Long Time No See!

Jeez, I don't even go here anymore... 

Let's put it down to an end-of-year slump and be thick as thieves all over again, kay?

This photo is from around about this time last year. Tommy took me on a mini-break for my birthday (I probably, definitely blogged about it), and for a weekend and a bit the world was just as it should be. A universe of two. The best part was eating breakfast together in "our kitchen". I felt like a child playing a hyper-real version of adult-adult. Things like that weekend away kinda eat me up inside (in a good way). 

Nostalgia is one helluva drug. 

The reason being, growing up I never imagined being 20-something. Actually I didn't really imagine being any-something. I was too knotted to my everyday concerns, I didn't honestly see the bigger picture. Also, I feel like I'm between 12-16 years old on most days.

If you read this blog, you probably already know I'm very feels-y. In other words, I feel things, fucking too much I'd say. So doing things like a weekend away is pretty wild to me. Like, how amazing? I have a real boyfriend who does nice things?! Say what?! Insert an existential crisis, giggling and heady dose of impostor syndrome and you've got my average thought pattern. 

A peephole into my mind:

Oh-my-fuuuck + I'm so happy/nervous/excited/scared/pissed and/or terrified + laughing at my own useless jokes + how old am I again? + I should totally just get a dvd and take up daytime drinking

Not being able to imagine myself at this stage has meant that my adult life has really been one big surprise after another. It is like a poorly planned surprise party everyday. Sometimes fun, sometimes exciting, sometimes the-worst-thing-ever. 

Things I have learnt thus far (an incomplete list):

1. Haters don't hate everything. 

They (I mean, me) just know that pretty much everything sucks majorly. BUT! The things in life that don't suck at all are so great, so delicious and beautiful that it makes up for the nonsense. 

Things that don't suck: love, sushi and most fish-based meals, driving fast on the highway at night specifically on a Friday, getting better, friends of mind, doing work that blurs the line between playing and working, cold sheets in summer, making the world as small as just you and the page you're on in the book you're reading. 

2. I can just do stuff.

When I was in school I used to think that life was a bit like a video game. My personal favourite was Crash Bandicoot. So, you had to break boxes, munch apples and climb levels to get what you want. 

Fast-forward to today and I still kinda believe that for certain things but there's also this whole bunch of other things that don't require a regimented approach. Like life in general, for one. You can just do things, like, just nje. No permission required.

3. Literally no one cares about the things that you want more than you do.

And that's how it should be. Act accordingly. 

But hell, this is all just a roundabout way of saying that it's my birthday on Sunday!
Gift ideas for my generous internet friends:

1. Pug
2. Money
3. Mochachos vouchers

I've got a good feeling about this. 

My future family portrait:

Travels, Dancing Babies & Stuff!

Tommy and I have returned from our sojourn in the Eastern Cape. 

Seeing a bit more of our country has made me very appreciative of my birthplace. Joburg really is the best place ever (most of the time). Travelling invariably causes two feelings for me, I feel like I want to travel more and at the same time I just really want to go home. 

In other news, how great is this illustration by Mel Stringer:

Recently, Instagram and movies have created a major NYC-shaped hole in my heart that can only be filled by a summer trip to The Big Apple. Tommy and I have seen many great cities together but Noo Yawk remains the great unknown-known frontier. Movies and series have made us believe  that we know New York, (c'mon, I've watched nearly every Woody Allen movie) but we still haven't gone. So I'm putting it out there, 2015 NYC is ours! 

I haven't been updating FOFTHEH recently because I kinda die on the internet every single day so I feel like I've read everything, seen everything, laughed at everything and nothing is really exciting. This is a terrible outlook, I know, it is mostly fatigue related to the fact that I recently upgraded from a Blackberry (lol for days) to an iPhone. So in essence, this is my internet baptism by fire. 

This week I need to wean myself of the internet and just reclaim the kingdom of my skull without the opinion of every New Yorker columnist swimming in my head. 

Even though I just said that nothing is really exciting on the interwebs, I still LOVE this:

Tommy's Post: Another Supreme x Vans Collab

Somebody better tell the top brass at Supreme that these collabs are getting played out. 

I’m running out of ways to say that I’m not American and will never own any of these products. But I’ll try, just for you, loyal and dedicated FofTheH reader.

So you know when you’re walking down the street in Kiev or Portland or Bogota and you see a guy or even lady, (since we’re non-sexist here at the towers) and obviously this guy or lady is from a lower socio-economic class than you are. You’re first thought isn’t “damn this guy will be eating from the gutter tonight” or even “eish, I wish I had an organically manufactured linen throw to give him” but rather “homie will never know the pain of seeing somebody wear the limited release sneaker  that I wanted but couldn't get”.

And then you’re like "I wish I was that innocent".,, Man, I don’t know, whenever I see a homeless guy I avert my eyes and then go home and complain about the government.

Well right now that’s me, not the gutter man but the man in pain. Rampant consumerism not satisfied is the hardest hit of them all.

Tommy's Post: Power Rangers Movie!

When I was a young lion, all I wanted to be was a Power Ranger. 

Specifically, the Blue Ranger, Billy. I have no idea why because there actually was a ranger with my name; Tommy the White Ranger who used to be the angsty conflicted Green Ranger. 

I think it had something to do with the fact that he was the “white ranger”. Has anybody else realised that the yellow and black rangers were played by actors who were yellow and black...

Man, I was such a connoisseur, when my friends played we would create new Power Rangers...

Gold and Silver Ranger but some asshole ruined the game when he called himself the Diamond Ranger and made himself indestructible because his mum told him that diamonds are and I quote, “the strongest material known to man”.  We told that homie to squash off his red bums and go play with the girls.

Pictures of me from that era show a young yellow boy, trying to pull karate poses in his loose fitting underpants, this was before I started the McDonalds diet that basically ruined my tween days. Also, my parents, bless them, got me a book that had me in it with the Power Rangers, fighting the putty patrol and saving the day using our Zords.

“Tommy thank you for helping out the power rangers, you’re a really cool kid” said Jason, the Red Ranger. Yes, my childhood was better than yours.

There’s a power ranger’s movie coming out and despite the fact that it probably shaped my young life more than anything else, it will be terrible. A disgusting piece of cinema that will shatter dreams and destroy childhoods. Any actors unfortunate enough to be caught in that mess, I will pray for you.

Regardless, I’m still gonna watch it and will probably cry in the cinema.

Tommy's Post: Pigalle Pigs Alley

Heather is amazing. In Paris, she indulged my internet needs and walked for close to 2 hours on 2 separate days through Pigalle, looking for thee Pigalle. She braved the cold, the sex shops, the strip clubs, the prostitutes and Chinese tourists all for me, yung Dennis. 

Needless to say, we didn't find Pigalle. We found the cold desire of broken men and absolutely no hoodies with the black box logo, nothing! Just depressing sex.

I think I was depressed for like 1 day straight. Even Proust doesn't know the depression of failed shopping.

Anyways, it's now April and I'm in Joburg. Pigalle and Nike are collaborating on something...

I don't know... It's all hush hush but apparently it has something to do with the Nike Air Force 1, which is cool I guess.

What I want to know is when will Pigalle collab with Fabric of The Heart?

For your enjoyment, here are pictures of terrible people wearing Pigalle.

Tommy's Post: Products of The Cold North

Created to improve life. Good for all seasons.

Isn't that the greatest vision statement you've ever read? I know I like it. I like it so much that sometimes I go the website and just stare...

Truth time, children. I've actually been to a Norse Projects store and it was in Scandinavia! Huzzah! 

Disappointingly, I didn't know it was Norse Projects at the time, I was young and it was cold. 

My brother bought a cap made out of an actual Japanese person's old carpet, which I thought was a bad idea at the time. Now I love that cap like it's my own child. But ever since that cold mess of a trip to Copenhagen, I've been lusting over Norse Projects in a way that makes Heather sigh in disappointment at her boo.

That Scandinavian minimalism, those Elka parkas, the athletic tee's, come on! God or whoever the fuck's up there, just give me a yung sponsorship or at the very least a free beanie, at this point I'd even take a stick with Norse Projects written on it.

My favourite brands make clothes that blur the line between menswear and sportswear. Essentially clothes that create the impression that I have nowhere important to be, no job, no family to provide for, just me and my super-luxe living.

If no one has noticed, what I basically want for my birthday and every other celebratory day is Norse Projects.

Contact details for deliveries of Norse Projects:

082 Norse Projects or alternatively you can contact me at: 

norseprojectsmakesmehardinaweirdscandinavianway@gmail.com

Tommy's Post: Supreme x Nike, Never in My Life

So it's been a while. For the last three weeks, I've faced riots outside my door, people molesting me on public transport, random children screaming my name and what for? Ya'll want another post.

Y'all want that buttery goodness to drip down off your computer screens and straight into your lives.

Anyways back to what matters, Supreme and Nike have collaborated again. Shorts, sneakers and vests. You can wear them all at once, if you feel like being a hypebeast. I'm pretty sure that these will go well with tribal tattoos. Also my man Migos, will probably dedicate a song to these, actually probably not, cause these look like a poor man's Versace. Also, what the hell is up with those foamposites? I gave up on Sketchers in 2001, I can't go back to that.

Quick caveat though, I have never owned a Supreme product or a Supreme X anybody joint. I own a fuck load of Nikes, but that's because I buy what I see on Tumblr. This stuff might look good on you, maybe if you're American, or maybe if you're a New Yorker or maybe if you're Tyga. Don't take me literally, I know how ya'll dudes roll. Seriously, don't be running up to me in the street. But I will never own these. Never in my life.  

Kitke Dreaming!

I took this photo in the Marais district in Paris. I really love kitke being the good Jewish (emphasis on the "ish") girl that I am. 

It is only slightly sad that the overwhelming majority of my holiday photos are of bread and this gent. 

The creepy/amazing guy in the background was purely coincidental (lady luck shines on us all the time) and we've named him, Pyotr. 

Come visit us anytime Pyotr. 

Let's Begin!

Happiest 2014! We're back babes! Dry your eyes and dance!

It's a bit late for a new year's hello but since the Parisian party we celebrated New Year's Eve at didn't even do a countdown, I feel a bit out of touch.

Homies did not give a hot damn about that countdown business.

This out of touch feeling was compounded by the fact that while everyone was returning to work (askies) and getting on the cursed resolutions bandwagon, Tommy and I were eating and drinking our way through the French capital with much glee, fuckery and remorse after excessive consumption. It was a three week long bacchanal that caused me to return a bit plump-y and useless but I loved it! We also managed to visit a whole bunch of museums so my brain is also plump-y with inspiration and wonder.

Paris is a wonderful place for people like me who become evangelical about tasty food. 

I can still remember with vivid, almost pornographic detail a grape that I ate three years ago... 

I am going to try to recreate some of the yummies that I had the pleasure of inhaling so that the good times can roll on throughout 2014. Hopefully I will not be rolling around too.

Anyhoo, we're glad to be back home, there's truly no place as great as this.

Everything is going to be amazing and there's gonna be a whole lotta posts coming up this week so come back and love us. 

Mpumalanga Loves You!

Weekends away are the business! 

While we spend most of our weekends hating on people at Kitchener's the rest of our country has been livin'! Lest us never forget. 

Three years and eleven months of love has never been celebrated in such splendor! 

All I gotta say is happiest anniversary to the best person I know. 

Best Friend, Boyfriend & Haruki Murakami!

This is a very happy time for me because yesterday my best friend celebrated her birthday and tomorrow my boyfriend attempts to celebrate his. My scorpio tribe take up so damn much of my heart that I barely have space left for Conan O'Brien, receiving money for nothing and baby pug gifs. 

Both Tommy and Tumelo are bound to be richessful (rich and successful) so I'm hoping that they'll keep me around or else I will be penning their unauthorized biographies with photos, ya dig? Nonetheless, I got mad love for my two T's and this wouldn't be my self-indulgent blog if I didn't attempt to praise their wonder and all-around amazingness.

In other news, this is a gift from the internet (click here). I engage in delusional thinking on the regular and one of my classic bitches-be-crazy daydreams is that Haruki Murakami is my homeboy. I usually just text him or he invites me for a beer in a dingy bar somewhere. I don't drink beer but that's wholly irrelevant. His writing just inspires that kind of intimacy, well, that's my reasoning anyway. Read this and follow it up with some of this (click here).

 “It’s strange, isn’t it?” the woman said in a pensive voice. “Everything is blowing up around us, but there are still those who care about a broken lock, and others who are dutiful enough to try to fix it. . . . But maybe that’s the way it should be. Maybe working on the little things as dutifully and honestly as we can is how we stay sane when the world is falling apart.”

Haruki Murakami, Samsa in Love.

One last thing:

"If we are the same person before and after we love, that means we haven’t loved enough."

Elif Shafak, The Forty Rules of Love.

P.S. I realize that these photos are completely unrelated but I took them and I like them so that's all there is to say about that. 

Collabs!

 YES, I KNOW! The A.P.C. & Carhartt collaboration has been out for 3 days now, I know. 

I was planning to get freaky over this here blog with a post but I dunno, there was a football match on or something. So I thought to myself, since Heather's back is turned I can turn all the collaborations I like into one super post.

The A.P.C/Carhartt is obviously the glamour here, but there are others that have piqued my interest. I don't need to say it again, but the possibility of me getting any of these because of geographical location is NEXT TO -8 but I can dream, and every time you have a fashion dream, Karl Lagerfeld loses 2Kg's of fat. Also, I mean we all know we all just want the big A.P.C. & Carhartt logo.

The Supreme X Bruce Lee is a bit iffy for me. Everybody luhs Bruce Lee and Supreme but together the mixture is like fusion Asian food and nobody likes that. But sometimes you do, sometimes it's noodles and bacon, which is delicious, trust me, I'm a broke student.

This isn't a collaboration but I've been meaning to post about Han Kjobenhavn for a minute. So I'll just add it sneakily at the end. The old guy gives off Eastern European human trafficker vibes but that adds to the beauty that is Han Kjobenhavn. Before I saw him, draped in Han Kjobenhavn, I never wanted to be 70 year old white dude who traffics humans, but now I kinda do. 

Daily Paper

Daily Paper is a brand that Heather and I came across at STR CRD this past weekend. Now STR CRD probably deserves it's own post, just to give me a space to rant at how I couldn't drink anything besides a BOS Ice Tea mix. I mean come on, what 20-something brother wants to drink ICED TEA at 22:00 in  the JOHANNESBURG INNER CITY. I'm not being irrational here am I internet?

But anyway Daily Paper, shit's dope (click here). We met Hussain Suleiman at their stall at STR CRD, dude looks really young, but was really cool and bonus points to him, he really loved Joburg. So there you go Johannesburg, at least someone loves you. I managed to get my hands on a baseball tee, so thats my Tumblr win for the year, but honestly I could've walked away with everything on the rack but as usual, bothersome things like how many zero's my bank account has and eating and living got in the way.

Nick Wooster! Always & Forever!

Here at Fabric Of The Heart Towers, we love us some Nicky Woo. 

If you don't believe that then go check our archives (click here), we've got something from like four to four million posts about the dude. 

Why? I hear you asking from Midrand to Paris. We're not entirely sure. We did a quick survey around the office and decided it's because he always looks like he's having fun. Enjoying whatever trend he's currently got on and that's probably the most important part about fashion, to have fun with it, if you don't engage with it, then you're missing the point. 

That's all an excuse, it's really just because he shaved his head.

Cape Town!

KAAP Stad!!! Cape Town, Ape Town, Mother City, Little Europe... Whatevs you want to call it, we were there. 

And boy oh boy, it was good. 

We laughed, we laughed alone, we laughed at each other, we smiled, ate, ate some more, complained about eating too much and then ordered some more, drank milkshakes, downed shots, got drunk, danced, kissed, watched two seals, got watched by the lecherous eyes of the chauffeur, jacuzzi'd, searched for our doppelgangers, sang, harmonized, repeatedly said 'hallo' in a German accent, wore each others clothes, bought some more clothes, watched reality TV late at night, watched Man of Steel, drank too much coffee with cream, walked in the rain, waited for the rain to stop, played games, played "what if", got sky high, did things for the first time, got lost, got lucky, ran out of luck, ran out of money, found more, found happiness again and always. 

When you find someone that you think is literally the best person on this planet you plan a holiday and instead you get the most delicious and juiciest slice of happiness. 

Rick Owens & Adidas

Adidas has kinda fallen by the wayside since Nike has been throwing collabs, Roshe Runs and Flyknits around like poo flung by chimpanzees. 

Have you ever seen the type of dude who is into Adidas footwear? Not a very nice type of guy, he lives a weird sports X lifestyle type of existence. And he really likes football, like goes Korean for kimchi hard, for football. 

And is possibly David Beckham's left testicle. 

These Rick Owens Adidas collaboration shoes remind me of alien feet. District 9 type steez. 

So basically now Adidas is sports X lifestyle X David Beckham's left testicle X District 9.