Stripe me down.

Picture courtesy of  Vogue Japan.

Whilst scanning through the Vogue Japan website, I was immediately enthralled by this picture, which is part of a piece called 'The Festival of Life'. Under the ever-formidable direction of Miss Dello Russo, the contrast, expression and bucolic atmosphere captured in this photograph is note-worthy. I especially enjoy the voluminous,. T. I've always been a little wary when it comes to wearing stripes, but after seeing this photo I have decided to through caution and my self-consciousness to the wind. Expect some interesting stripe-filled pictures soon.
Thank you, for reading. And please feel free to leave your comments (as long as they are of the savory kind).

Cocoa

Dear Ladies of the Sun.

                                                 Amber Rose for Mr Price collection.
                                                      1. T-shirt- R70
                                                      2. Luminous statement necklace - R80                                                              


Visualise this: Sitting on a carpet of grass, en capsuled by the scent of tuber roses, with an infinite stretch of sky above you and the rays of the African sun caressing your skin. That is exactly what I am doing, whilst wearing a vintage maxi dress, a wide, gold belt and toenails that have been painted every shade of happiness. In the southern hemisphere we have been blessed with an endless summer. OK, so I exaggerated a little. We actually have about seven months of summer, per year.

By the time, I post this article my skin will be burning. So with just days of this glorious season left, I suggest that you do something daring, outrageous and a little bit , to christen the end of trips to the lake and afternoons spent lying in fields of sunflowers (whilst listening to Lana Del Ray's "Summertime sadness").

 Look gorgeous and wear sunscreen.
Thank you, for reading.

Cocoa

Photo courtesy of Mr Price.

Dear future readers

I apologise for the lack of quintessence pieces this month and my untimely disappearance from the blogsphere. I have embarked on a new adventure, which includes me learning a myriad of fascinating facts and the concept of evolution, themes of Biology and the effects drugs have on your nervous system ( which will come in handy everyday).

Now that I am enrolled in the tertiary education sector, I have a firmer belief in my ability to run a meaningful and successful blog. One that is unique-in the sense  that it integrates a love of the inner workings of the human body, our many  ways of decorating it and a spoonful of ...(add your favourite topic to talk/read/learn about here)... to keep things slightly off-kilter. I'm sure that I sound like the educational version of a parvenu, (which is exactly what I am).

So, without further a due, I bid thee fair well, until my next post (which will be in less than 20 hours). Expect the magnificent, if not otherworldly, that will make you see your surroundings (and possibly yourself, if you want to get really intellectual) in a jacaranda-toned light.

Thank you, for reading my post.
Cocoa

Mr Walker, the cure for any type of creative block.

First of all, this is not a post about Johnnie Walker (for those of you that were wondering). Instead, this page pays homage to the ever-ingenious, photographic storyteller, Tim Walker .During my trip to London, I was fortunate enough to gracefully stumble upon his exhibition "Tim Walker: Story teller", after spending many wonderful hours engrossed in the splendour of the Valentino Exhibition at Somerset House, (South Kensingnton). The masterful use of giant objects (which is one of the few phenomenon we humans still  find fascinating),  the exquisite attire and the fairytale cum nightmare setting enthralled the imagination.

Poster for Tim Walker exhibition.

Somerset House: East Wing

Jacket: Oasis, Bag: River Island, Jeggings: Primark,  Boots: Footwork (only avaiable in South Africa and Zimbabwe)

So, for those of you that are suffering from ................... block, find your way to Somerset House before the 27th of January 2013. Admission is free and so are the creative fumes .(Valentino; Master of Couture runs until the 3rd of March. For more details, click on this link: Somerset House)

All the opulence that Hollywood has to offer.

The title of my post has been written with the best of intentions. The following pictures are meant to inspire you-get those creative juices flowing. I love the confidence of these ladies, whether young or old it is a timeless accessory.

Some of you may be reading this while seated in a train as it courses through the veins of the London underground, or from your dorm room, I am sitting in sunny Zimbabwe, Africa. The shopping experience here can be compared to...well about 5 stores each containing 5 identical items. Most of you have the choice of the very best of designer and high-street wear." Well, Cocoa" you are probably all muttering, "not all of us having bank accounts that satisfy our cravings for Zara, Topshop and D&G's latest collections." Well this is my answer: Charity shops + sales = a happy wardrobe. There are some amazing charity shops scattered around most cities. The best area's to try are just outside the neighbor-hoods of the rich and fabulous, because believe me the treasures you will find will make you feel rich and fabulous. However, that does mean that you have to be look for timeless pieces that can be slotted into any season, rather than on-the-trend pieces. Look for cuts, textures and that suit your frame, personality and pocket. 

For  readers living in Africa, flea markets and vintage shops are the way forward. You are bound to find something cheap and chic amongst the stalls. Doing the best with what God gave you, does not mean falling into a pit of  grey and black clothing. Nor does it mean you should look like you rolled out of bed and fell into a trash can. We all have something that makes a feel glamorous and  beautiful. So, why not wear that tartan skirt, black polo neck and lilac pearls tomorrow ( and yes that is what I wore this morning). 

You were not created to blend in.

Halle Berry, wearing Versace.

A trip down the decadent lane of fashion.

Dress of the Year 2011: Alexander McQueen

Evening dresses from the 1920s

A little bit of fun.

1930s Silver metallic thread, Art Deco evening coat. Jean Lanvin

Dear Readers. Whilst traipsing around Bristol, we found ourselves at the Museum of Fashion. We subsequently spent an abnormal amount of time saturating our minds with fashion from the last 200 years. Glorious designs design filled the glass showcases and fueled my imagination (as sometimes I wonder if I was born in the right decade), which led to use trying on reconstructed corsets, crinolines and Victorian style dresses. To be honest, I don't know why corsets went out of fashion (other than obvious health reasons). Despite almost asphyxiating the satisfaction of the gorgeous, hourglass figure achieved is well worth a few blackouts. You would never have to worry about tummy rolls, love handles or the myriad of other bodily obsessions women fuss over. I had many sweet daydreams, involving the sumptuous coats and the glorious feeling that comes with knowing that your dress took 5 seamstresses, 157 hours to embroider. But enough of that, to find the museum find a tourist office, a particularly, well-dressed individual or google it. The Museum itself is set up beautifully, with stunning attire that flows from one era to the next. An audio guide adds intellectual tit-bits concerning the extravagance and It-girls of bygone decades. A must see for all  young aficionados.

Bristol and Bath