BEAUTY ALERT: The perfect fall nail polish

Courtesy of dailycookie.net

When the days get shorter and Starbucks starts brewing pumpkin spice lattes, that can only mean one thing: fall is here. Even the most dedicated beach babes must give in and hang up their bikinis as cardigan weather fully hits. And just as your wardrobe needs a makeover now, so do your nails! Say your tearful goodbyes to the lavenders and seafoam greens of summer, and whats up to the muted, sophisticated tones of the fall.

Not sure where to turn? Lucky for you, Chanel (who else?) has created the perfect fall color for 2010, with their Paradoxal varnish. When you hold that coveted square glass bottle in your hands, feel free to be a little skeptical. On first glance, the gray polish with purple iridescence seems a little more cheap than chic. Yet, when it’s actually on, Paradoxal seems to solve that magical …paradox of the perfect blend between purple and gray. The subdued, but fun polish will match perfectly with the neutral tones of your fall wardrobe, while still giving off a sense of whimsy.  Best of all, just one coat gives a perfectly saturated layer, so one jar will last throughout a whole season of pumpkin carving, pecan pies, and falling leaves.

-Lauren

Little J Gets Fired Up (and Naked!)

Courtesy of ThePrettyReckless.com

Fire, cemeteries, and nearly naked blonde babes – sounds like a typical music video right? In The Pretty Reckless’ “Make Me Wanna Die,” the blonde babe in question is lead singer Taylor Momsen aka Gossip Girl’s resident bratty wild-child Jenny Humphrey aka the 17 year-old actress once known for playing Cindy Lou Who in Jim Carrey’s version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Well, we’re not in Whoville anymore, or even the Upper East Side for that matter. Momsen writhes and snarls in the vid, all while peeling off layers of leather, flannel, and silk lingerie, until she’s completely naked (in a graveyard, obviousy…).  Ok, sure she kinda pulls it off, and the song is catchy in that ‘I would make this my AIM away message if I were 15’ kinda way.  But, bottom line, girl is 17! Courtney Love Lite, anyone?

-Lauren

Harvey Danger Releases Posthumous Single, Ansewers Question, “What Ever Happened to Those Guys?”

In 1998, “Flagpole Sitta” became the anthem for angsty burnouts across the country. What happened to those guys? Doing a little digging, we were surprised to find the band has quietly released two more albums since their debut, 1997’s Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? (Fun fact: “Flagpole Sitta” will reportedly be renewed as the theme song for the UK sitcom Peep Show, now in its eighth season). We were further surprised, if not a bit flummoxed, to learn Harvey Danger formally called it quits last year.  Before they did, they recorded the just-released track “The Show Must Not Go On” while wrapping up their final string of shows last fall. Produced by John Goodmanson (Sleater-Kinney, Death Cab for Cutie, and all three Harvey Danger albums), the track is a far cry from the ire of their youth. Rather, it seems the band has come to terms with the trappings of commercial success. It can’t be easy being relegated to one hit wonder status (Local H, anyone?), but the enduring impact of “Flagpole Sitta” on alternative rock just might be worth the burn.

Check out the final jam, “The Show Must Not Go On”, for free  here. Also, check up on the rest of their catalog, including a brand new 15-track b-sides/rarities collection.

— Britt

Of Montreal pairs with Janelle Monáe for explosive new tour

Photo by Nina Barnes

What do you get when you mix an iconic indie-rock band from Georgia known for their habit of drastic experimentation between records with a Grammy-nominated Afro-punk singer/songwriter/dancer? Of Montreal’s fall tour with Janelle Monáe, of course. Promoting their latest album, “False Priest” (in stores tomorrow), of Montreal will undoubtably to put on a wild show, throwing in old hits with new tunes. Add Monáe as support, with that crazy-amazing voice and impeccable style (girl can work a suit!), and you have one show that you do not want to miss. The False Priest/ArchAndroid tour kicks off tonight in DC tonight at the iconic 9:30 club, and will stop in Philadelphia, Boston and New York City to round out the week.

Fashion’s Night Out Weekend Wrap-Up

Sundae Magazine Intern Lauren spills all the deets from Fashion’s Night Out in Philadelphia

On Friday, September 10, fashionistas around the globe celebrated fashion with some seriously chic soirees. The second annual Fashion’s Night Out extravaganza popped up in dozens of cities across the United States, promising drinks, celebs and haute couture – and oh, did it deliver.

Some notable New York City fetes included karaoke with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen at Henri Bendel’s, Gwen Stefani greeting fans and signing perfume bottles at Sephora, and the always fashionable Metric performing a surprise set inside Juicy Couture.

Sounds awesome, right? For those of us stranded in the suburbs of Philadelphia, the King of Prussia Mall hosted a bash that provided enough swag and, most importantly, stores to keep even the most hardcore fashionistas satisfied (it is, of course, the largest shopping mall on the East Coast!).

While there were no Anna Wintour sightings in the food court, the King of Prussia Mall did make the night more than a just a typical trip to the mall. Throughout the evening a cornucopia of entertainment was provided, including a classy violinist outside of Nordstrom and an oddly placed (not to mention, excessively loud) skinny-jeans and Converse-clad emo band that drew a crowd of rambunctious mallrats.

However, the Pièce de résistance had to be the fashion show set up outside of Bloomingdales, intended to emulate the FNO kickoff presentation that happened on Wednesday night in New York City. As expected, the Bloomie’s show drew a massive pack of spectators and celebrated this season’s must-have pieces.

Afterwards, shoppers were free to hit individual stores for special deals. Most stores kept the night bumpin’ with an in-house DJ spinning the latest Ke$ha techno remix, coaxing customers into buying that extra pair of skinny cargo pants. (Fine, I’ll admit it. It worked!)

Many stores promised free food and drinks, though most ran out very early in the evening – yeah, I’m calling you out, Michael Kors.  I want a rain check on those cupcakes!

However, attendees didn’t let the shortage of cubed cheddar on a toothpick get them down. The occasion gave us all an excuse to get gussied up, even if the only cameras flashing were the ones from our own cell phones.

Check out these particularly well-dressed girls I spotted getting their FNO on:

Alexa Chung for Madewell Line Drops, Our Heart Swells

Courtesy of Madewell

She’s a model. She’s a contributing editor at British ELLE. She hosted a hilarious, albeit short-lived talk show on MTV, and she can wear a pair of oxfords like no other. Seriously, is there anything that Alexa Chung can’t do? Today the It Girl gives us even more to pine after as her exclusive clothing line for Madewell makes its grand debut. Chung’s fall collection for the chain store is unsurprisingly vintage-inspired and offers an assortment of on-trend skinnies, velvet shorts, and demure blouses. Check out the collection at Madewell.com, then swoon like the rest of us.

-Lauren

NEW MUSIC: Tim Kasher Goes Solo

Courtesy of Saddle Creek

You might know Tim Kasher as the lead singer of indie/post-hardcore band Cursive, who has been putting out albums on the Omaha-based Saddle Creek label since the label’s debut in the mid-1990s. You might also know Tim Kasher as the lead singer of The Good Life, also on the Saddle Creek label, which began as a solo-project for Kasher to branch out into a folk-rock genre that didn’t quite fit with Cursive’s established sound. However, come October 5, you might know Tim Kasher as, well, Tim Kasher, solo artist.

With two separate bands with completely different sounds, what else does Kasher have to explore? “Cold Love,” the first single off of the upcoming album “The Sound of Monogamy,” was released earlier this week as a free download, and proves just how much more Kasher has to give. The song lyrically resembles a Cursive refrain, with fears of getting old and lost relationships, but the catchy chorus is more in tune with something from The Good Life. Overall, the song has a new feel to it, so perhaps the Saddle Creek superstar still has another band or two left in him.

-Lauren

NEW MUSIC: Jay Bells

Another Jay-Z mash-up? Yawn. It seems as though Hov has been mixed and mashed with almost every artist out there, from Linkin Park to Radiohead, on those ever-popular Jaydiohead tracks. However, newcomer DJ O-Face is taking his chances on this tried genre with his new sampler “Jay Bells,” available for download online at djoface.bandcamp.com.

The 6-track album features original mashups of some of Jay-Z’s biggest hits alongside songs off of Brooklyn-based Sleigh Bells’ debut noise-pop album Treats, which has earned huge praise since its May 2010 release. “Jay Bells” matches the strong drums, rifting guitars, and intense female vocals of Sleigh Bells with Jay’s iconic raps to create a new kind of mashup, that is perfect for your weekend party playlist.

Recommended tracks:
Girls, Kids, Girls
Dirt on Your Crown

-Lauren

Arcade Fire’s New Interactive Video

Although it has only been released for about 48 hours, you’ve probably already seen, or at least heard about the new ‘music video’ for the Arcade Fire’s latest single “We Used to Wait” off of The Suburbs. However, to call it just a music video seems, well, insulting. The interactive film begins by instructing viewers to type in the name of their hometown. From there, the multi-screen video will take you on a ride through your (stimulated) childhood. To avoid any further spoilers, (and to see the future of music videos!), check out the clip for yourself at http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com.

-Lauren