//// Clearing the head

Posted on | March 4, 2010 | 18 Comments

I started this blog as a lighter option for my two previous knitting blogs. They really got too heavy to work with in side of my work and studies. The blogging also gave me enormous pressure to actually accomplish something in the area of crafts — and that kind of ruined the dimension of using knitting as a form of relaxation. But on the other hand I also learned to love blogging, saw the good things coming of using English regularly in my writings and felt the benefits of exposing myself as an object of photography. My self image issues have never been too serious, but I have been avoiding cameras, now I feel so much more relaxed towards those (although I still don’t like the cameras in informal situations). With this “style blog” I thought that I can still explore themes very close to the original ones with less effort — and still keep crafting and doing stuff, sometimes less, sometimes more. I was doing some style diary stuff in two websites before, and I really felt that it could push me to use my wardrobe more creatively. I also like to discuss about style issues — and don’t have too many opportunities for that IRL.

I think that in many ways this blog serves it’s original purpose. But I also feel some new kind of pressures, which are not too easy to define.

First of all — I feel that I’m only marginally interested in fashion. I mean I do like browse through some collections from few of my trusted designers for some ideas — and I always enjoy discovering a new talent for some fresh looking ones. Often I do the browsing not for single garments but more for styling ideas. But I’m not a least bit interested spotting the IT items of the season. I do not care the conceptual backgrounds of the collections that much I like to take the items and the styling as they are — and if there is anything for me or not. Of course I could think the whole fashion thing as a form of art… …but come on, I will never experience the shows as a whole — and the clothes will thus not be for me the manifestation of designer vision that easily (more like material for my own vision of myself if I can be that cocky). I could expand my knowledge and use of time for these issues — and I would probably like to do that if it were my job. But it is not. So therefore I want to keep the fashion reporting in this blog totally random, infrequent and self-indulgent. Disclaimer for the designer reader: that does not mean that I do not want to write about fashion at all, and I’m really open to writing about the stuff that I like. I just want some decent resolution press images to do that, and I’m often too lazy to dig them from your publicity partner!

I also feel that I’m only marginally interested in trends — and on a very practical level. From my perspective I see trends as a waves that bring fresh looking stuff to the shops — and I’m going for them especially if I like them but feel that they are soon gone. For example I have always loved the harem pant silhouette — so I definitely have used this opportunity to collect some dropped crotch stuff to my wardrobe, and I will definitely be wearing it long after it is considered to be in or hip or whatever. I have also stocked the sequins… …that commodity has not been widely available in this country before past few fashion seasons, we Finns are modest folk with no interest to excessive bling… …ok, so much for the rambling, this is not a trend blog!

The last thing is my relation to shopping. Somehow I feel that this blog adds some pressure to buy new things… …on the other hand it gives me also pressure to keep the shopping in control, because I don’t want to be (or look like) a reckless consumer, it is totally against my values and I really don’t like collecting heaps of stuff to my life. But I’m not all sure if this high street shopping restriction is working for me. Let me explain… …initially I thought that I could save my money for some fancy designer piece if I just minimize my high street purchases. But then again, based on my previous experiences owning the actual full priced designer stuff does not increase my happiness… …because I always feel quilt about purchases that are very expensive. I also hesitate using too expensive stuff — I’m clumsy and constantly afraid of ruining the pieces I love. This fear is even worse if there is huge financial investment behind. I’m not after too recognizable pieces, either. And in the end, when I examine the amount of joy I’m experiencing from a clothes purchase I’m not all sure if there is a difference between good high street buy, good designer piece acquisition or good vintage find. And the situation is even more difficult when I’m considering the reality, from big names I can probably never afford the actually interesting pieces but more like those basics — and for me it does not mean a shit if my regular T sports the designer logo or not.

So maybe the better approach for me would be to just rationalize my shopping just a bit by involving some planning and combining it to more spontaneous purchases (yes, I like to be quite spontaneous, I feel that too heavy planning restricts especially those areas of life where intuition is involved). Clothes are in a sense my only hobby, everything else in my life has something to do with my work or my studies, so I probably should not suffocate the pleasure I’m getting from it — nor cultivate unrealistic visions of what kind of purchases I can actually make.

Right now I’m thinking two larger purchases for this year, I’m planning to get a pair of some middle priced footwear as the reward for my exercise project this spring. I’m not going for any big names… …actually I have the idea of what it will be. And for the autumn I’m investing some outerwear, this country is all about outerwear and I have one serious shortage in my collection. I even have savings plan for this. For the rest… …I think that a monthly budget might be the best option. I do want to keep the high street shopping in control and favor indie designers (mostly sales considering my income) and second hand instead. So this will not be a shopping blog, either, although I’m loosening my self-made shopping policy a bit.

But I’m not sure if I can call this even a style blog. I mean, I don’t consider myself as a stylish person, hate the idea of showing up here like some authority to say what to wear and what not; there definitely is not any coherent style going on through my outfits… …I don’t care too much if I’m age appropriate or if the clothes actually flatter my bodily proportions. I do mind some dressing codes because I find that they make certain situations easier to handle for people — but I would like to avoid a life where dressing codes are ruling more than 20% of my choices. I do love clothes, though, and there definitely is some self expression going on through my choices, actually I sometimes feel that my clothes are more me than my actual skin. But that puts me in a bit awkward position, this whole thing starts to look like a personal blog — but just limited to one facet of my personality — and I don’t actually like that thought.

So maybe I’m just asking here — why are you writing yours? Why do you read this one? (And congrats if you got this far ).

Tags: random

Discussion

Katharine
March 4th, 2010 @ 6:17 pm

Your blog is one of my favourites, and I save it for the last. It is quintessentially a style blog, and I love you exactly because you are not interested in trends, or being hot or conventionally sexy, or the latest whatever, except inasmuch as it fits into your personal vision. (I would very much disagree that there is not a coherent style to your posts; I find it very characteristic and clear.)

More personally, since I think you are around my age, I get great inspiration from your refusal to follow, or even acknowledge, “rules” of dressing.

I am happy to read about you writing about whatever you want, and defining it however you like.
annika
March 4th, 2010 @ 6:36 pm

Well, I have no blog, and never will (who wants to read about me?)
So to the second question. I read your blog as you have a very relaxed approach to clothes. You are as you say, no fashion victim nor a trend slave. You seem to love clothes for what they are and not because it is the latest, hippest IT thing. You have a style blog that actually is original and free from the mainstream opinions about clothes. There are a ton of blogs out there that claims to be about style, but they are not, they are merely mirror images of all other blogs claiming to be about style and fashion. Your blog does not fall into that category.
Also, I like to see your outfit photos where you actually use the clothes that is in your wardrobe, that is very inspirational. Style is not about spending obcsene amount of money on stuff that is never used. Style is when you have found your own way and don’t give a shit about what Tavi (omg, she is 12 years old she should be to young to care about clothes), Anna Wintour or Carin Roitfeldt says.
You have definetly found your style way, that is why I read your blog.
Maria M.
March 4th, 2010 @ 6:54 pm

You continue to inspire me with your style and attitude I have nothing more to add right now, forgive me.
sugar kane
March 4th, 2010 @ 7:18 pm

I read yours for your fascinating take on style, trends, designers, styling — your personality really shines through, making this one of my absolute favourite blogs anywhere.

As to why I keep writing mine.. a good question that I’ve been pondering a lot lately. I started it to somehow express “me” through fashion choices, words, music, pictures and — ahem– cultural references, but right now I feel like I’m failing miserably. Got those blogging blues once again…
May
March 4th, 2010 @ 8:01 pm

Expressing feeling through appearance (=clothes). That’s why I pretend to be writing mine and that’s why I read yours. Also, your stylistic choices inspire me and your Etsy finds are awesome.
Kamicha
March 4th, 2010 @ 10:03 pm

Oh, now I feel like I was totally fishing compliments… …which again is not too polite to say after these very, very nice comments. But truth is that I really appreciate your words.

On the other hand, Annika, you are so very close to my thoughts by saying “who wants to read about me?” — actually exactly my thoughts when I realized how personal this blog actually is. It sounds really harsh — and I genuinely wish that you are not saying it because of self-esteem issues. My point of view on this is that I realized that I kind of have to think that I’m somehow better than some other people in this style stuff by doing it in the way I’m doing (from very personal perspective). And I’m certainly not sure if I like that thought. I feel that I’m patronizing and arrogant — even though I hate patronizing attitude.

Duh, probably I’m just making this all too problematized, I just happen to be that generation for whom the Facebook etiquette did not actually come via mothers milk.

I have to say that I actually respect Tavi and her personal view to style, she is genuinely brave and has great eye… …it might even be that I see something common in her and me at her age. My passion was not fashion, though, but I can totally relate to her attitude.

Blogging blues is totally new concept for me… …but definitely adapting that. I’m all for all blues…

Feeling… …yeah, I hear that, there is something very poetic — or maybe cinematic about trying to catch the feelings to the outlook, maybe even not actually expressing them by any other way. Do you think that you do it consciously or do you just instinctively pick pieces and only later realize that they resonate to your mood?
dust
March 4th, 2010 @ 10:45 pm

I feel cheated when a blogger has the blues but is too ashamed to share, so the posts turn into publishing lookbooks that came to inbox. This is so much more honest.
You are not pretentious person, but decent human being with a large dose of curiosity and that is what your blog shows. You can post whatever and never loose identity, to put it simply. You are genuinely interseted about our opinion and there is good dialog going on.
I wish that dusturbance is not my portfolio as well, but I’ve put those restrictions myself and have to bare with my decisions.
One last thing, or two, buy what you want! Cheap is wonderful!
Second, keep on questioning yourself! And share!

All my love!
Krista McCurdy
March 5th, 2010 @ 3:09 am

I love your approach to fashion, mixing up high street and designerish fashion expertly. I love your layering approach; your style is truly unique and inspirational; it makes me look at my own clothes and what I truly want to wear in a new way. Also, I really appreciate that you have a definite womanly body; I always despair sometimes that I am not skinny enough to wear clothes in a fashionable way, especially with chunky knits and layers (I’m not heavy, but I am quite curvy, with a definite bust); your images always put the lie to that!

However, I miss your knitting blog a LOT! I would love to see a bit more of your diy projects, especially knitting. I loved your knitting projects and how you styled them.
Steff
March 5th, 2010 @ 3:15 am

I think you wrote exactly what I would say about my own blog. Just exchange ‘Finn’ for ‘Canadian’ and ‘middle priced footwear’ for ‘structured jacket’. And you know you’re my favorite blogger. Don’t change a thing about this blog.

By the way, I’m still thinking about what I’d want for a clothing exchange. You may have to choose for me though!
May
March 5th, 2010 @ 12:52 pm

“Do you think that you do it consciously or do you just instinctively pick pieces and only later realize that they resonate to your mood?”

With clothes, if I am feeling let’s say breezy and dreamy, I will try and pick clothes that are breezy and dreamy. But with _music_, it works the other way round: I hear an angry song and five minutes later I’m angry.

However, truth be told most of the time I just pick up whatever is relatively clean and tidy for a day at the office and go!
Susanna
March 5th, 2010 @ 4:00 pm

Ah, bloggaajan ahdistus! Näitä aina välillä tulee..

Mä bloggaan koska koen että mulla on jotain jaettavaa tai mitä haluan mielestä pois. Ja tietysti ompelutyöt, niiden esittely jne mutta se ei enää oikein ole ollut se pääasia pitkään aikaan. Nykyään koen että mulla on paljon mielessä sellaisia aiheita mistä haluaisin aloittaa keskustelua, niinpä perustin kokonaan uuden blogin susannafin.blogspot.com. Siellä tulee olemaan sitten enemmän yrittäjyydestä, elämänhallinnasta ym tekstejä.Ja öh, en mä tiiä, mun bloggaajan identiteetti on jotenkin hukassa nyt

Sun blogia seuraan koska sä oot jotenkin kivalla tavalla välinpitämätön trendien ja “sääntöjen” suhteen, sun pukeutumisessa on kivoja oivalluksia, omia juttuja. Ja sun kuvat tai oikeastaan koko blogin yleisilme on sellainen että tulen hyvälle tuulelle täällä. Olenkin huomannut että usein jätän päivityksiä väliin ja luen sitten kerralla pidemmän litanian
Varpu
March 5th, 2010 @ 4:14 pm

Allekirjoitan monet noista jutuista — en seuraa muotia paljoakaan (vaikka kyllä alan opiskelijana pitäisi), enkä siksi juuri koskaan “raportoi” uusista mallistoista tai trendeistä. En myöskään yritä olla millään tavalla muodikas, vaikka myönnän auliisti ottavani väkisinkin vaikutteita muista blogeista ja katukuvasta, joten muoti toki vaikuttaa minuunkin. En myöskään ole sitä tyyppiä joka lähtee viikoittain kaupungille shoppailemaan, joskus sitä miettiikin että kuinka kauan mulla vielä riittää näytettävää kellekään. Tämä on toisaalta hyväkin juttu, sitä joutuu todella laittamaan luovuutensa peliin ihan eri tavalla.

Joten niin, mitä minulle jää niin on toivottavasti joku “oma tyyli” ja sen .. mikä on deliver on suomeksi?? nojoo. Ja sitten vaan toivoo että joku on kiinnostunut. Mutta juuri tämä on se mitä täältäkin haen, ja sulla on aivan mielettömän ihana tyyli (se keltanen tunika on aivan upea, haluan itellenikin jotain keltaista! ja noi tyllileggarit on jotain taivaallista, saatanpa ehkä kopioida ton idean joskus ). Joten minun(kin) puolestani, jatka toki samaan malliin!
Anu
March 5th, 2010 @ 5:46 pm

Pohdintasi perusteella motiivisi ovat aika lähellä omiani — minäkään en osaa kiinnostua muodista, trendeistä tai shoppailusta (vaikka olen kyllä yrittänyt). Itse koen pitäväni tyyliblogia, jonka pääasiallinen tehtävä on purkaa auki sitä, mitä oikeastaan yritän vaatteillani viestiä. Huutelen tuuleen ja joskus joku vastaa, vastauksia vasten voin sitten peilata sitä, mitä olen itse asioista ajatellut.

Mua kiinnostaa sun blogissasi tyylisi, joka on aika oivaltava ja kuvia kumartelematon, ja käyn täällä oppiakseni itsekin jotain uutta.
annika
March 6th, 2010 @ 3:29 am

My who wants to read about me statement has nothing to do with self esteem. I rest securely within my own skin. But I truly don’t beleive that I could create an interesting blog that would attract readers. The reason for that are many, time is I guess the primary one. A blog as I understand, is time consuming, something I have little of and in order to write something worth saying and then reading you must invest time. I am therefor very much happy to be an anonomous blog reader. I also like being anonomous in this time and age of facebook, twitter and surveillance cameras.

I do not look down on Tavis talent and eye for style. But I keep wondering if she would attract so much attention if she was 35 instead of 12. Her young age is exposed and taken advantage of. It just puzzles me, that her parents finds her exposure on the internet acceptable, with what I guess, the not always healthy interest from strangers this attracts. She is like a child star of the fashion scene. It is probably just my maternal instict speaking.
apparellel
March 6th, 2010 @ 3:34 am

i made it. yay! and that is saying a lot for an ADD person such as myself. i agree with a lot of what you are saying. and my memory sucks. i had questions and i forgot. but i did want to say that the way you approach your blog is not in the least bit self indulgent. your blog is your self expression, just as mine is. i think it’s important to have a hobby that you love. and this is yours, and you are damn good at it. you have a great sense of style. even if you aren’t trying. seriously you are up there in my top 5 blogs.

xxx
t

p.s. how is your english so fantastic?
Fakta
March 6th, 2010 @ 1:17 pm

I actually read your blog mainly because of your photos. They have great atmosphere and you truly have an unique style. Maybe your style is not something I’d always wear but I admire your ability to wear different pieces together.

I blog because I love food and everything about it. Cooking is my escape from work stuff.
Kamicha
March 6th, 2010 @ 3:16 pm

Sometimes I feel slightly bad that I have so little time for knitting these days. But I am constantly working with something… …the stuff just gets finished really slowly!

Steff, I would love to surprise you! It feels like we are such style sisters that I actually trust myself with this task.

May — I feel exactly the same with the music! And even my cats do… …when I put some energetic music on at evening time when they are active they go wild, haha!

Varpu, tuo on aivan erinomainen pointti — ja luovuuden harjoittaminen ei onneksi mitenkään tuhoa “luovuusvarastoja” — päinvastoin. Ja ideat on tarkoitettu kopioitaviksi ja muunneltaviksi!

Ehkä tämä tuuleen huutelu jotenkin kuuluu tähän aikaan?

Annika, I completely understand your concern… …Tavi herself seems to be very intelligent and level headed… …but this fashion child stardom definitely is seductive and I hope that she is not abused and gets all the support she needs.

Apparellel, we have a mutual club of respect, you definitely are in my top five, too! My English… …I guess I have to thank Finnish school system and my choices of further studies — most of the stuff I’ve read after high school has been in English. And now I am in Aalto University of Art and Design, and my degree programme is in English. First time of my life when I’m actually practising spoken English — does not go as well as writing, though!

Fakta, I think that most of my favorite style blogs contain styles I would probably wear — but maybe that is exactly why I’m reading them! Seeing different ideas that are still aesthetically pleasing probably widen my perspective, even though I’m not directly copying the ideas to my personal use. And I do love cook, too! Your blog is delicious!
Linda
March 9th, 2010 @ 8:06 pm

Your blog is one of two that I look at daily – yours and Steff’s. I love that both of you are NOT about the trendy stuff. You both have very good instincts about what you like, what will work and what you choose to buy. I love how you take what you have and mix it up. I especially love the layering you do. Don’t explain, change or apologize for anything you have or haven’t posted. Your blog reads like one friend talking to another. That’s why we love you!!

What do you think?

About

Location: Helsinki, Finland

Contact: kamicha (a) gmail dot com

I'm especially interested in young designers creations, non-established labels and indie fashion. So if you have something interesting to show, feel free to contact!

You can find Finnish design from both specific and some outfit posts - but both are tagged.

You might be also interested in DIY posts, How-to posts, DIY ideas - or my adventures in Etsy =).

More about me and this blog.