Stepping Stones

Images via We Heart It

I have already talked to you all about my want to write and draw on the walls and I'm still not content. I'm talking my paint brushes and chalk sticks to the stairs too. Why not add a creative streak to an often neglected and overlooked feature of your home and stencil your favourite quotes, lyrics or just a witty remark to brighten up your day. If you're anything like me the chalk paint stairs could be your ultimate daily to do list message board.

The Collective

Looking to update your wardrobe stables? Let Miss Selfridge come to your aid with clean, sharp and modern basics to make any wardrobe feel whole with 'The Collection' featuring the essential such as the parka, shirt, coat, blouse, blazer, peplum, playsuit and much more. The hair, the make-up and styling all are making me very excited about being a sleek girl about town strutting between the rustling leaves adorned in my new luxury basics.

Enjoy the styling tips from Miss Selfridge and shop here.

Inked

The lovely folk at Fake Tattoos sent me a present in the post, I kinda love it. I've always been fascinated by the world of body art; the symbology and stories that are associated with certain designs, their history and heritage. But sometimes it's fun to just take a piece of paper, add water and have a laugh. If my memory serves me correctly Lene Nystrøm from the band Aqua used to where a huge temporary eagle tattoo on her arm. I've previously worn temporary tattoos for Rockabilly themed parties and this bad boy owl gave a fun edge to my festival fashion attire as I headed off to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Linda Johansson, a multi entrepreneur from Sweden, is the force behind Fake Tattoos. In the spring 2010 surfing the web for reports from the fashion runway shows and found the Chanel fashion show's use of temporary tattoos; for the first time they were targeted for adults, not children. In that instance she remembered that she had produced temporary tattoos a couple of years ago for one of her companies and that it has been a success. Today the company is also one of the global leaders in the design of custom temporary tattoos for companies and organizations. All of their temporary tattoos are safe, non-toxic & hypoallergenic and last for days.

Loungerie

Kriss Soonik launched her first collection in 2008 introducing her signature talent for giving the “underwear as outerwear” concept a fresh and modern twist. When the traditional approach has been about corsets as eveningwear, Kriss Soonik has started a new wave – wearing velour gowns to a Sunday brunch. In 2009 the term “loungerie” was born. Loungerie is luxe loungewear at its freshest, blurring the boundaries with fashion. It is loungewear with an edge.


On The Beach SS12

My personal favourite; The Rebel Bride

Tonight Matthew...

Autumn Winter really is my favourite fashion season. Spring Summer collections always seen to disappoint somehow. Maybe I find the flimsy materials echo concepts that really lack any real substance; buy a floral tea dress or pastel skirt once and you’re pretty much got the next few years. The same could loosely be applied to Autumn Winter I know; military coats, heritage prints such as plaid, tweed and tartan appear every year but they always seem to have add had more creditable twists made, more varied in their existence and recreation.

When dressing I tend to dress in terms of characters rather than outfits and more times than not the resulting ensemble is a sartorial recreation of whatever song I had on repeat while getting ready. I find it difficult to describe my personal style except in song/band form. It is fun being the girl in the song and well summer songs aren’t my favourite either.

Tonight Matthew I am going to be Mudhoney with fleeting moments of Duran Duran.

Images via Blaubushka tumblr, weheartit, warehouse

Topshop AW12

Now begins a flurry of posts featuring the new season collections from your favourite high street stores. First up is Topshop.

Topshop offers up a selection of wool, leather and fur in the form lumberjack-inspired coats, hoods and classic thick-knit jumpers. These pieces afford you the opportunity to play mix and match between a wide range of trends allowing you to create your own sub collection concepts such as 'beatnik grunge', 'lumber lady', 'neo prairie' or whatever divine inspiration takes hold. I'm a firm believer of never styling within one trend and Topshop will be spoiling me for choice.

Hitting stores nationwide from late July.

The Wardrobe Edit

I find it very hard to concentrate on anything when I know my clothes have just been thrown into my wardrobe. It is as though instead on focusing on a task my mind has set about reorganising and mentally refolding my clothes. Even now as I type my peripheral vision is targeting in on the bundle of knitwear sitting on the top shelve of my wardrobe. If the eyes are the window to the soul then my wardrobe must be its brain. It seems that seven or so years of retail experience have left a huge need to have every item ‘shop hung’ or ‘shop folded’ away in a manner akin to how a brain sorts and compartmentalises each thought and memory.

Having been a fashion blogger for three years people often remark that I must have a lot of clothes. I don’t. I own a modest sized wooden wardrobe with matching four-drawer dressed and firmly believe that if I can’t fit something into this space than I don’t need it. I hate to hoard and twice yearly scour my collection of those pieces I will never wear again and donate to charity, making a little more room for new pieces. That said as I’m getting older and, dare I admit, broodier I’ve come to think about storing away items to pass on to any future daughter I may have.

So it’s time for one of my biannual clear outs. This is what I usually do approaching the transitional period between main seasons such as Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter. I’m currently moodboading my AW12/13 inspiration and slowly moving the summer pieces towards to back of my wardrobe. This is when I start to get brutal and get out the charity bin bag, a sheet of paper and a pencil. Bin those items that were ‘maybes’ from the last edit and still haven’t worn and with the paper and pencil I draw two circles. In one circle I list the new season pieces I lust and in the second I list those missing staples from my collection; the basics that need replacing or investing in. Then I hope to reach a sort of Venn diagram of compromise between what I want and what I need.

Then I go shopping with the list. Bad things happen when I forget the list. Credit cards get hurt. Bank balances die. I must stick to the list.

Pucker Punch

The one confusing thing about fashion and beauty blogging is the occasional inability to know what season it is. Between forward planning my AW12/13 fashion moodboard, snooping through the Resort 2013 shows and currently living in SS12 the mind cant be decided on whet er I want my lips stained a rich red in autumnal tones or a pop pink to brighten the Irish summer? Whether way I just want bold lips packed with attitude that pack at pucker punch!



Images via weheartit, elle, zimbio

NAIL POLISH by H&M

When I spotted Queen Bey sporting blue nails in honour of Blue Ivy, I was a little obsessed with the colour. Much to my dismay I found out it was yet to be released by Nails Inc. A few weeks later I spotted this little gem while in the queue in H&M for the tidy sum of £2.99 so thought I would grab it to tide me over.

I never bought the Nails Inc one was I was so impressed with the H&M bottle. The colour was impressive, even after one coat although I always lay on two. They have lots more in store and they are so economical it's just good sense to buy them!

 Ezzie x

DIY Peter Pan Collar

So as you may have noticed I adore collars in all shapes, sizes, forms and textures and am determined to begin my DIY adventures here. Just thinking of walking into my local haberdashery to pick my patterns, fabrics and metres of lace has my heart all a flutter.

Here's to my first easy and carefree dalliance with fashion homemaking opening my wardrobe to a whole array of lovely laces, feminine florals and pretty peter pans!

Blau x

Images via weheartit

Hostess Hero: Teri Gender Bender

Teri Gender Bender is the front woman and founder of Mexican garage punk band Le Butcherettes. Inspired by Malcolm X's philosophy on last names--"The real names of our people were destroyed during slavery."--she changed hers to Teri Gender Bender as part of her fight against the oppression of women in Mexico. Known for her intense stage presence Teri  once peed on stage, used nail polish to paint a tampon red at her very first show and has been known to cat crawl across the crowd rather than surf. She has been compared to Alison Mosshart and Sylvia Plath and described as morphing 'into a cross between Courtney Love and Janis Joplin' when she sings. I think she is one of the most mesmerising and captivating performers at the moment.

Blau x

Wouldn't It Be Lovery

All I want is a room somewhere, far away from the cold night air.














Here is a moodboard for my very own make believe abode. A place of eclectic elegance and simple adornment. A haven for the wandering soul and a throve of rugged charm where rustic meets city, vintage meets modern, life meets peace and he meets me. Oh wouldn't it be loverly?

Blau x

Images via my pinterest

Virgos Lounge

Virgos Lounge is a London based womenswear brand established in 2008 by three "Virgo" friends with a love for vintage clothing. The trio who's shared Zodiac sign inspired the name of the label, specialize in combining contemporary silhouettes and trends with classic vintage styles to create unique statement pieces for the modern woman. They offer a wonderful and on trend collection of vintage inspired and vintage pieces with a modern edge at affordable prices. This collection stands as an eclectic mix of disco glam and carnival chic in a haze of neo-romantic allure and whimsical charm.

Blau x

Love Me Knot

From chic street style to elegant evening looks the vintage look silk headscarf is going to be my new best friend. Think retro badlands meets sartorial gypsy in a hair vs. silk scarf cat fight of easy glamour, downtown chic and Days of Yore allure.

This one versatile accessory that can be folded and tied in so many different ways letting you experiment to your hearts content to produce a quick and simple style update. # iwanttobeanindiegypsy

Blau x

Images via weheartit

Loulou Loves You

I'm a complete sucker for a pretty collar right now and these beauties from Loulou Loves You are the cutest collars on the scene. From luxurious silk brocade backed in one hundred percent black silk taffeta to planet, stars & moon print cotton, with a silk taffeta underside. These collars are edged with a delicate and cute black pom pom trim and a Satin ribbon bow at the centre. They shape beautifully around the neck and are perfect for styling everything from dresses to simple t.shirts as well as fitting over your usual shirt collar to create a new look. I want the entire collection, pretty please.

Blau x

Nailing It

One thing that I've developed along with my Pinterest addiction is a refocus to all the little details that help make or break an overall look. One element which has been until recently largely neglected by myself is the creative field of nail art. I'm subscribed to mistress of quirky miss Zooey Deschanel and my does she know how to work her nails from her tuxedo nails to the adorable Beatles manicure she never fails so buy attention to every detail. Inspired by this my looking for easy and cute ways to update my nail varnish collection with clean pastels, luxurious glitter and jewels. Forget Rimmel just get the Deschanel look.

Blau x


Images via richesforrags, stylecaster

I Pretty The Fool

This week I am mostly loving chunky jewellery. Layers of ornate, antique and statement pieces which promise to add strong character and striking presence. I adore contrasting embellished pieces with simple fabrics and knits to infuse a simple outfit with modern edge and glamorous feel. With plenty of high street stores offering custom jewellery lines there's no excuse not to indulge your inner Mr. T!

Blau x

Images via We Heart It, Refinery 29, elle.com



A Wispy Love Affair

Spring is in the air and I'm in the mood for something loose, soft, feminine and delicate. I want to embrace womanly whimsy in an air of abandoned prairie meets runaway princess. A wispy love affair of simple teased perfection and whispered elegance.

Starting with a simple braid...

Blau x

Images via We Heart It, Just Jared, jjjound.com

The Vintage Stylist

Just when I thought my favourite vintage store Turquoise Flamingo couldn't get any cuter now they have launched their 'The Vintage Stylist' service. This is a vintage photoshoot service resulting in uniquely vintage style photos to mark your engagement, for your own personal portfolio or even as a fun experience at a hen party. A consultation choosing the style and theme, followed by an enjoyable photoshoot providing the hair, make up, outfits, props and setting and you receive high quality, edited, ready-to-print photographs ranging from €80-150 for a personal photoshoot/ portfolio shoot to  €100-250 for group shots.

A Hollywood Remake

With that hectic party circuit to tackle between now and New Years I'm turning all my attention to playing with hair and make-up in a bid to jazz up my already existing dress collection and well to have a bit of good ol' girly fun. What better look to attempt in the comfort of your own home than that of all those classic Hollywood icons? Here are a very modern intreptations of the old Hollywood glamour to help acheive a fresh and modern version of a timeless look.

Blau x



Images via We Heart It