This week we are treating you to a guest post from electric DJ duo The Jane Doze. The double Motel fans gave us an all-access view of the typical Doze day and told us about their recent trip to The Bahamas and the incredible gig they played there. Motel dubbed these girls as ones to watch earlier this year and the are proving us right as they tear up 2013…
“Two weeks ago we set off on a 24 hour journey out of the country. As most young New Yorkers were heading home from a night out, we left our apartments and hopped in a ride to the airport. By 10:30am we were standing at a customs counter in Nassau, Bahamas, fielding questions about the nature of our visit. “We’re DJs – we’re playing a show tonight…” One hour and multiple phone calls later we were cleared to enter to the country and officially begin what would be craziest shows of our career thus far!
“The club was unlike anything we had ever seen: an indoor/outdoor space modelled after the architecture in ancient Greece – the Parthenon of nightclubs. The stage rested under a portable tent, with the dance floor extending from its base.”
30 seconds of soundcheck revealed a thumping soundsystem. Bass resonated through our bodies as we played through the first few tracks of our set. When we returned a few hours later we were not prepared for the scene that greeted us: hundreds pouring out of a bus and into the venue. What felt like seconds later, the night’s host announced our name and walked out to take our places behind the decks. Jen grabbed the mic and re-introduced us, then asked the crowd if they were ready to party with us? Screams erupted and we started to play…”
As our set came to a close 60 minutes later with our favourite song of the moment Icona Pop’s “I Love It” blasting from the speakers, Jen grabbed a bottle of champagne we’d hidden behind the booth, jumped into the front row and sprayed it into the screaming mouths of 18 year olds (hey, it’s legal in the Bahamas!). I turned the music all the way down as the chorus hit, letting the voices of 1,000 kids fill the room – “I LOVE IT” they screamed.
The lights dimmed and we walked off stage – hours of travel, anticipation, and in 60 short (but very sweet) minutes it was over. Until next time… antlers up!”
Check out their latest mash up ‘Hous of Doze 2: The Road To Coachella 2013′ – with perfect sounds to get you ready for summer we cant stop listening to it.
SS13 is a season full of iconic prints with everything from paisley to pop art-inspired patterns taking the catwalks by storm. Creeping in on the action is new kid on the block; the marble print. Give your wardrobe that California dreams feel and take a step into summer with Motel by exploring the new Marble Collection.
This trend can be dated back to 12th century Japan where bright colours and watery marble prints were introduced through Suminagashi paper. With designers reworking this classic pattern, nothing is too bold! Spied head to toe on the catwalks this season, take inspiration from Prozena Schouler and the more polished Michael Kors who created a kaleidoscope of imagery, with swirling marbled paper prints and a dense a mash-up of colour, taking abstract to a whole new level.
So if you’re brave enough, try mixing the muted marbles tones of burnt oranges, brighter waxy pinks and dreamy blues for a seriously futuristic update. With the 90’s teen spirit still at the forefront of this season, we combine iconic silhouettes of fun crop tops and cut off denim shorts both in cool marble prints and flirty flare dresses decorated with a seductive swirl. Kick back in the Ballerina Body and try layering our hazy hues with the Holly Shirt and vintage denim for the boy-meets-girl look that just screams effortless cool.
And if that wasn’t, enough we have blended traditional shapes with fresh prints to create the perfect standout piece. Wear this fabulously classic Kimono Jacket with its hot pink hues for an eye-catching, laidback-luxe feel that’ll not be quickly forgotten.
With no sign of this trend dying, the soft edgy marble print is the perfect extension to spring pastels. Take note and team the Cami Crop Top with the high waisted Dora Shorts to keep your look flirty and fresh adding a splash of summer fun to your wardrobe. Relax into spring with this fresh cool trend guaranteed to have you dreaming of those long summer nights. Lose your marbles with the Motel Marble Collection, perfect for partying in from dusk until dawn!
The forecasters have promised the beneficial greeting of Vitamin D but plans to make the most of the rays with our favourite cut-off shorts were dashed by drizzle, so we had to come up with an alternative route to embracing the light. The Hayward Gallery delivered the goods with their must-see, sold-out exhibition, which successfully reminds how light has the power to affect our state of mind, as well as how we perceive and respond to sights in front and around us.
With 22 artists exhibiting work from the 1960’s to present day, the display of installations and sculpture showcase the miraculous aspects of light in all of its many forms. Stepping into Carlos Cruz Diez’ series of rooms, which had hues not indifferent to our summer wardrobes, confuses and tricks the brain so much you begin the wonder what colour you are really seeing. ‘You and I Horizontal’ by Anthony Mccall encourages the visitors to interrupt and toy with the shafts of light. At some points they appear so solid you can duck beneath them, and at other times you feel you are immersed in a haze of a sci-fi dystopia.
Leo Villareals ‘Cylinder II’ is beautiful piece that non art fans can appreciate purely on aesthetic levels, the vertical rods encasing bubbles of lights that travel up and down. The result is a monument encasing a kinetic twinkly star-scape.Among our favourite pieces was Olafur Eliasson’s transfixing ‘Model For A Timeless Garden’. Through the constant disruption of strobe lights you see water escape from a shelf in a series of shapes, arcs and fountains. The manipulative power of light shows itself when the water appears to become solid and gel like yet still flowing like liquid . Pure trickery.
We don’t want to share too much more as we want to urge you to visit before it closes on May 6th, but be prepared to don some fetching foot apparel, step into a Dr Who style box, and be incredibly tempted to purchase a light saber-esque lamp in the gift shop. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
We love that style inspiration comes from all eras and Sissy Spacek is one icon you need to know about! In light of the upcoming remake, Sissy found fame through her breakout role in gruesome 70′s horror flick Carrie. Based on the novel by Stephen King, Carrie was a major cult success and ensured that Sissy received praise for not only her acting, but her style! We love her fresh look and with porcelain skin, freckles and strawberry blonde hair, she was not your typical Hollywood leading lady but her style was always spot on.
She was known for having that laid back ’70s style, requiring minimal effort but always leaving her looking the ultimate hippy chick. Our paisley trend is the way to throw back to Sissy’s style as the pastel blue colour and white print creates a vintage charm. Items such as the Molly Longsleeve Playsuit and Demi Dungaree Playsuit are perfect for summer and with minimal make up and long locks, they will have you looking just as cool as Sissy!
Another favourite item of Sissy Spacek’s is the wardrobe staple crop top. Motel is the perfect place to get your fashion savvy paws on crop tops as we have every style you could ever wish for! Mesh, Paisley, Colour Pop, Pyramid, Monochrome, we have all trends covered for the SS13 in a versatile and easy-to-wear crop top. Add denim flares and stacked wooden platforms for the far-out, retro styling.
If you haven’t had a chance to watch the 1979 hit Carrie yet we suggest you do before the re-make hits screens this year with young star Chloe Mortez taking over the starring role. We can’t wait to see what she brings to the cult classic and how she spins Sissy’s style in her own way! Bring on the mayhem as we can’t wait for the madness and wrath of Carrie to be in cinemas once again!
Summer is finally upon us so there is no excuse not to get out those surfboards and visit the shores. We’ve never been shy of hitting the waves here at the Motel Bali HQ, and the work of Mark Tipple might help persuade you to ride a wave too. Whoever said no to tousled beach hair, a golden tan and an excuse to show off the upcoming new Motel Swimwear collection too…
There never seems to be a man with a camera around to capture us when we are surfing the waves but photographer Mark Tipple has demonstrated how cool those shots can be. Mark is the principle photographer in The Underwater Project which sees him take to the ocean to capture all moments of the surfing and underwater experience. His work has appeared in publications such as The Australian, National Geographic and Discovery Channel, and we are amazed at the tranquil, aquatic shots too.
Want to hit the surf too? Don’t miss our island party holiday give away on Facebook, where we are jetting lucky winners to Spanish islands with entry to the hottest pool parties, gigs and bars. Start packing your case and enter here!
Major Motel fan Jessi Jae Joplin is the Cali girl fronting band The Ruckus, and at all other times she is styling up the fashion world a storm. Journalist, stylist and Buzznet blogger, Jessi may be rushed off her fashion feet but she took time out to style up her Motel favourites of the moment on a desert adventure.
“Festival season is officially upon up, starting with the Coachella Music festival in Indio,CA. People travel from all over the world to attend this iconic festival… and I definitely had to get there! My best friend and I decided to make an adventure out of it and document our roadtrip to the festival! We wanted to do it in style, so Motel Rocks was the only way to go when choosing our outfits! I started out the trip wearing the Dora Frayed Denim Shorts in Black Wash. I am in love with these grungy, high wasted shorts. I paired them with one of Motel’s space invader tees, and completed the look with a pair of platform sneakers. The whole look was super cute, yet comfortable enough to survive a 4 hour car drive (stocked with great tunes and lots of candy, of course).”
“We stopped at some very cool places on the way, like the Cabazon Dinosaurs (as seen in Pee Wee’s Big Adventure), the International Banana Museum (no joke), and the very magical Salvation Mountain! We had to get out and take loads of photos, so of course – I had to do an outfit change! I kept on the shorts, but this time paired them with the Bonnie Crop Top in Black Fishnet. This is seriously one of my favourite pieces from Motel Rocks! It looked perfect layered over my simple white tank to add just a bit of 90s edge to the ensemble. I switched things up a bit for my last look and wore the Dora Frayed Denim Shorts in Pink Marble Print. This is definitely a stand out piece, so I paired it with a simple black crop tee. I love the tie-dye inspired marble print on these shorts! They add the perfect amount of attitude to any outfit!”
At Motel we travel to the best festivals to party with the elite and find all the inspiration that pours into our collections. We know you are dying to dance in the fields too so we get our mitts on the most sought-after tickets to give away to our fans, and this year it was Coachella! Lucky Motel fan Ariel won the contest and we sent her off with her BFF to Indio, California, along with a festival survival kit bursting with our favourite brands and a backpack full of Motel! Here is a look into her experience and what she wore to the best festival of them all…
“First and foremost, a big thank you to Motel Rocks for giving my best friend and I tickets to Coachella in Indio, California!!! It was my first time going to Coachella as well as my best friend and to describe it in one word it would be “indescribable”! It was a truly amazing time and great experience to see all the amazing musical acts that were playing there! Literally a dream come true because I’ve always wanted to go but couldn’t afford it. On top of tickets to Coachella, the amazing survival kit that was given came in handy!”
“What really topped off the trip was the clothes from Motel Rocks that I got to choose for my best friend and I. In the pictures you can see me wearing the Hilly Hot Pants which were amazing for the hot weather there and my best friend is wearing the Hand of Rock Dress tucked in, which I believe meshed well for the occasion! I would also like to thank Koolaburra for the amazingly comfy sandals that I wore the last two days, Crown and Glory for the awesome headpiece, and Palmer’s for their great products! This past weekend was more than I imagined and I am forever thankful and will always be loyal to Motel Rocks!”
The Motel Jordan Jean is a cult classic, worn by bloggers and fashionistas across the globe. They have also racked up an A-list fan base including Cara Delevingne, Jessie J and Miley Cyrus to name a few. Thanks to monochrome being SS13′s hottest trend, the striped Jordans are striking again - everyone is wearing them! Not only are the Jordan Jeans beautiful to look at, they are cut with a high waist which makes them oh-so wearable, comfortable and flattering. Styled up with a crop top and pair of killer Jeffrey Campbells, or styled down with some Dr. Martens and a slogan tee, the Jordans are the most versatile statement trouser you will ever own. Take a look at how these bloggers have styled them for awesome inspiration.
Get your pair of striped Jordan Jeans at Motel Rocks now; the statement trouser of the season.
We are about to head off for yet another weekend Indio Valley in California for the annual Coachella Music Festival! Last week was a blast for concert-goes alike with a weekend of hot desert sun, incredible live performances and an exciting selection of new art installations and activities displayed across the fair grounds.
By Thursday night, thousands had already arrived and set up camp just outside the Empire Polo grounds and the cool night air was buzzing with excitement. At noon the next day, music fans from all walks of life came together for a day of great music and endless pool parties! Making sure to keep hydrated and shaded from the sun, Hip Hop and EDM fans jumped from tent to tent for sets by Major Lazer, Benny Benassi and Grimes. Friday winded down with a moving performance by Of Monsters and Men and a memorable show at sundown from Modest Mouse. Those who stuck around to late hours were treated to a roving light up snail art installation that roamed the fair grounds like a gentle giant, and for those looking for an eagle eye view of the festival, fans jumped on the light-up ferris wheel to watch Yeah Yeah Yeahs give a stellar performance to thousands of dancing bodies!
Temperatures peaked in the high 90s over the weekend and many found shelter and solace in smaller DJ tents around the grounds, such as the hidden Fruttare Tent that offered air conditioning, a relaxing oasis pool, and frozen fruit pops for every guest – sweet! The weekend wrapped up with memory-making shows from Lumineers and La Roux, and a surprising guest appearance by R&B star R.Kelly at the Phoenix performance with a special Ignition x 1901 remix that will surely go down in the Coachella history books.
At the Dime Piece Party we bumped into Buzzmaker Hannah Beth, sporting our Penny Dress with a babydoll vibe. She chilled with Paramore at the Palm Springs pool and cooled off in the cult Fonda Crop Top.
Who will we meet this weekend? Stay tuned for more guest posts and the best of the fest! See you in Indio!
As a star of our Ones to Watch 2013 collective, Ami Carmine is our current obsession. Singer/songwriter and DJ, Ami has already performed and collaborated across the globe with the likes of Basement Jaxx, Gary Barlow, KT Tunstall & is now working on her own music project, duo Them&Us. We caught up with Ami at Them&Us’ debut headline gig at Madame JoJo’s in London Town, after performing in Motel’s distinctive Digital Love Zabby Dress…
“I always love performing, especially in London where, as an artist, you push yourself that little bit further in delivering something unique. Madame JoJo’s with its history was no exception. It’s a classic venue, full of decadence, glamour and flamboyant decor. The setting was extra special for us as we were performing our brand new Them&Us music that no one had heard yet; the venue really reflected our vision… everything worked stylistically with the music.”
“It was such an amazing night!! MJJ’s was packed out and the backstage was filled with friends and acts getting ready, it’s always a tight squeeze but that’s what makes it electric. We also had the awesome celebrity stylist Alexis Knox warming up the crowd with a DJ set before us, and our show was so much fun!
To see the crowds reaction to the music and visuals was truly humbling. A big thanks to Hoochinoo, Madame JoJo’s and all who performed on the night. And of course Motel for my gorgeous dress!”
Them & Us will be performing live at Proud Camden on 30th May 2013 – for more details visit their Facebook page. Prepare for their sounds to take over your headphones!
We have got aztec fever here at Motel Rocks HQ! With the festival season creeping closer, we can’t wait to wear these hot summer prints. Giving a nod to the monochrome trend, the Motel Aztec Print is fashion forward and wonderfully edgy, using MOTEL letters to create graphic goodness. Wear the bandeau top on the beach or at the bar with some denim shorts, or go sleek and sultry in the Zena Bodycon Dress. The figure-hugging Midi Tube Skirt is sophisticated with a high waist and longer length, completed by a crop and heels for summer nights out!
The Neon Aztec print is equally as divine with it’s eye-popping pink shades! The Anita Playsuit is your perfect festival piece, with its cheeky cut out panel! Wear it with Dr. Martens and a statement necklace, or add snippets of this rad print to your outfit with the Doris Knicker Short or the Minx PU Trim Bralette.
The stars gathered at Coachella this weekend and we were hot on the tail of their outfits and accessories. Despite hiding behind sunglasses and snapbacks, there was no missing these models, singers and starlets dancing around at a-list pool parties and chilling in the crowd. Nineties trends ruled with high-waisted denim, acid wash dungarees, and bright floral prints. Look who we spotted…
Vanessa Hudgens was the most photographed star with her beau and the unmissable sunflower that never left her side. Channel her festival look with a matching shorts-and-crop-top combo, adding tinted sunglasses and golden tan. Motel fan Vanessa also added a touch of hippy glamour with her crystal crop top, grunging up the outfit with a tie dye maxi skirt.
Model and Misshapes DJ Leigh Lezark spun records at an LA pool party on Saturday, with a white cropped bralette and tie dye hotpants, of course adding neon nails. Chic, simple sunglasses ensure the look is icy cool in the Cali sunshine.
Pretty Little Liars Hanna, aka Ashley Benson, chilled in ragged jeans and oversized sleeveless shirt, keeping that beating sun off her face with a snapback and sunglasses. We are all for a pink hair streak too!
And pop babe Katy Perry could not be missed in her own mix-and-match cropped bralette and tulip skirt, decorated with faces and florals. Comic prints in tropical colours shine for this comeback queen’s pilgrimage to the festival. Stay tuned for who we spot next weekend! We’ve got our wristbands ready.
