia oil-absorbing sheets, a journal for all my thoughts and recollections, and my bright yellow Kate Spade 'Taxi' mittens.
3) What is your favorite movie, book, band, and song? 
I don't really have a favorite movie - I love films too much to choose just one. Though, that being said, Hitchcock's Notorious is a pretty perfect film. I have two favorite books - Faithfull by Marianne Faithfull and Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway. Favorite band would - obviously - be a tie between the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. I don't really have a favorite song, but I have a weirdly strong connection to George's moody "Long, Long, Long."
4) What is your least favorite movie, book, band, and song?
I love films of all sorts, so I don't really hate any of them - I guess closest to hate would be not understanding them. I don't understand a lot of avant garde films - they're so confusing to me. Same goes for books, bands, and songs - I tend not to hate them, I just don't 'get' them.
5) What are you wearing right now? 
A vintage ivory slip dress paired with an ivory lace bed jacket from Lily. J and ivory satin ballet flats from Topshop
6) You have five million dollars and three hours to spend it. How do you do it and what do you spend it on? 
I would love to donate a large portion of it and spend the rest paying my parents back for everything they've given me in life, as well as treat them to a few nice things for themselves. I'd keep about $2000 so that I could buy myself a classic Balenciaga bag.
7) What is the last thing you heard? What are the exact words or lyrics? 
"The carrots have kind of mashed themselves."
8) What is your guilty pleasure TV show? Movie? Band / artist? 
Guilty pleasure TV show would have to be really anything that they play on E!, any of the Law and Orders, or Glee. Actually, all of the above. Guilty pleasure movie would have to be something unabashedly girly and probably starring Amanda Seyfried. Guilty pleasure band / artist would have to be Taylor Swift - I lived with girls freshman year of school who adored her, so as a result I know most all of her songs.
9) What is your favorite perfume? 
I own way too much perfume to have a favorite. But currently I am using Tocca's Stella and Boss Orange Sunset. I am eager to pick up a bottle of Penhaligon's Bluebell and I am about to order Child perfume to try out.
10) If you could only do one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? 
I would write - I always feel so much more productive and better about myself after I write, even if it's about nothing. If not that, I would get massages and eat ice cream for the rest of my life.
11) What is your favorite thing to look at? 
My face. Obviously. (Just kidding)

Round Three

1) If you could eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and who makes it (be it your mother or your favorite little diner)? 

2) What is your favorite piece of clothing in your wardrobe? Favorite piece of jewelry? 

3) What is your go-to karaoke song? 

4) What is your can't-live-without-it beauty product? 

5) Which foreign accent is your favorite? 

6) What song is the soundtrack to your life? 

7) What's the last law that you've broken? 

8) What's the one piece of advice that you can't live without and where did you get it from? 

9) What's your favorite word? Favorite curse word? 

10) What are your thoughts on Ryan Gosling? 

11) Which fellow blogger do you wish you were best friends with in real life?

Tagged Dollies

Being Blinge

Born Late

Lost Muse

Lovely Bohemia

musings & inspiration

Who the Fuck is Mick Jagger

You've got the silver

the 21 club

Today is my twenty-first birthday. So here are twenty things I bet you didn't (or maybe you did, I am quite transparent about certain things) know about me. Why twenty things, and not twenty-one? Check #5.

1. I have been a vegetarian for over a decade. The thing that swayed me into vegetarianism was the cartoon show Brace Face. I saw an episode where Sharon Spitz works at a meatpacking factory, and I've never touched meat since.

2. I don't trust boys who giggle a lot. It's unnatural and I think that it means they are up to something.

3. I compulsively lie all of the time, usually about small things and when it makes my story sound better. And I think admitting that makes me the worst liar of all time... or the best.

4. Besides blogging, I also write for my university newspaper, write poetry, and make experimental short films.

5. I hate odd numbers.

6. My guilty pleasure is watching a marathon of old episodes of "Law and Order: SVU" while eating a scoop of Baskin Robbins' gold medal ribbon ice cream.

7. I don't believe in celebrating my birthday - not in a Jehovah's Witness sort of way, just birthdays always tend to disappoint me so I don't expect much from them.

8. I can quote every line from The Philadelphia Story, Notorious, Help!, A Hard Day's Night, several Andy Hardy movies, Rebel Without a Cause, Almost Famous, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and practically the entire catalogue of films made starring Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, and Marilyn Monroe.

9. My favorite authors are Colette, Truman Capote, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Lewis Carroll, Ernest Hemingway, David Sedaris, Chuck Klosterman, and Simon Doonan. But my favorite author of all-time is Virginia Woolf. My favorite poets are Frank O'Hara, Sylvia Plath, Dylan Thomas, Allen Ginsberg, and Jack Kerouac. And I think Bob Dylan is a damn fine poet as well.

10. I change how I feel and who I want to be about a dozen times a day.

11. My favorite words is 'brilliance,' with 'luminescence' (which I am stealing from Michael Cunningham after hearing him say it when he came to one of my classes a few weeks ago) being a close second.

12. Right now, I really want to look like Sienna Miller's character Nikki in the movie Alfie.

13. I have a personal bucket list - among the first things listed are to move to Paris, visit Morocco, follow a band on tour, cut my hair into a pixie cut, live life like an Audrey Hepburn movie for a year (obviously that would include me dating William Holden ... I haven't quite figured out how that'll work yet).

14. I live an incredibly superficial existence, mostly revolving around the shoes I am lusting after at the moment, the beauty products I've decided I cannot live without, and the movie I am incessantly quoting.

15. I have severe crushes on Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino / Troy from Community) and Keith Richards.

16. I want to live inside of a French New Wave movie (preferably one by Godard, if I can make a choice on the matter).

17. In my dream world, I would just quit school and become a rock star.

18. My favorite book would be a tie between Faithfull by Marianne Faithfull and Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway. A close third would be Infinite Variety, the biography on the Marchesa Luisa Casati.

19. I am a hoarder - I keep all of the makeup I purchase, the magazines I subscribe to, papers I get, and clothes I buy (regardless of if they fit or if I particularly like them or not). Apparently Edie Sedgwick was like this as well, so at least I am in good company.

20. There are so many classes that I want to take (that unfortunately my university doesn't offer): sewing, knitting, French cooking, costume jewelry making, t-shirt printing, pastry making, language classes in Arabic, Hindi, Japanese, Italian and German, etc.

How to be like Bebe Buell

Bebe Buell is one of my favorite girls. I guess it's because I feel like she and I are kind of kindred spirits - we are both vegetarians, both believe in reincarnation, both love Oscar Wilde and Mick Jagger, and both admire the great women who inspire rock music, like Pattie Boyd and Marianne Faithfull. The only difference is that Bebe actually became one of these women as well. To the public, she is known as the mother of Liv Tyler, and, to those more in-the-know, a great muse to some of the biggest names in rock history. But don't sell Bebe short - she's not just a muse to rock'n'rollers, but also a rock star in her own right. Her style is amazing, her demeanor alluring - after all, there's a reason why men from Mick Jagger to Jack Nicholson all flocked to her! I've written about the style similarities between Bebe and young fashionistas like Mischa Barton on the site before, but now is everyone's chance to get a little Bebe in their lives.

Bebe's Wardrobe: 

• Message tees of famous bands, authors, and magazines (a reproduction of the famed Oscar Wilde tee is available on Worn Free, as is a tee for BeBop Cafe) 
• A floral, ruffly kimono wrap top, as worn in Playboy Magazine
• Cream-colored fur coat with a suede tie at the waist and huge fluffy collar - so luxe that it puts Penny Lane's Mongolian lamb fur trim to shame!
• Strapless dresses, often with empire waists, in a variety of colors (black, red, burnt orange - to name a few) and patterns 
• Overalls with short legs in denim and khaki, at least one with a paisley trim 
• High-waisted flared jeans (worn with a fitted tank top)
• White satin military jacket with gold embroidery and blue jewels - such a statement in itself that Bebe didn't need to wear anything underneath! 
• Lace bustier/corset tops (red with black lace overlay) - worn backstage at concerts and to clubs
• Leopard leotards
• Knee-length full circle skirts with loud patterns 
• Dresses with fluttery butterfly sleeves
• A good leather motorcycle jacket - an essential for hanging out with all of those badass rock'n'rollers
• A crazy-cool minidress with newspaper-style print all over it
• Tons of white eyelet, ruffles, and crocheted items for that beautiful innocent look that Bebe rocked so well 

Her Accessories:

• Silk top hats
• Stylish berets (black, a red crocheted one with yellow and black patterns) 
• Fishnets with thick seams at the back
• Gloves - black lace ones and a white pair with black polka dots 
• Flowers in her hair, pushed behind her ears - sometimes behind both ears!
• A bottle of Chanel No. 5, never any other perfume. Once, according to Rebel Heart, Mick Jagger gave her "a large bottle of Shalimar perfume (I still have the bottle, although, being a Chanel girl, I could never actually wear that floozy juice)"

Pastimes:

• Hanging out with rock'n'roll elite
• Inspiring music and movies - she was the basis for the character Penny Lane in Almost Famous, and has inspired songs by Elvis Costello, Prince, and Chester French (who wrote a song called "Bebe Buell") 
• Writing books and songs
• Being any number of these things: a Playboy Playmate, a fashion model, a rock star, a mother, a grandmother
• Being a "Creem Dream" - for which she still is, according to the lyrics to "Money Machine"

Friends and Lovers:

Bebe is an extremely popular girl, so here is just a sampling of who she has been associated with over the years... 

• David Bowie, and his former wifey Angela
• Andy Warhol
• Salvador Dali, about whom she has said, "his moustache was greasy" 
• Iggy Pop
• Nico
• Rod Stewart
• Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin 
• Eric Clapton
• Patti Smith
• Elvis Costello
• Todd Rundgren
• Debbie Harry
• Steven Tyler and Aerosmith 
• The Rolling Stones, particularly Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood
• Stiv Bators - the duo was named Creem Magazine's Couple of the Year in 1980
• Coyote Shivers
• Jim Wallerstein
• Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty
• Kate Moss
• Pamela Des Barres (a conversation between the two women is featured in Des Barres' book Let's Spend the Night Together)
• Cyrinda Foxe
• Lori Maddox and Sable Starr - "They were really sweet girls, they'd meet you at the airport and run up to you to tell you how fabulous you were" 
• Joey Ramone
• Liz Derringer
• Ritchie Blackmore
• Cameron Crowe, who based his most legendary 'band-aide' on Bebe

Hangouts:

• Max's Kansas City in New York City 
• CBGBs in New York City
• The "Riot House" on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles
• Tramps on Jermyn Street in London

Cool facts: 

• She fell in love with Oscar Wilde after seeing a photo of him at age eight
• She became a vegetarian being in the meatpacking district as a teen while on acid. "Back in those days, there were cows going by on hooks. And if you're tripping on good acid and you see that, you'll never touch meat again." 
• She always knew she wanted to be a singer. In Rebel Heart she admits, "In my deepest heart, what I wanted most was to be a rock and roll singer. In my thoughts and journals, that's what I expressed. And I was conscious of that, but I never had the courage to tell people." 
• Her favorite designers are Anna Sui, Calvin Klein, and Marc Jacobs
• She believes in reincarnation, calling it "the life of the soul." 
• She calls leopard her favorite color 

Pearls of Wisdom:

• "I knew that I had some destiny as a servant of the arts, but I also knew that I was an artist myself." 
• "Life is a precious gift, and, as Oscar Wilde said, 'Life is what you make it.' It's been a bumpy ride, with highs and lows, love and loss, pain and growth. The one thing I've learned is that it is never too late to change, evolve, or take charge. You're never too old to rock - or to do anything, for that matter."
• "Groupies are girls who hang around and just want to have sex with rock stars. It's really kind of a gross tag. Band aides and people like that are there because they love the music. I think women have a right to an affinity and a love for music just as much as men do." 
• "Muse is such a beautiful word. It just sounds nicer. It's a lot more romantic." - on her preference for the term 'muse' over 'groupie'
• "My secret desires were locked up inside of me. I didn't dare tell anybody what I really wanted to be. All I knew was that I wanted to be somebody. That somebody resembled Anita Pallenberg, Pattie Boyd, Jane Fonda, Brigitte Bardot, and Janis Joplin! Or at least resembled their essence. I don't know if the word star was embedded in my mind ... I always had fantasies of being some kind of artist. A performer, a "somebody." But I was afraid that people would laugh at me because I wanted to be famous." 
• "Fashion has always been a huge part of pop culture and music. The British Invasion really affected the way I look at clothes. I like the 'anything goes' attitude of some of the musical greats, the way they can take a street look and make it unique." 
• "Black will always be the universal color of rock'n'roll." 
• "Music represented freedom, inspiration, rebellion. The British bands brought a whole new generation of British girls into the limelight - Marianne Faithfull, Chrissie Shrimpton, Julie Christie, Pattie Boyd, Linda Keith, Anita Pallenberg, and Hayley Mills, among others. The majority of my friends hated these competitors for their heroes' attention, but I was as infatuated with them as I was with the boys in the bands." 

tell me, tell me, tell me, c'mon tell me the answer

Both the fabby Nicole of Twist and shout! and lovely Luna of Child of the Moon (whose blog was the one that inspired me to create DRG many moons ago) gave me the Tell Me About Yourself Award, where you tell seven things about yourself and share your favorite blogs. Well, I'm very excited because I looove talking about myself, as well as my fave bloggers. 

So, here are the facts ...

1. I have an obsession with boys in white v-necks. 

Seriously - who can resist the power of the v-neck?

2. I am on a constant search for the ultimate everything - the ultimate perfume, book, lip gloss, person ... 

3. I want to be Karen Elson. 

She's British, she's a gorgeous glamazon model, friends with Anna Sui, is an incredible singer,  and has the most enviable wardrobe. I would be mentally unhinged to not be jealous of her

4. "Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everybody I've ever known." Actually said by Chuck Palahniuk in Invisible Monsters, which shows exactly how unoriginal I can be. 

5. I have a dream to travel just to get lost. 

6. I fully relish in the fact that a lot of people think I'm a bit kooky and out-there, especially in the way I dress and what I think. I like that I tread the line between here and insanity. 

My inner voice is narrated by Michelle Tanner. You got it, dude!

7. I have no clue what I'm doing with my life. I have so many dreams, ambitions, things I want to learn and places I want to go that, as a result, I have no clear direction.


Blogs:
All Babes are Wolves
Ashen Lady
Being Blinge
Born Late
Charlotte's Attic
ChicGeek
Eloise
Glamoretta
London Calling 
Lost Muse
Lovely Bohemia
musings & inspiration
Restless Summers
You've got the silver

you know my motivation given my reputation

I've long adored Bianca Jagger - her style is beyond impeccable and her humanitarian efforts are commendable. Not too long ago I had a Facebook discussion with a friend of mine consisting of how excellent Bianca is, with photographic evidence to back up our claims. This conversation showed me something - two people as different in style as my friend and I are both saw something aspirational in Bianca. There is a reason she is a fashion icon - her worldly look is idolized the world over. Her style, though unpredictable and constantly cutting edge, has some key components we can all learn and adapt into our lives. Here are my tips on how to dress like Bianca Jagger.

Keys to Bianca's look:
1. Adopt a quirky accessory and make it your signature - whether it was a turban, dove feathers in her hair, strange headpieces, or a walking stick, Bianca always hit the clubs and concerts with an item of interest. These items kept her look constantly edgy and kept her adoring public waiting for what wacky accessory she would adopt next.
2. Go to the max - most of think of short little numbers as our go-to going out outfits, but Bianca opted for loose-fitting maxidresses with either spaghetti straps or an off-the-shoulder look. Her long and loose dresses were sexier than most all of the other skimpy 70s looks that have appeared in the photos of Studio 54.
3. Channel your inner dude - Bianca wasn't afraid to trying menswear trends, and she usually rocked them more than Mick! When you think of androgynous chic done right, often your mind goes right to Bianca in one of her many pantsuits. The pieces don't have to be YSL, but right-fitting classic pieces - like a fitted blazer, slouchy trousers, and a tuxedo blouse - are style signatures that can look like a million dollars, no matter the real cost.
4. Understand there's no such thing as too much of a good thing - too many necklaces, beads, bracelets, or boys? There was no such thing in Bianca's world! Remember that more is more!

Title: from "Tonight" (Enrique Iglesias) ... I know, I'm kinda ashamed

on the beach you'll find them there in the sun and salty air, the girls on the beach

I am gearing up for a trip to the beach next week and I've gotten to thinking about how to survive the ocean. As I've said before I hate the ocean, but this time I'll be there with some friends from university so I'm going to buck up and give the beach a second try. While in the process of doing that, I've started contemplating my beach essentials. 

1. Retro-inspired swimsuits like this one from ModCloth, the 'Bathing Beauty' two-piece in black. I own this swimsuit, as well as the 'Beach Blanket Bingo' one-piece in black with white polka-dots and its two-piece version in red.

2. A wide-brimmed floppy straw hat to keep your eyes and skin shaded from those damaging sun rays.

3. A speaker to play music - I am partial to the Yuen'to Balloon USB portable speaker because it reminds me of a clown's nose. Also the sound is incredible.
4. A good book, like Françoise Sagan's Bonjour Tristesse, which I currently have stashed away in my bag.
5. Cute straw beach bags like this one from Tory Burch.
6. A good sunscreen - I love this Kiehl's Super Fluid formula because it doesn't pill like a lot of other sunblocks out there. And with an SPF of +50 I feel confident that I'm getting good protection.
7. A couple of pairs of oversized sunglasses - the bigger, the better I say! So these sunnies by House of Harlow 1960 more than fit the bill.

Do you have any summertime beach essentials? 

Title: "Girls on the Beach" (Beach Boys)

the top ten award

I want to thank the fabulously fashionable Jessica of ChicGeek for giving me the Top 10 Award. This is one of my favorite kinds of awards because it consists of you listing your favorite cosmetics. I am a total beauty product junkie, so I had quite a bit of fun going through all my goodies and deciding which ones I would choose. I had to make some very difficult decisions - choosing Buxom Lips gloss over my trusty Sexy Motherpucker, and opting for my fragrance obsession of the moment (D&G The One) instead of one of my favorite summer scents - a toss-up between Marc Jacobs Blush and Stella by Stella McCartney, and the dirty rose fragrance of my recent go-to for spring, Kate Moss's original scent, which is a bit of a rock'n'roll floral. But these are the crucial choices that every one has to make in their lives.
I kid ... but beauty products do offer considerable importance to me, no matter how vain that sounds. The word 'cosmetic' comes from the Greek word 'kosmos', which means "the order of the universe"*, and makeup products actually do have a mystical hold over my life. I love reading blogs (Into the Gloss is my girl-porn - I'm addicted), magazines, various articles, books and such regarding the world of cosmetics and beauty. I adore women like Eva Chen, the Beauty Editor at Teen Vogue, for making such an interest into a full-fledged job. During my too-regular-for-own-good visits to department store beauty counters and my mecca Sephora, I make out like a pirate with all my goodies; and sometimes look like a pirate too - that much kohl eyeliner is good for Jack Sparrow, but not so good for me. So right now I'll play Beauty Editor pretend and offer my bits of 'wisdom' regarding the best of my beauty booty:

1. Temptu Airbrush Foundation in 002 Ivory: I love how evenly and flawlessly this foundation applies. It's super easy to use - just a few swooshes around the face, and my skin looks better than I've seen it in years. The only downside - I'm unable to apply normal foundation and be satisfied with it anymore. Guess Temptu and I are for life.
2. Covergirl Lash Blast Fusion in Black Brown: I prefer drugstore brands for mascara because why spend twenty-plus dollars on something you have to toss in a few months anyways? I'll admit I still have Benefit BadGal mascara, Urban Decay's Big Fatty and a Lancôme mascara with a scary brush (I'm a bit of an eye makeup whore) but ever since I first had my 'lashes blasted', I've been hooked. I don't think I've found a mascara that is so consistently non-clumpy than this one. It's great to apply on both sides of lashes to make your eyes pop and look like you just stepped out of a Latisse ad.
3. Smashbox Artificial Light Flash Luminizing Lotion: technically a lotion to be mixed with or applied underneath foundation, I actually use this light formula as an illuminator after I've applied foundation and blush. I dab a bit across my cheekbones, my nose, eyelids, forehead and right above my cupid's bow. It's shimmery enough to make my skin look glowy and a bit shimmery without looking like I raided the body glitter collection I hoarded in the third grade.
4. Anastasia Beverly Hills Perfect Brow Pencil in Blonde: since I have naturally light blonde hair, I also was given matching blonde eyebrows. It never bothered me until recent years, when I noticed in photographs my brows looked like Whoopi Goldberg (have you ever noticed that she doesn't have eyebrows?). Now, since I've darkened my hair, I hardly ever leave the house without using this light pencil and grooming my brows with its dual-ended comb.
5. Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder: I'm obsessed with the idea of perfect-looking skin. This translucent powder is perfect for all skin tones and literally makes every pore imperfection go away. The powder is loose white (but immediately goes away) and reminds me of the story Kenneth Anger told about the filming of Lucifer Rising that he warned Marianne Faithfull not to bring drugs into Egypt at risk of execution. Faithfull hid the drugs in her makeup box under her face powder, and Anger alleged Faithfull "powdered her face with heroin." ... but that has nothing to do with this.
6. Maybelline The Falsies Volum'Express in Brownish Black: when I want mega-lashes without the added effort of applying actual falsies, I again turn to a trusty drugstore brand. I think it was Cindy Crawford who said that unless you have ultra-dark hair it's better to use brown mascara as it's not so severe. I like brown-black mascaras because I like being just a little bit severe.
7. Clinique Colour Surge Eye Shadow Velvet in Bewitched: a rich chocolate shadow; I apply this to the upper lash line (and to my bottom lash line when I want an uber-dolly look) with a MAC 263 brush.
8. BareMinerals Buxom Lips in Dolly: ahh the name of this gloss's shade says it all for me. Though it doesn't produce the same über-beestung look (or cheekiness in the packaging) as Soap & Glory's Sexy Motherpucker (my fave shade is What a Melon, btw), this gloss is the perfect there-but-not-there shade with just a hint of color, tingle (a bit minty), and shimmer. It's perfect for any occasion. I always have it in my bag.
9. Dolce & Gabanna The One: simply just one of the best smelling fragrances I've had the pleasure of sniffing in my life. One of my friends wears it regularly, and I was obsessed with it and begged her to tell me what she was wearing. She said, "The One." It was as though that's all that needed to be said. Everywhere I went after that when I would smell a hint of it, I would freak out until I sought out the wearer of the perfume ... seriously in order to chat with her about the scent. I love it ... and unless I find a different perfume that I fall in love with more than this, I think I may have found "The One" I want to be my signature scent.
10. Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral SPF 30: it would be a vast understatement to say that I'm not a sun worshipper. I wear sunscreen and sunnies everyday in order to protect my visage from the the damaging rays of le soleil. This brush-on sun protection powder is such a lifesaver for someone like I, who doesn't reapply sunscreen every few hours and tends to get a bit shiny during the day. I discovered it at Bliss Spa in NYC senior year of high school and I have been a loyal user ever since.

My Awardees:

Gloria of musings & inspiration

JessM of You've Got the Silver

Kaitlyn of Born Late

Kirby of Lost Muse

Louloublue of All Babes are Wolves

Lucia of Who The Fuck Is Mick Jagger

Melissa of Glamoretta

Raquel of Eloise

Smashingbird of Smashingbird

Summer.B of ..Summer Baby

Here's what you do:
- Thank the person who tagged you and link to their blog
- Put the Top 10 Award logo on your blog (the logo is under my 'Kind Words' section if you want to snag it)
- List your top ten favorite cosmetics
- Choose ten bloggers to tag, link to their blogs, and let them know about their award!

* thanks to the book Life is a Movie Starring You by Jennifur Brandt for this fun fact

"the nature of society is to create"

Let me explain the James Baldwin quote I so lazily and pretentiously made to be the title. You see, I was nominated by the lovely Miss Jess from You've Got the Silver for the 'Creative Blogger' Award. This award, in addition to pumping up my ego, entails that I list ten things about myself and then nominate more bloggers that I adore to have the award as well. 

So to get back to Mr. Baldwin, while this sentiment was not the one he was necessarily trying to communicate (the quote continues "...an illusion of safety" - yep, the nature of society is to create an illusion of safety, apparently) but this is the sentiment that I - a twenty-year-old chick who not just passed, but aced, her intro to philosophy class - is making. And we all know that the musings of a self-involved blonde girl are much more interesting than the political insights of a Baldwin not on 30 Rock.

I think that the nature of society - at least the blogosphere society - is to create wonderful works of art, writing, photography, poetry, or (in my case) really fabulous collages, and we share our genius with each other. I think this ability to have a communal use, love and appreciation of each other's work is incredible. Even more incredible is that it's in our very nature. 

Without further ado, here's the main attraction: ten fascinating facts about Barbara Walter's Most Fascinating Person of 2011 

1. I am double jointed. So is my grandmother, but it freaks her out. 

Note: this is not a photograph of me or my grandmother. Neither of us can play the piano. 

2. I am a member of a very eccentric family. We have the type of personalities and dynamics that would only be found on a prime time sitcom (or an E! reality show), in the best possible sense. 

I would be Kim, obvs. 

3. During my brief stint modeling during the ages of 14-16, the agency photographer told me I looked like Christie Brinkley. I was incredibly flattered. Not that I actually knew who that was at the time, though. I have also been told I could be a foot model (And by non-foot fetishists, to boot!)  

4. I love the smell of gasoline. No worries though, apparently so does Kate Moss. 

5. It breaks my heart to eat anything remotely resembling an animal. I can barely bring myself to eat a bunny-shaped chocolate for Easter.

Nor do I encourage the consumption of pug loaf. But this pup is too darn cute to not put up here

6. I think that tuberculosis is a very romantic disease. 

Like Greta Garbo in Camille and Nicole Kidman as Satine in Moulin Rouge. Minus the part where they both die in the end. 

7. I have a not-so-secret desire to be a hip-hop wife. 

I want this to be my life. Just Kidding. Not Really. 

8. I am the biggest wimp when it comes to wearing high heels. With the amount of complaining I do, you'd think that Kathy Bates had gone all Misery on my feet. 

9. When I was much, much younger, I fell into a table that Sidney Poitier was sitting at, and proceeded to cry obnoxiously as Mr. Poitier tried to comfort me. This was at the Brown Derby Restaurant. (Did I mention that this happened in 1954?)

10. One day, I am going to live in Paris. 

In the forthcoming hours, I will include my list of bloggers I would love to nominate for the Creative Blogger Award 

(I know, you're all at the edge of your seats in anticipation)

* I am being entirely sarcastic in the first paragraphs. I love James Baldwin and I know he's not related to Alec. Just throwing that out there. *

the exploding plastic inevitable

I can be a little dense at times, a little out of the loop. In this particular case, I was very out of the loop. The wonderful Smashingbird gave me the Plastic Joy Award. Only, she gave it to me in April. The Plastic Joy Award is a fun little thing where a blogger selects five or more characters from film or television who they would most like to bump uglies with. Well, I say better late than never, especially when it comes to things as fun to do as this! Without further ado, here are the five characters I would most love to love: 

Cary Grant as T.R. Devlin in Notorious

Cary Grant was always so smooth, so suave, so unnervingly elegant that it was almost too much to bear at times. There is no choice but to swoon over him. This is why I love him as the hardened, jaded government agent Devlin - he is the hero of the story, but he isn't an obviously likable guy. He falls in love with Ingrid Bergman's character, Alicia Huberman, the alcoholic daughter of a Nazi scientist, but is too hardened to admit his feelings to a woman of such ill-repute. Their kiss - which last for minutes but is broken up into shorter kisses in order to pass through the Hays Code - is absolutely delirious. There is a scene mid-way through the film where the two meet up at the horse races under the watchful eye of Alicia's new husband - when she begins to cry, he stares straight ahead and says emotionlessly "Dry your eyes, baby - it's out of character." I don't know why, but it kills me every time. 

Marlon Brando as Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire

I read somewhere that you should watch On the Waterfront if you want to fall in love with Brando, and A Streetcar Named Desire if you want to fall in lust. It's easy to see why - he wears skin-tight tee shirts half the time (and the other half of the time, he's shirtless!) While I'm not too fond of the brutish behavior, I love his rare moments of remorse and tenderness. When he screams "Stellaaaaa!" from the bottom of his neighbor's staircase, he begins to cry, thinking he has lost the love of his life, and then drops to the floor in self-disgust when she slowly walks down to him. I remember watching this scene in a high school English class about five times in a row (I guess I wasn't the only one who was done in by Stanley).  

Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show

I think this reveals something rather unsettling about my personality. I don't know what it is (his fishnet-clad gams, perhaps?) but I just find Dr. Frank-N-Furter to be really attractive. If in some other dimension, we do end up hooking up - at least I can pick his brain afterward about lingerie and makeup tips. 

Ed Westwick as Chuck Bass in Gossip Girl

Why? Because he's Chuck Bass. 

Though my father finds him to be absolutely smarmy, I adore Chuck Bass. He has shattered all different stereotypes (before GG, I think we all could confidently say we didn't know a man could wear so much purple and baby pink and be such a committed womanizer), all the while being the most loveable ass on the planet. He's the only character who can get away with simply uttering his name as an excuse for his behavior (and have it not be followed by "... and I'm an alcoholic / drug addict / bag of douche.") His voice - coupled with the fact that it was patterned after that of Carlton Banks - truly does me in. 

Sean Connery as Mark Rutland in Marnie

Yes, he found the woman who robbed his company to be alluring rather than troubled. Yes, he blackmailed that same woman (Tippi Hedren, as the title character) into marriage with threatening to expose her kleptomaniacal ways. Yes, he also rapes her on their honeymoon. But other than that, I think he's a dream. I don't know, I guess I just have a thing for emotionally-vacant, strange men ... at least when it comes to the fictional ones. 

Ted Neeley as Jesus Christ in Jesus Christ Superstar

I can't figure out if wanting to bone Jesus in this movie means that I'm going to hell .... or if it means I'm a really awesome Christian. It's a very fine line. Also, I'll refrain from making the same joke that one of my friends (who was atheist) made about him being 'well-hung on the cross'. Because yeah, that's crossing a line.

Here are the blogstars I award the same plastic joy to (but I encourage everyone to do it - it's quite fun!):

Lost Muse

Glamoretta

Musings & Inspiration

You've Got the Silver

Beatle Girls

Retro Active Critiques

i’ll be your mirror, reflect what you are, in case you don’t know

By now, you all probably know that I am obsessed with Brigitte Bardot. (And if you didn't, then - Hello,  I am the Dolly Rocker Girl and I am a Bardot-a-holic). Brigitte Bardot has served as the inspiration for female style (and male fantasies) for over a half-century. The Beatle boys' pride and joy was to have a girl that looked like the actress - John even encouraged Cynthia (a natural brunette) to have a Bardot makeover, and apparently George wasn't quiet about how much he loved that his bird Pattie looked like Brigitte (as recounted by Cyn herself in her first book, "A Twist of Lennon"). Models Claudia Schiffer and Georgia May Jagger, as well as actress-turned-designer Ashley Olsen all name Brigitte Bardot as their main fashion influence. Even La Moss, the 'most stylish woman of the decade' (per Vogue U.S.) looks to BB for inspiration. 

I think the reason that Brigitte has been countlessly cited as a fashion icon is her ability to combine sultry sexpot with sophisticated French femininity. Brigitte was a bombshell in the truest sense - she owned her sexuality, yet never flaunted it. Whereas other women were running around in dresses cut up to there and scooped down to here, Brigitte could look absolutely drop-dead in a pair of checkered cigarette pants, ballet flats, and a simple cardigan. 

I look to BB for inspiration when it comes to makeup, clothes, a lot of stuff (maybe not political opinions, especially in light of her recent court cases in France) - and I know I'm not the only one. 

This is 'Then and Now: the Bardot Edition'

First off is the Bardot pose - legs clad in black tights crossed over each other, smoky eyes, a teased mane, and little else! This pose has been replicated by the likes of Lindsay Lohan (on the cover of Entertainment Weekly), Elle Macpherson (in a 1994 issue of Playboy magazine), and more recently by Rihanna and Gisele Bundchen

Editorials have often drawn inspiration from Brigitte's undeniably feminine, sultry style

For their 'Le Rouge' campaign, Chanel looked to Brigitte's film Le Mépris (Contempt) for inspiration. Model Julie Ordon takes on Bardot's role in the advertisements, reenacting the opening scene of the film - she asks the camera, in the same style as Bardot does her onscreen lover, "Tell me ... do you love my lips?" 

Other models try their hand at recreating another of Brigitte's famous looks from the Jean-Luc Godard film. Her black-and-white ensemble, matched with a thick bandana and even thicker eyeliner, is one of the most famous from Le Mépris 

Welsh songstress Duffy often channels bombshell starlets of decades past - here she does her best Brigitte Bardot, complete with a modest (yet still utterly va-va-voom) black dress, long slightly wavy blonde hair, and Bardot's signature black cat eye-and-nude lip combination 

For the cover of Redbook, Faith Hill stepped into the shoes of three of the most imitated and admired women of the 20th century: Grace Kelly, Twiggy, and Brigitte Bardot

Vanessa Paradis looks like she could double for Brigitte Bardot in her wigged-out scenes in Le Mépris. With their feline features and insouciant French personalities, the two women resemble each other considerably - even without those short black wigs 

Many sexpot singers of recent years have mimicked Brigitte's carefree comfortable style. Kylie Minogue does it best I think - she keeps it fresh and modern, but the nod to her style icon isn't unnoticeable. Madonna ... not so much

Title: from "I'll Be Your Mirror" (The Velvet Undergound & Nico)