NEON GREEN

Can colour influence your mood, or does you mood influence your choice in colour? I'd say that mood is enhanced by sunshine, and that it has a subconscious influence on your choice of colour. No need to say, there was a slight hint of spring in the air this morning, and with the little promise of warmer days, my decision to wear something bright and luminous  was pretty easy. The Neon trend has come and gone, but every time I feel spring in my step, I gravitate towards something with a Citrus undertone, and like leopard print, this colour has firmly settled in my closet. So why not give the winter blues a lift by wearing something bright, or even when you feel a little less energetic, slip into something more colourful to experience nature's tonic! To stretch the brain power, wear it with geometric print!

 

Jacket - Camaieu

Pants - Studio W

Shoes - Tatazi

Top - Country Road

Ring - Ephypanie

Bag - Zara

Chanel Brooch - Vintage

Sunglasses - Ray Ban

AFRICAN RAINBOW

The moment I laid eyes on these precious beads and multi-coloured strands of neck pieces, I knew instantly that I needed some colour in my closet.  Not being much of a costume jewellery fan, I deprived myself of the joy of adding excitement to outfits before, sometimes in dire need of a lift. I was amazed to see how much time and effort goes into each piece, and couldn't find any two pieces exactly the same, making every jewel uniquely artistic. The creative mind behind the little gems,  is Marcelle Swanepoel, of Ephiphanie, who passionately produces every piece by hand, and if you do not find something to your liking, it can be custom made as I have done when I could not find a neck piece in gunmetal recently. Her designs have a distinct African influence with a little pizazz, almost subtly representing the variety of our rainbow nation. Some are more chunky and bold and need you only wear one such piece to make a statement. This is not a sponsored post, but since I've developed such a keen eye for bold pieces, I could not resist to pay her a visit with my camera in hand.

  

 

 

 



FUR OR FAUX?

Looking at this fur gillet, it reminds me of the best expression ever heard relating to dressing according to the weather, and something that I have mentioned before.  The Nordic people say that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. The moral of the story is that if you are appropriately dressed, you don't have to remain indoors when the weather is bad. Whenever I decide to wear this fur gillet,  it reminds me of the expression, but it also creates mixed feelings about the concept of fur.  Although I appreciate the fact that temperatures drop below zero in some countries and that fur is the only solution to covering up and protecting yourself from the brutal cold, I remain in two minds about it. That said, I decided that if you live anywhere near the Northpole, you should be allowed to wear fur.  In conclusion, I decided to fake it a little, cladding myself against the vicious Cape Doctor, as the South Eastern wind is called when billowing at irrational speed! This morning has seen a drop in temperature again, with the Matroosberg Mountain tops covered in snow. Regretfully it is not enough to allow us to jump into ski boots!

 

 

Faux Fur Gillet - Ginger Mary

Scarf - Unknown store in Dubrovnik

Leather gloves - Woolworths

Suede Handbag - Zara

Cuff - St Georges Walk Cape Town

Pants - Trenery

Wool Beret - Topshop (old)

Shoes - Topshop

A LEOPARD ON THE PROWL

It's hard to move on from a trend so phenomenal as leopard print, no matter how hard I try. One shouldn't enslave yourself to fashion but follow it as a guideline, although some get stuck on it causing it to become a signature look. I sincerely hope that leopard has not become so synonymous with my image that it is perceived as my signature look! I do however have to confess that I like it enough to wear it at least once a week, besides, I am a child of Africa where this cunning and elusive animal reigns supreme. One should never wear more than one item of leopard print at the same time, as it can easily make you look as if you are in camouflage,  hence my introduction of colour accents-after all, the French say less is more! Try this print with Red, Hot Pink or even Cobalt Blue for a very striking look. Subtle use of colourful accessories work well with animal print, reducing the boldness. Have a little experiment if you're in doubt, it might just produce a pleasant surprise!

 

 

 

Coat - Belle Epoque

Turtle Neck Top - M & G Cashmere

Gloves- Prague street market

Skinny jeans - Old

Handbag - Thai Design, Platinum Fashion Plaza

Neckpiece - Handmade by Karin Cane

Boots - Prune, Buenos Aires

 

ART AND FASHION

When art and fashion unites, it produces something completely awe inspiring, and choosing South African fashion designers to represent a particular artist, naturally delivers results that are breath taking.  With Stefania Morland representing the Walter Battiss Company to produce a collection inspired by the work of South Africa’s foremost contemporary artist, we must expect it to be jaw dropping beautiful!   Those of you who are lucky to be on the list of a select few, try keeping your jaws together when the range is unveiled at this year’s prestigious Mercedes-Benz Cape Town Fashion week, starting on the 7th August 2013 at the Cape Town International Convention centre at the foreshore.

 

Stefania Morland established her label in 2005, and excelled at becoming one of South Africa’s most prominent and iconic fashion labels with a distinctly dramatic flare, almost theatrical. No wonder it is often referred to as “works of Art.” With  Walter Battiss being perceived as one of the century's greatest  artists, it is a match made in heaven, and the inspiration for Morlands's summer 2013/2014 collection.

 

“The abstract shapes and figures of his paintings have given us a strong direction for our upcoming collection. His bold shapes and use of colour are a clear inspiration for this range.”

 

If this tantalizes your fashionable taste buds, have a look at the website for more thrills!

www.stefaniamorland.com

Photographs and quote from the same website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SISTERLY SUCCESS

No stone is left unturned by these two sisters who are making a considerable imprint on the fashion, health and beauty industry, being health and fashion conscious! The sisters Kelly and Gabriella are hugely successful at presenting the concept of edgy, classy, fabulous and funky styles with their colourful and inspirational prints, depicting  both the African influence and timeless chic. With a bachelors degree in social science, sister Kelly surely knows exactly how to win their supporters over! Their designs can be seen at Metropolis in Kloof Street, Nirvana Blue in Tableview, and The Bromwell in Woodstock.  The best is yet to come- they are taking part in the opening show at Mercedes Benz Cape Town Fashion Week kicking of in no less than 3 weeks from now! We wish them well and cannot wait to see what they have up their sleeves! (designer sleeves of course!)   

 

This is just a glimpse of what they've done this year for SS2012/13 and W2013! Want more? Have a look at the website www.milqandhoney.co.za

 

 

 

LA FETTE NATIONALE!

Viva la France! The French commemorate the storming of the Bastille on the 14th of July every year, and by no means is Franschhoek, a small village in the heart of the wine lands, Western Cape Province, left out of the celebrations. The village has a very strong French character with the French Huguenots with surnames like Roux, de Villiers and Viviers having settled year decades ago. Every year, the village comes to life with the Bastille Festival, hosting a multitude of activities and showcasing the valley's best talent with great food and wine. No wonder Franschhoek is known as the pantry of the Western Cape. With names like Margot Janse and Ruben Riffel, the village has become an iconic place to dine and wine. The weekend's festivities were celebrated in true French tradition, and provided more than ample opportunity to savour and sample the food and wine of the valley in the food tent. Playing Boule was a favourite pastime in the street and a very entertaining minstrel parade was held, leaving the crowds in awe. Don't forget the famous barrel rolling competition! Just about everybody wears the colours of France, with the country's Blue, Red and White flag waiving high in the wind. So next year don your Red beret, slip into your Breton top, and come and join in the festivities in true French style! No need to say why I am wearing Red today.......

 

 

 

 

 

 Photograph from Wikipedia

Photograph from News2

 

 

Blazer- Oasis at Foschini (Old)

Turtle neck - Queenspark

Pants H & M

Shoes - Topshop

Bag - Celine Boston Tote

Leather gloves - Florence Street Market

Neck Piece - Epiphany

 

FASHIONABLY UPHOLSTERED

Occasionally, we should change direction, do something out of the ordinary,  and wear something completely different from our signature style, allowing ourselves to experience the powerful effect of challenging convention. Whenever I wear an item made of upholstery material, I get the distinct feeling that I am being stared at, not because the textile is any different, but because the print is normally very loud and rather bold. Having received a number of compliments on my first project to design and have a blazer made from a piece of cloth more suitable to cover a lounge couch, I decided to experiment with this type of textile. Upholstery material that is not to thick, drapes beautifully and is ideally suited to a structured jacket or coat, and so this jacket was conceived, made from curtaining material. When you become open to change, you invent a new style. Had it not been for experiment and challenging convention,  the name Coco Chanel would probably have been unknown to us.......

 

 

Turtleneck Top - Primark

Pants - H & M

Shoes - Next

Blazer - Belle Epoque

 

 

BLACK POWER

Sometimes an outfit speak for itself, and without having to analyse it, you just seem more confident wearing it. Wearing Black gives me that instant lift, and allows me to present myself with more conviction. Do you ever experience the feeling of being more confident when wearing a particular colour? The best advice I ever received in doing a training course in marketing, was to dress for success. If you need particular courage for a meeting, or require a little more confidence to be convincing, or if you have to address an audience, you will find that wearing Black gives you that extra little confidence. Perhaps that's why I gravitate towards Black whenever I am required to negotiate a settlement with my opponent? The cropped Trench or Pea coat, could be an ideal "go to" jacket in your winter staple wardrobe, especially on warmer winter days, and with our relatively mild climate, even in winter, it is ideal to sport a casual look without looking to intimidating at the office.

 

 

Pants - Studio W

Breton Top - Old

Cropped Trench - H & M

Shoes - Next

NATURES CUE

Some stylists believe in colour analysis to determine which suits you best, and some of us dance to our own tunes. Another stylist once told me that Rust was not my colour, and that I should not wear this shade close to my face. However, I decided to venture onto my own colour expedition by wearing exactly what I was told not to, and feeling great doing so!  Some outfits just allow you to exude confidence, and some, notwithstanding receiving many compliments, sometimes make you feel less confident. My style motto is to wear what suits your body and what makes you feel comfortable. There is nothing worse than watching women wearing something merely because it's trendy or fashionable, but lacking confidence!  Do any of you ever experience that? This time of the year, the vineyards in the wine lands turn reddish Brown, much like the jacket I am wearing, inspiring a new kaleidoscope of colours and winter shades, so why not take your cue from nature?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photographs taken at the beautiful Lanzerac Hotel & Spa, Wine Estate outside Stellenbosch

 

Jacket - Belle Epoque

Pants  - C & A

Shoes - Woolworths

Handbag - Mango

Neck Piece - Honey

Bracelet - unknown