Koketso Mokwele is a South African based fashion & lifestyle influencer and poet whose cool-girl style is instantly recognisable. She’s an avid believer that lingerie should make us feel amazing everyday and effortlessly styles underwear into her daily looks.
You can’t miss her on Instagram, she gives us major wardrobe envy with regular outfit posts - accompanied by flawless hair and makeup.
Along with a chat about inspiration and style, she also wrote us an amazing poem about Self love.
First things first, please introduce yourself!
Hey, my name is Koketso Mokwele. I am a South African poet and a fashion and lifestyle influencer.
What makes you feel empowered in your body and sexuality?
The fact that I attempt to love myself every single day. I use the word attempt because there are days when I don’t feel as beautiful or as sexy, but the fact that I refuse to see myself as anything less than whole and worthy, regardless of how I feel is empowering. Being brave enough to see and accept my flaws empowers me, because once you’ve come to terms with your flaws, nobody else can use them to try to make you feel bad about yourself.
Tell us a bit about your poetry. What has inspired you lately?
I’m always inspired by the people around me and the events taking place around me. I sometimes touch on socio economic issues as well as gender, racial and body complexities, but my favourite topic to write about is love. I’m always inspired to write about love. Be it self love or love between friends or romantic partners. Love in its many forms is hardly ever uninspiring.
Do you have any tips for people wanting to style lingerie into their everyday wardrobe?
My first tip is, if you like it, don’t worry if someone else doesn’t like it. It takes confidence to wear lingerie as outerwear. I’ve found that blazers and button up shirts go really well with bras or bodysuits. So, if you haven’t started exploring lingerie, try pairing it with a blazer or button up shirt. It’s a classy way of incorporating lingerie into everyday fashion and style.
Why is it important for women to wear lingerie for themselves and not for someone else?
It is important because when you do something for yourself, you appreciate it more. It helps with appreciating your body and beauty more. You feel more confident. It becomes a symbol of body positivity and owning your body. Changing the narrative on lingerie being something that should be worn for a romantic partner and taking charge of our sexualities and femininity outside of another human being. It reinforces the notion that you do not need a second person to validate your beauty.
A beautiful poem on self-love
Self Love
There are days I do not lift this body up with my words, but it still carries me.
Even when the weight of my insecurities are on anchor, it refuses to let me drown.
There are days I do not want this body
Days that feel like I’m in an arranged marriage that was decided for me at birth
Yet this body refuses to give up on me
It has shown me that love is in fact something you can learn.
These days I look at my cellulite as if out of those dimples shines bright light.
I tell myself that stars don’t come without stretch marks
That my scars are something worth showing off, because look what I survived
and look how much fun I had while doing it.
These days I look at my body knowing that there is no where else to go
That this is a forever love
This body chose me
It deserves to see me go the extra mile
It deserves to smile.
- FKD
You can’t miss her on Instagram, she gives us major wardrobe envy with regular outfit posts - accompanied by flawless hair and makeup.
Along with a chat about inspiration and style, she also wrote us an amazing poem about Self love.
First things first, please introduce yourself!
Hey, my name is Koketso Mokwele. I am a South African poet and a fashion and lifestyle influencer.
What makes you feel empowered in your body and sexuality?
The fact that I attempt to love myself every single day. I use the word attempt because there are days when I don’t feel as beautiful or as sexy, but the fact that I refuse to see myself as anything less than whole and worthy, regardless of how I feel is empowering. Being brave enough to see and accept my flaws empowers me, because once you’ve come to terms with your flaws, nobody else can use them to try to make you feel bad about yourself.
Tell us a bit about your poetry. What has inspired you lately?
I’m always inspired by the people around me and the events taking place around me. I sometimes touch on socio economic issues as well as gender, racial and body complexities, but my favourite topic to write about is love. I’m always inspired to write about love. Be it self love or love between friends or romantic partners. Love in its many forms is hardly ever uninspiring.
Do you have any tips for people wanting to style lingerie into their everyday wardrobe?
My first tip is, if you like it, don’t worry if someone else doesn’t like it. It takes confidence to wear lingerie as outerwear. I’ve found that blazers and button up shirts go really well with bras or bodysuits. So, if you haven’t started exploring lingerie, try pairing it with a blazer or button up shirt. It’s a classy way of incorporating lingerie into everyday fashion and style.
Why is it important for women to wear lingerie for themselves and not for someone else?
It is important because when you do something for yourself, you appreciate it more. It helps with appreciating your body and beauty more. You feel more confident. It becomes a symbol of body positivity and owning your body. Changing the narrative on lingerie being something that should be worn for a romantic partner and taking charge of our sexualities and femininity outside of another human being. It reinforces the notion that you do not need a second person to validate your beauty.
A beautiful poem on self-love
in Koketso’s words...
Self Love
There are days I do not lift this body up with my words, but it still carries me.
Even when the weight of my insecurities are on anchor, it refuses to let me drown.
There are days I do not want this body
Days that feel like I’m in an arranged marriage that was decided for me at birth
Yet this body refuses to give up on me
It has shown me that love is in fact something you can learn.
I tell myself that stars don’t come without stretch marks
That my scars are something worth showing off, because look what I survived
and look how much fun I had while doing it.
These days I look at my body knowing that there is no where else to go
That this is a forever love
This body chose me
It deserves to see me go the extra mile
It deserves to smile.
- FKD
