Tag: vintage

Showroom I love Carousel

We are thilled to announce the opening of our showroom in Ballymount, Dublin. While this is predominantly for wholesale, we hope to also use it as a pop-up shop from time to time. We have received many messages from customers inquiring about the possibility of a physical store. When we are not selling to wholesale customers, we hope to use our showroom as an appointment-only shop to try itens on before buying.
Do you think this is something you might use? We would love to get some feedback on this and value your opinion. =)

dress, dress competition, contest, fashion contest

Design a dress competition: you design it, we produce it.

Hey there, fashion enthusiasts! Carousel has some thrilling news to share with all our amazing followers. We’re excited to announce our latest competition, the🌟”Design a Dress Competition: You Design It, We Produce It!” 🌟
Carousel is excited to announce their latest competition, the Design a Dress Competition! This competition is open to all followers on Instagram and Facebook. The rules are simple: send an image of your drawing or photograph along with some information about your design to @ilovecarousel. Feel free to draw inspiration from your favorite movies, TV characters, singers, or fashion icons. The best part? Not only will there be a fun online voting process, but the winning dress will actually be brought to life! Imagine seeing your creation turned into a stunning real outfit.
Remember, it’s not just a competition; it’s an opportunity for your dreams to become reality. Express your unique sense of style and originality. ✨

dress, dress competition, contest, fashion contest
Design a dress Competition 2022, draw and the final dress.

Pre-Loved Condition Scale

Have you heard the good news? You can shop a range of Pre-Loved Circus and Carousel garments at ilovecarousel.com.

We’ve recently started asking people to get involved in our new recycling scheme! If you have a Circus or Carousel piece hanging at the back of your wardrobe, we’d love to find it a new home. You can find out more about getting involved here.

Here’s a handy scale to let you know what sort of condition the garments on sale are in:

Like New

Appears new, no signs of wear and no flaws.

Excellent

Previously worn but shows very little or no signs of wear & tear. Free from visible imperfections.

Good

Minor signs of wear and tear but is still perfectly wearable. Any noticeable flaws will be mentioned in the item description.

We are only accepting garments in ‘Good’ condition and any garments that can’t be sold will be donated to a local charity shop or brought to a local recycling centre.

Please read the next blog if you would like more information on sending us your pre-loved garments.

Thank you so much to everyone who has gotten involved so far! We’ve been delighted by the positive response to our new circular trial.

The Carousel Team

Summer Seaside Style with Circus

Happy first week of June! It’s officially summer, and we’ve certainly been feeling the summer vibes the last few days here at Carousel. The sun has been shining, and we’ve been enjoying a lil’ bit of a heat wave here in Ireland. We also have lots of new arrivals in, with seaside inspired colours and patterns that are perfect for summer time!

These patterns remind us of care free days spent by the sea. Scrambling and exploring the coastline, paddling in the cool water, and trying to eat a deliciously sweet ice cream before it melts. These dresses are bursting with all of the fun of summer holidays by the beach, with seashells and seahorses, fishes and boats. These pieces from Circus are great for holidays, summer soirees, and unique wedding guest outfits. Bring a piece of summer seaside style into your everyday wardrobe, even when you’re far away from the beach!

Summer seaside style gold fish pattern

The Brigitte Goldfish Dress, €65.00

Dresses like the Brigitte Goldfish Dress (pictured above) are so versatile.  This dress is great for quirky work-wear,  that will take you straight from the office to dinner and drinks in a sunny beer garden. This 1950s inspired fit and flare dress is made from 100% cotton, so is also lovely and breathable. Another 100% cotton option is our Clipper boats pattern, pictured below. This pattern is available in two gorgeous vintage inspired shapes, the Joan wrap dress, and the Fay shirt dress.

Summer seaside style vintage inspired boats

The Joan Clipper Dress, €65.00

Do you want under the sea style without getting so much as a toe wet? With our range of seashell and seahorse patterned dresses, tops, and skirts, like the Stella seashell dress pictured below, now you can! These adorably fun patterns are all set against a fresh blue background. The Stella dress looks great simply paired with some bright strappy heels for summer occasions. If you don’t want to fully dive into summer seaside style, why not take a little dip with one of our printed tops or skirts.  Pair these with some jeans or a plain t-shirt for a toned down beach inspired look.

The Stella Seashell Dress, €69.00

If you’re looking for some tropical vibes, we have you covered with our blooming tropical flower pattern. We even have some exotic fruits like bananas and pineapples to add to this tropical cocktail! Inspired by classic 1950’s dress shapes, and the Hawaiian and Tiki style that were very popular in the United States at the time. Our vivid floral pattern is available in three  dress shapes – the Nellie, the Brigitte, and the Fay.

Summer seaside style with tropical flowers

Left to Right: The Nellie Tropical Dress, €69.00, The Brigitte Tropical Dress, €65.00, The Fay Tropical Dress, €65.00

Pair these dresses with some vintage inspired sandals and a large flower in your hair for the full 1950’s Old Hollywood South Pacific effect! These looks would be gorgeous for holidays, and like many of the other dresses above, they are all 100% cotton, so will keep you cool and looking fabulous on hot days.

summer seaside style tropical inspiration

Vintage Tropical Inspiration

Carousel Summer: Patterns, Press and Puppies

Carousel Summer: Patterns, Press and Puppies

Welcome back to the blog! We’re here to keep you updated on everything Carousel – from design news to event information and everything in between. Happy Carousel summer shopping!

Hot off the press

It’s been an exciting summer so far here at Carousel. While the bees are busy with the blooming flowers , the papers have been abuzz about our own brightly coloured creations.  On the 28th of June, we were delighted to be featured in the New York Times as one of the Five Places to Shop in Dublin! In a piece written by Elaine Glusac, we were mentioned alongside some of our favourite boutiques and restaurants in the city centre. The article touts our brand Circus and our beloved A-line skirts and unique vintage-inspired dresses and blouses. You can read the piece here!

Carousel summer 5 places to shop in Dublin New york Times article

If that wasn’t enough press coverage for one summer, on July 17 we were featured in the Irish Times Magazine. Irish Times fashion editor Deirdre McQuillan interviewed Carousel creator Tom Walsh about the story of Carousel and how Circus came to be. In the piece, Tom speaks about Carousel’s modern vintage style and the importance of Irish design. We’d like to thank Deirdre for her article and for continually promoting Irish design and small Irish companies.

Irish Times in interview with Circus creator Tom Walsh

canines at carousel

We held our first pup-friendly event  in our Exchequer Street shop on July 19. We opened our doors to our furry friends to raise money for Dogs in Distress. This brilliant charity works to find foster homes and forever homes for their rescue dogs. Between the hours of five and seven, we allowed our canine companions into the store and took donations for the charity in exchange for a personalised portrait of our customers’ pups. We offered a 15% discount on our Circus range on the night and 10% of all proceeds went to Dogs in Distress. Keep up to date with our Facebook page for information on more of our events!

dog photography and shopping night at Carousel summer Dublin

 

Desserts and Dresses: Our Photoshoot in Laduree Dublin

Photographing our new stock is always a pleasure, but when we get to use a fun, or in this case a delicious, location it is all the more exciting.  We try and switch things up as much as possible, and we are very lucky to have lot’s of great places to shoot around this fair city.

This week our neighbours at Laduree Dublin let us use their pastel and pretty surroundings to photograph some of our new arrivals, and boy did we have a sweet time.

Laduree dublin vintage style dress

This location really transported us, it didn’t feel like we were in Dublin anymore! It was like stepping back in time to the court at Versailles, a tea (dress) party held by Marie Antoinette herself! Macaroons and sugared almonds galore.  We just had to indulge post shoot – Pistachio being the groups favorite.

Laduree Dublin shop photoshoot

We welcomed two new shapes to our collection this month.  We have the ‘Cora‘ (below) and the ‘Sadie‘  that are two very different styles, but both have that nostalgic vintage inspired look that we are all about!

Laduree Dublin with the Cora 1940s inspired dress

The ‘Sadie’ (below) features an ascot style collar and a simple shift shape.  It comes in a cool cotton so its perfect for Summer.  Then once Autumn is upon us you can team it with navy tights and a cardi.

Laduree Sadie boats dress lookbook

The ‘Cora’ is a 1940’s tea dress dream and slotted right in to our setting. It has a wide waistband that cinches in the waist beautifully with cap sleeves and a shirt collar.

Laduree dublin Brigitte dress morning tea

We have also gotten some of our best selling and timeless classic shapes back in stock, in new colours and patterns for summer. These include the fit and flare Brigitte dress (above), now available in a fresh and fun botanic pattern. Back by the popular demand, the darling Ava dress in green (below), covered in an adorable pattern of swooping swallows and cute clouds, in now also back in stock, and available here.

Laduree Dublin vintage style maccaroons

Laduree Dublin Vintage Ava dress Dublin

Thank you to Laduree Dublin for allowing to use your beautiful surroundings. We think the combination of vintage inspired dresses and pretty macaroons is a match made in heaven!

Circus Summer Lookbook: A Trip to the Beach!

Our latest Circus summer lookbook is all about laid back vintage style, that’s perfect for staying cool, calm, and stylish, no matter where these sunny days take you! We were inspired by vintage photos of some of our favorite old school Hollywood icons letting their hair, and their guards, down in relaxed and playful shoots by the sea. We knew the beach would be the ideal location for us to showcase the latest summer collection from Circus. As always, the collection is jam packed with fun and unique patterns, bright, fresh summery colours, and flattering shapes made from light, comfy, breathable fabrics – and all designed by the team here at Carousel in Dublin to boot!

Keeping things casual, we decided to keep hair and make up simple and not too groomed. Although many of these dresses look just as fab dressed up with heels and accessories, we paired them with simple sandals and pumps for a beach look that’s just right. We think the resulting look book is dreamy and romantic, but playful and relaxed at the same time, and reminds us of long summer days gone by spent at the beach. We can feel the sand between our toes! Take a look at a selection below, and let us know what you think. You can shop all the looks included in the lookbook here.

vintage inspiration beach moodboard

Some of our vintage inspiration

circus vintage style summer lookbookGina polka dot dress

Circus Olivia dress summer lookbookOlivia Boat Dress

Circus summer lookbook at the beachGloria Polka Dot Dress

vinatge inspired beach lookbookDebbie Boats Dress

Dublin seaside summer lookbook Lily Striped Dress

We also made a video lookbook, so you can see the collection in action, take a look below!

The Circus summer collection is here!

The Circus summer collection has arrived! We couldn’t wait to try the new pieces on and take to the streets and parks of Dublin to see how they look. Summertime means sunshine, warmth, fun and colour, so of course this collection is infused with bright colours, fun patterns, comfortable breathable  fabrics, all combined with gorgeous vintage inspired shapes.  As Circus is designed and made by the team here at Carousel, we are always very excited when we get our hands on the finished product. Then we can get to the best part – wearing the clothes! Take a look at some of the new arrivals below, with plenty more available online here.Circus Vivien vintage style dress

Add some bright blooms to your wardrobe with our collection of floral patterns from Circus – flowers are always a summer staple. This Vivien dress is a showstopper, with a gorgeous combination of rich purple and reds.

Circus Lana tropical print sun dress

This new Lana dress has us feeling totally tropical! We love the adjustable straps – they ensure a perfect fit that’s just right for you! We’ll be wearing this beauty on all our sunny holiday adventures this year.

Circus Claudette sun dress

In a light denim like material and covered in a sprinkling of daisies, this Claudette is great for keeping things cool and casual on warm summer days in the city.

Circus Vivien 1940s inspired dress

This bright and pretty tulip pattern Vivien dress will ensure you stand out this summer! We love the warm deep orange colour and unique 1940’s inspired tea dress shape.

Circus summer collection new Nina dress

So fresh! The blue and white stripes on this new Nina dress reminds us of the seaside and ice cream – which is exactly what we plan on eating all summer, so we are so glad for those flattering vertical stripes! This versatile dress shape can be easily dressed up or down, and we can see ourselves wearing it to all kinds of summer occasions.

Circus summer collection seperates polka dot Anita skirtDon’t forget your separates! Mixing and matching from our range of blouses and skirts means you will have endless outfit options this summer. This Anna blouse and cute Anita skirt are a match made in heaven.

Circus summer range designed in Ireland by Carousel

Take a look at our lil’ video below to see these looks in action. All of these pieces, and more, are available in our new arrivals section here now. Keep your eyes peeled for more new pieces being added to the Circus summer collection very soon!

The Circus Spring Summer 2016 Preview!

 

We recently hosted an in store event for members of the press to preview the new Circus Spring Summer 2016 range. Circus is a vintage style clothing range, and is Irish owned and designed in house by the team here at Carousel in Dublin. Needless to say, we are very proud of this line, and we were excited to get a chance to show off the new Spring Summer pieces to members of the press!

Models with vintage style dresses at Carousel Press night

Our lovely models headed to Makeup Forever on Clarendon Street to get their make-up done and get the build up to the event started.

Circus Spring Summer 2016 clothing range sneak peekAs make up was underway, back at our Exchequer street store we prepped our selected looks for fittings. We wanted to show a range that would best represent what Circus is all about  – vintage inspired, unique, feminine, fun, and with oodles of personality. There’s so many shapes we adore in the Circus range that it was hard to chose, but we eventually narrowed it down to nine.

Vintage style Brigitte fit and flare floral dressThe nine looks we featured included some best selling and timeless shapes, like the Brigitte dress above, which we have made available in a variety of colours and patterns. We think this dress’s popularity comes from its versatility – it’s so easy to style for all occasions!

Circus Ingrid Fern dress 1940s styleWe also wanted to preview some of our new patterns and vivid colours for Spring/Summer, many of which have already proven a hit with customers, such as this Ingrid fern print dress, above.

Circus vintage inspired blue dressIn Spring and Summer we like to reintroduce some of our sleeveless or strappy shapes, like the Sylvia and Claudette dresses. We will also shorten sleeves on our popular winter shapes, making them perfect for sunny weather!

Circus Spring Summer 2016 Claudette dress We got the show on the road once our guests had arrived and had some refreshments. Betty took everyone through each individual look, giving the details of each shape, their inspiration, and tips on how to style the pieces.

Circus spring summer 2016 range Charlotte dress

Green twiggy shift dress from CircusThe evening went off without a hitch, so of course we all felt like we deserved a glass of bubbly to celebrate! You can take a look at all the new Circus Spring Summer 2016 arrivals here, with more on the way next week.

Carousel staff and models celebrate press night wrap up

Behind the Scenes At Our Leafy Autumn Photo Shoot!

We had lots of fun this morning shooting some looks from the Autumn/Winter ranges from both Circus and Kyte. It had to be one of the loveliest, sunniest mornings there has been in Dublin for quite a while. We couldn’t stop laughing about how springlike the weather was as we were trying to get some darker Autumn/Winter vibes for our photos – that crazy Irish weather, always surprising us! We had to change our photo shoot plans for the day a bit, and put away the brollies, but we weren’t complaining

Take a look below at some behind the scenes shots from our shoot in St. Stephens Green park this morning. We’re very lucky that this great location is only a two minute walk from our newest Carousel store in Stephens Green Shopping Centre, so shooting there on this sunlit morning was a no brainer. The leafy lawns were perfect for having some fun throwing around leaves in the sun, and we highly recommend a visit there this Autumn as the trees lining the parks boulevards and pathways turn to gold and red.

behind the scenes Circus Autumn photoshoot

behind the scenes park autumn style

behind the scenes autumn leaves

stephens green park autumn dublin

You can get this Autumn look from our shoot today all at Carousel:

Ava Wisteria dress from Circus available here, 70s style hat available here, pink bolero available here.

autumn vintage style carousel