Bear in the woods

Today I am wearing an outfit which I think compliments my surrounding quite well! The hat with it’s fury ears is super cosy and fun and goes well with most outfits. Although it looks sunny it was a bit chilly! So a layered look was perfect for this day. This shoot was also my first collaboration with a more experienced photographer, the amazing Ashley O’Sheehan. Hopefully it will be the first of many great shoots 🙂 Let me know what you think and catch me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – fashion_banana is my username there 😉 Hannah Xo

WHAT I WORE:

HAT, DRESS, CARDIGAN – TOPSHOP

JACKET – H&M

BOOTS – BERTIE

BRACELET – MARC BY MARC JACOBS

<3 Three Floor Fashion

Three Floor Fashion is a fabulous clothing label that is affordable and totally fashion forward. I love the way all of clothes are so tailored and colorful. I’m currently desperately trying to decide what to purchase – there is too many amazing pieces to choose from. I shall keep you posted with what I eventually choose. Check out the website here www.threefloorfashion.com . Much Love ❤ Hannah.

STYLISH STEAL

So I have been out of action for the past few weeks for two reasons – I was busy settling back into college and more importantly I was busy coming up with new ideas and daily posts for the blog. One of my ideas is that every Thursday I will post a complete look for €100 or under! I think that Thursday is a great day for a two reasons – it’s payday and it’s the eve of the weekend! What better excuse to spend a small amount on a fabulous outfit that will take you through the weekend and many more to come?!

Today’s Stylish Steal features a TOPSHOP blue squirrel print dress – €24 (on sale), a black leather jacket – €39.95, tights – €5.95 and boots – €29.95 – all from H&M. I am in love with the print of the dress and I think that all the pieces are versatile and totally wearable for all sorts of occasions – for under €100 this outfit is definitely a stylish steal and makes for a very thrifty Thursday!

The dress can be dressed up or down, worn with bear legs or tights and can be made look more smart by pairing it with a blazer and heels. I like the idea of toughening it up with the leather jacket and boots as it’s a little more edgy and a perfect casual look. What do you think of my first Stylish Steal? Please let me know by commenting below 🙂 Thanks! Hannah Xo

Alt. Wedge

Today’s outfit is all about STEVE MADDEN – my most recent purchase was a pair of wedge trainers by this wonderful man so I felt it only fit to dedicate a bit of blog space to them. I paired them with purple TOPSHOP leggings and black RIVER ISLAND top. I kept the accessories simple, opting for a studded bracelet and cute rings, both FOREVER 21. It took a while for me to like the idea of wedge trainers, but I have definitely come around to the idea and I love them. They are surprisingly comfy too. Log onto http://www.stevemadden.com/ to find these wedges and more amazing shoes. How would you style your wedge trainers? Please comment below, I would love some more style inspiration and feedback. Hannah Xo

Don’t forget to follow @h_fashionbanana on Twitter and Like TheFashionBanana on Facebook. Thank you 🙂 Xo

Emmy Awards – Looks I Loved.

Awards Season kicked off on Monday with the Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. I was glued to my TV screen for a few hours watching the live coverage from the red carpet. The abundance of style and glamour was enough to keep me hooked – not to mention the amazing host of designers who dressed the stars. There were so many gorgeous gowns on the red carpet that it was a hard task deciding on my top three favorites. Here are my favorites and the reasons why I love them!

                                                                                                                Number One – Julie Bowen (Modern Family) in Monique Lhuillier.

I love the striking yellowy-lime colour of this fabulous Monquie Lhuillier bodycon dress. The gown fits Julie perfectly and I love how she kept her hair, make up and accessories simple to allow the gown to shine fully.

                                                                                                                                Number Two – Allison Williams in Oscar de la Renta.

 

I love the on-trend peplum detail of this gown and I think that the colour and style of the gown suits Allison and her complexion perfectly. Her simple and fresh make up and hair compliment the dress and I just love her jewellery.

Number Three – Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) in Dolce & Gabbana.

 

Elisabeth came up against some criticism for this Dolce & Gabbana number, but I personally love it on her. I love that she went for a pattern, as this wasn’t a trend widely seen on this year’s Emmys red carpet. The colour, pattern, shape and length all compliment her complexion fabulously and I love her quirky haircut and simple make up, as its such a change from the way I’m used to seeing her on screen in Mad Men. She took a risk and I think that it paid off for her!

What are your thoughts on my favorite Emmy Awards red carpet looks? Do you agree or disagree? Please post your comments below and don’t forget to like my Facebook page The Fashion Banana and follow me on Twitter – @h_fashionbanana 🙂 Thanks!! Hannah Xo

All the leaves are brown

This outfit is the first of many Autumn/Winter outfit posts – which I couldn’t be happier about as I love winter clothesmore than any other season! (Probably because Ireland is always so cold!) I like the way different pieces can be layered in so many different ways in order to create a more interesting look and I generally prefer the clothes that Autumn/Winter collections have to offer. This outfit isn’t about layering though – it is simple and classic. I paired black Urban Outfitters jeans with a studded Zara blouse and a H&M military style jacket. My favourite thing about this outfit however, is the accessories – black heeled Bertie boots, black Mulberry bag and Casio watch. A simple outfit to begin my Autumn/Winter wardrobe! Hope you like it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading – don’t forget to leave comments/likes here and follow me on Facebook and on Twitter 😉 Hannah Xo

COLLAGE IS COMING

So it’s that time of year again – Autumn! And that can only mean one thing – it’s time to go back to collage and with that comes the need for a few new pieces to update your Autumn/Winter wardrobe. I have compiled a capsule collection of key pieces which I think are super stylish , comfortable and easy to throw on for collage. All of the pieces can also be easily mixed and matched with existing pieces you may have in your wardrobe and they are also really affordable. 

THE JEAN (Clockwise) – ASOS printed leggings, ZARA denim jeggings, ZARA boyfriend jeans, THE    KOOPLES khaki jeans.

 

 

 

THE TOP (Clockwise) – ASOS knitted tshirt, ASOS tshirt, THE KOOPLES zip detail top, ZARA studded     shirt (slightly obsessed with this!)

 

THE JUMPER (Clockwise) – THE KOOPLES grey jumper, TOPSHOP simple black top, TOPSHOP printed jumper (love the splash of colour), ZARA studded and lace jumper.

 

THE JACKET (Clockwise) – ZARA leather jacket, RIVER ISLAND leather detail military style jacket, ZARA fur leather jacket, ASOS denim bomber jacket.

THE SHOE – ZARA red pump, ACNE black Pistol boot (number one on my wishlist!), TOPSHOP white sneaker – super comfortable for days spent in collage!

 

Thanks for reading, commenting and following! Don’t forget to check out The Fashion Banana on Facebook and Twitter also 😉 Hannah Xo

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall For Fashion 2012 – DTC

Today I was delighted and very excited to embark on Challenge 3 of the Dundrum Town Centre ‘Blogger In Residence’ competition and as a result I well and truly fell for Fall Fashion. Stylist Roxanne Parker did an outstanding job at picking the must have clothes and accessories for fashionable wardrobes, incorporating trendy bargains from shops such as Penneys and Bershka with luxury threads from Harvey Nicholls and Karen Millen. The catwalk also featured tons of amazing accessories that will instantly transform last season’s looks and make them on trend for Autumn/Winter 2012. The show had 5 sections which showcased the key pieces and trends that every fashionista should have in their Fall wardrobe – The Coat, The Military Trend, The Jean, The Chic Tailored Trend, Party Wear. I loved the fact that Roxanne used a huge array of brands to suit all ages, tastes, shapes and budgets. The show was really inspiring for this reason and the best part is that all the clothes and accessories featured are available now in Dundrum Town Centre. I thoroughly enjoyed the inspiring fashion show that was ‘Fall for Fashion’ – the real challenge was trying to pick the items I wanted to purchase as everything on the catwalk was so on trend and wearable. I have included a video and photographs of my favourite looks below to inspire you. Here is a link to a video of my experience at the ‘Fall for Fashion’ show. I hope you enjoy it and are as inspired as I was! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0mFvV-9lHA&feature=youtu.be 

Coat Story – Pippa (right) wears a gorgeous Tommy Hilfiger coat ( €299) – a real investment piece for the Winter months. Brown leather gloves are a staple accessorie as they add colour and style, as well as kepping hands cosy! Hannah (left) wears a tweed Esprit coat (€199.95) with cute elbow patches – tweed is a great change from a block colour and looks great with the super chic and afordable trilby hat (€25.95).

 Military Parade – Hannah (right) wears a fabulous studded combat jacket from Bershka (€69.95) – it is bang on trend for Autumn/Winter 2012 and looks great when paired with anything from black leggings to pretty dresses. Daneille (left) wears a show stopping outfit from Harvey Nicholls – I particularly love the studded Jeffrey Campbell boots which are a veratile investment buy at €150.

Jean Genie – As every girl knows the perfect pair of jeans is an essential for Autumn/Winter – Roxanne included so many fabulous jeans that it really was hard to pick just two that I liked the best. Pippa (left) wears printed J Brand (BT2) jeans (€385) – a huge trend for Autumn/Winter 2012. These are the more pricey option, however Penneys offers an excellent alternative, as seen on Faith (right) – these on trend animal print jeans are a steal at only €17.

 

 

 

 

 

Lady like Chic – I couldn’t leave out the men, so for this trend I have included David’s look. I like this burgundy Kenneth Kole (House of Fraser) suit (€299+€156) as it is a welcome change from the usual black or grey suit. Burgundy is a key colour for Autumn/Winter 2012 and this suit is an excellent way for a man to show off his fashion credentials. Ash (left) wears a sophisticated wrap belted Fran and Jane dress – I love this dress as I think it would be flaterring on many ages and shapes and is perfect for Christmas parties because of its fabulous festive colour!

 

 

 

 

Glam Nights’ Party Wear – Adrienne (right) wears a tnfc London (House of Fraser) gold sequined dress – perfect for any glam occassion and is an amazing price at €68. This is a really glamorous and affordable brand – perfect for party wear. Pippa (left) wears a stunning grey embellished Monsoon dress (€265)- I love the old Hollywood glamourous look of this dress and I think it would make a gorgeous debs dress. The fabulous jewellery is all available from Monsoon and accessorizes the dress perfectly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see I was really inspired by the amazing looks on the catwalk of the Fall for Fashion 2012 fashion show at Dundrum Town Centre. It is safe to say my Autumn/Winter 2012 wardrobe is well under way – hopefully yours will be too after reading this!

HAPPY SHOPPING!

Hannah Xo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall for Accessories 2012

Autumn\Winter is upon us once again. The falling leaves and shorter nights marks the end of short shorts, bare legs, sun hats and the beginning of the need for a wardrobe transformation. The best way to update your wardrobe without buying a whole new one, is by updating the old and making it NEW! How to do this?? ACCESSORIES! These little gems are the easiest and most purse friendly way to create Autumn/Winter looks from last seasons left-overs. I have created my very own capsule collection of  Autumn/Winter 2012 MUST-HAVE accessories which are ALL available in Dundrum Town Centre now. I hope you will be as INSPIRED as I was, by the amazing accessories that DTC has to offer this season.

The world of accessories is vast – I have searched Dundrum Town Centre to find four categories of the ULTIMATE Autumn/Winter 2012 accessories – THE BAG, THE BELT, THE SCARF, THE STATEMENT NECKLACE. These four wardrobe staples will transform summer pieces and incorporate Autumn/Winter 2012 trends into everyday wear, without blowing the budget. Here are my picks, which can ALL be found in Dundrum Town Centre in the following stores:  Zara, Topshop, Accessorize, River Island, Massimo Dutti, Urban Outfitters.

Embellishments on handbags are a huge trend for Autumn/Winter 2012. Studs, faux fur, embroidary can all be seen on the Highstreet. This red leather studded ZARA bag is on trend, stylish and will brighten up any Winter outfit.

 

 

I believe that Statement Necklaces are an absolute must-have accessory for Autumn/Winter 2012. They add sparkle, glamour and character to any outfit and instantly update last season’s pieces.

 

 

 

 

Scarves are the perfect addition to any wardrobe as there are so many to choose from, especially in Dundrum Town Centre. Scarves can be thrown on with any ensemble and instantly add an element of interest and quirkiness. They come in all shapes, colors and patterns, so there is definitely one to suit every fashionista.

 

 

The addition of a fabulous belt is another way to update last season’s pieces and ensure that they are on trend for Autumn/Winter 2012. For the more daring fashionista, the harness belt transforms any outift and is bang on trend. For a more subtle style update, opt for an embellished waist belt or a skinny leather belt which will also do the trick!

 

 

As you can see from the inspiration above, Dundrum Town Centre has a huge array of AMAZING accessories which will update your wardrobe and carry you right through Autumn/Winter 2012. Below are photographs of a slection of my own personal wardrobe updates. I have used accessories including a scarf, bag, necklaces, tights and belts to update last seasons looks and make them wearable and on trend for Autumn/Winter 2012. ENJOY!

    

Hopefully my pick of THE must-have Autumn/Winter 2012 accessories has inspired you to visit Dundrum Town Centre to update and transform your wardrobe and make it on trend for the season approaching. HAPPY SHOPPING! Hannah Xo

Don’t Be My Downfall

Today I’m keeping it simple. Wearing black top from River Island, Levi shorts and ASOS heels. I’m also wearing a body chain from Tosphop which gives the outfit a bit of edge. I love these Levi shorts as they’re so versatile. They can be worn with black tights and boots in winter and are super comfortable! A studded pair are on my wishlist for Autumn/Winter. Toxic City Clothing do AMAZING reclaimed Levi shorts, check these cool dudes out here –http://www.toxiccityclothing.com/ . Thanks fro reading and following – I’m on Twitter and LOOKBOOK so check me out there too:-)

Hannah Xo