Spring Cleaning & Evening OOTD

Happy Friday Readers!

Spring has made its appearance (finally!) and with it, the florals, lighter fabrics, smiles and laughter have surfaced. I include smiles and laughter, because it’s as if Spring brings a tangible feeling of happiness; sunshine does that I suppose. It also brings the sense of renewal, new beginnings and a time to declutter life. 

Declutter.

Lets focus on that for now. It’s a synonym for spring cleaning and can apply to all aspects of life - from toxic people, to toxic feelings, bad eating habits, wardrobe and home. I have embarked on a process of spring cleaning my life, which I have mentioned in previous posts. This obvsiously included my wardrobe, and refers to my recently launched wardrobe audit services.

Decluttering the wardrobe is a therapeutic exercise and as one discards unused pieces, pieces which no longer fit you or your lifestyle, one realises that less is indeed more. Those unworn or hardly worn items can benefit someone in need instead of taking up unnecessary space. The important thing to note when spring cleaning is to be mindful of impulse purchases which remain unworn. 

The following are some of the important tips I impart to clients when consulting on their wardrobes:

1. If you haven’t worn it in more than a year - donate if still wearable, or sell it if its relatively new or a designer item. Many platforms support second hand clothes sales.
2. Take note of  the unworn clothes with tags- are they similar kind of pieces or colours which you really like but doesn’t fit your personal style?
3. Be aware of your personal style and lifestyle, you don’t necessarily have to have everything that is trendy or high fashion. Incorporate only those trends which will fit with your lifestyle.
4. Make a list of your most frequently worn items, these are usually work clothes. Ensure that these pieces are of a high quality (to weather frequent laundering) and have more than one of the basic pieces. 
5. When purchasing high quality (which usually means expensive) basic pieces ensure that you’ll be able to pair it in a number of ways with a few different co-ordinates. This will ensure that the piece you’ve invested it was worth the money spent.

Having said that, today’s OOTD features a black batwing tunic from Few and Far Collections, paired with a ZARA tailored slim fit leggings with a trouser finish. These two pieces, are basic investment pieces as I will be able to style them both in various ways, with different co-ordinates. The black tunic can also be worn belted loosely as a dress with fitted leggings and flat sandals for a laid back look. This outfit is for evening wear, however the structured leggings can be worn with sneakers, t-shirt and kimono for a realxed casual look.

If you need some assistance with a wardrobe consult/declutter or styling, feel free to drop me a line, or make contact with me via one of my social media channels.

Remember: 

“Fashion is what you buy.

Style is what you do with it.”

Outfit details:

Tunic with gold embellishment from Few and Far Collection SA (shop here)

ZARA legging

Schutz heels from Stylemology (old)

Woolworths Necklace

Country Road Ring

Scarf from Bespoke Hijabi (now House of Bespoke by WH)

Accessorize pony hair clutch

Caio for now, 

RuBe xoxo

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Bespoke by WH OOTD

 Happy Friday readers!

I trust everyone had a wonderful week, and to those who took time off during the school holidays, I hope you found the time for some R&R. The weather has been lovely, and my lighter layers and colours are front in the closet again. Last weekend I participated as a stylist in a pop up store hosted by House of Bespoke by WH and had such fun spending time with some amazing, strong women. Waseefa is truly an inspiration, with her bubbly personality and great business sense. She has a keen eye for detail, prides herself on quality and which is apparent when one meets her in person. She exudes grace and carries herself with quiet elegance. 

We first met via the blogging platform about a year or so ago, and even though she resides in Johannesburg, it’s a special friendship that has blossomed; and when we see each other it feels like we’re just resuming a conversation. Another special soul, Fatima, from Few and Far Collections, also exhibited at the pop up store and we took the opportunity to catch up in between shoppers. Since meeting Fatima, a few months ago, we have forged a friendship which is easy and comfortable. Every time we get together we discover a little more we have in common, a little more that strengthens the bonds of friendship. 

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I have been on a journey, which has been internally focused for a while now. It has brought peace, a sense of direction and healing to my life, but along with that I  have inadvertently found myself surround by strong, selfless and inspiring women. There’s an underlying kinship that has sprung up, without much having to be said and even less needing to be done. I am so grateful to have found these gems, these kindred spirits and that our paths have crossed at just the right time.

The aim of the pop up store was to showcase and introduce Waseefa’s collection to Cape Town, and I am really impressed; I cannot wait for these pieces to be readily available in our city. The latest collection is on trend with strong a seventies, bohemian feel. Her pieces sport fringe, suede fabrics and shift dresses which are beautiful and modest. Check out the latest collection here and they’re also available at The Space in Rosebank.

Her Parisian Winter collection was on sale as well, and I grabbed this beautiful burgundy pencil skirt in the most luxurious fabric. I paired it with a textured crop (since its a high waisted skirt, the crop worked perfectly) and my Witchery First Edition cape. I added some sneakers for an everyday casual look, which the soft drapes of the cape just reinforces. This look demonstrates how one can dress a pencil skirt down for every day; add a pair of heels, a blazer and shirt and it’s ready for the office.

Outfit:

Witchery First Edition Cape

Spree Embossed crop top (shop here - now on SALE!)

House of Bespoke by WH pencil skirt

Stan Smith Adidas sneakers

Scarf old

Vogue sunglasses from Sunglass Hut (shop similar here)

Necklace old

Swarovski bracelet from Spilhaus (shop here)

Warehouse Sling bag from Asos (old) (shop similar here)

Caio for now, 

RuBe xoxo

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The Asymmetrical Sleeveless Coat

Welcome Readers, 

It's amazing how quickly life returns to its crazy schedule; with late nights every day this week in school meetings, soccer practices and so forth; we only finish our sit down family dinner after 8:30pm! Our evening meal is the one where we connect with each other, talk about the highs and lows of the day and anything else one of us wants to share. It's a long wait to eat at 7:30ish, and even though some members can eat whilst others are busy, nobody really wants to eat by themselves. So we do the communal meal every night. It has become such an important part of our day as a family and helps keep that special family bond active. 

With things being as insane as they are, I have not had the chance to share my discovery of a new boutique, Few and Far Collections, a online boutique which specialises in fashionable modest wear. It caters for a "Woman of Substance" ie "one of substantial or solid character or quality." Now, for anyone following the European Hijabis, this store stocks those classic pieces that can be dressed up or down and is frequently styled by the likes of the popular Hijabi Instagrammers and bloggers. The collections include some really conservative pieces, and since I'm not generally conservative in my style, I embrace the challenge to add that edge to a classic piece. In today's look I am wearing the Sleeveless Asymmetrical Coat, paired with full denim and cheeky heels. 

The quality of the pieces are impeccable, and the pricing is reasonable, especially if one considers the fact that they won't date easily. And anyone who has been reading my blog for a while will know that I advocate buying quality classic pieces (investment items) more commonly known as smart shopping. It means buying less, buying good quality and versatile pieces. Feel free to check out Few and Far collections, and you can even visit the showroom if you'd prefer to fit the item first. This may be advisable as their sizes are European based and therefore don't conform to our standard sizing. 

Happy shopping and don't forget to checkout the website here. The site is updated constantly with new stock, so keep an eye on it!

My outfit:

Few and Far collections sleeveless coat

MrP denim shirt

Guess skinny jeans

Dune London heels

Scarf purchased abroad

Tiffany & Co earrings purchased abroad

Accessorize slingbag

Various bracelets

Caio for now, 

RuBe xoxo

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