A Ms Beatty Jewels piece in blue-themed stone & Swarovski crystal

The great thing about having your own blog is that you can give a free shout-out to the people and things you like.  A very fashion-savvy friend of mine owns Maven Boutique, at 64 Aungier Street, where the Ms Beatty Jewels collection, a word-of-mouth success story, is exclusively sold.  As the happy owner of two gorgeous necklaces from the range,  I think its success is down to the fact that the pieces are so adaptable - mine seem to go with everything, whether I’m slumming it in jeans or glammed up for a night out.  The pieces (which also include bracelets and earrings) make great, one-of-a-kind gifts, because each Ms Beatty piece is hand-made, using coloured stones and Swarovski crystal. They look lovely worn long and dangling or short and choker-style. If you want a piece made up to work with a specific outfit, you can drop a fabric swatch or a photograph into Maven and the necklace will be ready in just a few days.

Cashmere & Silk dress by Sian Jacobs, reduced by 40% at Maven.

While you’re there, check out the eclectic collection at Maven.  The store stocks a great mix of designers like New York’s Ambriel Floyd and Pepper and Pistol (recently nominated as best new designers in the International Fashion Awards, and favourites with style-maven Roisin Murphy, as well as Bat for Lashes and Tyra Banks).  There’s also great cashmere by Dublin born Sian Jacobs – a lady who knows how to put the edge into cashmere, if ever there was one.

Yes, I know we’re all broke, and scared shitless about the next budget.  But a girl’s got to dress, right? There’s 40% off everything at Maven right now, and browsing costs nothing…

Meanwhile, have a look at www.mavenboutique.com

Maven, 64 Aungier Street, Dublin 2