Dublin's fair city

Just back from a weekend in Dublin. Eating, drinking, shopping (of course) and a little culture - don't miss the delights of the Hugh Lane Gallery. But my main hi-light was the outstanding shopping experience provided by Brown Thomas, a gem amongst department stores. Outlets of Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Hermes are an in-store reminder of the distance Ireland has travelled economically over the last ten years. The Molly Malone themed window of Hermes made us both smile with the shell encrusted bicycle centre stage. The main windows were a model of simplicity despite being the last few days of the sale.

But the first floor is the knock out experience - central are the shoes, stunningly displayed around a central seating area designed to dump husbands while you get on with the real stuff. The carefully selected concessions of designer label and more affordable clothing flow easily from space to space and the assistants were friendly and helpful but not pushy. I spent a happy hour or so trawling the two fashion floors with an occasional sidle past my other half to see if he was still amused - at the last he was translating a Max Mara brochure from Italian so I thought I'd better not push my luck!

Did I buy anything? Yes a perfect, simple, long white cotton shirt to wear with skinny jeans for the rest of the summer and under a tux later in the year - and it was sale price despite being bang on the button for A/W - a timeless piece and a bargain. I can recommend a trip!

Sarah's style tips

Hi - I've started this blog to unashamedly promote my web-site www.stylefile.org.uk - but you may be wondering why the web-site in the first place.

For many years i've worked in the fashion retail industry from starting out at Dickens and Jones in Regent Street, now sadly defunct, to managing independent retail shops. During this time I've helped women of all ages, shapes and sizes to find what suits them and got a huge amount of pleasure from customer's reaction...'I didn't know I could look this good' being an accolade to be proud of.

Women often ask me for advice - where to get things, how to put things together, what colours and styles will suit them. You also bemoan the way that the fashion industry is geared towards the very young - how you can't wear sleeveless because of bingo wings, can't wear halter necks because you need boob support, worry about looking old, looking as though your trying to look too young, looking inappropriate for work, too fat too thin, too wrinkly......in other words you think that fashion is confusing, not for you, you've lost confidence, don't know where to shop, haven't got the time etc etc.

But hey we all want to look our best. I have my own hang ups too and I'm not young either.

What i've tried to do is give women the opportunity to benefit from my passion for fashion, insider knowledge and style tips on-line. Stylefile has developed an on-line style personality test that helps you to identify what your style staples will always be. We've developed pages and pages of key looks for each style type so that you can log-on and look up what to wear for work, for a special occassion or a night out. What to pack for a city break or a beach holiday. What to buy now in the sales which you'll still be wearing in several years - so please join us and have access to your own on-line stylist.

So please visit www.stylefile.org.uk and see what you think - please let us know your views