Nylon Blogs

What’s happening today on CNN?

They’re riveted by this photo of a Flaming Lips concert, which looks like a cleaner and more modern version of stage diving.

Which is way more fun than being riveted by swine flu, fighter jets randomly swooping into New York, or tonight’s State of the Union address.

Check out more of CNN’s “fun and amazing” photos on their website.

And by the way:

If you think this concert looks fun, just wait until The Plastiscines come to town…

xo faran

I’m not the only NYLON girl with an unusual name (especially since Shruti sits across from me), but it doesn’t dull the occasional frustration with having a name nobody seems to grasp.  Most times during introductions, I say “Faran” and someone repeats back “Sarah.” (This actually happened when I met Marc Jacobs, and it broke my heart.)  There’s also nothing personalized – no barrettes, no keychains, no ’70s rock songs (what I wouldn’t give to be “Celia, you’re breaking my heart…”).

But last year, things started to change.  I met Joe Corre, the creative director of Agent Provocateur, at a party in Soho.  Weeks later, he designed the Faran waspie corset, bra, and underwear. My mom quipped, “How’d you inspire that?!” but I didn’t care – I was thrilled. Then the milliner Eugenia Kim came up with a Faran cap, and Gwen Stefani’s line L.A.M.B made a Faran high heel.

And now?  Paul Smith’s Fall ’09 shades, created by Oliver Peoples, are called The Farren.  I know the spelling’s off, but still… at least they’re not called The “Wait, you said your name is Sarah?”

Plus, they’re really cute glasses – unique, but easy enough to fit on many face shapes – and on girls with many different names.

xoxo faran (not sarah, erin, farrah, or fran)

I found this great (but chipping) mural on the side wall of The Earth School, a public school on Avenue B in New York City.

It’s been filtered through the Camera Bag application on my iPhone, and turned into a “fisheye” view.

This way, it kind of looks like a little graffiti planet.

Loooove.

You can click through to see what the mural looks like as a flat wall.

You can also send me good graffiti:  faran@nylonmag.com

xo

(more…)

Like a roll of Lifesavers left out in the sun for too long, the new album from Thee Oh Sees is a little sticky, a little sweet, but still really good.

The cover only hints at this; from first song to last, Help oozes that reverb-heavy jangle that often gets omitted in slick studio albums these days. It probably doesn’t hurt that TOS’s main guy, John Dwyer, has been doing this forever (this happens to be the band’s seventh album).

“Enemy Destruct”, the album opener, hits the ground running like The Cramps on psychedelics – or The Leaves on dope, depending on your point of view. Everything after follows suit, and while you could slap “garage rock”, “psych rock”, “rockabilly”, or a whole litany of names on the resulting sound, it’s just catchy pop music waiting to be the soundtrack to a sweltering summer day. And that’s no bad trip.

What makes Happy Socks so damn happy?

It could be because they’re designed in Sweden.

Or because they’re made in a family-run factory in Turkey.

Or that they come in just about every color and design imaginable.

But it’s probably because when they they get big rooftop parties thrown in their honor, like the one this weekend in NYC.

Which, in turn, makes me happy because they’re so damn colorful. If only the pair I picked up weren’t so big (size 12, anyone?). Although at $10 a pair, there’s no reason why I can’t just order a few extras…xxRebecca

What’s suede, leopard spotted, and way cheaper than I thought it would be?

Barbara Hulanicki for Topshop!

The brain behind Biba launched her collection today (and online, for those not in the tri-state area), and save for a pair of suede hot pants and some ho-hum skirts, it’s full of hits.

Especially anything with her abstract-art animal print. I know Topshop labels it as “leopard print”, but it’s more MoMA than Sunset Strip.

I’m debating whether it’s too late in the season to go for the wide-leg pants…or if a cotton bodysuit can double as a swimsuit…xxRebecca

At left, a Marc by Marc Jacobs dress that has me completely smitten.

At right, a dress on eBay from Marc Jacobs Collection (I think it’s Spring ’00, but couldn’t find it on Style.com).

The Marc by Marc dress is over $400.

The eBay piece is $89, at least for now.

Is it a worthy substitution?

Or does it lack the flirt of the MxMJ frock?

Seriously, I need a separate therapist just to talk me through the anxieties of shopping.

xo

faran