Penneys and RTÉ have released this year’s limited edition Late Late Toy Show collection and it is too cute for words.
The Late Late Toy Show range will be on sale in Penneys stores nationwide from Monday, October 22, with Penneys donating a total of €75,000 to Temple Street Foundation, CMRF Crumlin and The National Children’s Hospital Tallaght.
Stay up past your bedtime for the best Friday night of the festive season and embrace The Late Late Toy Show with novelty sweaters and loungewear sets emblazoned with the iconic owl. For the littlest viewers, there is the ‘Wake me up for the Late Late Toy Show’ sleepsuit, bib and hat.
When you are wrapped up in your owl blanket and the tree is dressed in Late Late Toy Show baubles make sure to sharpen your pencil for the new bingo set that will allow you to play along at home, marking off your card as the traditional Late Late Toy Show frivolities unfold.
Once the show is over make sure to write that all-important letter to Santa using the letter pack and then slip on the owl eye mask for a perfect festive dream-filled sleep.
“We are delighted to be the chosen charity partners for the Penneys Late Late Toy show collection,” the children’s hospital foundations at Crumlin, Tallaght and Temple Street said in a joint statement.
“The range is not only fun and engaging but the donations from this initiative will help so many children and their families. Our aim is to continuously deliver the best possible care to the children who come through our doors every single day, and as a loyal corporate partner, the team at Penney's help make this possible.”
The Late Late Toy Show collection will launch in Penneys stores Tuesday, October 22.
It's been almost 10 years since Podge & Rodge subjected celebrities to their very unique interrogation style, and after 10 years of silence, the no-holds-barred brothers are back once again.
The first guests to take part in a conversational interview with the lads are Dancing With The Stars’ Erin McGregor and Josh ‘JP’ Patterson of Made in Chelsea fame.
Le Galaxie will also be on hand to provide the tunes on the night.
Speaking ahead of episode one, Podge & Rodge said “'e didn’t think telly was still a thing, but it must be, because we’re back! With the Donald in the White House, and Brexit Britain in the dog house, how could we feckin’ stay away?'
'Our new co-host is Doireann Garrihy, social influenza, which sounds contagious! So come and catch a dose of The Podge and Rodge Show on Monday night!'
Co-host Doireann said “Podge & Rodge were dressed as Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un when I auditioned for the show, so who knows what madness they have in store – they’ll definitely keep me on my toes!'
'The lads have such a loyal fan-base, who I’m sure will tune in to see what they have up their sleeves this time round. But I’m also excited for a new, younger audience to see the craic they were missing out on 8 years ago!'
The Ballydung boys are back in town on Monday 22nd October at 22:40pm on RTÉ 2.
He is laying on his colourful play mat in a onesie decorated with bikes, trains, and cars. His big brown eyes are looking up at his mum with so much love.
All smiles and sticking out his tongue cheekily, the boy looks truly content in the photos.
Many parents have commented on the actress’ post, saying how cute he looks.
There was no mention of who she used the account to creep on, but in the past Kendall has been linked to ASAP Rocky, Harry Styles, Jordan Clarkson, Blake Griffin, Ben Simmons and Anwar Hadid, who she is believed to be currently seeing.
Kendall and Anwar have been spotted kissing at a number of fashion events (Anwar is also a model) and reports claim that the pair are together.
We're not quite sure what Kendall's admission means, could it be that she had abad break up and got blocked by her ex?, and so, had to create a fake Insta to see their posts?
The perfect pair are glowing, laughing and holding hands in the adorable photo. Joshua can’t take his eyes of his beautiful bride.
Karlie looks stunning in her classic, white wedding dress, adorned with delicately laced sleeves and a long, trailing veil.
Despite their high social status, the two decided to have a minimalist ceremony, inviting just under 80 close friends and family members, reports People.
They were married on Thursday in upstate New York in an intimate ceremony, and afterwards, stole away for some fabulous wedding photos surrounded by forest trees.
It’s no surprise that their wedding celebration was a sweetly small gathering, for the couple have always been private in regards to their personal lives.
When asked why so secretive, Karlie revealed she lives her life by Caroline Herrara’s mantra: “A woman who's an open book is boring.”
However, a source told People that the millionaire and Victoria Secret model plan on holding a larger celebration in the spring for all their loved ones that weren't in attendance.
Many celebrities have already congratulated the bride and groom, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Reese Witherspoon.
Priyanka Chopra, who plans on having her own wedding in the new year, said: “Omgeeee congratulations to you both! Much love.”
Congratulations to Karlie and Josh, and we wish you all the best in your future together.
Love Island’s Megan Barton Hanson could not have been a better choice for PrettyLittleThing’s newest ambassador.
The gorgeous blonde bombshell Megan Barton Hanson looks cooler than ever modelling the brand's California-styled clothes, making us want to buy everything in sight.
Megan took to the streets of LA to model in her first Brand Ambassador shoot, pulling off her chilled, Kardashian look effortlessly.
After appearing on this year’s Love Island, she’s been living her best life by being an avid advocator of self-love and female empowerment.
Owning it, Megan gives off Cali-girl vibes while dressed in slogan tee that reads: ‘Weekend Tee’s Beverly Hills’.
Paired with a cutesy, polka dot wrap mini skirt, she doesn’t even have to try to look this glamorous.
We love PrettyLittleThing’s 90’s inspired denim sets. Flared, jean trousers and crop tops are the sexiest version of dungarees we’ve seen yet.
And those stunning white, vintage-styled boots are the perfect pair to dress up any outfit.
It’s all about add ons this season as designers play with matching mini and oversized clothing.
Megan nods to the trend with Gigi Hadid-styled mini sunglasses paired with an oversized striped tee and a must-have, adjustable waist bag.
Keeping it simple but sexy, the model looks fab in her extreme rip denim shorts matched with a baggy ‘PLT’ sweater and this season’s trending chunky trainers.
Megan brings fresh feels with staples that need to be in everybody’s wardrobe.
It’s official. PLT and MBH are a match made in fashion heaven.
‘No live organism can continue to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality’
From the opening line, Netflix’ new offering The Haunting of Hill House grips the audience, enrapturing viewers with its amalgamation of family drama and pure unadulterated horror. Based on the 1959 book by Shirley Jackson, Mike Flanagan adapts the series into a sharp and modern offering which has earned rave reviews from critics all round.
Flanagan writes, produces and directs the 10 part series which King of Horror Stephen King refers to as a ‘work of genius’ In past versions of the story, we were only given the haunting itself, but Flanagan’s spin grants us the aftermath which leaves just as much of a chill in your bones. The emotionally charged series avoids the blood and guts of the gothic-horror novel but it remains a visceral viewing nonetheless.
The narrative structure flicks between the past and the present over a 20 year timeline, each episode focuses on the existential, but nonetheless frightening journey of the Crain family trying to come to grips with the ghosts of their past.
It begins with five children who are tragically ripped apart and left with lifelong scars and repressed ghosts from their childhood in Hill House.They are subsequently brought together by a death, and must then realise the complicity of the house in each of their failings as adults.
In 1992, when the kids are still at the titular house, they're plagued with visions of ghosts, zombies, and supernatural beings which affect each of them in alternative ways.The intermingling of the real and possibly imagined creates an atmosphere of anxiety and fear, where the viewer cannot decide which is worse: the horrors of the mind or the darkness of reality.
Olivia and Hugh Crain (played by Carla Guigino and Timothy Hutton) move into Hill House in the hopes of ‘flipping it’- renovating it and selling it for profit. Predictably, their dream becomes a total nightmare, and the house never becomes a home. They have five children- non-identical twins Nell and Luke, Steven, Shirley and Theodora.
Within a month Hugh takes the kids and flees, leaving Olivia behind whose sanity has crumbled within the walls of the home. The children grow up, and Hugh still refuses to tell them how their mother died that fateful night.
Source: Instagram/@_haunting
Each of the children has ghosts which plague them even as time moves on. For example, Luke’s dependence on drugs leads to bitterness among his siblings, and Steven’s horror novel about the house causes anger, as the family believe he is capitalising on their grief. The children act as the narrative backbone, and there are strong performances from each cast member regardless of age.
Mike Flanagan uses genius plot devices to maintain the massive tension for an entire ten episodes, and touches heavily on the notion of trauma informing a person’s future as well as the fundamental notion that there are infinite types of ghosts in every form imaginable. Attention to detail is phenomenal, from the cinematography to the character arcs, there’s even a cameo from Shirley Jackson in the form of her infamous novel The Lottery, which Theo is seen reading in episode one.
Flanagan uses oft-seen horror tropes and concepts such as dark corridors, old rickety mansion, locked doors (the red door will steal the breath out of your lungs), monsters under the bed among others. There are nods to Stephen King throughout, from the use of twins (The Shining) to the use of locked doors and keys.
The designs of the figures that appear are absolutely terrifying, I won’t give anything away but there’s a woman with stringy black hair, a muffled scratchy voice and a crooked neck that will haunt my imagination for life. Flanagan investigates the idea of fault, such as the tragic neglect of Nell in her all-consuming pain of the haunting, in alternating ways, as well as the concept of childhood leaving a stain on your adulthood.
It begs the question, what does one owe to others who shared the same experiences, and what is the true limit of family. The series is intensely psychological, and explores the Freudian notion of the psyche in the form of a house.
Olivia, when designing their ‘forever home’, refers to a house as a body which “works together to keep you healthy.” This insinuates that the children’s trauma from their childhood home has seeped into every part of their present beings- mentally and physically.
Source: Instagram/@_haunting
Family loyalty is called into question, and foreshadowing is beautifully woven into the series through skilled storytelling. As the children flee the house, Steven’s father tells him to “keep your eyes closed, no matter what.” Steven later brings this into his adulthood, becoming a sceptic and never believing in the paranormal occurrences of his siblings and parents, instead blaming their unstable mental health.
Doubt and the importance of believing in the words of children prove to be of imperative value throughout. Absolutely zero comfort is given throughout, Flanagan never answers the question on whether the apparitions are real or imagined.
Contributing prodigious cinematography matched with exceptional writing, The Haunting of Hill House parallels family drama with an impressive horror story, and successfully morphs a classic into the modern world.
Source: Instagram/@_haunting
The show has already made a massive impact- on both the genre itself and those who have seen it. Talks are already in place for a possible season two.
High quality, psychologically charged horror has been steadily growing: Get Out is a landmark much needed change in horror, for example, as is the brilliantly original tour de force that is A Quiet Place.
Hill House is perfect for Halloween, but just don’t watch it alone in your house or you may have to move out.
The world was shook when numerous allegations of sexual assault in Hollywood covered the news.
Soon the #metoo movement formed, encapsulating female empowerment and giving a voice to those who had been made silent for years.
And models in the fashion industry have confirmed that the tide is turning for females around the world.
Gigi Hadid, Kylie Jenner, Ashley Graham, and Paloma Elsesser recently joined together at Vogue's Forces of Fashion conference to discuss body shaming, feminism, life as a model, and the effect #metoo has had on authority figures.
Ashley credited social media as a major factor to this shift towards gender equality, saying that because girls can use Instagram and Facebook to comment on these current issues modelling agencies and Hollywood directors are realising what the public really wants – real women on screen.
Gigi agreed with her comments, adding her own experience with body shaming.
“I loved my body when I was curvier,” she confessed. “Then as I lost it people were still mean.
“Yeah, I know I’m skinny. I’m looking in the mirror. I’m trying to eat burgers and do squats. I want an ass too.”
The rest of the girls laughed alongside the young model, completely understanding her struggle with low self-esteem due to comments of being ‘too fat’ or ‘too thin’.
“People feel that they have ownership over your body in society today and I think that it’s really ridiculous because you don’t – my body is mine,” Ashley explained.
“I work out because I want to stay healthy and if I happen to gain 10 pounds or lose 10 pounds it’s none of your business.”
But this judgement of women’s physicality is less common than it used to be, the models agreed.
Kylie excitedly said that #metoo has “brought empowerment to women” and now a lot more of us are speaking up when we’re being mistreated.
“Ya, men are becoming more sensitive”, Ashley agreed. “Women are taking action and having these conversations. The set has actually changed”.
Paloma said that modelling in 2018 has been a completely different experience than past years.
I have been asked more than ever over the past year, ‘Do you feel good?' when trying on clothes for photo shoots, she confessed.
And she feels better than ever in her own skin. In fact, one of her tricks, she revealed, is spending time naked with herself. It has helped her become more comfortable with her appearance.
When asked to give advice to girls in this changing social environment, Kylie told the audience to be “super authentic and genuine and to find a job you love doing”.
“I’ve learned to always trust your intuition and trust yourself”, Gigi stated.
It is inspiring to see feminism taking hold in this generation more than ever, revolutionising pop culture as well as society on a personal, individualistic level.
And recent fashion shows, like Rihanna’s lingerie line debut, have only proved that by publicising the commonality of and absolute beauty in diversity of race, colour, size, gender, etc.
Women are a force to be reckoned with and it’s exciting to see the world recognising that more and more each day.
Scrolling through Instagram is just one of our many online hobbies, and seeing the lives of others through a digitally altered snapshot has become the norm.
Instagram has been named as the worst social media site in terms of its impact on mental health.
A new study by The Royal Society for Public Health has found that the photo filtering app is the most negative in terms of people's body image, FOMO and sleep, and that it can trigger feelings of depression, anxiety and loneliness.
'Social media has become a space in which we form and build relationships, shape self-identity, express ourselves, and learn about the world around us; it is intrinsically linked to mental health,' said Shirley Cramer of the RSPH.
However, the survey of 1,479 youngsters aged 14 to 24, found Instagram was positive in terms of self-expression and self-identity.
YouTube, with its communal attitude and diverse range of content was ranked as the most positive when it came to mental health.
The video platform is followed by Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat in that order.
The RSPH is calling for the introduction of a pop-up heavy usage warning on social media: 'The social media platform would track usage and provide the user with a pop-up warning when they breach a set level of usage deemed potentially harmful.'
'It is then up to the user to decide if they carry on using the platform or stop, although the warning may provide links to information and advice on social media addiction,' reads the report.
They also want social media platforms to highlight when photos of people have been digitally manipulated on photo sharing sites.
'This may be in the form of a small icon or watermark at the bottom of someone’s photo that indicates an airbrush or filter has been used that may have significantly altered their appearance.'
'Young people, and in particular young women, are bombarded with images that attempt to pass off the edited off as the norm,' said the study.
'This practice is contributing to a generation of young people with poor body image and body confidence.'
There were more than a few style moments which defined the late 00s to early twen-teens – from plastic glasses to fur gillets.
However, one item in particular that was seen as the height of edgy sophistication was the disco pants.
Hailing originally from American Apparel, and subsequently at every high street store after the fact, disco pants were the highlight of an era of style defined by tight silhouettes and hipster stylings.
The pants were the perfect accompaniment to the 00s lace bralette and chunky platform heels for a night out, or tucked into a band tee and boots for day.
If you had quite a few pairs back in the day, it's time to dig them out again, as the trousers are emerging as a micro trend over on instagram.
Our own Irish influencer Dpoireann Garrihy even opted for the shiny, skin-tight leggins for her promo shots for her upcoming TV series Podge & Rodge.
A quick search around the internet reveals that River Island and ASOS have all reintroduced the legging style to their fashion lineups, meaning the trend finders at these huge companies can sense that th pants are making a comeback.
For a 2018 update, we're teaming ours with hiking boots and a very textured sweater, or wearing them under a colourful sheer mesh dress.
Frankly, we're happy to see them back in our lives, after all, they're stretchy, comfy, and live that leather look without the constriction.
There is no such thing in this world as a perfect person, and one role model who emblemizes the acceptance of ones flaws has got to be Taylor Swift.
While she pokes fun at her own past through her creative music videos and tongue-in-cheek tweets, Taylor has also used the past year as an opportunity to reclaim her power in the face of her haters.
She has expanded her voice far beyond her humble beginnings in country music, and dominated the charts and popular culture with her most recent album Reputation.
Taylor has bourne the brunt of some feuds over the past few years, and her most recent defined an entire era for Swift’s music.
Most notably, a drawn out fight with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian proved to be a difficult time for the singer.
The singer was held to task by Kim Kardashian last year, after the reality TV star leaked some unflattering audio of the singer. Kim’s penchant for the use of the snake emoji in association with Taylor’s name led to an influx of hate on Taylor’s social media, and pop culture fanatics lapped up the apparent demise of the star’s good name.
Rather than retaliate, Taylor did the opposite – she went dark. The star deleted all of her Instagram photos last August, and removed her profile photos from all of her social media. The singer was clearly gearing up for a comeback, but no one could have anticipated what she would serve up as a remedy to her silence.
An apology? A sweet-as-pie comeback to regain her throne as the globe’s most wholesome pop star? No.
Taylor made her comeback with some very mysterious videos of a snake slithering slowly, and frankly, we were all shook. Taylor came back with badass, unapologetic album, playing on her newly garnered bad Reputation, and made reference to her past feuds with delicate but dramatic references. We were hooked.
With unapologetic songs like I Did Something Bad, End Game and Look What You Made Me Do dominating the album, we’re quite certain that anyone who had previously tried to drag the pop icon down was probably losing sleep over the thought of what she would do next.
That’s the thing about bullies, once you stand up for yourself, they somehow seem to lose their (forked) tongues.
Taylor went up against some of the most powerful personalities in the celeb world, and proved that past accusations of her ‘playing the victim’ to further her career were simply untrue – she hadn’t played the victim, she had been one, and now she was reclaiming the power people had tried to take from her.
She did this once again in her well publicised sexual assault trial against former radio DJ David Mueller – winning a symbolic one dollar in compensation from the DJ who groped her publicly at a meet-and-greet.
The compensation was purely meant to be a symbol – Swift certainly didn’t need the money, but she needed to prove to her fans once again that if you stand up against the people who seek to harm you and take away your power, your autonomy, you can win.
‘I acknowledge the privilege that I benefit from in life, in society and in my ability to shoulder the enormous cost of defending myself in a trial like this,’ she said at the time. ‘My hope is to help those whose voices should also be heard.’
At a later concert, Taylor’s fans showed the singer that she had been heard, by holding up one dollar bills of their own one year on from the court case.
Taylor’s impact on her fans is undeniable, and rather than pandering to the needs of an endlessly churning celebrity industry by retreating to the safety of her formerly innocent image, she took the opportunity to show her fans and herself that the people who try to take advantage of you, hurt you, and beat you down can be defeated.
She came back into our lives via a fierce album, an even fiercer attitude, and a no-nonsense approach to dealing with bullies and haters, and we can’t think of a better role model than that.
The quadrant of fierce females have announced a massive UK and Ireland Arena Tour for 2019.
The LM5 Tour is kicking off in Dublin on October 10, 2019 at 3Arena, so we have a while to wait, but it Little Mix, it will be worth it.
And the announcements keep coming
SO happy to say we're going back on tour across the UK! Pre-order #LM5 on our official store tomorrow to get access to the pre-sale for #LM5TheTour. International fans don't worry, we've got something coming for you!https://t.co/GS4DE2Qj2Rpic.twitter.com/QGkKac4iDI
