Brown Thomas is turning itself into a gallery of contemporary Irish Artists in all it’s stores from May 16th. A broad collection of original work representing print,painting, installation, video, sound and sculpture will be on show with eight artists taking over the Grafton Street windows and lots more art in store.   Art in all it’s forms is as important as the air that we breath so take a few moments and step into any of the Brown Thomas stores and do take the time to absorb  the work.  Oh and they are all for sale should you wish to install any of them in your own homes from €200.

All my high-heeled shoes now look like they are totally for the birds and even some of the flats look like they may find their way to a charity shop very soon.  I am on the hunt for a comfortable, casual summer shoe that I can wear with a dress that look reasonably pleasant.  I have always found heels easier to find than flats.  Somehow the flat shoes are often perfect with trousers or jeans but are not suitable for teaming with skirts or dresses.

Clarks has been around for yonks and I can’t remember when I bought a pair last, probably for one of my children twenty years ago but these pumps look like they may fit the bill for this Summer.  They have a memory foam sole enough perhaps to prop me up in comfort and can be folded into a ball and slipped into a bag if needed to be interchanged with heels.  There are two versions  Illusive Form €79.95, perfect with dresses and Illusive Step €84.95 to be worn with pants.  They are available at all Clarks stockists and if I can get myself out and about in the next few days I will seek a pair out.

All of the below are from Diva Catwalk which are available in many of the best Irish Boutiques Nationwide

Brown Sugar Hair and Beauty is opening its doors on Sunday 13th May, in aid of the St. Francis Hospice, Raheny. St. Francis Hospice provides specialist palliative care for patients with advanced Cancer and Motor Neurone Disease, living in north Dublin city and county area.

Brown Sugar are hoping to raise €10,000 for this worthy cause.

To help reach their target, Brown Sugar are hoping their customers will consider booking their next appointment for this special Sunday, 13th May.

Every single cent spent on this day will be donated to the hospice.   All of the Brown Sugar staff will also be volunteering their free time to this worthy cause.

We hope you all can come along, enjoy some pampering in the sumptuous surroundings of the Brown Sugar salon in South William Street, and leave feeling a little more beautiful than you already are, by allowing Brown Sugar to donate your bill to a very worthwhile cause.

For more information contact: Ian O’Keeffe, Hunter Communications ( Tel: 01 9056350, Email: ian@huntercommunications.ie ) Brown Sugar Hair & Beauty, 50 South William Street, Dublin 2. Contact (01) 6169967.

Phillis Cohen is no stranger to applique and lace, an amazing makeup artist who cut her teeth back stage at the Zandra Rhodes fashion shows of the 80′s who is famous for her bold fashion statements. Peel them off and stick them on and buy on line. I absolutely love the fact that what was once only ever seen in fashion shoots and on the catwalk can now be worn by anybody who wishes to.