CONCRETE JUNGLE WHERE DREAMS ARE MADE OF...

As a self-confessed shopaholic I surprise myself and everyone else when I admit I have never been to New York before. As someone who grew up in London, I love bright lights, lots of people, and walking extremely fast (even if you're actually not in a rush to get anywhere). Yes I do love being one of those city rats caught up in the race. Since I moved to Ireland I have become more accustomed to the slower, more relaxed way of life, but that's not to say I don't miss the hustle and bustle of the urban lifestyle. Every once and a while I need to feel that rush, that thrill you get when you step off the underground and begin your journey into mayhem (whilst clutching onto your handbag very tightly!) Even Dublin doesn't do it for me as much, I lived there for three years and although it's a great city, it's still very much got the same relaxed vibe about it that Galway has. Although I still like to get up every few weeks to breathe in the fumes, go to the nice restaurants and still be able to go to bars that you've never been to before.
                         
So the thoughts of flying to NYC in 6 weeks is getting me extremely excited, like a child counting down the days to Christmas on an advent calender. I have it all planned out, Times Square, Greenwich Village, Manhattan at night, ice-skating in the Rockefeller Centre, seeing a Broadway show, and the shopping... oh the shopping...


The problem is and it's my biggest problem generally in life, is that even though I'm going there to shop, I'm still shopping to buy new outfits to wear shopping!

         

          

Celebrities this week... Who got it right and who was just plain wrong

Michelle Keegan 

She's the celebrity with exotic looks and a girl-next-door personality, the one that girls want to look like and our boyfriends fantasise about. Although she may dress chavtastic on the cobblestones of Coronation Street, in real life she gets it right every time. I love this outfit that she wore out to Faces nightclub in Essex, simple but classy. The chunky gold chain, red dress, gold River Island sandals, and a simple clutch bag to finish it off, I have total outfit envy, her fiancé is easy on the eye too!

Michelle Keegan celebrates being voted Hottest Woman on TV by stripping off for underwear shoot

Lucy Mecklenburgh 

TOWIE's Lucy also seems to be on point at the moment when it comes to her fashion choices, and last week in Las Vegas was no exception. Bug eye shades (check), statement necklace (check), leather top (check), high waist denim shorts (check) - and absolute figure to die for (hell yes). On paper this outfit could be disastrous but with her sallow skin and silky hair, Lucy manages to pull it off.

Kourtney Kardashian 

I adore Kourtney's style, she can pull off every look from preppy to leather dominatrix, she just seems to make every trend her own. Here she is rocking a red tailored jumpsuit, cat-eye sunglasses and racy black bondage boots accessorised with her favourite Moschino belt. I think Kourtney definitely deserves the title of best dressed Kardashian. In the second picture she is wearing the same shoes again to a red carpet event with a bright pink dress and a slick ponytail, love this outfit!

Kim Kardashian 

If only Kim took some fashion tips from her older sister, she hasn't really been getting it right in the style stakes lately. This double denim ensemble she wore in Paris - teamed with what looks like her granny's coat - is one of her worst yet. As for the black dress in the second picture, I'm still not sure quite what to make of it. I think if it didn't have the triangle cut-outs it wouldn't be so bad! Once a style icon, Kim has been slipping since she hooked up with Kanye... either stop listening to your boyfriend or sack the stylist K!!

Kim actually looks much better in her gym gear!!

Rita Ora 

She is certainly not known for her conservative style, usually opting for quirky and weird get-ups. This outfit should be so wrong... a lace veil, tartan jacket, weird hair buns and leather pants. But somehow Rita manages to pull it off and still look amazing during Paris Fashion Week!

                                

XFactor, fur and Nicole Schamazin' Scherzinger

XFactor, fur and Nicole Schamazin' Scherzinger

So the summer was great, so much so that I really haven't had time to be updating this as much as I would like! BBQs, holidays, birthdays, concerts, and too much Pear Kopperberg to mention! But I have to say that there is nothing that I look forward to more than cold, dark Saturday nights in front of the fire with a bottle of vino and Dominos pizza...and most importantly XFACTOR! Terrible bands, some brilliant singers and my ultimate girl crush Nicole Scherzinger! 

I'm obsessed with her shiny hair, flawless makeup, and a figure that every girl can only ever dream of... most of all though I just love her wardrobe. Annoying accent aside, she is pretty much 'The Perfect Woman'.. and she can sing and dance!! So when Scherzy wore this statement necklace from New Look, I had to snap it up, as I am all about the neck swag. The perfect accessory to brighten up any outfit, whether its jeans and a bandeau top, or a plain dress... just like Nicole, let your neck do all the talking!!

Not only do I love this time of year in the run up to Halloween and Christmas because of the snugly Saturday nights in and Chai Lattes, but I absolutely ADORE dressing for winter! Fur coats, UGG boots, and woolly jumpers - who doesn't love those?! Plus, we have to wear more clothes to keep warm, which means we can eat more!! The high street stores are buzzing with gorgeous Autumn/Winter collections, and I have just snagged myself the perfect winter jacket. A combination of my two favourite materials - faux fur and leather, this €100 black shearling and leather-look waterfall jacket from River Island has already sold out online.

Another of my favourite shops to invest in a good winter coat is Zara, high fashion, good quality, and reasonably priced, it's definitely a must-see if you are searching for something warm and fashionable! I still have my camel coat with leather sleeves from last Christmas, and it has become my wardrobe staple. If you didn't catch it last year don't worry, this trend is still very much alive and all the highstreet shops will all be jumping on the leather-sleeved band wagon!! 

I LOVE my Zara camel and leather coat 

A leather-sleeve coat from Zara Autumn/Winter 2013
Collection

Yep...There's nothing nicer than drinking hot whiskeys in a cosy pub or going for a long walk on a crisp winter evening, I'd take the cold any day over a wet Irish summer!! And don't forget to pick up the ultimate winter accessory - A black fur headband... even if you're not actually going skiing! 

Festival Fashion

It’s summer and that can only mean one thing, festival time! Every year there are a host of different festivals on throughout the country such as Oxygen, Electric picnic and of course the Races. With the unpredictable Irish weather - we are much more equipped to dress for the mud than we are for more glamorous affairs. All I can say is I pity the poor girls that headed into the Galway Races last week in expensive headpieces, dresses and carefully applied fake tan... to get completely washed out of it with the torrential rain!

Whether you’re a hardcore raver or a festival first-timer, every woman knows that there are a few small essentials needed for those few days. Millie Mackintosh and Katherine Jenkins got it right at this year's Glastonbury and then there are the old reliables Kate Moss and Sienna Miller who are pictured at festivals every year covered in mud but still looking ultra chic.

                       
                                



Festival essentials include:

• Wellies. Every summer, wellies are completely sold out coming up to the festival season. They are the number one festival essential and keep your feet and legs from being covered in mud. They are cheap and cheerful and available in loads of different designs and lengths. Wellies look good worn with skirts, shorts and little summer dresses.

          

River Island black quilted wellies 

Purple Hunter wellies available in Schuh

                             

• Sunglasses. Although it’s Ireland and it’s rare that we actually need sunglasses for anything other than fashion purposes, they are essential for those few days of partying. Not only are they stylish, they’re also good for covering red, glassy eyes. There are different types, depending on the look you’re going for. When it comes to sunglasses, there are usually two camps of stylistas: those who don’t spend much on shades because they’ll lose them or sit on them, or those who are willing to splurge and hold onto 
their finds for years. I'm a bit of both, I love my designer shades but its also nice to mix it up with highstreet, especially at a festival when I'm more likely to lose them!

• Hats. Everyone knows that festivals aren't exactly great for the state of your hair; so don’t expect to be able to wash it for a few days. The embarrassment of greasy hair can easily be covered by an array of different hats. The straw trilby/fedora is this summer’s statement hat and can be bought in most high-street shops. If these don’t suit you, there are lots of other hats such as this season's most popular (and surprising) beanie hats or large floppy hats. These also look good accessorized with scarves tied around them.

                 

• Bags. It is important to bring a rucksack with you to hold all your festival essentials (babywipes, hairbands, and an umbrella). It should be a dark colour because you don’t want your gorgeous pink backpack to get covered in mud. A small across-the-body bag is also handy to hold your phone and money.

Gym motivation and ice-cream addiction...

Ok so it's been a while but I'm back and definitely going to be much more proactive in updating this blog as I have so much to write about!

I have done a lot since my last update - joined back into the gym - got addicted and fell off the wagon again. But I am slowly trying to motivate myself to get back in there 5 days a week as I am determined to lose a stone before the end of the summer! I find that looking at pictures of Victoria Secrets models in bikinis on the Daily Mail is a good motivation to put the Doritos down!

It was easy to do it from March until the end of May as I had a holiday in Portugal planned - so that was my end 'goal'. Once holiday is over, it is very hard to get back into the zone. I became so addicted to the feeling I got from working out that I sometimes went twice in the same day!

10 days abroad and two months later - that girl is a distant memory. Although I am a sun-worshiper, the 30 degree Irish heatwave has done nothing to encourage my fitness as it is very hard to work out when it is so hot, plus I have found that ice-cream appeals to my addictive personality. First it was Snickers, then Cornetto Mint, and the latest addiction - Bounty ice-cream! I had 2 last Friday and another 2 on Sunday (as dessert after my full goats cheese pizza) *hangs head in shame*

 Last week was a write-off as I had all 4 wisdom teeth out, and had to undergo general anesthetic, the perfect excuse not to exercise for the week! So, a week and a half later I finally mustered up the courage to go to an X-fit class last night - consisting of press-ups, kettlebell swings and squats with barbells. After 30 minutes in the class I was on the verge of tears, today I could barely lift my arms for the entire day and I actually think I sprained a muscle trying to open a tuna can at lunchtime.

But, excuses won't get me anywhere and although I didn't quite make bootcamp this evening (it was raining and I really didn't fancy having to wash my hair tonight!) I grabbed one of the girls and power-walked for 40 minutes. During this walk we talked about 'how much we wish we still had the same figures as when we were 14 and do most female celebrities really weigh under 100 pounds like it says in magazines?!' I then came home and did 50 squats with dumbbells in the hope that I will become addicted to exercise again. It might be an Instagram cliché, but I have taken a 'before' picture as an inspiration to get to my goal weight so that I can be proud to show it off with 'after' picture, so watch this (hopefully short and skinny!) space...

   

Rihanna for River Island - Fashion Swag or just plain CHAV??

I can't believe that the long anticipated Rihanna for River Island collection is finally being launched on the 5th of March! When I heard about this I got a strange feeling of excitement - my favourite singer/girl crush collaborating with my obsessively favourite high street shop, it should be a match made in retail pop heaven! 

But then I saw the collection preview and as I scrolled through the RiRi-tastic clothes items it didn't leave me thinking 'WOW!!' just more of a 'meh'... It all just looks a bit plain and unexciting, not what you would expect from a rebellious, weed-smoking, Chris Brown loving wild child like Rihanna!

Apart from a few thigh-split skirts and dresses (which i love!) a leather baseball cap, and a couple of crop tops - hardly any of the pieces got me remotely excited! I can nearly hear the sound of my visa card breathing a sigh of relief! 

Maybe I'm just being hasty - with any first first collection it's going to be a trial to see what works within the target market. 

But for now, what do you think... Rihanna for River Island Chic or CHAV?

Who's The Mama... How to make the most of your pregnancy style!

So.... a lot of people have been asking me to write about 'how to dress when you're pregnant' and make the most out of your pregnancy bump. I agree it is hard to adapt to your changing body when you are pregnant and come to terms with the sudden lack of waist definition. I believe that women should make the most of your bump and embrace it - rather than swamp it in baggy tent-like dresses! Skinny jeggings are great as they are still stylish and comfortable - but don't be afraid to still wear tight dresses or sequins for special occasions - it's still important to feel good! I think babydoll-style dresses look great as they are cut from under the bust so they look girly and pretty but don't restrict your growing tum!

However, if you are at a loss as to where to buy nice maternity clothes at affordable prices (because let's face it, once the baby comes you will never want to see them again!) then here are a few places I would recommend.

1. Topshop 

Trendy yet budget-friendly - you can still feel like yourself in Topshop maternity clothes, offering mums-to-be wet-look leggings, stylish dresses and tops that you definitely won't look or feel frumpy in!

                                     

2. H&M

It might not be as on-trend as Topshop but H&M's 'Mama' maternity wear is definitely more affordable. I know a few pregnant ladies at the moment who absolutely swear by this range as it apparently provides probably the most important quality you look for when expecting - comfort! See the full range here.

3. ASOS

Love, love, love this range! I wish I had known about this when I was pregnant because ASOS definitely seems to have one of the largest ranges of maternity wear available. ASOS Maternity ticks all the boxes - it's stylish, reasonably-priced and looks comfortable! Plus the delivery is always really efficient with this website so you don't have to wait too long to receive your purchases!

                                     

                                     

                                     

Celebrity Maternity Wear

Most of us look to celebrities for fashion inspiration on a daily basis and we need guidance more than ever when pregnant. Many women still want to feel attractive and somewhat glamorous - even with a growing bump. But even millionaire celebrities can get it wrong sometimes - proving that money can't buy style!

Celebrities who got it right...

Victoria Beckham

Peaches Geldof

Fearne Cotton 

                                                

Rochelle Humes 

  

Amanda Holden 

Sienna Miller 

And... Celebrities who got it wrong (Katie Price being the worst offender ever!)

Katie Price - pink leather catsuit, really??

Katie Price - belts, and not much more

Katie Price - put the bump away!

Britney Spears - no surprises here 

J-Lo - blue highwaist bell bottoms are wrong whether you're pregnant or not!

Kim Kardashian - this leather dress does nothing
for her growing bump

Tori Spelling - in her baby brain absent mindedness obviously
forgot to take off her nightie before leaving the house