Goodbye cold and windy Winter, hello hot (and still windy) Spring. As the fashion icons in the Northern Hemisphere must bid farewell to summer looks shortly after Milan Fashion Week, we can start wearing our boardies again. Cape Town is arguably the style-hub of South Africa, but we tend to go slightly dormant in Winter, owing to the fact that you can’t dress up a massive waterproof trench coat, wet-dog hairstyle and umbrella, although some of you do rock that. South African’s thrive on colour, expression, open-toed shoes and skirts with a bit of flair. I feel like a little girl with my Top Model book, anticipating the new trends to pop up as we take inspiration from exiting European ones. So, here’s my prediction or ‘guide’ on your dressing room as we go into October. Kenzo Takada once said, “Fashion is like eating; You shouldn’t stick to the same menu.”

So, for starters on our menu: Flip-flops. Out with the Birkenstock (don’t flail me alive) and in with the fashionable flip-flop. Clearly we’re bringing back the Havaianas and to be honest, I’m not upset. Bonus points if it has a wedge. Copenhagen icons were wearing a lot of lace, silk skirts and yellow, blue and brown together actually. Not the pastels of last season but a bright lemon yellow, a navy or sky blue and a chocolate brown. Layering was and always will be a thing, asymmetric midi skirts under or over other garments were a popular choice. Picture 2000s dress over jeans, but chicer and classier. Silk bandanas and neckerchiefs add much to the look and can make the basic, frivolous. I don’t know about you, but I have also been seeing these short sparkly skirts all over my #IwishIwasinGreece Pinterest doom scroll.

For the mains, shorty shorts are in, jorts are out. Sorry if that’s too controversial. Pink and polka dots are back baby…with many commercial stores in South Africa already stocking what seems to be a Valentine’s Day themed colour palette, for men as well. Night turned day? We are seeing a lot of camisoles, nighties, slip dresses and boxers being thrown on for day wear, on the fence about this one (my nighties could never chef up a good outfit). Denim is delicious, let’s think Levi’s not American Eagle. Denim button down vests or shirts paired with a different or same wash bottom can be dressed up with a pair of kitten heels or down with a pair of ballet pumps. 

For dessert and the cherry on top: I am seeing massive hobo bags all over the place, think grocery bag x boillard type of style. To mix outrageously different prints, local brand Porter allows you a choice of plaid or stripes around your shoulder. For the more male take on things, I am seeing berets and funky, chunky and knitted hats. Crop-tops are popping in again with some mid-rif featuring and and sleeveless being a go-to. 

For some reason, boys are stealing hooks from the gym to pin their keys to their pants (I’m not joking). Plaid, Gingham and floral prints are making an appearance in relative fashion weeks, it is yet to be seen if this is translating much to men’s street fashion. What is seemingly popular is a good old leather jacket, brown and black alike. To encompass the looks seen in a simple sentence I would say: Corporate Fridays with a dash of colour past 12pm out for lunch with really cool co-workers. 

After all is said and done, a friendly reminder that you have freedom of choice and can wear a trash bag should you wish to do so. These are simply my observations from the past Euro-Summer and how I think it will translate here in SA. By no means, do you have to conform, in fact I encourage the exact opposite. I am not about gatekeeping where to find these marvellous items or pieces. If you know a place or I have missed something, tell us in the comments and let’s collaborate on this menu together.