Meet Leanne Van Breda

Recently I’ve had the great opportunity of speaking to Leanne Van Breda, a soft-hearted, travel obsessed, fashion lover , tea drinker cat mom. Her blog is one of my favourite blogs so it was only right for her to be featured on my blog. She is definitely a beauty with brains as she not only manages to keep a fabulous blog but she is currently doing her articles in law.

She would describe her style as modest, elegant and sophisticated, “My love for fashion was almost immediate from the moment I was born.  I always had fun playing with outrageous sunglasses, bold lipsticks, lace gloves and fun hats from very early on.  Some things never change!”

Everyone meet Leanne Van Breda:

1. Who inspires you in terms of style?

My style isn’t often inspired by a particular person but rather by seasons and my surroundings and reading many, many blogs.  If I had to narrow my inspiration to a single person, though, it would have to be Rachel Parcell from Pink Peonies.

2. If you had to invade a celebrity’s closet, which celebrity would it be (Internationally or locally)?

Blake Lively without a doubt!  I hope she got to keep some of the clothes from the Gossip Girl set!

3. Where do you usually do your shopping?

  I change it up a lot but I love Zara, Forever New and Cotton On.  I love to shop overseas too!

4. Which item of clothing do you believe is a necessity and one cannot live without?

A structured blazer is essential in every girl’s closet.

5. It’s finally spring, what’s your number 1 tip for spring?

Have fun with florals!  It’s the perfect print for the season.

6. In your spare time, when you aren’t too busy, what do you love doing?

If I have a moment to myself, you are guaranteed to find me with my nose in a book.  I love to read.

7. What do you think of South African fashion industry?

I think the South African fashion industry often isn’t taken seriously because it can’t compete with European standards but we have so much talent so I support it whole heartedly.

8. If you had to go shopping in a different country where would you go?

I love to travel so finding new places to shop is one of my favourite things to do.  Bershka in Czech Republic is an amazing store so I’d probably go back there.

9. Which country do you believe has an interesting sense of style?

The French have style down to a fine art.  Their tailoring is unlike any other.  Everything is so crisp and structured.  To me they are the fashion winners.  What else would you expect from the nation that designed the high heel?!

10. Which is your favourite hangout place and why?

You’ll find me anywhere that has great food!

11. Which is your Favourite Fashion Magazine or Magazines?

I don’t read magazines at all, surprisingly.  It’s either a book or a blog ☺

12. When did you start blogging and what’s the best part about it?

I’m about to celebrate three years of blogging.  I honestly can’t believe where the time has gone!  The best thing about blogging to me would have to be the lessons I’ve learnt along the way.  I’ve had to learn about social media, photography, photoshop, basic coding, marketing, networking, the list goes on.  I studied law at university so this was an entirely new realm to me and definitely one that took me outside my comfort zone.  Another highlight has been the extraordinary people that I have met through my blog that I would never have met otherwise and I’m lucky enough to call many of these people friends.

13. Who do you usually go out with when you do go shopping?

 I can’t shop with other people.  It’s generally something I’m a solo ranger about because I always have a strategy in place and I find other people distracting.  Very weird, I know ;)

14. What advice do you have for people who are interested in the Fashion industry?

Be creative.  Be yourself.  That’s exactly what everyone is always looking to see.

15. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

In five years I can only hope that I will be an admitted attorney and completing my doctorate in law.  I hope that by then I will have filled my passport with many more travels.  Of course I also plan for my blog to be going from strength to strength bringing you more fashion posts along the way.

Five more Seconds with Leanne

1. Favourite Lip Stick?

Electric Pink by Elizabeth Arden

2. Favourite Perfume?

Alien by Thierry Mugler

3. Favourite Movie?

Remember Me

4. Favourite Album?

Any one of Coldplay’s album

5. Favourite Restaurant?

Koi

You guys can always keep up with her blog @ www.arumlilea.blogspot.com

And you can catch up with her on Instagram at @ARUMLILEA

HAPPY SHOPPING GUYS 
XoXo 

Ladies!!!!!

So far we’ve had a moment with Fashionista of the week and now it’s time for the rest of the ladies. Most of us went with longer dresses which showed off our figures and stepped out in style however they do say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so I present to you the gorgeous ladies of the class of 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Shopping Guys
XoXo

Fashionista Diaries

As promised, this week you guys will be seeing what my friends wore to our Matric Dance however before you see how fabulous everyone was, I think it would be great if we could catch up with our Previous Fashionista of the week; Miss Aaliyah Tia Singh.

Since the last time you’ve seen her, her style has managed to work through the seasons and is nothing short of fabulous. At the Matric Dance she wore a beautiful white outfit which showed off her amazing body and added some edginess to the mix. She definitely looked unique and also had the confidence to carry out her look. I especially loved how she accessorised the outfit, making sure that nothing competes with the look proving that less is more.

But seeing as this is Fashionista Diaries, I don’t think it would hurt to see what else she’s been wearing 

Miss Aaliyah Tia Singh, just like the rest of the ladies she definitely looked great and unique and I hope you guys think so too! Just remember to keep up with Minc.Ink to see what the rest of the Fashionistas I hang around.

Happy Shopping Guys

XoXo

19 September 2014, a Night to remember.

Lately I have been silent but that’s only because exams took over my life for a couple of weeks, however Thursday I wrote my last Prelim paper and Friday was my Matric Dance therefore because everyone looked great, I just had to share their outfits with you all.  

It was an evening that was filled with laughter, dancing, good music and great food, and of course everyone was dressed to impress. Everyone took advantage of this one opportunity to play dress up, and looked gorgeous yet they still managed to stay true to who they are even the gents looked dapper without a doubt.

This week you can expect to get a Mini Fashion Report of the evening and also get an opportunity to meet some of my friends and we even get to catch up with Aaliyah, our previous Fashionista of the week. J

However for now you can check out my outfit

 

Dress: Gert Johan Coetzee

Clutch: Jo Borkett

Accessories: Zuri and Oriental Plaza

Make Up: Estee Lauder (Truworths)

 

#LifeInTheFastLane!

 

Date; Gomoloemo Ntlhane

 

Happy Shopping guys
XoXo

Style Is InCalculable

This week I had the amazing opportunity to speak to the talented jewellery designer Belinda Phufo who is the brains behind the brand ‘Style Is InCalculable’, also known as SIIC. “The reason behind the name came from people always using the, slang word "sick" to describe what they thought of my rings. They'd say things such as, “aww B dude, this ring is so sick".”  And this week we get to find out more about her brand and the inspiration behind it all.

“Initially I began making jewellery just to keep me busy. This all started after I matriculated and had to take a gap year because I couldn't afford to go to varsity. I've always loved working with my hands and creating things. When I noticed that there was a demand for my products I decided to start selling them”. What started out as just a hobby to keep busy during a gap year eventually turned out to be a SIIC accessory line which would take the designer of the line Belinda Phufo on an incredible journey such as being featured on an online magazine from the UK called ‘Creative Talent’, as well as being featured in local magazines, ‘Flat Based Decoded’ and ‘StarStudded Magazine.” SIIC has also been fortunate enough to work with Black Nation Magazine on SIICs branding and marketing. Black nation further went to do a shoot which can be seen on YouTube. I will also be doing work for my friend who has recently started a magazine called ‘Silhouette- Seen from a different Light’ ”

What many people may not know is that Belinda dropped out of school, which may have not seemed like the greatest of ideas to her mother as her mother wanted her to work towards a better future through completing her education. “Especially since my mom works 2 jobs, so for her all she wants is to know that I'll have a secure future one day and not have to end up struggling as she does. And like many parents she doesn't feel that a there's a secure future in the arts.” However she went against her mother’s wishes and left school to follow her dream of becoming a jewellery designer. Even though she has dropped out of school, she wants to build her brand and she has plans on furthering her education by going back to school next year to focus solely on building her brand.

Therefore she wouldn’t change any of the decisions she took while she was starting SIIC as she believes that everything happens for a reason including all the hardships that we’re faced with all happen to shape us for anything we may come across in the future. She also doesn’t see anyone as competition as she believes that she’s her biggest competitor “I tend to be so hard on myself at times, never feeling like I'm doing enough and or like my hustle is paying off. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm making progress even if it's slow and that eventually all my hustle will pay off.”

She has, however, come to realise that the industry in which she works in does not always accommodate females especially if you’re young. “It seems as if people undermine you a lot when you're young. They have this mentality that your dream is just a pipe dream and that it's not going to take you anywhere and soon you'll realise that.” However she is not willing to give up despite how people may treat her, “They also treat you with less respect and don't take you as seriously as they would someone who’s older.”

Belinda would say her life has changed in positive and negative ways. Despite facing challenges of gender and age she has also realised that not everyone will be on your team which was one of the reasons why she has preferred to cut off some people from her life. Which may have resulted in her losing some friends, “I feel life is too short to be in relationships/friendships that don't serve you. Support is important, it’s something I value above many other things and anyone who wasn't giving me what I needed had to be cut off.”

When it comes to her line, each piece is unique in its own way and each creation tells us a different story, “I don’t sketch any of my designs before I make them. I just get ideas in my head and then get creating. I don’t allow myself to be too technical about my designs. I allow myself to interpret my feelings into my designs. Which is what I feel. Just interpretations of my feelings at that current time.”

When it comes to her personal style, she loves vintage and antiques and so she is inspired by the whole concept of being different and just expressing yourself the way you would like to. And staying true to her love of all things vintage she believes that everyone should own a Vintage denim styled jacket, “they are essential for all seasons and they're are timeless pieces. If you don't have one then you need to hit your nearest thrift store now.” And given the opportunity she would definitely raid Zaki Ibrahim and Solange Knowles closets. On the other hand when it comes to shopping she is into thrift shopping as well as shopping in her mothers and aunts closets. “I'm not big on brands. When I shop the last thing on my mind is the brand. I just buy what I think is SIIC”.

 Belinda advices anyone who wants to get into the industry to truly have a passion for what you are doing “You need to love what you do if you want to get into the industry because it's not easy. You have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone and hustle like a mad man. Because that's what it's about. Hustle!” We can only expect greater things to come from Belinda as she plans on taking SIIC global,” I see SIIC being a global brand in the next five years. Some might say I should be realistic But that's what I want and I'm going to work hard to make that happen.”

5 More seconds with Belinda

1.   What do you think of our South African Street Culture?

I think South African street fashion is amazing, I love how it's growing and becoming a culture on its own.

2.   Do you see yourself as just a brand or do you sell more than just jewellery. Do you promote a certain way of living if so what is your philosophy for life?

I always tell people that the one thing that Id want people to take away from SIIC besides the fact that it's a jewellery brand is to always be yourself.

You are Art and Art knows no boundaries. Express yourself exactly how you want to the way you want to. Hence the name "incalculable"

3.   If given the chance which other brands would you collaborate with?

There are a few brands which I'll be collaborating in the next few months, such as heavy empire (which is brand that specialises in music and fashion and event organising)

4.   Spring is around the corner, what tips do you have for spring?

My tips for spring would be the same as for every other season.
Dress for your personality and most importantly for your body.
Something looking good on someone else doesn't mean it'll have the same effect on you as well.
Most importantly, have fun with your outfits, don’t be afraid to experiment.

5.   When you aren’t working what are you doing?

In my spare time I'm usually listening to music. I love music, playing play station with my younger brother and watching my favourite sitcom 'Everybody hates Chris’

You can always catch up with Belinda by following her on twitter @S_ii_C

And you can check out her Tumblr Page

 @ styleisincalculable.tumblr.com

But you can of course always support her at the following event 

Happy Shopping Guys 

XoXo

Fashionista Of The Week

This week’s Fashionista is someone who not only has a beautiful sense of style but she is someone who has a gorgeous soul too, with an inspirational outlook towards life.  I had the privilege to spend a couple of my schooling years with her, Where I would  look at her looks and ask  myself how does she do it? Her look was subtle, classy and trendy. However in all of her looks she managed to stay true to herself and she ultimately proved that less is more and that staying true to you and not    always following the crowd is always best. And I must say I am very happy to have her as this week’s Fashionista of the week.

This week’s Fashionista of the week is the beautiful Miss Lebogang Manamela, a 20 year old free spirited individual who is a lover of all things ART. She describes herself as a 'Creative Confident' who believes that your style is your story and who you are on the inside will surface on the outside in one way or the other. And for her, who she is, is interpreted through her style especially since she believes that her style is an outer representation of her inner self.  Lebo is currently doing her 2nd year at the University of Johannesburg and was recently voted one of the Top 10 Female students in her  university, the poll surveyed other universities not only the university where she is currently a student.

1.     Who inspires you in terms of style?

My two main inspirations in terms of style have to be for one, my beautiful sisters (Lati and Thabi) and secondly the woman I want to and working to be “The young career woman who’s got it going on for herself’’

2.     How would you define Style?

A Little bit of everything. Day to day my style may read Tomboy, cool, bohemian, trendy and sometimes even sophisticated and classy

3.     If you had to invade a celebrity’s closet, which celebrity would it be (Internationally and locally)?

Nadia Aboulhosn  & Jessica Pearson.

4.     Which item of clothing do you believe is a necessity and one cannot live without?

One cannot live without a pair of well-fitting black skinny jeans, a tailored   black blazer, little  black dress, a pair of black pumps and at least one pair of  All Stars

5.     Where do you usually do your shopping?

Absolutely everywhere, I personally Love bargains.

6.     What’s your winter style tip for the ladies and gents out there?

My winter tip would have to be, don’t be afraid to throw on that statement   piece whether it  be a hooded coat, a cape, an oversized knitted jersey or cardigan   with a good pair of Thigh high boots. The gents should keep sweaters and jackets in the colours of black, burgundy, navy and tan, pairing them with a pair of well-fitting trousers.

7.     However spring is around the corner, so what’s your number 1 tip for spring?

White is the new black.

8.     In your spare time, when you aren’t too busy, what do you love doing?

 Photo editing, graphic designing, sketching and most importantly being the  coolest aunt to my four nieces and nephews.

99.     What do you think of South African Street Culture fashion?

It’s so incredibly inspiring. SA street fashion commands a different type of attention. There’s very little pressure to conform, resulting in the true expression of one’s ‘true person’.

10.          If you had to go shopping in a different country where would you go?

Japan. Korea. China. India. ‘Ancient’Egypt.

11.    Which country do you believe has an interesting sense of style?

Japan, Harajuku to be exact.

12.    Which is your favourite hangout place and why?

I personally don’t have a favourite hangout place really. With good people, the place becomes invisible.

13.    Which is your Favourite Fashion Magazine or Magazines?

I’ve been collecting Elle magazines ever since I was in high school. In terms  of magazines   my best buy yet has been L’Official 1000Models Accessories issue in 2013.

14.   Who do you usually go out with when you do go shopping?

I have a peculiar way of shopping and there’s only one other person I    know    who    shops the same, one of my best friends Kanya Sicam.

15.      Which is your Favourite Label/Brand and why?

  I’m not really a brand or label kind of girl. Fit, quality, and style matter more to me.

16. What advice do you have for people who are interested in the Fashion industry?

  Innovation. Innovation. Innovation. The basis of Fashion will stay the same decade after decade, innovate and live through your designs. In order to reach height’s never reached, you need to be willing to go to places people have never been.

17.    What are you currently studying?

Bachelor of Commerce Degree.

18.      Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

 In the next five years, by only the grace of God and it being Gods absolute will, I would’ve have achieved my first set of goals, have travelled, completed all my degree’s, living on  my own and doing it    for myself & ultimately for the point in  my    life have taken all 4 of my nieces and nephews to at least at 2 different   countries... But that's all God Willing!

Five more Seconds with Lebo

1.       Favourite Novel?

Redeeming Love, which I haven’t finished yet

2.       Favourite Chocolate?

Cadburys Dream chocolate with cashew nuts and coconut. To die for!

3.       Favourite Movie?

Wicker Park, My first real psychological thriller/drama.

4.       Favourite Album?

Sam Smith – In the Lonely Hour

5.       Favourite Restaurant?

 Baobab ( Menlyn Mall).

You can always catch up with Lebo by following her on Twitter @Mss_Leehbo and I hope you have all enjoyed meeting her! 

Happy Shopping Guys

XoXo