My Manley

“Talking about fashions

So fashionably,

Cosmetics, stylistics, designing and beautification

And my heart too with the fashion girls,

Seeing them,

Looking so lovely and cute,

Dreamy and kissable”

~ Bijay Kant Dubey

Lovers of Irish fashion label Manley use the hashtag #mymanley whenever they post a photo of themselves wearing the brand on social media. I can use it with added gusto now, as this gorgeous dress is MY Manley, in the truest sense of the word!

Emma Manley made this dress for me. It is a bespoke piece, based on the iconic Manley leather tees that I adore, and it is the most beautiful thing. The dress is made from soft perforated leather that moves and flows like fabric. The top panels are unstudded, and cut from leather that has not been perforated, so it sits slightly more firmly. My little black dress is covered with gold, silver, and bronze studs, that jingle and jangle and make music with every movement. It has a boxy fit (flattering for all shapes and sizes), and it’s mini length shows off long tanned legs. It is, hands down, the coolest dress in my wardrobe.

It’s a dress that can be dressed up or down with zero effort, so the styling potential is endless. I’ve worn it to a very schmancy Do paired with towering heels and a vintage clutch, I’ve worn it to our local pub with a pair of old trainers and a cross-body Manley bag, I’ve worn it out to dinner with flat brogues and a cute satchel; I felt like a million dollars every single time.

It’s a forever dress, one that is absolutely timeless, and quite literally the dress of dreams.

Get The Looks:

Dress: Bespoke Manley Leather Dress in black (contact Emma for bespoke pieces. Similar here, here and here)

Shoes: Alexander Wang 'Natasha' Shoes in Leopard print (similar here and here)

Bag: Michael by Michael Kors ‘Berkley’ Clutch in black (available on eBay here and here)

Photos: Jason Connery ©

Orange Is The New Black

“Hill-tops like hot iron glitter bright in the sun,

And the rivers we're eyeing burn to gold as they run;

Burning hot is the ground, liquid gold is the air;

Whoever looks round sees Eternity there.”

~ John Clare

Autumn is coming, and with it comes cooler, crisper weather, and longer, darker nights. Gold, scarlet, and deep brown leaves tumble and pirouette from trees, to be crunched beneath our feet, and there is a sudden riot of colour everywhere.

As the October chill creeps into the air, it’s time for us to muffle up, and to think cosy and comfortable in terms of fashion; it’s time to wrap ourselves up in silky cashmeres and soft wools. It’s time to embrace sweater weather in style.

This boldly coloured sweater from Debenhams H! by Henry Holland range ticks all the boxes this season. In a soft cable knit, it is cut to an oversized silhouette, with balloon sleeves and ribbed trims. It will keep you toasty and warm throughout the Autumn/Winter months, and add a playful twist to muted looks. Orange really is the new black.

Get The Look:

Jumper: H! by Henry Holland Chunky Cable Knit Jumper in orange

Jeans: J Brand 9326 Low-Rise Cropped Skinny Jeans in remnant

Shoes: Golden Goose Sneakers in grey

Sunglasses: Cutler And Gross 0811 Oversized Sunglasses in Black

Photos: Photos: Jason Connery ©

Fields Of Gold

“You'll remember me when the west wind moves upon the fields of barley

You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky as we walk in fields of gold

So she took her love for to gaze awhile upon the fields of barley

In his arms she fell as her hair came down among the fields of gold”

~ Sting

The scorching weather we've experienced in dear ol' Blighty this Summer should never mean that we have to suffer in the style stakes. Light, loose, breathable fabrics are the name of the game when temperatures soar, and this light-weight linen dress from Phase Eight ticks all the boxes.

A billowing, ivory dress with soft navy stripes, it features a turn-up detail on the short sleeves, and an open V-neckline. I paired it with a great pair of espadrilles by Spanish label Castañer. The iconic brand designed the very first wedge espadrilles for Yves Saint Laurent in the late '60s and the rest, as they say, is history.

The ‘Carina’ is one of Castañer’s signature styles; made from lightweight oatmeal canvas, they have soft taupe ties that wrap-around your ankle. They come in a cornucopia of other colours, and I already have my eye on a bright, vivid red pair. Comfy and elegant, the espadrille is a great summer shoe. They look fantastic with everything, from shorts, to maxis, to boyfriend jeans. This is the ideal laidback Summer outfit to keep me looking and feeling cool, whatever the temperature.

Get The Look:

Dress: Phase Eight ‘Gabriella’ Stripe Linen Shirt Dress in ivory/navy

Shoes: Castañer ‘Carina’ canvas wedge espadrilles in oatmeal

Photos: Jason Connery ©

Rosy Outlook

“Feather light wings that float softly through the air tickled by specks of dust.
Bright white light inflamed with pink and laced with gold...”
~ Laura Cummings

This Summer has revisited one of my favourite 90s trends, the shorts suit, and Manley have come up with their very own, fantastic take on the look in their wonderful Spring/Summer ‘18 collection. Where do I even begin with this cute outfit; the feels are so real!

The top is classic Manley; made from the softest nappa leather, it comes in a soft shade of dusty pink, with a contrasting cuff trim in metallic leather. The simple design is effortlessly cool. The shorts, in the same pink metallic leather, have a sleek tailored look, and are a wardrobe must have.

I’ll be styling both of these pieces with countless other things in my wardrobe; picture the leather top with skinny jeans, with cut-off denim shorts, or a cute mini skirt. And imagine the tailored shorts paired with a crisp white shirt, or a retro rock n roll tee. I’ll be wearing them well into Autumn/Winter and beyond.

Get The Look:

Top: Manley ‘Alexa’ Leather Tee in dusty pink

Shorts: Manley Metallic Leather Shorts in dusty pink (coming soon - similar here and here)
Shoes: Michael Kors Collection ‘Darla’ crackled Metallic Leather Mule in gold
Bag: Emma Manley 'Paige' Bag in electric blue
Photos: Jason Connery ©

It's Da Bomb!

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening”

~ Coco Chanel

The iconic bomber jacket first appeared in the 1950s as military clothing, designed to keep Pilots safe and warm in their cockpits. In fact, it has had the most successful crossover to civilian wear of any utilitarian piece of clothing ever.

It has been through a number of evolutionary stages over the years and even became a style emblem for many youth movements, Skinheads in London, Punks in America, and the Americana subculture in Japan in the 60s and 70s. Legendary actors such as James Dean, Marlon Brando and, more recently Tom Cruise, and Harrison Ford wearing the style on the silver screen, has helped seal its fate as a timeless wardrobe essential.

A light bomber jacket is the perfect Summer cover up and whatever your budget, whatever your style, there is one out there for everyone; embroidered, sequinned, leather, plain, colourful, there are a myriad of different styles to chose from. This vibrant, tropical print one by Irish designers, Rant & Rave is, hands down, the best one I’ve seen all season.

Get The Look:

Jacket: Rant & Rave ‘Jacinta’ Bomber Jacket

Shorts: Zara Denim Shorts

Belt: Gucci Leather belt with double G buckle

T-shirt: Whistles Seam Back Tee in white (similar)

Boots: Chloe ‘Susanna’ Boots in Black

Photos: Photos: Jason Connery ©