Family Stone

I'm absolutely obssessed with this Australian brother sister folk group, Angus and Julia Stone. When I played some of their music to a friend the other day, she replied by referring to the lyrics, 'I like music like this, it's so nice to still hear people dream'. I totally agree, everything about their music is just dreamy; the lyrics, their voices and even the music videos...loving it!












Sadly they have just been in Paris and were completely sold out, but lucky for me they will be back here next April and this time I'll be sure to get my ticket!

x

Christmas stocking joy ♥

23 days to go till Xmas, it's absolutely insane! I don't think I would even have realised if it wasn't for my one sister who sent me  long wish list of all the possible goodies she would like this year. Should i take that as a hint she did not enjoy my present last year? My dad on the other hand buys himself presents, just in case he gets disappointed by not getting what he wanted from us.
It's not a bad idea, avoid disappointment and fill up your own Xmas stocking this year, you've worked hard enough, i know i have! So why not start by hitting some of the fantabulous private sales here in Paris.

Go spoil yourself, after all Christmas only comes round once a year!

x

tic toc tic toc...here's to my resolution

Walking to work this morning it dawned upon me that in exactly one month I'll be another year older. Well, personally for me the idea is just frightening! Sure, I'll be lying if say there wasn't a time when i looked forward to having my birthday, sweet 16, legal 18, mature adult 21. Even when some of my friends were struggling to grasp the thought of turning 20, i was even super excited to turn 25.
However, the years left in my twenties are slowly coming to an end and are closer to 30 than 20. Although it's not my age which bothers me, it's what i have achieved at this age. I can be quite hard on myself that i know, but I just feel unfulfilled with this year, and as there's only 1 month left before the end that i feel maybe i should try and turn it around. So instead of starting my new years resolution on my birthday or on New Years, why not start now! Slowly with little resolutions, which I can start at any minute of any hour of any day and with no rules attached.
I often feel, and maybe you are the same, that you start your resolution as the clock strikes 12 and then if you break it, well that's it, the resolution is forgotten and back we go to our bad habits, that is until the next year. Yip we all do it, why do you think the gym is always so full in January, and by the time June arrives it's you and 20 other empty bikes at the 6 am spinning, that's if you've even made it that far.
New Year resolution's suck and it's not that I'm boycotting them, it's just that i think making daily resolutions for myself will elevate the pressure and make it more likely to succeed in a year filled with resolutions but no pressure of it actually lasting a year.
So I'm not going to make a list of 1 million resolutions to start right now, I'm just going to start with one simple one and that is to post here more often. This is rather going to be something for me than for anyone else; a visual and written journal which I'm willing to share if you are interested to read.
This has been a serious lost in translation year, and it's not just because I'm working and living in a foreign language, but also because i actually have just felt lost.
So this is a little resolution to build my map and discover life and everything else with it, whatever it is, not just fashion and design.

x

tom ford back with the ladies

When I think back on how I got interested in fashion, Tom Ford will always be a name that pops up as one of my greatest influences.

In South Africa back in the 90's to buy a Vogue magazine for me was a luxury, and probably half my pocket money if not all. The way I saw it, they were an investment, one I assure you will find boxed up at my parents house in case I ever need to refer back. One thing I loved the most were the GUCCI adds, when T.F was still with them. The clothes were great, but it was rather the provocative nature of the ads  which appealed to me. Coming from a somewhat conservative country, who dared do that and have it published in a magazine? Tom Ford!

Once he had left GUCCI it was to no suprise that he created his own  name brand TOM FORD.
Starting with eyewear and beauty products, he soon launched his menswear and accessory lines.
The genius even made a movie!

But what about us women?  Where's TOM FORD womenswear, huh?
Well I'm happy to announce that ladies, the man and his brilliance will be back in action starting from Januray 2011!
For now, splash on some black orchid  and slide on those sunnies, soon there will be a lot more of Mr Ford to go around for the ladies...

x.M

it's all about embracing your inner child

Wondering the streets of Paris, you're always bound to find something new and unique. So whilst exploring the little roads in Bastille  the other day, I came across a little shop called 'Cailles de Luxe'.
It was full of refreshingly different jewellery pieces, and what a great way to recycle the bits and bobs of your childhood. Embrace your inner child and have a laugh.

a soft wind blows and it's not just about art anymore

Rodarte sisters, Maggie Cheung and Joyce Boutique(HK) came together in the name of CHARITY.
The girls, Kate and Laura Mulleavy designed the four exclusive hand-made pieces which can be seen here in this short-film by Wing Shya.
These Maggie Cheung tribute pieces were inspired from four of her films: In the Mood For Love, Hero, Clean and Heroic Trio.
Everytime this film was watched on Youtube during the month of MARCH 2010, Joyce boutique donated HK$1 to UNISEF.
These pieces were also auctioned off, in the same spirit with the funds also going to UNISEF.

 Charity, what a beautiful way to give back to the worl!

x
M.M

quick share: over the taupe

OVER THE TAUPE by O.P.I., loving it. It's a bit more subtle than my usual over the top colours, but it still makes enough of an impression.

x

triumph the triumph

Last week Thursday was the finals in London for the Triumph Inspiration Award, and as you saw in a previous post, my favourite by far was France's Sofie Insam.
Although she didn't win, she put up one hell of a show and we can only be to proud!

hello doc or shall we say kitty martin?

A childhood without 'Hello Kitty' would just not have been possible.
My sisters and I probably had all their accessories for little girls possible, or at least all the 'Hello Kitty' products that were available in South Africa in the 1980's ;)

As for Doc Martens, I remember my first impression when my older sister at age 13, me age 9, told me she had to have a pair of high top Doc Martens. 'WHY?
However, in the past few years the doc has rather grown on me, only to make me realise my sister had some idea of fashion at the age of 13.

So you might be asking what these 2 polar opposite brands have in common, or why they are even being discussed in the same post.
Well it's pretty simple, they are both turning 50 this year! So for celebrating their half a century, Sanrio (the owner of Hello Kitty) and Doc Martens are collaborating with a line of 1460 boots and Mary Janes for women.

x

LES KHAKIS DE CHANEL

I'm probably one of those people you can call obsessed by nailpolish, amongst other things. It's rare that you'll catch my nails nude, because why do that when there are so many colours to choose from!
So summer was all about the bright colours, and although I'm all for the OTT i think i might just turn it down a notch at times this winter with this great range from Chanel.

Lady gaga getting steaked

One would have to say that part of Lady Gaga's fame is thanks to her over the top, original and individualistic take on fashion. I think it's definately one of the things that has set her apart from all the other  20-something blond pop stars. Not only did she appear on the cover of the Vanity Fair September issue, in which she sports the same Alexander McQueen look as she wore on the white carpet at this past sunday's VMA's, but she also made it into their best dressed list.

Through out the night our favourite fashionista diva changed her outfits, staying true to the Gaga style.

However, did Lady G really think her last outfit through, or did the Queen of O.T.T run out of ways to top all previous outfits?

Tasty or Tasteless? whatever you decide, this is what LGG had to say about the meaty affair:

“Well, it is certainly no disrespect to anyone that is vegan or vegetarian, because as you know, I am the most judgment-free human being on the earth."

"However, it has many interpretations. For me this evening, if we don’t stand up for what we believe in and fight for our rights pretty soon, we’re going to have as much rights as the meat on our bones. And, I am not a piece of meat.”

and who was the designer behind this you might ask, that's if you even asked, Franc Fernandez.
If you don't know who he is yet, you sure will, no better publicity than someting as controversial as a MEAT dress!

This was however not the first time that lagy g got all beefed up, she also appeared on the cover of VOGUE Japan Homme's Fall issue, shot by none other than Terry Richardson.

Now with all that meat on your body, how hygenic can it be? and imagine the smells of rotting beef on the skin?

Well thank goodness she has just signed a deal with COTY for her own range of frangrances, but they can't come fast enough to fillet the smell, with only the first perfume to be released in 2012.
well lets hope it's smells better than a butcher shop but I'm sure if she remains faithfull to her unique ways it will be somethings extraordinary!

Freshly South African

Even though I might not be living in South Africa at the moment, it doesn't make me any less of a patriot.
So as soon as I get my hands on something fresh, no pun intended, fun and fashion and above all, South African, I just have to share it!

I love the styling in this music video, it's so unique, and for any of those who know South Africa, typically and proudly South African!

miu miu a/w 2010/2011 campaign

"I do"

So it's not even 9 September, but the rumours have been confirmed by H&M themselves.
This morning they posted a black and white video clip with none other than Alber Elbaz from LANVIN saying "I love the idea that H&M is going Luxury rather than Lanvin is going public".



I do however think H&M has some more tricks up its sleeve so be on the look out for more news to come!


x

love vintage!

I'm a complete and utter vintage whore, if I can say that! I love finding something unique and different, clothes that tell a story, if you must. So once I'm in a vintage store, it's not easy to get me out again, especially not before breaking the bank. I have however learn't to restrain myself, and avoid shops like that by avoiding the roads they're in, especially after summer holiday, when the bank has already been broken 10 times over.

However as I'm always searching to find new things, here I go and find an online, reasonably affordable, vintage store 'ARE YOU VINTAGE'! oh the will power I'm going to need!

It's a great concept and there are some great pieces, so go have a look before it's all sold out!

H&M keeps you on your toes and guessing...

Who shall be the next designer to collaborate with H&M?
Well the clever people at the house of Hennes & Mauritz knows exactly how to keep their clientelle begging for more.
Every year they collaborate with a different designer, to create affordable yet 'high fashion' pieces that the average Joe would not normally have access to.
However, this year H&M has launched a guessing game leading up to the big unveil on 9 September.
Since Monday, on their YouTube channel, they've been putting up black and white video clips of designer like characters, without showing their faces, talking about fashion.
However it seems like the greater part of the crowd believes it is Alber Elbaz.







For more go look at the H&M official YouTube channel

Who do you think it'll be?

farewell my summer love

Ok, so I know I haven't posted anything in such a long time, but been away on holiday to soak up the last little bit of the summer sun in the south of France.

Now back to Paris, where so sad to say, summer has abandoned us and the autumn chill is slowly starting to set in :(

Farewell my summer love - Michael Jackson

So as a farewell to the summer I thought I'd share a few of my top summer trends:

• Colourful nails,  and I'll still be sporting these colours well into autumn

• The wedge shoe, how Mr Ferragamo did us a favour with his inovative wedge heel.

• Feathers

• Headbands

• the simple clutch, less is more...

• Florals

• Boater hats

• vintage denim

• Moccasin booties