Polka-Dotted Countryside

Since I'll be galavanting around mainland Europe for two weeks, I thought I'd share one of my outfits before I jet off. The outfit is for a night out in one of the cool cities that I'll be visiting. What I've noticed about clubbing in mainland Europe is that the attendees party in casual ensembles, complete with converse, perhaps because they party for hours, until the break of dawn and beyond... Putting the Irish closing time of 2.30am to shame. Taking this into consideration, I put together this outfit, which I think is laid-back enough for the clubs in The Netherlands, Germany and The Czech Republic (the countries which shall be graced with my presence!), yet still satisfies my urge to dress up.

Shirt: Primark, £10 | Skirt: Topshop, £10 (Sale) | Necklaces: Primark, £3 each

As of right now, my backpack is filled to the brim, and this outfit takes its rightful place in amongst my toothbrush, passport and sensible footwear. As for the shoes to fit this skirt and shirt combination, I plan to make like the locals and wear flats.

So that's all from me for now. I'll check back in in the next few weeks, after I've fully enjoyed my trip away! In the mean time I'm sure Fiona and Alan will keep you entertained.
-Claire xx

DIY: Stud Your Own Shirt

After Topman jumped on studs, my favourite trend of late, with their new tees for €38 I considered making my own alternative. So after purchasing a plain black tee in Penneys for €2.50 I looked on ebay for gold studs which I found here (for €3.01, free P&P) and got to work.

Using a needle, black thread and quite a large supply of patience I sewed the studs on to the shoulders in a 5-4-5-4 formation on both sides. I also rolled up the sleeves slightly and sewed those in place.

Here's the finished piece:

Will report back once it has been through the wash, just to make sure it is all still in one piece. . .

-80 x

It's A Man's World

Recently the Style Society in DCU set the challenge to its members to come up with a concept, style and shoot various photoshoots based on different titles. The title we opted for was 'It's A Man's World'. The concept we settled on was to challenge this idea and look at the role of women in a world that apparently belongs to men. To do this we looked at what way we could style the shoot and unanimously agreed that androgyny was the best route to take and we looked at the pioneers of this trend; Alexa Chung, Diane Kruger, Agyness Deyn etc. We also took a look at various photoshoots that used the same style and feel that we were aiming for.

But what is androgyny? 

Put simply, it's the blending of male and female characteristics. 

How does it work in relation to style?

Androgyny, not a style for the fashion-faint-hearted, mixes masculine looks into a feminine wardrobe. While it may be a bold choice, our motto is ‘style is what you can get away with’ – so we say: if you think you can pull it off, then go for it.
Alexa Chung, international wearer of clothes, is a poster girl for this trend. She has developed a somewhat masculine style, a perfect match for her boyish frame, yet always holds on to her femininity.

She's been known to sport clothes by J. W. Anderson, a brand that's pretty much synonymous with androgyny. “Who can’t confess to raiding their boyfriend’s closet recently?”, Anderson ponders. Well, I am single, but I would definitely raid a boy's wardrobe... A statement Alan can attest to as I've borrowed various shirts, jumpers and accessories from him over the years.

Alexa in a J. W. Anderson for Topshop jumper

Chungster was a major influence for the ‘It’s A Man’s World’ photoshoot, along with these images:

More and more the gender roles are being blurred, and this is becoming increasingly evident in the world of style. The introduction of 'boyfriend jumpers' and 'boyfriend jeans' is an example of this for women but even for men the popularity of the 'man bag' is proving that men can wear womenswear and vice versa. Admittedly there is an extent to how liberal people will be regarding this overlap, but that's not our concern...

For the photos our friend Orlaith Melia was coaxed into being the model for the day. Dressed up in a mixture of her own and Alan's clothing, we had her strike some powerful stances to exert her dominance but retain her femininity. By accentuating her eyebrows and cheekbones using make-up we feel we managed to capture the perfect blend of the masculine and the feminine. Here's a sample of some of our finished shots.

Model: Orlaith Melia | Photographers: Alan Toye, Rachel Quinn, Jessica O'Donohoe | Post: Claire Petersen

-80 & Claire xx

DIY: Customise a White Tee

A while ago I spotted neon fabric markers for only €4 in River Island. It made for an instant purchase...
Add two white tees from Penney's (€2.50 each) into the mix and you've got a simple DIY project. Alan and I had a quick brainstorming session and we each came up with a concept. Next, all that was left to do was to get drawing.

Tip: When using fabric markers on a t-shirt, put cardboard in the tee and draw on the fabric over this cardboard. This way you will be sure that your markings won't leak through and mark the back of the t-shirt and it provides something to lean on, making it easier to draw.

Claire: I went for a simple design of little green and orange hearts. I also cut the tee into a crop top and rolled up the sleeves. The plan is to wear this over a bikini in the summer. Bring on the beach!

Alan: I took a regular photo and edited it on Photoshop to create a simple line drawing which I then copied on to the tee. It was designed with a friend in mind; we joked before that I would create my own design especially for her so I present: J by Toye.

-Claire & 80 xx

DIY: Transform Trousers into Shorts

Shorts & Belt: Primark | Top: New Look | Necklace: New Look

Primark is a haven for skint fashionistas, and when their clothes are on sale the prices can get a tad ridiculous. So I wasn't surprised when I found dusk blue trousers for merely one pound. Even though I couldn't see myself pulling off blue trousers I knew I had to spare the change to get them. £1 is too much of a bargain to ignore!

I decided that the best way to transform them would be to whip out the scissors and create cute shorts! The process of creating shorts from trousers is pretty straightforward, but I thought I'd share how I did it, just so no one's left confused:

Materials Needed:
1. Trousers that you don't mind cutting up
2. Scissors - fabric scissors if you want to be fancy

Instructions:
1. Lay out the trousers flat on a table or on the floor.
2. Cut the trousers to desired length PLUS 10 to 15cm extra.
3. Roll up the bottom of the shorts to the desired length.
4. Ta-da! You have transformed your trousers into shorts!

I'm pretty happy with them. Now fingers crossed Ireland gets nice and warm this year so I can wear these without freezing. Maybe even a little sun so my legs can turn at least one shade darker than paper-white? Wishful thinking? Probably.

HELP! IVE FALLEN FOR HENRY HOLLAND

March 6^th saw Henry Holland visit BT2 on Grafton Street, Dublin for the launch of his collection in the store. As avid fans of his work, Fiona and I took the opportunity to visit the store in the morning to meet the designer. After waiting around the store for the press interviews to finish I seized the opportunity and introduced myself to him and after a brief chat and a photo opportunity we were invited back to the store that evening by the man himself. For a party, no less.

        Having stressed enough about what to wear just to meet him in the morning, we were definitely panicking over what to wear to the party that evening. I opted for something of a dressed-down look, black tee with bright lettering, black skinny jeans and black converse. It was only when I realised that it was a fashion show that I felt under-dressed… An oversight on my part really.

        Being back in the store that night gave us more of an opportunity to take a look at the House of Holland collection now on sale there. The two collections available are pre-Spring and Spring/Summer. The former is inspired by all things Americana, cheerleaders, pom-poms etc. and includes varsity knits and stripes. The latter, Buzz Kill, is the House of Holland take on 90’s grunge. Buzz Kill features a considerably darker palette than we’d be used to in Henry’s clothes but to great effect- the collection boasts iconic prints with a vintage feel. Both collections still retain the colourful, irreverent styling that has become synonymous with House of Holland.

        The party could be described as colourful and irreverent itself; soundtracked by cult 90’s cover band Smash Hits, the night was a veritable ‘who’s who’ in the world of Irish fashion journalism. Anyone who’s anyone was (or should have been) there for the unveiling of the line, exclusive to BT2 in Ireland, as models took to the stages in front of the band to show off the range.

        DSLRs, Blackberrys and Nokias alike were aloft trying to get snaps of the clothes. Luckily we got a few ourselves: 

As the night drew to a close and it was time to leave, I decided I was not leaving without saying goodbye to the man of the hour and thanking him for such a great night. Gracious as ever, he thanked Fiona and I for coming to see him twice in the one day and we even managed to get a hug. The goody-bags from the night had House of Holland tights (appreciated a bit more by Jessi and Fiona than they were by me) and the Rave Nana A/W Lookbook which was very exciting.

Free drinks, excellent music, beautiful models and House of Holland clothing, what was not to love? The night was one to remember but it was a bit of a transition to go back to doing assignments the next day...

-80 x

Let's Go to the Beach, Beach...

Springtime finally brought its first opportunity to go to the beach yesterday. As we had snow less than a week ago, it meant that despite being bright out, it was still pretty cold.

But not ones to resist a roadtrip, Fiona and I headed out to Howth (in Dublin) along with Jessi, Brendan and Holly (the Busta Sniff to Jessi's Pixie Geldof).

But what to wear?

Jacket: Penneys, €20

Tee: Penneys, €2.50 (!!)

Jeans: River Island, €15 

Shoes: Penneys, €7

Cross chain: Topman, €3.30 (on sale in store)

American Flag scarf: eBay retailer, €2.69 (free P&P, available here)

Wristbands: various places including Topman, Antigua, band merchandise and Ibiza. (A similar wristband to the Topman studs and spikes available here for £7)

And there you have it. That's what I wore to the beach.
Photos were taken in Albert College Park, in front of DCU campus by Claire.

-80 x