Living in a cosmopolitan city known for its near eternal sunshine and vibrant vistas, tends to make you acclimate quickly, to the warmer pastures Southern Africa generously offers up.
Loving summer heat, refreshing winds, and light showers, has become habit.
I do like winter though, so long as I have no responsibilities, and have the leisure to lounge about at home – then its a marvellous polar opposite to the sizzle that’s synonymous with Africa.
In my world, summer is for: the beach, rooftop bars, and wine tastings both near and far into our winelands.
Winter tends to not receive as much outdoor enthusiasm, wet as it is here.
Even the temptation of divine dinner course deals, and talented entertainment to humour you to wellness, just doesn’t bring the hoards.
We show up for the sun, as does most peoples style.
The national Covid-19 pandemic prevention lockdown nestled us in the relative cosy safety of home; So when a chill steady settled into the Cape in the last two weeks, we were all somehow left so shocked at the abrupt shift. I now seem to be an ingénue of winter – shuffling about with the devilish cold strapped to my frozen bones. I’m lost on how to begin properly fortifying myself this year.
Suddenly every pair of pyjamas is wanting, and there aren’t enough closed shoes to cease the chill in the air from gripping my toes every minute of every day.
So, I begin simply on my quest to make it through winter without too many bouts of flu: Sweaters.
Knitwear is a godsend, and I am so thankful that in this regard, South African designers don’t fail in delivering ingenious style and quality in equal measure. Mohair and wool blends make up my winter wares – aired out and sprayed down so I can immediately jump from bed to work without 45 minutes of trying to settle in.
You need a sweater that can transition from slumber to bump up the corporate ladder, which is why choosing one great sweater is better than having a storage full of ruckus sweater designs seasonally on offer.
I believe I also only have just one puffer jacket, as I favour lumbering trenchcoats, shrugs, and tasteful layering in Winter.
You wont see my people in ski regalia on the Cape Town streets, but we do love a good jacket, and bundling into sweaters of all shapes and sizes. A good sweater lets you rock leggings and fuzzy socks, as well as tying in an Oxford shirt with whatever pants you fancy.
Too frigid for wispy dresses?
We love a versatile queen, as sweaters also work with skirts and dresses for every taste.
Probably the number one recommended purchase I can suggest you make this season, is something from the beautiful Fall//Winter collections, by the incomparable ERRE fashion house…a personal and consistent favourite.
The combo of their luxurious and refined creativity, together with the beloved lightweight and durable mohair fibres, mean that the pink cable knit with plush volumous sleeves, is a Winter Must-Have! Match the sweater with a breezy wide leg pant from ERRE too, and be all set for a relaxed and cosy winter.
Perfectly powerful!
Perfectly pink.
Perfect for leisure pleasure.
