CeLaGuTiTe Rank Week One December 09

Well it has been a while folks! collecting the data and tallying uo the points each week had started too take up more time than I actually had BUT, so many people e-mailed in looking for The Rank, I knew I had to start it back up again! Lets Go!

At number FIVE this week is the gorgeous meets sexy meets adorable Hayley Ryan. I myself, don't know much about Hayley other than she has a fabulous figure and never seems to have a shortage of work! She garnered 1602 points this first week in December based pretty much solely on the amount of times we saw her picture taken and published from spots all over the capital. Make that money girl!

Photo from ShowBiz.ie

This week number FOUR went to TV3 Bombshell Glenda Gilson. GG got column inches from her reaction to the morbid and sick Katy French book. We don't want to comment any further on the book cause it deserves no more publicity that it has already garnered. Glenda was just one of many friends outraged by this book and many publications were fighting for her input. On a lighter note, pics of Miss Gilson in the famed Baileys Red Bow ball gown were also smattered in various places giving her a told of 2013 points this week.

Photo from Bryan JamesBrophy Photography

Number THREE is birthday girl Laura Toogood. The glam Laura simply hit the big 2-5 mark this week and celebrated with friends at Krystle. This alone helped LT to rake in 2987 points! Well, it may have also been the curiosity in recent hair colour evolution - that lady looks FAB no matter what she does!

TWO is the elegant and graceful Leigh Arnold. The later part of '09 has certainly held its trials and tribulations for the dark beauty but no one could have endured it all better. Through out it all Leigh has remained fabulous, beautiful, stylish, composed, sweet and diplomatic. Hang in there Miss Arnold, we know the future holds great things for ya! And even though most of her coverage this week may have been dedicated to the cancellation of RTE's The Clinic, Leigh also used her star power to help out and bring attention to a wonderful cause, The Irish Special Olympics.

Photo from Lili Forberg

This week's number ONE is, surprise, Rosanna Davison. How could it not? Miss Davison pretty much had one ingredient of each of the previous ladies as well as her only natural draw! Just like Hayley she is hott and was spotted and photographed all over the place. Like Glenda, many were intrigued to hear Rosanna's take on the horrid Katy book. She was right by Miss Toogood's side in celebrating her bday, and she also was getting press for her good works - especially the upcoming fundraiser for Children's Hospice at Ouzos Restaurant. All hail Rosie, always the reigning queen!

Photo from ShowBiz.ie

Rounding out the top ten were Louise Kavanagh, Ruth O'Neil, Andrea Corr, Nadine Coyle and Una Healey.

Spotted Out - Mid November Part Deux

Residence, St. Stephen's Green, was awash of Celags and Fabu types Wednesday evening! A-Listers abound to toast the opening of Total Management Ireland. Tara O'Connor, resident PR goddess was surrounded by friends and clients alike to support and celebrate her new business venture.

One gorge attendee told me that the evening was all about 80s for many of the glam ladies in attendance, rocking new spins on some of the decades most prized fashion trends: "sculpted shoulder pad jackets [were] the must have item. Rosanna Davison wore hers emblazoned with sequins, whilst Xpose presenter Lisa Cannon opted for a sleek black style, and model Laura Toogood wore hers in striking purple"

Claudine Palmer was full on WAG-alicious donning a Roberto Cavalli dress and embellished stilettos but her best accessory? Mum Joan!

Hayley Rock was demure pairing her classy dress with Chanel pearls, totally hott single lady Leigh Arnold chose this season's sex on a stick slashed leggings while Andrea Roche, who happened to being doing double celebratory duty, arrived with husband PJ Mansfield looking fabulous, relaxed and beautiful!

Not enough mega-watt glam you say? Also partying it up on the night, Assets models Diana Donnelly and Suzanne McCabe, Katie-Jane Goldin, Virginia Macari, and Chloe Arnold, arm in arm with hottie boyfriend and music star, Justin Manville. Jealous yet? We know we are...xxox!

Spotted Out - Mid November 09

As you can probably tell, I've been really slacking the past week! I'm really sorry folks and I promise the rest of my Recession Era Shopping Posts are coming shortly but for now, wet your style whistle with some Society news courtesy of of one of my many gLaM spies! xxox "The Annual Race Against Breast Cancer Day recently took place at Leopardstown Pavillion. Ireland's glitterati were out in force to help raise money for Breast Cancer Ireland. The guest list was scattered with many high profile guests. Rosanna Davison arrived looking radiant in a black and red coat which she wore over a stunning dress. Rosanna was accompanied by Wesley Quirke and her parents. Chris de Burgh even gave a highly appreciated impromptu live performance at the event. Rosanna was joined at her table by model best friend Laura Toogood, who made her first public appearance since darkening her hair. A number of well known personalities were in attendance including TV stars, Brendan Courtney, Sinead Desmond and Aisling O’Loughlin. Assets models Sarah McGovern and Aoife Cogan turned heads in their striking outfits. Mary Kennedy acted as MC for the afternoon. Tina Koumarianos of Image magazine wore a striking hat and former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds had the pleasure of celebrating his birthday on the day. The event, which is now in its fourth year of running, raised over €290,000 for Breast Cancer Ireland"

Winter Hue....

Come the winter months most of us see the colours of our wardrobe transition slowly from bright neons or pale pastels to deeper, richer tones and holiday-esq colours but, your clothing isn't the only way to update your look and feel more in season. Take a cue from the lovely Laura Toogood and darken your tresses as well!Richard Keaveney is the colourist who transformed Miss Toogood from blond to brunette. Richard is part of the the wonderful Keaveney family, who founders of Peter Mark, and is one of the top colourist. Just when we though Laura's eyes couldn't be any more GORGE, this new colour totally makes those baby blues pop! Jeal of Laura's new look, than check out the Peter Mark link above and find a salon near you!

Eyes All Over This City

So, I may be stuck in bed with the Swan Flu (I've re-named it, Swine sounds awful!) but I've got eyes everywhere kiddies! ome of the country's most gorge celagutites and models were out and about this week as I lay coughing up a lung in my apartment! Here's what went on our FaB capital; Monday: The Conrad hotel hosted the annual Marie Curie Fashion Show.

Working the catwalk for this noble cause were: Suzanne McCabe, Laura Toogood, Aisling Pugh, Diana Donnelly, Louise Kavanagh, Georgia Salpa and Nadia Forde. Looks and ensembles from from Marks & Spencer as well as Arnotts delighted those who attended!

Tuesday: Zuku by KSO Launch and Fashion show organised by stylist, Roxanne Parker at the Attic on Henry Street.

Spotted at the fete?Assets model Laura Toogood rocking a long, black, Gothic-style skirt with a white corset by Coast. Fellow Assets model and musician Una Gibney was on hand in a gorgeous navy number by Chloe dress. Author Marisa Mackle donned fitted purple dress with a coordinating and very on trendy purple necklace. Noirin Kelly of Big Brother 'fame' was every inch the recessionista-fashionista in a black and silver sequined dress copped in Dunnes Stores while Xpose's Karen Koster looked stunning in pink dress from the new collection being shown. A bevvy of Assets models strutted down the runway including, Amy Ronning, Aoife Cogan, Sarah Morrissey and Yomiko.

Jealousy is coursing through my veins! Sounds like another gLaM week in Dublin! xxox kiddies!

A Day at the Racing with Laura Toogood !

Even though I am having a supreme time here in NYC, I am totally out of the loop with most things Irish and Fab. This would present a Major problem if it wasn't for some wonderful, not to mention super glam gals whom I can live vicariously through! Today the smart, talented and lovely Miss Laura Toogood is having us along for a day at the races! Enjoy xoxo!

Laura Toogood and Gillian Fitzpatrick

Photo by Leon Farrell

Goffs Millions Race Day On Sunday I attended the Goffs Millions Race Day and I was lucky enough to be a guest in the Brown Thomas marquee. I left Dublin at noon with some friends in a taxi destined for the Curragh. The day is a highlight in the Irish racing calendar as it plays host to Europe’s richest two year old races. The prize for the Most Stylish Lady is also lucrative, with Brown Thomas offering €20,000 to the winner.

We arrived at the Curragh to a friendly greeting from Kennedy PR, who were organising the hospitality on behalf of Brown Thomas. A champagne reception followed by a buffet lunch was offered prior to the first race. Several familiar faces attended the event including Ronan and Yvonne Keating, the former standing out from the crowd in black, square-framed vintage sunglasses. Amanda Byram wore a stunning couture dress with striking shoulder pads and joined publisher Michael O’Doherty on judging duty along with Stacey O’Donnell of Brown Thomas. Alan Hughes attended as did fellow TV3 presenter, Lisa Cannon who was on reporting duty for Xpose. Lisa dressed for the occasion donning a glamorous beige and brown headpiece to match her dress.

Photo by Leon Farrell

After lunch, we positioned ourselves by the windows at the front of the marquee and watched as a steady flow of ladies arrived, many strutting past the parade ring in an attempt to catch the eye of the judges. There were several stunning outfits on display with some contenders opting for a high impact factor by choosing attention-grabbing ensembles, and others attempting to achieve a more subtle effect through various eye-catching styles. Purple was the colour of the day, with the regal shade boldly on show, often teamed with cream or yellow, and on some occasions worn without any interference. Tall fascinators also proved popular and the coordinated brolly protocol was followed regularly. Many of those vying for the honours of Most Stylish Lady clearly spent considerable time synchronising their outfits in impeccable detail and inspiration had been taken from various fashion decades. The top thirty ladies were invited to join us in the Brown Thomas marquee. Peacock inspired attire had obviously proved successful with the judges as two of the shortlisted ladies opted for this theme. Contenders who had taken inspiration from specific fashion eras were also dutifully rewarded with a place on the shortlist; one eye-catching outfit was a red reflection on fashion in the 1920’s. It was Elaine Bennett’s simple, but striking black and cream dress, with matching black accessories that triumphed in the fashion stakes and secured the generous prize fund.

Winner! Elaine Bennett and admirer

Photo by Leon Farrell

The race day was thoroughly enjoyable from both a fashion and equestrian perspective and for those who have never attended I would recommend it as a fun day out that can be enjoyed with a partner, family or friends. Many ladies spent a large sum of money on their outfits, but those who are on a budget are certainly not excluded from the fashion fun. An accompanying friend purchased one new item for the day; a stylish hat, costing less that five euro from a local charity shop. My personal choice was a Guess dress that I purchased over a year ago and which hasn’t had an outing for as long. It had black and white detail so I teamed it with a black cardigan adding a belt to create definition. It is crucial to keep the weather in mind when dressing for the racing and considering it is nearly October I wanted to make sure I was warm enough to spend some time outside, so I wore black tights with Kurt Geiger closed-toe heels.

Often people consider the hardest part of putting an outfit together for racing, is choosing what to wear on your head. There is a misconception that hats and fascinators are expensive; they might well be pricey to buy, but hiring them for the occasion proves an affordable option. I sourced a suitable black and white hat from Foxrock Fillies, which is a hat hire shop ironically located in Blackrock. I picked up my chosen hat three days prior to the race meet and was given six days ‘borrowing time’. Foxrock Fillies have a vast array of hats in all shapes, colours and sizes, and also offer some stunning fascinators and accessories, so it is definitely worth popping in for a browse. With my equestrian background I appreciate the action on the day so I had a small flutter and backed four horses in the early races, but sadly my luck was not in. For those who think they don’t have enough knowledge to become involved in the betting, a summary of the form is offered on the race card, so after a quick read, it is worth chancing an educated guess. The parade ring offers race goers an opportunity to admire the runners and for those who want to get close to the action it is easy to stand near the rails. If you have never been racing before it is definitely worth considering attending some of the major meets. Further information, including details regarding various Ladies Days, is available on www.goracing.ie. Special thanks to the friends I attended with for a fabulous day, and to Brown Thomas for their wonderful hospitality. For more covereage of the Fab Happenings check out The Independent!

Lovely Links;

http://www.brownthomas.com/ http://www.kennedypr.ie/ http://www.hathire.ie/ http://www.goffs.com/ http://www.goracing.ie/ www.curragh.ie http://www.kurtgeiger.com/ http://www.guess.com/ www.tv3.ie/xpose

Seen Out - 12.9.09

Another grey day in NYC, filled with meetings and phone calls and slightly on the boring side BUT - having dinner at Pranna later with an old BFF and very exciting! A little birdy (with a laptop and email capabilities!:) had this to say about the GLAM weekend I missed in Dublin and the Bollinger Champagne Reception; "The VIP guests were treated canapes and Bollinger that was served throughout the afternoon at the Curragh racecourse. We were transported from the Shelbourne hotel in town to the racecourse. Guests included: Miriam O'Callaghan's eldest daughter Alannah who wore a stylish brown headpiece with a matching short dress. Model Laura Toogood wore a red and black top hat decorated with black lace with a bright red dress. TV presenter Baz Ashmawy was there with his girlfriend, Tanja Evans, who wore a figure hugging purple skirt with a sheer black top and fuchsia shoes. Hayley Rock wore a lovely feather headpiece that was designed by Ronnie Ryan. It was a boiling hot day but everyone had a lovely time!" Sounds FAB! Keep in touch kittens! xoxo

White Hot Night in the Capital

Entertainment.ie has a FAB gallery of all the comings and goings last night when Residence held the Samsung Pearl White Mobile Launch.

Danielle Bux, or I suppose we should say Lineker now!, was on hand to help Samsung and other FAB people launch the latest Blackberry in the Pearl collection.

The recession seemed outa sigh and outa mind last night as the event was quite reminiscent of days of yore (or should I say more!) With a white theme and busting goodie-bags that even included the new coveted phone, Dublin's 'It' girls were out in force and - we think - gave the gorgeous lingerie model a run for her money!

Models Sarah Kavanagh, Ruth O'Neil, Louise Kavanagh, Laura Toogood, Charlotte McCabe and Naomi Cullen all looked gorge in their gleaming white!

The party was filled with TV3's best and brightest as Glenda Gilson, Aisling O'Loughlin, Lisa Cannon, and newbie Sean Munsanje were all their rubbing elbows and get all the latest goss we're sure!

Check out the Herald to hear Mrs Lineker's thoughts of our city and her new found married life!

*photos courtesy of entertainment ireland*

Spotted Out - Racing Edition

While plenty of racing fans headed to Leopardstown on Saturday for some serious horsey action, there were two other very good reasons to hit the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes - Celag Watching and Fashion! With a €5,000 shopping voucher up for grabs chic ladies swarmed the racecourse in their finest, and the competition was as fierce off the track is it was on! A keen equestrian herself, our girl Laura Toogood, remarked of the Stakes "Sea the Stars stole the show, [he] ran a superb race." As for the fashion stakes? Miss Tooogod pretty much stole the show herself! Coming in 3rd in the Ladies Best Dressed Race, Laura was stunning in a turquoise (nobody wears this colour better than she!) LK Bennet dress with a matching handbag. Being a recessionista-fashionista after our own heart, she completed the look with shoes from Penney's and topped it all off with a phenomenal hat she scooped up at Debenhams. Chic, talented, a brilliant shopper and smart! We'd hate her if she wasn't one of the sweetest girls on earth! TV3's newest member of the Xpose Team, Sean Musjane, was on hand to dole out the awards with sponsor Lipton's Grainne Galvin. The two searched high and low around the track, narrowing it down to 10 finalist and finally a top 3. Gift certs from fab boutiques like Lara and Fran & Jane were up for grabs as well as a weekend stay at Monart Spa. Ok I know, now the important part - who was there!! Celebs, socialites and models all buzzed about Leopardstown on the day. As mentioned model (and absolute doll) Laura Toogood enjoyed the race with boyfriend Nicky Arnold, VBFF Rosanna Davison, Rosie's other half the gorge Wesley Quirke, and the lovely and talented Marissa Mackle. Miss Mackle was oh so FAB in a green and black patterned dress from BT2. The totally glamorous Chloe Arnold kept it chic in greys and blacks on the arm of her boyfriend, the musician Justin Manville. There was a strong Assets vibe on race day, as the agency's lovely ladies strutted the catwalk within the Lipton's tent for a special fashion show. Naomi Cullen and Aoife Cogan showed off hot new threads, with Kerri Ingram and Julie Kavanagh worked the crowd for Lanson Champagne. Also from the TV3 family, Dennis Kirwan was about interviewing sporting heroes from Eamonn Coughlan, Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn and rugby god Rob Kearney in part of the ALL-Ireland Championship Weekend. There you have it, another weekend in the life of the FAB and wonderful! As I am stuck in doors this weekend I have to thank my FAB informant for keeping me abreast of this weekend's happs! xxox enjoy your Sunday kiddies!