Welcome to Different Dames, the blog for fashion conscious women over 40.

As an avid follower of fashion and a lover of clothes in general I realised lately that there is nothing in the world of blogs for a woman of my age who is really interested in fashion and clothes.

I come from a long line of clothes crazy dames!!!

My mother was a dressmaker who married a tailor, so clothes are in the blood. My 85 year old mother tells me she still spends a large part of her day thinking about clothes.
As a woman in my 50s who owns a clothes shop I feel I have a lot to say about all things related to the subject of women’s fashions. So, how better to do it than start a blog!!

During my working day I listen to a lot of women who tell me their fashion dilemmas as well as their desires for clothes they would like to wear but most of the time can’t find.
My personal favourite is when a handsome, intelligent and happy woman comes into my shop and ask me do I stock anything for “mother of the bride”!?

That question usually strikes fear in my heart and in the hearts of the woman asking it . it is a mine field. Mother of the bride clothes have to be the ugliest creations ever made. And from where I and sitting there isn’t a woman in this country who actually wants to wear any of the clothes that are out there that are sold for this purpose.

In my more paranoid moments I am convinced it’s a conspiracy to make women look and feel as idiotic as possible on one of the most important day of their lives. All the women who visit my shop, I know to be intelligent attractive people. They come in all shapes and sizes and they all have qualities and features that can be enhanced by good quality, well fitting clothes. There is no reason why they should have to look like a badly wrapped Christmas present with a ridiculous thing sticking out of their heads. And that I’m afraid is what is touted from most manufacturers as appropriate wear for mothers of the bride!!!

Simple and elegant is truely chic.

Fáilte romhaibh a chairde chuig ‘Different Dames’, blog do mhná thar 40 atá paiseanta faoi fhaisean.


Mar bhean a bhfuil suim mhór agam i bhfaisean agus atá craiceáilte faoi éadaí go ginearalta, thug mé faoi deara le déanaí nach bhfuil suíomh ar bith i ndomhan na mblaganna do mhná m’aois-se ar aoibhinn linn éadaí agus faisean. D’fhéadfá rá nach ón ngrian a fuair mé an dúil seo. Maintín a bhí i mo mhathair agus phós sí táiliúr. Deireann mo mháthair, atá 85 bliain d’aois, go gcaitheann sí tromlach an lae go fóill ag smaoineamh faoi éadaí!!


Mar úinéir siopa éadaí ban i mo chuid caogáidí, sílím go bhfuil cuid mhór tuairimí agus comhairle agam do mhná san aoisghrúpa seo. Mar sin, cén dóigh is fearr le mo chuid tuairimí a roinn le mná eile ná blag a thosú.
Ó lá go lá, tagann scaifte mór ban chugam leis an fhadhb chéanna: tá a fhios acu go díreach na héadaí gur mhaith leo a chaitheamh ach níl a fhios cén áit le teacht orthu.


Bíonn mo chroí i mo bhéal nuair a thagann bean álainn, chliste agus sásta isteach sa siopa ag cuartú feistis ‘Máthair na Brídeoige’. Dar liomsa, níl rud ar bith ar domhan níos dearg-ghránna ná éadaí atá déanta go speisialta don ócáid seo. Agus, ag dul de réir na ngearán uilig atá cloiste agamsa, shílfeá nach bhfuil bean ar bith in Éirinn atá sásta leis an rogha éadaí atá deartha don lá mór.


Cad chuige nach féidir linn ar fad droim a chasadh ar na ‘rialacha’ seafóídeacha atá leagtha síos go gcaithfidh culaith sról a bheith ort le seaicéad meaitseála barr den dath céanna. Agus ná dean dearmad ar an ‘head-piece’ gréagach ar barr!
Cén fáth nach gcaitheann muid na héadaí gur mian linn a chaitheamh? Céard faoi chulaith bristí, más sin é sin an rud a oireann duit. Níl rud ar bith chomh galánta le culaith brístí atá gearrtha go maith. Nó gúna fada le muinchillí ar ndóigh, nó céard faoi culaith d’ollann cashmere don bhainis gheimhridh? Éistigí a dheirfiúra, caithigí díbh na cultacha lonracha pastail agus na maiseacháin nollag ar na cloigne. Sin a bhfuil uaim. Slán go fóill!

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