I wanted to get my nails done for Christmas. I wouldn’t get gel nails done often as I need to be able to do zips, buttons and use a needle and thread. I booked an appointment for me and my two sisters with the talented Amy Flynn of ‘Sparkle and Shine’. I had heard great things about how long her nails lasted, and I also read in the newspaper that she had set up a trendy nail bar above Grant’s pharmacy in Enniscorthy.
I had such a laugh with Amy, we went to school together and we were catching up about what everyone is getting up to and reminiscing about all the random funny stuff that happened. It is so hard to believe it has been six years since secondary school. Her salon is in a really handy location and I enjoyed having my nails done. I wanted to go for nude oval nails as I they go with everything.
My nails
I went out for Christmas cocktails with all the girls and I felt extra glam with my nails all done. I wore a faux fur coat from H&M. I went two sizes up to get a boxy shape in the shoulders. My dress is from River Island and my heels were a gift from New Look PR. I got lots of compliments about my nails!
My #OOTN
My sister Jade went for a square french manicure with a light shimmer and my sister Kim went for a glam gel polish with different neutral tones and some glitter and stud detailing.
Jades nails
Kims nails
You can find 'Sparkle & Shine' on Facebook here if you want to book an appointment with Amy. I would highly recommend it for all you Wexford gals. She also does handy gift vouchers.
Ever since I was a little girl I have loved pearls, glitter and clothes. I remember aged 4 me and my sister wanted to be shop keepers and we sold some jewellery of my Mam's to passers by on the street. She was not impressed at the time.. but now about 20 years later she sees the funny side. I was reminiscing about that story this weekend as I set up an online shop - something I have been deliberating about for months. You see I have turned my attic into a closet as I have accumulated so much bits and bobs from styling photoshoots. It all starts with a hat here and a top there and then you feel like a stage 5 hoarder. I was originally on the fence about setting up the online shop as I wanted it to be solely a little hub where I sold on handpicked pieces that reflected my own personal style and taste. But I have taken the leap at long last.
One of the best parts of being a fashion stylist is being a creative director of a shoot & working with talented photographers, hair stylists and Make up artists. It is great fun styling models and meeting new people. But what I also love is getting to see and use such beautiful clothes, handbags and accessories. It is like playing dress up. Sometimes I get my hands on rare items before they are widely available. My magpie tendencies go into overdrive. Of course with fashion styling there is a lot of travelling. I essentially live out of a suitcase (and I am incapable of travelling light) but I think that is why when work of mine lands in the press I am genuinely excited about picking up a copy. It means a great deal to me. Even though it can be a bit lonely it makes it all worthwhile. So, this is why I am delighted to be able to start selling some of these glitzy items to all you lovely ladies. I will have some menswear and mens accessories up from next week onwards.
My ‘Lipstick Gossip’ shop currently has a few items for sale. There is green faux fur, jewellery, sequins, leopard print and more. You can check it out below.
I styled model Rachel Wallace for her first newspaper spread that featured in the Sunday World after her breast surgery in the Avoca Clinic a few weeks ago. I admire her open attitude and her frankness about the procedure in question. Myself, among many others, followed her SW blogs documenting her journey with the Avoca Clinic.
I also styled Rachel for a sexy shoot prior to her breast augmentation procedure shot by Richie Buttle. I love the below shot. The earrings are from Closet Nirvana and the gangster medallion chunky chain is from the VIP Room.
When I was asked to style the Andrea Roche Agency model after her surgery for a spread that would be shot in the Wright Venue by Evan Doherty - I decided a very hot selection of attire would be fitting to mark her transformation. The lingerie I pulled for the shoot was from the new and improved Clerys in Dublin which has re-opened its doors only a week ago. I went for dusky blush pinks, navy blues, dark combos and also some sexy boy pants for good measure. I love Clerys lingerie. What a selection! They stock luxury brands like Calvin Klein and have glam festive underwear and nighties perfect for the Christmas season.
When Rachel got in front of the camera she quite literally lit up. She has an incredibly toned athletic figure and post surgery her body looks exceptionally well proportioned. She reminded me of a Victorias Secret model! Swit swoo! We shot in 'Baroque' on the top floor of the Wright Venue.
On the shoot I met the amazing team from 'Heavenly Hair' who did Rachel's hair on the day. They have asked me to style a Victorias Secret style shoot next week that Evan Doherty is shooting to promote their brand. I am really looking forward to working on it. I have sourced the most amazing massive glitzy feathery wings EVER! I can't wait to style it. The models are Rachel Wallace, Layla Flaherty, Noirin Kelly and Lateysha Grace from the Valleys. This evening I was asked to do the red carpet radio interviews for RTE at the Irish premiere of 'Anchorman 2'. I will be interviewing Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd & more! So excited!! I will post all of them up on my blog #watchthisspace
Until next time,
Be bold, be brave & misbehave!
To check out the rest of my styling portfolio click here
I am a Fashion Stylist, Radio Reporter + Style Journalist.
A little while back I styled former Miss Ireland 2012 Rebecca Maguire for a slick outdoors sports luxe shoot with a street edge. During the Summer I worked with Rebecca before on a very girly lolita glam shoot shot in studio. Take a look at what happened behind the scenes..
I really loved styling Assets model Rebecca because not only is she a fully fledged high fashion model but has a distinctive accessible look. She is very tall, toned and has a very slight build so looks beautifully elegant whether in swimwear or a bodycon dress. The sporty shoot was massively exciting as it is great to be doing a shoot that is not only in wintery November but that has a very different flavour which makes it really fun. Style Photographer Colin Price shot the sports luxe shoot and I pulled the sporty funky athletic attire from Lifestyle Sports. I was so happy to work with sought after MUA + Brow queen Noella Geoghegan who is such a talented MUA.
lifestyle sports gear
As soon as I finished shooting at 6pm I bolted out to RTE studios in Donnybrook to do a Radio appearance on RTE 2xm. I regularly review bands and movies and interview Irelands budding talent on ‘In Colour’ on RTE 2xm. This week the hot topic was Love/Hate. You can listen back to the show here.
The highlight of my year is covering the Irish, Film and TV Awards and doing interviews on the red carpet. Although fashion styling is my passion I am a Journalist by trade also and studied Journalism and Visual Media in Griffith College Dublin. Click here to listen to some of my red carpet interviews.
A lot of people contact me and ask for advice and enquire how I got into what I am doing, and truthfully it is a culmination of factors. You have to really work hard and keep motivated. I think going to a really good college like GCD is a must because of the small class sizes and the course I did covered so much. I learned how to not only be a TV and radio presenter but how to shoot my own documentary and how to edit my own radio shows and TV documentaries together. I learned about blogging, creating my own magazine, creative writing, photography and editing which are very valuable and practical skills. ‘Lipstick Gossip’ started as a college assignment and then I really got a feel for it and now use it to showcase all my styling and radio bits and bobs. In my opinion the best thing to do is to make a massive effort while in college to gain industry experience. I have covered the IFTA’s for the past 3 years and twice when I covered them I was a college student. You have to invest time and effort in your future even when it feels tedious. You can’t expect that when you are handed a degree that it equals a full time job, you have to be creative and passionate about what you want and be willing to work for free also. Internships open doors. In terms of fashion styling there are many routes you can take to develop your skillset and learn the mechanics behind it. Truthfully it is a lot less glamorous and glossy than it looks. There is an immense amount of work involved so it is not for the faint hearted. Check out www.gcd.ie for courses if you are interested in fashion design, Journalism or Photography.
I was asked by the folks at ‘When Poppy Met Daisy’ to present and style their fashion show which was last night. The Grand Social was such a great venue for it. There was a huge turn out. I recently went to the ‘Poppy met Daisy’ sewing school to take a class in corsetry and really loved it. They host a wide variety of affordable classes that can teach you to make your own dress, corsetry, the basics, using a sewing machine and more. They are currently honing their classes to give intensive courses in fashion illustration, styling and Intro to camera + photoshop. The school have asked me to host some styling workshops that will delve into editorial styling and the mechanics of planning a shoot theme and then bringing it to fruition.
This week I styled some portfolio shoots. I love styling these because you can truly have fun with them and it’s great to meet new fresh faces that are beginning their venture into the modeling industry. I have styled a lot of portfolio shoots recently for Assets Agency models and Andrea Roche models. This week I styled for Lili Forberg.
A-wear AW13 flats
I love styling with Lili as her shots have been a massive inspiration to me over the years. Here is some of my most recent work with Lili styling the beautiful Grace from Assets :
Attire from 'Fresh' Templebar Dublin
A/W13 clean cut Penneys trouser coat combo
On Sunday I styled striking model Siobhan Mc Auley for an editorial shoot in Drogheda. I styled the model in a variety of Harvey Nichols Attire from their Dundrum store that embraced the theme 'Boy meets Girl'. A nod to the meeting point of androgyny and femininity. Faux fur, leather, silk, velvet and other luxurious textures were at hand. It was shot by fashion photographer Jason Mc Carthy. Needless to say it was right up my street! I love working with such beautiful clothes and on such a cool concept. I was working with brands like Pinko, Gerard Darel, Versace and Unreal Fur. It was like Christmas. I can't wait to see it in print! I was invited to the Funky Christmas Jumpers Official Launch this week. I recently styled Rozanna Purcell and James Murphy for the 2013 Funky Christmas Jumpers ad campaign shot by Alex Hutchinson. There were pillow fights, balloons and much more. Not all the shots are out yet but the promotional shots look really cool. I think I still have duck feathers up my nose! I will be posting in more detail about this shoot and what happened behind the scenes as the remainder of the shots are released.
I am delighted to have been asked to style the 'Diva Next Door' 2013 calendar out in The Wright Venue. Well done to the final 12 beauties! I recently worked with Diva Next Door's hottest export the beautiful Dana Arikane for a press shoot shot by Richie Buttle. She took a go at playing photographer! The lingerie for the shoot is from Gorey Boutique 'Dee's Lingerie'.
Richie Photography
The lovely folks at Juices By Ginger have kindly offered me a three day supply of juices! Juice cleanse are great for your general wellbeing and assist with weight loss. I will be doing the detox diary next week and reviewing it on the blog. #watchthisspace
Well that is most of my news and views! I hope you enjoyed my post :)
I was really flattered to be asked by 9 Crow St to style their lookbook for the launch of their new website. The founding trio have created an online shop that is favoured by lovers of vintage, hipster kids, models and fashionistas alike. I love Dean, Mel and Emma's personal styling as they are have their own evolved and distinctive edge. They combine to give an authenticity and injection of youth and style savvy into '9 Crow St'. It has become a household name in Ireland because it celebrates those who want unique, fashion - forward quirky items. They are shortly opening a store in Dublin. Details to follow. As many of you know my press styling borders on racy. It is playful, fun and sexy. I work a lot with Irelands top lingerie + fashion models and I love putting a street twist in my shoots - so for this shoot I was inspired by Miley on Jimmy Fallon, Lana Del Rey lolita americana, Clueless and the 90's, Gossip Girl, Miami street style, smart chic + 60's glamour. But most of all I was inspired by '9 Crow St' and all they have to offer. I particularly love the mohair cardi, tweed blazer and baseball jacket. Check out the looks..
Yesterday was a really fun day. I had styling work to do and also I went to the Glossybox UK press event in the Dylan Hotel. It was a tea party! I went on a girly date with my friend Ciara from Wildchild Stories. We had a catch up over cocktails in the Hard Rock Cafe in Templebar. I wore the same outfit from day to night but I felt really confident in it - it suited both work and play.
I wore a grungy outfit - I am in lust with my new tartan skirt from No Polka.com! It is flannel, pleated and I feel great in it! Seeing as my school days are behind me it is kind of fun to construct an outfit that is a bit like a trendy school uniform. I wore it with a customised vintage cropped college sweatshirt, gold chains, tights and military boots with the laces messily left open to finish the look. I slicked on my YSL purple lipstick + was ready to go! The tartan skirt also looks cute with a boyfriend blazer, crisp white shirt and teamed with patent brogues also. It is an item that is not only bang on trend but versatile and easy to wear. The trick is layering. The skirt costs €24.
I got this gorgeous grey long drape cardi from No Polka.com! What I love about it is how well it transcends from day to night. It looks cute with a simple burgundy cotton shift dress like I am wearing in the snapshot below, or would look stylish with cigarette trousers, pumps and a tee. The cardi is simple, understated and comfy. It drapes and hugs the body in a flattering way. I have gotten so many compliments on it and people were shocked at what a steal it is - the cardi costs only €28 on No Polka.com! But snap it up quick because they are selling out fast.
The final 'Rihanna for River Island' collection is incoming and it is the best to date. This collaboration is different to the Spring Summer and Autumn 13 collections, Winter 13 is even more wearable and for Irish gals is very slick, fashion forward, flattering and in some cases even weather appropriate! You can be an Irish cailín and still rock looks that embrace the individual style and edginess of the Barbados beauty herself.
The 40-piece winter collection which goes on sale in stores and online on November 7th, consists of glamorous and sexy pieces with the entire collection just right for the party season. Oversized varsity jackets, matching tartan separates, embellished party dresses, longer lined tuxedo jackets and denim jumpsuits are the key pieces in the range. I wore a monochrome oversized spiked varsity jacket with white leather sleeves on my trip to London this week. I teamed it with a pair of studded leather gloves, round oversized sunnies, tartan mini and matching bag. I am loving the trends this A/W. It is so much fun dressing for colder weather. You can 'HYPE' my look on Lookbook.nu by clicking HERE
I am excited to check out Rihannas range in person.
Rihanna has embraced AW trends with undertones of her personal style. There is an injection of street style in every garment and as separates many are cross over items that can be combined in different ways. Clashing tartan, faux furs, denim jumpsuits, velvet & turtlenecks are tailored and tapered to hug your frame in a feminine way that makes a pronounced statement. Rihannas tenacity and swagger is evident in her concluding line. I adore the gold shift and black over the knee boots below. Over the knee boots are a staple piece for your wardrobe this season.
The Limited Edition collection features black leather skinny trousers, black snakeskin embossed bra top, shorts and skirt, faux fur trucker and Cossack hats. With only 100 pieces of each item made and in line with all previous collections, they’re expected to fly off the shelves quickly. This is one of the most appealing things about the range.
Here are my two favourite items of the entire collection:
The complete collection will be available for pre order at www.riverisland.com from the 31st of Oct.
‘With River Island, I mean it was brand new in the beginning; they let me do whatever I wanted to do. I was inspired by so many things for the spring collection and I really got to get my hands dirty. For Autumn Winter, I really wanted to try and incorporate some of these ideas with different techniques.’-Rihanna
A recent press shoot I styled was heavily influenced by Rihanna, her personal style and her new Winter collection.
Gold coin neckpiece from The VIP Room
Models Miss Irish Sun Sinead Duffy + Rachel Wallace Shot by Richie.ie
Rihanna has changed the game and been a heavy influence in creating the love behind 'ghetto glamour' favoured by many celebrities, models and socialites around the globe. Her fashion forward attitude and sass separates her from the crowd. In order to pull off the 'Rihanna for River Island' Winter collection, confidence is the ultimate accessory.
Vogue bag from The VIP Room
I hope you liked the looks. To check out the rest of my styling portfolio click here
I am a Fashion Stylist, Radio Reporter + Style Journalist.
