We were on location in Phoenix Park yesterday for our Autumn Winter 2016 shoot , it was a windy sunny day, the long locks were flying and our models were glad of their Aran Sweaters to keep out the cold.

Delighted to showcase our suppliers new styles, some traditional takes on the Aran and some very contemporary looks such as the cardigan on Roisin just above.

The Autumn Winter collection has some new really bold colours to brighten up your winter wardrobe, all made in Ireland using Merino Wool, a soft breathable luxurious wool.

We kept some classic styles of Aran Sweaters we are excited to launch our Donegal Hand Knit Arans online next month, as well as our Donegal hand loomed sweaters and machine made ones.

It’s hard to believe we were only a mile or so from Dublin City Centre, Phoenix PArk is an oasis of calm , full of beautiful open green spaces and forrested areas , also lots of deer to be seen.

We will also have our full kilt range coming online soon, we have to say our model Shane certainly wears this outfit well!

The best way to wash your Aran Sweater? Don’t wash it at all! Wool is full of natural oils and like our hair it is better off with the less washing the better. We are all so use to throwing our clothes in the wash after one wear , hitting the 40″ degree button and goand we have an idea what size they will be when they come out.

With wool , it needs care and attention. When you do wash your sweater, use a very mild detergent, we always suggest a generic shampoo and conditioner instead it’s much milder and it has a better chance of retaining some of the wool’s natural oils after washing.

Some Merino Wool labels state they are machine washable, use a cold wash on your machine in these circumstances.

I’ve only ever washed my wool scarves and do so in the bath, let them soak in tepid water with a bit of hair shampoo , wring out by hand and dry naturally on a towel over a table.

I’ve never washed my Aran, I use baby wipes to spot clean any marks, always wear a t-shirt underneath, I never want to change it’s look or feel.

Any questions just email us at orders@donegalshop.ie

Thanks to Cherish Photography for the image we got a huge response to this on our Facebook page recently and we can see why! Culturally the Kilt has it’s roots in Gaelic tradition worn in Scotland since the 16th Century and in Ireland from the 19th Century this traditional form of dress has now made it’s way to a more everyday .

Be it for weddings, special Celtic celebrations and a lot of musicians, we are delighted to stock 100% Irish Lambswool Kilts made here in Dublin by O’Neills.

O’Neills a family business are based in the Temple Bar area of Dublin in Copper Alley the historic heart of Dublin’s old city dating back to the 16th Century Copper Alley was the centre of tailoring in Dublin for the Upper Classes and Gentry. They must be the only manufacturer left there now amongst Galleries, artisan bakers and cafes and of course pubs but that’s the new part of Temple Bar across the street, you should walk through this area in Dublin when visiting.

We are also now delighted to stock Sporrans By Shyne Ltd. Oour favourite is the Celtic Leather Sporran above, for those going for the classic Kilt look. It is also extremely handy for wallets and phones!

Kilts are all a standard length of 58cm, it’s the waist measurement that denotes the size see our site for sizes and tartans available.

Royal Stewart and Blackwatch are the two most popular tartans, we have more in store email us with any enquiries at orders@donegalshop.ie