Harare Store Review: Sapatos Footwear & Luggage Boutique

Sapatos is just the most divine, elegant and uptown boutique with elegant decor in the city’s Joina City. It hosts a range of South-African and UK Label ladies shoes (Yes, I spotted a BCBG shoe and ZOOM shoes!) as well as handbags and accessories. The boutique is relatively new having been operating well over a month now. It’s got some really up to trend handbags such as the envelope clutch and satchel purse (which I’m obsessed about and will one day own!). I also spotted some really lovely ladies loafers and boat shoes and some really stylish shoes for the little ones. ZOOM shoes were fetching from $45, which for non-locally produced shoes; it’s a really good price. I was even happier when I saw the handbags and purses were fetching from $25 starting with the oversized envelope clutches (which were just divine!). The satchel purse (that I truly adore fetches from $50; the one that I liked was $60 which isn’t bad for an international label being sold in Zim.) The store also hosts shoes and bags for the gentlemen who love class and sophistication and appreciate man elegance. (To be quite honest I think every man, whether your Hip-Hop fab should have a Man purse, Yes one of those Man purses!). Not to forget the store also hosts athletic gear and some school shoes!

I’m very proud to say Zimbabwe is definitely catching along with fashion standards in terms of the sprouting of shoes and handbags boutiques around the city. More so these boutiques are doing their level best in offering some really lovely and satisfying shoes (although they are not locally made and some of these boutiques charge crazy expensive prices, I’m glad that they are giving it a try). Thumbs up to these peeps who are catering for a Quality shoe fetish gap!

Stay Gorg and Glam

GD

I'm more of a Bag-lady, so forgive me for the bias.

The Satchel purse

I'm pretty sure this was a ZOOM shoe...

An array of Envelope cluthes....I die

This one was my favourite

How cute are these satchel purses?

I cannot forget Gentlemen...

My JEWEL Articles

My FIRST official fashion magazine articles! I did it! I wrote a few social articles within my Lovely city; Harare and they got published in our local magazine JEWEL magazine Zimbabwe! << A DREAM COME TRUE! I have only dreamt of writing something awesome for a magazine especially fashion related. I had always told myself that one day I would intern for a magazine by writing or snapping some FAB pics. And even though my articles are small and don’t cover a full page, the fact that I have achieved my stepping stone goal is just beyond awesome for me. I actually didn’t know my little articles were published in JEWEL’s 12^th issue, I actually found out through Lochnation on Sunday 2^nd December on Twitter and Tatenda Robin of CJF on Monday on Facebook. They had seen my photo before I did! But I guess that’s because when the mag came out of publication I was in the middle of writing exams. But hey, I bought my issue on Wednesday!

In my heart I feel like this is the start of awesome things! Big things even.

I want to thank Mrs. Tsitsi Mutendi for such an opportunity (just saying that only makes me want to bring so much more to the table!). And also thank you to Lochnation and Tatenda Robin for the initial heads up!

Buy your 12^th issue of JEWEL magazine Zimbabwe with Tinopona Katsande on the cover. Local Lovely Flavour.

Stay Gorg and Glam

GD

Moi on the Contributor page. Cute!

My take on dinning out! Millers style

My little piece on decor from Cinnamon

Get your latest copy of JEWEL!!

 

Local Lovely Flavour: Rufaro Doug Masundire

My Local Lovely Flavour (LLF) for the month of December is very dear to me and a sheer talent in my eyes. This month focus is on my good friend Rufaro Doug Masundire, a fashion extraordinaire in more ways than one! He is a male fashionista, fashion designer, blogger, model and a recently graduate theology student from Baptist Theological College of Southern Africa based in South Africa. Born in Zimbabwe and moved to Gaborone, Botswana at a tender age, Rufaro and myself went to primary school together in Gaborone (although I was 3 grades/standards ahead of him) and he was a good friend of my younger sisters’. Only recently have Rufaro and I become much closer through our love for fashion. He did his ordinary level education back home in Zim at MCC (Midlands Christian College) and after that moved to Joburg South Africa to further his studies in Theology and where he is now primarily settled.
 

He just recently established his new clothing label Sowannan Est 1986 in September 2012, which is my main focus for my LLF. It’s an interesting twist of tribal, modern yet sexy clothing for the contemporary woman.

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/Sowannanest1986

The Sowannan Logo

Rufaro's stunning designs. I wish i was modelling them.

His recent Spring/Summer 2012 inspiration

His recent design inspiration. I can see myself in some of his pieces

The gentleman behind Sowannan

Rufaro Doug Masundire

Supporting local lovely flavour in the most Signature manner!

I’m so very proud of you Rufaro, I hope next year we will meet at Zimbabwe fashion Week 2013 with some of your pieces!

Stay Gorg and Glam

GD

Jeggings!

Jeggings have been around since 2009, taking over from the leggings. I for one was not very keen on jeggings cause I had seen a nasty side to them so frankly I never bought a pair. But last week Friday (16 November) I had a change of heart when I bought my first pair of jeggings at Edgars first street corner Kwame Nkrumah avenue for $17.00. They are in this gorgeous wine red colour which is completely out of the box from what I normally wear. Frankly I had been eyeing these jeggings for almost two weeks, having first spotted them at Edgars Eastgate on my study break (I tried to be a good girl and not get carried away but I couldn’t help it). So my new infactuation over my new jeggings inspired me to write a little something on jeggings:

Jeggings are defined as leggings that are styled to look like tight denim jeans. Jeggings were brought about by the re-emergence of the skinny jean style. They are typically made of denim with a cross in of a spandex blend. They are typically two kinds of jeggings with reference to material;

1.   Jeggings that are legging material made to look like denim, sometimes they have an elastic waistband without pockets (this describes my new jeggings). 
2.  Jeggings that are somewhat a true cross between denim and legging material. They are essentially a demin fabric with elasticity of a legging.

If you are a fashionista you would know that Jeggings are characteristic of the 1980’s era, with the likes of Madonna and Cyndi Lauper, in bold coloured print and the ripped-punk look. Nowadays, they are usually rocked by Kim Kardashian, Jessica Alba and Zoe Saldana.

My traumatising memory is that (No Offence here) but Zim girls have a tendency of wearing them all WRONG!

Here’s my version of the Jegging Top 5 (for some Zim ladies of course);

1. Jeggings are synonymous with tall, leggy and slender models, meant to give the slim illusion of a sleek look characteristic of models on a runaway (if you work it right, you can apply this in reality).
2. Jeggings are not (I repeat NOT) meant to be worn as regular pants with a tee shirt or a short shirt that sits on your bum! It is required that you wear a long blouse or long camisole that covers your bum and hip area so that the jeggings evenly slims you out or you’ll end up looking like your wearing leggings! (this applies to the well built and strong boned curvy girl, if your slender like me then you can getaway with it!)
3. You can also pair your long blouse with a long blazer to give the illusion that you are wearing skinny jeans. (Kim K does it best with this look).
4. However you can only get away with jeggings that have a pocket detail because from afar they look like slim skinnies of slim fitting pants.
5. And finally, leggings and jeggings are two completely different things! Don’t treat them the same!

I hope you will learn something from this post, because to be frank I learned ALOT about jeggings that I didn’t even know and it was only befitting that I share it. 

For more info, check out Blueprint.

Stay Gorg and Glam

GD

 Celebrity Inspiration:

A casual inspiration by Zoe Saldana

There's no doubt Kim K does it best. See how it slims her curves out.

Beyonce in Leather jeggings

How to wear Jeggings for the slim figure.

*Updated 13 May 2014*

October Breast Cancer Awareness

October Breast Cancer Awareness is an annual international health campaign organised by major breast cancer and cancer related charities every month of October to increase the awareness of the disease as well as raise funds for its research towards the cause, prevention, treatment, diagnosis and cure. In Zimbabwe, breast cancer is the second leading cancer after cervical cancer in women (according to the Zimbabwe National Cancer Registry of 2009, breast cancer contibutes to 12-13% cancer cases in Zimbabwean women alone.) Bear in mind men can also get breast cancer although more emphasis is linked to women.

My emphasis on cancer is that there is no direct cause to it but it is said to be linked to the natural cell regeneration within the human body. To be self assure of Cancer, you can go for a check up every twice a year, depending on your lifestyle. I for one am very passionate about cancer and the cause. I got tested in the past month and got an all clear (and if you are girl or young woman reading this, I suggest you also get screened).

Throughout the month of October I showed my support by wearing a pink ribbon every Friday and sharing it with the fam on Facebook. Though the month of October has left us, I  continue to keep my pledge and support the cause in anyway I can.

For more information or if you wish to show your support, visit The Cancer Association of Zimbabwe cnr Livingstone Avenue and 6th Street, Harare,

Stay Gorg and Glam

GD

First friday of October with the matching pink/purple leopard print scarf.

Second Friday of October.

Third friday of October. I took my pink ribbon with me to the event that night.

Fourth friday of October. I was at home on my semester break but I looked lovely with my pink ribbon in tow.:)

My last dash of Pink on Sunday 28th October. Mixing fashion with an awareness in mind.