Real Bride: 50's style delight!

Our gorgeous bride Brona (on right) looked incredible when she tied the know with Su.

She chose a new, vintage style wedding gown from our collection which is actually full length. 

Brona then had the tulle skirt shortened to a fun, tea length which suited her perfectly.

Their recent wedding featured in The Times, how exciting!

Congratulations to both beautiful brides!

All about Papermoon Bridal by Dirty Fabulous

At the end of last year we launched our limited edition range of vintage style wedding dresses.

These 8 vintage inspired gowns have been lovingly designed by Caroline and I.  

Taking inspiration from some of the most beautiful vintage gowns we've encountered over the years of our vintage obsession we worked to create gowns our customers would adore.  

Our capsule collection is called Papermoon by Dirty Fabulous.

 Papermoon Bridal by Dirty Fabulous

The Sweetie Darling

For all the sultry sirens channelling their inner startlet.  This 1930's style gown is begging to be sashayed in.  The rose gold beaded collar adds a luxe touch to a dress that is all about hugging the curves. 

 The Cherry Pie

A cupcake of a cutie! Taking it's inspiration from one of the very first 1950's prom dresses we had in store, which became one of their most asked after dresses. The blush colour and soft tulle pleating bring the bridal style stakes to a whole new level! 

The incredible cake in the image was created by Cathy's Bakes and Cakes

 The Dollface

We've taken the very best features of some of our most stunning 1950's tea length dresses and combined them to create a timeless and classic dress that's sure to delight. It even has pockets! 

The Cat's Meow

A champagne beauty the most wonderful aspects of the coveted gowns worn by old Hollywood movie stars. The low back, looped rhinestone encrusted shoulder straps and draped bias cut skirt make this a show-stopper!  

 The Holly Go Lightly

One of our most popular designs! The full lace skirt is reminiscent of the fabulous, fun dresses worn by Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. We've added a removable tulle shawl collar to create the perfect neckline.

 The Smitten Kitten

A ballet length tulle 1950's style bridal prom which has been decorated by shimmering sequins on a classic illusion top neckline. For the fun bride who wants to sparkle and dance the night away.  

 The Society Dame

The regal lady of the collection. This lace, form fitting wedding gown has a frothy, detachable tulle train that is begging to descend a grand staircase! The tulle collar can also be removed taking it from a show-stopping number to a sleek lace silhouette in moments. 

The Tallulah

Well hello there! A wedding dress inspired by it's namesake. Where do we start with this dress?  The jewel-detail open back? The crystal buttoned deep cuffs on an open slash sleeve? The fabulous V neckline? This is the wedding dress vintage dreams are made of!  

Prices range from €795-€1500 

Papermoon bridal was a once off capsule collection. We have limited availability so get in touch quick before they've all flown!!!

For more information contact Kathy or Caroline at hello@dirtyfabulous.com or 01 6111842 

The Team for the Papermoon Shoot

We returned to our home county of Monaghan to assemble a team of extraordinarily talented and creative individuals that would help encapsulate their unique collection. 

The breathtaking photography by Táine King and wonderful film making by Ronan McMeel brilliantly interpreted the identity of Papermoon Bridal and the personality of Dirty 

Fabulous.

The models on the shoot were some of the most amazing ladies we've ever worked with. They helped make a long days work completely effortless and fun! 

Thank you Lorraine, Airida, Miriam, Laura, Ustina, Cait, Ellen and Joanne.  

Photographer Táine King hard at work  

 Lynn McNally of I Do Make-Up was the make-up artist extrordinare who did the flawless vintage looks for all 8 models. It was an epic task!

 Michelle and Sinead from Serenity Hair and Beauty were absolute stars who created the most wonderful vintage hairstyles to suit each dress.

 Filmmaker Ronan McMeel and artist, Barry Quinn hard at work behind the scenes.

 The Papermoon Collection was shot on location in the Hilton Park

A fabulous location that can be rented for your own wedding!

Quite Possibly The Most Romantic Wedding Ever!

When vintage darling and the deputy editor of the bridal bible, One Fab Day plans her wedding, you know the results will be a visual dream!!!

We were absolutely thrilled when Karen Louise chose her 1950's style, tulle and lace wedding dress from Dirty Fabulous. She paired it with one of our satin edge tulle veils and I think we can all agree she was a picture of vintage perfection!

One Fab Day featured the wedding in full in two parts and you really have to check out part 1 and part 2 to see all of the beautiful details of this charming wedding.

The photography by We Are The Lous is so special, I promise it'll make you swoon!

Congratulations to Karen Louise and her hubby Michael.

A Bouquet of Baubles!

Amanda sent in these wonderful pictures from her recent wedding and they filled us with joy!
Have you ever seen a more adorable bride? We were delighted to help Amanda pick her bridal outfit which included one of our vintage style tea length dresses with lace cropped top and short satin edged veil. We completed the look with a bespoke blue sash, vintage earrings and comb.
What did you think of Amanda's bouquet? We loved it, brought a huge smile to our faces!
Congratulations to Amanda and her new hubby.

Meet Rosa: Vintage hair and make-up Goddess!

Oooh what a vintage glamourpuss you are! Why don't you tell us a little about yourself and what you do:

Hi Dirty Fabulous! I'm Rosa and I'm a vintage hair and makeup artist in Cork. I have a service which provides cool ladies with glamorous old fashioned looks, ranging from period correct to vintage inspired styles. I am an old school addict in my personal life and work life, I live in a big Victorian house which we call Wuthering Heights. It's filled with trinkets and surreal art projects, a Tim Walker inspired haven!

So you're a vintage hair and make-up styling queen! What's the most popular vintage look or era your asked to recreate?

That would be a tie between the very 1940's classic sculpted waves (think Rita Hayworth, Dita Von Teese) and softer 1930's inspired upstyles. The 1930's in a popular look at the moment, the hair is up but sits just on the nape of the neck, the front is soft but still has that s-wave which is vintage through and through! Both styles as well lend themselves to all manner of headpieces and veils.

Is there any look your just dying to have a bride ask you for? Or is there something different you'd love to see them try?

Personally I love doing fake bobs and victory rolls! More and more brides are doing real vintage (not just inspired) looks which I adore. I would also like to see some more big 60's hair, think Priscilla Presley when she married Elvis! Big and unapologetic.

Rosa working on a Dirty Fabulous shoot!

You're super busy and in demand so how much notice does a bride need to give to get a trial or book you for her wedding?

It's always worth enquiring! I see some stylist saying they are half booked up for 2016 but that's not how I do it. The most popular dates go quickly but there's always a chance I'll be free, some people have given me 6 weeks notice but most people get in touch 6 months before! 

I like people to come for a trial a couple of months before the wedding so they are really settled on their look and headpiece. Weddings can be so overwhelming when you start to worry about if you've made the right decisions! I really noticed this when I did my sisters hair for her wedding...we tried 5 styles over the space of 5 months before eventually settling on the first one we chose. 

This lovely bride of Rosa's wore a Dirty Fabulous 1940's wedding dress and birdcage veil for her wedding.

What other events do you do vintage styling for?

Oh anywhere and everywhere! It's a popular choice for big birthday parties, christmas parties and hen parties! I also do themed events such as vintage fairs. I take appointments in Brocade and Lime which is a vintage inspired boutique in Cork. We have a beautiful beauty parlour in there which is
like stepping back in time!

Personally, I can't leave the house with out red lipstick. What's your favourite shade of red lipstick? Can anyone wear red lipstick or are there certain skin tones that should avoid it? How do you avoid any mistakes when applying? 

I am a rather fickle when it comes to my reds so it's hard to pick a favourite. In my handbag at the moment I have Red Velvet from Besame Cosmetics (a vintage inspired line), Ruby Woo from Mac, So Marilyn from Charlotte Tilbury and from Rouge entincelle from Lancome. You are never fully dressed without your red lipstick! And I literally carry about a handbag of them. (I have to agree, I feel naked without mine!)

I really believe everyone can wear red! Lipliner always helps make it look more glamorous than clown-like, start by putting on only a little and build it up. Put more product in the centre of the lips and smudge it out into a stain but make sure the cupids bow is always distinct. Blondes should go for blue based red to start, brunettes and red heads look lovely in a real true red that brightens the face. Glosses can look a little cheap by themselves but matte textures are always fabulous. Lip brushes and lipcoat will stop you from getting it all over your face (although I somehow always manage to!)

The absolute must have make-up product for any aspiring vintage vixen?

The obvious one is of course your black eyeliner! It takes time and effort to find what works best for you but once you do you'll be set for life. Mine is Mac liquid last. Super long wearing, pitch black, not for the faint of heart. A good foundation which makes you looks flawless is a must, resist the urge to go darker then your skin tone! Don't forget your hair though, Elnett is unparelled in my book!

Any tips on how to create a perfect flick of eyeliner?

I have a couple of little tricks I use, for instance always do the first brush stroke with both your eyes open and looking in the mirror. Do a thin one along the eyelashes and draw it out and up. Try and decide what angle will pull your eyes up and make them look open and almond shaped. Decide where you want the flick to end and join the centre of the eyelid to that point. Add mascara and false lashes for a very pinup look.

Where do you get your inspiration from for vintage looks?

I spend a lot of time online looking at pictures of beautiful ladies! Both past and present! If I'm looking for images to show brides or clients I like to work with films and TV references. You get a better feel of a persons taste and how they want to appear if they say "Give me a Lady Mary look","I want to look like Kiera Knightly in Atonement" or "I love Rachel Mcadams in the Notebook!".

If I'm feeling uninspired by my own look I'll have a google of Dita Von Teese or Ulyana Seergenko..there's an Austrian  designer called Lena Hoschek whose collections are always amazing and styled in a 1940s-1950's way. I love the old glamour mixed with a splash of modern sex appeal. People worry that "old fashioned" equals "frumpy" but I think it's striking and a sign of a confident sexy woman to experiment with your look!

Any online blogs, books or reference points that you'd recommend for inspiration?

It may be cliched at this point but Pinterest is such a good tool and you can pretty much find anything! I always tell brides to follow me and check out the images I have of past work. Facebook and Instagram are the best places to really see incredible vintage hair and makeup. There are hair and makeup artists all over the world as well as very stylish ladies just waiting to inspire you!  Keep an eye out for pages that post images of everyday life, like in the past. Try to remember as well that people rocking these looks on a daily basis are a better inspiration then stylized photo shoots! Audrey Hepburn may look amazing in that photo but she didn't have to walk down the street in real life. Some styles look amazing when you're artfully draped over a sofa but won't translate to your wedding day!

 Tell us a bit about your own style. Do you wear vintage all the time? Would it be original or reproduction?

Around 6 years ago I made a decision to not own anything I wouldn't be proud to be seen in! I got rid of baggy t-shirts and "comfort" clothes because I realised I would end up wearing them out the front door and then really wishing I hadn't! At this point I'm almost entirely vintage/vintage inspired. I love vintage but as my work can be messy it's important to have a stash of look-a-likes to see me through a full days work. I am a big fan of the 1930's and 1940's, I love the shapes! Although of course I end up in every era, you have to just go with what you like.

Sitting around the house and having a lazy day you're most likely to be wearing:

Bag lady chic! If I'm home I'll have my pincurls in, a headscarf, my black wool cigarette pants, a neat knitted jumper and kimono for warmth. You can imagine the face the meter man makes when I answer the door!

Big night out with the girls and you're most likely wearing:

I'm all about the glamorous! Something skin tight and black usually, seamed stockings and my Vivienne Westwood handbag for some hard wear! Perhaps something sparkly in my hair and some fur on top. I do adore my vintage furs!

Going for a stroll with your beau on a romantic weekend:

A knee length wool skirt, a pretty patterned silk blouse and cardigan. Maybe a beret to make me feel like I'm in the Resistance. Some little lace up boots and a heavy camel coat to keep the chill out!

Now wasn't that amazing! Thanks Rosa for having a good oul chin-wag with Dirty Fabulous. We're big fans, loving your styling and all the tips. For more information on Rosa head on over to her gorgeous site and do make sure you follow her old fashioned glamorous goings on's on her blog. Now I feel the need to get my hands on some cigarette pants and a beret....