"what Maymo thinks about stuff"

Small hiatus from all things blog has been as a result of test week and all things engineering. Nevertheless I'm back and I brought a friend. I sat down to talk to another cool cat in town and I would love for you to see why I think she's so rad. Tshiamo Ramano is her name. Almost dripping in her unique 90's inspired swag, complemented with a weird but essentially amazing use of warm colours. She kinda reminds me and a lot of our other mates of Solange. But she's different. Her approach to clothing and beauty exudes a maturity and self-assurance as she appreciates classic pieces and silhouettes while contrasting them with a youthful 'I don't give a shit' vibe. Sorry for swearing. Actually I'm not. Anyway. Our time together consisted of a young shoot in the UCT graffiti tunnel and then a quiz sesh consisting of 21 questions with yours truly in my attempt to portray to you what I see in her. 

Here it is...

1. Put Maymo's aesthetic into three words.

Colourful. Textured. lol I'm not really as risky as I think I am... uh...

I start throwing random words at her like 'chaotic?', 'undecided?', 'moody?' and we eventually settle on eclectic. 

yeah eclectic.

2. Is your fave colour to wear the same as your fave colour?

No it's not. I've recently been into wearing a lot of brown. Last month it was orange and yellow, lots of warm colours. I feel like they compliment my complexion and make me look more radiant. My favourite colour is green (hah like mine). Lime green- kinda like my old phone cover. 

3. Where do you like to shop?

Uhm... Zara. I usually buy clothes when I travel so like, I'll find random cool items in different stores. I have stuff from the The United Colours of Benetton, Urban Outfitters... Oh and I love Mango and Jo Borket. 

I soon come to the realisation that I'm going to have to write hella fast if I'm going to get down all she's saying. 

Oh yeah and Woolies for basics!

4. Breakfast food or dinner food?

Breakfast. Like, French toast, eggs, maple syrup and sausages. The mix of sweet and salty sounds so wrong but it's soo good.  I'm definitely a foodie. I could eat all day long. 

5. Which Powerpuff Girl do you think you are?

Bubbles. haha I might have a mean face but I'm Bubbles at heart lol

6. 45 year old Tshiamo is???

Is she alivvee?? haha I'm kidding. Hopefully she's still really active in the way she lives. like going out to dinner a lot, meeting new people. She's hopefully an environmental engineer/architect. I don't wanna be like "ugh, I'm old" you know. Might have a kid lol. I don't know.

7. How do you strike a balance between being an engineering student and having a life?

woooh lol... I'm very extreme. So, like, either I'm working excessively or going out too much. I think with engineering you definitely need something on the side if you want to grow and maintain sanity. For me now, it's exploring-getting out of Rondebosch, going to Obz for some good coffee. Oh and FASHION lol. What's that saying? haha "stressed but well dressed".

8. Why would you be your friend?

I'm the type of person that will leave you with something to think about. I'm fun and I offer interesting conversation. Also I'm real. I'll tell you the truth- not to be critical, but to offer valuable input. Haha you'll look good.

"You really just have to define your self."

9. 3 things you would tell 12-year-old you?

Remain positive-keep looking at the brighter side. Don't give up sports, stick it out brah! Gym more. Love yourself- stop trying to meet other people's expectations of you.

10. Signature emoji?

The sun face. Or the Mc Ds fries and crown together.

11. What do you think of the SA fash industry?

The industry is obviously growing but they're not taking enough risks. They're not trying to break out in South Africa where fashion is not a culture and it's more a thing of creating clothes that will sell. I've yet to see African designs that are of the same caliber as some international designers because we're too focused on copying the West. We must set trends. 

12. Who's your favourite couture designer?

There isn't one that I completely identify with. I appreciate certain cool pieces from various designers. I consistently follow Lanvin events though. they have an artistic approach to fashion that's always classy.

13. Would you rather live in space or under the sea?

Under the sea. Space is hella lonely. It's just nothing.

"We must set trends."

14. What's it like being a young black woman in South Africa?

It depends on your perspective. for me I feel like you have to constantly prove yourself in terms of your intellect, capabilities and leadership skills. You go out into the world and you feel divided because on one side, you're at school where it's very westernized and you basically have to prove your 'whiteness'- prove that they accepted you not just coz you're black. On the other end, when you interact with other black people who didn't necessarily live the life of privilege that you did, you're viewed as a 'disgrace' coz you speak in a certain way or you don't conform to some of their standards. There are lots of different views from black and white people so you really just have to define your self. I wish black women were looked at with more positivity because currently there is 
a lot of negativity around us.

15. Joburg vs Cape Town?

Joburg wins. It's home. I didn't realise it before. In Cape Town there's more stuff to do, but you need money. At home I know the dynamics. Joburg has more buzz, more vibe. You feed off people's energy. Cape Town- you have to create your own adventure. It's very cliquey and segregated. 

16. Who is your style inspiration?

Fashion bloggers like Pretty Sickly and The Gray Layers.

17. What's rad about your peers and what's not?

Rad- There is a really wide range of personalities. Like in my Chem Eng class, there are so many different people. I thought that I'd be an outcast because I don't necessarily fit the stereotype of an engineering student but I've found that people that are in my class also don't conform to those stereotypes, which is cool. Like, the boys I interact with are very different to the ones from high school. There is also a good vibe because we all help each other out coz this degree is chowing us all.

Not Rad- Sometimes all of these varying personalities can become overwhelming. 

18. Style tips for a night out?

JACKET!! You can throw it over anything. Even if you're wearing crap, you can still look polished. I feel empty without a jacket.

19. Any rad movie to see before you die?

haha she get super excited and starts frantically scrolling through her phone. 

OMG I have a list!! A Single Man- directed by Tom Ford! I cried. uhmm.. Riding in Cars with Boys, Elite Squad- The Enemy Within, Kill Bill, Tarantino films. ughhh they're all so good!

20. What item of clothing do you currently covet?

I need more shoes! Shoes can make or break an outfit. I don't know how to shop for shoes- lol shoes are my fashion struggle. 

21. Youth fash culture in South Africa is??

TBH it's too trendy. Everyone wants to look the same and copy the stuff that they see on insta from the USA. I feel like we should be more creative and take fashion more seriously instead of criticizing people who try to be different or actually care about fashion as a culture. It definitely needs to be appreciated more as a culture.  I like that we're seeing more and more young people like fashion photographers and bloggers. 

 

"I wish black women were looked at with more positivity."

Photography by Jemma Richmond (plainoldglasses.wordpress.com). Edited by Refiloe Mokgele

Thanks Tshiamo!

Scroll down to see the rest of Maymo's movie list.

THE LIST (curated by Tshiamo Ramano)

Eve's Bayou

A Single Man (<3)

Riding in Cars with Boys

Clueless

The Breakfast Club

Bridget Jones Diary

Pulp Fiction

Inglorious Bastards

Kill Bill Vol 1. and 2.

Django Unchained

Cop Out

I am Legend

Hide and Seek

The Number 23

The Uninvited Guest

Hick

Precious

The Door

Milk

The Skin I Live in

Elite Squad- The Enemy Within

Spirited Away

Not One Less