The other day a friend came over for tea wearing the oldest and most worn out boots I have ever seen. I made her take them off so I can take a photo to show you how cool they are! They look like they are 100 years old, and when I asked why she does not give them a good polish she shrugged and said why on earth would she do that. I loved them – if boots could talk! I think every girl has a pair of old boots somewhere in their wardrobe with loads of history….

Loved her vibe!

Shopping in Soho is too fabulous. Spotted these awesome boots, love the length of her dress with those ankle boots.

Oh my word, I feel like death – 9 hours to Dubai and then 13 hours on-to  New York. Luckily I am staying just off Fifth Ave , so was able to start shopping straight away after a nice warm bath and salad (I don’t eat plane food ever). First stop – ZARA …and look what I got. Going to France in June for summer holidays and this is going to be prefect!

Hi guys – just to say there will be a delay in getting stories up, as I will be in transit – en route to New York! There will be some cool stuff to show you when I get there! In the meantime, be sure to follow me on Twitter @popyacollar123 for street style pics on the go!

Bete Noire

Irreverent and eclectic would be the best way to sum up this dramatic and glamorous collection. Often featuring clashing colours and oversized elements this isn’t to be confused with costume jewellery. Luxurious semi-precious stones have been handled with the same meticulous due diligence one has come to expect from Kirsten Goss and can be seen nestled and bound in a mix of sterling silver, 18kt gold vermeil and brass. Drawing inspiration from 50′s Hollywood and 60′s Punk, expect dazzling facetted stones paired with sleek blackened spikes and classic teardrop shaped stones clenched in gothic gold barbs; the usual irreverence with a lick of new season attitude. Emphasis on elegance and luxury can be felt throughout, with a focus on the craftsmanship as well as the impact of the piece. Matter of fact colour palettes including fluro brights, saturated pastels and exotic jewel tones are paired confidently, defying the norm and creating startling results. Designs would be at home on Marilyn Monroe or Mansen, channelling LA starlets and dark punk goth in one great punch of confident style. No doubt a collection that will transcend seasons, designs are available in key Spring brights such as cobalt blue, emerald green and bright white but are just as comfortable paired with sparking black Onyx and the moody grey tones of Labradorite for intoxicating dark nights. Key pieces include shoulder length earrings, armour style necklaces and chunky cuffs smattered with semi-precious set stones.

Stan and Sally Hannath from Noordhoek, Cape Town will be undertaking an adventurous road journey from the Northern most tip of Europe to the Southernmost tip of Africa from June to October 2013 to raise much needed awareness and funds for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital in Johannesburg.

The cape2cape4kids epic road expedition will cover 27 countries and 28 000km and is intended to last about four months. The Hannaths are funding their own journey so 100% of all donations will be given directly to the hospital.

“Our planned and self-funded overland journey, called cape2cape4kids, will take us from NoordKapp in Norway to Cape Agulhas in South Africa. We plan to visit many hospitals and schools along the way to raise awareness for the new children’s hospital in Johannesburg,” says Stan Hannath.

The Nelson Mandela hospital will be one of only five dedicated children’s hospitals in Africa. Currently there are only four hospitals serving 450 million children on our continent. This compares dismally to Canada which has 23, Australia which has 19 and Germany 20. This hospital, to be built in Johannesburg, the gateway to Africa, epitomizes Nelson Mandela’s love of children and is considered his final legacy to the children of Africa.

“In addition, the fourth United Nations Millennium Development Goal stated in 2000 was to reduce child mortality. We hope to raise sufficient awareness and funds through our journey to implement this global goal by building a world-class children’s hospital in the easily accessible city of Johannesburg.”

The dedicated and self-funded team is looking for sponsors, both corporate and individual South Africans, to support the cape2cape4kids cause by donating funds towards the new Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital. All donations will go through the recognised donation sites Givengain and Justgiving.

“Stan and Sally’s mission to travel not only across countries but also across continents is as inspiring as it is humbling. We are honoured that they have chosen the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital Trust as the beneficiary of their fundraising endeavour, and we look to the global community to also consider how they can help Madiba’s wish for a dedicated children’s hospital come true,” says Sibongile Mkhabela, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital Trust.

The adventurous retired couple will travel through Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and finally South Africa.

You can follow Stan and Sally’s epic journey through stories and photographs posted on their blog, Facebook and Twitter.

For information, latest updates and to donate please visit www.cape2cape4kids.co.za

I am in love with my new flats from Cinnamon……

After a few years of living and working in a number of international capital cities, watching fashion trends and globetrotting across Asia, Frances Koep finally returned to Southern Africa. It was her goal to offer the discerning South African woman a shoe that is internationally on trend, yet locally made and classically tailored to last. After an extensive search, Frances finally found a local cobbler whose quality of work satisfied her exacting eye for detail and met her high standards of excellence. And so in October 2012, Cinnamon was born.

cinnamon.za.com

Watch this space…..

I just had to share some pics 0f our weekend away at Gootbos a few weeks back. In the middle of know-where, exactly where you want to be to get some me time. We stayed at the Villa, which had views from every single corner of the house including the loo. And a kitchen to die for with braai inside. There were eight of us so obviously a cook off between the couples was due. I discovered a new trick for skinning onions and trying to avoid watery eyes – Sunglasses!

The short answer is yes you can, a healthy lifestyle and diet can most definitely improve the health and quality of the skin, which then results in a delay in the signs of ageing. But you need to recognize there are limits with this method and for best results find ways to boost your skin’s health from within. Nutricosmetics are an excellent way to do this; I specifically formulated our Intravital to recondition, regenerate and protect the skin.

Always remember enjoy life in moderation and you will look younger for longer.

Following the very successful and informative visit of QMS Medicosmetics founder and leading aesthetics surgeon – Dr Erich Schulte

We had the most amazing weekend picking olives at the Francolin Farm in Constantia. Not sure how many olives I actually rakced out of the tree before we started drinking some Pinot Noir Haute Cabrière in the sun. A real treat! For our hard work we also walked away with a bottle of olive oil from the farm. So cool!

Thanks Sammy & Lozza

My husband’s aunt Penny owns a hotel in Stanford which we visited last weekend. Penny is a collector of old vintage wedding dresses which I thought was really cool. If anyone is looking for beautiful flower girl dresses I def recommend a visit to Stanford…

Yes ladies, it’s a genuine Rooibos bath and you can get it from your closest Spar. My mom spoilt me with a couple of these the other day, and when I put them in the bath and the water went a tea colour dark brown I almost changed my mind. Well, who cares what the bath colour is – I FELT AMAZING afterwards. My skin was soft and my thoughts relaxed to the point that I got into bed and went straight to sleep.

Thanks Mom

Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I must be honest I’m a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to Bensimon. We went away for the December holidays and all my best pals were wearing these cute little white sneakers and I must say I felt quite left out. The Bensimon team sent me my first pair yesterday and I am so happy! Can’t wait to show the girls…

My new knitted jersey with beading from Zara …