Win the Ultimate Blogging Experience:

For most people its not really that celebration time of the year yet. It's a more stressful time of the year with exams just starting or "end of year" assignments due. Trust me I know, fashion school will be officially over (for me) on the 13th of November 2015. For others it may be the busiest time of the year for their business or maybe you're just sitting around waiting for a much anticipated holiday away in  December. Can November end already?

Since RMfashionary and my team have been doing so well this year, I decided that while we wait for a stressful period to be over I would like to give all my fans something to look forward to now; and so we have decided to launch the biggest competition yet! Win a day in the life of a blogger.

What you'll win:

1 x photoshoot by Layla Shaik Photography

1 x hair styling session by Raeesa Ebrahim

1 x make up session by Yours Truly

1 x styling session by Yours Truly

1 x outfit by The Skirt Couturier 

1 x box clutch bag by Nomada Accessories 

1 x package of assorted jewellery by We Wear Gems

The above is ultimately what you need for a successful blog shoot. You need clothes from a good designer or brand. I recently collaborated with Aysha Minty from The Skirt Couturier, who brought my vision to life, I was really keen on doing a print on print outfit for SA Fashion Week and so I  chose this combination of fabric which she used to make me a skirt and crop top. She generously agreed to making the winner of the competition a skirt and crop top too!

Accessories are just as important for blog features and being the Brand Ambassador of Nomada makes this a given. We Wear Gems also so kindly offered to sponsor this competition, be on the look out as I will be posting images of what you can win soon. Lastly, you need a good photographer, hair stylist and make up artist to blow your viewers away!

To enter:
1)Follow @RMfashionary and co (@laylashaikphotgraphy; @rae_ebrahim ; @the_skirt_couturier; @nomada_accessories and @weweargems) on Instagram.
2)Tag ME in any photo you post/you have posted which you think will be worthy of you winning the ultimate blogging experience.

*Competition entrants are limited to Johannesburg, South Africa.*
*The winner will be announced in two weeks time - 17/11/2015.*

It's as simple as that, the best photo will win. Enter as many times as you like. 

I can't wait to see what you all have to offer :). 

Urban Zulu x RMfashionary

Far from the usual, this is how I would describe a brand that I have always wanted to work with, Urban Zulu. They have previously showcased at SA Fashion Week and to everyones surprise they decided to do a show at the last moment for this season. About two weeks before Fashion Week started I got an exciting email saying that Urban Zulu would be a last minute addition to the SAFW schedule. 

Urban Zulu is a unique brand that started from humble beginnings at the Durban Flea Market. Now they are taking runways by storm and opening stores around the country. 

Details of the outfit I wore to the show on the 22nd of October.

Bag by Nomada

Henna by @taz_too (Check her out on Instagram)

I had the opportunity to go into the Urban Zulu store and choose any garment I wanted to wear for the show. There was no electricity in the Rosebank Zone when I got there but even in the dark I managed to find the perfect outfit with the help of Elisa, the sales assistant. She also suggested that I go to the craft market nearby the mall of Rosebank to get one metre of any fabric of my choosing so that she could make a head wrap for me, to compliment the outfit.

I was thrilled at how beautiful the head-wrap looked that I want to wear it all the time now! 

Urban Zulu showed off their latest collection at this seasons Fashion Week and stayed true to what they pride themselves on, ''Clothes that remain functional and contemporary in a modern society, yet still reflect the unique nuances of African Identity" (just like the dungaree I wore). The thing I love most about the brand is that the bold african print is the focal point on each garment but is not always placed on the entire garment, instead just a part of each garment has the colourful print on it. I also am a huge fan of the fact that all the designs for the garments are made and manufactured locally, yey! Click here for more about Urban Zulu or to shop the brand online.

Myself and Papy, the designer of Urban Zulu.

Wrawsilke for SA fashion Week

I've been attending shows at Fashion Week since I was seventeen. It's become a tradition for me to save up my money and buy clothing and accessories throughout the year to put aside for the fashionable week. It would take me months at a time to do so; but luckily thats no longer the case.

Being a blogger comes with perks and when designers like what you're doing they are more than willing to work with you. Wrawsilke was one of the brands that approached me to wear an outfit from their new range for SA Fashion Week.  Wrawsilke is based on Anderson street in Johannesburg town and their motto is that they can get the job done for you, whatever it may be, in a matter of hours. 

Over the years I have become so used to saving up all my money and planning for Fashion Week months in advance; so it was new to me when I had to go for a fitting on Monday afternoon, just two days before Fashion Week was set to start. I'll be honest, not having any idea what I was going to be wearing and not being able to try on a finished garment had my stomach in a knot. Either way, I let the designers of Wrawsilke work their magic and just like that they created a beautiful look from scratch. 

They worked the look around me in terms of measurements and Ndu who works for the brand researched my style in order to make something to my liking. Toni, who owns the brand dropped off the clothing for me on Friday morning and she told me that another thing her and her design team pride themselves in, is allowing the wearer to feel comfortable and confident.

If the clothes feel good, you will look and feel good too and i agree! Wrawsilke will also be showing at the LISOF fashion show in Decemeber so keep a look out for tickets.

I really loved working with Wrawsilke and I will be collaborating with them again in the new future, I can't wait! On a side note, if you have never attended Fashion Week do yourself a favour and go next year. You will be amazed at the local talent our country has to offer both on and off the runway.

I wore this look for the third day of SA Fashion Week.

My two toned Nomada box clutch, designed by me and gifted to me by Rafeeyah Hassim.

Myself and the UK bloggers who were guests at this years shows.

Hair by Raeesa Ebrahim.
All images were taken by Layla Shaik Photography.

Something Special:

A few weeks ago I was privileged enough to be asked to do make up for a very special occasion. I studied a make up course through my fashion school in order to learn more of the skill for my personal blog shoots. I also wanted to learn how to do make up for people because I love the feeling of making someone feel good about themselves with some "sparkles".

The occasion was an event held by the FOFA organization through the University of Pretoria. FOFA is a program that was designed to help disabled students through an empowering process of teaching them communication competence and helping them with employment issues. The Centre of Augmentative and Alternative Communication is filled with experts in their field of study, 'speech and hearing' but at the same time they are experts in love and care. They believe in empowering the students who go through the FOFA program by making them able to do things that anyone without a disability may be privileged enough to do.

The students get treated to a special banquet dinner where they get to dress up and show off their communication skills that they have learned. When I arrived at the university they all dazzled me as they were dressed in their best clothes and were ready for me to doll them up. What I didn't know was that besides making them feel good about themselves by adding some sparkly make up to their special day, they made me feel good with their own sparkle - their charm.

 

I and so many of you are so privileged to be able to communicate seamlessly without any difficulty. Privileged or not; what we forget is that sometimes all it takes to communicate well is a smile, which was something I noticed about these students, they always had a smile on their faces as they were so grateful. Some of them - men included - were having their make up done for the first time and I was honored to be the one doing it for them.

Like blogging, doing make up for people is another hobby I've always been fond of. Little did I know doing both these hobbies would be so uplifting. I'm grateful every day.

 

 

 

Urban Zulu Look Post

The year 2015 is racing to a close and the constant flow of events taking place before the year ends, is making it all the more fast paced.

Last week Thursday I attended not one, but two events in one night. Both the launch of the Tommy Hilifger Denim store and the Guess Accessories launch in Sandton. These events were among the last two things I did on Thursday, among others like going to campus for lectures, doing my hair and make up with my friends, replying to several emails and having a pre-photo shoot of before the actual events. By the end of the day I was exhausted but couldn't be more excited to show off my latest buy from Urban Zulu which I wore for the nights events.
 

The dress I wore is a one of a kind, It's  made of a denim fabric which I found fitting to wear for a denim launch. The top part of the dress in bright yellow is my favourite part and the most unique thing about it. The thing I like most about the brand and their garments is that they showcase their prints in pops. The print is not on the whole garment but on certain parts of it which keep it modern and urban but still ultimately Zulu. 

I've just received exclusive news today that Urban Zulu will be added to the SA Fashion Week schedule for a 22:00 show on the Thursday of Fashion Week JHB. The previous show I attended at the beginning of the year was spectacular and if the garments in store are anything to go by, this will be the show you should go out of your way to attend.

 

 

As part of an agreement with the brand I will hopefully be wearing some of their garments for Fashion Week. 

My beginners guide to blogging:

My husband and I were having a discussion the other day about blogging in general and he said to me "blogging is free and anyone can do it." A lot of people approach me and ask me for tips about blogging or how to start their own blog, especially this year since my blog has started picking up.
 

 
The first thing you should know about blogging when you start is exactly what my hubby said, anyone can do it. There are pro's to this as it will be incredibly easy for you to start your own blog if you are passionate enough about it. What you must keep in mind, however, is the fact that it has to be unique. If anyone can do it, what is going to set you apart from the rest and what's going to keep your reader interested to make your blog a success?

 
There are so many fashion bloggers out there, famous ones like Kristina Bazaan, Negin Mirsalehi and Margaret Zhang, they are among my favourites and I aspire to reach that level one day. I am by no means an expert and so I can't be at the top of the list of people to give you blogging advice, but I can give you some of the tips that I have personally learned along the way.
 
1) You have to keep you readers interested,
I try to do so by blogging once a week.
 

2) Its important to scatter your posts.
Blog them over a space of time instead of blogging five times in one week and not having enough content for the following weeks.
 
3) There is no thumb sucking with blogging,
you need to get your content prepped and ready at least two to four weeks be the actual post is scheduled.
 
4) BlogSpot and WordPress are the immediate go to websites for you to sign up on
if you are a first time blogger. Its easy to use: Youtube or google will be your teachers and best of all its free.
 
5) Get in touch with specific media or PR companies.
They will invite you to events that relates to what you're blogging about. It will be fun for you to attend and something new and exciting for your bloggers to read about.
 
6) Social media, every platform is your marketing tool,
it's imperative to make use of it to get your content out. My best platform at the moment is...Instagram.
 
7) I hate blogs that are too text heavy,
 try to balance it between the pictures and text.

 
8) People want to read about things that interest them,
 they don't want to read about YOU only.
 
9) Post only what you think is worthy,
 high quality content will be more appealing to people for them to take you seriously i.e. good quality images and informative content.
 
10) Have fun,
don't make blogging a chore, make it your outlet to connect with people.

 
When it comes to shoots, these are my top tips:
 
1) Make sure you have a good photographer or if not a great camera with a timer and camera stand.
2) Your images should tell a story (the background is extremely important!)
3) If you have good images your blog post is 50% done.
4) Keep it exciting
5) Find a way to differ from the rest. How? That's up to you.

Let me take you through the process of my latest shoot:
 
Location: 16 Louis Street, Orchards
 
Reason: I fell in love with the Graffiti after I saw it when I featured on Lucky Radio a few weeks back, the graffiti is part of the design of the 24 carrots events company situated next to Lucky Radio.
 
Photographer: Long time friend, Layla Shaik
 
Outfit and my unique take: I love wearing my clothes in different ways, in fact I try not to wear the same outfit combination in the same year. I rewore my black and white jumpsuit but only as a pants, paired with a tee from the newest MRP collaboration with Tamara Dyson Cherie. My boots and bag are from Cotton On.
 
Theme: Monochrome
 
Content: From the heart

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Maybe in a few more years I will do another post about blog tips that will be more advanced but these have got me far this year and if you want to start a blog yourself, I recommend you start with these tried and tested tips.

Legit x Boity

Last week, I went to one of the best media launches I have ever attended. Not every company knows how to run a successful press launch but one thing is for sure, Legit did an amazing job. The reason I thought Legit had done an amazing job is because I have experienced what its like to plan an event, and to keep people entertained throughout is not an easy thing to do but I along with the other guests were thrilled from start to finish.

 

 

The Legit Launch took place at a beautiful garden venue in Fourways, Johannesburg. The event was held to introduce the media and the public to Legit's newest brand ambassador, Boity. Boity had a humble start in life growing up in Potchefstroom and started to reach stardom from a young age as she took on various acting roles. Now a successful actress, Boity was honoured and in tears as another one of her dreams became real as she was announced the brand ambassador of Legit. Prior to her heart-warming speech we were entertained by an impressive fashion show that showcased the "Legit x Boity" range of clothing.

 

 

The room was filled with a display of four clothing installations to show off the range accompanied by live performances that took place while we watched the show.

 

 

 

 

Pop into Legit soon and check out their new sneakers, they are next on my list of must-have items!

I was privileged enough to sit in the front row of the show on a customized chair with my name on it (which we got to take home). My customized Legit x Boity "Ranaa" chair is now my new favourite blogging chair...

 

Whenever I sit on it I think of how Boity cried tears of joy at the event as she realized how blessed she is. It reminds me about how blessed I am each day, getting to do things I love like blog and work with amazing people along the way. It reminds me to be grateful for what I have achieved already. It has also made me realize that the successful year of 2015 is not the end. Being the brand ambassador for Cotton On and Nomada Accessories South Africa is only the beginning, so look out SA. 

 

Hat: Cotton ON

Dress: Jay Jays

Shoes: Cotton On

Bag: Forever New

Coat: Asseblief Vintage

 

 

 

 

In a few weeks I will be completing my BA at LISOF School of Fashion and I will no longer be a student.  This has me feeling mixed emotions, I may be sad to leave but I cant wait to show off the skills I've learned, with that said never-mind SA, LOOK OUT WORLD. HERE I COME.