Hats, shoes and sparkly things: Smart Casual this week is all about accessories

Smart Casual is IMAGE’s first fashion podcast, in collaboration with Kildare Village. In our bi-weekly chats, we examine why we wear the clothes we do and deal with personal style in a way that speaks to you. 

Where do you stand on accessorising? Do you take Coco Chanel’s advice of taking one thing off before you leave the house? Or are you a sparkling, glittery, maximalist type of dresser? There is a distinct mix of accessory habits among our hosts here on Smart Casual, but each recognises the importance of a good shoe and bag to complete an outfit.

Our show kicks off with a discussion on the women in the public eye who are currently killing it with their accessories – from politicians to stylists, they are letting their key pieces do the work, and are conveying a key message about their personality and style from these small, but elegant, touches. A good accessory has the power to accent an outfit and to accent a person, and these women (and our hosts) understand that completely.

In this episode, our hosts discuss everything from the history of jewellery to the selfie effect of modern-day accessorising to the sentimental value of favourite pieces. Our hosts reminisce on their own personal moments that were marked with an accessory (Marie’s story of how she got her ears pierced is a particularly good one), and on how their favourite accessories are the ones that never come off.

Our guest this week is Irish jewellery royalty and all-round queen of sparkly things Chupi Sweetman, who chats to Niamh about her transition from fast fashion to sentimental accessories and why staying true to yourself is the best business strategy. Sweetman is the founder and CEO of Chupi jewellery, an Irish brand that has taken the world by storm with its beautiful interpretation of wild Wicklow plant life. Sweetman is an expert of blending personal branding with the brand of her business, and explains to Niamh how to seamlessly do so – while still being a kind and sparkly person.

Episode 6 of Smart Casual, in collaboration with Kildare Village, is available now on SoundCloud and iTunes – make sure to like, subscribe and rate us wherever you enjoy your podcasts. Smart Casual is hosted by Dominique McMullan, Marie Kelly and Niamh O’Donoghue, and produced by Erin Lindsay. If you can’t wait to download, have a listen to the new episode below: