Lost Fashion Tour
If you are on the tour with me today in Merrion Square, welcome! If you are reading from home you are now on a virtual tour of the Lost Fashion History of Merrion Square.
Lost Fashion on Merrion Square
I’m moving uptown! I am delving into the Lost Fashion History of another part of town. Moving from the rag-trade streets of South William Street to the couture fashion businesses and flamboyant fashion figures of Merrion Square.
Sligo’s Secret Turret
All eyes are on Sligo this weekend as the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann fills the streets with music. Sligo is surprising, as the old tourist slogan used to say and is full of hidden histories and interesting architecture.
A Gentleman’s Outfitters
I have delved into many family stories here on Ruaruth and now its my turn. My fascination with fashion history and the rag-trade district around South William Street in Dublin was really born from stories of my Grandad’s shop on Exchequer Street.
Berta’s Wedding Lace
Tucked under bare Benbulben mountain in Sligo there is a little white-washed cottage that looks out over Sligo bay. In this cottage there is a pretty bedroom with wooden bed draped in patchwork quilt and over this bed is piece of framed lace. This lace has a story.
Tokyo Story
The day I arrived in Tokyo a good friend of mine emailed me to say I should embrace every moment of my adventure and sent me a Buddhist mantra “present moment, wonderful moment” to guide me on my way. I took this mantra to heart on every part of my journey around Japan
Japanese Parasols
A story came to mind today, while walking the sunny streets of Dublin, about how the Japanese use their umbrellas. What I discovered in Japan was that umbrellas double up for rain and for sun.
Bloomsday Blouses
It is that time of the year again - Bloomsday! This weekend you will see Leopolds’, Mollys’, James’ and Noras’ dressed up about Dublin town on messenger bike rides, on horse and cart, enjoying an offal breakfast in the Gresham or guzzling Gorgonzola and burgundy in Davey Byrnes or wafting around reading passages from Ulysses at …
The Life Aquatic
My best friend Heather Finn has the sea in her blood, having grown up by Galway Bay in Oranmore Castle with the sound of waves in earshot and a famous sea-faring grandfather regaling her with sailor’s stories. As a knitwear designer Heather integrates colour and pattern into wearable art-pieces, creating beautifully patterned and exotic hued…
Where the Bluebells are…
I love bluebell season. There is something so romantic about that blaze of blue threaded throughout a forest, by the roadside or in a garden.
Wilde Café
Walking home from work a couple of weeks ago I spotted window boxes filled with spring flowers on the windowsill of a grand building on the corner of Merrion Square and Clare Street. This is a building I have always found fascinating because of its pretty, curved, stained glass windows and Victorian glass-house attached…
The Trinity Ball
It’s a warm night in Dublin tonight. I can feel spring is in the air, the sun has set with a warm glow over the city and Trinity College has lit up its classical facade for The Trinity Ball
Vivienne
Happy Mother’s Day to my beautiful Mum- Vivienne. My Mum is my style icon and it is to her I owe my love of the colour red, floral tea-dresses, t-bar heels, berets set at a jaunty angle, faux fur coats and favouring feminine dresses over trousers.
Shopping in 18th Century Dublin
Where did people buy clothes in 18th Century Dublin? What streets were the most fashionable shops located and were we as stylish as those in London and Paris? I found out the answer to these questions and more at a talk which was held in the Tailor’s Hall one candlelit evening in Dublin’s Liberties.
Happy St Patrick’s Day
Happy St Patrick’s Day!
Blackrock Market
Blackrock Market is set in an old seaside merchant house in the centre of Blackrock village Co Dublin. It is one of the last surviving bric-a-brac markets left in Dublin from a line-up of markets which used to be dotted around the city from the prettily named Dandelion market off Stephens Green to the Blackberry market in Rathmines.
The Angel of Grafton Street
We are having a brief respite from incessant rain this weekend with some much needed sunshine so I thought it would be the perfect time to talk about something bright and beautiful which I came across this week – this angel which is located on a building on Grafton Street.
The Smiling Hedgehog
Dublin has been under a heavy cloud of rain for the last couple of weeks and when this happens the only thing to do is take cover. A favourite spot to do this in The Natural History Museum which is affectionately known as The Dead Zoo by Dubliners.
The Spanish Armada & Streedagh
Streedagh beach is my favourite beach in Sligo, it is a ten minute drive from my family home and where I grew up in Drumcliffe and it has one of the most beautiful aspects in Ireland- with a long and curving sandy strand which reaches out as far as the eye can see to a windblown fairy-tale castle- Classiebawn.
Emily’s Grandma Quilt
As part of my History Dress series I am always fascinated to hear stories of garments and textiles being handed down through the generations and the stories they tell. Her American textile patchwork quilt is the ultimate heirloom handed down through generations and made with love.