Had ourselves a Merry Little Christmas...

I love Christmas time, the only thing I don't like is the feeling of over-indulgence that surely follows on Boxing day!

This Christmas we had (almost) the whole family come down to Durbs, and despite the rain on Christmas eve (and day), we still managed to host a fabulous Christmas Eve dinner at our home...

My very festive table
Gorgeous Gammon

My home-made Christmas cake - First attempt and DEE-LICIOUS to boot!

Louboutin arm candy - yes please

I'm a huge fan and loyal follower of the fabulous Rachel Zoe. She has such an amazing talent to make, well, anything look super stylish and she always pulls it off in a classy and sophisticated way.

A few weeks ago I subscribed to her daily mailer - TZR (The Zoe Report) and I look forward to every days' mail. It pops into my inbox usually after 5pm which signals "me" time, and what a great way to start "me" time!

Yesterday's TZR was my favourite so far... Rachel has brought a true piece of heaven to my inbox, and while Santa didn't leave a gorgeous Christian Louboutin Cadeau clutch under my tree, this gorgeous clutch is certainly on my lust list. So, if you ever want to get me a prezzie, don't say I didn't give you any suggestions ;-p.

The Christian Louboutin Cadeau metallic gold Clutch is adorned with a beautiful bow and is said to retail at close to 900 US Dollars - so expect to fork out close to R7k to get one of these babies on your arm.

Obsession - Black and white delight

Black and white block-colour dresses have become my new obsession. I absolutely love the contrasting colours and how they can be worked for daytime or an evening affair, it just takes the right pair of shoes.

I particularly LOVE ones with high waisted styles like these ...

This one from Forever21 via www.splendicity.com is super cute, simple and classic and I love the high waisted look of it! Plus it has an understated elegance. Classic, simple... PERFECT!

Of course Mrs Beckham always makes it my style books, and here are some black and white delights from her dvb collection...

Very high-powered fashionista!

So POSH!

A longer length dvb Dress looks sensational

I was absolutely stoked when I managed to get a gorgeous black and white dress from YDE and better yet, on SALE!!!

It's not the greatest of pics, but I love this dress! It's straight cut at the bottom, with a GREAT fitting top section and I love the high waist!

Dresses that impress

Supposedly we're in summer right now? Well looking out my window for the past few weeks, all I see is doom doom and gloom. In December - WTF? Where is the sun hiding?

All through winter in July, I was inspired by sunny, summery dresses and stocked up on a few, but judging by this miserable weather, I wont be able to wear them until next summer :( - So now I'm inspired by winter dresses - how gorgeous are these from Raxevsky?


This one is so gorgeous and classic. I could SO see myself wearing this one. The only thing that's missing is the big ball to wear it to :). I love dresses with pretty details and this one has a gorgeous detail, high up on the waist, and a beautiful lace detail at the back.


So gorgeous! This one reminds me of a 1930's flapper dress today. The colour is simply stunning and the black belt really modernizes this timeless dress.


This one is super cute. Like I said, I love details on dresses. I'm very much a plain Jane when it comes to dresses, I dont like over the top stuff with too much going on, but love the subtle details that make it unique.

In Paris Hilton's shoes

Today I spotted Paris Hilton's shoe collection at Stuttafords in Gateway

Some of them were quite nice and I liked the little pink soles, but I can't say I'm totally crazy about the whole collection. However, there was one pair that made me go gaga...

Not the greatest of pics, but here they are - I fell in love with the heel! Gorgeous ain't it?

I found better pics of them on heel heaven - www.heels.com

I didn't get a chance to try them on, so I'm definitely going back this weekend to try them on and walk in Paris Hilton's shoes for a change :)

Obsession - Smoke and Mirrors

My favourite thing about being the editor of StyleScoop and GLOSSY magazine is when the couriers arrive, bearing new cosmetics products for me to try out and shoot for beauty features on the publications.

One of my favourite, new products at the moment is the Smoke and Mirrors eye shadow compact from M.A.C


M.A.C have always made some of the hottest eye shadow shades and their products are long wearing and affordable. Plus they last a really long time and even longer when you apply them using the M.A.C brushes. Yes, any makeup brush would probably do, but if you've used a M.A.C brush before, then you know exactly what I'm talking about. There just is no comparison.

Now, back the compact. How stunning are these colours? Check out my pic below, which I created using this compact.


For this look I used all three shades in the bottom row. I started with the first shade on left and used my M.A.C 224 brush to apply the shade from lash line to brow bone. Then, I applied the darkest shade in the bottom right hand corner on my lids using the M.A.C 239 Eye Shader Brush. And finally I blended it all in using the gorgeous shimmer shade in the middle with my M.A.C 217 Blending Brush

Obession - Leather wrap belt

My new obsession is my haute new leather wrap belt. I bought it from Aldo a few weeks ago, but havent' worn it yet... None the less, I plan to very soon and here here are some leather looks I love!

Jeannie Mai is fast becoming one of my new style icons. Although she will have to take her place behind Victoria Beckham on my style icon list. This look is so gorgeous! I love how she's mixed totally different pieces and it works - on me, it might be a little different, but on her it looks Ah-mazing!

There's that leather belt (similar to mine actually) and I love how she's used it to roughen up an otherwise "girly outfit"


Even though this belt it totally different to mine, I love how leather added to such a delicate, feminine can look so chic. And the colour combo - tra la la - Emmy Rossum

I like this outfit of Emma Stone's for an evening affair. Again, I like how she's used a leather belt to give her simple dress an edge!

Frankly Miss Scarlett... I love it!

So, I know this ad with Scarlett Johansson for Mango is kinda old news, but I was paging through one of my magazines and saw it again. She looks absolutely sensational...

I love this look and I so want that leather skirt, and that top and those shoes and well, everything! High waisted skirts are my new poison, now to find one I love.

November GLOSSY

Check out the latest issue of GLOSSY

Be sure to let me know what you think :)
www.glossymag.stylescoop.co.za

Obsession, Leigh Schubert and The Space

I'm always the first person to complain about the lack of "variety" in our clothing stores. And yet, every time I'm out shopping for an outfit, or just "because" I always find myself back in the same old, bland and boring stores... (you know exactly which ones I'm talking about).

I'm also one of "those" people who walks past a store, and just scans the racks, and of course, there is nothing that I like. I don't really look, I don't really shop! So, the other day I challenged myself, to really check out the racks, and no, not in "those" stores either, but rather in more edgier, more exclusive stores that have that something different.

I found myself at The Space at Gateway - which is now, by the way, my absolute favourite store. It's such an great little store, that stocks a variety of local designers; Amanda Lard Cherry, Leigh Schubert, Colette Palin and Colleen Eitzen are some of the names.

I found the most amazing pair of satin pants from Leigh Schubert, I had to have them and I did! For 7 days at least. As much as I loved these babies - they are still super hot - they just didn't look so great on my body shape. I have naturally big hips and am so used to flared pants, that straight cut slacks just look odd on me. I took them home in any case, to try them out with my Aldo babies, but the image in my mind looked a lot hotter than the mirror.

Even though I don't have them anymore (sniff sniff), I still think they are super hot...



Check out the back!

Behind the scenes at ELLE

Last month, I was fortunate enough to attend ELLE magazine's first local cover shoot, featuring local starlet Vanessa Haywood. I was sent to cover the "Behind the scenes" action on my blog and style website, StyleScoop and I must say it was quite an experience.

The other day I picked up my copy of ELLE and it's really amazing to see what materialised from the shoot. Vanessa is truly a professional, I mean seriously you would never have thought that this chick had been at it, posing non stop from 6am to 6pm. OK, I lie - she did stop once or twice to change her wardrobe.

As it was a "Behind the scenes" I also managed to catch some live camera action...

I could kick myself for not taking more pics, especially with Vanessa and the fabulous ELLE team, but it was a truly great experiance.

Closet dreams - Rachel ZOe

A girl can always dream cant she? Well, right now, I'm dreaming about Rachel Zoe's closet ...

Blog ♥ Love - The Shoe Girl

I have been following the fabulous Shoe Girl for some time now and every time I open her blog my little heart flutters and my face goes green with envy. Why? Because she has the most fabulous, gorgeous, delicious and delightful shoe collection any girl could dream of!

The Shoe Girl is a shoe designer herself, and apparently a H-U-G-E fan of Louboutins too. That's why Im giving her loads of Blog Lovin today :)

Go check out her blog, apart from her gorgeous shoes, she also has great style and you'll become instantly addicted to her blog.

October GLOSSY is up

Check it out, the October GLOSSY - StyleScoop's fab, free, digital fashion, style and beauty glossy magazine is up!


To read the magazine and flip through the fabulous pages go to glossy.stylescoop.co.za.

Enjoy!

Have a little faith

I am totally in love with these super cool gladiator platforms from Faith. Now I know Stuttafords used to stock Faith shoes, but I wonder if these will come in South Africa? They are so, so, soooo hot! Anyone going to London?




And speaking of having a little Faith, how different are these?

My "Field" of dreams

Why, why, why can't these be a little closer? I am in love with these three items from Patricia Field... I will keep staring at them until they are in my closet :)

First, the belt
When I saw it on Sex and the City, I had to have it and have searched high and low to find something similar - nadda! It's so, so, so gorgeous and so darn different - I haven't seen anything like it and I love how it can be worn in so many different ways.

Next, the jacket


and last, but certainly not least, this dress...

Found: Another Fabulous SA Fashion Blogger

I think it's so great that so many local gals are blogging about fashion... Fashion Jazz, Pippa Lynch, Kim Gray and Robyn Cooke are among my faves. I stumbled upon another fab African blogger, Nandi Mngonma.

Go check out her blog

I'm loving the blues...

Two blogs in one day... I'm catching up, but really, I do have a lot to say - what else is new? Lately, I have a slight (just a slight) obsession with Blue...

It started with this gorgeous pair of Electric blue Steve Madden Trinitie Platforms...


Which, I got as a gift from their lovely agency in South Africa. (They sent me a black pair as well, but it's all part of the perks of being a fashion editor heheh).

Seriously though, these heels are so comfy and the colour is so unique and amazing, Im actually too scared to wear them in case I mess them up. But on the other hand I cant wait to wear them and show them off!

Speaking of blue, what do you think of my blue nails?

This colour reminds me of bubble gum! I had to cut them shorter because long nails just looked weird this colour.. The shade is "GreenPort" by Essie

The super boot - can you go any higher?

First, I must apologise for not blogging more often, duty calls! However, you'll be pleased to know that I have been working on the October GLOSSY magazine and also giving StyleScoop a hot new look. Go check it out!

Sky high, over the knee boots are hot, hot, hot for Fall 2009/10, which means they will probably be super hot for us on the other side of the equator come July 2010. Remember that's around the same time as the World Cup Soccer here in sunny SA, so hopefully the international fashionista's will strut their stuff while their guys catch the game. Girls, please bring along all your fabulous shoes, I will gladly take them off your hands. I wear a size 39 or US 8 :-)

Anyway, back to the boots... how devilishly hot are these Bebe Fabiana boots?


Or these...

I found these babies via one of my favourite blogs - The Shoe Girl. They are by Stella McCartney and as you can see go way, way, way beyond the knee. They do make a flipping sexy, seamless tights/hot heel combo. I don't know if I'd wear them, but they look absolutely amazing!

That's them on the catwalk. You can't even tell they are shoes at first glance.

Now, something I would definitely wear and it fits in purrfectly with the whole versatility thing are these leather leg warmers from Fendi. Yes, I said it out loud - I love leg warmers, but only if they are hot as these...

Worn with the right shoes, which have got to be super high, concealed platforms, then these look ammmmmazing!

The first time I spotted them was in the Fendi ad in the September British Vogue. Model Jessica Stam looks amazing - that whole look...Sensational! I must have these!

By the way, apparently Chanel's front man Karl Lagerfeld was not only the creative director behind this campaign, but he photographed it too! Go Karl!!!

Friday fun

I happened to bump into this really awesome website called Looklet and had some fabulous, Friday fun putting together designer outfits in "real time"...

This is my floral with a "rock-chick" edge. I've actually been on the hunt for a studded belt and the perfect little floral dress or skirt to put a look like this together.

How sexy are those shoes?

I love this look for a night out - The dress is by Karen Miller and has a nice flash of purple - I love purple!
But it 's the back of this look that I really love! How gorgeous are those Alexander McQueen heels? I know.... I want them!

And a trend I am very drawn to at the moment is layering a long tank over a sexy black top, with simple black heels, black shades, some leather or wet-look pants and lots and lots of layered necklaces like this..