Vol. 3 Issue. 2 12 October 2016
THE SUSS THE COLLEGE VIEW’S ARTS & LIFESTYLE SUPPLEMENT
Mick Flannery against the world
Arts
How Mick Flannery rages against the capitalist ideal INTERVIEW BY STEPHEN KEEGAN
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’m just one person, I have to look after my own life. I can’t save this stuff... so I’m gonna have a pint,” Mick Flannery tells me over the hubbub in the Dame Tavern, reaching for his Guinness. There’s a grin on his face that doesn’t reach his eyes, and why would it? Human apathy in the face of injustices is the topic, and in particular how new album “I Own You” deals with it. The eponymous lead single and album opener is Mick’s way of “raging against the capitalist ideal”, as he puts it. “Blue eyed ego, capitalist pig, hang that fucker in the big white wig,” one line goes it’s the turning point where political anger becomes primal. “The song is based on the idea that a man who has been undignified by society turns the tables on a wealthy, uncaring, greedy man,” Mick explains. “The culminating sentiment is that the poor man stands over the rich man and just says: “Now I own you” - physically, even if only for this moment before the cops come.” Indeed, Flannery namechecks the deaths of Freddie Gray and Sandra Bland in police custody in America as inspirations. “To imagine if it were my son who was
put to the ground and then killed on the way to being booked for nothing…” he grimaces, recalling the video of Sandra Bland “being brutalised for no reason”. Flannery is at pains to point out his privilege in this situation. “I can’t say that I can understand the plight of a person of colour. I don’t think any white person should think they could,” he says. When asked if touring has opened his eyes to these injustices a little more, he says: “I’d like to be able to say that I’ve inserted myself into black communities and that I could speak with authority. But I’m not speaking with authority really, I’m speaking from a... feeling point of view.” It’s no surprise to learn that Kendrick Lamar was top of the playlist while making the album. “It’s refreshing to hear storylines, narratives, social commentary mixed with that great rhythmic ability,” he says, enthusing about Lamar’s “great knowledge of the history of music”. Hip-hop has played a greater role in informing this album’s sound. “I’ve always done is you start off kinda slow and the arrangement would creep in and come to a crescendo and that’s kind of a cop-out,” Mick says. “This buildup of stuff is interesting to the ear because it’s a new thing. It’s more difficult to have a fuller song from the beginning and keep it interesting.” Though he shies away from linking his famed background in stonemasonry to his approach to songwriting - “a narrow way of looking at it,” he says - it’s clear from his clear and methodological manner of speaking about bars
Image Credit Page 1:Brendan Landy; Page 2: singersroom.com; Page 3: buzzfeed.com; Page 5:theinverse.com; Page 6: getty images, Laura Horan; Page 7: weheartit; Page 8: Yannis Vlamos, elleuk.com, Laura Horan & Amy Lawlor.
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and chord structure that this is the mind of a craftsman at work. Even talking about his studio relationship with drummer Christian Best, Flannery almost sounds like a Maths professor explaining his favourite theorem - Mick brings x to the table, Christian brings y, therefore this, ergo that. “It can be mathematical,” he says of songwriting, “but much more freeform too.” “What I find most interesting is the marriage between a melody and the lyrical sentiment and the closer you can get them to mesh - the sentiment reaches a crescendo just as the melody reaches a crescendo.” Though Flannery describes his background as “middle-class,” he comes across as a man of few pretensions. He laughs when we mention that he’s unafraid to go play places like Inishbofin, which he visited during the summer. “It’s a
bit of craic like. I enjoy it, small gigs, I still enjoy them.” Later this month he’ll play Kavanagh’s Bar in Portlaoise before the Olympia Theatre in Dublin the next night - do these gigs require a different approach? “A place like the Olympia would make you generally more nervous. When you have a place that’s 150 people it’s not considered unnatural to enter into a conversation with someone in the audience because everyone can hear what the person is saying, so everyone is involved,” he says, mentioning a greater “disconnect” in larger venues. For bigger gigs, Mick explains: “the payoff is you get a greater energy back if it’s good, it’s going well, you get a buzz out of a big room… it can be intense. I don’t really look forward to one (kind of gig) more than the other really, but I do mark the differences.”
Arts
How Scream Queens allows for a true American Horror Story BY CONOR O’DOHERTY
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yan Murphy, screenwriter and producer extraordinaire, can never be called narrow and repetitive in his concepts. Murphy’s oeuvre is something of a mixed bag, stretching from the downright ridiculous musical drama GLEE to the reality based American Crime Story which focuses on exploring the OJ Simpson trial in its first season. Each show has its own starkly different tone, and in due course each has its own market and audience. Nestled somewhere between these are Murphy’s most popular currently running shows, American Horror Story and Scream Queens. Dark and more often than not morbid, American Horror Story is an anthology series with an ensemble cast that explores different horror concepts and environments with each season. The show sprawls from issue to issue, Murphy seemingly unable to focus himself to one narrative idea and to stick to it, and it can really lose its way and become a free-for-all in which there is no one plot important enough to remember. Yet for all that, it is unlike anything else on TV right now. Murphy himself has addressed that each season of horror story attracts different viewers. Seasons one and two were there for old school horror fans, along for a serious and uncomfortable ride. Since season three onwards however, the fanbase gained a considerable bump in millennial viewers. The tone of American Horror Story: Coven is sassy catfight with the only horrific things in it the lack of charac-
ter development and a cohesive plot. It is RuPaul’s Drag Race with more witchcraft and death, and a little less credibility. Freakshow and Hotel reigned it back in a lot, but the theatrical nature of it was hard to be fully rid of. Scream Queens is the result of Murphy seeking to bleed the campiness and melodrama out of American Horror Story to return it to its roots, and Scream Queens sure does take up the baton and run with it. Scream Queens’ offensive and off-colour humour is a vicious and clear cut take on the lifestyle of the upper class of America, the self-centred sons and daughters of so called American ‘dynasties’. Chanel Oberlin, played by Emma Roberts is a racist, homophobic, anti-PC nightmare, and she is impossible to hate. This stands as a metaphor for the show as a whole, poking fun at horror tropes and breaking through what can comfortably be said on television. This whole concept works because of the tongue in cheek nature of
the humour and the show itself, as does the signature spinning Murphy camera angles and the cringe-worthy Backstreet Boys music being smashed into an episode with a song by Frida providing a punchy girl power hit in the same episode, seamlessly blending scenes and music just like the show blends genres. The sister shows have very different audiences despite many Murphy fans transferring their love of one show to the other. Scream Queens seems to be a ploy to capture the market that is the resurgence of TV horror, and not just any horror, but the good ol’ nineties and
noughties slasher. They are popping up everywhere recently, from Chiller’s appropriately named Slasher to MTV’s Scream and Freeform’s Dead of Summer. When each new series emerges it leaves a little less room to be the first to try something, and it means producers have to work harder to make their tone clear and unique. It feels very much like Murphy is returning American Horror Story to its former classic glory with season six, Roanake. A slow burner so far, Roanake is reminiscent of season one; an educated man and his seemingly constantly food-preparing wife snatch up a steal of a house in the countryside to escape the violence of the city and the horrors of their past, only to find brand new ones. It has been seen before and it’s been seen for a reason, it is timeless and it can always be done in a fresh way, despite what the sea of poorly attempted horror clones on both TV and silver screen would have you believe. With American Horror Story playing to its strengths of being a genuinely creepy series and Scream Queens playing to its own as the comedically vicious brat sister of horror, Murphy could be set to maintain his spinning plates while drawing a unique audience to each show. The question remains, however, if Murphy can maintain the distinct tone of each show from now on, and if he can’t, will they have a place on TV at all?
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Arts
INTERVIEW BY EMER HANDLY
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aglans are an alternative rock band from Dublin. They consist of Stephen Kelly, Rhos Horan, Conn O’Ruanaidh and Brendan McGlynn. Their selftitled debut album was released in 2014 and was hugely successful. They have toured with bands like The Strypes, The Libertines and Haim. They have just signed with label, Fierce Panda and release a new EP this October. We spoke to drummer Conn to discover more
On Raglans’ Road about the boisterous lads. How was the band formed? Two of the guys met at a festival and got chatting. They played some tunes together and kept in touch. A mate asked if I wanted to play drums. Two weeks later we were playing our first gig and we haven’t stopped since. Did you ever see this success coming? No we didn’t. We don’t expect anyone to like our band. When people are into it and like our music it’s pretty amazing. What can we expect from the new EP this October? Our last album took us touring all over the world. The new EP is a result of that. It’s about the lifestyle, who we are and where we’ve been. You have toured with some
amazing acts, what is your favourite part of touring? When we started touring, living as a band, not eating, not sleeping, playing and meeting people, we just caught that bug. We love every part of it. You play Dublin this October, how excited are you to perform at home again? We can’t wait. In the beginning we played here every week. Now we only get to do it maybe twice a year, so it’s always special. It’s always a party. Any mad after sesh planned? That goes with the Dublin show. We always have an after party sing to figure that out. We like our gigs to be more intimate, there’s no band and audience, it’s just everyone together. You were filming a video to-
day, can we get any spoilers? I could if I knew what the video was about. We showed up to a warehouse, it was all blacked out, there were lots of lights, and we were just told by the director what to do. I have no idea what’s going to happen but what I saw looked amazing. What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given? Take everything with a pinch of salt. We’ve adapted it to take everything with a pound of salt. What is next for Raglans? We release this EP, tour it for as long as we can and then release our second album next year. Is there anything else you would like to say to our readers? Come to our gigs. Come say hi.
Review: A Seat at the Table by Solange E
ight years on from the groovy, upbeat album SolAngel and the Hadley St. Dreams which was heavily influenced by the diet of 60s and 70s music she was raised on, Solange Knowles has emerged with a clean, crystal cut album full of emotion and thought. Solange Knowles has invited us to A Seat at the Table, a musical experience where many of us remain but a spectator to the stories of racism in America we are nowhere near familiar with. In the 21 songs of her third album, Solange tells us stories of her anger, sadness, anxiety and despair at not being understood because of her colour in today’s society. She opens with ‘Rise’, a light, feathery tune with an underlying call for people to unify together before emerging into a confessional ‘Weary’ – aptly named - singing as a woman of 30 years of age who cannot pretend she is not hurt at the ‘ways of the world’ today.
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BY REBECCA KEANE A Seat at the Table is decorated with a number of interludes including appearances from parents Matthew Knowles and Tina Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Q-Tip, all asking for the appreciation of black lives and black beauty. These spoken word parts really make this album feel like an honest, confessional storybook we haven’t read before. Solange carries the same honest narrative with ‘Cranes in the Sky’ - a tale of escapism, a confession of drinking, partying and daydreaming many of us can attest to when don’t want to deal with the bigger issues in life. Solange brings us back down to earth with punchier songs illustrating the pent up frustration the black community feels in songs like ‘Mad’ ft. Lil’ Wayne, ‘Don’t You Wait’ and the striking ‘Don’t Touch My Hair’, a song demanding privacy and respect when it comes to one’s
own body. Following an expression of anger, Solange celebrates the idea of being black on “F.U.B.U” - ft. The-Dream and BJ the Chicago, a jazzy ensemble where black people celebrate themselves, in declaring “some shit is for us”. Solange temporarily returns to her 70s vibes in ‘Junie’, a dancy soul jam which takes the happiest, most celebratory tone of the album. ‘Don’t Wish Me Well’ returns to the dreamy electronic tone, a very Kelela-sounding track which makes sense as Kelela lends her vocals to next song ‘Scales’. ‘Scales’ is a slower, darker, twisted sound to finish the album, a pensive insight into the mind of Solange who may be one of the most thoughtful artists in the business today.
If Beyoncé gave us Lemonade, Solange gives us Iced Tea with A Seat at Table – a sensation that took longer to prepare but with less production. A Seat at The Table is honest, strong, hopeful with hidden punches that you wouldn’t detect until the second hearing of the album.
Arts
The Gospel according to Luke: Marvel lift the Cage surrounding representation BY ANDREW RYAN
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uke Cage is Netflix and Marvel Studio’s 3rd superhero venture following Daredevil and Jessica Jones. After the critical success of the aforementioned shows, there was a lot for Luke Cage to live up to, and it most certainly did. Marvel’s latest TV series Luke Cage does a better job than any of its predecessors when it comes to social commentary and representation. In a society in which movements such as Black Lives Matter exist and the relationship between black youths and American police is tense, Luke Cage acts as a unique insight into these issues. The series, which follows the titular hero in his attempts to unite Harlem against corruption, boasts great acting, action, characters and without a doubt the richest supporting cast in any Marvel TV show or film yet. Aside from the series being a massive follow-up success to Daredevil and Jessica Jones, it is more than just a superhero show. Racial dynamics have never been explored as much as they are in Luke Cage. Despite how long it took for Marvel to centre a TV show or film around the adventures of a black superhero, the way the sensitive subjects explored in the show are approached must be commended. From political corruption to the relationship between Harlem’s black community and the police, the show does a remarkable job of tackling such delicate material with taste. Throughout the series, especially in the second half, the protagonist is referred to as “a bulletproof black man”. Along with this is the examination of legacy when it comes to social justice as well as the legacy of black culture in America. There
are frequent examples of mistrust and discontent towards media and law enforcement. At no other time is this made clearer than when members of the Harlem community walk around the streets in hoodies with bullet holes in them, joined by Method Man rapping in solidarity with Cage while the group encounters the NYPD. There are various reasons why Luke Cage is as important and valuable as it is. Not only does it address modern social issues with taste and incorporate these into the wider narrative, but it does well when it comes to representing the black community. As Simone Missick, who plays Misty Knight in the show, puts it: “The show is introducing all of these characters in a time where we need to see more humanity of people of colour on TV. We need to see them portrayed in a way that shows they are threedimensional, and that they have the same thoughts and feelings and emotions as everyone; that we are humans”. As well as this is the audience that would be consuming such a product as Luke Cage. Never before have Marvel products, and superhero franchises in general, been as big a product of film and TV as today. Netflix crashed a few days after Luke Cage’s release, prompting many to claim that it was this series that forced the crash - if so there are a lot of people watching and absorbing the topical issues the show presents. More importantly than all of that, however, is that we, as a global society, need to start thinking and talking about these issues. It does not matter if it is celebrity campaigners, politicians who may or may not just be looking for votes, or superhero
TV shows, issues such as racial prejudice, police malpractice and political corruption need to be put under the microscope in order for our society to grow. Luke Cage does not only examine timely social issues but it also represents a much needed injection of diversity within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel have frequently been criticised for not “getting with the times”. On the other hand, to be fair to the company, they are improving. In Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, as well as the upcoming Black Panther and Captain Marvel films, Marvel
are at least making an attempt to produce more balanced content in terms of diversity with regard to race and gender. Add to all of this the ever-growing grumblings of a standalone Black Widow film following the character’s breakthrough in recent films, and it is getting better. Despite this, more needs to be done. Missick put it best: “I think it is ushering in a new genre of superheroes of colour…..But also strong women, and women of different ethnicities on TV and their storylines being held in the same regard as men.”
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Arts Lifestyle
Pokémon Go, Go, Go
Try Something New This Year
GABIJA GATAVECKAITE
BY LAURA BURKE
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ollege definitely brings out the creative side in students by using saucepans as bowls, shot glasses as egg cups. But what if we could put our creative side to use and do something more productive this college year? Here are a few examples of hobbies to take up this semester that exclude the number one past-time for most students – drinking. Arts and crafts Most students’ bedrooms consist of blank walls, an empty desk and a messy wardrobe. Fortunately there are so many ways to brighten up your room with little effort. Try buying some cheap fairly lights to brighten up the room. You can also make a picture collage by printing pictures and sticking them onto a blank canvas. These little ideas are cheap, effortless and don’t involve drilling holes into a wall which is likely against the landlord’s rules. Join a society Clubs and socs are just beginning to get into the swing of things with events galore across a number of different societies. While it is hard to stick to new hobbies, societies will do most of the work for you by arranging events and nights out so all you have to do is show up. It is cheap to sign up to and most events are free to attend so you’ll never be bored or broke.
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f you were out and about at all this summer, you probably noticed a lot of people buried in their phones as they strolled past you in the park. It is not the usual Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat routine, it is a little app called ‘Pokemon GO’ which allows you to catch pokemon in reallife locations like parks, beaches and even graveyards. Pokemon GO initially took the world by storm in mid-July, when Niantic first released a simplified version of the game, which often crashed and left most players incredibly infuriated. The objective is simple, find and catch Pokemon. With over 140 types of fantastical creatures to look for, the player needs to set off into the real world to catch them. This is not your average computer game leaving you stuck in your bedroom for days as
to catch the virtual animals, you must go outside and find them. GPS technology works with the app to track your location and the pokemon spawn in random locations, which appear on a map in the game and allow the player to catch them. Not only is it incredibly addictive, it also means the player needs to go outside and walk around to find pokemon, or hatch eggs. You must walk two, five or even 10km to hatch an egg and retrieve a pokemon, an excellent way to get a stroll into your day and get rewarded for it. Dedicated players will probably spend some portion of their day playing the game, but you will also see those players have an excellent physique, thanks to all that walking around. Even though walking is rarely seen as exercising, it is actually one of the best and most convenient forms of a work out. According
to reports, every minute of walking can extend your life by two minutes. Although the game has received some backlash in terms of players trespassing to catch rare pokemon, as long as you have your wits about you, you will be fine. I take great pride in saying that I have reached level 20 on the game and consider myself to be a true player, as many abandoned it the week it came out. I love how it gets me up and out of the house. If I have a spare few hours to play, I am not stuck inside in a dusty room, but outside in the fresh air. In a media obsessed world where everyone seems to always be stuck inside their phones, Pokemon GO is one of the few apps that ensures that we are still stuck in our phones, but out in fresh air, adding two precious minutes to our lives.
Lifestyle Arts
Getting the shift
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ocking lips is not always as easy as it seems, there is a skill and tact to the infamous notion we call ‘shifting’ these days, Andrew Byrne and William Dunne talk us through their shifting tips when you are on the town.
Consider Consent BY HANNAH KELLY
Boys creeped out) you could be on for a winner. Throw in a smile and make sure you’re not dancing like a dad. Lean in with, “What college you in?”, to get the ball rolling.
Rule number 2: Don’t be afraid of rejection Beating around the bush gets you nowhere. When Rule Number 1: Eyewas the last time you got Contact asked how many times you Scope the room and try to catch eye-contact with a girl were rejected the night before? Never. Drop the of your choice. If she gives question early and save you a second glance (and yourself a lot of time with doesn’t look completely
a girl who is just not into you. A simple compliment before asking for that kiss could seal the deal. Rule number 3: Never buy a girl a drink Sources have said that when a guy buys a girl a drink they will take it and walk away. Girls will pay more attention to a compliment than a drink. Buying a drink for a girl is just a way of avoiding actual conversation and keeping her happy for an extra few minutes before she
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miling nervously I angled my body out of his uninvited reach. Unfazed by my clear hesitation he worked his creepy magic and unhooked another shield of protection. As he leaned in again, I turned my head and made it clear both verbally and physically; I do not want to do this. According to CSO statistics, reports of sexual offences were at all all time high in 2015, with a 30 per cent increase since 2005. Reports of rape have also increased by nearly 100 since 2005. We need to look at consent and how we teach it, or these numbers will remain our stark reality. The sad truth is many sexual assaults go unreported, largely due to the stigma sur-
“The sad truth is many sexual assaults go unreported, largely due to the stigma surrounding it”
Girls Rule number 1: Smoking area = shifting area Smoking rooms are the heart of the shift. They are quiet so you have time to flutter your eyelashes and chit chat. But borrowing a light is like rocket fuel and the only destination is the shift. Rule number 2: Hips don’t lie Dance floor. There is nothing more intimidating than a massive
Also watch that red lipstick, boys do not want to walk away with a nose full of red lipstick. Think nude lipstick it is more accessible. How could I not mention the inevitable, the holy grail of the shift, shift.com, tonsil Rule number 3: Graft graft tennis champions, Coppers. Go to Coppers, it is a well graft Scouting the line while you known fact that 98 per cent of people are there for the join the end of it is key to shift. success, make your mark early, cheeky smile here *Arm touch * sorry lads do and a wink there will go a you have a lighter? long way on the dance floor. group of `girlos` with Dracula nails and smoky eyes fist pumping to Pitbull. Either break up the pack or collectively target a group of boys and hope that ‘shake that ass’ comes on.
rounding it. It is all too common for victim blaming to play a huge part in rape cases. Many people believe men cannot be raped, it matters what a victim was wearing and how much alcohol they consumed. This dangerous view of sexual assault can only be helped with education around consent and what it means. Simply put, consent is permission for something to happen with agreement from all involved. It is important to add that someone cannot consent if they are drunk, underage, or not of sound mind. Fortunately, universities such as UCD and Trinity College have recently introduced plans for mandatory consent classes. Even DCU has started introducing the classes, although as of yet they are not mandatory. By supporting these initiatives and keeping ourselves educated, we can help eliminate rape culture altogether.
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Arts Lifestyle
Five Trends from Paris Fashion Week
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y all means, if you have the money and desire, buy that Chanel robot helmet that opened the show at Paris fashion week. Can I guarantee it will be anything but high fashion for more than a few days? No. You may be better off invest-
BY MICHELLE MARTIN ing in these more wearable trends. Over-sized Jackets Now I am not talking elongated trench coats, I mean your Dad’s old blue from the 1970s. These are something that have always made an outfit that little bit edgier, that little bit cooler (not to mention being the lazy girls dream). We should rejoice that designers like Stella McCartney, Céline and Balenciaga showcased them as ready-to-wear this season. Slip Dresses The lacy looking nightgowns were adorable and light during the summer but are not going anywhere just
yet. Givenchy and Chanel were among a few to layer them in their shows. Baseball Caps Good news for future bad hair days. The cap trend has been floating around Instagram for a while and even creeped into the likes of Topshop and Penneys. If it is good enough for Karl Lagerfeld, it is good enough for us. Slogan Tees You would not normally associate your Forever 21 ‘Kiss Me I’m Irish’ top with haute couture but slogan tees were a huge statement this month. Designer Maria Grazia Chiuri made a
The Basic Guide BY BRONWYN O NEILL
for every basic girl. Another basic girl staple is a good old fashioned UGG Boot. I have waited all year to pull out my trusted UGGs and my toes are finally cold enough to bring them back. Real basics wear the original beige boot but they come in many colours and styles, so stock up on the Australian beauty. Although the boots may be toasty, once they get wet it is an absolute nightmare, so they may not be appropriate for Irish weather. Step up your basic level by taking a Instapic with your Pumpkin he leaves are turning brown, the cold weather is Spice Latte and your UGG boots, you know you want to. creeping in, this can only For your basic interior design mean one thing: Autumn is officially needs, look no further than spiced here, also known as basic season. If you are basic, there is nothing to candles. A quick trip to Penneys be ashamed of, and if you are not it is should help with all your candle time to embrace your inner basicness. needs, even on a budget. However, Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back and do not be afraid to branch out to the Yankee Candle shop. I am sure your of course cluttering up my Instagram basic soul can navigate the way to feed. Although Christmas tries to out your closet branch. basic the Pumpkin Spice Latte with Now, let us all say it together: their red cups, the autumn Basic and Proud. beverage will always reign supreme
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pretty bold move by including a t-shirt that reads ‘We Should All Be Feminists’ in her first collection for Dior. I mean come on, talk about #inspo. Sheer What can only be described as almost seethrough material dominated a few shows yet again. While it is predominantly worn by braless mod-
els, as a racy and edgy feature to the outfits, even Miu Miu – Gucci’s good girl little sister brand have included it in collections. Their past ambassadors have included Hollywood Angel, Katie Holmes and 14 year old, Hailee Steinfeld. Khaki The mute green colour popped up at a few of the shows – Dior and Sacai included. The easy to wear colour took it to another level at Valentino when they sent out a model in an embroidered khaki trench coat.
Back to Basics with Urban Decay BY AMY LAWLOR As a self-confessed make-up addict I have bought almost every eyeshadow palette on the market, from Mac to Maybelline I have found there is always one colour I neglect to use in each of my palettes. I am a kind of less is more type of girl when it comes to eyeshadow, but I am impartial to a good smoky eye when you want to add a bit of glamour to an outfit, meaning the new Urban Decay ‘Ultimate Basics Palette’ suits my make-up style to a T.Whether you prefer a dramatic daring eye or a neat natural look the ‘Ultimate Basics Palette’ has a classy combination of bold and bronzed colours that will have you constantly working out your creative flair. The palette contains twelve never before seen matte eyeshadows, sorry to disappoint any shimmer fans out there but matte is back with a bang this Autumn/ Winter season. The shadows range from light to dark shades, with rosy pinks to copper and wine tones, perfect to accompany any of your autumn attire. The perfectly squared rose gold packaging is not only gorgeous but is in keeping with the rose gold obsession that first hit Ireland when Michael Kors flooded his new collection of watches around the country late last year. It is not built to be a travel sized palette but it is definitely manageable as one, leaving you with that essential bag space every girl needs. Retailing at €44, the creamy mineralised ‘Ultimate Basics Palette’ is the perfect treat yourself gift this autumn.