While we wear floral clothes all year round, this is the time of the year when floral dresses really pack a punch. They are the epitome of femininity at a time when a lot of clothes are oversized, unisex and shapeless (in my opinion). Somewhere in the midst of all of this, ‘pretty’ is fading into the background, so get out all of your floral pieces and wear them. There are floral chiffon ruffle mini dresses, milkmaid dresses, lace trim maxi dresses, slip dresses, skater dresses, halter neck dresses and angel sleeve midi dresses – all beautiful, so choose your favourite. I recently found the most gorgeous floral corset milkmaid midaxi dress, in black with glorious big red flowers.
Unfortunately we are only getting bits and pieces of sunshine and so many of us love to have sun-kissed skin. Applying fake tan and finding a really good flawless fake tan is always going to take a bit of effort. I can’t say enough about Biabelle Self Tan. I have been using it for quite a while now and it is the bomb! Developed and manufactured in Ireland, this tan is enriched with seaweed extracts and hyaluronic acid, nourishing the skin, as it develops a rich olive tone. Sisters Aoibhinn and Blaithnaid and mum Susan Murphy launched this successful cruelty-free and vegan-friendly beauty business in December 2017. I use the medium self tan foam, it goes on (brown) so smoothly and has a lovely fragrance. At €25, it is an absolute steal; I have been gifted so many other more expensive ones and the coverage has never been quite right or they tend to streak around ankles or knees. Believe it or not, your Dunnes vouchers can be used to buy it, so you end up buying two bottles for €40 instead of €50. This tan also comes in dark and ultra dark and the Instant Tan Cream is also available in three shades. The Face Bronzer Drops at €18 are fantastic for a summer glow.
It’s gig and festival time which, after Christmas, is my favourite time of the year. Who doesn’t love some really good music and a good bop! Time to get out your sparkly bits, wacky jeans, enormous floppy hats, fashion forward wellies, cowboy boots, trendy sunglasses and, most importantly in our climate – a cool rain jacket. Please don’t be that plonker with a large umbrella blocking out everyone else’s view of the stage! If you didn’t get any tickets, watch out for all of the free music events in West Cork this summer. We had an amazing night at the Oasis Tribute Band outside Shanley’s on the night of the Street Carnival in Clonakilty where every age was rocking on the street.
I love how clothes can change your day and lift your mood. Lately, my attire in the late afternoon is leggings or my oldest jeans and old runners and some sort of washable jacket. We are training our two German Shepherd pups so we find ourselves sitting just about anywhere, on the ground, on a ditch and so on, so that we can watch the world go by and expose the boys to every type of distraction. There are lots of slobbery kisses, sometimes on my face and sometimes on my jeans, so there is an entirely new section in my wardrobe labelled ‘Dog Clothes’ and I love it. Circumstances can and will change what you need to wear and when you need to wear it so embrace that. I have downgraded a lot of my clothes so they are now used for dog adventures!
You really need to check out LOVE Beth jewellery. It is owned and founded by Cork based Beth Haughton and, if you love colour and love beads, then her collection will melt your heart. Take it from me, you will become obsessed and can mix and match and layer all of her pieces. Check out her earrings, bracelets, necklaces, rings and anklets on lovebeth.ie.
My one fashion tip for July is to keep a towel and a swimsuit in your car at all times, so if you haven’t put on a swimsuit in years, go out and get one today. Life is for living.
