Happy New 2012!

Wishing you all a Happy New Year. Here I am at my home having a glass of pink champagne on the sofa, wishing for happiness to all I love.

"From now on, our troubles will be miles away".

It is Christmas Day, a holiday which I appreciate mostly for aesthetic reasons, as I grew up in a culture of communistic society and there are no memories of Santa Claus visiting home, candlelight and spruce smell on a Christmas Eve. New Year has always been the Day for me, but during 10 years spent in Finland Christmas has started to mean peace and warmth to me as well.

I like Christmas music, it is always very atmospheric. My favourite is "Have a Happy Little Christmas" sang by Frank Sinatra. Melody, lyrics - they are perfectly touching and sweet.



This Xmas is special, because it is a very first Xmas for my little Leo.

He has gotten lovely gifts. So have I. Love my new diamond pendant by Sandberg. Twinkly star on my neck. It was also to memorize our engagement anniversary with my husband. 1 year ago we got engaged on top of the Tokyo tower, on the height of 250 meters watching views like these.

So much for Xmas, now New Year on its way and I have January Elle in my hands already now.
I love the comeback of florals in a digital form and combined with monochrome.

And the new Lady Dior with a touch of purple / burgundy, so ME, awwww...

So, need to start thinking spring already, at least the weather is not wintery at all.

"Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Let your heart be light
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight..." 

la-la-la......

From Russia With Love

I have been on a mission to St-Petersburg Russia, last week. It has been a purely business trip but i managed to take a quick look at the changed city.

Heels are still high, people noisy and life active. I will be back soon.

I was walking 8 hours in a row on 6 cm heels and I felt deadly tired when I got on the train back to Helsinki. So very few images from the trip.

My breakfast at the Document Center where I received my new passport - cottage cheese cakes and pancake with apples. These cakes are delicious and also healthy. My all time favourite among Russian food classics.

The newest shopping center Galeria, almost 1000 shops: Next, New Look, Gap, Karen Millen, Women's Secret, Intimissimo etc. on 3 levels. I managed to walk only 2 with 2 cafe stops.

Prices are 50% higher than in London or Helsinki. In Russia you can notice what sells most: high heels, party outfits and underwear. Much more underwear shops than in Finland, almost like in France.

Would you wear these? They are indeed for walking on a wild side.

Moko Market & Cafe Day

Today was the worst possible Finnish weather day: wet snow, high wind. We were aiming to meet Hetti and her sweet 9 month old daughter Essi at Moko Market & Cafe concept store in Punavuori. The store is located in an old factory red brick building and it is a very big space where homeware store meets a nice stylish cafe. The store sells everything from shabby chic furniture to organic juices. Not a bad place to hide from the snowstorm.

On the way to Punavuori we took a quick walk on Esplanadi and to our great surprise discovered a new Furla store coming to Kämp Gallery and a Luxbag store selling Celine, Loewe and Marc Jacobs handbags. Check it out!

http://www.kampgalleria.fi/fi/liikkeet/muoti/lux_bag


And new Della Marga store does look great! big and tempting. I checked this Chanel outfit in the window. Doesn't it remind you of something? ;)

ZIGZAG FEVER

Haven't you ever been attracted by Missoni creations? That is really phenomenal that such a particular print as colourful zigzag managed to become so famous and versatile. I think, I could never pull off a dress with a zigzag, it does look too 70s for me and I am far too short for that, though i love the print. So, here come the accessories - they can satisfy any crazy craving without looking over the top.

Yes, SHOES.

I came across a very moderately priced label Blink shoes already some months ago on the online shoe store www.brandos.fi. The store is great due to its free delivery and free returns. And now they have got that -20% campaign. So, i have ordered both models of my zigzag shoes. If I really like them both, I will keep them both.

What do you think of them?


Here, for comparison the real Missonis, 10 times more expensive. :)

1920s come 1940s - challenge met

So here is the real thing, the outcome of my retro challenge. I look, in my own opinion, very terribly 1940s! but that is due to my bone structure and body shape as well. well, i did my best!

1920s - Encore!

Plans change, my plan for tomorrow's corporate Xmas party in cream color has someone started to seem too boring. I got inspired by young Chanel and the rebel simplicity of 1920s clothes which I saw reflected in the new Zara's collection brought into shops this week. Here are the results.

I am going to wear this black and white tunic with a deep V-neck and a long string of pearls with a longer pencil black skirt.

The volume of the tunic against the pencil skirt is going to nod to the 1920s silhoutte, the epoche of simple and comfortable clothes after the centuries of corset fashion.

The true spirit of the time will be created by my feather & polka dot tulle alice band, polka dot black sheer tights, black lace gloves and a powdery pink real pearl flower bracelet (from art exhibition in St-Petersburg, a gift by my mum for my 30th birthday).

I will try to take a photo of the outfit at the party. I tried on all the ingredients together and it did look successful in my opinion. Fingers crossed for the 1920s challenge!

Fur Coat Alert

My first fur jacket was white and made of a raw lamb fur and I still remember its animal smell, from 27 years ago. It helped survive still back then very cold and snowy Russian winters. Winters were getting warmer and time passing by and fur getting the label of "shameful" thing to wear.

Not anymore, as one can see. I do own 2 shearling coats, but that is not what I am inspired by now. My faux fur vintage style leopard one by Topshop was a purchase I never thought would be sensible. But i have worn it surprsingly often.

Picture taken by Louisa.

Now I am on a mission to buy another "useless" faux fur coat and this time I would like something more hairy. :) maybe with 70s vibe in it.

Here are my options:

1. Oasis beige faux fur, it's got a belt as well.

2. This grey by Asos, could be styled in so many ways, love the colour as well:

3. Or this very bohemian cream furry one, which is, to be honest, my favourite:

4. Striped cream one:

Which one should I pick? I would love to wear one of these with skinny jeans and wedge ankle boots. Need to make decision really quickly. So waiting for your comments!

Fashion Xmas Sales @ Kiseleff House

Today is raining again. Fashion Xmas Sales in Kiseleff house, now our favourite destination, were the highlight of the grey day.

Lumi, Kooky Gems, Mirkka Metsola, IvanaHelsinki  were all present there in a hall with quite generous discounts.

Check out Mirkka Metosola's website, I really like her clothes. You can also shop online here:

http://www.mirkkametsola.com/

A new brand I discovered was Jasmin Rantanen Paris. Delicate clothes in colourful burnt velvet with sheer tulle details are very feminine and I felt I could even meet my 1920s challenge in that dress (a/w, powder pink velvet dress).

Check her website here (A/W collection):

http://www.jasminsantanen.com/


We also discovered that cafe of the 2nd floor has a hidden backroom with a direct view of Helsinki Cathedral. Isn't it magnificent?

We did not get anything on sales but it really cheered us up for the day. Almost wishing it would snow at last...

"Little Paris" @ Helsinki and Surviving from a Flu

Winter is still late in Helsinki this year and strange undefinable season is here with frequent minor rains and tricky air temperature when you do not know whether to wear a down coat with a fur hat or a ballerina pumps and a jacket. Perhaps, because of all the reasons above i got flu and my mood is really down - which is when i really need an inspiration from outside, a kick, a vision of something beautiful.

 On my obligatory morning walk with Leo i have visited Korkeavuorenkatu, an area which is called by many people a "little Paris". Well, it does look like Paris. A lot of Jugend style buildings and no ugly modern mistakes in between. Lots of small boutiques and little cafes to satisfy any demanding taste.

Take a look at Korkeavuorenkatu and do not think it is Helsinki. It works, doesn't it?

To my ultimate surprise not far from this corner I found a gigantic antique store, or actually a GARAGE full of treasures - furnitures, dishes, paintings. The space is something like 500 m2. And amazing things are coming there all the time, I saw a truck being unloaded with beautiful white cupboards in rustic style.


Here some treasures of the shop:

Want to create an atmosphere of Parisian street cafe at home? here you go:

An I do not know why I really loved this painting. It is happy but mysterious at the same time.

There are many more nice shops in the street of Korkeavuorenkatu:

The Little Sister of Muotikuu on Fabianinkatu - The White Elephant:

Christmas and particularly Christmas lights and decorations are the motivators for many people to survive through November and December. And I got hooked on the obsession with traditional Christmas stars. Here you see the result. I also love those new lanterns shaped like houses, there are many versions in the shops.

Don't these houses remind you of the beauties of Copenhagen's Nyhavn? Yes, that is my dream destination for a pre-Christmas fairy tale: the land of all-white interiors, delicious scandinavian dishes and trendy clothing brands...

Nyhavn, Copenhagen:

And I do want to see the magic Xmas land of Copenhagen's Tivoli: