Rea loves to look good!

POLOKWANE – “You don’t need to have money to look good, all you need is to wear what looks good on you and find what works for you.”

Fashion-lover, Reabetswe Mabotja, better known simply as Rea, has a lot more fashion advice, and takes time out from her hectic schedule to share her knowledge with Bonus readers.

Inspired by Ouma Tema, a plus-size stylist for Plus fab (a line of clothing for plus-size women), Rea says her love for fashion began during her years of tertiary education. She found herself in a different environment and adapted to it; it was because of this that she created her own style.

She confesses she adores shoes and handbags and wouldn’t be caught dead in a pair of tekkies. “The only pair I own are the ones I use for gym, but I have never found an outfit that I can wear, with which tekkies can be worn.”

She owns so many pairs of shoes, she is unable to give an exact number and says all her shoes are housed in one room in her home including the most expensive fashion item she owns, a pair of R12 000 Louis Vuitton shoes, which she bought at the Louis Vuitton store in Johannesburg.

Instead of wearing tekkies for comfort, Rea prefers sandals or pumps.She says the most important accessory one should have is a good watch and a pair of earrings. She owns eight watches as she feels it is important to keep time. “I’m a businesswoman, single mom and journalist so I must always keep track of time.”

One look at her confirms she is a fashionista. Her hair is beautifully styled and her nails are done every fortnight. She prefers weaves to natural hair or braids. “I like all lengths of weaves but I prefer long ones,” she says. When it comes to nails, Rea prefers gel nails as they dry faster. She has this done over her own nails, which are beautifully shaped. When asked where she buys her clothes, Rea says she shops everywhere. “I mix my clothes; I’m not that person who says only expensive clothes are nice. I’ve seen a lot of ugly expensive clothes so I buy anywhere, from the cheapest to the most expensive shop.”

Her branded clothes include items by Jenny Button, Guess, Burberry and Polo. Her least favourite name is Michael Kors. As with many women, Rea is also a lover of handbags. Most of her bags, she says, are big because she can fit everything into them.

What would you find in Rea’s bag? A quick glimpse reveals a make-up bag, PC tablet, wallet, two hairbrushes, two-point plug adaptor, cell phone charger, hand lotion and pocket wipes. Her definition of a fashion disaster is anyone who wears white ripped skinny jeans, All Stars and a crop top.

Rea is no stranger to glamorous events, having attended events such as the Metro FM awards as well as the Durban July in 2015 and she is set to attend the State of the Province Address later this week. “I don’t want to look too formal for that but I want to find something unique,” she says.

She is all for embracing one’s curves and says women these days are put under too much pressure to lose weight. “I’m not a size 0, but I look better than a lot of women who are,” she says adding that just because size 0 is what many women aim for it doesn’t mean she should too.

What completes an outfit for Rea are matching shoes and a handbag. She believes every woman should own three blazers; one black, one white and one in a bright colour, as well as a suit, which should be mandatory to anyone’s wardrobe. “I wouldn’t say I am a fashion diva, I just love to look good!”