FIRSTLY, thanks for all the messages about last week’s column, I really appreciate every single one.
Yesterday a friend of mine posted a picture (see below) on Facebook and it really struck a chord with me.
It is such a powerful message and it is something that I think we are all a little guilty of. We are living in an age where every celebrity is endorsing a product be it a car, a clothing label, a fragrance or a kitchen appliance.
Let’s face it, who wouldn’t like George Clooney to make our coffee every morning with a Nespresso machine or who would say no to David Beckham walking around in his smalls?
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The thing is that celebrities get paid a lot of money to make us believe that if we buy whatever it is they promote, we too will have their lifestyles.
The aforementioned lads do not look like they do because they drink coffee or wear tight-fitted underwear.
In Ireland we have a strong blogging culture just like the rest of the world. They have made a business of promoting clothes and make up to us mere mortals.
Successful ladies such as Suzanne Jackson (So Sue Me) and Pippa O’Connor have thousands of followers who hang on their every word. I sometimes wonder if either of them said that the next trend is to wear knickers on our head how many gullible young girls would be sporting the look the following day?
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Manufacturers are very clever and have jumped on the bandwagon of these bloggers success. They add their name to a product and hey presto, it is a huge hit in the cosmetic world. It’s like a mini version of the Kardashian effect.
How many of us know friends or acquaintances who are gifted in their field, be it art, writing, styling, make up artists or indeed any given field? I think we all know at least one. I certainly do.
I know talented artists, writers, stylists, journalists and overall savvy business people. Why then when it comes to any given event are these wonderful people overlooked for a job? Why? Because they are not celebrities.
Personally I prefer to go to an event and hear about the local artist or writer, I prefer to hear from the shop owner dealing with every day people about what is in fashion for the coming season, I prefer to hear from the girl who works at the make up counter about what is new in the skincare range. Why?
Because I know that each and every one of them will be honest.
Forget about these bloody celebrity evenings that you are charged to hear about the new wonder cream that coincidentally if you buy on the night it will only cost you the price of a small car as opposed to a large car.
Support our own. Support local.
With Christmas approaching, try and spend as much of your budget in local shops and thus creating jobs for the future.
Until next week, shop local
Orlagh xx