Frollicing outside the Menagerie

Friday, July 30, 2010

Emu

Say G'day to Emu, a dinky little Aussie based sheepskin footwear company, that has been slowly making its way across the US to Europe and is now turning its sights to Ireland.

I was fortunate enough to go along to a preview of their Spring/Summer 11 collection. I was highly impressed by their range of sleek sandals and apparel, all made from the finsest sheepswool. Their signature boots which look very similar to the 'Ugg' boots- which are a staple for many Dublin teenagers- really stood out to me because of the huge range of styles that they came in.

Years ago, surfers in Australia would wrap sheep's wool around their feet and tie it with pieces of leather to make a kind of sock to keeps their toezies warm..(I know, they're IN Australia??) But still...apparently everyone would call the surfer's sock-like shoes 'Ugly shoes'...which eventually was shortened to .....drumroll....UGG boots.

So there you are a bitta pointless trivia for you. Personally I've never been a huge UGG fan...mainly because they have become basically a uniform for girls in Ireland and also, they are ridiculously overpriced. HOWEVER, I think I might give into the utter snugness of the Emu boot- apart from coming in a huge range of styles, the Emu boot is highly resistant to water and has a strengthened heel so they don't collapse and leave the poor wearer shuffling along the street. They are also cheaper than UGG boots, ranging from €160-€200. I have no doubt that this brand will do very well in Ireland, and when people cope the cheaper prices maybe we'll see less water-stained UGGs being shuffled around Dublin's streets- and more suffer 'Sheilas' wearing the boots as they should be.

I was very kindly given some sandals and deliciously cosy merino dress.....So I can look the part while putting the shrimp on the bar-bie....

Emu is available at select boutiques around the country, including Kahn boutique in Blackrock

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Regal threads.....

So I recently finished reading 'The Confessions of Katherine Howard', a novel about the stated lady, who was Kind Henry VIII's youngest wifey. It was a great book filled with betrayal, affairs, general sauciness......but even saucier was the lavish, luxiorious lifestyle the Queen and her ladies lived. Between the book and The Tudors (the last series of which is on TV3 atm)....I have become obsessed with the idea of living in court......they just seemed to have a absoloute lark ALL the time (besides the whole head-chopping thing....)- life consisted of eating delicious foods, the odd bitta dancing, steamy affairs with noblemen and dressing up in the most elabourate clothing.

The Tudor ladies knew how to dress, no expense was spared to create the most ornate outfits for the Queen and her ladies-in-waiting. The pages of the novel are dripping with lavish descriptions of gowns made with the finest silk, lace, even spun from gold....as well as ridiculous amounts of jewels- sapphires, rubys, diamonds. The Queen slept on sheets spun with gold and a bed piled high with furs....I would glady lose my head for a shot at such a wonderfully indulgent lifestyle...and maybe a piece of Henry Cavill....sir I don't protest......