MILITARY JACKET

Although the 1st September  officially announces spring down South, the weather has not really allowed us to turn to summer clothes yet. I am yearning to slip into something cool and to sport a lighter image, ridding myself of the weight and bulk of heavy winter fabric, allowing myself to feel the softness of chiffon and cotton on my pale winter skin. We are slowly coming out of winter hibernation and feeling the increase in day temperatures, but not warm enough yet to shed the load. It was like a breath of fresh air when the early morning temperatures indicators allowed a lighter set of clothes this morning, hence the bare legs with lighter shades. So I introduced spring with a military style jacket which is one of my own collection of custom made items, and very useful for mid season days. The military style never really seems to be unfashionable or dated, and it allows you various option to either sport a rather casual image by simply wearing it with boyfriend jeans, or dressing it up with heels. I find particular comfort in boyfriend style jeans as the over sized style gives an instant appearance of having slimmed down, really shedding the winter bulk in minutes.

 

Now all that's required is to move onto lighter food, reducing the bulk of the fleshy parts that developed in response to taking comfort in the warmth of slow food and bucket loads of soup, pancakes with sugar and cinnamon. I'd say it's about time to liberate my eating habits from the joys of winter. I'm starting with a delicious salad that I found a recipe for on  Peony Lim's blog, a scrumptious  Ginger, Beetroot, Fennel and Pomegranate Asian Slaw.....to be found at www.peonylim.com/ginger-beetroot-fennel-and-pomegranate-asian-slaw/

 

Happy weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

Jacket - Belle Epoque

Pants - H & M

Shoes - Next

Handbag - Louis Vuitton

 

COLOURFUL INSPIRATION

Being a girl of a certain age, it doesn't mean you have to put your wardrobe into retirement. Although some of us may sometimes feel as if we've become invisible, we still deserve to be respected. We ought to uplift our spirits with positive thoughts by grooming ourselves to feel good. Nothing recharges the mind as quickly as a bright colour, and if you suffer mental stress the colour Turquoise gives you an instant lift, invigorating and calming the senses. It helps to create balance in emotions and brings calmness to the mind, so why no embark on a colourful expedition into your wardrobe, putting your closet on Botox?

 

Read more on the psychology of colour on the following website:

 

www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com

 

Variations of the Colour Turquoise

 

Aqua: Closer to green than blue, aqua is refreshing and uplifting. It is creative and light-hearted, yet strong and individual.

Aquamarine: Enhancing creativity and inspiration, the color aquamarine calms and balances the mind and the emotions.

Teal: A more sophisticated version of turquoise, teal signifies trustworthiness and reliability. It promotes spiritual advancement and commitment.

 

 

 

 

Trench Coat - Trenery

Skirt - Belle Epoque

Boots - Graziana

Turquoise Neck Piece - Siem Reap Craft Market

YELLOW FEVER AT CAPE TOWN FASHION WEEK

There is something remarkably energetic about the colour Yellow, from Mustard shades to luminous citrus, and Canary to Neon. I always shied away from the Canary shades since it is known to render pale complexion looking a little washed out. However, the ray of sunshine instantly draws attention and although not exactly featuring on my list of favourites for shoes, I'm beginning to grow on this vibrant colour. There were a number of shades seen at the recent Cape Town Fashion week, from the runway to the sidewalk, with turbans to shoes, and skirts to body hugging dresses. Some were kitted out in shades bright enough to warrant sunglasses. Some of the shades were gravitating towards the Mustard Yellows which I found rather attractive, especially if it's worn with winter textures, giving it a warm feeling. Many of the designers exhibited a hint of Yellow, but it was David Tlale who stole the show with his men's collection as seen below, bringing something tender to the boys......Yellow is perceived to be the colour of creative thought, so if you're experiencing creative block, change your surroundings to Yellow! The full skirt made a dramatic entry, as can be seen below in the photograph with the Mustard print by Loincloth and Ashes, who made this skirt available on the www.spree.co.za website. No need to mention, it flew of the shelves! The knee length coat at the bottom is from Zara, following in the footprints of a recent collection by Louis Vuitton, presenting subtle and soft pastel Yellow squares, looking particularly good worn with Black. The photographer second from below wearing a citrus Yellow pair of pants, is Clouds Drummond, a blogger from Cape Town.
 

 

 

TOM FORD'S FRAGRANCE LAUNCHES IN CAPE TOWN

Any women remotely interested in fashion and having a fondness for fragrance, should familiarise herself with this man, and the brand, Tom Ford. A legend in the making, and calling himself the Chanel of the 21st century, he sure is a force to reckon with.  I was elated to have discovered that Tom Ford launched his fragrance and lipsticks at Edgars stores at the V& A in Cape Town on Wednesday since we no longer have to wait to pass trough duty free when travelling to get it or to shop in Sandton. The event was attended by numerous media members who shared in the excitement of the new line of products, toasting to the future with a flow of decent bubbly  and delicious canapes. The brand introduced sensational perfumes and lip colours, with really lasting power. With a kaleidoscope of colours, there are shades for every taste and skin tone, from Berries to luscious Reds. A man of note indeed, who knows how to conjure up a fragrance that lures you into his parlour. With tones of Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vanilla and Bergamot, the sultry Black Orchid won every women over. It leaves subtle notes of spice taking you to far away places, making your fragrance the envy of all. I cannot wait for the brand to launch the full range of products, and who knows, perhaps we will see his collection of clothes soon? The brand is strongly associated with luxury and exudes opulence......

WHAT I WORE CAPE TOWN FASHION WEEK

The beauty of an event like Fashion Week, is that it poses a creative challenge, and allows you the opportunity to wear something perhaps a little more flamboyant than usual. One has to bear in mind that it is a creative platform, and being to "dressy" might render you looking like the mother of the bride, which is not exactly what I wanted to achieve. I have seen many artistic creations and a multitude of full skirts worn with jersey tops and loud shoes, with the bottoms making the  statement. The full skirt seemed to have stolen the show of the front row being a popular trend that attracted much attention. I gravitated towards the reliable Black ensemble since it was in the evening. However, I could have added more colour to break up the monotony of Black, or perhaps have worn more bold accessories, making the look more trendy. I decided not to veer away to far from my comfort zone, so I only added a geometric print top to break the "cocktail" appearance of the all Black ensemble. I added a pair of Gold tipped shoes to brighten up the look. The feathers was my own addition which I had carefully stitched onto the seams of the jacket, the latter being made of a very fine taffeta. In conclusion, I would say that you do not have to shy away from flamboyancy at Fashion Week, as it is mostly clashing colours and mixed prints that received the envy and turned the heads!

If I wasn't going the get "snapped by the paparazzi, at least I got noticed when my feathers started shedding, creating much laughter every time I left my seat!

Photograph-courtesy Roger February who represented www.spree.co.za

With the charming Dana,(left) a reporter from Nairobi wearing a full skirt from Kluk CGDT, and Juliana Roux,(middle) captured by www.sdr.co.za

Jacket - Reserved Clothing

Bag - Chanel 2.55

Shoes - Dorothy Perkins

Earrings & Spectacles - Vintage

DURBAN FASHION FAIR 2013

Durban takes to the runway today with it's much awaited annual event kicking of at 16h00 with the showing of four emerging designers who returned from an internship from Milan (yes, your eyes are not deceiving you!).  The inauguration includes Sanele Cele with his label Tempracha, Mthokozizi Ntaka with his collection known as Randevour, Jacqui Emmanuel under her own name, and Modesta by Pinky Dlamini. No doubt, Durban is about to rock the continent! To those of you who were disappointed about the much loved Gavin Rajah who wasn't showing at Cape Town Fashion week this year, the good news is that he will also be showing at the event. The fashionable extravaganza continues well into the weekend with a number of other designers including both newcomers and emerging designers who interned under the skilful talent of the Milanese. The event will also be hosting well known SA designers like Leigh Schubert and Colleen Eitzen who needs no introduction. David Tlale will be showing a new collection on Saturday. David never ceases to impress with his flamboyancy, and having taken New York by storm, we keenly await to see what he has in store.  Saturday will also be seeing one of Africa's rising stars, Mina Evans, a designer from Ghana who studied locally and abroad. The show will also be introducing Diego M from Milan. The list continues with names like Dax Martin, Duke by Sandile Mngadi, Tribal Skin by Thulani Mnguni and Terrence Bray. The list is not complete, but I hope this preview has tantalised your fashionable taste buds enough to rush of to computicket to book your seats! Don't forget to take the purse as the event will end of with a garment sale on Sunday! Next stop, Milan.........

 

The talented Mina Evans

 

 

The Italian duo, husband and wife, Diego Mazzi and Manuela Bortolameolli, the "M" in Diego M. They will be presenting a capsule collection on Saturday, presenting garments that are hand made using uniquely printed leathers.

 

 

 

 

 

PRETTY AWESOME AT FASHION WEEK

Two of our foremost designers, Ruald Rheeder and Cheryl Arthur, co presented on day 1 at Cape Town Fashion Week recently. Cheryl, also the  co-founder of South African clothing line Hip Hop, now sports her own label. Her spring/summer collection has just been launched, and the show saw a soft and flowing variety of silky prints in very wearable garments, with form as important as function.

 

Her collection consisted of stunningly beautiful digital prints, representing a great variety of shapes and designs fit for just about any shape and size. It's comforting to see a designer who has real women in mind when designing, bringing fashion to the curvaceous!  

 

Ruald presented a men's collection with a distinct nautical influence, ready to set sail in the South Seas.....