I'll Paint You Mornings Of Gold, I'll Spin You Valentine Evenings

A few weeks ago I met with the lovely Sandra who owns Lulu and Belle Jewellery, an online jewellery brand based in north county Dublin. We had been following each other on social media for a while and I was delighted when she asked if I'd be interested in meeting up and chatting about styling some of her jewellery. She selected some of her gold pieces that she thought would suit my style and she was spot on, I loved everything.

Last weekend I wore two of the pieces, the open hoop earrings and initial necklace and we took some photos in the freezing cold Merrion Square, somewhere we've never used as a location before. I wanted the jewellery to be the main focus so I tried to keep the outfit, hair and makeup quite minimal.   I feel like the outfit was subconsciously inspired by my love of Marisa Tomei (especially in Only You). 

Coat- ASOS
Shirt- New Look
Trousers- New Look
Scarf- Zara
Bandana- ASOS (similar here)
Bag- Penneys/Primark (similar here and here)
Shoes- Marks and Spencer (similar here and here)
Socks- Penneys/Primark
Lipstick- Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk
Nails- Essie Eternal Optimist
Jewellery c/o Lulu and Belle

I've mentioned recently how my preference over the past few years has been for more minimalistic jewellery. As you can see, the earrings and necklace are so pretty and delicate and could be incorporated into so many different looks. I'm so impressed that Sandra picked pieces that I was drawn to myself. I've been wearing at least one of them every day since I got them and I've gotten so many compliments. The jewellery is 14K gold filled meaning that the quality is excellent. The pieces are handmade to order and Sandra is more than happy to customise each piece however you like whether it be length, size or personalised with names or initials. She also has sterling silver options which is great for anyone who isn't a fan of gold.

Lulu and Belle Jewellery is available to buy on Etsy and Not On The High Street and a new website will be coming in the next couple of months too. You can also follow on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

What kind of jewellery do you like to wear, silver, gold or both? Do you like statement jewellery or a more minimal style?

Emma x

*This post was not sponsored, the items were kindly gifted to me by Lulu and Belle. All opinions expressed are my own.

All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun

We braved the freezing weather last weekend to take photos of an outfit I based around my new Aire Shirt from the second Archive by Alexa collection for Marks and Spencer. 

I still adore the Frances Trench and Misty Dress from the first collection that I featured earlier in the year so when I heard that there was going to be a second collection I was so excited to see how it would compare to the first one. I was drawn to the metallic Aire Shirt straight away when I saw the campaign images. It's based on a design from the 80s and I loved the embroidered details on the collar and pocket as well as the neck tie and scalloped edge on the cuffs. 

Shirt- Marks and Spencer
Coat- New Look (similar here and here)
Skirt- Monsoon (similar here, here and here)
Boots- Primark (similar here, here and here)
Bag- Zara (similar here and here)
Fur Collar- Chicwish (similar here and here)
Earrings- Accessorize (similar here)
Lipstick- Clinique Nude Pop

I wasn't sure about the material of the shirt when I first tried it on as it's not exactly very soft, but I actually don't mind it at all, if it had been made from a softer material it wouldn't have the same look. The reason I went for this shirt over the other items in the collection that are maybe a bit more wearable is that it's different from anything else I've seen on the high street. I loved this printed pieces too but I limited myself to one thing and this shirt was it.

You may have seen my Winter Wardrobe Wishlist last month in which I mentioned some patent boots from New Look that were sadly sold out in my size. I had to give up on them but luckily when I was in Liverpool earlier this month I spotted these boots in Primark that I had seen on Instagram and couldn't find in Penneys here in Dublin. They were very similar to the New Look boots except with a lower (and different coloured) heel and they were only £12 so I couldn't pass them up despite only having a carry on bag for the plane. I'm delighted I ended up getting these instead of the New Look ones because the quality is practically the same and they were a third of the price and much easier to walk in so I'll get more wear out of them.

I got this coat in New Look on sale last year and I've worn it so much. I like that the grey colour is different from the usual leopard print coats. This is pretty much the opposite to my last outfit post. More accessories and print and textures, but I like trying something different and not always wearing the same thing. I've made a couple of "Black Friday" purchases that I'm looking forward to styling when they arrive.

Did you get anything in the sales? What do you think of the second Archive by Alexa collection?

Emma x

The First Faint Noise Of Gently Moving Water

This day six years ago I decided on a whim to start Ol' Green Eyes. I could never have imagined how my life would change during those six years. It's unbelievable how many opportunities this blog has afforded me and how many wonderful people I've met a lot of whom I now count as friends. Although it may not seem like a lot to some, this little blog is one of the things I am most proud of in my life. The countless hours spent reading, writing, editing, taking photographs, trying out products, researching and attending events all for the love of keeping this blog going for the simple fact that I love it.

What better way to celebrate the sixth anniversary of the blog than with a set of outfit photos, one of my favourite kinds of posts to put together. I was so lucky to be off work this week for one of the best stretches of good weather we've had in Ireland in a long time. We went to Sandycove beach and Dun Laoghaire yesterday and when I saw this wall which I've passed by and admired many times, I thought it would be the perfect backdrop to photograph my new red dress.

Dress- Alexa Chung for Marks and Spencer

Jacket- New Look

Shoes- Topshop

Sunglasses- eBay

Bag- Etsy (Ms Tips Vintage)

Lipstick-Revlon Strawberry Suede (discontinued)

Nails- Max Factor Vivid Vermillion


I bought the Archive by Alexa Misty Dress a few weeks ago after continuously eyeing it up since the collection launched. I finally caved and I'm so glad I did because it fits beautifully and I adore the colour and print. It's such a gorgeous Summer dress and I'll definitely be taking it on holiday with me because the fabric is great in the hot weather. I wanted to dress it down for daytime so I wore it with my oversized New Look denim jacket and my new Topshop Cyprus trainers (which are so comfortable!).

I've had the bag and sunglasses for years. I got the sunglasses for less than $2 on eBay and I've had more compliments on them than any of my other sunglasses. I got this binoculars bag from a vintage seller on Etsy and I bring it out every Summer. It's amazing quality and surprisingly roomy.

Lastly I'm wearing one of my favourite lipsticks Strawberry Suede by Revlon as it matches the dress perfectly. It's one of their matte finish lipsticks and is heartbreakingly discontinued. So if anyone from Revlon happens to be reading this, please for the love of God bring back Strawberry Suede!

It's fitting that the backdrop of these photos features a wall in Dun Laoghaire with a quote from 'A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man' by James Joyce as Bloomsday Festival is coming up in a couple of weeks, it's always great seeing everyone dressed up in their turn of the century costumes.

I just wanted to finish by saying a huge thank you to all of my readers. Those of you who are new to it and those who have been with me since the beginning. You'll never know how much it means to me that you choose to visit my blog and read my words. Here's hoping I'll be here another six years from now!

Emma x

Rosie For Autograph Make Up

A couple of months ago Rosie Huntington-Whiteley launched her new make up collection Rosie for Autograph. She worked closely with Intercos, an Italian cosmetics manufacturers to create a 51 piece collection exclusively for Marks and Spencer.

After working as a model for over ten years Rosie has plenty of experience with make up and wanted to create a collection that would reflect her go-to look which she describes as 'pretty natural'.

I was excited to try out the collection after seeing the beautiful rose gold packaging on Rosie's Instagram feed. The pricing starts at €13.50 for the Eyebrow Pencil and goes up to €24 so they aren't cheap but I think the gorgeous packaging and quality of the products reflects the more high end prices.

I initially bought two items from the collection, the cream eyeshadow stick in Movie Star Crush (€17) and the lipstick in Laugh Out Loud (€19). I then went on to buy the lipstick in Lady Rose after seeing Rosie herself wearing it and looking at swatches. I've been trying the products out for a while now so I wanted to share my thoughts.

Beginning with what drew me in in the first place, the packaging. Any of my fellow rose gold fans will agree that the packaging is beautiful. You can tell it's been well thought out by someone who really cares about what they put their name on. The cream eyeshadow stick is sleek and easy to use as it twists up. It also has the shade at the bottom so if you have a few it's easy to grab the one you want quickly out of your make up bag.

I applied it straight to my eyelid and because the formula is so creamy I blended it out easily with a fluffy brush. You can just do a quick wash of colour or go in with a second application for a more pigmented finish which is what I did in the photos below.

Movie Star Crush is a mauve/brown/taupe hybrid similar to the KIKO Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow in Rosy Brown or the By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Misty Rock. You'll need to work with this fast because of the long lasting formula and once it sets it stays in place all day. I use my trusted Garnier 2 in 1 make up remover to take this off so that's something to bear in mind if you dislike using oil-based make up removers. Micellar water just won't work as well. 

If you're a fan of fuss free products that are long lasting and you don't mind using an oil based make up remover, this is definitely one to check out. There are three other shades which all look really wearable. 

The lipstick packaging too is beautiful. They have that very satisfying magnetic click that makes them addictive to open and close (and very annoying for everyone else). The lipstick itself has a subtle vanilla scent which shouldn't offend many people. I love the little detail of the Rosie rose embossed on the lipstick itself.

I was debating which shade to go for but in the end I decided on LOL which is a vibrant red/ deep coral. I absolutely love how this colour looks on and I can see myself wearing it a lot during the Summer months with minimal eye make up.

The formula is enriched with organ oil so it applies smoothly and feels so comfortable to wear. It's richly pigmented and I actually found that I prefer to apply this with a lip brush rather than straight from the bullet as it's so creamy, the lip brush just gives me better control. The finish is a satin/cream but because of the long lasting formula it stays put and doesn't feather outside my lips.

The second lipstick I bought is Lady Rose. Although I haven't worn them together yet I think this would actually work very well with Movie Star Crush. Lady Rose is a warm rosy brown shade that I think would work really well as a neutral for many different skin tones. It looks gorgeous on Rosie who is a lot more sallow than me.

You can see below a comparison between Lady Rose and one of the Rimmel Kate Moss nude shades which is one of my favourite neutral lipsticks. My lips are naturally quite pigmented so I usually have to go for something deeper in order for it to look "nude" or neutral with my skin tone.

I really love this shade and I'm looking forward to pairing it with different eye looks so see what works best with it.

Top: Lady Rose, Bottom: Rimmel Kate Moss Nudes shade 45

So there you have my initial thoughts on the few items I've tried from the Rosie for Autograph make up collection. I'm very impressed so far and I'll definitely be trying out more products from the collection soon.

Let me know if there's anything you like the look of or if you've tried any of the products. I'd love to know what you think.

Emma x

As It Breaks, The Summer Will Warm

I'm excited to present to you my first blog post of 2016, it's fitting that it's also my first outfit post using my new Canon 700D camera. I'm still getting used to all of the settings and having fun playing around with it and taking photos of my family over Christmas. I'm just so happy to finally have great quality photos back on my blog after almost 2 years of using a camera that was so frustrating to take a photo with. 

I based the entire outfit around my new Ona Rex Faux Fur Scarf. I blogged about my friend Ashley's clothing and accessories brand a few weeks ago and I finally got around to styling this stunning scarf I ordered from her before Christmas. I was blown away by the quality of the scarf when I finally saw it in person. It's so big and warm and versatile. I've worn it both casually over my coat and more dressed up as you can see below. Despite the party season being over I decided to dress up the scarf with my idea of a Winter party look. 

Top- ASOS Crop Top in Textured Rib (similar here and here)
Skirt- Missguided Metallic Midi Skirt (via ASOS)
Shoes- Marks and Spencer Limited Edition Crossover Block Heel Sandals
Faux Fur Scarf- Ona Rex
Brooch- Ona Rex
Earrings- H&M (similar here, here and here)
Ring- Vintage (from my Granny)
Lipstick- Charlotte Tilbury Red Carpet Red
Fingernails- Essie Bahama Mama
Toenails- Essie On A Silver Platter


One of my absolute favourite things about Winter clothing is wearing different textures and it's something that I really wanted to play up with this outfit. I feel like the ribbed top, metallic skirt, faux fur scarf and velvet heels create such a fun combination.

You might remember I wore this crop top to the races earlier this year and I was looking forward to styling it again. I love how it makes what could be a classic evening look a bit more modern. I adore these tassel earrings, they were a very thoughtful Christmas gift from my boyfriend who remembered I said I loved them when we were browsing in H&M one day.

The heels were one of my two sales purchases this Christmas (the other was also a pair of shoes). I fell in love with these sandals when I saw them in a magazine a few months ago. I've had them on my wishlist since then and so when I saw them in the sale I bought them straight away. They're surprisingly comfortable considering I rarely wear heels and the ankle strap makes you feel really secure wearing them.

The finishing touches to the outfit were of course, a red lipstick, the stunning Charlotte Tilbury Red Carpet Red Matte Revolution lipstick which is the most amazing matte formula I think I've ever tried.   I then used my Instyler to curl my hair, I love how quick and easy it is to use and it gives more volume than any curling iron I've ever used. I definitely recommend it if you like to curl your hair but hate how long it takes.


Let me know what you think if my party look! Happy New Year, I hope you're all enjoying 2016 so far!

Emma x