Many people are returning to boutique shopping for a variety of reasons, not least the personal service, and Malahide, my home town north of Dublin (Ireland), has a plethora of wonderful boutiques! Catering for diversity of tastes and different pockets, the discerning woman will not be disappointed.
My “Shopping in Malahide” series begins with the luxury German brand Marc Cain. Situated on Strand Street, the elegant window display will draw you inside. The clothes are beautifully displayed and the shop is well-lit and airy.
Don’t expect high-street prices here. We are talking Mercedes as opposed to Daihatsu. No offence to Daihatsu. But the older I get, the more I like a little bit of luxury, a touch of opulence and effortless chic and that’s what I found with Marc Cain. The cut is perfect and the fabric is exactly what you expect from a high quality label – German engineering, I suppose!
An added bonus with boutique shopping is the standard of personal service and here, it was as you would expect, attentive and helpful but not pushy. There is nothing worse than being told that an outfit looks wonderful on you when you know that it couldn’t be further from the truth.
With the help of the manager Louise, these are the three occasion wear looks I have chosen to feature:
This Missoni-style textured-knit dress (€349) took me outside my comfort zone and despite the stripes was actually flattering to wear. I really liked the metallic, copper-coloured leather jacket and it would look sensational paired with jeans also.
I preferred this navy dress with its lace detail. (€349). It is flirty and yet sophisticated at the same time and the waffle-type fabric skims over the body without clinging and kicks out playfully at the bottom.
This three-piece exudes elegance; the fabric has a satiny sheen and again the fit is perfect and the trousers are extremely comfortable. Of course, you can mix and match with a different coat or jacket, but I thought I would give you the full-on, tone-on-tone look. The trousers and top are each priced at €199 and the coat is €349.
I know they are a little pricey, but you are paying for the cut and fabric. You can check out the label online or phone 00353-1-845 6989. Thanks to Mairead Daly for taking the photos.
