I Blog Fashion

Brown Thomas S/S `12 Bags

2012-01-31T18:13:00.001Z

Check out a little vid I did for Brown Thomas showcasing this season's deliciously colourful selection of arm candy.

Dries Van Noten Shoes...again

2012-01-22T22:09:00.000Z

I mentioned earlier that I'm a firm adherent of Feng Shui. The cornerstone of said philosophy involves shedding the old to make room for the new. That newness comes in the shape of a pair of Dries Van Noten heels. Granted, I may have been somewhat premature in enforcing the 'new' in my closet without having yet shed the 'old', but this is more than just a pair of shoes - it's an act of God - and God my friends, likes to shop! Let me explain. In 2010, I bought a pair of pump-my-heart-I'm-about-to-faint Dries Van Noten ponyskin shoes in Smock's winter sale. I was lucky to have nabbed the last pair in my size-ish (I convinced myself I was a 7.5); unluckily however that I never bought the matte gold pair which I had my eye on as someone pipped me to the retail post. I mourned for the loss of these shoes; not least because it is a rarity to find a UK size 8 (shoes are bought in batches with usually about one size 8 per style). That said, I wore my ponyskin puppies to death and still do. So when I saw these bad boys at an absolutle knock-down end-of-sale price in a size 8, it was like hearing angels sing. There was a curious incident whereby in a fit of fanaticism, I licked the shoe before trying it on, but hey, that's another therapy session. I thought I'd share given that this was indeed a rare guilt-free indulgence. Everything else gets hidden in the back of my closet...

Celine Resort 2012

2012-01-22T21:30:00.000Z

I've always respected but never quite lusted after the offerings of French luxury house - Celine; not in the same way that other fashion folk do. Although I admire Phoebe Philo's ascetic aesthetic (and her immeasurably immaculate cut), my deference has always been to the left of centre. That all changed once I clapped my peepers on the Resort 2012 collection. Call it a coming-of-age but I think I've seen the light. That being said, I think our Phoebes has met me half way. Just check out her use of print clashing (stripes and florals) and colour blocking (camel and cobalt), peppered with a very tongue-in-cheek monogram tee. The minimal silhouette still reigns, albeit with a soupcon of playfulness.

Tim Ryan Cardigan For Sale

2012-01-22T12:46:00.002Z

As you may or may not know, I practice Feng Shui - at my desk, in my home and in particular, my wardrobe. The ancient Chinese practice has its roots in the less-than-esoteric issue of space. The reality is I have none - or at least, very little of it; and in order to have any affect of order, something's gotta give. This often results in clothing - worn, not worn, planning to be worn - the bottom line is: if it hasn't seen the light of day in six months, it gets a new home. Take this Tim Ryan fringe cardi for instance. Purchased in a sample sale last summer, it has since been occupying prime hanger property. Granted, the pastel fringing is deliciously outre, but it unfortunately looks out of place with my more ascetic tailored separates. Alas, it's time to bid adieu. The good news is, it's up for sale. The better news is, it usually retails upwards of €800 but I'm selling it for €200 (ex. postage). I've attached pics with measurements below. Should you wish to get in contact about the item, email me on iblogfashion (AT) gmail (DOT) com for Paypal and postage details. Prefer to go through eBay? CLICK HERE.

17 inches neck to hem
15.5 inch sleeve
Size: small but would fit up to a UK 10-12

Brown Thomas Spring Summer 12 Preview

2012-01-17T13:58:00.001Z

Brown Thomas unveiled their spring summer 12 collection last week to an eager press gang. In marked contrast to last January when I viewed their spring summer 11 wares, I was at least able to shed the layers of leather, fur and thermals to embrace the season ahead. Hotly-tipped on the trend radar are sorbet shades, monochromes and diverse prints: photographic, aquatic, geometric. Florals continue their unfettered reign albeit with a twist: think tropical plants and vegetables redolent of a Sicilian village fete. The edit is clean, clear and precise with highlights from Alexander McQueen, Dries Van Noten and Victoria Beckham. New names to note? Victoria, Victoria Beckham - the little sister to VB's mainline collection offering darling dresses that embody the whimsy of the season at competitive price points. My favourite? Jay Ahr - Parisian label headed up by Belgian designer Jonathan Riss offering a fusion of contemporary styling and couture details in chic cream/black colourways. The tulle mille feuille dresses (maxi and mini) are perfect for any cool girl brides looking for an urban spin on the traditional wedding gown.Interested in more? Why not take a look for yourself? Video below...

Margaret Thatcher

2012-01-15T16:18:00.000Z

Much noise has been made of late regarding Margaret Thatcher's style - or lack thereof. With the January 6th cinematic release of 'The Iron Lady', starring Meryl Streep, this furore has been further amplified with fashion critics eviscerating the Tory's lack of finesse in comparison to political figures such as Michelle Obama and Carla Sarkozy. A clothes horse Thatcher most certainly was not, but the political agenda behind her sartorial choices was indeed cut from a different cloth. The thought process behind her outward show is worthy of examination, as I've outlined in a recent article written for the Irish Examiner. Have a look and if fashion history interests you, the book Margaret Thatcher - A Life in Pictures (Ammonite Press) offers a unique visual chronology from her early years through to her third term in office.

New Year - New Rezzies

2012-01-07T20:31:00.001Z

A week into 2012 and I'm already struggling with my well-intentioned resolutions. My proverbial path to disappointment has been surreptitiously trod on my by a defunkt willpower that refuses to acknowledge the concept of exercising more and eating less. I type this with a belly full of Pad Thai and new trainers on my feet. But hey, it's all about balance really. I digress. With regards to matters sartorial, I've vowed to introduce kaleidescope prints into my otherwise funereal black wardrobe; this in addition to showing off more leg once in a while. I've managed the leg bit but whilst the sky is still greyer than a geriatrics convention, I've bought myself a bit of leeway with regards to embracing Hawaiian and jungle flora. I just need to get my head around how to reconcile such levity with our two-day Irish summers. Might have to jack up the heating a bit; or a lot. Sigh.

Credits: Irish Examiner, December 31st
Wool cape, Public Beware €93; D&G black and gold dress, Brown Thomas €1,035; Heart courts, Topshop €88

Photo, Miki Barlok; styling, Annmarie O'Connor, assistant Bríd Ní Laochdha

Laying Low

2011-12-28T20:22:00.000Z

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

2011-12-13T23:11:00.001Z

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

2011-12-10T11:56:00.001Z

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

2011-12-09T17:39:00.001Z

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

2011-12-07T12:19:00.001Z

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

December 6th - The Damage

2011-12-06T11:43:00.001Z

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

2011-12-05T15:20:00.001Z

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

2011-12-04T11:43:00.000Z

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

2011-12-03T10:03:00.001Z

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.

The C Word

2011-11-27T12:43:00.002Z

It's official. As Thanksgiving has passed, I am now at liberty to use the C word. With Christmas less than a month away,I'm pulling all the stops out - like it or not. I've already been besieged on Facebook for admitting to having put up my yuletide decs but hey, that's the price one pays for being an early adapter. I'll be the last one laughing (Egg Nog in hand) while everyone else loses their God-given reason come mid-December. Next weekend it's present-shopping and then I'm at liberty to shimmy around to Wham until the 25th. Smug - maybe. Just look at this awesome Chritmas wreath I concocted last night:

Wreath, Brown Thomas
Mini candy canes, Brown Thomas

Cinnamon bunches, A. Rubanesque
Gingham ribbon, A. Rubanesque
Mini heart pins, A. Rubanesque

Kildare Village Private Sale

2011-11-22T19:24:00.002Z

Get set my festive friends! Kildare Village in association with The Gloss magazine is hosting the 2011 Christmas Private Sale event from the 1st until 4th December. An invitation to the private sale entitles Kildare Village members to an additional 20% off already reduced prices in plum designer outlet boutiques including Louise Kennedy, L.K. Bennett and Ted Baker; not to mention new brands Hobbs, Pandora and Gerard Darel opening before December 25th. Looking to bag some swag? Simply register online at KildareVillage.com for an invitation to what promises to be the shopping event of the season. Present your invitation in the Tourist Information Centre and you'll receive a wristband entitling you to a sleigh-full of savvy savings around the Village. That simple!

What's more this hotly-anticipated event all takes place in a dreamy winter wonderland setting with rich pickings for the whole family.Kildare Village is open seven days a week until 7pm Monday –Wednesday and until 8pm Thursday to Sunday from 1st December. For further details of opening hours and more information about Christmas at Kildare Village visit www.KildareVillage.com. Become a fan on Facebook too for the latest updates http://www.facebook.com/kildarevillage.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

The Brown Thomas Christmas Windows

2011-11-22T00:36:00.000Z

One Christmas, when I was eight, I went with my best friend to Radio City Music Hall to see The Nutcracker Suite. Twenty-five Christmases later, I went to see Anthony Minghella's adaptation of Madame Butterfly at the English National Opera. It's that time of year again. Thank you Brown Thomas!

Where Are You Snow?

2011-11-19T11:55:00.002Z

On November 28th, 2010 Dublin woke up to a clanger of a surprise - snow. Not just a dusty blanket or a some ertswhile flurries but a expletive-inducing a 12-inch dump of crystalline ice that continued to pile higher...and higher...and higher. As giddy as I was at the prospect of being under house arrest with Xmas FM and a bottle of Baileys, the fact was I had to venture outside at some point. That point was precisely 2 hours later when I needed milk. Needless to say, my wardrobe was ne'er equipped to navigate this new terrain and I made firm friends with my sister's hiking boots to get from a to b over the following weeks. Determined not to let crampons cramp my style for another season, I decided to get the big guns out...

Exhibit A - Karl Donoghue Waxed Lambskin Cape

Not just a pretty face, this glossy gal boats a waxed exterior and super soft shearling interior. You'll be warmer than a mug of Butler's marshmallow hot chocolate and just waterproofed enough should a rogue snow shower make its presence felt while out Christmas shopping. Oh, you'll also look kick ass hot.

Exhibit B - SuperBlizz FitFlop Boots

Check out these bad boys. If the weather decides to play dirty, it's got me and my cosy feet to deal with! Water-resistant shearling-clad leather with super tread rubber heels. Ha! Try saying that after a few glasses of Egg Nog!

Now that I'm good to go, all that's needed is for Mother Nature to PMS. Do your thing weather! Please....

How to Wear It - Irish Examiner - Nov 19th

2011-11-19T11:29:00.001Z

HOW TO WEAR IT...LEATHER SKIRT

One leather skirt – three ways to wear it. Annmarie O’Connor shows you how.

Channel your inner Jagger with this fun lips tee, add in a red leather jacket, et voila – a new spin on ‘rock chick’.

Red leather biker jacket, French Connection €400
Markus Lupfer lips tee, BT2 €105
Fenn Wright Manson leather skirt, Brown Thomas €286
Black zip ankle boots, Topshop €114

Credits
Styled by Annmarie O’Connor
Assisted by Bríd Ní Laochdha
Photos by Maura Hickey

For the rest of this feature, pick up today's Irish Examiner

Glam Party Shoes @ Brown Thomas

2011-11-13T12:48:00.002Z

On the hunt for festive foot candy? Check out some of the looks I featured in yesterday's Glam Party Shoes presentation at Brown Thomas, Dublin.

Dress - Moschino Cheap & Chic
Bag - YSL
Shoes - Miu Miu

Dress - Balenciaga
Bag - Mulberry
Jewellery - Annoushka
Shoes - Prada

Dress - Mary Katrantzou
Bag - Anya Hinmarch
Jewellery - Annoushka
Shoes - YSL

Dress - Marc by Marc Jacobs
Bag - Anya Hundmarch
Jewellery - Annoushka
Shoes - Miu Miu

Jacket - Helmut Lang
Top - Elie Tahari
Trouses - Marc by Marc Jacobs
Bag - Anya Hindmarch
Shoes - Dolce & Gabbana

Dress - Helmut Lang
Bag - Anya Hidmarch
Jewellery - Annoushka
Shoes - Prada


Dress - 3.1 Philip Lim Bag - Chloe Shoes - Charlotte Olympia

Retro Musings

2011-11-13T12:13:00.002Z

Last night I chatted with my friend Karina about our teenage fashion foibles and obsessions. The revelations were amusing. How many of these do you remember?

L.A. Gear high top sneakers (with the double contrast colour laces). A
Bottle cap Doc Martens (in manner of any respectable Bross-ette). K
That A|wear used to be called Gaywear! A and K
Fisherman rib sweaters that weighed more than a small child and completely usurped the female form. Usually worn with a polo neck. A and K
Hairspraying one's fringe OVER the rim of a bowler hat. K
Wearing two pairs of knee socks bunched mid-calf (with L.A. Gears or Docs). A
Puff ball skirts! A and K
13 magazine. I bought my first copy aged 12 and re-read it about 1,200 times. A
Concert pianist shirts worn with tartan skirts and a man’s tuxedo jacket...with a polo neck. K
Braces worn off the shoulder, with shorts, L.A. Gears, double socks...and a polo neck. A

What the fascination was with polo necks is anyone's guess....

How to Wear It - Irish Examiner - Nov 12th

2011-11-13T11:02:00.002Z

HOW TO WEAR IT...YELLOW
Hello Yellow! Nix the winter blues with a shot of summer sunshine. Annmarie O’Connor shows you how.

Tall? A yellow sweatshirt breaks up the length of a black silhouette; as so the combined proportions of a mini skirt and ankle boots.

Cos yellow sweatshirt, BT2 €59
Cos black polo neck, BT2 €49
Black pleated leather skirt, River Island €100
‘Joby’ biker boots, French Connection €250
Shearling bag, River Island €202

Credits
Styled by Annmarie O’Connor
Assisted by Bríd Ní Laochdha
Photos by Maura Hickey

A full version of this feature is availble in the Irish Examiner.

Party Shoes!

2011-11-09T13:20:00.000Z

Shopping this Saturday? Come join me at Brown Thomas, Dublin where I'll be presenting hourly Party Shoe workshops from 12pm-4pm. Discover the latest Christmas season styles including Miu Miu, Charlotte Olympia and Alexander McQueen with tips on how to how to wear them.

The Shoe Rooms - Brown Thomas, Dublin. Saturday, 12th November: 12pm - 4pm. www.brownthomas.com.

Helen McAlinden A/W 11 Collection

2011-10-27T18:26:00.000+01:00

This morning Irish designer Helen McAlinden showcased her a/w 11 collection at her new boutique on Dublin’s South William Street. Featuring an assortment of go-to garments in luxe fabrics and finishes, the range makes everyday luxe a delicious expectation. Key pieces include a classic wool and cashmere wrap coat, cable knit coatigan, tartan mohair jacket and an expertly draped snakeskin printed wrap dress. Info: Helen McAlinden, 20 South William Street, Dublin 2. 01-672 9633.

Stylist: Mark Andrew Kelly
Hair/Make-up: Dylan Bradshaw
Shoes: LK Bennett
Furs: Barnardos
Gloves: Paula Rowan

It's On!

2011-10-27T18:00:00.001+01:00

After Monday's biblical floods and predictions of snow (according to last night's cab driver) as early as next week, I'm feeling rather smug. "Why?" you may ask looking at the video below. Granted I was unable to pass the de facto lake that had once been Ravensdale Park due to lack of waterproof footwear but that's all changed. I've got my Sorel boots from Fitzpatricks strapped to each tootsie - that's why! What's more, these beauties (favoured by Sundance filmies and Elle MacPherson), were test-driven only last Monday in the freak-ass floods without so much as a leak. Are we impressed? Erm, yes! So, it's on - Mr. Weather. Do your worst!!

Add caption

How to Wear It - Irish Examiner - Oct 22nd

2011-10-23T21:32:00.000+01:00

HOW TO WEAR IT...VINTAGE
Step back in time with a one-of-a-kind vintage find.... Annmarie O’Connor shows you how.

Look 1
It’s not often you discover a gem like this original military jacket. A maxi skirt and t-shirt provide an uncluttered backdrop; while the bullet necklace adds some armoury.

Army jacket, 9 Crow Street Clothing €60
V-neck tee, American Apparel €24
Necklace, Forever 21 €7.90
Skirt, Annmarie’s own
Kurt Geiger boots, Brown Thomas €195

Look 2
This `60s brocade skirt was a total find! I love the sweetness of the textured mohair sweater and the ballet flats make it oh-so-wearable.

COS mohair sweater, BT2 €69.95
1960s brocade maxi skirt, Shotsy Vintage €18
Kurt Geiger ‘Lilian’ ballerina flats, Brown Thomas €155

Look 3

I had my alterations centre convert this tweed coat into a gilet by removing the sleeves. It makes for an ideal layering piece with an Aran cardi and sweater dress.

Tweed gilet, Oxfam Vintage €30
Aran cardigan, Penneys €16
Boots, Topshop €103
Dress, Annmarie’s own

Credits
Styled by Annmarie O’Connor
Assisted by Bríd Ní Laochdha
Photos by Maura Hickey

WhatSheWears.ie Guest Editor

2011-10-17T10:37:00.000+01:00

I play guest editor this week on award-winning fashion website WhatSheWears.ie. Many thanks to Gillian Brett for kindly considering me. CLICK HERE for a goo!

www.whatshewears.ie

How to Wear It - Irish Examiner - Oct 8th

2011-10-08T11:06:00.008+01:00

HOW TO WEAR IT...ANIMAL PRINT
Fancy trying out some animal print?.... Annmarie O’Connor shows you how to heed the call of the wild.

Outfit 1
Looking for drama? A cheetah print faux fur can make a simple black silhouette pop.
Cheetah print faux fur coat, Topshop €149
D&G sweater, Brown Thomas €190
By Malene Birger leather skirt, Brown Thomas €440
Glasses and shoes, Annmarie’s own

Credits
Styled by Annmarie O’Connor
Assisted by Bríd Ní Laochdha
Photos by Maura Hickey

Let's Do It for Ben

2011-10-07T09:39:00.000+01:00

We all love a good knees up but we love it all the more when the proceeds go to a deserving charity. Ben Murphy is a very sick little boy whose parents need to raise €30-40,000 for a specialist consultation in the USA and another €200,000 if deemed suitable for his operation. There is currently no real media backing behind this charity but if we can generate even a spark of exposure, it could go a long way towards helping a child in need. All you have to do is pay €10 to attend a fashion show / mahoosive party on October 11th in Dublin's Lost Society. Not a bad deal. Tickets available on the door. More details @ www.letsdoitforben.com.

Feel free to repost on this link.

Karl Donoghue

2011-10-05T13:28:00.000+01:00

Join me at Brown Thomas, Dublin tomorrow as I introduce British designer Karl Donoghue and his winter 2011 collection.

This unique Q&A / styling presentation will take place at Brown Thomas, Dublin this Thursday, 6th October from 6.30pm on Level 2.

Well known and loved for his ready to wear and accessory collection made from the finest shearling and leather, Karl’s pieces have been spotted on fashionable faces from Erin O’Connor to Victoria Beckham and Kate Moss.

Get an insight into what inspires this London-based designer, along with top tips on how to wear his versatile wardrobe staples.

Gratitude

2011-10-05T13:20:00.000+01:00

A belated thank you to Meg O'Keeffe at Image magazine for featuring I Blog Fashion in her Top Blogs feature. Pick up a copy of the November issue today for the full article.

Gravity

2011-09-29T10:20:00.001+01:00

I glanced in the mirror. A pair of pert knitted boobs stared back at me while a second pair bulged out beneath. This wasn’t the plan.

“You’d know that was the handiwork of a 21-year old,” chided the Wise Elder of the two pink yarn balls. “No woman over the age of thirty would place the nipples that high!”

She was right. I should never have agreed to let a model, for whom gravity is an alien concept, custom-make my t-shirt at a London Fashion Week party.

“Are you wearing a bra,” she enquired earnestly.

“Of course, I am,” I snapped. “I’ve hoisted the damn thing so high; it’s cutting into my back!”

“That’s classic spite at work,” cooed the Wise Elder. “That taut little filly ironed those motifs just high enough so you’d look foolish.”

Maybe she was right. I’ve never had issues with my own. The girls have been the one part of my body I could rely on; the same height with or without a bra - no jiggling, no dangling, just right.

But as the theory of relativity would have it, I may as well have attached two shanks of dried salami to my torso; or scrawled ‘Torpedo Tits!’ all over myself. Like Hester Prynne – I felt branded, shamed and forced to pay dividends by wearing my Scarlet Letter (of sorts).

“It goes in the charity bin,” balked the Wise Elder. “Let the college students rummage over it while they still understand irony.”

Touché.

Learning to Drive: the Ab Fab Way

2011-09-26T14:44:00.003+01:00

I'm studying for my driver's theory test this week. Inbetween dosing off when learning that one shouldn't drive with cross-ply or radial tyres and ~~remembering~~ to apply anti-wax agent to a diesel engine in cold weather, I came across this little gem. Nothing like a bit of Patsy and Edina to lighten the mood. Start from 7:30 when they try navigating the roads of Provence en route to their wine tasting trip.

Eddie: Am I on the wrong side of the road, or the wrong side of the road? I can't go on until I'm sure.
Patsy: Keep driving, Eddy. You haven't hit anything yet.
Eddie: This is here. I should be on the right-hand side of the road.
Patsy: Look, do you want me to drive?
Eddie: Oh, so speaks the woman whose head has been lolling around like a bladder on a stick for the best part of the journey. Read the maps, get the maps.
[Patsy hands Edina a map]
Eddie: This is Spain. Read the instructions.
Patsy: "Leave airport, turn right..." Blah, blah, blah.
Eddie: Right. Now, get in, Pats. I shouldn't have gone left, should I? I mean... We're going back to that bloody airport, Pats, or we'll never find it. Oh, God! I hate France, I hate it!

Where's Wally @ LFW

2011-09-22T14:13:00.004+01:00

It appears I've been popping up in the background of LFW coverage. Had I known, I would have held up a "Hi Mom" sign or at least flashed a boob. Why should Olivia Palermo get all the attention?

Check out 1:48

http://insideout.topshop.com/

Who's yer wan in the back?

And again at 1:34!

London Fashion Week - John Rocha

2011-09-22T10:09:00.001+01:00

John Rocha stayed true to his endearing love of texture, structure and form with a breathtaking collection – high on craftsmanship and eclectic references. A trip to the Amazon underscored the romantic runway edit where our Irish-adopted son saw Indians using raw materials like leaves and wood bark to make clothes. “I thought it would be great to do something organic,” tells Rocha, “something that is really close to what I believe in and will hopefully make people more aware of the Amazon." Hand-tucked raffia and leather ruffles covered shoes and hemlines; while patchwork crochet married itself with softly pleated asymmetry in elongated skirts and trousers. Wire headpieces made evanescent the hauntingly monochrome cavalcade – yet another big win for Irish in the high fashion stakes.

Edited from my weekend show report in The Irish Examiner. CLICK HERE for the full report.

London Fashion Week - Holly Fulton

2011-09-22T09:43:00.003+01:00

The vacation theme was palapable at LFW this season: Jaeger went to Mustique, Mulberry hit up the English seaside and Nasir Mazrah went raving north of the Equator. Holly Fulton tweaked the brief in her own maximalist fashion by imagining a girl who blows her holiday budget on clothes and skips off to Margate instead. The result is a 'so wrong, it's right' Art Deco hybrid of punchy prints and aquarium colours sporting coral and shell embellishments. Let's hope Fulton's fallen angel doesn't bump into Mulberry's Miss Prim bump on the dodge'ems; she'll kick her ass!

London Fashion Week - Simone Rocha

2011-09-21T18:38:00.000+01:00

Simone Rocha unveiled her third collection to a packed salon audience at Portland Place. Interestingly, the location is where scenes from The King's Speech was shot. Unlike George VI however, Rocha expressed her design vision with a fluidity and ease that belies her years. Irish model Danielle Winkworth opened the show - a collection of twenty looks anchored in black and white with shots of hot green and pink. A mistress of fabric manipulation, Ms. Rocha played with sheer panelling and overlays on classic shirt fronts adding plastic collars and treated lace skirts - challenging the traditional masculine/feminine interplay. Her signature perspex-heeled floating brogues - this time in summer leather and plastic - were utterly waiting-list worthy. One to watch without a shadow of a doubt.

Edited from my weekend show report in The Irish Examiner. CLICK HERE for the full report.

London Fashion Week - Joanne Hynes

2011-09-21T18:12:00.002+01:00

My stand-out show from London Fashion Week was without doubt that of Galway girl Joanne Hynes whose Plastiscope collection caused a ripple of excitement amongst a packed audience at Vauxhall Fashion Scout. Models sporting beehive hairdos walked trance-like to a mash-up of 60s B-movie riffs and fun fair refrains. The otherworldly feel underscored the Hynes heroine – an abstract yet archetypal girl eschewing boundaries and embracing the freedom of her position. Between the polar opposites of chaos and control, stood a colour-blocked cacophony of foiled appliqué leather jackets layered over leather pencil and sequin lurex tube skirts with couture latex stockings finishing the look. Hynes’ outré neckpieces took centre stage however with the front row reeling over oversized animal pendants and larger than life lamé clutch bags – the perfect accessories for the late night party girl. “It’s the right side of wrong,” says Joanne of her eclectic Edie Sedgewick ensembles. We think it’s just perfect. Be prepared. Fashionistas have started writing their Santa lists early.

Edited from my Day 5 show report in The Irish Examiner. CLICK HERE for the full report.

How to Wear It - Irish Examiner - Sept 17th

2011-09-17T23:27:00.003+01:00

HOW TO WEAR IT...CAPES
Capes aren’t just for superheroes.... Annmarie O’Connor shows you how to wear this season’s hottest item.

Outfit 1
Capelets, like this scalloped mohair beauty, are ideal for a desk-to-dinner dash.Irwin and Jordan cape, Brown Thomas €440
Marc by Marc Jacobs lurex top, Brown Thomas €245
Burgundy trousers, Zara €49.95
Kurt Geiger ‘Eden’ snake print courts, Brown Thomas €250
Pony skin clutch, Zara €79.95
Ring, Forever 21 €6.80

Outfit 2
This star-clad cape is all the drama you need. Just add a little black dress.MSGM cape, BT2 €365
Black dress, Zara €99.95
Bex Rox bracelet, Design Centre €198
Tights and shoes, Annmarie’s own

Outfit 3
A tweed cape looks sweet when paired with an Aran knit and rhinestone collar. The leather skirt and faux skin bag create a sexy contrast.
Wool cape, Zara €99.95
Aran sweater, Topshop €58
By Malene Birger leather skirt, Brown Thomas €440
Ponyskin clutch, Zara €79.95
Shoes, Annmarie’s own

Credits
Styled by Annmarie O’Connor
Assisted by Bríd Ní Laochdha
Photos by Eilish McCormick

Lenny the Dog - LFW Stylist

2011-09-17T22:57:00.002+01:00

This is Lenny the Dog. He's no ordinary pug. In fact, he's one of LFW's most celebrated stylists. Not only does he dress impeccably (check out that Jeeves and Wooster plaid), his wrinkles make him all the cuter. Have you seen the attention he's been getting on the cobbles?! Don't be surprised if he bags himself a front row seat this season.

Esprit / RCA party

2011-09-17T22:22:00.006+01:00

Last night, Irish Tatler ed Jessie Collins and I hit up the Esprit flagship store on London's Regent Street for the launch of the store's limited edition collection in collaboration with the Royal College of Art. Entitled 'Sheep Couture' - the partnership involved a competition where 22 of this year's RCA grads worked to the brief of a sustainable capsule collection. The three winning designs (by Victoria Hill, Amelie Marciasini and Katie Hildebrand) were re-interpreted by Esprit for sale in its selected stores in the U.K.

With knitwear experiencing a timely redux; not to mention LFW's big wool push, be prepared to ditch that love-worn cardi. I had to practically be pried off the bobbly jumpers - so soft and cuddly! Guests on the night were treated to t-shirt making, photo opps in granny's knitting chair, elderflower martinis and some rather strong gin, beetroot, spinach libations topped with wool-inspired candyfloss. Alice Dellal busted out some rad tunes from the Clash to Biggy Smalls and a I left with a new pair of boobs. See below...

My Boob T-shirt!

LFW - Day 1

2011-09-17T00:07:00.001+01:00


Photo courtesy of Tom Chapman @ Fashion156.com

I'm watching Family Guy in my hotel room at the moment. No, I haven't been slacking off; quite the contrary. The inaugural day at London Fashion Week has proven to be be quite the productive one. Although the cobbles were less cluttered than usual, the sun shone, the runways ran and the bubbles flowed. Paul Costelloe opened with his signature brio as models sugar-coated in mint, cream and candyfloss made a September day feel like spring. Costelloe's handprint was evident in cocoon coats, jacquard fabrics and buble hems with whimsical touches like back pleats and bows, exaggerated sleeves and mid-thigh skirts. Our native Dubliner made his most impressive mark with menswear - a serving of suits - oversized and unabashed in shades of teal and purple.

The Irish fashion mafia made its presence felt further at the BFC exhibition space where Galway girl Una Burke added handbags to her range of cult leather body art. Her influences this season? Mourning rituals and Egyptian burial practices. In contrast with the theme is are bouyant pops of colour and smaller entry-level pieces (think cuffs and mini waisters) that will satistfy the more bijou fashion budget. No opening day would be complete without an Orla Kiely's short film screening and models in situ. The sixties are still in full swing - this time relocating from London Town to a forest / suburban milieu.

As for the party scene, we kicked off the night at the Diesel flagship store and made our way to the Esprit Limited Edition RCA party where we made our own t-shirts, played with wool and drank good-for-you cocktails (beetroot + spinach + gin = surprisngly tasty!). The night concluded at the opening of Maria Grachvogel's Chelsea boutique - our last chin chin before beddy byes.

Good night kids.

Axx

There's Glitter in Your Hair

2011-09-12T10:14:00.001+01:00

I was stopped the other day by street style blogger Mark of "There's Glitter in Your Hair". Check out his blog which he's reprised after a short hiatus and which has started to gain deserved traction.


http://theresglitterinyourhair.blogspot.com/


http://theresglitterinyourhair.blogspot.com/

Photos courtesy of http://theresglitterinyourhair.blogspot.com/

Dublin Fashion Festival

2011-09-10T17:34:00.001+01:00

I'm a bit tardy in posting this but hopefully this shall reach you all in time for tomorrow. If you haven't already made it down to Dublin's Dawson Street to check out the Fashion Festival HQ - get your skates on folks! There's just one more day of fashion shows, make-up demonstrations and general sartorial shenanigans afoot. I had the pleasure of giving a talk on wardrobe editing this afternoon to a lovely audience and also got to watch Sonya Lennon in action as she hosted one of the many catwalk presentations. For further information, log onto www.dff.ie or check out Dublin Fashion Festival on Facebook and @DublinFashion for regular Twitter updates. Oh, rumour has it there's some DFF cocktail action happening in town as we speak. (Cue: hasty exit.)

Studying my notes this morning before my talk.

Sonya Lennon hosting one of the many DFF catwalk shows.

Jude Nabney and Theo in 'Heritage'.

How to Wear It - Irish Examiner - Sept 10th

2011-09-10T17:15:00.001+01:00

HOW TO WEAR IT...PLEATED SKIRTS
The pleated skirt is a fuss-free way to channel the forties. Annmarie O’Connor shows you how to wear it.

Outfit 1
Colour blocking needn’t blind one. The bright blue peacock and shoes are subtle enough to make this green mini pop!
Markus Lupfer peacock sweater, BT2 320
‘Closet’ pleated skirt, A|wear €45
Ring, A|wear €8
Cobalt suede shoes, Penneys €15

Credits
Styled by Annmarie O’Connor
Assisted by Bríd Ní Laochdha
Photos by Eilish McCormick

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

The Style Snip

2011-09-08T18:47:00.001+01:00

The Style Snip has rapidly become my favourite street style blog; not least for its unstudied cross-section of unusual fashion subjects from Tokyo, New York, London and Paris. This image entitled 'On the Street in Soho, New York' would not have been out of place in Dublin this 'summer'. Cue internal monologue: "Do I bring an umbrella?"; "Do I wear a bikini top?"; "Perhaps I should bring a coat just in case..." Inspired.

Photo by: Yo-ko.Berry

America - Simon & Garfunkel

2011-09-08T14:29:00.003+01:00

Image courtesy of: Urban Gurl @ http://simongarfunkel.tumblr.com

I was on the DART yesterday listening to Simon & Garkfunkel's 'America' when it struck me how similar this simple elegy is to Eliot's Prufrock with its cache of clothing references:

Unlike Eliot however whose loss is defined by an inability to permeate the hermetic seal of Edwardian society, Kathy and Simon share a more palpable loss. Despite being tethered together in their search for a better life:

"Let us be lovers we'll marry our fortunes together.
I've got some real estate here in my bag."

And the sense of excitement which the beginning of a new adventure brings:

"Laughing on the bus

Playing games with the faces
She said the man in the gabardine suit was a spy
I said "Be careful his bowtie is really a camera""

The reality of hardship is a familiar stranger they will never escape.

"Toss me a cigarette, I think there's one in my raincoat"

"We smoked the last one an hour ago"

The sense of loneliness and isolation is heightened by their togetherness:

"Kathy, I'm lost," I said, though I knew she was sleeping

I'm empty and aching and I don't know why"

a foreboding seense of ennui punctuted by 'counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike '; much like that of Eliot's life 'measured out in coffee spoons':

"They've all gone to look for America"

Seems like everyone is still searching...

CLICK HERE to visit Urban Gurl's Flick site & find out more about the Paint Saginaw project.

Priestess NYC - Extreme Regime!

2011-09-07T10:52:00.001+01:00

Heading to NYC for Fashion Week? Be sure to check out my friend Cody Ross' S/S12 collection for Priestess NYC. Exhibiting at Extreme Regime - an avant-garde in-your-face mash-up of art and fashion. Now how many hyphenates was that? CLICK HERE for details or see below to RSVP.

How to Wear It - Irish Examiner - Sept 3rd

2011-09-06T20:01:00.004+01:00

If you missed the Irish Examiner last Weekend (say it ain't so!), you plum well missed the reprisal of our How to Wear It section for A/W 1. Herewith please find a taster from our twist on heritage. Next week? Pleats...

Team these check capri pants with a crystal collar and poodle sweatshirt for a new spin on walking the dog.
Crystal collar, Forever 21 €20
Markus Lupfer poodle oversized sweatshirt, BT2 €375
Check capri trousers, H&M €19.95
Ochre suede courts, Penneys €15

Credits
Styled by Annmarie O’Connor
Assisted by Bríd Ní Laochdha
Photos by Eilish McCormick

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

2011-09-04T19:34:00.006+01:00

Image courtesy of: www.weheartit.com.

I've been mulling over T.S. Eliot's 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock' lately. Every time I read the poem, I am struck by Eliot's clothing imagery - symbolic not only of the strictures of Edwardian society but also those shackles of self-doubt. The style set of the age, with their rigours and sartorial codes - 'my collar mounting firmly to the chin' - have in essence occluded him from any chance of fitting in, being understood - 'smoothed by long fingers' - intimacy as it were:

With a bald spot in the middle of my hair--
(They will say: "How his hair is growing thin!")
My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin,
My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin--
(They will say: "But how his arms and legs are thin!")

Despite following the edicts of fashion, his bald spot and lanky demeanour let him down. It's as if he's been through this all before and yet, out of loneliness, repeats the humiliation; still unsure of how to break the hermetic seal:

And I have known the arms already, known them all--
Arms that are braceleted and white and bare
(But in the lamplight, downed with light brown hair!)
Is it perfume from a dress
That makes me so digress?
Arms that lie along a table, or wrap about a shawl.
And should I then presume?
And how should I begin?

Desperate not to be one of the 'lonely men in shirt sleeves, hanging out windows', he can't escape the reality that life is passing him by; and this glossy existence of 'porcelain cups' is parallel to his own shadowy life - one where he plays 'the Fool':

And I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker,
And in short, I was afraid.

As his sense of mortality deepens, his willigness to take risks begins to ebb. He realises old age has no place in stylish society. Instead he accepts regretfully that the mermaids (who ironically serenade sailors to their death) will never sing to him:

I grow old . . . I grow old . . .
I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.

Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.

I do not think that they will sing to me.

O.K. Not exactly the most cheerful missive on my part but it does ring true on many levels I believe. Something to think about...

Signs You're Getting Old(er)...

2011-08-31T09:52:00.000+01:00

It's happening whether you like it or not. Here are some of the signs.

Karl Lagerfeld for Hogan - how come he gets away with it?

Street style blogs leave you bemused at why girls wear parkas with bare legs...in winter.
You’ve used any of the following words alone, in conjunction with another or together in an exclamatory rage in a clothing store: too...short, fitted, high, low, bright, busy, Jersey Shore.
You secretly admire Kate Middleton for popularlising kitten heels and wedges.
You find yourself saying, “I never used to shop in LK Bennett but....”
You can’t understand the relationship between tights and shorts (see: #1).
The midi skirt is your friend.
You experienced the `70s, `80s and `90s trends the first time around....and they sucked then.
The last time you spent €1,000 on something, it was last month’s mortgage.
You don’t know whether to loathe or love Mary Kate Olsen for making falling out of bed look socially acceptable.
Finish the following sentence. Malls make me: ~~twitch~~, ~~give me crowd blindness~~; erase my will to live.
Word association time! Granny chic, oversized and ironic = Young, thin and clueless.
Ripped tights, matted hair and chipped nail varnish were synonymous with the walk of shame in your day.
Finish the following sentence. I love the colour black because: ~~it’s chic~~, ~~it make me look thin~~; it stops me from having to think.
You refer to colours in terms of ROYGBIV; not the local farmer’s market – raspberry, mint, salmon, chocolate, espresso.
You thought The Devil Wears Prada was a spoof.

Alaïa is an untruthful person from Boston.

Back on the Branch...

2011-08-28T11:57:00.001+01:00

against my better judgement. Looks like technology has got the better of me; either that or peer pressure. Anyhow, if tweeting is your thing, come follow I Blog Fashion at twitter.com/Iblogfashion.

Available from Etsy.com

Words of Wisdom...

2011-08-28T09:36:00.001+01:00

from the streets of Dublin. The perfect post-Saturday night reflection. ;)

Image Magazine - Runway Diaries

2011-08-22T20:53:00.000+01:00

Many thanks to Image magazine for the Runway Diaries write-up in the September issue! x

Why Don't You?

2011-08-21T15:58:00.002+01:00

I'm in a bad mood. Boo! Yes, that's me being angry. Cross me at your peril. With such indignation abrew, I thought it best to channel my sucky feelings productively, so I took to reading a more sprightly tome on the life of Diana Vreeland. Damn, that chick was positive. So upbeat was the former fashion colmunist and editor, her "Why Don't You?" column for Harper's Bazaar achieved cult success among the women of great means. Offering outside-the-box lifestyle thinking, the suggestions were both outlandish and seemingly achievable.

1) Why Don't You...wash your blond child's hair in dead champagne, as they do in France.
2) Why Don't You...have an elk-hide trunk for the back of your car? Hermès of Paris will make this.
3) Why Don't You...have your cigarettes stamped with a personal insignia?

There are several reasons why this doesn't work for me; see reasons below:

a) Any champagne that crosses my threshhold normally has a 60-minute lifespan; its death being bought about by consumption; not lack thereof.
b) I don't have a car.
c) A personal insignia? Really?

Curmudgeonly disposition in tow, I've decided to write a few of my own suggestions which begs the question -Why Don't You?

...step away from the Herve Leger bandage dresses. They're common. End of.
...realise that certain trends act as a one-way ticket to celibacy. If you want any sort of future sack action, contact The Man Repeller for a list of what to avoid.
...Juicy Couture is an oxymoron and an insult to the word 'fashion'. Unless your intentions involve some twisted form of postmodern irony, leave the towelling to the bathroom honey.
...stop using the word 'fashionista'. You are only contributing to its smelly virulence!
...buy a decent bottle of wine and down it with a stellar friend if having a fat day. It's cheaper than therapy, cleaner than colonic irrigation and unlike a shotgun, you don't need a licence.

There. I feel better already...

Sylvia Plath - The Bell Jar - New Interpretaions of a Modern Classic

2011-08-21T12:30:00.004+01:00

Bell Jar £360 @ Jaggynettle.com

Jaggy Nettle, one of the latest companies to emerge from the Scotland’s growing pool of textile talent, has launched a range of exclusive hand-printed Scottish cashmere jumpers inspired by classic book covers - and a new website.

Taken from iconic literary works housed in Faber and Faber’s 80-year archive, the vintage book covers were the muse for the company’s new collection.

Created by ex-fine artist Jason Lee and textile designer, Emily Quinn, the range has been designed to challenge the concept of peoples' interpretation and judgement of others through the clothes they wear.

The new collection features selected titles including David Hare’s ‘Slag’, Samuel Beckett’s ‘Play’ as well as Sylvia Plath’s ‘The Bell Jar’ in limited editions of 10. Other items in Jaggy Nettle’s range include Harris Tweed and Johnstons of Elgin Tweed footwear and limited edition Japanese selvedge denim.

Taken from JazzyNettle.com. Go pay them a visit!

Tune In & Turn It Out

2011-08-21T12:16:00.000+01:00

Since I've discovered the joys of the Nike+ GPS app, I've actually been running. I know! Who'd have thought? It's not just a pretty iPhone icon or for tracking calories while window shopping. The nifty thing about this piece of techno non-gym wizardry is the Power Song button for when one's will to live has been sapped. You know that last half mile where you'd rather walk / crawl / curl into a ball and rock yourself gently? Well, circumlocution aside, three artists keep rearing their heads on my homeward stretch. Hole, The Donnas and Princess Superstar. Although disparate, there's a certain rauch that tethers these three; not least their idiosyncratic styles - kinder whore, `70s high school seniors and Lower East Side club kid. I wonder what kind of hybrid fashion statement that would make in a mash-up? I digresss. Check 'em out below...

Hole


The Donnas

Princess Superstar

Guess Who?

2011-08-16T17:17:00.000+01:00

A present from my niece / godchild. Guess who?

Style Stoicism

2011-08-15T11:07:00.002+01:00

“Know first who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly.” - Epictetus

“You look like Stevie Nicks,” said the Wise Elder.

As I looked at my spread eagle reflection in the mirror, I was inclined to agree. Pink fringed arms akimbo, I looked as far removed from the edge of 17 as a 38-year old woman could be.

“I was thinking Tina Turner,” I replied, “but I get your gist.

“The last bus to Nut Bush City honey left in 1973,” came a half-whisper.

She was right. And with that I disrobed. I couldn’t help but mentally berate myself again for yet another personal style misdemeanour. Despite the tassel-clad cardigan’s inherent craftsmanship, it just wasn’t ‘me’.

“A quick question,” enquired the voice of reason from the other side of the room. “Just how were you planning on reconciling bohemia with a rockabilly quiff?”

Busted. I had all the cool kid / festival pedigree of a suburban housewife. I’d never even been to Coachella or The Electric Picnic. And The Burning Man for all I knew could be an STD.

“I guess I just got caught up in the beauty of it all. I keep thinking I can make it work but...”

“I’m really hoping here that your clothes horse mentality is not some sort of allegory for your relationships with men; otherwise, you are royally screwed.”

She was right. My last boyfriend fit as (im)perfectly as a pair of apocryphal size 10 jeans: willing them on, barely able to button them and then struggling to hide the garish muffin top.

“You’re going to have to learn that you can’t always wear you want; sometimes, you’ll just have to learn when to say ‘no’.”

“I guess I’m a bit like Annie Oakley,” I joked.

“Try telling that to your bank balance.”

eBay Sale

2011-08-14T21:44:00.001+01:00

http://comictan.com/most-organized-closet/

With a new season ~~almost~~ actually upon us (er...summer where'd you go?), my wardrobe has had it's annual clean out. Alas, its untrammelled depths bore items almost unrecognisable to me. Given that I've worn most of them only once if at all, this does not surprise me. With a vow never to impulse buy again...ever (promise, really), I've added these to my eBay store. Have a goo and see if there's something that takes your fancy. Hey, if you don't like it, you know where I live...

CLICK HERE!!!

P.S. A few things I've learned during the cull....

1. My closet can be divided into three parts: hopeful, practical and delusional.

2. A size 10 is not a size 12; nor is a size 7 shoe a size 8. I somehow manage to transpose these numbers.
3. Despite a healthy selection of shoes, I manage to consistently wear the same three pairs.
4. My understanding of 'basics' can be likened to that of Pythagoras' theorem - theoretically sound but practically imposible.
5. I still need more space...

Karl Likes The Doobie Brothers

2011-08-14T13:44:00.001+01:00

"There is no fashion if she doesn't take it to the streets." - Chanel

Geddit? Aw, c'mon guys!

Shopping Excuses - A User's Guide

2011-08-12T12:37:00.001+01:00

Excuses to go shopping /for having been shopping / for getting caught shopping...again.

1. I need to buy ~~tights~~ shoes.

2. I have nothing to wear on weekends.

3. I have nothing to wear to work.

4. I have nothingto wear out.

5. New? I’ve had these for ~~ages~~ two days.

6. These are my “Don’t you want to rent me this apartment pants?” (see: Friends: Season 6, Ep. 3)

7. This jacket is ideal for walking the dog (note: does not have dog).

8. I need it for my job.

9. I need it for my sanity.

10. I need it to get a new job.

11. I just need it OKAY!!!!!!

12. My dog ate the contents of my wardrobe. (note: still does not have dog)

13. I need to break in this new credit card.

14. I’m just looking...really.

15. I’m holding it for a friend.

16. 70% off? It’s practically free!

18. I feel fat.

19. I’m helping the economy.

20. It’s cheaper than therapy.

21. I’m actually a ghost shopper. Don’t blow my cover.

22. It only cost €150.

23. It’s an investment buy.

24. I don’t shop often but when I do, I like to buy ~~quality~~ expensive sh*t I don’t need.

25. It’s late night shopping.

26. I’m drunk.

27. I’ve been framed.

28. I’m doing research into the dark underbelly of shopping addiction.

29. I mistakenly pressed the ‘buy now’ button and before I knew it, the item had been dispatched.

30. My aura specialist tells me red is bad for my energy field. I’ve gotta stock up on some blues and greens...fast!

31. Define need...

Hot on Mr. Dries' Heels

2011-08-12T11:28:00.034+01:00

First French Connection, now Hobbs: it seems that everyone is paying tribute to the Dries Van Noten demi wedge. I don't know how happy I'd be about this if I were Mr. Dries (a.k.a. primo Belgian silver fox hottie - seriously....click here to check him out).

My super comfy ponyskin Dries heels from Smock


Hmm...suspiciously suede offerings from French Connection

2010's Dries gold demi wedge pump

recaptured in bronze by Hobbs for 2011 / 2012.

Dear Acne...

2011-08-11T22:24:00.008+01:00

Image: from Thinkstock (with a little help from Paint)

Dear Acne,

I hope all is well in Sweden. Seems your Krona is faring strongly in these uncertain times. Anyhow, the reason for my letter may cause you to consider a bailout, despite your fortuitous circumstances.

It pains me to have to write this but some things just need to be said. You know we’ve always had such a special relationship. Your tuxedo pants always made me feel supermodel thin; not least those slinky silk tops. But lately, things have changed.

It all started with those flimsy hems. I was prepared to overlook having to Bondaweb my red Pearl maxi skirt, especially when I received so many compliments upon wearing it. You always knew how to make a girl feel pretty, didn’t you? So much so that I foolishly bought another in black, only to have you let me down in the same way again. How could I be so stupid?

But a hem seemed such a trivial thing in the greater scheme of things. You were my brand and damn it; I’m the kind of gal who stands by her brand! So I bought your ‘Truth’ maxi dress for my trip to Rome only to be embarrassed by yet another hem indiscretion; this time with stretching! P.S. Ironic name for a dress, no?

Despite all this, I just wasn’t prepared to let go; not until the zip incident that is. How could you just let it burst apart like it was a trifle – on Grafton Street of all places! It literally happened behind my back and I was just too stupid to see it. All I can say is, thank God I wasn’t wearing a thong. Now I can never wear that skirt again. How could I ever trust that you wouldn’t do it again? And don’t you dare say it’s because of the ~~junk in my trunk~~ (corr: lead in the shed). I’ll have you know I’ve lost a lot of that post-holiday weight!

So this is goodbye. Don’t think you can tempt me with your A/W 11 mohair offering. I’m not falling for it. You’ll just shed all over me again. I’m through.

Please don’t return my calls. And I hope I never run into you on a certain internet shopping site ever again!

Yours (erstwhile),

Annmarie

Style Philanthropy

2011-08-11T21:39:00.000+01:00

This August, the Society of St. Vincent De Paul is calling on Dublin’s fashionable and charitable denizens to drop off unwanted clobber at special clothes banks as part of its ‘Donate with Style’ clothing appeal.

The banks will be set up at EC House, Dawson Street, Dublin 2 for one week only (22nd- 26th August) as part of the European Year of Volunteering Roadshow (EYV2011) which hopes to generate new recruits such as retail staff for some of the society's 33 Dublin-based clothes stores (soon to be 34!).

In recent months the SVP has seen a significant drop in donations, especially clothing. In the medium to long term, this will significantly impact on the work of Vincent’s shops and the raising of funds for SVP generally.

For more information on the ‘Donate with Style’ clothing appeal or about the Vincent’s charity shops in the Dublin Region, call Jane Bergin on (01) 8198413.

Ireland Does the September Issue

2011-08-08T18:38:00.002+01:00

It's pretty damn hot when Irish fashion hits Vogue, let alone the hallowed September Issue. It's damn near incandescent when captured by Mario Testino. Prepare to come over all patriotic as Joanne Hynes' iconic crystal neckpiece is featured in a Master Class on Antwerp austerity; with Vogue Spy giving the Galway girl's embellished tee a manicured thumbs up. Who needs Paddy's Day when we've got talent like this!

I Want

2011-08-08T18:14:00.000+01:00

A few helpful markers for reading the September issue of Vogue UK this evening. Put on the kettle!

How to Wear It - Irish Examiner - August 6th

2011-08-06T11:44:00.000+01:00

HOW TO WEAR IT...KNITS
Inbetween seasons can be a bit of a drag. Cold-warm-rainy-sunny-what-to-wear-blah....Get extra mileage out of your summer wear with the help of some natty knits. Annmarie O’Connor shows you how.

A sloppy sweater makes summer’s sheer maxi an autumn staple. Just add ankle boots.
Mint and taupe stripe sweater, Penneys €10
Jovannista taupe pleat skirt, Topshop €69

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

Early Adapter

2011-08-02T20:24:00.000+01:00

Have you noticed the recent revival of Peter Pan collars? What about ribbon bows? I bet you've already twigged onto next season's mod-inspired tunic. Well, this little lady below was triple-trending back in the seventies at the mere age of three. Quite the early adapter. Know who she is?

Model: Annmarie O'Connor
Stylist: Irene O'Connor (a.k.a. Mom)
Shot on location: Ronkonkoma, New York

COS It's a Snip at €89

2011-08-02T15:35:00.004+01:00

Ohhhh behold the glory that is COS. Trust our Swedish fashion friends to turn out a Lanvin-inspired guna for the more streamlined of bank accounts. Although Alber Elbaz gets our fantasy frock vote, this asymmetric drape dress with drop shoulder steals our hearts at a mere €89. Nice one.

COS A/W 11 €89

Lanvin A/W 11 courtesy of Colline Michaelis @ Style.com

Food for Thought

2011-08-02T11:41:00.003+01:00

Supermarkets. It’s a wonder I’m not a toothpick given my propensity for completely missing the food aisles when doing the weekly shop. Somehow the magazine rack has become “the missing fifth food group” with Vogue my calorie-free Sunday roast.

Although this seemingly acts as a welcome distraction from the baked goods section, I can’t say it’s had a positive effect on my waistline. Perhaps that’s because I wind up going to the takeaway when discovering there’s nothing in the larder bar Kate Moss’ face beaming up at me.

Ironic, no?

Gym Excuses - A Litany

2011-07-25T18:05:00.001+01:00


Image courtesy of http://elizabethharmonblog.wordpress.com

Below please find a sample of excuses used exclusively but not limited to persistent gym avoidance. Despite Carlisle Fitness being squarely visible from my bedroom window, I find myself using a combination of said samples in tandem; sometimes simulatneously. My powers of eschewal are sterling. I deserve an award; but not before I have some ice-cream....

Why I Can't Go to the Gym Today (or any day for that matter)...

1. It's Monday
2. I'm cleaning out my closet.
3. The floors need a good scrub.
4. I have to weed the garden.
5. I'm going to the cinema tonight.
6. I want a glass of wine later tonight.
7. I had a glass of wine last night.
8. I have an article to write.
9. I just ate a dougnut; there's no point.
10. It's Tuesday.
11. Is Cougar Town on again?
12. I have an article to write.
13. I'm giving my muscles a rest.
14. There’s someone at the door.
15. I feel fat.
16. The cat needs to be fed.
17. I have to wash the windows.
18. I forgot to wash my gym gear.
19. It’s Wednesday.
20. I must write that article.
21. There's ice-cream left in the freezer?
22. Catching up with friends tonight.
23. There's more to life than killer abs...
24. I should really do more charity work.
25. You know what they say about 'too much of a good thing'.
26. Wait, that's my phone.
27. Is it that time already?
28. It’s Thursday.
29. The cat ate my homework...I mean, my gym bag.
30. My knee hurts.
31. I’m alphabetising my collection of Douglas Coupland books.
32. This Wikipedia entry has me hooked!
33. What’s the meaning of life?
34. Cleaning out my spam folder.
35. Did you see that? (points to the distance and runs)
36. Dungeons and Dragons? Count me in!
37. It's nearly the weekend; I'll start next week.*

* and repeat

Iris Van Herpen X United Nude

2011-07-25T17:32:00.000+01:00

Coming soon...the latest Iris Van Herpen limited edition beauties for United Nude. Only 100 are being produced, retailing at $995 from Solestruck.com. Two words: I. DIE.

Iris van Herpen x United Nude.

Irish Red Cross - Please Give What You Can

2011-07-23T17:57:00.000+01:00

An Urgent Message from the Irish Red Cross

Two areas of southern Somalia are now in the grip of the first famine the country has seen for 19 years.

A famine is when more than two people per 10,000 are dying every day and when children under five years old are suffering severe muscle wasting.

Unless we act soon to bring extra food and water, the International Red Cross fears that one child in every 10 will starve to death.

Please help save the lives of families and children in Somalia and in other parts of East Africa.

The International Red Cross is one of the very few organisations with access to Somalia's worst-hit areas. In the Bay and Lower Shabelle regions, nearly 11% of children under five have severe acute malnutrition. This has doubled since March and may get worse. In all, more than 10 million people are suffering, thousands are dying.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW
Definition of famine:

    More than 30% of children must be suffering from acute malnutrition
    Two adults or four children must be dying of hunger each day for every group of 10,000 people
    The population must have access to far below 2,100 kilocalories of food per day

Make and Don't

2011-07-19T23:22:00.006+01:00

A new shade of wrong

I felt sick. Whether it was the bleach fumes or the prospect of looking like a deranged hippie, the gag reflex was imminent. This was not the Proenza Schouler effect I had anticipated and as I glanced at my tie dye t-shirt, I realised I simply could NOT turn this in to be photographed for a project the following day. Why was I indulging in beatnik batik? More on that later; now, back to the nausea.

I stood pouring Domestos over what looked like a prodigious Smurf turd in the kitchen sink but
was actually a blue t-shirt clad in rubber bands awaiting its sodium hypochlorite scars. This was attempt number three, the prior two of which left me looking like an undergrad just back from a tour of Thailand. All that was missing was a dolphin tattoo on my
lower back to complete the look.

I couldn’t figure out how and why I wasn’t able to promulgate those Dries Van Noten poppy prints, so popular on the s/s 11 catwalks; or even a Nicki Minaj fringe homage. As I smeared the cleaning gel onto the turd with oversized Marigolds, whacking it around like a Turkish masseuse, it hit me that maybe my method needing addressing. Not exactly the 'unique technique' of Jasper Pollack, eh?

Said light bulb moment unfortunately coincided with me pouring Toilet Gel atop the Domestos for good measure. As the foam started to spit, sizzle and rise, I hit the cold tap. The poo made a few cavalier jerks before magically disintegrated into a blue fizz; its rubber bands snapping off like constipated shackles.

Wary of the result that lay in the sink, I gingerly shook out the tee with a porridge ladle. As I suspected, the tee looked like it belonged to a girl named Cloud: likes patchouli, drinks organic beer and spends her free time in an incense haze. How I would pass this off as a stylist’s own customised tee was anyone’s guess.

I wasn’t even crafty enough to come up with an alternative…unless scrawling ‘MAKE AND DON’T’ in black marker over the offending article was a viable option. Oh my, how artistic!

I never knew I had it in me…

Conceptual - a definition; a fact

2011-07-16T18:06:00.001+01:00

http://www.stefanbruggemann.com/

Conceptual: n. a term used in fashion to illustrate something vague or abstract. Applied frequently when describing photo shoots, haircuts and Swedish ready-to-wear lines.

It couldn’t be helped. I was in a state of near desperation. The summer sales had started a fortnight earlier than anticipated and I had three pages of swimwear to shoot.

As I typed the brief to my team, a blinking cursor mocked the blank space next to ‘theme’. Dare I put ‘TBC’? Or perhaps, ‘we’re kind of stuck for options lads, so we’ll see how we fare on the day’. Hardly.

It was time to swallow my pride and key stroke some fashion-ese: ‘c-o-n-c-e-p-t-u-a-l’. There, that wasn’t too difficult. Oh dear, but what kind of concept am I referring to here? I glanced over at the TV screen where Carrie-Anne Moss was kicking some Matrix butt. ‘F-u-t-u-r-i-s-t-i-c…’ The mocking cursor beckoned still. Currying favour to another dimension is all well and good but fashion folk are mad on detail.

I recalled a passage from Amanda Brooks’ tome ‘I Love Your Style’ with game-like instructions on how to mix one’s fashion references. The style stratagem operates on the same principle as fashioning one’s porn name. Start with a core theme, add a celebrity and finish with one’s favourite trend. This could work. Shall it be ‘futuristic-Dolly Parton-bohemia’? Nah. ‘Futuristic-Jackie O-rockabilly?’ Too much hairspray. What about ‘futuristic-Grace Jones-tribal chic’? Eureka!

The genre mash-up evolved like the seven stages of man in my head. It was a brave new beach where cyber warrior priestesses took swimwear to a new dimension. I began to type furiously, ‘Futuristic tribal warriors...from outer space’. And with one trigger finger on the send button, I committed myself to the conceptual, the abstract, the vague and if I wasn’t careful...the ridiculous.

“So just what does a ‘futuristic tribal warrior’ look like?” enquired my sister (a.k.a. The Wise Elder) as I siphoned through bags of nearly-there neoprene.

“I’m thinking body armour, bikinis, wet look hair...”

“Ah yes, because clearly there is alien life form on Dollymount Strand,” she chided.

“I think you’re missing the point. It’s conceptual,” I offered weakly.

“Wait a minute,” urged the Wise Elder. “Are you saying that in the future we all wear bikinis?”

I was beginning to lose patience with my straight-talking sibling and confidence in my seemingly cock-eyed concept.

“Look! A concept has no apparent basis in reality or fact,” I balked. “It’s simply an imaginative construct.”

“Help me understand then,” she urged; despite my best efforts at clarification. “What you’re saying is that a simulacrum is all that’s needed to sell swimwear; no beach, no sea, no sand, no hunky extras.”

Looks like I wasn’t the only one to spill water from the bath this week. “Congratulations, you just had your first fashion moment,” I goaded with a smile.

“I’m gathering that’s a so-called ‘concept’ too?” retaliated the seer.

“No, my dear sibling. That’s a fact.”

Irish Examiner Swimwear Shoot

2011-07-16T17:40:00.001+01:00

Pick up a copy of today's Irish Examiner Weekend magazine for a look at my swimwear shoot. Highlights below...

Somewhere in a parallel galaxy, battle lines are being drawn as intergalactic queens and cyber priestesses take swimwear to a futuristic dimension. It’s a brave new beach. Are you ready?

Look 1 – Hyper Space High Priestess
Úna Burke sculpted armour bodice, Unaburke.com €POA

Look 6 - Golden Glamazon
Melissa Obadash Martinique padded gold bikini, Clickini.com €190
Asos linked rings upper body harness, Asos.com €38.46
Lara Bohinc ‘Lunar Eclipse’ necklace, Harvey Nichols €545
Lara Bohinc gold rope necklace, Design Centre €710
Merle O’Grady ‘Bombshell’ ring, stylist’s own

Credits
Shot on location @ The Gibson Hotel at The Point Village, Dublin 1; 01 681 5000; www.thegibsonhotel.ie
Stylist and shoot producer: Annmarie O'Connor - 087 976 4920; www.iblogfashion.blogspot.com
Photography: Miki Barlok - 086 223 7081; www.barlokphoto.com
Models: Clodagh and Gretta @ 1st Option; 01 670 5233; www.1stoption.ie
Hair: John Geaney @ John Geaney for Hair - 021 450 3788; www.johngeaney.ie
Hair assistant: Karen Healy @ John Geaney for Hair
Make-up: Kate O'Reilly using MAC Cosmetic; www.kateoreillymakeup.com
Shoot Assistants: Bríd Ní Laochdha and Caroline Walsh

Zoe Wong - Gepetto

2011-07-15T22:09:00.001+01:00

Gepetto

Fancy crowdfunding a new Irish fashion collection? Dublin boutique owner and Parsons grad Zoe Wong is launching her debut line of ethereal frocks at this summer's Kilkenny Arts Festival. By donating as little as €10, you can participate in the birth of a new homegrown fashion name. Rewards range from signed sketches to custom tailored gowns. CLICK HERE for more info, or why don't you pop into Horse & June on Drury Street for a chat with the lovely lady herself. Don't miss out!

Horse & June, 22 Drury Street, Dublin 2. Ph: 01 672 9748. www.horseandjune.wordpress.com.

"Amaze-bags"

2011-07-15T12:17:00.004+01:00

Gretchen Weiners - stymied semantically with 'Fetch

“Amaze-bags!”

I dropped a straight flush and my new catchphrase in one go.

“NOOOOOO!” came the collective response of card playing circle.

“But why?” I pressed. “It’s so much nicer than ‘amaze-balls’.”

“Drop it; it’ll never happen,” demanded Andy.

“I think you’ll find, I dropped an Ace, King, Queen and Jack of Hearts,” I boasted wrly.

“I’m talking about that ridiculous word!”

I felt like Gretchen Weiners facing off against Regina George in her lexical defence of ‘fetch’.

Granted, I’m no E.E. Cummings but swapping a Polly Push Lock for a less salubrious sac shouldn’t have amounted to half the aberration of which I was being accused.

Clearly this wasn’t my desired audience. In order for ‘amaze-bags’ to go viral, I needed it to be endorsed and spoken into existence; rather than forced into early retirement with ‘fierce’ and ‘funky’.

A week later I attended a cocktail party – a perfect milieu for testing the lexical waters. Fashion folk love bizarre epithets. I was cognizant however that Andy may well have had a point. Victoria Beckham suffered a seismic failure with ‘major’; Rachel Zoe panned with ‘bananas’ and Andre Leon Talley’s ‘dreckitude’ was well...’drek’.

My semantic debut came with a side of hors d’oeuvres. Those tomato and red onion mini quiches evoked a tandem of ‘oohs and aahs’. It was now or never.

“Amaze-bags!” I cooed, eliciting a flutter of chuckles.

I regaled my past troubles of positioning said shibboleth in the general patois.

“You need a critical mass,” advised one of the partygoers.

“Or Jedward,” offered another.

“If my initial market sample was any indication, the viral capacity of ‘amaze-bags’ was not unlike that of a mild cold – unwelcome, irritating and hopefully gone in a week.

Marketing is all about timing and mine was all wrong. It was time to admit defeat and tuck ‘amaze-bags’ back into my rhetorical clutch, assuring myself the time would come to ‘fetch’ it again.

The Holiday Aftermath

2011-07-14T00:11:00.002+01:00

The Dangers of Loose Clothing

It wouldn’t even pass over my thighs; not without Body Shop Cocoa Body Butter, some shimmying and a near act of God. By the time I actually managed to zip the dress, I was sweating like Kim Kardashian fielding questions about arse implants. “Does she sweat though?” I wondered to myself, suspicious of her rather smooth motionless brow. But I digress.

I looked at myself in the full-length mirror. The leather frock that once gently skimmed my curves now choked and squeezed them like some cheap S&M mistress. I hadn’t just gained weight; I gained a full dress size.

It appeared my ten-day Andalusian retreat left me with more than just a relaxed mind; my tummy, bum and thighs had followed suit. The fact that I had to loosen my string bikini on day three should have been a dead cert but the tapas, paella and daily beer o’clock by the pool; not to mention wine o’clock, left me with the kind of excess baggage that would require more than a €30 surcharge to shift.

“I was wondering why you kept saying ‘Si’ when the waiter asked if you wanted your tapas ‘ración’,” mused my friend while I wrestled with a zip that stood between me and my blood circulation.

“I thought ‘ración’ was Spanish for ration,” I offered weakly.

“It didn’t occur to you then that the portions were rather large?”

I didn’t answer. The broken metal teeth in my hand were a clear sign that I needed my own jaw wired...pronto.

The misconception that holidays come with their own weight and wine immunity is swiftly brought to rest when one is forced to don something that is neither a cheesecloth sheath nor a shirred swirly muslin cloak of sorts.

Which reminded me: I still needed something to wear to the cocktail party the following evening. I cast a glance at the bag of holiday laundry still tucked in the corner of the room.

“I wonder if I could pass off that full-length kaftan in the Morrison without raising an eyebrow?”

“Are you high?” enquired my friend glibly; clearly concerned as to the state of my mental health.

“No, not high but given I’m standing here half naked with a broken zip in my hand, I’m thinking I’ve reached an all new personal low,” I blurted tearfully.

Silence.

“Jewellery would be good.”

Walking? Meh....who needs it?

2011-07-12T16:26:00.000+01:00

Simply don a pair of these Solestruck.com conconctions and a flash mob will rapidly form at your feet. Ask one of the kind crowd members for a piggy back, et voila...un chauffeur!

Or....just put them on the mantlepiece for dinner party bragging rights. Who needs a "42-inch flatscreen anyway?

Finsk '116.97' $999.95

Jeffrey Campbell 'Get Up' $244.95

Jeffrey Campbell 'Rockferry' $184.95

The New Handbag Semantics

2011-07-12T12:10:00.000+01:00

It wasn't too long ago I acquired a Vivienne Westwood bowling bag - my treasure. I even christened it Viv; and when Viv wasn't tucked in her cotton monogrammed covering, her handles were wrenched granny-like in the crook of my arm.

Viv wasn't just a bag; she was a stylish keeper of secrets – receipts, schedules, make-up and stealth purchases all dutifully zipped from the public eye. She once even harboured an iron – but that’s another story.

You can therefore imagine my consternation upon hearing that the a/w 11 catwalks have espoused a new accessories semantics one which renders my own capacious mála - 'déclassé' and 'démodé'.

Thou shalt now 'grab' thine bag; rather than carry it. Bags shall be bijou to allow for clutching at the breast; or crumpled and held away from the body as if disposing of an offending article. Never do, 'trophy', 'big' and 'stuffed' - too gauche and by all means ditch the handles, lest you be tarred and feathered.

This was all too much for me. A bit of lower back pain and carpel tunnel syndrome never hurt anyone. Not only am I being encouraged to trade in my own overfed friend; but I must also acquire the methodology and attendant patois necessary in ‘grabbing’ a bag.

I should have paid better attention. Vogue pre-ordained the advent of grabbing back in 2009 (but of course) when they featured a lexically-puzzling feature delineating The Scramble, The Dangle, The Cuddle and The Twiddle – all precursors to The Grab. I couldn’t help thinking then if its conjugation applied in similar manner to that of Twitter. If I twiddled, did I twaddle or have I twiddled? Similarly, would grabbing a bag indicate pilfering on my part? Oh, the confusion!

Such lexical hijinks would be bound to flummox even the likes of Strunk and White. Although, one wonders whether The Elements of Style is required reading at Conde Nast.

Still, I can’t bear to part with Viv. Fashionable or not, her beaten black leather exterior belies a host of juicy gossip; something which a clutch-come-brooch could ne’er come close. I shall therefore continue to carry her proudly around town. After all, one never knows when they may suddenly require the use of an iron.

Inside Style - Divine Intervention

2011-07-10T22:32:00.000+01:00

Inside Style - by Annmarie O'Connor - as featured in The Dubliner - July 7th

Divine intervention. Somewhere up in that sodden sky of ours, there’s a fashion god who really likes me. The anecdotal evidence I’ve acquired to prove said theory is such that I could cosmically combust at any given moment. But that would be messy so I’ll just tell you.

My father’s Claddagh ring which I mysteriously lost last September and for which I hounded every conceivable saint in the Catholic canon, appeared like Bobby Ewing only yesterday. Much like said reprised Dallas character, its presence has now nullified an entire season of believing it had been pilfered by a rogue magpie; whereas it was actually stuck in one of my many sparkly shoes. Mistaken magpie identity – it happens.

As luck would have it, I was also the recipient of a rarefied text harbouring details of a designer sample sale. The 70% discount was enough to make me set my alarm early the following morning, only to have thrown my clock across the room at the loud noise disturbing me up on a weekend. How dare it.

Having woken up much later, a bit like Pam Ewing, to find that the whole storyline was over, I felt confused (Did I dream I bought ten Pauric Sweeney bags?); bitter (No, because you missed it!); and more cheated than a primetime audience.

Eager to redress the sketchy plot, my late arrival coincided with an equally tardy delivery of swag; one which I systematically acquired and to which I dedicated a small victory dance. Hurrah!

My hallowed streak then culminated in a hatrick of sorts when an obsessive-compulsive pal insisted on packing my holiday suitcase for Spain. As she assiduously fit ten days’ (and nights’) worth of poolside clobber into a 10kg bag under a half hour; I caught up on East Enders with a hot scald. Everyone wins. (Why didn’t I think of this last summer?)

This spate of luck was making me cocky. All I wanted was for the gods to tweak my script just a tad more. Perhaps have JR Ewing sidle into Kimmage and tell me he was staging intervention on Sue Ellen - yet again. This time it would be her wardrobe, the contents of which he would bequeath unto me (season 7 turban included!). Divine – yes; plausible – perhaps not. Ah well, God loves a trier.

Inside Style - Maintenance

2011-07-10T22:22:00.001+01:00

Photo: Alfred Eisenstaedt

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

Maintenance: n. care or upkeep administered to maintain a preferred state or condition. In the case of anyone over 30, said administration tends to take the form of monthly MOTs involving much in the way of time, money and/or pain.

“It never used to be like this,” I decried to my eldest sister while she systematically re-blackened my greying roots. “Now I can’t go two weeks without looking like a marauding badger.”

“That’s a bit harsh,” offered the Wise Elder. “Badgers don’t ‘maraud; so misunderstood.”

Tempted as I was to retort to the unsolicited sarcasm, I held back, aware of the totalitarian power she currently wielded over my locks.

“There was a stage when all of this was considered pampering,” I moaned, “now it’s just a chore.”

“Well that’s because you didn’t have to do it when you were younger; and when you did it was for a laugh. I should think the laughter has subsided by now, no?”

Ouch. She was right. As I sat there squinting in my prison-regulation tracksuit with the Exxon Valdez oil slick shoved in a plastic bag atop my head, I couldn’t help thinking this wasn’t a L’Oreal ad.

“Still,” I moaned, “if I hadn’t had to fork out so much each month on simply looking ‘put together’, I wouldn’t be forced to go the D.I.Y. route once in a while.”

Which reminded me: the last time I cut corners and purchased a Ped Egg, I broke it; traumatising its ‘revolutionary’ 135-precision micro files with months of neglect. As for sorting my own unruly eyebrows, let’s just say the rash has begun to heal nicely. That being said, the beauty bills continue to loom large despite my best efforts/worst results.

“You could always book into Celebrity Salon,” teased the Oracle from her perfectly-tinted perch. “I’d rather look like a Yeti than have than be waxed by someone from Big Brother,” I scoffed.

“How about letting Mother Nature do her thing?”

Silence. The prospect of growing old (dis)gracefully (with no access to airbrushing) left more scarring than my adolescent brush with an epilator. This was not an option. We all know what happened when Julia Roberts tried the au naturel route.

The Wise Elder had spoken. It was either put up and shut up; or make peace with my inner badger. I kept schtum...and a beady eye out for would-be weasels.

Happy Birthday - Heaven Hair & Beauty!

2011-06-29T15:34:00.001+01:00

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

2011-06-23T14:41:00.000+01:00

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!

2011-06-22T22:10:00.003+01:00

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.