Today’s column – on summer dressing, shapewear and Reiss
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Helena Christensen in Dublin for Triumph Essence
The one and only 1990s supermodel Helena Christensen was recently in Dublin to launch the new Triumph Essence collection, for which she will be brand ambassador. I love how, even though Helena looks drop dead gorgeous in the above photograph, it’s serious proof of photoshop in action – and pointless photoshop, at that! She looks amazing in the flesh; why try to improve on near perfection?!
The lingerie is available in Brown Thomas now – and, I have to say, I really like what I’ve seen of the range. Simple, pretty styles with flirty accents – lace and polka dots. (I do kind of wish Helena had been in her underwear at the photocall!)
I love Helena’s dress, too – just stunning.
As a last and perhaps not-all-that-important point, I wish nobody would ever put models in heels and underwear together. It just feels so trashy to me; a bare foot is so much classier and more natural. (That said, check out the smize on Yomiko – fiiiiiierce!)
On that note, the latest series (series 18, can you believe it?) of America’s Next Top Model is pitching American and British girls against one another, and it is TV gold! Gold.
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Diary of an intern – day one
This week, I have the lovely Hannah Copeland helping me out while on work experience from transition year. Because I’m freelance, we’ve been doing a lot of running around – on Monday she helped me out on an Xposé shoot. Although I somehow don’t think she understood just how stressful it was! She makes my life sound all quite rosy …
Today was my first day of work experience, working in styling and journalism. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I knew I would like it because I’m interest in both of these areas.
I had an early start at 7am, which I’m not very used to! Then I was off to the bus stop to make my way into town. I met Rosemary (who I’m working with) on Henry street and we went and collected clothes from New Look.
We walked to the Foam Café which is nearby. I had never been there before but it’s a place I would definitely go again- it was really mad and colourful but it kind of made me feel like I was just in somebody’s living room. We did the shoot for Xposé there. There were three different segments – one on Kelly Brook underwear , one on French Connection dresses and the last on Mischa Barton handbags.
During the morning, I went to French Connection in the Powerscourt Centre to collect the dresses. Lisa Cannon talked to Rosemary about all of the pieces.
We finished shooting and went to Arnotts to return the bags that were used in Xposé. Then we went for lunch in a little café in Temple Bar. We also met up with one of Rosemary’s friends there. After that, we went back to French Connection to return the dresses.
Then, after a long and hard day at work, it was time to go home!
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Kelly Brook’s newest underwear range for New Look
So, Kelly Brook is really not going anywhere fast. That’s the first bit of news I have to impart on this slightly grey Wednesday (which I thought was Thursday when I woke up and was quite pleased because that is one day closer to the weekend but no, alas, no, it is Wednesday). The second bit of news I have to impart is that Brook has released imagery from her newest New Look undies range and, well, it’s pretty good.
I think I might go and buy this set, even though the crotch reminds me of that Christina Aguilera album cover. But I forgive her. And I forgive Christina, because Stripped was by far her best album, and Loving me for me always makes me laugh, and I love Dirrty and remember how, when it played in the Soundhouse (any takers?!) I would drag my friend Emma up to dance and I would seriously think that I was the best dancer ever. That was before the TV ruined my illusions with shows such as Got to Dance and so on (and so forth).
This is also lovely, although I worry about how it’s pressing on her bosoms. Is that going to be flattering under clothes? I’m not sure.
This is my least favourite, but only because I don’t really see the point in suspenders. That said, a friend of mine wore hold-ups on a night out a week or so ago, and I wanted to marry her when I saw them, so maybe there is a point? My personal jury is out. Thoughts, please?
In other news, Kelly is currently on the cover of Glamour. But before you get all excited, let me save you the trouble: the eight things you should do in bed, you’ve probably already done (and they’re also quite boring, such as, laugh! Leave the lights on! etc); the free gym passes are not valid in the Republic of Ireland; you can have a happy body if you just stop thinking of it as a project and realise that nobody is looking at you / thinking about you / worrying about your rolls of fat, should you have them; and Victoria Beckham’s chic secrets, not that Glamour admits this, are Botox in the balls of her feet, and no eating. That doesn’t sound like the happy body issue to me.
Yes, as I said, happy Wednesday. I’ll be in the bathroom, crying.
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The case for the nursing bra – no, really
Yesterday I started looking on Asos for some new bras – because yes, I’m the kind of gal who likes to throw caution to the wind and buy the most difficult and fiddly things online, ensuring that I spent way too much time in my local Post Office than is necessary or, even, healthy. Yes, I know, I spend an unhealthy time shopping online: what of it?!
In any case, my demands, when looking for a bra, are few: it should look good and, simultaneously, as if it won’t be the most uncomfortable thing I’ve ever suggested my boobs to. (No, that would be a mammogram. Too much information? What! I like to err on the side of caution.) In any case, I found two gorgeous bras on Asos and before I knew what hit me I had clicked into them and was just about to hit the “buy” button (I’m a really, really easy sell) when, what’s that? Nursing bras?! Oh, hell no!
Have you seen a nicer bra of late? I love this – sweet, demure, yet sexy! And oh, look, easy access . . . oh. I’m really not in the nursing bra market, honestly, but I just love the design of this one. Sob.
Ditto this one – what is it that makes nursing bras so damn attractive to me?! Cue inappropriate jokes . . . In anyways, this is good news for you if you just happen to be nursing or, you know, planning on nursing in the immediate future. Me, on the other hand? No intention of nursing. Just FYI. None.
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Cup Cakes Lingerie
Sometimes I feel as if fashion lines – especially underwear lines – with any kind of food in their names are really, really cruel. The food only serves to remind you that, in order to look good in the item, you must avoid it. In this case, it’s cup cakes (why two words, I wonder?) and it’s lingerie. I feel as if I’m a tag line for The Prince of Egypt: “The food is cup cakes. The place is Ranelagh. The time is now.” ANYWAY. The nice folks at Cup Cakes Lingerie sent over some really cute vintage-y (is everything vintage-y these days?) shots for my – and now your – perusal.
I like how she’s posing with the biggest buoy you’ve ever seen. This girl looks great and there is no way she is going to drown. Win-win!
Do you own an umbrella like this? I think I had one when I was a nipper, but I don’t know where it’s gone and I doubt I appreciated its beauty then, at least not like I would now.
And finally, I love this shot because it’s so unlikely. “I’m wearing a strapless bra and suspenders and a hat, as if I am at a wedding (perhaps my own) but instead of, you know, crawling into bed at 4am or getting my make-up done pre-wedding, I’m going to do a little dance for the photographer while looking at my tulle bunny-tail.” YEAH.
The more shots I see that are wedding themed the more outlandish I’d be tempted to go. Huge dresses, pumpkin carriages, Louboutins, tulle bunny-tails – I want it all*!
* This may be why I am single. (End scene)
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Cute pin-up style underwear shoot from Figleaves.com
Bra, €16 and shorts, £8 from Figleaves
Underwear posts on Fash Mob have been few and far between, which may be a reflection of my own thoughts on the subject. Underwear? Yeah, sure, I wear it, but must we talk about it all the time? Who cares what my underwear looks like? I sure don’t. But this shoot from Figleaves landed in my inbox and I thought, ‘Well, isn’t this nice?’ (I know, profound!)
Lace balconette bra, £16
I love the fact that this shoot is in itself slightly voyeuristic – as if the photographer (who took the photographs) is hiding behind the photographer working on the shoot, working out of the darkness behind the hustle and bustle of production. I also love the sailor / pin-up vibe. It’s quite a chic shoot, which is difficult to do when shooting underwear because, as Tyra would say, it has a tendency to venture into hoochy territory.
Freya swim jersey dress, £33
Is it wrong that I would wear this as a dress on its own? You know, once I’ve totally toned my legs. But I would. It’s really cute and slouchy, which I love, and would look great in summertime with wedges and a thick belt – as above!
Tie side bikini brief, £16
Has anyone ever shopped on Figleaves? Would you give it a thumbs up or down? I personally never have – I always had it in my head that it was mega expensive, although this release has put paid to that theory!
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Valentine’s day in the boudoir of Brown Thomas
Several times a day, I thank my lucky stars that I’m not an Irish model. These times are very specific: say, lunchtime or, now that I mention it, dinnertime. And elevenses. (Not breakfast, because that’s when I have porridge which I deem very model-like altogether.)
I also thank my lucky stars I’m not an Irish model when I see shoots like this, in which poor Nadia Forde has to look like she’s enjoying herself while perched on some kind of furniture in Brown Thomas modelling expensive lingerie which we are then expected to want for Valentine’s Day, or to purchase for our other halves for same. (FOR SHAME!)
(This photograph frightens me. It’s as if Nadia has found her doppelganger, and the two of them have just changed into their sexy smalls before going out to scare small children.)
Still, at least poor Nadia didn’t have to eat any giant food . . .
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A walk in the park: underwear from Marks & Spencer
I announced to a male friend the other day that I was going to buy some underwear. Rather typically, he was a lot more interested in this than he had been in the last 15 minutes of my conversation. “Where are you going?” he asked, in that kind of wide-eyed innocent fashion that suggested he had visions of my shopping in Agent Provocateur or La Perla.
“Er,” I responded, attempting to buy myself some time. “Marks & Spencer . . .” There’s something decidedly unglamorous about Marks & Spencer – its yummy mummy food selection, perhaps, or reliance on twin sets and good, practical suiting – but, when it comes to underwear, there really is no better man.
From shapewear to wedding underwear (honestly, the mind boggles; does it really matter what underwear you have on for your wedding day?) and beautiful vintage-inspired sets, Marks & Spencer has everything. Plus, they have a free fitting service - meaning a nice lady will come in, measure the girls and then set about finding you exactly what you want, in your new size. Oh, and the rumours are true: we are all wearing the wrong size. Consider me schooled.
So what did I go for in the end? Being the 1950s-loving type, and pairing that with my love of florals, we get:
The best thing about it is, almost all of Marks & Spencer’s underwear range is machine-washable, meaning no tiresome handwashing for me. I even resent handwashing tights, despite the fact that I am entirely believing of the fact that it makes them last longer. For some things, life is just too short.
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Another running-related fashion post
Who’d have thought that one could get this much leverage out of running? Not me, that’s who. I have long been a believer that there is no possible way of making sportswear fashionable, but gear does fall into the “attire” bracket, ergo:
A few weeks ago, the lovely folks over at Shock Absorber sent me the above monstrosity* to try out with my new running regime. I’ve had good and bad luck with sports bras; if you have particularly bad luck, they rub (ouch!) and don’t support your breasts well. Good luck is, well, the opposite.
In this case, I had high hopes – the range has been developed with specific sports in mind, and comes in Run, Ball and Racket forms. Mine is the run (although I do have high hopes of one day being amazing at tennis, like Teddy Montgomery) and is quite orthopedic looking. The straps are very thick, there is a lot of material, and it is tight (which may be due to a wrong bra size selection, but the results suggest that it’s actually the right size).
And the results? Not an ache in sight. I am now up to running for 25 minutes, and in that 25 minutes I barely even notice my boobs are there. No running, no movement whatsoever. And, more importantly, a quick handwash and out on the line, and it’s dry the next day – and doesn’t feel stiff or scratchy, which is my main peeve with certain materials. In conclusion, this comes highly recommended.
The Run bra is available from Debenhams, Arnotts, Clery’s, Champion Sports and Elverys – as well as selected retailers – and costs €47.50.
* I guess it’s not that monstrous, but my insides hurt when I have to spend money on functional fashion items – so sue me.
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