Bodacious Beehive

We recently attended a masked ball as a charity fund raiser. I donned my mums royal blue, bead encrusted ball gown that she owned in the 70's. It has massive, intruding shoulder pads, and was originally long. I had it tailored to be a little more abbreviated. I 'beehived' my hair (is that a verb?)- it took hours. Jamie hid a wrapped up rolo in between the hairspray and the teased nest, and ate it around midnight.

A Silky Affair

Every now and then, I come across a wardrobe must have staple that I know will last me a lifetime. Last weekend I found this 100% silk billowing blouse, in a creamy off-white from Country Road. I paired it for a day in the office with a bright green pleated skirt that my mum owned in her 20's. I chose to do the buttons all the way to the top- a director at the office told me I looked virginal. The blouse is almost sheer and needed a tank top underneath.

Neighbourgoods market

I strutted my stuff in downtown Braamfontein, with Jozi's most elite hipster and hunks. Neighbourgoods Market is the newest trend to hit Johannesburg and is an eclectic mix of food and alcohol, with a dash of clothing. It is the perfect mix of Saturday-afternoon-cool and organic must-haves. I gawked at girls in taffeta and tulle, and boys who had paired skinny jeans with abbreviated jackets. Milan, Tokyo, New York, London, Paris... step aside, Jozi streets is quite quickly moving towards the centre of the global style spotlight.  We ate burgers, tempura prawns and chicken with satay sauce. We drank pimms and lemonade on the rooftop, looking over the inner city streets. 

His Excellence, Elie

For a while I have had a mild obsession with Elie Saab, and his ornate and intricate designs. For me, this Lebanese fashion designer captures the essence of any woman's true beauty. I also love the story of his unique upbringing in Lebanon, and the story of his label launch at 18 in Beirut. He became an overnight success after he was the first Lebanese designer to dress an Oscar winner, Halle Berry, in 2002.

Delicately, he combines beads, tulle, lace and sequins, resulting in the most beautiful haute couture outfits. Lately, I have noticed an increasing number of celebrities who have adorned his look on the red carpet. All of them look exquisite. At the 2012 Oscars, Milla Jojovich and Bérénice Bejo both wore Elie Saab dresses from his recent collections. (Bérénice 2012, Milla 2009.) Both ladies looked idyllic, enmeshed in web of beads and lace.

Milla Jojovich and Bérénice Bejo , Oscars 2012

Elies Spring Summer 2012 collection is breathtaking. He inspires me to work hard so that I too can one day own one of these jewels. These are some of my favourites from the recent collection, courtesy of Elie Saab Ready to Wear. Heres to wishing.