Serendipity

Illustrations By Ellinor Forje

I stumbled upon these sketches today when I went looking for a glue pen in my arts & crafts box. I'd forgotten all about them. They're excercises for a short fashion drawing course I took two years ago. Area of focus; rudiments of drawing, and the human anatomy from a fashion perspective. I'm slowly getting the hang on shading and colouring. But I still can't draw hands and feet to save my life.

Daddy's Derby

Photographed By:Isabel Nilsson
Make-up: Karin Rydström
Model: Pauline

EXTRA, EXTRA...READ ALL 'BOUT IT!!!

And The Boots Go To...

Photographed By Ellinor Forje

Stop the presses, she's been booted! We have a winner of the giveaway related to the blog entry Alternative State Of Shock!

Nadine of Nadine 2.0, is the new proud owner.

Her motivation:
"If the boots were mine, this is how I would wear them: Right up on stage to receive my thanks for another successful costuming year for the Year End Performance of the dance school here...I can hear the gasps already. They're pretty avant-Nadine."

I take her word for it, and hope they'll be followed by some visual evidence for our entertainment.

A new giveaway will be announced shortly.

Papa's Got A Brand New Bag

Photo Courtesy Of JWF

This post isn't going to be about the dapper dandy you see in the vintage photo above, although he sparks my curiousity and I wonder who he is (he's probably spent years trying to figure out who I am, too). But, I thought I'd atleast take a minute to address what's going on around the young man's collar. The sartorialist detail, it's exquisite, is it not?

In essence, this blog entry is a preamble to the one below. The focus of interest: Men's clothing - how to wear it if you're a girl. And l'm going all out with the pop culture references here, starting with "Sex And The City". So bear with me.

Do you guys remember the season three finale of SATC, titled "Cock A Doodle Do"? I'm including a link here, incase you've forgotten, or missed it.

In this episode (spoiler alert), there's a scene where Carrie meets up with Mr Big for lunch in Central Park, and ends up falling into a pond, after avoiding (upon prior advice from Miranda) a courteous kiss from her estranged lover. Carrie is wearing a powder pink Richard Tyler dress. And don't get me wrong, the dress is cute, alright? But compared to the outfit she ends up wearing after showering at Big's apartment to get her mishap out of her hair; the pink dress might as well have stayed in the pond with the ducks and what not. Really, in Mafioso lingo: The pink dress should sleep with the fish.

The attire that Carrie is seen wearing when she leaves John Preston's (Big) apartment is totally rad. His white shirt and belt, paired with her high heels and flowing hair, equals perfection.

What I really like about this episode though, is the whole play on our perception of gender roles. There are several hilarious scenes, some (major spoiler alert) including chicks with...hmm, how do I put this delicately? Allow me to rephrase: There are several hilarious scenes including well endowed ladies. They're fabulous and funny. Although I have to interject that their outfits deserve less than stellar reviews. I mean, If you guys want to bend it, why not take a cue from David Beckham?

Okay, moving on from our sex addiction. The thing about men's fashion is that it's really affordable to shop. All you need is a male relative or friend, and you're basically set for life.

For instance, a few years ago, one of my friends used to rock these really cool shorts that she'd made from one of ex-boyfriend's pair of jeans. To come to think of it, she didn't actually want to make a fashion statement, she just wanted revenge. Okay, bad example. I have another one. My mum once got my grandfather a really nice grey sweatshirt for Christmas. It caught my eye. So I penned down a heart-filled letter asking whether I could have it. And in a split second, it was mine. Then, I took to the scissors (I am terrible), and just like that, I had my very own oversized-Jennifer Beal-"Flashdance"-boat-necked-sweater, to go.

Wait, there's more. Every derby hat my dad's ever owned, is now residing somewhere in my sister's wardrobe in Paris. At the end of the day, what's he gonna do about it? Deny his daughter, the right to be stylish? I don't think so. It may be a man's world. But we all know the true star at the center of the Solar-System. Take a page from Shakespeare's book, Juliet is the sun.

Dude Looks Like A Lady

Photos Courtesy Of Karin Stenberg

This post will become clearer in a few days, when I post the post that will clear everything up, in a few days. Yeah, things always make perfect sense in my head before I write them down. Clearly.

Anyway, I was just about to scan through that twilight zone called the Internet in order to provide you with some substantial visuals of how to wear a men's suit. But then I remembered my fashionista friends (I've already gone there with their mothers). And why visit the Sahara Desert, when you have a pile of sand in your backyard? Why visit the cow farm, when you've got Ben & Jerry's in your freezer? Why...Okay, I think you get point.

So the "dude" you see in the photos, is my friend Karin Stenberg. We attended grad school together. Those were some "exciting" times filled with lectures in Trade Theory and Econometrics. And I can tell you this much, there's nothing like the subject of economics to sharpen your imagination and daydreaming skills. Trade Theory: Yes, I'll trade this class for an exotic trip to the Bahamas right away. Thank you very much.

My buddy, Stenberg, was always a sharp dresser. Still is. In our school daze, she use to have a little skater/Audrey Hepburn/street/sleek/indie/emo - thing going on. She kept her hair semi short and jet black. And I use to wonder how her eclectic style would translate later in her professional life.

Lo and behold, now she's working for the World Health Organization (WHO). I too, did a short stint with the United Nations (UN), a few years ago (the joys of being a stagiaire). Therefore I can tell you with some authority, while cultural diversity and individualism is highly appreciated at this establishment; showing up wearing a teh-teh-teh-teh-telephone costume à la Lady Gaga, would be highly frowned upon. And you can daydream about the potential whimsical outfits you'd like to wear to work, all you want, this Trade Theory isn't folding.

Yet, it's important that we remain ourselves at all times. So you can imagine how intrigued I was when I saw these photos of Sisamora (adding to her coolness factor, Stenberg use to play in a band back in the day, Sisamora was her stage name) taken at her office in Switzerland last year. The street cred! Doesn't she give Madonna a run for her money?

Oh how I wish I'd been a fly on the wall at Sisamora's workplace, that day she showed up wearing a three-piece men's suit. Her colleagues must have been wondering "Dude, who's that lady?" Get it? W-H-O, is she?

Portrait Of A Lady

Photo Courtesy Of Karin Stenberg

I don't remember whether this painting is a self-portrait, or painting of Sisamora (aka Karin Stenberg ), by an other artist. Either way, it's a toile de maître.

Update!
"It is a self-portrait, or 'auto-portrait', en français".

Everything I Miss At Home

Photographed By Paulina and Emilia Wiberg

These are finally the photos of the interior of the Meloa store in Lund, Sweden. Or more precisely, photos of what the interior looked like last spring. Meloa, is family owned, and run by Emilia, Susanne, Paulina and Matilda Wiberg. "Owning a clothing shop together is something that we've always wanted to do," said Emilia Wiberg, and explained that they took the steps to fulfill their dream after their mum decided to quit her job a few years ago to go into business with her daughters.

Their grandfather chipped in with some of his vintage furniture, as well. And once in a while, their dad contributes with luxury chocolate assorments (my favourites) and assorted nuts (those too), from his company.

The name Meloa, is a modified version of Katie Melua's last name. "We found it hard to think of a suitable name...and we listened to a lot of music during this period" said Pauline Wiberg. So to cut a long story short, Katie - her music, basically served as an inspiration for the perfect name.

The sisters often vacation together. And they find inspiration for their boutique from visiting different cities, countries and cultures. And by shopping in other people's shops, like their friend's lifestyle store - Hemma Hos Emla, located just a stone throw away from Meloa in Lund.

In future, the Wibergs, hope to expand their little store, (or stores actually, as there is also a branch of Meloa in Malmö, along with a freshly minted webshop) into what they now jokingly call "Meloaland". A landscape of shops, with the identical concept of kitschy colours, cozy atmosphere and romantic theme.

And to think that I came this close to calling this blog entry "Needful Things" after Stephen King's novel. This close. I decided against it though, due to the horror inclination. In·cli·na·tion, lexicon! Fancy. Well, you can't blame a girl for trying, can you?

But I still can't shake it, that feeling of mystery. Meloa, is (just like in the novel) a charming little store that, "always seems to have an item in stock that is perfectly suited to any customer who comes through its door." And isn't that a little spooky, even to you?

The Virgin Suicides

Photo Courtesy Of Meloa

Moment of truth: I've seen the movie, but I'm yet to read the book about the fictive Lisbon sisters written by Jeffrey Eugenides. I will. And a review is forthcoming as soon as I've accomplished my mission.

Sofia Coppola, adapted the novel to the screen in 1999, starring Kirsten Dunst, Josh Harnett, James Wood and Kathleen Turne among others. Since I hadn't read the book, a pseudonymed poster (Ravenmn), on Reddit, generously summed up their impression of the book's plot and structure, in an exceptional way that rings true to the movie as well:

"Everything is told from the point of view of onlookers, so the unreliable narrator is a constant issue. The parents can't stand that the girls are under scrutiny. The girls' suffer unbearable consequences from being under constant observation. And here I am as the reader, observing it all."

The film is about human sacrifice, a Grecian tragedy, and Sofia captures the eeriness of that ritualistic element, extremly well. She can do no wrong. We knew that already. Those Coppolas, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!

Emilia Shakes And Bakes

Photographed By Emilia Wiberg

These are photos that Emilia sent me last year, of some yummy bread she'd baked over the weekend. She also provided me with the recipe, which I'll post further below.

I think that cooking and baking is so much more fun when you have cute tools to work with. I mean, look at that pink and green brush, isn't it adorable?

Also, the ladies over at Meloa (see previous post), run their own BLOG where you can find more recipes, outfit inspirations and diaries of their interesting lives. And I hear that somebody is expecting a baby soon...Who can that be?

Ingredients:
50 grams yeast
0.5 L yogurt
0.5 tsp salt
2 carrots
5 dl whole grain flour
6 dl of white flour

Glazing:
yogurt
pumpkin seeds

Cooking:
1. Crumble the yeast into a bowl, then pour in the refrigerator-cold yogurt, and the salt. Stir until the yeast dissolves. Peel and finely grate the carrots. Mix together, then pour in the flour and work into a smooth dough. Allow to rise for 60 minutes under a cloth.

2. Turn oven on to 225 degrees. Remove the dough and divide into six pieces. Shape into round loaves and place them two by two, side by side on an oven tray. Cut an X in the middle of each loaf, brush with yoghurt and add the pumpkin seeds. Allow to rise for another 30 minutes under a cloth. Then bake in oven at 225 degrees for 15 minutes.

TIPS! Add a little more salt than suggested by the recipe.

Oh, and here's a measurement converter. Also, as a rule of thumb, Celsius is roughly half the Fahrenheit temperature.

You didn't think I'd forget you, did you? You little non- the metric-system person you♥

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

Photographed By Paulina and Emilia Wiberg.

Meet the family. The owners of Meloa.