The Movie That Changed My Life -

From a very young age I had three passions in life, writing, talking and fashion and to me nothing else mattered. Three topics that overlapped so many times throughout my life I couldn't begin to explain but to this day at twenty one years of age there's one movie that inspires me like no other and that's 'The Devil Wears Prada'.

Growing up fashion was my escape similar to the way writing is for me today, no matter what was going on in my life I'd always have my design notebooks by my side and a packet of colouring pencils just in case.

I only watched fashion shows from Vivienne Westood to John Galliano, obsessed with the likes of project runway and A Listers Unzipped, as for Ben De Lisi... well De Lisi was my hero. I knew names of people twelve year old's shouldn't have been able to pronounce let alone know each of their collections inside out but for me fashion was my life and I loved it.

Like I mentioned above I admired Ben De Lisi growing up and I actually reached out to him at the age of 11 sending him an email off the family account and believe it or not he responded, I couldn't believe it. I remember asking Ben how he first got interested in fashion and he replied telling me it was when he wanted a pair of jeans but couldn't afford them so he made them himself and he never looked back. An email I received over 10 years ago and I still remember it word for word. Another fashion idol of mine was Irish stylist Courtney Smith, a lady who inspires me day in and day out and is doing phenomenal things in the fashion world today, she was what really inspired me to consider a career in fashion and told me that I can incorporate fashion and writing something I never even considered.

One thing I hated when I was younger was watching movies, I didn't have it in me to sit there quite for two hours but one movie that I could watch again and again and never get sick of it was The Devil Wears Prada. 

 If you haven't seen this Iconic film then firstly you need too but it's the story of Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) who is the Editor -in - Chief of Vogue magazine and her new assistant Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway) who has little to no knowledge about fashion but is embarking on a journalism career and knows if she can spend 12 months working at Vogue then she can have pretty any journalistic career she wants. As the story unfolds you see how fashion changes Andrea's life be it for the better or worst but you'll have to watch it yourself to decide.

 For me as a child interested in journalism and fashion I was obviously going to be attached to this movie and after watching it again last week for the first time in a while it gave me goose bumps and reminded me exactly why I first wanted a career in the fashion industry.

In the movie Andrea had my dream job (and boyfriend but that's another story) she worked for the Queen Miranda and day in and day out there she learned the history/ story of fashion and it wasn't before long she was hooked on fashion too, she never gave up on any job Miranda threw at her even though it backfired on her at the end the movie, for me showcases how passion and power can genuinely make or break a person depending on how you handle it and of course how important fashion is.

I understand that if you're not interested in fashion then this post is a heap of bogus to you but for me fashion meant everything to me. With so much going on in my life as a child the one thing I could always depend on was fashion, whether it was to take my mind of things by designing dresses or knowing that with each season was a new collection things were always going to get better and new things were to come. Fashion was what kept me going and is and always will be one of my life's biggest passions whether people know it or not.

My Heartbreak Story

Heartbreak is a something everyone will experience at least once in their lives and this is a story I've thought about sharing with you for a long while now, in fact it's been on my mind since December 23rd and the time has finally come to share it with you.

I will admit it's quite painful to talk about and not something I enjoy. As a matter of fact I write this with tears in my eyes but if my story can show you that there is light at the end of the tunnel then that will subside the pain that I have to feel when I write this post, just remember when one door closes another opens (even if it is more expensive and not quite as nice).

It all goes back to Friday November 25th a day also known as Black Friday, I decided to spend the day shopping in Clonmel seeing as though I had just got paid and was fairly delighted with myself, I didn't go with the intention of finding a love but as I walked through New Look I spotted this coat....it was black leather with a gorgeous faux fur collar and I was in love, I'm not joking it was love at first sight. It's as if everything in the shop disappeared and all I could see was this one particular coat, as I walked towards it I noticed it was in the sale and reduced to €65 and the only one left was in my size, nothing ever felt more right in my life. Without hesitation I picked it up and bought it there and then, I've never had a baby but bringing home my new coat in the back of the car must have been the same feeling as a new parent bringing home their child, I just can't describe it. It was love.
I wore it constantly, literally every single day it made me feel so glamorous, whether I'd just fallen out of bed and looking like a donkey just with this coat and a pair of jeans the glam was unreal, I loved it so much!!

On December 23rd it's tradition in my town to go out and do the twelve pubs of Christmas so of course I had to wear my new fabulous jacket, I got so many compliments and was loving life. As we went into our third pub I took off my coat and left it on the chair beside me, pride as place. The pub was actually fairly quiet so when my two musketeers decided to go out for air I decided to run up to the bar and order a drink leaving my coat with a friend who was chatting to someone else thinking it would be safe  and when I got back the coat was gone!!! 

I'll never forget the pain, the devastation, the heartbreak, and I began searching religiously for it. Not only was my prized possession gone, my €70, house key and inglot lipgloss and liner... GONE!!! 

Devastation was an understatement and the pain doesn't end there. I searched every New Look store near and far and no luck, I sent numerous emails before being told the jacket was out of stock and since it was on sale it was very unlikely to ever come back in stock...the blood in my veins ran cold, I'd never felt anything like it. As I said, I understand heartbreak is something that happens to everyone, but I just pray you'll never have to go through anything like this.

After mourning the coat was a reasonable amount of time I decided the time had come to try find a replacement, It was tough but this is the part that everything changed. Early one morning I decided to raid the internet and eventually found a coat that didn't fill the hole still in my heart but slowly started to mend it.

 €52 in River Island and yeah I know it's not as nice but it will do, twill do, twill do. I also ordered another one and I do actually love it. 

 The be all and end of this story is like I said above there's always light at the end of the tunnel and when you think you'll never find something else then be patient it'll come along.

So there you have it, my heartbreak story right out on a page, I hope it's helped someone going through something similar, just keep going!! Keep searching and eventually something will come along...

All the best xo 

Lidl Autumn/Winter 2016 Coat Collection

Years ago to get a decent Winter coat you'd have had to splash out a small fortune to get one that was both stylish and warm but Lidl have genuinely out done themselves with their new 2016 coat collection and I'm obsessed.
I've gotten a sneak peak at the upcoming season and we are in for a treat believe me, layering is key this Winter so make sure to keep an eye out for Lidl's faux fur gilet hitting stores in November which will only set you back €14.99. With the new Premium collection by Esmara launching we're going to see a much wider variety in Lidl from knitted jumpers, ankle boots and making a debut is a range of gorgeous underwear.
The range will feature lace bras (€7.99) with matching underwear (€6.99) in several shades such as cream, grey and dusty pink. These will be landing in December.

Anyway back to the reason I'm writing this blog ...the coats!! When it comes to Winter coats I probably have about 5 good warm coats but how many do I wear ?? One, I wear the same one every day of Winter and have done for the past four years so this year I've promised myself to widen my horizons and invest in some new coats. It wasn't until I came across the press release for Lidl that I realised my Winter hunt had become a lot easier.

My favourite piece from this collection is this gorgeous grey coat which is a steal at only €24.99

This is the piece that really caught my eye from the minute I saw the collection, Autumn is all about layering and I love how this coat was shown in the pic above, kept open with a knitted dress, if that doesn't scream Winter I don't know what will.

It's all about the grey colour this Winter and Lidl have really kept with this theme by releasing this coat for €24.99. The pricing is so reasonable especially with the Lidl quality being surprisingly brilliant.  

The third coat I'm in love with is this black 'you can do no wrong' coat and for €24.99 why wouldn't you head to your local Lidl and pick it up?? It will go with everything and can dress up an outfit so well, no matter what you're wearing, no matter what colour it is this is literally the most perfect priced accessory to go with it this Winter. 

And there you have three of my favourite coats from the new Autumn/Winter collection, there are so many more fashion pieces coming your way from now until December but definitely go to your local store and pick up one of these coats while stocks last...I'm in love!! 

Wish List Wednesday - Adidas 3- Stripes Tee

When it comes to fashion there's obviously the aspect of wanting to be on trend and looking amazing but what if there was a new trend for €30 that looked amazing and was the most comfiest top you've have ever placed on your body?? Well this weeks 'Wish List Wednesday' is something I actually purchased last week and I don't think I've ever loved a top as much, I'm not joking when it comes to washing time it's nearly easier getting me in the washing machine than the tee shirt.

I actually fell in love with a similar tee shirt back in April when my favourite YouTuber Jamie Genevieve was wearing it in her 'Lip Fillers & Botox' video and from that minute I thought she looked so so cool and I was obsessed with her top. I'm obsessed with Jamie in general anyway but this top was unreal!!

I didn't really think much more of it then until I went to Waterford to Lifestyle Sports and spotted the top in the distance I had just about €30 with me so straight away grabbed the top and ran to the checkout, no questions asked and it's without a doubt the best purchase I've ever made.
 The minute I got home I was straight into it and I'd never felt more casual, yet comfy and stylish in my whole entire life, if I could I'd swear this top on a night out and I'm not even joking I love it that much. Sportswear is ridiculously in at the moment so the top really is really in at the moment and
whether it is anyway why wouldn't you wear it it's fab?!
I know people will say spending €30
on a black tee shirt is piss taking seeing as though you'd get one for €2.50 in Penney's but honestly just try on this top and then get back to me the comfort is something to nothing and of course the quality is amazing, unlike Penney's it's not going to rip in half an hour.
   If you like this as much as I do head on down to your nearest Lifestyle sports or you can order it online here I hope you like this as much as I do :)

River Island Hump Day Cheer Up

River Island are always right in there with the newest fashion trends and the new strappy over t-shirt look has left me obsessed and eager to get my hands on.
 I first came across this look last Sunday morning at a garage when I spotted a lady out and about wearing this cami top dress and I thought it was the coolest outfit I've seen in awhile.
I get most of my fashion inspo from people on the streets and have done all my life, I take no shame in it if I see a person who's style I love I will take a mental note and base my style around it, even girls on nights out if I like your style I will tell you (unfortunately for me on nights out I will probably tell you if I don't too...zero filter!!)

With my 21st birthday quickly approaching I've spent hours upon hours scrolling through the internet, and marching from shop to shop looking for the perfect dress and as expected ...no hope but I did stumble upon this perfect cami top from River Island which costs €30.
If you need a little hump day treat then I think this is the perfect 'to me, from me' and I'll quickly be following in your footsteps ;) I hope you like this top as much as me!!

You can get your hands on this top in all River Island stores or online by clicking here.

Happy Hump Day ;-) 

When Tommy Bowe Came To Town

Let's be honest with ourselves here for a minute if there was a King of Ireland it would be Tommy Bowe, everyone loves him, every woman wants to marry him and every man wants to be him and it's for obvious reasons.
 My love for Tommy Bowe has been on the burner for many years now and really kicked off four years ago when I was in Transition Year (TY) in school. It was the Rugby World Cup and the only reason I was watching these matches was for Tommy Bowe, I did then of course discover Conor Murray and was hooked on rugby for life (I did actually fall in love with the sport too) but Tommy Bowe has always been the dream man for me.

Now let me tell you about the attempts I've had to meet Tommy Bowe, and there's been a few I can assure you!!
 I've purposely gone to plenty of Munster Vs Ulster matches with the dream of seeing Tommy Bowe and every single match, I'm not kidding you now when I say EVERY SINGLE Munster Vs Ulster match I've gone too Bowe hasn't been playing, then another time we got the opportunity to meet the Ulster team in the flesh in Thomond Park where was Bowe???? - Injured... I know, shit craic!!
 Then the Irish rugby open training session last summer (you can read about that here) we went with the intention of meeting Tommy and he was right there!! Let me tell you this one now, we were up at the railings, over he came within two people of us then turned and went the other way...talk about devastation!!! I didn't think any of us would ever recover from that experience until we left the grounds and Tommy pulled up beside us in the car, well I never...we couldn't even get a picture but all that changed last Saturday when T Bowe came to town!!

When it came out that Tommy Bowe was coming to the local shoe shop Meany's shoes in Carrick On Suir it's safe to say myself and my friends were in disbelief?!! I mean come on now why would Tommy Bowe be coming to a small town in the South East?? Moff it, there's no chance, surely it's just going to be a look alike or a cardboard cut out none the less anyway we were going!!!
 So Saturday came and I was as calm as a cucumber, Annmarie was up in a loop panicking about not having enough time to get her eyes tested and seeing Tommy as for Crellin, she was more worried about the crowd of people there but me, I was as cool as a daisy, I mean yeah he may be the best looking man in the world but at the end of the day he's just a man right???.....

So over the town we went, myself and Crellin on the lookout for Annmarie (we didn't know how her eye test went at this stage, so we knew we'd be the ones to have to keep the eyes open for her) I was still in disbelief that Tommy was actually coming to town 'Lads I'm telling ye now Tommy Bowe will not be in town' so as we're crossing the road Crellin ran ahead (almost killing herself in the process) so as I stand at the other side of the street waving my arms like a mad woman 'Crellin......some friend you are leaving me stranded......' and Tommy drives past me in the passenger seat of a car.
Okay 'lads Tommy is coming to town, actually he's in town' so we went up to the shoe shop and began to line up.

Crellin getting Leanne's ball signed.

 At this stage I was still fine, I couldn't have been calmer all was A okay!! After waiting for about half an hour we got one foot in the door and that was it, Dear Lord we were in the same building as Mr Tommy Bowe as a matter of fact we could see him!!

So when our time had come to meet Tommy everything was a bit of a blur, I may or may not have had a bit of a heart attack, as most of my friends know about me, what happens when I get nervous is I shake, trust me I shake like a leaf. I also get cold but that's a minor detail.

I couldn't talk to Tommy, I couldn't say a word, but none the less I had finally met Tommy Bowe and he was as amazing as I ever imagined he would be. He couldn't have been nicer, without a doubt one of the nicest people I have ever met.

A dream come true and yes, something else ticked off the bucket list :)

Iskra Lawrence Interview

For me, the best part of blogging or any area of the media industry is the interviewing side. There's nothing I rather than getting the opportunity to chat to new, interesting people and there's sometimes I literally have to pinch myself for having the opportunity to interview people I genuinely look up too and my first interview of 2016 is with a young woman I idolise and that's UK model Iskra Lawrence.

 A couple of months ago as I scrolled through instagram I came across a picture of a girl I had never seen before lifting some pretty heavy weights and thought to myself 'Wow, what a woman' so I went onto her page and learned she was a UK model living in New York called Iskra Lawrence and she's a pretty big deal with a huge instagram following of 791k people.  I couldn't get over how amazing she was sharing her workout videos, inspiring posts and teaching girls about being comfortable in their own skin and what Iskra prides herself on is not retouching her photographs embracing her curves and even her cellulite she's also known as the next Kim K with her extraordinary booty, I hope you enjoy my interview with the lovely Iskra Lawrence.

Little Piece Of Lynda: You began modelling at the age of 13, but was it always your dream to become a model?

Iskra Lawrence: My mother actually entered me into Elle girl search for a supermodel as she knew I loved fashion but at that point I actually dreamt of being a ‘brain surgeon’. But as soon as I got taste for modelling I loved working with creative teams, getting my hair and makeup done and getting ‘dressed up’ and styled.

LPL: Was it always modelling or was there ever any other career options?

Iskra: I have wanted to be numerous ‘things’ from dancer to owning a car garage to becoming an architect. I wish growing up more children were told not what do you want to do when you’re older in singular terms but let them know they can try hundreds of different career paths throughout life. I haven’t been to college or university because I wanted to model and it was my sole focus. Maybe I’ll go back to university however right now I’m very fulfilled and love what I do and I try very hard to be humble ask for help and learn off everyone I meet.

LPL: You recently took the plunge to move from your home in the UK to NYC what made you decide to pack up and begin your new adventure?

Iskra: I have dreamt of living in NY since i was 15 and went on a school trip. I love a challenge and to create situations that put me out of my comfort zone and force me to grow. So as soon as the agency I had read so much about and was desperate to be signed by asked to represent me I had no doubt in my mind I was going. I wasn’t worried about leaving because I knew I could always come back and there are no failures in life only lessons.

LPL: You landed your first big break by landing the untouched campaign with Aerie but how did that come about for you? Has it changed your life much?
Iskra: There was a couple of casting rounds, one of which was a filmed question about your favourite body part. Not only did the Aerie campaign change my career forever it made me believe that anything was possible and increased my confidence ten fold because I wasn’t retouched and they booked me for being me not my measurements.

LPL: You're now run one of my favourite websites 'Runway Riot'  but for people who have never heard of the website how would you describe it?

Iskra: RunwayRiot is the fashion, style, and beauty site for women of all sizes. We are dedicated to serving an underrepresented and often overlooked community ​of curvier women ​who deserve to have just as many stylish choices as everyone else. Every editorial fashion spread you see will be 100% unretouched. And we hope to encourage healthy body image in the fashion industry and positively impact those women who may have felt excluded before, because we celebrate that everybody is beautiful.

LPL: Iskra how different is it living in the USA compared to the UK?
Iskra: NYC is extremely fast paced compared to the UK. It’s such a small island so it’s intense but I love it because it drives me to work hard and play hard.

LPL: How did you go about getting your body into the shape it is in now?
Iskra: I didn’t change or alter my body shape I focused on health and fitness and becoming the best version of me.

LPL: The Booty Iskra, it's one of the biggest talking points surrounding you but were you born with the curves or were they born in the gym?
Iskra: I have always had an hourglass shape and I learnt to embrace it and find ways to workout that worked for my body and over time I became curvier through exercise and eating more

LPL: What advice would you give people hoping to tone up or loose weight?
Iskra: I would encourage people to stop looking to ‘lose weight’ I don’t believe in diets I believe that the focus should be your body’s and mind's health. When you begin to research nutrition and try workouts that your body responds well to if you have the goal to be the fittest strongest version of yourself you will naturally shed fat.

LPL: What is a typical day like for Iskra Lawrence?
Iskra: In NYC I wake up make a juice either go to a photo shoot or if I’m not shooting I’ll catch up on emails and social media, do some interviews go to about 3 meetings, film for RR or write my self-care piece. I usually eat out with my girls a couple of times a week and go to the cinema or the club once or twice a week.

LPL: What's your gym playlist like?
Iskra: I love hip-hop, rap and some house music.

LPL: Can you tell us something about yourself that no one else knows?

Iskra: I have a balloon phobia it’s terribly embarrassing lol

LPL: Was there ever a time in a career that you felt like giving up, what made you keep going?

Iskra: Yes from 14-18 I just thought I would get by modelling doing small jobs but never ‘make it’. I was doing my A-levels and just seeing where it went. But the more rejections I received and body scrutiny I realised that there was no one representing girls my size and it motivated to be that change.

LPL: What are your top tips for looking and feeling good?

Iskra: You decide your worth not the mirror, a man or the media. So wake up and love that you’re you, one of a kind and give your gift to the world no one else can - you!

LPL: Is there anything else left in this world that you'd still like to achieve?

Iskra: Sooooooo much I haven’t even scraped the surface I have a huge announcement coming soon. I also want to have a TED talk, make compulsory self-care classes in schools and have my own nutritional baking show. There’s a lot more but I’m taking it one step at a time there is no rush.

LPL: And finally Iskra with you being half Irish (I know lads, we can claim her as our own) do you like Ireland and do you come back often?

Iskra: HAHA yes my mom and her whole family is from Ballymena in NI I try and visit once a year - love it! :)

And there you have it, my exclusive interview with model Iskra Lawrence, I'm literally still in shock I got to interview Iskra with it being a real dream come true for me. Huge thanks to Iskra for answering these questions and Gary for setting the interview up.

Of course you can keep up to date with everything Iskra in the following ways: 

Twitter http://www.twitter.com/iskralawrence
Instagram http://www.instagram.com/iamiskra
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/iskralawrence
VK http://vk.com/iskralawrence

I hope you enjoyed this little piece of Iskra :)

Exclusive Interview With Cocoa Brown Stephanie O'Quigley

Anyone that knows me knows I'm obsessed with strong Irish women and Stephanie O'Quigley is one of those people. Since graduating from IT Tallaght in 2013 where she studied advertising and marketing Stephanie has gone on to start her own and in my opnion one of Ireland's leading blogs www.snappedup.ie (a website where I take a lot of inspiration from) and also working as marketing manager for one of Ireland's strongest companies Marisa Carter's Cocoa Brown Tan.

 For me, working for Cocoa Brown and being under Marisa's guidance everyday would be a dream come true and that's no different to Stephanie, who in herself is an inspiration just like Marisa.
   I couldn't believe my luck when Stephanie agreed to an interview where we chatted all things college, blogging and Cocoa Brown, I hope you enjoy :)

 Like I said in the intro Stephanie studied advertising and marketing in IT Tallaght and it was obviously the perfect decision for her, I know full well being in my first year of college that making the right course decision can be one of the hardest things a student will have to do but the course in IT Tallaght gave Stephanie the option to rule out what she liked and what she didn't,
 ''I really didn’t know what I wanted to do at the time and the course at IT Tallaght really held a lot of various options and routes. I studied media, marketing, radio & TV production, event management, PR and more. It gave me an insight into a lot of different industries and as a result, I was able to decipher what I liked and didn’t like after being exposed to such a wide variety of topics and career paths. Sometimes, knowing that you don’t want to do something is just as valuable as knowing what you are passionate about. ''

When it comes to first year in college I think we can all be as 'dippy' as each other and not make the most of our time in college, it's something we've never experienced before and sometimes it takes someone who's gone through college to tell us what to appreciate, Stephanie advises us to have fun but to remember that we're all in competition with each other, especially in this industry,

''Soak it all up! Although college is about having fun too, be sure to network and take advantage of opportunities if you want to stand out from the crowd when enter the rat race for job. At the end of the day, your college peers are your competition.

Any extra experiences or projects you can get involved in will not only develop your skillset and teach you about yourself in general, it will also adds to your CV which is important in when you’re applying for jobs in the future.

Also, don’t worry if you’re still unsure of what field you’d like to work in. Be patient and try out new things until you find something you’re really good at. ''

  In 2012 Stephanie set up her blog, http://www.snappedup.ie/ which trust me when I say you need to check out and every since her career has gone from strength to strength 

' I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t launch SnappedUp.ie, I put so much time, energy and effort into blogging but it’s such a passion of mine it definitely doesn’t feel like work.

Blogging changed my life because I got my first ‘real world’ job out of it. If you told me 3 years ago I would be the Marketing Manager for Cocoa Brown Tan, a job I love, I wouldn’t have believed you. For that reason alone, I am ever grateful that I decided to start SnappedUp.ie but it has also given me a space to grow my skills which complement my job at Cocoa Brown too.'

Having a blog, in my opinion is one of the greatest things in the world and Stephanie loves blogging because she gets to teach herself and is always moving forward,

''The best part of having a blog is that I learn so many new skills by just teaching myself. I also love meeting new people and pushing myself to do things I normally wouldn’t do. In the long term, I would love to maintain SnappedUp.ie as a way of documenting my life and an expression of who I am. I also hope it will help me continue grow my skillset and creativity and provide me with a communications outlet for my writing.''

Most people like Stephanie get into blogging whilst in college and for anyone like myself (a media and PR student in Carlow IT) who wants to break into the media industry it's the perfect place to start,

''Firstly, I got into blogging while in college studying media, PR and event management because I didn’t exactly know what I wanted to do. I just knew I loved to write, read and had an interested in both fashion and beauty and so, SnappedUp.ie was born. From there I was given the opportunity to work at Cocoa Brown and have learnt so much more about advertising, branding and the marketing industry in general.

My advice would be to cling on to what interests you most. Even if you are studying something you are not necessarily interested in, use your spare time to develop your skills and interest in the areas that excite you. Take a part time class or hobby that will help you meet like-minded people and increase your knowledge as best you can.''

Cocoa Brown..... I was in like a hawk. Working for a huge successful brand like Cocoa

Brown is a dream of mine and it was for Stephanie too, she tells me she began with the brand after meeting owner of Cocoa Brown's Marisa Carter at a blogger event,

''I met Marissa, Cocoa Brown CEO, at a blogger event she was hosting back in 2012. I got chatting to her about what I was doing in college, my own blog and my interest areas. Shortly after our initial meeting, she advertised that she was looking for a intern and the timing was perfect ; I was just finishing up my exams and was looking for a job. I met again with Marissa and the rest is history!''

And as for working with the Queen Marissa Carter??? '' You just don’t get used to it! I have watched the brand and Marissa grow in the past 3 years at Cocoa Brown. It’s a rollercoaster when you start with such a small/new brand and I have been lucky enough to experience a lot more than what a typical Marketing Manager usually experiences!

Marissa has given me so much opportunity with Cocoa Brown and thus has allowed me to grow quite fast within my position at the brand. Because I work so closely with Marissa, I am lucky enough to experience her lessons, inspiration and learn from her knowledge on a daily basis. She continues to amaze me and I will be ever grateful for her belief in me from day one, as cheesy as that sounds!'

 Everyone knows what I'm talking about when I say the word Cocoa Brown and it's even gone as far as the Kardashians with Kylie Jenner recently instagramming a picture of the now world famous tan, there are no two days the same when working with Cocoa Brown 

''Two days are really never the same. We are a very fast paced brand ; I could be on a plane in the morning or perhaps have one of the biggest celebrities in the world Tweet about Cocoa Brown and end up losing 2 days of sleep!

We thrive on ‘the best time is now’ and what can be done today will not be left until tomorrow. The excitement of working in a company like Cocoa Brown is rare. I won’t lie when I say I am excited to get to the office and get started and find leaving a bit of a struggle!''

 Having achieved so much in her life I ask Stephanie if there is anything LEFT in this world that she's like to achieve,

''I would definitely like to be in a position where I love my work and what I do ; I can’t imagine settling for a job to pay the bills. I would love to develop my skills through education and practice so I can become better at what I do.

I hope that my family will always be close and of course, I would love a lot of nice, expensive things too! However, success, to me, is happiness.

And finally, I finish the interview by asking if Stephanie could go back in time and talk to her 18 year old self, what would she say.....

'' suppose I would say start exercising a little, not every fashion trend is a must so don’t try and make it ‘work’ and value quality over quantity when it comes to friendships''

And on that note it concludes my interview with the gorgeous, flawless and inspirational lady that is Stephanie O'Quigley.

I cannot thank Stephanie enough for taking her time out to chat to me, and I hope you enjoyed the interview as much as I did.

Don't forget you can follow Stephanie on her social media accounts which I will leave the links to below:

Twitter - @StephanieOQ

Facebook - SnappedUpBlog

Blog - http://www.snappedup.ie/

BUMBLEance Charity Fashion Show

Hey everyone!!

 This isn't my normal type of blog post but since we FINALLY have confirmation on our venue I can reveal a secret project myself and my friends have been working on, and that is planning a charity fashion show for BUMBLEance. This post is really just the starting point where I can fill you in on the event and what we're planning but it's also a request for any help or advice that anyone reading can offer us.

 I've mentioned this before but I am OBSESSED with planning events, it's my favourite thing in the world however I've actually never planned anything as big as this in my life so obviously if there's anyone reading this who's into events or has even organised their own fashion show I would love to hear from you and get any advice you can offer me. 

On the night we're also organising a big raffle so we're looking for sponsorship or any raffle prizes so if you'd like to help out in that way email me lynda.ann.hennebry@gmail.com :) 

BUMBLEance:Like I said the reason we're organising this fashion show is for a charity called BUMBLEance which is essentially a child friendly ambulance service offered around the country. Aswell as it being fully medically equipped it is the most technologically advanced ambulance on the planet. BUMBLEance is has everything on board to remove the stress for children such as games, a playstation, Ipads, audio and entertainment equipment just everything to make a child feel comfortable.  

''We are here for the sick children of Ireland, both from rural and urban areas, who are long term sick and /or seriously disabled, who need professional ambulance transport services. Catering for their every need en route to and from the principal centres of care.''

So as you can see it's one of the most incredible services in Ireland. 

The Fashion Show: The minute I saw BUMBLEance I knew straight away I wanted to do something to help them out so I began to brainstorm, I wanted to do something that would incorporate my own personality and that's when I decided to go with the fashion show. Getting my friends on board was the easy part and our meetings began, as well as the 'Bumble Team' (that's what we call ourselves) we also have some amazing models and well known people on board. 

 The show is being held in the town of Carrick On Suir in Co.Tipperary and I would LOVE if you want to tag along and support this amazing organisation.

Not only will we have the best Winter collections out there, we'll also have amazing music and some terrific prizes to give away so it's the perfect night out with your girls!!

 COME ON, COME ALONG!!!! :D

If you want any more info on the night or if you want to enquire about tickets let me know! You can email me here or message LPL on facebook!! 

My New Obsession: I'm Talking Versace

I have a new obsession!!That's right people a new obsession so brace yourselves and that is with Versace. Okay, I'll be the first to admit that I normally wouldn't be into high costing fashion designers but WOW
The Anthony Vaccarello X Versus Versace range? Oh My!!
With fans like the Kardashian sisters you know it's a big thing but my God, the LBD from the range... WOW!!
The Kardashian sisters are style queens with the exception of Khloé who, in my eyes is a style God!!
Khloé recently took to the red carpet for the American Music Awards with sisters Kylie and Kendal and I wouldn't normally go too OTT when it comes to dresses celebs wear on the red carpet but the second I saw Khloe I knew this was going to be one of my all time favourite looks. From her hair to her make up, she was literally 'on fleak'.. yes, I said it ON FLEAK!!!

Every woman out there has a LBD, it's just something that's done but Khloé took it up a notch with the detail to her thigh. Of course with a figure like that you could wear a bin bag and still look incredible but Khloé looked incredible.

From stalking the new collection for Versace I saw the dress will set you back a whooping £555.14 so it probably won't be on my Christmas list anytime soon.. but that doesn't stop me eyeballing the collection! You can stalk it like me here!!

Exclusive Interview With Top Fashion Stylist Lisa Fitzpatrick

Gorgeous fashion stylist Lisa Fitzpatrick is one of those ladies who every single female out there can aspire to be like, I absolutely adore Lisa and was so excited to chat to Lisa about everything she's been through and how she got where she is today. Not only is Lisa one of the country's top fashion stylist's she's also an author, a radio broadcaster AND a TV presenter, she is one busy lady!!! With a client list the side of China I was bursting with questions to ask Lisa!!

So you learned from my intro that Lisa is an exceptionally busy woman, I personally struggle with one thing going on don't mind doing that kind of multitasking so I asked Lisa if she has some sort of superpower... I'm sure we were all thinking it!! 

''You make me smile Lynda it's called Time management I make it work, it's all about getting through my lists crossing off as job done makes me feel good''

I could definitely do with some sort of time management in my life!!

On a typical day Lisa doesn't exactly live the glam life we all expect her to live ''I never ever wear make up when I'm off I love fresh clean skin it's a typical day Monday - Friday I work and collect kids everyday I'm a taxi driver 2-5''

 Well Thank God for that!!However I think if anyone saw how I rocked up to business grinds this morning they'd question why I didn't throw on even a bit of concealer!! 

From someone interested in fashion from a young age, once again if you saw how I presented myself this morning you wouldn't think so but for Lisa it wasn't always a love of fashion from a young age ''It happened for me when I started in retail ladies fashion at 19 loved it never wanted shop to close''

But what actually does the life of a stylist entail? what does it take to be one you may ask??? 

''A Broken back from carrying bags of clothes and stares from people who think I'm like the girl from legally blonde who shops sadly I give them all back,

If you want to be a stylist be one don't talk about it Do it !!!''

Yikes!!! but Lisa tells me she LOVES her job, and we can all do it!!

''Absolutely I love my job every second of it Love it. Yes I'm lucky to have it but I made it happen so can you and your readers Followers''

However like most jobs it has it's ups and downs, and the worst part, well...Yes, It would break my heart too!! 

''The Best part of my job is people coming up and saying 'Hi Lisa I know you from the Telly' I love that , but the worse... giving back all the fab clothes''

What did I tell you?...heartbreaking!!

Lisa didn't go to college, and is a prime example that you don't have to go to college to be a massive success and it won't stop you from living your dreams BUT, Lisa does admit she wishes she did get the chance to go:

''I would have loved the opportunity to go to college and will encourage my children and your readers to do the same, but along side studying I believe it's important to do as much work experience in every field possible and get a part-Time job it's good for you.

I did a health and fitness course for two years and I loved it, but realised it wasn't going to be my chosen career but it suits the right people who are incredible trainers like Dominic Munelly who helped me get from size 20 to size 12 I lost 5 stone under his supervision great guy''

With the leaving cert coming up and students stressing over their CAO forms, Lisa recommends not stressing out and keeping calm:

''Don't stress take your time all the work will pay off, Meditate!''

Lisa is author of two Irish best selling books her first book 'Enjoying Style and Fashion' and her hugely popular second book 'Diet SOS' but Lisa admits she never imagined the success that would follow: 

''I Never ever thought about becoming an Author until one day I decided to answer all the questions Ireland am Viewers and Derek Mooney listeners always ask me and Nk Management made the rest happen I feel so happy seeing my books on shelves''

Lisa has such a beautiful elegant style but her advice for being stylish is very simple, Lisa recommends sticking to what you know and feel your best in ''If you're comfortable in what your wearing it shows be yourself''

With the new year coming, Lisa recommends having a clear out before you shop and keeping yourself positive for the new year!! ''Have a positive attitude in all you do, De-Clutter wardrobe before you shop Don't buy trends wear what works for your body''

With an obvious entrepreneurial streak running through Lisa owning her own business before becoming a full time stylist, Lisa admits her dream would be.... to become Beyoncé.... wouldn't we all!!! 

''I had my own clothes store my own Hair Dressers, I would like to be a singer but I don't have a singing voice I would love to be Beyonce who wouldn't''

Finally, before I leave Lisa back to her day I had to ask what's the best advice ever been given to Lisa that she can pass onto us today:

''I have two ears one mouth listen twice as much as I speak and I never do ever''

Advice I think I should really start paying attention too!!!! haha

Massive thanks to Lisa taking out her time to answer these questions!! Such a pleasure, thank you Lisa xx

Don't forget you can also catch Lisa on various ways:

http://www.fitzpatrickstyle.com

http://www.facebook.com/lisafitzpatrickstyle

http://www.twitter.com/@LisaFitzpatrick

http://www.themorgan.com/