ggs-blog

Drop a Dress Size.....

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:27:11 +0100

Drop a dress size – what exactly does this mean?

A recent shopping trip got me thinking about this when I was in Marks and Spencer and noticed they were selling a dress with inbuilt shape wear which purports to help you look like you have dropped a dress size. I thought why not just make the dress flattering to everyone instead of making women feel like they should be a certain shape or look?

This kind of thing for women can make or break a shopping trip, it is so easy to become dismayed and think “my body does not conform” when you can’t fit into something that is your usual size.

But seriously, what are we trying to conform to? What the media and magazines tell us? Images that we are exposed to day after day of thin women looking happy? But in reality how many of these women are really happy? We usually find out in the end that they struggled with their weight, barely eating or being addicted to diet pills from being constantly under pressure to be thin or regain their pre-pregnancy body shape!!!

From the 1^st of January when all the frivolities of the Christmas season are over we are bombarded with diet this diet the other, drop a dress size this, fit back into your jeans that…. the pressure on women to conform is immense and unfortunately this is passed on to younger generations, with recent reports of girls as young as 7 being obsessed with diet and exercise, what is going wrong with the world???

So, here is my advice for your next shopping trip, I know it won’t be easy but try this...don’t obsess about being a particular size “oh I’m a size 14, that is all I will buy”, instead aim to wear clothes that suit you, are stylish and sit well on your body, even if that does mean you have a wardrobe full of clothes ranging from a 10 to a 16...which is entirely possible!!

Always remember that these sizes are only a guide and can be a different size in each shop. There is no consistency in sizes not even within the one shop – I recently went into Pennys (Primark) to buy some trousers…. I tried on a few pairs including some skinny jeans, I bought two pairs of the same skinny jeans just in different colours, one was a size 12 and the other was a size 14 – the size 12 in one colour didn’t go near me, the other colour fit perfectly!!! I also bought two pairs of trousers again one was a 12 and one was a 14, and this was in the same shop!!

We all know we can be different sizes in different shops and usually know which ones to avoid. For me its Zara, I can never get anything to fit me properly, it appears when you have boobs this is not the shop to visit!!!

So the next time you go shopping, don’t think “I must buy a size whatever” think “wow this looks good on me and really suits me” and maybe just maybe we can begin to dispel the myth that we should be a certain size!!

Our Wedding

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:33:22 +0100

From the moment we properly met I think we both knew we had some sort of special connection and to this day that connection is stronger than ever. This is why I was never so happy as the day I got to say I do to the man of my dreams, who truly is my soul mate.

We had the most wonderful day surrounded by friends and family in the intimate setting of our lovely country cottage, it felt just perfect for us. Everything came together nicely thanks to some very special people namely, Andrea, Dave, Sarah, Ciara and Fabio who gave up their time and sanity to help us – DIY weddings are not for the fainthearted and we definitely couldn’t have done it without this help!!

We have always done everything together and so decided that on the day we would have breakfast together and then get ready together on our own (well apart from the necessity of getting my hair done, and on that note many thanks to the Hubby’s daughter Emma for her excellent hairdressing skills). It was so nice having this quiet time together before the madness kicked off and we thoroughly enjoyed pottering down to the registry office in our beloved Defender!!

We’d also like to thank our photographer Alan Mooney, we were very conscious of the fact that because it was a small wedding in a small venue that people may get uncomfortable with constant snapping of a camera, so I asked Alan to be as discrete as possible. He was brilliant, most of our guests have commented on how unobtrusive he was and didn’t realise he took so many pictures!! We are delighted with the pictures and would have no hesitation in recommending Alan, check him out here!

Now the dust has settled I will share all my hints and tips over the next few weeks and all the things I’ve learned about DIY weddings but in the meantime enjoy the pictures!!

Team GirlieGuide takes on the Flora Women's Mini Marathon

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 17:33:56 +0100

So the big day finally came and Team GirlieGuide took to the streets of Dublin to compete in the Flora Women’s Mini Marathon.

This was the first outing for Team GirlieGuide and I am eternally grateful to my lovely Girlies for their hard work, training and commitment to the Team!!

Team GirlieGuide

Needless to say that with the streets lined with some 40,000 plus women, we had a brilliant day!!

Our fundraising attempts this year were in aid of Make a Wish Ireland who provided us with the lovely pink t-shirts, very apt for the Girlies, and hosted a great pre-race event, with zumba warm up classes, food and activities for all the family!!

We couldn’t have asked for more, after three days of persistent rain (Irish summer style) we had an absolutely glorious day for the entire event – Irish farmer tans all round!!

Blue Sky!!

It was a slow start, with so many woman crammed into the narrow city streets, it took us 20 minutes to get to the start line and couldn’t really set any kind of decent pace until about 3k into the race when the crowd started to spread out a bit. So we basically rambled and had a good oul natter as women do!! And thanks to the on street entertainment, bands, singers and crowds cheering on, the time seemed to fly by and before we knew it we could smell the finish line....yes the smell of food cooking about 2K out from the finish line was torture not to mention all the people standing outside the pubs with their cold beers!!!

Bit of a tight squeeze!!

So needless to say when we crossed that glorious finish line, collected our medals and bags, we too went for a nice cold beer, well we deserved it.....

Victorious Team GirlieGuide

The After-Party

Funky Goddess Strikes Again....

Mon, 28 May 2012 21:40:52 +0100

Since GirlieGuide first reviewed the Welcome to Womanhood gift box from Funky Goddess I have had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Samantha, actually she also dropped by in a dream I had, we had a lovely chat and a cuppa, all a bit odd but anyway I digress....

Since our last feature, Funky Goddess has gone on to be a Small Business Sunday (#SBS) winner chosen by Theo Paphitis from the BBC's Dragon Den…

AND also successfully pitched on RTE's Dragon Den…

It has been all GO for Funky Goddess!!

When we met I managed to make off with another Funky Goddess gift box, their Welcome to Motherhood gift box!!

As always it is beautifully presented and put together with such care and with the contents well thought out, we think it will make any new mum feel really special.

The Gift Box Contains:

The Essentials: breast cooling pads and disposable underwear.

Witch Hazel: Fantastic for healing any stitches or bruising you may have after having a baby!

A handy notebook: for writing down any thoughts and feelings you may have

Cute Container: A handy tin box to put your baby’s identity tag when you are leaving the hospital.

Bobbins and clips: To keep your hair nice and tidy.

Scented Candle: A gorgeous scented soy candle to calm you down in times of stress.

Blinking Serenity: A soft Eye mask for naps.

Bubbly Spa: A lovely scented shampoo, soap and body lotion.

Cosy socks: To keep your feet warm

We think this is a wonderful gift idea as the poor mother never gets a look in when it comes to the presents, people show up in their droves at the hospital with presents aplenty for the baby but nothing for poor mummy who spent hours in the labour ward, not to mention the last 9 months!! It’s a beautiful, thoughtful alternative gift which any new mum would be delighted to receive!!

In addition to the Gift Boxes the Funky Goddess website contains great tips and advice including first period stories, product reviews and tips for Dads (from a Dad) and new mothers.

We at GirlieGuide love Funky Goddess and are delighted to see they are notching up the stockists around Ireland and the UK. Check out their website for other products available, your nearest stockist or to order online.

A Wardrobe Intervention

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:03:18 +0100

If you have a wardrobe full of clothes but think you have nothing to wear, then read on......

Last weekend I did another very successful wardrobe intervention, this is a great recession busting way of updating and expanding your wardrobe without the need for a major shopping trip.

A wardrobe full of clothes, a few hysterical females and a bottle of bubbly, what more can a girlie girl ask for.

So armed with a glass of bubbly each we got started.....

The problem was a long weekend away and like everyone these days, no money to buy new outfits!!! Thankfully the wardrobe was not a disaster in any way, but yet I was constantly hearing "I have nothing to wear".

After a few minutes of taking things out of the wardrobe to assess them and discuss them, I realised what the root of the problem was.

Whilst the wardrobe was full of fab dresses, accessories and boxes full of new unworn shoes, our lovely hostess felt that she had nothing to wear. There was a tendancy to wear all of the dresses to work so when it came to going out at the weekend, be it shopping or dinner all she could see in the wardobe was workwear!!

The first thing was to change the mindset that if you wear something to work you can't wear it outside of work. With just a quick shoe and accessories change I was able to show how different a dress or outfit can look.

One dress can achieve so much, work wear, day time shopping, lunch with the girls and dinner with the other half or party central you just need to step it up a bit.

I also introduced the idea of being able to wear a maxi dresses all year round with just some seasonal additions and adjustments.

The one thing that did need changing though were the jeans, the shape and style were all wrong, it can be so difficult to know what type of jeans to buy for your body shape!!

So at the end of the day we only set aside all of 3 items and for the one reason... they were unflattering!!

We had a brilliant time, it was great fun and we managed to double the size of the wardrobe with what was there already and with only the shortest of shopping lists, that is, a new pair of jeans and a new white shirt!!!!

So, what did the client think....?

"This was a great evening. Definitely worth doing. Proof that it's not only what you wear but how you wear it. We picked out core items like my black dress or white shirt and managed to mix and match with cardies, jackets, scarves, shoes, bags and so on to create lots of different looks. It was certainly an eye opener. Thanks GirlieGuide. Definitely recommended doing this!!!"

Save The Date.....

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:37:43 +0100

So, much to the delight of our respective families, we have finally set a date to get married!!

On the 29th of August 2012 I will be marrying the most wonderful, loving, caring man, who always manages to make me laugh and smile regardless of whatever drama I'm going through!! (Sorry I should have mentioned this may get a bit mushy).

Anyway, we have decided to keep it pretty much simple and low key, a nice trip to the local Registry Office and then back to our country cottage home with family and close friends. I have also decided, this being the case, to undertake to do everything myself for the wedding!! Well, apart from the food, the Groom has volunteered to do that as the kitchen is well and truly his domain!!

Now I know this may be madness, but we are quietly confident that we can pull it off. This is basically the second time around for both of us so we don't feel we need a big lavish wedding, just a nice celebration with our families.

My mother is of course beside herself, I think more so because she will finally be getting rid of the burden of taking care of The Dress. Yes, I already have my dress, for a while now, a tad Muriel's Wedding I know, but in my defence I was engaged when I got it and I loved it so much that I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get it when we did eventually set a date!!

So, that's it, it is going to be a manic year but it should be fun and as the saying goes "I hope my real wedding is as nice as my Pinterest wedding" ...... so stay tuned, as I will be blogging about it and everything we do, starting with the Save the Date cards which have already been sent, I do love being frugal and have always felt you don't need to spend a lot of money to have a wonderful wedding!!!

You can read how it all started with a surprise engagement here, just to catch up!!!

Product Review: The Funky Goddess ‘Welcome to Womanhood’ Gift Box

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:48:09 +0100

The Funky Goddess ‘Welcome to Womanhood’ Gift Box

Background and Product Description:

Mother of two young girls aged 12 and 4 years old, Samantha Kelly of Rosslare Harbour Co Wexford in Ireland has developed a unique product designed to ease young girls over the milestone of their first period. After searching local pharmacies in preparation for the inevitable milestone her own daughters would approach, Samantha identified a gap in the market. There were no all-inclusive gift sets that helped teenage girls on their journey to womanhood, while at the same time providing mothers, fathers, and schools with the tools to support these young girls.

The Funky Goddess ‘Welcome to Womanhood’ Information and Gift Box includes everything a girl needs to get her started:

Tummy Chum – a hot water bottle to ease those aches and pains.

Selection of pads and liners – featuring Lil-lets pads, especially for teens – smaller and thinner.

Secret Casket – a box to discretely store a pad in – ideal for school bags.

Secret Sanctuary Planner - for those important dates.

Blinking Serenity Eye Mask - to ensure a peaceful, calming nap.

Bubbly Spa - a combination of scented bubble bath, shampoo and soap (not tested on animals).

Wonderwipes - moist wipes to clean and revitalize.

Justincase - a packet of pretty and discreet tissues in case of emergencies.

Rites of Passage – an easy to read information booklet with all the knowledge a girl needs for her important journey.

What we think:

From the moment we discovered this product we thought what a great idea it is, so we got together with a small group people, most of whom are mothers and fathers of young girls who will soon be hitting puberty to get their thoughts and views.

We found that it is still somewhat amazing how taboo the subject of periods and menstruation is and how it is still one of those topics only ever whispered about. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting it should be top of the list for dinner conversation but it definitely shouldn’t be such a difficult thing to talk about.

Unfortunately though it is difficult for a lot of people, and the thoughts of broaching such subjects with daughters can be somewhat daunting, especially for men, and whilst you would think it really is a woman’s job to deal with such matters, there are a lot of single fathers out there who will eventually have to have “the conversation” with their little girl.

This is where we think The Funky Goddess Welcome to Womanhood Gift Box comes into its own. We think it would be a great tool for helping to talk about and explain what exactly is happening. One thing we did find though when we showed the product to the fathers in our group was that they themselves felt a bit intimidated by it and not quite sure what exactly everything was for. So we thought it may be useful to also include a small booklet for fathers to help them understand better and put them at ease.

All in all we really like The Funky Goddess ‘Welcome to Womanhood’ Gift Box.

As you can see from the pictures we took, it is very well presented, very pretty and very, very girlie, (well it is pink!!) we also love the added touch of the diary and scented candle!!

Finally, here are just a few of the comments from our panel members on The Funky Goddess ‘Welcome to Womanhood’ Gift Box:

“As a Mammy who doesn’t want to give her daughter hang-ups about something that’s perfectly natural, I would say it’s a great thing”

“I’m already armed with the hot water bottle etc. ... but this might just make the shock easier for the poor kid. It’s a nice little gift to soften the blow!!!”

“From a Father’s point of view it’s a bit daunting. I didn’t know you needed a diary – but it makes sense! What else don’t I know I wonder! A booklet for Dads would be great!”

“It’s so pretty and not something I would have thought of before. A great present to ease yourself into one of the most important mother/daughter chats you’ll have or something to give to your daughter on the big day to make her feel special!”

“It seems a good idea and I’d be happy for my wife to purchase one. However, if it was left to me I think I’d give the box to a female friend and ask her to talk to my daughter about it as something as personal as this would be easier for my daughter to talk about with a girl I think”

You can order The Funky Goddess ‘Welcome to Womanhood’ Gift Box online at www.funkygoddess.ie or at locations in Ireland and UK listed here: http://www.funkygoddess.ie/contact-us/

The Funky Goddess have also added a 'Welcome to Motherhood' gift box and a “Teen Gift Box” to their collection, which you can check out here http://www.funkygoddess.ie/gift-boxes/

The Frugal Girlie: A Year of Nothing New

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:17:57 +0100

As part of our frugal guide, "The Frugal Girlie“, GirlieGuide is very pleased to welcome to the blog today, Lizzie Longworth. Lizzie has the most wonderful online handmade jewellery boutique La Chic Unique where she takes vintage elements, design and style and mixes them with modern materials. Lizzie also has the fantastic blog Inside Emma’s Attic where she shares her love of all things handmade!!

In May last year I decided to change the way we frivolously spend money on clothes, toys and home furnishings, not because we couldn't afford to, but basically because I could never find anything I TRUELY liked, it was always out of necessity for the item rather than because I deep down fell in love with it!

I threw myself headlong into the task and snubbed everything I 'liked' I found on the High Street. At first it was very rose tinted lenses and I thought that I could recreate EVERYTHING we would normally buy.

I’ve done exceptionally well with the girls clothes, they haven't had anything new for almost a full 12 months now apart from underwear and shoes.

What I have learnt most of all about this is that children aren't bothered if someone has loved it before or that Mummy has made it because if that is the case, they love it even more!! They have some beautiful vintage pieces I've picked up for pennies, hand knitted jumpers and cardigans that would have cost a fortune on the High Street, they are also proud to have found their own style! They have also loved being more involved in what they wear and how they look which is truly inspiring.

I also haven't done too badly at all, only buying a winter coat, a jumper and a pair of jeans brand new. I even made my birthday dress and upcycled some old brogues into Dorothy slippers!! Now those you definitely can't buy on the High Street.

However, the down side is that I can no longer just shop, I can never find anything that (A )fits properly or (B) I like on the High Street and I now rely on ebay and any patterns I can pick up for a few pounds. I do love this though, it is really bringing my inventiveness out and even though I only have a few outfits it really doesn't bother me in the slightest. I look forward to creating more handmade pieces for this year, especially 1950’s cut dresses for the summer!

We also haven't bought anything for the home. Apart from 2 brand new shelves, everything has either been recycled from other rooms or has not been unused for years. Any furniture we've had to get, I got it from charity shops, including the bureau for my work.

I do however throw my hands up now and admit that we haven't really cut back on take-outs. I haven’t cooked and baked more, but now the hubby only takes homemade lunches to work which is great!

I would recommend the process to anyone that feels they want to 'downsize' their mind and life or just feel they fancy a challenge, you won't regret it!

I have no intention of going back to how we lived before, the girls want for less and I find it really rewarding.

If you would like to read all about how I got on at different stages throughout the process, you can find it starting here...

http://insideemmasattic.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-12-month-handmade-pre-loved-task.html

The Best Day of Your Life.....Again....

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:26:20 +0100

Girlies, how often do you sneakily take your wedding dress out and wear it around the house when you are alone? How often do you just open the wardrobe and sigh and wish you could wear it just one more time? Well, the Villa Rose Hotel in Donegal, Ireland, might just have the answer to all your problems (and we LOVE it!!).......

Calling all Brides…

This may just be what all you past brides have been waiting for - the opportunity to wear your wedding dress one more time at a Charity Ball in the Villa Rose Hotel in aid of Donegal breast cancer care.

The event is taking place on Saturday February 4^th. It is an opportunity to wear what is possibly the most expensive dress you have ever owned one more time whilst supporting Donegal Action Cancer Care and the breast unit at Letterkenny General Hospital. If you don’t have a Wedding Dress feel free to wear a bridesmaids dress, evening dress or Mother of the bride outfit… anything goes.

We do hope you will be escorted by your husbands (who need not go to the trouble of wearing full wedding attire, a simple suit will suffice), however if its just not their thing then why not make it a Ladies Night Out with your bridesmaids and closest friends, an opportunity to get all dressed up and relive one of the best parts about your wedding day….your wedding dress.

This event is opened to Everyone, not just Villa Rose Brides, Tickets are €39 each; this includes a champagne reception 4-course gourmet meal and Dancing to one of Donegal’s liveliest wedding bands – Shindig followed by DJ.

For more information on this unique event please contact Leona at the Villa Rose Hotel, Ballybofey on 074-9132266 or email

weddings@villarose.net

Red Carpet Style...The Golden Globes 2012

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:07:38 +0100

So the awards season has begun again for another year.

The Golden Globes 2012 kick started some of the biggest red carpet events of the year and of course with that means red carpet style. This year saw a wide variety of designers from Gucci to Versace and of course some Chanel Haute Couture thrown in between, just for good measure.The biggest trend of the night was most definitely fishtail gowns, with nudes and blushes being the colours of choice for a lot of the gowns. All in all there wasn’t too many disasters this year, definitely a few odd choices but, that aside, this year’s red carpets look set to shine with plenty of vintage Hollywood glitz, glamour and elegance.

Sofia Vergor in Vera Wang
Elle Macpherson in Zac Posen
Julianne Moore in Chanel Haute Couture
Evan Rachel Wood in Gucci

Charlize Theron in Dior Couture
Heidi Klum in Calvin Klein
Jessica Biel in Elie Saab
Julie Bowen in Vintage Reem Acra

Some of our favourites:

Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace
Kate Winslet in Jenny Packham
Jessica Alba in Gucci
Stacy Keibler in Valentino

Some of our "questionable choices":

Madonna in Reem Acra
Reese Witherspoon in Zac Posen
Michelle Williams in Jason Wu
Sarah Michelle Geller in Monique Lhuilier

Here are some more red carpet moments by E!
Let us know what you think of this years style....roll on the Oscars!!