One Pair of Shoes for a Month: Emily Pettit Coetzee Raises Awareness for Human Rights

Next week, on the 10th December it is International Human Rights Day and this year there is a hope that South Africans will also take action around this issue. Mostly by taking barefoot steps: by joining a march or simply losing our shoes and walk where we are.
In order to raise awareness for this cause, Emily Pettit Coetzee (local journalist, fashion blogger, cool chick) is wearing the same pair of shoes every day for a month. The idea is also to get a glimpse of what it’s like to have very little.
I am suggesting you go and check out her One Pair of Shoes For a Month blog where she updates you on what is going on with the cause, and most entertainingly, what she is up to in her one pair of shoes. Flat sandals for a black tie event? Sandals when the air goes chilly at night? All good issues I am sure she will address during the month.
StyleGuideCT wish her all the best of luck and support. She rocks.

Can Anyone Help? Where to Get a Barbour in South Africa?

So this post is more like a call to action, a rallying of the troops, if you will. I have it on good authority that 'Shire Girl' chic is in for winter. I know this in my gut. But how do I make this happen - either for me or the pages of my magazine - if I don't have the anchor piece of this look, the Barbour?
Shire Girls are like Sloan Rangers from the 80s. Only they are based in the countryside and so wear a lot of tweed and brown and khaki and quilted jackets and boots. Oh, and always, always a Barbour.
Now I neeeeeed one. Do you think I can find one here in South Africa? Not on your nelly. Not even in the horsey set in Constantia. In fact I am not even sure they knew what I was on about. And so I turn to you, my loyal readers. Anyone with any idea on where I can get a Barbour?
Answers and suggestions in the comments please. Merci.

"I Design For People Who Think They Are Fat," Says Royal Favourite Issa

I have posted before on how Kate Middleton - and for that matter Princess Beatrice - default to Issa dresses for smart occasions. Some (by which I mean Janet Ozzard on NYMag.com's The Cut blog) have described the reason for this Royal patronage as follows: "Issa is something a well-bred and not terribly adventurous woman can reliably wear to polo matches or garden parties (or a really big press conference).” Yikes.
But I am going to offer the following in defense:
1. I have owned two Issa dresses in my life and have never attended a polo match. I bought them because they are beautiful and comfortable and flattering on my fat days (which is obviously every day, such is my love for ice cream).
2. Kate Moss, Rachel Bilson, Naomi Campbell and Scarlett Johansson have all worn Issa and none are, to my mind, terribly well-bred or attending garden parties every weekend. And I say that with love, of course.
3. And Daniella Issa Helayel, the designer herself says, “I design clothes for people like me who think they’re fat, clothes that are meant to hide people’s defects and accentuate their good points.” And in order to achieve this dream, the cut needs to be precise and highly evolved. A dress this perfect does not happen by accident.
And I believe that, my readers, is a winning argument.

PROJECT OF THE WEEK

countdown

It's no news to everyone that both ladies of HML absolutely love Christmas. In fact I am a bit of a Christmas bore- I think my new years resolution for 2011 should be to not mention it until October rather than July which is when I start my Christmas plans! Just received a surprise order for 12 wreathes and 24 bunches of fabric flowers so it's all systems go for work - but I prioritised this week and completed our family wreath first.

I've tried to include the womble in as much of the Xmas crafting as possible - he is still a bit bemused by the whole thing but has become an excellent glue and glitter man.

The wreathes I've been making for sale are very sweet hand painted stiffened calico in a pastel and neutral palette. None of that for me - its red and green glittery Christmas fabric all the way!

It was lovely to get it on the door by Dec 1. Our Christmas tree arrived too - but there is work to be done first! Better pull out the Christmas music cd drawer...RAMONA

Blog Reader Wendy Mseleku Shops for Shoes at Spitz

A couple of months ago I ran a competition on the blog where you could win two R1,000 vouchers for Spitz. I had been given both of them by the PR company at various events, and because I don't like to take free stuff personally (I just like to put my money where my mouth is, so to speak), I decided to give them away to my loyal blog readers.
And the awesome prize was won my the very gorgeous Wendy Mseleku of KZN, in a supervised draw-a-name-from-a-hat competition.
In her own words, here is her shopping experience,

I visited Spitz on the weekend and shopped till I dropped! It was the hardest decision to make since Spitz only stock lovely shoes, but I finally managed to make my choice and got myself 3 pairs 2 of which was Lacoste and 1 pair of Carvela wedge heel! I was so excited I think I even had shoe-orgasm hahaha.
Thank you very much to StyleGuide CT, I had so much fun shopping and I'm the envy of all my friends :) Christmas came early for me :)

Yay! A happy blog reader! There will be more give-aways in the new year... and next time it could be you!
PS: Let's also take a moment to reflect on the cool shoes Wendy is also wearing in her picture. VERY lovely.

Stiaan Louw and Lunar in Trunk

A new US-based style, culture and travel magazine has recently been launched. It has been pretty well received, positioned as it is for worldly, intelligent folks who already think that they are pretty awesome. Don't get me wrong, this is a perfectly legitimate and financially rich market segment - one that I may be skirting the edges of if I am honest. But it is not something new.
What is new however, is that they headed out to South Africa for a feature in their debut issue. Now that is what I would call awesome right there. Clearly these are clever people with their antennae's finely tuned for the next big thing - i.e. South Africa.
They pick up quite a few cool people to feature and this includes our very own Woodstock king, Justin Rhodes, and fashion designers Stiaan Louw and Karen ter Mershuizen from Lunar.
I don't know much about these people, but from what I have read and a browse of the online site, I am buoyed about their astute trend spotting and impeccable taste. Exciting.

PRs v Fashion Editors: Is it War?

An anonymous fashion publicity or PR gal has emerged in New York City in the past six weeks. She tweets under the name No Bullshit or @NoBtotheS. I think you have to be a bit more on the inside of the NYC fashion industry than I am to really get it, but it is painfully astute and cutting - especially when designers and fashion editors misbehave. Here are some examples:
@NoBtotheS: Wrote a quote for my client bc shes too lazy to do it herself. As if i dont have enough to do.
@NoBtotheS: Editors who dont pay attn to details in emails piss the hell out of me. Why am i being so thorough if you arent taking the time to read?!
And something I genuinely find hilarious - and not too dissimilar from my own posts:
@NoBtotheS: Im more that slightly concerned that @katyperry was the most normal looking person on the AMA red carpet...
Now she has got herself a column on Fashionista.com and her first post details all the annoying habits of Fashion Editors. Although the ones in New York clearly bear NO RESEMBLANCE to us here in South Africa since none of us have trust funds that I know about. Although she may have some points on the other issues.
Read the column here and laugh all you like. You know a Fashion Ed is going to respond with all the annoying things that PRs do to fashion Eds! Annoying Habits of People in the Fashion Industry by @NoBtotheS