// Space rags

Posted on | January 5, 2010 | 9 Comments

This is the type of outfit post I thought I will not be posting. I’m really not wearing it. However comfortable these bargain Topshop sale shoes are, I’m simply not able to walk on ice with heels. And they would definitely need socks if I could.

The pair was a total slip off from my shopping plan for London. I knew that my Castañer wedges were on their way and I can’t really say that I’m in desperate need for shoes. But I kind of fell for them, the sculptural heel design is pretty awesome and the foiled leather build with slightly alienesque design is just the right way tacky to really allure me. Plus the shoe is surprisingly comfortable, well balanced and the cage’y structure dense enough to not to dig into my skin. I have to confess that I often fall for pieces that are sort of leftovers. There were huge amount of these left in blue, green (kind of loved that, hard times to decide) and magenta, in all sizes. There were two other designs with this heel, too, an awesome thigh high boot — which I just could not justify to purchase, and a great, detailed ankle boot (see it on Queen Michelle, if you haven’t already). It might be the color — or the fact that these remind me very vaguely of the awesome McQueen Atlantis-collection — but this was the pair I walked out with.

Pewter colored foiled leggings from Vero Moda have not been too much in use, but suddenly they found a neat pair from the All Saints T-shirt dress in almost same shade. Under the dress is an old mesh dress/tunic, might be from American Apparel. I have mixed feelings towards it. To be fair it is not that bad on, but I hate the plasticky feeling when I pull this on, and the brittling sound of static. On the other hand it is a great underlayer. I draped my old A.F. Vandevorst giant shrug over the dress, this time I used another sleeve opening as a neck opening, so the symmetry was broken just a bit. A bit more drape over that, American Apparel circle scarf in delicate burnout fabric — I really like this piece but I believe I haven’t photographed it here yet. And Pilgrim crystal bracelet.

The result is quite monochromatic but not totally colorless and very subtly chameleon-like — the mauve tinge on dress and leggings is accentuated on some light. It is also a typical example of one thing I tend to do… If I have two shiny items, I like to have them close to each other… …in the same way the draped items are on top of each other. My outfits are usually not built around that many items and repeating a distinct item in very separate places creates easily a scattered, uncomposed effect. Or at least I think so. But this rule of thumb is not valid all the time…

Well, I sure will wear this later on the spring! Quite good for my sci-fi mood… …or space-hobo, whatever…

Posted on | January 5, 2010 | 9 Comments

// Gosh, is that a waist?

Posted on | October 10, 2009 | 8 Comments

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Postman ringed the bell yesterday (once) — and now I got my Rützou boots! But before I go to those I still have a post about some second hand bargains.

I have been collecting vintage slips for quite a while but haven’t wandered any further to lingerie territory — until now. Can’t deny the encouraging effect of the good examples from the blogging realm — I think that Queen Michelle rocks the restricting lingerie like no-one else.

But in my case the equation is not too simple. I really like to have some volume around my body, guess that it is mostly a comfort thing. And if there is one thing on my body I like to conceal it is the size of my bust — and that makes it challenging to incorporate some waist accentuating stuff on the regime.

But challenges are here for purpose (at least I like to think so) and so I used a very modest amount of money for a vintage waist corset. I picked this particular number because the boned detail on front, nicely designed hem and heavy cotton based fabric really grabbed my attention. I also liked the fact that it had no suspenders. I was not in a search of too obvious references to lingerie — nor in a mission to copy the royal style, just figured that a simple piece like this might be relatively easy to incorporate to my way of putting stuff together. The basic idea is to add some structure to my ensembles in slightly unexpected way, not necessarily explore lingerie or bondage as an element of style.

I actually wanted to wait the wedges before trying this, but just could not, so I’m wearing some old taupe Ash peeptoes in the first images, thrifted checkered cotton pants and nude All Saints knit shortened by tucking the hem under the corset. Coat is Viktor & Rolf for H&M. The waist accentuating effect varies from modest to very dramatic depending on the watcher’s angle and how I move.

I truly apologize the image quality. The light was low, I handheld the camera and photographing via the mirror brings certain softness to images. I have planned to put up some sort of home studio — but that is still far from actual execution.

Edit. Added some images with the new boots! They are absolutely lovely, very minimal and extremely comfortable. They are also easy to walk — but even the slightest bumpiness on the surface multiplies the challenge with high wedges. Leather sole can also be very slippery, especially on wet and hard surfaces.

My basic shoe collection is now somewhat complete. The next investment will be something more whimsical.

I ordered these boots from Fashion For Me, Denmark — and this web shop gets the highest recommendations from me. They have a good selection of Danish and Scandinavian fashion — and the customer service was excellent. The boot was actually sold out, but they knew that they will get few more later and offered an opportunity to reserve a pair. So I did.

Posted on | October 10, 2009 | 8 Comments

// Lingerie & menswear

Posted on | September 22, 2009 | 6 Comments

Another pattern: when I start using a neglectect garment I soon discover lots of ways to incorporate it to my outfits.

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These All Saints pants have been here before, in quite different company. Today I combined them to upcycled lingerie dress from CreoleCollection (I highly recommend this Etsy shop, the owner does amazing things with vintage lingerie pieces and some garment dye) layered over thrifted nylon slip (Fida) and Vagabond brogues. Later I threw on a thin merino cardigan and white scarf to go out — but it was too dark to photograph that. I’ll get lots of practical blogging problems later on the winter, there will not be too much light in this apartment.

I like the contrast of my lower and top half on this, quite nice yin / yang between feminine & masculine. The shape of the slip dress is fitted enough to avoid totally shapeless silhouette, but somehow manages to deal with my chest at the same time.

Posted on | September 22, 2009 | 6 Comments

// Everyday sequins

Posted on | September 19, 2009 | 3 Comments

Eh, the next post might be about something else than sequins…

So my wardrobe surprised me again with a gem almost forgotten. This sequined shift dress is from French Connection and it was a bargain on Åhlens, Stockholm — maybe couple of years ago. The white sequins are sewn on cut dress pieces, so there is no bulky seams so characteristic to cheap sequined clothes. Each sequin is topped with a clear glass bead. The overall impression is very nice but the dress has more random adherence power than Bruno’s infamous velcro suit. The base material is heavy viscose that actually drapes really well. You can’t tell that from the images, for some reason the dress looks more stiff than the impression of it in the move. My posing skills suck.

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I wore it today as a tunic over really old Vero Moda or Only burnout T-shirt, with All Saints pants acquired as first class second hand from lovely May (thanks they are perfect, I will probably live in these next summer), Sixtyseven heels and old biker jacket. Really easy everyday style — as long as I remember to stay at a certain distance from soft, fuzzy materials…

Posted on | September 19, 2009 | 3 Comments

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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.