Its lovely to see the spring colours in the shops. So cheerful and bright.

Just the lift we all need after the long dark days.

However, colour is an interesting topic when it comes to fashion.
In my opinion it doesn’t matter how lovely the colour is, if it doesn’t suit you then don t wear it.

Colour is the number one thing to get right when you are shopping for clothes, the shape and design of the garment might be amazing but if the the colour is wrong forget it . if the colour doesn’t flatter you its very hard to see beyond that.

Now im not suggesting we all have to run out and have our colours done. Its easy enough to see what flatters you. Just get a few scarves, (and God knows we all have enough of those)., and put them on and watch which one make the most difference to your appearance. Some colours just drain you and others lift you.
Here again scarves, are your friend, you may have some lovely coats and jackets and coats that are not the right colour for you but throw a scarf on and straight away it works. It’s the same with knits you may have bought because you loved the look of them in the shop but the colour does nothing for you, find a nice scarf and away you go.

Scarves are also very chic and fashionable. They can really make an outfit look classy and sophisticated. Silk scarves are very popular right now and there are some lovely colours to be found.
So enjoy the spring fashions and remember if the colour doesn’t suit you, think again.

Nach bhfuil sé go hálainn dathanna an Earraigh a fheiceáil sna siopaí arís? Nach iad atá gealgháireach agus ildaite! Díreach an rud a theastaíonn agus an Geimhreadh fada dorcha á fhágáil inár ndiaidh againn

Ach is suimiúil an t-ábhar é an dath agus cúrsaí faisin á bplé againn.
Táimse den tuairim gur cuma cé chomh galánta is atá an dath, muna n-oireann sé duit, níor chóir duit é a chaitheamh!


Agus tú ag siopadóireacht fá choinne éadaí, caithfidh tú a bheith cinnte go bhfaigheann tú an dath i gceart. Fiú amháin más rud é go bhfuil an cruth agus an dearadh go hiontach, muna n-oireann an dath duit, déan dearmad air! Má tá an dath mícheart duit, tá sé iontach deacair rud ar bith eile a thabhairt faoi deara.

Ar ndóigh, níl mé ag rá gur gá duit rith amach agus measúnú datha a fháil. Tá sé éasca go leor a fheiceáil caidé a oireann duit. Tóg cúpla scarf (tá a fhios ag Dia go bhfuil go leor acu seo againn uilig!), cuir ort iad agus pioc amach na dathanna atá go maith ortsa. B’fhéidir go mbeidh dath amháin a chuireann cuma fhuar, thuirseach ort ach cuirfidh dath eile loinnir ar d’aghaidh.


Mar a dúirt mé cheana, tá scairfeanna iontach le do chuid cótaí agus seaiceáidí a athrú go hiomlán. Baineann sé seo le geansaithe agus éadaí cniotáilte chomh maith. Is mór an difríocht a dhéanfaidh scairf dheas do shean gheansaí nó do chóta dorcha ar bith atá agat!

Tá scairfeanna chomh chic agus faiseanta. Ná dean dearmad ar scairfeanna síoda chomh maith, tá said iontach.
Bainigí sult as faisean an Earraigh, agus cuimhnigh, ,ma tá tú in amhras faoin dath, smaoinigh arís.

*Images via Pinterest and Elle.com. All images are copyright of their respective owners

Can Comfortable Be Chic?

This week I was talking to a few friends about the clothes they like to wear most.

All of them, myself included, felt that the clothes we liked to wear best were comfortable clothes. Whether they are dressy or casual, comfort seems to be the first thing we look for when we go to get dressed in the morning. The interesting thing is that it’s not the first thing you might look for when you are buying a garment. When you are in a shop, you tend to go for what catches your eye and is in fashion.


Another interesting thing I have observed is when women put on a dress and say “It will look lovely when I have a tan and heels and my hair done and when I have lost a stone!” That’s not the dress to buy. If it is dependent on all those factors to look good then don’t buy it. I promise you, you will never wear it. Maybe, thinking a pair of heels will be needed is alright because let’s face it we don’t go around in our killer heels all day, and most glamorous dresses do require heels. It’s the fact that we are imagining an almost different person that’s the problem. I’m all for buying clothes for who you really are - if you are someone who rarely gets out of your jeans then what’s the point in buying loads of dresses and skirts? Buy well-fitting quality jeans and fabulous tops to go with them, good boots in winter and pretty pumps and sandals in spring/summer. Wear what you love and spend your money on what you will wear most of the time. If you are a dress woman, then buy dresses with sleeves and the neckline that suits you most. Team them with boots in winter and good shoes for autumn and spring. There are so many lovely sandals for summer, your dresses will look great. Invest in some nice cashmere knits to go with your dresses and feel the luxury.
I read somewhere recently that children who wear comfortable clothes are happier - I think the same goes for grown-ups.

P.S. We have a great GIVEAWAY on our Facebook page for one lucky reader!! All details of the competition here

An tseachtain seo caite, bhí mé féin agus cúpla cara ag caint faoi na héadaí gur fearr linn a chaitheamh.


Ar ndóigh, d’aontaigh muid uilig gur fearr linn éadaí compordacha a chaitheamh. Gléasta suas nó neamhfhoirmeálta, is cosúil gur compord a bhíonn ar intinn againn uilig nuair a bhíonn ár n-éadaí á roghnú againn ar maidin. Ach ní hiad seo na héadaí céanna a cheannaíonn muid agus muid amuigh ag siopadóireacht. De ghnáth, roghnaíonn muid cibé píosa éadaigh atá “san fhaisean” faoi láthair nó cibé píosa a mheallann an tsúil.


Rud eile a théann i gcion orm ná go gcuireann go leor againn gúna orainn agus deir muid linn féin: “beidh an gúna seo galánta nuair atá mo ghruaig déanta, smidiú agus sálaí arda orm agus dath na gréine (nádúrtha nó ó bhuidéal) ar mo chosa. Ní hé seo an gúna ar cheart a cheannach. Muna mbreathnaíonn sé go deas gan smidiú, salaí arda srl., ná ceannaigh é! Geallaim duit, ní chaithfidh tú ach go hannamh é.

Ar ndóigh, le gúna galánta d’ócáid dheas, tá sé intuigthe go mbeidh gá sálaí arda a chur leis. Ach séard is áil liom a rá ná muna mbraitheann tú compordach sa stíl seo, léirigh do stíl féin sa dóigh go mbraitheann tú ar do shuaimhneas. Ná bíodh ort duine éigin iomlán difriúil a shamhlú nuair atá culaith á lorg agat d’ócáid speisialta. Silím gur chóir dúinn uilig éadaí a cheannach a fhóireann go maith dúinn agus a mbraitheann muid compordach agus sásta iontu.

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!

*all images are copywrite of the respective owners