The Sunny Side of the Street

Well today in Dublin was, insanely enough, really warm. Like 20degrees or something, which for us pasty, pale dark dwellers who shrink from the first sign of sunlight, let's just say it was a huge shock. I almost thought about wearing sunglasses. Almost. 

But I did go for a lovely pint in town with DJ (from "The Good, The Bad Ass and The Ugly" fame) and seeing everyone enjoying the summer-ish weather in the beer garden really got me thinking. 

Not thinking about how relaxing and brill it was to be in the sun with a cold pint of Guinness. No, freaking out about the horrendous state of my summer wardrobe.

Which in turn got me trawling through websites, manically looking for clothes (which I can't afford, but that is completely beside the point) and coming up with my Dream Summer Wardrobe (* Hint * if you click that link you get to listen to a summery song. I'm so good to you really). 

Clothes

TopShop Mid-Length Tie-Dye Dress.

Nice, casual day dress.

Not much else to say about it really.

What else can you say about a day dress?

Well, it made my list so I must like it.

Ivory Jar Three-Tone Tie-Dye Embellished Denim Jacket.

I LOVE IVORY JAR.

Seriously. 

I have one of their studded denim jackets with a leather cross on the back that I got on my trip to London for Christmas and I really wish I'd bought more or their stuff.

I got the worst case of Not-Buying Remorse.

I still think about it to this day. 

True Story.

Nasty Gal Spliced Light Dress

If I ever got over my intense fear of buying stuff online I would do serious damage to my bank account on NastyGal.com. So it's probably a good thing that the thought of buying any clothing item over 30euro online causes me to break out in a cold sweat.

You can't see it in this photo but  this dress has a really slick cut-out back too.

I'm not even going to discuss the tassel things.

They pretty much speak for themselves.

I'm such a lazy fashion blogger really...

Ivory Jar Heart Shirt With Contrast Collar

For my inane ramblings on Ivory Jar as an overall brand, please refer to the photo two slots previous to this.

But this shirt its self is one I've seen at the Ivory Jar stall near Spittalfeilds and everything about it is completely knock out.

The material is so crisp and such good quality which I think is really important for a shirt and something you don't find a lot in high street varieties. They all tend to be soft cotton and very flimsy or something. This is completely the opposite.

Also, the anatomically correct hearts are almost too slick for words.

TopShop Pale Blue Silk Underwear Set

Because every girl should own nice underwear. Fact.

Accessories & Shoes

TopShop Soft Felt Pie-Ball Hat

I worry that this could be one of those things that I REALLY want when I look at it through the medium of the TopShop website but would look silly on my larger than average sized head.

But those worries have no place here!

This is a blog post for my dream Summer wardrobe and I refused to be curtailed by silly things like "what would actually suit my shape/face".

And this hat is just so darsh-garn cute!

Ivory Jar Jesus Necklace

For when the cross motif just doesn't seem to be hitting the right spot any more, Ivory Jar gives you a necklace with Jesus being crucified. 

Fair fucks.

Love the necklace.

Funny how just because of the subject of the necklace, this necklace would make a much larger statement as a piece then a full harness piece.

So much cooler than a full harness piece too.

NastyGal Cut-Out Bootie

These boots mix that strappy heel trend (which I don't like much, no one deserves to see that much of anyone's feet thank you very much) and the heeled lace up boot look which I find much easier to digest.

With a cute laser-cut paisley design.

Who could ask for more?

Just have to get a pedicure first, sort out the destruction that a winter in ill-fitting shoes did to my poor, poor feet, before I go parading even my toes out to an unwitting public. I'm not completely heartless.

NastyGal Stinger Spike Platform

Now, I'm not much of a creeper fan.

Like, I don't mind them. I'm sort of "meh" about the whole trend. But THESE are in a completely different stratosphere. 

See through plastic, spike stud encrusted, silver extra high creepers.

Like, if you just wore a plain black mid-length dress (say, exactly like the first dress in this post but in pure black) you could put on these shoes and BAM head turning outfit right there.

Think of the money you'd save on statement pieces?

But for that I suppose you'd have to have the ability not to get bored of an item of clothing after one wear.

I do not have that ability.

Poor me.

Ivory Jar Metal Tipped Tooth Collar

Yes, yes, yes. More Ivory Jar stuff.

I'm so bloody predictable.

More anatomically correct body parts.

Only this time it's teeth (creepier, no?)

As with above, this piece is about the little extras that add to a plain outfit to make them in to a super-outfit. Yes, super-outfit.

The detail on the print work absolutely kills me. 

TopShop Wire Rimmed Pink Over Large Round Lens SunGlasses

Just so I could feel like a member of Janis Joplin's crew really.

Yeah they're cool, but it's mostly to feed my delusion of being in a rock band.

Can you think of a better reason to buy sunglasses?

***

So there you go!

A snippet of the clothes I'd like to have for these summer months

If you feel like donating to a "Dress Megan" fund, or even better, buying me some of these clothes, go straight ahead.

Seriously, I have no problem with it.

In fact, please do exactly that...

And now it is half 11 and I haven't done any of my college reading due for 10am. Shit.

So as I go to manically do something functional with my life, I urge you to do the same

Follow on Bloglovin if you can so I don't look like such a loser please

P.S

Started taking a few shots for my first ever StreetStyle entry.

Sweet Jesus, going up to randomers and asking to photograph them for a blog they almost certainly haven't heard of is really embarrassing. 

But hopefully it'll be worth it.

xoxo

The Irish are Coming.

Dia Dhuit! Conas atá tu agus lá naomh Pádir shona duit! (That was probably all really grammatically incorrect Irish, but it's the thought that counts)...

Seeing as it was St. Patrick's day on Saturday and I am in fact Irish, I thought it would be nice to do a post about some Irish designers that I like at the moment. 

It'll pretty much be the only nationalistic thing I did this year for Paddy's day beside go and get buckled like the rest of the nation.

But all "the Irish have a drinking problem" jokes aside, there really are some pretty sweet Irish designers out there at the moment. So here are my pick of the crop so far...

Eilis Boyle

Favoring simple colour tones, Boyle uses textures and cuts to grab the attention of the fashion world. 

Her patterns can tend to dominate those that are wearing them, so you get situations (as below) where it's almost like the garment is wearing the girl instead of the other way around. 

But they're still really nice clothes to looks at.

And isn't that what it's all about really?

Emma Manley

Having started life at the Grafton Academy, Manley went on to work for Alexander McQueen (eh, wowza!) before heading up her own line "Manley".

Her work is structured and fluid at the same time (sounds counter-intuitive and like a load of pretentious bollix but hopefully you'll get my drift).

She also manages to do that whole androgynous thing that I've posted about a few times really well.

The clothes look sharp and masculine in some regards (the tailoring) but retain their femininity as well (chiffon, the floating denim skirt etc).

Pretty sweet stuff if you ask me.

Natalie B. Coleman

Cutting her fashion teeth studying in the Limerick College of Art (arguably the best fashion college in the country, or so I am told) and following it up with an MA from CSM, Coleman definitely has the makings of a hot Irish fashion designer on paper.

But does it translate onto the collections?

Em, pretty much yeah.

The collection was titled "All The Jewellery I Never Got" and spanned over two seasons (S/S 11, A/W 11/12).

Bold use of colour and print gave the collection a youthful vibe, which was carried on through the choice of cuts in the garments. 

(Like the oversized shirt-dress which looks like someone got lost in one of their Dad's wardrobes, in a good way).

Sorcha O'Raghallaigh

Born in a rural Irish town, O'Raghallaigh got her degree in fashion from CSM in London (where she is now based) and interned with DVF and John Galliano (one of my all time favorite designers, as you've probably guessed if you've read any of my other posts).

It's been a pretty hectic year for the up and coming Irish designer.

Probably the best known of all the designers on the list, O'Raghallaigh was picked for the Selfridge's "Bright Young Thing" initiative, where young designers are given a Selfridge's window to showcase their designs.

This made her the first Irish Designer to have a display on Oxford Street. Fair Play.

Also, being name dropped by Lady Gaga can really help boost your profile as a designer these days.

Gaga wore her designs on both Jonathan Ross and the X-Factor this year which sparked a massive surge in interest in the designer.

Again, fair play.

Her designs are elaborate, romantic and at times a little bit eccentric.

O'Raghallaigh is anything but boring.

Definitely one to watch, she's blazing the trail, putting Irish fashion on the world map.

 

***

Hopefully, as you've seen, Ireland is producing some pretty slick fashion these days

And with the interest in fashion growing all the time, and Dublin (slowly) becoming more and more visually artistic and creative, it stands to reason that these four are only the Van Guard.

It's an exciting time for Irish fashion indeed.

On that note, I'll love you and leave you

Happy (belated) St Patrick's Day

xoxo

The Biggest Mother F'n Blog Post Ever

Welcome Ladies and Gents to my Big-Fat- Fashion-Week(s)-Round-Up!

Yes, you guessed it, I am going to attempt to cover my favorite shows from ALL FOUR fashion weeks in one post. Crazy or what? It's going to be a long one, get ready and maybe grab some rations to keep you going, tea/biscuits/liquor/etc.

Basically it's just a time thing. I had absolutely none of it in the past few weeks with very long, very boring and very difficult Philosophy essays to write for college. I had intended to write a regular sized post about each individual fashion week but hey ho, didn't happen. But neither you nor I care about my academic life on this blog. As the subtitle says, this is a "Mediocre Fashion Blog", not a "Mediocre Megan's Academia Troubles Blog".

So without further ado, I give you Autumn/Winter 2012

New York

Mara Hoffman

Hoffman is a NY based designer who clearly has an awful lot of talent. Her collection this A/W was sort of Americana in style, but at the same time really soft an feminine as you can see from this floaty, black, chiffon dress. 

I love the cut-outs at the neck. It's such a wearable piece. My way of determining what a "wearable" piece is is pretty straight forward. I just ask myself, "would I look super insane (even if fabulous) if I wore this?". And the answer in this case is, I don't think so. You could definitely wear this to pretty much anything.

Although, maybe I just have a particularly high insane threshhold when it comes to clothes, who knows...

Here again we see the almost Aztec prints done in a really mature and grown up way.

I particularly like the black draped dress with the gold statement necklace. So slick.

If I could get my hands on it for University Ball season (which is upon us at the mo, and which I am desperately shopping for) I would be a very happy girl.

Also, wouldn't turn down the oversized blazer either, just saying...

(Please excuse the very obvious watermark - it goes without saying that I wasn't at NY fashion week so I had to do a bit of "borrowing" from other people's photo stashes. )

Giulietta

A newcomer to NY fashion week, this label shows big promise. 

Run by Sofia Sizzy I think this could very well be a label to watch in upcoming seasons.

Her collection was showing a lot of these puritan styles with a kind of retro 60's twist. Modest, with big belts and block colours, the collection was very clean and neat.

It's so cute! 

If this is what puritan girls get to wear then sign me up.

Even her more flamboyant pieces retained the simpleness of the rest of the collection.

She mixes billowy patterns with defined waistlines to create something youthful, yet not obnoxious, if you catch my drift here...

London

Central Saint Martin's Collection

The CSM collection is a special collection every year. It allows the fashion world a look at what the new generation from the World's best fashion school are creating.

Always a bit more "out there" then the rest of fashion week, the young designers are given a freedom which they use to their full advantage. They aren't carrying the weight of a huge corporation on their back like a lot of these collections. This is what they've created for their MA. And pretty fine creations they can be too.

It can verge into "conceptual fashion", and the term "wearable" can't be applied to an awful lot of it, but it remains a stark example of fashion as art and expression and not just fashion to sell us stuff and make money for the multi billion dollar fashion industry.

Basically, it's pretty cool and here are my top 3 of the collection.

Anne Thorjornsen

I think the mix of the geometric patterning and the very loose, unstructured jersey is really effective. 

Kind of billowy, kind of edgy, very slick.

It reminds me of origami, but with more silk and jersey...

And with the origami stuck in weird places, like people's calves and shoulders....

Helen Lawrence

On the wear-ability front, this collection is a little more tricky...

But, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT.

I love the exposed stitching and weird applique design.

I love the perspex, bubble bottoms on the skirt.

And fuck the begrudgers, I'd wear the sleeveless peach one out one night. 

I'd probably get weird looks, but isn't that the CSM way? 

Yulia Kondrania

Now, I'm not going to lie. This collection is sort of scary.

I think it's mostly the hood. 

But in the same way I think it's scary, I also think it's really haunting and beautiful.

It's dramatic anyway.

But mostly I think it's fabulous.

A*** for all of this year's CSM's designers. 

Mary Katrantzou 

Nominated for this year's Fashion Fund award, it's been a good year for Katrantzou.

A show-stopping S/S12 collection and an insanely successful TopShop collab, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it could have all gone to her head.

But thankfully, Katrantzou is far more professional that that.

Instead, she just brings out another pretty sweet collection.

As an English student, I have to say that this type-writer dress is possibly one of the coolest things I've seen at fashion week this year.

But then again, I do have a biased interest..

The cuts and structure of her dresses this year along with the bold prints seem reminiscent of a CSM alumni, a Mr Lee McQueen? Am I the only one thinking that?

Her use of colour is so bold and it seems like a real natural progression from her S/S show.

The trouser suit, that floral S/S suit? Anyone else seeing a likeness?

Meadham Kirchhoff 

These two are becoming quite a theme on this blog of mine.

Yeah, in case you didn't notice, I'm a pretty big fan of this house.

But how couldn't you be?

It's so kitch and cute!

A denim waist-coat, tartan, stripes, badges, a blue fur-stole and a wooly jumper all in one outfit? Are you insane? 

No, and neither are these two.

Their work IS bold, brash and can verge on the garish, BUT they keep it controlled with their excellent tailoring.

If you look at the pieces, there isn't a seam out of place. It's almost precision perfect.

Milan

Dolce & Gabbana

Look at all that Baroque perfection?

This collection was opulent, decadent and bloody brilliant.

Based on period, Italian, baroque aristocracy the detailing in this collection was impeccable.

Just look at the detailing on that picture above. Jesus H. Christ. So intricate. Mind blowingly beautiful.

But beautiful isn't the only way to describe this collection.

It's damn right sexy.

The regalness of the baroque gold and black is balanced by splashes of leopard print, bare legs and that corset/hot-pant combination. 

Fierce as fuck.

Paris

Miu Miu

Miu Miu gave us a gender-bending, 60's mod extravaganza of a collection.

It sort of reminds me of stuff Bob Dylan would have worn back when he was hott in the mind-60's.

I've loved the gender-bending look that's been on the catwalks of A/W now for a couple of years, and this collection is no different. 

I love the touches of the Dr's Bag and those platformed loafers.

LET ME OWN THAT STRIPED SUIT, PLEEEAAASE!

That is all.

Even the tweed/pattern clash cape/mini dress is fab.

John Galliano

Oh Galliano! Welcome back 

How I'd missed you my old, wonderful friend!

In this collection, Bill Gayton finally showed why he deserved to take over from the maestro himself.

The collection was feminine, sensual and painfully beautiful. 

The colours were varied, but perfectly chosen and the material, a mix of silks and chiffon is nothing other than decadent and fluid. 

My mouth literally dropped when I watched this collection.

And then I watched it again.

And again.

Valentino

Right lads, this is it, the last collection I'm discussing.

If you read my Couture Week post I think you'll have a fair idea of how I feel about Valentino.

To cut a long story short, I REALLY like Valentino.

If I could form some sort of civil partnership with a fashion label, Valentino would be a definite fore-runner.

Wow-Wow-Wee-Wow

I'm a bit of a fan of black leather clothes at the moment.

I'm also a fan of monochrome.

So, as you can guess, this collection was very well received by myself.

It's grown up. It's delicate. It's sharp and sweet at the same time. It's lovely. 

***

Right, if you've lasted through this whole post all I can say is fair-fucks to you!

I hope you enjoyed seeing a little snippet of what I thought were the best moments of A/W FW 2012.

Now that you've (hopefully) wasted about 20 minutes reading this whole post, go and do something useful with your time!

xoxo