Laying Low

Irish Examiner - Sat, 24th Dec - How to Wear It
Styled by Annmarie O’Connor
Assisted by Bríd Ní Laochdha
Photos by Miki Barlok

'Tis the season to give blogging a miss. You see that lady over there? That's yours truly in loungewear mode - a state of undress I intend to embrace for at least another week. Until someone gives Mother Nature her HRTs, I have no intention of braving the cantankerous elements. Instead, I'm going to take hither my posterior to yon sofa where I'll be polishing off the rest of my Nigella Puddini. You lot will have to fend for yourselves. Catch you all in January...

T by Alexander Wang jersey oversized hooded cardigan, BT2 €200
Floral long johns, Topshop €27
UGG slippers, BT2 €85

National Christmas Jumper Day: December 14th

Exhibit A

Tomorrow is National Christmas Jumper Day. Not only is tomorrow a plum opportunity to wear a snowman sweater (see: exhibit A); it's also a great excuse to wear a pair of festive sunglasses. Very Elton John circa 1975. Wait, there's more...

Not only is tomorrow a plum opportunity to wear a snowman sweater and a pair of Elton John circa 1975-inspired festive sunglasses; it's also the same day as my university alumni Christmas party. Guess what I'll be wearing? That's right!

Wait, there's more. Not only is tomorrow a plum opportunity to wear a snowman sweater and a pair of Elton John inspired festive sunglasses;but Saturday is an even jammier opportunity to buy the Irish Examiner and check out my How to Wear It: Christmas Jumpers special.

It really is the season that keeps on giving....

Get Your Festive On

Don thee a piece of Fair Isle and you too could wear a grin thus widely. Er, Shakespearean English aside, this knit is a purl above the novelty sweater if that isn't your sartorial scene. Fancy some more inspiration? Check out my How to Wear It segment in today's Irish Examiner.

Layer Up!
Double up with a contrasting Fair Isle scarf and sweater. Layer over a neutral sweater dress for causal chic.

Fair Isle sweater, Penneys €14
COS navy dress, BT2 €69
Fair Isle scarf, M&S €34 (part of set with hat)
Black lace up ankle boots, River Island €114

Credits
Styled by Annmarie O’Connor
Assisted by Bríd Ní Laochdha
Photos by Miki Barlok

1987 Flashback

A denim fashion show by RichJuz

It's been awhile but Fashion Gaydar is back and so is Neil with his unparalleled 'search and destroy' skills. Herewith please find yesterday's email thread:

Neil Dec 8 (1 day ago)
to Annmarie

Fashion flash from 1987. What's most disturbing is that I wore sh*t like this back in the dayo. My favourite was a three quarter length acid-washed demin jacket with leatherette collar and white and green candy-stripe lining. Ouch.

Annmarie Dec 8 (1 day ago)

to Neil

I am creased laughing. I will have to reprise your Fashion Gaydar section on the blog again. My personal favourite is Joe. He worked it. Although I don't ever recall Elvis sporting a bi-level perm with white wash Levis.

Annmarie Dec 8 (1 day ago)

to Neil

Flashback - I had a snow/acid washed denim jacket that I used to wear over a bottle green polo neck with bottle green/pink check city shorts and matching braces. To finish the look? Double scrunched socks and a pair of LA Gear high tops with contrasting laces. It's all about the detail really.

Neil Dec 8 (1 day ago)

to Annmarie

LOL, LA Gear, omg, very NKOTB. But like Julie in the clip was it "fast-moving" denim and were u wearing "scrunchies of every imaginable colour" in your hair?

Annmarie 6:54 PM (22 hours ago)

to Neil

LOL! Jaysus that denim needed to be 'fast-moving;' Julie was body-popping like the clappers! Yes, I was a scrunchie adherent and oft seen layering a few on my ponytail. Didn't the voice-over call them skun-keys, or something random? Maybe he was distracted by Bernard's Mr Green Jeans suspender jeans - very fetching!

Harvey Nichols - Walk of Shame

Possibly one of the most clever viral videos I've seen in a while. Kudos to Harvey Nicks!

December 6th - The Damage

So, the full extent of the excrement in which we are wading has been officially unveiled. Merry Christmas y'all! Despite being Dickensed to the max, I'm eschewing the expected bah-humbug Michael Noonin witch hunt in favour of some positive vibes starting with my wallet. Sweet buttering baby Jesus - the state of it! According to the over-touted Laws of Attraction, I should be acting as the person I wish to be in order to cleave its requisite luck. The subtext implied in this manky Cath Kidson anti-theft device doesn't augur well. Exhibit A: Hole in the left-hand corner. This would appear to be where all my money is going. Exhibit B: Naff retro floral motif. Indicates a recidivist propensity; prone to nostalgia and owner of a `70s-inspired bank balance. Exhibit C: (and possibly the most damaging evidence) Couponing! Granted this €20 off when you spend over €100 at Superquinn was to offset Bacardi money for my annual vat of Egg Nog but still, a woman of independent means would have her own rum cellar surely? Right, I'm off to town to purchase a suitable wallet for my would-be life as a modern day Katharine Hepburn. If Spencer Tracy pops by, tell him to pour himself a drink; the rum is in the cellar. 

Budget Shmudget

Ho ho bleedin' ho. It's budget day. From the whiff of things, it looks like we'll be revisitng the `80s in all its austere glory. As buzz kills go, this is up there with anti-Christmas curmudgeons and that shitty D.A. grilling Santa Claus on Miracle on 34th Street. Not cool. As the full extent of our woes isn't fully published tomorrow, you've got less than 24 hours to bury your head in the warm and fluffiness of Christmas FM and engage in some wanton online shopping. I personally find these Rick Owens boots rather appropriate. They say ' portable bedsit radiator' while also sporting a jaunty Tardis feel should you wish to skip town and miss the grinding and nashing of teeth...or your credit card bill. €1,325 shekels. Gulp....

Sunday Times Style - Christmas Jumpers

I told you I'd be bringing some hardcore festive cheer this season. Not one to renege on my promises, I've included a little feature I did below for the Sunday Times Style mag on the redux of Christmas jumpers. Since going to press, Funkychristmasjumpers.com have bought out LED lit Christmas geansaís- a prospect that has rendered me perma-giddy with excitement. Time to crank up Christmas FM and indulge my inner child. I'll leave the Egg Nog `til later. It's a bit early...

Irish Examiner Christmas Gift Guide

Still mulling over that Christmas list? Check out my three-pagee Gift Guide in today's Irish Examiner Weekend magazine for a twinkle of retail inspiration. Oh, keep your beady eyes off the pink diamond. That bad boy is mine. I've already given Boodles the nod should Santa Simon Cowell happens to pop by.