A selection of stories from this past week here on Selectism. A smorgasbord of good things.

1. A London Guides to 5 Record Store Stops – must visits for your next visit. Support your local record store.
2. Watches, Women – 7 timepieces, modeled. All around beauty.
3. Socks for Showing Off – an assortment of 6 socks to liven up your wardrobe.
4. 10 Man Bags for On and Off the Streets – these all work for everyman. Keep it unique, fellas.
5. A Recipe for Nettle-Peppermint Infusion Iced Tea – summer proper beverage. Easy to brew.
6. Rohan’s S/S 2012 Lookbook – British purveyors of all things zip up, waterproof and hi-spec.
7. “A Natural Science of Cooking” Book – The first cookbook from the decorated chef of Mugaritz in Errenteria, Northern Spain. Recommended.
8. Sinn Model U212 Diving Watch – a special edition of 212 units made from German submarine steel #seriousbusiness
9. Lana del Rey in S MODA Magazine – her April 2012 shoot from Spain.
10. Cole Haan LunarGrand Chukka Boots – back with the Lunarsole and looking great.
11. Inside Horween Leather – as photographed by Nick Horween himself.
12. “Up on the Roof: New York’s Hidden Skyline Spaces” Book – a rare view from above Manhattan looking down on hidden rooftop terraces and more.

More Lana del Rey in the wild. Spain’s S MODA Magazine profiles the singer in their April 2012 issue. As FGR mentions, Simon Emmett is behind the lens and photographs the singer wearing the big players: Balmain, Salvatore Ferragamo, Isabel Marant and others. Great looks

See more from the shoot on the following page.

Here’s a quick look at the Lana del Rey photo shoot from the latest issue of Vogue UK. Mario Testino shot del Rey for the women’s fashion mag. The singer is incredibly photogenic in this shoot. A bit different from her T Magazine shoot. In case you missed it…

Photography: Mario Testino
Styling: Lucinda Chambers

More look at the Lana del Rey editorial for Vogue UK’s March 2012 issue.

Lana comes through with her latest video for “Blue Jeans” from her recently released Born to Die album. Directed by Yoann Lemoine and made from found footage. Cheap and easy; like tacos.

Oh, well now.. it looks like the “unofficial” video has now been pulled due to complaints from the label. Shocker.

With almost nothing to do with menswear, we share the news that the much loved, loathed beauty names Lana Del Rey get the cover not for T Magazine’s Spring Women’s Fashion issue – out February 19th. The singer looks as good as we have seen her in this most natural of looks. Thank you for that, T Mag. Oh, and Terry Richardson shot the debutante styled looks.

And, Lana, keep smiling. A tough show will always make you stronger.

Bigger looks in our gallery…

More Lana Del Rey. A live version of the title track off her forthcoming “Born to Die” release; coming in January 2012.

For the lucky few in New York City and Los Angeles who got their chance to see Lana Del Rey live before the end of 2011 and more importantly before the release of her new album, “Born to Die,” we envy you. With her build-up in the ranks of the blog world and mainstream press forthcoming, Del Rey will certainly be the hottest ticket and rising star for 2012 and beyond.

Our friend Bobby Kim (hello The Hundreds) had the opportunity to photograph Lana Del Rey’s Los Angeles showcase this week. Her beauty against Bobby’s camera is exceptional.

We share select looks from his collection after the click. View the rest of the photography on The Hundreds blog.

Photography: Bobby Kim/Thehundreds.com

01. The Story Boot Project by Manitobah Mukluks

“Launched as an initiative to help Aboriginal communities achieve self-sufficiency, Manitobah Mukluks introduced the “STORYBOOT Project” , a collection of mukluks and moccasins designed in partnership with Aboriginal designers from across Canada.” (above)

02. Report: Lana Del Rey Live in New York

“However uncomfortable she was, she seemed genuinely excited about her debut record, Born to Die. Backed by a full band, she played six unreleased songs from the album, narrating her feelings about each. Gleefully presenting an uptempo new song titled ‘Summertime Sadness’, she explained that it’s one of her favorites on the album. When it was finished, she told the crowd, ‘I know you don’t care. [But] you’re going to fucking like it on the record.’ ” (pitchfork)

03. Humidifiers

“This collection of ceramic humidifiers, produced by Italian company Il Coccio, is a tribute to the historic piece, designed by Achille Castiglioni in 1998. Eight different designers, including such celebrities as Giulio Iacchetti, Patricia Urquiola, Denis Santachiara, Alberto Meda and others, contributed to the project. All pieces follow Castiglioni’s minimalist aesthetic and explore the idea of using the existing radiator as a base. The objects sit on, hang from, or wedge behind it, creating an interesting dynamic between two elements.” (minimalissimo)

04. Matt Singer Lighter Covers

“Matt Singer’s single-stitched leather lighter covers turn the ubiquitous Bic fire-starter into an item worth holding onto. The former Jack Spade creative director peddles the small sleeves from his eponymous online shop, but the playful Qbert and giraffe patterns gracing his latest designs were created exclusively for the Tumblr-based retailers Of A Kind and sell as a set for $40.” (coolhunting)

Absolutely killing it in 2011 and into 2012… Lana Del Rey’s voice is a pulling force for the future of music. Lana Del Rey’s full-length release,  ”Born to Die” delivers on January 30, 2012. Will there be a domestic USA release on this one? We’re hoping so.

01. Set Free Richardson (pictured)

“Set Free Richardson is a creative director and strategic marketing professional. He also an editor at Highsnobiety. His wife, Liza Richardson, is a visual brand consultant. Some of her work can be found here. Portraits taken at their apartment in the Bronx.” (An Afternoon With)

02. Original Sin: An Interview With Lana Del Rey

“She talks like a dairy queen, like Britney Spears, like a cheerleader. 24 years old and exuding the hardy effervescence unique to healthy American girls, there is nothing in Del Rey’s manner that connects the voice at the end of the line to ‘Video Games’, the YouTube smash hit carried by a purring vocal performance so rich you can feel almost feel David Lynch’s velvet carpeting under your fingers.

That is until I hit playback on my telephone’s dictaphone. Slowly all the years of a weary, haunted youth spent in backwoods New York State unravel from under her bubbly facade, like furtive murmurings on the other side of a door. As per the many doomed chanteuses and dead movie idols she invokes in her cinematic music, it seems Del Rey is a good actress. In true Lynch fashion, beneath her white picket-fenced cheer hide the writhing earthworms that plague her heavy heart.” (The Quietus)

03. Fine Candidate

“Was in town yesterday, Spencer Hart HQ, and while picking up the pertest of chocolate brown chinos (they’re too good for the chino moniker frankly, more of them later) ended up thumbing through a book on Dave, one of many in the shop. I bought it as there were a number of early shots that had never seen, others simply couldn’t resist.” (Style & Error)

04. The Sweet Science; A Sour Saturday

“Now I know how it feels to be a Zab Judah fan:

Rushing to your man’s defense with flimsy excuses after yet another poor outing.

Suspecting he has wasted his talent yet finding reasons to believe he’ll one day cash in on the vast potential he once showed.

Assuring others he’s still relevant even though you don’t quite believe it yourself anymore.

Trying hard not to feel that way about boxing these days, but a pair of bouts from this past weekend…” (By Morgan Campbell)