I was quite thrilled to be asked to offer up my ‘Ten Favourite Things’ to the Evening Herald, by journalist Suzanne Yarker, except…I’m really bad at picking my favourite anything. I love music, films, books, chocolate - but ask me my first choice of anything and eh…yeah come back to me in about a week. Thankfully, both Suzanne and the lovely photographer Doug O’Connor were as easygoing as anything. Even when Doug was trying to help me out things, saying like : ‘How about that lamp, do you like that?’…it ended up as…’I do! I do like that lamp!’…’Could you live without the lamp though?’…’I could…I could live without that lamp..’ etc.

Anyway, I’m pretty happy with the results, they all mean something, or remind me of a lovely time, and that’s all you can really ask for from objects.

Feel free to tell me yours..If you can pick ten - it’s hard, try it!

x Blanaid

In no particular order by the Evening Her-dild…

1. Nikhil & Shantu hand painted gold coat :  This is by far the most expensive thing I own. I make it earn it’s keep by hanging it on the wall when I’m not wearing it, so it moonlights as a piece of art. It keeps my guilt about the cost down a bit..

2. Green hat : The best representation of thievery from my mother’s wardrobe: she buys it, I steal it. Luckily both she, my sister and I all love second hand shops, so my bill is pretty low. So far.

3.  Keniche Hoshine print : This Keniche Hoshine print reads “I never stopped writing to you, sending telegrams that read like fevers.” which for me, sums up how intense and insatiable some love affairs can be…His ‘A Polite Winter’ collection is this demented adventure in love and desire, and to know that other people can  feel that way without descending in to all-out insanity, well, it’s a comfort!

4. Vintage chair : I bought this at a car boot sale for about €15.00 I’m usually pretty disrespectful toward everything I own, but not this chair. It’s very dainty.

5. Vintage Cameras : My brothers and I are just about to open a new studio in Kilkenny, so I have to practice the old taking photographs lark. These vintage cameras, which cost a euro each, are much cheaper to drop than my brother’s expensive stuff. And I will drop them at some stage. No doubt about it.

6.  Cuban Cigar Box : I thieved this from my Dad years back, it reminds me of him, and my brother Eoin, who are both partial to a cigar. It’s been dragged from house to house, so is looking a bit shook, bit I still love it. 

7. Turquoise ring : This ring reminds me of a slightly foolish but fun period of my life, when I was very young and knew a whole lot about nothing, particularly relationships.

8. Brother Sewing Machine : One of the most thoughtful birthday gifts I ever received. It works perfectly and looks beautiful. It has also saved me a lot of money.I get bored with my clothes pretty quickly, but even with my very limited sewing skill, it’s possible to alter things just enough to make them different. Such as the huge scarf from H&M that became a very inexpensive maxi dress…

9. White silk dress : I bought this in Zara, for €99.00. It reminds me of one of my favourite nights out; one of those mad occassions that started all elegant, and ended a few days later with a dirty fry up.

10. Photo of grandparents : I love this photo of my mother’s parents, out at a party, looking all glamorous and in love. Instead of showing lots of different photos of my friends and family, who are really all of my favourite things, I think this image sums up my life with the people I love. Laughing, getting dressed up, having fun and just enjoying the whole party.

x

A little late posting this, but Stellar is out all month, so it’s not too late…! Around a month back,  Stellar’s lovely Fashion Editor, Corina Gaffey, organised a shoot featuring some of the fashion bloggers in Ireland, photographed by the incredibly talented Lili Forberg. It was a fantastic day, especially getting to meet Corina, Lily, the hair stylist : Maurice Flynn, the make up artists; Seana Long and Alanna Wallace from Make Up Forever, and of course, the other Irish bloggers, including:

 Arsheen from Fashion Filosofy,  (beautiful creative taste.)

Catherine from This is an OffShoot, (a real live Irish Carine Roitfeld.)

Laura from Whisty Blogs Dublin Fashion, (my kind of style, I love her looks.)

Jessica from Get Your Frocks Off  (I need all of her clothes..)

Leonn from Cosmo-Sparkle  (vintage, eclectic look.)

and Zohra from ‘Ophelia Ford‘  (I’ll take all of her wardrobe too…)

and of course, our very own glamorous Laura Cunningham from The Stylebitches!

Do pick up Stellar if you see it, it’s a fantastic read. It was actually a favourite magazine of mine before this shoot, and now, of course, most definitely is..! Thank you to all involved, I had such a brilliant time, and was absolutely thrilled to be included.

x Blanaid

P.S See way more behind the scenes shot >here< if you like! x

I was up in Athlone, in Burgess Department Store, styling for an RTÉ show, (yeah, there was no reason to tell you that, but I just wanted to type it out loud! Sorry!) when I picked up this gúna from Bay Trading - reduced to €14.oo!  I’m not in any way a shop snob, as you can probably guess from my love of Penneys, but Bay is never a store that comes into my mind when shopping, so I was quite thrilled with this little number. I also bought the studded belt there for €15.oo - good day!

The rigout has also earned it’s keep, as I wore it for the show, then presenting for Style Nation at the Off The Rails roadshow, then out again on Saturday night for my friend Orla’s birthday. Oh and also on another night out with my sister Roisin, and me Laura... So yeah…in conclusion… I like it.

Dress : €14.00 Bay Trading

Belt : €15.00 Bay Trading

Tights : €2.00 Penneys

Shoes : appx. €80.00 Topshop

Jewellery : Bracelets and turquoise ring : from Accessorize.

Stacked rings : from Tempted

Diamond band : Old engagement ring

Square ring : Present from Laura from Topshop.

x Blanaid

I was really very delighted to be asked by the ladies from the blog ‘Blaubushka,’ to take part in their ‘Blogging for Boobs’ campaign to raise the awareness of breast cancer. They asked bloggers to send in ‘pink’ themed images of themselves or anything at all, which they are now posting over on their blog. Such a lovely idea, and a huge congratulations to them for organising it all. There are some absolutely amazing images being posted, have a looksee at their blog >here<

For my image, I decided to do an  outfit post, so got my pink second -hand Monsoon dress, pink vintage hat, and pink TK Maxx umbrella, and toddled off to a field here in Kilkenny. The photographer was, again, Andrew Clancy, who was so great and didn’t mind a bit about the f-f-f-freezing cold and rain. Thank you Clancers!

Please visit Blaubushka, and do click on the breast cancer information links they have provided in the posts. 

Thanks for having me Blaubushka!

x Blanaid

Meant to post this ages ago, but anyway - here it is! Taken from the Irish Examiner’s ‘Fashionista Files’ with Annmarie O’Connor (from I Blog Fashion) complete with the interview, if you’d like to read it…

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FASHIONISTA FILE

 What are you wearing today?

Vintage cape and second hand cropped tux jacket, which were €5.00 each. A backless dress, gothic leggings and platform shoe boots, all from a huge splurge on Topshop.co.uk back when the sterling was weak. Finally, black tights from Penneys cut into stockings, and a vintage rip-off Chanel suede bag.  

How much did it cost?

The entire outfit cost around €192.00, with the shoes accounting for around half of that. A pretty expensive outfit for me!

What do you love most about it?

I don’t have a definite style and tend to flit between a kind of rocker/homeless look and a French style all-too-much glamour look, so this kind of marries the two. Like a kind of ‘demented French homeless coiffured rocker who raided her Grandmother’s wardrobe’ look. If that’s what’s in next season, then I’m all over it.

 Who is your fashion icon?

I don’t really have a fashion icon, but I do love to look through fashion blogs such as Knightcat, FashionToast, Lefashionimage and browse through streetstyle websites, like Dublin Streets, Garance Dore and Fashion Filosofy.  

Which designers do you admire?

Balmain, Balenciaga, Givenchy, Alexander Wang, Philip Lim, Comme des Garcons, Isabel Marant, Band of Outsiders and Malene Birger. I’ll have everything they’ve ever made, thanks!

 What is the last thing you bought?

I bought a vintage navy velvet flock long sleeved mini-dress for €6.00 in a charity shop. It is my new ‘if all else fails’ going out dress.

 What was your biggest splurge?

I bought a Custo Barcelona graphic printed, fur sleeved, bell shaped coat about 2 years ago. It’s slightly Henry VIII-esque, but I love it. I intend to have it for the rest of my, or it’s, life.

 What is your best bargain buy?

This fur cape is high on the list, as is a pair of unworn vintage Italian leather boots, which I bought at a car boot sale for €4.00.

 Where do you like to shop? 

I like to shop in places that accept imaginary money. Failing that : charity shops, followed by Penneys, H&M and Zara.

 What has been your biggest fashion faux pas?

The James Dean printed leggings, which I wore to my sister’s communion, complete with matching orange James Dean t-shirt, still makes me shudder. Sometimes I tell people that as a child, I thought everyone wore fancy dress to communions.

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Thanks for having me, Annmarie! 

x Blanaid