Beautiful Apartment in Amsterdam

Last February Hertta & I travelled to Amsterdam to visit my old and dear friend Maikki. Maikki studied Fashion Merchandise Management in London and is currently working in Amsterdam. It was quite difficult to find an apartment to rent in Amsterdam so Maikki decided to buy one at the Oud-West area.

At the moment I am again in Amsterdam and staying with Maikki for three weeks.

I just fell in love with Maikki's apartment and I see why she ended up buying this one. The building is really narrow as they are in Holland. The house was built in 1906. There are four apartments in this building.

Art on the wall by Pilvi Takala.

There are 57 m² that covers two bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining room and a living room. Top it all off there are two balconies and big windows.

I remember Maikki had a great sense for style and interior decorations when we were younger. Her first apartment in Töölö was unique and characteristic. Then she moved to London, there I never went to visit her but when she moved to Zürich for work I stayed with her. Her apartment was beautiful and she had the same Marimekko curtains Carrie Bradshaw had in her apartment in Sex and the City. But this apartment in Amsterdam is way more nicer than the ones before. She also lived in Hong Kong but there I never visited (though we went to Kuala Lumpur together at that time).

I still have 1,5 weeks to enjoy this beautiful apartment and the lovely company of Maikki. Oh, and I also just love Amsterdam, I could see myself living in here.

More Amsterdam pictures on Instagram #tlhamsterdam.

Hazy Days - Second Hand Fashion Boutique

Hazy Days -putiikki, Kierrätettyä muotia - Suomenkielinen tiivistelmä löytyy lopusta.

Hazy Days is a second hand fashion boutique and online store based in Helsinki.

Hazy Days is run by Carolina Kavanterä, who was born in 1982 and has been a second hand clothing enthusiast ever since her childhood. "There was more magic in my big sister's old worn out Levi's jeans than the brand new ones" she says.

Carolina has been collecting vintage and second hand clothing for years and when her collection was getting too big for her wardrobe, she decided to start an online shop in 2011. A year later Carolina opened her first boutique, “Arizona Vintage” in Kruununhaka, Helsinki, which was soon followed by Hazy Days that first started at Jääkärinkatu and now operates at Korkeavuorenkatu (untill the end of February 2015).

Two weeks ago Marina & I went to visit Carolina's boutique and she styled me with three beautiful outfits. I ended up buying one of the dresses as I fell in love with it.

The vision of Hazy Days is to tackle the culture of quickly disposable, poor quality clothes and to offer people good quality second hand clothing and a more ecological way to dress.

Carolina's way of styling is bold. I would never have had the courage to choose these boots to match with this dress.

I fell in love with this Japanese dress. I am waiting for the summer to wear it.

This necklace is made by Carolina Kavanterä.

Hazy Days’ range consists of clothes acquired from flea markets and second hand and vintage stores in Helsinki, Los Angeles, Paris, New York, Tokyo and around the world. Some items are from Hazy Days' customers who have brought their used designer and brand goods for sale.

Hazy Days has been my favourite second hand shop in Helsinki as I like to wear second hand clothing more than the new ones.

Me and Carolina Instagramming at the Hazy Days boutique.

Hazy Days
Korkeavuorenkatu 2 b, inner courtyard (until the end of February 2015)
Ullanlinna, Helsinki
hazydays.bigcartel.com
Hazy Days Facebook Page

Hanna Sarén's atelier operates at the same location.

Photo © Marina Ekroos

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Hazy Days -putiikki - Kierrätettyä muotia

Hazy Days on second hand ja vintage-vaatteita myyvä putiikki ja verkkokauppa Helsingissä. Hazy Daysiä pyörittää kolmekymppinen Carolina Kavanterä. Carolinan ideologia on tarjota laadukkaita kierrätettyjä vaatteita, joita hän tuunaa ajankohtaisten trendien inspiroimana. Kävimme pari viikkoa sitten Marinan kanssa Carolinan putiikissa ja hän stailasi minulle kolme asukokonaisuutta. Rakastuin japanilaistyyppiseen mekkoon niin paljon, että ostin sen varastoon ensi kesää ajatellen.

Hazy Days
Korkeavuorenkatu 2 b, sisäpiha (helmikuun 2015 loppuun saakka)
Ullanllinna, Helsinki
hazydays.bigcartel.com

Hanna Sarénin ateljee löytyy samasta osoitteesta.

Kuvat © Marina Ekroos

Today's Outfit from the Concrete Prairie

Today I was wearing Samuji dress, COS jacket, Kenzo bag and Vagabond shoes. All bought second hand but the shoes and the pantyhose. My colleague at work said that the dress is Little House on the Prairie style. I guess it kinda is. Though I always thought that Laura Ingalls was somewhat boring, this dress definitely is not!

iPhone Photo © Minna Kurjenluoma

Tomorrow I am going to try Nike sneakers my friend is selling. Let's hope they'll fit me!

Wanna read more about my love for second hand clothing? Click here!

Home Flea Market is the New Black

As a culinarist I spend all my money on food, wine, eating out and travelling. So I really don't have much left to buy beautiful clothes and shoes not to mention expensive bags.

But I love beautiful outfits and quality materials! To save money I usually I shop at sale and at flea markets. Recently I have been really happy to discover that the flea markets held at home are quite popular now-a-days. I realized I have found really special outfits that used to belong to my friends. And I have saved a lot of time and money by this!

My talented little brother Matti Keski-Kohtamäki is an extraordinary photographer so of course I had to take advantage of him. He was kind to take these outfit photos of me wearing clothes I have bought from my friends or at flea markets and second hand shops.

I bought this scarf from Maria and the shirt (COS) from Voula.

I bought this scarf and shirt (Pierre Balmain) from Maria, leggings and shoes (both Zara) from Voula.

This jacket (Weekday) I bought from sale.

This silk shirt (Paul & Joe) used to belong to Päivi. These trousers (Marimekko) and the bag (vintage) I bough from Voula. Hertta from Vaatelainaamo gave me these colorful flower socks. Shoes (Adidas) I found from a flea market. This Pelago Brooklyn bicycle was sold as a special offer when Pelago opened their shop in Kalevankatu.

This scarf (Global) used to be Voula's and the dress (Samuji) I bought from Maria.

I used to borrow this shirt (Acne) from my friend Hertta. Finally she sold it to me. Jeans (COS), belt (Tiger of Sweden) and shoes (Toms) from sale.

“Home flea markets really are the new black.”

— Eeva Kolu, Restaurant Day, 17 August 2014

Shirt used to belong to Maria. The bag (Kenzo) is from a second hand shop (Olkkari), second hand shorts from Berlin. The shoes (Robert Clergerie) I have borrowed from Maria and she is considering to sell them for me.

Haircut by Mikko Huttunen / The Lounge. The black ring used to belong to Voula. Swatch (Orient) I bought in Kuala Lumpur.

I bought this blouse (Zara) from Voula and the silk shirt is from a second hand shop (Hazy Days). Jewelry I bought with a "friend discount" from my talented designer friend Jaana / Pioni Design. 

This shirt is from a flea market. Shoes, leggings and ring used to belong to Voula.

Marrakesh in my mind.

Photos © Matti Keski-Kohtamäki / mattikk.net

If you wish to see more fashion photos visit Matti's fashion blog matti.photography.

HOT TIP: Remember mine and Tuija's flea market at my inner yard on Siivouspäivä Saturday 30 August! Come and see how lucky you are finding new jewels into your closet. Check out the facts from here and here.