Make space for our new French designer Lily, which we are all raving about this Spring/ Summer Season at O’ Donnell Boutique. This latest range is only darling with lots of soft tones and colours. There is a shape and style to definitely suit you. All prices are on the recessionary side of things which won’t make you feeling too guilty. Lily has made a massive impact with the military style as a lot of her range carries the double breasted and structured look- very Kate Middleton. She has also indulged into the blazer look with lots of short blazers that have a twist, great for over dress for the summer.
There are a lot of cute little numbers that are 100% feminine. The greatest thing about ‘Lily’ is, she starts at a size 6, and so for all you petite ladies out there, you now know where to shop. Here is a sneak preview of what we have in store.

Be bold and go mad with your crayolas!

Hottest trend setter this season is to mix and match bold colours. Be not afraid as SS11 is bold, whether you choose Block Colours, Prints or Stripes, it will pay to be bold, wear these if you dare..

Exciting medleys of vibrant blocks of colour in shades reminiscent of my childhood Crayola crayons were visible in the collections of a long list of designers: Gucci, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Versus, Tommy Hilfiger, and even in the glamorous, oriental-inspired Louis Vuitton S/S 2011 collection. Even the King of shoe designers himself, Christian Louboutin, presented a new collection full of colour popping creations.

Why not theme your outfit with leopard accessories? RRAAARRRR!!

Animal prints seem to always make their way into every season’s wardrobe and Spring 2011 is no different. We saw a huge return of leopard prints this A/W, and they are not going anywhere for 2011.
This season, Predator Prints take centre stage led by a newly remodelled version of prints. This trend was seen to be very popular in accessories with many different surface interests and combinations for a wide range of appeals.

LEOPARD ACCESSORIES are bold and bright for Spring 2011. Shoes and handbags take centre stage with styles focusing on intricate cut-out details, panels and gold accents. Shoes are seen in wedges, platforms, and fantastic sandals combined with bright colours and other textiles such as suede, gold embellishments, and horsehair. If you were only able to buy one key accessory for Spring, anything leopard would do the trick. The answer for sprucing up any basic outfit, leopard accessories rule the jungle.

It’s a brand new year, but we’ll be seeing plenty of the past in the coming months when sultry-sweet 70′s inspired looks all but ride in on a white horse for spring. Get a jump on the trend and snap up these wear-now 70′s inspired finds. We saw the 50’s and 60’s Jackie Onassis ladylike look last season which still reigns with nipped in waists and mid- lengths for Spring/Summer 2011.

Blazers are back and so are Blues, so make sure you have a tailored tuxedo-style jacket. Airfield are doing military style blazers this season which are ticking all the fashion trend boxes. This look is themed nicely with navy and white stripes which is always a good look for spring/summer.

Patterns took a cue from Rubik’s Cube this season, with strong strokes of bubble-gum brights and rich jewel tones creating bold colour blocking on shifts, dresses and tunics. Embellishment is a big on style this season also. Tuzzi have designed a selection of colourful dresses with exciting designs to kick off the season.

Fortunately, if the fashion show catwalks are to be believed, then Spring 2011 will once again feature the nautical fashion look. So bring on sunshine sea and the elements (if we would be so lucky in Ireland)
So ladies,that is just a little insight to what is ahead of you for this current fashion season. Lace, mannish white shirts and wide leg trousers are also on the list; however, we will be updating you again in the next few days

There’s so much to do and see in Limerick City this Christmas. Enjoy all that Limerick city has to offer this holiday season with Christmas markets, sparkling street lights and brilliant shopping!! However, not only is it a fantastic city for retail at Christmas time but all year round.

Forget the hustle and bustle, enjoy a true Festive experience and watch the spirit that only Christmas street lights, carol singers and festive cheer can create. Limerick city has an unrivalled retail offer in the mid west region with a combination of designer brands, high street names as well as more individual and independent boutiques & shops, there’s something for everyone, especially around the Catherine Street, Roches Street and Thomas Street area with various different boutiques including one of Munsters top fashion houses O’ Donnell Boutique on 11 Catherine Street whereby you can now shop online also @ www.codonnell.ie

Limerick has various types of restaurants around the same area including Aubars, O’ Connors, The Sage Cafe, Belle Italia and The Cornstore who have now just opened a Cornstore Home Deli where you can enjoy the Cornstores favourites at home. There is a selection of award winning restaurants in Limerick city than any other urban centre in the Mid West region.

Tis the season to be jolly so….Theres no excuse not be taking a visit into town this season.

From all of us here, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

As of November 11th O’ Donnell Boutique on 11 Catherine Street, Limerick has gone live with their online store.
The family run business that have been in business for nearly 65 years are always keeping up with the market trends and having an online store is certainly doing just that. The online store has a range of O’ Donnell’s stock including brands such as Elisa Cavaletti, Gestuz, Tuzzi, Taifun and Fred Sabatier to name but a few. The great thing about online shopping is you can now make a purchase from the pleasure of your own home. Due to the increase of the 21st century busy lifestyle, everything to do with the internet is growing. More domains being registered, more emails been sent, more Google searches than ever before, and more online shopping is being done. It is so important nowadays for a business to have an online presence. You could now even say that O’ Donnell Boutique is open for business for 24hours 7 days a week as an online store never closes. With the online store going so well, O Donnell Boutique has even received orders from as far as Denmark.

Why should you limit your business to your immediate locale when the whole world may be your potential market? Thanks to the Internet, it is as easy to sell halfway across the world as it is to sell across the street.

www.codonnell.ie has established a strong online brand identity, with what was once a website for the retail business is now an online store. O’ Donnell Boutique know how important it is to keep in touch with their customers, they are emailing them on a constant basis and are now also on Facebook( Search ODonnell Boutique).

Don’t forget that we also see gift vouchers instore and online.. What a perfect Christmas present

P.S. Don’t forget to drop into us for some mulled wine and minced pies from Saturday 18th as a Christmas treat from us to you.

Oh my golly golly gosh was it buuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrr looking out at the snow this morning. Such a picturesque sight but all I wanted was a nice hat to keep my ears warm! You cannot go anywhere in that snow without your hat, scarf and gloves!

Today, I am dedicating this blog to Ganteb’s which are a French design. The company has been designing since 1912 and has now managed to successfully combine tradition and innovation, boldness and moderation, craftsmanship and technology, as it paves the way to tomorrow’s fashions.

Super stylish and affordable. What a perfect Christmas gift! There are a range of different colours and styles to choose from and we stock them here at O Donnell Boutique.

So ladies get your thinking hats on (excuse the pun aha!!) and think about purchasing a beautiful 3 piece set that will get you through the winter.

P.S As its festive season, we are giving away 25% on all stock except for accessories. So get your skates on everyone and slide your way into O’ Donnell Boutique

Girlies the weather is getting bitterly colder and I know all we want to do is snuggle by the open fire with our hot chocolate in hand!!! Mmmmm what a warm feeling. However, to keep that warm feeling alive, it is well worth putting some thought and effort into your winter wardrobe. A good winter coat, a warm chunky knit, and a lovely 3 piece hat, scarf and gloves are all investments, you don’t want to have the sniffles over the festive season now do you?!!

Coats that are knee length go perfectly with knee high boots and beat that winter frost. Many winter colours tend to be dark but do not fear as you can always brighten up your outfit with a beautiful fuchsia or burnt orange coloured hat and scarf. Gantebs, a French designer, do a range of unusual hats and scarves that we fortunately stock at O’ Donnell Boutique

Under that winter coat you can add layers of clothes, there is nothing warmer than wool, so this is a time to invest in cardigans and polo necks if you haven’t done so already. Ladies with short necks be warned though, as polo necks are not for you (they make your neck look even shorter) – you should opt for cowl neck jumpers instead which seem to very popular this season also.<

Also, don’t forget your thermals! Gone are the days of being shy to wearing a thermal vest. Thermal can be chic too. Gestuz do a fantastic long sleeve and sleeveless vest that goes perfectly under every outfit. We stock them here at O’ Donnell Boutique at an affordable €40.
So ladies you have the pick of the lot!
HAPPY WINTER WARDROBE SHOPPING :)

By taking a minimalist approach to occasion wear, everyone from Lara Stone to Olivia Palermo has fallen in love with low-key, modern elegance of the shift dress.

Styled with minimal accessories, the stripped back style mixes ladylike with a hint of sexy. And winter doesn’t mean you have to stick to sombre colours. Like Gwyneth and Victoria (wearing her own label), vibrant pastel shifts will make a welcome addition to your party season wardrobe.

The understated and elegant shift dress presents a minimalist approach to feminity. There’s nothing more modest in a dress fashion than a simple shift dress but somehow it made it to the wardrobe staple list. The shift dress will bring you forward to Spring/ Summer 2010 where the shift dress will still be a must have.

Victoria Beckham has already proved it in her fashion collection where she favoured colour-pop versions of a shift dress.
The Shift dress is a simple dress solution for everyday activities. It will work best styled with minimal accessories – what you can really play with are shoes, especially high-heels or shoe boots.

It is a dress which is kind to many body shapes. To add a different touch, match it with modern elements, like waist belts and get vivant colours. Pumps are the chosen shoes of Carla Bruni and most comfortable for a day-to-day wear.

Victoria Beckham also had adopted the trend, taking shorter lengthen, ¾ sleeves and kaleidoscopic prints to modernize and combine with her personal style.

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Stella Lam is based in Hong Kong and has made her designs exclusive to O’ Donnell Boutique in Limerick. At the moment, her collection is proving to be very popular with grecian style to be high in demand.
Stella Lam designs are unique for their detail. Beautiful beading and fantastic colour can be seen throughout her collections. Royal blues, warm winter reds and fuchsia pinks to name but a few. Anyone of her dresses would be perfect for the party season or for that Christmas night out. The dresses range in price but on average they are priced at €240. Limited sizes and styles are available in stock.

Former First Lady Jackie Onassis was one of the biggest fashion icons in history. With an air of ladylike formality and youthful grace, Jackie Onassis’s style still inspires women. Her marriage to former President John F. Kennedy produced one of the biggest power couples in the history of politics. She had a great admiration for French Couture.
She wore shift dresses, pearls on occasion, white gloves, simple pea coats with big buttons, and matching pill box hats.

A key look for this winter season will be 1950s styling, this look will be seen in skirt shapes, prints, colours and hair and make up trends. The beauty of this trend is that it is easy to start shopping for now.
The two piece matching dress and coat is a perfect 50’s fix.

The Dior look was challenged in the mid fifties when Coco Chanel introduced her new Chanel suit. It was a simple design, featuring a just below the knee skirt and a collarless jacket finished with gold braid. Chanel’s suit was much copied by the ready-to-wear fashion houses. It quickly became the standard formal look for women at all social levels and is now back in fashion and is bigger than ever!!

Matching dress and coat featured above are both available at O’ Donnell Boutique. They can be purchased instore or online.