rewdev2 DEVELOPMENT VERSION

Street Style OOTD: Eat, Drink, Sleep, Shop! Feat. Balenciaga,Valentino & Moschino!

Monday, July 20, 2015

My blogging career began with one simple undeniable fact: I eat, drink, sleep & breathe fashion! From the moment I wake up to the second I lay my head down on my pillow, my life is lived through the clothes I wear, and love to share it all with you!

In my world everyday is fashion week, and I love to express my personality through the clothes I wear! Whether it's to browse the fabulous stores in Victoria Square, Belfast or walk the elegant surroundings of Custom House Square, you will never catch this little fashionista off duty when it comes to her personal style!

I've always tried to showcase my personal style wherever possible on the blog, but I'm super excited to announce that I'll now be collaborating with Adrian Quinn Photography, so expect many more in depth OOTD posts featuring some striking photography to capture the details of every ensemble!

The first of these posts features what could arguably be called my second home, Victoria Square! Home to many of my favourite stores, from Karen Millen to House of Fraser, LK Bennett to designer paradise Cruise, Victoria Square is the natural habitat for this style conscious fashionista, and was the obvious place to shoot in for our first collaborative shoot!

There was a calm and serene atmosphere at Victoria Square as the sun shone brightly, matching the bright and vibrant splash of colours of my outfit! From my multi coloured Moschino Cheap and Chic "Graffiti" scarf, to my tropical print trousers, I was embracing the summer obsession with colour! Of course as you all know I do love my designer accessories which I fully believe can really make an outfit, and I couldn't resist accenting the pretty pinks and vibrant yellows of my outfit with a few pieces from Balenciaga!

My favourite Balenciaga leather cuff and my new mini city handbag (bought from CRUISE Belfast) perfectly complimented the ensemble, adding an edgy and zingy feel to my look! I then dressed up my mini city with a super cute silk scarf from Accessorize tied in a classic pussy bow! I cannot stress enough how fabulous Balenciaga is as a brand, from their iconic hardware to their super luxurious leathers, their leather handbags and accessories are simply to die for!

However the piece which really pulled the outfit together is my AMAZING lace sunglasses from label of the moment Valentino! As soon as I spotted these designer shades from afar it was love at first sight, I knew I wasn't coming home without them! I adore the lace detailing which adds an unique element, while their oversized circular frames allow me to channel my inner Audrey Hepburn!

Then it was off to to the elegant Custom House Square, it's hard not to be influenced by such a chic and grand building, so off I went to explore and take in the beautiful surroundings!

Outfit details:

Valentino lace sunglasses Style Code: V668S.

TopShop vintage corset in metallic graphite colour.

Accessorize leopard print sill scarf.

Balenciaga Mini City handbag in "Jaune Citronnade".

Balenciaga giant gold cuff in colour "Rose Corail".

Gucci 102 series mini G diamond watch.

Moschino Cheap and Chic "Graffiti" scarf.

Primark tropical print trousers.

Dune "Kruise" shoes.

I loved working on a more in depth outfit post combined with modern, street style photography by the hugely talented Adrian Quinn, I hope you all enjoy my new look OOTD posts!

Massive thanks to Adrian Quinn Photography for collaborating on this post!

Top trends for your Summer Wardrobe from Victoria Square!

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Meagan is wearing mint shorts, mint jacket, purple top all at Reiss & statement necklace at Accessorize. Dwayne is wearing linen shirt, bow tie, chinos all at Ted Baker. Jayne is wearing floral prom dress, pink clutch bag all at Phase Eight, all from Victoria Square.

Photograph by Darren Kidd/PressEye.

If there is one thing this blogger loves it's shopping!! Which is why I always look forward to Victoria Square's fabulous fashion events!! Not only do I get to check out some stunning style, but as the shows take place in Victoria Square it means I'm able to go straight from the show to the stores to purchase my Wish List items!!

As the summer weather is now finally upon us I thought I would share with you some of my must have looks from my favourite place to shop, the shopping Mecca that is Victoria Square! Plus as it's now sale season you may well be able to pick up a few bargains too!

Every season Victoria Square push the boundaries and try something different when they stage their fashion shows and this time they transformed their lower ground floor into a tranquil English country garden, resplendent with blooming florals, grass and even a white picket fence when they held their Summer Fashion Tea Party!!

Beautifully presented round tables greated guests giving us the perfect vantage point to enjoy yummy cupcakes and refreshing tea as the stunning models rocked the catwalk showcasing the latest Summer trends!

My fabulous Karen Millen Leather cuff with a little Chanel inspired tweed!

Myself chcecking out all the stunning looks on the Catwalk!

Photograph by Alwyn Spence.

Victoria Square is home to a variety of stores at a wide range of budgets, but as you all know I'm a labels girl at heart so I opted to attend the Premium Brands show, showcasing looks from my beloved CRUISE as well as various top end High Street stores located in Victoria Square!

This summer I've been loving the florals trend, in fact I've been spotted out and about in a variety of florals these past few weeks! Check out Ted Baker for some seriously on trend florals, from show stopping dresses to floral separates and accessories! They have a wide range of floral items giving consumers a multitude of options on how to introduce the floral trend into your wardrobe!

Fashionable Florals from Ted Baker!

Stunning body con dress by Cavalli from CRUISE.

Next think primary colours and neon hues, if you spot ANYTHING red in the sales snap it up fast as it's THE colour of AW 14 and will be a fab investment buy for the impending winter months! However if you're still on the lookout for key Summer items, opt for striking neon hues that will seriously pop in the Summer sunshine!

Lady in red! Perfect for Summer and will work equally as well for the Christmas Party season from L.K. Bennett!

Feminine lilac from GUESS!

Show stopping Vivienne Westwood dress in contrasting pink and orange hues from CRUISE!

Origami finished strapless dress perfect for Summer weddings or garden parties from Coast!

Lastly tailoring is another Summer trend which will be carrying through into AW 14 with a focus on androgynous silhouettes, and this black and white spotted version form Hobbs will be the perfect transitional piece! However if you prefer a more fitted body con look to your tailoring former Miss Northern Ireland Meagan Green totally rocked this white suit from Reiss! Alternatively if you want a cooler aternative to the trouser suit why not try a tailored short suit!

Androgynous tailoring from Hobbs.

The perfect white suit from Reiss.

Meagan is wearing mint shorts, mint jacket, purple top all at Reiss & statement necklace at Accessorize, all at Victoria Square. Photograph by Darren Kidd/PressEye.

With an impressive array of brands all under one roof at Victoria Square I hope my post has given you lots of inspiration for your Summer wardrobe as well as a few hints for pieces you should be snapping up for the impending AW 14 season!

Valentine's Wishes as ‘Love is in the Air’ at Victoria Square!

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Model and former ‘Take Me Out’ contestant Ciara McStravick pictured making a wish at Victoria Square’s Wishing LoveTree all part of the centre’s ‘Love is in the Air’ celebrations taking place on 14th, 15th, 21st and 22nd February 2014. Customers also have the opportunity to win the ultimate gift of a diamond ring and designer watch worth £6,000!!

Most of us girls love a romantic gesture, and as we get ever closer to Valentine's Day this Friday I thought I would share some of the fun and fanciful activities taking place in this fashionista's favourite shopping centre, Victoria Square!! Throughout the month of February Northern Ireland’s leading shopping centre will be hosting their ‘Love is in the Air’ celebrations, and I for one cannot think of a better combination: love and shopping!! Hehe!!

The entertaining love themed activities will take place on 14th, 15th, 21st and 22nd February and will see Belfast’s first ever Wishing Love Tree hosted at Northern Ireland’s premier retail, residential and leisure complex. As well as sharing messages of love and well wishes, visitors to Victoria Square will get the chance to have their photo taken in the love photo booth, take a seat in cupid’s Love Zone and enjoy free Love Heart sweets, along with the opportunity to win the ultimate gift of a diamond sparkler and designer watch worth £6,000! Who wouldn't want to win such sparkling prizes, afterall we all know that "diamonds are a girls best friend"! (Especially if your name is The Real Elle Woods!)

There will be plenty of activities for families visiting as well, with various activities including arts and crafts, balloon modelling, face painting and caricaturists in addition to in-store exclusive offers and restaurant deals. Plus if you're anything like me, a trip to Victoria Square isn't complete without a little retail therapy thrown in for good measure at some of my favourite stores such as CRUISE, House of Fraser (to the Karen Millen concession!) and Dune, to name but a few!

Speaking ahead of the ‘Love is in the Air’ events, Michelle Jackson, Centre Manager at Victoria Square said:

“We want to share the love this February and what better way that to extend our celebrations across four days (14th, 15th, 21stand 22nd February) giving customers the chance to have fun.

“With under a week until Valentine’s Day itself Victoria Square has everything for the perfect gift, from this season’s top style accessories, catwalk fashion flames to fragrantcosmetics. And with a wide selection of restaurants on siteoffering Love Heart Sweets with every order on the 14th and 22nd February, we really are the place to shop, dine and sharethe love this Valentine’s.”

So why not take a trip to Victoria Square this month and enter into the centre's romantic celebrations! For further details and updates go to www.victoriasquare.com/loves-you

Thanks to Hannah Irwin at Smarts Communicate for press release & all relevant imagery.

West Coast Cooler Belfast FASHIONWEEK Launch Iconic COVERGIRL Competition!!

Friday, January 24, 2014

This week I attended the über stylish Press Launch of West Coast Cooler FASHIONWEEK, now in it's tenth year, and was extremely excited to hear how the event has teamed up with leading Sunday newspaper the Sunday Life to re-launch its iconic COVERGIRL competition! It's aim: to find ten budding models – and one ultimate COVERGIRL - to walk away with a host of fabulously fashionable prizes!!

Over the years FASHIONWEEK has created some truly iconic COVERGIRL campaigns, encapsulating the fashion mood of the moment, and seen on billboards throughout Belfast. However out of them all I have to say that my personal favourite was the pastel and sugar candy hues of the Spring Summer 2012 featuring model Laurina Kennedy! I for one can't wait to see what lies in store for the SS14 COVERGIRL winner!!

Launching in the Sunday Life, organisers will be scouting at Belfast’s premier shopping destination and COVERGIRL partner, Victoria Square, on Saturday 25 January and Saturday 01 February between 1-3pm to find their ‘next big thing’. A team of judges will whittle down the entrants to ten finalists who’ll take part in a shoot for Victoria Square along with hair and make-up partners Andrew Mulvenna and Paddy McGurgan.

Then three lucky finalists from among the ten will then be shortlisted and whisked away for an all-expenses paid four day destination shoot in the sun soaked Canary Island of Lanzarote flying with leading leisure airline, Jet2.com and staying in luxurious style at Natural Retreats Playa Blanca.

As well as two return flights of her choice to any of Jet2.com’s 14 sun, city or ski destinations from Belfast, the winner will also celebrate with complimentary West Coast Cooler for her and her friends as well as walk away with one year’s supply of hair treatments from AndrewMulvenna, one year’s supply of make-up sessions and beauty products from Paddy McGurgan, and £1000 worth of prizes from Victoria Square, Northern Ireland’s leading premium retail and entertainment destination.

She will also win a modelling contract with CMPR Models and a chance to walk on the catwalk at the final night of FASHIONWEEK.

Belfast FASHIONWEEK Director Cathy Martin said: “This is a really incredible prize that any budding young model would love to win, and start a career in this exciting and exhilarating industry.

“We know there is great talent out there and have many success stories of young girls who have been discovered at FASHIONWEEK as well as by the COVERGIRL competition itself in the past. Many have gone onto amazing things like working for Storm Models in London, the agency of world famous models Kate Moss and Cara Delevigne, so this is an amazing opportunity for girls to kick start a great career.”

Cathy continued: “For those who can’t make it to Victoria Square on either scouting day, there is also the opportunity to enter online by uploading your photograph to the Belfast FASHIONWEEK Facebook page at www.facebook.com/belfastfw. Sunday Life readers can also like and share photos to show their support to the entrants.”

Excited to be involved with COVERGIRL, West Coast Cooler’s Karen Anderson said: “We’re very proud to be supporting local talent through our partnership with the Sunday Life COVERGIRL competition. At West Coast Cooler we’re all about being sparkling and refreshing, so we’re very excited to get the search started and look forward to seeing the refreshing new faces!”

Pictured at the launch of the Sunday Life COVERGIRL competition were former Miss Ireland Rebecca Maguire, prize sponsor Victoria Square Personal Stylist Rebecca McKinney, Jet2.com air stewardesses Ciara McCann and Irene McConnell and Belfast FASHIONWEEK and CMPR Models Director, Cathy Martin. The winning prize will include two Jet2.com return flights to a European destination, a four day destination shoot in Lanzarote staying in Natural Retreats Playa Blanca, £1000 worth of Victoria Square prizes and hair and make-up packages from Andrew Mulvenna and Paddy McGurgan. For further information and to see the full list of prizes visit https://www.facebook.com/belfastfw

The competition has already launched in the Sunday Life and the search is now on, the winner will be announced on the catwalk at Belfast FASHIONWEEK on 21 March 2014. For further details and a full list if terms and conditions please visit www.facebook.com/belfastfw or http://www.cmprireland.com/blog.aspx?dataid=1045705

Deadline for all entries is Saturday 1st February at 3pm.

Appletiser StyleFIX set to sparkle at Victoria Square’s Ivory Restaurant!

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

I'm lucky enough to attend lots of shows throughout the year and one show I always love is the Appletizer StyleFix! This will be my fourth year attending and I was extremely excited to hear that this year it would not only be featuring fashion from one of my favourite shopping destinations, Victoria Square, but it was also being held in one of my favourite restaurants, The Ivory!

Some of my regular readers may remember that my first ever blog post was on last year's Appletiser StyleFIX show in Victoria Square, (you can read about it HERE) and it's hard to believe how much has happened on the blog since then!

The Appletiser StyleFIX roadshow has been touring all over Ireland and N. Ireland and will be coming to a halt for this year at Victoria Square’s Ivory restaurant on Thursday 14 November – just in time for Christmas!

With a fabulous runway show and beauty stations offering stylistas a one-stop fashion-fix, the event will also double up as a festive night out for busy mummies and working girls looking for some pre-Christmas fashion inspiration. Audience members at the event will enjoy high-impact fashion shows with a whole host of hot-to-trot seasonal trends on the catwalk. With a super selection of stylish high street stores in Victoria Square, the StyleFIX event will have something to set every fashion aficionado’s heart racing. From winter whites, gem-like jewel tones and classic prints, to eye-catching outerwear, luxe leather, and extravagant embellishment; no style fix will be left unsolved. Personal stylist Rebecca McKinney will ensure everything is accessorised to perfection too, plus, she’ll be on hand to offer advice and answer any style dilemmas in person.

Show organiser Cathy Martin says fashionistas will have a lot to be tempted by: “We are nearing Christmas and we’re ready to get out there to don the hottest party looks. Autumn/Winter style for 2013 is awash with winter whites, rich reds and colour bursts such as classic emerald greens - just perfect for any Appletiser lady. And all our stylish Appletiser ladies are sure to enjoy this free evening at The Ivory, with welcome drinks and great dinner offers beforeand after the show.”

Stylist Rebecca McKinney continued: “The catwalk show will provide the ideal opportunity for audience members to relax and embrace the style up close. The beauty consultants on hand from our make-up partners will also be offeringcomplimentary make-up demonstrations, making suggestions on how you can re-fresh your make-up bag to match your beautifully stylish new Autumn/Winter wardrobe.”

Appletiser’s handbag sized 350ml bottle is great for every girl’s lifestyle and is handy to carry when on the go. Tara O’Rourke, Head of Marketing for Appletiser in Ireland comments: “Appletiser is a unique, gently sparkling drink, made from 100% apple juice with no added sugars or preservatives. The new, light plastic bottle is ideal for busy ladies who are rushing from one place to another, as it slots into a handbag perfectly, making it even easier to enjoy that magical fruit burst of Appletiser while still getting in one of their five a day.” Gently sparkling, natural apple juice Appletiser will team up with The Ivory’s mixologists to offer a complimentary cocktail or delicious apple juice on arrival at the StyleFIX event, and the Ivory team is also putting together a special pre-show menu for anyone wishing to book tables before or after the shows. (Please contact The Ivory at 028 90324577 to reserve a table).

The special StyleFIX menu by The Ivory!

For my first year in 2010 at the Appletiser StyleFIX I wore a fabulous LBD bodycon bandage dress from Karen Millen (sadly no pics!) but the subsequent two years when i've attended I opted for some very colourful looks! In 2011 I worked the colour blocking trend that was so key for that season in contrasting hues of hot pink and pillar box red in a fantastic ensemble, once again from my favourite label, Karen Millen! While last year I took inspiration from Appletiser's fresh and vibrant green hue and wore a graphic print play suit and Chanel inspired jacket! (Along with some super high metallic snakeskin sandals!)

Question is what will I be wearing this year??? All will be revealed on Thursday night..............

Photograph from the Appletiser StyleFIX 2011 Show, photograph by Brendan Gallagher.

Photograph from the Appletiser StyleFIX 2012 Show, photograph by Rodney Simpson.

For more information and weekly updates log on to Facebook at:

www.facebook.com/AppletiserIreland

Massive thanks to Sarah-Jayne Cassells from CMPR for press release information.

Fitz Fashion Fix for Autumn, Autumn/Winter Trends from Victoria Square!

Thursday, September 19, 2013

The Fitzwilliam hotel recently hosted an exclusive evening to celebrate fashion at its finest and beauty at its best by offering guests a sneak peak at Victoria Square’s upcoming Autumn/Winter collections from The Square. I was lucky enough to be there for NI Gossip Guy to report on all the latest upcoming trends!

Smirnoff cocktails, Peroni and light bites were enjoyed by guests in the awarding winning Fitzwilliam bar while Rebecca and her team of experts previewed their collections. We enjoyed a chic catwalk show, compared by Victoria Square’s personal stylist Rebecca McKinney, with models showcasing her stylish trend predictions suitable for every fashionista’s wish list.

As a regular shopper in Victoria Square I love it's mix of high end and high street brands and so was very much looking forward to see which trends she was rating and how she would style them!

Top of Rebecca's Autumn/Winter hit list of trends were graphic prints, worn top to toe for maximum impact, or incorporated through handbags or shoes, showing there is a way to wear prints that will suit everyone. Leather was also key, from dressed down glamour in leather look leggings to sophisticated leather pencil skirts, this is a trend that's set to stay! I've been a big fan of the lateher trend fo a while now and seriously loved the leather look leggings, a total bargain from H&M! Colour featured heavily, simple silhouettes given an injection of colour, with hues of red and cobalt blues, while masculine tailoring gave dressed up looks a relaxed feel.

Menswear saw the heritage trend continuing, with sharp tailoring contrasting perfectly with countryside tweeds, creating a perfect dressed down look. While separates like waistcoats can be styled in various ways to create a multitude of looks!

With lots of exciting new trends, guests couldn't wait to hit the stores in Victoria Square to shop the new pieces!

Experts from renowned global beauty and lifestyle brands in Victoria Square and House of Fraser were also on hand to advise on the must-have products and top make up secrets for looking on trend all season long.

For anyone who is still in need of a fashion fix, Victoria Square will be further staging a Autumn/Winter Fashion & Beauty Spectacular taking place on Saturday, 28th September 2013 within The Square! High impact fashion shows will be taking place throughout the day (1pm, 3pm & 5pm) so make sure you save the date!

Massive thanks to NI Gossip Guy for asking me to cover the event on their behalf, as well as Smarts Communicate and Victoria Square for the invitation!