Lookpost : Tribal

Mr Price x Anisa Mpungwe
This is a bit of a late post but since I haven't had time to take pictures and the weather has been so crass I decided to use these. A play on prints and tribal. Can't go wrong with a bit of colour.
Photo cred: Zama Mcube

Shirt: Anisa Mpungwe at Mr Price

Skirt: Custom made

Shoes: Mr Price

Chunky necklace: Mr Price

Bangles: street market

Rihanna x Vogue Brasil

Because how can you NOT love and adore her? My obsession is running on almost 10 years now. Rihanna is Queen.

xx

Mambu Bayoh

I honestly don't know how this talented individual does it. Love all his work, love the rawness, love the emotion and I love the attention to detail. The world is not ready for this man and I think that he is yet to do even greater things with his eye for photography. These are only a few of my favourite images, there are more at : staysuckafree.tumblr.com. I hope to one day inspire such creativity or maybe even capture moments as beautifully as he does.

xx

My Dynamic Africa: History through photography

I have come to love and appreciate photography over the years and am constantly seeking images which are unique and tell a special kind of story. I have recently come to love old photographs, specifically those taken by African photographers What I find interesting about them is how they seem to come to life, the people in them, that is. People in these photographs represent periods in history which we won't get to experience but can appreciate. I for one am moved by the care-freeness of the people being photographed, their clothes which are rich with prints and their sense of companionship.

I am a proud South African who is learning daily of the rich heritage of my country and my people. Although it cannot be denied that our continent is plagued with a dark past, there were also light moments and these moments were captured by talented photographers like Seydou Keitu in the 1940s. I look at photography blogs now, particularly those of the youth in urban areas and you can pick up that that inspiration was drawn from pictures of our brothers and sisters in the past. I think it's a beautiful concept, the notion of transcendental time and how the past is often omnipresent in the future. Here are some images of what I call my dynamic Africa.

Lookpost : Autmn

Mr Price x Cotton on x Forever New x Woolworths

Here is a peek at how I ushered in the new season, Autmn. One of my favourite seasons, I can totally appreciate the fact that it is neither too cold or too hot. Yum. Also, thank goodness for hats which can cover up bad hair days but also be so chic.

skirt- Forever New

shirt- Mr. Price

shoes- Woolworths

Hat- Cotton On

Bag- Mr Price

earrings- YDE

Bangles- Street Market

xx

The Muse

A muse is defined as "a woman, or a force personified as a woman, who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist." this exactly what Solange has become for me. I am no designer or artiste(YET!) but one day I hope to be and she is all sorts of inspiration. I love Solange Knowles the artist, curator, musician and designer... but let's face it, how can you not?

                                                     Solange for Harper's Bazaar.

SZA

Recently discovered this lovely lady and I'm taken. The America/ New York native singer has a very unique sound and it's kind of impossible to categorize her genre. The soulful singer recently released the tracklist for her debut album set to be released soon and it seems very promising from what I've already heard and seen. Nonetheless, she makes great music and she is such a beauty. Here's a taste of one of my favourite songs of hers to wet your musical appetite. Note the little intricacies that make this video so wonderfully innovative. Enjoy!

xx

Palesa

Style tips : Music Festival Season

The Coachella music festival is coming up this weekend on the 11th of April and as a South African I can definitely say that I have severe fomo(fear of missing out). The festival boasts a most impressive line-up and this year is no exception some of my favourite artists/bands such as HAIM and the long awaited Outkast as well as Lorde, Pharrell, Lana Del Ray and many more. The live performances in the outdoor desert area are sure to blow the usually young fashionable and alternative crowd away. Another element that is of course exciting is the outfits that one gets to wear when going to such a cool event. Here are some of my picks of outfit inspirations, these also give you an idea of the kind of trends to look out for this season.

The main element when it comes to festival gear is to stand out but also be comfortable. I think these looks encompass a variety of styles/aesthetics for young women and ladies of every creed and colour. Always remember to take sunglasses along, they complete every outfit. For my fellow South African students AfrikaBurn and Rocking the Daisies are coming up later this year so you can definitely keep these outfits in mind. ;)

If you for some or other reason have never heard of Coachella, here is the link to their website so you can get more information about this amazing event : http://www.coachella.com

The must haves of the season are definitely:
1. a leather jacket
2. a comfy cotton sweater
3. boyfriend jeans
4. edgy boots
5. wide brimmed floppy hat.
6. velvet skirt
All these items can be found at your local retail stores. (*Mr Price, Top Shop and Cotton On are top of the list)

xx

Palesa

Athi-Patra Ruga

Athi-Patra Ruga is a dynamic South African artist who uses performance, video, textiles, and printmaking to explore ideas of utopia, material and memory. His work explores the body in relation to sensuality, culture, and ideology, often creating cultural hybrids. He is well known in South Africa for his performance art pieces and is admired for the gutsy way in which he executes his work. I first heard about him from one of my friends who studies Fine Art at Rhodes and was interested in what it is that makes Ruga stand out. The first piece I saw was the one which he performed at my university Rhodes, during the Nation Art's Festival in 2012. The piece is titled "The future white women of Azania: The Prequal". The performance was described as "obscure" and "daring". I am amazed by this artist's passion and creativity.

 

photocredit: skattiewhat.blogspot.com

One of his most notable works is "...ellipses" which was done in three parts. This was about exploring how the body can be used as a tool in print making. The exhibition took place in the Michaelis Galleries at the University Of Cape Town with three female performers on three separate days

The artist and performers were covered in body paint and as they wrestled across the gallery walls, the performance was recorded live.

Ruga constantly plays with idea of taking on different personas and characters and said in an interview with timeslive in 2012: "I open up in my performances to explore myself and in so doing grow a character in a certain way. Then I usually kill that character off, but I think this performance will continue. There's a lot to understand.". Indeed there is, I am so keen to learn more about this artist and see more of what he has got to offer. To see more of his work and upcoming projects visit his website: http://athipatraruga.blogspot.com.

xx

Palesa

Hello

Hello and welcome to my new blog!

My name is Palesa. I am blogging in order to cultivate and refine my writing through the mediums of fashion, art, photography and music- my loves. I hope to engage with these mediums on my blog platform and to create content that is interesting and fresh. I really hope you enjoy reading my blog. I would appreciate your comments and feedback.
 xx
 Palesa

photo credit: Lindsay Purdon