Saturday Star 2026-03-14

These days, fashion and style are truly up to you, honey. There are no hard rules, no strict dress codes, just a vibe. But since we’re talking the Cape Town Jazz Festival, a few tips can’t hurt, especially with Mother City weather doing whatever it feels like. Last year, we saw quite a few denim-on-denim moments, but with 2026 trends, you can expect bold prints, playful layers and outfits that actually make you want to dance and sing (or slay) the night away. 1. Colour pops, not pastel snoozefests Bold colours and expressive prints have been a dominant trend in 2025 to 2026, especially in festival fashion worldwide. People are moving away from boring neutrals to outfits that stand out in photos and in crowds. Cape Town in March is…

In South Africa, a country already grappling with financial uncertainty, high crime rates, and relentless workplace pressures, stress is not just an occasional inconvenience; it’s an epidemic. According to an Ipsos survey, over half the workforce has taken time off due to stress, far surpassing the global average. Burnout is surging, and more than a quarter of South Africans face moderate to severe depression. But the true toll of this crisis may be hidden in plain sight: chronic stress is reshaping our brains, with far-reaching implications for mental and physical health. The brain: A living, adaptive organ Contrary to the outdated belief that the brain is like a computer that slows with age, neuroscience reveals that our brain is a living, adaptable organ, constantly shaped by our experiences, habits, and…

You’ve finally arrived. The hotel room is beautiful. The sheets are crisp, the lighting soft, the duvet feels like a cloud. You should be drifting into the most luxurious sleep of your life. Instead, you’re staring at the ceiling at 2.13am. The air conditioner hums like it’s plotting something. The hallway footsteps feel suspiciously loud. You’re hyper-aware of every sound: the lift dinging, someone closing a door three rooms away, even the unfamiliar scent of laundry detergent on the pillowcase. If you’ve ever spent your first night in a hotel, Airbnb or a friend’s spare bedroom tossing and turning, congratulations: your brain is simply doing its job. But why does this happen so consistently? Sleep scientists call this phenomenon the “first-night effect". And yes, almost everyone experiences it. Why your…

TV lovers love a good show, one filled with drama and jaw-dropping moments, and that is what Blue Therapy on Netflix is giving. The British docuseries follows an inquisitive therapist's journey as she helps seven real couples who are looking for relationship intervention. The show was adapted for television from Andy Amadi’s viral 2021 YouTube show, Trend Centrl. Relationships are no walk in the park, and these couples are dealing with tough challenges. Karen Doherty, a licensed couples therapist with more than 20 years of experience, helps them navigate the stumbling blocks in their relationship. Over the course of eight episodes, the couples ranging from those still early on in their relationships to those who’ve already tied the knot, reveal their darkest secrets and biggest fears in a last-ditch effort…

Showmax subscribers were met with a major plot twist last week when they were told that the popular streaming service is shutting down in the near future. The decision comes on the back of French media titan Canal+ acquiring MultiChoice. The company explained that the move aligns with their goal to launch a massive, in-house streaming platform designed to satisfy both "African and international consumers". While the business move makes sense for the giants at the top, local stars and creators are watching closely to see what happens next. Jack Devnarain, actor and chairperson of the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA), isn't sugarcoating the situation. He recently noted on the news platform Newzroom Afrika that while global shifts are inevitable, they serve as a reminder of how vulnerable the…

The Real Housewives of Pretoria and The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: South Africa star Melany “Mel” Viljoen may have fled to the United States from South Africa, but she is still getting on the bad side of the law. News has broken that her husband, Peet Viljoen, and she were arrested on Tuesday in Boca Raton for stealing. According to US media reports, a Boca Raton police officer wrote in an arrest report that Mel “stated she was stealing because she was in survival mode and has not worked since coming to the US due to not having a visa. “Over the course of the last 6 months, the Viljoens have worked in concert during multiple acts of retail thefts,” a Boca Raton police officer wrote, according to the…