The items in my closet I'd grab in a fire:

1.
This vintage, mid-length blue chiffon dress
was my mother's and she gave it to me less than a week ago
I haven't yet worn it out but I am going to summery
Paris in June with my boyfriend and plan to make full
use of it there, pairing it with simple sandals/heels and either
a denim jacket or cardigan.
From- Tracey Feith.

2.
This simple mini shirt dress lets off a very elegant and minimalistic
feel. I love dresses that cinch in on the waist as they slim the body
while emphasising the legs! I can't get enough of this item and
like to wear it with either simple wedges or sandals, usually paired
with a big brown bag.
From- Forever New.

3.
My first 'snood'. This electric blue scarf/headpiece can
be worn with almost any winter (or even summer) outfit.
I wear it with jeans, boots and a cami, a skirt, tights and
a pull-over or even a summer dress with a cardigan.
From- Cotton On.

4.
These brown leather, 'Carvela-Kurt Geiger' slingbacks
are my trusty heels that luckily go with just about
every outfit. Their suede-covered outside and
longer than long wooden platforms complement
each other to perfection and elongate your legs oh-so-well.
I like to wear these with tight mini dresses or

shorts with blazers or a good pair of skinnies and a shirt.

From- Asos. 

5.
This new addition to my closet
feels like it's been there forever, considering I've made
full use of it during the beginning of this cold winter.
Its both warm and stylish... with detailed knitting.
It can be worn with many items including jeans and
boots or even over something like a summer dress with
sandals.
From- Country Road.

Introducing: my babies.
The newest additive to my closet. The most I have
and ever will spend on shoes.
My beautiful black polished leather ankle boots with
a few inches of blue woollen knitting are my current obsession!
I bought them just this week and can't wait to show them
the town. I plan to wear them with tight black skinnies or
a mini skirt with tights as well as dresses galore!
From: Opening Ceremony.


       X Zo

Hello Again

To whoever reads what I write, I apologise for slacking over the past couple of days- I'm in the midst of exams and most of my time has been used to study... ok fine, to procrastinate! And so I, unfortunately haven't been able to do what makes me happiest. 

It's almost midnight and I've given up on my work. 

While roaming through my Facebook newsfeed I thought of something. Something to do with our generation specifically, something I am involved in but is actually quite (for lack of a better expression) fucked up. 

Ask yourself this: "Why do I go on Facebook/Twitter etc?" 
Your defensive brain is right now causing you to smirk as you smoothly answer- "To communicate"... and yes, this is essentially what we are doing on Facebook and it is our primary reason for signing up on these sorts of sites (although conformity may also be to blame) 
But in my opinion, social networks (such as Facebook) provoke a spark in us... 
A sickening spark: we upload a photo of ourselves as our 'profile picture' and with this comes the hope that enough of our 1000 odd friends with click 'like' and the likes will pile up.

So let's say hypothetically, they did (your 'friends' I mean). You have 30 'likes' on your profile picture of you posing by a pot-plant. What does that do for you? Does it satisfy your inner desire to be glanced at and cyber-spacedly liked within seconds? if so- it's phenomenal that you feel that way and frankly, I am delighted for you. 
But... after thinking about it, I find it sad. Sad that we (you AND I) spend our time sitting still with devices on our laps, on these sites waiting for (usually FAKE) attention and (usually FAKE) recognition. 

I must admit, I am deep in this dangerous hole. I convince myself each day that it is imperative I check Facebook: I must check if anyone 'wants to be my friend', I must see if anyone has 'posted on my wall' and I must go and indirectly invade all of my 'friends'' private lives by seeing voluntarily added transparencies such as photos and statuses. 

And I'm not saying I'm going to change, but merely thinking about why we are so desperate for approval and recognition, so interested in minuscule details of others lives and equally so quick to share ours, so generous with faux 'likes' as we expect the 'favour' to be returned... it makes me think
why are we so addicted to transparent communication?

(and oh...PS: pls LIKE ; )

Denim on Denim, can it work or is it simply a fashion no-no?

I don't know about you but I have always had the impression that denim on denim is a major fashion mistake. However, like all things in fashion, a fabled no can turn into a new chic trend as fashion always seems to be recycling itself. A denim on denim ensemble can in fact look very stylish- if worn in the right way.

Here are my 3 main style tips to help you mix your blues in the RIGHT way:

1. Make sure its two-toned - when sporting denim on denim it's essential to make sure that you are not wearing two matching shades and rather one lighter and one darker. (e.g- dark skinny jeans and a light wash denim shirt-jacket). 

2. Be open to A-Z denim- Denim has evolved into a very popular and versatile trend in the past year and it has been used to make not only jeans and jackets but skirts, dresses, sweaters, tops and headbands etc. So when choosing which denim items you are going to wear, don't be afraid to add a risky element (then paired with another much simpler denim item). 

3. Mix it up- When experimenting with this trend it is vital to mix mix mix! combine your light wash boyfriend jeans with a darker denim simple shirt or combine your denim dress with a lighter wash unbuttoned denim shirt.

Try the trend out! I must admit when I started seeing denim being worn in doubles I freaked out a little but when I tried the look out for myself I surprisingly really liked the casual, laid-back, effortless and chic outfit the denim on denim created.

Three celebrities getting the trend incredibly right

Rihanna putting the fashion myth to rest in these
cheeky denim on denim ON DENIM outfit with
blue pumps

The reason the faux fable was ever invented...

X Zo

Insta-Fever

I'm not going to feel guilty or cheekily apologise for loving Instagram; I believe the only reason it is mocked is because (among other equally criticised things) it's very popular and sometimes used by some in ways that others find tedious.
Honestly I feel like making fun of it is a silly waste of time and that people can post about whatever the fuck they want as it's your choice whether you want to look or not.
Moreover, (excuse that little rampage), I personally love Instagram and wanted to share a few of my latest photos.

My darling Zach bringing his sick girlfriend chicken-soup
in bed

Early morning sunrise reflection; trees make me so happy

A photo I took this morning of the view of the Waterfront
outside my house

Silly couple

A photo my Papa sent me of my little sister drinking her
little cappuccino

Three little angels I met while volunteering at the Shine
Centre last weekend

The beautiful Yad my boyfriend's mum got me on her
recent trip to Israel

A beautiful run on the Seapoint promenade

Mine

My best friend Ross and I

I went to visit the school Herzlia today and these are the
two crazy girls that showed me around- Cass and Kayla

A yummy summery salad my mama made for me yesterday

Creativity is best

I'm lucky to have lookers for friends

A photo I took at The Grand on the beach
at a friends
birthday lunch 

Myog with my little friend Bay and boyfriend, Zach

A fishy friend I met at a lovely restaurant in town called
Haiku tonight

Zach and Bay having a thumb war, earlier tonight

Follow me on Instagram: zoevivesjancou.

X Zo

I ask myself WHY

Today hasn't been a good day, not in the slightest. My emotions have ranged from confused to angry to hurt every few seconds and I've been feeling overwhelmed and like I want to curl into a ball and be thrown somewhere far away where no one can find me. My remedy for all life's dilemmas is the same, similar to many- music. As I was listening to my current favourite song Passenger-Let Her Go, I started to tear up a little and soon after I wondered how a simple piece of music made me feel even more emotional? How it caused my tears to finally pour out...

Why does music make us feel?

This is a mystery which I can't put my finger on. 

Think of it technically, music is merely a collection of sounds that briefly replaces silence... but every human can identify pieces that move them emotionally. These powerful emotions are sometimes even able to take you to a different "place"...

So how is it possible that our brain is able to associate a few sounds that have been meshed together with experiences, emotions, stories, feelings and images? Why can we cry or smile or laugh when hearing music.. why does music make us feel?:

The current favourite theory among scientists who study how we process music, dates back to 1956, when the philosopher and composer Leonard Meyer suggests that emotion in music is all about what we expect, and whether or not we get it. Meyer drew on earlier psychological theories of emotion, which suggested that this type of trigger of emotion occurs when we’re unable to satisfy some desire. (e.g- we are confused, we are sad, we are missing someone etc). Listening to moving music causes the brain to release dopamine, a feel-good chemical. Dopamine-induced pleasure may help explain why music has been such a big part of human societies throughout history. Understanding why people like listening to music is helping scientists understand human pleasure. People love music for much the same reason they love and are drawn to sex, drugs, gambling and delicious food. 

Studies show that listening to exciting music increases our heart and breathing rates and causes adrenaline to rush into the bloodstream. (e.g-exercising music). Equally, music with a slower beat can soothe you, cortisol levels (a stress hormone) are lowered and your body calms down. (e.g-a lullaby). 

So there you have it, our music-induced tears, smiles, laughs, feeling-triggers are all thanks to uncontrollable, bittersweet dopamine. 

I hope you've had a relaxing and positive-dopamine-filled weekend lovelies.

X Zo 

Justin Bieber live in Cape Town 2013

They came in the masses, they screamed like there was no tomorrow and they really did Believe!

Yesterday evening on the 8th of May 2013, Justin Drew Bieber graced a hyperventalating Cape Town stadium at 21:00.

But this 'Bieber-fever' mayhem began long before the show, with various other fans missing school the day of the concert to go and stand outside the stadium from as early as 6:00 under overcast skies, not to mention mothers of fans camping out the previous night in the hope of having their kids be in the front row.

Holding up signs such as 'I'm the future Mrs Bieber' and 'Come to my matric dance', the audience excitedly awaited the famous pop-star's arrival.
The majority of people in golden circle arrived at around 16:30 to man their fort and secure their place near to the front.

First up was ChianoSky, a local female artist- she sang four songs and was surprisingly talented; she performed well and succeeded in connecting with the audience in her red cheetah-striped leggings and equally unqiue exceedingly long and straight deep red hair.

Next, Locnville.. I may be a tad biased about these two local South Africa twin DJ's and singers as I'm not the biggest fan of their type of music but they definitely do have something and as a duo they are entertaining to watch (and their arms didn't do too much damage either). But never the less, any act prior to Bieber is bound to get minimal attention.

I was lucky enough to be in Golden Circle in the second row- seeing as I had been standing for a deadly 5 hours...at a price...my feet were killing me, I was hungry and I was HOT! To my relief, I was standing with a lot of my friends and so the telling of stories, constant chatting and a little dose of skinnering luckily made the anticipation-filled time pass.

On the main projector there was a large key with an ingraved 'B' on it and when the countdown started on 10 minutes, it's the spot where all star-strucked eyes gravitated... He came on stage seconds after the countdown ended and began the show with 'All Around the World'- a good choice to kick off the show because of its energetic beat! As soon as he started singing, magically my feet felt like they could run a marathon and I was no longer hungry nor hot and I wasn't alone in my magical transition- fans were crying, jumping, fainting, throwing up, holding onto one another... and medics were EVERYWHERE! The special effects were absolutely incredible, the element that impressed me most was an illusion of an underwater tank that he jumped in.

After the first song, he welcomed all his fans and then proceeded to sing some of his older songs such as 'Somebody to love' and 'Eenie Meenie' as well as various new songs from his acoustic album. He finished with 'Boyfriend' and his first hit single, 'Baby'. His show wouldn't have been the same without his exceptional team of dancers and very talented band!

Bieber wore a variety of simple outfits during the two hour show including items such as low rise black jeans (still don't understand that trend), white vest tops, a white suit, a black blazer and the crowd's (and my) personal favourite - no shirt.

I must say, the concert did seem planned down to the last detail but The Biebs is good at what he does so it surprisingly worked. Before singing some of his fan favourites such as 'Never say Never' and 'Believe', he introduced them by making the audience guess they were coming.. for example, before 'Never say Never' he said "I've had this motto my whole life and it's gotten me where I am today".

The only thing I could criticise about the Canadian popstar is his ability to connect with his audience- I personally think he should have talked to the audience more and made us feel like we were unique as an audience as opposed to just one on his tour. Other than that, J-Biebs impressed me- his talent is mind-blowing and he puts on a fucking good show!

The most exciting moment of my night was when I managed to convince my boyfriend to let me go on his shoulders for a few songs and during the song 'One Less Lonely girl' (just before his guest-girl came on stage) he turned to my side of the crowd and amazingly at that moment, I was the only person standing on anyone's shoulders. Whilst singing, he looked STRAIGHT into my eyes for a good 20 seconds. I thought I was dreaming but when everyone surrounding me tapped me on the shoulder and confirmed that he had, I died a little inside and in that brief moment, I experienced a rush of 'Bieber Fever'- that's for sure.

Lastly, a big thank you and well done to 'Big Concerts' for organising the event and in particular for the constant passing down of fresh water and medics for the fainting fans! I thorougly enjoyed the concert and would kill to back any day but I won't lie, I am a lil' excited for Cape Town's traffic to go back to being minimal. 

X Zo

The Simple Things In Life ♥

I believe in karma, yes I believe in the 'do something bad and something bad will happen to you' type of karma. And moreover I believe in the 'do something nice for someone and something good will come back to you' type of karma. 

Personally, at times, I've found myself in a personal stalemate. I've been surrounded by everything I could ever want and yet felt like I had nothing.

The importance of the simple things in life tends to be something we seem to forget along the way. Have you ever thought what mattered to you? I mean what really mattered to you... we've also been made to believe that in order to strive beyond our own desires and dreams, we must put aside the simple things in life. You know, those things that we enjoyed so freely as children yet start to miss as young adults. The days we spent outside climbing trees with books and picnics and losing track of time, the days we convinced our parents to let us camp in the backyard as our imaginations were more powerful than reality, the nights we agreed to go to bed just so we could build a fort out of pillows... at a certain age, we stop doing all these sorts of things because we've 'grown up' but these moments tend to be sorely missed in our daily lives not long after.

Have you said hello to a stranger today? Smiled at someone? If not you need to ask yourself why, because doing something that simple is bound to make someone's day. There are many kinds of things you can do for someone, small actions too- that can go a long way. Imagine this... someone is walking by and they smile at someone else and possibly say something nice.. that then causes that person to smile. That person would then have a smile on their face and therefore smile at someone else- naturally, wonderfully, magically.. this chain reaction goes a very long way- it'll make a lot of people that little bit happier, that little bit more confident that people do in fact have good in them. Have you ever been in a supermarket and the person in front of you in the line says 'Hey, can I buy your items for you?'- IMAGINE THAT! it doesn't happen a lot... it never happens and yes, you can argue that many people can't afford to do these sorts of gestures because of the economy. But because of this economy, people are unhappy and this is why it's even more important to do these sorts of things- even just once.

"If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive"

Here are a list of a few simple things in life that you should appreciate more:

1. Sleeping in on a rainy day

2. Finding money you didn't know you had

3. Making brief eye contact with someone of the opposite sex

4. Getting a letter/package in the mail (addressed specially to you)

5. Telling a funny or true story

6. Seeing a friend stumble over himself and pretend like nothing happened

7. Hearing the right song at the right moment

8. The first sip of a drink when you're thirsty

9. Saying the exact same thing at the exact same time with a friend

10. Realising you have more time to sleep

11. A familiar smell

12. Fresh, clean bed sheets

13. A beautiful view

14. Reminiscing with friends/family about old times

15. Receiving an unexpected compliment 

16. Laughing

17. The feeling after a workout

18. Holding hands with someone you love

19. Making someone smile

20. Finishing what you started

https://pinterest.com/madisonkathryn/enjoying-the-simple-things-in-life/ - take a look! 

X Zo