BURLESQUE NEW YEAR EXTRAVAGANZA

Happy New Year!
For the third time on this blog actually.
Two Years ago the evening was spent in Amsterdam, last year it was dinner in a red dress among friends and this year Tinkerbell, Lola M & I from the Itty Bitty Tease Cabaret as well as my beloved E. are on our way to Tampere to do a show tonight among other burlesque belles such as mimi de Frou Frou, Marie la Mint and Sugar Kane. New Year Burlesque Extravaganza!





Photos by Frej Linna

See you there and if not, have a great night!

THANKS ALEKSANDRA!

"You're a world class liar, darling. Go out there and lie for Italy. Lie for Italia."- Nine

I went to go and see Nine last week and I loved it!
It is visually stunning, beautifully shot and very glamorous. I predict some Oscar nominations...

The sexy and stylish film is about a famous director, played by Daniel Day Lewis, trying to come up with a script for a film and being inspired by all the female influences in his life. There is Sophia Loren, his mother, Marion Cotillard, his wife, Penelope Cruz, his mistress, Nicole Kidman, his muse, Judy Dench, his confidante, Fergie, his childhood crush and Kate Hudson a reporter from Vogue.
But of course the costumes are what really steal the show, with all the razzle dazzle of Chicago the director Rob Marshall’s other film. Think glitter, smoky eyes, sequins, feathers, big hair, wigs, cat flick liquid eye liner, red lipstick, heels, lingerie and leotards.
After watching it I can guarantee you will want to move to Italy, star in a film and own a wardrobe full of feather boas!Ciao!

xx

ps) Hope you all have an amazing New Years Eve whatever you are doing!

A NEW PAIR OF PARIKKA'S

I think one should always be happy about and appreciate every single gift and present one gets, but when your boyfriend gives you a pair of Parikka's for Christmas it's OK to be a little bit more happy about that than all the rest.

I originally got a pair of red booties but they were a bit too big and the smaller ones out of stock so I changed to these soft pink ones. And that's just as good.

Walk Walk Fashion Baby Work It 101st Post Crazy

Hope everyone had an amazing Christmas!
Apart from my daily revision sessions (I have got mock exams and a physics re-sit in January. Eek) it has just been a really nice and relaxed holiday at home with the family. Also I never saw it coming but we had a White Christmas!

Oh and I received possibly the best present of my life...
The Canon DSLR Camera which I have been drooling over for ages.

Me and that gorgeous Canon 1000D lens.

So expect a lot more photos taken by moi to appear on the blog and because I am really interested in photography I would love to hear your opinions, ideas, tips and advice. Just make sure you keep the criticism constructive though. Yes?

Hope you all have a fantastic New Year!

xoxo

ALLMODERN AALTO GIVEAWAY

Well hello everyone - I hope you all had a nice Christmas with friends and family, a lot to eat and lot's of presents to unwrap. I did. But you know what, about the presents. In most cases - in my case at least - it is more fun to give than to get. So why not top Christmas off with a nice give away? From Allmodern.com! AllModern is a online store carrying furniture and home decor from design brands like Vitra and Alessi for example, as well as some classic Finnish design like Iittala and Artek. Prices vary from afforbable to exclusive.

I am now very happy to announce that one lucky reader will win a Iittala Aalto vase! If you could ever have only one vase it should definitely be this one, as the Aalto vase is such a classic design piece. I think every home should have one - I had one too, a special edition one actually, which I got from my parents for my graduation. My cats broke it within two weeks. A sad story yes, but- back to the good news again: the vase you can win is a classic large clear one, and all you have to do to enter is to leave a comment on this post!

There is one little but however - I'm afraid this contenst is only open for those of my readers living in the US or in Canada. I'm very sorry for that. But I will arrange something small here really soon for everyone everywhere to particiapte in!

The give away will be open until Wednesday Janyuary 6th! And don't forget to leave me your email if you don't have a blog. Good luck!

(Ps. Check out the Klaus Haapaniemi for Iittala Taika series too! Some items are on a discount and very worth getting, I love them myself...)

List Mondays- Top 10 Personal Makeup Buys

I love those “In my bag” posts that people do (it appeals to my nosey side I think haha) so I thought for this Monday’s Top 10 I would twist it a little bit and lay out my best cosmetic buys from my makeup bag.

1.Chanel Noir Eye Liner- Its nice and dense and best of all stays on all day.
2.Maybelline Colossal Lashes- Perfect thick party lashes.
3.No. 7 Foundation- I got this in my stocking from Santa this year and it is amazing. It has “Intelligent Colour” so it will adjust to each person’s skin tone.
4.Mac Shadestick- Gorgeous by itself or with another eye shadow on top.
5.Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat- The ultimate product for getting rid of bags under your eyes and other blemishes.
6.MAC Eye Shadow Palette- Lovely jewel colours.
7.Yves Saint Laurent Lipstick- A pretty glittery pink colour.
8.Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation- Has nice even coverage and lasts for 12 hours.
9.Natural Collection Clear Mascara- I apply this over my Colossal one for added length and it locks in the dark colour.
10.Stila Lipgloss- A subtle sheen and I love the twisty end you turn to get the lipgloss out!

Photos taken on my brand new Canon 1000D SLR Camera!
(post coming soon...;D)

What are your best makeup buys?

Beth xx

Merry Christmas!

Hello just a quick post to wish everyone a fab Christmas tomorrow!

I hope your Christmas wishes come true and you have an amazing day.

Oh and it just started the snow where I am, how perfect.

So here are some pretty photos to look at from British Vogues December's issue with Lara Stone shot by Mario Testino.

(It actually really annoys me that the tiny corsetted ball gowns are too small for her normal sized boobs- see the last photo especially- but Christmas cheer and festivities and all that so I won't complain about them any more)

Hugs and kisses
Beth xoxo

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Last week many posts remained unwritten as I did a lot of running around preparing for the Holidays, doing shows as well as working in a freezing and snow filled harbour. The following days from now on will be the opposite as I'm heading away fro the city and plan to just eat and relax.

The picture is taken by my father in the seventies, it's from our summerhouse. In winter though, obviously. It's the most Christmassy photo I know and I've posted it on my blog a couple of Christmases ago, if you thought it looked familiar.

So you all go on and have a Merry Christmas, and if you don't celebrate it, well, just have a real nice and calm weekend then!

OSTBLOCK INFO

Öffnungszeiten zwischen Weihnachten und Neujahr:
24.12-28.12- geschlossen
29.12-30.12- 12.00-20.00
31.12- 11.00-16.00
ab 05.01.2010- regulär geöffnet

WE WISH YOU

List Mondays- Top 10 Gorgeous (and affordable) Party Dresses

Still stuck for what to wear at your Christmas party or on New Years Eve but spent all your money on Christmas presents?
Well here is my list of Top Ten fabulous party frocks under £1oo and all of which guarantee that you will be the sparkliest girl in the room...

Clockwise from top left: Topshop Knitted Sequin Dress £85, Lipsy Jewelled Plunge Necked Dress £60, Lipsy One Shoulder Triangular Sequined Dress £65, Lipsy Strapless Jewelled Pocket Dress £65, MissGuided Gold Sequined Mini Dress £19.60, French Connection Night Dress £47, New Look Metallic Lace Dress £28, Topshop Sequin Lace Dress £55, Warehouse Long Sleeve Sequin Dress £80, Asos Long Sleeved Sequin Shoulder Pad Body Con Dress £35.

What are you wearing on New Years Eve?

Beth xx

THE ANATOMY OF DRESSING WHEN IT'S REALLY REALLY COLD

It has happened. Real winter. It's really cold here. Minus a lot. Like it should be this time of year.
Only it hasn't been like that for years. But so far so good, we still haven't reached the part when it actually hurts to breathe. (But after a few hours work outside by the sea it hurts by now already I tell you, but I've done worse during past years. Not complaining though. Now that we're getting a white christmas and all).

I'm watching teenage girls and selfaware chicks freeze their behinds off in short jackets and skinny jeans. The sadistic asshole part of me secretly laughs at their vanity (or stupidity, however you want it) and makes me feel so relieved that I don't give a damn anymore in that sense - my first priority is to stay warm. (I saw a girl last weekend, visiting a Christmas outdoor fare, wearing satin peeptoes in the snowstorm. Not even I would go that far even though I may push it with wearing open heels as long as possible). I go for what Underbara Clara calls "The Finnish Winter War Chic". Something that she of course says with a pinch of salt and a whole lot of humor, referring to how Finland pre- WWII resisted the Soviet army with the help of an extremely hard and cold winter. And well with a whole lot o f military strategy too. (Those who know their history might find that slightly ironic since those who have tried to invade Russia or The Soviet failed, conquered by the cold. But this time it was the other way around. Sort of.)

But OK enough on war strategy now, the thing I'm after here is the dressing warm to survive the cold, making it nice with layers of knitted socks and sweaters, scarfs and thick jackets. And keeping warm is of course a strategy of it's own.

So here whe go:
The Anatomy of Dressing Warm When Really Really Cold Outside (& still trying to look good).

Fig.1The thing with layering, not the layering thrifty fashionistas do when they pair dresses tops and cadris, but the one that will keep you from freezing, is to have a lot of them - the layers- keeping tight but not being stuffed or unable to move. That will make you colder actually. You might want to add another pair of socks or leg warmers, and perhaps a long sleeved blouse under that cardi too, depends. (Oh damn it takes so long to get dressed in the morning!)


Fig.2But we're quite not done yet:

Fig.3They say the cold will last for two months still. If that's the case this is what I'll look like everyday for two months then. Versatility, yey!
...Unless I get myself a new winter jacket... (hehe).

Alexander McQueen ‘Alien’ Shoes

My initial reaction when I saw these Alexander McQueen shoes from his SS 2010 collection was “Woah.”
Then “Omg how did he make them and the models get their feet into them?”
And finally *shrugs* "Ok, well McQueen is a genius” but never for a second did I think “I must have though shoes in my life now. I want/need/have to have them.”
Sure if I stumbled across them in a shoe shop I would try them on for a laugh but I would never ever actually buy them.
Also I have no idea how much they cost but seeing as they are designer and the hottest heels to be seen in right now I am guessing they are just a teensy bit out of my budget.
So I am wondering who is actually going to buy them?
Apart from Lady Gaga who wore them in her ‘Bad Romance’ video and Daphe Guiness who was the first celebrity to wear them on the red carpet I can’t think of anyone who would seriously buy these insane (yet undeniably brilliant) shoes.

What do you think? If you had that much money would you buy them?

KISMET MAGAZINE

nioka @ kismet magazine.

XMAS SPECIAL

xmas special at ostblock.

20% off on fall/winter 09/10 collections by aleksandra wisniewska, alter&kiss, bessonnitsa, firma, je suis belle, m*faganel, mesko, rozalb de mura.

don't miss it!

Current Obsession- Misfits

My new favourite TV programme.
As soon as I heard it described as “Skins meets heroes” I knew I had to check it out and it doesn’t disappoint. Although it is nowhere near as good as the genius that is Skins it is still pretty darn great.
It’s basically about a group of ASBO kids who are doing community service when they suddenly gain super powers in a mysterious storm and it’s very funny, quite daft and surprisingly scary (Warning: also pretty rude so I always make sure that I don’t watch it when my parents are in the room haha...)

Watch the season finale tomorrow at 10pm on E4 or catch up on the series at 4 on demand here

Beth xx

ps) Thanks so much for everyones amazing comments, I love reading them and you are all what makes blogging so fun for me. And thankyou to everyone who is following amore fashion, I just can't believe I now have 100 followers! You have made my day :)

ME & OSTBLOCK FASHION

baby, it's cold outside...

%%%%%%

on m*faganel collection at ostblock.

List Monday- Top 10 Trends of the Decade

Seeing as we are fast approaching 2010 I thought I would sum up the biggest crazes we have seen in the noughties, including the good, the bad and the ugly.

1. Internet and Technology. Where would be be without our Blogger/Google/Facebook/Ipods/Wikipedia/Twitter? It's hard to imagine life without any of them now.

2.The Bob- Made popular this year by Posh Spice putting off her WAGish extensions and now everyone is at it from Katie Holmes to Rihanna. So as far as hair is concerned shorter is definitely better, not to mention chicer.
(Haha I am such a hypocrite I have long hair but don't have the guts to chop it off...)

3. Fake tan- Bleh. Need I say more?

4. 'Thinspiration'- Each decade has a new perception of woman; in the fifties it was the hourglass figure, in the sixties it was waifs like Twiggy, then big hair and hippy flares for healthy looking woman in the seventies, athletic leg warmers and neon for females in the eighties and amazonian glamorous supermodels (including the greats: Linda, Naomi, Christy and Cindy) in the nineties but this decade it will be known for the way-too-thin models. Dare I even say anorexic?
Make no mistake I am a big fan of Kate Moss, Jourdan Dunn, Sasha Pivovarova, Agyness Deyn, Karlie Kloss, Alexa Chung, Coco Rocha, Sophie Dahl Daisy Lowe and Chanel Iman (I could go on) but do you not think that it is time for something different?

5.The Rise of the Vampires- Is it any wonder we love vampires? Even just the word "vampire" has associations with lust, passion, blood, gore and now thanks to Stephanie Meyers, Edward Cullen, the ultimate fictional heart throb. Thanks to the books which have sold millions and now have a cult following and the new adult TV series True Blood which just shows that vampires are not just for tweens. So its no surprise that Vampires are here to stay.

6. Chick Lit- Ever since Helen Fielding wrote Bridget Jones, the best selling author has spawned a whole load of copy cats and even started her own genre. Without Chick Lit we wouldn't have Sex and The City, based on the column by Candance Bushnell and a ton of other films and books.

7. Reality TV- Earlier this year Big Brother said that they were stopping the programme after one more series because the viewing figures were plummeting. We have seen it all in that George Orwell 1984 inspired house and they have had every single type of person imaginable in there. We have seen the "dumb blonde bimbo" (see point 8 haha) the angry middle aged woman, the gay dancer, the '"intellectual student" who says he is going into the house "because it is an interesting social experiment." They cannot shock us anymore.

But of course we can't forget Simon Cowell who seems to be single handedly carrying on the Reality TV rein (whilst infiltrating the music charts) with the phenomenal X-Factor (19.1 people watched the final last night!) and of course the series which brought us Susan Boyle, Britain's Got Talent.

8. The WAG and the 'Dumb' Blonde- Thanks to Jessica Simpson, Jordan, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie (who interestingly enough tweeted "P.S. I went brunette. I feel smarter already" earlier this week) and films like "Legally Blonde" we have a new stereotype of the girl who wants nothing more than to marry a rich man, own a chihuahua, have big boobs and dress in head to toe pink.

9. Indie Music- The past decade has brought us The Strokes, Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys, The Libertines and Deathcab for Cutie to name a few. For me it is definitely the defining music of the era.

10. Big Franchises- Good 'ol J.K.Rowling didn't know what she had started when she released Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. She went from scribbling chapters on the back of napkins at her local cafe in Edinburgh to being worth more money than the Queen. Soon to follow suit and jump on the merchandise bandwagon was Spiderman, Lord of the Rings, Batman, A series of Unfortunate Events, Narnia etc etc etc. Nice one Harry, Ron and Hermione.

What do you think are the best and the worst trends of the decade? It doesn't have to be one on my list either, just let me know in a comment, I would love to hear what you think...

Beth xx