Tuesday, May 21, 2013

eBay Shopping Guide ~ My Top Picks #1


Hey  guys! So this post is a little different from my usual posts, but it's one that is requested a lot!
As you guys probably know, I am a huge fan of eBay. I have been using it for about 5 years now to sniff-out amazing bargains and one-off pieces for my wardrobe. Over the past few years I have grown increasingly tired and frustrated with the standard and originality of some of the highstreet shops in Ireland, which pushed me to branch out into online shops and eBay even more to find fresh pieces that no one else would have. 
I have gotten a lot of questions recently about where exactly i find some of these bargains, which sellers to search for and so on, so I have decided to start a series of "eBay Shopping Guides" to show you guys where you can get them! I will feature them in batches, so I wont be bombarding you with too much stuff all at once!

So before I get into my first batch of Top Picks, here are a few things you should know about ebay, a "Crash-Course" if you will!

What you need to know about eBay:
  • The main eBay sites I would recommend using are eBay.ie (Ireland). eBay.com (US) and eBay.co.uk (UK) They are the easiest to use and navigate, and they are all in English.
  • In order to use eBay, you have to register (i.e. set up a profile) and set up a PayPal account. This is how you will pay for your purchases. Your Paypal account then charges the amount to your credit card afterwards, so you never have to use your credit card on any eBay site. I have been using PayPal for years to send and receive money online, its super easy and 100% safe. Just make sure to read all their instructions and guidelines carefully, and keep your password safe!
  • Make sure to check sellers feedback before you buy from them, so you can see if they are a trustworthy seller. 
  • If you have any questions about the item you want to buy, just ask the seller! eBay makes it easy for you to do so, and they will usually answer any questions you may have.
  • Always remember that shipping times can take longer than with normal online shops. Your seller will usually tell you how long and item will take to arrive, so you can have a good idea. When buying from outside Europe, the wait can be 2+ weeks, and when buying from Asia, you may have to wait 3 weeks, even up to a month for your item to arrive! 
  • Some Asian sellers only stock really small sizes, so be sure to check the measurements before you buy.
  • If you buy something and it is never delivered to you, or it arrives and it is not what you expected, be sure to contact your seller about any problems you have and they will sort it out. If your seller does not reply to you, you can also open up an official claim in eBay to get a refund.

So they are just a few pointers that I feel everyone should know before they start buying from eBay. Now that we've cleared that up, lets get on to the fun stuff ~ My Top eBay Picks! I've even featured links to make it that much easier for you all.


My Top Picks #1:




(Clockwise from top left) 

Cat Eye Sunglasses: Some seriously funky sunnies, I just love the shape of these! Get them here // Outfit Post here

Stirrup Chunky Heels: I remember getting SO excited when I found these over a year ago as they were great dupes for the amazing Balenciaga heels that were around at the time. They're still available thankfully, and you can get them here. // Outfit Post here

Embellished Leggings: Perfect for a night out, (or some seriously edgy daywear!) These leggings are totally badass and affordable. Get them here // Outfit Post here
(Note: I noticed that after a few wears, some of the embellishes loosened and started to fall off, so don't expect them to last you a long time, think "cheap and cheerful")

Fringed Kimono: One of my favourite eBay purchases to date. Perfect for the summer-time and for layering under biker jackets for a cool boho look. Also comes in a beautiful red version (which I'm sooo close to buying too) Get it here // Outfit Post here



Pleated leather skirt: I have to admit, I wasn't overly impressed with the quality of this skirt when I first got it, but I have gotten a few wears out of it, that style skirt goes with everything. Get it here // Outfit Post here
(Note: I will probably look for a better version of this skirt, and when I find it I will update this)

 Bowler Hats: I have the "Wine red" colour, but you can chose from a huge array of shades. I found the quality to be really great, and I've worn mine heaps! Get them here  // Outfit Post here

 OBEY Snapback: I imagine this is probably a dupe of the official OBEY brand, but nonetheless, it's a funky snapback at a great price. I was really pleased with mine, and even my boyfriend steals it on occasion! Get it here // Outfit Post here

Lion Head necklace: Another eBay pick that I have gotten so much wear out of, this cute little lion head goes with just about errrythang in my wardrobe. Get it here  // Outfit Post here


So there you have it guys, that's my first instalment of my "Top eBay Picks", I hope you liked it! Stay tuned for the next instalment, which will feature some of my more recent eBay finds.

I'd love to know if you have been tempted to purchase anything from this list, or have already, so feel free to let me know what you think in the comments below. I always appreciate your feedback :)


Peace, 
WildChild,
xx






Monday, May 20, 2013

Outfit Post: Just do it.







Nike Top : Charity shop // Shorts // American Apparel // Black Strappy Heels & Gold Chain : Penneys 
// Blazer : H&M // All photos taken by the amazing Julia from Wonderfulife Productions

I gotta say Im really digging the whole "Sports Luxe" trend right now. Its such a clean and minimalist style, and I couldn't wait to try it out for myself. I was hunting through all my old clothes at home recently and I spotted this oversized Nike jersey that I picked up in a charity shop in Galway yearrrrs ago (probably with no intention of ever actually wearing it) and I just knew it would be perfect for this kind of look! 
These American Apparel "terry" shorts are also an extremely old purchase, and one that I never thought would make it on to the blog, but here you go! This blazer however is a very recent purchase, and you may recognise it from my last outfit post here. Despite my initial fear of its crispy whiteness, (I was afraid I would immediately spill something on it!) I have been getting lots of wear out of it, and it goes with pretty much every outfit. SCORE!

In other news, I have been working away on that eBay Shopping Guide post that I promised you all, and I will be publishing it on my blog tomorrow, so if you're interested in seeing where I find all my eBay bargains, than stay tuned for that!

You can hype this look on Lookbook using the button below, or by clicking here




Peace, 
WildChild,
xx









Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Outfit Post: Monochrome
















Blazer : H&M // Skirt : SugarLips Boutique // Bralette : MotelRocks // Shoes : eBay // Chain : Penneys

All photos taken by the very talented Julia from Wonderfulife Productions.

Monochrome has been a big trend for Spring/Summer this year, and so I thought it would be nice to give you my take on it. I wanted to make sure that my outfit was still fun and playful despite the lack of colour, so I choose my pieces wisely. I used to stray away from white pieces, as I was always afraid that I'd end up spilling something all over them and ruin them completely. But when I saw this beautiful crisp blazer in H&M recently, I set my fears aside and took the plunge into white! I guess its sort of like a Grown-Up blazer, one that I cant eat ice-cream, or roll down hills in, but I'm ok with that.

My new Grown-Up blazer just happened to go perfectly with this SugarLips skirt, which you got the teeniest peek of in a previous outfit post. (see here) So what's the best way to jazz up a white-on-white ensemble? Throw in a bitta midriff of course! This sequinned bralette from MotelRocks gave just the right amount of oomph to the look with its cropped cut and pretty sequins. Topped off with a gold chain and some funky platforms, and you're good to go! Now if only I could wear this to one of those fabulous black&white parties on Gossip Girl!

In other news, I am delighted to announce that I've been chosen as a "StreetTeam Stylist" for one of my favourite online shops, MotelRocks! It means I'll be taking part in loads of fun exciting tasks, including styling some of their amazing new pieces into some fun looks for my blog, yippee! I'm so happy as Motel is a brand that I have loved collaborating with before, they have some really lovely people behind the brand, and not to mention their clothes are sick! It also means that you can still avail of my 20% discount for Motel, just enter in the code "WildChildCiara" at the checkout!

You can take a look at my introduction over on the Motel Blog here :)

and you can hype this look on Lookbook here or by using the button below



Peace, 
WildChild,
xx

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

WildChild Adventures: Beyonce Mrs Carter Show ~ Photo Diary


As promised in yesterdays outfit post, (read here) here are some snaps from my adventures at the Beyonce gig on Sunday! My friends Ailbhe & Jess, and my sister Briona and I roadtripped it up to Dublin to catch the second night of the Mrs Carter World Tour Show in Dublin's O2 Arena.

Let me just start by saying that myself and Briona are huge Beyonce fans, from way back in the Destiny's Child days, so to get the chance to finally see Queen B live in concert after so long, well it was pretty damn amazing! As expected, she gave a show-stopping performance, even better than I had expected, and I expected big things! She has always been a huge inspiration to me, I admire her ambition, her work ethic, her attitude, and above all her message. Her music has always made me feel confident, empowered, and so so happy! 

So yeah, it was a pretty great experience! Here are some photos from earlier in the night:


Outfit Planning in the morning. You gotta look good for Queen B! I asked you guys on my facebook page which look you liked better, and the majority of you loved the left one!

Time to get ready! My beautiful sister doing her makeup

Silly Faces :)

Briona's outfit!

My outfit! Most of you have seen this bralette on my facebook page already, I snapped it up in Penneys a few days ago for a mere €8, absolute bargain! Its from their new "Worn to be Seen" underwear range, which means you van choose your exact cup and waist size, so the fit is perfect!




Here are some snaps from outside the gig: Jess, Me, Briona and Ailbhe ~ lots of excited faces! As you can see, I didn't take any photos during the concert, as I was too busy singing, dancing, jumping around, and generally having an amazing time!  To be honest, I don't really see the point in going to a concert and spending half your time trying to record the show and take loads of photos, I say just enjoy the moment!

If you want, you can see some photos of her tour here.

Anyways, we were in the standing section, and we got a place very close to the front, so we had a wonderful view of everything, and were scarily close to Queen B herself! It was amazing!

The setlist was perfection, she sang everything I wanted to hear, and her costumes were phenomenal! My favourite had to be the bright patterned bodice set she wore for her new song "Grown Woman", which I later found out was designed by Kenzo, FAB!



Here's a quick snap of the one thing I bought while in Dublin, I have been hearing great things about the American Apparel Neon polish range, so I made it my mission to grab a bottle while I was in the city. I haven't used it yet, but Im pretty excited to try it out!


I also got to meet one of my lovely readers Jennifer, who came up to say hi after the concert. You were an absolute dote, and it was lovely to chat to you girl. United by our love of Beyonce, haha!

So thats all my gossip from the concert, I thought it would be nice to do a little feature on it, and I hope you guys enjoyed reading my little rambles :)

(( PS: To see more photos like these of my adventures, and my daily life in general, be sure to follow me on instagram here, or by searching my username "WildChidCiara"))

Peace, 
WildChild,
xx





Monday, May 13, 2013

Outfit Post: Run the World










Printed trousers : H&M // Heels, Tee-shirt, necklace : Penneys (Primark)

As promised, here is the full outfit post from my recent Xpose press feature.  I am in total lust with these printed H&M pants. As soon as I saw them, I knew it was meant to be. I have been having lots of fun playing around with colour in my outfit posts recently (see here) and print is another trend that I have been enjoying experimenting with. Its such a fun and playful way to update your wardrobe for Summer!

You can hype this look on Lookbook here or by using the button below.



In other news, some of you may have spotted from my Facebook page that I went to the Beyonce "Mrs Carter" world tour show last night with my sister Briona and some friends. I have always been a HUGE Beyonce fan, since way back in the Destiny's Child days, so to finally see her live was AMAZING. 

She is such an incredible, inspiring woman, and I had the best time ever! I didn't take a lot of photos at the gig as I was too busy enjoying the show, but I have a few snaps that I might share in a small blog post tomorrow, so stay tuned! 


Peace, 
WildChild,
xx


Thursday, May 9, 2013

UPDATES: Recent press, New Blog Look and new Videos!




Hello lovelies! 
I just wanted to do a super-quick post to show you guys my newest press feature! As some of you may know, back in December I was asked to take part in a Party Outfit-themed "How we wear it" feature for the first ever issue of Xpose magazine back in december. (read blog post here) I loved taking part in it, and I was so happy with how the feature turned out in the end. So when they asked me to take part the same feature again, this time with a "Print" theme, I was only delighted to!

These photos in the feature above have never published on my blog before, as I wanted them to be "fresh" for the magazine, but I will be doing a full outfit post with them in the next few days, so stay tuned!

Also, I have a new video to show you all. I have been working with Empower Studio and Fashion One Tv recently as a Tv Presenter, and one of our first videos has gone live! We covered the Fashion Innovation Awards back in March, and here is the video with all the coverage:


((skip to 3:20 and 4:33 if you just want to see my presenting :P ))

I hope you guys like the video, feel free to let me know what you think, and I should have more videos for you guys soon!

Finally, I don't know if you've noticed already, but I've given WildChild Stories a fresh new look for Spring/Summer! I was working away on it for hours last night, and Im really happy with the finished look. There are also some NEW buttons on side-bar to make navigating through the different categories easier! So what do you think of the new look? I'd love to hear your feedback! 

Peace, 
WildChild,
xx

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Wishlist #4 Printed Summer Suit

BonPrix Outfit Moodboard

All items from www.BonPrix.co.uk
Hey guys! So as you can see I'm really getting into the whole Wishlist thing, and here is my most recent one featuring some of my favourite picks for a summery, tropical-themed look, as its something Ive been really into lately. 

Im a bit obsessed with printed suits right now. They are so fresh and fun, and you can also mix and match the separates into other outfits, as well as wearing them together for maximum impact!

 This plant-print suit is absolutely amazing, Im really into the longer short-length and the matchy-matchy green print ~ it so cool!! I would team with a pair of simple black strappy sandals to tone the print down (if thats at all possible!) and a matching chunky gold chain bracelet & necklace to swag it up that bit more. I also threw in a tan handbag to hold all my would-be summer essentials ~  ice-pops and paper umbrellas of course!

Peace, 
WildChild,
xx





Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Outfit Post: Cherry Blossom Girl










Dress : AXParis // FauxFur Stole : ASOS // Socks : Topshop // Shoes : Converse

How good has the weather been to us lately?! Actual sunshine, and even some warmth?! Dear readers, I can barely contain my excitement! 

The beginning of May is always a particularly beautiful time in Ireland, as flowers start to bloom, and first signs of summertime appear. I decided to team up with the lovely Julia from Wonderfulife Productions to shoot a few nice Spring/Summer looks last week, the first one under a beautiful newly-blooming Cherry Blossom tree. I couldn't have been happier with the end result, just look at all those pretty colours!

I decided to go with a really bright and colourful outfit, so this yellow dress from AXParis was a perfect choice, and yes it really is that bright and beautiful in person, it's not just Julia's amazing photography skills. I teamed it with my faux fur stole from ASOS to add that little bit of warmth (it is still Ireland, after all!) and to add another pop of colour.

 Just peeking out from underneath my AXParis dress is a white crochet skirt from Sugarlips boutique, which is an absolute beauty of a piece, but Im afraid you'll have to wait for my next outfit post to see it properly :) I used it as an extra layer against the wind, which any of you Irish fashion bloggers will understand. When taking outfit posts on windy days you run the risk of having a "Marilyn Monroe" moment, and so in Ireland, underskirts are a MUST.

So my dear readers, here's to longer days, warmer temperatures, and freedom from those layers upon layers, FINALLY!

You can hype this look on Lookbook using the button below or by clicking here.



Peace, 
WildChild,
xx