Glam and Bare it!

Exposed bra straps may be a sartorial no-no for the rest of the year, but seem to become a prerequisite for sunny days. With celebrities such as Amy Winehouse, Britney Spears and Gwen Stefani championing scarlet bras and white vest tops back when the rest of the world were wearing transparent plastic straps that just weren't as invisible as billed, the bra strap is this season’s must have fashion accessory.

http://www.brastraps.ie/ was launched in December 2008 and offers a large selection of ornate bra straps which can be described as shoulder jewellery to glamorise anything from a simple vest top to that sexy black number. The hand beaded bra straps suit all ages and pockets ranging in price from €14.95 to €59.95 for Swarovski Crystal bra straps. Each bra strap is unique and comes in a fantastic selection of colours and styles.

Fair Trade bra straps available on the site are sourced both from Capetown in South Africa and Cali in Colombia where women artisans work in cooperatives to produce these unique designs. These enterprises provide job opportunities for previously unemployed women and empower women through work.

Brastraps.ie is the brain child of Carmel Knight who is originally from Limerick but now living in Dublin.

With the growth in popularity of internet shopping and year on year increases in online sales, Carmel felt there were opportunities for online retail projects. While on holiday two years ago, she came across bra straps in the United States and immediately thought “what a great idea. Protruding bra straps are now a common sight and have the potential to destroy an outfit, so I thought why not glamorise them instead”. With this in mind www.brastraps.ie was born.

According to Carmel “our objective is to offer a unique, quality product which is both glamorous and affordable. We have bra straps to complement the most sophisticated evening dress or a casual vest top. The range is currently available online from www.brastraps.ie and a small number of retail outlets with Free Delivery within the EU. The product has proven popular across a wide range of individuals including women wishing to add a little sparkle and colour to an outfit and also as gifts for family and friends”.