Swap Movement: Joburg’s Clothes Swap Phenomenon
I’ve developed a great interest in clothes, as most of you know, especially locally designed and thrifted clothes. And clothes-swapping — the act of exchanging clothing items with others, rather than buying new or second-hand clothes — is like...
Joburg Thrifting: Winter 2023
I’m obsessed with Joburg thrifting (see here, here, and here) and the more I shop second-hand, the more I realize it’s almost never necessary to buy new things. There are so many great places in Joburg to shop for used clothing, furniture, jewelry, shoes,...
Veldskoens: Southern Africa’s Favorite Shoes
I can’t remember the exact moment when I became aware of veldskoens, a.k.a. vellies. These leather foot coverings — somewhere between a shoe and a boot — have always been prolific in rural South Africa, lining the shelves of padstals (farm stalls),...
Black-Tie, Jozi-Style
I recently joined the Rand Club, which holds a couple of black-tie events each year. When it came time to attend our first fancy function, the Club’s 135th-anniversary gala, Thorsten and I considered his black-tie options. He didn’t own a tux, we...
Heather Mason
I’m an American writer/blogger/photographer living a quirky life in Johannesburg. Follow along as I explore Johannesburg, South Africa, and the rest of the world.