Today,

I wish that magically and out of nowhere...

 

I aquire the ability to do milkmaid braids....

and that a high waisted pleated midi skirt finds its way to me.

Just 'cause.

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Fashion.ie

Fashion.ie, Ireland's leading fashion website is up and running after a recent refurbishment and relaunch since 8pm this evening.

Click here to visit.

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Dollaz + Sense

At the end of last month/this month (so far) I received a few gifts and made a few purchases and reviewed some of the products. Something unfortunate happened this month where I had to take a dive into emergency savings and pay out quite a bit, so Penneys will be the way forward..hence the inclusion of some stuff from there in this post.

Above are my two favourite perfumes of ALL TIME. Ok, all time being 23 years so far. On the left is my third bottle of Daisy by Marc Jacobs (which I received for Christmas) and on the right is my new bottle  of Coco Chanel Mademoseille (sadly the other one smashed to pieces). It was a surprise gift from my parents in August which they bought in Heathrow Airport on their stopover from Cape Town. This perfume smells differently on everyone who wears it..I don't know many who do in my circle of family and friends but those who have tried some of mine have brought their own element to it.

This Ciaté nail polish I received free with the September issue of Marie Claire. It's called My Fair Lady, it's a nude peachy pink colour and it's normally about €10. All good things. I'm not a nail polish person as I'm ashamed to say I don't look after my nails but this was very impressive, easy to apply and gave that shiny plastic fake Barbie nail look that I love. One coat and I could still see my nails, two and I could still see the brush strokes. Three and it was perfect. It has a tendency to chip though, after two days of wear. Still worth purchasing for the colour alone.

(Clockwise: Lee Stafford's Hair That Never Grows Past a Certain Length, Lee Stafford's Heat Protection Spray and Lee Stafford's Matt Fat Powder)

Right. Lee Stafford stuff. Since the previous moaning about my hair's disdain for healthy growth, I researched some products that may help the issue. I found a few reviews (all positive) of 'Lee Stafford's Hair That Never Grows Past a Certain Length', so I thought I would try it out and went to Boots. The reviews I read were a few months old so is by no means a new product. So by sheer luck and coincidence, Boots had an offer on. Three Lee Stafford products for €18. I ended up saving €17.37 as the powder was €13.93, the growth treatment was €10.95 and the heat protection was €10.49. Really good value so it was.

The growth treatment I've only used three times...it seems good so far. It makes me hair feel healthy and soft and extremely shiny, although I'm not sure if that's due to the glittery flecks in the product that does it. The smell lingers for days which is a plus and it smells like new babies.

Heat protection spray is heat protection spray...nothing to it really, it does the job. Doesn't weigh down my hair and appears to keep it from appliance harm.

The matt fat powder is good, a few sprinkles on the roots and the hair does puff out so it's a nice break from hairspray. It does need to be re-applied as the hair flattens out a bit but it's so tiny it's easy to transport. So tiny in fact, you would nearly forget you brought it out with you, except for the fact that the tube is bright pink. And shiny.

Got these faux suedey feathered flats in Penneys for €11. Not much to say really, they're nice. I like the colours, normally wouldn't go for a pointed shoe but it's soft enough not to bother me, or other people who aren't mad about pointed shoes! I find with Penney's flats there should be a one in two out policy. When I buy a fresh new pair, I have a tendency to chuck out an old pair...or two.

This pinky peach lace top with black collar is also from Penneys and was also €11. I have one very similar from Topshop that buttons down but I wanted a cheap imitation with no buttons that I could tuck into a high waisted skirt. This top is surprisingly well made, comparing the two you wouldn't notice the difference. The own con to this top is it ends up being a lot shorter than it looks when it's on.

This necklace is also from Penneys, obviously. It was only €1.50, it's cute, I like teapots, I thought it was an especially nice one. The chain is quite a good mid length as well.

This notebook I got it for college...I start back September 19th. I'm trying to be organised this year, which will become clear with the next item. This notebook was €5.25from Paperchase

This little sticker kit for organising is also from Paperchase, for €3.25. It has page markers and to-do list stickers, as well as tiny clocks that can be stuck everywhere and drawn on. Cannot WAIT to use these.

That's it really for purchases so far. Hopefully I'll strike gold soon or win the Euromillions so I can buy more things I don't need...

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A Creature I Don't Know

Laura Marling's new album is out on Monday. Here's hoping it's as good as the other two.

 

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A post of gastronomic proportion, in pictures.

Nandos baked cheesecake

Strawberry infused water (very refreshing and lovely) as inspired by Elsie and this post.

Nespresso Coffee

His 'n' Her's Costa Coffee

Wagamamas Stephen's Green

Caprese Salad

Death by Chocolate.

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100 years in 100 seconds

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Bebhinn the City

Below is a piece I did on Irish designer Beibhinn Flood.
Bebhinn Flood Design Facebook Page.

Bebhinn the City

Perched on the top floor of Dublin's illustrious Powerscourt Townhouse Centre is the stylish Loft Market. Described as 'A slice of New York city in Dublin' by stylist and Irish Independent fashion writer Angela Scanlon, this minimalist haven is a mishmash of colours and textures complete with comfy couches and wooden floorboards. Swiftly establishing itself as a firm favourite among fashion junkies since 2006, the Loft Market is a treasure trove of home grown fashion, jewellery and art from some of the most gifted style innovators in Ireland.


Marking her corner in the Loft, in every way, is Wicklow born fashion designer Bebhinn Flood, affectionately known as Bev. In August 2009, Bev made a lasting impression in the Irish fashion world showcasing her Spring/Summer 2010 collection at the Fashion Breakthrough Uprising event. Her juxtaposition of bold patterns and quirky embellishment are a breath of fresh air to those frequenting the Loft, and she says she is no stranger to hearing "Oh brilliant! Something different!" The ability to create something unique and exclusive is what inspires Bebhinn. She likes to dress those who know their own style and don’t follow the pack. And she loves to be able to tell customers, "Well, there's only eight of those made so you’re one of the lucky eight to get it!"

Bebhinn's vintage-meets-contemporary display is a pleasure for the senses, complete with lilac vanity dresser, well-travelled suitcases and swan-necked mannequin heads adorned with striking headpieces. Each rail is filled with designs in an array of lavish textures, rich colours and bold patterns. And overlooking the whole floor is a handmade azure blue lamb's wool neckpiece, one of Bev's signature creations, which are limited in number due to each one taking a week to craft and produce.

We are sitting on a large windowsill just outside the Loft, accessorised with a plump pink cushion, a hue that almost matches the Loft Market logo itself. People saunter by on the creaky floorboards enjoying their Friday afternoon, while down below in the centre of Dublin‟s historic townhouse friends are in view, catching up over coffee. Bev is affable, her auburn hair and warm smile elude charm, attributes fundamental to each of her designs.

While Bev's pieces draw inspiration from various different elements, notably nature and her love of photography; sometimes all it takes is a striking fabric and she takes it from there. "A lot of the time, if I see a fabric I love I'll get it, and then I'll work out what I can make from that..." Bev smiles and nods thoughtfully. "But for some of my more couture pieces I'll go to trend forecasting, and sometimes I'll be inspired by that. A lot of nature too and I'm into photography and sometimes I'll use that as inspiration." While Bev doesn't have a lot of free time to see the city, she is an avid fan of the Museum of Modern Art. "I feel really creative after visiting!" she says, eyes lit up. "I go home and I want to paint everything!"

From the time of her earliest memories Bebhinn recalls keeping her hands busy by colouring and making crafts. It is her mother, however, who she credits for her career choice in fashion. Her mother once owned her own kids wear label, 'Dickery Dock' and always dressed Bev in quirky outfits. "I definitely got the interest from my Mum. She's a really creative woman and was a total hippie…!" she laughs. "I loved dressing up in her dresses and she had me stylish from a very early age; she would put arm warmers as legwarmers on me and that kind of stuff."

While Bev now happily displays her creative flair on her own two feet in the Loft Market each weekend, she recalls starting out in the industry. Soon after graduating with an honours
degree in fashion design from the Limerick Institute of Technology in 2004, she worked in the rag trade at Leo Fashions in Dublin city before striking out on her own. "Leo Fashions was the likes of your Michael H. and all those brands for the older clientele…" muses Bebhinn. "You have your suit jackets and trousers and skirts so it wasn't very creative so being able to launch myself somewhere like the Loft has been amazing, it's a great platform.
I've been able to do my own thing, work with people so I'm not on my own and shops have come in and ordered from me here from seeing my stuff which is just great".

Bev also had the amazing opportunity to work side to side with John Rocha; one of Ireland's internationally acclaimed designers. Bebhinn smiles and laughs when talking of her memories of working with Rocha, mentioning one of the designer's weaknesses. "It was an amazing opportunity. He is a lovely man. Quiet, but lovely and is obsessed with chocolate!
He used to love me; I would bring in chocolate tarts for him." It is then discovered that Bebhinn expresses her love of making things through another hobby – working as a chef. She worked part time as a chef for nine years in a vegetarian restaurant called 'Escape' in Bray, Co. Wicklow.

Although Bev has strongly established herself in the industry, like other designers she is noticing the change in her trade brought on by the much discussed economic climate. She is aware of consumers adopting a more cost conscious approach, which can prove difficult for such an avid fan of luxurious fabrics. "I definitely have to be price aware. I use a lot of silks and the price of that keeps going up and I do a lot of commission pieces. If customers are looking for cheaper pieces I can't use silks or embellishment. Shops always want their wholesale prices to be really cheap and it's quite difficult to do it at a cheaper price for them." She says. Its Irish made and its cottage industry so I keep trying to tell them this isn't mass produced, there are limited numbers so you have to sell it on that end. But a lot of them are doing sale and return now, which is expensive for me but at least pieces feature in a
number of places."
Bebhinn personifies raw talent with her range of skills and proven creativity. There is an air of "no fear" and a readiness to tackle what may come; all traits which ensure a future lengthy and successful career. What's next, she is trying her hand at creating an online presence to showcase her work, with a website in production and a Facebook page at the ready. We leave her with the hope that silk prices will steady and that small limit to her limitless creativity will fall away and we can continue to see her work escalate and delight in the historic surroundings of Powerscourt Townhouse.

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