Pack some snacks and make yourself comfy, because this is a long post!
Few road trips beat a leisurely drive along the West Coast. You're spoilt for views of field of flowers, sea views and long stretches of farmland either side of you. Not much farther along the road through Veldrif, you'll find Rocherpan. Tucked away and so rustic you'd almost miss it. Or you might actually miss it and drive halfway to Namibia like I did. Pro tip: when someone gives you very specific directions, turn off your lame John Mayer mix CD and actually listen.
Once you arrive at the reserve, you're confused. You expected rustic, which it is. But not to the point of camping. You'll find yourself quite impressed by how modern and chic the facilities are. I'll be honest. I did not expect such comfortable accommodation. The chalets are simple, clean and comfortable and they all face the breathtaking view of the water. And that little body of water houses a massive flock of bright pink flamingos that gracefully wade along the edges each morning and evening. The architect of these adorable eco-cabins is Justin Cooke fromArchitecture Co-Op. He did a fantastic job of ensuring they blended seamlessly with the surrounding landscape, while also using environmentally friendly materials. The cabins functions almost entirely off the grid with solar water heaters, gas stoves, and solar panels. You can't really ask for much more.
The reason I went along on this trip was to play stylist and part-time model for CapeNature's latest online campaign. Our mornings started at 5am to get our shots of the flamingos and other bird life. I've never been a big nature person, and I was (embarrassingly) the cliched city girl asking an absurd amount of questions on the possibility of being carried away in the night by snakes and spiders.
Rocherpan actually shifted my narrow perspective somewhat, and I relaxed into nature and stopped fussing and worrying enough to really enjoy it. And you're actually forced to. The day moves at a slow pace after a bright and early sunrise, inviting you to come in after a morning of bird spotting, to a big breakfast fry up, and then to take to the balcony with a good book for the rest of the morning. I slipped on a comfy long dress and sandals and moved through the day at my leisure.
You can find the sandals (you'll see them when you scroll a little further down) HERE and a similar dress, even more perfect for lazy lounging HERE. I love finding cheap and cheerful holiday outfits from Mr Price!
Once the weather had warmed up enough, we made for the beach. We had kilometres of uninterrupted coastline at our disposal and after some beach reading, strolling and posing, we set up a picnic which was well oiled with some amazing wine from Avontuur.
The next day started much the same and I can officially be considered "outdoorsy". After spying on those long legged pink birds, we had a go at some biking through the reserve. Initially I'd wanted to go for a trail run - but after discovering it was snake 'mating season', I decided that I wanted to be off the ground.
The next evening we decided to put together a massive feast of a braai, and whip out the really good wines. Avontuur had spoiled us again with a selection of their finest wines. After our feast we ended up roasting marshmallows, all the while clinking our glasses and laughing very late into the evening. We then extended our evening into the early hours of the morning to do some star gazing. And when you are so far away from city lights, you get to see the best views our galaxy has to offer.
I hadn't expected to be won over by rustic cabins, environmentally conscious and nature-crazed hosts, bird watching and the general tranquility of the surrounds (I am a city girl, 100%), but to be honest, I will definitely be back Rocherpan. You're a total gem and when I need a break from the madness of city life, I couldn't think of anything better than a weekend with you.
To get the full experience, check out the video we worked on all week - shot and edited by the phenomenal Dee Lourens from The Good Holiday. She was assisted by some of the best action and nature photographers in the biz, Alfred from Vuurtoring and Louise from Green Girls in Africa (Check her blog post on Rocherpan for a beautifully detailed post on the inner workings of this clever eco-friendly hideaway!). Go show them some love - I promise you'll find yourself inspired!
(faux fur kids, please for the love of puppies, stick to faux fur!)
They teased us a
little last winter, and this year they are in the picture big time. Initially I
thought finding one that didn’t look cheap and nasty would mean spending a fair
amount, but our local retailers have proved me wrong. And our Aussie imports
haven’t done too bad either. Here are some that I’ve found, for every budget. I have also found faux fur jackets, scarves and the cutest accessories that I love for a luxe looking, but cosy winter ensemble.
I love May. It is not only Mother’s Day, but also my mom’s
birthday month – so she gets spoilt twice within a two weeks and its so much
fun. Picking out the perfect gift makes my heart very happy because she is my
best friend and I know what she’ll love. I don’t think any gift could ever
really repay her for all that she has done for me, and the sacrifices she has
made for my brother and I. I think we all feel that way about our moms. We
don’t really understand how much they’ve really done for us until its almost
too late to say thank you.
If I could do anything for my mom it would be to take her
barging and wine tasting through France – which I am working towards – but for
now I’ve got some pretty and thoughtful ideas for spoiling mom which I thought I'd share with you.
Make it these black overalls. I picked them up earlier this week and couldn't love them more. They're a slimming, skinny fit and I am going to live in them. I can't wait to take them along to our American road trip in two weeks - but I am also going to wear holes in them over the coming winter.
Since our winters aren't too severe, you can pair these with ballet pumps, smoking slippers and skate shoes or even ankle boots and heels. A simple white, chambray or striped shirt or top will tie your look together - its so effortless. I also love the way a leather biker jacket looks over these and a white shirt.
If they're good enough for Olivia Palermo and Blair of Atlantic Pacific, they're certainly good enough for me. Need some styling inspiration? I've sourced a few images from my favourite style mavens below.
Good 'ol Mr P has launched their latest range of denim as well as some amazing in-between season wardrobe staples. Think basics like lightweight parkas, slouchy extra-length blazers, and striped easy fit knits, and of course, some must-have denim.
I am loving the sexy tight fitting dungarees and the high waisted skinny jeans. I already have so many pairs of boyfriend jeans, but considering this pair won't exactly break the bank, I think I'll take those too.
Click on the images to shop up a storm.
*Mr Price affiliated. Please see my ABOUT page for more info.
Whichever way you say it, the pineapple is rather hot right now. Pineapple print seems to be just about everywhere, from tote bags, to bedsheets.
It's very young and girly, so you need to be careful with how you style this print - or else you're going to look like the 2014 remake of "13 going on 30". A shopper/tote bag or printed vest is probably safest - or anything beach related with this print is pretty.
If you're going to take the trend to your accessories, keep it dainty and simple with a ring or bracelet. And for some flirty fun, you can always express your summer love affair with pineapple print by upgrading your phone case.
Yep, you read that right. Ugly sandals are back. Birckenstocks, Jesus sandals, hikers haute couture - whatever you call them, they're hot for Spring/Summer.
So here are a few options from our retailers to get your collection going.
1) Harriet sandal, R549 at Country Road
2) White patent slider, R79,99 at Mr P
3) Nude patent slider, R69,99 at Mr P
4) White slider, R439 at Topshop
5) Hot Pink slider, R79,99 from Mr P
6) Leopard print slide, R299 at Cotton On
7) Charlene slide, R899 at Witchery
Yep, they're back. Dungarees have surfaced this winter and are sticking around right through to the coming summer. But be careful, because this time they are fitted, many sporting a skinny leg - so showing up in your 90's baggy pair won't score you any style points.
So I am trying out a pair of dungarees from tool ol' Mr P and so far so good. Their fit isn't bad at all, and even through I am between a size 32 and 34 right now thanks to my winter fat-coat, a size small is comfy and fitted in all the right places. I've paired them with my Converse sneakers and black leather ballet pumps so far - I don't think they'll be seeing heels on me, but that look may work for you. Less is more with these, so as to keep them simple and laid-back, but chic. So pair them with plain vests, anything grey, or a striped top.
They are wonderfully comfy and they'll definitely be my go-to outfit for chilled weekend brunches and for travelling in.
So our verdict for this trend on trial? We say go for it.
I am stuck inside recovering from my op and have got some serious cabin fever. All I have as a window to the outside world is this laptop of mine. So what else is there to do but peruse the internet for pretty, shiny things?
Statement necklaces aren't going away so you always have an excuse to add more to your collection. Here are a few I've found this week.
1) Crystal Necklace, R250 at Spree 2) Gen Statement Chain, R79,99 at Mr Price 3) Resin Splice Necklace, R399 at Witchery 4) Cabochon Torque Chocker Necklace, R199 at Spree 4) Pendant Necklace, R150 at Spree 6) Silver Necklace, R130 at Truworths
