If you're reading my blog, I'm pretty sure you know me pretty well. If you know me pretty well, you'll know that I basically ALWAYS have a messy room. I think I contradict myself actually, because I'm a perfectionist and love everything to be and look perfect - but I'm lazy. So my room (as well as study, varsity bag, handbag, even computer desktop) gets messy quickly because I'm too lazy to put things back where they belong.
I had already decided that I needed to have a fresh room to go with the fresh look, but through cleaning my room today I actually discovered some things that will help me keep up the fresh look. Okay fine Mom, I admit it, having things in order does actually help!
Here are a few pictures of how my room looked before
Of course McFlurry loves having a messy room - the more things to cuddle with the merrier!
It took me just under an hour to pick everything up off the floor and my dressing table and put them in their rightful places. While I was hanging something in my cupboard, I came across a top I had completely forgotten I owned! It was hiding between two bulky long sleeved tops. This made me think of something my dear old Gran does: she puts her summer clothes away in winter. When the weather starts getting warmer, she then replaces her winter clothes with the ones she put away.
I decided to take the things out my hanging cupboard that I don't wear anymore (such as my high school shirts and blazer, dresses I wore to dances throughout the years, summer dresses etc).
I still didn't have enough space to be able to see each individual piece of clothing. I then decided to take the jeans out my hanging cupboard and put them in my non-hanging cupboard. To make space for the jeans, I moved a bunch of t-shirts into my 'summer' cupboard, a cupboard I had been using to store random old stuff. I also put all my hoodies in a smaller space because I don't really intend on wearing hoodies out anymore so it doesn't matter that much if they're wrinkled. In my non-hanging cupboard, I re-organised my clothes from least favourite (back) to most favourite (front). By doing this I can now see what I want and be able to grab it quickly.
Cleaning my dressing table is chop-chop because of three nifty little gadgets. My best friend's mom, Aunty Carol, made me a dangly-earring stand / holder. It is an A4 photo frame with a piece of cardboard with chicken meshy wire stuff over it. The earrings are on display so you can easily spot the pair that best matches your outfit, and they're easy to just grab and go.
My studded earrings are in a jewelry box my cutie boyfriend gave me as a gift for our first Christmas as a couple. My family joked that he clearly didn't know me very well yet because all my jewelry pretty much tends to be any place BUT a jewelry box. The jewelry box is very pretty though, and I didn't have the heart to give it away. I cut out a piece of foam the same size as the inside of the box, and now all my studs just push into the foam. Having them face upwards is so much better because you can actually see the face of the stud, and they don't roll around at all. I love being able to see my studs in neat, accessible little rows, and Rijk is very happy that his present is finally being put to good use!
For some reason, I have an obsession with bangles; I have like a hundred of them! I used to keep them in a box, but I kept adding to my collection and then had to find a bigger box each time - not great when your dressing table is already tiny. When I went on netball tour overseas, I brought home the bottle of Starbucks that I bought. I had no idea how to display an empty bottle, so I put all the bangles around it. Talk about two birds with one stone! The only part of the Starbucks logo you can see now is on the lid, but that's okay, I know it's there!
So now that my room is tidy and my clothes and jewelry are organised, I'm ready to do my first outfit tomorrow! YAY ME!
Here's to hoping it stays that way!
Roxy X
"Have you ever experienced that feeling, that overwhelming feeling of passion and the need to do something, to change something and to be something so much bigger than what you are? I can personally say this is something I feel so often. But for some or other reason we don’t act on this passion and slowly it starts to simmer down; [a]fter days, weeks and even months of not acting on this feeling you are left with nothing but a mere memory of what of would've , could’ve and should’ve instead of what you did."
This is a paragraph taken from one of my best friends' blog, the Inspiration Archive and that's exactly what it did - inspire me.
It all started with a pair of what I like to call "gangsta boots".
The only warm winter shoes I owned was a pair of black ugg boots. Which broke. So kieppie over here decided to wear her mom's boots (with heels) to campus. To make things clearer, my mom wears a size 7. And I'm a big 8 (most Mr Price 8s are too small). By 8:30am I had convinced my (male) friend to come with me to the Chinese shop in order to buy some new boots - from my savings of course, so that my parents could pay me back! (we all know the Maties motto: "studente sonder sente" [students without cents])
That's how we found ourselves in Lee Cooper last week on a chilly winter's morning. Lee Cooper is a cute but random little shop in Stellenbosch. If you're a student, you'll definitely know where Dudu's Fashions is - it's next door. (If you don't know where Dudu's is, both of these shops can be found by walking down the walkway next to McDonalds in Andringa street) I'm not quite sure if Lee Cooper is a Chinese store or not. The front half of the shop sells Lee Cooper legit looking stuff, but at the back it's a funny little shoe shop. They have HUNDREDS of boots of all shapes, sizes and colours.
In the end, I chose a pair of black lace-up boots with a buckle and a simple studded embellishment. I had a hard time choosing, but these seemed the most versatile. Little did I know...
The boots were R250 which is quite a lot for shoes, I think. I'm used to paying as little as possible for anything and everything. But I realized, if you want nice boots that are going to keep your feet warm and dry for the whole winter, R250 isn't bad at all.
The boots made it all the way to the car before I ripped them out the packet and popped them on my feet. I wore them all day and my feet were absolutely fine considering the boots were brand new and most definitely NOT leather.
When I got home, the reality of my situation hit me: I was the proud owner of new, snazzy, FASHIONABLE boots... and I had NO idea how to wear them!
In a panic, I BBMed Zina for a list of her favourite fashion blogs (my favourites are She Wears Fashion and Baked the Blog / Tgether). I started browsing and looking for ideas, and I realized that I really do love dressing up and looking pretty. I saw a look that included boots similar to mine and a jersey that looked like the one my gran knitted me 500 years ago, and vuala! I suddenly looked fashionable! I had a few extra hours that particular morning (last week Friday) so I decided to even put on some powder base stuff (something I hardly EVER do) and wear my hair in a middle path for the first time since grade 2.
I really loved the outcome. For the first time in ages, people were telling me how nice I looked. When I walked around on campus, I felt confident.
I made a vow to myself there and then, that I would always make an effort to look nice, even fashionable, before I walk out the door.
While I was looking for blogs for inspiration, I was looking for one that:
1. is South African
I wanted a South African blog because then the seasons are the same. Whats the point of seeing great fashion ideas but you can't use them because it's 500 degrees colder here?
Also, then the clothes are bought at South African stores so it's more realistic. We all have the mindset that there are NO nice clothes in SA but we can prove that theory wrong.
2. posts photos
I'm looking for inspiration for fashion ideas! I need to be able to see things to be able to copy the idea.
3. posts every day
I want to see as much as possible in order to make the best decisions. Posting a photo every day, or at least every second day, allows the trends to be current. Who wants to see winter fashion from 2010? New things come into fashion literally every day.
4. has an accessible site that's pretty and
inspiring
Admit it, reading something that's lilac and mint green with pastel pink rose borders is way more appealing than black on white.
A well-structured site that allows you to find what you need when you want it can separate a good site from a great site.
Because it was/is so difficult to find a site that has all of these in one, as well as great fashion photos and ideas, I have decided to created my own for aspiring fashionistas like myself. I am taking Zina's advice and not allowing my spark of passion and inspiration sizzle out.
Here's to the future, and I hope you enjoy my blog!
Roxy X
Of course McFlurry loves having a messy room - the more things to cuddle with the merrier! 
I decided to take the things out my hanging cupboard that I don't wear anymore (such as my high school shirts and blazer, dresses I wore to dances throughout the years, summer dresses etc). 
Cleaning my dressing table is chop-chop because of three nifty little gadgets. My best friend's mom, Aunty Carol, made me a dangly-earring stand / holder. It is an A4 photo frame with a piece of cardboard with chicken meshy wire stuff over it. The earrings are on display so you can easily spot the pair that best matches your outfit, and they're easy to just grab and go.
For some reason, I have an obsession with bangles; I have like a hundred of them! I used to keep them in a box, but I kept adding to my collection and then had to find a bigger box each time - not great when your dressing table is already tiny. When I went on netball tour overseas, I brought home the bottle of Starbucks that I bought. I had no idea how to display an empty bottle, so I put all the bangles around it. Talk about two birds with one stone! The only part of the Starbucks logo you can see now is on the lid, but that's okay, I know it's there!
