On the Town: Jackie Kennedy may not have worn chilli red and cobalt blue but awear's autumn/winter collection is all about combining the elements of 1950s, 1960s and 1980s fashion and adding a modern twist.
At the launch of this season's wear in SIN, Temple Bar, Dublin, this week was an innovative "installation" that featured 30 style mannequins wearing "off the catwalk" trends for the coming season. Tweeds, romantic ruffles and pencil skirts featured strongly, as well as metallics, bold block colouring and geometric prints.
Sinead Keenan, group stylist with awear, says this season's clothes take on elements of 1960s glamour brought back to the high street for Irish customers.
"We're very aware of what's happening each season," she says. "It's about eclectic looks."
Anne-Marie Flood, buying director for awear, says the installation recreates real life and what a girl wants to wear. Pencil skirts are slimming, she feels, and the trousers this season are a little less hipster, with slightly narrower, more flattering legs.
"Opaque hosiery is an absolute essential to dress this season's legs," according to awear fashion rules, and accessories continue to rule, from dressy metallic and quilted bags to 1960s-style circle and tartan belts.
Irish couturier Peter O'Brien feels awear's clothes reflect the catwalks and the "gap between the catwalk and the high street is becoming shorter," while the huge difference between seasons has almost vanished.
Good news for those of us who can't afford to dress in catwalk chic. For about €100 you can buy a jacket, jeans and top, according to Flood.
According to O'Brien, this season's clothes are very energetic, reflecting a young Irish population. The Irish figure has also been taken into consideration by awear, the company claims. A size 12 is a real size 12 and a size eight, while still small, is not age eight. Which was good to know when the fish and chips arrived.