The Irish Mail on Sunday

Golly Miss Holly!

THE BEST (AND THE BIZARRE) DRESSES

- By Gracie Cahill

VIP STYLE AWARD SPECIAL

HOLLY CARPENTER certainly knows how to make an impact when it comes to fashion – it’s just a pity those voting didn’t see it that way at the Peter Mark VIP Style Awards on Friday.

Few will forget Holly’s layers of lilac ombre tulle that required heavy lifting on the night. The bespoke creation by her designer friend Eamonn McGill had all the ingredient­s for sartorial disaster… but Holly pulled it off with pizzazz.

It was another banner year for style at the awards, held at the Marker Hotel, and yet there seemed to no consensus as to who deserved to win on the night.

Presenter Jennifer Zamparelli, crowned ‘Most Stylish Woman’, wore a simple top and tassel skirt from Rathmines boutique Beautiful South. Accepting her prize, she told the audience: ‘I’m as shocked as you are.’

Meanwhile, Síle Séoige looked demure and happy in a floor-length cream dress from MacBees boutique in Killarney – it was a flattering but underwhelm­ing choice for the ‘Best Dressed’ title. Trends dominating the red carpet this year included frothy feathers, sequins, layers of tulle and off-theshoulde­r necklines, accessoris­ed with hair clips and glitzy Alice bands. Pink dominated early proceeding­s – blogger Rosie Connolly arrived in a whimsical floral two-piece from Doll House and stylist Courtney Smith divided opinion in a strapless mini dress by sustainabl­e label Omra Design, which cascaded in feathers. Roz Purcell commission­ed Irishbased Turkish designer Umit Kutluk to create a blush jumpsuit with an exaggerate­d feathered neckline. Make-up artist Bonnie Ryan won hearts in an angelic floor-length, lowneck blush pink gown from Coco Boutique, while model Aoife Walsh looked airily relaxed, despite the stormy weather, in a sugar-pink tulle halterneck bespoke gown from young designer of the year winner Naomi Aje. Her sister Lottie held her own in a ruched off-the-shoulder deep purple number. Simple and memorable. Blogger Louise Cooney took home ‘Most Stylish Influencer’ in a cream Claire O’Connor gown replete with feathers and a soft strapless neckline. Fellow influencer Suzanne Jackson flanked her in the same colour – a headturner that cascaded into feathered sleeves and a thigh-high slit. Actress and singer Remy Naidoo stood out for all the right reasons in an embellishe­d Helen Cody dress. Remy’s gamine elegance made her a standout and she well deserved the ‘Best Dressed on the Night’ title.

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?? ?? LIKE it or love it, Holly Carpenter stole the show in a massive purple gown. But after going to such enormous lengths in her heavy layers of tulle she was slightly perturbed at failing to take the ‘Best Dressed On The Night’ gong. The former Miss Ireland pulled out all the stops battling to carry her showstoppi­ng gúna – surely her dedication to the fashion cause should have merited an award? Not so, thought the assembled ‘celebs’, whose votes didn’t go in her favour. Instead her stylish peers decided that the award should instead go to the less lavishly dressed Síle Seoige. But good golly for Miss Holly, she never lets anything get her down for long. She later divulged on social media the secret of why she towered over everybody on the night – in stature if not in the style stakes. She revealed on Instagram the vertiginou­s white 10-inch heel boots she wore under all that tulle. THERE was a Dancing With The Stars reunion of sorts at the awards bash as the old gang stepped into their dancing shoes for the night. Maia Dunphy was reunited with her DWTS partner Robert Rowinski, while Jake Carter turned up with Karen Byrne. Newly single Johnny Ward was also there – on the arm of dance partner Emily Barker. Roz Purcell bucked the trend for feather embellishm­ent in a blush pink jumpsuit by Turkish Irish-based designer Umit Kutluk HOLLY CARPENTER DWTS REUNION Roz Purcell
LIKE it or love it, Holly Carpenter stole the show in a massive purple gown. But after going to such enormous lengths in her heavy layers of tulle she was slightly perturbed at failing to take the ‘Best Dressed On The Night’ gong. The former Miss Ireland pulled out all the stops battling to carry her showstoppi­ng gúna – surely her dedication to the fashion cause should have merited an award? Not so, thought the assembled ‘celebs’, whose votes didn’t go in her favour. Instead her stylish peers decided that the award should instead go to the less lavishly dressed Síle Seoige. But good golly for Miss Holly, she never lets anything get her down for long. She later divulged on social media the secret of why she towered over everybody on the night – in stature if not in the style stakes. She revealed on Instagram the vertiginou­s white 10-inch heel boots she wore under all that tulle. THERE was a Dancing With The Stars reunion of sorts at the awards bash as the old gang stepped into their dancing shoes for the night. Maia Dunphy was reunited with her DWTS partner Robert Rowinski, while Jake Carter turned up with Karen Byrne. Newly single Johnny Ward was also there – on the arm of dance partner Emily Barker. Roz Purcell bucked the trend for feather embellishm­ent in a blush pink jumpsuit by Turkish Irish-based designer Umit Kutluk HOLLY CARPENTER DWTS REUNION Roz Purcell
?? ?? Joanna Cooper Bonnie Ryan The actress won the red carpet in a memorable ruched mini from luxury label House of CB. The makeup artist was tickled pink in a floorlengt­h gown from Coco Boutique.
Joanna Cooper Bonnie Ryan The actress won the red carpet in a memorable ruched mini from luxury label House of CB. The makeup artist was tickled pink in a floorlengt­h gown from Coco Boutique.
?? ?? Pretty in pink, the presenter stood out in cascading ruffles by Catriona Hanly. Georgie Crawford
Pretty in pink, the presenter stood out in cascading ruffles by Catriona Hanly. Georgie Crawford

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