Happy Friday, everyone! Today’s selection was a little bit controversial here at BP. HQ. Some people wondered if maybe this video was too weird. Or too long. Or too…old. There was a lot of impassioned discussion. But then someone hit “play” and it took all of about 30 seconds for people to stop talking and start tapping their toes. By the two-minute mark shoulders were jerking around and heads were bobbing. By the three-minute mark, every single person in the vicinity was throwing down all their serious and signature dance moves. Houston, we have achieved lift-off. The dance party starts now.
Video
It’s been unseasonably warm this week here at BP. HQ in Seattle (it’s supposed to be 80 degrees today—that hardly ever happens…EVER). In fact, the weather is so surprising that it’s left a lot of us scrambling for summery outfits while scratching our heads at closets full of sweaters, boots and jeans. So for today’s Friday dance party, we thought we’d slow things down—just a little—with a song that makes us want to BBQ by a bonfire ’til way past sundown.
Before he was a Hollywood superstar and pops to Willow and Jaden, Will Smith was The Fresh Prince and, along with DJ Jazzy Jeff, he created one of the best warm-weather jams we’ve ever heard. Pull up a hammock and swing along.
Happy Friday! The sun is out in Seattle and we are in a frenzy of fro-yo and sunbathing (with sunscreen, natch) and bike riding and making flirty eyes at cute guys on the sidewalk and just YAY! So today is already pretty spectacular, is what we’re trying to say. And then we found out about the new Janelle Monáe video, featuring Erykah Badu, and really it’s like everything collapsed into a ball of white light and happiness.
Hopefully your Friday feels just as sparkly and giddy. xo!
Today’s crush-worthy woman is (IMHO) one of the world’s best photographers. Like, ever. Her name is Mary Ellen Mark and she’s been setting the world on fire with her photographs since the 1960s when she started shooting pictures of Vietnam War protests, women’s liberation demonstrations and other outbreaks of social unrest. Since then she’s worked for Rolling Stone, won a National Endowment for the Arts grant, been awarded four honorary doctorate degrees and generally just kicked butt all over the place. Her subjects range from street kids in Seattle to performers in an Indian circus to celebrities like Johnny Depp.
But it’s one of her most recent projects that’s got us all worked up. She and her equally amazing husband spent several years traveling around and photographing PROMS. Yep, you read it right: Proms Across America! (That’s not the name of the project. But it would be funny if it was.) They also made a documentary! We grabbed a couple of our favorite images to show you exactly how awesome she is, but these are just the tip of the iceberg. (You can see more amazing prom portraits and read about the project here.)
So if you’re always chasing your friends with your camera, if you can’t stop Instagramming—you’re in good company. Keep it up and maybe one day you’ll end up with an honorary doctorate and a world-class portfolio that makes people swoon.
Here’s the trailer for the documentary:
Shameless plug: Still looking for prom dresses, shoes and accessories? Swing by the prom shop and get yourself sorted!
Kick off your weekend with a touch of seriously weird (but weirdly wonderful) desert madness from our favorite witch-core artist, Grimes. Wonder if she’ll have that big snake onstage when she plays Coachella this Sunday…
My spring break is almost here and in honor of the fun about to commence, I’d like to share this fab video. It features some of my favorite models—Jourdan Dunn, Cara Delevingne and Rosie Tapner—putting their own fashion girl spin on the “Harlem Shake“ at the most recent Topshop show in London.
XOXO,
Aya
Sources:
Topshop
The Coachella Music Festival starts tomorrow and the lineup is AMAZING. Even if you’re not desert-bound this weekend, you can always put on your best festival finery, live stream the main stage and have a a mini-fest in your bedroom with your besties.
To get you in the mood, here’s a new video from our festival trend guide, Desert Song:
The days are getting longer, the weather’s getting warmer and stores are bringing out their collections of crocheted shorts. Yes, it’s festival season—the most carefree and musical time of the year.
Austin’s SXSW wrapped a few weeks ago, and Coachella, the musical hotspot for celebrities and established Indie groups, kicks off tomorrow. They mark the onslaught of summer music festivals throughout the nation. Music festivals are no longer just about listening to great up-and-coming bands, festivals have morphed into a showcase for the haute-hippie style junkies.
Festival style is not a single look, but rather it’s about putting together clothes in a carefree, fun way. The rules of everday fashion do not apply during these two or three days. Crop tops, leather, denim short-shorts, boots and printed dresses reign supreme. Prints are encouraged, flower crowns are worn and you can be certain that everyone there has a least two pairs of sunglasses.
Summer music festivals are the meeting grounds for the music lovers, style trendsetters and everyday people who leave their responsibilities and worries behind for a weekend. So pull out your jean shorts and crop tops, layer on those necklaces and get ready to cut loose!
Shown here: Painted Threads bralette and Fire shorts (complete look), multicolored spike necklace, Steve Madden fringe backpack and Hamil sandal
~Brittany
Sources:
The Ladies of Coachella
Denim Therapy
Trés Awesome
Teen Vogue
Stiletto Escape
Happy Friday! It’s been a pretty good week here at BP. HQ. The latest trend guide is making its way through final reviews and everyone who worked on it is feeling great about it. We just got images back from the June trend guide photoshoot and they are even more fun and cool than we expected them to be. And our whole team went bowling last night (on a school night!) and got super silly and blew off a ton of steam.
And yet, despite all these good-mood-making events, today’s video is all about hanging in there and standing strong in the midst of adversity. Also, fabulous make-up. Enjoy!
P.S. We have a MAJOR girl-crush on lead singer Beth Ditto. Look for more about her on Woman Crush Wednesday.
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