Fashion favourites: the Oscars

These are my four choices for best dressed at this year's Oscar Awards.

What was your favouite Oscar outfit?

This and that

A few pretty, new things:  1. Cat-eye sunglasses from Woolworths   2. Sparkly bracelet from Next(gift from friend in UK)  3. Rouge Coco Lipstick in 'Mademoiselle' by Chanel  4. Omnia Crystalline perfume by Bulgari 

These lovely ankle-strap wedges are from Aldo and are my most recent shoe purchase. I am one of those girls that struggles to walk in heels, so wedges are often my go-to shoes when I am giving my flats a break.  

Really love this pretty satin and lace lingerie set that After Eden spoilt me with.

 - All  the above photos by me -

Lovely & local

 1. 24kt gold plated earrings - by Ida Elsje

2. Red dress - by I Love Leroy

3. Cherry lipbalm - by Zam-Buk

4. Ceramic bowls - by Urchin Art (available from The Pause Room)

5. 18kt gold, waterlily hair piece - by Kirsten Goss

6. Red,leather wallet - from Green Cross

7. Raw, organic chocolate spread - by Honest

Happy weekend!

 “For what it’s worth: it’s never too late to be whoever you want to be.

I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not,

 I hope you have the strength to start all over again.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Hope you have a lovely Friday and a very happy weekend.

Style inspiration: Olivia Palermo

Armani jacket, floral pants and yellow top from Topshop, Mulberry shoes and a Meli Melo bag

Esprit top,  faux fur vest, leather leggings and burgundy boots

Orange blazer, blue Manolo Blahnik heels and zebra print bag by Mulberry

Sheer, Christian Dior dress and red lips

 - All photos found on Tumblr and WayneTippetts -

Aura cosmetics giveaway

Today I am happy to announce the start of a lovely giveaway sponsored by South African fashion retailer Queenspark.

For this giveaway, Three lucky readers will each win an Aura makeup bag containing six Aura products:

A bit about Aura: Launched in 2011 by Queenspark, this new makeup range includes lip, eye, cheek and nail products in a wide variety of colours. The collection is well priced and available exclusively at selected Queenspark stores.

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Leave a comment below telling me why you need/want some new makeup?

2. For an extra entry, you caneither: "Like" the Queenspark Facebook page and leave a comment on the wall mentioning this competition OR tweet a link to this giveaway including @QueensparkSA and @beingbrazen.

Notes: *This giveaway is only open to South African residents * the winner will be chosen randomly * This giveaway will end on Tuesday, 28 February and the winner will be announced on twitter/FB on 29 February.  Ps - above photos by me & The Boyf.

-GIVEAWAY CLOSED: winners - @blairscheepers @vintagevixenCT and @cara_CT -

Safe & Sound

I'm a big fan of The Hunger Games  books, so I really cannot wait to see the upcoming film (which will be based on the first book in the trilogy).

The full track listing for the film soundtrack was recently  released and it looks like it's going to be awesome. The first single from it, Safe & Sound,  is by Taylor Swift and features country/folk duo The Civil Wars (love them). You can check out the music video for the song below: 

If you are keen to read the books before the film comes out, you still have a little time to. The Hunger Games film is set to release on 23 March in the USA and hopefully it will be released in South Africa soon after that. 

 

Have you read The Hunger Games books? Are you looking forward to the film?  

Shabby Apple

Recently Shabby Apple, a lovely online store, sent me a very cool necklace (pictured above & below). 

The 'Through The Looking Glass' necklace has a round glass pendant on a long sterling silver chain. The pendant opens on side hinges like a locket, so that you can put an image or a small object in between the two pieces of glass. The glass then creates a sort of fish-eye magnifying effect.

I think it's a rather unique piece of jewellery and I've been having a lot of fun seeing how different items look in it.

While Shabby Apple does sell some accessories and jewellery, the store mainly stocks women's clothing.

Their latest clothing collection is called 'Mad Hatter' and is inspired by Alice in Wonderland. I am currently smitten with these four dresses from the collection -

To check out more pretty things from Shabby Apple you can trot over here 

Notes: Shabby Apple is based in America, but ships internationally ( just remember to factor in custom duty fees when ordering outside of the USA). For 10% off your first order you can use the code: beingbrazen10off .



Wise words

image from DesignSponge

Whether you're happily single or paired off, I hope you have a lovely Valentine's day.

A weekend in Hout Bay (Part 2)

About two weeks ago The Boyf and I trotted off to Hout Bay for a mini weekend getaway. We stayed in a stunning boutique hotel (read part 1 of this post over here ) and spent a little time checking out a couple of cool places in the town.

Above: Hout Bay beach

On our first day in Hout Bay, we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and go have breakfast at Dunes. Since the restaurant is located right on the beach front, it is one of the best places to go if you are wanting a stunning sea view.

Top: inside decor, upstairs at Dunes restaurant

 Middle: yummy cappuccino  at Dunes

Bottom: Ladies selling hand-beaded things outside Dunes. (I bought a penguin)

 When we we arrived at Dunes we were greeted by friendly staff and seated at an outside table upstairs. We both decided to order a full english breakfast and a cappuccino. 

The food arrived quickly and, while it was definitely not the best english breakfast we had ever had, it was satisfying. After leisurely sipping our coffee's and enjoying the view for a while, we headed off to the Bay Harbour Market...

 Top: The food court area at The Bay market

Middle (1 & 2): the bar and fresh baked croissants

Bottom: homemade cheeses and takeaway panini's

The Bay Harbour market is located in an old fish factory, in the old part of the Hout Bay Harbour, and is made up of over a hundred stalls. You can buy and browse a wide variety of cool things there - like: food, craft beer, clothing, jewellery, art and homewares.

When we went, the market was bustling with everyone from hipsters to children and the vibe was pretty relaxed. One of my favourite things about the whole place was the nicely sized food court area, where you can sit down and have a bite to eat or enjoy a cocktail.

 Top, middle & bottom: Just a few of the lovely things you can buy at the market

The Boyf and I enjoyed the market so much that we ended up hanging out there for about 4 hours ( If you have never checked it out, I highly recommend that you do). The market is open on Fridays from 5pm to 9pm and on  Saturdays & Sundays from 9:30am to 4pm.

Notes: If you have never been, the market can be a bit tricky to find and these directions may be handy. All the above photos were taken by us.

Happy weekend!

“Unless you love someone,
nothing else makes any sense.”
-  E. E. Cummings

Have a great Friday and a fabulous weekend filled with people you love.

 -Photo by Garance Dore -

Pretty lingerie giveaway

Today I am happy to announce the start of a lovely Valentine's Day giveaway sponsored by established international lingerie brand, After Eden.

The winner will receive a super pretty lingerie set:

After Eden is currently one of the best selling lingerie brands in Europe and the United Kingdom. Founded 20 years ago, the brand offers a range of  beautiful lingerie and lounge wear at rather competitive prices. After Eden is currently available at selected Edgars, Stuttafords and Foschini Stores.

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Tell me, below, what is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for you?

2. For an extra entry you can either: "Like" the  After Eden facebook page and leave a comment on the wall mentioning this competition OR   follow After Eden on twitter, then tweet about this giveaway and include @beingbrazen @AfterEdenSA in your tweet. 

Giveaway notes: *Anyone may enter this giveaway * the winner will be chosen randomly * This giveaway will close at midnight on Monday, 13 February and the winner will be announced on Tuesday, 14 February. Good luck :)

- GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED, Winner: Emma Jane -

On my bucket list... by Jessica

Today South African  jewellery designer, Jessica from Thula will be sharing a few things from her bucket list - Enjoy...

1. Go on a month long cruise with my hubby to-be.
2. To one day see my jewellery in the Elle/Marie-Claire/ Fairy lady and the likes. (I would burst with happiness and pride.)
3. To own a beautiful house – with all the bells & whistles.
4. Teach someone (with the intent of giving a disadvantaged person the skills to further themselves) the skills & processes of jewellery manufacturing as I have been taught – without time, production & money being the priority.That would be special.
5. To know, without any doubt in my mind, that one day when I retire I will be completely totally and utterly financially secure.
6. Be a mom - and bring a little boy up to be a good man.
7. To own a beautiful horse and know how to ride it.
8. To be able to have a family reunion at least once every three years, where EVERYBODY (somehow) gets to the same place.
9. To have a beagle, rottweiler and a ridgeback.. ( not at the same time though )
10. To give being a vegetarian a try for at least 2 weeks.

Note: "On my bucket list..." is my current guest blogger series. Most weeks a lovely blogger will share things from their bucket list. to read other bucket lists, go HERE

Red Valentino

Loving Red Valentino's Pre Spring/Summer 2012 collection - so sweet & pretty.

To see the whole collection, trot over here

A weekend in Hout Bay (part 1)

Last weekend I decided to spoil The Boyf by taking him on  a mini getaway to the Hout Bay Manor a couple of days before his 30th birthday.

Not only is the Hout Bay Manor a  5-star rated boutique hotel, it is also a architectural and historical landmark that was built in 1871 (cool, huh)

Since this was also a "secret" getaway , the Boyf had no idea where we going until we pulled up in front of the hotel. Thankfully he liked the surprise and was impressed by my  sneaky planning skills.

On arrival, we were welcomed by the friendly staff and promptly shown to our room.

We were booked into a one of the hotel's "Xhosa" rooms on the first floor. The room was beautifully decorated and had almost everything that you could possibly need in it (though it would have been nice if the mini bar fridge had been stocked with more than water and fruit juice).

One of my favourite things in the room was definitely the grand, four poster canopy bed with it's beaded detail.

The bathroom was also another highlight in the room. It was a wonderful mix of old and new style decor. Plus, I loved that they had taken the time to add playful touches like a yellow rubber ducky.

After settling into our room we decided to have a look around the hotel before we headed out to explore Hout Bay.

The decor in the hotel is colourful and modern with loads of African touches . I really liked the interesting mix of art and the cool lighting through the hotel (there are some really amazing chandeliers). Apparently the interior was designed by acclaimed Cécile & Boyds.

  

The inside and the outside of the hotel are equally lovely to look at (It was hard to decide which photos to share). The  sparkly pool and seated outside area are especially inviting at this time of the year.

Next time we stay I hope we can have a bit more time to chill outside and have a couple of swims.

After exlporing a little of Hout Bay (which I will tell you more about in Part 2) we came back to enjoy a dinner at the hotel's restaurant 'Pure'.

While the decor at this restaurant is stunning during the day time,  it is positively enchanting at night. The glistening glass bead chandeliers and high, mirrored ceilings give it a almost magical look.

  

The dinner was nice and was presented beautifully, but we were hoping for a bit more food after the day's adventures. Thankfully, if you are craving a little snack, there are glass jars dotted around the hotel that are stocked with complimentary biscuits and other sweet treats (such a brilliant idea!).

After a good night's sleep we headed down for breakfast and were greeted with a nice assortment of breakfast foods.

We started off with some champagne orange juice, pastries and fruit. Then we ordered yummy, cooked breakfasts and cappucino's.

The food was great and the atmosphere was so relaxing that ended up sitting there for about 2 hours. 

Overall we really enjoyed our stay and had a relaxing weekend. We would definitely consider staying at this hotel again, but would want to stay a bit longer next time.

For more information or to make a booking, you can contact the Hout Bay Manor on

021 790  0116 or e-mail them at: reservations@houtbaymanor.co.za    

Notes: I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a luxury weekend away. There is also a spa at the hotel, but unfortunately we didn't get to try it. This blog post was not sponsored by the hotel. All the above photos were taken by us. 

Happy Weekend!

" Every day is a new beginning. Treat it that way. Stay away from what might have been, 
and look at what can be." - Marsha Petrie Sue 

  Have a lovely Friday and a weekend filled with happy thoughts.

10 things I learnt recently

photo found via Tumblr

1. Spending the weekend in Hout Bay is alot of fun (full post coming soon)
2. Life's too short to drink instant coffee ;)
3. The Bay Harbour Market in Hout Bay is a very cool - check it out, if you can.
4. Pintrest is a very addictive website ( you can follow me on Pintrest here )
5. Walking barefoot on the beach has such a calming effect on me 
6. Woolworths sells edible flowers - look how pretty they are.
7. I never sleep well on my first night in a new place - I call it "weird bed syndrome"
8. Actress Kristen Bell loves sloths so much it makes her cry - watch this video
9. Sometimes taking a mini break from the internet helps you find new inspiration
10. This is good to remember: "Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will. " -  Zig Ziglar                                                    

what have you learnt recently?