The celebrity music-video cameo is an easy way for artists to draw attention to their video and prove they've got enough clout to land a big name. Sometimes, like Christopher Walken in Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice," they make weird and wonderful sense. Other times, they do not. Here are nine examples of those times that left us wondering, why? 

Jack Black in Die Antwoord's "Ugly Boy"
In a video filled with random celebrity cameos—Marilyn Manson? ATL Twins? Cara Delevingne???—none is stranger than Jack Black's cameo towards the end, as a disfigured Jersey guido smoking a grotesquely long cigar. Okay, then. 

Chris Pine in Paul McCartney's "Queenie Eye"
If Paul McCartney wants every famous person on the planet to show up in his music video, all he has to do is ask. He is Paul McCartney. So that's exactly what he did, wrangling big names like Johnny Depp, Kate Moss, Meryl Streep, and a bunch more to dance and lip-sync in this weirdly goofy video. But of all the famous faces here—and there are a lot—one of them is eating away at us. Why are you here, Chris Pine? Please explain yourself. 

Shia Labeouf in Sia's "Elastic Heart"
This. 

Ron Howard in Jamie Foxx's "Blame It"
File this one under WTF. The last person you'd expect to see in Jamie Foxx's ode to getting faded in da club is the dude who directed A Beautful Mind, but that's why they call it Hollyweird. 

Pamela Anderson in Kanye West's "Touch the Sky"
At the time, this seemed pretty straightforward: Kanye West playing a daredevil and Pamela Anderson playing his buxom companion. Sure. But looking back on it today—with Kanye the dominant, dark prince of hip-hop and Pamela Anderson the animal activist who just divorced her third husband—this feels like an especially odd pairing.  

Megan Fox in Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie"
Watching this hyper-stylized domestic violence drama play out—with its stop-start makeouts and shouting matches—makes us uncomfortable enough. Add to it that Megan Fox just isn't a very convincing actress and this just hits all the wrong notes. 

Scarlett Johansson in Justin Timberlake's "What Goes Around" 
If you're going to cast someone in the thankless role of wayward girlfriend whose sole job is to smolder, then why cast Talented Actress Scarlett Johansson? And more pressingly, if you're Scarlett Johansson, then why accept?  

Shaquille O'Neal in Owl City's "Vanilla Twilight"
Remember Owl City? They had that one hit that sounded a lot like that other band. They also had NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal making one of the most bewildering cameos in music video history as a very tall man staring up at some magical formation in the sky. No matter how hard we try, we can't figure this one out. 

Mickey Rourke in Enrique Iglesias' "Hero"
Back in 2001, Mickey Rourke was a pretty tough dude (he is no longer a said tough guy), so there's something pathetic about seeing him lay into poor Enrique Iglesias here, who just wants to serenade Jennifer Love Hewitt in peace like the rest of us.  

When we figure out a totally mind-blowing beauty trick, the last thing we want to do it keep it to ourselves. That's why this whole concept of beauty secrets is starting to feel really outdated—especially during NYFW. So, we made it our mission to find out the coolest, weirdest things the pros were doing backstage, when the heat is on and the pressure is wildly intense. Ahead, the most surprising, useful tips and tricks we picked up during the week. We've never heard anything like 'em before. (Also worth noting: This listicle focuses on techniques. For more product-based tips, check out our roundup of the best NYFW beauty how-tos).

PHOTO CREDIT: Erin Yamagata

For thicker lashes...
If you have naturally thin or sparse lashes, add a light dusting of translucent powder to them before you apply your mascara. This will give the mascara a little extra something to grip on to and allow you to build up the pigment. (As seen at Creatures of the Wind, using NARS)

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

For the perfect bed-head...
To get that cool-girl messy, wavy texture, apply a salt spray just in the mid-shaft of your hair—not on the roots and not on the ends. Scrunch it with your fingers, and tousle it around. This will give you that bed-head vibe without too much volume, which would make it look overdone. (Spotted at Jason Wu, using Kérastase products) 

PHOTO CREDIT: Erin Yamagata

For a natural, chic eye makeup look...
Apply your foundation evenly all over your face—everywhere except your eyelids. Let the natural sheen of your eyelid skin be like your own custom eyeshadow color. It's flattering and subtle, and will make people wonder, "Is she or isn't she wearing eyeshadow?" Also, as your eyelids get greasy during the day, it'll just look like intentional eye gloss. (As seen at Creatures of the Wind, using NARS)

PHOTO CREDIT: JINsoon for Getty Images

For the perfect matte-pink lip...     
After applying powder blush to your cheeks, pat it over your lipstick. This will mattify the lip and also tie your whole look together. (Picked up at Tibi, using Bobbi Brown)

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

To get your eyeshadow to stand out...
Apply it over eyeliner. It'll make bold colors even bolder. (As seen at Karen Walker, using Sephora Collection) 

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

For the perfect wine-colored pout...
First, apply a matte-red lipstick. Then apply a magenta lip gloss over it. (Using Stila products, at Alice + Olivia)

 
PHOTO CREDIT: Oribe

For straight hair that still has bounce...
Instead of using a flat iron, blowdry using a Mason Pearson brush. This will straighten your hair while maintaining its body and motion. (Picked up at Yigal Azrouël, using Oribe) 

Rumor has it that one of the greatest films of all time, Now and Then, is getting a possible remake. Pardon our squealing, but between this film and its sister flick All I Wanna Do, we practically burned a hole in our VCR players as a kids. Can you believe this slumber-party go-to came out 20 years ago? We are all old now. 

The film’s director Lesli Linka Glatter spoke to Vulture about the possibility of a remake: "I'm very friendly with the woman who wrote it, Marlene King, so yes, that has come up," she told Vulture this past week at the DGA awards. "It seems to be [with] this film especially, young women have come of age on it and I love that; that was one of the reasons we made it, there hadn't been anything done about young girls growing up.”

Look—if this turns out to be true, basically only good things can come from it. We can dust off its amazing soundtrack and jam out on our bikes to The Monkees and Stevie Wonder all over again; we can transport ourselves back to teenhood and make friendship bracelets; and we can play those Cosmo quizzes with our girlfriends.

This news comes after previous talk found on Reddit of the film being turned into a television series (which, let’s face it, would be just as cool). Let’s just hope they bring back the original cast (including teen heartthrob Devon Sawa). Never forget: “That’s the day Roberta stopped taping her boobs.”

And if you're somehow unfamiliar with this incredible coming-of-age cinematic triumph, peep the trailer below. (via Vulture)

Today is...

Love Your Pet Day! But isn't that every day? We know it is for us.

News of the Day:

+ The trailer for HBO's Scientology documentary Going Clear, has been released and it's looking intense.

+ The latest in terrifying tech: Mattel has made a new Barbie that uses WiFi technology to talk about to you. Just sit back and imagine all the wonderful potential doll horror story scenarios.

+ Get ready Potterheads—Tom Felton (aka Draco Malfoy) is making a Harry Potter documentary for the BBC that will debut in April. We can't wait.

+ We're preparing for the end. The trailer for the final season of Mad Men is here.

+ Your favorite anonymous secret-sharing site is back, this time in app form. PostSecret debuted a new app called PostSecret Universe, featuring never-before-seen secrets. Exciting!

Deal of the Day:

Get an extra 10% off sale items at Mackage with the code EXTRA10. Time to (belatedly) get that nice winter coat.

Advice of the Day:

"I don’t get my hopes up. I never bank on one thing. I just keep it all going." - Taryn Manning

GIF of the Day:

Thanks to the Internet, it's easy to feel like you're getting the museum experience without ever leaving your couch. Sure, it may be surreal to see masterpieces up close in the Met and the MoMA, but you can easily transform your Tumblr Dashboard into a perfectly customizable museum with the click of a button—which is especially great this week, as NYC freezes over.

So, whether you're trying to make up for that college art history class that you accidentally slept through or if you're just on the lookout for visual inspiration, we've rounded up our 12 favorite blogs that are filled with everything art history—the informative, the hilarious, and the aesthetically pleasing. Check them out to add a little more high culture (as well as a healthy dose of pop culture) to your Internet wanderings.

IMAGE CREDIT: VeryCulturedSwine.tumblr.com

Very Cultured Swine
For those looking to learn a thing or two while perusing the Internet, Very Cultured Swine posts stunning images of art, architecture, and artifacts along with fascinating descriptions. From ancient art to contemporary masterpieces, this blog features art through history from all parts of the globe for a non-Eurocentric art education.

IMAGE CREDIT: UglyRenaissanceBabies.tumblr.com

Ugly Renaissance Babies
Ah, the Renaissance—that wonderful time in history when babies were painted to look like small yet proportionally fully grown humans. This blog exists to showcase the best, most gloriously ugly of all Renaissance babies, paired with hilarious captions. After all, most of these Renaissance babies look like jerks anyway.

 
IMAGE CREDIT: LaBelleFilleArt.tumblr.com

La Belle Fille
Women have nearly always been major subjects of the painter’s brush. La Belle Fille showcases paintings of women to show how women are depicted through time and space—and how that depiction has changed, especially with the introduction of more female artists to the world. The paintings aren’t the only beautiful aspect of this blog either: Creator Nikki posts paintings of similar coloring together so that scrolling through her blog is just as visually pleasing as seeing each individual post.

IMAGE CREDIT: IfPaintingsCouldText.tumblr.com

If Paintings Could Text
Combine Texts from Last Night with an art museum, and the product would be If Paintings Could Text. Somehow globally renowned works of art fit all of our less-than-sober text messages a little too perfectly. We think that Edouard Manet probably liked to turn it up just as much as we do.

IMAGE CREDIT: CavetoCanvas.com

Cave to Canvas
Cave to Canvas features a different artist every day to showcase diverse works of art that aren’t usually given the spotlight they deserve. If you’d like to see a specific artist, you can browse the blog by artist or request one of your favorites. Think of this blog as the intro to art history course you were going to take but never got around to.

The Art Assignment
If you’re looking for a hands-on contemporary art education, then PBS’s web series, The Art Assignment, was made for you. Hosted by curator Sarah Urist Green and her husband John Green (yes, that John Green), the show challenges viewers to create art in unexpected ways inspired by contemporary masterpieces. The show’s Tumblr is perfect for keeping up with episodes and seeing the challenge creations of fellow viewers.

PHOTO CREDIT: FlyArtProductions.tumblr.com

Fly Art Productions
This is the blog that launched a thousand blogs. Fly Art Productions has an incredible talent for pairing some of the greatest masterpieces with hip hop lyrics. The result is something truly remarkable. Who would have known that Kanye and Michelangelo would match so perfectly?

IMAGE CREDIT: WTFArtHistory.com

WTF Art History
Whether you’ve studied art history in a classroom setting or are a frequenter of museums, you know that art can be pretty weird some (a lot) of the time. WTF Art History features the weirdest and wildest artworks that have somehow survived the test of time. Search the blog by time period, subject, and other important categories, such as “Tights are NOT pants.”

IMAGE CREDIT: MeanGirlsArtHistory.tumblr.com

Art History Burn Book
Over ten years after the film’s premiere and we still can’t stop quoting Mean Girls—so it only makes sense that we pair those many quotable lines with some of the most famous paintings through history. Think Regina George meets the Virgin Mary. This is one burn book that we can get behind for real.

PHOTO CREDIT: WhereISeeFashion.tumblr.com

Where I See Fashion
We find style inspiration in everything—art, music, pop culture, and more. But Where I See Fashion takes inspiration to the next level by placing photos of high fashion on the runway and in editorials next to stunning photography and artworks. The breathtaking pairings bring out the beauty in each object and show that art and fashion may be more harmoniously intertwined than we thought.

IMAGE CREDIT: Female-ArtHistory.tumblr.com

Female Artists of Art History
While women have been creating since the dawn of time, art history has been less than kind in giving female artists the credit and recognition they deserve. Female Artists of Art History seeks to give women in the art world the spotlight by showcasing paintings by women all over the world throughout the centuries. We’ll toast to that.

IMAGE SOURCE: SusiKenna.tumblr.com

Nail Art History
It’s safe to say that we will never cease to be impressed by nail art—especially when that nail art is inspired by some of the coolest contemporary art creations. Parsons grad Susi Kenna treats her nails like the coolest canvas by getting them professionally painted to mimic her favorite paintings. The result is cool enough to make us want to give up monochromatic nails for good.

There are only three things I love as much as jewelry, and two of them I can’t mention in this is article. The third is London. I mean, the accents, the Royals, the way locals call underwear “knickers”...the list gets longer every day. So when I was invited to get a behind-the-scenes look at the jewelry collections for one of the city’s biggest brands, I nearly lost my shit. Or is it shite? Freedom at Topshop produces the kinds of edgy, of-the-moment accessories that every cool girl on both sides of the Atlantic is sporting. Any given month, Freedom has up to 400 different styles of jewels coming in and out of their stores—an almost ludicrous number, and one that trumps any other High Street brand.  

I hopped across the puddle and spent a day inside Freedom at Topshop’s London headquarters—the mothership—with the symbiotic duo who are the collection’s engine: Ashkin Yolsal, the head of buying, and Natalie Holt, the head of design. Yolsal is a sprightly little thing who dominates the conversation with industry talk. She’s the one who knows exactly what a piece of jewelry needs to have in order to fly off the racks. Holt, on the other hand, is a calming presence whose unique aesthetic allows her to create new designs inspired by what she sees in far-off lands, or even on the streets of glittery London.

Unlike other big brands, Freedom creates elaborate, fully-realized production samples—these girls aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. Holt’s team spend hours creating samples, “and every day we are making things, because that way [the item] becomes tangible. You can see it and feel it; you know the specific bead that will be used, how the clasp works, how thick the chain is, etc. We collect components, we draw, and we hand craft.”

On a tour of the grounds, I spot rolls of chains in gold, silver, and gunmetal, and a junior designer uses pliers to fasten a glass stone sourced from a foreign bazaar onto an earring. “One of our challenges is to make sure what we buy, develop, and design is commercial, to appeal to a greater audience,” Yolsal says. “But we also need to design those things that the Freedom shopper will never see anywhere else. The ring that if she doesn’t get, she will see as a missed opportunity.”  

We walk past floor-to-ceiling bins filled with every bead imaginable: silver studs, pearls, plastic 3D flowers, turquoise, crystals, vintage ceramic beads. Holt points out, “The elements that make one product could be from a brooch found in Arizona, right down to the fabric on a chair found in someone’s living room, and they all come together to make the jewelry that is in stores across the world.”

Each season, Yolsal and Holt look closely at the prevailing runway trends together. Holt and her team decide which trends make the best sense for the brand to focus its attention on (take the recent ear cuff infatuation, am I right?!) and how to stagger their offerings throughout the seasons. Together with Yolsal, the two create their own versions of the accessories by changing the material or scale so each piece stays relevant, while remaining uniquely Topshop. To hear them describe it, the development is now down to a science, but in truth the process is insanely complex and totally appreciated.

It is obvious why Brits are so obsessed with this brand. It perfectly marries what is feasible for a high-volume brand and what is fantasy for a girl shopping on High Street. Considering I still have earrings I bought when Topshop first opened in SoHo over six years ago (ones I debated buying, pined over, and finally went back for because I dreamed about them and exactly how I’d wear them), it’s looking like Freedom at Topshop’s future is shining as bright as its jewelry.

When Sonic Youth founder Kim Gordon sees something she doesn't approve of, she takes action—whether by supporting the Occupy movement, making her stance on feminism well known, and, most recently, calling out Lana Del Rey. In her upcoming memoir Girl in a Band, Gordon writes: "Today we have someone like Lana Del Rey, who doesn’t even know what feminism is, who believes women can do whatever they want, which, in her world, tilts toward self-destruction, whether it’s sleeping with gross old men or getting gang raped by bikers. Equal pay and equal rights would be nice."

Last year, Del Rey told Fader that she doesn't find feminism to be an "interesting concept." Expanding on her stance, she said, "Whenever people bring up feminism, I'm like, god. I'm just not really that interested... My idea of a true feminist is a woman who feels free enough to do whatever she wants.” Ironically enough, Del Rey's stance is a feminist one, especially considering feminism's recent, more intersectional evolution. At the same time, by being dismissive of it, Del Rey is stripping the movement of its authority.

Over the years, Gordon has become a fervent feminist icon. She is certainly someone who girls look up to for her strength and unapologetic badassery. Still, Gordon has struggled with this identity for quite some time. "I'm kind of a sloppy feminist," Gordon told Rolling Stone in 1997. "Any ideology makes me a little nervous because there's some point where it doesn't allow for the complexity of things. I think feminism is really interesting historically. It is a term for me that does belong in the '70s."

We're all trying to figure out exactly what feminism means in today's world—and the fact that it's an ideology that can evolve with the times is part of why it's still so relevant. And while we're sure that Gordon didn't mean to start a media firestorm with her comment, something great has come of it: It sparked a discussion about exactly where the feminist movement is at this moment in time. "I feel like writing is a good way to figure out what I'm thinking or feeling by using it as an outlet," Gordon told us, in an interview for our March 2015 issue. "I just wanted to try and make something."

Related Articles:
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Pop Goes Feminist: Why 2014 Was A Big Year For Women In Music

In an interview years ago, Adam Scott compared himself to Sonic Youth—and then immediately took it back—but he did have a point: Like the late-blooming band, the 41-year-old actor had been in the business for a long time before he entered into the collective consciousness of American pop culture with 2009’s tragically short-lived Starz comedy Party Down. In the series, Scott portrayed Henry Pollard, a one-hit-wonder actor who moonlights as a caterer. Like his on-screen character, Scott’s own career saw its fair share of small roles before he eventually landed the parts of Ben Wyatt, the goofy city planner on Parks and Recreation, and Derek, the over-the- top foil to Will Ferrell’s man-child character in Step Brothers.

This winter sees the actor further cementing his comedic status. The Overnight, out now, co-stars another beloved deadpan humor icon, Jason Schwartzman, and February 20 marks the release of one of the season’s most anticipated sequels: Hot Tub Time Machine 2.

But all of that feels like the furthest thing from Scott’s mind on this bright December morning in Los Angeles. Clad in a collarless leather jacket and a pair of olive green pants, the actor sets off a wave of excitement upon entering a white-tiled suburban café. After dutifully conversing with most of the women present, he grins and says, “Being an actor is weird.”

Born to teacher parents in Santa Cruz, California, Scott spent much of his childhood at the Del Mar theater downtown. “E.T. was the first movie I went to by myself,” he recalls. “I had already seen it with every member of my family, so my mom let me ride my bike to the theater and just see it by myself. Temple of Doom was next.”

It was around this time that he made the decision to become an actor. “It was all tied into Indiana Jones, Han Solo, and E.T.,” he explains. “If going and seeing a movie is the greatest thing in the world, what could be better than going and making a movie?” But a social stigma against the drama kids at his high school kept the dream at bay until enrolling at L.A.’s prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

After acting school came mostly one-off parts throughout the mid-’90s and early 2000s, including a two-episode run in Alan Ball’s proto-True Blood HBO drama, Six Feet Under: “I tested for the part of David Fisher with Michael C. Hall, and not getting that was one of those really tough experiences that cut deep,” he reveals. A year later, he was cast for the bit role. “Michael’s really smart and good—as it turns out, I wouldn’t have been as good in that part as he was.”

The actor’s transition to comedy came by way of cult-fave Party Down. “That eventually led to Parks and Rec,” he says. The Mike Schur-produced show, which wraps up its seventh and final season this Tuesday, played a major part in solidifying Scott’s long-delayed fame. With the show’s end, he’ll have more time for big-screen projects like The Overnight and any future Hot Tub misadventures. The actor also runs Gettin’ Rad Productions with his writer-producer wife, Naomi, and works “very slowly” on his own scripts when he’s not busy passing along a love of cinema to the couple’s two children. If his overarching philosophy of life, child-rearing included, is any indication, Scott will see even more success as time goes on: “As long as you’re always doing your best, the fuck-ups are fine.”

Additional Reporting by Natasha Vargas-Cooper.

Big Bird is having a moment: Earlier this week, the extremely large avian friend showed up with Michelle Obama on a smile-inducing segment of Billy On the Street, and now Sesame Street's gawkiest resident is back in the viral game. This time, he's starring in his very own Birdman parody.

Caroll Spinney, the legendary puppeteer who first brought Big Bird to life in 1969 (he's also the human behind Oscar the Grouch) plays the Michael Keaton role, a tortured artist haunted by his most famous creation. Big Bird's voice taunts Spinney as he goes from his office to the streets of New York City, while the camera mimics Birdman's continuous-shot aesthetic. "How many times can you learn the alphabet?" Big Bird asks. "Lots, apparently." The clip is obviously timely, since it's likely that Birdman will be taking the top prize at the Oscars on Sunday. Watch it, below.

Beauty—the external kind—is defined differently all around the world. At least, that's what Romanian photographer Mihaela Noroc set out to prove in her photo series, The Atlas Of Beauty, in which she travels to different countries snapping portraits of women she finds beautiful. It's an inspiring idea, and seeing the faces of women from far away lands is definitely moving—especially noticing the striking differences in their makeup, hair, clothes, and the settings that they're shot in. 

The portraits are beautifully composed; Noroc is a very talented photographer, and to be fair I looked through her entire Instagram account before writing this. But it's also worth noting that while there are differences in how the women style themselves, all the images are eerily similar. The subjects are in the same young age range, they're all thin, they all have symmetric, luminous faces. 

While the photographer's mission is to point out beauty in other cultures, she's the one choosing her subjects. And as a result, they all adhere to a single standard of beauty: One that's inescapably based upon the photographer's personal opinion.

The issue with the series isn't its contents but its packaging. What changes in these photos isn't beauty standards, but fashion—and despite global trends, what makes something fashionable definitely changes from culture to culture. If the message is that this specific kind of Western-approved beauty can be found regardless of economic and social status, it's a very successful project. But saying that the photos show different interpretations of beauty just feels, well, off. (via Elle.com)

Last week, Kanye West revealed a spectacle in the way only he knows how: With Kardashians in tow, a supremely A-List turnout, and a Jenner on the runway. His clothes were, for the most part, not particularly groundbreaking, but it was adidas streetwear, and streetwear with that special Kanye twist. Proportions were amplified, sleeves were too long, necklines too deep (something he may have learned from his wife), and the models were as diverse as any seen on the NYFW catwalks. The athletic designs aren’t changing any games, but they are smart, wearable, and highly marketable. 

So, two things happened after the curtain drew on his collection, and Fashion Week in general: One, a couple of notables quipped about Kanye’s appearance—specifically the High Priestess of Fashion Week, creator Fern Mallis. And secondly, in true Kanye form, he took to Twitter to write an impassioned rebuttal against said criticism in which he basically asked the powers that be to leave him alone. And he kind of has a point. Kind of. Let’s discuss. 

Fern Mallis, who is perhaps the definition of Old Garde New York Fashion, also acts as the unofficial historian, remembering every notable show or happening since its inception. (She once told me about how Alexander McQueen’s only NYFW appearance was marred by the fact that he presented a collection in what could have been a hurricane.) About West’s star-studded show, she said, “I’m kind of over Kanye…I mean, I’m not a fan of his music, and the attitude and the agenda is not my style.” Fair enough. Fern Mallis is a 66-year-old woman who is probably not adidas Boost’s target audience, which is totally, absolutely understandable.

To be honest, dating rumors aren't our cup of tea—and here comes the but—but when they involve two humans who we find to be both flawless and interesting, well, we give ourselves a middle school hall pass. Today is one of those days, as there are whispers of a budding romance between Emma Watson and Prince Harry.

We first noticed rumors revolving around this topic a few days ago, but we didn't want to report it until there were more concrete details. The story, initially reported by Woman's Day Australia, has since been picked up by the likes of Yahoo, Refinery29, and inTouch. According to the Australian publication, Prince Harry enlisted his mutual friends' help after he heard that Watson split from boyfriend Matthew Janney. He asked her on a group date (because, well, blind dates are pretty damn awkward). Since then, the two have gone on a series of secret dates (again, according to the tabloid mag). 

Watson has previously met Harry's father, Prince Charles, and brother, Prince William, at various charity events.

“He’s smitten–and it’s more than Emma’s looks," a source told Woman's Day. If the two are, in fact, dating, we can safely confirm that the aforementioned comment is true. After all, what's not to love? Watson is an extremely intelligent Ivy League grad, a UN Global Goodwill ambassador, and is all-in-all a great person. Duh.

Some siblings have rivalries, others join forces to form one of the freshest young bands in music. Mikaiah and Anaiah Lei belong in the latter category. Together, the L.A. brothers make up The Bots, a no-frills rock act with burning guitars and knock-you-out drums. After a string of critically acclaimed EPs, the Leis—who've toured with bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Blur—finally put out their lauded debut full-length, Pink Palms, last October. The record, which was produced Justin Warfield and YYYs guitarist Nick Zinner, is as straightforward as the brothers are stylish. There's nothing pretentious about their music. It's straight-up rock. Let's get to know them better.

How would you describe your aesthetic?
Anaiah: Very colorful I suppose, in my sense of fashion. Aside from that I'm not very complex. Like Mikaiah I'm very simple.
Mikaiah: It's classic, simple, semi-professional. I just like to do what makes me happy, so I suppose that can be anything.

How did your career get started?
Anaiah: After the band got started and we began to push our material out on social media sites, we eventually started playing more shows. Slowly we just started growing as group and from there it hasn't stopped. 
Mikaiah: I started the band in high school with a couple of friends and asked Anaiah to drum for us and that's how the band got started. 

What are you most proud of so far in terms of your career?
Anaiah: We just made our national TV debut on Late Night with Seth Meyers. Mikaiah and I are both truly proud of that!
Mikaiah: I am very proud of traveling overseas to play for people in Japan, Germany, England.

What famous person, dead or living, do most wish you could have as a roommate?
Anaiah: It would be cool to have Ellen Page as a roommate. She seems like a nice person and like she would be down to make music together. I don't know why, but it would be cool.
Mikaiah: MJ, King of Pop. "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" era.

What is your favorite driving music?
Anaiah: I love listening to jazz music, or some amazing soul music. Anyone that drives with me will tell you that.
Mikaiah: I like listen to Arcade Fire, Tame Impala, Metronomy. Great music for cruising.

Whose career would you most like to emulate?
Anaiah: I would love to have a career like Ice Cube’s. Start off huge and having major parties at mansions with many girls in attendance. Then become a successful actor that stars in many family movies.
Mikaiah: Bob Marley minus dying young. His music has longevity and it connected with so many people.

If you had to live in a past time, what do you think would be the most fun era and why?
Anaiah: I'd love to either live in the 1980s or the 1960s. Simplicity and good music in the '60s, and everything from New Wave to hardcore in the '80s. And cheap movie memorabilia.  
Mikaiah: I would like to live in the '50s or '60s because of the classic guitars and other instruments.

How do you wind down before bed?
Anaiah: Maybe by watching part of a movie, listening to some soul music, or technical death metal. Typically those two.
Mikaiah: I listen to my favorite folk songs or oldies. I stretch and then I lay in bed until I fall asleep.

What kind of person were you in high school?
Anaiah: Exactly the same type of person I am now, only 19 times cooler. I had a new girlfriend every other day. 
Mikaiah: I joke that I was a jock football player, but I was a geeky little kid who thought I was cooler then I really was. 

Do you have any phobias?
Anaiah: Why yes I do, I have emetophobia. It's an irrational fear of vomit. 
Mikaiah: I don't really know anymore. I use to be scared of everything, but as I grew older it seems like there is less that bothers me.

If there was a phrase that you think best sums up your approach to life what might it be?
Anaiah: Positivity is key. Couldn't think of much but this is important to always remember. 
Mikaiah: One day at a time, as corny as that's sounds.

Dita Von Teese—burlesque goddess, former Mrs. Marilyn Manson, and all-around cool chick—is a bombshell on and off the stage (even without the oversized birdcage and feather fans). But you might be surprised to know that the red-lipped, cat-eyed dancer is almost always self-styled, even when it comes to her shows or red-carpet events. Though she always looks like absolute perfection, she is decidedly DIY, dyeing her own hair that subtle shade of blue-black, using hot rollers to get her throwback old Hollywood waves, and even giving herself red half-moon manis way before they came back in style.

The self proclaimed makeup addict spent her salad days working at Shiseido and Ultima II makeup counters, so of course she has some prime advice on looking and feeling your best. When NYLON met up with Dita at the W New York Downtown—where she performed to celebrate the opening of W Beijing and the Chinese New Year—we couldn’t wait to pump her for beauty advice. Here are her tips for total beauty confidence.

An inner glamour girl is in all of us.
“It occurred to me early on that [glamour] is something you make, it’s not something you’re born with. It’s not about what nature gives you, it’s what you make of it.”

Create a signature look.
“I’ve been wearing my hair and makeup the same way for the better part of 20 years. I’m a blonde girl from a farming town in Michigan. I loved old movies and what the '30s, '40s, and 5'0s-era glamour was all about, which is about creation. I felt like I was a very average looking girl with my natural hair and very natural makeup. I became obsessed with creating glamour and becoming the person I always wanted to be.”

Makeup doesn’t have to be time-consuming.
While it can take Dita an hour and a half to get ready for a huge event, most days she’s out the door in under five minutes. “On a normal day, I just do a quick sweep of powder and red lipstick—done. I think the key is to do one thing that’s important to you that day. Do you like your hair a certain way? Do you like your red lips? Your skin? Your mascara? Find that thing that’s important to you and highlight it. And if you really don’t have any time, just add sunglasses. You can look fabulous with just a pair of sunglasses and red lips.”

Feel sexy, and you’ll be sexy.
“The key to being sexy in your own skin is acceptance, really. I can look at someone like Angelina Jolie and think what beautiful full lips. But I admire her lips rather than envying them. It’s OK to appreciate other people’s beauty, but find idols you can relate to—like I look for women who have fine features like mine.” The lesson: If you’re comparing yourself to something that’s unachievable, you’re just going to feel bad about yourself, and there’s nothing less sexy than that.

What’s in her beauty arsenal:

Fave fragrances: Quelques Fleurs and Lancome Magic Noire–because she says women should smell like women, not little girls. 

Powder: M.A.C. Mineralize Skinfiinish for the look of flawless skin. 

Lipstick: Dita tried on her first red lipstick when she was 13 and she found her soulmate. She now has an entire drawer of red lipsticks in her vanity! Some of her top red matte lipsticks are: Dior Rouge Dolce Vita, Diorific Roulette Red, YSL Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain in Rose Tempura 13, and Tarte LipSurgence Lip Luster in Fever. 

Liner: Blacktrack Fluidline from M.A.C. or Gerlain Liquid Eyeliner. “The trick to getting the cat eye is practicing it over and over, and it soon becomes second nature.”

Just in case the Emma Watson/Prince Harry dating rumors weren't enough to make your brain explode this Friday, here's something that will: Scarlett Johansson teamed up with Este Haim, Holly Miranda, Kendra Morris, and Julia Haltigan to create one super girl band. And, to no one's surprise, they're really amazing.

Their debut track, "Candy," was produced by TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek and premiered on Rolling Stone earlier today. The track is essentially a dance club hit—except its palpable bass lines, classic-rock beat, and sweet '70s vocals (by Johansson) make it cool. According to Johansson, it was heavily influenced by the likes of Grimes, the Bangles, and the Go-Go's. "The idea was to write super-pop dance music written and performed by girls," Johansson said in a press release. "I wanted it to be like those bands: ultra-pop but also a little ironic, a little in on the joke."

There's no news on whether or not the group will release more music (the name isn't too promising, though). Still, we're sure this track will hold us over for a while. Pre-order the 12" single here.

(via Rolling Stone)

T.J. Miller, star of HBO's Silicon Valley, stopped by our office to talk to us about his experiences at New York Fashion Week—which were unlike anything we've heard so far. Watch the video below to see the actor spill his many thoughts and feelings while hanging out with his tiny, fluffy new friend, Kimberly. 

The second season of Silicon Valley starts on April 12. In the meantime, follow T.J. on Twitter to get your fix. 

(To all the animal people watching: Kimberly belongs to Senior Editor Gabrielle Korn, who was standing close by during the filming of this art piece—and though Kimberly looks kind of upset, she is really just being a wriggly noodle, doing her best impression of a fish.)

When it comes to our feet and how comfortable they are, we don't like to mess around. After all, there's really nothing—nothing—that ruins an otherwise-fun day like squished toes or aching arches, no matter how cute that heel. Of course, we need to look good, too, but shoes that are both fashionable and actually truly comfortable can be hard to find (ask any girl who was running around during NYFW). That's why we love Sanuk so much: Their Kat Collection, with its signature silhouette, slight heel-raise, and canvas prints has that effortlessly cool thing down perfectly, without sacrificing anything in the comfort department. They're simple but stylish; the kind of accessory you can count on to work with anything.

We've given away pairs of Sanuk shoes before, and we're doing it again because we want you all to have a chance to experience the wonder that is a stylish, foot-friendly Sanuk Kat. Enter below and prepare to hit the street with happier, more stylish feet. Three winners will be getting two pairs of shoes each—yeah, we know, it's awesome.

See our official rules here. 

Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Lena Dunham will be guest starring on Scandal next month, probably as a New York-based magazine writer who's still not really sure what she wants to do with her life and heads to DC on assignment to interview Olivia Pope. Then, after spending an afternoon with Pope, she realizes that her problems are tiny (furniture) by comparison, and goes back to NYC with a renewed sense of hope and purpose. Or, you know, something those lines. 

For Dunham, the cameo represents the culmination of her life's work. She once told Grantland's Bill Simmons that appearing as a guest star on Scandal is her "life's great passion," and even appeared as a member of Olivia Pope & Associates on an SNL spoof. As of now, details of who exactly Dunham will play are non-existent (except for our hopes, described above) but we're going to be staking out Dunham's social media accounts for any kinds of clues, because that's how we roll.

(via Entertainment Weekly) 

Every season during NYFW you can find me backstage with two things in my hand: my iPhone and a film camera. For the past six or so seasons, I’ve opted to use good ‘ol disposable cameras (click here to see!)—but this season I decided to bust out my 10 year-old Canon Rebel G to up the quality. Why do I document each fashion week with a film camera? Because of something called the Jade Taylor archives (lol)—which is basically just stacks on stacks of 35mm film, Instax 210 wide, and Instax mini photos from everything I’ve ever done that will hopefully, one day, be useful for something. Or, just fun to look back on!

Here, you can check out parts of my fashion week where I went backstage to Marc by Marc Jacobs, Proenza Schouler, Jeremy Scott, The Blonds, and Elizabeth & James. Click through the gallery below and make sure to follow me @jadextaylor for even more NYFW backstage photos! See ya next season.

The side effects of sudden superstardom include but are not restricted to: loss of anonymity, repeated exposure to flashbulbs, carpel tunnel from increased autograph signing, and alienating those closest to you. Newly minted superstar Dakota Johnson is experiencing all of these symptoms, including the last one, according to Us Weekly. The Fifty Shades of Grey starlet has reportedly split from her beau, part time model and full time rocker, Matt Hitt. It seemed like only yesterday when we declared them an indie/mainstream couple to be reckoned with, but that was before Johnson became a household name thanks to Fifty Shades' record breaking haul box office haul.  

""Sometime over the holidays, they broke up," said Us' person on the inside. "Her life was getting too crazy and it wasn't something that he wanted to be a part of." Hitt, who can often be seen nursing a beer at one of the East Village's many dive bars, is the lead singer of the band Drowners, has been linked to other people like Alexa Chung in the past. But Johnson's current decibel of fame is set to deafening, and that can't be easy on any relationship. 

(via Us Weekly)