Boohoo Paris Winner Gets Engaged!

Boohoo prize winner, Christine was over the moon when she won an all expenses paid trip to Paris over the Easter weekend.  However what she didn’t know was that she would come back engaged!  That’s right, we were very a excited office this morning at boohoo HQ, when we learnt Christine’s boyfriend popped the question in the most romantic city in the world and she said YES!

But what did Christine have to say about the experience?  ’We had an amazing time in Paris. The four star hotel was lovely and all the staff were very friendly and helpful.  The hotel had themed rooms so we swapped rooms half way through our stay: our first room was Eiffel Tower themed and the second was based around the Arc de Triomphe. Both were brilliant!’

‘We spent the first day shopping and found a shopping mall which had seven floors of designer shops. The second day we went to Monmatre in the morning, which is an old fashioned part filled with cobbled streets and artists. In the afternoon, we took the metro to the Eiffel Tower and walked up 800+ stairs then caught a lift all the way to the top and the views were great!’ 

‘The third day my boyfriend took me to a jewellers and proposed to me! We picked out the ring together and are over the moon. Thank you all again for making our dream holiday become true!’  Congratulations Christine from boohoo!

Cut out your chosen shapes Push your cake shape gently into your mi Firstly cream together your butter and s

Boohoo.com step by step cupcakes

Ingredients for 12 cupcakes

6oz butter
6oz caster sugar
6oz raising self raising flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Ingredients for your ‘hidden’ shape

4 oz butter
4 oz caster sugar
4 oz  raising self raising flour
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Ingredients for cream cheese frosting

3oz butter
3oz cream cheese
12oz sifted icing sugar
Small amount of food colouring

Step 1

First you need to make your hidden shapes. Cream together your butter and sugar. Then add your flour, baking powder, eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Place in a lined square tin, so you have a thin layer of mixture covering the base. Cook on 170 degrees for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.

Allow to cool then cut out your chosen shapes, keep them small enough to hide in your cupcakes! 

Step 2

Now time to make your cupcakes! Firstly cream together your butter and sugar. Then add your flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, eggs and vanilla. Mix well

Step 3

Divide your mixture between 12 cupcake cases, push your cake shape gently into your mixture, all facing the same direction (make a note so you know which way to cut your cupcakes!) bake for 20 minutes on 170 degrees. Allow to cool in the tin.

Step 4

Cream your butter and cream cheese, add the icing sugar and a small drop of pink food colouring ( gel works best but liquid dye is fine). Mix on a slow speed until  smooth and creamy.

Step 5

Place your cream cheese frosting in a piping bag with your chosen nozzle and decorate away! Make sure your cupcakes are facing the right direction so that when you cut the cake your hidden shape will be revealed.

Step 6

Place your boohoo.com sugarpaste decoration on top of your finished cupcakes, carefully cut straight through the middle of a cupcake and marvel at your handy work!. 

Alternatives:

Try out different shapes, flavours or colour combinations, how about a vanilla cupcake with a pink sponge hidden heart? 

Happy baking

Love Hey Little Cupcake! 

We had a chat with our team of stylist experts to answer all of those fashion questions that baffle the best of us! 

What would you recommend for dressing formally in the day time?

Why not try one of this seasons’ ’50s inspired floral print dresses such as the Katie Mesh Neck Dress.  This is a simple yet sophisticated silhouette in a stunning pastel print, perfect for formal day wear.

I have some leather-look high waisted hot pants that I’m totally at a loss of what to wear with! Any ideas?

These are the perfect wardrobe staple that will take you right through the year.  One of our style icons, Alexa Chung teams hers with a classic white shirt to create a stylish take  on this season’s Boy/ Girl trend.  Try teaming yours with the Zara Anchor Print Tie Neck Shirt or the Amelie Triple Collar Sleeveless Shirt.

How do I get more colour into my wadrobe without feeling like a child’s drawing? I really want to wear less black but I’m too comfortable in it now! 

This season, it’s all about colour from sorbet pastels right through to neon brights.  Stripes, polka dots and floral prints are also massively on trend for spring and are an easy way to introduce that flash of colour into your wardrobe.  Try teaming one of our great new printed tops such as the Lacey or Sammy with your favourite denims.

I have brown chinos and nothing in my wardrobe matches…any ideas?

This season lovely pastel colour pack of apricots, blush and mints are perfect to be worn with a classic chino.  Reinvent the chino by teaming with a pastel blouse and chic boucle jacket to create a perfect ladylike look.

Could you offer some more ideas on work wear please?

It is a great season for separates which are great for work as they can be mixed and matched to create a new look daily.  Fashion doesn’t have to be just for the weekend.  Take your classic pencil skirt and update the look with some of this seasons’ great new blouse shapes and prints.  One of the ones we love and are wearing around the office is the Connie Open Back Shirt..

What’s your fashion guilty pleasure?

This made us laugh as there are many scret onesie owners in boohoo.  Check out our new range!

Where do you source your inspiration?

Extensive research in both the UK and all the other fashion capitals!

Reveal Design A Dress Competition Winners

The avid boohoo.com fans among you will be aware of our competition with Reveal magazine, offering a yearlong internship with the design department at boohoo.com HQ for one lucky reader. The brief was to submit an original design to showcase creative skills and an awareness of fashion.

We were inundated with entries, but managed to whittle down the applicants to 5 girls, all who we felt had great talent and potential, as well as an understanding of the boohoo.com customer. They traveled to Manchester to take part in an exclusive photo shoot and be grilled by our team. Read their interviews and see the full spread in Reveal magazine, out now. Congratulations to the finalists! 

We loved Chloe Lennox’s dipped hem dress, complete in citrus shades and embellishment. 

Claire Kerekes used her experience in the fashion industry to design this unique evening gown. 

Representing Glasgow, Julie McNicol kept her entry fun and and flirty, exactly the angle we aim for here at boohoo.com! 

Referencing Stella McCartney as an influence, Keeley Bracegirdle’s body-con cut-out design hit multiple style points. 

With a history in retail, Samantha Amos knew exactly what makes a fabulous dress and pulled together different trends for her design. 

For insider exclusive access, watch our behind the scenes video! 

http://www.youtube.com/embed/j_R560Ikinc

Reveal is out now! Don’t forget to keep logging onto the boohoo.com blog to find out who will claim the internship, and to keep ahead of all the latest trends and must have fashion finds! 

We are just a little bit in love with Colin the boohoo HQ dog, so we put him in our Xmas TV ad - here’s the behind the scenes. 

Check out the latest Reveal Magazine finalists to win an internship in boohoo.com HQ’s styling team! Which are your favourites?