A babe’s a babe. But a babe with manners, brains & a simple approach to life is all I’ve ever dreamt of. I spent some time, both in and out of the shower with the Halpin sisters, chatting all things What She Said, their fashion and lifestyle blog. #letsbefrank, if I wasn’t already crushing hard, now I am. As Adele says, “You had me at hello”.

What’s the first thing you think of when you wake up?

J: I need a coffee.
S: Snooze alarm (x5)

Then, what’s the first thing you do?

J: Make myself a coffee or have my boyfriend make me a coffee whilst I drift in and out of sleep for another half an hour.
S: Coffee first, always

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Pizza and pasta or salad and juice?

J: Depends on my mood but generally pizza and pasta, especially pizza. I do try and make a juice every day/every few days though to get my weekly greens.
S: 
I seem to alternate between the two; I go from being super healthy to living on pizza and beer.

Are you a morning person or night owl?

J: Hmmm, honestly I can’t say I’m either… I’m absolutely rubbish at waking up in the morning and recently have been going to bed by 11pm… Maybe I’m just a bit lazy.
S: 
Night owl.

Jeans and heels or shorts and cons?

J: Can I mix it up and choose jeans and cons, I’m not really much of a heel wearer and its a bit too cold most of the time to wear shorts in England.
S: A mixture of all four. Usually jeans and trainers.

Growing up together, what is your fondest memory of each other?

J: Oh gosh, I don’t know… Maybe when our bedrooms were getting repainted and we had to share a room for a few nights; we would stay up way past our bedtime going through all the people we knew saying what animals we thought they looked like.
S: It’s really really hard to choose! In fact I can’t choose. But, one that I still possibly find the funniest is Joanna ‘gracefully’ emerging from a cocoon as a beautiful butterfly, to classical music, wrapped in a blanket… This happened almost every morning that we stayed over at my grandparents. It’s the sort of thing she’d still do now.

As sisters, did you compete?

J: Of course, I think all siblings go through a stage of being competitive… But I think we have got past it now.
S: A little. Maybe me more so than Joanna. But that comes with being the younger sister, right?

What made you start a blog, What She Said together?

J: We had always wanted to model and travel together and starting a blog seemed like a great way to be able to do this.
S: We saw it as an opportunity to potentially create something great, together.

If you can sum the blog up in a sentence…

J: A lifestyle blog showcasing what two sisters get up to and what they are interested in – together and separately.
S: A sister blog; combining and sharing aspects of the things we love and do in our lives.

Jo, you model around the world and are known for some of the most voluptuous lips I’ve ever seen.
 What has been one of your favourite jobs to date?

J: Firstly, thank you. I used to hate my lips so its lovely to hear that are now so well known! And I think my most favourite job is one I did very recently for The Cult Collective. We went to Costa Rica for a couple of days and shot on the most beautiful beaches, it was honestly paradise. And then we got a bit drunk on spicy margaritas, perfect.

And one piece of advice for young babes aspiring to be models?

J: Don’t give up! Sometimes it can be very demoralising and not always make you feel your best and it can take a while before you start working. But if it’s really something you want to do then be patient and stick at it.

Sarah, you’re currently studying Surface Pattern design. Can you tell me where this love of design came from?

S: 
I think it’s always been there. Our Mum, and Granny are both creatives (as is Joanna). I guess you could say it’s in the genes!

Sarah, What do you love about pattern and print design?

S: At the moment, not very much haha! I’m in my final year at university and my stress levels are through the roof. No… I think I love the process(es) more than anything; my work is predominately screen-print based, so it’s all very hands on. I love creating something entirely myself, from designing to printing the final sample/fabric. And I love the possibilities it enables!

If you could see your print come to life anywhere, for anyone. Who would it be?

S: Marimekko!! I have a real thing for Scandinavian design. Or, ultimately for myself. I would love to one day create my own little brand for interior/homeware products.

When you’re together, what is your favourite thing to do?

J: Just being in her company; there is no one in the world I can just sit and talk and laugh with like I can with her.
S: Anything, everything, nothing.

Best quality about the other one?

J: She is the most moral, loyal person I know. I can always get an honest opinion or answer from her and trust her with anything and everything. I am very lucky to have her as my little sister.
S: Joanna’s ambition/drive; I am totally in awe of my sisters achievements, yet she still remains so grateful, appreciative and humbled by all of it. In addition to her own dreams, Joanna supports and believes in mine too, more so than anyone else.

And something that you two will do together in the future?

J: Hopefully when Sarah has finished university we will be able to travel together whilst working on our blog and modelling. It has been a dream for the past few years and to think we are so close to it actually happening is just so exciting.
S: 
We hope that the blog (alongside modelling) will allow us to travel together.

What does your beauty routine look like?

J: Very natural. On days when I’m not working, I try to wear little or no make up to give my skin a chance to breathe. If I use anything it’ll be concealer, highlighter and sometimes a little mascara.
S: Pretty boring, I don’t really tend to wear much of anything. A little bit of concealer, a few lashings of mascara and a neutral lip colour.

Any particular ingredients you look for?

J: No, nothing in particular but I try to only use products that are very natural.
S: Coconut oil. Or anything Aesop.

And a simple piece of beauty advice…

J: Use coconut oil for everything… I use it on my body, face, hair and even to whiten my teeth.
S: 
A lot of the time, less is more.

xx frank