GO FIGURE!

Recently when I was figuring out what to wear for a relaxed afternoon with my girlfriends, I found out that i couldn’t put together an outfit without a figure belt. Most of my outfits- especially those that include shirt dresses or long, flowy, floral tops- seemed drab and boring and the worst, normal, without a figure belt. So I have come to realise that the figure belt is a fashion must-have accessory.

I love how figure belts bring most outfits to life and the outfit look chic, modern and elegant. Others look funky and urban chic. That’s because figure belts liven up an garment and turn it from drab to fab. It also does wonders for the feminine figure as it cinches in the waist to create that elegantly alluring feminine form.

Figure belts can be found in all shapes and sizes, and they’re also a very affordable accessory. The torso is the figure belt’s playground as belts can be worn below the bust-line, around the natural waist or around the hips. Wide belts work wonders for the feminine form when worn around the smallest part of the torso, the natural waist. This emphasizes and slims this feminine zone while accentuating the curves. So this means that your perfect hour-glass body is created in an instant. Thick belts create a dramatic, waist-narrowing look since they brace the body in a corset-like fashion. And for dainty dresses, or even when you want to add a splash of colour or a dramatic metallic finish, a skinny belt is the perfect accessory. Skinny belts really show off a great outfit and most of the time, they are a finishing touch that bring an outfit to life. My all time favourite is the empire waist belt. These belts are worn just below the bust line. These belts really flatter the feminine figure and look great with any kind of dress. They really bring elegance and grace to a dress and accentuate the bosom as well as the bust line. The empire waist belt is great for livening up a daytime outfit as they create an individual touch to an outfit, and of course for the night time when looking to add a little feminine spice to your outfit.

A current trend that I’m totally in love with this season is the wide figure belt over a coat. This look is feminine, chic and has a mixture of funky, urban, elegance to it. Even if the coat comes with its own belt, you can swap it with a figure belt just to give it that individual touch and spark. Also, when you want to add a little elegance and individuality to your blazer, just add a figure belt. It looks great when wearing it to work or even on a night out on the town.

A figure belt is really an inexpensive accessory that makes an outfit look great. So if you are looking for a way to be a trendsetter while flattering and enhancing your beautiful feminine figure, go the figure belt way.

Images: Simon Deiner/ SDR Photo, African Fashion International, 2011 Joburg Fashion Week, Abigail Keats, Bongiwe Walaza, http://www.afi.sdr.co.za/.

The Timeless Modernity of Brogues

My absolute, absolute favourite pair of shoes at the moment is my black brogues. I fell in love with my brogues the moment I laid my eyes on them on the shoe shelf at a local clothing store. There’s something that’s very classic about brogues, very sophisticated with an added funky edge.
They’re also very comfortable and they’re most definitely not a fad, here today and gone tomorrow, but rather they are timeless shoes that easily fit into the trend of the day.

There was a time when brogues were for men only; that is working class men who endured hard labour, and later, the shoes struck a chord with the upper class men who wore the shoes for style when playing golf or attending classy day time functions. Brogues first started out in Scotland and Ireland in the
19th century, and soon after winning the hearts of British men, their popularity soon spread out to various countries. In that era, brogues were only designed in black and brown and could only have horizontal lacing. Now the world is a fashion oyster, where brogues in different colours and shapes and lacing are available.

I love the way brogues urge you to be creative with your style through mixing classics with new, edgy trends. They don’t go well with your normal jeans and a t-shirt, but if you add in a floral long top with skinny jeans, or wear them with a patterned dress or a patterned skirt with a tank top and a fedora hat to finish off the look, you’re good to go.

I’m absolutely crazy about the way brogues make me look and feel like a real city girl with an aura of professional, funky modernity. Being a city girl is all about being creative, being an individual and using clothes to express your personality and femininity. Brogues allow for that individual style to come through because they call out that creative edge to your personal style. Now, depending on how adventurous you are, you can go for the modern bright-coloured brogues or keep it classical with the traditional brown or black ones. Either way, you’ll still look great.

I do believe that any woman, regardless of the size and shape of her foot
(this after a heated discussion with one of my girlfriends that claim that brogues are shoes for girls with slender feet), can rock a neat pair of brogues and look good in them. It’s all about your personal interpretation of the shoe which translates into your personal style. So ladies, let us all brogue out in style and leave your own personal fashion statement wherever you go.

Image: my babies!

WOMAN + HEELS= SEXINESS!

Sexy, powerful woman! Isn’t that what high heeled shoes say about a woman? Heels have been around for centuries and have always added sensuality to a woman who proudly wears them. So what is it about heels that make a woman look sexier and feel sexier than she already is?

I must admit that I haven’t always been a fan of high heels, especially in my varsity days. I’ve always been a sneakers-or-pumps kinda girl, where comfortability was first priority, and off-course followed by individual style. My perception of heels (after a couple of not-so-good experiences) was that they are uncomfortable and can’t possibly be worn every day. I always couldn’t wait to get out of them when I was wearing them (usually at a very special occasion, such as a wedding, where no other shoe works well with the dress) and I found them to be such a burden.

But when I graduated from varsity and entered into the working world, and as I took a young adult approach to style, I realised that heels are quite hott and do wonders for the feminine figure and can change any outfit and make it super stylish. I’m a young and upcoming journalist, so dressing formally to work isn’t really necessary (no suits for us but a flattering blazer, a good pair of skinny or bootleg jeans and a nice tailored shirt do the trick!), but looking good, being comfortable and adding individuality to the outfit is always a fashion must for me. But regardless of whether you are in the corporate industry or the creative industry, heels add a significant dash of je ne sais quoi to any woman’s style.

Heels make a woman look sexier and more attractive, because as you walk in heels, you walk tall with your shoulders back and your head up, making you look slimmer and more confident. And actually, walking in heels is great for toning the core muscles as you walk upright, and they tone the calves’ muscles. Legs look shapelier and more attractive when the definition of the calf stands out as well as when the leg is lengthened by the heel. In fact, neuropsychological research found that by lengthening the leg by a few centimetres, you do look more attractive and poised.

Attractiveness is also amplified by heels because you walk in a catwalk type of position as your steps are smaller, causing your hips to move more gracefully, and your curves are more pronounced because your shoulders are back and your butt is in the right position. In heels, any woman can strut their stuff on a modelling ramp which is the office or the mall.

And speaking of offices, the impact heels make in the workplace is quite phenomenal. Heels really bring an air of feminine authority and visual height, and they make you look smart and professional as well. Just add on a good pair of glasses, preferably the ones with the black frame that flatter the contours of your face, and you’re good to go in a smart of sophisticated way.

Since I’m all for stylish comfortability, I’d say that practising to walk in your heels before you go out is a good idea. Walk around in your home, preferably on different surfaces to get the feel of the shoe. And also don’t sacrifice your feet for fashion. The ideal height for a high heeled shoe is 7 or 8 centimetres. This will ensure that the shoe is relatively easy to walk in. And also choosing the right pair of shoes, taking into consideration the height, thickness and shape, is quite important because the last thing you need is deformities like bunions caused by cramping the big toe into a shoe that is too thin in the front, or even spraining your ankle and causing wear and tear in the leg because of shoes that are too high. Anyway, shoes that are too high aren’t even attractive. I mean, who wants to be hobbling around with no balance?

So right now as a young professional in the creative arts industry, I’ve decided to invest in a good pair of heels because I have seen the light; the added sophistication, professional and attractive, gonna-look-super-hott light. I don’t have to wear formal wear to rock my heels, but I can wear them with any outfit and look great, and my legs will look even greater as they get toned and look elongated. I’ll also walk tall and with more confidence. In heels, I’ll definitely feel like I’m moving up in the world one step at a time.

Image courtesy of www.stylefrizz.com

BEAUTIFUL, HEALTHY YOU!

In this day and age, beautiful women are those who take care of themselves, who love themselves and don’t easily fall into the traps of modern-day pseudo beauty (the ultra-thin body with bones sticking out everywhere!).

As much as real beauty starts from the inside, the outside also needs to be taken care of, and a healthy lifestyle needs to be maintained. Exercising is still the best way to get a healthy body weight and to improve overall health.

Now, I have to admit, I was an exercise junkie; going to the gym 5 times a week and working out on all the circuit machines and still going to aerobics classes. I guess I was overly enthusiastic, but the reason for that was that I had always found a toned body to be very sexy. I still do to this day. I used to be quite envious of women who had defined thighs and arms and abs that made a normal flat stomach look old-fashioned. I loved how those women had so much energy, and how drop-dead-gorgeous they looked in mini-skirts, and let’s not even go to how they looked in a bikini!

So while I was on my get-toned-fast mission, I got bored with the everyday routine of exercising on circuit machines as well as aerobic and cycling exercises. And besides, work started getting hectic and I found myself with little or no time for the gym. So one morning, feeling rather sluggish, I decided to put my running shoes on and to go jogging. Best early morning decision I had ever made! It was refreshing; just me, the tar road, the trees, birds, a couple of cars here and there and good weather (before it started raining endlessly here in Jo’burg!).

After a couple of weeks of faithfully sticking to my morning exercise (and deciding to ditch the gym), I realized that I started feeling more energetic, less stressed about stuff and more happy. So I decided to do a bit of research on jogging to read more on all its benefits.

I found out that the good mood comes from the release of feel-good hormones from my brain. So when I jog, the brain releases endorphins, which assist in sustainably improving my mood. Also, jogging gives the body a real boost due to the fact that the heart and vascular system pump blood around the body to feed muscles with oxygen, and after time the heart gets better at pumping blood to the extent that the resting heart rate slows down. This means that stress will be easier to deal with, and energy levels will increase, making it easier to do more activities. It helps you stay mentally alert and awake.

After sticking to a jogging routine for a couple of months, guess what you will have? A beautiful, sexy, toned-up body! Jogging tones up the legs, thighs, buttocks, abs and it tightens every muscle in the body. It also helps to rid the body of waste products and to replenish the skin by causing new healthy cells to form and regenerate. And the results? Beautiful, glowing skin. Sleeping patterns will also improve as the body will be more alert during the day and will be easily ready to switch of at night.

So, gone are those crash-dieting days where starvation was the name of the game and you still end up all flabby and unattractive. A healthy body with defined muscles and a woman who has lots of energy and a good mood to be at her optimum best is the in-thing right now. So ladies, grab yourself a good pair of takkies and let’s get his show on the road!

Image courtesy of mindblogs.smartandstrong.com/davide/assets_c/...

CLASHING IN A GOOD WAY

In a world where individuals have their own interests, needs and concerns, and need to find some sort of way to achieve those, conflict is bound to happen. This mainly occurs when we perceive a threat to our needs, or when our needs clash with those of the other person. Conflict can’t be avoided, but it can be handled in a constructive manner. Here’s how:

Be Honest

Being honest about how you feel about a certain situation and how you perceive it is quite important when in conflict with someone else, because it not only shows that you have your own opinion about things, but also shows that you can voice those opinions and not agree to everything that’s put in your way. No one is impressed with a doormat. But you do need to be careful about how you voice your opinion. It’s important to respect the other person and tackle the problem, and not to attack and demean the one you’re in conflict with. Demeaning the other person to get your way is inappropriate and shows a lack of maturity.

Keep your Cool

It’s important to control your temper when in conflict. Most of the time, when you’re angry, the tone in which you speak to the other person is what causes conflicts to blow out of proportion, and it also causes you to say things you’ll regret later. And also, anger builds up if you choose to keep things bottled in. Rather take the chance of being in conflict with someone rather than keeping quiet about things that have upset you, causing a build-up in resentment.

Accept Constructive Criticism

Sometimes conflict happens when you’re confronted with the truth about a certain situation or a certain habit that you have. This is good conflict, because not only does it lead you away from wrong habits or a wrong direction that you’ve been travelling on that can potentially cause you harm, but it also opens your mind to other ways of handling situations that you did not see previously. It helps you grow as a person. Constructive criticism shouldn’t be ignored, but should be taken to heart and applied because it only works for your good.

Settle the Matter

Try to find some common ground with the one you’re in conflict with. Find a solution that works for both parties, because in as much as you want your interests to be met, the other person’s interests need to be met as well. Resolve the issue at hand as honestly as possible so that the causes that lead to the conflict can be dealt with, and both parties can be rest assured that the issue has been laid to rest.

By Lebo Matshego.

Image courtesy of www.worldofstock.com/closeups/PAD4801.php

BEAUTIFUL SKIN 101

SIMPLE SCRUB TO SMOOTH AND GLOWING SKIN

Beautiful and healthy skin is pretty easy to get if we remember to give our skin a helping hand. And the easiest and non-painful way to do so is through exfoliating. Not only is exfoliating easy, but it is relaxing as it gently rids the body and mind of the stresses of the day.

Exfoliation is essential in helping the skin get rid of dead skin cells, and to get a smooth and healthy glow. The skin is the largest organ that eliminates toxins and defends the body against disease, so taking care of it is essential. Here’s the biological 411 of how this large organ works.

New skin cells are created in the skin’s lower layer, called the dermis. Over time, cells migrate to the surface of the skin and become more acidic. During their 30 day journey, they die and become saturated with Keratin, which is vital as it protects the skin from outside elements.
Exfoliation removes the dead, old and flaky skin cells from the surface to reveal the newer skin beneath.

Body brushing is one of the most affordable and easiest forms of exfoliation, and the bonus is that it assists the skin in getting rid of toxins by cleaning away chemicals found in soaps and body cleansers, and it stimulates blood circulation and the lymphatic system. Other benefits include tightening the skin, removing cellulite through increasing blood circulation and cell renewal.

Here’s how to do it:
1. Brush dry skin before getting into the shower, using either a loofah, exfoliating gloves or a body brush. Make sure that the body brush is not made out of artificial fibres as this is hard on the skin.

2. Start at the soles of your feet and work your way up, using circular motions.

3. Get into the bath or shower and rinse your body, then apply an exfoliating cleanser to your loofah, brush or gloves and scrub using gentle circular motions.

4. Choose exfoliating cleansers that contain grainy and natural ingredients such as oatmeal, ground almonds and even sea salts.

5. Use a pumice stone to rub the heels of your feet.

6. After exfoliating, apply a moisturizer which is thick, to adequately moisturize the skin as exfoliation does cause the skin to become dry. Body butter is ideal.

Exfoliate at least twice a week for the best results, and don’t forget to moisture and apply lots of sun-block as exfoliation makes the skin more sensitive to the sun. And the rewards of getting rid of the old skin- a new, fresh and glowing skin.

By Lebo Matshego

Image courtesy of www.bayareabags.com/cosmetics/body-and-bath/n...