Work hard, play hard

 "Sunday evenings often feel like the weekend is over before it has even begun"  Catherine McCormack          

                                         

Sandwich Jumper

Topshop Leigh Jeans

Office nude fashion trainer

 

 

Playing catch up, so many blog posts, so little time.  Even when I am off from my 9-5 job I am working!  Over the bank holiday weekend, I took part in a Catwalk for Abbeycentre Summer Essentials.  Great catwalk to take part in but you know when you have one of those days when nothing is going well. Your make up is just sitting on the top of your skin, your hair can't be tamed and people are trying to take pictures of you in these fab clothes and they are getting your worse angle every time??? No? Well I was having one of these days. Facepalm. At this point I just want to get to the sun on Saturday and pray that it magically makes everything better again.  Abbey centre is a maze of a shopping centre! We had to do a parade before each catwalk which let us have a nosey walking past all the shops. Primark, Topshop, River Island, Burton, Next, Monsoon. You name it, it has it.  It really is a one stop shop for all your summer esentials.  Head Honcho of the FABB for Northern Ireland and founder of Sugahfix, Katrina Doran was helping to explain summer styles/outfits for all shapes and sizes of lushious ladies inbetween shows.  Fab idea by the team at the Abbey Centre in Newtownabbey, hopefully they will have a winter catwalk as well and I will be on form!

 

Topshop Daisy top

Topshop cream laser cut skirt

 

 



I spent my lovely bank holiday weekend up home in the magically place that is Coleraine rubbing it in my family's face that I was going to Florida for 2 weeks soon. My 9 year old little brother and 11 year little sister were not impressed. Aw well, not my fault I am going!!! Just simply informing them of my day to day life. So obviously I am going away for my summer holidays and yet I can't buy anything but I can borrow things.  I am very organised and as usual, I am already packed so my mum couldn't understand why I didn't want to raid her wardrobe and take all her summer stuff as I must be bored with my wardrobe.  But I am taking away pieces that I haven't been wearing as the weather has been so bad.  Shorts, skirts, string tops, vest, maxi dresses, maxi skirts, you name it if I haven't worn it I am bringing it to America.  Granted I did steal a maxi dress from my mum and black shorts from my other little sister that she hasn't even taken the label off!

 

Cruising into Summer

"Style is an expression of individualism mixed with charisma. Fashion is something that comes after style." John Fairchild

black boyfriend blazer Benetton

Zara basic white shirt

Asos Tux trousers

Last night I attended the Cruise Summer Style Party and the launch of their new re-vamped store. I originally wanted to wear shorts, a t-shirt & a gorgeous borrowed sequin jacket from Miss Zoe J Watson but as usual the lovely Northern Ireland weather put me off this idea on my walk home. Rain and freezing wind so bare legs was a hell no! So what to wear? 

I came up with this idea as I was searching my wardrobe for something to cover my legs but something other than jeans, these tuxedo trousers again are a piece in wardrobe that I have never worn.   I bought them from Asos in the sale about 3 years ago but never knew what to wear with them. Or maybe I was never brave enough to wear them. So tried the look on and loved it but felt it needed something. 

Black ribbon, Of course!! Standard last minute me, where the hell do I get black ribbon 45mins before an event?? Hunting all over the house, I huffed and I puffed but nothing. So I sat on my bed & moaned in my head that the whole look was ruined. Looked to my left and what do I see but a cruise shopper bag I had used to carry my samples home in the other day. And what are the handles on a cruise bag??? Black ribbon!!! How ironic is that?!?! 

 

Cut the ribbon off & ta-dah!! Pussy bow! 

 

Cruise is a luxury designer store in the Victoria Square complex in Belfast City Centre. With brands like Alexander McQueen, Victoria Beckham, Pinko and Lanvin, it is your one stop shop if you want to buy one of a kind stand out from the crowd pieces. Whether you are a big designer shopper or not, last nights event was a perfect excuse to be blown away by the gorgeous new collections that they have in store. With free cocktails supplied by Smirnoff and Captain Morgan as soon as you walked in the door, I was scared to even move to look around the shop incase I tripped and poured my drink over one of the gorgeous Chloe bags.

 

 Gorgeous new layout for Cruise

 

Thankfully I was able to get a seat for the catwalk show were my stunning housemate Jayne Higgins was modelling the gorgeous clothes. She was even able to wear a gorgeous Temperley London dress that we have take note off as a potential wedding dress for the future. I was with Jayne's boyfriend, Kevin for the show & I did point out the price to him but at the end of the day, she's totally worth it ;) 

Ella wears: Forever Unique Coral Dress £220              Jayne wears: Pinko Long Purple Dress £317

Ella wears:Alexander McQueen Petal Shoulder Dress £2675      Jayne wears (future wedding dress):
                                                                                                       Temperley London dress £2,500


Well done to Judi Graham and all her team at Cruise for last night's event, it was a great turn out and lovely to see everyone on a school night. With a helping hand from CMPR, what do you expect though!  Definitely pop into the shop and have a nosey! They start their Mid season sale today and Judi and her team are always willing to help you out or just have a natter!

www.cruisefashion.co.uk

Smelling like biscuits

 

“Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.”  Dalai Lama

 

 

H&M black Jumper

Topshop Neon skater skirt-similar here

Topshop black & gold cord necklace

 

 

This time four years ago, I meet the two best friends I have or will ever have, three years ago I got my first proper catwalk job, two years ago I felt that I had made it as a model in Northern Ireland and this time last year, I first laughed and sung along to Justin Timberlake with my now boyfriend.  All because of Miss Northern Ireland.  It is an event that is definitely close to my heart.  Miss Antrim 2009, I didn't even make the top 8 but the ripple effect from Miss Northern Ireland has been amazing.  It gave me confidence, got me noticed and worked wonders for my CV.  The Face of Belfast Fashion week, my now full time job as a PA for a fashion agent and even my love life, the chain of events that taking part in Miss Northern Ireland set off is still being felt four years later.  Alison Campbell, the organiser of the competition for twenty seven years, always says everyone is a winner.  When she said it in 2009, I thought yeah, ok, sure.  But she was right.

 

 

So at the minute I am sitting in my office smelling like biscuits.  I stink of fake tan but tonight I am taking part in the fashion catwalk show at the Miss Northern Ireland Gala Final.  The nationwide search to find the Open + Direct Miss Northern Ireland 2013 will come to an end tonight after 2 months searching across the length and breath of Northern Ireland for a potential winner.  Twenty six gorgeous hand picked finalists will battle it out tonight for the crown at the Europa Hotel. And I will be there backstage having a nosey at all the girls.  I have my winner picked, do you have yours??? Check out tomorrow's blog on backstage photos and who the winner is!! Exciting!

 

Pictured at Open + Direct Miss Northern Ireland finalists’ photo shoot are 26 local beauties, who gathered at The OUTLET, Banbridge for the shoot ahead of the gala final on Monday 13 May, when this year’s winner will be crowned. 

 

 

By George!

"I love going to my supermarket.  Sounds so Rock n Roll, doesn't it?" Rachel Stevens

White Zara Blazer

H&M Black Playsuit-similar here

 

 

So 3 amazing things happened last night, 1) Belfast Fashionweek opened with a bang 2) A blizzard has blanketed Northern Ireland in snow 3) I went to bed with one of the boys from Hanson.  So here, I am again rocking the monochrome look again.  I had a completely different outfit planned, tried it on for my housemates and they oooohhed and ahhhhhed on wednesday night but I changed my mind in work yesterday.  I wanted to rock this look with bare legs but it was way too cold so has been logged in my brain to re use over the summer.  That is if we ever get a summer.  Now I was pretty proud of myself last night, since starting to blog I try to follow as many blogs as possible near and wide, fashion to travel to beauty.  Most beauty bloggers will do vlogs (video blogs) on how to do a certain make up trend so I had this idea in my head of Mary-Kate Oslen and braids for a hairstyle.  As usual I had no time to fit in a hair appointment with work so I thought aw I will watch a vlog on youtube and give it a go! Well could we not be sisters?!?!  HA

 

I was accompanied to George at BFW by my lovely BFF Mis Zoe J Watson.She looked beaut as ever but of course, she had to wear the one thing that I have lusted after since starting this challenge. These beaut Zara kitten heels, £30.  They are the only thing in 3 months of not shopping that I have looked at and went omg I need them in my life. What kind of best friend is that?

 

Zara Chain Court Shoe

 

 

So new season, new venue for Belfast Fashion week and I must say I loved the change of scene.  This year, it is being held in the Ulster Museum.  No joke but I was sitting front row, watching the gorgeous models strut past in their clothes with the bones of a dinosaur behind them. Interesting to say the least. Rather than a raised catwalk, it was a simple white ground catwalk that wrapped around the room.  To me, it felt more relaxed as the models were so close rather than on a raised platform so the atmosphere had a subtle difference to the norm but I liked it. I kept trying to make my housemate Jayne and my BFF Jenny who were both in the show laugh when they walked past! Ooooopppsss ;) 

 

 

 

 

I was really impressed with George at Asda last night.  The colours were perfectly on trend, neon, floral, all white and everything could have been designer chic. Loved the wedge trainers too! They were a favourite of mine, especially the all grey ones as I haven't even seen that colour in the big high street shops.  The girls hair was curled to an inch of its life by the wonderful creative team from Andrew Mulvenna while the boys was simple and straight. (Hence why I went to bed with one of the boys from Hanson, Connor's hair is usually a mess of curls, never have I seen it look so neat!) The make up, done by the fab Paddy McGurgan and his team was a simple white eye and a colour pop lip of pastel colours. Here are some of my favourite looks from the catwalk.

 

 

Caitlyn - White Scuba Dress £16

Connor aka my cocopops - Vintage Hawailan Print Swimshorts £7

Jayne - Yellow Boucle Dress £18

Jenny - Pink dress with Black Cut Out £18

 

 

Finola - Palm Print Swimsuit £12

 

 







That's one thing I will miss being able to buy this year. Bikinis!!! George had some lovely ones, most of the stock shown last night was from their High Summer collection which will be in the shops soon so definately keep an eye out for it! 10/10 from me!

Drum Roll..

"Everyday is a fashion show and the world is your runaway."

Oasis Striped dress- similar here

 

 

It's here! Oh yes peeps, it's Belfast Fashionweek this week! Not a great start to the next few days but I slept in this morning.  Damn you Kevin Bacon and your amazing twisted TV show! (The Following, is anyone else watching it?!? It's amazing!) Hence why my hair is up as I meant to wash it but didn't have time. Just something else to do when I make my mad dash home then wash, change, decide on what to wear and then off to Fashionweek!

 

To me, Fashionweek will always have a big part of my heart. As a model starting out in Northern Ireland many years ago (who is definately not catwalk skyscaper tall), it was always the unattainable wishful thinking that one day I wanted to grace the sparkly fashionweek catwalk and in my opinion if you did then, you had definately made it! Well in Northern Ireland at least! Now I am on my fourth season of gracing the catwalk, this time last year it was my bake on billboards across Belfast as the Face of Fashionweek and just to add a romantic element, I meet my now boyfriend Connor for the first time backstage last year at the High Street night as he was modelling as well.  (Granted I thought who is this twat with a cap on backwards and this white stringy top were you could practically see his nipples and it is always freezing backstage & I was wrapped up in a blanket/slash cardigan but it all worked out in the end!)

 

 

Me and my campaign for Belfast Fashionweek S/S12

 

So tonight is George at Asda! I was surprised when I first heard the line up that George at Asda were taking the catwalk for a full night but I am really looking forward to it! I always see things in magazines from George and think wow I love that so I will be interested to see how the BFW team style it.  George at Asda have shown before at Fashionweek as part of the High Street night. I wore a dress from their collection,  I think it was Circa A/W 2011 but it was one of the images that was used in all the Press.  It looked completely chic and designer! I remember everyone asking me where it was from and they were shocked by my reply. Just goes to show you!

The chic dress from George at Asda A/W 2011.

 

 

So what is to expect from tonight? Well all the models have had gorgeous Vita Liberata tans done, (my lovely housemate Jayne is strutting her stuff on the catwalk every night and she was glowing last night), my gorgeous boyfriend Connor is on the catwalk tonight as well, probably half naked (I will be posting a lot of photos. He's mine ladies but I am happy to share images for a perve.) I called into the venue there on my lunch to leave in a few bits & pieces for the goodies bags and the clothes look amazing! Really bright colours, fitting in with the neon trend perfectly! So all that needs to be done is to decide what the heck to wear to it????