Summer Hiatus;

Hello Lovelies!

Lots has happened since we last spoke, I've been to Greece and I've also received a 2:1 in my second year of my PR degree!

This summer I have chosen to take a hiatus, to focus on myself and get my things in order for a tough but amazing third year!

However, I will still update you with any exciting news, such as writing accreditation and any events I attend!

Hope you're all having an amazing summer and I'll see you properly in September!


Thanks for reading,


J x

Diary of a Work Experience Girl; John Lewis Edition

Hello Lovelies!

I have been gone again due to an ever-piling workload from university and my own laziness.

BUT, I felt that it was time to step away from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and tell you all about my fortnight at the head offices of John Lewis HQ.

Yes, I went to the building where they think of the Christmas adverts!!

First, I want to express the importance of internships in this career field. Internships and experience are what is going to set you apart from your classmates. Get as much work experience as you can and not only will you be more employable to companies, you'll also learn a lot too!

Now let's talk about John Lewis!!

I was so overwhelmed by the beauty of the building and the amazing people there - I even met Andy Street, the CEO of John Lewis (I know right?!) Everyone was so welcoming and no question was too small or too stupid - at this point I'd like to thank Leah, my boss for the two weeks, for answering every question I threw at her!

Now my place was in Fashion Communications, with four lovely ladies. Each of them were amazing to watch and I learnt so much from them, from how to speak to journalists to why it's so important to find all press coverage each week...let's just say I read a lot of magazines which I loved!

I also was relieved to find that during my time there, unlike any other work experience I have encountered, not once did they ask me draft tweets.

It felt so good!!

It made me realise that social media is not the whole of Fashion PR, no matter how current the internet may seem.

People, in cities especially, pick up a magazines or two and read the newspapers. I was astounded.

I also realised that PR cannot be done from behind a desk. I was constantly running down to buying and to the postroom to pick up and drop off samples for magazines. Fashion PR is so important and getting your brands clothes in magazines is essential for sales and promotion.

I even got to help choose what to send out - like Miranda Priestly in 'Devil Wears Prada'.

Overall my experience there was incredible and I would really love to visit again, maybe one day as an employee!

Thanks for reading,


Jx

My New Internship at LuxebyMinihaha&co.!

Hello Lovelies!

Well today has just been lovely!

I have been given the amazing opportunity to work with luxury wedding and event planning company, Luxe by Minihaha &co. as her PR & Marketing Intern!

Minihaha is a certified Wedding and Events planner based in Leeds with over 5 years of experience in planning and organisation. She works tirelessly to ensure that your wedding is the best day of your life.

I was immediately attracted to this role as I could almost feel the passion through the computer when I visited her website. I'm very interested in weddings anyway and can't wait to learn more!

So next time we speak I will doing lots of amazing stuff and learning about the ins and outs of the beautiful wedding industry!

Aren't I lucky?!

Thanks for reading!


Jx

If you're planning a wedding or are interested in the services we offer please visit the website

www.luxebyminihaha.co.uk

or follow us on Twitter - @luxebyminihaha 

World Book Day: My Favourite Books!

Hello Lovelies!

I love books, as some of you may know and so, in honour of World Book Day, I've decided to give you guys a list of all my favourite books of all time!

So, let's get down to it!

KNIFE - R J ANDERSON
This book was given to me by my Auntie Sarah when I was about 12-13 years old, and I loved it instantly. It follows the story of rebellious fairy Knife, who befriends a human. It's a story of romance, friendship and danger and I couldn't put it down. PR Girl Rating: 9/10

BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY - HELEN FIELDING
This includes every Bridget Jones book out there. I love her. Bridget is the every woman that I want to be, with a quick wit and two gorgeous men fighting over her (Colin is my man forever.)
Definitely recommend reading if you're female, male, an alien or similar.
PR Girl Rating: 10/10 (You're lucky I gave you full marks Helen, after what you did to Mark.)

THE CONSTANT PRINCESS - PHILLIPA GREGORY
This book was given to me by my lovely Grannie, as something to read when I stayed the night at her house. My gran loves period novels and this one is no exception. Based on the life of Catherine of Aragon, this book tells the untold story of her marriages to Henry VIII and his late brother. Very interesting and full of love. I like that she is a strong woman even for that time period.
PR Girl Rating: 8/10

EAT, PRAY, LOVE - ELIZABETH GILBERT
This book is the newest in my favorites and I was hooked as soon as Liz got to Italy. It's one of those books that make you itch for adventure and there were times during reading this book where I almost bought one-way tickets outta here! Don't read while hungry. Do read if you want to find yourself.
PR Girl Rating: 8/10

CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC - SOPHIE KINSELLA
Love this book. Becky Bloomwood is far too much like me, so this book feels like my life on the page. Hilariously awkward and funny, this book follows Becky on her journey to find a job and to find love - with a few great purchases along the way!
PR Girl Rating: 9/10

So there you have it, my favourite books in honour of World Book Day.

What are your favourite books?

Thanks for reading,


Jx

Sheet Mask Review;

Hello Lovelies!

Today's post going to be about the latest skincare craze - sheet masks! Everyone is wearing them, Youtubers and celebrities are calling them the 'holy grail' product, so I thought I'd test it out!

I got mine from high street retailer Superdrug, and it was a complete bargain at £1.29!

There are lots of different types of sheet masks on offer including hydration and purifying (as seen below).

As you guys know, I get terrible breakouts and I'm trying to look after my skin as much as possible. The masks are cold and refreshing, with the purifying one smelling like peppermint! 

I loved the feeling on my face, and the different ingredients made my skin tingle and feel fresh. 

Excuse the scary mask face, they aren't the cutest things to wear - you look a bit like a ghost. 

I liked how clean my skin felt after the 5 minutes but the purifying one made my skin sting a little which is a definite con of these. 

It's also nice to have 5 minutes to relax while you wear your sheet mask - especially after a long day of uni/work/life. 

I'd recommend looking at the recommended skin type shown on the packet, I have very dry skin on my face so the hydration one was more up my street than the purifying one. 

Why don't you guys go buy some, try it out and let me know what you think?

Thanks for reading, 

Jx

Beauty Edit: The Brown Lip;

Hello Lovelies!

Today's post is all about my favourite beauty trick at the moment; the brown lip!

Now, I know brown isn't always the colour that people go for when they think of lipsticks especially when we're going into spring.

But this colour is the perfect statement to pair with a white shirt and a really simple eye make up. I also find that my skin tone and hair look amazing with this colour - so this one is a definite must for redheads out there!

Lip Liner:

MAC Morning Coffee is my dream at the moment. This reddy-brown is the perfect liner for this dark lip. Although it's a MAC liner, it's quite moisturising and lasts a while.

Lipstick: 

Now I have two for this...and shock it doesn't include Kylie Jenner's Lip Kit which everyone seems to be obsessing over at the moment.

First one is more expensive and it's MAC Verve lipstick. When I bought Morning Coffee, the artist also applied Verve to my lips and this lipstick made my lips feel moisturised and looked so great with my pale skin and red hair. You can buy this lipstick at MAC online or in store.

My second one is a high street brand that can do no wrong. Rimmel's Kate Moss Nudes collection in shade 48. This rich dark brown is perfect on all skin tones and is so velvety soft that I want to wear all day everyday. You can buy these lipsticks in Superdrug for £5.49 in the UK.

This lipstick to me is definitely a statement part of your make up and I'm a firm believer of  "If you have a lot on your eyes, don't put loads on your lips" so as you can see in the photographs, I've kept my eyes natural so the lips really stand out. 

Don't be afraid to try something new guys!! 

Thanks for reading,


Jx

How I wrote my PR CV;

Hello Lovelies!

I'm back into the swing of things at uni, and I'm ready to secure my future with a degree in Public Relations!

I'm already thinking about my dissertation and looking into PR firms for placement and I have gotta say, I cannot wait for this degree to be done and have the ability and knowledge to get a job.

Now, to get a job, you need a CV.

A CV has the task of telling your potential employer your education, skills, achievements and personality in 1-2 pieces of A4. You've also gotta make yours stand out among the crowd - another thing that's hard to do. So I've found out the perfect formula (for me) for writing a PR CV.

NB: This is not fact, this is my opinion...please don't blame me if you don't get the job.

1. Work Experience

Now, everyone knows that it's good to have work experience. But in a PR CV, work experience is what can set you apart from everyone Try and get experience in work places that are within your field of interest, for example, I enjoy lifestyle, fashion and beauty PR so that's the field I focused on.

2. Get writing

Any published work that they can look at is a great way of assessing your technique and in some cases, following up on those work experience claims. The more work you get published the better! I also think it helps you master writing skills that you need to write those all important press releases!
Another thing employers like is BLOGS! I mean, I'm biased but...my blog has gotten me so far within this industry already and I've only had it a year! Imagine the possibilities!

Also SPELLING. Please grammar and spell check your CV before you send it!

3. Summary

There is nothing worse than a long-winded, uninteresting summary. This is your chance to show your potential employers your personality and any interests you have. My boyfriend has the summary for CV's down to a science so he's influenced mine definitely, so thanks Ell for getting rid of my waffling and helping me get a CV I'm proud of!

You can check out my current CV at my LinkedIn. Connect with me if you fancy :P


So, that's what I think makes a great PR CV, and hopefully some of you have gotten some use outta this.

Again, I'm not a pro yet so please don't take my word as law!

Thanks for reading,


Jx