The key to achieving this look is to wear lightweight attire (better to be asymmetrical or off the shoulder) with bold prints mixed with muted tones, acid wash, or worn denim. And anything crochet goes. And top off with accessories for days! The more the merrier.

Festive bracelets, cuffs, beaded or fringe necklaces, head bands, wide-brimmed hats, feathers and studs are always a plus as this season’s top embellishments. Of course the statement-making sunglasses are sure to set the mood for what kind of look you’re exactly going for. This trend is sure to last with the amount of inspiring brands that make these looks so fashion forward.

Check out Urban Outfitters, Brandy Melville, NastyGal.com, and Storets.com just a few of my personal favorites to get you started. Enjoy!

By: Lauren Villa   

At the end of 2009 was when Jay Electronica burst onto the scene with Exhibit C.  The complex lyricism, conscious subject matter and usual top notch production of Just Blaze all made this track an instant classic, and many crowned Jay Electronica as the Hip Hop savior, the messiah in the flesh.  This gifted man from New Orlean’s Magnolia Projects, a man deemed somewhat strange by many was a much needed breathe of fresh air, a complete 180 from the monotonous drudgery that ruled the airwaves.  The content of his music was definitely something that made him stand out, as he had the skill to flawlessly intertwine social consciousness, spirituality, and gangsterism, all the while doing it as lyrically and gracefully as possible.  Particularly interesting was his spirituality, as he often incorporated esotericism and mysticism into his rhymes.

Although it was Exhibit C that put Jay Electronica on the map and led to his signing with Roc Nation in 2010, his limited discography is ridden with classic gems.  These gems include his “Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge) EP”, and songs  “So What You Saying”, “Suckas”, and “My World”.  His fearlessness to speak on social injustices and openness with his spiritual enlightenment are both consistent themes throughout his work.

So he seemed to have all the tools to be a legendary MC right, but what happened?  His buzz following Exhibit C, and the anticipation that was built up for his Act 2 release were not followed up with much material at all, but he has managed to remain in the news. His relationship with the wealthy Kate Rothschild has led to many questioning his true motives, conspiracy theorists in particular, as this seemingly contradicts his stance for social justice.  But what else would you expect from an enigma?  To understand the things that they do?  Nah, not at all.  But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. People are curious by nature, which could lead to him developing an even stronger fan base.

Hopefully we soon hear the enigma that is Jay Electronica’s name buzzing for another reason.   Act 2 : Patents of Nobility was released and it was a classic as many anticipated.  An artist such as Jay Electronica is certainly needed in the culture, and the lanes open for him to become legendary.  Hopefully atrophy doesn’t lead to his demise.  Besides who doesn’t enjoy a good mystery every now and again right?

-Published by G. Avant

The 10-year wait is over, and popular Electronic/Funk duo Daft Punk makes their return with the long-awaited album Random Access Memories, which has been 3 years in the making. This album. which is the Electronic equivalent of Detox, has been highly anticipated by fans who miss the band’s signature disco/funk sound, present on the smash hit “One More Time” of yore. Now their thirsts will finally be quenched, as the band has decided to stream the entire album stream on iTunes, to avoid piracy from a leak that occurred earlier this week. We support this, and we support good music, so you should head over to iTunes and check it out for yourself. Also, check out the catchy new song they’ve done with Pharrell Williams called “Get Lucky” below – and make sure to purchase the album Random Access Memories when it drops worldwide on May 21st.

(To Stream the album, head to your iTunes store and click on Daft Punk’s artist page. There should be an option to “Listen To Entire Album for Free.” Enjoy!)

By: KingFish

Last week the Met Gala 2013 was held in New York City. The event is a  precursor for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s yearly Costume Exhibit, which in past years’ exhibits has shown homage to legendary designers such as Elsa Schiarapelli and Alexander McQueen. This year’s theme however decided to forgo the tribute and make a more universal theme of “Punk: From Chaos To Couture“. The theme aims to chronicle the influence of early Punk Culture in the early 197o’s, and how it has influenced fashion since. The evening’s host was Givenchy’s cult designer Riccardo Tisci, and events included a performance from punk band Blondie, and even a surprise performance from Kanye West, who debuted his new single “I Am A God” wearing a Givenchy kilt and studded facemask. (Weird.)  As always, Hollywood’s A-list came out en-masse to celebrate fashion and culture in it’s highest form that night.

Take a look at how some of your favorite stars interpreted the “Punk” theme below, and let us know who YOU think did best (or worst) in the comments!

Swag.

Photos via: Huffington Post and Vogue

WOMEN:

Beyonce’ (in Givenchy)

Miley Cyrus (in Marc Jacobs)

Anne Hathaway (in Valentino)

Miranda Kerr (in Michael Kors)

Jennifer Lopez (in Michael Kors)

Alicia Keys (in Jason Wu)

Nicki Minaj (in Tommy Hilfiger)

Eve (in Jason Wu)

Kate Upton (in Diane von Furstenberg)

Emma Watson (in Prabal Gurung)

Gwen Stefani (in Maison Martin Margiela)

Minka Kelly (in Carolina Herrera)

Olivia Wilde (in Calvin Klein)

Solange Knowles (in Kenzo)

Cameron Diaz (in Stella McCartney)

Jessica Biel (in Giambattista Valli)

Madonna (in Givenchy)

Nicole Richie (in Topshop)

Jessica Alba (in Tory Burch)

Kirsten Dunst (in Louis Vuitton)

Christina Ricci (in Vivienne Westwood)

Aubrey Plaza (in Marios Schwab)

Rita Ora (in Thakoon)

Kim Kardashian (in Riccardo Tisci Couture)

MEN: 

Riccardo Tisci with muse Rooney Mara (in Givenchy)

Tom Brady and Giselle Bundchen (in Tom Ford and Anthony Vacarello respectively)

Frank Ocean (in Givenchy)

Pharrell (in Lanvin)

Gerard Butler 

Kanye West (in Givenchy)

PSY

Marc Jacobs and Sophia Coppola (in Commes des Garçons and Marc Jacobs respectively)

Tyson Beckford

Miguel

Tommy Hilfiger and Wife (in Tommy Hilfiger)

A’mare  and Alexis Stoudemaire (in Calvin Klein)

Tiger Woods and Lindsay Vonn (Ivory Elie Saab dress)

(Who was your favorite dressed from the night? Let us know below in the comments.)

Post By: Emiko_Swag

View more of Terry’s day to day photography on his official Tumblr, at terrysdiary.com

Enjoy.

Post By: Emiko_Swag

Recent XXL Freshman Top 10 pick Logic has decided to release his 4th mixtape titled “Welcome To Forever, and his first since landing a spot on the list last March. Now, the 23-year old emcee out of Maryland has a lot to prove with his “Welcome To Forever” tape. The “Young Sinatra” displays a decent craft and lyrical ability on the project’s 18 songs, and shows that he has no trouble laying down a hook or too. I find his ability to make banger hits like”On The Low” or “Ballin’”, uncanny too. We will definitely have to see a lot more from this kid this year before we make our final judgment, but consider this a solid effort and a decent peek into the mind of Young Sinatra.

As many in the watch world may know, Baselworld 2013  - a convention where all of the most reputable names in the luxury watch industry gather to showcase their newest collections for the upcoming year –  recently concluded in Basel, Switzerland.(April 24 – May 2). One manufacturer that has stood out among most has been Hublot Genève, a brand that was founded by in 1980 by Carlo Crocco. His love for sporting and precision has definitely taken the brand to newer heights over the past couple decades, with sponsorships in the NBA, The World Cup, and Formula One  - just to name a few. This year Hublot easily takes center stage with many of its new creations like the MP-05 LaFerrari,and the MP-08 Antikythera SunMoon, and Hublot’s MP-04 Key of Time gets an update with a new, simplified look, and a new colorway in rose gold as well. Take a look at some of our favorite picks by Hublot from Baselworld below. Pictures courtesy of WatchInsider and ABlogToWatch.

Hublot MP-05 LaFerrari

The Hublot MP-05 is the 5th watch in the Masterpiece Collection, and represents Hublot’s newest collaboration with Ferrari, and the inspiration of their sports cars on this newest watch technology. Some notable details on the piece are the use of carbon fiber on the case, which is a technique that Hublot is pioneering the use of in the world of horology. The watch is supposed to be reminiscent of the Ferrari’s iconic rear-mounted engine, which is visible through a back window – very reminiscent to the face of this watch. The time is read via two anodized aluminum cylinders to the right of the dial: one for hours, minutes and a separate seconds dial at the base of the watch. Four tourbillons are stacked vertically in a miraculous, gravity-defying column in the middle of the face, and the watch’s impressive 50-hour power reserve is indicated on the left side, in similar style as the hours and minutes. There will only be 50 of these watches made, and at a price tag of $310,000, if you you can afford a Ferrari, you can afford this watch.

Hublot MP-08 Antithykera Sunmoon

Another member of the Masterpiece Collection, the Hublot MP-08 Antithykera Sunmoon is based on the Ancient Antikythera Mechanism, which is believed to be the first  astronomical calculator on record, and dates back to the 2nd century BC. The device is now showcased in the Archaeological Museum of Athens in Athens Greece, but in case you can’t make it all the way out there to see it, you can just buy this watch instead. It’s inspiration allows the wearer to ascertain the names of constellations behind the sun, and time required for the sun to pass though it. Other complications can allow you to tell the moon phases match up the zodiac signs to their respective patterns. Pretty cool. Watch the video depicting it above.

Hublot MP-04 Key of Time

You might remember this one from one of our previous Watch Wednesday posts about a year ago, and this time around the MP-04 is no less magnificent. The Hublot Key of Time (yes, this is a Masterpiece too) got a few new colorways this year, including King  Gold (a mixture of rose gold and Platinum that is patented by Hublot), a bold new White and Red design, and a new Grey persona to round out the bunch. Check out our original post of the Key of Time here. 

Hublot King Power Oceanographic 1000 King Gold

Hublot King Power Oceanographic 1000  Carbon Fiber

Hublot Big Bang Carbon Fiber with Tsavorites

Hublot Big Bang Carbon Fiber Sapphires

Hublot Big Bang Carbon Fiber with Rubies

Hublot Big Bang Carbon Fiber with Baguette Diamonds

You may be wondering why these watches look so unique and amazing with their light /dark combination. That is because Hublot has in fact patented the first technique allowing them to embed real gemstones in carbon fiber. Pretty fancy, huh?

Hublot Big Bang Unico

Hublot BigBang Ferrari Edition

Hublot Big Bang Depeche Mode

All of these watches can be read more about at Hublot.com.  Although they cost a very pretty penny, having an investment like these will bring enjoyment not only to yourself,  but also future generations to come.

Post by: KingFish

Check out the mixtape, and let us know what you think below. Cole World.