Introduction to guest blogger Rebecca Byrne

I’ve been keen to showcase some of the local talent here in Brighton in recent months, as well as from round the world. Guest bloggers add different flavours and perspectives on the fashion world and so it’s with excitement I’d like to introduce Rebecca Byrne. Here’s a little something about Rebecca and her interest in fashion. Stay tuned for her first post here on Beauty & Ruin.

For a very long time now shopping has been my favourite hobby, from being young and ogling the clothes from tammy girl, to now, ogling the new arrivals in Zara. I guess that might come across a tad materialistic and the truth is I kind of am. Being one of four children, fashion was never really a luxury my parents could afford for us. It was more about necessity and practicality, most of what we owned had been passed down, and as the saying goes ‘you always want what you can’t have’. So the minute I was able to earn £10 a week delivering papers, I was on my bike! Of course for the first six months I spent most of the money on chocolate, but then I found Primark, a store where £10 can go a long way, and so from there my addiction began. Now I can lose hours of time scanning online retail sites, filling up my basket, realizing I don’t have thousands of pounds and deleting it all. Sadly it can sometimes be quite an unfulfilling hobby as there is always another top or accessory that I ‘desperately need!’ What also doesn’t help is that I can be incredibly fickle when it comes to clothing. The jumper I am in love with at the beginning of the month is the one I hate by the end!

When I was at school my dream was to be a designer. I made a book of all my creations and was completely convinced that I would make it. So naturally I took art, design and textiles for my G.C.S.E’s, but alas my dream came to an abrupt halt when I realized how terrible I was at sewing and making anything! I had to come to terms with the fact that the path I was so certain about had come to a dead end. I was definitely lost for a while, but my passion soon came back when I started working in retail. At first I was just working on the till and putting tags on the clothes, but I progressed and became a personal shopper. I absolutely loved helping people find the perfect outfits for the perfect occasion and I learnt how there is a flattering style of clothing for every shape. It was actually incredibly rewarding helping women feel confident and look beautiful and this job reignited my career flame. Styling has now become my goal and I want to be the best I can be, so I am now working on getting a degree in fashion and business studies.

You can follow Rebbeca Byrne @Becci_Scarlett