Interview: Lucia O'Connor-McCarthy.

Hello all, me again! Today I am going to be sharing an interview with the lovely Lucia O'Connor McCarthy! Lucia is a very talented and very lovely young photographer who I had the pleasure of working with last year when I modelled for Tatty Devine.

Lucia made my whole shooting experience so easy and so enjoyable and made me feel completely at ease (because I have to admit I was slightly nervous at first!) With Lucia's fabulous photography skills we managed to create some lovely photos and I think we made Tatty Devine proud!

However her credits don't stop at just shooting for Tatty Devine! Lucia has shot for and has had her work featured on Dazed TV, Material Girl, Vogue IT, Ones2Watch and many other prolific places! Lucia was also shortlisted for Ireland's Most Influential Photographer at the Irish Fashion Awards, not bad eh!

I find Lucia's work has a certain chic air to it and she always managed to take both creative and inspiring shots. Her photographs retain a sense of glamour but also have a beautiful contemporary twist too, what more could you ask for?!

I managed to catch up with the lovely lady herself and asked her some questions about herself and about her work too!

Hello Lucia! My first question for you is; what first inspired you to get into photography?

I've always loved taking photographs. My father trained as and artist and always encouraged me to express myself visually. When I was younger I wasn't able to reproduce what I perceived in my imagination on paper like my sister or my father and my attempts at drawing and painting left me feeling frustrated. However, when I started university I felt like I had finally found my medium. I began sharing my photographs online and following a 2 month solo exhibition I began taking more and more photographs and I slowly graduated into shooting fashion. I started working closely with model agencies and other creatives and my work has progressed from there.

What are your favourite things about being a photographer?
I'm very fortunate to be in a position where my "work" is really play and I don't know a lot of people who look at their jobs like that. I have a lot of freedom in my job - I really can't imagine being at a desk everyday. Everyday in the life of a photographer is different - and working with new and exciting talent is really what spurs me on. I will be taking photographs forever.

I'm glad to hear this as your photographs are wonderful! My next question is if you could work with anyone on a future project who would it be and why?

This is a tough question and my answer always changes depending on what day you catch me on! Let's see - Shona Heath creates the most beautiful set design/props - it would be wonderful to work with someone with such endless creativity - http://clmus.com/set-design/shona-heath

Who are your fashion icons?

I don't really have a fashion icon as such - for me the fashion icons are the people walking down the street - I love seeing somebody with a strong personal style. I am always procrastinating looking at street style blogs - they are completely addictive!

I agree! I find myself on places like LookBook and What I Wore Today all the time! So, my next question is do any photographers influence you and your work?

I'm sure that they do. Unfortunately, there are just too many to name - or some I don't even know the names of. I'm influenced by all kinds of people - artists and non-artists alike. I love Tumblr because it's a source of constant visual inspiration - It's mostly random images of things or videos or music which inspire me - http://www.tumblr.com/blog/luciaomc

Would you say you have a certain 'muse' or someone you particularly enjoy photographing?

The thing I love most about shooting different models is just that - they are all different - I love models who bring their personality to the story. I really enjoyed shooting Jake Hold (Elite) for ones2watch - modelling comes very naturally to him. The first model I ever photographed in Ireland was called Anouska - you could cut yourself on her cheekbones! She is now a great friend and I always love photographing her.

And what advice would you give to any aspiring photographers?

Keep on taking photographs - of everything and anything. I would definitely say don't worry too much about the technical stuff - I'm self-taught and so far I'm okay... Really what you can't teach is creativity - keep experimenting with new ideas. On a different note, I would also warn that it is tough, like a lot of things the photography industry is competitive but don't loose heart, passion and hard work will always stand out.

And my final question for you is what is next for you and your work?

Well I'm about to finish university (May 2012) which I'm super excited about - I've been balancing doing a Philosophy degree at Trinity College Dublin and my photographic work between London and Dublin for 3 years so it will be great to be shooting full-time.

Well I don't know about you all, but I can't wait to see what Lucia comes up with next with her fabulous photographs! I would just like to say a massive thank you to Lucia for agreeing to do this interview with me and for not only making me feel so welcome when I shot the photos for Tatty Devine but for producing such lovely shots that I am very proud of!

♡ Primadonna Girl ♡

Hello all! As promised I am trying to update as frequently as possible so I've cleared some time to work on this post today. This blog post is all about how to attain a look very similar to those featured in the brand new video for Marina and the Diamonds song 'Primadonna.'

This video/song is from her current project called The Archetypes which is centred around her second album Electra Heart. Marina has developed several characters in order to explore identity and many other key points to do with America and the American Dream.

The looks featured in Primadonna have a slight Hollywood glamour feel to them and are all probably exclusive vintage pieces that cost a lot of money, but fear not. I have looked on the high-street and have managed to scout a few pieces that will allow you to capture the Primadonna essence in your look.

The first one is a copy of this look:

Here Marina is seen sporting a very lovely sort of shift dress with some lovely lace detailing. Now I couldn't find a dress that looked exactly the same but I found this beauty and came up with a solution.

This dress has a pretty much identical cut to the one Marina is wearing and is from River Island priced at just £30. Now I know what you're thinking, it doesn't have the lace detailing like the ones featured in the video, but I think this is a good thing! This gives you a chance to get a bit creative with how you want the lace detailing on your dress. If you are a bit arty why not buy some lace from a haberdashery shop and sow it on? And if even if you're not handy with a needle, you can still pick the lace you want and decide on the detailing and have a professional do it, and there you have you vintage detailed shift dress! One look down, a few more to go.

Next I have decided to copy this look:

Here Marina is seen sporting a rather Oscar worthy sequin gown, and although this is completely stunning unless you are a screen goddess it may not be very practical. But I looked all over the high-street and I found a more modern adaptation of the dress from Topshop:

This dress still retains the sparkle and colour palette of Marina's dress, however is a lot more wearable for everyday life. You could style this dress with a modern twist by adding a blazer, or you can go for the more vintage look like Marina and add a fur wrap.

Next up is a copy of the pink baby doll dress worn by Marina when she is either surrounded by chandeliers or spinning a lot:

I knew the neckline on this dress would make it difficult to find a dress that really matched but I managed to come up with two options:

Option number one is this cute little dress from River Island. This dress has a very similar colour palette and pattern and is cut in the same vintage hourglass flattering way, however it is missing the collar.

Option number two is this dress from Topshop. This cotton candy coloured dress is very Electra Heart and I could definitely picture Marina wearing this! It has a vintage cut once again and has a bit more collar detailing than the last option which is why I picked it!

With any of the dresses above you should team them with some Anglomania jelly shoes from Vivienne Westwood! Marina tweeted about these beauties the other day and the bubble-gum scented pink girly glamour is perfect the American sweetheart look. They can be found on the Urban Outfitters website, eBay or the actual Vivienne Westwood outlet itself.

For my final full complete look I have opted for the baby blue ensemble worn by Marina several times during the video.

The copy of this look I've come up with is probably the one I'm most proud of, because I honestly think if you teamed the items I found together then you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between Marina's outfit and your own!

I found the cardigan from River Island:

The skirt from Topshop:

And finally team it with these nude pointed heels:

So, there you have it! These are my Primadonna looks! I really hope you liked them and are feeling inspired to try and inject some Hollywood glamour into your wardrobe. If you haven't already go and check out the Primmadonna video and thank you for reading!

Oh Dear...

 Hello all! I know, you are probably struggling to remember who I am because it's been so long since I last updated! I was feeling a bit uninspired recently, but I'm back on track now!

In my absence I have been very busy with school work and such but I've also managed to secure myself tickets to Leeds Festival this year which is very exciting, and I went to see Florence and the Machine on Thursday and she was absolutely amazing!! Her outfits were so beautiful and you can't help but think of her as this sort of ethereal super-being!

Anyhow, I plan to updating as regularly as I used to from now on and I have some blog posts such as an interview and a steal her look post coming your way so keep your eyes peeled and thank you for sticking with What Evie Wore Next x

Even I'm shocked by my lack of updating recently ;)

Snap Happy!

Hello all! Sorry for the lack of posts this week, it was my first week back at school after a week off so it was all a bit frantic for me! This post isn't going to be very wordy as I should really be doing my school work now, however I couldn't leave you lovely readers without anything to feast your eyes on now could I?!

Recently I had to produce a portfolio for an interview to obtain a place on the Photography A-Level course at the college I'm planning to attend, and luckily I managed to secure a place!

When I was producing my portfolio I had a little wandered around Liverpool City Centre looking for some interesting things to take some snaps of, and let me tell you there are many treasures to be found.

Even though I don't have a portfolio to generate for any interviews now, I still intend to continue to go out and take as many snaps as possible! I don't want to bore you with too many of my photos, so here are some snaps I took today, with a few photos of myself thrown in there!

I have many more photos saved onto my computer, so if I get any good comments on these snaps then I may upload the rest onto here, but for now here is some of the snaps I have taken!

I must apologise once again that this isn't a very well thought out piece, but I promise to make up for it with many new posts that will swinging your way very soon!

In the mean time, if you're stuck for anything to read why not check out Lucia O'Connor-McCarthy's lovely blog post about the Tatty Devine S/S12 shoot. Lucia was the photographer who shot the photos of me for Tatty Devine, and she is a very talented lady indeed! An interview with Lucia will soon be appearing on What Evie Wore Next in the next few weeks so keep your eyes peeled for this, and thank you as always for reading!

London Bound!

Hello all! I feel as though I haven't blogged in a while so I must apologise for my lack of posts, and I've been off school all week too! I am a shocking blogger... Anyway, back on track, today's post is all about my little trip to good old London town yesterday!

Anytime away from London is too long for my liking so it was great to be back in the city I love, even if I did have to get up at silly o'clock to catch my train... I soon arrived at London and then made my way to Selfridges!

The Selfridges in London is so big but so amazing! I managed to pick up some very fancy macaroons from the food court and then I payed a visit to the Tatty Devine pop-up event! The lovely Kara was there to chat to, who I first met on the Tatty Devine S/S12 shoot and it was a pleasure as always to see her!

I was meant to be saving my money, but when I saw the speech mark rings I'd been lusting over since I saw them online I just had to get them! They are just so cute and I love that they are in a pair! I'm thinking of taking English Literature for my A-Levels so I'm thinking these will make me the perfect English student, right? The Tatty Devine Selfridges event is brilliant and if you can make it down there I would definitely recommend it for a day full of fun, words and fashion!

After this it was time for some lunch at the amazing Nahm and then from there more Tatty Devine adventures! I headed over to their Brick Lane store to see my modelling shots, and I have to say it was so weird, but amazing to see myself in the window!

I am really proud of how the photos of turned out and it just shows, you Photoshop can really do wonders can't it ;) I must also say thank you to the lovely Emily for taking this photo for me and being so lovely every time I pop into Tatty Devine! I do enjoy our little chats and the Brick Lane boutique always looks magical so it is a pleasure to go there!

After my Brick Lane visit it was time to head to my beloved Camden! Every time I set out of the Camden Town tube station I always feel like I'm home, I just love it so much there!

I had a little look around the many mis-matched crazy stalls and saw some really lovely clothes and vinyl records but I managed to resist making any purchases! It was difficult though....

After a little chill out in a bar it was time to head back to Euston and then back to Liverpool! I had a truly lovely day and I never want to leave that fabulous city so I have a bit of the London blues at the moment but writing this blog piece has helped me to reminisce slightly over my lovely day, so it's all good! Thank you to everyone who made my day so lovely and thank you for reading!

I am a fever, I ain't born typical....

Hello all! Okay so today I am finally doing an outfit post! I know it's been far too long and I was out and about with my new camera today so I thought there was no excuse, I had to do an outfit post for you!

My ensemble today is inspired by The Kills front woman Alison Mosshart as The Kills are performing their 10th anniversary show tonight in New York City (I am super jealous of anyone who is going...) so, as Alison is so well-known for iconic fashion, I thought I would do a little fashion tribute!

Jacket: £8 eBay

    Shirt: £12 New Look

    Jeans: £13 T K Maxx

 Shoes: £25 eBay

Alison is often seen sporting a leather jacket and some skinny jeans so I thought they were a must for my outfit. Also, I have to admit my shoes were a recent purchase that I bought after having major shoe envy of Miss Mosshart, and these shoes looked very similar indeed to the ones she had!

                  
Aren't they a thing of beauty! They make me rather very tall but the heel is really well balanced so they are easy to walk in and really comfortable too! I trawled all round town today taking photos and they didn't hurt one bit!

And the finally part of my outfit you can't really see in the first photo so here is a photo of my amazing spider ring my friend got for me from a vintage shop a few years ago for my birthday!


To anyone/everyone who is going to The Kills gig tonight have the most amazing time. I'll just sit at home and sob into my cup of tea and listen to all their amazing songs. I'm fine, honest.... ;)

Thank you all for reading and I really hope you liked my outfit!

Peggy's Collection!

Photographer: David Taylor
Model: Lydia Bareham

Recently I wrote a guest-blog piece for the lovely Diana Clarke, the owner of independent fashion company: Peggy's Collection, all about vintage styling with a modern twist and I am pleased to say it is now live on the Peggy's Collection blog!

If you fancy reading all about styling tips about how to combine different eras to create a unique look then you need look no further, go check out my blog post here!

To celebrate the blogging collaboration I caught up with the lovely Diana and asked her some questions about her own style and about Peggy's Collection!

Hello Diana! My first question for you is what is the main inspiration for you when creating your pieces?

I love vintage styling so it has to be the vintage era but I also try and mix it with designs that are modern too. Inspiration comes from so many places, such as Vogue, magazines, books, and even colours I see.
I'm the same Diana! And how did you go about setting up your lovely business?

Peggy's Collection started out as a hobby and the more I made and received great comments on the more I considered making it into a business.
Who would you consider to be your style icons?

It has to be Marilyn Monroe! I also adore Madonna too though as she has re-invented her look so many times over the years and still looks fantastic.

Photographer: David Taylor
Model: Lydia Bareham

And what advice would you give to young people who want to start up in the fashion business?

Read as many magazines and blogs as you can and if you are still very interested be unique! Everyone loves different styling but if you have a unique style it will stand out to everyone.

What is your favourite piece of clothing right now?

It has to be the Marilyn top that I have made. I adore it and so many others do too as you can customise it in many ways and wear it with many different items of clothing.

And my final question is what is next for Peggy's Collection?

This year I am due to attend and show my collection at Norwich Fashion Week in March.  Then I am also showing my Spring Summer collection at Essex fashion week in April!

One of my garments is also being worn to London Fashion week too so that's very exciting! I am also working with Artesano Yarn Company in the UK which is great as their yarns are beautiful.

Sounds like Diana's business is going from strength to strength, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next! If you are interested in looking at Diana's fabulous collection then head over to her website, and don't forget to read my guest piece on her blog too!

Thank you so much as always for reading and I hope you enjoyed this post!