Top 10 Annoying Things About Shopping in Limerick

I like Limerick for shopping but there is always room for improvement.  Isn't it annoying how:

1) There are no mirrors in TK Maxx except for the change rooms (and the lift)!

2) The girls in Brown Thomas look you up and down like your soooooo beneath them!

3) Ladies at the till chatting amongst themselves like you don't exist.  Whatever happened to customer service?

4) Spotting your next purchases in Look magazine and finding out most of it won't be stocked in Limerick, or the rest of Ireland!

5) No Marks and Spencer, but Killarney has one!

6) The teeny tiniest Top Shop! (I suppose I should be grateful we have one!)

7) Penny's merchandise looking like a bomb went off in the shop! Have you seen the one in Tralee? Pristine!

8) No Ikea!  Surely Limerick is the obvious choice for a western Branch!

9) Only one shopping centre. OK, there are more but really there's only one decent one!

10) I leave it to you, let me know what I left out :) walkoutwardrobe@gmail.com

It's not all bad as I did choose to live here but on a rainy, drab day like this it's nice to have an old moan!

What to Wear for a Job Interview

The job market is tough at the moment and although you may know your qualified for the position, what you wear could be a factor when it comes down to the final decision. It's not enough to know the part, you need to look the part! So what do I wear?

 Never go casual!

No matter what the position your going for, turning up in casual garb says your not really serious about wanting the job. If you want to look smart, dress smart! Your outfit should be clean, crease-free and undamaged. Undamaged?  That's right! Many a times have I seen trousers with torn hems, jackets missing buttons and ladders up stalkings. Tic tic tic goes the sound of high heels worn down to the nail! Big no no's!  Try on your outfit the night before to make sure everything is as it should be. That way you won't be caught off guard getting dressed the next morning when your already stressed out!   

Think corporate ladder not this kind of ladder! :)

Stand Out for the Right Reasons

 If your wearing a skirt, no shorter than your knees and trousers should not look spray painted! Remember you are there to show your skills not your assets so keep your chest in check! Make sure we can't see your underwear, whether it's a bra strap, VPL or your slip peeking out under your skirt.
Wear colours that are easy on the eyes like neutrals and avoid loud  patterns.  To stand out from the others wear one item of a stronger colour like a red pencil skirt or a white blazer while keeping the other colours low key.

Jewellery

Nice but noisy!

 When it comes to jewellery, tread with caution.  Make sure the sound of your bling isn't off putting.  Nobody wants to hear your earrings chime, your bracelets jingle or your necklace rattle! A statement cuff or large pendant necklace will do the trick nicely and won't add sounds effects to your movement.

Shoes

It has to be heels, unless you can't wear them due to health.  Heels say POWER! They give you stature, make you stand straight and add confidence to your stride.  If your worried about running around, simply wear flats and carry your heels in your bag and make a quick switch around the corner from your interview place.  Flats are comfortable and can be work appropriate but not for an interview.  Kitten heels are easy to wear but still give you that polished look.  Even if it's winter, try not to show up in boots, unless they still look great with your outfit once you've taken off your coat. Flip flops (even the kitten heel ones!) are a big no no! I say this because I have seen it! It doesn't matter how much bling you have hanging off them, beach wear will get you nowhere!

DO
- Wear a blazer. It makes any outfit look smart
- Wear a soft lip colour unless your 100% sure it won't budge!
- Wear perfume. It's hard to forget a nice scent!
- Throw out your gum before you get there!
- Bring a compact mirror for a last minute check
- Take the time to do your hair, nails and make-up.  Nobody wants to see bedhead hair, chipped nail varnish or clumpy mascara so get up early!
- Get a friend to give you the once over in case your missing something
- Last but not least SMILE :)  The perfect accessory for any outfit!

GO GET'EM TIGER!

If you have  job interview coming up and want some extra tips, send me an email and I'll do my best to help you out :) walkoutwardrobe@gmail.com

Bargain Wedding Dress

As mentioned in yesterdays blog, I got my wedding dress from Oxfam.  Oxfam George's St Dublin http://www.oxfamireland.org.  The second floor is all wedding dresses and accessories.  You need to ask a member of staff to go up there with you.  Not all the dresses are second hand.  I got married in 2005 and my dress was a dress of that year, still with tags.  It had been in a bridal shop for display and was therefore only worn by me.  The best part is that it was originally 1,600 euro and I purchased it from Oxfam for only 200!  You need to use your imagination a bit as mine was a size 14 and Im a size 8 but I'm pretty handy with a sewing machine and did all the changes myself.  However, even if I had not taken it in myself, the cost of having it done by a professional would still make the dress an absolute bargain!
Weddings are expensive enough ( I read the average cost begins at 10,000!) so if you can find the perfect dress and save why not?
Another idea that a friend of mine had was to purchase her dress at full price (1,000) and later sold it on ebay for 500, so really that works out at half price! If your looking for yours now all the best and check out Oxfam :)

Model I ain't but the dress was beautiful!

Best Charity & Second-Hand Shops in Limerick

I love second-hand and charity shops.  Not only are you recycling but you can pick up amazing little treasures too! If your in Limerick you have quite a selection to choose from and different ones are good for different things.
Here are my favourites and why:

Mirror at 9 Lower Gerald Griffen St Limerick (Now Closed)
I've often found designer items there including
DVF and CK and good brands like Banana Republic and Sisley and I got an all leather weekend bag for 6 Euros, score!.  Also the ladies who work there are lovely.
I would recommend going on Tuesdays (for all second-hand and charity shops) as they get the new stuff on Mondays, sort it and have it out on the Tuesday so the selection is at it's best. - Not as good but there is another charity shop just next door now.  I'm gonna miss that place!

Animal Welfare Parnell Street Limerick
They have done it up in the last year into side by side shops with one having the retail stock and the other has furniture and household things.  The staff are really nice and you can make a donation without buying anything.  I have found lovely vintage dresses and silk scarves here as well as a vintage Ralph Lauren leather hand bag.  Whats great about this one is that the items are priced according to what they are not the brand so even if you find a designer item the price is not marked-up.  Its also good for pictures frames and I've gotten a few vintage lamps from there.

Mrs Quins Charity Shop, 5 Upper William St Limerick
Again, lovely staff and interesting music :) This one is worth popping into as they get cool vintage pieces every now and then and always have a little section for clearance items.  I once found a deep gray metallic 80's fishtail prom dress for 7 euros!

Irish Cancer Society, 34 William St Limerick
The layout in here is interesting but at the checkout counter there is a jewellery display case.  The glass is seriously scratched so you could easily overlook it but I have often found lovey vintage brooches and rings or necklace pendants here.

SVP Fashion, 2 Limerick Lane, Little Catherine St
New since this year, the layout in this one is fantastic and spacious.  All the clothes are presented nicely and plenty of mirrors to check yourself out if your trying something.  You get really good quality brands and the shop is arranged like a real shop, you almost forget it's second hand :)

Oxfam, 57 William St Limerick
Nice and spacious too, the clothes are easy to look at as the shop is well organised.  I like Oxfam for winter coats and dresses.  I found a great wool cape there... vintage (irish made)... I love the weight of a quality coat! They are also good for books here and the ladies who work there are lovey.  I got my wedding dress from an Oxfam but that's a story for another time.

Tips for second-hand/charity shopping

- Tuesday is the best day - New stock
- Take your time, you need to dig to find treasure!
- Give to your local charity shop, they sometimes give you better prices for when you buy from them.
- Get to know the ladies working there as they might pull something out of the stock room for you if your looking for something or put something aside for you.
- After Christmas/ New Years is the best time of year as people often give away gifts they that didn't suite them, high street shops might donate left overs and people do closet clear-outs for the new year.
- Buying second-hand clothes is a great way to start if you want to modify your own clothes or try your hand at sewing as it won't cost the earth if you make a mistake and you can find large amounts of fabrics to turn into something else.
- Great for dress up parties and craft materials! We recently built a tepee in the back garden and the cheap sheets came from charity shops.

If you have found a great shop, let me know! Happy shopping! :)

What did I wear today?

What to wear on a saturday?  It's summer but in Ireland it could be anytime of the year so I went for
this:

The cardie is Vera moda (camel always looks smart), the skirt is a vintage navy pleated wool with thin white check and the top and loafers are Penny's,... they are so comfortable to run around town in!  I love this bag! It's a leather vintage find from my local charity shop.  River Island have a similar one in a mustard colour at the moment and well worth the investment!  Square or rectangular structured bags are big at the moment and if you work in an office, one that looks a bit like a breifcase will definitely make you stand out!  I'm wearing my favourite watch which is a cold plated chain link that looks like something your nana wears and a gold locket that goes with everything.  Have a nice day!

Popping out for a Meeting

I had to go to a meeting yesterday so here is what I wore:

I stuck a jumper over a dress and voila!

The jumper is a few sizes too big but sometimes it's better to get a bigger size to give a different effect.  Don't always try to squeeze into the smallest size that fits you.. It's not comfortable and never really looks nice! The dress is from the charity shop, jumper from Next, necklace from Dunnes and heels same as before... a bright pink lipstick to finish this off nicely :)