Happy St Patrick's Day - we're proud to be Irish!

It's time to pull out ALL the green from your wardrobe!

St. Patrick's Day is a time for family fun, maybe a parade in the pouring rain, a hot whiskey and all the green, white and gold you can imagine!

Whether you spend the day in hiding or go the whole hog we have a long weekend to think about, and cherish our Irishness. We love our little country and the people in it so we'll be kicking up our heels with the kids and most likely dressing like an Irish flag!

Maybe we'll take some inspiration from these glamorous ladies of the 40's and 50's , or maybe we'll look like bedazzled shamrocks...you'll have to wait and see!!!

Photo by Frances McLaughlin-Gill's, April 1952 Glamour

Image of Isabella Albonico, photo by Gleb Derujinsky, Harper's Bazaar, February 1960

Photography by Cecil Beaton for Vogue, 1940

Dirty Fabulous Vintage

Going Green!!!

Vintage Fashion Photography in shades of Green!

Frances McLaughlin-Gill's photography, April 1952.

 1956 Balmain

 1960's fashion

 Christian Dior 1949

Jean Patchett, 1950's

Dirty Fabulous Green Vintage dresses

1950's Kelly Green, tea length prom dress

 1960's Mike Benet celery green, beaded evening gown

 1960's emerald green bodice cocktail dress with yellow brocade skirt

 1950's green and black brocade cocktail dress

1960's apple green Lillie Ruben, beaded cocktail dress

Celebrating All things Irish!

It's easy in a world that's so connected globally to find ourselves envious of other countries, climates and lifestyles. 

Whatever your thoughts and feelings are about St. Patricks day, it does bring our heritage and all round Irishness into focus. I think it's a great time of year to celebrate what a wonderful little country we are. Not only do we live in a land of astounding natural beauty but we're a culturally rich, musical, innovate and creative group of people.

And look, we all know we're far from perfect but we can get back to correcting and improving our shortcomings after this brief period of cheerfulness and celebration.

With this in mind, lets say it together people: "Sure aren't we just great!!!"

Time to look back at some of the beautiful and important design pieces in our history:

The Aran Jumper

One half of our family hails from Donegal, and having spent a lot of my childhood there I would have had several of these as a youngster. After an interlude in my youth of thinking they were uncool, I'm now desperate to get my hands on a vintage one to wear over tea dresses and capri pants!

Image source

Marilyn Munroe in Life Magazine

 Grace Kelly wearing an aran jumper

 Julia Roberts in a cable knit jumper

Irish China

I have such an array of china that I could probably host several Mad-Hatter worthy tea parties, simultaneously! My collection has grown through gifts and charity shop raids and even though it's always random and miss-matched I do love hunting for Irish china.

I've been inspired by these images to bring out my collection for tea on St. Patricks day!

Image via Vignette Design

Image from Home Is Wear The Boat Is

 Beleek Irish China

Vintage Designers And Fabrics

Sybil Connoly is probably the most well known vintage designer we have. Her designs were hugely successful worldwide. Jackie Kennedy loved her creations as did many celebrities of the 50's and 60's.

Anne Gunning in Sybil Connolly

Advert in 1954 issue of Australian Woman's Weekly


Barbara Goalen in a woollen suit with sleeveless sling cape by Sybil Connolly,
photo by Milton Greene

 Lachasse vintage suit in fine Irish wool, 'brigand collar',

1951 photo by Don Honeyman

Irish Crochet

We couldn't write this piece without mentioning Irish lace and crochet. Our country is world renowned for producing the most intricate and beautiful lace fabrics. 

1910 era Irish crochet gown

Dirty Fabulous vintage jewels displayed on our own collection of Irish crochet

Happy Day Of Irishness!!!

Happy Day of Green!

Emeralds, Apple, Kelly and Aqua Greens... Happy St Patricks Day!

Grace Kelly in a sumptuous aqua green silk gown

Arleen Whelan looks like what we wish an Irish Cailin looked liked! 

Judy Garland  - Fabulous surrounded by and wearing green

Todays Hollywood Icons rocking Emerald green on the red carpet

One of the originals - Elizabeth Taylor smouldering in Emerald

Sometimes being Irish makes us slightly afraid of wearing green in the fear of being mistaken for a Leprechaun, but rest assured ladies there are endless possibilities in the spectrum of green. So whether you are a blonde, brunette, red head or anything in between take inspiration from some of the greats and rock that green frock with gumption!!!

Enjoy the St Patricks Day festivities and we'll see you when we reopen on Friday the 18th of March.