Upper end of patrick street,cork

With Christmas fast approaching, we thought it might be an idea to give a few hints and tips about shopping in Cork.Needless to say we have a little bit to say about our own place of work as well.

The premier destination for shoppers in Cork City is Patrick Street. Historically it has always been the main thoroughfare through Cork, going back to the time when it used to ferry people and cargo up the river and through the gate of the Queens Old Castle. Patrick Street boasts the presence of all the top shops in Cork City. On the upper end are a lot of the international chain stores such as Debenhams and Marks and Spencer. Ireland’s most prestigious department store Brown Thomas is located here as  at the junction of Patrick Street and Winthrop Street. Across the road on the other side of Patrick Street is Easons book and stationary store and some womens’ clothing stores such as Awear. As you make your way up to the other end of Patrick Street you will pass a lot of womens clothing retailers such as Warehouse, Claire’s Accessories and Oasis.

There are four side streets that branch off Patrick street.The first of these is called Winthrop street and features a few nice cafes and jewellery shops.If you fancy stopping for a quick refreshment try the Long valley pub which is famous for its twin combos of toasted sandwiches and pints of the black stuff.As you move from he upper end of “Pana”as it is affectionately known to the lower end you will pass Cook street and Marlboro street neither of which has anything much to offer.The best and most shopper friendly of these side streets all of which lead on to Oliver Plunkett street is Princess Street.The main entrance to the old English Market is here as well if you would like to sample some of the delights of cuisine a la Cork.

It is at this point that a couple may want to split up, as Cork’s answer to Saville Row lies in wait for the discerning male shopper. After the turn off for the Old English Market you will come to Cork’s finest tailoring house, Tom Murphy Menswear.

Tom Murphy Menswear is one of Cork’s oldest menswear clothes stores and the signs of its significant history are there for all to see. All of the buildings along here escaped the burning of Cork by the Black and Tans, so the charm and character of these historical buildings still remains intact.They really are worth visiting as they retain the charm of a bygone era.

Inside Tom Murphy Menswear and some of the other traditional tailoring house  nearby, you will see a blend of the contemporary with the traditional. The merchandising of the stock is neat and the range on view is sharp and sophisticated. As you travel from the compact casual department, up the narrow winding stairs(it is the original staircase) you will pass by lots of old photos of Cork from 120 years ago.

Everywhere you go in this store history will greet you.As you make your way up the stairs old photographs of celebrity shoppers from times past catch the eye.The enormous  celings and Georgian windows give a huge impression of space and point to a style of architecture that belongs to another era.

If you have time and can ditch the wife for a good hour or so why not pop into the suit department and enjoy the experience of sifting through the endless array of ready made suits.If you are after something a little more bespoke ask Tom or Michael to show you the made to order collection and they will get cracking with the measuring tape.Whatever you are after and whether you come to look,observe or buy I am sure you will enjoy the experience of visiting Tom Murphys in the heart of Cork’s shopping district.

The all new shopper friendly Patrick street

Buy him christmas clothes online

It has reached that time of the year again when women come flocking into our shop looking for inspiration as to what to buy the men in their lives for Christmas. We thought it might be a good idea to give a few pointers in the right direction, as many of ye good female folks tell us it is impossible to know what to buy for your boyfriends, husbands, fathers etc…

We are also noticing that our online customers are having the same dilema and are not quiete sure what to buy from our website.We are a contrary ole bunch,us men,but there is nothing like a bit of good clobber to get us smiling again.The value that  out there online is great and if you are looking for some guidance we thought we might give you a hand.

Sometimes a gift voucher is the best option. However if you don’t trust your man to select something tasteful and trendy (which many of ye rightly do not) then park that option, unless you plan on accompaning him when he goes to town to do his shopping and use up the voucher.

A sensible purchase for Christmas is a nice warm, toasty jumper that will keep him warm over the festive season. Forget the loud, strong stripes and diamond patterns which represent the fasion of a bygone era and go for a plain, solid colour which are back in vogue again. A Christmas bestseller for us in always the Tricot Marine chunky jumper which is available in navy, red and blue. These jumpers are 100% wool and made from extra thick yarns which gaurantee your man will be all snugly and cosy over Christmas.

If he does not like a heavy jumper then go for something lighter from the Kellerman range which like Tricot Marine are designed and produced in Ireland.

These jumpers are a little lighter but there is a good palette of colours to choose from in both v and round neck.

If the man in your life has a wardrobe full of jumpers then perhaps a shirt in a gift box would make an ideal present. Our range of Andre casual shirts are always popular at Christmas and come in button down or regular collars. This season the Andre casual range comes in special presentation boxes which saves you the bother of having to gift wrap them. For the ultimate present get him a matching shirt and jumper from this range and get 15 quid off (which you will surely pass on to him and tell him to use it for a few pints at the weekend)!

With the recessionary onslaught continuing it is posible that your budget might not stretch that far however. Our Accessories Collection includes scarfs, cuff links, stud buttons and mens armbands which all come in gift boxes. The prices of these items make them very affordable and ideal gifts.For some more ideas for cost saving gifts visit the accessories page on our website.

Please remember that the option is there to have your present gift wrapped.

Matching shirt and jumper

Our Nomination for best Internet Start Up Company

First of all,apologies to all our regular blog readers as it has been a while since I have updated our weekly blog.It has been a very busy couple of months for me personally and my blogging duties have been neglected.I am hoping to get motoring again and keep you all updated on the riveting goings on and happenings in the world of mens fashion and clothing.Well maybe not quite the world but at least what is happening down here in Cork.

Since I last blogged a few interesting things have been happening.Firstly our company was nominated for best Irish internet start-up company of 2011 by the Irish internet association.Unfortunately we did not win the coveted first prize but it was a great honour to be the only representative from the fashion industry.We recieved great exposure from the nomination and I am sure it will lead to even more recognition for us.The publicity we recieved from the nomination led to a lot of extra ciricular work for myself.I appeared on a few radio programmes talking about the use of technology for small businesses and have to say i thoroughly enjoyed the experience.As well as that I was honoured to be asked by Social Media Ireland to give a presentation on the use of video to increase brand awareness amongst small businesses.The picture is included below.

Our online business is continuing to develop and it has been an absolute pleasure to see orders coming from all over Ireland and international countries as well.A recent article on the well known website Silicon Republic featured an article on us recently and genererated more publicity for us.This is what they had to say about us.
Online menswear store proves fashionable overseas

A Cork-based online menswear store that launched last April, www.tom-murphy.ie, has already had orders from overseas, including from Bolivia.

Its founder Tom Murphy said the site specialises in selling men’s suits, shirts, ties and shoes online and believes there is no other site like it in Ireland.

“We also offer an online made-to-measure service, where people have to wait eight weeks for a wedding suit of their dreams to be produced,” he said.

“It is early days yet but we have already made quite a few sales. We have sold suits to customers around Ireland and we have had sales overseas, as well. We sent an order for a couple of suits to Bolivia. We also have recently done a made-to-measure suit for a customer in the US.
Massive international potential

“We feel there is massive potential for an Irish menswear store to reach into other international markets, and the Irish-American segment is particularly interesting. We try to give a unique online service based on what the independents do best — service and quality”

For more of this interview,you will be able to get it on the Silicon Republic Website at this link

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/start-ups/item/18943-online-menswear-store-prove

Tom Murphy giving presentation on the use of video for business in Radisson hotel

The type of wedding shirt depends on the style of suit that is chosen. If you are wearing a classic morning tails or Price Edward suit with a cravat, then the obvious choice is a classic wing collar (similar to the type worn with a tuxedo) or the more contemporary Victorian wing (also called French Wing). The colour of the shirt should either be white or ivory depending on the colour of the bride’s dress.

Another factor that should determine the colour of the shirt are the waistcoat and cravat you choose to accessorize the suit. If you are wearing brown, cream, beige or tan shade then an ivory shirt is a must.

White shirts look crisper inside silvers, greys and numerous others. The Victorian wing is increasingly becoming the choice of wedding shirt for wearing with traditional classical groomswear. Its high-swept back and long wide wings really accentuate the style of a self-tie cravat. Some people still prefer to wear a necktie with tails, and if that is your choice, I would recommend a normal Kent collar shirt in either white or ivory. It is essential that the collar and fabric of the shirt is well finished and a 100% cotton texture is preferable.

With the recent upsurge in the popularity of the normal day suit, there are more and more people choosing a normal white or ivory Kent collar. It can be nice to wear a slightly cut-away collar, which will show off a well-made Windsor knot more effectively. One other factor to consider is the fit of the shirt. Most manufacturers offer a slim fit model now and, if available and if your body shape permits, it is the recommended choice.

When it comes to picking the right shirt and tie to go with a suit there are a number of things to bear in mind.

First and most important is selecting the right colour shirt to go inside the suit. The tie is best left to the end after the appropriate shirt is chosen.

A white shirt is always a sensible, albeit, predictable choice. White goes inside black, grey and navy suits seamlessly and often gives a crisp, sharp, and sleek look to a suit. If you feel a little underwhelmed by a plain white shirt you could always go for a herringbone or twill pattern to add a bit of excitement. The great thing about a white shirt is that it can be teamed up with all sorts of ties, because it has a neutral shade. Purple ties are very much in vogue at the moment and look well inside the primary suit colours of black, grey and navy. Navy suits always respond well to red or blue stripe ties while black and grey suits can be more effective with silver or lilac stripes.

Another coloured shirt that is traditionally very popular is blue. Plain blues or twills fit nicely inside a grey or navy suit, although this shade is never to be put under a black suit. It should be relatively easy to pick a tie to go with a blue shirt inside a navy suit although it might be a little trickier to get the grey right.

Brown, beige and tan suits generally respond well to cream and ivory shirts. A matching cream tie or a striped beige club tie can be the best way to finish off the look.

One final bit of advice is to always make sure the fit of the shirt matches the silhouette of the suit. In other words if you are wearing a slim suit then the shirt should be neat fitting as well. There is nothing worse than to see a lovely fitted suit accompanied by a baggy loose fitting shirt.

wedding shoes

There are two fundamental choices to make when choosing the shoes you will wear for your wedding. The first is the style.

Slip-on shoes are en vogue again and there is a huge array of options when it comes to formal mens slip-ons. Do remember that you will require an extra half-inch in trousers length if you are going for the slip-on option. A leather shoe is a must but if you feel more comfortable with a rubber sole, then that is fine. The only time that a casual shoe should be worn with a wedding suit is if the suit is linen or cotton, or if the wedding is taking place somewhere with a really hot climate. Beach weddings would be included in this category. A less formal shoe is perfectly acceptable in those circumstances.

The most popular shoe style that is worn with classic/morning wedding suits is the lace up black brogue. The classic round-toe brogue is traditional but elegant enough to make any wedding suit look smart and sophisticated. If you were going for a more tailored contemporary suit, then I would recommend a more pointed narrow type than the brogue. The long slender toe of Italian style shoes are perfect is this is the case.

A long slim shoe with a slightly pointed front is more suited to the silhouetted and narrow lapels of the slim fit suit. These suits tend to have narrower trousers bottoms so they can make wide fitting shoes appear clunky and awkward. They are particularly suited to narrow ended trousers

I couldn’t wait for this long weekend to come, finally a break from Tom Murphy Menswear. On the 28th of May the 30th Anniversary of Slane took place. Thin Lizzy played 30 years after headlining the first ever Slane music festival, their song “The Boys are Back in Town” got a great reaction from the crowd. Elbow also put on a great show with their songs “Grounds for Divorce”and “One Day Like This” really got the crowd going. The grey skies over Slane that threatened to rainover the course of the whole day, the hype about the champion’s league final between ManchesterUnited and Barcelona which had the attention of many fans or the death of the bands Uncle Cleo a few days before the show couldn’t dampen the moods of band or the crowd. The atmosphere around the arena was electric. Around 8-30pm the headliners, Kings of Leon took to the stage with a huge applause from the crowd. Slane castle erupted when they opened the gig with one of their most famous songs “Four Kicks”.

The Kings of Leon played for over 2 and a half hours, this being the longest gig they have ever played. With every song they played the crowd got more into it. With the news of Barcelona hammering United it was turning out to be a great day all around for myself, I even started a rumour that the last song of the night was going to be “You’ll Never Walk Alone” just to rub a bit of salt into the wounds of every united fan. The band played 25 of their songs and stopped, we all thought it was over and the whole of the Slane crowd broke into “Ole Ole” followed on by another Irishgreat, “We All Dream of a Team of Gary Breens”.

Caleb the bands lead vocals singer walked on to the stage on his own and explained he was going to sing a solo version of the bands song “The Runner” in memory of his uncle Cleo who was very close to all of the bands members and had died two days before the concert. The emotional performance touched the whole crowd and got a standing ovation when he finished. Caleb was then joined by the rest of the band to play three more songs as their encore which was “Manhattan”, “Use Somebody” and their last song was “Black Thumbnail”, at the end of the song the whole of Slane castle was lit up with a firework show. With a turnout of over 80,000 and 29 songs played it’s no surprise that the Kings of Leon labelled the gig “the most memorable show of their careers”. The bands high spirits were further highlighted by them posting a video of them hosting a dance off after the show in their hotel suite.

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A few months ago Tom thought it would be a good idea to make a t-shirt for the shop. At the start it
was just as a spot prize for our facebook competitions and to promote the shop. The t-shirt as you
can see below being modelled by some of our best facebook fans is just a plain simple black or white
t-shirt from Island Clothing in Little Island with a logo they designed on the front say Tom Murphy
Menswear established in 1928.

We have given away dozens of t-shirts and all of our fans have been delighted with them. We were
very surprised when we had some inquiries from around Ireland and even some from America about
the t-shirt being sold in our online shop. We have recently just sold one to a fan of ours from New
York. After receiving so many enquiries we decided it would be a good idea to introduce some new
t-shirts to the sell on the online shop. Another reason we were designing new t-shirts was because
Cian wasn’t happy with the original design, I recall him saying “I wouldn’t wear that t-shirt to bed
boy!” (In his Kerry accent)

We worked together and came up with a few different ideas, our favourite t-shirt idea came from
the transformers logo and text, and we also made designs with the text from the sopranos, the
godfather. We submitted our ideas to John and James from Island Clothing and they seemed pretty
impressed. The designs are now being sent on to a graphic designer so they can be printed on to t-
shirts and sold to our fans. These t-shirts will be available in the next few weeks on our online store
for a very reasonable price, be sure to check them out!

Anticipation was building ahead of the Queen’s visit to Cork on Friday the 18th of May. Parking
restrictions were in place since the Thursday, most of the main roads in the city were closed on
the Friday. Crowds began to gather around the big screens erected around the city centre for the
historical occasion hoping the catch a glimpse of her majesty.In Tom Murphys we spent the morning peering out the windows.

The crowds gathering in the city was a similar to those that line the streets for the homecoming
parades of victorious sporting teams parading through the city in open top buses. There was a
carnival atmosphere gathering and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Cork was the last stop off on the Royal couples four day tour of the country. The Queen specifically
requested that she could visit the English market much to the delight of all the people who work
there. The Queen’s visit to Cork was different to the other legs of her tour. In Dublin, civilians
couldn’t get near her but in Cork they were able to line the streets.

The Queen landed in Cork airport via helicopter from Cashel around 2pm and she made her way
into Cork in her luxurious Landrover accompanied by her entourage of security cars and police
motorbikes. Upon her arrival she was greeted with cheers and clapping from those who lined the
streets and other who were hanging out of second and third storey windows of local businesses and
apartments. Some lucky onlookers even got the chance to shake hands with her majesty during her
quick walkabout before entering the English market. The Queen was advised not to conduct any
walkabouts for security reasons but it seemed she wanted to extend her warm wishes to those who
greeted her.

The Queen then entered the English market and looked around all the local businesses while
chatting to the owners for about twenty minutes. The Queen unveiled a plaque to mark her visit and
a hamper of local produce from the shops in the market was then presented to Queen Elizabeth and
Prince Philip along with a book on the history of the market and a special brooch that was made by a
local silver smith.

The royal couple then made their way to the Tyndall Institute. Both the Queen and Prince Philip
were fascinated by the technology the Tyndall institute was offering and they were very interested
to see some demonstrations. After meeting with local officials and directors from the institute they
made their way back to Cork Airport to board their plane and head home after a very successful visit.

Many people can’t make up their mind when trying to decide if they should hire or buy a suit.
It all depends on what kind of suit they are thinking of hiring or buying and if they think they
will actually wear it more than once. For example, in most weddings the groom will hire
his suit and the bride will purchase her  dresses even though it will probably never be worn
again. It doesn’t make sense when a man may wear a formal suit again for a special occasion
but it is very unlikely that a woman will ever wear her wedding dress again. Of course People often hire
suits as a way of saving on their wedding budget.

There are some negative points with renting suits. First of all you can’t make any adjustments
to the suit. This means the suit won’t fit as well as a purchased, fitted suit. Another negative
point of renting is if the groom and all of the groomsmen are renting the same suits, some of
the suits may be a different shade from over washing or being over worn.

There is no point in buying a formal suit or tuxedo if you are never going to wear it again. If
a person is going to buy a tuxedo they must ask themselves when was the last time they wore
a tux and when do they think they will next wear one. This will help them make up their
mind on whether it is worthwhile or not. Many suit shops do special deals for weddings e.g
if five groomsmen hire their tuxedos the groom will get a free tuxedo. In this case you will
obviously take the free tuxedo regardless of the prospect of never wearing it again.

On the other hand there is no point in renting a business suit for a job interview if you are
going to have to buy a suit if you get the job or rent another suit for another job interview.
The best option if you are buying a suit is to purchase a simple black or navy business suit.
This can be worn for job interviews, working, attending funerals, attending weddings and
many other occasions too.