ZOVUYO MPUTA BLOG

Women's Month 2020

2020-08-31T22:31:00.000+02:00

Women's Month in South Africa takes place in August every year. On the 9th of August 1956, 20 000 women marched to the Union buildings to petition against the pass laws.

Present day we still remember the women who marched for our rights but in a country known as the rape capital of the world, it's difficult to celebrate women when you are more likely to be raped than educated.

Last year's women's month was the same month were we mourned the death of Uyinene Mrwetyana and this year we are still angry and we are still mad at the constant rapes and killings of women. Which is why I didn't post any beautiful messages to women but instead opted to remind people of the current state of our nation.

Later on in the month I posted tweets and messages from other women and also asked South African women where they feel the most safe.

I wasn't expecting men to engage with the posts but they were completely silent. No one said a single word or even expressed their anguish or disgust. Further proving the point that men aren't willing to engage in gender based violence topics. Below are screenshots of women's response to the question: Where in South Africa do you feel safe.

In summary women in South Africa don't feel safe anywhere. It's the sad reality that we live in. The posts that I put on my Instagram won't miraculously change how men view women in South Africa but they can't say they are unaware of the how dangerous their presence is.

As much as it's up to the government to ensure that abusers and killers are punished and their victims get justice, we shouldn't have to live in fear daily and we wouldn't need to if men were not predators.

Hopefully 2021 Women's Month in South Africa will have a different tone.

Cozy Tapes - Fleece Loungewear

2020-08-22T16:48:00.004+02:00

Every winter a trip to the fabric store includes waiting for thirty minutes to an hour to get your fabric cut because people are cutting fleece to make blankets. This winter was no different, anyone and everyone was in store buying fleece to make blankets for their children, grandchildren and I even think dogs.

I didn't go in looking to buy any fleece but when I saw something pink with Marie from The Aristocats I knew I had to have it. My sister has always said Marie reminds me of her but I still have to decide that.

I've never sewn fleece before or at least I can't remember ever sewing it but I knew it wouldn't be far from sewing fur. The best way to cut it is the same way you cut fur, each yarn individually to avoid a mess. I didn't have time for that so I had to vacuum after each cut and after sewing. My apartment basically looked like a fleece factory.

Besides cutting, the sewing of the pants and top were pretty normal, just remember to overlock the edges. As I mentioned many people use fleece for blankets so the garment feels like you are wearing one. Super comfortable and warm.

The shoes are Royal Pervaders from Reebok. I am not a big fan of colour sneakers just because I think white or cream sneakers go with anything and everything but I had to get these. It was also the first time I did a slick bun the whole year.

Loungewear has become a staple this year during lockdown and this set is definitely my favourite. If you want a cozy set that keeps you warm during the cold fronts, I recommend getting something in fleece. 10/10 recommendation.

90s Ball - Photo Essay

2018-09-09T16:28:00.000+02:00

March this year my sister and I celebrated our 27th birthday at Agog Gallery in Maboneng. I'm sure you can guess from the title of the blog what the theme was.

It was the first time we celebrated a birthday in Gauteng in three years and we had a time. Of course the most stressful part of the birthday is always planning outfits. I made myself a pair of print tights and paired them with an oversized Cape Town merchandised t-shirt. My sister wore a sweater that belonged to my mother in the 90s and a dungaree from the 90s.

The besides the outfit, my hair gave me the most stress. I decided to try out a ponytail extension for the first time. What work that was but I think I pulled it off. Ecostyler gel was my best friend here as well as the extension which I had to braid myself.

All in all we had a great day at an absolutely beautiful venue.

Enjoy the photos below!

Afropunk Joburg 2017 - Photo Essay

2018-09-04T21:49:00.000+02:00

Thozama's tracksuit pants made by me.


Fabric from Durban fabric stores

Thozama and my outfit made by me. Khanyisa's pants made by me (right)

Amsterdam - November 2017

2018-05-25T14:55:00.002+02:00

In November 2017 I had the opportunity to travel to Amsterdam for the Red Bull BC One Final. The breakdancing competition which has been around for 13 years sees the world's finest breakdancers go head to head to win the title. It was my first trip to Amsterdam and first time to Europe since 2001.

I didn't have many expectations for the trip but I was excited. The only thing I knew is that I was going to watch the Red Bull BC One Cypher and that Amsterdam was in winter. I didn't search what tourists do in Amsterdam because I really wasn't in a "tourist" mood. I think it's because I was going to Amsterdam for work and not leisure.
As soon as I arrived I realised that if I don't take the opportunity to tour Amsterdam it would be an experience and opportunity wasted. Okay I lie, the one thing I had planned to do in Amsterdam is to see my friend Naledi and visit the streetwear brand Daily Paper.

Outside Schiphol Airport

I don't know a lot about cars but I do know that having a Tesla as a meter taxi or Uber is quite a big deal. As soon as we stepped outside, while waiting for our shuttle we saw people being transported in Teslas. It was then I realised that we not in SA anymore. Vehicles came to a stop when pedestrians crossed the zebra crossing. A phenomenon I am still to witness in SA. We got into the shuttleand made our hotel which was situated in what I call the Sandton of Amsterdam.

We stayed at the Room Mate Aitana which is situated in the heart of Amsterdam. It is truly one of the most beautiful hotels I have ever stayed in and if you can afford it do yourself a favour and book it for your Amsterdam trip.


Outside our hotel

The view from outside my hotel room

Most of the work that we had to do was after 18:00 so we would spend the day touring Amsterdam. Bad idea because as soon as I walked into a store called Bershka I completely forgot that I wasn't supposed to buy clothing in Amsterdam.

Dam Square is where we started our days and where I spent most of my money. The shopping their is absolutely world class and so are the restaurants and red light district, if you are into that. The streets are incredibly busy. It feels like Canal Walk on the 24th of December and they are mostly made up of tourists.

Part of the Red Bull BC One World Final included a lecture with Naughty By Nature conducted by Sway Calloway. The lecture did well at sourcing the roots of breakdancing and demonstrating the relationship between Hip Hop and breakdance. After the lecture we were treated to Funk Baddies 2 VS 2 Locking and Waacking Battle. After the BC One Final this was my favourite part of the trip!
The competition was open to all and participants came from all over Europe. Particpants were paired at random and had to lock and waack their way to the final. By the time the semi finals came around everyone had their favourites.

The Red Bull BC One World Final took place on the Saturday in front of a sold out crowd. With 16 BBoys competing all over the world it felt like I was watching a World Cup or Olympics.

The halftime show included a performance by the legendary Naughty by Nature.

Menno from The Netherlands won the final which was followed by an after party. I won't lie, going out in Amsterdam is a completely different experience. The music is different and dance is something very serious ... maybe because we were surrounded by dancers from all over the world. But it's not your spontaneous gqom dance. It almost felt like I was in a dance class and people were asking us to improvise.

Our final day was spent touring Amsterdam and we took a trip to Daily Paper's flagship store. All I can say is that South African stores have a lot to learn when it comes to store layout and the general shopping experience.

H&M

Urban Outfitters

Amsterdam Centraal Station

I was taken away by the architecture in Amsterdam. I never expected it. My favourite experience was shopping in buildings that reflect old architecture but host labels such as Nike, Champion, Tommy Hilfiger etc. In South Africa we are so used to go shopping in new malls.
One thing I will say about Amsterdam is that it is cheaper to buy eyeshadow than lunch which is the reverse in South Africa. A favourite makeup store of mine I discovered was Kiko Milano. The Italian makeup store was on almost every single corner. I did pledge to myself before leaving for Amsterdam that I will not buy makeup but when you can get gold eyeshadow for eight pounds, why not?

All in all I had an amazing time in Amsterdam. I would definitely go back in a heartbeat and perhaps even live there for a couple of years. The food isn't the greatest but they do have a few gems. I do wish I had discovered some more of the street culture of Amsterdam but I guess I will have to do so on my next trip. Peep the video below for more on my Amsterdam trip.

Film Images from Amsterdam

Sneaker Lab - Johannesburg Flagship Store

2018-02-02T17:18:00.000+02:00

On the 1st of February, Johannesburg opened it's doors to the first and only Sneaker LAB store in South Africa. Hosted by MKay Frash of Hunting For Kicks, the night allowed us to walk in, see the store and get a shoe shine as well.

Established in 2012, Sneaker LAB is an environmentally friendly biotech driven premium shoe care brand. Six years later and the first flagship store opens in Johannesburg. The store offers various options from a quick fix wash to what I would call a sneaker valet.

The night offered it's guests a cleaning service which also served as a lesson into how to clean your sneakers with the customised deluxe cleaning set. Cape Town illustrator PJ Offner did a custom jobs on the deluxe cleaning sets which were handed out to guests.

I am very skeptical about cleaning sneakers because one I don't know what to clean them with and two I am scared that I will alter the look of the sneaker. The staff are very well knowledgeable and do a very good job at teaching you how to clean your own sneaker depending on the fabric it is made from.

Besides a cleaning service and a look into the store, the night also had a sneaker raffle, the winner won a pair of Asics. A Hunting For Kicks episode was also filmed with SA DJ and producer Speedsta.

Speedsta and Mkay Frash

Myself and MK

Siseko Dunywa

Be sure to visit the store if you need a quick clean or a full valet. The address is 70 Juta Street Braamfontein. If you can't make your way through to Braamfontein be sure to buy the products online at sneakerlab.com.

All products are water-based, readily biodegradable and the package is also suitable for recycling.

Hat-trick

2018-01-20T23:05:00.001+02:00

I spent about three months looking for a Kufi. I looked on the internet and within the streets of Johannesburg and Cape Town. A Kufi which usually worn by men in West Africa and symbolises elderly or religious status within communities.

My search was very unsuccessful as I did not have dollars and time to wait for an online purchase and when I did eventually find a few in Johannesburg and Cape Town the price was out of my budget. Everyone told me to just make one myself as it seems quite simple ... this is when you insert a laugh.

This hat has been one of the most difficult things I have made in my short sewing life. I would rather sew fur for the rest of my life then go through the stress of trying to sew a circle onto a straight line. The first hat I made absolutely flopped but I guess practice makes perfect. I eventually came out with three very ill shaped hats but I'm getting there.

The plus side about making kufis is that I don't have to throw away all my fabric off cuts and further contribute to the waste problem we face. I mean I still give away a lot of off cuts but at least now I can still make a profit my the all the fabric.

Because I plan to sell a few of these this year I called my sister and brother and let them know that they would be modelling when I arrive in Cape Town. It's the first time my brother has ever modelled for me but he was a vital part of the shoot as men mostly ask me for the hat.

I won't lie, the photo shoot was a lot more fun than making the hats even though the camera battery started to die before the first photograph was even taken. Of course the charger was left behind in Johannesburg.

If you do want to purchase a hat please do e-mail me but also please give me at least 1 month to perfect my technique. I wouldn't want you to walk around in a lob sided hat.

A big thank you to my brother and sister (Nqoyi and Thozama) for modelling as well as my mother for taking the photographs and bearing with my creative direction.

Fisheye Roll 4

2018-01-12T16:56:00.000+02:00

Fisheye Roll 3

2018-01-12T16:41:00.000+02:00

I decided to try my hand at black and white film with the fisheye. Can't say I love all the photographs but there are a few gems. However definitely going back to colour images.

Essential Oils for Hair

2017-12-01T11:01:00.002+02:00

Almost every single day I have someone asking me what I use on my hair so I decided to do a quick blog post to explain the process.

Curly hair is naturally drier than straight hair so it needs to be hydrated all the time. It's worse now that I have moved to Johannesburg, it feels like I have sandpaper for hair. Your hair naturally produces oil but I find that shampoo and conditioner strip your hair of it's natural oil which is why you need to supplement the oil that you lose during wash days.

Natural hair queens will tell you that only certain oils work for certain hair types but I wore my hair natural before we had hair categories and I tend to exaggerate so I use all the oils they sell at Dischem. It's quite straight forward really, buy all the oils and mix them together in one container. But let me break down even further.

Get a plastic bottle (or glass if you not clumsy) and put it in lukewarm water as coconut oil will need to melt first. I always start with oils I use most frequently; olive, castor and coconut oil. Fill your bottle to halfway with these three then top it off with what I call lavish oils. (Lavish oils are very expensive hence the name) The lavish oils include: jojoba, almond, tea tree, grape seed, peppermint and lavender oil. Don't finish all the lavish oils as they are very over powering especially tea tree oil.

By now the coconut oil should have melted. One shake and you are good to go. I use the oil combination on my hair every second or third day depending but I also put it in cornrows after. I also oil my hair the night before I wash it. Like I said most shampoos strip your hair of it's natural oil so rather take precaution before or use the oil on your hair while it's still wet after your wash.

This is an expensive exercise however it's expensive only when you start. Once your oils start to run out, top it up with coconut, olive and castor oil then only purchase one lavish oil. There is no need to start the whole process again.

All the best!

SZA - CTRL Review

2017-08-03T19:42:00.002+02:00

Ctrl | Release Date: 09 June 2017 | Studio Album

26 year old SZA has released an album that speaks to the twenty something who is going about her life and being confronted by heartache along the way. Many of us where convinced SZA had pulled a Frank Ocean on us when the album was not released as previously in February 2017. However the wait was well worth it.
The content resembles conversations you would have with friends while getting ready for a night out and the music production compliments the lyrical content well.

The album starts off with a letter to what seems like an ex flame. Do we still write letters in 2017? Well SZA makes it seem like it's almost necessary to write in 2017 as she does such a good job at explaining how her insecurities are the reasons why she needs to stay in a relationship, something women don't talk about often.

...
Why I can't stay alone just by myself?
Wish I was comfortable just with myself
But I need you, but I need you, but I need you
- Supermodel
Supermodel ends and goes straight into the first few notes of the emotionally filled Love Galore featuring Travis Scott. This is the second single off the album. The song about a breakup between two people who shared a summer fling is a favourite amongst SZA listeners and seems to resonate with many.

...
Why you bother me when you know you don't want me? (yah)
Why you bother me when you know you got a woman? (yah)
Why you hit me when you know you know better? (true)
... - Drew Barrymore
The dialogue between SZA and Scott makes for great listening and the lyrics make it a sing along for women who have been through the same. The song is definitely a favourite for me and so is Drew Barrymore which is the first single off the album.

Drew Barrymore echoes Supermodel as SZA speaks about her low self esteem and how it almost dictates how a toxic relationship plays out.

...
We get so lonely, we pretend that this works
I'm so ashamed of myself think I need therapy-y-y-y
I'm sorry I'm not more attractive
I'm sorry I'm not more ladylike
I'm sorry I don't shave my legs at night
I'm sorry I'm not your baby mama
I'm sorry you got karma comin' to you
Collect your soul, get it right ... - Drew Barrymore
So far I have only spoken about heart ache and it doesn't get better. The Weekend is our modern day Weekend Special where commentary on what it is like to share a man with another woman is shared. You know, your usual 2017 relationship.

...
My man is my man is your man
Heard it's her man too
My man is my man is your man
Heard that's her man
Tuesday and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
I just keep him satisfied through the weekend
You're like 9 to 5, I'm the weekend
Make him lose his mind every weekend
You take Wednesday, Thursday
Then just send him my way
Think I got it covered for the weekend
...
- The Weekend

Undercover gems in the album are Garden[Say It Like That], Broken Clocks and the one minute interlude Wavy featuring James Fauntleroy.

It is a painful album and the only thing you want to do is tell SZA that pain is temporary but at the same time you also want her to carry on making even more music. She has done a very good job at summarising heartbreak and realisations from heartbreak into a 14 track album.

If you look beyond the pain you will realise that this album is a love letter to all women. A love letter that reminds you to love yourself.

Autumn/Winter 2017 - Fur Diary

2017-07-31T19:39:00.001+02:00

The dream is to own fur coats but unfortunately my wallet can't keep up with my dream. So in order to keep up with my clothing dreams, the best option for me is to make my own clothes which I have been doing since around 2013.

Fur is the one fabric I had never sewn until 2017. First of all it was always so difficult to find it and when I did the price was around R100/m for something that resembled plastic. 2017 I got lucky and managed to find quality faux fur in the streets of Durban's city centre.

The first faux fur I found was not exactly what I was looking for but when you find a gem by chance you buy it. I would have preferred longer hair but what can I do. Before putting the sewing machine on I watched a video on Youtube to figure out how to actually sew this. Little did I know that you don't just cut fur, you have to cut it as if you are cutting a new born baby's nails. I was already put off because I am lazy and the idea of only cutting fabric with only the tip of a pair of scissors made me want to turn the fur into a rug rather. Then I remembered my dream and fetched my scissors.

When working with fur make sure you use the sharpest scissors you own and wear old clothing unless you want fur all over your clothes. Also make sure to have a lint roller close with you. If you are not too keen on eating fur, wear a mask or just make sure you cut it properly.

I'm not much of a pattern maker so I used generic measurements as well as old sleeve patterns that I made last year. After spending an hour cutting I was ready to sew. It took me two days to make the jacket as it was my first but it now takes me a couple of hours.

I remembered that I had seen animal print that looked like it was more for a blanket than clothing on one of my shopping trips. I didn't buy it because I would have laughed at someone wearing fabric that resembled a blanket. But what's wrong with buying fabric that looks like a blanket?

I am terrible with animals so please don't ask me which is which. I have made two jackets and in the images I photographed them together. I used the same pattern for all my jackets, just increase or decrease size depending on the amount of fabric I had.
I don't use any padding or lining in the inside of my jackets because team lazy which is why they are not as thick as what you see in the stores or on the internet.

The fourth fur I have made for winter came by chance. I was in Bond Street in Durban where I get all my fabric. I had already spent my full budget by the time I walked into the last store. As I was looking through the fabric I saw a strip of cream fur hiding by the till. In awe I took it only to find out that it was the scarf of the store owner. I died from embarrassment and sadness as I thought that the fabric did not exist in the store. Because the store owner and I know each other she laughed it off and directed me to the rest of the fabric in the store. I went to heaven when I saw she had the fur in maroon, black and cream. Unfortunately because my budget was depleted I could not buy all the colours so only walked out the store with maroon.

A few days later I had a faux fur maroon jacket. I ate maroon faux fur for a couple of days as it is so difficult to clean it but it was worth it. I only had enough to make for two other people so there are only three of these pieces roaming South Africa at the moment.

Even though we are nearing the end of winter in South Africa and I still haven't worn majority of my fur, I am glad that I finally made it. It was worth the late nights, the sweeping, vacuuming and lint rolling.

For those who want to place orders, unfortunately I only have a bit of the animal print and brown fur left so let me know.

A big thank you to Thozama who assisted with taking the photographs. All photos taken with a Samsung S6 and edited with VSCO. All the clothes in the images were made by yours truly.

Mkay Frash Camo Party - Outfit Post

2017-07-31T17:30:00.002+02:00

Hunting for Kicks founder, Mkay Frash did his Camo party during the Durban July weekend. The original party was hosted earlier this year for his birthday in Johannesburg. I unfortunately missed the Johannesburg one but was very present for the Durban edition.

When buying fabric, camo is always the most difficult to find. Stores always manage to get it wrong. In the past I have been l've been lucky and found mesh camo which I used for my sister and sheer camo which I used earlier in the year for a plain long sleeve top. So when I heard that the Camo Party was coming to Durban I was the most nervous person as I was not ready to struggle while looking for fabric.
Granted I do have camo items in my wardrobe but I'm not too fond of repeating outfits. I opened my fabric cupboard and found that I had enough sheer camo to make a dress.

I knew I was going with a group of girls so the first thing that came to mind was the Spice World film where the Spice Girls dressed in camouflage for one of the scenes. Posh Spice was in a camouflage dress so it was quite obvious which Spice Girl I was going to be. Destiny's Child also had a camo stint with Survivor but I wasn't quite ready to wear a swimming costume in the middle of winter to a party with no pool.

I decided on an ankle length sheer dress with an army green long sleeve and matching two tone leggings.

Paired with my white Reebok Classics, I was on of the most camo-ed people at the party. Scroll down for more looks from the party.

Left: Me, Phiko, Mkay Frash, Thozama Mputa, Khanyisa Songca, Chumi Nxiweni

2017 Vodacom Durban July - Outfit Post

2017-07-11T21:46:00.000+02:00

Me, Khanyisa Songca, Thozama Mputa, Cameron Nicholas, Chumisile Nxiweni (Left to right)

On the 1st of July I attended my third Vodacom Durban July with my friends. The biggest horse racing event in Africa obviously needs one to dress for the occasion.

My Durban July outfit prep starts the year before as my friends and I always choose to dress according to our own theme. Last year the theme was all black even though the theme for the event was Royalty, or something along those lines. 2017's theme was The Colour of Magic and according to the Durban July that is red, okay. So we had already decided in 2016 that we would all wear suits so I could not now change for the theme.

Once we decided on a theme we jumped onto Pinterest and looked for ideas. A slick black suit was always the dream after I saw Kourtney Kardashian wear one to her mother's 60th birthday party. A second option was also a full print suit but I am extremely fussy with print and I didn't want to look like I was doing too much so I stuck to a colour I know very well, black.

As most of you might know, my biggest fear is zips when it comes to sewing so it was obvious that I was not going to make my own suit. I mean I just started making leggings the other day. I called my good friend Cameron Nicholas and told him that he needs to learn how to sew a blazer because his services are needed for the Durban July.

We went to Durban CBD to get fabric for myself and my sister, Thozama. She had already decided a while back that pink was her colour. I am unfortunately not good with colour as I have been told so I left the colour matching to Cameron. In total I think our fabric was R75 each.
When making suits, obviously depending on your height and size, three meters should be efficient as it worked for both my sister and I and we are different heights and sizes.

The t-shirt I bought at Ackermans for R49.99 at the children's section so in total, without the shoes and socks my outfit came to a total of R124.99. We won't speak about how much my Reebok Classics cost. In fact even my sunglasses were more expensive than the full outfit.

In terms of make up, Khanyi Makeup came to the rescue. Initially we were supposed to do a Durban July prep video. That flopped but we did a full Snapchat Story (zovuyo_mputa) on the day with all our makeup prep. I wish I was a makeup guru but I really am not. Khanyi used a beauty blender, foundation and eye brow brush to try make me look as close to gold as possible. The target was gold and I finished it off with Mac's Bronze Shimmer lipstick.

Hair was obviously done by yours truly. I did a plain braid out for the July and got it right thanks to Lush's Queen Bee hair butter.


2017 Vodacom Durban July Inspiration

A lot of people think my sister and I think we deliberately planned to wear outfits that are the inverse of each other. When in actual fact it was coincidence. Guess it was just the twin gene in us.

2017 was definitely my favourite Durban July outfit to date and glad it all came together.

See you at the next Durban July and once again thanks to Cameron and Khanyisa for the outfit and the face beat.

Check out our photographs on Buuya

2017 Zakifo Music Festival

2017-05-29T14:59:00.001+02:00

Durban hosted the third Zakifo Music Festival this past weekend and I was on the ground for the Tastemakers Africa takeover. The best thing about Zakifo is that chances are, you only know a few artists who are performing on the night so it is a time to experience new artists. 2017 was no different.

I obviously had favourites who I was ready to see such as Thandiswa Mazwai, Petite Noir and Damien Marley but every performer absolutely blew my mind.

The festival is still young but has shown growth every year. Scroll down for images from the event and check out my Instagram for more GIFs.

All images taken with a Samsung S6

Top made by yours truly

Jojo Abot

The Soil absolutely blew my mind. I had never seen them live but I have heard only good things about them. Their show paid homage to the political and social issues were are currently facing as a society. I was confused when I got closer to the stage and saw that there was no band. Then I remembered that The Soil are an acapella group. They did an amazing job. Be sure to see them live when you can.

The Soil

Tiggs Da Author

Thandiswa Mazwai is by far the best South African performer. Her performance on Friday reminded me why we call her King Tha. It made reference to all the violence we are currently experiencing in South Africa. The performance was also strongly based on Xhosa culture which made me feel at home.

The King of The Noirwave was also a highlight of Sunday. I have seen him perform him live in Cape Town before and he received a very good response from Durban. The band and Petite Noir were dressed well and the visuals completed the whole design.

Before Saturday night I had never heard of Nova Twins. As soon as I saw how they were dressed I knew it was a show I did not want to miss. Their music is definitely not my favourite genre. It's quite difficult for me to listen to hard London rock but they did a good job and got the crowd on their feet. Everyone was amazed by their performance and quite intrigued as well as we are not used to seeing two women rocking out on a guitar.

The star of the festival was obviously Damien Marley. The son of Bob Marley arrived with an MC, opening act, band and a flag bearer. I have seen many international acts come to South Africa and perform to bigger crowds and on bigger stages but none have performed like Damien. I think the only person who has put on a better performance than Damien is Lady Gaga.

I was very nervous about my experience during his performance as I didn't know any Damien Marley songs, well that is what I thought. Even if you didn't know his songs you still would have felt the electricity in the air during his performance.

It was a great performance and he showed so much love to Durban and South Africa. I definitely think he needs to return to SA for an encore.

Kampala, Entebbe Uganda x Thozama Mputa

2017-05-23T17:34:00.001+02:00

My sister, Thozama Mputa recently embarked on a trip to Uganda with her UCT Masters of Landscape Architecture as well as the Masters of Urban Design class. It had always been a dream for us to travel Africa and because she did it before me I asked that she puts her experience on my blog so I can share it with everyone.

"As cliche as it sounds, the trip was life changing. Days before I would search Kampala on Google earth, Pinterest but that did not even prepare me for the beauty and humanity I experienced. We live in a beautiful continent and I urge South Africans to get out and explore it.
I left Uganda with the urge to not only return to the country but to see other African cities.
Thank you to all who made it such a pleasurable experience." - Thozama Mputa

I hope you enjoy the photographs below and that they encourage you to discover our beautiful continent. Be sure to view more of her photographs on her Tumblr site and Instagram account.

All the photographs were taken by Thozama Mputa with a Lomography la Sardinia Cubic camera.
Tumblr
Thozama Art
Film Thozama

Instagram
Thozama

Fisheye - Roll 2

2017-05-22T12:56:00.001+02:00

My second roll of film was a near disaster. I opened the camera before I rolled the film, something to that effect. Nonetheless the photographs came out and I am quite happy with the result.
The film did get effected but let's pretend that it's a new edit I'm trying.

Fisheye - Roll 1

2017-03-28T15:52:00.001+02:00

As a present to myself I got a gold camera. Now I said gold camera before the name of the actually camera because when I went shopping for it, I initially wanted a gold camera.

After receiving a disposable film camera as a gift, I decided that film was the way to go seeing that my digital camera failed me. So my sister, who has been playing with film cameras for years, helped me find one and off to the Exposore Gallery we went. Initially I just wanted a plain film camera (please excuse my lack of film camera terminology) but when I saw the gold one I was hooked.

Lomography Camera Fisheye 2 is the name of the camera I got and even though I am not a fan of fisheye I am the biggest fan of gold. From the photographs below you can tell that I had a really fun time with this camera but the scariest part was getting the photographs developed. I was 100% sure that none of the photos will come out but as you can see from the feed below, they made.

Please view the photographs below and as much as sharing is caring, please don't share without asking.

Colour Us We Are Your Crayons - Photo Essay

2017-03-13T17:15:00.001+02:00

My sister and I just recently celebrated another birthday. Just last year we were celebrating our 25th Birthday with an Afro Punk themed party at Robben Island. This year we decided to keep it in Cape Town and have all our guests dress in black.

Take a Look At The #TZ25 Photo Essay
Many thought that we were paying homage to Black History Month, when in actual fact I just like how all black looks in photographs and I am very particular with photographs at a celebration.

The title Colour Us We Are Your Crayons came from the social media play on verbs and nouns that everyone was using this past December in South Africa. In order to show love for someone on social media you would write something along the lines "roast us we are your coffee beans" or "chop us we are your vegetables". So to keep up with the trend, I decided to also do a play with verbs and nouns. The term Colour Us We Are Your Crayons came from the fact that we would all be dressed in black and our personalities would be what coloured us in. A long explanation but apparently it was necessary as our Crayons, the guests, were so confused as to what we meant with regards to the term.

Like any event, the most stressful part of this birthday party was my outfit. I made two outfits which both flopped ... a bit. The first was a full sheer full length and long sleeved dress. Problem was that the sheer was not sheer enough and the sun was beating so I would have melted. The second dress was going to be made out of laser cut lace. Great idea, if only I made the dress in my size. So I opted for a plain black shift with detailed sleeves.

I also made the dress for my sister which was a full length sleeveless lace gown which was surprisingly a hit. I unfortunately don't have an individual photograph of her but you will see in the post below.


The back of my dress as well as the sleeve details. I couldn't be the birthday girl who arrived in a plain black dress so I had to do something to make the dress different. The pattern is the exact same I have used for all my other shift dresses. Apparently I was #RichMomGoals in this dress.

The cake for our birthday is the exact same we bought for last year's party from Velvet Cake Company in Cape Town. The only feature that was different is that we got a Barbie for it. We got the Barbie Fashionista Doll - 33 Fab Fringe. We obviously had to change her outfit because it didn't go with the theme. Her name is Brooklyn because when we bought her my sister and I had Alicia Keys' She Don't Really Care on repeat. The song speaks about two Queens, one born in Africa and another in America so it was necessary to pay homage. In terms of her outfit, I just got some black fabric from my mother and made a short belted shift dress with a high slit and we kept the shorts and boots she came with.

Below are a few photographs from the day. Please don't mind the quality, our camera has been offline for a few months now.

A very big thank you to everyone who came through and made this day as magical as it was.

Here's to another 26 years.

FKA TWIGS FOR NIKE

2017-01-12T10:44:00.000+02:00

We are 12 days into 2017 and I have already decided that FKA Twigs for Nike is the best collaboration of 2017.

Unlike other collaborations FKA did not only star in the campaign but she directed it, created the soundtrack ... it is basically her campaign featuring Nike.

"It's about what you do in fitness gear," - FKA Twigs
Do You Believe in More is a play on the athlesiure trend through the eyes of 28 year old singer FKA and it features various athletes and dancers. We forever expect athletes to look a certain way but the rise of athlesiure and the Do You Believe in More campaign, athletes now can also use sportswear to express themselves. So please, go to the gym with your face paint and neck pieces.

"To me they represent 'modern movement,' which I define as exploring any genre of sport without boundaries," - FKA Twigs
Even if this campaign is not your flavour, you can't deny the beauty of this campaign and what it stands for.

Congrats FKA Twigs and Nike. You have outdone yourselves.

Essence Festival Durban - Photo Essay

2016-11-14T12:34:00.000+02:00

This past weekend I attended the first Essence Festival in Durban and I absolutely loved it. I attended the concert only as I could not make all the conferences.

Below is a photo essay of the beautiful concert that promoted the great music Africa has to offer.

Wiz Kid was a favourite for me as it was the first time I had seen him live. He is a great performer and has an amazing band. The Kanye of South Africa, AKA did not disappoint as per usual and he even bought on fellow performer Burna Boy onto stage.

Ne-yo, Black Coffe, Cassper Nyovest, Oskido, Babes Wodumo, DJ Zinhle, Big Nuz and Riky Rick were some of the other artists who performed on the night.

There was also a gospel concert on the Sunday which featured the likes of Joyous Celebration and Yolanda Adams.

Not only was it a great concert but a great reminder that Africa is the future. If you do have a chance to go next year ... go!

All the photographs were taken with my Samsung S6 as my camera no longer works so please don't complain about the photo quality.

Be sure to visit my Instagram page for GIFs from the concert.

AKA

Burna Boy

Wiz Kid

Natural Crowns on Instagram

2016-11-07T19:44:00.000+02:00

How in 2016 we still have to motivate women to embrace the hair they were born with baffles me. But that is a conversation for another blog post. One might say that they don't wear their own natural hair because there is not enough images of women wearing their crowns. Yes, there is some truth to that statement, depending on who you follow on social media. I follow women who wear their natural crowns and thanks to web 2.0, my Instagram explore page is filled with natural crowns.

Seeing women wear their own hair makes me want to wear an afro every single day and if this works as inspiration for me, it can do the same for you. I have decided to compile a list of all my favourite natural queens on Instagram.

Miss Brit Watkins: @bwatuwant
Brit is definitely one of my favourite snappers. Her Instagram page shows behind the scenes of her shoots as well as her personal trips and of course that crown.

A photo posted by Miss Brit Watkins (@bwatuwant) on Aug 31, 2016 at 2:46pm PDT

A photo posted by Miss Brit Watkins (@bwatuwant) on Oct 10, 2016 at 3:35pm PDT

Curlture UK: @curltureuk
If you need hair and outfit goals, Curlture UK is the Instagram account you need to follow. Jay and Tri are he founders of the platform that embraces anything and everything black owned. Their Instagram page not only flaunts the businesses they support but also events they attend and their life as natural besties.

A photo posted by 👑www.curlture.co.uk👑 (@curltureuk) on Jun 24, 2016 at 9:53am PDT

A photo posted by 👑www.curlture.co.uk👑 (@curltureuk) on May 30, 2016 at 3:35am PDT

Julia Dalia: @julia.dalia
The German model is one third of the blog of Musa Musas. Her Instagram is not focused on her hair but how can you not scroll down to see even more when you land her on Instagram.

A photo posted by DAUGHTER OF THE KING (@julia.dalia) on Oct 17, 2016 at 10:54am PDT

A photo posted by DAUGHTER OF THE KING (@julia.dalia) on Oct 3, 2016 at 1:13pm PDT

Kristen: Krissy Kakess
My favourite selfie queen. If you are not on her page to see how she wears different wigs and weaves then at least visit for her outfits and makeup! She is by far one of the best dressed girls you will come across on Instagram. Very carefree and loves to play around with different hairstyles. Visit her youtube page to learn how she works wonders with her makeup and hair.

A photo posted by KRISANTHEMUM☽ (@krissykakess) on Aug 4, 2016 at 12:27am PDT

A photo posted by KRISANTHEMUM☽ (@krissykakess) on Jul 5, 2016 at 12:20am PDT

Lauren Lewis: @laurenlewiss_
The Vlogger also uses her Instagram like many as a platform to showcase her hair and the products that she uses for it. She has a youtube channel where she demonstrates various routines for hair and makeup.

A photo posted by Lauren Lewis🦄 (@laurenlewiss_) on Jan 17, 2015 at 12:42pm PST

A photo posted by Lauren Lewis🦄 (@laurenlewiss_) on Mar 6, 2015 at 6:59pm PST

Rene Danielle: @ownbyfemme
One of the first people I recognised on Instagram for her gold crown. Her hair is definitely work but you cannot help but want the same when you scroll down her page. Her page is not only about hair but also about the adventures she goes on with friends. Be sure to follow her on Snapchat for more insight on her trips. She also has a youtube channel where she talks about her hair routine and life in a new country.

A photo posted by R E N É D A N I E L L A 🌼 (@ownbyfemme) on May 24, 2016 at 5:56am PDT

A photo posted by R E N É D A N I E L L A 🌼 (@ownbyfemme) on Jun 24, 2016 at 12:33pm PDT

Sunita: @sunitav_
My friends and I say that Sunita is life goals. Judging from her photographs she is living her best life with her Big Hair. The vlogger and blogger gives us a full picture of the life she leads on Instagram and is a true testament that women with big hair need not be afraid of fitting in. I know I hated the stares I used to get when I had my afro out then when I saw how well Sunita wears hers I could not even care less.

A photo posted by Sunita (@sunitav_) on Sep 24, 2016 at 8:34am PDT

A photo posted by Sunita (@sunitav_) on Aug 15, 2016 at 3:05pm PDT

Tylauren: Tylauren
Vlogger and Curl Enthusiast shares images and videos of her hair routines. If you are not too interested in her hair tutorials don't be scared use her outfits as inspiration. She also shares all the products she uses and if you are in the same country as her you can even get discounts off her favourite products.

A photo posted by tylauren (@tylauren) on Sep 1, 2016 at 11:51am PDT

A photo posted by tylauren (@tylauren) on Sep 4, 2016 at 11:20am PDT

I am so glad women with curls are finally sharing their hair care regimes with the world. As someone with an afro, I was always under the impression that I was the only one who had an intense hair regime. Sleep in messy cornrows and wake up to a #braidout. Speaking of hashtags, #braidout, #twistout, #bantuknots are all hashtags that have only recently gained momentum as more and more women start to embrace their hair routines on social media.

I wish I had South Africans on this list but I can't seem to find any. If you are a South African with a blog, Instagram page or Youtube channel dedicated to hair routines and how you live life with a natural crown, let me know so I can check it out.

I can't say I am much of a natural crown blogger or Instagrammer but I do have a few photographs here and there of my hair and how I wear it. I have never thought of sharing my hair secrets as the very last thing I want to do is trick anyone but if you are interested in learning how I do my hair, don't hesitate to let me know.

The Caster Semenya Effect

2016-08-21T16:16:00.001+02:00

South African black women have unconsciously been holding out for a hero. A hero who will show us that it is normal to be black and excellent. We didn’t recognise that Caster, our golden girl, is our hero.

Caster Semenya won Gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics and silenced everyone who said she couldn’t. Silenced everyone who said she shouldn’t. Silenced everyone who said she wouldn’t.

Society marginalises black women every day by deciding what they should be, who they should be instead of letting our minds wonder and let us be who we want to be and do what we want to do.

Read The Women In Sport Blog Post
We like Semenya need to run from society who told us not to do it. Run from society who told us we won’t do it. We need to run 200 meters ahead and let them know that we are golden.

Thank you Mokgadi Caster Semenya for sprinkling your magic on us. Not only have you affected South African black women but South Africans as a whole. We to will run to our glory.

Winter 2016 Trends - High Neck Line

2016-05-12T16:19:00.000+02:00

Photo: Alessandro Garofalo / Indigital.tv

My favourite neckline is a high one. Winter, summer, spring autumn ... it doesn't matter. I can wear a high neck any time of the day and any time of the year. When one thinks of a high neckline they usually associate it with polo and turtle necks worn in winter, but you don't have to. Thanks to the Kardashians, more and more women are experimenting with high neck lines. It's no longer something that reminds you of your childhood winters.

The nice thing about a high neck line is that you can wear it with any look. Dress to the Oscars or crop top to a garden party, it works anywhere. Many designers have been toying with the idea but the best execution came out of the Valentino Ready To Wear Fall 2016 show.
The ballet themed fashion show is the best exhibition of how and high necklines can be worn and why.


Photo: Yannis Vlamos / Indigital.tv

You probably remember high necklines from your childhood winters as it was a staple in your wardrobe. But remove the image you have your old ribbed polo necks and take a look at what Valentino wants you to wear.

The collection has the trend in a fabric and colour to match any occasion and time of day.


Photo: Yannis Vlamos / Indigital.tv

The collection also exhibited other winter trends and made use of the 2016 go to fabric, velvet. If you are not wearing velvet this winter, you are not dressed. It doesn't matter what type of velvet you wearing and what colour it is, just make sure it's in your wardrobe. Emerald green, mustard and taupe were some of the colours used for the velvet.

Apparently we are also wearing dresses over t-shirts these days. Due to weather constraints in winter, we obviously can't just wear a t-shirt which is why you turn to your turtlenecks.

Wearing a dress over a turtle neck in winter lends itself to one of my favourite trends, texture blocking. I don't know if the fashion world has already come up with a term for it so we'll keep it at texture blocking for now.

Another go to fabric for 2016 is anything sheer. We are still riding the wave from all the naked dresses we saw on the red carpet last year so make the most of it this winter. When making my sheer tops, I always used to use knit for the neckline because I had never seen a sheer neckline before. After seeing the Valentino show, all my tops will now be full sheer including the neckline.
Many of the sheer pieces in this collection are detailed with jewels and embroidery to keep with the ballet theme.


Photo: Yannis Vlamos / Indigital.tv


Photo: Yannis Vlamos / Indigital.tv

As you would have noticed, it has been a long time since I have reviewed fashion shows on my blog because designers are giving us the same looks every single season. It's the first time in a couple of seasons that I have actually enjoyed a full collection. It doesn't exhibit only current trends but future trends as well and what we should be wearing right now

#TZ25 - Photo Essay

2016-03-18T15:36:00.001+02:00

My twin sister and I turned 25 on the 28th of February and decided to celebrate with our friends and family on Robben Island.

We love themes so it was mandatory that our quarter of a century celebration had one. We have always wanted to attend Afropunk in New York, so why not bring Afropunk to South Africa.
We got our luggage, friends booked flights and off we went to Robben Island to celebrate 25 years.

We spent the morning of the 28th getting ready Afropunk ready by applying colour hairspray, themed makeup and face paint. For any person who has been part of a themed party, you will know that getting ready is sometimes better than the actual party but this prep was just stress. I sewed two different outfits for my party. The first was a total disaster, absolutely hated the print so I decided to go back to black and pair it with a neutral print skirt. For a last minute outfit made in two days, I think I did quite well.

See all the photos from our birthday below.

Lime Quarry

If you follow me on Snapchat (zovuyo_mputa) you will know that our birthday consisted of a Robben Island tour. Not the type of tour you pay for. We just did our own thing and took a walk around the island which included numerous impromptu photo shoots.

Major thanks to all the Queens and Kings who attended the our 25th Birthday and extra thanks to Robben Island and Nomonde Ndlangisa for hosting us. For the tourists who were a bit confused as to what was happening, I hope we entertained you at least.

Here is to another 25 years!