How to survive the Christmas season in style...

I have countless times been extremely grateful that digital cameras, Facebook and Youtube did not exist when I grew up. The reason? It is a blissful thing to be young and be able to commit your own mistakes without getting it all out on the internet. 

Nowadays, it is seemingly a competition to be the first one to post party pictures after a night out with the girls / the Christmas party etc. and lets be honest, not all of those pictures are well thought through. It might seem as a great idea in the spur of post-party happiness to post the picture of you and your friend in whats can only be described as minimal outfits, kissing various boys or showing off a bit too much underwear. It is a little bit like "let's show the world how fun and cool our gang is!". However, I do not think that most (young?) people today get the fact that once it is on the internet, it is on the internet. It doesnt matter if you have a closed Facebook profile (your 500 friends can still see and copy your pictures). So what if you look great showing off your underwear at 16? Your future boss will still be able to find those pictures when you apply for your dream - and oh so serious - job when you are 32. Conclusion: not so cool anymore.

I do realise that I sound like old aunt Mabel right now, and I am very, very sorry for that. I am certainly pro having fun with your friends in the holiday season. However, I think some ground rules needs to be established. I cannot, and you cannot, deny people to take pictures and bringing their cameras or cell-phones to the festivities. But with a little bit of preperation, you should be able to avoid a Facebook/ Youtube nightmare the 1st of January. Regardless, I suggest a vast amount of untagging of Facebook pictures that already exist....

10 steps to survive the Christmas in style:

1. The obvious one: do not get too drunk. A glass of water now and then has never hurt anyone.

2. When wearing short dresses, skip the g-string and wear a full coverage hotpants /hipsters (be inspired of the girls in "Stricly come dancing/ Skal vi danse").

3. Black tights instead of sheer see through ones are a life-saver. I am actually close to saying that black full tights look better during the Christmas season anyway. + it keeps your legs a bit warmer ( no flu = more party for you).

5. Cleavage might be in, but nipples on Facebook are'nt. There is actually no excuse for showing off your front parts anymore. H&M sells great strapless bra's (same series as the ultimate push-up bra), boob-tape actually works, and you can even use a special tape (H&M, Anne Summers etc.) to tape ypur clothes to your body so they does'nt slip. Easy, invisible and widely used in Hollywood.

6. If your dress is made of something lycra'ish and is tight it will most probable slip up your body. I suggest to get rid of the dress and give it to the hookers charity, or use it as a tunic instead. Another opportunity is to use a good quality underwear-dress beneath to avoid slipping. Dresses around waists seldom look good on the dancefloor.

7. Shoes, shoes, shoes. Planning to wear those several inch Loboutins on ice? Are you sure? Not only can you crack your head (been there done that), but it is a fair chance that your fall will look extremely silly in the process. Manageable heels makes the evening so much more fun. In addition, you can by anti-slip soles to tape under your shoes at Bianco - highly recommended.

8. Nothing looks as silly as a girl, blue by the cold in a minidress with no jacket. Be sensible girls. No party is worth getting seriously ill for, and there is SO many nice jackets out there. (This point is especially directed to English girls, who seemingly is unable to put on a jacket even when dying of cold).

9. Waterproof mascara might be a good idea when snowing. Just saying.

10. At last, but not the least, please try to remember that less is still more. You do not need to look like a Christmas ornament, even though it is Christmas. A little bit of bling is nice, but there's no need to outshine the Christmas three. This tip might not help you avoid embarrassing situations on Youtube and Facebook, but you will thank me when you in ten  years time tries to find a nice old Chrismas picture, and you luckily does'nt look like Santa, his elfs and Katie Price combined.

So, with these words of warning, please have a happy, happy holiday, safely knowing that you will be able to meet January, with a little bit of dignity still intact. Cheers!

"Beauty magazines only make you feel ugly"?

"Beauty magazines only make you feel ugly" is a saying most of us have heard. True or not, beauty magazines is a great source of inspiration for most uf us, when it comes to fashion, health and beauty. I love getting a sneak peak into the wardrobe of true fashionistas, and to get tips about the latest trends and the newest hot brands. However, there is in my opinion very variable how good a beauty magazine actually are, and after years of trial and failure I have finally found my favourites.

My beloved Elle UK.

Elle UK is like a jar of candy every time I open it. Lots of pictures and not too many "serious" articles. Because let us be honest, we do not buy fashion magazines to read about serious stuff (if we wanted that, we would by a newspaper instead). The pictures are beautiful and in overflow, the front page is always gorgeous, and the tips you get is actually worth noticing. Elle is also the magazine that usually are the first one out with a runway edit (very important for inspiration) in addition to always being spot on with the trends.

Some may say that there is too much advertising in the magazines. My response to that is: You are missing out on the very best part of the fashion magazine experience. I always spend at least 15 minutes flipping through and studying the advertisements who appears infront of the editors letter, before I emabark on the rest. The reason? If you study the fashion pictures and campaigns released by the brands by hard, you can easily get a little bit of extra fashion pow-wow. For example, I studied the new Donna Karan New York campaign, and I noticed that the models were wearing this icy blue nail polish, together with the camel /brownish and rough clothes, it gave them quite an edge. Next time I went to "Tammy's nails" (this very cute nail saloon in Portsmouth, who gives you the best manicure for only 10 £) I asked if I could get my nails done in that icy blue shade. I turned some heads on the street, some old ladies wrinkled their noses, but I felt utterly fashionable, and a little bit daring. I almost got the same rush as when I was working my socks in sandals in Honfleur - France- and the other visitors at the resturant could'nt stop staring at my feet - and their food went cold.

So read the ads, they are not just rubbish, they are inspiration.

Elle also does great Collection issues, they cost a little more, but they look quite fancy, and you get even more gossip and glory form the catwalks.

My Norwegian favourite - Costume.

Whenever I am in Norway, my favourite is Costume. Written by fashionable women for fashionable women. They do not waste my time with too much silly stuff, and provides loads of pictures, information about where to get it and what it costs, and reports about where you can buy the best vintage, the best outlets and so on. And they stear clear of all the relationship stories/ sex tips that so many magazines turn to, just to sell a little bit more (as everybody know, put "how to get better at this and that" on the front page, and you will sell a 1000 more copies). Last time I checked Costume was all about clothes, I really,really hope they will keep it that way. If they do, they will at least keep me interested.

The Collection issue of Elle a/w 2010.

When I was little I learned that if I did not have anything nice to say, I should not say anything at all. And I honestly try to live by that rule. However, I am a girl, and everyone knows how girls can be. So here is a little bit about the lesser great things in the beauty/fashion magazines.

I was not used to this particular part of the beauty magazines from Norway, so I was quite shocked when I first realised that the last 20 pages or so in the UK fashion magazines are ads for plastic surgeons and different ways of dieting. I think that is absolutely horrendous. It is sort of like saying "OOh, look at all these gorgeous models, look at their full lips, their perfect breasts and toned abs - and then BAM! You are never going to look that way unless you suck out all your fat through a tube, inject loads of chemical substances in your body or eat nothing but water and seeds. Haha!".

That young girls feel somewhat unsufficient after reading a magazine is bad enough, hopefully they get by know how much photoshopping there actually is going on out there. But to put pages and pages of ads for plastic surgeons in magazines that are read by girls that probably are as young as 15? What kind of message is that sending? Plastic surgery is completely normal, everybody does it?

I really hope that this particular trend does not hit Norway. It is a great shame that the fashion magazines in this way displays that they care more about selling ad space, than the message they are actually sending their often young and insecure readers. Right here, I will slap my favourite, Elle UK, over the wrist and say "shame on you". ( But these kinds of ads is sadly more the norm than a rarity in the UK).

***

However, keep on reading magazines, enjoy them with a Chai Latte or a steaming hot Americano, and for Christ sake, enjoy that piece of chocolate as well. Have'nt you heard that every girl should get her chocolate and coffee? Because we're worth it.

I have a confession to make...

I have a confession to make...I am a shopaholic. Always has been, always will be.

I could blame it on the fact that while I was working in fashion, I had both the access and the opportunity to binge on lovely items at reduced prices. Or I could blame it on the fact that working in fashion meant that I could not stay away from clothes even if I wanted to (that would have meant I had to call in sick, which is completely against my high working morale). So this continously exposed me to new arrivals, new seasons and new trends, and I of course, wanted them all. My shopping budget on clothes alone could in earlier days, when I lived at home with my parents, and earned money I had noe idea what to do with, feed a little African country.

However, I will not blame my addiction to clothes on any of those statements above,as I have loved clothes since the time I learned what clothes was, approximately aged 2.

Probably did not working within a fabolous boutique exactly help. However, it is my solid opinion that if you do not love fashion, you should not be selling it either. Hence, my rightful place were in a boutique surrounded by the things I love.

So how bad is it? As a former Marketing student, I know all the tricks, but I still fall for them every time I am out shopping. Two pair for one you say? 10% off you say? Ahhh....that...err...takes off 1, 20 £ on the price..jeeeez. I just saved the equivalent of 12 NOK. Oh, so that's the colour I should be wearing (even though it makes my skin look green)? That mascara actually makes your eyelashes grow? That lipstick will make my boobs bigger? Oh, I will definitevely have that!! What about a bum minimising pair of gloves?Yes, sir!

We have all been there, thinking that a particular garment will change our lives for the better, believing that there is some hocus pocus behind the designer cuts that in a magical way will shine its light over our lives, and make us into whatever we aspire to be. That is the magic of shopping. You may not agree with me, but if you think about, the truth is that whenever you buy yourself something new, you are - in some way or another - trying to improve yourself for the better. You don't just buy an outfit, you buy a lifestyle and an image.

This notion is what making shops, and designers, earn money. They create an illusion of a possible lifestyle and an image, which normal people like us will pay a lot just to get a little piece of.

This is also why every season, you can see something new on the catwalk. This year it was Mad Men and the 50s. The brands wants to sell you that nostalgia, and if you do not have (or had) a classy grandma just your own size, you will have to run to the stores and buy these things. There is no point in selling you what you allready got.

That's why the denim from s/s 2010, has turned into camel a/w 2010. No way you could confuse those two.

If you look at commercials, they will always try to sell you the image of what you do not have. An example would be that in the US where the divorce rates are through the roof, all the commercials are full of happy families. In China, where collectivism has been the norm, but the youth stride for individual recognition and success, the commercials displays happy individuals making it on their own.

You have just attended Marketing for beginners.

So where was I? Oh yes, I am a shopaholic. Probably they will not make movies about me, as I am not as hopeless and lost as Becky Bloomwood. Currently a student, my spendings limit themselves (and I kind of got tired of hiding the bags from the man in the house). But I do shop. However, sometimes I try to steer clear of the shops, as I am aware of all the false cravings they create in people. No matter how strong I try to be when I walk into Gant, French Connection or Ralph Lauren, I know that I within minutes will become weak, and feel that it is absolutely essential for my future wellbeing that I buy exactly that pair of shoes, or that coat ( I loooooove coats and jackets).

So sometimes I just stay by my computer, and browse through pictures and websites for my daily fashion rush. Luckily, I am not into online shopping just yet.

The 90's - Our darkest fashion moments..

Alicia Silverstone in Clueless, anno 1995. Quotes:"Oh, as if!", "WHATEVER".

Does any of you remember the 90's? Well, I do. Reluctantly and vaguely. It was not a great fashion decade for me, or anyone else, if I may say so. And yes, I know that the 90's style in some degree have had a comeback in the world of fashion. However, lucky for us, the details we now see are little bit more understated than what we experienced the last time around.

So to recap, do you remember what you wore during the 90's? No? Too young perhaps? During the 1990's my age span was between 5 and 15, so my outfits varied from pink and purple Minni Mouse tights picked out by my mother, to dreadful neon tops that showed off my navel, which no mother in the world would pick out for someone whom they cared about. My fashion icons went from being Care Bears and Punky (anyone remember that little brat who lived with her grandfather/ random old man?) to the Spice Girls and Beverly Hills 90210 (and no, not the new version). 

When I was 12 and 13, all I dreamt about was getting a pair of Levi's jeans and a Fruit of the Loom hoodie. The obligatory outfit consisted of Adidas sweatsuits, checked stretchpants, and white or black trainers from Nike.

As time went by and 1995 came to an end, the 90's as I really remember it began. And hence the picture of Alicia Silverstone in Cluless, above. Short skirts, schoolgirl style, and girl power.. I am thanking higher powers every day that the digital camera still was an illusion, social networks - like Facebook did not exist (the founders still in kindergarden), and internet, perhaps even computers, were not a common household item. So fortunately my early fashion endeavors are somewhat narrowly documented on the digital arena - hallelujah!

These monsters were on every fashionable foot - imagine that..

You can imagine my surprise, when visiting Brighton a cold and windy day last December, I met this "ghost of shoes past". The Buffalo shoes, they deserve their own chapter in the story of which fads that became big hits in the 90's which should'nt have, could'nt have, and would'nt hopefully attract anyones affection nowadays. Those bumpy tractor shoes, paired with flared Miss Sixty's, Toba&Co's, Crocker or Camera stretch pants (anything from JC really) that were so long that you kept on stepping on them all the time, resulting in a lot of ripped,teared and dirty trousers...It does not create the best fashion memory does it? Who would imagine they still sold those things? Well, now you know. Hopefully you are as shocked as I am.

Mockery aside, I loved Buffalo when they were in (please note the past tense here- loved, not loves). I had three pairs, one of them were even baby-pink. I have lost the count on how many flared Miss Sixty's I have owned through the years, my guess is that it was enough of them too. So my statement outfit from the 90's: Baby pink Buffalo's, Miss Sixty jeans, and a tinytiny black top or a neonpink wraparound on the more joyeaux occasions. Warning: kids, do not try this at home.

However, no matter how ashamed we are of what we used to wear, the truth is that these clothes has a nostalgic glow, reminding us of how we felt like the first time we really, really tried to pull off something fashionable. The first outfits we chose for ourselves, the first time we tried to copy a style from a magazine, some clothes even recall the memory of our first kiss.

The clothes we used to wear, be it a sweater from Fila or jeans from Lois, have all played a part in our lives. They were present when we started college, they were present on our first party, and they have all been with us when our fashion sense, somewhat stumbling, developed into what it is today.

To understand today's trends, it is important to understand the trends of the past. And even though a part of me recent saying it, the fads and mischiefs of the 90's, will always make me nostalgic, bringing out my dearest and happiest fashion memories.

***

And probably, that is what the designers aim to do, when they are trying to bring some of that nostalgia back.

"Sale,sale,sale"

The sale season is upon us, well, it actually has been for quite a while. However the hysteria has for now escaped me since I have been working on my pink (and imaginary) tan on the Greek islands. And yes you might have guessed, I am not a big fan of the sale season.

It appears to me like the stores begin their sale earlier and earlier each year, and for the high street stores like H&M and Zara, it could be said that they seemingly have a sale going on all year round nowadays.

I am, as mentioned, not very fond of sale. There are several reasons for that. The shops tends to get too crowded, the clothes are just lying around in big piles (impossible to tell which garment is which) and you often end up buying a bunch of things “just because it was sooooo cheap!”. Things you will end up never wearing, things that already has gone off fashion and things you would never even consider if it was full price. So my mantra is: if you would not even consider buying it full price, why buy it at all? If the answer is yes, you have longed for this particular piece of fashion for the whole season, but found it just a little bit too expensive, and now you are lucky enough to find exactly your size at a reduced price – I say go for it. But if an outfit looked like something the dog dragged in when it costed a 1oo £, it will still look like crap at 50 £.

Some of my distaste for the sale season possibly has to do with my past, when I was working in fashion. I remember feeling somewhat sad when the clothes I had spent all winter and spring trying to sell, convincing people that they were worth every single cent, suddenly loose half its value. I remember the horrible feeling when my favourite garment in the store suddenly lost some of its spark, ended up in a pile with a whole bunch of other leftovers. Sale is in so many ways sad for a fashion lover. I felt sorry for the clothes that perhaps never would be appreciated in the same way as the clothes that were purchased at full price would.

Another reason is that I really loathe seeing my favourite items, which I bought at once when they came into store during the beginning of the season, hanging on the sales racks. Suddenly even my love for my own things devaluate and the things I have been so dependent on a whole season suddenly appears to me as cheap and mainstream. I do not like seeing things I have bought suddenly being sold to a reduced price. It is not because I regret that I bought it at full price, I just do not like the feeling I get when I see the things I have bought lose some of its value.

However, I do see that there is another side to the story as well. As a student I am painfully aware of the fact that there are times in life where you are dependent on sometimes getting a bargain or two. People do not always afford everything they want as a fashionista, and the sale can be a welcomed way to dress up in style.

So the conclusion must be, as long as you keep a clear head (be aware of next season do’s and don’ts) and shop items because they genuinely are nice quality items, and not just some junk you buy because it is cheap – a sale once in a while is ok.

The best things to buy on sale is as always anything in leather- shoes, bags, jackets (but especially shoes and bags). There is also a good idea to keep it simple and buy classic items such as jeans, cardigans and simple tops, things you know will last. Lingerie is actually a great thing shopping for on sale.

In the case of my own purchases at a reduced price this season, I bought the perfect peep toe shoes at Zara in London half price + a super short white and grey Ted Baker dress I will use with my new ubertrendy Carlings tights when the fall comes. But regrettably, I still do not have the Malene Birger shoes – well well, perhaps they were not meant for me after all…

Classic peep toe high heeled shoes from Zara (leather), was 49.99 £, now 29.99 £.

Ted Baker dress, was 120 £, now 60 £.

However, I do think that most girls are just like me; we see something we want in the store, and we are absolutely unable to wait to get our hands on that item a second longer than we have to. People tend to buy the items they want when they want them.

The sale purchases is just a little bonus to our closets..

Flower power..

Dress-Monsoon, cardigan-Topshop, purse-Faith, belt, bracelet & earrings-H&M, shoes-Dune.

The summer has finally shown its pretty and smiling face, at least here on the southern coast of England, and my flower patterned dress from Monsoon has at last seen how the world looks like outside my closet. I am voting in favour of colour this summer, and have you been able to walk inside a shop during the exams or just a busy spring, you will have seen that there is absolutely no escape from the flower pattern. It is no longer reserved for women in the category 60 +, so we can just as well get used to it. And I actually kind of like the flair and fun it brings into the everchanging world of fashion. But a little tip: not every flower pattern is meant for everyone, choose one that fits your body shape and enhances your best features. Do you have a little to much around the waist? Do not go for big flowers in that area, choose a more petite pattern. Do you think your breasts are a bit small? Have some bigger flowers around there, it creates a flattering illusion.

There is just on thing that is better than being right, and that is being first (or before Elle in this matter). Without telling you, I have been enjoying both the June and July issue lately, and in the July issue they have piece about the hottest new labels around this summer. Alongside their report on Zadig & Voltaire (oh, so hot!) and Alexander Wang T (A.W giving laidback a new meaning), to mention some, I found my beloved Sandro. Extremely happy to see the French, Parisian chic brand getting the notion it deserves, just remember, you saw it here first!

I have finally seen SATC 2, I am promising you to give a review on my views on the fashion very soon. But for now: Dior has really taken product placement in movies into a new level. I never thought I would say that there is such a thing as too much Dior, but you know what? It actually is.

I am very happy to tell you that I am visiting my beloved boutique for a little "guest appearance" in week 25. I am very excited about being able to spend an entire week working with and surrounded by my favourite objects and people; beutiful clothes and those who appreciate them. So come by His & Hers boutique (Gjøvik, Norway) 21-26th of June, I am sure you still need a couple of items to complete your Summer wardrobe?

Fashion formula

I believe that a woman’s wardrobe always should include certain things, such as the perfect jeans that make you feel great every time you wear it and the little black dress. I think that some pieces will last for several years, even a lifetime, and other pieces will only be worn once. This is why I never follow trends slavishly, but rather try to buy classical items of good quality. However, I love shopping, and like most girls I find it really hard to resist buying a thing or two (read a 100) when a new collection arrive in the store. To me fashion is essential, but not just because I enjoy buying and wearing clothes, but because I am intrigued with the way an outfit change the way a person feels and perceive themselves. Working in fashion, I have seen miserable and grey women walk in to the store, transforming into radiant and happy ladies by the time they have tried on their second outfit. Women shop to feel better, and fashion is all about beautiful things and feelings.

My second passionate view about fashion is that we have to become more critical about what we buy, and how much we buy. As climate change and environmental problems escalates by the minute, we have to be sensible shoppers, and contribute in the small way a fashionista can. So my pledge is to try, as far as I can, to buy good quality products that last longer, buy organic cotton and other natural garments like silk and wool, try not to buy too much polyester and recycle the clothes I no longer use.

I have created a list over the absolute necessities a woman should have in her wardrobe, this list has been proven helpful for me in the past (especially when dressing up and selling clothes to others), and I hope it will inspire you as well:

1. The perfect jeans. It is always incredible hard to find the perfect jeans, so when you find one, always buy two. Preferably in different colours, one dark and one light.

2. The little black dress that makes you feel good and ready to shine, even the days you feel like a mess and would prefer staying in bed eating Ben and Jerry’s.

3. The fabulous colourful dress that makes you feel even more gorgeous those days you already feel great.

4. The simple, fitted, white T-shirt. You can wear it together with a jeans, or whatever that suits your mood. It is so simple, but can be oh so sexy.

5. A grey or a black fitted blazer. For those days you want to power dress, or you just want to style up your jeans.

This should be the backbone of every wardrobe. So if you have these things, do you really need to buy the whole Top Shop summer collection? :)