My french cosmetics collection...

... continues its ever-expanding growth.  Two great websites which offer my favourite brands, and deliver to Finland include hqhair.com and leguidesante.co.uk.  This time I think I (re)discovered some keepers.

From Le Guide Sante, Bioderma's H20 waters cleanse your skin without water, perfect for the dry and cold weather we're having.  I've heard about them for years, and they are all the rave in La France.  I used Crealine H20 for a while when I lived in Paris, but left my bottle somewhere, and moved on to another product.  So now we're reunited once again, and I've also purchased a pal for the Crealine H20, Sebium H20, for oilier skin.  Would be rude not to, really.  Both products are super gentle and effective.

From hqhair.com, I received two wonderful moisturisers, Caudalie's Vinosource Nourishing Cream, and Pulpe Vitaminee Energinzing Cream.  I'm using the former at night, and the latter during the day.  Both claim to use all natural ingredients, are non-comedogenic, and contain no mineral oils.  Lush!

Just a couple of small things on my (autumn) wish-list...

So I've put autumn in brackets in the title because:

1. Some of the fashion I'm lusting after isn't autumny at all.

2. Autumn in Finland isn't exactly what I expected.  Yesterday's conversation with my more-Finnish-than-me boyfriend went something like this:

Me: So we didn't really get an autumn in Helsinki this year.  We've gone straight to winter!
Him: What do you mean?  This is the Finnish autumn.
Me: What do you mean, it's freezing!
Him: Yeah.
Me: Oh. *sticks out bottom lip*

Gorgeous block of colour to brighten up an otherwise black / grey autumn outfit, from asos:

Gorgeous grey shoulder-padded top, Reiss at asos:

Another gorgeous Reiss skirt at asos, to go with the grey knitted top I've already ordered:

See by Chloe boots at asos:

Reiss boots at asos:

Cheap Monday trousers at asos:

Leather jacket at asos:

Bag from Prada's little sister Miu Miu, at Net-a-Porter:

Gucci cosmetics bag, to replace my ancient one which sheds glitter everywhere:

America, I love you!

I am desperately, desperately trying to get used to life in Finland.  Because I look Finnish and sound Finnish, I don't think people realise exactly what a huge culture shock it's been for me, moving here.  I've been away for over 20 years, and fitting right back into things isn't exactly a piece of cake.  I'm going to give it my best shot, and do my best to enjoy my time here.

A dreamer by nature, I'm sitting here on this cold autumn day thinking back to life, trips and traveling in my favourite place of all, the US of A.  This weird and wonderful land of plenty, full of friendly faces, sprawling cities, plains of nothingness and anything and everything your heart can desire.

The last place I visited a few times was New Orleans, or N'awlins, as the locals like to call it.  This bouillabaisse of all things Cajun, Carribean, Funk and Jazz inspires like nowhere else I've been.  The sweaty tunes flowing out of dingy little jazz clubs, world-famous bartenders serving up the Sazeracs, tiny little antique art shops lined up underneath the balconies of the French Quarter, with the smell of the mighty Mississippi penetrating the city, mixing up with the acidity of Bourbon street's cleaning detergent.  At night the city comes alive, tempting its visitors with rows of bars, strip clubs, and tarot.  In the morning, the cleaning trucks arrive, the sins of the previous night washed away.
A city which is still struggling to re-build itself following devastation.

Here are some of my favourite photos from trips there.

Oh, I'm so glad America is back in fashion!  Baby, can we go visit soon?

Arctic Hysteria @ Taidehalli - go see it if you can

Fantastically dream-like, Taidehalli's 'Arctic Hysteria' exhibition in Helsinki can't fail to compel.  Touching on subjects such as space, futurism, design, nature and human emotion, the show's quirky works inspire, and its hard to choose your favourite piece.  There is something almost mystical about the show.  I almost wish it had been on in the dead of the winter, something to enjoy in between a steaming hot drink an overflowing glass of red wine, to provide escapism in the absence of daylight.
And what a great name, this Arctic Hysteria - how exotic in its Nordic fantasy!

Here are some pictures of works from the Taidehalli website:

Photography by Ilkka Halso

Art by Stiina Saaristo (done by pencil!)

Photography by Jari Silomäki

Composed of a melange of videos, sculptures, photography, sketches, and various installations, this exhibition spoke to me in a way in which modern art normally doesn't.  While I often find modern art interesting to look at, for me it often lacks substance and meaning.  I could see various artists really taking inspiration from their own lives, and moulding that into something that observers will find interesting.  The art provoked thoughts, opinions, and emotions, rather than just being there for the sake of being admired.

Highlights included Jari Silomäki's "Sääpäiväkirja" (see above) in which he had taken photos every day of the year, and also written about a current or personal event on them.  I also loved Salla Tykkä's "Lasso", a short film about a young girl watching through a large window as a guy practices lassoing inside his house.  I can't say I understood the meaning of this short film, but its emotional yet plain imagery and hauntingly beautiful soundtrack (Once Upon a Time in the West, from 1969) were touching.

Petition to get rid of Helsinki's cobbled streets!

Seriously, I can't be the only woman whose shoes are a mess because of Helsinki's never-ending cobbled streets.  Helsinki - you are killing my high heels! Screw romance, screw tradition, screw public spending; dig those rocks out now, and lay down the asphalt already!  Want to sign my petition? E-mail me here.

Fashion inspiration from the streets of Stockholm

While HEL looks seems to be all the craze here nowadays, I find I can relate much better to Stockholm Street Style.  HEL looks is definitely quirky and appreciates the fashion choices of some very unlikely trendsetters, and I love that.  But what can I say, I'm a labels girl.

Seppälä - the shame of Finland's highstreet

Is it possible to find a more dreadful collection of supposedly young and fashionable clothes, which claim to offer something different, and represent international fashion?  With an outdated logo, store fronts and designs, and clothes that you wouldn't be caught dead in, reminiscent only of Soviet era bread queues, the bland colours of Seppälä represent the Finland most of us want to leave behind.  This Finland is 90ies Eastern Europe, where everyone looks the same, and we all blend into one mass of dull, dreary, beige and black nothingness.  Seppälä is clearly trying to expand eastward, well, I've got news for you!  The Eastern Bloc no longer exists, and women in the Baltics have been embracing their freedom and femininity for years.  Rather than spending so much on advertising, I would spend on re-doing store interiors, and bringing on board a couple of new truly international designers, with their eye firmly on trends.

I would recommend that Seppälä take a leaf out of Primark's book in the UK.  Sure, some of Primark's success is based on it's incredibly low prices (which may or may not be made possible through unethical trading practices...)  Primark has really taken advantage of the recession, and is offering great fashionable trendy designs at fabulous prices.  Its designs are constantly featured in fashion magazines, and its stores are frequented by hoards of London fashionistas looking for of-the-moment trendy bargains.  And lo and behold, their sales are going through the roof compared to the rest of the UK highstreet!

I can see Seppälä trying hard to break moulds with their new campaigns, and emphasising young designers.  What they really need is to get some fresh un-Finnish talent on board and get the basics right. They need a collection which mimics what's happening in the global fashion world, and inspire the Finnish people to fall in love with them all over again.

Just take a look at Primark:

Give autumn the cold shoulder!

One of the trends the fashion world has been buzzing about for the past few months is the return of the padded, accentuated shoulder.  It's a masculine, sculpted, almost military look which still manages to ooze class and femininity, and draw attention to one of the sexiest parts of a woman's body, the collarbone.

Balmain's futuristic silver dress has been all over the fashion mags and internet sites this autumn, and even featured in this morning's Helsingin Sanomat fashion pages.

Who else does this trend justice?

The Balmain staples

Edgy feminine at Louis Vuitton

Aqua - buy online at www.asos.com

Dolce & Gabbana autumn/winter

Rihanna in Balmain

Rihanna in Marc Jacobs

Chloe Sevigny - the girl's got style!

To inspire us for the weekend, why not take a look at uber-cool geek-chic Chloe Sevigny.  Starring in funky movie roles complete with lesbian kisses, this DJ:ing, skateboarding designer is now doing a range for hip US boutique Opening Ceremony.  While her range is difficult and some pieces are disappointing, it's worth checking out for a few gems.  And here are some of my fave Chloe pics...