TRANSITION

The transition from summer to winter has caused me to suffer lack of inspiration with a serious bout of writers block, however, I have not completely disappeared of the blogasphere. I am engulfed with fixing up my wardrobe, turning it upside down. With the launch of a new stand alone store by Witchery at the V & A in Cape Town, and working in the CBD for the last week, I found myself doing some serious shopping for winter, perking up my style with some retail therapy. Here is just a glimpse of what's to come..... monochrome rules! After much deliberation, I finally succumbed to the over the knee boot, in spite of my self induced fear of it looking like stripper boots. After following Olivia Palermo's style for a considerable period of time, I knew I would not get through the blizzard in winter without proper cover up, so finally, I surrendered to the trend. The leather skirt and patterned coat is from Asos, with a high low seam giving it quite an edge.

Oversized coat by Belle Epoque

Bag - Boy Chanel

Boots- Kelsi Dagger

 

Suede over the knee boots by Witchery

THE CHARM OF A BYGONE ERA

There is a particular charm to full skirts, especially those that are all puffed up and below the knee, reminiscent of the swinging 60's. I first wore this skirt in Milan at the S/S Fashion week 2013 where it received a few stares, in awe I hope! The heydays had a particular elegance, and made a remarkable impression on fashion and the revival of trends. We've also seen the return of over sized and swing coats with wide collars this year, firmly taking it's place in the front row at the recent fashion weeks, with cat eye sunglasses taking the look to the next level. My sunnies are all in the spirit of the bygone era, and the Mary Jane shoes equally at home with the trend of full skirts. I have no intention to discard this work of art after the season, and hope to be sporting this skirt long after it's demise as a fashionable trend......perhaps making it my own signature look?

 Button up shirt -old

Skirt - Belle Epoque

Shoes - Asos

Handbag -2.55 Chanel

Neckpiece - Sass Diva

Sunglasses - Dior

BODHISATTVA-STYLE WITH A CONSCIENCE

Those of you who support a good cause and who considers the ethics of fashion will be delighted to learn that South Africa has seen the light of a new fashion label with a conscience! The Bodhisattva label was launched at the Cape Town Design Indaba last weekend and is driven by the gorgeous and ambitious Yumnaa Firferey, a well known figure in the field of promoting fair trade and equity. Her range of clothing is  classic and depicts the essence of femininity with the use of luxurious silks and the finest Nappa leather, combining simple yet beautiful silhouettes. All her garments are beautifully balanced so as not to dominate, and with a business philosophy that promotes sustainability, I see a bright future in her new line.

 

Yumnaa focuses on transforming lives by allowing the women responsible for assembling these garments to work in an environment where their personal development is promoted and where the quality of their lives in general are improved, quite a load for an industry otherwise perceived to be focused on vanity and appearance alone. She sure makes an impression with her classic pieces all capable of being integrated into the capsule collection of items so useful to those who like to mix and match, getting optimum value out of clothes. I wish Yumnaa and her creative team best of luck and hope they grow from strength to strength. Read more about  the Bodhisattva label at www.ethicalfashion.co.za

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABOOS AND TRENDS

Yesterdays taboos are tomorrows trends. I was raised with the idea that White shoes are a taboo, and that the shoes should never be lighter than the seam. Sounds a little archaic to you? Well, it fact it is. There are a number of fashion dos and don'ts that we grew up with that now appear to be primitive and outdated. Here I am again, challenging convention, or perhaps simply ignoring outdated rules. My soles are much paler than the pants, I am wearing different prints together, and I feel ecstatic about the liberation. One more advantage of being a girl of a certain age.... 

Blazer - Charter Club

Pants - Dorothy Perkins

Shoes - Valentino Rock Studs

Top - H&M

Clutch bag - Jimmy Choo

KALEIDOSCOPE

The brighter the better..... looking on the bright side of my wardrobe, I was faced with the challenge of wearing print that is not only bright, but rather bold and loud. The print is inspired by a tropical garden, allowing it to be worn with a multitude of rainbow colours. I chose to wear a dress that toned the look down, balancing it with shoes that picks up and reflects on all the colours of the print. This coat is a marvellous item to dress up jeans, and to spruce up a simple pair of cigarette cut pants, perhaps with heels a few inches higher....... after all, the sky is the limit. The twist in the dress works it's magic in slimming down the waist, and the rouged effect leads the eye to the middle. This is a great style if you want to elongate the appearance of the body, and distract from the midriff, particularly after a month of many celebrations.....

Dress - Dorothy Perkins

Coat - D & G

Shoes - Valentino Rock Studs

Wristwatch - Gaga Milano

Sunglasses - Dior