Taking a Break

My Exams are soon, very soon so I shall be taking a much needed hiatus :)

source: Dufie's blog

COCKTAIL RINGS and nail varnish.

I love cocktail rings at the moment.  

I think they can really brighten up the dullest of outfits, and they feel nice and heavy on your fingers, making your hand feel small and dainty.  

Add some pretty nail varnish and you're good to go.

Recently, I got two lovely rings in Topshop, which I plan to wear to next week with a plain black dress and coral nail varnish.

Topshop- €14.50

Topshop- €14.50

Camel nails with a black stripe

(I attempted camel nails with black tips, but it looked horrible!)

I used:

Nails by Topshop in shade 002 'Geography Teacher'

&

NYC Long-Wearing Nail Enamel in shade 119A

And now for some pretty pictures/inspiration..;

Also, I hope you all like my new blog header.  I played around for ages, and finally found one that I really like.

Also also, don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY- closing date April 4th.

015 Miss Daisy

 
Dress-New Look/Cardigan-New Look/Shoes-Primark
I’m feeling very vintage as of late, very Madame like. Maybe it’s the sunshine, maybe it’s not exfoliating- to that- I used to exfoliate EVERYDAY, especially my face. Everyday I practically scrubbed my face with Sand etc. Seriously dudes my face was sore, irritated and flaky. And I thought that was normal.  *shaking head*

So yeah i was informed that that was actually the worst thing that I could do to my face. Up until last week I was a cleanser-virgin. I have never cleansed my face EVER. I totally recommend Lush’s 9 to 5 cleanser. It’s Lush, see what I did there???
 
So from now on. moisturising daily, exfoliating at most 3x a week…..


Ciao  X

ELIZABETH TAYLOR; 1932-2011.

As you all probably know by now, Elizabeth Taylor passed away last week of heart failure.  Throughout her life, Taylor was an icon, know for her striking good looks, admirable dress sense and natural talent for acting.

When I heard that Elizabeth Taylor had died, a part of me felt as if it was the end of an era.  A life which included seven husbands, four children and seventy acting credits; Elizabeth Taylor's was certainly extraordinary.

ZARA S/S '11, love it.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love Zara.

I've loved it since I was about fourteen, when one opened up quite near to where I lived in Cork.  

When I was that age, I liked TRF, but in the past two years or so, I've moved on to the 'grown up' section, and I think it's amazing.  

They're always right on trend, and it's definitely affordable.

Check out these shots from their most recent lookbook.  Oh, to have unlimited funds.

Shirt- €69.95

Trousers- €69.95

Court shoe- €79.95

Blazer- €59.95

T-shirt- €16.95

Shorts- €27.95

Blouse- €39.95

Shorts- €27.95

At the moment, I'm searching everywhere for a pair of bright flats.  I've got a dress, which I want to accessorize with colour blocked accessories.

I'm talking- evergreen, cobalt or coral hues.

Help!

Also- do you think that black or white works better in colour blocks?

Ten-Second Breather

Breathe in, breathe out—we are experiencing a brief bit of turbulence, and we will resume regular posting patterns in a few moments. Thank you for your patience. Do secure those oxygen masks once the apparatus drops from the ceiling…

So—epic. This semester decided to own me quite early on, and it refuses to loosen the death grip. Keeping to a three-assignment-per-week schedule has been… well, I suppose I don't need to elaborate too far on that front. I've discovered how much I loathe eight-page assignments that are only worth 7.5% of the final mark. Ahh, what a sweet kick to the teeth that one is…

BUT! Three more weeks, three more weeks. I must wade through three more weeks, and then I will be free of this latest round in schooling. Huzzah, kids!

I need the time to get back to what's important—namely gorgeous, talented women. You know the ol' schedule is tight when I don't even have time to drool. You also know the schedule's ridiculous when I can't even spare a moment for

THE OPENING OF SUCKER PUNCH!

Remember? Need a scintillating reminder?

*Whines until she can get herself to the nearest theatre—STAT*

The death of a disco dancer; OUTFIT POST.

Velvet bodycon dress (worn as a top)- New Look.

Suede wedges- New Look.

Leopard print skirt- A|Wear.

Blazer- Urban Outfitters.

Leather clutch- vintage.
Watch- Casio.

On my lips- 'Cyber' by Mac.


Also, don't forget you can win some nice free things here in my giveaway, so don't forget to enter- you have until Monday week!

DRESS SHOPPING; the good and the bad.

With my first ever Trinity Ball in just two weeks time, I was starting to stress about finding the perfect dress.  There's a great little boutique in Cork called Amity which I decided would be my first port of call.  Alas, though I found two gorgeous dresses, my size was sold out in both, and I wouldn't be back in Cork on time to collect one had I ordered it in.  Seeing as I had already retired ASOS, Nasty Gal and all my usual online haunts, I had begun to despair a little bit.  However, last Monday when I was in Topshop I found exactly what I was looking for.  Relief.

To accessorize the dress I picked up a pretty cocktail ring and some bright nail polish, and I have yet to find shoes and a bag.  Now I just live in the hope that no one else will turn up in my dress (it's likely, I know.)

(I'll post pictures during the weekend after the Ball.)

Below are a few options (alternative to physically going shopping) when searching for that perfect dress;

Rent it:

I recently came across a website called Girl Meets Dress. This great website offers designer dresses for rent.  Why is this so great?  You'll never have to wear the same dress again, nor will you have to worry about spending way over budget.  From Marchesa to Chloe to Proenza Schouler- they have it all.

hire this Marc Jacobs Rainbow Paillette Dress for £89.

(Retail price; £900.)

hire this Herve Leger Fuschia Dress for £129.

(retail price; £1,252.)

hire this Marchesa Notte Bow Cocktail Dress for £179.

(retail price; £540.)

Thrift It:

Living in Dublin, we're lucky enough to be surrounded by great vintage stores.  There's Harlequin, Wild Child, Lucy's Lounge, 9 Crow Street and Jenny Vander, just to name a few.  If you're skilled at rifling through racks of clothing, then thrifting a dress is certainly for you.  Online options include the Rokit website or Ebay, though I would say that with vintage dresses and such, you're better off trying it on.

Black Velvet & Satin A-Line Dress;

£40, from Rokit.

Purple Satin & Lace Dress;

£45, from Rokit.

Black Sequinned Strapless Peplum Cocktail Dress;

£45, Rokit.

Borrow It:

If you're lucky enough to have a sister or friend who wears the same size; lucky you.  There's absolutely no shame in borrowing a dress, think of all the money you'll save and can spend on makeup/shoes/extra drinks for the night!  The only drawback about wearing a borrowed dress is you've got to be extra careful; you don't want to make your friend an enemy.

HAUL: Wild Child Kilo Sale.

Wild Child, one of Dublin's most popular vintage stores, is doing an amazing sale throughout the months of March and April; you can pick out 1kg of clothing (it includes everything in the store) and bag the lot for just €20.  They're getting new stuff in all the time, and it's absolutely great.  I went today and picked up 2 tops, 2 silk shirts and 2 bags which came to just under a kilo.  It made my day.

these black and white tops are the same, except the black one is slightly longer.  They are a little too big for me, but look great tucked into a skirt, shorts or pair of high waisted jeans.

(this leather clutch is my favourite of the lot- sorry about the reflection in the picture!)

I really felt like I got fantastic value for my money today!

Anyone who lives in Dublin/will be in the Dublin area any time soon should definitely check out the Wild Child store at 26, Drury St., or find their Facebook page here.

Elizabeth Taylor

 (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011)

“When the sun comes up, I have morals again.”

014

 
Hat-Primark/Scarf-Market/Blazer-Topshop/shirt-H&M( i love this shirt soo much,poodles…) /Shorts-Zara
There’s not much going on these days, I've been trolling the net for ‘holidays’. I want to do something different this year. I’m saying holidays sheesh…I really feel like volunteering somewhere.

Edit: I seem to have surpassed the 200 Follower Mark, so I shall do a giveaway Right??? 

PATRICK WOLF at The Sugar Club.

Last night I went to see Patrick Wolf play at The Sugar Club, Leeson Street, Dublin.  I wrote this article for The University Times, so I'm just gonna go ahead and put it up here too!

Despite the fact that the doors of The Sugar Club were scheduled to open at 8pm, it was at least nine by the time anyone stepped foot inside. The queue was gargantuan considering the restricting size of the venue, and by the time we actually did get to go inside, it had extended around the corner of Leeson Street and I could no longer see the end. Apparently there had been some sort of mishap with Wolf’s monitor and a replacement had had to be shipped down from Belfast (when they discovered at 7pm that it wasn’t working).

A man of many talents

The pacifying promise which was hastily made to us by the management was fulfilled however, and the minute we entered, the rather…er…flamboyant support act took to the stage. Complete with pink war paint, sequin trousers and clean-shaven armpits, Rowdy Superstar and his “Hype Girls” were certainly a sight for sore eyes. Dominating the club’s miniature stage, which was already chock-a-block with Patrick Wolf’s abundance of musical paraphernalia, Superstar broke into his tune “Tick-Tock”, which is how he claims he met Patrick Wolf in the first place. With his array of interesting props (at one stage The Hype Girls were “playing” some sort of silver Styrofoam object) and choreographed dance routines, Rowdy Superstar certainly did what he was there to do: entertain.

For those of you who have never attended an event in The Sugar Club (I hadn’t before last night), it’s quite an intimate setting, with tiered seats reminiscent of a 1920’s cabaret—I later discovered that the venue is used for burlesque performances on a weekly basis. Last night though, it was absolutely jammed, and everyone was here to see the somewhat intriguing Patrick Wolf. Now 28 years old, Wolf was born in South London to what is described as a “creative family.” Using his natural talent to escape the harsh realities of the bullying he faced at school, Wolf began experimenting with his own compositions as early as eleven years-old, and by age fourteen he was performing with pop-art collective Minty. He filled up book upon book with poems, lyrics and short stories before eventually dropping out of school and leaving home to pursue his dreams at the tender age of sixteen. About to release his fifth album on the May 30th of this year, Patrick Wolf is no novice in the music industry, and his romantic-folk and electronic music is definitely unique.

After quite an acceptable wait, which was complimented by an accessible bar and the laid-back atmosphere of the venue, Wolf’s musicians emerged, followed by Patrick himself in what appeared to be a crimson three-piece suit (one would later discover that it was actually a jumpsuit and blazer). Backed by a black curtain, his name etched across it in a font which for some reason reminded me of the Roald Dahl books I read as a child, Wolf’s 6”4 frame towered above his band. As an orchestra member, I found the sheer amount of instruments in use to be astounding. There was a flute, a clarinet, a saxophone and an alto saxophone, a drum kit, a keyboard, various synthesizers, a guitar and a bass guitar, an electric violin and viola and a harp. In a haze of smoke and light, Wolf opened the gig with his track “Armistice”, accompanied by keyboard, before moving on to “Bluebells” on the harp.

"his shock of burgundy hair"

From the beginning, there was absolutely no ambiguity surrounding his talent. His beautiful, clear vocals resonated around the room, accompanied by intricate melodies on various instruments as he switched fluidly between keyboard, viola, harp and ukulele. Next came “Time of My Life”, as Wolf went on to prove his status as a charismatic performer. One of his more popular tracks, “Tristan” was probably the climax of the performance, as the crowd erupted into cheers and wholeheartedly joined in, not missing a beat. Mid-performance, Wolf decided it was time to vacate the stage in favour of some crowd immersion, and in between landing in a girl’s lap and flirting with an unsuspecting bald man, Wolf introduced us to his Irish family, who had all come along to the show to support him- how endearing. The set-list came in the form of a jumble of the older tracks, integrated with some brand new ones. Interrupted momentarily by a mishap with the batteries in his viola, Wolf came back with crowd favourite “Damaris”, to which, once again, nobody wasted any time throwing themselves into.

As Wolf thanked us all for being there, he pranced off the stage to tones of the typical Irish “one more tune, one more tune,”- some things never change. Soon though, the stage was once again occupied by a green-suited Patrick Wolf, martini glass in tow, as he launched into a lively encore encompassing “The City” and last but certainly not least, “The Magic Position”, exiting the stage on a positive note. Though I was not quite sure whether or not I enjoyed some of the newer tracks, I was glad I had made the effort to come out and see Patrick Wolf live, as with his shock of burgundy hair and genuine musical prowess, he really is one of a kind.

Rating: 3.5/5

Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway; who could say no to free stuff?

Intimacy...

I think there's nothing more intimate than watching a woman putting on her make-up....

Here's my lovely friend, getting ready, though she doesn't need it seeing she is already so beautiful.