Visuals // Winter Coats & Turbans in Autumn

These are a couple of snaps I took last weekend. The main inspiration behind them is honestly the present autumn mood and pre-mediated winter chills. This all whilst kweenin in ma Turban.
I'm not sure what story it tells, that you can imagine and tweak to your desire.

 I hope you feel it? Experimenting and playing around with Art Direction and putting together the look and feel of images.

Your feedback is always appreciated !

 Bless you x

Feminism & Mama's Curly Wig

Equality. If you were to ask ANY feminist what feminism is, that is the answer you would get. It is the quality of male and female, where the choices you make are NOT determined by your sex. It is the right to receive equal praise for your work/art/craft/achievements as ubrothers over there next to you. It is saying, “ Listen here, my female parts do not define me therefore do not undermine me!”. It is not tolerating hearing males insulting each other with the use of female characteristics or private parts, clearly and so blatantly insinuating that we are the weaker, less capable sex, i.e “My guy, stop being such a pussy”or “Flip! That oke drives like such a woman.”

Me being a female should not mean that my favourite colour is pink or that I like pretty dresses and make-up or that being married to a pot-bellied man named Philemon with our five kids, Thembi, Sipho, Vusi, Amanda and Luyanda and dog spotty, is my life-long goal. No! That is my CHOICE. Therefore it shouldn’t be “unusual for a woman” if I should ever decide not to marry (which for interest’s sake, I really don’t think I want to) or if I decide that I do not want to push another human being out of MY vagina, don’t raise your brow at me. And if I were to decide to get married, it is not “my duty” to bear you children and iron your shirts and I wouldn’t be your wife, I’d be your partner. Why? because we are equal.

I was slapped in the face with ignorance last week when I came across tweets that claimed that being feminist came at a certain age or that you’d have to have “been through life” or “have done your research” to be able to call yourself a feminist. This is untrue. It was untrue last week, it was untrue yesterday, it is untrue today and flip man it will never be true. Feminism has no age and I personally feel that toddlers should already be taught that boys and girls are the same. As kids growing up we have all heard the term, “you don’t hit girls”, a term that should actually be “you do not use violence whether it is a girl or a boy”. Things like that make a difference in the way that young girls and boys see each and will help them realise that “hey he/she is no different to me” or that little Annie playing Dragon Ball Z cards with little Sipho is not a “boy thing” for her to do. The kid just really enjoys re-enacting Goku’s Super Saayin episodes just as much as Sipho does!

Feminism has helped me realise that being undermined because of my gender is NOT okay and it never will be. Who does society think they are telling me that I cannot “flourish too much” in my line of work because I just might over-shadow the brothers next to me. Why am I limited to competing against my own gender? What makes ubrothers more capable, more important, more accomplished than I am even though we are putting in the same amount of sweat? The day I became a feminist is the day I decided that nah, I’m not having that. Where do you stand?

The Look//

Whenever I speak or write about feminism, there is always a flame burning inside of me.. I think its passion. Yes, I am passionate about this cause. Whenever I declare my feminism, my goodness do I feel fierce! I feel tall, I feel proud and therefore I shout it out loud. I always try to recreate what I feel inside through pictures and today I felt Mama Rani’s wig did my feels justice. I’ve always loved the big, curly look and feel it emulates the woman I’d love to be one day – independent and fierce.

Stay Blessed x 

March // The Faux Glamour Around Turning 18

So last week Sunday I turned 18. I could tell you how different it feels and how I am now a "grown woman and can do whatever I want" but I'd be lying and I respect your level of tolerance for played out clichés way too much to feed you that one my dear friends!

Truthfully, all I feel is a sense of uncertainty . I feel more child-like than I did at 23:57 on Saturday evening. A rush of rebellion came over me, as if urging me to live a little more, love a little harder and really not give a damn. All whilst using my non existent kick boxing skills to kick down the boundaries society sets up sky high for us females (something I stay and will forever stay preaching) .

I've struggled with my image and identity for almost seven years now. I went from "too fat" to "too skinny" all the way back to an in between,awkward size that was neither bad nor good/sexy enough - all according to society and it's rule book that we follow so religiously! And I realised how exasperating it is trying to box yourself up into a category that doesn't even account for half of your personality . All these years I have spent trying to figure out exactly where I belong. Well you know what? Home is where the heart is and my heart is in whatever touches my soul. So tonight I'll sleep with my turban on because I'm deep within my spiritual feels (yes, turbans are spiritual to me), tomorrow weave my hair,  the next  day I'll squeeze into a vest with a V-line plunging so low that my double D's make you uncomfortable! Simply because being 18 and going with the motions and wherever your heart leads you too (also taking into consideration the amount of Fendi's* you give on that day) is so much more easier and flippen peaceful for the soul!

So 18 year old me says to you .. " whatever is good for the soul, do that!"


This was my before 18 look//

Outfit

Skort playsuit - Cotton On 

Platforms - Cotton On 

Stay blessed x 

Look Post // You aint even know

I have been swamped with work and overwhelmed with feels of confusion regarding where my almost-eighteen-year-old self thought I would be at this point and I must say I am disappointed. Not that things have gone side-ways as of late but that is just it! They havent gone ANYWHERE and that's worrying because I know there are BIG tings gwaanin in me head but I just need the right/perfect platform... and then it hit me. I've been waiting around for the right platform to come instead of creating my own . Being a creative means CREATING yet I havent done much . I've always believed nothing good/big/great ever comes to anyone sitting around on their size 34 butt yet I've failed to take my own advice. Subconsciously,  that is what I've done.

On a brighter note, I needed to be brutally honest with myself, stop feeling so intimidated and go play with  the other kids. Speaking of the other kids, there are three beautiful ladies that have been on my radar for some time. Insanely talented creatives who you should be talking about and if not you will after reading this ! These ladies are flourishing and are an absolute inspiration to myself and I'm certain to other aspiring bloggers, art directors and boutique/online store owners.

1. Khensani Mohlatlole from the Glitter Daiquiri blog and new Glttr Betty online store which is sure to blow up amongst us vintage/tumblr feels lovers.

2. Zama Marubelela from the Ya-Girl blog. Zama is stylish, preppy and from my interaction with her an absolute sweetheart. Her fashion and lifestyle blog will keep you hooked. Her look posts have to be the highlight for me. They're always executed so effortlessy and make you actually want to try the look out !

3. Stephanie Mzee. The ebony beauty that is Stephanie shares my love and passion for Art Direction. She just recently hoped on her first project called Fading Art Direction (check the page out on Facebook) with the first series being African Pride . This kid is insanely talented and ignited my flame too ! Cannot wait to eventually work with her.

Shine-fly dust to these mamies and keep on keeping !

Oh and yes, this is a look post. That's what I do when I need to pick myself up, throw on the sickest pieces of clothing (almost always past down or thrifted because I believe in reinvention you see) and strike a pose in front of the camera . I was channeling the "I can look anything darn fly in anything I wear " feels and I definitely felt that way . Who said sporty attire was only for the athletic? They clearly dont see fashion as an art form, a form of expression.

Dress - Diesel

Cap - Nike

Shoes - Adidas Torsion


Bless You All x

New discoveries // The Space

I've noticed that I am almost immediately enticed by anything that has to do with african/bold prints and accessories, sweet smelling scents, pop art interpretation and vintage  .. oh goodness, just about vintage ANYTHING really! So when I discovered The Space yesterday whilst trekking around Claremont with the mother dearest you can only imagine how absolutely elated I was. Seriously , the best cliché to describe it would be "a kid in a candy store" !

The first thing that captures you when you walk into the store are the bold prints doned by the mannequins at the entrance. Shift dresses all the way through to cocktail dresses (with African print detailing, perfect for the Afrocentric child) . Maxi skirts that can be paired with the coolest take on pump-meets-brogue-like shoes . The centre of the narrow store is for lovers of things! Notebooks, hilarious tumblr-like memo pads and sweet scented candles that just added to the welcoming ambience of the store. The hit for me had to be the most rad vintage alarm clocks I had ever seen and the miniture glass milk bottles (you know, the ones they deliver at your door step in the early 90 american movies?) . It's literally a mixture between Typo and like the Town boutique stores.

The best part is that they stock only local/African  designers (Good, Beautiful Maverick and Leigh Schubert just to name a few), which I am all for. I've started familiarising myself with local designers and artists as it's vital for us creatives to support and gain inspiration from our surroundings - that including the path makers!  So sharrats to The Space for endorsing that. It's also the first shop both umama and I can shop at . Has everything from plus size down to the more petite sizes so it's really convient.

For all those looking for cute decor or into bohemian or african print designs, I strongly suggest that you check out The Space store in your city. You'll thank me later !

Bless x

Nomusa Makhubu // The self-portrait project

Imvunulo

On my usual internet hunt, I came across this frek talented photographer/artist, Nomusa Makhubu (oh! She's also an Art History lecturer at Rhodes University- so usisi knows her craft), on the 10and5  tumblr page (read more about her here).

When I looked at her work, I felt like I was looking at a piece of art and not just a photograph . Her work gives me all kinds of inspired feels, honestly. For this project she used projected images on herself to document the story. Through her images she analyses the politics of identity tradition and culture. For visually stimulated people like myself, this was a refreshing take on analysing how we were portrayed during the colonisation era contrasted to how we see ourselves today.

Intombi (Young Girl)

Ubuhle (beauty)

Nomusa Makhubu definitely goes down on my list of inspirations for 2015 . What do you think of her work ?

Stay blessed. 

Transition // 2015 , let's dala

2015 shall be the year that I , as they say, "dala what I must" ! Entering my final year of high school and turning 18 in a couple of months, I am definitely anxious. I plan to conquer all my fears and push all my ambitious.

I honestly feel I have been too timid when it comes to my blog which lead to it not setting  off the way I had planned to. With a blogging community that is rapidly growing and bloggers slowly being taken more seriously, it is difficult producing content that sets me apart from the rest of the blogs. This is not just a fashion or an "anything else specific" blog . My aim is to look at the art, beauty and expression in every hook and crane . From fashion and music all the way to art direction, photography and art. I aim to discover the authenticity and show that art knows no boundaries. This year I plan to perfect and emphasize this more loudly in my blog.

My New Years Resolutions :

1. Eat healthier (I won't say lose weight coz that's just .. yeah whatever)

2. Read more books .. a lot more books. I     seem to have neglected this past time which saddens me because I love reading SO much. It's vital.

3. Blog more often! Even through the madness of Matric, I swear I will.

4. Pray and strengthen my relationship with God. I can't do this on my own.

5. Stay focused . I'm so easly distracted by life's mishaps because I'm too darn emotional. I want to be able to embrace my inner emotional creature but keep my head screwed on at the same time.

6. Get my learners and drivers license. Seriously.

Such an odd number to end off at but yes. This is the first post for 2015 and there is so much more to come.

But for now, bless x