We would like to live as we once lived, but history will not permit it

Do you ever get the feeling you were born at the wrong time in history? Sure, you like the 80′s or 90′s but you long to be part of something in the past.

The title of this post is a quote from John F. Kennedy by the way…

I should definitely have been born in the late 1940′s or early 1950′s – that way I could have spent my formative years in the swinging sixties. My longing is not just from watching Mad Men, although that has added fuel to fire. It’s the music, the clothes, the hair, the makeup, the cars, the whole feeling of human revolution. I love all that stuff! So, while I work on my writer’s block, here are some reminders of the decade I dig the most. Scroll all the way down for some of my own photos!

So, I started wondering what I would look like in the 1960s….

My mum is the woman above and my Dad is the last man on the right! He’s with his band “The Thunderbirds”! 

PS. My Mum won’t see this unless she’s pointed in that direction…shhh she’ll kill me! 

What decade do you belong to?

Off With Her Head!

Meet the newest addition to my growing collection of Disney DVDs! I haven’t seen Alice in Wonderland in years – but has always been one of my favourite stories of all time.

When I was seven, my mum used to do her food shopping and leave me in a little book shop in Bray while I waited. Every day I’d pick up Alice, the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts and after a few weeks I had it finished! My mum bought me a lovely hardback edition of the book – and I consider it the first real piece of my library.

The story has also inspired many other art forms including some gorgeous trends in fashion. I think the creepy fantasy element to the book is what fascinates people – the white rabbit, growing and shrinking, the Dodo and a tea party. It’s Lewis Carroll’s strange and wonderful descriptions that have caused Alice to permeate into so many other areas.

I’m not sure the Disney film brought quite as much magic with it – but it definitely made a good effort! I can’t wait to re-watch it.

PS. the DVD says: Virtual Tea Party Included. Wanna join?

What a girl wants

Strolled into Topshop earlier (had a few minutes to spare before lunch) and felt both smitten and depressed. Smitten with the gorgeous new stock they have at the moment and depressed that I can’t afford it!

I have a major crush on this dress:

And although I’ve always been slightly “dress-obsessed”..I’ve started going for the skirt/top combo more recently. Today these skirts caught my eye:

I  also adored several pairs of shoes including these babies:

I realise the boots aren’t very summery – but they looked so cute with the dress I was wearing earlier on

Now, all I have to do is quit college, find a full time, well paying job and hit the shops!

You must be jokin’?! Right?!

Leggings have been doing the fashion rounds for decades now. At a time in fashion-land where skinny jeans have reigned supreme – its clear that showing off your bum and ankles all in one opaque move is hawt. Then came skinny jeans for men – usually worn by the fashionably edgy, “I’m in a band” sort of guy. But, behold: the concept strutting down catwalks – Leggings for men. Or Meggings.

Martin Margiela’s S/S 09

Now, not being an avid follower of menswear styles (maybe I should be if things like this keep surfacing..) I was alerted to this trend by Guardian journalist Jonathan Heaf. Heaf decided to don a pair of meggings for work and see the reaction. How did he feel about his new look? ” I looked like an evil mermaid and felt as if I was walking with a crotch full of staples.”

Although Heaf describes the reaction of his colleagues and general bystanders as positive (maybe he counts constant laughter as a positive things?) and he got the advice of Justin Hawkins, spandex wearing frontman of The Darkness,  his girlfriend covered her eyes in fear! Perhaps we’re not ready for meggings just yet….

Model Behaviour

Much to my extreme delight – Cycle 12 of America’s Next Top Model will premier on Wednesday week with the usual two hour first episode! My Thursdays will now be complete once again.

I’ve been a huge fan of the programme since it’s first cycle – and although I’m not too fond of Tyra’s attempts at humour (the pretend teleportation in the last cycle was enough to make me gag once or twice), I do totally enjoy her Bono-like play act. This season looks set to be no different with Miss Banks donning a toga and referring to herself as “The Goddess of Fierce”.

As far as the new faces go, I see some definite potentiality and one or two divas in the bunch (which always makes for some great TV!). I’m already fond of Fo, a 19 year old student from New Mexico In the previews she looks like the most fresh faced of the bunch and I’m betting she can handle editorial and commercial.

I”m not placing any bets yet (Maeve and I tried to do that last cycle and I’m pretty sure we were both wrong in the end!) – but watch this space.

*ignore the 25th of February promo – the CW has pushed back the first episode one week!

New acquisitions

Meet my new “uniform” for Spring/Summer ’09! It is even better in person!

I also got a similar jacket to this (also from KM) – but my one is WAY nicer! Couldn’t find a photo of it anywhere!

(anyone who saw my skirt at graduation – its the matching jacket of that!)

All things Karen Millen

Christmas in Dublin is never a very peaceful affair – especially if you work in a shop on Grafton Street. This Christmas has taken things to the extreme. With the economy in a downturn, the sales have started early this year! Great news for the shoppers, not so great news for us “style advisors” (thats my actual job title in Karen Millen!). There are some amazing bargains in the shop at the moment – gorgeous dresses and shoes at 50% off! Hopefully I’m still alive by the end of the madness…

In other Karen Millen news – the brand seems to have acquired a new celeb fan: Eva Longoria!

Both these dresses are currently on sale – but good luck finding them in the shop, they’re selling super fast!

Photos from here!

Kay-Em

Considering I work in Karen Millen – its surprising I have never thought to blog about the collections there! And now we’re coming to the end of the A/W 09 stuff – so its the ideal time to have a look see…sales coming your way and all that!

There are some absolutely gorgeous, bright Christmas party dresses in at the mo. They’re perfect for the girl looking for something colourful! The Christmas shoe collection is especially shiny this year too. The ones at the bottom left of the photo have swarovsky crystals on them!

Pictures from karenmillen.com