Tuesday 31 July 2018

Carlton Tower's wedding photoshoot

Behind the scenes...

Some of you may have noticed I have been quite for a little while! I haven't been blogging or sharing content half as much as i'd like to, but it's all been for a good reason. Myself  Lindsey of Loula's Boutique (a clothing brand for ladies and girls) and the incredibly talented Beth of Bethany-Jane Makeup, for the last few months, have been working hard to create something pretty big! On Tuesday the 12th June, we got together with 15 Yorkshire Wedding based businesses and 11 absolutely stunning models to create a beautiful wedding style photoshoot.

Our aim for the day...

The aim of the day was to bring local independent business together to create a collection of images and footage that we could each use to showcase what we each do best, not only that, as small businesses, I really hoped that we could come together and support one another in getting each others names out there through the sharing and tagging of the images created. I've personally found, as a small independent business, it so much better to stick together and support each other as opposed to trying to compete with one another. This logic has served me well in business and from it I have gained a whole bunch of people who I now call friends who have helped and supported me and really helped to make Loula's Boutique flourish!

Finding a venue...

The planning all started about 3 months ago, the first thing on our list was finding a venue. This probably should have been the most difficult task of all, see as small independent businesses, we don't have the funds to spend on such prestigious events so we usually have to rely on the kindness of others. So I set out by researching wedding venues and emailing each of them to find out if they might want to get involved and support our goal of helping local independent business. As expected, due to the large price tags that come with wedding venues, most of them understandably said no. Hope was not lost though, as amongst the the vast quantity of no's, we had a yes!! Which incidentally was my favorite venue of them all! Carlton Towers an absolutely breathtaking stately home in Goole East Yorkshire. Not only were they really keen to help and support local businesses, but they couldn't do enough for us in terms of planning and the set up on the actual day making the whole process of finding our dream venue a walk in the park.

We felt like we'd really set the bar high landing Carlton Towers as our venue, so the next port of call was finding equally amazing wedding related businesses to get involved. Beth and I got together over a drink (or three) To put together a list of people to contact and then divided the workload between us.

(Photographer: Natalie Hamilton. Venue: carlton towers. Wedding car: Wans wedding cars. Bride: Tor. Groom: Sam T. Florist: Lisa's Florist. Wedding dress: Claire Paver Couture. Suit: H&L Fashions.  Makeup: bethany-jane makeup. Hair: Sophie Moran hairdressing


The wedding dresses...
Selecting a wedding dress business was a no brainer for me. It had to be the incredibly talented Claire Paver of Claire Paver Couture. Not only one of the most talented people I know but also an old friend of mine. Claire and I have collaborated on previous photoshoots and catwalks before, so it only seemed right that she was there on this day. Claire's own designs have a real bohemian feel to them, but if that's not your thing, she also offers a bespoke serve where you can have your own ideas designed and made to measure. The quality of her work is outstanding.
(Photographer: John at J&S photography. Venue: carlton towers. Bride: Tor. Florist: Lisa's Florist. Wedding dress: Claire Paver Couture.  Makeup: bethany-jane makeup. Hair: Sophie Moran hairdressing



The bridesmaid dresses...

The bridesmaid dresses were my own label Loula's Boutique. I've previous made dresses for bridesmaids and wedding guests in the past but have only recently decided to pursue that market more. I wanted to showcase a new aspect in my design by opting for a more traditional look for  the first set of dresses. This look was a stunning peach/pink full length gown with a v-neck front. I am really pleased with the outcome of this and I'm sure you will be seeing more of this in the future. For the second set of dresses I wanted to show a variety of different designs, all made in the same fabric. I felt like this element is something that that is lacking on the market. It allows bridesmaids to each show off their own personality, whilst still looking like a collective group. For the third set, I opted for the same dress, made in 2 different shades of lilac. Again, keeping the group looking like a collective, but this time best matching the different pallets to the bridesmaids skin tones.
(Photographer: Gill Bateson Venue: carlton towers. Models left to right: TorAylaDeblinaEllieKatieDanielle. Wedding car: Wans wedding cars. Florist: Lisa's Florist. Makeup: bethany-jane makeup. Hair: Sophie Moran hairdressing.)



The mens suits...

After a lot of research on men's suits, I knew I wanted something slightly edgy to sit well alongside my bridesmaid dresses. Of all the men's suits I have ever seen, I am absolutely in LOVE with the Marc Darcy checkered suits which have a real peaky blinders edge to them. Luckily for me, I just so happened to be following on facebook a stockist of these suits. H & L fashions a beautiful little boutique situated in Hayworth. As well as stocking these amazing suits, their customer feedback is absolutely amazing as you can see from their facebook reviews. Throughout the whole process of planning and organising, Helen from H&L was so supportive and organised. Working with this company was a dream and you will definitely be seeing more collaborations from us in the future.

(Photographer: shane at J&S photography. Venue: carlton towers. Suits: H & L fashions. Models left to right: TimSam TAlexSam CCameron.)


The makeup...

The makeup was beautifully created by my very amazing co-organiser Bethany Laurance of Bethany-Jane makeup a self taught freelance makeup artist from Selby who specialises in wedding and event makeup. Beth and I have worked together of several different projects and the idea to do a big wedding photoshoot is something that we have both wanted to do for some time. I could not have asked for a better co-organiser as Beth is always reliable, hard working and has a brilliant creative mind not only this but she by far one of the best makeup artists I have ever worked with. Beth's makeup is inspired by american brands and techniques and for this shoot was inspired by a new york bridal expedition she recently visited which was showcasing the beauty and naturalism of a wedding day. The makeup look was natural and subtle to enhance each models features rather than shadow them. You can find more of Beth's work or book her for makeup via her facebook page Bethany-Jane makeup.

(Photographer: shane at J&S photography. Dress: Loula's Boutique. Model: Ayla. Makeup: bethany-jane makeup. Hair: Sophie Moran hairdressing)


The hair stylist...

We were very lucky to have Sophie Moran on hair styling for this shoot not only did she save the day by stepping in very last minute but she also created not one but six incredibly beautiful hairstyles for this shoot in such a short space of time. Sophie likes to create hairstyles that are on trend but that are also timeless so that people can look back on their images in years to come and still love their look.The bridesmaids styles for our shoot were inspired by some of her previous work at a recent wedding she had done with half of the hair up and the the other half  down (perfect for girls who can't decide between the two!) and softly curled giving a stunning romantic look which fitted our theme beautifully. Each girls hair styling slightly varied as all hair lengths were different but as a whole all shared the same collective look. Our bride Tor had a more complex styling again with the soft curls but this time incorporated into a beautiful updo. You can find or book sophie for hair on instagram at or Sophie Moran hairdressing by visiting  bohemian hair boutique Leeds where she works.
(Photography: Laurence Keir. Models left to right: Tim, Tor. Suit: H & L fashions. Wedding dress: Claire Paver Couture. Buttonhole flowers: Lisa's Florist. Makeup: bethany-jane makeup. Hair: Sophie Moran hairdressing


The wedding cars...

I knew from the word go whose company I wanted to take the spot for our wedding car. My friend had previously been married at carlton towers and had this stunning picture taken outside the venue with herself and her husband kissing at the bottom of the steps next to the most beautiful vintage car I have ever seen! This picture inspired a lot of my ideas for the shoot and I really wanted to try and recreate it. After contacting my friend  for the details of the car company, she put me in touch with the the lovely Wayne of Wans wedding cars who happily agreed to support our event and bring not only one but 2 of his wedding cars along to the day. It was an absolute delight meeting Wayne on the day, he is such a lovely person who couldn't do enough to help and work around our schedule. He treated the event how he would an actual wedding with the cars arriving in immaculate condition decorated in ribbons of our colour choice. The girls on the shoot absolutely loved the vintage car, whilst the boys swayed more towards the Jaguar!

(Photographer: John at J&S photography. Venue: carlton towers.Wedding car: Wans wedding cars.)


The florist...

Our beautiful bridal bouquet and buttonholes were made by the amazingly creative Lisa of Lisa's Florist Selby. I came across this gorgeous shop a while back when my partner kindly bought me a huge gorgeous bunch of them and I have been in love with this little shop ever since. So as you can imagine, I was absolutely delighted when Lisa agreed to be involved the the shoot. The colours in the bouquet were selected to compliment the colours of the 3 different sets of bridesmaids dresses. I was a little unsure as to how the mixture of all three colours would pan out, but the results were so far above and beyond anything I could have wished for. The flowers have a real rustic edge to them and are so pretty and creatively put together. The buttonholes all slightly varied which really added to the edgy overall look.  

(Photographer: Natalie Hamilton. Venue: carlton towers. Florist: Lisa's Florist) 

The wedding cake...

Our gorgeous wedding cake came from the incredibly talented Hannah Newton a self taught baker and decorator from North Yorkshire who is currently training in sugarcraft with the aim to start up her own business. Rebecca was inspired by elegance and romance of our location Carlton towers in the creation of her cake. With 3 white tiers in classic white decorated in handcrafted sugar flowers, this cake represents love and prosperity and is an emblem of good fortune and happy marriage. For all cake enquiries, contact Hanna at hannahrebecca.newton@gmail.com


(Photography: Laurence Keir. Cake: Hannah the cake maker, Dress: Loula's Boutique. Model: Danielle). Makeup: bethany-jane makeup. Hair: Sophie Moran hairdressing. Venue carlton towers)


Photographers...

J&S Photography

I first met John of J&S photography some years ago at a charity fashion shoot. Since then we have worked together often on many projects. Along the way John teamed up with Shane to become J&S. These 2 are like the Chuckle brothers of the photography world, never a dull shoot! It only seemed right that they were first in line to take part in this one. They did not disappoint, from the get go John and Shane were helpfully involved in the planning and organising and as always were incredibly reliable and brilliant. What I love about these 2 is their passion and hard work and that they always deliver exactly what you ask for.


Laurence Keir

Laurence never ceases to amaze me with his photography, we have worked together on a few different occasions. He is definitely the dark horse of the photographers in that he under sells his ability, comes to shoots and stands back ground and then somehow produces the most amazing pictures! What I love about Laurence's work is his eye for creativity, he always seems to effortlessly capture models at the perfect moment where they look their best with the most idyllic backdrop. His work has an almost dreamlike feel to it.


Gill Batson 

I briefly met Gill at a charity photoshoot some years ago and I have never had the opportunity to work with her since, so I was delighted when she contacted me and asked to be involved in our shoot. After looking through Gill's previous work on facebook, I really loved her ability to really capture the moment and peoples expressions. I feel like each photographer was bringing a different style of photography and hers again was a something different on board adding to and enriching our team. Gill was an absolute pleasure to work with, a very friendly and genuinely nice lady who made everyone feel at ease and her overall results from this shoot were amazing.

Natalie Hamilton Photography

Natalie was the last photographer to join our group, we were a little worried by having too many photographers on board but we were so happy we decided to include her! Although we have never worked together before, a quick glance of Natalies work on facebook really shows how talented she is. What I loved about working with her is her her ability to direct and pose models resulting in absolutely incredible over all results. She really made sure she individually  focused on each of the businesses involved in the shoot, creating for each, images which really showed off their product/talent. Natalies work is absolutely breathtaking, a must see!

The videographer...

Our videographer Barney of Shortman productions wedding videograpghy was highly recommended to me by a friend and he really did not disappoint. This was the first time i'd ever had the opportunity to work with a videographer and I was really unsure about how to direct his role within the shoot. This was no problem for Barney who had clearly had loads of experience and kindly took the initiative of directing his own role in which he decided to do a behind the scenes take on the whole day. This really helped take a weight off our shoulders and I imagine this would apply to any bride and groom on their wedding day with having so much to think about and do on the big day. You can find a short preview of Barney's work on our shoot here.

Our models...

Our Models were a mixture of experienced and first time models. Some of which we have worked with before, some were old friends and some we met for the first time that day. All of them were brilliant and professional nonetheless and i'm sure each of them will have many more modelling opportunities to come in the future. What I really loved about this bunch is how much they all bonded on the day and i'm absolutely sure that new friendships were formed from this event.

(Photographer: Gill Bateson Venue: carlton towers. Models left to right: DanielleSam CDeblinaSam T,  EllieAlexKatieCameron. Dresses: Loula's Boutique. Suits: H & L fashionsMakeup: bethany-jane makeup. Hair: Sophie Moran hairdressing) 

If you'd like to follow any of our models on instagram, you can find them at...



The day overall...

After months of hard work and planning for this shoot, we had so many worries for the big day. Were people going to get along? Would everything go to plan? Could we keep timing? Overall, we couldn't of wished for a more successful result. We knew we had a good really team of people and venue but i'm not sure we knew just how good, every single element was absolutely stunning. I was overwhelmed by how good everything was. Everybody instantly clicked and was relaxed and helpful. making the day run smoothly. This was by far one of the hardest but the BEST photoshoot I've ever done! A huge THANKYOU to everyone who made this possible, I can't wait for our next venture.   

Tuesday 3 April 2018

Meet the designer: Personal, business, inspiration and much more...

This week is an exciting week for me! You wanna know why? It's my birthday! Another year older and another year wiser, or so I like to think. So what better time to take the limelight and write this months blog post all about me and a few Q&A's I thought you guys would want to know the answers to.


A little bit of personal info about me...

For those of you who don't me, my name is Lindsey! I am the owner and designer of Loula's Boutique, a unique handmade clothing label for ladies and girls or all ages and sizes. I live with my boyfriend Mark and our rescue dog Gracie, both of whom I am absolutely head over heels in love with. I am a huge animal lover,to the point where I must meet and greet EVERY single animal I come into contact with. Cows are my favourite! I am vegan, mostly for the animals partly because VEGAN FOOD IS ACTUALLY SOOO GOOD! I love gin, in fact most alcohol! This must have started from a young age when I was rushed to hospital only to discover that I was blind drunk from drinking a bottle of brut aftershave in my cot, and it was all downhill from there.


(Me and my boyfriend Mark)


On turning another year older...

I'm currently just turning 29 which is worrying for most people my age, but not for me. I have had 29 brilliant years. There's been up's and downs but generally I feel like I've achieved a lot of the things I wanted to accomplish by now. I started my business Loula's Boutique when I was just 23 years old and I remember the battles of being such a young business woman. I found that people would try and take advantage of my naivety and limited knowledge for their own personal gain. I feel like I've now come to a stage in my life where I can be assertive with what I want and not let people walk all over me but I've also learned to do this in a way that doesn't upset people and I think that age and experience has played a big factor in this.


Getting inspiration...

I often get asked, where do I get my inspiration from. Well the answer to this is everywhere! Before setting up my business, I was heavily inspired by the likes of All saints, Vivienne Westwood, lady Gaga and Robert Carey Williams. I adored the unique textures and shapes that each one use that really stood out from anything I'd ever seen before.Taking something really quite unusual and making it really work as a style. I also loved the business concept of American apparel, where every single piece of clothing was so wearable and versatile for different occasions as well as being available in every colour way. So from both of these influences, I knew I wanted to create something in between the two. Once I had set my mind on the basic overall look of the label, each collection was usually inspired by things I saw day to day. I lived in Leeds for quite a few years and I was really inspired by the whole Leeds scene dress style where people aren't afraid to really stand out. It's like a really unique expression of self through clothing that was made up of both contemporary and vintage influences. Social media also plays a big part in my designing, I'll usually see a nice neckline or sleeve shape on Instagram and think 'ooh I want to have a go at recreating that Loula's style' and then my mind will suddenly start designing a whole dress from just that one element. I'd say finally and one of the most important influences on my designs, are my customers. I've found it really important to listen to what they want as most of the time, what they want is usually what a lot of other people also want. It's also really all trial and error with putting collections out and seeing what sells and then working on those design elements that have been popular.


(Original sketch for the Lola dress available here )


Staying motivated...

Being responsible for your own workload and staying motivated is never easy and you would think that motivation would flow when doing your dream job, but the reality is it doesn't. It really comes and goes in blocks and the trick is to take advantage and put in extra hours when it comes and set yourself a minimum workload of easy to achieve tasks when it goes. I always have to do lists on the go which really helps keep me organised and on days when I feel really creative, I'll get all my sewing and designing done and the days where i don't feel like moving, I'll get all my social media and marking sorted. I guess I've really learned to adapt my workload to my current state. When I first started out, I would just try and work through my to do lists in order and try and make myself be creative when I wasn't feeling it and find myself getting fed up and giving up, so this way really does work much better for me. I also try and listen to a lot of motivational speeches, attend business advice talks, read self help books or just surround myself with motivated people in the blocks where my motivation goes and this always boosts me back up. An idea that has really stuck with me throughout my business that improves my motivation  is that I used to work really hard for previous employers helping to make someone else's dreams a reality so if I could do that for them then surely I should be able to work even harder at my own.


Do you make your own clothes?

This is a question I get asked quite often and if I'm being completely honest, not very often. It's not that I don't love sewing my own designs, I really do. It's just that when you spend nearly every single day making clothes for other people, the last thing you want to be doing in your free time is more sewing. I think most people in most professions would say the same thing. So where do I get my clothes from? Well firstly I really like support independent businesses, not only does it put money back into our economy and opens up more job roles, but it also ensures that you're getting something unique. I also buy a lot of second hand, I'm a strong believer in reusing and recycling to look after our planet and again it ensures you are getting something unique.



I hope you have enjoyed reading a little bit about me and what inspires and motivates me! If there is anything you would really like to know or you have an idea for my next blog post, feel free get in touch, my inbox is always open :) loulasboutique@hotmail.co.uk


Get 20% off the website until the 8th april 2018 with discount code 'birthday20' at the checkout of loulas-boutique.co.uk




Tuesday 6 March 2018

What's trending for spring/summer 2018




With spring/summer 2018 fast approaching, it will soon be time to pack away those winter knits and tartans and say hello to a whole new selection of colours and fabrics. Here at Loula's boutique we are in the know about the HOTTEST trends this seasons, we also know you fashionistas have busy lives and so we have taken the liberty of gathering all that information and sharing with you our top 6 favourite fashion trends of this season.



#1 Pastels 

From mint greens to pale lilacs, baby blues and soft pinks, pastels are set to be a big hit this SS18! The key to this catwalk trend is to choose only one pastel and dress head to toe in it.




Check out our selection of pastels at Loulas-boutique.co.uk




#2 Trench coats 

It's all about the edgy trench coat this season! From soft and natural beige's and taupe's to pastels and even plastics for a more edgy look. Top tip! Opting for a natural colour will keep your trench coat timeless so it can be bought and worn again and again. 


Check out our selection of trench coats at Loulas-boutique.co.uk








#3 Crayola colour pop

Again as with the pastel trend, this look is about choosing a key colour and dressing head to toe in it. The colour of the season is yellow, the brighter the better! Think daffodil yellow. 


Check out our selection of colour pop fabrics at Loulas-boutique.co.uk






#4 Plastic

From coats to shoes to hats to bags, plastic will be big trend this spring summer. Opt for clear plastics with small detailing to show off your silhouette. 



Check out our selection of plastics at Loulas-boutique.co.uk



#5 Vintage florals 



For the girly girl within us, vintage florals are a big hit this season. The busier the better, opting for soft and floaty fabrics but no clashing of prints! 




Check out our selection of vintage florals at Loulas-boutique.co.uk





#6 Stripes 

Vertical and horizontal clashes of stripes have been seen all over the catwalk for this season. Lots of pink and red shades and bold colour clashes. 



Check out our selection of stripes at Loulas-boutique.co.uk
         

   




Tuesday 6 February 2018

Loula's Boutique; The 5 year journey.


On February 1rst 2018, we celebrate the 5th birthday of Loula's boutique. So it seemed only right that this months blog would be to tell you the story of how we came to be and the struggles and successes i've had along the way! For those of you who don't know me, my name is Lindsey Rayner and I am the founder of Loula's Boutique. The majority of everything that you see on the website and on our social media pages has all been created by me. From designing, pattern cutting and sewing, to running the website, product photography and marketing, I am mostly a one man band, with the exception of some incredible photography, modelling and hair and makeup from some highly talented people I have been lucky enough to work with along the way. The journey so far has been extremely hard work but it is also my absolute passion and I wouldn't change it for the world! 




My journey to Loula's boutique started about 10 years ago. I never really knew where my passion was and found myself floating about between things I found interesting. I was studying psychology at Huddersfield uni when I went along to a fashion open day with a friend who was planning on doing the course there. I remember having this epiphany moment where I was so so engrossed in the idea of working in fashion, that I knew from then on that this was my passion in life. I contacted a careers adviser to ask about changing my degree and starting a fashion degree, I was told that because I was so far into my first degree that I wouldn't be able to get funding to do fashion and that without a degree in fashion I would never work in the industry. Anyone who knows me knows I'm not the type of person who lets people tell me what I can and can't do! So I started out by buying charity shop clothes and altering them and wearing them out on nights out. I got a lot of good feedback from my creations! After that I got some work experience working with other designers and then went on to land a place in the training school of Burberrys where I quickly learnt so much and mastered the art of sewing. I took a night class in pattern cutting at Leeds college and self taught myself all the skills I needed to get going. I then established Loula's boutique about 4 and a half years ago. I was heavy influenced by designers such as Robert Carey Williams, Vivienne Westwood and all saints, I loved the out there designs and interesting cuts that were totally different to anything on the high street. I always wanted my label to sit somewhere between all saints and American apparel, intricate cuts and quirky designs but with an easy wearing day-night wear ability and lots of colour options for each design. Since then I've been lucky enough to show my collection at both Manchester and Liverpool fashion week along with some smaller fashion shows, one of which I organised to raise money for a children's cancer charity. I was part of a collective of designers who ran a pop up shop in Bradford broadway shopping centre in which I was the top selling designer throughout the 5 months of the shop being open. I've been published in several magazines and newspapers and have stocked in a total of 15 different boutiques across England and set up my own website.


I guess the moral of the story is, if you want something enough and you're prepared to work hard every single day towards it and never give up, even when it gets so hard but you just keep believing and just keep going, YOU CAN ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS!

Lindse

Wednesday 3 January 2018

A dress for every occasion; Our top 5 annual events and how to style them.


As we step into a new year and the January sales begin, what better time to get yourself and your wardrobe organised for the upcoming year. Most of us enter the new year with a positive mindset and motivation for becoming a better version of ourselves which makes now the best time to get organised, save yourself money and prevent the stress of last minute panic shopping. Below you'll find our list of the top 5 annual events to shop for and our tips on how to dress and style them.  



1. Holiday in the sun - 

Holiday dress code should be fun and practical. Some key pieces you may want to include in your suitcase are stylish swimwear, lightweight floaty dresses and skirts, swimwear coverups, comfortable shorts and t-shirts and a couple of dressy outfits for the night time. Adding a long floaty skirt and accessories to a stylish swim costume can take your look from poolside to bar with minimum effort.



Pictured: Mint green Paris skirt (made to order).
Contact loulasboutique@hotmail.co.uk for more details.

2. Festival -

Popular festival looks include short denim shorts and log print tops and  floaty floral dresses, both teamed with wellies, hair flowers and face gems. Whatever look you go for, our top tip for festivals would be to not forget your waterproofs! The typical English weather will more than likely pour it down leaving you wet and muddy.

                                                      
                                       Pictured: Waterproof Monica coat in olive green. 
                                                               Shop the look here!




3. Black tie event - 

The key to dressing for a black tie event is elegance. Whether you opt for the classic Full length gown or go for a more modern look such as the little black or cocktail dress. You want to be choosing black, metallic or jewel tones so that you don't look too casual. Sequins, jewels and sparkly jewellery will add to the overall look and it's also advisable to invest in shawl or faux fur wrap rather than a jacket for a stylish cover up. 


Pictured: Eliza dress in deep red.



4. Races- 

A trip to the races is always a big event in the fashion calendar. This is an event where you really want to dress to impress. Clashing bold colours is a great look and will make you stand out from the crowd. Fascinators are generally a popular accessory and work well when the colour is paired with the shoes and bag. Some races such as the royal ascot require a more conservative dress code, dresses must be below the knee or longer and should have strap of one inch or greater for this particular event. Make sure you check the dress code before planning your outfit. 


Pictured: Hot pink Lana dress.




5. Wedding guest -

What to wear for a wedding will depend upon a few factors. The style of the wedding, the season and the time of day. For formal weddings, which are usually in the evening, you want to be opting for full length gowns or cocktail dresses. If the dress code is casual (usually in the daytime) opt for daytime dresses that can be accessorized. Maxi dresses and sandals will make you look elegant without over dressing. The fabric and print of your dress will depend on the season, some great spring/summer options are lightweight florals, pastels and bold colours that will keep you cool. For autumn/winter weddings, some good colours include emerald green, wine and royal blue or even tartans as these colours suit most skin tones and  heavier fabrics will keep you warmer in the winter months.  Some general rules of what not to wear to a wedding are, don't wear the same colour as the bride unless requested, this is her special day and her colour. Also don't go for the same colour as the bridesmaids, you don't want to look like a bridesmaid wannabe. Jeans, flip flops, distressed clothing are also a big no no!



                                                 Pictured: Betty dress in blue and pink floral.
                                                                Shop the look here!

Monday 13 February 2017

On the catwalk at Silver fox studios


So on Friday night we hit the catwalk at Silver Fox Studios for their opening/networking event! The studio is situated in Dewsbury town centre, on the top floor of an architecturally beautiful building with wooden beams running across the ceiling and stunning arch windows. Upon arrival we had to take the spiral of stairs passing a quaint little gift shop and a carpet shop on the second floor up. Waseem, the owner and photographer at Silver Fox, greeted us upon arrival. Himself and his friend Nicola had organised the event together. Walking into the studio you could see the effort that had gone into the nights event, the catwalk was set with a photography backdrop behind to for display. There was a huge table of homemade foods including samosas and delicious looking cakes and best of all, enough alcohol to keep us going to the early hours! It was lovely to see that loads of Waseem's friends and family had already arrived to support him and his event. Backstage the models were already in the process of hair and makeup, tonight's make up look was bold winged eyeliner, shimmery eyes and heavy contour beautifully created by Dorota Ozarowska a MUA who's work I had already been following and admiring on social media and Nicola Whitfield who I had not yet had the privilege of knowing but am excited to follow her cruelty free makeup work as this is a subject which is quite close to my heart.

 Hair was done by Nicola, the event organiser, the hair look was slicked back plaits in a high pony tail. Everyone arrived and was seated, Waseem thanked everyone for coming and told us about his plans to host more catwalk events at his studio and that the catwalk was underway! First up to take the stage was Claire Paver couture a bridal and evening dress designer and also a personal friend of mine. The dresses were feminine and floaty, in soft pastels. My particular favourite was a candy pink ballerina like dress.

Next to take the stage was Yasmin Gora Gardee, the collection was loosely fitted easy wearing garments that could easily be taken from day to night wear. I loved the tasselled trim detail that finished some of her garments.

 After a short break and a few more glasses of prosseco it was my turn to take Loula's Boutique to the catwalk. For this collection I decided to go with a valentines theme incorporating bold reds and blacks with the classic bouncy hems and cinched in waistbands of my previous work.  
The final designer to take to the catwalk was Rusty Dusty  with a selection of bold plaid, and checkered print capes. I loved the fabrics chosen for the capes how effortlessly easy to wear they were.

All in all a fantastic night at Silver Fox Studios and really hope there will be lots more of these to come!