More Models: Ma Chérie

Behind the Scenes: Model Chats

This is Naomi and she is one of my favourite models at the shows. I love her colouring and her stride and she makes all clothing look kick-ass while retaining a haughty beauty. It turns out she is also a smarty pants, modelling to finance her degree at Stellenbosch. When I chatted to her she came across as laid back and fun and focussed. All the things that I really appreciate in a young woman whom the little girls would look up to. I took this photo as she was hanging between fittings - no make up.

Behind the Scenes: Model Fitting

Behind the Scenes: Music Man

This is the start of a short series on the people behind the scenes of the fashion industry. I am starting with the music guy. This is Martin and he is preternaturally capable of marrying up the designer vision for their runway show with music through the decades. Like, perfectly. So that the sum of the parts is so much greater than just a few outfits, a model and a backing track. I pity the fool who forgets to listen to Martin.

News: iafrica.com Lifestyle Column #28

TOP SA DESIGNERS FOR 2008
Today's column continues the year-end Top 5 format, but this time it is all about SA designers. Who did I love in 2008? Readers of this blog may have a pretty good idea of the designer names that will appear in the Top 5 and 10, but click here to see the order and why I thought that they rocked.

The photo used by iafrica.com is from Thunda and features Gavin Rajah's show at Virgin Mobile Cape Town Fashion Week, spring/summer collection.

Boxing Day Basics

Neil is one of my best mates. He is also my sporting hero, having completed many a cycling or triathlon in a winning spot. Despite the need for total relaxation the rest of the time, when he is not amusing himself with his children's antics, he is able to combine sporty with stylish in his dress. See, you don't have to wear a tracksuit sportspeople...

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas day. May you get plenty of stylish goodies in your stockings.

Short Shorts

If you are under 25 and the sun comes out, how better to capture the look of the moment than with a longer length vest, a pair of gladiators and very short shorts? Strictly for the youth, this one.

Pop Couture - New York Times Magazine

Virginia Heffernan recently wrote a great piece for the NYT Magazine on street style blogs. And while it was predictably focused on the best of them globally (Sartorialist and Garance Doré), Cape Town was name checked in the third paragraph. She does characterise the lovely people featured on this blog as "pampered" and I can't actually argue with that. Cape Town is like paradise and we are generally healthy and well put together, compared to other cities around the world.

More importantly, her argument that the immediacy of the street style blog now triumphs over the rigidity of the fashion magazine spread - in trend spotting, interactivity and flexibility - is a good one. One that I am already in a couple of conversations about so watch this space.

Photo courtesy of Kevin van Aelst

Weekend Charm

I saw this pint sized lady on the weekend and just thought her on-trend ensemble of high waisted shorts, Melissa's pumps and floral blouse was worn so well as there was no evidence of effort. She is also just as cute as a button - like a pocket sized person that you would take home and put on the mantlepiece to make you giggle. If I had a mantlepiece, you understand.

Biscuit Mill Accessorising

I spotted a couple of cool finishing touches when I was at the Old Biscuit Mill yesterday. The bag is just awesome and the bright yellow pattern is brilliantly combined with the very pared down white/grey outfit. And while a flower in the hair can become a bit of a jaded little number, actually it really lifted a plain black mini dress and flip flops.

Summer Nights Glamour

Understated but brought to life by the simple, yet crazy, purple shirt. With the collar turned up.

Vuli - For Your Eyes Only

Vuli is always laid back and cool and gravel voiced and chillin'. And then he got his new glasses. As a speccy myself, I am always appreciating the work of a fine pair of goggles. These definitely work well.

Summer Frocking

All the prettiest summer dresses seem to be bargains from Mr Price. And I like how she has layered the peach vest underneath for a bit of a fresh perspective.

Ben Sherman Dress on the Birthday Girl

It was Tinarie's birthday yesterday and she got this very cute Ben Sherman dress as a gift. By the time we met up at 8am, she was already wearing it. What I loved about it was the addition of her own touches - the red pumps to start - but also how she removed the dropped waist tie belt and added her own neat little waist belt to really make it her own frock. Well played.

GHD Style Lounge

So I took myself off to be pampered by the lovely GHD folks last week. Hair and make up. Lovely chats. Glass of champagne. Petit fours. Some beat in the background. And the Newton Photo Booth which was the coolest bit of it all.

Results are evident. Izette and Amy - producer and researcher on African Couture - are in the first pic. Yours truely in the second. And playing around with Dan from SASS and Martin Myers, magical music man in the third.

Thamar - My Editor

This is the very lovely Thamar, who is the editor of the Lifestyle and Fashion section of iafrica.com and who generously allows me to publish my warblings once a week. She is looking particularly glam here as she had just been done over, so to speak, by the GHD gang. More on that tomorrow.

News: iafrica.com Lifestyle Column #27

Shopping almost every day means that I get to experience the very best and the very worst of what SA retail has to offer. So, as 2008 draws to a close, I resorted to OCD type and made a list. Click here to read what the Top Shops are for 2008 - and why.

Strapless Dresses

I've seen a lot of strapless-boobtubification frocks being worn out and about recently and am always a little concerned that the wearers don't understand how big it makes your shoulder area look. The stratgic placement of hair and/or a long necklace goes some way to alleviate this, as shown here. Getting it right looks fabulous, but wear with caution.

Black Maxi

I like this laid back maxi that has been cleverly accessorised. It's by Desray.

Colonial Boy

It looks like Dan's honeymoon to Buenos Aires brought out the imperialist in him. Whatevs. It looks good.

Summer Shoes

The sun is shining and the rhythm is sweet. You look around and everyone is in their strappy flats as they go about their day.

I Heart This T-Shirt

Cute innit?

More Good Leggings Stories

The more I see beautifully dressed people refusing to join the no-legging movement, the more convinced I am that they are actually a kind of modern classic. I get that they can be worn in ways that are all kinds of wrong. But if you keep vigilant, you can wear them well. These pics show you how, together with the one with the gladiators earlier in the week, and the ones last week, and...

Cute Shoes

This is how to rev up an outfit without trying too hard. Just add a pair of bright, cute shoes and you are there.

News: iafrica.com Lifestyle Column #26

Have you finished all your festive shopping? If not, this is a handy 'idiot's guide' to getting it done quickly, efficiently and relatively painlessly. From years of shopping pretty much every day, these are the tricks that I have learned and are failsafe if you follow them carefully. Now go. Only 12 days of shopping left. Click here to read it in full.

Photo courtesy of sxc.hu

Gladiator Glory

You need a certain kind of pluck to wear gladiators this gratuitous. But they are awesome, to be fair, especially combined with the Tiaan Nagel frock.

Radient Redhead

The combination of her hair and this wonderfully soft grey, belted mini dress was stunning. Such a mature combination for a young lady.

Girls Keep It Simple Too

At all the drinks parties that I go to at this time of year, it is always refreshing to see the people who turn up looking stylish, but keeping it simple. This is Cape Town after all and trying too hard is whack.

Keeping it Simple

Sometimes boys can rock it by keeping it simple. Jacket, jeans, white t-shirt. Just add a hat, mix and and leave to look good.

Blue Dress, Yellow Shoes

My buddy Janet in her Primark dress. So there we were standing having a chat in the street. We hear the sound of a car hooting and look around. Bloke - with girlfriend in the passenger seat - shouts across to her, "I like your dress." Who knows what the girlfriend thought. She didn't share. It was a funny night.

Rock 'n Roll Cupcakes

I just like to play sometimes and when I spotted this talented young fashion guy chomping on his bright pink cupcake, I just had to take a snap. Fierce trousers, belt buckle and facial armoury but loving his wee snack.

News: Chew The Magazine 3

Well it is the third edition of the divine online magazine Chew. Already. This one is the Tribute Issue and I absolutely loved the piece that I wrote on a tribute to the swimsuit. I hope it is ok to say that. It just came out exactly as I wated it to - and it is only 200 words. A little bit puff, a little bit Barbarella. Go and read it on page 15. You can download the mag if you click here.

Vintage Prass

When people are wearing your designs years and years after they were shown, you have got to know you are doing the right thing.

Maya Prass Store Opening

Lovely time was had by all at the opening of Maya Prass' new flagship store in Constantia Village. The mojitos were delicious and it was certainly the most popular of this season's parties so far. Not bad for the 'burbs.

While you won't be force fed electric pink cupcakes as we were, I will encorouge you to go and take a look. She really is amazing and her selection of clothes, accessories and homewear are worth the trip.

Photo of SG and Janet cupcake eating courtesy of Maya and forced to post by Stiaan. They are little devils.

Trend Alert: Turquoise Dresses

Three times is a trend. I posted a photo of Jo-Anne Strauss last week in a gorgeous turquoise Marion & Lindie dress. On two separate occasions since then I have photographed other ladies looking fabulous in their turquoise dresses. Of course you have to accept that you will stand out in this colour. But it is so attractive and vibrant, particularly at this time of year.

Watch African Couture - Jeremy & I

Tomorrow night on African Couture - SABC3 at 6.30pm - you will see the restyle of Jeremy from the Dirty Skirts that I did. This is the final on-stage look that we came up with. The regatta blazer was the critical item and I managed to find one and have it made to measure for Jeremy by the Non-European lable from Elizabeth Galloway. The skinny trousers are, of course, Stiaan Louw, and the shoes are Carducci. Shirt is Ben Sherman and the hat is a bowler from Topshop.