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

A Cinderella Moment

Could the glass slipper have been flat?

As any well-seasoned high-heel enthusiast will know, there comes a time when a girl needs to step down from her perch and set her feet on solid ground to take a breather. It does wonders for the soul, not to mention gives you a break from all that fabulousness. But just as veg’ing out on the couch does not necessarily mean you have to wear grease-stained sweats and Crocs (eww!), the more discerning of fashionista’s need not come down to earth in anything less than utterly gorgeous foot attire.

Up until now, my usual uniform of trusty south-of-the-ankles non-heel wear has been a combination of sandals and ballet flats. But by chance, something far more fabulous came to me in the form of Coast and Koi, much like fate leading the princess to the ball where her sole-mate awaits.

And my fairy-god-mother? The elegant and stylish Caryn Wilensky.

When I met Caryn, she whisked me off to her chandelier-lit treasure trove of a showroom with roof-to-floor, wall-to-wall racks of hand-stitched shoes. I tried on everything in my size. And I mean everything. I couldn’t not – each one was more alluring than the last!

Once on your feet, the look and feel of these gems are a testament to Caryn’s background in the fashion, and footwear, industries. Starting out as a buyer for Holtrenfrew overseas where her days revolved around top international fashion brands, her eye for design is evident in every pair of proudly South African shoes she now showcases. But the perfect fit and comfort comes from her time as the CEO of a ballet-shoe factory. Once she saw the need for well-designed flat foot wear in South Africa, her mission was clear, and Coast and Koi was born.

Each shoe is hand made locally and stitched together with the utmost care. They are unique, all designs being a once off and only in a few sizes, and there is something for everyone. They range from pointy to stripy, Mary-Jane to moccasin, sling-back to slip on, Henry the 8^th to the girl next door. From the sensible ballet pumps to the knee-high leopard print boots, to the cute cat-faced slippers, this range kept me occupied, entertained and trying on for ages.

I have never been so excited by flat-soled shoes before! Caryn invited me to the Cape Town Design Indaba where all her best was on display. One pair could only be described as ‘The Dorothy’, bringing visions of the Wizard of Oz skipping to the fore of my mind. Just down that yellow brick road, a pair of capped ankle booties that would go beautifully with a little floral-print dress revealed themselves. It was hard not to get distracted by the baroque inspired lace-ups or the baby-pink boots with satin bows, but my heart settled on the ones that, for me, were the belle of the ball: a pair of coral slipper-style beauties, as unique as they are comfortable.

As much as I am trying not to over-indulge in my materialistic nature right now, I am pretty sure a pair or two of Coast and Koi’s will find their way into my wardrobe over the next few months. After all, why wear plain black synthetic flats for a night out dancing when you could wear classically styled, genuine leather two-toned delights inspired by Coco Chanel? Am I right? Right.

Love, lust and fairy-star-dust

Cherry Blossom

(go check it out at www.coastandkoi.com)