// Odd couples

Posted on | July 15, 2010 | No Comments

I know that many women are extremely exited about weddings and plan their own to the last detail. I tried to get to that mood, but it felt so unnatural. So ours was very small and intimate with minimal preparations — a short visit to magistrate with only witnesses and officials present, continued with a dinner in a beautiful restaurant just to closest family members.

Maybe my mind would have changed just if I had seen these cake toppers from Melabo.

Or then again, maybe not. For anniversary cake, perhaps (maybe a lamest excuse for eating a cake, but do I really need any excuse)? And then decorating the apartment, happily ever after?

Posted on | July 15, 2010 | No Comments

// Perfectly worn in

Posted on | June 24, 2010 | No Comments

Poets blouse from UnderCapricorn.

Tan leather clutch from PansysPlace.

Frye mules from Early Mornings.

Posted on | June 24, 2010 | No Comments

// Double bubble

Posted on | June 10, 2010 | 2 Comments

I think that I will not raid the sales this summer. I have no specific needs and to be truthful my wardrobe is so full that I really have to slow down my purchases. Got to admit that I’m stalking just one investment piece… …but if it does not go on sale then it will be no deal for me. Still… …today I just accidentally slipped in to Monki — and got this super soft boxy little sweater and one very nice cotton printed skirt –50%.

This is one of my comfort outfits — not a least bit trendy, oversized stuff over oversized stuff that someone could call terribly unflattering, but for me it is very important to be able to hide under ample layers of cloth if I feel like that. I also like this kind of childish kawaii look, without too many frills. I know that it is all too young for me, but I don’t care, I don’t have to prove myself to anyone. I’m also starting to master the self photography on a level, that you hopefully get one very important dimension of this outfit, the tactility. All these materials have that specific feel I’m often after, subtly worn out look with volume and movement.

The skirt is really old and from Vero Moda, the dress (rather a tunic) over it from H&M and old as well. Shoes are from Topshop and the necklace from Etsy by Tilly Bloom.

Posted on | June 10, 2010 | 2 Comments

// I see ruffles, velvet…

Posted on | June 4, 2010 | No Comments

I think that this velvet clutch from eclu is pretty much perfect. The shape, the material — and the presentation. I’m not officially thinking autumn yet, but I guess that some velvet can be foreseen far there…

Posted on | June 4, 2010 | No Comments

// For contemporary hourglass figure

Posted on | May 23, 2010 | 2 Comments

If I ever get my body to state where I actually enjoy showing off my waist, my first purchase will definitely be this artLAB waist wrap. Oh, I love it so deeply… …thanks, Steff, for reminding me the existence of this awesome Etsy shop. Only the relatively high prices have kept me buying stuff there. I’m not saying that they are too expensive being awesomely designed artisanal items — but the additional taxes and other expenses limit my outside European union purchases to relatively cheap ones. Some day my wardrobe will contain something from artLAB, though, I’m sure about that.

Posted on | May 23, 2010 | 2 Comments

// Second hand summer

Posted on | May 20, 2010 | 2 Comments

The drawback of vintage — great item, wrong size. Go and get them before they are gone. Booties sz 8 from Raiarox, clogs sz 7 from Marie’s Vintage.

Posted on | May 20, 2010 | 2 Comments

// Pattern thoughts

Posted on | May 1, 2010 | 4 Comments

This spring I have become aware how pattern poor my wardrobe really is. That is not because I don’t like patterns, on the contrary. I love them. I would love to have more elaborate style, mixing together all sorts of patterns: prints, lace, embellishments, woven patterns. I have been thinking why don’t I express fully this side of me in my outfits and came to the following explanation.

Patterns are expensive to make — excluding simple prints. So embroideries, embellishments, woven patterned fabrics and elaborate prints are relatively rare in cheap and middle priced wear that actually form the majority of my wardrobe.

Good print is hard to come by — often the prints look like a sorry excuse to bring together the season colors to one garment. I don’t know how tightly the fabric illustrators work with designers on mass produced clothes, but judging from the results the co-operation could be improved.

So I’m developing here a strategy on adding that pattern to my wardrobe. I like the idea of mixing different kind of patterns, two or even more prints with some embellished details, perhaps toned down a bit with more calm, repetitive woven pattern. I like the idea of combining patterns of different scale to one outfit. I like both restricted palettes with wild patterns — and just wild palettes with wild pattern. A good trick is to mix black and white (or any other two tone) pattern to more elaborate design.

The images are from few of my all time favorite pattern themed shows Dries Van Noten spring 2008 Wunderkind spring 2008 & autumn 2009 (all from Style.com).

So, currently I’m looking for:

1) An embellished or printed full skirt with bright colors (the linked one is fab, but not my colors…)
2) A black and white floral print skirt, preferably with large scale print
3) (Ethnic style) embellished vest, maybe even jacket
4) Sheer and lightweight dresses and blouses with prints, preferably with buttons on front and easy, loose shapes
5) A fitted tapestry coat with fancy floral motifs. I would prefer a white or cream base for the pattern.

I will keep my eyes open in charity shops for these and definitely stalking Yoox sales for some bargain finds. I might pop in to those ethnic bazaar shops when encountering them on my travels (a trip to Stockholm and Warsaw on sight). With the tapestry coat the best option would be sewing it by myself. There is one interior fabric shop in Helsinki that at least used to have an awesome collection of jacquards and brocades.

Oh, and I still don’t have any neat digital prints for my sci-fi moods…

Posted on | May 1, 2010 | 4 Comments

// Vintage find

Posted on | March 31, 2010 | 6 Comments

I’ve done some great second hand finds this winter — and the nomination for the most beautiful one goes easily to this mint green, sparely flowered kimono. Or to be more exact, this is actually a haori jacket, used as top layer over a kimono. It is made of pretty awesome handpainted heavyweight silk and it has traditional half lining with a matching fabric. I will provide some detail shots later with first actual outfit post — but that will probably take a while, this one is not for rainy weather we are currently experiencing here.

And no, I’m not going to wear it like this… …I’m planning to layer it over my dark jean jacket (that one still needs a wash or two, I need to be certain that there will be no color transfer) or a second hand oversized denim shirt; to relatively casual outfits to tone it down. I like the idea, the simple shape and the quality fabric so much that I’m definitely going to get another one, with very different fabric. The men’s versions are often more simple with no painted or embroidered details, and that’s what I’m after — they usually have some subtle small scale woven pattern with colors like blue, gray and maroon, often combined to white or ecru — very easy to combine to prints and solids.

Naturally this was not my idea — I think that it was actually Susie Bubble who opened my eyes for these. Before that I remember seeing Catherine Baba wearing a kimono beautifully… …but that was not enough to cause any action here, though.

The bracelet is silver petal necklace from Efva Attling worn doubled, the suede belt is familiar from some previous outfit post — and oh yes, it is from Vero Moda, I found a faded print inside. A vintage slip underneath.

You can find several sellers from Etsy — this one is from SeskasPlace — I warmly recommend her shop! But there is more, check for example KimonoMomo and Togei.

And guess what. These are not expensive at all.

Posted on | March 31, 2010 | 6 Comments

// The colors the dreams are made of

Posted on | March 28, 2010 | 10 Comments

So, I apologize this sudden flood of outfit posts… …my weeks have been so busy that I haven’t had time for processing images — but weekends are good for that.

Like probably almost anyone even marginally interested in fashion, I’m totally in awe of the creativity of Mulleavy sisters — ant the Rodarte sleepwalking theme really touched me. I guess that I’ve had the interest for sleepingwear used as a daywear for a long time, there are even some earlier examples in this blog. To be more exact, the sleepwear look is my workaround using underwear as outerwear, that approach strips away the sexiness of underwear — element I’m not too confident with, personally. Simple and clear, huh?

Since seeing the Rodarte show I have ordered and reordered my soft colored clothes to sleepwalking-themed outfits in my head… …all naturally very watered down versions from the Rodarte art… …still… …one of them being this one. I was actually about to add one second hand skirt to this, but it is still an ongoing project and currently in unwearable state. It would have added a bunch of tiny flowers to this — and probably made it more interesting to photograph, but perhaps bit less wearable in the so called real life. This version I can imagine wearing to some summer party, easily.

My hair is actually naturally curly, but rare are those days it agrees to act even semi-decently. The curls make soft hair like mine look so messy and dry… …but that kind of fits to this outfit.

The dress is old find from H&M and the color is nude, but the shiny silk satin picks blue light so easily that it often looks just pink in the pictures. Beaded silk jacket is vintage and the powder pink cardigan is again from H&M. The tie dye print mesh leggings are from Norwegian Wood — and I love them. Tan wedge sandals are from Ash — and the clumpy shape of these is totally necessary contrast to all that sweetness.

I also notice that I’m gradually slipping from my “I actually wore this” –principle… …dressing up and taking the photographs is just fun and it is very delightful to step out from the everyday-scheme occasionally. Hey, if I would continue strictly with that principle, you would never see any festive clothes in this blog…

And hey, if you want to give me a hand in Weardrobe contest, just click that little like icon! I sure could use that Zara gift card, haha! Thank you so much!

Posted on | March 28, 2010 | 10 Comments

// The linen jacket in action

Posted on | March 27, 2010 | 3 Comments

Sometimes I like my upper and lower parts being from different worlds. I used the trick today to adjust the newly found second hand jacket to my spring wardrobe. The upper part is all soft, understated layers with structured jacket, minimal cashmere cardigan, white T and dainty jewelry. But the T extends to raw edged tunic that ties the shiny leggings and suede booties to the almost formal upper half. Or at least I hope so! This is my businesswoman-forgot-her-pants –look — and the cat could not care less…

Speaking about leggings I might I need new shiny ones. These look really baggy on me.

I’m wearing thrifted Escada linen jacket, COS cashmere cardigan, Gina Trickot tunic and leggings, COX boots (from Berlin). The tiny disc necklace is from Etsy, Classic Designs. Theresa has a nice selection of more subdued, everyday jewelry — I especially love her glass lockets, simple circle and disc necklaces, and hand forged earrings — and I’m not even huge fan of tiny jewelry.

Posted on | March 27, 2010 | 3 Comments

keep looking »

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.