Nicky Hambleton Jones at Dundrum

One of TV’s best known stylists, Nicky Hambleton Jones will be headlining a style event at Dundrum Town Centre this weekend.

Saturday, Sept. 12th, will see her “offer exclusive advice on how to best dress to suit your shape and provide insights into the latest up and coming trends for the new season”. With the help of volunteers, Nicky will also be showing us how to “wear the right colours and how to finish off a look with the right accessories“.

There will be a whole team of experts at the one-day event including, Laura Bermingham, beauty editor of The Mail on Sunday who will share beauty tips; Toni & Guy hair stylists; make-up artist Paddy McGurgan and nail “technician”, Peter Gilroy.

The event, called Appletizer Stylefix, is running all day from 9am – 7pm and the best bit is, on the most part it’s all free. If you do have a beauty treatment you have the option of donating the cost of it to Action Breast Cancer instead. For more info go to Dundrum Town Centre’s Facebook page.

River Island Summer Sale 2009

It started today! Need I say more? Oh yeah, River Island an Dundrum Town Centre opens at 7am tomorrow (July 18th).

Gotta Get to this Sale Early

Dundrum Town Centre is getting a good nights sleep tonight; but it’s early to bed and early to rise because tomorrow morning, (Saturday July 18th) Next and Lipsy are opening at 4am to kick of their summer sales, followed by River Island at 7am.

There will be places open from 5am to grab a bite or a much needed caffeine fix too, so don’t worry about nodding off in the changing rooms! The Next sale is renown for being utterly bargainous and insanely popular and this season’s sale is set to be no different. The retailer have said that EVERY piece in their sale will have a discount of 50% or more off! The Lipsy store only opened in May and proved to be an immediate hit with some line selling out instantly; this is defo a sale to head to early if you want nab a bargain frock before it’s too late.

If Money was no object…Zac Posen

…this incredible Zac Posen Maxi leopard print creation would be my dress for summer. Teamed with gold accessories; glads, clutch, bracelets…? oh stop!

As it stands money is very much an object; so I shall instead dive into Dorothy P’s and nab this equally fab leopard print maxi for €35!!!

N.B: Zac Posen is available from Harvey Nichols at Dundrum

www.harveynichols.com

Alternative Ways to Tie a Scarf

It’s time to dig out your silk scarves; Summer is the perfect season to make the most of them and the geniuses at Hermès have come up with a novel way of showing us just how we can. I was recently given a pack of their Cartes à Nouer or Knotting Cards and this is a small selection of the ways in which you can knot your silk (or otherwise) scarves. From traditional around-the-neck to wearing them on your head and even making tops out of them, the cards feature photographs of how the scarves would look and on the reverse of each card, pretty diagrams on how to tie a scarf to achieve the look. Totally inspirational!

Cards 1&2, Neck Ties – (L) Cowboy & Écharpe

Cards 3&4, Head Ties – (Hat) Ruban de Chapeau & (Head) Chignon Couture

Cards 4 & 5, Tops -(L) Top au Carré & Robe Asymétrique

Hermès Scarves are available in Brown Thomas on Grafton Street.

Tie Rack have similar style silk scarves for a fraction of the price, their stores are on Grafton Street, Stephens Green Shopping Centre and Dundrum Town Centre.

Cartes à Nouer

Beyond the Fringe-ing

For the last season or so celebs from London to Hollywood have been spotted dressed down with slouchy suede fringe bag over their shoulders. From Kate Moss to Blake Lively to Kate Hudson, they all seem to love wearing the tribal-trend, fringed bag. With the Hollywood contingent preferring to carry the gorgeous JJ Winters suede fring bag.

Clockwise from left: Vanessa Hudgens, Kate Hudson, Blake Lively, Ashley Tisdale and Kate Moss all with gorgeous fringe bags.

I love the way that fringing both softens an outfit and gives it an edge, it moves beautifully as you walk and this Warehouse one is made of such soft leather. This is why today as I was wandering through Dundrum Town Centre looking at the dozens of random sales signs I had to grab it.

At €59 it isn’t the cheapest bag in the world but it is a perfect accessory for all my new summer outfits, the strap is adjustable so I’ll be wearing it long and cross-body to keep my shades and sunscreen in!

Bridging the Gap Between Designer & High Street

I was waiting until all the fuss had died down before I ventured into Ireland’s first stand alone Gap store. Having just read an article on US Vogue’s website style.com, I’ll be heading over there right now; apparently New York designer, Carolina Herrera, is a big fan.

It seems the team at Vogue had spotted her wearing one of her trademark crisp white shirts that was monogrammed with her initials (C de H no less) and asked where they came from. She responded enthusiastically and said that “I was in heaven when (Gap designer) Patrick (Robinson) sent me the shirts”. Apparently she was sent 12 of them and had them all monogrammed, six in red and six in blue. Herrera went on to say, “They fit perfectly, I love them and I wear one almost everyday.”

What a fabulous idea, personalised clothing! Carolina Herrera is known for her elegant designs created in rich fabrics and if she is out wearing Gap shirts everyday I’ll follow her lead. The new Gap store is on the 2^nd floor at Dundrum, you can buy your shirt from there and then bring it into Prospect Designs on Montague lane, just off Harcourt Street, to get your initials embroidered on by them.

If that wasn’t enough inspiration for you, screen siren Marilyn Monroe was a fan of the monogrammed white shirt too…

Luscious Lipsy

The sun’ll come out tomorrow…

Well, maybe not but there is certainly something that will brighten up my day; glam frock brand Lispy is opening its very own doors for the first time in Dundrum tomorrow, May 19th, 2009.

Yes, their first stand alone store in Ireland is set to open tomorrow with the “official” opening Thursday 21st, when Dancing on Ice competitor, Jessica Taylor will be cutting the ribbon in true glam style at 3pm. Popstars from both sides of the Atlantic are huge fans of the brand, with everyone from Lily Allen to Lady Gaga wearing it. The dresses are fashion forward, glamorous and totally within the average girls fashion budget.

Their latest collection not only has the sexy dresses that Lipsy are famous and successful for but also accessories, leggings, tops, skirts, jumpsuits and more. Plus they also have a ultra-glam VIP range for something really hot. Let’s hope that the full collection will be available at the opening of Dublin’s newest fashion boutique tomorrow.

Here are two campaign shots from the latest shoot, more to follow:

Get Cheryl’s look for less

Whatever you may think of Cheryl Cole as a person, you would be hard pressed not to agree that she certainly has an eye for trends and is incredibly stylish. Now and again her WAG -ness goes a little over board (x-factor nights anyone?) but generally speaking Cheryl looks great.

On this TV appearance, (Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, BBC1) she was wearing Les Chiffoniers, leggings of the season, but hoorah!, much to my delight I found a similar look  but for a fraction of the cost and all from Dundrum…

Posh Tea in Dundrum

Pret-a-Portea comes to Harvey Nichols Dundrum…

Fresh from a stint at glorious department store, Bergdorff Goodman during New York Fashion Week (NYFW), (spotted in an episode of The City fashion factsters), London’s chicest hotel The Berkeley’s ultimate fashionista lunch, Pret-a-Portea, will take a short visit to Dublin at the end of the month!

With delicious goodies inspired by the biggest names and most iconic pieces in fashion, the First Floor restaurant at fashion Mecca, Harvey Nichols in Dundrum, will be awash with quirky style from April 28th to May 2nd!

During NYFW fashion forward foodies munched on a Michael Kors’ Regatta dress mousse, a Chanel quilted handbag Petite four and a pretty cookie version of a Christian Louboutin shoe. Similar treats are promised to be served at Dundrum, with rumours of Lanvin, Balmain and Christopher Kane inspired goodies.

I’m not 100% convinced that the €75 price tag on cakes and cookies for two is really worth it though, but if you have the cash to splash and you want to indulge your fashion passion then this is such a cute way of doing it! Naturally you get a glass of bubbly with your treats and the chance to browse the real thing after you have devoured the sugary copies!

www.dundrum.ie/happening.asp?nid=745

www.harveynichols.com

www.the-berkeley.co.uk