Friday Feature: Russian Fashion Pack

Hi guys. On the Friday feature this week I have decided to profile a group of friends and women who keep me up at night dreaming of ways I could attain that style. I am always looking forward to seeing them out during fashion weeks and just going about their daily lives. Russia is notorious for being cold but these ladies want to make me visit the country. The women I speak of are what many in fashion circles call the Russian fashion pack. Among them are designers, stylists, magazine editors and contributors. Miroslava Duma, Ulyana Sergeenko, Elena Perminova and Vika Gazinskaya are these women.

Miroslava is the brown haired shorty with style that makes me drool. Ulyana is that poise of elegance with those ladylike dresses that often go below the knee. Elena is that statuesque model like figuring in all her blonde glory and legs that stretch acroos Moscow. Vika is the one for me who has a captivating style that looks easy and she looks innocent somehow. Anyway here they are. Tell me what you think of them.

Miroslava Duma

Ulyana Sergeenko

Elena Perminova

Vika Gazinskaya

Images from the Brooklyn Blonde & Google

Polka Dots

Hi guys. I am in desperate need of a good photographer. I want to improve the quality of the photographs I post. I recently got great camera and I hope I will meet someone who can know how to use it and take fabulous pics. Meanwhile Cape Town is still freezing and but still we survive. I wore flats on this day of work just because it was fun to not be in 9 inches all day. The jacket and shoes are thrifted, pants and blouse from Mr Price and the bag is from Zara.

DIY Cut-out Mr Price Crop top

Hi Guys. I hope you had a good weekend. Mine was quite eventful, productive and lots of fun. I saw this top at Mr Price and I was immediately inspired to give it a twist and make it something mine and unique. I hope you will like it and make your own too. If you happen to have this top or similar here is how to do it. First cut out the inner lining inside the top. Once this is done, measure the length or how short you want the crop top to be. I personally don’t like it too short. I used one I already have to measure. Then cut out the length by cutting along the edges of the cut out flowers. It’s very simple and I love the end results. I have yet to wear the new version but I will soon and show you. Watch this space and follow in instagram @dineostyled to get more tips. If you make your own, show us how you rocked it. Enjoy. See how I wore it here. 

Friday Feature: Mboko Ndimba Mobutu

Hi guys, this week’s Friday feature for the first time we are going to boy town.  There are so many brothers who inspire my personal style and motivate me to take more risks when it comes to fashion. Mboko Ndimba Mobutu is a man who understands fashion and style more than most men. Mboko is a Parisian man and no doubt has become a style icon beyond his frail 21 years of age. Mboko is the men’s wear section editor of Ghubar magazine based in Paris. I first encountered his encapsulating style that makes you stare for a while a few years ago. I have always been fascinated by his ability to have this tailored yet classic and person look about him. Whenever he steps out,  all eyes are on him. I love Mboko and I hope you will too. Tell me what you think. 

Images from Google

The independence dilemma!!

Hi guys, My friend and I were shopping at the V & A waterfront. I happened to see these jeans at topshop which I always wanted for the longest of time but could not afford. So I said to her I will ask my boyfriend to subsidize them. The jeans cost R645, which was way too much above my asking price. I said I will ask the boyfriend to help me pay for half of them. We then ended talking about how lucky I was that I have a man that supports me etc. I was a bit offended at the time that I sounded like a dependent women who cannot get her own. But then as I had a conversation with my alter-ego she asked me what got me so offended and worked up about it. My response was that I am fully qualified professional with a full time paying job. I pay my own bills and all that. I am as independent as any of the other ladies out there. But what truly got to me was the idea that asking for help from my boyfriend would be frowned upon by feminists. All I wanted were some topshop jeans. Yes they are a want not a need but still the thought of not having them would haunt me for the longest of time. I ended up getting the jeans on my savings for my December holidays just to ease my conscious. But I realize that my actions were purely based on what my friend said. I guess the problem becomes when do I ask for things and when do I do things for myself. Jeans are not a necessity and I am not this man’s wife. He has no obligation to buy me jeans or food for that matter. I never ask him for anything of this nature but after so many years of being with him, I imagined I would just down right say I need a denim subsidy for the month. My ego would want to pay it back and such but my pocket won’t let me because I truly cannot afford to. Maybe then I should not go into stores like topshop because they are above my means. Or maybe I should learn to eat noodles and beans and look fabulous in my jeans. So ladies please talk to me on your views on the matter. Worth it or not?

Solange Knowles & Mr Price Inspired

Hi Guys. I simply love this outfit. When I saw this paint splash skirt I knew I had to have it. This skirt is what actually turned me into an online shopping crazed person. When I bought the skirt the jacket was sold out, but lucky for me my girlfriend Asanda had bought the top as a separate. I have borrowed the top ever since, even though I hardly wear the jacket; I do think they belong together. And After I saw Solange wearing this blue piece I knew I wanted an outfit resembling that. And lo and behold the Mr Big to my Carrie Mr Price came through. I’d really love to hear your thoughts. Here is how I wore the skirt alone.

Thrifted Outfit

How are u doing fashion lover out there in cyberspace. Today I thought I'd do a feature on thrifted outfits. My friends always say I get the most amazing items from these stores and when they go they find it rather a raggy place and they seldom see the clothes beyond what they are in the thrift store. Yes I admit going into the Salvation Army thrift store does seems like mission impossible at finding good pieces. But if you take a good look you might find something’s worthy of your horror. Yes they need to be washed and rinsed and maybe re-washed again but after that they look good. The items I am wearing here were all thrifted; yes even the very expensive polo shoes. Sometimes a girl gets lucky.

Jacket was a school blazer from some school I got for R60, I took the logo off and cut he collar to give it this look. The pants I forgot how much they cost, but no more than R50. The shoes I bargained for R50. The top was R20 at the Salvation Army and the neck piece I bought from a Durban flee market.

Zara Perfume

Hi Guys. July for me was a bit of an out of self-restriction that I normally use to control my budget and save money to simply make sure I have food in my home and I don’t end up on the streets. But I was a bag girl and bought too much stuff. Mostly thrifted from second hand stores or flee markets and of course Mr Price. I bought this Zara perfume last week because it was R150. I truly love how inexpensive their perfumes are and how well packaged they are. This one smells a bit sweeter than what I would normally wear but I like it very much. It adds nicely to my collection. I would suggest for both girls and guys to try Zara and their perfumes for those of us who cannot afford the very high end designer brands. Here is another one that I got also from Zara a while back for R200. 

Friday Feature: Susie Lau (Style Bubble)

Hi fashion lovers. This week’s Friday feature is Susie Lau of Style Bubble. Susie is one of those 1^st recognised fashion bloggers who started blogging when blogging WAS. Susie started blogging in 2006 and she lives in London. She is a well-known face in fashion weeks throughout the world and had etched herself in many fashion enthusiast minds with her unique style. I draw inspiration from Susie when it comes to style on my vintage front. She puts together items I would never think of combining and they just somehow seem to work. Her fashion reviews on her blog are quite cool and give insight on trends and what’s available in stores etc. What do you guys think of Susie?

Images from Google.

Oppikoppie Odyssey

Hi Guys, So last week I got a question on whether I was attending the Oppikoppie music fest this week up in Limpopo. Sadly I am not, I actually want to make a turn there some year, but couldn’t because of no planning and just totally forgetting. I do however rock the daisies annually in October in the Western Cape. Will update about that later.  Anyway the question was a two part question on what to pack for the fest and etc. I would suggest that if you attend festivals like these, first consider the place and the weather. Limpopo is fairly warm around this time of the year but the festival is held in Limpopo but not far from Joburg. Nights still get chilly while days are dusty and warm. Clothes wise have a warm jacket ready, some wool stalkings, some cotton track pants and more than important are willies aka rain boots, you cannot rock without them. Some prefer other types of boots, but the points is not to wet your feet in all the mud and puddles of beer and whatever else. Be warm and style wise go crazy and let the rocker in you come out. Here is an idea of a cool outfit that suits the occasion and can be kept for later. Rock on and have fun. 

One Skirt 4 Ways

Hi Guys. So if you check out my blog and instagram page you will see how obsessed I have been about this skirt from Mr Price. It’s a PVC skirt I got for a bargain. I love it so much that I bought three of them. One I made short, the other kept the original length and you can see how I wore it here

and the other will be transformed into shorts come summer. I wear it so much lately I feel like people think it’s the only piece of clothing I own. I love buying items that can be re-used for many occasion and that go with many other things. I don't see the point of having an item that can only be worn once or always by itself. Here are four ways I have worn the mini version of the skirt. By just changing accessories and making it work for winter, I say it’s a winner. Tell me what you think. Would love to hear ideas and thoughts. 

Thank you Elle & Eucerine

Hi guys. So like many others I have never won anything in my life, so I was ecstatic when a lady from Elle magazine called to tell me I had won their competition. It just happened that I was reading my favourite magazine and I thought I have a spot problem and in need of some good skin care range, why not enter this competition. I hope the Eucerine hamper will sort out the problem. I won night and day creams and the spot corrector. They all came in 2s. Thank you very much Eucerine and Elle Belles

Friday Feature: Courtin-Clarins Girls

This weeks Friday Feature Courtin- Clarins girls  (Claire, Virginie, Prisca & Jenna) are what would be called fashion royalty. They might not hail from a fashion house dynasty but they are the heiresses. They are the granddaughters of the founding father of the Clarins beauty range. When I look at them I cannot help but feel a pang of jealousy. They are wealthy, have fashion wardrobes that I could live in and they seem super nice. They have a French chic about them. The girls are sisters Claire & Virginie and their twin cousins Jenna and Prisca. Every time they step out they look fabulous and styled to perfection. There is an ease to their style and their skin and makeup is of course Clarins worthy. They each have individual styles and at some point I thought I like one more than the others, but as it turns out my crush on all of them is huge. The girls each play a role at Clarins and they have their own fashion and beauty projects on the side. I truly adore their style and I am inspired. If only they could donate their unwanted clothes to me. 

Images from Vanity Fair and Google