uhlale unjalo

This is the South African version of Barry White's 'Just the way you are'. It is contemporary, fresh, afro-pop and proudly South African. I only got wind of this song about two months, unbeknownst to me that it is almost a year old. Martin Phike really did a good job on this one. And since the FIFA World Cup is currently underway in my country, it's only right that I promote home grown sounds. Enjoy gents.



And if you happen to have an isiXhosa speaker nearby then by all means ask them to translate the lyrics for you.

Every last Saturday of the month: Hidesign

PG: Man to man, generation to generation.

In my Mail: Designer Clothing Sales

Designer clothing sales presents our Anniversary Designer Sale @ Vodaworld on 26th June 2010 and another @ 1 on 1 Gateway, Durban on the 3rd July 2010.

Due to the great support at our last sale, we will be repeating the SPECIAL SALE on Saturday 26th June 2010. We are liquidating stock @ R90 & under at the R 90 SALE as well as launching new winter stock and designer bags and shoes.

R 90 SALE
Everything is R90 and under

VENUE: GIG 1, VODAWORLD, MIDRAND

DATE: 26th June 2010, 8am – 5pm

WINTER LAUNCH

New knits, coats, etc.

VENUE: GIG 2, VODAWORLD, MIDRAND

DATE: 26th June 2010, 8am – 5pm
 
SHOES & UNDERWEAR


ALL STOCK GREATLY REDUCED

VENUE: GIG 3, VODAWORLD, MIDRAND

DATE: 26th June 2010, 8am – 5pm
 
LADIES DRESSES NOW ONLY R 90 (RETAIL R 350 -R 999)
LADIES KNIT SWEATER REDUCED TO R 75

LADIES STRAPPY TOPS R 50

LADIES COATS, MELTON, JACKETS ETC. FROM ONLY R 300 – R 550 (RETAIL R 850 -R 2600)

CONDITIONS

1. NO PRAMS AND BAGS
2. NO REFUNDS OR EXCHANGES
3. PRICES QUOTED ARE CASH ONLY

Our Mission

To become the leading provider of Quality designer wear @ affordable prices, making high end fashion affordable to the man on the street. We offer the finest clothing from various designers, boutiques, chain stores and imported labels. Our buying power enables us to pass massive savings to you, our valued customer.

Contact information:

Telephone: 076 432 5358

The national flag pocket square

On a day laden with a lot of history and significance, I decided to go proudly South African. We've come a long way since 16 June 1976, before I was born, and I am proud to be South African. Celebrating Youth day. Wishing our national football team, Bafana Banafa, the best against Uruguay later this evening and, hoping the outcome will be something we can celebrate for all time.

I got this mini flag from a local service station after pumping my tyres.

I tried a few variations of wearing the flag in my breast pocket and I finally settled on the stuff and fluff method advocated for materials of a light texture.

This is definitely for my country and team, a little innovation when it comes to style. Annother variation could've been to wear a flag pin on the lapel.

PG: Man to man, generation to generation.

Fashion Foolish - Not a good look

This is not a good look. There's no way you can get the right attention wearing these kinds of socks. Let alone a look from the ladies. This is the same friend of mine who inttroduced me to Wallpaper*. The same friend who was denied access to the Presidential suite at a professional soccer game because his shoes were not appropriate. Step your game up.

PG: Man to man, generation to generation.

This past weekend was quite eventful. I got introduced to Wallpaper* by a very younger friend of mine and, I must say what a captivating and interesting read it is, Wallpaper*. Don't worry about the asterisk it's part of the Wallpaper* trademark. This magazine is the embodiment of style. Style in all aspects of life. Travel, design, entertainment, fashion and media. What I love about the magazine is that it shows all things that the modern man aspires to and, on a grandiose level. Very quirky and abstract in its expression and tone as well. The layout is great because it is clear, concise and legible.

One issue I enjoyed was an annual one, where a panel of judges, comprising notable individuals, rate the best in things such as design, architecture, men's fashion line, best material for hand made suits, best spa, holiday resort, etc, the list goes on and on. Thinking about it now Wallpaper* is all things that GQ isn't or misses. It is magnified. Extravagant. Grand. Colourful. Bold. And for almost the same price in South African rands as GQ US (R89 - R100), I think it might become a regular in my monthly magazine reading list. According to my friend it is available at Exclusive Books.

PG: Man to man, generation to generation.

PEP - best prices and more

If you're South African then you definitely know about PEP stores. The one clothing store where, as a teen, you wouldn't want to be caught dead in because of the style and quality of clothes. Jump to my adulthood in 2010 and, every now and then I browse through PEP because you never know what you will find. It was this past Saturday that I was in there looking for some socks that I came across these interesting cotton pocket squares, with patterns and colours. Very much in keeping with autumn and winter.

I was suprised at the mere fact that PEP of all places would expand their range to include pocket squares. I just love the price as well.

Best prices and more.

PG: Man to man, generation to generation.

The style up there - The Tall man

Style is influential. It rubs off on others. I think it is high time I stopped criticising individuals who don't exactly subscribe and conform to certain style rules because of whatever reason. What I'm saying is this: the tall man is almost not always nattily dressed simply because he has no one to model his style after. I'm only 1.83m tall (6'1"). There are tons of style icons I can look up to and also model my style around simply because I'm a  man of average height. Not much however can be said about the 7 footer. This tribe of giants has been marginalised because the world of style and fashion doesn't cater for them. Sad reality indeed. This means I won't be talking ill about the tall man who is not well dressed because he doesn't have a template to follow. Their biggest challenge also lies in fit and proportion. Maybe if there was a designer out there who dedicated a line to the 'Style up there', there would be more of a choice for men of a tall stature. Just something to showcase tall men and their style. What makes it even more difficult for them is the fact that not much of an attempt is made for them in terms of clothing styles, shoe sizes, etc. They are really neglected. South Africa might be a nation of men of average height but the subjects of today's post are almost always not catered for, and if they are to the bare minimum.

Just like the emergence of the plus size model in women's circles, so the tall man must also make an emergence, assisted by the style conscious.

PG: Man to man, generation to generation.

Style is Forever: WW2 and a stylish POW

You are probably wondering what the title has to do with men's style. Well, while I was out jogging about two weeks ago, going up this steep ascent, with my lower back doing all sorts of achy things to me, feeling like Ben Stiller's character in There's Something About Mary where he had a wardrobe strapped to his back, I happened upon a very interesting piece of paper. It looked like something out of a Watchtower magazine written in isiZulu. What grabbed my attention though were the accompanying pictures. Two sets of couples very well dressed. Upon reading the article, it was a first hand account of a man who was a prisoner of war in 1945 at the end of the Second World War. How he had escaped from prison and how his coming 'back to life' was nothing short of a miracle, especially in his immediate family's eyes.

Since it was only one page I had, there is no mention of the name of the story teller, except for his fiance's name, which was Tina. The setting of the story is France. One picture was taken around the time that World War 2 ended, the other, taken years later, in the 80s I presume. Both pictures were taken during different seasons. One is definitely winter and the other, judging from the dress code, is spring or summer.

The article goes on to relate how he met Tina in the French town of Metz on a preaching assignment. How she got baptised in 1946, subsequently married in 1947, and Tina entering full time ministry in 1967. Tina died in 2003 at the age of 98. At the time of publishing, in 1989, the narrator was in his 90s.

I appreciate their style, presentation and, as the story relates, their spirit of resilience, determination and commitment to their true calling and passion: preaching the Good news.


                                      PG: Man to man, generation to generation