Turn On The Bright Lights

We wandered down to Astoria Park on one of our last evenings in New York to catch the sunset over the East River. We went to the area of the park under the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, which was formerly known as the Triborough Bride as it connects Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx. From there you also get an amazing view of the Hell Gate Bridge which just turned 100 years old back in March and connects Astoria to Randalls and Wards Islands. According to this New York Times article, it got its name from the Dutch word "hellegat" which translates to "hell channel", because of how treacherous that stretch of river could be with the tides and rocks. 

I thought it would be the perfect spot to get some more outfit photos as the light was beautiful as was the view of the bridges and the river. We were kind of annoyed with ourselves for not going down there earlier in our trip because the park has amazing amenities, the views are beautiful and it was packed with people doing outdoor classes and playing sports. However we were lucky with how nice of an evening it was and that the sun came out from behind the clouds just in time for us to watch it disappear behind the buildings. 

Dress- H&M
Jacket- New Look
Scarf- ASOS
Boots- Clarks (similar here and here)
Sunglasses- eBay
Necklace- Stella and Dot Bespoke Disc Necklace
Lipstick- Bourjois Rouge Buzz

I bought this dress the week before we went away on sale in H&M for only €15. I had seen it on Amy from The Little Magpie back in March and loved it but didn't buy it at the time. I wasn't sure it would suit me with the high neck and ruffles (which is a trend I haven't really gotten into). But when I saw it on sale in my size, I bought it on a whim and it even ended up being €5 cheaper when I got to the till (don't you just love it when that happens). I actually really loved it when I tried it on at home and brought it with me to New York to wear out for dinner which I did a couple of the nights. I can see myself wearing it lots of different ways, with a leather jacket or heeled boots or runners for a more casual look. I love a good midi dress and I'm glad I took a chance on this one. For €15 you can't go too far wrong!

I'm aware that this is the second post in a row that I've worn this neck scarf but I just thought it was really nice paired with the dress, it's still available on ASOS if anyone is interested. I usually hate wearing my hair up when I'm not at home but it was very necessary with the heat in New York. We had spent the day walking around Prospect Park in Brooklyn and I needed to cool down.

I'm currently working through the hundreds of photos I took on the trip with the goal of writing a blog post about our New York experience. It'll be more personal than a travel guide, mostly because it was my first time there so I'm by no means qualified to be giving out advice. However I read lots of blog posts from other people as the trip approached and I found it helpful so hopefully I can do the same thing.

How much research do you like to do before you visit somewhere? Do you find reading about other peoples experiences helpful or do you prefer to do your own thing and not plan too much?

If you haven't seen it already, check out my first style post from New York here!

Emma x

Underneath The Power Lines Seeking Shade

I don't tend to buy into many trends as I find it's not very cost effective and I prefer to invest in pieces I know will last from season to season. However the metallic pleated skirt trend that's been around for the past few seasons is one I knew straight away I wanted to try out. I'm a big fan of skirts in general and although pleats can be unflattering, I wanted to try it myself so I got this very inexpensive one from Zara a few weeks ago. 

I wanted to dress the skirt down and I love how these skirts look with oversized knitwear so I thought this burgundy jumper from H&M would be perfect with the gunmetal colour of the skirt. The weather is starting to get cold so I brought my Archive by Alexa trench coat out again and I've been wearing it non stop for the past couple of weeks. I'm already excited for the new Archive by Alexa collection that's launching in early November.

Coat- Marks and Spencer (similar here, here and here)
Jumper- H&M
Skirt- Zara
Bag- Zara (similar here and here)
Boots- ASOS (similar here, here and here)
Socks- Topshop (similar here)
Sunglasses- ASOS (similar here, here and here)
Necklace- Stella & Dot
Lipstick- Armani Lip Magnet in Vibrato 403

Patent shoes are another trend I've been loving, I got these ASOS boots last year and I'm so glad I did because I wear them so much in the colder weather when I need to look a bit dressier. I'm on the lookout for another pair with a higher heel, I have my eye on these ones from New Look.

My Bespoke Stella and Dot necklace has barely come off my neck too, every time I wear it someone compliments it. I'm looking forward to getting another piece from their Bespoke collection and perhaps some Christmas presents too as I think they make gorgeous gifts.

I'm wearing one of the new Armani Lip Magnets on my lips and I'm crazy about the shade and formula. I attended a masterclass by one of the Armani makeup artists a couple of weeks ago and I've been trying out a few of their new products. So keep an eye out for lots of exciting beauty reviews in the coming weeks.

What trends have you bought into for Autumn? What's on your Winter wishlist?

Emma x

A Des Reflets D'Argent

The Summer is sadly over for another year. We've been lucky in Ireland to have had relatively good weather for September but before I get my woollies out I wanted to share some photos we took while we were away in the south of France at the beginning of the month. 

We stayed in a beautiful little town called Beaulieu-sur-Mer close to Nice. I hadn't planned on taking outfit photos (mostly because it was so hot I didn't think it would be a pleasant sight) but the scenery was so beautiful I couldn't resist, so on our last day we went to the waterfront at the hottest time of day and I tried to not look like a sweating mess. 

Skirt- Zara

T-shirt- New Look (similar here and here)

Runners- Topshop

Bag- Stella and Dot (similar here and here)

Necklace- Stella and Dot 

Sunglasses- Quay Australia Delilah

Lipstick- Rosie for Autograph LOL Lipstick

I loved this Zara skirt when I saw it at the start of the Summer, I managed to pick it up on sale and it's served me well over the past few months. It was the perfect statement piece to bring on holiday because of the light cotton fabric, I'll definitely be bringing it back out next Summer. 

I got these Quay Australia sunglasses in TK Maxx and I've worn them all Summer. They're really great quality and look amazing with a simple outfit. I'm eyeing up a few things on the Quay website, they have some gorgeous cat eye styles. 

The necklace is from the Stella and Dot Bespoke collection which launched a few months ago. I'm so obsessed with it, I've been wearing it almost every day since I got it. I've gotten so many compliments on it too. It's one of the few items of jewellery I brought away with me. I had it personalised in a circular font with my initials. There are cuffs, necklaces, a ring and cufflinks in the Bespoke collection that can be personalised with letters or numbers in different fonts. I love this collection, the pieces make for great gifts with a personal touch. I'm already planning on getting the signet ring for myself. I know people who have gotten their children initials/ birthdays and even the co-ordinates to their house on their Bespoke pieces. The quality is amazing and they come packaged beautifully, if you're looking for a special gift for someone, I'd recommend checking this collection out.

I can safely say this is my last Summer outfit of 2016 but I'm excited about dressing for Autumn, I have a wishlist I'll be sharing soon. What's on your Autumn shopping list?

Emma x

And We're Off To The Races

Last week I attended the Punchestown Races for the first time. I was invited along as a guest of Gold Fever Hair Extensions who were sponsoring the Best Dressed Lady competition. We were so lucky that the weather was good on the day (Good= freezing but sunny) so we managed to take some photos to share with you. 

Outfit Details:

Top- ASOS Crop Top in Textured Rib

Skirt- ASOS Premium Tulle Skirt in Floral Print (Out of Stock)

Shoes- ASOS Shuttle Heels

Headband- ASOS Dark Floral Hair Garland

Bag- Zara (Last Year)

Bracelet- c/o Swarovski Light Multi Bracelet

Ring- Stella and Dot Eden Ring

Nails- Essie Style Hunter

Lipstick- MAC Ruby Woo

I bought the shoes and skirt a few months ago after becoming totally enamoured during one of my frequent ASOS "browsing" sessions. At the time I didn't have any particular occasion in mind to wear them to but when I got the invite to the races I was excited to get them out of my wardrobe. 

I wasn't sure what to pair the skirt with at first, I decided the heels and skirt were statement pieces so I would be better going with something simple. I saw this crop top on ASOS and even though it's something that is completely outside my comfort zone I decided to give it a try. When it arrived and I tried it on, I was surprised how much I liked it. I think the tiny bit of skin on show mixed with the ladylike full skirt and low metallic heels is the perfect combination of modern and classic that I wanted. 

I couldn't decide what headpiece to go for so I ordered the floral garland and a Mini Veil and after asking a few people, they all preferred the flowers with the outfit so I went with that. I wore a black trench coat over it as it was quite chilly outside when we were watching the races. I was really happy with my outfit and the low heels were comfortable and practical for walking around all day. 

Check out the Gold Fever Hair Instagram to see all the photos of the Best Dressed ladies. There were some stunning outfits, it was so much fun looking at all of the stylish men and woman and how much effort and thought was put into their outfits. 

Have you ever been to the races?

Emma x

Stella and Dot Spring/Summer 2015 Favourites

You probably already know I'm a big fan of US jewellery and accessories brand Stella and Dot. I have a few of their pieces in my collection and have also given them as gifts to my friends and family who have all been very impressed.

I went to the Spring/Summer press day back in November for the new collection which launched last month. There were so many beautiful pieces on display, I thought I would share my picks from the new collection with you. 

The gorgeous rings really caught my eye, I loved the Zinnia Split Ring, it's so pretty with the seafoam coloured stones and vintage gold plating but the split gives it a modern touch. The Rebel Ring is one of the new additions to the Rebel family, this is a bit more wearable than the other two rings. The pavé stones around the centre are a nice little detail that makes it a piece you could also wear as part of a more dressed up outfit. The Eva Cocktail Ring is very dressy, I love the shape and the stones, it's so pretty on. 

I loved the Remy Wrap Bracelet which also came in white leather with gold detail. It's one of the more "edgy" (I hate that word) pieces in the collection, I think the white one would be a great to wear in the Summer. The other silver piece I loved was the Silver Sutton Necklace, which originally came in gold. You can wear the necklace five ways making it very versatile and the perfect day to night necklace. It looks amazing on! 

The Bianca Earrings are another versatile piece, the spear part is detachable from the small hoop so you get two pairs of earrings in one, again perfect for day to night.

The Rebel Cluster Necklace is a great layering necklace, each layer can also be worn alone. It consists of crackled quartz fragments mixed with the gold and also comes in an all silver version. Finally the Lottie Necklace is a beautiful cobalt blue with vintage gold plating that once again looks great by itself or layered with other necklaces. 

You can see above what some of the pieces look like on, I had so much fun playing with them and trying them on. They all look so much prettier in reality, the photos don't really do them justice.

Is there anything here that caught your eye? What's your favourite piece of jewellery at the moment?

Emma x

Stella and Dot Autumn/Winter Collection

Stella and Dot recently launched in Ireland after gaining worldwide success as a company that design beautiful boutique style jewellery and accessories. The thing that sets Stella and Dot apart from their competitors is that their pieces are only sold at in-home Trunk Shows by Independent Stylists and online. 

I was recently invited along to the press day to take a look at the collection for Autumn/Winter and I was so excited by all of the new pieces. The collection takes inspiration from all over the world and some of the trends include mixed metals, geometrics, black and white and rose gold. 

The Livvy Necklace, Melanie Chandelier Earrings and Becca Bracelet were among my favourites on the day. I love the colours in these pieces and I loved that the earrings can actually be worn as studs or as shorter drop earrings.




The Sutton Necklace now comes in gold and is such a versatile necklace as the layers are detachable so that you can wear it five different ways depending on the look you're going for. It also comes in a mixed metal version.




The Somervell Necklace was already available in Gold, Peach and Silver and the latest addition is this gorgeous Aqua shade. This is a great necklace for layering. The matching Janice Studs also come in Green and Orange.




I was really excited by the Charm Bracelets and Necklace that allow you to choose from the following to personalise your jewellery: a Birthstone Charm, a Cross in Silver or Gold, a Key, a Wishbone, a Hamsa Hand, a Love Always Charm and a Signature ID Charm in Silver or Gold.  These make for such lovely gifts and you can see here the other charms that are available. The Enlighten Bracelet is such a great gift idea. It is embossed on the inside of the red leather band with the words Mother, Daughter and Sister in French, English and German and all net proceeds go to Every Mother Counts, a non- profit organisation that is dedicated to making pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother.




The Cassady Collar is a mixture of trends with it's mixed metals and Geometric Studs.




The Pauline Ring is set with five semi precious lapis stones and comes in a number of sizes. I love the delicate Aria Pendant which can also be worn multiple ways. It contains semi-precious quartz stones.




The Melanie Bracelet also comes in this gorgeous combination of pink and orange with matching Pop Geo Chandelier Earrings (that can also be worn as studs) and the stunning Rosanna Ring.




The Pop Geo Statement Pendant is such an unusual piece for Autumn/Winter, I love that the design team have added these vibrant colour into the collection.




Geometric shapes and Rose Gold are combined with the pretty Pavé Spear Collection which includes a Ring, a Necklace, Earrings and a Cuff. The popular (and my personal favourite) Rebel Pendant has also been introduced in Rose Gold.




Last but not least is the beautiful Helena Necklace with such pretty pink and beige stones, again an unusual colour combination for Autumn/Winter.

This is just a selection of the new pieces, you can see the rest here. Is there anything that caught your eye from the new collection? 

Emma x