{OOTD} | NY Hates You

Vest – The Lot | Shirt – Mr Price | Leggings – Cotton On | Shoes – Topshop | Necklace – Metropolis | Ring – Dansk Smykkenkunst Denmark

Hey there rockstars! Okay so don’t get me wrong, I LOVE New York even though I have never been. It’s a stunning city that I’ve always dreamed of visiting and is the home to my (And Shaheeda’s) favourite show ever… Gossip Girl. In fact Dr Ahmed Kathrada told me that it is his most favourite city in the world (apart from Johannesburg of course!) and that I should definitely visit it sometime. It’s just that I also love being a little cheeky and rebellious so I couldn’t resist this vest when I saw it in the window at The Lot.

In this look I gave the vest a very grungy pairing with leather leggings, chunky shoes and a plaid shirt. Plaid is almost on its way out so I’m trying to get as much wear out of my plaid pieces as possible. I had to add some Ruby Woo to the mix and the red lips finished off the outfit really nicely.

It’s going to be a crazy and cold week! Stay warm… and sane! ;)

Until next time

“A lot of the time when I write about the person that I love, I feel like I'm writing about New York.” – Lana Del Rey

Love and sparkles

Zaakira xox

{FASHION TIPS} | Shopping For Faux Leather

There are many reasons why people don’t wear leather. For some it’s ethical, others practice veganism and some cannot afford to pay that much for an item amongst many other reasons. I personally think it’s an incredible, classic material but I am unfortunately allergic to it. Even sitting in our cars makes my throat go dry, scratchy and uncomfortable. Leather is a huge trend for Winter and I will be sharing some tips I follow when shopping for and wearing faux leather pieces.

§  Make sure the material is good quality – The material must not be too thin or too shiny (I’ve seen some ridiculous ‘liquid leggings’). Genuine leather is usually quite textured and grainy, so don’t look for something that’s quite smooth. When going faux, good quality makes all the difference

§  Make sure the stitching and work is done well – The amount of care and attention to detail that goes in to crafting from genuine leather is incredibly high. When purchasing faux leather items the stitching and quality of work can be quite shoddy. Make sure you pick out pieces that are tailored and well-made. You want to fake it, not look like a fake.

§  Don’t overspend on faux leather – Faux leather was invented by humans in a lab so it’s probably not going to last too long. While a genuine leather jacket will last you forever, a faux leather one will probably last you three seasons if you’re lucky. I’ve seen faux leather items that cost almost as much as real leather ones but this is just a no-no. Faux leather ages horridly.

§  Go for pieces with faux leather accents – Collars on shirts and dresses, panelled leggings, sleeves; these are all ways to add a bit of leather to your outfit. Accents make faux leather look well, less faux. Faux leather goes well with wool, cotton plaid and denim.  Do make sure that the other fabrics on the piece are of good quality too, though. I once bought panelled leggings and the fabric was so thin… it was a total disaster!

§  Try patent – Patent is fabulous and the point of it is to look plasticky. Faux patent leather will look less faux in patent. You barely can tell the difference between faux and real patent. There are some lovely faux patent shoes in the stores right now.

§  Keep it simple – Try not to do too many faux leather items together. You want to look classy and put together.

   Here are some faux leather items that are in stores now.

Until next time

Love and sparkles

Zaakira xox