Trending 17th October 2015 by Genevieve Wilson
Louise Cooney tells us about her New York experience, working for Teen Vogue and the style tips she swears by.
Age: 23
Website: louisecooney.com
Snapchat: lou1409
Instagram: @louisecooney_
Twitter: @louisecooney_
I started blogging in college as part of a course, it was just the push I needed to get started, as it’s something I’ve always followed and loved. Moving to New York gave me the perfect reason to commit; it acted as a diary for me.
New York is every fashion lovers dream – I fell in love with fashion all over again over there. Everyone I met had jobs you see on TV and you don’t think actually exist. My friend Phil is one of these people. He works with Teen Vogue. He told me about the online fashion course Teen Vogue and Parsons were launching together. I was asked to try out the course and report back with my experience . I can’t even explain how excited I was. Their slogan is “fashion starts here” and with where I am with the blog at the moment, it was a perfect fit.
So I’m taking part in the Teen Vogue x Parsons Online Fashion Course for a certificate in Fashion Industry Essentials. It’s a 10 week online fashion course with five different sections, one every two weeks. I’m four weeks into the course and I have honestly already learnt so much. Each section of the course is a mix of different lessons in style taught via videos with staff from Parsons school of Design and Industry Professionals. It’s very interactive and it really makes you feel like you’re part of a class. The course also offers lots of career advice from some of the most well respected people in the fashion industry. It’s so worthwhile for anyone who loves fashion.
Irish people definitely have more fun with their style. In NYC it’s all about practicality – people wear a lot of black and white. We’re so blessed with the shops we have in Ireland, you don’t even realise. I actually think we’re more in tune with the trends at home here than people are in NYC.
For me it has to be the statement white dress. I find myself with a new one in my wardrobe every season and it’s definitely my go-to. It’s a timeless and elegant item that you can get so much wear out of.
I’m torn between the 1970’s and the 1990’s. I love the boho style of the 1970’s but I’m a ’90’s kid and I would just love to relive some of those trends, think Levi jeans, bellytops and scrunchies. I was too young to really embrace them at the time.
Minimalistic, feminine and classic. I like to keep things simple but I also love mixing that simplicity with new trends and fun pieces that catch my eye.
I would most of the time, even if it is just a watch, or a ring, or a nice handbag – it’s such an easy way to dress up a simple outfit.
Most of the time I try to save, I love having new things to wear – especially for my blog, so it would get a bit crazy if I was splurging every time. But when it comes to things that I’ll get a lot of wear out of; a handbag, sunglasses, a good pair of boots, I don’t mind splurging.
An Olympus Penn camera
Skirts and dresses – I wish I was more of a practical shopper but my eye is instantly drawn to pretty dresses and girly skirts.
Favourite designer brands: Kate Spade, Balmain, Yves Saint Laurent
Favourite highstreet brands: Zara, Boohoo, Topshop.
I’m definitely more of an online shopper but after my year away I’m so glad to be back to Penneys and Dunnes and reasonably-priced shops like Zara, Topshop and H&M. They’re so expensive in the US.
A well fitting pair of jeans – I’m currently hunting for the perfect pair!
Yes definitely – I love fashion so any way I can be around it is something I 100% want to be involved in. I’ve made great friends and met some really inspiring people through modeling too so I’ll keep it up as long as I can.
Where do I even start? Between the people I met, the places I went and the experiences I had, I can’t even begin to tell you how much I’ve learnt. I did a blog post on some of my take aways from the year. Looking back I think one of the most valuable things I learnt is to keep dreaming and working towards those dreams. As the saying goes, ‘Good things come to those who work their asses off and never give up!’.
Yes it’s so worthwhile, I may be biased but I really think it’s one of the best graduate programmes out there. You get a year of invaluable international business experience. There’s also a great support network running the programme – it’s the perfect way to transition from college to professional life. Especially for people wanting to work in the fashion industry.
1.Less is more.
2.It is always better to be overdressed.
3.When in doubt wear black.
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