CY Market

Yesterday I spent the day in Durbanville enjoying the countryside and doing a bit of exploring. Such a fun day! First on the agenda was a stop at the CY Market. This market is held once a year and is well worth the trip, especially if you love a bit of craft and handmade goodness. You'll find lovely local gifts and décor in a beautiful setting. Plus plenty of delicious snacks and drinks to keep you fueled. It's really not far from Cape Town, so why not take a trip out there this weekend and start stocking up on some Christmas goodies. Afterwards enjoy a wine tasting and meal at one of the surrounding wine farms. Sounds good, doesn't it? Have a great weekend, friends!

CY Market, Alba Guest Farm, Visserhok Road, Durbanville
Runs from Wednesday 28 Sep till Sunday 2 October

All photography: by me

Colourful touch

A quick round up of some lovely interiors, all with a colourful edge. You should know by now that I'm a big fan of colour! Whether it's bold or subtle use you go for, a touch of colour is a must. What do you think, do you agree or not?

Image via sköna hem

Images via sköna hem here, here and here

Image via ELLE Decor

Image via ELLE Decor

Image via ELLE Decor

Countryside escapade

Hi friends, I thought I'd take you on a little mid-week countryside getaway! Well, purely because I'm dreaming of some relaxed country style living... bicycle rides through tiny villages and country lanes, hearty homegrown food and plenty of sunshine of course! Let's dream away, why not?

Image credits: 1) Architectural Digest, 2) Melanie Acevedo, 3) Darling Dexter, 4) Tec Petaja, 5) homelife

Image credits: 1 & 2) Tec Petaja, 3) homelife

Image credits: 1) This Vintage Girl, 2) Tec Petaja, 3) homelife

Classics: black & white

Just a pick of fun black and white pieces today. Easy to dress up or down, these two colours are essential for any wardrobe. You can never have enough of black and white basics, don't you agree? I'm loving this cute Meeow Tee and the killer Lanvin heels!

1) Lanvin necklace from Ssense, 2) Topshop Meow tank top, 3) Sonia Rykiel striped skirt from My Wardrobe, 4) Lanvin heels from Colette, 5) L.K. Bennett Ballina clutch

Image credits: 6) Aubin & Wills Rathvale Tee, 7) Kyler by Joy O Nimbus earrings, 8) Diane von Furstenberg scarf from Net-a-porter, 9) Miu Miu velvet bow boots from Barneys, 10) Alexander McQueen pleated skirt, 11) Acne skinny jeans from Net-a-porter, 12) Rebecca Minkoff skull tote

City Bowl Market on Hope

I finally got to visit the City Bowl Market on Hope Street this Saturday and loved what I saw. It's a great alternative to the popular Old Biscuit Mill and the best thing about it is the availability of parking! It has a lovely, relaxed feel and is quite unpretentious. I think it's only going to get better with time. I'm glad I visited this Saturday as they had a Fashion Market upstairs which was great. Otherwise it's normally more orientated around food and drinks. You can keep up to date with what's happening via their facebook page.

City Bowl Market, 14 Hope Street, Cape Town

All photography: by me

{Words to live by}

Positive words, beautiful illustration, love this print...

Print by Eva Juliet

Joanna Rutter pretties

Thought I'd share some pretty jewellery finds this morning, handmade by Joanna Rutter from the UK. I'll take the 'hola' necklace and Black branch studs, please! So lovely!

Joanna Rutter | shop | blog |

Beautiful weekend

Hi friends, I hope you've had a good week and are ready for a bit of relaxing ahead? Well, that's always my plan for the weekend. Enjoy your Friday and of course national 'Braai Day' tomorrow if you're in South Africa!

Photography by Chris Nicholls for Flare Magazine September 2011 via Fashion Gone Rogue

Get out and about!

Yesterday I spent a lovely morning walking around Cape Town with a friend. Of course we stopped for a few coffees along the way and can highly recommend, Skinny Legs & All. There's something about exploring a city on foot that is really exciting. You get to see all it's eccentricities. I encourage you to get out this weekend and explore your town or even just your neighbourhood!

All photography: by me

Kim Stephen Interiors

I'm loving these gorgeous interiors decorated by our very own local Capetonian decorator, Kim Stephen. Pop over to her portfolio to see more or read about all sorts of luxurious travel and wanderlust over on her blog, In a State of Luxe. You'll be tempted to hop on a plane and treat yourself to some exotic living!

All images via Kim Stephen Interiors

We love snail mail!

I've just received an email from Stefanie of Newspaper Taxi, a boutique vintage store in Australia, telling me about their latest competition and snail mail incentive. I think it's a fantastic idea, read below for all the details and be sure to take part!

Newspaper Taxi | Sycamore Street Press | Rifle Paper Co.

Pastel hints: coral & aqua

The collection that appealed most to me from New York Fashion Week has got to be Jill Stuart. Backstage after the show, Jill said "I wanted it to look like a dream, a fantasy, a fairy tale". It certainly did, the beautiful pastel colours and charming, feminine designs took my breath away. I also enjoyed Nanette Lepore's collection with her striking use of colour. I noticed plenty of coral and aqua tones popping up, my latest fave spring combo.

1) poster by slide sideways, 2) Jill Stuart Spring 2012 via Style.com 3) bear backpack by depeapa, 4) Nanette Lepore Spring 2012 via Style.com, 5) porcelain brooch by depeapa, 6) Nanette Lepore Spring 2012 via Style.com, 7) Choisis la Joie print by Evajuliet, 8) chalk set from Love Loans + Linen, 9) iphone cover by indie cases, 10) custom hanger by Tell Our Story Too, 11) Jill Stuart Spring 2012 via Style.com, 12) Les petites douceurs print by Evajuliet

Kaftan giveaway from Merchants on Long

Today is the start of a fabulous giveaway thanks to Merchants on Long, a beautiful upmarket boutique in the heart of Cape Town. Merchants on Long is giving away a gorgeous bright pink and white lemlem kaftan worth $220/R2000.00! This chic and exotic kaftan is a definite must-have and believe me, it is even more stunning in real life.

HOW TO ENTER:
1. You need to 'like' Merchant on Long's facebook page and leave a comment here letting me know that you did! So simple!

2. For extra entries... you can do one or all of the below but leave a separate comment for each, letting me know that you did.
~For an extra entry: follow Merchants on Long on twitter and tweet about this giveaway
(make sure you use @lanaloustyle and @MerchantsonLong so I can track your tweet)
~For an extra entry: 'like' my new facebook page
~For an extra entry: mention this giveaway on your blog or facebook

Please note:
* This giveaway is open to all readers!
* The kaftan can not be exchanged, it is a size small to medium
* The winner will be chosen randomly
* If you do not have a blog or twitter account, please leave your email address in your comment so that I can track you down if you win!
* This giveaway will end on Monday 3 October and the winner will be announced on the 4th of October. Good luck to you all!

Above images via lemlem and Les Nouvelles

Loving lemlem

Happy new week, my friends! Are you ready to get going with another inspired week? Today I thought I'd introduce you to a fantastic clothing label, lemlem. If you haven't yet heard of lemlem, here's a little background info.

"Supermodel / actress and World Health Organisation's Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, Liya Kebede discovered that traditional weavers in her native country of Ethiopia were losing their jobs due to a decline in local demand for their goods and wanted to do something about it. Recognizing the beauty, quality and historic significance of their work, Liya started Lemlem in 2007 as a way to inspire economic independence in her native country and to preserve the art of weaving."

The lemlem collection is handmade in Ethiopia from natural cotton. The colours and handwoven designs are incredibly beautiful. Simple and yet effective, all you need is one piece to liven up your look. Lemlem is stocked locally by Merchants on Long.

All images via lemlem

{Words to live by}

So true and I love the illustration...

Print by Petite Stitches via søciety6

Flux: the ultimate foldable chair

I came across another fantastic design this week, this time a modern, foldable chair. Taking it's cue from origami, the Flux Chair goes from a flat piece of polypropylene to an assembled chair in less than 10 seconds. It's ideal for homes with space limitations and can hold up to 160kg. Flux comes in eight fun colours with the option of a cushion and is weather proof too. Sounds perfect! You can read more about Douwe Jacobs and Tom Schouten, the designers who came up with this clever idea here.

All images via YLiving

Embrace the season!

It's the end of another week and we're almost half way into September. I hope you're embracing the new season whether it be spring or autumn on your side of the world. My home is looking rather spring-ish at the moment which I'm really enjoying.  Wishing you a fantastic weekend and be sure to pop in next week as I have a fabulous giveaway lined up for you all!! Here's a clue!

All photography: by me