Saving the world, one second-hand skirt at a time...

I'm very fond of second-hand shops. In fact, nowadays I do most of my shopping at fleamarkets and charity shops - for several reasons. Price is of course one. Yet, the unpredictability of these places also really pleases me. Of course, if you're looking for something particular, then a round of the fleamarkets begins to resemble regular shopping - which isn't much fun in my experience. However, if you can keep your mind and eyes open, most of the time you can spot some treasures.

There are a few second-hand lovelies in the picture above - some of which are my mother's old possessions (her Afghan mat and old living room table). The yellow mirror I found last Saturday - I've been looking for one of those for some time now. This one cost 10 €. The flowery thing in the mirror is another secondhand find - a vintage lamp I bought a few years back. 

As you can see, I'm very pleased with my other two finds: a beautiful blue blouse (2 €), and a purple Vila skirt (4€). I seem to have a particular knack for finding secondhand Vila skirts in exactly my size. This might become a problem, as I'm already running out of cupboard space. 

On an altogether unrelated note, I began my Italian studies today. It's been a while since I've sat in a classroom and actually repeated phrases after the teacher. I loved every minute of it! I just hope my newfound motivation will carry me through October and November as well. 

But next week, I'm going to England for a few days. Will probably gush about it later.

Oi!, or, A Horrible Interlude

So the summer holidays are over, and I'm back at the drawing board, trying to finish the last draft of my PhD. Yet, I've got my eye on next summer already - mainly because next year's SHS costume party has a rococo theme, and that requires quite a bit of research. 

Luckily, there's always the Horrible Histories team to turn to: 

This is how I would have liked to learn history at school. Fortunately, it's never too late to brush up on important historical events - or, for example, the kings and queens of England: 

Although the HH people are a bit selective when it comes to exploding historical myths (the death of Nelson, for example), sometimes they do a very charming job of it, indeed:

Alma Mater

I've been studying at the University of Jyväskylä for almost ten years now, but until today I hadn't taken a single picture of our campus. I've meant to, many times, particularly in the autumn, but somehow my camera has always remained at home. Today, I finally decided to remedy this scandalous state of affairs, and spent a lovely hour walking in the oldest part of the Seminaarinmäki campus, dodging nervous entrance exam-goers. 

The building above is Parviaisen talo, in which our Contemporary Culture department was housed for a brief time - until it turned out that mould had taken over the house (despite, or because of, the recent renovations).

Most of us arts & culture people are now crammed into Juomatehdas - an old lemonade factory, which still retains its solid but bubbly atmosphere of old. 

A knit-graffiti attack! I've seen similiar artwork inside Juomatehdas, but these ones are quite new. 

 Seminarium is one of the oldest buildings on campus (completed in 1883). In the 19th century, it used to be one of the most visible buildings in the city, looming on its high hill. Nowadays it lurks amid some tall pines, and is quite easy to miss. 

Oppio and the Gardener's House are also among the older generation of buildings. 

The Main Building (here pictured from the back, which I've always thought to be more interesting than the front) was designed by Alvar Aalto. While tourists marvel at its bold modernity, we students have to put up with its unpractical quirks (echoing, red brick-clad walls, uncomfortable furniture, and unpredictable dimensions. The ladies' toilet on the ground floor is well worth a visit for this reason.)

Although I don't appreciate Mr Aalto's architecture (or his wonky vases) as much as I perhaps should, I have to admit that on a sunny summer's day even the main building looks fresh and appealing. Also the grassy roof of the library is an excellent place for sunbathing.

Alive and Flapping

As I predicted, it's been rather quiet here for a couple of months. With the third SHS party only a few weeks away, it's time to get back in the blogging business - and what better way to do it than by looking at some lovely ladies from the 1920s. 

Louise Brooks (above, click to enlarge) is by far one of my favourites flappers; there is something very elegant and at the same time something very outrageous about her. 

I don't know all that much about Evelyn Brent, but I like her hat, and her haughty expression. Wikipedia tells me that Brent was at one time married to Harry Fox, who gave his name to foxtrot. Live and learn. 

Norma Talmadge was a superstar of the silent film era. I love her dress and the pearls. 

I don't know who this girl is, but there is something captivating about the simple elegance of the photograph. Makes me wish I had shorter hair so that I could try to duplicate that do.

Mary Eaton was a popular dancer and actress, who appeared alongside the Marx Brothers in The Cocoanuts...

 ...as did the Brox Sisters.

Fanny Brice was a comedienne, and later an inspiration for Funny Girl.

Karla Gutchrlein was one half of the Sisters G - and incredibly cool. 

Josephine Baker didn't believe in wearing very much, but she also lived a fascinating life. Bring on the banana miniskirt!

And finally, a reminder that although not all 20s women were young and glamorous, they sure knew how to have a good time. If I didn't already have suitably jazzy shoes for our speakeasy party, I'd be seriously considering a pair of boots big enough to slip a bottle of whisky in.

(Source: All pictures are from Wikimedia Commons)

Hiatus, and a Hat

It's been rather quiet here recently, and probably will be rather quiet for some time yet - at least until I've ploughed through the pile of work I'm under right now, and had a proper holiday. 

But until then, you can admire my new spring hat, which I trimmed yesterday and am rather proud of. The hat itself cost 2 euros, and was much uglier with a wide, turn-up rim. So I took my scissors, some ribbon I've had in my cupboard for about ten years now, and a few bits and bobs I've been saving for a project like this - and voilá: a 20's style cloche hat. 

I know Bessie Smith preferred much more outrageous headwear (notably the one which looks like a lampshade), but as she's my favourite 20's blues singer, I'll let her accompany my new hat. 

Sunfaraa!

As I mentioned in my last post, my second trip to Kokkola was done with a specific goal in mind: in addition to finishing the literature course I'd started in December, I was on a mission to locate an English rowboat. 

And not just any old rowboat: the one the good people of Kokkola captured from the Royal Navy in 1854 (in a battle known as the Skirmish of Halkokari), and haven't given back to the Brits despite several kind requests.  It's very easy to miss in its little anonymous, snow-surrounded cottage at the edge of the English Park - and it's not all that impressive as far as trophies of war go. But there it is.

The city was lovely this time around as well, despite the skull-cracking ice and the persistent rain. This gave me a good opportunity to visit several museums and art galleries, - including one situated in Pedagogio, the oldest non-religious building in Finland (in the top picture) - and to see an impressive collection of minerals and stuffed animals (not my cup of tea, really -  but hey, it was free and extremely educational).

I also noticed that I'm turning into a stereotypical academic tourist - one who likes to look at obscure paintings and visit one old house after another, all the while trying to think of something clever to say to the curator on the way out.  Then, once I'm home, I can deftly deconstruct my experiences with a hint of postmodern cynicism. 

Which might be the only use I'll ever have for my degree in Contemporary Culture.  

The wonders of the west coast

It's been a busy past few weeks. In addition to trying to finish my PhD, I've also been teaching a couple of courses - one of them some 400 kms from where I live. It was great fun, though, to get an opportunity to take a train to a completely unknown city, stay the night at a fine hotel, talk about literature to  bunch of motivated students, and spend the rest of the time walking around the old part of the city with my mouth hanging slightly open. I hadn't quite realised the Neristan in  Kokkola was quite as amazing as that.

Unfortunately, my camera froze on me (again), so I got very few pictures that are actually in focus. Perhaps better this way - otherwise I would have snapped photos of each and every house and perhaps embarrassed myself in the process. 

Looking forward to going back in January. Then I'm planning to finally lay eyes on the famous gunboat which was captured from the British during the Crimean war, and which the brits have been very eager to get back ever since.  SHS is already planning a re-enactment of the impressive battle in which such a prize landed in Finnish hands.