Gillian Bell Illustration: Capturing your Fashion Moment!

How do you pick a present that will endure? We all want to give a gift that our best gal will treasure, but with so much choice it can be hard to know where to start.

Gillian contacted us recently and offered to illustrate a couple of our vintage dresses and we jumped at the chance. We adore art in all it’s many guises and fashion illustration is up there. Our life in vintage fashion has meant that we’ve spent a lot of time researching fashion history and have come across some of the most wonderful illustrations of dresses from the past.

Gillian’s drawings are truly beautiful and would make such a thoughtful gift for a bride, debs or even for yourself!

Fashion illustration has the ability to bring a dress to life. It has a wonderful way of showing how something might look when worn and can give a real sense of movement. We adored Gillian's interpretation of our 1950's, Priscilla of Boston, lace and tulle wedding gown.

Next up, was one of the most incredible evening dresses we have in store. A 1950's, Emma Domb, fiery red, satin evening gown with sequin flames. This ones a showstopper and Gillian's illustration highlights all it's glamorous details!  

Gillians Instagram page has many examples of her work from debutantes, brides and well known faces including the lovely Rebecca Rose who like us, hails from Monaghan and we've had the pleasure of meeting. Her outfit for the Dublin Horse Show was gorgeous and made a stunning illustration!

Gillian's work is priced from €155 (A5) to €195 (A4) for completely original, hand-drawn and framed works. 

A forever letter!

There is something wonderful about getting letters in the post. It's such a rarity now, email, text and other electronic mail has pretty much replaced all non verbal communication.

I read something years ago as a teenager that advised to always keep love letters and always throw away bills and other impersonal mail clutter. It has always stayed with me, so I now have individually tied bundles of hand written letters from over the years. Lots from my Mum from when I first moved away and that continued over many years and through many house moves until Skype entered our lives. Some from my brother when he worked in Germany, and indeed some from old boyfriends, all kept for sentimental and nostalgic reasons.

So when I met Pierce Healy and got to know a little bit about his amazing etching I was really excited about his etched letters.

Pierce is a jeweller and hand engraver based in Dublin just around the corner from us here in Dirty Fabulous. I visited his studio above the Design Shop on Drury Street and he showed me a piece he was working on for a client. 

It was a copper plate about the size of a credit card with beautiful etched script. One side had the recipient's name and address and stamp and the other had the etched message from the sender.

It had a beautiful patina and I immediately thought it would be an amazing wedding keepsake, maybe special invitations to the bridal party or parents. It would make a beautiful love letter that you could keep in your wallet too. 

A forever letter.

The etchings are sent by registered post anywhere you like.

To order one of these beautiful forever letters email Pierce at - hello@piercehealystudio.com

He will need the following information so have a think before you start!

1 - What you want to say (45 characters max)
2 - The name and address of the person who will receive the greeting
3 - The desired date on which the letter will reach the recipient.

These beautiful keepsakes are €160.

Check out his website here -  Pierce Healy Studio

Andrea Kett Cards are available in Dirty Fabulous

Make sure your wedding card to the bride and groom stands out from all the others!

Looking for a stylish card for Halloween? You won't find a prettier one!

Holly Parton.... Hah!!!

You know us, we're fan's of all things kitch, quirky, retro and even a little macabre...which is why we're in love with pretty much all of Andrea Kett's illustrated cards.
We've selected some fabulous wedding, ghoulish and dare I say the word in September ... Christmas cards, that we'll be stocking in Dirty Fabulous..
Each card is hand decorated with glitter (everything is better with glitter!) and beautifully drawn.
Some are saucy, some are cute and other are down right hilarious.
Make sure you have a look through them on your next appointment.
You can be the one to give them the best card... the one they stick up on the wall and makes them smile and think that you really know them the best! Competitive? Us? Never...

Fashion Inspiration from the Cockatoo! (Yes you read that correctly!)

I think it's crucial not to limit where you take your fashion inspiration from. Whether it's from the obscure: the texture and form of the popcorn your munching on or the mundane: the shade of aged wood on that shed, or the obvious: from a glittering fashion magazine.

Your imagination is limitless so try and absorb everything. It's how all the great fashion designers and stylists work. They don't just sit at home mulling over their desk all day, waiting for their next great idea. They view everything in their world as a possible source of inspiration. The colors of the fruit in that bowl...interesting... The outfit that girl was wearing as she passed...I never would have thought of that... the lampshade in the secondhand shop...what a great pattern...the colour of the sky before a big downpour...would be perfect with that yellow skirt I have!!!

With this in mind, the first thing I though of when I saw Leila Jeffreys series "Biloela - Wild Cockatoos" was what amazing colour combinations they would make for outfits. Nature, being the greatest mood board and stylist of them all, knows how to coordinate!!!

We've a huge affinity with creative work of all forms, so to see more of Leila Jeffreys work and get lost in a world of beautiful and provoking art head over to Artsy

Interior Lust...Oh how it torments me!!!

Pinterest has a lot to answer for!!!

 I could happily while away many an evening drooling over the endless fabulous interior shots it provides. Like many in Dublin I rent a small space for too much money and the idea of buying is but a dream. But...everyone has to dream big and aspire to great things so when I win the lotto I'm going to decorate my Georgian/Victorian house kinda like these.

Lots of colour, kitch, high ceilings, wooden floors, velvet couches (totally practical for two small sticky fingered boys) and retro furniture....

Have you any interior lusts? I'd love to see them and know I'm not the only one!!!

Then I'd like this for my boys room!

Chez Moi:  

As I mentioned, I rent the house I'm in and luckily I found one that was unfurnished over 5 years ago as I'd amassed quite a furniture collection over the years. I've picked up pieces really cheaply at auctions and of course Ikea!

It was never intentional but you'll notice there's a lot of blue and pink!!! I'm hoping to change it up and add more darker, striking colours like mustard, navy and burgundy. Think more industrial kitch less vintage girlie!

If you are renting your space then don't be disheartened, there are loads of cheap ways to add a touch of your own personality. Think of some woolen throws, cushions, lamps or vases. Pick up some unusual vintage pieces like clocks, chairs or ornaments at fairs and second hand shops. 

Dust,  the Carolyn Donnelly range in Dunnes, Folkster , April and The Bear and Industry are all great places to start. 

These are all on wish list

 If you are going to be in a space for a while then it's worth investing a little money (yes, even for rented accommodation!). It will make you happier in the long run and you can always bring what you bought with you.  

Oh how I'd love a big house to fill full of vintage furniture and knick knacks...one can dream....