Between The Lines

"It's good to read between the lines,

You never know what you may find.

Although it's often just white space,

I always check there, just in case"

~ Brian Bilston

Remember when I blogged recently about my gorgeous new Kitri sweater (here), and I'd mentioned having trouble choosing between the two different colourways available? Well, it was the new year, there was a sale, and I am weak, so of course I ended up getting the second jumper.

Also called 'Karla', and also made from the softest mohair, this one comes in a striking violet and palest pink colourway, with a bright azure blue detail to one sleeve. Featuring the same contrasting, somewhat skewed stripe print of my black and white 'Karla', this is the kind of statement knit that will look great however it's worn. I will pair it with midi skirts, mini skirts, and all styles of jeans, be they skinny, boyfriend, or cropped. The styling potential is endless, so investing in a second 'Karla' really was a no brainer. Honestly.

Here, I paired my jumper with pale denim skinny jeans and a fantastic pair of Aquazzura heels. These 'Blossom' mules, handcrafted from white, croc-effect leather, can dress up the most casual of outfits. Interesting fact: To ensure their shoes are as comfortable as they are beautiful, Aquazzura's designs are padded at the soles and have a specially developed silhouette to ensure weight is evenly distributed and the arch is supported. They are as comfortable as a pair of slippers!

I finished my look off with a white, vintage Judith Leiber bag (from the 70s I believe). It has a detachable strap so can be used as a cross-body bag for a laid-back daytime look, or as a clutch for a more dressed up evening look.

I wore this outfit for a lovely Sunday lunch in the Scottish Borders with my gorgeous man. Can you tell from the pics that it was a little blustery that day? It was unbelievably windy, and you should all know that I had just spent an hour... a whole hour... washing, blow drying, and straightening my hair for our outing. An hour. To be fair though, the gale force winds made for the funniest photoshoot ever, I literally thought we would both die laughing trying to get a decent photograph, and who doesn't love a tousled hair look!

Get The Look:

Jumper: KITRI 'Karla' Mohair Striped Jumper in violet

Jeans: J Brand 9326 Low-Rise Cropped Skinny Jeans in remnant (similar here)

Shoes: Aquazzura 'Blossom' croc-effect leather mules in white

Bag: Judith Leiber Karung Frame Clutch in Ivory (similar here)

Sunglasses: Tom Ford 'Carola' Round Frame Sunglasses in Black

Photos: Jason Connery ©

Thing To Wear

"Fashion is what you're offered four times a year by designers. And style is what you choose."

~ Lauren Hutton

Remember the olden days on this blog, when my favourite brand was the now defunct Winter Kate by Nicole Richie? Their hero piece every season was a vintage silk Kimono jacket or dress and I just couldn't get enough of them (see here and here). I never believed I would ever find a brand to compete with, never mind match, those gorgeous vintage inspired pieces that are still a huge part of my wardrobe. But I have found that brand, and they are fabulous! They are also Irish, always a bonus to me as I love to support great Irish design.

Squirrel Versus Magpie was founded by Gillie and Sarah Casey. The great name reflects the ethos and the challenges that face the brand. "Like the squirrel", they say, "it is our goal to be prudent and responsible with the environmental and human resources we use, while also satisfying the inner Magpie that wants beautiful, covet-able things".

Their collections are full of stunning dresses, printed tees with matching trousers (I want, I want!), silky shirts and great coats, but it was the beautiful silk kimonos that first caught my eye. Kimono literally translates as 'thing to wear' and their 'Amelia' thing to wear is a contemporary take on a centuries old design. The Kimono is designed, printed and made in Dublin. Every effort has been made to reduce waste at all points of production, so its carbon footprint is minimal.

I will wear this soft, silky, sensuous piece forever; it will look equally great with jeans and a t-shirt for a casual look, or with a little black dress for a very glamorous evening look.

Get The Look:

Kimono: Squirrel versus Magpie 'Amelia' Cropped Kimono in black

Tee: Jared Leto Classic V-Neck Tee in black (similar here and here)

Jeans: J Brand 9326 Low Rise Crop Skinny Jeans in silencia (similar here and here)

Boots: Christian Louboutin 'Ariella' Studded Boots (similar here)

Bag: Zara Evening Patchwork Pouch Bag

Photos: Jason Connery ©

Razzle Dazzle

"Give 'em the old razzle dazzle

Razzle Dazzle 'em

Give 'em an act with lots of flash in it

And the reaction will be passionate

Give 'em the old hocus pocus

Bead and feather 'em

How can they see with sequins in their eyes?"

~ Fred Ebb

Inspired by the glamorous parties of bygone eras, Retrofête is a New York based Brand that is taking the fashion world by storm. Their designs wouldn't look out of place in 1970s Studio 54, full as they are of sexy, retro-influenced pieces that are literally draped in sequins and sparkles.

If I was asked to sketch a picture of my dream dress, their 'Grace' dress is the one I would draw. It has absolutely everything I adore in a dress; the colour, the shape, the sparkles, the vintage, retro inspired vibe. To me it is absolutely perfect.

This dress of dreams, in a metallic bronze colourway, can be worn loose or cinched in with the velvet sash belt for a more figure-flattering silhouette. It's a mini length, with a scoop neckline, keyhole opening to the back (or front, if you're brave (and pert!) enough), billowy blouson sleeves with elasticated cuffs (so 70s!), and all-over paillette sequin embellishment.

Normally with a dress like this I would keep accessories to a minimum and allow the dress take the spotlight, but today I thought "what the hell, in for a penny, in for a pound", and went full on with the shimmery opulence! I styled it with a black velvet pouch bag, embellished with gold beading. Glitzy drawstring pouches have been the coolest bags for the Christmas/New Year party season, and you'll be seeing them everywhere for a while yet. I finished my dazzling outfit off with a pair of sky-high heels that simply scream 1970s; they are the perfect match for my shimmery, retro, dream dress.

This look is high-octane glamour; absolutely perfect for those special nights when you want to stand out from the crowd and make a real statement.

Get The Look:

Dress: Retrofête 'Grace' Dress in bronze

Shoes: Aquazzura 'Evita' 130 Metallic Leather Platform Sandals

Bag: No. 1 By Jenny Packham Embellished Pouch in black/gold

Photos: Jason Connery ©

One More Time With Feeling

"Your stitches are all out

But your scars are healing wrong

The helium balloon inside your room has come undone

And it's pushing up at the ceiling

And the flickering lights it cannot get beyond"

~ Regina Spektor

Having recently bought a breathtakingly beautiful dress from The Vampire's Wife (blogged here), an upcoming special occasion in Dublin encouraged me to splash out and treat myself to another one of their amazing designs. I adore this dress, but I think the Universe was trying to tell me not to buy it. I didn't listen however, so of course everything went wrong.

First, my usual size didn't fit me (the silk organza lining in this particular design makes for a much tighter fit than normal, with no give in it whatsoever), so I returned it and exchanged it for a bigger size. Then, as most of the dress was now too big for me, I had to take it to a Tailor for alteration. That was the biggest mistake. Three fittings and many weeks later, I have been left with a dress that doesn't fit me properly at all. It went from being huge, with tons of material for the Tailor to play with, to now only just closing on me if I breathe in deeply enough, with a waistline that sits somewhere between my natural waist and my boobs, making me look rather top heavy. There's not enough dress left to alter it any further so I will forevermore have to diet for at least a month before wearing it so that my hips and tummy (both small by anyone's standards) can comfortably fit inside. I'll saying nothing about the rather snug boob area. Needless to say, I wasn't able to wear it to the special occasion in Dublin (if you're curious, I wore this instead), and I simply can't justify the cost of replacing the beautiful dress.

All that being said, it really is the most fabulous thing, and had the Tailor done a decent job with the alterations, it would undoubtedly be right up there with my favourite dresses of all time. Midi in length, it features a classic pink floral Liberty print. The three-quarter length sleeves are edged with silk metallic chiffon ruffles, and this detail is followed through to a hemline of yet more softly gathered golden frills. It is romantic feminine girly chic at its absolute best. No one does that quite like The Vampire's Wife.

Paired with hot pink satin sling-backs, this is an outfit I should thoroughly enjoy wearing, but I get weary holding my tummy in and not being able to eat, or indeed breathe in it. It all looked so good on paper; the dress is me to a tee, it's by one of my favourite brands of all time, and it is quite literally the dress of dreams. Hey ho. Maybe I'll listen more closely to what the Universe is trying to tell me next time.

By the way, if anyone can recommend a good Tailor, please let me know!

Get The Look:

Dress: The Vampire's Wife Pink Floral and Gold Metallic Cotton Dress

Shoes: Gina 'Martini' Peep-Toe Shoes in fuchsia (similar here here and here)
Bag: Dirty Fabulous Vintage Beaded Clutch Bag in ivory (similar here and here)

Photos: Jason Connery ©