Paper Planes

Paper Planes celebrated the third launch of the magazine with two major parties: one in NYC @ the Soho Grand; and the other at Barcelona's W Hotel. Photographers, stylists, models, bookers and friends of the mag came out to help celebrate the new issue. Click here to check out the party happs on the Paper Planes blog.

Highstreet Holiday Hints

Horray for the highstreet! Horray I say! If you're going beachside for your holliers this summer here are some top tips from I Blog's shopping travels...

Asos.com:
Beach playsuits €27.50 -this season's alternative to the (yawn!) sarong.
Crop bandeau tops €7.50 - perfect when paired with a maxi skirt.

Dunnes:
Flip flops only €1. Customise with jewel pieces or add a corsage pin to disguise ugly toes.
Mix-n-match bikinis from €5. Whatever your shape, get the bikini that will fit your bits. Yay!

H&M:
Gorgeous acid orange trapezes dresses at €24.95. A great tan is the only accessory you'll need!
Beach cover tops and multi-colour shades from €3.95.

Miss Selfridge:
Strappy maxi dresses €27. Perfect palette on which to build - add a belt, denim gilet, mega-watt jewellery - whatever takes your fancy.

Penneys:
Amazing beads from €3. Layer up for a bright tribal look.
Bikini sets from €5. Every shape, size and colour - and decent quality
Leather weave belts €4. Beat that!

River Island:
Love love love! Spoil yourself with some beach couture.
Couture swimwear - mix and match sets from €17.50 a piece featuring Betty Paige inspired high-waist shorts for jelly bellies. Nice.
Bollywood-inspired gold thread cover-ups @ €33.50 - it's a skirt, it's a turban, it's a top - it's fabulous!

If It's Good Enough for Cleopatra...

My very wise stylist friend Claire once revealed a clever tip for removing fake tan. Milk. The lactic acid acts a natural exfoliant by helping lift dead cells; while the fat binds moisture, keeping the skin soft. Sounds like urban legend? Try it. Just add a litre into a very hot bath and soak for 20 minutes. Afterwards, use a washcloth to slough the skin and be staggered by the results. I've been using top drawer exfoliants in a bid to fade tan remanents without half the success of plain 'aul bainne. Apparently Cleopatra was onto a good thing.

Note: sounds silly but apparently this tip isn't the safest if you're lactose intolerant or have high blood pressure.

I Love Motel??

I got this complimentary t-shirt today from a new fashion brand called Motel. Very sweet but I'm somewhat reticent to wear it; not least because it comes with its own matching keyring and bag. A bit like saying 'Line up fellas. I'm open for business!' Unless, of course, you happen to harbour a fondness for temporary accommodation. Let's face it, hipster irony isn't a good look on a gal my age. Guess I'll have to wear this one to bed - preferably in my own house; not a motel.

Toe Woes

I hate my toes. Fact. I spent many a year pretending to be a size 7 when really I'm an 8. Yet another fact. Given my unfortunate digital inheritance and years of denial, I am not privy to use of the term 'flip flop'. This is a source of great anxiety for me every summer. A few years ago I went to Greece and was told by a complete stranger that something could be done about my toes. She went so far as to recommend Harley Street. I spent the rest of that holiday knee-deep in sand. With my Spanish break a mere three weeks away, I've been desperate to find sandals that can double up as a cunning toe disguise. Thus far, I found a sequin panelled pair in Zara for €49.95 and this little beauty to my right on Asos.com for €43.75. They haven't arrived yet so I'm still dubious as to whether the fringe is long enough to disguise the offending piggies. I fear I may have to resort to some D.I.Y. tactics - a sandal brooch perhaps?

Heaven Hair & Beauty

D12 isn't just a hip hop group folks. It's also an up-and-coming postcode, not merely because it lays claim to resident Martin Foley (a.k.a. The Viper). It's new salon - Heaven Hair & Beauty - looks set to have punters boarding the 19a to sample some of their killer deals. Take their 3-week manicure which at €28, trumps the rather elevated €70 fee at one particular Dublin hair salon. What about their Vita Liberatea organic spray tan? The results are sweet - no biscuit smell, no questionable brown transfers on white clothing and at €30, it fades like a sweet summer romance. To cap it all off, they've got a banging deal on at the mo: €50 for a Brazilian, half leg, underarm and eyebrow wax.

Heaven Hair & Beauty, 21 Ravensdale Park, Kimmage, D12; 01-492 8633

Maxi Blues

I love my maxi dresses - all 6 of them which is why I thought I'd make it lucky number 7 with this floral full-length frock from A|wear. This strapless number is all sorts of lovely - namely because it does not make me look like I'm escaping a flood. At six foot tall, most maxis just look sort of midi on me, especially if paired with wedges. So you can imagine my excitement when I found one that did what it said on the tin. Except....I had a bit of a wardrobe malfunction. Unused to the extra length, I trod on the hem in a Grafton Street shop only to expose my rather naff strapless bra. Thankfully, I was wearing one. Small graces and all that. My new mantra is 'lift before thy boobs separate.'

The Louloubelle Road Trip

Louloubelle bags are going on the road! From May 20th - 30th, designer Louise O'Leary will be packing up her VW camper van with oodles of Italian leather totes and clutches to sell at discounts of up to 75%. Look out for the pop up sales which will be hitting up Waterford, Cork, Galway, Newcastle West, Dublin and Westport. The 100th customer gets a free bag! Excited? But of course! Log onto www.louloubellebags.com for further deets.

Crazy Town - Population 1

Jaysus! It's been a busy few weeks. Not too long however until the summer holliers. Sun, sand and Sangria. Yes, please. Until then, I've taken to providing digests - a poor albeit legit excuse for my enforced blogging diet. As my New York brethern would say, "Eh, wadaya gonna do?" Here it goes:

1) My new favourite trainers = SpringBoost. After I trialled these bad boys for The Afternoon Show, I did cartwheels across the RTE lawn and even attempted a sprint. The feel is akin to walking on springs, making one feel like a sprightly Springbok. Perfect for summer pin toning.

2) My favourite fashion trend = summer leather. Given our current clime (i.e. 10 degrees and rainy), a bit of caramel cow hide is bound to do the trick. My most recent investment includes a Joanne Hynes jacket with reinforced Matrix-inspired shoulders. It says, "I'm fiercly stylish. F*ck with me Mr. Rain at your will."

3) Brown Thomas Style Workshops. My next ones kick off this weekend (May 15/16) on Level 1. The theme? Summer Weekend Wear. It's all about looking sauvage without getting wet as a weasel on one of our trademark 'soft days'

4) My birthday. May 18th to be precise. What the hell. Why am I 37? Why do I find nights in watching Chelsea Lateley preferable to bar flying? Why do I insist on a comfy seat when I'm out? Why do I now hear myself say "but where would I wear it?" when resisting hip yet pointless clothing? What's next? Flat shoes? (She sobs.)

5) SATC 2. It's on like Donkey Kong. Only 15 more sleeps. In the meantime, I'll be dusting off my best vintage frock...

Yummie Tummie Love

It was one of those bloated days. The one where the dreaded Ned appears without an invite. The house guest that doesn't know when to leave. Grrr... Timely enough, I happened to be attending the Yummie Tummie press day at Brown Thomas. I've been a fan of the brand since introduced to it last year by designer and founder Heather Thomson. Since last year, YT has added some gorgeous goodies from leggings to Gaga-style bustiers and a gorgeous lace and satin bodysuit. I'm still in massive lust with the tank tops which magically shave off inches of my middle (take that Ned!) without spooging my midriff into some sort of medieval shapwear harness. The fact the YTs can be worn as outwerwear also tips the hat to the underwear as outerwear trend and dare I say a lot easier to wear than a Gaultier conical bra. I'll be hitting up the concession again for some sexy separates to wear with my pencil skirt. I feel a Mad Men moment coming on! Thanks to Nicky Harris for the invite today. Always a pleasure!

Catherine the Centurian...of Fashion

This Saturday is an important day. My nana - Catherine Coyne - turns 100. This is a woman who knows a thing or three about clothing. She married my grandfather a fisherman and cobbler, taught my mother how to sew, crochet and knit and passed down the appreciation of a finely-tuned garment. This is a woman who once made my siser Aran knit shorts, proving if you have the imagination you can wear whatever you want. This is the woman who predated the fashion critic, insisting that living the simple life didn't mean letting the side down. At 100 years old her skin is still softer than mine, showing that Pond's Cold Cream and fresh air never hurt anyone. This is her wedding picture. She even eloped. What a woman! Happy Birthday Nana. Looking forward to celebrating this weekend! xxx