All that glitters by Ali....: Nothing quite as golden as the globes...

It was pouts at the ready this week when the starlets graced our screens on the red carpet at the Golden Globes. Our office was full of girls debating over who had the best hair, dress and make up.
We oohed and aaah'd as coverage started to appear on blogs and news websites. After a busy day in work I returned home to follow E! as they stalked the red carpet and asked 'cutting edge questions' like 'who are WE wearing'...double air kisses...complimenting guest after guest with the same insincere talk. It took me back to what all girls spent their last year in secondary school planning (I know I should say it was what college to go to or the end of year exams) but no - all that was going through our heads was the Debs.
We planned straight down to hair styles and make up...what colour nail polish to wear...threatening our date to choose the right corsage (and then acting shocked when they showed up with the perfect colour 'How did you know?')
I loved my dress. It wasn't made like so many of my girlfriends at the time. On a trip into the city with my Mum I bought it from Oasis (somewhere i rarely venture to now unless I need some faux diamond studs) but at the time, thirteen years ago I thought I was brilliant as I skipped out of the store with the carrier bag swinging over my shoulder. Purchasing it months in advance I reduced the risk of having - horror of horrors - a run in at the Debs Ball with someone in an identical dress. Fashion suicide.
I wanted to stand out. You see the Debs was also the first time you saw the majority of your class mates after the summer months since we had left school. This was the grand unveiling. Leaving the school girl behind and saying hello to adulthood.
I went for a super tight silk dress, sitting just on the knee...plain with the exception of boning all around the waist (making my size 8/10 frame look even smaller), organza ruffle sat just along the under wired chest (creating a similar effect that a Wonderbra could) which was held in place with the help of skinny bra straps. The hem was finished off with a trim of black lace. For a 17 year old girl I felt like I could finally be seen as a woman. God now I cringe when little children bump into me and their Mum says 'mind the lady' - How I wish they still said 'mind the girl'!
My other plan - which I kept from everyone - was that I was to go blonder and shorter. My inspiration, and I almost laugh now when I think of it but I walked into the hairdressers on the day of my Debs clutching two photographs, Gwyneth Paltrow (Sliding Doors) and Cameron Diaz (There's Something About Mary) when they were both sporting California blonde bobs.
I decided to recreate this look in Ireland. I am sure the stylist looked at little innocent me thinking how deluded I was. There was no false eye lashes or gel nails for me. I kept it simple, even doing my own make up...painting my nails as my Mum and Dad rustled around downstairs getting all the food and drink ready for the guests who were to join us and send me on my merry way.
These days I have an obsession with Designer bags but back then and it makes me cry thinking how sweet this was but my Mum made my beautiful bag. She would sit up late at night cutting the fabric, stitching on tiny little beads and roses individually just for me. The fabric was identical to my dress, she added a wrist strap as she knew It would come in handy as I danced...the roses matched my golden nails...it was perfect. A golden organza wrap and black silk wedges were added and I was good to go.
Arriving at the hotel on the night of the Debs was just like the red carpet. Old class mates eyed each other up and down...bumping into one another in the toilets as we freshened up our make-up we greeted each other with cheery 'i love your dress I could never wear that' or 'I should have worn my hair up like yours...mine looks awful'.
After hours of bubbly, shots and dancing...no one cares about their dresses anymore, shoes are thrown, abandoned under the tables...hair which was curled, flowing over shoulders, now scraped back in buns...
Watching the red carpet I wonder in a couple of hours at the after parties will Gwynnie and Cameron have hair in croyden buns...lipstick smeared...and finish off the night with a burger just like us mere mortals.

My top Golden Globe Girls....

It was all about minimalism

Kirsten Wiig

nude dress, romantic make-up & a natural curl
or perhaps the girl is just glowing because of her new boy!!