Do Denim Joggers

I will begin by saying I have thrown a lot of names around to describe this particular pair of denims. In the beginning the label was “Cuffed Denim”, and it worked quite well back then because at the time everyone was using that term. Then came along the “Elastic Cuff”, but this was just the generalized term we used at college. Only recently have I discovered that this denim tucked away strategically in my closet is actually a “Jogger Denim”! Amazed and a little bit embarrassed, I did my research to find the correct term to label them without having my head all over the place. Making the link between jogger sweatpants, leather joggers and denim joggers was an AHA moment made in my fashion diary.

You might remember these denims from 2012; they had a moment on the blog with a casual attire suited for that time. Fast forward to 2015 and they have been given a much more chic revival to suit. I have been consuming myself as of late into finding a way to style these particular joggers, and soon enough this post will spread over 3 looks and ideas centred around them. Part of the reason is to find combining ways to make the most out of old trendy clothes without chucking them away completely (especially in my case where they still fit).

Denim is always a stylish alternative for a casual attire or a dolled up look. The best part about denim is the classic fixture in which it carries without being outdated or scratched out completely.

Black Peplum Blazer – Jet Stores Zimbabwe

Silver Grey Bauble choker – Bling Bling

Black tank – Edgars Stores Zimbabwe

Black belt – Thrift store

Jogger Denim – Great Gear (Noczim Building)

Red Heels – Wardrobe Mix

Sunglasses – Elle Magazine SA
Lipgloss - Sleek Lipglass Rose

In other news, I have been closely monitoring the progress of my #NaturalHairMovement. It’s a bit tedious; with the combing of the afro and twist outs every evening, but I have found relief in detangler, olive oil and a blow dryer to keep my afro smooth and manageable. Head scarfs and Head wraps are my best friend to tie up my hair on bad hair days, and bonus points because it’s a chic style alternative.

Don’t forget to find my blog and many style adventures on Instagram - @tendaitoscie!

As Always, Stay Gorgeous!

White Turtleneck

The rainy season is a very crucial period in Zimbabwe, not only for the crops and the farming season but because the rains bring with it a much cooler and comfortable aroma, which is a breath of fresh air from the much warmer summer sun. Soo cool that sometimes Hararians mistake it for the cold! I however personally favour the cooler rainy weather. It’s a perfect time to stay in, enjoy some movies or catch up with my many stacks of magazines (old and new) for tonnes of inspiration. Staying in doubles up as a method to steer clear of the rain, in a bid not get wet or caught up in it. Another factor I would like to add is the rainy weather is the perfect time for me to pull out some knits, shrugs and cover-ups that are usually tucked away for the winter. This white turtleneck is one of them, a hand me down from a friend that I purchased for close to nothing! It was one of those free closet raids because she was moving to England and wanted to load off some old clothes (old in her terms, but new in my eyes). It maybe summer, but my winter closet is already underway with this snow white, fine knit turtleneck. I love that it is not too chunky or heavy, but lightweight which means it can work both in summer and winter, as well as the autumn season! I paired the turtleneck with basic blue jeans from Wardrobe Mix, a grey chainlink purse (thrifted), grey thick chain neckpiece from MRP Fashion, nude stud pumps from Jet Zimbabwe and Elle Magazine SA pastel sunglasses from their December 2014 issue. I found this ensemble to be perfect for a rainy Sunday morning to church, just to keep cosy but still styled appropriately for the weather. This post officially introduces you to this white piece of decadence, and I cannot wait to curate some looks to dazzle for the A/W 2015 season. As for now, I will let you devour into this look!

Happy Readings!

Tendai Sophia

xo.

Peg Leg + Stripes

Back on that stripes tip again, this ensemble was worn about a month back when I attended the Zimbabwe Fashion Week 2014 press conference at the Harare City Library. It is also the same look from last year’s “Sailor Inspired” post which I paired with my brand new black ZARA tote at the time. For this second pairing, I switched up a few things with the green pumps from Jet, the blue and green statement neckpiece and the Marie Claire tote from Bata Shoes. I remember I added my tuxedo blazer to this ensemble, to keep it polished and editorial for the press conference (something that I’ve been widely reading on when it comes to nailing the chic but comfortable editorial look. I must say I like the editorial vibe as I’ve been fusing it to my personality with the STS brand). The last bit to this ensemble is the ELLE Magazine sunglasses from way back in 2010 – I love having the ability to cherish one of my favourite accessories, which are sunglasses! Care and maintenance is required with pretty much anything really and since I’m one-quarter a vintage soul; I always feel the need to cherish things so that they last longer.

All the same, summer is strongly upon us in Harare and it just so happens to be a perfect time for fashion weeks and showcases. If you haven’t already read, I managed to attend Zimbabwe Fashion Week, and just recently the Fashion Weekend Zimbabwe press conference on the 21^st of October. Unfortunately I did not attend the 3 day Weekend Fest – running from 24-26 October (and it breaks my heart that I didn’t because FWZ has supported bloggers from the get-go with their highly publicised blogger competition in 2013 and their Meet the Industry in February 2014). The only excuse I can give for this is that God and Family comes first in any situation, so no worries, 2015 will roll around soon enough. With that said, I still plan to cover my own commentary on the fashion shows by picking out my best designers from FWZ 2014!

Here’s to summer and Fashion Weeks in Zimbabwe!

Stay Gorgeous

Tendai Sophia!

Monochrome Lady

One of the things that people don’t know about me is that I’m a big nature lover. If you look back at a lot of the blog’s outfit posts I’m standing in front of a tree or a pack of dusty brown staircases. Nature is my thing, and I contribute to the conservation of the environment in the littlest ways possible – like keeping my rubbish in my purse until I find a BIN! I really cannot throw rubbish out the window or whilst I’m strolling down the street. That is just one of my pet peeves.

Today’s post is a monochromatic vibe with one of my favourite skirts’, and of course my treasured peplum jacket both from Jet stores. Wearing a plain skirt “kind of” freaks me out, so I try by all means to purchase something that my personality falls back into. It’s obvious that I’m a huge stripe lover, and of course my closet boosts a few stripe-y pieces. I completed this look with an old black tank top from Edgars (that has seen better days), and the cutest office wedges from Jet SA. The black leather clutch is vintage and always seems to bring an edgy vibe with its metal clip and ruched top. And the little charm keychain was an added accessory to the all-black ensemble.

Now I’m sure you are well aware of the blog’s styling segment which is The GLAM Project ZW – well I’ve been doing some soul searching as of late, in line with some projects I have been doing and I felt it fit that I rebrand to Signature Toscie Styling. Just to keep it in line with the blog and the vision I’m going after. Posts on The GLAM Project will still remain the same, but future postings will direct towards Signature Toscie Styling #STS. So look out for #STS or #SignatureToscieStyling on some of the blog’s social media, and get to know a little bit of my quirky style.

All the same I wish you a fabulous Fashion Week in Harare and Bulawayo!

As Always, Stay Gorgeous

Tendai Sophia

NGOSIKADZI Wrap Dress Goes from Day to Night

I have been having a lot of fun styling the NGOSIKADZI dresses for the blog, and I’m even more certain that print dresses will be a big trend in Harare pretty soon (I have already spotted quite a few printed frocks, and I’m soo glad the trend is finally taking flight). This post focuses on the NGOSI wrap dress which was a huge highlight for me on Sunday (24 August 2014), as I took the dress from Day to Night; with two looks that I’m going to share in this post. And I will honestly say I was truly a highlight as everyone kept complementing the dress – a lovely feminine print if I must say so myself :).

Pretty in PINK

I love the colour pink, and I’m not ashamed to say I own a few pink pieces in my closet (check out Pink Nostalgia here). So when I had the “AHA” moment of styling this dress in pink, it was a visionary ‘Modern African Princess’ (this is the theme I was going for). I paired the frock with some of my favourite pieces, keeping in mind to match with the colours on the dress:

1. Pink blazer from Truworths Zimbabwe – this is my go-to blazer that doesn’t let me down and looks good with just about anything.

2. Pink head band from Bling Bling – Lost accessory but found right in time for this look.

3. Silver Bubble choker – great solid colour that works with just about anything, and adds a quirky/edgy pizazz to any look.

4. Zara Black tote – I personally think totes are great to carry anything and for an uber stylish feel; bonus points if it’s black because black is a neutral colour that blends in with anything.

5. Black pumps – since I took this look to church, pumps where the preferred shoe choice to keep it neat and polished for the church environment.

6. MrP Sunglasses – I don’t think any outfit is complete without sunglasses, and this particular pair is a go-to favourite, #BigAndBoldSunglasses.

You can't go wrong with Black accessories.

African Themed Wedding

Later in the day I took the dress to an African themed wedding; #NaijaZimWedding – which was absolutely beautiful at the Wild Geese Lodge. Although a lot of the reception party took a modern route to dressing for the ceremony – I was glad I was one of the few who opted to go African. There’s soo much I can describe of Wild Geese Lodge but it will take two good blogposts because I wouldn’t want to leave out any detail. But I will say the lodge is a great recommendation for any wedding, conferences or party – with a 10 km radius out of Harare, if you are coming from Harare drive.

For the evening I switched from pink to black and gold, with a black peplum jacket form Jet, Gold Envelope clutch from Sapatos and black sandals from MrP. I kept the silver neckpiece and the sunglasses, whilst my hair went from sleek pushback in the morning to a low pony tail for the evening. I must say I loved the sunset over the lodge that it was a perfect scenery for a photoshoot by the stairs of one of the buildings – a hazy but golden light as the sun goes down. An “African sunset” it was.

That beautiful African sunset.

Forgive my poor home pedicure but these MrP sandals are too adorable!

Scenes From the Wedding

With that said, I hope this post has inspired you to invest in a print dress this season, because with these two looks in one day – I guarantee you there are a ton of ways to style and rock a printed frock for the summer!

With these two looks, I want know to know which one is your fave NGOSIKADZI Wrap Dress style? Sound off and share your thoughts.

Stay Gorgeous,

Tendai Sophia.

The GLAM Project Collaboration with Concrete Jungle NGOSIKADZI

The GLAM Project is my blog styling venture, which focuses on affordable, fun and chic fashion straight from myself. It’s something that I’ve been working on for quite a while now, and if you check links on the blog and on twitter, you can see a lot of my outfit posts have the hashtag #TheGLAMProject. The GLAM Project is really my story of styling clothing in an economy where fashion is linked to a lot of cheap imports, expensive goods and the tailor becoming your best friend to alter and design your preferred clothing. This is where The GLAM Project comes in, I try to link all of the fashion problems I face and create something exciting out of the negative – I don’t believe in turning a blind eye to something that could be potentially good; if and only IF you choose to change it.

With The GLAM Project I channel that through fashion, by mixing and matching, scouting around town for good finds and sometimes giving in the sacrifice to invest in a good piece that lasts long in my closet. So The GLAM Project is really my journey to creating classy, sophisticated, edgy and chic fashion in the streets of Harare. 

Earlier this month The GLAM Project took on its first collaboration with Concrete Jungle NGOSIKADZI (renamed from Concrete Jungle Fashion) to bring you two of Ngosikadzi African print dresses in Dutch wax African print, with the fabric texture being Kitenge from East Africa. Now this is a first blogger style collaboration so expect it to be super fun, affordable, chic and directly to YOU! The dresses in question are in two modern styles; the classic wrap design embodied by renowned international designer Diane Von Furstenberg (DVF), who introduced the dress in the 1970s. The tent dress is the second dress from Ngosikadzi that has a V neck slit at the back and embodies a 60s shift dress silhouette.

For each of the two dresses I will be giving you 3 looks in the following categories; a casual look, glam look and a quirky look – which runs down to a total of 6 looks. These looks will be flowing onto the blog for the rest of June and into the month of July with fun tips and suggestions coming from you!

Since African print is a really big trend right now, it’s only feasible to incorporate it into the winter season with fun and feminine ways of layering, which will also show bits n’ pieces of my personality.

With that said, my mission for this GLAM Project is to show support to our own designers and the textile industry, so any queries or questions OR how you wish to be featured on the blog as an emerging/upcoming designer, do email me or Tatenda with signaturetoscie@gmail.com or Tatenda with cjfashionzim@gmail.com.

The Wrap Dress – Casual Look

This wrap dress is absolutely super cute with the bold print and the little heart details. The fabric is a bit light for the winter season, so I did some super layering with a chunky knit cowl neck from Edgars, which picks up the strong red and purple detail very well. I let the dress speak for itself by toning down the rest of my look with a black peplum jacket, black stalkings and black ankle boots to keep warm. My personal favourite sunglasses to finish the look, and a bold watch to add a personal touch. What’s beautiful about the wrap dress is its timeless factor – it’s a go to piece that comes in many silhouettes, whether flared (like this one), straight, A-line, knee length or maxi long; as well as in different sleeves (this one in particular is sleeve less). You can take it from day to night, from the office to the happy hour and should be an important piece in a woman’s closet just like the LBD and LWD.

Yours with The GLAM Project,

Tendai Sophia!

The EcoCash Shopping Revolution

Mobile money transfer or mobile banking is the modern medium to take care of all your expenses and financial figures, straight via your cellphone. You can pay bills, pay for social outings (such as lunch), pay for your groceries and/or shopping, take out items on laybye and even pay school fees! All these benefits straight through your cellphone (makes you wonder if you might need a bank account; which of course you do for transactions outside your cellphone). Mobile payment platforms have become easy, fast, efficient and affordable, with Zimbabwe having mobile networks branching into mobile money transactions. Popular being EcoCash, OneWallet (Netone launched mobile money first before Econet by the way), and just recently TeleCash and NettCash. Now this blogpost isn’t in anyway biased, but I’m more familiar with EcoCash services of mobile money transfer, which has prompted me to write this post.

Why mobile money and shopping? Well to start off we are increasingly living in a materialistic world, with the personal brand, shopping as a plus factor (that can make you gain more), and technological advancements increasingly creating new innovations towards our seriously globalizing world. With that said, shopping has become much more efficient with mobile money transfer; I’ve a scenario where I purchased a jacket straight through EcoCash! No fuss, no queuing and no service connection problems (well service disconnections cannot be entirely ruled out), but my point is if you are obsessed with your phone, and your life rotates around your cellphone then having either EcoCash, TeleCash or OneWallet should be something you should look into (if you haven’t already). Since I’m quite familiar with EcoCash, I’m able to deposit, withdraw and transfer money (send money to a registered or non-registered EcoCash user), and have the option to utilize EcoCash Save - which is a smart money platform to save cash, watch it grow and cut down on loans.

I remember I was quite naïve with the idea of applying let alone having something called mobile banking in my phone; I asked myself what’s the fuss all about? Err…you could still save and put money in a bank account. Another factor was I was a student, why would I want to chuck my pocket money, if my intention was to directly consume it?! But I had my ‘AHA’ moment when a former employer urged me to apply for EcoCash, that’s when I realized its relevance. Heck I can now buy airtime from my phone!

So back to shopping, major retailers in Harare have EcoCash biller codes to make it convenient for their consumers to shop; top of my list being Jet Stores, Edgars, Truworths, Wardrobe Mix, Passport; pretty much any clothing retailer you walk into offers their consumers the facility of mobile payment/mobile money transfer, with the two most popular being EcoCash and TeleCash. EcoCash agents are pretty much scattered around Harare, so making withdrawals and deposits is not limited - although best advice is to make transactions directly to the service provider for personal reasons or if you wish to be safe.

According to TechZim, there is now a EcoCash mobile Android app on Google Play Store.

Mobile money transfer/payment services is one of the many technological advancements we receive and enjoy today to cater for shopping, bill payments, withdrawals and saving. Rounding up the group with bank accounts, credit cards, debit order and laybye services (which is another blogpost in the works). The ability to pay for goods and services in Zimbabwe is increasingly becoming innovative for consumers.

With that said, have you registered for a mobile money transfer service with your service provider? Sound off, and have your say on The EcoCash Shopping Revolution.

Stay Gorg and Glam with,

Tendai Sophia

EcoCash Merchant and Biller at Topics First Street.

EcoCash Biller Code at Truworths Sam Levy.

Mannequins in Topics First street Harare.

My Weekend Ensemble: Henry Holland Poppy Dress

This blogpost is exciting for me because of two factors;

1. I got my Signature hairstyle back! Tiny micro-braids that are super functional for me, they look great on me which makes them my fave. The braids are actually a weave by the name of Nubian Lock for Outre hair products, which goes for $7.oo per pack.

2. I wore my Henry Holland Poppy Dress for Mr. Price South Africa to Meet The Industry networking on Saturday 22 February at the Queen of Hearts cafe in Highlands, Harare.

I spotted the Henry Holland Dress on a mannequin in a new store corner Herbert Chitepo and Second street extension/Sam Nujoma street. I admire Henry Holland's designs and i'm a huge fan of his material and graphics, so when i spotted this dress in Zimbabwe, it was just meant to be. Interestingly enough the little store (with the name of Just Fab) sells only Mr. Price Apparel, so i'm guessing the owner is trying to diversify (not sure how though).

So this dress was worn by Kelly Osbourne in the Mr. Price Nov/Dec 2013 lookbook in collaboration with the Red Cap Foundation in South-Africa. Out of all of the Henry Holland Exclusive pieces, the Poppy dress was the highlight for me (I know its just a lookbook but there's alot that goes on in my mind when i go through them). The details in the stripes is my favourite thing about this dress, i love stripes and have only worn Breton stripes (black and white tiny stripes), so a multi-coloured dress with a horizontal pitch was a first for me. Second of all this dress is cute and short, which makes it pretty great for summer with the length and the vibrant colours.

I paired my Poppy dress with a black Peplum jacket, chunky necklace, black tote and nude pumps; keeping everything else neutral whilst letting the dress be the highlight for the whole ensemble. I wore this dress to the perfect occasion which was the Meet The Industry networking organised by Shamiso Ruzvidzo of Catherine Ruze modelling agency and Fashion Weekend Zimbabwe 2014. A separate post will be done for the networking event, but it was a small brunch, so to say, that brought together some of professionals in the Fashion Industry in Zimbabwe, that included photographers, designers, stylists, fashion bloggers (just myself), retailers and models.

My hair was in a top-knot bun, fuss free and out of my face so that i can easily network.

So...this is how i styled a multi-coloured dress; a little illustration of my styling strategy which is The GLAM Project.

Signing out with lots of love and chic fashion...

Yours in Glamour,

Mademoiselle Signature Toscie

The Poppy Delevigne dress, as worn by Kelly Osbourne for Henry Holland Mr. Price SA.
Photo from stylescoop.co.za

My Weekend Ensemble: Print-Tastic Skirt

Print-Tastic is how best I would like to describe last Sunday's ensemble. There is always a story behind my outfits so i'm going to share it. First and foremost I'm very glad as to how I styled this printed circle skirt which is actually a second hand piece. It reminded of alot of nostalgia and of course I told myself I had to have it. 

The print is actually green leaves with accents of brown flowers and it is further the one piece I took the time to alter. I folded up the hemline of the skirt (by 6cm) and undid the buttons on the side of the pockets. The plus factor about this circle skirt is the pockets! Which if I must say, is an added style statement just to the skirt alone. My red blouse is courtesy of my sister who bought it for me, and the Mr. Price neckchain also belongs to her (Thank you sis for lending it to me). My peplum blazer was just a throwover to compensate for the chilly weather that morning, finally green pumps from Jet, a skinny belt for the cinched in waist and finally the signature sunglasses to finish off the look.

Before I go, Apologies for the poor picture quality, but best believe I'm working on it. Whilst we are at it, tell me your thoughts on the printed circle/midi skirt? Would you wear a vintage piece?

As always,

Yours in Glamour,

ST