GQ's Number Two. Our Number One.

So this is a bit different to what I’m usually posting on my blog, but I think with the South African GQ Best Dressed Man Awards last Monday it is only appropriate to do a focus on an amazing person with impeccable style.

Masego Maps Maponyane was one of the first people I met when I moved to South Africa from Germany and instantly I knew there was something different about him. He wandered without a care in the world away from the status quo and brought something new and exciting to the table.

 Maps' photograph in the November issue. His personality is beaming off the page. GQ really caught his true self in this shoot.

His wardrobe embodies himself. He is not trying to fool anybody like a lot of celebrities because he knows who he is.

He believes also in what I stand for, which is being yourself in the world of fashion. True style is not something you can simply buy and pull out of a catalogue. The latest trends are purely a guide and this is often forgotten. Buyers at Fashion Weeks, fashions forecasters and the Anna Wintours of the world tell us what to wear and how to wear it, but that is not true style.

True style is wearing what you are comfortable in, what looks fabulous on your body and it matches your personality. Fashion is not imitating the fashion spreads and celebrities. YOU are YOUR own inspiration*

And Maps believes in exactly this notion. He epitomises genuine style. And if you don’t believe me, why not ask the GQ 2^nd Best Dressed Man of the Year himself.

Maps came second to Oscar Pistorius. A shame, yes. And yet, such an achievement at the age of 21. His ambition cannot be tamed. Last year Maps attended the exact same awards but simply as an unknown newcomer to the fashion scene. But little did GQ know, he was the dark horse to look out for, thank goodness they woke up and smelt the Daisies.

Maps and Oscar posing together on the night. Maps is wearing his notorious Tiger of Sweden blazer with the perfect touch, his Paul Smith pocket square. You're going to see for yourself the love Maps has for Paul Smith. Classy.

Already just hours after the announcement for second best dressed man of 2011, the interest in the down-to-earth model came rolling in, business cards were thrust into his hands and the phone began to ring off the hook.

 Maps with his beautiful date, his mother, Meisie Maponyane.

I have seen this man shopping in London myself. He is like an unstoppable natural force. You’d be nuts to stand between him and the door to Zara. With his trademark items like his Paul Smith formal shoes, his Zara straightleg trousers in tan and navy, his array of beautiful, sharp blazers like his Tiger of Sweden one, his nerdy shirts with bow/skinny ties and his V-neck tops in every colour of the rainbow from Topman, Maps always dresses right for the occasion. And let us not forget the mark of his style and who he is, the Paul Smith thick rimmed glasses. Nerdy swagg indeed.

I love what he wore in his shoot for the magazine shoot. He didn’t dress to impress, he dressed to be Maps. He actually wore most of the above trademark garments mentioned.

Maps is on the path of fashion greatness. I saw it from the beginning, it just took the media and the fashion world a little longer to work that out. They must feel silly now. He is so ambitious and driven, qualities that are getting him so far. Nothing can stand in his way.

  

You can’t put Mapsy in the corner. This is the Time Of His Life.

 Two years ago Maps and I going to my dance. Like I said, he was always stylish. Even when he was supposed to be going through his awkward stage. What awkward stage?

Look out for Maps in the future because I'm telling you now, this won't be last you see of this up and coming star.

Watch behind the scenes footage on www.gq.co.za  

 And buy the November edition of the South African GQ and read more on Maps, Oscar and the other 8 Best Dressed Men for yourself.

Also if you like some of his clothes, make sure to check out:

Paul Smith's online store http://www.paulsmith.co.uk/

Tiger Of Sweden's website http://tigerofsweden.com/

Zara's collections http://www.zara.com/

The photographs were taken from www.gq.co.za site, my personal albums and Maps' phone.

21st Century Great Gatsby

So last Saturday was our beautiful friend’s 21st birthday party celebrations, Bulelwa. Her dress code was pastels, and strictly NO black. A challenge for a lot of us was to find something to wear, especially for me. A true believer in the LBD. But we all put our thinking caps on scrambled together soft pastels.

My friend Boipelo said it looked as if we had stepped back in time. With all the soft colours and the flowy fabrics and the pastel couches we looked like a scene from the Great Gatsby brought to the 21^st Century. But of course with legal champagne. It was beautiful.

The cutest thing about this event was the small decorations making this birthday celebration so special. The decorations were thought out to the very last detail. Making the final outcome just too darling.

B put “B” beads in the glasses of champagne. It looked like a happy pill, of course putting a smile on our faces, until we nearly swallowed them. B made sure to remind us not to gulp down the champagne. Clever way to ensure the champagne wasn’t guzzled down and finished before the night had begun.

The rainbow cupcakes were covered in glitter and flowers. They were so cute we didn’t want to eat them! Let alone take one off the golden platters.

The night was magical and everybody dressed the part. A night full of memories and beauty.

Happy 21st Birthday my darling Bulelwa 

Much Love xoxo

Oh I wish I was a Rocker with Flowers in My Hair Last Look

Look 3


I believe every girl should own a sheer cream, white or pastel shirt, as it is perfect with a pair of skinny jeans, high-wasted shorts or relaxed leggings or in my case to bring a little bit of me into the universal rocker image.

This look puts focus on the shiny leather leggings. And what is a better pair of shoes to match them with but a pair of leather gladiator edgy high heels from Zoom. If you have long skinny legs then wear these sexy leggings with flats like ballerinas or no-heel ankle boots, you will look stunning. The pansy rocker is then achieved with my flowy, sheer sleeveless shirt from Wardrobe (see September post ‘Brand New Wardrobe’).

The juicy red cherry on top of my vanilla ice cream is my red lips. My favourite lippy brand is MAC. It is decently priced, fabulous quality and has all shades of the rainbow. Ignore his moves, we want lips like Mick Jagger.

The red lips compliment the black and white, in fact any colour of lippy will suit the palette so have fun experimenting. If the leggings aren’t shouting loud enough by now, those lips will have all the Lenny Kravitz’s falling at your feet. (Tip: If you are wearing bright impact lippy, don’t clash it with the eyes. Like me, go the simple mascara and thin layer of black eyeliner route.)

Take inspiration from style icons like Kate Moss for this look and also Zoe Kravitz and Daisy Lowe (see below).

Now you are ready to hit Baby Shambles in an outfit Miss Moss will be proud of and yet you are still you! Fashion is a space to be experimental in, take risks but at the same time don’t wear it if you are not comfortable. Clothes are made for you, not the other way around. So be a Rock Chic with flowers in your hair, an AC/DC lover in pearls or a classic Beatles lover dressed in a ball gown and leather jacket.

Photographs of me by Khanya Mashalaba. Visit her fabulous fashion blog : candychampagne.blogspt.com

Rock the Love xoxo

Oh I wish I was a Rocker with Flowers in My Hair

The Rock Chic look is a difficult look to pull off unless you are 100% dedicated to it. Kate Moss is perhaps the epitome of the sexy rock girl, especially in the simplicity of her street wear; a tank top and skinny jeans paired with military boots. Moss always looks effortlessly flawless rocker chic whether she is gracing tabloid covers or fashion magazines’ looks of the week.

But even though Kate Moss is someone to take detailed notes from, she is only the inspiration for the look I am posing. Perhaps a contradiction to the edginess associated with this look, but I introduce the Softer Rock Chic.  If, like me, you love the look but aren’t a true and firm follower to the cause like Miss Moss, my advice on Rock Chic Goes Soft may be the perfect mix up for your next night out to make that oomph you’ve been waiting for, but still owning it as your own. I give you three looks.

Look 1

Faux fur is my brand new statement piece I bought in a vintage clothes stall at Johannesburg’s Arts on Main (which is a market in town open every Sunday). It is a risky jacket so it must be planned wisely, which means a simple palette and the right occasion. I paired my cropped faux fur with H&M staple black leggings with gold zips and a beige baggy tank from Topshop. i bought my black suede shoes from the main Zara in Milan two Christmases ago, and I still love them


My hair is slicked back off my face and twisted into a bun on the top of my head to give the look a clean look, especially as I have charcoaled all around my eyes. Freddy Mercury eyes like the accessories are the finishing touch. So, now the accessories.. 

Gold Gold Gold and some more sparkling Gold. The clutch is a beautiful vintage handbag from Wardrobe (see September post ‘Brand New Wardrobe’). The material is scrunched up and adds another dynamic to the simple, classic clutch. Finally, after the ankle boots and clutch comes the finishing touches, the jewellery.


A long necklace with 4 keys in 4 shades of gold, stretching from matted to bright. And then secondly the flower rings, one white and gold from a boutique in Blu Bird near Melrose Arch in Johannesburg, and the other is black and gold with a crystal from Accessorize I bought years and years ago. That is one fabulous thing about jewellery, they last forever.

Look 2

The wild child who has turned to the dark side. My Zara ankle boots are making another appearance as well as the Topshop top (a true stylish girl knows how to mix up pieces already worn into brand new outfits never seen before).

My elastic mid-waisted grey leopard/snake/zebra/tiger print skirt is from Atmosphere from the UK. An open top like mine adds to the sexy element to a rocker lover however, the mirror has to follow you around I’m afraid, nobody wants to see booby exposure. So wear a smart strapless bra and don’t distract people by fiddling with the top.

 Hair straight down but not sleek, rather go fluffy, a little back brushing, a lot of mousse and hairspray and have a sexy flick now and again to maintain the messy yet controlled look, as you don’t want to sport the Dragged Through the Bush look.

You can have fun with jewellery here, bigger and spikier the better, Kim Kardashian is a helpful model for how to wear spikes on shoes, jewellery and accessories. Or like me, play it down with simple silver chains to maintain the dainty rock chic.

Here as you can see I have had fun with the traditional smokey eye but rather than going dark and smouldering I kept it light and used a range of shades of browns and greys to effectively achieve the smokey eye but maintaining a degree of sophistication. Once again I breathe by MAC, but I also adore Sephora.  

Photographs taken by the beautiful Khanya Mashalaba. Visit her fashion blog candychampagne.blogspot.com

Look 3 TO BE CONTINUED.........

Pretty in Pink

Nights out in Cape Town is an excuse to wear outfits we ordinarily wouldn't wear in Grahamstown. Mpumi's Cape Town wardrobe is based on splatters of Pink on solid black canvas. She has also mastered the art of mixing South African based brands with European and International brands. Most people buy complete outfits from a store, but the art of true style is knowing how to mix and match different brands for a one of a kind outfit.

Mpumi is wearing her black blazer from Spanish brand Zara with a sheer soft Pink blouse from Australian brand Forever New (the new favourite brand of the Sandton, Gateway and V&A girl). The danger with a brand like Forever New is that the mannequins look stunning but individual pieces can be tricky to match with your wardrobe. So, Mpumi decided to go a classic staple route by purchasing a blouse but with an added edge being sheer soft Pink. Her black skinny jeans are from America’s renowned jeans brand Guess. The black suede shoes are an adaptation of the universal loafer called a “slipper” all the way from Britain’s Topshop. Finally to finish off the “classic working girl off duty and out for drinks with the girls” look, Mpumi is wearing a diamante studded matching pink headband from Forever New (I can’t deny Forever New’s taste in jewellery and accessories, you are guaranteed to find the statement piece you’ve been waiting for, plus their shoes are always fabulous).

A risky blazer for some but a striking bright Pink statement for Mpumi from Forever New. This blazer is that blazer, if you know what I mean? This blazer is stunning with the perfect under-outfit and occasion. She paired this up with a simple black tank top from Australian brand JayJays and plain black skinny jeans from America’s Paige Denim. Her black, cute high heel shoes with a buckle strap are from British brand River Island. The marriage between the black palette and the stunning flowy, button-less Pink blazer is the perfect pairing.

If you like some of the pieces from Mpumi's night outs in Cape Town visit:

http://www.riverisland.com/Online/ (Available in the UK only & random boutiques around SA)

www.topshop.com (Available in UK only)

http://www.forevernew.com.au/ (Available in SA)

Cape Town Love xoxo

A Brand New *Wardrobe*

I spent this September holiday with my Beautiful Stylish friends in Stunning Sunny Cape Town. Camps Bay cocktails, Sun Downers on the rocky pier, lunches on Kloof Street and of course shopping in the V&A.

What a way to spend my week long holiday than living the high life with my gorgeous, fun friends. But what really caught my eye this holiday was the shop Wardrobe in Claremont.

Wardrobe is a darling boutique just around the corner from The Food Lovers Market, so why not stick to the theme and name it The Style Lovers Store?!.

There are two glass cases running in the middle of the store. They are filled with magazine fashion spreads, underwear, jewelry, sweeties and accessories. I just wanted to take the cases on the plane home with me.

The clothes and the decor are thought out up until the last detail, from choosing which page from a magazine should be on display, right up to the clothes dangling from the hanger.

When you can see the effort put into the simple unnoticed things, it makes the shopping experience all the more special and enjoyable. I just wanted to throw everything into my handbag before I even had tried on my new wardrobe worth of clothes.

The shop assistant told me that all the clothes are designed and produced by local and vintage designers. They come and drop off their clothes. The sizes are small but all the designs flatter almost all figures. But in a way that just adds to the exclusiveness of a store like this one. There are a lot of cropped baggy tops, waist tight flowy dresses and high waisted shorts in varying colours and materials. Plus, the prices are reasonable. Most tops ranged from R100 to R300. What a bargain!

Whenever you are in Cape Town, make your way down to Claremont and shop until you drop in Wardrobe. You are guaranteed to find a whole new wardrobe of clothes for going out for Lunch, Dinner and even a night out with your girlfriends.

I am in love with this store and it makes me sad to think I can only shop in Wardrobe when I visit this beautiful city. Check out their facbook page: http://www.facebook.com/WardrobeCapeTown?sk=info

Much Love xoxo

P.S. Sorry for the silence that last 2 weeks. All in the pursuit of a Journalism degree. Ciao Bella.