wells about town

Life before the bucket

2013-04-18T17:23:00.000+01:00

So tasked with creating a bucket list by Life of A Digital Girl, AKA Hollie-Ann Brooks, it got me thinking what do I really want to get out of life. I have to choose my top three but added a few more as I have so many things I want to do. I've narrowed it down to 10... I had too as otherwise you would be here for hours! So here are my top three and then the rest (in no particular order):

1. Star as an extra in a Hollywood film- I say extra because I have no real acting talent (modest) I just want to be in the credits
2. Write something is wet cement
3. Sail through the Bermuda Triangle and live to tell the tale!

4. Become fluent in French and Chinese- conversational in French already but know no Chinese
5. Skydive individually- doing a tandem jump on Saturday (eek!) so let's see how that goes!
6. Live comfortably by the age of 30- measured by whether I can afford to food shop in Waitrose (haha! yep laughing at myself)
7. Go travelling but the next place is determined by someone you have met on your travels
8. Have a go on a sit on lawn mower
9. Own a house which requires a sit on lawn mower
10. To have visited every state of the USA and write a tour guide that people refer to whenever they go to the US.

As they say YOLO (You Only Live Once). CRINGE!

Self branding

2013-01-02T19:06:00.000+00:00

I have considered a rebranding of myself and how I want to be represented. And I can finally give you a preview of my new logo which incorporates my initials CW. Take a sneeky peek here:

Valentino at Somerset House

2012-08-29T21:09:00.002+01:00

I am excited to see that the next exhibition at Somerset House will be "Valentino: Master of Couture". It will be really interesting to learn more about Valentino's life and work. Over 100 designs will feature in the exhibition along with personal photos and archives. The exhibition runs from 29th November 2012 until 3rd March 2013. Tickets go on sale tomorrow.

LV images leaked- Phelps to loose medals?!

2012-08-21T21:06:00.002+01:00

Could the most decorated Olympian of all time, the golden boy of the pool, loose all his 2012 medals? Well it appears that this could be the case as images of a Louis Vuitton campaign featuring Phelps are leaked before the official International Olympic Committee date which states that competitors can participate in non-Olympic media/promotion.

According to IOC regulations athletes are not allowed to participate in any marketing campaigns other than those endorsed by the IOC between 18th July and 15th August. The two images were leaked on 13th August just days before the restrictions were meant to be lifted.

Louis Vuitton and Phelps' management have adamantly denied that the images were officially released and that they were in fact stolen and leaked via Twitter without their knowledge. (Both parties would surely have to say this to cover their backs, no?)

Phelps doesn't look so golden now... but he does look pretty tasty if I say so myself!

Returning to Toni and Guy :)

2012-08-13T21:18:00.000+01:00

So Toni and Guy have just been in contact with me to ask me to return to the PR department in the lead up to/during London Fashion Weekend! I am super excited about this and start my internship next Tuesday for a month and a bit!

This season is a busy one for Toni and Guy as they are the official sponsors for LFW as well as providing the hair styling for the catwalk shows. label.m, T&G's professional styling product line will be used to style the looks. Give both T&G and label.m a follow on Twitter for up-to-date news/

There is going to be lots for me to do and the experience will be invaluable! This will be a fitting end to my uni summer. Will keep you all posted on what I am doing (unless, of course, it is top secret :P)

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY

2012-06-18T13:24:00.001+01:00

So I've been mega busy in these last few weeks and have neglected my blog :( sorry guys! Lots on- just finished first year at uni, come back from Lanzarote, been working at boots and today I have started work experience at Toni and Guy with their PR team! So exciting. Definitely going to keep you all posted on how it goes! Although there are projects which I have been briefed on which are top secret so those you won't be able to know about! I cannot believe how small the team is here and yet there is sooooo much to do. Currently on my lunch break and have had to flick through the weekend supplements for latest beauty and fashion trends and give a briefing of today's headlines. I feel like I am so slow at it all- very fast paced industry. The news that I had to type up is already out of date and I feel like everyone already knows what I am typing about! Anyway off to finish my sandwich and then to crack on with my tasks!

Feeling professional and grown up, Catherine x

Revive Fashion Show

2012-05-10T19:07:00.000+01:00

I went along to Pitcher and Piano last night in Nottingham to support my friends who were organising the show. Even better was that it was free entry and it was supporting a good cause! The show featured 50 outfits, upcycled, revamped by Nottingham Trent Fashion students, showing the audience that you can utilise "old" clothes giving them a new lease of life. Not only are you updating your wardrobe you are helping the environment and turning your back on the concept of fast fashion. All in all, it was a great night! Probably the longest fashion show I have seen and in one of the most striking venues too! Well done girls :) x

Athletic models... Not surprised

2012-05-07T15:28:00.000+01:00

So the Olympics hit London this summer, and surprise, surprise brands are picking up on this and using it as a way of promoting their products. I first saw this in Chanel's recent advertising which uses athletic models (androgyny at it's essence) on trapezes and using rings. Although not very original, credit where it is due- the photographs are pretty classy....

Another brand taking up the theme is Emporio Armani EA7

Strong and fit, are the new skinny... Watch out for more of this trend in the run up to the Olympics!

Cobra trying to be like Peroni?

2012-05-04T13:57:00.000+01:00

So I've always wanted the lifestyle of those guys and gals in the Peroni Autumn/Winter advert or even those in their Spring/Summer one... They are quite simply the coolest people ever and want to be them. Deadly jealous!

It occurred to me the other day when I was at the cinema that the same sort of aesthetic has been used in the Cobra beer adverts too. They take on this old-fashioned camera look, with chilled out music, and chilled out cool people... All in an attempt to sell an alcohol beverage.

Both brands are selling a way of life. Chilled. You can be cool. Take time out of the day to relax. All by choosing to drink their beer. This I think works well with Peroni- Italian lifestyle is something that people aspire to live like. Will it work for Cobra? This could be the start of a new image maybe... A fresh perspective on an up and coming country- India. I wonder what the next advert will be like...

ADDITION: Stella Artois are into the same sort of aesthetic I suppose. All three brands are appealing to a young audience through the use of nostalgia of the past (wishing we were there) and a chilled out lifestyle....

Breathing

2012-05-03T21:16:00.000+01:00

This sounds so cliche but I had no idea what to expect when I went to see Breathing. I randomly picked a film to see and off I went. I didn't look at what it was about... I was not expecting what I saw! Set in Austria, Roman Kopler, calls the Juvenile Detention centre his home. We do not find out until later on in the film as to why he is there, but we get the idea that he has been in there for a long time. His life is extremely dull and pointless. One of the first scenes we see Roman flip at being asked to weld some metal together for a job. He is advised by a gentleman, whom we find out is his lawyer, to look for other work so that his court hearing goes well this time round. Roman finds himself working at an undertakers. Hence the referencing to breathing. The most unlikely job for a 19 year old. We follow him as he learns his trade, as he is further rejected by his peers in the Detention centre because of his job, and as he revisits his earlier life through tracing back his abusive mother. A clever title which explores all aspects of breathing, what it means to be alive and realising that you only get one chance so don't waste it. It is tense, tense, tense from start to finish. Great film. The unexpected has it's advantages.

I think I'm turning into a health freak...

2012-05-02T13:14:00.000+01:00

So I've started to drink at least two litres of water everyday and am going to the gym.... Two things I have noticed. From drinking more water my skin is so much more radiant and I get less spots/blemishes- I haven't worn any foundation/tinted moisturiser for over 2 weeks! From going to the gym in the morning I feel refreshed and energised, meaning that I am getting more work done. Fit for summer!

Sun safe

2012-04-29T13:00:00.001+01:00

I have had an overwhelming response to my post about staying safe in the sun (ironic as it hasn't stopped raining since in England!) Anyway, I had a response from the British Skin Foundation (Bevis Man to be precise) about my post and I thought I would just mention some of the points that were mentioned:

"I think people don't always understand what the difference is between UVA and UVB nor what to look for in terms of their sunscreen. The old star rating was a bit confusing too for UVA ratings on the backs of bottles, as a five star UVA rating meant that it had a good level of UVA protection in relation to the level of UVB (ie. the SPF level) protection. So, a sunscreen with an SPF of 25 that had a four star out of five rating for UVA meant that it had a fairly decent level of UVA protection as well as a decent level of UVB protection.

Anyway, this system has now been changed anyway, as UVA protection symbols now don't have stars but the 'UVA' letters inside a circle which shows the sunscreen has a decent level of UVA protection."

And possibly the most important fact that was given to me was this:

"The majority (about 80%) of sun damage you accrue in life is done by the time you're 20!"

Which is actually pretty scary when you think about it!

I will be happy if at least one person has gone away after reading my blog post with a changed attitude about the effects of the sun on your skin. Again, I have to stress I am NOT a kill-joy, just into making changes to my life that will keep me young and healthy. By all means, when we do eventually get some sun, go out and enjoy it but just be sensible...

Fumble with FCP

2012-04-26T18:46:00.000+01:00

The name was obviously created to make a bit of a stir, draw some attention. I invited a mate along via Facebook and he said he almost chocked on his dinner when it came up in his notifications "Catherine Wells invites you to Fumble at Stealth" Har har!

Anyway, so I've just had a quick nosey round as I have a uni deadline in for tomorrow and am desperately broke (story of my life) The event is taking place to raise funds for the 2nd year's degree show- planning ahead (clever beans) I've never been to Stealth before... but what a great venue! There were donated clothes for sale (of which the owners would get a certain percentage back), a BBQ, and a cake stand! Later on there will be an after party in association with a Vice magazine issue launch which looks super cool (soooo wish I wasn't doing this work!) There clearly had been a lot of hard work and effort put into the organising and running of the show- and for a £2 entry fee it really was a worthwhile experience and has given me some ideas for when it is our year to raise funds for my degree show (scary stuff!)

So this is a quick post just to say well done guys and gals... tremendous effort on your behalf and I hope the evening goes well for you! x

Steve Madden lovelies

2012-04-24T17:09:00.000+01:00

There is one thing you should know about me... I'm a shoe buying addict! I was on my way home and happened to pop into TK Maxx for a browse, knowing that I have NO money to spend... bad idea! I was instantly drawn to the shoe section, and I must say the Nottingham branch of TK Maxx is probably the best I have come across in terms of shoes- no dreary old lady flats... Well known names seem to be on every shelf- Carvela, Ted Baker, Guess, Michael Kors, Dune etc. The buyers for TK Maxx have recently really stepped up their game.

I was not expecting to find anything quite as amazing as my Michael Kors for £40 that I bought a couple of months ago, but I was not disappointed! Steve Madden shoes were aplenty. Not only were they really nice S Madden shoes, but they were very reasonably priced ones at that! Also if I stand corrected, TK Maxx is the only supplier of Steve Madden shoes that I know of outside the US. I discovered Steve Madden shoes when I visited New York in the New Year and from then on I fell in love. There were honestly so many pairs I could have bought to day but I settled on these coral beauties as I felt I would get the most wear out of them as the colour is very versatile. £35 later- will I regret this purchase? Definitely not! I may not be able to feed myself for the next week but oh it will be so, so worth it!

My babies:

St George's Day in Nottingham

2012-04-23T15:29:00.000+01:00

As things go, I would say I am very patriotic. I love England and everything that it is associated with- tea, pubs, Sunday dinners (!), cricket, rugby.... You get my drift! The trouble is that St George's Day is often overlooked in this country in say comparison to St Patrick's Day. This was why I was thrilled to hear about the festivities occurring in Nottingham's market square. There was a parade, morris dancers, folk music and all in all the atmosphere was wonderful! There was no one being rowdy; just simple fun and laughter. I feel awfully proud to be part of such a great country! As a nation we need to be more proactive on St George's Day and have similar events up and down the country. St George- I salute you!

Here are some pictures from the festivities and below you will find some clips of the Morris men:

Ripley Morris dancers in action

Characters in the square!

Stay young, Stay safe

2012-04-18T21:23:00.000+01:00

So I am 18, I am fair skinned, I like to go outside when the sun is out but I would not call myself a sun worshipper... would I really have sun damage?

Well apparently so.. all the marks circled with yellow indicate skin damage from the sun... Scary I know! And while there aren't large patches of damage, it is still quite shocking!

I happened to be doing a shift at work (Boots) and there was a No7 event on launching a new anti-ageing serum from their range Lift and Luminate. I was not in the age range that they were specifically targeting this new serum at but there was the chance to have your face scanned to see the effects of the sun on the skin. Seeing as I was just finishing work, and it was free, I thought- I might as well give it a go!

You put your head in this box and shut your eyes. There are several flashes and then the machine scans the image of your face. Here are my results

The machine shows you all your blemishes, red marks, bacteria on your face. The results were really interesting. It picked up my blemishes which wasn't the most flattering part of the experience! If you ever get the chance to have a go on one of these machines, I would really recommend it- It is a real eye opener!

I digress... The bottom left shows the patches of UV damage already present on my skin. I am in the 40% mark for my age- 100% being people with little damage. There is nothing I can do now that I have this damage but the advice given was to start to prevent any more developing by wearing sun protection so that as I get older, my percentage score will increase whilst my peers scores will keep on getting lower.

The problem is that many people do not regularly apply sun protection and the easiest and most simple way is to use a moisturiser with them present. Be sure that it has BOTH UVA and UVB protection. In simple terms UVA rays cause ageing, whilst UVB causes burning. You know when you get that lush tan on holiday? Well that is your skin essentially cooking and telling you to move out of the sun. I totally don't want to be a kill joy- but make sure you cover up people! You don't want to look old and wrinkly before your time, or ever if you can possibly have it.

I read a report once that not all SPF 15 moisturisers give you protection from both UVA rays and UVB. Often they only include protection from UVB rays- this is NOT enough! Check your products people and invest in your health! What's a few extra pounds when your health is concerned?

The important message to ram home here is that no matter what the weather, cloudy, rainy, foggy, the sun is still out, and exposure to the sun has negative effects for the skin. You need to be looking for moisturisers with an SPF 15 which protects you from both UVA and UVB rays! Stay young, stay safe! DO IT NOW!

Delicacy

2012-04-14T19:12:00.000+01:00

A wonderfully French film starring Amelie actress Audrey Tautou. It follows Nathalie, a beautiful, successful Parisian executive, who very suddenly looses the love of her life. It takes Nathalie three years to move on. She is wanted by many, but has a strange desire for the most unassuming male colleague- Markus, the gangly, buck-toothed Swedish admin assistant. What could have been a very sad film, is immediately uplifted by this unlikely pairing. Delicacy is poignant and to the point- life is delicate. We play on a thin edge. Be spontaneous and live for every moment. A split second can change your life. Tautou is reinstated as the queen of French rom-com.

Side note: Definitely want to get back into learning French!

Hug for a COKE?

2012-04-12T21:51:00.000+01:00

So you thought you'd seen it all when I blogged about bus stops that dispense Mr Kipling cakes ... Well the latest in this line of promotion is Coca Cola who have asked the people of Singapore to hug a vending machine for a taste of their calorific drink.

Again another great promotional strategy to engage the consumers with the product but it stands to tell whether it will be as disappointing as Mr Kipling's attempt at a similar stunt in the UK. Maybe it will work in Singapore as their attitude to consumption is much more reserved than ours in the UK- there is also less antisocial behaviour and crime...

I wonder what brand will be the next to come up with such a stunt? I'm envisaging our pavements chock-a-block with "hug me" vending machines... Maybe it would bring back the community spirit that this country so lacks... Who knows!

Inspiring HOPE

2012-04-09T14:34:00.000+01:00

Budgens is set to sell bricks of "Hope" alongside it's groceries in an attempt to make customers part with a little cash for a good cause.

The idea is genius. I would probably pick up one of the blocks (which is returned to the shelf- you don't "buy" it to keep it) and for the donation to be charged to my receipt than put my coppers in a charity box. There is probably great psychological reasoning behind it...

This scheme has been set up as there has been a dramatic slump in the amount people are giving to charity in light of the recession- people just are strapped for cash and are thinking about every pound that leaves their pockets.It is the idea that you are buying "hope" and you are doing it as part of your daily routine. You would think nothing of it. I think it is a great idea and one that could really take off- providing it is publicised and promoted accordingly. Innovation is the key here... success is now down to us the consumers!

Luan- confusion, chaos

2012-04-06T14:52:00.000+01:00

Luan (Chinese word) has been used as the focus for the latest exhibition at Nottingham Trent. It has been interpreted through the medium of dance. On entering the exhibition space you are presented with a series of screens that have several movements of dance playing on repeat. Although not initially understanding what Luan meant- there was definitely a sense of confusion in the movement of the dancers which reflected in the mood which was created for the viewers to experience. Taking inspiration from ancient Chinese supernatural, martial art folklore the audience is immersed in this child-like world were it is hard to distinguish what is real and what is not....

As I say about all exhibitions at Bonnington, it is definitely worth a visit. It is FREE and runs until 11th May with live performances at different points. Worth a vis

Marc Jacobs lance sa ligne de maquillage

2012-04-03T13:10:00.000+01:00

Upon seeing this photo I was shocked... MJ in makeup? But then again it is MJ and so can be excused. Marc Jacobs has announced a venture into the world of cosmetics. Release date to be announced in due course.

Mr Kipling strikes... but very disappointingly

2012-03-29T16:37:00.001+01:00

The actual excitement when I heard that one of Mr Kipling's "free cake" machines was heading to Nottingham, I cannot describe. I hunt down the location and am presented with this:

It was just as the promotional video said it would look like. However, I was a bit miffed to say the least. I had turned up at 8am- thought I had better get there early just in case there was a crazy rush for early morning cake (!) only to discover that there was no queue (thank goodness I suppose) but that there was no free cake! At 8am in the morning! Surely not all the cake had been consumed? According to the dispenser one cake would be dispensed every minute between the hours of 7am and 10pm. Well this dispenser had clearly failed... unamused. Tesco's cherry bakewell anyone?

Ok, so I wasn't really that concerned about free cake, although I wouldn't have said no, I was more interested in the whole concept. There were to be several of these cake dispensers around the country to mark the launch of Mr Kipling's individually wrapped cakes (a long time coming! But means that I now have no excuse to eat two at a time!) The idea of these cake dispensers was actually pretty clever. The consumer had to actively engage with the dispenser to get a free cake (promotion bonus points). There was a buzz created at round the concept and people began to strategically plan new routes home in order to come across one of the dispensers. However, there was MANY massive flaws in this promotional strategy. What was to stop the same person, keep on receiving free cakes? What if they had run out? Like the one in Nottingham. Who was keeping an eye on the activity of the dispensers and those using them? Basically, to put it bluntly the dispensers were open to MAJOR ABUSE.

All in all, a very innovative idea, but maybe stick to handing out free samples in the street? A much more controlled promotional environment and less likely to be taken advantage of by... cake lovers...

TK Maxx- My new favourite place EVER!

2012-03-24T21:16:00.000+00:00

So where do you find Michael Kors heels for £40? TK Maxx! I could not believe it when I came across these absolute beauties today:

I had no intention of buying anything. In fact I was just passing time before I had to leg it down to the station to go home for Easter! But when I saw the name Michael Kors emblazoned on this pair of heels, in my size I simply could not leave the shop without them. They were mine! How had no one else spotted them? I was simply amazed that they were even on the shelves!

I don't often visit TK Maxx as it reminds me of a jumble sale and I can never find anything worthwhile. Well... my perceptions have completely changed. The buyers for TK Maxx have definitely upped their game and in all honesty I am impressed. Maybe I will be brave enough one day to have a rummage amongst the rails of clothing... but until then I can admire MY Michael Kors heels. Delighted.

Models- must show health record and meet weight standards

2012-03-21T14:25:00.000+00:00

Many countries have tried to ban the use of photo-shopping models claiming that they are bad role models but no country has gone as far as Israel. Yesterday I read an article on NY mag about how Israel has passed a law which states that models must show full health records and not be under the recommended BMI for their weight and height.Israel has a fairly small fashion industry and so it will be interesting to see the results and outcomes of this law, and whether it will have any implications in the fashion industry worldwide.

Anyone with a BMI (Body Mass Index) of below 18.5 is considered to be underweight. Likewise anyone with an index of 25 or more is said to be overweight. BMI measures the ratio between weight and height to be determined. Athletes, whom are seen as being "fit and healthy", are often considered "overweight" in terms of BMI as muscle weighs more than fat- so it really can only be seen as a guideline.

This new law in Israel seeks to put a stop to the use of underweight models who are seen on the big stage and are looked up to. Is super skinny beautiful? In a world which is struggling to determine what is beauty and has the extremes of people being excessively overweight and extremely underweight it is a brave move by Israel. I hope that this sort of attitude is adopted worldwide to help stop the obscuring of what true beauty is, and to help young and old people alike come to terms with their body. Self esteem is a massive issue in this debate and this move by Israel will hopefully make people see themselves in a different light. Yes it is nice to be slim, but it is the balance of being healthy and exercising in moderation which needs to be considered.

It will be very interesting to see where this story goes.

Full story found here: http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2012/03/israel-passes-law-banning-underweight-models.html?mid=twitter_thecutblog

Marks and Spencer update

2012-03-21T12:53:00.000+00:00

Marks and Spencer's update on Twitter to my comments.

Brand loyalty and all that stuff... Marks and Spencers for life!