Fashion

Tired of your own clothes? Try swapping and sharing on Nu Wardrobe

Style File: Limited edition earrings, wide legs and block-heeled sandals

The blue maxi dress has been to several balls, in Trinity, Cambridge and Oxford, to Bali and to Barcelona, courtesy of Nu Wardrobe.

Deirdre McQuillan's face
Deirdre McQuillan
Mon May 27 2019 - 06:00

STORY OF A DRESS

This blue maxi dress was bought by Aisling Byrne from Folkster and she has worn it only twice, both on holidays. So she has been sharing it on Nu Wardrobe, the site she founded in 2015 with her friend Alison Kelly, as a sustainable clothes sharing platform.

As a way to extend the lifestyle of the dress, it has since been shared 15 times “and has had a way better social life than me”, she says. It has been to several balls, in Trinity, Cambridge and Oxford, to Bali, to Barcelona and then back to her for another trip to the beach. It was centre stage in a Trinity Players production and passed from person to person.

Nu Wardrobe believes in borrowing, swapping, thrifting, renting or vintage shopping and is dedicated to providing an affordable alternative to fast fashion. It now has a global community and works like a social network. Find the Nu Wardrobe on www.thenuwardrobe.com.

WING IT TO WEIRS

As part of its celebrations to mark 150 years in business, Weirs has been collaborating with some of its luxury suppliers, notably Patek Philippe, to make special one-off limited edition pieces for the anniversary.

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Marking its 150th anniversary in business, gold vermeil tsavorite hook earings, €485, are from Weirs.

These earrings, a version of his signature hook earrings, for example, have been specially made by jeweller Shaun Leane, particularly well known for his outstanding work for the late Alexander McQueen. His first collaboration with McQueen was with the designer’s autumn/winter show in 2000 when the models wore mouth braces in the shape of two horns that forced their lips apart to bare their teeth. For many, the look was ferocious but all the subsequent pieces he made for the designer, such as the famous leather and aluminium spine corset, had a similar primal charge and were technically flawless.

These earrings with six green tsavorites (a variety of garnet), one in silver €440, the other in gold vermeil €485, are very much his signature and are collectors' pieces. Visit www.weirandsons.ie

WIDE LEG WISDOM

These yellow trousers by Autograph at M&S are €54.

The skinny trouser is giving way to the wider leg this season which changes the overall proportions of a look. These yellow trousers by Autograph at M&S (€54) are worn with a swimsuit giving a clean, slim, uncluttered top rather than a blouse or T-shirt, though with some challenging aspects getting it on or off in a hurry. M&S is also selling some great denim boiler suits in keeping with current trends that are loose yet shapely and more comfortable than closefitting jumpsuits. Wide trousers are not the same as flares which tend to be slim fitting down to the knee and then A line. Wide-leg high-waisted trousers like the new Levis 5 Button Premium are some of the most comfortable trousers on the market and look great – as do most wide leg trousers – with high blocky heels, but very pointed toes which tend to catch on anything should be avoided.

SUMMER SANDALS

White leather summer sandals by Carolyn Donnelly at Dunnes Stores, €99.

These block-heeled white sandals are part of three footwear styles in 100 per cent leather and made in Portugal for Carolyn Donnelly at Dunnes Stores, each €99. The others are a pale blue leather mule with a block heel and a crossover black leather strappy sandal. Find them at Dunnes Stores online.