Fashion advice from J.Crew's Jenna Lyons... and from me

I just stumbled across this piece from November 2013 on The Guardian's fashion blog. It has some interesting advice from Jenna Lyons, creative director of the iconic American brand J. Crew.

My favourite: "But we're not about clothes you buy because they're on trend, we're about beautiful pieces you buy because you want to wear them every day."

Trends are great - especially when you're a teenager and want to fit in. But it's so much more interesting to define and express your own personal style, and to do that, you'll want to build your own collection of beautiful pieces.

So, my own mantra goes something like this:

If you absolutely love it, buy it

This comes with a couple of provisos. If it costs so much that you'll end up being evicted - leave it behind. If it costs a small fortune and you have nowhere to wear it, wish it well and go on your way.

You can always look for it on eBay , The Outnet, or yoox.com later.

I'll never forget the amazing, pleated red silk Alberta Ferretti dress I tried on in Rome, way back in 2006. Alas, it cost almost €1,000, and with a paltry pay cheque and no hot dates on the horizon, I reluctantly put it back on the hanger.

I learned a very important lesson that day: only travel to Italy when the sales are on.

I also found where there's an Aeffe outlet store. If you're really nice to me, maybe I'll tell you about it some day. 

Possibly the dress that got away, via Style.com

Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York

Sculpture of a woman holding a wreath, Green-Wood Cemetery, New York

If you've visited New York before, you've probably already shopped till you dropped and seen all the sights Manhattan has to offer. Maybe a trip a little further afield is in order - to Brooklyn, the borough of kings. There's no shortage of attractions, and many have the added advantage of being easy on the pocket.

Among them is Green-Wood Cemetery, which once rivalled Niagara Falls as one of North America's most popular places to visit. While it may not have the same spooky charms as London's famous Highgate Cemetery, its beautiful landscaping inspired the later developments of Central Park and Brooklyn's own Prospect Park.

And if you feel peckish after visiting Green-Wood...

To turn to matters more worldly, if you need to grab breakfast, lunch or something sweet for an energy boost,  you'll find Baked in Brooklyn nearby. Simply turn left out of the main gates from Green-Wood and cross the road.



The coffee is nothing special - like most New York coffee, I'm afraid - but the baked goods are amazing! Treat yourself to a sinfully good pastry or cupcake, or one of the many varieties of freshly baked bread.

For something more substantial, you can also grab a sandwich or salad from the fridge.
There are few seats at the window counter or on the solitary bench outside, otherwise get your goodies to go.

It's open 7am-7pm Monday through Saturday, but closes early on Sunday, at 4pm. If you get there shortly before closing, you'll probably be able to pick up some deals too...

Looking for Lola Montez

Lola Montes by Joseph Karl Stieler (1831). 
Nymphenburg Palace, Munich 

Courtesan, adventuress, dancer, and bigamist: Lola Montez is one of Irish history's most colourful women.  In an age when most women were dutiful wives and mothers, she travelled to four continents and her entanglements led to the downfall of a monarch.

Video: Surfing in Ireland

In the absence of my doing any actual surfing at the moment...


Four In One Official Trailer from CMP Productions on Vimeo.


I prefer my waves a touch more mellow. Better for aerials (LOL).

Favourite music of 2014

2014 was a great year for music.  In no particular order, here's 25 of my favourites from the year gone by.

Survive the (fashion) horror: What to wear for the zombie apocalypse

I love a good zombie. Hell, I even love a bad zombie. (Resident Evil: Retribution excepted as it was just plain awful. Clones ruin everything, and where I Alice get that catsuit anyway?)

When the zombie apocalypse hits, it won't be easy to wash your clothes, so make sure you choose colours that won't show the dirt so much. Think 'puddle of sludge' - drab greens and browns are your friends.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0432021/
Resident Evil Extinction: Awww, cheer up guys, at least you're colour coordinated!
You could decide to stick to a neutral palette - this will make it easier to integrate any new pieces you scavenge into your capsule wardrobe.

Or, y'know, don't:
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