Added drama
The art of accessorising has long been the key to looking fabulous without breaking your budget
This autumn is the first in a long time where I feel we can really look forward to getting dressed each day. Fashion is engaged with our whole wardrobe again. Clothing that fell out of fashion such as the greatcoat; the knit dress; furry accessories such as cuffs and collars, and even hats (proper hats, not rubbish beanies) all have made a return. Which all means that fabulous, expressive, stylish drama has returned to our wardrobes, too.
Key to looking really stylish is accessories. Accessories and accessorising have always been an easy and cost effective means to update your wardrobe; buy a new handbag and you have a new look. But there is accessorising and there is accessorising. The new fun-loving, anything-goes movement of fashion, with its love of 1980s kitsch, 1990s power-dressing and boho, means that accessories have never been so diverse. Added to this, now, are classic themes such as preppie, 1950s, Chanel, Navaho Indian, Western and so on.
Portuguese accessories brand Parfois was founded by Manuela Medeiros. For her, passion is at the heart of everything. It is about supporting women’s working lives as well as Manuela’s love of play and high fashion. The humble purse, in the hands of Parfois’ designers, can beautifully fulfil 10 roles, and I have long been impressed with Parfois luggage.
Each season, Parfois expresses a state of being to strive for, with a logo that might be written on the front of a purse or notebook. ‘Follow your Dreams’; ‘Everything is Possible’; ‘You always have a choice’. According to Ciara O’Keeffe, manager of Parfois’s busy Mahon Point store in Cork, customers love the positive affirmations as well as the femininity.
“Our store is very boutique in feel,” Ciara tells me. “People used to say to me that they didn’t want to come in because they thought it looked very expensive, very high-end, and then it was a fantastic surprise for them when they discovered that Parfois was actually very affordable.”
Parfois is extraordinary value for the truly striking pieces you can find there. New pieces arrive daily and once they’re gone, they’re gone. No repeats. Most of the materials they use are non-animal based, so think pleather and faux fur.
This season, Parfois’ footwear is very strong, covering the most important looks, especially ankle boots. Last year, Parfois launched a capsule clothing range, which has now expanded to dresses, blouses, skirts and so on. So far, Whitewater Shopping Centre in Newbridge, Co Kildare is the only store with most of the collection.
With prices from €14.99 to no more than €34.99, generally, you can achieve an Isabel Marant-like head-to-toe look for under €150, and that would include stylish boots and a striking-looking handbag!