Happy Birthday - Heaven Hair & Beauty!

I'm jetting off to sunnier climes for a while but before doing so, I'd like to extend a Happy 3rd Birthday to my local salon:  Heaven Hair & Beauty, Kimmage. I've been popping into Donna and the gang regularly for my beauty MOT - wax, tan, nails, hair colour and have always been impressed at their competitive prices and amazing service. Speaking of which, I just got my debut Wow Brown! pre-holiday spray tan done today and I'm so impressed. No biscuit smell, no orange hue, no tell-tale signs, nada; just a lovely deep glow. What's more, it's organic which is a boon for sensitive skin like mine. The salonn do regular offers, so give them a buzz and see what deals are new for the summer.

Heaven Hair & Beauty, 21 Ravensdale Park, Kimmage, D12; 01-492 8633

Inside Style - Decade-blending

Decade-blending anyone?
Treehugger.com...decades not included

Inside Style - by Annmarie O'Connor - as featured in The Dubliner - June 30th

Vintage clothing. If I could travel back in time, it would be to Marlene Dietrich’s closet. I’m sure I’d probably find a lot more than just gender-bending tuxes; but that’s another story entirely.  Given my own predilection for `30s duds, it made me wonder just how many of us are born into the wrong era.

Imagine Dita Von Teese in jeans and a tee. Doesn’t work, does it? What about Imelda May in tracksuit bottoms? Nah. If post-modernism has taught us anything, it’s that fashion is one big green bin: sooner or later everything gets recycled. As for newness, consider it a bit like a Tinguely sculpture: set to destroy itself upon creation. See: harem trousers, Louis Vuitton bunny ears (why?), the Snooki poof.

With that it makes sense to commit to a past tense; if only to make getting dressed in the morning that bit easier. It would also have quite the totemic appeal; a bit like dividing one’s fashion allegiances along tribal lines. Wearing a ‘40s-inspired tea dress? Shops at Dirty Fabulous, likes a cuppa from Wall & Keogh; romantic and hard-working.  Draped in a Studio 54 jumpsuit? Drinks absinthe, dates rock stars, never worked a day in her life (apart from her tan in Ibiza).

Oh, how easy life would be! To be able to pick and choose ones friends, employer and weed out would-be disastrous dates with such broad sartorial brushstrokes. No stylistic nuances, decade blending or micro-trends obfuscating the general view; just plain and simple style atavism.

I debated the merits of this concept with a friend who, although initially keen, expressed some reservations. “Granted, had he longer hair and a harem of drug-addled hippies in tow, I might have more readily grasped his fascination with Charles Manson,” offered my cohort of her recent ex, “ but I really don’t think California drifter circa 1962 is a look applauded by mainstream employers.”

“Still,” I interjected, “pre-millenial clothing was so simple; so easy to read.”

“So is See Spot Run,” she replied. “And I got bored of that before I even turned three.”

Perhaps she had a point. Maybe vintage was just a snazzy escape mechanism; a prêt-à-portal into the imagination with no basis in reality.

“While you’re at it,” she added, “take off that blasted top hat.”

Rain - Boo!

This is an artistic representation of how I feel about rain. Although I'm sure the grimacing priest locked cement-like in Dublin 8 probably has some other meaning; I'll allow myself to skew semantics for the purpose of illustration.

Today was a fine example of why I hate rain. Hoodwinked - yet again - by illiterate meteorologists, I left the house in Converse,a leather jacket and a maxi dress. By the time I reached my destination, the puddle that is Dublin managed to migrate up my hem, penetrating a rather thick jersey rendering me a human sponge.  I had no choice but to squeeze out the excess water so I could actually walk without squelching. I couldn't even go home to change. Four hours of pulling clothes later, I put the key in my front door...and the sun came out. Nice. I'm convinced I've grown spores.

How to Wear It - Irish Examiner - June 18th

HOW TO WEAR IT...Parkas
Parkas aren’t just for festivals. Annmarie O’Connor shows you how to wear summer’s utility staple.

Look 1
Give pastels the edge with khaki tones. A parka top instantly urbanises these mint trousers for a cool summer look. 

Zadig & Voltaire utility shirt, Brown Thomas €175
Enya Costa deep V tee, Brown Thomas €115
Dries Van Noten ‘Philis’ wide leg trousers, Brown Thomas  €395
Zadig  & Voltaire belt, Brown Thomas €120
KG by Kurt Geiger suede ankle boots, Brown Thomas €210

Look 2
Lace is the perfect partner for prettying up your parka. Just add suede ankle boots for a laid-back, ladylike look.

Army surplus jacket, Urban Outfitters €59
Zadig & Voltaire belt, Brown Thomas €120
Lace maxi dress, Zara €139.95
Eilis Boyle lace & tulle collar (worn as epaulette), Bow Boutique €105
KG by Kurt Geiger suede ankle boots, Brown Thomas €210

For the rest of this article, pick up a copy of the Irish Examiner. 

Styled by Annmarie O’Connor
Assisted by Ellen Quinn Banville
Photos by Miki Barlok

Inside Style - Bikini Dread

Pistol Panties 'Olivia' @ Clickini.com €75

Inside Style - by Annmarie O'Connor - featured in The Dubliner - June 16th

Bikini dread. The very prospect of donning an itsy bitsy this summer has me resorting to increasingly desperate measures:  renouncing sugar, rehydrating with water (not wine) and reacquainting myself with Ben Dunne.  Carb-fed and cosseted for nine months, my body looks less of a temple; more of a garden shed. Not exactly the euphemism that should accompany a polka-dotted two-piece. 

I don’t know who to blame - Coco Chanel for popularising the tan; or the Gallic duo who invented the two-piece in 1946. Noticeably absent from the blame equation, I see myself more as a victim than a perpetrator; notwithstanding winter’s ritual decimation of Jaffa Cakes. But I digress.

Although the bikini was said to embody the spirit of the modern woman: sexy, strong and emancipated; its scanty nature has since spawned a now near obsessive body-con culture.  With only four weeks to go to my own Andalusian unveiling, the pressure is on and that size 10 just isn’t fitting.

I consulted my fellow villa goers for a plan B. “If in the unlikely event of a bikini togs being depressurised by your posterior, an oxygen mask will appear overhead,” joked one.  “Seriously,” I begged; keen for a more helpful answer.   “Just remember to secure your own mask first before attending to children. They’re the last ones to notice saddle bags anyhow.” Cue: smug peals of laughter.

Things were not looking good. Part of me longed to risk exposure for a deep Spanish tan; the other wanted to make like Nigella and wear a burkini.  Those cut-out cardboard bodies they use at fun fairs also seemed appealing but my guess is they wouldn’t fare well in water.

“Why can’t you just find a happy medium and wear a one-piece?” enquired the third.  “It’s the fantasy; the aspiration,” I replied. “Think of Bridget Bardot in And God Created Woman; or Ursula Andress as a Bond girl in Dr. No. You just don’t get that with an all-in-one.”

“If denial were an Amazonian sun resort, I’m sure they’d all be wearing two pieces,” quipped one of the crew, “the rest of us wear sarongs.” Perhaps I had been the more deceived by the ‘if it’s not Ben Dunne, it can’t be done’ slogan; or maybe I just needed to get real. Then again, I could just take the plunge and leave my neuroses poolside. Pah! Did someone mention a sarong?

How to Wear It - Irish Examiner - June 11th

HOW TO WEAR IT...Prints

Prints are an easy way to add visual interest to any look. Annmarie O’Connor shows you how.

Outfit1

This vintage-inspired A-line skirt ticks the `70s box and looks summer ready with a denim bralet and clog sandals.

Denim bralet, Topshop €33
`70s A-line printed skirt, River Island €40
Patchwork bag, Urban Outfitters €53
Suede sandal, Urban Outfitters €63
Red suede belt, Urban Outfitters €19

Outfit 2
Segue from holiday to home by adding a simple denim shirt and ankle boots to your favourite printed beach dress.

Sandro denim shirt (beaded epaulettes), Brown Thomas €225
Printed halter neck dress, Accessorize €85
Necklaces, Accessorize from €24
KG by Kurt Geiger boots, Brown Thomas €210 

For the rest of this article, pick up a copy of today's Irish Examiner.

Styled by Annmarie O’Connor
Assisted by Ellen Quinn Banville
Photos by Miki Barlok

Street Art - A Walking Tour of Dublin

I hadn't realised how many snaps I collected of Dublin street art over the past few months. On observation they range from poetic to esoterick and in some cases, sardonic. Given how they infinitely cheer up our summer-deprived streets, I thought it fitting to give you all a tour of Dublin by way of our graffiti gravitas.

We start at North Wall Quay - walk along the Liffey and breathe in the poetry.

Cross over to City Quay...

for an oblique reference to either Irish cuisine or state penitentiaries.

Turn left onto Lombard Street East. "What you talkin' about Willis?"

Toddle over to South William Street to find Maser's Angel looking over you.

He loves you our Maser.

Cross over to Sth Great George's Street if you require further confirmation.

Although if you scoot through Golden Lane over to the Liberties' Carmen Hall, they're not too sure.

In fact, it's probably best to beetle up towards Francis Street..

...for an impromptu weather report.

Once you hit The Coombe - Maser strikes again.

You must be hungry. Why not cut back to Aungier Street for an all-day breakfast?

Or over to Sth Richmond Street for a sneaky pint at The Shaw?

Too early for a jar?

Oh, I see. No pressure. Hope you enjoyed your tour! :)

Inside Style - Blinkers

Image: Sindy-our-pedigree-girl-of-the-60s.webs.com

Inside Style - by Annmarie O'Connor - as featured in The Dubliner - June 9th

Blinkers.  Apparently they’re not just any old piece of horse tack. Such visual restrictions double as a recessionary device for spendthrifts and should be mandatory for women in general. These are not my words. Allow me to explain.

One afternoon, after pulling for a shoot, buying a hedge clipper (long story) and some Boots 3-4-1 ‘offers’, I took refuge in Insomnia from the nagging wind and rain. Coffee and a chicken wrap would put the world to rights, or so I thought. Little did I know someone else in the cafe had similar lofty notions.

About to take bite of my second sambo half, I felt a pair of bespectacled eyes peering over at my piles of Urban Outfitter bags. “Shopping on your lunch break?” enquired the wire frames from under the scribbled pages of a journal. I nodded in agreement, keen not to engage in conversation, happy just to eat and go. “That’s the problem these days, isn’t it?” insisted the querent. “There are just too many distractions in modern life.”

Oh dear. Looks like I caught a live one. “It’s not that shopping isn’t a lovely hobby,” continued the cafe philosopher, “it’s just that there are so many other things competing for one’s attention.” As tempted as I was to inform him I’d actually be returning these clothes, my spiralling insulin levels trumped any sort of exchange. I continued to nod politely. “Take you for example,” illustrated my like-it-or-not lunch buddy, “I couldn’t help but notice you are milling into that sandwich.” Milling? I felt like I had been called fat to my face.  There went my caffeine buzz.  “You clearly have been trying to shop on your lunch hour and now you’re forced to scoff your food so that you can return to work.”

Scoff? Paranoia kicked in as my eyes scanned the room for evidence of a CC TV camera. “It really is a terrible affliction for you poor ladies.” And with that, the would-be stranger went back to scribbling his epithets of woe.

And then it occurred to me, either I had been blind to the fact that I eat like Mr. Ed, or this guy trade in his world view for the bigger picture.  Women aren’t slaves to fashion and frenetics; we just happen to be incredibly adept at multi-tasking.  Chew on that mister.

Lucy in Disguise

Last Saturday, I had the pleasure to have breakfast with Lily Allen and her sister Sarah Owen at Brown's Cafe for a special press preview of their debut fashion line Lucy in Disguise. Inspired by their collective prediliction for vintage, the collection boasts micro-stories based on time-travelling: `20s flapper dresses, `60s billowy Biba frocks and `70s Halston-esque jumpsuits. The result is a little something for everyone: every shape and every era. The pieces really do resonate when seen on the girls. Lily wore a `50s bandana dress with an oversized cardi; while Sarah opted for the teal South Kensington maxi. We also got a sneak peek at A/W 11 which boasts a fringe shift - a favourite of Lily's; and mine too. Oh, if you happen to be tall like me, you'll be delighted to know that lengths are surprisingly long (yay!). Look out for the concession in Brown Thomas and BT2 Dundrum (www.brownthomas.com; 01 605 6666).

How to Wear It - Irish Examiner - June 4th

HOW TO WEAR IT...
Channel your inner rock chic with a classic biker jacket. Annmarie O’Connor shows you how.

Outfit 1
Transform a biker jacket with an acid bright A-line skirt and brogues for a fresh preppy perspective. 

Acne suede biker jacket, Brown Thomas €750
COS yellow tee, BT2 €19.90
COS yellow skirt, BT2 €59
Nicole Farhi Charlotte brogues, Brown Thomas €360

Outfit 2
Suede is a softer option to leather and adds feminine ease to a maxi dress, especially when paired with laid-back moccasin boots. 

Suede biker jacket, H&M €79.95
Acne maxi dress, Brown Thomas €190
Moccasin boots, H&M €29.95
Aviator sunglasses, Penneys €3

Outfit 3
Team a black biker jacket with a deep V tee and high-waist maxi skirt for edgy elegance.   Keep the look monochrome to lengthen and slim the silhouette. 

Leather biker jacket, Topshop €251
Enya Costa t-shirt, Brown Thomas €115
Acne ‘Pearl’ maxi skirt, Net-a-Porter.com €290
Shoes, Annmarie’s own
Ring, Annmarie’s own

Styled by Annmarie O’Connor
Assisted by Ellen Quinn Banville
Photos by Miki Barlok

Inside Style - Bum Bags

'No Fanny Packs' courtesy of Zazzle.co.uk

Inside Style - by Annmarie O'Connor - as featured in The Dubliner magazine - June 2nd

Bum bag. n. a small pouch worn belted around the waist or hips; otherwise known as a fanny pack (US); a divisive accessory known to evoke derision, debate and unsolicited comments from members of family and/or random members of the public.

This definition really should have appeared to me at the till (in a cartoon speech bubble; or to the strains of Weird Al Yankovich’s ‘White & Nerdy’) before having purchased said tourist tote for a recent family holiday.  The fact is I never saw it coming. With Hermes, Pucci, Diane von Furstenberg and Jaeger all showcasing the formerly reviled receptacle on the s/s 11 catwalks, I too felt I could work the hands-free look.

To be fair, the fashion throwback has come a long way. Garish synthetic has been bumped for butter soft leathers in hues that waft like an air of discretion. My All Saints purchase seemed tailor-made for perambulating around Rome’s ‘centro storico’ – or so I thought.

“What is that?” queried the Wise Elder, a.k.a. Older Sister, All-Seeing Eye.  “What do you mean?” I retorted rather unconvincingly as we departed our hotel. “That thing around your waist,” pointed a finger.  “Are you serious?” 
“It’s great for travelling,” I added weakly. “Back to the `80s perhaps,” came the reply.

“Clearly you were at the Clark’s sample sale while I was at London Fashion Week,” I balked, casting a judgemental glance at her new ‘walking’ sandals. Bad move. Very bad move.

 “What’s that saying? If you remembered it the first time...” Ouch. That cloaked (albeit barbed) reference to my 38th birthday did not go unnoticed.  Round 1 went to The Wise Elder.  

We put our verbal bouts aside to soak up the Roman sunshine and take in some of the sights. With my bum bag slung over an Acne maxi dress and leather gilet, I was free to photograph every step of the day from The Forum to the Trevi Fountain. 

I felt vindicated, in the name of practicality if nothing else.  I was less tacky tourist; more worldly traveller. Round 2 was mine. With that I queued up at the Cafe Giolitti to indulge in a smug victory gelato. 

“Excuse me?” protruded an unfamiliar voice from the crowd. “Where did you get your fanny pack? Target by any chance? It’s simply darling! Do you mind if I take a picture of it?”

And round 3 went to...

Coco Chanel: A Life

Yesterday evening I attended the Literary Supper Club in Wilde - The Restaurant at Dublin's Westbury Hotel. Hosted by The Gloss magazine, the intimate gathering was made extra special by fellow guest and author of the recently published Coco Chanel, A Life - Justine Picardie. It was fascinating to receive such a privileged insight into an author's writing process and to learn how research led her to become suffused into every detail of Garbrielle's life. The book is available at Dubray Books (support your indie!) and all good bookshops nationwide and internationally. Coco Chanel, A Life by Justine Picardie, €14.99.