Get the Look: Kristen Stewart

Kristen Stewart was recently crowned Glamour magazine’s number one best dressed woman. It can certainly be said that the Snow White and the Huntsman star’s style has certainly evolved over the years since she appeared as an awkward teenager at the premiere of the first Twilight film.

If you took elements of the boho, grunge chick and gothic trends and put them in a blender, Kristen’s look is what you would get. 

The 21-year-old is a fan of band tees and skinny jeans, and is rarely seen without her trusty Converse runners and Ray-Bans. Her hair is effortlessly chic, usually falling in loose waves around her shoulders (let’s forget about that unfortunate mullet she sported for a while, shall we?!).

 

However, Kristen is versatile in that she is able to ditch the casual look for a polished, red-carpet style when needs be, whether it’s a show-stopping full-length couture gown or a mini dress that shows off her legs.

 

It’s easy to snare Kristen’s look at a high street price.

Jeans, boohoo.com 

Biker jacket, Miss Selfridge

Skeleton tank, Urban Outiftters

Beatles vest, Miss Selfridge

Converse, Schuh

Hoody, American Apparel

Dress, River Island

Dress, Asos

Dress, a|wear

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Summer finds!

Hi everyone.

So it's been a while since I've done a proper blog. I've been busy writing mainly for Fashion.ie! Click here to read the pieces I've written so far.

I have to say I've never enjoyed writing as much as I do now. I'm going into my final year of my BA this September so I've been seriously researching my desired post-grad course in London College of Fashion of late. The course requires applicants to have expressed their interest in fashion and lifestyle journalism through blogging or writing for an online resource or a university newspaper, and I have done all of the above, and don't intend to stop anytime soon! In just the short space of a year I will have finished my undergrad (fingers crossed all of my exams go well!) so it really isn't far away. I'm really excited about the future and I truly think I've found my calling.

In other news, I turn 21 next month, and to celebrate, I'm flying to Spain with my friend Niall to see one of my best friends David, who is an Erasmus student in Gandia. He left at Christmas and is staying in Spain for the summer so this is the only chance we'll get to see him!

It's been almost four years since I was on a sun holiday so needless to say, some shopping needed to be done! I didn't want to spend a lot on clothes because I want to have money for when I go over there so I got most of my stuff in Penneys, Dunnes and Heatons.

I was on the look out for cheap and cheerful items, something to throw on over my bikini for a stroll on the beach, or something to wear when exploring the town. Here is what I found.

These two playsuits were €7 each in Penneys. Light, loose, casual beach attire. Just what I wanted!

This little gem of a sundress was only €3 in Penneys!

I love these high-waist floral shorts. They are from Heatons.

I actually got these two dresses in Penneys about two months ago. The mint one was for my best friend's 21st. I love the little cream tea dress - it's so versatile and can be dressed up or down. I think I may wear it out this weekend in fact!

How cute are these shoes? From Dunnes and Penneys.

This was the main item on my list: a bikini. I wanted an underwired, halterneck one and I was extremely impressed by the selection in Dunnes. This lovely turquoise one cos just €15.

Of course I have some stuff already that I'll be bringing and I hope to do a couple of outfit posts while I'm there. Above all, I can't wait to see David again and also for some good weather!

Although admittedly it has been beautiful in Ireland over the last few days.

Here is a picture I took from my bedroom window in my home house in Roscommon. I guess it takes some sunny weather to realise just how beautiful this country really is. It kind of puts everything else that's so screwed up into perspective.

Until next time... adios! x

My first piece for Fashion.ie

Click here to read my first article for Fashion.ie, in which I take a look at the style of one of my favourite singers, Marina Diamandis.

Don't forget to Like my new Facebook page!

Now for something a little more serious.

The following is an opinion piece I wrote for Studenty. You can view it here.

Do we need to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into the modern world?

The other evening, I was absent mindedly half-listening to the nine o’clock news on RTÉ 1, when I heard Eileen Dunne mention the words ‘Catholic school’ and ‘pregnant girl’. I instantly tuned in and turned the volume up.

As I listened to the story unfold and watched the news report, I became more and more horrified. The basic outline of the news story was as follows: A pregnant sixteen-year-old girl had applied to enrol in a Catholic-ethos school in Munster, founded, owned and run by one lay teacher, and was turned away because of her pregnancy. A year later, after the birth of her baby, she reapplied, only to be turned away once again, this time because she was a single mother. When the girl’s family complained, the principal told them he ‘did not take in such girls’.

The girl’s family then complained to the office of the Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan, who contacted the school and requested information regarding its enrolment policy. Ms. Logan was then abruptly told by the school’s manager that the school ‘was not a haven for young pregnant people or young mothers’ and would ‘not become a dumping ground’. He also stated that he had ‘a duty to protect the honourable majority’ who attends his school.

Despite the girl in question, now believed to be aged 19, saying she felt that she was ‘not good enough’, ‘ashamed and embarrassed’, and ‘very emotional and stressed’, and the Ombudsman Emily Logan calling for the school to make a formal apology to the girl and her family, the school has not budged from their original decision.

I couldn’t believe that I was hearing this in 2012. But this news report, along with the recent infamous ‘fornication is the single most likely cause of unwanted pregnancies’ comment by Mayo TD Michelle Mulherin in the recent Dáil debate on abortion, leads me to ask the question – are we going backwards, not forwards?

I certainly hope not. It took a very long time for Ireland to develop and modernise, and in my opinion, we still have a long way to go. However, I hoped that the stiff Catholic regime that was so apparent only forty or so years ago, was no longer a factor in our educational system. As someone who attended a lay-run Catholic school, I would have considered it incomprehensible if a girl had been turned away on the basis that she was pregnant or had a child. The girl at the centre of the Munster school controversy, quite correctly stated: ‘My child wouldn’t stop me from having an education.’

I couldn’t have put it better myself. The circumstances surrounding the teenager’s pregnancy was absolutely no business or concern of the school’s. I am horrified at the despicable treatment she endured. But it is yet another factor that adds to my growing contempt for Catholicism in Ireland.

I believe that religion and politics should never cross paths. I think that if a person chooses to believe in a certain faith or not, it is their own business. I do not agree that religion should be shoved down people’s throats, used as a weapon or used a means of propaganda.

In my opinion, this is precisely what Catholicism did years ago. It took advantage of its governmental position and our Constitution is based around the concepts of the Catholic Church. It was used as nationalistic weapon against Unionists and Britain, and marginalised other beliefs that would have been minorities in Ireland at the time.

Oh sure, if it wasn’t for the Catholic Church, there probably would not have been half as much hospitals, nursing homes, orphanages and other such institutions that should have been the responsibility of the State. Thousands of Irish people may not have had the chance to be educated if it hadn’t been for the many schools set up by Catholic orders of nuns and brothers. But their archaic rules and regulations left Ireland wallowing in the dark ages while the rest of the world developed and moved on.

Now that we are in a post-Celtic Tiger state, it appears that despite enjoying our brief boom and apparent modern economy, one only has to scratch the surface and the influence of the Catholic Church is still bubbling underneath. When is it finally going to fade? As I said before, a religious belief should be personal. It should not be involved in a modern-day educational system!

In my view it is absolutely unacceptable that a pregnant teenager should be discriminated against and stigmatised in this day and age. This would not be a problem elsewhere, but of course Ireland would have it! We can now add that to the country’s growing list of embarrassments. A collapsed economy, a clueless government and a corrupt Catholic Church – what’s next?!

Roscommon-South Leitrim TD Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan recently stated that Ireland had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into the modern world and I can’t say I disagree with him.

Exciting news!

Hi all,

A couple of weeks ago, my aunt who lives in Dublin, emailed me a photo of an ad she had seen in her local paper saying that Ireland's leading fashion website, Fashion.ie, were seeking writers to contribute to the website, and suggested I should drop them a line. So I sent them an email stating my interest, how I was a blogger and wanted to pursue fashion journalism, and also linked them to my Studenty articles.

So yesterday, after my first exam (which went fine!), I was delighted to receive an email saying that they have decided to take me on board as a writer. I'm very excited to have even been considered as this will look really well on my CV as well as postgraduate applications!

I finish my exams on Monday so from then on I will be able to devote my time to writing for that, for Studenty, and of course this blog. I'll keep you all updated when my first piece gets published!

Don't forget to Like my new Facebook page here!

xoxo

New Facebook page, and some Instagram snaps

Hey guys

I've created a Facebook page for this blog, so I would appreciate if you could all give it a Like!

Just click here.

I'm contemplating having a giveaway if the page gets 100 likes!

In other news, all I'm doing these days is studying, as my end-of-semester exams begin next week. Hopefully I won't have to repeat anything in August! I'll leave you with some Instagram snaps from the last while.

My adorable new pink brogues from Penneys!

My latest addiction - Gino's Gelato on Shop Street, Galway. This pic is of the mint one but I've tried and tested a few and my favourite has to be the Ferrero Rocher flavour! Mmmmm

A couple of weeks ago we enjoyed some amazing weather here in Galway, with temperatures up to 22 degrees Celcius. Unfortunately it's back to normal now, but NUIG's campus was full of throngs of students sitting out enjoying the sun.

While I was at home in Roscommon over the Easter break, I was an extra in a short film called 'Tramp', due out this summer. This scene was shot in the Tulsk Inn in Tulsk village.

I think it's safe to say I'm rather fond of lace!

I treated myself to dessert in Dylan's café on Lower Abbeygate Street. This was a cookie cheesecake. I don't want to imagine how many calories this slice contained, but I do know it tasted absolutely delicious.

Yesterday, I found out that I had won the Pretty Polly giveaway held by Ciara over at Wild Child Stories. I was really pleased as I never win giveaways! Everyone should check out her new website, it looks great!

Feel free to follow me on Instagram: @aisowens