I've a secret to tell you

I usually have the best intentions of making a list at the beginning of December, buying an item from said list and then forgetting to buy anything till the day before Christmas.

Not this year though! I was absolutely determined to get those items ticked off early. I bought a few items online during Black Friday but by and large I did most of my shopping in smaller independent boutiques and on the high street. Where possible I think it’s nice to support independent creators and boutiques and I did a bit of a Christmas market trawl last weekend and picked up some beautiful gifts including a stunning crochet bag and ceramic Christmas decorations.

I love to include a Christmas decoration with a gift as a little festive memento. If you’re looking for something a little bit different, Snout boutique in Ballincollig is a treasure trove of beautiful pieces from jewellery to homewares so you’ll find lots of pieces for loved ones here.

There’s also so many new shop openings in the city centre so I really feel like we have so much choice now when it comes to shopping, and I popped along to two store openings during the week on Opera Lane.

Victoria’s Secret and Bath and Body Works both opened on Friday morning to great fanfare with Irish musicians and dancers on the street welcoming customers to the beautiful new stores. I’ll be popping into Victoria’s Secret in the new year as they do complimentary bra fittings and their bras have patented technology, so you know you’ll be getting a great quality bra and we all know how important the correct underwear is as the scaffolding of our outfits.

In other news I’ve been considering Christmas Day outfits and there are two distinct sort of Christmas Day dressers.

Some people go all out and get really glammed up and then others stay cosy and casual. I have to say I like a bit of both and will get dressed up in the morning for visiting family and for dinner but once the dinner has been eaten, it’s on with the loungewear. Elasticated waist bands are essential for eating your weight in snacks.

I do love a bit of sparkle on Christmas morning and fully indulge my inner magpie. A sequin mini dress with tights and a heel is comfortable and suitably bling but I also love a luxury knit and sequin skirt or trousers combination.

Elevate your loungewear with knit co-ords, I’ve got a beige knit trousers and cardigan that looks very stylish and is seriously comfy. I also picked up burgundy, silky trousers in the H&M sale recently.

They are elasticated waist and have a wide leg and I’ll be going tonal and styling it with a cosy burgundy knit. It’s the perfect look for those in between days when you just want to lounge but still feel like you’re making some effort and getting dressed.