Doon Estate:: Purple and Cerulean

Happy Saturday, everyone.

And a belated, but still heartfelt Merry Christmas to you all.

I hope you have all had a great week so far. Two weeks ago my sister and I travelled to Doon Estate, a tourist market in Msasa. It is an eclectic mix of various curio stalls ,furniture shops , galleries and a beautiful coffee shop called Veldermeers. You will find many original, hand-crafted products as well as some collectible vintage pieces. My personal favourite is the chandelier that is made out of the tops of Coke cans!

Dress: A Christmas present from my man

Sunglasses: Ray Ban

Earrings: A flea market find

Bag: New Look

Thank you, for reading.

Coco

The Zimbabwe Colour Run

Salutations. I hope you're all having an excellent week so far. I've been spending more time with my family the last couple of days and we've had some memorable experiences together. One of which was taking part in the first ever Zimbabwe Colour Run at Borrowdale Racecourse.

On Saturday the 7th of December, we and several thousand other enthusiasts descended upon Borrowdale. Dulux was the major sponsor for the event, which was a fund-raiser for the SPCA (an animal shelter) and Emerald Hills Children's Home for the Deaf & Blind.
I can truly say that after walking 5 kilometres around the race track, sliding down bubble-filled slides and having every orifice thoroughly covered in powder paint, I was happy.

Thank you, for reading.

Coco

The Season of... Red, Green, Gold and White.

Hi everyone. I hope that you are all well and looking forward to the Christmas season.

The last couple of days have been mentally and emotionally challenging for me. So far the month of November seems to be the culmination for many spheres in my life. Tomorrow is my final exam for the year and I'm a little unsettled. But hopefully after I've revised my notes later and said a little prayer, I will feel more settled.

In the spirit of Christmas, I've decided to start a five-part series, called , "The season of...."

Today's post is all about the colours of Christmas. For me they are crimson, avocado green and metallic gold. Unfortunately I haven't experienced a white Christmas yet, which is one of the downfalls of living in Africa. However, as a child we took decorating the house for Christmas very seriously. I come from a big family, so it always involved lots of laughter, a few punches and plenty of smiles. This is my first Christmas, where I will have my own space to decorate. So, I promptly logged onto Pinterest to gather a few ideas.

I love pine cones and they have always been an integral part of Christmas for me. We used to spray paint them white or gold and make wreaths with pine branches, to decorate the dining room table. So I'm thinking of making a miniature one for my desk.

Fresh flowers are as good as a fresh coat of paint, when comes to brightening a room. Zimbabwe's Christmas flower is the poinsettia, which has vivid scarlet or pale custard petals and yellow stigmas. They are poisonous, so if you have young children or relatives its best to stick to St Joseph lilies.

I've already started buying a few little gold trinkets to hang around  my room from, Sassafras, which is a lovely boutique in Sam Levy's Village.


Last year, I spent Christmas in London. So I'm looking forward to spending it with my boyfriend by the lake, this year. What are your plans for Christmas?

Thank you, for reading.
Coco

If I were a princess...

... Mr Danilo Gabrielli's Autumn/ Winter 2013 collection would be my uniform( mind you,  I would be a gothic one that resided in Germany). Inspired by the medieval era (1200-1300s), his creations are tailored swathes of satin, leather and lace. In a time were musing of dragons, the supernatural and magic was spoken of in hushed tones, for fear of the Inquisition or  the town chieftain's wrath.
His  chiffon gowns would be the stuff of any vampires dreams
.And his panelled jackets, would fit a bounty hunters shoulders to perfection. Mind you, I am not adverse to having some of the clothing for myself, despite my lack of preternatural powers and being born several hundreds of years late .

I hope your week has been great so far. I'm recovering from a nasty bout of flu & I'm in the process of  birthing a couple of new concepts for my blog. So you should see some exciting new things during the Christmas season. I hope you enjoyed this post.










As always, thank you for reading.

Coco

The delectable Danni & Jo

Hello Everyone. I recently discovered the Synder sisters jewelry company Dannijo and I had to share their most recent look book with you.

Danielle and Jodie decided to run with their childhood passion and started the company after college. They created a capsule collection for Danielle's Live With A Lifelong Ambition ( or L. W.A.L.A), which fundraises for various African initiatives.

Since, then the two have turned their creative energy into a successful brand, that still keeps helping women in underdeveloped countries all over the world.

The dynamic duo have their products in Bergdorf Goodman, Harvey Nichols and Holt Renfrew stores worldwide. They also have a celebrity following that includes the always gorgeous Blake Lively and Natatlie Portmann.

They cater for a wide variety of occasions- bridal, formal, evening wear and bohemian chic. Whether I'm dashing to the grocery store, having lunch with the girls or watching a show at HIFA , I would definitely feel like a warrior princess from some era. I can't wait to have my own piece gracing my jewelry box.


Thank you, for reading and have a great weekend.

Coco.

Images form www.dannijo.com

A glimpse into Danielle and Jodie's studio.

Charlotte Olympia: Fall 2013 Collection

I just finished browsing through Ms Olympia's Fall 2013 collection. And the name of the collection, 'Fall' is the only word that can adequately describe what I felt after viewing her designs. 

The sensation of falling through a whimsical Roald Dahl cum J.R.R Tolkien tale. Where mystical castles,  gold flax, dragons, unicorns & dashing heroines all meet in a tale of epic proportions. Absolutely spell-binding.

I hope this post helps you to start your weekend off with a smile. Because, I have an enormous grin on my face.

Thank you, for reading.

Coco

Images courtesy of www.charlotteolympia.com

Made for women : Bags

Salutations Everyone. Satchels, bowlers, hobo, minaudieres, clutch, briefcases, carry-alls, crossovers, duffel's,totes and  book bags. The streets of Paris were littered with these gorgeous pieces of arm decor.

The bags  on display were the stuff of a aficionado's dream (one who has an eccentric streak).
Black, white and oxblood were the main colours of choice both on and off the runway. With the focus being on texture, patterns and shape.

.
                                             I'll have one in every colour!


Until next time.
Thank you, for reading.

Coco
Images courtesy of www.honestlywtf.com

The 4th Annual Zimbabwe Fashion Week 2013:: Gavin Rajah

The last few weeks have seen the end of the 4th annual Zimbabwe Fashion Week & the end of the  New York. London, Milan and Paris Fashion Week. The digital world is currently saturated with pictures from the international Fashion Weeks. But for this post, I am going to focus on the not so established Zimbabwe Fashion Week.

As I made my way to my car after the final show , several thought converged in my mind:
1. Black and white is a major trend this season. Think different textures and geometric prints & patterns.
2. Longer hemlines and an abundance of decolletages were seen on the runways.
3.And of course- I really must try not to get my heel stuck in the paving ( which is easier said than done).

 Gavin Rajah closed this year's show with a breathtaking collection on evening wear. Models traipsed down the runway in sheer blouses, sequined cropped jackets and chiffon gowns.
Just the thing I needed to stir my imagination.

Thank you for reading.

Dear Readers

 This is a quick post to notify you that Zimbabwe Fashion Week is taking place from the 29th to the 31st of August 2013. The main venue will be Sam Levy's Village in Borrowdale, Harare. Closing this beautiful celebration of clothing will be none other that Gavin Rajah.

I can't wait to share all the wonderful things I'm bound to see, with you.

As always, thanks for reading.
Coco

Foot notes for heel junkies.

Salutations fellow heel aficionados!

I hope you've had a great week so far. I recently spent the night at my parents home in light of the elections and came across a few pairs of forgotten treasures. So after  breakfast in the gazebo, I decided to give them a breath of fresh air and share some essential tips  for all heel-wearers.

Steve Madden

New Look

New Look

1. After Lunch- always go shopping for shoes around mid-afternoon, because your feet expand as the  day progresses.

2. Posture- when wearing heels you should walk with your shoulders down and your abs in. A weak core means that you will find it harder to walk in heels. So if you can't maintain your posture or walk properly ( hitting the floor with the outer heel first, then pushing off the big toe), they're too high.

3. Support and Stretch- Arch support keeps your toes from scrunching, so try and use inserts as often as possible. Another important fact is that your Achilles tendon can get shorter if you wear heels everyday. So to relieve aches and strains : hold a towel around the ball of your foot, jut out your heel, and pull gently to stretch your tendon. Another trick, that can be done whilst lying down, is picking up pen and pencils with you toes.

Thank you, for  reading!
Coco

In the Garden: Liquorice and Earthy tones.

Hi Everyone. I hope you're all having a great week so far. Wednesday is my  favourite day of the week. After work, I spent the rest of my morning walking around the hostel's garden.
Below are a couple of pictures of where I live.

Bromley House is a Christain Residential Hostel for women students. Myself and all the other girls are studying for diplomas, certificates or degrees. A lot of us also have either part-time or full-time jobs. I took two gap years, volunteering at Harare Children's Home, helping out at youth groups & teaching on a part-time basis at the Convent High School.

I am currently enrolled at UNISA, a long-distance university and studying for a degree in Life Sciences, majoring in Psychology and Physiology.

I would love to hear where you are in the journey, that is life.

As always, thank you for reading!


Sunglasses: Flea-market treasure
Trench coat: Primark
Bag: River Island

Zimbabwe Art Festival 2013

The  'Wild Geese Lodge' was the venue for this year's Art Festival. Hundreds of art enthusiasts descended on the picturesque setting on the second of June, as the work of over thirty artists was exhibited. Lin Barrie, Dee Schafer, Barry Thomas and William Sykes were just a few of the artists who showcased their work.

 The live band & efficient kitchen, that churned out chicken shwarmas, burgers and butternut soup kept the masses other two senses satisfied.

I was impressed with the variety of media & technique's being used. There were still life paintings done in the traditional oil paint, splashes of varnish, lashings of watercolour, glazed pottery, batiks with a kaleidoscope of colours and beautiful pastel pieces.

All in all it was a fantastic way to spend the afternoon.
I hope you all had a great week & are looking forward to the weekend as much as I am.
Thank you, for reading.

Coco.