Freaky's Wardrobe

Hey Smudgers, what's up??

So Valentine's Day is hitting us tomorrow and maybe you need a gaviscon for all the mushy love that's travelling near and far! I hate that whole 'lonely single heart' crap that pops it's head up around this time of year; maybe you're single because no one can stand the sight of you (haha like MOI!) :) or you are just because you are! Whether you're snuggling up to a lover or a hot water bottle make sure you keep warm in this weather.

                "Dear God - WDF IS GOING ON UP THERE?!?!?!"

The weather is seriously all over the place - storms, rainfall, trees falling, and now SNOW?! People in Kerry and Cork were told not to leave their homes the last day and there were reports of a mini tornado in Mayo :O Not the season to be wearing short skirts anyway; Marilyn would have frozen her ass off in this weather!

So far this year it's been a bit topsy turvy :/ I'm one of the many students this year getting my portfolio ready for admissions into art college, and with life in a clutter I'm going to reline my chakras... Nah ta hell I'm selling some clothes :P

If you by chance find yourself in Galway city on the 22nd of February head on up to the Electric Garden on Lower Abbeygate Street where I will be selling some of my most cherished pieces! My rule: if I haven't worn it in a year I probably won't wear it again. So my stall will be called "Freaky's Wardrobe" and I'll make it pretty with lights and stuff ^_^ I've some vintage pieces and clothes from all over the world so make sure to have a look at Freaky's Wardrobe!

Speaking of Fashion and all things nice, do we love the A/W season so far??? So far my must-sees are Zimmermann, Desigual and Diane Von Furstenberg but there's still so much to see :) Check out the Freaky Smudge facebook page so you can get all your A/W 14 NYC pics and updates in a flash - www.facebook.com/freakysmudgeishere :P Here's a little taster..

Desigual

 Diane Von Furstenberg

                                                  

Zimmermann

This season we have traveled back to primary colours but I gotta say it's about time! With all the new high technology and experiments with different materials and the structure of garments, it's nice to be brought back to basics :) 

So that's all from me :) Let me know your Valentine's Day plans and enjoy the crazy weather <3

XOXO

Freaky Smudge

Kicking it in NYC

New York Fashion Week has kicked off again for another catwalk special - Ready to Wear A/W 14 :)

And of course it's great!!! There's lots to look forward to with the law of the season set in order; one can see a clash between the warm red and oranges of autumn and the harsh greys and whites of winter. It's hard to even talk about winter with summer right around the corner ( although it REALLY doesn't feel like it :P ).
But no matter how cold it gets, there's always room for playful pastels and daring leopard prints.

 Hache (left) and Derek Lam (below).

If there was a feeling to describe the vibes being shone at us, it would definitely be: WOMEN OF POWER, BE AFRAID - yes, with the preppy business look and bold colours paired with a feminine soft touch, it's the season for survival!

Faux fur seemed to be the ultimate piece to top any outfit off with which made me SO VERY HAPPY because I LOVE faux fur. Hats, collars; you name it and it was seen :)

As always with fashion, the past gets pulled to the present for inspiration and guidance. In the Creatures of Comfort collection, I thought that there was a very Audrey Hepburn/ 50's style going on. The same could be said for the pieces of Erin Fetherston. A lot of lyrca looking materials to be found along with my long time love, velvet!

In fashion clashing and contrast help us determined the must with the must-nots. Something I've noticed with the collections I've come across so far this season is the contrast between preppy playful and sexy daring - it's all about the business for the ladies of A/W 14! There isn't a huge emphasis this time round on defining the waist or the hips. Lots of loose fitted wear hovering around the place.

Florals and relaxed statement tees took a shine on stage, with the fruit bowl prints seen at the Ostwald Helgason show. Stripes and polka dots - no show is complete without an appearance from either one. A lot of graphics being sported on the Desigual side of things :) A collection, which I must admit, is my favourite so far! This collection was all about the colour and the less depressing side of the chilly months - large floral prints with polka dots and loud opinionated clothing! Not a grey cloud in sight.

With Charlotte Ronson in a close second, it was a tough call for Freaky - Velvet, florals and lace! The collection was edgy and bold with the rich dark colours of the season. (What can I say I'm all about the frigging colours - that's what helps make it exciting!!).

Well I'm going to leave you all with this update so far but no worries, it's Fashion Week and there's plenty more where that came from. Don't forget to check out the Freaky Smudge Facebook and Pinterest page for pics!!!

Sleep tight beauts
XOXO
Freaky Smudge

Remember life before the Internet? Cuz I Don't!

Hey Smudgers what's up! I know I owe you guys some posts and I'm sorry but my internet has been down :( I'm keeping this New Years Reezie if it kills me (touch wood!).

So how has everyone been keeping??? So I've decided to go all super fit for Benicassim! Despite the fact that I stupidly bought diet pills, I highly doubt I'll take them. I found this 30 day programme online (http://imgur.com/gallery/FkVrO) which I will be repeating and have been following - so far so good! I've also completely changed my eating habits and have cut down my coffee intake (which has been more difficult than I care to admit..), my tea intake has increased dramatically due to this :P For breakfast every morning I've been eating porridge (which tastes 10 times better with soya milk, who knew!) and a banana, along with a cup of tea and those Vitamin C things that dissolve in water. Then I'll do what every workout I have to, stick an apple and a bottle of water in my bag and head out for the day :) At lunch I'll eat like soup/ tuna sandwich (I know salads are supposed to be all healthy and all, but I don't like how they can be smothered in salad dressing and I hate tomatoes!!). Then I'll walk home, depending on the day and weather, which takes an hour any way I go, and have a lovely chicken stir-fry (one chicken breast, an onion, greens, a carrot, seasoned with some thyme, black pepper and ginger :) ). I've been doing this for over a week now and according to the scales I've lose 8 pounds :) I hope that's accurate and the scales are functioning! So I'mma keep going and let ye all know how that goes!

So Fashion; My recycled garment is currently in the window at G.T.I.'s Claddagh House, so if anyone is bopping by have a look! I want to use this post to talk about a woman in fashion that I only heard about through my Historical Designer brief on Charles James - Eleanor Lambert

Who is this woman you ask? Well you can thank her for New York Fashion Week and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). 

Eleanor Lambert was born on the 10th of August 1903 in Crawfordsville, Indiana. She studied sculpture and  fashion at the Chicago Art Institute, earning herself a promising career. She moved to New York and started  working for an advertising agency in Manhattan, dealing with artists and art galleries. Lambert was also involved in the founding of the Museum of Modern Art. She also assisted in setting up the American Art Dealers Association. 

Lambert saw fashion as an art form. In the 1940's she set up the International Best Dressed List, the Coty Fashion Critics Award (1943), and organised the semi-annual Fashion Week in New York which allowed international and national designers to showcase their collections to the world, and which still runs today. She did the same for European fashion capitals. In 1962, she founded the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). In 2001 the Council created the 'Eleanor Lambert Award' presented for a unique contribution to the fashion world or deserves special recognition. 

A fortuneteller once told Eleanor Lambert that she would a live long life and know the most talented people of her era. Eleanor Lambert lived to be 100 years old; She died on the 7th of October 2003. Eleanor Lambert's contribution to the world of fashion was extraordinary - the achievements you see before are only a small segment of the work she did throughout her long life. Lambert saw the greatness in fashion and the events she founded will continue long into the future. Without her, the world of fashion would be limited and bare. Eleanor Lambert shaped the way the world views and experiences fashion. 

For more information on Eleanor Lambert;

 ( http://cfda.com/about/history )

 ( http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2110513_2110630_2110690,00.html) 

Life can be short, like me :)

Well the past few days have been a roller-coaster, and I really do feel bad but now I'm back on the bloggers wagon and ready for this!

Oh yes the celebrity I was partying with last Saturday night was none other than the beautiful and talented Miss Derry 2013 - Ashleigh Coyle! <3 Here's a pic with me (cropped out), it's hilarious that I'm actually up to her hip!! 5 months older than me yet a foot taller - love ya Ash x Stunner! https://www.facebook.com/MissDerry2013?fref=ts
For anyone looking to get away for a weekend, or you're visiting Ireland for the giggles, visit Letterkenny, I beg you. It's funny how it's so far away from everything, yet it has everything so you don't have to go anywhere else! Handy enough!

I'm going to do a short little review here now for PhotoBox.ie. I remember a few years ago, chilling with Miss Derry over there, and watching her put together those online photo album things! I always wanted to get one done so last week (or the week) before I was searching online for a good site and I found http://www.photobox.ie, so I went in and clicked on 'Books' and got the 30 pages for 14.95 (euro), did my theme (I would have like to be able to stick my own pictures or own patterns as the theme, but they have a wide selection in their range), then I added in my pics, and TA DAH! Said it would be here on the 10th and it was :) happy outwith my lovely photobook; I was able to put in captions, expand or decrease the size of pics, added in about 55 pictures in total - looks great! The only thing I would say to anyone, and I'm sure this applies to every site - make sure that the pic is in good resolution, few of mine don't look too good (or maybe that's just my face... :/ ).

Fashion, fashion, fashion  - live, sleep, and breathe (cuz no one eats!) fashion <3 This week at GTI has been fun yet busy! I really can't complain; not only am I in a course with a lovely bunch, I'm doing something that I love! Not everyone can say "I've to go design an 8 piece collection tonight and look at magazines" :) I'm lucky and I know it. What's even more great is that I enjoy the work and I can say for sure that this is what I want to do with my life  - THANK YOU GTI!!
This week we had to create a mood board, or inspiration board, for the trends and designers of S/S14! Paris, New York, Milan and London - so many paper-cuts :) Will have to put a pic up for ye all but unfortunately my board is in school for the weekend. We also had to get a skirt type we like, e.g. pencil, flare, etc., and create 8 flat drawings of the skirt and edit them in different ways - now we are going to make one of the eight :P Sounds fun, and it is, but I had to make the most complicated thing I could think of - because I'm just awkward and difficult like that.... My skirt is a pencil that then flares out at the knee (1950's Inspired). My pattern looks like the blueprints of a maze but hopefully, granted I don't make a ruin of it, I'll get high marks for my troubles :)
It's crazy to think that I've only one more week at college, and then I'm on my mid-term break. 6 weeks have gone by since I started this course which is mind-blowing. Like they warned us it would go fast but you really never feel it!

Oh great news! One of my darling friends and I have gotten ourselves (actually our super sound teacher did) work experience in BROWN THOMAS GALWAY, helping at the window display! For all of you not from Galway, this window display is THE window :) Everyone knows that once the BT's Christmas window display comes up, Christmas is here! I'm actually so chuffed to be apart of the experience, it's a huge deal and massive honor!
Galway at Christmas time is my favourite place to be! The lights go on all around the city, window displays go up, everyone is happy, the Christmas Market comes to town and all the stalls smell like Christmas! The Christmas Market is great; people from all over the world pay a butt load to have a stall at the Market, and then all these tourists come and there's loads going on all the time.
I think I'm very fortunate to live in Galway, and be from Galway; the City of Tribes, the City of Festivals - you'll hardly ever get bored here because there's always something: the Arts Festival, the Film Feadh, the Oyster Festival, Christmas Market, the Comedy Festival, the Galway Races, and sooooooo much more!

Anyways I think that's all I have for ye! Please please PLEASE  give the page a like guys, would really be nice :) https://www.facebook.com/freakysmudgeishere AND AND AND I'm on Twitter https://twitter.com/FreakySmudge :) Bad news, Instagram is off my to-do list because I can;t get it on my new phone... Did anyone even know there was an Instagram???
Laters,
XOXO
Freaky Smudge