Needless to say, she has a great eye for putting an outfit together and I was so thrilled to hear that she has opened this shop because I can’t think of anyone better to do it. She handpicks each and every piece, gives it the once over (washing and ironing every item of clothing…hurrah!) and makes the vintage buying experience a total pleasure. Please take a look at their Facebook page to see more gorgeous frocks, scarves, skirts and accessories.  And by the way, her pieces are really affordable! That’s her on the left in the photo above and that’s Geraldine on the right who probably doesn’t know that her photo is on the interwobble – hi Ger!

This black floral beauty (above) is now sitting pretty in my wardrobe – sorry!

And in this photo Cupie from Chucky’s River demonstrates that boys can work the vintage look from Hems & Gems too! Eh Stan Laurel anyone?

If you happen to be in or near Kilkenny this Easter Bank Holiday weekend, head straight to Absolut Style at Set to rummage through lots of vintage fashion, pick up one or two items of vintage furniture and top it all off by taking in a film in the ultra stylish new Set Theatre. Organised by Interiors and Fashion Stylist Blanaid Hennessy, there will also be a lot more going on over the course of the weekend including makeovers, live photo shoots, style talks as well as night time shenanigans! I’m hoping to pop down for a day, I quite like the sound of watching five fashion inspired films on the Friday…bliss! All in all it’s set to be a great weekend. ..sorry couldn’t resist!

Oh what another fine mess I’ve gotten myself into. There I was, making a damn fine effort at becoming the style queen that I had always envisaged, attempting to embody the person that readers of my blog (my friends mostly, which is a little weird considering they actually know me) seem to think that I am. You see, while I sit here typing yet another witty, creative and altogether altruistic post about the beautiful flowerboxed, white picket fenced world that I inhabit, I do so while wearing jeans and an old grey hoodie, quite unbecoming of the quirky, offbeat creative type that I aspire to be. So, I decided that it was time to do something about my sorry fashion ensembles and blog to you from the sartorial refinement befitting of an urban style queen. I’ve probably been reading a little too much of Blanaid and Rosemary McCabe‘s fashion blog posts but girls, ’tis a compliment, you have collectively inspired me.

It was with great excitement that I ticked the first item necessary to fulfill such a lofty ambition off my list: Cowboy Boots. Oh yes, the wardrobe staple of every bohemian fashionista, and soon-to-be myself included. The trouble is, I wanted authenticity, so my search excluded the beloved high street staples and extended far beyond to the original source of the aforementioned footwear. And it was with a squeal of delight that I uncovered the perfect vintage, coffee bean cowboy boots complete with embroidered stitching all the way from the US of A via Etsy. Tick.

I waited with baited breath for my package to arrive and in the interim planned my next purchase: a floaty floral summerdress with which to pair my cowboy boots to achieve that eclectic, too cool for school image. For all you fashion experts and bloggers, I realise that this look is so last century but I’ve always been either too late or rather, too early when it comes to fashion trends. Besides, this is not about following fashion trends, this is about an effortless, thrown together, “what this old thing?” look that I’m trying to pull off here with very careful attention to detail. So when my boots arrived and I ripped apart the packaging I was left feeling rather silly at the discovery that I had bought a men’s size 8 1/2 as opposed to a ladies 8 1/2; damn you America and your confusing shoe sizes, you have thwarted my best efforts and now I must remain deeply unfashionable.

So, if there are any large footed ladies out there (or average footed gents for that matter) with a hankerin’ for a bittuva honky tonk shuffle please apply within.

I am very much in need of some new clothes at the moment but I can’t stand trawling the shops in search of things. I usually have a fair idea of what I’m looking for so I tend to search online rather than head into town or to Dundrum Shopping Centre. It’s funny actually, I could happily while away many hours in interior shops and markets but I’m useless when it comes to clothes shopping. So as usual I resorted to the trusty interweb and popped over to Asos last week to resolve my style fix and as always I thoroughly enjoyed the giddy Christmas feeling when my goodies arrived today.

Himself was less than impressed when I modelled my purchases and actually gave out to me for not spending more money – what a doll! He said that he would rather see me buying a really good quality item rather than a couple of cheap (no offense Asos) items of clothing and I suppose he does have a point but, like everyone at the moment, we’re watching the pennies and I’ll get much more wear out of three tops than one!

I just love this blouse – the doggy pattern, the pussy bow, the capped sleeves, it has it all. I’m thinking that this Tibetan Turquoise necklace from Juvi Designs will really set it off.

These dresses are super short but oh-so-pretty, team them with opaque tights for the Irish weather…

Images courtesy of Quail