Its Vintage!

Definition of Vintage: Vintage clothing is a term for clothing from another era. Usually clothing older than 25 years is considered to be vintage


Only thing new on this look, is the hat and the shoes. Everything else is older than i am all found in my mothers wardrobe (bar the John Lennon silver rimmed sunglasses that was a boot sale find). God bless my mother for not throwing or giving away anything from her youth.


Vintage Clothing brings uniqueness & individuality to a world otherwise ruled by fashion clones, i love mixing clothes that are deemed slightly wrong together to make an ensemble far away from modern day perfection. We all can't carry it off, but when worn with confidence the vintage look can be fierce.


Click through to my Lookbook for more details of where i got the clothes.

†Φ▲Tanya Nefertari▲Φ† clothing

Official †Φ▲Tanya Nefertari▲Φ† Website with pricing, shopping cart and shipping details coming soon!


For now like the Facebook page for details on how to purchase an item.

Milestone: One Year in Zimbabwe

Its been a year today (July 7) since I packed up and left the place I called home for
12 years of my life. I miss the home I left filled with many ghosts
and memories alike. I miss the childhood & middlehood friends I made and 
last but not least the other half of my family I left behind.

I'm becoming me, Tanya. I thought I had to escape, find home in
different countries & be someone else, but all I had to do was find
the real me through doing what I love with no constraints or
restrictions. It sounds metaphysical, but it means something to me.

This isn't to say I've found home right where I am, I'm still some
what of a Nomad  still searching and floating through the uncertainty
of time. That's the beauty of finding yourself in what you do, you can
do it anywhere and still feel at peace.

I've achieved & I've learnt a lot in such a short space of time. Its
amazing what you can learn about yourself in a year. I'm proud of myself
& I hope to keep on learning and progressing.

There's a paradox that comes with achievement. When you start
achieving you think the only reason you wanted it was so you
could "relax" and live a good life but then you find yourself 
working harder than ever trying your best not to fall off.

Such is life. Onwards and Upwards!

†Φ▲Tanya Nefertari ▲Φ† Large Bowtie

          †Φ▲Tanya Nefertari ▲Φ† 

                    Large Bowtie 

I'm wearing an over sized mens denim shirt ex boyfriends shirt, i bought in a 2nd hand shop in Manchester a few years ago

I'm rocking it as a shirt-dress to neutralise the androgynous look of the outfit. You can never go wrong when pairing a denim shirt with a bowtie it always has a retro Mod (subculture) feel to it. The look is playful and effortless, while the Tanya Nefertari Afro print bowtie on denim will be the centre of attention.


To shift the daytime look to the evening wear attire, you can wear the denim dress shirt with a belt to cinch in the waist and high heels for the extra flair, you can also put a dash of red lipstick on or any outstanding shade that goes with your skintone.

Winter in Cape Town.

Winter in Cape Town, South Africa kept on changing, one minute it was cold, next minute it was sunny. The only solution was to mix it up, i had to look warm and also ready to take my coat off when the sun suddenly started blazing again. 

On this day i wore my winter coat with three quarter length Oasis tartan print pants paired with traditional suede hand made shoes from Malta.

Awareness

When we really see other people as they are without taking it personally, we can never be hurt by what they say or do. - Don Miguel Ruiz

My Love.

Happy Mothers day to the actual first love of my life. My mother's my rock, always there to catch me when i fall. She even tolerates all my cheesy dry jokes, little quirks & my mild little lowkey Asperger syndrome (that's when i randomly say little histories & facts that pop up in my head, which i've been told by other people numerous times, it's annoying)







I make friends, lose friends, fall in and out of love and lust with life. She's always there to put me back in line with not so many words.

She is my constant, in every moment. She has never failed me. All my life. She has never left my side.

My mother's an avid "fan" of all my online antics (tumblr, lookbook, flickr etc) and all my other little whims and musings. So i know for a fact i didn't write this in vain, i know she'll see this.

God couldn't have blessed me with anyone as great as you are, even when you do my head in sometimes and we argue, i hope you'll always know i love you more than life itself, even when i don't show it and im being uber rebellious as usual.

Your love and guidance made me who i am today and i'm working hard to BE an even better being i know im destined to be. Your love made made me. You are my constant.

Bloom

When things in my life don't go as planned, i don't cry or moan about it anymore. I just think to myself "Wow this would make for a great story when i'm finally successful"

I'm learning to make the most of everything & to have a grateful attitude. To see the best in every person and in every situation and learn to be happy right where i am. The key is to bloom where you are planted, to keep a good attitude and keep blossoming right where you are.

Bloom anyway and focus on the things that you can change.

Happiness is not a feeling, it's a choice. You can CHOOSE to be happy no matter your circumstances.

Dear Africa

Dear Africa

You have taught me so much about life, love, family, forgiveness, relationships & most importantly about myself in the mere 10 months I have been here. Its been a crazy roller-coaster of emotions. I have
always been one to suppress any type of emotion & slowly shrivel & die
inside.

I thank you for leading me towards circumstances where i met some wonderful & creative people God has graced us with, on planet earth. They have taught me a lot about myself & you know what they say "GOD HAS SENT YOU NOTHING BUT ANGELS."

I now know my path, purpose & plan in life for that I'm eternally grateful. I totally get why they call you "The Motherland" & as you are the Mother, I am what the Shona people of Zimbabwe call "Mwana wevhu" - Child of the soil.

J'adore L'afrique

Forever grateful

Tanya

The Struggle

"Without opposition or resistance, there is no potential  for progress. Without resistance of air, an eagle can't soar. Without the resistance of water, a ship cannot float. Without the resistance of gravity you and i can't even walk. It is the struggle that gives us the strength."

Joel Osteen

Who said there's no good stores in Zimbabwe!?

I finally paid a visit to the "Timberland Zimbabwe" shop called Nicolaki today at Sam Levy's Harare my curiosity was killing me!! Lol

On entrance i was impressed by the store front and set up, it kinda reminded me of the Zara or All Saints shop in Manchester. The products i found in store were pretty impressive they have all types of genuine Timberland shoes ranging from the classic "Timbs", hiking boots, casual shoe and slippers.

Theres a wider range of Mens clothes so now there's no excuse whatsoever for men in Harare to not be looking good or as they say "swagged out" lol. Nicolaki also offers a variety of shoe type for women ranging from heels to wedges.

So if you happen to be in Harare anytime soon, head to Sam Levy's Village and take a look at this awesome store! 

Location	Nicolaki, Shop 16, New Block 3, Borrowdale Village, Harare, Zimbabwe
Hours	Mon - Fri: 09:00 - 17:00 Sat - Sun: 09:00 - 15:00

   Like their Facebook page Timberland Zimbabwe for more info and discounts.

                      

The Boot Section.

How †Φ▲TANYA NEFERTARI▲Φ† started

i designed and made this garment because i was tired of seeing THE typical oversized and shapeless clothing made out of African print fabrics. I then decided to make something modern and westernised using a type of fabric which would be considered "ethnic". 


I'd somehow forgotten how much i love creating, the rush and sense of accomplishment i felt after making this dress made me want to make more garments, hence I've been so motivated by the exuberant, exotic African colours around me (since moving to Zimbabwe) that I've since made over 20 other pieces. 


Who would've thought Tanya the rebel and fashion non-conformist would end up being put in a "Fashion Designer" box? Lol most of my friends back home would not believe me if i told them what i've ended up doing, they know me as the rebel that's against conventional fashion and trends. I guess i can say im designing for all the fashion rebels out there. Why? because i don't follow a trend or the expected, im just following my whim and making what i think should be out there, this is a piece ME. 


So yeah......watch this space!!! :)


----> †Φ▲TANYA NEFERTARI▲Φ†

The Friend Zone

So I keep seeing this “Friend Zone” topic coming up a lot on Twitter so it made me think of my experiences and why I used to put a lot of my guy friends in the abyss….ooops I mean “zone”

Wikipedia defines it as “The friend zone is when one person in a platonic relationship wishes to enter into a romantic relationship while the other does not. It is generally considered to be a regrettable situation by the lovelorn person. Common publications giving advice on dating state that once this situation has happened in a relationship, it is difficult to undo.”

 We all have this habit of putting people in the “Friend Zone” I personally like to call the friend zone the “Maybe later when no one wants me & I’m desperate” zone.  If someone doesn’t want you there and then they’re not going to want you later on. It’s as simple as that.

Seeing as I’m a woman I can only write this in my perspective. Just like men if a woman wants a guy she’ll do everything in her power to get that guy. Don’t listen to this whole she’s shy malarkey, if she wants you you’ll know about it!

There are many reasons why I would put a guy in the “Friend Zone” here are the main ones I can think of from my own experiences;

1. He didn't try hard enough or show his REAL intentions earlier on
2.  He’s too friendly so you assumed he was gay
3.  He was flirting with other chicks in front of you so you didn't know he liked you so you dismissed anything happening with him.
4. You know him too well  and he’s like a brother now, so the thought of kissing him repulses you
5.    He just isn’t your cup of tea AT ALL
6. He’s good at picking you up when you’re down…..you know those times when you feel ugly or fat so he tells you, you’re beautiful & what not
7. You don’t find him attractive. Point. Blank . Period
8.  You know him TOO well, all his bad habits and his weak traits.
9.  You know he’s a douche when he’s in a relationship
10. He tells you all his little secrets that make him less manly which totally kill all aspects of him being a macho tough guy.

Well I had this best friend a while back who happened to be male, we did everything together he was like a brother to me, so when people started coming up to me saying stuff like “you know he loves you right?” I used to just brush it off like whatever.  Then about a year or two into our friendship he started dating some girl, she told him to stop speaking to me cause she didn’t feel comfortable with us being friends. When he told me this he said it in such a way where he was telling me he’d rather dump her than lose me, so I was like cool she doesn’t get our friendship so drop her…….and he did.

A few months went by and suddenly he stopped talking to me, I finally got a hold of him and sat him down to ask why he’s being distant and he confessed his love for me. He told me his friends had an intervention for him and advised him to stop talking to me for the sake of his love life. He said the problem was he kept hoping and seeing a future of us being a couple and together. All I could say was OH

I totally got where his friends were coming from so, me being the empathetic person that I am told him its cool if he felt he should stop talking to me if it was that deep rooted. I guess I kind of knew all along that his feelings were real but I didn’t know I was stopping him from being potentially HAPPY with someone else.

The moral of the story kids is if you have fallen victim to the abyss that is the friend zone QUIT throwing yourself at someone that has their arms crossed. They are most certainly not going to catch you now or later on. So move on while you still have some sort of dignity left even if it is as thin as a rail. 

On the other hand, if its you quietly telling the opposite sex (in not so many words) to parallel park in your Friend Zone please make sure you are clear and put that person out of their misery. Let us all euthanize and rebuke the friend zone.

Thank You

The type of men I don’t want to get married to.......

First of all I am really not a big believer in marriage so when I say married to ,I mean in the sense of who I am going to settle down with, have kids, let share my world and space. I’ve never witnessed a real true functioning relationship in my 23 years of living on earth. What I’ve learnt is you don’t need paper to prove you love to someone, I’ve attended countless  weddings where I’ve witnessed the bride and groom make each other promises in front of family and friends, but this didn’t stop anyone from cheating, falling out of love, changing etc. Because, yes people do change just like the seasons, so why can’t their feelings change too?

Conversations With God Book 3[i] on marriage says “Marriage - An artificial social construction designed to govern each other's behavior……Marriage lowers your love to the level of a promise or a guarantee......You should know that YOUR love is bigger than that!” I agree with this assertion.

And honestly I do believe my love is bigger than that, it’s not some playground pact where you and I make pinky swear promise?  Anyway, the other day I was having a chat with some of my friends and the topic of men I would never want to marry came up. One of my friends said something along the lines of “Yikes that’s a long list WHO are you going to end up with?” Here’s my suggested list:

A Soldier that’s seen action – that’s because I was watching “Homeland” and I thought to myself Yikes I don’t think I could be with a man that’s seen so much and can’t talk to me about it. I’ll forever be a part time psychologist….I’m selfish I know! LOL

A Musician – With a musician it’s kind of the obvious stuff groupies, groupies and groupies and on top of all that. Well…….. I’ll always have to be his part time cheerleader when the glory & groupies die down or disappear. *sigh*

A Businessman – This species of man is never around he’ll always be busy trying to uphold his empire from crashing down around him, therefore he’ll never have time to uphold our relationship cause come on -  a man cannot serve two masters right? Oh & I’ll always feel like somewhat of a “trophy wife”

A man with no ambition……I just couldn’t deal with that, with every relationship be it friendship or any other, each person needs to have they’re thing they love and are good at separate from their spouse. You NEED your “thing”

An Artiste – Im an artist myself I tend to go into bouts of deep depression when a design or whimsical idea doesn’t go as planned so imagine two similar people in a relationship? That Would be something for the reality TV crews lol

I could have gone on to number 200 until I thought to myself Tanya, WHAT YOU RESIST PERSISTS, whatever happens , happens and the universe has a funny way of doing things. So let me just sit back and see what the universe pairs me up with.  If something is meant to be, it will happen – at the right time, with the right person, and for the best reasons.

As with all things of the heart, there is an ingredient of magic in finding love.  There are no coincidences.  Everything happens for a reason.  Love is beautiful and unpredictable.  The best thing you can do is to start to become the most outstanding person possible.  The universe will know when you are ready, and when you are, true love will happen, unexpectedly.

---

[i]  Neale Donald Walsch

Life

I recently read the book "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coehlo. The book is beautifully written like a modern day parable. It taught me that Life rarely turns out the way that we planned. We must always realise that we WILL definitely face obstacles before success. Nature teaches us this very lesson every day when we witness that its always darkest before dawn.

History is largely told as a chronicle of great people doing great things. For most of us, life is not made up of big moments but its made up of small moments. With every small choice, with every small decision, we are defining ourselves.

It makes me wonder, are we proud of ourselves, or are we disappointed by who we've become?

Take A Leap

Come to the edge He said,

They said: We are afraid.

Come to the edge, He said.

They came. He pushed them,

And they flew ......




Guillaume Apollinaire




Moral of the story is successful people are willing to take a chance - a leap of faith - even though they were afraid. They knew if they didn't act, the opportunity would pass them by. Trust your intuition & simply go for it, whatever "it" is. :)

My Designs

My Designs, a set on Flickr.

My †Φ▲Tanya Nefertari▲Φ† Clothing Line So Far.