That Céline stunner

The bracelet version of the necklace. Just as hot if you ask me.

Labels: accessories, celine

posted by Zinhle Zee Mncube @ 6:51 PM 1 Comments

House of Holland eyewear

I don't know how I only knew of the beauty that is the latest House of Holland eyewear collection so late. The first time I saw the Eyelashes glasses, for example, was two weeks ago on rapper Iggy Azalea's Instagram, and incidently she modeled some of the glasses for the House of Holland online store. I knew when I saw the pair model Cara Delevingue owned on her Instagram that I had to check the eyewear out. I fell in love with the range so much that hopefully I too will own a pair of these stunners soon. Here are some of my picks below:

Labels: house of holland, iggy azalea, sunglasses

posted by Zinhle Zee Mncube @ 6:33 PM 0 Comments

That 90s flava

  
C'mon - the level of hotness right here in this Fashion Gone Rogue Exclusive editorial? Killer. You see, while I love my Saint Laurent Paris, my Balmain and my Gucci, street-wear too has my heart. This 90s-inspired editorial is all about that street-wear edge. Stylist Monique Moynihan has models Katherine Webster and Melissa Bell all decked out in colourful, bold pieces from the likes of Jeremy Scott, Ksubi, Nike and Adidas Original (that animal print Adidas top in the above image - I have no words!) in front of Tim Ashton's lens.

And the magic doesn't just come from the clothes - everything from the hairstyles, to the make-up, props, and the models' on flavour just makes this editorial pop. This is just the kind of 90s flavour that I love. J'adore!

Labels: 90s, fashiongonerogue

posted by Zinhle Zee Mncube @ 6:09 PM 0 Comments

I am other

This is the tattoo I got today. As a Philosophy Honours graduate and a lover of the philosophers' Derrida, Levinas, and Adorno's works, there is of course a long, philosphical meaning behind the word 'other'. But simply, 'other' means different; it means the excess; the remainder that cannot be conceptualised; that which is outside what dominates tradition.

Labels: tatted up

posted by Zinhle Zee Mncube @ 8:16 PM 0 Comments

Long Live A$AP

I love A$AP Rocky - his sense of style, his music, his self. This video for Long Live A$AP from his upcoming album of the same name is a thing of beauty.  And to think he himself is behind all of this art direction - amazing!

Labels: a$ap rocky

posted by Zinhle Zee Mncube @ 7:49 PM 0 Comments

I am not my hair - or am I?

It's funny how we make assumptions, right? I remember taking part in a conversation with Liam Lynch and others at a Marie Claire shoot we were working at in October, and he was telling us his opinion on women and their hair. Rather than seeing a woman's hairstyle (say a weave) as a sign of the depth (and in this case, lack of depth) of her character, he maintained that more often than not, a woman's hairstyle was simply a matter of preference. I agree with him.

Now, I write this just as I've spent the past half an hour deep barrel waving my 18" Indian Remy hair. Of course the 'my' comes with a disclaimer - while the hair is now my possession, it actually belonged to an Indian woman somewhere with seriously great hair - you know, Chris Rock. 'Good hair'? Yeah. Something like that.

As we all know, it is a popular opinion amongst some men (again the 'some' here is a disclaimer. There are varying views on this topic) and increasingly amongst women, that a weave is a sign of a number of (oftentimes demeaning) things about a woman's character - she may be labeled superficial (after all, 'natural is keeping it real'); or high maintenance/ a lover of other people's (insert sugar daddy, husband, rich parent) money.

I read in the Sowetan last week, for example, that Indian Remy, Brazilian or Malaysian hair costs between R900 to about R2800 per packet of wefted hair. The average woman needs about 3 packets of hair, so you can imagine just how much a weave, sans the labour, actually costs. The timeliness of the article comes with 'bonus season' - bonus = money to blow. Case in point - one of the workers at the salon where I did my hair (before bonus season) asked, "So who's paying for the hair?" Needless to say, I paid for it myself - no 'other people' here darling.

I digress. My question is, however, does a woman's hair really point to the shallow nature of her character? In fact, does a weave have anything at all to with a woman's charcter? My weave is, as Liam surmised, primarily an aesthetic preference. Granted, there are what some would call 'not so deep' women with weaves; there are some women whose weaves are some kind of statement about their material muscle. There are many reasons why women wear weaves.

I ask this not just because this is a commonplace judgment, but also because this judgment or viewpoint actually directs people's behaviour - some men refuse to date women with weaves; musician Hugh Masekela refuses to be interviewed by women with weaves; some men only want to date women with weaves (to perhaps flex their material muscle in their efforts to woo the woman); and some women look down on other women that wear weaves. There exists also a subsection of the box braid or dreadlocked hair or natual hair brigade who's hair is to them akin to a badge of honour of their realness - shun those Aishwarya Rai's.

The reason why this topic actually intrigues me is just how much we can fetishize hair (or light skin, or big butts, or great style, or marital status) and place an entire value system on it ranking the good from the not so good. In fact, the speed and basis upon which humans compartmentalise each other continues to baffle. What's more is these labels affect not just someone's opinion of another in passing, but these opinions even shape the level of interaction one is willing to have with another, and even the job/husband/boyfriend/drink a woman is likely to get.

To be sure, I have been careful to add the 'some' disclaimer - not all men and women are of the above opinion about weaves. There are numerous opinions about hair, and most of them have nothing do with 'character' or 'depth' or 'superficiality' or 'value' - and that is just my point.

So as I plan which colour combo to ombre my hair in, and just as I decide which styling wand will help me get those tight, big curls to go with my J's, I agree with India Arie, I am not my hair. This hair is not mine. This hair does equal this or that kind of woman. This hair is not my end and be all. No.

So can Solange grow her natural hair out without being heralded and equally attacked attacked as the patron saint of realness? Can Khanyi Mbau change her lace fronts as much she wants just because she damn well can? Can Bonang continue to tlatlamula them with her Diva Divine hair because she seriously looks good? Can you young woman box braid your hair from here to kingdom come because that's how roll?

Your thoughts?

Labels: hair, thoughts

posted by Zinhle Zee Mncube @ 3:43 PM 5 Comments

Vantage point

You wouldn't know it, but I am in both of these pictures. Shout out to tido4sho - instagoodness.

Labels: instagood, instagram, thato mohuba, zee fashionista

posted by Zinhle Zee Mncube @ 12:17 AM 0 Comments

Channel Chanel

Heaven have mercy...

Labels: chanel, street chic

posted by Zinhle Zee Mncube @ 11:53 PM 0 Comments

All I want for Christmas

Betty's style is insane - these Tripp NYC skinnies are insane!

I cannot begin to describe this level of dopeness.

Finna get these. I might blow that 120 Euros on 'em

Mode Junkie owns this Margiela jacket. I could cry at the beauty this is.

Labels: style, wishlist

posted by Zinhle Zee Mncube @ 10:12 PM 0 Comments

Long hair, don't curr

Labels: zee fashionista

posted by Zinhle Zee Mncube @ 9:42 PM 0 Comments

Out and about

With Nthabi

So these are just a couple of snaps from my out-and-aboutness on the streets of Joburg. The first shot is from the super memorable PUMA Social Club where Okmalumkoolkat and Spoek Mathambo both performed on the same night. Now you can imagine my excitement - 2 of my absolute favourite artists on stage, at once - I could die. Needless to say, much jumping ensued. Thank goodness I had on my brand new Superga creepers with the snake detail - comfort! (Side note - those Topshop high waisted jeans are now my fave pair)

The second snaps are from the December edition of the WKND Social. I love the last picture shot by Thithi Nteta. If you don't already know about the WKND Social, it's a monthly 'social' that brings together good people, good food (at the brunch) and good music (at the day party right after the brunch) at different venues in Johannesburg. It was first time there, and I enjoyed it so much that it definitely won't be last.

I fell in love with my matador hat the instant I saw it. The leather skirt is a pretty little thing from local label, Missshape, and the shirt - or what I like to call my 'Prince of Bel Air shirt' - another acquisition from My Sister's Closet Vintage sale. Fashion - gotta love

Labels: fashionistas, puma social jozi, wknd social, zee fashionista

posted by Zinhle Zee Mncube @ 9:32 PM 0 Comments

Let's talk Saint Laurent Paris

Yeah, let's talk about how Hedi Slimane is absolutely, positively, murdering Saint Laurent Paris as the creative director. Now I guess the buzz of this Spring 2012 campaign, shot by Slimane himself, is that Australian model, Julia Nobis, has been tapped to head it, but my goodness, all I'm seeing here are the clothes...

Man, who not kill to be the Saint Laurent woman? Those oversized hats, those embellished tit-bits, the capes, that boyish fierceness - I cannot begin to explain the love I have for this...

Labels: hedi slimane, julia nobis, saint laurent paris

posted by Zinhle Zee Mncube @ 9:49 PM 1 Comments