Fashion Forward: Kate Fearnley Boutique

If you hail from my hometown of Middlesbrough, the Kate Fearnley fashion label is one which you will not only know, but adore. However, those of you who are not familiar with this fashion forward designer will soon wonder why not? Loved by many A-list celebrities, such as Cheryl Cole, Katie Price, The Saturdays, Amy Childs and Alexandra Burke to name a few, Kate Fearnley’s quirky, edgy style has risen from the picturesque, seaside town of Saltburn-by-the-Sea to the glittering glamour of the red carpets!

Katie Price and daughter Princess both wearing  Kate Fearnley in an OK magazine shoot.

Graduating from Northumbria University in Newcastle in 1997 with a BA (Hons) in Fashion, Kate made her dreams come true when she won the Princes Trust in 2002 and established her own label. Nowadays, her eclectic style and exquisite collections made up of unusual fabrics, textures and shapes have propelled her popularity so much so that her little boutique in Middlesbrough have fans all over the country. This stylish store is a frequent haunt of the locals and her beautiful dresses are always a must-go-to whenever a special event is on the cards!

In 2010, Kate Fearnley was rewarded for her grit, determination and fashion flair with the prestigious Cosmopoliton award for the ‘Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year’. Cosmo said of the young, up-and-coming designer: “We loved Kate’s fun and fearless determination to burst on to the fashion scene. She never gave up and has truly succeeded in bringing her designs to life, making them accessible on the high street. She’s a true inspiration.”

Kate Fearnley winning the ‘Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year’ award at top women’s fashion magazine, Cosmopoliton. Pictured here with TV presenter, Zoe Salmon, who also wears Kate Fearnley.

The Kate Fearnley fashion label continues to surprise and delight with her Autumn/Winter collection for 2011 where a mix of fabrics and unusual adornments show an insight into her flirtatious, creative mind. Although her dresses aren’t particularly cheap at around £160 to £200 a dress, they are most certainly one of a kind, bang on trend and scream haute couture. When you buy a Kate Fearnley dress, you will be wearing something bold, new and exciting. And you certainly won’t be overlooked in a crowd wearing these gorgeous numbers:

       Left: Paige. This knee-length dress features a luxurious, bold yet feminine print with oversized, contrasting shoulder detail.

      Right: How amazing is this ‘Mendes’ dress!? The unusual mix of bold colours combined with the striped waistband gives this classic design the ‘wow’ factor. Add sequin collar and pocket detail and you’ve got yourself a winner.

      Below: Francis. This gorgeous, vibrant dress features boxed sleeves and a key hole cut to the back. 

            Above: The print and lace three-quarter sleeves showcase this ‘Gracey’ dress to its full potential. Wow!

      Left: The LBD has a unique edge with this ‘Astrid’ dress. The beautiful corsage detailing on the one shoulder and striped fabric makes this dress simply stunning.

           Right: Buttercup. This 50’s inspired dress looks divine with charming bow detail, underskirt and provocative colours.

      

Do you need to see more? Visit www.katefearnleyboutique.co.uk for more breathtakingly beautiful dresses, ideal for that special occasion. Kate Fearnley also custom makes dresses to introduce that special something that is just you!

Not only are her collections a parade of beautiful, feminine yet quirky dresses, they also prove the statement that with determination you can succeed. And for that Kate, I thank you.

Love,

Emma xx

The Bachelor arrives!

Gavin and his girls!

This month has seen the UK version of The Bachelor hit our TV screens and boy, has it arrived with a bang! The reality dating show stars Welsh Rugby Union player Gavin Henson as the ever-so-eligible bachelor and a variety of girls, each with gorgeous looks and often quite strange personalities, all vying for a place in Gavin’s heart.

The reality series aired on August 19, with Gavin meeting, greeting and judging all 25 girls who are competing against each other to snare the bachelor. And some girls certainly put on a show! 26-year-old Tia didn’t even introduce herself before going in for a cheeky kiss on the lips and one girl even groped his bum, causing a shocked Mr Henson to give his best ‘Help me!’ look to the camera. But Laura Blair, 23, a dancer from the Wirral, put on a performance of a lifetime, while her competitors merely looked on in despair. Slamming the limo door shut, she certainly grabbed Gavin’s attention by refusing to walk up the stairs to meet him and exclaiming: “Carry me up the stairs otherwise I’m going home.” Poor Gavin had nowhere to run to!

The series, with its fourth show airing this Friday, follows Gavin’s quest to find his ‘one true love’ after his very public split with singer, ex-fiancée and mother of his two children, Charlotte Church. After two years living in singledom, Gavin is ready to move on and find someone new, by taking the girls out on a variety of dates each week, from daredevil zip-lining to romantic picnics in the park. Each show culminates in a rose ceremony, where the bachelor distributes roses to his favourite girls, leaving one or two broken-

hearted and therefore whittling his prospective girlfriends down to just one.

Gavin with ex-fiancée Charlotte Church.

Although this series has been entertaining to say the least (especially to a 21 year old girl who can fantasise about snaring such a hunk!), the end result seems pretty far-fetched. Guaranteed to offer true love, The Bachelor claims to end the series with Gavin and his new girl setting off into the sunset in a fully-fledged serious relationship. Even I, a hopeless romantic, find that pretty hard to believe! For one thing, the girls didn’t even know who their prospective beau would be, only that he is single and famous. And let’s face it, who wouldn’t want to date a celebrity? (Here’s hoping I stumble into Prince Harry some day!) Also, in a competition against 24 other girls, I definitely don’t believe you can show off your true self, warts and all, to the bachelor. Nevertheless, I offer the best of luck to the ‘winner’ and her man, and my cynical self might be pleasantly surprised in the future to see Gavin Henson’s wedding on the front of OK! Magazine.

Has anyone else been watching The Bachelor? What do you think about it and does it differ to the US version?

Hope you all enjoyed this post!

Love, Emma xx

Hot on the High Street: Peter Pan Collar.

The newest style to hit the high street this month is the cute peter pan collar, seen adorning blouses and dresses alike. The sweet rounded collar is often accessorised with pussy bows and neck ties and is guaranteed to make you look cute as a button! Here are my favourite (and affordable) picks available online! I’m quite attracted to lace, can you tell?

(Click on the pictures to go to website.)

This navy printed dress from Red Herring is simply adorable. The print features flying birds and the vintage white lace collar just sets this dress off!  £40.

ASOS stuns with this gorgeous lace, fitted dress. The structured skirt and zig-zag hem is to die for and is available in the four colours of black, white, teal and navy. £45.

Lace features again in this jade-coloured sleeveless blouse from Topshop. With ribbon tie detail to show off the peter pan collar, I think this is my favourite! Also available in burgundy and white, £26.

The Peter Pan collar looks so cute on this sheer shift dress from Missguided.co.uk. In this season’s hot colour of rust, the black trim, long sleeves and pleated design showcase this dress beautifully. Also available in mustard, £22.99.

This peter pan collar shift dress by Vero Moda is reminiscent of the 60’s and features an A-line silhouette. Only £15!

Hope you like my choices, do you own anything with a Peter Pan collar and what do you think of this style?

Love, 

Emma xx

Operation Beautiful

I recently stumbled upon Operation Beautiful and completely fell in love with the concept! Launched by 26-year-old Caitlin Moran from Charlotte, North Carolina on her blog in 2009, the scheme helps to promote positive well-being and self-image to other people across the globe. Instead of the bitchy remarks that are heard all too often nowadays, Operation Beautiful aims to end the negative self-talk in women, children and men by encouraging the positive qualities within everyone. The idea is simple: by posting nice, cute and inspirational messages on post-it-notes in random, public places, you are able to make one person feel better about themselves and spread a feeling of warmth and love. Operation Beautiful is transforming the way you see yourself, one post-it-note at a time. 

So how can you get involved and spread the love? Simply carry a pad of post-it-notes and a pen in your handbag/pocket/coat and leave an inspirational message anywhere you feel someone will be able to see it. The toilets, the gym changing rooms, the library, the supermarket- seriously anywhere! You’ll feel good about yourself for imparting some affection and I can guarantee that whoever receives the note will surely appreciate it!

I believe that everyone’s unique qualities should be valued and celebrated and self-confidence is imperative to happiness. And what better way of spreading the self-confidence, happiness and well-being than through these random, little gestures? This is certainly a scheme we should all be involved in in this day and age where the world seems to be obsessed with the perfect body, seen in photoshopped images in the media. Because we are all beautiful and perfect in our own special way!

So whack out your post-it-note today and impart a little bit more joy in this world of negativity. Remember you’re beautiful!

If you want any more information about Operation Beautiful, visit their site here.

Love,

Emma.

N is for... Nailene nails!

Hi there,

Going do a quick beauty post today following a lovely giveaway I managed to win earlier this week!

Thanks to the lovely Sherrie at Mirror Mirror on the Wall, I was lucky enough to win a pack of Nailene nails and also a pack of their New Ultra Tabs, which are an alternative to glue. So no more faffing and getting your fingernails, hands and whatever else for that matter covered in glue, these adhesive tabs easily stick to natural nails without damaging them in the process... excellent! They are really easy to remove as well, you just slide off the artificial nail rather than pulling it off, easy peasy!

I’ve borrowed this pic from Sherrie’s blog as I was too eager to rip into my packs to take a quick pic!

I must say that the adhesive tabs were excellent and had real sticking power. My only problem was that they didn’t seem big enough to cover my nails and sometimes I had to stick on more than one, maybe I have large fingernails, who knows? Here are the results...

 I have never had artificial nails before so these were a first for me and I definitely thought that they looked gorgeous and would certainly try them again! The nails looked natural with French tips and as they were short cortas, they were very manageable. Unfortunately for me, they did not last the full, guaranteed 5 days but I loved them all the same and would definitely recommend them for some special occasions!

Hope you enjoyed my beauty post,

Emma!

Move over Big Brother, it's Little Brother!

For the past ten years, every summer we have heard Davina McCall’s high-pitched screeches from our television sets, exclaiming ‘You are live on Channel 4, please do not swear!’ However, after a significant era of reality television, the Big Brother phenomenon is finally over and not without a few relieved and thankful faces.

However, all is not lost for die-hard fans of reality television. The show, which is reason for the rise and downfall of many household names, has spawned many different and successful copycat series’, such as Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, Dirty Sexy Things, Made in Chelsea and The Real Housewives of New Jersey to name a few.  Following the epic success of these reality shows, Channel 4 has revealed their screening of another programme, guaranteed to shock the nation. In a situation not unlike its main earner, Big Brother, Channel 4 have forced a group of personalities into a shared house to live and get to know one another. The difference? The stars of the show are all less than 5ft tall.

Entitled Seven Dwarfs, the show follows seven vertically challenged people along the Christmas period as they star together in the pantomime Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The cameras document the seven as they party hard whilst simultaneously trying to focus on their panto performances. The cast include a dwarf couple, a drag queen and actors who have starred in major films, such as the Harry Potter series.

But do we really need another reality TV show? Every channel seems to be jumping on the proverbial bandwagon and our cosy nights in in front of the television seem to be inundated with these shows, featuring ludicrous characters and even more ludicrous behaviour (who can forget last month’s Geordie Shore?) However, even I have to admit, I am a sucker for this cringe-y, invasive television, in which we are able to watch over-the-top, larger-than-life but nonetheless very real people going about their daily lives and doing thing we wouldn’t dream of doing. Despite the largely universal opinion that reality shows have ruined television, this new TV series is simply catering to the public’s needs (we have to admit the popularity of Big Brother after all). Plus the added extra of the ‘reality stars’ being under 5ft tall means that Seven Dwarfs could end up being more entertaining and successful than the rest.

On the other hand, although this programme is tarred with the same brush as other reality shows featuring big (or in this case, small) personalities, Channel 4 claims that Seven Dwarves will not hold its subjects up only to knock them down again. Instead, the seven dwarves are all lively, down-to-earth people, who are open to people’s reaction to their size and will provide an entertaining and fascinating experience into how they live their lives: coping with their size and performing on stage. Channel 4 therefore claims the show will change the public’s preconceptions by providing an honest and rounded insight into the private and professional lives of such a minority group. Executive Producer Nick Curwin said: "By capturing every aspect of their lives, the series will break-through panto stereotypes to show how this group of dwarf actors face the challenges of ordinary life head-on."

Whether I’ll be cringing or pleasantly surprised, I’ll most certainly be watching! Seven Dwarves airs on Tuesday, August 16!

Hope you enjoy it,

Emma xx

Have some pride!

Since Thursday 4^th August, after 29-year-old Mark Duggan from Tottenham was killed by police in unexplained and suspicious circumstances, violent riots have swept across the country. Beginning with a quiet but passionate protest over what they believed to be an unfair killing, tempers soon swept out of control, sparking full-blown riots and lootings that have spread across and past the capital. Major cities, such as Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol, and Leeds, have seen copycat acts of mindless violence, far removed from any political point, which have lasted for a fourth night running.

Thousands of youths, mostly aged between fourteen and twenty, have partaken in unimaginable scenes of aggression, brutality and opportunistic looting. Some say that they are standing up for their rights and fighting for a better future but opponents look on in disgust as their rampages spread and they damage their own reputation and their own city.

However in this time of fear, where the rioters lead a path of destruction, the good, moral people of society have risen to the occasion and have taken pride in their cities. These tales of bravery and kindness of those who are not involved in the riots show that despite how we feel at the moment, there are still those out there willing to do good and to make a change for the better.

The Riot Clean-up is an operation devoted to cleaning up the areas affected by the riots, such as in London, Liverpool and Birmingham. The Clean-Up is composed solely of volunteers by the locals in the communities affected and are about people who care, coming together to engender a sense of community.

A Riot Clean-up poster.

Also locals have joined forces together to oppose the rioters, as Clapham locals stop thugs going up Northcote Road, Turkish men from Dalston guard their highstreet with sticks and a group of over 70 teenagers chase 150 rioters off their street in South London. Locals have also come together in a display of community spirit to protect those in danger because of the riots: a 176 bus driver who was out of service gallantly stopped and offered people a lift to safety.

Also, as looters and rioters smashed up shops, looted and fought with police in Camden Town, Phillipa Morgan-Walker, 25 and her husband, Jonny Walker, 31, made tea for the police who were protecting their street, some of whom had been on duty more than 30 hours.

Photo taken from http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixel-eight/6024429000/

These scenes show that, despite the awful violence occurring on the streets night after night, there are people out their willing to help and make a difference because they have pride in their city. Communities are joining together, getting to know one another in the aftermath and making friendships along the way. Have pride for where you live and do your bit to clean up or support the safety of others!

O is for Owl Jewellery!

So just like that first day when Voldemort disappeared (can you tell I am still on a Potter high?), owls are being spotted everywhere, but this time it’s not in the skies, it’s in fashion! Everywhere I turn, there seems to be a pair of glistening owl’s eyes staring back at me and don’t they look great?

The mysterious, aloof quality of owls have intrigued people for a long time, creating superstition and the belief that the figure of an owl symbolises wisdom, foresight and sacred knowledge. And what better or beautiful a symbol to wear about your person?

So I thought I’d share with you all some of my favourites over my ever-so-frequent trawls over the internet (and don’t forget they are cheap and cheerful). Enjoy!

Also, you can click on every image to take you to the website to buy :-)

Necklaces:

This cute crystal effect silver owl on a silver pendant screams expensive chic, but it's only £8.00 from Amazon! An ideal price for this piece to glisten on your neck.

How gorgeous is this necklace? The gold tone and contrasting bright blue feather makes this a statement piece, guaranteed to attract attention. And, it's only £9.00 from ASOS, can't say fairer than that!

Twit twoo! This charming little necklace with mini jewelled eyes also doubles up as a locket. £16.00 from Urban Outfitters.  

Bracelets:

Add a bit of sparkle and brightly-coloured jewels to your jewellery box with this stunning bracelet from QVC for £28.00. Ideal for brightening up a dark outfit and for sparkling on a summer's day!

Rings:

This quirky, kitsch, golden ring is emblazoned with a bright pink owl's face. It's something fun and different to add to your outfit and bang on trend! £8.00 from ASOS.

Watches:

This mock-croc leather buckle watch features an owl face and is ideal for those who don't fancy garish, owl figures. Simple, yet elegant. £26.00 from Urban Outfitters.

Earrings:

These cute, stud earrings featuring little owls are only £5.99 from eBid, you can't really say no to those faces, can you?

Brooches:

Similar to the crystal, silver necklace at the beginning of this blog post, this brooch also features tiny crystals and precision-places jewels to ensure this brooch blings on your outfit. How cute does it look? £9.00 from Amazon.co.uk.

This baby owl brooch glistens with gold and silver tones, and with those large eyes and tiny button beak, you are sure to attract attention with this one! £11.75 from Amazon.co.uk

This stunning brooch features not one but three owls, balancing on a fragile tree branch and glistens with more crystals and colourful jewels! The priciest on this blog post, at £30.48 from QVC, I think it's definitely worth the money.

Phew! I think that's all for now, let me know what you think and if you have seen any other owl pieces out there or if you have a favourite of your own?

Thanks,
Emma.

It all ends... or does it?

So the most-anticipated and simultaneously most-dreaded moment of the year (try the decade) has finally arrived. The era of the multi-million pound franchise Harry Potter is finally coming to a close after an amazing 14 years in our hearts. 2007 saw the emergence of the final literary instalment of the series with book shops around the UK filled to the rafters with queues of people eagerly anticipating the famous trio’s fate. And this weekend the final film Deathly Hallows Part 2 is released. From this moment, no longer will there be ‘the next book’ or ‘the next film’ to look forward to. The boy who lived has lived and we certainly enjoyed living with him.

The famous trio Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe laugh along with the Harry Potter creator, JK Rowling, at the UK premiere of Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

The posters are up all around the UK, featuring the now-famous slogan ‘It all ends’. But does it? I’m here to tell you not to despair, things aren’t as bad as they seem. The Harry Potter phenomenon still lives on and here’s why....

1.       Pottermore. Potter fans all around the world are anticipating the opening of the Pottermore website, created by Ms. Rowling herself. Expressed as a unique and exciting online reading experience, the website promises to give the world a new insight into the Harry Potter books that has never been seen before. On her YouTube announcement, Rowling says it is a place where fans of any age can share, participate in and rediscover the stories that we all know and love. Speculation is rife as to what this elusive statement actually means, from re-writing the stories yourselves and to finding out hidden ideas Rowling has about the characters, plotlines and more. However, we all know it will be the emergence of something amazing, which allows the reading public to carry on their love and participation in the story of Harry Potter. Visit pottermore.com on the 31^st July to find out how you can get the chance to enter Pottermore early.

Rowling sent shockwaves throughout the publishing industry with her Youtube announcement on Pottemore.com. 

2.       JK Rowling’s new beginning. Rowling has provided us with the comfort that she is working on new material and has plans to publish it! She exclusively revealed to BBC News that she has been ‘writing hard’ and ‘done quite a lot since finishing Harry’. So no need to despair, although Rowling won’t be carrying on the Potter series, there will definitely be more to come. This can be seen as both a new beginning and an end for Rowling. So what can we expect? Rowling has previously mentioned she has been working on a political fairytale for young children, a Harry Potter encyclopaedia and a book aimed at adults. However, she has said that her new venture will not be a fantasy series: "I think I've done my fantasy. To go and create another fantasy universe would feel wrong, and I don't know if I'm capable of it." However, Rowling did tease us at the Deathly Hallows Part 2 premiere in London last week in her tearful farewell speech: ‘Maybe I’ll write another one’. We can only hope!

3.       The story lives on in our hearts. Although the books have been published and the films released, we can still dip into them at any time, relive the favourite story of so many and dive back into a fantasy world that seems so real. Dan Radcliffe, at the Deathly Hallows Part 2 premiere in London, expressed that we are able to carry the story with us forever and Rowling gave this apt farewell:

‘The stories we love do live in us forever. Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.’

 And on that note, I'll leave you.

Emma  xx

Geordie Shore. Good, bad or just plain ugly?

So the hottest new shockumentary has hit our screens this month and it has certainly got everybody talking! Whether you love it, hate it or are warring a rampage against it, everyone has an opinion on the antics of the lads and lasses on MTV’s Geordie Shore!

A reproduction of its most successful ‘reality’ series Jersey Shore, MTV has created another show, in which 15 strangers from the North East are thrown together in a Big Brother-style pad and their shenanigans are viewed 24/7. Similar to the pseudo reality TV docu soaps of The Hills and The Only Way is Essex, Geordie Shore follows some extravagant characters in and around Newcastle, including an 18-year-old self-confessed ‘Posh Spice of Middlesbrough’ with fake FF breasts and a heavily-plucked Geordie male whose hardest days work is doing his hair. Despite a lack of an intriguing plotline in which the characters are merely viewed entering a variety of different nightclubs night after night, the Geordie Shore creators have certainly upped the ‘sex factor’ with this show, in which the characters are seen getting frisky with a multitude of different people in every episode, including each other.

The Geordie Shore cast.

However, despite popular ratings of over 1.3 million in its opening episode, trumping the MTV Music Awards, The Hills and Jersey Shore, and addictive characters, the show has caused uproar in the place the Geordie Shorers all know and love. Newcastle natives are worried about the region’s reputation and have branded the show a disgrace, believing the lewd and embarrassing behaviour to cause untold damage to the region’s image. This belief was so strong that a Facebook page was created, called ‘RIP Geordie Pride24/05/2011 10:00pm’, the moment which the first episode of Geordie Shore aired, which currently holds over 30 thousand members. Locals are so sore about the subject that the show is banned in city pubs, branding the show as pornographic. The Geordie Shorers, however, have defended their actions, saying that they are not representing Newcastle, they are merely representing themselves and they just do what any other average person does on a night out.

In addition, people from Middlesbrough, the hometown of cast member Holly Hagan, are also livid over her performance on the show, in which she obsessively parades her voluptuous body and continuously cheats on and argues with her boyfriend. This led to her being ostracised by the group and leaving the show within the third week. Middlesbrough was named ‘the worst place to live in the UK’ in a 2007 report by Location, Location, Location and ever since, there has been a resurgence of people defending and trying to regenerate the area, resulting in a city bid this year. However, due to Holly’s experiences on the show, sudden fears have emerged that the public perception of the town will have deteriorated; meaning the town and its people’s efforts will have been in vain.

Holly's outrageous behaviour in the hot-tub.

Personally, and as a local from the North East, I am enjoying the show purely due to the outrageous behaviour and extreme characters. However I do agree that many people outside the North East will form certain derogatory opinions due to what happens on Geordie Shore. I do feel that the show represents extreme behaviour and is not a true representation of how we Northerners truly live. Not all Geordies act that way but it can’t be denied, it is certainly entertainment!

What's your opinion on Geordie Shore, do you love it or hate it? Please feel free to follow me on twitter: @emmarobinson14.

Thanks,

Emma.