BURLESQUE: PICTURES; NEWS AND CHANGES

Some time ago Vera De Vil I had the pleasure of doing an oriental inspired shoot with Kaylin Idora while she was here from New Orelans!


You can view the whole set here.

And, speaking of New Orelans, as some of you know I will be going there this summer! Trahsy Diva live shopping, yey!

I will also visit Austin and Miami, at least. But most of all; Las Vegas! As many of you also know already that is beacuse The Itty-Bitty Tease Cabaret will be performing at the Burlesque Hall of Fame in June!

...and whilst speaking of burlesque again, the Itty-Bitty Tease has some new times ahead after Vegas and it's official today: you can read about the changes in our Bitty-blog!


But, back to the pictures; Tinker Bell also did a rather magical outdoor shoot with Kaylin, the set can be seen here.

STILYAGI

I'm watching the Russian movie Stilyagi.

(In present tense yes, as I've been watching it in bits during some days and right now as a matter of fact, while waiting to load the next ship. Some movies suffer from not being watched as a whole but this works well in shorter pieces, kind of like watching a series).

It is a musical and I'm not always all that Wohoo! about those, but in this case it works very well. The movie takes place in Moscow 1955. It is super saturated and stylized in every way!

The movie tells about the stilyagas; a subculture of somthine to be labelled as hipsters or beatniks in Soviet from the late forties until the early sixties. They were sporting an exaggerated fashionable, American influenced style which was of course not considered politically corrector in suitable with socialist values.

I couldn't find it as a DVD anywhere but lucky everyone, it can be seen as a whole on youtube (<-click)! With English subtitles as those may come in handy for most of use. Worth watching!

(You can see a Soviet propaganda clip ridiculizing the stilyagi here.)

BALLET

Things I did yesterday: booked tattoo time (to May, the boys over at Legacy are popular…), bought a thick interior magazine and enjoyed it alone with sushi, edamame and a beer (sometimes dining seul is just the best thing), went to the ballet with Tinker and Aino, wore black and had before all of this spent a long time wet set waving & drying my hair only to notice the nice waves go rather straight very fast due to the moist air..

Going to the ballet was beautiful - I haven't seen a ballet in years. A long time ago I sang some seasons in the choir at the National Opera for the Nutcracker ballet. We got a personnel discount and I went to see the ballets running at that time. Anyway, tanding on the side of the stage in the choir I was surprised to hear how the weightless appearing dancers actually sound rather heavy when they hit the floor after the jumps and how the male dancers sighed of exhaustion when lifting the ballerinas. And also, how sweaty they got.

This time we went to see Manon. It had some very beautiful scenes and the costumes and setting for some of them were superb, the bordello scene for example. Which I unfortunately don't have any pictures of. But it was a lot of pastel tulle there I tell you.

I suppose one reason for us finally managing to see a ballet was the Black Swan - there has been more talk about ballet lately due to that movie. I've seen the film and wasn't blown away, but started liking it a little more the next day and thought about the film for a while, which I guess is a sign of good cinema in a certain way. What I did like right away however was the set of posters LaBoca made for the film:

(Three of them shown here. I left out the one I didn't like that much. click for a bigger view.)

I like film posters made the old school way, drawn, like Fairey's Walk the Line. I have a look at Polish Posters every now and then. But what annoys me a little bit here (listen to the expert talking here now) is the ballerina in the poster the most to the right... there's something about that silhouette that just bugs my eye but I suppose I can live with that.

Well, back to me. Black always works if having to do stuff during a day that will end up more fancy at, for example, the Opera. Well as you know I think black works pretty much at whatever, whenever. My top is from H&M - I really like the cut - it's rather early fifties. Just as the striped top this one has a big zipper halfway down from the neck that I'm thinking of removing and changing to a button and loop instead. Zippers are apparently trendy now.

(And yes, you saw correctly, trousers!)

PUOLI SEITSEMÄN - HALF PAST SIX

So, as you know I was part of a fashion themed week at TV1's half past six show PS, styling the hostess of the show as did three other bloggers. You can see and vote for my styling here, by pressing the green "Tykkään!" (=like) button.

As few of you have had a chance to see the show or furthermore, understand what's being said I'll give you a wick brief -
My idea for the outfit was a fun, chic and playing-with-clichés spring in the late fifties Paris themed outfit. I wanted to make a rather timeless look inspired by the theme, that would look good on the wearer, but as she is the host of a show I did not want it to be too flashy in order to outshine any guests.

My actual time to do this was rather limited due to work, I planned well ahead but had only on day to get it together, so most of what's seen here is mine.

The skirt is vintage, part of the walking suit I picked up a couple of years ago at my aunts..

The blouse is a basic striped long tee I got at H&M for this occasion. I sew a collar and cuffs for the blouse from a fabric almost similar to the one of the suit (you saw bits of it in progress some posts ago) - the story of the blouse never made the cut for TV though.

The mini beret is crocheted by Molla Mills and the bag is made out of recycle materials by Viivi Vein.

Although the actual planning sessions and our clips were shot earlier the show itself is sent live. I got a chance to visit the making of during the day of the filming:

My drawing of the hair, one I forgot to bring but explained in words instead.

Marja, the hostess, getting her hair and make up done. I think the hair and make up artist did a good job - many may be skillful but still not able to pull of a vintage inspired look, but in this case the reslut was just like I meant it to be. I rather wanted the look to be inspired by the late fifties and early sixties than copying it to avoid her feeling like being dressed up for a masquerade.

Shooting pics for the internet voting site. (As a n extra little joke I brought the sailor hat, you know, if perhaps she'd been in the mood to let loose and go for a party afterwards… it turned the whole outfit into a bit pinup.)

The results:
I had picked out seamed stockings, of course.

She had a Chanel no5 perfume and slim cigarettes in the bag (Paris! the fifties! The sixties! of course!) but the later ones did not make it into the show, surprise :D


The outfit in action.


The control room is calm, but when you listen to the director it sounds a bit hectic - every second counts.

You can see the show on Areena, but only form a Finnihs server. On Olotila however you can see at least the longer version of all actual stylings worldwide.


I think it's interesting and fun to see how the looks of a person changes according to how they are styled. You can view all stylings and vote for your favorite one here.

Since the others blog in Finnish for a Finnish audience, and since it in the end will be blog readers that stand for the voting, I thought my chances were pretty slim. But, turns out you can vote world vide, which means also my readers can vote !

Vote by clicking the 'Tykkään!' button on the right side beneath the picture. You can keep on voting until the evening of Thursday March 24th. Find my styling here.
So, send me off to Paris will'ya!


The photos of the final styling and of us were shot by Pertti Raama.

HERE'S WHERE I COME UP WITH A SMART HEADLINE IN FRENCH OR ABOUT SPRING

But not this time.

Winter is not quite over yet, but we're getting there - the days will soon be longer than the nights and the wonderfully bright light tells us that warmer days should be arriving anytime now (and also that I should wash my windows).

A high ponytail and striped shirt is a combination that not only has spring all over it, but also screams Capris! Ballerinas! Bicycling in the sunshine! French 60's pop! The last two I can fix but I do not own any capri pants nor ballerinas. Not sure about flats, but I would like a nice pair of cropped pants, only there are none to be found here and with my amount of derrière it gets a little risky relying on the internet to deliver.

Also, a nice way to pimp a basic striped tee (or just any basic shirt) is to add bait of lace to it, as a collar, or just as part of the blouse. While I let some people in the third world do the work for me on this one it should be pretty easy to do this little kind of revamping oneself.

The blouse is H&M and the bangs are not real, as you know.
EDIT: yes, the blouse is from H&M this season, the ecological cotton line. It however has an annoying zipper in the back but it's easily removed, in my opinion it serves no function (but then if you remove it you need to sew it together or add a little hook).

A LONGER LUNCHBREAK AT HELSINKI VINTAGE

So, yesterday it was the same procedure as last time Helsinki Vintage was on; off with the working gear and on with the skirt and the lipstick for a quick lunch break visit of browsing, admiring, super fast shopping and some mandatory socializing at the fair.


I pretened my hair was short; rolled it inwards towards the neck.

So many things, so little time...
Thanks to Gina at Americana for the give away tickets!

Then it was off with the lipstick and back to work.

But I actually managed to buy something; it was a good thing I had the guys from work pick me up with the van. Possible photos to come later on.

CATS AND KITTENS AND FULL SKIRTS

The internet, oh, the internet. A never ending source of information. And inspiration! And - disinformation, crap and bullshit. A space to spend time well worth, and also waist it. A place of gain and ruin. Heaven and hell. Hallelujah!

But. Although I might spend a little too much time and money online from time to time, the internet is very useful for me. Often thanks to my Freelancer's Fashion Facebook page - and to all of you. Why? Because you help me find the stuff I want!(A desire and need most likely created by the internet in the first place, but hey, that's peanuts at this point).

The most acute Must Haves are stuff that I realize I can very well live without if I wait one week and decide in fact not to give in to the desire.

But sometimes again the quick compulsive need to buy a certain thing can turn out very well, and become a long lasting well used item; I am mostly referring to clothes here now, but this actually applies to about half of my tattoos as well.

The latest in this case was a kitten dress - a dress with kittens on it! Not spotted on the web actually, but in real life, on a girl. And then it struck me - what the hell? A kitten dress? Of course! How had I been able to live my whole life without one so far? So I asked her about the dress, she told me the brand name, didn't quite catch it, then forgot it. As you know, here's where the internet comes in handy. But my friend Google was not able to help this time. The game wasn't all lost at that point though - post it on the Facebook page and woah! - some moments later I have the link.

Ta-taa! Kitty dress found.

However, after thinking about it I for a while I decided the dress perhaps was a little bit too expensive considering all the other things I am in a totally and very desperate need of (yes) and considering the fact the the cut on the dress was nice but not that extraordinary _ I should perhaps not buy it after all. But, in the same time I also realized I really had to have a dress with small furry felines on it. Well, now I needed to get my hand on the fabric instead; which I eventually did (also trough the help of some followers), after first browsing hundreds of kitty fabrics on ebay.
In the end I did go for anohter fabric instead, with retro kitties on. Meow meow!

This one right here, on it's way to me now.

I'd love to turn it into a two piece dress, or perhaps a shirt and circle skirt. Or a shirt waist dress.

Hmmm...

Now of course, another question is; will I actually ever fix myself that kitty dress?Knowing me, those of you who do, might have your doubts.

So, a little poll:
A. I will get the two-piece dress done in time for summer
B. I will skip the original idea and go for an easier version, but get it done.
C. I will get the dress done in time for summer 2012
D. I will have the dress done by someone else (which will make it a very expensive kitty dress in the end)
-or-
E. The fabric will end up looking really good among the other fabrics that are waiting forever in my fabric box.

What do you think?


PS.The kitty dress I did not get was by Limb clothing and the kittens-fabric by Micheal Miller Fabrics (great fabrics!).

COME TO FINLAND!

Posters and postcards from the Come To Finland book; a book about vintage travel posters for Finland. I love old travel posters, and well, old posters in general. It's also interesting to see branding for Finland from back in the days.

You can browse the book as a whole online - I found some posters I remember form my childhood that were on the walls of our summerhouse (they still are actually). You can buy the posters and cards separately too, but I'll go for the book (and I actually intend to get it now, and not wait for some years like I unintentionally did with the Jaffas...)

EDIT : I have to add, as I realized many of you do not know; it's interesting and a bit sad too perhaps to see the poster for Wiipuri - Finland lost that big and old city to Soviet after the war, and tens of thousands of people had to leave their homes, buildings and businesses behind. Some of my family lived there in the early 1900's too.

I'VE GOT STRIPES, STRIPES AROUND MY SHOULDERS. AGAIN.

I'm having a stripe-thing going on! I just can't get enough of stripes and I'm waiting to be able to wear striped tops with shorts, wicker bags and cropped jackets and bike around in the sunshine. Oh yes.

And, about the stuff; the following things in the picture are vintage: bag, chairs, table, lamp, beret

...and the following are not: top & cardigan (H&M), fridge (Smeg), shoes (last year's DinSko), skirt (Vivien of Holloway).

50FT. WOMAN

Dum du dum dum, it's all nice and calm but then uh-oh it happens: the attack of the 50ft woman!



The inspiration was of course this film, or more accurately; film poster:
You can catch the same number tonight at Helsinki Vintage opening club! And later at LeBonk October 1st and at Blues Trash Cabaret (at On The Rocks) on October 9th.

Photos from Psychorama by:
Rik Stavale (1,2,5), Marko Hämäläinen (3), Laura Kansanen-Stavale (4)


(Google tells me the 50ft woman also has an attacking baby! I can't tell if it's disturbing or sweet :)

ARCHIPELAGO WEDDING / EARLY SIXTIES INSPIRED UPDO

I have to break that image of me as a cabbage head and save myself for future references in the internet. All the following images should be named ulrikabacherulrikabacherulrikabacher.jpg to be sure they are the ones to hit the search engine first.

Well anyway Eddi and I went to a wedding last weekend (yes there's been a lot of weddings this year, my friend asked if we've done anything else this summer) in the far-away archipelago. I had a pretty dress and a nasty flu with me and did this 'do inspired by the early sixties. Mad Men if you so like (I have to start watching that show!).

The hair do takes under ten minutes to make with pre-culred hair and the help of some Bumpits'. The pearl bow hair comb is from Frollein von Sofa.


I think had the nicest outfit I've worn this year so far, but as you really can't have your picture taken all the time I don't have any proper shots of that. The dress is trashy Diva however.

I don't smoke anymore btw. Only sometimes. Like when I have the flu because it helps, eh.