Get ready ... 'cause here I come!

 me and my ride (I wish!)  @ WOWTOWN

"Going To A Go Go!" 

The dress code for the Go Go was "Dress to impress." And it took an African village to get me ready to impress WOWTOWN, an American night of Motown, Music, And Motors, all for a worthy cause.


 

Thanks Linda!

First, a manicure and pedicure at Natural Expressions in Parkmore. (Thanks Marguerite for these great Motown decals!)

"So, fee-fi-fo-fum ...
Look out baby, 'cause here I come."

 

Next up, hair at Foil in Grayston Center!

"Get ready 'cause here I come. 
I'm on my way.

Get ready 'cause here I come."

Thanks Malcolm!

On to make-up at MAC in Sandton City.

"So, fiddley-dee, fiddley-dum.
Look out baby, 'cause here I come." 

Thanks Jessica!

Thanks Cookie at Carlton Hair Hyde Park too for the expert eyebrow threading earlier this week!

close-up of skirt

Finally, time to get dressed. My outfit for the party? Think "the Motor City meets the City of Gold."

My Joburg skyline skirt is from Big Blue in Rosebank; Shoes are from RUNWAY [SALE]; JHB tee shirt from Neighbourgoods Market and leather jacket from Vintage Zionist; My record purse is from Art Africa (a contributor to the WOWTOWN silent auction); Necklaces are from Big Blue in Rosebank and Nutcase ACTS (a contributor to the WOWTOWN lucky draw) in the Neighbourgoods Market; Ring by Tinsel (yet another contributor to the WOWTOWN silent auction.) Vintage Ray Bans.


"Get ready 'cause here I come. I'm on my way.

Get ready 'cause here I come.

Get ready 'cause here I come-a.

Get ready. "

close-up of jacket (photo by Sue Huck)

close-up of purse made from real records!

close-up of shoes

Vince eschewed wearing a tuxedo - a popular choice - and chose instead to wear a silk silver, gold and black leopard print Nelson Mandela Presidential Shirt, black trousers and velvet Belgian Shoes ... and of course, vintage Ray Bans!










 



We're ready! Here we come ...

(Thanks to The Temptations and The Miracles for the accompanying song lyrics!)

Pink PowWOW

Among Native North Americans, a "powwow" is a gathering ceremony used to conjure, among other things, the cure of disease and success in war, and it is marked by feasting and dancing. What better theme for the Cuppa for CANSA tea party I hosted at Valley Lodge attended by (mostly) American expats to benefit CANSA care centers in South Africa?

B's Pin Cushion custom-made my PowWOW shweshwe banner ...

Especially when the expats in question feasting and dancing belong to a social and charitable group named WOW (Women of Worth). That makes this powwow a PowWOW!

... and my Cuppa 4 CANSA shweshwe banner too

It was truly a cross-cultural event. The menu was "English Tea" and the decorations were influenced by Native American and African cultures.

I transformed Valley Lodge into a Shabby Chic Iroquois-inspired longhouse for the day featuring feathers, porcupine quills, blankets, baskets and beads - traditional decorative elements found in both Native American and African cultures. Colorful shweshwe banners and bright pastel shweshwe, kikoy and shuka table runners added to the festive atmosphere and gave the event a distinctively African sense of place.

A uniquely Native American element used in decorating was the dream catcher. Typically hung above a bed while sleeping, the dream catcher has been a part of Native American culture for generations. According to custom, the good dreams know how to pass through the dream catcher and slide down the ribbons and feathers to reach the dreamer sleeping below. The bad dreams get caught in the dream catcher and disappear with the morning light.










Dream catchers decorating the wigwam entrance and above the pledge table were meant to encourage guests to dream for a day without cancer and support the dreams of the Eastrand CANSA Care Centre.

Guests were asked to dress in pink and were given a pink ribbon and feather pin to wear to show their support for breast cancer research.

True to a traditional English tea served for elevenses, the menu consisted of a variety of crustless tea sandwiches, warm quiches, macarons, croisnuts, scones and cakes. This being South Africa though, the scones were served both Devonshire style with house-made clotted cream and strawberry jam as well as South African style with apricot jam and cheddar cheese. 

Lady apple rose (photo by Marguerite Slavik)

Lady apple roses, a fruit salad, cheeses and cornichons rounded out the menu.

Victoria sponge cake (photo by Marguerite Slavik)

Along with hot teas and coffee, the guests were served cold Sudan hibiscus tea, pink lemonade and a signature "Pink PowWOW Punch" containing fresh fruit juice and rosé wine from Franschhoek. One of the tea combinations served contained Rooibos and Sutherlandia, also known as Cancer Bush as it was used as a traditional treatment for cancer. The tea is known to ease digestion, remove anxiety and promote a feeling of well being. In addition, Sutherlandia has powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties which boost the immune system.

Of course, a proper English tea always provides an opportunity for ladies to wear festive headware and I crafted this feathered headdress-inspired fascinator to wear for my Pink PowWOW tea party.

Cuppa for CANSA mugs and candy Kisses

There was no charge to attend the Pink PowWOW. Instead, guests were invited to donate to the Eastrand CANSA Care Centre. Over R3500 was raised on the day with more donations still coming in!

the pledge table

A chiffon pink "Le Creuset Tea for One" prize package was given as a gift to the donor who made the largest pledge of the day.

chiffon pink display @ the Sandton City Le Creuset

I am entering my Pink PowWOW in the Le Creuset Cuppa for CANSA home party competition. I must give a shout-out to my girls at the Le Creuset shop in Sandton City for talking me into hosting my Cuppa in the first place. Wish us luck!

photo by Marguerite Slavik

PS Here are the banking details if you would like to contribute to the Eastrand CANSA Care Centre:
Bank - ABSA
Account No. -. 288147523
Branch code - Universal
Please use Reference code: KastenCuppa
Thank you!

I was right!

I was right. Vince chose coral for my anniversary present! Coral earrings by Cinda Hunter at Amatuli in Kramerville and a coral necklace by Pichulik from Piece in Rosebank pictured on a Maasai kikoy scarf from Mikoy in Muizenberg.

Happy 35th Anniversary in Zanzibar!

What to wear to a Diner en Blanc

Diner en Blanc 2015

... in Cape Town it's on November 28 and I am still waiting to find out 2015's date in Johannesburg.

And already, Vince and I are busy making plans. Just as important as your choice of menu and table decorations is your choice of what to wear.

ostrich egg jewelry

Obviously you wear white. And they mean all white. But as a veteran now of two Diners en Blanc in Johannesburg, I can tell you it's not that simple. For instance women can get away with silver or nude shoes and men with a darker beige. You risk being turned away though with black shoes or a black belt. We've never risked it.

For the Diner en Blanc-Johannesburg in 2013 I went for comfort and wore pants. Ralph Lauren white eyelet trimmed pants and a floor length white crochet sweater, a Morgane Le Fay sleeveless blouse underneath and a Panama Hat from the Bryanston Organic Market on my head. Ostrich egg and silver jewelry and silver sequined straw wedges.

The only thing I bought especially for the DOB that year was my ostrich eggshell jewelry, purchased mostly from Avoova in Cape Town and Mambu Designs in the Bryanston Organic Market.

For our second Diner en Blanc-Johannesburg in 2014 I made more of an effort. I wore a white lace dress I found in a local Joburg boutique that has since closed, a Ralph Lauren Angora bolero that I already owned and I had a fascinator custom-made for me by The Little Hattery in Cape Town.

My sweater has a rhinestone clasp so I accessorized with Lulu Frost art deco rhinestone earrings and bought a pair of rhinestone embellished sandals. Sparkly!

  





These are some things to think about when deciding what to wear to Diner en Blanc in 2015.

The more elegant, the better. Save the white tee shirt, white pants and white flip flops for the beach. You will feel underdressed wearing them at DOB. People pull out all the stops! And there is usually a contest for best-dressed which makes people go even crazier with their fashion choices.

.

hats make nice centerpieces too

Include headwear in your ensemble. That means hats of course, but headwear is more than just hats. Here is your chance to think outside the box.

People wear anything from tiaras and crowns to platinum blonde wigs. Have fun!

Individualize with accessories. White sunglasses. Ostrich boas. Bow ties for men. Folding fans. Gloves. An ascot. And masks for that Carnival feeling.

Prepare for rain. Unless you live in the desert or if there is an absolute 0% chance of rain, think about it. If you care about what you're wearing and it's not waterproof, bring a white umbrella and / or a clear or white rain coat

Think French. Since DOB started in the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, anything French goes, both on the table and on your person. Inspiration can come from the Eiffel Tower and the other monuments of Paris to ...

... an homage to some of the more imitable French style icons such as Marie Antoinette, Jean Seberg and Brigitte Bardot.

Some cities even have a contest for the dress or tablescape with the most French flair.

For one of these Diners someday, I am going to wear a white Marie Antoinette ship on my head!

DOB Barcelona was held on the beach in front of the Gehry fish

All terrain shoes. You never know where you'll be walking and on what surface. Could be gravel, grass, sand or concrete. Stilettos are probably not a good idea for most locations - always a well-guarded secret until the last minute. It's best to just plan for all terrains.

As always, the guys have a much easier time of it. A white button down shirt paired with white linen pants. White boat shoes or bucks. White slip-on sneakers or lace-ups for a more casual look. Vince wore a white linen guayabera and Panama hat with white slip-on sneakers in 2013. He stepped it up with a custom-made white linen suit, white boat shoes and a white pith helmet in 2014.

Let's go shopping!