Clodagh Connolly

 Hey everyone, as we know (and everyone in my personal life is sick of hearing), I lived in Madrid, Spain last year. This allowed me to travel both to other Spanish cities but also discover hidden gems in the mainland.  That’s what todays blog is about! I spent a few days last year visiting Aranjuez and Toledo!  Now I won’t sit here and say they were the most amazing experiences of my life but equally I’m glad I went!  📍Aranjuez  The first small town we visited in Spain did not leave the expectations very high for anywhere else, let’s just say that! Aranjuez is in the larger area of Madrid, mainland Spain, and is about an hours train journey from the city. Aranjuez was recommended to a friend of mine and seemed pretty handy to get to, so we picked a random Saturday afternoon and off we went!  Our first confusion was when we got off the train in the middle of nowhere. Now this is saying a lot considering I live in the countryside of Co. Tyrone. But I am not...

 Hey everyone, long time no chat!  Last time I posted on this blog was way back in 2021, immersed in university life and concerned with covid. It feels like a lifetime ago. And things have certainly changed since then… let’s catch up!  Firstly, and most importantly, the point of this blog post. I lived in Spain for a YEAR. Crazy. Having just completed final year at UUB this experience also feels like a lifetime ago! But, from September 2021 to June 2022, I lived in Madrid, Spain. And I loved it!  You may be wondering, why?! How?! Last time I was updating this blog I was searching for a years work placement in industry however I was unsuccessful. Instead, I decided to apply to the Erasmus + programme and moved to Spain! Talk about running away from your problems…  One minute I’m doubting my abilities and the next I’m on a plane, from Dublin, moving my life across the globe… (temporarily; thank the lord said my mum)  Living in Madrid was such an eye opening e...

  Hi everyone! I came across a Tik Tok today which put me on to Barilla Italia’s genius marketing strategy and I had to share it!  Barilla is a famous pasta company in the US. It is an Italian family-owned company and started in 1877. They have and specialise in many different shapes of pasta and pasta related products such as sauces etc. But, Barilla have came up with the idea of creating a Spotify account and making a playlist for each pasta box specifically.  Upon looking at the account you can see that they have a range of playlists depending on the type of pasta and the required cooking time, to ensure the pasta is cooked to perfection every time whilst always having a good time cooking it.  For example, there are “Moody Day Linguine”, “Top Hits Spaghetti” and “Best Song Penne”- the songs in each playlist depend entirely on their title and theme and each playlist finishes at the time needed for perfect pasta (e.g 7 or 11 mins). They include many artists and genr...

It shouldn't really come as a surprise that we are becoming obsessed with our homes, given the fact we quite literally spend ALL our time in them these days. I have noticed that a few fashion retailers have preyed upon this, it was only a matter of time. Pretty Little Thing and Missguided are notorious for their clothing items and accessories; shoes, bags, dresses galore. But one thing I never would have imagined them releasing is homeware, although looking at their ranges now that seems silly because they are beautiful, I must admit. First up is Pretty Little Thing. PLT launched their homeware range wayyy back in September/ October time. I remember this because coincidentally I was decorating my 2nd year uni house at the time.. strategic marketing. "PLT Home" mainly consists of a pink theme, my fav. From pink bed covers, pink pampas grass, pink candles and pink mugs they have it all. They also jumped on the neutrals and beige trend as the other half of their collection c...

Given the sad news about Topshop this week I thought it was only right to dedicate a blog post to the iconic fashion statements made by them, mainly to teens like myself living through the 2010 era. Topshop was sadly bought over by ASOS this week, meaning all stores have closed and the website is gone. I personally find this upsetting as I used to love my weekly trips with the girls, looking through the clothes on the shop floor only to go home and purchase online anyway, buying from ASOS will not be the same. That being said, Topshop is to blame for a few very questionable fashion choices made by UK teens over the years, so I thought I'd shed some light and take a trip down memory lane in memory of the good times.  First up, frilly socks. Truly iconic. I used to love my frilly socks, I probably had a pair in every colour and when they started to fade from the wash no doubt I'd be back buying a replacement pair. It was very rare to see me in anything but! Paired with the next ...

Hey everyone! I know fashion was probably the least of peoples concerns on Biden's Inauguration Day, but I couldn't help myself. The monochromatic outfits made me so happy, I'm a sucker for a colour theme. Today I wanted to show you some pieces I found on ASOS to help you recreate two of my fav fits from the day! First up is the new First Lady, Jill Biden. Her aqua blue monochrome outfit spoke to my soul. The matching gloves and mask topped it off, I couldn't stop staring! On ASOS I found a few pieces that would be nice paired together to recreate this look. I feel like the simple blue, baggy, unstructured dress would really compliment the OTT trench coat. The layers in the coat will help add some shape back to your body that may have been hidden by the dress and because they are such similar shades I feel like they'd go really well together. Plus both items are currently on sale so it's a win win! Dress £14 Coat £47.60 Next, the iconic Michelle Obama. Although ...