Background: I started working as a showroom assistant at a PR agency after high school. After that, I became a fashion assistant at ELLE, and then fashion manager at King magazine and fashion manager at the magazine, Sofis Mode. Today I work as freelance stylist.
Right now: Stylist for Pär Lernström, the host of Swedish Idol. Partner in La Culture (www.laculture.se) where we deliver carefully selected organic wines straight from the farm to your door. And model for Boob's fall collection.
Pamela, we want to first say thank you to you and Cornelia for modeling for Boob! As a stylist and style guru, how do you find time to put your wardrobe and outfits together now that you are a mother of two?
Thank you for allowing us to participate, it was an honor! I was forced to completely clean my closet recently, when space became limited after our home was water damaged. On the upside, I saved only my favorites, which has made it so much easier to get dressed in the morning. I work with a few garments, a minimal color scheme and only have things in my closet that I know work.
What are your best wardrobe tips for pregnancy and nursing?
I have used Boob’s awesome nursing T-Shirts almost every day. I have it in both off-white and black. I’ve worn it with everything - blazers, cardigans, overshirts, an open shirt on top, and by itself with a pair of earrings and jeans. One tip is to find a style of jeans that works when you still have your extra pregnancy weight, but which will also fit nicely when you are at your normal weight again – in other words, somewhat baggy. My favorite style is Original denim from Totême. I also like to build up my wardrobe around the same item of clothing, but in two colors. In this way you can keep your silhouette the same, which makes it easier to work with what you have.
You have an instagram account, @paintbypam, where you post “thought tics in the form of drawings.” I giggle every time you post. Tell us about how your drawings come to be.
Oh, thank you, that’s nice to hear! I have been painting all my life, but I took a long break because I had my hands full with work and children. The craving was always there, but I did not know how or what to paint. Then, when Cornelia came along and I was home more, the drawings suddenly appeared in my head one day and it became clear how and what I should paint. What I really like about having children is that you often have to think outside the box, and having a six-year-old makes you think even more outside your box, with all the questions and thoughts they come up with. I like thinking about how the brain works differently, and I have taken that with me when I paint. I often need to brainstorm with myself to come up with a drawing. And I need to be present for myself, just to "hear my thoughts".
How has life changed since you became a mother?
Going from one child to two was not such a big step. The biggest difference was going from none to one. You prioritize differently when you have children, and you have to make room for them in your life, which means that you have to make sacrifices for other things, like hobbies, long meals at restaurants, late work nights, and hanging out with friends. Which is worth it every day of the week, of course, even though I do miss DJing into the wee hours at a techno club like I did before I had children.
Do you have any life hacks to share that make everyday life smoother?
I try to keep the weekends as unplanned as possible, to make room for spontaneity. For me, it is important to have days when the whole family wakes up and decides what to that day. If the weekends are calm and provide a recovery, the weeks work all the better. Now, during this maternity leave when I have been home a lot, I always make sure to have pre-cooked quinoa in the fridge and ready-rinsed spinach and some protein, so that I can make a simple lunch in less than five minutes. (I always top my salads with hemp seeds for the Omega-3 – plus, it looks much more luxurious). When you eat good food, you are more alert and feel more refreshed. When I have something pre-made, I can avoid stressing about making lunch while the baby sleeps and instead eat at the same time. That has been really cozy.
Sustainability is something that permeates my everyday life. Everything from a sustainable hour – when I can review what I have to omit so as not to have to stress – to what food we put in our bodies, to what’s in my wardrobe. I like to compare my wardrobe with the fridge: it should contain freshly updated items that you can easily take out and use to put something good together.
With your long experience as a stylist, fashion editor and fashion blogger, how do you think the fashion industry can become more sustainable?
I would like the industry to continue to educate consumers and create awareness. I would like the clothing in our stores to have more information than just the materials and country of origin. And I would like designers to start working more actively towards sustainable production than just hiding behind "we work with a timeless design". Sustainability must be considered at every stage.
What do you do when you get a free moment?
Pet the cat, draw, walk around the garden and let my “thought tics” flow freely. If I get even more time, I love to sit on my porch and read a book. If I get several hours, I like to attend a long Ashtanga session at the Altromondo yoga studio.
What do you hope to pass on to your children?
Exactly what my dad gave me: joie de vivre.
Four things you wouldn’t want to live without?
Except my family, of course: Yoga; the spontaneous dinners we have with the neighbors in Pungpinan; curl cream for my hair (Noir’s Poem of a Swirl is the best); and walks through the Woodland Cemetery, Skogskyrkogården. Can I choose one more? In that case, it would be Boob’s T-Shirts.
What’s at the top of your wish list?
I would love to visit the Killiehuntly Farmhouse in Scotland. I’m also looking forward to my favorite overshirt from Stylein to come in black (I have it in beige). Last but not least, I wish for peace and quiet in our house. We have had so much bad luck with water damage, etc., that I just want order so there’s even more space in my life for the “thought tics”.
Read about other Moms We Love here!