Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Festive Fashion Favourites!

Your wardrobe never works harder than at Christmas. It's the time of nights out, meals with family and countless events; all of which call for some fantastic, festive fashion. 

Whether you're an all-out glamour puss or more of a laid-back lady siopaella has you covered for every occassion this party season!


LOOK #1 - After work drinks

Black velvet jacket, Exhibit; gold brocade trousers; black studded top, Topshop; embellished heels, Buffalo London; gold and stone owl necklace; faux croc bag,
Johanna.










LOOK #2 - Last dash around the shops!

Top, French Connection; skirt, TFNY; suede bag, River Island; patent black shoes, vintage necklaces.



LOOK #3 - Ultimate day-to-night

Animal print blazer, Zara; black wrap dress, COS; black leather peep-toes; faux snake clutch, Nine West; black leather belt, vintage.



LOOK #4: The Christmas party

Tan suede trench; black, gold and silver brocade dress, Coast; gold bag, River Island; gold shoes, Buffalo London; brown leather gloves.



LOOK #5 - Black tie ball

Grey-flecked coat with metallic thread, Monsoon; black halter dress with lace underskirt, Karen Millen, clip-on blue and clear stone earrings, vintage; black pumps, Dune; blue velvet scarf.



LOOK #6 - Girls night out

Faux sheepskin coat, Bay; green sequin dress, vintage; purple and green bag, Miss Sixty; clip-on earrings, vintage; flat black shoes.


So there you have it, just a taster of the amazing pieces we've got in-store at the minute. Check out more on our Facebook or call in and say hello :) 

Thursday, November 8, 2012

PHOTOSHOOT: Skyfall Style




With all the buzz surrounding the latest Bond movie, we thought it was only right to base our latest shoot on all things 007. 

We raided the rails for the suavest suits and most sultry dresses and were lucky enough to have Sarah and Darrach to braved the Dublin chill on the roof!


Sarah: Karen Millen dress & clutch, own shoes; Darrach: FCUK suit, Hugo Boss shoes,  Ted Baker shirt, bow-tie from Tango, Temple Bar.




Sarah: Burberry silver/grey silk dress with cap sleeves, double-strand pearl necklace, own shoes.

Darrach: FCUK 3-piece suit, Ted Baker shirt & Liberty print tie.

Sarah: Whistles red velvet suit with satin trim; Darrach: Zara pink shirt, FCUK grey trousers, Zara navy trench coat.


Sarah: Zara tan trench coat, Guess navy jersey dress, own shoes; Darrac; Guess wool coat, Gucci black shirt, FCUK trousers, Hugo Boss shoes.

Models:        Sarah @ Andrea Roche
               Darrach @ Fraser Models

Shot & styled: Katie Clinton



Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Handmade Halloween Goodies!!



Do you have your costume ready? There's just one week to go! We're starting to get siopaella all dressed up for Halloween(Ella wanted to do it two weeks ago but we managed to convince her to wait!). We've gotten some amazing, handmande decorations from the very talented Maeve Murphy.


The Mayo-born, Dublin based designer graduated with a degree in textiles from GMIT before going on to a MA in cultural policy and arts management in UCD. And that's where Handmade by Maeve began.

Aside from bunting, Maeve also makes yoga mats and plush toys known as little monsters. Or if you have any idea you need help bringing to life, she's the woman to talk to. 


You can check out all of Maeve's work on her Etsy site or her Facebook page! Or call into us at siopaella to pick up your own handmade bunting for just €20!

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Craziest Looks from the Catwalks


Chanel ... because he's Karl Lagerfeld and he felt like it!
Phew, that was one crazy fashion month! From PRs getting slapped, to designers facing off, to Twitter rants, there was more drama off the runway than on. Saying that, some designers are always good for a, let's say, unusual piece. A dress inspired by bees, a hula-hoop handbag or a chessboard dress; which look are you brave enough to sport next summer?
What do you think of Vivienne Westwood's new beauty look?
Sheer, monochrome, Louis Vuitton and check ... check!
Gareth Pugh ... just what we need for a rainy Irish summer?
It's always the 80's at Balmain.
If McQueen say bees are in fashion, who are we to argue?
If your mother ever told you to brush that bird's nest out of your hair, Galliano has given you a comeback! 
In a Dolce & Gabbana world, this is what we wear!

Is it a bag or a very chic ball and chain? I don't know, ask the nice folks at Moschino!
Don't really know what to say about this except that it's Meadham Kirchhoff!

Did we miss any really crazy pieces? If we did let us know! I think it's safe to say that next summer is going to be ... interesting, to say the least  :)

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Calling All Ugly Christmas Jumpers!

We want your ugly Christmas jumpers. We're talking the really ugly ones - the brightest, weirdest, flashiest there is; extra points if it can actually light up!!



Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Purple Reign


Go as bright and bold as you dare with the ruling colour this season

There’s always one colour that comes out on top for autumn/winter and this season it’s purple. This is one shade that’s got all sorts of good connotations – it’s the colour of royal robes and luxury of all sorts. 

It’s got richness and passion sewn right in there. What’s not to love? We’ve got some princely pieces at both the Siopaella stores right now that have this trend all sewn up, whether you want to go all-out or just dabble.




For those a little unsure about the all-over colour, siopaella has some great accessories like this cosy knit hat. And if it's something to fight the frost you're after then this vintage knit jumper with a lurex thread will keep you warm and stylish. 

For something longer the full-length, super chunky cardigan below is a great choice. Just wrap a skinny belt around it for that perfect hourglass figure!




Don't rule out purple for the office either! This Helen McAlinden (above) paisley piece will hit two trends with one ... skirt; and it's a great day to nighter. 

For something a little more formal then velvet is the only way to go. This winey-purple dress is a great office alternative to black and, what do you know, velvet is another massive winter trend!

We've so many more purple goodies in-store - call in to say hello and have a gander, & don't forget to check out our Facebook and Twitter pages for all the goings-on :)

Catwalk images: ElleUK


Coolest Cover-ups


From classy to crazy and back again; the coat came in all shapes and sizes this season!



Let’s face it, this being Ireland means you’re probably never too far from your coat; it’s less a fashion accessory and more an essential if you ever want to, you know, go outside. Still that doesn’t mean that you can’t look super-stylish and cosy, does it? 

This season anything goes, from oversized at Jil Sander, to the boldest print at Marc Jacobs, to the super-furry at House of Holland. Or you can opt for a classic like a mac, รก la Burberry Prorsum.

The weather is definitely taken a turn for the autumn and that means that yes, you once again have add those extra layers. Don’t let the winter blues get to you though – siopaella has some uh-mazing coats and cover-ups to keep you toasty.


Aquascutum for Harrods London

Who ever said autumn/winter was the time for dark colours? Check out this beautiful vintage Aquascutum tweed coat made exclusively for Harrods London (that’s some serious vintage credentials!). The reds, greens and blues in this number are bound to lift even the most rain-soaked spirit.

Gestuz mac and pint patent belt (sold seperately)

If you’re a classic kind of girl then this beige Gestuz mac will be right up your street. Great for unpredictable weather and known to be one of the most flattering coat shapes, this is one that won’t go out of style. Dress it up with a coloured belt like we’ve done here or just leave it open for that oh-so-cool Paris chic.
Vintage Faux Fur
Ah, but you want to make a real statement with your winter staple? Well we haven’t got the House of Holland striped number in (yet!) but check out this beauty. How Carrie-Bradshaw-fabulous is this? It's mid-calf length and there's some weight in that faux. You won't go cold this winter!

Oh we’ve so got you covered for the chillier months to come. Pop in to say hello and check out the rest of our stock or take a look at our 'winter warmers' albums for Crow St and Temple Lane on Facebook! :)

Street Style from Fashion Month: Part II

By Diego Zuko

As Paris Fashion Week winds down, it's officially the end of fashion month. But before we let it go for another few months let's take a look at some of the best street style that was on show. The fashion pack truly go above and beyond for Paris, which look is your favourite?


By Bridget Flaming
By Phil Oh for Vogue
By Diego Zuko


By Karl-Edwin Guerre


By Scott Schuman, The Sartorialist
By Joanna Blackby
Karl-Edwin Guerre
Check out our favourite street style looks from all the fashion capitals here

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Dating Your Vintage

Everyone who has ever been vintage shopping is after that one amazing find. It's that illusive piece, it might be designer or just a gorgeous fabric but either way it will forever be your key vintage discovery. 

The only thing is that dating this uh-mazing piece can be a little bit tricky - you know it's old but wouldn't it be nice to know what era it came from? We'll I've done a lot of research and I've come up with this little list of tell-tale signs to help you put an age to any vintage piece you pick up. 




ZIPS

Take a quick look at any fastners on your item. 


- Remember that zips only became popular in the 1930's and before that it was snap/button plackets that were used.

- Plastic introduced in the 1920's but rarely used due to lack of durability.


- Up until the 1970's you'll likely see metal zippers with cotton twill tape.

- Zippers were most commonly placed at the side-seam unti the 50's.


Labels

Labels are a bounty of information!

- The design, layout and typography of the label will all tell you something about the age of your item.

- Have a look elsewhere on the garment for any union labels that can be super-helpful when trying to date your vintage; here's a helpful guide for any info you might find.


- Check the fabric content! Rayon was used heavily until the 1950's, then nylon took over in popularity. 


- This site is a seriously good resourse that lets you search your labels details: vintagefashionguild.org/label-resource-a-z/

* A small 'e' on a pair of Levis mean it was made after 1971 - a capital 'E' will be on a pair manufactured before that*




Fabrics 


- Polyester also became popular in the 50's, but it was commonly called Dacron. It only became known as 'polyeser' in the 60's.


- Spandex was first used in clothing in 1959 but it didn't become popular until the 80's. 


- 'Qiana' is a type of nylon that was used in woven and knitted fabrics in the 1970's.





Dating Accessories


- Shoes made between 1800-1860 never had left or right sole shapes, unless they were made to order for a client!!


- A quick tip from the Vintage Fashion Organisation on identifing skills: "Croc has a dot, alligator not" - the dot is in the middle of the scale.


- Sandals only appeared in the 1930's, first in Europe then the US.


- Hats made pre-1930's will usually have hand-sewn lining.


- Stillettos came about in 1955 and pointed toes in '57. 


- Hats with grosgrain ribbon along the inside only started in the 1930's.




Let us know if you've any other great tips for dating your vintage clothes, either here or on Facebook or Twitter!

:) Katie