Catwalk Rock: A Fashion Playlist

Tired of the same old products around here? Seen enough travel mugs, knives, and Bluetooth headsets to last a lifetime? Want us to try something different? You asked for it. These Nicole Miller Hat & Scarf Sets are not the kind of merchandise us geeks on the Meh staff are used to handling. But we followed the advice of our more style-conscious staffers on our recent pearl jewelry deals, and they sold so hot, we’re now basically a pearl store that dabbles in electronics.

So when these high-quality, high-fashion knit combos turned up, we thought “hey, maybe they’ll be the new speaker docks.” We wish we could show you how soft they are, but until the full-immersion VR version of our site is ready to launch, you’ll have to take our word for it. Just go find something really soft and cozy and feel it. These are softer and cozier than that.

More to the point: we’re pretty sure they’re a great deal. What we really are is a deal store. Maybe these scarf/hat sets will be perfect for you or a lady of your acquaintance; maybe you have no interest in them at all. But if you’ve ever complained about the monotony of our product selection, you’re not allowed to complain when we mix it up like this.

As for me (that’s Meh writer @JasonToon, thank you, thank you, you’re too kind), I’m also going outside of my comfort zone a bit with this weekend playlist. I figured it made sense to herald Meh’s step onto the catwalk with a playlist of songs about fashion (also compiled in a YouTube playlist): songs celebrating it, songs mocking it, and, in true camp style, songs that do both at the same time.

Madonna - “Vogue” (1990)
I try not to start playlists with the most obvious song for the theme, but come on. Nothing sets the mood better than Madonna’s ridiculous glam orgy.

The Undertones - “Male Model” (1979)
The Undertones escaped the grim tension of 1970s Belfast by playing upbeat teenage pop - and, apparently, by dreaming of strutting their stuff for the cameras.

Piero Umiliani - “Fotomodelle” (1968)
No, Piero Umiliani isn’t the hottest label out of Milan. He composed music for hundreds of Italian movies, TV shows, and commercials. I don’t know what the sparse lyrics to this song are saying. But the title is “Fotomodelle” and the vibe is swingin’ Twiggy-era decadence, so that’s good enough for me.

Girls At Our Best! - “It’s Fashion” (1980)
The fashion dynamic was one of the favorite targets for post-punk deconstruction. Musically this is my favorite of them all. “So shamelessly chic and tres moderne… Make a big safe super sale with somebody’s soul.”

Lady Gaga - “Fashion” (2013)
Exactly what you would expect from a music video by Lady Gaga called “Fashion”. Insane over-the-top visual excess in a slick dance-pop wrapper.

David Bowie - “Fashion” (1980)
Three decades earlier, Gaga’s hero David Bowie was much more cynical in his song of the same name, about a “brand new dance” that “people from bad homes” do, and warning the unfashionable that “we are the goon squad and we’re coming to town.” Check out those fashion victims in the soup line, too. But it’s still easy to imagine this propulsive funk soundtracking a runway show.

The Vaccines - “Nørgaard” (2011)
A catchy but icky song about the singer lusting after teenage Danish model Amanda Nørgaard. The band got her to play herself in the video, so that’s… OK, I guess?

The Kinks - “Dedicated Follower of Fashion” (1966)
“This pleasure-seeking individual always looks his best.”

Kanye West - “Christian Dior Denim Flow” (2010)
Countless hip-hop songs have dropped the names of designer labels. Kanye West puts his own twist on the formula by spending the first verse calling out 20 or so fashion models he’d like to, uh, get to know.

Right Said Fred - “I’m Too Sexy” (1991)
I try not to end playlists with the most obvious song for the theme, but come on. Nothing seals the mood better than Right Said Fred’s ridiculous preening anthem.

Hope you enjoyed that strut through songs about fashion. If these Nicole Miller Hat & Scarf Sets aren’t your style, we’ll have something different tomorrow. The only thing we can promise is that the deal will be good. Because “cheap” never goes out of style.

Do your little turn with our past weekend playlists:

• The World Inside the Paradise Garage
• The Shoe’s on the Other Beat: Songs About Footwear
• Scopitone Party: The Original Music Videos
• 808 101: The Drum Machine That Moved The '80s
• Weekend playlist archive