So, Lark, I Want A Dog

I honestly thought my obsession with Yorkshire Terriers had died down until recently. I suddenly (well, maybe not so suddenly) have this obsession for a female Yorkie all over again. Yorkies are honestly thee cutest creatures on earth. I want a female one in June, or maybe I should wait until winter is over? Mmmm decision, decisions! I already have a name for my Yorkie, her name will be Princess Oreo. 

Such cuteness, I die!!

I've been doing some reading up and they say because of how cute they are, Yorkies normally get away with anything. So one is advised to be a Yorkie mom with stern leadership skills and make sure the Yorkie doesn't take over the house. They are also extremely active animals that can easily get super spoiled. One is advised to do a weekly 'hair' brushing, walk them daily and give them attention. I can manage that! What I love about them is the they are one of thee most loyal creations of God but they do tend to become overprotective. Yorkies are also very sweet and loving. I sooo cannot wait for mine.

                                                           Ncooo...

I did a little online window shopping to sort of mentally prepare myself for all the things I will need. I am talking puppie bags, toys, sleeping bin bag, food, hair brushes, ribbons etc.

Good times lie ahead for me and my Yorkie!

How awesome is this puppy bag?

Do you know anyone who has a Yorkie? I'd love to hear from people who have them, are you coping? Are you enjoying the experience?

I Committed A Fashion Crime, I Missed Fashion Week

SA Fashion Week was between the 11th and 15 of April. This time the designers were showcasing the Spring/Summer 2013 Collections, it is always an entire two seasons ahead. During that time I was in Swaziland, I had taken a sabbatical month to help me heal from being extremely heartbroken (story for another day, another platform). Albeit, I committed a fashion crime, I missed fashion week *hangs head in shame*. 

I started attending fashion week in 2011 when I started taking this blog seriously. Its so cool to attend when you have the media pass and all that, you go from one fashion show to another. Sometimes you find that one show is in the North somewhere and the next show is downtown. It is the most exhilarating yet tiring week in any fashionista's schedule. Then comes the "what should I wear today" question with all of these days, throughout the week. There is something about seeing designer's collections on the runway that makes your own wardrobe look like trash bin.

While going through the SA Fashion Week Official Website, there were a few collections that stood out for me. My pride and joy comes from seeing young designers who were at Fastrack a few years ago now showing with the big, more well established designers. Halala to them!!! Fastrack is a fashion day for mostly graduate designers (mostly from Lisof) to break into the market. A few years ago AFI had partnered with Foschini group to enable these new designers to have a platform to showcase their designs.


Here are some items from the collections that really impressed me. I think at the moment South Africa is the place to be for fashion, we live in thee most exciting times!\

Black Coffee

Loxion Kulca

Stoned Cherrie (the use of colour here is amazeballz)

Gert-Johan Coetzee (Side note: Poppy has a hot bod!)

Jacquelin Munsami

Joel  Janse Van Vuuren

Suzaan Heyns (The creativity

 here is to die for!)

So ladies, it looks like the sheer look is here to stay. Black and white is very much in vogue and a pop of color here and there never hurt anyone!

Help! My Work Wardrobe Needs An Intervention

This week, one found herself in a position where things were happening too fast. Have you ever been in one of those situations where you just need a day to rest and assess the situation? I know this is all vague but I have a point, hear me out. I recently started this new and amazing job that is everything I have been longing for, for the past year and I thank God for it every single minute!

Only a few people know that I had a year off the corporate world. In that year I established my own business, finished my Master's Degree, did everything that made me happy and even did a bit of modelling. It was fun and all that but I am a grown ass woman, I have bills to pay and corporate ladders to climb thus I find myself here.

The first thing I noticed about being here is that the wardrobe requirements (though not communicated) state that I dress in business suits and look like a woman who means serious business all the time. Now this is a challenge for me given the fact that I gave away my entire work wardrobe (I know I can be crazy at times, don't judge ha ha ha) and I am only left with a wardrobe that is "weekend appropriate". A "weekend appropriate" wardrobe comprises of short skirts, short dresses, denim of all colors and makes, shirts, thigh-high boots, colorful shoes, bright lipstick....you get where I am going with this right?

My current wardrobe, which just won't cut it in this corporate world.

So, I have made a mental note of all the items I need to make up my appropriate corporate wardrobe. This may or may not help you but I figure from the Twitter re-tweets I have been getting, a lot of us need this.

*The Black Suit
This can be in the form of a pants suit or a skirt suit. Black is a good color because it will give you options to wear it with many other different items.

If you get the skirt suit, make sure the skirt is a pencil skirt.

*The Formal Shirt

A good fitting, good quality shirt is like a gift from the shirt-gods. Why are good shirts so hard to find? Well, if you do find one that does not cost an arm and a leg, buy it and buy it in all colors available!

*The Formal Dress(s)

Get the dress in dark colors and make sure the design is suitable for work.

*The Dark Pencil Heel

Pencil heels are good for work and they will ensure you always look good and presentable and that you don't abuse your really nice shoes (I mean the fancy ones) by wearing them at work.

The million dollar question that proceeds from this marvelous list of clothing items is, which bank am I robbing?

Side Note: Dear Universe, on the picture below is MY work wardrobe. Lets make it happen, please and thank you.

This is *ALL* I want.

The Kokonut Stylist Returns

Wow, in the past few months (and by few I mean over 8 months) one has lived an entire lifetime. Sooo much has happened and sooo much has changed within me that I am finally where I am grateful for discovering just how strong and amazing a woman I am. I know a lot of people would email me to ask me to blog again, people would tweet me telling me how much they missed my blog. Worry not dear friends, my battles are all over now and I am looking forward to blogging everyday, except maybe on weekends.

For the past three weeks I was in Swaziland, I needed to heal from a lot of things mostly from heartache. If I was a trust fund baby I would have gone on a 'soul searching' trip around the world ala Eat, Pray, Love but I got from being home what I would have gotten from that trip, I think. 

One of the wonderful things that happened while I was in Swaziland is that I got an a-m-a-z-i-n-g feature on The Weekend Observer, the highlight was that I got a snippet on a cover page that had King Mswati III on it *dies*. Trust me to make a big deal out of any and every thing but this was a big deal we all agree right, LOL! Good.

"Meet The Eccentric Koko" Weekend Observer Entertainment Feature

I had a lovely interview with Phumla Dlamini and our love for fashion immediately connected us. Phumla and myself spoke about my love for fashion, blogging, the opportunities that my blog has opened for me, my future plans, my achievements and all that. The article was so well written it made me realize that "hey, I have worked hard and made something with my life". If there was ever any justification, motivation or pat-on-the-back that I ever needed, that article gave me that. I was grateful to see myself through the eyes of another person's interview with me.

 I live, eat, breathe and exude fashion! No truerer words have been spoken.

In the next few months (I am hoping by end of June) we will have a proper The Kokonut Stylist website (www.thekokonutstylist.com). I plan to use the website for an online shoetique, an online accessories store, The Kokonut Stylist TV (always pushing boundaries aren't we) and the blog will move to that site so that it can be a very interactive website. I submit my plans to the universe, I know that if I put in the hard work needed, God will make sure all my dreams come to pass.

To you I want to say that, often times it is so easy to put our dreams aside and do "what we have to" and just find ourselves living life nje  from one day to another. Do not fall into that trap, we all have dreams and things we hope for in this life, go for it, go for gold and you will see the quality of your living improve.

From my heart to yours, I wish you (and myself included) nothing short of only the best that your life can offer.

Big Fashion Trends For 2013

Hi guys, I'm back!! I'm so sorry for not blogging for such a long time. I hope you are enjoying what 2013 has had to offer to you thus far. On this blog, I bring you some of 2013's big fashion trends; in my humble stylist opinion and according to the inter-webs.


1.Bright Printed Skirts
I like how this fashion is moving back to the 50s fashion era. Get yourself a bright printed, almost foam fitting or free flowing skirt and you won't go wrong.

2. Black and White

Notice how everyone is rocking black and white of late? Well, that's because black and white (worn as a combo) is a big fashion hit for 2013.

3. Suits

Be it a shorts or long pants kinda suit, just suit it up and you will be on to something good. PS: Stay away, I repeat, stay away from the Dr. Malinga type of suits LOL!

4. Scarf Print

I know this was one of 2012's biggest fashion trends but it is still very much in vogue. Get yourself, ANYTHING with a scarf print.

5.Graphic Geometric Prints & Stripes

There's nothing more fascinating and fashion forward than bold geometric prints or stripes,  this is my personal favorite trend.

6. Peekaboo Pieces

I remember seeing the very first peekaboo piece in 2011 and thinking, what the fudge? I may have warmed up to them now and find them fascinating if done right.

7. Camouflage/Army Inspired Pieces

Yet another big 2012 trend which will be even bigger this year. The trick is to not look like you belong to the defense force, one subtle item here and there does the trick.

4

There you go. The most important thing to remember though is that style is VERY personal, there is no "style manual".

Meet Kwena Baloyi

A few weeks ago, I received what one could deem a sought-after invite to the 46664 Fashion (Four Double Six Six Four Fashion) Autum/Winter '13 apparel preview, their goodies bags are always awesome, ha ha ha. I will blog about how amazing that event was but for now I want to introduce you to an amazing fashion person. Her name is Kwena Baloi and she is the Drum Magazine Assistant Fashion Editor.

Kwena's outfit at the 46664 Fashion Preview. I love it, its creative to say the least!

When I saw Kwena, I was chatting to the female designer for 46664 Fashion, Barbara and I said to Barbara, that lady is a fashion blogger only to find out she's an assistant fashion editor. You see, I can spot fashion blood from afar LOL.

The one thing I took from meeting Kwena was how fondly she speaks of her job (who wouldn't? Imagine being an assistant fashion editor for DRUM !) and how its so exciting for her because Drum is a weekly publication so as a fashion assistant she has to oversee every fashion shoot and that keeps her on her toes.

I always love meeting such passionate fashion people. We also spoke briefly about our fashion plans and plans to each study fashion. We like Kwena. You can follow her on Twitter @kwena_Baloyi. Here's to new acquaintances and to wishing you all the best with your future Kwena *here here*!!

Its been ages

Hello everyone! Can you imagine the shock I just got from realizing that I last blogged in JULY?? Tjo *claps once*!! I owe everyone who likes and reads this blog an apology. I honestly do not have an excuse for not having blogged this whole time.

A lot of people have been BBM-ing, DM-ing, inboxing on our pgae on Facebook,  emailing, etc asking me to blog and my answer is always: "I'll blog more, I promise" and that actually never happens *hangs head in shame*. 

I have so much time in my hands, since I'm now a full time student (don't ask) and I'm gonna blog at least twice a day. I have a long list of blog posts to be done, dating back from July, imagine! I'm gonna work harder, one still has 2012 resolutions to tick off her list.

For now I just want to say that I love you guys and I appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you so much for liking The Kokonut Stylist, I remain forever indebted to you. 

*Sending you all my love*.