In December, just before Christmas, I met Olivia from LIV Vintage while I was invited by Laura and Heather to have a creative shoot.
It was a quick shoot. I had a train back to Wexford, so we had around 30–40 minutes to make it work. Even in that time, I left with a very clear feeling: Olivia’s studio has character. The frames, the textures, the little corners that already look like a story without trying.
The message
A few weeks later Olivia messaged me: “Hello! Are you available on the 3rd by any chance?“It was for Mná Festival, a women’s wellness festival celebrating Nollaig na mBan at Dún na Sí in County Westmeath.
I said yes because I love projects that don’t start with perfect conditions.
The space we were given for the shoot was a bothán; basically a small hut, the kind of place meant for practical things, not a fashion concept.
And that’s exactly why it was interesting.
A polished studio can make everything look expensive. A small, imperfect space doesn’t. It forces you to rely on what actually creates an image: light, texture, styling, posture, the energy a person brings when they feel safe enough to show up.
The beauty couldn’t come from a perfect environment. It had to come from presence.
“This is 100% inner child work.”
The shift I kept noticing
What stayed with me most was how many women arrived wearing a role first.
You could feel it before anyone even posed: mother, wife, professional, the responsible one, the one who doesn’t make a fuss. Even when they were excited, there was often that reflex to look “correct”, not too much, not too loud, not too seen.
Then, mid-shoot, something changed.
The role slipped. Shoulders dropped. Faces softened. Hands stopped trying to behave. Someone would laugh, feel awkward for a second, then try again, and suddenly they looked like themselves, not like a version built for other people’s comfort.
One lady said, “This is 100% inner child work.” Not in a cute way. More like she surprised herself.
And honestly, I understood what she meant. It wasn’t about pretending life isn’t serious. It was about remembering you’re not only your duties.
Even five minutes outside the role matters.
This project felt like women building a moment together. Olivia setting the tone, the women bringing courage in small, specific ways, me holding the frame and catching that exact second when someone’s eyes change.
I’m a foreigner here, so I learned about Nollaig na mBan only this year. And it made me think, this shouldn’t be a once-a-year thing. This is what everyday life should feel like for women, a bit more space, a bit more care, a bit more permission.