HAPPY NEW YEAR



Well here it is, our last post of 2013. As its New Years Eve today, there is only one thing that's on my mind ... what party dress do I wear tonight? As there isn't a week that goes past where I don't party at least one night of the week, I need to wear something extra special tonight. This dress was a great find in a Miss Selfridge sale while shopping in Newcastle a few months ago. This only cost me £9 which I think is an amazing bargain. I love the lace detail all over the dress and discretely shows a bit of extra skin on the back. The sleeves keep me warm as I walk to each club while keeping me looking fabulous. To complete the outfit I make sure I add lots of sparkles in my rings and clutch bag.

Here at Elle Petite we're excited to see what 2014 brings us so we need to start next year with a bang. Being known as a notorious party animal since my college days (and don't worry I'm still going strong) there's only one way I'm bring in the new year. On that note I must run, there is a bottle of Tequila at my friend's house with my name on it. Ready everyone ... SHOTS! SHOTS! SHOTS!  

DRESS - Miss Selfridge / CLUTCH - New Look / SHOES - New Look / RINGS - Miss Selfridge, H Samuels and Swarovski

COLOSSEUM

 
 

Shooting in front of the world famous Colosseum was defiantly a dream of ours. Construction on this building started in 70 AD taking 10 years to complete. However it has been left partly ruined due to a devastating earthquake and stone-robbers. The 2000 film 'Gladiator' was inspired from the history that occurred within this building including gladiatorial events and battle re-enactments. 

This outfit can be warn on both a night out or during a more formal event such as a work do. It is ideal for women who are more confident about their bottom half of their body rather than their top half. Whether someone has tummy or bust insecurities, the ruffles will hide all by distracting the eye to look at the detail of the top. Colour mixing and blocking also works well in this outfit as long as you choose carefully when picking colours. Here I've picked a simple black heel to match the black spots within the top. In addition to this I have chosen a bright red nail vanish to add more colour.


TOP - River Island / SKIRT - New Look / SHOES - New Look

CHRISTMAS TIME



Merry Christmas everyone! This year Christmas jumpers are extremely popular which can be decorated with all the colours and patterns you can think of. Therefore this means there is a jumper for everyone, from humorous to traditional. Personally I prefer a funny jumper and this year I brought a Family Guy themed one from Primark. This was actually from the men's section within the shop and I am a fan of their jumpers all year round. I feel it is important to wear something comfortable on this special day as it can involve a lot of moving around (and we might need that extra bit of stretch after the Christmas dinner!). Although England didn't get a white Christmas, I still added some cosy socks to complete this outfit. 

JUMPER - Primark / LEGGINGS - River Island / SOCKS - H&M

TOURIST IN ROME

 
 
 
 

On our first full day in Rome, we woke up early to bright winter sunshine without a cloud in sight. Rushing down our breakfast we headed into the city as soon as possible, with so many places to see we had to act fast! Stepping off the metro we arrived at the Il Vittoriano, and its grandeur was visible from afar. It's hard to ignore the mountains of white marble, towering over you, and steps as far as they eye can see. Completed in 1925, the monument was built to honor Victor Emmanuel, the first king of unified Italy. Nowadays it just houses a museum with an elevator that reaches the top with views across Rome. Unfortunately with only a limited time and lots of places to visit, we didn't have a chance to make it to the top. 

This is an ideal outfit when your day involves a lot of walking. The warm coat has a furry collar which means not having to layer up with scarfs. It's essential to keep warm and comfy while exploring so these leggings are ideal. If you're like me and can't afford the real deal, these pretend Ugg boots do just the same job, although they don't last as long. While this outfit keeps you warm and comfy, it is also stylish in case you happen to walk past a hot Italian guy.

COAT -  New Look / LEGGINGS - River Island / SHOES - Primark / BAG - Lipsy


ALL DOLLED UP




So here it is, Elle Petite's first travel adventure! We touched down in Rome, Italy on a Saturday afternoon excited to see what this beautiful city had to offer. After dodging the crazy traffic with our suitcases, and trying not to forget that they drive on the other side of the road, we made it to our lovely hotel. A much needed night out was in order as our day had been fulled with trains, planes and tube rides. What better way was there to relax with a couple of cocktails while looking at the beautiful sites and hot Italian men!

This body con dress allows a simple LBD look from the front with all the dramatic detail and neon colours at the back. A bright coloured statement necklace could be added to this outfit, preferably to match one of the colours on the back, to make the dress look less plain from the front. You may also notice from looking at the pictures above we like to indulge in the Estee Lauder counters. Their luxurious skincare and cosmetics collections may be a tad pricey, but they are a good investment for great looking skin. Also, I've been a fan of Bed Head lip products since receiving a few of these in a gift bag at my first Clothes Show Live over 10 years ago. Even though at the time people my age had only started wearing a little bit of make-up, I was performing on stage on a regular occasion so it was great for show make-up. 
DRESS - New Look / SHOES - New Look / MAKE-UP - Estee Lauder, Bed Head and Maybelline

BLUE INC CASTING


Walking into a room full of people knowing that every person is here wanting the same thing is always daunting. I had to keep telling myself not to give up because I'll never make it if not, we all have to start somewhere. I strut up to the desk full of confidence ... well pretending anyways (thank god I've had acting classes) and tell them I was here for the casting. “Name? Age?”. Before I could even say 'Oh its spelt ...' He had already wrote on a sticky label 'Lauren'. Understandable yet annoying. After being handed two forms, I head for the waiting area to find a seat. While looking for a seat I could see every girls' eyes analysing my outfit, body shape and looks. I can only describe that moment as the scene from Mean Girls where Cady imagines how everyone would act in a similar situation if we all were animals.

The forms were pretty standard until I turned the page over and saw “What's your best drunken story?” and “How do you pull on a night out?”. As I've attended two Universities, and after four years believe me I have plenty of stories of me and my friends. Yet it just so happens when I put pen to paper I couldn't think of one! Ok, next question, how do I pull? Being a dancer when I see a hot guy in the club I give them the eye and twerk a little (Ok more like I put Miley Cyrus to shame). Hmm, doesn't sound too exciting. Think Loren think! Ten minutes later I managed to pull something together and start to queue. Five minutes ... 20 minutes ... an hour ... two hours, I finally made it to the front of the line. One by one we had four photos taken in this photo booth. The lighting was too bright and we all know that we don't take the most flattering photos in photo booths. However I made it to the next stage.

Here we had a short photo shoot in front of a board covered with the Blue Inc logo. Thankfully this was with a photographer which is something I'm a lot more used to. I had to do head shots, full lengths, poses and photos for their Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Only a few people were selected to be placed on their social media accounts. As I sat down waiting to hear whether I had made it to the next stage, I suddenly get Instagram and Facebook notifications and a tweet from Blue Inc. Yes!  This was a defiant confidence boost. I was then called into another room where I was told the next stage consisted of an interview in front of a panel.

“Next!” Right Ok, deep breath! I open the door and it looked like I was about to audition for Britain's Got Talent. With a big 'confident' smile I made sure I made eye contact with every judge. Thankfully there wasn't a Simon Cowell character as they were all so friendly. “Tell us a bit about yourself.” I replied “Erm well I've just finished my Masters degree and I am a professional dancer in music videos.” Damn, was I meant to mention my previous modelling work? Was it too predictable to talk about that? Should I have not mentioned I already have a job in a different area? God knows, but it was too late anyways. After a few questions about the artists I had worked with, they scribbled 'Philip' on my form (I still have no idea who Philip is) and I was allowed to leave. Handing my form to a worker I was sent into yet another room.

Turns out there was two rooms that people were sent to. One for good news and one for bad. Looking at the others in the room I was trying to work out whether we were the type of people they could be looking for. After ten minutes or so the judges walked in. My heart started to speed up and then one of the judges started to speak. “I'm sorry but we are looking for someone with attitude.” Ok I'm 5 foot 1, look about 16 and have a floral top on. Not really giving off attitude. The only thing 'attitude' about me is that I have a tattoo. Who am I kidding, its a small outline of a star, not very rock and roll. However after a long day involving plenty of waiting I left and headed for Oxford Street. It was a good experience and in this industry every successful super model has had plenty of rejections. So don't worry Blue Inc, you haven't seen the last of me!






CHRISTMAS WINDOWS


Window Shopping is fun at any time of year, but especially so in the christmas season when the shops go all out with the most elaborate and decorative displays. Whilst in London the other day I couldn't resist browsing around Selfridges. unfortunately I didn't leave with anything, but I did end up admiring the gorgeous window displays. Its obvious that a lot of time and planning goes into designing the displays, with all of the different themed windows, its like stepping into a story. From giant Charlotte Olympia shoes, to bright Louis Vuitton bags; who wouldn't want to stop and stare? 

Photos by Laura Howell