Yes, we’ve a trend alert ladies. The new prediction is sleeveless jackets, let’s just hope met eireann are predicting good weather to accompany this one! Personally, I’ve always been a huge fan of the gilet and have various types from the faux fur lined gilet to casual almost sports wear gilet for all those walks that never happened. Anyway, enough about my laziness and back to cold arms. Sleeveless jackets will also help you tick another trend, layering. Laying is our friend girls, especially when you have one of those days where you seem distinctly more rotund than you were the day before!
Here’s a look at what is on offer from the high street. Starting with Karen Millen‘s lightweight washed leather gilet with quilted shoulder detailing and trimmed with the usual branded metalwork. I had a look at this jacket yesterday and it really is a great piece to add to your wardrobe and feels incredibly soft. Priced at €325 – you’ll have this in your wardrobe for years to come.
How about this vintage style gilet in denim, THE most popular trend this season. This well fitted gilet would work layered up with more denim, fitted denim shirts with a lace vest top peeping out with skinny jeans, or shorts if you are feeling brave! Check out Warehouse for this one and it’s well priced at €46.
This has to be the best of the bunch! An on trend colour, the Khaki sleeveless leather biker jacket by Gap can be found on Asos.com. The jacket features soft leather (an essential if you choose a leather style) and an off centre zip detail to the front giving it more attitude before you rev up that harley! The best bit being that it is now reduced from €161.68 to €64.42!!!
If casual is more your style then here’s one that should be right up your street. Superdry (available on Littlewoods.ie) have designed the heavy padded gilet with a detachable hood so you can layer your own hooded tops underneath. There are button details to the sides to taper the fit more so you don’t feel like a giant marshmallow!
We’ve been bargain hunting again! Stripes are big this season (spots ‘n dots too!) and trenches are here to stay for another while. This trench by McQ By Alexander McQueen marries the two trends so well managing to cover animal print along the way. The tiger stripe cotton trench used contrasting stripe print giving more depth to the design. Favourite part – the wide colour detail and it’s adjustable waist giving a great silhouette.
The RRP for this coat is $1,001.54, however on the Asos outlet you can call it yours for $572.65!!! They also have a fab collection of LBD’s reduced including a McQ By Alexander McQueen Strapless Bustier dress reduced to $196.58.
Well boys, it’s not often you get a look in so we thought why not give you the low down on what’s what this season! Men’s fashion has taken a change of direction this Spring Summer going with a more laid back unstructured vibe. The colour palette sees a contrast between cool crisp colours against really strong colours with teal, baby blues and shades of turquoise at the forefront. Rest assured that check is still in (oh how we love a man in a fitted check shirt… oh.. sorry… think typing!), J.C. Rags (bottom) showing how to wear your check this season. As with women’s fashion grey also features heavily in men’s. The old days are here boys, shop for retro-classics like Argyles, tartans and cable knit cricket jumpers – think slim chino’s.
THE key trend for all this season is denim. Baring that in mind gentlemen look for anything 50′s inspired, this season we say goodbye 80′s hello 30′s, 40′s and 50′s! Revivalist look classic dark-rinse denim plus charred and battered finishes are all up there, basically a hero look minus hanging out in blazing buildings! BT2 stock a SERIOUS selection of denim and are always introducing new labels to their collection so make them your first port of call on the hunt for denim. This Lee denim shirt pictured is available at BT2 and Urban Outfitters. G-Star loose tapered jeans at various high street stores, we found these on Asos.com.
Military is still ok just go for older classic looks, plus green is another big colour this season, that and vibrant pimento red, canary yellow and grape tones!! To create the 50′s look chinos have been gently tapered this season, check out Franklin and Marshall for a great pair of palm green chinos at BT2 (label also stocked at Urban Outfitters). On the green theme see Balenciaga’s Spring/Summer ’10 (top left) almost old war style jacket, we found a high street version at BT2 by a new label to the store, J.C. Rags (top right). Let’s just hope that shoot was done in Movember! If green is not your thing check out French Connection‘s charcoal grey corporal jacket (image on intro).
Picking up a couple of the key items mentioned above will see you through the season in true style!
Everywhere you look theses days there’s a celebrity sporting a blazer so imagine our excitement when we stumbled across this striped blazer at Warehouse!
It’s well priced at €97 and would work really well with skinny jeans and a tee, change it around by adding scarves or chunky jewellery or linen trousers – weather permitting! When our summer does arrive it would work well over a white bandeau dress or with a vest and short denim skirt with high shoes.
Yes, it’s true we have had a nosey at Karen Millen’s 2010 collection and let’s just say we weren’t disappointed, but a little surprised as the collection is different to their usual style in that most of it is very wearable! There seems to be a more relaxed approach to the designs yet they are still elegantly tailored and the main theme – layering! We here at wow.ie are fans of Karen Millen but not all their previous collections have been as wearable as their latest. Anyway, you can make up your own mind after reading through our review starting with neutrals, a key trend this season…
The New Neutrals
Cool, calm neutrals from bone and oyster to dove grey and charcoal, take centre stage this season and I for one adore them (having recently purchased four light and dark grey tops!!). A relaxed silhouette dominates, from beautifully cut fluid trousers in jersey or silky Cupro to a seductively draped light suede jacket, none of which are excessively tailored. Separates are key and versatile; the palest grey silk top is decorated with delicate ruffles (€99), the new trench coat (€325) a must have this season is cut in a subtle ombred, while their cocktail dresses are finished with embellished jeweled shoulders. Embellished clothing has been around for a while so root out any pieces from the back of your wardrobe as we sense it’s not going to go on forever! The grey tailored trousers are priced at €140 and the leopard shoe boot at €199, with animal prints being another wardrobe staple for the season.
Sports Luxe
Alexander Wang lead the charge on this almost football meets fashion look with all the high street stores opting for their own take on the new ‘Sports Wear’ look. See our previous post on Track Pants for more on this trend. KM have given sporty pieces a luxe make-over; the parka is reworked in fine grey knit, classic tees are softened up with feminine drapery and the classic biker jacket is reimagined in soft blonde washed leathers. Body-con continues this spring with sporty bandage dresses in white or cobalt blue so put down the burger and get exercising! Pictured above is a slightly more palatable take on the sports trend – washed leather gilet €325, draped jersey dress €175 and metallic cage sandals at €199.
Underwear as Outerwear
Another trend we recently wrote about, see here for more on this look. Underwear becomes outerwear as lingerie and corsetry details appear in elegant tops and dresses. Remember there is a fine line between carrying this look successfully and looking like an extra from Pretty Woman! A sculpted black jumpsuit and form-fitting dress are cut with corsetry details along side peek-a-boo chiffon panels. Vintage slips inspire a nude silk halter-top trimmed with delicate lace. Beautiful French lace is cut into a delicate jacket to dress up or down, or into feminine dresses with seductive drape details. Should your budget be tight invest in some lace from the likes of Murphy Sheehy (back of Powerscourt Town House or Dun Laoghaire), and have it sown on to a fitted jacket or worked on a silk top or tee. Crepe jersey jumpsuit, €199 – leopard shoe boot also €199.
Monochrome Mantra
Black and white provides some of the season’s most graphic combinations; we found a sharply-cut body con dress with origami fold neckline comes in strong monochromatic stripes. A tailored gingham dress has a softly voluminous skirt which has such a flirty feel, while crisp white shirts are cut with drape and ruche details. A black and white oversized clutch or white leather bags with tassels or fringe continue the monochrome theme and will sit with so many looks in your wardrobe so you can justify the investment! To recreate the look the tailored cropped jacket €250, Metallic jacquard skirt €125 and stacked bangles gladiator sandal €175.
Hot Tropical Colour
Vibrant cobalt blue, coral and sunshine yellow add pops of bold uplifting colour to KM’s collection this season. Abstract digital prints give summer dresses a cool, futuristic feel while a taffeta trench in dazzling chartreuse is spring’s ultimate eye-catching cover-up. DVF did a very similar dress to this last season which I just missed out on buying during BT‘s sale, I won’t miss out on this one! Kaleidoscope print dress €199, gladiator sandal as before.
Accessories
The gladiator (no, it’s not going anywhere!), gets an update with studding, metallic finishes or sparkling crystal embellishment. Bags continue the soft and slouchy aesthetic of the main collection with oversized super-soft leather bags in primary brights, cool neutrals or chic leopard prints. Fringing, tassles and circle cut-outs in leather add texture to day bags while bangles embellished with glittering crystals provide the perfect finishing bling! You can always count on Karen Millen for footwear, my weakness being their boots.
So now you have a round up of KM’s 2010 collection, let us know if you take a closer look…
U.S. boutique Juicy Couture is set join the 55 designer outlet boutiques at Kildare Village this coming March. Founded in 1994 by Pamela Skaist-Levy and Gela Taylor, the label has established a huge celebrity following with the likes of Madonna, Eva Longoria, Jessica Simpson, Paris Hilton and Britney Spears.
It’s not only the Juicy tracksuit the celebs favour, this season they have nailed the trench trend with Fergie, Naomi Watts and Eva Longoria all opting for the Juicy versions. Below we see this seasons Juicy take on the trench coat (short version pictured top), the military style jacket and the must have leather jacket, all of which are available at BT2.
You can expect to see the statement clothing adorned in the typical Juicy slogans including “Have a Juicy day”, “Peace, Love and Juicy” and “Some girls have all the Juicy” arrive on Monday, 22nd March. If you can’t wait that long to juice up your wardrobe then all looks pictured are available at BT2 now, having had a smooch around I can report they have a great and varied Juicy collection.
Ladies it’s that time of year again…. to pull up your snowboard pants and throw your board over your shoulder… or on the other hand do what you do with your ski’s… yipee!!
As you have probably guessed I am indeed an avid snowboarder, I’ve been going to Val D’isere in France for the past seven years and absolutely love it. I was also in Mayrhofen in Austria last year for three weeks which I would also recommend. Once we get to our snow destination we are up at the chair lifts for 8.30am each morning and are usually the last to leave the mountain at 5pm!
So I thought I would put together some tips that might help you if you’re going for the first time or just some tips in general. One thing I must point out - you won’t win any fashionista awards on a snowboarding holiday so save that for Apres ski!
First things first, you’re going to need the right clothing! Skiing and snowboarding clothing used to be very difficult to find and expensive as it seemed that only the ‘elite’ went skiing, therefore very few shops stocked it! Now however, every second person seems to be going each year, so more and more shops are beginning to stock it thus reducing the prices which is always a good thing.
Obviously if it’s your first time going you don’t want to spend too much on the clothing incase you never go again (something is wrong with you if you don’t like it)!! Taking this into account you do have to be very careful when buying the cheaper ranges from the likes of Top Shop as sometimes these are not fully waterproof. If you are snowboarding you need to make sure that your gear is waterproof and of really good quality as you will most definately be spending a lot of your time on your bum! With skiing on the other hand you should remain more…. let’s say ‘vertical’, so it wouldn’t be as important to have really good ski pants on but, in saying this you have to take into consideration the wind chill factor (which can be bloody freezing), so there’s no point in getting something that will not keep you warm.
My advice is instead of picking up a pair of snowboard pants in Topshop etc, go to TK Max instead as it has many of the top named snowboarding/skiing brands for a snippet of their original price. You will get quality clothing that will keep you dry and warm on the top of any mountain! Other places that sell snowboarding/skiing gear are The Great Outdoors on Chatham St Dublin 2, Pamela Scott South William St Dublin 2, Snow and Rock Dundrum Town Centre, 53 Degrees North The Park Carrickmines or Blanchardstown. Personally if I’m looking for a new jacket or snowboard pants I’ll always have a look in TK Max first as it really does have great bargains. You can bag yourself a pair of Burton pants or a Quick Silver jacket for under €100 (above €369), you won’t be getting them for that if you head for the likes of Snow and Rock or 53 Degrees North! My favourite snowboarding brands are Burton, West Beach, Special Blend, Four Square, Bonfire and Quick Silver… to name but a few. I’m a ‘clothing junkie’ when it comes to the snow, having a collection of jackets and pants Eddie the Eagle would be proud of, I think I need to get my habit under control!
So what to pack on your week long holiday!
Firstly NO HEELS! You always know the snow virgin in your resort as she will be tottering/skidding about in her 6 inch stilletos, short skirt and quivering with the cold. Ski holidays are totally relaxed therefore you need to go with the flo. What you need to pack:
1) 1 pair snowboard pants
2) 1 snowboard jacket and I would recommend bringing another casual jacket for the evenings because usually your ski jacket will still be wet by the time your going out in the evening. If snowboarding try to get a jacket with a ‘snowskirt’ at the bottom, this is a tight band that you pull closed before zipping your jacket up and it prevents snow from going up your back or front if you fall, a great little bonus!
3) Ski socks – a pair for each day, if you don’t fancy doing any washing on your holiers! Get proper ski socks as they will come up to your knees and will protect your legs from your boots rubbing against your skin. If you want to splash out you can get proper snowboard socks which have added padding in areas that your boots will dig in to. (above from 53 Degrees North, €27)
4) Thermal vest – this will keep you dry when you perspire and keep you nice and toastie, again you can pick these up in TK Max for a fraction of the cost in other shops.
5) Gloves – SNOWBOARDERS BEWARE! If you are going snowboarding not only will your backside be in the snow a lot but your hands too! Each time you need a break you will generally sit down on the slope and your hands will be resting in the snow and helping you to get up and down on your board. Therefore it really is of utter importance that you invest in a good pair of gloves. I guarantee you if you buy a really cheap pair before you go, you will end up on the second day of your holiday buying a proper pair in the resort! There is nothing worse than being cold and wet up the mountian for hours. Personally I went for Level gloves which have an inner glove too for extra warmth, try and get gloves with Gortex as this is the closest you will get to being waterproof. DON’T put your gloves on a radiator after a day on the slopes as this will render their waterproofless! You can place them near the radiator or above it but do not place directly on the heat itself as it will damage the Gortex.
6) Neck Warmer – another must have, it does what it says on the tin! Just pull it over your head and it keeps the chilling wind at bay especially on the freezing chair lifts.
7) Hat – Obviously don’t forget this item! Make sure to get a hat that pulls down over your ears to keep you warm. There are plenty of great hats out there to keep you looking cool and will keep you warm, I have a cute Analog hat that keeps me nice and toastie.
Other than the above necessary items, you should just pack maybe two pairs of jeans, some nice tops as it will be warm in the pubs and clubs, a good pair of boots, remember obviously not suede or toeless! Warm casual gloves a must, scarf, warm casual jacket, hat and need I say it again…. NO 6 inch heels! Remember to bring your iPod to listen to whilst you whizz down the mountain and you may want a little something in a hipflask if your planning on spending a full day up there!
Safety Gear!
Ok so you may be a first timer or you’re just looking for tips in general, well check out this section as it could save you from sitting on a pillow at your desk for the next 6 months! If you haven’t already heard skiing and snowboarding are quite dangerous sports activities so my advice is to take precautions! I am in fact speaking from experience as 3 years ago I arrived home from my holiday in a neckbrace, with a broken bone in my neck! Apart from having a few creaks and twinges now and again I’m back to normal, well as normal as before the accident! There are a few items of safety that you can get before you go so I’ve listed them below:
1) Impact Shorts – A MUST HAVE…. if you are snowboarding! From our first year snowboarding we all had our shorts, they are brilliant. They are basically padded so when you fall on your bum… which you will do 100′s of times they protect you and your coccyx….. thank god!
2) Knee Pads – Again if you are going snowboarding I really recommend you get a pair. You will fall on your knees and sometimes they will take your whole body weight which let me tell you will hurt! If you don’t have the money to invest in a proper pair some people just wear skateboarders knee pads which essentially will do the same trick. (pair pictured from Snow & Rock)
3) Helmet – They say you should wear a helmet when on the snow at any time, just look at poor Natasha Richardson who died whilst skiing on the baby slope last year. If you are brave enough to venture into the snowparks for some jumps and tricks many of these now state that you must wear a helmet there. You can get pretty cool helmets now, particular brands I like are Smith, Red, Bern or Protect and if you get a plain helmet you can put stickers on it or do a little artwork to make them more individual. You can expect to pay about €70 upwards for your helmet.
4) Back Protectors – Snowboarders, you really only need to get one of these if you are a more advanced rider. They are great for protecting your back if you are going to be going into the park and doing rails etc.
5) Gloves with wristguards – Again if you are snowboarding, the first rule of thumb is… if you’re going down… keep your elbows and hands into your chest! Do not try and lessen your impact with your hands as the most common injury with snowboarders is broken wrists. You can get gloves with wristguards to protect your wrists, however these are generally on the pricey side but worth the investment.
Don’t go snowboarding or skiing without travel insurance, we use Get Cover (www.getcover.ie) each year as it’s the most reasonable for what you get. If you plan on going off piste this covers you too, as if you’re not covered for off piste your friends will have to drag you back to the run before calling for help as you will not be covered if you leave the designated skiing areas.
I hope you find some of the information above helpful and if you have any questions feel free to ask below in the comment box. I’ve attached a link below for you to look at and I hope by the time you’re back from your holiday you will have perfected the Rodeo 1080…… I only wish I could say it was me on the clip, maybe this year I’ll perfect it myself!
Trench coats are big news for Spring 2010 – Littlewoods Ireland has a great collection in a range of styles and colours. We love this number from Love Label with button fastening to the front and adjustable belt and gold button detail also to the front. Ideal to dress casual with your jeans (ultra skinny to be on trend) and also glam up with a dress!
The Love Label storm flap trench coat, short will cost you €92 (available in black or stone). Skinny jeans are also Love Label – €37 (indigo) and again Love Label leyla flat shoes also in pink, €27. Not bad considering all pieces are so versatile individually.
Littlewoods Spring 2010 collection is now available…
Ski gear was once limited in Ireland with The Great Outdoors being the only place to purchase. Thankfully that has all changed and there are now several stores selling various styles of ski and snowboard gear. (Our avid snowboarder will be filling us in on what to buy and where over the coming days, she may even share some tips with us!)
Kildare Village are one of the more recent places you can purchase ski gear and they sent us a brief outline of what to expect. They have reductions of up to sixty per cent on ski season essentials for men, women, teens and children. They have deals on sportswear for downhill and cross-country skiing and snow boarding, ‘chic’ après ski casuals, cuddly pajamas, footwear and luggage at sale prices. This is what they promise…
What to Buy
Leading athletic brands operating boutiques at Kildare Village can also expertly clothe everyone from top to toe for their favourite snow sport. Find deep discounts on jackets and parkas, matching and co-ordinating salopettes, all-in-ones, fleece wear and hoodies, functional headgear, goggles, ear muffs, waterproof gloves, thermal socks as well as winter boots with soles built for maximum traction.
The Brands
Sale priced The North Face apparel and equipment is tested by athletes for success and survival in extreme conditions. There are bargains on innovative The North Face merchandise including deals on its sought-after items made from high tech fabrics like the Triclimate series of ski jackets and trousers featuring a distinctive‚ “three-in-one‚” shell including a zip-in technical under-layer which can be worn separately. The North Face also carries ”base-layers‚” – that is featherweight items which, once layered, offer maximum warmth. Sounds cozy!
Tog 24’s ski range offers clothing, luggage and accessories for the entire family. All garments are made from breathable, windproof and waterproof high tech fabrics like GORE-TEX, Polartec and Windstopper. So it performs and adapts in all sorts of climates and changeable conditions. Also available at Tog 24 is the Play range – backpacks, jackets and gloves all with fully integrated ipod controls.
Quicksilver’s athletically-tested Quicksilver Snow line is also available. A first choice for champion snow boarders, it comes in edgy patterns, fun, bold colours and earthy natural hues. More of a grunge look snow wear label usually associated to trendy boarders.
Nike’s ski wear collection, ACG, features great deals – its extreme snow sports lifestyle range is complete with hip, high quality hooded jackets and cargo-style ski pants, great for storing phones, wallets etc for a full day on the slopes!
Other Snow Holiday Essentials
N. Peal for luxury cashmere sweaters as you will need an afternoon away from the slopes to recover, this London label is favoured by style legends including Ava Gardner, Jackie Kennedy and Helena Christensen so they must be doing something right! If you haven’t got your suitcase organised Samsonite’s NRG luggage line of bags and backpacks are reduced. A must have to protect your eyes, a good pair of sunglasses and goggles! Sunglass Time carries a reasonably-priced range of sport sunglasses designed to protect the eyes from winter UV glare. They have styles for men and women by Bolle and Oakley, as well as the Sinner range of unisex helmet compatible ski goggles. David Clulow Sunglasses also carries stylish goggles and sunglasses from Oakley as well as premium labels such as Prada, Marc Jacobs and Dior. Perfect for après ski relaxing!
That’s a brief outline of what you can pick up for a ski holiday at Kildare Village so perhaps it’s worth a visit. Watch out for our ski gear shopping tips coming soon…
Yes, it’s still FREEZING! Can you believe the weather? I spent the day yesterday snowboarding in Wicklow, now there’s a sentence I didn’t think I’d write! As it is set to last for another couple of days I’ve jotted down four of my top tips for buying a coat suitable for your body shape…
Coats for pear shaped figures:
The trick here is to draw attention away from your hips, get people to look up! So balance a bigger bottom half with an oversized collar because the extra fabric will draw peoples attention to your neckline and balance out your shape. Littlewoods have this great coat with large collars, the neckline is still open enough to knot a scarf underneath to change the look.
Coats for big busts:
Zip it! There is nothing worse than seeing a person in a top or coat with buttons stretched and looking like they’re going to pop at any moment! Find yourself a coat with a zip as this will close easier and look an awful lot better.
Coats for Small Chests:
Get plaid, animal print or something with a design! Having a design on the coat will draw attention away from your small chest. If you want to ‘pump up the volume’ up top, get a double-breasted coat, it will get the illusion of a larger chest. Awear are carrying this animal print, a trend that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.
Coats for Curvy Bodies:
Debenhams Jasper Conran Trench Coat, €109.
Belt up! A good trench coat with a belt will define your waist and instantly slims, so check out this Jasper Conran trench perfect to ‘trim and slim’ your look! Keeping wrapped up doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your style, just work with what you have and enhance or disguise where needed.
Other than the above necessary items, you should just pack maybe two pairs of jeans, some nice tops as it will be warm in the pubs and clubs, a good pair of boots, remember obviously not suede or toeless! Warm casual gloves a must, scarf, warm casual jacket, hat and need I say it again…. NO 6 inch heels! Remember to bring your iPod to listen to whilst you whizz down the mountain and you may want a little something in a hipflask if your planning on spending a full day up there!
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