UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN

 

Ciao Bellas, well at least for now. Packing to be spending a few days away from the desk, languishing in the sun, being pampered in the spa, eating healthy food in anticipation of the abundance of Christmas dinner and lunch, and soothing my mind for the new year to come. Happy holidays, I will be seeing you again in the new year.

 

Doesn't the array of fruits and healthy snacks above tantalise your taste buds, followed by a lazy afternoon in the spa below, all at the marvellous Oyster Box Hotel in Umhlanga, Kwa Zulu Natal?

 

I am fortunate to be a little further east, closer to the heat of the sun, I bring you greetings from afar, where I hope to catch up on vitamin D and work on my creativity...... telling you more when I return.

 

Until we meet again, I am on a blogger's break.........

 

Thank you to all my friends and fellow bloggers who stopped by this year and supported my blog!

 

Au revoir!

HOW TO WEAR YELLOW

Although I prefer creating my own style and to be original, I often glean from others. I was specifically inspired by this outfit worn by Olivia Palermo. The mood created by Yellow is very energetic, and understood to stimulate creative brain activity! Hence the addition of a new item on my shopping list, a Yellow jacket. Worn with Black, it creates an instant statement, and adding a little snakeskin, the outfit is suddenly on trend! I specifically styled it with the eternally beautiful quilted bag by Chanel, a must have in your classic collection. Turtlenecks are just so comfy and versatile, contrary to doomsayers canvassing the idea of it being outdated! 

 

I  openly canvass the idea that you do not have to enslave yourself to fashion or to succumb to every trend in order to be stylish or chic, as it may not always suit your body type or skin tone, nor is it always flattering, but should fashion be used as a guideline. When I wear my yellow coat, I will most certainly ad some gloves, perhaps in Black leather.......

 

Compare and hold different tones of Yellow to your skin in front of a mirror before deciding on a purchase, as some tones tend to make one look washed out, while others warm up your skin tone. Ochre Yellow, like the peacoat styled below, is suited to most skin tones.





Yellow Coat-theoutnet.com
Leather look Pants-Topshop
Shoes-madisonharding.com



STYLE INSPIRATION by fiftyfabulous featuring a pea coat

 

 

Letter to Santa

 

 

 

GIVE ME LIP

I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick. I believe in pink. I believe happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and... I believe in miracles.

Audrey Hepburn

 

Compliment your inner beauty from this collection, a colour for every mood! Amazing how colour can add some spice to your style......sometimes working little miracles.

THE COBBLER

Being a great supporter of tradition, I proudly admit that I am nurturing my shoe fetish inherited from my late grandmother, who had a collection that would bring Kate to tears. Each outfit was carefully considered with the accent on a particular pair of shoes, and if she shopped for a specific occasion, the shoes would come first. So imagine my joy when I studied our family tree and discovered that the first of our European ancestors who  emigrated to the continent of Africa, in the 1600's was none other than a cobbler from Londerzeel in Belgium, no wonder I am so obsessed with shoes, it must be in my genes.....

 

Needless to say, this little pair from Zara found it's way to my collection..... Very versatile if you wear a lot of Black, and stunning with Tiger print!

 

 

 

BLACK DE-MYSTIFIED

Here I am again, gravitating towards my favourite colour, Black. Only this time I ventured a little deeper into the depth of the rainbow, introducing a lime clutch bag. This piece featured before, but with a different outfit, and the more I use it, the more I realise how versatile a colour it is. It looks equally beautiful with Taupe or Navy Blue and surprisingly, Red! The Black, however, still reigns supreme, again.... I am rather fond of two toned shoes, and developed quite a fetish with print on print, working well together here! Having matured beyond the age of 40, my heels are becoming progressively lower, and the height of these shoes are just perfect, with a mid heel off course!

 

 

 

Jacket - Queenspark (old), Polka Dot Top-Cotton On,

Neck piece-Sass Diva, Clutch bag-Zara, Shoes-Next, Bracelet-Hermes
Pants-Trenery

GUESS WHOSE BEEN SPOTTED?

I take a lot of inspiration from street style photographers like Stockholm Streetstyle and The Sartorialist, especially around fashion week in Paris and Milan. As you may have noticed, I have a great affliction for french style of less is more. I often see women wearing things that correspond with items I may have in my wardrobe, which I would never have thought of wearing together, or in that particular style. It allows me to be more creative, causing me to digitise my wardrobe and mixing and matching things up, providing quick access to an otherwise overstocked wardrobe, and creating a medium to assemble outfits with a little more variety. I still try to maintain my own style, but like to glean from others, allowing me to do my own rendering as opposed to copying. Polka dots often crops up on street style, and so my spotted  re-invention took shape this year. This year, the spots contributed towards my own range of limited designs, Belle Epoque, as is seen below.

 

Obviously I was dressed for the office, hence the formal look......

 

 

 

Jacket Studio W at Woolworths, (buttons changed and trimmings added)

Top - Zara (old)

Shoes-Tatazi

Bag-Unknown Store in Albufeira, Portugal

Scarf-J  Mico Sancho

Pants-Belle Epoque

FIRM FAVOURITES

No matter how hard a try, I tend to lean back towards the classic style of Black and White, occupational hazard perhaps? In spite of the myriad of colour seen in stores, I revert to my old favourites when dressing for the office. Do I need to describe my level of enthusiasm in any more detail for these beautiful and timeless pieces, most of which can be bought at pretty bargain prices? The bags are a little more expensive, but will most likely remain in the front row of your wardrobe for quite a while.

 

 

 

FASHION DEJAVOU

I cannot quite decide if we are one season behind,or one season ahead, but considering the fact that most notable fashion and trends are born in Europe, I am prepared to concede that we are in fact, one season behind. The advantage of living in the Southern hemisphere is that travelling North, allows you a glimpse of things to come, well in advance that is! This enables me to always shop for items that are on trend long before it arrives in our stores. My last trip to Zurich, Switzerland, revealed a variety of colour for summer, and as Europe has already moved into Winter since then, this is exactly what we are wearing now. I took these snapshots from window fronts in Zurich, showing a multitude of colour for summer, which is exactly why my rainbow now extends beyond Black this summer!

Fashion dejavou that is!
 

Hot combination, Fuchsia Pink and Orange....Hello Summer!

 

 

Coral, so vibrant!

 

 

Look at the nautical accents, Navy Blue and White

 

BERRYLICIOUS

Winter shopping list.....

 

Occasionally, I return to the favourites and revisit colours that featured in the 80's. Much to my delight, fashion repeats itself from time to time!  ( Yes, I've been around the block!). With a career that demands Black almost to be worn like a uniform, and lawyers being strongly associated with it, it is extremely exciting to venture down the colour wheel and slide into the warmer winter shades.  It follows naturally that come weekends or after hours, I head directly  towards the brights, and move away from the rigidity of all Black, creating something more dramatic without being to serious. Burgundy is seen in different tones this year, my favourite being the one leaning towards berries. Whether it is Plum, Merlot, Cabernet, Ruby or just Burgundy, a berry flavour will ad some spice to your winter wardrobe. Isn't this one of the most beautiful biker jackets? I tend to look for less masculine lines adding some femininity to the look, and this one fits perfectly........

 

PAPER DOLLS

If you have any interest in fashion and style, and if you enjoyed dressing up as a little girl already, with a stubbornness when your mother wanted  to make you wear things you did not like, you are likely to have played around with cut out paper dolls. And so my love affair for beautiful clothes began..... I collected hundreds of outfits for paper dolls, and spent hours playing around, dressing them up. Now you can imagine how much fun I had as a grown up women having discovered that I could have a real time closet in no time, mixing and matching in H & M's on line wardrobe, paper dolls in e-format!

So if you are in two minds about how things will look together, log on to H & M and play around with various items until you achieve the desired look, voila!

 

This function allows you to assemble outfits from the entire season's collection, getting a real life picture in front of you! The outfit to the left was put together with my love of animal print in mind.

The collage below was found on H & M's lookbook. Inspiring how the stylist mixed different textures, sequins and different prints. Just have'nt gotten use to the idea of trainers or sneakers worn as shoes, in spite of the wedge heel. Off to H & M we go.......

 

INTO FALL

Getting ready for winter and have no idea how to refresh your wardrobe? If you are on a tight budget, these few items could add instant glamour to your wardrobe and lend a little opulence to any outfit! Just when I thought the Topshop cape that I bought last winter needed to be retired, I came across a multitude of fashion sights depicting capes this season, in different styles and shapes. The one featured below has no collar, and instead of wearing a chic a la french scarf or turtle neck, you could perk it up with this snug little faux fur collar from H & M! The mid heel booties and snake skin clutch are from Wallis. Don't dispair if you are nowhere near, shop online and have it delivered to your door.......

 

If your wrist watch is more than just a time piece, the Purple Pandora watch is obligatory! Why not spoil yourself with Coco Noir to round it all off with a hint of spice. No doubt my beautiful cape is going to be revived next winter! There is always something theatrical about a cape.......

 

Need I say more?

 

 

BAROQUE RECREATED ON A SHOESTRING



You can spend a small fortune on the beautiful Emilio Pucci jacket above, or recreate the look on a shoestring by simply paying a visit to your local haberdashery store, and with the velvet jacket below, spruce it up to a magnificent piece of art. Do so by buying some elaborate trimmings and braiding to give some glamour to a classic jacket, perhaps in velvet, or by simply buying a well styled jacket in a good quality fabric and then adding some new metal buttons and trimmings.  Then lay out the trimmings and braids seen below, on the jacket, and stitch it on by hand. Play around with your artistic ability, manoeuvre the braid around, add some extravagant buttons, layer the trim in rows around the cuffs and the collar to create some opulence and turn your otherwise plain jacket into a an enviable item!

 

Embellished jacket by Emilio Pucci, Plain Velvet jacket by Mango. Braiding and trimmings from
www.mjtrim.com

 

 

 

WHITE LINEN

Ever in two minds about what to wear to a morning function, if it is semi-formal and a business event? The first thing that came to mind, was to wear a pants suit, high heels and a top that is perhaps, a little demure. But then again I wasn't going to clinch a business deal during the function and I did not have to wear anything that serious. I couldn't think of anything more appropriate than a fresh and crisp white linen suit. This is so versatile, serious, and at the same time serene, classic yet current, and summery! ( which hasn't really happened yet although the calender dictates otherwise).  

 

A White linen suit has become a staple set in my wardrobe, and if you ad a flamboyant top, it would look equally at home at a morning wedding or a tea party. Some say you dont' wear White to a wedding, that is up to you. Just don't upstage the bride with elaborate trimmings and a dress that enters the room before you do! The only other rule that I would consider, is to dress your body, and not your age, no age restriction in White linen. At least not for now.....

 

A FORCE TO RECKON WITH

The unity formed by the international due, Kluk GCDT, and most sought after, Nine West, had an overwhelming reception at the well attended Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Africa last week, held at Melrose Arch, Johannesburg.

 

The show was inspired by colonial Kenya in the 30's and the South China Seas. The flamboyancy of colourful kimonos and jodhpurs was received with much envy! Pastel shoes reigned supreme, and was presented in a rainbow of the softest shades of Mint, Mink and Orange. Truly a match made in heaven!

 

 

 

 

 

 

BEAUTY COMES FROM WITHIN

Nothing could be more frustrating than holding your breath when you get dressed! After a weekend of over indulgence in all things sweet and nice, I have to make way for less harm full food! Not just because it is fattening, but simply because we need to cleanse from time to time. Like you would unpack and rearrange your wardrobe, you have to cleanse and rid your body from free radicals...... I find it wholly satisfactory going on a once a month cleansing process, almost like botox for the bottom! When the need arises, I follow this diet for a week. Start the day with a slice of high protein toast, and hot Rooibos tea, and for lunch, enjoy what's in season, like fresh asparagus with a dash of homemade  Bearnaise(be conservative on the portion, it is loaded with butter! mmmmmm). If you would rather skip the butter, ad a dash of olive or truffle infused oil, with lemon juice and a sprinkling of Parmasan cheese. For dinner, resort to salad and all things that grow in the soil. With fresh strawberries being in season, it is easy to spice up an otherwise bland salad. For protein, have some salmon or chicken fillet with skin removed before cooking in a sprinkling of olive oil. Remember Olive oil becomes a health hazard when exposed to high temperature. No starch for me this week, and voila, by Friday, I should be back on track. This is a marvellous way of shedding a few unwanted kg's and preparing for a holiday........

 

Recipe for Summer Strawberry Salad

 

1 Punnet strawberries,sliced

Course black pepper

Avocado,sliced

Wild Rocket,

1 round of Feta or Goats Cheese,

Rosa tomatoes,

Onion Sprouts

Alfalfa Sprouts,

Roasted Butternut, cut in pieces

Dhania leaves

Variety of Lettuce leaves

Cucumber slices

 

All tossed together for a wholesome meal and enjoyed with Salmon, guaranteed to shed the weekend's excess!

Bon Appetite!

SETTING SAIL?

Packing for a cruise requires some skillful planning. You require clothes to lounge around, to swim, to dine in style, to do your daily jog or work out in the ships' gym, dress up for evenings in formal attire, and casual day wear for excursions when you dock. The key ingredient, is nautical. Whatever you wear during the day, if it is nautical, you will look as at home as a fish in water. Having a Breton top is essential, and packing mix and match items in a combination of red, blue and white will take you a long way. Don't forget to pack a wide brim straw hat, big sunnies, and comfortable shoes for walking around the deck. Evenings are a different thing, the captain's dinner inevitably requires evening wear, allowing you to be a little more creative and glamorous. Whatever you pack, leave some space for all the shopping that you may want to do as you cruise along and dock in different places! I bet this is going to take some consideration, happy cruising!

 

Setting Sail by fiftyfabulous featuring crewneck sweaters

FRENCH FLAIR

Imagine being the L'Oreal Paris spokesperson, imagine once being the muse of Karl Lagerfeld, and the house model for Chanel, imagine being a mother, and author, all at  once, imagine being Ines de la Fressange, one of the most iconic women. Always dressed in a manner that inspires, and being the subject of envy for many stylish women, she leads by example. Achieving this look is actually very simple, just follow a few basic guidelines, ditch anything remotely resembling an overkill, and voila! She manages to make every outfit she ever appears in, look completely effortless!

 

She published a guide to Parisian chic, with very practical advice on how to dress like a Parisian, and how to mix affordable fashion with high end fashion. Being slightly francophiled myself, I could easily succumb...... after all, who doesn't want to look like a Parisian? If all else fails, get this book, and follow the simple guidelines to create and achieve the understated look of French women, never over styled nor under dressed. If one could achieve style nirvana, this would be it. Chic doesn't get any better than this!

 

Photo from Google

 

 

 

Dressed to kill......uber chic Ines, how's this for 50something?

Royal Blue

 

Although I strongly believe that you should create your own signature style, nothing stops you from taking a little inspiration from Pippa or anybody else, for that matter. I would not like to copy her style in particular, but the jacket certainly caused havoc in my mind. It flew of the shelves the minute she appeared in it! Perhaps a blessing in disguise, because that is how this beautiful peplum is finding it's way to my closet instead! This is my take on how to wear Royal Blue, fit for a queen I would say? I just could not resist getting this jacket. The bag is still on the list of lust after.....by Phillip Lim.

 

Pants-River Island, Jacket-Ted Baker, Shoes, to old to remember.

SERENDIPITY

Being a real serendipitist, I constantly look for bargains when buying very trendy or high fashion items. Since these trends might not look all that fresh next year, and having parted with a large sum of cash, I may feel reluctant to discard it.  One such store  where you don't have to dispair if you toss that item after one season, is H & M, who never ceases to amaze. The outfit below may just as well be worn as seperates, extending the life of it for perhaps another season or even longer! The quality of H & M's fashion is more than often good enough to last a whole lot longer than expected.

And if you want to strike a more monochromatic look, ad these lovely shoes from www.office.co.uk

TREND REVIVAL

These stunning outfits inspired me to revisit the polka dot and leopard print trend, although published in October 2010 in Vogue Nippon, the style remains a hot favourite! I saw a beautiful polka dot dress at www.wallis.co.uk that could be teamed with any of the clutches or the lovely handbag in the previous post below,  instantly adding some pizazz to your look! I would wear a pair of Prada Baroque sunnies with any of these outfits,and perhaps a pair of wedges in suede or Valentino's leopard print shoes also featured before......

 

Don't those red lips smack of something edgy? What I like about this look is that being a little bold, accessories are kept to a minimum.

INTO THE WILD....

INTO THE WILD.... by fiftyfabulous featuring a leopard cardigan

H M leopard cardigan
$24 - hm.com

Wallis bootie boots
wallisfashion.com

Wallis patent leather handbag
wallisfashion.com

River Island oversized clutch
asos.com

Warehouse animal print tote bag
$28 - warehouse.co.uk

Dorothy Perkins leopard clutch
dorothyperkins.com

Survival Kit



Absolute beauty essentials!

They say there are two things that are sure, death and taxes. Well, not to my mind, loosing skin's elasticity and getting brittle hair is something else that you can add to what's to come, no matter what you do, skin and hair looses it's appeal and condition as you get older. Fortunately for the likes of  Estee Lauder and Moroccan oil, we can delay this considerably, providing you with dramatic results. This is not a promotion, but a true life experience, does it sound unreal? After having suffered dry skin for a number of years, experimenting with different products, I finally came across something that actually does what it claims to do!

 

The Moroccan oil treatment instantly revives dull hair, and frequent use brings about a new shine and condition, unknown to any other hair products that I have used before. Estee has also improved it's Perfectionist Serum formula with the all new CP+R, providing an almost instant lift to your skin, and improving the condition with remarkable results within a few weeks. Using it with Resilience Lift Extreme, is almost like stopping time in it's tracks, making you look even better than before! Hence  the name, survival kit. I am prepared to sacrifice a pair of Manolos for this kit, if needs be, how about you?

Survival Kit by fiftyfabulous featuring estée lauder

Estée lauder
$97 - harrods.com

Estée Lauder beauty product
$105 - pret-a-beaute.com

Estée Lauder beauty product
$110 - johnlewis.com

ANNAFIED

Whenever my imagination lets me down I follow the Anna de la Russo rule by adding something bold and loud. Accessories can make or break a look, if it's subtle it may  be a little demure, and if it dominates, it can pale or completely over shadow your outfit. I personally tend to lean towards the French women's approach by not adding to many accessories, that does not mean that you should deprive your look from a striking piece! The secret is to find the balance, so as a rule of thumb, I would not add a bold piece if I am wearing a bold jacket, or vice verca, but then again, print on print seems to work, notwithstanding the difference! I came across a few pics on www.fabsugar.com  depicting items that could really make a statement......in all these combinations bold seems to rule..... much to my delight!

 

 

SA FASHIONWEEK

SA Fashion week Autumn Winter 2013 collection was recently held at the Crown Plaza in Rosebank, Johannesburg. One designer that made a particular impression on me, is Vesselina Pentcheva, a Bulgarian born South African designer. She made her debut at the tender age of 16 in her home town of Russe, and has been a work in progress ever since, leaving a distinct mark on the industry. No doubt she has established a large following....Her designs are feminine yet sexy, exudes style and class. She is a women who knows what other women wants, and clearly in touch with what we all want! The use of velvet has been very prominent in her previous collection, and portrays something theatrical and seductive. She arrived and started work in South Africa in 1993, where she has become a household name, may she continue her success! The dress below is from a previous collection.

 

PRINT ON PRINT

Print on Print by fiftyfabulous featuring a striped skirt

Gap shirt
$24 - gap.eu

Jane Norman striped skirt
$35 - janenorman.co.uk

Jean-Michel Cazabat leather shoes
endless.com

Chanel vintage handbag
malleries.com