Samantha French

I would think it's fairly evident that I enjoy art and creativity. One thing I absolutely admire is when people paint water. My, oh my... I just couldn't imagine tackling something so, I don't know, intricate? Plain water is quite a feat on it's own, but when people paint objects or bodies within water, that's where I draw the line. I mean, the artistic skill it must take to get that crystalized effect on top of something is miles beyond me.

One artist I came across recently is Samantha French, whose work consists primarily of the most life-like underwater swimmers. These paintings left me speechless, which is the ultimate accomplishment, considering how much I talk! I'll let the paintings speak for themselves...

If you'd like to see more of her works, visit her website or blog, which I find a lot more interactive.

xo,

Take Me Back to the 60's

I recently watched My Week With Marilyn and Breakfast at Tiffany's, then, a few days later, I came across the above picture of style icon, Françoise Hardy. This all lead me to a deep feeling of nostalgia for the 60's... In my heart of hearts, I honestly believe I was born in the wrong era!

(Audrey Hepburn)

(Edie Sedgwick)

(Marilyn Monroe)

(Lesley Lawson, Twiggy)

Speak of never ending fashion inspiration! What a lovely time it must have been...

xo,

Ms. Photographer | Brittney Lauren

When I joined Instagram about two years ago, among the very first few people I followed was @brittneypanda, AKA Brittney Lauren. Each and every photo she posts demands a second (or third, or fourth) look... Her talent is insaaaane, and leaves me a little bit envious, really.

Her work consists mostly of self-portraits, and generally has a sense of darkness, innocence, simplicity, sensuality and overall beauty. The photos are never overdone, and seem effortlessly taken!

The Panda definitely ranks high in the list of my favourite photographers, and I'm sure you'll enjoy her photos just as much as I do. If you're keen on taking a peak into her photographic adventures, check out her instagram (@brittneypanda), flickr or tumblr.

She's brilliant, I know.

PS. I might be taking a bit of a hiatus from OK to prepare for the exams charging ever so eagerly at me.  Wish me luck!

xo,

Lovely Links - 15.05.13

I, like most teenagers, am addicted to the internet. In fact, I would guesstimate that I probably spend about 24 hours in a week on the internet alone. (Gee, I should probably look into that, because that is an awful lot of time!)

While spending the said amount of hours on the internet, I often come across some really lovely things... Great design, interesting articles, stunning videos, new blogs! I mean, the list goes on for days!

So, I'm starting a bi-weekly segment filled with some of the lovely little links I happen to encounter during my internet escapades. I have piles of bits and bobs that aren't enough to fill up entire posts just sitting on my laptop, and longing for nothing more than to be shared with you!

(source: dustjacketattic.blogspot.com)

• Karl Lagerfeld's short film, "Once Upon a Time" starring Kiera Knightley was finally debuted in Singapore, in celebration of a century since Coco Chanel's first boutique was opened!

• Being an avid lover of good photography and different means of creative expression, this article had my undivided attention for a good couple of minutes.

• If only we could all write poetry like this by Dorothy Parker... Unfortunately, we can't, but in the meantime, I suggest we simply enjoy it.

• Had you been reading Søren Jepsen's 'The Locals' street style blog over the last few weeks, you might know that he's ventured into new blogging territories! (This new blog is great for all the travelers, and those of us who can only dream...)

• You can choose to either buy some cute jewellery, or to do it yourself! I'm absolutely swooning over this these bracelets and this ring by Jenni Radosevich of I Spy DIY.

• I'm the kind of person who will spend hours on YouTube looking for and listening to fresh new artists to fall in love with... One of my favorite bands that I found on YouTube about 3 years ago is Boyce Avenue. Check out their gorgeous cover, featuring Fifth Harmony, of 'Mirrors' by Justin Timberlake.

xo,

Bucket List: No.7

After 5 incredibly long years, I was finally able to cross out the 7th thing on my Bucket List last night. This being seeing Justin Drew Bieber perform live in concert. I won't go on and on about it, but I must say, it really was the best night of my life. 

Whether you like him or not, if you were in South Africa this past week, and you didn't go to either the Cape Town or Johannesburg show, you missed out on some stellar entertainment! The opening acts (ChianoSky and Locnville) were miles better than I'd expected, and Justin's singing and dancing was phenomenal.

Due to the fact that I'd waited so long for that night, I made sure to have my phone switched off inside my bag, only to be switched on AFTER the concert, in an attempt to truly remember and experience my dream coming true. During the first 2 songs, all I did was cry a lifetime's supply of tears. It was all super emotional, but a truly incredible night.

Here are some pictures my best friend (Alicia) took, and a few from the web:

Alicia and I at the concert!

Alicia and I at the Dermalogica offices, prepping our skin for the concert :)

ChianoSky

Locnville showing us a really good time!

My husband... (keeeeding, not really!)

Absolute perfection!

The insane crowd building up!

I still don't quite believe it happened... What an unforgettable night! A huge thanks to Seventeen SA and Dermalogica Clean Start for the superstar treatment, pampering and tickets to the show!

xo,

Ramblings about: Blogging

Before I started Oh, Kenzo, I had a blog on Tumblr called Le Petite Pois, directly translated as 'The Little Pea' in French (No, it had no relevance whatsoever, but my then pretentious self took quite a liking to the sound of it). That blog went really well, and not in the sense of acquiring a huge following, but in the improvement of my writing. My writing style developed, both on and off the blog, and I grew more and more comfortable with sharing my opinions with the few people who actually read it.

When I made the decision to switch from there to here, I became quite sentimental about the Tumblr blog, especially after the amount of work I'd put into my little slice of the internet. It seemed so rash to change so quickly, but after realising the undeniable difference in the ability to personalise and customize when comparing Tumblr to Blogger, it seemed foolish not to make the switch.

 I've been blogging on Oh, Kenzo for a just over a month now, and it's really growing on me. This blog is a lot more personal than the other one. Here, I can ramble on like I'm doing now, whereas I had specific topics (fashion, design and photography) which I wrote about on the other one. That blog was my first internet love, and the beginning of my love for writing.

One thing I must mention, though, is that I wouldn't have done it if it weren't for Kimberely Pesch of Eat.Sleep.Wear and Jessica Quirk of What I Wore. They were the first bloggers I'd ever really come across, and essentially, sparked my interest in blogging. Through them, I found an entirely new world, which I had been completely unknown to before then. I do encourage that you read their blogs, because they're both truly and utterly amazing.

Even if it's only a hobby, or something to pass the time, I would 100% urge you to start a blog. It's a great way to document your life, while still improving your writing (two birds with one stone, eh!)... One day, you can look back on it and have a laugh. It's a little daunting, I know, but it's always fun to see yourself grow and change, and I find that blogs are a great way to do that!

PS. When it comes to blogging sites, I would recommend Blogger all day, everyday. Honestly, it's the most all-round FREE site you'll find, and trust me, I've tried them all!
P.P.S Justin's concert is this Sunday (Eeeeep!) I'll post about it soon!

xo,

insomnia //

I've recently caught a cold, thanks to the very inconsistent weather in Jozi lately. After numerous pills and a hot bath, I climbed into bed before the clock struck 20h00, which is very unlike me! Unfortunately, my hopes of a long and peaceful sleep were shattered when I woke at 01h00, and couldn't fall asleep again until dawn.

...While feeling very sick, very restless and quite annoyed, I resorted to browsing through old photos I'd taken and curated over time, and adding bits and bobs to them. I think they're decent enough to share with you, so here they are! 

(original image sources: 2 and 4 taken by myself, the rest are from tumblr.)

Which do you like most?

xo,