ANTM Africa!

Wanna be on top?! Then practice your Smize because Tyra Banks' model search reality show has now been launched to find Africa's Next Top Model. Ty announced in April that supermodel Oluchi Onweagba will be the host of the African version of the hit reality show. The show will be filmed in Cape Town, South Africa and aired on Mnet's Africa Magic channels. Now the search is official on! The scouting schedule is as follows
 *Mozambique (Maputo) at Polana Serena Hotel on the 6th of July 2013.

*South Africa (Johannesburg) at the Sandton Convention Centre on the 9th of July 2013.

*Kenya (Nairobi) at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) on the 14th of July 2013.

*Ghana (Accra) at the M Plaza Hotell on the 20th of July 2013.

*Nigeria (Lagos) at the Federal Palace on the 23rd of July 2013.

*Angola (Luanda) at the Paz Flor Cultural Centre on the 28th of July 2013.

*South Africa (Cape Town) at the Cape Town Convention Centre (CTICC) on the 1st of August 2013.

Applicants must be 18-27 year old and at least 170cm tall. Now ladies get that catwalk walk ready and go kill it!

Brands and I

Last night I had the most bizarre but one of the most enjoyable dreams. In it I was dressed in the most gorgeously embellished Balmain creation. No special occasion, just having tea with a friend. You can imagine my devastation when my alarm went off marking the kick-in of reality. Rather a painful slap back into reality. I had to drag myself up and adorn my not so high end clothes, bleh! The dream is still vivid in my head, if only it would come true. It got me thinking about the realities of the average fashion blogger from a developing (I don't want to say third world) country like South Africa. A similar piece to what I dreamed of costs R118 370(here).That's a price of a brand new descent car here. The piece is sold out! I've some fashion bloggers who wear Balmain, Balenciaga, Fendi, YSL to mention a few and wonder how they do it! Though I wouldn't call myself a fashion blogger, I know most of the pieces from these fashion power houses by season. I'll be honest I wish I could afford all them but until then, I'd rather stick to my NO brands rule. It's easy to fall in the trap and buy those "Lewis Vitton", Yves "Sant" Lauren  and "Guggi", did I mention the maroon bottoms sold as Christian Louboutins? Personally I think there's nothing wrong with loving fashion, but keeping to the stuff one can afford. after all it's really more about style and quality rather than the label. With that said I don't see anything with items inspired by the big guns, but not replica or fake. Below are some examples of these KIRFs(keeping it real fake). Maybe you've won the lottery and want to splurge! :)

The dress I dreamed of is similar to this :D. Too gorgeous 

The high gloss red sole is the original(according to the site)

Paris vs China 

this one's easy, the one on the left is the real mccoy. Lewis Vitton vs Louis Vuitton

can you spot the fake between these two Rolex time pieces?

Random post! Wate On

Over the years I've gained a lot of weight, which I am now I'm trying to lose. I've gained 10 kilograms since I finish versity in 2008. Back when I was still in versity I used to do boxing, only for fun so I guess that's how I kept the extra weight off. Ever since I started working I haven't joined gym, I just jogged for a couple of months last year. I do worry about weight, and sometime I worry a lot more than other times. Last year after the jogging didn't "work" I did the master cleanse, which has to be one of the most difficult things I've ever done. I didn't eat any solids for 8 straight days, but still din't achieve my desired results! Though I don't go to gym, I'm very active you know! Sucks to see people who eat junk everyday  and never gain a kilo...but hey I guess we can't all be skinny hun. anyway forget my rambling and check out this picture below. Apparently, decades ago it was cool to be chubby, especially in summer.

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I am not my hair

That’s the title of one of my favorite musician’s songs, India Arie. The message is clear; one’s hair doesn’t make them who they are. Really? Then why are hair extensions and hair products selling so fast? There are hair salons in every corner, a million different hair styles, colours and cuts. Does my hair really not make me who I am? This crossed my mind when I was enduring a hot blow drier after relaxing my hair this morning.

model Eva Pigford/ Marcel

relaxed hairsource

India Arie(in Fro and Braids) Amber Rose bald, relaxed hair(source

 I removed the braids I had for a month last night. I asked myself, why I am going through so much pain for something that’s so unimportant. I am educated, I have a good personality (I’d like to believe) and stylish, hair is just hair. Right? Not! My hair is a big part of me, it makes my outfit, it adds to the package that I present to the world as a reflection of how I feel about myself.

After years of chopping and changing, from afro, dreadlocks, short hair, braids and weave, I opted to straighten my hair last year. Like many black sisters, I use relaxer to straighten once every six weeks. In a nutshell, I have Eurocentric hair. It’s better to manage than my natural, very curly, kinky hair. Another topic for debate, a dreadlocked brother once said my relaxed hair means I’m not proud to be an African. My response, “brother, you speak English 80 per cent of the time, you don’t exactly go hunting for your next meal, nor do you walk around wearing animal hides in true African style”. Harsh? No, but true, I moved with the times, like the rest of the world. Evolution, why would one choose to drink river water when there’s running water.

I also have a friend who is always bald headed. She’s gorgeous, I wish I was as gutsy. She has stereotypes to deal with too. She says some people just assume she’s a lesbian.

Dreadlocks are cool too...

Yaya Dacosta; Chrisette  Michelle, Sanaa Lathan; conrows