Guard the Vintage

One of the things I love about fashion is vintage clothing. Taking something from decades previous and making it modern and contemporary. That's the challenge and fun about vintage clothes. Seeing what can be done to transform them. Yesterday, I attended  the latest vintage shopping experience in Joburg - Guard the vintage's first pop up sale.

What I loved about yesterday was that the sale was more than just buying clothes. It was so lovely to be welcomed into someone's home with champagne and cupcakes and to just connect with them and what they are about. Thats exactly what I felt meeting Yusrah and her family. 

Yusrah started her business out of a love for vintage clothes. Her clothes are sourced from both here in Joburg, Durban and Cape Town. Like me, she's a student at Wits but balances her time between hitting the books and clothes. 

I was so close to buying this gorgeous jumpsuit but something just didn't quite feel right. I hope it went to a good home. 

I absolutely love these suede pants. They are the perfect fit, even though they don't photograph quite as well as they fit. Although winter has just finished, I'm already planning outfits with these pants for cooler days. I'm thinking of mixing lots of textures like silk, leather and cashmere with sexy heels. 

If you are interested in buying some great quality vintage clothes from Yusrah, check out etsy and Bid or Buy and visit her website here. I really do recommend everything about Guard the Vintage and look forward to the next sale!  

Below is my own photoshoot featuring those fantastic pants from the 1990s with this green and purple dyed silk blouse. 

S. 

Neighbourgoods Market- 73 Juta Street

A while ago, I visited Arts on Main (read about my experience here) which is part of a larger project of urban revival in the CBD of Johannesburg. The Neighbourgoods Market is another initiative that is not only committed to urban regeneration in the city but also aims to revive and reinvent the Public Market as a civic institution, bringing the market experience along with its fresh produce to us city slickers.

 Projects like Arts on Main and The Neighbourgoods Market inspire me because of their larger goal to revive dilapidated parts of the city by making them trendy hot spots that not only showcase produce but local fashion and some incredible little restaurants.

 On top of the visual feasts at the Market, I love being able to actually walk around the city safely with my camera out and jaw ajar. You've heard me say it before, I love Johannesburg, but yesterday my love for her increased even more. 

This love was also helped by my finding the Lomography Embassy Store, just down the street at 70 Juta Street, that sells Holga and Diana toy cameras as well as Fujifilm Polaroid cameras. YAAAAAAYYYY! I have been in love with these cameras for the last four years and had convinced my self that I would have to buy one overseas. By the end of this year I plan on owning one but first I need to decide on either the Diana or the Holga...Decisions, decisions. 

Check out my photos from the day and I hope that if you're in Joburg you'll visit this area of the city! 

The Joburg skyline depicted in tin.

I am now obsessed with Take Care after buying this pretty shirt

These would make awesome gifts! 

Little oasis in the middle of the city

Steph Weiss beer, brewed by Brewers & Union. It's a proudly local brewery
 and makes the most delicious lagers.

I am a beer girl

At the end of the afternoon. Some of our purchases included these
 flowers,  Goat cheese, olives in chili sauce. Yum yum

The second oldest pub in Johannesburg

I cannot wait to get back to this vibey part of the city. 

S. 

Take Care

Today I went to the new Neighbourgoods Market thats just opened up at 73 Juta Street. Wow. I was so impressed by the food, clothes and jewellery housed in a parking garage every Saturday. Bigger than Market on Main, which I also adore, Neighbourgoods Market pumps with an amazing array of beautiful people making it the new 'it' spot in Joburg. 

I have some beautiful pictures from the market which I will be posting soon. But I wanted to instead gush about my find at the market, this white Take Care chiffon shirt. Take Care clothing is based in Cape Town and is renown for its simple sophistication and understated femininity. I love simple elegant clothes especially clothes cut from beautiful good quality fabric, and thats exactly what Take Care exemplify.

I could have bought all of the clothes at the stall, but instead restrained myself to this chiffon shirt. The cut and the quality of the chiffon is equisite and I am obsessed with the simplicity and beauty of it. I definitely want to go back as soon as I can for more gorgeous Take Care clothes! 

I love finding a new South African designer to support. Design here is so incredible and so promising. 


S. 

If only...

If only I had legs for miles.

I don't suffer from a poor body image (anymore) and in fact quite like my body. But if there is one thing I would quite like to have, it would be long legs. Like loooooong legs. But alas my sister was gifted with those and I have to make do with the fact that some things I just can't quite do justice to, such as over the knee socks. And I will just have to settle for pulling them to the knee and be done with it. Humph....

Height/leg issues aside, I really do love over the knee socks and while the weather is still in between seasons (though I wouldn't really call an average of 28 °everyday spring weather), I will try to get as much milage out of this trend as possible. Even if it means adapting it slightly. 

Even though I base my style reputation upon being an ultra feminine girly girl, I really like the tomboy look and wearing things that are slightly androgynous. That was the inspiration for wearing my much loved denim shirt all buttoned up with the grey melange skirt I made, brown brogues and grey over the knee socks. I don't think of myself as particularly Indie but I can see some indie influence in the outfit. Or maybe thats just me?   

Brogues- Prato. Socks - Woolworths. Shirt - Forever New

Say hello to my star photographer Rachel. 

As a life update, I am now finished with my third term at Wits and have something like 8 weeks left of my degree. It's crazy to think that its September already and things are changing every month. One thing this year hasn't been is boring! And while I'd love to say that I would be taking it easy this week and not working, I can't. I have work for next term already, though I'm not complaining since it involves reading Edwin Cameron's Witness for Aids for my HIV/AIDS in context class. Edwin Cameron is now on my list of the most inspirational people and personal heroes. So all in all, life isn't bad at all. 


S. 


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A walk down 4th

Yesterday was one of the most perfect days I've had in a long time. From an early lunch at Nice in Parkhurst followed by a walk in the glorious sunshine down 4th avenue with my camera and finishing off the day watching Rain - A Tribute to the Beatles at Montecasino and late night coffee with a new friend. It was the sort of day that comes along every once in a while. 

Below are some of my pictures that I took during my walk down 4th Avenue and it's that walk that really inspired me. In Johannesburg, walking down streets with boutiques, restaurants and coffee shops is not part of our culture. Here, Shopping malls house everything you need and perhaps the most walking that happens is when you take the dog out for a stroll. Areas like Parkhurst and Greenside are precious places where you can walk safely and enjoy the people, sights and sounds. For me, walking has always comforted me, giving me time to think and reflect better than driving does. 

Parkhurst has always special to me with so many memories ranging from driving through the area marveling at all the trees and how beautiful the streets were, to being 18 and having lunches with my very good friend Jono at Full Stop and finally, a special date at The Attic. These are the things I remembered as I walked. 

Tea at Nice. 

Lemon Meringue Cupcake

Streets of trees feed onto 4th Avenue

I love Paul Smith and was quite amused to find a shop here selling his clothes.

My inner art geek was thrilled to see this Piet Mondrian style painting outside
Life Unplugged

A parting shot

I would love to live in this area and to wake up on a Saturday morning and walk 30 metres up the road for breakfast at George's. Or spend an afternoon curled up with a good book at 4th Avenue Coffee Roasters. Such loveliness. 


S.