Outfit of the day – Always Anne

Are you the friend or the ship?

December 16, 2018December 17, 2018Posted in FASHIONTagged Cape Town, Cape Town Restaurant, FASHION, Fashion Bloggers, Fashion Editorial, Fashion Shoot, Outfit of the day, Photography, Style Blogger, StylistLeave a comment

I don’t understand why friends still feel the need to compete with friends. Why do you have to be better, richer and skinnier? This is not the Olympics and you will definitely not be handed a golden medal if that’s your goal.

This year taught me more about friendship – are you the ‘friend’ or are you the ‘ship’ that sails away when things get tough? Do you check in with your girl when she’s going through a tough time even though it looks like she’s got everything together? Newsflash – she doesn’t.

So, it’s not a FBI secret that I got really sick this year and ended up in hospital in September. I got booked off for another three months and still have to take a little handful of medication to get better which I don’t like, because weight gain and stuff…

BUT I’ve realised over the last few months that it really doesn’t matter what you weigh or what you wear… health always come first and although I don’t feel 100% comfortable in my body just yet, I’ve never been healthier. Some days are still tough and I’m not embarrassed to admit that, but let’s be real… no one likes to share their struggles on Instagram so in general people think I’m living my best life right now. Debatable.

Anyways, while being at my weakest I’ve learned to open up more towards my closest friends and the response was the opposite I thought I would receive.

Support, support, support! I thought that they would see me as ‘failure’ in their eyes, but it was literally the opposite. Never have I received so many messages from friends, ex-colleagues and strangers on social media saying that they are proud of me for being just a ‘real person’ speaking about ‘very real issues’.

Why shouldn’t it be okay to not be okay? I feel that there’s a huge lack of mental health support on social media and that we NEED more influencers/ real people speaking up about it.

Unfortunately one or two people I really care(d) about didn’t really care to check in with me, but that’s okay too, because the only ship I will be sailing in 2019 is a 5-star yacht and it will be by invite only.

Always, Anne

xoxo

PS. I did a impromptu shoot with one of my best friends, Listelle, recently at one of my favourite local hangout spots in Sea Point -Strolla. Thank you Listellie for just being you, just having a way to always make me laugh and leaving my heart a little warmer.

PHOTOS: Rezaine Desai Photography

LOCATION: Sea Point

(Thank you, next.)

20 things you didn’t know about me

July 11, 2017May 9, 2018Posted in FASHION, UncategorizedTagged Blogger, Boss Babe, Editorial, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Photography, Inspiration, Outfit of the day, Photography, Style, Style Blogger, Styled ShootLeave a comment

Life is short, tell your story.

Everyone knows that I’m that girl with the bangs chasing my magazine goals with a skinny cappuccino in the one hand and my pink phone in the other, but did you know that I am actually a big chess nerd who hates yoga? BOOM!

Here’s 20 things you didn’t know about me:

If I wasn’t in the magazine industry, I would have been a concert pianist playing classical masterpieces in Austria, Berlin and Paris.

I’m more obsessed with Bach than Bieber. My favourite piano piece to play to date is Bach’s Prelude & Fugue No.2 in C minor.

I was the primary school chess champion in Grade 1 – yes, I even beat the grade sevens and I’m owning that.

I haven’t worn a bikini to the beach since 2009. #workingonthat

People think my kindness is my weakness, but it’s absolutely my biggest strength.

My grandmother’s full names are Anna Elizabeth and that’s where Annette came from meaning ‘graceful.’

I ‘published’ my first story when I was five years old. It was about a sheep and a fly having a fight, but still… I even illustrated the cover and asked my mom to make photocopies at school.

I have never not had a fringe – it’s my identity. Anna Wintour has her straight-cut bob. Annette de Wet’s got the bangs!

The first time I saw my ‘now-husband’ in my life was in the doctor’s waiting room. I saw this guy wearing a blue tie and super polished shoes, looked at my mom who was with me at the time and said: “That’s the guy I’m going to marry!”

I have never smoked a cigarette in my life.

I’m obsessed with Jack Parow and I totally turn into a gangster poppie when listening to him.

I’ve ran two half marathons. And I didn’t die.

In University, I compared every guy I dated to Chuck Bass. I once dated a guy only because he looked and talked like Mister Bass. #donotjudge

I type 80 words per minute and have the certificate to prove it. #NERD

My brows are naturally black, but my hair is light brown. People think I have ombre highlights and tint my brows regularly, but that’s just the way I was born. I’m old school, – when I wake up I already have eyebrows on.

I hate yoga. I don’t do the slay nor namaslay thing. The only downward dog you’ll find me in is on the couch with coffee – milk, two sweeteners.

One of my goals are to start an anti-bullying platform. I was bullied in grade 8 by my so called “BFF” and ended up with no friends. She would leave “You are fat” sticky notes against my cupboards, turned all my friends against me and spread the worst rumours you can image…. It got to a point where I lost all my self confidence and it literally took me 3-4 years before I was my crazy confident self again. I lost out on soooooooooooo much fun in high school, because of one person.

I am not an avocado person.

I haven’t coloured or put any chemical products like a brazilian in my hair for 3 and a half years. #VirginHairDoCare

And finally, I absolutely love my life!

Always, Anne

xoxo

PHOTOGRAPHY: Rezaine Desai

OUTFIT: Shirt with slogan – Nicci Boutique | Leggings – Woolworths | Boots – Truworths

LOCATION: Arthurs Road, Sea Point

Boss babes have off days too

May 28, 2017June 12, 2017Posted in FASHIONTagged Always Anne, Blogger, Boss Babe, Cape Town, FASHION, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Diaries, Fashion Editor, Foodie, Outfit of the day, Photography, South Africa, Styled Shoot, StylistLeave a comment

Never be afraid to speak up if you are not okay.

Lately I have been working hard on chasing my goals – just a pity you don’t burn calories while at it….

Oh well, I managed to tick all of them off and I am beyond ready for the next exciting chapter on this roller coaster ride even though I won’t be able to spill all the beans just yet.

BUT

For a few months I wanted to give up… give up on the career I have chosen when I was only five years old and just move to a small town with a stress-free job working from 9-5 making someone else rich. Overall I just wanted to give up on life for so many personal reasons (yes, boss babes have off days too!)

The turning point was when I caught myself sitting on the pavement in Strand Street (Cape Town CBD) two weeks ago with no ambition left, no fight inside me and 100% not in the mood for living.

I remember phoning my mom and telling her I’m done. With fashion. With friends. With life.

I don’t know how she did it, but after an one hour or three of mommy talk she managed (from 1000 km away) to get my bum on the bus and making some important healthy appointments I won’t bore you with. It came as no surprise that I was suffering from some medical issues which resulted in me not having the usual go-getter attitude or energy to run a 10km looking like I woke up like this.

WHAT’S YOUR POINT, ANNE? (you might ask)

No matter what you are going through in life, it only takes the first step to get better. Just make the call, send that email, do that gym class, make a medical appointment, join a support group, opt for the fruit salad instead of the cheesecake – only one step to a happier and healthier you!

Since I’ve made a few changes, life’s been good – gosh, I even dropped 2 kilograms!

Whatever you’re going through in life right now, you are not alone and please don’t ever be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Don’t suffer in silence. That’s just not okay.

If you want to talk to someone, drop me an email any hour of the day.

You got this, boo!

Always, Anne

xoxo

OUTFIT: Woolworths, Dress R899.00

LOCATION: Strolla, Sea Point

PHOTOGRAPHY: Rezaine Desai

12 Sex & the City quotes I love

May 5, 2017May 28, 2017Posted in FASHIONTagged Always Anne, Blogger, Carrie Bradshaw, Editorial, FASHION, Fashion Bloggers, Fashion Photography, Girl Power, Inspiration, Outfit of the day, Photography, Sex and the City, South Africa, Squad Goals, StyleLeave a comment

Closet like Carrie and Money like Big!

Like Carrie Bradshaw I live, eat and breath fashion and both of us can’t wear white without spilling…

Fortunately, like Carrie, I also found my Mr. Big and our love is (sorry for the pun) BIG!

I collaborated with 3 bloggers and we did a city themed fashion shoot captured by Roam Free Photography. This has been such an exciting shoot as I got to experience 3 powerful women showing their inner confidence and also their support for other inspiring women with goals and dreams.

ENJOY!

Always, Anne

xoxo

1 ‘Do any of you have a completely unremarkable friend or maybe a houseplant I could go to dinner with on Saturday night?’ Miranda

2 ‘I will never be the woman with the perfect hair, who can wear white and not spill on it.’ Carrie

3 ‘Don’t play hard to get with a man who’s hard to get.’ Samantha

FOLLOW ROAM FREE PHOTOGRAPHY NOW

4 ‘I couldn’t understand a word she was saying, but I felt I had in my possession all the Italian I’d ever need to know: Dolce, Dolce, Dolce.’ Carrie

5 ‘They say nothing lasts forever; dreams change, trends come and go, but friendships never go out of style.’ Carrie

6 ‘We keep dresses we’ll never wear again, but we throw away our ex-boyfriends.’ Samantha

7 ‘Could you please not use the F-word in Vera Wang?’ Charlotte

8 ‘I feel the same way about being a bridesmaid as you feel about Botox. Painful and unnecessary.’ Samantha

9 ‘I like my money where I can see it – hanging in my closet.’ Carrie

10 ‘Abso-f*cking-lutely.’ Mr Big

11 ‘Maybe all men are a drug. Sometimes they bring you down and sometimes, like now, they get you so high.’ Carrie

12 ‘I’m looking for love. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can’t-live-without-each-other love.’ Carrie

PHOTOS: Roam Free Photography

LOCATION: Cape Town, CBD

MY DRESS: ZARA

MODELS/ BLOGGERS:

Crisna Coetzee
Hanli van der Spuy
Roelien Havenga