Out with the woollen jumpers: it's time for your local fashion fix

It's funny: even after a year (and a bit) of cosy nights in and online shopping binges, finding the ultimate jeans and a nice top combo for our dramatic return to the scene didn't get any easier. Did anyone else struggle to assemble an outfit for that first night back? Did anyone else spend half an hour helping their partner unearth a dress shoe or rooting through the wardrobe for a pair of tights without holes?

We Irish have never been ones to shy away from a social gathering, but there's a special significance attached to the events we'll attend this summer. We've spent enough evenings in our Penney's finest jumpers and threadbare slippers for one year, and we're only itching to swap takeaway menus for last calls. 

Say goodbye to our fluffy socks - it's finally time to get the ironing board out!

Fashion plays a big role in how we feel and how others feel about us. Getting dressed up is a mood booster, which is why experts encouraged us to ditch our sweatpants during the lockdowns. Research also shows that clothes help shape our identity and control how we want to be perceived: powerful, good-looking, relaxed, confident. 

Getting dressed up is a form of escapism, experts say. A way of helping us forget our woes and feel larger than life, if only just for a day. 

But yeah, it's been a while. Still don't know where that damn shoe is. 

Pop in to your local fashion experts 

It's times like these that shopping locally for your fashion fix can be a godsend. One of the best aspects of local fashion stores is that their owners are always so passionate about what they do, and can offer excellent advice on what suits you and what doesn't. 

If you're struggling to figure out what to wear this summer, drop into a local fashion outlet for some one-to-one service and check out the 'Shopping' tab of the Xplore app for more information on individual shops and directions to their door.