Blog Awards Ireland

Hey, guys!

This is just a super-short post to let anyone who wasn't aware know that I was short-listed in the Blog Awards Ireland for Best Fashion Blog for the third time this year. I'd really love to progress to the next stage and would appreciate any support you guys could offer. I'm extremely grateful for anyone who keeps come back to my wee blog and all the experiences and opportunities I've had through it and due to you. If you've been on this journey with me for a little while or a long time and feel like I deserve a vote, just follow this link and vote for Wide-Eyed and Blind as the 2015 Best Fashion Blog. Voting closes on Monday the 21st of September!

I really am thankful for everything that's happened due to this blog and your continued support even if you don't vote - but please do!

Love,
Cx

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Relaunch of Flormar in Ireland!

A professional make-up brand at highstreet prices - sounds way too good to be true, right?

And yet, it's a reality! Flormar is an Italian make-up brand that used to be for sale in Ireland and which is now being relaunched into the Irish market. Prices range from €2.95 to €12.95 so it's some seriously affordable quality.

By the end of September, it will be stocked in pharmacies all over the country and there will be a dedicated standalone store established at a location in Dublin which has yet to be decided. So, basically, it's going to be rather widely available all around Ireland.

At the launch, we were given a demonstration of the products by MUA, Leonard Daly, showcasing some of his favourites. He notes the bronzer, baked blushes (a dupe for a very popular, more expensive professional brand), BB cream and lipsticks as standout stars from the brand.

We were also given some things to take away and try out so I'll report back on anything I dig later. If you're interested in any particular product and want to know more, comment below and I'll be sure to mention it!





























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On Blogging

Where to even begin?

It's hard to explain to people over a certain age what blogging even is. Even with those who understand, it's hard to make them get it. It's hard to explain to those I love most, who know me best. I guess, it's difficult to grasp the nuances if you don't blog yourself.

Blogging has changed me. It has changed my life, my career. It has made me better and more essentially me than I have been in a very long time.

We all get a little lost, a little distracted by who we think we should be and what we should want. I thought I had everything planned for a very long time. And yet my life is nothing like the plan I had in mind. Without a shadow of a doubt, I can say that I am all the better for that. I am happier than I have been in years because I'm doing what I love, what I have always wanted. Fashion and design have been my great passions for a very long time, since I was creating fashion supplements in the primary school newspaper and dressing Barbie in garments sewn together from tissues. Writing has been in my blood since I realised how much better books were to human interaction (perhaps not strictly true) and how putting words together was as intimate and unique as a fingerprint.

Blogging, for me, was something that sprang from boredom and blossomed into the ultimate pairing of my two great loves. It was something utterly mine, without rules or limitations or anyone else telling me how to do it or what to think. The freedom was exhilarating. Having a space all my own was liberating.

I love that, as it really is all based on the thoughts and opinions of the blogger in question, I can makes something born of positivity. A place where I celebrate the things I love. While I try to never act as though anything, or life itself, is perfect, this blog allows me to show others how I view the world. I try to focus on the beauty of design, creativity. And I get to be enthusiastic in a way that might not fly in real life interactions. It's a place for passions and not being embarrassed to be passionate or enthusiastic.

Sharing is a big part of it. Sharing my love of things, my thoughts, ideas, writing, photography. And people engaging with it. Hundreds of thousands of times. That's a bit mad, right? That many people have read my words. While I have, perhaps, the shyest (makes sense, I guess) readership in the world and don't get many comments, I see the stats. People come back. They care about what I think. And that has worth beyond (gasp) words.

I also owe my career change to my blog. Blogging made me so happy and passionate and engaged that I began to doubt the path I was on. I should be mid-PHD right now, heading towards a life as a lecturer in art history. Instead, I'm a professional writer. I never thought I would get to say that but I can. Abandoning what felt secure for something lots of people told me wouldn't happen was scary but I did it. And when I voiced my future ambitions to my family while home a few weeks ago, my siblings scoffed but my mother told them that she believed in me, I'd already made this happen for myself. I've rarely been so proud of myself as in that moment.

Yet, blogging isn't all events and press samples and roses. Ask anyone who does it. It's work and largely unpaid and often on your own in addition to a working week. Sometimes you're too tired or are lacking motivation or inspiration on a given week. Or your personal life, for whatever reason, is taking a lot of your energy. When something is a labour of such love, it's hard to find the space in your heart for it if it's busy with other concerns. But you're also acutely aware that you can probably never abandon the internet for too long without it affecting everything you've worked so hard for. If you're suffering from a lack of motivation, this knowledge only makes it worse, more stifling.

I am also aware that I don't play the game enough. I'm shy and at events, I go the professional route and get the job done because I find it so hard to talk to new people. I wish I were better at this as I would genuinely love to know other bloggers and have more blogger friends.

But then there's the less palatable side of this, the “follow for follow” culture or spamming people's comment section with links or doing social media with serious commitment. I'm not stupid, I know I should be better at such things but some aspects are too wheedling for me and I cannot make myself do them. I want to be recognised for the quality of what I do, not for being louder than others. Of course, by all of this, I mean no disrespect to other bloggers, especially those great at growing and managing large followings. I just feel like for what I do, it's not compatible to act in certain ways.

Which brings me to what I do. I have been accused of not being focused enough, trying to do too much. So, I'll try and define what I do and why I do it the way that I do. The easiest way to think about this blog is probably as somewhat of a one-woman magazine. Which is why I do show and product reviews, reveals of new collections and lookbooks, event coverage, thematic essays, playlists, photo posts and outfit posts. But the main thing I always want this blog to be is thoughtful because, despite the career change, my background is academic and rooted in design history and theory. So, when I look at a collection or the packaging of a product, I see the theories, the concepts, the cultural and sociological implications. I feel it sets me apart in some ways. Of course, I'm not always overtly serious but it's always there. And I don't want to change how I do things, even if my aesthetic or raison d'etre is not always immediately obvious or easy to digest.

Despite the struggles I have with blogging, I can't turn my back on it. It's part of who I am now. I am a blogger – even if I'm not paid for it – and it will always be one of the descriptors I will attach my self for however long I continue doing it. And I'm going to do it my way, even if that's not always easy for me or others or, even, if it limits me in some ways. I'm old enough to know that being true to myself and what I believe is more important than all the invites in the world. But maybe I'll work up the courage to be more chatty at events from now on.

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Buffy

The very first post I ever put up was about style in Buffy. I had just gotten into blogs and was rewatching BtVS and didn't get why I couldn't find any decent discussion of how stylish the show was. Since then, I've interviewed the costume designer for the show (!) and talked here and there about how the styling influenced my own sense of style.

Thinking about these things today, about progress, about how funny life can be and what an amazing journey this little project of passion has been, I thought I'd go back to my origins a little bit. I'm gonna go back to putting the nerd in fashion every so often and show you how to style contemporary looks modelled on the inspiration provided by icons of pop culture. I'm going to talk about the things I once wished someone else would approach. And, maybe, I'll get to squee with you guys over shared loves of amazing shows and people.

As the show ran for seven seasons, we watched Buffy's sense of style evolve majorly. She went from being a carefree teen to a well-dressed outcast, to a young woman who knew what is was like to sacrifice the person she loved most, to a college student, to someone who lost a parent, to a primary care-giver, to someone back from the dead, to a person dealing with self-loathing, to leader of an army. She grew so much over the course of the show and this was always visually echoed in what she wore.

The three looks I've put together mostly reflect her style later on in the show (mostly season six and seven) but definitely reference her Valley-girl origins. Especially the first look, entitled Patrolling? This is an homage to all the totally situation and terrain inappropriate clothing that Buffy used to wear early on - super-short skirts and heeled boots while hunting demons through cemeteries and sewers, in particular. As someone who once went on a hike in heeled boots (I know), she's kinda a girl after my own heart here. The palette and aesthetic, however, are very much of her style as an older woman. To begin with, she was very much "more is more, is more" with styling the epitome of the nineties; clashing prints, crazy accessories and plenty of flesh-baring. Later, her style became more restrained with less bright pops of colour and more subdued tones. Everything here is very neutral and simple but with some sexy twists. And totally inappropriate for patrolling but who cares? Besides, if you accessorise with a mythological weapon, you'll be fine.

Look number two is along the lines of what Buffy wore out partying with her friends in later seasons when she wasn't sneaking around with Spike or dealing with serious mental health problems. Leather is present as it was in the first look and this is a fabric choice pervasive in Buffy's wardrobe throughout the show. If you wanna dress like her, invest in leather! The top has a low enough v-neck but is oversized and in a more neutral tone and does that thing that older Buffy was so good at, balancing sex appeal with taker elements so that nothing was over-done or overly obvious. Ankle boots finish the look as the Buffster was all about a good boot.

The final look is a little like a blend of season four and seven. In both season Buffy spent plenty of time on campus, for college and then as a school counsellor at Sunnydale High. It's a little lighter, breezier, referencing her brief stint as a relatively easy-going (for her) college student and then her need to be more appoachable. As always, there are interesting details to the outfit, the multitude of colours in the jeans, the attachment to the neckline of the top, but the whole is restrained overall. Buffy was always stylish and current but never had to try too hard and very much wore the clothes rather than the other way around. Besides, she would have pretty much looked great in a burlap sack, right?

Let me know what you think of these looks! Any other BtVS fanatics out there?

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Liebster

The lovely Gráinne of Trés-Belle Blog recently nominated me for a Liebster Award. These are awards for and from bloggers, allowing them to get to know each other and to let their readers get to know them a little better and to maybe allow people to find new blogs to read.

Each blogger answers 11 questions as asked by the person who nominated them, shares 11 facts about themselves and nominates 5-11 other bloggers.

So, here goes.

Random Facts about Colette:

- I'm actually Colette Fitzpatrick III. I was named after my father's mother and his sister was also given her name.

- It might be no surprise to regulars here, but I love anime and manga. My favourites are Skip Beat, Akatsuki no Yona, Saiunkoku Monogatari and Hanasakeru Seishonen.

- I have a rather worrying obsession with ankle boots.

- I'm a serious Joss Whedon nerd. Especially Buffy. So much so that I watched episodes and read fic (I know) instead of studying for my Leaving Cert (final exams of secondary school in Ireland) and even now if Whedon's name is mentioned at home, my dad gets really annoyed.

- I have little interaction with traditional media and consume pretty much all of my entertainment online.

- My mother used to call me Tweety as a baby because my eyes were so big.

- I love poetry. Particularly the Romance poets and Poe (I'm a hideous cliché, I'm aware).

-The first interview I ever did was with 30 Seconds to Mars. I've never been a massive fan but it was really difficult to stay composed as an eighteen year-old doing her first interview...

- I'm a ridiculous romantic. My parents and grandparents all have the most perfect love stories and it kinda ruined me for anything else.

- Tea makes me sigh in the most inappropriate of ways but I love it SO MUCH.

- I'm clumsy in a really not-cute, falls-up-stairs, trips-over-own-feet, burns-self-constantly kind of way.

- My favourite historical period of fashion is Regency but specifically the ideal of Regency style that was actually rarely a reality. I'm talking seriously pure, clean neo-classical gowns.

Madame Raymond de Verninac by David

Les Questions:

1. What is your favourite thing to blog about?

Fashion that has me so excited I want to run around screaming. I'm pretty passionate about the things I like and express that enthusiastically. So, any time something has me giddy - shows, collections, collaborations, shoots, debates - I can't wait to share that with other people.

2. Where do you get your inspiration to blog?

Art, books, films, music, exhibitions, light, beautiful vistas, articles, street style - basically, I see my blog as a creative outlet responding to those of others. Anything that opens up a discourse has me running to my laptop.

3. What is your special talent?

I'd like to think I have a few talents but I would say that my special one is seeing beauty where others may not.

4. Where do you see yourself in five years?

Still doing this, always having blogging as my self-directed passion project. But with an established career as a writer in Ireland. 

5. What is your middle name?

I have two - Breda (for my other granny) and Acushla (for my sister).

6. If you were a superhero what superpowers would you have?

Probably being able to teleport or fly so I could travel for free and never have to worry about commuting. As I think about others I can't help but feel many would come with intense pressure and responsibility. I think it would be pretty cool to be like Ditto or Rogue and be able to take on other skills from people when you're envious of them.

7. Would you ever go on Big Brother?

Good God, no. That seems like a very particular form of torture. Everything you do being televised? Being trapped with strangers 24/7? No, thank you.

8. Do you like reality t.v.?

Not especially. I like some fashion ones because they give insight into aspects of the industry but the drama, especially when forced, just stresses me out. If I'm going for reality, I'd prefer a documentary.

9. What really grinds your gears?

I don't like people letting me down or failing to fulfil promises. Teenagers in groups that are up to no good irritate me as I'm secretly ninety years-old. Internet or computer issues make me want to scream in rage. And I hate unnecessary drama - a lack of turmoil, a boring life does not make. 

10. What is your beauty must-have?

All of my skincare. Over my make-up. Any day. All day....Seriously, I love skincare.

11. What's your favourite season and why?

Summer, hands down. My skin and hair LOVE the sun and I feel so much happier with the Vitamin D intake. I also like, as an adult, that the day is longer so there's time after work to hang out with your friends in the sun.

My Questions:

1. Why did you start blogging?

2. Why do you continue to do so?

3. Who inspires you? Bloggers or otherwise?

4. What five things can't you live without?

5. What's your biggest dream(s)?

6. You win a ridiculous amount of money - first thing you do?

7. Favourite thing about the internet?

8. Least favourite?

9. Philosophy or guiding principle you live your life by?

10. Guilty pleasure?

11. Meaning of life?

My Nominees:

Josie from Dresses and Divilment

Ciara from Ciara Allen Makeup Artist

Niamh from Remember Rayne

Teddy and Alex from Teddy & Alex

Lauren from Girl About Town

The Gang at Nine Crows on their blog

Thanks again to Gráinne. Peace out.

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SS15 - The Looks I'll be rocking.

Working in the industry, I do keep an eye on trends - you kind of have to stay informed. But I don't take them as gospel. I like to put my own spin on things, to dress for my lifestyle, to accentuate the things I like and minimise the things about myself I'm less fond of, to avoid trends I just really don't like. This is something everyone should try and do, in my opinion. Because there is nothing worse than someone who tries to shoehorn themselves into clothes that really don't work or that make them uncomfortable.

So, once again, I'm talking the trends or interpretations of trends that will be inspiring how I'll be dressing this season.

Fresh Flares:

I didn't think I liked flares. And then I reconsidered. Mad patterns and colour are never going to be my thing but a contemporary re-imagining is just the thing. They're super-flattering and balance out curvier figures. With a cute turtle neck knit, you get a seventies vibe with a much more sophisticated finish. Same applies for crop tops and little band tees for warmer weather.

Classic Rock:

Hedi's sexy vision of a hyper rock and roll seventies, is another variation of this trend that I can get behind. Gimme my moto, black skinnies and a massive hat any day. It's easy, endlessly cool and timeless. These pieces are investments and go with everything so you don't need to feel guilty spending a little bit more.

Purity:

This isn't real a particular trend for the SS15 season but rather a current through fashion in the past few years - a move towards simplicity, minimalism. A little normcore. But seriously easy to wear, requiring little to be done in the way of hair and make-up and very pretty. 

New Denim:

Denim is a staple, a classic. There isn't really a season that goes by where it's not on trend. However, there's a particular emphasis on it at the moment. I'm loving the slightly kookier and newer interpretations. Think smock dresses, shirtdresses, tees etc. Denim everything, please.

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LFW - I

So, today was my first day of London Fashion Week! I'm exhausted from travel and running around London and seeing friends and now writing stuff up but, damn, if it isn't everything I dreamed and more. My first show, Youjia Jin, blew me away! I've spent the say with two of my favourite people that I don't get to see half enough, bought a cool top, seen lots of the city and eaten great food.

Here's some pictures of my day, my food and my outfit!

Trench - Zara, Capelet - Paul Costelloe for Dunnes, Jeans - Topshop, Boots - Topshop, Jumper - JW Anderson, Bag - Mel, Sunglasses - Topshop

I'll be back with more tomorrow. For now, I must sleep!

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Fashback: Jean Paul Gaultier RTW A/W 2006/7

Fog descended and remained for the weekend. And I, for one, was delighted. I love fog. I love how it casts buildings and trees into swimming contrast against a murky white canvas. I feel the witchy vibes. Against the trickle of cold, I want to swathe myself in cloaks and magic beyond the realities of this world.

Which brought to mind Gaultier's RTW A/W 2006/7 show.

Haunting beauty. Less obvious beauty. Familiars, velvet, long, long hair, floating coats and dresses and scarves.

I mean, how much more delightfully witchy could it be? Ugh. And it's RTW. I'd definitely dress like this on the daily if I could. Give me the corsetry, military details, the demure sex-appeal of more left unshown and unsaid. Give me the faux, the brocade, the sheers. One of the best shows of recent years. 

(Images via vogue.co.uk)

Swoon.

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