SMARTPHONE? CHECK. NOW FOR SOME "SMART EYEWEAR"

I like the idea of Google Glass, but I've always worried about its aesthetic value. Every time I see a guy wearing a wireless earpiece, walking around, talking- obvs on the phone- but looking like he's a mad man involved in a conversation with himself, I just look at... I say "guys" because I've never seen a woman doing it. The men are usual suited up, too, briefcase in hand and it all just makes me want to say "you speak to yourself? What a douche" even though I know he's talking to someone at the end of the line!  Basically, for me, the bluetooth earpieces go under the douche-device category along with Hummers, Ed Hardy tees, white square-toe shoes, shades in the club and turned-up shirt collars! Looking at some of the Google Glass designs that are currently out I always think of how I wouldn't want to be spotted in one of them glasses looking like some sort of cyborg. This would automatically put me in the same category as the aforementioned "douches". So, this morning when I read that Luxottica, the owners of Sunglass Hut and makers of some of the finest eyewear (Prada, Miu Miu, Ray Ban- my favs- et al), and Google have teamed up on the Glass project I thought this could be a positive for Google Glass. It gives a company with actual experience in designing eyewear the opportunity to take Google Glass to a broader market beyond the douches and likers-of-things who will obvs want to wear Google Glass in its current form just to claim they were "early adopters". It's definitely a nice deal for Google and I'm glad they thought of it because, honestly, we are already walking around tweeting, Googling and emailing on our smartphones all the time. Why not take it to the next level by doing so without having to hold the actual device in your hand and without having to compromise style by looking all douchey? Don't worry about me, I just get excited about innovation, that's all! But only if those Luxottica-designed Google Glasses will look like the Prada Cinema shades, pictured above, or at least something along those lines. Bona! Stylish and 'techy'. Not tacky!

HONESTLY… KIMYE ARE IN VOGUE. GET OVER IT!

So, I've been thinking about whether to add my two cents worth to this "OMG! How can Anna do that?" debate and I have so far resisted, only posting a few tweets to the effect that I don't get what the big deal is. Well, let me expound because I think some of us are such fash-mag snobs we think the industry "bible" is tainting itself by- gasp!- putting a reality TV show star on the cover of Vogue. Oh, yeah. Some have even evoked Kim Kadash's crime number one; starring in a porn video! Lawdy! 

When I tweeted about it, designer Thula Sindi responded saying he was also baffled by the snobbish response to the Kimye cover because, in his words, "People are being snobby about the least snobby institution- a fashion mag!".

He added; "Vogue puts 15 year-old Russian girls on the cover because they are… ummm… pretty! I don't get this 'worth' that Kim is supposed to have."

Need I say more? I don't think so. To the bloggers who have added their disdain to the Kimye cover debate, it would serve you well to think back a few years and recall that your presence In the fashion scene hasn't always been accepted with arms wide open. You were also a victim of a dumb snobbery that seeks to deny a simple reality: the nature of celebrity and the industry is not what it used to be. So, just get the fuck over it! Kimye is in Vogue! And I bet you watch #KUWTK, SO FALL BACK!

AUDIO: RAURY IS GIVING ME LIFE RIGHT NOW

BILLBOARD.COM/GFCNEWYORK

When I was about 17 years old I was getting high on marijuana, listening to Lauryn Hill and hating life.   Beyond the fact that I had just lost my moms I was just generally going through a rebellious phase that I think all teenagers go through. It was a little more amplified by the dagga and Miss Hill singing "So Much Things to Say" on her MTV Unplugged 2.0 effort. I was already a writer even back then and it was a time where I think I wrote some of the most interesting poetry I have ever written. There's something about pain and suffering, whether real or imagined, that makes one dig deeper. I still have those books I wrote the poetry in and whenever I look through them I am like; dang, son. You was angry. Anyway. I am reminded of this by something I read about this kick-ass 17 year old artist from Atlanta, US. His name is Raury and he is deservedly making the internets go gaga over his new track God's Whisper. Of the inspiration behind the song Raury tells Billboard.com; "I was fucking pissed. I hated school. My mom found out I smoked pot. She was patronizing me all the time. I just wanted to drop out and focus on what I wanted to do which was music. I thought school was a system of indoctrination and brainwashing, and they just want you to go to school, graduate, have kids and die. That's something I won't compromise. I won’t live my life on my knees."

I relate and I am in love with his debut single!

BONANG MATHEBA x DOSSIER MAGAZINE (IN 3D)

Is there a magazine that doesn't want Bonang Matheba on their cover? Her latest, out in stores soon, is Dossier Magazine and it's in 3D. I doubt there is much to be said because the cover speaks for itself except maybe to mention that she is wearing Alexander McQueen. Oh, and also, the organisers of Miss South Africa have appointed her a judge for this year's pageant. I think she brings credibility to the judging panel because of the experience she has building her own brand over the past couple of years. The girls could learn a lot from her and she, in turn, will be able to use this to see potential in them. 

Disclaimer: I do have a personal relationship with Miss Matheba, but I don't say any of this because of that. I think it is just a fact. Go ahead, deny it if you like but feel free to indulge me with a justification for thinking otherwise.

DANE DEHAAN x PRADA

Dane Dehaan is one of the stars of "Kill Your Darlings" which opens in South Africa on May 9, I believe. The film is about writer and poet Allan Ginsberg and his first year at Columbia University where his outlook on life would change forever. Dehann plays the troubled Lucien Carr, who was a friend of Ginsberg's at that time. He can also be seen in "The Place Beyond the Pines". At present he is filming "Life", a movie in which he plays James Dean. Dehaan did a Prada campaign last year and this year label boss Miuccia Prada called him back for the spring/summer '14 menswear campaign shot by Annie Leibovitz. There's something about this 27 year-old that I find fascinating. I don't know what it is yet, but I guess one will soon find out considering how busy he is.

THE BIG "MEN IN SKIRTS" CONTROVERSY AND A SKIRT I REALLY, REALLY LIKE

Heard about the big, childish Omar Epps skirt controversy yet? Yeah. Well, Lord Jamar from Brand Nubian has been going on rants about why men should not be wearing skirts and, in not so many words, actually accused Omar Epps of having homosexual tendencies. Read all about it on Nicole Bitchie.

My view on men and skirts has always been that people should wear whatever it is they feel comfortable in. In his own defense to the Lord Jamar attack Omar Epps said it was a shame that African-Americans are so out of touch with where they came from they actually don’t realise pants are something Africans adopted from Western culture. True! I’m Zulu and our traditional garb, which men still wear today at cultural functions and the like, has no trousers that I know of. It is only the contemporary uMbhlaselo pants which, mind you, were made according to Western fashion standards that prescribe pants as the only acceptable norm for men. Epps’s argument was not enough for Mr. Conscious. He carried on his rant as you will see on Nicole Bitchie. How typical of so-called conscious artists to think they have all the answers!!! *cues Kanye West*

Anyway. I went to Fashion in the Forest held at Groot Constantia on Saturday where several designers including Stiaan Louw showcased small collections. I thoroughly enjoyed Stiaan’s show. I particularly liked a check shirt dress which, no doubt, Lord Jamar and all his consciousness- read: small-mindedness- will most probably not approve of. Menswear designer Kim Gush had my most favourite of all the looks. Yes… The shirt and skirt, pictured above.

OKMALUMKOOLKAT ROCKED THE DESIGN INDABA MUSIC CIRCUIT

Last week was such a hectic one down here in Cape Town. Between the Design Indaba, the Cape Town Arts Fair, Guild and many other things that were taking place all at once, exhaustion was somehow bound to set it. This is especially if, like me, you also like to get down and boogie rather than just going to the talks, looking at the works of creative folk and calling it a day. Nuh uh! I also wanted to tap my feet, clap my hands and bop my head, which i did. I went to many a club and many a music event but my favourite night was at The Assembly on Thursday night when OKMalumKoolkat took the stage and even had an impromptu cameo by Mos Def. I'm quite sure you heard about that! Mos Def, let me tell you, was rapping along with Malume, who had us all eating out of his hand already, and I later found out that Def is a fan of Dirty Parrafin. Who would have thought and just how amazing is that? It just goes to show that we have lots of talent here at home in South Africa. It makes me smile to hear such things.
Anyway… I thought I had taken more pictures than I actually did, so sorry for you but the picture above of Malumkoolkat on stage will just have to do. x

Editor's Note: Mos Def now calls himself Yasiin Bey

THE LADY IN THE PINK DRESS AT THE VEUVE CLICQUOT MASTERS POLO

The lady in the picture above was my personal best dressed at this past weekend's Veuve Clicquot Masters Polo held at Val de Vie Lifestyle Estate, a little under an hour outside of Cape Town. She looks nothing short of elegant in this dress, which reminded me of the circle skirt ball gowns that Raf Simmons sent down the runway in his debut couture collection for Dior about two years ago. Was it Dior? No, the lady said. "It's Gavin Rajah". I couldn't stop clicking away, so yeah, I took a couple of pictures of her alongside her just as pretty friend seen here next to her. The lady in pink stole my heart but there was also many other well dressed, purty ladies at the Vueve Clicquot lounge where champers was flowing throughout what was really a beautiful and relaxing environment. 

LUPITA NYONG'O'S OSCAR WIN IS A TRIUMPH FOR BLACK AFRICAN EXCELLENCE

PIC: REUTERS.COM

When Lupita Nyong’o walked away with the best Supporting Actress accolade at the Oscars a few hours ago, I tweeted that it makes her the “first African” to win the coveted Academy Award but that would, of course, be incorrect. Charlize Theron won for her brilliant performance in Monster a decade ago. My intention was to tweet that it made Lupita the first black African.

I have to say, tweeting this did come with some hesitation because I know how easy it is to start a race debate by tweeting such things but my instinct was to tweet it anyway because, you know, it’s something worth celebrating.

One of my followers took offence to what I said and went as far as saying my thinking irritates him because “African is African”. Why racialise things, anyway?

Well, there are several points I need to make because in hindsight it would seem that I’m being racial about things, but the fact of the matter is that I am simply being realistic in celebrating black African excellence because history has always sought to tell us that we can’t be great. History has often sought to make us the scum of human existence.

In her acceptance speech Lupita said; “No matter where you’re from your dreams are valid”. For black people, and the undeniable historical disadvantage we’ve been through, celebrating what can be seen as the breaking down of an historical hurdle is given credence by the very disadvantage that remains a global reality. Not acknowledging this is tantamount to denying the past and this is something I cannot do. The point of all of this is that our celebration of ourselves as black Africans cannot and should not be seen as being racist or a downplay of any achievement by a non-black African. It is not that we are not proud of Charlize Theron’s win or Mark Shuttleworth’s voyage into space as the first African to do so. We are, but celebrating that which is specifically a global achievement by a black African is not simply a celebration of Africa but also a celebration of the strides that history is making in leveling the playing field. In closing, I’d like to quote Simphiwe Dana when she tweeted; “Lupita Nyong’o, the world just became a sweeter place. A place I am proud to call home.”

We’ve been denied a lot in the past. We cannot now deny ourselves the opportunity to celebrate ourselves. Besides, eliminating race from our discourse would make for a hunky corey story of a racial Utopian that quite simply does not exist. 

(This post was edited to add a last line that was previously missing from the original story)