Powder n' Pout; New Make Up Brushes You Need To Try!

Powder n' Pout is the brainchild of make up artist extraordinaire, Aisling Cunningham. Aisling hails from Co. Donegal, where she owns a hair and make up salon, and where Powder n' Pout was brought to life! I met Aisling recently where we chatted about the ethos behind the brand. 

I was saying about how back in the day, we used to apply our make up with our fingers (sometimes I still do for some things) or, God forbid, those horrible wedge sponges of doom. 

Realistically, you can spend as much or as little on make up as you want; there are some truly excellent budget brands around nowadays and equally, splashing out every now and then on something a little fancier is cool too. The bottom line though is that you need the right tools to apply it with. Aisling felt there was a big gap in the Irish beauty industry for make up brushes that are high quality but also affordable and so, she created Powder n' Pout.  

I've had The Flawless 5 Makeup Brush Set, the Flat Contour P050 and the Fluffy Blender P310 to play around with for the last while. I couldn't find the Fluffy Blender when I went to take the photos and of course later on I discovered it at the bottom of my make up bag (#WorldsGreatestBeautyBlogger #BloggingGoals) so I apologise that it isn't featured in the photos but I'll tell you what I like about it and link to it on the website so you can have a look there!

The Flawless 5 

The idea behind this set is that each brush is completely versatile- if you bring just these five with you travelling for instance, you should have everything you need to do your make up. The set is currently out of stock due to selling out completely in the sale but ordinarily you can find it HERE for €58 (€50 in the sale)

(From left to right in the photo);

The Angled Brush P120

Recommended use is for powder contouring, which along with blush and highlight, is my go-to contour brush at the minute. The taper of the brush will fit the shape of your face perfectly.

The Angled Liner P410

This can be used for eyeliner, eyebrow powder and lip liner. I've only used it for applying liner and a powder to my brows- I'm not mad into lining my lips. The bristles are really well packed into this so you get a firm hold for applying a straight line with- it's perfect!

The Bullet P325

This is for your smokey eye; it lets you work your shadow to the outer edge of your eye. I particularly love it for applying shadow to my under eye, I like a smokey, grungy look and because of how the brush is tapered upwards, it means you get the shadow just where you want it and not all down around your eye bags, like a panda. It's a must have for me. 

The Duo Tapered Powder P10.

I wish you could feel for yourself how soft this brush is, it's like stroking feathers across your face. This fella is a serious multi-tasker; use it to apply your primer, your liquid foundation, blush/bronzer or setting powder. Not all at once, obviously! I've mostly been using it for powder but I've also tried it for blusher and it blends outwards beautifully. Love it!!

The Duo Crease P245

Alright, so I know I've said you NEED all the others for various things, but you NEED this one for blending out your smokey eye, right into the crease. At the most, you need about three circular movements and hey presto, you're blended! You can also use this one for applying concealer to the delicate under eye skin.

The Flat Contour P050 

If you love your contouring, this is the one for you. 

Unsurprisingly, it's a completely flat, densely packed brush with ultra fine synthetic hair. Because of it's flat shape, it sits nicely underneath your cheekbones, your jawline and around tricky spots like your nose and mouth. Good news is that it can be used with liquids, creams, or pressed/loose bronzing powders. This is a lovely brush to use, really comfortable on the skin but effectively transfers the product to right where you need it. It's €17, HERE. 

The Fluffy Blender P310

Again, this does exactly what is says on the tin. It'll blend and shade out to perfection. This is another brush that's tapered to the perfect size- it makes blending super easy. I love a good fluffy brush. You can find that HERE for only €8!!

And that is that. I wasn't paid for this review, I just love trying really good quality Irish products and I think it's important to share them when I find them!

Have you tried Powder n' Pout?

If you could only use one makeup brush for the rest of your life, which one would it be?! (cruel question, I know) 

To the comments!

XX

Spring Wishlist 2017!

It's that time of the year when the shops start to fill up with things other than wool knits, black tights and bobble hats. This is good news for a couple of reasons. 

For one, it means that I can hopefully put away my Icelandic hyper insulated coat and for two, Spring is springing!!

I, of course have my eye on lots of pretty things but this lot are the main bits and pieces on the revolving carousel that is my mental wish list. 

Links are in pink and don't buy everything before I get the chance to!

I'm a bit Flamingo obsessed and this tee from Oasis has the benefit of being casual (comfy grey marl is the best) but it's also pink and sparkly, so win-win all around. 

The second I saw the limited edition Crayola box from Clinique, I had to have it. Unfortunately for me, a reliable little birdy (thanks Andreea!) has told me that they've been out of stock in Ireland and the UK since the start of February (weeps). I'll be keeping an eye out for a last minute restock but I may just end up buying an individual one, although it obviously won't be the same…

I love this vintage-feel black top, also from Oasis. The bird-embroidered collar is adorable and just the right side of kitsch and will look as well paired with jeans as it would tucked into a skirt.

This spot and floral tea dress from Topshop is very pretty- I'm already picturing it with a (fake) tan and a pair of sandals on my holidays..

*goes into daydream mode*

I'm in the market for a new primer and this one from Too Faced has been on my mind for a while. A product to sort out your hungover face? Ah, yes please!

And lastly, the shoe of dreams from Asos. These are marketed as a bridal shoe but they'd look great with absolutely everything in my opinion (see how I'm already justifying the purchase?) It's a moot point anyway as they are currently sold out in every size but 3. 

Again, I have serious plans to stalk their "back in stock" section. 

Any of these on your Wishlist?

XX

Chupi | Rings

I've previously espoused my love for Irish designer Chupi's beautiful nature-inspired jewelry and Himself has copped on to that too; below are two beautiful rings that I had my eye on and he gave me for Christmas and my birthday, respectively. 

While I was expecting the Emerald Quartz, the leaves were a surprise and such a lovely surprise at that. 

I tend to wear the two together on my right hand and as a lover of the colour green, rings that make me look regal and all things leaf and floral related, these suit me down to a tee. 

The emerald quartz has a ring cast from a mould of a twig and the stone is a vivid shade of green that has resulted in many compliments. The leaves ring hugs my finger perfectly and is adjustable so if you're looking for a gift to suit anyone- this is it. 

There's more detail on the leaves than what's showing up here but such is the pure power of my photography skills.

Lastly, check out that packaging and the lovely little Roald Dahl quote card that comes with it- the perfect touch. 

You can buy Chupi in the Made store on the top floor of Powerscourt shopping centre, where you'll most likely also find me, heavily drooling over things. 

XX

*This is not a paid or sponsored post. As always, all opinions are my own!

Accessory Picks For Summer From Penneys!

Summer is at last upon us and so an accessories shopping spree in Penneys was obviously on the cards. Most of these were bought with a gift voucher I had and there's a present in there too. I also picked up some t-shirts, leggings, sports bras and socks but I didn't think ye'd be overly interested in all of that jazz so here we are instead with the fun stuff!

We have a trip to Barcelona/South of France coming up so I wanted to get a pair of comfortable but cute tan sandals and these fit the bill nicely. These are partly made from real leather so that ticks the comfy box while the tassels and beading add a nice on-trend touch. These were €16.

Gin is my tipple of choice and so I couldn't resist a Gin Cooler flavoured lip balm, which actually smells mostly of Elderflower, one of my favourite accompaniments for the liquor itself. For €1.50, you're not going to be getting the greatest lip balm of all time; it's mostly just flavoured Vaseline to be honest but still quite nice!

That dreamy Coachella-vibey Snapchat filter that's doing the rounds obviously gave me ideas because I spotted these floral crowns and thought for €6, I may as well give it a go! I'll probably mostly wear this on holiday with a casual maxi dress and the afore-mentioned gin and elderflower in my hand! Can't. Wait.

I have a serious grá for a pastel-hued, pointy-toed heel, so these minty loves had to come home with me. I've lost the receipt for these but I think they were €12. 

This gorgeous bunny/cat make up bag was a gift and I love it! Although it's not technically a Summer specific item, there's something about bright white and pink that feels appropriate for this time of year!

This Missoni-esque clutch was around the €8 mark, if I recall correctly and has already become a firm favourite of mine. It folds out to reveal a much longer bag than you'd expect with lots of room inside and a zipped compartment too! I love the colours in this, it makes me want to put on tan and sunglasses and sip lemonade on my (non-existent) porch.

Terribly, I also don't remember how much this tan belt was but I remember not paying over a tenner for it, if that helps at all? Anyway, this is perfect for pairing with floaty Summer dresses that need a little pulling in at the waist and those low hanging boyfriend jeans that show off just a smidge too much pasty ass-crack. I'm not speaking from experience here by the way. Ahem.

Lastly then is this frankly ridiculous, lemon bag. I debated fiercely with myself in the store over this one. In fact, I spent waaay longer in there than was necessary or for that matter, enjoyable, just so I could assure myself I was making the right decision. For €11 or so, I think I made the right choice. I greatly enjoy a novelty bag and I really love both the colour yellow and lemons themselves. Also, this is a bit of fun to liven up a dull outfit. I'll no doubt only get to use it a few times this Summer but like the floral crown, buying fleeting trend pieces like these for a good bit cheaper is definitely the way to go. You could no doubt buy similar in Topshop and spend a small fortune but sure, this works just as well!

Have you found any fab Summer buys in Penneys or anywhere else for that matter?

To the comments!

XX

My U.S Shopping List!

All going well I'm off to New York at the end of the week (I say all going well because I haven't been feeling the best this week and I have notoriously bad luck when it comes to health and holidays. Keep all your extremities crossed for me!) If we do in fact make it on board the plane, I'll have this little list in my bag for what I want to pick up while over there. Let me know if there's anything I MUST add as I trust all of you fellow beauty addicts to steer me through the maze that is Sephora!

First up, I will be buying a perfume rollerball as I think they're super handy and readily available in the states. I spotted Orla from Make Up Over Mind talking about Nirvana by Elizabeth and James and as luck would have it, it is available in rollerball form. 

If I like it, it's coming home with me!

I've seen so many people raving about the Lorac Pro palette that I have to see it for myself! I didn't buy the new Naked palette so there's definitely room in my life for more eyeshadows (there's no room at all really but sure let's keep the pretence going).

I will of course be buying a blush or two as I am a blush fiend and Milani baked blushes are supposedly the business. I haven't featured any lip products here but sure you know yourselves, I'll no doubt be stood there in the aisle with about about five lipsticks in my hand trying to figure out what to get. Desperate.

These are only small but I really want to try some eye masks and Sephora have a whole range of these handy little fellas!

The Kate Somerville Goat Milk moisturiser is pricey for sure but it might just be the Holy grail cream my dry skin has been looking for. Watch this space..

There's loads of different products in the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day range but this 5 in 1 styling treatment looks ideal in that it smoothes, adds volume and shine and repairs damaged hair. 

The last three there basically mean I'll be doing a big old Kat Von D haul. I'm not massively into full coverage make up but I have been thinking recently about going back to Estée Lauder Double Wear and sure if I'm thinking that I may as well try out the Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo foundation and Waterproof concealer. 

I also want a goo at the Tattoo liquid liner and the Waterproof Autograph eye pencils.

Other than that I'll also be looking at the Becca under eye concealer, all things Tarte and some Anastasia brow stuffs. 

I will of course also be hitting up Kate Spade, specifically the main store in NYC and an outlet near Boston. I don't necessarily want these specific things, this is more to illustrate all the many wonderful things I could lay my hands on!

Although you'd best believe I'll be hunting down the 'New York Library print scarf' there, bottom left! I also really want that 'Cold Hands Warm Heart' thermos but I'm hoping to get it a bit cheaper than it is here. 

With the exchange rate being as poor as it is at the minute I'll only be buying things we can't readily get over here and I'm limited by weight as we'll be driving for a good bit of our trip and I'd rather not be dragging around a big mad heavy case* so if you think I shouldn't bother with any of those beauty bits, do let me know and help me save my cents and dollars!

XX

*by that I do of course mean that himself will be dragging my case. Let's be realistic!

Chupi Irish Farthing Coin Necklace

I've had a bit of a thing for coin necklaces for a while but wanted something unique and uniquely Irish at that.
Lo and behold, I found this beauty from Irish jewellery designer, Chupi. 

The story behind it makes it even more special:

"Cast from an original Irish farthing coin from the 1940’s that Chupi found in her grandmother’s sewing box, this is a little reminder you are worth your weight in gold.

In the early 1920’s the first Irish coins were designed by a committee headed by the legendary poet W.B. Yeats. Renowned artist Percy Metcalfe was commissioned to design a series of beautiful coins inspired by Irish wildlife. When Chupi was little she loved coins, particularly the beautiful old Irish coins with their illustrations of the birds, deer and salmon."

The bird on the coin is a Woodcock, apparently one of the most commonly found birds in the West of Ireland.

Mermaid shirts for the win.

Himself bought it for me as a gift for completing my Midwifery Higher Diploma and it hasn't left my neck since. I'm obsessed.

Mine is rose gold although it's also available in gold and silver and you can request a longer chain. Personally I was happier with the shorter length as it means I can layer my necklaces, which I regularly do as I think it looks great for Summer.

I love that it's as Gaeilge and how beautiful the design is. I often find myself turning the word "feoirling" around in my mouth- like most Irish words it has a wonderfully soft, comforting sound. 

And even though I didn't grow up using that particular coin (we had the horse, deer, salmon coins etc), I nevertheless feel an odd sense of nostalgia and an attachment to it. 

It's such a beautiful piece with a strong reminder of our heritage and our disposition towards nature and the beauty that can be found therein. 

LOVE that harp on the back with the date (my own little bit of vintage with that 1946). 

You can read more about this beauty HERE on the Chupi website.

XX

Nima Brushes: An Irish Brand That You NEED In Your Make Up Bag

A couple of months back I was sent brushes from two different NIMA Brush Collections to put to the test. Before I got into make up properly (late teens I guess...dark times) I thought using brushes to apply make up was mere faffing but having seen the difference it makes to the finished look, I'll never go back. 

A little bit about the brand; NIMA Brush is an Irish cosmetic brush company specialising in brushes manufactured using the most natural fibres and strongest brush ferrules (the part that holds the bristles in the brush). Their aim is to supply specialised brush sets to professionals and non professionals alike at a price to suit everyone's budget.

Make up brush heroes!

I actually almost didn't want to sully them by using them..look how beautiful they are!! (heart eyed emoji time)

There's twenty pieces in the Artistic Collection, of which I have five.  

You can buy the compete collection for €154.99 or you can pick and choose which brushes you want yourself as they are also priced individually.

First up is The Georgie. This is an angled face foundation brush and can be used obviously for foundation or other cream products (this would be particularly good for those cultivating a Kim Kardashian look- it's a good'un for cream contouring). I use it just for foundation and really like it. At first it felt almost too hard (I know, that's what she said) but after I used it a bit it's just right. I tested it using a new foundation versus just my fingers and then a foundation brush from another brand and this provided the best results. Impressed. This is priced at €16.

The Erin is fan brush priced at €10. I use it either to apply powder lightly overall or to remove fallen eyeshadow from under my eyes. Other uses include: a sweep of blush, highlighting above cheekbones or shading below cheekbones (again, contouring ahoy!)

The Blaithín is a precision blush brush and comes in at €16. I naturally enough use this for blush- it's super soft and allows you to apply blush specifically where you want it- i.e on the apples of your cheeks, rather than all over your face like with some larger brushes can. You can also use the tip of the brush for highlighting if you're that way inclined.

The Lady is a stubby tapered eye brush and the Kate is a lip brush. These are €9 and €10 respectively. Truth be told, I have used neither of these because I've been obsessed with the eye brushes I was sent (below) so this little one didn't get a look in (see what I did there?!) and I never use lip brushes. I know, it's pure laziness but I can't change the habit of a lifetime. That's not to say these aren't lovely brushes, I will use them when the situation arises but I guess for now it's important to know that there's a brush in the Artistic Collection for everything.

This is the Elite Collection Eye Detail set that I mentioned above and is priced from €30. Included is a Large Shader to apply a base shadow (also great for those with larger eyes), a Small Shader/Smudge brush (I use this for smudging the eyeshadow under my eyes- it's great because of how precise it is so it doesn't go everywhere, just where I want it), a Crease Blender brush (does what it says on the tin but is also nice and soft so it's good for blending), a Bent Eyeliner brush to help you get your gel or liquid liner right into the inner corner of the eye which can be notoriously difficult to reach and lastly, an Angled Brow Brush for a perfectly tapered brow or for creating an eyeliner flick. 

Look it, I'm not a make up artist but I can get my own make up as close to perfection as possible with the correct brushes. These are absolutely ideal for make up fanatics and newbies alike- you can pay as much or as little for make up itself as you want but if you have the right tools to get it on your face then that's half the battle! It's also important to mention that these wash really well, you hear horror stories of other brush brands that fall apart after a few washes, but not these. They're also very aesthetically pleasing (not to be too superficial there). 

Find out more about NIMA brush HERE, you can shop by brush type, collection or set so there's something for every price range.

Do you own any NIMA's? Any others I need in my collection?

Xx

I Want To Be A Mermaid..

My Ariel love rages on. The Little Mermaid came out when I was a mere nipper of five years old and I instantly fell for her super swishy red hair, her under sea antics and her love of all things human, even though she used them for all the wrong purposes. Dinglehopper anyone? 

I also had an Ariel doll that changed colour in water. Overall, I loved her. A recent re-watching confirms that it's still an enjoyable Disney classic if not exactly a feminist masterpiece but you can't have everything! 

Meanwhile, I'm obsessed with all things under the sea, as is evident from the below collage. 

Everything's better down where it's wetter, don't you know. Ooh-er etc.

Slightly more understated than everything else is this Seashell locket necklace with a pearl, €29.36, Etsy HERE.

This pink metallic shell bag from SkinnyDip, £30, HERE is super summery. Also available in blue. 

Woman's hair on Pinterest that I want. I'm probably going to go for a much less dramatic version and add in peach to my blonde hair this Summer. 

These Ariel pjs from Topshop have to be mine. I've been putting off buying them for ages cause I really don't need new pyjamas but the fact that I keep going back online to look at them means they should probably come live with me. £22.00 HERE.

And eh, more seashells with this SkinnyDip phone case, £12, HERE.

Lastly, this super sparkly green sequin dress kinda screams mermaid. It ticks my "can I wear it with black tights" box too. £39 HERE from Motel Rocks. 

Penneys also have some very summery tees at the moment with slogans like: "part time mermaid" etc if that floats your boat (see what I did there?!).

In case you needed another reason to love her, she's also patron princess of the make-up addicted:

G'wan Ariel!

XX

What's In My Bag Featuring Kate Spade

When I heard towards the end of last year that Kate Spade was coming to the Kildare Outlet Centre I made a noise only dogs can hear, such is my love for the quirky accessories brand we had long been denied on this side of the water. 

Given that, Himself and I went and picked up my Christmas present there and I've been lovingly stroking the gorgeous aqua green leather bag and bright pink purse ever since. So I thought now was as good a time as any to do a "what's in my bag" post. If you're unfamiliar with this type of blog post, it's basically where one arranges the contents of ones bag in a somewhat organised fashion, minus dirty tissues, Luas tickets and old sweet wrappers, photographs it and shares it with the world. Strange, eh?

On that note:

Pretty standard really; glass nail file (comes with me everywhere as I'm incapable of not breaking a nail), romantic wedding photo keys, headphones because I walk everywhere and listen to audio books on my way, the aforementioned beautiful pink purse, Nars concealer (always with me, review HERE), Burts Bees lip balm stick (love this, super moisturising with a nice natural pink sheen), novelty cat mittens (or kitten mittens to be even more sickeningly adorable), Soap & Glory Hand Maid gel (kill ALL the germs), Paperchase super sparkly green glitter 2015 diary, Laura Mercier Almond & Coconut hand cream (smells so freakin good) and lastly, Lollibalm (review HERE). I'm surprised there's only two lip products in there actually, that's unusual for me. 

And a better look at that bag:

The bag is made of super soft leather in a mint/aqua/turquoise hue with gold details and is just swoon-worthy. Inside there's a zipped pocket and striped material and outside there's a long strap to wear across your body or handles for the crook of your arm. It's also quite light which is nice as some bags would break your shoulder before there's anything even in them.

The purse has the usual slots for cards, space for notes and zipped section for coins. There's a good selection of purses and wallets in the KS store, with a big variety of colours. I was tempted by a larger orange one but I know what I'm like- I need a small purse for work and I'd just end up taking the money and cards out and never using a bigger one so this suits me perfectly. 

I'm going to need another trip out to the Kildare Outlet Centre soon to have another look around; there was a very small selection of jewellery that I wouldn't mind having a better ogle at!

XX

Penneys Haul

So you know how it is, I went into Penneys (Primark to those outside of Éire) the other day for some new Pilates gear and left with a Cocoa Brown tanning mitt, two pairs of extra thick tights (with a fleece lining..snug FTW), a lip balm with SPF (covering all weather conditions, clearly), the aforementioned Pilates clothing and the few items below. I basically saw the colours and went a bit mad. Colours and florals mean only one thing. SPRING. That's right, people, time to break out the fun clothes and throw off the shackles of Winter. No need to look like 40 Coats anymore because Spring is coming! Well, Spring is a good bit away yet but it is coming. Oh yes. 

First up, is this rather cool neon tweed print shift dress. Made of a lightweight material with sheer sleeves and a woven collar, this would need a chunky cardigan for now but will be fine on its own for Spring/Summer. 

I'm planning on wearing this with those thick tights in navy, ankle boots and a chunky necklace (possibly one of the new ones in the photo). This was €10. 

Next up is this tropical floral print on a vibrant orange-red background. I love the detail on the sleeves here, it makes it that bit more interesting. 

I'm mostly planning on wearing this just with jeans but for some reason I have a strange hankering to try it out tucked into a striped pencil skirt..hmm. This was €9.

I'm obsessed with yellow and my favourite way to wear it is with a casual shirt like this. Featuring rolled up sleeves, some gold detailing on the shoulder and tiny yellow polka dots throughout, there's a lot going on here for just €13. Again, this is probably a jeans kinda top. I'm thinking tucked into flares with gold wedges and a big old hat for when the better weather comes (really thinking ahead here!).

Lastly, these chunky ball necklaces caught my eye in the window on a mannequin so I had to have them. These won't be to everyones taste as they're a little bit different but that's why I like them. I debated between which colour to get but in the end I went for both (it also comes in white). I'm into statement necklaces in a big way and tend to accessorise every outfit with one so these are ideal for me. And those colours..swoon!! €6 each.

And that's my Spring wardrobe sorted!

Anything catching your eye? Are you as done with Winter as I am?! 

COME ON SPRING!!!!

XX

Winter Brights With O' Donnells Boutique, Limerick.

One of the things I really miss about living in Limerick is the City's selection of unique little fashion boutiques, so I'm always glad of the opportunity to peruse these treasure troves and one I love in particular is O'Donnells Boutique on Catherine Street, Limerick.
Recently I was lucky enough to be invited to check out what they have in store for us for the chillier months ahead and the good news is, we can expect plenty of bright woollen coats, stylish hats, leather accents, stunning accessories and perfect wedding guest attire.

First up; coats. Zesty citrus shades such as these stunning lemon and orange wool coats are the perfect pops of colour to help banish the Winter blues. As you can see, the girls paired them with simple silhouettes in white and black, the idea being to keep your outfit as classic as possible so when you introduce a bright colour like this, it still looks chic. I actually can't make up my mind which one I prefer although I think the orange would go nicely with my own brown leather knee high boots.

That lemon is surprisingly wearable in a skirt too- worn here with a leather accent black jacket and in the middle photo with a 70's style hat and opaque tights. I'm also loving that grey pleated skirt in the photo on the right- it looks perfect with a buttoned up shirt and another fab leather accent jacket. In the middle photo again you can see a print puffa jacket- the 90's look is still very popular and although it's not really my thing, I was taken aback by how well it looked on the model. 

There's that puffa jacket close up. In the middle is possibly the worlds most beautiful coat. Oh the swooning that was done over that floral beauty. Sigh. Imagine it over a plain dress with a pair of killer heels. That's the perfect wedding outfit right there. 

Although that photo on the right is a close second. I REALLY love that dress. The designer apparently picks a different completely unique print each season to adorn her dresses with so you really are getting one of a kind. The fuchsia is perfect with the grey and I love that cut.

Hats are big news this season, which is excellent for me as I have more bad hair days than you could shake a large stick at. I dare anyone to try wearing that 70's style on the left and not look like a lady- it'll make any outfit instantly stylish. I actually really love that purple cardigan it's paired with (it also comes in a bright pink..again I was torn about which one I preferred but I thought the purple had a nice Wintery vibe). The pink cloche hat on the right is again going to be perfect for any event in the upcoming months but would be ideal for a wedding in particular. 

They also have a great range of jewelry to complete your outfit. The rose gold bracelets on the left are delicate and look stunning layered together while you can also find cuffs like the one on the right to balance out your look. Below are just some of the collar necklaces available- perfect for adding oomph to a plain black dress.

You'll also find a good selection of Mad Men style hand-held bags like this powder blue beauty on the left and that gorgeous grey and blue on the right. 

While I was there I couldn't help but admire the choice of shoes that the models were wearing, which are all available from Serendipity (shops on Roches St, Limerick and in Adare), also a great Limerick shop! So I popped in there too to have a look. They've a huge selection, in particular they

 have lots of booties like these two- those fur trimmed ones are great for Winter- you'll be warm and well dressed, which lets face it is difficult at the best of times.

Sorry, was just wiping the drool away there. Would you just look at these. Pointy toed, stilletoed with a bow detail to the heel and available in three different colours. My kinda shoe.

Had to put up a second photo there just to show off the shoes a bit more. Sweet lamb of God, they're just perfect. If anyone's looking to buy me a new pair of shoes, I'll take those red ones in a seven. 

Ta very much. 

And that's just some of what's on offer from these fabulous stores. You can see more from the range in O' Donnells on their website HERE and more from Serendipity HERE.

What's the stand out piece for you? Are you liking the current Autumn/Winter trends?

XX

*This post was not sponsored, I just really like my Autumn/Winter fashion!