However one of my favourite looks at the moment is the statement cuff!! These cuffs are serious pieces of "Arm Candy" which will turn the head of any true fashionista! Layer them with other cuffs, Shamballa's or an oversized watch to create the look!!

Hope you enjoy checking out my own personal arm candy as well as the cuffs I'm currently lusting after!

Well in the case of Action Mental Health's "Style at Stormont" on the 13th March, fashionista's will have a lot to look forward to!!! The show itself will be taking place in the prestigious surroundings of the Great Hall at Parliament Buildings, Stormont. This mere fact alone was enough to have me dying to attend!! With it's opulent marble pillars and grand staircase, it will be a magical backdrop to the stunning models and fabulous fashion on display!

This not-to-be-missed event has support from some of Northern Ireland’s best known names in the fashion and beauty world. The stunning models from Tracey Hall's Style Academy will be wearing Spring/Summer 2013 collections from retailer House of Fraser, whilst the talented hair team at Peter Mark and award-winning make-up artist Paddy McGurgan will be making the models "catwalk ready"!!

With such a stunning venue, wonderful fashion from House of Fraser and the immense talents of Style Academy's models, Paddy McGurgan and Peter Mark, this show has all the makings of being one of THE most glamorous events of the year!

But don't forget, as much as I will love watching the fashion on display, the event itself has a higher purpose! Since 1963, Action Mental Health (AMH) has provided life-changing services, helping people to recover from the effects of mental ill-health. Now in their 50th anniversary year they are celebrating being chosen as the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission’s inaugural Charity of the Year. This event will not only help to raise money for the charity, but also will help to raise awareness of Mental Health issues.

Ahead of the event, CEO David Babington said, “Good mental health is one of the most important aspects of general wellbeing. At some point in life most people will face a challenge with their mental health and it is important to have the right information and tools to cope. We know that socialising and reducing isolation can really help so this event is a perfect example of how people can come together to look after their own mental health, support others and reduce the stigma of talking about mental health.”

With such an opulent venue as Parliament Buildings, Stormont, and the talents of Style Academy's Models, Paddy McGurgan MUA and Peter Mark I for one am beyond excited to attend! (In fact i've been so excited to go, I think I may have even been one of the first to purchase a ticket!!)

The event will be taking place at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Belfast on Wednesday 13th March, 7.30pm. Tickets are £25 and available to buy online now. This includes a drinks reception, goody bag for every guest and entertainment by James Huish, Belfast’s very own “Bublé”. With so much local talent supporting the event, all proceeds will go to Action Mental Health to help their support services and outreach work across Northern Ireland.

We are all in for a night to remember, so please come along and join me on the FROW for a truly fabulous night of fashion for an extremely worthwhile cause!!

Tickets are limited but can still be purchased securely online at:
http://styleatstormontfashionshow.eventbrite.co.uk

Action Mental Health website:
www.amh.org.uk
They can also be found on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/amhNI and Twitter: http://twitter.com//amhNI





Massive thanks to Callum Clark from Action Mental Health for providing me with the press release and all relevant photographs.

So the question is, as the "Style Judge" what did I choose to wear.........???




Photographs from the night kindly provided by Glen McAuley, Caroline Smyth, Stephen Potter & Norm Keilty.

Truth is, I am a very lucky girl, I get to dress up in fabulous outfits and get to go to some extremely glamorous events! I am living my dream, and every now and again I even find myself in front of a photographer's lens as I'm photographed for a "Best Dressed" Competition or a "Style" section for various magazine's and online publications!!

Well guess what?? The roles are now reversed as I can officially announce i'm now writing "Style Watch" for Belfast Times! So while you'll be able to continue to read about all the fabulous events I attend right here on "The Real Elle Woods", you'll also be able to check out my "Style Watch" for the most striking outfits I spot on the night with you via the Belfast Times!!

My first piece features the stunning style of audience member's in attendance at Alexandra Godfrey's Fashion Show and Entertainment Evening in aid of TinyLife!! Alexandra very kindly asked me to judge the Best dressed Competition and I had a blast checking out all the very fashionable attendee's!! So why not click on the link below to see my Best Dressed Shortlist and to discover who won on the night!!

The first of my regular "Style Watch" pieces for The Belfast Times:

Belfast Times Style Watch with Louise Vance at Fashion Show and Entertainment Evening in aid of TinyLife! http://www.belfasttimes.co.uk/louisevancestylewatch/

On the night, I myself was wearing the stunning Neon tribal shift dress (DL066) from my favourite store Karen Millen, accessorised with the matching clutch: Graphic tribal clutch (GL101), an orange Tropical cuff (ZJ003) and my statement Swarovski encrusted watch with orange ostrich print strap (VK005) all from Karen Millen!!

I hope all my readers enjoy reading my future "Style Watch" pieces for the Belfast Times, and massive thanks to Jeff of the Belfast Times for asking me to do it!!

Even though the collection won't be released until next month, shoppers in Belfast and in Cork were treated to a special preview of the collection, in celebration of Cork being named as "Oasis Store of the Year" (for UK & Ireland) with Belfast following a close second!
Staff in both stores were treated to a day off as both stores were taken over by two teams: Cork's comprising of the Oasis Head Office Executives and Belfast by the Shadow Board, as they went head to head for the day!! (But more of that in another post!!)

While I was unable to make the trip down to Cork, I was however lucky enough to be able to make it to the Belfast event where I was able to meet the In-House Designer for Oasis, Kathryn Pow!!! Kathryn looked stunning in the "Darcy" dress (which I found out was her personal favourite from the collection!) and she was kind enough to personally talk through the collection with me!

Wonderland by Oasis is aimed at the Fashion-Forward girl, who loves to get dressed up to go out, and focuses on a younger, more directional look, with shorter hemlines, bolder prints, stronger colours and featuring cut-out details and mesh inserts!

Each dress in the Wonderland Collection has it's own name, making each dress feel even more special to the wearer!

SPRING SUMMER 13 CAMPAIGN

As my regular readers will know, Karen Millen is probably my favourite brand, rarely am I seen out of the house in something that isn't from their brand! What I personally love about Karen Millen is that they're a "designer fashion brand dedicated to dressing glamorous, confident women in polished, fun and feminine clothes".

Some people like to dress in a street style, others feel more comfortable in casual looks......I on the other hand love to maintain a highly groomed, polished and glamorous look! The highly groomed women of Milan, and the polished girls from the Upper East Side in New York, are my fashion Muses! Karen Millen produce "unique designs with the focus on attention to detail and beautiful fabrics.....(their) garments are perfectly cut to make our customers feel confident, beautiful, glamorous and sexy". As someone who has worn their garments for many years, I can certainly say their clothes make me feel "Confident, beautiful, glamorous and sexy"!!

Therefore it was with great anticipation that I waited to see who Karen Millen would reveal as their new face of their Spring Summer 13 Campaign!!

For this new season Karen Millen has focused on creating contemporary collections that are pared-down yet confident, and this has been reflected in the feminine yet resolutely modern creative for the Spring Summer 13 campaign starring none other than Amber Le Bon!!

Amber is the eldest daughter of iconic model Yasmin Le Bon and her husband Simon Le Bon, lead singer of the legendary group Duran Duran. Not only has she shot for many of the international Vogue titles as well as style publications such as Tank, she also has had the privilage to work with some of the worlds leading photographers including Phil Poynter, Anders Overgaard, Rankin and Bryan Adams!

"We look for someone confident with a strong personality to be the face of our seasonal campaign. We chose Amber as not only is she very beautiful, she is also highly creative and dedicates some of her time to high profile charity work. This interesting blend embodies the modern confident spirit of the Karen Millen woman".

." - Gemma Metheringham, Managing and Creative Director of Karen Millen.

Having looked at both the new campaign images as well as the Spring Summer 13 Campaign video, I cannot think of anyone better suited to represent the new collection!!


Having already had the chance to look through Karen Millen's "Style File" look book for the coming months, I can confirm the collection contains many "must have" pieces, and something tells me as my "WishList" grows.......my bank Balance will be dropping big time!!

Why not take a second to check out some of the Spring Summer '13 range currently available online:
www.karenmillen.com


Massive thanks to Katie Allen Junior PR Assistant, Aurora Fashions for providing me with the Press Release & all relevant photographs!

Time to say goodbye to the January blues and herald in the Spring with some fabulous fashion events!!! I don't know about you, but after all the excitement of Christmas and New Year, January can seem like a bit of an anti-climax! Plus here in Belfast the fashion scene tends not to kick off until the end of January, so i've been suffering from major fashion show withdrawal symptoms!!

However my wait is now almost over as my friend Alexandra Godfrey, Fashion Stylist and Events Co-ordinator, will be holding a fully choreographed and styled Fashion Show and Entertainment Evening this Friday 8 February 2013 at the Stormont Hotel, Belfast!

This event is being held in aid of TinyLife, the only premature and vulnerable baby charity in Northern Ireland dedicated to reducing illness, disability and death in babies. (Which as a premature baby myself is a cause very close to my heart!)


I have had the pleasure of working with Alexandra when she assisted at Man Time & this girl is amazing! Not only does she have a true passion for fashion, but she is blessed with amazing talent and so when she set out to create an event “not to be missed” I knew it was going to be something special!!
The event will be featuring local boutiques, independent retailers and businesses and Northern Ireland's own FNT LIVE (on a high after their recent "Nordie Shore" parody), Emily Rose Conlon, Vibe Dance Crew and Martin John.

Talking about the forthcoming Fashion Extravaganza, Alexandra Godfrey said “I am very excited about this event. TinyLife is a wonderful charity to support. We have fashion, music, comedy and dance acts on the night, as well a chance to buy something for your loved one - just in time for Valentine's!”


There are still some tickets available for this much sought after ticket only event. To avoid disappointment get your tickets now by contacting:
Email: lifesacatwalk@hotmail.com