Pictures Came and it Broke Your Heart

 

"He wishes he could control his demons instead of having his demons control him. He's lost." The Vampire Diaries, Season 4, Episode 20.

 

I actually want to print this out into a giant A2 poster to hang above my desk and add as many pretty images as possible every time I'm inspired or if I have a vision. (I'm constantly having visions; clothes I want to wear, differently ways to style hair, hilarious concepts for TV sitcoms and what could possibly be my first submission to Rookie.)

 

And how amazing is 'The Originals' episode of The Vampire Diaries? I really hope they do make a spin-off series about Rebekah, Klaus and Elijah. They're the only part of the TV show that is truly better than the books.

If you have no idea what I'm going on about then you, dear sir, are not living.

 

Happy Saturday

xx Khenzo

 

[Outfit Post] Like A Boy

Chinos are probably my favourite piece of menswear because they're a smart pant but can be very casual too. They're like the LBD of pants for guys. I saw these skinny fit ones at Mr Price on Labour Day and I had to have them! I'm always very careful when I shop at main stream stores like Mr Price and Jay Jays--where a lot of my friends tend to shop (and, I mean, duh, they have really great stuff there)--so I try to buy things that I don't think anyone else will buy or style them in a way no one else will. There's nothing worse than being one of the crowd and that's why I went straight to the menswear section. I also saw some lovely, dress pants that I'll snap up when I get my allowance again.



LEGiT trilby hat, LEGiT cardigan,  Mr Price emerald pendant,  Mr Price Oakridge chinos, Triscot wristwatch and maroon ankle boots from Ackermans.

I shot on my street when the sun was beginning to set and the lighting was absolutely great. The unkept grass there reminds me of the long stretches of veld you'll see when you're driving in Jo'burg.

I got my first pair of flatforms on Labour Day also (I used to really hate them until I saw how Anna Dello Russo, Stef and Jess from How Two Live styled them). They're actually two sizes too big being a size seven but they were ridiculously cheap (they went from R140 to R30) but you can't tell all that much. As long as I wear them with socks (which looks awesome) or stuff a little toilet paper at the heels. And the print is so, so pretty!

Mr Price.

Love,
Khenzo xx

Talking to: Nün Visitsak

She has bright red, curly hair, a lean, petite body and the starry eyes of a day dreamer and creative thinker. Nün Visitsak has a sartorial talent for mixing patterns and pairing cute shorts with some very great finds. She’s a Thailand based film director who studied in London and looking upon her Lookbook profile you can’t help but what to know her.  Her profile has been viewed over 10 000 times and yet she still finds the time to respond to each and every comment on her looks with sincere thank you's and kind words. She’s an active presence in the Lookbook forums and now she’s agreed to share a little bit about herself with me.

OK, first. Your hair! It’s amazing. What is your natural hair colour and why did you decide to dye it?
My hair is actually quite a long story! My natural hair is black and is super straight! So much so that even though I would use iron curlers, my hair was so straight that the curls would never stay! I had long (almost waist length) black, straight hair for 18 years of my life but when I moved to London to further my studies there, I decided to cut off all my hair as I was in a new country, doing new things and I wanted to create a new identity for myself.
So, for the entire 4 years of my stay in London, I had extremely short hair (I guess you could call it boyish) and I constantly changed its colour almost every month. I really had fun with my short hair and I felt [that] it made me different and gave me an edge. I have never been a 'girly-girl' anyway and this change created a new sense of confidence for me.
But eventually after having very short, boyish hair for 4 whole years, I was beginning to get bored of it and wanted another change.
And because my hair was so, so short already and there was practically nothing left to cut off, the only change I could make was to grow it. But as I was growing it, I was rapidly feeling as if I was losing my sense of self, my 'edge', and therefore my confidence. I felt like I was going back to my long, black, straight, natural hair again which I couldn't really handle. So I thought, what would be the opposite of that, that would still allow me to have long hair without it being too 'normal'. The opposite of straight is 'curly/wavy' and then I decided that just because my hair is longer, I didn't need to stop dying it! So I headed straight for the salon, permed it (I asked for the frizziest perm ever! I'm a huge fan of VOLUME!) and asked for the reddest red you could get. So there, the 'history' of how my current hair came to be! (I did say it was a long story But I love it now, though, exactly how I wanted it to be. I can still be girly, but still keep my edge!

Being a film director sounds like a very exciting job and shows that you’re an artistic spirit. Does your work influence the way you dress?
Yes, I would say it does. I'm always running around, meeting people and going location scouting; so being comfortable on my feet is extremely important and I don't see myself working properly in heels! Everyone that I work with knows that I wear a lot of Dr. Martens boots (I have seven pairs), they are extremely comfortable, durable, and stylish! Who says you have to give up being stylish when you are working? But obviously, I am a very petite girl (five feet and three inches) and [I] often feel like I need a height-boost, so I would usually go for platform boots (Jeffrey Campbell 'Riot' boots are my favourite at the moment) as they give me crazy height but I can still remain comfortable on my feet!

You live in Bangkok, Thailand. How would you describe the fashion scene and industry there?
I would say that the general population here (girls) dress very girly. They like to wear a lot of high heels and ballerina flats paired with skirts or dresses. Shopping wise, we have a lot of shopping malls (where you can buy brands, but obviously, these shops are more pricey) but we also have a lot of shopping markets (where clothes are extremely cheap but with good quality and a lot of different styles and designs to choose from) and most people here will wear a mixture of both items from the malls and items from the market! I think it's a really sweet aspect of Thailand; mixing brands and market clothes!


Your profile says that you’ve studied film in London. How different is the fashion and culture in London and Bangkok?
The one thing that is clear from the get-go is the fact that no one in Thailand ever needs coats or jackets as we have summer all year round! Whereas in London, you see a lot of different and very interesting layering of sweaters, jackets and winter coats! Also, if you are walking along the streets of London, you would notice the varieties of styles that everyone has got. Whilst I was living there, I always felt that I did not need to purchase magazines as the people around me were real-life fashion catalogues! In Thailand it is quite different, as I mentioned in the previous answer, everyone here dresses more 'girly' or 'lady-like' and walking down the streets of Bangkok, you would notice that a lot of people dress very similarly. There is also an unspoken 'expectations' from the society of how women should be dressed (high heels, flats, skirts, dresses, long hair) and anyone who dresses differently from that (trainers, boots, jeans, t-shirts, short hair, shorts) are often considered 'scruffy' or 'unattractive' as most Thai people have similar views of what 'beautiful' women should look like. The aspect I miss the most about London is the diversity, acceptance and appreciation everyone has for each other's fashion sense.

What are your favourite stores in Thailand and what destinations would you suggest for shopping for a noob like me?
I don't have specific store names, but when I have the time I like to go to the weekend market (Chatuchak Market aka JJ Market) with my boyfriend and shop there all day! There are over one hundred thousand stores there, so that is my excuse for not having a favourite store as there are too many! Or if I'm free on a weekday and JJ market is not open then I would go to an area called 'Siam' which is a shopping district. One side of the road are shopping malls (Siam Paragon, Siam Centre and Central World) and on the opposite side of the road is a massive market area! So I always like to go there, spend half the day in the shopping malls, have lunch, then spend the second half of the day in the market opposite!

How long have you been interested in fashion? What brought on your love for it?
I guess it's difficult to say. I have always enjoyed dressing up, but I guess I really got interested in it about 3 years ago when I stumbled upon a fashion guru, Chriselle Lim, on YouTube and she completely blew my mind as I never could have imagined there were so many aspects to fashion and so many things to consider in order to put an outfit together! That got me interested in fashion, but what got me really involved in fashion in my spare time began at my discovery of Lookbook! My mind was blown for the second time and I hadn't realised that 'street fashion' could look so 'chic' too! The reason being, I have always been into street style but I thought there was no room in the fashion world for people that dress like me (and I got this idea from how my fashion sense is received here in Thailand) so I never pursued anything to do with fashion or never even thought I was fashionable or that anyone would be interested in what I wear. So when I discovered Lookbook and it's [an] extremely supportive community, I straight felt 'at home'. That there was indeed a place for something like me! I signed up right away and told my boyfriend that now I was going to be posting my outfits and he was going to take my pictures--ha, ha! I have been posting my looks ever since (and my boyfriend has been amazing and has taken all my pictures ever since) and I'm over the moon about how well received my looks are!

Which designers do you like best and why.
I am completely IN LOVE with all of Alexander Wang's collections! The designs are so modern, so sleek, and tom-boyish! I also love that the collections are mostly solid colours (mainly black and white!) but because of the use of different materials and textures, he is able to jazz up the outfits! Sadly for me, their clothes don't suit my body type at all so I can only look and admire!

When you’re shopping, what do you spend most of your money on?
Am I allowed to say 'everything'? Because seriously, I buy everything from clothes, shoes, hats, accessories, makeup, bags, to even sports gears! But I guess, if I really have to pick something I would have to say shoes and clothes. I have almost 100 pairs of shoes (oh dear...a bit over the top, I know...) and I have recently had a renovation for my bedroom to extend to room and create a walk-in closet for my never-ending items of clothing! So there, I have an unhealthy addiction for shoes and clothes!

Can you name  the June/July trends that you love and the ones you’re not too keen for?
This year's most obvious trends would be the black and white stripes, and dungarees! And I love both of them! Black and white stripes are extremely helpful for a little petite girl like me as they make my legs look longer! And I would have to say I am ecstatic that dungarees are back in trend because I have spent the past 2 years searching everywhere for dungarees to no avail and then suddenly they made an epic comeback in the fashion world and now everywhere I go, I can find dungarees! I'm extremely happy. So I have bought denim dungarees, black dungarees, skirt dungarees, denim skirt dungarees, and I'm about to buy polka dots dungarees! Better grab 'em before they go out of fashion and can't buy them anywhere again for the next ten years or so! I don't really have trends that I am not too keen on! I just think that not everyone suits the same things and so the things that might not suit me, will suit someone else. I like everything, but if I'm not wearing it, it would mainly be because I can't pull it off!

Describe yourself in ten adjectives.
Loving, caring, loyal, ashionable, bubbly, tomboy-ish, true-to-who-I-am, realistic, reasonable [and] outgoing.

Name five items you never leave your house without and why.
Well, despite car keys, clothes and shoes;
My iPhone: my work requires me to be on the phone almost all the time! And plus, I can check on lookbook.nu whenever and wherever I want! Sunglasses--365 days of Thai sun would be too overwhelming with no sunglasses. Lip balm--I don't drink enough water so my lips are always chapped! My bag--for carrying to few essentials :) and I also believe that a bag could complete an outfit! I change my bag almost everyday according to what I'm wearing! I'm afraid I can't think of number 5! I don't carry very much at all.

Where does your style draw inspiration from? Any music, decades or particular style icons?
No particular place. Everywhere! Things I see on lookbook.nu, people I see on the streets, outfits I see in films, etc...

At the risk of sounding cliché, what style/fashion philosophy do you live by?
I don't believe I have one. That is too orderly and predictable for my liking! I change everyday: from tom-boyish, to girly, to bright colours, to plain colours, to clashing prints/colours, to matching prints/colours. I guess, and similarly to the question, at the risk of sounding cliche, my fashion/style philosophy is to have no style/fashion philosophy!

If you could go back to any decade in the 20^th century, which would it be?
The 80s! I feel like I should've been born during that time! I LOVE 80s rock music and I love grunge style! Time-machine me back to the 80s!

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten and from who?

Can I list two people? Chriselle Lim: This is the same youtube guru I was talking about earlier. She always talks about 'knowing your own body shape' and dressing accordingly to that. In my case, I'm very petite, so I have short legs, but I have a tiny waist. So what would be best for my body type is to create an illusion of longer legs and accentuate the best part of my body, which is my waistline. Luckily for me, I can achieve this my doing simply one thing: wear high waisted bottoms! They accentuate my waist and extend my legs! My favourite easy combination for lazy days is tank-top, high waisted American Apparel skirt, Jeffrey Campbell 'Riot' platform boots. This outfit does so many things for me, tank top (awesome for Thailand's boiling hot weather), high waisted skirt (accentuate my waist and extend my legs), 'Riot' platform boots (extend my legs whilst still staying true to my style). My awesomely fashionable MUM!: Since I was a little girl, she bought me Dr Martens boots to wear with my skirts and dresses! She always said that not every item of your outfit has to 'match' with each other but sometimes clashing items could complete an outfit!

Fan Nün now on: www.lookbook.com/nunvisitsak


Fashionably,
Khenzo xx


All images are from Nün's Lookbook page.

Talking to: Ellie Connor-Phillips from Rose and Vintage

 Ellie Connor-Phillips describes herself as a "slightly time warped teen" and "professional couch potato" so, of course, I instantly developed a girl crush. She's a feminist from London, UK, who draws on past decades for her fashion and musical tastes and spends her time around vintage and charity shops. She only began her blog, Rose and Vintage, quite recently and has developed quite the following and you can see why. She's friendly and seemingly very approachable. She reads all her comments and despite her air of cooly-cool-coolness, you can already tell that she'll readily offer you a cup of tea and show you some of her really cute finds from the vintage and charity stores she likes so much.
It's very obvious from your blog title and content that you like vintage. What caused this love?



 It was definitely a gradual process. I used to wear very mainstream, high-street items from places like Topshop and River Island, but I never really felt comfortable or like I was truly being 'me', whoever that is. I started to look at a few vintage shops like Rokit, and combined with a good look at other teen blogs for inspiration, I ended up completely hooked on second-hand clothing. I think the fact that you have to search around the shops and can find some really unique pieces appeals to me, that along with the fact that thrifting is so much cheaper than high-street shopping!

 

 

 

Who are your sources of inspiration and icons in fashion?

Tavi Gevinson is definitely one of my biggest inspirations when it comes to style, however I also really admire icons like Iris Apfel, (she is 91 and still looking absolutely fabulous!) and Vivienne Westwood. David Bowie also really inspires some of my outfits, especially during his Ziggy Stardust phase. He also reminds me that it's OK to completely change your style every now and again, which I find quite freeing.

 

Coming from London, you must have been exposed to plenty of different dress styles. Has anything you've seen influenced the way you dress?

You're right, living in London you get to see people from all different cultures and backgrounds with all different styles all the time, which definitely does give you some ideas with your own fashion sense. The area I live in is very indie/grunge, and so I am influenced by their laid-back, retro style, but I also like to spend a lot of time in places like Camden and Brick Lane, where you get to see lots of people with very eccentric or alternative fashion senses. It gives you ideas and makes you want to be more adventurous with what you wear.

 

You've listed Art, English and Textiles as some of the subjects you're taking in school. You've already shown your love of writing, why have you chosen Art and Textiles as subjects?

I absolutely adore writing about things I am interested in, however my main interests are textiles and art. I love fashion and designing, and so textiles really appealed to me, and I'm quite creative and enjoy art too. The three subjects really compliment each other, actually, as you can't do textiles without having some knowledge of art, and you can't do either without being able to write and having some background knowledge of famous artists and designers.

Do you plan on having a career in fashion? If so, what would you like to do? Or, if not, what would you like to become?


I would love a career in fashion, however I'm more than happy to try and keep my options open and not assign myself to one specific career path so early in my life. I'm a bit of a free spirit, and I think I'd like to do a bit of everything, especially in fashion and media

 

What is the most significant item of clothing in your closet and why?

That's so hard! Um...probably my maroon dolphin jumper. It's huge and warm, perfect for lazy days.

 

 

I don't know why you think you're not too photogenic but I do love your make-up in your photos. When it comes to make-up and hair what are your favourite looks and styles?

Thank you so much! I tend to colour in and shape my eyebrows with Benefit Browzing Wax, and I use any cheap liquid eyeliner on my eyes. I like Rimmel mascara...the thicker the better! I usually go for the sort of cat-eye look, and I prefer to accentuate my eyes and eyebrows rather than my lips or cheeks. MAs for my hair, I usually just blow dry it and leave it natural, or scrunch it up in a sort of folded-over ponytail bun.

 

Were there any specific events that sparked your interest in fashion?

When I was about 13, and just starting to get interested in fashion, my cousin's girlfriend at the time. called Kate, was studying fashion design at university and offered to show me her work. I went to her flat one day in the summer and she talked me through the whole design process and all the work that goes into fashion design and marketing. It was such a good day and I remember coming away thinking 'wow, I could actually do that,' since then, I've just been continuing the things she showed me, and trying to get better at the thing I enjoy so much.

 

What were your favourite trends from the 1960s to the 1990s and why?

I think the whole 60's was pretty awesome, but the mod look was definitely something I admire. Everything was so specific, and I love that. The 90's was the opposite, completely relaxed and grungy, and I love that too. I think it's cool to try and mix different trends like those two together; like really tailored, mod style trousers and then a grungy, slouchy shirt or jumper. Smart-casual all the way!




Are there any trends this year that you're in love with and any that you'd like to see die?
I love box jackets and pastels, and both are going to be big this year. I hate neon though--it's great on the catwalk, but people on the street rarely wear it right and it just ends up looking terrible.

You seem to be the know-how kid when it comes to thrift stores and finding great pieces, do you have any tips for anyone who wants shop vintage?

The best tip I can give is don't be scared of secondhand! You can go to 'vintage style' stores or get 'renewed' clothes, but they're often no different to the things in thrift stores, but three times the price. Charity stores and cheap thrift shops often have so many amazing one-off pieces for super cheap, and they have a range of sizes... not just Topshop's size six, which let's be honest, barely anyone can fit into. Don't be put off by the smell or feel of an item...vintage clothes do smell musky but after a wash it goes away completely. Also, rummage around! You never know what these sort of shops have hidden behind other things.

 

If you had to describe yourself in ten words.

Peculiar, odd, happy, creative, emotionally-introverted, chatty, (occasionally) awkward, crazy, spontaneous, honest.

Can you name your favourite London based fashion blog?

Not really from London but Peppermint Whiskers by Sinead. She is so lovely and her style is amazing. 

 

Are there any other international fashion/street style blogs you're obsessed with?

I love I Broke My Hip Doing the Twist, For the Quaint Hearted , Bobbly Rainbow Socks, Teen Witch, The Holly Rivers Show and Pull Your Socks Up.
[They] each have such individual and inspiring style.

 

What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?

Probably that what you see isn't always what actually is. I've always had confidence issues and the thing I try to remember is it doesn't matter if I think I look bad, as sometimes what you see in the mirror isn't what everyone else can see. Also, nice people don't actually care what you look like--if they do, they're not nice people!

 Check out Ellie on her blog: Rose and Vintage and follow her on Twitter @elliecp
Love,
Khenzo xx

Images from Ellie's Lookbook and her blog
 

You Are the Only Exception

This is just some Monday inspiration. I'm in a really good mood as of late. School is going pretty well, I found a really cool hat that I'm going to buy tomorrow (pay day, well, allowance time), LEGiT featured my last look post on their Pinterest page (I know a lot of people won't think it's that significant but I was beyond stoked) and some very cool bloggers agreed to let me interview them for this here bloggedy-weblog-blog. How cool? The interviews should be up before the end of the week and for now:

 

 

The above images are not mine. They're from Emma Jane Nation. A really lovely South African based blog. The first two are by a wedding photographer she admires and the third one is from a fabulous Jo'burg burger bar.

 

So sometime in January Wildfox Couture did a catalogue phot shoot inspired by the best movie from 1995 that changed teenage girls' styles in the 90s: Clueless!

 

This is a really lovely recreation of the scene when Tai met Dion and Cher. I really love the denim and flannel look that the model-as-Tai is wearing and I want Cher's T-shirt!

This is most likely the part where Cher and Dion get on their little charity high and give Tai a make-over. I don't know why but I love seeing pretty girls with curlers in their hair.

Ah, to have your dad make $500 an hour and drive a really cool Jeep...



The thing I loved most about Clueless was the really cute take on preppy fashion. Knee socks and head bands please!

The mansion in the background is an almost exact replica!
And this a lovely modern take on the classic, retro Clueless wardrobe: platform Mary-Janes, knee socks, plaid, short skirts with matching blazers and those adorable backpacks.

If you've actually seen the movie then you would know how clever this T-shirt is. Before Cher went for her driver's test her ex step-brother, Josh, mentions how she gets offended when anyone thinks she lives below Sunsent [Boulevard].

 

 

 

 

 

Somebody Drank My Medicine, Somebody's In My Head Again

The Pretty Reckless's 'My Medicine'.
I'm in love with this song and this music video. Initially it reminded me of the end scene of Jennifer's Body when Amanda Seyfriend's character had gone and killed those Indie rock band members in their hotel rooms. The place Taylor Momsen enters is much like that to. A dingy room, low lit, suspicious scents in the smoky air, filled with high and drunk people with alternative hair cuts, emo tattoos and rebellious hair cuts.
Love it.


xx Khenzo

[Outfit Post] Blue As the Sky; Sombre and Lonely

Navy silk scarf from somewhere, white blazer from Legit, Mr Price 'comfy' blue T-shirt, leather look pleated Mr Price skirt, patterned tights from Ackerman's, Jet spiked cobalt wedges, mint sling bag

Tonight I went out for a belated birthday dinner with my friends and I got some lovely lemon garlic stains on my shirt. But I did have some really great sushi!
For some reason every other item I took from my wardrobe (read: mess on the floor) was either mint, cobalt, turquoise, aqua, navy or baby blue.
I found these really cool cobalt blue, gold spiked wedges from Jet the other day and I couldn't believe what a steal it was! But I believed it a little because it is Jet and they don't sell anything over R300. Unfortunately they become quite uncomfortable after a while but lovely none the less. And I bought this blazer from David Tlale's Legit range a long time ago and I haven't worn it since but what's better. The back is really great because it has to slits.
Don't think I'm so cool for styling my scarf into a turban. My hair is a ratchet mess and I was too busy (read: lazy) to get up and get it done.

Hotter than wasabi,

xx Khenzo