Grown-Up Friendship Bracelets

I was never one for friendship bracelets.  That could have been due to my inherent style from birth or because I had horrible friends and missed out on a valuable stage in life, but I like to think it’s the first.  I do find the recent adult friendship bracelets trend just charming though.  It suits my wannabe 70’s hippie style and a few would work perfectly with my OppiKoppi entrance bracelet this year.

Don’t be fooled though, friendship bracelets aren’t free home-made gifts from friends like they used to be. Designer bracelets can cost you a pretty penny.  An Alyssa Norton bracelet (as seen above) can cost you $240 dollars, while an Aurélie Bidermann (as seen below) design can cost you between $250 and $670 a piece.  Ouch. They are pretty though, aren’t they?

There are alternatives to selling your body for new jewellery.  Scocha, an Australian born New York designer, creates simpler, elegant version (below) for as little as $25 a bracelet and she promises to send your friend one too - for free!  I think it’s a great idea and sticks to the spirit behind the design inspiration. 

For an even cheaper option and that more personal touch, Honestly. . . wtf has an entire blog post on how to make your own version of the Aurélie Bidermann friendship bracelet.  I’m so trying it out for OppiKoppi! 

Top Image: Jak & Jil

Peculiarly Pretty Parasols

In order to get myself used to the freakish weather in Cape Town (yes, rain in winter is most commonly described as “freakish”), I’ve decided to surrender myself to love.  No, not the squishy boy-girl, girl-girl, boy-boy kind of love.  The fashion kind of love.  No weather in the world will ever make me hate having to get dressed in the morning, so instead I’ll just find myself inspirational pieces that suit the season.

Today I came across these peculiarly pretty parasol skirts by Italian designer Cecilia Felli.  She uses old or used umbrellas to create these quirky items, great for the rainy days in Cape Town.  

The pleats, patterns and palette attract me immediately!  This skirt can also act as a great ice-breaker story for that other kinda squishy love.

Today is not my kind of day in Cape Town.  It’s wet and cold and windy.  I don’t wanna do anything in weather like this.  The simplest task of walking outside will involve water falling on me, that’s just not natural.

So to brighten up my day, I’m going to completely ignore my windows, put my lights and heater on and pretend it’s sunny and warm.  In celebration of my imagined world, here are some striking sunglasses by the Australian Ksubi Spring/Summer 2011 Collection.

Look out for their interesting shapes, floral patterns and industrial materials.  I’d wear these creations any day, they’re definitely worthy of giving my wayfarers a well deserved break.

See more from their collection here.

P.S. Ksubi is pronounced "soobie."

Fashionably Freezing - Part II

The next layer on our list of fashionably freezing items is the Jacket.  Yes, jackets are different to coats, they’re smaller and can be used in summer too.  This layer is generally more fashionable as it’s the main showcase to your outfit after you’ve walked in doors and checked your coat.  Three styles are very hot this season, military inspired jackets, blazers and denim jackets.  Jackets don’t need to be as big an investment as coats, cheaper variations are great because that means more options for the season.  I own all three types, but if you’re a sucker for a specific trend, invest wisely and the item could be a staple in your wardrobe for seasons to come.

Military

Military styles are usually brought on by impending conflicts around the world and recently, we haven’t stopped having those.  The trend for the moment however seems to be brought on more for a fight for peace than a support of conflict.  Take a leaf out of Jimi Hendrix’s book and team your military jacket with a peace-loving hippie inspired outfit.  Skinny jeans, headbands and flowing necklaces all contradict the strong lines in a complimentary way.

Blazer

The blazer’s been going on strong for a while now and I’ve found myself with three or four different colours or styles in my wardrobe.  If you’re new to the blazer trend, opt for a dark gray or black item as it’ll suit most of your wardrobe.  If you’ve been a trooper since last season, I’d suggest looking for some fun new shades to play with in your wardrobe like olive green, royal blue or candyfloss pink.

Avoid double breasted blazers as this look can become too seasonal (wintery) and opt for full length sleeves as these can always be rolled or folded up for a preppier look (Miami Vice) or let down to protect you from the elements.

Denim

Coming from a farm, I find this hill-billy-esque look just adorable.  It’s a more structured section of the 70s I find everyone is enjoying this season.  The denim jacket can add so much character to a look and can be worn casually or dressed up for a night out.  Both men and women are enjoying this trend making it the new “boyfriend jean”.

Skirts, smart slacks, dresses, work shirts, t shirts – team it with anything, it’s denim! We all own one or have at one stage, but not all of them suit this current trend.  Look out for a more traditional blue denim or even a stonewash, not so much black or green tones.  If you’re wary of the trend, look for classic comfortable cuts that don’t have too many design details like large buttons or intricate stitching.  Alternatively, give the denim shirt trend a try.

For the more thrifty at heart, mix the styles up with a denim military jacket.  Two for the price of one!

Images: lookbook • weheartit 

Blake Lively for Glamour USA

Very recently, Blake Lively was caught up in a bit of a scandal involving naked self-portrait shots appearing online.  It has yet to be confirmed whether they are or aren’t pictures of the Gossip Girl actress but Leslie Sloane, Lively’s publicist, is claiming that the photos are fake. Lively’s legal team has however requested for some sites to remove the images – why if they’re fake?  Anyway, who cares? Blake Lively or not, whoever it is has a smoking body!

I do have a thing for Blake Lively, naked or not, I think she’s absolutely gorgeous and has an innate sense of style.  She’s seen here photographed in the USA Glamour July issue and interviewed by the talented Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine – one of her best friends.  This 23 year old has enjoyed the benefits of a hit tv show, a summer blockbuster with Ryan Reynolds and more recently, a contract with Chanel!  After all of this, she still comes across as a down to earth girl who enjoys her fashion, friends and food.

Blake talks to Florence about their times together, her sense of style and how she doesn’t use a stylist. “…I was told it was time to get [a stylist], I thought: This is one of my favourite hobbies! And I’m going to pay someone to steal my hobby from me?”  I totally agree with the up and coming style icon, but I’m still plotting on how to convince her to hire me one day.

Wait, isn’t she dating Leonardo DiCaprio? Scrap everything I just said, I hate her.

Read more of the interview on Glamour’s website.

Lola by the Sea

Little needs to be said about this beautiful woman that many don’t already know.  Her abundant curls, big blue eyes and naturally slim figure make her the dream doll for any stylist to dress.  The spontaneous shoot came about one Sunday morning when Gillian Chambers, Lorien Bolus (Lola) and I were all in the mood to make beautiful pictures.

The first shot of the day involved Lorien jumping into an empty tub wearing a wooly wardrobe.  The poor girl was freezing, but you’d never know, she looks cuddly and delighted – good model!  White matched her cool skin tone beautifully and helped enhance the highlights in her eyes and hair.

We decided to keep Lorien’s makeup to a minimum for the second shot, enhancing her natural beauty with a more colourful wardrobe.  The Lilac Chiffon blazer enhanced the rose in her cheeks and lips and the Spring Bouquet necklace I’d found at a flea market not too long ago almost mirrored her big eyes.

This is my favourite shot of the day and was one of the last few looks.  I’d had this feather boa for months and was dying to attach it to some poor models head.  Lorien was my victim for the day and it worked perfectly.   The subtle black-on-black design in the Maya Prass coat worked beautifully with all the textures created by the feathers, rake and shadows.  Black added great contrast to Lorien’s tone, exaggerating her features.


For more images and info on the shoot, read Gillian’s post on GillianDoes and don’t forget to follow Lorien and Gillian on Twitter!

Friday Freebie with Swagger Accessories

Cape Town is unbelievably unique and I’m loving it here, but I’ll admit there are a few things I miss about Pretoria. I miss ordering a double brandy and coke without getting a strange look, I miss wearing 'plakkies' (flip-flops) in winter and I miss Swagger Accessories. 

Swagger Accessories is a quirky brand specialising in Perspex and wooden accessories.  Tharien Lotz, the creator, is a Pretoria born girl whose love for brooches brought about the idea to design her own accessories.  Inspiration, an artistic eye and great friends helped Tharien produce some gorgeous creations which now include earrings, pendants, rings, brooches and even home ware.

Tharien was nice enough to sit down with me for an interview and even give one lucky reader some great Swagger Accessories!  Read the interview with Tharien after the jump and don’t forget to enter the awesome giveaway!

Fashionably Freezing - Part I

Don’t fret people, just because it’s exceptionally unbelievably freaking insanely implausibly toe-curlingly damn cold doesn’t mean we have to dress like the Michelin man to be warm.  I know it sounds crazy, but there are ways to bundle up without bulking up.  This is the first in a series of advice on how to dress stylishly this winter starting from the outside in.

The first and most important step to take this winter is to invest in a good coat.  This will be your staple for the season so make sure it’s a classic shape that suits your body type and goes with and over everything.  Opt for neutral colours like black or charcoal that won’t clash with anything and buy the right size.  Women often freak out having to buy a size or two bigger than usual but your coat needs to go over layers so get over it and do it right.  I promise the check-out lady is looking at the price, not the size.

Coat trends for this season include high collars (fashionable and practical!), military, shearling trims, camel and capes.  Country Road has some great capes in store at the moment, Woolies has gone military mad and shearling trims can be found almost everywhere and on almost anything (loving it on boots).

Because your coat will cover most of your outfit when you’re outdoors, you could become bored or irritated with it, don’t worry – accessories are here for you.  Scarves, beanies, brooches and gloves are a great way to change your coat’s look.  Go el-cheapo on these items, it means more choice and less guilt - guilt that could be better spend on warm croissants and hot chocolate.

Stay tuned for more advice on winter dressing.  Jackets, boots, bottoms, accessories and layering tips coming soon!

Images: weheartit • Harpers Bazaar Spain • Lookbook • Style.com