A Crash Course in Cape Town Cool

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With Spring and both SA and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Weeks around the corner (along with the subsequent "omg how am i gonna prove to jozi cool kids that, you know, if i try hard enuf i could be one of them" sartorial panic), I've been pondering a very cliched renewal and refresh. Mostly in the case of my level of cool barely cutting it in the mainland and what that could mean when I'm trying to coerce -- I mean convince -- kids into being my friends should I make it to the shores for the afterlife (read: university).

Boy, am I going to have to develop a great personality or something equally as insipid because I do not have the juice like that. I don't know if it's that early 2000s Old Money tendency towards pretending you bought your Ralph Lauren and Chanel that moth-eaten and hand-me-down-y, or maybe the mother city's infamous winds or just that everyone on the Atlantic seaboard is so ready for a tsunami or some wild, wild waves that they're wearing all their favourite items at once.

While Joburg Barbies are moving closer and closer to that clean-cut, hard line geometric minimalism that sees the second coming of the Adidas stripe, careful proportion play and athleisure neoprene and net fabrics, I'm still stuck in that circa 2008 time warp with a bigger is better soundtrack. I've expressed this sentiment earlier in my give me a new millenium post but no one has locally been feeding me the vibes and aesthetics I really crave.

Well, at least until I finally caught up on July's Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Cape Town bookmarks.

Nina Milner at MBFWCT (source)

Marianne Fassler (source)

MBFWCT was one of the first fashion week instances when ready-to-wear designers were sustaining my life force much better than the actual street style. I guess my resistance to change hasn't reached all the high street trend setters (note: I am also partly jelly because I can't bring myself to not mix patterns or grasp minimalism beyond the position of voyeur). But Marianne Fassler, Habits and Nicole West were giving me that #YOLO wear all your favourite things at once / Old Money "moth eaten" silk / proportions and fabrics lighter than the weather / circular sunglass framed artisanal coffee shop alternative rap/rock cyber kasi / pseudo-safari(ugh that should so be a thing) look. This has also always been my favourite aspect to Cape Town cool kids like Daisie Jo and Tony (who I will never stop referencing).

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Tony Gum doing all of it (source)

Daisie Jo (who's also my favourite Elle Rising Star finalist)

Habits (source)

Habits

Habits

Habits

Habits

Nicola West (source)

If anyone needs me I'll be investing in large quantities of chiffon, organza and rainbow spectrum prints and patterns. Should you spot me in your neighbourhood craft beer garden or roaming the meeting points of Johannesburg's Dutch and English architecture, don't be swayed by my carefully constructed look of disdain or that I've had Cherry Bomb on loop - I'm still very obviously a loser kid.

 

When You Do Have the Juice Like That

"Omg, khensani, are those swimming trunks? u r so creative!"
Hahaha, no, peasant. I'm just broke and always twenty minutes late to everything.

Fashioning short shorts out of your brother's too, too big swimming trunks will seem like a really clever idea when you're left with two minutes to get ready before having to head out. You'll tell yourself that your colour palette is so on point and you've just extended your wardrobe by another item for absolutely free, thereby creating a whole new plethora of outfit choices for the summer (which, you seem to keep forgetting, is almost over). You'll pair your cute new shorts with a thrifted button up shirt in your favourite shades of blue ("ah, look at how well they go together," you'll remark, "this was meant to be"), slip into the pink Pull & Bear trainers you're always wearing and never washing and throw a wink at the mirror before you leave with your thrifted jacket and the remaining trophies of almost-responsible-nights-out-when-you-didn't-lose-everything on your wrists and fingers.

You good-looking fool, you.

You're going to regret all of this when the hair-ties holding your shorts up keep getting lost, the drawstring of aforementioned shorts keeps giving up on you and your shirt exploding outwards and forwards, and don't even get me started on what a burden that jacket will become to you on the dance floor. I hope the compliments were worth all the anguish.

Jacket: Better Half Vintage // Top: Glitter Betty // Shorts: somewhere in the Seychelles // Shoes: Pull & Bear // Rings: [the store formerly known as] Sass Diva, Mr Price, LEGIT and a really nice old Turkish women in Osmonbey // Choker: Glitter Betty //

this is me thinking about how much easier my life could've been if I had just worn some jeans.

♡I'm not offline, I blocked you, asshole.♡ from 9arbage on 8tracks Radio.

Has anyone else made some terrible choices for the sake of letting your look live?

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Less Marcia Brady, More Raven Baxter: The 70s Can Leave

seventies are back (obv) by khenzonatalia featuring round sunglasses

The 70s are back and its bigger and badder than ever. You probably haven't noticed due to its super subtle influence on the Spring 2015 collections in New York and London. It takes a super trained ear to hear the slight, *judging you* whispers of Marcia Brady all over Derek Lam's suede panelled skirts, Dries Van Noten's minimal use of silk and BCBG's flared pants. While I love middle partings, giant sunglasses and floppy hats as much as the next blogger brat, I was really hoping that the really popular 90s revival would lead to an even more popular early 2000s repentanance. You know, a decade I can really echo sentiments of "back in my day" and actually get on my Tumblr pretense, "only 2000s kids will know what [assorted shit probably featuring heelies] is".

Ever since chokers, velvet and those giant Fresh Prince puffy jackets came back, I hoped that  my mom was insane for attempting to insist I purge my closet of the frilly mini-skirts, furry collared tops and jersey skirts that were the light of my youth. Sadly, Jackie Burkhart isn't trying to let that happen. Well, I say NAY.

"But, Khensani," you begin. "The 2000s were gross." Well, shut up. 

Listen, you're too focused on the excessive amount of belts, scarves and butterfly clips to actually recognise what was the greatest sartorial decade ever. Yes, we're all a lit bit turned off by super low cut Ambercrombie skirts and high rise thongs and all the weird shit people used to bedazzle all over their jeans and don't get me started on velour tracksuits. 

But, young one, do you not remember the July 2003 issue of Vanity Fair?

What about the super ghetto fabulous application of faux fur to anything and everything?

Or the absolute experimentation in all things crop top? I'm talking one shoulder, no shoulders, straps, weird things that just ended in a triangle above your navel and a very (worrying) supply of halter tops.

 And don't even get me started on the rise of metallics:

Also, along with V-necks that kept getting deeper than French existentialism, it was arguably the greatest time for the OG socialites (DUIs and public lack of underwear included); Nicole, Paris and Lindsay.

 Don't try to tell me Lizzie McGuire wasn't everything either.

 Or pretty much anything by Gwen Stefani (cultural appropriation aside).

 And Lil Kim.

 And this happened.

 Also: Gossip Girl, headbands, tights and coats, man.

No lie: the 2000s got very messy very often but it was also the most fun I ever remember in fashion. There was this lack of inhibition in terms of hemlines, materials, lace-ups, colours. Not to mention the absolute carefree Black girls on the rise; Lil Kim, Eve and Missy Elliot to name a few. I don't think there was anything as aesthetically exciting as one of their music videos. To hell with eyes over lips or lips over eyes: accentuate whatever you want to accenuate. 

The 2000s were free. It just seemed like the funnest mish mosh of past decades and modern clothing. It was wearing all your favourite items at once and spending your Bring It On DVD pack money on the overpriced criss-cross C&C California tank tops because Lauren Conrad had three.

Marcia Brady just don't do it like that.

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MRP x Not So Bummer Summer

It's officially and undoubtedly summer and who better to attend outdoor concerts, pool parties, lounging at the beach and picnics with than Mr Price. Scientific fact; almost all South Africans have a ridiculously romantic relationship with December. It's a time of sun burns, short shorts, rooftops, sunsets, outdoor music and celebrating how far you've made it this year. It's a time when everyone gets those piercings, loses a precious leather jacket at Matric Rage (I'm side-eying my sister here), shaves the side of their head and looks forward to hot days and cool nights to remember forever. And you can't make those kinds of memories without being aesthetically prepared to have your life changed forever. Once again, Mr Price got you, fam.

Starting with another collaboration with British designer, Henry Holland and his technicolour-haired music, DJ Chloe Norgaard - a line that features everyone's favourite trend at the moment: active wear. It's clashing conversation starting prints, breezy fabrics for the girl who can't be tied down too long and all at liveable prices for the funemployed, wanting to be fabuluxe. It doesn't just begin and end there. Mesh tops, fleece joggers and graphic vests. Think wrapped jumpsuits, quirky statement tees and our favourite ugly sandals like jellies and strappy grandad sliders. Don't be afraid to check out the graphic print shirts and shorts in the guys' section either.

Fancy Mr Price bitties aren't just limited to cool kids brave enough to step outside in the heat, you can also shop from the website or the Mr Price App which also happens to ship internationally.

source // shop the look

source // shop the look

source // shop the look

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Disclaimer: This is a paid post. My views, however, are still my own and I would stand by them whether or not I was being paid. But, like, I also like to eat. Dignity intact though.

"Instagram is a job."

For once in my life I can say I've been really busy the past few weeks and it won't be because I'm posing a perfectionist procrastinator, binge-watching Teen Wolf and choking on failed dreams. No, this time, it's half of that.

The beautiful Ogunrombi sisters, Foyin from Dear Solo on the far right. 

There was South African Fashion Week A/W 2015 two weeks ago. Blogged here and here. Amongst getting drowned in dirty mop water and getting an eyebrow pimple from all the makeup, I actually ended up on Mzansi Insider, a local breakfast show, but I missed getting to binge-watch myself. Again, it is a breakfast show. I was also spotted by A Fashion Friend and the Urban Mavericks.

Seriously, throwing it back to about a week ago, I saw Alysia Harris - based goddess of all things poetic and lyric - perform  L I V E, as in IRL, as in for real, as in I could reach out and not smudge my computer screen, at the Joburg Theatre with other Khensani, from Oh Kenzo. Our shared knowledge and love for Alysia made me realise that we are twinsies. It was such a spiritual experience; Alysia is quite possibly a witch because everything she does is magic and the whole audience shared collective pangs of heartbreak because she was real and she would leave after this night.

You're missing the plot in all its entireity if you're not already a fan.

On the same day I was doused in dirty mop water, my class friends and I threw a cocktail party for our parents so they could have a 'let's come up with crazy things for our kids' matric dances so that we can relive our  youth - things like planning their after parties or staying for the duration of their dances' meet. Oddly enough, everyone's parents dissolved into cliques familiar to that of the pre-existing cliques of their children and all us children spent most of the night gorging ourselves on the platters the adults didn't touch and I took a million photos of everyone.

 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Africa has just came and passed in a blur of macaroons, free drinks and swag bags. I've spent the past week reporting on everything for Style Africa. You can find my:
Day 1 Roundup here
Day 2 Roundup here
Day 3 Roundup here
Day 4 Roundup here
Interview with designer, Ines Cuatrecasas of Mille Collins here
Elle Rising Star 2014, Tamara Cherie Dyson here.