The day is 25th July, the air of spending spreads around
Pretoria as the euphoria of pay day sinks in and it finally makes sense, the
late hours in the office, the overbearing boss and complaints from the girlfriend/boyfriend
who hardly gets to spend time with you. You have arrived.
I take this time to reflect on the impact that this winter has had
on my life. One often associates winter with the end or the downtime of things
but this winter has forcefully brought me to life in such an amazing way,
affording me a chance to further my studies and challenge myself as I walk in
a dream that I want to turn into reality and possibly be an employee for my
favourite magazine. The one thing that the winter has stolen from me is my
fashion sense. Being a summer baby, my hippie self thrives off summer dresses,
high-waisted shorts, light crochet tops, open-toed shoes and shaved legs and
although the winter has made it possible for me to start a small fire with my
legs and gather some much needed layer of warmth around my waist most commonly known
as the muffin top it, has rested my mind’s capacity for fashion innovation.
What interests me about this indecisive Pretorian winter, besides
the hourly change of weather forecast, is how many of the citizens of this mad
hatter city seem to just ‘GET IT’ when it comes to fashion. The winter here is
much friendlier than in most parts of the country so its citizens have the
upper and economic hand and can still get away with wearing their summer apparel
and I must admit that my little green monster rears its ugly head when all I
can come up with for a solid cold fighting outfit is a hoodie and track pants. I
feel my bright spark personality fade into the persona of a sad house-wife who
has lost her groove after getting too comfortable in the security of marriage. Thank
the heavens that I am not confined solely to the four walls that make up my
cosy apartment and that even though I may be fashion’s ugly step sister I have
an eye that appreciates the effort, creativity and the absolute zeal that
people have when it comes to what they put on. The streets of Pretoria merge
into one huge canvas where the art is not dictated by trends but rather by
emotion. Just as feisty as the weather, the citizens of the Jacaranda city wear
their hearts on their fashion sleeves and it all comes together and sets the
city ablaze in a kaleidoscope of colour.
The diverse people of Pretoria who take winter ever so seriously,
who do not acknowledge it at all, those who take it with a pinch of salt and
those make ‘fabulous on a budget’ look divine. I am inspired by your valiant
efforts and as I soldier on towards my winter fashion journey I say a silent
prayer for you all to live, laugh and love.
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