New Year, New Gear

Yes I am rinsing that phrase because I LOVE IT. Happy New Year's Eve!

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days but I've been busy with things I won't bore you about. LIKE SHOPPING. My mum and I seem to have formed some sort of tradition of going to St Albans every year for post-Christmas sales. Personally, I cannae be bothered with going up to London (don't even suggest Luton) which is always rammed, stressful and a little disappointing. St Albans is outdoors, usually quiet, all the shops are very close together and I'm usually impressed with the sale stuff.

Monkee Genes reduced to £30 from £60 - Earley's Boutique, Polka Dot Trousers reduced to £20 from £38 - Topshop

A) I've been desperate for a decent pair of skinny jeans for a while now, and had heard many good things about Monkee Genes. Made In Chelsea's Millie Mackintosh and many other celebrities have tweeted their love of their Monkee Genes, saying they're a great fit and do wonders for your figure, so I thought I'd try them on and see what all the hype was about. The celebs do not exaggerate. The things these jeans were doing to my legs, I can't even write about. Easily the most comfortable and equally flattering jeans I've ever tried on, even if I do say so myself. Admittedly this is an awful photo and they look like a bog standard pair of black skinnies but the material is completely different to past pairs of jeans I've owned and they don't sag around the ankle either.
B) I've realised recently that, besides jeans, I don't own any nice trousers. So I bought some nice trousers.

Suede drawstring bag - £28 Topshop, woolly cardigan reduced to £25 - Earley's Boutique, basic black vest £10 - Topshop, brown leather boots reduced to £35 from £85 - River Island.

I don't have anything to say about these apart from that the boots were an absolute bargain. I'm not a huge fan of River Island's clothes but their shoe sale was great.

Erm, and here's a photo of me wearing a hat I got in H&M and new coral lipstick.

I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't heard of Earley's Boutique, but it's a hidden treasure trove of smart, fashionable women's clothes, selling brands such as Vero Moda, Darling, French Connection, Monkee Genes, Moda In Pelle shoes and jewellery from Paul & Joe and Big Metal. It's a bit hidden from the main part of St Albans, but it's a few doors down from Starbucks. This is what it looks like:

There's loads of stuff reduced to half price at the moment so get down there.

Bises,

Riona

Welcome, Friends of Facebook

So I decided to expand my readership (if you can call it that, hello 2 followers) to Facebook. I have to say, people on Facebook tend to be a little more judgemental than Twitter followers (way cooler) but you know what they apparently say, if you wanna get into journalism...

If you're enjoying reading my blog as much as I am writing it, please take a minute to like the Facebook page -  http://www.facebook.com/ImGoingToBeLate - where you'll get updates on new posts etc.

I think I have now posted my blog on every social networking site I'm on. Anyway, I hope you find something you enjoy.

Bises,

Riona

What's On Your New Year's Eve Playlist?

Everyone knows no New Year's party, or any party in fact, is complete without a strategically compiled playlist of songs everyone knows and loves. Actually putting this playlist together, however, can prove to be difficult and time consuming, so I've saved you the effort and put together this trialled and tested ultimate party playlist:

• Livin' On A Prayer - Bon Jovi
• American Pie - Don McLean

• A Little Less Conversation - Elvis Presley

• Fire – Kasabian

• Praise You - Fatboy Slim

• Can't Stop - Red Hot Chili Peppers

• Dancing Queen - ABBA (any ABBA song really)

• Blondie - Call Me
• Teenage Kicks - The Undertones

• Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

• Don't Stop Me Now - Queen

• Pinball Wizard - The Who

• My Generation - The Who

• Fools Gold - The Stone Roses

• California – Phantom Planet

• Roc Ya Body – MVP

• Eye Of The Tiger – Survivor

• Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Jet

• Roxanne - The Police

• The Angry Mob - Kaiser Chiefs

• Don't Look Back In Anger – Oasis

• The Importance of Being Idle - Oasis

• Wonderwall - Oasis

• I'm A Believer - Smash Mouth

• All Star - Smash Mouth

• Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison

• War - Edwin Starr

• Apache - The Sugar Hill Gang

• Rapper's Delight - The Sugar Hill Gang

• Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin

• Debaser - Pixies

• Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond

• Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd

• Twist And Shout - The Beatles

• B-52's - Love Shack

• Michael Jackson - Thriller

• GREASED LIGHTNING - Grease soundtrack

• Come On Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners

• Surfin USA - The Beach Boys

• Let's Dance - David Bowie

• Get Busy - Sean Paul (judge me)

• Senorita - Justin Timberlake

• Like I Love You - Justin Timberlake

• Rock Your Body – Justin Timberlake

• Sexyback – Justin Timberlake

• Song 2 – Blur

• Girls And Boys – Blur

• Parklife - Blur

• Ring Of Fire - Johnny Cash

• Life Is A Highway - Rascal Flatts

• A Town Called Malice - The Jam

• Mr Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra

• You Really Got Me - The Kinks

• All Day and All of the Night - The Kinks

• Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks

• Baggy Trousers - Madness

• Our House - Madness

• One Step Beyond - Madness

• I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Whitney Houston

• Gold - Spandau Ballet

• All Summer Long - Kid Rock

• Get Busy - Sean Paul

• Summer of 69 - Bryan Adams

• I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers

• Girls On Film - Duran Duran

• Rio - Duran Duran
• Kingston Town - UB40

And here are a few more modern ones...

• 212 - Azealia Banks

• Lonely Boy - The Black Keys

• Spectrum - Florence + the Machine ft. Calvin Harris

• National Anthem - Lana Del Rey

• Midnight City - M83

• Teenage Icon - The Vaccines

• Golden Skans - Klaxons

• A-Punk - Vampire Weekend

• Greyhound - Swedish House Mafia

• Don't You Worry Child - Swedish House Mafia

• Paris - Jay-Z and Kanye West

• Golddigger - Kanye West

• I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor - Arctic Monkeys

• Naive - The Kooks

• Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men

• We Are Young - Fun.

• Tongue Tied - Grouplove
• Bangarang - Skrillex

...but I personally prefer the classic anthems.

Don't forget Auld Lang Syne... daadaaaaaallaaaannurrrrrnurrrrr FFORRR AAUULD LAAAAANG SYYYYNE

Bises,

Riona

If You Could Relive One Night of Your Life...

Yeah it's that big round up of the year post that probably appears on the first page of the blogging handbook.  Earlier I was wondering what I've actually done in 2012, as it certainly doesn't feel like a whole year, and what the best parts of it have been, which led me directly to Reading Festival, especially the Saturday night. Well Kasabian basically. Have you ever enjoyed a night so much that every time you get the slightest reminder of it, you literally ache in your desire to relive it? You close your eyes and imagine it, you try to emulate it, but it's never the same.

Without hesitation, for Kasabian alone, my one reliveable night would be the Saturday night of Reading Festival 2012. Being about five people back from the barrier ensured it would be an unforgettable night from pain alone, after being knocked to the ground no less than 3 times from the violently swaying crowd. And then other people falling on top of me as I lay there like a fish out of water, wildly shaking my arms in hope of a kind stranger lending a hand whilst imagining tomorrow's headlines - "Much Loved Teenage Girl Trampled to Death At Festival'. It didn't help that an absolute twat had lit up a flare next to me and also that I lost my friend in the crowd at the beginning so was alone for the whole set. So how was this possibly the best night of my life?

Bouncing around a tent to Azealia Banks for half an hour and then half-heartedly "moshing" (er) along to Florence in the rain was the best possible lead up to Kasabian. My friend and I battled our way through the Florence fans, much to their dismay, and ended up near the front for their set, which was great even when Smells Like Teen Spirit played through the speakers before they came on - which was basically a re-enactment of the iconic video. Then we see Tom and Serge and those other unknown members grace the stage, hear the roars of the crowd and see the lights brought up as we hear the opening riff and 'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaAAAaaaAAAaaaaa' of Days Are Forgotten...

...a moment I will literally never forget. I'd never been a huge fan of Kasabian and always found them a little overrated. What blasphemy. I think the festival buzz may have helped a bit, along with their headlining title, but they're still the best live act I've ever seen and have watched this same set like nine times. Another highlight was the opening of Underdog:

And Switchblade Smiles... And Shoot the Runner... And Re-Wired...

The moment where Tom coolly shouts 'Drop' and the crowd does the exact opposite is still great to watch. The interlude of The Prodigy - Fire was also unexpectedly great, as was their cover of Fatboy Slim - Praise You and the acapella snippet of The Beatles - She Loves You at the end. Despite spending it with no friends and almost dying, it was an incredible night.

There's something phenomenon-like about watching one of your favourite bands in the middle of a sweaty crowd of people not considering anyone's personal space AT ALL in positions that would normally be more than questionable. When described, it sounds like the worst possible experience but when you're there you can't think of anywhere else you'd rather be in that moment, and everyone is nothing but ecstatic, whether that's serotonin induced or a cause of slightly stronger substances.

Long story short - if you ever get the chance to see Kasabian, TAKE IT. With both hands and all fingers and never let go.

I'll leave you with this:

What have been your most memorable experiences of 2012?

Bises,

Riona

6 Coats of Nail Polish, 30 Roast Potatoes and 24 Glasses of ProseccoLater...

So here we are... Chilli Heatwave Doritos, a cup of tea and Milka chocolate Santa in hand listening to The Police, I'm blogging post-Christmas (you may expect a typical Christmas round up, Instagrammed organised piles of presents, the huge dinner, the lot).

I did fairly well on the present front, my main present being the new phone but a few other things like CAITLIN MORAN'S BOOK that I've wanted to read for ages but just never got round to it (yes, this is how eventful my life is). That woman so funny. You can also see I received Miranda Hart's book where she navigates the awkwardness of adult life. As much as I love Miranda, I'm not completely sure if I want to read a 323 page book about her, by her, that makes you feel as if she is literally reading aloud next to you... "Because frankly, where is the manual? The much needed manual to life... A Miran-ual. I thank you."

Can you tell I like florals?

Coming from a family who have an extravagant roast dinner every. Single. Sunday, I look forward to the Christmas Day breakfast far more than the dinner. This, in my house, is toasted bagels with smoked salmon, cream cheese and poached eggs mmmmmm.

Breakfast

After I got in from work (11:30 - 5:30, followed by Secret Santa and free drinks from the bar) we had dinner which was absolutely huge and impossible to finish but vair nice and after that went round my Nan's for what can only be described as a big family "sesh" which involved belting out Irish classics and 80s anthems until 4am. This was followed the next day by work *crey* after battling a 'Paralyser' induced hangover and then once again round to my Nan's for FOOD.

Boxing Day outfit. No comment on the parents' bedroom. Skirt, River Island £20

Aaaand today I've literally done nothing so here is a one photo summary:

Drinking game 'Paralyser'... My Mum and I (playsuit - Miss Selfridge, £50), the table, The Dinner avec capitalised D.

It's pretty depressing to be blogging post-Christmas, I never want it to end, but it's onwards and upwards as we all look forward to New Year's Eve...

Bises,

Riona

P.S. Profuse apologies for the incredibly generic blog post and also for the highly likely upcoming photos of clothes I've bought with Christmas money...

Day to Night

Just a quick OOTD (who do I think I am?) before I get back to Made In Chelsea - after London the other day I was supposed to go out a to a friend's birthday later on but after getting back at 11 was just too tired. You're not hardcore unless you live hardcore.

However I'd already planned a quick outfit change so hear you go:

Day: Tartan skirt - Rokit £6, Tan bag - Pull And Bear £20, Double breasted black jacket - New Look £25, Red leopard print Chelsea  Boots - River Island @ ASOS  £15.

Night: Black crop top - Topshop £8, Gold & Silver Monkey necklace - Topshop £10, Gold Hoop earrings - Accessorize £5, Black Lace-up Wedges - H&M £20

After having scooped my hair up, swapped a black turtleneck jumper for the crop top and adding wedges, hoop earrings and red lipstick I would have been ready to go out but I was a huge let down. I've had mixed opinions on hoop earrings for a while but I think they can look great with the right outfit. 

The point I'm making is a tartan skirt (or any vibrant print skirt) is a key item for day or night. Apologies for the awful photos.

Bises,

Riona

Joyeux Noël!

I'm on a roll with the blog posts recently. I figured I haven't really written anything about Christmas so for anyone who cares (no one), here's what I've been up to in the last few days...

I went into town purely in search of a Christmas jumper and this is what I bought:

Christmas jumper, Peacocks... I looked in so many shops and strangely enough thought Peacocks had the best selection.

A few of us went down to Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland on the Friday which was fun. I really wanted to go ice skating but, being me, left booking til the day before and, surprise surprise, it was all booked out. I won't bombard you with photos as I took loads, so here's a few...

Christmas lights on Oxford Street and Hannah and Ellie tucking into their German sausage...

Ellie, Hannah and I

Hannah being adorbz.

Some really cute Indian elephants I picked up in the Winter Wonderland Christmas market for a fiver, who are now hanging on the coat stand in my bedroom.

If you visit Winter Wonderland, be sure to try the mulled wine with Amaretto and their candied walnuts. It's kinda overpriced but IT'S CHRISTMASLAND, 'tis the season and all that. After leaving Hyde Park, we wandered along Oxford Street, went into Topshop and Selfridges (obvs) where I picked up some Pierre Hermé macarons for my Nan. As overpriced as macarons are (cheapest gift set option is £15 for 7), I'd be pretty happy with these scrumptious Parisian delicacies as a Christmas present. The box and bag they come in are also gorgeous, making them a very ideal present for those friends/relatives who like the finer things in life...

After coming out of Selfridges we only saw DANNY  BOYLE walk past us!!! Tiya and I tried to run after him but lost him in the crowd. Pretty cool moment though.

Saturday and Sunday I was working, then today I was doing standard Christmas Eve things, such as wrapping these gifts...

Yes, including my dog Sweep.

I've come to accept that gift wrapping itself is a gift. A gift that I was not born with. So apologies, anyone whose present looks like it's been vommed over by Card Factory.

Making trifles with Mama.

And to round it off here's a photo of my nice festive lounge which, bar the Christmas tree and mantle piece leaf decoration, pretty much looks that festive all year round. Macauley Culkin on the TV screen is also a permanent fixture.

Aw, how cute. I just got in from Christmas Eve mass like the good ol' Catholic I am (I go on Easter and Christmas) and had some cocktails with Ma like the sophisticates we are. ........

Here's a refreshing minty cocktail that's easy to make and ALWAYS pleases:

The Mojito

You can get the recipe here.

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned Christmas doesn't start until Millie slaps Spencer round the face on Made In Chelsea's Christmas special tonight, which is like right now.

Have a good Christmas! You probably won't hear from me until after Boxing Day because of all the festivities and *sigh*  work...

Bises,

Riona

Flickr

Please don't ask me why I'm writing a blog post at 00:34 on Christmas Eve whilst listening to Justin Timberlake. I think I may have hit my mid life crisis early on in life.

This is just a shameless Flickr plug: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rionadoherty/

Whilst writing is my main interest, I do love a good ol' snap with the camera. Or a few. Actually, lots. the only reason I haven't updated Flickr in a while is because A) my camera broke and B) I've reached the free storage limit so now have to PAY, which I do intend to do at some point.

Anyway I'll probably post a few photos on here every now and again, but the ones on Flickr are what I like to think are my half decent ones. There are photos I took in New York, Boston, Harvard, the Dominican Republic, Lille in France, Croatia and the Lake District on there, along with other snippets of life, so do feel free to click that link I so kindly hyperlinked and comment.

Bises,

Riona

Who Is This Gatsby?

Bon soir. I broke up from Sixth Form today until 7th January finally and whilst most people are out on the town, poor little ID-less me is sitting on her laptop with a glass of rosé... What a way to end the term...

Anyway, my spirits shall not be dampened as A NEW GREAT GATSBY TRAILER WAS RELEASED TODAY! I seriously cannot express my excitement for this film enough. Its delay to 2013 is killing me a little more every day.

So firstly, earlier on in May we had this little snippet...

...which was more than enough to engross me. To me, this films ticks every box. Apart from Leonardo DiCaprio starring (which, let's face it, is enough reason in itself) it's set in New York, the best backdrop in the world; it's directed by visual genius Baz Luhrmann; we see Gatsby's excessively glamorous, debaucherous parties that we can only dream of attending and of course the time it's set in - the decadent 20s. In true Luhrmann style, the songs featured completely contrast with the film's setting and also couldn't be more different from one another- the beat of Jay-Z's Church In The Wild and Jack White's Love Is Blindness cover work perfectly together. Without wanting to sound like a self-righteous film critic, the part where we see someone diving into the circular pool then cutting to the miners and then a man riding a horse up the lawn is, accompanied by Jack White's signature raw emotion, it has to be said - visually orgasmic.

Then today we were treated to these...

Once again a great music selection, now featuring Florence + The Machine and Filter.

The official posters were also released today, showing Leo looking suave:

Now just to wait until May 2013...

The 20s decadence has inspired me to throw a 20s Speakeasy themed 18th party... It sounds like a strange theme for an 18th but I think it's perfect; a secret back entrance, 20s cocktails in Mason jars and teacups, 'bathtub gin', gambling, fedoras, moustaches, flapper dresses, suspenders and art deco decorations... Watch this space.

Bises,

Riona

The First Stage Is Denial...

I refuse to believe that I will never watch a new episode of Gossip Girl ever again. I've never felt so attached to a TV show and its characters. But anyway - let's talk Finale. SPOILERS AHEAD.



So firstly DAN HUMPHREY IS GOSSIP GIRL? I have such mixed feelings about this. On one hand, he was one of my top suspects and it does make sense - he is, after all, there in most situations and obviously had something against the other characters in the early days. On the other hand DAN HUMPHREY IS A MALE. HOW CAN HE HAVE THE VOICE OF KRISTEN BELL? Oh the confusion. I also just can't imagine Dan signing off "xoxo, Gossip Girl". There's also the problem of scenes in past series where Dan sees posts and appears shocked, or there's a photo of him that he couldn't possibly have taken - however, the producers did half cover themselves by mentioning that Jenny knew of Dan's secret identity. I think we all knew it was Dan all along, we just didn't accept it and now we know for sure it's just so obvious. Just think back to the finale of Series 2 when Serena texted Gossip Girl to meet up with her and Dan turned up. We were shocked at first then immediately bought his story of just looking for Serena - and so did she.

I loved the episode in general, it was a great end to a great programme. There were, however, some things which annoyed me. NOT ENOUGH JENNY. I really loved Jenny and I was kind of hoping for her to team up with Waldorf designs, which she apparently did according to the bag she was carrying which said 'J - Waldorf Designs' or something, but I feel she was completely skimmed over, despite being such a huge character in the past. I also feel that Rufus and Lily's relationship was not put to bed the way it should have been, although it hasn't been a main storyline it shouldn't have been skimmed over. And seriously - she gets back with psychopath William? You've changed, Lily. To be honest, the whole Ivy-trying-to-destroy-Lily-but-failing wasn't really covered and I was expecting Lola to make an appearance but once again, not a main storyline and I suppose they only have forty odd minutes.

Of course, all great TV/film legacies have to round things off with a flash forward and, though giving closure and adding a heart-warming touch, I feel this part was quite weak. As much as I loved Henry Bass, it was really just about Dan and Serena, which I can understand as this was exactly how the programme began but it would have been nice to have more closure on other relationships, careers etc. I loved the very end bit, giving the impression that Gossip Girl will live on in society.

Now for all of the feels. I feel more emotional about Gossip Girl ending than Harry Potter - a bold statement. I've never felt so attached to every aspect of a show - after watching an episode I often find myself looking up the soundtrack of the episode, outfits of the cast, reviews of the episode, the places in NYC featured in the ep, texting my friend (an equally huge fan) my opinion of the episode and occasionally looking on newyorksocialdiary.com to look inside the 'real' Gossip Girl world. What ever kind of week/day I've had, I could usually always indulge in the elite and magical world of the Upper East Side for an hour every Tuesday. But no more. I realise how incredibly cliché and over emotional this all sounds, but Gossip Girl has been a key part of my life for a few years now - something I always make time for, can quote in apt situations and discuss religiously with friends. It's also (this is where it gets abnormally sad) something I incorporate into my life. Whether that's through clothes, music, films, books, the way I do my hair or career aspirations, it's genuinely influenced areas of my life. And there's constant reminders of it - whenever I hear Young Folks I think of Serena on the train and the first time we hear of Lonely Boy. If I watch an Audrey Hepburn film, I instantly think of Blair's dreams of being Audrey in various films. I see a book by Scott F. Fitzgerald and think of Serena in L.A. I drink gin, I think of Cece. I speak French, I think of Blair and Louis in Paris. Sad, right?

So how will I cope without my favourite programme? Unfortunately I really haven't the time at the moment to rewatch every episode, which will have to wait until after exams. So until then, you'll be able to find me cuddling my Series 1 boxset and listening to all the soundtracks of the series. No one can thank Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz enough for everything they've done and I have already decided that my future children will be forced to watch AND LOVE the programme, even if rope must be involved.

Bises et larmes (tears),

xoxo Riona

P.S. Stephanie Savage answered some of our suspicions here about Dan being Gossip Girl. http://tvline.com/2012/12/18/gossip-girl-series-finale-spoilers-dan/

Goodbye Gossip Girl xoxo

It's here. The day we never thought would come, that we may not even have believed would come, has arrived. I'm not talking about the whole 2012 Maya thing, but it is indeed the end of the world of Gossip Girl.

Unfortunately, living in England means I don't get to watch it until it goes online tomorrow (God I love 1channel.ch), unlike the lucky Americans who can watch it live tonight. Or not so lucky, considering there's an ad break basically every time we hear their GG iPhone blast alerts (an awful lot). The show's had a good run, lived a good life, but I think we can all kind of agree that it was her time to go. After having an incredibly successful first two series, the viewing figures have been dropping ever since and, while it kills me to say this, I have to admit that this series has been a bit of a disappointment. The 'scandalous' girls on 90s cartoon Recess have hatched revenge plans superior to Blair Waldorf's as of late and definitely did so with more conviction. Blair's character especially has been completely watered down - where are the snide comments we all love to hear when a Humphrey walks through the door? The tantrum when Dorota gets a dress order wrong? As much as I love Leighton Meester and her character, in this series she may as well have moved to Brooklyn and got a loyalty card at Trader Joe's.

However, the extreme change in character personalities still doesn't stop me from adoring the show. Personally, I think the reason it's so popular, certainly with my friends and I, is because it's the perfect mix of fantasy and... er... to be honest, I'm not too sure what it's a mix with - drama? To me, they live the dream life - the life I would choose for myself, if it were possible to choose which life we'd like to live. High rise apartment on the Upper East Side, a trust fund to last a lifetime, a summer house in the Hamptons, invitations to all NYFW shows, unlimited access to Chanel, Marc Jacobs - you name it. I also think the setting itself (New York, a split between the elite Upper East Side and slightly slummier Brooklyn) has played a huge part in the programme; you really can't imagine it being shot anywhere else, the surroundings represent the characters so well. It's definitely the life to aspire to, but I have a feeling it's only achievable if you were born into a Stately Home and Unlimited Trust Fund inheriting family. Oh.

Anyway, I got all emotional earlier about my favourite show ever finally coming to an end and got thinking about how it's actually kind of heavily impacted my life, in a social cultural political way. (...and then I just CHUNDERED EVERYWHERE). No, I'm joking. Kind of. As over emotional and cringey as it sounds, Blair Waldorf in particular has influenced the way I think. I sometimes ask myself "What would Blair Waldorf do?" in situations and the outcome is usually the way to get what you want. She may be a scheming power hungry doe-eyed princess, but she is ultimately a strong, straight-thinking woman with an impeccable taste in clothes.

Speaking of clothes - Gossip Girl has most definitely influenced my dress sense. I've always been a lover of headbands but Gossip Girl introduced me to a few more items which are now staples in my wardrobe...

• The Trench

I adore trench coats, when I'm wearing one I can't help but feel like running out into the rain and screaming 'CAT! CAT!' and then violently attacking George Peppard's face in a tender, loving way. This feeling is intensified by the fact I bought it in the 5th Ave branch of Zara in New York.

• Coloured Tights

A key item of the Gossip Girl wardrobe, these instantly add a pop of colour and brighten up any subdued outfit. Sah preppy.

• Sailor Style

Blair's style especially is very 'sailor', with lots of navy, white and red. She also wears a lot of tailored, structured pieces, though absent in this photo of the sailor jacket. Her outfits often involve top-buttoned shirts with large collars.

I'll miss you B.

I'll let you know as soon as I've watched the finale... I might actually cry.

Bises,

Riona

First University Offer!

Hello non-existent readers!

I got my first University offer today! I've been checking my emails as if my life depends on it for the last few weeks in hope of good news and finally I've received a conditional offer from Royal Holloway, University of London! (to study French and English Literature)

How gorgeous is that building? Seriously reminiscent of Hogwarts, the University was originally a women-only institution (love a bit of feminism) and was officially opened in 1886 by Queen Victoria.

The University also has good links with the Sorbonne (University of Paris) which is where I plan to spend six months studying at in my year abroad. Yes, the main reason I want to go there is because it's been mentioned in Gossip Girl so many times.

Very excited for what the future holds.

Bises,

Riona

SNOW!

It's finally here! Even if it is only about two inches, snow is a sure fire way to put everyone in the Christmassy mood. Of course there are downs as well as ups, E.G. the menacing group of boys standing outside college waiting to bombard innocent students with snow balls.

How else can you get in the Christmassy mood?

1) Order your Christmas dress, if you haven't already - ASOS currently have free next day delivery, if you want to get in there ASAP.
2) Try Starbucks' winter range. Four words - salted caramel hot chocolate. Who'd have thought salt and caramel would make such a great combination?
3) Buy an embarrassing Christmas jumper in a charity shop. Jolly Brown in Hitchin also sells some great ones. (Although Christmas jumpers don't actually seem to be labelled as 'embarrassing' anymore, as every second person seems to have one...)
4) Decorate some ginger bread men. I'm not really sure why gingerbread men are associated with Christmas but they're still fun.
5) Try going to a Christmas carol service! They're so cute and traditional and almost always are followed by refreshments.

This is my road and garden today (I have no idea whose green banger of a car is outside my house) and my outfit. Yes I'm wearing shorts, I will not be beaten.

Bises,

Riona

'Keep your head, heels and standards high'

Now I know the above saying is probably the most overused Twitter bio (9 times out of 10 appearing to be a contradictory joke...) but with these new babies my head will certainly be held high.

I'd been looking for a pair of black ankle strap wedges for weeks (I'm picky about the strap being attached to the very top of the shoe, not half way down) and stumbled across these on ASOS - reduced! I'd seen them a while ago but was a bit strapped for cash at the time, so to come back and see them reduced made my day. The gold wedge makes them perfect for Christmas. (Yes, I realise this is very apt after my last post, I just had to spread the joy)

Speaking of the Christmas season, this nail varnish (Models Own Hedkandi range - Ibiza Mix) is the glitziest nail polish around, also perfect for the party season.

Bises,

Riona

Is blogging a feminine thing to do? And look who finally got her hands on an iPhone...

Firstly - I finally have an iPhone (after having been on pay as you go for five years on two awful phones) so you can expect A LOT more from me now I can blog on the move.

But enough about the phone that I can't put down. I bought Company magazine the other day and their article about bloggers interested me - the style blogosphere has become dominated by woman, with only 1 in 20 fashion blogs being run by a man.

Women have always been the fashion conscious sex, but this is changing more and more every day. Males, particularly of the teenage type, are the most interested they have ever been in fashion - possibly because they've heard about our Shoes: Make Or Break rule - so why aren't they blogging? Plenty have Tumblr (don't we know it) where they reblog endless outfits but most men don't want to talk about it. Is it their nonchalant low-key style? The fact that they aren't as keen as women to discuss a recent splurge or a bargain?

I think it mainly comes down to the nature of women - we are over-sharers. We've all had the "nice shoes" compliment and instantly blurted out where we bought them and how much they were; we just have to share our joy with an equal lover of clothes. However, let's not completely forget the presence of men in the blogosphere - music journalism is a popular career aspiration among males. My friend runs an extremely successful music blog which put him in touch with up and coming bands and helped him get several university offers for his music journalism course. In addition, Made In Chelsea's Proudlock updates his Outfit of the Day blog daily - www.proudlockstyle.com - which could influence other boys, he is after all the male AND female gaze of Made In Chelsea.

I found the article quite thought-provoking and Company's December issue is jam packed with clothes, DIY Christmas accessories (minus pasta and glitter covered photo frame), music reviews and aspirational career info. I seriously think this is what sets Company apart from other fashion magazines: they aim to inspire young women to achieve a high-end career in the field they love.

Plus the current issue is only £1.25 - buy it quickly before the January magazines come out!

On the subject of blogs, here are my top 3 favourites:

www.lostincheeseland.com
www.thecollegeprepster.com
www.thelondoner.me

Bises,

Riona

Louis Vuitton SS'11

Okay. So I realise this is now over a year ago but that still doesn't change the fact that this was MY FAVOURITE COLLECTION AND RUNWAY SHOW EVER (seriously you can't watch the YouTube video enough times) and why should I deprive the general public of my opinion? Therefore I shall post my review of it.


Pastel pinks, baby blues and sorbet greens had turned into an almost sickening shade of ice cream by the  end of Paris Fashion Week, ending with the Louis Vuitton show on Wednesday 6th October. Organza, embroidery, silk and lace were all prominent in this year’s Spring/Summer collections in Paris, but none more so than the highly acclaimed Louis Vuitton show designed by Marc Jacobs.

High expectations were already in place as the audience took their seats at a location none other than the Cour Carrée de Louvre. The audience, full of models such as Natalia Vodianova who said she wished
she had walked the show, were awestruck as at 10:30am sharp a forty-eight pony carousel was unveiled; a daintily dressed model perched on each one. The fashion merry-go round started turning and music that cannot be described by any other word but magical filled the space.

“The carousel was also a metaphor for fashion. The way it goes round and round…and how there is no end to fashion. How it’s a beautiful ride. And there is no end to its beauty.”  Jacobs affirmed.

The look of the show was very 50’s with pretty pastels, full skirts and top-buttoned shirts. This slight reminiscence of childhood was continued in the hair styles with every single model’s hair tied up in feminine updos, frayed chignons or buns topped with simple white headbands. The fairground theme, the devastatingly pretty collection and the music were, together, the epitome of innocence and magic. However, the look never got too sugary with every model wearing killer silver stilettos and holding metallic clutches. 

The eight minute show came to a close with a surprise appearance from Kate Moss – who doesn’t walk for just anyone. The fashion princess strutted in virginal white, wearing a Broderie Anglais dress teamed with white stilettos. This was highly contrasting of her Autumn/Winter’11 Louis Vuitton show appearance where she donned black hot pants with dominatrix style knee high boots and toted a cigarette on the runway (on non-smoking day, newspapers delightedly pointed out).

Kate Moss walking Louis Vuitton A/W’11 and S/S’11 - which do you prefer?

“It was poetic. Amazing and magical,” Olivia Wilde told People magazine. “I’ve seen fashion shows before but this was my first Paris show of this size, this beauty. I’ve never seen anything like this in my life before.”

Just some of the looks from the show - Blair Waldorf would be proud. Note that Daphne Groeneveld also walked, one of her first shows of this size.

The critical acclaim only further raised suspicions that Jacobs will in fact transfer to Dior now that John Galliano is no longer head designer. However, when questioned on the matter Jacobs simply stated “This is 

a Louis Vuitton show. I work for Louis Vuitton.” But if anything proves he is up to the job, it was this show. “This,” one fashion insider declared, “was a show which said: ‘The sky’s the limit.’

After this show, it certainly is.

You can watch the stunning show here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4uZwi0eT3k

Bises, Riona

ZUT ALORS! ¡Qué lástima! Mamma Mia! 不得了!

Know any of those? Not many British people do (Mamma Mia doesn’t count). It’s official – English students are officially the language dunces of Europe. In June, a survey taken by the European Commission revealed that we are at the bottom of the language league for reading, writing and listening.  As for speaking, only 9% of 14 and 15 year olds can hold a conversation in French – comparing to an average of 42% across Europe. So what (or who) is to blame for this total lack of enthusiasm for language? And with the economy as bleak as it currently is (although, when is it ever good?) why are we knowingly disabling ourselves for the ever looming World Of Work?

Well, this sudden decline followed the Labour government’s decision to make foreign languages optional to learn (way back in 2002) once children made their GCSE choices – resulting in the number sitting a modern language falling by more than 200,000 between 2002 and 2010. So now it’s optional, why does learning a foreign language appeal to so little teenagers? There’s the obvious – ‘too much effort.’ True. Truth is, learning a foreign language is far easier said than done – you have to learn about tenses you never even knew existed in English (pluperfect anyone?), not to mention an accent with pronunciations completely opposite to English and the irregular verb conjugations that often seem like a cruel joke just to test you. Oh yes, do not underestimate the commitment to fluency of a language.

Furthermore, there’s the ignorant ‘two beers please’ attitude that surrounds the subject of foreign languages in England - that English people don’t have to learn another language. To be fair, the statistics seem to suggest this too – after all, English is the official language of the European Union.

So why should we learn languages? Personally, I believe sticking to our native tongue is not fulfilling our human potential – our brains are incredible things and too many people aren’t using them to their full advantage. In addition, and you can only understand this once you’ve had a proper conversation with a foreigner in their own tongue, there is the extreme gratification of learning a language and then putting it into practice with a native – and they actually understand you.

Don’t have the time to dedicate to becoming fluent in a language? You don't need to be fluent in a second-tongue to boost your chances in the job market. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) found that 74% of employers recruit applicants with conversational ability rather than those who are word perfect. They believe this can "help break the ice, deepen cultural understanding, and open business access to new markets."

So why not give it a go?! There are always evening language classes but if you’re still too busy for them, the Internet can be pretty good to improve (or learn from scratch) conversational abilities. Try out www.hellomylo.com for Spanish, French, German and Chinese…

Bises, Riona

Welcome, one and all...

Bonjour! Bonjourno! Hola! Aloha! Pryvit!

So I set this up like a week ago (after debating for a lifetime over what to name it) and I STILL can't figure out how to write in the 'About me' box?! Google is no help. Anywho I figured I should say a bit about myself as my first blog post (you will probably read this all again once I figure out how to write it in this elusive 'About' box)...

I'm one of those people who can't just 'like' something. I have to full on obsess over it. This is evident in my infatuation with Alex Turner, Arctic Monkeys, Gossip Girl, Made In Chelsea (please don't judge), Harry Potter, Submarine and Lana Del Rey. So yeah you can expect quite a lot about those. I will marry Alex Turner or Ed Westwick (although I have to admit I constantly think of him as Chuck Bass and would probably be a little disappointed with what he's really like... but with those two accents who cares).

I'm a huge "grammar Nazi".

Music - it's a bit of a range but I guess it's mainly indie rock; I love Arctic Monkeys, Kings of Leon, The Kinks, The Stone Roses, The Beach Boys, Blondie, The Vaccines, The Cure, The Smiths, Bombay Bicycle Club, Pixies, The Libertines, Foals... You get the gist. However I also love Bon Iver, Simon and Garfunkel, Azealia Banks and Kanye West...

Film - Once again a bit of a mix: Inception, Atonement, Breakfast At Tiffany's, Submarine, Anchorman, The Shawshank Redemption and the whole Harry Potter series. Also fond of films of the French New Wave.

Books - I'm currently trying to make my way through the BBC's Top 100 books To Read Before You Die... I'll let you know how that goes... I love George Orwell - 1984 and Animal Farm, J.D. Salinger - Catcher In The Rye (I want Holden Caulfield to be my friend) and the Harry Potter series. There's loads more I just can't think.

Other things I like - FOOD, London, New York, photography (am I cliché yet?), disposable cameras, mint choc chip icecream, Elle, theatre, everything French, long summer evenings, Chanel, the smell of 'abroad', leather bound books, tea tea tea, black coffee (unless it's a gingerbread latte), my laptop, Doctor Who, stationery, cynical people, Cath Kidston, messy hair, headbands, collared shirts, collages, eyeliner, money, thinking about the future, knee high socks, laughing, cider, places that make me feel small, free standing baths, glowsticks, Cara Delevingne, the 60s, the 20s.

I hate - MATHS, I hate maths in a big way. Primark, drawn on eyebrows, exams, having loads and loads of boring stuff to do and putting it off day after day (my life), having no money (all the time), spiders, being stuck in the house, cleaning, Paul's Boutique, the fear of failing.

I've started this blog in the hope of... Looking a bit more prepared when I say I want to work "in the media"? Printing pretty business cards if it becomes popular? Finding my hilarious inner Caitlin Moran or Grace Dent? I don't know. Probably just to see if anyone actually cares about the things which occupy my mind, and just so I can carry on writing, if I'm serious about journalism. I'll mainly talk about topics that I'm interested in and that affect my life. However there will also be a lot of photos.

In short, I'm a daydreamy nail biter with constant bed hair who's obsessed with anything French.

I'm glad we're more acquainted now.

BISES, Riona

P.S. I don't know what the devil I'm going to write about.

P.P.S. If I'm feeling brave I may even write an article in French (I do wanna do it at uni). Take heed.