It's about the Clothes, Not the Pose...

Ever thought modeling and posing was better left to the lollipop-princesses who could cut a can open with their clavicles? Think again.

I believe we should never take life (or ourselves) too seriously. We should enjoy our time on this planet and not be afraid to have fun with new and trivial things. This is how I became addicted to a guilty new hobby, LOOKBOOK.

In an age of selfies, instagram filters and flocks of It Girls parading their top purchases on our social news feeds, I realize that I am still in love with the world of beauty. I say ‘still’ because I have been undergoing a transformation over the past few years where I have often times blamed (or at least highlighted) the problems caused for women, myself included, by the standards of beauty the media constantly shoves down our throats. But swallowing skinny-isms rather than real food is not what I want to talk about today.

Today I want to celebrate my newest hobby. I may not be the Editor-in-chief of Vogue or even a lowly, though somewhat knowledgeable, fashion blogger, but I have decided that if I like the way someone looks, then I like it – no matter what the trending body-shape tells me. If I think a crop top looks cute on a girl who is closer to a size 14 than an 8, then I think it looks cute on her. And that’s ok. In fact, there should be a lot more of that in this world. Our natural God-given diameter shouldn’t dictate how we dress.

 As an ex model who gained a few dress sizes over the years, I have often times struggled with my new body. I wasted so much time hating the way I looked as I filled out, rather than accepting and enjoying the newer, stronger, more energy-filled body I was in. The irony is that I hated the way I looked back when I was super skinny too. It took some time, but I no longer look in the mirror and tell myself I am ugly because of a few lumps and dimples. I now look and go ‘Oh well’, and get on with things.

But it’s not good enough to simply accept. We should love our bodies, celebrate them, and I believe that I should enjoy mine as much as I can while in it on this earth. Why have a Porsche in the garage if you are never going to drive it? (albeit a Porsche Cayenne, the 4x4 version, in my case) I have a wardrobe of gorgeous clothes, carefully browsed, picked and purchased over the years, (and the shoes - Oh the SHOES!) and I love to dress up. So why let that all go to waste over a few centimeters?

I am an awkward size. At 6ft tall, I start out as an almost 14 in my Nordic shoulders, slim to a 10 in other areas, and elongate to a size ‘not-yet-catered-to’ all in one troublesome package. Therefore dressing this package over the years has become something of an art.

But not without its artistic temperament. I’ll look at pictures of models dressed in an outfit and love how they look, but the second I try the same thing on, it looks all wrong. I tell myself that cinched waists obviously just don’t work on my body, or if I could just lose some weight…and give up. Yet, I still love the clothes.

But what if I got it all wrong? What if cinched waists looks just as good on my body, only in a different way, but I’ve been blinded to the fact by comparing myself to a tween in a sexed-up ad campaign? Like comparing apples and cats…How silly!

I decided to stop filling my life with so many outward images, inward judgements, and start enjoying the way I dress. To have fun dressing the way I want, when I want, no matter the circumference of my waistline, is a much better use of my time than waiting and hoping to drop a few pounds before I try on a pair of high-waisted booty-shorts.

Enter LOOKBOOK. It’s like FaceBook, only all about daily outfits. Posing replaces posting, and capturing a perfect outfit for a perfect situation (or just because you love it) is what is celebrated. Sure there is still a strong lean towards the skinny-white-girl, but if you look hard enough you can find normal people, men and woman, all shapes and colours, wearing fabulous things that would brighten any fashionistas day. Look a bit harder and you discover pure gems of delight in the greater blog-verse! Like the poetess who calls her blog ‘I dream of bunnies’, posting her looks with links to elegant prose.

This isn’t a high-school sivvies day, friends. From London to Brazil, Canada to little ol’ me in Cape Town, people are dressing in the things they love and showcasing it to the world. Your number of ‘hypes’ tells you how much others appreciate your garb, but at the end of the day, I only care about feeling good in what I choose to wear, while getting some awesome inspiration from others and seeing what is trending. (A Kimono paired with ripped jean shorts and cowboy boots? That might just have to be my next get-up!)

If you don't mind the American Apparel ads that assault you visually at every other moment, it’s a great place to have some fun in a body-positive, friendly way. No negative comments are allowed and the more you love on someone else’s ‘look’ the better your karma points - not that I know what karma points are for ;) Being an amateur fashion-hobbyist has never been so much fun.

While not every day is an occasion to wear a ball-gown, there are thousands of beautiful (and entertaining) ensembles I would love to try out, bundle on, and swish around in in my world.

I decided to become my own model and pose for the camera once again – only this time - as a full (improved) version of my former self. Why don’t you join me and create your own LOOKBOOK account? Be sure to send me a note if you do so I can follow you – or find me here directly. Good luck and happy dressing!

Love, lust and fairy-star-dust,

Cherry Blossom

The Princess Project

I don't know about you, but a new year always gives me the sense of wanting to start afresh, de-clutter, and inject my life with some soul-lifting inspiration. Often, I start the process of down-sizing my wardrobe in hopes of creating a welcoming space (goodbye last year's style, hellloooooo brand new gorgeous high heels!) but tend to be left at a loss when it comes to throwing out my old party dresses. They were more than just clothes, after all, they were really special.

I would love to say that they were with me during some of the happiest moments of my life, but that would be a lie. The truth of the matter, and all women can attest to this I am sure, is that sometimes life sucks. Just because you have your best friends 21st summer cruise boat-party to go to doesn't mean that your life sucks any less. Or just because you are the bridesmaid at your favorite cousins wedding, her happiest day, doesn't automatically make it your happiest day too.

But if there is anything that can help a girl feel a little bit better, ever so slightly, it is putting on a gorgeous dress and suddenly filled with the feeling of being a beautiful princess, even if only for a moment. All my princess-moment-dresses are still lining the back of my closet and I didn't ever want to part with them, even though I know I will never wear them again, because they were so special once upon a time. I don't want to just give them away. And so January has come and gone - my wardrobe is only a 'little' lighter, and I am still sitting with the problem of owning clothes I can never wear again.

Until now that is. A friend of mine told me about The Princess Project - a charity organization that helps 'donate your ex-matric farewell/bridesmaids/party dresses to the less fortunate, so that they too can feel like a princess for a night.' Isn't that amazing?! I contacted the organization to find out more about their charity and found that they do such a great thing for these girls. I desperately wanted to be involved.

And so I hosted a Princess Project Party, just a little cocktail gathering, for all friends, to come and bring their old matric ball gowns, or sparkly New Years party dresses, or even that bridesmaids dress from their favorite cousins wedding, that, lets face it, they will NEVER wear again, so we could donate them all to the future princesses out there. 

Even though it was just a small private event at my house, I was blown away at the response. All my luscious ladies were not only delighted to help out, but donated with both hands! All together we collected 22 gorgeous dresses to donate!



Dresses weren't the only thing we were told that was needed, and so we gathered 15 pairs of shoes, 6 evening handbags, loads of jewellery, and a bag full of sparkly make up to add to the pile.

Some of the items gathered had quite amazing stories attached, and we had a wonderful time doing a little 'show and tell' of the journeys they had been on. There was a necklace that had been to the Emmys in LA, the wearer being nominated for her part in the set design of a movie. One dress had met Nelson Mandela in 2004. Hilarious regales of bridesmaid's stories kept us giggling over our spoils as we prepared to part with them. I am so proud of all my friends for being such lovely giving ladies.

And what better way to spend an evening than drink champagne with your besties in your own (current) pretty cocktail dresses, having a fun and fabulous time while gathering, mixing, matching and putting together Princess packages so that those young woman will get to have their moment in the moonlight someday soon too.

Love, lust and fairy-star-dust

Cherry Blossom