Rarely Worn Sale Starts Today - See You There

I am heading down to Woodstock at the end of the working day today, to do a bit of shopping. OK, so the fact that I am picking up my new car this morning somewhat indicates that I should probably be saving a few of my pennies for car repayments rather than dropping them on shoes or beaded tops, but let's just play that one by ear, shall we? You guys coming? See you there. Map below.

Behind the Scenes at London Fashion Week 2011

As you all know, I headed out to London last week to shoot some editorial for O Magazine, and was lucky enough to get behind the scenes at London Fashion Week, and attend some of the shows. I will post loads of pics this week, but first, here is the team at the registration at Somerset House, where the base tents were situated.

Sylvie from L'Oreal Paris was our make-up artist and thanks must go to L'Oreal Paris for the sponsorship. Anthony Friend was the photographer (although obvs these snappy snaps were just by me) and Alex, now based in London, was the first assistant stylist. Sylvie and Alex are, of course, blog favourites.

We must also thank MasterCard for trip sponsorship. Shopping photos to come soon.

Shopping With Alex: Silk Shirts

I can't believe it has been seven weeks since I left lovely Cape Town for freezing London! Since then, when the weather allows, I have been on the look out for a great silk shirt. A current fashion favourite and perfect for all seasons, a silk shirt should be a staple in our 2011 wardrobes.
First some background on why these garments are currently such hot property: The very glamorous label Equipment launched in 1975, and introduced men's shirts into women's wardrobes the world over. Inspired by stylish women like Katherine Hepburn and Lauren Bacall, Christian Restoin's shirting label was an instant hit with the fashion elite. Equipment has now been relaunched this year by Serge Azria, Creative Director of Current/Elliott, and the iconic Equipment silk shirts have become a classic piece.
As my current budget doesn't allow me to get an Equipment one, I was determined to find another option. So here are my best picks from the London high street:
 1. Reiss - this is a gorgeous silk shirt and my favourite. It is also available in a lovely soft grey and I really like the detail on the shoulder - a great point of difference.
2. Massimo Dutti - this is the best value for money. It has lovely detail, great fabric and also available in a fashionable orange/mustard colour.
3. Topshop - this is a great affordable high street option. A looser fit, classic colour and great for the office or for the weekend.
4. Whistles - this one is beautiful and similiar design to the Equipment shirt. The fabric is very luxurious and is also available in camel, khaki, and burnt orange. Perfect.
Happy shopping for something similar in CT and I hope you are all enjoying the Xmas season.
Warm regards from London!
Alex xx

Shopping With Alex in London - Leather Skirts

We have all been drooling over the maxi leather skirts we have been seeing recently. So we sent Alex looking - about a year ago. Seriously. She says:
I have been on the look out for the perfect black leather skirt for the last 12months. I didn't mind if it was new, designer or vintage so I was on the hunt for my perfect leather skirt all over Cape Town - but I couldn't find the one for me. Then recently our mate Alexa appeared online in a gorgeous Topshop a-line simple black leather skirt, I was in lust and had to have it! Sadly I was disappointed to find that Topshop in London and Dubai had already sold out from the 2 deliveries they had received and the lovely young lady at the information desk kindly informed me that if I could get my hands on one to get her one too. So, as any experienced shopper does my next step was to go online.....once again my size was sold out and so I decided it was not meant to be.
However, my mission was not accomplished I was still on the look out for the perfect leather skirt and fortunately it is a fashion favourite item at the moment. So my lovely shoppers, here are the best picks of the high street here in London:


1. Topshop leather gathered skirt - this a great modern leather skirt. Topshop currently has a great range of leather pieces. A great alternative to a classic style, suitable length for day or night and good quality leather for the price - look online now!
2. Urban Outfitters vintage leather skirt - this is a gorgeous vintage leather skirt and is a great on-trend length option. Good quality leather with great detail.
3. GAP leather skirt - this is absolutely divine! The loveliest quality of leather, great design and fits beautifully. Tried, tested.....and will soon be owned by 'Shop with Alex', this is quite expensive option for a high street store but is an investment piece that you would never regret. Looking forward to unwrapping this on Xmas day!
Sp get your friends or family or My London Shopper going and get yourself a leather skirt asap!

South African Designer Sale

Some of the garments from my very favourite South African designers will be on SALE this weekend. I am talking designers like August, Christopher Strong and Suzaan Heyns, amongst others. Putting the awe into some (thanks for that @brautseth)
Have a browse and plot your shopping course by going to the Africhic website over the next few days to see what will be available.
You can RSVP your attendance by getting hold of the folks at Africhic.
For those not based in Cape Town, sorry for you. Nah, I'm kidding. Obviously it is all available online for purchase. And I know that there is a super-awesome local designer Pulchritude sale on this weekend in Jozi, so hopefully Missmillib will drop the deets into the comments for us.

Velvet by Graham & Spencer Now on Promotion at Purr

If I roll back the clock three years when I was still living in London and the weather was freezing, I would seek refuge in places like Harvey Nicks, where I would browse for hours, forgetting about the cold and only emerging when it was pitch dark out thereby justifying getting a taxi home, rather than the damp and steaming tube.
Anyhoo, it was round about that time when I became conscious of a new brand called Graham & Spencer and fell in love. With the delicious easy yet luxe fabrics. With the trend-heavy angle that was unique and simple and clean.
I never had time to save up for anything before I arrived on the sunny shores of South Africa, but soon became aware that G&S had launched a diffusion line, more casual and basic, called Velvet. All Southern Californian easy style, perfect for living by a beach - or just taking a holiday to one.
The delightfully small but perfectly formed store Purr, based at the Lifestyle Centre in Kloof Street, CT stocks Velvet pieces and have recently taken delivery of their famous ‘day-to-night’ dresses. In celebration of Velvet’s arrival, they are offering a complimentary Velvet tee to clients who purchase a Velvet dress while stocks last. Get there now!

Shopping With Alex: Lace in London

To prepare for my first post from London, I decided to take a look at street style to get a feel for what trends were happening here. Of course as we expected, there is a lot of shearling - coats, jackets, waistcoats, boots! Boots are as popular as ever with a range of styles: biker, desert, riding, high heel ankle - mostly all in black suede. Utility/khaki and camel are still consistent across the majority of collections and in all stores.
I visited Topshop on Oxford Street the day after Kate Moss's collection launch. I was happy to see the variety of pieces but was disappointed with the fabrication and the quality. It was also the first jewellery collection for Kate. The collection is fun costume jewellery pieces but not sure if I could justify £30-35 (R335-R390) for this type of quality.
I also noticed that people are still wearing a lot of lace - in black and light pink/champagne colours - by all ages of women and I decided to hit the high street stores to see what was available. So here is my selection of lace and lace inspired pieces:
1. Lace dress by Meadham Kirchhoff for Topshop - this would look great with black opaque stockings and a pair of patent mary-jane heels.
2. Lace jacket by Kate Moss for Topshop - this piece could be worn during the day with jeans or a great option to wear in the evening with a cocktail dress. As this is Kate's last official collection for Topshop it is timeless investment piece!
3. Lace jacket at H&M - For a high street store, H&M had a fantastic range of lace pieces all available in black or champagne.
4. Lace top at H&M - this one caught my eye due to the style of lace and that it is a midriff style for the younger ladies.
5. Lace style shirt at Urban Outfitters - 'Tried and tested' this is a great shirt that could be worn all year round. It is also available in maroon and navy.
6. Lace skirt at Urban Outfitters - fits with the ladylike trend and a good quality fabric for work or play.

Shopping With Alex: Why I Heart Witchery

By now most of you will know that Australia's most enduring, trustworthy and loved retailers, WITCHERY, will be coming to South Africa. Operating out of a concession in Stuttafords, this brand has almost 20 years in the industry, and will be launched tomorrow. I know that Robyn will be at the launch, but as an Aussie, I wanted to tell you about why I love this brand.
WITCHERY initially started as a women's stand alone retailer but has since evolved and has an online store, a men's range and more recently, also a kids' range. It has over 100+ stores in Australia, an additional outlets in New Zealand and more recently Singapore. I believe it is quality and great fabrics that have given WITCHERY a reputation for offering their customers potential investment pieces. In particular, I have found WITCHERY's leather accessories to offer longevity in terms of durability and timeless appeal. I own leather handbags and belts that I have had for over 8 years.
From my early teens, I looked forward to choosing pieces for my wardrobe each season or as part of my birthday or Christmas gifts. It was part of our tradition. This continued into my 20s when I had started working and I enjoyed the on-trend pieces as well as the wardrobe classics that I could then work for the office. As an Australian living overseas for the past five years, I have looked forward to receiving the regular 'WITCHERY newsletters' and having the opportunity to purchase items online.
Witchery has continued to keep true to their philosophy 'smart simple style' and I have no doubt that this brand will make a welcomed impact into the current South African retail market.
I hope you all enjoy it.
Love from
Alex xx

Weekend Shopping - Special Sales for You

This is a selection of the pop-up sales and markets that are taking place this weekend. I really think that everyone should try at least one of these. That way we can play our small, and affordable part in growing our local fashion and design industry and continue to drive the creativity of our fashion entrepreneurs. Think of this type of shopping as a social responsibility.
Have a great fashion weekend all!

Shopping With Alex: Letters from Dubai and Fendi Peekaboo Bags

Hi from Dubai! I am en route to London, where I will be living for the next while - and acting as your London shopping correspondent - so I decided that I would like to send something a little special. And here she is...the Fendi Peekaboo.
Here in the UAE the most popular accessory is a piece of luxury arm candy. Therefore, every couture house has to have the latest stock ready and available.
As we glided from Chanel, Dior, Hermes, Burberry to Salvatore Ferragamo in Fashion Avenue in the Dubai Mall, we made our last stop Fendi. The first items to catch my eye was the latest collection hanging on the rails - all beautiful colours and luxurious fabrics. The sales assistant appreciated my excitement, so when I asked if I could take a picture she sweetly answered 'let me go and get you something special to shoot'. She then appeared moments later with the store example of the Fendi Peekaboo. Gasp!
The Fendi Peekaboo is made to order in 2 sizes and a selection of colours and leathers. The smaller one retails for 10,690 DHS (R21,000 approximately) and 11,872 DHS (R24,000 approximately). Each bag takes at least 24 hours to make (8 hours per day for 3 days) by one allocated person. And Celine Dion already has 14 Peekaboo bags in different colours!
Much love from Dubai
A
xx

Shopping With Alex: The Return of the Veldskoen

So, recently we have seen the return of the traditional South African veldskoen boot as a trend in fashion, first overseas (as a 'desert boot') and now locally. I noticed whilst out and about that the retailers are doing their own version of this boot for women.
I think this can be a great look leading into summer worn with dresses, shorts and denim with laces loosely tied to show off the calves/ankles.
These are my picks of what is available in store right now:
1. Mr Price: I think this is a great option for the colour (which is very fashionable at the moment), shape and the price.....R120!
2. ZOOM: I think that this is a gorgeous little boot! Lovely soft leather and in 2 very wearbale colours. This is actually my favourite and I think this one would look particularly good with dresses, rompers and shorts, as it is a more lightweight and feminine option. This retails for R799.
Have fun
Alex xx
PS: For any overseas readers, I also know that Clarks produce a similiar boot to the Mr Price option.

Shopping With Alex: Utility Cover-Ups

Whilst out and about this week I noticed that the utility trend has continued into the summer collections. These jackets can be work causually with breton stripes and touches of red in your accessories. They can also be belted on the waist to enhance your shape and give it a more structured look i.e. worn over a dress or with trousers for the office. The shirts can be worn as a 'shirt' or they can also be worn open as a light jacket i.e. over the top of a romper or with shorts and a vest, which is a great fresh look for this season.
So here are some of the great utility shirts and jackets/parkas I have found in store right now.
1. The first Country Road utility jacket is a structured and smart option, which is great for a more mature approach to wearing this trend, or for the office. The fabric is beautiful and it fits like a glove - I know I tried it on! But it is pricey, retailing for R1,299.
2. The Woolworths utility parka is a more casual option due to the fabric and the length. The fabric is feathery and I love the detail in the sholders. Tried and tested, again, this is very comfortable and lightweight. This retails for only R250.
3. The other Country Road utility parka is a great casual option. The fabric is good quality and the colour will go with loads in your wardrobe, so easy to add to what you already have. This one retails for R799.
4. The Mango classic utility shirt has great pockets and is a cool shade of olive green. It is lovely fabric and retails for R450.
5. The Trenery utility shirt shows the 'softer' option of a utility shirt and a different colour option. Good choice for lighter fabric and retails for R499.
Till next time, happy shopping!
Alex xx

Shopping With Alex - Striped Maxi Dresses

This summer, one of the easiest looks for work or play is the striped maxi dress. Paired with some wedges and a short-sleeve cardigan for the office, or with gladiators or flip flops, possibly layered with a vest, for the weekend - this is a look that is easy to wear, easy to wash and easy to make look stylish.

1. The best one we found was this monochromatic stripe from Trenery. Priced at R799, it is a bit expensive but the quality will ensure it lasts all season.

2. For those of you who prefer a sleeve, Paige Smith at PURR in Kloof Street Centre is a great option. It is also a more classic navy & white stripe fabric, and retails at a very affordable R570.

3. And finally the bandeau version at Country Road could be worn as a skirt or a dress so you get full value for money. The fabric is high quality and it is a classic breton stripe - all for R349.

Shopping With Alex - Shorts for All

As we all know, shorts are on trend for this summer. Day time, night time, knee length, short shorts, different fabrics the list goes on... And yet, it is the most often heard complaint, "but I am too old/fat/pale/scarred to wear shorts."
At StyleGuideCT we all say 'rubbish' - there are definitely shorts for everyone, you just have to pick the right ones for you.
So we sent Alex out to the stores to see what she could find for people who are looking to include the essential khaki shorts in their wardrobes this summer:
1. The top pair from Country Road at Woolworths have great fabric and length and are an affordable price of R349. They are available in navy, charcoal and black if you are looking for more.
2. Studio.w at Woolworths are R225 and great value for money. "Tried and tested" these are a fantastic fit and comfortable. Only available in this colour right now but keep an eye out as they are sure to come in black later in the season.
3. These ones at Mango are a great pair of knee length shorts, available in this colour, navy and black for R250.
4. These locally designed Alexandra Hojer pair are a much shorter version but we couldnt resist including them. They are also available in black and a denim stripe (dark denim wash with white pin stripe) at R650 each.

Let's All Go Shopping for David West!

So last Saturday I was stuck in Jozi with the whole fashion week thing and was unable to attend the opening of the lovely and talented Davod West's new store. I sent him my best wishes, but obviously I had to get someone down there to represent for StyleGuideCT. Alex did the honours.
Situated at 113 Long Street, in the new fashion enclave at the intersection with Church Street, this store is a joint venture between David and (new to CT) interesting interiors folks Dokter and Misses.
Alex says, "The renovation of the premises is great with polished cement floors and a fresh white coat of paint. The shop layout is clean, minimalist and with plenty of natural light. The combination of David's collection and the Dokter and Misses furniture/interiors compliment each other and the layout of the shop flows well."
All good then.
But really it is the incredible designs of David West that make this a special-effort type of destination. So worth while that every fashionista, fashion student and fashion follower should get themselves along to see what it is all about.

Weekend Shopping Guide

This weekend is a good one for shopping up a storm. First of all, the new Poetry Lifestyle store is opening at the V&A Waterfront. Located next to Trenery on the upper level (or millionaire's mile as we like to call it), it is sure to make shopping for your summer wardrobe a lot easier. It is opening day on Saturday, so I bet you get some discounts too!
Then if you like your fashion a bit more fair trade, get yourselves along to the new Saturday Wellness Natural and Organic market at Jan van Riebeeck Primary School off Kloof St.

Shop With Alex - The Lace Up Shoe

One of the hottest shoes for this summer is the lace-up. Different from the brogues, this one is a strappy sandal with lacing up the front and often (but not always) a low heel. Comfortable, trendy and widely available - everyone is going to be wearing these this summer. I have already got three pairs!
I sent Alex out to find the best of the rest just for you...
My number one pick is the top one which is from Woolworths and costs a mere R299. I have them in gold, but they are also available in natural tan and charcoal. Bargain!
The second from the top are from Aldo. Available in a light tan and black, these retail for a rather more hefty R899.
The Luella option is a bit different, with a sling back, a wooden heel and some studding, you get two trends for the price of one here. The clog-lace up is also priced at R999 so is on the upper end of the scale but is all natural materials.
And finally, Zoom is offering the bottom option for a reasonable R549 and it is great for those wanting a little extra height in their lace-up.
I hope you enjoy your shopping!

This week the trend we are looking at acquiring is woven bags. Timeless, stylish and suddenly a hit again this summer, we sent Alex out to check what is available in stores.
Of course the object of total and utter desire is the Bottega Veneta tote. Sighhhh. Only R29,800. We have loved this for so long, we thought we would also show you the smaller (ever so slightly more affordable at R13,900) clutch as well. Both are available from Apsley and Apsley 2.
What was a bit of a surprise was the wonderful quality of the Dragon tote from Callaghan Collezionie. For only R5,495 it is almost identical to the Bottega Veneta version and just as delicious.
We loved the lighter version that we saw at Kluk CGDT as it was so summery and could just as easliy be appropriate for the beach and for the office. At R4,695 it is a lovely investment piece that will last.
And finally there is a gorgeous clutch from Jo Borkett that is an easy entry point to the trend. At R1,290 it is available in two shades and perfect for the party season coming up soon.

For those of you who don't already know, the Texas Tuxedo aka denim on denim, is back with a vengance this summer season. Throwing a lightweight denim shirt over your white tank and shorts is a perfect relaxed style. As is tucking it into your skinny jeans. If, like me, you are less than happy with this idea, a tunic style denim shirt is a great alternative and it provides a tiny bit more coverage.
Alex has been out and about again on our behalf, digging up the best options. Here are the three best:
The top option is a Ronald Sasson shirt from Sissy Boy - this is a great shirt as the denim is good quality and the wash is classic. Sissy Boy had another softer denim shirt available and they also told us that there is a bleached wash denim shirt coming in to store over the next few days. This one retails for R699.
Country Road has some great options. Their ladies tunic style is coming in shortly, but in the mean while this is actually a men's denim shirt - but in a style that women could also wear. This retails for R599.
The Mango denim shirt is more of a tunic style. It could be tucked in with high waisted shorts or trousers or worn as a tunic over leggings or white skinny jeans for summer. This retails for R549.95.
Hopefully this gives you all the information you need to get a great denim shirt for the season. Have fun.