Moscow Goes Vintage - Flea Market at the Museum of Moscow History

I'm back after a long summer break with some fun pics to share with you. As always, I spent part of the summer in Moscow and had the pleasure of attending a couple really great events.

One of them was the Flea Market at the Museum of History of Moscow (unfortunately their page is only in Russian, so I'm linking to their wiki). Moscow doesn't seem to be as big on vintage and second hand as, say, Helsinki, but it's clearly getting there. It was very crowded.

My sister's friends have a vintage photo studio ШИПР (pronounced 'shipr') and they often attend events like this one with their old-timey camera.

And they don't just take your picture, you can also get to see how it's developed. Hint, it involves dipping the photo paper into many different liquids.    

But the results are quite stunning. 

I have to say, I love the look and feel of the photo. Unfortunately,the camera is very sensitive to movement. The slight blur on our skirts is a tiniest gust of wind. 

Since I got all dressed up just to take this photo, I will do the obligatory outfit run-down. (Every other blogger is  doing it, so I want to do it, too)   

  

Dress: '90s masquerading as '40s 

Shoes: borrowed from my grandma

Earrings & necklace: '60s vintage (a gift from my grandma)

My partner in this photo is a lovely statue of an early 20th century flaneur. The gentleman is very sharp dresser and quite clearly out and about to see and be seen. I feel like we make a very good pair.  

There were a lot of lovely dresses at the market, but I couldn't find anything that would really be my style (nothing within my price range, at least). But I did find a few things: 

 

A book on household management from 1958 proved to be a treasure trove of recipes, dress patterns and useful advice about cleaning fabrics, embroidering and gardening. I tried a recipe for beef stroganoff and love, love, LOVED  it!     

My other find was this cute little box of cake mascara, probably from the 1960s. I really want to start collecting vintage make-up and this is the first item for my collection. 

I got so inspired by my exposure to all this Soviet vintage, I felt I wanted one more thing. So I got a bottle of Moscou Rouge (aka Krasnaya Moskva) perfume. I am so in love with its scent. It very, very strong and so it has to be dealt out with a lot of care, but it has a strange otherworldly mystique to it. It reminds me of something past and half-forgotten. If you like vintage scents, I can't recommend it enough.             

Vintage Swimsuits that Dreams are Made of

As the swimsuit season approaches (in our Northern climate slower than in other places) Gemma from Retro Chick blog together with Bettylicious has organized a very timely giveaway.

My goal this summer is to look like Bettie Page, so I am very much in awe of everything Bettylicious has to offer. The rules of the giveaway are very simple: follow Retro Chick and Bettylicious on social media, write about them and you have a chance to win one of the gorgeous vintage-inspired swimsuits.

I have my eye on these three lovely pieces.

 

Polka dots white and red (Source)

I just love polka dots. It's cute and sexy all at the same time. 

Leopard print (Source)

When out at the beach on a hot summer day I like to channel a bit of Sheena, Queen of the Jungle.   

Sultry red (Source)

A lady is always stylish in red. A big hat, dark sunglasses and this little red number, and you feel like you're in an old spy thriller.  

I leave you today with some lovely vintage swimsuits.

Sheena, Queen of the Jungle (Source)

(Source)

Bettie Page on a Florida beach, by Bunny Yeager, 1954. (Source)

(Source)

Spring Wishlist or All the Things I want Right Now

Why, oh why, are there so many beautiful things out there? What a source of temptation! What is a lady to do but to sigh over them all.

Sadly, my financial situation doesn't permit me to spend any money on anything. But that doesn't mean I can't window shop and then share these finds here.

Navy Sailor Bathing Suit

via Recollections 

Forget bikinis and faux vintage bathing suits, this is the perfect beachwear for me. The outfit is a late 19th century bathing costume in navy blue cotton. I live right next to a beach, but our northern sea is usually too cold for swimming. But I love lounging or strolling the shoreline on a warm summer day. And this is what I'd want to to wear.    

Antoinette 18th Century Mules in Blue 

via American Duchess Historical Footwear

Oh, American Duchess, how adore everything you make! I wish I could step out in a pair of these light blue little Georgian slippers next time I go out for lunch with some friends. I adore the silver embroidery on these babies.       

Clocked Silk Stockings in White 

via American Duchess Historical Footwear

And speaking of American Duchess, these clocked silk stocking are to die for. I've been eyeing them for a while now and as soon as I have some spare coins in my purse, I am ordering me a pair. Stockings are wonderful for late spring, they provide you with just enough coverage to keep you warm, but make every outfit super cute and flirty.      

Rock 'N Rose Harriet Strawberries Floral Crown 

via ASOS

Floral crowns are always fun for both day-wear and party outfits. But add some strawberries to them and I am sure to go wild. I just want to wear this with a white cotton dress, eat strawberries and pretend I'm a garden fairy.   

Good Enough to Eat Dress 

via ModCloth

And speaking of eating, I am a huge fan of junk food. Milkshakes and burgers are my vice of choice, so I feel this dress was designed especially for me. This is the outfit I need to go to a street fair, do a bit of shopping and grab myself a hot dog.     

White Petticoat 

via Olivia Rouge

I need a petticoat. I just do. I have all these dresses with circle skirts, and no petticoat. I really love Olivia Rouge shop, and I already have a cute vintage print Bambi skirt from them. And they are conveniently located in a town close by.      

Red and Pastel Petal Globe Bow Necklaces 

via TinyAttic

There's just something tragically poetic about rose petals trapped in a glass sphere. It makes me both sad and delighted at the same time. It is all too possible that I have been reading too many novels and acquired a high degree of sentimentality. Still these necklaces would add a lovely Victorian touch to one's everyday outfit.     

Art Nouveau Velvet Kimono Jacket 

via She Vamps

And from Victorian to early 20th century, this sumptuous velvet kimono wrap is all I ever want in my clothes. It's gorgeous, ostentatious and can keep you warm in unpredictable Finnish spring weather. I am certainly enamored with every single piece by She Vamps.   

Frozen Yogurt and Handmade Goodness

Last weekend some friends of mine from Finland Handcrafters Team and I had a Pop Up Shop in honor of Mother's Day (which is this Sunday, so remember to call Mum). The shop popped up, so to speak, in a cool little place called Yobot Frozen Yogurt. It does, in fact, sell frozen yogurt, which is very good.     

We had a table all to ourselves where we displayed an array of handcrafted beauties for every taste and budget.  

That's me there, doing some selling.  

And, yes, we really did have something for everyone. For the booklovers Game of Thrones jewelry from Looney Dimitra Crafts.   

Quirky and cute button earrings from InkaFinland.

Fuzzy buddies from The Sun and The Turtle and bright and happy kid pillows from Namia Designs.  

Home and hearth from Kotona. 

And, finally, my  own frilly and romantic concoctions.   

If you've missed the Yobot Pop Up, don't despair. You can find all of these lovely things on Etsy. Mother's Day is just a few days away and why not special order something very special for your Mum?  

Prep Work for my First Pop Up Shop

I don't have much time to blog this week, mostly due to various deadlines, but also because I've been quite busy getting ready for my first Pop Up shop with some lovely people from Finland Handcarfters Team.

The venue is this really cool (pun intended) little Frozen Yogurt place called YoBot. So if you're in Helsinki this upcoming weekend,  then come and check us out. Since Mother's Day is coming up, this could be a great opportunity to find some cool and throutghful gifts for your Mum. 

   

Pre-Raphaelite Summer Photo Shoot

Last summer some friends of mine and I thought it would be fun to go out and do some random photo shoot. The subject matter was chosen, and we decided to take inspiration from Pre-Raphaelite paintings. Good thing we're all from a theater group, so putting on costumes and going out in public was very natural for us. The photos were all taken by our good friend from KUVALIBRE photo blog.  

Some painting we tried to recreate as faithfully as possible.  

Ophelia by John William Waterhouse, 1889 (Source)

via KUVALIBRE

Romeo and Juliet by Ford Madox Brown, 1870 (Source)

via KUVALIBRE

Olivia by Edmund Blair Leighton, 1888 (Source)

via KUVALIBRE

Beata Beatrix by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1864-1870 (Source)

via KUVALIBRE

The Little Foot Page by Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale, 1905 (Source)

via KUVALIBRE

The Vale of Rest by John Everett Millais,1858-9 (Source)

via KUVALIBRE

April Love by Arthur Hughes, 1855-6 (Source)

via KUVALIBRE

With others we took some artistic liberties.  

The Mirror of Venus by Edward Burne-Jones, 1875 (Source)

via KUVALIBRE

The Beloved or The Bride by Dante Gabriel Rossetti,1865-66 (Source)

via KUVALIBRE

I am half-sick of shadows, said the Lady of Shalott by John William Waterhouse, 1915 (Source)

via KUVALIBRE

And, of course, we took some photos of 'stunners', which I think the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood would have approved. 

via KUVALIBRE

via KUVALIBRE

via KUVALIBRE

There were so many photos that I had to leave out quite a few. But you can see them all here. 

Please remember, these pictures do not belong to me, and if you would like to re-post them make sure to credit the photographer: KUVALIBRE.