RUMOUR HAS IT......

Am I imagining it or is there any truth in the rumour that H & M is actually coming to South Africa soon? Well, with about 47 million people across the continent of the Republic, the majority being under 40,  a fairly sound market that stayed adrift amidst the European crisis, I would imagine it's doors from opening down South not be to far away......

 

Besides, we need an average store where mid range items can be found, and competition always stimulates, so perhaps then we will see the demise of cheap imports from a place where it is manufactured at two a dime, and disposed of after the first wash.  I hope we can soon have the joy of adding these vibrant items below.Thrifts perhaps, but economical for trends that come and go I would say......

 

 

Photos from H & M Lookbook

RENDERING



Steal her style, or rather, find inspiration in how to wear print on print by gleaning from the uber chic Caroline Issa's edition of Phillip Lim. I would combine it with the cropped pants below, with a subtle hint of animal print as seen in the clutch, picking up the cue from Caroline's dress. This jacket takes the biker jacket to new heights. I prefer to take inspiration form her outfit, as opposed to becoming a copy cat, thus enslaving myself to fashion or merely become a follower as opposed to a creator of style..... enough said!

 

 

Photo from Tumblr

 



Jacket, Phillip Lim



INTO THE WILD

Release your inner cat by wearing Leopard print. When my comments about this trend begin to sound like a repetition, it's because I feel so at home in it, with African roots and safari being such a great activity....  I much prefer to promote it as a phenomenon  as opposed to a trend, especially having regard to it's longevity. The trend subsequently evolved to Zebra and Tiger print, so if your need for Leopard or Cheetah print is saturated, you can gravitate towards the stripes of Tiger perhaps, rendering your outfit somewhat exotic without venturing completely away from the notion. This is how I styled an over sized chiffon top with chinos and nude shoes, with very few accessories. The wide cuff is ever so classic, and elongates the arms, giving a more slender appearance to the limbs. The bag? Say no more, classic, elegant, and my all time favourite. The smell of leather is so comforting....... The corresponding print on the sunglasses certainly ads a little cheek!

 

 

 

 

Top and cuff, sourced at a sidewalk sale in Jungceylon, Phuket

Pants - H & M

Sunglasses- Prada

Shoes - Mozaic

Bag - Celine Boston Tote

Belt - Hermes

Silver Neckpiece - Sass Diva

HAVING THE BLUES?

There is something magnetic about the colour Cobalt Blue, vibrant, regal, royal and strikingly eye catching. I have virtually been searching the world for a particular style jacket and corresponding Blue suede shoes, and found both the jacket and shoes on www.oasap.com after having followed up on a link from my favourite blogs while looking for something completely different, and then discovered the Utopia of Cobalt Blue....... 

 

The jacket below is quite striking, and the rounded panels make it a little edgy and different from the average trench. It fits beautifully at the back, tapered in the middle to accentuate the female shape. I could not resist..... Has on line shopping become a haven for the likes of me, always on the hunt for something extra ordinary? Good cure for cabin fever.......I suddenly made a remarkable recovery! This is a good shape to elongate the body, not that I need it at 1,78m!  The vintage cape further down, was found at ebay, and will hopefully become a classic piece, there is something mysterious about a cape of the magnitude......
 

 

Vintage style Cape from www.ebay.com

 

BURBERRY AND THE BEAST

If ever it was a good opportunity to pay a visit to the Burberry store to get that timeless trench in the classic Khaki, now is the time. They are having a massive sale with discounts up to 70%, yes that is true..... Being so timeless, it would not be a bad investment splurging on that little coat now. The jacket below is just an example of things awaiting you in store.

I like to call this particular jacket the "3 in one", as it addresses numerous style trends at once, including the peplum, shearling, and military style, all in one jacket! Although I like to pick up bargains, and often hunt for timeless items at chain stores, I canvass the idea that you should acquire a  few essential and classic items digging a little deeper, and then work it out to "cost per wear". Doing it that way, my Burberry trench has paid for itself, fashion sense perhaps? These little splurges actually become your collectables........

 

 

 

A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN

 

Lime Green is one of the most beautiful and striking colours to hit the trend scene, and by the looks of it, we are going to see a lot more of it, varying in different shades.  Yet I am often asked how to wear it. My favourite is to combine it with Black. Wearing it with a Breton top just seems a match made in heaven, or is it just my comfort zone? How would you wear it?

 

Jacket and skirt both by Vivienne Westwood, Bag-Chanel, who else? Breton Top by J Crew.

LIKE MOTHER LIKE DAUGHTER

They say we become our mothers, but I have never given any thought that I might be dressing like my mother. However, whenever my mom buys me a gift, it is exactly what I would have chosen....

It was pure co-incidence on a recent vacation that my mom and I wore exactly the same colour scheme, without the one knowing what the other was wearing. We met in the hotel lobby for an excursion that required comfort and cool clothes in the tropical heat, and found ourselves both wearing Khaki and White..... so mommy bloggers, careful what you wear, it rubs off on your daughters.......
 

I'm wearing Daniel  Hechter skirt, Cotton Top from LTD, Burberry Belt and Raybans, Pierre Cardin loafers, not seen in photograph

TRAVEL TIPS

The spectacular array of colour of the orchid garden at Singapore Airport certainly contributed towards my choice of colour, hence the Cerise Pink chinos and rose printed top, worn with stripes, travel style.   It is always difficult to look descent and be comfortable at the same time in sweltering temperatures. Now you may ask, why all those layers if it is so hot? One has to consider that visiting temples or religious places, bare shoulders and shorts are not acceptable. So when setting sail for a trip to Asia, be mindful of the clothing requirements at religious places, and try to find a balance between what is morally acceptable for entry, and comfort in the tropical heat. The moment I left the temple, I started removing the layers, and found comfort in my sleeveless vest. A good idea is to always travel with a large scarf tucked into your bag, either to tie up your hair, to use as a head cover, or to cover up shoulders or wrap around the hips if required.

 

At 42 degrees Celsius, and humidity of about 80%, one has to be rather composed not the reach a melt down..... don't forget comfortable shoes to traverse the rocks and steps of the ruins of Angkor. My travel tip in this heat would be to carry facial wipes to refresh your glow from time to time, and to perhaps skip wearing any make up, with a rather large hat and sunglasses to keep the glare at bay. Insect repellent is a good idea since this part of the world is rive with mosquitoes......and take a water bottle larger than your camera's memory!
 

 

 

 

 

CHANEL IN TRANSIT

It was at the airport on my way to Siem Reap, Cambodia, whilst being in transit during our summer break that I came across a supplement to a Singapore newspaper featuring the luxury of Chanel jewellery, with very beautiful  and captive photographs in Black and White, depicting both glamour and allure. Never being completely "blogger off duty", the first thing that came to my mind, was to share this beautiful issue with my fellow bloggers.

To all my blogger friends, I sincerely hope you had a joyful Christmas and that the year ahead will be one of significance! I spent the last few days of our break with my darling husband on a remote part of an island in the Andaman sea, basking in the sun, snorkeling and taking in some vitamin D from the heat, and reminiscing about the inspirational and adventurous trip we had to Angkor Watt. 

 

I couldn't stop  thinking what a spectacular scene for a fashion shoot it would be, apart from the overwhelming beauty and rich history, deserving of a far more detailed discussion, perhaps on a travel blog. I came across many Buddhist monks paying a visit to the shrines, and the deep Turmeric colour of the their gowns inspired me to re-introduce Saffron tones to my palette in winter..... more about this when the leaves start to fall......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hotlist

Hotlist by fiftyfabulous featuring capes and totes, created in Polyvore
 

Oh what fun to start the year with a Polyvore competition on Winter Style! It took some careful consideration as I am still in the mood for summer clothes, having spent 2 weeks of bliss in island style, and with our winter being months away, I could hardly imagine putting together a winter outfit. However, winter is my favourite season for dressing up, and putting outfits together in Polyvore, is like having the whole world's wardrobe, and who would not be able to assemble something everybody wants?

I have a distinct feeling that the next season is going  be seeing a lot of polka dots and capes.... and in spite of some of us forecasting the death of leopard print, as long as  big cats lurk around the African bush, it will be on trend...... perhaps with a slight migration towards tiger or zebra print...... 

Celine's Boston Tote must be the "IT" bag of all seasons, or am I little bias by Santa's generosity this year?