Yeah, cheers, thanks a lot.

Time to crack open the Bolly, darlings: Eddy and Pats are back just in time for the Olympics!

"Nooo, I was going to be thin!"

 
(My favourite piece of fashion wisdom are the immortal words uttered by one Eurydice Colette Clytemnestra Dido Bathsheba Rabelais Patricia Cocteau Stone: "You can never have enough of... hats, shoes and gloves." I mean, darling, even Amanda de Cadenet would have remembered the word "accessories".)

Surreal Summer

I love Pinterest, but it has made me question the function of fashion blogging. Why should one try to whip up the traditional  "Inspiration Posts" when it's so easy to share mind-blowing visuals without usual, useless crap about how this makes me feel like that pop song and how I wanna look like that in the autumn and oooh I wish I only had her legs? A blogger's existential crisis, if you will.

But sometimes one happens on something so exceptional one can't keep her mouth shut. These pictures were shared by Rodeo magazine's exceptional fashion journalist Agnes B. Salvador Dali took the entire control of the French Vogue's December issue in 1971. The fashion editorials, articles, even the adverts were masterminded by the artist.

A recurring theme seems to be the Chairman Mao - surely a commentary of Warhol's work on the same iconography at roughly the same time? The cover mixes two pop art icons, Mao and Marilyn.

The Revillon ad with children is deliciously creepy, and yes, surreal.

And what do you know - I did find inspiration for what to wear this autumn or on these chilly summer days we've been having: Another pop icon and artist, the inimitable Veruschka dressed as Mao, by a gloomy looking lake. (The surrounding poetry is also by Mao.) 

The British and French Vogue still sometimes put up interesting collaborations with visual artists. Dear Finnish magazine editors (I know some of you are reading), how about following suit? Mao suit.

Sweet shine

I've come to realise that I make most of my fashion choices based on how things feel on my skin. My hypersensitivity/neurosis (a rose by any other name) guides me naturally towards flowing lines and soft fabrics. A touch of silk next to one's skin has proven to be nature's strongest antidepressant. To balance all this softness and flowy-ness, my feet are happiest encased in leather, with a tall heel underneath.

The neurotic fashion fan gets into trouble when it comes to accessorizing and jewellery. Forget belts, forget skinny scarves - both are suffocating. Forget any bag you can't wear across your body - my hands and arms need to be free! All the time! (Hats and large scarves provide safety, as do big sunglasses, so they are ok - but never wear all three at the same time.)

As to jewellery, I can wear rings on all my fingers, but bracelets are a no-no - My arm looks and feels like it's cut in half, you know? (What do you mean, you don't?) I adore combining necklaces, pendants, chains and chokers - on someone else. On me, large necklaces feel heavy and bounce awkwardly on my chest and I hate seeing shiny bits when I look down. And the clinking sound they make! On the other hand, tiny, fragile, dainty pieces look a bit funny on someone emphatically not tiny and dainty.

Or so I thought before falling in love with a very special, tiny bit of oxidized silver (by Andromedii, at Etsy).



It has "random patterns on each of its wild yet soft triangular shape".



Despite its shortish chain, it doesn't choke me. The hollow pendant swings and sits beautifully on my collarbone - and I can play with it when stressed.



(All photos courtesy of Andromedii)

In short, I've found something to wear around my neck almost daily. It makes me feel a bit poetic, fragile even, and want to listen to this Sonic Youth song on repeat. What more could you ask from a piece of silver?

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GTWSYQjrDU]

If you really love it, put a pin on it.

Like everyone else and their sister, I'm on Pinterest. You can see things that make me go "Ooh la-la" here - Whether they're fashion, interior ideas, artsy stuff, or pretty boys.

Speaking of internet crushes, here's my latest: Anya Ziourova (photographed here by The Streetfashion5xpro) has incredible style (the mix of prints!!! The mis-matched accessories!!!), naturally lovely face & hair - and she just looks like the kind of a cool girl I'd love to hang out with.

Talking 'bout prints, baby!

Super excited about dear old Marimekko's new project Marimekko Proto.



Marimekko's head of Fashion Design Noora Niinikoski got the great idea to invite four talented young designers to re-use some of the house's wonderful left-over fabric. The results can be seen at Marikiska (on Uudenmaankatu), starting today. I'm heading for the launch party later on, can't wait to get my hands on the actual clothes - especially after seeing this promo video by Miika Lommi!

 
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yhBugRLJLs]
The four designers are Riikka Buri, Yonna Moriya, Emmakaisa Soisalo and one of my favourites (as a fashion designer and a person) Elina Määttänen. Fabulous, darlings!

Print is not dead

Right now I'm very much feeling prints - preferably mis-matched, thrown together, head-to-toe - and different shades of blue - with or without the prints. Looking at what some of my Finnish favourites have to offer, I fell in love with R/H's looks for spring. Especially the black and white abstract print.



And the green pants.



Blue for me is a "neutral" colour, like black, gray and some creamy beiges. As long as I remember, dressing in blue has made me feel safe, secure - and happy. At the moment, I want to mix different shades of blue together. I do have loads of blue in my wardrobe already, but there just might be a place for an aqua R/H maxi dress...



The designer duo R/H, Hanna Riiheläinen and Emilia Hernesniemi, are in my opinion the most interesting ones to watch in the current crop of Helsinki design darlings. Their clothes have a relaxed, easy thing going on, but at the same they are refreshingly grown-up for, you know, everyday wear. Last autumn I bought a sweater by them - with reindeer-skin shoulder puffs - that instantly became my go-to piece when I needed to look sharp and stylish - ie. every working day, and most party nights. (Even the prices are right.)

You can easily shop their stuff in Helsinki, just stroll into their own mini shop at Uudenmaankatu or the near-by Acolyth on Iso-Roobertinkatu. Out-of-towners should pay a visit at the R/H web shop and/or the Acolyth web store like, now. (All the stores that carry R/H listed here. Support your local dealer!)

One should either be a work of art or wear a work of art.

This new blog of mine is supposed to cover both fashion and art. In addition to my on-going, troubled odyssey of personal style, I want to share inspiration from all fields of art, showcase aspiring and established Finnish fashion designers and try to keep up with what's going on in these scenes here.

My absolute favourite things happen, when the art and fashion worlds collide. That's why I must start with a post about a very special artist, who inspires me both through his work and as an impeccably stylish person. Oscar Wilde would approve: the artist makes works of art of himself wearing works of art!

Ari Pelkonen is currently Finland's Young Artist of the Year. His work blends woodcut technique and painting, and has been described as the most elegant art in Finland. I would concur and add that he's the most elegant artist anywhere that I know of.



I guess you might call most of Ari's paintings self-portraits. He uses his own stylishly dressed person as a figure, and builds on it with layers of luscious colours. Or at least that's my uneducated way of describing it, you should definitely go and see for yourself. Do hurry - the exhibition at Tampere Art Museum closes after TOMORROW, Sunday the 22nd.



I first met Ari at my absolute favourite store, Helsinki 10. His style encapsulates everything I adore about their selection, atmosphere and staff. He wears the avantgarde stuff by the likes of Demeulemeester and Owens with a natural ease, and he -like most of the people who work at the store - is also very naturally friendly, kind and welcoming.

I think my favourite piece of art in the world at the moment is "Tricky" by Ari Pelkonen. It's pink, and there's a picture of a pony!

(All pictures courtesy of Tampere Art Museum.)