Fash Mob »

• What I wore, May 6th, 2012

  May 7, 2012 @ 7:30 am | by Rosemary Mac Cabe

  So it begins. I have this dream where, by the end of this month, I have got my boyfriend really interested in photography and, you know, hanging around with me 24/7 and I have amazing photographs like every single other blogger on the planet. For now I have to make do with dodgy photographs in my mirror and other dodgy photographs taken by iPhone in the splendid grounds of IMMA (not that you’d notice).

  

  I know, the detail you can pick out is incredible. Well! I am wearing a blue floral printed dress by Penneys, black Acne-esque boots by SixtySeven at Buffalo, a black cardigan from Bershka, a black knitted vest from H&M, a Michael Kors watch, a just-seen belt from Asos and two pairs of tights from Marks & Spencer (because, sometimes, one just ain’t enough!). If you’re not bored to tears of looking at me by now, after the jump I have a bonus face of the day and another not-very-clear-either photograph of me in the great outdoors.

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• The rainbow queen of fashion

  April 27, 2012 @ 7:30 am | by Rosemary Mac Cabe

  

  God bless British Vogue!

• Coast best-dressed lady on opening day of Punchestown – Naoise Pelin

  April 25, 2012 @ 1:06 pm | by Rosemary Mac Cabe

  

  Coast is sponsoring this year’s best-dressed lady competition at Punchestown race course, and when I spoke to Sinéad Whelan of Aurora Fashions earlier this month she told me they would be looking for something a little more down-to-earth than in previous years. Less cash and more charisma, perhaps; more realistic, bargain-hunting fashion and people who have a lot of style on perhaps a low budget.

  So Athy’s Naoise Pelin was the perfect choice for day one, dressed in a vintage dress, a hat she made herself, a Penneys bag and Fitzpatricks shoes, accessorised with an umbrella from Newbridge Silverware.

  

  Photographs by the incorrigible Cyril Byrne

  What do you think of Naoise’s race-day look?

• Michelle O’Connor – a most stylish lady Q&A

  April 17, 2012 @ 12:30 pm | by Rosemary Mac Cabe

  So, as you’ll all know from reading last week’s blog post about the Irish Grand National, Michelle O’Connor won the title of Carton House Most Stylish Lady on the day, as judged by Rosanna Davison and Brendan Courtney. I asked her a few questions about her race-day style and Michelle was good enough to answer them for me!

  Are you a frequent racegoer?

  I go racing all year round. My granddad loved the races and I have been going since I was very young – it is a bit of a family tradition. I am from Navan and Meath has a fantastic connection to racing with fantastic jockeys and courses. Navan Racecourse and Fairyhouse Racecourse are so close and a great family day out.

  Is this your first win at such an event? A little birdie told us you won at Taste of Dublin recently . . .         

  I did! That was my first win. I go to the Galway races every year with a gang and two years ago I was shortlisted for best dressed – that sparked my interest. I love the style at the races- seeing the effort people go to. It’s a great excuse to get dressed up, too!

  How do you usually decide what to wear? (As in, when do you decide; do you get help?

  It depends on the day! I play around with a few looks and decide what is most suitable depending on the weather. My wardrobe is quite versatile and I mix and match different pieces. I generally buy key pieces that are interchangeable so I can give outfits different looks. I usually try my outfit on for my mam to see what she thinks. (ed note: awwww!)

  What do you think about when planning what to wear to the races?

  I try to pick something that is appropriate in terms of the weather. I like to take something and put my own stamp on it.

  What do you work at?

  I work in HR in the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform.

  How do you dress, day do day; how would you describe your style?

  I wear a suit every day. That way I don’t need to think about what to wear to work. Suits are great they look professional and are effortless. Dunnes Stores, Next and Zara all have fantastic suits at reasonable prices. Outside of work I would describe my style as classic – I love the tailored look- a nice pair of skinny jeans/ pumps and a blazer! For nights out- I love fitted dresses that have a little bit of length to them.

  What are your favourite places to shop, either in person or online?

  Zara – I love Zara! I love that they take what is on the catwalk and make it affordable to everyone. Ebay is fantastic for everything!

  Who is your ultimate style icon?

  Audrey Hepburn for her classic style – and the hats of course. In modern terms I love Olivia Palermo‘s style – she is so classic.

  What’s your most prized possession?

  My boyfriend bought me a pair of peep-toe Christian Louboutins for Christmas. They are cherished and are worn for special occasions.

  What’s your best bargain – and what is the most expensive item you own?

  I have bought one or two hats vintage hats on ebay that are immaculate and inspiring – I’m looking forward to wearing them. I bought a fabulous lace jacket in Karen Millen – it was about €300 – I love it, and the Louboutins of course! Here is my most recent purchase, from Zara.

• Is this high fashion?

  @ 7:30 am | by Rosemary Mac Cabe

  

  This pic of Hanne Gaby Odiele has done the rounds in a serious way since fashion week – apparently we’re meant to admire Hanne’s “killer” personal style and her “enviable” pins, and ignore the fact that she looks like a child dressed up in her mother’s sportswear.

  

  

  I could write platitudes about how fashion needs to take some steps to show women who are women – and, in saying that, I’m not attempting to bash women who are naturally skinny – and stop promoting a body image that is, for 99 per cent of us, unattainable, not to mention harmful in and of itself. But I shall resist the urge and open it up to the floor: do these pictures say “fashion” to you? What do they say?

• Why do fashion bloggers dress so badly?

  April 5, 2012 @ 3:30 pm | by Rosemary Mac Cabe

  

  This is a question asked by a commenter on an article on Showbiz.ie featuring me in the ensemble above, with Xposé‘s Kirsteen O’Sullivan, while we mooched around Grafton Street and watched the moddles have their photographs taken for Oasis‘s high summer 2012 press call. I called a friend to tell her about the offending comment and, when she defended me (as friends are wont to do), I said, “no, it’s okay – I was wearing my mismatched pyjama outfit with blue shoes”. Her silence spoke volumes.

  

  Here’s the same outfit, in dim lighting, with different shoes and no jacket. Miles better, I think you’ll agree. In my opinion, fashion bloggers don’t dress badly – some, in fact, dress very well, while others dress very interestingly, and show no concern for what the general consensus will be. I, personally, like to play a bit of a fashion game – some days, like today, I am casual (in Levi’s, a men’s Arran sweater and a pair of Converse, with my mother’s old printed scarf); other days, like that day on Grafton Street, I nod to trends in full-on fashion, and alienate all who dare to look upon me. But I don’t care – fashion should be fun, and if some days I look better than others, well, it’s all good! Life would be so boring if I looked amazing all the time … wouldn’t it?!

  Anyway, enough rambling! As congratulations for reaching the end of the post without falling asleep or dying of boredom, I’m giving you the chance to win a €75 gift card for Oasis. All you need to do is like Oasis on Facebook, like Fash Mob on Facebook (as if you don’t already!) and either tweet about or share this competition on Facebook. Don’t worry about wording or hashtags; you can even tag it with #desperateforfollowers if you want, I care not! Oh, lastly, leave a comment below reassuring me that I don’t look all that bad. Or, you know, tell me I look awful – honestly is king*!

  * Nobody cares for honesty; just be nice.

  One entry per person. The competition closes at midnight on Friday, April 6th, 2012. A winner will be chosen by me and no correspondence will be entered into.

• Style in The Irish Times – bigger, better, bolder

  April 4, 2012 @ 3:02 pm | by Rosemary Mac Cabe

  

  Did you check out today’s paper? Click through the grab, above, to read it online – and send your queries to rmaccabe@irishtimes.com!

• Bill Cunningham New York – an original artist

  March 27, 2012 @ 7:30 am | by Rosemary Mac Cabe

  

  Last night I went to the (relatively) newly reopened Lighthouse Cinema in Dublin 7 and, as predicted, it was a heartwarming, insightful, moving piece of cinema, documenting the life of the man who is, arguably, the world’s oldest and first street-style photographer. Documentary, I’ll freely admit, isn’t my favourite form – I often resist the idea of going to see a documentary on the basis that its prime purpose isn’t one of entertainment, and, dammit, when I’m paying €9 for a movie, I want to be entertained.

  

  But this was so much more than entertainment – and, as a hack and fashion hound, there was a double interest for me. Watching Cunningham’s attention to detail as he supervised the layout of his pages was nothing short of eye-opening; I hope they’ll forgive me for saying so, but I don’t know anyone who is that precious about their editorial content, inside or outside The Irish Times. (My editors may be sorry I ever saw that film when I emerge a new woman, demanding that they move pictures this and that way …)

  Cunningham’s ethics drew another good few breaths – his alleged abhorrence of money and all its trappings is such a rare thing as to be unbelievable. He goes to society events, but refuses to take so much as a glass of water; he left Womens Wear Daily when they used the photographs he had taken to make a mockery of the subjects; he is painstakingly clear about the beauty he sees in his subjects and their clothes.

  He also confesses, readily, that he is no photographer – it is not the end product in which he is interested, so much as the documentation of the fashion he sees before him. He cares about the fashion, not the photography as an art form in and of itself, which was infinitely comforting to someone like me who can use her SLR but cares very little about its higher functions.

  It’s running for the rest of the week in the Lighthouse and I would highly recommend it – despite its genre, it’s well worth the €9. And you never know, if enough of you go to it, they may be able to repair the locks in the toilets, fix the cracked sink and repair the two faucets that aren’t working.

• LOVE this girl’s outfit – esp Burberry shoes OMG

  February 24, 2012 @ 3:30 pm | by Rosemary Mac Cabe

  

  That’s the message I just sent a friend of mine, accompanied by this image of Aimee Song. This is hardly the most original or groundbreaking post in the world, as, if you’re a street style stalker like me, you’ll have seen her everywhere – but, unlike most pics, this one gets better the more I look at it.

• Style focus – Poppy Delevigne

  February 23, 2012 @ 12:30 pm | by Rosemary Mac Cabe

  

  It’s lucky that Poppy Delevigne is good-looking; with Cara Delevigne as her sister, she’d find it hard pressed to see the justice in life if she were anything else. But her looks are only half of the equation – in the past few weeks of fashion shows, Delevigne Sr has shown her fashion heft in an array of well put together ensembles, such as this Burberry look (above), at Burberry Prorsum’s A/W show.

  

  Here she is in Mary Katrantzou for Topshop at the Elle Style Awards earlier this month. And here are the rest of her fashion week looks. What do you think? Pics in full on the Fash Mob Facebook page!