Vintage & second hand: A rather dull skirt

Some time ago I bought a long, black and floral skirt. It looked quite boring to be honest, but it was the right size and made of a very comfy and soft rayon fabric. It was only a couple of euros and I thought it could (at least) be worn with a singlet or tank top and a pair of sandals during the summer. Just by a coincidence I found a vintage silk scarf with a very similar pattern. By combining the skirt and scarf with also a black cardigan, a belt and why not a brooch from the 1950´s, I think this skirt works fine for just any occasion! So, don´t judge a piece just by how it looks on the hanger, try it on, try to imagine how you can combine and style the garment. Doing so you might find real bargains that work very well with and can create new styles together with the pieces you already have in your wardrobe.  

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Vintage in Barcelona: Clothes by the kilo

Like in some other European cities, you can by your secondhand garments by the kilo in Barcelona. The concept has been introduced in Spain by Flamingo Vintage Kilo. There are several stores in the city center and one can also find a Flamingo vintage barber shop.

Vintage in Barcelona: Sweet Susiedress Pop-up Market

On Sunday I went to a very nice vintage market in Gràcia. SusiSweetdress organizes seasonel PopUp-markets in Barcelona and other cities in Spain during the year. The team presents an "innovative concept of selling vintage dresses, own designs and accessories" and that´s what they do. They fix, renovate and upgrade garments as well as create new retro-inspired designs.  Clothes and inspiration are searched for during trips to other countries. The market was well worth visiting, alot to choose from in a wide range of sizes. There were also childrens activities, free drinks and snacks and other happenings at the market. Next ones in Barcelona will be in June and October, check their website for dates and more info on markets in other cities in Spain.  (Scroll down for more pictures)

 

My PhD: A research visit to Barcelona

I am currently a member of the Swedish National graduate school of historical studies. The research school provides a lot of great possibilities for international exchange and I have been lucky enough to receive a travel grant, which allows me to spend a few weeks abroad at a university of my own choice. One of the places I really wanted to go to was the University of Barcelona, where a certain professor who is working on the history of archaeology is affiliated. She has great experience of digging into archive material, and is/was the supervisor of several PhD candidates working on heritage issues and related areas. I was therefore of course very grateful when I got accepted as a guest researcher.  At this point I am almost halfway through my studies and this is a very good time to discuss and review research questions, methodology and different problems. 

So, what does it mean to be a guest PhD student/researcher? It is very much up to you and your so-called sponsor, in this case the above-mentioned kind professor.  I will take the opportunity to discuss as much as possible with her about certain aspects on theory and methodology, but also about my thesis topic in general and about her work. I am also planning to get a decent number of pages written. Being away from the normal curriculum as well as meetings and seminars at my home department will be a perfect opportunity to do some really contcentrated work., I hope... I will also ge to meet other PhD students and have the possibility to attend open lectures. I feel very welcome here, and I have daily contact with both the professor and another PhD candidate who has been helping me to settle in and feel at home. In addition I will take the chance to enjoy museums, archaeological sites and exhibitions, as well getting to know the fantastic city of Barcelona a bit better!

The university

Vintage och 2nd-hand i Barcelona

I Barcelona finns det sannerligen gott om vintage- och secondhand-butiker! 

Längs Caller del Tallers och till denna angränsande gator ligger -förutom fina bagerier- ett stort antal butiker med secondhand-plagg i fint skick. Flera av affärerna har ganska höga priser, som inte är helt motiverade om ni frågar mig, men ett par av dem har en riktigt överkomlig prisbild. Bland dem kan nämnas V V på nr 23. 
Det var turligt nog den första butiken jag råkade gå in i härom kvällen, och också den enda där jag köpte något. Kan helt klart rekommenderas!
 

Farliga Gamlestan'!

Det är farligt att bo i Gamlestaden! I alla fall för den som tycker om att handla i secondhand- och antikaffärer. Idag gick vi bara till en av butikerna, Holmens marknad. Söker egentligen efter ganska specifika saker just nu; köksstolar och lampor, men det är svårt att låta bli att titta runt efter andra potentiella fina fynd. Mycket riktigt, det blev affär idag med... Riktiga fynd! Holmens ger dessutom 10% rabatt om man har studentkort, så efter avdragen sådan kom jag hem en dryg 50-lapp fattigare med följande plagg i påsen:

1. En ljus uppsydd/hemmasydd blus med tydliga 40-talsvibbar, men kanske troligare sydd på 70-talet. 

2. En prickig blus från Gulins, made in U.K., också den med en viss 40- eller 50-talskänsla, möjligen tillverkad på 80-talet. Knapparna är olika och ser ut att ha bytts ut pö om pö, och jag tror det får bli en tur till Knapp-Carlsson för att se om det går att finna några fina knappar att byta till för att ge plagget ännu mer av 1940-talsstil. 

3. Det verkliga fyndet! En italiensk sjal av 100% siden och i nyskick! 

Söndagens fynd från Holmens marknad