Wednesday 3 October 2012

Colour me pretty!


Pop-your-colour! Neon is big this season, so whip out those fluorescent hues for an instant pick-me-up. Highlighter shades of yellow and green are perfect when paired with darker tones, and effortlessly enhance darker skin tones. My favourite way to work this trend into your wardrobe? Accessories please! Neon satchels, belts and scarves allow you to subtly pull off this craze, without looking as if you just spray-painted yourself with a neon highlighter.
  
Pastels are an instant way to update your look without splurging your budget. There’s something so chic about shades of lilac and mint – think ballet pumps, cupcakes and delicate looking ladies-in-waiting. Sweeten things up with a lavender blouse or a pale pink dip hem skirt. Just remember to keep things simple – you don’t want to end up resembling an ice-cream cone!
  
Peplum! The peplum craze has been around for a while now, and I feel that I really have no excuse to ignore it anymore. Beware: wear the trend correctly, or it could possibly enlarge the size of your derrière, thereby forcing others to assume that you just left an ‘all you can eat’ buffet. Pair a peplum blouse with sleek pants for a cute office combo, or style a bright peplum skirt with a fitted muted-down top. My tip? Heels are always a plus when trying to pull off this larger-than-life trend!

Mad as a hatter? Geometrics, bold graphics and swirls of colour are definitely not for the faint-hearted! Bold prints don’t seem to be making an exit any time soon, so keep things fresh by adding a statement piece to your wardrobe - Mr Price has a great range of Aztec inspired prints for the girl who wants to assert her power. Try to pair a bold print with a less dominant shade, so that you don’t scare off anyone. And, remember this is one trend that works better when it is looser and not-so-structured.

Tuesday 2 October 2012

Caffeine Fix

My go-to java guide:

·        The blend at the Woolworths' W Café  has to be my absolute favourite, if only for the yummy foam! This well-rounded blend is certainly the perfect brew – strong enough to kick me into action, but still not enough to give you the heebie-jeebies. Plus, the fact that it’s 'organic' makes me feel as if I’m somehow undoing all the damage from last night's shots at Tiger Tiger. Right…

·    Vida e Caffè. The quintessential spot for cool kids, pretty people and the occasional hipster. Vida is unquestionably a revered spot for ‘people watching’, but the inconsistent cappuccinos let them down. Plus, the extra foam forces me to resemble someone who’s frothing at the mouth (which isn’t really helped by the fact that their strong brew gives me the jitters). However, I have not stopped returning to this decadent crimson hot-spot. Oh, and a little tip? The barrista will not hand over an extra Lindt choccy nomatter how many times you wink at him.

·         Knead Bakery in Kloof Street surprised me. In a good way. A cosy spot filled with pretty people, delectable baked goods and the aroma of java wafting through the air – sounds like a gimmick, right? Knead has some of the best coffee in town, so make sure that you pop by for an instant pick-me-up. Oh, and try one of their croissants. Divine!
·         I used to be a huge fan of the cappuccinos at Mugg & Bean. Not anymore. Their blend is a tad too weak for someone who relies on a dose of Bioplus to ensure that she doesn’t malfunction through breakfast (I switch to cough mixture if times are tough). The extra-milky concoction that I was served on my last visit, reminded me of a bed-time drink that one would feed to an infant.