Since this photo of myself became the most popular post on Facebook of late, I decided to expand on it a little…
This dress was purchased as a birthday gift from Miss Daisy Blue, a fantastic vintage boutique in the heart of Cork city, and worn here on my birthday. Buying vintage always feels like a special treat. In these days of mass produced fashion, there is something really lovely about browsing in a boutique where there is only one of everything. We are all unique after all, so our wardrobes should reflect that. This dress is a one-off piece. I was really drawn to the mix of colours (light tones suit my fair colouring) and the gorgeous print, which combine to give this 50’s dress a surprisingly contemporary feel. That is why vintage fashion endures, the styles are classic and still inspire modern designers each season.
I’m the kind of shopper who thinks carefully before buying, who keeps her clothes for many years, wears them and loves them. Many wardrobe items come and go, but I know I’ll keep this forever. I love the idea of “forever fashion”, clothes that have a history, a story, that you pull out again and again and enjoy wearing each time. My mum, Martha, would have been a big influence here. I’m sure I inherited her love of quality fashion and vintage pieces. She worked in the original Jenny Vander in Dublin when she was pregnant with me, so perhaps I absorbed something there! Of course I’ve always been fascinated with fashion history and costume, which led me to start out my career in the theatre, and I now happily combine the two, costume and fashion…
Wearing vintage is of course not the same as wearing fancy dress. Like with any outfit, you shouldn’t feel like you are wearing a costume, you should still feel like you, a version of you at least! Mixing vintage with modern pieces will help with this. I styled this simply with a skinny cream belt with a gold clasp, and chunky nude sandals, items I already had. This dress was such fun to wear and made me feel feminine, girly and fabulous. I’m sure many more outings will follow. A little vintage… a whole lot of fun! x