UO Blog

From Chicago

05/22/13 10:11AM

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Charli XCX "I Want It That Way"

Just in case you need further proof as to why Charli XCX is the best, here she is covering The Backstreet Boys. —Katie

From Elsewhere

05/17/13 11:51AM

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Diplo Reviews Daft Punk

Diplo reviewed Random Access Memories and... well, I don't know. Did he like it? Did he not like it? I DON'T KNOW HOW HE FEELS! That talking steel guitar video is a very accurate representation of the album, though. —Katie




From Elsewhere


05/15/13 10:26AM

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Recurring Developments

There were a ton of recurring jokes in Arrested Development, and now the site Recurring Developments can help you keep track of all of them. SCORE. Before you know it you're like, "I didn't realize the 'banner' joke was used so many times!" and then you have an excuse to go back and watch the series for the 100th time. If your roommates find you buried in cookie crumbs and huddled next to Netflix in your bed, you can just tell them you're doing research. Katie love Netflix. —Katie

From Los Angeles

05/15/13 10:07AM

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'Whose Line Is It Anyway? Take 2'

Remember how FUNNY Whose Line Is It Anyway? was? (Why did it go off of the air in the first place?) Well, almost a decade later, it's back! Even though improv legends Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie look a bit... older, Wayne Brady hasn't aged at all. But none of that even matters because they're all just as spot on as they were to begin with. 


I just want to throw out a special thanks to my parents for a TV and cable so I can watch this show like it never ended. I mean, how could you NOT be excited for the first props round of the season?! For a list of all of the games you forgot about, take a look here, before the start of the new show, titled Whose Line Is It Anyway? Take 2, starts on July 16. (Via Gawker)— Ally

From Elsewhere

05/13/13 02:50PM

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Animated Murals By Insa

Whoa, talk about patience. INSA, an artist based out of the UK, re-paints these pieces several times in order to snap enough pics for the .gif effect. The end result is awesome (not to mention that INSA should win a Nobel Peace Prize for patience). —Katie
(via Boooooooom)






From Elsewhere


05/13/13 09:58AM

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Della x UO Interview: Ruby Gbassakpo

Ruby Gbassakpo, a head seamstress at Della, spoke to us about what it's like living in Ghana, her plans to open her own sewing shop, and her favorite American music (Celine Dion!).



Where did you work before Della and how did you become part of the team?
I was a cleaning lady at the hospital. I didn’t like it because I wasn’t using any of the skills I learned from my sewing apprentice. Esenam’s [another seamstress] mom worked at the hospital, and we became fast friends. When Esenam found out I had my sewing certificate, she told me about Della. I quit my job at the hospital and started working at Della soon after. My first day, I worked on small tasks, like making piping and fixing labels. I have worked here for two and a half years now, and I am considered a leader among the ladies. I am very happy here.

What do you and the ladies talk about during the work day?
Sometimes we discuss about our boyfriends and we laugh at them. We like to make fun of each other. When someone sews a Della label on backwards, we tease them. We also like to sing gospel songs together while we sew.

What do you like to do for fun?
I listen to American music like R. Kelly, Celine Dion and Whitney Houston. I like watching Ghanaian and Nigerian TV and films. My favorite American movie is Romeo and Juliet. I read everything. My boyfriend and I like to go out to eat together at restaurants. I go to church every Sunday, and I am always singing and dancing there.

Do you have any beauty secrets?
It takes me two minutes to get ready in the morning because of my hair is in braids. Every month I get paid, I change my hairstyle. I always wear skirts and tops. I get my toenails painted every week at my friend’s salon.

Do you have any children?
Carine, my daughter, is 9 and a half years old. I have tried to teach her to sew before, but she doesn’t like it. She wants to be a doctor.

Where did you learn your craft? How long have you been sewing?
I started my sewing apprenticeship with a madam seven years ago, and it took me three years to complete.



Do you ever wear your own creations?
I sew my own dresses. I don’t have a sewing machine at my own house, so I haven’t made as much for myself as I’d like.

What is your favorite Della product?
I like making the laptop cases. We were making them the first day I came here, and it still remains my favorite thing to make.

Do you have a secret talent?
I am a singer. I sing gospel songs at work while I am sewing. I also sing at church in a choir.

Do you cook? What’s your specialty?
I cook for me and my daughter when I have the time. My favorite food to make is banku with okra and green leaf soup. I enjoy going to the market and buying the ingredients, sometimes off of people’s heads. My daughter and I try to eat together every evening.

What do you want people to know about Ghana?
We have a lot of things here. We have freedom and self-expression. Everyone is unique. The waterfalls are a miracle and they are worth it to come and see.

What are your goals for the future?
I’d like to open my own sewing shop in Hohoe. I also want my daughter to go to college and get a good education.

Shop Della x UO



From London

05/09/13 12:01PM

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Bluth's Banana Stand

It's all happening! Bluth banana stands are becoming a magnificent reality. The Arrested Development promotional banana stand will be popping up in London, LA, and NYC (no Philly? C'MON!), and for a mere $10, you can try your own frozen banana. (Okay, just kidding. They're like $1. But I would actually pay $10.) —Katie
(via Gawker)

From Elsewhere

05/08/13 05:37PM

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Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Fight Sacha Baron Cohen on 'Anchorman 2' Set

Good evening. I'm Ally Mullen, and this is what's happening in your world tonight. A Pawnee woman clings to life as she fights The Girlie Show's Liz Lemon and that guy from Borat. There's a few crowbars, some ripped stockings and suits so fine they make Sinatra look like a hobo. 


This just in: this is all staged and they are actually just filming a scene for Anchorman 2. Super-duper! I can't wait for this to come out. You stay classy, internet. (via HyperVocal) —Ally

From Philadelphia

05/08/13 03:15PM

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Trend: '90s Graphic Tees

Trying to explain the importance and awesomeness of the '90s would involve some kind of thesis-style paper that I have no time or patience to write.  Being a '90s kid automatically excuses any and all laziness we may have (I mean, come on. We grew up watching shows like Beavis and Butthead, listening to the Spice Girls and typing "777 if you like pizza" in AOL chat rooms).  It's no wonder that people want to go back in time and revive the music, movies, TV shows, killer fashion, and overall vibe of the youth.  The '90s was the best decade ever, hands down. If you miss it, or just missed it in general, relive the good times with our graphic tees of some of the most iconic '90s things ever. —Ally

This tee is simple and to the point. 1995 was a good year for OJ Simpson and a terrible one for Deadheads. Welp, at least we were able to use our new Windows 95 to talk about it online.

Kelly Kapowski Tee
Kelly Kapowski was the most popular girl at Bayside in the early '90s. Even though she'd never date a dweeb like you, wearing a shirt with her on it shows some dedication.

90210 Tee
ANOTHER mega babe from the '90s was Brenda Walsh. She went through a lot on during her time on the show, but we still can't help but be pissed about her leaving after season four to go to London. Maybe it was because the New Sunday Trading Laws in 1994 allowed shopping on Sundays in Britain.

I never really listened to Tupac, but apparently there was a big feud between him and...

this guy. Now, any dance party you go to plays a Biggie remix, sparking the "who was better" debate.  Their music may only be played for the next 30 or so years, but the debate will go on forever.

The hip hop group Wu-Tang created the acronym C.R.E.A.M., which you can find tattooed on the inside of many 20-something-year-olds' lips. C.R.E.A.M. stands for "Cash Rules Everything Around Me," but like many other acronyms, certain letters tend to get changed. In this case, the "C": cats, cookie, cake, Channing Tatum... you get the point.

Although the group formed in 1985, they released five albums between 1990 and '98. While googling the band for fun facts for this post, I realized for the first time that Quest Love is not a part of the Tribe. Bummer.

As iconic as this hip hop and comedy duo was, I do not recognize EITHER of them without Kid's hi-top fade. Someone start a "Grow It Back" petition online, please?

In the '90s, MTV was the most important channel on television. It had everything you could ask for in place and more...

MTV had Spring Break.

MTV had music.

No, seriously, MTV had music! It had everything, I promise. I wouldn't lie to you.

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective gave us the chance to use the phrase "alllll righty then" after everything our parents told us to do. A life of sarcasm begins.

Ghostbusters was filmed in the '80s, but the cartoon spinoffs from the series featured the loveable, broccoli-fearing character Slimer. He was cool, and a lot of fun to draw in your notebook because he was kind of hard to mess up. All you needed to draw was a big, gloppy mess with a lime green crayon.

Bugs & Taz Throwback Sweatshirt
Cartoons were really, really cool in the '90s. Bugs Bunny and Taz the Tasmanian Devil weren't really part of that crew (except that time they were in Space Jam), but they look so hard in this sweatshirt that it's almost believable. 

Lisa Frank X UO Lips Muscle Tee
Do we really need to tell you again why Lisa Frank was the coolest woman in the world? JUST TRUST US. <3

From DC

(Photos by Maddie Flanigan)

05/08/13 10:34AM

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Interview: Roger Gastman

Roger Gastman talks about everything, but the one topic he's most interested in at the moment is the underground D.C. graffiti culture of the late '80s into the '90s. Here, we discuss his vast collection of memorabilia from the time, his personal love of graffiti , and what he's doing next (which I hope includes throwing another party).

Interview by Ally Mullen and Maddie Flanigan

Hi Roger, can you give me a brief description of Pump Me Up: The Subculture of the 1980s, the show you just wrapped up at the Corcoran Gallery of Art?
It’s a collection of the D.C. subculture in 1980s: punk rock, go-go, hardcore, gangs, graffiti, and underground culture. A lot of rock culture from D.C. that has never been documented.

What got you interested in the whole subculture depicted in the show?
I grew up in D.C. and in the ‘90s, was running around writing graffiti, and I was always interested in what came before me. What was there before? Who did something first? I kept digging up more and more information over the years and I met someone who was doing graffiti a few years before me. I followed them further downtown—probably some places I shouldn’t have gone—and met Cool Disco Dan, the focus of my documentary The Legend of Cool Disco Dan. He wrote graffiti and opened my eyes to a lot of what the D.C. culture was in the ‘80s, especially the black subculture.



How was your style of graffiti different from what Cool Disco Dan was doing?
For me, graffiti was about punk rock and hardcore. I went to hardcore shows and everybody wrote graffiti, especially during this time. Dan came out of the go-go graffiti community and his was graffiti was completely different from the type we were doing. He had crossed over.

What brought you together?
All of the go-go graffiti writers who were writing their names in the ‘80s stopped in 1987-’88. The crack epidemic came and they started hustling. Dan was never into crack or hustling—he just wanted to continue to write his name. He figured out people in the hardcore scene were writing their name and Dan taught us a lot about downtown, a lot about going out and the culture of downtown and showed us what sparked this kind of graffiti.

Do you think the underground movement of graffiti affected the city at the time?
In D.C. at the time, there was much more dangerous going on. When people are writing graffiti in places like Georgetown, DuPont Circle or heavily trafficked tourist areas, they were more aware of you. If you got busted, something was going to happen to you. But for the most part, the city didn’t care about graffiti. Until the late ‘90s.


How does D.C. compare to other cities when it comes to graffiti?
Cities like Philadelphia, L.A. and New York are much richer in graffiti history, leading back to gang graffiti in the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s.

Where did graffiti begin?
Traditional graffiti as we know it today, writing your name over and over again for the sake of it, started in the late ‘60s in Philadelphia and NYC. People argue about who started it. Philadelphia can win that argument by having a more defined graffiti scene through the ‘60s that was more stylistic, but New York made graffiti famous by the subway trains that they were starting to put out in the early ‘70s.

How would you describe yourself and what you do?
I am a collector, a hoarder, a curator—whatever you want to call me. In the last several years I’ve been putting out magazines, books, documentaries, doing museum shows, gallery shows, working with artists. I am a fan and I’m interested in a lot of this subculture, mostly the subculture that spawns out of the ghettos: graffiti, music, etc. I’ve been able to put together good collections of ephemera and artwork and probably saved a lot of things before they were destroyed or dug up things people didn’t know still existed. 



You don’t write graffiti now, right? Would you ever go back into it?
Sure. I know plenty of people that had second or third graffiti careers in their late ‘30s or ‘40s and did just as much graffiti as they did in their teens. I guess you can’t count me out yet, but I’m not active.

What was your tag and what’s the story behind it?
“Clear” and there’s no real meaning.

Roger tagged my notebook

Where do you think graffiti is today versus where it was in the ‘80s?
In the ‘80s, graffiti was a huge movement. It was in the galleries and it was getting a lot of attention. In the late ‘80s it died out, the trend stops, but in the mid-‘80s it was everywhere in the U.S. and across Europe. In the last ten years, give or take, it’s turn into a multi-million dollar business. It’s not a subculture anymore; it’s its own culture with many different subcultures that have come off of it. It’s the fastest growing art movement in the last 40 plus years.

What are you currently working on?
Currently, I am working on distribution for The Legend of Cool Disco Dan. I’m working on a film Wall Writers that we just finished about graffiti in 1967 and 1972. John Waters did the voiceover for that. I am also working on a couple other books and working with Sanrio on a couple of projects too.

Who are a few graffiti artists you think everyone should check out?
1. Cost (Queens, NY)
2. Revs (NYC)
3. BLADE (NYC)
4. Freedom (NYC—the Freedom Tunnels ended up being named after him.)
5. Risk (L.A.)

What was your last purchase on your credit card?
Emergen-C at the airport in Phoenix.

What are you watching on Netflix?
I just finished watching all of this really horrible TV show that was amazing called Blue Mountain State. It’s about a football team and every other thing is like a dick joke or getting drunk. 


What’s the best party you’ve ever thrown.
There’s been everything from a Christmas party a few years ago with male strippers. At a birthday party last year we had this big fat man baby bartending. A sword swallower. We had Angelyne, the original ‘80s version of Paris Hilton, come over. She drives a pink corvette. It was a win.

What do you play most on your iPod?
I still listen to the same things that I was listening to when I was a teenager: Naked Raygun, Cock Sparrer, and ‘80s D.C. bands.

What’s your screensaver?
OJ Simpson wearing gloves.



If you could wear one clothing brand from back in the day again, what would it be?
Cross Colours! I never wore it but I wish they’d bring it back so I can wear it.

Where do you get the images for your blog, Roger Gastman Talks About Everything…
I get a few dozen emails a day from my friends, or from some random person I met of fucked up, weird images and links if you can imagine. Or it’s three in the morning and I can’t sleep so I type in crazy searches into Google images and see what pops up. I have folders and folders of thousands of ridiculous image people send to me everyday. What’s on the blog is PG-13 compared to what I’d like to post, but I have clients I work with… but if you get on my personal distribution list you get some real gems.

Thanks Roger!


From Philadelphia

05/02/13 09:54AM

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Our Summer Playlist: Psychedelic Heat

Introducing our new Summer playlist: Psychedelic Heat, featuring mind-melting electro bangers, '60s nuggets, global fuzz, new freak outs and shit that doesn't even make SENSE.  It's a long strange trip, just like Summer (if you do it right). - Dave

From Elsewhere

Photos by Sequoia Ziff

05/01/13 03:56PM

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Della x UO

We are stoked to announce that the Della x UO collaboration is finally available online! Della, a woman-run fashion line founded by Tina Tangalakis, is run out of Ghana and focuses on providing socially-responsible wares, as well as steady employment for Ghanaian women. Della will also be a part of our Bazaaaaar Pop-Up which opens later this week at Space 15 Twenty.

Shop Della x UO














From Philadelphia


04/30/13 02:28PM

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Cat Gifs

Our cats are back in stock! (Um, ok, so they never really went away.)


Apple, who belongs to our Print Production Manager, Sheena Allen.


Benson, who belongs to our Assistant Catalog Stylist, Stephanie Iselin.


Ellie, who belongs to our Graphic Designer for Web, Victoria May.

From Los Angeles

04/30/13 10:28AM

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Arrested Development Premiere

Buzzfeed has pics from the Arrested Development premiere and party, and they are just as glorious as you would imagine. Except for David Cross, who looks like he just stopped by on his way back from the mall? IDK.—Kate

From Elsewhere


04/29/13 12:20PM

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Savages Silence Yourself

Savages have made their debut, full-length album Silence Yourself available to stream via Matador's site. Out May 6, the album sounds preeeeetty cool, especially if you've been looking for some badass lady music to blast. (Who hasn't?!) —Katie


From New York

04/29/13 12:18PM

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Cool Art: Von Zos

Von Zos is an independent publishing company that distributes limited edition art, books and other goodies. Based in New York City, the company has worked with a ton of cool artists, showcasing their creations in a way that bigger companies wouldn't be able to. Their current collection of items can be found here (check out the Death Box!), and today they're also releasing a limited edition, Lohan-inspired print by Sara Lyons. Keep an eye on their website to see what other new projects they'll be working on! —Katie


(via Gothamist)

04/29/13 12:16PM

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How To Use Twinkies

Twinkies are coming back this summer, everyone! Praise and glory be. Stoners everywhere are shedding tears of joy. Even if you've never actually wrapped your mouth around a Twinkie, you know that they embody the American spirit, and what better time for them to return than the summer, the most American of all times? Memorial Day! Fourth of July! Labor Day! Stars and stripes, y'all. If you're sober and still a little unsure about whether or not you actually want to consume the questionable (but delicious) snack cakes, then here are some other uses for them to keep your summer rockin'. —Katie



Experiment
Eat 100 and see what effects the tasty treats have on your body. Maybe they're the secret to everlasting youth. You won't know until you experiment.

Throw Them
You don't need a reason for this. Just think about how satisfying it would be to lob these things at a brick wall.

Decorate
You can turn Twinkies into art and if you don't believe me, then just look at the beautiful creations made by artist Nancy Peppin. Shit is serious.

Pet
Apparently you can submerge a Twinkie in Mountain Dew and it will not dissolve or fall apart. It just floats. Since Mountain Dew is the most questionable beverage of all time (7,000 pounds of sugar and glowing green), this is pretty good testament to Twinkie's staying power. It could be the most indestructible pet ever—the new pet rock, if you will.

From Los Angeles

04/26/13 09:51AM

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'Steve' by Patrick Pearse

Maybe it's the music—the jazz AND the Freebird—or maybe it's just my fascination with legendary pro skaters, but Patrick Pearse's new video for Desillusion Magazine just makes Steve Olson look SO COOL. He's one of those old school, badass dudes, who lives in Cali, drives a motorcycle and spends his days sitting by the pool (empty ones, duh) not giving a single fuck. 


One of greatest things Steve ever did was help create his super cute son Alex, which leads me to the following life plan: marry a skateboarder, move to L.A., have a son and force my husband to teach him to skate instead of play catch like normal dads do.  When he goes pro at 16, I'll retire and sit back with my sk8r boi and soak in the sun, waves and cigarette smoke 'til death (or a younger girlfriend) do us part. —Ally

From Elsewhere

04/25/13 10:59AM

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Best Food Box Subscriptions

There are a million subscription boxes out in the world right now, so it's hard to figure out where to start, but what better place than FOOD? I mean, who wouldn't want a box of snacks delivered directly to their doorstep every month? You can't really go wrong with that one. There's a fun box o' food for every taste out there, and here are some of the best ones. —Katie


Graze
Graze looks like it's one of the best boxes out there. It's only $5, so like, YES PLZ, and every box is filled with delicious, healthy snacks. Sadly, you need an invitation code to sign up right now, but if you stalk your friends who were lucky enough to sign up for Graze and receive an invite code, then you might be able to get your hands on one.


Love With Food
The Love With Food box is also pretty cheap, and it's fancy gourmet samples, which is totes fun to get in the mail. It's a great way to try that $20 tea you've had your eye on without actually spending $20 on tea.


(via Chic Vegan)
Vegan Cuts
At $19.95 a month, the Vegan Cuts box is a little bit pricier than the previous two, but it's full of great vegan snacks. Since vegan products aren't found everywhere, it's a good way to try some stuff that may not be available locally. Plus, if you share this box with a pal, it's only $10 a month!


Bespoke Post
Cheating with this one a little because Bespoke Post isn't all food, but the food it does have looks b o m b. The Bespoke Post box is actually curated for men, but it's not filled with Axe Body Spray; the boxes revolve around booze, food and accessories, so they're something that people of both genders would be interested in. At $45 it's the most expensive listed, but the boxes, filled with coffee grinders and weekender bags, definitely seem worth it.

From San Francisco

04/25/13 09:06AM

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Fatal Jamz

Sometimes it feels like Burger Records can do no wrong. A nice addition to the Cali label's roster is glam rock group Fatal Jamz, whose LP "Vol. 1" is awesome. Not to mention their song Rookie has won my heart over. Though there seems to be no official connection to Rookie Mag, I'd like to think they're singing about Rookie readers. —Hazel