I recently had my first interview as a stylist when i styled four fashion shows in Fashion Market. When the journalist asked me about what I think of the way Finnish people dress, I said what I thought, discreetly though. The journalist was more blunt. A few days later the interview was in the local newspaper and under my picture it said "Stylist Lotta Hintsa describes the Finnish style as dreary." After being bedazzled for a while (this would probably scare all potential clients away) I thought of how true this was and how many many many times I had thought about it. And I believe I might have an explanation for it.

Someone has said that our clothing reflects our personality. In that case we Finns are boring, conventional and unadventurous. Well, I did say in the interview, and I will say it here, some of us would belong on the high-streets of London but most of us fail to amaze. In my job in the shoe shop, almost everyday there are customers who are looking for shoes to match a specific color on their outfit. Or then just basic black. Well, sorry we don't sell boring black and no I will not sell you anything that matches the tone, temperature and shade of the pink on your dress, get a grip. That would be too boring. At least change the shade to make the outfit look more alive and vibrant, or better yet, go for these silver glitter pumps. Some customers buy my advice (and the shoes) but some are just stubborn. They have once heard some stupid rule in some cheap women's magazine, in some "dressing for the dumb" -article, put together by some boringly dressing older lady who was probably forced to write about fashion and did it because she got paid for it. And now everyone believes that you are supposed to matchy match your shoes and purse. That rule is broken everywhere by the most stylish of the women. Of course I also hear these rules all the time as a stylist as well, it's just that these people usually buy my advice easier, probably because they're paying for it.

I love it how Araks said that she got her inspiration for a pair of pants in his S/S 10 collection from "a woman she spied on the street one day who was very dressed-up on top -but in sweatpants below."

I'm not saying everyone should start clashing colors and start wearing sweatpants with fancy tops, it doesn't suit everyone. But I believe that if the stubborn women changed the darn (i would've used another word here but my mom might read this) rules into being just guidelines (if even that) it would be possible that they found a whole new playground. I just hope that people were more adventurous and

People often call them just clothes. It's a lifestyle.