Moving To Paris

I'm super excited to be on the move with American Apparel again. My one-way ticket has been booked and I'm leaving for Paris on Monday morning.

In preparation, I decided to treat myself to my first Net-A-Porter purchase - a beautiful cream canvas and chocolate brown leather satchel by A.P.C.

I'm looking forward to a fresh start in a beautiful city and crazy work hours permitting, I'll keep you guys updated along the way.

Currently listening to 'All Black Everything' by Lupe Fiasco.

Leaving Cuckoo Lane

I'm in the process of moving out of my lovely little apartment behind the Smithfield Fruit & Veg Market, on Cuckoo Lane, so I thought I would post some pictures of my old room.


A Flora & Fauna Italian calendar; Kris Atomic Miu Miu Girls print; Urban Outfitters framed picture of my mom and step-dad; and a vintage framed picture of my father and his family in Libya during the sixties.


A noticeboard which held pictures of my Irish granny as a young woman and my Irish grandparents on their wedding day; a photobooth strip of my mom and my brother Adam and I as babies; a gold chain with black ivory pendant that my Libyan granny gave me when I was born; a cute Easter chick I picked up in Marks & Spencer; and some postcards and magazine tears for inspiration.

My work wardrobe in colour order haha.

A table that the girls from work drunkenly carried up from the street as a housewarming present, holding some bits and bobs, including an Urban Outfitters framed picture of my Libyan aunt Zohra as a child; my vintage purses; American Apparel beret and leather pouch and California Select sunglasses; and some of my favourite fashion, interiors and make-up books.

A view from my bedroom window, it's really lovely in the evening time.

Are those the Dublin or Wicklow mountains in the background? I could be wrong either way, but it's a nice view regardless.

Little moon in the lilac coloured summer evening sky.

Currently listening to 'He Won't Go' by ADELE.

New Jewels

Just a quick little post from work showing the bunch of new bracelets I picked up in Topshop today on my lunch break.

Worn with my Casio from American Apparel, they're just so cheerful and bright, I love them.

Currently listening to 'None of Dem' by Robyn.

Love For LC

I have a secret style crush on Lauren Conrad. She isn't the most exciting or daring of style icons, but I just love the way she presents herself; she always looks so well groomed and polished.

There's a bit of controversy surrounding the upcoming launch of her new label Paper Crown, what with MTV pulling the plug on her upcoming reality TV show documenting the launch of the label. That aside, I think it will do well without the huge publicity she would have gained from the show, as the designs are really quite foolproof and fabulous.

I've posted some of my favorite images from Paper Crown's AW11 Lookbook. The choice of model makes me feel like the line is aimed at a younger audience, but I'd wear it all! Everything is super classic and I adore the blush-toned pieces paired with the sharper black styles.

LC is also on everyone's radar right now because she has recently launched a hair and beauty website called The Beauty Department. Lauren is famous for her side braid and winged liner, so I'm looking forward to reading her hints and tips.

What do you guys think of LC's new offerings in the world of design? Do you think it will be a flop like her first namesake line Lauren Conrad or uninspiring like her LC line for Kohl's? I have high hopes for Paper Crown, I think she's hit the mark on the head third time around.

Images via MTV.

Currently listening to 'Rambling Man' by Laura Marling.

American Apparel Jeans

I haven't been able to post properly since cutting my sick-leave short (I was meant to take four weeks off work, I got bored after 10 days) and returning to the city, so here is a sneaky little post to tide everyone over until regular programming resumes.


I'm super excited because American Apparel is after releasing it's first line of jeans in New York and LA and we are to receive a batch here in Dublin any day now. The denim comes in two washes, light blue and dark indigo, and we will be carrying a regular slim-cut jean and cuff-short in both washes. Perfect for pairing with a classic white tee and vintage sunnies and lounging around all summer long.

Currently listening to "Words I Never Said" by Lupe Fiasco featuring Skylar Grey.

Inside My Purse

If you haven't guessed by now, I'm super OCD. I haven't technically been diagnosed, but I get a real kick out of keeping things neat and tidy and organized. I also really enjoy when other bloggers do these handbag posts, so I thought I would follow suit.


1. Dooney & Bourke vintage purse purchased in the Urban Renewal section of Urban Outfitters. I cringe when I admit this, because the price of it was about ten times the amount I would have paid if I had gotten my act together and visited Flamingo Plaza when I was in Miami.

2. Marks & Spencer's Lavender Scented Tissues, Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel and Peppermint Breath Spray. I obviously went on a field day when I was picking up a few goodies for my tea a couple of weeks ago.

3. Dermalogica lip blam, which is very good, I recommend.

4. American Apparel Clasp Purse containing ATM card and cash and Coin Purse containing coins. I don't allow myself to use credit cards anymore, it's too dangerous, I buy stupid things off eBay like Pokémon and Tetris for my old GameBoy Color.

5. iPod Nano containing only 30 songs after I accidentally wiped it. Features artists such as Rick Ross and Kanye West, tragic.

6. Kingston USB key, full of work stuff.

7. Glitzy Glam monogrammed key chain (don't ask) with keys for work, apartment in Dublin and parent's house.

8. Topshop card holder, full of boring things like my health insurance card and Boots and Brown Thomas loyalty cards.

9. Marlboro Gold (Lights insinuates they're good for you apparently) and a little red lighter. I don't recommend smoking, if you haven't figured by now, it's gross and a huge waste of money.

10. And finally a pouch that holds a map of all the American Apparel's in New York, my Irish, Libyan and Brazilian passports and my Credit Union book, because I've started saving to go back to college next year.

Hope you enjoyed that little perv inside my purse! Leave me a comment if you've done one of these, they're fun.

Currently listening to 'Bombay' by El Guincho.

Lita Porn

I'm a bit late to the party, but seeing as it's better late than never, here is some Lita Porn for everyone to drool over. I remember friends telling me about Jeffrey Campbell when we were out at Bar for my last night in Miami, but I didn't really get it. Now I do.











Check out JC's site here, I sourced the above images from here and here and you can buy these beauties here, but more often than not, they're all sold out.

Currently listening to 'Weekend' by Smith Westerns.

Where Dreams Are Dreamt

I spent all day today cleaning out my bedroom at my parent's house down the country, so I thought I would give you guys a sneak peak of where I've been hiding out recently (I've fractured bones in both my feet, so I'm spending time at home recuperating).


My Mom pretty much decorated my room for me when we moved to this house, so I'm not sure where the mirror or curtains or any of the furniture were sourced from. I'm so lucky, she did a really lovely job; I call it my princess room, even though I'm a goth at heart.

My main bedside table with the book I'm currently reading ('White Teeth' by Zadie Smith) and DVD I'm currently watching ('Paris, Je T'Aime'), a framed print by a friend from Miami and my Russ teddy-bear.


My bed at home is huge! The bed in my apartment in Dublin certainly doesn't compare and when I travel, I'm usually stuck on air mattresses in company apartments or lumpy hotel beds, so I love nothing more than snuggling up and getting cosy when I spend time at home. You can't tell from this picture, but my little chandelier is covered in cobwebs, which I adore.


My second bedside table with my Diploma in Journalism (there to inspire me to get my ass into gear and go back to college for my degree and hopefully masters), my Shaggy bear (he-he), little black sheep coin-bank and secret treasure box. The bra is a jewelled La Perla I have just hanging there for decoration (no getting jiggy in the parent's house guys) and the jewellery hanging from the nightstand was sent to me a while back to blog about... which I never got around to doing, ooops.


My prize possessions! My collection of British Vogue from 2003-2010 and my books. I wish I had a bookshelf, but this will do for now. The walls in my room are pretty bare, because I have all my framed pictures and prints in my room in Dublin. I'll post of a pic of those when I make it back to the city.


There's a mirrored built in wardrobe in the corner of the room, but it's used for storage, seeing as I don't live here full time, so I use this little clothes rail for the clothes I don't keep in my proper wardrobe in Dublin. Gross office swivel chair comes in handy for doing hair and make-up in the mirror.


The lighting of the above pictures aren't great, but I'm quite a novice when it comes to photography to be honest. Here is a photo I took yesterday when a big fat bumblebee flew into my room to terrorize me!

Currently listening to 'When I'm With You' by Best Coast.

Currently Coveting

Since being bedridden this past week or so, I've finally been able to catch up on my favorite blogs and websites. As a result, here is a little twist on my usual Currently Coveting posts; a couple of things I've been admiring and aspiring to of late.


Kelly Wearstler's unique and fearless style. I first mentioned the American Interior Designer in a blog post in January 2008 and she still is a huge inspiration to me, style and career wise. Her work can be viewed here.


Shala Monroque's striking haircut. The former Editor-at-Large of POP Magazine is infamous for being the most elegant girl about town and her blog is really something special. This photo from Jak & Jil really made me want to go graphic with my next haircut.


Arizona Muse's breathtaking smile. It was the first thing I noticed in Prada's SS11 campaign; the girl with the beautiful smile. This model is on everyone's radar right now and rightly so. Her son is such a cutie too!

Images via Google.

Currently listening to 'I Am A Rock' by Simon & Garfunkel.

John Lewis SS11 Campaign & Competition

Did anyone else notice Coco Rocha looking absolutely stunning in the SS11 John Lewis ad campaign? I haven't seen a lot of her since she got married and this Mad Men inspired shoot made me realize how much I'd missed her.


On that note, John Lewis is partnering with The Daily Telegraph to offer a unique opportunity to be styled by Hilary Alexander. Hilary is fashion director of The Daily Telegraph and a prolific fashion commentator, twice awarded British Fashion Journalist of the Year.


Two lucky winners will be selected to join Hilary at their Oxford Street shop for the styling, and take part in filming on the day. Each winner will take home up to £1,000 worth of John Lewis products from the styling session, and become a Telegraph fashion journalist for a week, writing a diary based on their experiences and featuring video footage and photos from the day.


If you're able to travel around the 4th/5th April, are over 18 and a resident of the UK and Republic of Ireland, this is an exciting opportunity not to be missed. Competition closes at noon on Sunday 27th March 2011, so hurry up and pop your entries in here.


Judging by how fabulous Coco looks in the ad campaign, the winners will definitely be coming away with lots of goodies, but the prospect of working with Hilary Alexander and writing as a Telegraph Fashion Journalist for a week is what makes the prize most special for me.

Currently listening to 'Katy On A Mission' by Katy B.

Dublin - Tripoli - New York - Miami - Dublin

Where do I even begin? I haven't posted since September 2010! Well a lot has happened since then and instead of brushing over it, I might as well tell a story or two and post a couple of pictures.

Last October I spent two weeks in Libya, where my father is from and where my grandparents, 12 uncles, two aunties and 20 baby cousins live in Tripoli. I hadn't been there in five years and before that the only time I had traveled to Libya was when I was six years old, so it was a long overdue trip.

I had the most wonderful time, it was so exciting to see how much Tripoli had changed and developed since the embargo had been lifted; most internationally renowned hotel chains hold a presence in the city, which made it feel a lot more cosmopolitan compared to when I had last been there.

My uncle got married when I was visiting and it was very exciting to experience a Libyan wedding ceremony. I also went to the National Museum, visited my family's farm on the outskirts of Tripoli for a wonderful BBQ, took a day trip to the mountains and experienced a real Souk Medina market in the city (where I took the pictures above and the one of the door below).

The fact I was there for two weeks nearly five months ago and now there is a full blown war unfolding before our eyes is very scary. I was lucky enough to get through to my family there yesterday (the telephone lines and internet have been down for weeks) and thankfully they are all safe and out of harms way. I can only pray they will stay that way and that the conflict will end soon.

As some of you may know, the demise of this blog began last January 2010 when I first traveled with American Apparel (the company I work for) to Miami for three months at the start of the year. Soon after I returned from Libya near the end of the year, I was asked to travel to New York and work on a couple of projects there in the run up to Christmas.

It was my second time in New York (my first being a very touristy trip with my Mom and little brother a couple of years ago, back when Abercrombie was seen as Mecca) and I ended up staying for five weeks and working on fixture development and merchandising at most of the NY locations.

I met some wonderful people there, but didn't get a chance to experience the real New York, as most of my time was spent inside an American Apparel. I did however eat out at some fabulous places, indulged in many a mini-cupcake, bought lots of junk in Uniqlo and Muji and got a chance to visit MoMA on Free Friday, which is sponsored by Target apparently.

Luckily I got out of New York before the snow storm arrived, as I had to travel back down to Miami to work on a couple of projects there over Christmas and New Year's. I was so excited to go back and see all the familiar faces and places and the winter climate in Miami is really quite fabulous.

I ended up staying in Miami for a further seven weeks, so I was away for three months in total. It's always strange to come home after being away for so long, what with new friends made and holiday romances lost, but I was very excited to get back to life in Dublin.

Unfortunately I injured myself a couple of weeks ago and have fractured bones in both my feet, so I'm out of action and back at home down the country in my parents house recuperating. I was freaking out about having to take so much time off work, but I'm enjoying the thought of bringing this blog back from the dead and working on a couple of other creative projects in the meantime.

Photographs taken by me in Libya, New York and Miami.

Currently listening to 'H.A.M.' by Kanye West & Jay-Z.