Saturday 31 July 2010

Thursday 15 July 2010


R.I.P--Alexandra Mcqueen

Wednesday 19 May 2010


Metallic belt i found in a vintage store---1 pound--CLASSIC!
From the closet...

soft creamy yummy leather jacket...leratobanyana@gmail.com

Whats in the closet? open toe wedges from Reiss, the colour is AMAZINGGG!

Proenza Schouler shoe resort 2010

'ME-- wearing belt below'
contact: leratobanyana@gmail.com


belt and shoes from the closet...contact:leratobanyana@gmail.com



from the closet
leratobanyana@gmail.com

Sunday 16 May 2010



Whats in the closet?...One of thee best items in the closet...is this leather belt,its designed just like a corset and will definitely give you that hour-glass shape,You know, we often don't invest in great quality and versatile belts, but a good belt can really add some much needed flavour to any outfit or even fix up the proportions of an outfit...
and how funky is this animal print dress?--contact:leratobanyana@gmail.com

From Banyanas closet,this is actually a belt--very well made,elegant with lots of edge-..
Contact;leratobanyana@gmail.com

Thursday 13 May 2010


Whats in the closet?:leopard print pumps that i bought from the supermarket---yes the same place i get my groceries---3 pounds (30 rands) and i just dig these because i can do them up or down...corset top, i bought from South Africa...New camera that i am still trying to get the flow of....You know all the other pics on this blog are taken from my tiny camera that i carry in my purse...So NO EXCUSES IF YOU ARE A CREATIVE---JUST DO IT!

My all time favourite thing in the closet: DRUM ROLL PLZZZZZZZZZZ... cropped faux fur jacket from a vintage store---LURRV IT..
Fashion tip: When buying fur/faux,make sure its the right size for your shape and petite ladies should be careful in particular..opt for a cropped one instead of the long lengh,like the little black dress,high heels and red lipstick every woman over 25 should be confident enough to rock a fur/faux fur jacket--
*if you cant afford the real thing---vintage-

leopard print shoes from the closet--

Italian vogue 2003--steven meisel---love this!

Contact;leratobanyana@gmail.com

loving this leather jacket from the closet...

Whats in the closet...

Whats in the closet...
My stripe cardI- having quirky items like this cardi is very useful for me because i can create a variety of looks with out being bland --The blue jeans, i bought from republic---the shape is very relaxed -- called Boyfriend jeans, teamed with these fabulous Jimmy Choo red heels that pick up the look, almost like a simple jeep on great tyres--For the office, white jeans and the cardi...
Don't forget the red lipstick..!

BITCHES BREW!!!


Whats in the closet?--silver bangles from different flee markets, studded arm band and swaroski jade leather bracelet...

-Banyana-

A Bikini top i got as a gift from one of my girlfriends-Candice---
*BIKINI tops are great to wear in place of bras in summer,especially when wearing an airy dress or a shirt dress like this...(see below)shades i bought for 5 pounds--very John Lennon---these are really different and classic because of the tortoise shell frame---very 2010..









Summer sandals--if you have a budget on sandals,opt for a classic shape like this because its not a thong, nor a gladiator, its almost like a mix of the two,this shape remains trendy any and every year..


From Banyanas closet--Dress shirts are always great with leggings...the brighter the better
Style tip: if the shirt is one tone, go bright on the leggings, however if the shirt has a print ,rather keep the leggings to a neutral colour..

Whats in the closet?--yellow leggings love them!

A painting i did in 2006...
-Banyana-

the original

I tore and stuck different colours of cardboard,stuck them on black cardboard creating a collage,then sketched this image very lightly on top of the collage--

PICTURE:www.artthrob.co.za
CONTEMPORARY ARTIST:TRACEY ROSE...(BORN IN DURBAN,CURRENTLY RESIDES IN JOHANNESBURG,SOUTH AFRICA)
FIRST TIME I SAW HER WORK WAS IN 2007 IN DURBAN SOUTH AFRICA--'her work has been exhibited in Africa,Europe as well as the United States
Rose is best known for her performances, video installations and photograps.

TRACEY ROSE----(2006)
Contemporary art--'UNDER THE INFLUENCE'
picture:artnet.com

Tracey Rose,--This piece is labelled --LOVE ME-FUCK ME
Some of her work is available at the Goodman Gallery..
picture: artnet.com

One of my favorite pieces from Mr Warhol...
I like his work because i am not a fan of paintings using fauvism art and
Unlike the Fauve colors, the non-representational colors of Pop Art do not depict the artist’s inner sensation of the world. They refer to the popular culture.
Like any form of art or expression--Do it your way, The best way you know how...-

This is a print i did of Jimmy Hendricks face. I used a stencil, neon pink paint and printed on black canvas, so that the image stands out...(2006)(acrylic and silkscreen ink on black canvas)
Image 2 is a print titled Knives by Andrew Warhol (August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987), known as Andy Warhol. Warhol was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as *POP ART*. After a successful career as a commercial illustrator, Warhol became famous worldwide for his work as a painter, avant-garde filmmaker, record producer, author, and public figure known for his membership in wildly diverse social circles that included bohemian street people, distinguished intellectuals, Hollywood celebrities and wealthy patrons.

Warhol has been the subject of numerous retrospective exhibitions, books, feature and documentary films. He coined the widely used expression "15 minutes of fame". In his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, The Andy Warhol Museum exists in memory of his life and artwork.

The highest price ever paid for a Warhol painting is $100 million for a 1963 canvas titled Eight Elvises. The private transaction was reported in a 2009 article in The Economist, which described Warhol as the "bellwether of the art market". $100 million is a benchmark price that only Jackson Pollock, Pablo Picasso, Gustav Klimt and Willem de Kooning have achieved.

Tuesday 11 May 2010

Nana Boateng Caribbean Fashion week 09


Mr Nana Boateng is a Hollywood based fashion designer,who was one of the standouts in the 2009 Caribbean fashion week. Born in Kumasa Ghana.
Mr Boeteng was named one of the "Americas most powerful players under 40" for 2007 by black enterprise magazine
I have been following his career and still have my eye on the brother---lets hope he will grace us with his presence at the Africa Arise fashion show one of these days...

high-waist silk pants, LOVE THEM...tucked in blouse or bustier...see below...

Saturday 8 May 2010



Whats in the closet: doing it Riri style,---1) I bought this jacket from a little boutique in Gosforth, Newcastle, its crazy pattern and colours caught my eye and the more i noticed the details, i just fell in love. The collar is only on one side and the fit is just perfect, especially because its cropped. I like to call it a "statement" jacket because it has a lot funk and is really out there. Its great with simple jeans and a vest or just a jumpsuit---you're sure to stand out from a crowd, very 90's...
2)Bustier from the closet,available ,contact: leratobanyana@gmail.com..
*when wearing a bustier make sure you have a super flat tummy ladies, because unlike a corsets, bustiers are shorter and can cut your tummy into 2, which is really unflattering..some trends are not for everyone and it's-A-OK...let them be.
style tip: When wearing bustiers as a top, wear it with high-waist pants or a high wait skirt, because it just makes the look classier, instead of looking like a hoochie mama....

Wednesday 5 May 2010



BIG UP YOSELF MISS RIRI!---loving the Caribbean rude girl look--..FRESHHH..

THE SHOES: from Banyana's closet....do them up or down...
STYLE TIP: when buying lace up shoes go out and get other colours of laces, very cheap---you'll be surprised how much they can change up a look.
When i bought these shoes i went out to get the lime coloured laces ,just to give it that extra edge--(push it to the max)punk rock fashion forward chic, then wen im feeling like a rockstar or a lady, i just lace them up in black....!

The shorts from the photoshoot below: available from leratobanyana@gmail.com
lace shorts are super chic, the best part about them is you can do them formal with sheer stockings, really great for mature ladies as well....