Stylefish wins the Dragon's hearts!

Today I want to send huge congratulations to Julie Cobbe who owns Stylefish and who stole the show on 'Dragons Den' last night! I've known Julie professionally for a few years and her passion for her business is contagious. She truly deserves the financial funding and business mentoring that she has secured. Watching Julie last night reminded me of how much I love running my own business and seeing the happiness that I can bring to other people. Here's a few words from Julie - you can read her full article on her website.

Julie's classes teach women of all ages how to discover their own personal style. It's all about gaining confidence in how you dress so you can feel great about yourself and enjoy shopping for clothes.

There are very few times in your life that you truly feel…this could be a life changing experience. Dragons Den for me was exactly that. Not ALL to do with the amazing response that we got from the Dragons but more so the emotion connected to actually getting on the show, from the decision to go for it to the interviews and the big day you are told you got on! It is a roller-coaster emotionally as a person & professionally! It makes you feel a new level of love for your business and the difference it makes in peoples live more than anything else in the world. We can all get lost in the day to day reality of running a business but to get the opportunity to look at the bigger picture is amazing. They say lots of things in life catch your eye but few really capture your heart and so I will say that style fish owns mine.

I set up my business for one reason. To provide a brand and service that puts a massive smile on women's faces and makes a difference to how they feel about their style. To show that beyond the magazines and the catwalks of the world, ‘style’ is about so much more than fashion and how what we wear and how we feel about our style has a massive knock on effect to every other area of our life. Your style is your story and our story included convincing Norah Casey & Gavin Duffy in exactly that. The difference style fish makes.

Rangoli is delighted to offer a 'Fishtastic Offer' to Stylefish members - I will design a pair of bespoke earrings valued at €80 with any order valued at €150 or more. Find out more about the perks of becoming a Stylish member as well as signing up for one of Julie's classes on the site too.

Oh and if you missed the show you can find it on the RTE player - it's well worth a watch!

Dirty Fabulous Open Day

It's true that Caroline and Kathy from Dirty Fabulous are friends of mine but I am such a fan of their Vintage boutique on Baggot Street! Their boudoir showroom is crammed full of the most glamorous one-off designs sourced in New York, Paris and Berlin. You can just imagine the stories behind some of these outfits!

Such is the demand for vintage bridal dresses that the girls are flying to New York next week and have already previewed a range of original vintage gowns from the 1940's to 1970's that they will be choosing from.

If you would like a chance to visit the shop without an appointment, then you should visit the Dirty Fabulous Open Day next Saturday from 10am to 6pm. This will be a huge opportunity to grab some gorgeous vintage bargains with some extra special 2 for 1 offers. For more info, visit the blog or read my previous post.

The girls are in New York from Tuesday 6th and will reopen on Thursday 15th of October. Book in now if you'd like to be one of the first to see their dazzling bridal collection! And remember these are all one of a kind gowns. This shop has something for everyone from mother of the bride to party goer!

For more information visit the website or contact the girls on 01 6624249

Dirty Fabulous

I am always being asked by clients if I can recommend somewhere special for their mum to source their outfit. Most are looking for something a bit different rather than the dated suits with matching hats or feathers that are featured in many of the bridal magazines.

Well, look no further than the Dirty Fabulous boutique on Baggot Street. Here you will find a treasure trove of one-off, high-end vintage outfits to suit all age ranges and occasions. Sisters Kathy and Caroline will offer advice and even tailor the garments for you.

Dirty Fabulous were recently featured by Constance Harris in The Irish Independent on May 25th 2009-

Retailers talk about offering more bang for their buck, but, in reality, is that true? It seems to me that sales staff are less skilled than ever, while stores are less willing to allow consumers to exchange items, let alone get refunds. Frankly, I think the consumer is often given very little by retailers other than the hard sell.

Retailers talk about offering more bang for their buck, but, in reality, is that true? It seems to me that sales staff are less skilled than ever, while stores are less willing to allow consumers to exchange items, let alone get refunds. Frankly, I think the consumer is often given very little by retailers other than the hard sell.

So, it is with delight I tell you about an original shopping experience. Not cheap, but offering a special service, Dirty Fabulous is a vintage-clothes shop that moves shopping, and vintage, to new levels.

Sisters Caroline Quinn and Kathy Sherry opened the store only six months ago and already they have a huge portfolio of press clippings and coverage. It was a secret among fashion stylists — not any more.

Kathy and Caroline go to international vintage trade-fairs buying as any fashion buyer would, using their knowledge of their customers’ needs and applying high-fashion insight. They try to buy in colour blocks and with seasonal changes in mind.

They buy garments from the Thirties through to the Sixties, though the odd bit of Seventies’ OTT fabulousness creeps in. The clothes are pure fem and not everything is high glamour. In fact, my favourite dress — apart from the to-die-for Thirties’ crepe gown a la John Galliano for Dior — was a simple, cornflower-blue, American, Fifties’ sundress.

The two choose dresses on a love basis. Sometimes, a garment may be damaged and they will think creatively how they can restore it. As women have become larger, most vintage dresses are too petite, so finding crafty ways of converting a dress into a size 14 or 16 is part of Dirty Fabulous’s genius. Also, they aren’t afraid to slightly redesign a garment if they feel it needs more oomph.

Located on the top floor of a Georgian house on Dublin’s Baggot Street, with plenty of parking, visiting at Dirty Fabulous is by appointment only, thus guaranteeing a one-on-one service. The shop is laid out like a couturier’s salon. There’s a luxury dressing-area, couches and tea, coffee or champagne. The sisters will delight in sharing the fashion history of the dress you love.

Brides, especially, come asking for vintage dresses for their bridesmaids. It’s a testimony to the quality of the shop’s service to see the number of pictures sent by wedding-party clients. They all look fabulous and happy. If anything, the bride in her modern dress tends to look a bit flat compared to all the vintage-clad, glowing goddesses at her side!

Visit the website and blog too for lots of inspiration!

Dirty Fabulous

Dirty Fabulous is a vintage clothing boutique specialising in high end vintage wear, jewellery and accessories. It was launched in 2008 by my glamorous friend Carloline and (equally stylish) sister Kathy!

Caroline and Kathy have turned their love and knowledge for genuine vintage clothing and accessories into a dream job! They have the enviable task of visiting Paris, New York and Berlin to source beautiful original vintage clothing and accessories. A visit to their showroom is a personal and fun experience and Caroline will individually tailor each garment to fit you perfectly as well as offering advice on the style of shoes and accessories that will complement your outfit.

If you are a bride looking for a truly vintage, one-off gown then Dirty Fabulous should be your first port of call! Mothers of the bride will also love the choice of outfits as well as the one-on-one attention and advice. In fact any woman who loves glamour, sparkle or understated elegance should make an appointment to visit the showroom, step into the world of chandeliers and sip on a glass of sparkly!

Watch out for further updates and pics of gorrrrgeous dresses or subscribe to http://dirtyfabulous.blogspot.com/

Dirty Fabulous
No 97 Lower Baggot Street
Dublin 2
01 6624249
info@dirtyfabulous.com