Good Morning Christmas

I've always believed that a new dress is an absolutely essential part of the Christmas day festivities - and, well, this year was no different. It must be said that I go to church on a farm but of course that didn't hold me back from donning my slightly outrageous (for a farm) dress and I might even have heard a few 'moos' of appreciation from the cows. When I saw this dress with the exaggerated ovoid hem and leopard print top, it was love at first sight - Christmas morning came to mind immediately.

Pics by Mom

The ovoid hem is a big trend at the moment and of course leopard print is my favourite print so I found the combination irresistible. It's always a good idea to cut the label off so I apologise for any disturbance caused! Now to complete such a look, the shoes are crucial. I went with sexy plain black, gladiator-type sandals and accessorised with candyfloss pink toenails.

When wearing a boob tube, it can leave your chest looking a bit bare so I chose a clear Swarovski crystal teardrop pendant to fill the gap. It doesn't compete with the dress but it enhances the look. I added a plain silver bracelet, a bling watch and I was good to go.

Christmas was amazing  - awesome family, great food and two new pairs of shoes from Santa. What more could a girl ask for?

Until next time...happy shopping!

OTT and Proud of It

If ever there's a time of the year that makes it completely possible to embrace your Over-The-Top self then its Christmas. Green, gold, silver and red are just some of the colours that we associate with the 'silly' season. Of course the best part is that we could probably wear them altogether and no-one would even bat an eyelid! So in an effort to remain somewhat stylish but still embrace my OTT tendencies, allow me to introduce my Flower Dress..just in time for Christmas.  

Pics by Warren Lawrence

This Lipsy creation was bought for an absolute steal at Foschini just because it needed some strap adjustments - it's amazing what you can find if you're willing to dig. I kept the look casual and paired it with flat black gladiators, however, you could don a pair of heels to glam things up a bit. A set of chunky black bangles and over-sized studs complete the look; and yes, my flower is still centre of attention.

When you're going OTT it's always good to keep everything else plain and simple, because, let's face it, Christmas doesn't mean that you want to go around looking like a Christmas tree (although those white and gold ones are pretty chic). Happy holidays everybody and

until next time...happy shopping!     

The LBD Dahling!

Last week I went to a cocktail party that came up quite unexpectedly and so there wasn't much time to search for an appropriate outfit. So I did what any self-respecting fashionista would do in this kind of situation - I whipped out my favourite LBD (Little Black Dress, just in case anybody's been living under a rock the last few years). My LBD of choice that night was a silk dress from Lipsy which I picked up for next to nothing at a factory store in Claremont (I love me some factory shopping), and the best part was that the labels were completely intact. It's a great cocktail dress with its tiered fabric, cross-over back and slightly A-line cut which makes dancing an absolute breeze. Of course the best part about wearing an LBD is that you can go to town with accessories.

Pics by Melissa Stephens

I went with quite bling accessories since I took the cue from my shoes. These babies by Errol Arendz, whose shoes I absolutely adore, are a classic pair of sexy black sandals that really add glamour to your outfit. I love how 'naked' they are and how they show off your feet to perfection.

My necklace was quite bold since the dress had a fairly simple neck line but I kept the other jewellery quite low key. I added a feathered Alice band to my hair - hair accessories are great with a simple dress and can make you look "oh so chic". The star of the show, however, would have to be my deep red, satin clutch. This is the beauty of the LBD, it provides the perfect backdrop to a statement accessory of your choice (of course its always good to stick to just one).

As many ladies have discovered the wonders of the LBD, it's highly likely that you won't be the only one wearing black. My advice: make your accessories talk. It could be statement shoes, an eye-catching bag or a bold neck piece - either way you'll look fabulous and unique in your LBD.

So until next time...happy shopping! 

Vintage Meets Flower Power

 A couple of weeks ago, I did a shoot at the Winchester Mansions hotel for NACTV and I wore this cream, vintage-inspired dress from the Twist range at Woolies. I love the clinched waist with pleat detail and the flared skirt which is very flattering if you're pear-shaped like me. Plus the dress embraces the whole "midi" length which is really trendy right now. The cherry on top is the bow detail on the neck line which gives it a younger feel.

Pics by Warren Lawrence

This dress does have the potential to come off a bit "granny", albeit funky-granny, so I decided to spice it up with some flower power. My flower ring is excellent hand candy but my favourite thing (naturally!) is the shoes. Also from Woolies, they're tan platforms with floral detail and they really funk up the look.

I decided to accessorise with coral toe nail polish for maximum effect  and kept the make-up really light. All in all, it was a great shoot thanks to awesome people, a stunning venue and, of course, fantastic fashion.

Until next time...happy shopping!

My First Blog - An ode to shoes

As it's my maiden voyage into the big wide world of blogging, I thought I'd dedicate this first blog to one of my favourite topics - shoes.  I'm not sure when my passion for shoes began, but over the years it has grown substantially, and so has my shoe collection. Upon last count, I was definitely in the high 70s maybe even early 80s - not bad for a 22-year-old student. In 2012 I'd like to reach triple digits.

For me, there's nothing sexier than a pair of sky-high heels that make a statement: luscious leopard prints, flirty florals, deep reds, black patents, I love them all! I don't even want to get started on the wonders of a pair of round-toe tan courts - they go with everything (almost). Although heels are my thing, lets not forget about fabulous flats that can take an outfit from fine to fantastic in a matter of seconds while still allowing you to look relaxed and appropriate. Let's face it - heels are probably not going to cut it for your five-hour shopping spree at Canal Walk. 

I'm ending off with one of my favourite quotes (coz I'm cheesy like that): "Give a woman the right shoes and she can take over the world"

Until next time...happy shopping:)