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| Love how this outfit is put together. The skirt was designed by an up and coming fashion designer Palesa Seabela, with a simple plain white Tee with a violet underlying top underneath and black stilettos. |
Friday, 30 September 2011
Thank God Its Fashion Friday. So we introduce one of our new features which we have titled Thank God Its Fashion Friday (T.G.I.F.F). We all know student life doesnt remain on campus, we like to party!! So in this feature every Friday we capture and feature fashionable students doing their thang out and about!!
Walking On Sunshine...
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| Summery Blue Dress and tan slim figure belt. Enchanting |
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| This i must say is my favourite outfit for this post! Love the high-waisted skirt, the white plimsolls and college top! Not forgetting the big, colourful bag! The bigger, the Better i say!! Love it! |
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| We adore the red polka dot blouse and obviously the high-waisted jeans! Work it giiirrrl! |
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| Wedges are a definite YES this month and comfortable enough to rock to school! |
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| This also goes down as my look for the week. So beautifully eccentric |
The Guys Rocking It
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| Simple White Shirt, Red Boxers Peeking Through With them Red Brogues Looking All So Snazzy |
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| Digging the wrist bands! |
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| If u not rocking the wrist bands this Spring...got no words for u! |
Wits Males Fresh As Can Be
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| We loooove the tight jeans at the bottom! |
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| Dig the accesories, from the Rosary to the wrist bands |
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| Digging the striped top and the washed-out jeans, white sneakers brings it all together |
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Shoe-string Styling
Every woman’s dream is to be the proud owner of a Louis Vuitton purse and to glide into a room in a red soled pair of Louboutins. Life on a student’s shoe string budget with a staple cereal diet renders these a fantasy. I simply cannot afford designer clothes or even the Country Road necessities (that’s what I call them). Unfortunately, “I’m a broke student” is not a phrase we can print on t-shirts to excuse the 5 day a week jeans and sneakers look. So the age old question for students remains; does style and affordability exist on the same plane? I’m here to tell you that it can, it only needs for you to be a little more creative. Before I begin I might want to let ya’ll know that I’m guilty of the 5 day jeans look too sometimes (ok maybe 3 days). I’m still just a student, its hard out here. That being said here’s my guide to the stylish and thrifty student;
· Get familiar with the department store and mall sales. These stores aren’t pricey but if you can buy it at half price even better. Google them, ask around, get informed. Most people shop at places department stores so be sure to pick with a discerning eye. There’s nothing worse than wearing the exact same item as 3 other people at the same party. Cringe.
· Vintage stores and second hand shops. Best kept affordable shopping secret, in my opinion. I’m planning to scour the city for all its vintage hideouts before the year is out. The wonderful thing about second hand shops is the surprising level of quality in some of the pieces. Also, they solve the department store ‘same-clothes’ dilemma. There are racks upon racks of beautiful, unique clothes priced at next to nothing. Most of my favourite fashionistas love these shops and that’s all the motivation I need. The good ones are the two Hospice Shops along Louis Botha Avenue and the other two on Main Street in Melville.
· Markets. Jozi is littered with these bustling lively places with little treasures that are fairly affordable. Sunday markets are the best; Arts on Main and Rosebank Rooftop Market. Just like with the vintage stores be thorough because you may just be pleasantly surprised. The newly launched Neighbourgoods Market on 70 Juta Street also has a small apparel section on the first floor. The great thing about markets is that you get to interact with people while you shop and eat in a very chilled setting.
· Investing in key seasonless pieces. And by investing I mean reach down deep into your pocket while also considering how often you plan to wear the item. You should expect to pay a little more that R130 for a pair of jeans that you wear every second day. Just saying. You can afford to skim on the t-shirts and vests (I know I do) but not on the trench coat you wear all winter. They always say try to go for the neutral tones that go with everything, but what am I to do with that breathtaking green blazer I peeped? But they’re right, neutral tones are safe because they can be combined with any colour.
· Swapping with friends and family. My girlfriends and I honestly haven’t tried this one before mostly because I actually like most of my clothes but it sounds pretty do-able. Swapping clothes doesn’t have to be permanent; you can rotate items around the group. This idea involves no money at all, just some willing participants. Plus my dad’s old blazers and waistcoats are amazeballs. No, I don’t swap clothes with my father.
Okay, that’s all I have for now. I’m of the opinion that you can shop practically anywhere if you know your style and what you’re trying to say with your look. I’m unlikely to find an LV shopper or a pair of Lady Daf Louboutins in my closet anytime soon (what with my staple cereal diet) but it doesn’t make me any less determined to be a stylin’ broad.
Monday, 26 September 2011
Wednesday, 7 September 2011
Thursday, 1 September 2011
Made In Mzansi
Proudly South African. The first time I heard this phrase was in a Grade 9 Economics class. Apparently buying locally manufactured goods (with a South African coloured tick) would help strengthen the economy. Simple enough right? The reality is we have an obsession with all things foreign; from food and clothes to cars and music our love for imports knows no bounds. The baggy pants embroided detail, the ghetto American accents, Beatz by Dre headphones and the hip hop blasting through them. It may be true that we have more Americans among us than we think. We could blame it on globalization, technology and our shrinking world but can we take a tad more responsibility? Imagine the excitement that would ripple through campus if Starbucks was to open at the Matrix. Pandemonium! What is the allure? Firstly, with fashion, knowing international brands and trends gives you the edge (not the Wits kind). Being aware that wearing an Arab scarf is now an irredeemable fashion faux pas and that polka dots are making a comeback is essential. Rocking those cropped trousers with brogues shows that you might not be Italian but you sure do have their swag. We want a recognizable look, and if Kanye West wore that Maison Martin Margiela jacket in his latest music video it consumes your every thought.
Proudly South African. So what does it really mean? They tell us all the time; buy local food- its healthier, take a local vacation- it’s cheaper, support local fashion designers- its original. I love initiatives like the Proudly South African campaign and Sho’t Left that encourage us to see in ourselves what the world sees in us. The booming tourism industry in our country is not an accident. South African designers are incredibly talented and their work is of the highest quality and yet most students don’t know their Abigail Betz from their Gavin Rajahs’*. While some easily recalled their favourite international shoe brands (Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik mentioned) others solemnly confessed to having offered their souls in exchange for a Hermes Birkin bag so loved by the Hollywood stars. Obsessed much? Paging though an ELLE magazine it’s clear that it’s not the lack of design talent that’s created the rift between students and South African designers. Whatever the reason is, its undeniable that buying local creates bigger industries that could rival our international counterpart. As expensive as even local designer clothes are, they’re more accessible than, say, a Valentino dress or a Balmain jacket. Yes, people I’m arguing accessibility.
So you say you’re Proudly South African? Prove it. But bear in mind that it means more than the periodic bursts of national pride seen in the Soccer World Cup Fever and Springbok jersey Fridays. Rather, it’s how we live; it’s where we choose to put our money, where our hearts and loyalties lie. So get to know our designers and, like me, lust after a Christopher Strong pleated skirt and an Abigail Betz 50s style dress mostly because they’re phenomenal but also because they’re Proudly South African. By no means do I mean revamp your whole lifestyle and wardrobe turning into some pro-South African purist. All I’m saying is look closer to home sometime and find comfort in being truly patriotic.
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