Slashing it up with Sleater Kinney.
Photo via Damon Green
That’s right, guys. We’re going indie this week. Carrie Brownstein was already underground royalty for her role as guitarist and singer in the girl rock groups Sleater-Kinney and Wild Flag, but she’s now making her way into mainstream pop culture as the hilarious co-creator, writer, and star of IFC’s hit Portlandia.
The show is a half hour sketch comedy compilation driven by Brownstein and SNL’s Fred Armisen. As the title suggests, Portlandia is a simultaneous parody and celebration of the hipster Northwestern culture. From adventures in a feminist bookstore, to the struggles of vintage clothes shopping, and the necessity of reusable grocery bags, Brownstein and Armisen encapsulate everything that is great—and hilariously mockable—about Portland living.
While there is no doubt that Fred Armisen is hilarious (just see SNL), it is Brownstein that truly grants the show its voice and completely unique vibe of comedy. As the quirky woman who softly chimes in at the perfect time with some of the oddest, funniest comments ever recorded on film, Brownstein is a comic superstar, who deserves to be among the ranks of the TV comedy greats.
Now entering it’s third season, critics, media, and audiences are all catching onto Portlandia’s free-range train. But even with a powerful group of devoted viewers and old and new Carrie fans, Brownstein realizes her brand of humor may not be for everyone.
In the true indie spirit, Brownstein aims to make true art, not popular art. “Even if the show is divisive, that to me is a more interesting kind of art to make than something that people never talk about or think about,” Brownstein said.
Thus as Brownstein and her fans know, Portlandia may get a little weird sometimes and Wild Flag certainly won’t be on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show anytime soon, but that’s kind of the point. As a true indie artist who can conquer any field she wants, Browstein represents the ultimate in all things cool. So put on some of her riff-filled tracks, turn on a little Portlandia, and above all, Put a Bird on It in the true celebration of Carrie Brownstein.
Harper wears a lacy white dress with accessories including sandals, a headband, and David Beckham.
Photo via
Okay, I know. Technically, Harper Beckham isn’t a woman. In fact, considering that she is actually 19 months old, infant might be the most accurate classification. But in her year and a half on this earth, the young lady Beckham has combined the best characteristics of her parents to become a worldwide phenomenon, surpassing all other celebrity babies to come before her.
It all begins with the name. A girl who is called Harper Seven Beckham is already, inescapably destined for coolness. While many celebrity baby names try a little too hard to be unique (looking at you, Suri Cruise), “Harper” is the perfect mix of glamorous, but approachable. And in case anyone needed more proof of her destiny for greatness, “Seven” is not only her dad’s old Manchester United number, but is also her weight and the hour of her birth.
For any daughter of the Spice Girl turned stone-faced style icon, Victoria Beckham, a groundbreaking sense of fashion is a must. But Harper has gone above and beyond to set fashion aspirations for not only celebrity youth, but all of Hollywood. According to The Daily Mail, she never wears the same outfit twice and has a wardrobe worth over $8,000. While this may seem excessive for an infant, the girl knows (or at least her parents do) that sometimes you have to shell out in order to look truly good. And boy, does Harper look good. As any Google search will tell you, she is the cutest baby to have ever existed on planet earth. But the fact that she wears Burberry capes, Marc Jacob’s dresses, and Chloe tights make her superhuman.
The media and world at large have definitely not failed to notice Harper’s supreme style. There is an entire blog devoted to her outings and fashion choices while just the act of simply wearing a pair of baby converse (and rocking them) become headline-making news with 43 comments.
In short, it is only natural to want to be Harper Beckham. She lunches at Balthazzar, shops at Balenciaga, and has attended New York fashion week 4 times…in the 19 months she has been alive. With an entire runway worth of fashion sense, and the fact that she regularly appears perched on the hip of the god known as David Beckham , this girl is already an icon and there’s no telling how powerful she’s gonna be once she turns two.
For those of you who have yet to see the brilliant new Fox sitcom, “The Mindy Project”, it’s time for a life re-prioritization. Seriously, put aside your work and tell the family you’ll see them later because you’ve got some business to attend to.
Looking glam on the red carpet. Photo via Kiki Maraschino.
With all the necessary sitcom joy and hijinks, “The Mindy Project” romps its way through rom-com inspired perils of young adulthood, led by it’s star, creator, and writer, Mindy Kaling. You may know her from her true-to life role as Kelly on “The Office” or her fantastic memoir Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), but I know her as my true spirit animal.
The New England- bred star first made a name for herself by writing and staring (noticing a trend?) in the play Matt and Ben, a comedy about everyone’s favorite Boston-grown Oscar winners. Naturally, the glamorous 5’ 4” Kaling played Ben Affleck in the production, a performance that won her rave reviews and her start in comedy.
Now, 10 years after the premiere of “Matt and Ben”, Kaling is a full-blown household name, known not as much for her Affleck impersonation, but for her representation of the professionally successful, but romantically disgraced Dr. Mindy Lahari.
Mindy is a successful OB/GYN who works at her own practice alongside a crazy batch of misfits (naturally) including the charming British playboy, Dr. Jeremy Reed and the grumpy tough-guy, Dr. Danny Castellano (played by the incredible indie movie darling Chris Messina). While she navigates a demanding professional life, Mindy also makes time for personal dysfunction including a series of hilariously failed relationships. While watching the Real Housewives, musing over what Prince Harry’s instagram would be like, and exhibiting her extensive working knowledge of celebrity couples, Mindy makes an art of being a quirky, charming, and well-dressed hot mess.
Although the show’s premise may sound trite, Kaling herself is anything but. In a world where white, thin, and blonde are the hallmarks of a female romantic lead, Kaling stands out as a beautiful woman who’s not embarrassed to fall hilariously short of Katherine Heigl’s standards. In fact, The Mindy Project is a celebration of imperfection, a public pronouncement that oftentimes it’s a lot more fun to be a little weird and crazy and long as you’re having a good time.
LA's Leading Ladies 