Holding Out For A Hero

"I need a hero

I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light

He's gotta be sure

And it's gotta be soon

And he's gotta be larger than life"

~ Bonnie Tyler

I'd had my eye on this cool slogan tshirt by Natalie B Coleman for a while and when I heard it was on sale I snapped it up immediately! A simple, classic tshirt in a go-with-everything black and white colourway, it is cut for a relaxed, oversized fit. It features a cool slogan to the front (an iconic song title by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler) that immediately gives it a wonderfully punky vibe.

I wore it out literally the day it arrived, styling it with the 'Deputy' skirt by Australian brand Friend Of Mine. A mini length, wrap-around, leather skirt with adjustable side buckle detail, it is a lovely alternative to shorts for the Summer months and a great Winter staple when paired with boots and cozy jumpers.

And yes yes yessss, I'm wearing those Marc by Marc Jacobs shoes again and I can't even apologise if you are bored of seeing them here, I absolutely adore them and am literally wearing them everywhere. They are perfect. My beloved satchel from The Cambridge Satchel Co finished off my outfit beautifully; this bag is an absolute joy, the perfect size, the perfect shape and it gets better & better as it ages. I think I may have to treat myself to a brightly coloured one for the Summer; I already know it will be a great investment.

Get The Look:
Tshirt: Natalie B Coleman 'Holding Out For A Hero' Tee  

Skirt: Friend Of Mine 'Deputy' Leather Skirt (similar)

Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs Multi-strap Patent Shoes

Bag: Cambridge Satchel Co. Classic 11" Satchel in black

Two Faced

"Teal, between blue and green,

is the line also between happiness and sadness,

the line that will define which colour is more appropriate, which emotion is real.

You may say that's being two faced,

you may say I cannot feel one way or another,

but that's a lie, every day I feel,

I will feel until I die because I am Teal"

~ Mr Commander

Teal is one of my favourite colours to wear; bordering the gap between blue and green, it is an uplifting, energetic, chic shade that adds a sophisticated, earthy vibe to any outfit. Native Americans believe the colour teal represents water and fertility, Tibetan Monks believe it represents the infinity of the sea & the sky and ancient Egyptians believed it was the colour of truth and faith.

This beautiful teal and black dress is from legendary Designer Phillip Lim's A/W14 collection and it is quite fabulous. Phillip Lim's 3.1 label is, in his own words, "about clothes that refine instead of define. A refinement that's a bit classic in attitude but imparts a sense of individual style without looking or feeling forced". 

Lim's designs are tailored for confident, chic women who know how to rock an effortless look and this cool dress sums up his aesthetic perfectly. It's actually two pieces; a slip dress underneath that is fitted at the bust, loose at the hip and a sleeveless top that creates a tiered overlay effect. The irregular hemline gives it a flirty, playful vibe. 

I styled my dress with the most amazing shoes on the planet, Marc by Marc Jacobs multi-strap patent leather shoes (a fantastic Christmas present from my lovely Husband!). I have so much love for these shoes. You will be seeing them a lot in upcoming blog posts. A lot!

Get The Look:

Dress: 3.1 Phillip Lim Cotton & Mesh Dress in teal/black

Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs Multi-strap Patent Shoes

Photos: Kate Carpenter Photography ©

Unfolding

"I'm right here

on the table

I'm a cross upon a seal

I'm not asking to be opened

I'm unfolding"

~ Balsamo/Deighton & Julian Wilson

In May this year, Country/Folk/Americana duo Balsamo/Deighton will be releasing their hugely anticipated debut album 'Unfolding'. Steve Balsamo and Rosalie Deighton have been writing beautiful music together for a number of years and they are very excited to be collaborating with PledgeMusic, a direct-to-fan music platform that brings artists and fans together, to share the experience of their music as it happens.

The talented duo have created some very special items and experiences for their Pledgers; not only can you pre-order their beautiful album on CD or vinyl, you can also get an opportunity to spend time with them in the studio, own a guitar they played on the album, get exclusive artwork, or even have a song written and recorded especially for you! All that, and so much more.

Steve has also designed an exclusive t-shirt for the ‘Unfolding’ project which will only be available to Pledgers. You all know that I am very partial to a great band tee and I am delighted to be the proud owner of the very first one! Featuring a picture of the talented pair and a poetical lyric from one of their beautiful songs, it is simply lush!

If you want to gain access to exclusive band content and see Pledger only updates that will give you a fascinating insight into Balsamo/Deighton's beautiful music, pop over to PledgeMusic here and get involved! The band will be donating 10% of any money raised after their goal is reached to Harry's Fund, a charity very close to their hearts.

And that's not all; thanks to the generosity of the band, one lucky reader can win their very own Balsamo/Deighton tshirt! All you have to do to enter this great giveaway is like Balsamo/Deighton's Facebook page and write a caption in the comments below this photo. The funniest and most original caption wins the super cool tee! The winner will be chosen at random by Steve & Rosalie and announced on Friday January 30th. Good luck!!!

Get The Look:

T-shirt: Balsamo/Deighton Band Tee (exclusive to PledgeMusic)

Skirt: Maje 'Glaise' Mini Skirt in red

Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs Multi-strap Patent Leather Shoes

Photos: Kate Carpenter Photography ©

The Girl In The White Dress

 

"Look for the girl in the white dress,

with bloodstained lips.

Legend says that she is the keeper of your soul.

She is the one to keep you safe.

Can you see, through the trees?

She will seek you, she will heal you.

She will find you, through the trees"

~ Unknown

This beautiful white dress was designed by the extraordinarily talented Natalie B Coleman and is from her S/S15 collection 'Be Still My Bleeding Heart'. The collection is dedicated to Natalie's beloved Mother Bridie and it is beautiful, romantic and light. Made with luxuriously printed and textured fabrics, every single piece has been finished with Natalie's wonderful attention to detail.

When she is asked in interviews who the Natalie B Coleman customer is, Natalie always gives the same answer: she is the coolest girl in the room. That's exactly how I feel when I wear this dress. I feel cool, I feel very very cool.

I styled my dreamy white dress with a pair of classic Christian Louboutin shoes, a bright red lip and, inspired by Nena's iconic song, 99 (ok ok... 10... ish!) red balloons.

Get The Look:

Dress: Natalie B Coleman Circular White Insert Dress (available here from February)

Shoes: Christian Louboutin 'Rolando' Shoes (similar)

Photos: Kate Carpenter Photography ©

Oh Be-Hive!

My lovely Husband treated me to this gorgeous Manley jumper when we were last in Dublin. We were browsing in a beautiful little store called Bow, in my favourite shopping mall, the very picturesque Powerscourt Centre when I spotted it in the sale. Oh I can smell a Manley piece from a mile away!

The silk 'Hive' jumper features a round neck, 3/4 length sleeves & sits shorter at the front and longer at the back. The patent leather collar, hand cut with a scalloped edge, is such a standout detail. Big and bold, it is a talking point whenever and wherever I wear it! I have variations of this jumper in different colours; it is the perfect easy to wear piece that I can just throw on and I'm good to go.

I styled it here with slouchy boyfriend jeans, my trusty black satchel & a very cool pair of Brogues from online favourite ASOS. The two tone brogues add a touch of drama to a very laid back look.

Get The Look:

Jumper: Manley Hive Patent Jumper in black (similar)

Jeans: Current/Elliott 'The Roller' Boyfriend Jeans (similar)

Shoes: ASOS 'Marky' Two Tone Brogues (similar)

Bag: Cambridge Satchel Co. 11" Classic Satchel in black