If I was a rich girl - August Wishlist.

Basically what I would have bought this month if I wasn't poverty stricken.

1. Retro Printed Dress

This dress probably won't be to everyone's taste but I'm seriously in love with it. I'd like to get back into the habit of wearing dresses during the day and what better way to begin than with this work of art? The print reminds me of the prints seen in the D&G A/W collection this year which many of you know I'm obsessed with and it also has Baroque influences which is another huge trend for this season. At $36, it isn't even expensive in the slightest but with grad/moving out I haven't had any money to buy clothes but any surprise windfall will result in me owning this dress...watch this space.

2. Lulu Guinness Black Doll Face Fifi Clutch

I love the signature Lulu Guinness doll face and I think it works best on a box clutch. One side features the eyes open and the back has them closed with a teardrop. It's too cute, I need it.

3.Karl Faux Leather Pleated Skirt

I don't see how I could have managed to buy another leather item without having to convince my mother that I'm not a dominatrix that is going to be traipsing around in head to toe suits of it as soon as I've escaped back to Dublin. For the record, that isn't my plan but this skirt is an absolute beauty and we all need a little Lagerfeld in our life.

4. The Authentic Boardwalk Photobooth 

I want this for parties in my new house because I always forget to take pictures with my camera.

5.Candy Heart Charm Necklace

I could spend hours browsing Etsy and recently came across this necklace. I like to think it reflects my personality pretty well. Does anyone think the actual Love Heart sweets have gone very tame?

6. Nike Air Royalty Hi Tops

I've been overwearing my Vans, I need something brigher to lighten up all the dark colours I'll be wearing this season. Plus I've always been a sucker for polka dots.

7. Legs and Heels print bodycon skirt

One can never have too many novelty printed skirts.

8. Cath Kidston Antique Print Eiderdown

I'm moving out this week and if my college experience last year has thought me anything it's that I'll be once again living in fear of getting a gas bill because I've spent all your money on drink so instead I'll be freezing your ass off in a onesie and 17 pairs of socks during Winter. I think of this as a necessity. 

9. Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty Hardcover Book

It's shocking how I don't already own this. Christmas, definitely.

10. Moschino Vintage Bomber Jacket

wow.

thanks for reading, have you bought anything nice this month?

A/W Trend Guide Part 3 - One of the Boys

Androgyny is one of my all time favourite styles, and my idiotproof outfit for nights out (you know that moment when you're entire wardrobe is strewn across your room and you've steam coming out of your ears and fire from your nostrils and still have nothing to wear?) is a sheer shirt of some variety buttoned up to the neck, a pair of leather leggings, an oversized denim jacket and my hair up in a bun regardless of it's in fashion or not. Although I am delighted it's a trend for A/W not just because of the availability but perhaps I'll stop being called a dyke by plebs now?
Sharply tailored, Savile Row inspired dressing swept the runways for A/W, my favourite's being the absolutely stunning collections from Balmain (still obsessing) and Antipodium. It's also great to see the introduction of brighter colours and a variety of different textures into this trend to freshen it up especially since it was done to death this time last year. Think op-art patterns, shiny fabrics, sheer, velvet and 50 shades of blue. Key Pieces? Turn up pants, leather gloves, embroidered jumpers and anything with a collar.

Kenzo

Balmain

Anitpodium

Fanny & Jessy

Get Inspired!

Mia Wallace

Natalie K on Lookbook

Madelene Billman on Lookbook

Fearne Cotton

How I style

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for details on my outfits check out my Polyvore

http://acorporatedrugromance.polyvore.com/

thanks for reading, who do you think works androgyny the best?

Cinderella went to the Ball!

"I always thought Prince Charming in Cinderella was the most boring role; I'd rather be the Wicked Witch." - Jude Law

My years of pestering my best friend's brother into inviting me to his debs finally paid off last week where instead of beaching on the couch in front of the tv with a shopping trolley full of junk food as I've grown accustomed to on Wednesday nights I got ready to attend my third (and a half) debs! Now I will admit I got completely swept up in the excitement and ignored the fact that I have no job and am supposed to be saving for my second year of college, oh no my thoughts were only of flouncing around in another pretty dress and doing too many shots. This was definitely going to be fancy on the cheap. 

As some of you already know I did a blog post a few weeks ago on affordable debs dresses so I thought it was time to heed my own advice and scope out dresses on ASOS and I wasn't disappointed. I wanted something I would wear again since my own magnificent debs dress from last year is sitting sadly in a dry cleaner's bag in my wardrobe.  I opted for a high low dress as it was formal enough for a debs but would look good dressed down with tights and an oversized denim jacket for nights out too. 50 quid, free shipping, can't go wrong, big kisses for ASOS.

Next step was accessories, my own style is quite minimal and I usually don't wear jewelry but shoes are my one true love so after crying over how much I wanted a pair of JC Nightwalkers I relented and bought a pair of insanely high studded platform court shoes (good job my date is very tall) in Penneys for €21! In keeping with the studded theme for my bag I bought a gorgeous black leather studded clutch from New Look for  around €13, God bless you student discount. Since my dress was short at the front I wanted to add a little twist to it, little did I know I was going to trip over a chair and have a big mouldy bruise on my shin or I would have bought tights but that's besides the point now, so I decided to wear little frilly white socks to add a bit more femininity to this otherwise "all black everything" look.

As for the day itself, I didn't see the point in getting up at the crack of dawn to frantically begin preparations, is there really any point in doing that when you're going to be still dancing well after 3AM? So I rolled out of bed with a head like a bag of cats at about 1 o'clock and resigned myself to getting princessed. Jumped in the shower, moisturized with one of my LUSH body melts so I was covered from the shoulders down in a shimmery glitter (I didn't call it getting princessed for nothing!) and painted my nails dark red. 

If I learned anything from my own debs it was to not waste time and money on things like manicures etc, now that makes me sound like an Irish Mammy but I'll tell you why! On the week prior to my debs I had a nail appointment, eyelash extension appointment and a make up trial booked and ended up so disappointed. I could have done my nails like that myself and bought a round of drinks for the price, I ended up pulling the eyelashes off because they looked ridiculous and really hurt and my make up made me look like a man in drag with a super shiny orange face. If you want something done right do it yourself!

Anyway, I hauled all my things and my be-glittered self around to my best friend's (sister of the guy I was accompanying to the debs, so handy!)  house to see what we could come up with. We ended up sitting around chatting and smoking cigarettes until about half five until we eventually concluded that it was time to get ready. I did my own make up, I've done it for years now I can't think of anyone that could do it better than I could! I chose to keep it relatively simple with neutral lightly contoured eye make up and a pair of fake eyelashes that I picked up on a whim from Penneys that actually look pretty good on, and finished off with my usual matte red lipstick. I find hairdressers in my area can only do two hairstyles, old woman helmet or GHD curls and I'm a fan of neither so I got my very talented friend, Sarah to style my hair into 40's victory rolls to suit my pin-upesque make up. All done, I was still pretty envious of James who just had to throw on his rented tux and the most difficult part of his day was remembering how to knot a tie!

Then it was onto the fun part, dinner, too many drinks and shameful dancing (I woke up with a vague memory of everyone including myself dancing to a Saw Doctors song circa 2am but I'm just going to pretend that didn't happen or else I'll die of shame!) 

so yeah, anyone need a debs date for next year?

A/W '12 Trend Guide Part 2 - Military

Military is a trend that comes back year after year and it always gets me excited for Winter and I'll probably be shot for mentioning this in August, CHRISTMAS! Like the Gothic trend for this season, military this year is being done on the runway with a grown up edge featuring masculine tailoring, fur accents and expensive looking leather, with not much room for the girlyness or gimmicks of summer. I do think this is the trend to keep in mind whilst buying staples for the season such as coats, boots and bags and to be completely honest I've been putting off buying my winter boots because I've such high expectations from the runway, I blame McQ. Vintage and army surplus stores are a great way to achieve this look on the cheap and ensure you're not marching around in the same Topshop coat as half the country (beautiful though it may be.) I bought an extremely oversized army shirt in Eager Beaver in Temple Bar about a year ago for about €20 and recently studded the shoulders and painted the back, I plan on trying to find a bit of fur to add a collar tied with a black ribbon to finish it off. I find military works best for daytime so I'll be investing in an oversized camo jacket, a new pair of biker boots (they have divine velvet ones on ASOS) and hopefully a army style trench coat. 

Topshop Unique

Dries Van Noten

Topshop Unique

McQ

Get Inspired!

Elizabeth Olsen for Glamour 

Dominica Justyna on Lookbook

Bebe Zeva on Lookbook

Melanie Laurent in Inglorious Basterds

Rita Ora

How I Style

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for details on all my outfits check out my polyvore

 http://acorporatedrugromance.polyvore.com/

Thanks for reading, what are your key pieces for the military trend this season?

A/W '12 Trend Guide Part 1- Ain't Nothin' but a Goth Thing!

I have been counting down the days til we could put the big ol mess that was Spring Summer fashion behind us and start shopping for my favourite season Autumn (if I had to look at one more Aztec print neon crop top I was going to hurl myself off a bridge.) I couldn't help but think that the range plans on the high street for S/S was more geared to a younger shoppers and I felt like a teeny bopper ever time I walked through New Look. Thankfully A/W is looking far more chic, in a darkly glamorous way judging by the catwalk. 

Gucci

Versace 

McQ by Alexander McQueen

Jean Paul Gaultier

You might as well start throwing all your neon, pastel and wildly printed items into the back of the wardrobe because it doesn't look like they'll be seeing the light of day anytime soon unless it's to be thrown into a bucket of black dye. Black doesn't have to be boring though as these texture rich collections prove, lace, leather, brocade and velvet, I just want to start touching it all! Accessories wise, we're looking at crucifixes, skulls and rubies, leather gloves and lace up boots (don't forget your cloud of bats!). Finishing off the look with center parted hair, dramatic dark lips and flawless pale skin, get your goth on!

Get Inspired!

 Wednesday Addams by burntfeather

Siouxsie Sioux

Dita Von Teese

Gothness Gracious by Bebe Zeva via Lookbook

 Lydia Deetz from Beetlejuice

The Olsen Twins

AND NOT

My Looks

This is how I'll be styling the goth trend this Autumn/Winter, plenty of collars, platforms, leather, lace, printed tights and red lipstick. For details of all these looks including where to buy each item check out my polyvore 

http://acorporatedrugromance.polyvore.com/

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Thanks for reading!
Will you be embracing the goth trend this season?