another city

Travelling to Cape Town after what seems like forever felt like a new experience.  The city, harbour and people seemed new; possibly because I was looking at it all through a buyers view.  

Every city has its own energy; and its own attitude.  In Cape Town I got the feeling people are really free.  I also am not sure if the people there work at all; or if they do 8hrs everyday in a office somewhere like other provinces in the country.  People seem to just do as they wish when they want to; everything is super slow and super laid back.

My question ‘what do people do in this city’ was graced with ‘we dine and wine’.  And that is really what they do.  The amount of restaurants in the city is appalling; and the majority with great menus.  Then you have the pubs, the beach spots, and ofcourse food markets.

As usual, I had all my energy on the fashion all around me.  In Cape Town women(and men) get away with a lot in fashion.  There is a feeling of freedom; a feeling of wear whatever you want everyday.  I have never seen people dress with so much freedom and expression.  The ensembles would definitely get judged, criticised and gawked at in other cities (like Johannesburg except in Melville and Newtown).  

In Cape Town all looks are acceptable; from hippie to glam; all races do everything; no barriers at all.  This explains why Cape Town is really the country’s fashion hub when it comes to trends, buying and fashion education.  It is the possibility I dream of for all other cities.

first winter knock

Now that winter is knocking, we can pack away the 'almost not there' outfits and bring out the boots.  Winter is the best season in my opinion because we ge to layer, cover the 'not necessary to be seen'  and are allowed to eat as much as we want!  Also it is the season of coats, boots, socks, scarves, gloves, hugs and cuddling.  So what are we excited about this winter?

NAVY

...must be the new black, except you can wear it with black!!! It has that relaxed but supreme atmosphere about it; like Im ok in my skin (and clothes) but I can flaunt them just so you dont miss them.  Today, thanks to new trends you find every fashionable item in navy: shoes, coats, dresses, bags, earrrings, belts, etc.  Navy is everywhere without looking nautical or 'Pick'nPay uniformy'.  If you have been thinking about it, its a yes: you can buy the navy leggins, the navy boots, that navy handbag....actually anything in that family is acceptable.

GREY-BUT-TAUPE

Not quite sure what to call this colour but its there; its fresh and lovely absolutely lovely darling.  Please refer to the ruched boot right in the middle of the image above.  It has that Urban store look; but comes in almost everything; and goes with everything.  Think of it as the new grey, BUT grey is still the alive in all shades.  

LAYERING

Aah the art of wearing multiple pieces and giving off a 'Im together' look.  Think of vests, skin tight tees, scarves, shirts, leggings, leg warmers, gloves and hats.  These are the accessories of winter and Layering is the manner in which they are put together.  The other advantage here is that you can play with colours; let the navy peep here; but the the black is the focal point with taupe boots and a navy scarf! Ta-da!

TAN-TO-NUDE

Tan equals leather...ok atleast leather look alike.  Whoever thought any brown family could be such a hit.  Tan is a naughty colour as it flows from summer to winter without difficulty.  Think of tan sandals, summer boots and waist belts; now in winter think of rider boots, calf boots, tan gloves, tan trench coats, etc.  It has the ability to make a summer dress flirty and a winter outfit retro but yet pretty.  So tan on girls and boys, tan on!

WEDGES

Yes that high wedge pump was a great investment; and now you can wear it in winter too!!!  Personally Im excited about wedge boots; in all inches, colours, fabrics, embellishments, etc. Wedge wedge wedge.  They are comfortable; sexy without the bunions and soooo wintery for all winter outfits. 

WARM FABRICS

Hmmmmmmm wool, suade, velvet (in small amounts), wovens, tartan, houndstooth, etc and all their cousins and second cousins.  The core of winter is a bowl of stew and a blanket.  Winter is a cold season (Lunch Bar!); the goal is not to freeze to death.  So please dont think its ok to walk around in your mesh dress outside in the middle of June with sandals; one word PNEUMONIA! So make friends with all these lovely warm clothes.

SATCHELS

Yes yes yes with navy, tan and nudes the satchel has to be invited to the party.  They are not sexist at all; they love both women and men.  Stunnigly structured; looking very shool boy/girl with some level of maturity.  Not too big not too small; and ever so detailed! Pssssst ladies...there is a great one at a South African retailer with he word 'wool' in their name...very affordable too.

COATS

Girls and Boys coats are a must; atleast one; especially if you live in JHB(also CPT).  This place can get really cold.  Invest in colours that will stand the test of time like black, red, grey, navy and brown; and then add something exciting by purchasing a printed fabric or a 'wow' colour.  Coats last for season after season after season...look you can leave them for your grandkids.

BOOTS FOR BOYS

Whether short, mid or high; formal or sneakers...love love love them.  In grey, black, roughed, washed, rock, formal, boys are allowed to have boots too.  They can be hidden under the pants or worn over jeans (mmmmmmmmmm) with a coat and scarf and open gloves and a cute woolen hat with a coffee in one hand and....ok ok ok Im trailing off but you get the look.  Its a yes!

LAST WORD

Now friends just because its winter it doesnt mean you must stay indoors permanently; eat too much and forget the shower's location. NO.  Girls it doesnt mean its ok to have terrible toes and hairy armpits(and other areas). NO.  It also doesnt mean you can take 3days off work every month because 'you have the flu'. NO. BUT it is ok to find yourself involved in a winter fling; I mean it can get sooo cold *wink*

Ta

Budgie

Infor on shopbop.com ; riverisland.com.

Lunch Bar =  Obvious

old favors new

Everyone has some kind of style; some of us know and some are totally unaware; and in that closet of yours you have that 1 item that is your utmost favourite.  You know that thing that you wear atleast for 9months of the year; your friends give you the 'that thing again' look everytime you put it on but you dont care; and it has some meaning to your life; like the following items from people I know:

Nomfundo Shezi - bought at Woolies in Bloemfontein.

Daphne Sanderson - Franc Ellis R950...great tailoring.

Mmammotsa Makhene in a floral dress I personally LOVE!



Brigette Mashile - created by Nomusa Nkabinde in 2006.



Tan leather satchel.

Sam Vlok - from Ninewest love them.

Nompumelelo Khumalo gliteratti from 'some Shop at Maphonya'.

Mmamotsa Makhene- pleated colourful mini with amazing accessories.

Shell earrings from a market in Bots.

 

Wo/MenThou shall not faux pas!

This post is for laughs and a little teasing (with a shot of seriousness).  I spend time looking at people's way of dressing and mannerisms; I cannot help it; and I am sure someone is looking at me too thinking 'what the???'  So here we go:

1.  Thou shall not have dirty finger nails, toe nails and hair.

There is this trend(or horror) that some South African men have of growing their pinkie nail(eeuw).  Once I asked what was the function of this nail, apparently it is to replace the toothpick(can we have a sies man!).  There is nothing sexy or humble or exciting about a man who grows his nails.  Fullstop.  We are not asking that you have a manicure or something but please keep them short, filed and moisturized.

2.  Thou shall not have natural oudour unnecessarily.

Unless you just ran a marathon; or just arrived from work(construction, mine, etc) or from gym you have no reason to smell like you did.  There is no such thing as I sweat a lot! Fix it.  There are so many EDT and EDP and colognes in the market; at all prices for you to combat this problem. Oh and smelling like Lux/Protex is not allowed either!

3.  Thou shall not wear training gear as casual wear!

*Sigh* I dont know who came up with this idea and made it allright for people to wear tracksuit pants and training shoes as casual wear.  It simply just doesnt make sense. We can allow shorts and training shoes on a Saturday/Sunday afternoon...thats it! And no coupling tracksuit pants with the 'carvella' and muscle tops!

4.  Thou shall not be ill disciplined.

This is not fashion but complements your entire image.  Any man who is permanently drunk/high/broke, uses foul language, degrades himself/others, disrespects himself/others or is a hater is instantly a NO. 

5.  Thou shall not wear formal white shoes or belts!

This list is so long but these are the most prominent.  There is something wrong about white formal shoes on a man, especially if they are matched with a white belt.  There are stereotypes about men from the north wearing these; with shiny suits and all. I have seen men from KZN in white shoes too! Just stop it please.  On and please no square toe shoes please!

6.  Thou shall not wear heavy gold/silver/bling jewellery!

My best friend calls this 'tjarara'; its a slang Pedi word which sounds like something really wrong.  If you are not a PIMP or an-up-and-coming-rapper please dont try this look.  If you cannot afford the real merchandise please double-dont do this look at all.

7.  Thou shall not have a gold/silver/bling tooth!

Seriously NO.  It is not the 70's or 80's. Thats all.

8.  Thou shall not wear size-too-small or size-too-big clothes!

Tight clothes on a man are simply horrific and hilarious; baggy clothes are sad and boring.  Know your size and shape and wear accordingly.  We do not want to see your jewels outlined on your pants; and we dont want to hear a wave sound everytime you pass by.  For the young men, pants are meant to sit on your waist or just below your waist, NOT on your thighs or ankles.

9.  Thou shall not wear crocs, slops (the ones with blue&white stripes), or white socks with dark pants!!

Crocs...if you own them and you dont suffer from bunions, lose them.  They are not cute.  Oh how I hate those shapeless blue&white sandal slop things, they are scary.  And on the socks, there is/was/will always be only 1 Michael Jackson.

10.  Thou shall not be ashy.

Remember when your mother smothered Vaseline jelly or Acquous cream on you as a toddler; yeah it was to keep your skin moisturized and healthy.  Dry ashy sking is flaky.  This includes hands and feet.

1.  Thou shall bath/shower atleast once a day.

Ladies ladies if you have something against water and soap, you will smell bad.  Our bodies react faster to situations than men; and chemicals go off faster and release foul smells if we dont refresh ourselves.  Also some kind of 'smelling-si-nice' item is necessary: soap, shower gel, bath salts, deodorant, perfume, etc.  A re hlapeng hle!

2.  Thou shall not look sloppy at any time.

My friend used to say 'you never know who is watching'! I know, sometimes you just want to quickly go to Spar and get milk in your slippers, doek and tank top. NO.  Maybe one of each at a time hmmm?  My mother would kill me if I ever tried leaving the house looking like I want to be dead.  Another friend of mine simply puts it like this 'its as if you were on your way to the loo, and someone said hey lets go to a party and you jumped into the car as you were!'.

3.  Thou shall not have bad hair or make up.

If you are bad with makeup or hair; either get help or dont do it.  Keep your hair short or your face clean (lip gloss does wonders).  Bad weaves, bad hairstyles, old hairstyles, clown make up, wrong foundation shades, ect are just tacky.  There are so many books, sites and people on this earth to help you look your best.

4.  Thou shall shave all hairs except your eyebrows (and head)!

That thin line running over your eyes like a kid drew it ka mistake is scary.  It looks like its got botox; even if you did it perfectly with a mug.  'Twizzing' your eyebrows is allowed; not removing.

Shaving armpits and other holy areas is a health must.  I mean you wont die if  you dont but a lot of people will appreciate it. 

5.  Thou shall not have a gold/silver/bling tooth!

Refer to no.7 in the men's section. Its not an investment.

6.  Thou shall be confident.

Sexy is confidence; and confidence is sexy.  Please stop walking like the world is on your shoulders and you waiting for the end of the world to save you from yourself.  Life is great; you have power and an opportunity to be great in something everyday.  So bath, titivate and step out in style!!

7.  Thou shall be on trend.

No you dont have to be like Kim Kardashian or look lik a page out of Elle magazine but we all know Pepe jeans are out of fashion right?  Or Spice girl shoes? And tucking your tshirts into your jeans tightly with a shiny belt? And the Freeze? The list goes on.  All Im saying is look like you belong in this era atleast please.

Also please know when to  wear what.  That hot little mini dress is not for Monday meeting with a client; and those formal black pants are not for a picnic with friends on a Sunday.

8.  Thou shall not wear transparent(see through) clothes.

*Sigh*  If you are black please wear black underwear with your white clothes; if you are white wear minimal underwear with your white clothes.  Flashing the public with your fiery red full panties through your white pants is disturbing.  A sheer black/leopard blouse with a little peek a boo effect is ok and smart; not a pink bra with a white vest! Haibo.

9.  Thou shall not wear size-too-small anything.

If you are pulling it down every 2minutes, its is small.  If you cant breath in it, it is small. If you cant sit in it, it is too small. If  you see rolls and dimples you didnt know you had through it, it is definately small.  There is a think like between looking hot and skanky; and when it comes to clothes less fabric is not more at all.

10.  Thou shall respect yourself.

Any action or activity that makes you lose respect from others is a NO.  Public drunkeness, fighting, getting arrested, etc is wrong. If your mother would spank you for it then dont do it.

Thank you
Budgie

ShadesGalore

Christine Coetzee and Shezi keeping it fashionable.

                                                   

If you dont own a pair of shades Im worried about you.  And if you feel you dont have a reason to get shaded google 'effects of the sun' or read some magazines.  Personally I wear shades because of fashion and trends; and my eyes have gotten used to shade (being office bound and all!) so I cannot be in the sun without them.  If I had a choice I would have an entire closet of shades from donkey years to current styles and shapes; a pair for each day(and night) of the year!

It used to be that only top brands retailed shades; which means most people couldn't afford them.  Voila local retailers blessed us all; plus most come with UV400(atleast they claim to!).  Now you find all styles, shapes, colours, prints, and no-colour everywhere at costs you wont believe.  Trendy for fun shades range from R20 - R150 (on the street - department stores); better brands from R150 to R400; then branded upwards.

Obviously shades came with some country that leads in fashion; as I do not recall people wearing shades during my childhood days.  In fact, those who wore glasses were either helpless without them(remember bo ma 4eyes!) or just beings silly and mocked by the public.  Yes I'm a farm child.  I do know though that brands like Police, and Rayban have been around for years; hey I had Raybans in Grade9 and didnt know their value!

For this post I asked my friends to assist me.  I must say I have fashionable friends; who have style and know what's current in fashion.  Lets look at the trends on peoples faces today:

1. Wayferers
 

Clear Wayferers

....are simply the most trendy and sexiest shades ever!  This shape looks good on men and women; and kids.  It comes in all kinds of frames; colours; and sizes.  The clean pairs will be referred to as vintage 10years from today; and the detailed ones are such statement makers!

Samantha Vlok wayfering life!

2. Fading coloured frames/lenses


Andiswa Nkosi romantisizing them'shades!

 People on trend find these...somewhere! As I have been searcing for these forever; I came close to owning them.  My friend gave a pair to a friend just a minute before I arrived....damn!  This colour also has a vintage feel to it; but also a certain softness about it.  Lovely!

Thepi & Lindi looking fresh.

Zama Sibaya styling it up!

3. Rounded

Andiswa Nkosi and friend setting trends!

Big or small, bright or just black, mirrored or transparen; rounded shades have been around for as long as I've been wearing shades.  They are the best shape for big round or heart shaped faces.  They are the basic pair we all have as we know they are on  trend everyday.


Zama Sibaya looking fab!

4. Frameless

Daphne Zulu branded!

Think Dior. Or high class ladies in big cars go for this look.  They are mostly branded and highly priced; or they just look tacky if not.  These scream glamour and sophistication; but I will admit they wont make it to my closet.   I just look with envy at people who look great in them; simply don't have the face for them.

5.  Aviators


Andiswa Nkosi fashionista!

The best look for most if not all men.  These are mostly two toned with thin frames(at most metal) or no frames! Imagine sailor men, pilots or soldiers....oh ok just men in uniform!  Yes that's the look; it has been around for centuries just like the wayfarers.  Also this one depends on the shape of your face; they look sophisticated too and ofcourse trendy.

Mmammotsa Makhene...ever so trendy:-)

6.  Lessons from my mother


Busisiwe Mashile (mama) 1984 in clear aviators!



Namaste from The Workshop Durban

Ta
Budgie

*Thank you to Andi, Lindi, Zama, Mmotsa, Daphne, Christine, Shezi and Sam; also polyvore.com; blogmyglasses.com; contagiousfashionfever.blogspot.com*

Trend Report Mzantsi Style

Fashion houses release trend reports almost every season; and traditionally South Africa follows these reports.  There is nothing wrong with following trends of any country; as long as we have a style we can call our own; and are able to add out touch to new trends.

1.  Blossoms - Mablomo

I love flowers; who doesnt?  Florals have been in for the past 2 or 3 years and thankfully they are still in.  The great thing about this print is that it can be on anything, from dresses to harem pants to sandals to pums to bags to jewellery to hair accessories, etc.  They are small, medium and large blossoms; anywhere and everywhere; even on men's shirts!

2. Africa - Afurika

The dark but brightest continent on earth!  It seems we have either exported or the world has stolen our swag fashion.  Prints and colour are gracing catwalks everywhere; and animal print can only originate from a place where animals are found...zebra print, leopard print, peacock!  Animal print has been around for ages and NO it wont leave; make peace and wear it. Also while you at that familiarise yourself with the different African country prints/geometric/colours; and embrace your Africanism fully.  I mean if Beyonce can, what are you waiting for. Short left to Zambia!

3.  Neon - mmala

This simply translates into extreme brightness and shower of colour.  Imagine your favourite colour in its brightest shade ever...yeah that's it.  Not getting it...think of the colours of Pedi, Tsonga, Ndebele and Venda traditional outfits; yes those colours just brighter.   Colour is what we do best in eMzantsi; our national flag says it all. This trend goes well with colour blocking; so it seems that's staying too.

4.  Sport - Geometry

Think of clear line patterns; almost like the Xhosa women's traditional attire.  In the west Victoria Beckham does it best.  This trend is inspired by sport and lines (geometry apparently).  It works well in formal office wear I believe.

5. Peplums
                                                                             
The first time I heard this word I loved it.  A peplum is merely the piece that flares out on a top or skirt(as in picture).  It adds a feminine touch to an outfit; makes it pretty.  These can be found on skirts, dresses, shirts, costs, jackets, sleeves and pants.

6. From the past
20s

Think of the jazz era; pearls, red lips, cigarettes, feathers, whisky, tassells, mary jane shoes and pantyhose.  This look has a theatre look about it; as if you are about to perform.  I do own a tassel dress and have worn it once as the style simply doesn't complement my pear body.  I am waiting for a tassel dress that will look good on most females in South Africa. 

50s

Think of the pretty perfect Stepford wife; immaculate, clinched at the waist and a full skirt.  At most these dresses were in delicate colours, fabrics and finishes.  Florals, lace, ribbons, on full cotton skirts.  Heeled and flat pumps go well with this look.

7.  Sorbet

Do you remember ice-block?  Do you remember the milky ones?  This colour trend is exactly that; the opposite of  Neon.  Think of all the colours in the lightest and softest shade; a shade that brings peace to your soul and makes you think of romance.  Also here soft fabrics like lace, anglaise(crochet) and chiffon are a hit.

8.  Shimmer/Shine - Tjarara

The only colours allowed to shine are all metallic shades and black.  All the other colours cannot be allowed to shine, especially not if its tight at the same time(shiny leggings!).  Metallics look great on handbags, accessories and footwear; you can get away with a shiny dress or jacket. Good luck!

9. White

Oh my! Star white outfits used to scare me; like denim suits!  Well white is in or atleast coming back soon.  First item on my mind is a maxi dress with large amounts of accessories.  Or linen pants(thick linen please).  Not sure about white shoes unless its an Allstar sneaker; white handbags look great with metallic finishes and hardware embellishment.

10.  Paisley - Mantariane

Not much to say except this reminds me of my childhood; and those always-wrinkled shirts/dresses men and girls wore.

There are more trends instore for 2012; visit harperbazaar.com, vogue.co.uk, marieclaire.com, wordpress.com, and oodora.com, shadders.net, opalescentminx.com to see more.

Ta
Budgie

Research and pictures: from harperbazaar.com, vogue.co.uk, marieclaire.com, wordpress.com, and oodora.com, shadders.net, opalescentminx.com