Pictured: Former Miss Ireland Sinead Noonan is wearing a Stella McCartney Bra €85, Stella McCartney Brief €45 and Joanne Hynes Collar €520

Lingerie, like many things, is a personal purchase. It can be seductive and sexy, practical or pretty and there are whole lot of ways to make a lasting impression.

But sometimes, like Valentine’s Day, it’s not us ladies choosing the underwear so here are some tips for the guys choosing underwear as presents this Valentine’s day.

Size

First a bit of detective work – take a peek inside your lady’s underwear drawer to check sizes (that means checking a knickers and a bra. The knickers will be sized in 8, 10, 12, 14 etc and bras come in a size 32 plus a cup size, e.g. B, C, D, or DD and so on). Sizing is something you should not guess!

Style and Colour

Note the styles and colours she normally wears; is she more of a basic neutral, black or white underwear lady – if so she’ll love  Calvin Klein Seductive Comfort and Wacaol (up to 36E) – beautiful neutral colours with lace finishes and an amazing fit.

Bra and knickers sets go down a treat with this ladies. For something fun and flirty, try Mimi Holliday or Passionata for gorgeous styles that will certainly be adored.

Frills or Detail?

Does your partner love her colour, frills, and plenty of detail? If so, there are plenty of choices up to a DD from brands like Elle McPherson and Pleasure State, with amazing array of colours.

If she loves her glamour,  then choose a luxurious set from Myla or Stella McCartney with styles featuring the all important suspender belt, will ensure the ultimate in boudoir chic.

Underwire or padded bra

A fuller figure will look its best in an underwire or full cup bra, whereas a padded plunge bra is extremely flattering on more petite women (i.e. flat chested). Ask the lingerie experts in store who are on hand to offer some helpful tips for buying your loved one lingerie this Valentine’s Day.

Knickers

Does she normally wear thongs, pants or boyshorts? Remember it’s not for you… and if you get the style and sizing right it shows the amount of effort you have put into this purchase!

As a general rule for bottoms, a dress size 8 is a xs, a size 10 is small, size 12 is medium, size 14/16 is large etc… If your partner is a little more daring, why not try styles from Myla or Agent Provocateur like peek-a-boo or quarter cup bras teamed with stockings & suspenders.

If it all gets a bit confusing, there is always help on hand in stores, with experienced consultants looking after each lingerie brand, who can steer you in the right direction very quickly.

No shape wear!

The last bit of advice I would give is avoid anything marked ‘control’ or ‘slimming’. Although for many of us ladies it is a must for our underwear drawer, it is however not something you would want to receive as a Valentines gift!

All products mentioned above are available at Brown Thomas.

Amy Huberman’s dress at the IFTAS is by Dawn Fitzgerald Atelier. She’s a young Irish designer that has just opened a shop in Powerscourt Town Centre.

I met Dawn at Carton House  tipster breakfast ahead of their Most Stylish Lady competition at Fairyhouse and loved her style (she wore a salmon coloured silk jumpsuit and pearls which draped down her back) see the picture here  .

Dawn also designed model Rozz Purcell’s dress for the IFTAS.

You can check out Dawn’s designs for yourself at the following address:

Dawn Fitzgerald Atelier

Powerscourt Town Centre

Dublin 2

dawnfitzgeraldatelier.com

All the red carpet photos from the 2012 IFTAS Red Carpet Watch: IFTAS

Pictured left to right: Amy Huberman, Laura Whitmore and Diana Bunici pictured on the red carpet at the 9th Annual Irish Film & Television Awards at the Convention Centre Dublin (CCD) on Saturday 11th of February 2012.

Such excitement in the WhatSheWears.ie camp as the Irish Oscars got underway this evening  – the 9th Annual Irish Film and Television Awards took place at the Convention Centre in Dublin. See the awards and red carpet arrivals on RTE1 @ 9.40pm.

Here are the photos from the red carpet. Who is your best dressed?

My pick goes to Laura Whitmore for the ladies and Chris O’Dowd in the male style stakes.

Other looks I loved were Dawn Porter (Chris O’Dowd’s partner) for her orginal choice of dress and cool fringe and Amy Huberman for her vintage inspired dress choice (reminds me of a vintage style Madonna wore on the red carpet last year – see a pic of it here). It is designed by Dawn Fitzgerald Atelier in Powerscourt Town Centre, who also designed Roz Purcells IFTA dress.

To view the gallery, click on the photo and scroll to next photo by hitting the arrow to the right.

[View with PicLens]

12►

Press previews are normally are very stylish affair.  Besides the models who are there to sport the latest collections (and boy do they look good) -  the stylists, writers, bloggers and TV presenters who attend are always decadently dressed as they clamour for a front row seat in their weekday best.

And so we’ve rounded up three of our favourite looks from BT’s most recent press preview.  Read on to see what they were wearing.

Left to right:

What:  Brown Thomas SS12 Press Preview

She: Laura Whiston, Whisty Blogs Dublin Fashion
Wears: Vintage necklace and jumper.  Chloe short

She: Becky Gray, Beckydazzler
Wears: Maje jumper, Jack Wills jeans and New Look leopard print boots

She: Gillian Brett, Fashion Journalist & WSW contributor
Wears: Zara shirt and Topshop skirt

You can see some of the spring summer 12 designer looks from the show on this video and what Becky, Gillian and Whisty thought of it.

And don’t forget to check out our Street Style gallery for the most stylish looks from the Dublin streets.

If collars, metallics and leather are your thing then read on.

It was the collar, which we’ve expressed our love for previously on WSW, that caught our attention most yesterday.

BT2, Brown Thomas little sister, is the first shop in the world to sell Karl, the diffusion label from Karl Lagerfeld. The collection, which hits stores on 8th March, includes a take on his own personal style with metallic and leather shirt collars (€130) – a great alternative to a statement necklace, fingerless leather gloves that Madonna would wear (€49), button-down-collar shirts (€130) and sequinned shorts (€200).

Check out the collection for yourself in this short clip we took when viewing the collection yesterday. To view, just click on the arrow in the image above.

The statement shoulder metallic jacket (on right) will set you back €350 – a far cry from the Chanel prices which Lagerfeld is accustomed to charging. The most expensive item in the collection is this leather biker jacket (€1,000) pictured left, worn with a t-shirt (€70) and a metallic, leather skirt (€330).

Availability: BT2 from March 8th 2012. Online at Net-a-porter

Pictured left to right: Alexander Wang, LWren Scott (purple dress), Michael Kors (gold dress) Prabel Gurung (red dress)

Whether you hail from the prestigious Upper East Side or the urban hip Lower West Side, the city that never sleeps literally pulsates with an exciting and inspiring fashion scene.

Many fashion designers use this creative hub as their fashion base, including internationally renowned designers Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Diane von Furstenberg, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan and to coincide with New York Fashion Week, Brown Thomas is bringing New York style to life with a series of NYC themed fashion workshops and masterclasses until Sunday February 19th 2012.

The style workshops taking place in BT stores over the next few Saturday’s will show you how to get the NYC look, the latest trends and  tips from the experts on how to style up the look and mix and match chic accessories.

In addition, there will be fantastic gifts on offer with purchases across some key NYC fashion and lingerie brands throughout the stores, including DKNY, Michael Michael Kors, DVF Swim and Calvin Klein.

Brown Thomas Dublin Events

11th February – Top stylist Annmarie O’Connor will host a series of fashion workshops from NYC brands DKNY, Michael Michael Kors and Elie Tahari on Level 2 at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm.

18th February – Annmarie O’Connor will host a series of fashion workshops from NYC brands DKNY, Michael Michael Kors and Theory on Level 2 at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm.

Brown Thomas Cork Event

11th February – Über cool stylist Courtney Smith will host workshops from top NYC brands DKNY, Michael Michael Kors and Marc by Marc Jacobs on Level 1 at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm.

Brown Thomas Limerick Event

18th February – Renowned stylist Cathy O’Connor will present a fashion show to highlight key NYC brands including DKNY, Michael Michael Kors and Marc by Marc Jacobs on Level 1 at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm.

Brown Thomas Galway Event

18th February – Fashion insider Lisa Lane will host a series of workshops including go-to NYC labels DKNY, Michael Michael Kors, and Marc by Marc Jacobs on Level 1 at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm.

Darren Kennedy is not an easy man to pin down. After living in Paris and London over the years, he’s got a serious taste for travel, and has spent the past few months trapezing between Hong Kong, China and Tenerife and his sights are now set on a surfing trip in San Diego. The nomadic thrill-seeker has been filming for a brand new travel series on Channel 5 called ‘Holiday Heaven on Earth’ which is on Thursdays at 7pm.

As well as a love for travelling, Darren also has a serious appreciation for good style (shoes in particular with a collection of 60+ high tops!). As one of Ireland’s most dapper young men, his style secret is: “Always dress for yourself and don’t be a slave to fashion. Wear your clothes with confidence and enjoy it!”

As well as globe-trotting, Darren spends his days editing his website HelpMyStyle.ie, contributing his fashion know-how to the Irish Independent Weekend magazine and acting as ambassador for ‘BeLonGTo’ a youth charity to help and support young LGBT people in Ireland. As I said, a very busy man who we are delighted to have as this month’s Guest Editor.

What led you to fashion and studying at Central Saint Martin’s?

I’ve always had a very keen interest in design and loved art, painting and clothes growing up. My mam is a very stylish lady with a fantastic eye and a natural flair so I was always around clothes and style. After doing a four-year degree in International Business and Languages and living in France for two years I went into broadcasting full time. Working on TV there’s no escaping appearances and style in every sense is a big part of it. For me it marries my two passions. Central Saint Martins was an incredible experience, so creative and liberating.

How would you describe your own personal style?

One of the things I adore about fashion is how it is constantly changing but I don’t get too caught up in trends. My style really depends on my humour on any given day. Sometimes it’ll be very dapper other times very casual & comfy. I love my trainers and bow ties in equal measures – I’ve over 60 pairs of trainers (my current favourites are my Y-3 Yohji Yamamoto high tops, pictured) and the last time I counted I’d over 30 bow ties. I guess you could say my style is a real mish-mash of traditional tailoring with a modern, urban edge. Regardless of my mood, attention to detail, good quality, well-cut clothes are a must.

There’s been a seismic shift in attitudes towards menswear in recent years, on an international scale and here in Ireland. Why do you think this is?

I think it’s a natural progression and reflects society’s changing attitudes. Men are enjoying taking care of themselves and looking well. It’s about time I say! Men have style icons now too although they may not think of it in those terms. The likes of Ryan Gosling, David Beckham, James Franco and Tom Ford always look slick. I also feel many men are realizing that looking the part plays a significant part in being a success in business.

What magazines, websites and blogs would you consider menswear must-reads? And which would you recommend for womenswear too?

I travel a lot so every time I’m in an airport I’ll inevitably pick up a couple of magazines. I particularly enjoy Esquire, GQ Style, Wallpaper, Dazed & Confused, Têtu (a French Title), Vogue Homme. Online sites like ‘The Style Blogger’, ‘PorHomme.com’ and ‘Valet Mag’ are all great for a browse. The new Dublin-based fashion magazine ‘Thread’ has some really cool editorials featuring both men’s and womenswear.

Which of the men’s autumn/winter 12/13 fashion shows did you like most ?

God where to start… I always find something I like at Acne as it tends to be very wearable and for AW12 they presented a sartorial trinity of faux fur, leather and layering. Raf Simmons’ collection was ace with lots of colourful knits, layering and texture.

What are your favourite shops in Dublin and abroad?

The Kooples in Brown Thomas is great for smart tailoring and interesting basics combining traditional tailoring with a modern, urban aesthetic. Indigo & Cloth on South William Street is a great little spot. The owner Gareth has a great grasp on menswear and he always manages to edit the latest season’s styles really well.  I used to live in Paris and love the markets and boutique shopping around Le Marais. My latest obsession is the A.P.C. store in Shoreditch in East London (APC shearling jacket pictured).

What accessory are you rarely seen without?

My brown leather satchel, a bright blue swatch Touch (both pictured) – I tend to get quite attached to watches and this one is a souvenir from the MTV EMA’s in Belfast last year and iPhone/iPad/Mac.

In regard to womenswear, what trends should we invest in for spring/summer 2012 and how should we adopt them?

SS 2012 is all about colour and print. We are seeing lots of both all over the highstreet with a riot of bold, bright, vibrant blocks of colour. Conversational prints such as 1950’s car prints at Prada or cat prints at Victoria by Victoria Beckham. This season’s florals are oversized that you can match or clash on everything from cigarette pants, shorts and pencil skirts. And detailing like delicious draping, cute collars and subtle pleating are big.

-    Gillian Brett

From her bee stung lips to her haunting voice and enviable hair, there’s so much to love about new songstress about town, Lana Del Rey.

The fashion scene is vying for her attention too. With a Vogue cover under her belt, her single “Video Games” played at Emilio de la Morena’s summer show and Mulberry asked her to perform at a dinner in L.A, to celebrate their spring summer 12 collection.

And although her album “Born to Die” is already a firm favourite on our office playlist, it’s her style that we love most.

Lana’s look is kooky chic – think bright 60’s mod dresses, fringe jackets and cute button down shirts but we especially like her dress down look from her promotional tour to the BBC2 studios in London last week.

Del Rey’s biker look is focused on this Sandro Valley leather jacket, worn over a knotted t-shirt, wet look jeans and Adidas High tops.  The trainers are not only the firm fav of girlband Little Mix, but high tops are set to be a key footwear trend for 2012. Lana’s snakeskin bag added a touch of femininity to the otherwise tomboy look.

Get Lana’s biker look with the very same leather jacket from French label Sandro (pictured, available in Brown Thomas Dublin and BT2 Dundrum), wet look jeans in Zara and Adidas high-tops in Lifestyle sports (€65).

Adidas hightops Lifestyle Sports €65

When Valentine’s Day comes around, it catches some of us off guard and results in last minute shopping, so this year we’re starting February well intentioned and planning our purchases in advance.

To help, Marks and Spencers has teamed up with WhatSheWears.ie for a Valentine’s Gift Guide of treats for him and her, for all budgets.

For Him

Under €20

Sometimes a simple card with a heartfelt message fits the bill. Our go-to shop for birthdays and celebration cards has Valentine’s cards for all tastes from €2.25 , including this one (€4) where if you scratch the jelly babies, it gives off a jelly baby smell! Team it with a box of chocolates or bottle of vino and you’ll still have change out of €20 .

Cufflinks, €20 for set of 3 Cufflinks make-ith the shirt and you can add a smart finishing touch to your man’s work wear with this pair of cufflinks (pictured, €27) for .

Between €20 – €50

Shirt, €35  Pink shirts are not just for the Made in Chelsea crew. This one would look dapper under a navy blazer.

From €50

Dispatch bag, €60 There’s a man-bag for every guy at Marks and Spencers, from formal briefcases to trendy satchels. Our favourite is this dispatch bag (pictured above), perfect for laptops and in go-with everything black.

For Her

Under €20

Vintage Love Eau de Toilette, 100ml €20  Everyone woman loves getting a new perfume. This eau de toilette is a heady blend of osmanthus and orange blossom combined with precious woods and musk.

Between €20-€50

Underwear giftset, €30 Marks and Spencer’s underwear is always a big hit with Irish women of all ages. Pick up a bra or knickers or a combination of the two with this gift set (bra €24 briefs €6).  Just remember to check her undies drawer for size before you set out on your romantic mission.

From €50

Thanks to programmes such as The Great British Bake Off (the Irish version is coming to TV3 in 2012) baking has become cool again. Accessories and accompaniments range from the whimsical to the plain and M&S have everything from baking books, heart shaped cake tins, cup cake cases and cherry heart aprons to the Kirstie Allsopp range of cake stands (€27) and tea pots (€20) – a combination of any of these would make the perfect present. Call it practi-romanticism.

Make sure to become a fan of the Marks & Spencer Ireland Facebook page and keep up to date on all their latest offers and special deals.

This is a WhatSheWears.ie advertorial feature.

David Beckham’s debut underwear collection for H&M hits stores tomorrow and the shots for the campaign leave little to the imagination.

Becks and his design team worked with pieces from David’s own wardrobe, incorporating his own unique style aesthetic in order to create and build a meaningful bodywear brand from the outset. It’s why the waistband branding is minimal: instead, the signature is found in the design of the pieces themselves.

“Working with a team has always been a key part of my life and I found that to be the same when developing this range. Collectively with my design team we spent time working on the feel, fit and style to ensure the product is not only something I would wear but one which I would be proud to put my name to. I always want to challenge myself and this was such a rewarding experience for me. I’m very happy with the end result and I hope H&M’s male customers will be as excited as I am.” he said.

The collection is made up of black, white and grey cottons – the right shade of grey for a long-length vest and the perfect sleeve length for a fitted T-shirt.  There are four underpants styles – briefs, trunks, boxer briefs and woven boxers; three tops – David’s perfect T-shirt, vest and Henley; and then two bodywear styles – pyjama bottoms, and also long johns, the secret favourite undergarment of many men in the colder months!

We hope to see more of David Beckham for H&M (literally) in what is the first of many planned with the Swedish high street chain.

Prices:  range from €9.95 for briefs to €12.95 for boxers, T-shirts and vests and €24.95 for long sleeved t-shirts, pyjama bottoms and long johns.

Availability in Ireland from 2nd February: H&M Dundrum, Liffey Valley, Whitewater, South King Street, Cork and Kilkenny.