This Is What Street Style Looks Like in Dublin

In Dublin’s fair city, where the girls are so pretty, they’re also quite chilly — thanks to the frosty late winter temperatures. Sure, to anyone in the Northeastern United States, 40-degree weather sounds positively tropical. But … it’s not. (The part of our brains that can judge temperature has freezer burn.) And while Dublin is more casual than other European cities, the locals are more into fashion than they're usually given credit for. Hate to break it to you, guys, but if you're in the market for Aran sweaters and tweed caps, you’ll need to hit up the tourist shops. Why? Because Dublin's street style game is strong.

Here are the 6 fashion and beauty trends I witnessed overseas on the streets (and in the pubs) across Ireland's capital.

1. Puffy, Hooded Parkas Cinched At The Waist

The old joke goes that there are two types of weather in Ireland: When it’s raining, and when it’s about to rain. So, hooded coats are almost a necessity among Dubliners: specifically, with fur-trimmed, oversized hoods. The preferred parkas usually cinch at the waist to combat that Christmas-Story-I-Can’t-Put-My-Arms-Down look familiar to anyone who has ever tried to keep warm with a puffy jacket. In fact, North Face bubble coats are solely the domain of hikers and outdoor enthusiasts.

2. Ankle Booties Over Tall Boots

Dubliners eschew ankle booties in favor of knee-high or over-the-knee boots, usually worn over dark skinny jeans or leggings. (Or sometimes just worn over bare legs when you’re going out at night because hey, nothing warms you like whiskey.)

3. Fresh Skin And A Healthy-Looking Complexion

I chatted with a clerk at Space.NK. on Grafton Street (Dublin’s pedestrian-only shopping district), who confirmed what I’d noticed about the favored beauty look in Dublin: It’s all about fresh skin and a healthy glow. Even in pharmacies, the drugstore brands are pushing a nude look. Looks like Americans aren't the only ones who are obsessed with a #IWokeUpLikeThis look.

4. Long And Shiny Hair

Hair is kept long, shiny, and natural, with nary a Pinteresting braid or colored streak in sight. Although Americans are definitely transitioning to a more au natural hair color palette, platinum hues and ecaille tortoiseshell dye jobs are still as popular as ever here.

5. Dark Manicures

The natural look doesn’t extend to the hands, however, with dark polish being the palette of choice. So when I noticed one girl painting her nails in a pub, I asked her to give me a peek inside her makeup bag. She declined letting me take a photo of her manicure because, well, it looked about as good as you’d expect nails painted at a pub to look. But her makeup bag was surprisingly light: Some bronzer, mascara, and nail polish.

6. Beer (As An Accessory?)

And, of course, the must-have accessory for anyone visiting Dublin: Some ice-cold, local ale!

Images: Cara Lynn Shultz, Giphy