My eyes are extremely light-sensitive, so wearing Sunglasses is a must for me. I have owned many pairs over the years, from super expensive brands to rather inexpensive ones. Of late other priorities have meant that a new pair of sunnies is quite far down the list. Needless to say, when Slaughter & Fox approached me to try out a pair of their sunglasses, I was not going to turn down the offer! [Read more…]
My Style Spotlight on Blogger Rayne Alexander
Hello all my fashion forward friends! We took a bit of a break from publishing our Style Spotlight but it is high time to get back into the swing of things. Today our Style Spotlight is on Blogger Rayne Alexander…
Hi there! My name is Rayne, I am 21 and I stay in Fish Hoek (Cape Town) right next to the beach. I still live at home with my dad, two crazy sisters and two insane dogs.
Style Spotlight
Please tell me a bit about yourself – what you do, where you are from & any interesting facts.
I currently work as the Beauty & Fashion and Event Liaison for the biggest Event and Nightlife blog in SA. I also au-pair part-time and I work on my blog ‘Make It Rayne’ constantly.
How important is Style & Looking Good, to you?
This question has my opinion jumping all over the place! Everyone is entitled to their own style, and who is to say which style “looks good”? I do feel it is important to look neat and presentable at all times but to try and stay true to your personality’s style. That being said, I myself tend to jump all over the place when it comes to style.
Please describe your own Personal Fashion Style?
I am definitely a style chameleon. I love to play with all sorts of styles when it comes to fashion and make-up. You would find me in ripped jeans, a grunge top and vampy make-up but then next day I could be wearing a lace dress with heels and a clutch handbag. I love to play but if I had to whittle my style down to a sentence it would be ‘classic but comfy’. Most days I work from home or with small children so you would generally find me in very comfy jeans or leggings and a sweater. But I LOVE getting dressed up.
Where do you draw your most of your Fashion & Style Inspiration from?
I definitely prefer to draw inspiration from overseas because most of our stores in SA are very behind in fashion trends. It can be very difficult to find those items which are in fashion though.
Who is your ultimate Fashion or Style Icon and why?
Audrey Hepburn personifies style. She was all class no matter what she wore.
Do you have a current Fashion or Style Crush and what do they have sets them apart from the rest?
I really admire Blake Lively. She is so classy and sophisticated yet she is still fun. She is one of those women who looks amazing on the red carpet, when she’s walking in the street and when she is nine months pregnant.
Where do you shop for most of your Fashion items and do you have a favourite local Fashion Brand or Designer?
I love shopping at Cotton On. They are all about affordability and comfort. When it comes to designers I would have to go for Amanda Laird Cherry. She is just so inventive! Every single piece is a work of art.
What do you consider to be the 5 Must Have Fashion Staples, all woman should have in their wardrobe?
- Brown winter boots or booties
- A classic winter coat to see you through the entire season (or two)
- A LBD of course. But one that can be worked many different ways.
- I may get slaughtered for saying this; but I have a weakness for some comfy leggings.
- That perfect handbag which can go with any outfit.
If you could own an item or items from any Designer Fashion Label what would it be?An Hermes Birkin handbag. Handsdown.
What is the most expensive Fashion related purchase you have ever made?
I was gifted with a Gucci hand bag and a Gucci wallet for my 16th birthday by family members but that cannot count, can it? I do not really go overboard as I try to find bargains wherever possible but I do have a fabulous Lou Harvey ostrich skin oversized handbag which cost R1800.
Do you have a Signature Fragrance you cannot live without?
Call me clichéd, but I love the original Donna Karan New York Be Delicous.
How important do you think Hair & Makeup is to your overall look?
I would rate them as highly as fashion. You could wear a paper bag but, if you look fabulous from the neck up, no one will ever know.
What is your most important, never leave home without it Makeup Item/s?
Concealer. Always. Thanks for the bags, Dad. And also mascara, lipbalm and highlighter.
Do you follow international Fashion Trends? What is your favourite trend this season?
Fashion wise I would say the longer length trenchcoat is seriously growing on me. Make-up wise I am really into natural looking skin but dark and vampy lips. And of course, strobing.
Thank you Rayne for being featured on Style Spotlight! If you would like to connect with Rayne you can find her here:
That concludes our Style Spotlight for the month! I hope you have enjoyed it! If you would like to be featured or have a fashion forward person in mind {male or female}, who you would like to see featured here, please leave a comment below or email Fiona.
My Style ~Abby Buchanan
My Style
I am really excited to introduce a new series on Inspired Living, called “My Style”! Those who know me well, know how much I love Fashion! I believe everyone has there own unique Style and thought it would be a great idea to celebrate it!
My Style is an interview series, which will explore the Style and Fashion sense of, Fashion Forward, South African women.
Hi I am Abby Buchanan and I run One Stiletto At A Time which is a fashion and beauty blog. I am also a health advisor and manager as well as a final year Bcom Retail Management student. I’m from the gorgeous city of Cape Town but am currently working out in the winelands which is fantastic as I am a bit of a wine aficionado too.
How important is Style & Looking Good, to you?
I love to be pampered and my beauty cabinets are overflowing (perk of being a beauty blogger) so I would say fairly important. Looking good and presentable can elevate one in many situations so it does matter, and style is your own unique way of putting garments together so it is essentially an extension of your personality. You can tell a lot from a person’s style so what image you want to present is important.
Please describe your own personal Fashion Style?
My style is mostly classic as I love well-fitted items. As a petite woman clothing that is too baggy or busy just doesn’t suit my frame. I also lean towards a very neutral palette but thanks to blogging I have also been able to be more adventurous and often will try a trend and see if it works or doesn’t with my style.
Where do you draw your most of your Fashion & Style inspiration from?
Blogs and Instagram, I will spend hours screen-grabbing inspiring looks and have a massive folder on my mac with all the looks and trends that appeal to me at the moment. From there I see what works from my own closet and then purchase key pieces to update my look. A few years back I used to be a bit of a mindless consumer but now I like to look at ways to re-use and re-style my most loved pieces.
Who is your ultimate Fashion or Style icon and why?
Olivia Palermo. Her style is so effortless and always looks classy even when she is playing around with new trends. I wish I could emulate her style but then I would need her wardrobe and she is a New York socialite so hardly in my budget!
Do you have a current Fashion or Style crush and what do they have sets them apart from the rest of the Fashion World?
I am very into clean aesthetics currently and like and follow many Australian bloggers since they are very into this at the moment too but there isn’t one particular style crush. I try not fixate on one persons style.
Where do you shop for most of your Fashion items and do you have a favourite local Fashion Brand or Designer?
It varies, I like to source items rather than just go to one store all the time. If I am say looking for white ripped skinny jeans then I’ll browse everywhere from Mr P to Topshop until I find the right fit. As for a local designer…it would Errol Arendz. He knows how to make well-fitted piece that are full-on sexy. Ryan Keys is another designer which I have spotted quite a few pieces in his latest collection which are breath-taking.
Do you follow international Fashion trends? What are your favourite Style & Colour trends this season?
As a blogger in the Southern Hemisphere it is easy to follow international fashion trends as most up North they are already ahead of us. I love when South African bloggers filter those trends into or current season and climate for a truly unique take on say (fall). With regards to trends… I’m still not quite sold on the current 70s trend, while I do see the appeal of fringe (thank goodness studs are on their way out, they’ve been in for far too many seasons), I can’t see myself swapping out my skinnies for bootlegs just yet. I do like that we are seeing more demure necklines with lots of leg, we all know how important balance is, with plenty of baby doll dresses seen on the runways.
What do you consider to be the 5 Most Important Fashion staples in a woman’s wardrobe?
A White shirt, black leather jacket, fitted piped black pants, a good pair of jeans and nude heels.
If you could own an item or items from a designer Fashion label what would it be?
Prada classic black handbag or a Burberry trench coat.
What is the most expensive Fashion related purchase you have ever made?
It is currently on pre-order…. A pair of Louboutin So Kate heels in the new Louboutin nude range which I’ll only be able to have in my hands later this year when I head over to the UK but yes that is the most money I have ever parted with for one fashion-related purchase.
Do you have a signature scent/fragrance you cannot live without?
This would have to be the original Elizabeth Arden Untold fragrance. I don’t wear this scent every day, I like to mix it up according to my mood though. I have a weird superstition when it comes to perfume… since I was little the quote from Coco Chanel “a woman without perfume has no future” which I took a bit too literally to mean “if you don’t wear perfume then you may die today” since then I cannot leave the house without a spritz of fragrance!
How important do you think Hair & Makeup is to your overall look?
It is all about looking neat and well put together. If you look good then you feel good, therefore hair and makeup are vital but there is no need to go full glam every day! Clean and groomed is all that is needed, although when I have my hair done really nicely then I always feel a massive boost in confidence.
What is your most important, never leave home without it makeup item/s?
That would have to be the Estee Lauder Little Black Primer, although it is a primer it works just as well as a mascara on its own. It lengthens ones lashes and gives one a more groomed look. I need some form of lash otherwise I look ill!
Thank you Abby for being our first feature on My Style!
If Fashion is your thing and you would like to be featured on My Style, then please email Fiona or leave a comment below.
Win a Stylish Lushberry Handbag
*This competition is now closed ~ see the winners list to find out who won!*
Lushberry “The Online Style Destination” is a place to explore new season style and find the latest iconic fashion! You can shop the latest trends and styles in Clothing, Shoes, Jewellery and Accessories, as well as treat yourself to gorgeous Beauty and Pamper products.
Local, as well as International brands are at your fingertips. Gorgeous handbags by La Pearla and BagThis and stunning statement jewellery pieces by Swarovski and RaphaellaBooz await you.
Inspired Living is all about keeping you looking super stylish and helping you discover your inner diva, one fashionable item at a time! With this in mind, Lushberry have very kindly sponsored a stunning Handbag, which one of our lucky readers can win! Please complete the steps below and it could be you!
To win enter via the Facebook Competition App:
- Like the Inspired Living SA Facebook Page
- Remember to Like the Lushberry Facebook Page {your entry will not be valid unless you have liked both pages}
- Please a comment below telling me who you are and why you should win this fab handbag!
Competition Rules:
Entry Dates: 26th July – 5th August 2013
Please complete all the necessary steps as indicated above, to ensure that your entry in processed correctly (please use a valid email address). Your details will only be used to validate your entry and inform you, if you are selected as a winner.
The winner/s will then be randomly selected and announced on my blog and on Facebook. The winners will also be notified via email.
Conditions of entry: Anyone may enter this competition but please be advised that the various companies sponsoring prizes on Inspired Living SA, are based in South Africa and therefore prizes will only be shipped within South Africa. Prizes may not be exchanged for cash.
To visit the Lushberry website click here.
Winter Wardrobe Consult with Dominique Luck
As many of you may have realised I am a bit of a shopaholic! Where other women may comfort eat, I comfort shop! This really is not a good trait to have, mainly because you end up with items in your wardrobe that serve no purpose at all and have simply been bought on a whim. This type of shopping can result in having a wardrobe crammed with clothing yet having absolutely “nothing to wear”!
Much to my good fortune I was invited to attend a Winter Wardrobe Chat, hosted by the lovely Dominique Luck. Dominique is a Fashion Designer by profession, who after having two boys, decided to make it her mission to help women realise their full “style” potential.
I was blown away by how easy Dominique made it look to coordinate your wardrobe! I simply new that this was not a per chance meeting but one that was destined to be 🙂
When I told some of my friends that I was going to consult a stylist, their reaction was one of surprise, because in their own words “you have good personal style”, which I would generally agree with. Truth be told, I may get it right some of the time but when you are only wearing twenty percent of your wardrobe there is definitely a problem.
I know that some people feel that a stylist or wardrobe consultant is only for the rich and famous but let me dispel any myths you may have – this is definitely not the case. If you, like me, have so much in your wardrobe but still have an issue putting an outfit together, then this is definitely something you need to do.
What exactly does a wardrobe consult involve? It is not as frightening as it sounds – “baring your inner-most self to someone you hardly know”. In actual fact it was lots of fun and I learnt so much, both about myself and about style do’s and don’ts. All you need are a few hours and your perception of fashion and shopping will never be the same again!
Dominique provides a few different services but you need to begin at the beginning. You need to start by sorting through what you already have, to establish an action plan going forward.
First off you need to get in touch with your existing wardrobe:
* Outline your lifestyle and identify key functions of your wardrobe – everyday wear, active wear, occasion wear.
* Get rid of everything that makes you feel frumpy, tired, boring or just plain scary.
* Identify missing link pieces, to build outfits that work for you instead of against you.
* Learn how to dress to express yourself, within your budget.
As a mom of two, my general style is fairly casual and my everyday winter wardrobe usually consists of jeans, a long-sleeved T, jumper and a jacket or puffer. This type of style is great for general day to day wear but often I need to attend events and this is where I have found gaps in my wardrobe.
We began the consult by sorting through all the winter items which I love and combining them with other items to create different outfits.
As I mentioned earlier I have a slight shopping “habit” and find it difficult to stop myself buying an item if I like it, but the words of advice from Dominique, much to my hubbies delight, were “STOP SHOPPING!”
So although I have an extensive wardrobe I still struggle to combine items into a cohesive outfit, which I feel confident wearing! This is where Dominique’s expertise and style knowledge comes to the fore.
After the wardrobe sort Dominique sent me a report back outlining the issues with my existing winter wardrobe and any gaps I may have or items I need to include going forward.
Dominique’s advice was to separate my winter and summer wardrobe, including shoes. I originally had all my hanging items in one wardrobe, which makes finding items quite difficult. She also adivised narrowing down my accessories and scarves, into what I am actually wearing for the season and pack away the rest. The great thing about doing this, is the items I am not wearing during winter will not clutter my wardrobe and it will be fun going through them again, for the next season.
I found this entire experience to be so worthwhile! Not only am I wearing items that have been gathering dust for so long but after separating my summer and winter wardrobe, I am not constantly struggling to know what to wear! Getting ready to go out takes a fraction of the time and I have so much more confidence putting outfits together.
Dominique has also identified certain gaps in my winter wardrobe and I now have a wishlist, which will make shopping more effective, as I know which items I need.This will allow me to be more selective when I shop and purchase items which will coordinate well with my existing wardrobe.
I highly recommend trying out Dominique’s wardrobe services, as it will change your perspective on shopping and help you be more confident in your personal styling!
If you would like to contact Dominique you can call her on Tel: 0798 999 889 or Email: [email protected]
Thanks Dominique for an invaluable experience! I look forward to coordinating my summer wardrobe next season!
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