Angora hats from mom

My parents recently went on a little holiday down the coast and I was lucky enough to get a gift out of the trip.

Now I am sure most of you reading this are thinking what could you possibly get as a gift from the coast? A shell? A bikini? Or maybe even a bottle of sea water with sand at the bottom?

Nope, my mother dear got me a rather expensive and fabulous mottle grey soft angora beret.
Soft and luxurious to the touch and exquisite grey colours and shades compliment my fair skin rather nicely.

Silly me thought angora was a usual sheep or goat but this hat is from the Angora rabbit!
For a split second animal cruelty thoughts ran through my mind and I suddenly took it off my head...yikes!
But the reason these angora rabbit products are so unique is because they are gently hand pulled from the rabbit while he is still alive and it is the extra or shedding hairs that are used.
So I then did not feel too bad as he was going to lose the hairs anyway.

Interesting facts on my angora hat:

1) it needs to be stored in a ziploc bag in the freezer - fish moths LOVE these garments of clothing and will munch through one in a few days!

2) the more you wear the hat, the fluffier it gets and more valuable

3) no animals are harmed AT ALL in the making of this hat

4) it is surprisingly very warm ( I wore mine today with a pair of jeans, grape long sleeve tee and royal blue cardi...very complementary to the grey)

And I like the fact that this garment is 100% organic and natural...in a way I guess.

LaurenLeigh cc

Keep vintage

Awesome new ladies at the i heart market - KEEP.
I met them at the May market and they were wonderfully friendly and so excited as it was their first market.
I got a beautiful emerald green belt with stars embroidered on it...too vintage!
They have some lovely goodies at the market but they also sell things on their website - KEEP

I will be popping by next month too as these lovely ladies have some gems in stock.
Support a fellow Durbanite and check these ladies out...vintage heaven!

LaurenLeigh cc

Zara...mixed emotions

This evening I decided to pop into Zara in Gateway after work. After all, the hype around the opening of this store has been tremendous and is a huge first for Durban ( and South Africa).

Walking into the store I felt like I was shopping in a store for the first time. A new excitement for retail. I'm not sure if it was because of the hype surrounding this stores opening or if it was the clean smooth floors, vibey music, bright flashy lights and beautiful clothing which was grouped together and displayed perfectly. No crowding or having to search through untidy rails...everything had its place, display and purpose.

And amazing and tantalizing as all of this was, the prices put a massive depression onto my excited shopping experience. Now, this is purely my opinion and might be slightly bias because I work for a clothing supplier and know the value of clothing. And it may also be because I am a total shopaholic and like new things ALL the time, get tired of my things VERY quickly and change my style about 6 times a day! So if ,y entire wardrobe was Zara...my boyfriend may leave me very quickly!

But it is something to work hard towards. Save to go and buy that ZARA coat or pair of ZARA heels or ZARA chiffon pleated skirt. Spoil yourself.
And that is what its about...quality, style and status.

What are your opinions on ZARA in South Africa?

LaurenLeigh cc

Dorothy says: "There is no place like home"

Well Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz had red beautiful shiny shoes. Mine are not red. Or shiny but they beautiful all the same.

Again, I found another really Cool Concept. A second hand or vintage website called Closet Space.
They sell vintage or second hand clothing online but they work on an auction process.
So you bid a price and can either win the item or out bid someone else to claim the item as your own.

My little "Dorothy" Shoes are from Zoom. Tan and denim leather and in brilliant condition - practically brand new.
They arrived in the post after I paid for them ( only R120 including postage!!) and I love them.
I must admit though, they are definitely walk in and sit down shoes but there is nothing wrong with having a pair of those in your closet.

Have a look at Closet Space here.

LaurenLeigh cc

Vintage Love..or rather Vintage Lover

I stumbled across Janece from Vintage Lover's facebook page. I honestly do not remember how it happened or when but what I can tell you is now I am a TOTAL addict.

Vintage Lover is run by Janece Frick. She, as are many young trendsters nowadays including myself, have a love for vintage fashion.

She collects, finds, sources and buys vintage clothing, handbags and the odd accessories to retail them to her loyal fans via the Vintage Lover facebook page. And she has loads of loyal fans!

She works on a comment first and it is yours basis and has exceptional customer service.

And she lets you know when she will be posting new items on the page in advance.

This is my first parcel I recieved from Vintage Lover. Janece personally sourced me a pleated coral skirt. I didnt buy it off facebook. She went out of her way to find one for me.

I then found the most incredible little clutch bag and my parcel got packaged and sent via the SAPO.

I got an email with a tracking number, collected my parcel and what I got was a beautiful little present with a vintage postcard with a personalised note on the back and naartjie fizzer...one thing to look forward to with Vintage Lover's parcels.

Since this parcel I have recieved two others and I am looking forward to another one arriving next week so I will keep you posted.

Janece and her vintage love allows for a very affordable revamp of the closet, exciting present parcel arriving in the post and the BEST customer service I have got in a very long time.

Go and have a look see here and support a fellow fashion lover.

LaurenLeigh cc

African Fashion Week

So it has been African fashion week and the tweets, facebook statuses and fashion websites have been going crazy with who, what and how to wear it is hot and who is taking the lead.

I think its awesome and so important that Africa is included and have our own fashion week.

It makes me proud to be a South African.

Good luck to all those designers that worked their blood, sweat and tears into their designs and I hope everything worked out.

LaurenLeigh cc