A new wave of Nautical for SS12 has arrived at Awear. It’s chic, sassy and reflects changes in their buying team with a new buying director having come on board. New Nautical is an updated fresh, fun & feminine take on the ever-present nautical trend. Lots of mixed up conversational style prints paired with clean silhouettes. The colour palette is quite vibrant but anchored by key shades of green, red & blue. Expect to see some big changes over the coming months from Awear in terms of the product itself and quality & fit. Pictured above: Print Skirt €30 Jade Top €30

Knit Jacket €40 Red Trousers €40 Print Blouse €35

Button Detail Skirt €35, Stripe Blazer €55, Peter Pan Top €40

Stripe Cardi €40 Dark Skinny Jean €26 Stripe Tee €18

Spot Palazzo Pant €35 Collarless Blouse €35

The sales are continuing and prices are being slashed. This week’s steal of the week is this luscious crombie from Awear. The classic style coat has been given a contemporary overhaul using pillar box red – injecting a feminine touch to an otherwise mannish coat. Let’s face it, a bright pop of colour is just what we all could use at this time of year. The icing on the cake – it was €70, now reduced to €20!

@darrenken

Sassy going-out dress, tick; dancing shoes, tick; glitzy clutch, tick! Undoubtedly by now you have your party looks sorted for the onslaught of festive frolicking that’s about to begin (if it hasn’t already) with all manner of sequin and sparkle at the ready. That’s all well and good but what about the rest of the holiday season and into the New Year? For one thing, the weather is darn cold. So you need to be prepared. I’ve created my top three Christmas essentials to see you stylishly through whatever this month brings.

The LBD

The perfect little black dress, or LBD, is sophisticated and simple. It’s an absolute lifesaver at this time of year at times when you’re unsure what the dress code might be and don’t want to overdue it by going all glitzy but don’t want to risk turning up dressed too casual. The latest collection from Esprit, who have once again drafted in Brazilian modeling powerhouse Gisele Bündchen to front the campaign, includes two rather simple but very chic LBDs. There’s a mix of fabrics including the silhouette sculpting velvet dress (€119.95) and a stunning sleeveless lace detail one (€79.95). Both are quite timeless in cut and a welcome addition to any stylish wardrobe. At Awear the ‘Cameron’ brocade dress with embellish detailing on the shoulder is a great going out number. The best part, a classic LDB allows you to tailor your look for different outings through your choice of accessories meaning it has life far beyond current trends. A win-win and money well spent. This winter tick two trend boxes and team yours with some fun polka dot tights and some killer ankle booties.

Kimono Tops

If there’s one piece that’s versatile, super stylish and perfect for laid back casual outings with the girls this winter, it’s the kimono top. Most of highstreet stores including Penneys, H&M and River Island have hopped all over on this trend. My top pick is a teal coloured kimono jacket from Awear. The floral pattern is the perfect injection of colour for this time of year. And surprisingly it looks pretty awesome teamed with a sequin top, sweet!

Winter Boots

The snow is coming, they’re not sure when, but it is. If last winter you froze your tootsies off by not having the appropriate footwear or worse fell flat on your ass, then you’ll want to take note. Sorel has attracted a celebrity fan base including Elle Macpherson, Demi Moore (poor Demi) and Jessica Simpson for managing to combine all-weather protection with a touch of glam. The Tofino with its red lightweight quilted upper and stylish faux fur collar is a personal favourite. Inside they are lined with a Sherpa fleece for comfort and warmth. The molded rubber sole provides traction for the best possible grip on slippery icy surfaces to help keep you upright.

There you have it. If anything you can add these to your pressie wishlist. Wishing you all a fab and stylish Christmas!

This week’s must-buy-now item comes from Awear. The teal coloured ‘Yuki’ kimono jacket with floral pattern is the perfect injection of muted colour for this time of year. And surprisingly it looks pretty awesome teamed with a sequin top. Plus It’s only €45… and their Irish, sweet!

With boys dressing like girls and girls dressing like boys, there’s no stopping one of this season’s chicest looks – androgyny – definitely one of my faves for AW11/12. The seeds of this trend were sown a couple of seasons back with the popularity of the boyfriend blazer, followed by oversized jumpers and then brogues. Now it has gone full throttle meaning no part of your boyfriend’s wardrobe is off limits. It has never been more acceptable to borrow clothing from your other half’s closet. Yay, I hear you say!

Embracing the androgynous trend doesn’t mean surrendering your womanly side. In fact, it can have quite the opposite effect and channeling some boyish charm can emphasise your femininity. Championing this gender-bending trend on the catwalks were Celine, Pucci, Chanel, Gaultier and Dolce & Gabbana amongst others. Focusing on sharp tailored masculine clothes with linear proportions, key pieces include dapper two-piece suits, smoking jackets, crombies, stylish pencil pants, bowler hats, braces and brogues. This is tailoring at its very best with well-cut pieces injecting a touch of sculptural glamour.

Alexa Chung and Diane Kruger are both poster girls of this style and regularly nail the look. If you ask me their success lies in the feminine touches they inject into their outfits. Contrasting the masculine with cute details such as blinging rings, broaches or a pair of sequin stilettos. It’s not about dressing like a boy for the sake of it. It’s a statement.

Dare to bear and create a more sexy look by eliminating a shirt completely and wearing jackets with bare skin to bring the focus to a plunging neckline. This is a super sassy look that only the most confident and daring will pull off with panache.

My advice is to get into it gradually. Ditch your sandals for some brogues, swap your floral skirt for fitted cropped pants and replace floaty blouses with a structured shirt and jacket. The message is clear – say goodbye to the girlie girl of summer, autumn’s woman is streamlined and structured embracing the best of masculine tailoring. On the highstreet go-to shops for the androgynous trend are River Island, Penneys, Oasis, Asos, Awear and Zara.

Rachel Bilson

Androgyny at Celine

Diane Krugar

Mango

Asos

Alexa Chung

River Island

Zara

The U Highstreet Style Awards in association with Diet Coke took place at Dublin’s Mansion House on Friday (October 14th) and Penney’s walked away with the accolade of Overall Best Highstreet Store of 2011. Pictured above are models Talia, Sarah Morrissey and Blaidnaid, Penneys’ Triona Mc Ginley and Editor of U Magazine Jen Stephens.

Penney’s took home a total of four awards on the night, also scooping the awards for Best Accessories, Best Value and Most improved Store. The other big winners on the night were River Island who walked away with three awards.

With over 400 people in attendance on the night, the evening consisted of a drinks reception and a fabulous fashion show. The Best Dressed lady on the night was Lia Stokes from Galway, who was wearing an outfit by Galway designer Harlow & Harvey walked away with the most fabulous fashion prize. See below for the full list of winners:

Byron Yeats and Ciara O'Doherty

Michelle McGrath and Haley Ryan

Grainne Kirk and Karen Koster

WINNERS:
Best for jeans: River Island
Best catwalk to reality: Topshop
Best for accessories: Penney’s
Best for shoes: River Island
Best for Saturday night: A I Wear
Best changing rooms: River Island
Best for customer service: A I Wear
Best for plus size: New Look
Best for value: Penney’s
Most improved store: Penney’s
Best Department Store: Debenhams
Overall Best Highstreet Store: Penney’s
U Magazine Hall of Fame: Marks & Spencers
U Magazine Editor’s Choice: H&M

One of our favourite Irish fashion brands here at Help My Style towers has just launched International delivery. Yes, Awear.com is going global and to celebrate we’ve got some fab goodies to give away! Whether your best friend is living it up in Oz on a year out or studying on the west coast of the USA…..you can now not only treat her to an A|wear must-have but she can also treat herself! We’re giving two lucky Help My Style readers a chance to surprise an ex-pat pal with a very special delivery from Ireland. We have two €50 Awear.com vouchers with international delivery up for grabs.

To win, simply tell us why your friend deserves a very special delivery from Ireland (be sure to include where she lives)?

To win you must be a fan of Helpmystyle.ie on Facebook and a registered user of this blog. Simply subscribe by entering your email address in the box on the bottom right hand of this page and press subscribe. Post your answers as comments below or email to win@helpmystyle.ie. The winner will be chosen using Random.org. Closing date for entries is 5pm, Wednesday 19th October 2011 . Our decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. For full competition T&C’s click here.

**Delivery to Australia and the USA costs just €10 while anywhere in Europe costs just €7.50. Check out www.awear.com for the full low-down.

On yesterday’s Four Live style challenge, graphic designer Declan from Co. Clare went head to head against mum-of-three Fiona from Dublin. With just 30 minutes on the clock, they had to style a look working the 60′s trend from a selection of clothing from top highstreet stores Penney’s, Warehouse and Awear. Who won? Take a look!

If you’d like to take up the challenge, check out full deets here.

With girls dressing like boys, and boys like girls, there’s no stopping androgyny this season. This afternoon on Four Live I’ll be creating a look that channels the androgynous trend with top picks from the highstreet. Also two viewers, both fashion fanatics, will be in studio and going head-to-head against the clock in our style challenge with a selection of clothes from Penneys, Awear and Marks & Spencer. Myself and Maura will be judging the winner. It’s sure to be lots of fun so make sure to tune into RTÉ One from 4pm.

Keep up with all the behind the scenes action with me on Twitter.

Yellow is one of the biggest colour stories this AW with shades of mustard and ochre two of the hot favourites. Never one to miss a trend, Mollie from the Saturdays got in on the action quick smart and was spotted wearing the tone of the season teamed with a denim jacket and heels. A look that’s simple, uber-stylish and effective. Carraig Donn have a dress in stock that’s very similar to the one seen on Mollie. Pictured above its the Addyson dress and it’s only €19.95 – STAR BUY!!!! What’s more its mock wrap effect, belted waistline and a deep V-neckline makes it very figure flattering and easy to wear for most body shapes. Mollie teamed her’s with a denim jacket – go for a cropped style like this one from Forever 21 for £16.75. As the weather get’s cooler why not team it a cute yet cosy shearling aviator jacket? This one is from Awear €55. It’s win, win!

Victoria Beckham

Irish highstreet favourite Awear have officially launched their autumn ‘Jet Set’ collection. Focusing on clean lines, longer silhouettes & higher waists it’s a range that feels more mature and sophisticated. Inspired by the 60’s & 70’s, it includes classic separates that have been given the 2011 treatment. The colour palette features shades of honey brown, ochre, camel, terracotta and burgundy – all of which are very easy to wear on classic Irish tones. Some of my personal favourites are the horse print pussy bow blouse (€32), the red & black paisley print pleated dress (€40) and the heritage inspired tweed blazer (€60). Check out the collection below for yourself and let us know what you think…?

Pictured above is the coral knit jumper, €35 and felt hat, €20.

Peter Pan Collar Top, €32, Chunky Navy Cable Cardigan, £45, Tweed Shorts, €38; Green Satchel, €25

Navy Printed Dress, €50; Mustard Cardigan, €40; Coral & Gold Necklace €8

Red & Black Print Pleated Dress, €40; Black Double Buckle Belt, €10

Horse Print Blouse, €32; Wide Leg Trouser, €45

Cropped Peg Leg Trouser, €45; Shearling Aviator Jacket, €55; Camel Cable Knit Jumper, €35; Green Floral Scarf, €12

Paisley Frill Blouse, €35; Pleated Palazzo Pants, €50; Heritage Tweed Blazer, €60; Brown Satchel, €30; Tan Belt, €8

Q. I wonder if you might be able to tell me where I’ll find a nice slouchy, oversized cardigan, preferably in a neutral colour, in Dublin? Susan.

A. Danish label Gestuz has a few pieces that are the epitome of the slouchy cardigan. I particularly like the chunky cream one (€139.95) at Seagreen, Monkstown – this is crafted oversized knitwear at it’s finest – it’s comfortable, cosy and will inject just the right amount of edge to the most feminine of looks. Ideal for this time of year and tricky trans-seasonal dressing. For a bit of a twist and nod to the current trend for tassels, Awear’s camel coloured oversized cardigan comes with a tasseled edge (€45).

Keep up with Darren on Twitter.

As Head of Marketing & PR for Irish fashion retailer A|Wear, Wendy Duggan is at front line of Irish fashion and knows only too well the hard graft and determination it takes to be a success in the Industry. We took 5 minutes to find out more…

You’ve achieved a lot to date in a relatively short career. What’s the key to success?
Hard work and determination.

What did you want to be growing up?
A teacher…just for the three month holidays every year!

What was your big break in fashion?
Starting to work part time while in university on the shop floor in A|wear Henry St…I’m still here 8 years later!

Two adjectives to describe your style?
Simple, Classic

Style or Trends?
A little bit of both

Today I’m wearing…?
An A|wear floral wrap dress

What’s a typical day?
There’s never a typical day at A|wear but as an example….a Monday will start with sales analysis followed by trading meetings. I’ll have a catch up with the team on everything from store events to brand partnerships, social media, photoshoots & PR. We’ve a small marketing team in A|wear so we work every closely.

Style icon?
Rachel Bilson

Favourite trend this season?
Colour Blocking

Favourite beauty product?
Mac Skin Primer

Can’t live without…?
My family

Toughest part of my job?
Evaluating & analysing everything!

Favourite hangout?
The Pepper Pot in the Powerscourt Shopping Centre…their breakfast is to die for!

Friday night treat?
Drinks with the girls.

Your perfect weekend is…?
Friday drinks after work, Saturday a hard days shopping followed by cinema & Sunday reading all the papers curled up on the couch after a long walk in Howth.

Last time you laughed out loud?
Watching the creative team picking the props for the A|wear Christmas windows…I can’t believe we’re at that time of year already!!

What’s on your iPod?
The Script, Coldplay, Beyonce….especially post Oxegen 2011.

What advice would you give anyone trying to break into the business?
Be determined and keep knocking on doors, experience is an absolute essential. The more you build up, the more attractive your CV becomes.

If you could write your ideal job description, what would it be?
Travelling the globe on fabulous fashion shoots, unfortunately I get to plan the A|wear fashion shoots & logistics behind them, I don’t always get to go!

Karen Koster arrived at the launch of the Summertime Festival at Kildare Village last Friday, looking effortless chic in an outfit that’s bang on trend this summer. Karen is a gorgeous girl and we normally tend to see her all dolled up, looking super glam. But I for one have to say, this laid back, more casual vibe really does it for me and suits her down to a tee. Admittedly, you can be much more daring with this trend but that’s not to everyones taste, Karen included it would seem. For anyone unsure, or indeed afraid, of how to wear this season’s colour blocking take note.

The beauty of this outfit is in its simplicity. Choose a neutral colour like black, white, grey or beige to anchor the outfit. In Karen’s case she’s gone for a simple black tee with some jeans. This acts as the base of your outfit and you can now decide which colours you want to introduce. Clashing fuchsia pink with orange was one of the stand out colour combinations from the Jill Sander show who really championed this trend. If it ain’t broken why fix it – Karen’s casual pink blazer works a treat and rather then wearing the second colour, she has introduced it in her bag – this is a useful tip if you think you might feel overwhelmed wearing two such bold colours in one outfit. Eh voila, you’re good to go!

One of our favourite Irish high street stores, A|wear is the official fashion partner of Europe’s biggest music festival OXEGEN 2011. Not only can you get 20% off your festival wardrobe by flashing your ticket in store, A|wear is hosting its very first Festival Girls Night In on Monday 4th July in A|wear Grafton Street! Simply email party@awear.ie to get on the list!

WIN!
With the countdown to OXEGEN 2011 official underway (only 7 more sleeps!); A|wear has a pair of weekend camping passes up for grabs for one lucky HelpMyStyle.ie reader. To win, simply answer this (easy peasy question) and we’ll pick a winner on Wednesday July 6th!

THE WINNER IS – Rowena Shanley!

Q: What Bootylicious lady will be rocking the main stage on Sunday night after WOWING the crowds at Glastonbury?

T&C’s:
To win you must be a fan of Helpmystyle.ie on Facebook and a registered user of this blog. Simply subscribe by entering your email address in the box on the bottom right hand of this page and press subscribe. Post your answers as comments below or email to win@helpmystyle.ie. The winner will be chosen at random.

To enter this competition, entrants must be 18 years old or over at the time of entry.
Prize includes a pair of camping Oxegen weekend camping tickets; No travel costs or any other expenses incurred are included.