Closet Confidential with Aqeelah Harron

This month, I asked Aqeelah Harron to share a few snippets of her personal style. She is a recent BA Media graduate and avid photographer with a love for shoes & all things leather. Aqeelah is also the savvy stylista behind Fashion Breed, where she blogs about her favourite outings & outfits. When it comes to bargain hunting, Aqeelah has mastered the art. I hope that she will give some tips on the best vintage shopping spots the next time I'm in Cape Town.

Describe your personal style 
I think what is signature about my style is that you can't put it in a a category, for example you can't call me a tomboy, or bohemian, old hollywood, a "hipster" or a girly-girl. I'm all of those things, just on different days, depending on my mood. I really spend all my money on shoes...

What is your most treasured item of clothing? 
I once thrifted a genuine leather/suede fully-fringed waistcoat for R30. It has a tattered old label inside it that says "Handmade in Mexico" - it's really special. Then, I once saw my friend with a vintage top knitted entirely with genuine leather that I was obsessed with, and then I thrifted the exact same one in black and red for R5! It was a miracle! Most of my favourite pieces are vintage from my mom/aunts or it's thrifted. Things were just made so much better back in the day.

Who are your style icons? 
Edie Sedgewick, Nicole Richie, Kate Moss and Carrie Bradshaw - everything is so effortless. 

Most extravagant fashion purchase 
Contrary to popular belief I don't shop extravagantly! I just shop a LOT. But when I do splurge it goes to shoes, like leather boots or killer-but-classic heels. 

What is on your fashion wish list? 
A walk in closet. And maybe an Elie Saab/Zuhair Murad wedding dress just to play around in! Ok and more comfy chunky heels. I'm becoming one of those women who wear heels more often than not, just because it's fun. 

What is your signature scent & why? 
I love perfume! I have so many bottles but my true favourites that I alternate between are Eclat D'arpege by Lanvin, and Dior Addict II. I love that they are both fresh, feminine and slightly sweet, and can be worn in the day and at night.

How would you define your city's style? 
Very laid-back. Too laid-back! Generally comfort is key, and I don't think people enjoy dressing up unless it's a special occasion - they always seem to need a good reason! But our people are so diverse, Cape Town is filled with cliques so I can't really give a well-rounded answer for this one. I'd love to see our people taking more pride in their appearance though!

What are the 'must have' items in your closet? 
A classic pair of jeans that fits you really well. As well as basic genuine leather goods in black and brown, like boots, bags and jackets. They give an outfit more texture and automatically makes everything else you're wearing look expensive and chic. 

Where are your favourite shopping hotspots? 
Thrift stores of course! Yes they're filled with a lot of gross, used things but I have had some truly amazing finds; a 100% silk ASOS dress brand new with tags still attached, a lace low-back Betsey Johnson dress, a Blumarine blazer, Versace high waist shorts, a Pierre Cardin leather clutch and much much more. I'm addicted. I love that it is highly unlikely someone else will have the same garment, it's cheap, and the clothing from back in the day will always be of far higher quality than the stuff made today. However I only buy things that are in excellent condition and I wash the garments thoroughly. 

Biggest Fashion Do's 
Spend money on classic pieces.

Biggest Fashion Don'ts 
Unless you are going to have it tailored, don't buy things that don't fit your specific body well. It doesn't matter who it's by or how much it has been marked down. 

Fabulous fashion advice
1. The more terrible you feel, the higher you should wear your heel - if you dress better it will make you feel better.
2. Good style is 7 days a week, not only on weekends or special occasions!


*Special Thanks to Aqeelah for partaking in this interview. Love the advice!