Style notes: A day-to-night dress, stylish summer buys and voguish vests

However, I’m not vanishing from writing or from the world of fashion, which I love, so I’ll be back in print after catching some rays and walking/running along the Wild Atlantic Way and further afield.

First into the suitcase: a handy dress that will work day or night. I went for the ‘Ellen’ from the Irish brand Fee G.

At the Avoca store, I spotted the ‘Jasper’ blue bandana wrap skirt (€79) from Never Fully Dressed, so handy for a chic cover-up on the way to and from the beach.

For lolling around, Avoca’s own-brand cotton PJs in the ‘blue bird’ print (€79) have a very cute pleating detail on the legs and cuffs — and you can also buy a matching quilted, zipped travel bag (€29.95), in which I like to pack my bits and bobs such as earrings, keeping track of everything as I move locations. avoca.com

Summer running

Asics have just launched ‘Gel-Kayano 31’, the latest in what has long been one of their most popular stability running-shoe series. I’ll confess, I prefer walking fast to running but the long, bright nights have spurred me on to do more than just increase my steps, so running it is. Apart from being a very cool shade of lime green, this new shoe (€200) has a refurbished upper; from Elverys and asics.com.

Parfois prints

Oh, how I miss mooching around the Parfois shop in Terminal 1 at Dublin Airport. It was a complete magnet for me — and there was the time I missed the final boarding call on a delayed flight because I was too busy shopping in Parfois!

Anyway, I was so thrilled last week when I discovered that the Portuguese brand have opened a giant store in Dublin’s Jervis Shopping Centre (on the ground floor) and in addition to the accessories, they stock a big selection of clothing and shoes.

The garment selection in their summer collection features two-piece top-and-trouser outfits, and dresses in white, black or brown, plus crochet garments ranging from semi-sheer dresses in khaki tones to multi-coloured cropped sweaters. Prints in vibrant colours are one of the main features in the collection.

I am no different from a lot of Irish women, it seems — I love the flexibility and lightness of a nylon tote bag when travelling. Parfois have elevated some of theirs with colour and print. I really liked the printed nylon tote bag (€35.99) with its short handles (left), but it also comes with an additional long strap and there’s a very smart matching printed shirt dress in cooling 100pc cotton (€35.99). parfois.com

Stunning sunnies

In a new collab, Specsavers have partnered with Barbour, the British heritage lifestyle brand, to launch an exclusive collection of optical and sunglasses frames.

We know Barbour for their modern countryside style, and the range features colours and patterns inspired by the great outdoors, with 13 optical frames, three sunglasses and four frames for kids. specsavers.ie

LBDs to wow at weddings

COS have a truly beautiful summer collection of long black dresses. The architectural lines are sublime, and I can imagine nothing more joyful than travelling to a summer wedding abroad knowing you have a fab A-line halterneck in Tencel fabric (€175) in your bag. cos.com

Vests in vogue

Oh, how the knitted vest has come back into vogue — a bit like the mullet-haircut-and-droopy-moustache combo on boys, they seem to be everywhere.

If you are in the market for a vest with an Aran look — something handy for layering on those summer days when we get three seasons in an hour — do check out the ‘Sweetpea’ V-neck diamond vests (€86.95) from IrelandsEye Knitwear, the family-owned business in Baldoyle, Co Dublin.

They have one in a very uplifting shade of yellow called ‘Sunflowers’ and this season, they introduced one in a beautiful blue called ‘Morning Sky’. You will be spoilt for choice because they come in a total of 13 colours, including a very lovely ‘Orange Marl’. The shade is made up of two tones of orange and it looks especially fab in the ‘Clover’ cropped Aran cardigan (€119.95).irelandseyeknitwear.com

Carraig Donn in the sun

The creative team at Carraig Donn were up at 3am recently to shoot their new Rowen Avenue ‘Canyon Sunrise’ collection.

A lightweight V-neck dress is always a winner in the heat, and I thought the Rowen Avenue ‘Emmie’ dress (€59) accessorised with a Gionni woven crossbody bag in orange (€42) looked sophisticated together. That handy clutch also comes in blue, purple and navy.

The collection includes co-ords in a pink ombre print with tunic and trousers costing €39 and €45.

Carraig Donn have 43 stores around the country and you will find them on carraigdonn.com.