Things That Make Me Squee - Candy Stripper AW14

I mean, seriously. Come on. For real.

TOO DAMN CUTE.

I want everything.

Candy Stripper is a Japanese clothing brand akin to high-end highstreet with prices along the lines of Reiss, Karen Millen or Monsoon but an aesthetic closer to Wildfox, House of Holland, or home-grown Irish brand, Pretty Owls Drink Tea. Except with the cuteness amped up. And said adorable look doesn't come across as overly twee or ungenuine as it screams organic Harajuku style. 

Designed by Yoshie Itabashi with a concept of "No Rule, No Genre, No Age", the AW14 collection clearly mirrors the brand's mission statement exactly. It does lots of different things and adheres to no single genre but, instead, coherently mixes several together. The "No Age" part might jar with some upon looking at the styling lookbook but I think that might be a matter of said styling and a cultural issue on our part. I like that they want anyone to wear the clothes - and if they appeal, you should definitely go for it! 

To consider the mixing of genres for their AW showing, I think I've cracked the recipe:

1 part punky tartan

1 part Clueless/House of Holland colours

1 part unicorn

1 part sportswear

1 part manga

1 part schoolgirl

1 part urban styling

1,000,000 parts cuteness

So, I'll go back to squeeing in a corner and wishing they had a store in Dublin now. Bye.

(Images via candystripper.jp)

You guys feeling it too? THE NEED.

Sea What I Did There?

For as long as I can remember, I've loved the ocean. I'll always swim if I get the chance - no matter how cold the water. I'm the first one in, last one out. I never hesitate to dunk my head under. Just seeing the ocean, being near it makes me happier, adds a spring to my step. I don't know why this is exactly. Certainly, childhood nostalgia and fondness play their part. But there's something else there. The active feeling of being surrounded by something so much bigger and more powerful than yourself, that could easily crush you but instead lets you float, splash, have fun, is comforting and terrifying and humbling all at the same time. And, of course, it's beautiful. Throat-catching, eye-watering, life-affirmingly beautiful. I could stare at it for hours and photographing it is always a delight. 

So, as I spent an evening by the sea with my parents - two of the best people I will surely ever know - and thought about how pointless most of my worries were in the grand, beautiful, pointless scheme of things I realised that nothing needs meaning. It just is. And we can spend our lives being grateful for every gorgeous thing around us rather than searching for something more. I'd rather enjoy it while I'm here than look past it.

Wow, this ootd got way out of hand. 

My point is, here's an ootd. It's uber-pointless. But with the surroundings and the light, it looks nice and it makes me happy and my eyes crinkle with fondness for my parents and that day. And, surely, that's more than enough.

Photos of me by Daddy - all else by me.

Jumper - Vila - Parka - Pimkie - Trousers - DECK- Shoes - Next - Sunglasses - Topshop 

One Night Essentials

I'm not going to lie and say I travel light. By and large, I bring too much with me - be that in a handbag or luggage. I like my things and I like to bring them with me. However, I've gotten better at leaving things behind for short trips.

Or, I had gotten better at it.

And then I had to go and spoil it all by doing something stupid like getting into skincare.

Again, I won't lie and say I'm always rigorous or consistent. Sometimes, when tired, I just wash my face, brush my teeth and go to sleep. But I rarely skip at least some form of a skincare routine because some consistency is necessary to see the results.

Which means that travelling light now necessitates finding room for my skincare. This weekend, I went home for a night to my family home as I'm going to be so busy with my dissertation for the next while that I doubt I'll be able to get back often. Though I only brought a clean tee and underwear to change into, I also had to bring the following. At the moment, these are the skincare items I can't go a day without. So, I guess, you could say they're my essentials.

Lush Tea Tree Toner Water - Laura Mercier Ambre Vanille Hand Cream - Viviscal Hair and Scalp Serum - Ren Flash Rinse One Minute Facial - VOYA Cleanse and Mend Cleanser - Ren V-cense Day Cream - Eve Lom Kiss Mix - Tea Tree Oil.

So, what can't you go a day without?

PS. Thanks to anyone who nominated me in the Irish Blog Awards - I'm now shortlisted! Woo! x

Light and Shade

I was definitely an Impressionist in a past life.

And a mermaid.

Light, shadows, the sea - they just call to me. I'm more likely to stop dead in my tracks on the street because of a pretty shadow than a celebrity. They just mystify me - that something so without form can be so astonishingly visible and potent. Am I even making sense?

Basically, I like to think I see beauty in things most people walk past. Is that conceited? Grandiose? Reality? It's hard to tell. But, to me, the things most beautiful are inconstant, fleeting, changing and the idea of capturing them on film is both sacrilegious and necessary - an alluring combination for someone without belief, raised Catholic, non?

What captures your imagination?

MY AW14 Trends.

So, yeah, trends come and go and, as a fashion blogger and aspiring fashion journalist, I have to be aware of them. That doesn't mean, however, that I tend to take them all that seriously. More often than not, I adopt current silhouettes along palettes and themes of my own devising. This way, I still feel as though I'm looking relevant but not slavishly doing as everyone else is. Plus, highstreet fashion is constantly aeons behind the runway anyway. Fashion is an industry and a machine and in order to be economically viable it ploughs on ahead at an intimidating pace, you can try to keep apace with it or weave your own path.

Styling is a great way to breathe new life into looks because things are constantly resurfacing in new guises. For example, the turtle neck is back again this AW. Personally, I'm enjoying the idea of styling it with easy-chic pieces, restraint and then an unexpected flash of lace. Bring a bit of gothic into contemporary urban clothing.

Staple items cropping up that I know I want to invest in are midi-skirts, trench coats and cloaks. There's space for these things in my wardrobe and, if the right ones are chosen, they'll serve me well for years to come as they are timeless pieces. Sometimes it's good to invest as well as indulge in fleeting fancies - though those are important too!

Basically, what I'm trying to say, in a round about way, is I've devised and decided to embrace  my own (well, one is more of a common way of life for many) adaptations of trends for this coming season. These are the six modes of dress that I'll be rocking. They are, in no particular order; Too Kawaii to Function (Or Sailor-Influenced Cuteness, Basic Witch (aren't I funny), Neo Irish, All Black Everything (said way of life), Trench Girl Chic and Pastel Sabbath.

So, which one is your favourite? How are you putting your spin on AW14?

LA College of Creative Arts Sample Sale ft. NATALIEBCOLEMAN, Danielle Romeril, Manley and Joanne Hynes

If you know anything about me at all, you'll know two things pertinent to this post:

(1) I love sales/bargains
(2) I love Irish design

These two loves came together today at the opening day of the (not so) Secret Sample Sale at the LA College of Creative Arts on (achingly hip) South William street. On today until Saturday, 10am-8pm, there's ample time to get in there and root out a bargain for yourself! Four rad Irish designers are represented and also hanging about themselves if you want the opportunity to squee/fangirl in person.

I popped along, picked up a sweet pair of Joanne Hynes earrings and papped the following shots. There was plenty more I could have picked up but you have to draw the line somewhere! Plus, maybe one of those pieces is waiting for one of you lovely peeps now. If so, it's like, kismet and shit.

Anyway, have a gawk and pop along if have the chance!

PS It's on on the first floor...not in Natalie's studio...which I barged into like the clodhopper that I am today. Sigh, if only I were a calm and collected human.

Le purchase

Anything catch your eye?