Alexa the quirky queen Chung

I have always loved Alexa Chung's sense of style, for as long as I can remember I would always google her on my mother's laptop and marvel at images of her out and about, always dressed so differently from what people were wearing at that time but she always looked amazing. I love that she always looks comfortable in what she wears and never compromises her body shape and height.  The way clothes look on her make it seem so effortlessly cool and natural. As much as people minimize fashion to only being something that is purely aesthetic, I feel as if she has proved that there is more to it than just the clothing. It's about being who you are and making the bold statement that is "I am who I am, so take me as I am, world". She is also undeniably beautiful and with her mixed English/ Chinese heritage it is no wonder she comes off as a cultured individual. Her current job is as an English television presenter, model and contributing editor at British Vogue. Basically, she is living my dream. 
Here are a FEW of many amazing looks she has worn :)                                                        

This wonderful woman serves as a muse for many designers because of her distinctive personal style and she is frequently featured on "best dressed" lists. Vogue’s Anna Wintour has described Chung as "a phenomenon" and Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld has described her as "beautiful and clever...a modern girl".

                                              

                                                                      

Inspiration

Now that exam time has beckoned, I've been buckling down and trying to get into a mindset that is going to guarantee the best outcome. It has also got me thinking about what it takes for one to actually be motivated to start something and follow through with it. My best guess would be passion, not as if nobody knew that but passion fuels potential and turns it into something great. I was very uninspired for a very long time, having gone through a few setbacks in the past 3 years I almost totally forgot that the purpose of learning is to get an education, but whilst doing so remembering that which inspires you to do what you're doing. In many ways, life is unpredictable, things do not always turn out the way we want them to but when you remember how far I've come it's difficult to back down. I am still learning and growing and learning and carefully molding myself into the person I want to become, living vicariously through inspiration from people I look up to. All I'm saying is that it is important to not forget why it is you're doing something, purpose is everything and without it I know that I have gone astray. I would like to think that I'm on the right track to making my dreams come true. Comparisons kill the soul and doubting yourself is the worst bruise you could inflict on your self-worth. I hope that whoever reads this remembers that there is more to life than a number on a piece of paper, grades don't define us and neither do past mistakes. I vow to live fully from this day forward. Inspiration is everywhere, you just have to open your eyes and acknowledge it.
                                                                                 xx

ABC's of being edgy and classy

This look speaks for itself! You cannot go wrong with stripes, red lipstick and cat-eye sunnies. Any woman could make this outfit look fresh!

ABC's of being edgy and classy by palesa-kgasane featuring lip makeup
This look speaks for itself!
xx

Golden Accessories

I'm not a big fan of "expensive" jewellery but for this trend I'd actually re-consider. Golden statement pieces have been making an impact in a big way on runway shows as well as catalogues. It just solidifies my statement that bigger is always better. Gold accessories go best with a minimal look where you keep colours basic such as a black or white ensemble. Or even beige, browns, navy blue or emerald green to go with Winter. The accessories in specific are bangles or neckpieces but I'm especially hooked on the bangles look. Price wise, getting the real deal is a bit expensive so if you're a student like me, opt for less by going to retail stores like YDE or Foschini. This trend is classy and edgy and if worn right, this accessory can make an outfit a knockout.
picture credit: check my tumblr brownskinfreckles.tumblr.com for sources

xx

Clothe Her

Throwback: Channeling Boom-Shaka

These pictures are from a photo shoot I did with some of the most beautiful young women at my university. It was for my friend Mathabo Tladi's vintage wear shop "Clothe Her By Charlie Rose". Mathabo is such a talented young lady and I always love hearing what she has to share. Se started this collection of 2nd hand and thrift store clothing this year in hopes of inspiring women to dress well so that they feel good about themselves. I have bought several items of clothing myself and I must say they are beautiful. On her facebook page she has featured 2 seasons of timeless clothing, modelled by students and the page is always buzzing with people wanting to more and wanting to know how she came up with this great idea. She has definitely made vintage more accessible and affordable for students. She is such and inspiration. Props to my girl Mathabo.
Facebook link: Clothe Her By Charlie Rose
Photography: Facebook: Shakes Photography

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Denim on Denim

I'm yet to see a day when Rihanna doesn't get it right. She can basically take any garment and make it look amazing. In this denim on denim ensemble, Riri takes us back in this retro 90's inspired look. These are personal pictures which a friend took of her whilst she was out and about in the city. She's sporting a cut-out denim crop top, jeans and gold mini- platform creepers and my does she look trendy. She's also done some major cool accessorizing with the snapback cap and the tinted mauve glasses. I love it.

picture credit: www.facebook.com/officialrihannanavy

xx

Undefined

Hi!

I spent this past weekend reflecting and thinking about the things which define me as a person, the people who influence me. I wasn't too sure which angle I should take in creating this post so I thought it would be a good idea to make it personal. For as long as I can remember I have never been someone who "fitted in", the friends I have are from a multitude of backgrounds and have different personalities.  I am still searching, trying to find myself in this big bad world and often I come across things that take my breath away. Not for any particular reason, it could be something vague and this "thing" usually takes the form of a picture or a musical piece. Something that moves me in a way I cannot explain, something that I discover new parts of me in when I see or hear it, when I experience it. Taking from that point, I wanted to make this blog a creative space for myself, where I share what I like with the world without being too generic about it. What this post is about is me, in a weird sort of sense it's about me finding these two pictures whilst surfing the internet and being moved by them. I could not trace the authors/photographers or model of the first picture but I did for the second one. They do not have any worldly significance and this is not a post that's going to change anyone's life but it is a post that simply shares. I'm amazed at the way people can make even the simplest things look beautiful and I still can't put my finger on why it is I randomly chose to blog about these pictures but I hope you see the beauty that I see in these pictures; how they are both dark and almost evasive but also undeniably beguiling. 

Soo Joo by Marton Perlaki for Oyster #102

xx

Locked in Closets.

Short, Sweet and Colourful. This woman never seizes to amaze.
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All That Glitters is Gold

Weird or wonderful?

The revival of the 90's grunge style has brought in so many punk inspired looks and designs. One that I've been seeing more and more of is the wet silver/ glitter look. Definitely not for the faint- hearted but it's a look that looks amazing on the runway and can also add a pop of shimmer to any look. Whether it's nails, make up or clothing this look is doing its rounds on the catwalks and I think it's just a matter of time until the retailers stock it up. This look looks best at night and usually just paired with something as basic as possible, preferably black. I'm not sure whether I'll be rushing in stores to purchase a sparkly number but I'm a sucker for 90s apparel so who knows?

xx

Amy Winehouse- Willl You Still Love Me Tomorrow?

Wino Blues

Today I woke up feeling blue,as if the only thing that would make me feel better was if I listened to my Amy Winehouse albums. She is still one of my favourite artists of all time and her short career was one that left a worthy legacy. No one compares to this woman and the soulfulness in her songs. I must say that once I put on my earphones and quietly listened to her in my room, I instantly felt better. I will always be a big fan.

xx

Street Art: Anonymous Artistic Expression

More than just rebellion.

I've been thinking about the importance of self expression, as a means of telling the world "this is who I am and I am an individual" but also as a way of doing some introspection, finding out who are, searching through the crevices of your mind and discovering parts of yourself you didn't know existed. Without going on a deep philosophical spiral I would like to voice my opinion about how self expression has grown. How there are now so many platforms for young people such as my self to voice their opinion in an unobstructed manner. Many may argue that technological advances have made us dependent and lazy, it can be argued that technology has also globalized the arts. We can share ideas through many mediums and engage with other people who think like us or even better those who are different from us. All that gadgets have done is create nuances in expression, a way of making an even bigger, bolder statement on a public platform.
Not to stray away from what this post is about, I wanted to pay homage to the people who make the grey canvases of our urban streets colourful masterpieces. I have been looking at some street art in and around Grahamstown and am fascinated at the way in which young people are using their talents to make a statement. Although grafitti is in many communities still not considered an art form, I think a lot can be said about the work that goes into the conceptualizing of a piece as well as the way it is executed- to make people stop and look. One needs to thus look at it from this perspective and not only think of it as the stereotypical view which portrays street art as created by teenage rebels. It's a way of speaking out, quietly and I have definitely come to appreciate to this form of artistry. Street art can sometimes put across important statements, social or political commentary, pop culture commentary and unsettle us by provoking thought. Here are a few of the best street art pieces from around the world from a list created last year. These do do not make any particular statement, but simply look beautiful.
Photo credit: stumbleapon.com

Malaysia

Colorado(USA)

Belgium

Spain

Philadelphia (USA)

France

Belgium

The most beautiful thing about this form of art is that these people are unpaid and simply do this as an outlet and sharing their abilities with the world.

xx

Food for Thought

"A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not the desire to beat others"

                                                            xx

Exotic Prints and Stripes

Winter Prints

It's getting quite cold in this part of the world which means bidding farewell to the colour in our wardrobes- which isn't necessarily true. I'm not one to ever opt for a dull look just because  it's getting colder, I love prints and I still like to look edgy no matter the season. I created this look on Polyvore mixing my favourite trend  vertical stripes matched up with tribal print pants, a leather jacket to tie the look together as well as a bold ankle boot which gives the outfit that extra kick.
I guess this outfit is a bit "out there" but the printed pants could be worn with a plain white shirt instead of the striped one or swap the printed pants for plain black pants. The look will still look great.

Bralet top
 ark.co.uk

Leather jacket
 newlook.com

Topshop
topshop.com

Platform booties
 fashionunion.com


                                                   Exotic Prints and Stripes by palesa-kgasane featuring platform booties
                                                                                    xx

MET Gala 2013

Year of the punk

So for those of you like me who could only get a late dose of Met gala fashion, you must be as pleasantly surprised as I am at the number of amazing looks. It was particularly difficult to single out a particular favourite but the standouts were Nicole Richie leading the pack and Solange Knowles. Just as well of them have been getting a lot of media attention for their daring fashion sense. The overall theme for the night was "Punk: Chaos to Couture" and most of the ladies went out of their way to be showstoppers. I love that people have begun to take even greater risks with the clothes they wear. after all, it is fashion and what greater way to express who you are then through the clothes you wear. Designers have also been stepping it up in a big way in terms of how far they are willing to go beyond their design aesthetic to make their consumers look amazing. I'm all for pushing the envelope but also maintaining an amount of class while doing so. Although most people can argue that going overboard can lead to a train-smash, I think that there is a beauty that can be found in every strange outfit, it's all about artistic expression.  I'm not particularly obsessed with labels/designers but I must say I love what Kenzo and Burberry fashion houses have been creating lately. Print and structure are all the rage. You got to love something that's so daring it's almost perfect.

I skimmed through all the looks, yes all of them to bring you a few of my favourites. Enjoy :) 

Anne Hathaway- Valentino

Cameron Diaz- Valentino

Sarah Jessica Parker- Giles Deacon

Miranda Kerr- Michael Kors

Carla De Levigne- Burberry

Solange Knowles- Kenzo

Miley Cyrus- Marc Jacobs

Nicole Richie- Top Shop Couture

Sienna Miller- Burberry

xx