PS: WE HAVE A NEW HOME.

Ready and steady, we have moved on and are settled in the new #MJANDSTUFF home. Let it be known that I have zero intentions to neither shut nor fade out this here original abode for the great relationship we have nursed so well over the past half-a-decade or so. We have now progressed onto WWW.MJANDSTUFF.COM! This here page will stay hyperlinked all the time as it houses an important evolution of all of our fashion journey. The move is just the sensible next step for me and to try and tailor-make my content.

See you on the flip side!

GET READY FOR CJC’S FASHION DESIGN BURSARY FOR 2016

Valued at the total of R180 000, Gert-Johan Coetzee’s eponymous Fashion Design Bursary is now open for applications from students enthusiastic about the next year. The decorated designer is once again on a search for an individual keen for an entry into the fashion industry.

One aspirant designer will not only have their study costs covered for the three-year internationally accredited course at the Northwest School of Design, but will also be personally mentored by Gert-Johan Coetzee, and may ultimately benefit from the brand-new fellowship programme sponsored by Brutal Fruit.

Gert-Johan says he is “looking for someone who displays real passion and an attitude that nothing will stand in their way”. These qualities must reverberate exciting talents quite like qualities possessed by last year’s winner of the bursary; Christopher Gill of Lephalale. The up-and-coming designer is currently close to completing the first year of his studies at Northwest School of Design and is already making exhilarating career moves.

*Christopher has had a recent opportunity to design a gorgeous dress for Villa Rosa actress Dorette Potgieter for the Royal Soapie Awards. Vila Rosa scooped an accolade for Most Popular Soapie in 2015*

To apply for the three year internationally accredited qualification commencing in the next year, aspirant designers must complete the online GJC bursary application available on www.nwsd.co.za and submit along with the supporting documents as specified on the website. The closing date for applications is 12 October 2015.

I have always maintained that the fashion pie is big enough for everyone enthused and willing to deliver. So, this has me all so excited for Gert-Johan Coetzee’s mission to uncover fresh talent and invest in their education. What a grand opportunity.

 

 

MYVIBE: DISCOVERING THE JanSport FREEDOM

I love going on about my business –as one often does in these fashioning streets- and suddenly realise the awesomeness of my surrounding, which will of course propel me to take full advantage of a situation. Stuff a stylopolitan’s dreams are made of.  I had a moment with my JanSport® backpack, just the other day.

These pics below are an upshot of yet another one of my preferred Sunday afternoon drives with an aim to meet whatever links day to dusk so speedily. Cheesy? Methinks not.  If anything, this could very well match some other pretty cool well-run camo stories; coming together to handsomely juxtapose my street style reality. I mean, one can’t help but think about the print’s history, its utilitarian relevance and the rendering feature of a backpack stunning as it is practical.

I could have completely clashed and contrasted this print against any-and-everything to claim a heavily spirited vibe or even muted it down alongside a single tint. Instead, I thought it a good idea to step up to my JanSport® bagpack and coordinate a look that is mono-tonal in intent and not running short of details that articulate the brand’s authentic and Iconic status.

My vibe. Completely.

#WERQ

#MADEUPMONDAY: A + FOR THE A CREAM.

I stand for hydration right now like I ain’t never stood for hydration before. I have even gone as far as invading strangers’ conversations about grooming and go on lengthily about the importance of hydration in everyone’s process of taking-care-of-thyself.  This week, I am going crazy for The A Cream. The firming active body cream with a promise to fastrack one’s skin to fitness.

So very necessary right now –because we all know how our skin stands an unfair chance of thriving against seasonal interchanges. In addition to locking in the much needed moisture, an assortment of ingredients in the A Cream also restore elasticity and firmness.

MY VIBE: OUT OF DEPTH, INTO SWITCH.

It goes without saying that the spring season has sprung in my side of the world and even though the bloom fest has not yet done its thing, one’s Instagram feed is near flooded with all types of anguish thoroughly hashtagged with pre #SummerBodies hints and brag rights. Aaah, these darn in-season transitions and the awkwardness of it all. My vibe however, stays confused as the good change has me in a rather awesome haze as far as awkward wardrobe decisions are concerned.

First looms the social calendar. My gawd, don’t get me started about dressing lightly for high standard fashion missions and somehow adroitly putting together something befitting the inevitable drinks atop an inner-city roof to celebrate somebody’s #CoolKid status without trying too hard. Gotta love it. Then comes the reality of having to deal with a plethora of rad daytime things like launches in far stretching gardens, meetings with clients about possible wardrobe options for the can’t-arrive-soon-enough holidays –yup, we are there. Oh, and of course the actual work bit, which demands nothing less than being on fleek at all times. My life. My vibe. My wardrobe.

Now, the great fun effort of aligning every piece of thread to don oneself in as the season heats up. In these pics, I do think a great trail of juxtapositions come very clear. Set in suburbia –spot the pine trees line parallel to concrete reality and I am somewhere in there championing a refusal to dare deem tan, fawn and brown tones as something reserved for leafy autumns only. Florals are also having their very crucial moment on the longer length H&M shirt and hints of spring via the DUNE London bag (engraved with one’s initials of course) and PUMA’s Faas 500 v3 trainers (hello bloom!).

Fits a changeover vibe methinks. If you look at it from an irregular point of view that is. Thus it is  #MyVibe

#WERQ

VIBE YAKA: SHORT TO THE COAT.

This here is just another one of those posts featuring a rather lengthy sequence of images snapped totally unplanned. #TrueStory, the back-tale is set around a very regular midmorning, on a very regular Tuesday, en-route to source wardrobe for a celebrity client. Now, that bit is not very regular! Let’s just say there was a proper five-minute-thirty-seven-second long and spirited haul between   the styling partner dude (come snappographer) and I, about whether or not it is at all important that I take an entire hour out of my day to try and best capture an outfit that is most certainly not intentionally curated for either side of a camera.

No prize for guessing who “won” that round. Crazy, especially since these here photographs are not even half of what we ended up with.

If I really, truly must get into it; I suppose it is unavoidable that one of my primary themes right now in life, centres on “lines”. Be they visible to a dispassionate eye or able to pique an interest of whatever type stylopolitan, I am with lines.

Still in the business of making it my own, here I dialled up comfort first and never ever flirting with an interest to compromise on the style front. The PUMA XT1s served that aspect extremely well, worn with my other pair of tailored shorts (these I inherited –read snatched- from my young cousin when he was in boarding school, it was his uniform at some point. I threw on a skinny Banana Republic crock belt and my fast-becoming-fave flannel shirt from MRP. I cannot quite decide on which of the pieces here qualifies as the conversation piece for this look, I will however, give major props to one of my proudest and newest go-to item; this navy blue mid-length topcoat from H&M always comes in handy atop almost everything and has fast become my fail proof shield slash barricader to the random cold fronts.

Totally vibe ya ka. Translate: My Vibe.

 

VIBE YA KA: KNOTTING IN THESE STREETS

Today’s vibe throws back to one of my favourite steezes to #WERQ with; knotting a good turban. If I have t my way, I would dedicate an entire season to styling my own day-to-day looks showcasing the versatility of rocking an elaborately placed character scarf on my head. The reality on the other hand, is that it is extremely difficult to get it right with every attempt. I know; we make it look all so easy sometimes and I do believe I am not alone in the certainty that despite spending hour upon hours fixed on tutorials, a controllable knot is often owed to sheer luck.  One very lucky Sunday, I happened to get it right with the first try and was not about to chill on the couch and pop bottles. Oh no child, I took my doek out to the daytime market for brunch, caught up with my family over a liquid lunch and got to see dusk around some friends hurdled for a braai.

Nothing fancy, just fantastically parading knotting it right.

#IOT: WOLFORD’S PISA STRING BODYSUIT AS WORN BY SJP

My girlfriends must really, truly must count themselves insanely lucky for the crazy lengths I go through to spread smiles all over their faces. I not complaining though, I mean, if their requests are lined with my trade and I get to score a free liquid dinner on their tabs ever so often…?

Most recently, I have been on the search for the magnificently fitted bodysuit seen worn by Sarah Jessica Parker (my most favourite of humans) in newest campaign following being named the face allied with two of Jordache’s lines –Jordache Collection and the Jordache Look Collection. The incontestably desirable #IOT is known as the Pisa String Body from Wolford and judging solely by the enormous demand thus far, it is fast become a staple piece in almost every woman’s woardrobe.

A classic favourite.

MY VIBE: RARELY STAYING WITHIN “THE LINES”!

“Clean lines here, uneven lines there and messy lines over there”! Who went and told everyone about the existence of “lines” within the fashion industry? #NoTeaNoShade, all I am saying is; six out of ten times I engage with people about the trials and revels in my line of work (see what I did there!?!), they all quickly claim to categorize a certain look by first identifying these said lines. Don’t get me wrong, the clear altitude of EduFashion is highly appreciated, but I much prefer to form relationships (short lived as some prove to be, as soon as the reality of the industry knocks in) with individuals who are open to seeing style as more of a spirited expression and less of “what it should be”. This comes from a bloke who shops wherever the heck he wants and yes, for-the-love-of-PUMA-Trinomics, I do value the unequivocal importance of trends as a guide to understand why we wear what we wear and for those serving diligently within the fashion industry to connect from a knowledgeable point of view. With the same belief, I campaign for nothing if not the strong advantage of a personal edit when it comes to styling oneself. I say take what you can from what is expertly researched and try by all means to be present in that decision because this way, not only would we be working towards bridging the classist gaps, we would also be likely to avoid wasting valuable time chatting overpoweringly about the “lines” which are really just a mere choice.  Don’t let me go any deeper…

It is known that I am not much of a gym or sporty person (yet) –one: my hand to eye coordination does not function beyond seeing SALE sign and exercising plastic rights. Two: I have only ever seen the inside of a gymnasium less than ten times in all of my life because even with an instructor I cannot for-the-love-of-me quite gather interest in learning how to pilot some machinery. Still, this does not mean I will be missing out on the linkage between fierce fashion and sports allied elements. With this look, I aimed for just that and much like everything in my life, I did it my way. Studs, CHECK. Sleeveless waterfall knit, CHECK. A layered selection of necklaces, CHECK and from the waist down, you might as well call me “Mr Sports Luxe” with a high-end shopper in tow.

#WERQ

IT’S STYLIN’ SERGEANT MJ TO YOU!

Something pretty awesome has been happening for the past three months or so and has me feeling like I work as a special agent tasked with activities of a very high regard. I do not know if you have gathered that a great deal of my recent Instagram posts have been carrying the #MRPMyStyle hashtag. Well, yours truly has been picked by the phenomz team representing the retailer to join a network of creatively integrated informers for a bit. I truly wish I could share with y’all the bits and bops, but that might totally jilt the bigger picture of it all… wait for it. Instead, I am open to share these pics of one look which in my very humble opinion, I do feel totally represent a part of my utilitarian standpoint as a I engage some of this winter’s motifs. An all black uniform is most stylopolitans’ fall-safe direction but as my “religion” dictates; one must always really, truly work towards and updated course. Call for texture, an oddish fit and of course plenty of humour. I CAN ONLY EVER TRY!

@MR_MahlatseJames