Sale Swag from Costume

She shoots! She scores! Not that I have a sporting bone in my body but with London 2012 in the offing, I thought I'd get into the spirit of things. Behold my two summer sales winnings from Dublin's illustrious Costume boutique: a Barbara Bui blazer and a Victoire distressed tweed biker jacket, just €50 each. Come to think of it, should the Olympic committee ever decide to make sales shopping an official sport, I'll be heading up Team Ireland!

Costume, 10-11 Castle Market, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-6784188. www.costumedublin.ie.

Barbara Bui blazer was €1140; now €50...and mine

Victoire jacket €50

Spot the Difference

The Baroque Gem Necklace

Lanvin vs Zara

Photo: Tim Banks @ Style.com

Zara €39.95

Move Over Barbie

I never liked Barbie - she was always far too smug and a bit fickle if you ask me. Are you an astronaut or a cheerleader this week? Make your mind up blondie! Anyhow, I happened upon a doll from the `50s in The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-57 that made me, to be frank, a bit envious - Miss Virginia Lachasse. Created in London in 1954, Miss Lachasse (named after her namesake Virginia Woodford, lead model at Mayfair couture house Lachasse) was designed as part of a touring exhibition of dressed dolls to raise money for the Greater London Fund for the Blind. What is utterly awe-inspiring about this perfect scale model is her custom-made couture wardrobe designed by Owen at Lachasse, in addition to a fully-comprehensive winter `54 trousseau (think printed cotton Tootal handkerchiefs, Aristoc stockings, Asprey handbag, Dunhill cigarette-holder, lighter and mini-cigarettes and Russell & Bromley sandals.) For a full inventory, go to page 108 (by Amy de la Haye) of The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-57.

Balenci-AH-GOD!!!

This has to be one of the most divine couture photographs I've ever seen. Behold  Lisa Fonssagrives - the first ever supermodel - wearing Balenciaga in French Vogue, 1950. Cue: winsome sigh of appreciation.#perfection

iPhoned from The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-57

Brown Thomas A/W 12 Preview

Siopaella Featured on TV3's Xpose

Did you catch me chatting about Siopaella on TV3's Xpose last night? If so, you would have heard me mention a paisley dress that Florence Welch purchased along with my flares. Well, behold the evidence!  This is the actual dress Florence Welch bought featured in the Siopaella lookbook I recently styled. Be sure to pop in to Ella and Steve and say hello to the dogs Raquel and Louie.

 Credits: stylist – Annmarie O’Connor; photographer – Lee Malone; make-up – Stephanie Sutton; hair – Ethan McLane; model – Stacey Haskins @ Morgan the Agency

Stacey Haskin wears: Tibi paisley dress, handcuff rosary beads, Bettina Duncan ponyskin bag, Dolce & Gabbana mustard knee high boots 

 Siopaella, 25A Temple Lane Sth & 8A Crow St, Temple Bar, D2. Phone +353 86 840 7825 | E-mail: ella@siopaella.com

Victoria Beckham at Brown Thomas, Dublin

I'm still reeling from the shock of meeting Victoria Beckham in the flesh at Brown Thomas, Dublin yesterday. It's a lot to take in despite her diminiutive frame. And oh, could the event have been any cuter with Harper there? That child is a template for adorableness. I think she made the whole room broody. I digress. Rather than ramble on, which I am apt to do, please CLICK HERE for the full news report in today's IRISH EXAMINER. Want more goss? You'll have to pick up the WEEKEND magazine this Saturday for the secrets to the world of Victoria Beckam. In the meantime, I'll leave you with these snaps from the day.

Get the Florence Welch Look at Siopaella

Were you watching  TV3’s Xpose this evening? If so, you would have seen the Florence Welch feature at Temple Bar fashion haunt Siopaella. Here we recreated iconic looks from the bohemian chanteuse, some of which are featured below. CLICK HERE to check out the show. Like what you see? Featured items areavailable at the Siopaella online store or check out their Facebook page to see more stock available at both locations -25A Temple Lane Sth & 8A Crow St, Temple Bar, D2.

Iconic

Evening

Vintage

Win a Pauric Sweeney Handbag with Carmen

Carmen Wines has teamed up with Irish designer, Pauric Sweeney, to commission a limited edition bag – the Carmen Explorer. Not available to buy, only six bespoke totes have been created. Check out Carmen Wines Facebook page for your chance to win and join A-listers Jessica Biel and Jennifer Lopez with your own exclusive piece of fashion arm candy. CLICK HERE for your chance to win and check out the shots below from the official launch party!

Brown Thomas A/W 12 Press Preview

Pic courtesy of Leon Farrell

Brown Thomas unveiled their autumn winter 12 collection this week to an eager press gang. Although mid-July, the cavalcade of leathers, textured fabrics and chunky knits were decidedly appropriate for the unseasonable 14 degrees outside. (Summer our relationship is over!)

Hotly-tipped on the trend radar are rich hues, `60s silhouettes and exotic prints: Asian and Russian folkloric textiles, surrealist and geometric motifs with a soupcon on winter florals. Tailoring retains its trend dominance with oversized outerwear a key investment.  Think crop tuxes, sporty bombers, military peacoats and the irrepressible cape.

The edit is clean, clear and precise with highlights from Tom Ford, Dries Van Noten and Balenciaga. As for newness, look to Belstaff leathers, Alice + Olivia party frocks, Stella McCartney Evening gowns and the obsidian glamour of Hollywood favourite Alaïa.

Do You Give Good Face?

OXYGEN MEDIA and supermodel NAOMI CAMPBELL are launching the first ever search for a new competition series where models will get the opportunity to complete to become, “THE FACE” of a major national brand.

Auditions will take place with two open casting calls on July 21st and July 28th in New York City and Los Angeles. Models that are chosen will compete in the new series where they will be challenged and mentored by some of the world’s most successful and talented supermodels. Are you game?

Crazy for Mad Cap

I'm wondering if there's some type of support group for those with bricolage obsessions. It's bad enough I've got a closet filled with the brocade, jacquard and `70s paisley prints (which I look at longingly and never wear) but now Dries Van Noten, Aquilano Rimondi and Miu Miu have made it ever so kooky. Damn their eyes! Damn mine rather. I'll never be the same again after seeing Chloe Sevigny and Emma Stone making bad taste look oh-so-good. Sigh.

River Island A/W 12 Preview

There's a nasty rumour afoot that it's actually summer. I think whoever is responsible for this calumny should really take a cold hard look...out the window.Why we insist on pretending we're not turning blue while wearing floral tea dresses is anyone's therapy session. Luckily River Island was at hand this afternoon with an a/w 12 preview and a warm fuzzy feeling that should keep us in good stead until September.

Moxham For Gals With Moxy

I've been perving on Moxham for a while now, not just because the London label offers some seriously narly neck candy but it also rhymes with 'moxy' - my favourite word. And let's face it, a gal's gotta have some moxy in order to wear an yellow Egyptian-inspired eather collar. So I bit the proverbial and I bought it. #shoppingcartheaven #kabiri

Anubis Necklace by Moxham

Florence Bought My Flares - The Evidence

In case you thought Saturday's Siopaella post was a spoof, I hereby present you with the evidence courtesy of today's Irish Daily Mail. For the record, Florence bought my flares. Sorry, I just love saying that. It never gets old.

Florence Welch Bought My Trousers!

Now there's a claim you don't hear every day! So you can imagine my surprise when Ella of @siopaella  tweeted that @flo_tweets purchased my gold velvet flares that graced her shop window. Not only that but the flame-haired ampersand to the Machine also treated herself to a paisley Tibi dress which recently feautured in a phtooshoot I styled for @siopaella. If that's not an incentive to consign your pre-loved clothes to the Temple Bar boutique, I'd like to know what is?

CLICK HERE for the skinny on Siopaella.

How Much Fashion Fits Your Style?

THE ABC OF MENS FASHION - COOLHUNTING from Hardy Amies on Vimeo.


That is the $64 question posed by Cool Hunting purveyors - Josh Rubin and Evan Orenstein for Hardy Amies' fashion vlogs. Personally, I find this to be one of the best nuggets of wisdom I've heard in a while. In an industry predicated on newness, something has to be destroyed - much like the self-consuming sculptures of Jean Tinguley. With that, one needs to take a considered step back. As Rubin notes, "you have to decide how much fashion your personal style allows you." In other words, factor in geography, lifestyle, budget and time and find a workable solution. Whether you follow the 80/20 rule or have found a 50/50 compromise, this premise makes a lot of sense. Touché.

J. Crew

I've got a bit of a crush on J. Crew at the moment, in particular their popover and button ups paried with bad ass baubles. Easy chic - this is how it's done folks.