LOOK: Miss Mode

 Summer is crawling its way to the southern hemisphere. Each day starts earlier. The sun shines brighter. And in our fashion-friendly world, some fashions fade, making way for a new cycle to take its place.

Warmer weather - aka summer - equals less clothing. That actually doesn’t mean less fashionable clothing. You can always look on point, even if that means layering is to be stored away for the next winter. I see summer as a chance to challenge oneself in fashion’s vices. It’s so easy to dress oneself in a tee and a short, and still be envied by all who look upon you. Sometimes a tee and a short isn’t enough, which is where accessories come in to spruce up your look.

So on to the look. I jockeyed final exams for three weeks. I finally completed this lifelong fear three weeks ago, and I still have nightmares. I have to admit that it wasn't so bad. It passed by so quickly, I’m not even sure I attended. But it’s something of the past and I’m ready to bid high school, adieu. I met up with Toni-Jayde, an aspiring photographer and Brittany Faber, make-up fundi. We shot looks with Cotton On, and afterwards, we shot look posts with yours truly. The weather wasn't on our side but we pushed through and tried to deliver.

the best part of the day was working with people who are just as enthusiastic about what they do. Also, I had to speak English most of the time - by the way, English is not my mother tongue. I sometimes get tongue-twisted so it's kind of a challenge for me. 

Crochet shorts: Topshop
Crop top: Forever New
Sunglasses: The Lot
Gold bracelet: Zuri SA 

For summer, you can't go amiss with accessories. For example, try adding some killer sunglasses, a bowler hat, midi-rings, bracelets, chokers and whatnot to your look. Guys, glasses can also be an addition to complete a look - even a flat cap or bowler hat – don’t be afraid to experiment. The biggest turn on has to be good hygiene, great posture and of course, an attractive cologne. With that, you’ll be good to go this summer. 

And we danced

I don't know if you can call it a look post. We had our famous matric ball - the equivalent of prom minus the prom-queen part - two months ago, and it lived up to its expectations. It's one of those milestones you dream of when entering high school -now that it has passed, it feels like nothing but a vague memory.

As the theme went Memories take us back; Dreams take us forward I can’t help but feeling excited as well as uneasy – it’s a phase that a lot of us wished could pass. I am guilty of such thoughts. Yet, it’s feels like a lifetime has ended. In my five short years I met the coolest and most interesting people whom I’m able to call my friends. I met flamboyant teachers who had to put up with a class of diverse young “dames” as my school puts it. And now it’s all over.

To be honest, I’m scared of growing up, I mean who isn’t. THE BIG WORLD. Sure it’s exciting, but change scares me. Finals are in progress, and it’s the last step towards the finality of no longer being called “skoolbrood”. Then it’s off to university or wherever, and then comes that part we all call “the rest of our lives”, and as most movies put it, the end of our lives.

I’m not so sure where I’m going with this post, and there’s a huge pile of physics screaming for my attention. So I leave you with something I should’ve told myself five years ago – I’M NOT TRYING TO BE CLICHÉ, but – stop worrying and enjoy the moment you’re in now. I have always worried about various factors that kept me from enjoying the present and of course I regret it. So you, yes you, enjoy the moment if you’re not already. 

Venue: Zorgvliet

Pre-party

Photographer: Nadine Aucamp

 Now on to.. THE LOOK. 
Follow me on lookbook.nu/moniqueleroux for future looks!

Dress: Custom Made

Belt: Zara

Earings: Forever New

Stilettos: Witchery

Hand Jewelry: Zuri SA

10 Perks of dating a fashion girl

Fashion Girl: A fashion photographer, model, journalist, enthusiast,  blogger etc.

A shallow, vain and self-important bimbo who can only tell you the difference between a real and fake Prada, and doesn’t seem to know anything that requires a certain amount of intelligence. That’s a fashion girl right? 

Wrong. There seems to be a misconception and a reasonable amount of undermining when it comes to being a fashion girl. People think that because we’re in such a frivolous industry, there’s really nothing great about dating one of us, except goodie bags and great Instagram content. So I decided to line-up a number of perks of dating a fashion girl. It’s not all champagne and stilettos. 


1.      Firstly, you know that feeling when you get to a fashion show and the tickets are all out and you have to wait for stand by tickets? Yeah we don’t either, nor do our boyfriends. And would you like to know why? It’s because we’re fashion girls.  Free entry just because you’re a blogger, life doesn’t get any better. Complimentary champagne anyone? 

2.      You as the boyfriend, are arguably the most stylish of your friends, which is a given. Hence the fact that you’re dating a fashion girl.

3.      You get to meet and network with some very influential people.  Trust, those after parties and pre-parties are worth it.

4.      You never have to worry about your girlfriend looking presentable to meet your boss, friends or family. Trust me; every fashion girl always looks flawless. Easy elegance is our number one rule. We woke up like dis.

5.      Fashion girls are actually way smarter than a lot of people think. All those dinner parties, launches, fashion shows and glob trotting requires of us to be a jack-of-all-trades. You never know whom you’ll sit next to. We have to be socialites, linguistics, philanthropists and sometimes even politicians. There’s just no escaping the latter. We’re the type of girls who know a little bit about every subject under the sun. So with the knowledge we have, we get to educate you too.  

6.      Your vocabulary becomes immensely wider. You also learn a little bit of French and Italian in the process.  Yves Saint Laurent, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Roberto Cavali...

7.      FREE STUFF. Honestly, as if not getting free entry wasn’t enough, you get a goodie bag too? How lush.

8.      One of the best perks is probably the fact that a lot of people know who your girlfriend is. Unless she’s the type of bloggers who’s ‘blog’ looks like it was put together using Microsoft Paint.

9.      If you’re also a creative, let’s say, a photographer or artist, your girlfriend can help you get gigs you can play at, models to use for your shoots and call in favours all over. Need I say more?

10.  Lastly, fashion girls are divas, and as Beyoncé once said; ‘a diva is a female version of a hustler’. Fashion girls are hustlers.  As you know, in fashion, the one day you’re in, the next you’re out. Yet, they’re always on the in. 

Image Source: weheartit.com

MBFW : Champagne & Stilettos, a life lesson

Mercedes Benz Cape Town Fashion Week - literally the one week of the whole year I was looking forward to the most. As the weeks went by and the day got closer I couldn't get any more excited. What made me even more excited was the fact that I had secured myself an internship with a fabulous designer and I was going to be in with the glitterati. I was going to chill with the beautiful, dirty and rich.

The day finally came, my mom came to school around 10h30 and we hit the road. En route Cape Town Fashion Week. I got there, met up with my designer, met the production team and got to work. Armed with my day pass and lots of enthusiasm, I entered a world of midday Martinis and Vogue slims. I took on the day's tasks like a boss. Up and down the Mother city, rehearsals, sorting seating charts and making goodie bags. It was all a fat jam. I enjoyed every single moment of it. 

There's this thing about not being treated like the youngster you really are you know. That feeling when someone 10 years your senior asks you if you'd like a 'fag' and you're all like 'Maybe later' when you actually just don't smoke. I felt like a younger Carrie Bradshaw. Skipping school 'cause I had to go to Fashion Week. This was my opportunity to see just how great things could be for me as a designer one day. 

Fast forward to the end of the night and I sat there like 'What a day/night', as if last year’s internship at Seventeen wasn’t enough to show me just how much goes into the fashion world. The people I met and the contacts I made, life couldn't be better. There’s nothing I would change about 25 July 2014. People sometimes think internships are a waste of time, but dude. The feeling of being around people that feel as passionate about something as you do is just amazing.

The designers I met and spoke to, were the most phenomenal people. 

Everyone always thinks that the fashion industry and fashion shows are frivolous, that it’s all stiletto’s and champagne.. Nah bra. Yeah, people in the fashion industry do bitch and stitch but, a lot goes into creating a fashion show. A lot goes into becoming a brand, an essential in someone's closet, an icon. The one thing I appreciated most was the fact that people appreciated my knowledge of fashion, as young as I was. I walked out of that fashion show inspired, motivated and excited for what lies ahead for me. As much as I do not plan on studying fashion, I do look forward to having a label one day.

The thing about starting to work/intern so young is that it gives me an idea of just how great things can be for me. A lot of the time, I find myself in conversations with girls my age (17) with aspirations of meeting their future husbands at varsity (hopefully some engineer), marrying rich and never hope to work a day in their lives. Look, there's nothing wrong with wanting to fall in love in varsity, but the idea of being financially dependent on a guy who might just up and go one day? That's not so appealing. A lot of girls feel like they only need to start working once they move out of their parents’ homes, which I don't agree with. 

I got my first paying job last year and it was the most liberating feeling I've ever felt. These days you don't even need a résumé to start making money, do it for yourself, while you can still chop and change jobs. Do it now before you get stuck on a 9-5 that you can't leave because you spent like 5 years studying it. 

I feel that it is never too early to start working on your career or future. Invest every bit of yourself into it now. Besides, your career will never just wake up one morning and tell you it doesn’t love you anymore. That rich guy just might. 

Corps, esprit, âme

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