What I Wore : 50 Shades of Black - A Couture Affair

Although the invitation sounded incredibly glamorous, I was having one of those I-feel-like-throwing-on-a-black-plastic-bin-bag days.
So I took full advantage of the black dress code, and threw on a soft chiffon shirt over a pair of black sequined leggings.

The bold, gold statement necklace really picked up the outfit. To keep the look edgy, I channelled the mixed metallic trend and chose a silver chain quilted handbag.

 

What I Wore : Romeo and Juliet production

 

I wore this sparkly jersey / leatherette leggings combo to a dear friend's production of Romeo and Juliet. The creamy-gold knit softened the leggings and the hard clutch added a touch of mod sophistication to the overall look.



 

 

 

 

I kept accessories to a minimum - the earrings and cocktail ring are both bold yet ultra girly. 

 

My fav part of this outfit is the back. Love the unexpected lace and bow detail!

 

 

 

Black on black

Style and luxury were celebrated at the Umhlanga Rocks Mercedes Benz dealership when the Mercedes-Benz GLA was previewed and highlights from the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Johannesburg were showcased. We also got to see what is in store for Autumn/Winter as collections from some of South Africa’s top designers were put to the runway.

 

I am loving the black on black look at the moment, which is a welcome break from all the bright, neon colours and prints so decided to stick to this gorgeous colour and play around with texture.

 

 

I kept accessories to a minimum, wearing just this awesome silver headband and to add a splash of colour, a statement cocktail ring.

The floral detail on the cropped jacket softened the wet look/pleather dress and the printed stockings added a bit of interest.

 

 

 

And some of the fashion . . . 

 

 

 

                              

Tulle and a Tee

 

With their passion for style and good design, Mercedes Benz has been involved in the fashion world for a few years now and continue to support and promote cutting edge designers. 

Mercedes Benz is the headline sponsor for fashion events around the globe. Fashionistas in Durban have come to look forward to fashion events held at the Umhlanga Rocks dealership. 

The AMG Haute Couture Fashion Experience was held late last year. It was at this event that the S-Class and CLA45AMG were revealed.

But enough about the metal machines.

The fashion show was one with a difference with models glide around the audience, giving us a full view of their garments before making their way to a round, revolving stage. 

Other parts of the fashion show were more theatrical, featuring ballet dancers and adding to the appeal of the garments that were being shown off.

 

 

I decided that my black, polka dot tulle dress needed a bit of edge, so I threw on a plain white t-shirt, which I pulled and knotted. 

A thin brown belt held it all in place. 

 

 

 

A night at the Panto

For me the launch of the annual pantomime heralds the start of the festive season. It is the night when colleagues and friends forget about the chaos that comes with this season and gather for an evening of risqué giggles and saucy silliness.

This year’s panto was Romeo and Juliet – an East Coast Story.

Having a ton to do at work didn’t leave me much time to get ready. So I opted to jazz up the outfit I had been wearing that day before dashing out the door.

 

I swopped my huge carry all bag for this metallic bronze clutch. I find it uncomfortable writing and typing with bracelets and bangles hanging around my wrists and since I spennd most of my working day immersed in these activities, my wrists usually go bare. So when I'm not on the job, I pile them on.  

 

 Metallic heals and a statement neck piece finished the look.

 

Ribbons, bows and feathers for Eid

This year, I used shimmery, printed paper, organza ribbons, tulle, beads, rhinestones and feathers in my Eid gifting. It was all about texture and layering!

I started off by making gifts tags - these give packages the last finishing touch and pull the look together. While I had initially decided to go with one packaging look for all the Eid gifts this year, the contents of the gifts dictated otherwise. 

These shabby chic canisters, filled with home made cake pops and marshmallows nestled in tissue paper, made super cute hostess gifts and were also presented to friends and neighbours. 

Eidee is that much more special when wrapped around a slab of chocolate.

Breakfast at midnight dinner party

Weeks and weeks before my sister was due to return home to South Africa after spending 18 months in South Korea, I asked her the same question; what do you miss most about home and more specifically, what foods do you miss most. What she missed most was going to be the theme I planned her home coming party around. 

Her answers were always the same, "besides family, there is nothing else I miss." When pressed about what food she missed most, her reply was always, "scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, flap jacks with maple syrup and carrot cake with real cream cheese icing."

This left me in a bit of a dillema. She was landing in SA at about 5.30pm on Friday evening. Knowing that my family would all be at my home that evening to see her, I didn't want to postpone her homecoming party to the next day so it would accomadate a breakfast menu. So I decided to do a fun, quirky, breakfast inspired dinner party.

Guests were asked to come along in their pjs, and most did!



We wanted to do a fun, cheerful, laid back, shabby chic type setting. Polka dots (on the boxes, banner and serviettes) added a playful touch. We filled Moroccan tea tumblers with slightly distressed roses and dotted them around the table. Boxes added dimension to the table and also introduced pops of colour.



We needed to make sure that the menu was both breakfast inspired but filling enough for dinner. We served Chicken Waffle Sliders, Salmon and Avo Bruchetta, Fritata Cups, Pepperdew Muffins, Chops and Spinach and Feta Parcels.

To drink we made iced teas; strawberry/basil, pomegranate/orange, lemon/lime. We also flavoured water with herbs and fruit.

 
We set up a waffle/flapjack station with toppings like chocolate sauce, cream, caramel, nuts, sweets, chocolate and fruit. We also had fruity frozen yogurt cups (mango, cherry, strawberry and passion fruit), fruit skewers, my aunt's famous chocolate cake and of course, carrot cake slices for dessert.