You know the summer is coming to a close when the Autumn West Coast Cooler FASHIONWEEK invitation comes in, and who better to pick the best dressed from this season’s press launch than the fierce female behind FASHIONWEEK herself, none other than Belfast Times columnist/blogger Cathy Martin?
Each and every season the FASHIONWEEK shows and events come around so quickly, and in between the organisation of the events, I field questions and comments from show goers and fashion fans alike - and ‘what should I wear?’ is one of the most common questions! The truth is that these days, most things go, as long as they’re worn with sass and confidence. And another truth is, I often have no idea what I will wear myself to host the shows until about an hour before!
I’m always inspired by our guests and audience members though, and very often they pull out all the stops to up the ante on the style stakes. At our recent press launch in Bullitt, I hardly got chatting to anyone - the event flew by in just an hour and we had over 150 guests, so I missed catch ups with about 149 of them! I did take some time afterwards to pore over our photographers’ pictures, and have whittled the city’s style mavens down to my top ten (ok, eleven) fave looks from the day - in no particular order I might add!
First up, the navy ladies. I loved blogger Louise Vance and ASDA PR Fiona Anderson’s navy looks. It was the colour I chose to sport myself, so it definitely got a thumbs up from me as a chic alternative to the typical fashionista favourite, black.
There were two woodland green looks that I loved also - my chum Claudia Brown, who was with me this summer for my VOGUE intensive experience, came over for the launch and helped me style up some looks. While there, she raided my styling rail and wore In Chlomo on top and Pimkie green velvet flares on the bottom. The look was topped off with some William Morris frames from our official eyewear partner, and the overall effect was very cool. Teenager Lucy Watson looked super sophisticated and beyond her years in an AKANI dress with elegant arm detail - sure to be a hit on the runway in October.
Looking all white was blogger Emily Hancock in a backless LWD, studded shoes and a cool pair of Sixties-inspired glasses. Siobhan Murphy from Shiv on Style blog wore a white based floral dress with just enough trim to get you guessing if it was Gucci or Gabbana. Whatever it was, it was totally of-the-moment for the balmy late August afternoon that was in it.
Also sporting florals, and rarely one to miss my top ten style watch, is friend and designer Katie Larmour, who wore a black mesh skirt with a richly coloured Jacquard-weave jacket peppered with the colours of an autumnal bouquet. She’s a massive Balenciaga fan, so I’d put my money on that for this jacket, while the studs on her bag suggest Valentino, and on her feet, those are unmistakeably Louboutins.
Vloggers Melissa Riddell and Niamh Cunningham were almost twinning at the launch with their super tight black skinnies and pops of this season’s fave colour - red - as well as the obvious similarities in their fab wavy/curly blonde hair. I loved Melissa’s red fringe earrings and Niamh’s wrap top fringing. Actually, there was definitely a fringe earring memo out there, because at one point I saw bloggers Aisling Gallagher, Katie Andrew, Lauren Foley, Danielle Donohoe and Emma Jane Mooney all lined up together for a selfie, and all wearing them (if only I had that shot here!)
Melissa also nodded to Dior with her slogan tee and she topped off her look with some amazing eyewear by William Morris. In fact she loved her new frames so much she has since had her prescription lenses put into them.
Finally - the ladies in black included make up artist and blogger Rosie Kirk who daringly added metalics to her look with a sexy fishtail skirt; and lastly two of my F Words speakers Tiffany Brien and Kim Constable looked just the business for two of the hardest working people online here. Kim was spectacularly dressed by Peel on Bloomfield Avenue while Tiffany wore a fab M&S dress that I also have - and one that I could live in, every day!
So that’s a wrap - for more details on the BFW shows, you can always contact me directly from the links on www.belfastfashionweek.com