This long awaited list, published
annually on this site, has been put on temporary hold for the
first time in its 5 year-existence.
Syndicates, harmful threats and
bad sportsmanship are the main reasons for this. Also in play is
the serious illness of Simon Rademan during the busiest social
scene period of the year (October-December).
“Because of my recent illness,
I have been out of high profile circulation during the busiest
time of year (October – December). I cannot comment on the photos
(sent in by visitors to my site and readers of magazines) alone,
nor can I comment on what
this years candidates have been up to
as I have not been around to see what they really looked like at
the photographed events portrayed by the media. I apologize to
the 732 style-watchers that have nominated throughout the year,
but ask that they understand how important it has always been for
me to speak only from experience.
“
Perhaps now other style- and
fashion designers like Errol van de Merwe (?) and Gert Arendz (?)
will leave me in peace as there are no list to comment on for 2006
(like they have done in the media).
For now, I have grown tired of
the attempts of bribery suggestions and public ‘threats of bodily
harm’ by husbands and close friends of worst dressed people. The
friendly policemen at my chosen police station know exactly what I
am doing there when they see me, and I will not be visiting them
for this reason again. Although I took the first threat very
serious, I will no longer waste the police’s valuable time on
complaining about how “scared” I am of worst dressed people. I
want the police to
concentrate on more serious matters like the
prevention of crime.
This bad sportsmanship of worst
dressed people leads me to believe that there is much room for
maturity amoungst our “not so stylish” style-“leaders”.
The “SA best and worst
dressed women” list is a registered independent trademark
and does not belong to any individual publication, but to the
style-followers of South Africa. Anyone has a say in its
outcome. Simon Rademan merely comments on the outcome of this
list.. All best dressed women are not always featured in the
“STYLE” magazine, nor are the worst dressed women from the weekly
“HEAT” magazine. Although magazines have a strong guideline for
what their readers want, the people they feature are often styled
for shoots and do not reflect their own personal style.
Some publications have tried to
influence the outcome of this list by prescribing to me what their
readers are interested in, but, and I want to clearly state this:
All prominent people from ALL walks of life are liable for
nomination, editors included.
We have to stress that the said
list is not a love-list nor is it a hate-list. E.G.: It was easy
to discover a syndicate that would place
Amor Vittone
and Patricia Lewis directly opposite one another. Voters
would nominate Me Vittone as best and (almost without exeption) Me
Lewis as a worst dressed woman
AND vice versa.
The list is also not a popularity
competition. Me Noleen Maholwana Sanqui is often nominated
as a best AND a worst dressed woman.
Her name pops up everywhere, but here is the truth: I am a great
fan of her show, but (although she has been no 10 on last year’s
"best" list) her dress-sense on telly and at events,
is like the Dr Jack-all and Mrs “Hide” of the fashion
industry. Her outfits are either too loose or (more often) too
tight. Sitting in a chair the whole time definitely is not the
solution for not dressing perfect. Another person on the worst
dressed list would surely have been “the strictly come hiding”
Tamara Dey for her misrepresentation of how stylish women
should dress.
Many
people (myself included) look up to the formidable
Busisiwe Mahlaba for
a definition on style,
elegance and femininity. She inspires women and style watchers
throughout South Africa, almost on a daily basis. Other people
who are walking on the edge of a
thin line (and should keep watching this space), are Eloise
Kupido, Tammy Ann Fortuin, Jeannie D, Yvonne
van den Bergh and Kelly Khumalo.
Our beautiful country is not too
small to accommodate socialite wannabe's that are prepared to grow
as real life style-icons. I suggest they stop hiding behind how
perfectly a magazine of choice have styled them and start
projecting who they really want to be. I wish and wish and wish
that more magazines will allow their “subjects” to appear in their
garments of choice.
“I will continue to be
honest in my opinion when asked for information by my clients, the
public or the media, because that is who I really am: I have
always shared my knowledge eagerly with those who seek
information, and who have a desire to look better, feel better and
live stylishly. I will continue to be inspired by well
dressed woman in SA and all over the world, and will always be
fascinated by those who do not
care about elegance.”
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