I’ve been inspired by these various images. Hope you get inspired too… Wish you all a lovely Sunday!
With love, Whit
photos: froufrouu.com / fashiontoast.com / tumblr.com
Out with the old…in with the OLDER!
This week I visited another Irish vintage shop, Mercury Goes Retrograde in Cork City.
It’s located at the side entrance of The Savoy at No.19 Drawbridge St., Cork and is run by the delightful Mary Jo who set the store up last March (nearly one year old!) because she felt there were enough people in Cork interested in style who would support a vintage store.
If you’ve never worn vintage before, (males or females) Mercury Goes Retrograde is a great store to start off with.
Mary Jo has a huge selection from jackets and jeans to evening wear and costume jewellery. There is a wide range of sizes and styles to choose from.
Often Irish vintage stores can have limited stock due to a small customer pool so you might find it difficult to find something you love. Not here! And the wonderful thing is, Mary Jo has no problem letting her customers play dress-up as she knows that’s half the appeal of wearing vintage so don’t be intimidated about going in and checking what the craze is all about!
I persuaded my sister, Carolyn to model some of the dresses (thank you!) so hopefully you can get a better idea of what they look like on.
If you have never worn vintage before, Mary Jo suggests “it might be fun to purchase something for a special occasion as a good vintage dress is sure to help one stand out from the crowd for all the right reasons- vintage styles can be more flattering and the colours are usually more vibrant!”
Here is a selection of special occasion dresses…
The first piece is a beautiful Spanish style red dress (€75). 
This is perfect for a black tie ball and is different from the normal dresses that formal boutiques stock. It can be worn with a black fur jacket draped over your shoulders and because of the details in the dress, accesories can be kept to a minimum.
Next is this very feminine shift dress in icy blue with a darker blue lace slip over the dress which opens up at just one side.
This dress is an absolute bargain at €45. As with most shift dresses however, this piece will suit women with slimmer frames who are smaller in the chest area.
For something super special, there is this 80′s turquoise dress (€75) with jewel detail at the neck and an elegant drop back. This could be worn to a wedding or formal event or even teamed with black tights for a partywear look. It is a statement dress which will catch everyone’s attention.
Finally, the last of the occasion dresses is this royal blue chiffon piece (€32). It is a less formal look more suited to partywear. It is teamed here with a muskrat fur jacket (€95) and a two-strand pearl necklace (€15).
So if you’ve already purchased your first special occasion vintage piece, why not try integrating some pieces into your daytime look?
This next outfit is a typical vintage look which can be worn all year round. The t-shirt is €17, (there are many similar ones in different colours and paying homage to all kinds of things!) these men’s skinny Levis jeans are €30, sunglasses are €14 and the bag is €17. This look is trendy and can be more affordable and authentic looking when purchased vintage, but would cost you much more in a high-street retailer like Topshop.
Mary Jo travels to different wholesalers and markets around Europe, mainly the UK, to source for her shop. This pattern of buying vintage began when she was just 12 years old. She and her sister would travel to London twice annually to buy all of their clothes. Wish we could say we were that cool!
Mary Jo on choosing pieces for her shop…
“When buying I pay no heed to current
trends, I only look at the quality and style of a garment.
Cork has an eclectic style and there are more than just me who do not
follow catwalk trends religiously.”
Mary Jo on why vintage buying is a good idea…
“I love vintage because of the individual looks you can create with it, looks
no one else will have. Also the quality of the clothes is much better
than now – these clothes are often still perfect after 40/50 years
whereas now we live in a society that buys, wears and bins clothing in
quick succession often because the quality of the clothes is not good.”
Mary Jo on her environmentally friendly ethos…
“I am a believer in creating as little waste as possible and
vintage clothing fits in well with my environmentally friendly ethos.
I have no bags for the shop, I only reuse whatever bags people bring
in to me…this is purely for environmental reasons.“
Mary Jo on style…
“Style, for me, is a look that flatters and suits the wearer and stands
out from the crowd. It does not need to mimic catwalk looks or
highstreet fads. Someone once said that fashion is transient but style
is forever, and I agree.“
Last week, we took a look at the Trendsetters of 2010 but what about the vintage world where trends are not followed? Who are the timeless style icons?
First up, Mary Jo cites 29 year old French model and actress Lou Doillon as her number one style icon.
Following her, Mary Jo names New York based DJ and model Leigh Lezark…
and finally actress Chloe Sevigny…
We can’t dispute her choices!
My sister skipped off for band practice so I lost my model! (Shameless plug for her band, FRED, click for link). However, I couldn’t leave the shop without showing you a few more dresses…
Orange dress (€), Turqoise dress with cream lace detail on shoulder (€38), hat (€22), red dress with gold threading and gold tassel (€35).
If you are interested in buying vintage, Mercury Goes Retrograde is the perfect place to start or continue! Mary Jo is friendly and helpful and can help you find items that suit your personal style. You can check out the shop on Facebook or by clicking on the store’s name here. Happy Shopping!
Note from the author: Thanks to everyone who has subscribed/read so far! Feel free to leave comments or suggestions here or e-mail littlemisslilly@live.ie
Trend-setters of 2010
Every year, a handful of celebrities dictate trends more powerfully than the world’s biggest fashion houses.
What makes a trend-setter is someone with global success in their field but also someone who women like.
If you take a look back at the trendsetters of recent years - Sienna Miller, Kate Moss, Alexa Chung and Katie Holmes…to name a few… These women weren’t always seen tightly sewn into couture gowns, dripping with jewels and parading around in ten-inch heels. Actually, all of these trend-setters embodied a style that was ‘thrown-together’ chic, with bed hair, baggy tops, skinny jeans, flower print tea dresses, blazers etc….a look that is accessible to women everywhere.
You don’t have to be rolling in money or super skinny to copy these superstars and that’s what has made their looks so easy to mimic.
While we love to look at the outrageous outfits of Gaga…at the end of the day, the biggest celeb trend-setters are the ones with an accessible style and that are LIKEABLE.
Trend-setters don’t threaten women with their steel poses and skin-tight clothes, they don’t flaunt their sexuality in revealing numbers, instead they appeal to the femininity of women and make us feel like we too can dress like stars everyday!
Some of the biggest style crushes of 2010 included:
Carey Mulligan, 25, English actress- fashion critics everywhere doted over this girl. With her elfin look and her throwback to the 50′s style, she has scored high in the fashion stakes all year. And look at her! She’s the type of girl you couldn’t say boo! to for fear she’d cry. She ooooozes the likeable factor, her face is adorable, her style is classic, her attitude is modest…all in all, she’s the kind of girl you wouldn’t mind your boyfriend thinking is cute!
Olivia Palermo,24, American actress/socialite- Olivia Palermo got pretty lucky this year! Not many “actresses” can cross over from bubblegum reality (The City) to actually being taken seriously. This girl has the style of Kate Moss and Sienna Miller however she combines it with a highly groomed, ‘Upper East Side’ look as opposed to ‘thrown-together’ chic. Her U.S.P (unique selling point) however, is her excellent eye for accessories and the ability to work patterns, colours and styles together in a way we never would have thought of!
Christina Hendricks, 35, American Actress – Christina has become a style icon through her character, Joan Holloway in the hit series Mad Men. Christina has curves in all the right places and has a figure we don’t often see in Hollywood. The 50′s style is one which shows off the female silhouette, oozes sex appeal and Holloway’s wardrobe is made up of jewel and royal colours.
Alexa Chung (again), 27, English model and presenter - Alexa Chung isn’t going anywhere.!She has won the hearts of viewers in the UK and Stateside with her down-to-earth personality and girlie dress sense. She famously (and cleverly) once said that she would much rather women would like her outfit than men. No mini-skirts and boob-tubes here! Alexa Chung could have dressed the way she did today when she was six years old and that’s what makes her so endearing. It also helps that she (quite oddly, although attractively) looks like a cat or a puppy.
A staple look for Chung: A cartoon print t-shirt, flower print high-waisted midi skirt, cardigan resting on the shoulders, shoes and ankle socks (see above for more).
Blake Lively, 23, American actress – Ok so your boyfriend/brother/moany male work colleague doesn’t understand the big fuss about fashion?!! But he definitely understands the fuss about Blake Lively!She has been one of the hottest stars of 2010 and was recently announced as the face of Chanel for 2011.
She’s only 23…how unsuccesful do we feel!!!! There’s something about Lively though that women are attracted to, maybe it’s the likeable character she has played for years as Serena Van der Woodsen in Gossip Girl. Also, being part of that series certainly helped make her the trend-setter she has become. During the day, she is California laid-back in denim hot pants and a tank top but on the red carpet, she reminds us of the supermodels of the 1990′s – tall, tanned, long locks, rocking body…I could go on but I’ll save it… She’s also daring and confident with shapes and colours and at that age, why shouldn’t she be!
So….there’s a poll below of who you think is the hottest of the aforementioned stars…there’s one for girls and one for boys….let’s see if the guys think these trends are hot or not!
Coming soon: Predictions for the trend-setters of 2011!!
Vintage Kilkenny
Last week I had the pleasure of visiting Kilkenny for the first time and what a stylish little city it is. What’s great is that it’s full of independently owned boutiques and shops that have managed to survive being swallowed up by chain stores like so many other Irish towns.
Strolling around, I came across a photography studio with quirky shots in the window. Shutterbug is run by a brother and sister team, Eoin and Blanaid. Together they have combined their photography and fashion skills to come up with a unique experience for their clients.
Blanaid has an impressive C.V and among her creative talents, she is a freelance interiors and fashion writer and currently writes interiors features for the Irish Independent newspaper and the Irish Independent Weekend magazine. She is also one half of The Stylebitches, a satirical fashion and gossip blog, with Laura Cunningham.
Booking with Shutterbug includes a range of experiences. One can book a shoot for themselves or a group and be treated to a vintage makeover with Blanaid. There are a range of vintage clothes in the studio which you can also purchase at reasonable prices. As part of your package you will be treated to a hair and make-up consultation, be styled by the fabulous Blanaid, shot by Eoin (who is very friendly and easy on the eye which always helps!) and just in case a spot grew on your chin during the shoot, your photos will be airbrushed afterwards!
You can check out the price list on the website, just click on the name Shutterbug here.
While I was at the studio, I didn’t get to meet Blanaid because she was in Berlin sourcing some new pieces for the store so Eoin was in charge. He sold me this vintage leather belt for a whopping €3.50 (and yes you read that correctly!). I was pretty chuffed to say the least, I don’t think he realised its worth!
I would highly recommend checking out the studio if you’re taking a trip to Kilkenny or looking for an original gift idea for someone stylish. Check out some of their work…
To top off your day, another little gem I found in the town was Bridies which looks like an old-fashioned sweet shop until you realise there’s a pub out the back. The barman said it had been recently revamped…to look fashionably old! So once you’ve had your shots taken, you could hit up Bridies for a hot port!
One of the boys…
Are us girls are taking things one step too far??
So determined are we to be equal to the less fairer sex, we are taking the male fashion staple of the tuxedo and showing that we can make it our own.
Earlier in the year, Oukast revealed their prodigy, Janelle Monae to the world. The ‘Tightrope’ star proved she could fit alongside the boys nicely in her smart tuxedo and this statement has influenced fashionistas ever since. This look is pretty much Monae’s staple style and she can work it in many different ways changing things up with feminine bows instead of ties, high-waisted pants, denim shorts instead of pants and even a tutu instead of pants! Check it out…
To pull off this trend you can mix the following…
- A blazer – any colour fitted to show a feminine silhouette
- Replacing the blazer with a short military jacket or a tailored leather jacket
- High-waisted pants
- Brightly coloured bows/scarfs to replace ties or for your hair
- Coloured tights
- A good white shirt or print shirt
- Braces for your skirt/pants/shorts
- A satchel bag
- Leather pants/leggings
- A playsuit
- Coloured lipstick
- Bowler hat, NOT black trilby á-la-Britney (Me Against the Music )
If you need more inspiration, take a look at how these celebs do androgynous chic or…not so chic!
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This look is very on-trend right now however all of the above are staple items for your wardrobe and can be mixed and matched with different trends in the up-coming seasons.
Kate Middleton slammed for wearing black and being thin
The future princess attended a wedding with her fiancé at the weekend and made the unusual choice of wearing black. UK tabloid The Daily Mail have slammed her outfit choice with the headline,
Hope you won’t wear black on April 29, Kate… and a few hearty meals might fill out your wedding dress
Expect any future spaces in media content to be filled with mindless discussion of Kate and William’s relationships, Kate’s fashion choices and how she compares with the late Diana. Painful really. Although if you were Kate’s mate getting married you would have really hoped it would be your big day and I’d be a bit annoyed she couldn’t have picked a less attention-grabbing outfit. Oh well…what Kate is wearing is one thing, but pity about the skirt, patent shoes and Daddy’s jacket given to the page-boy behind her.
Mademoiselle Lively
Karl Lagerfield has announced Gossip Girl/The Town star Blake Lively as the new face of Chanel saying “Her spontaneity and fresh, youthful image have convinced Chanel that she is the right person to represent the house and this range of bags.” She will front the ‘Mademoiselle’ handbag range which will be available from mid-March.
Does Blake fit in with her predecessors?
Miranda Kerr gives birth
Orlanda Bloom and Miranda Kerr have created a hybrid of their good looks and talent in the form of a baby boy who was born last Thursday. 
In more baby news, expecting bundles of joy is Victoria Beckham and Marion Cotillard. This is the first child for 35 year old Cotillard and her actor/director boyfriend Guillaume Canet and the fourth child for the Beckhams.
Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman – how can one girl be so lucky! The star of upcoming psychological thriller, ‘Black Swan,’ Natalie received the Desert Palm Actress Achievement Award on Saturday at the Palm Spings International Film Festival. Portman who is always a trend-setter, is now a leading fashion example for expectant mothers in this outfit which twists the classic tuxedo for a feminine look. This dress is from the Vionnet Spring/Summer collection.If you look closely – you can see her bump, an unusual fashion accesory but not one you can buy in stores!
Black Swan
