Saara Sallinen

Glimpsed: Artscape

By Tanika White | Sun Reporter

July 29, 2007

This year at Artscape, a man walked the festival covered from head to squishy foot in ketchup.

He might have called that art. Maybe he considered it fashion.

Neither was true, in his case, but the city's three-day comprehensive showcase of art in all its forms usually is an excellent place to see examples of art-as-fashion, and/or fashion-as-art.

Saara Sallinen was just one of the many fashionartists (I just made that word up) at Artscape who purposefully combined their clothes with creativity to make an outfit wonderfully and uniquely theirs.

Saara Sallinen

Age: 21

Residence: Mount Vernon

Job: Jewelry artist/poet

Self-described style: "Bohemian funky."

The look: Cropped T-shirt, cut and tied at the shoulders to make it more of a tank than a tee. Long skirt with wide, low-slung belt. Red and pink cross-the-body satchel. Black sunglasses. Candy jade and amethyst earrings, and copper charm bracelets with beads and animals.

Where it came from: T-shirt from Killer Trash vintage clothing store in Fells Point. Skirt was a gift from a friend. Satchel from H&M. Sunglasses purchased at Rite Aid. Jewelry, she made herself.

Thrifty shopper: "I like to go to thrift stores. I like to thrift shop because then you find those items that nobody else has."

Surf, shop and snip: "I cut the sleeves on the sides [of this T-shirt] and I tied them up on top. I have really boss arms from surfing. And it doesn't look right with some T-shirts, so I like to wear tank tops more."

Artist's expression: "Traditional fashion, I have no problem with it. For most people it looks good, but for people like me who are artists, I think it's important to express who they are inside and look unique and beautiful - as themselves. But you can always wear traditional clothes and make it your own style."

Charming copper: "I made the earrings and the bracelets. The bracelets are copper. I wear them for health purposes. Copper is actually really good for your joints."