Tá mé bródúil as an tír seo ar iliomad cúiseanna. Cultúr, litríocht, ceol, spórt, teanga, rud nach bhfuil mé bródúil as ná an chaoi a léirítear cúrsaí faisin na mban in Éirinn.
Tá daoine amuigh ansin, dearthóirí, ealaíontóirí smididh, grianghrafadóirí a bhfuil scoth na scileanna acu chomh maith le smaointí úra a chuirfeadh go mór le réimse faisin na tíre.
Ach nuair a thagann sé chuig duaiseanna fhaisean na tíre ní fheicimid rian de na scileanna seo. Is éard atá curtha faoinár mbráid ná na daoine céanna nach bhfuil aon éagsúlacht ag baint leo. Airm de mhná a chaitheann an stíl céanna gúna, an smideadh céanna agus an donnú bréige a chuirfeadh as d’éinne nach bhfuil sa ghrúpa leo.
Braithim nach bhfuil aitheantas tugtha do ghnáthmhná na tíre a bhfuil spéis sa bhfaisean acu. Tá fás agus forbairt tagtha ar chúrsaí faisin in Éirinn le blianta beaga anuas, go háirithe ó tháinig borradh faoi bhlaganna agus na meáin shóisialta i gcoitinne. Má théann tú ag póirseáil tríd na blaganna atá ar fáil feictear stíl na n-Éireannach nach bhfuil iomarcach nó nach dtéann thar fóir le rud amháin mar a fheicimid nuair a osclaímid na hirisí VIP nó iris an Sunday Independent.
Is trua nach bhfeicimid ach fíorbheagán de thionscal an fhaisin curtha os ár gcomhair ar bhealach nach léiríonn an cumas stíle atá fréamhaithe sa tír seo. Ní gá dúinn ár súile a chaitheamh thar lear le spreagadh a fháil.
Seo thíos liosta de bhlaganna Éireannacha a thaitníonn liomsa:
-angelascanlon.com
-elliebalfe.blogspot.com
-emmaheartsshoes.blogspot.com
-whisty.wordpress.com
-acertainvintage.blogspot.com
-shesinvogue.blogspot.com
Bain sult astu agus tabhair faoi deara nach ionann aon cheann acu, rud atá fíorluachmhar i dtéarma fhaisean na hÉireann.
Is scríbhneoir agus léachtóir le Gaeilge í Siún Ní Dhuinn in UCD
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am proud of this country for so many reasons; culture, literature, music, sport, language. But something I am not proud of is the way in which Irish women’s fashion is illustrated.
There are so many talented people out there – designers, makeup artists, photographers – who have the most amazing skills as well as fresh new ideas which would add another dimension to the fashion industry in Ireland.
Yet when it comes to fashion awards we don’t see any sight of this. What is put before us is the same people with the same style, and no individuality. An army of women with the same type of dress, the same makeup and the same fake tan that would scare anyone away who wasn’t part of the clique.
I feel that regular Irish women who are interested in fashion are not recognised at all. The fashion industry in Ireland has transformed and blossomed over recent years, especially since the growth and success of blogs and the social media, in general. If you go rooting through blogs you see a different more understated side to Irish fashion. It’s not in-your-face or over-the-top as we see when we open VIP Magazine or The Sunday Independent.
It’s only a pity that the majority of what we see is only a minority of what is out there and does not illustrate the sense of style rooted in the country. We don’t have to look abroad to be inspired.
Here is a list of the fashion blogs I love:
-angelascanlon.com
-elliebalfe.blogspot.com
-emmaheartsshoes.blogspot.com
-whisty.wordpress.com
-acertainvintage.blogspot.com
-shesinvogue.blogspot.com
Enjoy them and note that none of them are the same, something which is very valuable in fashion terms in Ireland.
Siún Ní Dhuinn is a writer and lecturer at UCD
