window shopping...

I just saw this gorgeous dress on the Urban Outfitters site. Its a bit conservative which I like cos it reminds me a bit of Jackie O. Plus it would be perfect for work. See! I can justify any purchase. Its my special talent!!

Recommendation

Generally speaking I prefer not to make a recommendation unless I have tried the site or product myself. In this case I am confident that this site is a diamond in the rough for shoe lovers!

If you are in the market for reasonably priced Loutoutin shoes (and in these recessionary days, who isn't?) I would recommend you visit www.ChristianLouboutin-Shoes.co.uk. They offer a range of Louboutin classic shoes at a huge mark down price.

The shoes themselves arrived in a Loutoutin box and in individual dust bags. The presentation is great and the shoes are gorgeous. The real question remains - are they real Louboutins? Honestly, I have no idea. I have compared them to a real pair which I bought last November and it is impossible to see any difference. In fact the instantly recognisable red soles on my new pair look like a richer, deeper red than my store bought pair!

If anybody has had an experience with this site (or others like it - good or bad!) leave a comment and let us know. There are so many sites selling Loutoutin shoes alone that it is impossible to tell which ones are reliable and which are not so recommendations are extremely welcome!

spain, antiques and street style

Hey guys, I know that this blog has been sorely lacking updates in the past week or so. My bad, I know! In my defense I have been away in sunny Madrid for the past few days soaking up the sunshine, culture and, of course, wine! Pics to follow I promise.

We went to an amazing flee market called El Rastro on Sunday. It had tons of great antique bits and bobs. If my case hadn't already been fit to burst I might have done some serious damage to my purse!

One of my favorite things to do in a new city is sit in a cafe and style watch. In my experience European style in France, Spain and Italy is still as cool as anywhere else in the world. I love they way they mix things up and focus on the shape and form of the clothes. There was tons of inspiration to be had on the streets and stalls.

one of the boys

Recently I have been seriously digging the masculine "boyfriend" look. Boyfriend blazers, baggy jeans etc have quite a cool, laid back, sexy appeal. The underlying implication supposed to be that you woke up at your boyfriend this morning and didn't bother run home to change. You might remember a scene from Sex and the City where Carrie arrives home from Big's apartment wearing nary but a white mens shirt, manolos (of course) and a belt. Like that - just less literal!

Obviously this is a look all about balance. I am a big believer in balancing proportions. Call me old-fashioned but nothing looks as effortlessly thrown together as a bandage dress and a boxy blazer. Or a huge shirt and skinny jeans. Or a mini skirt and an oversized sweater. Also lets not forget - mens clothes have the added advantage of actually being comfortable. Oftentimes fashion does equal pain, just not necessarily every day of the week. So lets not suffer for our passion all the time - every now pull on a pair of baggy jeans and just be one of the boys.

cute!

I'm loving this cute floral dress from Dahlia. It makes me long for warm summer days!

home

I have been feeling a little homesick this week so I thought I would be really self-indulgent and post some pictures that remind me of home.

breaking my heart...

Okay so I know this is a sappy post but I couldn't help myself! I saw a news piece today about adopting pets from the pound. It is kitten season at the moment so there are tons of lil cuties looking for good homes. Its probably a good thing that my apartment building doesn't allow pets otherwise I would probably be a crazy cat lady!

american apparel

Hello dears - I meant to post this earlier but I just wanted to let you all know that the new American Apparel store has opened in Dublin!

For those unfamiliar this US brand prides itself on being "sweatshop free" and promoting environmentally friendly processes. So this is truly guilt free shopping!

To learn more, as well as shop online, visit www.americanapparel.net

Style that fits...

With a huge amount of high street shops copying celebrity looks every season, finding replications of you favorite celebrity style is easier than ever. The difficult part is finding a version which actually fits you the way you want it to.

This is where GorgeousCouture.com comes in. One of my absolutely favorite places to browse online, this site offers celebrity style tailor-made to fit its customers. Just pick your dress and have it made to fit your own measurements. I have never gotten one of these dresses made myself so I would love to hear back from anyone who has tried this site. I think this could be a really, really useful service if there are any ladies out there who have trouble getting dresses to fit them properly.

Let me know what you think!

Wow

I am not what you would call a die-hard Sienna Miller fan. As far as style goes - I can take her as often as I leave her. Plus she doesn't exactly have me rushing to the box office. Still I have to take my hat off to her for some of her red carpet choices. The latest being this dress from her own label - Twenty8Twelve.

This is obviously bang on trend for autumn-winter as a long sleeved mini dress - which were all over the catwalk and in the high street. It actually reminds me of the Balmain collection for this autumn which I am currently obsessed with!

For a cheaper version try Topshop which has an extremely similar dress with the same scope back detail in silver right now.

UPDATE - Oasis has also just made a nearly identical version which is up on their site. Visit - www.oasis-stores.com to see it.

As I alluded to in a previous post - I have long curly hair which is abused daily by some form of heat treatment! Every now and then I fantasize about doing something drastic - especially when I see the chic bobs of Anne Hathaway and Liv Tyler. This weekend it was Marion Cotillard in the new Johnny Depp movie Public Enemies.

I love period films and this movie is set in Chicago in the thirties. The clothes (and Mr. Depp!) are worth the price of the ticket alone but I couldn't help but be impressed with the leading lady's ultra feminine shoulder length curls. Oh decisions, decisions!

This weekend I was out and about and spotted this gorgeous dress from Whistles. I love that it has a sort of vintage style to it. Being a big child I wore it that very night with my cream boyfriend cardie from Topshop and vintage tan boots. Happy days! :)

By the time I got home I noticed that it is already nearly sold on out ASOS. Phew!

Polyvore

A gorgeous summer outfit from Polyvore. Sigh....

Matthew Williamson Silk beaded cardigan - One Victorian cotton dress - Yves Saint Laurent Charm link necklace - Chloé Cotton obi-belt - Miu Miu Medium slouch tote - Yves Saint Laurent Sandals - Black Nail Polish.

Recommendation

Having been blessed with a head of unruly "curls" I began the war on frizz at an early age. There is probably not a tool, serum, moose, gel, spray or cream you could recommend that I have not tested. These days I tend to tick with whatever works so when I find something that actually does I'm pretty happy to recommend it.

The Bumble and Bumble Deeep hair conditioner is a keeper. Though pricey this product is meant to be used only once weekly so it will last. Gorgeously thick it goes on like a dream - rub it on, wrap up your hair and go watch an episode of Friends (The One You Have Seen A Thousand Times Before).

Rinse and repeat next week.

Shoe Rant

Okay so I need new shoes. I am perpetually in search of the perfect one-style-does-all shoe. Footwear that is cool, comfortable enough for walking to work and goes with including dresses and jeans and can go from day to night when needed.

Well they don't exist. They are the shoe equivilent of an commitment ready bachelor over forty. So I'm about ready to settle for something that ticks my first two boxes at least. This autumn I need something cool and casual and I think loafers are the way to go.

Elementary my dear...

This is the hugely talented Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame posing for a shoot with Teen Vogue. This style encapsulates a modern take on lady-like glamour perfectly. I love the mix of fabrics and colors - velvet, cotton and fur all together.

This look kind of reminds me of that perpetually bored, rich aristocratic style from the the first half of the twentieth century. Effortless and chic at the same time. Obviously this makes Emma the perfect choice as model.