My Story: Where Do I Begin...

So I decided it was time to share my story with you. I will continue to post as usual. There just may be some personal interludes mixed in with the photographs from time to time. So where do I begin with the story of my wardrobe?
Let me take you back about three years. I was living in Crouch End in north London. It is a wonderful and pretty hidden part of the city, tucked in between Alexandra Palace to the north, Highgate to the west, Finsbury Park to the south and lovely Edmonton to the east. Hmmm. Despite this, it was voted the second most trendy part of London after Hoxton. And I had a small flat there. It was high atop a Victorian conversion, in a pretty street within walking distance to the overland train and the bustling shops and restaurants of the Broadway, as they like to say in the real estate offices. It was tiny but perfect. I had redone the flat so that all the floors were stripped wood, the kitchen had granite worktops and a filter water tap. My bedroom looked out over London, toward the Palace, from where I could watch the annual London fireworks display from the comfort of my chair. And the bathroom was a girl's dream. All roll-topped bath and venetian glass mirrors. And a small entrance onto a roof terrace for the three hot Sundays in the year when sitting outside with the News of the World was about as chilled as you can be. And yet, I was lonely.
And so I shopped and I dreamed. I imagined a lifestyle that required designer dresses, shoes and bags. And over the years I acquired beautiful things that would be worn when I realised that life.
To be fair, at the time I could afford it. I had access to it. And, if I had really chosen to, I could have lived that life. It was right in front of me. But, you see, I am just not that kind of girl. I am a pretty down to earth person, for whom family, friends, fashion, food, music, magazines, love and reality TV are the things that get me excited. I don't really want to be tripping down some red carpet with people judging me. I don't want to be eating at the most exclusive restaurants every night when all I want to be doing is sitting on my sofa and PVR. And yet I imagined living that life, and shopped accordingly.
To be continued...

Autumn - Cape Town Style

Great floral summer frock and gladiators. Adding a wee cropped-sleeve bomber jacket makes it work when the air starts to turn a bit nippy.

Animal Print for Hair - GHD Rare

The guys over at GHD are pretty good at capturing the trends of the day and releasing limited edition GHD stylers to match. They have just released a funky new animal print one called RARE and I am sure that lots of girls (and some boys) will love it.

Kirsty - AVA Exhibition

Kirsty has curated the current exhibition on social pattern at the AVA. Go and see it - it's definitely a good one. That metal circular piece you can see in the background is by Fritha Langerman. But more importantly, this wee frock was customised by Kirsty and made to work particularly well with the addition of the vintage belt detail. I want it.

Mungo & Jemima Are Also One Year Old

Here at Style Guide, we love the shop Mungo & Jemima. This year they are celebrating their first brithday too and are having a drinks and shopping evening on April 2nd at 6pm. Go along if you can. Sadly I will be in Joburg for SA Fashion Week so will have to miss it - so tell me what it is like!

Lynette - Fresh White Dress

I always thought that this crisp cotton dress from Twist at Woolies looked a bit sheet-esque. But when I saw it on Lynette I changed my mind. The nude snakeskin peeptoe heels are perfect - and the giddy litte metallic bag just gives it the correct shade of butch to change angelic into stylish. Well played.

Happy Birthday to Style Guide - 1 Today!

It was one year ago today that I took my first photos and posted them on a blog. In the ensuing 365 days, I have met some wonderful new friends and realised some long held dreams, all because of this gentle online entity. A place of positivity and celebration, it has given me just as much as I have given it. Proof indeed that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
Gracious thanks to everyone of you who have supported the blog and long may she rein as the foremost style blog in Mzanzi.
Highlights include:
1. New York Times referencing SGCT as representing local street style, alongside (sort of) Garance Dore and The Sartorialist.
2. The only SA street style blog to have been blog rolled from Berlin to Beijing
3. One Small Seed giving SGCT props for being the most accomplished SA street style blog
4. The Sunday Times naming SGCT as the Hot Thing of the Week
5. Cosmopolitan naming SGCT as the Hot Blog of the Month - and deciding to include me in the mag. Just wait till you see Cosmo June edition!
6. Chew the Magazine naming SGCT as Hot Blog of the month - and inviting me to be a contributor to this amazing online magazine
7. Regular appearances on Soli Philander's Cape Talk show as his Style Guide
8. And most special of all - on my first public foray to take pics on the street I met a cool girl called Busi. It turned out that she was producing a fashion TV series and one thing lead to another and I became the script writer on the show and her friend. This photo is of my friend Busi from March 2008.
I do find it interesting that the blog has received no love from the SA Blog Awards. But you can't win them all and I will take the New York Times over the SA Blog Awards any day!
Thanks to you all and here's to another year of even more success, style and street savvy.

News: iafrica.com Lifestyle Column #39

THE 5 MUST-HAVE WINTER ITEMS FOR GIRLS
So boys will happen next week, but this week my piece is on the 5 key items that you need to buy this season to combine with what already exists in your wardrobe. I have also included a winter basics list at the end of the piece because I am helpful like that.
For all you ladies panicking about whether you can wear peg legs and harem pants, let me remind you it is all about balance. If you are adding to your hips, balance it out by adding to the shoulders (with a structured jacket, puff sleeve or boat neck), that way you will remain in proportion. Done.
Enjoy the read by clicking here.

Cath in a Jumpsuit

So I am not sure about you guys, but I have really come around to the jumpsuit way of thinking. I think that it is a look that really works for some folks. Here Cath has balanced out her swimmers shoulders and narrow hips with a strapless version, slinging on a cool belt detail and retaining a dressy feel, even though it is all very casual. Kind of like a perfect Cape Town outfit.

Matt - Mouille Point

Guys, this is the exact shade of jeans you should be looking for - a washed out or faded black. And then you can chill out on a sunny afternoon too.

Win With Kim Gray

One of the most delightful local blogs around is the work of Kim Gray. She is a commercial stylist for lifestyle and fashion campaigns and is celebrating her birthday this week by giving away lots of fabulous prizes to local (SA) participants. You can win vouchers from Old Khaki, bottles of scrumptious bubbly, a frock from Chica Loca or these divine purses from Jesse Breytenbach. She is also a finalist in the SA Blog Awards - the only even remotely fashion related blog to feature (Really SA Blog Awards?? Why no fashion?) so go and support her by clicking here.

Goodbye My Friend

For the past five days I have had my BFF Philly in town. She usually lives in a village in Oxforshire and has obviously been suffering from lack of sun as I am not sure that the UK has had summer in about three years. It was absolutely wonderful to have her here and to just hang out in our usual hum-drum way. I adore this cute frock that she got as a gift. We think that it is from Monsoon or Topshop. Anyway, in keeping with the mood of the day, she has now left on a jet plane and we are not sure when she will be back again.

Blue Monday

Apologies to those of you who check into the blog in the early morning, I was unable to post this morning due to my laptop suffering some kind of cardiac arrest. I managed to resuscitate dear lappie, but then a whole raft of other things (including connecting to the internet) were unavailable to me as it made a slow recovery. I have now backed up all my files and photos and will be seeking to purchase a new external hard drive (old one nearly full) to back up the entire computer. What a morning!

I Heart Doc Martens

I have a confession to make. I still love Doc Martens - and not just because they have had a resurgence in popularity and another fashion moment. I have loved them since I was 14 years old, and I continue to nurture my adoration of these hefty workman's shoes. I first got a lace up pair of shoes when I was 15 and my dad brought them back from London. It was 1985 and I was unquestionably the most punk girl in town. I wore them to death and managed to acquire a pair of boots along the way - well I was a lipstick goth.
Then I moved over to London in 1992 and I purchased a few more pairs - a dear friend accompanied me on one of these shopping trips and he told me, "I am just going to pick out the ugliest shoes in the shop (Shelleys) and you will buy those." He did and I did. They were a magnificent pair of steel capped buckle over shoes. And I wore them with my dress and tights and biker leather jacket. A look that would not be out of place in winter 2009.
I still have one last pair of Docs. They are much like my first - a pair of lace up shoes, for wearing in my Katherine Hepburn moments, with wide leg trousers. But every now and again I wish I had others - like this pair that Rachel was wearing last weekend. Bought off eBay for £5. And that's one of the very few reasons that I may miss living in London.

Nice Necklaces

So I will take the credit for Julie's neckwear today - since the white wooden beads were my birthday gift to her. But she wears them well and they look lovely paired so simply with the barely mint (SJP take note) frock and high contrast hair. Petra's beads have a much higher IQ, snapping as at they do, together to allow different colour details, as the mood strikes.

New Street Style Links

This is Nels Frye and he kindly blogrolled me over at his site Stylites - a Beijing based street style blog. It reminded me to update my blog roll so I have added one of my all-time favourites, Garance Dore as well as one of our local fashion blogs, The Frock Report. Enjoy.

Summer Style

One of the great ways to see out the summer evenings as they get cooler, is to combine a tunic with a pair of shorts - for those of you who wish to get your pins out but not freeze. Amanda shows us how it can be done with a pair of gladiators here.

Janet - Colour in High Places

Whether she is hanging by the pool or taking in a rock concert, Janet looks cool. There is a reason why she was one of my style icons for 2008 - and with form like this, is sure to be for 2009 as well.

Donovan - Kloof Street

Working for the magnificent Chew the Magazine, there is no excuse for looking shabby, and Donovan doesn't disappoint. Fashionable, executed in a quirky personal way that works for him. Ch-ch-check out those hooves.

News: iafrica.com Lifestyle Column #38

So this weekend I started to reach the end of my tolerance for the silliness that is forgetting your trousers. Girls, it's not so difficult. If you can see your knickers, it requires another item of clothing to be added. There are so many gorgeous young women wearing cute outfits, but sometimes all you can see are the silly ones. This article spells out why girls are leaving their pants behind, and how they can go about fixing this problem. Click here for a full read.

SHAMELESS: Nominate this Blog for the SA Blog Awards 2009

On the 26th of March last year, thanks to a flame haired friend of mine, this blog was born. Now almost a year later, it is time to put it out there and see how it stacks up against other new born blogs. I am shamelessly asking all my loyal readers to give the blog a thumbs up and nominate it by clicking on the grey tag on the right. In due course, I shall also be asking for a vote or two. But all your support is, as ever, most appreciated.
Happy nomination day to you all.

Kirstenbosch Concerts - Cool People

Off Duty Dirty Skirts

I caught up with both Jeremy and Maurice in the gardens of Kirstenbosch as they came off sound check yesterday afternoon. Both dressed down in their shorts. But check out Jeremy's sunnies - of course from Extreme Eyewear.

Yellow Bag

I love the simple shirt dress and flats - totally brought to life by the yellow handbag worn across the body. The bag was purchased in Italy, sadly preventing us mere mortals from copying this look - but I am sure you can find something similar in stores here.

Alyson and the Pup

I just love this hi-low look - denim shorts with a cotton silk blouse. My favourite photos are always the most natural and dogs have the most amazing way of bringing that out.

Cardigans Still Rule

Hey guys, just a little reminder to keep an eye out for a cool cardigan this season. Winter just needs one.

Emile - Kloof Street

I just kinda loved the whole 80s cartoon t-shirt and lightweight jacket thing that Emile had going on. You know, one part Maimi Vice, one part Angyness Deyn and one part SA bloke with [a bit of] a clue. And those eyes.

It's [Still] Hot In The City

OK, so you decide that short shorts is the way to go in the heat that has continued to swelter CT. Take a look at Qanita here and see how to do it with a bit of style. No bum cheeks hanging out, a nice balance between top and bottom, and a pair of pumps to make it a bit dressy. Well played.

News: iafrica.com Lifestyle Column #37

GETTING 80s STYLE RIGHT
If you are wondering what the dos and don'ts are of the 80s fashion revival, look no further than here for an easy guide for winter 2009.

Nolly Beats the Heat

Love the cute dress, accessorised with flip flops and helleva earrings. Done.

Jesus Fernandez Lingerie at Chica Loca!

The lovely Benita, owner and designer of gorgeous Chic Loca frocks in Cavendish, has now decided to stock some matching underwear to go along with them. She reached out to Argentina and has brought back exquisite lacy little whisps of girlie knickers and bras. Go and check them out.