Darwin’s Theory of Evolution: It’s not the first thing that springs to mind when indulging in retail therapy. That said, the survival of the fittest is the precise lodestone which underpins our shopping choices, making us buy things we don’t need – or even want. Need a visual: Open your kitchen cupboard and count the […]
I love flamingoes. They don’t give a sh*t. It’s not so much that they think who the hell they are; they KNOW who the hell they are. Heads shaped like a toilet S-bend, gangly limbs, backward-bending knees – it doesn’t matter. Every bird worth her wingspan just sees pink – flamboyant, Miami-drenched pink. […]
I was asked at a recent BEO event about the basics every happy closet should have. My answer? There is no answer. Prescriptive fashion epithets like 10 Things Every Woman Should Own have no place in a happy closet. Each hanging space is unique to its personal fears, joys, hopes and experiences. The real […]
How much do you spend on clothes? More to the point, how do you spend money on clothes? Our wardrobes, over time, are one of the bigger investments we’ll make; yet also one of the least profitable and more troublesome to manage. Fast fashion and a flooded market have led shoppers to expect more for […]
So, how’s Dry January going? Got that familiar feeling again? Yes, we’ve all been there. You could have sworn there was steam coming from the ATM machine last you used it and your heavily-pregnant credit card is fit to buckle under the weight of a 9.5% APR; yet you still ran around Topshop like a […]
Last weekend I was speaking in Galway at BEO – Ireland’s newest and most dynamic self-care event – about wardrobe wellness. During the Q&A segment, a girl asked me “How do I stop going into Penneys all of the time?” The audience offered a knowing chuckle because the struggle, my friends, is most certainly real. […]
It’s back to work for most of us tomorrow. That means surfacing from a collective Netflix coma and attempting to look human before 9 am and a feed of mince pies. It’s a scary thought but so is darkening the doors of any retail establishment apart from those that sell milk, paracetamol or something that […]
I love cashmere but I loathe its sense of entitlement. Those soft downy hairs that keep us warm in winter and cool in summer demand an expert touch. A bit delicate is our cashmere – which can be a total drag when it comes to wash day. Sure, there’s always a trade-off but does it need to involve a special brush, shampoo, conditioner and moth repellent?
When it comes to shopping, choice is a bit like salt. Small doses add flavour; anything more and you’re looking at high blood pressure. Too many options create anxiety and, in turn, weaken our decision muscle. The result? We either snuggle up to the security blanket of stuff or suffer option paralysis –fearful, in both cases, of choosing poorly.
I’m a sucker for comfort. I love snuggly things and would quite happily drape myself in a duvet were it socially acceptable to do so. Perhaps this is why I prefer working from home.