Meeting with Jan Berglin

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Today we went to the great Swedish Book Fair, held at Svenska Mässan i Göteborg. There among about one million visitors were indeed a few highlights. At the Kartago Publishing Company’s booth we met with the well known Swedish cartoonist Jan Berglin. He is one of the driest, most academic authors to have ever drawn a comic cartoon. Here is a picture of Jan Berglin at the Kartago Publishing house booth, signing his latest book.

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Funnily enough I think he looks like what he draws.

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JE in queue to meet Jan Berglin. A bright, happy kid is all I see! Pretty much as any eight year old kid queing up to hand over his wishing list to Santa. David, JE’s son who is standing behind JE was also there.

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We couldn’t really help asking about his style, of mixing philosophy and quotations from our traditional literary heritage, with humor. As expected he just smiled and explained

I guess that’s me. I try to put a lid on it but I can’t really help who I am.

I figure that’s the way to do it. Just be yourself.

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Photo by David.

And Berglin’s autograph.

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V&A London – The golden age of couture …

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In an article called Modets guldålder i focus, the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter today announced that the Victoria & Albert (V&A) Museum in London will open their exhibition on fifties couture this weekend, entitled “The golden age of couture. Paris and London 1947 – 1957”.

The post war years of the 1950s presented an opportunity for women to get out of the factories and back to their domain of family and home. It was an era that celebrated the woman and her femininity, affording her time and luxury to be beautiful again. One can expect this exhibition to showcase some excellent collections from leading designers of the time and should therefore not be missed. Continue reading “V&A London – The golden age of couture …” →

Trust your eyes when buying a diamond

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A light yellow, old cushion cut diamond with a large culet, weighing ca. 1.9 cts.

When I first got interested in diamonds, I started like everyone else on the 5Cs of a diamond – its cut, clarity, colour, carat weight and certificate.

Questions like, which of these Cs are more important if you’re working on a budget was also part of the learning process and a practical question to consider when buying a diamond. And for the longest time, I could not weigh the importance of either of the Cs with each other. I wanted all of them in my stone ranked as high as possible, meaning I wanted best colour, best cut, best clarity, biggest carat and most definitely certified, in the budget!
Continue reading “Trust your eyes when buying a diamond” →

Light reflections from a simple blue topaz ring

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The main purpose of a diamond or a gemstone is to sparkle. And by doing so, it brings joy not only to its wearer but to those who look at it.

It is no doubt that the harder the consistency of the stone, the more fire and brilliance it exudes, which is why diamonds are the stones with the most fire, followed by cubic zirconia and sapphires.

But here are some pictures I took of a simple blue topaz ring that I used to own, set in filigree platina.

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The pictures were taken in natural daylight. I’m absolutely amazed at how the blue light literally spills out onto its surrounding.

For a simple blue topaz that is cut right, I think this stone performs very well indeed.

Miu Miu studded detail heels

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Miu Miu shoes

In the previous post, where I was wearing the Grey Miu Miu coat, I wore these shoes.

There’s a pair of shoes that you can see in the previous picture that I’m trying out with the grey coat – a red and black patent leather and snake skin heeled shoe.

There are many interesting details in this shoe – almost overwhelming in detail actually from:

  • the petal open toe front
  • the black patent
  • the contrast red patent
  • the snake skin print along the sides
  • the duo tone fading from red to black and black to red
  • the studded heel
  • the shape of the heel from thick to thin, not like a standard stiletto or a chunky stacked heel.

I was almost considering going for this pair of shoes but after some more thinking some I decided there is such a things as too overwhelming by details and struck it off the list to my husband’s dismay. He loved these shoes!

Check out the Miu Miu flats in the background, worn by the very helpful and patient sales girl. Now those ballerinas are CUTE!

Miu Miu coat in grey

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Miu Miu grey

My third and last try at a Miu Miu Autumn 2007 coat in grey. Not a colour I want – I have too many dark coloured coats in my wardrobe already. But I thought heck, I’m there, I can actually have my hands on something and it might, just might work on me.

This coat was double breasted and very warm. But again, too boxy at the shoulders, that gave me a very “square” look from the front.

There were pockets in the front to keep the hands warm and I did like the way the skirted part of the coat moved when I walked.

Still, I thought the material was too heavy for my frame, so I passed on that based on colour and design actually!

Here’s another shot of the coat…

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In this picture, you can see what I mean when I say that the coat is too heavy for my frame and too boxy in the front.

The pleated details of the skirted part is great though. And I do again, like the girlie look of this coat. But at that price, as all Miu Miu coats are, I think I’d expect more from this coat. It needs to make me look better!

It did however, look gorgeous if I wore it open. On the other hand again, I won’t be able to walk around with an open coat in the Swedish winter. So it was a sad departure for me from the Miu Miu store in London.

(Photos taken with a Sony Ericsson 810i mobile phone)

That RED Miu Miu Coat

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Still in London, Bond Street…

I spotted Miu Miu just across the street, somewhere down from Pringle of Scotland. I’ve been looking for a red coat FOREVER – literally, a few years now. And I’ve been eyeing THIS schoolgirl kickpleat red coat from Miu Miu.

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The entire Miu Miu autumn collection was inspired by school uniforms and I thought it ideal! I love girly lolita style clothes and school uniform inspired items suited me perfect!

I donned this coat with enthusiasm, only to find that again, it was too large. It was in size IT 38! Which was indeed the smallest they had.

I began to realize that this was not my day indeed. I was truly disappointed here too because first, I love Italian made clothes and second, Italian sizes are what actually FIT ME in Europe. They are all I ever go for when shopping in Sweden because all other cuttings are just that wee bit too large. I think you can see my disappointment in my eyes in the mirror.

A practical consideration. I noticed that the sleeves on this coat did not cover my wrists. This means that it’ll be a cold coat. I do like coats that have a longer sleeve length because I can just pull it that extra bit over my gloves during winter for that extra bit of needed warmth.

And I thought I could’ve worn them with these Miu Mius I have. Disappointing.

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