Solange Has Defined Her Style

Remember when Solange Knowles used to be known as Beyonce's baby sister? Well, those days are long gone. Cutting her hair was like a defining moment for her, it was almost as though she was saying "World,this is who I am, done with living under my sister's shadow" and we like it Solange. She is one of my Style Queens now.

Her style now kinda reminds me of my own *heek heek* ;-)

Mr Price Brings Us Agyness

I was VERY (make that EXTREMELY) excited when I heard that Agyness is coming to South Africa, I mean, what fashion person would not be? This was until I heard that she will be in Durban..bummer!! Mr. Price is proudly bringing the fashionable, non-conformist, UK born, supermodel, trend-setting....(add all things fashionable) Agyness for their "The 031 Collection" competition & for styling a certain range for Mr. Price( That should be interesting) amongst other things. If you are or will be in Durban during those days, please go get yourself tickets from Computicket and take a picture or two.....or three with the 'Queen of individuality'.

Pictures From: Mr. Price Blog

The Kokonut Stylist Featured In Kenya's First Online Fashion Magazine

Kenya recently launched their first ever online fashion magazine and yours truly had the honour of being featured in the premier issue of Kasha Magazine, together with two other bloggers from the UK and Canada *does a million happy dances*.! Thank you so much to Nancie Mwai and the other brains behind the lovely magazine.

Here is the interview if you cannot read what is on the picture:

Full Names: Koko Shabangu

Location: Johannesburg, South Africa

Birth country: Swaziland

Blog name: The Kokonut Stylist

Blog address: http://thekokonutstylist.blogspot.com/

How long have you been blogging? For exactly one year. I started on the 9^th of March 2010.

What made you start a blog? I am VERY passionate about fashion and my friends would always tell me that I have to do something about it so I figured, its best I start a blog.

What’s your favourite music? I love and listen to almost all genres of music but my favourite has to be traditional African Music. From Nigerian kwasa-kwasa-reggae-inspired music to Mozambique’s Pasada to South African Maskandi to Swaziland’s Umbacango to Kenyan Benga music..I love, love it! I mostly love how there are now new afro-pop genres for the traditional music. I am very proud to be African.

Does it affect the way you dress? The music or my blog? (LOL). The music, no, at least not yet. My blog does affect the way I dress because I sometimes do a lot of research for an article I want to blog about and that broadens my sense of fashion. I love the fact that I am always discovering new things to add to my ever evolving ‘signature style’.

Any memorable moments you’ve experienced due to blogging?  Yeah. It has to be meeting wonderful fashion-forward people through my blog. I have met a few people whom I probably would not have met had it not been for my blog. The uber cool invites to fashion shows that I have received through my blog. Even though it’s still small in terms of followers, I have been exposed to many remarkable things and people just from blogging. Also, being approached to contribute a fashion piece to an online magazine has been the coolest experience ever. Lastly, viewing my blog stats and knowing that thousands of people read my blog, emotion.com, I can’t explain how great that feels.

Do people ask you to style them just because you have a blog? Mos def! For now its friends and a few people who follow my blog. They’ll be like “Koko, I’m going to such and such event, what must I wear?”  For me, that’s an incredible feeling, to know that people value my opinion enough to ask for style pointers from me.

Any tips you can give a newbie blogger who wants to make it in blogging? You have to do it for the love not just to have a blog because everyone has a blog. Nothing fuels success (however small) like the passionate fire that burns from deep within you. I personally can never put to words the ecstasy that fashion blogging brings to me. You also have to blog regularly, go out to relevant events and let people know about your blog. 

Kasha Magazine displays pure passion. From the way it was put together to ...my gosh everything, I could drool for days. It is honestly very inspiritional to a "fashionist" like myself.

Read Kasha Magazine (you will love it) and follow them on Twitter, details below:

• Website
• Magazine
• Facebook Page
• Twitter Page

True Fashionist

I was gonna blog about the South African Fashion Week but seeing that I was not there and there are already lots of pictures/blogs about it on the internet, I'll blog about a lovely 'fashinist' (as I prefer to call her) instead. Her name is Thembisa Mdoda and I know she is a lady of may talents but the first thing that always comes to my mind whenever she is mentioned is how amazingly stylish and fashionable she is.

Her current Twitter avatar. May we please have a moment of silence for that jacket, my word.!

Ever stylish.

It is safe to say that Thembisa is one of the best dressed women in South Africa. He sense of style kinda reminds me of that of Blake Lively. There is just something mysteriously beautiful about the way she dresses.

I met her briefly one Wednesday evening at Cocoon in Sandton, damn I should have taken a picture with her *death by my groupie tendencies* LOL. If you don't know who Thembisa is, you can follow her on Twitter @Tembisa.

Pray For Swaziland

After all has been said and done, may there be peace in the beautiful Kingdom of Swaziland.

Start Collecting Winter Clothes

If the weather of the past two days here in Jo'burg is anything to go by, we are gonna have a seriously cold winter so its best to start collecting winter clothes now. That doesn't mean robbing your bank account to buy new outfits, simply reshuffling your wardrobe will do the trick. Put away summer clothes, take out winter clothes.

Here are some of my Winter Must Haves:

•  Caramel Coat: Try not to get a boring cut when buying a caramel coat.

• Boots, boots and more boots - Get them in various shapes, lengths etc.

• Bright Colored Leather Gloves - Woolworths, Forever New and Foschini have them aplenty.

• Berets and Scarfs 

• Warm colors - just coz its winter doesn't mean we have to be dull and grey. Use accessories such as bright-colored bags to liven-up your winter outfits.

I personally love winter, its the best season to dress up without appearing over-dressed.

A Day Without Shoes

If you are wondering why everyone around you is walking barefooted, it is because of the "Day Without Shoes Campaign". TOMS Shoes is promoting consumer empathy by encouraging people to spend a day on barefoot for children who do not have shoes. For every pair of shoes bought during the "One Day Without Shoes" campaign, TOMS will donate a pair of shoes to needy children in third world countries.

LISOF design school is collecting second-hand wearable shoes for charity and they have been participating in the "One Day Without Shoes" campaign since yesterday, that is, attending school with no shoes on. This is a great initiative and big ups to TOMS and of course LISOF and all other institutions which support this great initiative.

Would you go to a day without shoes as a sign of empathy to all the kids who spend most of their days without shoes because they do not have? I mos definitely would.

Brutal Fruit Sweet Dreams - Dreamgirls and Pyjama Party

Delayed Post:

About two weeks ago, Brutal Fruit invited me and 5 friends to the private viewing of Dreamgirls at the Treatro in  Monte Casino and a pyjama party later the same night. It was so much fun and many thanks to Camilla Gildenhuys for the invite.

OMG, Dreamgirls was too classic, bravo to the SA actors for making it pure magic, even better than the original movie.

Even though that after party (pyjama party) finished at midnight, I can't wait for the next Brutal Fruit do. *Hint hint nudge nudge at Camilla ;-) *

Kenya's First Online Magazine Set To Launch In Seven Days

The word “KASHA” is a Swahili word that means “a storage space for clothes.” Kasha Magazine is an Independent free online fashion and lifestyle Magazine that celebrates Kenyan and African Fashion. Our aim is to spotlight upcoming and established designers, stylists and makeup artists both locally and in the Diaspora. 

Kasha Magazine also incorporates other forms of art from actors to musicians, stylists, models, make-up artists and the likes. The minds behind this online publication wanted to do things differently from the norm; from interviews of stylish locals and celebrities to easy Do it Yourself projects that can spice up your outfit in minutes to tips on how to look stylish everyday without spending tons of cash. 

Kasha Magazine brings together the ideas of three Fashion minds namely Leon Muli the Photography Genius, Wambui Mukenyi the Fashion designer, Nancie Mwai the Fashion Blogger and Stylist and the unique designs of Kehl Design Agency. The three together with an incredible list of professionals bring you a breath of fresh creative air in the Kenyan Fashion industry. 

The Magazine is Kenya’s first Online fashion publication with the official launch slated for the13th of April 2011 on the website. For more updates and progress keep up with us on our face book page here http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kasha-Magazine/202491903108769?sk=app_4949752878

I am personally very excited about it because The Kokonut Stylist will be featured in that magazine. I cannot wait. Well done to Nancie Mwai and her team, so very proud of them. Seven more days to go! *Whoop whoop*

The Kokonust Stylist Is Apartment Decorating

As I previously blogged when the year began on HERE, I finally got my own apartment *yay* and I am busy with the deco. Been collecting ideas and copying styles here and there and my conclusion is that, its not easy, not cheap but its soooo much fun. I need Niecy and her "Clean House" crew to come help me.

The kitchen and bathroom are already sorted, gonna sort out the lounge area today and the bedroom as well (God knows I need help with this, too many clothes lying around).

Will keep you guys posted once all is in order. Have an awesome weekend, I will as my fellow fashionista is coming to visit so expect exciting blogs on Monday.