Archive for category Vintage/Fashion

AUTUMN LEAVES

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In the Autumn of our lives

There was dancing in the street

Lively leaves of yellow and gold

Laughing and loving as they grow old.

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Dancing leaves off the ground

A swirl of colour as they bound

Browns and Reds with a golden hue

A time to share with me and you.

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As we grow old,  so they grow old.

Dancing leaves of yellow and gold

Loving and laughter – memories after.

Those dancing leaves of gold

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Michael Warr (my grandfather)

I never bake. Like ever. And on Good Friday, Luke and I decided we’d bake our first ever Easter cupcakes together (thought it deserved a blog post).

Here are the ingredients:

Vanilla Cupcakes:

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated white sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Zest of 1 large lemon (outer yellow skin)

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (60 ml) milk

Confectioners (Buttercream)Frosting:

2 cups (230 grams) confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk or light cream

Assorted food colors (if desired)

Vanilla Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl whisk together the lemon zest, flour, baking powder, and salt.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 17 -20 minutesor just until set and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Always check a few minutes before the stated baking time. Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry.)

Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. If you want flat topped cupcakes then slice off the dome of each cupcake, with a sharp knife, before frosting. Cupcakes are best eaten the same day they are made, but they can be covered and stored for a few days.

Confectioners (Buttercream) Frosting: In an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter until smooth and well blended. Add the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add a little more milk or sugar, if needed. Tint the frosting with desired food color.

Makes about 12 cupcakes.

And Voila! I added Flake and little Easter eggs as a decoration…and they were damn delicious (if I say so myself). The family were so proud of us.

Source

The April/May issue of Vintage Lifestyle is out!  Click here to read it (it’s free).

If you haven’t read issue eight of Vintage Lifestyle Magazine, then here’s a little reminder of why you should…

Meagan Dill’s “Seven ideas for a vintage-themed picnic”.

Cafe Chronicles features Cafe Paradiso.

We interview Lauren Fowler – a Cape Town based graphic designer and illustrator.

Bow Peep accessories.

Kraftisan’s puzzle pin-up’s.

Viola. VLM’s new family member.

Some interesting facts on Coco Chanel.

To read this issue click on this link vintagelifestylemag.co.za/site/page/mag

Issue nine is released on the 10th of April. I really can’t wait for that.

I’m quite obsessed with Japanese street fashion. It’s so completely different to any other sense of style in the world, and I love that. I think maybe it all began back in high school…I loved how my one dear Asian friend used to dress. She had the coolest stationery (Hello Kitty), and on civvies day she always used to wear cute clothes and bows in her hair. My friend was so adorable, that she used to bob her head to the side and pull the peace sign when she posed for a photo, just like the picture above. I miss her so much.

One day I hope to visit Tokyo, Japan. South Korea too. Just to absorb this kind of lifestyle.

Source 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Kate

Cindy & Claudia

Christy & Linda

Linda, Naomi & Christy

Linda

These are some of my favourite images from the 90s. They’re so great, that one day I might want some of them printed for my studio (that I don’t own just yet). I can’t believe I was like six years old when some of these images were taken. Who’s your favourite supermodel from the 90s?

Source 1, 2, 3, 4

So I never post ‘behind the scenes’ pictures of the VL shoots…simply because I either forget my camera or I’m too busy running around with rails of clothing shouting “fashion is serious!”. Though yesterday I managed to snap a few pictures while hair/make-up were being done.

The model. My beautiful friend Katie from Katema.

Marieke, my make-up artist did an amazing job.

Some Chanel, courtesy of Katie.

Mr Midgley Ross Howe. Hair stylist extraordinaire.

Isn’t he lovely?

Some accessories for the shoot.

To say yesterday’s shoot was beautiful is an understatement. Matthew, the photographer, amazes me every time. He is too brilliant. I can’t wait to share the images with everyone in issue nine.

Oh, I forgot to mention that my blog was mentioned here as one of iafrica’s top Cape Town fashion blogs. Yay for Diamonds & Dust!

Kate Moss, in the Coco Chanel suite, at the Ritz hotel in Paris. What I wouldn’t do to go there. Or have a shoot there (I can dream, right?). I love this shoot for Vogue. I recognised so many of the garments from the couture collections. My favourite are the Dior’s – remember I did that post on Dior couture? I adore the 60’s inspired pink glitter dress by Balenciaga too.  It reminds me of the Dior dress below – this photo was taken in the 60’s by Mark Shaw.

I know the famous yellow taxi’s are everywhere in New York, but I love seeing a bit of them in various fashion related pictures. For example: fashion editorials, street style pictures, movies, fashion shows and even weddings.

1 – Fashion editorial for Vogue Germany. 2 – Grace Coddington and Bill Cunningham (probably my two biggest inspirations). 3 – Street style. 4 – DKNY fashion show. 5 – Street style.

More street style.

Matches her bag perfectly.

Cute wedding!

I love the blue and the yellow.

Fashion editorial for Vogue Italia.

More street style.

I had a weekend full of fun fashion shoots. I’m prepping for another shoot with my VL fashion team. I can’t wait to share the April/May issue of VL with everyone.