Tom Ford A/W 12-13 Collection

I absolutely love Tom Ford - he is bold and daring and his A/W full collection, which has already been worn by Gwynenth Paltrow and Jennifer Lawerence, has finally been released! And it has not disappointed full of dominatrix style leathers tailored clean and classic lines. I am head over heals in love with the evening gowns and the statement jewellery. The full length black velvet one-shoulder dress with crystal detail is absolutely my favourite. Another thing to add to my piggy bank list then...

Running in Heels..or Not

I've had the blog blues this week or at least a list of excuses the length of my arm for not getting my post done on time. I'm mostly blaming getting ready for the St. Patrick's weekend and the fact that we were pitching for a new client this week - that's my story and I'm sticking to it.


Essential things I learned since the last blog; running and cooking in heels is impossible - I don't know how VB does it but she is my hero, I have reverted back to my 4 year old self in the style stakes, wedding budgeting is not much fun when you are on a mission to rediscover your style. I might need to rename my blog thrifty is the new nifty. Finally getting to bed at 4am on a school night no matter how much fun makes me neither productive, well turned out or in the least bit stylish.


In the last blog I set out two challenges for myself firstly to wear high heels every day for the next week and secondly to find something fabulous and green to wear for St. Patrick's day. I would love to say I not only completed my challenges but I enjoyed every second of them but if I did the famous Catholic guilt would eat me alive - I failed and I failed miserably.


1. Wear High Heels everyday for one week

High Heel Gate

I wanted to do this after I had to send myself home early after Florence and the Machine because my feet were aching so badly and I blamed a lack of practice. On the first day I definitely tried I wore four inch shoe boots to a client meeting - my most comfortable pear of heels. Despite feeling like a giant, in an office with girls who are pretty much always in flats, I succeeded. Day 2 had an obstacle that was a media agency cook off with 98FM and Spin. 4 hours of chopping, stirring and eating made my decision to get back into my flats for the proceedings very easy - not that it helped my crab cake dipping sauce which tasted so bad the chef asked whether I had actually followed the instructions....Ooops! Day 3 was a client meeting with my new client a fashion retailer and there was no doubt I required more heels - this time I opted for Nude stilletos... by the time I got home my feet were so sore I had to bathe them in hot water and I didn't even wear them on the three mile hike home! I'm ashamed to say I gave up after this, with the exception of St. Patrick's day when I wore black peep toes and Mother's day when I opted for some Pink wedges, my high heels have remained in the wardrobe. I've decided to try and keep practicing running in heels but I might need to go in search for more comfy shoes than those currently hiding in my wardrobe!




2. Find something stylish and green for St. Patrick's Day

Kate Middleton St. Patrick's day style.

I said I wouldn't lie and I won't. The weekend before last I headed back to my parents to visit my Fiancé and the rest of the family. When I was there the future Mr. Bops decided that with only six months left to the wedding it might be a good idea to do some budgeting to make sure everything is paid for. This was the most depressing Saturday afternoon exercise I have taken part in and so kicked in the wedding budget blues. Our budgeting basically means I am not allowed to spend any money from now until 22nd September - another reason to look forward to the big day post wedding shopping! As any good fashionista know budgeting and saving is not our strength so I predict I might struggle with this over the next 6 months - sorry future mr. bops. And so begins my mission to make thrifty my new nifty. Despite often screaming that I have no clothes at an overflowing wardrobe I did manage to find something stylish and green for St. Patrick's day. I opted for a jade green satin sweet heart neckline dress, with some a black skinny waist belt, pearls and black velvet peep toes for my St. Patrick's night party. Not quite as good as the St. Patrick's day outfits rocked by Kate Middleton as she wore a stunning Emilia Wickstead dress and looked ever the glamorous princess she is.

Peter pilotto
netaporter.co.uk

I'm getting younger - 4 years old precisely

Pastel Peter Pan Collar Love
Zara.com

I have been a girly girl for as long as I can possibly remember - I love bright colours, form fitting clothes, accessories and basically anything which accentuates my femininity. There is nothing better than a dress to symbolise this. In the last two weeks when I have been researching all the spring summer collections I have been inevitably drawn to all the dresses - whether it is sport luxe, florals, pastel brights, aztec patterns or just a classic piece, from high street to high end my love of dresses knows no bounds. When I was four I decided that because I was a girl I should wear only dresses. I point blank refused requests from my mother to wear jeans and even then I was stubborn over my wardrobe when on a holiday to Spain my mum had sneakily purchased a pair of Dungarees I screamed the place down demanding that I be allowed to wear a denim mini skirt, pink polo t-shirt and pumps - despite the fact that it was March and we were going to a night carnival my mum let me have my way. I still remember the freezing cold but I was so stubborn I wouldn't admit that my legs felt like they were going to fall off. Now I think I love dresses for all sorts of reason not least because they are so easy to wear all I have to worry about are shoes and accesories rather than finding matching items. These are some of my favourite dress finds over the last two weeks - Enjoy!




Next Blog Challenges
Having failed miserably at this week's tasks I must try harder or set myself more accessible goals:

Top Shop Flower Love
New instore topshop.co.uk

1. I haven't started adding to my Dublin Street Style board so I am going to aim to do this over the next week - keep an eye on my pinterest boards for updates.


2. If thrifty is my new nifty then a challenge for next week should be to reinvent something already in my overflowing wardrobe


Until next time you can keep updated on how I am getting on between blogs by following me on twitter or pinterest.


Love,
Bops xx

Mellow Yellow Perfection
missselfridge.co.uk

Football, Flowers, Florence and Karl

I was nervous about entry number 2 like a band releasing their second album after a big success - only not so dramatic. I thought my enthusiasm might dwindle and I would have nothing else to declare but instead I found my own personal little heaven and a great excuse to do a lot of window shopping and even more online browsing!

A few essential things I learned this week about my style - firstly I live in Ireland and it is basically still winter, so until it gets a lot warmer a good coat is always a requirement. Secondly I am rubbish at wearing high heels so either I need to practice or I should just give up and lastly light coloured clothing should not be warn somewhere that you are likely to get drink spilled on  you within five minutes of arrival.

Ireland v Czech Republic - Aviva Stadium Dublin

Like every week in advertising there's always something happening but unusually there were three events on in one Wednesday evening - Ireland international football friendly, preview to Wanderlust and tickets to Ollie Murs. What did I decide to do? Go to the football match of course - I'm not going to lie I don't have a clue about football and anything I do know I've picked up listening to the future hubby watching Manchester Utd so I had even less of a clue about what to wear. I went for a laid back look jeans, ankle books and a nude floaty top with a charcoal blazer... the blazer is where I went wrong - it may have been sunny at 2 o'clock but once it got dark sitting outdoor in late February with a light blazer was, I learned, a huge mistake. Luckily my friend Mr. Suit was on hand to lend me his warm coat - who said chivalry was dead? I call him Mr. Suit for the obvious reason that he is always in a really slick suit - arriving at the pub to meet everyon I was about to call him to see where he was (I'd forgotten my glasses and I am blind without them) but then I saw someone in a suit, the only person in a suit - lets just say Mr Suit is the Scott Disick of Dublin. Tailored Suits are his speciality but he's not one for flashing labels as he would say "that's not classy" - keep an eye on my Pintrest street style board I have promised him I will feature him there soon.

Saturday Night - My Style

I am a hoarder usually it's to my disadvantage and even though my wardrobe is bursting at the seams I am often found declaring the line from the Smiths famous Charming Man "I would go out tonight but I haven't got a stitch to wear" (can't write/ read that without singing the line). Getting married and paying for a wedding has made me reassess everything and it is making me extra savvy on my style journey. I love the new spring summer style - the pastels, prints and bright colours are mood changing. I've decided to try and carefully invest on some key pieces from the trend and first up was my pastel coloured jeans from Riverisland. I teamed them up with a white vest, mint green blazer and pastel pink shoes all in the back of my wardrobe from 2 S/S seasons ago. I was happy with the outfit teaming it with gold and pear jewellery until I got outside and realised it was raining - step 1 check outside the window and make sure to be appropriately dressed before leaving the apartment. I met my best friend Louisey Rascal in a club called the Village in Dublin she had already been inside and quickly warned "Might not be the best place for whites and pastels" - she was right within five minutes someone had spilled coke down my back... Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

The Golden Ticket

Challenge: Attend a gig for inspiration

Now for the first of my challenges from last week's blog - to go to a gig and get inspired. Go to a gig I did and what better one to go to and be inspired than Florence and the Machine. First what to wear! I'm getting married this year so buying a new outfit for every occasion just isn't an option I had to find something to inspire me to use clothes that are already in my wardrobe. Thankfully I came across Kanye West and Jay-Z's new album - the cover inspired me to wear something gold. I opted for a Gold Sequined top, black skinnies and gold and purple heels (the ones that broke my feet and sent me home early). And the concert well it was everything you would expect - electric atmosphere, haunting music and unbelievable style. Florence wore a black and gold jump suit which she declared "so tight I can't bend over to pick up the cards", she was graceful and elegant and strong. The gig was utterly awe inspiring. The concert goers - lots of style and lots of Florence replicas, which got me thinking if you are replicating someone else's style are you stealing their identity or is copying the highest form of flattery? I'm still not sure because everything can be related back to something someone has worn before or drawn which for me means that style is less about what you wear and more about how you wear it that is the extension of who we are...

Karl Lagerfied @ netaporter

Challenge: Find the perfect white shirt wardrobe staple

My hunt for the perfect white shirt wardrobe staple was interesting. I must have tried on every white shirt in Dublin from Zara to Warehouse and Tommy Hilfiger to Tom Baker. It turns out finding the perfect white shirt isn't so easy. I started to panic what if I couldn't find the shirt by the next blog...should I satisfy the purchase buzz or wait until I found the perfect one?? My search led me to the new Karl Lagerfield collection at BT2 unfortunately though the intimidating sales assistant looks of "Your size ten figure wasn't made to fit these clothes" made me shy away from attempting to browse. I did what every girl with a laptop does these days and I visited netaporter from the comfort of my living room and browsed the collection at my leisure. It's everything you would expect all blacks, whites and silvers - a younger edgier Chanel and I love it. Enough to admit that its better to wait until I can afford my perfect white shirt than spend for the sake of it...I bought bridesmaid shoes instead to fulfil my need to spend.

The Chanel Bag and Louboutins saving? Well after the first week down its a little slow - lets just say the future mr bops reminded me that as beautiful as Louboutins are they can't create wedding invitations and our guests might need to know where and at what time the wedding was.

Next week's challenges

1. Wear high heels everyday - if VB can carry a baby while wearing 6 inch heels I can at least try to wobble around for a few hours a day in the office

2. Find something green and stylish - St. Patrick's Day is coming up and I am Irish... it must be done even if it is a little cliché

Check my pinterest boards for updates on whats been inspiring me, what I'm wearing and Dublin street style.

Bops xx