New in | Surviving Summer

Surviving this heatwave in style is proving near impossible. I saw someone on Twitter refer to the constant sweating above her lip as a "sweat snor" and pretty much wet myself. A "snor" for my overseas readers, is a moustache in Afrikaans. And right now I have a salty, dewy one perched above my upper lip almost constantly. I feel like I want to ditch the outdoors in favour of being a mall-rat and watching movies all day - which I know is a sin in summer. But I can only take so many consecutive days of constant heat. I caught myself lurking aimlessly in the Woolies frozen food section this weekend and I've eaten my weight in ice cream and chilled watermelon.

I'll stop whinging now and get on with it. It is summer and it is the season to wear all things floaty and floral - but also things that are not polyester. I require soft cotton based fabrics that move and breathe with me. I also don't need any half-moon action showing up either so quick-drying and non-creasing fabrics are whats getting me through this heatwave without looking and smelling like a hot mess.

I spotted Emma's camis when I popped in to her salon in Wynberg to get my lashes done. I had a quick peruse around her showroom next door and immediately fell in love with the soft cotton and beautiful colours. I completely forgot about it until my Dubai trip with my girlfriends in December when Kirst wore this gorgeous strapless playsuit on our desert safari, and I had serious outfit envy. (Yes, I know I've been pretty shoddy with my travel posts and I will be telling you all about Dubai, Bali and Singapore very soon!).
We were hurled through the dunes in a Land Cruiser in the desert heat, followed by dinner in the middle of nowhere, sitting cross-legged on carpets on the floor and eating with our hands. In between all of this we were getting henna designs painted on our hands and feet and riding camels and smoking hookah (not all at the same time just to clarify) - and my jeans and kaftan weren't fairing as well in the style department as K and her lovely little ensemble.
So I made a mission to stalk Emma Brink and see what is new and show you a few favourites that I found. She has a perfect range of summer staples to see you through balmy days at work, the beach, cocktail hour and for your summer getaways too. I'm a big fan of the playsuits and maxi dresses - they're sexy as hell without flashing too much flesh. And they keep a girl cool and comfy.

So other than that inevitable 'sweat snor', you're stylishly sorted.

You can find out more about Emma and her pretty designs here: http://www.emmabrinkdesigns.com

Sneakerhead Diaries | Simple chic

The sneaker obsession continues. I haven't picked up a pair of PUMA Trinomics yet. The signature style has been on my radar for ages but I haven't found a colour that won me over entirely. Until now. I love simple styling and understated chic and these tick both those boxes.

PUMA has released their latest addition to their Trinomic R698 sneaker range – the delectable R698 Soft Pack features the richness of a plush suede upper with subtle perforations for a lightweight finish in a choice of grey, pastel pink, black or teal. So cute! The pink has my name written all over them.

The R698 Soft Pack retails for R1 599 and drops through PUMA SELECT stores in Bree Street, Cape Town and Braamfontein, Johannesburg, as well as Shelflife - and they're available now. See you there next First Thursday for a tipple and some shoe shopping?

New In | Missibaba Bow Bag

I have fallen in love/lust again. This time with Missibaba's Bow Bag collection. I've had my eye on one of these for years. It is the perfect bag for daily use, but also for travel. I love using a bag that is lightweight, good quality and fits across my body for travel. I also prefer bags that zip closed for the sake of keeping my passport and camera safely stowed, and hence I don't travel with tote bags all that much.

The Iconic Missibaba collection serves to celebrate the brand's 10th birthday and 

Missibaba devotees can expect to see a total of five much loved styles revisited during the Iconic Missibaba collection campaign period, with a new beauty being revealed each month.

The Bow Bag was the second style produced by the Missibaba team 10 years ago, so it is fitting that it has been revisited with the likes of the Sgt Pepper and the Possum. 

The Bow Bag is

 priced at R3250 and is 

available in a delicious palette from juicy apricot to bottle green and is made up in a selection of patents, suedes, butter soft cowhides and kudu leathers.

Just look as these beautiful colours. I really can't decide which one I love the most.

View the collection on 

www.missibaba.com or pop in at 229 Bree Street.

Kirsten Goss | #GetPersonal

If you've been reading my blog since the early days, you'll know I have a massive obsession with dainty jewellery. I've come to love a good statement piece, but small and pretty will always be my go-to when accessorising. I hadn't bought any new jewellery in a while, and then the Kirsten Goss invite popped into my inbox (Houston, we now have a problem. The fire has been reignited. >>insert money with wings emoji here<<). 

I'd been admiring her brand and her journey from afar, yet never had the chance to have a look at any of the collections or meet the designer. All of that changed last week when she hosted a couple of fashion bloggers for a showcase of two collections, called #getpersonal and #diamondcondition. I'm just going to show you the first range today, because there is one hell of a lot of pretty to take in here. In a nutshell, KG is now offering personalisation on their range of jewellery and it is beautiful. Popular options are the Pinny and Barboa necklaces, or the Halo ring. The items are hand stamped by a very talented and patient goldsmith. You've got choices of sterling silver, rose gold vermeil, gold vermeil and 18kt gold. 

We were also treated to a fashion film and a chat with Kirsten herself. Getting to chat to her and see her contagious energy and passion first hand made me fall in love her designs even more. Hopefully, just by wearing them, they'll pass on a bit of her incredible spark onto me. She also passed on this gem (if you'll excuse the pun): "While diamonds are forever, they are also for everyday". I like that. I like that a lot. This woman could be trouble actually....

At the end of KG's fabulous event, we were sent off with a little present - a Pinny necklace to call our own, which I've been wearing non-stop since. I love the simplicity. It is terribly chic.

The unlucky husband has already been sent a wishlist that covers every birthday, Christmas and anniversary presents for the next few years. I tried convincing him that we should celebrate 'monthaversarys' as well, but he was having none of it. Luckily there are plenty of lovely brunch spots along Bree that I can use as an excuse to pop in, with Dave in tow, and I'll slap him with the best puppy eyes I can manage. Or just slap him. Whatever works. (just kidding boo!)

Go on. Treat yo'self. Drag along someone who loves you and pop into the store on 229 Bree Street in Cape Town, or 366 Florida Road, Morningside, in Durbs. Joburg, there is even one for you at 64 St Andrew Street in Birdhaven. Or shop online at www.kirstengoss.co.za

#Stylist101

A few weeks ago I attended a three day workshop on fashion styling, with the incredibly talented Cara Lee, Fashion Editor at FairLady mag and style-blogger-in-chief of The Fashion Department. We were hosted at the FEDISA campus, and I am now very bitter over the fact that my tertiary education didn't include a garden terrace and rooftop chill area.

I decided to attend the workshop simply because it was a side of fashion I knew nothing about. I've been on a photoshoot or two but never really paid attention to the details and incredible amount of work that goes into the styling of a shoot. I've grown up on what I like to call the arse-end of fashion, namely design and manufacturing, so to have a crack at the more glamorous end was loads of fun.

We spent day one learning about the basics, and getting a "stylists kit" of our very own. This involved  clamps, pins, tape and much more. You basically are set up to build your own shelving unit, but are actually using all of those tools on a model. The kit stops short of a hammer. Because you are not supposed to hit the models. That being said, if one ever threw a phone at me, I'd go find that hammer. (just kidding)

On day two we got to play. Clothes, shoes and accessories were sponsored by Cotton On and there were rails upon rails to play with. We got to pick our models and style two looks to be photographed by the talented Gavin Van den Berg.
These are some of the shots I got from my two looks that I styled.

On the last day, we recapped and reviewed what we'd learnt and then moved on to personal styling, personal shopping as well as styling for TV and music videos. The charismatic Tracy Lee Rosslind was the guest speaker and she was an absolute treat. She has such an impressive resume and her energy and passion for local design and fashion was incredibly contagious.

A big thanks and congrats to Cara who pulled off a truly informative and fun workshop. It is a must for anyone interested in that side of the fashion industry.

All fur Everything

This winter every girl needs a faux fur gilet.

(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.

Pink faux fur coat, R999 at Witchery 

Faux fur short jacket, R599 at Superbalist

Faux fur gilet, R299,99 at Mr P

Pom Pom beanie, R59,99 at Mr P

Colour block faux fur scarf, R899 at Country Road

White faux fur vest (and my favourite of the lot), R699 at Witchery

Fluffy pink cross body bag, R99,99 at Mr P