In your face Oracla!

Oracla dragged me around showroom after showroom during Stockholm Fashion week.
Although I was exhausted I still managed to win the biggest goodiebag in wednesdays poker game:

The Body Shop Ultimate calender!
24 days of surprises, yey:-)

High paw!

Like poker sister bofuret says - "You got to win. Playing isn´t enough".
I hope she´s proud of me now ´cause I WON!

Meow.

Oracla goes Stockholm Fashion Week Retail. Miss Imani goes bananas.

That´s a sport right?
It should be.
Oracla is le tired.
But happy.
Miss Imani is pissed.
Today is wednesday which means ladies poker night at Paf aka Magdas Goodiebag.
Hurting feet and fashion overdoze is not at valid get out of poker-free card.
It`s not about the prize- it´s about winning!!!
And the trend has been I´m loosing because Oracla is taking up soo muuch space here!

Advantage Miss Imani.

Wardrobe safari at Kat´s #2 -Does your boyfriend know?

This is nothing knew about the fashion. Infact, this trend has been around for awhile. I ´ve seen it worn and thought "mjnaaa, not for me".
After Kat introduced me to it I can´t let go of my new favorite jeans.
The boyfriend- jeans.
Miss Imani loves and Oracla is worried.
No, we don´t have boyfriends but we have the jeans;-)
Sooo comfy. But Oracla sees a problem: We might think they´re super but what would a boyfriend think?
Do they even know?(before it´s too late I mean;-)
Men love to see their white shirts on their woman but their jeans?
Thing is we don´t really need to steal them anymore since they are manufactured that way too.

Are those Tom Cruise old jeans?

/Miss Imani

Why size matters.

Yes, we´ve heard it on Oprah a gazillion times and yet so many strive to fit the same mold as runway models.
Although we know that to look that way you need those genes(which can change in aseason) and/or starve yourself.
I have theory.
Size matters when you dress because everyone looks better when they´re wearing their size.
Their actual size.
I´ve been criticized my whole life for being skinny. Some roll their eyes and hint that since I look this or that way I should just be quiet.
I disagree. Finding my size of clothes growing up was hard. Then puberty hit and I got a chest.
Size skinny with chest didn´t exist so I wore what my friends wore and I still got comments for being too skinny.
In short- I never felt pretty because people commented on my weight and finding clothes that looked nice and fashionable was difficult.
I recently gained weight for the first time in my life. Usually my high metabolism has kept me at a size 2 and at couple of times a 0.
Let me tell you that a size 0 hurts. It literally hurts to sit, to stand(no muscles) and you freeze constantly.
Not to fabulous.
But anyway, I gained weight. Alot and quick. Due to a medicinal mistake I gained 10 kg in 3 weeks.
I felt like someone put diving weights on me and suddenly none of my clothes fit me.
The good part is that I noticed the change before it went to far. Too far meaning getting problems with my heart which evidently can happen.
But as far as size I was just happy too get a booty! So when my friends cleaned out their closets I adjusted to my new size and what I found was that you look better- no matter what size you are- as long as you dress your size and(same if your a size 2) make the most of your best features and draw attention to them.
We all have flaws no matter what size we are.

 The trick is knowing your "glamour zones" and having them work for you.
Marilyn Monroe, the world most gorgeous woman of all time to me, knew how to work her angles and tried covering up to be taken seriously.

Wardrobe safari at Kat´s #1 - Morocco

Like a mother with a newborn I woke up, looked at the 8 bags of clothes, shoes,, coats, jewellery, handbags, nailpolish and beauty products and sighed.
Good, you´re all still here. Oracla loves all of you.
Miss Imani loves you to.
Kat loves you too but you were taking up space in her fashion flow.
Oracla´s going to take good care of you.

Here´s a product I´ve been longing to get and BAM of course Kat had a bottle for me!
My hair gets too dry so I need the strength in this oil but if you have finer hair the dryer oils might be better.
On the otherhand- a drop of this before you go out in the cold of fall saves any hair from breaking.

Cheezy video but this works! And on all types of hair. Olive oil is too fat and silicon stays on the surface.

These dry oils come proven and awarded.  A must for this winter. Basta.

Versace for ebay?

So today was the launch for Versace for HM.
Oracla wasn´t there but I still have the memory of the Karl Lagerfeldt collection that I happened to stumble on one early morning on my way from the dentist.
It´s was a battle that turned into an old fashioned trading bash.
I happen to have inherited skills when it comes to bargaining and they came in handy.
I still love my K.L shirts with tyhe starched collar...

Anyway, so today was Versaces turn to wow us. I quite like the collection. especially the dresses and accessoires.
What I don´t like is people shopping and the selling it on ebay. Wtf.
If I wanted to shop online -I would.
If Versace and HM wanted to sell the collection online- they would.
I prefer shopping the old fashioned way. I want to touch the material and maybe try it on.
Sorry but a mouse click only takes you thus far.
What´s even worse is seeing the clothes being sold by "Simon" or "Johnny"
Hello, could you be more obvious.
Oracla no likey.

Here my favorites(I do love the leather jacket. It´s so...me.) and I´ll be checking in on HM tomorrow when everyone who bought the wrong size return their garments;-)

Underneath your clothes...

...are next yers biggest trends- the undergarment.
To be able to wear all the nude coloured clothes , you need t be prepared. Again, the Burlesque fashion leads the way and we should still wear our undies out.

But the greatest comeback is the underskirt- the petticoat. Start looking for them now. You can make some real bargains on wedding styles and skirts with more toned down ruffles.

Ta ta:-)

In the army now.

Yesterday was vintage shopping day and this time I started at Beyond Retro.
Problem is that I usually, like yesterday, don´t need to go somewhere else since I always find something there.
The only problm is that I´m on that fixed budget I mentioned earlier in this blogg.
So did I stay within the 6 euro range?
No...I  exceeded it with 3 euros.
It was such a cool item and they don´t make these things any longer so I made an exception.
May I just add that Beyond Retro has the most fabu sales girl there. She is so exited by all the vintage and she knows how to dress people and cheers up everyone. Amazing energy.
So what did i get?
An army hat(you know those who look like a envelope) from the american army many moons ago.
The only reason why army isn´t already back is what has happened in this world this year. But underground there is a military trend buzzing.
This hat goes with my new cammo shirt:-)
It´a an odd item and I have to choose wisely when to wear it.

The picture is not the one I bought but similar.

Ta ta:)

Minding My Gold Business

Finding gold is what good bargain buys is all about.
Now imagine finding gold but paying only 40 sek. About 3 euros.
Imagine also getting rid of stuff you don´t want at the same time.
My and my friend Kat(super photographer and fashionista) went to a event founded by an association called "Dress Off, Dress On"  At the core is the thought that instead of over consuming we can trade, and taking "one womans trash is anothers treasure" to whole new level.
Read more about it here:
http://www.dressoffdresson.com/

How is done - turn in 7 items maximum. Have them evaluated(especially good items are labeled as silver goods) an get a ticket that says how many items you can get in return. I handed in 7 , 2 were marked as silver and 5 a regular. I did however see my own items flying off the tables and into happy hands of others.
In return I found  a total of 16 items and since Kat didn´t use all her credits she gave them to me. Bless her heart!
Also only one of what I found was marked as silver so I was allowed to get more clothes in exchange.
My silver items was true gold- a Betsy Johnson handbag.
I threw myself across the table to get it and got it without a fight! (there were definitely some hostile vibes at times but generally not) My preeeciooouuss!
Kat´s biggest gold was a beautiful corset from Bitte Kai Rand.
In all it was great fun and so worth every minute spent in the battle zone:-)

I didn´t think I´d find that much but the selection was good and the organizers had made a good job in marketing it right.
Seeing my  80´s stonewashed jeans jacket bringing a big smile on another girls face was gold too:-)
And they served cup cakes!
Pictures to come, ta ta!

Oraclas Secrets #4 Airline style

If you´ve ever been on a plane at night you probably got handed a steamed towel cloth before landing.
I love the feeling of warmth on my face and it makes the pores open and cleanses away left over make-up and/or rests of your cleansing products.
During the winter I do this every morning and evening.
So how do you do this at home?
Easy.
Boil water and when it´s reached max temperature pour it into any kind of bowl that can stand the heat.
Put a cotton cloth in the water and let it soak for 2-4 minutes.
Pick up the cloth using a kitchen tong, empty the bowl and put the the cloth back.
By now the temperature should be hot but not to the point where you burn you hands.
Wring the excess water and put it on you face. Don´t rub, just dab it and feel the steam.
Lovely feeling isn´t?

Now you can you a toner and the rest of whatever dirt is on your face will be gone.  I prefer a gentle toner (I use Natuvives Almond Calming Cleancing Tonic) that soothes the skin afterwords.

Do you like my tips and secrets? Feel free to comment:-) Oracla love feedback.

This weeks second hand gold.

I have probably written about it before but then every week is different.
It´s become my weekend shopping ritual.
I live in an area that is know for it´s likeness of Soho in London with all the vintage and second hand shops just a two blocks away.
So every saturday I bring 6 euro and go hunting for bargain. It´s a amazing what you can find on that tiny budget.
My favorite place to shop(darn all you fashionistas who´ve discovered it too) is Stadsmissionen. It´s run buy the organisation that help anyone who has nothing or been beat down by life. I always buy a plasticbag (usually I bring my own shopping bag. It´s such a easy way of being more enviramental friendly) since the money goes to help teenagers in need.
This week bargain was a leopard printed top and a table cloth for my kitchen- 5 euros.
Not too shabby;-)

Tata!

To write or not to write?

They say you should only write if you have a story to tell.
Alt of people, me included, write about alot about this and that- But to tell a story is different.
I have a few of them lurking in my mind.
In fact I have drafts of two screenplays, and then there is my story.
My life has already been full of events, turns and twists. In a way it feels like I´ve lived at least three lifetimes
already.
A old friend told me just a couple of days ago that he´d think my story would be a bestseller!
Bless his heart:-)

But the story of which I have just begun writing is about a quite short period of my life.
Short but life changing.
It´s about a friend, our friendship and how abrupt it came to end.
He´s no longer with me. And in a way he´s with me.
He will always be. I think he would be ok with me telling the other side of things. He trusted and respected me as I did him.
Is time to set a few things straight or at least add to "the truth" that has been told about him.
I´d also like to have something back that was taken from me that helped certain people in contructing "the truth".
That´s enough for now.
More to come.

It´s an Anni.

-Who are you wearing?
"It´s an Anni."

Anni is a swedish designer with a sophisticated and urban feel for the knit.
Oracla says: get it, wear it and say it´s an Anni.

Blending is not enough.

No, in time for summer you better get ready for bootcamp ´cause fashion won´t let you get away with just a few push- ups.

Camouflage and remember that next falls jacket "must have"- the duffle-coat- looks better than awsome together with your greens and blacks. Understood?

At ease.