Style and the City - March Glamour

Welcome to March! Another month filled with fabulous fashion. Here's what I got up to...what I wore, bought and what I did.

I bought these Manolo Blahnik inspired shoes at Vinnci - a Malaysian shoe store and I absolutely love them! They make the perfect statement and could possibly be my favourite purchase this month!

I wore this outfit to a fashion meeting. This is one of my favourite looks this month...The sleeveless jacket I'm wearing is from Judith Hobby Clothing - obsessed!

I love my new hair and this necklace and matching earrings from Parfois.

Moda Africa is my latest venture...its a fashion agency representing African Fashion Designers and introducing them to the Middle East. For more information please visit our Facebook page Moda Africa

A few of my favourite things this month...the flattering printed swimming costume that a got for an absolute bargain, the gold/perpex pointed flats - THE shoe of the season, my kiddies at Yas Marina Circuit testing out a proper racing car and our back garden - filled with toys, a jumping castle, a paddling pool and lots of laughter and happiness!

Celebrating Mother's Day this month...my most treasured gift was the handmade card form my son. Loved the stiletto traffic light on yellow, cautioning me perhaps??? The carnival dancer at brunch, my leopard print nails and the Cinderella Jimmy Choo shoes on display in honour of the movie.

Some of my favourite outfits this month...

My complete happiness...

Events this month...the launch of ValleyDez Boutique SS'15 collection and my Easter egg...

Guilty pleasures...Vogue Cafe, Dior, Manolo Blahnik and Stiletto Drive! A girl can dream right?

Some couture and Karl...

More guilty pleasures...pedicures, lattes, magazines, shopping, shoes and handbags!

Bling...the bottom left necklace my grandmother gave my daughter. Im borrowing it...

Some of my favourite looks - Part 1...

Part 2...

Shoes...beautiful shoes!

The Cinderella exhibition at Level Shoe District at the Dubai Mall.

What I'm working on...

Some of my favourite Cinderella shoes...especially the middle ones...from Jimmy Choo.

The kind of vault I would like to break into!

Crazy, mad shoes from the designers who design for Lady Gaga and Alexander McQueen.

The ValleyDez SS'15 Collection launch.

What I wore to the ValleyDez SS'15 Collection launch.

Casual glamour in silk printed pants...

Sparkly flats, my printed clutch and a polkadot dress made the perfect combination for Mother's Day brunch.

Another month done and dusted! Lets see what April brings...

Weekly Fashion Trend - Retail Therapy

Shopping! 

Who doesn't love shopping? It’s exciting, exhilarating, fun and very therapeutic. No wonder they call it RETAIL THERAPY! It’s food for the soul…like a psychiatrist only cheaper!

It can also be frustrating - when you want something so bad and they don’t have your size, exhausting - when you see nothing you like and mostly expensive - when you simply can’t afford those designer shoes or bag you want so desperately.

Luckily it’s mostly FUN! 

I have two kids under 4, I work in between school runs, after school activities, nursery, swimming and grocery shopping, I see clients, do fashion workshops, run a fashion agency, attend events and write a blog...so you can imagine my household is busy, noisy and challenging at times! When my husband offered I take the afternoon to go shopping…I grabbed the chance before he could change his mind!

I went to Yas Mall and had a delightful afternoon browsing the shops, read my magazine while enjoying my “hot” latte (yes I often have to drink my coffee cold or with “something” floating in it) and just people watched, had a manicure and a pedicure…it was bliss, relaxing and therapeutic.

The shops were filled with bright, gorgeous summer colours in pink, yellow, green, orange and blue! Colours that lured me in and wanted me to buy everything at once! Colours that screamed summer is here! Colours that lifted my mood and my spirits instantly, colours that made me happy!

This made me think and ask the question…is fashion repeating itself? Is fashion taking and borrowing from eras and decades past? What is current right now or is it just history repeating itself?

All the neon in the shops reminded me of the 80’s, a happy place for me where the memories of friends, family and happy days live and great music meant lots of dancing and laughter – so yes shopping is fun and exciting and makes me happy!

After my afternoon of retail therapy I was ready to rush home in time to bath, feed and put my little munchkins to bed! HAPPINESS.

Style Tip - Statement Earrings.

You want to make a statement? How?

Earrings! Big, sparkly and bold...That's how you make a statement...and the best part? It doesn't have to be expensive! There are countless options out there to suit any budget and any taste. Just go into Lovisa, Claire's Accessories, Colette Hayman (my favourite) or any of the high street stores and you will be bombarded with choice...

If you are looking for something a bit more luxurious, definitely go for Swarovski. They have some gorgeous statement earrings that are still big and sparkly but fantastic quality that will last a lifetime!

How to wear them? Keep the rest of your look simple and minimalistic. Jeans and a t-shirt with statement earrings is all you need or a gorgeous dress with statement earrings and you're good to go...don't overdo it by adding a statement necklace with the earrings or too much else - unless you are like me - then is that case more is better!

Have fun and experiment...if you have short hair, go all out! If you have long hair, pin it back to make to earrings the focus point. And as always add your statement lip and you will be in fashion right NOW!

(All images courtesy of Pinterest)

Weekly Fashion Trend - Like Mother, Like Daughter...

This is not my usual Weekly Fashion trend post, but with March being the month for mothers and celebrating mothers I wanted to share this article I wrote for a magazine while I was living in Australia. 

When I was a teenager I used to “shop” in my mother’s closet…not only me but all my girlfriends too!!! This used to infuriate my mother and really annoy her. In my true teenage attitude I could never understand what the fuss was about and always accused her of over reacting!!!

Fast-forward 20 years…the roles are reversed…my mother now shops in my closet! Alone…luckily she doesn’t invite her girlfriends...I think I will get really annoyed!!!

When my mother comes to visit she tells me that she is not bringing much clothes and will just “borrow” whatever from my closet (my mother lives in South Africa). When I have a clear out she is always 1^st in line, or – and this is the worst one – when I’m looking for something my mom is already wearing it or I find it in her closet!

My mother obviously has impeccable style (she shops in my closet) and is always the only one who will ever be honest and tell me the truth about my wardrobe choices…good and bad! She taught me everything I know about style and fashion from a young age and cemented that solid foundation that will one day become my passion and my profession, a role model and perfectly groomed stylish lady that I am proud to look up to and call my mom.

I often wonder, are daughters a true reflection of their mothers? A mirror image of how they see their mothers? Perhaps a modern version of their mothers? Is it a question of - like mother like daughter or more like daughter like mother?

It’s interesting to see what my daughter will be like as she grows up? Will she be a true reflection of me? A mirror image? Will she be passionate about fashion and learn from my style and make it her own? Or will she be the complete opposite?

My motherly intuition tells me, it will be more a case of, like mother like daughter, I hope! All I can do is nurture and encourage her fashion instincts until she realises that fashion is instant language and glamour is a state of mind!

Style Tip - Make up your Style

How do I make up my style?

Your style is you.

Style is speaking without saying a word…its who you are and what makes you, you. There is no one more you’er than you according to Dr Seuss! You are unique and so is your style.

Yes, we all have style icons and celebrities we like, we might like the way they dress and take inspiration from their looks, but we are still ourselves and we are still one of a kind.

Style basically speaks on your behalf…anyone can follow fashion; style is what you do with it.

So, ask yourself 3 questions:

1). What do I like?

2). What do I not like?

3). What is my lifestyle?

Then, start looking at fashion magazines and celebrities; see whose style you like and how you can adapt it to your everyday life. Only take what you like, from as many style inspirations as you want, that’s the beauty of making up your own style…you take the best bits and mould it to you! Before you know it you have made up your own unique style of things you like that suit your daily routine…

For instance…I like the glamour of Gwen Stefani’s red lips and matching nails paired with the rock chic of her high heels and jeans. I like the quirkiness and eccentric fashion of Carrie Bradshaw and how everything is mismatched yet somehow matches perfectly. I love the sensualness and perfect grooming of Jennifer Lopez, the golden glow of her skin and I love Kim Kardashian’s super full on high fashion look…throw it all together and you have my style…glamorous, high heeled rock chic, eccentric, mismatched, perfectly groomed, high fashion ME!

I would love to know how you make up your style… what makes you, you!

Weekly Fashion Trend - Boho Glamour

Boho Glamour - 3 Autumn/Winter 2015 Trends you can wear right now…

The runways are full of A/W fashion at the moment and you must be thinking…what? We haven’t even reached summer yet! (Officially) Don’t worry I have selected 3 A/W trends that you can easily wear now. Fashion is always one or two seasons ahead so we have to find ways to incorporate them into our current daily look.

There are so many beautiful trends for A/W, however I have chosen 3 of the easiest ones to easily fit into your existing wardrobe.

70’s Chic

Add a gorgeous, soft paisley printed top with bell sleeves and wear it with your jeans for laid back summer glamour. Finish your look with some big gold or silver hoops.

Red Glamour

Anything red will do but I have selected the most glamorous and inexpensive way to add a statement to your summer look and still be right on trend – red lipstick!

Boho Fringe

Fringing is absolutely huge at the moment! A stylish, tan leather fringed cross body bag will add just enough Boho glamour to take you from summer to A/W in one easy step!

And there you have it…3 easy ways to bring A/W into your summer wardrobe!