As Quaint As Clarens

If you look up the word 'quaint' in the South African pictorial dictionary, you will find a photograph of Clarens. Okay...so maybe that's just a literary myth, but there isn't a better way to describe this enchanting little town, which is set against the glorious Maluti Mountains. I recently visited the 'Jewel of the Free State', which cast a spell on me with it's majestic charm and tranquil ambience. Once I got there, I never wanted to leave. 

This is the view of the town from our porch at Rosewood Cottage, where we spent the weekend. I now know what it feels like to breathe in crisp, fresh mountain air and have your breath taken away by the spectacular scenery at the same time. This area of South Africa is renowned for its beautiful sandstone structures. The sandstone is found in the adjacent Golden Gate National Park.

Clarens is a place where artists come to inspire, and be inspired. Many artists chose to settle down in this serene sanctuary permanently. The streets are lined with art galleries, displaying unique paintings and sculptures, one more extraordinary than the next. An 'artsier' place, I have not yet been to. Besides paintings, one can purchase exotic artifacts and curios, as well as handcrafted wooden furniture and metal artwork, all made in and around Africa.

The thing that makes Clarens as quaint and old-world as it is, is the absence of franchises. There are no chain stores or popular fast food branches. Not one. Every store and restaurant is individually owned and designed to blend into the chocolate-box surroundings, retaining the antique character of the town. The numerous deli's sell homemade delights with a difference. Pictured top left are miniature melt-in-your-mouth créme brûlée chocolates, which I regret not buying more of. Bottom left, are glass-jar condiments with adorable names like 'You are Berry Licious' jam, 'You are Peri Hot' sauce and 'Sweet as Nectar' honey. I lost myself in a sweetly scented store selling all-natural beauty products. That's the testing station pictured top right, you can imagine how many indulgent hours could be spent there.

Above are photos of the Garment Gallery, which is one gallery that must not be missed when visiting Clarens. An endearing boutique inspired by the timeless beauty of Mona Lisa, the Garment Gallery seeks to gratify the trendy shopper with vintage glamour. They stock one-of-a-kind and well-tended vintage clothes and evening gowns, as well as new, more modern pieces. Antique strollers store a myriad of lace and crochet scarves, and they house a historic hat collection that Jackie O would be proud of. I am still infatuated by the embroidered pink and white tulle ruffle dress from the 50's (pictured bottom middle). 

Visiting Clarens was like stepping into another world for two days. A place lost in time, where prettiness and creativity flows freely and abundantly. I have discovered that there are two types of people you will find in Clarens: the soulful artists who come here to nurture their ingenious talents; and then there's the rest of us, who come to bask in all of it's rustic beauty.

*All photos taken by me.

Tuesday Thrills - Tea and Tulips

Tea and Tulips

Vintage Clothes



Stefanie Kuncman's flair for vintage fashion inspired her to start the online boutique, Tea and Tulips. Steffy sells one-of-a-kind vintage pieces which she finds and hand picks herself. She modernizes certain outfits, either by shortening the length or altering the sleeves on blouses and dresses. This Miami gal says that she is 'madly in love with clothes' and shares this love on her site by personally modeling each of the outfits. I don't know how she does it, if I the task of personally picking out pretty vintage clothes for my store, I'd want to keep them all!



Her quirky ensembles have been featured on various sites, including Elle, Vogue Germany, Grazia, Fabsugar and Vogue Girl Korea. Her clothes are well-maintained, affordable and adorable! These are some of my favourite items from the Tea and Tulips boutique.





Skirts

1. Go for green skirt. A semi pleated skirt in a radiant teal green colour. $22 / R162

2. Colour me bright floral skirt. $15 / R110

3. Wrap me up in peach skirt. A crinkly, feminine pastel peach skirt. $26 / R191

4. Navy and floral pleated skirt. A semi sheer navy blue skirt with pink flowers. $24 / R176





Jackets & Blouses

1. Houndstooth fall jacket. I love this black and white print. $28 / R205

2. Bright as life coat. A pale lime coat with large collar and 3/4 sleeves. $23 / R169

3. Circle collar blouse. Off-white with self-stripes. $25 / R184. The gold bow brooch is available separately at $11 / R80.80

4. Ray of sunshine blouse. 100% silk blouse in bright yellow with delicate beading. $32 / R235

Dresses

1. Pinky swear dress. A sweet pink summer dress with lace trimmed collar. $24 / R176

2. Subdued Peter Pan dress. A minty green dress with peter pan collar. $25 / R184

3. Colour block dress. A bright blue block dress with pleated skirt. $25 / R184. The orange clutch bag is available for $25 / R184

4. Red silk shirt dress. 100% silk scarlet dress with blue piping. $25 / R184

5. You're invited for tea dress. A girly button-up dress in a pretty floral print. $25 / R184

6. Only the classiest dress. A satin midnight blue dress with lace collar. $21 or R154

7. Purple leaflets dress. A purple and black printed dress with clinched waist. $24 / R176. The pastel green cardigan costs $24 / R176.

8. Sunflowers and checkers dress. A 60's style black and white checked dress with sunflower embroidered neckline. $21 or R154



You can purchase these charming outfits and many more on Steffy's website, Tea and Tulips. She ships to South Africa (lucky us!) as well as to the rest of the world. Also check out the clearance and sale items on the site, where you will find some gems under $10 / R73. As these are all singular pieces, they do sell out quickly, but are regularly replaced with new stock. I hope you find yourself some great vintage treasures!



Happy Shopping!

X

'Mad Men' Collection at Banana Republic

Do you have wardrobe envy each time you watch an episode of Mad Men? Now you too can get that 60's secretary look with the launch of Banana Republic's new 'Mad Men' inspired collection. The American fashion brand have teamed up with Emmy Award-winning Costume Designer, Janie Bryant to create a classic collection for both men and women. Janie is the creative architect behind the wardrobe of the hit TV series, which is based on the cutthroat world of advertising in 1960's New York. 



The collection features the best of retro designs, including high-waisted skirts, trench coats, empire-line dresses, fitted sheath dresses, blouses and cardigans. Outfits are accessorized with strings of pearls, scarves, gloves and sheer black stockings. I love the abundance of leopard print in this range. 

 A lovely leopard print trench coat is worn over a cream lace dress, belted in black. A vibrant orange and grey silk print dress with pockets. A burgundy A-line dress is accessorized with a leopard print scarf and sheer black polka dot stockings. I love the rich jewel tone of the flair ruby skirt, quaintly paired with a leopard print cardigan, lace top and elegant pearls.

 Shades of blue are dabbed into a printed knee-length dress. A black blouse with pussycat bow is worn under a caramel leopard print cardigan, with light grey cropped trousers. A slate grey pea coat with matching skirt is given a vintage twist with black leather gloves and a printed turban head scarf. A timeless Little Black Dress that will remain trendy for years to come.

Menswear is not my forte, but I do like the look of these classy black and grey suits. The debonair mensline includes two-button suits, vests, trench coats, a series of ties, knitted jerseys, crisp white shirts and tailored trousers.

This collection may have been inspired by a bygone fashion era, but these pieces all have a worthy place in the wardrobes of today's stylish working men and women. The Banana Republic 'Mad Men' Collection will be available this month from bananarepublic.com  

Lily Allen's New Fashion Line

Lucy in Disguise

by Lily Allen

British singer Lily Allen, along with her sister Sarah have launched a new vintage inspired clothing line. Different eras of style have been given a modern and contemporary twist. Lily said that the collection was inspired by the idea of a fictional Lucy who is “A time-traveling fashionista who’s inviting you to explore her wardrobe… It’s a great opportunity to play with the character.” 

There's twenties flapper dresses, 30's tea dresses, feminine 40's-style maxi's, 50's A-line dresses, colourful 60's prints and jumpsuits from the seventies. The prices range from £110 - £395 and are available from their Covent Garden boutique. Below are some of Lucy in Disguise designs, from original sketches to the actual outfits.

Tuesday Thrills - Beaut Vintage Clothes

Retro Fashion

by Beaut Vintage



If you're a vintage clothing addict, you're going to love Beaut Vintage. This Australian based brand sources the best vintage clothes from around the world for their online store. Beaut Vintage offers an eclectic mix of retro clothing from the 50's to 90's, all reworked, revamped and restyled. Passionate store owner Sharon Perkins specially selects one-off pieces for their unique, glamourous appeal and high quality. 



Besides for delightful dresses from bygone eras, the Beaut Vintage range extends to skirts, jumpsuits, shirts, jackets, handbags, belts and charming pieces of jewellery. Each item is given a cute quirky name for a truly personalized feel.



The site is very user friendly, I especially like the 'Search' tool, which allows you search according to era, colour and style. Also click on the 'Sale' link for bargains. The prices are reasonable in ZAR terms and they provide shipping to South Africa, as well as many other countries worldwide.



This year, 50's and 60's style have made a huge comeback, so why not embrace the Mad Men secretary trend with actual vintage dresses from fashion's past. These are some of my favourite items from the Beaut Vintage online store.

Top Row

1. Scooter Girl. An adorable cool mod dress with navy and red horizontal stripes and red vinyl belt. A very 60's Brit Pop/Austin Powers look. Au$69.99 or R518.

2. Got the Cream. A plush cream wrap dress that is timeless and elegant. Wear it with boots, a floppy 70's hat and loads of vintage chains. Au$69.99 or R518

3. Material Girl. An 80's prom style dress fit for a millennium party. This hot pink strapless cocktail dress is decorated with a huge black bow and vintage brooch. Au$89.99 or R665.

4. Some Say She's a Spy. Every girl should have a classic black wrap dress. This one has a v-neck, flutter sleeves, a nipped waist and asymmetrical skirt. There are endless ways to wear it. Au$64.99 or R480.

5. Wildhood Flower. I like the ruby red rose and grass green print on this black sheer dress. Wear with black tights and flats. Au$69.99 or R518



Bottom Row

6. Chevron Chic. I haven't seen a print like this in ages. Such a lovely combination of chevron stripes in red, blue, grey and white. The clinch belt is included. Au$64.99 or R480.

7. Katie Knows Best. A black and grey two-tone swing dress with high neck, empire waist and patch pockets. Au$49.99 or R370

8. Bubble-licious. A romantic rose print dress in sweet pink on black. It has a ruched bodice, full bubble skirt and corsage on the waist. Au$99.99 or R740.

9. Strive for Stripes. A versatile silver, black and gold striped cardigan that's a blend of lurex and wool. I picture it with a simple white tee and skinny jeans. Au$54.99 or R407.

10. Meeting with Sterling Cooper. A midnight blue 60's shift dress that oozes class and confidence. Who wouldn't want to go to work wearing this? All that's missing is a cropped Chanel tweed coat to wear over it. Au$69.99 or R518.





*Prices are in Australian Dollars. I have converted it to South African Rands using today's exchange rate, which is subject to change.

*All items featured are one of a kind and sell out rapidly.

*Shipping costs are based on the weight of your package and take 3-15 days to arrive at your door.

* To buy one of these vintage treasures, visit beautvintage.com

*For a special Frills and Thrills discount, check out the next post.

Wakkerstroom Arts Festival 2011

Wakkerstroom is the Jewel of Mpumalanga, known for it's calm countryside fare. This tiny town, which is 3 hours from Johannesburg, is a world renowned bird watching destination, retirement village and a peaceful place that city folk visit to get away from it all. This long weekend bird watchers, music lovers and art enthusiasts from all over the country flocked to this little dorp to attend the Wakkerstroom Arts Festival. I was lured there by an advertisement I had seen in a magazine. I arrived on Saturday and was surprised to see that this (usually) sleepy town had magically sprung to life. The streets and restaurants were crowded with local and international tourists, jazz filled the air and amazing artworks were on display everywhere.

Beautiful pictures, antique furniture and luxurious home decor can be found at House of Baxburg, which used to be the old bank. The Health Shop stocks all natural beauty products and organic ingredients. A fountain outside the Bistro, where food and art combined to occupy the afternoon. At Bits 'n Pieces, you will find historic home ware, antique tea sets, old books and one-of-a-kind heirlooms.

Mooi is a treasure chest of vintage finds as well as modern home decor pieces. The Birdsong offers whimsical clothes, bags and beadwork.

The Arts Festival took place over three days at various venues. The entire town was abuzz with activity, each event taking place at a different time and specified venue. There were arts and crafts exhibitions, showcasing the remarkable talent of local artists. The Glass Art Studio of Wakkerstroom had a stall selling their decorative handmade glassware. They also offer classes on the subject. The Mucky Duck screened classic movies at their quaint tavern. The Wetlands Country House was the venue for 'Jazz in the Garden' concerts each afternoon. Guests were entertained by internationally and nationally renowned musicians such as the Pam Mortimer Jazz Trio, Gaabho Motho Tenors, Bena Opera Quartet, The Northern KZN Youth Choir, harpists, pianists, violinists and many more. 

Purchase stunning crystal chandeliers & other ornamentation at Country Home. Wakkerstroom is the second oldest town in the (old) Transvaal, and the church building (pictured above) in the town square is a historical monument. The Brie Street Deli is a charming coffee shop where you will also find a wide range of cheeses, chocolate, home-made preserves and spices from around the world. Local artists showcased their spectacular paintings (bottom right).

Festival Round-up:



Best place to shop...Mooi for their delightful vintage trinkets.

Best place to eat out...Wakkerstroom Country Inn for the delicious freshly baked scones with strawberry jam, whipped cream and seasonal berries. Yum.

Biggest Mistake...Not pre-booking for the concerts. They were all sold out by the time we got there.

Best experience...The lively atmosphere on the main street, where dozens of tourists of all ages from all over South Africa enjoyed a serene afternoon in this small town. 

Verdict...I had a wonderful time at the festival. Wakkerstroom is an enchanting and placid place, filled with friendly people, beautiful boutiques, lovely restaurants, B&B's and old-fashioned charm. It will leave you with a feeling of tranquility. I will definitely be returning very soon.