Strappy Ankle Sandals for Summer

While browsing around Mr Price the other day, I noticed how many sandals and heels have an ankle strap. I immediately thought of one of my favourite fashion blogs, Song of Style.

Here are a few of the options available at Mr Price (I got the pictures and prices off their page) and then I also included a few examples of how they were worn on Song of Style, and also an example from Le Fashion Monster blog.

These stiletto heels are almost identical to the ones seen on the blog. The black and white pair is R130 and the red is R160.

These ones have a thicker heel, but still have the sandal strap over the toes and the strap around the ankle. The black and white ones are R160 and the blue ones are R130.





 If you're not into heels, you can also create this look with flat sandals with the same style. All of these sandals are under R100.

 

Taking note on a small thing like this can help you get the look before everyone else. Keep an eye open on the trends overseas and you won't regret it.

Have a great Wednesday!

Roxy X

Fashion LookBook : Day 8 - fashion inspiration

Hey guys, long time no post! Sincerest apologies, I've just been really busy (and lazy...) LOL. Nothing much has changed since my last few posts really, except that I've started gyming again and have come down from 63.7kg to 62.6kg. On the 26th of June 2013 when I completed my Wednesday a Week weight challenge I weighed that in the morning, and this evening I weighed 62.6kg - if I had have weighed in the morning it would've been even less. So that's at least one positive - losing anything is better than gaining. I've also been trying to eat more healthily with less cheats and less carbs. On the days that I have cereal for breakfast, I have a salad and fruit for lunch; the days I have pasta salad and fruit for lunch, my mom makes me a smoothie for breakfast. Either way I try to have minimum to no carbs at supper. 

It's really great to know that I have inspired quite a few of my friends to change their lifestyles and start eating healthily as well, because it's much easier to do together. My friends also inspire me though. Two of my best friends I met this year, who have become a huge part of my life, inspired today's outfit.

My famous Gangsta boots broke this week, so I had to take them in to be re-soled. This sucked a whole lot more than you think, because I have NO other warm, winter shoes! I ended up pulling the "I'm going to gym" thing for two days in a row and wore a tracksuit with takkies all day. Today thankfully had no rain forecast, so I could wear my Tommys.

A while ago I asked my gran to donate all her jerseys that she doesn't wear anymore to me. One of them is a dusty blue colour with random patterns around the neck going down in really bright colours. I never really liked it because it reminded me of a clown, but Jodi gushed over it so much that it inspired me to wear it and see what response I would get from everyone else. Sula often wears collared tops with big, knitted jerseys with Tommy takkies. I borrowed this look of Sula's and paired my jersey with my white collared top to match my white Tommys.

I'm still slightly skeptical and feel like a clown, but let me know what you think!

Fashion inspiration can really come from anywhere. Sitting at a coffee shop watching people go by is a great way to get ideas. Movies and celebrities are great too. A friend introduced me to a site called Lookbook: "The #1 source for fashion inspiration from real people around the world." 

Looking at bloggers from over seas puts you in the know for upcoming fashion trends. I noticed one of my favourite American bloggers wearing boyfriend jeans about a month ago, and they're only starting to pick up here now.

If you have an idea for an outfit (inspired by someone else or not) go for it and wait to see what people say. If it's a hit, great. If it's a miss, just don't wear it again! Go with your gut, and at the end of the day it's you who must be happy with your look anyway, not anyone else. Use inspiration from others to conjure up your own unique style. You never know who might be inspired by YOU!

Have a fanTAStic Friday
Roxy X

Official RazeAstro Fashion Launch

Would you believe me if I told you that I bought a long sleeved top from TopShop for R70? . . . I wouldn't believe me either! 
But as of this Saturday past, I am the (very) proud owner of a beautiful yet simple maroon sweatshirt from TopShop! 

Let me explain.

Reza-Astrid Fourie, a Rhenish 2012 matriculant, started her own business. Not just any business, mind you. Reza has been in her hometown of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, for the past few months during her gap year. While the rest of us have been studying our butts off (sometimes), Reza has been shopping up an absolute STORM.

Remember the name 'RazeAstro' in the years to come, because I'm telling you, it's going to be BIG. RazeAstro distributes some of the best branded clothing in the business to us lucky Capetonians. The summer and winter sales overseas are absolutely CRAZY, and Reza GOES crazy at ALL the sales! TopShop, H&M, Forever21 and Zara are but a few names that are commonplace in her vocabulary. 

A usual day at work for Reza is to go to a (usually) expensive shop of her choice, and find the best bargains on the planet. And it doesn't stop at clothes! Bikinis, jewelry, shoes, scarves, even face masks are hot buys for RazeAstro. 

On the 27th of July 2013, Reza decided to launch her business in South Africa. Of course we were all set for the roadtrip with pockets a-bulging (and tummies a-grumbling). Who wouldn't want to buy the best brands in the business' latest fashions for a mere fraction of the cost?!

We arrived with minutes to spare, and dashed for the nearest entrance in excitement. We were greeted by a cool, calm, and absolutely fabulously dressed Reza. With lipgloss tickling our cheeks and champagne tickling our tonsils, we breathlessly entered what can only be described as heaven.

The most amazing colours, textures, shapes and sizes filled every corner of the room. I wanted to rugby tackle the jerseys rail and just hug them all for a few minutes... but at the same time I was in complete awe, and was too scared to even blink in case I missed something. 

Quite a few people were already there when we arrived, and we politely smiled at each other whilst secretly declaring war over our favourite spied pieces. Reza called our attention and we all shared a toast. 
And then, all hell broke loose.

Just kidding. 

After we had each chosen numerous items, we were shown to a bedroom to try them on. The one wall was filled with cupboards, so we were easily able to hang up all our items. There was also a lovely full length mirror which we used to its full potential.

Everyone was extremely sweet and helpful, and we felt like celebrities with the fancy eats that were made and distributed by Salt & Pepper Catering. From mini hamburgers to duck springrolls, crumbed mushroom balls to sushi, peanut butter chicken to mini pizzas - we really were spoilt rotten. 

As you can imagine, way too much money was spent by us over-excited customers, but it's always worth it when you have a lot to show for your money. The great news is though, lots of stunning things are still available! Keep your eyes peeled to Reza's Facebook page, RazeAstro. She also takes special requests!

Thank you so much to Reza and her family for making this possible, because I wouldn't be the same person without my amazing pastel blue skinnies. It was the greatest day, and we are ALL looking forward to (and saving for!) the next one! 

Thanks also to my stunning friends for coming with me and making the drive as fun as it was (ie. singing Baby Tjoklits at the top of your lungs with me). Thank you for supporting RazeAstro, and thank you for posing for countless photos that will be featured in a follow-up post. 
Cherwin, Jodi, Sula and Chante - thank you. 

I hope this review has more than convinced you to like RazeAstro's page. I hope that you are as excited as we are for the next event! 

Just let this sink in one more time... R70 for a top from TopShop. That's all I have left to say. 

Have a great weekend!
Roxy X

Versatile Scarves - cheap way to mix up your wardrobe

It really has been great getting back into the swing of things this past week. I missed the noisy Neelsie at lunchtime, I missed all my friends, and I missed the yummy lunches my mom packs me every day! One thing I definitely didn't miss is the freezing cold Stellenbosch early mornings. Another thing I didn't miss is deciding what to wear each day.

A few nights ago, my mom came home with this beautiful scarf she had bought for R60 at Jet. Immediately I noticed that it would match with all three pairs of coloured skinnies I own. In one minute, I went from having zero idea what to wear the next day, to having to decide between three!

The pastel orange, dark purple and lilac jeans each brought out those respective colours in the scarf. All I had to do was add a neutral coloured top and my black leather jacket and I was A for away!

If you're clean out of outfit ideas, here's an experiment I did. 

I took a scarf that has more than one colour. Then I went through my tops and jerseys, and took out all the ones that matched the scarf. Tops that I would never even have considered wearing with that scarf ended up matching perfectly, and again, so many different colours and shades to choose from. With half the outfit sorted, all I had to do was grab a pair of jeans and a jacket to complete the look.

 

Suddenly, choosing an outfit at 5:30AM isn't all that difficult anymore, as I now have so many options to choose from. Scarves really aren't that expensive, and they can definitely make a difference in your wardrobe.

Here's an example. If I wore the first scarf (which is orange and purple) with my dark purple pants, and the next day wore it again, but with my orange pants, not many people would notice that I wore the same scarf twice in a row. If I bought an orange and purple top and wore it two days in a row, people would definitely notice. 

In winter, a pretty scarf can be the statement piece of your outfit: dark boots, dark jeans, dark top, dark jacket, and boom - pretty colourful scarf. In this case, recycle everything in your outfit except the scarf. 

Scarves are essentials in chilly Stellenbosch.

Scarves are essentials in my cupboard.

Have a good weekend!

Roxy X

Back into routine - easy, healthy snack ideas

Varsity started again today, and it couldn't have come sooner. Although I obviously love holidays, I am extremely glad to get back into routine. Not only do holidays steal my money, they steal my healthy-eating weight-losing progress.

When you're in routine, it is much easier to plan your meals and make sure that you are eating healthily. Because you wake up at the same time everyday, you can have breakfast at the same time everyday. In the holidays I sometimes only have breakfast at lunchtime because I wake up so late!

My friends used to make fun of me in high school (and they still do now, too) about how many lunch boxes fill up my bag. Has nobody heard that it's better to eat lots of small meals than 3 big meals per day?! Here are some quick and easy ideas for a snack at school.

Fruit
Taking an apple, banana or naartjie to school is great when you want something small and sweet - and they don't take up a lot of space! 
I don't know if it's just me, but eating an apple that has been cut into pieces just tastes different. Put some lemon juice on the apple slices before you put them in a lunch box, as this keeps them from going brown.
Don't forget about the other fruits hey! There are few things that compare to a soft, sweet, juicy pear. My mom also cuts up fresh pineapple for me, as well as kiwis when they're in season. Don't forget about fruits such as strawberries, litchis, grapes, guavas, nectarines, peaches, apricots, watermelon, sweet melon, spanspek, the list goes on.

Nuts
Peanuts and raisins are always good, but there are lots of other yummy nuts out there as well! Have you ever tried pistachio nuts? My word, are they divine. Cashews are a bit sweeter, and macadamias are nice and salty. Most Pick 'n Pays have a stand where you can choose the nuts you want yourself and scoop them into a bakkie.

Dippers
Carrots, baby tomatos, cucumber sticks, baby mielies, peppers - all of these veggies make super yummy dippers. You can dip them in cream cheese, a mixture of mayo and sweet chilli sauce, humus, or anything else your heart desires.

Fingers
This is basically a salad that you can eat with your fingers. All of the veggies I mentioned before, as well as gherkins, mushrooms, olives, fetta, blocks of cheese, cut up pieces of sausage, chicken nuggets, pieces of ham or salami - basically anything that's bite sized and not messy.

Provitas
My dear friend Zina got me addicted to Provitas spread with peanut butter. It really is such a fab teatime treat! 
Slices of cheese are also great on Provitas, as well as cream cheese or any other spread.
You can basically use Provitas as a piece of toast and pile on the ham, cheese, tomato - the works. The more, the yummier! 
Another favourite of mine is tuna mayo with raw onion mixed in. This spread on a Provita really is top notch. If you like green pepper, throw a few pieces of that in too.

Biltong
Who doesn't love biltong?! (my mom... haha - more for me!) Biltong comes in lots of different forms. You can have droewors, sticks, or just normal, plain old, heavenly biltong. Becuase it's a bit expensive, when I do get biltong I only get a few pieces, but it really is an amazing snack.

Remember to pace yourself, because eating all your food by first break and having to watch your friends eat sucks - and leads to you thinking you're hungry again (but probably are just lus) and you end up asking them for some. Eat when you're hungry, not when you're bored. 

Please feel free to send me your snacking ideas as well, I'd love to try them out and share them. 
Here's to a happy, healthy week of snacking! 
Roxy X

Fashion LookBook : Day 7 - sun's out, guns out

This outfit I wore last week when I went out for tea with my mom and gran - back when it was still summer! I absolutely love warm weather, so I try to take advantage of it every opportunity I get. 

This top I bought in Spain when I was on tour a few years ago, and I never really know how to wear it because it's over-sized which isn't usually my style. 

 I paired it with my favourite light jean shorts that my mom and I cut a few months back. I chose these shorts because if I wore navy coloured ones, the top wouldn't have stood out so much. I especially love the threads hanging from the edges of the shorts where we cut them!

To make the top more fitted at the bottom, I took the top between two fingers where the bottom seam and side seam met and twisted it (on both sides). The more I twisted it, the tighter the top became along the bottom. When I was happy with how it looked, I tucked the two twisted pieces neatly into my front pockets. Because the top is so big and loose, it hung over the pockets a bit and you didn't even notice the tucked in bits.

My summer statement is always white Tommy tekkies. I have decided to spend my next pay on new white and black Tommys because they are so practical and match with everything. White Tommys make your legs look more tanned! In these pictures though, I am very NOT tanned... bring on the summer! 

If you're back at school, all the best. If it's your last week of holidays, make the most of it!
Roxy X

Fashion LookBook : Day 6 - optical illusion

This outfit I actually wore on Monday, when two of my oldest friends and I went out for coffee. The outfit started off with me deciding to wear this super cute blue zigzag top that I haven't really worn before.

I bought this top on sale at Jet for R30. Because the patterns are so quirky, and of course the low price, I couldn't resist. Unfortunately, influences like these sometimes cloud our judgement. This top is a lot shorter than any top I'd usually wear. Because I'm tall, my torso is too - surprise surprise! If I lift up my arms, the top lifts up over my tummy. 

I have tried to wear this top numerous times, but to no avail. This time, I paired it with loose, cotton pants as it was a nice sunny day. Because the top is short, I first attempted wearing a longer length jersey. This had the opposite effect of what I intended. The long jersey just made the top look even shorter and more awkward. The shorter jersey made it look normal, and you don't even realize how short the top is. 

Another trick - which I clearly forgot to do before taking the photos - is to pull/roll your sleeves up to make them three quarter length. This makes my arms look shorter. In these photos, the jersey is pulled up a few inches above my wrists, making the jersey seem too short, and my arms look even longer.

I took the time out to mix and match, and because I did that, I found an outfit I loved. I was able to wear my too-short-top, and I felt comfortable whilst wearing it. Coolest of all, I learnt a new trick!

Here's to all the tall kids out there who feel my pain

Roxy X