These Are Not Nazi Girls

Poppy and the Jezebels

The Guardian called them 'devastatingly cool'. NME has predicted they'll be superstars. There's a lot of hype surrounding Birminghams Poppy and the Jezebels, most of it focusing on the 'four attractive teenage girls in a group - oh yeah, and they play music too' angle. However, those with their brains switched on know that PATJ produce intelligent indie pop full of witty diatribes and eloquent poetry, regardless of age and gender. Oh, and they happen to photograph well too. Following the release of their most recent single 'Rhubard and Custard' (which is a CHOON, fyi) we caught up with the Jezebels to see whats going on in their world, and their personal take on style as we know it...

Hello there. Hows things, and whats been going on in the world of your music?

Hello! Summer has been treating us well, we’ve just played the Isle of Wight Festival and are playing the 1,2,3,4 Festival in Shoreditch on the 26th July along with other gigs popping up round the country. When we’re not gigging, we’ve been continuing to record, rehearse and refine our travelling show... and whilst there are lots of interesting things happening in Jezebel world at the moment, we couldn’t possibly divulge it all for fear of breaking the spell ! In other words, watch this space, because the night is young... ooh! But take a look at the imminent issues of LOVE and Vice mags… we’ve just done shoots for them!

2) What are your plans in terms of yr music for the next few months?

School’s out forever! (at least for us) and we’re now spending all our time just writing, writing, writing... We’re busying ourselves by making forever bigger and better pop songs, experimenting instrumentally and generally making the most of our fab new rehearsal space. There’s a couple of new songs now that we just want to get recorded as soon as possible and get out there for people to hear.

3)How would you describe your style?

We’re not interested in fickle fashion trends or industry buzzwords, and instead just wear exactly what it is we want to wear, making it hard to exactly define our style. However, we’re all massively into vintage clothing, especially mid-century boutique designers like Biba, Bus Stop and Ossie Clark. We like to find pieces from designers like Barbara Hulanicki that were worn by young, exciting and excited people, something with a bit of history. It’s not a retro revival for us though, we mix these finds with handmade costumes from the internet, Topshop basics and Vivienne Westwood (when in the sales... !)

4) In terms of fashion, who and what are your influences?Women with strong, iconic looks- Nico in a white suit, Debbie Harry in Steven Sprouse, Poison Ivy in top-to-toe gold lurex, Patti Smith in a leather jacket, or nothing at all...

5) If you could trade wardrobes with one person, who would it be and why?

Liza Minnelli. You can actually purchase some of her old wardrobe off the internet, but it’s all thousands of pounds. It would be worth it though- everything is very Cabaret - sequins, ostrich feathers, glossy capes... It’s all over-the-top and terribly wonderful.

6)Where are your favourite places to shop?

Unless we’re visiting World’s End on Kings Road... the internet is the place to buy the most elaborate vintage outfits from the 30’s to the 70’s. However, we always enjoy a hop to Portobello Market where we buy cut-price sunglasses and Amber very proudly got an entire outfit for £2.50 !

7)What items in your wardbrobe hold particular sentimental value to you?

4 years ago I bought a leopard print fur coat from Topshop Vintage, and it is probably the one item I have most solidly worn these past 4 years, seeing me comfortably through every harsh English winter. Now the lining has started to disintegrate and the sleeves are coming apart at the seams, but I just can’t let it go !

8) What significance do you think fashion holds to todays youth?

For those who manage to ignore all the trite magazines that tell you how to look exactly like Victoria Beckham or Cheryl Cole, I think fashion remains what it always has been- a chance to experiment and create your own identity. The way you wear clothes can also be a form of rebellion, if you do it properly! It can be amazing how shocking some people find four girls in dresses who are playing their own instruments...

9)What are your biggest ever fashion mistakes?!

Mollie will always cringe at the old photos of us at our first ever gig in Birmingham- she wore a blue pvc skirt, lime green tights, a gold belt, neon beads...! She absolutely hates it now but I still think she looked fabulous!

10)What are your three golden style rules?

Mix it up ! – life isn’t a revival show.

Get a free haircut from the hairdresser at the shoot !

Raybans hide all sins!

© Copyright Betti Hunter 2009

THE DULOKS!!!

Kickass band the Duloks get freaky and answer some questions...

1) Hello there. Hows things, and whats been going on in the world of The Duloks?

Rah Dulok - Well Mar's been on vacation in Canada for a couple weeks, and Abi and I have been apart so NOT MUCH!!In Mar's absence though DULOKS BADGES have been delivered to Mar which I am pretty excited about and I've got some foetal song idea's for our 2nd lp which I can't wait to sing at them both when we are reunited!!!
Mar Dulok: Yeah world of the Duloks is slow right now. It's been 30degrees or more in London and the heat wears us out! We're gearing upfor a 10 day German tour in August... and a little self promotion hereI've been making a new podcast here: www.rockonlondon.com - you canhear old Duloks podcasts there too! Oh and RIGHT now I'm about to flyto Sicily to visit a boy :)

2) What are the bands plans for the next few months?

Rah Dulok - Writing new songs, personal development, practising songs,cupcakes and alfalfa sprouts, recording songs, looking at the RedRacer (the Duloks-mobile) and sighing, playing shows around, going toGERMANY then going to BESTIVAL!

3)How would you describe your style, as individuals and as a band?

Rah Dulok - As a band, I would describe us as bold colored retrosporty chicas! As an individual I'd describe my style as a mix betweenAudrey Hepburn, PJ Harvey and Dale Carnegie. I like to dress wacky forthe fun. That does me no favours...!
Mar Dulok: As the band definitely fun, colourful and fancy dressinspired. I was talking about style and "my style" yesterday with myflatmate and I have pretty much been wearing relatively the same styleof clothes ALL my life. You see the Dulok's shorts? I've been wearingthose since 1982 ! Apparently I had a couple pairs when I was like 1or 2 and I wore them til i was 5. My mom says they got REALLY smallbut I kept wearing them. I'm very simple in my style...mostly jeans,stripes, plimsoles, converse, hoodies & t-shirts but I'm wearing a LOTmore dresses now too. I'm branching out slowly...give me another 10years and maybe I'll wear a gown.

4) In terms of fashion, who and what are your influences?

Rah Dulok - It's hard to say who my influences are because I don'tknow that much about fashion! I always watch people around me and I'llnotice they've done something quirky with their make up or clothes andI pick it up and try it on me! Working for a VERY female company hashelped me so much in expressing my girlier style! I feel liberated!
Mar Dulok: North American indie kids I guess... cos that's pretty muchhow I dress. I don't have any specific influences but I spend a gooddeal of my time watching bands so people in bands are probably mybiggest influence or other people at shows.

5) If you could trade wardrobes with one person, who would it be and why?

Rah Dulok - It would probably be my friend Laetitia who writes theMademoiselle Robot blog (http://www.mademoisellerobot.com)...she's afashion blogger and friend that Mar Dulok introduced me to and she isso chic!! She has an adorable outfit for EVERY occasion. I'm prettysure that she would cry tears of dismay if she had to have MY wardrobetho which is very limited! She just recently set up a stylist servicetoo, called Mademoiselle Style http://www.mademoisellestyle.co.uk/ -check it out!
Mar Dulok: This is hard... I'm really picky... but I'm gonna say Beckyfrom You Say Party! We Say Die! Cos she has pretty good style. Ialways love what she wears on stage.

6)Where are your favourite places to shop?

Rah Dulok - I love www.asos.com - I love it SO MUCH! It's so easy forme to shop there and pretty reasonable cost too! I also love theboutiques in Kingly Court off Carnaby Street...Traffic People is oneof my faves, the bold colors they go with totally turn me on!! Ireligiously buy all my underwear from Marks & Spencers. This was atradition set in place by my mother and my daughter will do the same!
Mar Dulok: Canadian thrift stores like Value Village or the SallyAnne...it's a LOT of work to search out good stuff but when you dofind something good it's with you for a life time. In Britain I don'treally like the charity shops cos they're too small and over pricedand don't have enough stuff. I basically just shop the normal placesTop Shop, Primark, Uniqlo, Bricklane, Beyond Retro... H&M can be okbut there stuff is only for TALL people. I notice that with Primarktoo... more clothes need to be made for short girls like me. There's aLOT of us in the world.

7)What items in your wardbrobes hold particular sentimental value to you?

Rah Dulok - My mum gave me the dress she wore after the weddingceremony to go off on honeymoon and I love love LOVED it - I wore itto death and I miss it now!! :( The other thing I have is my Star Trek: TNG uniform that I wore loads when I was young but should havereally known better. I used to love Wil Wheaton you see, and he FINALLY emailed me last year 2008. So I will never ever get rid of theuniform. Le sigh.
Mar Dulok: Expo 86 t-shirts... I have a few and I collect them. I wentto Expo 86 when I was 5 and it changed Vancouver forever. It was apretty big deal plus it has the BEST logo ever. Such good pop art. Ihave an old sock which was from a pair of socks I borrowed from aboyfriend once when I stayed at his house. I kept the socks and worethem out so I kept the one sock even though it has a hole in it andit's my ipod holder / protector. Pretty dorky... but he's still one ofmy best friends and one of my favourite boys in the world.

8) What significance do you think fashion holds to todays youth?

Rah Dulok - I think this generation have access to cheap fashion -places like Primark make it possible to follow fashion week by weekwith pocket money - it's scary how quickly fashions change SO FASTnow!! Its funny how the goth / emo stereotype prevails for moody teenagers tho!
Mar Dulok: Yeah everything is a hell of a lot more accessible. When Iwas a teen there was one store downtown (in Vancouver) you could get a studded belt and it was $30 and that was a LOT of money in 1995. I had to save up to it. Now you can go to Primark or any high street storeand get knock off punk stuff for £2. It seems a lot less work now to look a certain way. You could change your style daily. The other difference is we've entered a generation ofhipsters...people who look cool but don't do anything! When I wasyoung if someone had dyed hair or converse shoes they were in a band,had a zine, put on shows, were an artist, etc... now stockbrokerswhere converse shoes. The world has changed... and with photo blogsits all about appearance and having the best pout at the coolestparty. Doesn't mean you actually contributed in any way...you werethere and were scene and that's what's important these days. Weird !

9)What are your biggest ever fashion mistakes?!

Rah Dulok - Probably wearing the Star Trek uniform in public....
Mar Dulok: I had a dog collar. I had blue spiked hair! I wore abaseball hat everyday when I was 13 along with oversized men'st-shirts and hippy shorts. I even had one of those little roundembroided hippy hats! Hahaha.... I can laugh now.

10)What are your three golden style rules?

Rah Dulok - 1. Personalise it! Add your own unique twist of motif! Mine include unicorns, stars and octopiis. They cheer me up!2. Dress to impress at work...it makes a difference I promise! It alsomakes you feel good when you turn in to the office all glossy andgussied up!3. Look after your feet..! If you destroy your feet in heels of anevening give them a lovely foot soak and pamper the next day..they'regoing to carry you around for a long time!
Mar Dulok: This is like our song Safety Over Fashion... which came outof a conversation I was having about how dumb people are for fashion.Definitely get rid of heels on drunk girls...they are a danger tothemselves and others. Heels in general make yr feet weirdly formedand ugly if you wear them too much. I have baby feet...soft and noweird bits cos I wear trainers. Wear the right SIZE. If yr skinny wear fitted clothes, if yr fat wearless fitted clothes. It's pretty simple. Every boyfriend I've ever hadwears baggy trousers at the beginning of our relationship and by theend they are in nice fitted jeans. They haven't lost any weight I'vejust convinced them to buy clothes that fit properly! My most important rule is wear something in your comfort zone. Youwill pull it off better, look more confident etc wearing something youfeel good about. Don't try too hard.

© Copyright Betti Hunter 2009

Pink Elephants and Lemonade

Hello all,
Today was the day of the BIGASS FASHION SHOOT OF DOOM (DUHDUHDUHHH). Surprisingly, given my terrifically chaotic 'plans' and my propensity for leaving things til the very last minute it went very well. The models looked gorgeous, the clothes (for the most part) were perfect and our two photographers Anthony and Elliot were stars. Props to all involved =)
The pictures will be up ASAP, however, between now, then, and when I can be bothered to post the hilarious Duloks interview, I'll leave you with this...

I was reading over this blog (I think I may be the only one who does...) and realised that there are a lot of articles, but not very much about myself, which is kind of the point of an online journal (thich this is, of sorts). So I decided to shine a little light to all my readers, well, the two of you, on my own personal retarded take on fashion, and whats in my closet. Fun times.

Just to get things straight. I do not, and never will 'follow fashion' religiously. It's no fun. And thats what my wardrobe is all about. FUN. With capslock on and bold print too. Since my formative days as a teenage renegade with panda-eye make-up and flares bigger than Jesus' following I've never really given two or even one shits about what people think about what I'm wearing. "If I like it and you don't, fuck you" has been my credos since I can remember. I have precious few fashion rules that I follow: leggings should always be worn with a booty-skimming top or dress, all-black outfits rarely work unless you are a) Robert Smith or b) going to a fancy dress party as one of the members of Kraftwerk, and polka dots must be avoided at all costs (unless you honestly want to look like you spend your life shopping from the Next Directory). Apart from the aforementioned, anything goes, but my wardrobe is mainly made up of the following...

Fun Shoes
I'm one of those people who will neglect to buy basics in favour of any gaudy, brash prints and designs that leap out and catch my eye. My shoe collection is no different. The way I see it, you can be well and truly down in the dumps, but if you stick on a killer pair of hot pink and tartan heels and some mad-cool glittery tights you've got no option other than to man the fuck up and stick a massive smile on your face. Fun shoes rule, Hush Puppies suck. Period.

Statement T-shirts
Whether they're obscure band prints, retina-melting day-glo prints or raggedy home-made pieces of crap, my crazy-diverse collection of t-shirts never fails to light up my day. Simple things, I know...

Charity Shop Tat
I live for it, srsly. Chazza shops allow you to dress individually, stylishly, and on the cheap. My obscenely stylish friend RhianFORCE picked up this denim jacket for me from Barnados the other day for a fiver. Bloody fantastic, I'm sure you'll agree.

Day dresses
I'm not much of a fan of jeans anymore, I find them somewhat restrictive and quite depressing when I find I can no longer do the top button up after indulging in one too many Mars Bars. So my staple outfit is a cute minidress, opaques and kitten heel boots. Easy as jeans to chuck on and twice as stylish, in my opinion.

Kitsch Accessories
The odder, the better. Owls, russian dolls, teapots and bold jewelry all feature heavily in my dress sense. The heart shaped glasses were a fiver at Camden Market 2 years ago. I was devastated when I found out you can now buy them at Primark for £1.

Badges
Since I was 12, no outfit of mine has been complete without a button badge, usually a piece of band merch or one of the many randomly generated ones from the sadly now defunct vintage boutique Drop Dead Budgie.

This Friday also saw Mr Space Cadet take me for a nice meal at Gio's in cardiff. If you haven't already been, go. If the promise of smarmy waiters calling you Senora and shit Italian synth music isn't tempting enough, they also have a dish called Mafia Pesto, which is just wicked.
I decided to channel my inner Jason Donovan and wear my brand spanking new old denim jacket. Some people may say they're in danger of becoming passe all too soon. I say 'fuck you'. They add instant eighties koool to any outfit. Put with a cute white lace babydoll, hot pink and purple tartan heels, cats eyes sunglasses and of course, my trusty pocket watch, I believe I was onto a winner. Whatcha think?

Well, it's a sunday night and I'm off for cups of tea, PJ and Duncan and late night movies with Mr S.C. The only style I'm going to be thinking about is whether to wear my pink slippers or blue ones. Thankyou and goodnight.

© Copyright Betti Hunter 2009