The Loft Market - a SUPER store!

When you venture away from the commercial craziness of Grafton Street in Dublin, you enter a striking parallel universe of creativity. Wicklow Street, South William Street, Exchequer Street, Clarendon Street... and that's just one side! And as for Powerscourt Centre, well that's where the cool/quirky/diverse scales explode completely! I'm talking about The Loft Market, the collective space for designers and varied vintage gems. I can't believe I had never heard of this place before (although I have only just moved here full-time) but I was hooked. It's great to see new talent supported- especially local artists and designers.

The brilliant Aisling Farinella, Fashion Editor of Thread Magazine set this place up in 2006. Kate Nolan is now Creative Director. The way the store is laid out is really attractive and bright with sections for designers and vintage brands/companies.
The Loft Market has a lovely calmness, you can browse away for as long as you like (essential when vintage is concerned, you can't feel pressured or hurried) and the staff are really warm and friendly. And when I say vintage, I mean vintage. The V word can be thrown around a lot these days on eBay and the likes as a label to anything remotely old looking. The pieces here are certainly genuine with character and beauty in abundance. It's definitely a place I'll go back to again, and I'd recommend the wide range of accessories as a must-see if you're trying to find a gift that's a little bit different and suitable for any age or style.

 I bought a lovely little mini handbag/purse in black leather and it came from Lark Vintage. It's perfect for nights out as it encourages minimalism- there's enough space for my house key, cards, cash and lipstick. Good enough for me!

My lovely bag! 

Pastelathon

Maintaining a pastel love affair... Mint, cream tights and pink, oh SS12 won't be forgotten any time soon! This old lady blouse is giving off some serious Louis Vuitton vibes with the colour and the doily-like cut out detail around the buttons. I've had some great finds recently while thrifting in various charity shops and this blouse is one of them. I'm going to start doing a post on the stuff I've recently thrifted.. I love finding cheap gems!

CLOTHESLIST

Blouse: Charity shop

Skirt: River Island

Tights: American Apparel

Shoes: Penneys/Primark

CODE RED/BLUE... and pink!

Red is one of those controversial hues that people can often loathe or adore. Some people live in it from their dresses to their lipstick, it's a uniform the same way black can be. At the other side, there's those who feel it doesn't go with their colouring, it's too loud and bright, and then just a general dislike of red. I like to try every inch of the rainbow, there's potential in every shade I say! Usually, purple doesn't thrill me, but if the cut and style of the garment is right, I'd be open to persuasion! Anyway, my point is, red can be a fun colour to mess around with. This jumper is actually on the coral-y side of red and I thought, "Sure why not, I'll throw another primary colour into the mix!" Feeling dull, I slicked on my hot pink Barry M lipstick. Why have just one pop of colour when you can have 3?

CLOTHESLIST

Jumper: Charity Shop

Leggings: Charity Shop

Runners: Adidas

  

Yellow there, How you doin' ?

Its strange that even though i wear this yellow skirt ALL the time, I actually have never posted outfits of it to Lookbook or this ol' blog o' mine! Its a vintage skirt that I got on ASOS Marketplace earlier this year and it goes with so many of my clothes, and every kind of style. When I bought it, it was fairly sheer so I had to get it lined but that's actually been a bit of an annoyance as the lining is very thick and it makes the skirt quite puffy. I love it anyway but I think I might have a go chopping around the lining to see if I can pat it down a bit... I'm no planner when it comes to Fashion DIY , I prefer to see how I go and chance my arm- and my trusty fabric scissors. I hope to learn how to sew at college in the near future so that may be a help. It will certainly lessen the number of long sleeved tops I've rendered unwearable due to cravings for cropped sleeves!

CLOTHESLIST

Cardigan: Charity Shop

T-shirt: AA

Skirt: Vintage

Bag: Penneys/Primark

Runners: Adidas

Jewellery: Vintage

Thrift N Drift

Its nice to wear something you've thrifted before when you are actually thrifting as I was today for about an hour. This big blue shirt with trusty shoulder pads is a purchase from a few months ago. There's always SOMETHING interesting that can catch your eye in a charity shop, once you have a good root around. I like to browse and see what I like, if I'm lucky, I'm able to find something I was actually looking for on the high street but with a more original feel. A word of advice- go where the old ladies go! That's where the best cheap vintage stuff will be! Get the trends of today... from their first outing! Ok I sound like an ad now... Hurray for charity shops anyway!

CLOTHESLIST

Big shirt: Charity shop

Skirt: Penneys/Primark

Shoes: Vintage

Jewellery: Vintage

Don't MINTion the new season ...

If there has been a blanket ban on all pastel shades until Spring/Summer 2034 I have not been made aware of such. For all of our talk of being unique, us 'fashion people' do like to slot in with the trends in some shape or form. Does this mean forgoing the pastels of recent months and hopping aboard a flight to GOTHam AW12? Say it isn't so! Pastels aren't just for Summer, they're for life! Not that my bulging wardrobe of mints, creams and yellows and pitiful bank balance has influenced this campaign in any way ... Click HERE to sign the petition! (OK so that wasn't a hyperlink) But please, enjoy your pastels right through winter kids! I know I will be!

CLOTHESLIST

Jacket: American Apparel

Top: Penneys/Primark

Trousers: Topshop

Bag: Vintage, The Loft Market

Shoes: Primpfrock Vintage

BAROQUING IT

Meticulous and painfully organised dresser that I am, it was a great surprise when I discovered that this outfit was in fact, quite a trend-zy bit of co-ordination. It's almost impossible for anyone even remotely concerned with their clobber to ignore the TRENDS. #fact Yet I put on these shorts and cardigan feeling quite the sorceress more than anything... there's an etheral, witchy vibe to the cardigan.

 Looking back through the photos, the swirls on the cardigan spoke of an era so much more than just 'vintage'. My top and shorts are velvet so with this lovely merge of texture.. I get a lovely merge of casual and luxe. I think I've said this before in one of my eh, many posts, you can become somebody else when you're dressed entirely in vintage clothing. Would I have been Rembrandt's muse?

> DEFINITELY ...

Dolce & Gabbana... they like a bit of Baroque!

CLOTHESLIST

Cardigan: Charity shop

Top: Charity shop

Shorts: Vintage/charity shop in Spain

Dr Martens boots: eBay