Brilliant White: How to Wear it Right – Whisty’s Metro Column

Hello!

For those of us who don’t commute first thing in the morning in Dublin, here’s the latest Metro Herald column, How to Wear all-White, right.

Irish summer fashion tends to be a tale of two extremes, half of us are pulling on wellies, denim shorts and Parkas, while the other half are matching fascinators and clutches to Duchess satin dresses. However, in creating all-white ensembles for their S/S’12 collections, designers like Oscar de la Renta, Paul Smith and Stella McCartney (pictured, available at Brown Thomas) have inspired a fresh summer look.

For most of us the wearing of head-to-to white is usually the preserve of sacrament and ceremony. Thankfully this season’s all-white look is more classic-chic and elegance, than pure, unspoilt innocence. We’re not talking about pretty white dresses here, this fashion statement focuses on carefully chosen separates, like tailored trousers and city shorts, (pictured Hobbs €125) loosely-structured blazers and tuxes. (pictured Warehouse €78).

It is about balancing out the girlishness of white with fine, natural fabrics like silk, cotton, leather and Bouclé Tweed. It’s about keeping your silhouette sleek, simple and grown up.

You’re not aiming for a precious princess communion look. NB: Frills and ruffles must be worn with care, if at all. But on the other hand, don’t go for tight-fitting pieces either, choose well-tailored separates to flatter your figure; this look is laid-back, not try-hard.

Choosing simple accessories; plain white fedoras, (pictured River Island €20) flats (pictured Dune €180) and subtle shades are casually summery; if you wear a watch make it white or gold, and masculine (pictured €335 Certina at Brown Thomas), leave the sparkles at home.

If you’re going for all-white then it has to be pristine as do your hair and tan, wearing all-white means you will get noticed. Finally, the right underwear is essential, white shows through almost as much as black so your only option is skin-coloured underwear, under white.

The optimist in me still believes that we’ll get our week or two of summer so I can indulge in this trend. Can you remember a summer day where the threat of being splashed by a dirty puddle didn’t exist? Yeah, me too… Sigh…

Yours,

Whisty Xx

http://e-edition.metroherald.ie/2012/06/28/index.html?p=19

Sinead Doyle A/W’12 Look Book

Hello all…

I’ve been a fan of Sinéad Doyle for a while now. I have watched as her collections have grown and developed over the past couple of years (see A/W’11 here). That progression resulted in some exceptional details in last years autumn/winter collections. The use of sequins, pleats, woven leather and wool and silk corsetry made for a unique and ultimately wearable collection. Double lapels being my personal favourite, the delight was in the detail indeed.

This A/W 2012-13, the ‘Resurgence’ collection still has the details but the collection has taken a more sleek turn. Structured jackets with chiffon sleeves, hoods and leather T.Shirts are key elements as are mixed textures and fabrics; namely knits and wool with leather and chiffon. Although in a mostly grey/black palette, the collection also includes some great, brightly printed separates in pink, gold and blue.

The Hood.

Knit and Leather Dresses.

Chiffon Sleeved Jacket

Coloured Prints

Mixed Textures

Yours,

Whisty Xx

Posted on RTÉ: 4 Season’s in 1 Day Weather!

Hello All,

Here’s a little something I made earlier… RTÉ‘s on-line youth channel TwoTube asked me to give a few hints and tips on how to dress for all season’s in a day and still look good…

Summer in the morning, autumn in the evening, winter at suppertime?!?

The current meteorological trend of four-seasons-in-one-day-weather means that we keep getting caught out in the wrong clothes. Here are Whisty’s tips on how to dress for all seasons in one day, and still look stylish.

• A lightweight Parker (Khaki Green Parker, Topshop £58)
• Shorts or a short skirt (Ruffle Yellow Skirt, Topshop £32)
• Over the knee socks (Grey Knitted Socks, River Island £8)
• Ankle boots (Hi Top Metallic Wedges, Penneys €18)
• A big scarf (rummage in your wardrobe for an old favourite)
• Shades (Heart Burn Out Lens Sunglasses, ASOS £15)
• Chunky Chains, (Silver & Gold, Cross Skull Necklace, New Look £5.99)
• A pretty rucksack (Pink Floral Rucksack, AWear £25)
• A cropped top, (Black Lace Cropped Top, Forever 21 €15.90)
• A sheer jumper , (White and Gold Metallic Top, Dorothy Perkins £25) OR
• A denim or plaid shirt that can be tied around your waist, (Light Denim Shirt with star print pocket, Forever 21 €19.90)

To read the rest….go to TRTÉ here…

Yours, Whisty Xx

Schuh Autumn / Winter 2012 Round Up

Hello,

Shoes certainly do maketh the outfit, from flats to wedge-high tops to no-heel-high heels, anything goes this autumn winter. Schuh stores are a great destination store for loads of shoe brands, I think the last footwear I bought from there were a pair of classic green Hunter Wellies. Thankfully there is far more on-trend and glamour than that in store for the coming season. Including, heels, hi tops, flats and creepers…

Heels

Black velvet and pink floral platform Lita-style boots

Studded (massive) wedges

No heel, studded high heels

Hi Tops

Pastry Buckled, studded hi tops

Nike, suede wedge hi tops

Adidas hi tops with satin bows and heart-shaped tongues

Flats

Velvet bow, patent slipper shoes

Black & White 60′s-inspired ankle boots

Gold embroidery slipper shoes

Creepers

Bronx studded metallic creepers…

Yours,

Whisty Xx

A Style Post: Studded Leopard Print Slipper Shoes

Hey All,

I’ve waited long enough to get a pair and having finally chosen and ordered a pair they arrived last week, my flat slipper shoes. They couldn’t be more OTT if they had heels. Pony skin: check; Leopard print: check; all over spike studs, check, check check. I got them on line at Sheinside.com long with the leather trim blazer.

Keeping the outfit to a black/fawn colour pallet I carried this Kurt Geiger Perspex XL Pouch, it has a wrist strap and the inside purse is attached to the outside at the seams. It reminds me of that 70′s furniture, made from thick brown glass and highly polished chrome, nicely retro.

Leopard Print Studded Slipper Shoes, SheInside.com

White Vest, American Apparel

Faux Leather Leggings, River Island

Leather-Trimmed Blazer, SheInside.com

Sheer Bag, Kurt Geiger

Yours,

Whisty Xx

This months Metro Herald Style Column

Hey All,

Here’s my monthly Blogger Style column from the Metro Herald.

Metro Life is taking style advice from the people who really
know their stuff, with a rotating panel of bloggers giving
their top style tips. This week it’s fashion fiend Whisty of
whisty.wordpress.com

Even though we all own at least one pair, jeans are only really a trend-focus when a new shape has arrived. For example, as the skinny landed, off went the low-rise boot cut, in much the same way as it’s taper-legged forefather ten years before hand.

When the new jean shape arrives, so does the realisation that our go-to favourite pair will no longer suffice, and panic sets in. But go along with it you must, because rare is the item of clothing that can inform the world just how ‘last year’ you are as succinctly as your old jeans can.

This season however jeans are in focus not because we have a new shape but because we have a new colour. And not just one; from brilliant devil red at AWear (pictured €38) to sea foam green at Warehouse (pictured €52) jeans are anything but stone wash blue in 2012.

This season we have as much choice in the colour of our jeans as we do in the tops we’re wearing them with. But herein lies a problem, it is one thing deciding that you’re going to try, say for example, lilac jeans from Asos (pictured), but what do you wear them with? Our blue / black denims go with everything, but those Watermelon coloured Hudson jeans from Brown Thomas (pictured €220)…? I’m not so sure.

I have discovered however, that teaming summer jeans with classic pieces that are already in my wardrobe seems to work. Breton tops for example, with their classic navy and white stripes balance out vibrant denim perfectly. And for paler pastel-toned jeans (see pale peach at Warehouse pictured €52), classic white vests and blazers create a sugary summer pallet. Leather biker jackets are also perfectly suited to bright denim, balancing out feminine colours with edgier lines.

Plus by teaming them with a pair of heels and some chunky gold jewellery, you’re ready for a night out with the girls. Try doing that in your stone-washed boot cuts… they probably wouldn’t let you out of the taxi.

Yours,

Whisty Xx