My kind of day

Today I got a visit from Sofie and her two pugs; Nova & Mumma. I adore them!

you gotta sit down and take a deep breath before play time

then you gotta find your buddy

there was some fighting

some meddling from 'mom'

..and then some pouting..

Furry baby

Marley, the cutest thing to ever walk on four legs.

I spot spotify

There are three things that have improved my quality of life in the past few years, and they're spelled: iPhone, facebook and spotify.

Now for all you other spotify users out there I want to share my favorite playlists of the moment:

Funk / soul / disco

Motown, northern soul och sånt

New chill & warm sunset sounds

And, of course, Emma Loca's very own compliation of the best of the best! Get it here.

The more the merrier

I created this facebook event for the shop's anniversary/summer party and started sending out invitations to friends and customers. I think I got a bit over-excited because when I was all done I realized I had just invited over a hundred guests. Oops.
And I promised food and wine to all. Double-oops.

So far 12 people have declined and 31 RVSP'd as attending. This could be insane, or insanely amazing. Let's hope for the latter.

Song of the day: Live long

Today has been a cold and rainy day, and this song always fits that mood perfectly.

Had the sweetest moment here a while ago. I heard some whispering by the entrance, saying like 'yes it's here, i know we're right. the dog's here. let's go in and ask.'
These two older ladies from the south os Sweden walk in and ask if I have a dog here. Yes - I say - he's right here.
So they step up front and start to cuddle with Marley while telling me that they've been visiting the shop once a year, everytime they come to Stockholm, just to pet him because he's their favorite dog in the whole wide world. Naw! That's like the cutest thing I've ever heard!

It breaks my heart just thinking that next year they'll be back and we won't be here.. But let's not get too nostalgic just yet. There'll be plenty of time for that later on.

Miss Moneypenny

I've been walking around with a sore shoulder from the weight of my handbag for a while now.Today I decided to see what's been weighing me down.
I found (amongst other things);
34 Swedish kronor45 Mexican pesos116 American cents2 British pounds58 Euro centsIN SMALL COINS
No wonder my wallet's been heavy as hell. I'm carrying the entire Swedish reserve of foreign currency in it!

This just in

Azalea long dress, 399 kr

Also available in a lighter, dusty beige color combo

Song of the day: Fireworks (NOT Katy Perry's)

The riff at 1:53 is one of my all-time faves.

Love love love TWBA

Patience is just another word for getting old.
Resolution's just as impossible as letting go.

PS. The blogger website has been down, therefore the lack of new posts.

Doing the right thing

A woman entered the shop a while ago, carrying a pink Motorola cell phone she had found right outside on the street. Since she didn't know what to do with it, and she assumed someone dropped it going in or out of the shop she wanted me to keep it in case the owner came back for it. But no one came.
Now I started to feel bad for the poor tourist teenage girl on the phone screen who probably is out of herself with concern, just imagining myself in that position... oh, it's the end of the world! So I took the liberty to search her phone book and found a contact named Mama. Perfect! I texted mama, saying that I'd found her daughter's phone and that they could email me and I would help her get the phone back.

She just replied, so happy and thankful and I feel like I just did a really nice thing! All is well that ends well!

COOLER COULEURS

As most of you know, I'm a huge fan of colors. Now this is what I'm talking about. Can't we all agree to look like this the entire summer of '11? No black, ok?

So so so so pretty

ADORE the color combos Jil Sander showed on their summer collection.

Rihanna shows how it's done. This outfit is pure perfection!

Today's song.

Cutiepies

Yesterday I left the shop early to run some errands and by the end of the day I ended up snuggling with these two.



I almost felt unfaithful. So sorry Marley! You're still my no 1!! But look at these wrinkly little faces... sigh... I'm in love.

Because I'm worth it

Today I decided I needed some sun and closed the shop for an hour

to just sit down, close my eyes and listen to good music

in my very own secret back (court) yard

Amen to that!

Oh, the irony x2

As usual when I start my work day in a bad mood, thinking it's gonna be shit. it turns out to be pretty much the best day ever. The cigarette smell is almost gone and I've had tons of people here today, everyone in a good mood thanks to the wonderful weather. My favorites was this family from Guadeloupe, the most amazing persons you'll ever meet. The energy! The spirit! The joy! WOW WOW WOW! They left me laughing and smiling for a good ten minutes and lifting my mood by 3000 %. Great day all in all!

Funny thing: I just had a lady walk in and leave right away because of the strong smell from the scented candles. Haha! If she only knew how I've struggled..


Behind the counter

Fuming

It's never a pleasant surprise to enter the shop and be welcomed by a curtain of heavy cigarette smell.

My dear tattoo-tenant thought it was a good idea to chain-smoke throughout the night and not shut the door upstairs, so the place pretty much smells like a Mexican cantina. I'm gonna kill him. 

Seriously, people enter and do a quick u-turn as soon as the stench hits them. I've lit like five scented candles and tried all sorts of tricks like dripping fragrance oil over some strategic places and rubbing it on a ventilator so the fresh air would get scented, but nothing helps. It stills smells like an ashtray in here.

I won't sell a thing today. At least the sun is shining, the music is pumping, I'm wearing a beautiful dress and it's gonna be a fabulous Saturday. Let's leave on that positive note!

EDIT: The second I pressed the send button I had a customer waiting to buy. Things are looking up already!!

GIMME GIMME

I want all of these!! Except the black ones of course, I have those already.

The golden glitter ones are am-az-ing! 

And the ones with the striped colorful heel? Loves it!

.. on the other hand..

.. I can accept visitors whenever I want to and today I had coffee with my brother, lunch with Marianna and a surprise visit from my little Hammie! So I feel much better now. Working tomorrow is gonna be FUN! YAAY!! (yes, I'm trying that autosuggestion technique)

Let's hope the rest of the day is as busy as it's been up til now, cause time flies when you're a hard working woman!

Dress from Forever 21Cardigan; H&;MBelt: ?
I love this kind of mismatching of prints. If you're gonna do it, do it boldly!(wtf is wrong with the proportions? my torso looks a mile long here)

I agreed to get photographed, even though my face is the one of a zombie todayBTW. can you tell I'm wearing colored contacts? I WANNA HAVE GREEN EYES!!!
Have a great Friday

Being a boss..

.. is not always a good thing. Right now I kinda hate it.

This was my weekend off and I was supposed to attend the baptism of my friend's son tomorrow, but Therese got sick and I have to step in for her. Those are the moments you wish you were just a normal employee who couldn't care less and never had to work instead of going to important family events.

Most of the times I love it though, and if it means some sacrifices here and there, so be it. But right now it's like gaahhh!! I QUIT!

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!

Cinco de Mayo is a great day to use as an excuse to get together a bunch of Mexicans and drink a few Coronas and Tecates - or tequilas, for the brave ones.

I don't know why this day is celebrated like the national holiday by the paisas in the US, but I'll copy the custom and celebrate it equally over here. So all of you who feel like eating a Mexican buffet (only 95 kr) and drinking tequilas at a super low cost, go to Reisen tonight!

Lilla grisen

Marley showing off his skills. Too cute!

In the media

Veckorevyn love this ruffle dress from Rut mfl. So do we!You find it here, also available in white.(sorry for the crappy screen shot)

A tough decision

A year and a half ago I got a mail from the landlord saying that Riksdagen (our parliament) had legislated upon renovating Gamla Stan and that our quarter would be affected and because of this our contract was being terminated.

TERMINATED? Just like that? After all these years?

As you may imagine, I was in shock and disbelief and called a lawyer first thing Monday morning, but there was really not much to do. My dad and I went to sign the release forms and were told we had until Dec 2011 to leave the store. We did however manage to get it in writing that we would get a new contract as soon as the renovation was done, sometime in 2013. This all happened within a week and it was surreal, bizarre and plain awful. The worst part is that the construction part has been postponed but we're still without a contract.

So where does that leave Emma Loca? Well, I considered changing location and starting all over again, but to be honest I really don't have the energy to empty here at Västerlånggatan, start a new store, empty that one after a year to then get back to the old location. It's just not an option. I've put my heart and soul into this project and I don't see myself doing it all over again. It wouldn't be the same.

I'm going to close it indefinitely sometime after summer, maybe in September-October. Not sure what will happen after that, if I'll start selling online or if I'll just retire from fashion all together to find my luck elsewhere. If you have any career suggestions I'd gladly accept them, haha
Thank you all for your support, friendship and loyalty!

Oh, and don't forget to mark your calendars because our anniversary party is on May 28th. We'll celebrate summer, our 4 years in business and saying goodbye all at once.  It's gonna be one hell of a party!!!!!

Pic from opening night. Nostalgia!

Mocha chocolatta ya ya

Is it a coincidence that I've heard "if I were a lesbian I'd totally be in love with you" TWICE this week by two different coffee shop girls? It's only Tuesday. Maybe by the end of the week I'll have a girlfriend if I keep this up.
THE FIERCE SUNGLASSES ARE A NEW ARRIVAL, 169 KR(also available in brown)

Song of the day!

happy bday!

So vain it hurts

Now that I was in Cali I tried my best to find street sneakers to sell at the shop. Customers love their Converse Chucks's, Keds and Vans, and they always sell out real fast.

As always, I couldn't help but look for myself as well and I found the cutest Vans (with laces) in the lightest pink. The problem was that they're a size 2,5 JR (kinda like a size 34 EUR) and obviously way too small. Did that stop me from trying to go home with them yesterday? No.

I got like a hundred metres from the shop before I had to return with my toes nearly amputated to put my regular shoes back on. They felt like boats compared to the constriction I'd put my poor feet to endure for the last five minutes. I kind of felt like Cinderellas mean step-sisters. Other than there was no prince in the winning.

If that's not plain stupid I don't know what is.



Baby Vans

Welcome

I'd like to take this opportunity and welcome all of my ten (10!!) new readers this week.

I don't know what brought you here, but I hope you'll like it.

One thing I don't like today is this f-ng country. Snow. In May. Seriously? I need to get out of here.

(this was not taken today. luckily it didn't snow that much - but still- you get the picture)

Show him the money!!

The immensely popular Looking good for Jesus coin purse now back in stock. 69 kronor and you're good to go!

On the bright side...

..  all of my leftover sweaters and scarves are selling like crazy thanks to this current weather situation. $$$$$$$

Best of last week

• The release of Veronica Maggio's new album "Satan i gatan"
• Finding a dog friendly bar in Old Town
• TAX REFUND!!!
• Discovering Twitter - 3 years after everyone else, I know!
• Most listened to album according to Spotify: XX by The XX (for the 76th consecutive week)
• Most sold accessory: sunglasses

Worst of this week: it just snowed for a few seconds. Kill me.

Italia

What (not) to wear

One of those moments when I thank God for having my own little shop is on a day like this.

I got dressed in a hurry this morning, without a thought, and have to go from work to drinks and then clubbing. What do you do? You scour through every item that Emma Loca has to offer, of course!

I've spent the last fifteen minutes trying on different blouses but I think I'll just settle with something from my personal closet (yes, I have one back in the storage room)

Makes me wonder how it would look like if I gathered all of the clothes, shoes and bags I have scattered around basements in the greater Stockholm area. I bet I could fill Emma Loca two or three times. Kinda nauseating now that I think of it. I seriously need to have a garage sale.

Drowning in a sea of clothes

Working 9 to 5

Denim and leather is always a cool match. 

(this jacket is currently in the washing machine but will be in store shortly)

Don't miss this

MY MILK TOOF

Cutest blog ever. The Monopoly post is adorable!

A weird thing just happened..

I was standing here greeting customers as usual. A teenage girl walks in with a male friend. I say 'hi' and smile to them whereupon she freezes and gasps and says to the guy: 'she looks just like Ronja' and runs out of the store crying. Right outside the door she crashes with another friend who asks her what's wrong and she tells her friend that the girl working looks just like Ronja. The girlfriend looks in to see me (awkward moment on my behalf. Do I smile? Do I say hello? I did neither) and she too bursted down in tears. The trio couldn't get away fast enough and I was left feeling less than great about my appearance.

I've never been told that I look like anyone - other than my sister - and now I managed to freak out these kids looking like a copy of their (dead?) friend.

TMI

I had the sweetest customer today. She wanted a new Mexican blanket because her ex had ruined her old one at a party. Without me really asking anything more about it, she continued on telling me he was the most awful person she'd ever met. Revealing that he's a drug addict, an alcoholic and in jail for armed robbery, leaving her alone with their little son.

It's not that I mind listening, not at all. I just find it heartbreaking that there obviously aren't enough people around her as a support system, or else she wouldn't feel the urge to confide in a total stranger.

I've always said that this job requires much more psychology skills than anything else.

Everyone knows the most delicious part of the muffin is the top

While my sister was here yesterday we started talking about jeans and fit. I told her that I had seen a girl with the biggest muffin top the other day, but she didn't know what I meant by that expression. So, I made her a little drawing today:

You other 30 Rock fans may recognize it from Jenna's chart-topping hit. ENJOY!




 "Ch-checkin' out my sweet hips
  My sugar coated berry lips
  I know you wanna get with this
  But I just wanna dance"

I had forgotten

.. how much I've missed listening to music (of my choice) all day long at work

.. what it feels like to have my phone ringing every fifteen minutes - the stress

.. the freedom of being able to walk wherever, and whenever, I want to

.. how tall people are in Sweden. I'm a midget!

.. the way you can see the sun melting away the frown on everyone's face

.. what wine tastes like after a winter of hybernating

.. how it feels to be awakened every morning by a little dog's tongue licking my face

.. the amount of friends I have and how much love I have around me

Sometimes you need a reminder!

Social Wednesday

I had pretty much 70% of my favorite girls on visit today. Bliss! What about that for a coincidence?! I'm not complaining!

Crazylady

Ok so I'm at the bus on my way home and as per usual I end up on DYAC. Jeez, the poor guy next to me thinks I'm mental because I'm laughing out loud.
Hahaha! Have a couple drinks and then read this: http://damnyouautocorrect.com/7682/love-on-the-rocks-14-autocorrected-relationship-texts/#more-7682

"casket" LOL!

On repeat since a while ago

Adele is just pure perfection. I gotta get the new album ASAP!

Color combo!

I LOVED this color combination and plan to keep the whole outfit. Somehow I always end up loving everything I buy too much, making it impossible to sell it to strangers.. Very unprofessional!

PS. That hot pink silk blouse is to die for!!!! (the first pic does it justice)

Back at work

First day at work!


In my fab new dress from forever 21

Adios!

So this is my last day in LA. I'm taking the flight back to Stockholm this afternoon. I wasn't intending on buying anything for the shop since I was on vacation mode, but what do ya know? 90 kgs of great 2nd hand stuff's coming your way!! Woop woop!!!!
I can't help it, it's like a compulsion to buy every nice dress, purse, shoe I see. Good thing I have somewhere to sell it since my apartment is pretty crammed as it is.
I'll see you at Emma Loca on Friday!

(the ice cream pic is just there because I love ice cream)

Flower, pink & green

Jumpsuit

Pretty fab, huh?? Not sure the nightlife in Mexicali is ready for this much ferociousness all wrapped up in a jumpsuit but it'll be perfect for LA & Stockholm.

All things that sparkle

Love this look! It goes with everything, strangely enough. One coat of silver color and two of glitter polish and.. voila! Lasts forever!!!! (it's actually very difficult to remove, you'll have to rub for a while and then be prepared to have glitter all over your hands for a day or so. Totally worth it though)

New friends

Two of my new additions to my collection.

Testing, testing..

My new jumpsuit (and new slingback heels)

Blog crash

I've been absent but it's only because I'm having a hard time publishing posts with pics. Don't know why?
I have a bunch of blog posts saved so as soon as my Internet and I make amends it will be up and running as usual!